Exora Cars

Proton Saga FL 1.6 now available

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Thu, 26 May 2011 04:35:00 +0000

The new Proton Saga FL 1.6 Executive has been announced by Proton today, carrying a price tag of RM46,549 in Peninsular Malaysia, a small premium over the previously range-topping 1.3 liter Executive model’s RM43,298 price tag.
This should be good news for those who have been asking for a high spec 1.6 litre Campro IAFM engined Proton Saga, as previously the 1.6 litre engine was only available for the B-Line in the pre-FL Saga model. This new Proton Saga FL 1.6 Executive is only available with a 4-speed automatic transmission and in a solid white color only.

Other differentiators for the 1.6 litre variant externally are new alloy wheels and the decorative body sticker that you see running across the shoulder line of the car. On the interior, Proton has added dark chrome finishing on the air conditioning outlets, the center panel, the door inner handle, and the steering wheel ring. Safety wise, the Saga FL 1.6 Executive comes with dual airbags for the driver and front passenger.
“The 1.6L Saga should provide car buyers, especially those from the younger generation of purchasers and car owners with an even more attractive, affordable, cost-effective and powerful alternative,” said Proton’s managing director Datuk Seri Haji Syed Zainal Abidin.

Proton currently sells an average of 6,700 units of the Saga every month. Proton expects the new 1.6L Executive variant to contribute an average of 300 units a month.
They are targeting to sell a total of 83,000 units of the Saga (and a total of 173,000 Protons) during the 2011/2012 financial year.

Source: paultan

The Compact MPV Car Perodua Alza finally launched

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 01:30:00 +0000

It is now here, the new Perodua Alza, the first and latest perodua mpv production car, which have been developed since early 2008 where we reported that it comes from the Toyota Passo Sette model previously. Come on, read after the jump for further information.

This D46T project is the first perodua mpv production model made from Malaysia, although it is only a rebadge version of the toyota model. The Alza looks is better than the original one, which trumped our eyes by the first time viewing. It is far sleeker compared to the Myvi design based on Toyota Passo which clearly shown Passo is greater looking one.

What’s with ‘Alza’ name? Why Alza? Should it come from the Alphard+Advanza name? Nope, Alza means ‘to rise’ in Spanish. This symbolized the newly rising up model by Perodua.

Talking about the Perodua Alza price, this small MPV bring a really nice price tag though Proton worked hard with their Exora Basic to reduce the price. It is cheaper than Exora, price tag based on above table.

Perodua Alza 1.5L Standard M/T
Solid – RM55,490
Metallic – RM55,990

S. Metallic – RM56,190 Perodua Alza 1.5L Standard A/T
Solid – RM58,490
Metallic – RM58,990
S. Metallic – RM59,190

Perodua Alza 1.5L Premium M/T
Solid – RM60,490
Metallic – RM60,990
S. Metallic – RM61,190

Perodua Alza 1.5L Premium A/T
Solid – RM63,490
Metallic – RM63,990
S. Metallic – RM64,190
*S. Metallic – Pearl White

Perodua revealed that the sportier version, maybe Special Edition will be introduce in March 2010, where it comes with full custom bodykit, GPS Navigation system, and a reverse camera. Booking is now available for premium and auto transmission.

Talking about the 1.5L engine, how power is that actually? Our crew has test drive the car since the day of launching with full capacity of 6 person on car, and the engine is quite good with excellent speed car go easily to 140kmh. But however, one fact rise up when the torque or rev ranged us time to speed, but good enough to supress excessive vibrations and the engine sound remaining cool.

Perodua Alza fuel consumption was claimed by Perodua to run 12.7 km per liter with automatic transmisson model and 15.5 km per liters with the manual one. The Alza’s multi-info display menter intergrated with the center dashboard.

From overall, Alza offer a lot of space inside as long as you are not using it on purpose for an MPV. At our point, this can be an alternative to sedans who want something a bit more space than Myvi, with a bigger bootspace. However, if you are about to think to find the alternative MPV to Exora or any other MPV, you will have to think twice if you really need to fit in full adults loaded to your car.

Article Source : http://www.automagazined.com/2009/11/the-compact-mpv-car-perodua-alza-finally-launched/

Perodua Alza SE will be introduced in March 2010

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 01:28:00 +0000

Perodua has revealed that the sportier version, Special Edition will be introduce in March 2010. Booking is now available for premium and auto transmission, but we are sure that the Special Edition will be the hottest among Perodua Alza model. If you do have test drive Perodua Alza, you should probably know that you are actually testing out the Perodua Alza SE. No detail yet to be confirmed, but however, the Perodua Alza SE will come with fully leather seats, fully bodykit, GPS and reverse camera. We will wait for the production released, but for now, stay tuned!

New Alza, or fairly new Exora, which MPV to buy, which will dominate?

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:30:00 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR: Perodua launched its multi-purpose vehicle, ALZA, Monday, exactly seven months after Proton launched its MPV, EXORA.

For the two local car manufacturers' managing directors, Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir who heads Proton and Syed Abdull Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar who heads Perodua, the race line has been made "even" as far as the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) market goes.

Proton says 30 per cent of its total estimated sales of 155,000 for the financial year ending March 31, 2010 will be accounted for by the EXORA.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin viewing the Perodua MPV Alza by accompanied by Perodua chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin(left), MD Datuk Syed Hafiz(right) and PMSB MD Osamu Oaki((2nd right) during the official launch of the MPV at the KL Convention Centre.

Perodua is not any less confident.

