THE STAR Sunday 14 December 2014

Motoring
StarSpecial

Annual industry review

A 2014 report of the Malaysian
automotive industry.

The Nissan Serena S-Hybrid gets a facelift > 5

Honda Malaysia leads the way > 8

2 MOTORING

StarSpecial, Sunday 14 December 2014

Tesla in Malaysia

A market leader
The Kawasaki
Niinja H2R.

AWASAKI Motors Malaysia

Sdn Bhd (KMMSB) is still
leading the domestic
motorcycle market in the 250cc
category, said Jeffrey Lim, general
manager of KMMSB, during the
launch of the Ninja H2, Ninja H2R
and Vulcan S models recently.
Kawasaki still holds between
50 to 60% of the 250cc market in
Malaysia, with our new Z 250 SL
being our best-selling model.
Currently, the company has
four models to offer in that
segment the Ninja 250, Ninja
250SL, Z250 and the Z250 SL.

Lim added that the total

industry volume for motorcycles
has dipped and estimated that
the sales will drop this year but
forecasted an increase next year
with a 10% growth.
KMMSB has launched the
new Ninja H2 hyperbike, with
an estimated price of below
RM154,000.
The H2 has a supercharged
998cc
engine that is said to produce
300hp.
The H2R on the other hand, is
only for track and is priced above

RM300,000.
The Vulcan S uses the
mechanicals of the more popular
ER-6N but the riding position is
more relaxed.
Features such as a 14L fuel
tank, sportier mufflers, LED tail
lights and an overall cruiser
concept make the Vulcan S highly
appealing.
The best part about this is that
KMMSB plans to sell it for below
RM30,000.
The Ninjas and the Vulcan
S will be available in the first
quarter of 2015.

TESLA is a leading electric car

company in the world and there
are rumours about the brand
coming to Malaysia very soon.
Hired agencies are already
going around asking questions
about the feasibility of the brand
being sold here in Malaysia.
Known as the premium electric
car company, Tesla currently only
has the Model S five-door on sale.
The car has produced impressive
figures, which include going from
0 to 100kph in 3.4 seconds while
the range is an amazing 440km, if
driven at a constant 105kph.

There are more rumours

circulating that more than two
private companies are interested
in bringing the brand to Malaysia.
With the brands an impressive
range, Malaysians will be able to
adapt to the Tesla Model S easily
for their intercity driving. In the
United States, the entry level
variant is selling for US$71,000,
which is around RM250,000
before tax.
If the Model S is assembled
here, the car will be entitled
to enjoy the governments tax
reduction incentive.

The Tesla Model S.

Sunday 14 December 2014

StarSpecial

4 MOTORING

StarSpecial, Sunday 14 December 2014

The real deal

T

HE Star Motoring team has

driven the Citroen DS3 and
we think it is a fantastic little
hatchback.
It is cute, has plenty of style
and has all the characteristics that
make it a fun car.
With the 1.6VTi non-turbo
engine churning out 120hp with
a four-speed gearbox, the DS3
is rather impressive but upon
driving the DS3 Racing, we feel
that this model better personifies
the term hot hatchback.
It is basically the same twodoor hatchback but with a beefed
up suspension (15mm lower and
30mm wider, front and back) to
allow the car sharper handling
and a turbocharger bolted on to
the PSA 1.6L engine that pumps
out 202hp and 275Nm.
This DS3 Racing was built
as the road version of Citroens
successful DS3 R3 world rally car.
Initially, only 1,400 units were
planned for production but the
number has grown to 2,400 units.
One unit is now in Malaysia,
brought in by Citroens local
caretaker, Naza Euro Motor.
The Star Motoring team was
offered the opportunity to test

drive the car for a weekend to

experience Citroens sporty side.
The 18-inch orange alloy
wheels, wrapped with sticky
215/40 performance rubbers
look rather good but the real
eye-catcher is the bodykit and
thin fender linings that are made
out of carbon fibre the material
used in Formula 1 cars and WRC
machines.
These materials help reduce the
weight of the car but this might
not be the main objective of its
use. The use of rear carbon fibre
could be more for aesthetic appeal.
In the centre console, inside
the car is a leather-covered gear
knob, which might seem alien
to many Malaysians because the
DS3 Racing comes with only a sixspeed manual transmission.
For those who grew up with a
passion for cars, the swapping of
ratios using brute force and the
fancy legwork to operate the three
pedals is a great way to enjoy the
car.
The sporty steering wheel is the
right size and carbon fibre adorn
the bottom part of the steering.
Carbon fibre covers bits and
pieces of the dashboard while

The DS3 R can pump

out 202hp and
275Nm.

