At RM196k to RM215k, it’s really down to how badly you want the new Toyota RAV4

It must be a day of mixed emotions for everyone at UMW Toyota Motor with leaked specifications of the all new RAV4 followed by a price announcement only to be met with a myriad of negativity in the comment section of every local motoring media’s Facebook page.
Interesting, this comes after yesterday’s announcement that the car was due to be launched on the 18th of June, when all details would be revealed. Clearly, that ship has sailed and UMW Toyota has announced that their order books are now open so let’s have a brief look as to what you’re getting before we get into a “coffee shop-style” discussion.
The fully imported RAV4 will be available in two variants – a 2.0-litre engine making
173 hp
and
 207 Nm
, paired to a CVT gearbox while the other gets a 2.5-litre engine making
207 hp
 and
243 Nm
 paired to an 8-speed automatic. The 2.0-litre model is priced at
RM196,500
 while the more powerful 2.5 model is priced at
RM215,700
.
And really, that’s all the difference between them as for some reason, UMW Toyota Motor has opted for both to be equipped with the exact same features beyond the engine and transmission department. As for the exterior, you get 18-inch wheels, automatic LED headlamps with LED daytime running lights, smart entry, LED tail lights and a powered tail gate.
Among the notable items on the inside are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, leather upholstery, an Optitron instrument cluster with a 7-inch multi-information display, powered seats for the driver, a Panoramic View Monitor and Toyota’s very own Digital Video Recorder.
Aside from the seven air bags, a tyre pressure monitoring system, hill-start assist and blind spot monitor, the RAV4 will also come with the Toyota Safety Sense driver assistance system that includes Automatic High Beam, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Pre-collision System, Lane Departure Alert with Lane Tracing Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.
As far as features go, it’s as good as it gets. Not only does it come with the Dynamic Force engine which was absent in the Camry, much to the dismay of Toyota loyalist, and of course the ever present keyboard warriors but also a more comprehensive driver assistance system with the addition of the Lane Tracing Assist feature, similar to the one in the

Lexus UX
.
And the fact that it’s fully imported from Japan doesn’t make things any better in terms of pricing but we just can’t have it all if you take a step back and consider all the factors objectively and logically.

With all things considered, it’s just not possible to have a car that’s made in Japan, packed to the brim with features, and be priced similarly to a locally assembled mid-range 2.0 High (or GLS as it’s known before) Mazda CX-5 that’s price around RM150k – undoubtedly the most commonly seen SUV in Malaysia – it’s just not possible unless car companies decide to be philanthropists.
Based solely on the prominence of the RM150k CX-5 on our roads, it’s clear that most – the middle class demographic that every SUV-producing brand is after – are getting an SUV solely for its size, presence and higher seating position. They’re after the essence the of an SUV and nothing more.
The same is true with the CR-V. Shortly after it was launched, Honda announced that a large chunk of its buyers either opted for 1.5 Turbo 2WD or the 1.5 Turbo 4WD variant.

Those who buy the 2.5L Turbo CX-5 do so because they want more, to be different and can afford to be.
Just like those who fork out large chunks of cash for the 2.5 Turbo CX-5, it’s safe to assume that there are primarily two types of SUV buyers – those who earn and save enough for something sizeable to carry their family daily in relative style and substance and those who buy them as something to be used as and when it’s needed.
As such, there’s no other way to put it; the new RAV4, like the Camry, is a real test of a customer’s loyalty to the brand. At that price, it’s more of a luxury good than necessity.

There is no logic for a middle income family to fork out such a figure for solely to have an SUV at the expense of other basic luxuries, like a full stomach. It’s something that you’d just buy because it’s an SUV, by Toyota; even if it meant selling your wife and kids and working seven days a week because your logic has been overwhelmed by desire or walk away from altogether. Sales advisors do not hold customers hostage at gunpoint to make a sale either.
Whether it’s Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Honda or Mazda, let’s be real, car companies are out to make money and as much as they try to make their cars as financially appealing and accessible as possible to customers, the ones you’d want to point your finger at are those responsible for our enormous import taxes. We wouldn’t be arguing here and throwing tantrums over the pricing of an SUV by Toyota if BMWs were as affordable as they are in other countries.
“I might as well top up and buy a BMW 3 series” – Why are you even looking and complaining about SUV prices in the first place?
As for the argument of “topping up” to buy Harrier just doesn’t hold water as the primary customer base for such vehicles are middle class families (the target demograhic of car companies) where every cent counts. People who are interested and can afford the Harrier will not look at the RAV4, and for those who can’t afford either, would look to grey importers.
To compare the RAV4 with a Mercedes-Benz C200 or a BMW 320i, is even sillier. No one would buy a RAV4 over any of the German compact sedans or vice versa. You buy a 320i or C200 simply because you want it; you’re buying into the glamour and prestige that comes with both the German heavyweights. If you’re in the market for a Japanese SUV in the first place, you just wouldn’t bother with a sedan – unless the car buying culture has been as fickle as our politicians. Let’s hope not.


Watch this electric van obliterate the Viper and i8 in a drag! [+Video]

Electric cars, hate it or love it but you can’t deny the performance figures it brings to the table. Instant torque, low center of gravity and single gear setup are ingredients for a weapon.
Atieva
, an electric car start-up based in California, is out to annihilate every other brand out there. From V12s to electric cars and everything in between, Atieva has their crosshairs on all of them. Their prototype, codename Edna, is a test mule for their powertrain setup. The powertrain is sitting in that
van
. Yes, you read that right, under the skin of the Mercedes Viano is an electric powertrain that produces
912 hp
. No torque figures were listed but from the looks of the video, it is definitely heaps more than the 570 Nm of the BMW i8, perhaps upwards of 1,200 Nm of twisting force!
This is Edna’s second attempt at a comparison test where the
first attempt
 saw a 0 to 96km/h time of
3.08 seconds
. Atieva’s engineers, led by Peter Rawlinson (former VP at Tesla and Tesla Model S Chief Engineer), went on to push the boundaries of the dual-battery motor by fine tuning the software for better motor control across the rev range. The outcome was significant – Edna crushed its own record by blitzing to the 96km/h mark (60mph) in
2.94 seconds
 and completed the 1/4 mile drag in 11.3 seconds with a recorded speed of 188km/h, leaving the Viper and i8 to dust.  According to the company’s official statement, they believe that “there is still more performance available in Edna”. Especially when it is officially adopted into the company’s first production model which, by the way, will be a sedan and not a van.
We live in truly electrifying times ladies and gentlemen.


All-new Audi RS 5 Coupé debuts, 2.9L twin-turbo V6, 444 hp & 600 Nm!

Audi’s cornerstone RS model, the 2017 Audi RS 5 Coup
é has just made its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show. The second-generation high performance coupé brings a holistic set of upgrades, including the star of the show – a brand new 2.9-litre bi-turbo V6.
Yes, the engine is rather puny compared to the burbling 4.2-litre V8 from before, but it packs a hell of a punch and is much quicker off the line, thanks to the massive weight reduction – 60kg to be exact. The new 2.9-litre petrol V6 produces
444 hp
 and
600 Nm
 of torque, with the latter peaking from 1,900 to 5,000 rpm. That’s a lot of power for quite a lot of time, all of which is enough to send the RS 5 to the 100km/h mark from standstill in
3.9 seconds
. That’s over 0.5 seconds quicker than before!
To generate that much power, two huge turbos have been employed. The drawback to this is the turbines take a longer time to spool (a.k.a turbo lag), but what Audi has done to negate this is by positioning the turbos between the cylinder bank, short-routing air from the intake to the combustion chambers. That’s sorted, then. But it’s not going to sound as glorious as the V8 now, is it?
Apparently, Audi says the new engine produces an unmistakably “full-bodied” RS soundtrack, much the same as the RS 4 B5’s 2.7-litre V6. The RS 5 has an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h, but as usual this can be increased to 280km/h for a small fee. Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive is standard issue, and a rear sport differential can be had as an option.
Power is channelled to all four corners through an eight-speed Tiptronic that’s specifically tuned for the RS 5, with a 40:60 split distribution. Both front and rear get a five-link RS suspension, greatly improving comfort and its dynamic properties. This lowers the car as well.
Optional extras include ceramic disc brakes, RS-specific dynamic steering, RS sports suspension with Dynamic Ride Control and a long list of genuine accessories. Inside, the Audi virtual cockpit gets a special RS display, providing additional data such as tyre pressure, torque and g-forces. Red accents are tastefully littered around the cabin, whereas Alcantara is used for the steering wheel, selector lever and knee pads.
Don’t fancy the psychedelic red paintwork? Well, Audi Sport has a special colour that’s exclusive to the RS 5 Coupé, and it’s called the Sonoma Green Metallic.
Please bring this here, Audi Malaysia. I know you’re reading this!
IMAGE GALLERY


Perodua Bezza 1.0L GXtra, Things You Need To Know

If you’re looking for a sedan that’s affordable to own and maintain, offers ample space and practicality without lacking in modern amenities, look no further.
The Bezza is now offered in the
new 1.0 GXtra variant
; offering more, for less. Priced at
RM35,500
 (previously RM 36,035) for the manual and
RM37,500
 (previously RM 37,980) for the automatic, both on-the-road before insurance, the Bezza GXtra also comes with a 5-year/150,000 km warranty.
The Bezza is Perodua’s first ever sedan as well as Malaysia’s most affordable Energy-Efficient Vehicle (EEV) sedan. Since its introduction in mid-2016, it’s been Malaysia’s best-selling sedan, with nearly 100,000 units sold to date.


Trevo wants to be the Airbnb for cars in Malaysia

In line with the announcement of the
NAP 2020
 which focuses on Mobility as a Service (MaaS), Socar Malaysia has launched Trevo, a new people-to-people car sharing marketplace.
The app-based marketplace allows for drivers to book any cars that fits their needs and wants from nearby car owners in the Trevo community. With Trevo, guests can loan cars from as low as
 RM55 per day
 for a
Perodua Myvi
, all the way up to luxury cars such as Rolls Royce.
Trevo General Manager, Susan Teoh said that the app enables Malaysian to try new car ownership models. At the same time, existing car owners can also make additional income by loaning out unneeded cars instead of storing them at home.
Malaysia is amongst the highest in the region with
 93% of households
 owning at least one car, while multiple car ownership per household is also the highest globally at 54%.
Trevo says that the hosts can easily cover their monthly car instalments as long as they share their cars for at least six to eight days a month. Hosts can also
price their own cars freely
, as long as it falls within the pricing band provided by the Trevo algorithm. Additionally, corporate hosts such as car rental companies can also list their fleet on the marketplace.
Hosts are further protected by Trevo Shield, which provides an insurance protection of up to RM3 million in liability coverage for your vehicle. There is also an opt-in Trevo Track service for high-accuracy location tracking.
“We want to create a thriving Trevo community of like-minded people who share a goal to improve mobility, contribute to less carbon emissions and enable a better environment for humanity,” Susan adds.
The Trevo marketplace is now available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. More information can be found on the
Trevo website
.


