Hyundai IONIQ 5 ‘Robotaxi’ self-driving taxi to begin operation in 2023

Hyundai and Motional, a global leader in driverless technology have revealed the
IONIQ 5 ‘Robotaxi’
 with Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities, allowing it to safely operate without a driver. For more info on what Level 4 entails, click
here
.
The IONIQ 5 robotaxi is Motional’s first commercial vehicle and will begin transporting public passengers in 2023 through a partnership with ride-sharing provider, Lyft. The robotaxis will be deployed in major cities in the US, starting with Las Vegas.
There are over 30 sensors attached to the robotaxi including cameras radars and lidar sensors, to provide 360-degree view, hi-resolution images, and ultra-long range object detection for safe autonomous driving.
Motional’s proven driverless technology will be the focal point of the IONIQ 5, with self-learning abilities based on real-world data to allow the car to safely navigate itself through different driving situations and environments.
Inside, the IONIQ 5 not only provides space for work and relaxation during the autonomous ride but also rider-focussed interfaces to allow riders to interact with the vehicle; to make an unscheduled stop for example.
The adorable Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV looks half the size it actually is…check it out here!
“Through our strategic partnership with Hyundai Motor Group, it enables us to manufacture a robotaxi that’s both highly safe and reliable, and is cost-optimised for global production. We’re focused on mass commercialisation, and the IONIQ 5 robotaxi is built for that purpose,” said Motional, President and CEO, Karl Iagnemma.
To ensure the safety of the riders, Motional is able to re-route the vehicle to a new and safer path in the event of an emergency with remote vehicle assistance.
Motional has so far moved hundreds of thousands of customers through its self-driving service on the Lyft network in Las Vegas, the world’s most-established public robotaxi fleet.
Hyundai’s new Casper Turbo is even smaller than the Perodua Ativa but we still want one! More about it here!
GALLERY


Tan Sri Tony Fernandes too bought a Proton X70 Premium 2WD

Tan Sri (Dr.) Tony Fernandes is living up to his budget airline’s motto of big value but low on price with his recent purchase of a
brand-new Proton X70
. The intelligent SUV was delivered to the airline’s headquarters in Sepang.
Both Tony and CEO of AirAsia Malaysia, Riad Asmat each purchased an X70 which were handed to them by Director of Marketing at Proton, Cheng Seng Fook. Tony also had a product briefing on his Flame Red
X70 Premium 2WD
 – natural colour choice for the Group CEO of AirAsia

“We at AirAsia is a
big believer of voice command and being able to put the voice for the sunroof, amongst
other features. And I think the whole simplicity of the car – the dashboard –
is very clean” commented Tony on the features of the X70.
 The Premium 2WD variant which he chose, comes equipped with all the bells and whistles such as Panoramic Sunroof, 9-speaker Kenwood sound system, 8.0-inch GKUI touchscreen infotainment system with
“Hi Proton” voice command
, Nappa leather upholstery and many more.
Tan Sri Tony Fernandes’ Flame Red Proton X70 Premium 2WD
“It was a very good value, we are obviously a low-cost airline; so, we look in value, nice design. I love technology and I love the great technological features (in the X70). Tan Sri Rafidah just chose Andrea Bocelli and so yeah. Why not? Why should we not buy (the X70), it’s a great car,” said Tony.


2023 Subaru Forester facelift launched in Malaysia, 4 variants, same 2.0L Boxer – from RM174k

Shortly after making its debut in Thailand, the
 new 2023 Subaru Forester facelift
 has now finally made its way into Malaysia. The off-road-capable SUV is offered in three variants, 2.0i-L, 2.0i-S, GT Lite, and GT Edition, with prices starting from
RM174,288
.
Renewing your car insurance? Be sure to check out
MotorTakaful.com

by Etiqa. By renewing online, you’ll get a 10% rebate, and even cash back at the end of your coverage.
2023 Subaru Forester exterior – reworked front fascia
Taking ‘facelift’ by its literal meaning, the new 2023 Subaru Forester’s exterior redesign is largely focused on the front fascia. Most noticeably, the headlights have now been restyled with a Levorg-inspired look, featuring a deep cut on the inner edge. Between them, the grille is now larger and bolder, with a black outline instead of chrome.
There’s also the slightly reworked bumpers both front and back, with a more three-dimensional appearance, although you probably wouldn’t have noticed if we didn’t mention it – it’s that subtle. The GT Lite and GT Edition (pictured) variants does at least stand out a little more with its variant-specific bumper and side skirts in black and silver, alongside an additional rear wing garnish, and a set of variant-specific 18-inch wheels.
Equipment wise, the GT Lite shares the same list as the 2.0i-L, while the GT Edition does the same with the 2.0i-S. Standard items on the 2023 Subaru Forester in Malaysia include:
Automatic LED headlights
LED daytime-running lights
LED rear combination lamps
UV protection glass
Automatic wipers
17-inch alloy wheels (L and GT Lite)
Roof rails (with loop holes)
Roof-mounted spoiler
Automatic headlight leveliser (S and GT Edition)
LED front fog lamps (S and GT Edition)
Silver-plated front and rear underguards, side claddings (S variant only)
18-inch alloy wheels (S and GT Edition)
Exterior colours: Copper White pearl, Ice Silver metallic, Magnetite Grey metallic, Crystal Black silica, Horizon Blue pearl, Cascade Green Silica (new), Brilliant Bronze Metallic (new)
2023 Subaru Forester performance – unchanged 2.0-litre Boxer engine
The powertrain underneath the hood is completely carried-over from the pre-facelift model, featuring a low-mounted 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer engine that helps with the SUV’s handling characteristics. It’s standard-fit symmetrical all-wheel drive system (Dual X-Mode on S and GT Edition) also means it’s significantly more capable off-road compared to its other competitors in the segment.
Engine: 1,995 cc, naturally-aspirated four-cylinder boxer
Transmission: Lineartronic CVT
Driveline: Front-engine, all-wheel drive (Active torque split Symmetrical AWD)
Max horsepower: 156 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Max torque: 196 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
0-100 km/h: 10.3 seconds
Top speed: 193 km/h
Fuel consumption (combined): 7.8 l/100 km
Largely unchanged interior – new quilted leather upholstery
The interior of the new 2023 Subaru Forester facelift also remains largely unchanged from before, save for the addition of the quilted black leather upholstery (standard on S and GT Edition variants, optional on L). The C-segment SUV’s interior equipment list include:
8-inch touchscreen headunit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity
Analogue instrument cluster with 6.3-inch multifunction display
8-way powered front seats
Electronic parking brake
Keyless access with push-start system
Single-zone automatic climate control with rear air vents
60/40 split-folding rear seats
360-degree surround-view monitor
Powered tailgate with memory function (S and GT Edition)
Aluminium pedals (S and GT Edition)
EyeSight advanced driver assist suite
All three variants of the 2023 Subaru Forester comes as standard with the marque’s EyeSight 4.0 advanced driver assist system, which has been updated to support Level 2 autonomous driving. Other standard features include:
Autonomous emergency braking
Adaptive cruise control
Lane centring control with preceding vehicle adaptive steering control
Lane departure prevention
Pre-collision throttle management
Lead vehicle start alert
Autonomous emergency steering (S and GT Edition)
2023 Subaru Forester pricing in Malaysia
The new 2023 Subaru Forester facelift in Malaysia is priced from
RM174,288
 for the entry-level 2.0i-L variant, moving up to
RM180,288
 for the GT Lite Edition,
RM184,288
for the 2.0i-S variant, and
 RM196,288
 for the range-topping GT Edition. Included in the price is also a five-year/100,000 km standard warranty.
Customers can also opt for the
 Subaru Connex telematics system
at RM1,900, which includes one year of connectivity. Following that, the cellular data for the telematics system will require a RM360/year subscription.
GALLERY


Blueprint to produce CPAP breathing aid is now available for download

After receiving regulatory approval from the authorities
last week
, the blueprint to UCL-Ventura breathing aid – a
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device
 which helps Covid-19 patients with lung infections to breathe more easily – is now
available for download
 by manufacturers, research institutions, healthcare providers and non-profits organisations in the fight against the coronavirus.
Developed jointly by the
University College London Hospital

(UCLH)
 and
Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains
, the effort of which took fewer than 100 hours from initial meeting to the production of the first unit, the UCL-Ventura breathing aid is now in Mark II specifications which consumes 70% less oxygen compared to the Mark I model. The life-saving device is now being manufactured to a tune of
up to 1,000 units a day
 using tools and machines that would normally produce F1 pistons and turbochargers!
The UCL-Ventura has already undergone patient evaluations at UCLH and sister hospitals in the London area after the UK Government placed an order for 10,000 units. The devices are entirely produced at the HPP technology centre in Brixworth, Northamptonshire which has been repurposed to meet the urgent demand for breathing aids.
CPAP machines work by pushing an air-oxygen mix into the mouth and nose of the patient at a continuous pressure, keeping airways open and increasing the amount of oxygen entering the blood stream. Invasive ventilators deliver breaths directly into the lungs but require heavy sedation and connection to a tube placed into the patient’s trachea (windpipe).
The breathing aid has been used extensively in hospitals in Italy and China to help Covid-19 patients with serious respiratory problems to breathe more easily, when oxygen via a face mask alone is insufficient.
Click here to request the download of blueprint to the UCL-Ventura breathing aid.


Of course, there’s an M Performance Parts kit for the BMW 2 Series Coupe

There are only three things that are certain in life: death, taxes, and BMW releasing M Performance Parts kit for all of their new models. Following the launch of the
 all-new BMW 2 Series Coupe
, the German carmaker has now unveiled a barrage of M Performance Parts for the 2-er Coupe, just like clockwork.
It’s not quite the M2 yet, but the M Performance Parts does certainly up the aggression of the 2-er Coupe by quite some margin – that’s if you can look past the car’s original styling. And with the M240i variant, you at least get a pretty respectable performance to pair with the mad looks.
On the outside, the M Performance Parts include a slew of carbon fibre bits, such as the kidney grille trim, front splitter, a set of side skirts with winglets near the rear wheel well, a ducktail spoiler at the back, and a diffuser-like trim for the rear bumpers.
You can also opt for carbon fibre wing mirror covers, of which there are two: a regular one, or one that’s styled like the proper M cars. Finishing off the exterior appointments are the decals on the bonnet and sides, plus three wheel options – two 20-inch, and one 18-inch.
BMW Malaysia is offering a special M Performance Parts package for the new 5 Series, starting at RM5,000. Check it out here!
Inside, the M Performance Parts kit for the BMW 2 Series Coupe includes an M Performance steering wheel with Alcantara grips, gearshift paddles in carbon fibre, carbon fibre trims on the dashboard and seat backs, a new M Performance Alcantara armrest, and even cute little M Performance door locks.
There’s also the door-mounted puddle lights with two different M designs, plus M Performance badging littered throughout the entire interior. But the highlight here, we think, has to be the M Performance seats, with extra bolsters on the sides and shoulders, and Alcantara fabric down the entire seat back.
It’s not quite the fancy carbon fibre tubs in the
M3
 and
M4
, but should still help hold you in place during spirited driving sessions, all while looking cool as a cucumber.
BMW has yet to release pricing details for the M Performance parts, but just like that of the
2 Series Gran Coupe
, they’ll likely prove quite popular among buyers when it makes its way here.
Don’t expect them to be cheap, though, as they’re made out of honest-to-god carbon fibre, after all. And hey, at least they’re not as in-your-face as the
M4’s kit
…
[Source: BMW via
BMW Blog
]
GALLERY


How could you not want a wagon when it looks like the Audi RS4 Avant?