The seven-seater ALZA, for which booking was opened 10 days ago, has already received 3,500 bookings up to 2pm today.

Syed Abdull Hafiz says production of the MPV is slated at 4,100 units a month, a number which he also hopes would be the monthly sales figure.

For the first 10 months of this year, Perodua had already sold 138,000 units of cars and expects to hit sales of 164,000 units compared with 167,000 units last year.

The ALZA meawhile which comes in six colours, offers two standard variants, automatic and manual transmission.

Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir announcing the group’s second quarter results on Monday. Beside him is CFO Azhar Othman and behind them the Proton logo.

Prices range from RM56,000 to RM70,000 for the MPV depending on whether it is a standard, premium or advanced model.

The advanced version will be available in the market March next year.

Meanwhile, Proton to remind the market of its MPV, launched the EXORA Basic model last Saturday.

The basic model is expected to contribute five per cent to the total sales of EXORA by financial year ending March 30, 2010, says Syed Zainal Abidin.

In this April 15, 2009 file photo, Malaysian national automaker Proton Chairman Mohd Nadzmi, left, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, second from left, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, second from right, and Proton Managing Director Syed Zainal Abidi pose beside Proton's new model "Exora" during its unveiling in Kuala Lumpur.

The new variant seven-seater will be available at all Proton Edar and EON branches nationwide on Nov 21.

Available only with manual transmission, the EXORA Basic comes in three colours namely, genetic silver, tranquilty black and solid white.

The solid white colour model will be sold at an on-the-road price of RM57,548 in Peninsular Malaysia and RM60,148 in East Malaysia.

For the genetic silver and tranquility black metallic models, both are priced at RM57,998 in the Peninsula and RM60,598 in East Malaysia.

The EXORA, first launched on April 15, has made its debut in Indonesia and Singapore.

Proton reportedly plans to launch the MPV in Thailand by December.

Perodua so far has no export plans yet for the ALZA

Article Souce :http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/11/24/business/20091124092328&sec=business

Perodua Alza launched

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:50:00 +0000

Perodua has introduced its newest offering, the Alza, into the market. The little MPV, which wears the catchphrase “car one moment, MPV the next,” was launched earlier this evening by the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, at the KL Convention Centre.

The seven-seater is based largely on the Toyota Passo Sette (and Daihatsu Boon Luminas), though the Alza is somewhat longer than the latter, about 50mm more. The vehicle, which weighs in at 1,120-1,150kg, depending on variant, does share some commonality with the Myvi, less than 30% in terms of componentry. Primarily, the largest single area is with the front end of the cabin platform, but this has of course seen a fair amount of adaptation come about for the new vehicle. Elsewhere, it’s all new.

A 1.5l twin-cam pot powers the Alza (the name is derived from a Spanish word meaning “rise”), and the 3SZ-VE puts out 103bhp at 6,000rpm and 136Nm at 4,400rpm of torque. Both five-speed manual and four-speed auto transmissions are available, and at point of launch four variant types will go on sale.

Features include items like steering wheel audio control switches (on the premium version), a four-speaker, CD/MP3/WMA audio system with Bluetooth capability (again, on the premium version only), power windows for all four doors, tilt adjustable steering wheel, a centre mounted meter panel, a foot pedal parking brake, and for the auto version, a gear shifter located on the instrument panel.

There’s plenty to like in the car, especially inside. Granted, the two-tone plastics in the interior still look a little hard to the sight, but the presentation is clean. The 2,520 x 1,415 x 1,310mm (l/w/h) cabin is decently spacious, and the second row seats have separate sliding mechanisms, which allow the seats to be adjusted 150mm. The third row seat is a fold bench, and in all, there’s no shortage of seating arrangements and options.

Six colours are available, and these are Ivory White, the only solid colour in the shade line-up, Glittering Silver, Ebony Black, Medallion Grey, as well as a Pearl White special metallic and a new shade called Classy Purple, which is available only for the Premium variants.

At its current entry point, four variants of the Alza will go on sale, these being the Standard manual (SX) and auto (EZ) and Premium manual (SXi) and auto (EZi). The SX goes for RM55,490 (solid), RM55,990 (metallic) and RM56,190 (special metallic), while the EZ goes for RM58,490 (solid), RM58,990 (metallic) and RM59,190 (special metallic).

As for the SXi, the pricing is RM60,490 (solid), RM60,990 (metallic) and RM61,190 (special metallic), and the EZi is priced at RM63,490 (solid), RM63,990 (metallic) and RM64,190 (special metallic). All these prices are on-the-road, with insurance.

In the first quarter next year, a sportier variant, the Advanced Version, in both manual and auto form, will go on sale. This one will come with a full bodykit made up of front, rear and side skirts as well as a rear spoiler, leather seats, windscreen-mounted 5-inch GPS unit and a 150-degree wide angle reverse camera and special tint film.

This one will be available in three colours, namely Classy Purple, Ebony Black and Ivory White, and pricing for the Advanced Version is RM66,490 (solid) and RM66,990 (metallic) for the manual, while the auto version goes for RM69,490 (solid) and RM69,990 (metallic).

Perodua is hoping to sell about 3,500-4,000 units a month of the Alza, targeted at young families and singles looking to own a ‘big car,’ and given the product’s features and price scope, that target should be easily met.

