The Rolls-Royce Wraith Eagle VIII is not just a car, it’s a tribute to mankind’s achievement

With only 50 units of them made available by the Bespoke Collective department of Rolls-Royce, not only are owners be purchasing a really rare set of wheels, they’re also acquiring a significant piece of history.
That’s because the Wraith Eagle VIII was built to celebrate the 100th anniversary of one of the most significant events of the 20th century – the first non-stop transatlantic flight by Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Brown.

Friends of Sir Henry Royce, the two began their non-stop flight from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Clifden, Ireland in a modified World War I bomber aircraft which was powered by two 20.3-litre Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engines (hence the name of the car), each making
350 hp
.
The two endured every possible setback imaginable as pilots with radio and navigation equipment failing almost immediately, leaving them to fly unguided through freezing temperatures and thick fog and sometimes, even upside down.
The Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engines were the only components that were indestructible – propelling the plane at previously unimaginable speeds, averaging 185 km/h.
Eventually, using Brown’s extraordinary skill as a navigator, the duo flew by the stars to the coast of Ireland.
 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, CEO, Torsten Müller-Ötvös said, “This Rolls-Royce Collection demonstrates the extraordinary skill of our Bespoke Collective at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex.
“Bespoke remains the jewel in the crown of the marque, creating luxury items that defy the trend of mass luxury manufacturers using ‘tick-box’ options to answer customer demand,” he added.
And one of 50 of these tributes to mankind’s achievement is said to be heading to Malaysia – a true honour for the local clientele.
In anticipation of its arrival, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Kuala Lumpur, Director, Mr. Anas Zawawi said, “Increasingly, we are seeing demand for highly bespoke, limited edition cars in Malaysia. Our customers are connoisseurs of luxury, always seeking the rarest and most exclusive in the luxury world.”
Looking at the aesthetics, Rolls-Royce has gone out of their way to ensure that not only are customers buying a piece of rare history, they could even be buying the immersive experience of being Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Brown.
Take the exterior for example, the black grille vanes pay tribute to the Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engine of the bomber aircraft while brass speaker covers depict the flight distance of 1,880 miles (approx. 3,025km).
Inside, smoked Eucalyptus wood is vacuum metalised in gold to depict the night time images of the Earth from above. To replicate the frozen instrument panel experienced by the pilots, Rolls-Royce fabricated a clock with an iced background effect which glows in faint green in night time driving conditions.
The craziest detail of the cabin, typical in a Rolls-Royce, is the starlight headliner which in this case, more than 1,183 starlight fibres were used to re-enact the night sky at the time of the flight.
What makes the headlining even cooler is that even clouds were embroidered on it, complemented with the flight path embroidered in brass thread, while red fibre optic lights indicate the point at which the pilots began navigating through the stars.


Video: Toyota Fortuner 2.8 VRZ facelift, 5 Things

A few days ago, UMW Toyota Motor
 launched the facelift Toyota Fortuner
 which will now feature three variants – the 2.7 SRZ, 2.8 VRZ and a 2.4-litre variant exclusively for Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.
The Fortuner comes with list of changes on both design and on-board features. At the front, the facelift Fortuner now comes with redesigned headlamps, more prominent “eye brows”, a new grille design and smaller fog light housing.

At the back the rear now features a completely blacked-out lower rear bumper, a black strip across the tailgate and L-shaped rear fog light trims.
The new facelift Fortuner 2.8 VRZ shares the same engine with the new Hilux, with 204 hp and 500 Nm. Meanwhile, the 2.7 SRZ model soldiers on with the same 2.7-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine with
 166 hp
and
245 Nm
.
Both are equipped with 6-speed automatic transmissions with a new Sports mode, along with the new Auto LSD feature. The facelift Fortuner’s off-road capabilities have also been enhanced with the addition of Active Traction Control (in 4WD) to go with the Downhill Assist feature.
Also new in the Fortuner is the Variable Flow Control (VFC) power steering. The system puts the power steering pump on standby when the vehicle is not being steered. This helps reduce the strain on the engine, to improve fuel economy.
As for safety, the Fortuner comes with seven airbags and Toyota Safety Sense features such as Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert and autonomous braking.
The new facelift Fortuner is accompanied by a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty with a revised service package. Instead of servicing every 5,000km/3 months, the interval has been extended to 10,000km/6 months.
GALLERY


Lynk & Co takes flight at Nurburgring, picks up two new records

No, this isn’t the flying car our Entrepreneur Development minister is so enthusiastic about, but when you go around the Nordschleife quickly, the car tends to get ‘airborne’ over the seemingly endless crests and dips of the infamous Green Hell.
The Lynk & Co 03 Cyan Concept looks the part.
Lynk & Co isn’t the first Chinese-owned brand to break records at the Nurburgring, but it’s the emphatic manner which they achieved it with their motorsport and performance partner
Cyan Racing
 – previously known as
Polestar
 but the brand been acquired by Volvo for their
new electric division
 – that grabbed headlines.

Watch how Thed Björk tamed the Green Hell.
The weapon of choice was a
front-wheel drive 03 Cyan Concept sedan
 based on the WTC Cup race car, powered by a
2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine
 churning out an extraordinary
528 hp and 504 Nm
 output (with an 8,000rpm limiter), mated to a
6-speed sequential transmission
 and supported by a
limited slip differential
 for the benefit of traction.
The road-going 03 Cyan Concept sedan is capable of accelerating from
zero to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds
, 0-200 km/h in 10 seconds and tops out at
310 km/h
. It rides on
Ohlins adjustable dampers
 and 20-inch
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2
rubber on all four corners.
With 2017 WTC champion
Thed Björk
 (below) behind the wheel, the 03 Cyan Concept shattered the
existing FWD and four-door saloon records
 with a time of
7:20.143
 around the full 20.8 km North Loop, beating the FWD mark held by the
Renault Megane R.S.

Trophy-R by 20 seconds, and it also eclipsed the

Jaguar Project 8

four-door saloon record by 3 seconds on a slightly shorter version (20.6 km) of the same track with a time of 7:15.123. Ouch!
According to Cyan Racing, the objective was to
demonstrate the potential of the Volvo-Geely developed CMA platform
 which not only underpins the Lynk & Co 03 Cyan Concept sedan, but also the
40-series Volvo
 models (including the
XC40
 and upcoming ones) and the
Geely Xing Yue crossover
.


You can only buy this limited edition Perodua Bezza at the Malaysia Autoshow 2019

Perodua has just launched the Perodua Bezza Limited Edition at the
2019 Malaysia Autoshow
.
Only 50 units
 of the specially-built budget sedan will be available and you can only purchase one exclusively during the autoshow weekend at
RM44,890
.
Based on the Bezza 1.3 Premium X, the Bezza Limited Edition exterior is finished in Ivory White to contrast the GearUp body kit in matte black with red lower pinstripe.
It also features an exclusive matte black rear spoiler, blacked-out roof, red door mirror covers, geometric graphics and dark grey alloys measuring 14-inches in diameter.
Inside, it features GearUp seat covers with red topstitching, red air vent surrounds and GearUp coil mats.
Other than that, kit count remains the same as before with halogen reflector headlamps, keyless entry and start, rear USB charging ports, front and rear parking sensors.
Under the hood lies the same 1.3-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine making
 94 hp
 and
 121 Nm
 of torque. The Bezza Limited Edition is only available with the 4-speed automatic transmission.
The Perodua Bezza Limited Edition will only be available for booking at the 4-day event at MAEPS, Serdang and not anywhere else, not even Perodua showrooms nationwide.
IMAGE GALLERY
Perodua Bezza Limited Edition at 2019 Malaysia Autoshow


2018 Ford Mustang Convertible breaks cover, gets new 10-speed auto!

Joining the recently facelifted
Ford Mustang
 is this drop-top variant. Among notable changes include a revised fascia and a new 10-speed automatic transmission.
Apart from having its roof chopped off, many of its features are carried over from the facelifted coupe. This includes the brand new, high-res
12-inch digital gauge
 which replaces the conventional analogue gauges.
The Ford GT
 also received similar upgrades to the instrument binnacle.
Just like the coupe, the Mustang convertible can be had with either a
2.3-litre EcoBoost
 four-cylinder engine or the
5.0-litre V8
. Optional items include
 MagneRide
 suspension which improves handling and
active valve exhaust
 that gives off a raspier note under load.
Will it ever come to Malaysia? We can’t say for sure, but if there’s demand…


UMW Toyota monthly sales down 25% in July, Hilux still best-selling truck in Malaysia

UMW Toyota Motor
 (UMWT) sold
6,637
 cars in July 2022, of which 6,624 were Toyota cars and 13 were from the Lexus brand. The
Toyota Hilux
 played a major role in the month’s sales figures, with a total of 1,788 units delivered last month, retaining the Hilux’s title of the best-selling pick-up truck in Malaysia since 2005.
Naturally, UMW Toyota’s month-on-month sales have been affected by the
reinstatement of the Sales & Service Tax (SST)
, showing a 25% drop from the
8,939 units in June
. However, its year-to-date performance from January to July 2022 still saw a 48% year-on-year improvement over the same period in 2021 (35,561 units), with a total sales of
52,548 units
 (Toyota and Lexus) recorded thus far.
UMW Toyota Motor President, Ravindran K said, “UMW Toyota Motor is committed to ensuring prompt vehicle delivery. We are working around the clock to intensify production to ensure faster delivery to new car owners who have been patiently waiting. We thank all our customers for their patience and understanding.”
RELATED:
UMW Toyota sales up by 35% in first half of 2022, Veloz to launch soon
Riding on the confidence of on-time vehicle delivery, the month of August sees UMWT offering
Yaris
 and
Vios
 buyers benefits worth RM4,000 on top of cash rebates. The carmaker expects sales to steadily increase as Malaysians take advantage of deals and savings to upgrade to newer vehicles.
Aligning with the Toyota Global commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and in support of the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, UMWT recently held two events – a tree planting programme at the Kuala Selangor Nature Park and a Hike and Clean event at Bukit Broga, Semenyih.
RELATED:
Honda City hatchback vs Toyota Yaris – Who is the B-segment hatchback king?


Operations to cease temporarily at Nissan showrooms and service centres

In light of the government-imposed
Movement Control Order
 beginning
18
th
 March
 till the end of this month to contain the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic,
Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM)
 showrooms and
Tan Chong Ekspres Auto Servis (TCEAS)
 service centres will
cease operations
 temporarily.
If you are supposed to take delivery of a new Nissan car or had scheduled a service appointment over this period
(18
th
 to 31
st
 March, 2020)
, you will be contacted by ETCM and TCEAS via voice, SMS or the
DriveOn app
 on the next course of action, if not already.
ETCM and TCEAS expect to
resume business operations
 on
 1
st
 April 2020
. To get in touch with the
Nissan Customer Care Centre
, call
1-800-88-3838
.


