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1a. PROTON (EON) : 63,765 units
1b. PROTON EDAR : 33,235 units
(combined PROTON = 97,000 units)
1. PERODUA : 49,746 units
2. TOYOTA : 9,111 units
3. NISSAN : 8,342 units
4. FORD : 3,456 units
5. HONDA : 2,532 units
6. MITSUBISHI : 2,352 units
7. DAIHATSU : 1,739 units
8. ISUZU : 1,407 units
9. HICOM : 1,374 units
10. MERCEDES : 1,159 units
11. BMW : 954 units
12. VOLVO : 813 units
13. MAZDA : 482 units
14. SUZUKI : 441 units
15. TATA : 363 units
16. HINO : 257 units
17. CITROEN : 205 units
18. PEUGEOT : 128 units
19. SCANIA : 124 units
20. OTHERS : 237 units

TOTAL : 182,222 units
H1 2000 : 163,721 units

BEST-SELLERS IN CATEGORIES

PASSENGER CAR:
PROTON : 97,000 units

COMMERCIAL VEHICLES:
NISSAN : 4,884 units

4WD VEHICLES:
PERODUA : 6,672 units

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In spite of all the talk on the street of an economic recession, it appears that motor vehicle sales have not slowed down during the first six months of 2001 (H1 2001). On the contrary, there has actually been some growth in volumes over the same period in 2000 (H1 2000), with the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) optimistic that the upward trend will continue through to the end of the year.

“During the first half of 2001, the total industry volume for Malaysia based on new vehicle registrations was 182,222 units – an 11% increase over the same period in 2000,” said MAA President Aishah Ahmad.

Coinciding with the increased volume was a higher production output of 200,840 units or 14% more than for the first six months of 2000. Cik Aishah noted that while production of national makes increased by 15% in H1 2001, that of the non-national makes increased by 13%.

Expressing an optimistic view of a better second half of 2001 for the industry, Cik Aishah cited the following reasons: a) the volume of national cars will continue growing due to the increased production of the Proton Waja and also the introduction of the new Perodua Kelisa shortly; b) the outstanding orders for many models – particularly the Proton Waja; c) continued ease of financing for buyers with attractive interest rates and affordable downpayment requirements; and d) the likelihood of the government introducing incentives to stimulate the economy during the coming Budget for 2002.

“We therefore believe that the total industry volume could reach 370,000 units for 2001, representing an 8% growth of the 2000,” she said. The MAA’s revised forecast shows that a significant improvement of 13% is expected in the 4WD segment while passenger car volume is expected to grow by 8%. Due to the conservative sentiments of many companies, the MAA does not expect the commercial vehicle segment to grow much as forecasts an increase of just 4%.

Sales in ASEAN
As Cik Aishah is also President of the ASEAN Automotive Federation, the secretariat is located in Malaysia and H1 2001 data for other markets was also made available to the media today.

Malaysia still leads in terms of total volume with 182,222 units sold during H1 2001, while Indonesia registered 148,491 units. Thailand closed with 140,018 units while the Philippines was the only country of the ‘ASEAN 4′ which had a decline in volume (15%) from H1 2000 to 35,379 units. With a total volume of 506,110 units, the ASEAN 4 countries account for almost 90% of all vehicles sold in ASEAN. Of the smaller markets, Singapore sold the highest number with 46,773 units, a significant 30% increase over H1 2000.

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Jaseri Auto Sdn Bhd today announced its appointment as official importer, distributor and after-sales provider for Porsche and Saab cars. The company signed its distributorship agreement earlier in the year and has invested around one million ringgit in setting up a the Eurokars Centre showroom and service facility in Glenmarie, Shah Alam, Selangor.

While Jaseri Auto holds the official distribution rights, the retail and after-sales operations will be undertaken by an affiliated company, Auto Eurokars Sdn Bhd, which has the involvement of Trans-Eurokars Pte Ltd of Singapore which also handles the same two brands.

Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Dato’ Mokhzani Mahathir, Chairman of Jaseri Auto, said that the collaboration with the Singapore company was due to its greater experience in the business, particularly with Porsche and Saab.

“Admittedly Jaseri Auto is a new company in this business although we do have a staff with much experience and we are also very enthusiastic and committed to the business. We felt it would be a good idea to tie up with Trans-Eurokars to set up our facilities and they were willing to share their experience with us,” he said.

Until recently, the official Porsche and Saab importers for Malaysia were Auto Concessionaires. It is understood that, following the economic recession, the activities of Auto Concessionaires were scaled down and as a result, both makes chose to seek new importers in Malaysia and Jaseri Auto was successful in being selected.

The Eurokars Centre facility has separate sections for Porsche and Saab showrooms and a large service centre under the same roof. Though both are luxury brands, there is no conflict for Jaseri Auto and its two principals are perfectly happy to be in close proximity.

“We don’t have any problem at all even though we are both luxury brands. Our customers are different and it is a logical thing to do [to have a common importer] in the smaller markets,” said Peter Ruefli, the Asia-Pacific Director for General Motors’ Luxury Brands (Saab is a unit of GM). “In fact, there are some other countries – Singapore and Spain, for example – where we have the same importer.”

Mr Ruefli said Saab would be working with Jaseri Auto to strengthen its brand image and would establish a competitive pricing policy. He expressed confidence in the future of the brand in Malaysia and expected to see greater interest with more new models to be introduced within the next few years.

GM’s luxury brands include Cadillac, a very American brand which has not been sold much outside North America. A few years ago, a company attempted to sell some Cadillacs in Malaysia but did not do well although part of the reason was the economic downturn and products that may not have been appropriate to the market.

Mr Ruefli revealed that he was discussing the possibility of Jaseri Auto also handling Cadillac products in future. He felt that with the big push by GM to raise the volumes of its luxury brands worldwide, there would be serious effort made to provide more appealing products for the market.

“I can tell you that Cadillac will launch the new CTS model shortly and this, I believe, could be a very good product for your country,” he said.

Dato’ Mokhzani said that his company was evaluating the possibility of handling Cadillac in future and a decision would be made over the next six months. “We don’t want to just rush into taking on new brands although what I have been told of Cadillac’s product plans look quite interesting,” he added.

On the Porsche side of the business, Dr Andreas Offermann, Porsche’s Director of Sales, expressed similar confidence in its new importer. He was very pleased with the way the showroom and facilities conformed to Porsche’s Corporate Identity.

“”We are glad to have found a qualified partner, financially strong, with good automotive experience and people who understand our brand and speak the same ‘language’ as we do,” he said.

Dr Offermann revealed that during the next 12 months, Porsche had allocated a maximum of 60 units for Jaseri Auto and added that he had learnt that the five Porsche Turbos and 2 GT2s in the allocation had already been sold.

Concerning the competition from other ‘unofficial’ importers, Dato’ Mokhzani said that Auto Eurokars had the advantage in that it was officially recognised by Porsche and possessed the necessary information and equipment to look after Porsches properly. The company would also have technical support from Porsche’s regional office in Singapore whenever it had problems it could not fix. Additionally, Auto Eurokars has an engineer from Germany appointed by Porsche to be resident at the service centre.

“Porsches are technologically advanced and servicing them is not so easy,” he explained. “Perhaps the private workshops can do some servicing but they won’t be able to do it as well as we can and I am sure that the owner of a Porsche, who has spent such a great deal of money, would prefer to have his car serviced properly,” he said. “I believe that this is how Porsche owners, of which there are around 1,800 in this country, will feel and so we have that advantage against the other importers who just sell the cars and forget about the after-sales.”

Dr Offermann added that Auto Eurokars would be obliged to handle any warranty claims under Porsche’s worldwide warranty policy but if the cars were serviced by an unauthorised service centre, the warranty would be void.