The DS3 R is an
impressive ride.

The Citroen DS3 R.

the Recaro-like bucket seats

have comfortable wings and are
plushier than racing seats but offer
enough lateral support.
The pedals are made of alloy
and are located close enough for
you to do the old heel-and-toe
trick.
You need to do this with the
DS3 Racing because the engine
suffers from a turbo lag if the rev
needle dips below 2,500rpm.
Keep the engine spinning
between 3,000rpm and 5,500rpm
and everything will be fine.
For those who love a bit of
pampering, the DS3 Racing is
quite comfortable.
We found the ride quite
forgiving and the electric power
steering gives a good boost at
parking speeds.
The temperature control works
well and a plus point is the audio
system, which is similar to the one
on the standard DS3 but sounds
better because it is equipped with
a subwoofer hidden behind the
right panel inside the boot.
On the highway, we drove in
sixth gear and it cruised well.
Fifth gear made better sense as
there was still some torque left to
overtake slower cars.
On the fuel lid, it is stated that
this car can only take RON98
petrol.
Amazingly, despite our heavy
right foot, there was still fuel left
after a 300km drive.
There is a high-compression
turbo under the front hood and
we were expecting anything
above 12L/100km.
The DS3 Racing in fact gave us
close to 8L/100km (claimed figure
is 6.4L/100km).
The brakes are progressive and
the car responded very well to our
late or trail braking antics and if
needed, a pull of the handbrake

The sporty interior of the DS3 R.

can make the car pivot.
However, there are some
improvements that we hope for
such as the tyre roar and the
awkward handbrake position that
requires your left hand to be in an
a not so comfortable position.
The car is also quiet, too quiet
in fact for something as sporty
as this. A bit of engine growl and

exhaust rumble is much needed.

Overall, this is an impressive
car and it is no wonder that it
dominates the world rallying
scene.
Naza Euro Motor has not
decided whether to bring in this
model because there are not many
enthusiasts for the car. We will
just have to wait and see.

In last months
issue, a
photograph of
the Volvo V60
was mistakenly
captioned Volvo
S60. The error is
much regretted.

French model makes waves

CITROEN is making a strong
wave in the French premium car
market with its chart-topping
model, the DS5.
The brand sold more than 300
units, including the DS4 and the
DS3 but 45% of the total number
was attributed to the DS5 model.
The DS5 was first launched
in February last year and since
then has become a rather unique

proposition in the market, simply

because it offers a different
design from the rest of the
options.
Looking like a cross between
a wagon and a hatchback, there
is nothing else that looks as
interesting as the DS5 in its
price segment. The interior also
scores another point among
the consumers as it features

aerospace-inspired styling and

a three-piece glass canopy. The
ceiling-mounted buttons are
also a delight to use. In addition,
the DS5 has good road-handling
ability and offers a comfortable
ride.
Powered by a 1.6L direct
injection petrol engine together
with a six-speed automatic
gearbox, the DS5 kicks out 156hp

and 240Nm of torque with

performance figures, which are
great for a vehicle of this size 0
to 100kph in 9.7 seconds and a
top speed of 202kph.
According to Datuk Samson
Anand George, chief operating
officer of Naza Euro Motors, the
official importer and distributor
of the Citroen brand in Malaysia,
the introduction of Euro 5

diesel to the market will result

in Malaysians seeing more
model variants from Citroens
latest diesel engine technology
available in the new Grand C4
Picasso that was launched in
October.
We are exploring the
possibility of introducing more
fuel-efficient and greener vehicles
in the future, says Samson.

