The HS is priced from Bt919,000 to Bt1.119 million. However the first 1,000 customers get a special Bt34,000 cash discount or Bt34,000 worth of accessories. With the first option, prices are lowered to Bt885,000 to Bt1.085million.

MG earlier shocked the market by launching the electric vehicle ZS EV priced at only Bt1.19 million, said a Thursday release.

The new ZS model will reach over 100 MG dealers countrywide by September 28 and delivery will start in October, according to Pongsak Lertruedeewattanavong, vice president of MG Sales (Thailand) Co Ltd.

“We made our breakthrough in the Thai SUV market with the MG GS released three years ago and followed by the MG ZS. These two models have been positively welcomed by Thai customers and have successfully established the MG brand as a key player in the B-SUV and C-SUV segments,” he said.

“The MG ZS is considered as our pinnacle product in paving a way for a new vehicle segment in Thailand based on MG’s product specialty. This new segment has seen interest from Thai car owners since then. MG is certain that the HS announced today is going to be a new milestone of both our brand and SUV market of Thailand.”

The HS is powered by a 1.5-litre E85-compatible turbocharged engine developing 162hp and 250Nm, with 0-100km/h acceleration claimed at under 10 seconds.

It comes with the latest i-SMART infotainment system with voice recognition in the Thai language, along with a package of driver assistance systems, six airbags and a 360-degree view monitor.

The car is available in both sedan and five-door fastback body styles and is priced from Bt969,000 to Bt1.198 million.

More than 2,000 fans attended the official launch on September 18, according to Thee Permpongpanth, vice president of Mazda Sales.

“We staged a sneak preview in August and received a lot of interest, so we created an online system to communicate with customers and get them registering for the launch,” he said.

He said the 1,100+ orders received in just four days broke the record of 1,000 units set in 2006. Seventy per cent of the orders were for the top-priced 2.0 SP model.

It said dealers in Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok, Songkhla, Surat Thani, Phuket and Chon Buri have begun using digital channels.

In a press release on Wednesday (September 25), it said it had been working with Thai dealerships to further build the marketplace, where more than US$500 million worth of cars were sold last year.

In Thailand, Carro averaged 100-per-cent growth throughout 2018 via e-commerce channels including its website and mobile application.

“I’m grateful to be working with Carro because it widens my market while also bringing us new opportunities,” said a used-car dealer in Phitsanulok that Carro identified only as “Mr Auan”.

“My revenue has gone up by 80 per cent because Carro gives a better price than other platforms. Their good service is another reason I’ll continue working with them.”

“By forging new technology partnerships with the dealers in Thailand, we can help them take advantage of online channels to find new potential buyers and drive up sales,” said Aaron Tan, Carro’s CEO and founder. “We want to play an active role in building their welfare, especially within regions outside of the main urban centres.”

Carro is focusing on traditional dealerships in Tier 2 and 3 cities by connecting them with private sellers via e-commerce channels and providing a “more worry-free selling experience” for the sellers.

Established in Singapore in 2015, Carro seeks to transform car ownership through buying and selling, financing, insurance, warranty, workshop and roadside assistance. It will start to implement these services in Thailand next year.

Chief executive officer Dr Li Chunrong said the new logo will be first used on the upcoming X70 completely-knocked-down model and be followed by future launches.

He said all the company’s outlets would also incorporate the new logo gradually, “We will gradually change all the centres with the new logo and expect it to be completed in two years,” he told a media briefing on Wednesday.

Li said the new branding is driven by three core values – innovative technology, reliability and international – in line with Proton’s ambition to become a truly global brand and one of the top three automotive manufacturers in Asean.

He said Proton would work with global partners, leverage the strength of its world-class supply chain, attract global talent and adopt global technology to become a competitive global automotive brand.

“Our new ethos comprises our core values of always using innovative technology, our commitment to reliability and adopting an international point of view,” he said.