Auto Eurokars will also be promoting the GT3 Carrera Cup, a one-make race which will be a supporting event in the 2003 F1 race in Sepang. To participate, drivers must use the purpose-built Porsches which cost DM211,000 ex-factory (about RM370,000 before Malaysian import duties). 24 units will be available for sale in Malaysia and Auto Eurokars will be actively promoting them.

“This event has been organised for Asia – with the exception of Japan, which has its own Carrera Cup series – and there will be eight races,” explained Dato’ Mokhzani. “We have decided to run our round only in 2003 because it is a very important race and we want to ensure that it is organised to the highest professional standards. So we need to have enough time to put it together and that is why it is not planned for next year.”

The Eurokars Centre was opened today by the Regent of Selangor, DYMM Tengku Idris Shah. In the near future, Auto Eurokars will also open a showroom at the Darby Park Building adjacent to KL City Centre.

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Recognising that more Malaysians are turning to the Internet’s World-Wide Web (WWW) to obtain information, Land Rover Malaysia (LRM) has established a local website (www.landrovermalaysia.com.my) for the purpose. Officially activated yesterday, the website provides corporate information on the company, which has been distributing Land Rovers since the late 1980s as well as details and prices of each of the models it sells – Defender, Freelander, Discovery and Range Rover.

In conjunction with the website launch, the company is also running a contest which invites Malaysians to ‘rediscover the Discovery’ and win a new Discovery Td5. The contest will be run over 8 weeks (until September 28th 2001) and requires participants to test-drive the Discovery Td5. They will then get an entry form which has questions on eight adventure locations in Malaysia. To assist participants, clues on the locations will be published each week in daily newspapers and on the website.

If you remember, the Discovery II was launched a couple of years ago and Malaysia was the first country – and still the only one – to assemble this model outside the UK. At the time of its launch, the Discovery Td5 was priced at RM219,000, a level which was regarded as ‘very expensive’ at that time, especially as the country was still struggling through the economic recession. However, the Discovery Td5 was among the models which arrived at a time when the ringgit had depreciated and its price reflected the new exchange rate. A year later, prices for Toyota’s new Land Cruiser Prado and the Isuzu Bighorn also jumped to the RM200,000 level.

With the sudden departure of Land Rover from the BMW Group last year, there was a disruption in marketing activities in Malaysia and this slowed Discovery sales to a trickle. In fact, it is now known that supplies of the Discovery to Malaysia were stopped momentarily just before its principal was bought over by the Ford Group and as a result, LRM didn’t have any units available till recently.

“We had planned to sell at least 2,500 units over about five years but because of this disruption of supply of CKD packs for over 12 months, we only managed to sell 150 units to date,” revealed Ali Shuib, LRM’s Managing Director.

He said that when supplies resumed, it was found the AMI, which was assembling the model previously, had capacity problems. With a number of new models introduced by Ford in the past 12 months, assembly of the Discovery was going to be difficult. This led to transferring assembly to Swedish Motor Assemblies (SMA), also in Shah Alam, Selangor.

Moving to SMA still keeps the assembly activity ‘within the family’ because SMA is owned by Volvo and the Swedish automaker is part of Ford Motor Company, just like Land Rover. The two companies are in Ford’s Premier Automotive Group (PAG) which includes Lincoln, Jaguar and Aston Martin. SMA is the oldest assembly plant in Malaysia and has also assembled some other makes (Daihatsu, Suzuki and in earlier years, Alfa Romeo) under contract.

“The Discovery now going into LRM showrooms is the first fruit of our PAG relationship in Asia,” said Simon Rock, Regional Director for Land Rover Asia. Mr Rock said that Land Rover would be striving to collaborate and find synergies with other members of PAG as time goes on.

