All-new 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLC goes small on design tweaks, but big on tech

The all-new 2022
Mercedes-Benz GLC
 has just been revealed, and it’ll have big shoes to fill. Taking over the helm of the best-selling model in the German carmaker’s line-up, the second-generation model brings with it reworked styling, a more luxurious interior, and a range of modern electrified powertrains to hopefully continue its success in the mid-size SUV market.
On the exterior, the design of the second-generation Mercedes-Benz GLC is really more evolutionary than revolutionary. There’s a bigger grille, sleeker headlights (available with the optional Digital Light matrix system), and new conjoined taillights at the back. But by and large, the styling of the SUV is very much in-line with the first-generation model – even on the bumpers, except for just a few tweaks to its styling.
Viewed from the side, however, the all-new Mercedes-Benz GLC does look quite a bit longer than before, with an almost wagon-esque appearance. That all boils down to the GLC’s new dimensions, as the second-generation model now measures 60 mm longer than before (at 4,716 mm), with a 15 mm longer wheelbase. Height, meanwhile, is dropped marginally by 4 mm.
The all-new Mercedes-Benz GLC also gets a significantly wider track at the rear (+23 mm), which together with the extra length, contributes to an increase of 70 litres in cargo room, which now measures a total of 620 litres underneath the tonneau cover. The Easy Pack one-touch access of the tailgate is included as standard.
Despite the new car being bigger, it’s also slipperier in the air too, with drag coefficient being lowered from 0.31 to 0.29 Cd on this second-generation model, thanks to the subtle nip and tucks throughout the design focusing on improving the SUV’s comfort, quietness, and efficiency.
The bigger change on the all-new GLC is found on the inside. Similar to the
all-new C-Class
 that it’s based on, the second-generation Mercedes-Benz GLC now gets a completely redesigned dashboard, featuring an 11.9-inch portrait-oriented infotainment display in the centre, paired to a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster behind the new steering wheel.
Aside from the modern design, the second-generation GLC is also laden with technology throughout the cabin. These include the optional MBUX Augmented Reality system that overlays virtual objects in the built-in navigation system, a massive colour head-up display, as well as an MBUX Smart Home system that can remotely control your connected home appliances and equipment directly from the car.
Safety kit have also been updated here, with the Active Distance Assist system now able to react to stationary vehicles ahead when travelling at speeds of up to 100 km/h (up from 60 km/h previously). Active Steering Assist also gains lane detection, while the Traffic Sign Assist now also recognises other signage such as roadworks and stop sign, as well as wet driving conditions, in addition to the usual speed limit signage.
The all-new 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLC will be offered in six different variants at launch – four petrol and two diesel, and all featuring 4Matic all-wheel drive as standard. On the petrol side, the options are the familiar GLC 200 and GLC 300, alongside two plug-in hybrid variants dubbed GLC 300e and GLC 400e.
All of them are essentially powered by the same M254 2.0-litre turbocharged inline-four engine, making
204 hp
and
 320 Nm
 on the GLC 200, and
258 hp
 and
400 Nm
 on the GLC 300. Both pure-petrol variants also get a 48V mild-hybrid system that provides an additional boost of up to 23 hp and 200 Nm of torque momentarily.
The PHEV variants build off the engines of the GLC 200 and GLC 300 respectively, but adds on electric assistance from a gearbox-mounted electric motor that provides 136 hp and 440 Nm of torque. Combined, the GLC 300e boasts a total system output of
313 hp
 and
550 Nm
, while the GLC 400e takes it up a notch at
381 hp
 and
650 Nm
.
With a 31.2 kWh battery pack, both petrol-powered PHEV variants offer a driving range of up to
120 km
, and can be driven in pure electric mode at up to 140 km/h. The batteries can be charged via the on-board 11 kW AC charger, or via an optional 60 kW DC fast charging support – the latter takes roughly 30 minutes to fully charge the batteries.
The all-new 2022 GLC is underpinned by the same four-link front and multi-link rear suspension as the fifth-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which should aid in the SUV’s handling and comfort. Airmatic suspension is also available as an option (standard on PHEV variants), alongside an Offroad Engineering package which adds 20 mm of ground clearance, alongside additional underbody protection.
Also available for the first time on the GLC is the optional rear-wheel steering system, which is able to turn the rear wheels by up to 4.5 degrees. At lower speeds under 60 km/h, the rear wheels point towards the opposite direction to reduce the SUV’s turning circle by up to 80 cm.
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Continental launches UltraContact UC7 tyres in Malaysia, 15″-18″ sizes

Continental Tyres
 has just launched the first of its seventh-generation products with the Continental UltraContact UC7 tyres. The UC7 tyres are available in Malaysia now and are offered in sizes ranging from 15 to 18 inches.
Evolved from the UltraContact UC6, the Continental UC7 improves braking and control on wet ground. It also improves fuel efficiency, dry braking, and handling. Featured on the Continental UC7 tyres is Continental’s Confidence+ Technology which combines the best of the brand’s compound technology and construction design features without compromising safety, comfort, handling, and mileage.
Continental Tyre Malaysia Managing Director, Andrea Somorova said, “We take pride in our safety technologies that have been highly recognised for generations. With Vision Zero as our top priority, we strive to achieve zero accidents, zero injuries, and zero fatalities on the road.”
A worldwide team of about 25 engineers and material experts spent more than 9,500 hours to realise the UC7 tyres. They conducted over 850 tests under various conditions with a combined testing distance that is 12 times the earth’s circumference.
RELATED:
These Continental tyres are perfect for “modern society”
The Continental UC7 tyres feature Continental’s “Diamond DNA” which stands for “
D
iamond Compound”, “
N
oise Breaker 3.0″, and “
A
qua Channel Advanced”. The “Diamond Compound” optimizes the transformation of kinetic energy into heat, resulting in shorter braking distances on dry and wet roads. The “Diamond Compound” with whisper touch also contributes to reduced noise generation by absorbing impact from the road.
Continental’s “Noise Breaker 3.0” interrupts the sound waves by disrupting the homogeneity of the grooves. The sound waves are broken up and dissipated into smaller waves, preventing noise from building up and travelling into the cabin. Besides that, the “Noise Breaker 3.0” design with Flow X-celerator leverages the Venturi Effect to accelerate water flow through the groove, improving surface contact between rubber and road.
RELATED:
Continental’s new wheel & tyre concept are the bomb, bye bye TPMS
Mainly improving the Continental UC7’s wet performance is Continental’s “Aqua Channel Advanced” technology. The “Aqua Channel Advanced” surface sipes on the centre part of the pattern, efficiently evacuating water to reduce the risk of hydroplaning.
The Continental UltraContact UC7 tyres cater to a wide range of vehicles, available from 15-inch to 18-inch tyre-size fitments. There are suitable sizes for compact cars, mid-size cars, MPVs, and luxury sedans.


Japan to launch all-new Honda Civic hatchback soon!

Honda will be launching the all-new Civic in its home market soon! However, based on the silhouette, it seems that the Japanese market will be launching the
all-new Honda Civic Hatchback
 and not the recently launched
Civic sedan
.
The new Civic hatchback seems to feature a steeply raked rear windscreen and ends with a sharp vertical drop to the taillamps. The C-pillar not only retains the upward kink but forms as a styling element for the tailgate.
We have played around with the photo editor to increase the visibility of the design at the rear
2021 Honda Civic sedan
Could this hatchback be the basis of the all-new Honda
Civic Type R
? Both Japan and North America are said to be concurrently premiering the new Civic Hatchback on 24th June GMT.
In the North American market, the all-new 11th-generation Honda Civic is offered in two engine choices- naturally aspirated 2.0-litre or an improved turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine with outputs of 180 hp and 240 Nm.
2021 Honda Civic sedan, North America
Key features
 in the all-new Honda Civic sedan include a 10.2-inch driver’s instrument cluster, a 9-inch central infotainment touchscreen display, concealed air-conditioning vents, blind-spot monitoring replacing LaneWatch single-camera, better occupant comfort and a heavily revised suspension setting.
In the ASEAN region, the all-new Honda Civic sedan will make its debut soon with the
Singapore
 market first. The current Honda Civic hatchback is not offered in Malaysia, but is popular in Indonesia and
Thailand
, where the new
Honda City hatchback
 has replaced the Jazz model.


