KUALA LUMPUR: The Stellantis Gurun plant in Kedah has started production of the new Peugeot 408, featuring an updated 1.6-litre turbocharged PureTech powertrain with Euro 6 rating.
The award-winning fastback is earmarked for regional export, with Taiwan confirmed as the third market to receive the Malaysian-built model after Thailand in 2024, and Cambodia in 2025.
Supported by a 1.5 million euros (RM7mil) investment, the Stellantis Gurun plant has undergone a manufacturing line upgrade, including specialised research and development for powertrain calibration and localised parts development.
This configuration delivers an upgraded 225hp, similar to the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant while maintaining a lighter 168kg kerb weight.
Additional markets across the Asia-Pacific region are currently being evaluated for the export of this high-performance and efficient model.
Stellantis Asean managing director Isaac Yeo said, “Our vision to transform Gurun into a key regional driver is taking shape, supported by strategic investments to upgrade this vital facility for both local and export production."
"This latest development emphasises our commitment to scaling production outputs in Malaysia while extending the breadth of brands and models within the Stellantis portfolio to meet the diverse needs of the region.”
Stellantis aims to transform the Gurun plant into a regional manufacturing powerhouse with industry-leading quality standards.
The company aims to achieve full production capacity at the facility, targeting the export of 280,000 vehicles to 20 countries across the Asia-Pacific region by 2028.
Such growth is underpinned by a strategy set for Stellantis Gurun to accommodate the manufacturing of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), internal combustion engines (ICE), and mild hybrid electric vehicles (MHEV).
These efforts include the localised assembly of Leapmotor electric vehicles, beginning with the Leapmotor C10 following a dedicated 5 million euros (RM23.37mil) investment.
