Market Share Archives

Proton’s market share reached 27.1%, highest in 7 years

*Visit www.bhpetrol.com.my for more information.*

For most car companies, February tends to see low numbers; for one thing, it is the shortest month in the year and some years, the Chinese New Year festive period also occurs during the month, reducing the number of working days further. However, for Proton, February 2021 was a productive month as the Malaysian carmaker reached market highs that it had not achieved for several years. With a total volume (including exports) of 11,873 units, the company had its best February in over a decade.

By its estimation, the brand will have a market share of 27.1%, which will be the highest for the company since September 2013. Overall, Proton also believes it finished the month ranked second with sales nearly doubling that of the month before. Compared to the same month in 2020, the volume was 19.9% greater. However, the total volume for the first two months of the year is 3.5% (643 units) less than last year’s cumulative total for the same period.

X50 deliveries accelerate
Proton’s second SUV, the X50, was in showrooms from October 27, 2020 and the response was exceptional strong. By year’s end, over 30,000 bookings were collected. Unfortunately, deliveries were hampered by delays to the production schedule as well as focusing on build quality. In February, Proton delivered 3,345 units bringing the total number of X50s on the road to 8,141 units.

This monthly volume was also the highest ever achieved by an SUV in Malaysia, and Proton therefore lays claim to the X50 being the best-selling SUV in its segment and also overall leadership.

Add the 1,475 units of the X70 delivered in February (claimed to be the highest for a C-segment SUV), and the company sold a combined total of 4,820 SUVs. This is its best ever performance and said to be the highest volume for any brand in the country.

Strong sales for other models
While the X50 had strong sales, the evergreen Saga continued as the company top-seller with 4,217 units delivered. The sedan has also started sales in Kenya as a locally-assembled model, the first time Proton has entered the market of that African country.

Other Proton models that performed included the Persona (1,818 units) and Exora (361 units), with the latter model maintaining its leadership in the C-segment MPV market.

“February continued to be a difficult month for Malaysia’s automotive industry but it turned out very well for Proton,” said Roslan Abdullah, Proton Edar’s CEO. “thanks to the efforts of the government to ensure a continuation of economic activity during the MCO, we were able to produce more cars and, in so doing, started to clear our backlog of orders. This is important as we need to consistently deliver on the bookings made to avoid a rush before the PENJANA incentives expire at the end of June this year.”

“The automotive sector continues to be vibrant with exciting new model launches which are sure to spark consumer interest and create healthy competition. But we will continue to be cautious even as we push forward to avoid infection rates flaring up again and disrupting operations,” he added.

*One of the four Special Edition models launched in February*

February also saw Proton launch four Special Edition models, all with a bold black theme. The Persona and Exora Black Edition as well as the Saga and Iriz R3 Limited Edition were unveiled online and will be available in limited numbers. Encik Roslan revealed that, as of February 26, 1,169 bookings have been received, about a third of the total production run that will be just 3,500 units.

Aftersales revamp
Proton has a 10-year strategy and during this period, the company is to completely overhaul several operational areas in order to succeed. An area of immediate importance is product quality which has to be improved and today, the brand’s quality scores have improved to the point of almost matching those of its partner, Geely.

The distribution network has also drastically changed, with the company having the most 3S/4S outlets in the industry. Its focus is now on wholesale activities rather than consumer-driven business. These measures have been effective with Proton posting some of the highest sales growth numbers for the local industry over the last 2 years.

This year, the focus is on the improvement of the entire aftersales value chain so that customers can enjoy a premium brand experience after buying their cars. “Proton admits that some aspects of our business have not been able to keep up with our recent successes. While we have dramatically moved forwards in product quality, brand image and the technology offered in our cars, our aftersales service has not made the same leap. This situation was exacerbated in 2020 by firstly COVID-19 and then our decision to invest in a completely new back-end ordering and delivery system,” explained Encik Roslan.

“As a result, we have experienced integration issues and customers requiring accident repairs as well as regular servicing have faced delays. We are working on these issues around the clock to overcome them in the shortest time possible but for now, I urge all Proton owners facing delays to please contact our customercare hotline at 1-800-88-8398,” he advised.

