Proton ready for United Kingdom reentry by 2017

Proton plans to return to the European market (particularly the UK) by 2017 with new or existing models powered by their
new engines
 that is said to meet stringent European emissions standard, said Chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
In his personal blog, Tun Dr. Mahathir mentioned that Malaysia used to export a good number of Proton cars to the UK. However, due to new emissions and fuel efficiency standards, current Proton cars cannot be sold over there.
With the new Proton-Ricardo engines, Proton has high hopes of reentering these markets, thanks to the more advanced Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) and turbocharging technologies, albeit still in testing phase.
The
Proton Iriz
, currently powered by Proton’s new NEF engine, is Euro-4 rated and does not meet Euro regulations. If Proton plans to export the Iriz to the UK in 2017, the best case scenario is that the Iriz will be powered by either the 1.3-litre four-cylinder GDi or 1.3-litre 4-cylinder Turbo-GDi units. The Iriz could potentially be joined by the Suprima S model, one that may do well in a continent favouring such body types.
Proton first started exporting cars to the UK in the mid-80s with the Saga and Wira models. Apart from making an appearance in the world’s most popular
television program
, Proton sold a decent number of cars in the UK and was once among the most reliable and recommended cars in Britain.
However, just like Perodua, the lack of modern engines means Proton couldn’t go beyond Australian and South East Asian markets, despite producing new models like the Preve, Suprima S and the Iriz.
On another note, Tun Dr. Mahathir urged Malaysians to give Proton cars a chance, and acknowledged the negative public perception towards the brand. “I think Proton cars deserve a test drive by Malaysians. Tell us about your experience. Criticise these cars. We want feedback so we can further improve the cars,” he said.
“When you buy a local car, money stays in the country, workers earn money, dealers and agents and their employees enjoy the business they do and the local economy grows. Thousands of families enjoy a good life.”
[Source:
The Malaysia Insider
]


Facts & Features: 2020 Honda CR-V facelift launched in Malaysia – now cheaper across the board!

Honda Malaysia has officially unveiled the
2020 Honda CR-V facelift
 here on our shores. Aside from a couple of minor styling updates and new features, the CR-V model line-up has dropped from four variants down to just three now – a 2.0-litre 2WD base variant, and two TC-P variants – 2WD and 4WD – powered by the 1.5-litre turbocharged mill.
Prices for the 2020 Honda CR-V starts at
RM139,913
 for the base variant, up to
RM162,910
 for the range-topping TC-P 4WD variant. All prices are on the road, without insurance, and inclusive of
sales tax exemptions
.
EXTERIOR
Updates to the exterior styling on the 2020 Honda CR-V is fairly reserved, with the main difference being the bumpers on both end of the mid-size SUV.
In front, the new lower fascia significantly cleans up the busy look of the outgoing model for a more modern and sophisticated appearance thanks to generous use of matte black plastics, highlighted by a chrome strip that forms the slats surrounding the lower air intake grille. Meanwhile, the large chrome trim on the upper grille has been replaced by an gloss black item, in line with the
newer Honda models
.
The cleaner, classier look is also mirrored on the rear bumpers, underscored by a matte chrome strip. The bumper also no long moulds around the dual exhaust exits, which are now trapezoidal items in chrome (on the turbocharged variants).
Other exterior highlights include the smoked rear taillights assembly, slightly tweaked automatic LED headlights with darker surrounds (standard across the range), and a new design for the 18-inch alloy wheels on the turbocharged variants. The two upper variants also get a powered tailgate with foot detection.
The 2020 Honda CR-V facelift in Malaysia is available in five exterior colours: Lunar Silver Metallic, Passion Red Pearl, Modern Steel Metallic, Dark Olive Metallic, and Platinum White Pearl – the last option being a new addition to the model, but carries a RM357 price premium.
PERFORMANCE
As mentioned above, the 2020 Honda CR-V will be offered in three variants, featuring two powertrains under the hood – both unchanged from before.
2.0L 2WD
Engine: 2.0 litre SOHC i-VTEC naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol
Transmission: Continuous Variable Transmission
Drivetrain: Front engine, front-wheel drive
Max horsepower: 154 hp @ 6,500 rpm
Max torque: 189 Nm @ 4,300 rpm
0-100 km/h: 11.5 seconds
Top speed: 192 km/h
1.5L TC-P 2WD and 4WD
Engine: 1.5-litre DOHC VTEC turbocharged four-cylinder petrol
Transmission: Continuous Variable Transmission
Drivetrain: Front engine, front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive
Max horsepower: 193 hp @ 5,600 rpm
Max torque: 243 Nm @ 2,000 – 5,000 rpm
0-100 km/h: 2WD – 8.9 seconds, 4WD – 9.3 seconds
Top speed: 200 km/h
INTERIOR
While on first glance the cabin seems to be largely identical to the outgoing model, Honda has actually included a few creature comfort improvements to the interior of the 2020 CR-V facelift. These include two additional USB ports at the front centre stack below the gear lever, the aforementioned powered tailgate, as well as a new remote key fob that supports remote engine start (on the turbocharged models) and folding wing mirrors.
Other standard equipment across the board include a seven-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and multi-angle rear-view camera, seven-inch digital instrument cluster, dual-zone automatic climate control with rear vents, leather upholstery, and power-adjustable front seats – eight-way driver seat and four-way on the passenger seat.
The two higher variants also gets a premium wood-like interior trim, along with automatic windshield wipers.
SAFETY
Standard safety equipment across the board on the 2020 Honda CR-V include a new rear seatbelt reminder system, six airbags, Vehicle Stability Assist, Agile Handle Assist, ABS, Brake Assist (BA) with EBD, Hill Start Assist, as well as the Honda LaneWatch blind-spot camera – a new addition to the 2.0-litre 2WD variant. The turbocharged variants get four additional parking sensors in front; the base 2.0-litre variant only comes with the rear parking sensors.
The two turbocharged variants are also equipped with Honda’s latest Honda Sensing advanced driver assistance suite, which includes the following features:
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
Low Speed Follow (LSF)
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
Road Departure Mitigation (RDM)
Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS)
Auto High Beam (AHB)
PRICING
The 2020 Honda CR-V is priced as follows in Malaysia, on the road, without insurance, and inclusive of the
sales tax exemptions
 until end 2020:
2.0L 2WD – RM139,912.53
1.5L TC-P 2WD – RM157,615.91
1.5L TC-P 4WD – RM162,910.18
Pricing is reduced across the board compared to the outgoing model, which started at RM144,629.66 (without SST) for the 2.0L 2WD variant. As standard, all purchases also include a five-year/unlimited mileage warranty, and a five-time free labour service within five years/100,000km.
Following the announcement of the sales tax exemptions, for the full updated price list of Honda models in Malaysia, click
here
.
GALLERY


Rimac Nevera breaks 23 world records in one day

The
 Rimac Nevera
 just had a world record-attempt outing at the Automotive Testing Papenburg (ATP) facility in Germany, and in one day, it managed to break, not one, not two, but a whopping 23 world records in one day. If you’re just here for the figures, here’s everything that it managed to beat:
Results verified by two independent third-party verifies. Click to enlarge.
Judging it plainly by numbers might not convey how truly bonkers they really are, so you might want to check out the video below. But just for context, the Rimac Nevera can accelerate all the way to 300 km/h (9.22 seconds) before most common cars here in Malaysia even touches 100 km/h.
Its 0-200 km/h times are also twice as fast as the latest
 Porsche 911 Turbo S
 (which is already crazy fast, at 8.9 seconds), and it’ll reach 300 km/h nearly three seconds faster than a
 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport
. Quarter mile in 8.25 seconds? That’s more than a second quicker than the
Tesla Model S Plaid
 (on a prepared surface, too, mind you), which was the previous record holder for production vehicles.
For a hypercar, though, the 0-400-0 test is possibly one of the most important, as it challenges not just the car’s acceleration, but also aerodynamics and braking performance. With a time of 29.93 seconds, Rimac says that the Nevera smashes the previous record holder by more than a second.
What makes all of these new record numbers even more impressive, is the fact that they’re all done on normal, non-prepared asphalt, with the road-legal Michelin Cup 2 R tyres that come as standard on the car off the showroom floor. Maintaining over 1G of acceleration all the way up to 200 km/h, and in these conditions? You’ll have to watch the video to believe it.

GALLERY


Volkswagen Malaysia previews Golf GTE plug-in hybrid, new Passat B8 and electric “e-Up!”

Volkswagen Group Malaysia (VGM) earlier in the evening held a special viewing for some of the models that they
plan to introduce
 to the Malaysian market sometime next year. Models like the
all-new Passat B8
, the plug-in hybrid Golf GTE and the all electric e-Up! were specially flown in for the event.
The Passat you see here features the German carmaker’s new and most powerful
2.0-litre
 four pot
twin turbodiesel
 mill that makes
236 hp
 and
500 Nm
 of torque and is paired to the
seven-speed dual clutch automatic
 transmission, permanently
driving all four wheels
. We’re certain that the new Passat will make its way here, but it’s very unlikely for VGM to introduce this exact variant.

Next up is the Golf GTE – the model’s first plug-in hybrid variant which Volkswagen claims to be a fusion of sportiness and sustainability. Under the hood rests the
familiar 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol
 engine belting
148 hp
 and
250 Nm
 of torque, coupled to a
permanent-magnet synchronous AC motor
 outputting
101 hp
 and
330 Nm
 of torque. Combined output is
201 hp
 and
350 Nm
 of torque.

According to Volkswagen, the Golf GTE’s top speed is
222 km/h
, its century sprint laps at
7.6 seconds
, while consuming as little as
1.5 litres of fuel per 100km
 traveled. This one’s likely to be introduced here because it doesn’t require any special charging infrastructure, yet can be fully charged under four hours at any normal charging socket. In
full hybrid mode
, the Golf GTE has a range of
939km
.

Last up is the
all-electric e-Up!
; Volkswagen’s interpretation of an ideal environmental protection mission on four wheels. It emits zero emissions, zero fuel consumption and is virtually noiseless. It gets the 18.7 kWh lithium ion battery pack that weighs about 230kg and is placed underneath the car. The motor punches
81 hp
 and
210 Nm
 of torque, while offering a continued cruise of up to
157km
. If you must know, the e-Up! sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in
12.4 seconds
.
Transformative Sales & Aftersales Services
At the event, VGM also announced several key strategies that will improve their sales and aftersales experience, after having previously launched the
Mobility Guarantee programme
. Some of the transformative actions include:
i)
Investment in local talent
 – Training about 100 newly recruited Malaysian technicians
 ii) Establishment of three
Technical Competence Centre facility
 by 2016 (one in 2014, two in 2015)
 iii)
Volkswagen Brand Store
 – Unique sales showroom and dealer training centre
 iv) Opening of a dedicated
Volkswagen Parts Centre

v)
Service Concierge
 – Ensuring professional delivery and expert concierge services to customers
VGM’s Managing Director, Mr Armin Keller said, “Malaysia is an important market for our business and as the brand progresses, our continued investment in
improving our customer service
 will remain as a cornerstone in our activities; be it sales or aftersales. We have embarked on a journey to bring this change and these initiatives will help us earn the trust of our Malaysian customers.”
[divider]
IMAGE GALLERY
Event

Volkswagen Golf GTE

Volkswagen Passat B8

Volkswagen e-Up!