Why aren’t Malaysians jumping on the “wagon bandwagon” already? It’s such a shame knowing that so many good looking elongated hatchbacks exist in the market but we’re just not keen on it. The new Audi RS 4 will most likely be another such example – with sightings as frequent as a shooting star across a night sky littered with stars.
Audi Sport GmbH has debuted its latest RS badge bearer which plays host to a 2.9-litre V6 bi-turbo TFSI engine making
448 hp
 on the side of
600Nm
 of torque tamed by Audi’s signature quattro drive system. It’s worthy to note that this new Avant has a full 170Nm more than the previous model. That’s like adding a whole Fiesta EcoBoost into the new car! Top speed is
155mph
, electronically limited as usual while 0 to 100 km/h takes just
4.1 seconds
.
Imagine how cool your kids would think you are as a parent on a school run. And if that’s not enough to skyrocket your “street cred”, Audi offers an RS Dynamic Package which increases the Avant’s top speed to 174 mph (280 km/h).
Design inspiration is from a once almost unbeatable Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO race car with massive air inlet and a flat single frame grille defining the front end. At the back, a RS-specific diffuser, oval exhaust tips at the tail end of the RS exhaust system and the RS roof spoiler are protruding features that enhances the Avant’s fierce appearance. 19-inch forged aluminium wheel come as standard.
Audi also offers a rear sport differential to enable torque division between the rear wheels together with standard RS sport suspension, allowing the Avant to sit
7 mm lower
 than the standard A4 with sport suspension.
What you see here, is an Avant in
Nogaro Blue
 which is available optionally as a means of a throwback, in today’s terms, to the high-performance Avants of the late 1990’s. Despite its proportions, the Avant has undergone a diet of over 80 kgs from the previous model, weighing 1,790 kg.
The next time you’re in the market for an Audi, or even a BMW and Mercedes-Benz, please do the other motorists a favour, consider a wagon.
IMAGE GALLERY


What’s the Buzz: Time to revamp our outdated driving schools

Just a few days ago, our Minister of Transport, Anthony Loke said that irresponsible drivers who cause death on our roads should be banned for life. Currently, the law only provides for a 3-year ban where these drivers will be reinstated after serving their “penalty”.
This came in light of the recent tragedy on the North-South Expressway when a trailer collided into three vehicles, severely damaging one and killing all five of its occupants – one of which was just a baby.
I like where this is going, provided that the Minister keeps to his word and his no-nonsense approach on penalising errant drivers and even holding these deadly lorry and trailer driver’s companies accountable as well.
But this still leaves room for a counterpoint and the way I see it, we need to take a few more steps back and begin with the revamp of our extremely outdated and hopeless driving schools.
“Drastic action needs to be taken as a deterrence to other drivers,” said Loke.
For years, I’ve always stressed that driving schools are not doing enough – all they’re doing is teaching us HOW TO OPERATE A CAR, not how to properly drive one.
Cars are getting more powerful, our roads are getting more congested and factoring in the slippery conditions we’re subjected to after a heavy downpour, most Malaysians are just not well informed and equipped to handle adverse driving conditions…and that needs to stop.
Driving schools need to start teaching the new generation on how to “feel” the car, how to control it, how to gauge the speed of an on-coming vehicle (from the front or back) before overtaking, how to overtake on the highway, how to perform evasive maneuvers that could save their lives and the lives of others in an emergency situation and the list just goes on.
While it’s important for the education to begin from home or through the elders, driving schools also bear the pivotal role in cultivating discipline and competence behind the wheel, as they’re the “final filter” before these hooligans are release into the wild at a young age, developing bad habits along the way.
No one should have to suffer the pain of losing their loved ones from the inconsiderate driving of another – this madness needs to stop.


Avoid unofficial tow trucks when involved in an accident – Do this instead

No matter how experienced you are as a driver, there is still a chance of getting into a car accident. If you’re lucky, you can simply move on and drive away from one (with a complete police report etc.). In the worst-case scenario, there may be injuries or even death. And in some car accidents, you end up with a stranded car – unable to start or unable to move due to major mechanical failure. And when this happens, you should avoid using an unofficial tow truck to tow your car away.
An unofficial tow truck is simply one that isn’t assigned by your takaful/insurance company, more commonly referred to as a ‘longkai’ by Malaysians. These unofficial tow trucks are usually the first to show up at an accident scene, especially in accident-prone areas. Observe where accidents usually happen (usually a slippery corner), and you’ll notice how fast these unofficial tow trucks show up when an accident occurs.
Some accidents incur more damage to your car than others
We’ve put out a
simple guide
 for you to follow if you are involved in an accident. In that guide, we’ve mentioned not to use the service of unofficial tow trucks and to not simply sign any document that they give you. The reason being that this would give them control of what happens to your car next – where the car should be towed to etc..
Of course, you can claim a certain amount from your car coverage provider for third-party towing services. However, unofficial tow trucks would usually charge exorbitant prices. There are also cases of unofficial tow trucks being involved with scams such as pouring oil on ‘targeted roads’. Unofficial tow trucks are also highly incentivized by the cut that they get from their associated workshops should your car be towed there.
RELATED:
Got into a car accident? Here’s what you should (and should not) do
So, what should you do instead if your car is stranded after being involved in an accident?
As for the main things you should and should not do, you can refer to our earlier article here. As for towing services, well, the first thing you should do is move your car to a safe location immediately if you can. This is done either by pushing the car or ‘limping’ the car (should it be possible).
If you’re involved in an accident on one of the major highways, the highway patrol will usually be able to assist you. They will come equipped with traffic cones and such and they’ll have a tow truck that can move your car to a safer location (i.e. a rest area) so you can wait for your official tow truck.
RELATED:
When comprehensive isn’t enough – Here’s why your car needs special perils coverage
*Terms and conditions apply
To get the official tow truck after being in an accident, well you should call your car coverage provider. Car coverage providers like
MotorTakaful.com
 by Etiqa provide 24-hour roadside assistance and you can enjoy unlimited mileage when you subscribe to ‘Driver and Passengers’ PA (DPPA)’ coverage. The tow truck from your car coverage provider will also usually arrive quite quickly so you shouldn’t have to worry too much about it.
Your car coverage provider provides towing services for breakdowns and accidents. The former is easier to deal with since it is not as traumatic, but the latter can be overwhelming especially if its your time. Remember that your car coverage provider has its own official towing service, so ring them up first should you find yourself with a stranded car after being involved in an accident.
RELATED:
Third-party Only vs Comprehensive car coverage – What’s the difference?


This Indian company just converted a Honda Accord into a Lamborghini Aventador

In a time of progression and innovation, almost everything is possible. Coffee is mixed with tea, men can become women vice versa, and Honda Accords can be Lamborghinis.
A company in Mumbai, India, called
Executive Modcar Trendz
 has taken upon themselves to exemplify this mantra by breaking new grounds; and possibly breaking your retinas too.
As a whole, the proportions does seem at odds with each other but all credit where is due, the individual bits are nearly identical when you look into it detail to detail.
According to the comments from the admin of their Facebook page, the “platform” isn’t limited to just the Honda Accord when converting to an Aventador as Executive Modcar Trendz said “….or else a Honda City, Honda Civic or Corolla or any other sedan car will do”.
The transformation will take an
estimated four months
 at a cost of approx. Rs. 20 Lakh (RM 118k). A Ferrari F430 conversion on the other hand will set you back (RM 89k) while an extra RM 20k will get you a “Ferrari 458”.
Credit:
Executive Modcar Trendz


All-new 2023 Perodua Axia open for booking – same engine, D-CVT gearbox, est. from RM39k

Here we go, then! Following several recent chatters from the rumour mill and a genuinely surprising lack of leaks, Perodua has now announced that the all-new 2023
Axia
 is now open for booking. First details of the second-generation a-segment hatchback, popularly referred to via its development codenamed ‘D74A’ in online communities, are now available on the company’s website.
Click to enlarge. Image: Perodua
Details on the second-generation model are understandably sparse right now, but based on the wordings on the cryptic brochure, we understand that (unfortunately) there won’t be a turbocharged engine underneath the bonnet of the all-new Perodua Axia – unlike what the rumours suggested.
Instead, it looks like the ultra-compact hatchback will soldier on with the existing 1KR-VE 1.0L three-cylinder VVT-i engine, making a total of
67 hp
 and
91 Nm
. What’s new here is instead the Dual-mode CVT (D-CVT) gearbox, which will be the standard powertrain combo across all four variants of the all-new Perodua Axia.
Similar to the
Perodua Myvi
 which was updated late 2021, the new split-gear CVT gearbox will help in both reducing fuel consumption, and improving the overall performance of the vehicle. On the former, Perodua claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 25.3 km/l (3.95 l/100 km) for the all-new Axia, jumping up to 27.4 km/l (3.65 l/100km) with the ‘Eco Idle’ auto start-stop feature enabled on the two range-topping variant.
The two range-topping variants, SE and AV, will also come with a ‘Power Mode Drive’ feature, which – like the
Perodua Ativa
 and Myvi – helps tighten the engine and gearbox’s response for a more engaging driving experience.
While we still do not know how the all-new 2023 Perodua Axia will look like (aside from the single photo of its front three-quarter view on the brochure), we do know that it’ll be equipped with LED headlights on the three higher-end variants of the model. They will be accompanied by LED daytime-running lights on the SE and AV variants, located in a T-shaped trim on the corners of the front bumper.
The side mirrors get electronic adjustments across all variants, but only the two higher end variants have auto retract functionalaties, along with LED turn signals on the housing. The brochure also mentions a “key-free entry” feature, which we’re guessing will only be available on the range-topping AV variant.
Click to enlarge. Image: Perodua
Inside, the AV variant of the all-new 2023 Perodua Axia will come equipped with a seven-inch TFT digital instrument cluster with a digital speedometer readout, similar to what was introduced on the Ativa and
Alza
. This will be paired to a nine-inch touchscreen Display Audio infotainment system on the dashboard (hopefully with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
like the Alza
), but all other variants will have to be content with a standard non-touchscreen head-unit.
The range-topping AV variant also stands out with semi-leather two-tone upholstery on the seats, as opposed to the fabric material on the other variants, but both the SE and AV variants will get a “semi-bucket type” seat with a detachable headrest – we’ve seen Perodua throw around this name for a few models now, and should just mean a slightly more supportive backrest compared to their standard offering, the latter now paired to a “pillow heaadrest” on the two lower-end variants.
In terms of safety, the all-new 2023 Perodua Axia will also come with a significantly upgraded kit over the outgoing model, with the range-topping AV variant coming with six airbags (front, sides, and curtains) vs two previously. ABS, traction control, and vehicle stability control systems are all standard across the board.
First introduced on the Axia back on the
 2019 facelift
, the Perodua Smart Drive Assist advanced driver assistance suite will also be included here, presumably also exclusive to the range-topping variant. The system includes features such as autonomous emergency braking and Pedal Misoperation Control, as well as the “Driving Assist” pack with Level 2 autonomous driving capabilities – although we’re not too sure about the latter just yet.
The all-new 2023 Perodua Axia will be built on the Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) platform, costing over RM537 million for the development of the model, according to the carmaker. After making its debut here in Malaysia, it will likely be sold as the Daihatsu Ayla and Toyota Agya in other markets, similar to the third-generation Myvi which Perodua also took the lead in development.
Estimated prices for the all-new 2023 Perodua Axia are from
RM38,600
 for the G variant, rising up to
RM49,500
 for the range-topping AV variant. This represents a hike of around RM4k-RM6k depending on the variant, however the price of entry for the model is now increased by a significant RM14k, as the previously-available ‘kosong-spec’ E variant will not be available for sale at launch for the all-new model.
At its business briefing event today, Perodua mentions that the entry-level E variant will only be offered at a later date, and will be primarily sold to driving schools.
Five exterior colours will be offered on the all-new model – Granite Grey, Lava Red, Glittering Silver, Ivory White, and a new Coral Blue colour.


