Volvo Car Malaysia recently launched Volvo Batu Pahat together with its newest dealer, AJ Premium Motors Sdn Bhd. The full-fledged 3S centre (Sales, Service and Spare Parts) will give customers in the Southern Region more options and greater access to the Volvo brand.
Since Volvo Car Malaysia had started its sales and aftersales transformation programme, Volvo’s network has grown from four to now nine dealerships, including this new Volvo Batu Pahat, with more dealerships slated within this year.
“There is growing interest for our models in Malaysia and we are actively setting-up dealerships in strategic areas around Malaysia to better service this need,” said Lennart Stegland, Managing Director of Volvo Car Malaysia.
Stegland adds that the sales and aftersales transformation programme is not just about expanding Volvo’s dealership network but also to improve the competency level of its current dealerships to better service its growing customer base.
“It is an absolute requirement for all new dealerships to adhere to the Volvo Retail Experience (VRE) standards, consistent with our dealership standards in Europe – it is not just an aesthetical guideline but also dictates the level of service rendered in our dealerships,” said Stegland.
Volvo Batu Pahat is no exception – with a showroom built in adherence to VRE and fully-equipped service centre, it will surely bring great value to Volvo owners and fans in that region. “Our presence in Batu Pahat makes it more convenient for owners from the surrounding areas of Muar, Kluang and Segamat to service their cars or for prospective customers to view new Volvo models,” said Jacky Ong, Managing Director of AJ Premium Motors Sdn Bhd.
True to VRE, the 3S centre will feature a Scandinavian-inspired ‘living room’ where customers can relax in the cosy ambience filled with warm lighting and clean air while being attended by a sales representative or while waiting for the vehicles to be serviced.
The Volvo Showroom in Batu Pahat opens from 9:00 am till 6:00 pm on Monday to Saturday and from 11:00 am till 5:00 pm on Sundays and Public Holidays. For further information about the showroom, contact 07 4312222 or you can e-mail the Branch Manager, Patrick Teo, at patrick@ajpremium.com.
Does anyone remember the Volvo S60 of the new millennium? If you’re a car freak like me, you should. Debuting in 2000, there was one variant brought in by (then) Federal Auto Cars called the S60 T5 and it looked like this:
Well, unbeknownst to many, this was one of the cars that actually began the widespread use of the term ‘sleeper’ among car enthusiasts because below that unassuming bonnet up front lay a 2.3-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder engine that produced 247bhp and 330Nm of torque. No, really.
Top speed was a governed 250kmh,and 0-100kmh was achieved in 6.8sec. Those figures are impressive even today, so let’s not forget that this was almost 20-years ago!
Carrying on this fine ‘sleeper’ tradition, the new Volvo S60 has made its debut recently in the USA, and it’s a stunner! Here’s what The Car Connection had to say about the new 2019 S60’s powertrains…
“A trio of engines lie under the 2019 S60’s hood, each with its own name: T5, T6, and T8. In the T5, a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 cranks out 250 horsepower, which is sent via an 8-speed automatic transmission to the front wheels. The T6 adds a supercharger for a total of 316 hp delivered to all four corners. Topping the line is the T8plug-in hybrid that adds an electric motor for a combined output of 400 horsepower.”
Here’s the product walk-around video…
And from Auto Express UK, here’s the latest regarding the 2019 Volvo S60…
Volvo’s journey to fully-fledged premium car maker is now complete. With its XC SUV models matching or beating anything BMW, Audi or Mercedes can offer, and its S and V 90 models providing stiff competition for the likes of the BMW 5 Series, Audi A6 and Merc E-Class, now it’s the turn of an all-new compact executive – the S60.
This model, though, has the toughest task of them all. When it arrives in UK showrooms next year, it’ll line up against an all-new 3 Series, not to mention Mercedes’ revised C-Class, Audi’s A4 and Jaguar’s XE.
Volvo’s President and CEO Håkan Samuelsson calls the S60 “one of the most exciting Volvo cars we’ve ever made” and “a true driver’s car.” Big claims. It’ll be made at an all-new plant in the US in Charleston, South Carolina with a clear leaning to the big and lucrative US and Chinese markets.
Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) has signed a Leasing Service Agreement with MyMotor (MYEG Fintech) to introduce Volvo Car Leasing – a service that will let customers enjoy stress-free Volvo ownership, minus the usual financial strain of a hire-purchase agreement.The closed-door signing ceremony was held at the Volvo Car Malaysia headquarters and was attended by Lennart Stegland, Managing Director of Volvo Car Malaysia, and Justin Cheah, Chief Executive Officer of MyMotor.
Volvo Car Leasing, a first for Volvo Cars in the Southeast Asia region, offers customers an opportunity to drive a Volvo, worry-free, with the insurance, road tax, maintenance cost, and warranty covered. Additionally, at the end of the leasing agreement, customers could either choose to select a new model to drive home, purchase the car at market rate or Future Guaranteed Value (FGV), or simply return the car to the dealership.
“Our company philosophy is centred around people, their needs and what they care about. Now with Volvo Car Leasing, our customers are able to choose an appropriate model based on their current need or station in life and change it when the need arises,” said Stegland.
The programme will be available for all Volvo models sold in Malaysia, at all participating dealerships. Customers can drive home a new Volvo from as low as RM2,762 per month which is inclusive of a comprehensive insurance package, road tax, and maintenance cost.
“Every Volvo leased under this programme comes complete with our Volvo Service Agreement Plus (VSA+) which covers a list of service actions including a wide range of wear and tear items, giving the customer peace of mind in when it comes to his or her Volvo ownership experience,” added Stegland.
Volvo Car Leasing also allows customers greater financial flexibility when compared to a typical hire-purchase agreement, freeing up valuable credit to purchase other assets on top of not having to worry about incidentals related to car ownership.
“Based on our calculation, a customer could potentially save more with this leasing programme when compared to a hire-purchase agreement. At the end of the lease, the customer could renew the agreement and drive home a brand-new unit of the same model or opt to upgrade his lease agreement with a different model,” said Cheah.
“In comparison to a traditional hire-purchase agreement, Volvo Car Leasing encompasses most of the cost involved with car ownership. This convenience should also prove to be very appealing to company or fleet purchasers,” Cheah added.
Cheah explained that with Volvo Car Leasing, customer would not have to be concerned about disposing or selling the cars at the end of the agreement – something which is a given when it comes to a hire-purchase agreement.
In conjunction with the launch of Volvo Car Leasing all models will be offered with a promotional rate that is applicable from today till 31 August 2018. Volvo Car Leasing will also be offering free petrol vouchers worth RM300 for all bookings received within this promotional period.
For more information on the available models, applicable rates, VSA+, and Volvo Car Leasing and any current promotions, please visit Volvo Car Malaysia’s webpage at: volvocars.com/my. Alternatively, contact your preferred Volvo dealership for further assistance.
Wagons. Estates. Stationwagons. Touringwagen. Sportwagen. Shooting Brake.Sports Wagons. Call them what you will, but they have never been popular here in Malaysia, and that folks is a crying shame, because wagons are uber cool.
To make matters worse for the dwindling wagon market, Volvo Car Malaysia recently announced that they will cease offering the incredible V90 T5 & T6 R-Design wagons locally solely due to poor demand. As can be seen from this recent 0% GST news releasefrom VCM, all iterations of the V90 wagon are indeed already missing from their line-up…
This of course didn’t sit too well with many of us, seeing as how we (i.e. the Malaysian motoring media) absolutely adored the V90, to the point where when its wheels got stolen right-off the car at VCM’s own parking lot, many of us took it personally and proceeded to post notifications of the theft on our own personal social media pages (we were pissed!). For the record the wheels were never recovered and it cost VCM RM17k to replace them and subsequently de-fleet the said unit, so whoever you are (wheel thief and also buyer) I personally hope you rot in hell…
It’s the weirdest thing really; Malaysians won’t buy wagons new, but actively seek-out used ones voraciously. As such, a used Mercedes-Benz W124 wagon will typically cost at least three to four times more than its sedan counterpart in the second-hand car market, as would a Volvo 245, 850 T5 & 945 wagon, BMW E30, E34 & E39 wagon, etc. Even a Toyota KE70 wagon will cost at least three times more than a KE70 sedan. In fact any wagon from the same lineage will always cost more than its sedan counterpart, even a freaking Nissan Sunny. The Mercedes-Benz W123 wagon (below) now costs about seven times more than its sedan variant locally. No, really.