Chairman Datuk Seri Syed Faisal Albar Syed Ali Rethza Albar said the new logo marked a new chapter in the automotive company’s journey.

“The modern automotive industry, like many other industries today, must adopt a global and international mindset.

“Proton will continue making the best cars that meet Malaysian needs, (will) make no mistake, but we will do this as a globally-competitive company,” he said.

On overseas expansion, Syed Faisal Albar said the company is studying other markets carefully before entering them.

“We are studying not only in terms of whether our product is an acceptable buy but also whether the country’s automotive policy fits our strategy. Its overseas expansion is not only about selling cars but also creating presence,” he said.

On hybrid and energy-efficient vehicle (EEV), Li said the company’s venture into the hybrid and EEV space would depend on the policy introduced by the government.

Proton’s new logo features a new “uncaged” design with the head of the tiger held high, symbolising Proton like an arrow-head and moving forward to success.

Potential customers can find information for current offerings in the Fuso line, model specs and vehicle comparison, while existing Fuso truck customers can access after sales service information in relation to Fuso oil, genuine parts or local parts for their maintenance needs.

The website also offers users the “build” function, where people can choose the body application of the truck and check out a preview on what their truck will look like. This also means that customers can find the most suitable truck for their business.

“We keep our customer’s needs at the heart of our daily operations, and this website was designed with that firmly in mind. We hope it will be able to address any of our customers’ questions when they are online or lead them to us offline,” said Stefano Giordani, CEO of DCVT.

He added that the website was designed with real users in mind, focusing on prioritising functions that can be helpful to the customers. This is also part of Fuso’s One-Stop-Solution strategy, where customers are provided with support from the time they are considering buying a truck until they have bought it.

The website can be found at www.dcvt.co.th.

In August, sales comprised of 33,036 passenger cars (down 3.3 per cent) and 47,802 commercial vehicles (down 9.2 per cent), TMT vice president Paveena Nantikulvanich said in the company’s monthly report.

She said the Thai economy is experiencing a slowdown similar to the world economy, which as affected purchasing power and consumer confidence.

However, sales in the first eight months was still positive, with 685,652 vehicles sold, an increase of 4.2 per cent compared to the same period last year.

“The passenger car market grew by 6 per cent while the commercial vehicle market grew by 3.1 per cent,” she said, adding that contributing factors were the introduction of new models and attractive promotions that has been offereed particularly durng the first half of 2019.

Paveena said auto sales in September are expected to remain stable.

“The government has been launching economic stimulus measures while auto companies are still introducing new models as well as offering attractive sales promotions in order to continuously stimulate the market,” she said. “However, concern about the economic slowdown may affect purchasing power, and that may keep September auto sales in a static state.”

Top sellers in August were Toyota with 27,120 units (same as last year), Isuzu with 12,288 units (down 6.4 per cent) and Honda with 11,609 units, up 2.7 per cent.

The RX300 comes in two models with the Luxury costing Bt4,230,000, Premium Bt4,740,000 while the F SPORT is priced at Bt5,350,000. Prices of the other models are listed on the company’s website and available at dealers.

The new Lexus RX comes with new Spindle Grille design with headlights inspired by Lexus LC’s, sequential LED signal lights, among other features.

Equipped with a 12.3-inch Electro Multi Vision (EMV) display screen, and Remote Touch Interface central control system, it can be operated at the touch of a finger. The new model also supports Apple Car Play and Android Auto.

In addition, it boasts several innovative systems including Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), a system that alerts the steering wheel and car screen when travelling across the lane, and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, a speed control system that provides constant speed without having to step on the accelerator.

Buyers making a booking for any new RX model within September 2019 will receive a special Lexus Exclusive Package which extends the warranty period from the normal 4 to 5 years with unlimited mileage; along with other benefits such as Lexus Concierge Service, the personal secretary service for RX customers. Existing Lexus customers switching to the new RX will receive an additional Lexus Exclusive PLUS, which will cover maintenance and spare parts for 5 years.