Proton Exora Prime Concept

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:04:00 +0000

Proton Design showcased two modified Proton Exora MPVs at the launch of the Exora yesterday evening. Some of you may have already seen these cars during the live telecast on TV1, but here is a closer look at the two vehicles. This is the white one called the Proton Exora Prime. Here’s the stuff that Proton Design added to the Exora Prime:

Pearl White Exterior
Double Fin Front Bumper Grille
Corporate Graphic At FR Door Trim
High Gloss Black Side Mirrors
High Glass Black Roof
Wrap-around Satin Galvano Foglamp Garnish
Customised Side Skirts
Customised Rear Apron with Integrated Exhaust
Customised Satin Galvano Glass Trim
Clear Rear Brake Lamps
Tinted Glass
17 inch Wheels with 215/45R17 tyres
2-DIN DVD player with integrated GPS
Rear view mirror with integrated LCD for reverse camera
1st and 2nd row pilot seats with integrated LCD and mobile theater system
Cooler box for the floor console

Look after the jump for a full gallery of the Exora Prime concept.

PROTON EXORA – IMPRESSIONS AFTER A 300KM DRIVE

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:20:00 +0000

After half a day of trying to drive the wheels off Proton's MPV, I am left with no doubts that the demands of the family will be well catered for as the Exora offers space, practicality, safety, performance and economy. And also style and trendiness.

Space is very definitely best in class, comparable to the Innova which is one class larger.

This is a full 7-seater, with commendable legroom way at the back, as well as space for luggage in the ‘boot’, even with the rearmost seat in place. The amount of head room will win anyone over. The Exora gives new meaning to the word: Roominess.

Thanks to its balanced proportions, its size and height are not obvious. While not as low and streamlined as the Honda Stream and Toyota Wish, the Exora looks more like a luxury MPV than the Innova does. It also looks more ‘stable’ as it has a more favourable footprint – ratio of wheelbase and tracks in relations to the body.

Body integrity is solid. The Proton MPV looks and feels well engineered and constructed. Noise and vibration dampening is far superior to anything else in this segment, or the one above.

The chassis is outstanding. It has a commanding stance at high speed on the highways, and a prowess and agility on fast curving roads that will astound even those used to tackling such challenges in well sorted out sedans.

The performance is highly commendable, considering that the engine is only a 1.6L petrol, and that the weight of the vehicle is close to 1400kg. Both the Auto and the Manual will easily pass the ‘drive-round-the-block’ test, even with a full load of seven adults, and with a slope or two thrown in. The drivetrain does not show signs of struggling; the engine does not run out of breath, the auto gearbox is not constantly ‘hunting’, the manual easily goes through its five speeds even with change-up done at below 3000rpm.

The engine does not sound harsh, even when revved near to the redline, which is set at 7000rpm. In fact, the atmosphere in this vehicle can be judged truly impressive if you were to jump in from any of its rivals, driving it the same manner. This is even more so when you pick the pace up. I was maintaining the speed at about 150kph, with seven guys on board, with the tachometer reading about 4300rpm, and we could converse in normal tones, even between me and the two rearmost guys.

But it was the Manual that bowled me over. I drove it for about 160km, a lot of that with the fun pedal nailed to the floor, and at the end of it I did not experience the usual attack of nerves – a tingling sensation in the hands, a buzzing in the ears, a feeling of being dehydrated, and the onset of a headache – which I would get driving most cars on the limit.

"Look, Ma, no hands!" - Check out the speedo reading. We were on a slight decline. The Exora Manual can sustain very high speeds.

I would not consider driving over that Karak stretch in most MPVs. I recently did it with the Mazda5 and the Kia Rondo because I needed their carrying capacity. The Mazda showed its bulk, comfort-oriented chassis and a lack of grunt, while the Rondo fared better, except that it was let down by its over-assisted steering. Both of these have 2.0L engines, with the Kia being a 5+2 seater. I went through most of the bends cutting through the lanes in order to minimise body roll, or slowing down when it was not possible to do that. I did not feel confident enough to commit these cars to the bends at the speed I was going.

The Exora is leagues ahead under such circumstances. With three adults on board, it could be kept on the fast lane in the most sweeping of turns, going at 140kph, and even overtaking large vehicles taking up the middle lane. There was no nervousness in the passage, the steering remaining wonderfully balanced and communicative; the sizeable MPV moved as one unit, able to handle mid-corner corrections without drama. It was both confidence- and awe-inspiring. This is a 7seater with real driving dynamics. The only other one I can think of is the X5, and even then you can feel the mass under load. Yes, I am referring to the engineered-to-the-nth-degree SAV from BMW, the price of which can buy seven of this Proton MPV.

The steering feel is exceptional – a nice balance of heft and assistance, very linear and consistent, regardless of load. At dead centre on the straight, the vehicle felt planted and yet I could easily get it to change direction. I was barreling through the sweeping bends holding the wheel with thumb and forefinger. At parking speed, it did not feel weighty or assisted to the point of me hitting full-lock easily.

The ride quality of the Exora reminded me of that of the Honda Odyssey, which is one of the best riding Japanese vehicles.

Another easily appreciated feature is the turning circle; due to the compactness of the engine, the front wheels of the Exora can be turned so much that anyone can execute a neat turn in any tight spot.

And a most crucial point for most people considering a full 7-seater is the fuel consumption. I can report that after some 260km of very hard driving with a heavy load, the Auto returned a figure of 11.4L/100km, while the Manual registered 10.7. The worst figure I saw on the trip computer was 16.9, right next to the speedo reading more than 170kph. I would think that with normal driving the figures should average 9.0 and 8.3. With the 55L tank, the range can easily extend over 600km.