BMW Financial Services Malaysia to donate RM100 for child seat adoption with each Engage contract

BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia today announced its commitment, on behalf of its customers, to donate RM100 to the BMW Safety 360-degree child car seats subsidy programme for every contract funded through BMW Engage, its online financing platform.
BMW Engage is a
first-of-its-kind online financing platform
 introduced by BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia, allowing customers to apply and get pre-approval for their financing from the comfort of their home through a simple application process. The platform is also part of BMW Group’s overall contribution to sustainable environment by reducing the use of paper in our digitised processes.
By submitting an application through the platform – which takes just 15 minutes, customers can indirectly contribute to the good cause to help speed up the adoption of child safety seats in the country.
BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia Managing Director, Tobias Eismann said, “Although the government has postponed the enforcement of the use of child restraint system (CRS) until the end of the year, we hope parents recognise the need for CRS to keep their children safe while on the road – no matter how short the driving distance.
“However, we recognise that advocating for child safety seats is a shared responsibility, and with BMW Safety 360-degree and its respective partners, we are also taking ownership to ensure more child safety seats are accessible to those in the B40 income group.”
The subsidy programme was

first introduced in December 2019

with Safe ‘n Sound and Childline Foundation, where 150 units of infant carrier car seats were made available at a subsidised price of RM100 each. The initiative garnered over 25,000 registrations from parents in the B40 income group.
As for the remaining registrants, the
second phase of the programme fo
cused on equipping them with a range of snskidz child safety seats, suitable for children of up to 36 kg. The programme was further supported by Shopee as the exclusive e-commerce partner, alongside Ku.Ku Duckbil, Otomo, Mideer, Ankou, and Kakimotor.
The snskids child safety seats are made available with a RM50 subsidy, on top of a discounted price from Safe ‘n Sound that is exclusive for recipients of the subsidy programme, to be redeemed via a unique voucher code (worth RM113) on the Shopee e-commerce platform through

a dedicated microsite
.
BMW Group Malaysia head of corporate communications, Sashi Ambi said, “Alongside our partners, we are glad to have helped safeguard 170 children on the road tocdate. BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia’s support through BMW Engage came just at the right time as we are continuing to equip even more parents with child safety seats before the end of the year.
“Once again, we want to continue to urge individuals, partners and companies who have the means to support – be it through raising greater awareness on the topic through education, making child safety seats more accessible or reaching out to us for collaborations – to make child safety seats instinctive for parents moving forward.”


Formula 1 returns in July with first eight races scheduled

After a
long hiatus
 due to the ongoing
COVID-19 situation
, the 2020 Formula 1 season will finally be getting underway with F1 organisers confirming the schedule of the first eight races centred around Europe, starting on
 July 3
.
The season kicks off with a double header at the Austrian Grand Prix on July 3 and 10, then moving to the Hungarian Grand Prix on the third week – July 17. Two back-to-back races will be held at Silverstone, United Kingdom on July 31 and August 7, after a two-week break in the schedule.
The travelling circus will then fly to Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix on August 16, followed by a one week break, and the Belgian Grand Prix on the 28th of August. Round eight of the 2020 season will be held at Monza, Italy, one week later on September 6.
All of the scheduled races will also be supported by Formula 2 and Formula 3.
In order to minimise the risk of spread of the COVID-19 virus, all eight scheduled races are currently set to be closed events with no live spectators, and will be operating under strict health and safety protocols.
F1 has placed restrictions on the number of personnel allowed to travel to each event, which will affect not only the teams, but also F1, FIA, and the suppliers. Isolated travel for these personnel will be mandated, using chartered flights as much as possible, along with private transfers between venues to minimise interaction with the untested public.
All personnel will be required to undergo COVID-19 tests and provide a negative result before being allowed to travel to each event. Medical staff will also be on site to conduct regular testing on arrival, including for all locally-based workers at the event.
Social distancing will not be enforced on track between the cars, so rest assured we’ll still be seeing close racing in the races.
Social distancing measures will also be strictly enforced at all of the events. On top of that, all personnel are also required to isolate within their respective team units, and not interact with others.
All activities and spaces, including the parc-ferme, podium, cool down rooms, and media obligation and interview locations, will be altered to ensure a safe distance can be maintained.
Will the 2020 season be Lewis Hamilton’s seventh F1 World Championship title?
Formula 1 Chairman and CEO, Chase Carey said: “In the past weeks we have been working tirelessly with all our partners, the FIA and the teams to create a revised opening 2020 calendar allowing us to restart racing in the safest possible way.
“We are pleased to be able to set out our opening eight race calendar today and look forward to publishing our full calendar in the coming weeks,” adds Carey. Formula 1 expects to run 15 to 18 races before the season concludes in December this year.
“While we currently expect the season to commence without fans at our races we hope that over the coming months the situation will allow us to welcome them back once it is safe to do, but we know the return of Formula 1 will be a welcome boost to sports fans around the world.”


Here are photos of the Smart #1 for you to decide if its better than a Tesla – Malaysia launch soon