Lamborghini reveals world’s first supercar NFT, featuring last Aventador ‘Ultimae’

As Automobili Lamborghini aims to electrify its entire lineup by 2024, the Aventador V12 is approaching the end of its production. As such, in an industry first, the Italian marque is auctioning the
last

Lamborghini Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae ever produced
 and a one of one NFT, in collaboration with artists like Krista Kim and Steve Aoki.

Krista will be responsible for creating the visual artwork for the NFT while Steve Aoki will compose a custom soundtrack for it.
The Lamborghini Ultimate release is the
world’s first full-scale supercar NFT
, marking the end of an era for Lamborghini and a transition to the digital world. The sale will be conducted in an auction by RM Sotheby’s, a world-renowned collector car auction house.
The winning bidder will also receive exclusive previews of future limited-edition Lamborghini models, a private tour of the Museo Lamborghini, along with a private meet and greet session with the artists involved with the project.
“Lamborghini and the NFT community share many values. We are both young-spirited innovators, looking out for unexpected projects and technological solutions. This project is very special for us as it is a true first, a path nobody has ever taken”, said CEO, Automobili Lamborghini, Stephan Winkelmann.
The NFT and Lamborghini Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae will be auctioned by
RM Sotheby’s
 on the 19th of April.


Five more road closures in Petaling Jaya beginning 10th of April

Petaling Jaya district police have announced five more road closures including an additional road block in the Mutiara Damansara, Damansara Perdana and Flora Damansara area, according to
The Star
.
This comes after announcements of
several road closures around the Subang Jaya area
, after Phase Two of MCO came into effect. The five road closures include:
LDP exit to Mutiara Damansara and Damansara Perdana
Penchala Link exit to Mutiara Damansara and Damansara Perdana
LDP exit to Jalan PJU8/8 Flora Damansara
Jalan PJU7/8 to Ikea
Jalan PJU8/1 traffic light heading to Damansara Perdana/Penchala Link/Kepong
These road closures will take place throughout the day
effective 12 am on the 10th of April
.
Motorist can take
alternative routes
out of the Mutiara Damansara, Damansara Perdana and Flora Damansara area via:
Damansara Perdana towards Penchala Link through Jalan PJU7/9 (BHP petrol station)
Damansara Perdana to Persiaran Surian via Jalan PJU7/1, Mutiara Damansara
A roadblock will be set up along Jalan PJU7/1, Mutiara Damansara near the MRT station in both directions. The new roadblock is in addition to the existing ones along the Sprint Highway and Persiaran Surian.


Hyundai Kona nearing global debut, HR-V fighter may get 1.4L turbo [+Video]

Hyundai’s fourth SUV, the
Kona
, is set for a worldwide debut in the coming months. Prior to that, the Korean marque dropped another teaser, this time confirming a coloured heads-up display.
The HUD is a first for Hyundai and it comes from an
eight-inch projected image
 with class-leading display quality. The screen feeds vital info such as speed, GPS navigation, cruise control and possibly lane keeping assist and/or adaptive cruise control.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ickBAlqbBw
We roughly know how the Kona will look like thanks to the
spy shots
, but the ambiguous video reveals just enough to see the LED DRLs, fog lamps, sleek tail lamps, the signature cascading front grille and five-spoke dual-tone alloys.
The Hyundai Kona is likely to be based on the
i20 supermini
, just like how the
Honda Jazz
‘s platform provides the underpinning to the ever successful
HR-V
. The
138 hp 1.4 T-GDI turbocharged four-cylinder
and
 seven-speed double clutch transmission (DCT)
from the
new i30
 could power the Kona’s range topper.
Sales of Hyundai’s smallest SUV in Europe will commence by the end of 2017.


Fuel Price: Ron 95, Ron 97, Diesel down by 10 sen for August 2015

It’s that time of the month again when we all wait for the revise fuel price in Malaysua, and it’s good news! All Ron 95, Ron 97 and diesel prices drop by RM0.10.
For the month of August 2015, petrol RON 95 will be selling at
RM2.05
 per litre, RON 97 at
RM2.45
 per litre and diesel at
RM1.95
.


Roll out the red carpets – the new Aston Martin V8 Vantage is here in Malaysia

Having debuted globally at the tail end of last year, the
all-new Aston Martin V8 Vantage
 is now here in Malaysia, launched at the Aston Martin KL showroom at the Etiqa Twins in Kuala Lumpur.
What you’re looking at is a completely new car, which to me, seems like a complete “rebrand” of a slick and suave face we’ve been so familiar with over the past decade.
That’s right; most of you may not have been aware but the old Vantage, as pretty as it was timeless, was in production for more than 10 years! If the old Vantage looked like a clean-shaven James Bond, this new one looks more like John Wick, with a taste for vengeance.
Name
Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Engine
4.0-litre twin-turbo Quadcam V8
Transmission
8-speed ZF automatic
Max Power
510 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Max Torque
685 Nm@ 2,000 – 5,000 rpm
0 to 100 km/h & Top Speed
3.6 seconds / 314 km/h
Price (OTR w/out Insurance)
RM1.6 million (after tax before options)

Its new 4.0-litre Quad cam V8 twin-turbo engine sourced from Daimler now makes
510 hp
 and
685 Nm
 of torque. Paired with the 8-speed ZF automatic transmission that’s followed by a carbon fibre propeller and an “E-Diff” (a first on an Aston Martin), 0 to 100 km/h is decimated in just 3.6 seconds – side by side with the likes of
Lamborghini’s Urus
 and even the
Vantage GT3 race car I drove in Sepang
.
While it may look vastly different from the old model, Aston Martin has been subtlev(as they’ve been so well-known for) with the retention of Aston’s signature details. Placed much lower on the front bumper is the signature grille outline that we’ve seen in different Astons over the years; there’s still the extended side mirror arm and flush door handles.
The front bonnet is now much wider, stretching from fender to fender for a clam-shell look, with slimmer LED headlamps to complete a more minimalist front-end. The highlight of the side profile are the new side gills – redesigned from classy to aggressive – along with 20-inch Y-spoke wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero tyres (255/40 Front 295/35 Rear).
Behind those wheels are 6-pot calipers in the front, with a 4-pot pair at the back and together, the ensemble sits on an Adaptive Damping System with Skyhook Technology. The rear end is just pure pornography; no matter how you look at it, whether from a peep hole or upside down, it’s just drop dead gorgeous.

Inside, you get a newly-designed instrument cluster panel that looks like a hawk spreading its wings, although if I may speak freely, the display in itself does seem a little small from where I’m sitting.
Elsewhere there’s a flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddle shifters and two crucial buttons – one on each side – a Sport button that allows you to choose from three different drive modes (Sport, Sport + and Track) and another to fiddle with the Adaptive Damping System.
There may be a button overload just under the 8-inch LCD display but look closely and you’d realise how they’re all conveniently placed and the horizontal(ish) drive controls is actually a lot easier to get used to than it looks. Take a look at the touchpad, looks familiar to you?
The rest of the interior, is as customisable as a tailored suit. Don’t like the colour/material combination you see here? Just jot down more zeros on that cheque and you can have it as flamboyant as you want it to be.
IMAGE GALLERY

 Example of the large rear diffuser, in white


MCO 3.0: RM 500 handout for e-hailing, taxi and bus drivers

Under the Malaysian government’s latest “Permerkasaan Tambahan” strategic programme to empower the people and economy initiative, drivers of e-hailing vehicles, taxis, buses, rental cars as well as tourist guides are set to receive a second one-off
RM500
 aid this year.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said an allocation of
RM68 million
 has been set aside to ease the burden of the affected group under the recently enforced MCO3.0 “full lockdown” due to the record levels of daily Covid-19 cases.
In this latest census, the government is targeting 62,000 e-hailing and rental car drivers, 40,000 taxi drivers, 11,000 school bus drivers, 4,000 excursion bus drivers and 17,000 tour guides. The RM 500 payment is scheduled to begin dispersing in
July
.
This is the third of such financial aid distribution to the individuals from the group above, the first in
April 2020
 and the latest distributed in
February
.
Both taxis and e-hailing vehicles are limited to only ferry one passenger per vehicle and public transport is operating at 50% capacity with reduced frequencies. Find out more about travelling restrictions during the two weeks of “full lockdown”
here
.