StarSpecial, Sunday 14 December 2014

MOTORING 5

The Nissan
Serena
S-Hybrid gets
a facelift
E

DARAN Tan Chong Motor

(ETCM) recently launched
the new Nissan Serena
S-Hybrid, Malaysias first locally
assembled Hybrid MPV.
The Serena S-Hybrid, also
Japans No.1 best-selling MPV,
is loaded with innovation,
unmatched comfort and space
flexibility, and class-leading fuel
economy.
The Nissan Serena S-Hybrid
was first introduced in Malaysia
as a Completely Built-Up (CBU)
model from Japan last year, and
came with a list of value-added
features that made it a leading
contender in the local mid-sized
MPV segment.
Befitting its popularity with
families, the new Serena S-Hybrid
has undergone exterior and
interior restyling to take on a more
stylish and dynamic appearance,
while retaining its unique 14
different seating configurations.

It is available in two grades the

Premium Highway Star and
Highway Star.
As Malaysias first complete
knock down (CKD) hybrid
MPV, the new Serena S-Hybrid
represents ETCMs initiatives
in embracing the governments
vision of positioning Malaysia as
an environmentally conscious
nation.
We are also proud to announce
that the new CKD Serena S-Hybrid
is the first locally assembled
Serena S-Hybrid out of Japan,
says Tan Keng Meng, director of
marketing and product planning
at ETCM.
New features include
redesigned three-dimensional
chrome plating front grilles,
first-in-class LED head lamps
with LED signature lamps, a front
bumper design with fog lamps as
well as a new bonnet and fender
design.

Tan Keng Meng, director of marketing and product planning of Edaran Tan Chong
Motor Sdn Bhd giving his speech at the launch.

(from left): Datuk Tan Heng Chew, executive deputy chairman and group managing
director of Tan Chong Motor Holdings Bhd, Wang Shu Erh, Datuk Dr Ang Bon Beng,
executive director of Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd, and Tan Keng Meng at the
launch of the new Serena S-Hybrid.

The Serena S-Hybrid is a favourite among families.

Optional accessories
No

Item

Price

1.

6.5 multimedia navigation with rear-view camera, DVD player, iPod connectivity,
USB and Bluetooth

RM3,300

2.

10.1 roof-mounted LCD Panel

RM700

3.

Combination leather seat

RM2,800

4.

Roof spoiler

RM800

5.

Door visor

RM400

6.

V-Kool Elite Security

RM4,600

7.

V-Kool Armorcoat

RM2,950

8.

V-Kool Solar Gard

RM1,500

**Accessories can be purchased separately

In the rear, LED combination

lamps are now fashioned with a
distinctive S-shaped line, which
not only provides high visibility
for drivers approaching from
behind, but also add a touch of
elegance to the exterior styling.
Completing the look are new
side mouldings and new 16-inch
chrome alloy wheels.
For the Premium Highway
Star grade, roof spoilers and door
visors are included for a sportier
look. It also comes with V-Kool
Elite Security, Armorcoat and
Solar Gard tinting.
The interior space of the new
Serena S-Hybrid is the largest
and most flexible in its class. It is
able to accommodate up to eight
people while offering 14 different
seating and cargo configurations.
A spare tyre, located underneath
the front passenger seat, is now
offered as standard.
For the Premium Highway Star
grade, the refreshed interior offers
a touch of sophistication with
combination leather seats and the
head unit comes with a 6.5-inch
multimedia navigator with a rear
view camera, DVD player, iPod
connectivity, USB and Bluetooth
with a 10.1-inch roof-mounted
LCD panel.
The new Serena S-Hybrid is
powered by Nissans MR20DD
2.0L, four-cylinder double over
head cam direct-injection petrol
engine.
Coupled with the latest
generation XTRONIC CVT gearbox
with adaptive shift control (ASC),
it delivers 147PS of power, with
a maximum torque of 210Nm at
4,400rpm.
The engine and transmission
perform efficiently to give high
torque at low-engine speed,
providing less accelerator
pressure, more fuel economy and
lesser emissions. It also achieved

The new Serena S-Hybrid.

