The long-awaited new Gran Max panel van with automatic transmission finally appeared in front of us after the previous Gran Max manual version was introduced 8 years ago.
Exclusive Preview of Daihatsu Gran Max and ADM Plant Visit
Daihatsu Malaysia recently organised a media and dealer exclusive preview of its Gran Max Panel Van with automatic transmission and an ADM (PT Astra Daihatsu Motor) Plant Visit in Jakarta, Indonesia. Truck & Bus News was honoured to be among the invited media.
The long-awaited new Gran Max panel van with automatic transmission finally appeared in front of us after the previous Gran Max manual version was introduced 8 years ago. Compact and lightweight, and capable of carrying up to 2,000kg of gross weight (with loads), it is the ideal choice for many delivery-based businesses such as retail, trading, catering, utility, security and many more.
“It is versatile and could be modified for different applications. With Malaysia placing a greater focus on women’s empowerment, particularly in regard of women entrepreneurs, the new Gran Max comes at the right time. Equipped with the automatic gear transmission and other enhanced features for an easy driving experience, while keeping the carriage safe, women could drive the vehicle themselves,” said Muhammad Fahmi Norrizan, Senior Manager, Marketing Department, Daihatsu (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.
Powered by a DOHC DVVT 1.5-litre engine with maximum power of 71kW at 6000rpm and 134Nm of torque at 4400rpm, it enables the new automatic transmission Gran Max to achieve fuel economical without compromising the power of acceleration.
Among the key features is the Gran Max being a rear-wheel drive (RWD) that improves driving grip and traction while transporting goods. Its 4-speed automatic gear with light-power steering and the ability to take turns with a small turning radius of 4.7m allow better manoeuvring and handling through city traffic, tight corners as well as driving up hills. Anti-lock braking system (ABS) and dual front SRS airbags along with its high rigidity monocoque body structure provide for extra safety.
Various video clips were shown to give us a better understanding of the performance of the new Gran Max. These include the rough-road manoeuvrability test and deep water crossing test, in which the Gran Max was driven through water depths of 300m at a speed of 30km/h and 600m at 10km/h with great confidence. Last but not least was the uphill 11.3-degree comparison test, which saw it outperforming a rival vehicle with 20-per cent better grip and traction.
“Although the new Gran Max is manufactured in the Jakarta ADM plant, all three arms of Daihatsu in Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia take pride in working hand-in-hand, conducting in-depth research of each respective environment and habits. We believe there is a large potential in the country; based on the reported Malaysian statistics by SME Corporation Malaysia, there are more than 900,000 SME establishments, not including the bigger corporations and government agencies. We want to tap into this segment and are happy to develop a vehicle that would help Malaysian business reach out to their customers and support the idea of ‘go-to-the-market’,” said Dr Iqbal Shaharom, Managing Director of Daihatsu (Malaysia) and Acting President and Chief Executive Officer of MBM Resources Bhd.
The new AT Gran Max retails at RM69,888 (West Malaysia) and includes 3 years warranty or 100,000km.
Fahmi added that Gran Max had an average annual sale of about 900 units in Malaysia. With this new Auto Transmission Gran Max model, the company was looking at a 20-per cent increase in sales volume.
Meanwhile, Tetsuo Miura, President Director of ADM, said Gran Max was among the Top 10 best-selling models among LCVs (light commercial vehicles) in Indonesia, making Daihatsu the segment leader over the years. He revealed that currently the plant was producing 5,000 units of new Gran Max per month and targeting 180 units of that volume for the Malaysian market. By the end of 2018, he said the plant would produce 60,000 units for the domestic market and 1,500 units for export to Japan.
Behind the scene of how the Gran Max is made
Located in Jakarta, Indonesia on 223,000sq-m of land, the state-of-the-art ADM assembly plant houses 12,022 employees and manufactures more than 530,000 units of vehicle per year, including the Gran Max range and other models for Daihatsu and Toyota.
“ADM utilises a production system that incorporates a version of the Japanese SSC (simple, slim, compact) concept, which reinforces the high-quality Japanese manufacturing standards that are optimally adapted to suit the local environment. More specifically, ADM adopts Quality Gate, a system that instead of sending defective products downstream, it would stop the line and fix the defect there and then,” said Bagus Wahyujati, Division Head of ADM.
As we walked through the plant, we saw their mixed models assembly line, in which the company said more than 100 variants of vehicle were assembled on the same production line. For every 66 seconds, a vehicle was created.
The total production volume of the ADM plant in 2017 was 539,779 units, including 195,334 units of the Daihatsu brand (commercial vehicle: 51,296 units and passenger vehicle: 144,038), and 344,445 units of consigned/OEM vehicles.
According to Wahyujati, the vehicles that ADM assembled also catered to Mexico, India, Philippines, Middle East, Latin America and Japan markets.