This is the new GR86’s money shot – Toyota releases more images

Doesn’t that rear quarter angle just induce some excitement? Doesn’t it rile you? It’s perhaps the new GR86’s “better side” and Toyota has released new images for you to ponder over it.
Granted, it’s a new car but with all the swoops and bulges that finish with a prominent duck tail spoiler, it makes the predecessor look two generations older. It literally looks like the GT 86 spent some time at the gym and come out looking like Jason Mamoa 12 months later.
The GR 86 in Trueno Blue.
It’s more powerful too. Under the hood is now a 2.4-litre flat-four boxer engine, up from 2.0-litre, with
235 hp
 and
250 Nm
. Power is sent to the rear wheels, either with a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission.
New Toyota GR 86 premiered, faster with 235 hp and 250 Nm…more details here!
Despite weighing more than 30 kg more than its predecessor, at 1,270 kg, the new GR86 is a full second faster from 0 to 100 km/h, now at 6.3 seconds. The new Mk 8 Golf GTI is now in its shooting range.
Don’t believe it’s possible? Check out
this YouTube video
.
Toyota has finally given the all-new GR 86 an in-house GR Parts treatment…more about it here!
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Ford makes historic comeback to Le Mans 2016 with all-new Ford GT

Ford has just recently announced that they will be making a comeback to the historic pinnacle of endurance motorsport, the 24 Hours of Le Mans beginning next year with the reincarnation of a car that won the prestigious title four times from 1966 to 1969, the
Ford GT
 – the very first car to help an American manufacturer win Le Mans.
Gone are the times that men sprinted to their machines in black and white with the roaring sound of a
 7.0-litre V8
 soundtracking the moment. These days, Le Mans cars are so
much more technologically advanced
 as compared to the cars of yesteryear, employing
diesel and hybrid technology
. Take for example the all-new Ford GT that will be deployed to next year’s line up.
It features a
3.5-litre EcoBoost V6
 mill that happens to be the
most powerful EcoBoost
 production engine made to date. Ford hasn’t released specifics on the engine but it’s claimed to exceed
600 hp
 and has
more torque
 than a naturally aspirated
6.2-litre V8 Boss
 engine. Without much fettering around, this block will power the race car in the upcoming championship that will be running in the LM GTE PRO Class.
The recently unveiled
Ford GT
Ford has had help from
Multimatic Motorsports
 which tested and designed the race car.
Roush Yates Engines
 and
Castrol
 imparted their knowledge and technology onto the oily bits whilst
 Michelin, Forza Motorsport, Sparco
 and
Brembo
 helped out in other aspects.
“We’ve won races and championships, but we’ve never run Le Mans,” team owner, Chip Ganassi said. With Fords
50th anniversary
 of the momentous win in
1966
, they are gunning for the
Le Mans championship
 title in
2016
.


All-new Isuzu D-Max the first pick-up to be awarded 5-star rating by Euro NCAP

The all-new Isuzu D-Max has been awarded a five-star rating in the latest and toughest new Euro NCAP test. It is also the
first pick-up truck to score a maximum of five stars
 under the latest test procedures.
The conditions to achieve a five-star rating in the latest Euro NCAP test are significantly higher than in previous years, with heavier and faster “trolleys” used in the collisions and the mandatory equipment for additional safety features.

The list of safety features available as standard in the European market is astounding. It is what the market expects, and something most governments enforce.
Standard items in the ADAS (Advanced Driver Assist Systems) suite include the usual
Autonomous Emergency Braking
, Lane Departure Warning & Prevention system, Blind-Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Traffic Sign Recognition. The single rear-facing reverse camera, which we here take it for granted, is a variant-exclusive feature.
There are eight bags available, inclusive of the recently introduced
front centre airbag system
. This centre airbag deploys (from the driver’s seat) during side impacts
to reduce injuries
 that could possibly occur when either the driver or front passenger unavoidably bump into each other.
While not specifically mentioned, the majority of vehicles that achieved a five-star rating have been fitted with the front centre airbag system.
Isuzu says an extra cross member has been added to the ladder chassis which has been strengthened even further with certain sections up to 34% wider and 14% higher to increase rigidity and improve passenger safety, particularly during side impacts.
Apart from a strong structure, dynamic performance has also been thoroughly improved. A revised suspension design increases stability and road holding while larger brakes all-around reduces stopping distance and brake fade with an increase in the service life.
All this is great news for Mazda too, as the Hiroshima-based automaker is using the third-generation Isuzu D-Max as a base for its recently introduced
all-new BT-50 pick-up
.
Based on previous examples of base-model sharing between two companies (Peugeot Traveller and Toyota Proace), Euro NCAP will examine the technical documents provided by the supplier and award the assessment accordingly. As such, we can expect the all-new Mazda BT-50 to be awarded a five-star rating too.
As pick-up vehicles are generally not as popular in Europe as in Australia,
the pool of vehicles being tested is few and far between
. The most recent entrant is the
Mercedes-Benz X-Class in 2017
. Popular models like the Toyota Hilux were listed as being tested in 2016, the Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi Triton/L200 in 2015 and the Ford Ranger in 2012.
Euro NCAP thus strongly advise to not compare the crash test ratings of 2020 with those done years earlier.


Toyota Corolla gets new special edition in Japan to celebrate 50 million units sold

As you might have heard, the venerable
Toyota Corol
l
a
 has exceeded a total of
50 million units sold
 throughout its lifetime globally. And to celebrate the incredible milestone, the carmaker has unveiled a new special edition model in Japan with several aesthetic and “functional” (
we’ll get to that
) tweaks to make it stand out from the standard variants.
Available for the Toyota Corolla sedan, Corolla Sport hatchback, and Corolla Touring wagon variants, the 50 Million special edition’s standout feature on the outside are the new alloy wheels finished in matte black – 17 inch items for the sedan and wagon, and 16 for the hatchback.
Other unique exterior features on the special edition models include the gloss black lower grilles, rear bumper, and rear spoiler, alongside the customary “50 Million Edition” badges on the front fenders.
The effect becomes even more prominent when you pair it to the few unique hero colour choices (including Army Rock Metallic, Slate Gray Metallic, and Precious Metal), alongside the optional blacked-out roof.
RELATED: Toyota Thailand has introduced a Corolla “Nurburgring Edition” for some reason…
Moving inside, the special edition comes with a special synthetic leather upholstery that can be specified with either red, orange, or gold stitching. And of course, the “50 Million Edition” badges are also plastered all over.
Remember the “functional” tweak that we mentioned above? Toyota has equipped the Corolla 50 Million Edition a special material on the driver’s seat that is said to help remove static electricity from clothing, and supposedly help the car handle better. We’re not sure how well it actually works in practice, but cool, I guess…
VIDEO: Check out our review of the all-new Toyota Corolla in Malaysia!
The Toyota Corolla 50 Million Edition is only offered as a hybrid, which features a 1.8-litre engine and a electric motor for a combined output of 122 hp. Power is transferred to either the front wheels or all four wheels via a CVT gearbox – the latter “E-Four” variant is only available on the sedan and wagon body styles.
The Toyota Corolla 50 Million Edition starts at JPY2,830,000 (approx. RM103k) for the hatchback, JPY2,835,000 (approx. RM104k) for the sedan, and JPY2,884,500 (approx RM105k) for the wagon model. Would you like to see UMW Toyota unveil a similar special edition for the Corolla here in Malaysia? Let us know in the comments below!
GALLERY


Someone rendered the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead, and boy does it look good

Imposing and unapologetic about it, the new Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII is one automobile that introduces itself through sheer presence. Sadly, alongside news of its new release, the British company also announced that the Coupe and Drophead Coupe body styles will not be continued for the new Phantom.
Instead, the Phantom VIII will strictly be available in one body style (4-door) as the brands seeks for alternative ways of diversifying its offerings. They want you to get the
Dawn
if you’d like some wind in your hair in the event your diamond-encrusted Dyson hair dryer fails.
But that hasn’t stopped a creative soul from rendering a Phantom Drophead Coupe and Phantom Coupe based on the latest edition’s outline. Created by
X-Tomi Design
, the mastermind behind this also rendered a Phantom Shooting Brakes could look like – a glimpse of what the new Cullinan could look like once the curtains draw on it.
The new Phantom VIII, claimed to be the
most silent car in the world
, utilises a twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 engine for more low-end torque in the lower revs to ensure that the engine as well, is as silent as possible. As a result, the engine produces a supercar-shaming 900Nm of torque with around 570 horsepower with power delivered through a ZF 8-speed gearbox.


Malaysia to attract Chinese investment to develop EV infrastructure

Malaysia is looking to attract investment from Chinese companies to develop the electric vehicle (EV) sector with the aim to build up the EV infrastructure to encourage wider ownership of EVs, said Transport Minister, Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
According to Loke, the government is looking to overcome the hurdles of EV infrastructure development by encouraging companies with the expertise and technology to set up shop in Malaysia. Loke explained that EVs are a major trend that will shape the future of public transportation and personal mobility and the country must ready itself.
“Our industrial policies are encouraging more EV-related industries to be relocated to Malaysia, especially on producing batteries in Malaysia. There are incentives to welcome more companies into Malaysia and I was made to understand that there are a lot of Chinese companies who are actually interested to invest in Malaysia in terms of putting their plants here and so on,” Loke added.
Loke at a
recent visit to JPJ Negeri Sembilan
.
The Transport Minister also noted that infrastructure needs to be developed sustainably, with integration and interconnectivity in mind. The infrastructure should also bring value to economic development not just to the region but the area where the transportation network is.
“We must look at the transportation sector not just as a means of transportation from point A to point B but more as an economic multiplier. Whatever transportation project that we embark on, we must look at the economic side of it,” Loke said.


Toyota C-HR was the best-selling SUV in Japan in 2017

Toyota Motor Corporation has just revealed strong numbers in sales of its C-HR from January to December last year having just debuted in December 2016 – utilising the brand’s Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) 2 platform.
The company shipped over
117,299 units
 of the Coupe High-Rider (C-HR), earning the top spot for the most number of new SUVs sold among Japanese automakers in the domestic market in 2017.

Locally, the
Malaysian-spec C-HR
 is set to come with a 1.8-litre naturally-aspirated engine mated to a Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT). Safety wise, the CH-R comes with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Blind Spot Monitoring, Electronic Stability Control and a suite of other safety features.


The facelifted 2017 BMW M2 arrives on Malaysian soil

Anticipations have been boiling over ever since
details on the facelifted BMW M2 surfaced on the German giant’s Belgium website
. While BMW may have followed up with news of the
BMW 240i M Performance,
 a model limited to just 750 units worldwide to momentarily sooth that hunger, it simply lacked the bravado of the real deal.
But the wait is over; BMW Malaysia has just introduced the arrival of the facelifted BMW M2 on Malaysian soil. The rejuvenated model now sports a newly designed front and rear section – featuring a modified front apron with large air inlet alongside new bi-LED headlamps in replacement of the xenon units on its predecessor.
The rear end of the new M2 is highlighted by twin exhaust tailpipes together with newly designed LED tail lights. Rounding up the new look are 19-inch aluminium wheels in twin-spoke design.
Moving inside, the cabin houses a few new faces including a redesigned M-specific black instrument panel that houses a new touchscreen infotainment system with Apple Car Play, the Walknappa leather M steering wheel with M Drive buttons and interior trims finished in high-gloss carbon fibre.
Power source remains unchanged – with the 3.0-litre M TwinPower Turbo in-line six engine with
370 hp
 and
465Nm
 of torque. A maximum of 500 Nm can be experienced momentarily with the overboost function. Drive will still be provided by a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Road holding capabilities are enhanced with lightweight M Sport suspension, along with the M Servotronic with two response settings, M compound brakes and an electronically-controlled Active M differential – where in M Dynamic Mode allows for slight wheel slip and controlled drifting for greater driving pleasure.
Colours like the Long Beach Blue, Black Sapphire, Alpine White and Mineral Grey will be offered with the new BMW M2 Coupe complemented by Dakota Black leather with blue contrast stitching on the M Sport seats.
The new BMW M2 Coupe retails at RM 535,800(on the road without insurance),
up from RM 498k
 when it was launched last year in Malaysia  and will be coupled with BMW Group Malaysia’s 5-year Unlimited Mileage Warranty with a Free Scheduled Service Programme as well as 24 months tyre warranty.
IMAGE GALLERY