We’ve lost count of the number of electric cars in Malaysia, and guess what? Here is another one – the
Smart #1
. It is pronounced as the “Smart Hashtag One”, and as you already know by now, it will be launching soon in Malaysia. Lucky for us and a few others, we’ve been given the chance to take a closer look at the car and even drive it for a bit. As for now, Smart Malaysia is only allowing us to share the exterior photos of the Smart #1 “Premium” with you. Yes, that is a reveal of one of the variants that will be offered in Malaysia.
To start off, let’s first address the fact that Smart is now owned by
Mercedes-Benz
 and
Geely Holding
 with a 50:50 split. So, the car gets a Mercedes-Benz design and a Geely group underpinning. It isn’t hard to see the “EQ” resemblance in the Smart #1 and the Geely underpinning is specifically the Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) 2 platform, which is shared with the
Volvo EX30
 and the Zeekr X. It is quite an interesting combination.
Sharing the same underpinnings as the Volvo EX30, this means that the Smart #1 is smaller than the Volvo XC40, Mercedes-Benz EQA, and BMW iX1. It is compact, but the exterior design still manages to give the Smart #1 a somewhat menacing look. The Smart #1 measures 4,270 mm long, 1,822 mm wide, and 1,636 mm tall. Its wheelbase measures 2,750 mm long and the car has a ground clearance of 182 mm.
Speaking of the exterior design, the Smart #1 is an evolutionary jump from what we may remember from the earlier ForTwo, ForFour, Roadster, and ForMore. And it still manages to retain that distinctive “Smart” look. You can remove the “Smart” badges, and the Smart #1 is still unmistakably a
Smart
 car. It is a fresh breath of air in a sea of EVs that tend to look interchangeable.
RELATED:
Smart #1 undergoes 20,000km test ahead of Malaysia launch
Notice that the rear windows are already “tinted”. The Smart # 1 comes with factory-fitted “privacy glass”
The Malaysia-spec Smart #1 gets an illuminated grille
The Malaysia-spec Smart #1 gets illuminated side logos that have a “pulse” when charging
Exterior highlights on the Smart #1 Premium include Cybersparks Matrix LED headlamps, integrated LED DRL, sequential turn signals, an illuminated front grille, illuminated electric door handles, luminous side logos, 19-inch wheels, a panoramic halo roof, and roof rails. Pay attention to the images that we have shared and you’ll also notice that the rear windows are already “tinted” from the factory as they are factory-fitted privacy glass.
What is special about the Malaysian-spec Smart #1 Premium is the illuminated front grille and luminous side logos, both of which are part of the decision made by
the team that was sent to China in December 2022
. There are more Malaysia-specific features, but we can’t quite share them with you just yet.
We’ve driven the Smart #1 and all we can say for now is that it is a decently comfortable experience. Just in case you were wondering, this small EV sports a MacPherson strut suspension set up in front and a multilink setup in the rear. It is tuned to be on the softer side while
the Brabus variant
 gets a stiffer setup.
RELATED:
New Smart #1 Pulse AWD variant debuts – 400km range, 0-100km/h in 4.5 secs
The Smart #1 is a small car, yet it feels assuring at high speeds. Its small size means it is naturally nimble and its sufficient power makes you easily forget that this thing weighs 1,800 kg. Speaking of power, no official figures were shared by Smart Malaysia, the UK-spec Smart #1 Premium
272 hp
 and
343 Nm
 with all power sent to the rear wheels. 0-100km/h is done in
6.7 seconds
.
As for the EV numbers, the Smart #1 Premium (globally) gets a
66-kWh
 battery pack which provides
440 km
 of range. AC charging can be done at a maximum rate of
22 kW
 and DC charging can be done at a maximum rate of
150 kW
. The former takes less than
3 hours
 to charge from 10% to 80% and the latter takes less than
30 minutes
to charge from 10% to 80%.
RELATED:
Tesla, Smart, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo will change how we buy cars in Malaysia
Smart #1 Brabus
That’s all we can share for now without revealing too much of what Smart Malaysia will bring to the market. Globally, there are 4 variants of the Smart #1 – Pro+, Premium, Pulse, and Brabus. How many variants will there be for the Malaysian market? What would the price be? Let’s allow Smart Malaysia to tell their story as they prefer.
Yes, the poster child for EVs is now in Malaysia, but let Smart cook. As for now, feast your eyes with some photos of the Smart #1 Premium. We’re not allowed to share the interior photos just yet.
GALLERY


This is the Boxter Bergspyder Porsche could’ve built but never did

Back in 2015, Porsche’s top brass commission its engineers to build a sports car based on the 981 Boxster to evaluate if such a car could go into production.
The prototype needed to be as light and minimalist as possible with an even more radical and uncompromising design than the Boxster to achieve exceptional power-to-weight ratio and so the Boxster Bergspyder was born.
As the name suggests, the one-off build was based on the Porsche 909 from the 1960s that weighed just 384 kg, and with
275 hp
 from a flat-eight engine, made it the
lightest racing car ever used by Porsche
.
Because it needed to be light, daily essentials you’d find in the Boxster, such as insulation material, door handles, the roof and even the windscreen are all taken away. The windscreen was instead replaced with a slim and curved wind deflector that surrounds the driver.
Even though the door handles have been removed, the passenger door can still be opened, somehow, with enough space to accommodate a helmet, additional luggage and the removable cover for the driver’s seat.
Those with a keen eye would notice that the dashboard has been redesigned with gauges along with the bucket seat taken from the 918 Spyder.
The result from these drastic measures meant the Bergspyder only weighed 1,099kg; just about the weight of a Perodua Myvi but with
393 hp
 and
420 Nm
 at its disposal from a 3.8-litre naturally-aspirated flat-six engine taken off the Cayman GT4. This also meant that 0 to 100 km/h took just four seconds!
Sadly, concerns on whether the car could be registered in some countries which would subsequently affect sales, ultimately killed off all plans to put it into production. The one-off now resides in Porsche’s museum in Stuttgart.
IMAGE GALLERY


The upcoming Lexus LM adds spice and sparkles to the Toyota Alphard

As if the
Lexus RX
and Toyota Harrier co-existence in the past hasn’t left us scratching our heads, Lexus is about to make you dig into your scalp with the new “LM” (simply known as the Luxury Minivan) – essentially a glorified Toyota Alphard.
So if the
 Toyota Alphard
 already epitomises the godfather of boxy, luxury people-movers, in Malaysia at least, it will be interesting to see how much more luxurious the LM would be.
It could be furnished with crystals
made out of outer space materials
or upholstery produced from unicorn hide – we don’t know but we’re excited to find out.
Not much has been revealed except for a close-up shot of the front end, which sports the signature front design of all new Lexus models along with a side profile shot that clearly points out the similarities between the Alphard and LM – especially with the B-pillar design.
One thing’s for sure, more of these white toasters here, whether Toyotas or Lexus’, you can forget about the rules – the biggest wins.


Formula 1’s Mercedes-AMG GT R Safety Car returns with a new look!

When Formula 1 returns for this weekend’s Austrian GP, the FIA will show its appreciation to everyone around the world for their strength and resilience in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The sport’s governing body will also show its unity in the fight against racism and inequality in Formula 1 through the AMG GT R safety car.
As such the AMG GT R safety car will project new visuals – a rainbow and the #weraceasone hashtag. The same visuals will also feature on all the Formula 1 race cars and around the circuit.
The rainbow was chosen as it has become a symbol that is used internationally to bring communities together. The words “Drive Safely” will also be visible on the bonnet of the Formula 1 Safety Car, addressing and reminding F1 fans to always drive in a careful and considerate manner. The Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Estate used as the Official F1 Medical Car will also sport the same design.
Specifications of the AMG GT R remain unchanged from the standard car, even though it’s tasked to lead a pack of Formula 1 race cars. It makes
585 hp
 and
700 Nm
 from a 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 engine. 0 to 100 km/h is done in 3.6 seconds, with a top speed of 318 km/h, just like the standard car.
In Malaysia, the
AMG GT R is priced at RM1.7 million
, while the
AMG G
T C is priced at RM1.5 million
. Both are on-the-road prices excluding insurance. For the updated price list on Mercedes-Benz vehicles,
click here
.
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Toyota Camry price increased by RM10k in Malaysia for 2023, Corolla up RM4k

UMW Toyota Motor
 has just released the updated price list for the
Toyota Camry
 and
Corolla
 sedan here in Malaysia, with both models receiving a price hike effective 3 Jan, 2023.
The Toyota Corolla sees a RM4,000 increase in price on both of its variants, which means that the C-segment sedan is now priced at
RM134,888
 for the entry-level 1.8E, and
RM145,888
 for the range-topping 1.8G.
The Toyota Camry meanwhile receives a RM10,000 price hike as compared to its last-published MSRP, now retailing for an eye-watering
RM219,800
 here in Malaysia effective 2023. All prices listed here are inclusive of the marque’s standard five-year unlimited-mileage warranty.
Despite the price hike, no revisions are being made to the specifications and equipment lists of both cars. The Toyota Corolla in Malaysia was
last updated in June 2020
 with a larger and more feature-complete central infotainment display, while the Camry was given a
more thorough refresh early last year
, boasting a new 2.5-litre Dynamic Force naturally-aspirated inline-four engine, alongside other aesthetic and feature updates.
RELATED:
Anwar Ibrahim cancels Mercedes-Benz S600 order, sticks with Toyota Camry for PM duties
The updated prices are reflective of the current market conditions, which have been affected by global inflation and rising manufacturing cost. As both of these models are fully imported from Thailand, the price increase could also have been impacted by the weakening Malaysian Ringgit.
In the same vein,
BMW
 and
Mini
 have also released their updated price lists for 2023, with price hikes of up to 6.3% on certain models.
WATCH:
2022 Toyota Camry 2.5V Review – uncle car no more?


