14/09/2025

theSunday Special XV ON SUNDAY SEPT 14, 2025

Electrification milestone Proton opens Malaysia’s first dedicated EV assembly plant

You should care about driving dynamics THE driving dynam ics of a car is proba bly one of the most underrated aspects for new car buyers. But yet, it is one of the most important at the same time. Too many people why don’t more car makers spend time fine tuning the han dling of their cars before put ting it out in the market? Chinese cars

MALAYSIA marked a major milestone in its auto motive history with the launch of the nation’s first assembly plant dedicated exclusively to electric vehicle (EV) production. Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim officiated the opening at Proton’s Tanjung Malim facility, located within the Automotive High Tech Valley (AHTV). Full-scale production begins this month, just seven months after the groundbreaking ceremony held on Feb 7. The Proton e.MAS 7, introduced in December last year and now regarded as Malaysia’s best-sell ing EV, will be the first model to be completely knocked down (CKD) and assembled at the plant. It will soon be followed by Proton’s second EV, the e.MAS 5. As part of Proton’s collaboration with Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, the facility will also assemble other premium marques under Geely’s portfolio, including Zeekr. The new plant sits on a 5.57-acre site with an overall investment of RM82 million. The first phase, worth RM47 million, has the capacity to pro duce 20,000 vehicles annually. With scalability built into its design, production can be expanded to accommodate up to 45,000 units per year. Developed in close partnership with Geely’s

technical experts, the assembly line integrates a blend of automation and highly skilled human operators. Specialised equipment such as the tyre manipu lator chassis line, rear sub-assembly line, spring compression machines, and pallet sub-assembly systems form part of the production process. Final assembly is handled by conveyor systems working in tandem with the chassis line. Additional equipment includes glass glazing machines, chassis number engraving systems, and an EV-specific electrical device checking unit to ensure quality standards are met. Features such as a sunroof manipulator and dedicated component preparation zones further enhance efficiency. In preparation for operations, 30 employees have already been hired in critical roles, with com prehensive training provided. Over time, the plant will create more than 200 new jobs for the local community, with a focus on EV industrialisation and advanced technical exper tise. The launch of the new plant at Tanjung Malim positions Proton at the centre of Malaysia’s transi tion to electrification, reinforcing AHTV’s role as a national hub for advanced automotive technology and innovation.

WRITTEN BY KESHY DHILLON

underestimate the importance of a car

tend to focus on their interiors

that handles well and focus instead on the size of the infotainment screen, for example. While the infotainment system is important, I believe that the dynamics of a car should be a big part of your consideration when buying a car. A car that handles like a boat will make your pas sengers and you feel nox ious. And worse, cars with a softish suspension tend to have a delay in response when you turn the steering wheel thus throwing the weight of the car from side to side, ultimately giving your passengers a “bobble head” effect. This is a horrible feeling and unfortunately a lot of car makers especially, the newer ones, get the dynamics all wrong. I have driven hundreds of cars in my career and that is both a curse and a blessing at the same time. It is a blessing because it is something that I have always wanted to do since buying the first car maga zine light years ago. I am truly grateful to be able to do what I love. Having driven that many cars allow me to deep dive into a database of cars in my mind when reviewing them It is also a curse because there is a tendency to pick up on the slightest niggle. From the sound of the air conditioning to the way a door closes, there is a ten dency to notice everything. My father hates it and once told me that I overthink cars and that no one sweats the small stuff like I do. But I just can’t help it. I love cars. But there is nothing that I notice more than the way a car handles. So when I recently drove the new Mazda CX-60, it is no exaggeration to say that I was blown away. Having driven bland cars from China, Japan and Europe over the past few months, driving the CX-60 was both refreshing and a reminder as well. It had me wondering,

and the size of their screens. Some of them even have karaoke fea tures, but a lot of the cars from China tend to have vanilla handling. The Japanese, while a lot superior when it comes to handling, have dulled down a little as well. For Toyota, unless you buy something with a GR badge, the han dling is going to be just that. Hondas are better but it is Mazda that sets the bench mark. The Europeans, of course there is Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but unless you spend close to half a million ringgit on something like a BMW M340i, Mercedes-Benz C43 or something along the lines, you get some thing that just passes the dynamics test rather than excels at it. The Mazda CX-60 though checked all the boxes. Mazda’s engineers even went a step further to produce something called Kinematic Posture Control (KPC) to ensure the car handles nicely in corners. This cleverly brakes the inner wheel which then pulls the car down, mini mises body roll and lets you flow through a corner with minimal steering effort. Why would they do that unless they too care about good handling cars? While the tech was ini tially intended for the MX-5 sports car, it is now avail able in the big, heavy, CX 60. Why bother with all that unless you really want your customers to enjoy driving your cars, right? Then just for added fun, they included a grand design, an elegant yet understated interior, a bril liant Bose sound system and even twin digital screens. All for around the RM200,000 region. I tip my hat to the guys at Mazda. They are real car guys and in a world that seems to only care about profits and gigantic screens rather than focusing on driving pleasure, Mazda and its values should be protected at all costs.

New CX-80 three-row SUV launched BERMAZ MOTOR has offi cially introduced the New Mazda CX-80 to the

cabin. A trio of displays – a 12.3-inch digital instru ment cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen and a head-up display – provide clear and intuitive access to vital information. A 12-speaker Bose audio

Malaysian market, marking the arrival of Mazda’s second model from its Large Product Group. Positioned as the

system adds to the sense of immersion, while smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto ensures seamless connectivity. Powering the

brand’s flagship three row SUV, the CX-80 represents a bold step forward for Mazda in com bining luxury, performance and family-friendly versatil ity. First revealed in Europe in April 2024 and previewed locally at the Kuala Lumpur artistry with purposeful engineering, embodying the brand’s Jinba-Ittai ethos – the seamless connection between car and driver – while catering to the mod ern family with advanced comfort, space and safety. From the outside, the CX-80 makes a command ing impression. Its elongated proportions, stretched wheelbase and tapered

CX-80 is Mazda’s advanced 2.5-litre e-Skyactiv PHEV sys tem, pairing a Skyactiv-G four-cyl inder petrol engine with an electric motor for a com bined output of 323hp and 500Nm of torque. Energy is stored in a 17.8kWh lithium-ion battery, offering up to 65km of zero-emission electric driving. For Malaysia, the New

International Mobility Show the same year, the CX 80 is built around Mazda’s “Graceful Toughness” design philosophy. It combines Japanese

Mazda CX-80 will be offered fully imported (CBU) from Japan, with prices starting from RM330,000. It is available in a refined palette of col ours, including Melting Copper, Artisan Red, Rhodium White, Jet Black and Platinum Quartz, each designed to highlight the

cabin design give it both elegance and presence. The cabin extends this sense of refinement, blend ing minimalism with functionality. The six-seat configuration features captain-style chairs in the second row with a full-length centre console, while the third row offers a generous two seat bench. Technology takes centre stage in the CX-80’s

SUV’s sculpted form. To provide added assurance, Bermaz Motor includes a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty and a 5 year free maintenance programme covering labour, parts and lubricants (excluding the Mazda BT-50). The high-voltage battery is backed by an 8-year or 160,000 km warranty, ensuring peace of mind for customers investing in Mazda’s flagship SUV.