And that’s the greatest irony; if no one wants them in the first place when they’re new, how is it that they are able to command a much, much higher price in the used car market? They should be borderline un-sellable in the second-hand car market, since no one wants them even when they’re brand-spanking-new right? Speaking of brand new, here’s one that’s still available locally, the Mazda6 wagon…
Now tell me honestly that isn’t simply amazing looking. Look at the lines, simply gorgeous. Defy convention folks, thumb your nose at the norm, and buy a wagon, you won’t regret it. At the very least, you’ll know it’s going to be worth more in the second-hand market than its sedan sibling.
Now have a look at this video from Volvo and judge for yourself why wagons are so cool.
In addition to the Volvo V90 above, thanks to AutoExpressUK, here’s a look at some of the nicest, sportiest and most desirable wagons out there… but first, a bit more eye-candy on the Volvo V90, this time in the latest Cross-Country guise. And no, we won’t be getting it here… no demand, remember? – Chris Wee.
And now, the coolest wagons according to AutoExpressUK, starting with the…
Audi RS 4
Fans will moan about Audi replacing the 4.2-litre V8 engine used in the previous RS 4, with a less enjoyable 2.9-litre unit, but with 444bhp, 600Nm of torque and a top speed of 174mph (280kmh) in the new car, there are worse problems to have. The interior compliments a car that has a split personality between sensible and ludicrous, but lacks the sense of theatre that some of its rivals bring. At over £60,000 it is by no means cheap – not that that is untoward in present company.
Audi RS 6
The Audi RS 6 is one of the leading lights in the fast estate world. Partly thanks to its looks, but also helped a its 552bhp twin-turbocharged V8 which will rocket you and four other passengers from 0-100kmh in just 3.9 seconds, and on to a limited top speed of 155mph (250kmh). Prices start from just over £81,000, but for that you do get a comfortable, quiet cabin (most of the time) and 565-litres of boot capacity.
Ferrari GTC4Lusso
Some will argue the Ferrari GTC4 Lusso isn’t a ‘proper’ estate, but if you consider that it is just leaning a little harder on the left of the performance-practicality balance, it becomes easy to see why it made this list. The Ferrari has a 6.3-litre V12 under the bonnet which pumps out 681bhp and 697Nm of torque, which allows it to obliterate most of this list with a 0-100kmh time of 3.4 seconds and a claimed top speed of 208mph (335kmh).
Ford Focus ST
While the petrol version of the Focus ST wagon is a great fast estate, the 2.0 TDCi is our pick of the bunch. This is largely down to the delivery of the power, with the diesel’s get up and go being less unruly and easier to put down on UK roads, but that does not mean the diesel is a slouch – the performance stats of 182bhp, 400Nm of torque and a 0-100kmh time of 8.3secs proves as much. Add to this a claimed economy of 67.3mpg – high 40s low 50s are more realistic – and the diesel Focus ST estate becomes incredible alluring.
Mercedes-AMG C63
The Mercedes-AMG C63 is a full-blown muscle car. Under the bonnet is a 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 which produces a thunderous 469bhp and 650Nm of torque (increasing to 503bhp and 700Nm if you opt for the S model). S or not, both models feel astonishingly quick and of course offer impressive levels of practicality, with the only real issue for everyday use being the firm ride. The interior is a comfortable place to be, even if it is not quite on the same level as the E-Class.