BMW Malaysia announced battery modules in PHEV can be individually replaced

BMW Malaysia has addressed the concerns faced by owners and those contemplating ownership of their plug-in hybrid vehicles – battery woes and replacement.
At the heart of every electrified BMW vehicle are lithium-ion battery packs that houses multiple modules and within each module consists multiple cells. These modules can be individually replaced according to BMW Malaysia’s latest announcement.

Take the
530e M Sport
, a newer iteration of the
530e Sport we reviewed
for example, its
lithium-ion battery pack
 is made up of six modules. If one of the modules become faulty and needs replacement, owners need not replace the entire battery pack.
Instead, owners can change the faulty module at
RM5,000 each
. This applies not just to BMW’s latest electrified vehicles but also to the older F30 330e for example.
The all-electric BMW i3s.
It’s a form of relief for owners of BMW electrified vehicles when their warranty has expired – as it commonly triggers an urgency to sell the car for fear of enduring the horrors of a faulty battery pack.
For those who have recently bought the PHEV variants of the
 latest 5 Series
,
7 Series
, the
fully electric BMW i3s
or even the
MINI Countryman PHEV
, worry not; you’d be covered by a 6-year/100,000 km warranty and according to BMW, these batteries are built to last the entire lifetime of the vehicle.
Book a 530e Sport of 530e M Sport (in picture) and stand a chance to win a BMW i8!
From now until the
30th of June 2020
, customers who
pre-book the BMW 530e Sport or BMW 530e M Sport online
 will enjoy 0.00% interest rate and complimentary ChargeNow cards for both models.
Those who pre-book the
530e Sport
will also receive cash rebates of RM10,000, along with a complimentary BMW i Wallbox. Those who opt for the
530e M Sport
will receive cash rebates of RM20,000 and a complimentary BMW i AC Fast Charging Cable.

What’s more, those who book either a BMW 530e M Sport, 530e Sport or the 740Le will
stand a chance to win the BMW i8 Coupe
 with any purchase of the three models during the campaign period.
Selected BMW vehicles, such as the newly launched
840i Gran Coupe M Sport
 and the
X6 xDrive40i M Sport
 can now be pre-booked online via the
 BMW Shop Online
 initiative that was recently launched during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period.
BMW’s newly launched models – the 840i Gran Coupe M Sport and X6 xDrive40i M Sport.
Customers can also apply for financial pre-approval online via the
BMW Engage
, the first-of-its-kind financing tool introduced by BMW Financial Services.


“You now need a “special document” to go outstation,” says IGP

Effective midnight tonight, the Movement Control Order will see the restriction of movements by the public in efforts to “flatten the curve” of the recent Covid-19 spike.
Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Abdul Hamid Bador said this order will also apply to movements between state to state and district to district.
“It’s not a curfew but the Movement Control Order which will see most without work (unless you work remotely) begins from 18th March to the end of the month, shouldn’t be taken advantage of as an opportunity to travel,” said the IGP.
Confident that this order is able to contain the rapid spread of Covid-19, the IGP said that those who insist (with good reason) on interstate travel should apply for a “special document” at the nearest police station.
Honda Malaysia has
announced a suspension of its business operations
.
Ideally
 one should provide some form of paperwork to prove the necessity of their travels when applying for the document. This also applies to those travelling between states via public transportation, i.e. buses.
There is no quota as to how many of these documents will be issued per day or restrictions of how many individuals can travel together. The IGP also highlighted that it wouldn’t take long to acquire this document at the police station.
There will be no police officers placed at state borders although should the situation escalate and require such drastic measures, action will be taken.
For now, the public is still free to pop by the shops for supply runs and such although those who ignore this order for unnecessary travels, outings or gatherings, could be fined and jailed up to five years.


Proton “It’s in the Drive” Campaign launched, own a Proton for just RM258 monthly!

Pressured by economy uncertainties in 2016 which may hurt car sales, Proton jump started the year with their “It’s in the Drive” sales campaign. The event is currently ongoing at every Proton Edar dealerships nationwide and will end on 31 March 2016.
The first roadshow was held at Setia City Convention Centre, Shah Alam last weekend. Customers looking for a new Proton car were offered an interest rate of
2.8 percent
 (applies to all Proton models). For fresh graduates, Proton offers a special graduate scheme that lets you pay a monthly instalment from just
RM258
 a month!
Customers with existing Proton cars can trade in their cars and enjoy rebates up to RM3,000 via the Loyalty Reward. There’s also a trade-in rebate of up to RM100 per year for existing Proton owners for each year of their current Proton’s age. This means if your car is 10 years old, you’ll get a rebate of RM1,000. Several Proton models made in 2015 will be given a discount of up to RM6,200.
Apart from that, Proton offers a
free 30-point safety inspection
 and special vehicle service packages. During the event in Setia City, defensive driving sessions were carried out, showcasing the active safety features found in modern Proton models to the public.
Customers who participated in the test drives are also eligible to participate in the  “Test Drive & Win” contest, where a Proton Suprima S and other consumer electronic goodies are up for grabs.


One-off Ferrari SP51 unveiled – based on 812 GTS with V12 engine

Ferrari

has just unveiled the Ferrari SP51, a new one-off roadster based on the
Ferrari 812 GTS
. The one-off Ferrari is designed for a Taiwan-based client who is one of the brand’s leading collectors. Responsible for its design is the Ferrari Styling Centre headed by Flavio Manzoni. Entirely bespoke, the SP51 has been crafted to the specifications of the client.
Being based on the Ferrari 812 GTS, a V12 engine sits under the hood. The front-engine layout and chassis are also from the 812 GTS. The V12 puts out
800 hp
and
718 Nm
 with 80% of the maximum torque available at just 3,500 rpm. Power is passed through a seven-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels.
On the outside, the most striking characteristic of the SP51 is its complete lack of a roof. Ferrari says this makes it an authentic roadster in every aspect, with captivating visuals and an en plein air driving exhilaration.
The aerodynamics of the SP51 were honed via processes involving computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, wind tunnel testing, and dynamic testing. Even without a roof, Ferrari guarantees ultimate comfort in the cabin and the same standard of acoustic comfort and wind feel as the 812 GTS.
RELATED:
Ferrari Purosangue: Maranello’s first-ever SUV is finally here
To give the SP51 an instantly recognizable identity, it gets specially-designed headlights and SP51-specific wheels. The wheels have carbon fibre wing profiles on each of the spokes which also feature a sophisticated tone-on-tone diamond-cut finish on the forward-facing section.
The rear of the car is dominated by an arched theme with the taillights inset below the spoiler. Behind the cabin are two flying buttresses that are visually softened by two deep carbon-fibre scoops. Connecting the two buttresses is a transverse carbon-fibre wing. The one-off SP51 is finished in a new Rosso Passionale three-layer paintwork that has been specially developed for it.
RELATED:
Ferrari 296 GTS makes SEA debut in Malaysia, from RM1.5m before tax
As for the cabin, the personalisation pivoted around two ideas – to use the custom Rosso Passionale colour for the Alcantara trim and to extend the livery into the cabin. The white and blue stripes can be seen on the central tunnel, the fascia between the two seats on the firewall, and the steering wheel stitching.
Glossy carbon-fibre trim has been extensively used in the interior and it is paired with Nero Momo Opaco elements. There are also several white embroidered details including the Prancing Horse and car logo, which is also found on the lower rim of the steering wheel.
The Ferrari SP51 is part of Ferrari’s Special Projects programme which aims to create unique Ferraris (the so-called “One-Offs”) characterised by an exclusive design crafted according to the requirements of the client, who thus becomes the owner of a one-of-a-kind model.
GALLERY


Honda Malaysia boosts customer confidence at showrooms with “I’m Vaccinated” campaign

Honda Malaysia
aims to offer more confidence and assurance to customers and employees at dealerships nationwide with the new “I’m Vaccinated” campaign.
To date, 80% of Honda dealers are fully vaccinated and only those who have completed their vaccination will be on duty at the dealerships. On that note, Honda Malaysia targets to fully vaccinate all its dealers by October 2021.
Honda Malaysia, Managing Director and CEO, Ms. Madoka Chujo said, “We will not take the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) lightly and will continue to strictly follow all the necessary preventive and precautionary measures that we have been practising since the emergence of COVID-19 in Malaysia.
“Under the “I’m Vaccinated” campaign which kicks off this month at all our dealerships nationwide, our dealer associates who are fully vaccinated with 14 days from the date of their second dose will be provided with a badge and mask that have a specially-designed ‘I Am Fully Vaccinated’ logo for easy identification,” she added.
Honda Malaysia hopes the initiative shows that they are ready to serve customers in a safe environment while they’re at the showrooms.
There is also continuous emphasis to ensure the sanitisation and disinfection of the premises on a frequent and routine basis at all its dealerships.
In conjunction with the Malaysia Day celebration, Honda Malaysia also introduced a September Special Benefits
 that offers
rewards worth up to RM6,000. Offer ends on the 30th of September 2021.


New Mk8 Volkswagen Golf to be locally-assembled, to be launched very soon!