Test drive a Volkswagen and win a Beetle!

As part of a year-long celebration for the iconic bug, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) is giving away a brand-new Beetle in its ‘Win the Icon’ Instagram contest!
The contest rides on Volkswagen’s tagline of “better experienced than explained”. In order to participate, just test drive a Volkswagen at any authorised dealerships and document your experience. Here are the detailed instructions:
Step 1: Test drive any Volkswagen model at authorised dealers
Step 2: Record a one-minute video of your experience and upload it on Instagram
Step 3: Complete the slogan “My #BetterExperiencedThanExplained story is…”
Step 4: Follow and tag @VolkswagenMalaysia in the post
Ensure that your Instagram profile is set to public, and you’re off to the races! The contest will run from 1st October to 30th November 2019, and is open to all Malaysians with a valid driver’s license.
The lucky winner will be
announced in December
, and will drive home in a new
Volkswagen Beetle 1.2 TSI
.
Production of the current Beetle has stopped
 globally and there will be no newer versions as Volkswagen shifts their focus towards the MEB electric car platform. There has been talks of bringing the
Beetle back in EV form
, but Volkswagen has not confirmed that.
As a farewell to the beloved ‘people’s car’, VPCM released the
Volkswagen Beetle Collector’s Edition
, the last variant of the Beetle limited to 75 units only.


Govt. to provide RM1,000 voucher for repairs or replacement of flood-damaged vehicles

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has announced a new set of assistance measures for those affected by the recent devastating floods. Among the RM1.4 billion
Keluarga Malaysia
 Flood Aid initiative that was announced yesterday, the government will be distributing RM1,000 vouchers to motorists whose vehicles were damaged by the flood waters.
The RM1,000 cash voucher can be used for the repair of water-damaged private vehicles, or towards the replacement of a vehicle deemed as a “total loss”, as reported by
Bernama
.
Photo:
SelangorJournal
/Facebook
In addition, Ismail Sabri added that most car companies have also agreed to provide free towing services, as well as discounts of 25% or higher on spare parts and repair services at their authorised service centres.
The new measures come after the government announced a
six-month loan moratorium
 on housing or property loans, car loans, credit cards, and personal loans for flood victims, as well as interest-free personal loans up to RM5,000.
Separately, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) will also be providing
free replacements for flood-damaged documents
, including road tax, driving licence, and vehicle grant.
Photo: JPJ
Other measures as part of the initiative include a RM1,000 compassionate aid (BWI) for every head of household (KIR) affected by the floods, interest-free financing from
Bank Simpanan Negara
 (BSN) of up to RM10,000 with a repayment period of up to 3.5 years, as well as a 100% discount on the victims’ December electricity bills, among others.
“Together we work and pray that the impact of this flood disaster can be tackled immediately so that we can focus our efforts on the economic recovery and growth next year,” the Prime Minister said.
RELATED: Insurance Association announces RM500 subsidy for flood-damaged vehicles
Other initiatives by the respective automotive distributors and companies can be found below:
Perodua
Proton
Subaru
Honda
Toyota
Mitsubishi
Nissan
BMW Group Malaysia
Mercedes-Benz
Volkswagen


The new Hyper-GT will be the most powerful McLaren yet

Fresh from the introduction of the all-new
McLaren Senna
, a 340 km/h hypercar
that’s even more hardcore than the McLaren P1
, McLaren has revealed its forthcoming new “Hyper-GT”, codenamed BP23.
It is said that the new “Hyper-GT” is capable of exceeding the 243 mph (391 km/h) top speed previously set by the
legendary McLaren F1 road car
. The new addition to McLaren’s “Ultimate Series” – which includes the McLaren Senna, P1 and P1 GTR – will be the fastest and most luxurious McLaren ever.
Like the McLaren F1 from the late 1990s, it will feature a
three-seat cockpit with a central driving position
 where the driver would sit in the middle with two passengers on each side at the back.
With an electric hybrid powertrain to boost the potential of its V8 twin-turbo engine, the “Hyper-GT” is expected to be more powerful than the already insane
986 hp
, track-only
McLaren P1 GTR
. Here’s an idea of how McLaren’s horses rank in terms of top speed:
Model
Top Speed
McLaren P1 GTR (Ultimate Series)
362 km/h
McLaren P1 (Ultimate Series)
350 km/h
McLaren 720 S (Super Series)
341 km/h
McLaren Senna (Ultimate Series)
340 km/h
McLaren  650 S (Super Series)
333 km/h
McLaren 675 LT (Super Series)
330 km/h
McLaren 570 GT (Sport Series)
328 km/h
Although production won’t be due until the end of 2019,
all 106 units of the “Hyper-GT” are sold out
. Each of them will be personalised to each owner’s taste by McLaren Special Operations (MSO), the division of McLaren Automotive responsible for bespoke customer commissions.


Ford offers 20% discounts on parts for the upcoming festive season

Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC), the sole distributor for Ford in Malaysia, will be
running a promotion till the 31st of May 2021
, in conjunction with the upcoming festive period.
Customers stand to enjoy up to 20% savings on selected parts and engine oil, 20% discounts on brake and timing belt packages, 20% discount on lubricants, along with 10% discount on labour.

Those who spend more than RM350 in a single receipt will receive a travel mug while service customers will receive free green packets. Ford customers will also be treated to a free 27-point vehicle inspection by Ford-certified technicians.
All Ford genuine parts are covered under warranty for a period of 12 months or 20,000kms, whichever comes first, excluding wear and tear parts.
For added convenience, Ford customers can
book a service appointment
 via the Ford website. Customers can also book
e-Service appoinments
in real time for these seven Ford service centres – Ford Ara Damansara, Ford Petaling Jaya 2, Ford Juru, Ford Butterworth, Ford Kuching, Ford Kota Kinabalu and Ford Tawau.


Proton X70 received over 200 bookings on Shopee in two days

Proton recently launched it’s own official store on e-commerce website
Shopee
, and more than 200 bookings have already been made for the
Proton X70
 since the start of the e-commerce platform’s
12.12 Birthday Sale
.
The online campaign offers customers to place a booking for the Proton X70 Premium 2WD at just
RM99
, instead of the usual RM1,000. The first 50 customers who successfully register their Proton X70 before 31st December 2019 will also receive Shopee vouchers worth
RM2,000
, and enjoy other ongoing promotions for the month from the local carmaker.

The partnership between Proton and Shopee isn’t the first time the national carmaker has utilised online avenues for vehicle sales. Prior to the official launch of the X70 last year, Proton introduced
online bookings
 through its own website, which helped push the pre-launch order book to over 10,000 units.
Proton’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Li Chunrong said, “Commerce today has changed drastically from what it was even as recently as just five to ten years ago. Proton has to keep up with these changes to remain relevant and while we are pursuing our strategy to increase customer touch points via the growth of 3S/4S outlets, we must also utilise technology to drive mobility for the business.
“We started to enable online bookings of our cars since late 2018 and over the next few years we could expand the use of this as a sales platform. With improved online security and transaction platforms becoming widely accepted, there could be a time when financing could be applied for and approved online so Proton aims to be at the forefront of adopting these new technologies,” added Dr. Li.
Production of the
 locally-assembled X70
 has officially commenced at Proton’s upgraded Tanjung Malim assembly plant. The locally assembled C-segment SUV will sport an retuned engine with increased torque, Proton’s
new emblem
, and possibly a new seven speed dual-clutch transmission.


There’s a new Mercedes-Benz AutoHaus in Seremban by Minsoon Star

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia
 and Minsoon Star Sdn Bhd have opened a newly relocated Mercedes-Benz AutoHaus in Seremban. Easily accessible from the Plus Highway, the new AutoHaus covers a land area of 136,070 square feet and is managed by a 50 personnel team.
Newly opened, the Seremban AutoHaus is currently a 3S centre and with plans of expanding into a 4S centre by 2023. The showroom is 13,149 square feet, making space for 10 display cars. Alo at the AutoHaus is the Star Lounge and Mercedes-Benz Luxury accessories and collection boutique. There is also a children’s area to keep the little ones busy.
Spanning over 17,431 square feet, the service area covers almost one third of the AutoHaus’ total built up area. At full capacity, the service facility and team can service up to 700 cars per month. The Seremban AutoHaus service team offers “Express Service 2.0”, door-to-door and drop and go service booking, 24 HRS roadside and emergency assistance, wheel alignment and balancing, electrical diagnosis and repairs, paint coating, glass tinting along with insurance and warranty claims.
With over RM 20 million invested in the new AutoHaus, a wide range of demo vehicles including the latest C-Class and Mercedes-EQ are available here. It also has a dedicated area for Certified Pre-Owned Mercedes-Benz vehicles within the compound. Also available at the new Autohaus are EV fast chargers, making it a convenient location for EV vehicles driving up north or down south to charge their vehicles.
RELATED:
3 luxury features on the 2022 Mercedes-Benz E 300 that were unnecessary, but yet so charming
During the launch ceremony, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia & Head of Region, South East Asia II President & CEO, Sagree Sardien said, “We would like to congratulate Minsoon Star on their new Autohaus and thank them for their joint commitment to redefine the luxurious brand experience that is synonymous with Mercedes-Benz. We are continuously working with our dealer partners to grow the brand’s luxury retail concept presence while ensuring our customers expectation, needs and demands are met and exceeded.”
RELATED:
Mercedes-Benz EQB 350 and EQC 400 prices confirmed – RM 329k and RM389k
Minsoon Star Sdn Bhd Dealer Principal, Jim Tan said, “Seremban has a growing population and township that is booming with affluent communities, and we believe that this is the right location for us to further cater to our customers in this region. We are the only authorised Mercedes-Benz Sales and Service dealer in Negeri Sembilan since 1968 and we are proud to showcase our new Autohaus showcases the brand’s latest luxury retail presence for our customers.”
The location at Seremban 2 offers close proximity to the existing and potential affluent residents of Seremban town and with the new development townships where Minsoon Star is strategically located with fast and easy access from Plus Highway.
ALSO WATCH:
2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ now in Malaysia, from RM699k


APM Delta Seating Systems to manufacture seat components for Mazda Malaysia

Auto Parts Holdings Sdn. Bhd. (APM), a subsidy of Malaysia’s largest automotive parts manufacturer (APM Automotive Holdings Berhad) has recently signed a Joint Venture Agreement with Japanese automotive parts manufacturer Delta Kogyo Co., Ltd. (Delta) to manufacture and supply seat components in the ASEAN region.
Under a newly incorporated Malaysian company named APM Delta Seating Systems Sdn. Bhd. (JV Co.), the JV company will see APM owning a majority share of 60 percent while Delta owns the remaining 40 percent.
From the joint venture, a new production plant with a built up area of 12,856 square meter will be erected in Kulim, Kedah. The plant is strategically located within five minutes from Mazda’s CKD plant. This helps in ensuring a good flow of operations between the two plants. The plant is expected to be completed by February 2017.
With over four years of collaboration between APM and Delta, the two automotive parts manufacturer will soon channel their focus to emerging markets in the ASEAN region. JV Co. will be supplying seats, seat frames and components to Mazda’s CKD operations in Malaysia, which may potentially be exported to other markets in the future.
IMAGE GALLERY


Next-generation Subaru WRX STI models could be hybrids!

