2020 MINI Countryan Blackheath Launched – RM253,888 To Appeal To The Inner Goth

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If you’ve ever had to hide your love of Minis due to their unashamedly loud & proud designs, you may be very excited to hear about this. MINI Malaysia has today announced that they will be making available just 48 units of the special Countryman Blackheath Edition which, as you guessed it, is inspired by the dark, brooding aesthetics of the Blackheath region of London.

In any case, the Blackheath is based on the Countryman Cooper S, and so it derives motivation from the same 2.0-litre TwinPower Turbo mill, which sends the 192hp and 280Nm it generates to the front wheels via an 8-speed auto ‘box. The century sprint is wrangled in just 7.5-seconds, despite maintaining a miserly fuel economy rating of just 6.6L/100km. That low consumption figure is helped in part by a new drivetrain decoupling system, which works only in Mid & Green modes, that allows the Mini Blackheath to coast without hindrance.

Thanks to EEV incentives, the Blackheath retails at just RM253,888 in West Malaysia, while East Malaysia will receive it for RM256,852.50. That is, apparently, RM17,571 less than it would be without the EEV incentives, which is… helpful?

As it’s a special edition (the first of its kind for the Countryman here in Malaysia), there are a variety of aesthetic tweaks that set it apart from the pack. So there’s black trim for the headlights & taillights, the grille, the door handles, the badges, and even the ‘Countryman’ script on the tail. Even the bonnet stripes have been given a dark hue, finished in matte silver.

Down the side, the Blackheath rolls on 19-inch Circuit Spoke alloys, and sports a John Cooper Works aerodynamic bodykit for extra aggression. Grr.

The interior packs black headliner and sports seats which are, surprise, upholstered in Carbon Black Cross Punch leather upholstery. There’s more piano black throughout the cabin, though the ambient lighting offers 12 adjustable colours, though we suspect that’s mostly because there isn’t any literal black lighting available.

In the middle of the dash sits the 8.8-inch infotainment display, which runs a 12-speaker, 360-watt Harman/Kardon audio system. Connectivity is catered for via Apple Carplay only, with no support for Android Auto (yet). There’s also voice input available, powered by Mini, or by Siri if you have your iPhone hooked up.

Safety-wise, the Countryman Blackheath offers no changes over the Countryman Cooper S, and so you get the usual array of stability & traction controls, dynamic brake lights, ABS, EBD, electronic diff lock, auto hold function, driver drowsiness warning, reversing camera, runflat tyre with tyre pressure monitoring, airbags front and side, as well as head airbags for the four outer occupants. And there’s ISOFIX, of course.

You also get with the Countryman Blackheath the 4G-connected MINI Connected system, which includes Intelligent Emergency Call (it calls the emergency services in an accident), as well as MINI TeleServices. You also get the latest versions of MINI Connected app, which offers Concierge, MINI Online, as well as the Carplay we mentioned earlier. With MINI Online, you can check things like the car’s location, the fuel level, and other status updates of the car on your phone, wherever you might be. You know, in case you miss your MINI.

The Countryman Blackheath is covered by the same 4-year/unlimited mileage warranty, with free scheduled servicing for 4-years, as well as 5-years roadside assist.

Now might be a good time to come to the dark side.

VIDEO: 2020 Perodua Bezza Driven – Small Changes, Big Differences

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Malaysian automotive heavyweight Perodua may have enjoyed market leadership for a good 16 years now, but perhaps now more than ever, there’s a fire under its ass to ensure that its lead isn’t compromised.

I don’t believe I have to go into detail here, but for the uninitiated, I’m talking about the challenges that fellow national carmaker PROTON has levelled at it throughout 2019. With every model in its lineup updated, purchase prices reduced, kit levels enhanced and aftersales service given a thorough going-over, PROTON has mounted an aggressive attack on the Malaysian market that threatens Perodua’s marketshare, which accounts for over 40% of the total number of cars sold in the last year. While models like the Myvi and Axia are beyond reproach, with the former accounting for almost half of all Perodua sales, the Bezza is in a far more precarious position.