What was supposed to be a casual drive to Sekinchan in the new facelift Arteon turned out to be a surprise preview of the new Golf GTI and R Line. They set to be assembled for the first time in Malaysia at the Pekan, Pahang plant.
More details about the all-new Mk8 Golf here!
The Mk7.5 Golf GTI and R Line were priced at RM239,990 and RM166,990 respective but with the new generation assembled locally, it’s exciting just thinking about the possibility of significantly lower prices without any less substance.
Watch the Volkswagen Golf R and AMG A 45 S in a drift battle here!
However, the launch is only expected to take place early next year. For those who have been eagerly awaiting, the new Mk8 Golf is
now open for booking
.
Whether it’s the GTI or the Golf R Line, it’s clear that Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia is trying to position the R Line closer to the GTI and flood the streets with their (second) most iconic hatchback.
R-Line
GTI
You’d have to really scrutinise both cars side by side to narrow down the differences and the best part is, you get the same seats from the Golf GTI, in the R Line, albeit with different upholstery.
Yet, the interior ambience couldn’t be more different. There’s a strong “ready-to-race, boy racer” vibe in the Golf GTI, while the R Line projects a more subdued and calm environment with neutral colours.
The R-Line
That’s not the only difference in the cabin between the two. The GTI comes with sportier graphics on the digital instrument cluster and a flat-bottom steering with red accents and GTI lettering. In the R-Line the steering has a cleaner appearance with R lettering.
VW Golf GTI Mk8 promises even better handling with the new Vehicle Dynamics Manager….find out more!
In case you didn’t notice, there are only two knobs in the entire cabin – one for the gear controls and the other for adjusting the side mirrors. Everything else, every single control is now controlled with touch-sensitive “icons”.
The dashboard trims between the Golf GTI and R-Line are also different. The latter gets a carbon look, while the GTI comes with honeycomb details, just like the lower bumper design.
Interestingly, the Golf R-Line looks much sportier from the rearview with quad-exit exhaust tips (they’re not real by the way), compared to the single exit, round exhaust tips in the GTI.
Volkswagen celebrates 45 years of the Golf GTI with an angry-looking Clubsport 45 edition…read about it here!
There’s more to tell the two apart from the front, with different bumper designs and a red line on the front grille of the GTI to draw some distinction.
As for performance, the GTI continues with the EA888 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, paired to a 7-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox to drive the front wheels. Output is rated at 245 hp and 370 Nm, a 15 hp and 20 Nm jump from before. 0 to 100 km/h is done in 6.4 seconds.
The more interesting news lies with the R-Line, where it continues to be powered by the 1.4 TSI engine from the Mk7.5 Golf but is now paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission instead of the 7-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox from before.
Really exciting stuff this! Keep your eyes peeled for further developments!
The all-new Volkswagen Golf R could be the ultimate every day “sleeper”. Check it out here!
GALLERY
Volkswagen Golf GTI


Mercedes-Benz GLE facelift debuts, no more pure ICE, new 400 e PHEV variant

Mercedes-Benz
 has given a facelift to the
Mercedes-Benz GLE
, now making it an electrified-only car (including the AMG versions) and introducing a new 400 e plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant to replace the 350 e PHEV. Including the AMG versions of the facelifted GLE, there are 7 trims of the car with each trim offered in both SUV and ‘Coupe’ body styles.
GLE 450 4MATIC (MHEV)
GLE 300 d 4MATIC (MHEV)
GLE 450 d 4MATIC (MHEV)
GLE 400 e 4MATIC (PHEV) (NEW)
GLE 350 de 4MATIC (PHEV)
AMG GLE 53 4MATIC+
AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC+
Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé
The facelift has subtly tweaked the look of the Mercedes-Benz GLE, giving it a new headlight cluster that features a new daytime running light (DRL) design. The facelifted GLE also gets new bumpers and new wheels as part of the refresh. Like the headlights, the taillights have also been refreshed subtly.
As for powertrains, there are now 7 powertrains with 2 being AMG powertrains, 3 being mild hybrid (MHEV) powertrains, and 2 being PHEV powertrains. The AMG powertrains are electrified as well.
RELATED:
2023 Mercedes-Benz CLA debuts with mild facelift, mild-hybrid engine tech
Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV
New to the GLE is the powertrain in the GLE 400 e 4MATIC PHEV which consists of a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine and an electric motor. Combined, the system makes 280 kW (
381 hp
 metric) and
600 Nm
. The 400 e accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in
6.1 seconds
 and has a top speed of
210 km/h
.
On electric drive alone, the 400 e has a maximum WLTP range of
105 km
 for the SUV version and
107 km
 for the Coupe version. Charging can be done at a rate of
11 kW
 with AC charging, which is the same for the GLE 350 de 4MATIC.
RELATED:
Gallery – Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4MATIC AMG Line, from RM389k
Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV
Powertrains for the rest of the lineup are as such for the MHEV versions.
GLE 450 4MATIC
GLE 300 d 4MATIC
GLE 450 d 4MATIC
Engine
3.0L turbo
2.0L turbodiesel
3.0L turbodiesel
Max. Power
381 hp
269 hp
367
Additional Power (boost)
20 hp
20 hp
20 hp
Peak Torque
500 Nm
550 Nm
750 Nm
Additional Torque (boost)
200 Nm
200 Nm
200 Nm
Transmission
9G-Tronic automatic transmission
9G-Tronic automatic transmission
9G-Tronic automatic transmission
0-100 km/h
5.6 s
6.9 s
5.6 s
Top speed
250 km/h
230 km/h
250 km/h
For the PHEV versions…
GLE 400 e 4MATIC
GLE 350 de 4MATIC
Engine
2.0L turbo
2.0L turbodiesel
Max. Power (combined)
380 hp
333 hp
Max. Torque (combined)
600 Nm
750 Nm
0-100 km/h
6.1 s
6.9 s
Top speed
210 km/h
210 km/h
RELATED:
Mercedes-AMG S 63 E Performance debuts – V8 PHEV, 0-100km/h in 3.3 secs
AMG versions of the Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV and Coupe
The AMG versions consist of the 53 AND 63. Performance remains the same for the AMG 63 GLE, but the AMG 53 has been given a boost in torque thanks to a larger turbocharger and revised programming.
AMG 53 4MATIC+
AMG 63 4MATIC+
Engine
3.0-litre inline 6 with exhaust gas turbocharger, electric additional compressor and ISG
4.0-litre V8 with twin
scroll turbochargers
and ISG
Max. Power
435 hp + 22 hp (ISG)
612 hp + 22 hp
Max. Torque
560 Nm + 200 Nm (ISG)
850 Nm + 250 Nm (ISG)
Transmission
AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G
AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G
0-100 km/h
5.0 s
3.9 s
Top speed
250 km/h
280 km/h
RELATED:
Leaked – Next-gen W214 Mercedes-Benz E-Class adopts ‘EQ’ grille, landscape screen
Inside the GLE now gets the latest-generation steering wheel with touch elements on the left and right. Also new is a “personal sound setup” and a Dolby immersive audio experience’” as part of the Burmester surround sound system. Mercedes-Benz has comprehensively integrated many music streaming providers into the MBUX infotainment system.
Other updates to the GLE include the latest generation of MBUX, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and a more interactive “Hey Mercedes” voice assistant which is capable of learning by activating online services in the Mercedes me App.
RELATED:
To save you time, Mercedes-Benz and Bosch debut world’s first L4 driverless valet parking


Here’s what happens to the car’s paint when you ignore that bird poo

We are entering the 11th week of lockdown since the first announcement of
MCO 3.0 (later renamed to NRP)
 was announced at the start of June 2021. With work-from-home directives and minimal travelling, our vehicles are further left unused.
For those who have to park their cars without shade, nature is always never too far away from redecorating the exterior with “new patterns”.
But, with modern expertise such as advancements in paint technology, electrophoretic deposition (ED) coating as well as various clear coat finishing, are the bird poo or droppings from the birds so detrimental to a modern vehicle’s paint?
While the composition of bird droppings actually varies from region to region due to their diet, it is essentially a
very acidic substance
 that has a typical pH level of between 3 and 4.5. According to detailing experts, the uric acid contained in the bird droppings will react with the hydrocarbons on the clear coat.
On a hot day, the clear coat expands at a molecular level and the uric acid from the bird droppings seep in. At night, when it has cooled down, the uric acid is trapped inside the clear coat and it then starts becoming corrosive, harming the paintwork. This though isn’t an immediate process, taking a few cycles of heating and cooling which could leave a permanent blemish.
Even taking into consideration how often it rains here, which would wash away the bird droppings, it is best to clean the acidic stains without delay to avoid having a long-term defect on the paintwork.
The government has allowed businesses to reopen for individuals who are fully vaccinated. One of them is the car wash! Find out more about the list of businesses here.
For fresh bird poo on car paint, there is no need to use a special solution. It is recommended to use a soft microfibre cloth and plenty of water to
gently wipe
 the droppings off, as the droppings tend to have pieces of gravel, nuts and seeds mixed into them, which could cause tiny scratches when they’re cleaned with great force.
For those droppings that have hardened, place a wet cloth over it for ten minutes to soften the deposit. Repeat this process if the droppings cannot be lifted off in just one go. Do not wipe/scrub it as the droppings have rough particles with can cause scratches to the clear coat of the paintwork.
After two sessions of evening showers, the majority of the bird droppings have been washed away.
For those who have the resources and means, there are specific
bird-dropping cleaning towels
 made just for the job! We managed to find one, check out the product
here
 for more information.
Paint and coating technology has come a long way with
Ford
 even creating synthetic bird droppings and tree sap for testing purposes to formulate even tougher coatings. Meanwhile, those who had applied additional ceramic coating will see benefits as the made-to-deteriorate coating will take the brunt of the abuse before reaching the factory-applied clear coat.
The water-repelling ceramic coating also allows the droppings to be cleared away with ease.
Funky colours might actually help with a car’s resale value. Find out more here!
And for additional information, a study by UK’s Halfords has revealed that
red

cars
attract more
 bird poo than those with
blue
 car paint.
Green
 vehicles are the least preferred by the flying pest.
There is of course the ultimate protection for cars parked outdoors- the full-sized car cover. Avoid parking under tall trees in the evenings too, where a lot of crows tend to gather and start dropping their deposits.
Sources:
Island Detail and Color
,
Car Bible
s
,
Autoblog
GALLERY


Proton delivered 5,964 cars in January 2021, steep drop due to parts shortage

According to the Proton’s sales performance report for January 2021, the national carmaker delivered a total of
5,964 units
 the month, representing a drop of 7,342 units (55.1%) as
compared to the prior month
, and a 29.9% drop compared to the same month last year. The significant drop in sales also resulted in a 1% drop in market share compared to January 2020, ending the month at an estimated 18.5%.
Although the
second iteration of the Movement Control Order (MCO)
 clearly reared its ugly head, the national carmaker said that the figures were actually a reflection of supply not being able to meet demand due to parts shortage from local suppliers, rather than a reduction in bookings.
Proton Edar CEO, Roslan Abdullah said, “Measures like the MCO have naturally affected the number of customers coming to showrooms, but we can receive bookings online helping to boost our sales. However, our supply lines have been disrupted over the last few months by the coronavirus making it difficult to ensure a steady flow of parts needed to build our cars.
“It’s something all car manufacturers have been facing for the past year, but we are hopeful that with the arrival of a vaccine things will stabilize by the middle of the year,” he added.
The
Proton Saga
 once again led the national carmaker’s sales with 2,583 units delivered in January 2021. Deliveries for the
Proton X70
 and
X50
 meanwhile, were down to 892 and 1,082 units respectively for the month. For the latter, a total of 4,809 units have been delivered since the model was
launched late October last year
.
Elsewhere, Proton also managed to move 970 units of the
Persona
, while the
Iriz
 and
 Exora
 contributed 153 and 283 units to January’s total figure respectively.
Proton recently expanded their online offerings with the launch of its own
 Certified Pre-Owned car-buying website
.
“January was a difficult month for Malaysia’s automotive industry. Hopes were high the momentum built at the end of 2020 would be carried forward especially after the announcement of PENJANA incentives
remaining in place until the end of June this year
. Unfortunately, the second MCO announcement put a damper on those hopes.
“Still, Proton as well as the rest of the industry is in full support of all measures the government has in place to control the rate of infection. The safety of all Malaysians needs to remain as the main priority and companies need to pivot in order to achieve their goals in a changed market environment,” said Roslan.
Despite the delays in the production line, Proton says that its product launch plans for 2021 are not affected. “We have an exciting series of improved products in the pipeline while the Proton X50 will now be able to establish its standing in the market by benefitting from a full year of sales.
“There will undoubtedly be more challenges ahead until the world is able to control the spread of the virus, but we are aware this is now the new norm for doing business and the onus is on us to innovate our operations to better serve our customers,” he added.


