Peugeot distributor Nasim is currently holding a small roadshow at the new wing of 1 Utama shopping centre in Petaling Jaya. The roadshow started yesterday, 7 July and will continue until this Sunday, 11 July 2010.

On display will be the newly refreshed Peugeot 308 VTi and the 3008 crossover SUV, alongside other models of the Nasim stable. Should any Peugeot model currently feature in your consideration, it might be a good idea to head that way this weekend.

Peugeot 3008

See also:
- Peugeot 3008 – Continental Crossover – by KON (7/6/2010)
- Contrasting Alternatives: Ford Focus vs Peugeot 308 – by KON (6/10/2009)
- Peugeot 407 Road Test to Penang & Back – by YS Khong (14/12/2004)

Nasim Sdn Bhd yesterday announced a new promotion to further entice buyers to the Peugeot 407 sedan with a V-Kool voucher and Esso Smiles Card thrown in to sweeten the deal. The promotion is applicable both variants of the 407 – Standard & Premium – bought from 1 April to 30 June 2010.

Under the promotion, buyers of the 407 will be given a V-Kool voucher which can be redeemed at any of V-Kool’s authorised outlets in the country. Meanwhile, the Esso Smiles Card for buyers in Peninsular Malaysia will be pre-loaded with RM1,000 worth of credit which can be used to redeem fuel or other items at Esso’s service stations. East Malaysia buyers will get petrol vouchers instead.

The 407 Standard is priced at RM128,888 OTR while the 407 Premium is priced at RM136,888 OTR.

KON

See also:
- New Peugeot 407 launched – by Sue (14/2/2009)
- Autoworld Blog >> Blog Archive >> New 407 launched – by SBY (16/2/2009)
- Autoworld Blog >> Blog Archive >> Pictures from Media Launch of Peugeot 407 Facelift – by TheGunner (17/2/2009)

The Rolls-Royce Ghost was just announced as one of the winners for the ‘best of the best’ award in the annual red dot awards. Joining the Ghost as recipient of the award are the equally stunning Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and Peugeot RCZ, according to luxist.com.

Rolls-Royce Ghost

Speaking on the news of this prestigious award, Chief Designer Ian Cameron passed credit to his design team. “This is a tremendous accolade for the entire Rolls-Royce design team”, said Ian Cameron. “As a designer the challenge lies in translating ideas into a medium which others can see, touch and feel. We are very proud of what we have achieved with Ghost and are delighted to have been recognized with this very special award.”

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

Among the aforementioned winners, the Ghost was launched in Malaysia earlier this year, whilst Mercedes had launched the SLS less than two weeks ago. The Peugeot RCZ, meanwhile, is set to arrive at our shores later this year.

Peugeot RCZ

KON

See also:
- Autoworld Blog >> Blog Archive >> Covers off: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG – by KON (13/9/2009)
- Rolls-Royce Ghost officially launched in Malaysia – by KON (28/1/2010)
- Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Previews SLS AMG – by YS Khong (24/3/2010)

While covering the Petronas Pit Pulse event at Jalan Binjai, KLCC, KON came across the 8th KL Vintage & Classic Car Concours organized by KL City Hall. The show attracted the participation of 65 classic vehicles from various years between 1922 to 1985. Some of them were real beauties, and our man couldn’t help from snapping away. Here are pictures of the show’s participating cars.

