Following encouraging response from last weekend’s Upgrade Promo fair, Naza World has decided to extend the event for another weekend.

As before, Naza Group of Companies Joint Group Executive Chairman Dato’ Hj SM Faisal Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin will continue his pledge to donate RM500 to selected charities for every car sold in the month of Ramadhan.

“We received an overwhelming response for this promotion. And backed by popular demand, we have decided it better to extend this “unbeatable prices” offer for this weekend as well,” he said.

The “Upgrade Promo” will be on from 9am to 7pm this Friday, 13 August until Sunday, 15 August, at all NAZA World branches nationwide.

In conjunction with the month of Ramadhan, Naza World showrooms nationwide will be holding a three-day promotion from 6 to 8 Aug 2010. Special offers are on the table, and highlighted cars include the Aston Martin DBS, Mercedes-Benz CLC and Ford Focus RS.

Naza Group of Companies Joint Group Executive Chairman Dato’ Hj SM Faisal Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin has also pledged to donate to charity RM500 of his own money to five charitable causes, for each car sold during this auspicious month.

Road users around Johor Bahru, Juru, and Puchong would probably have been puzzled last Saturday morning with dozens of the new Forte swarming the roads. While the value-for-money Forte has no doubt become a popular choice amongst buyers, the sudden congregation of these cars were no coincidence, as the MyFORTE Club organized their first Mega TT held simultaneously across three locations.

MyFORTE Mega TT for central region

Those from up north met in the Naza Kia showroom at Juru Auto City, Penang, whilst central region members were gathered at Oldboy Kopitiam in Puchong. Members down south of the Peninsula, meanwhile, met at the Festive Street Mall, at Danga Bay, Johor Bahru. We were informed that a total of 143 cars participated in this event, which includes 30 cars each at the northern and southern divisions.

The Fortes were all over the place.

In a unique touch of novelty, those who gathered at Puchong and Juru were even connected to each other by a tele-conferencing session, something which would not have been possible in car club gatherings done in the old-fashioned way.

Juru & Penang were connected by tele-conferencing.

The strong turnout of members in the Forte TT is indicative of the increasingly enthusiastic following that Korean cars, in particularly the Forte, now commands.

Most owners who attended opted to swap out the Naza badge for Kia.

KON

See also:
- Formidable Forte – by KON (20/11/2009)
- Naza-Kia launches all new Forte – by KON (25/11/2009)
- Forte 1.6 SX – Sheer bang for buck – by KON (20/1/2010)

This weekend, Naza Kia Sdn Bhd will be organizing a two-day carnival at Bulatan Bazarena adjacent to the Shah Alam Stadium opposite the nearby Tesco Extra supermarket. Dubbed the Naza-Kia Family Fiesta, the carnival will run on Saturday (10 April 2010) from 10:00am to 8:00pm, and then on Sunday (11 April 2010) from 8:00am to 6:00pm.

Open to the general public, activities at the carnival include various entertainment such as contests and performances. Test drives of the Forte, Picanto, and Rondo will also be available to carnival-goers. Visiting Kia owners can subject their cars to a free 18-point inspection, which would then be eligible for possible free spare parts such as oil filters, wiper blades and air filters, depending on stock availability.

Forte & Picanto available for test drive.

Kicking off the carnival weekend will be the unveiling of the facelifted Kia Sportage at 11:00am on 10 April by En SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin, joint executive chairman of the Naza Group.

Facelifted Sportage to be unveiled.

KON

A recent poll conducted by German magazine auto motor und sport saw Mercedes-Benz tuner Brabus voted by readers as the best and most popular tuning brand in Germany. The annual poll, which attracted the participation of 100,000 readers this time round, saw Brabus picking up 49.2% of votes to give it the Best Brand title in the Tuning Companies category for the fifth straight year.

“This fifth emphatic vote for us in a row once more validates the Brabus philosophy of developing and building fascinating and exclusive high-performance automobiles and tuning components,” said Brabus CEO Prof. h.c. Bodo Buschmann.

“At the same time, being voted the best tuning brand also represents a binding obligation for my team and I to continue to work diligently to meet and exceed the high expectations our fans and customers have placed on us,” he added.

Naza Group of Companies Joint Group Executive Chairman Dato’ SM Faisal Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin also welcomed the honour.

“This proves the success of the Brabus brand and just how accepted it truly is. It just goes to show the brand’s commitment to its enthusiasts, which further bolsters our commitment to our customers,” he added.

KON

See also:
- Naza applies Brabus touch for W212 E-class – by KON (6/1/2010)
- Naza-Brabus introduces Brabus GL 63 BiTurbo – by KON (29/1/2010)
- Autoworld Blog >> Blog Archive >> Brabus E V12 Coupe – by KON (18/3/2010)

Naza has announced the release of a specialized tuning kit for the Honda CBR1000 RR superbike from Two Brothers Racing of the United States. Elements of the kit, which have a combined worth of RM3,564,  consist of a light-weight carbon fibre exhaust system, an electronic fuel controller, and graphics.

