Stellantis Malaysia NSC begins operations; Citroën, Alfa Romeo, and Jeep models on the horizon

KUALA LUMPUR: Late last year, Stellantis N.V. (Stellantis) announced its plan to set up a new National Sales Company (NSC) in Malaysia during Q1 2024. Now operational as of March 1, 2024, Stellantis Malaysia National Sales Company (Stellantis Malaysia) has assumed responsibility as the official entity for marketing, sales, distribution, and aftersales of Stellantis brands in the country.

Stellantis is one of the world’s leading automakers and a mobility provider, formed from the merger of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and the PSA Group. It owns a total of 14 brands: Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, and Vauxhall.

Jamie Francis Morais, Managing Director of Stellantis Malaysia said, “Stellantis Malaysia is an exciting start and new business chapter for us here in Malaysia. Our priorities are four-pronged - accelerating market growth, expanding product portfolio, creating new dealership opportunities nationwide, and subsequently providing improved customer experience. This includes expanding our dealer network nationwide and building a stronger presence in East Malaysia.”

Stepping into the shoes of Bermaz Auto, the former distributor for the Peugeot brand in Malaysia, Stellantis Malaysia has recently set up a one-stop call centre for Peugeot, DS, and Citroën vehicles in the country. It provides a centralised customer support service, addressing general inquiries about sales and aftersales, managing feedback and complaints, and offering 24/7 roadside assistance for accidents and breakdowns. The goal is to provide seamless support to customers during this transition period. 

“We thank Bermaz Auto for their efforts as the custodians of the PEUGEOT brand in Malaysia since December 2020. With the establishment of Stellantis Malaysia, we are committed to continuing the growth of PEUGEOT and the prospects of bringing in a wider range of vehicles from other brands under the Stellantis portfolio whilst focusing on enhancing the lives of our customers through our products and services. We will start with a focus on PEUGEOT, which is a dynamic and innovative brand that possesses an Alluring line-up that we are very excited about,” added Morais.

Future outlook

At its recent Investor Day, Stellantis Malaysia shed some light on its upcoming vehicles in the country, which include models from Peugeot as well as other brands within the Stellantis portfolio. The list includes - 

• All-new Peugeot 408 (expected to launch in Q2, 2024) 
• Locally-assembled Peugeot Landtrek
• Citroën C3 Aircross
• Alfa Romeo Tonale MHEV
• Jeep Wrangler 

Along with that, Stellantis has recently revealed its plans to transform its Gurun, Kedah plant into a primary regional manufacturing hub. This initiative is aimed at producing locally manufactured vehicles tailored for both the Malaysian market and the export market within the ASEAN region. 

With an investment exceeding RM2 billion, the company will introduce the STLA Medium platform, a modular-by-design platform facilitating the production of multi-energy vehicles (BEV, ICE, MHEV). This strategic move opens up opportunities for the local manufacturing of vehicles from Stellantis’ renowned brands, including Jeep and Citroën, at the Gurun plant.

Also read: Peugeot to introduce two new EVs - e-408 and e-5008