คำตอบที่ 10
รายละเอียดตลอดจนราคาที่ทำโมเดลนี้ออกมาขายในช่วงนั้น ขอคัดลอกเค้ามาทั้งดุ้นแล้วกัน สมาชิกท่านใดแปลเก่ง เชิญครับ!
As low price and affordability have characterised the pricing strategies of the national makes, the omission of certain safety items has been necessary. In earlier years (the 1980s), this was not so much of an issue but these days, buyers are more conscious of safety and expect to see things like airbags and ABS as standard. It doesnt help that the non-national makes have already included such items as standard, although their models also cost more as well.
Now, as the AFTA era of a more level playing field looms, its time for the national carmakers to be more responsive to the expectations of buyers, many of whom want to see higher standards of safety provided. In forum discussions, it seems that people are willing to pay the extra which the carmakers say they just cannot absorb as ABS and airbags do cost a fair bit.
So now, its time to bite the bullet and start equipping cars to customer expectations so as not to lose them altogether. This is what Perodua is starting to do with the latest Kembara CT Elegance which was launched today at its factory complex outside Rawang, Selangor. The Elegance version takes over from the Kembara CT EZ as the top version (more about that CT tag later) with a price tag of RM59,988 (Peninsular Malaysia, inclusive of roadtax, insurance and a package of accessories). This is RM3,783 more than the EZ version and clearly, the extra cost is mostly taken up by the ABS and airbags.
ABS and airbags dont need introduction, of course, since their benefits are well known. However, it is worth emphasising that the dual front airbags are typically described as Supplementary Restraint Systems (SRS) which means they are supposed to work together with seatbelts fastened. The seatbelts provide the primary restraint during a frontal collision but with an airbag as well, the driver or front passenger will have better restraint and additional protection from head injuries that can occur banging against the steering wheel, dashboard or in some extreme cases, the windscreen.
Incorporating the airbag systems and ABS were not that complicated since the Daihatsu version has some versions with these items so the basic integration was already done. However, because the Kembara is a Perodua adaptation of the Terios and has a slightly different structure and weight, it was necessary to carry out crash tests and other calibration exercises to ensure that the airbag sensors are correctly tuned to the Kembara.
"Most people would think that it is just a matter of taking the airbag modules from the Daihatsu model and install them in the Kembara but it is more than that," Ithar Othman, General Manager of Peroduas R&D Division told MALAYSIAN MOTOR TRADER.
Perodua sources said that the airbag modules and ABS cost around RM3,300 so theres an additional RM483 which is accounted for by some new accessories such as leather upholstery front and rear, more sporty alloy wheels and side steps. These items would probably add up to more than RM500 so its also evident that there has been some serious reductions in manufacturing costs, a crucial factor for the company in coming years.
However, this cost-cutting is not being done by sacrificing quality and in fact, Perodua is being pushed to raise its standards to very high standards as it is about to produce a new Toyota MPV model as a contract assembler. Toyota, having earned a reputation for exceptionally build high quality, would demand any contract assembler to deliver vehicles bearing its badge to also have the kind of quality that is benchmarked by the rest of the industry.
In at least one area, there is visible improvement and that is the paintwork which is the of the highest standard among locally-assembled models. According to Tan Sri Datuk Asmat Kamaludin, Peroduas Chairman, the company had invested in new equipment for its paintshop in recent times which has been able to make the finish much more glossy than ever before. Incidentally, the new Kembara CT Elegance has an exclusive colour (the only one it comes with too) which is Klasik Gold, a light golden shade.
Apart from the two new safety features, the mechanical specifications of the Kembara CT Elegance is pretty much the same as the Kembara CT EZ. It comes only with a 4-speed electronically-controlled automatic transmission and of course, full-time 4WD with a manually lockable centre differential (which Kembara owners are unlikely to need). The 1.3-litre 4-cylinder engine has DVVT which is Daihatsus version of variable valve timing that enhances performance, improves fuel economy and makes combustion cleaner.
Now about that CT tag which you may not have noticed before. Apparently, this has been used since late last year and there are some differences with the earlier non-CT models. These differences can be found on the exterior and also in the seat fabrics, as well as the inclusion of a CD player in the audio system. In all, there are some 10 items which were added to the CT versions.
So now those who have been complaining that national carmakers are indifferent to consumer demands for more safety features will have no more cause for dissatisfaction. They should understand that ABS and airbags do cost a fair bit and if they want such items, then they have to pay the extra which would be worth it for the peace of mind when driving. For those who place a higher priority on saving money, well, you have the option of leaving out those items. Freedom of choice its yours.
PENINSULAR MALAYSIA PRICES FOR KEMBARA CT
(inclusive of accessories, roadtax and insurance for 1 year)
EX (Manual) Metallic : RM47,888
EX (2-tone) : RM48,604
GX (Manual) Metallic : RM53,360
GX (2-tone) : RM53,500
EZ (Automatic) Metallic : RM56,068
EZ (2-tone) : RM56,205
Elegance (Metallic) : RM59,988
