SunAgata Supercars Archives

Open APs No Longer Valid To Import New Lamborghinis

Until recently, any company with an Open AP (Approved Permit to import vehicles) has been able to bring in Lamborghini models, new and used. However, this is no longer the case as we understand that the Ministry of International Trade & Industry (MITI) has given exclusive rights to only one company to import new Lamborghinis under the Franchise AP privileges.

The change, which applies only to importation of new units, has been effective since August 17, 2022, and PEKEMA, the largest group of AP holders in Malaysia, has been informed accordingly by MITI.

The company appointed by Lamborghini as its official dealer for Malaysia is SunAgata Supercars Sdn Bhd (Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur), which began business in April 2021. It has a sales and aftersales facility in Glenmarie, Selangor, which opened in March this year. SunAgata Supercars is among the 22 Franchise AP holders which are currently given exclusive rights to import new vehicles of brands they represent in Malaysia.

Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur 2022 — *The service centre of SunAgata Supercars, which is the authorised dealer appointed by Lamborghini.*

About the AP policy
The AP policy, which was introduced in 1970, had the objective of helping bumiputera businessmen make inroads in the automobile sector. In earlier years, it was evident that much of the car business was in the hands of foreign companies (mainly British) and bumiputera participation was low. With the AP policy making APs available only to bumiputera businessmen and companies, it was expected that they would be able to become more involved in the auto industry.

The policy was intended to support the development of bumiputeras in the auto industry, but it was not properly managed in its early years. There were parties that applied and received APs but did not make an effort to actually do business. Instead, they merely allowed others to use their AP to import vehicles and charged a fee.

As that was not what the government had created the policy for, there was a review in 1987 and around 150 AP-holders were terminated. With the review also came the introduction of the Franchise AP for legitimate authorised franchise holders for them to import new vehicles of the brand they represented.

The condition, however, was that their company need to have a bumiputera shareholding of at least 70%, unlike the Open AP condition where the company must be 100% bumiputera-owned. For those with Open APs, their companies would have to set up a proper business with a paid-up capital of at least RM1 million and sales and aftersales outlets.

Controversial subject
With Malaysia being a member of the WTO (World Trade Organisation), the AP policy has been controversial as it conflicts with free trade practices because issuance of APs is subject to certain conditions. Periodically, there has been talk of ending the AP policy, but the government has found it difficult to remove it due to strong arguments from groups like PEKEMA.

SunAgata Supercars Sdn Bhd appointed as official Lamborghini dealer for Malaysia

SunAgata Supercars opens Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur sales and service facility in Glenmarie, Selangor

SunAgata Supercars Sdn Bhd today officially opened Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur, its showroom and service centre to provide sales and aftersales services for the Italian brand in Malaysia. SunAgata Supercars was appointed as Lamborghini’s sole authorized dealer and aftersales provider in January last year and has been operating from the Audi Centre in Glenmarie, Selangor.

Its new facility is also in the same area but located along the main road through the district. The styling of the premises follows Lamborghini themes which are characterized by polygons, clean lines and modern architecture.

A special area of the showroom has been set up as an Ad Personam room where customers can personalize their car with the wide range of options. There are samples of various materials for them to feel so they can decide exactly what they want. From the colours and materials to the seat’s logo and embroidered initials inside the cabin, virtually every wish can be given form by choosing from infinite combinations, and fitment will be to the high standards of quality Lamborghini prides itself in.

Lamborghini is a strong and highly acclaimed brand worldwide and our new dealership environment is a tangible demonstration of this. We believe that the strong partnership between Lamborghini and SunAgata Supercars will effectively communicate our brand values as well as deliver an unparalleled customer ownership experience,” said Francesco Scardaoni, Region Director of Automobile Lamborghini Asia Pacific, at the opening ceremony this morning.

To celebrate the occasion, the first Aventador LP780-4 Ultimae in Malaysia was unveiled. The Ultimae edition is the final production model of the V12 supercar. 600 cars will be available – 350 in coupe form and 250 roadsters, with pricing starting from around RM1.9 million. There are a few orders from Malaysians, but all 600 units have already been sold and there are customers hoping that some of the orders will be cancelled and the cars re-allocated.

*Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur also displayed a selection of iconic models owned by Malaysians. The red Countach on the left was originally owned by the Bee Gees Sir Barry Gibb who purchased it in 1983.*

It’s not known how many new Lamborghinis were sold in Malaysia last year but for the Asia-Pacific area, the carmaker reported that 2,249 units were sold in 2021. The 14% increase from the year before contributed to Lamborghini’s best sales results ever, with 8,405 cars delivered worldwide.

Lamborghini’s other records that you may not know about

SunAgata Supercars Sdn Bhd appointed as official Lamborghini dealer for Malaysia

It’s always good for owners if a brand has an official representative in the country, as they can then be assured of aftersales support. For those who own or want to own a Lamborghini, the good news is that the carmaker has appointed an official dealer – SunAgata Supercars Sdn Bhd, which will be known as Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur.

The company will commence full operations from April 2021 when its showroom and aftersales facility are officially opened. Meanwhile, it is wasting no time in ensuring that existing owners can receive aftersales support by having a temporary service facility at the Audi Centre in Glenmarie, Shah Alam, Selangor.

*Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur will temporarily operate from the Audi Centre in Glenmarie, Selangor. It’s not surprising that it is at that location since Audi owns the Italian company.*

Quality, reliability, immense technical sophistication and a constant commitment to meeting customers’ expectations are the fundamental elements that distinguish the Lamborghini brand. We believe that the strong partnership between Lamborghini and SunAgata Supercar will effectively communicate our brand values to loyal owners as well as new customers, both in terms of our image and how we operate. Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur will strengthen our highly acclaimed brand by delivering an unparalleled customer ownership experience,” said Francesco Scardaoni, Regional Director for Automobili Lamborghini in Asia Pacific.

SC20 by Lamborghini Squadra Corse – a road-legal track car

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