This is quite the Super MPV, with an amazingly pleasing balance of space, performance and efficiency. It is what many of us need, and it is long overdue. If you familiar with the Toyota Avanza 1.5 and feel that its performance is adequate, you will find the Exora Auto spacious, solid and spritely. The Manual will change your perception of MPVs.

Sales of Exora remain strong

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:32:00 +0000

The order book for Proton Holdings Bhd’s MPV model, the Exora, is strong at the moment with a backlog of up to three to four months even at a production rate of 3,300 units per month.

Managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed said he thought there was more stability in its distribution.

“Of course it is supported by the Exora … we are very thankful for the support of the Malaysian public,” he told reporters at Invest Malaysia 2009 yesterday.

“So, going forward, as long as we can maintain a very healthy order bank (or book) and continue with what we are doing, such as the cost measures, for example, I think the company will be in a better position.”

Referring to Proton’s recent Master Dealership Agreement with Edaran Otomobil Nasional Bhd, which was announced on May 8, Syed Zainal said: “By controlling the dealers, we will make the dealers more efficient.

“From an efficiency point of view, our distribution system will be much better, which means maybe margins can be improved and revenue further enhanced.”

He added: “These are the opportunities that we can look forward to, at least for this financial year (ending March 31, 2010).”

However, it was still too early to say if the national carmaker would return to the black this year, he said, adding: “The only thing I can say is that it (the first quarter ended June 30) will be an improvement over the last quarter.”

At present, there were 5,000 Exora MPVs registered in the market with pending orders for about 14,000 vehicles.

On expected developments in new variants of Exora models, he said that having first introduced the automatic model of the MPV to the market, “it was only a matter of time” before Proton introduced a manual model.

He said the manual model could be expected this year.

Proton was also planning to launch the Exora in Jakarta on July 24 at the International Motor Show.

This was an important move for the company, because in the 1½ to two years it had been in the country it only had a small presence in the Indonesian market dominated by MPVs, Syed Zainal said.

On foreign competition to Proton, both locally and overseas, he said: “I think competition is healthy. We have to strategise our plans and others – Toyota and Nissan – would also strategise their plans.

“So, it is something I think we should not be totally worried about.”

This year Proton will focus mainly on the Asean market, including “Singapore,” soon.

Next year, the company will focus on other markets, like the Middle East, and also try to do the CKD (completely knocked-down) assembly in China and other markets.

Apart from Indonesia, the company plans to introduce the Exora to Thailand in November.

Proton Exora MPV

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:18:00 +0000

Say hello then to the Proton Exora MPV, the country’s first fully homegrown MPV. As the third part of the great comeback, following on the successes of the Persona and Saga, the vehicle - developed from design to completion in 18 months and at a cost of RM450mil - is quite a sterling showpiece, and essentially completes the circle of reinvention for the brand.

As a platform, there’s nothing radical about it - a seven-seater MPV isn’t exactly a new type. But for what it is, it’s a very clever offering, rolls in at an excellent price point and incorporates enough winsome features that there surely must be little to complain about, and there really isn’t, but more as we go along.

At the point of launch of this Proton Exora MPV, two versions of the Exora go on sale - the 1.6l AT Medium-line and 1.6l AT High-line, and both only come with a four-speed automatic gearbox, which features a retuned transmission control unit and a revised final drive. There’s a manual variant, though this is only slated for launch later in the year.

Visually, the Exora is best described as elegant; shades of the Toyota Wish and Honda Stream, benchmarks in the development of the vehicle, as well as the Mitsubishi Grandis, can be traced in the exterior lines and general flow, but the Exora has enough of its own identity, helped by a prominent enough looking front end and a tail that has one of the best looking tail-lamp clusters in recent memory.

The sleek vehicle, which has a coefficient drag of 0.33Cd, looks sizeable, and once you get inside, you’ll find it is indeed quite the spacious offering it promises to be. The dashboard is unfettered, there’s plenty of space, and the legroom on the second row is rather good, with the third adequate for short hauls. The rear doors open to a maximum angle of 80 degrees, making for easier ingress and egress for passengers.

As for seating layout combinations, the Exora does pretty well in this regard too, with six different seat folding configurations. Granted, with the rear seats up, there's little cargo space, but with the third row seats fully flat-folded and the second row stored forward the load-carrying space becomes very convincing. Ingress to the third row is by means of a single-lever seat-folding mechanism on the second row, and in use getting in and out is accomplished easily enough.

In terms of trim, the Medium-line version comes with a simple grey interior with fabric seats, whereas the High-line variant features leather and Alcantara-finished seats in light grey. Surprisingly, I thought the fabric seats offered a better visual perspective, both in terms of shade and texture - the leather looked a little on the pasty side.

Much attention has been paid to reducing the noise levels in the cabin - the firewall, door panels and floor pan have been given soundproofing insulation treatment, and all the pillars are injected with foam; effectively, it makes everything less zingy. As for fit and finish, there were some small assembly imperfections here and there on some panels, but nothing that would make you scream murder.

Plenty of new and subtle features abound, courtesy of an integrated Body Control Module (BCM) unit from Siemens VDO; this is the first Proton to be equipped with BCM and offers a whole new range of application options and items. With a total of 24 different functions, from follow-me-home lights, programmable door locking configurations and wiper speeds (this one is done rather neatly) to automatic hazard light activation during emergency braking from above 96kmh, the list is pretty comprehensive.

Indeed, there’s no shortage of mod cons throughout - yes, items such as 10 cup holders may seem like overkill, but better to have more than less, yes? Among the many small, but nice, touches is the inclusion of what is tagged a teh tarik holder, located below the glove compartment area, for your takeaways. Not new, but handy nonetheless.

