Jaecoo Malaysia is ushering in an exciting 2025 as the first locally assembled C9 Premium Off-road SUV Coupe rolled off the production line at the Shah Alam assembly plant today. This milestone positions Jaecoo to begin customer deliveries of the C9 SUV Coupe as scheduled in January 2025.
C9 SUV Coupe Variants and Features
The C9 Premium Off-road SUV Coupe will be available in two configurations:
All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Two-Wheel Drive (2WD)
Powered by a robust 2.0 TGDI inline four-cylinder petrol engine, the C9 delivers an impressive 257hp and 400Nm of torque. The 2WD variant offers three driving modes, tailored for city and light off-road usage, while the AWD variant expands versatility with seven driving modes, including settings for urban commutes, sporty drives, and challenging terrains.
Sime Darby Berhad and Porsche have announced a significant expansion of Porsche’s assembly facility at Inokom in Kulim, Kedah. This expansion marks a milestone in their longstanding partnership and aims to drive growth in the ASEAN region. Here are the key highlights of this development:
Expansion Details:
Facility Size: The assembly facility has been expanded to 11,000 square meters.
New Assembly Line: The expansion includes the introduction of a new assembly line for the plug-in hybrid Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid Coupe.
Export Milestone: The Cayenne S E-Hybrid will be the first locally assembled Porsche model to be exported to Thailand, highlighting the facility’s growing capabilities.
Dinamikjaya Motors Sdn Bhd, the exclusive distributor of the renowned Kia brand in Malaysia, has unveiled the locally assembled Kia Carnival 11-seater variant, now open for booking at an attractive selling price of RM213,888. This milestone sees the Kia Carnival 11-seater become the third Kia model to be locally assembled at the Inokom Assembly plant in Kulim, Kedah.
The fourth-generation Kia Carnival exhibits a design evolution that pays homage to its predecessors’ legacy, introducing a more robust architectural presence and an enhanced aesthetic that adheres to Kia’s overarching design philosophy, connecting all of Kia’s automotive creations.
Interior
Inside the Kia Carnival, the interior concept revolves around “Spatial Talents,” thoughtfully conceived by Kia’s design teams. This approach results in an environment that exudes spaciousness, comfort, and a futuristic aura, catering to young families. The Kia Carnival offers a unique blend of innovation, versatility, and style, catering to both drivers and passengers. Like its forerunner, it provides abundant space for passengers in all rows, now imbued with a heightened sense of modernity and sophistication.
It boasts a standard Black and Gray leatherette interior finishing. Notably, the specifications of the Carnival 11-seater remain unaltered, encompassing front styling and LED daytime running lights (DRLs), Smart Power Sliding doors, Smart Power Liftgate, Smart key with one-button open/close function for the rear sliding door and liftgate.
Technological Prowess
This 11-seater doesn’t hold back on technology either. It features a 12.3-inch High-resolution LCD Touchscreen Infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto compatibility, wireless smartphone charging, versatile multi-Bluetooth connectivity, and an impressive seven USB ports.
Safety First
Safety is paramount, with the 11-seater Carnival being equipped with a comprehensive array of standard and advanced safety features. These encompass 7 SRS Airbags, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Multi-Collision Brake Control (MCB), ISOFIX Child Restraint Anchor Points, Top Tethers, and Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC). Notably, the Carnival also incorporates Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW) and Rear Cross-Traffic Avoidance Assist (RCCA).
Powerful Performance
At its heart, it houses a robust 2.2L Turbo Diesel Engine, seamlessly paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, managed by an electronic shifter (E-Shift). This powertrain generates 199hp at 3,800 RPM and a substantial 440Nm of torque, available between 1,750 and 2,750 RPM. The result is a smooth, linear acceleration and an exhilarating driving experience.
The Kia Carnival 11-seater is now locally assembled in a CKD (Completely Knocked Down) format at the Inokom Assembly Plant situated in Kulim, Kedah. The available color options include Astra Blue, Snow White Pearl, Meteor Gray, and Jet Black, offering a total of four captivating choices.