Mercedes-AMG E63
You are going to need deep pockets to drive away in an E63 estate as they start north of £84,000 – which is slightly more expensive than the starting price of the Audi RS 6. That said, the E63 is one of the fastest cars on the road, never mind estates. The latest generation is all-wheel drive and in S guise packs 604bhp and 850Nm of torque. Plus, owners get a drift mode. From a standing start it will hit 100kmh in just 3.6 seconds and go on to a limited top speed of 155mph (250kmh) – these figures change to 3.5 seconds and 186mph (300kmh) in the S version.
Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo
The Porsche Panamera is no longer the ugly duckling it once was, and the Sport Turismo is no exception. If you go for the range-topping Turbo S E-Hybrid, flat out you will be doing 193mph (310kmh)and 0-100kmh is over in a meger 3.4 seconds – wiping the floor with all but the Ferrari on this list. Even if you drop down to the Panamera 4 Sport Turismo, the 6-cylinder turbocharged engine allows the big German to reach 160mph (257kmh)flat-out and sprint from rest to 100kmh in 5.5 seconds. While the performance is strong here, practicality is not. The rear is just about big enough to get two adults and a smaller human buckled in, and 520-litres of boot space is a tad underwhelming.
Volkswagen Golf R
The Golf R estate is related to both the Skoda and SEAT mentioned in the link below (but comes with four-wheel drive), and offers one of the finest all-round driving packages you can get for the money – the R starts at around £36k. Under the hood there is the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder producing 296bhp as found in the Leon, but here it is only available with VW’s seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox. The exhaust note sounds good with a nice deep burble, which helps keep up the fun even when you aren’t exploiting the strong chassis.
For the FULL article from AutoExpress, which features a few more estates from brands unavailable here, click this link.
Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) telah mengumumkan senarai harga bagi kereta Volvo di Malaysia dengan kadar GST 0%.
Pengumuman ini bersempena dengan arahan penetapan kadar GST pada 0% oleh Kementerian Kewangan Malaysia yang akan mula dikuatkuasa pada tarikh 1 Jun 2018.
Bukan sekadar harga kereta sahaja yang telah ditetapkan pada GST 0%, harga bagi perkhidmatan penyelenggaraan dan alat ganti, serta pakej ‘Volvo Service Agreement’ (VSA) juga telah turut dikaji semula
Following the Ministry of Finance Malaysia’s announcement that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is set to be standard-rated 0% from 1 June 2018, Volvo Car Malaysia has updated its model range price list to reflect this fiscal measure:
Models
With 6% GST
With 0% GST
Savings
V40 T4
RM163,888.00
RM154,648.93
RM9,239.07
V40 T5 Inscription
RM180,888.00
RM170,686.67
RM10,201.33
S60 T6
RM238,888.00
RM225,403.65
RM13,484.35
XC60 T5
RM298,888.00
RM282,011.00
RM16,877.00
XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription
RM333,888.00
RM315,029.86
RM18,858.14
XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus
RM343,888.00
RM324,463.83
RM19,424.17
S90 T8 Twin Engine Inscription
RM368,888.00
RM348,045.16
RM20,842.84
S90 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus
RM388,888.00
RM366,913.08
RM21,974.92
XC90 T8 Twin Engine Inscription
RM403,888.00
RM381,067.60
RM22,820.40
XC90 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus
RM413,888.00
RM390,501.56
RM23,386.44
* Please note that the prices quoted above are on-the-road (private registration for Peninsular Malaysia) without insurance.
This revised pricing will take into effect starting 1 June 2018 and will remain until further notice or announcement from the Ministry of Finance Malaysia.
Standard-rated 0% will also be applicable for parts and servicing prices at all of Volvo Car Malaysia’s authorised dealers, this includes purchases of all Volvo Service Agreement (VSA) packages as outlined below:
SISMA Auto, Volvo Car Malaysia’s newest dealer, has announced that its Volvo Authorised Service Centre at Glenmarie, Shah Alam, has officially commenced operations. SISMA Auto’s Glenmarie service centre is designed to offer the unique Volvo Retail Experience to customers, with a calming and welcoming environment featuring clean lines synonymous with Scandinavian design.