With greater attention to overseas business, Proton aims to double export volumes in 2021

2020 new vehicle sales – the Top 5 brands in Malaysia

*To know more, visit www.bhpetrol.com.my.*

The Total Industry Volume (TIV) for 2020 was expected to be lower than the 604,281 units recorded in 2019 and in the first half of the year, many would have expected it to be significantly lower. However, with the consistently high numbers in the second half of the year, the TIV closed at 529,434 units, 12% lower than 2019 but well past the forecast of 470,000 made by the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA).

When the year had started, the MAA had actually forecast 607,000 units for the year, but revised it substantially downwards by 23% as the seriousness of the pandemic and its impact on the industry became clear. The nationwide shutdown naturally resulted in lost sales, with April seeing the most dramatic drop to virtually zero as no business could be conducted.

*Proton sales rose in 2020 and its overall market share went above 20% for the first time since 2013.*

When the commercial sector was progressively allowed to resume, there was some consumer hesitance but then the government came out with its PENJANA program to help the economy recover and for the auto industry, the help was in the form of sales tax exemption for 6 months (extended a further 6 months until June 2021). This would lower retail prices and Malaysians always love it when they can escape paying tax, of course. The exemption applied to both locally-assembled and CBU models, except that the exemption for the latter was half and not the full 10%. Still, it made a difference, especially for the expensive models that are mostly CBU anyway.

Proton sales increased
It was expected that the sales volumes would be lower in 2020 but Proton didn’t suffer such a decline. The carmaker already had a healthy order bank and during the year, total vehicle deliveries were 8,524 units higher than in 2019, finishing off at 108,524 units. The volume was an increase of 8.8% over the 100,821 units sold in 2019.

Perodua, in spite of a big backlog of orders, still saw a reduction in volume of 20,178 units, 8.4% lower than the 240,341 units delivered in 2019. But it still retained the No. 1 position which it has had since 2006.

Among the non-national brands, Honda was in the lead but sold almost 25,000 fewer vehicles. Next was Toyota which sold 58,501 vehicles, while Nissan reported 14,160 vehicles. For the rest of the brands, the reduction in sales volume amounted to 20,451 units.

Malaysian makes gain in market share
In terms of market share, both Malaysian makes gained at the expense of the main rivals. Reflecting its higher sales, Proton’s share rose to 20.5%, an increase of 3.9%. The last time the carmaker had a share of 20% or more was in 2013 and the years before. Perodua, in spite of less deliveries, saw a 1.8% increase in its share to just above 41%. In most years, its share has been around 30%+.

Optimistic forecast for 2021
For 2021, the MAA is forecasting 570,000 units – an increase of 100,000 units from its 2020 forecast, which is 8% higher than the actual TIV achieved. Strong growth (18%) is expected in the commercial vehicle segment which will continue to require vehicles for the various projects underway around the country. If the pandemic doesn’t worsen, the association and its members expect the high demand to continue into 2022 before settling down to a 3% rate of increase annually.

New vehicle sales in 2020 declined by 12% but exceeded 470,000-unit forecast

Perodua Sells 17,900 Vehicles in January 2018 Alone!

Yes, you read that headline right. In January 2018 alone, Perodua recorded 17,900 sales, its second highest-ever monthly market share of above 40%, against a total industry volume (TIV) of 43,930 units (Perodua recorded its highest ever monthly sales in August 2016 at 40.5%. Source: Carlist)

In January, all Perodua models retained their lead in their respective vehicle segments in Malaysia, with 9,029 Myvis, 4,085 Axias, 2,776 Bezzas and 1,803 Alzas sold.

“While we defer to the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA)’s numbers, we are cautiously optimistic that for January 2018, our monthly market share is the highest ever in our history. This was spurred by deliveries of the new Myvi, as well as continued strong demand for our other models,” said Perodua President and Chief Executive Officer Datuk (Dr) Aminar Rashid Salleh at the company’s Chinese New Year Luncheon with the media and business partners here today.

“The new Myvi has racked up over 48,000 bookings to date, the 18,000th unit of which today we proudly deliver to Mr Wong Wai Cheng of Negeri Sembilan. We would also like to add that close to 20,000 units of the new Myvi have been delivered to date. Overall, over a million Myvis have been registered in Malaysia since 2005. This performance has been a great boost to the Malaysian automotive ecosystem as the better-than-expected demand for our latest offering as well as our current model line-up have resulted in better demand for local parts,” he added.