China thinks it has too many electric car companies locally

That was what Industry and Information Technology Minister, Xiao Yaqing highlighted recently and is encouraging these companies to consolidate.
Currently, the biggest electric car players in China include Nio and Xpeng, and last year the country saw electric vehicle sales exceeding 1.3 million units. This is mainly due to subsidies for consumers to make electric cars more accessible.
The Nio ES8
To put things in perspective on just how big the Chinese electric car market is; Malaysia only sold about half a million cars in pre-pandemic 2019. You may argue that this is partly down to population but their focus on electric vehicles is unlike any other country.
New Tank 500 is China’s answer to the Toyota Land Cruiser. Find out why!
This makes China the largest electric car market in the world but they’re only just beginning. The government recently announced that by 2030, 40% of its cars will be electric.
The Xpeng G3 with over 500 km of electric driving range.
Xiao Yaqing said while the direction of the local electric car market is encouraging and prospering, there are too many small players scattered across the country. According to an article by
Fortune
, there are about 300 electric car makers in China.
As such Xiao is encouraging the bigger players to weed out the smaller ones. This approach, according to Xiao’s statement, would further intensify and accelerate EV growth and adoption.
Bloomberg also reported that the Chinese government is already working on new policies to encourage consolidation.
Lynk & Co and Nio from China awarded full 5-star Euro NCAP rating. Find out why it’s such a big deal!


2020 Perodua Bezza announced in teaser video, now available for booking!

Perodua has just released an official teaser video for the updated 2020
Perodua Bezza
, which is also now open for booking. The 15-seconds long video offers a (very) brief look at the changes for the updated Perodua Bezza.
Up front, the 2020 Perodua Bezza has received a significant redesign to the fascia. The grille now features a trapezoidal shape, and is flanked by the new slimmer full-LED headlights – which are new to the model.

The front bumper has also been redesigned, which now features angular cutouts for the foglamp housing – a design similar to that of the Perodua Myvi.
Moving to the rear, the video shows a revised horizontal chrome strip, which has been slimmed down and paired with a gloss-black line underneath.
The updated Bezza will also feature a redesigned bumper with aggressive cutouts and sharper lines. The redesigned bumper is not shown in the video above, but Perodua has included a small image in the brochure below.
The video also shows us a glimpse of the updated alloy wheels, which are
15-inch items
 on the 1.3L. the 1.0L variants get
14-inch alloy wheels
.
Inside, the dashboard has also been given a refresh. A new matte-silver trim piece across the entire width of the dashboard. The trim piece wraps around the infotainment system, featuring a 2 DIN head unit.
In terms of kit, the hero addition to the Bezza line-up is Perodua’s
Advanced Safety Assist (ASA) 2.0
 advanced driver assistance suite. ASA 2.0 includes pedestrian detection (up to 50 km/h), pre-collision warning (up to 100 km/h), pre-collision braking (up to 80 km/h), front departure alert and pedal misoperation control.
Given that ASA 2.0 was also included in the
facelifted Perodua Axia
 announced in September last year, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see it being included here for the top-of-the-range AV variant.
Other safety features include ABS with EBD, which are standard across all variants, as well as vehicle stability control and traction control for the 1.3L variants (previously only available on the AV variant).
Click to enlarge
All variants will be equipped with rear reverse sensors, while 1.3L variants will now come with front corner sensors. As before, the AV variant gets a reverse camera, complementing the touchscreen infotainment display.
The 2020 Perodua Bezza will be offered in six exterior colours, with two new additions – Garnet Red (exclusive to 1.3L variants) and Granite Grey – joining the four existing colours on offer, namely Ivory White, Glittering Silver, Ocean Blue and Sugar Brown.
Four variants are available on offer – 1.0 G MT, 1.0 G AT, 1.3 X AT and 1.3 AV AT (1.3 X MT has been dropped). As with all Perodua models, the 2020 Perodua Bezza will come with a five-year/150,000 km warranty.
No changes are expected to the powertrain options. The 1.0L variants will be fitted with a
1.0-litre three-cylinder engine
, producing
67 hp
 and
91 Nm
 of torque; 1.3L variants get a
1,329cc four-cylinder engine
 producing
94 hp
and
121 Nm
 of torque.
The 2020 Perodua Bezza is now open for booking at all Perodua outlets, and you can register your interest online
here
.
2020 Perodua Bezza Pricing:
Variants
Prices (P M’sia, OTR w/o Insurance)
1.0 G MT
RM34,580
1.0 G AT
RM36,580
1.3 X AT
RM43,980
1.3 AV AT
RM49,980


Top 5: April Fool’s pranks by automotive manufacturers

Honestly, there’s no need to be ashamed – it’s neither a sin nor a crime to be gullible. If you’ve been scammed by the auto world’s April Fool’s pranks, don’t doubt your intelligence. With technology being so advanced, who’s to say what’s real and what’s not these days.
I for one, fell victim to Lexus’ prank of the possible reality that a car can be specified to our exact physical and mental needs through analysis of our saliva. Everyone from McLaren to Skoda was also in on the fun but these are a selection of my favourites.
Here are the five most convincing (perhaps only to me) April Fool’s pranks of 2018 by car manufacturers:
MG to use Alpaca poop to power their cars
While the notion of using renewal energy sources to power cars aren’t exactly new, MG’s idea of using Alpaca droppings as a source of power simply emitted a whiff of bull excrement.
Alpacas, which appear similar to Llamas, can be found primarily in the mountainous terrains of South America. MG claimed that Alpaca waste has been specifically chosen as it doesn’t need to be aged before it can be broken down into pellets and used as fuel.
Hyundai used chocolate as tarmac to test their i30N hot hatch
I nearly fell for it, before a quick spotcheck on Google cleared the air on Hyundai’s supposed secret proving ground for the i30N hot hatch. Engineers were said to have observed tyre prints left in the Cacao Corner of the test track –  made using milk, butter and cocoa.
The tyre print analysis was then used to tweak the i30N’s handling characteristics. Parts of the Cacao Corner can also be removed and refrigerated to create a long-lasting record of previous test results.
Lexus using saliva to tailor-make a car for you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuDYKljzcZE
After last year’s prank where Lexus claimed to have developed a technology that can move lane hoggers involuntarily away from you, this year they introduced the
Lexus Genetic Select
.
All it takes is a
little spit of your saliva
 and the system will be able to tell if you’re prone to backaches hence requiring more lumbar support and padding for your seats, for instance.
Honda launched a CR-V Roadster concept
It was supposed to provide a “unique spin” on the world’s best-selling SUV and would be launched “just in time for summer”. With both B and C pillars completely removed, Honda cheekily claimed structural rigidity was reduced by as much as 100%.
Its price? “Half” of an actual CR-V, of course.
Skoda’s noise-cancelling headrest
Now if it wasn’t the 1st of April, most parents would be jumping for joy and swarming Skoda showrooms for a piece of their latest development.
If it were true though, teenage drivers will also no longer be subjected to their parent’s unnecessary remarks of their driving and it could even revolutionise air travel – no more crying babies!


Hyundai N Vision 74 production model reportedly coming this month!

Back in July 2022,
Hyundai
 unveiled its
N Vision 74
 concept to the world. Looking like a
DMC Delorean
, the concept is powered by a combination of batteries and a hydrogen fuel cell. A recent report from Korean media
Money Today
 suggests that a production version of the N Vision 74 could be coming out later this month.
The N Vision 74’s design pays tribute to the original Pony coupe concept in 1974. Its design is an uncanny resemblance to the DMC Delorean featured in Back to the Future.
The original Pony coupe was designed by legendary automotive designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. The supposed production version of the N Vision 74, on the other hand, will reportedly be designed by Fabrizio Giugiaro, the son of the legendary designer.
As mentioned above, powering the concept coupe is a combination of batteries and a hydrogen fuel cell, with power sent to the rear wheels. Thanks to two electric motors, the Pony Coupe is capable of generating
680 hp
 and
900 Nm
 of torque.
RELATED:
3 new Hyundai models teased for 2023 – Ioniq 6, Santa Fe & Tucson, is that you?
Money Today has also reported that Hyundai is planning to reveal the production version of the concept coupe on
May 27, 2023
, at a ‘Pony Day’ event that will be held at the company’s studio in Seoul. We sincerely hope Hyundai won’t disappoint us, as the N Vision 74 has been one of the most hotly anticipated Korean cars in a while.
What do you think of Hyundai’s N Vision 74? Comment your thoughts down below!
RELATED:
Hyundai Elantra N facelift revealed, another robocop-ed Hyundai


F22 BMW 2 Series gets a facelift, lightly redesigned but with greater appeal

Joining the newly updated
BMW 1 Series hatchback
 is the facelifted
2 Series
 coupe (F22), which will go on sale from July onwards. You can have it either as a two-door coupe or convertible.
New items here are subtle, like the marginally larger kidney grille, new LED DRL graphics and redesigned tail lamps. The two Sunset Orange and Seaside Blue also make their debut here, just like the 1 Series. The convertible comes with a powered soft-top operable at speeds up to 50 km/h.
Much like the updated 1-er, the cabin of the 2 Series gets exactly the same updates in trimmings and iDrive system. If the M2 is a little too hardcore for your liking, there’s the
 M240i
 variant that’s available for both the coupe and convertible. The
3.0-litre straight-six turbocharged
 engine cranks out
340 hp
 and
500

Nm
 of torque, allowing for a 0-100 km/h sprint in
4.4 seconds
. A choice of six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic can be had.
Back here, BMW Malaysia is only selling the
Active Tourer
 derivative of the 2 Series, and of course the full blown
M2
 beast itself. Sales of the
220i
 has been discontinued until further notice.
IMAGE GALLERY


This Toyota Mirai fleet has travelled to the Moon and back 6 times!