Special Introductory Offer
To celebrate this launch, there is an exclusive introductory offer selling price of RM198,500.00, inclusive of accessories, for all bookings from 1st November to 31st December 2023.
Warranty and Maintenance
It comes with a 5-Years Manufacturer Warranty, covering up to five years or 100,000km, whichever comes first. Furthermore, it includes 5-Years Free Scheduled Maintenance, with coverage extending up to five years or 100,000km, whichever comes first.
The Kia Carnival 11-seater will be showcased at the Bermaz Auto Showcase event which will take place from 1st – 5th November 2023 at Centre Court, Pavilion Bukit Jalil from 10:00AM to 10:00PM.
Bermaz Motor has launched the Mazda CX-30, its third locally assembled model after the CX-5 and CX-8. The CX-30 is the final model that was in the plan announced four years ago relating to new investments and local assembly by the company as it moved forward. It was the next step for Mazda Malaysia, the joint venture between Mazda and Bermaz formed in 2012 to oversee local production, distribution and exports to other ASEAN countries.
In 2019, Mazda upgraded the ‘plant within a plant’ at Inokom in Kedah with an investment of RM200 million, which raised production capacity from 30,000 to 50,000 units. Mazda production at Inokom shares some of the facilities but also has a dedicated area (including its own paintshop) for assembly of its own products, hence the ‘plant within a plant’ description.
The roll-out of the CX-30 was actually scheduled a bit earlier but the global COVID-19 pandemic impacted all industries and time-frames had to be revised due to extended periods of lockdown. However, the CBU (completely built-up) version was already being sold since 2020.
When BAuto took over the Kia franchise in April 2021 and established subsidiary Dinamikjaya Motors to handle the Korean brand, local assembly was already being planned. Unlike some other new brands where the carmaker may want to wait a while and see how fast their volume grows, Kia Motors had already decided to use Malaysia as a regional production hub and wanted local assembly to commence as soon as possible.
They revealed a5-year plan which showed the models that would be assembled for the Malaysian market, and the chart showed that the first two models would be the Carnival and Sorento. The Carnival started rolling out of the Inokom plant in Kedah in July last year and now comes the Sorento.
Following the launch of the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz EQS in Malaysia last year, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia today rolled out an EQS 500 4MATIC as its first locally assembled battery electric model at the assembly facility in Pekan, Pahang.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has been assembling its vehicles there since 2004 and the EQS marks a significant milestone. It is not just for Mercedes-Benz but also the Malaysian auto industry since it is among the first fully electric models to be assembled locally.
The program to assemble has been quite fast and would have been encouraged by the Malaysian government’s decision to provide duty-free incentives for BEVs from 2022, with those assembled locally enjoying the incentives for an extra 2 years (till the end of 2025). Without the imposition of import taxes and sales tax, the price of the EQS 500 4MATIC is RM648,888 (excluding insurance), RM50,000 less than the CBU EQS 450+ AMG Line.
Six months after introducing the latest generation of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (W206), Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) has launched the locally-assembled version. As with other models assembled in Malaysia, the new C-Class comes from the brand’s facility in Pekan, Pahang.
Two versions of the sedan are offered – the C200 Avantgarde priced from RM287,888 (excluding insurance) and the C300 AMG Line from RM327,888 (without insurance). Local assembly naturally saves money and unlike some cases, there doesn’t seem to be any significant difference in the features and equipment compared to the CBU versions we saw earlier.
Both models are powered by 4-cylinder turbocharged engines, the C200 having a 1.5-litre displacement and an output of 204 ps/300 Nm, while the C300’s 2-litre engine produces 258 ps/400 Nm. Both engines get additional assistance with the integrated starter generator which can add 15 kW (equivalent to 20 ps) and 200 Nm to the output for brief periods. The same 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission with 9 speeds is used to deliver power to the rear wheels.
The classic sedan form that has characterised the C-Class is maintained with a more modernised appearance that has sporty elements. The C200’s Avantgarde line features include the radiator grille design with central Mercedes star as well as elegant trim strips in high-sheen aluminium and chrome with 18-inch 5-spoke wheels.
