Daihatsu Begins Sales of the New Compact Car Viva in Malaysia

DAIHATSU MOTOR CO., LTD. (Daihatsu) announced today that it has, together with Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) its Malaysian automobile production and sales joint venture company located in Selangor, Malaysia, begun sales of a new compact car, the Viva. An event to mark the launch of the Viva was held in Kuala Lumpur in the evening of May 10.

Daihatsu VIVA

The Viva, based on the mini vehicle Mira in Japan, was developed under an R&D project led by Perodua to meet the diversifying needs and higher demand for compact cars in the Malaysian market. Locally supplied parts for the vehicle are 90% of the total, the highest of any Perodua model to date. The monthly sales target is 6,500 units and the manufacturer's suggested retail prices range between RM28,000 and RM45,000 (approximately 0.9 to 1.38 million yen).

The new Viva offers the following features:

1. A stylish exterior design

2. Three engine types: 660cc, 850cc, and 1,000cc — 3-cylinder 12-valve engines with DVVT (Dynamic Variable Valve Timing), DOHC (Double Overhead Cam), and EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection).

3. An expansive interior

Origin of the Viva name The word viva means "long life" (in Spanish and Italian and is also used in English) as a salutation or to express praise. The term was chosen to convey the idea of saying "long live" Malaysia and the Malaysian lifestyle.

Perodua is Malaysia's second national auto manufacturer. Since the August 1994 launch of the Perodua Kancil (based on the mini vehicle Mira), Perodua has expanded its product lineup. With the cooperation of the Malaysian government, Perodua has worked to raise its cost competitiveness and enhance quality, and has expanded its business also through production of the Avanza under contract from Toyota and exported the Myvi to Indonesia.