Facts & Figures: G22 BMW 430i Coupe M Sport launched, priced at RM454,800

First revealed as the
Concept 4 almost 2 years ago
 now, BMW launched the
all-new G22 BMW 4 Series last June
 and of the many variants available, one of them has arrived in Malaysia – the BMW 430i M Sport.
The fully-imported 430i is priced at
RM454,800
 and is accompanied with a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty with free scheduled service.

Its handling is further enhanced by the Actuator Contiguous Wheel Slip Limitation (ARB) which allows the car to keep a cleaner line when going through a tight corner.
PERFORMANCE
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder
Transmission: 8-speed Steptronic automatic
Brakes: Single pot floating (front and rear)
Max Power: 258 hp @ 5,000 rpm to 6,500 rpm
Max Torque: 400 Nm @ 1,550 rpm to 4,500 rpm
0 – 100 km/h: 5.8 seconds
Top Speed: 250 km/h (limited)
Colours available include the Arctic Race Blue Metallic, Portimao Blue, Alpine White, and Black Sapphire. Boot space is rated at 440 litres while the rear seats offer 40:20:40 split folding.
EXTERIOR
19″ M light-alloy wheels in Double-spoke style 797 M Bicolour with Run Flats
M Sport brakes with Blue calipers
M Sport suspension
M Aerodynamics Package
BMW Laser Lights
BMW Individual Shadow Line
INTERIOR
Inside, the 430i M Sport comes with 11different ambient lighting along with a 3-zone air conditioning system. Climbing on board, you’d immediately be greeted by a striking M Sport door sill. As for the shiny bits on the dashboard and centre console, they’re called Aluminium Tetragon trims.
The touchscreen display is powered by the BMW Operating System 7, with Connected Package Professional which offers Intelligent Emergency Call, Teleservices, Intelligent Personal Assistant.
M steering wheel
M pedals
12.3-inch fully digital instrument display
10.25-inch touch screen
16-speaker Harman Kardon
On the infotainment system, the Remote Software Upgrade offers software updates, allowing drivers to access new vehicle functions that can be retrofitted seamlessly via an over-the-air upgrade.
SAFETY
Safety is ensure by seven airbags along with Parking Assistant and Reverse Assistance features. It’s also equipped with the Driving Assistant Package which includes:
Front Collision Warning with brake intervention
Lane Departure Warning
Lane Change Warning
Rear Cross Warning and Collision Prevention
When activated, the Reversing Assistant continuously records the last 50 metres of driving (when driven slowly, at speeds of up to 35 km/h) and can automatically reverse on the same path, making it easier to manuerver in tight spaces.
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Watch these Ford Performance models go all out against each other on track!

What happens when you have the entire Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Team drivers, eight Ford Performance models and a 5.345 km Motorland race circuit near Barcelona, Spain together? Only one sensible thing to do – an all-out track showdown.
Andy Priaulx, Harry Tincknell, Olivier Pla and Stefan Mücke from the World Endurance Championship, and Dirk Müller, Joey Hand, Richard Westbrook and Ryan Briscoe from the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, each took the wheel of a Ford Performance model which includes the Ford F-150 Raptor, Fiesta ST,
all-new Fiesta ST
,
Focus RS
,
Mustang GT
, Mustang GT350R,
Ford GT
 road car and
Ford GT race car
. Eight cars, one lap, in a no holds barred staggered time trial.
Each car set off at intervals starting from the most unconventional F-150 Raptor to the Le Mans-winning Ford GT race car. While the GT race car emerged as a clear winner, the driving pleasure behind the wheel of all the other vehicles simply cannot be denied. From pure-bred race cars to hilarious pick-up trucks, all the drivers had great fun behind the wheel of a Ford Performance model.
Harry Tincknell, Le Mans 24-Hours driver said, “It was a hilarious shoot. Eight racing drivers all given a car to go flat-out in a race. Anything could have happened, and it almost did! It was amazing to be one of the first people to drive the all-new Ford Fiesta ST, one of the most popular cars in the world and it handled like a dream.”
IMAGE GALLERY


Isuzu Malaysia sold 9,211 D-Max pick-ups in 2022, nearly double of previous year

Isuzu Malaysia
 ended 2022 with a record-breaking sales performance for the
Isuzu D-Max
, delivering
 9,211 units
 of the pick-up trucks across the year. That figure set a new record for the brand with an all-time high, eclipsing the previous record of 6,480 from 2016. But more incredibly, it was also just a few tens shy of doubling the total sales from 2021.
The company says that the performance was spurred by huge interest in the 1.9-litre variants, making up 79% of its total portfolio last year. Among those, 55% of them were sold in Peninsular Malaysia. The flagship X-Terrain variant also made inroads into the “premium lifestyle” pick-up truck segment, with 877 units delivered last year.
“Despite facing stock limitations from the factory, the third-generation Isuzu D-Max achieved extraordinary heights in terms of market penetration,” said Isuzu Malaysia CEO, Shunsuke Okazoe. “Thanks to its exceptional design and future-looking features, the latest generation Isuzu D-Max brings new levels of driving comfort and performance without losing any inherent Isuzu family traits. It is a true representation of a modern day pick-up truck.”
“Our focus for this year will be to ensure that our customer experience remains positive as we aim to reduce the delivery times and to enhance our network. I wish to thank all our customers for their support and patience and also our partners who have helped us rise to the top despite the challenges faced in the supply of vehicles,” added Chief Operating Officer, Kenkichi Sogo.
RELATED:
Isuzu Malaysia breaks own sales record with 1,233 new D-Max pick-ups sold in March
The Isuzu D-Max was most recently
updated last year
 with new creature comfort features for the range-topping X-Terrain 3.0 variant, including a 360-degree surround view monitor, as well as a wireless charging pad inside. Underneath the bonnet is a 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine, which delivers
190 hp
and
450 Nm
 to all four wheels via the 6-speed automatic gearbox.
The 1.9-litre model meanwhile last saw the addition of a new
Auto Plus 2WD variant
in 2019, which, as the name suggests, only comes with front-wheel drive. The 1.9-litre turbodiesel inline-four engine makes
150 hp
 and
350 Nm
, and is paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox.


Bosch launches ‘Drive for Life’ campaign advocating for safer cars and safer roads

Bosch Automotive Aftermarket Malaysia (Bosch AA) introduced a car and road safety campaign called ‘Drive for Life’ to raise awareness among drivers on the importance of regular vehicle maintenance and the usage of quality car parts.
Officiated by YB Anthony Loke,
Minister of Transport
 and YB Hannah Yeoh,
Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development
, the
three-year long campaign
 will be executed in three phases –
Educate
,
Engage
, and
Empower
.
“From our surveys done in 2018, more than 50 percent of Malaysian drivers lack knowledge in basic car maintenance and its impact on passenger, car and road safety. Through the ‘Drive for Life’ campaign, Bosch’s impart automotive expertise to equip drivers with
basic vehicle maintenance knowledge
when drivers encounter a car problem,” said Marcio Coelho, Director of Sales and Marketing Services of Bosch Automotive Aftermarket for Asia Pacific Southeast.
From the same surveys, 70 percent of car breakdowns are caused by battery malfunction, with less than 50 percent of drivers and only one percent of women knowing how to troubleshoot their car during a breakdown.
Some of the activities include a series of workshops on basic car maintenance, as well as enhancing the driving curriculum with practical tips for first-time drivers and empowering next generation mechanics. The campaign will also include a
#BoschEmpowersWomen
 segment as an initiative to engender the idea that car maintenance is for everyone to understand.
Collaborating with
Petron
, the campaign will kick off by providing drivers
free vehicle inspection services
 prior to their ‘balik kampung’ journeys. The inspection will involve a 25 point check on battery condition, engine oil and fluid levels, and tyre thread and brake pad thickness.
The free vehicle inspection services will be available on the third (
18-19 May
) and fourth (
25-26 May
) weekend in May at these Petron stations:
 1. Petron Sg Besi Toll Southbound
2. Petron MRR2 Safari
3. Petron MRR2 Selayang
4. Petron Kesas Eastbound
5. Petron Kesas Westbound