With prices starting at RM34,580 for the 1.0-litre three-cylinder Bezza G (M/T) and rising up to RM49,580 for the top-flight Bezza 1.3 AV with Advanced Safety Assist, there’s a clear price-gulf between the models. Saga Premium vs. Bezza AV the price difference is enough to account for more than 4,700L of fuel, which could certainly power the lesser vehicle for quite a while, given that the one we own manages less than 6L/100km with daily use.

But with things like active driver assistance features, better modern conveniences, and tried-and-tested reliability, many argue that the Bezza can very easily justify its price premium. Couple that with the improved driveability, interior quality, and reduced NVH levels, the Perodua Bezza feels like a car that’s worth more than it is.

Don’t believe us? Check out our video review and see for yourself.

Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival Round 3 – Stunning Upsets Enthrall 15,000 Spectators

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It was an exciting weekend during the third installment of the 2020 Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival, with the third round taking place in Batu Kawan, Penang. The three Vios Challenge races, between the professional Super Sporting class, the amateur Sporting class, and the celebrity-racing Promotional class, saw the fifteen thousand-strong crowd at the edge of their seats throughout the event, which took place over last weekend.

In the Super Sporting class, Freddie Ang clinched the win for Talagamas Toyota, beating out Andy Ho from Toyotsu and even defending champion, Boy Wong. Freddie managed to take the lead very early on in the 22-lap race, and successfully defending his pole position against an aggressive & determined Ho.

Class-favourite Tengku Djan Ley did not enjoy a successful outing, despite his fullest intent on maintaining his momentum after snagging a win during Round 1. Overcooking the first corner and sustaining damage to the rear of his car saw him pitted for two laps before rejoining the race, resulting in an insurmountable challenge for the seasoned racer.

In the Sporting class, two outings of the safety car saw the results of the race seriously upset from what would have been a rather predictable outing. Tom Goh from S&D Tama managed to secure a lead from the get-go, a position he maintained despite a 6-car pileup that saw 4 of the 16 competing cars removed from the race on just the second lap. But it was a second outing of the safety car, as a result of Shanmuganathan Arumugam spinning out with just two laps to the end, that saw Tom’s 2-second lead over Bradley Anthony, who had been defending his second place position against a determined Haji Sutan Mustaffa Salihin from SMS Motorsports, completely eradicated.

And it was in those two final laps that Bradley Anthony made a last-ditch attempt to take the lead from Goh, which he managed successfully in a nail-biting maneuver over the seasoned motoring journalist, with Anthony taking the win, followed by Goh & Haji Sutan Mustaffa.

In the Promotional class, the top three positions were secured by Shukri Yahaya, Nabil Ahmad, and Shawn Lee in the 20-lap race. Shukri’s lead was determined very early in the race, despite starting in 4th place, passing artistes Nabila Razali and Wany Hasrita who were powerless to stop Shukri’s momentum. Actress Janna Nick started at pole and maintained her lead for a couple of laps, before conceding the lead to Shukri who was determined to set a faster and more competitive pace.

That second-place position was however much better defended by Janna up until lap 4, where a bit of contact with challenger Shawn Lee saw her car spun round to face oncoming traffic. Diana Danielle managed to avoid Janna’s car, as did Nabila, but Syafiq Kyle drove straight into her vehicle.

“I wasn’t expecting a win, but I saw the opportunity when Wany & Nabila made a slow start [off the line]. It was my first win for the season, and I’m really happy with that.”

Shukri Yahaya

Aside from the races, there was plenty to be enjoyed at the TGR Festival for the whole family. UMW Toyota displayed their entire fleet of new cars, while Toyo Tires put on a drift performance executed by Japanese drift drivers. There were also racing simulator challenges, stage games, celebrity performances, lucky draws, merchandise sales, and a Super Fans signing session that allowed fans to get up close and personal with their favourite celebrities competing in the Promotional class.

