Subaru to produce compact SUV in Malaysia

The deal was announced by Subaru’s parent group Fuji Heavy Industries, together with the Tan Chong Group, which will see Subaru producing a new compact SUV in Malaysia. Details have not been released, but the new car could possibly be based on the Subaru XV Concept that was unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show earlier this year.

The Japanese carmaker said that it intends to produce about 5,000 vehicles initially at an existing factory owned by Tan Chong Motor Assemblies Sdn. Bhd (TCMA), starting from October 2012. The vehicles will then be sold in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.

Fuji Heavy Industries already have a partnership with the Tan Chong Group since 1987, when the latter was appointed the official distributor for Subaru cars in Singapore. Since then, the Tan Chong Group has expanded the sales and distribution network of Subaru vehicles across ASEAN countries that now include Cambodia, Southern China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.