He also said it was possible that the company would make use of the ASEAN Industrial Cooperation Scheme (AICO) to exchange bodyshells with Thailand, similar to what Volvo now does with the V40/S40 and V70/S80/S60 bodies. AICO allows for this exchange to occur as a duty-free arrangement between two ASEAN countries, allowing manufacturers to rationalise production for economies of scale.

“With Freelander V6 production to commence in November this year in Thailand at a Volvo-owned plant, we think that there could be a similar AICO arrangement to exchange Freelander bodies with the Discovery bodies from Malaysia,” he said, emphasising that nothing has been confirmed yet and that Land Rover wants to have Freelander production underway and then get the parties interested.

“Volvo has obviously much experience in using the AICO scheme and as PAG partners, we can easily turn to them if we want to do the same thing in future,” he said.

The latest Discovery Td5, which has a turbodiesel engine, is visually unchanged from that which was launched in October 1999 and even the price is unchanged after 22 months. However, Mr Rock said that Land Rover has a policy of continuously working on detail improvements on all its vehicles and while these improvements may not be apparent to the eye, there have been little changes here and there since 1999. It remains a technological leader in its class with features such as Hill Descent Control, Active Cornering Enhancement and Electronic Traction Control.

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Proton’s latest addition, the Juara, is clearly a niche model aimed at a small segment of the market where customers are looking for more functional and spacious vehicles. Adapted from the Mitsubishi Town Box, it has the type of styling which appeals to younger buyers with a very boxy bodystyle that offers maximum interior space.

The Juara development program was a relatively brisk one, having begun in late 1999 and officially announced in early 2000. The first prototype was completed in November last year with production beginning during the second quarter of this year at the AMM plant in Pekan, Pahang.

According to Proton CEO Tengku Tan Sri (Dr) Mahaleel Tengku Ariff, the intention in the Juara program is to re-engineer the original product, a capability which Proton has demonstrated it has, especially with the presence of Lotus in the group. However, for the time being, Proton has concentrated on mainly cosmetic changes and the re-engineering work will be done during the next two or three years. Besides being optimistic about exporting the model in future, Proton also looks forward to Mitsubishi Motors following through on its desire to buy the re-engineered vehicle and sell it as a Mitsubishi.

“With the Proton Juara, Proton is able to fill another niche in the domestic market where there is a need for a functional yet appealing and affordable multi-purpose vehicle that will cater to the active and diverse lifestyles of Malaysians,” said Tengku Mahaleel.

“We are confident that Malaysians will take to the Proton Juara as the market is more mature now and ready for less conventional looks, yet still wants something with more space that handles like a car,” he added. “It’s the sort of vehicle that a family can use daily.”

The cosmetic work done on the Town Box to make it into a Juara has given it an even more unusual appearance than the Mitsubishi version. Some people commented that it looks weird but there are varying opinions. Most important has been the incorporation of the Proton ‘corporate nose’ with the logo. An interesting feature seen on one of the vehicles was a signal light insert in the door mirrors but it does not seem to appear in the catalogues.

The rear end has a clean vertical door with the window occupying about half the height and below the door is a thick bumper. Very unusual is the installation of the four light units inside the bumper. They are rather low and raise the question of whether they would comply with the Malaysia Vehicle Construction regulations which may have a minimum height from the ground. But then again, this is a Proton so…

The dimensions of the Juara are certainly compact, measuring 3660 mm long and 1535 mm wide, making it slightly larger than the Perodua Kenari, an obvious rival. It’s also taller at 1810 mm and has a 2390 mm wheelbase (30 mm longer than the Kenari). With short overhangs, the Juara can get turned around very easily within a 9.6 metre width.

To Proton, safety is a core value and it has devoted no less attention to ensuring that the Juara is a safe vehicle. In fact, given its compactness, it would require a lot more effort to engineer the body structure. However, in Mitsubishi form, it already meets Japanese safety regulations for this class of vehicles. The front doors have anti-intrusion bars and there are additional reinforcements which run across the front width as well as a sturdy floor structure (especially at the front end).

