KUALA LUMPUR: Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) is confident its newly launched Perodua Alza will be the top-selling multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) in 2010.

Managing director Datuk Syed Abdull Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar said Perodua was targeting to sell between 3,500 and 4,000 units of the model per month, adding that it had already received 3,500 bookings for the Alza since Nov 13.


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

“Based on our target of 4,000 units a month, it should be the highest (selling MPV),” he told a press conference before the launch of Alza yesterday.

Hafiz said he expected the local MPV segment to grow to 30% of total industry volume in 2010 compared with 10%–11% currently.

He said the Alza was targeted at young families and urban singles, adding that the bulk of the pre-launch orders were for the automatic variants.

The Alza is available in standard, premium and advanced variants. All variants are available in both manual and automatic transmissions.

With a starting price of RM56,000, the Alza (which means “to rise” in Spanish) is the cheapest MPV in the market. The vehicle maker will in March launch the advanced variants, priced at between RM67,000 and RM70,000.

Asked about the potential impact of Proton Holdings Bhd’s newly launched Exora Basic variant, which has a starting price of RM57,548, Hafiz said: “I don’t think it would affect us significantly.”

“We did a survey and found that 30% of the respondents would purchase an MPV if it was affordable,” Hafiz said.

As of October 2009, Perodua had sold 138,000 vehicles compared with 142,000 units a year earlier. It currently commands a 31.1% market share of TIV.

Hafiz said the Alza would boost its market share to 31.5% of an estimated TIV of 520,000 units by the year-end. Perodua expected its market share to reach 33.3% next year when the TIV was projected to hit 530,000, he added.

Currently, Myvi and Viva account for 55% and 41% respectively of Perodua’s sales. Hafiz said the vehicle maker was on track to achieving RM7bil sales this year.

For 2010, Hafiz said the Alza would contribute 28% to total sales, with Myvi and Viva contributing 40% and 32% respectively.

Cherry QQ and Viva

The Chery QQ (codename S11) is a city car produced by the Chinese manufacturer Chery Automobile since 2003. In 2006, the car was renamed the Chery QQ3 in China, when Chery launched their new supermini, the Chery QQ6.


Engine

The QQ is available with the following two gasoline-powered engines (both EURO III compliant):
0.8 L SQR372 I3 DOHC 12v — 38 kW (51 hp) at 6000 rpm, 70 N·m (52 lb·ft) at 3500 rpm
1.1 L SQR472F I4 DOHC 16v — 50 kW (67 hp) at 6000 rpm, 90 N·m (66 lb·ft) at 3500 rpm

Copyright controversy

The QQ became the center of an industrial copyright and intellectual rights controversy, as General Motors claimed the car was a copy to the Daewoo Matiz (which is marketed outside South Korea as the Chevrolet Spark). GM executives demonstrated the extent of the design duplication, noting for example that the doors of the QQ and those of the Spark are interchangeable without modification.
GM China Group indicated the two vehicles "shared remarkably identical body structure, exterior design, interior design and key components. MotorAuthority.com and Car and Driver called the QQ a "carbon copy", while the International Herald Tribune, in a 2005 article, referred to it as a clone.
Looking at this controversy on a global stage, the Detroit News reported that "the dispute reflects the confusion, risks and ambitions in China's new auto industry, where global carmakers are battling pugnacious upstarts for a piece of what may become the world's largest auto market.

Safety

Though the Chery QQ and the Chevrolet Spark are similar cars, their safety ratings differ from each other. A Euro NCAP front offset crash test showed that the driver's injuries in the QQ are worse than those sustained in the Spark. Upon impact, the QQ driver will most likely suffer severe (possibly fatal) trauma in the head, neck and chest areas, while the Spark driver will at most receive a moderate head injury.

Global markets

Iran
In Iran, the Daewoo Matiz had been assembled by local company called Kerman Khodro since the year 2000 in a joint venture with Daewoo. However, upon being acquired by GM following its 2001 bankruptcy, Daewoo stopped supplying CKD kits to Iran due to a ban imposed by GM. As a result, Kerman Khodro licensed the Chery QQ as a replacement and put it into production at their subsidiary MVM.

Singapore
The QQ is sold in Singapore and is one of the cheapest cars in the city state.

South Africa
Four QQ3 models are available in South Africa since May 2008 and was the cheapest car when launched.

Thailand
QQ cars are available in Thailand since 2009. This car is not the cheapest car in the country due to high tariffs (not built in Thailand or an ASEAN country, but import from China). Its non-Japanese competitors are Naza Forza, Proton Savvy and Kia Picanto.

Vietnam
The QQ is the cheapest car in Vietnam.

In Malaysia, Cherry QQ also available.
would you buy this cutie or perodua viva? Your choice..

Perodua MPV expected to bring big returns

Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) has spent close to RM300 million to develop its first multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), which it will launch this month.

However, the country's largest car company in terms of sales appears poised to reap much more than its investment.

Motoring writers given a sneak preview of the MPV last week were bullish about its prospects.

The writers heaped praise on the 1.5-litre vehicle which Perodua prefers to call "a car that can be an MPV when you want it".

Perodua managing director Datuk Syed Abdull Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar said it spent RM280 million to develop the MPV. More than half went towards the assembly of its 1.5-litre engine.
"The overall investment is almost similar to that of the Myvi," Syed Hafiz told Business Times.

A senior Perodua plant executive said that some RM150 million was spent on the assembly of the MPV engine at its manufacturing facility in Sungai Choh, Selangor.

The engine factory, operated under Perodua Engine Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, manufactures key parts such as cylinder head and crankshaft for final assembly of the engine there.

Perodua has said it expects to sell at least 3,500 units of the MPV a month. Based on its design, features and price (RM56,000 to RM65,000 for three variants), a minimum monthly volume of 4,000 units is possible.