As a Volvo Authorised Service Centre, SISMA Auto is equipped with all the latest Volvo Diagnostic Equipment, special tools and sells only official Volvo parts. It is staffed with trained Volvo Service Advisors and Technicians to ensure that every Volvo receives only the best service and all issues are promptly and expertly resolved.
SISMA Auto Managing Director, Syed Khalil Syed Ibrahim said that with the full-fledged Volvo Authorised Service Centre now operational, the company has expanded its signature service proposition to offer unprecedented convenience to all Volvo owners.
Volvo owners can choose from the following options:
Drop their cars at SISMA Auto Bukit Bintang showroom in Menara Worldwide;
Come in person to the newly completed SISMA Auto Volvo Glenmarie Service Centre; or
Use SISMA Auto’s Signature Concierge Service for home or office pick-up.
To celebrate the occasion and the upcoming Chinese New Year, the new SISMA Auto Volvo Authorised Service Centre is offering a complimentary 20-point inspection and 10% off on any recommended parts from now until Chinese New Year (by appointment only).
Volvo owners can call 03-5569 8311 or email to amzry@sismaauto.com for their service inspection appointments.
Those who purchase any new or pre-owned Volvo model from SISMA Auto or send their Volvos for service or repair at the company’s service centre stand a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to Sweden.
It’s here! Volvo Car Malaysia has finally unveiled the long-awaited successor to its Premium Mid-Sized SUV with the introduction of the new Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine, fully imported from Sweden.
(L-R) Lennart Stegland, Managing Director of Volvo Car Malaysia, Ziran Zhang, Chief Designer of Volvo Cars China, and Akhtar Sulaiman, Network & Product Director of Volvo Car Malaysia with the new Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus, fully-imported from Sweden. Local assembly of the new XC60 has begun and will make its debut within the second-quarter of this year…
The new model will replace the original XC60 which has sold nearly a million units globally and represents 30 per cent of Volvo’s total global sales. Here’s the official launch earlier today…
“We have a strong heritage in crafting stylish and dynamic SUVs that feature the latest in technology – the new XC60 will be no exception,” said Lennart Stegland, Managing Director, Volvo Car Malaysia (below).
Built on the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform, the new XC60 will maintain the beautiful proportions of its larger sibling but with a more expressive design on both the exterior and interior.
“The exterior has an athletic sculpture with a subtle, timeless quality. The interior is a masterful composition of well-resolved architecture and beautiful materials, all perfectly blended together,” added Stegland.
Want to see it in action? Check this out!
More on the new Volvo XC60…
Scoring a near perfect score of 98 per cent in the Adult Occupant category and 95 per cent in the Large Off-Road vehicle class, the new XC60 has been awarded Best Overall Performance by the prestigious Euro NCAP 2017.
This score was possible thanks to the new XC60’s ability to benefit and improve on the safety technologies of Volvo’s 90s Range – the first range of cars built on the SPA platform. Volvo calls its safety technologies which includes its driver support and active safety systems, IntelliSafe.
“Volvo has a vision that by the year 2020, no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car – this recent award underlines our leadership in safety technologies and makes the new XC60 one of the safest cars that we have ever made,” said Stegland.
IntelliSafe, which comes standard in the new XC60, will include the usual staple of active, preventive and protective safety systems such as City Safety (Autonomous Emergency Braking), BLIS (Blind Spot Information System), and Rear Collision Warning and Mitigation, just to name a few.
Both City Safety and BLIS now features Steer Assist, a system that provides automatic steering assistance that will – when required – avoid potential collisions. City Safety detects and helps avoid collisions with other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and large animals.
Oncoming Lane Mitigation is a new system included in the new XC60; it helps drivers avoid collisions with vehicles in an oncoming lane by alerting, and if necessary, provide automatic steering assistance to guide the car out of the path of the oncoming vehicle.
Another defining feature included in the new XC60 is Volvo’s Pilot Assist – an advanced semi-autonomous driver assistance system which takes care of steering, acceleration and braking on well-marked roads up to 130 km/h, will also be available in the new XC60.