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Engine type: SOHC 16V 4 cylinders
Engine code: 4A31 S4
Displacement: 1094 cc
Bore/stroke: 66/80 mm
Compression ratio: 9.5:1
Fuel delivery: Multipoint EFI
Max power: 53 kW/72 ps at 6000 rpm
Max torque: 94 Nm at 4500 rpm
Transmission: 4-speed automatic (R4A12), rear-wheel drive
Final drive ratio: 5.111

Steering system: Rack and pinion with electric power steering
Front suspension: Independent MacPherson struts, coil springs, telescopic dampers
Rear suspension: Live axle located by trailing arms, coil springs, telescopic dampers
Brakes: Ventilated discs/drums
Tyres: 165/65R14
Wheels: 5Jx14, alloy
Spare tyre: T125/70D 14

Overall length: 3660 mm
Overall width: 1535 mm
Overall height: 1810 mm
Wheelbase: 2390 mm
Front track: 1350 mm
Rear track: 1350 mm
Turning circle: 9.6 m
Ground clearance: 160 mm
Kerb weight: 1005 kgs

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Power comes from a long-stroke 1094 cc 4-cylinder EFI petrol engine (Mitsubishi 4A31 S4) which produces 53 kW/72 ps of power at 6000 rpm and 94 Nm of torque at 4500 rpm. The cylinder head has a single camshaft and four valves per cylinder. Only a 4-speed automatic transmission is available and this has a pretty low 5.111 final drive ratio. The fuel tank capacity is a small 40 litres which, according to Proton’s spec sheet, should be good for about 870 kms at a constant 60 km/h (about 22 kms/litre).

This little MPV isn’t going to be a road-burner but it should cruise at the maximum national speed limit easily as its top speed is claimed to be 135 km/h. Claimed acceleration from standstill to 100 km/h is 18.1 seconds.

Proton says that the raised suspension of the Juara – MacPherson struts in front and trailing arms at the rear – has been tuned with the expertise the engineers have gained from Lotus. While it is not exactly ‘Lotus-tuned’, it is claimed to have ride and handling characteristics that are akin to a car’s, claims Proton.

14-inch 5J alloy wheels appear to be standard according to the specifications, these having a size of 165/65R14. Behind the front ones are ventilated discs while those on the rear drums. With the possibility of varying loads being carried aboard, the Juara’s brake line has a load-sensing proportioning valve to balance braking forces. This will avoid rear wheel lock-up on wet surfaces when the vehicle is lightly loaded. Incidentally, the spare wheel is the skinny and light space-saver type that is meant only for temporary use.

The rack and pinion steering is power-assisted with the assistance coming from an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system. EPS is nothing new as it is used on a number of cars, typically those which can do without the drag of the conventional power steering pump (like electric cars). It is thus ideal for the Juara and is a less complicated system as it doesn’t have a pump, hoses or belt. Assistance varies according to the speed, reducing at higher speeds so that the feel does not become too light; at low speeds, it is greater to make parking easier.

Access to the 2.13 cubic metre cabin is through two sliding doors, besides the front doors. The double sliding door configuration is extremely convenient although those with kids need to be more careful when they get out as motorists behind may not be aware of the doors being open, especially on the right side which may be opening into traffic.

There are three rows of seats to accommodate up to six people – the first two rows having individual full-sized seats while the third row has smaller units that fold very neatly into the sides when not needed. There’s a lot of flexibility with the folding second and third rows and to enhance movement within the cabin, the Juara has a ‘T-Walk’ layout which allows passengers to walk between the second row seats to the third row. Kids are going to love this mini-MPV!

In spite of its low price, the Juara is pretty comprehensively equipped. The front windows are electrically operated with the driver’s window having an anti-trap mechanism and a 30-second operating time after the ignition key is removed. The floor-mounted shifter is automatically locked when the lever is in P position and the key is taken out. For those who are forgetful and leave the halogen headlights on after they go into the house, flat batteries won’t ruin their day. Upon removal of the ignition key and opening of the front door, the headlights are automatically switched off.