15.2km/L on the Japan JC08 test
cycle.
Using a simple yet compact
hybrid system, its ECO electric
motor serves as an auxiliary
power source to provide
engine assistance and power
regeneration, with an additional
battery unit for extra storage
capacity.
The S-Hybrid system features
an Idling Start-Stop System, which
automatically switches off the
engine when the vehicle comes to
a stop in traffic, and starts again
when the brake pedal is released,
helping the new Serena S-Hybrid
achieve fuel economy that is best
in its class.
Safety is also a priority and as
a family vehicle, the new Serena
S-Hybrid comes with Nissan
technologies to ensure the driver
maintains safe driving conditions.
This includes Dual SRS
Airbags, anti-lock braking system,
electronic brake-force distribution
with brake assist, vehicle dynamic
control and traction control
system.
We are confident that the
feedback on the new Serena
S-Hybrid will be positive and with

this ultimate family car, we hope

to be able to play a part in creating
perfectly fitting moments for
families across the country, says
Tan.
The new Nissan Serena
S-Hybrid is priced from
RM149,500 for the Premium
Highway Star and RM138,800 for
the Highway Star (OTR prices with
insurance for Peninsular Malaysia),
with a warranty of three years
or 100,000km, whichever comes
first.
It comes in two new colours,
Garnet Red and Graphite Blue
alongside its three current
colours: Diamond Black, Brilliant
White and Tungsten Silver.
In conjunction with the launch
of the new Serena S-Hybrid,
ETCM is offering free three-year
maintenance service as well as the
chance to win a three-day/twonight Legoland Malaysia holiday,
inclusive of accommodation and
access to the Legoland Theme Park
and Water Park for customers who
register before Dec 31.
n For more information,
call 1800 883 838 or visit
www.nissan.com.my

6 MOTORING

StarSpecial, Sunday 14 December 2014

Planning for the future

P

EUGEOT has sold a total of

5,200 units between January
and November this year,
with its best selling model being
the Peugeot 208.
The small hatchback makes
up 39% of Peugeots total sales in
Malaysia.
According to Datuk Samson
Anand George, chief operating
officer for Nasim, which is the
official importer, assembler
and distributor for Peugeot, the
company has solid plans for
2015.
In line with the governments
decision to remove fuel
subsidy from the market,
Nasim has already prepared its
countermeasure by introducing
2015 models that come with
enhancements on efficiency, he
said recently.
Samson also pointed out
that Peugeots general target
demographics are the more
affluent middle to high-income
earners, who he believes will
not be concerned about the fuel
prices.
Therefore, Nasim does not
believe that there will be much
negative impact from the removal

Peugeot cars are

popular among
middle- to highincome earners.

Datuk Samson Anand George, chief

operating officer of Nasim.
of the fuel subsidy.
In the case of diesel vehicles,
Nasim is already ahead of the
game with its 508 GT that offers
the 2.2l HDI FAP (particle emission
filter), one of the most advanced
diesel engines in the world.
The filter is a self-cleaning

system and helps reduce diesel

particles released to the air.
Currently, Nasim is selling
eight Peugeot models in the

The dashboard of Peugeot cars offer endless features for its drivers.

country, including the entry-level

208 hatchback, 2008 B-segment
crossover, 308 hatchback, 3008
C-segment crossover, 408 sedan,

508 executive family sedan that

also includes a wagon version,
5008 midsize MPV and its awardwinning RCZ.

Peugeot cars offer a stylish and elegant interior.

The matter of recalling

LAST November saw two car
companies issuing a recall on their
product.
Edaran Tan Chong Motor
responded to the breaking news
in Japan where Nissan Motor Co
Ltd announced a global recall
on its Nissan Serena S-Hybrid
model that was manufactured in
Japan last year by issuing a press
statement to invite owners of
the model to send in their MPV
to the nearest service centre to
have their fuel pressure sensor
retightened in order to prevent
any potential fuel leakage
incidents.
A week later, Proton
announced a free inspection
campaign for selected Exora
Bold CFE models, manufactured
between October 2011 and April
this year. This time, the problem
was a possible leaking radiator
connector.
Before these two MPVs, Honda
Malaysia quietly contacted
owners of its CBU Honda City
(manufactured between 2003
and 2004) and Honda Jazz 2004.
Apparently, the affected units

Akhbar Danial, general manager of

Honda Malaysia.

Roland Folger, president and chief

executive officer of Mercedes-Benz
Malaysia.

were installed with Takata airbags.