City Architecture for Tomorrow Challenge Launched, By Toyota Mobility Foundation

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Japanese automotive juggernaut Toyota’s mobility-forward arm, Toyota Mobility Foundation, have today launched a next-generation urban development & traffic management global challenge today in Kuala Lumpur, with our capital city acting as the global testbed for the initiative. Named ‘City Architecture for Tomorrow Challenge’ (or CATCH), the challenge is to use data provided by partnering agencies, private firms and the Government to come up with innovative mobility solutions that improve overall mobility in the city.

Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) selected Kuala Lumpur after looking at several other capital cities around the world, convinced that our inclusive society, impressive technology penetration levels, and mobility data availability would make for the perfect pilot city. Working together with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), CATCH is Asia’s first global challenge that will attract innovative, data-driven entries from global participants. The aim is to raise efficiency in urban planning, and drive forward the future of mobility.

The launch event, held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, was graced by KL Mayor Dato’ Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan.

KL Mayor, Dato’ Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan

CATCH will seek to address mobility challenges in Kuala Lumpur with a global call for solutions. In the next 8 months, participants – who can come from startups, academic & research institutions, or even members of the general public – can ideate, conceptualise, and develop dynamic, intelligent, data-driven solutions that will help design future city infrastructures.

“TMF was set up to address mobility issues around the world, using a unique approach driven by sustainability, innovation, and partnership. CATCH was designed in partnership with the Malaysian government, to encourage data-driven but human-centered interventions to improve city planning and the mobility ecosystem.”

Shin Aoyama, President of Secretariat, Toyota Mobility Foundation

“Through CATCH, the global pool of talented startups, academics, and the world’s brightest minds can develop their next-generation urban digitalisation ideas and accelerate Kuala Lumpur’s evolution into a city of the future. The program is in-line with MDEC’s efforts to drive forward the country’s digital economy, catalyse next-generation innovation through Malaysia’s Global Testbed Initiative and reinforce the country’s position as the Heart of Digital ASEAN.”

Surina Shukri, Chief Executive Officer, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC)

CATCH will provide participants with data to empower them to develop solutions that will be selected in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act. The data partners are made up of both public & private sectors that have different data points of a commuter’s journey, such as Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Polis DiRaja Malaysia, Agensi Pengangkutan Awam Darat, Grab, MapIT MSC, Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT Corp), and Prasarana Malaysia.

Additionally, TMF will provide grants at every stage of the challenge, dipping into a US$1.5-million grant pool that will support teams towards the development & trial-testing of the solutions in Kuala Lumpur. Participants will also have access to expert mentors & an incubation period.

BMW Group Malaysia Reports Valiant Show In 2019 – 11,567 Units Across BMW, MINI, Motorrad Divisions

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In an event held in the city centre today, BMW Group Malaysia announced their ‘2019 Report Card’ to detail how the Group performed in what’s unilaterally regarded as a ‘challenging year’ in a ‘challenging market.’ Despite the headwinds, BMW Group Malaysia posted some pretty healthy numbers, driven by the 32 model variants introduced in 2019 across the BMW, MINI, and BMW Motorrad arms of the business.

BMW Group Malaysia was keen to underline that it retains its position as the leading electrified-mobility provider in Malaysia, with 3,148 units of electrified BMWs and MINIs delivered in 2019, contributing to the overall total in excess of 17,000 electrified models since BMW Group Malaysia began its electrified offensive in 2015. This was backed up by an introduction of 18 new BMW i charging facilities across the country, bringing the total number of chargers installed by the brand in the last three years to over 30.

“Against the backdrop of a challenging year for the automotive sector, we are proud to have achieved such success within the electrified segment in Malaysia and across the globe – which reaffirms our optimism for the year ahead. We are committed to continue leading the charge for electromobility in Malaysia, especially in light of the upcoming National Automotive Policy announcement that will see electrified vehicles play a prominent role in propelling our automotive sector to greater heights.”

