2009 was a year filled with headlines of doom and gloom, of slumping sales and plunging revenues, no thanks to one of the worst global recession in recent memory. But as always, we have made it through the year. We are now one month into 2010, and the automotive world, along with the global economy at large, is looking good. 2010 will see the launch of countless models by automakers big and small; But pertinent to you and me is the burning question: how many will actually make it over to Malaysia? This article aims to answer precisely that by compiling a list that includes both confirmed news and unverified rumours…
In most cases, a supermini would be relatively inexpensive, catering to the lower-end of the mass market. But coming towards the end of 2010 is no run-of-the-mill supermini. Aston Martin Cygnet, in effect a rebadged, restyled Toyota iQ, will be limited to 2000 units, available for sale only to existing Aston Martin owners. On a more affordable scale, with Naza taking over the Chevrolet brand in Malaysia, will we see the recently-launched Chevrolet Spark (Beat) here?
Naza would launch the Peugeot 207 hatchback and 207 Sedan, the latter of which is based on 206’s chassis. The much-discussed Kia Soul, which could be classified either as a mini MPV or large hatchback, would make its Malaysian debut. Mazda 2 and Ford Fiesta, both of which share the same chassis, would be competing to set the segment’s handling benchmark.
Proton Waja will be 10 years old this year, so we should be seeing its replacement sometime in 2010. Less important but more interesting would be the introduction of the two-door coupe Kia Forte Koup to complement its recently-launched four-door sedan sibling, the Forte. Ford Focus, probably in both five-door hatchback and four-door sedan body styles, would be launched with a turbodiesel drivetrain. Chevrolet Cruze, GM’s first global car entrusted with reviving the automotive giant, was scheduled for a 2009 launch, so we should definitely see it in 2010. The mid-size crossover Peugeot 3008 is also confirmed by Naza as heading our way.
2010 will continue 2009’s trend of favouring hard-top convertibles; Malaysia should welcome at least two coupe-convertibles in Peugeot 308 CC and the all-new Renault Megane CC. Neither are overly exciting, but alternatives are few and far between in the mid-size convertible segment.
The current Sonata offers generous equipments and loads of room at an attractive price, but still lacks the quality of class-leaders Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Perhaps it is time for the new Hyundai Sonata to set the record straight?
Alfa Romeo Giulietta would replace the veteran 147, and MINI has finally revealed the mini-SUV Countryman, a not-so-mini MINI that will arrive in the fourth quarter of 2010. And how about the MINI One, and possibly the MINI One convertible? Malaysia is due for a lower-priced MINI to complement the MINI Cooper range.
The all-new Volvo S60, loaded with technology as always, is one of the most-anticipated car of 2010. Will it collapse under the weight of expectation or rise to the occasion against the German trio of Audi A4, BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class? We will see.
2009 saw the introduction of Mercedes-Benz E-Class; 2010 will see the launch of the all-new BMW 5-Series. The two bitter rivals have dominated the segment for so long now, managing to keep rivals, such as the brilliant Jaguar XF, out of the limelight. Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet is also expected by mid-2010.
Can the all-new Audi A8 and Jaguar XJ gain ground on Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7-Series? It will be tough, but if any car is to outperform the Germans, it has to be one from Jaguar, the British company that is enjoying some kind of renaissance.
These two cars are the epitome of motoring and most probably you will not see one on the road, let alone own one. But it is worth noting that Bentley Mulsanne and Rolls-Royce Ghost will be making their debuts, for obscene amount of money… If you are one with that kind of money, know that Rolls-Royce has set up an official presence in Malaysia.
How would you like a sports coupe built to rival Audi TT, but comes without the prohibitive price tag? Say hi to the Peugeot RCZ. Nissan has brought us the iconic Nissan 370Z coupe, so surely we will see the Nissan 370Z roadster too? Volkswagen Malaysia has in its model range the last-generation Golf R32, so there is a good possibility we will see both Golf R and Scirocco R by the middle of 2010.
Maserati GranCabrio, one of the prettiest grand tourer convertible in the market, can be yours for an estimated 1.3–1.5 million ringgit. And if you do have deep pockets, how can you miss out on the Aston Martin Rapide, a four-door sports coupe that puts Porsche’s Panamera to absolute shame—looks-wise, that is.
The supercar segment will see heavyweights Ferrari 458 Italia, F430’s successor, going head-on with Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, a lightweight, extreme version of Gallardo. Find these supercars too common and too affordable? Perhaps Pagani C9, Zonda’s replacement, is the hypercar for you then.
The first-generation Kia and Hyundai models focused on providing value for money, but if the new-generation Hyundai ix35, Kia Sportage and Kia Sorento drive anywhere as well as they look, then perhaps it is time to stop the Korean car jokes. The Japanese automakers should be very worried indeed.
With Audi Q5 having been introduced in 2009 and Mercedes-Benz GLK coming in 2011, BMW will dominate the headlines in 2010 with two new models: BMW X1 and BMW X3. X1 will cater to the market segment occupied by the current X3. The new X3 will be positioned further upmarket, in between X1 and X5.
The high-end luxury SUV segment is going to see the all-new Porsche Cayenne and Volkswagen Touareg, both of which are based on the same platform. Cars in this segment are however mostly in the “good-to-know” category, as they demand ridiculous buying and running costs. The greatest example of over-the-top and overkill? The recently-launched BMW X6 M.
In a segment dominated by sub-RM 100K models such as Nissan Grand Livina and Toyota Avanza, it is hard to see the more expensive all-new Mazda 5 and Ford S-Max gaining sales traction in Malaysia. Based on Peugeot 308’s platform, Peugeot 5008, the seven-seater version of 3008, will be Malaysia-bound too.
The Malaysian government lowered the tax on hybrid models for a reason: To promote the purchase of clean, efficient cars. For now, however, options are limited with only Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Prius available in Malaysia. So, for the sake of competition and our environment, we hope to see Honda’s new sporty hybrid coupe, the Honda CR-Z, gracing our Malaysian roads.
Tags: Buyer's Guide • Featured • Future • Honda • Malaysia • Nissan • Toyota
[...] to confirm the identity of that car. We made an educated guess at the start of the year that the Waja replacement will be launched in 2010; since, after all, the Waja has been in production for a decade now, forced to soldier on no thanks [...]