Images by:
BMW BLOG


2017 World Car of the Year: double victory for the Jaguar F-Pace!

The 2017 World Car of the Year Awards has just announced the winners during the ongoing 2017 New York International Auto Show. The
Jaguar F-Pace
 emerged as the biggest winner as it bagged not one but two trophies, including the prestigious World Car of the Year award!
It was an entirely SUV affair for the award’s biggest category as the
Volkswagen Tiguan
,
Audi Q5
, and the F-Pace were the top three finalists. The F-Pace’s handsome looks won the hearts of the panel judges, making it a winner for the
World Car Design of the Year
 award. Jaguar’s darling SUV also defeated the
Toyota C-HR
 and
Mercedes S-Class
 in that category.
On the other hand, the revised
BMW i3
 took the
World Urban Car of the Year
 trophy. Despite the i3’s age, the ingenious electric city car from Munich outwits the conventional city cars such as the
Citroen C3
 and Suzuki Ignis in that category.
Mercedes-Benz have a reason to smile as its rather excellent
W213 E-Class

triumphs over the
BMW 5-Series
 and Volvo
S90
/
V90
 for the
World Luxury Car of the Year
 award. In the
 World Green Car of the Year
 award, the
Toyota Prius Prime
 managed to edge against the Tesla Model X and the Chevrolet Bolt for the award win.
The
Porsche
 718 Cayman
/
Boxster
 won the
World Performance Car of the Year
 award, despite having less horsepower than the other two finalists, the
McLaren 570S
 and
Audi R8 Spyder
. Looks like Stuttgart’s decision to downsize the engine on both the Cayman and Boxster was very much a commendable move.


Ford Mustang on display at Publika from 11 to 15 March, 2.3L EcoBoost and 5.0L V8 offered!

You’ve seen all there is to see and know all there is to know about the latest
Ford Mustang
. After 50 years in the making, the iconic ‘Stang will for the first time be offered in a right hand drive configuration for selected countries. It’s also the first time this Stallion will be offered globally.
Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC), the exclusive distributor of Ford vehicles in Malaysia, will be offering the Mustang in two trims – a budget friendly
2.3-litre EcoBoost engine
 and the muscled
5.0-litre Coyote V8 engine
. There’s no mention of their pricing as of yet, but expect the Mustang to carry a starting price around the RM500k mark. Two body types will go with the range – the traditional
fastback
 variant and a
convertible
.
As a recap, the 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine (also used in the
Focus RS
) has a compression ratio of 9.5:1, and produces
310 horsepower
 and
434 Nm
 of torque. Transmission option will most likely be the SelectShift six-speed automatic gearbox with steering mounted paddle shifters, although it’s unclear as yet if the six-speed manual by Getrag will be made available here.
Watch Sienna Miller strike a few poses
here
 with the Mustang
If you’re a true fan of the Mustang and cannot care less about fuel emission, consumption and road tax, you’d be pleased to know that the V8 we’ll be getting isn’t the 3.7-litre, but the
5.0-litre normally aspirated
 unit that makes
435 hp
 and
542 Nm
 of torque.
SDAC in a press statement confirmed that the Mustang will find its way to selected Malaysian showrooms by December this year. Meanwhile, if you’re in town, be sure to catch the Mustang in the flesh when it’s previewed at Publika in Solaris Dutamas from 11 to 15 March. Otherwise, you can always trust us to bring you a comprehensive pictorial gallery of the iconic muscle car. So keep an eye out on this space tomorrow for a complete look at the sixth generation Ford Mustang!
[divider]
IMAGE GALLERY


This Suzuki Jimny “Black Bison” looks ready for a zombie apocalypse

New or old, it’s hard to not find appeal in the Suzuki Jimny.
When the new model arrived early last year, every automotive media site was pouring with adoration for the new car – one that would
sadly not be available (officially at least) for sale in Malaysia
.
A miniature Land Rover Defender based on the Suzuki Jimny, dubbed the
 “Little D”
.
Retaining the ladder frame chassis instead of the sissy monochoque body and a boxy exterior with the aerodynamic qualities of a bus, the new Jimny is makes an adorable 95 hp and 130 Nm of torque from a 1.5-litre engine. Transmission options include a 4-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual.
Ever since Japanese body kit manufacturer DAMD
emerged with Land Rover Defender or Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon replicas based on the Jimny
, we’ve all been praying for Suzuki’s hiatus in Malaysia to end.
DAMD’s version of the
“Gelandewagen”
.
Now with Wald’s version of the Jimny, a more unpretentious version if you will, we’re ready to march to Suzuki’s HQ in Japan with pitchforks and torches demanding their return to our homeland.
What you see above is called the Black Bison and it seems like alongside cockroaches, it will survive the apocalypse.
You must be wondering, “What does this Jimny not have?”
Tuning house, Wald, has equipped the Jimny with LED spotlights on the roof, hood scoops like those on an American muscle car, LED daytime running light rings like you’d find on a Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG and wheels that seem like they could crush diamonds.
As for the rest of the car, here’s a whole lot of pictures for you to marvel at.
IMAGE GALLERY


Toyota Camry 2.5 V will get Toyota Safety Sense, est. RM189,900

Shortly after
teasing
 the imminent launch of the
all-new Toyota Camry
, UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) has just announced that the order books are now open along with pricing and specification of the new model.
UMWT only listed one variant of the eight-generation Camry on their website – the fully loaded 2.5 V. Powered by the familiar 2AR-FE 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder with DVVT-i and six-speed automatic powertrain carried over from the
previous-generation model
. The engine is good for
184 hp
 and
235 Nm
 of twist to drive the front wheels.
As for exterior equipment, our local spec Camry 2.5 V gets Bi-LED projector headlamps with LED daytime running lights, LED front & rear fog lamps, full LED taillamps, keyless entry & start, dual exhaust outlets as well as 18-inch alloys wrapped in 235/45 profile tyres.
Inside the new Camry spots an all-black theme with leather upholstery, eight-way powered adjusted front seats with memory function for driver’s seat, 7.0-inch colour MID instrument cluster display with Optitron Meter,
10-inch colour Heads-Up Display
, powered adjustable steering wheel with
memory function
, 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system connected to nine JBL speakers, wireless charging tray and more.

UMWT has equipped their flagship sedan with a comprehensive list of safety features including
Toyota Safety Sense Advanced Driver Assistance System
 that bundles Pre-collision System (PCS), Lane Departure Alert (LDA) with Steering Assist, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) and Automatic High Beam (AHB).
Other standard safety kit includes seven airbags, ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control, Hill-Start Assist Control, Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, front & rear parking sensors and a Digital Video Recorder (dash camera).

There are five exterior colours to choose from – Red Mica, Platinum White Pearl Mica, Silver Metallic, Graphite Metallic and Burning Black. The all-new Toyota Camry 2.5 V is estimated to be priced at RM189,900, on-the-road without insurance. However, expect UMWT to introduce a 2.0-litre entry level variant when the car is due for its official launch.
IMAGE GALLERY


Watch this Jaguar XE SV Project 8 blitz through Laguna Seca to a new record

Hot from the heels of its
record-breaking run as the fastest saloon around the Nurburgring
, the
Jaguar XE SV Project 8
 has cemented its status as the world’s fastest four-door sedan by setting yet another new track record.
It recently lapped the Laguna Seca in 1 minute 37.54 seconds– almost a second faster than the previous production sedan record – with racing driver Randy Pobst behind the wheel.
The Jaguar XE SV Project 8 is the ultimate expression of Jaguar’s XE sports sedan with only 300 hand-built units ever made. Underneath the hood is a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 engine mated to an eight-speed Quickshift automatic ZF transmission.
0 to 100 km/h takes just 3.3 seconds with an electronically-limited top speed of 200 mph (321 km/h).
IMAGE GALLERY


New special edition 911 GT3 celebrates first Porsche to arrive in Australia

Shortly after Porsche
introduced the Porsche 911 GT3 Touring
 last week, Porsche Australia introduced the limited-run
GT3 70 Years Porsche Australia Edition
.
The 911 GT3 (left) and the GT3 Touring (right).
The 70 Years Porsche Australia Edition pays tribute to the
first two Porsches to arrive in Australia 70 years ago
. It’s based on the GT3 Touring and will be available either with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.
It’s a road version of the race-car for the road – check out the 911 GT3 “Touring Package” in detail here!
Porsche said it’s the first time the company has offered a market-specific edition on a 911 model, and also the
first time a special edition was created specifically for the Australian market
.
This special edition 911 Turbo S celebrates 20 years of Porsche in China! Check out the different colours!
The 911 GT3 70 Years Porsche Australia Edition was designed in collaboration with the Style Porsche design team, Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur and Porsche Cars Australia.
For starters, it’s finished with a Fish Silver Grey exterior colour created by Porsche Manufaktur. It’s the same colour on the first Porsche 356 to be imported into Australia in 1951.
All-new 992 Porsche 911 Turbo S arrives in Malaysia! Find out how much it costs here!
Inside, dashboard and centre console trims inherit the Fish Silver Grey colour from the exterior but there’s no ignoring the elaborate bucket seats with Graphite Blue leather and Madraskaro check fabric.
Don’t you just love the retro-inspired “feel” about it?
Porsche did 300 km/h non-stop in the new 911 GT3 for 5,000 km; only stopping for fuel. Read about it here!
“It is fitting that this special edition features exclusive elements that link back to one of the two first Porsche sportscars imported to Australia by Norman Hamilton 70 years ago,” Porsche said.
What is basically a GT3 car without a massive spoiler at the back, the GT3 70 Years Edition is packed with 510 hp and 470 Nm from a 4.0-litre engine. Its 0 to 100 km/h time is only 3.9 seconds.
The GTS nameplate returns to the Porsche 911 line-up, find out more about it here!
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Remember to fill up with diesel on the facelifted Audi S4

At the announcement of the
facelifted Audi A4 range
, the four-rings also introduced the refreshed S4 sedan and S4 Avant. Just like the
S5 TDI
 which was unveiled recently, the S4 range is now powered by a mild-hybrid turbodiesel.
It’s not all bad news for petrolheads because the 3.0-litre V6 TDI packs
347 hp
 and best-in-class
700 Nm
 of torque. The onboard 48V MHEV system works to charge up the electric compressor to give the S4 TDI instantaneous response and seamless power build-up.
With the 8-speed automatic and Quattro permanent all-wheel drive, century sprint on the S4 TDI sedan takes
4.8 seconds
 onwards to a limited top speed of
250 km/h
. A compact, air-cooled lithium-ion battery pack with a capacity of 0.5 kWh located under the boot acts as an energy management centre and contributes to reduced fuel consumption of up to
0.4 litres per 100 km
.
Like all Audi S models, the S4 duo is identified by the exclusive quad exhaust tailpipes, aggressive front and rear bumpers, honeycomb Singleframe grille, Sport seats and S-specific Audi Virtual Cockpit design.
IMAGE GALLERY
Audi S4 TDI Sedan

Facelift in Turboblau
Audi S4 TDI Avant

Facelift in

Daytona Grey


Mercedes-Benz teases fully-electric EQA – brand’s first EV in Malaysia to launch soon!