Toyota GAZOO Racing Vios Challenge Round 3 Race 2, drama & action ensues

The Third Round of the Toyota GAZOO Racing (TGR) Racing Festival Vios Challenge continued its Race 2 on Saturday following a
heated but rain-stricken Race 1
. Fortunately, the weather was on TGR’s side as all three classes were graced with clear blue skies of Medini City, Johor.
The 1.9 km seven turn street circuit had plenty of time dry out from yesterday’s rain which resulted in a more harmonious race. Although, there are still plenty of action to keep the strong crowd entertained.
Sporting Class
The cars lined up with the previous race winners leading the 17-car pack. Wong Chin Eeg (#5) from Hiewa Racing Team made a great start but pro go-karter Brendan Paul Anthony (#22) from Dream Chaser with his clear racing experience manage to make a clean pass on the inside going into Turn 1. Despite that, Wong maintained a narrow gap in hopes of reclaiming his lost position.
On Lap 11, Clement Yeo (#8) of Team Distinctive Model built up great momentum down the front straight going into Turn 1. Unfortunately, Clement ran out of brakes, pushing Shanmuganathan Arumugam’s car #69 into the water-filled barricades. The safety car was deployed and Turn 1 was put under a permanent yellow flag for the rest of the race.
With two laps to go, Patrick Tam (#13) of Team Nanoplus made a bold move in Turn 5 to pass Goh Eng Peng (#99) but made contact with Goh’s car. Patrick spun out and retired for the second time this weekend.
The race concluded with Brendan (#22) taking top spot (Total time: 30:01.751) and set a fastest lap time of 1:18.577. Wong (#5) followed in P2 with a 2.140 gap and Kenneth (#28) taking P3.
Promotional Class
Crowd favourite, Shawn Lee (#6) despite carrying 55 kg ballast, made a perfect start and pulled ahead from the group by a substantial margin before entering Turn 1. Shukri Yahaya (#24) was not going to let Shawn take all the limelight and closed in on the beatboxer by lap 2.
Janna Nick (#18) who was determined to score a podium finish made a brave charge on lap 3 but locked up her brakes going into Turn 1. The safety car was called out but returned into the pits two laps later.
Shukri who took advantage of the safety car drafting, made his move at Turn 1, overtaking Shawn in the process. While the duo is busy facing each other, Fattah Amin (#9) managed to close the gap on the pair.
Shawn was determined to strike back and made his counterattack on Lap 7 going into the hairpin. After a clean pass, Shawn was determined to widen his gap to secure his lead position. Unbeknownst to Fattah who was busy chasing down Shukri, Danny Koo (#23) was closing in on him to snatch the precious third position.
On Lap 9, Danny finally made his move on the hairpin, but Fattah defended his line well. On the fast Turn 2, Danny went wide into the wall, damaging his front suspension, which caused him to retire from the race.
Shawn Lee (Total Time: 31:07.540; Fastest Lap: 1:18.548) maintained his pace and earned himself a double win with Shukri Yahya and Fattah Amin repeating the podium positions from Race 1.
Super Sporting Class
The top six drivers from the previous race were reversed on the starting grid which saw Keifli Othman (#63) of Laser Motor Racing starting in pole with Tenku Djan (#12) of Team Nanoplus along side him.
The drivers all made a clean start but come Turn 1, Boy Wong (#21) of ST Wangan Racing managed to force Djan wide but the pro drifter managed to defend his position while Syafiq Ali (#7) of M7 Racing Team following closely in third position.
Drama ensued on Lap 8 when Mitchell Cheah (#11) of Dream Chaser lined Kenny Lee (#38) for a pass into Turn 1. Unfortunately, the pair made contact and Mitchell lost his front right tyre, costing him the rest of the race.
By lap 15, Djan was piloting a car with sketchy brakes, causing his car to wiggle under hard braking. Syafiq picked this up and pressured Djan to give up his position. On the final lap, the Prince of Drift pulled the greatest stunt in the history of the Vios Challenge to date – Djan who was anticipating an attempt at Turn 1, gave Syafiq an extremely wide opening whom took the bait and went on to take the inside line. Djan denied him the position by spectacularly swinging his car onto the inside, defending his P2 standing.
Syafiq did not want to give up and made another attempt at Turn 3 but unfortunately clipped the wall resulting in a puncture, allowing William Ho (#39) to pass, taking P3 in the process.
The race concluded with Keifli (#63) taking top spot with a Total Time of 28:49.135 at the end of the 22-lap race. Tengku Djan (#12) came in P2, 4.684 seconds behind the winning car and William Ho (#39) taking a safe P3.
It was thrilling weekend for the fans and drivers alike in the Round 3 of the TGR festival Vios Challenge. The season finale is set to take place in Kuala Lumpur in March so be sure to catch all your favourite drivers in the final Vios Challenge of the year.
IMAGE GALLERY


The upcoming 2022 BMW M2 could be offered with xDrive all-wheel drive

Aside from just
sharing the M3’s engine and braking system
, the upcoming next-generation BMW M2 could also be getting its elder brother’s xDrive all-wheel drive system, if a leaked technical document published on

Bimmerpost
 is anything to go by.
This is the first time we’ve heard about an all-wheel drive M2, as previous leaks and
 teasers from BMW
 have all fixated on the “traditional” rear-wheel drive layout, alongside its six-speed manual transmission as standard.
The internal service memo published on the
Bimerpost
 forum suggests that the all-wheel drive system on the upcoming BMW M2 xDrive will be borrowed directly from the larger
M3/M4 xDrive
, and will also come with the same drive modes selector to offer “outstanding traction” and “further improved driving dynamics” in varying conditions.
The document also states that the AWD system will accommodate a maximum transmissible torque of 1,300 Nm, which means don’t worry – there’s still plenty of headroom for you tuners to pile up the power output.
RELATED:
2022 BMW M3, M4 Competition now offered with M xDrive AWD in Malaysia – from RM798k
Performance figures have yet to be officially confirmed by BMW just yet, but the M2 will utilise the same 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged inline-six engine from the M3 and M4, rumoured to be detuned slightly down to
 around 450 hp
 to differentiate itself from the elder siblings. For context, the base BMW M4 makes 473 hp and 550 Nm.
The all-new 2022 BMW M2 is scheduled to make its official debut in October this year, although it’s not clear if the xDrive variant (if it even exists) will be unveiled at the same time, or only introduced at a later date.
ALSO READ:
Upcoming 2022 BMW M2 will get the M3’s engine and braking system
Would you be interested in an all-wheel drive BMW M2, or are you strictly in the “RWD or bust” camp? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below – but we’d appreciate if you please keep it civil.