Mr. Harald Hoelzl, Managing Director, BMW Group Malaysia

The success of the Group was driven primarily by the BMW brand itself, with 9,300 new owners recorded in 2019. The new 3-Series racked up 2,514 registrations, of which over 1,000 were made up of the BMW 330e M-Sport. The 5-Series came in as the second biggest contributor, with over 2,000 new owners found in the same period.

The BMW X family of vehicles also made good headway in 2019, with 3,985 units recorded between all its members. The X3 brought back 1,354 sales, with the smaller X1 totalling 1,331 sales. The BMW X5 xDrive40e also played a critical role, with 975 units (or 24% of the overall BMW X sales) recorded in 2019.

MINI on the other hand saw a shift of 1,142 vehicles, with the Mini Countryman contributing over half of all deliveries. BMW Motorrad followed right behind the British marque with 1,125 units shifted too, with the Adventure segment finding over 600 new homes.

Compared to their performance in 2018, BMW Group saw a drop of 2,771 overall sales, or nearly 20% year-on-year. This is in keeping with the shrinkage of premium segment sales over an otherwise stagnant total industry volume. Only Volvo has come out of this rough patch unscathed, charting a growth of over 30% through 2019 while its major competitors had to tighten their belts.

Regardless, it is promising to see that the BMW Group remains committed to the Malaysian market with plans already being laid to make full use of the soon-to-be-announced National Automotive Policy that will hopefully see their Kulim, Kedah plant continue to play a major role in the brand’s presence in the ASEAN market.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Ends 2019 On A High – Over 10,000 Cars Sold, 1.8% Marketshare

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Despite challenging conditions in 2019, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has managed to hold onto its lead in the premium segment, doing so against bearish conditions that have affected the premium segment most of all. With 1.8% marketshare last year, the company is confident that 2019 has set the tone for the decade to come, even though they weren’t setting new sales records as we’ve come to expect from the brand.

2019 was certainly an exciting year for fans of Mercedes-Benz here in Malaysia, with product launch after product launch after product launch. The E-Class lineup was shaken up with the introduction of the E350 AMG-Line, E300 Exclusive Line, and the E200 Sportstyle Avantgarde very early on in the year, while the A-Class family was refreshed with A200 & A250 variants available as both 4-door saloons and 5-door hatchbacks. The new GLE-Class SUV also made its debut here in Malaysia, while the facelifted GLC & GLC Coupe models brought about the introduction of MercedesMe Connect services for the first time.

“We wrap up the decade on a great note as we continue to grow our customer base and set our footing in Malaysia. 2019 was a year where we placed great emphasis on expanding our product offensive with innovative technology and emotional design, catering to the needs of our customers. We also celebrated the 15th year anniversary of local production excellence, noting the 100,000th vehicle roll-out milestone and the commencement of Philippine export initiatives. Through a solid leadership and vision, we reaffirmed our commitment to the Malaysian market and our customers in delivering the best products and the best customer experiences.”

Dr. Klaus Weidner, President & Chief Executive Officer, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia

On the AMG front, the A35 Saloon brought about fresh blood in the entry-level space (if you can call it that), followed by the C63S in both coupe & saloon forms. Moving further up saw the introduction of the AMG GT 63 S Four Door, as well as the refreshed GT C and GT R models.

Most notably for this writer, Mercedes-Benz also took a bold step in premium emissions-conscious mobility by introducing the new S560e plug-in hybrid limousine, aimed at creating eco-aware buyers from the top-down. Additionally, Malaysia was graced with the regional-debut of the all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQC electric SUV at the same event, where it was announced that the zero-emissions family SUV will make a formal market introduction here sometime in 2020.

On a production side, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia marked their 100,000th locally-assembled vehicle this year, rolling out of their heavily-updated facility in Pekan, Pahang. That same event also saw the commencement of left-hand drive production for export to the Philippines, with C180 models assembled here for consumption in the Republic. We’re made to understand that reception of the Malaysian-made cars there has been very warm, with MBM looking at perhaps expanding LHD production to offer a wider selection of cars for Philippine buyers.