In fact, six and the half times to be exact, with a total of 5,000,000 km in just two and a half years – that’s 5,500 km a day!
But instead of seeing those figures on the odometer of a NASA Space Shuttle, it’s accumulated by 45 units of the Toyota Mirai used by German ride pooling company CleverShuttle, making them the world’s most used Toyota Mirai fleet.
The figure completely overshadows the 1.6 million kilometres clocked up in 2019, by 27 units of Toyota Mirai owned by London-based private-car hire and taxi service company Green Tomato Cars.
What’s even more incredible is that the distance was achieved without a speck of emission. As they’re fuel cell electric vehicles, where a propulsion system uses fuel cell stack that mixes hydrogen with oxygen to generate electricity to power the car, the Mirai merely emitted water vapour throughout its “journey to the Moon”.
With a tank of fuel, the Mirai can travel up to 500 km and refuelling takes less than three minutes. To put things into perspective, the
fully-electric Nissan Leaf
 launched in
Malaysia last year
, is only capable of around 300 km on a full charge. On that note, Edaran Tan Chong Motor recently
assured customers of the new Leaf that the car’s battery warranty covers more than just faults
.
In the three years that CleverShuttle has operated this fleet, each have accumulated around 180,000 km and according to them, “suffered no technical or mechanical issues whatsoever”. The company claimed that apart from regular, scheduled maintenance, no repairs or changes of parts were required since they were put into action.
“Fuel cell electric vehicles such as the Toyota Mirai are an important to the operations of our business thanks to their reliability. They have allowed us to provide countless passengers with comfortable rides, emitting nothing but water vapour,” said CleverShuttle co-founder Jan Hofmann.


Throwback Thursday: The most complicated Honda car ad with a simple and effective message

The year was 2003; the creative ad men and women of Wieden + Kennedy dug out an old idea originally meant for the Civic and went on to create one of the most incredible car advertisements in recent history.
It was called “Cog” – a chain reaction video that wouldn’t feature much of the car but at the same time, quite a lot of it. It required two pre-production units which were almost immediately taken apart for the admen to asses how the components can be put together. Not only did the chain reaction need to work, its sequence had to be clever.
It costs 100,000 pounds and required more than six months of developing and testing, before filming could even begin. Once that was done, reports claimed that it cost another one million pounds to shoot. It took them 60 takes in three days to accomplish and apparently, all the original concepts were not even used.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z57kGB-mI54
There have been conflicting reports, even from the same source on how many takes it actually took. First it was 600 then later on it was 60, but the slate board in this
behind the scenes video
 however, stated “606”, so we’ll leave you to dish it out with Google.
What’s certain is that the entire chain reaction
wasn’t shot in one take
 but instead was split into two halves as getting a studio that big to accommodate the entire ensemble would’ve been too expensive. Could you tell where the halfway point was? Here’s a clue – fumes.
Speaking of which, even the temperature of the studio was taken into account as it could mess up the movement of the components and in turn, ruining the entire sequence. You can only imagine the level of precision needed to pull the immensely complex chain reaction off.
Not only did they have to contend with the smoothness of the sequence, lighting, studio conditions (temperature/wind/vibrations), the shoot was also constrained by the limited capabilities of the cameras from that era, which could barely cope with the continuous focus from small to large to small items again.

If you pay closer attention, you’d notice some movements do appear fake with a healthy dose of CGI and over the years, questions have been raised and mysteries supposedly debunked. Again, you have plenty of time, the Internet is free and the search engine you’re looking for is spelt “Google”.
Take the tyres rolling up the slope for example. The technicians brought in to calculate the physics of that movement claimed that there’s weight at the bottom of the tyres. Once the tyre is nudged, as it attempts to balance itself, it rolls forward too. Even the amount of oil, used to slow down the nuts so that it wouldn’t roll too quick and bounce off the edge, was taken into account.
And what you get is two minutes of mechanical movement perfection, the unveiling of the
Accord
 and a simple yet effective and lasting message at the end that said, “Isn’t it nice, when things just work?”
Although, I’d argue that it’s true with a Toyota as well.


Volvo S60/V60 Polestar Performance World Champion Edition, full Polestar kit

To celebrate Polestar Cyan Racing’s win at the FIA World Touring Car Championship in a Volvo S60 Polestar TC1 race car, Polestar has unveiled the Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar Performance World Champion Edition.
Unlike the limited-run
MY2018 S60 and V60 Polestar
, the Champion Edition can be had in
D4, D5, T5 or T6 variants
. Should you choose to own one of these celebratory models, your S60/V60 will be dressed in a rear diffuser, ducktail spoiler and 19-inch Polestar lightweight alloy wheels wrapped in ultra-high-performance tyres.

Mechanically, it comes equipped with free-flow stainless-steel exhaust system, sports air filter, uprated suspension dampers and springs as well as Polestar powertrain optimisation. Engine output is bumped by up to
10 hp
 and
50 Nm
 of torque (depending on engine choice). Gearshifts and throttle response have been sharpened as well.
The Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar Performance World Champion Editions are available for purchase from any Polestar retailer globally whereas the Polestar Performance Parts can be fitted to new or existing Volvo cars.
IMAGE GALLERY


Mercedes-Benz Malaysia is organising a safety recall on older models equipped with Takata airbags

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has just issued an important statement regarding the condition of the airbags in their vehicles. The company is conducting a safety recall of potentially affected Takata airbag modules from specific models in compliance with the European type approval.
This measure serves to ensure customers’ safety and gain a deeper understanding of the condition of airbag modules in the vehicle after a prolonged period.
SLK-Class
C-Class
To recap, the company, guided by Daimler AG, decided to execute a worldwide recall in mid-2019 of the affected models of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Vans and MB Trucks. The company will continue to work closely together with the authorities and Joyson Safety Systems (new owners of Takata) to exchange the latest findings and insights.
In this latest recall notice, Mercedes-Benz vehicles affected are across a variety of models from the production period of
2004 to 2016
, including the: A-Class (169), C-Class (203 and 204), E-Class Coupe and Convertible (207), the
E-Class (212)
, ML- and GL-Class (164), R-Class (251), as well as the SLK (171) and the 197 (SLS AMG).
A-Class
ML-Class
C-Class, interior
All affected Mercedes-Benz owners can check their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the recall microsite
here
 or by calling the Customer Care Centre
1-800-88-1133
 to confirm if their car has been identified for this voluntary monitoring program.
Should the vehicle be required to undergo the replacement, the cost is free and fully borne by Mercedes-Benz Malaysia.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia and Daimler AG reassure their customers that all presently produced Mercedes-Benz passenger cars are
 no longer equipped
 with Takata (or other suppliers) airbags which contains
ammonium nitrate
 as the primary propellant.


All-new Mercedes-Benz A-Class teased again, shows off sleek headlamp design [+Video]

Like most recent Mercedes-Benz models, the company has taken to YouTube to tease their latest product, the next-generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class. The fourth-generation compact hatch will be making its world premiere in Amsterdam on 2nd February 2018.
Previously,
Mercedes-Benz gave us a glimpse
 of what the interior will look like with notable features such as the Widescreen Cockpit Display, Turbine air vents, multifunctional steering wheel and redesigned centre console. A new feature that was not mentioned in earlier releases is the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience), an artificial intelligence multimedia system that allows the users to interact with the system by saying “Hey Mercedes”.

On the outside, not much can be identified except for the sleek LED headlamps and slimmer taillamp graphics. The new car will spearhead a more youthful brand image for the three-pointed star with its dynamic but more grown-up exterior design. Oh, there is also an
A-Class sedan
 that
might
 become a reality.
IMAGE GALLERY
All-new Mercedes-Benz A-Class Teaser

Mercedes-Benz A-Class Interior


Check out these renderings of the new BMW 3-series in different body styles

You probably know of them by now but in case you don’t, the boys at
 X-Tomi Design
 are notoriously well-known for their “extremely real” renderings on new cars in different body styles.
Take the all-new G20 BMW 3-series for example, they’ve rendered the car to appear as a wagon, a GT and one wearing an M3 kit.

Not sure if I’d ever want to see the 3-series in GT form again, as the number of those “things” on the road also indicate how likable they are amongst the general public but goodness, the M3 looks drop-dead gorgeous!
If you haven’t heard, the
all-new G20 BMW 3-series
 will be available in six different variants – 320i, 330i, 318d, 320d, 320d xDrive and 330d. Transmission options include a six-speed manual (on the 318d and 320d), while the rest will be equipped with an 8-speed Steptronic automatic transmission.
Upgrades on the transmission include a new control unit, shorter gearing and lower ratios for better acceleration. An optional 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission is also available for even quicker gear shifts and a Launch Control function.
Credit:
X-Tomi Design


Volkswagen Golf Mk8 scores 5 stars in NCAP, droopy nose partially explained?

One of the less publicised virtues of modern vehicle platforms that can accommodate electrified powertrains is their enhanced rigidity, due to the need to isolate and shield the high voltage battery pack in the event of a crash. So yes, modern cars are largely safer in the unfortunate event of a crash, even if the drivers aren’t.
It should also come as no surprise that the
Mk8-generation
 Volkswagen Golf just scored 5 stars in its maiden Euro NCAP test. The MQB-based
Mk7 Golf
having already achieved the result back in 2012, hence it’s only logical given that the
Mk8 Golf
, also based on the
MQB platform
 (but updated) passed with flying colours, though NCAP testing criteria have become stricter over time.
In the key areas of safety involving Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Vulnerable Road Users (or Pedestrian) and Safety Assist, the Mk8 Golf scored
95% (AO), 89% (CO), 76% (VRS) and 78% (SA)
, whereas the Mk7 scored
94% (AO), 89% (CO), 65% (VRS) and 71% (SA)
.
The breakdown does make for interesting reading in that the passive safety scores for Adult Occupant and Child Occupant between the two generations of Golfs are
nearly identical
, expectedly so, but the Mk8 is superior in Safety Assist systems such as
Autonomous Emergency Braking
 and
Lane Assists
 and notably safer for
pedestrians
in a collision.

Maybe that’s why the Mk8 Golf’s front end is droopier and lower than the Mk7’s, apart from just being more aerodynamic.


Lexus ES300h facelift announced, gets a bold new look for 2016

The time has come for Lexus to update the look of its sixth generation ES model range for 2016; a look that is both fresh and sleek, mirroring its siblings with better tech and equipment as well.
What we have here is the ES300h
hybrid model
 of the range, and one thing that’s carried forward is the brand’s signature
spindle grille
. However, a pair of
LED head lights
 gives the range a more grown up look to compliment the other styling features, such as the new fog lights.