It was only last week when Mercedes-Benz Malaysia CEO Sagree Sardien mentioned the company’s upcoming electric onslaught during the
C-Class launch
, but it seems like it’s all about to kick off very soon. The company has just teased the
Mercedes-Benz EQA
 via a post on its social media pages, hinting at the imminent launch of the fully-electric crossover.
The accompanying caption to the post reads: “Electricity runs in its veins, where luxury sits at its heart. The new EQA, yours for the taking. Stay tuned.”
Unveiled just over a year ago, the fully-electric Mercedes-Benz EQA is offered globally in three different variants – the EQA 250, EQA 300 4Matic, and EQA 350 4Matic. No indications as of the time of writing which of the three will make its way into Malaysia, but the entry-level, front-wheel driven EQA 250 should most definitely be part of the line-up.
The variant is powered by a single electric motor on the front axle, enough to provide
190 hp
 and
375 Nm
 of torque. The figure translates to a century sprint time of roughly
8.9 seconds
, onward to a top speed of
160 km/h
.
A 66.5 kWh double-decker battery pack underneath the crossover’s floor provides a usable travel range of
426 km
 (via WLTP test cycle), and takes roughly five hours and 45 minutes to fully charge with the 11 kW onboard AC charger. Fast charging with a 100 kW DC charger meanwhile takes just 30 minutes to go from 10% to 80% state of charge.
The EQA 300 and EQA 350 meanwhile get two electric motors for an all-wheel drive layout, with
228 hp/390 Nm
 and
292 hp/520 Nm
 respectively.
ALSO READ: Mercedes-Benz EQA unveiled as a GLA
-based fully-electric crossover
Based on the Mercedes-Benz GLA, the fully-electric crossover does share quite a lot of similarities with its internal combustion-powered sibling. The German carmaker did give the EQA a slight tweak in appearance to help it stand out, including a new signature ‘black panel’ EQ grille featuring an unbroken fibre optic light signature that joins the two headlights, as well as a reworked tailgate with a full-width tail light design.
The differences are less apparent on the inside, with the entire cabin pretty much carried over wholesale from the GLA crossover – except for additional blue and rose gold accents throughout.
As usual, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia did not provide a concrete launch date just yet. But based on their usual
modus operandi
 around their recent launches, we think that it’s not going to be too long more. Keep your eyes peeled!


Toyota Corolla Cross SUV launching in Malaysia on 25th March!

UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) has been teasing about a launch of “The Next Big Thing” for the past couple of days, but as is standard procedure to build hype around the launch, the posts provided zero context on what it actually is.
Well, the guessing game is now over, as the latest update on UMWT’s website and social media pages now show the tag line together with a silhouette of the Corolla Cross SUV, alongside a countdown to the official launch scheduled for next Thursday,
25th March
.
The new Corolla Cross is an SUV that has a large C-segment footprint but targeted at mid-compact models such as Honda HR-V,
Subaru XV
,
Mazda CX-30
, Hyundai Tucson, the new Kia Seltos and of course, the new SUV leader, the
Proton X50
.
One of the key features of the
Corolla Cross
 is the 440-litre luggage capacity, the largest in the segment. Thanks to the dashboard that is lifted directly from
the Corolla sedan
, all the features such as a seven-inch multi-information display, dual-zone climate control, smartphone-ready infotainment system as well as
Toyota Safety Sense
 with Lane Tracing Assist and adaptive cruise control are expected to be available in this crossover.
Around the region, the new Toyota Corolla Cross is offered in hybrid and petrol variants, both displacing 1.8 litres. We shall find out next week if UMWT will bring the company’s self-charging hybrid back to their showrooms, with the last hybrid being the previous generation Toyota Camry 2.5 Hybrid (AVV50) that was also locally-assembled.


This Ferrari 296 GTB scale model costs more than a brand-new Myvi

What you’re looking at here isn’t an actual
 Ferrari 296 GTB
, but rather Amalgam’s 1:8 scale model of the new Prancing Horse. Don’t worry – we were fooled, too, but it really highlights the accuracy of the model, and is also probably why they can charge a whopping USD14,017 (approx. RM59k) for one. Ouch.
The company maintains a long-time collaboration with Ferrari, so the hand-built models are pretty much as accurate as it gets – even receiving official approval from the Ferrari Centro Stile (design centre) following an “intense dive into every detail”.
Based on the original CAD drawings of the actual 296 GTB, Amalgam’s scale model is said to be made from thousands of “precisely engineered parts” such as castings, photo-etchings, and CNC machined metal components. Even the paint codes and specifications are directly from Ferrari themselves!
Each unit takes over 300 hours to complete, while the development process itself took over 3,000 hours. Just like the actual Ferrari 296 GTB, the scale model can also be customised and built to the owner’s own bespoke specification!
RELATED: This scale-model Aston Martin DB5 comes with gadgets from Bond movies!
It’s hard to find a flaw on the scale model based on the photos – even the tyres have the same graphic as actual Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubbers! The attention to detail even extends into the interior – which can be “accessed” via the functional opening doors. The dashboard looks almost identical to the actual car, and the seat upholstery even has red stitching.
The Amalgam Ferrari 296 GTB 1:8 scale model is limited to just 199 units only, and the first models are already being shipped to be displayed in Ferrari’s offices and dealerships across Central Europe. The company says that there’ll also be a smaller 1:12 scale model in the future, although pricing hasn’t been disclosed just yet.
GALLERY


Is this what the 2nd-gen Audi Q3 should have been from the start?

A few months after the debut of the new second-generation Q3, Audi has given it the “Sportback” treatment. And based on its looks alone, do you still want the
‘normal’ Q3
?
While we still wouldn’t call the
Q3 Sportback
 handsome, we think the
sloping roof
 and the chopped off D pillars complement the Q3’s audacious face and those muscular arches better than the
non-Sportback Q3
.
There’s even a hint of
Lamborghini Urus
 from the rear three-quarter view, and that’s not a bad thing for something that costs a fraction of the Italian bull. But apart from the lower roof and a new rear bumper, the Q3 Sportback is identical to the Q3.
As expected, luggage space is slightly compromised. But at least the rear seat still accommodates three and they slide, recline, and fold flat to offer a maximum load capacity of
1,400 litres
 (125 litres less than the standard Q3).
It’s heavily kitted too, with Audi connect online services that shows real-time traffic info,
Alexa
 cloud-based voice service by Amazon, and
Google Earth
 navigation.
For the European market the Q3 Sportback can be had in either the
45 TFSI quattro S tronic
 with 230 hp or the
35 TDI S tronic
 with 150 hp. Both engines are
2.0-litre four cylinder
units, but the latter runs on diesel. Afterwards they will be joined by another diesel option with a higher power output as well as an entry-level petrol mill with 48 V mild-hybrid system.
IMAGE GALLERY


2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain will go anywhere you dare [+Video]

Looks like Mercedes-Benz has joined the battle of jacked-up wagons. Going against the likes of Audi A6 Allroad,
Volkswagen Passat Alltrack
, and the recently-announced
Volvo V90 Cross Country
, the E-Class All-Terrain is the first of its kind in the long history of Mercedes’ mid-size contender.
The X213
E-Class All-Terrain
 stands
29 mm taller
 than its “single-terrain”
W213 sedan
 and S213 wagon siblings, and just like its rivals, it’s fully dressed in a rugged outfit. Robust black plastic covers the lower part of the car, and there are flashes of metallic accents thrown in for that added bling, which ties in quite well with the optional
20-inch rims
. Standard alloys measure 19-inches by the way.

Despite the big rims, Mercedes claims that the E-Class All-Terrain rides much more comfortably than the normal E-Class because it’s fitted with higher profile tyres, and they’ve reconfigured the suspension too. Special
All-Terrain driving mode
 with
off-road driving settings
 should allow the E-Class All-Terrain to be driven on, err, all terrain, and drivers can
raise the car by 20 mm
 at
speeds up to 35 km/h
 courtesy of the
Air Body Control
 air suspension fitted as standard.
The E-Class All-Terrain will debut at the upcoming
2016 Paris Motor Show
 in the
E 220d 4Matic
 guise, which means it’s powered by a
2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel
 that produces
194 hp
 and
400 Nm
. The oil-burner is paired to the
9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic
, sending the power to the
4Matic all-wheel drive
 system.
Other than that, the cabin is unchanged apart from the “All-Terrain” lettering on the floor mats, so it’s the usual swish E-Class interior that’s practical and packed with tech.
Will it be introduced here in Malaysia? Not by a long shot. Will there be an
AMG variant
? Probably.
VIDEO GALLERY
IMAGE GALLERY


2016 Japan COTY finalists revealed, Europeans outnumber Japanese makes!

As we reach towards the end of the year, it’s time to recognise the best car of 2016 at the annual car of the year (COTY) awards. The top 10 candidates this year for Japan’s COTY are comprised of an unusual mix of European cars, which altogether outnumber their domestic cars.
A total of 35 new cars, ranging from new domestic and foreign cars were nominated, but only 10 made it to the finals. They are
Audi A4
,
BMW M2
,
Honda Freed
,
Nissan Serena
,
Volvo XC90
,
Abarth 124 Spider
,
Mercede
s-Benz E-Class
,
Jaguar F-Pace
,
Toyota Prius
 and
Subaru Impreza
. Out of the 10, only four represent the Land of the Rising Sun.
A panel of 59 judges (a majority presumably Japanese) however, lean heavily towards the Subaru Impreza and Toyota Prius. Yet again, competition from the West will be tough; the Volvo XC90 gathered critical acclaims from journalists all around the world and the BMW M2 makes for a delightful choice for purists.
Japan’s new Car of the Year will be announced on 9 December, but prior to that the judges’ evaluation are to be made public on 22 November.
Last year, the Mazda MX-5
 was given the crown jewel, and the year before that was the
Mazda2
. Unfortunately, no Mazda cars made it into the final 10 this year. Don’t be surprised if this year’s winner is not a native, because in 2013, the
Volkswagen Golf
 became the first ever non-Japanese car to win the Japan COTY.
Source:
Forbes


BHP launches upgraded Euro2M and Euro5 diesels, more additives, same price!

Boosted Petroleum Marketing Sdn Bhd, the official distributor of BHPetrol fuel, was the first company to introduce the Euro5 diesel to Malaysia back in November 2014. At the time, the fuel was only available in Johor, but today it is offered in 107 BHP stations across the country.
So what’s new this time around? Well, both diesel fuels are now infused with a new generation of additives sourced from Germany. The additives improve one key aspect – the ability to self-clean a diesel engine’s high pressure fuel injector nozzles.
Most modern diesel engines feature common rail direct injection (CRDI) with piezo injectors, and these injectors have holes smaller than the size of a human hair. The sole duty of these holes is to deliver the diesel fuel into the combustion chamber, which can sometimes get clogged over time, thus reducing power and efficiency.