Audi Q3 facelift coming to Malaysia by Q4 this year, 1.4 TFSI and 2.0 TFSI

Having previously announced the imminent arrival of the
A6 and A7 facelift
, sources from Audi Malaysia have also said that the refreshed Audi Q3 will be joining the lineup later this year.
Just as before, the Q3 will be offered with two engine options – a
1.4-litre TFSI
 or
2.0-litre TFSI Quattro
. The smaller engine powering this compact SUV is currently offered at a sub-RM220k price tag and produces
150 hp
 from 5,000 to 6,000 rpm and
250 Nm
 of torque from 1,500 to 3,500 rpm. Power is sent to the
 front wheels
 only via a
six-speed S tronic automatic
 transmission.

The larger
 2.0-litre TFSI
 unit on the other hand, has
two states of tunes
; a
180 hp and 320 Nm
 or the
220 hp and 350 Nm
 configuration, both of which will send drive to all four wheels via Audi’s
Quattro system
 through a
seven-speed S tronic automatic
 transmission. The 1.4 TFSI manages the century sprint in a brisk
8.9 seconds
 before topping out at
204 km/h
, whereas the 2.0 TFSI (180 hp) does it in
7.6 seconds
 and
 217 km/h
 respectively.
There’s not much going on for a facelift to be honest, but you can always expect a refresh in styling if Audi is the subject at hand. Things new to the Q3 are the
bi-xenon headlights
 that come with a redesigned LED daytime running lights as standard (LED headlights optional), the
new Singleframe ‘3D’ grille
 with extra bits of chrome, various wheel design choices ranging from 16-inch to 20-inch and a new pair of
LED tail lights
.

Inside remains relatively unchanged, and the Q3 still comes with
Audi’s Multi Media Interface
 (MMI) built just underneath the centre air-conditioning vents. The system supports multiple connectivity if customers opt for the Audi Connect system, granting handsfree call function, GPS navigation, voice control and internet accessibility via the integrated WiFi hotspot.
Also worth mentioning here is the RS Q3, but let’s first come to terms that this variant will not be making its way here. It’s powered by a
2.5-litre five-cylinder
 TFSI engine (also shared with the
RS3
) but is tuned to make
340 hp and 450 Nm of torque
, compared to the RS3’s
367 hp and 465 Nm
 of AMG-beating numbers.
Despite meeting the stringent Euro 6 emissions standard, the range topping Q3 variant accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h in a blistering
4.8 seconds
 before reaching an electronically limited
 250 km/h
. It also gets
Audi’s Quattro system
, and the
seven-speed S tronic dual clutch automatic
 transmission.

Besides what lies underneath the hood, the RS Q3 gets appropriate RS-exclusive styling, like the restyled front bumper with larger intake scoops, standard 19-inch alloy wheels and a new rear bumper with built-in diffusers. The side mirrors are also finished in satin aluminium.
The outgoing Audi Q3 is priced marginally below the RM220k and RM260k mark for the 1.4 TFSI and 2.0 TFSI respectively. If you wish to find out more about Audi’s baby SUV, do stay tuned!
IMAGE GALLERY
Audi Q3 Facelift

Audi RS Q3 Facelift


Toyota hybrid vehicles hit 15 million global milestone

It all began with the first-generation Prius in 1997, and since then, brands under the Toyota group has sold a total of 15 million hybrid vehicles spanning a period of 23 years.
Toyota made the decision to develop a hybrid electric vehicle some 25 years ago, referring to the Prius as a ‘car for the 21
st
 century’. The team was led by chief engineer
Takeshi Uchiyamada
, who rose through the ranks to assume the current position of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Toyota Motor Corporation.
Takeshi Uchiyamada was the chief engineer of the first Prius, now he’s the Chairman.
Uchiyamada’s brief was to engineer a car that would emit low greenhouse emissions and tailpipe pollutants in order to achieve Toyota’s vision to become a leader in vehicle emissions in the world. The breakthrough product was the Prius –
the world’s first mass produced hybrid car
, with many models following thereafter.
Despite being first automaker to make cutting-edge hybrid technology available to the average consumer, Toyota hybrid vehicles have also led the field in reliability and dependability, and contributed to a savings of more than
120 million tonnes of CO2
 compared to equivalent petrol-powered vehicles. Well, here’s to the next 15 million then.


Reevaluating life aspirations with Mercedes-Benz Dream Cars

Ever since the Mercedes-Benz brand was founded in 1926, the carmakers have already been experts in automobile manufacturing and quickly became one of the first few brands to venture into luxury vehicles. Almost a century later, the three pointed star has evolved into a household symbol of prestige, luxury and elegance that many others aspire to become.
With their rich heritage and German expertise in building some of the greatest vehicles in automotive history, Mercedes-Benz today has progressed leaps and bounds to offer a wide variety of cars to suit every single palette. To help customers to identify their passenger cars fleet, Mercedes-Benz has categorised their fleet to four distinct tiers – Limousine, Compact Cars, Premium SUV and Dream Cars.
Limousine as the name suggests, refers to the four-door saloons –
C Class
,
E Class
 and
S Class
. Compact Cars refers to the
A Class
,
CLA
 and
GLA
, whereas the SUVs all fall under the
Premium SUV
 portfolio. Lastly, everything else that oozes desirability, screams attention and appeared in your teenage wet dreams fall under the
Dream Cars range
, which will be the focus for today.
For the longest time, the Dream Cars range was perceived as cars sold to those in their midlife crisis, privileged child, attention seekers; you get the drift. However, during a brief trip with the team behind Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM), we get to sample the entire Dream Cars range over the course of two days. Suffice to say, it’s far, far more than just fashion accessories and symbol of status.
Those are a given, of course, but the experience that comes with driving those cars transcends rationality and practicality. it’s quite literally,
living the dream
.
Our drive from Desa Park City led us up the scenic roads of Cameron Highlands before putting a night at The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat, Ipoh. I started my day in the track focused
Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Coupe
. Armed with a burly
4.0-litre bi-turbo V8
 handcrafted by an AMG engineer, the C is every bit a track weapon. It slices through corners like it’s on rails, blasting into the horizon at neck breaking speed, all while providing constant aural symphony. It’s as if I was driving through kilometres after kilometres of fireworks. Proper AMG stuff, this.
Yet, despite all that performance, it maintains every luxurious aspect of a regular C Class. That is the beauty of 21st century engineering, to produce a monster so that regular Joes like myself are able to properly enjoy without having to go through Formula One driver training. Driving the C 63 S Coupe was truly an exhilarating experience, and to this day I still distinctly remember its epic soundtrack.
To the untrained eye, it’s a
boy racer
 C Class coupe. But it’s perfect for those looking to
quietly
get around town during the weekday and tear the race track apart on weekends. Oh, and did I mention that it seats
four people
 too?
Hopping into the
Mercedes-AMG GT S
 for a short cruise around the busy town of Cameron Highlands, one might expect that this beast of a machine will make your palms sweat and heart rate accelerate from just the sheer grunt and brutality alone. Yes, it’s all that, but there’s most certainly more.
Hustling along the busy roads under 60 km/h showed a different side of the GT S. It was composed, manageable and surprisingly comfortable; qualities that are hard to wrap your head around this RM1.2 million g
rand tourer
. Even so, the attention that it was getting does not fall short of an all-out
supercar
. It truly is a special car for every single occasion on the calendar.
At the lowest end of the Dream Cars range is the
C 200 Coupe
 which was the vehicle of choice for our final leg from Cameron Highlands to The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat. Jumping from the AMGs to this little comfort cruise was a little underwhelming in the performance department, but boy did the feel-good factor make up for all that was missed.
Maybe it was the sophisticated good looks (the C 63 S Coupe gets all the AMG bits, packing far far more aggression), or perhaps it was the relaxed nature of the car. Maybe a little of both. Whatever it is, it made arriving at the
5-Star hotel
 no less of an event.
Last but certainly not the least are the cabriolets that make up the rest of the Mercedes-Benz Dream Cars range. MBM brought along the
SLC 200, SLC 300
 and
C 300 Cabriolet
 with us and after spending some time with it, I came to realise that having a convertible in Malaysia is no longer a foolish decision.
The common logic is “
Malaysia so hot la, why would you want a convertible
”? Well, that is precisely why Malaysia is one of the best country to own a convertible. Located close to the equator, we enjoy day-long sunshine with fairly predictable downpours as opposed to unpredictable snowfall and gloomy weather in other parts of the hemisphere. In short, we have just the perfect climate to put the roof down.
Being able to feel the wind in your hair and the sky as your roof is an indescribable feeling that needs to be experienced first-hand to appreciate. Driving a convertible does not mean that you need go everywhere with the roof down. Professor Oak said, “There’s a time and place for everything”, and a convertible is something you take out with your hair down as you drive your problems adrift.
Jalan Kuching on a Monday morning is not the only time you get to drive your beautiful Mercedes-Benz Cabriolet anyway. Now the question is, would you rather share the experience with just one other person, or with three others?
After this wonderful media drive with the entire Dream Cars range, I have personally developed a newfound appreciation for these
mid-life crisis
cars. Because they are not just for middle aged individuals who are reevaluating life decisions, but also for those who love to live life in the moment; those whose appreciation for the finer things go beyond having black caviars as snacks.
It’s a symbol of prestige, luxury and elegance; the finest works of Mercedes-Benz. The million dollar question now is, which would be your pick?
IMAGE GALLERY


Infiniti’s new variable compression ratio engine could make diesels redundant

Engine technology in cars, from variable valve timing to low pressure turbo, has brought to light many familiar acronyms such as VVT-i or VTEC. Now, there’s a new tech in town, and its called the VC-T, short for variable compression ratio developed by Infiniti.
Nissan’s luxury arm just revealed the
 2.0-litre

variable compression-turbocharged  petrol engine
, which is the world’s first production-ready variable compression ratio engine. As the name implies, the engine’s compression ratio varies depending on situations, made possible by seamlessly raising or lowering the height of the pistons’ travel.
Click to enlarge
Want the extra oomph for speed? The compression ratio will go as low as
8.0:1 for high performance
. How about saving fuel? Not a problem as well, as the engine’s compression ratio can go as high as
14.0:1 to achieve optimum fuel economy
. The engine control logic is responsible for facilitating the entire process.
This technology took Nissan two decades to develop, and seeks to deliver the best traits of a turbocharged diesel and petrol engine. Not only does this improve fuel consumption and emission figures, but the new engine is also lighter and is lower on noise and vibration levels. However, no details have been unveiled on the engine’s output at this point of time.
This brings to the question: does this mark the end of the oil burner? By looking at the recent “
dieselgate
” scandal and with cities looking to ban diesel vehicles, this high-tech lump from Infiniti could put a nail into the diesel’s coffin. However, we might need to wait for more details on this impressive tech during its official unveiling at the
Mondial de l’Automobile
 on 29 September 2016.


