Strong rumors are circulating in town that very long time Peugeot brand guardian in Malaysia, Nasim Sdn Bhd will be releasing their ‘hold’ on the brand and Bermaz Auto Berhad (who currently assembles and distributes Mazda vehicles in Malaysia) will be working with the PSA Groupe in Malaysia to distribute Peugeot vehicles in Malaysia.
Nasim, under the Naza automotive group took over the Peugeot franchise from Cycle & Carriage in early 2008. Cycle & Carriage Automobiles Sdn. Bhd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Cycle & Carriage Bintang (CCB) Bhd ceased operation as Peugeot franchise holder in Malaysia when its franchise contract expired in 31st December 2007. By the middle of February 2008, Nasim opened its Peugeot Blue Box in Glenmarie, Shah Alam. The Peugeot Blue Box was a specialized brand center which had in it sales, service and spare parts sections all under one roof and it was launched by Dato’ Seri Rafidah Aziz, the ‘then’ Minister of International Trade and Industry.
By the end of 2009 Peugeot sales in Malaysia stood at about 3,800 units, making it the second highest selling European brand after Mercedes-Benz in Malaysia.
Nasim, as the importer and distributor for Peugeot in Malaysia did very well in the first year where Peugeot became the third highest selling European vehicle manufacturer in Malaysia. In 2009, the company sales represented 86% of Peugeot’s sales in the ASEAN region. The following year in 2010 the Malaysian produced (in Gurun) Peugeot 207 sedan was being exported to Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, Sri Lanka and selected right-hand drive markets in Africa.
There is also rumors that Bermaz Auto Berhad will be exporting Peugeot vehicles in the Philippines where Bermaz Auto Berhad has a strong existing network selling Mazda vehicles with much success.
Nasim will continue to sell Peugeot vehicles in Malaysia with their existing outlets with Bermaz Auto Berhad as the brand guardian.
In this automotive chess board game, the DS brand and Citroen will remain with Nasim as is. DS is part of the PSA Groupe and is assembled in Gurun alongside Peugeot vehicles. In February 2018, Naza Corporation Holdings and Groupe PSA announced the signing of a share sale agreement and a joint venture agreement, officially establishing shared operation of the Naza Automotive Manufacturing (NAM) plant in Gurun, Kedah, as the first manufacturing hub in ASEAN for Groupe PSA.
At the signing it was mentioned that Naza Group will have sole responsibility for the distribution of Peugeot, Citroën and DS Automobiles in the domestic market and, with Groupe PSA, will explore distribution prospects in other ASEAN markets to address the potential 680 million customers in the region, where the automotive equipment rate is growing.
