'Road rage killing' shocks Sydney

A peace-loving Malaysian-born man was chased down, ferociously bashed with a hammer and stabbed after stopping his vehicle outside his Sydney home, in a murder possibly motivated by road rage.

The 43-year-old Australian citizen died after arriving at his Marion Street home at Leichhardt, in Sydney's inner west, just after midnight last night.

The man, whose name is yet to be released, worked as a driver for the Malaysian consulate and is believed to have lived in Sydney for some years.

Detectives are seeking two men, both of whom fled the scene in a black sedan, as investigators look at whether road rage sparked the attack.

"We believe the victim had just returned home - we don't know where he had been beforehand - and as he got out of the car he was approached by these two males," acting Superintendent Shayne Woolbank told reporters at the scene on Monday morning.

"We do believe that there may have been a traffic accident between the black sedan and the victim's car shortly before the attack occurred."

Asked if road rage was a motive for the attack, Supt Woolbank said: "It is one of the possibilities".

The victim is not believed to have been robbed during the attack and Supt Woolbank denied reports that the attackers wore balaclavas during the incident.

"We believe that a hammer may have been used in the attack ... that's one of the lines of inquiry we're following up," he said.

"It was a ferocious attack, there's no doubt about that."

Numerous items have been seized from the area for forensic examination and detectives are interviewing witnesses, confirming that at least one person saw the entire attack.

"There was a lady, a passer-by, a very brave lady. She tried to intervene in the assault. She's at the moment assisting police with inquiries," Supt Woolbank said.

Police arrived at the scene and performed CPR but the man died.

Anyone with information about the murder is urged to call Sydney's Crime Stoppers line.

Consul of Malaysia Dr Mohd Nasir Abu Hassan joined the appeal for information into the death of a "very dear colleague".

"I couldn't accept how it has happened to him. It is so tragic," Dr Hassan told reporters.

The victim's body will be sent to his Malaysian home town as requested by his family.

Dr Hassan said the man lived alone and did not have family in Australia.

Asked if the man was the type of person to get involved in fights, Dr Hassan said: "No. He is a very nice person. He doesn't talk too much. He was very, very composed and generally ... humble."

The attackers are described as two men, both wearing dark clothing, one with dark curly hair.

They were last seen leaving the scene along nearby Cromwell Street in a black sedan.

- AAP