1. 1922 Hot Rod Model T

2. 1928 Austin Seven Chummy

3. 1931 Ford Model A Tudor

4. 1936 Rolls-Royce 20/25

5. 1937 Mercedes-Benz Cabriolet

6. 1938 McLaughlin-Buick Limited 90L

7. 1939 Alvis 12/70

8. 1947 MG YA

9. 1947 MG TC

10. 1951 Bentley Mk IV

11. 1954 MG TF

12. 1954 Packard Clipper De Luxe

13. 1955 Austin A30

14. 1956 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL

15. 1957 Triumph TR3

16. 1957 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL

17. 1958 Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Ponton

18. 1959 Mercedes-Benz 220 S

19. 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air

20. 1959 Cadillac Coupe de Ville

21. 1960 Triumph TR3A

22. 1960 MGA 1600 Roadster

23. 1961 MG Midget

24. 1962 Chevrolet Corvette C1

25. 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series I

26. 1962 MGA MK II

27. 1963 Datsun Fairlady

28. 1963 Volvo P1800 Sports

29. 1963 Jaguar Mark II 3.4

30. 1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spyder

31. 1964 Singer Chamois

32. 1965 MGB Roadster

33. 1965 Jaguar Mk II Saloon 2.4-litre

34. 1965 Mercedes-Benz 230 SL

35. 1965 Volvo 122S

36. 1966 Mercedes-Benz 250 SE Convertible

37. 1966 Jaguar Mk II Saloon 2.4-litre

38. 1967 Volkswagen Fastback Type 3

39. 1967 Jaguar E-Type OTS

40. 1968 Peugeot 204 Cabriolet

41. 1968 Mercedes-Benz 600

42. 1969 Opel GT 1900

43. 1969 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL

44. 1970 Mercedes-Benz 230 SL

45. 1970 Ford Capri Mk I

46. 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Coupe

47. 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 S

48. 1972 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

49. 1973 Ferrari Dino

50. 1973 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3 OTS

51. 1973 Triumph Stag Mk 2

52. 1973 Volvo Sports

53. 1974 Ford Escort 1100 XL

54. 1974 Mercedes-Benz 280 SLC

55. 1980 Panther Kallista

56. 1981 Citroen 2CV 6

57. 1982 BMW Baur

58. 1982 Rolls-Royce Carmague

59. 1983 Alfa Romeo Spyder 2.0-litre

60. 1983 Lamborghini Countach & 1984 Lamborghini Countach 5000 S

61. 1985 Mercedes-Benz 230 Gelanderwagen

Talk about it:
- Autoworld Forum > Classic Cars > 8th KL Vintage & Classic Car Concours (27/3/2010)
- Autoworld Forum > Motorsports > Formula 1 > Petronas Pit Pulse (27/3/2010 – 4/4/2010)

This weekend is set to be another one of those action-packed with events all across the Klang Valley. Here are a couple we attended over the weekend.

Auto Malaysia 2010

Venue: MATRADE Exhibition & Convention Centre

About: Trade exhibition focusing on automotive equipment, product, and services. Notable exhibitors include original spare parts dealer Vanli Group, and Cart-Tar Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a company introducing a new mobile hydraulic car lift for use in workshops. Tomorrow (21/3/2010), from 9:00am to 4:00pm, there will be a seminar held at the exhibition that discusses the saving potentials on using NGVs compared to petrol-powered vehicles.

Pictures:

Spare parts dealer Vanli Group among the exhibitors

The hoist is mobile!

Seminars on NGV conversions to be held tomorrow.

Ampang Park Automotive Week

Venue: Ampang Park, Kuala Lumpur

About: A gathering of car enthusiasts in the heart of the city. Workshops for GPS Navigation and Car Detailing took place there today, and owner’s clubs of the classic Mini, Perodua Viva and Proton Satria Neo were spotted there as well. Peugeot owners will be there tomorrow 12:30pm. Also in the agenda tomorrow is an ICE workshop at 11:00am and a Road Safety / Car Care Talk at 2:00pm.

Pictures:

Car detailing workshop at Ampang Park this afternoon

  
Car clubs present today include Proton Satria Neo, classic Mini, and Perodua Viva.

KON

Peugeot recently announced a new concept vehicle to be unveiled at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Officially dubbed the 5 by Peugeot, this is widely believed to be a near-production ready prototype of the Peugeot 508 sedan, set to be the simultaneous successor of both the 407 and 607 sedans.