“Despite facing headwinds, we ended the year on a strong note to cement our position in the premium automotive segment. We delivered 10,020 cars to our Malaysian customers, signifying a continuous mark of confidence towards Mercedes-Benz. We are fully confident that 2019 has set up a great tone, as we power up great momentum for the new decade.”

Mr. Michael Jopp, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia

With 2020’s total industry volume set to remain stagnant, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia will certainly have its work cut out for it as it aims to maintain its lead in the segment. However, with the new Mercedes-Benz GLC & GLC Coupe already on our shores, and the promise of more MercedesMe Connect vehicles set to arrive throughout the year, we’ve no doubt that their offensive this year will most certainly do much to help the company maintain its lead.

  • The Management Team at Mercedes-Benz Malaysia with a couple of their most notable models introduced in 2019
  • Dr. Klaus Weidner, President & CEO of MBM, against the new Mercedes-Benz S560e Plug-In Hybrid
  • Mr. Michael Jopp, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, with the refreshed Mercedes-Benz GLC range featuring MercedesMe Connect
  • The new Mercedes-Benz EQC makes its regional debut in Malaysia, alongside the new Mercedes-Benz S560e Plug-In Hybrid, as well as the Mercedes-Benz C300e Plug-In Hybrid

Volvo Car Malaysia Records Superb 2019 – 36.1% Sales Increase Year-On-Year

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Resurgent luxury marque Volvo has had a splendid year in our market in 2019, as announced at a media event today. Speaking on behalf of the managing director of Volvo Car Malaysia (who was called away due to a personal emergency), marketing & PR director Mr. Akhtar Sulaiman revealed just how well Volvo performed in our market last year, despite an overall decline in the luxury segment.

Beating the odds against a shrinking premium car market, Volvo Car Malaysia logged an increase of 36.1% in retail sales for 2019, with a total of 1,883 cars delivered. The Volvo plant in Shah Alam produced a total of nearly 5,000 cars last year too, with the remaining 3,000+ cars that the plant produced exported to various ASEAN countries (in both left- and right-hand drive forms).

Mr. Akhtar Sulaiman, Director of Marketing & PR, Volvo Car Malaysia

The exemplary performance in 2019 was propelled by major product introductions, like the 2019 Malaysia Car of the Year (Compact SUV/Crossover) XC40 T5 R-Design, the world-renowned and multi-award winning XC90 facelift, as well as the S60 T8 R-Design compact executive saloon. In 2020, the company expects to maintain its momentum off the back of the S60 (now in CKD form), as well as the “S90 facelift,” which was confirmed in the press release without a potential release date given.

2019 also saw the establishment of 5 new Volvo dealerships across the country, to which Volvo has confirmed they will add one more in the city of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah this year. Notably, Malaysia is the second market in Asia Pacific to boast a full 100% implementation of the ‘Volvo Retail Experience’ dealership standard, backed by the arrival of their renewed regional training centre.

Volvo Retail Experience space, within the Volvo Car Regional Training Centre

Volvo Car Malaysia is set to enjoy momentous growth in 2020, thanks to its already-strong portfolio of models, as well as #recharged models on the way. With production of the XC40 in its stride (though a waiting list still exists for the ‘tough little robot’) and the S60 T8 gaining momentum in the compact-executive saloon space, bolstered by the XC90’s position as the only large premium SUV in the space below RM600,000, we’ve little doubt that by this time next year, they’ll have even better numbers to report.

Perodua Once Again Confirms “Investigating” Myvi GT

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At their Chinese New Year luncheon event, Perodua was once again posed the question of the eagerly-awaited Perodua Myvi GT, a hotter variant of the effervescent hatchback that was first mooted as a concept at the KL International Motorshow back in 2018. We first asked about the Myvi GT during Perodua’s 1H 2019 review event back in July last year, where the company confirmed that they were “looking into” the matter.

