with DRB-HICOM and Volkswagen. Prior to the agreement with DRB-HICOM, Volkswagen had initially pursued a partnership with Proton. Volkswagen had sought to utilise Proton's new Tanjung Malim plant as their manufacturing hub in ASEAN, and had also planned to collaborate with Proton on the development of ASEAN-market models. Two rounds of discussions between Proton and Volkswagen took place between 2004 and 2007, but various complications and political intervention prevented further developments between the two companies. After the discussions with Proton ended inconclusively, Volkswagen signed a contract assembly agreement with DRB-HICOM instead. The Volkswagen Pekan Plant (VPP) was set up within the Pekan complex, and the first VPP-built Volkswagen cars rolled off the assembly line in March 2012. VPP has since produced six different Volkswagen models from the Passat, Polo, Vento, Jetta and Tiguan nameplates. VPP is also one of only two Malaysian plants to have used laser welding in the assembly process. The knock down kits and engines are shipped in from Volkswagen's plants in Germany, Mexico, India and South Africa. In late 2014, Volkswagen expressed intentions to export their Malaysian-built models to ASEAN markets, but various complications have since throttled Volkswagen's ASEAN expansion plans. In late 2016, HICOM Automotive Manufacturers (Malaysia) changed its abbreviation to HA, from HAMM previously. In July 2017, HA built a new paint shop at the cost of RM230 million. The new paint shop is highly automated, and is the nation's first to feature a 360-degree rotating electro-dipping (ED) process, which is more efficient than conventional vertical ED systems. Mercedes-Benz Malaysia's models are currently painted at the new paint shop. New National Car Project (NNCP) The New National Car Project (NNCP) is the given name of an industrial initiative tasked with the development of a new Malaysian automobile company. The NNCP aims to create the third national car company after Proton and Perodua. The NNCP approach will not follow the government-funded, foreign technology-dependent formula used to create Proton and Perodua, but will instead be funded by domestic private sector institutions with primarily local talent and technologies. Nonetheless, there are plans to collaborate with foreign companies in the short term. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, the main proponent of the third national car, justifies the need for its existence as part of a long-term vision for Malaysia to develop self-sufficiency with high-tech industries and a highly-skilled labour force. Mahathir argues that a competitive automotive industry is a