Takata issued a major recall to
all vehicles using its airbags due
to a number of serious defects on
the units. Sources said that a total
of 15,612 units of the City and 122
units of the Jazz were involved.
The Star Motoring team
spoke to car manufacturers and
distributors on how they tackle
the recall issue and most of them
already have their own standard
operating procedures from their
principals.

For Edaran Tan Chong Motor

(ETCM), the safety of their
customers is of utmost priority.
Tan Keng Meng, director for its
marketing and product planning
division, points out that ETCM
would quickly notify its customers
if there was a recall.
We also believe that recalls,
when done right, will not hurt the
companys image but can improve
its relationship with the customers
as they would develop more trust
in us, he says.

Dissemination of information
to the customer is carried out via
media announcement, letter or
text message, depending on the
level of safety concern.
We will continue to track the
number of vehicles rectified and
after a period of three months,
we will contact the customers
who have not come in for the
rectification, says Tan.
For Honda Malaysia, its
standard procedure is to inform
the customers and get them
to bring their vehicles to the
dealerships.
According to Akkbar Danial,
general manager for Honda
Malaysia, the company will utilise
all its communication tools such
as its website and also issue a
media statement to ensure owners
are well aware of the recall.
Naza Kia believes that it is every
manufacturers responsibility to
ensure customers safety.
Car companies are supposed
to inform the government when
there is a recall. As documented
in the National Regulatory
Implementation Guideline UN ECE

WP29 in Malaysia and enforced by

the Road Transport Department
(JPJ) in 2012, all recalls are to be
reported and presented to JPJ.
Once done, JPJ will also be called
in to report on the status, says
Datuk Syed Abdull Hafiz Syed Abu
Bakar, chief operating officer of
Naza Kia.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysias
president and chief executive
officer Roland Folger highlights a
worrying issue.
It is mandatory that JPJ is
to be informed within seven
working days of a recall but we
at Mercedes-Benz Malaysia are
concerned about the parallel
imports (grey vehicles) brought
into the country as we do not have
direct contact with them if there
is a recall.
Currently, grey vehicles or
reconditioned cars are brought
in freely and importers are not
subjected to any recall ruling if
there is one.
Buying a grey vehicle usually
means you are on your own as
importers usually wash their
hands once the deal is inked.

Sunday 14 December 2014

StarSpecial

www.citroen.com.my
/CitroenMalaysia
Customer Careline: 1800 222 808

year
warranty

8 MOTORING

StarSpecial, Sunday 14 December 2014

Honda Malaysia
leads the way

The seventh
generation Hyundai
Sonata.

T has been a good year for

Honda Malaysia as its sales
figures from January to
November has steadily increased
to 69,150 units.
This is a 34% increase
compared to the brands total
sales of 51,550 units last year.
In fact, Honda Malaysia claims
that it is now the market leader
in the non-national passenger car
market, taking away the title from
UMW Toyota.
According to Akkbar Danial,
general manager for Honda
Malaysia and also the companys
head of marketing, Honda
Malaysia is well on track to hit its
2014 target, which is 76,000 units.
The tsunami and earthquake
in 2011 disrupted our production
and parts supply but we
restructured our business
operation and devised a threeyear plan to achieve a high volume
sales in Malaysia, says Akkbar.
He adds that the main strategy
is to offer affordable products
that give buyers value for money
in order to be competitive in the
Malaysian market.
We achieved this by
increasing the localisation of our
parts and the result is the current
City and Jazz, which both carry

The Sonata flies in

The Honda City.
competitive prices with added
features.
The other approach was a
re-look into its operations and
as a result, Honda Malaysia has
expanded its production with the
new No.2 Line at its Pagoh plant in
Malacca.
This has increased its
production capacity from 50,000
units to 100,000 units a year.
In the same period, Honda
Malaysia also looked into
increasing efficiency in its factory
and expanded its pre-delivery
inspection process and parts
warehousing.
Finally, to accommodate the

The sleek interior of the Honda City.

high volume of sales, we have also

expanded our dealer network
from 62 dealers in 2012 to 78
dealers this year. This is to ensure
that our customers are more
satisfied. We plan to have a dealer
in all major towns in Malaysia,
explains Akkbar.
Currently, its best selling
model is the City, which has sold
32,465 units from January to
November this year. Honda has
also introduced variants that cater
to all budgets.
The Jazz for example, has
three variants and prices start at
RM72,800 and go up to RM87,800.
The City has four variants and
its prices start at RM75,800 with
the highest variant priced at
RM90,800.
Such a wide range of prices
offer options to the consumers,
which translate to more offerings
and higher sales.
Honda Malaysia has 11 models
in its list and this includes three
hybrid models - the Civic Hybrid
(RM185,500), CR-Z (RM183,000)
and the Jazz Hybrid (RM89,912).
The latter is assembled locally
and enjoys the hybrid benefits
introduced by the government.