All-new Land Rover Discovery Sport launched in Malaysia, priced from RM399K [+Video]

Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia (JLRM) has officially launched the all-new Land Rover Discovery Sport at the 1 Utama Shopping Centre where the Terrapod was brought along to demonstrate just how capable this machine really is.
A video posted by AutoBuzz.my (@autobuzzmy)
 on
Aug 20, 2015 at 9:35pm PDT
QUICK FACTS
Name
Land Rover Discovery Sport
Engine
1998cc inline-four turbo
Transmission
ZF 9-speed automatic gearbox
Max Power
236hp @ 5,800 rpm
Max Torque
340 Nm @ 1,750 rpm
0 – 100 km/h
8.2 secs
Top Speed
200 km/h
Price
RM399,000
EXTERIOR
As far as looks go, this landy has certainly grown and gained its striking looks from its siblings along the same totem pole. There’s an interesting culmination and blend of various styling cues borrowed from other models; the front end has a whiff of the
Evoque
 about it upon first glance while back end has a hint and a dash of the
Range Rover
.

However, the
Discovery Sport
 stands bold with a rather sleek side profile. The Disco sits on a choice of wheels ranging from
18 to 20 inch
 wheels. It sits closer to the ground than its predecessor and as its “Sport” name suggests, it’s weighs lesser and appears much smaller than the model before.
INTERIOR
JLR is hailing the new Discovery Sport as the world’s most versatile compact premium SUV and from the looks of it, it really looks the part. But therein lies an issue, for JLR has said that the Disco Sport is a
5+2 seater
 but upon closer inspection, the third row would be a bit of a squeeze for even the most petite of adventurers. Kids fewer than
five feet tall
 should fit in just fine though.

Powered seats
 and ambient
mood lighting
 is as you would expect from the JLR family. Plush
 leather seats
 are needless to say at this juncture. And note also, for those with an astute ear from music and sound quality, JLR has thrown in a
17-speaker Meridian Surround Sound
 system with subwoofer for good measure (as a cost option) that comes compatible with
Bluetooth, iPod and USB
 connectivity.
PERFORMANCE
The Disco Sport can be had in two flavours – the
2.0-litre Si4 petrol
 powered version and an oil burning
 2.2-litre SD4
 model. Each of these engines are mated to ZF’s
all-new nine-speed
 – yes, you read that right. And what this means is that the Disco Sport is now more fuel efficient and gives the driver
better power delivery
.

The Discovery Sport is packed together with the Efficient Driveline,
fulltime all-wheel drive system
 that has the power to scale inclines of up to
45 degrees
. That’s almost
14 degrees
 more than its competitors, says Land Rover.
With a wading depth of up to
600mm
,
optimised approached
,
departure and break-over
 angles, it is said to give drivers proper feedback on the surroundings and allows them to pushthis Landy to greater heights. On that note, the Disco Sport is equipped with HDC or
Hill Decent Control
.
Those familiar with the brand will be stoked to discover that the brilliant
 Terrain Response

System
 lent over from the Range Rover is present here as well. This system tailors the steering, throttle response, gearbox, braking and centre-coupling to the terrain underneath.
SAFETY
All that said, safety hasn’t taken a back seat as the Discovery Sport comes with a total of seven airbags. Other safety features include
ABS, ETC, Hill Start, Roll Stability Control
(RSC)
, Dynamic Stability Contro
l (DSC) and a plethora of other three-lettered acronyms.
When it comes to the safety of younger passengers, the Disco has
ISOFIX
 anchor points for child seats and a
passenger cut-off switch
 for the front airbag if you choose to have a child seat affixed. And for when the roads in front of you get treacherous and find yourself braking hard, the
 hazard lights
 come on to warn other motorist of the impending hazard.
WHAT ELSE?
The Disco comes with all the bells and whistles of an SUV of this caliber. You will be met with luxuries such as
cruise control, passive entry, push to start, colour reverse camera
and a
GPS navigation system
. Three interior colour varieties are offered –
Ebony, Cirrus/Lunar
and
 Glacier/Lunar
 which can be paired up to match the
12
 different exterior licks of paint available. Jaguar Land Rover has recently upgraded its warranty package, and the Disco Sport now comes with a
five-year or 300,000 km warranty
,
five years or 80,000 km
 of free scheduled maintenance and a
three-year roadside assistance service.
IMAGE GALLERY


Saudi women racer celebrates driving ban lift with a lap in a Jaguar F-Type

Aseel Al Hamad has raced in different race tracks around the world but has never turned a wheel in her home country. Sound’s weird? That’s because Saudi Arabia only officially lifted the ban on women driving on 25 June 2018.
Aseel, who is the first female board member of the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation and Saudi Arabian representative at Women in Motorsport Commission for Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), joined Jaguar in a lap of honour on a race track in her home country to commemorate this historic moment. She got to do it in style too, behind the wheel of a Jaguar F-type.
Jaguar is also taking this opportunity to call for 24 June to be known as World Driving Day – a day when finally, the whole world can enjoy the thrill of behind the wheel of a car.
Aseel said: “Having loved cars since I was a child, today is highly emotional for me. This is the best driving moment of my life. What better way to kick off World Driving Day than a lap of honour in my home country in a Jaguar F-TYPE – the ultimate car to roar around the track. I hope people around the world will share in our joy today by sharing their most memorable driving story using #WorldDrivingDay.”
Jaguar Land Rover spokesperson, Fiona Pargeter, Customer Experience Director comments: “It’s easy to forget and take for granted the enjoyment of driving and just what a privilege it is to get behind the wheel of a car. World Driving Day is a commitment from Jaguar to celebrate this key moment annually for both men and women. This year, we’re really excited to collaborate with the brilliant students from Saudi Arabia to shape the future of mobility for people around the world.”
IMAGE GALLERY


Commuting with your pets just got even better with these Land Rover Pet Pack

According to Land Rover, half of its customers are dog owners and occasionally bring their furry friends along with them on car journeys. Which is why the British carmaker has since introduced a range of accessories to make car rides even more comfortable for man’s best friend.
Each Pet Pack includes a selection of specially chosen accessories to suit different needs whether is it for getting from point A to B or even living life on the road. They include a premium quilted load spaceliner to protect against paw prints, a foldable pet carrier, access ramp, spill-resistant water bowl and a portable shower for those muddy walks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9VDIof9Ods
Product Marketing Director, Finbar McFall said: “Land Rover is all about enjoying the great outdoors and that goes hand-in-hand with dog ownership for many customers. Our customers told us that the comfort of their dogs on car journeys is crucial. They are part of the family and we recognise that. Our new Pet Packs will allow dogs to travel in real comfort and make journeys simpler and more relaxing for animals and at the same time protect the inside of owners’ vehicles.”
The new Land Rover Pet Pack are available for Land Rover models in the UK – Discovery Sport, Discovery,
Range Rover Evoque
,
Range Rover Velar
, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover.
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There’s a really cool Mercedes-Benz Stadium you may not know about

Mercedes-Benz’ appetite for excellence appears boundless – like that cousin at Chinese New Year gatherings who just wouldn’t stop eating.
As if making the “best or nothing” and
shattering vehicle sales records in consecutive years
 aren’t enough, they’ve gone on to slap their name on a stadium in what was dubbed the biggest sponsorship deal in Mercedes-Benz’ history.

What makes the staggering
72,000 seating capacity
 stadium really cool is the eight-panel retractable roof (with each weighing over 500 tonnes) resting on the top of the dome-like structure like a crown and that it’s home to the
 world’s largest video board
.
The retractable roof is said to take just
eight minutes to fully open or close
 with a truly dramatic effect from an aerial view. The “halo LED video board” that provides spectators with a 360-degree view on the other hand, is simply in a league of its own.

No matter where you’re sitting in he stadium, you’ll be able to catch the action from the screen. Lay them out in a line and it’s
even taller than the Eiffel Tower
 (1,063 ft) at 1,100 feet!
Work on the USD1.6 billion stadium that’s home to the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) began in 2014 and was opened in August 2017.
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These cars sold in India get ZERO stars in latest Global NCAP test [+Video]

It seems every car manufacturer should worry about Global NCAP test. A latest run involving a number of budget cars for the Indian market has ended with devastating results. Five models have scored zero stars in a crash test performed by Glocal NCAP, showing the dire lack of safety features on budget cars sold in developing countries.
The flunked cars are the
Renault Kwid, Maruti Suzuki Celerio, Maruti Suzuki Eeco,

Hyundai Eon
 and
Mahindra

Scorpio
. They are all not sold in Malaysia (the Scorpio was offered for a brief time about a decade ago). These cars are made for budget-conscious consumers in India, prioritising pricing and fuel economy over everything else. The price? Well, enough to neglect safety, which explains why India is having one of the highest traffic death rates in the world.
All these cars crumpled like papers when tested at speeds of 64 km/h. Most of these cars (except the Kwid) are sold without a single airbag in their standard trims, but even with the inclusion of an airbag did little to save lives as their structure collapsed during testing. Global NCAP is certainly not pleased with Renault, which has long positioned itself as a global safety leader.
Speaking about Renault, the Kwid is one of India’s best-selling cars and three variants were tested by Global NCAP. The initial one, without a single airbag, scored zero stars in adult occupant protection and two stars in child occupant protection. Renault then sent an updated Kwid with a strengthened bodyshell (with and without a single airbag fitted). Sadly, both cars failed to pass Global NCAP as it suffered from the same structural collapse.
Presently, all cars sold in Malaysia are tested by
ASEAN NCAP
.
The following below are the videos from the aforementioned cars.


The Audi S5 is now a mild-hybrid diesel V6, no more pops & crackles?