The light-weight carbon fibre exhaust, which weighs in at 10 lbs (4.5kg) is claimed to provide a 2hp increase in output. In this kit, it is mated to the Juice Box fuel controller, a system developed by Two Brothers Racing themselves.

The system is said to be plug and play with the CBR1000’s electronics, allowing for quick and easy adjustments without the need to fiddle with complex electronic mapping systems. It interfaces with the bike’s standard ECU via direct connection with the OEM wiring harnesses. This is claimed to allow for precise control of the engine fuel management system.

As a special offer for customers, Naza is now packaging the Two Brothers kit into the purchase of the CBR1000 RR bike from Naza World without extra cost.

KON

Pictures: Official Naza release

Official Press Release from the Naza Group of Companies

Naza World will be organizing a special “late night shopping” campaign at the PJ Auto Mall along Federal Highway on Friday (5/3/2010) and Saturday (6/3/2010), catering to customers who prefer to visit our showroom after working hours.

The showroom will be open from 9am till 10pm, 3 hours past the usual operating hours.

By doing this, the Naza Group of Companies intends to capitalize on the rush hour crowds to drop into our showroom instead of getting caught in the frustrating traffic congestion in and around the city.

Instead, they can all come to Malaysia’s biggest showroom, as offer a motor show-like atmosphere throughout the year with all types of cars that cater to various demands, including our platinum collection of exotic sports and super luxury cars.

As free refreshments are being served, customers can capitalize on this by kicking off their shoes and enjoying the many machines on display and at the same, picking a good deal or two.

Naza Group of Companies Joint Group Executive Chairman Dato’ Haji SM Faisal Tan Sri Nasimuddin said this is a way for the Group to address customers’ welfare and to cater to their convenience.

“Come over and check out the many deals that we offer. If not for buying a car, then come over to just enjoy the atmosphere and bask in the display of our special cars at Auto Mall,” he said.

Recently, Naza threw a year end party for its customers at the Auto Mall in Petaling Jaya, inviting 46 beauties from the Miss Tourism International 2009 to grace the occasion. I can write a thousand word story and tell you all about it, but I suspect you’re more interested to SEE what went on. So, here goes…

(Click on thumbnail for larger pictures)

KON

Official Press Release from Naza-Kia Sdn Bhd

Naza Kia, Malaysian Kia Motors distributor and asubsidiary of the Naza Group of Companies, is pleased to announce the appointment of Datuk Syed Hisham Syed Wazir as Chief Operating Officer of Naza Kia Sdn Bhd and Naza Kia Services Sdn Bhd with immediate effect.

Syed Hisham, 54, a BSc Mechanical Engineering graduate from Plymouth University (UK), with an MBA from Ohio State University, has contributed positively to the automotive industry for over 25 years.

Prior to joining the Naza Group, Syed Hisham was the managing director at Edaran Otomobil Nasional Bhd (EON). Besides EON, he has also served as the President/ Chief Operating Officer at Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd. His solid track record at these companies will bring a wealth of automotive experience to Naza Kia.

SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin, Joint Group Executive Chairman of Naza Group, said, “Datuk Syed Hisham has made an outstanding contribution to the Malaysian automotive industry over the years. We are pleased that he has agreed to join Naza Kia and will work towards introducing new products, developing the network and enhancing the brand. His ‘hands-on’ experience and knowledge of the automotive industry make him an excellent choice for COO and we are pleased to have him on board.”

Datuk Syed Hisham Syed Wazir

The highly-acclaimed Kia Forte, recently launched in Malaysia, has recently picked up an award, with American auto website NADAguides.com naming it their ‘Car of the Year‘. Having already bagged the website’s ‘Car of the Month‘ award for August, the new Kia beat eight other vehicles for the coveted annual honour.

Explaining the Forte’s winning of the award, Michael Caudill, auto expert of NADAguides.com said, “Not many cars can boast a full package when it comes to design features, price, performance and fuel economy, but the Forte leaves a lasting impression with all that and more.”

Kia Forte – NADAguides.com COTY 2009

The Forte was recently launched in Malaysia by Naza-Kia to positive response from Malaysian consumers and also Autoworld forummers. A quick check on our forums unearthed no less than eight dedicated threads for the Forte, which amassed (as of 10 Dec 2009) a total of 453 replies and a combined number of views fast approaching 30,000. Our backend stats from the Emzine tells us that only articles relating to the Perodua Alza beat the Forte’s in pageview numbers. So, this car is making waves.

Forte launched to overwhelming response in Malaysia.

“In Malaysia, the initial response to the Forte has been overwhelming, mirroring its debut in other countries. This Car of the Year award won by the Forte is further testament to the superiority of its design, quality, safety and performance over its competitors,” said SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin, Joint Group Executive Chairman of the Naza Group.

In Malaysia, the Forte is offered at three spec-levels – 1.6 EX (RM75,800), 1.6 SX (RM81,800), and 2.0 SX (RM93,800).

Forte 1.6 SX

KON

See also:
- Our test drive report: Formidable Forte (20/11/2009)
- Our launch coverage: Naza-Kia launches all new Forte (25/11/2009)