There’s also a keyless central locking system with remote operation of the power windows from a distance. Far from being a novelty, it would be good for letting out heated air at lunchtime before you get into the vehicle. Power windows are only on the front doors and those on the sliding doors are winding types.

The overall ambience of the cabin is one of airiness with the large glass windows all round. The driving position is car-like and the driver gets a sporty 3-spoke steering wheel. Over in the middle of the low-profile dashboard, a metallic trim panel is used to highlight the area. The standard audio system includes a CD player and a ‘bee-sting’ antenna is used for the radio.

Colours available for the Juara at this time are silver, yellow, indium and Black. Depending on the body colour, the bumpers are finished in either silver or the darker indium, along with the lower body panels, giving a more solid appearance.

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Proton’s eighth model line, the Juara, was officially launched yesterday by the Prime Minister at the KL City Centre Esplanade. The launch ceremony, witnessed by thousands of Malaysians, was a highly-charged event with live displays of wushu and also by the National Artistic Gymnastics Team. As mentioned in our report earlier in the week, the event’s theme would pay tribute to sports champions and indeed, the two most recent sports champions – body-builder Sazali Samad and master bowler Shalin Zulkifli – were specially honoured. Proton also paid tribute to 28 of its staff who were involved in the Juara project, internally coded ‘RGW’.

The moment which everyone was waiting for – the unveiling of the new model – occurred around noon when the PM fired a starter’s gun and as the sound of the shot echoed around the Petronas Twin Towers, balloons covering the six Juaras were released to unveil them. The culmination of the event saw the Mighty Man of Malaysia, R. Letchemanah, pulling a yellow Juara – the mini-MPV weighs 1,335 kgs – across 50 metres with a female on board. He was congratulated for his feat by the PM and members of Proton’s top management.

Following the feat, three more Juaras drove up, each equipped with accessories suggesting a different lifestyle, typically one which would be active, eg camping and mountain-biking. The camper version had roof-mounted spotlights and a prominent bash-plate under the front end.

When the barriers were dropped, members of the public rushed up to the Juaras to take a closer look and were also able to get more information from Proton Edar staff. The vehicle will also be on display at Proton Edar (and Proton Edar dealers) showrooms which will open till midnight this weekend.

At a press conference later, Proton CEO Tengku Tan Sri (Dr) Mahaleel Tengku Ariff explained that only Proton Edar would be selling the Juara as it was the only one of the two distributors that had signed the Distributorship Agreement (DA) with Proton. The DA has been the subject of controversy in the past year and Proton and EON have been trying to resolve certain issues, particularly concerning Proton’s requirement that distributors contribute a substantial sum to R&D costs. Believed to be dead-locked at one time, insiders told AUTOWORLD.COM.MY that the discussions have seen ‘some progress forward in the past week’.

In any case, giving the Juara to Proton Edar exclusively probably makes sense as the company, previously USPD, has not had a low-priced entry-level model since production of the Tiara hatchback ended last year. EON, on its part, has a fairly broad range of models at this time and perhaps does not require an additional model to push.

The introduction of the Juara by Proton also raises an interesting question about the competition between two national carmakers in the same segment. It is believed that while there exists an ‘understanding’ between Proton and Perodua that Proton will make products above 1000 cc and Perodua will develop products below 1000 cc, the agreement is confined to sedan models. And as the Juara is not a sedan, it is okay for Proton to make it (and as a Proton executive pointed out, it is actually 1100 cc).

Whether the Juara does grab sales from the Perodua Kenari remains to be seen but according to the CEO of Proton Edar, Maruan Mohd Said, between 5,000 to 6,000 units are forecast to be sold during 2001. The retail price is RM49,203.62 (with insurance) and only a 4-speed automatic transmission is available.