Measuring 4,860mm × 1,880mm × 1,420mm, the 5 by Peugeot has a wheelbase of 2,815mm. It is powered by a front-mounted 163hp 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, which further teams up with a 37hp rear-mounted electric motor to form Peugeot’s HYbrid4 drive.

In plain English, this adds up to a 200hp AWD package with a 3.8 litre/100km consumption and 99 g/km of CO₂ emitted. Peugeot has announced that the HYbrid4 drive will be launched as standard on the 3008 MPV-SUV-crossover-whatever.

Official images available from Peugeot show the 5 by Peugeot in what seem to be computer generated images and sketches, though it must be said that certain details look really good. The three vertical bar tail light gives the rear unmistakable distinction, whilst the front end exudes an enormous amount of class.

We are looking forward to the real deal.

KON

Writer’s Note: Thanks to forummer lowpro for bringing this to our attention. Talk about the “5 by Peugeot” in our forum here.

Last month, we pitted the Peugeot 308 against the highly talented Ford Focus in an eagerly anticipated comparison test. On the strength of its performance, build quality, and high equipment levels, the 308 Turbo emerged as a convincing winner. That the 308 won was no insult to the hugely impressive Focus, undone for the most part by its gearbox, but shows what fantastic preposition the 308 is.

Recently, the 308 once again emerged triumphant in a contest against its rivals, and this time it’s not just the Focus. The 308 fended off challenges from the Mitsubishi Lancer GT, Mazda3 Sport, Hyundai i30, Nissan Sylphy Tuned by Impul, Fiat Bravo GT, and Honda Civic to take home the Midsize Sedan/Hatchback category award in the recent Autocar Asean Car of the Year Awards 2009.

The 308 – Autocar Asean’s Midsize Sedan/Hatchback of the Year 2009

An unnamed representative of the judging panel remarked,  “Choosing the Peugeot 308 as the winner was a surprisingly easy decision. Combining value with practicality, a lengthy spec sheet and great dynamics, it deservedly won over some very talented cars.”

For the awards, the cars were evaluated on the grounds of styling, utility, safety, features, build quality, brand image, ride, handling, economy, performance and value for money.

Meanwhile, in an unrelated development, also from Peugeot, Nasim Sdn Bhd has informed us that all buyers of the Peugeot 407 who register their cars between 1 Nov 2009 and 31 Dec 2009 will enjoy a very attractive 1.75% loan interest rate, down from 3.4-3.5%. What’s the fine print? This deal is exclusive with EON Bank, and the cars must be registered before 31 Dec 2009. (ed: A brilliant way of clearing year end stocks!)

The 407 – Now available with 1.75% interest rate.

KON

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE FROM NAZA AUTOMOTIVE GROUP

In a statement issued recently, the Naza Automotive Group advised owners of Naza, Kia, and Peugeot to use the appropriate fuel for their vehicles.

According to the statement, RON 95 is suitable for the following vehicles:

Naza

• Citra
• Suria
• Citra II Rondo
• 206 Bestari
• Forza

Kia

• Sportage
• Carnival
• Carens
• Picanto
• Optima
• Spectra5
• Spectra
• Rondo

Peugeot

• 206
• 407
• 308 Turbo
• 308 Vti

The Naza Sorento, Kia Sorento and Kia Pregio use diesel.

For more information on the Naza Group of Companies please visit www.naza.com.my

The media launch of the facelifted Peugeot 407 took place on none other than Valentines’ Day itself at the Peugeot Blue Box at Glenmarie. Unveiling the car to members of the press were CEO of Nasim Sdn Bhd, En SM Nasarudin and Peugeot’s ASEAN Regional Office General Director Mr Dominique Dourouze.

There were 2 units of the facelifted 407 were shown to us – the Classic version in Nera black, and the Premium version in Bianca white. Scroll down for pictures from the launch.

Nasarudin giving his launching speech. 