For the first time in
the history of the Audi S5, the Sportback and Coupe are now powered by a
3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel TDI engine coupled with a 48V mild hybrid system. The new
powerplant promises best in class power, torque and efficiency.
The 3.0-litre TDI pushes out
347 hp
 and
700 Nm
 of torque paired to an 8-speed Tiptronic transmission. A rear-biased Quattro permanent all-wheel drive (40:60 front to rear) is standard, allowing the S5 Coupe to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in
4.8 seconds
 (4.9 seconds for the Sportback) and will continue to accelerate to an electronically limited top speed of
250 km/h
.
To refresh your memory, the
3.0-litre V6 TFSI S5
 packs
354 hp
/
500 Nm
 and completes the century sprint a touch quicker at
4.7 seconds
. Most importantly, the V6 petrol engine makes some authentic pops and crackles, something a diesel engine can’t produce without some electric trickery.
However, the new oil burner is a far more efficient than the TFSI unit especially with the additional onboard 48V integrated starter generator (ISG) which
reduces fuel consumption
 by up to 0.4 litres per 100 km. The new ISG system also provides greater comfort during engine start/stop operations.
The updated S5 is still a dynamic model at its core with S-specific tunings for the steering rack, adaptive dampers, multi-link suspension and optional sport differential to give the car an engaging driving experience.
IMAGE GALLERY
Audi S5 3.0L V6 TDI


Lego has made it possible to own your very own Ferrari 488 GTE Le Mans race car

The
Lego Technic
‘s garage of brick replica cars has grown again, this time the Ferrari 488 GTE race car that competes in the
FIA WEC 24 hour of Le Mans
.
While this is not the first time Lego has worked with the the Italian carmaker – in fact the two companies have had a 15-year-long partnership to date, the Ferrari 488 GTE “AF Corse #51” will be the first
Ferrari
model to be made into Lego Technic form.
For the less nerdy crowd, Lego Technic means working mechanical parts, in hand-pieced brick form of course. In this instance, the Lego Ferrari 488 GTE features working front and rear suspension, a V8 engine with moving pistons, as well as a steering wheel – complete with the Prancing Horse logo – that actually turns the wheels.
Of course, it wouldn’t be called a replica if it doesn’t at least somewhat look like the actual car. Measuring 48 cm long, the 488 GTE Lego Technic kit will also come with the original race number (#51) and sponsor stickers as seen on the actual AF Corse race car piloted by James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi, as well as an “authentic” Tricolore paintjob for the full Italian race car effect.
The Ferrari 488 GTE “AF Corse #51” is built from
1,677 individual Lego Technic pieces
, good for hours of fun even for a man-child like yours truly. Yes, it doesn’t quite match up to some of the top-of-the-line Lego Technic models such as the
Lamborghini Sian FKP 37
, but at least the price reflects that.
The Lego Technics Ferrari 488 GTE is priced at
RM799.90
, and will be available at all Lego Certified Stores, the official Lazada and Shopee stores, Legoland, and major retailers and department stores across Malaysia starting
January 4
.
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Limited Edition Peugeot 208 S introduced, now available for RM86,888

Nasim Sdn Bhd, the official distributor of the brand Peugeot in Malaysia, has announced the arrival of the limited-run
Peugeot 208 S
. This pretty French hatch is priced
RM1,000 more
 than the regular 208 VTi, and all you’re getting for that extra bit of dough are cosmetic enhancements on the outside.
QUICK FACTS
Name
Peugeot 208 S 1.6 VTi 5-Door
Engine
1,598cc; inline-4 DOHC
Transmission
4-speed ZF automatic
Max Power
120 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Max Torque
160 Nm @ 4,250 rpm
Price
RM 86,888 (OTR with insurance)

So what do you get besides the obvious
red and black stripes
 smacked around the car? If we were to be frank, not much, really, but you do get a blacked out side mirror with red accents, a
 sportier grille
 taken from the 3-door VTi model and a
red-accented front lip
. At the back, you get the model’s
exclusive rear spoiler
 finished in gloss black, and like the rest of the car’s dual-tone theme, it gets highlighted in red.

That’s practically it for RM1,000. Under the hood beats the same old
1.6-litre naturally aspirated
 VTi engine, one that makes
120 hp
 at 6,000 rpm and
160 Nm
 of torque at 4,250 rpm, paired to a
four-speed ZF automatic
 gearbox that drives the front wheels.
The kit list remains the same as the 208 VTi 5-door, because that’s the model it’s based on. Its road-going price is
RM86,888 with insurance
, and the 208 S is available in
one colour
 – Digital White – only.
This particular unit (below) is wrapped in yellow vinyl, a test drive unit at Peugeot Blue Box showroom in Glenmarie. Yup, no idea why too.
The 208 S (wrapped in yellow vinyl) test drive unit at Peugeot Blue Box showroom in Glenmarie
As part of Peugeot Malaysia’s Chinese New Year promotion, every purchase of the 208 S (and all other Peugeot models for that matter) comes with a complimentary iPhone 6. Yes, a
free iPhone
.
It also comes with a
five-year warranty
 with
unlimited mileage
, together with Nasim’s 24-hour Peugeot Assistance service, complimentary access to the Peugeot Lounge at Subang Airport and Peugeot Privilege membership.
[divider]
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All-new 2022 Honda BR-V launched in Thailand – Honda Sensing now standard

The
all-new Honda BR-V
 is widely tipped to be the
next model that Honda Malaysia launches here in 2022
. But while we Malaysians continue to wait, our friendly neighbours up north in Thailand have now beat us to the punch with the official launch of the all-new seven-seater MPV/crossover today.
Available in just two variants in the Kingdom, the all-new Honda BR-V is priced at THB915,000 (approx. RM115k) for the entry-level E variant, and THB973,000 (approx. RM122k) for the range-topping EL, making it quite a bit dearer than its predecessor, as well as its chief rivals, the
Toyota Veloz
 and
Mitsubishi Xpander
.
So what do the Thais get for the extra dough? For one, the Honda Sensing advanced driver assistance suite is now standard on both variants, with features including autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist and, road departure mitigation and lane departure warning systems, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beam.
The Honda LaneWatch camera is also included as standard, alongside a reverse camera and the usual suite of passive safety kit. The only difference in terms of safety between the two variants is the airbag count, with the entry-level variant receiving four, while the range-topping EL variant gets six airbags as standard.
RELATED:
New Honda BR-V has fixed a ‘flaw’ in the previous gen’s exterior design
Aside from safety kit, Honda was also pretty generous in terms of standard equipment for the all-new 2022 BR-V in Thailand, with items such as the leather upholstery, automatic climate control, remote engine start, and seven-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto shared across both variants.
The range-topping EL variant stands out with the addition of the larger 17-inch wheels (16-inch on the E), piano-black front grille, LED front fog lamps, auto-folding side mirrors, all-black combination leather upholstery, gearshift paddles, and six speakers on the inside.
Both variants are powered by the same, unchanged naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre DOHC i-VTEC inline-four engine with
121 hp
 and
145 Nm
 on tap, with drive sent to the front wheels via a CVT gearbox.
Back home here in Malaysia, the current-gen Honda BR-V is also offered in two variants only, priced at RM90,700 (on-the-road, without insurance) for the base E variant, and RM97,700 for the range-topping V. Given the price increase on the second-generation model in Thailand, we can probably assume the same will happen here, when it’s eventually launched here in Malaysia.
While the Honda HR-V enjoyed quite a significant success here in Malaysia when it was
 first launched back in 2017
, competition has since heated up in the segment with the addition of the
Mitsubishi Xpander
,
all-new Perodua Alza
, as well as the
 upcoming Toyota Veloz
 – the latter estimated to be priced around the RM95k mark.
Can the all-new 2022 Honda BR-V still enjoy the same success? Only time will tell, but are you excited to see the much better-looking BR-V here on our roads? Let us know in the comments below.
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Audi to adopt self-learning AI technology for next-gen autonomous driving systems

While self-driving cars are the inevitable future of transportation, the journey towards autonomous driving varies from manufacturers to manufacturers. Audi has recently displayed their vision for autonomous driving using AI technology at the NIPS conference in California, USA.
Audi’s latest flagship model, the
A8
 features Level Three autonomous driving where the driver can completely leave his/her attention off the road and let the car handle the rest. Using multiple sensors and radars, the
Audi AI Traffic Jam Pilot
 allows autonomous driving at speeds of
up to 60 km/h
. However, the only limitation of the system is that the system is
not operable above speeds of 60 km/h
 due to the inability to accurately detect its surroundings 100 percent of the time.
Audi AI traffic jam pilot in the new Audi A8
Now, Audi is attempting to change that with its subsidiary company Audi Electronics Venture (AEV) working on using
Artificial Intelligence
 to capture the exact surroundings of the car. The new AI system uses conventional front cameras as sensors and delivers 15 images per seconds at a resolution of 1.3 megapixels to a central computer which then processes the information.
The neural network (or AI) will then use semantic segmenting to identify each of the objects in the images and classifies it to 13 object classes allowing it to differentiate other cars, trucks, houses, road markings, people and traffic signs. The neural network will be trained using “
unsupervised learning
” which allows it to learn from observations of scenarios, cutting down the time needed to process information.
Audi hopes that the AI will eventually be able to independently generate a model of the environment from camera data and drive the car itself without needing a preloaded or localised map data.


BMW presents new fleet of Moto GP safety cars (and bike)!

Since 1999 BMW’s M cars have been the Official Car of Motor GP and when the new season kicks off on the 28th of March at the Grand Prix Qatar, both riders and spectators will be greeted with a new line up of M cars.
This year marks the
first time BMW M has presented three new safety cars
and a safety bike. This includes the
BMW M3
,
 M4
,
M5 CS
, and M 1000 RR Safety Bike – the latter being the first M bike from BMW Motorrad.
The M3 Competition in Frozen Grey Dark Metallic
The M4 Competition in São Paulo Yellow
With the new fleet of safety cars and bike for the 2021 Moto GP season, BMW M has foregone the classic motorsport colour scheme and instead
opted for the exclusive colours offered to the production fleet
.
That’s not all. These cars have been slightly modified to be equipped with light bars, flashing front lights, quick-release bonnet latches, and emergency power shut-off switches.
The M5 CS in Frozen Deep Green Metallic.
The rear seats in the BMW M4 Competition have been removed but for the front seats, 4-point harnesses have been installed. The M3 and M4 in particular come with modified exhaust systems.
“We are very proud to be starting the season with four new vehicles for the first time in our 20-year history as the ‘Official Car of MotoGP’. Our three new safety cars are
based on production models
, which deliver outstanding performance and driving dynamics that make them ideally suited to appear in the Moto GP,” said BMW M, CEO, Markus Flasch.
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Hankook Ventus Prime 3 UHP tyres launched in Malaysia – 15 to 19 inches, from RM180

Hankook Tire has introduced the latest iteration of their ultra-high performance (UHP) tyres in Malaysia, the Ventus Prime 3 (K125). Hankook claims that the tyre is designed to deliver the perfect balance between performance, comfort and safety.
To achieve that audacious claim, The K125 features
four channel grooves
 for rapid water drainage, and the grooves are also optimised for each tyre position to minimize  the trade-off between dry and wet performance.
The
tread block stiffness
 has been enhanced to improve dry handling and braking performance, while the
main groove positioning
 is specifically tuned for reduced pattern noise even after wear.
A
high-grip silica compound
 is used in the Hankook Ventus Prime 3 for lower rolling resistance, while also providing improved dry and wet traction.
The Hankook Ventus Prime 3 has been recognised worldwide by various awards, including the Red Dot Award for Product Design in 2016, first place in the 2018 summer tire test held by Germany’s automobile magazine Auto Bild, as well as top overall mark “Good” from the German Automobile Club (ADAC) in the 2018 summer tire test.
According to a Hankook Tire spokesperson, the Ventus Prime 3 will be available in sizes ranging from
15 to 19 inches
, where the larger two sizes are suitable for SUV applications as well.  Pricing starts from
RM180
 per piece for the K125, and is now available at all authorised Hankook dealers and workshops.
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Volkswagen Golf MK7 facelift coming to Malaysia in Q3 2017, GTI and R included!