Through numerous evaluating procedures adhering to the standards set by The Coordinating European Council, BHP’s latest Infiniti Euro2M and Euro5 diesels (both unique only to the Malaysian market) have proved that the additives can clean the injectors and restore engine performance to its optimum state. This works even for older diesel engines without direct injection technology.
The best part? Pricing for both diesel fuels remain exactly the same, at RM1.70 per litre for the Infiniti Euro2M, while the Euro5 costs 10 sen more. BHPetrol has over 300 stations nationwide, all of them offering Euro2M diesel. As of today, only 107 of them carry Euro5 diesel, with more to come along the way.


Post SST: BMW slashes price for CKD models, 530e now RM15k cheaper

BMW Malaysia has announced their revised price list with the Sales and Services Tax (SST) applied. At a glance, all locally assembled models get a price reduction of up to RM15,000 but fully imported models like the M4 and
M5
 now costs some RM12,000 more.
Interestingly, locally assembled plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models saw a mix of increase and decrease. The
330e M Sport
 remains priced at RM258k, unchanged from the GST time while the
740Le xDrive
 and
530e Sport
 are now cheaper to buy. Only the
X5 xDrive40e M Sport
 (CKD) had a marginal price increase of RM2,000.
Lastly, the
X3 xDrive30i Luxury when launch
 carried an indicated price tag of RM320k (inclusive of 6 per cent GST) but after SST implementation, the estimated price now starts from RM313,800 – finally cheaper than the
X2 sDrive20i M Sport
.


Electric Mercedes-Benz CLA and “electric GLC” to debut in 2024, may drop EQ name

Soon to join the all-electric line-up of Mercedes-Benz is a fully-electric version of the Mercedes-Benz CLA.
Automotive News
 reports that it will also be joined by an all-new version of the EQC, although that is only known as an “electric GLC” for the time being.
The information comes from
Mercedes-Benz
’s annual North American dealer meeting that took place recently. According to Mercedes-Dealer Board Chairman, Joseph Agresta there will be many EVs coming in the future of Mercedes-Benz. He said, “There’s a lot of EVs, and EV is certainly our future,” Despite the EV future, he also believes that there is still a place for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. He adds, “But there’s still a commitment to the ICE vehicles,” he said. “The ICE vehicles are going to support profitability and volume for some period of time.”
According to the European news portal, Mercedes-Benz is planning to take on Tesla, aiming to poach Tesla’s young, tech-focused consumers. For that, Mercedes-Benz will introduce an all-electric version of the Mercedes-Benz CLs and a new electric version of the Mercedes-Benz GLC.
The all-electric CLA will reportedly get about 400 miles (643 km) of range and arrive in the US market in 2024. According to some American dealers of the brand, the CLA is the car that draws 60% of Mercedes-Benz first-time customers. The CLA is a “coupe” version of the A-Class sedan which we are more familiar with in Malaysia.
RELATED:
All-new Mercedes-Benz E-Class W214 debuts: Rear wheel steering, built-in TikTok app
Malaysian Market Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4MATIC
As for the “electric GLC”, it will be the successor to the Mercedes-Benz EQC. The EQC was Mercedes-Benz’s first electric car in the EQ lineup and is based on the X253 Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV. Though it was the first, the EQC’s limited range was deemed inadequate for the American market.
Currently in Mercedes-Benz electric line-up is the EQA, EQB, EQC, EQE, EQS, and EQT. The upcoming Mercedes-Benz CLA and “electric GLC’ may no longer utilise the brand’s EQ prefix for its EV line-up.
RELATED:
The Mercedes-Maybach S 580 e costs only 30% more than the ‘regular’ S-Class in Thailand


Honda Malaysia retains crown for best-selling non-national passenger car brand in 2022

Honda Malaysia
today announced that it has sold a total of more than 80,200 cars in 2022, surpassing its initial target of 80,000 units. The figure represents a 51% increase over the previous year, and has enabled it to retain the title of the best-selling non-national passenger car brand in Malaysia for the ninth year in a row, based on its own internal data.
On a month-to-month basis, March was the best-performing month for the brand in 2022, with more than 10,500 units sold.
Honda Malaysia attributes the strong sales performance to the introduction of the
all-new Honda Civic
 in January, which also contributed to its strongest per-month sales figure this year in March, with 10,500 units sold.
The momentum was then followed up by the
all-new Honda HR-V
 in July, which quickly became one of the top three contributors to the company’s overall sales performance in Malaysia. And just as it started, Honda Malaysia also ended the year in style with the launch of the hybrid
Civic e:HEV RS
in November, which the company notes as having “received an overwhelming response from the market”.
RELATED:
11th-gen Honda Civic captures 81% market share in Malaysia – nearly 7,000 units sold since launch
In terms of model-to-model performance, the B-segment
Honda City
is the best-selling of the lot, contributing to 36% of the marque’s overall sales in Malaysia. Its
hatchback
 counterpart comes in at second place with 20% of the share, while the all-new Honda HR-V takes third place with 14% of the company’s total sales.
From the 80,200 units sold, 51% is sold within the central region. The Southern region contributed 19%, while the Northern region takes 17%.
Commenting on the annual sales report, Honda Malaysia Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Hironobu Yoshimura said, “2022 was a challenging year with global chip shortage and flood disasters that have affected our car production. With Challenging Spirit, Honda Malaysia shifted into higher gears in 2022 and exceeded our sales target with the strong support from all the stakeholders.”
The company expressed thanks to the Malaysian Government for the extension of the sales tax exemptions, and says that it is working closely with the suppliers and dealers to ensure timely delivery for its customers, especially those who have booked their cars during the SST exemption period.
ALSO READ:
11% of Honda HR-V buyers in Malaysia opted for the hybrid e:HEV RS variant
While many competing car brands in Malaysia have unfortunately raised prices for their models, as a result of the global inflation and rising manufacturing costs, Honda Malaysia has said that it will be keeping prices steady for now.
Moving forward, the company says it is optimistic about the automotive sector in 2023. Honda Malaysia is committed to delivering the best quality to its customers, both in terms of its product offering, as well as sales and after-sales experience.


AutoBuzz.my’s Top 6 picks of the year: Which cars made the list and why

The year 2014 was quite a spectacle on its own, especially in the car scene – local and international – where its injected with a considerable dose of vibrancy and competition.
We here at
Autobuzz.my
 have worked long and hard to bring you the latest buzzes of the industry. From text to pictures and videos (as we have come to be known for), we’ve stepped into uncharted waters to bring you what we think is the best and most enjoyable way to consume information.
So, to bring 2014 to a close, we have decided to handpick the best all-rounding vehicle by segment (not necessarily chosen by sheer sales volume), just to give you an idea of which car we think is leading its pack. Do note that our picks are based on models sold in Malaysia only, and excludes the grey market. Now, without further ado, we present to you, our top picks for the year.
A-Segment

–
Perodua Axia 1.0L
 (from RM24,600)
In this segment, we were torn between the Axia and the
Kia Picanto
, simply because the latter excels in many different ways, as reviewed by our fellow writer KY Looi. However, we thought that the Axia (pronounced A-zee-ah) made a huge leap forward by designing a car that caters to the Malaysian taste, and we’re further convinced that it should be named the best A-segmenter simply because of its affordability.

The Axia is Perodua’s tenth model to roll out the production line, and about 90 percent of its design is Malaysian. We chose the Axia not because it’s the only A-Segment car introduced to the market this year, but also because it’s almost as big as the Myvi in terms of dimensions. Practicality ahoy! Its starting price is even cheaper than the base model Viva during its heyday – at RM24,600, with the SE and Advanced model offering projector headlamps and front parking sensors. Need we say more?
B-Segment –
Ford Fiesta EcoBoost 1.0L
 (RM93,888)
This segment is easily the most competitive of the lot, with the top six nominees comprising of the
Proton Iriz
,
Citroen DS3
, Peugeot 208,
Honda City
, Ford Fiesta EcoBoost and
Volkswagen Polo CKD
. Who takes the cake? We picked, after much deliberation, the
Fiesta EcoBoost
.

Regardless of what we drive, there will always be that day or two where you just feel like unleashing your inner boy racer. Whether you’re overtaking a reckless
ah-beng
 on the speedway or driving down your favourite trunk roads, the Fiesta EcoBoost provides just about all the right moves in all the right places. It handles like nothing else in its class (except its
steroidal RM150k ST sibling
 and the likes of it) and punches better than most of its rivals. The only downside we can think of is the slightly cramped rear space, and that an all-new model is somewhere down the pipeline.
C-Segment –
Mazda3 Sedan
 (RM138,935.50 – OTR with insurance)
Ah, if it isn’t one of the most hair-pulling experiences when it comes to purchasing your first, proper family car. It’s definitely not an easy one, we’ll give you that. Especially when you have the
Ford Focus
 (sedan and hatchback),
Toyota Altis
,
Honda Civic facelift
,
Volkswagen Jetta CKD
, Proton Preve, Nissan Sylphy, Renault Fluence; you get the idea.

But if you’re all about style without compromise, the Mazda3 is exactly the car we think you should get. In the words of our very own Chief Editor, GC Mah, “The all-new Mazda3 with KODO design language is by far the best looking C-segment sedan in the market right now.” Well, it’s not just pleasing to the eyes, but it drives well, rides well, comes very well equipped, gets Mazda’s full range of Skyactiv technology and feels like you’re paying less for more. In
Najdi’s review
 of the CBU 3, he said
it’s one of those cars to demand a second look even after you’ve parked it and walked away
. On the plus side, the CKD units will be making their way here early next year, so expect a healthy cut of its current asking price of RM139k.
D-Segment –
Hyundai Sonata 2.0L
 (from RM143,163.30)
This list is comprised of several popular models like the
Toyota Camry
, Honda Accord, Nissan Teana,
Chevrolet Malibu
,
Volkswagen Passat CKD
,
Hyundai Sonata
,
Hyundai i40
, Kia Optima and the Mazda6 sedan. The Accord remains as one of our favourites in this segment thanks to its great value for money, and is probably the most well received vehicle of its segment this year.

Despite favouring the Accord, this choice wasn’t a shot in the dark, just so you know. We were contemplating our pick between the Accord, Mazda6 and the Passat CKD. But it ultimately went to the Sonata, because no other manufacturer grants an
8-year warranty programme
, even if it only covers the engine and transmission. On top of that, the Sonata is said to drive better, and is the first D-Segment sedan to come with a full-flat underbody cover that reduces turbulence and drag. If you’re thinking of getting one, Hyundai is also giving you a 2-year free membership of their concierge service,
The Leader
.
Compact Executive –
Mercedes-Benz W205 C-Class
 (from RM286k)
Here, the fifth-generation C-Class takes on the likes of
BMW’s F30 3 Series
 and the 4 Series, the ageing Audi A4 (B8),
Infiniti Q50
 and even the Volvo S60. But let’s face it. If you take an S-Class, shrink it down in size and price it right in the sweet spot, you’ve found the secret recipe for success.

