A new Malaysian-built small car is going on Irish sale next January and at around €10,500 it will be among the country's cheapest new car models.
It's the Perodua Kelisa and it is being imported by Central Perodua Distributors, based in Clonmel, Co Tipperary. Principal of the company is Eddie O'Brien, who is also the principal of the Central Garage, Clonmel. Until recently Central held the MG Rover and Land Rover franchises for the South Tipperary area.
Perodua started car manufacturing ten years ago and Toyota holds a significant 40 per cent share in the Malaysian company. Kelisa comes with a 1.0 litre 54 bhp three-cylinder engine and it claims 55 mpg in average running. Top speed is 88 mph and it should get from 0 to 60 mph in 14.8 seconds.
At £4,842 it is the UK's lowest-priced new car. According to Eddie O'Brien, he is hoping to have around ten dealers in place by January next when the Kelisa is due to go on sale. "Kelisa has got some useful publicity like being the most economical car to own and run in the UK over three years or 60,000 miles."
Baby or mini cars are small business on the Irish market but he is promising greater growth in one year's time when a 1.3 litre small family model is launched. "That should take us into much wider territory: it promises to really expand Perodua familiarity."
Three variants of the Kelisa will be offered, the EX, GXi and EZi. The entry-level EX gives power-steering and a rear wash-wipe for the rear screen. The GXi adds central locking, electric front windows, metallic paint, colour-coded bumpers and tailgate trim. The EZi provides the automatic option. The warranty is 24 months or 24,000 miles, significantly a year shorter than that offered by all other Asian marques.
Perodua is handled in European countries, including the UK, by European Motor Holdings. Eddie O'Brien says his company was appointed as distributor here by EMH. "Our cars will be sourced from the UK and specification levels here will be similar."
UK road test reports suggest that the Kelisa in town driving is "adequate" or even "fun to drive" while at higher speeds the 1.0 litre unit was "noisy".
Perodua represents a return to the Irish market by a Malaysian car. Proton came here about 15 years ago, heralded by a spectacular and extravagant launch at Ardmore film studios in Bray, Co Wicklow. Sadly the Proton promise of more affordable motoring from a fairly basic model line-up wasn't realised through sales.