Whenever a new Subaru WRX is revealed, it’s safe to assume that a WRX STI model will follow suit eventually but in the case of the latest generation as
r
evealed last year
, that won’t be the case.
As you’d expect, it’s all down to
regulations.
 A spokesperson for the company said that with regulations changing so quickly it just wouldn’t make any sense to develop an STI version.
It was added that if the new STI were to be designed now, it would only be revealed later on and hence it would have a very short and limited shelf life. As such, it wouldn’t make financial sense for the company.
Subaru also hinted at what a Subaru WRX STI of the future could be like, highlighting that it is exploring opportunities for the next-generation Subaru WRX STI, including electrification.
In a company press release, Subaru said, “As the automotive marketplace continues to move towards electrification, Subaru is focused on how our future sports and performance cars should evolve to meet the needs of the changing marketplace and the regulations and requirements for greenhouse gasses and zero-emissions vehicles.”
The company also highlighted that the next-generation internal combustion engine WRX STI
will not be produced based on the new and current WRX platform
.
In assuring its customers, Subaru said the STI brand represents the pinnacle of Subaru’s performance vehicles built from Subaru’s rally heritage and its next generation of vehicles will incorporate the essence of STI.
RELATED:
New Subaru WRX gets launched in Japan, STI Sport R has new chassis tech


Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door V8 to go on sale in Europe, Malaysian debut possible?

Mercedes-AMG has just announced that their latest four-door super saloon will be making its way to showrooms in Europe starting September 2018 after its world premiere in early March. The V8 powered
Mercedes-AMG GT four-door
 will be available in two flavours – 63 S 4MATIC+ and 63 4MATIC.
Sporting a four-door fastback layout, the AMG GT four-door takes inspiration from the AMG GT sportscar but with the added practicality and comfort for four occupants. Visually, the four-door wears the Panamericana grille, wide bumper cutouts for better cooling, large AMG alloy wheels, adaptive rear spoiler and quad exhaust outlets.

Inside, the AMG GT four-door features one of the most luxurious interiors the three-pointed star has to offer with Widescreen cockpit, AMG Performance steering wheel, Nappa leather, Burmester sound system, ENERGIZING comfort control and more. The sleek centre console design is also unique to the AMG GT four-door.
The 63 S 4MATIC+ variant is powered by the brands famed 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 that pushes out
639 hp
 and
900 Nm
 of torque, enough to propel the fastback to 100 km/h in
3.2 seconds
 with a limited top speed of
315 km/h
.
The non-S variant is no slouch too, commanding
 585 hp
 and
800 Nm
 at its disposal. It will complete the century sprint 0.2 seconds slower at
3.4 seconds
 and a
lowered
top speed of
310 km/h
. Both engine variants are paired to a nine-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT transmission and 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system.
Prices for the Mercedes-AMG GT four-door 63 4MATIC+ starts from €150k (RM711k) while the hotter S variant retails at €167k (RM791k). There is also the limited-run Edition 1 that adds €18k to the price tag of the 63 S 4MATIC.
With Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s (MBM) track record of offering an exciting line up of AMG vehicles in the country, it would not come as a surprise for them to attempt at redirecting some prospective customers of the Porsche Panamera to their premise. Of course, you can always place a special order from MBM’s network of dealers.
IMAGE GALLERY


The first virtual F1 grand prix race winner is Zhou Guanyu

There were technical glitches, the race was trimmed to 25% distance (14 laps) and the action wasn’t pretty at times, but Formula 1 did manage to carry out its
first virtual race
 at the
Bahrain GP
 with Chinese driver
Zhou Guanyu
 emerging victorious.
In field featuring a mix of actual drivers from different motorsport disciplines, Esports drivers, a former Olympian and even a professional golfer, the variance in skill levels was always going to make racing unpredictable.
That’s how Zhou looks like in real life.
Zhou, a product of the
Renault Sport Academy
, Formula 2 competitor and
test driver for the Renault F1 team
, qualified third behind Phillip Eng (of German DTM fame) and Esteban Gutierrez (Formula E) and drove a clean race to finish well ahead of
Stoffel Vandoorne
 (ex-F1 and now Formula E) and
Eng
.

Zhou credited his win to an early pitstop (to mediums) and also the fact that he’s familiar with the game which keeps him sharp when not behind the wheel of an actual race car.
Zhou won by a margin of over 11 seconds in the end.
Other notable finishers include
Lando Norris
 who missed qualifying due to a server fault but fought through the field to take fifth, Williams new boy
Nicholas Latifi
 in sixth and just-retired
Nico Hulkenberg
 took his Force India to 10
th
 place. The next race is the Vietnamese GP, scheduled in two weeks’ time.


Full range of CKD Toyota Corolla Cross to come with LED headlamps and DRLs

Good news! In announcing its sales performance for the month of October, which saw a 6% increase from September, UMW Toyota Motor also slipped in some additional news.
For those looking to eventually own the locally assembled
Toyota Corolla Cross
, the company has just announced that all three variants will come with
Bi-LED headlamps
 and LED DRLs as standard. This replaces the incandescent or filament-type headlights and DRLs in the Thailand-sourced 1.8G variant.

A roof rail is now included as standard to add to the sporty and adventurous image.
Toyota Thailand spices up the Corolla Cross with new limited-edition Modellista kit. Check it out here!
Both the 1.8V, and the soon-to-be-launched Corolla Cross Hybrid also highlights the fitment of Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 (TSS 2.0). This ADAS suite includes the Pre-collision System (autonomous emergency braking), Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Tracing Assist, and Automatic High Beam.
In the announcement, UMW Toyota also highlighted that the Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and Lane Tracing Assist features have been enhanced to operate at all speed ranges, unlike the earlier version that only activates from 30 km/h.
New Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid to start from est. RM137,000. More info
here
!
The 1.8G continues to be equipped with the standard cruise control feature, alongside standard features such as the blind spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, 3D Panoramic View Monitor, Driver Start Control and a tyre pressure warning system (TPWS).
A front Driving Video Recorder (DVR) is also standard and the new Toyota Corolla Cross variants will also include two Type-C USB charging points for use by the rear passengers.
The Toyota Corolla Cross is powered by a 1.8-litre naturally aspirated engine paired to a CVT gearbox with
139 hp
 and
172 Nm
. The locally assembled 1.8G starts from
RM123,000
 while the 1.8V starts from
RM129,000
.
As for the upcoming Corolla Cross Hybrid, UMW Toyota has released an estimated price tag of RM137,000. Stay tuned for more!
The Toyota Corolla Cross, too, gets the GR Sport treatment in Taiwan….check it out here!
Note: The article has been edited after a late correction issued by UMWT regarding the availability of TSS only in the 1.8V and Hybrid variants.


Facts & Figures: Toyota Fortuner facelift launched in Malaysia, from RM172k!

After announcing last month that the
order books have opened
, UMW Toyota Motor has launched the new facelift Fortuner with a new variant and new colour options to go with its revised styling and upgraded safety features.

There are now two variants of the facelift Fortuner available – 2.8 VRZ 4×4 at
RM203,183
 and 2.7 SRZ 4×4 at
RM172,244
. The 2.8-litre VRZ is a new variant that replaces the previous 2.4-litre VRZ.
The 2.8 VRZ features a new 2.8-litre turbo diesel engine
 like in 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 models are fitted with a 6-speed automatic transmission but enhanced with a new Sport Mode function.
Both the variants of the facelift Fortuner will also come with
the new Auto Limited Slip Differential for 2WD mode
, to supplement the Active Traction Control (4WD mode). The system controls the braking of the slipping wheel while sending more power to the wheel with better traction to get you of sticky off-road situations.
The 2.8 VRZ features quad projector LED headlamp, with redesigned front and rear bumpers. Adding to the sporty ruggedness of the 2.8 VRZ is a new skid plate below front bumper.
Specifically in the 2.8 VRZ
, the roof, A-pillars, and rear spoiler have been finished in black – effectively giving it a two-tone look.
The 2.7 SRZ variant.
As for the 2.7 SRZ, it gets less aggressive wheels and front bumper design with a more subtle single-tone paint job. Both the 2.8 VRZ and 2.7 SRZ are fitted with 18-inch wheels but the former comes with a more aggressive design.
A new colour has been introduced for the 2.8 VRZ – Bronze Mica Metallic – with a black roof. The black roof can also be paired with the Super White II exterior colour.
Inside, new to the facelift Fortuner includes a new instrument panel with revised graphics for the multi-information display. Other features consists of the 8-way powered seats for the front, and an electrochromic rearview mirror.
Safety systems come in the form of the newly added Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) driver assistance system. The TSS, which includes the Pre-collision system, lane departure alert, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, is
only exclusive to the 2.8 VRZ variant
.