Proton Exora given second life as EV Charge Go’s mobile EV charger

Gentari
 subsidiary EV Charge Go (EVCG) has tweeted a video on its
official Twitter page
 to promote its new mobile EV charger. Still going strong, the
Proton Exora
 has been given a second life and has been the chosen vehicle by the company as a prototype to house its charger unit.
The clean energy company has detailed the battery capacities its Exora prototype mobile EV charger is able to support, which includes cars with battery capacities of 30 kWh or 60 kWh. The Gentari subsidiary has not shared details regarding the charging speeds or charging packages it will be offering but has mentioned that it will be offering its charging services in 15-minute blocks.
In the company’s
video
 and previous tweets, a few types of connectors can be seen available on the Exora mobile EV charger. The connector on the most left and right can be identified as a DC CCS2 plug and an AC Type 2 plug. The round-shaped connector in between the two however is most likely to be a DC CHAdeMo plug.
The EV charger was seen tested on a couple of EVs. This includes the
Tesla Model 3
,
Porsche Taycan
, and the
Kia EV6
. This testing activity is the clean energy company’s 3-month pilot project, primarily aimed towards businesses for the moment, and can help power fleets during trade shows, exhibitions, or during customer engagement events such as test drives or track days. It is not opened to the public as of yet though.
RELATED:
Scoop: Proton Exora to cease production by end of 2023 – New MPV coming soon?
Previously,
BMW Group Malaysia
 also previewed its own Mobile Charging Vehicle prototype, together with EV Connection, at the previously held
Malaysia Autoshow 2023
. BMW Malaysia’s Mobile Charging Vehicle, just like EVCG’s, was also housed by an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicle, but in the form of a
Nissan
 Vanette.
The BMW Mobile Charging Vehicle was made of used batteries from BMW and MINI EVs, with about 70% of State of Health (SoH). It is capable of providing up to
30 kVA
 three-phase AC power on demand via its
20 kWh
 battery.
RELATED:
BMW Malaysia and EVC unveil Mobile Charging Vehicle concept, utilises used EV batteries
GALLERY


Mercedes-AMG S63 and S65 facelift debuts, bi-turbo V12, 630 hp & 1,000 Nm!

Shortly after the premier of the W222 S-Class facelift, Mercedes-AMG wasted no time turning it into a fire breathing, tyre shredding beast. Launched at the 2017 Shanghai Motor Show are the S63 and S65. Both models feature the latest technologies AMG has on offer, aggressive AMG styling and performance figures that of a supercar.
The biggest update done to the S63 is a new 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8, replacing the outgoing 5.5-litre bi-turbo V8 mill. Despite the smaller displacement, the new engine outputs 27 hp more than before, churning out
612 hp
 and
 900 Nm
 of torque. There’s AMG Cylinder Management (or cylinder deactivation technology) that deactivates up to four cylinders (cylinders 2, 3, 5 and 8) depending on load. This helps achieve a combined fuel consumption of
8.9 litres per 100 km
.
The V8 engine is paired to a new nine-speed AMG Speedshift Multi-Clutch Technology (MCT) with Race Start function. All left-hand drive versions of the S63 come with 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system as standard, while right-hand drives are only available with rear-wheel drive. With AWD, the S63 4MATIC+ is able to complete the century sprint in 3.5 seconds and top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h (300 km/h with AMG Driver’s Package).
The S65 soldiers on with the same 6.0-litre bi-turbo V12 that produces a whopping
630 hp
 and
1,000 Nm
 of torque. Power is sent to the rear-wheels via a seven-speed AMG Speedshift G-Tornic Plus transmission. Key performance figures are 4.3 seconds’ century sprint, whereas top speed is of course electronically limited to 250 km/h. The same AMG Driver’s Package can be had as well.

Tasked with stopping this monster of a car is a set of high-performance compound rotors, 390 mm x 36 mm at the front and 360 mm x 24 mm at the rear. For additional stopping power, drivers can opt for the bigger AMG carbon ceramic brake system that shaves off 20 percent of unsprung mass and measures 420 mm x 40 mm on the front axle and 360 mm x 32 mm on the rear axle.
Visually, the S63 and S65 gets a unique “jet wing” front bumper, large side air intakes and a 3D front splitter, all of which are functional parts to reduce lift and aid cooling. At the back, both get new rear bumpers, new diffuser inserts and redesigned dual tailpipes.

Inside, the AMG S-Classes get AMG sports seats with AMG embroidery, AMG badges, three-spoke Performance steering wheel with AMG metal inserts (available with perforated black leather). Unique to the AMG models is the AMG menu in the instrument cluster which displays engine and transmission oil temperature, lateral and longitudinal acceleration, engine output and torque, boost pressure, tyre temperatures and pressures as well as the current vehicle set-up.
Besides that, a range of optional equipment are available, including Night Package exterior pack, different wheel design, Carbon Package – among others. Will this come to Malaysia, though? We have a strong feeling it might…
IMAGE GALLERY
Mercedes-AMG S65

Mercedes-AMG S63


Harley-Davidson Street 750 launched in Malaysia, priced at RM62,888 [+Video]

Harley-Davidson, through its official importer NAZA Prestige Bikes Sdn Bhd, has launched the all-new
Street 750
 – the latest model to join the
Dark Custom lineup
. The
entry-level cruiser
 sits on Harley’s first
all-new platform
 in 15 years and is their first lightweight bike since the 1974 Sprint.
QUICK FACTS
Name
Harley-Davidson Street 750
Engine
749cc; liquid cooled, 60° SOHC V-Twin
Transmission
6-speed, belt drive
Max Power
56 hp @ 8,000 rpm
Max Torque
59 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
0 – 100km/h
5.2 seconds
Price
RM62,888
 with GST

As the name suggests, the Street 750 gets the
Revolution X
 engine – a liquid-cooled, single overhead cam V-twin motor that displaces 749cc. It produces
56 hp
 at 8,000 rpm and
59 Nm
 of torque at 4,000 rpm, propelling this
222 kg
 Harley from 0 to 100 km/h in
5.2 seconds
and through a
six-speed transmission
.

Harley-Davidson specifically said the Street 750 is a cruiser designed and developed to suit the younger pool of motorcycling enthusiasts. It’s suitable for riding in
urban environments
 and boasts
easy manoeuvrability
 and
quick acceleration
. The front tyre (
100/80 R17
; rear tyre
140/75 R15
) is noticeably slim; pair that to the wide handlebar and you’ll get a Harley-Davidson that will happily tango around city gridlocks.
A pair of matte black, seven-spoke cast aluminium wheels with machined rim highlights are fitted as standard, and both wheels get a 2-piston caliper. Fuel tank is 13.1 litres large, and on paper the bike consumes
5.74 litres
 per 100 km.

The blue Harleys you see here is also the Street 750, but it has been customised according to its new owner’s preference. Harley-Davidson Kuala Lumpur said the cruiser serves as a blank canvas for riders to customise to their heart’s content. This includes the paint job, wheel design, seating material – just about anything that has to do with looks.
The Street 750 carries a price tag of
RM62,888 including GST
, and it comes with a
two-year factory warranty
 and
three-year
 or
80,000 km extended warranty
 programme, whichever occurs first. It can be had in
three colours
– Vivid Black, Black Denim and Fire Red.
[divider]
IMAGE GALLERY


Could you guess which wagon Prince Harry used to own?

You would think the Royal Family would be chauffeured in an ultra-luxury British marque whenever they stepped their foot out of the door, but the Duke of Sussex enjoys being behind the wheel himself from time to time.
Prince Harry’s
old
 ride was a practical, stylish and packs some serious firepower we might add. Yes, his wagon of choice was a Daytona Grey 2017 Audi RS6 Avant which he has since listed it on the classifieds of
Auto Trader UK
 for £71,900 (RM383k).

The 560 hp RS6 Avant served Prince Harry for one year and was seen in action to transport his newly wedded wife, Meghan Markle in May 2017. The 4.0-litre biturbo V8 powered estate panoramic sunroof, Sports Exhaust, privacy glass and heated front and rear seats allow royals riding in the back to enjoy the same levels of comfort as the front.
Auto Trader’s Editorial Director, Erin Baker commented: “The car boasts a 17 reg and low mileage, so it begs the questions why is the Prince selling so soon? Maybe he’s on the market for a bigger family car.”
“Or maybe he’s after an electric car, having driven Meghan away after their wedding in an electric Jag?” he added.