Aminar also said that Perodua is looking to purchase more than RM5 billion in components and parts this year from mainly local vendors. This will further contribute towards the growth of the Malaysian economy. All Perodua models have over 90% local content.

“To all Malaysians, we simply cannot thank you enough for your love and support for our humble hatchback through all these years. Your recognition spurs us on to work harder on bettering our products and services, because as always, You Matter Most,” he said.

“To those who have placed orders for the new Myvi and have yet to receive their cars, we sincerely apologise for the wait. Rest assured that we are ramping up production to get the cars to you as quickly as we can. The Perodua Manufacturing Sdn Bhd plant will continue to work overtime until demand stabilises,” he continued.

Mr Wong, 25, was all smiles as Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd Managing Director Dato’ Dr Zahari Husin handed him the keys to his brand-new Lava Red Myvi 1.5 Advance.

“I am over the moon to be taking delivery of my new car. The minute I laid eyes on the new Myvi and saw how many sophisticated features I was getting for the price, I knew it was the vehicle for me,” said Mr Wong. “I’m always on the go. The Myvi’s compact dimensions make it very easy to park and manoeuvre, but it’s also very spacious inside. With six airbags and Advanced Safety Assist, I am well protected, and the built-in toll card reader is my favourite feature!” he added.

“We wish all our Chinese friends Xin Nian Kuai Le and Gong Xi Fa Cai. May the Year of the Dog bring more luck, prosperity and happiness to us all!” Datuk (Dr) Aminar concluded.

Main top image: Perodua President and Chief Executive Officer Datuk (Dr) Aminar Rashid Salleh and Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd Managing Director Dato’ Dr Zahari Husin present a mock key to the 18,000th new Perodua Myvi owner, Mr Wong Wai Cheng, 25, of Negeri Sembilan.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Achieves Record Sales In 2017

2017 was the fourth consecutive record year for Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM), achieving an all-time high sales record of 12,045 vehicles sold in 2017. This translates into an overall 2.3 per cent growth compared to 2016. The three-pointed star is well ahead of the pack in the premium segment, maintaining a 2.3 per cent market share*.

“Mercedes-Benz Malaysia enjoyed a remarkable year in 2017 as a result of our customer centric strategy. We’re very proud of our achievements in 2017. It is the result of great teamwork from everyone in the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia team including our dealer partners. We understand our customers’ requirements and target to fulfill their expectations. To deliver the Best Products, we launched 17 new models…” (cont’d)

“To offer the Best Customer Experience, we launched nine new and upgraded dealerships, including a brand new dealer group, Auto Commerz Sdn Bhd. As a result, we successfully achieved a record-breaking year, our best ever performance in the history of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia. Moving into 2018, we are confident of the growth potential in the Malaysian automotive market and will continue to invest substantially in developing key areas including talent, technology, production and service. This is the strategy behind maintaining our position as the No. 1 premium brand in Malaysia,” said Mercedes-Benz Malaysia President and CEO, Dr Claus Weidner (above, second from right).

“We are delighted to have delivered a record-breaking 12,045 Mercedes-Benz Cars to customers in Malaysia and by this confirming our position as the leading premium brand. Our locally produced vehicles, especially the new E-Class and the GLC have been our growth drivers. We are thankful that our customers have put their confidence in our premium products. With our innovative mobility solutions, digitalisation initiatives as well as upcoming product highlights, we are confident of continuing on this success path,” said Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, Sales & Marketing, Vice President, Mark Raine (above).

For FY2017, MBM’s sales was driven by the locally produced limousines which recorded 7,041 units sold. This was followed closely by the Mercedes-Benz SUVs with 2,599 units sold, spurred by the introduction of the locally produced Mercedes-Benz GLC 200 and GLC 250. Growth within this segment is expected to continue. The Mercedes-Benz compact cars recorded a total of 2,031 units sold, while the aspirational Mercedes-Benz Dream Cars, also known as the brand shapers, recorded a total of 374 units sold.

MBM marked the the year by launching six new 43 series models namely, the Mercedes-Benz E 43 4MATIC (above), SLC 43, C 43 4MATIC (below), C 43 4MATIC Coupe, GLC 43 4MATIC, GLC 43 4MATIC Coupe and later, the AMG GT R.
Complementing its line-up of Best Products, MBM invested in initiatives that demonstrated its signature Best Customer Experience by organising various customer engagement activities focusing on the different interests of its target audience. These included the Ultra Singapore 2017, Urban Hunting movement, and Hungry for Adventure in East Malaysia.