The pre-collision system works between speeds of 10 km/h up to 180 km/h, while DRCC works from 30 km/h onwards. There’s also a Yaw Assist Function functions like a lane departure prevention system. It uses the brakes on the inner wheels to steer the vehicle back to the lane.
Among the optional items for the Fortuner are the roof-mounted cabin display, rear digital video recorder, hands-free tailgate and wireless charging.
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


Volkswagen Golf R 333 Limited Edition debuts – 333hp, 333 units only

Volkswagen
 has unveiled a new special edition
Golf R
 – the Volkswagen Golf R 333 Limited Edition. Producing a maximum output of
333 hp
, just like its name suggests, this special edition hot hatch is limited to 333 units only.
On the outside, the Golf R 333 Limited Edition is fitted with the German carmaker’s IQ.Light LED matrix headlights. Featuring the exclusive Lime Yellow Metallic paintwork as per the pictures, the special edition Golf R is also available in other colour options such as Pure White, Lapiz Blue Metallic, and Deep Black Pearl Effect.
To give the hot hatch’s exterior some sporty contrast, Volkswagen designers have added a series of black accents to go with the car’s primary colour. This includes a black-painted roof, black side mirrors, black 333 limited edition design decals, and black accents on the rear spoiler. On top of all of that, the special edition Golf R is also fitted with black 19-inch Estoril wheels, together with semi-slick tyres.
Powering the Volkswagen Golf R 333 Edition is the same 2.0-litre TSI 4-cylinder petrol engine found in the regular Golf R. But for this special edition, it has been tuned to offer 333 hp, just like its name suggests. This makes it the most powerful version of the humble Golf. The torque figure however is unchanged, at
420 Nm
.
With power sent to all four wheels, the Golf R 333 Limited Edition goes from 0 to 100 km/h in
4.6 seconds
. It can also reach a top speed of
270 km/h
, which is the highest ever in a Golf.
RELATED:
Mk8 Volkswagen Golf is the last petrol Golf, major 2024 update before going full electric
The limited edition Golf R is packed with Volkswagen’s R-Performance Torque Vectoring and Vehicle Dynamic Manager. This helps distribute the drive power not just between the front and rear axles, but also between the two rear wheels.
Being a hot hatch, the German carmaker has equipped the Golf R 333 Limited Edition with ‘Drift’ and ‘Special’ driving profiles, which are designed for spirited driving. At the back is the brand’s R Performance exhaust system from Akrapovič, together with titanium rear silencers.
Volkswagen R Head of Product Marketing, Hakim Halimi said, “The Golf R 333 is the first R model with a specification predefined by us that leaves no customer wishes regarding performance unfulfilled – thanks to its extensive equipment.”
Moving inside the special edition hot hatch, standard equipment available include Nappa leather seats, as well as Harman Kardon’s 8+1 loudspeaker setup that can output a total of 480 W. Volkswagen has also included the limited edition Golf R 333 sequentially-numbered badge, to remind owners of their limited edition purchase.
Volkswagen hasn’t skimped on the safety department for the special edition Golf R either. Equipped with the brand’s IQ.Drive package, the hot hatch comes with Travel Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Emergency Assist, as well as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with stop & go function.
The Volkswagen Golf R 333 Limited Edition is ready for customers to order in German dealerships from
June 2
,
2023
, with a price tag of
EUR76,410
(approx.
RM377,182
). Production is scheduled to start in September this year at Volkswagen’s plant in Wolfsburg, Germany, and deliveries will start later in October this year.
RELATED:
Upcoming Volkswagen ID.2 EV could be renamed as Golf, to spawn electric GTI
GALLERY
The “Estoril” rim, blue brake caliper and dynamic hub caps with upright Volkswagen R logo in driving mode


Mercedes-Benz Malaysia appoints new CEO and President – Dr Claus Weidner

After five fruitful years at the helm of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM), it’s time for outgoing President and CEO, Mr Roland Folger to move onward. His departure will make way for Dr Claus Weidner as his successor, one who has had over 20 years of brand experience.
Dr Weidner has held many different positions with Mercedes-Benz, from Sales and Marketing to Corporate Strategy at the company’s headquarters in Germany. Before this, Dr Weidner was also the Head of Sales and Marketing of Passenger Cars in China, leading the luxury automaker’s business in Hong Kong, Macau and most recently Indonesia where he led the brand to the top of the marketplace.
Dr Claus Weidner
Folger in a press statement said, “My five-year tenure in Malaysia has been a fulfilling experience, and the successes we achieved are a testament to the strength of our team. I extend my best wishes to Dr Weidner and welcome him to Malaysia. I have no doubt that under his leadership Mercedes-Benz Malaysia will not only continue to deliver quality premium vehicles and customer service that exceeds expectations, but will also stay on course to dominate the luxury segment.”
Under Folger’s leadership since 2011, MBM has progressed to become the top premium automotive manufacturer in the country. He also spearheaded the
Employer of Choice 2014
 project, which went on to earn the company a
regional HR award
, making it
one of the best companies to work for
 in 2014.
MBM President and CEO, Mr Roland Folger (right) with former MBM Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Mr Kai Schlickum
Dr Weidner will assume the new role in
October this year
, while Folger will take up the task of leading
Mercedes-Benz India Pvt Ltd
 as the new
Managing Director and CEO
.


2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce unveiled, makes 280 hp and 400 Nm!

Over a year after the
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
 was revealed, the Italian carmaker went on to unveil a less powerful version of the sedan called Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce. It will take the spotlight at the upcoming Paris Motor Show later this month.
The exterior differences are mainly subtle, with the Veloce sharing the same designed alloy wheels as the Quadrifoglio. The Veloce also receives an aggressive rear diffuser that houses the dual exhaust setup. Sporty interiors and xenon headlights are offered as standard in the Veloce.
Despite sitting just below the Quadrifoglio, the Veloce is still capable of delivering thrills. That’s possible thanks to the revised
2.0-litre turbocharged
 petrol engine that now pushes out
280 hp
 and
400 Nm
 of torque. It might be 230 hp down, but come think of it, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and the Subaru Impreza both proved that fun can be attained with just 280 hp.
The Giulia Veloce is also available with a
2.2-litre turbodiesel
 mill that produces
210 hp
 and
470 Nm
 of torque. Both petrol and diesel variants get
all-wheel drive
 and an
eight-speed automatic
 transmission as standard.
So here we have an all-wheel drive 280 hp sports saloon that somehow sounds like a spiritual successful to the rally-bred saloons from Japan. Sadly, Alfa Romeo is now unrepresented in Malaysia since Sime Darby Auto Italia pulled out in late 2013. That said, with DRB Hicom carrying the
Jeep
 brand from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), perhaps the distribution rights should be given to them. Fingers crossed!
IMAGE GALLERY


Tamiya made a life-sized car you can actually drive!

Age is truly just a number, because while our responsibilities keep piling up, we’re still the same little kid inside. I mean, let’s be honest – how many of you still scour e-commerce shopping sites in search of RC cars? I know I do. So you can imagine my excitement when I came across this new Tamiya Wild One that’s an actual, driveable, life-sized car.
Yes, you read that right – an actual Tamiya ‘RC’ model that you can physically drive! If you’re like me, you’ve probably dreamt about this every night when you were a kid.
Called the Wild One Max, the Tamiya buggy is developed in partnership with The Little Car Company – the company behind miniaturised models such as the
Aston Martin DB5 Junior.
 But instead of miniaturising existing models, this one here is obviously enlarged by quite a bit when compared to the original Wild One RC toy.
Measuring in at 3.5 metres long, 1.8 metres wide, the Wild One Max actually comes in at an 8:10th scale of the original model – big enough for “kids” with heights ranging from 160 cm to 195 cm.
The single-seater buggy is built on a spaceframe chassis, and when fully built, weighs around 250 kg. And yes, that’s not a typo. Just like the actual Tamiya toys, the Wild One Max can also be built at home by yourselves.
Everything here is sized-up proportionally almost one-to-one, including the massive coil-over springs and wheels on all four corners, the latter now 15-inch off-road tyres on lightweight wheels. And just like the RC toy, the fronts are slimmer tyres with a relatively smooth surface, while the rears are chunky, proper off-road tyres with stud-like treads.
Remember those sticker sheets that you’ll have to painstakingly apply by yourselves? Same thing here – except that they’re now as tall as you!
It probably doesn’t come with this cute replica box, but they did include it on the website!
Just like the Tamiya toy cars, this here is also powered by electric. As standard, the single electric motor on the rear axle is pared to a single “PowerPack” battery, making a maximum power output of 4 kW (5.5 hp). Top speed is rated at 48 km/h, and you’ll be able to drive up to 40 km on a single charge, depending on terrain and driving style of course.
However, a range of “Hop-Ups” are available for the Wild One Max for you to upgrade your ride, just like how you can swap out parts on the mini 4WD Tamiya cars. These include modular PowerPacks that can be added to increase performance and range, four-point racing harness, and even high-performance suspensions and brakes – which as standard, are already Brembo items.
On top of the individual Hop-Ups, the Wild One Max will also be offered with complete ‘Packs’, including a Tarmac Pack which comes with road-biased tyres and mud-guards, and even three individual Road Legal Packs with items such as brake lights and turn indicators, that – as the name suggests – make the electric buggy fully road legal!
The Tamiya Wild One Max starts at GBP6,000 (~RM34k) for the bare-basic set-up; no prices were announced just yet for the various Hop-Ups and packs. Now, the hard part is to convince our “parents” to buy us a new toy.


BMW and Sime Darby Auto Engineering opens new Engine Assembly Plant in Kulim

BMW Group Malaysia and Sime Darby Auto Engineering (SDAE), a division of Sime Darby Motors has officiated the opening of the SDAE Engine Assembly Facility in Kulim, Kedah.
The plant has been in operation since April this year and has produced over 50 engines so far. It’s expected to churn out 40 to 50 engines per day.
Over RM 130 million have been invested into this new engine assembly plant; employing an additional 60-strong Malaysian workforce.
Once the engines are completed, they’re subjected to three different tests. In the
“hot test”
, the engines are checked for leakages, component (such as sensor) failures and such in ambient temperatures of 30 degrees Celcius, for about 15 minutes. The engines turbochargers are also tested up to temperatures of 800 degrees Celcius.
The engines are then subjected to “
performance tests
” for two hours where the RPM and air/fuel ratios etc. are monitored. The engines subsequently go through a “
dynamic test
“, where it runs for 48 hours before they’re reopened for assessment of its internal components.
The assembly facility will be responsible for producing three and four cylinder petrol engines, 4-cylinder diesel engines as well as three and four-cylinder engines for the plug-in hybrid vehicles.
At this point, the engines produced are catered exclusively to BMW’s locally-produced vehicles with plans for them to be exported to Vietnam and Philippines in the near future.
IMAGE GALLERY


Mercedes-Benz says goodbye to noise, with the Concept EQ

In
our previous article
, we reported that Mercedes-Benz will be introducing no less than 10 fully-electric models under its new EQ (for Electric Intelligence) sub-brand and the first to be unveiled will be based on the Concept EQ in the video.
The
Concept EQ
 displayed in Malaysia recently, rumoured to be named the EQ C, will offer
500 km of electric driving range
 from its 70kWh battery pack mounted in the floor.
It’s also said to produce around
400hp
 and
700Nm
, where power is channeled to all four wheels with 0 to 100 km/h done in under five seconds.


NAZA World introduces the first and only Malaysian to race in the Ferrari Challenge Asia Pacific

Yesterday, our Sepang International Circuit was awoken by the thunderous roars of Ferrari 488 Challenges as it hosted Round 5 of the Ferrari Challenge Asia 2017. It also offered a select few, privileged media representatives to (briefly) get up close with the new 812 Superfast and unleash the frightening power of the V12 Ferrari GTC4 Lusso and the V8 GTC4 Lusso T to maximum effect!
Representing
Team NAZA Aylezo (No.69)
 is Malaysian motorsport veteran Zen Low who is the
sole Malaysian
 in the race series and also the
first Malaysian
 to compete with the new Ferrari 488 Challenge. He will be competing in the Trofeo Pirelli category in the 2017 season. The  Ferrari 488 takes over from its predecessor, the 458 Challenge, as the first turbocharged Ferrari and also the most powerful car in the history of the series.
NAZA World Group Executive Chairman, Datuk Wira SM Faisal Tan Sri Nasimuddin said, “It has been a thrill to follow Zen Low’s progress in the Ferrari Challenge APAC and we are excited to have the opportunity to watch him live in action here in Sepang. Not only has he done us proud with his performance so far, he has also earned tremendous support from fellow Malaysians.”