Much is to be praised about the new C-Class, because it looks like nothing else in its class, both inside and out. Now offered as CBU trim, the C-Class can be had in
three flavours
 –
C200 Avantgarde, C250 Executive
 and
C250 AMG Line
. And it’s priced well for a fully imported unit too, with an asking price from RM286k to RM340k for the AMG Line. If you think the price is too high for your liking, fret not, because the CKD version of this baby S-Class is scheduled for delivery sometime between Q2 and Q3 of next year. As we’re made to believe, we can expect more goodies to be thrown into the car along with an attractive price cut. This C-Class is way ahead in its segment, we reckon.
Executive E-Segment –
Maserati Ghibli
 S
 (RM628,800)
Things get a little more subjective in the executive segment, because the badge, the style, the look, the image; everything matters
more
. Life cycles of cars in this segment is far longer too, usually around seven years (as is the trend of late) before a completely new model takes the stage. This year saw the introduction of a sexy Italian icon, the
Maserati Ghibli
, and that’s our pick of the lot.

The executive segment in Malaysia is very evidently dominated by the German likes of Mercedes-Benz E Class, Audi A6 Hybrid and the BMW 5 Series. Then there’s the less prominent Jaguar XF and the also ageing Lexus GS in the foray. But if we are to be honest, it’s all about personal preference here. And if you’re all about making a statement, the Ghibli is the car you should consider getting. Why is it our choice, you ask? Well, its bold and sultry curves are an instant eye catcher, and on top of that it gets a tyre shredding
3.0-litre turbocharged V6
 that makes
410 hp
 and
550 Nm
 of torque. On the normal Ghibli, you get
330 hp
 and
500 Nm
 of torque, both paired to an
eight-speed ZF automatic transmission
. Now that’s a car that will get you places with speed and style.
Luxury F-Segment –
Mercedes-Benz W222 S
400L Hybrid
 (from RM587,888)
You know you’ve made it when you start looking into this segment for a car to be chauffeured around town. It’s also the segment where you see carmakers dumping every possible state-of-the-art technology into a four-wheel platform for you to lug around or be driven in what is essentially a two-tonne vehicle.

Be that as it may, the W222 S400L Hybrid is the winner here for a number of reasons, but by and large is due to its incredibly attractive price tag of
RM587,888
. The guys at Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) have outdone themselves this year by giving Malaysians truly value for money deals, yet that very intent is seemingly intensifying. The ‘Sonderklasse’ or ‘Special Class’ boasts a number of world’s firsts features, especially with its LED-only lighting system. Not a single light bulb is used here, befitting its Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV) status. We had the opportunity to drive the S400L Hybrid to the
Mercedes production plant in Pekan
 earlier in the year, and we were instantly fond of its ride (or glide, rather) and cabin insulation. There’s no complaining even when you’re in the backseat, but we’d like ours with a massage function, please. Friends at MBM, yes? :)
So there you have it, folks! The Top 6 picks of Autobuzz’s segments of choice for the year 2014.
What the Editor has to say: GC’s wrap up for 2014
The year of horse, 2014 has been an exciting yet crazy year for all of us auto journalists, especially with the overwhelming launches locally and abroad. We have been working our bottoms off to bring you the latest local launch coverage, international news, and car reviews the way you want it. The team at AutoBuzz.my, both web and video production divisions genuinely hope you like our work thus far.
And as what Matthew gathered above, our favourites in 2014, as voted by the team. I’m sure you’ll agree with me, it’s one hell of a line-up!
Now we can all look forward to many highly anticipated car launches next year. Mazda will be introducing the really pretty Mazda2 and CX-3 SUV, Honda can’t wait to launch the affordable compact SUV, the HR-V, Volvo will be assembling locally and introducing the XC90 T8, the really exciting Volkswagen Golf GTE will be
plugging-in
 soon, the handsome Passat B8 will be roaming our roads too, some rugged yet good-looking trucks like the new Ranger and Triton; and many, many, many more.
We Malaysians have gone through tremendous pain and tragedies in 2014, from missing planes to massive flood, all in one year. 2015 will be better. I’m sure.
Happy New Year, Malaysia.


The Volkswagen Touareg can now park itself without a driver on board

Self-parking cars are not too uncommon these days. The technology has matured enough that we are now beginning to see it move down the food chain into cheaper cars – like the
Proton X50
. Doing so without a driver in the seat though? Those are rarely seen even on the most luxurious vehicles on sale, but
Volkswagen’ flagship Touareg SUV
 can now join the elite club.
Building on to the existing auto-park assistant feature which uses a suite of four cameras and 12 ultrasound sensors, the new remote-parking system will allow for the large SUV to automatically manouevre into a parking space completely by itself, while the driver stands outside and watch from a distance.
The auto-park system is activated as usual via the infotainment system. Once the system detects a suitable parking space, the driver can then select the remote control option, whip out their smartphone, and step out of the car.
The physical Drive button, which is required to be held by the driver while executing the automated parking manouevres (also
like the Proton X50
), will automatically be transferred onto the VW Remote Park Assist Plus on your mobile phone.
For safety reasons, the virtual drive button must also be held constantly while the car remote parks itself. Just like the button in the car, the parking manouevre will be automatically paused if the driver lifts off from the button – and if required, the driver can resume control.
Unlike most of these systems which can only support forward and reverse motions, the remote Park Assist feature can also park itself in a parallel parking spot while the driver monitors from outside.
Additionally, the remote parking system can also automatically start the car and exit from the parking spot, which means you’ll never have to squeeze into the tight door openings again in fear of dinging someone else’s car! You can check out the full demo of the remote parking assistant feature
here
.
GALLERY


Perodua has just achieved its highest-ever monthly sales figure in entire 26-year history!

It seems like the government’s post-Covid-19 economic recovery plan has certainly been effective – especially in the automotive sector. National carmaker Perodua has just posted its monthly sales figure for September, reporting a total of
25,035 vehicles sold
– which is the highest-ever figure in all of its 26-year history.
The September figure is a 10.8% increase from August, where the company sold 22,604 units. Combining that with
23,203 units sold in July 2020
, Perodua has achieved a sales figure of 70,842 units in the third quarter of 2020 – a 13,870 unit or 24.3% increase over the 56,972 units from the same period last year.
In the first nine months, Perodua managed to move a total of 145,012 units, which is 69.1% of its target to sell 210,000 vehicles in 2020. The company
 initially set a target of 240,000 units
 for the year, though it has since been revised due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic which is currently seeing a new spike in infection rates in the country.
In order to meet the strong demand, Perodua says that it is is also increasing production at both its assembly plants in Sungai Choh, Rawang. However, the figure is likely to not rise too much further than current numbers, as the current production rate of around 25,000 units per month is already nearing 99% of its overall production capacity, according to CEO Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad.
The sales performance figures were published by UMW Holdings, which holds a 38% stake in the national carmaker. Acting President and Group CEO, Azmin Che Yusoff cited the sales tax exemptions as one of the reasons for the encouraging results: “We are thankful to the government for introducing economic stimulus packages and for implementing the sales tax exemption to boost the automotive industry in Malaysia. We are confident that the strong sales momentum will continue into the final quarter of the year.”


Mercedes-Benz X-Class concept unveiled, first true luxury pickup truck?

If it’s one thing we’ve learned from Mercedes-Benz in recent years, is that the company is unafraid to push the boundaries of the norm. There hasn’t been a premium pickup truck in the market, so they’ve decided to go ahead and make one. The resulting attempt is this, the all-new Mercedes-Benz X-Class Concept.
In fact, this is not the first time Stuttgart toyed with the idea of having a pickup. Many years ago, they had one called the
Gelandewagen
, or known as the G-Class/G-Wagon. Currently, it’s available in a six-wheeled guise (G 63 AMG 6×6), which is exclusive for the elites who have gone bored of flying past speed humps and road kerbs with their SUVs.
The X-Class is the product of a three-way joint venture between Daimler and Renault-Nissan; the other pick duo are the Renault Alaska and
Nissan Navara
. The X-Class deploys two different concepts – the civilised
Stylish Explorer
 and the rugged
Powerful Adventurer
.
Overall, the X-Class isn’t that far off from its
teaser
 revealed a few months back. Both concepts wear the same large front grille with the three-point star emblem mounted at the centre. On top of the headlights is a tall and muscular hood. The X-Class remains strictly a double cab pickup for now.
Now this is where the similarity ends. The “Stylish Explorer” is the variant you’d want to own and cruise around town with. It sits on humongous 22-inch wheels (unlikely to make it to production) and the back adopts a cool looking oval shaped LED taillight design. We think the latter should be featured in the production version of the X-Class.
Next up is the “Powerful Adventurer”. We can imagine this roaming effortlessly in the sand dunes of the Sahara, rocky foothills of Mount Kinabalu or even in your backyard orchard. Vivid colours aside, it wears a more conventional, high-profile off-road tyres and a higher ground clearance. The back meanwhile, gets a set of conventional taillight. It also receives an off-road kit which consists of electric winches, side rails and so on.
Interior wise, the tablet-styled central console and dashboard remain consistent as per any modern Mercedes-Benzes. Interestingly, handbrake operation is manual (lever type). The X-Class is set to include many of Mercedes’ modern driver assistance systems, making it the safest, most luxurious pickup truck money can buy.
Top of the line X-Classes will be powered by a
 V6 diesel
 mated to
4MATIC all-wheel drive.
 A range of four-cylinder petrol and diesel mills are also planned for the X-Class. The powertrains will allow this pickup to have a payload of more than 1.1 tonnes and a towing capacity of up to 3.5 tonnes.
The Barcelona-assembled  X-Class will go into production by late 2017. Since the Nissan Navara is being locally assembled, perhaps Mercedes-Benz Malaysia can come up with a strategic partnership with Edaran Tan Chong Malaysia to assemble this luxury pickup truck. Ford Ranger? Say what?
IMAGE GALLERY


JPJ introduces Vehicle Ownership Certificate (VOC) to combat cloned cars

The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has announced that by June this year, the Vehicle Ownership Card (VOC) will be replacing the all-familiar Vehicle Registration Certificate, or more commonly known as
geran
 or grant among Malaysians.
The newly introduced VOC will obtain all necessary vehicle and owner information. Unlike the past where any record of road tax renewal is written in the vehicle registration cert, VOC will not obtain such records as it’ll be recorded via JPJ’s computerised system. Similarly, there’s no need to travel to the nearest JPJ branch for vehicle ownership transfer, as it can be done online.
The gist behind this is to combat the ongoing “cloning” of cars, involving cars illegally brought in from Singapore to be sold here Malaysia. These cars go for dirt cheap and come with duplicate registrations. To enforce this, JPJ has outlined three phases for the implementation of VOC, hoping that by 2020, all cars in Malaysia will be utilising the VOC.
Phase 1
: Staring 1 of June 2016, all newly registered vehicles will receive VOC.
Phase 2
: Starting 1 September 2016, owners who renew their road tax or transfer vehicle ownership will receive VOC.
Phase 3
: By early 2017, vehicle owners can visit any preferred JPJ offices to obtain their VOCs.
[Source:
Careta.my
]