Members of the press getting shots of Nasarudin.

“Ladies and gentlemen…”

“…presenting, the new Peugeot 407!” 

Nasarudin & Dourouze posing for photographers, who happily take it all in.

Nasarudin & Dourouze inspecting the new interior.

Facelifted tail (left) gives 407 sportier look compared to original (right).

Closer look at the taillights. Rear fog lamps standard.

Little changed up front.

Classy Piano black finish for dash. Classic interior gets integrated multifunction display, while Premium gets multimedia touchscreen.

Classic interior (left) vs Premium interior (right)

Multimedia touchscreen very impressive.

Quirky handbrake position a product of its left-hand drive origins.

Models pose with the car. (No, they’re not French)

“Stay away from my car!”

“Happy Valentine’s Day!”

Other related articles about the launch.
- New Peugeot 407 introduced – by Sue
- New 407 Launched – by SBY

Two trim levels offered

RM128,888 for standard trim 

RM136,888 for premium trim

 Nasim Sdn Bhd is ratcheting up their Peugeot programme with the introduction of a fresh faced 407 executive sedan.

Not contented with pricing the car to hit the Japanese broadside, they are now offering improved specifications to make the deal even more enticing.

Upgrades, depending on your preferred trim level, include multimedia satellite navigation system, piano black trim for the centre console, and leather seats. The satnav no longer perches uncomfortably on top of the dashboard, it is now integrated into the central display, giving the whole dahsboard a cleaner more updated look

The new front grille and bumper combo also features a front proximity sensor while the boot gets a more pronounced spoiler.

The new rear lights lamp cluster are surrounded by a new bumper valance combination mould and they have been redesigned to make the 407 look wider and more planted from the back.

 PRESS RELEASE

New Peugeot 407 introduced

KUALA LUMPUR – The new Peugeot 407 has been introduced into the Malaysian automotive market by Nasim Sdn Bhd (NSB), the official franchise holder of Peugeot automobiles in Malaysia on Saturday, 14 February 2009 at Peugeot Blue Box Glenmarie in Shah Alam, Selangor. The car was launched by En SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin, Executive Chairman and CEO of Nasim Sdn Bhd.

The Peugeot 407 was the first locally assembled, Peugeot badged model that was handled by NSB after officially taking over the Peugeot franchise in early 2008.

The new Peugeot 407 comes in two versions; the classic and premium versions. Differences between the two versions are the Multimedia and Navigation Screen and leather upholstery which comes with the Premium version. Upgrades over the previous version of the 407 include front parking sensors, new piano black finish for the central console, new sporty front grille and also redesigned rear boot lid with a  more acutely angled ducktail spoiler for greater high speed stability, lights and rear bumper which now incorporates a rear valance to create a wider look at the rear. The rear number plates have also been repositioned lower. In addition, the multi info display that was previously positioned on the top of the dashboard in its own housing has been incorporated into the Multimedia and Navigation Screen for a cleaner look. The proven 2.0L EW10A engine that develops 140hp at 6,000rpm and 200Nm of torque at 4,000rpm remains in the new 407.

En SM Nasarudin said that the two versions of the 407 cater to slightly different buyer profiles and these cars reflect the growing taste of Malaysian buyers for European automobiles. He adds that the cars have been very well specified and are being positioned as premium offerings within their respective segments. The 407 had also been a success for NSB as they have already achieved their 2008 sales target for the model and have exhausted all stock of their 2008 models.

NSB also informs that the prices of the cars are now RM128,888 for the standard and RM136,888 for the premium. Both prices indicated are On-The-Road (OTR). The new 407 which scored a full five stars in the EuroNCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) safety crash tests complements the recently launched Peugeot 308 VTi and 308 Turbo in NSB’s locally assembled Peugeot line-up. Apart from locally assembled models NSB also imports the 308 GT and 207 CC. For more information, customers may call the toll free Peugeot Careline at 1-800-88-6292.