In terms of safety, twin front airbags - standard fitment in both versions - and front seat-belt pretensioners are part of the kit, as well as ABS and EBD.

Elsewhere, the primary differences in both variants, besides the seat material, are with equipment levels, as the chart below shows:

Opting for the High-line version bags you fog lights, front seat armrests, cruise control, a remotely mounted navigation system, a roof-mounted DVD/LCD monitor - with SD/MMC card slots and USB port - for rear passengers, a rear spoiler and tinted glass. And of course, those leather seats.

Powering the Exora is the tried and tested 1.6l Campro CPS engine, here offering 125bhp at 6,500rpm and a maximum torque of 150Nm at 4,500rpm. Placed in a vehicle that weighs in at 1,422 (M-line) and 1,442kg (H-line), the result isn’t ever going to be breathtaking, but surprisingly the Exora goes about its business ably enough as an entire package.

The chance to sample the final product came at a press preview last week, and as is usually the case with previews, there wasn’t enough time spent with the vehicle to offer a firmer opinion than a mere skim-through, but it’s certainly a very likable sort.

First impressions reveal a vehicle that is as comfortable and pliant as promised. Ride comfort is high, and in general everything is geared towards cosy, though the softness comes through without being overly mushy.

A quick ride being seated in the third row showed very little undue modulation, with only large dips causing some discomfort. The lack of lower-end support here means that if you’re an adult - and a strappy one at that - it’s definitely not going to be rosy if you decide on say, doing Penang from KL, but at least you won’t be shaken senselessly while at that.

Performance-wise, the 1.6l pot is adequate enough for the job, under most conditions - at the preview, the vehicle showed a slight lack of urgency on take-up unless pushed, and doing so results in the block being a little shouty, but once you get moving the vehicle pulls along well enough, and at cruising levels the car feels tractable. This, mind you, with five adults on board.

As for fuel consumption figures, the claim is 7.2l per 100km at a steady rate of 90kmh, while for a combined cycle it is 9l per 100km. In the real world, with some of the loads that are going to be expected in many Exoras, those figures might differ a fair bit. Still, we’ll be able to tell you more about how well it does in terms of actual fuel economy - as well as operation over a wider range of conditions - when a full road-test is done, hopefully soon.

The pricing for the Exora Medium-Line is RM69,998, while the High-Line goes for RM75,998 (both on-the-road, without insurance). Six colour choices are available - Pyrite Brown, Gaia Blue, Genetic Silver, Tranquillity Black, Blue Haze and Solid White - and the vehicle comes with an extended warranty of 175,000km or five years, whichever comes first.

On the whole, this one the Proton Exora MPV should hit it right on the spot for a very large audience, and there are 2,500 of these so far from pre-launch bookings. Undoubtedly, detractors will continue to do the usual, but surely three out of three is more than commendable.

Proton Exora: Malaysia’s First MPV

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 06:33:00 +0000

Malaysian Prime Minister Dato` Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak has officially launched the much anticipated Proton Exora, Malaysia’s first home-grown multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) last night.

Unveiling the new MPV with the Prime Minister were PROTON Holdings Berhad Chairman Datuk Mohd. Nadzmi Mohd. Salleh and Managing Director Dato` Haji Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir. Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed, the person instrumental in launching the national car project in 1983, was also present with Tun Siti Hasmah Mohamed Ali to witness the launch.

The launch was attended by several Cabinet Ministers and Deputy Ministers, foreign dignitaries and other distinguished guests.

The launch marked a milestone not only for PROTON but for the country as well as the Exora is Malaysia’s first locally produced MPV encompassing almost 90% of local parts and components. The Exora is also the first wholly “Malaysian-Made” MPV from design and concept to engineering and manufacturing by PROTON.

The Exora emphasizes the three main feature elements – comfort, performance and safety, which were translated into the design and quality of the vehicle. PROTON Holdings Berhad Chairman Dato` Mohd. Nadzmi bin Mohd. Salleh described the Exora as PROTON`s answer to the needs and requirements of PROTON customers who are more discerning.

“PROTON is now venturing into the MPV segment which has grown in popularity. The Exora will be our answer for the customers out there who are now more conscious about comfort and safety of their family members while traveling. It is designed, engineered and manufactured based on research and market studies made by PROTON over the years,” said Dato` Mohd. Nadzmi.

Dato` Mohd. Nadzmi added that the introduction of the Exora indicated the advancement of the Malaysian automotive technology as it is locally produced from ground up, from the initial R&D activities right through to the design and production processes. “Being one of the pioneering team members who helped set up PROTON 25 years ago, I am indeed very proud of the achievements made by the PROTON family who have turned a vision into a reality,” he added.

“I am certain that PROTON will not stop here, but will continue to improve and increase its efforts to ensure it remains relevant and able to compete with other established global car makers,” said Dato` Mohd. Nadzmi.

Meanwhile, PROTON Holdings Berhad Managing Director Dato` Haji Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said the Exora was an engineering feat for PROTON as it was developed in merely 18 months from the time PROTON fixed the design (model-fix) to production stage. “This feat has gained us much respect from our peers in the automotive industry,” he said.

“It indicates our success in not only producing cars but also in developing a pool of capable and experienced engineers and skilled workers in the Malaysian automotive industry. We have proven that the impossible is now possible with hard work and determination.