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Proton will be launching its first mini-MPV this Saturday at the KL City Centre (KLCC). The 1.1-litre ‘lifestyle vehicle’, adapted from the Mitsubishi Town Box, is most likely to have the name of ‘Juara’, a rumour strongly supported by the fact that the event’s theme will pay tribute to Malaysia’s sports heroes and champions. The Prime Minister will officially launch the model shortly before lunchtime.

The new model, made at the AMM plant in Pekan, Pahang, is one of two vehicles that Proton said it would co-develop with Mitsubishi Motors, the other being the Pajero Mini. The joint development program is said to free Proton from the high cost of paying royalties to Mitsubishi, an unnecessary expense which the company has been trying to get rid of. To date, other than for the in-house developed Waja, Proton has been paying for the use of the Mitsubishi designs going back to the Saga of 1985.

“In the earlier years, Proton took existing Mitsubishi designs and adapted them for our own use, and paid royalties for using the designs. But for this latest deal, we are jointly developing the models and as this will be a shared program, royalties will not be involved,” Proton CEO Tengku Tan Sri Datuk (Dr) Mahaleel said last year. “We now have the expertise to re-engineer products well, as proven by the Satria GTI, and it will cost Mitsubishi less to have the models re-engineered by us than if it does so by itself.”

“So it’s a ‘win-win’ situation for both companies and in the process, we will also be cutting down on costs,” he added.

When the announcement was made last year, it was revealed that the plan was to produce at least 15,000 units a year of each model for an anticipated 60% share of a market segment which now totals around 26,000 units a year (with the likelihood of rising to 30,000 units quite quickly). At that time too, the projected price was indicated as being ‘not more than RM45,000′, a price level which was thought possible due to the more aggressive localisation of components.

“We will be doing it a bit differently for these two models in that the localisation program will be done within a shorter period, even concurrently, so that we will minimise the use of imported parts which now cost more. Our objective is to get local content up to the 80% level as quickly as possible,” said the Proton CEO.

With the mini-MPV, which is not expected to sell in huge numbers, it is clear that Proton is aiming to do niche models, penetrating and dominating little areas of the market. “We are going to focus more on niche models which typically sell on ‘desirability’ rather than price. We get better profit margins with such models compared to the bread-and-butter models which need to be sold in large volumes at low prices,” explained Tengku Mahaleel. “Niche models also allow us to respond more quickly to changes in customer tastes and preferences, which is vital in today’s competitive market.

“However, as a national company, the government still wants Proton to make affordable vehicles for Malaysians so we will still be doing high-volume models,” he added.

Last year, Tengku Mahaleel also mentioned that there was the possibility of Mitsubishi Motors taking the re-engineered models and selling them under its own badge. It is unknown if this intention is still maintained although if it does happen, it would certainly be a feather in Proton’s cap after having been a ‘pupil’ all these years.

As for development of the Pajero Mini version, little is known of the status. However, when it was announced last year, Tengku Mahaleel hinted that it may not necessarily have 4WD and could well have a SUV look but only with front-wheel drive.

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Aluminium, the metal your can of bubbly drink is made of, has been used for cars for seven decades and the material is no stranger to automotive engineers. Even in the 1930s, Audi engineers produced a lightweight racing car using aluminium extensively while in the post-WW II period, shortage of steel inspired Land Rover to use aluminium for the body panels of its 4WD vehicles.

In later decades, various other automakers also adopted the metal but mainly for low-volume models like the Lotus Elise; GM’s EV1 electric car; the Honda NSX and also the Insight hybrid car. Land Rover was the only company to make use of it on all its models, produced in large numbers, but not for the structural members

Generally, the main aim of using aluminium has been to save weight. This has been particularly crucial for cars with electric motors where the power output is low and body weight has to be kept way down to ensure adequate performance.