As the largest automotive manufacturer in Indonesia, Miura added Daihatsu accounted for more than 40-per cent Indonesian market share. Its 2017 total sales were 194,171 units, consisting of 55,720 commercial vehicles and 138,451 passenger vehicles.
大马媒体及代理参观ADM工厂和预览大发Gran Max货车
马来西亚大发近日邀请媒体及其代理前往印尼雅加达预览Gran Max 货车自排版和参观ADM（PT Astra Daihatsu Motor）工厂。《卡客车新闻》很荣幸是受邀媒体之一。
自上一代Gran Max推出至今已经8年， 当我们看到期待已久的全新Gran Max货车自排版出现在我们面前时，确实有点激动。小巧又轻量化，可容纳2，000公斤的毛重的它，是许多运送生意如零售、贸易、包伙食、公用事业、保安等的理想选择。
“它的用途广泛，稍加修饰就可迎合各种应用。随着大马对提升女性能力，尤其是女企业家能力的益发重视，全新Gran Max的推出可说是正合时宜。配备自排变速器和其他的强化功能，使Gran Max在确保运输安全的同时，更容易驾驭，女性驾驶起来更是轻松无比。”大发（马来西亚）私人有公司营销部高级经理莫哈默法米（Muhammad Fahmi Norrizan ）表示。
搭载一台DOHCDVVT 1.5升汽油引擎，最大输出功率为71kw/6000 rpm，最大扭力为134Nm/4400rpm，使全新自排版的Gran Max 在不影响加速的情况下，达到省油的效果。
Gran Max的另一个主要特点是后轮驱动，在运输货物时能够改善驾驶抓地力和牵引力。其四速自排变速器、轻型转向系统及4.7米半径小转弯，使它拥有更灵活的机动性和操控，轻易穿梭于繁忙的城市、转道及山径。 防锁死制动系统（ABS）和前舱双气囊，再加上其高刚性单壳车体架构，提升安全性。
为了让我们对全新Gran Max的性能有更深入的了解，他们播放了好几个视频，包括粗糙路面机动性测试和深水穿越测试等。在深水穿越测试中，我们看到Gran Max如何充满信心地分别以时速30公里穿越深度为300的深水和时速10公里穿越深度为600米的深水。 最后则是倾斜11.3 度的爬坡测试，我们可以看到Gran Max在抓地力和牵引力的表现优于其对手20%。
“虽然全新Gran Max是雅加达ADM工厂所生产，但却是日本大发、印尼及马来西亚联手合作，对各个环境和习性进行深度研究的结晶。我们深信大马拥有巨大的潜能，根据SME马来西亚公司的数据显示，马来西亚拥有超过900，000家 中小型企业，不包括大公司和政府机构。我们要进入这个细分市场，我们很开心能够透过开发一部能够协助马来西亚生意人接触客户的车子，支持‘走向市场’的概念。”大发（马来西亚）董事经理兼MBM资源代理主席及首席执行员依克巴尔博士（Dr Iqbal Shaharom）表示。
全新Gran Max货车自排版的上路价为69，888令吉（西马），包含3年或100，000公里保固期。
法米补充说，Gran Max在马来西亚的年均销售量为900辆。如今有了Gran Max自排版，该公司的目标是将销售量提高20%。
与此同时，ADM 总裁Tetsuo Miura表示，Gran Max是印尼轻型卡车里的十大畅销车型之一，使大发在过去几年里一直是轻卡市场里的领袖。他透露说，目前该工厂的Gran Max月产量为5，000辆，包含180辆马来西亚预期的销售目标。他表示，到了2018年底， 该厂将为当地市场生产60，000辆，另外1，500辆出口到日本。
Gran Max幕后制造过程
尖端的ADM装配厂位于印尼雅加达，面积达223，000平方米，员工人数为12，022人，年组装量超过530，000辆，包括Gran Max系列和其他的大发和丰田车型。
“ADM采用日本SSC（Simple、Slim、Compact）概念，强化日本高品质制作标准的同时，也与当地的环境相调和。ADM采纳质量门（Quality Gate），一个停止生产线并马上修复缺陷，而非将缺陷产品送到下游的系统。”ADM部门主管巴古斯（Bagus Wahyujati）表示。
我们在参观工厂时看到他们的混合组装生产线。该公司表示，同一条生产线上组装的车型超过100种。每66秒就有一辆车诞生。
ADM工厂在2017年的总生产量为539，779 辆，包括大发品牌（商用车辆：51，296辆和轿车：144，038辆），以及344，445 辆委托/原装配备车辆。
据巴古斯表示，ADM组装的车辆也出口到墨西哥、印度、菲律宾、中东、拉丁美洲及日本市场。
Muira补充说，作为印尼最大的汽车制造商， 大发在印尼拥有超过40%的市占率。它在2017年的总销售量为194，171辆，包括55，720辆商用车和138，451辆轿车。