“The Exora meets our aspiration to produce the right car at the right time and at the right place. Malaysians have already warmed up to the Exora ever since the booking for the MPV was opened on 21^st February 2009. So far, we have received more than 2,500 bookings and this is a very encouraging development for us. The level of trust given by our customers towards the MPV is heartening,” said Dato` Syed Zainal.opment

“Don’t take our word for it. Please do come over to any of the 293 Proton Edar and EON sales office nationwide to see and experience the Exora yourself,” added Dato` Syed Zainal.

The night also saw the first four Exora owners receive their keys from the Prime Minister and driving home in their brand new Exoras. The Exora owners were three early bird customers, Syed Mohd Lutfi bin Syed Hamzah, Ramamuthie a/l Varathan and Teng Kim Hong and winner of the MPV Naming Contest, Norsholihan binti Abd Eaanich.

The Exora features the 1.6 CamPro CPS engine with 4-speed automatic transmission and is available in two variants, Medium-Line at RM69,998 (OTR) and High-Line at RM75,998 (OTR), with 2 airbags as standard. The Exora is available in six colors – Pyrite Brown, Gaia Blue, Genetic Silver, Tranquility Black, Blue Haze and Solid White

Perodua To Compete With Proton Exora MPV

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 04:22:00 +0000

As Proton gears up for its Proton Exora MPV to be launched next week, our other national carmaker Perodua is also prepping up its Perodua MPV, set to be launched in Q3 this year. The new Perodua MPV is internally called the Perodua D46T codename and is expected to be priced between RM57K to RM66k, according to Perodua MD Datuk Syed Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar in Bernama.

The new Perodua D46T will be based on the Toyota Passo Sette, also known as the Daihatsu Boon Luminas. It measures 4,180mm long, 1,695mm wide and 1,620mm tall, with a long 2,750mm wheelbase to maximize the interior space (2,550mm long).

It sits 6 or 7, depending on how big the people are, but the intention is 7 of course, because some of the Japanese model pix shows 3 headrests for the 2nd row. The same Bernama report also confirmed it will come with a 1.5 liter engine, likely the 3SZ-VE in transverse-mounted front wheel drive configuration.

There has been an interesting video that’s surfaced on Youtube, but it could be removed soon. Watch it! Also, please read the link below to find out more about the Toyota/Daihatsu car that the Perodua D46T will be based on.

Malaysia Can!!!Exora MPV

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 04:14:00 +0000

Proton Exora MPV

Yes! Malaysia Boleh!, the slogan means " Malaysia Can". Proton Malaysia launched the new MPV which is the first MPV model for the Malaysian Market.

The new Proton Exora is here and two variants will be available at launch time – a 1.6 liter automatic high-line and a 1.6 liter automatic medium-line, priced at RM75,998.00 and RM69,998.00 respectively OTR with insurance. Head on after the jump for the full scoop on the Exora.

The EXORA uses the new Campro CPS engine which produces 125 horsepower (127 PS) at 6,500rpm and 150Nm of torque at 4,500rpm.

The Proton Exora H-Line adds cruise control, the LCD screen with car DVD player for a great travel experience with the car audio and video and great car speakers, leather seats, and slightly different trim on the outside – chrome for the grille and rear, as well as blacked out B and C pillars using some convincing black stickers. The H-Line also provides GPS devices for travel convenience.

It’s good to know that the Bluetooth hands-free, car receivers and audio streaming functionality of the 2-DIN head unit has been retained in the M-Line. If you notice, the leather seats in the H-Line version have a combination material - there is a suede-like material at the sides, which according to Proton was intentionally left there so that the leather would be allowed to expand and contract in a certain way under the hot Malaysian climate and thus reduce the chances of them cracking.

yeay for Malaysian! Malaysia Boleh!

Proton MPV named Exora

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 08:22:00 +0000

The name kicked up a storm as those who took part in teh naming competition protested the decision, arguing that the name, is close to that of the flower Ixora. In fact Proton MD said so and drew parallels to the mini bouquet and how the Exora is about travelling in a large group.

Proceed to the bottom of the entry to see Proton’s explanation.

The name Exora is a derived from Ixora, a flower that we commonly see in most bushes or shrubbery around the country.

Ixora is a genus from the family Rubiaceae and is a common tropical plant and is found the world over. The Malay name of this flower is Jarum Jarum and names in other languages include rangan, kheme, ponna, chann tanea, techi, pan,. Common English names are West Indian Jasmine, Jungle flame, Jungle geranium.

I know that I may get a lot of flak for saying this here but I worry that many people will have trouble pronouncing it properly, is it suppose to be ek-so-ra/ ek-so-ra/ ik-zo-ra/ek-zo-ra/ e-zo-ra/e-so-ra….

That said I suppose Proton would have clinicked the names to death before settling on this one so pronounciation may not be such an issue.

Proton picked the name form the naming competition and it was thought up by Norsholihan Bt Abdul Eanich. Come April she is going to be one happy camper who gets to drive off in the seven-seater Exora.

The Exora’s tagline is Keriangan Keluarga. The tagline is very appropriate in describing the spirit of the car.

Proton said that the MOV will be priced under RM80K and available in five colours, Genetic Silver, Tranquility Black, Blue Haze, Pyrite Brown and Gaia Blue.

The Exora will feature a maximum of two airbags and that’s about all that we know regarding the safety features.

Proton spent just a few bobs over RM450 million developing the Exora and it will be put together in Shah Alam plant which will churn out between 3,000 and 3,500 cars a month.

Those are initial production figures, if demand is strong they can ramp up the line to produce double those numbers.