Zen Low had got off to a spectacular start in the season so far; earning 2nd place in the first race and 3rd in the subsequent. This was followed by two other podium finishes in the 3rd and 4th races held in Shanhai and Zhejiang, China.
Ever since Zen founded Aylezo Motorsport in 2009, he’s taken part in a variety of motorsport events both locally and regionally, including the Merdeka Millenium Endurance Race, the Gulf 12 hours, Asian LeMans series, Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo, GT Asia, Sepang 12 hours and even the Bathurst 12 hours.
The Ferrari Challenge race series was established as a one-make series in 1993, spanning over three regions; North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. This year, the Ferrari Challenge sees drivers being grouped in various categories including Trofeo Pirelli, Trofeo Porelli AM, Trofeo Pirelli 458, Coppa Shell, Ladies’ Cup and Gentlemen’s Cup. The next round of the Ferrari Challenge APAC will be in Singapore on the 15th – 17th September.
More on the brief sampling of the V12 GTC4 Lusso and the GTC4 Lusso T soon!
IMAGE GALLERY


UMW Toyota rewards customer loyalty with new Loyal-T programme

UMW Toyota Motor has rebranded the Toyota Merit customer rewards and loyalty programme to
Loyal-T.
The revamp brings greater value, enhanced convenience and better rewards that extends to all Toyota owners.
Similar to the outgoing Toyota Merit programme, Loyal-T continues to award points to customers who service their vehicles, purchase spare parts and
new vehicles
 as well as body and paint repairs at any authorised Toyota outlets. Annual renewals of insurance premiums are also eligible for the collection of points.
Thinking of getting a Toyota Vios but also need to know the differences compared to a Yaris? Find out more here!
Accumulated points can be exchanged for E-service vouchers which customers can then redeem for future services. All transactions are catalogued via the smartphone app called
Toyota Drive
, which also store copies of service records.
Last week, the company also introduced a new smartphone app that is concentrated on providing customers with free roadside repairs and towing called 24Seven. More about the new app
here
.
To sign up for the Toyota Loyal-T Programme, download the free Toyota Drive smartphone app that is available on both the
Apple App Store
 and
Google Play Store
. Customers are required to register their and vehicle details with UMW Toyota Motor and all information is maintained and safeguarded in accordance with the Malaysian Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) 2010.
UMW Toyota could be introducing the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid in Malaysia as soon as this coming Monday, Sept 27th! More about the plan here!


Ferrari doubles factory shifts to increase production as demand spikes

These days, it’s not only about the rich getting richer. It’s also about those who’ve came into “new money” and according to Bloomberg, there were over 13 million people with seven-figure net worths as of the end of last year – imagine nearly half the population of Malaysia (32 million) being millionaires!
With such a spike of individuals with spiked net worths, Italian powerhouse Ferrari claims that demands for their supercars have soared to a point where production is planned to increase next year.
According to the same Bloomberg report, in order to meet demands, Ferrari will
double factory shifts to two a day
 to meet the delivery target of almost
 9,000 cars in 2018
. When
Ferrari eventually introduces its first ever SUV
, expect those numbers to jump even higher.
Globally, Ferrari recently introduced the new
Portofino V8 GT
, successor to the California, that produces
591 hp
 with
 760 Nm
 where 0 to 100 km/h takes a mere
3.5 seconds
 to achieve. Locally, aside from attaining the
Ferrari Classiche Authorised Workshop
 certification, Naza Italia has also launched the
6.5-litre V12 Ferrari 812 Superfast
 where our very own
GC Mah got to test in Ferrari’s test track in Fiorano, Italy
.
Source:
Bloomberg


Mercedes-Benz confirms CKD EVs for Malaysia, “exciting announcement” in Q1 2023

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM)
 has confirmed that it will soon launch locally assembled (CKD) electric vehicles (EVs) in the country. Earlier revealed to us
from an inside source back in March
, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has now confirmed its CKD EV plans.
At the
launch of the Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+

today, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia CEO & President, Sagree Sardien said (on the sidelines), “We are certainly working on localizing the EQ models. In 2023, we will announce our first EQ model that will be localized, so I ask you to stay tuned for that.” No further details were revealed.
As for the location of the assembly, it will most likely take place at the same Pekan assembly plant where the hybrid Mercedes-Benz S-Class 580e is made. Back in March, our inside source told us that the first CKD EV by Mercedes-Benz would be the EQS. We’ll have to wait until the first quarter of 2023 to find out as MBM will make an “exciting announcement” during the said period.
The first EV that was launched in Malaysia by Mercedes-Benz is the
Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 AMG Line

which was launched in March. The EQA is a compact SUV with a single electric motor that makes
190 hp
 and
375 Nm
. A
66.5-kWh
 battery gives the EQA an electric driving range of
429 km
(WLTP).
RELATED:
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia to locally assemble fully-electric EQ models
The Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 AMG Line was the first EV by MBM in Malaysia
Next was the
Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+
 which was launched in July, which is an all-electric version of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The EQS 450+ has a phenomenal EV range of
782 km
 (WLTP) thanks to its large
107.9-kWh
 battery pack and rear-wheel drive (RWD) configuration.
The EQS was followed by the
EQB 350 4MATIC
 and the
EQC 400 AMG Line
 which
both had their prices confirmed in September
. With the
newly-launched EQE
, MBM now has five models in its Malaysian EV lineup.
RELATED:
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s new extended warranty offers up to RM250k of coverage
Launch of the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ in July this year
With MBM’s CKD plans for its electric cars, it will be the second brand in the country to assemble its fully electric vehicles after Volvo Car Malaysia. CBU Electric Vehicle exemption from import tax, excise duty, and road tax in Malaysia will last until the end of 2023. CKD electric vehicles will enjoy a longer exemption period until the end of 2025.
RELATED:
Mercedes me Store launched in Malaysia – Navigation now requires subscription


Ford pays tribute to Ken Miles’ 1966 Daytona 24Hr win with new Ford GT Heritage Edition

You might have heard of a certain Ken Miles person, possibly thanks to the recent Ford vs Ferrari movie. If so, you would have also known about the historic 1966 Le Mans race that Miles should have won but did not.
While we concede that it serves as a fantastic plot device and climax point in the movie and a great story in general, it also meant that the other momentous moment for Miles and the Ford GT40 – the first 24-hour endurance win at the 1966 Daytona which was also featured in the same film, was often forgotten. Yes, where Shelby held up the “7000+ GO LIKE HELL” sign.
To bring justice and tribute to Ken Miles and his incredible feat in the GT40 Mk. II, Ford has now unveiled the latest Heritage Edition of its storied

Ford GT

supercar inspired by the 1966 Daytona 24 Hour Continental, making it the first Heritage Edition to feature liveries not from a Le Mans race.
Ford GT programme manager, Mike Severson said, “For this Heritage Edition, the Ford Performance team went deeper into the Ford GT’s race history and crafted a limited-edition model that stylistically honors the 55th anniversary of the Daytona 24 Hour endurance race that would eventually lead to our successes at Le Mans.”
Just to jog your memory a little, Ken Miles and co-driver Lloyd Ruby led nearly every lap of the 1966 24-hour race with the number 98 Ford GT40, outpacing the competition by 30 miles (48.3 km) by the chequered flag and led a 1-2-3-5 Ford domination at Daytona.
The win kicked-started the magical season for the Ford GT40 Mk. II, winning 1-2-3 at the Sebring 12-hour and the now-iconic Le Mans 24 Hour.
Mimicking the white, black and red exterior of the 1966 endurance-winning car, the new Ford GT Heritage Edition features a Frozen White exterior colour, contrasted by exposed carbon fibre on the bonnet, as well as asymmetrical Race Red accents on the front fascia, roof edge, driver’s side door, and underneath the rear wing.
The Heritage Edition also carries the signature “98” roundel number graphics on the bonnet and doors, the latter formed by exposed carbon fibre (i.e. unpainted surfaces). Unique Ford graphics on the lower rear-quarter panels and red-lacquered Brembo brake calipers complete the exterior of the homage car.
Inside, the new Ford GT Heritage Edition gains black Alcantara detailing on the instrument panel, headliner, and steering wheel rim, while the seats are upholstered in red Alcantara, paired to red anodised pedal shifters.
The new Heritage Edition model rides on one-piece Heritage Gold 20-inch forged-aluminium wheels, but opting for the Heritage Upgrade Package replaces it with 20-inch exposed carbon fibre wheels with gloss red-painted inner accent barrel, along with black-painted brake calipers with red Brembo letterings. The Heritage Upgrade Package also adds “ghosted” 98 roundels to the interior on both of the door panels.
Otherwise, the new Ford GT Heritage Edition still retains the 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 engine, pushing
 647 hp
 to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox. 0-100 km/h is done in
3.0 seconds
, onward to a top speed of
348 km/h
.
Alongside the Heritage Edition, Ford has also introduced the Ford GT Studio Collection graphics package, featuring customisable colour highlights on key styling elements, including the functional cooling ducts.
With production of the Ford GT
 slated to end in 2022
, only 50 units of the new Heritage Edition and 40 units of the Ford GT with Studio Collection graphics package will be made across the 2021 and 2022 models.
IMAGE GALLERY


Geely wins prestigious award for Proton X50’s 1.5 TGDi and 7DCT powertrain!