Here’s a quick 360-deg walk-around video, plus a look at the inside…
In terms of performance, the T8 Twin Engine, combines a turbocharged and supercharged petrol engine with an electric motor that independently drives the rear axle to produce an impressive combined output of 407 hp (320 hp internal combustion engine + 87 hp electric motor) and 640 Nm (400 Nm internal combustion engine + 240 Nm electric motor) of torque.
But it’s really quiet in Electric mode, have a look & listen…
The performance figures translates to a century sprint of only 5.3 seconds and a very efficient 2.1 litres of fuel consumed for every 100 km travelled and a pure electric range of 45 km (NEDC Hybrid Combined Cycle) from a 10.4 kWh hybrid battery which is centrally located in the tunnel of the car.
The XC60 T8 Twin Engine will be offered in the Inscription and Inscription Plus trim level, with the latter being equipped with the industry-leading sound system, Premium Sound by Bowers & Wilkins; a 15-speaker sound system that supplies an astonishing 1,100 watts through a 10-channel Class-D amplifier.
The fully-imported (CBU), new XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus is priced at RM373,888 (on-the-road without insurance, including all applicable taxes) to complement the locally assembled range for the new XC60 that will be introduced at a later date.
The locally-assembled (CKD) XC60 will be offered in two engine variants, namely, the T8 Twin Engine and T5. The T8 Twin Engine will be offered in two trim levels – Inscription and Inscription Plus; while the T5 will be offered in a single trim level.
Here’s the breakdown of the pricing for the locally-assembled XC60 (on-the-road without insurance, including all applicable taxes):
XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus: RM343,888
XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription: RM333,888
XC60 T5: RM298,888
Customers are free to choose from five exterior colour options which includes Ice White, Bright Silver, Osmium Grey, Onyx Black and Maple Brown. In response to customer demands, Volvo Car Malaysia has also added a second leather upholstery colour for the locally assembled variant – Maroon Brown – which will complement the usual Charcoal.
Full specifications and features of the locally-assembled XC60 variants will be revealed in the months ahead but interested customers may already place their bookings for their preferred variant, starting today, at all authorised Volvo dealers.
Before we go, do take a look at this amazing Volvo promo video called “Moments”… much feels. – Chris Wee.
Till we get our hands on the review unit, we’ll say goodbye for now…
Here it is! The new Volvo XC60 has arrived in Malaysia! Priced at RM343,888 for the XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus, and RM333,888 for the T8 Inscription and RM298,888 for the T5.
Powered by Twin Engine technology, the T8 combines a turbocharged and supercharged petrol engine with an electric motor for a combined output of 407bhp and a whopping 640Nm of torque. Do stay tuned for more to come!
Volvo’s mid-range SUV, the XC60 has been named 2018 Utility of the Year by the Detroit Free Press, Detroit’s largest daily newspaper. Built using the Scalable Product Architecture platform, the 2018 model year is new from the ground up, combining Swedish elegence and precise craftmanship. The vehicle was given the accolade because of what it brings to the table.
Like it’s bigger brother, the middle child of Volvo’s SUV family features striking good looks that is topped off by the signature ‘Thor’s hammer’ headlights. This complements the slew of safety features very well. The XC60 is able to monitor it’s blind spots and take control of the steering if it detects an impending collision.
Besides this, it’s various front and rear sensors help prevent head-on collisions and other fender benders, acting as the driver’s third eye. Then there’s also the semi-autonomous safety system that is able to steer and keep the XC60 at a constant speed provided that the road lane markings are clearly visible.
“The XC60’s value, design and advanced safety features set it apart from other utility vehicles,” Detroit Free Press auto critic Mark Phelan said. “It sets a high standard for other SUVs.”
The Volvo XC60 is offered with a number of powertrains including the award winning T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid at the top of the powertrain range delivering 400bhp. Expect the automaker to chalk up a number of other awards in the coming months as more publications get their hands on this sophisticated machine.