Although other car companies are taking a cautious approach during these dark days of economic uncertainty, Proton decided to be a contrarian and hope their model will be the only interesting new product launched recently and will attract sales.

This strategy may yet pay off for the national carmaker if the credit line for car financing has not been yanked tight.

The various stimulus package which includes interest rate cuts may encourage people to spend rather than keep their money in a low-interest account.

Whatever itis, the Exora will open a new frontier for Proton and they will find themselves scrambling for market share in a highly competitive segment where the dominant players are Toyota and Nissan, giants who will not be shy to flex their muscle and protect their turf.

The sub RM80,000 pricing will put it above the Avanza and below the Grand Livina and the Kia Rondo, the most obvious alternative choice to Japanese MPVs at the moment.

With that pricing we can expect the Exora to pack at least comparable cabin space as the Grand Livina and Rondo but may not match them in terms of safety and other features.

The spyshots of the Exora indicates that the dimension are comparable to the Grand Livina and looks to be slightly smaller than Toyota’s ever popular Wish.

It will be interesting to see how the Lotus DNA will affect ride and handling. I certainly hope that Proton can continue with their tradition of offering very decent driving cars at affordable prices.

PROTON CLARIFIES THE NAME OF ITS NEW MPV

PROTON Holdings Bhd would like to thank the public for highlighting the
issues and understand the points raised by many of them.

In naming the new Proton MPV, EXORA, PROTON had subjected all the
entries to a vigorous selection process. EXORA was chosen because it was
not a name for any animal and vegetation although it had similar
pronunciation as the flower, IXORA. EXORA does not exist as a word.

In the selection process, PROTON had eliminated all entries which
referred to any animals and vegetation. For example, PROTON had received
a total of 139 entries which named IXORA and 39 entries for EXORA.
Because IXORA is a flower, we eliminated the entries from our final
selection.

The 39 people who had submitted the winning name had also chosen the
name for various other reasons. The winning entry was chosen because of
the tagline “Keriangan Keluarga” or family joy.

For PROTON, the name and tagline symbolizes the company’s effort to
offer the best vehicle which could offer family togetherness. We
understand that Malaysian families like to travel together and we want
to ensure that we can be part of this “joy”.

The MPV symbolizes PROTON’s efforts to incorporate many of the best
features available in a passenger vehicle. The features are designed to
meet the needs of typical Malaysian families. The MPV, which can carry
up to seven passengers represents unity and togetherness as well as
strong family ties and harmony that Malaysians value.

Government Considering Scrapping AP scheme

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:58:00 +0000

The Government is considering the possibility of scrapping the controversial Approved Permit (AP) scheme for imported vehicles to ensure a system that is acceptable for all.

Deputy International Trade and Industries Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said scrapping the scheme was not the only option as there were many other ways to look at the matter.

“However, the basis of any solution is that, any levy or tax should benefit the Government.

“In the end, cost saving, if there is any, should go to the people,” he said adding that, the ministry expected to announce a decision soon.

He was commenting on the request of the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Car Dealers and Credit Companies Association, which asked the Government to open the AP scheme to everyone or give a 30% quota to the Bumiputra and have the rest open for auction.

He was speaking to pressmen after launching the Bumiputra Entrepreneurs Symposium held in conjunction with the Unit Trust Week here on Sunday.

Mukhriz explained that it was high on the ministry’s agenda to discuss and finally decide on a new mechanism on the AP issue, as it had long been a contentious one.

“We want to look at it in a very comprehensive manner and come up with a solution that is amiable to all,” he said adding that, the ministry should be given a little bit more time before the minister makes a decision with the approval of the Cabinet.

Meanwhile, commenting on the new liberalisation policy, Mukhriz said that he was confident that the new policy would attract more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country.

“We have not estimated how much FDI would flow into the country with introduction of this new policy.

“It is certainly an added attraction for foreign companies to invest in the country,” he said.

Rising vehicle sales point to early signs of recovery

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:53:00 +0000

After two consecutive quarters of declining sales, Malaysia’s motor vehicle industry is showing signs of a pick-up. This is good news for those looking for possible signs of an economic recovery.

Earlier this week, the Malaysian Automotive Association reported that sales in March had risen 20.5% to 44,205 units from a low point in February. The association expects further improvement in April and is sticking to its year-end total industry volume (TIV) projection of 480,00 units.

While this will be a contraction from the 548,112 units achieved in 2008 – the second best year ever – the outlook has brightened considerably for the industry.

Crowds looking at the new Exora at a Proton Edar branch.

However, from the consumer’s point of view, the latest developments in the car trade have mixed implications.

For example, the head of a Proton car dealer association was recently quoted as saying that the car loan approvals rate had gone up to about 50% in the past month from as low as 30% previously. This shows that banks are more willing to lend to car buyers.

Easier credit, however, comes at a price. The Star reported on Tuesday that banks had raised interest rates for loans to purchase non-national cars effective almost immediately.This has narrowed the gap in the rates charged for loans for non-national cars and national cars, which had previously favoured the former by about one percentage point.

Due to competition, banks do not normally advertise their car loan rates, but it is relatively easy to get the latest quotes for any brand or model by calling up hire-purchase officers at any bank branch.

The rates for loans of longer tenure (say, nine years) are a bit higher compared with those for a five-year loan. Also, different makes and models carry slightly different rates. At some banks, the rates may vary a little from branch to branch.

The one percentage point increase translates to about RM80 in extra monthly instalment for a RM100,000, seven-year loan.