LAUNCHED in March this year, the

new Sonata has finally landed in
Malaysia.
The seventh generation Sonata
is bigger in dimensions compared
to the YF Sonata.
To be exact, it is 35mm longer
and 30mm wider while the boot is
510-litre.
Using a new platform, the
usage of high-tensile steel has
increased thus resulting in 41%
improvement of torsional strength
and 35% greater bending strength.
In other words, the new Sonata
has a stiffer chassis.
The design is similar to the
previous Sonata but with its flat
underbody, the aerodynamics (Cd)
value is now 0.27.
The engine available for Sonata
LF is a 2-litre Nu with 154hp and
194Nm with Dual CVVT.
Transmission is a six-speed
automatic variant made by

Hyundai itself. There is also a drive

mode button that offers three
throttle mapping eco, normal
and sport.
Malaysians get three variants
of the Sonata LF the Elegance B,
Elegance and Executive.
The entry-level Elegance
B has a long list of features,
including dual airbags, anti-lock
braking system, hill start control,
electronic stability control, 17-inch
alloys, leather seats, a powered
driver's seat and LED daytime
running lights.
Prices are RM139,268 for
Elegance B, RM145,768 for the
Elegance and RM153,768 for the
Executive.
For the first time in the country,
Hyundai is offering a five-year
or 300,000 km warranty with
an eight-year warranty for the
powertrain (engine and gearbox,
only for first owners).

The Hyundai Sonata offers a spacious interior.

Aiming for a bright future

FOR Mercedes-Benz Malaysia,
having an improved sales figure
this year did not leave them
contented.
Recently, Mercedes-Benz
announced that it will launch
the countrys first diesel hybrid
in the form of the E-Class E 300
BlueTEC Hybrid.
The model uses a 2.1-litre
turbodiesel engine with a 27hp
electric motor, with the latter
placed between the engine
and a seven-speed automatic
transmission.
For performance fans, this
diesel hybrid will awe them
with its 500Nm of torque from
1,600rpm and a 0-100 kph in
7.5 seconds.
But for others, this E-Class
is claimed to have a fuel
consumption of 4.3L/100km
(combined).
There are also rumours that
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia will
assemble it in Pekan, which
means that this model will get
the full benefit of the hybrid

tax exemption scheme, which the

Mercedes-Benzs other model, the
S400 L Hybrid, will also benefit
from.
The E300 BlueTEC Hybrid is
expected to be launched next year.
For those who are unsure about
whether the diesel engine can
take the local diesel quality,

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has just

concluded a long-term test with
its C-Class C 220 CDI (W204),
which covered a distance of
almost 400,000 km.
The test revealed that the car
covered the distance with zero
technical issue.
However, Mercedes-Benz

Malaysia stressed that variants

requiring the Euro4 and Euro5 fuel
will only be introduced when the
fuel is made widely available in
Malaysia.
In the mean time, the company
recorded a total of 6,642 units of
vehicles at the end of Quarter 3 of
this year and of that figure, 4,817

units were Mercedes-Benz Cars

sales (the rest were commercial
vehicles) and overall, it has sold
30% more vehicles compared
with the same time last year.
The brand is still the market
leader for segments where
its E-Class and S-Class are
concerned.
In fact, the newly introduced
C-Class is making a very good
headway, says president and
chief executive officer Roland
Folger.
Having a product portfolio
that meets the current market
requirement is essential. Our
timely investment in the
production plant in Pekan for
our S400L Hybrid has also
helped increase our sales, he
says. says Folger.
He also pointed out that the
introduction of Mercedes-Benz
new generation of compact cars
or NGCC product range was also
crucial as it helped the brand
to enter successfully into a new
market segment.