Geely has been awarded the “China Automotive Industry Science and Technology Award” by China’s Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE-China), the entity’s highest honour, for the development of the 1.5-litre turbocharged three cylinder engine and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission powertrain combo – also used in the
 Proton X50 Flagship
.
SAE-China is the country’s most prestigious non-governmental professional association for scientists, academics, engineers, and technicians working in the world’s largest and most competitive automotive market. According to Proton, winning the award is equivalent to winning a Nobel Prize for the industry.
Each year, automotive industry peers in SAE-China nominate and award achievements and innovations that have “advanced and influenced the automotive industry”. In 2020, Geely’s 1.5TD + 7DCT powertrain was selected for the award among 170 other innovations developed by top Chinese Universities, science academies, and global automotive R&D centres.
According to the press release, the powertrain combo was selected for the award for its strides in three major challenges faced by the industry – developing a highly versatile compact engine, balancing performance with fuel efficiency, and increasing the utilization and reliability of hybrid power.
A product of a RMB20 billion (RM13 billion) R&D investment by Geely over the last 10 years, the 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder powertrain developed by China Euro Vehicle Technology (CEVT) – a joint venture of sorts between Geely and Volvo – is designed to be highly versatile, and offer sufficient performance for a wide range of vehicle segments.
The 1.5TGDi configuration used on the Proton X50 is the engine’s peak standalone output, capable of generating
177 hp
 and
255 Nm
 of torque, which translates to a 0-100 km/h sprint time of just 7.9 seconds under ideal conditions. The
port fuel injected variant
, good for
150 hp
 and
226 Nm
, also made its global debut on the Proton X50.
The modular engine is also designed from the onset with electrification in mind, and have already been integrated into four different electrified configurations – 48V mild hybrid, hybrid electric, plug-in hybrids, and range-extender EVs. The
 seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox
 used in the Proton X50 as well as the
 X70
 also boasts an industry leading 97.2% transmission efficiency with a torque ceiling of 450 Nm, and can shift gears near instantaneously in 0.2 seconds.
Three-cylinder engines are commonly associated with stigma surrounding its NVH trade-off due to the unbalanced forces in the engine. To combat the NVH drawbacks, the engine is equipped with
over 120 parts specifically engineered to improve NVH performance
, reducing perceivable engine jitter and noise.
At idle, Geely says that engine noise inside vehicle cabins can reach as low as 38db – we did not have any scientific instrument on board to measure, but we can certainly

concur that it was almost imperceptible
!
In just over two years, more than 600,000 vehicles under the Geely Group banner have already equipped with the powertrain combo, and can be found in multiple models in various segments such as the
Geely Coolray/Bin Yue
,
Volvo XC40
, all
Lynk & Co
 models, the
LEVC TXe
, and of course not forgetting the hottest car in our country, the Proton X50.
The powertrain has been deployed to over 11 countries including Sweden, UK, Russia, Malaysia, and Philippines, a testament to its
reliability and versatility in different climates
. Geely plans to increase that number to 27 countries by 2021.


JPJ says to comply with tint regulations or go to jail!

For those vehicles with tinting that fall below regulated Visible Light Transmission (VLT), you may want to take this news with a bit more sense of urgency. The Malaysian Road Transport Department (RTD or JPJ) said those who fail to adhere to the latest regulations will be incarcerated for up to one year.
For the uninitiated, the current regulations set by the RTD reveals that the permissible VLT level for the
front windscreen
 is
 70 percent
 while the
rear windows
 and
rear windscreen
 are set to
30 percent
, a change from 50 percent last year. The rules are per the
Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Certain Types of Glass) (Amendment) Rules 2016
.
According to the report in The Sun, first-time offenders will be fined up to
RM2,000 or six months jail
 while repeat offenders can be punished up to
RM4,000 fine or face a 12-month jail sentence
, or
both
. That’s a drastic increase from before where fines are ranged from RM500 to RM1,000, which includes a maximum of one-month jail term.
JPJ’s Director-General, Datuk Ismail Ahmad said car owners will be given enough time to meet the new regulations, and has announced that no special operations will be conducted to nab offenders in the near future. Well, better get going, guys!
Source:
The Sun Daily


No silver spoon here, just a really stylish Mercedes-Benz stroller

Forget the “silver spoon”, this is the way to begin a child’s life in a lap of luxury while you look snazzy yourself “behind the wheel” – with the new Mercedes-Benz stroller, the Avantgarde, by Hartan.
The Hartan name has been synonymous with producing high quality “Made in Germany” baby carriages since the 1950s.
The first thing you’d undoubtedly notice are the AMG design-inspired 5-twin-spoke wheels it sits on, like the ones you get on the
CKD Mercedes-AMG C43 4MATIC
.
What you don’t know is that it also comes with adjustable suspension and air-chamber tyres as well! Other features included in the 8.9 kg aluminium stroller, which can accommodate either a seat or a baby carrier, are parking brakes and a telescopic handlebar.
Also available are accessories such as a sunshade umbrella, changing bag in a stylish Mercedes-Benz design, a foot muff, a head restraint and a wind shield for the seat.
IMAGE GALLERY


Video: Nissan Serena S-Hybrid, Things You Need To Know

Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) has finally introduced the
fifth-generation Nissan Serena S-Hybrid to the Malaysian market
 and here are Things You Need 2 Know about the latest seven-seater MPV:
Powered by an updated MR20DD 2.0-litre Twin CVTC (Continuously Variable-Valve Timing Control) four-cylinder petrol hybrid system and XTRONIC CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission), the hybrid powerplant is good for 150 hp and 200 Nm of torque. Drive is deployed exclusively to the front wheels.
With a plethora of premium features available such as LED projector headlamps, hands-free dual powered sliding doors, dual-back door, seven USB charging port, 360-degree Intelligent Around View Monitor and more, the Nissan Serena S-Hybrid’s equipment list is uncontested in the market.
Pricing starts from RM135,500 for the Highway Star variant while the Premium Highway Star is RM12k more expensive (RM147,000), both prices quoted are on-the-road without insurance. A 5-Years Unlimited Mileage Warranty comes as standard while early adopters will enjoy a complimentary 3-Years or 60,000 km maintenance service package.
IMAGE GALLERY
Nissan Serena S-Hybrid Premium Highway Star

Nissan Serena S-Hybrid Highway Star


LIVE STREAM: World premiere of Mercedes-AMG GT – 10th Sept 2014, 1:30am (MYT) [+Videos]

We’re only a matter of hours away from the global debut of the AMG-only sports car, the
AMG-GT
. Despite all the camouflaged pictures seen circulating on the net, there’s no denying that the next car that’s set to roll out of the
Affalterbach
-based
performance oriented arm
 of Mercedes-Benz does indeed look good.
The AMG-GT has set its sight to
set standards
 in the world of performance cars, and will be
benchmarking
 the segment as the
best all-rounder
. Some engineers from AMG have also claimed that the GT possesses
go-kart-like handling
 abilities.
Underneath the long, sleek bonnet of the GT lies an all-new
4.0-litre twin turbocharged V8
 engine, with
510 horsepower
 and
650 Nm
 of torque as output figures. It’s been said that at this point in time, the GT will have the
seven-speed dual clutch
 transmission that will deliver all of the engine’s power to the
rear wheels
.
Keep an eye out for this space to get the latest updates about the new sports car.


Nissan opens its doors to first 3S Centre in Seremban

Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd (ETCM) together with authorised dealer, Seremban Victory Credit Sdn Bhd has officially launched its first Nissan 3S centre in Negeri Sembilan. Strategically located in the town of Seremban, the 3S centre aims to provide convenient and efficient services to the surrounding Nissan customers.
With an investment of RM10 million, the newly minted 3S centre covers a total built-up area of 12,000 sq. ft. The space encompasses one showroom that can display up to eight Nissan models, 13 service bays as well as an indoor airconditioned new vehicle delivery bay. The service centre can cater up to 40 vehicles a day.
Director of Seremban Victory Credit, Mr Trevor Tham said: “We are pleased to present you the new Seremban Victory Nissan 3S Centre, with an improved, larger, and more accessible 3S centre to fulfil the needs of the Seremban community. With the additional facilities, we will be able to provide our customers with a complete Nissan experience all under one roof”
Also present at the opening ceremony is newly appointed Transport Minister, Anthony Loke who was accompanied by Sales and Marketing Director of ETCM. Loke took the opportunity to get up close with the Takata Airbag Replacement procedure.
Sales and Marketing Director of ETCM, Mr Christopher Tan said: “As the state capital of Negeri Sembilan, Seremban’s economic and human capital growth has been steadily growing. It is crucial for us to make our presence even stronger here in Seremban, and support Nissan owners with a Nissan 3S Centre that complies with Nissan’s Global Retail Standards.”
IMAGE GALLERY


Hyundai Grand Starex now comes with built-in telematics system – RM2k for retrofit

All
Hyundai Grand Starex
 registered from May 1 onwards are now pre-installed with the marque’s own telematics system, Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) announced today. The system makes it easier for customers to book a service appointment, locate and report stolen vehicles, or provide assistance during accidents or breakdowns.
Hyundai’s telematics system comprises six services – eCall and Manual eCall for emergency assistance, bCall for breakdown assistance, Service Assist, Stolen Vehicle Tracking, and connected security features through its accompanying mobile app.
For emergencies, customers can contact HSDM’s Secure Operating Centre (SOC) by pushing the SOS button (eCall) mounted on the map console of the Grand Starex. The vehicle owner will then receive a call from the SOC, and assistance – whether it’s for an ambulance, the police, or a tow truck – will be dispatched upon confirmation.
Should the Telematics System detect a significant impact to the vehicle, a crash alert will automatically be activated (without the need to press the SOS button), and the SOC will then immediately contact the vehicle owner to assess the situation. If no response was received from the vehicle owner, an ambulance and the police will automatically be dispatched to the location based on GPS information.
Similarly, Honda Malaysia is also now offering its telematics suite, Honda Connect, on its latest models.
In the event of a breakdown, customers can also use the bCall function, and the breakdown service will immediately be dispatched to the location.
The accompanying Hyundai Telematics mobile app, meanwhile, offers several convenient features such as a car finder that activates the smart alarm to help you locate your car via its horn and blinkers, missing vehicle reporting, and other non-emergency reports.
The Hyundai Kona N-Line is now available for booking in Malaysia. Check it out here!
Last but not least, the Service Assist helps track the vehicle’s mileage via satellite, and sends a ticket to an authorised Hyundai service centre when it’s time for the next scheduled service. The service centre will then contact the vehicle owner to make an appointment.
The concierge service also helps remind vehicle owners for the renewal of insurance and road tax.
HSDM also recently introduced a new Extended Warranty Programme for older models. Check it out here.
The Hyundai Telematics Service will be
complimentary for new Grand Starex owners for the first three years
. After the three-year period, customers can opt to renew annually at
 RM380 per year
.
Existing Grand Starex owners who are keen can also retrofit the entire telematics system at any Hyundai authorised service centres, priced at
RM1,998
 including installation.


Shell Helix gives away brand new F30 BMW 3-Series to their top trade partner

About 700 key Shell Helix trade partners gathered at the
2015 Shell Helix National Trade Dinner
 to celebrate another successful year as the leading passenger car motor oil brand in Malaysia. The event, held at Genting Highlands, saw a
26-year-old lady
 from Teluk Intan, Perak, walk away with a brand new
F30 BMW 3-Series
 Luxury sedan.
Shell Lubricants GM, Leslie Ng with Ms Cheong Chuu Yng, winner of the BMW 3-Series
To mark Shell and BMW’s recent global partnership, Ms Cheong Chuu Yng was given the keys to the brand new luxury sedan by Shell Lubricants’ General Manager, Mr Leslie Ng. Also given the ‘Platinum Heroes’ recognition were 12 mechanics from Helix Branded Workshops around the country – an award that’s earned via measuring their skills, knowledge and passion in serving customers.
During the event, Ng said, “This is all about rewarding our trade partners for their partnership, dedication and commitment towards our end consumers. These trade partners are extremely important to us as they are the trusted experts in the eyes of consumers. We are delighted that they share the belief that our revolutionary Shell Helix Ultra with PurePlus Technology is far superior to any other motor oil the market.”