Bank Negara has slashed its benchmark interest rate three times since November last year to 2% currently. The market is expecting another rate cut when the central bank’s policymakers meet next week.

The recent rate adjustments by banks “reinforce our view that hire-purchase rates are unlikely to be reduced despite lower base lending rates,’’ says AmResearch in an April 21 report.

The higher rates for non-national cars will curb demand for foreign marques such as Toyota and Nissan.

The two Japanese brands have the biggest share of the local multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) market, but their dominance is being challenged by the newly launched Proton Exora.

While sales at Proton are set to rise, other carmakers are still feeling the pinch from the economic slowdown.

Analysts believe that the domestic TIV will remain sluggish for the rest of the year as consumers hold back big-ticket purchases, while banks adhere to strict lending requirements.

But for those with cash to splurge, the current car market is probably as good as it gets. To keep the stocks moving, car dealers are likely to step up their promotional campaigns in the coming months.

Shop around for the best deals. Sales representatives are usually more than willing to help in getting the best rates, and some carmakers are offering arrangements that have lower interest rates for certain models compared with those quoted by the banks. Unsold stocks are also available at a discount to the sticker price.

If you need to trade in your vehicle, then it is imperative to visit more than one dealership for quotes. Bear in mind that as used-car prices drop, so will the trade-in value of your vehicle. The consumers’ appetite for a new car, as they say, has taken a back seat in these tough times.

A car is probably a person’s second-most expensive purchase after a home. This is true here, as the cost of owning a car in Malaysia is high. Depending on the engine capacity and origin of make, a significant portion of the showroom sticker price includes a hefty tax bill.

The car needs to be insured and the road tax paid before you can drive up to the nearest petrol station for a fill-up.

The sales tax for petrol in Malaysia is set at 58 sen per litre, but based on the international crude oil price of US$50 a barrel, it is estimated the actual collection is about 40 sen per litre at current RON 97’s pump price of RM1.80. Drivers also have to pay toll whenever they use roads built by private concessionaires.

So never mind the current hire-purchase rates and the variety of models available in the market, our choices are actually limited to the amount of cash that we can afford to pay every month.

A rule of thumb is that you should not be spending more than a third of your monthly income on car expenses.

Talks To Save Proton Failed

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:46:00 +0000

According to a report by The Edge, talks between the car manufacturer Proton Holding Bhd and Europe's biggest carmaker Volkswagen AG and Volkswagen known producers of components --- Van, who last year pushed by the function that the government hopes , Malaysia.

The weekly newspaper has stated that the officials from Proton and Volkswagen met repeatedly, but no concrete agreement was signed. The newspaper added that the talks were not so good and it seems that the German car maker has something "cool" and less worried lately.

The newspaper also quoted a source familiar with the situation with the words: "This period could be considered as my doubts." The Malaysian government is also under pressure to announce details of the partnership for the loss of proton, its status as the country 's biggest rival Perodua Vehicle Service. The government believes that the new Proton, the partnership with Volkswagen , it can help.

In the last week, Proton announced third quarter as a result of losses, which it a more competitive distribution and stagnation. The Company receives a net loss of 281.45 million RGT for the third quarter compared to net income at the end of December it adopted a year earlier, amounting to 86.51 million RGT.

The Second Finance Minister Nor Mohamed Yakcop said that the government was an ad on a strategic partner of the proton in this month. Nobody knows whether it is still Volkswagen or any other company. But after The Edge newspaper, "If this timetable is consistent, known as General Motors, the largest car manufacturer in the world, but still a partner for Proton.

The main goal of a partnership with Proton foreign automotive industry is to further reduce the market share than the competition. It should be noted that if a possible new partnership with Volkswagen on the run from the proton, but after the announcement of the partnership was not confirmed by proton dipped.

Apart from Volkswagen, Proton was in talks with General Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroen in France more than three companies in the automotive Malaysia showed interest for the purchase of shares in the company. It should be noted that the Government of Malaysia has 59 percent of the protons, including the participation of 43% owned by Khazanah Nasional, the investment arm of the government.

For more information about your premises, such as Volkswagen, Volkswagen Van parties, go to the source of trust online.

Growing up with three brothers, Natalie Anderson is too early to give lectures in the world of the automobile. This 29-year-old account manager now dreams of a separate top-of-the-line vintage car.

New MPV made by PROTON

noreply@blogger.com (jeng_llot) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:03:00 +0000

Finally, it comes to the end the long awaiting Proton MPV will be called Proton Exora. The Exora is based on the name of the Ixora flower, with the tagline “Keriangan Keluarga”.

“Exora” was the winning entry in Proton’s nationwide MPV naming contest which began in September last year. The month long contest attracted 251,763 entries. The name was given by Norsholihan Bt Abdul Eanich of which she will get 1 unit of the Proton Exora when it is launched this April.

Proton Exora MPV will be tagged under RM80,000 and available in 5 colours Genetic Silver, Tranquility Black, Blue Haze, Pyrite Brown and Gaia Blue.

If you interested with this Exora, you can place your booking from 21 Feb 2009 onwards. Be the first to drive Proton MPV.

Finally, it comes to the end the long awaiting Proton MPV will be called Proton Exora. The Exora is based on the name of the Ixora flower, with the tagline “Keriangan Keluarga”.

Proton Exora MPV will be tagged under RM80,000 and available in 5 colours Genetic Silver, Tranquility Black, Blue Haze, Pyrite Brown and Gaia Blue.

If you interested with this Exora, you can place your booking from 21 Feb 2009 onwards. Be the first to drive Proton MPV.