For the C300 with AMG Line, the grille incorporates the star design in chrome. To distinguish this version are LED High Performance headlamps with Adaptive High Beam Assist, 19-inch AMG multi spoke wheels and a panoramic sunroof is standard.
The rear ends of both models are similar, but this generation has had more attention given to the tail lamp units. For the first time in a C-Class, they have a 2-piece design, with the light functions divided between the side wall and bootlid lamps.
For this new generation, the interior has influences from the latest S-Class so its image is elevated. Notable features in the cabin are the high-resolution 12.3-inch free-standing display, which makes a difference from traditional cockpits with the classic round meters. The touchscreen appears to float above the expanse of trim and is slightly tilted towards the driver for easier viewing.
The dashboard is divided into an upper and a lower section. Above the wing-like section are a trio of flattened round vents reminiscent of aircraft engine nacelles. The tablet-like central display flows down to the centre console which has a rear padded section for the armrest and a front section in lustrous jet black, divided by a chrome insert.
As with every new Mercedes-Benz in recent times, the new C-Class comes with MBUX and includes MBUX Navigation Premium. The MBUX multimedia system has extended functions and comes with a LTE module to connect to Mercedes me, the app that allows the owner to interact with his car. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto make it possible to transfer favourite apps like Spotify or Waze onto the display screen and use them from there.
The system also has a fingerprint scanner but this is not used for security. Instead, it is used to retrieve stored profiles of different occupants (usually the driver) with regards to their personal preferences such as seat and steering adjustments, air-conditioning settings and even the ambient lighting levels.
Besides the advanced driver assistance systems to help the driver’s awareness and intervention when action is not taken to avoid an accident, there is also an emergency call (e-call) system. This will send a message to a control centre to notify of a possible accident when sensors detect a severe impact and deployment of the airbags. This could bring rescuers faster and make a difference in saving a life.
Each new C-Class comes with the URBAN GUARD vehicle protection package which is a security system for the car that can be helpful on recovering it if stolen. This makes use of the Mercedes me app and besides the usual security systems, it is also possible to deactivate the car keys preventing their use to start the engine. There is also visualisation with camera images to identify possible cause of parking damage.
For those interested in buying the new C-Class, Mercedes-Benz Financial has various financing plans starting from RM2,388 per month (for the C200). Additionally, there’s a MobilityPlus programme with a guaranteed temporary Mercedes-Benz replacement car if the car is retained by the service centre for 48 hours or more.
It’s now 55 years since the first new vehicle assembly plant began operations in Malaysia. Volvo, together with its local partner, Federal Auto, were the first to introduce a locally-assembled model in 1967 after the government had announced what could be considered as the first national automotive policy in the mid-1960s.
The policy was intended to attract foreign carmakers to assemble some of their models locally and if they did so, they would be given incentives in the form of lower tax rates. This would enable them to sell at lower, more attractive prices compared to the models that were imported in completely built-up (CBU) form.
Swedish Motor Assemblies in Shah Alam, Selangor, was the first assembly plant to start operations, rolling out the Volvo 144 in 1967 as the first locally-assembled model. The plant is still in operation today assembling the latest Volvo modelsfor the region.
The locally-assembled vehicles were assembled from CKD (completely knocked-down) packs of parts sent from bigger factories in Europe, Japan and North America. To help develop a local automotive industry – an important catalyst for industrialization – the government also listed certain parts for mandatory deletion. Assemblers had to obtain them from local companies, many of which had also been set up in tandem with the new assembly plants.
The parts were items like windscreen glass, paint, tyres, wire harnesses, etc and if the assembler chose to still import them, then there would be a penalty for doing so. Over time, revisions in policies saw an emphasis on getting assemblers to source more parts locally and targets were set for local content.
From manual welding of parts by human workers in earlier years (above), many of the plants today have automated welding processes done by robots. Shown below is the X70 body welding line at the Proton factory in Tg. Malim.
The first batch of assembly plants were opened in two areas – Tampoi in Johor and Shah Alam in Selangor. By the 1980s, other locations were also chosen in Sarawak, Sabah and Pahang. Selangor saw the most activity in the early years and the Klang Valley remains a major automotive hub today. In the 1990s, new plants were opened in Kedah and Proton and Perodua also built plants outside the Klang Valley. Honda and Hino chose sites in Melaka and Negeri Sembilan, respectively.