For those of you who have been eagerly waiting for the Volkswagen Golf MK7 facelift, sources in Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) hinted to
AutoBuzz.my
that it will come as soon as Q3 of 2017. And yes, this includes the GTI and the R.
The
Golf MK7 facelift
 gets a number of aesthetic revisions as well as an updated interior that adds goodies such as
Active Info Display
 (found on the
Passat B8
 and
Tiguan
). Internationally, the base Golf gets a new EA211
1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
 TSI engine that produces
148 hp
 and
250 Nm
. Thanks to
Active Cylinder Management
 (ACT) technology that shuts down the middle two cylinders during light throttle load. The Golf in this guise is capable of
4.9 litres per 100 km
.
The
GTI
 soliders on with the 2.0-litre TSI but the engine has been massaged to churn out
9 hp
 more to
227 hp
. Opt for the
Performance Pack
 and the engine will push out another
14 hp
 to
 241 hp
. A new
seven-speed DSG
 that is more efficient will be replacing the current six-speed unit.
As for the
R
, the EA888 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot now makes
10 hp
 and
27 Nm
 more than before, bringing the total output to a whopping
306 hp
 and
400 Nm
 of torque. This enables the R to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in
 4.6 seconds
, a cool 0.3 seconds faster than the old unit. Like the GTI, transmission of choice is a seven-speed dual-clutch DSG.
When asked whether the Golf has a chance of being a locally assembled model, our source explained that it is a hard business case to make as the Golf does not command the volume as their sedan and SUV range, therefore the company will be focusing on their core models for the time being. Regardless, we can’t wait to get our hands on the updated Golf. Prepare your cheque books, people!
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Italdesign finally shows off the 50-unit limited run Nissan GT-R50 in production guise

Two years after the
introduction of the original prototype vehicle
 at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the
 Nissan GT-R50
 by Italdesign was finally shown-off in production guise at the
Tazio Nuvolari
 circuit in Cervesina, Italy.
Designed to celebrate the
50-year anniversary
 of both the GT-R nameplate and the revered Italian design house, only
50 units
 of the million-dollar (
€990,000
) will be built. The GT-R50 will be finished with
liveries inspired by the most successful race cars to carry the GT-R nameplate
, likely making all 50 units to be
completely bespoke
.
Based on the
Nismo version of the Nissan GT-R
, Italdesign has almost completely overhauled the exterior look of the GT-R. While the overall silhouette and signature elements such as the twin round taillights are still present, the Italian design firm has added significant styling touches with heavy use of design elements you’d only imagine to see on an Italian supercar.
Under the hood, the GT-R50 gets an uprated version of the 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine, hand-built to produce
720 hp
 and
780 Nm
 – up from 600 hp and 652 Nm from the original Nismo car. Other additions to the car include a adjustable rear wing that is not available on the normal production car.
Italdesign has originally planned to show the car in production guise during the 2020 Geneva Motor Show. However, with the show
cancelled due to the ongoing health crisis
 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Italdesign moved the launch more than two months later, to the race track where the team carried out all of the dynamic tests required in the development of the car.
Italdesign CEO, Jörg Astalosch said in a statement, “After we had to renounce to the world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show and, after the partial stop of our production activities due to COVID-19, in early May we have returned 100% operative and can confirm the
delivery of the first cars between the end of this year and early 2021
, as planned.”
If you happen to be a billionaire who – for some reason – have not yet placed a booking for the 50-unit ultra-exclusive work of art disguised as a supercar, you’re in luck because although “a significant number of deposits” have already been taken, there are still a handful of units still available.
IMAGE GALLERY


This is what being in a 2018 Formula 1 car looks like

The new Formula 1 season will see significant changes – more distinctively with a new logo, the departure of shark fins and T-Wings at the rear and possibly the most profound, the Halo.
It’s a cockpit protection structure that will further improve driver safety in the event of an accident. Also, it should help deflect debris from hitting the driver’s head. It’s unclear whether it’s an eye sore for the drivers but it has caused an outcry among fans as it restricts their view of the drivers.
So far, according to reports, it hasn’t been an issue for the driver’s and their line of sight and the
Williams Martini Racing F1 team
 has decided to give us a taste of what it’s like behind the wheel.
Formula 1 cars this since, as it has been since 2014, are equipped with 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 engines capable of churning out more than
700 hp
 alongside a sophisticated electrical system. It can also rev up to 15,000 rpm, almost twice as high as your standard commuter.
Credit:
YouTube


The locally-assembled BMW 330i M Sport is finally here!

With
more than 350 units of the fully-imported BMW 330i M Sport sold since its launch in March this year
, BMW Malaysia has introduced the locally-assembled equivalent of the sports sedan.
Priced RM40,000 lesser at
 RM288,800
 on-the-road without insurance, the CKD 330i M Sport now joins eight other locally-assembled BMW models in Kulim, Kedah.

With the Balloon Financing Plan from BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia, the CKD 330i M Sport can be owned
from RM3,298
based on estimates of an 80% loan on a five year tenure.
The 330i M Sport is accompanied by a 5-year Unlimited Mileage Warranty with Free Scheduled Service, 2-year/24 month Tyre Warranty Programme, BMW Roadside Assistance and BMW White Card privileges.
The 330i M Sport in Portimao Blue
 just like the one our Head of Editorial test drove in Portugal
.
As for the specifications and features, the
CKD will not differ from the CBU model
launched earlier this year. Only thing to note is that the colour offerings for the CKD model is limited to just Alpine White, Black Sapphire and Mineral Grey.
The Portimao Blue and Sunset Orange paint jobs seen at the launch of the CBU model will only be available from January and March 2020 respectively.
Sunset Orange will only be available by March 2020.
It still sits on the M Sport suspension offered in the fully-imported model, tucked behind the 18-inch style 790 wheels in Orbit Grey which is unfortunate as BMW fanboys have voiced their visual displeasure of the wheel’s less than aggressive styling in comparison to how feisty the car looks.
Taking over from the CBU model which
we got to thrash at the recent BMW Driver Training programme
, the new 330i also gets M Sport brakes with Blue calipers, adaptive Bi-LED headlights and a spoiler lip at the rear.
The 18-inch style 790 wheels.
Inside, owners will still have the option of their Black Vernasca or Cognac Vernasca upholstery to go with the M Sport leather steering, 12.3-inch fully-digital instrument cluster, 10.25-inch touch sensitive control display powered by the latest BMW Operating System 7.0.
Also carried over are features like the Intelligent Personal Assistant, Digital Key, Park Assist and Reverse Assist.
As a refresher of the sport sedans potency, its
258 hp
 and
400 Nm
 is provided by a 2.0-litre TwinPower Turbo engine that’s paired to an 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission.
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All-new BMW i7 leads the 7 Series into the electric era, but with a face only a mother could love

We thought we were ready for this with the amount of
teasers
 and leaks, but we were wrong. What you’re looking at is the all-new, seventh-generation
BMW 7 Series
– and yeah, it’s a lot. Best to take a seat while you look through the pictures.
BMW says that the seventh-generation model is now significantly larger, more spacious, and more luxurious than at any time in its 45-year history, and for the first time ever, it’s also being offered in a fully-electric guise, called the i7.
But first, we have to address the elephant in the room, and that’s the 7-er’s looks. BMW says the new design is driven by customer feedback in some of their largest markets such as China and North America, and it’s… bold, to say the least.
The German carmaker does have a penchant for the more daring and
expressive
 designs (see: Bangle-butt), but we think that this all-new 7 Series takes the cake as the most egregious of all – even more so than the
 buckteeth M3
 – and is sure to stir up “heated discussions” within online communities.
The kidney grille, which was
 already humongous on the previous-generation model
, is now even bigger and surrounded by an illuminated frame. Flanking those massive nostrils are the new split headlight that was recently introduced on the
BMW X7 facelift
, and if there’s one thing we can say about the new headlights, it’s that they work
better
 on darker-coloured body hues.
For how loud the front fascia is, the back does seem oddly bland. The boot line tapers down slightly, while the LED taillights get a slim horizontal design much like that of the
BMW iX
, giving the new 7 Series some additional visual width, and that’s about it for the rear.
Say what you want about the looks, but you can’t deny that it does give the car some real sense of presence, to the point where it reminds us a little of the
Rolls-Royces
. The three-box silhouette is familiar, especially with the characteristic long bonnet. The sides, however, remain largely smooth and unadorned across the entire surface, save for a light shoulder line visually connecting the headlights to the tail lights.
In terms of sizing, the 7 Series has grown in every single dimension, by quite some margin specifically in terms of length – measuring 130 mm longer than before. Unlike before, though, it will no longer be offered in two different wheelbase options. Instead, all seventh-gen 7 Series models will come with a standard 3,215 mm wheelbase, which in itself is already a 5 mm increase over the previous long-wheelbase model.
Told you it looks better on darker paint jobs.
And despite it being a proper luxobarge, BMW will also be offering three different M styling packages – M Sport, M Sport Pro, and M Performance – to add some more aggressive styling cues, if you so wish. These include a selection of blacked-out exterior trims,more aggressive bumpers, and wheel sizes ranging from 19- to 22-inches in diameter – the latter a part of the range-topping M Performance pack.
As for the fully-electric i7, it too gets its own unique design touches, including a largely blanked-off grille with a BMW i logo, as well as blue decorative elements on the bumpers, side skirts, and the ring around the BMW roundel emblem.
Similar to its exterior, the cabin of the all-new BMW 7 Series is also quite unlike anything we’ve seen before. The dashboard features a non-symmetrical tabletop design, with a scalloped wooden section (carbon fibre-look trims on M-badged models) that houses the new floating
 iDrive 8
 curved display panels.
But the more interesting bit here is actually the Interaction Bar, which is a touch-sensitive transparent surface that spans across the entire front half of the cabin from door to door, hiding many of the control surfaces for the climate control system, lights, and even a “button” on the passenger side to open the powered door.
The air-con vents are hidden neatly in tiny slits beneath the panel, and the entire bar actually lights up to serve as ambient lighting for the cabin, with the light playing off the multi-faceted, jewel-like surface for a unique look.
With all that being said, though, the main highlight of the interior is of course in the rear seats. As usual, the seats here can be specified with power adjustability and ventilation/heating function, and if you want to go one level higher, there’s also an Executive Lounge option with up to 42.5 degrees of seat recline, and a built-in gapless ottoman.
But those are things you’ve already come to expect in a 7 Series. For the ultimate “wow factor”, how about a 5.5-inch control touchscreen housed in each rear door to access settings like your seat angles and climate control? Or a massive roof-mounted 31-inch 8K BMW Theatre Screen TV with integrated Amazon Fire TV? Yeah, we weren’t joking.
Other optional items here include a 1,965 watt, 36-speaker Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System with “exciters” built into the seat backrests, a Sky Lounge panoramic sunroof with LED lights ingrained into the glass itself, and even automatic powered doors.
As for the touchpoints, the new BMW 7 Series can be specified with a wide range of different upscale upholstery appointments, including the Veganza faux leather as standard, optional extended Merino leather, or even cashmere wool if you feel even more fancy.
The all-new 7 Series – including the i7 – is built on the same CLAR platform as the previous-generation model, but for improved comfort, BMW says that it has completely redesigned the suspension setup of the 7 Series, with double wishbones at the front and multilinks at the rear, fitted with standard air springs, adaptive dampers, and new rear hydro mounts.
For an even more serene ride, buyers can also opt for the Executive Drive Pro option, that adds a 48V electronic active roll stabilisation system to manipulate the body roll characteristics during cornering – M-badged models also get specific tuning for the system.
At launch, only the fully-electric i7 will be made available globally, specifically the