There is also a free down payment campaign with special interest of 1.99 per cent for those interested in reserving a car during the launch at Central Embassy, Bangkok from September 20-22 , and at official dealers throughout this month.

Perodua president and CEO Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad said the company had secured more than 5,000 bookings of the new vehicle since its order books were opened in Aug 22.

The new Axia, which was officially launched by Perodua chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin at Perodua Sentral here yesterday, comes with a 1.0-litre engine and a choice of either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

The five-door compact car is available in six grades of E, G, GXtra, SE, AV and STYLE.

The GXtra, SE, AV and STYLE variants come with Vehicle Stability Control and Traction Control, while the AV gets the additional Advance Safety Assist 2.0 system.

On-the-road without insurance its price ranges from RM24,090 to RM43,190 in Peninsular Malaysia.

Some 400,000 units of the Axia had been sold since the model was introduced in September 2014.

They are similarly priced – Bt969,000 for the 2.0 C, Bt1.069 million for the 2.0 S, and Bt1.198 million for the 2.0 SP, respectively. All come with free first-class insurance, three years’ maintenance and a three-year warranty.

The Mazda3 is the first model in Mazda’s new generation of products, said Chanchai Trakarnudomsuk, president of Mazda Sales (Thailand) Co Ltd.

“We’ve been preparing the marketing strategy to relay the new image of the brand, the showroom and the servicing policies,” he said. “We’ve set up new communication channels to serve the new models and to step up to ‘Mazda Premium’ status.

“Customers will be able to experience the increased value of our products, led by the outstanding design and attention to detail, along with high-grade materials and unforgettable driving experience with oneness between car and driver.”

Thee Permpongpanth, vice president for marketing and government relations, said the Mazda3 features the Kodo Design and the “Less is More” design concept in both exterior and interior.

“While the sedan offers a high level of luxury and attention to detail, the five-door fastback has a sportier character,” he said. “Although both have the same model name, they have totally different concepts for design and image.”

Thee said the SkyActiv-G 2.0-litre engine has been tuned for excellent power and fuel economy, featuring a direct-injection fuel system, new fuel injection design, high compression ratio, increased torque, better fuel economy and more environmental friendliness.

It produces 165 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 213Nm of torque at 4,000rpm, while the fuel economy is claimed at 15.9km/litre.

New features include Cruise & Traffic Support, Smart Brake Support – Reverse Crossing, G-Vectoring Control Plus (GVC Plus), Mazda Connect infotainment with Apple CarPlay and a more comprehensive i-ActiveSense safety package with Mazda Radar Cruise Control and 360-degree view monitor, plus seven airbags.

In Thailand, the Mazda3 competes head-on with other C-segment cars such as the newly launched Toyota Corolla Altis (which is also available in hybrid versions) and the Honda Civic.

“Worsening global economic conditions, the trade war between the US and China, and the high cost of innovation for carmakers will continue to dampen sales,” S&P Global Ratings credit analyst Vittoria Ferraris noted.

“We expect auto manufacturers will suffer some margin erosion, particularly in the mass-market segment, as they may struggle to fully pass through the increased cost of connectivity, electrification, and autonomous driving. These rising costs will translate in higher auto prices and damage consumer affordability, additionally deterring car buyers,” she added.

On the plus side, persistently low interest rates should support affordability, while a rich pipeline of new models featuring sophisticated upgraded connectivity and electrification options and autonomous solutions will be attractive for the market. “However, we do not think this will be sufficient to raise global light vehicles sales next year, following the dip in 2019 sales that we estimate this year,” Ferraris said.

“We now expect light vehicle sales in China to decline by 7 per cent-9 per cent this year, while we foresee a 3-per-cent decline in the US and up to a 2-per-cent decline in Europe.

“For 2020 and 2021, our base case assumption is for zero to 1-per-cent growth in global light vehicle sales. We expect all market regions will experience volume weakness, except in China, which may see a modest rebound, although not before 2021.”