The Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2013 (KLIMS13) is less than a month away, and show organiser Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) has confirmed that five concept cars will be present at PWTC from November 15-24. Concepts aside, many brands are set to launch new models at the show, and we’re sure there will be a couple of previews as well.
Brands that are taking part include Citroen, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Isuzu, Lexus, Nissan, Perodua, Peugeot, Toyota, Subaru and Volkswagen. National carmaker Proton is not participating though, and you can find out why here.
110-year-old brand Ford will be showcasing its heritage with vehicles from the year 1928 to future models. Expect to see a Ford Model A and the Ford Mustang at the KL show.
“We are encouraging exhibitors to unveil their most exciting cars and product displays for KLIMS13 visitors. We hope KLIMS13 will give visitors a thrilling visual fest and up-close encounters with the latest car models and eye opening concept cars, as well as great photo opportunities with the displays,” said MAA president Datuk Aishah Ahmad.
Ticket prices will remain as with previous shows, at RM15 for weekdays and RM20 for weekends. Kids under 12 will enjoy a concessionary ticket rate of RM5 for all days. There’s also a family package for parents with children under the age of five, at RM30 for the whole family on weekdays and RM40 on weekends. Tickets can be bought online at www.klims.com.my and www.airasiaredtix.com, as well as at PWTC on show dates.
Lucky visitors stand to drive away with a Toyota Prius 1.8L Luxury or the Honda CR-Z. In addition, Maybank customers have a chance to win a Volkswagen Beetle 2.0L TSI at KLIMS13.
The post KLIMS13: Five concept cars confirmed, many launches appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.
Volkswagen Georgetown opened its doors to the public over the weekend. Operated by Penang-based Goh Brothers Motor, the launch of VW Georgetown brings the total number of Volkswagen dealerships in Malaysia to 28. Appointed as a VW dealer in 2007, Goh Brothers now has five outlets in the northern region.
The two-storey, 20,000 sq ft facility on Jalan Sungai Pinang is a 3S centre providing sales, service and spare parts. It has comfortable lounges, parking bays, a merchandise corner, free WiFi and drinks plus reading materials, including Think Blue booklets, of course.
“An investment such as this is crucial for Volkswagen’s brand growth and we are confident that Goh Brothers Motor’s 50 years of experience in the automotive industry will strong contribution to Volkswagen. We are pleased to continue our long term partnership with them and we wish them the best of success in Georgetown,” said Dr Zeno Kerschbaumer, MD of Volkswagen Group Malaysia.
The post Volkswagen Georgetown opens on Jln Sungai Pinang appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.
Mitsubishi Electric is developing a solar-powered charger for electric cars, one which will be able to reroute electricity from the EV’s batteries into the home in the event of a blackout. The company is looking at EVs very much as batteries-on-wheels and as an alternative power source to fixed storage systems.
The charger, which is being developed together with Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, is expected to go on sale in Japan next year, priced above 500,000 yen, the Nikkei reports. It will be the first system with such a capability to be sold domestically, and will work with both MMC’s i-MiEV and the Nissan Leaf.
According to the company, since EV batteries are able to store more electricity than current home-based ones, an EV hooked up to the charger – when utilised with separately installed solar panels – will be able to power a typical home for up to a week.
For example, the Leaf – which will begin selling in Malaysia soon – has a capacity of 24 kwh, far higher than residential battery systems in place now. The new charging system will also offer a cost effective solution (provided one has an EV in the first place, of course) – a residential unit with the capacity needed to supply an average home’s daily power needs (around 10 kwh) goes for two to three million yen.
The post Mitsubishi Electric developing charging system which employs EVs as an electricity source during blackouts appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.
Here’s a little known fact: BMW vehicles are more attainable than you’d first think. Quill Automobiles, the largest BMW dealership in Malaysia, has a bevy of attractive sales and promotions for the latest BMW 3 Series model range.
Currently, there’s an on-going offer on the base 316i sedan, which can be yours for as little as RM1,988 per month (terms and conditions apply) through BMW Credit Malaysia’s flexible step-up financing plan. Other attractive deals are also available for the BMW 328i model.
Whichever model you choose, there will be no waiting lists or delayed deliveries, as per Quill Automobiles’ ongoing mission to meet customer demands and expectations. As with all new BMW vehicles in Malaysia, both the 316i and 328i come standard with a three-year/60,000 km BMW Service + Repair Inclusive (BS+RI), so you can forget about the cost of servicing, maintenance or wear-and-tear for the entire duration.
Quill Automobiles’ sales promotion is driven by its new Dealer Principal Siow Ser Gun, who brings with him over 30 years’ worth of experience in the industry. From starting out in the UK to local tenures with Nissan, Citroen, Land Rover and Porsche, he’s done it all, rising through the ranks as a field engineer and on to stints in Technical Training, Aftersales, Sales and Marketing before ascending into full Operations of the motor industry.
Aside from the flagship BMW and Rolls-Royce 4S centre on Jalan Semangat (you’re unlikely to miss the prominent Quill 9 building), Siow also envisions a new, fully developed aftersales facility to cater for all possible necessities in relations to the premium brand. Plans are already underway for a fully-fledged aftersales centre in Section 13, Petaling Jaya.
Also in the pipeline is a comprehensive expansion of the BMW Premium Selection programme, which would further bolster Quill Automobiles’ widespread repertoire among its customers, including entry-level BMW enthusiasts. That would then compliment the company’s existing sales structure of brand new BMW vehicles too.
For more information about the latest offerings and promotions from Quill, please feel free to give them a ring at 03-7955 6333.
The post AD: Quill Automobiles announces attractive financing plans for the BMW 316i and 328i, from RM1,988/month appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.
The Toyota Hilux pick-up truck received a minor local update last week, and now is the turn of its SUV sister, the Toyota Fortuner. The Fortuner, which has been around in latest facelift guise since October 2011, gets some extra kit with no price increase.
New things include 17-inch twin-spoke wheels in a new dark grey colour. The rim design has not changed, merely the colour. Inside, the previous ‘sandbeige’ colour theme is out, replaced by black. The black combination leather upholstery in the petrol 2.7V variant gets silver contrasting stitching, and the driver’s seat is six-way power adjustable. Diesel 2.5G variants get fabric seats.
Trim wise, the 2.7V’s dashboard features black woodgrain panels, while the 2.5G’s gets silver bits. All variants now have ISOFIX anchorage points for child seats.
Individual on-the-road prices with insurance for Peninsular Malaysia are as follows:
The post Toyota Fortuner updated; now with black cabin, ISOFIX appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.