84 years after the Nissan name began, they’ve produced 150 million vehicles

They may not be “too active” of late – with only their pick-ups being the more common sight on the road aside from their GTRs but Nissan has reach a new milestone many can’t even dream of boasting.
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. has, on a global scale, produced 150 million vehicles. It took the Yokohama-based manufacturer an arduous
73 years
 to hit the 100 million mark since Nissan’s humble beginnings in
 1933
 and in the last 11 years, built another 50 million.
When the 100 million milestone took place in 2006, 76.5% of the total were produced in Japan. The figures have been helped by locally-assembled vehicles in the last 11 years where
76.5% of the last 50 million
 have been produced outside of Japan – with U.S and China being the main contributors.
Here’s an
infographic
 of the Nissan’s long but fruitful road to this epic milestone.


Hyundai Kona to be launched in Malaysia by this year!

Hyundai Sime-Darby Motors (HDSM) has announced plans to launch the Hyundai Kona compact SUV in Q4 of 2020 where bookings can now be made at any Hyundai showroom beginning today.
The Kona, which was displayed at the
 2018 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show
, will be fully imported from Hyundai Motor Company’s Ulsan plant in South Korea. Since its global launch in 2017, Hyundai has sold over 600,000 units worldwide up to July 2020, excluding the EV and hybrid models.

Named after the Kona district on the Big Island of Hawaii, the Hyundai Kona should arrive here with a 1.6-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder with
177 hp
 and
265 Nm
, paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The Kona will go against the likes of the
Toyota C-HR
,
Honda HR-V
,
Mazda CX-3
.
Based on the estimated pricing of
“from RM115,XXX” announced the Hyundai Malaysia official site
, it’s safe to assume there’d be more than one variant. That would also make the Kona more expensive than the base model Honda HR-V at RM104k.
Pre-facelift
Facelift
In the local teaser video, it’s also safe to assume that the Kona will
arrive as a pre-facelift model.
The 2021 facelift model teased recently seems to come with a much sharper front end, with sleeker, more angular headlamps. It also comes with a completely different fog lamp design and housing compared to the pre-facelift model.
Among the items promised in the new Kona include a head-up display, wireless charging, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with the Hyundai Smart Sense driver assistance system.
If you place a booking now for the funky fresh Hyundai Kona at just
RM288
, Hyundai will even extend an invitation to the exclusive launch event in Malaysia.


The new 600LT Spider is McLaren’s newest 315 km/h hair dryer

McLaren’s Longtail philosophy is all about more power, less weight, optimised aerodynamics, track-focused dynamics and limited availability. They’ve now extended that philosophy with the fifth model to wear the “LT” badge with the new 600LT Spider, with a price tag of £201,500 (approx. RM1.06 million).
Utilising the same twin turbocharged 3.8-litre V8 engine found in
 its Coupe sibling
, along with a revised cooling and exhaust system, the 600LT Spider makes
600 hp
 and
620 Nm
 of torque.
From a standstill, the 600LT Spider will hit 100 km/h in just
2.9 seconds
, and that’s as quick as the
Ferrari 812 Superfast
 but the 600LT Spider loses out to the Prancing Horse to 200 km/h with an
8.4 second
 time.  Top speed with the
roof up is 324 km/h
, or 315 km/h when its three-piece roof is retracted.
Even with the additional structures, the 600LT Spider only bears a 50 kg weight penalty (at 1,297 kg) over its Coupe sibling, credit to the lightweight but incredibly strong carbon fibre MonoCell II chassis.
The roof can be retracted as speeds of
up to 40 km/h
 while an electrically-operated, glazed wind deflector can be activated independently to reduce buffeting, increase ventilation or if you simply feel like enjoying all the wonderful exhaust notes from the top-exit exhaust system.
Filling in the cockpit are items such as the lightweight Alcantara and carbon fibre racing seats from the McLaren P1, with an option for the super lightweight carbon fibre racing seats found in the McLaren Senna.
McLaren will even allow you to remove the audio and climate control systems as an option, in case you feel the weight saving initiatives aren’t extreme enough.
McLaren Automotive revived the legendary Longtail name in 2015 when they launched the 675LT Coupé. Subsequently McLaren introduced the 675LT Spider where all 500 units made were sold out within two weeks.
IMAGE GALLERY


Xiaomi goes F1 with Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1-inspired scooter!

In case you haven’t heard, the
Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1
 team is the first team in F1 history to
win seven constructors championships in a row
. When the Formula 1 season resumes, you’d probably see Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas zipping around the pitlane in one of these!
It’s called the
Xiaomi Pro 2
 Scooter
“Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 edition”
 and if you dare, it’ll hit a top speed of 25 km/h! Rest assured there’ll be plenty of stopping power as the Pro 2 scooter also comes with disc brakes and E-ABS (regenerative anti-lock braking system)!
Its Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) has been upgraded where kinetic energy generated from braking and non-powered coasting can be converted to electric power to increase the range of the scooter.
The 14 kg Xiaomi scooter also comes with alternate “drive modes” such as Pedestrian mode where top speed is limited to 5 km/h and 20km/h in the standard “D mode”.
It’s powered by a brushless DC motor with 600W of power, paired with 12,400 mAh lithium-ion batteries where a full charge takes eight to nine hours. Best part is, you can ride this to work if you have to; as it offers up to 45 km of “scooting range”!
That’s not all; the F1-inspired Xiaomi scooter also comes with a multifunctional dashboard with eight different displays – speed, speed mode, power, lock status, among others.
The Xiaomi Pro 2 electric scooter “Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Edition” is priced at 799 Euros
(approx. RM3,900)
while the standard Pro 2 electric scooter goes for 499 Euros (approx. RM2,400).
GALLERY


Audi SQ8 has more torque than the Lamborghini Urus

When Audi previewed the
Audi A8 Sport Concept
 back in 2017, we know that Audi will give their flagship SUV the S treatment. However, instead of the concept’s 3.0-litre V6 turbo petrol, a 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 TDI rests under the hood the Audi SQ8.
Audi’s latest wave of S models are diesel powered, from the
S4
 to the
SQ5
, citing better performance and emissions from the oil burner. The SQ8 packs the most powerful diesel engine on the European market, delivering
435 hp
 and a mammoth
900 Nm
 of torque – that’s more than the
Lamborghini Urus
 super SUV.
With maximum torque available from 1,250 to 3,250 rpm, the SQ8 can sprint from nought to 100 km/h in just
4.8 seconds
 onwards to an electronically limited top speed of
 250 km/h
. There is also a 48V mild-hybrid system which further reduces fuel consumption by up to 0.5 litres per 100 km through the coasting function which decouples the engine completely when possible.
Keeping power in check
are the 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission, active sport differential,
all-wheel steering, adaptive air suspension sport and active roll stabilisation.
Audi didn’t have to do too much to the exterior because the
Q8
 is an athletic-looking SUV to begin with. New items include the revised Singleframe grille with more prominent vertical slats, sharper front apron, restyled rear diffuser with quad exhaust outlets and 22-inch alloy wheels.
IMAGE GALLERY
Audi SQ8 V8 TDI Unveiled


Mazda CX-3 is Thailand Car of the Year 2016!

