C&C Automobiles Launches Peugeot 307

C&C Automobiles Launches Peugeot 307

by -

Tonight, the new Peugeot 307 gets its official public launch at a popular entertainment venue in Kuala Lumpur. It is the first product to be launched by Cycle & Carriage Automobiles Sdn Bhd (CCA), the franchise holder for the French vehicles which took over from MBf-Peugeot.

Although the company had signed its agreement with Peugeot in January, it had not commenced retail operations as the network had to be set up and a number of other issues sorted out, particularly in the area of after-sales support.

“Our strong emphasis on developing proper after-sales provision delayed our intended entry date into the market, but it is definitely reassuring to have a proper ‘3S’ – sales, service and spares – network rather than have just a sales-oriented network, which will defeat our long-term objective of being a reliable distributor in Malaysia,” said Tan Sri Abdul Halim bin Ali, Chairman of C&C Bintang Bhd, the parent company of CCA, at the special preview held for dealers and business associates at a convention centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, this afternoon.

Apart from overall expenditure of RM10 million for a new group head office and RM15 million to develop the C&C Bintang retail network, another RM4 million has also been allocated specifically for building the flagship Peugeot showroom and Service Centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. This will be a state-of-the-art 3S facility with a service centre linked real-time all day long to a Peugeot diagnostic centre in UK. The showroom conforms to the corporate identity requirements for Peugeot which have a concept called “Blue Box” (yes, the building will also be Peugeot blue). According to a CCA executive, customers will be able to take delivery of their cars in a specially-designed delivery suite.

Besides CCA’s own branches strategically located in major urban areas, there will also be a network of authorized Peugeot dealers around the country. Tan Sri Abdul Halim revealed that the carefully selected Peugeot dealers were required to spend at least RM500,000 to set up a 3S dealership, the bulk of this investment going into the purchase of special tools and equipment for the service centre.

While the 307 is the first product to get a high-profile public launch, CCA has actually been selling the 206 since the beginning of August and according to Datuk Hj Mohamad Hasan, Managing Director of C&C Bintang, some 200 units have already been delivered.

The 307, which is the reigning European ‘Car of the Year’, was launched in Europe last year and more than 550,000 units have been sold. The version which is presently being imported by CCA is the 307 1.6 XS which is priced at RM122,254.00, inclusive of insurance.

This 307 version has a 1587 cc 81 kW/110 bhp 4-cylinder 16-valve petrol engine and comes with only a tiptronic-type automatic transmission. Claimed performance is a maximum speed of 186 km/h and 0-100 km/h in 14 seconds.

Features-wise, it is quite well equipped and comes with front and rear disc brakes, ABS, rain sensor, two front airbags, 15-inch alloy wheels (195/65 tyres) and a heat-reducing windscreen glass.

Datuk Hj Mohamad Hasan said that it was felt that most customers would prefer automatic transmission so the company has imported the cars in this specification only. However, should there be enough demand for a manual transmission, such a variant could also be brought in.

“Being a Completely Built-Up (CBU) import, it is not difficult to change the specifications, unlike locally-assembled models. We just need to inform our principal and they can make the changes at the factory within a few months,” he explained.

As for local assembly of the 307 and other models, a move which can bring the prices down, Peugeot is presently in discussions with CCA on the matter. However, it is certain that the 307 will be the model assembled locally eventually.

“We are looking at the ASEAN area in our planning and whatever models we assemble in this region will be for export throughout ASEAN,” said Dominique Monet, General Director of ASEAN Countries in the International Operations Division of Peugeot (the ASEAN office has been set up in Malaysia). He said that Peugeot had already begun assembly of the 206 in Indonesia and this would be the 206 supply base for ASEAN, while the 307 was selected for assembly in Malaysia and exports around ASEAN as well.

In the meantime, CCA will sell CBU products and this year, it expects to sell 700 units while in 2003, the target is up to 2,500 units. The aim is to get at least 8% market share in the non-national segment, an objective which Datuk Hj Mohamad Hasan believes is possible if the market stays on the uptrend, as it is.

“There is talk of people waiting for AFTA and not buying, of the market slowing down but our own sales figures don’t actually show that kind of sentiment!” he said.

1 COMMENT

Leave a Reply