Going around the side, you will come across a set of new
17-inch alloy wheels
 which are exclusive to the ES range and comes wrapped with
 low-resistance tyres
. The rear end gets the familiar
L-shaped tail lamps
. Fans of the
Toyota Camry
 will definitely spot the resemblance here. As before, the ES 300h conveys its hybrid identity through subtle cues, including a
trunk lip spoiler
,
 hidden exhaust pipe
and
 blue hybrid badges
.
Drive is provided via the rather familiar powertrain from the current model (also powering our
Camry Hybrid
) –
2AR-FXE 2.5-litre single VVT-i twin-cam Atkinson cycle four-cylinder
 unit that makes out
158 hp
at 5,700 rpm and
213 Nm
 at 4,500 rpm and is coupled to a
650V nickel-metal hydride battery pack
 that packs a total combined punch of about
200 hp
.
Fuel consumption is rated by the manufacturers at a healthy
7.1 litres per 100 km
 on the combined cycle. It has also been designed to run
 without an accessory belt
, meaning that the
water pump
 and
steering are electric driven
.
This ES 300h has a knack for safety in mind, with
10 airbags
as standard to boot. The facelift gets the optional
Lexus’ Safety System+ Package
 that combines Pre-Collision System (
PCS)
, Lane Departure Alert (
LDA
) with Steering Assist, Intelligent High Beam (
IHB
) and
High-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
.

The outgoing ES300h was introduced at the end of 2013 and retails for
RM353,000
 on-the-road (excluding insurance), and comes with a
three-year warranty
.
IMAGE GALLERY


The Lamborghini Sián is the most powerful Bull you can’t buy

After many months of teasing, Lamborghini has finally unveiled their first ever hybrid supercar, the Lamborghini Sián, and it is an absolute jaw-dropper.
The name
Sián
, from the Bolognese dialect meaning ‘
flash or lightning
‘, perfectly embodies the idea behind the hypercar, which is a
super-fast electrified vehicle, a first for Lamborghini
.
Without further ado, here are the numbers:
0 to 100km/h in just 2.8 seconds and a top speed of over 350km/h
, the Lamborghini Sián is powered by a
6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12
, which is the same engine used in the Aventador SVJ. What is different from the SVJ though, is the added 45-volt e-motor, making a
combined output of 819 hp
!
Rather than a regular lithium-ion battery, Lamborghini is pushing the boundaries by utilising the
supercapacitor technology
, providing
three times more power than a battery of the same weight
. The entire hybrid system only weighs
34kg
, and is a world’s first application of the supercapacitor technology in hybrid vehicles.
According to Lamborghini, the Sián
charges itself completely
 “every time the vehicle brakes” through
regenerative braking
. The symmetrical behavior of the supercapacitor means that charging can be done at the
same power
 as discharging.
Connected through the gearbox, the
 e-motor
delivers instantaneous torque while accelerating and also helps out with low speed maneuvers such as reversing and parking. The e-motor automatically disconnects above 130 km/h.
Although the century run times are basically the same as the
SVJ
, the Lamborghini Sián pulls ahead in the
 30 km/h to 60 km/h and 0 km/h to 120 km/h acceleration benchmarks
, clocking in 0.2 and 1.2 seconds faster than the SVJ respectively.
The styling on the Sián is unmistakably Lamborghini. The brand DNA is evident throughout the entire design, and we see the
Countach
especially in the rear third section of the supercar. The
iconic “Y” and hexagonal shapes of previous Lamborghinis
 are found throughout the car, from the front daytime running lights, air inlets to the rear combination lamps.
Automobili Lamborghini’s Head of Design, Mitja Borkert says “The fastest Lamborghini must be a visual and symphonic feast, as remarkable to those who see it pass by as those privileged to drive it,” and privilege is the word here.
As emblazoned on the rear winglets, Lamborghini will only be producing a limited run of 63 units, referencing the founding year of Automobili Lamborghini, and they are all unfortunately
sold out
. I guess we will just have to wait for the next one.
Lamborghini Sián image gallery


Updated Porsche Macan range gets more power, between 265 hp to 440 hp

The Porsche Macan was the company’s best-selling model until the Cayenne overtook it last year. With the all-new and
fully-electric Macan only due in 2023
, Porsche has updated the Macan with new styling features and a power bump.
The new Porsche Macan features new front and rear bumpers plus the characteristic Sideblades. For the Macan S and Macan models, the new front bumper features a body-coloured inlay to emphasise the model’s width. On the GTS, the centre of the new bumper as well as other elements are finished in black.
The rear bumper gets a distinctive looking rear bumper with a pronounced shape like an extension of a diffuser. New 3D patterns on the bumpers and sideblades are also available as an option for further personalise the new Macan.
The LED headlamps with Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS) and Sport Design exterior mirrors are now standard on all variants.
Is this a Porsche showroom or a high-end fashion boutique? New Porsche Studio opens in Vietnam
Compared to the
previous model-year
, all variants of Porsche Macan all see an increase in power output. The 2-litre four-cylinder unit in the base Macan now delivers
265 hp
 and
400 Nm
, launching the vehicle from 0 to 100 km/h in just
6.2 seconds
.
Meanwhile, the 2.9-litre V6 biturbo engine with outputs of
380 hp
 and
520 Nm
 previously serving duties in the sporty
GTS variant
has now been moved to the Macan S variant. As such, the new Porsche Macan S does the century sprint in just
4.6 seconds
 with the Sport Chrono Package.
With that powertrain repositioning, the new Porsche Macan GTS gets the
440 hp/550 Nm
 higher-tuned V6 biturbo engine from the outgoing Macan Turbo. It maintains the same
4.3-second
 sprint time too. The top speed for the new Macan GTS is a blistering 272 km/h.
All engines are paired with the 7-speed Porsche dual-clutch transmission (PDK) and Porsche Traction Management all-wheel drive system.
Porsche says the
new Macan GTS sits at the top of the range
, sounding as if the Macan Turbo has been discontinued from this model-year improvement onwards. Being the range-topper with plenty of sporty credentials, the new Macan GTS with sports air suspension fitted as standard.
The fastest SUV around the Nurburgring is now available for sale, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT with 640 hp!
Apart from lowering the overall height by 10 mm, the air suspension is also 10% and 15% stiffer on the front and rear axles respectively compared to its predecessor model. The regular Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) has been retuned for more sensitivity and more feedback to the driver.
This new tuning has been paired with larger standard wheels across the range- 19 inches for the Macan, 20 inches for the Macan S and 21 inches for the Macan GTS.
Inside, a new centre and lower console with touch surface (replacing all physical push buttons) and a new shorter shift lever greet the occupants, while the driver feels even more connected to the road with new steering wheels from the latest 911 model.
The new Macan model will begin deliveries from October 2021 in Europe, with prices in the UK starting from
GBP47,780
 (RM276k) for the base Macan and
GBP64,770
 (RM374k) for the Macan GTS.
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2021 Porsche Macan GTS
2021 Porsche Macan S


BMW X2 SDrive20i M Sport open for booking, estimated price RM320k

BMW Malaysia has officially opened bookings for the first ever
BMW X2
 which will make its market debut on 21st March 2018. Interested parties can put down a RM3,000 booking fee on their
official website
 to secure an early unit of the Sports Activity Coupe (SAC).
The company revealed that the X2 will carry an estimated price tag of RM320,000 and will be available in one variant, the
SDrive20i
. It’s powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder TwinPower Turbo petrol delivering
192 hp
 and
280 Nm
 of torque, sending drive to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Its century sprint is clocked in by
7.7 seconds
 onwards to a top speed of
227 km/h
.

On the outside, our local X2 will wear the
M Sport package
 that comes with the M Aerodynamic body kit, BMW Individual High-Gloss Shadow line, a M rear spoiler and M Sport suspension that lowers the car’s ride height by
10 mm
. Other equipment includes LED headlamps with LED fog lamps. The X2 will sit on 19-inch 715 M lightweight alloys wrapped in 225/45 profile tyres.
Inside, the X2 is furnished with Dakota leather upholstery, M lettering, M leather steering wheel, sport seats, Aluminium Hexagon interior trims, powered front seats with memory function, dual-zone automatic climate control, six different colours for ambient lighting, an 8.8-inch Navigation Plus iDrive system with six-speakers and reverse camera.
There will be four exterior shades to choose from – Galvanic Gold Metallic, Misano Blue Metallic, Sunset Orange Metallic and Black Sapphire Metallic. Buyers who opt for the Black Sapphire Metallic can pair it with a Magma Red leather interior.
IMAGE GALLERY
BMW X2 SDrive20i M Sport


The new Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 Coupe 4MATIC is just as good looking but smarter

Aside from
 launching two new Mercedes-Benz GLC models
, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia also introduced the new and improved, locally-assembled GLC 300 Coupe 4MATIC.
The single-variant GLC 300 Coupe 4MATIC is powered similarly by the new M264 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with
258 hp
and
370 Nm
 of torque. As its name suggests, power finds its way to all four wheels via a 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission.
Aside from the sloping roofline, the equipment list on the GLC 300 4MATIC Coupe is identical to the GLC 300 4MATIC. The new grille is flanked by a pair of new MULTIBEAM LED headlamps while the Night Package gives the car black trims all around. A set of new 20-inch lightweight alloy wheels complete the exterior makeover.
Like its non-coupe sibling, the AMG Line interior package dresses the interior with AMG floor mats and an AMG super-sport nappa leather steering wheel.
However, there are no wood trims here – to not dull the Coupe’s sportier appeal. In keeping with the times, the instrument cluster is now a 12.3-inch unit capable of three display styles: Classic, Progressive and Sporty.
Like the GLC 200 and 300 4MATIC, the Coupe also gets the new Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system on a 10.25-inch touchscreen display.
Mercedes me connect (Mmc) is another highlight. It’s a feature that connects the car with your smartphone via an app where it allows you to start your engine remotely, check fuel levels and more through the in-built LTE module.
Most older cars up to 2002 can also receive the service via
the Mercedes me Adapter that is available for purchase. It is easy to use too;
just plug it into the OBD2 port, although some functions, like remote start,
may not be available.
New features like Active Parking Assist is available, and it
also gets items like the 360° camera, Active Lane Keeping Assist and more to
keep current its safety equipment.
The facelifted Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 Coupe 4MATIC is priced at RM419,888 on-the-road without insurance.
IMAGE GALLERY


Heavy fines against drunk driving and lower permissible alcohol levels to be proposed

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the ministry will propose amendments to the Cabinet for hasher penalties on drunk drivers who cause injury or death.
The penalties include up 20 years in jail and a fine of up to RM150,000. Currently, under Section 44 of the Road Transport Act 1987, the maximum sentence for the same offense is only 10 years. If the amendments are passed, first time offenders of the new drunk driving laws can be sentenced to 15 years in jail while repeat offenders will see up to 20 years.
As for the fines, it’ll be RM100,000 for the first time offender, up from RM20,000 and RM200,000 for repeat offenders. That’s not all, if found guilty, the offender’s
driving license will be suspended for 20 years
 instead of just 10 currently. The new amendments also include those caught driving recklessly or under the influence of drugs.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong
Mandatory jail time
 is also being proposed under Section 45A of the Road Transport Act 1987, for those convicted of driving above permissible alcohol levels.
The
permissible alcohol levels
 currently stand at 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood or 107 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine.
It has been
proposed to be lowered
 to 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, 50 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood or 67 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine – a standard much lower than countries like England for example.
So the next time you head out for a couple of drinks, aside from a face mask, maybe bring along a breathalyzer as well?
Image Source:
 Facebook


Mercedes-Benz Malaysia achieves new milestone: 5,163 cars sold in H1 2015!

