KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian carmaker Naza Group pledges to make Malaysia a regional hub for France's Peugeot automobiles, local media reported on Friday.

    Naza said in a statement on Thursday that Peugeot had chosen the group to spearhead its expansion in the ASEAN region as its sales of Peugeot vehicles in 2009 hit 3,766 units, accounted for 86 percent of Peugeot sales in the region, said a local newspaper the Star.

    Naza Group joint executive Chairman Nasarudin Nasimuddin said Naza is confident in making Peugeot's regional hub here.

    He said that Naza planned to launch four models locally and ramp up exports of Peugeot vehicles manufactured at Gurun plant to other parts of the region this year.

    Naza is expected to sell 2,930 Peugeot cars in Malaysia, which will include an entry-level model, codenamed T33, to be produced at its Gurun plant, he said.

    As part of Peugeot's plans to expand its presence in the region and the importance of Malaysia to the French carmaker, the company will soon expand its ASEAN regional office in Petaling Jaya to coordinate operations for the entire Asia-Pacific region excluding China, he added.    

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