Source: Malaysian Automotive AssociationPorsche Cayenne assembly at Inokom in Kulim, Kedah.Proton factory in Tg Malim, Perak
Kia vehicles have been sold in Malaysia since the 1990s but the Korean carmaker has kept its involvement in local activities at arms-length. Although its models were assembled locally, the activities were largely left to their local distributor (the NAZA Group at that time). Kia did have a regional office here and too and interest in what was going on but didn’t want to make investments itself.
That changed last year when the local partner changed and Bermaz Auto took over the brand from Naza (along with Peugeot as well). Perhaps the Korean carmaker decided that it was time to control its destiny and for that, it would have to become directly involved. It formed a joint-venture company with Bermaz Auto called Kia Malaysia which will manage the brand’s activities in the country.
The Inokom manufacturing complex in Kulim, Kedah, where Kia vehicles are being assembled.
More significantly, Kia Malaysia’s operations include local assembly, the first time the carmaker is making a direct investment for assembly operations. It is vital to assemble locally to be able to grow volumes more quickly and be competitive. Kia has set a target of 100,000 units in total from 2022 to 2026, for the Malaysian market as well as export. The export plans are ambitious and will account for more than 50% of annual production each year. By 2026, the company expects to export up to 19,000 units from the 30,000 units targeted for that year.
Four models to be assembled locally
When Kia Malaysia announced its formation, it also provided an insight into its 5-year plan with 4 models to be produced, including battery-electric vehicles. The models, in launch sequence, will be the Carnival, Sportage, Sorento and Niro, the latter to be offered as a BEV.
The first product has started rolling out on schedule from the Inokom plant in Kedah and it’s the Carnival MPV. The model was already on sale at the beginning of the year as a CBU (completely built-up) import from Korea and from our driving impressions, it was certainly a very different MPV from the original Carnival which was also cloned into the Naza Ria. It’s a premium product, which is in line with Kia’s aim of raising the image of its products.
The locally-assembled Carnival is a 7/8-seater (above) whereas the CBU imported model is an 11-seater (below).
8-seater instead of 11-seater
While having the same appearance, the locally-assembled Carnival is not an 11-seater but a 7-seater or 8-seater. There was no shortage of buyers for the CBU 11-seater but having less seats might also work better to sell in greater numbers.
The powertrain is the same Smartstream 2.2-litre turbodiesel CRDI engine with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Though it is a large vehicle, the 199 bhp/440 Nm provides respectable performance, as we experienced on our drive at the beginning of this year.
Bermaz Auto (its retail arm for Kia vehicles is Dinamikjaya Motors) is known for being generous with equipment and features and the locally-assembled Carnival will come with a list that maintains the premium positioning for the MPV. There will be ambient lighting, heated/ventilated seats, Premium Relaxion Seats (second row), 12-speaker Bose audio system, powered sliding doors, ‘smart’ powered tailgate and a complete suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.
New beginning for brand
“The roll-out of the Kia Carnival in CKD [locally assembled] form is an important milestone in the marque’s renaissance in Malaysia. We are delighted to welcome the first Kia model produced here at Inokom for the Malaysian and ASEAN markets. The Kia Carnival marks a new beginning for the Kia brand and showcases all the hallmarks of our products, superior design, smart technology and an impressive driving experience,” said Ted Lee, Kia Asia Pacific President & CEO.
“The consumer’s response to the fully imported Kia Carnival 11-seater variant launched in January has been very encouraging and we are confident that the consumers will be equally enthusiastic about the CKD Kia Carnival. We believe these CKD variations will serve the differing needs and expectations of those in the market for a modern and luxurious multi-purpose vehicle,” added Dato’ Wong Kin Foo, Managing Director of Dinamikjaya Motors.
The prices have not been officially announced but it is known that there will be 3 versions with prices (excluding insurance) starting from RM231,299. PISTON.MY will be joining a media drive of the Carnival to Penang later this week and we’ll let you know what it’s like although we expect that we will be equally impressed as we were with the CBU model.