Video: Volvo XC40 T5 R-Design Review

With waiting list stretching
into the three-month time frame, the locally assembled Volvo XC40 T5 R-Design
proves that the Swedish marque maiden attempt at a small SUV has been well received
by Malaysians. But is it any good?

Powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine in the T5 tune delivers
252 hp
 and
350 Nm
 driving all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission. Sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h takes
6.4 seconds
, making it the quickest sprinting car in its segment.
Despite being the smallest
and most affordable SUV in Volvo Car Malaysia’s (VCM) line up, the XC40 is
equipped with the full suite of IntelliSafe Advanced Driver Assistance System
and Pilot Assist semi-autonomous driving feature that operates up to 130 km/h. All
that for RM255,888 (OTR without insurance)? Sounds like a steal to me.


Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia ends 2021 with 17,489 vehicles sold – 91% jump over 2020

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) sold a total of 17,489 vehicles throughout 2021, the company announced through a press release today. The figure represents a 91% year-on-year growth over 2020, despite the ongoing challenges brought forth by the
Covid-19 pandemic
.
The increase is largely credited to the performance of the
 Mitsubishi Xpander
, with a total of 7,397 units sold last year. With that, MMM says that the Xpander is now the “best-selling Japanese seven-seater crossover in Malaysia” – a category that is likely only shared with the
Honda BR-V
.
Meanwhile, the company’s best-selling model crown is retained by the
Mitsubishi Triton
, which also enjoyed strong sales performance throughout 2021 with a total of 9,268 units sold – a 34% increase over the previous year.
GALLERY: Check out what might possibly be the most “gaya” Mitsubishi Xpander in Malaysia!
“Despite another year of being disrupted by Covid-19, we are thankful for our customers for showing trust, confidence, and loyalty towards the Mitsubishi Motors brand. We are pleased that Xpander has enjoyed strong sales performance thanks to the extension of the tax-free incentive period,” said MMM’s new Chief Executive Officer, Shinya Ikeda.
“This decision by the Malaysian government has certainly helped the industry to sustain itself during this challenging phase. At Mitsubishi Motors, we have now progressed to increase our production volume for Xpander, to cater for higher production capacity, and to fulfill all booking demands.”
RELATED: Mitsubishi will now let you test drive their cars without a sales consultant
“The continued growth of Mitsubishi Motors market compared to last year is a sign that we are steadily moving towards recovery. As we look forward to advancing and progressing into 2022, we have heard every customer’s feedback regarding our products and services, and we will continue to improve for an ownership experience of the highest standard,” Ikeda added.
Ikeda also extended his heartfelt sympathy to those who were affected by the recent devastating floods throughout the country. Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia will offer a 30% discount on spare parts, and 50% discount on labour costs from today until the 20th January 2022 for vehicles that have been damaged by the floods.
Additionally, the company will also be offering free towing services for the flood-hit customers. If you require the services, do contact the Mitsubishi Assist 24-hours customer careline (MA24) at
1-800-88-2166
.


Ford Mustang is the best selling Sports Coupe worldwide, 5.0L V8 most popular

The Ford Mustang is an American muscle car icon made famous by its loud thumping, naturally-aspirated V8 with brute power delivery since its inception in 1962.
Traditionally, the Mustang was built exclusively for the US market in left-hand drive configuration, but since the Blue Oval brand made the popular muscle car available to fans around the globe in 2015, it has since set off the Mustang to become the best-selling sports coupe in the world for three consecutive years (2015 – 2017).
In 2017, Ford recorded 125,809 new registrations across 146 countries with US being the leading market with 81,866 units sold. Despite only being available to markets outside of US for three years, already
one-third of all new Mustang registrations come from export markets
.
Ford sales analyst, Erich Merkle commented: “The world is falling in love with Mustang. Mustang represents the best of American design, performance and freedom, with an unmistakable personality that appeals – regardless of your postcode.”
According to the company’s internal data,
Europe
 took delivery of 13,100 Mustangs in 2017 while
China
 also showed a growing appetite for the Pony Car with 7,125 units sold. The most popular configuration worldwide is the Mustang GT with a 5.0-litre V8, although a smaller 2.3-litre four-cylinder EcoBoost is offered to penetrate markets that imposes high tariffs against large capacity engines.
In Malaysia, Sime Darby Auto Connexion has both the
Mustang GT 5.0 and 2.3 EcoBoost on sale
 priced at RM489k and RM599k, respectively. GC Mah and our friend Reuben Kang from JinnyBoyTV both enjoyed the Mustang GT 5.0 very much, especially the
Line Lock feature
.


MINI Cooper 3 Door and 5 Door updated for 2017, more kit from RM188,888!

MINI Malaysia has just announced enhanced specification for the MINI 3 Door and 5 Door for 2017. Upgrades include exterior styling as well as additional creature comforts.
Starting from the MINI Cooper 3 Door, it now gets a gloss black front grille, tailgate handle as well as LED headlamps and fog lamps. Inside, the entry level MINI now comes standard with dual-zone automatic climate control and a 6.5-inch MINI Visual Boost infotainment system with MINI Connect Ready App.
Stepping up to the Cooper S 3 Door and John Cooper Works 3 Door, both variants now add Comfort Access system (keyless entry and start) to the equipment list. The JCW 3 Door further adds auto dimming rear view mirror and reverse camera.
Like the Cooper 3 Door, the Cooper 5 Door also gets updated with gloss black front grille, tailgate handle, LED headlamps and foglamps and dual-zone automatic climate control. The Cooper S 5 Door on the other hand adds the Comfort Access system.
No changes were made to the powertrain, as such the Cooper variants get a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder with
136 hp
 and
220 Nm
, Cooper S with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder producing
192 hp
 and
280 Nm
 while the JCW gets a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with
 231 hp
 and
 350 Nm
.
Prices for the updated MINI are as below:
Model
Variant
Price (OTR without insurance)
MINI 3 Door
Cooper
RM188,888
Cooper S
RM229,888
John Cooper Works (JCW)
RM293,888
Mini 5 Door
Cooper
RM193,888
Cooper S
RM239,888
All purchase of the MINI 3 Door and 5 Door come with a
4-Years unlimited mileage warranty
 with free scheduled service.
IMAGE GALLERY
MINI Cooper S 3 Door

MINI Cooper S 5 Door


JPJ plans to introduce e-testing for learner drivers by next quarter

The Road Transport Department (JPJ) is planning to introduce a new method to test students in obtaining their Class D licence, moving to an automated driving test or “e-testing”.
JPJ Director-General Datuk Zailani Hashim told reporters that the system is currently undergoing trials and is expected to be launched in April, in conjunction with the department’s 76th-anniversary celebration. One key benefit of the “e-testing” approach is the speed of the test results.
“Those taking their driving test through this system will be able to get their results immediately, compared to the previous two-week waiting time,” he said.
Image credit: Facebook/
JPJPulauPinang
While the driving licence test is based on the current measurement of six points such as parking, starting from an ascend (slope test) and three-point turn. However, instead of being seated next to students in the car, JPJ officers will be observing the students from a control room. The process will be assisted by a variety of cameras and sensors. The on-road test will still proceed without any changes.
Opinion: Time to revamp the outdated driving licence syllabus in Malaysia
Presently, six to seven officers are required to evaluate students when they take their test and with “e-testing”, the personnel count is reduced to just two or three. Datuk Zailani said the manpower can then be delegated to other tasks such as enforcement.
Several driving schools have been testing the new system and will be implemented gradually with the 232 driving schools nationwide free to take up the e-testing application from service providers. Similar “e-testing” systems have been adopted in countries like Japan and South Korea.
Image credit: Facebook/
ArinahHoldings
This driving school offers tutoring in sports and luxury cars! Find out more here!
Upon passing the practical driving test, drivers will have the Probationary (P) licence for two years before moving to the Competent Driving Licence or CDL.
Source: Twitter/
Bernama


BMW celebrates 50th anniversary of M with limited edition ‘50 Jahre’ BMW M3 and M4

It was only last week that we saw BMW unveil the M4 CSL to celebrate 50 years of BMW’sM division. However, the CSL was only available for the German and selected European markets.
This time, BMW has made sure that different regions will be able to celebrate the 50th anniversary of BMW’s M division by releasing limited amounts of the 50 Jahre Edition of the BMW M3 and M4. To be specific, only 500 M3s and 1,000 M4s will be produced. The North American market will be getting the M3, while Europe gets 500 units of the M4 and the remainder goes to China.
Both models of the 50 Jahre BMW M edition don’t have any mechanical upgrades and still puts out 480 hp and 550 Nm while the competition variant produces 510 hp and 650 Nm. BMW also says that the models can be optioned to come with a 6-speed manual to drive the rear wheels or an 8-speed automatic with M xDrive all-wheel drive technology depending on the model variant.
The key feature that makes this edition of the M3 and M4 stand out are its cosmetic enhancements. BMW is resurrecting a selection of colours from the last 50 years of M paired with double-spoked 19-inch M forged wheels at the front and a 20-inch pair at the rear, making this selection of M models even more desirable.
For the European market, the BMW M 50 Jahre edition M4s will be offered in Carbon Black, Macao Blue, Brands Hatch Grey, Imola Red and San Marino Blue colours paired with Orbit Grey Matt and Gold Bronze Matt rim colours that are offered for the first time.
Moving east into the Chinese market, the M4 will be offered in two colours; Fire Orange and Status Grey. This selection of colours were introduced in conjunction with the 50th anniversary coinciding with the year of the Tiger in the Chinese calendar. Hence, the M4s in Fire Orange will be matched with Orbit Grey Matt rims while the Status Grey cars will be paired with Gold Bronze rims.
For the interior of the M4, “Edition 50 Jahre BMW M” lettering can be seen on the door sill panels, and an “M4 Edition 50 Jahre BMW M” plaque is placed on the centre console. The anniversary logo is stitched onto the headrest of the M sport seats which can be optionally upgraded to the M carbon bucket seats.
For the US and Canadian markets, they’ll only receive the special edition M3 only. They come in five different colours that pay tribute to past M3 models including Vermilion Red, Techno Violet, Interlagos Blue, Fire Orange and Limerock Grey.
Unlike the M4 however, all models of the M3 will be only offered with M forged wheels in Orbit Grey Matt but with extra M performance goodies consisting of a front carbon splitter, rear carbon spoiler, and titanium exhaust pipes finished with carbon tips.
Inside, the M3 isn’t very different from the M4 with optional M carbon bucket seats. The biggest difference that splits the two is that the M3 includes a metal plaque on the cupholder cover on the centre console that reads “M3 Edition 50 Jahre BMW M” along with the reference “1/500”.
GALLERY