Use of aluminium has been growing rapidly as its benefits have been appreciated more and more. Quite apart from the excellent resistance to rusting (ask the farmers in Cameron Highlands who have decades-old Land Rovers!) and high recyclability, aluminium is a highly desirable material to use because the weight-savings can be achieved easily without resorting to other expensive technology.

“Engineers know that aggressive weight reduction is the best way to improve fuel economy, emissions and performance. For these reasons, as well as improved corrosion resistance and recyclability, automakers are increasingly turning to lightweight, high-strength aluminium,” says Dr. Richard Klimisch, Vice-president of The Aluminium Association in the USA.

And although it may be hard to believe, aluminium is actually 40% stronger than steel, even though it is lighter. On a per-kilogram basis, aluminium is twice as strong as steel. So use of aluminum in light trucks reduces the weight differential between cars and trucks, thereby reducing the risk of serious injuries passengers in the cars when two such vehicles collide. The strength of aluminium, in relation to passive safety, has been confirmed with the crash tests that the Audi A8 was subjected to in the USA, where it passed with top marks and was regarded as one of the safest cars on the market.

So why has it taken so long for aluminium to become the third most-used material in cars, this year surpassing plastics? Because the metal is much more expensive and manufacturing processes are different from the conventional ones used for making cars from steel. Audi began to focus on using it in a bigger way from the early 1990s and adapted techniques from the aerospace industry. In terms of development and production technology, the Audi Space Frame (ASF) that was developed for the R&D program had no precursors in the field of automobile manufacturing when it was introduced in the A8 in 1994.

Audi pursued the revolutionary concept, now used for the A2, for the following benefits:

1. Aluminium reduces vehicle weight; compared to steel for the same given size, aluminium is between 30% ~ 40% lighter. Thus if engine output remains the same, performance is improved and fuel consumption reduced. Moreover, lighter cars have superior handling.

2. The ASF guarantees effective occupant protection. In crash tests conducted on production A8 sedans, the ASF has proved particularly rigid and dimensionally stable. A large amount of energy is absorbed when the crumple zones deform.

3. The aluminium structure results in a body which is light in weight yet exceptionally rigid, both torsionally and flexurally. This has the highly positive effects of reducing vibration and ensuring high-precision steering.

4. Using aluminium for automobile construction helps to reduce environmental pollution. This is evident if the amount of energy consumed in the entire materials cycle and aluminium’s excellent recycling properties are taken into account.

The use of recycled aluminium is ecologically sound. If a material can be recycled sensibly and economically after years of use, no unnecessary waste is produced. Aluminium can be recycled to an almost unlimited extent. Assuming the same composition, recycled (secondary) aluminium has the same qualities as the primary material. In the recycling process, the individual components of the ASF can be turned back into what they were before: extruded sections become extruded sections again, and so do cast nodular joints and panels.

At the moment, around 90% of the aluminium used in vehicles can be recycled. This has a positive effect on energy consumption, since only a fraction of the energy needed to obtain primary aluminium is required to produce secondary aluminium.

In comparable driving conditions, if the amount of energy required for producing an aluminium body is compared with that required for producing a steel body with the same function, the following pattern emerges: even if new aluminium only is used, the additional energy consumed is compensated for after around 60,000 kms, thanks to the fact that the aluminium body weighs 40% less. If around 75% secondary aluminium is used, the amount of energy consumed during body production drops below the amount used to produce a steel body. And less energy is consumed as soon as the vehicle takes to the road.

One drawback, though not a very serious one, is that the aluminium construction requires specialised techniques for repair work if it is damaged. This is due to the fact that the aluminium body uses alternative connecting techniques such as adhesives and rivets instead of welding. Audi also conducted studies into the frequency of damage to a vehicle’s structure during an accident and found it to be around 5%. If damage does occur to the ASF, specialized tools and equipment are needed for the repair procedure. Therefore Audi distributors which sell the A8 are required to have structural repair facilities centres which has specialized MIG welding machines and a Celette repair bench utilized in combination with Audi chassis alignment jigs.

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