SUBANG JAYA, Aug 4 — UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd (UMWT) officially launched the all-new 3rd Generation Toyota Alphard and 2nd generation Vellfire MPV to the Malaysian market today. Whilst the previous generation Alphard has been sold by UMWT prior to this launch, the Vellfire is a new addition to the local UMWT range of products.

The emphasis of the launch seems to be aimed at moving would-be buyers away from the ‘reconditioned’ gray import market which does a roaring trade in ‘used’ or almost new parallel imports.

Speaking at the launch even in the UMWT sales outlet in Subang Jaya, Akio Takeyama, Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota said, "Driving conditions in Malaysia can be quite demanding. The weather conditions are usually hot and most vehicles especially MPV’s often travel long distances at high speed. These conditions may affect the operating temperatures of the engine and programming of the ECU (Engine Control Unit) is usually adjusted to keep the engine cool.” He went on to explain that only the units specifically destined for Malaysia undergo such special tuning.

the Alphard is themed ‘Bravely Magnificent’

"Vehicles intended for other countries are being tuned specially for that country and they may not operate optimally in Malaysian conditions. Therefore, in order for customers to have complete peace of mind and satisfaction when driving their Toyota vehicles, I strongly recommend that they purchase the vehicles from UMWT outlets or any authorised Toyota dealers in Malaysia,” said Akio Takeyama.

Takeyama’s words were further reinforced by Datuk Ismet Suki, President of UMWT when he added that "Customers who buy from official distributor(s) like UMW Toyota enjoy many benefits including a full 5-year warranty with unlimited mileage. We also have an extensive after sales service (network) with well trained technicians to service these vehicles. Furthermore, customers also have 10 years guaranteed of Toyota Genuine Parts availability after the model run-out, giving them peace of mind when it comes to car maintenance.”

"For every model we sell, we are committed to provide our customers with all the necessary support to ensure that their ownership experience is enjoyable,” he explained, adding on that UMWT also invested in the necessary equipment and technician training.

The all-new Alphard and Vellfire are from the same family of vehicles, but offered in different configurations — the Alphard is themed "Bravely Magnificent” while the Vellfire is "Bold and Fearless”. My simple translation is that the Alphard is the higher specification model, designed to provide ultimate luxury while the Vellfire is lower in specification and build, while dressed to make it more ‘muscular’ in demeanour.

Both the Alphard and Vellfire are FWD (Front-wheel-drive) models; the Alphard gets a 6-speed automatic transmission while the Vellfire gets a 7-step CVT (Constantly Variable Transmission).

The Alphard is equipped with a 3.5 litre V6 engine featuring dual VVTi (Variable Valve timing), delivering 271 PS of power and 340Nm of maximum torque. The Vellfire gets a 2.5 litre 4-cylinder Dual VVTi engine with 180 PS and 235 Nm of torque.

Both the Alphard and Vellfire are FWD (Front-wheel-drive) models; the Alphard gets a 6-speed automatic transmission while the Vellfire gets a 7-step CVT (Constantly Variable Transmission).

Active and passive safety features are similar through both models — this includes 7 airbags, ABS with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), with Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), and Traction Control (TC).

Buyers can opt for either of two variants for the Alphard — the Alphard 3.5 Executive Lounge and the lower trimmed Alphard 3.5.

Buyers can opt for either of two variants for the Alphard — the Alphard 3.5 Executive Lounge, which is modelled to emulate the comfort of Business Class airline seating, and the lower trimmed Alphard 3.5. Only the 2.5 litre variant is available for the Vellfire.

The Alphard and Vellfire will be available in selected Toyota showrooms from 19th August 2016, and prices are as follows:

Alphard 3.5                               : RM419,900.00 Alphard 3.5 Executive Lounge : RM519,900.00

Vellfire 2.5                                : RM355,500.00 (Prices are based on individual, private registration, on-the-road, including GST and Insurance)