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) is certainly on the roll here, recording yet again another milestone in sales performance this year after announcing that they’ve sold 1,202 units of cars in June.
This follows their previous record achieved in
May with 1,143 units sold
, but their run in the first half this year solidifies Mercedes-Benz as the country’s leading choice of luxury passenger car brand. It also marks their fourth consecutive record-breaking month, selling a total of
5,163 units
 (year-to-date) compared to the same period in 2014 with 3,366 units – a
53 percent year-to-date growth
.
Current CEO and President of MBM, Roland Folger will be
succeeded by Dr Claus Weidner
 in October 2015
Driving this success is their core products, namely the
locally produced C-Class
,
E-Class
 and
S-Class
 models. Combined, the trio make up of
3,787 units
, an
increase of 62 percent
 from the same period last year. They’re certainly healthy numbers, but the E-Class is by far their best seller with
1,967 units
 registered – a whopping
41 percent increase
 from the first half of 2014.
The W205 C-Class on the other hand, registered sales of
1,104 units
 ( a 38 percent increase) whereas the W222 S-Class recorded a monumental
419 percent growth
 to
719 units
. To give you a better perspective of that, the total units sold for the first half of 2015 equates to the S-Class’
total sales volume from 2004 to 2006
.

Mercedes-Benz’s compact car range is also one of their key contributors, registering a growth of
32 percent to 1,348 units
. The range is comprised of models such as the A-Class, CLA and GLA. At the press conference, President and CEO of MBM, Roland Folger said, “The success we have experienced in a short six months speaks for itself. The market loves our new models, and we thank our customers for their support which is a testament and validation of our continued success into the business we have in Malaysia.”

MBM’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing (Passenger Cars), Mark Raine also said the company will continue its product offensive, and customers can look forward to the arrival of the new
AMG V8-powered C63 and C63 S
. Just last month, the company launched the
RM1.15 million AMG GT S
.
IMAGE GALLERY


100,000th BMW i3 rolls out, 25 new EVs to come by 2025!

BMW celebrated a significant milestone in their journey for electric mobility with the 100,000
th

BMW i3
 successfully rolled out of the production in Leipzig, Germany. As electric mobility becomes an integral part of their business, the company has laid out sustainable plans to
dispose
off these high-voltage batteries.
Since the introduction of the i3 back in 2013, annual production of the electric supermini has expanded to 26,631 vehicles in 2016. The i8 hybrid sportscar which shares the same production facility, saw 2,783 units leaving the production floor in 2016. Production capacity will continue to grow as the company releases more electric vehicles in the future with the next i-model set to be the
i8 Roadster
, slated for market release in 2018.
With electrified vehicles paving the way for future mobility, BMW has introduced a new business model called “
Battery2ndLife
” to reuse used batteries for a large-scale battery storage in Leipzig. The new battery storage farm can house up to
 700 used i3 high-capacity batteries
, equivalent to an electric range of
100,000 km
 for an i3. The battery farm, which is connected to the public power grid acts as a stabiliser for the grid by absorbing excess electricity and release electricity when there is not enough power.
The battery storage farm at Leipzig will open up new potential for cost and energy efficiency, as well as CO2 reduction in the energy sector; demonstrating an innovative, sustainable and profitable application of used high-capacity batteries after a vehicle reaches the end of its lifecycle.
In line with
BMW Group’s plans to offer electrified variants for all MINI and BMW models
, the company has expressed that by 2025, BMW will have 25 electrified models (hybrids and electric vehicles) by 2025.
IMAGE GALLERY


Tesla offers ventilators free of charge to hospitals in need

The Twitter account of Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, is known to be a goldmine for some ridiculous content, such as the
“bankruptcy” joke
 exactly two years ago on April Fools day.
However in these trying times due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Musk seems to have cooled-down a little on jokes, instead sharing some heart-warming news on his Twitter feed.
In a
tweet published last night
, Elon Musk announced that the company has extra FDA-approved ventilators, and will be offering these free of charge to
hospitals within Tesla regions worldwide
 – both device and shipping fees will be covered by Tesla.
The tweet continues, “Only requirement is that the vents are needed immediately for patients, not stored in a warehouse. Please [let] me or
@Tesla
 know.”
We have extra FDA-approved ventilators. Will ship to hospitals worldwide within Tesla delivery regions. Device & shipping cost are free. Only requirement is that the vents are needed immediately for patients, not stored in a warehouse. Please me or
@Tesla
 know.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk)
March 31, 2020

Tesla did not specifically reveal the source of the ventilators or the quantity available, although a
previous tweet
 from Elon Musk seems to suggest that the ventilators are bought from China due to over-supply in the region.
Tesla is not the first carmaker to offer ventilators in the fight against the COVID-19 virus. Following pleas from governments worldwide, many carmakers have begun manufacturing ventilators on their production lines, including
Ford
 and
Volkswagen
.
Header image source:
NYC Health + Hospitals/Twitter


The Ferrari 488 Pista blazing through the Nordschleife is an euphoric spectacle

The Nurburgring Nordschleife, affectionately called “The Green Hell” by three-time Formula 1 World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart, is frequently hailed as the most dangerous and difficult race track in the world.
The challenging nature of the course is the reason why many manufacturers and car enthusiast alike regard the track as the ultimate proving ground for a car.
Although there has been some changes to the course over the years, the
20.8 km
 of tarmac on the Nordschleife layout largely remains the same with its
73 corners
 and more than
300 metres of elevation change
.
Driving through the blind corners with little to no room for error is an impressive feat, and that’s why we were left speechless when we saw German car magazine Sport Auto taking the crazy fast
Ferrari 488 Pista
 around the Nordschleife for an all-out hot lap. Just watch how fast the driver had to react to the car and track through instant micro-corrections:

The 720 hp track monster in the hands of test driver Christian Gebhardt set a blistering lap time of
7:00.03
. While the lap is not entering any record books, it is still a respectable time by all means.
Just for comparison’s sake, the fastest lap time by a production car on the ‘Ring is set by the
Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
 at 6:44.97. The recently released “Beast of the Green Hell”
Mercedes-AMG GT R
 did it in 7:10.92.
As the seven minutes lap was not set by a “professional” driver, nor was it officially sanctioned by the manufacturer, it’s not directly comparable to the traditional lap times above. However, with Ferrari usually being mum about official lap times and avoiding record-chasing runs, this might be the best comparison we will get.


Rolls-Royce downsizes ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ bonnet emblem for EV efficiency

The ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ bonnet emblem is perhaps
Rolls-Royce
‘s most defining feature, but don’t be surprised if the one on your next Rolls looks a little different from what you remember it to be. In the name of efficiency for its future EVs starting from the
Spectre
, the British ultra-luxury carmaker has now redesigned the iconic emblem to make it just that bit more aerodynamic.
As a result, the new Spirit of Ecstasy now stands a little shorter than before, measuring 82.73 mm tall compared to the previous 100.01 mm, while the overall shape is also slightly more rounded off to reduce drag and pierce the air more gracefully.
Interestingly, the remodelled emblem – with a more “dynamic stance” – actually brings it much closer to the original Spirit of Ecstasy drawings made by her original creator, illustrator and sculptor Charles Sykes, in the early years of the 20
th
 century.
The most visible change in the remodel is the ornament’s stance. Previously, the Spirit of Ecstasy stood with her feet together, legs straight and tilting at the waist. Now, Rolls-Royce calls her a “true goddess of speed”, with one leg forward and body tucked low to brace for the wind.
Rolls-Royce also says that “her physical form represent The Expression”, which supposedly is a “visual device that forms part of the marque’s new visual language”, whatever that means.
ALSO READ: This RM100 million Rolls-Royce is literally a luxury yacht on four-wheels!
Old “standing” position
New streamlined stance
Although rare, this isn’t the first time that the iconic bonnet ornament was redesigned in its 111-year lifespan. According to Rolls-Royce, the Spirit of Ecstasy has been made in various sizes and materials, and even briefly in a kneeling position.
The new Spirit of Ecstasy will debut on the fully-electric Spectre in 2023, and used on all future models. However, the current design will still remain on the
Phantom
,
Ghost
,
Wraith
,
Dawn
, and
Cullinan
, alongside their Black Badge counterparts.