i7 xDrive60, which packs two electric motors for a combined total system output of
544 hp
 (400 kW) and
745 Nm
 of torque.
The motors sip electric juice from a
101.7 kWh
 battery pack located underneath the floor, propelling the 2,640 kg behemoth from a standstill to 100 km/h in
 4.7 seconds
, onward to an electronically-limited top speed of
240 km/h
. Driving in ideal conditions, the battery is also enough to give the all-new i7 an electric driving range of
625 km
 based on the WLTP test cycle.
Charging port for the i7, fuel port for the 7 Series.
For charging, the i7 supports AC charging of up to 11 kW via a Type 2 connector, with a full charge taking approximately 9.5 hours. DC fast charging meanwhile is supported up to 195 kW, which translates to a 10-80% charge of roughly 34 minutes.
Aside from cabled charging, the BMW i7 also recharges itself via an upgraded adaptive regenerative braking system, which takes into account the geographical data from the navigation system, as well as traffic lights or junctions along a planned route to ensure optimal power recuperation on the fly.
BMW will also be unveiling a new i7 M70 xDrive variant in the near future to top the 7 Series’ model range. While no official figures have been provided yet, the carmaker says that the new flagship will feature over 600 hp and 1,000 Nm of torque, making it the most powerful BMW model ever made for the roads.
As for the ICE-powered models, BMW says that the exact offerings will differ from region to region, but all of them will feature electrification of some form.
US and China will receive a 740i variant with a 380 hp/520 Nm 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six, alongside a 760i xDrive with 544 hp and 750 Nm from a 4.4-litre turbocharged V8, both of which are mild-hybrid powertrains, and are paired to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
The Middle East will receive a slightly less-powereful 735i variant with 286 hp and 435 Nm, while Europe will be the sole region to receive an oil-burner powertrain (coming later), with the 740d xDrive offering 300 hp and 650 Nm from its 3.0 litre turbodiesel inline-six.
Starting next year, BMW will also be offering two plug-in hybrid models for the global market – a 750e xDrive and a M760e xDrive, the latter billed as the first M-badged car based on the 7 Series. Both models pair a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six engine (from the 740i) to a 200 hp (145 kW) electric motor, raising their combined outputs to 490 hp/700 Nm and 571 hp/800 Nm respectively.
The batteries for the PHEV have been increased by more than 50% in this latest-generation model, now 18.7 kWh in capacity, allowing for an all-electric driving range of 80 km. Charging can also be done at up to 7.4 kW now with a Type 2 AC charger, which mean a full charge can be completed in less than three hours.
As for safety, expect nothing but the best in BMW’s new flagship model. As usual, features will differ based on the options you tick during your purchase, but the top-of-the-line pack will include features such as hands-free driving on highways at up to 130 km/h with automatic lane changes (in North America).
BMW says that SAE Level 3 autonomous driving technology is also already built into the architecture of the car, with the feature arriving at a later date via an OTA software update.
GALLERY


These are the two most pristine classic Proton Sagas you’ll ever see!

Before you embark on these two classic Proton Sagas, all credit is due to the English presenter, Steph, who actually took the effort to pronounce what Proton stands for; which is “Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional” and where the Proton acronym came from. She couldn’t have been more polite and respectful about it too, by apologising if she pronounced it wrongly.
There are simply no words to describe how detailed, how original and immaculate these two classic Proton Sagas are. After nearly three decades, everything is still intact including the quality control approval sticker that says “OK Proton” on the rear quarter glass. These two classics are owned by the same person.

The
Proton Saga
 in the first video is known as the Black Knight Edition, a special edition model reserved only for the UK market. Apparently, only 201 units were ever made and the one in the video is the last surviving unit of its kind. It was registered in 1989 but was stored until the early 2000s. When he first acquired it, the seats were still covered by the original plastic seat covers!
Interestingly, the classic Proton Sagas did so well upon its arrival in the UK that it was given the accolade of the fastest-selling new car brand to ever enter the United Kingdom.
The second video features a Proton Saga LE (LE for Limited Edition) that even came with an electric sunroof! Like the first Saga featured, the Saga LE is also the last of its kind. Also included were optional items such a power steering, along with seats and tailored floor mats embroidered with the “LE” acronym in cursive.

The Saga LE’s interior stands out from the Black Knight Edition with a digital clock, and more notably, rear speakers! It just put things into perspective on how far we’ve come with cars. Surprisingly, the electric sunroof still works!
Aside from all the stories on how Proton first started out with Mitsubishi, how it subsequently fared in the UK and driving impressions of both cars, there are also stories directly from the owner of these two classics on how owning these two classic Proton Sagas have absolutely agitated his spouse. As the saying goes in England, what a lad!
Source:
idriveaclassic


Video: BMW 218i Gran Coupe M Sport launched in Malaysia, 5 Things

This is the new entry point to a four-door BMW sedan, the first-ever BMW 218i Gran Coupe M Sport. Priced at RM211,367, it’s the second most affordable BMW in Malaysia, behind the
X1 sDrive18i
launched in July.
The front-wheel drive 218i Gran Coupe M Sport is based BMW 1 Series and is locally assembled in Kulim, Kedah. It’s powered by a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder engine, paired to a 7-speed Dual-clutch transmission. It’s good for
140 hp
 and
 220 Nm
 with a 0 to 100 km/h time of 8.7 seconds.

If you can look past the somewhat questionable rear quarter design, which has drawn mixed opinions online, the BMW 218i Gran Coupe is actually quite generously specified. For starters, it’s dressed with the M Sport kit both on the inside and out.
That means sportier front and rear bumpers, along with 18-inch M Sport wheels and M Sport suspension as well. On the inside, that translates to a pair of supportive M Sports seats in the front, a paddle shifter-less M Sport steering and even M Sport floor mats.

Up ahead is a digital instrument cluster just like the one in the
 G20 BMW 320i
launched earlier this year alongside the
X1 sDrive 20i M Sport
. To the side is an 8.8-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay compatibility, although it will only be available upon subscription.
With the Balloon Financing Plan from BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia, the BMW 218i Gran Coupé M Sport can be yours from RM 2,418.00 monthly based on estimates of an 80% loan on a five-year tenure. Following the Sales Tax Exemption announcement, for the latest price list of BMW vehicles in Malaysia, click
here
.
GALLERY


Here’s how you can make your Toyota Harrier look Lamborghini-ish

Lamborghinis and Ferraris have been the subject of replication of late. Some do a
 decent job
 at it, some just turn out
completely awful
. This “
Lamborghini Urus
-inspired” Toyota Harrier body kit is neither.
That’s because its creator,
Craftech of Japan
, only bothered to replicate the front end of the Lamborghini SUV. As for the rear section, there’s nothing that shouts Lambo, with the exception of the prominent rear diffuser and fake exhaust outlets!
The Toyota Harrier body kit consists of 5 pieces including a front bumper, front grille cover, side steps, and a rear spoiler. The kit is made entirely of fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) in Japan.
The 3-piece front end alone will set you back
¥240,000 (approx. RM9,300)
but if you’re mad enough to opt for the entire conversion, you’re looking to spend
¥380,000 (approx. RM14,000)
.
Locally, the Harrier has been
on sale since early 2018
. There are two variants available –
Premium at RM234,510
 and
Luxury at RM256,396.00
. Both are powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine paired to a 6-speed automatic, with 228 hp and 350 Nm.
The
latest Toyota Harrier
,
 on the other hand, was
introduced in Japan in April this year
. The turbocharged engine has been axed in favour of naturally aspirated engines.
Now, there’s either a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirate engine with 171 hp and 207 Nm or a more powerful 2.5-litre hybrid powertrain with a combined 218 hp. There’s also an all-wheel drive hybrid model with E-Four technology with a combined 222 hp with the aid of a rear-mounted electric motor.
GALLERY


Proton partners Ministry of Education to empower university students

Youths are in a very
awkward and often challenging position in today’s society. Often deemed as “inexperienced”,
sometimes “naïve” by the elders. But as valuable and important as experience is,
the unadulterated minds of eager youths have given birth to some of the most impactful
and creative ideas which is why Proton is looking to engage Youth Power in
their latest campaign.
Organised in partnership with the Ministry of Education, the
Intelligence that Inspires Challenge
 engages university students nationwide to lead and execute meaningful community-focused marketing campaigns surrounding the Proton X70.
Participants executing their respective campaigns
The competition serves
as a platform for the 51 teams from 20 tertiary institutions to experience the
full journey of executing a marketing plan from conceptualising the idea to getting
their hands dirty with the groundwork. Proton hopes that the participants will
be able to develop the essential soft skills needed to excel in the corporate
world.
The challenge, now in
its second phase, will see 19 selected teams to plan and execute their marketing
campaign for the X70 in the city where their university is located as well as organise
a community relations event in their district/city. Proton will be supporting
the teams throughout the journey, indirectly giving back to the communities.
On top of that, to be
crowed as champions, the participating teams will have to also prepare an
executable sustenance plan to maintain the X70’s sales leadership in Malaysia.
The competitors will be judged in the final round by a panel of experts from
the automotive industry as well as in the field of marketing.
CEO of Proton Dr Li Chunrong said: “I strongly believe that leadership is cultivated from a young age, and so through this competition we hope to provide the opportunity to our next generation of leaders from established universities in Malaysia to shine on a national level and equip them with the skillsets to excel in the corporate world. We also hope to instil strong communication skills among our young contestants as this is the foundation to working effectively in a team.”


The largest autonomous car parade just took place in China

As we’ve seen with the
Geely Boyue
, the
Bin Yue
,
Jia Ji
and the
 FY11
to name a few, the Chinese are at the very forefront of all things automotive technology development.
But they’ve taken a step further with this publicity stunt and landed themselves in the Guinness World Record books for the
largest parade of autonomous cars
.

A total of
55 Changan CS55
 built by Changan Automobile formed a single-file convoy while travelling at 30 km/h over a distance of 3.2 km.
Each car was separated by no more than
two car lengths
and accompanied by a driver with strict instructions to not interfere with the car’s controls.
Reports claimed that there were initially 56 cars in the convoy, although one of them was disqualified when the driver took control of the car mid-way through the “autonomous run”.
To accomplish this attempt, Changan made some adjustments to the car’s sensors that detect the road lines and the position of the car in front. Each vehicle was capable of correctly positioning itself between the car in front and behind to within a few centimetres.