Since then, there have only been minor movements on the Myvi GT front it seems, with President & CEO Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad skillfully avoiding saying anything concrete on the matter. Dato’ Zainal confirmed that there has been some progress, with the company actively evaluating the business case for the model, given that it will not only sit as the flagship of the range but justifiably command a bit of a premium over the current 1.5-AV top-dog. Additionally, the expected low volume of the car would pose a production headache for Perodua, which is looking to improve its tact times on its cars from both its factories (PMSB & PGMSB are Perodua’s two manufacturing plants, with PMSB tasked with the assembly of the Myvi).

2018 Perodua Myvi GT Concept – KLIMS’18

The car remains a contentious topic among Malaysians – many applaud the strong value-appeal of the Myvi, with the Myvi GT seemingly flying against Perodua’s efforts to streamline and ‘reduce baggage’ in the lineup. But others contend that the Myvi, and Perodua in general, is in desperate need of some character, and the Myvi GT would indeed be the injection of colour that the Sg. Choh company would benefit massively from.

Additionally (in our opinion), the Myvi GT would be an excellent opportunity for local vendors and supplier to shine: Specialists like FTuned Racing for example could be brought in to help sharpen the car’s handling (FTuned is helmed by a former PROTON R3 engineer with masses of accolades under his belt), while local racing personalities (like Karamjit Singh, for example) could be consulted to help further fine-tune the vehicle for maximum tractability and engagement.

How Perodua would go about pepping the car up mechanically remains to be seen – alternative tunes for the transmission and engine could be applied if Perodua wanted to offer modest performance gains. That said, with Dato’ Zainal confirming that “all new Perodua models” will be built off of the DNGA (Daihatsu New Global Architecture) platform, perhaps the Myvi GT will be saved for the next generation, where it could be offered with a sprightly turbocharged unit.

We’ll just have to wait and see.

  • 2018 Perodua Myvi GT Concept – KLIMS’18
  • 2018 Perodua Myvi GT Concept – KLIMS’18
  • 2018 Perodua Myvi GT Concept – KLIMS’18
  • 2018 Perodua Myvi GT Concept – KLIMS’18

Perodua ‘Confirms’ D55L/Kembara – Due H2 2020

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At their Chinese new year luncheon (cum year-in-review event), Malaysian automotive heavyweight Perodua made a surprise ‘confirmation’ that it will seek to introduce the heavily-rumoured ‘D55L’ compact SUV in the second-half of this year. We like to call the D55L model the ‘Kembara’ on the basis that, like the original, the D55L will be a high-riding A-segment machine that offers something ‘different’ from the rest of the Perodua range.

When the original Kembara was introduced, it was the very first Perodua to offer all-wheel drive and a tall seating position, which enabled owners to truly embrace the spirit of adventure (or their inner pengembara, as it were). The D55L, likewise, is set to offer an array of innovative new features as well, in a package that’s truly new for Perodua, and better suited to the pengembara of today.

Perodua’s head honcho Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad responded to a series of questions from the media (ED: They were actually almost all from us) that Perodua will be using parent-company Daihatsu’s new DNGA (Daihatsu New Global Architecture) to develop its next model, and that the company will follow market trends & consumer demands in terms of developing their next model.

Interesting point you make there about SUVs, sir.

Additionally, Dato’ Zainal also offered up this slide showing us Perodua’s projected total industry volume (TIV) for 2020, which notably showed an increase in SUV marketshare of 4% year-on-year compared to 2019. Perodua is a company known for its secrecy; but that said, its management team are known for dropping hints by making members of the media ‘read between the data,’ as it were.

It seems pretty clear then that, with the use of DNGA confirmed for their next model and further allusion by way of suggesting consumer-led product development, that the D55L is well on its way to market introduction. With a launch slated for the second-half of 2020 (due to a need to stabilise production & delivery times for existing models, as well as an RM500-million upgrade to their PGMSB plant in Sg. Choh), we can’t help but wonder why Perodua remains conservative (almost bearish) with its 2020 sales projections.

