Weststar Group To Assemble CKD G10 MPV For ASEAN Market By 2017

KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 (Bernama) -- Weststar Group plans to commence production of its completely knocked down (CKD) Maxus G10 MPV model for ASEAN countries by 2017. Group Managing Director Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim said the company would produce the G10 MPV model through its contract car assembler in Selangor state. "After Malaysia, Indonesia will be the next ASEAN country to get our Maxus G10 MPV. "We plan to sell 12,000 units there beginning next year," he told reporters after launching the Maxus G10 MPV model here Wednesday. Currently, the completely-built up (CBU) Maxus G10 MPV model is imported from Shanghai, China. Weststar Group aims to sell between 500 and 1,000 units of the Maxus G10 MPV model in Malaysia this year, Syed Azman said, adding that, to date it had received orders for 200 units. "We are confident that the model will be the premium family choice in this segment," he said. The British heritage G10 MPV is a 10-seater people mover, powered by a 2.0 litre TGI engine with 225 horsepower and 345m torque. Meanwhile, Syed Azman said Weststar Group hoped to capture a 10 per cent market share in the MPV segment in the country. On average, 40,000 units of MPV are sold annually, he said. Syed Azman also said that the group planned to increase its automotive business turnover to 50 per cent from 20 per cent in the next three years. The group's turnover is derived mainly from the aviation sector, followed by defence and automotive. Weststar Maxus, part of the group, secured the Maxus sole distribution rights for the Asia-Pacific region from Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation. Syed Azman said the group is planning to list its aviation business on Bursa Malaysia (Stock Exchange) in the third quarter this year. "We plan to go for the initial public offering last year but postponed it due to weak market condition. Perhaps we will go again this year," he said. -- BERNAMA