2019 Mazda6 pricing announced, starting from RM173k

Mazda has given their line up a refresh for the 2019 calendar year with the latest technologies. After announcing the refreshed
Mazda CX-5
 last week, Mazda Malaysia has now revealed the full specifications as well as pricing for the 2019 Mazda6.
The Mazda6 will come with
 3 engine choices
 – SkyActiv-G 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engines, and SkyActiv-D 2.2-litre turbodiesel. All engines are mated to a
six speed SkyActiv-Drive automatic gearbox
.
Newly added to the 2019 Mazda6 is
GVC Plus
, Mazda’s torque vectoring vehicle dynamic control system with independent brake activation. GVC Plus varies the torque output of the engine by constantly monitoring the roll, pitch and yaw of the vehicle, together with direct yaw moment adjustments through the braking of the outer wheels during cornering, resulting in a smooth and controlled driving experience.
Mazda has also upgraded the infotainment system across the board, with
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
 now integrated to the 8-inch touchscreen display.
All variants except for the 2.0-litre sedan will come with a
Bose 11 speaker setup
and a
360-degree view camera
, while the 2.0-litre will only be equipped with a standard 6-speaker system, as well as a back-up monitor with guide lines.
The 2.0-litre sedan gets
 17-inch alloy wheels
, while all other variants will be equipped with
19-inch wheels
. Mazda’s
 i-ActivSense advanced safety technologies
, such as adaptive LED headlights, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning and lane-keep assist, driver attention alert, and smart city brake support, are present on all variants of Mazda6 except for the 2.0-litre variant.
The 2019 Mazda6 will be
imported from Japan
, and starts at
RM173,659
 for the 2.0-litre sedan, jumping to RM211,148 for the 2.5-litre sedan, while the touring version is priced at RM215,148. The 2.2-litre turbodiesel will be priced at RM219,851.
VARIANT
SEDAN
TOURING
Mazda6 2.0L
RM173,659
–
Mazda6 2.5L
RM211,148
RM215,148
Mazda6 2.2L Diesel
RM219,851
–
As part of Mazda’s effort for ownership of their cars to be more enticing, all new Mazda vehicles (except the BT-50 pickup) registered from 1st January 2019 will come with
5-years manufacturer warranty
 and
5-years free maintenance
 (or 100,000 km, whichever comes first).


Rolls-Royce collaborated with Hermès to build one-of-a-kind Phantom

From a fusion of the East and West, Rolls-Royce has created a
Phantom
 in collaboration with Hermes. Known as the Phantom Oribe, it was created to reflect the personality and passion of its owner, Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa.
The car’s striking two-tone exterior is inspired by the green and cream glazes of antique Japanese Oribe ware, of which Maezawa is a prominent collector. The upper part is finished in Oribe Green, a fully Bespoke colour created exclusively for the client; in an unusual move, Rolls-Royce has made the paint available for use on the client’s private jet the Phantom will be paired with.
Antique Japanese Oribe ware
Do you see the resemblance?
Developed over many months by specialists in the Surface Finish Centre at Goodwood, it perfectly captures the lustrous, deep-green glaze of the 16th century ceramics. The effect is beautifully completed by the cream-white lower section.
As for the interior, it’s finished in
Hermès Enea Green leather
 as seen on the dashboard, steering wheel, duchess handles, gear selector and the rotary controls for the motor car’s climate settings.
Even the glove compartment and luggage compartment lining, centre console, decanter stowage compartment and Champagne cooler of the Phantom is lined with the good stuff from Hermès.
Hermès’ delicate craftsmanship can also be seen on the seat piping, the headrest cushions and calf supports of the rear seats, while soft Seashell White accents and matching lambswool floor mats create a sense of light and space throughout.
The speaker covers
The Hermes horse motif on the dashboard
The wooden speaker covers were created using Open Pore Royal Walnut wood while the interior features Hermès ‘Toile H’ canvas – the same stuff they use to make their handbags – on the door armrests, centre and rear consoles and, most notably, the signature headliner.
The famous Hermès horse motif is hand-painted on Open Pore Royal Walnut wood and is presented behind a glass, as if it were displayed in an art gallery.
GALLERY


Mercedes-Benz Malaysia celebrates Christmas early with children from foster home

As part of its annual ‘Christmas in a Shoebox’ CSR initiative, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) hosted 40 children from the Yayasan Sunbeams Homes – a multi-racial foundation fostering displaced children of single-parents – to an early Christmas ‘party’ that went beyond material gifts and presents.
Can’t beat being chauffeured to a Christmas party in a Mercedes.
‘Christmas in a Shoebox’ sets out to fulfill Christmas wishes of a charitable organisation with MBM employees contributing towards making the children’s wishes come true. The activities this year included a speech and drama workshop organised by the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) for a deeper engagement with the children, on top of fostering team spirit, skillsets and encouraging creativity.
The special day began with a chauffeured ride to KLPAC on the latest Mercedes-Benz cars, the children were then treated to a picnic in the serene compounds of KLPAC and got to meet Mercedes-Benz Malaysia ambassador and eight-time world champion in women’s squash, Datuk Nicol David who shared her journey to success in sports, followed by a drama and speech workshop conducted by the Actors’ Studio Academy.
Fun and games with Datuk Nicol David.
“Community responsibilities begin at a local level and we are proud to proactively contribute towards the needs of Malaysians in various significant ways. This annual initiative remains a key ingredient in building a positive corporate culture and allows us to share the festive cheer with the children of Yayasan Sunbeams Home.
With our longstanding affair as the founding members of klpac, we were also able to showcase our support toward the local art scene by organizing mini drama and dance workshops to inspire positive character building through skillset development amongst the children,” said Dr. Claus Weidner, President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia.


Mini wants to #SaveTheManual, offers manual driving school in US

Mini
 has announced the return of the manual gearbox for selected models in the USA. To celebrate the joy of rowing your own gears, the carmaker is launching a new Mini Manual Driving School programme designed to help those who are less familiar with the three pedals.
The Mini Manual Driving School will be located at the BMW Performance Centre in Thermal, California, where a team of experienced instructors will guide their “learner” drivers through a theoretical portion of the course in the classroom, before setting out onto the test track for an actual hands-on experience, much like an actual driving course.
Mini says the course is designed to “create a foundation” for drivers to build up their comfort levels driving a manual transmission – so experienced drivers might want to look elsewhere.
The curriculum will focus on things such as vehicle controls, finding the friction point, as well as practising smooth starts, stops, and acceleration. Although, participants will get the chance to test out their skills at the conclusion of the course on a timed course.
RELATED:
Toyota thinks that only 25% of buyers will opt for the manual Supra
According to Mini, the course “welcomes a new generation of manual drivers, while allowing others to sharpen their skills after years of driving automatic”. The carmaker adds that consumers in America have ranked Mini as the “most fun to drive brand” for over a decade, which is also why they decided to bring back the manual transmission, something their owners have “long valued”.
Here in Malaysia, every single Mini – including the
John Cooper Works models
 – is only offered with an automatic transmission. Would a course like this help Malaysian customers rediscover the joy of driving a manual? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
ALSO READ:
Mini to become BMW Group’s first fully-electric brand, by early 2030s


Shell launches Bluetooth-controlled car collection, available from RM30

Shell Malaysia
 has launched a new remote control car collection that consists of seven of its motorsport cars from seven different types of motorsports – ranging from rally to Formula One. Not just for display, the car collection can be remotely controlled via Bluetooth with your smartphone on the global Shell Racing App which can be downloaded for free on both Android and Apple phones.
Each model from the collection represents a significant moment in Shell’s long-standing motorsport history. Speaking at the launch event, Shell Malaysia General Manager of mobility, Seow Lee Ming said, “Shell was there alongside the earliest motorsport pioneers and had an embedded history within motorsport. The latest collection celebrates some of the best race cars that redefined the racing world such as the Hyundai i20 hybrid rally car and Team Penske’s Indycar.”
“Our customers have always been at the heart of our business. Every time they stop at Shell, we want them to have an opportunity to create unforgettable memories with their family and friends. With our latest collection, we are happy to offer our customers a quick escape from reality, while enjoying an adrenaline-thrilled RC race with their loved ones, anywhere” she further added.
Leading the pack of seven is the Ferrari SF90 Formula One car which competed in the 2019 Formula One World Championship with Sebastien Vettel and Charles Leclerc behind the wheel. Powering the real-life version of the SF90 Formula One car is a 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 engine with assistance from an electric drive system. Weighing only 743 kg, the SF90 made 740 hp from the engine and 161 hp from the electric drive. The SF90’s name was in celebration of the company’s 90th anniversary and the SF90 won three races with the first win in the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix and the last win in the 2019 Singapore Grand Prix.
Next up is the
Hyundai i20

WRC car which happens to be a hybrid car. It recently won the WRC in Greece and Shell says the rally team racing with the Hyundai i20 are favourites to win the upcoming WRC in Spain. Its hybrid system consists of a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine and an electric motor. Combined, the system makes more than 400hp and more than 400 Nm of torque.
Besides the Ferrari SF90 and Hyundai i20 WRC car, Shell Malaysia is also offering the BMW M4 Motorsport DTM Racing Car, the Nissan Formula E Gen 2 racing car, the Team Penske Indycar 500 racing car, the Team Penske Ford Mustang GT, and the Shell V-Power Racing Team Ford Mustang GT.
The seven cars that make up the motorsport collection are:
Ferrari SF90 F1
Hyundai i20 hybrid WRC car
BMW M4 Motorsport
Nissan Formula E Gen 2 Race Car
Team Penske Indycar 500
Team Penske Ford Mustang GT
Shell V-Power Racing Team Ford Mustang GT
Six of the seven Bluetooth-controlled cars can be purchased with the Bluetooth battery at
RM30
 when you pump at any Shell station for purchases of
RM50
 and above. The exclusive Ferrari SF90 racing car and battery can be obtained for free upon purchase of selected
Shell Helix Lubricant 4L
. The custom Shell Motorsports Collector’s box (box only) will be available at
RM80
 after fuelling with Shell V-Power for
RM80
. Shell Malaysia will be releasing one individual model per week beginning from October 8 until December 8, 2022.


