Posted on 2009 Honda City: Honda City fans cruising in a convoy towards Bukit Tinggi. Song: You & I, by Jason Mraz, played via iPod jack in the Honda City's advanced audio system.
We produced a 'test drive' video of driving in the 5G City during our recent road trip to Bukit Tinggi. It was experimental, utilizing everything the car has to offer, the view, the maneuverability, and yes inclusive the amazing sound produced by the advanced audio system. I thought the video turned out not bad, considering only 1% is edited. Inspires the team to be even more experimental with stuff ;)
On a separate but somehow related note, something got me thinking today. One of the less prioritized situations in our automotive market is the lack of study on how Malaysians are using their car. It isn't surprising to know that the market is largely driven by the 'sports' factor, yet so many still live in 'practical-dom'. So they settle for a vehicle with sporty aesthetics with fair day-to-day power. The price of the investment aside, but what the mass need is a kind of stimulation which will change the way we view 4-wheelers and how they are used. This stimulative need can only be created by a tidal wave of social change that seemingly has nothing to do with the automotive market yet everything to do with spearheading product strategies that will finally (and hopefully) change how local makers perform.
Malaysians in truth, need to get out more. And get out of the congestions of local malls to experience a more fulfilling weekend. When you get out of the urban box, you inevitably search for something that satisfy a different level of driving experience. Whether it's comfort driving, or being able to finally use your paddle shifters or finally utilizing the maximum horsepower that you're beginning to think it's urban legend. It does make sense. Putting people on longer journeys means putting more bums on better seats means putting more enjoyable wheels on the roads means kaching! But yea, that kinda go against the green grain at the moment right? But the argument isn't about encouraging people to drive out more unnecessarily. The idea here is to get them to experience 'quality' driving. To get them out, disperse themselves and explore. This is what I guess we have been trying to achieve with the Honda City. It's an apt car that sits just nicely on the priceline that encourages drivers to go out and discover what's round the bend. A very long and wide bend that is, looking at the destinations and driving itineraries that we've been putting together. Of course, this doesn't have the scale befitting a 'social reform' or even remotely sizeable enough to spark even the most minuscule of change in any kind. However, having said that, I think this is how our local makers can learn from people and their habits to be able to predict trends and capitalize on opportunities instead of remaining stagnant and/or auto-cruising at a speed which is government protected and incentivised. How long more can we remain on the middle lane? How can we change how and where people travel to that could ultimately affect us on so many different levels?
This is the mashed-up results: More quality time doing more meaningful things that better relationships with companions, Malaysians becoming better advocates of their country through exploration and discovery of their beloved (hopefully, spur some patriotism on the way) through the web due to the ever-burgeoning 'need to share' culture sparked by social media, and of course, lastly but of no least, better quality cars at competitive prices that are beyond aesthetics for the people.
Now doesn't that make perfect social, political and economic sense?
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