In addition, MBM also launched a Mercedes-Benz branded charging station in Bangsar Shopping Centre (BSC) and hosted the Mike Horn X Hungry for Adventure event, featuring the greatest explorer of all time who is currently on a two-year journey – Pole2Pole mission.

Moving even closer to its fans and customers, MBM continued to innovate exciting platforms to enhance customer touch points in 2017. These included mobile roadshows, the Mercedes-Benz Gallery, Customer Care Centre, and Test Drive Booking System. MBM also introduced experiencing cars in Virtual Reality, Digital Signage, Product Experts, Online Service Booking, Mercedes-Benz Financial Calculator and also a one-stop integrated state-of-the-art web platform which facilitates the needs of both new and existing customers known as OneWeb.

In regards to its dealer network, MBM introduced SalesTouch, a mobile sales tool which enables product experts and sales consultants to provide customers with real time information. The feature complements its existing features which are the Service Differentiation and Product Experts.

Always in touch with customers’ needs, MBM launched a new campaign in late 2017 in partnership with its sister company, Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia (MBSM). The campaign, in anticipation for the Chinese New Year celebration in 2018, offers personalised and flexible financing packages to give Mercedes-Benz fans total peace of mind to finance their dream Mercedes-Benz cars based on their respective financing commitments.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has 33 dedicated dealerships nationwide delivering the Best Products and Best Customer Service throughout the entire customer journey. To date, Mercedes-Benz has the largest premium dealer network in the country.

In FY2017, Mercedes-Benz achieved a total investment of over RM 1 billion in the Malaysian market. One-third of this investment was made in its Pekan Production Plant and MBM Training Academy in Puchong, Selangor. This strategy demonstrates the leading premium German marque’s commitment in supporting the nation’s ambition of becoming an EEV hub.

*As of YTD November 2017
NB: The numbers for 2017 are unaudited and subject to change.

Ford to introduce latest Ranger in China

Ford will be introducing its strongest selection of pick-up trucks for the Chinese market. After extensive market research into the needs and wants of the average Chinese customer, Ford determined that despite the perception of pick-trucks being reserved for utilitarian work, exposure to western movies and the internet, that is slowly changing.

The Blue Oval will introduce the stalwart Ranger along side its bigger and meaner sibling, the F-150 Raptor in China. Currently, pick-up trucks make up only 2 percent of the vehicle market, but its market share grew to a respectable 14 per cent last year, prompting Ford to launch another one of its most cherished vehicles in its fleet. Released under the Built Ford Tough tagline, the new vehicles should help Ford’s bottom line somewhat.

“We’re very excited to bring Built Ford Tough, one of the world’s best loved and most successful brands, to customers in the world’s largest auto market,” said Mark Fields, Ford president and CEO. “We see a significant white-space opportunity with Chinese buyers increasingly looking for more capable, more refined and more stylish pickups.”

The Ranger, is Ford’s best selling midsize pick up truck in Europe, South Africa and New Zealand. It is also the second best selling truck outside North America. The F-150 Raptor, is offered in China as a four-door SuperCrew model and combines military grade body construction with advanced Ford technologies.

“The F-150 Raptor has created a lot of buzz among Chinese customers since it was revealed for the first time last year and we are extremely excited to have it arriving in our showrooms in China, ready to be delivered to customers,” said Peter Fleet, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford Asia Pacific.

Ford has sold more than 26 million Raptor trucks since 1977 and it has been America’s top selling truck for 40 consecutive years. The one sold in China features a 3.5-litre Ecoboost engine that is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Brute power and the go anywhere capabilities have made the Raptor a sought after vehicle around the world, and how well it does in China remains to be seen.

Piston.my

Market Share

Archive

2025 Audi A3: Enhanced Design, Advanced Tech, and Subscription Services

2024 Mazda CX-5 Facelift Officially Launched In Malaysia From RM144k

Xpeng’s Strategy to Capture the Mass EV Market

Sabahan Students Receive RM600 Air Ticket Subsidy

SDAC Launches Assurance Programme for Pre-Owned Ford Models

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on YouTube

The Piston Show