Selamat Datang to Hans de Visser, BMW Group Malaysia’s New MD and CEO

BMW Group AG has appointed
Hans de Visser
 as the New Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BMW Group Malaysia, effective
May 1st 2021
.
De Visser, amassing over 29 years with BMW Group, first began his career having started as a manager in Marketing Communications at BMW Motorrad, Munich. Before his current role in BMW Russia as the Marketing Director, de Visser served in various Sales and Marketing roles across several markets globally, including the Middle East, Central Eastern Europe, Spain as well as the Group’s Munich headquarters.
De Visser will take on the role and responsibilities from current MD and CEO Harald Hoelzl, who in turn, will take on a new role at BMW Group in Vienna, Austria.
“Hans’ broad experience in various roles in marketing and sales, as well as his international background will be extremely valuable in his new position,” said Senior Vice-President Region Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, Hendrik von Kuenheim.
In his time in Malaysia, Hoelzl led BMW Group Malaysia back to the
number one
 position with over
52%
 market share, the highest for the premium automaker in the world. BMW Group Malaysia also recorded its highest achievements of over
90%
 positive satisfaction responses in its
Net Promoter Scoring
 (NPS) for its customer satisfaction- the second-highest achievement in the BMW Group’s network.
Outgoing BMW Group Malaysia MD and CEO, Harald Hoelzl
Hoelzl also successfully led BMW Group Malaysia to become the number one
electrified mobility
 provider as well as
local assembler
 in the premium segment.
“I also want to take the opportunity to thank Harald for his work over the last few years in Malaysia. He and his team made BMW number one in the segment and strengthened the position of the company in the country,” von Kuenheim added.


Lexus LF-SA city car concept to debut at Geneva

Lexus seems to be on quite a roll here, making back-to-back announcements of a brand new concept car at some of the biggest motor shows. This time at Geneva, Lexus will display yet another concept car after the last
LF-C2 2+2 Roadster Concept
 debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show last year.
Colour corrected image reveals radically redesigned Spindle grille
Rolling onto the limelight for Lexus this time around is the city car concept, the
Lexus LF-SA
. We have nothing more than the picture above to show you what Lexus has in store for us, but we can safely say that the premium Japanese carmaker has completely deserted its conservative styling that once appealed to, say,
uncles
of past
.
In their press statement, Lexus said the LF-SA is an illustration of the brand’s exploration into unexpected (not uncharted) territories, whilst staying true to their bold and emotional execution in car designs. If that is to be the case, then we could be looking at a subcompact Lexus, pitting head to head against the likes of
MINI
,
Audi A1
,
BMW 1 Series
 and Mercedes A/
CLA-Class
.
The
Lexus LF-C2 2+2 Roadster Concept
We also expect Lexus to showcase further developments to their LF-C2 roadster concept at Geneva, so stay tuned for the latest news on both these cars!


2023 BMW X6 facelift debuts – M Sport package as standard, all variants electrified

Together with the debut of the
facelifted X5
, the 2023
BMW X6
 facelift has been unveiled, now with the M Sport package as standard. With the 2023 facelift, three variants are available, namely the X6 xDrive40i, X6 M60i xDrive, and X6 xDrive30d.
With the M Sport package as standard, the 2023 BMW X6 facelift gets double bars and an M logo for the BMW kidney grille, M exterior mirror caps in Black high-gloss, exhaust system tailpipe trim in the hallmark M quad-pipe style, and a rear spoiler in Black high-gloss for the BMW X6 M60i xDrive.
New colour options for the X6 include Blue Ridge Mountain metallic, Brooklyn Grey metallic, Skyscraper Grey metallic, Frozen Pure Grey metallic and around 40 BMW Individual special paint finishes. Exclusive to the range-topping X6 M60i xDrive is a new M Isle of Man Green Metallic body colour.
In the powertrain department, all variants now get electrified with 48V mild hybrid technology with different internal combustion engines (ICE). The X6 xDrive40i gets an MHEV powertrain with the latest-generation 3.0-litre turbocharged 6-cylinder engine that makes a combined
380 hp
 and
520 Nm
 of torque.
RELATED:
2023 BMW X5 facelift revealed – up to 530 hp, 750 Nm, curved display, increased EV range
The X6 M60i xDrive gets a new 4.4-litre turbocharged V8 engine that together with the MHEV system makes
530 hp
 and
750 Nm
. Lastly, the X6 xDrive30d gets an MHEV drivetrain with a 3.0-litre inline-6 turbodiesel engine that makes
298 hp
 and
670 Nm
. This sports version of the X6 does the century sprint in just 4.3 seconds.
All powertrains are paired with the same eight-speed Steptronic transmission. They also all get the same electric motor that generates an output boost of up to 9 kW/12 hp and 200 Nm of torque, helping the combustion engine to deliver a smooth, dynamic drive along with high efficiency.
RELATED:
2023 BMW XM V8 hybrid price revealed for Malaysia – from RM 1.3m
Inside, the standard specification for the X6 includes an instrument panel with surfacing in leather-like Sensafin and a curving trim element in fine wood. Another new feature is the ambient light bar with LED backlighting integrated below the trim element in the front passenger area.
Comfort seats for the driver and front passenger can be specified as an alternative to the standard sport seats with Sensafin surfaces. Also available as an option are BMW Individual Merino extended leather upholstery, BMW Individual full Merino leather upholstery, active seat ventilation, and a massage function.
RELATED:
All-new 2023 BMW M2 launched in Malaysia – 3.0L turbocharged pocket rocket from RM599k
Like other new BMWs, the X6 gets integrated with the latest BMW Operating System 8 and the latest generation of iDrive control/operating system. Two digital displays on the dashboard are a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch head unit.
Among the other highlights of the options list is the new Comfort Package with panel heating and a “thermo” function for the cup holders, the Sky Lounge panoramic glass sunroof illuminated by LED units, glass applications for selected controls, the Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System and the newly designed Travel & Comfort System.
RELATED:
BMW iX – nearly 1,000 units sold in 2022, over 300 MINI Cooper SE


Renault Clio GT-Line arrives in Malaysia, turbocharged B-Segment French hatch costs RM118k

TC Euro Cars, the sole franchise holder for Renault cars here in Malaysia, has officially released the newest entry-level model to the French brand. The Clio GT Line is designed specifically for customers who wants a little spice to their ride but not the full blown RS flavour. Seems fitting, then.
The Clio may not be the first name that pops right into mind when we Malaysians think of small, funky runabout compacts. Chances are the
Fiesta
 or
Polo
 came screeching straight to mind. But in continental Europe, it’s a another affair altogether. In the
24 years
 that the moniker has been in existence, over
12.5 million
 units have gone flying off the shelf.
QUICK FACTS
Name
Renault Clio GT-Line
Engine
1.2-litre four-cylinder turbo
Transmission
6-speed dual-clutch automatic
Max Power
118hp @4900 rom
Max Torque
190 Nm @ 2000 rpm
0 – 100 km/h
9.4 seconds
Top Speed
190 km/h
Price (estimated price)
RM118,000
EXTERIOR
The French compact has done a fair bit of growing up and evolved as time progresses. It now follows in the footsteps of the Renault family’s new face, while bearing the most resemblance to the outgoing
Megane
. The front fascia does have a striking yet
aggressive stance
 to it, and it means business.
The
large badge
 sitting smack-dab in the middle of the grille is one very telling sign that it’s a Renault. Its headlights are the same as the steroidal RS, and are halogen powered. Along the sides though, the same touch is apparent. Large chunky
17-inch
 alloy wheels that’s wrapped around
205/45 Michelin Primacy 3
 rubbers finish off the look. But not before you realise that the rear doors haven’t any
 door handles
. Can you spot them?

Round the back, the Clio carries most of the RS’ looks, save for the lower recess which is finished in a contrasting gloss grey colour. The tail lights are identical, but over here you only get a single exhaust outlet and a GT Line badge to cap off its look.
INTERIOR
Ergonomic
 springs immediately to mind here. Well placed buttons on the dashboard and centre console give the Clio its
 driver-centric
 feel that the exterior has been bragging about. Bearing in mind that the Clio is a compact car, it does give you a nice
cosseting feel
 to it. Aside from that, it does give off the vibe of being tuned in to the
 modern
 times we’re in.

A quick rummage around and you discover upon an
ECO
 button located near the parking brake that is said to
 improve
 fuel efficiency by up to
 10 percent
. The seats are upholstered in
 fabric
 while a
 leather wrapped
 two-tone-esque
steering wheel
 greets you. Before climbing in, you would have noticed the Renault
Sport-badged

sill guards
 that are offered as
 standard
 on the Clio.
PERFORMANCE
Under the bonnet of this  Clio GT-Line features the company’s
Turbo Control Efficiency
 or
TCe 120
 engine – a
four-cylinder
 engine with a
turbocharger
, delivering performance figures equivalent to that of a naturally-aspirated

1.8-litre engine. Or at least that’s what Renault is saying. The 1.2-litre unit kicks out
118 hp
 at
4,900 rpm
 and
 190 Nm
 of torque.
Mated to the engine is a
 six-speed Efficient Dual Clutch
 (EDC) transmission which will propel the Clio from 0 to 100 km/h in
 9.4 seconds
. At the same time, this spirited yet frugal engine also offers fuel efficiency of up to
 5.2 litres per 100km
, equivalent to CO2 emissions of
120g/km
. The Macpherson-type front suspension is linked to a
right-angled
 triangular lower
wishbone
 with twin bushes. This configuration delivers better
road holding
, more
responsive handling
 and better
 steering precision
.
The rear suspension setup is comprised of a programmed-deflection
 torsion beam
 with coil springs and an
anti-roll bar
 to optimise cornering stability. Effective shock absorption is assisted by
bump stops
 made from polyurethane. All of these means that the Clio delivers a sporty drive without being uncomfortable. On the face of it, the Clio is paced to take the 1.2-litre VW Polo head on.
SAFETY
For starters, the Clio is
 EuroNCAP five-star
 rated and comes with t
hree ISOFIX
 child seat anchors as standard. Other safety features include Electronic Stability Control (
ESC
) with
Roll Movement Intervention
,
ABS
 and
Emergency Brake Assist
,
Hill Start Assist
 plus the latest-generation
 ESC traction control
 complete with
seven active sensors
.
WHAT ELSE?
The sporty five-door hatchback will be available in four colours –
Malta Blue
,
Diamond Black
,
 Glacier White
 and
Flame Red
– this paint job costs RM5,000 more, by the way. Like all Renault passenger cars, service intervals for the Clio are
10,000km
 or
six months
, whichever comes first. It also comes with a
five-year unlimited mileage manufacturer’s warranty
, which unlike other new vehicle extended warranties, is fully-backed by Renault for enhanced ease of ownership as there are fewer complications with terms and conditions.
IMAGE GALLERY


McLaren 570S finally looks complete with the MSO High Downforce rear wing

McLaren has just introduced
a new aero kit for its Sports Series range, the MSO Defined High Downforce Kit for
additional downforce and killer looks.
Designed and engineered
from McLaren Special Operations (MSO), the High Downforce Kit consists of a fixed
rear wing finished in gloss exposed carbon fibre with silver chromatic MSO
branding on the endplates.

The rear wing adds
75 kg
 of downforce at speeds, allowing for higher cornering limits and highspeed stability. The additional downforce is balanced with new guide vanes on the front underbody to create a low-pressure zone at the front of the car, reducing drag.
All that technical bits aside, a majority of customers would probably opt for the High Downforce Kit simply because it looks absolutely gorgeous. Existing
570S
 or
570S Spider
 customers can have this kit fitted at all authorised McLaren retailer.