Volvo S90 and V90 get Polestar performance boost, won’t void warranty

Not too long ago, the
Volvo XC90 T8
 received a
tuning package
 from Polestar. It was only a matter of time for Polestar – the performance division of Volvo – to grace the
S90
 and
V90
.
The performance package, called Polestar Performance Optimisation is introduced for the D5 PowerPulse diesel which increases the engine’s output from
235 hp
 and
480 Nm
 to
240 hp
 and
500 Nm
 while maintaining the same emission standards. The other variants will also benefit from the same upgrade sometime in the near future.
According to Polestar, this is not just a power upgrade. The overall drivetrain is optimised as well, from throttle response, gearshift and engine performance are all improved to provide the S90 and V90 a more dynamic edge.
All performance upgrades by Polestar will not affect the warranty, fuel consumption and service intervals of the car.
IMAGE GALLERY


The Praga Bohema is a Nissan GT-R powered RWD hypercar – 0-100km/h in under 2.3 secs

Still in the final few months of development, the
Nissan GT-R
-powered Praga Bohema hypercar has been unveiled by the Czech Republic race car manufacturer. It will be the brand’s first road-legal car and only 10 units will be made in 2023 with the following four years seeing a production volume of 20 per year. The cost of the Bohema is 1.28 million Euros (approx.
RM6,024,149
).
We’re not kidding when we say the Praga Bohema is powered by a Nissan-sourced engine. Mounted in the middle of the Bohema is the Nissan PL38DETT 3.8-litre twin-turbo engine that has been tuned by Litchfield Engineering – a performance-tuning company based in England.
Nissan supplies its engine to Praga for the Bohema and Litchfield Engineering does the following adjustments:
Conversion to dry sump which reduces overall engine height by 140mm
Swap to new set of twin turbochargers
Swap to new titanium exhaust system
Since the Praga Bohema is in its final stages of development, its performance numbers have yet to be confirmed. Although Litchfield Engineering has a history of tuning the 3.8-litre Nissan engine to 1,000 hp, the targetted numbers for the Praga Bohema are
700 hp
 @ 6,800 rpm and
725 Nm
 @ 3,000-6,000 rpm.
Mated with the Nissan-sourced engine is a race-derived semi-automatic gearbox. More specifically, it is a Hewland sequential gearbox with a ‘robotic’ clutch to allow for semi-automatic driving mode. Interestingly, all power is sent to the rear wheels only and Praga claims that the Bohema can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in under 2.3 seconds. That’s almost as fast as purely-electric hypercars like the
Rimac Nevera

and
Pininfarina Battista
.
RELATED:
Rimac says 0-60mph in under 1 second is possible, but pointless
As for driving dynamics, the Praga Bohema rests on a fully independent suspension setup with push rod-operated adjustable dampers. The wheels are 18 inches in front and 19 inches in the rear, although the car can also run an 18-inch all-around setup. Behind the wheels are 380-mm carbon ceramic disc brakes with 6-piston callipers. Rubbers on the Bohema are a set of Pirelli Trofeo R tyres.
The exterior of the Bohema doesn’t suggest any relation to its Japanese engine supplier with its crazy aero and wild racecar-like design. And it isn’t farfetched to call the Bohema a racecar. Even the tagline on the Praga website reads “The simple fact that you can drive a race car on the road is enough”.
RELATED:
Pininfarina Battista sets 6 world records! – 0-100 km/h in 1.86 s; 0-200 km/h in 4.75 s
The chassis is a rigid carbon fibre monocoque and attached to the chassis are lightweight carbon fibre outer panels. The front top panel covers the suspension, with subtle bulges to accommodate the horizontal dampers. At the rear, a single panel covers the engine, transmission, and suspension. Praga says the Bohema’s rear spoiler provides over 900kg of downforce at 250 km/h.
Inside, Praga provides a decently luxurious cabin despite the racecar-ness of it all. Praga even says that adults measuring close to 2 metres tall can also fit in its first hypercar thanks to the fully-adjustable driver’s seat.
Like the chassis and panels, the interior also gets the carbon fibre treatment with 56 individual carbon fibre parts. The targeted weight for the cockpit is 34 kg.
The removable steering wheel incorporates a large digital display, showing speed, gear selected, oil and coolant temperatures, driving mode and warning lights. In the slim centre console are further controls including launch control, an in-built fire extinguisher trigger, and the electronic parking brake.
Production of the Praga Bohema will begin in the second half of 2023 with a targeted production of 10 units in its first year. In the following four years, Praga targets to build 20 Bohemas per year in the Czech Republic.
RELATED:
Bugatti leaves Volkswagen, forms new company with Rimac


2023 Maserati Grecale GT launched in Malaysia from RM598k – Porsche Macan-rival with 300 hp!

Naza Italia has launched the Maserati Grecale in Malaysia following a preview of the company’s second SUV last year. The Grecale GT starts from
RM598,000
and is accompanied by a three-year unlimited mileage warranty. It’s available in three colours – Blu Intenso (blue metallic), Bianco Astro (metallic grey), and Bianco (solid white).
If you are looking to renew your motor insurance, be sure to check out
www.motortakaful.com

by Etiqa. By renewing online, you will be able to enjoy a 10% rebate on your insurance premium.
Under the hood is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with
300 hp
 and
450 Nm
 of torque. The engine also comes with a 48-volt mild hybrid system and is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission to drive all four wheels.
The Grecale’s 0-100 km/h time is 5.6 seconds, with a 240 km/h top speed. Keeping the Grecale planted through the corners are passive dampers but buyers can also specify the adaptive Skyhook dampers with air suspension. The Grecale’s brakes are made up of four-pot calipers in the front and single-pot units at the rear.
In terms of dimensions, the Grecale measures 4,846 mm in length, 1,670 mm in height, 1,948 mm in width, with a 2,901 mm wheelbase. Compared with its competitor, the Macan, the Grecale is 165 mm longer, 25 mm wider, 46 mm taller, with a 94 mm longer wheelbase.
The Grecale’s exterior highlights include an MC20-inspired nose grille, triple vents on the front fenders, trident emblems on the C-pillar, flushed door handles and a sloping roof for a sportier silhouette. At the rear, the Grecale’s taillights take inspiration from the 3200 GT, with quad exhaust tips to complement its athletic credentials.
As for the interior, the Grecale’s cabin is unlike any other with a flair that even the competent Macan can’t match. Aside from the fancy digital clock, the dual central displays and a digital instrument cluster, the Grecale also features finer details such as the trident tab behind the steering wheel and knurlings on the control knobs to resemble that of luxury watches.
It’s also worth noting that the infotainment system is powered by Google’s Android Automotive OS. Other standard items include a three-zone air conditioning system and a Sonus Faber sound system with up to 21 speakers. What do you think of the Grecale? Does the Malaysian market newcomer have what it takes to knock the popular Macan off its perch? Let us know!
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Sales Tax Exemption: Perodua to offer 3% to 6% cash rebates effective today in line with sales tax exemption

Last week, the Government announced a
100% sales tax exemption on Completely Knocked Down (CKD) vehicles and a 50% sales tax exemption for Completely Built Up (CBU) vehicles
 until the end of the year.
In line with that, Perodua has released a statement that its model prices (on-the-road without insurance) will be
reduced between 3% to 6% until 14th of June 2020
.
Although the tax reduction will only come into effect on the 15th of June, Perodua will begin offering cash rebates beginning today. From 15th of June onwards, the company will incorporate the new prices accordingly.

The best-selling Perodua in May.
“Despite the tax reduction only becoming effective 15 June 2020, Perodua will offer cash rebates between 3% and 6% for the purchase of our vehicles beginning today,” Perodua President and CEO, Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad said.
“We want everyone to take this opportunity to own a Perodua without worrying about being left out. Please visit any Perodua sales outlet and speak to our authorised sales advisors for the total amount of cash rebates and the full price list that will be effective on the 15th of June,” he added.”
Perodua is offering
special cash redemptions
of
 up to RM1,300
 for the Aruz this month.
Last week,
the company announced that it sold 7,886 vehicle
s
 in May alone
with the Myvi being their best-selling model. As of the first five months of 2020, the company has sold 52,090 new vehicles.
All current Perodua models have over 90% local content and last year, the carmaker purchased RM5.4 billion worth of components from Malaysian suppliers.
“This move to fully exempt CKD cars from sales tax is a confidence boost for the automotive industry – not just for car buyers but the entire ecosystem of manufacturers, suppliers and dealers. Along with low financing rates in this difficult time, we are cautiously optimistic that this will spur new car sales,” Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad said.


Volkswagen announces colossal battery supply plan at maiden Power Day

Volkswagen Group presented its technology roadmap specifically focusing on batteries in electric vehicles (EVs) on its inaugural
Power Day
. The company plans to make a lot of batteries at a lower cost as well as a massive leap in fast-charging infrastructure.
As the company plans to roll out more and more EVs, securing battery cells within Europe has become a major priority. As such, Volkswagen Group has not only contracted Sweden’s
Northvolt
 but also increased its ownership in the cell manufacturing company that aims to deliver the world’s greenest batteries with minimal CO2 footprint.
“Volkswagen will continue to deepen the collaboration and partnership with Northvolt. They are one of our key battery suppliers as we make the transition to electric mobility – and there is potential to expand this partnership even further,” said Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Group Components, Thomas Schmall.
The supply contract that is reported to worth
$14 billion
 over the next 10 years sees Volkswagen getting their premium batteries from Northvolt’s Ett gigafactory in Sweden from 2023. Northvolt’s second plant in Salzgitter, Germany, will be under Volkswagen ownership and expected to commence operations in 2025 and both plants will have an annual output of
40 GWh
 each (equivalent to over 600,000 units of EVs).
Volkswagen targets to have six battery factories with a combined energy value of
240 GWh
 per year by 2030 with its partners in Europe. The gigafactories will also manufacture new generation batteries that are simpler and lower in cost to manufacture.
The key to this approach is the
unified cell
 utilisation, where up to 80% of the vehicles in the Volkswagen Group will begin to have it from 2023. Volkswagen is aiming to gradually reduce battery costs in the entry-level segment by up to
50%
 and in the
volume segment
 by up to 30% The company as well as the technology partners view cost savings can be achieved through cell design, production process and the material used.
Vehicles targeted for the entry-level segment that is cost-sensitive will use higher quantity of iron phosphate in their cathode, while the volume segment will use a blend of nickel and manganese in its cathode for the best cost-to-value proposition.
Vehicles that offer the highest performance and price point will use more advanced NMC cells that has a blend of nickel, manganese and cobalt in the cathode. The share of EVs in the group’s fleet is to rise to at least 40% by 2030.
Volkswagen is also looking into introducing the solid-state battery system, where charging times will be cut to half (
12 minutes
) as we enter the second half of this decade in their example using a Volkswagen ID.4 Pro with a 77 kWh battery pack.
Volkswagen’s battery offensive is being accompanied by a large-scale expansion of the fast-charging network. Along with its partners such as IONITY, BP, Enel and Iberdrola, the company is investing $476 million and intends to operate about
18,000
 public fast-charging points (150 kW DC) in Europe by 2025.
This represents a five-fold expansion of the fast-charging network compared to today and corresponds to about one-third of the total demand predicted on the continent for 2025.
Volkswagen also has other charging solutions planned, such as the
mobile charging robot
 that can be used in tight spaces such as car parks.
China itself will see
17,000
 fast-charging points installed through a joint venture with CAMS, with the USA planned to have 3,500 points in partnership with Electrify America.
Next year, surplus energy from the grid in Europe can be stored in Volkswagen EVs as the company plans to introduce
bidirectional
 charging system. Energy stored in the battery packs of the ID.3 or ID.4 can be fed back into the home when needed.
EVs are great assistance during a disruption to the national grid, as the Japanese emergency services are already using the Nissan Leaf as a
mobile power bank
, with the Leaf supplying energy to power simple household appliances during blackouts from natural disasters.
GALLERY