But with the Perodua Aruz already in existence, you may ask what ‘unique innovations’ the D55L will offer. Based on the Daihatsu Rocky/Toyota Raize duo (the former being used for illustrative purposes here), the new A-segment crossover is powered by a new 1.0-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, mated to a CVT automatic gearbox that sends power to the front wheels.

Dato’ Zainal interestingly also made mention of the industry trend of downsizing engines, which help to minimise pollution, improve efficiency, and reduce overall running costs (like roadtax, and also fuel consumption). This further alludes that the D55L will be brought to the Malaysian market with minimal powertrain changes, which puts to rest the rumours and suggestions that Perodua may swap out the turbo-triple in the Daihatsu Rocky in favour of the tried-and-tested 1.5-litre VVTi presently employed by the Perodua Myvi and Perodua Aruz.

See? ‘Engine Downsizing = Right Sizing!’ according to Perodua.

Either way, you can rest assured that we at MalaysianMotoring will not only champion the cause to revive the much-loved ‘Kembara’ nameplate for the D55L, but pit Perodua’s little tyke up against the also eagerly-awaited PROTON X50, which Dr. Li Chunrong has also confirmed is slated for a 2020 introduction.

Stay tuned.

Perodua Records 240k Sales In 2019 – Targets Same Number In 2020

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At their year-in-review event held in the capital, Malaysian automotive heavyweight Perodua has announced its ‘report card’ for the last year, with the company growing in all major aspects over the year before.

The company exceeded its targets for 2019, with a total of 240,341 cars sold last year. This was fuelled by the introduction of the Aruz and the facelifted Axia, but its existing models (Alza, Bezza, and Myvi) continued to sell well. In ascending order, its sales were made up of the Alza, Aruz, Bezza, Axia, and Myvi.

The 2019 numbers made a 5.8% jump over the year before, and it’s the highest annual sales figures the company has ever recorded, despite the slower total industry volume and generally bearish industry outlook.

“Against a 2019 TIV estimated at 604,775 units, Perodua took nearly 40% of the Malaysian market, overtaking the 38% that Perodua recorded in 2018,” said Perodua CEO, Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad.

Every model from the Perodua lineup took the crown in their respective segments, including the Perodua Aruz, which ended 2019 as the most popular SUV in the Malaysian market with over 30,000 cars sold.

Perodua remains confident in the capability of its models, especially against the sharpening competition from PROTON. While the Bezza remained 2019’s best-selling A-segment saloon, the Saga snatched three ‘minor titles’ by topping monthly sales charts in October, November, and December last year. However, Perodua’s projections for the Bezza has not slipped despite this, with the carmaker managing 2,000 deliveries of the new car since launch, with another 5,600 expected to be delivered before the end of the month.

“We forsee a challenging first-half of 2020, as we focus on fulfilling existing bookings. We will evaluate the market situation in the second-half of 2020, while building up our inventory so that we are ready to take advantage of the market if it improves (in 2021).”

Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad, President & CEO, Perodua

On the vendor side of things, Perodua managed to hit its 2019 target for parts purchases, totalling RM5.4-billion. In 2020, the company projects that despite its flat sales targets, the 4% increase in overall production (from 245,000 cars to 255,000 cars) will require a total parts & components purchase spend of RM6-billion, which will most certainly play a role in growing the local industry.

Aftersales was also a highlight of the 2019 ‘report card,’ with the company successfully servicing some 2.35-million vehicles last year. According to Dato’ Zainal, this means some “70% of the cars [Perodua] sold in the last 8-years have come back for servicing with [Perodua],” which is an enviable metric for any carmaker in our market.

Perodua says that this year they will also invest in excess of RM1-billion in ‘customer-focused initiatives’ such as upgraded 3S centres and showrooms, with the Rawang company set to provide funding for its dealers to meet ever-changing demands and standards from its customers. This is in keeping with Perodua’s push to become a more globally-competitive marque in the coming years.