Video: 2018 Peugeot 508 GT First Drive in Monaco

Not only did he get to jog through the infamous tunnel of the Monaco F1 Grand Prix, he also drove there and around the narrow but glitzy streets of Monte Carlo in this, the
all-new 2018 Peugeot 508 GT
.
So far we can confirm that it will be coming to Malaysia, which is good news and it will
arrive by Q2 of next year
. It’ll supposedly begin life here as a locally-assembled model (CKD) with two possible variants, while other countries will be getting the
 PHEV models
.
The 1.6-litre turbocharged PureTech engine can offer either an output of
180hp/250Nm
 or
225hp/300Nm
. The four-cylinder engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.
IMAGE GALLERY


Volkswagen Up! GTI, a city speedster to rival the hot Fiat Abarth

GTI (Grand Tourer Injection), the three magical alphabets that transforms any ordinary cars into pocket rockets. Volkswagen has the Polo GTI and Golf GTI, and now comes the Up! GTI.
The Up! (yes, the exclamation mark really exists!) is Volkswagen’s entry-level hatchback which is powered by a three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine that produces 60 to 100 horsepower depending on variants. An electrical version, the e-Up!, is also available and made its
appearance
 two years ago in Malaysia, but it’s not for sale.
But what could this little unpretentious GTI-bearing city car offer to petrol heads? To start, the new and powerful
three-cylinder turbocharged 1.0-litre engine
 adheres to the company’s new tagline of ‘
affordable performance
’. The new engine will be mated to a choice of a
six-speed manual
 or
seven-speed dual-clutch
 automatic gearbox.
Volkswagen hasn’t released the engine’s figures, but it will apparently sprint from nought to 100km/h in 8.0 seconds, and has a top speed of 200km/h! That might not sound much but do note that the Up! weighs less than a tonne, so this is a recipe for a true pocket rocket, much like the original Golf GTI Mk1.
In line with the additional power, the Up! GTI will receive suspension upgrades and revised chassis tuning. As always, the GTI badge means the Up! will receive visual enhancements like larger wheels, bodykit, dual exhaust outlets, and of course, the traditional golf ball gear knob on the inside.
No word on its confirmed production, but the Up! GTI is setting its sights on another city car – the Fiat Abarth 595. Regardless, both cars are welcomed, showing that smiles per km can be obtained in small packages, something a certain brand has long forgotten. Mini, I’m looking at you…
[Source: Autocar UK]


Honda NSX GT3 race car goes on sale, 3.5L bi-turbo V6, from RM2.32 mil!

Honda’s recent form in motorsports is best described as disappointing. The NSXs in Super GT have been consistently outperformed by the Lexus LC500, and let’s not even get talking about Honda and their F1 exploits.
It’s not all gloom and doom though, because Honda just introduced the NSX GT3 race car. It’s built by their American team Honda Performance Development (HPD), and adheres to FIA’s GT3 specifications. The lighter and more rigid body structure aside, the hybrid system from the standard NSX is removed. Thus, power comes solely from the
3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6,
 producing an estimated
500-600 hp
.

The engine’s block, heads, valve train, crankshaft, pistons and dry-sump lubrication system are shared with the production-spec NSX. Power is sent to the rear wheels via the
XTRAC semi-automatic six-speed sequential
 transmission. The NSX GT3 tips the scale at
1,240 kg
, which is 11 kg lighter than the
10th-generation Honda Civic 1.8-S
!
So far, the NSX GT3 (which has racked up over 90,000km of race time) which competed under the
Acura
 banner, has
 won two races
 in a few endurance races in America. The car is eligible to compete in the Blancpain GT Series, Super GT (under the GT300 category) and regional GT championships.
Interested parties can purchase the NSX GT3 for
€465,000
 (approximately
RM2.32 million
).
IMAGE GALLERY


Now everyone can install a built-in SmartTAG toll reader

Tired of changing the batteries of your toll reader? Now you
don’t have to anymore with LokaTag – the first built-in toll reader for
aftermarket installations is now available in Malaysia. And it shouldn’t come
at a surprise that the device is distributed by EFKON, the Austrian technology provider
of Malaysia’s nationwide infra-red electronic toll collection system otherwise
known as SmartTAG.
Priced at RM 499 each, the LokaTAG built-in toll reader is an alternative to the portable MaxTAG device launched in October last year. LokaTAG differs in that it is an integrated unit powered by a vehicle’s battery. LokaTAG is also compatible with all vehicle models and features a back-lit display with card error and low credit alerts.

According to EFKON Asia’s director Helmuth Blasch, brisk sales of the MaxTAG since its launch and increasing orders from car manufacturers for built-in toll readers was testament that the infra-red system retains high preference among road users due to its reliability.
“Market response to the portable MaxTAG has been excellent with average monthly sales of about 12,000 units. As for our built-in toll readers, we currently have five major car brands featuring our customised products with more coming on board soon. The combined total monthly sales of the portable and built-in units are about 25,000 units,” he revealed, adding that EFKON is targeting sales of about 1,000 units a month and that new functions such as Bluetooth connectivity (with other devices) and voice alerts may be introduced later.
 LokaTAG retails for RM 499; convenience does come at a price.
LokaTAG can be purchased from the official LokaTAG online
store on Shopee Malaysia and it will come with free on-site installation in the
Klang Valley, Penang and Johor, along with 0% Easy Payment Plan (EPP) for just
the addition of RM1. Customers outside these regions can install their LokaTAG
for free at selected authorised dealers.


Mercedes-Benz delivered 193,414 units in January 2018 alone

Mercedes-Benz started the new year just as well as it ended 2017 – with over 193,414 units delivered in January alone – making it the best start to the year for the three-pointed star, ever.
“With more than 193,000 Mercedes-Benz cars sold in January, we achieved the most successful start to a year in the company’s history. And with the presentation of the new G-Class, we had an emotional start to the new year,” said Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales, Britta Seeger.
Sales of Mercedes-Benz SUVs in Malaysia have been primarily driven by the
GLC 200
 and
GLC250
.
In Europe,
65,286
 customers received the keys to their new Mercedes-Benz with sales records set in Germany, Spain, Portugal, Poland and Sweden.
Over here in the Asia-Pacific region,
94,439 units
 were snapped up with
China raking in the most sales
 with
68,425 units
. This is followed by South Korean, Taiwanese, Indian and
Malaysian markets
.
Even sales from the
Mercedes-Benz Dream Cars
 line-up achieved an all-time high,
outselling even BMW’s M cars
, with over
170,000 units delivered in 2017
. Among the 12 cars from the Dream Cars line-up, the most favoured models were the
C-Class coupe
 and
Cabriolet
.


Mazda will use plastic made from plants to make the CX-5’s front grille

Mazda Co Ltd has developed a bio-engineering plastic that can be used as exterior trims and will apply it as the front grille of the
 Mazda CX-5
. A wider range of interior and exterior trims made of the material is expected to see its way into future models.
These plastic bits are made using
plant-derived materials
which can reduce reliance on petroleum-resources commonly used in the manufacturing of plastic items. The plastic trims made from the organic material is said to be able to
project the smoothness of a mirror surface even without being painted on
.
The all new Mazda CX-5 in
Soul Red Crystal
The flexibility of the material also allows large exterior trims of complicated shapes and designs to be easily molded. The bio-engineering material was first applied in the MX-5 Roadster and has been so far used in the
CX-9
, MX-5 RF and will eventually be introduced across the model range beginning with the CX-5 SUV.
Mazda USA has recently
said no to AWD systems in their Mazda 3 and Mazda 6
 where the latter now houses a new powertrain –
a turbocharged 2.5-litre SkyActiv-G engine with cylinder deactivation
.
IMAGE GALLERY


MINI John Cooper Works GP to get a 300 hp & a widebody kit

The most extreme MINI 3 door is ready for its
official debut in 2020
 and the public will have a first taste of the prototype model at the 24 Hours Nürburgring.
The 2020 MINI John
Cooper Works GP continues the success story of the GP and like its predecessors,
will be available in limited production units. Although the new model is
significantly
more
at 3,000 units worldwide.
Based on the
facelifted JCW 3 door
 complete with Union Jack LED taillamps, MINI has given the GP a distinctive body kit with flared wheel arches, massive roof spoiler and larger diameter exhaust outlets which are still dual exits and centrally mounted.
Under the bonnet rests a reworked 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine – presumably, the B48 unit found in the
BMW X2 M35i
,
JCW Clubman and Countryman
 – pushing
300 hp
 to drive the front wheels. Expect the JCW GP to gain stiffer suspension, beefier brakes and hardier transmission to match the new engine output.
Nürburgring lap times appears to be the benchmark for performance these days and MINI claims their new JCW GP can lap the Green Hell in under 8 minutes. Seeing that Renault recently posted its record-breaking lap with the
Megane R.S. Trophy-R
 recently, MINI may take a chance for the title of fastest Front Wheel Drive with its production model.
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MINI John Cooper Works GP


Simulators aren’t just for games – here’s how Volvo uses theirs to save lives

Driving simulators are great fun. Over here in the
AutoBuzz.my
 office, we use ours not just to let off some steam after a long work day, but also to help keep our car handling chops in check – especially useful now that we can’t just go out for a drive in this
Covid-19
 climate. We’d wager that most people use their simulators like us, but the engineers at Volvo take their simulators a little more seriously.
Dubbed the “ultimate driving simulator”, Volvo’s set-up consisting of a moving seat, steering wheel with haptic feedback, and a virtual-reality headset is used to help engineers test out their safety features of their cars, as well as study authentic human reactions using these systems, all in a safe environment and at a fraction of the cost of a real test.
To that end, the simulators are tied-in to the real-time 3D development platform Unity, which allows the virtual-reality experts from Varjo to generate life-like 3D graphics and driving situations in real-time. Test subjects also wear a full-body Teslasuit that provides haptic feedback from the virtual environment, while also monitoring the user’s bodily reactions.
Volvo’s Open Innovation Arena’s senior leader of User Experience, Casper Wickman said, “Working together with great companies like Varjo, Unity and Teslasuit has allowed us to test so many scenarios that look and feel totally real, without having to physically build anything. It lets us test drive actual cars through traffic scenarios that look and feel real, but can be adjusted at the touch of a button.”
Volvo uses their simulators to test out imaginary new active safety and driver assistance features, upcoming autonomous drive user interfaces, and even future car models. As mentioned above, these features can be put to the test in “literally endless” scenarios, such as specifically-designed test tracks or a simulated real-life traffic situation, and every scenario is fully customizable.
Testing is a crucial procedure in the development of safety systems for cars, but testing these systems in reality can be dangerous, time-consuming, and not to mention – expensive. As these simulation technologies continue to mature to a point where it’s becoming almost impossible to differentiate virtual to reality, it’s immediately obvious why more and more car manufacturers – not just Volvo – are including driving simulators as part of their development process.
“By using this cutting-edge technology, we are exploring and leading the development for creating safe cars in the future. It’s great to play a part in that,” Wickman added. The “ultimate driving simulator” was shown off at a live-stream event yesterday – you can see it in action
here
.
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