Malaysian Cayenne a reality

THE FIRST Porsche to be produced outside of Europe rolled off the production line in Malaysia recently. The right-hand-drive Cayenne variant – assembled at Sime Darby’s motor vehicle production and assembly facility in Kedah – was a local-market model made specifically for Malaysian consumption.

Assembled from CKD kits, and with local content (including the centre console, front and rear axles and front-end module), the Cayenne may, in time, be joined by other variants, or indeed other models, should there be a viable business case for it.

Porsche AG executive board member for sales and marketing, Detlev von Platen, told Malaysian media that other plans, including ASEAN exports, were possible.

“We have reached a new milestone, rolling out the first locally assembled Cayenne and fulfilling the sportscar dream of even more Malaysian Porsche fans,” he said.

Our growth strategy underlines the importance of Malaysia for Porsche as we look to expand our presence in the ASEAN region – and it demonstrates our confidence in Sime Darby as a strong partner on our side.”

Australian Porsche models will continue to be sourced from Europe, said Porsche Australia head of public relations, Chris Jordan, who added: “We will continue to source all models from Europe. The 911, 718 and Taycan from Zuffenhausen, Macan and Panamera from Leipzig, and the Cayenne from Bratislava.” 

The Kedah facility is 100 per cent staffed by Malaysian employees, all of whom have received comprehensive training from Porsche AG. 

Sime Darby CEO Datuk Jeffri Salim Davidson said the local assembly facility underscored Porsche’s commitment to Malaysia and the ASEAN region and demonstrated his company’s commitment to growing its regional production capacity.

“We are very honoured by Porsche’s continued trust in Sime Darby, as we deliver a product consistent with the brand’s highest standards for quality, performance, and driving experience,” he said.

“The facility, which is 100 per cent staffed by highly skilled Malaysians, not only supports the growth of our business across the automotive value chain in Malaysia, but also creates a pipeline of jobs to empower the local community.”

The sentiment was echoed by Malaysia’s senior minister for international trade and industry, Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, who said in a statement that the Malaysian government viewed the industry as a strategic economic sector.

“Established automotive-producing nations have demonstrated the vibrancy of the global supply chain’s development, which has been instrumental in the substantial growth of creating jobs and skilled workforce as well as generating many business opportunities for small and medium enterprises,” he said.

The facility, which visually matches Porsche’s global manufacturing identity, is air-conditioned and boasts thermally insulated walls to reduce energy consumption. It is fitted with solar panels to minimise electrical draw from the grid, and features rainwater harvesting technologies to provide fresh water for use within the plant.