The
Mazda CX-3
 took the market by storm when it was first introduced to the world, thanks to its sharp Kodo: Soul of Motion design language and premium interior that gave it the edge over its closest rivals.
Last year, the CX-3 was crowned as the Crossover of the Year at the
ASEAN Car of the Year Awards 2016
. Now, Mazda’s crossover can add another title to its belt – Thailand Car of the Year 2016. The CX-3 was launched in the Land of Smiles back in November 2015 as a locally assembled unit and immediately became the top pick among the judges. The judging panel comprised of over 40 automotive journalists.
Mazda is currently exhibiting the updated CX-3 with G-Vectoring Control for the first time at the 38th Bangkok International Motor Show. Find out
what we think of the Mazda CX-3
 and how it stacks up against
the mighty Honda HR-V
. Congratulations again, Mazda!


Buy a MINI this Ramadan and win Duit Raya and a Samsung Galaxy S8!

From 2 to 4 June (Friday to Sunday), Auto Bavaria MINI will be opening its doors to observe the holy month of Ramadan. To celebrate the special month, MINI Glenmarie invites the public to join them for a Moroccan-style ‘Buka Puasa’ and Sundown test drive on 3 June (Saturday), 7pm.
MINI Glenmarie is also organising a charity drive to raise donation for Rumah Amal Cahaya Tengku Ampuan Rahimah (RACTAR), an orphanage home in Subang Jaya. Guests and visitors can donate items to support this campaign at MINI Glenmarie.
In addition, customers who purchase a new MINI during this festive month will stand a chance to win additional ‘duit raya’ and a Samsung Galaxy S8. For a limited time only, the first-generation MINI Countryman JCW Design Edition (not to be confused with the recently launched
second-gen MINI Countryman
) can be yours for
RM205,888
(RM37k savings) only and comes with 5-Years unlimited mileage warranty and free scheduled service package.


Review: Mercedes-Benz CLA 200, the sultry yet elegant damsel

The C-Class is no longer the smallest sedan in the Mercedes family. With the new W205-series C-Class  growing bigger and more luxurious (not yet launched in Malaysia as per time of writing), the smallest sedan spot is now vacated. This is where the CLA-Class comes in to fill the void. I may be breaking the taboo by calling the CLA a sedan, since Mercedes-Benz insists that the CLA should be classified as a
four-door coupe
.
Watch our video car reviews here
QUICK FACTS
Name
Mercedes-Benz CLA 200

Segment
C-Segment 4-door Coupe
Engine
1,595cc 4-Cylinder, Turbocharged
Transmission
7G-DCT dual clutch auto
Max Power
156 hp @ 5300 rpm
Max Torque
250 Nm @ 1250-4000 rpm
Price
RM235,888
Watch our video car reviews here
Sharing the
MFA
 (Modular Front Architecture) platform which underpins the W246 B-Class, W176 A-Class, and the upcoming X156 GLA-Class crossover, this C117 CLA-Class is also
front-wheel driven
. The MFA platform can also accommodate a 4WD drivetrain (which can be seen on the A 45 AMG &
CLA 45 AMG
 models available here), and is set to spawn even more variants in the future. These new generation Benzes are targeting the younger demographic to inject more youthfulness into the brand.
EXTERIOR

To say the CLA is the booted version of the A-Class is not entirely true. Believe it or not, almost all of the body panels on the CLA are not shared with the A-Class hatchback sibling. From dead-front view it may look like an A-Class but anoraks will be more than glad to point to you that they’re not the same. Perhaps the easiest way to tell them apart from the front is that the CLA has two bulging ridges on its bonnet. No doubt it’s an attractive shape, and to this writer’s eyes the three-box shape with extended rear end makes the CLA better proportioned than the A-Class.
The CLA 200 offered here in Malaysia comes
completely built up
 from Hungary and only comes in a single variant with
Night Package
. The Night Package includes the
18 inch
 5-twin-spoke alloy wheels, black side mirror caps, and all the chrome bits such as the 230 pins (count ’em) in the diamond grille and the side window surrounding trims have been blacked out for an understated look. You can have the CLA 200 in Cirrus white, Jupiter red, Polar silver, Cosmos black, Northern lights violet, or Mountain grey metallic as seen here on our test car W1683V.

Viewed from the side you can see clearly why Mercedes wants you to call it a coupe. The shallow
frameless side windows
 is a nod to the bigger CLS which further emphasises its coupe ambitions. Mercedes-Benz’s new design language stresses on their new trademark “
dropping line
” from the front fenders towards the rear of the car which can also be seen on the flagship
W222 S-Class
 limousine.
The back of the car is arguably the most interesting, with the complex mix of convex and concave surfaces. The sculpted flowing lines on the CLA are not just for show, with a
Cd value of 0.23
 this car is even more slippery than a Toyota Prius. If you happen to see a parked CLA, do pause for a few minutes and try to absorb all the details to appreciate the overall design, I know I did.

INTERIOR

The interior is faultlessly classy even though some of the plastics are hard to the touch they have a nice texture to prevent it from looking cheap. This particular unit is trimmed in delicious-sounding
 almond beige
, but buyers can also choose from the not-so-classy-sounding
 alpaca grey
 or a more serious black trim. From the driver’s seat with both your hands on the steering wheel, almost everything is within your fingertips.
Buttons on the steering wheel controls the multifunction display located in the middle of the instrument panel, as well as
Voice Control System
 and telephony. Behind the steering wheel there’s a pair of shift paddles, and on the steering column not only you will find the indicator/wiper stalk and cruise control/speed limiter stalk, but also the gearlever; or what Mercedes refers to as
DIRECT SELECT
 lever. It may be a bit awkward for some to get acquainted with the steering-mounted lever but once you get used to it, the  DIRECT SELECT lever feels just as natural to operate.

The dashboard design is not new as it is shared across the MFA platform siblings which first appeared on the W246 B-Class back in 2011. One thing that bothers me is the main
5.8 inch
 audio/COMAND display. Not only that it looks like an afterthought, the screen itself is in low resolution, and the surrounding bezel is annoyingly too thick. To control the menu on the screen there’s a controller on the center console, but weirdly enough the audio control is separated and located way up north on the dashboard.

The electrically-adjusted memory front seats look good and feel good, wrapped in man-made
ARTICO leather
 they also provide enough side support during cornering. Same cannot be said to the rear seats, it looks good but they are just barely seats. If you were to be a passenger in the CLA, I suggest you call dibs on riding shotgun if you don’t want to suffer the lack of headroom at the back on long journeys. Legroom surprisingly is not a big problem but the rear perch is short on thigh support. Although the rear bench comes with three seatbelts, leave the middle seat to the little ones or better still to leave it empty.
In terms of practicality you get
ISOFIX
 mounts at the back, four cupholders (two front, two at the back),
three 12v power outlets
 (one front, one back, another one in the boot), storage space under the front armrest, additional storage bin in place of the gear lever in the center console (literally a bin, you can pop it out when you need to empty the bin), overhead sunglass compartment, stowage compartment under the front seats,
60/40 split-folding rear seats
, and
470 litres
 of space in the boot. You will also get the normal front airbags, with additional knee airbags, side airbags front and rear, and curtain airbags as part of the safety features.

You get what you pay with the quality materials that adorn the interior, everything else feels solid and tactile. Worth noting that it’s best to experience the interior at night, only then you will appreciate fine touches with the ambient lighting that lit up the cabin to create such a warm and inviting ambiance.

PERFORMANCE

Don’t be confused with Mercedes’s current naming convention. Gone were the simpler days where a ‘200’ badge on the bootlid means 2.0 litres until one day Mercedes decides that ‘200’ can still mean 2.0 litres but ‘200’ could also mean there’s a 1.6 litre engine under the bonnet. Confused yet? This CLA 200 is powered by a
1.6 litre turbo
 four that dishes out
156hp
 and
250Nm
 of torque via the
7G-DCT dual clutch gearbox
. No you won’t shred the tyres with this powerplant, for that you need the CLA 45 AMG but let’s reserve that story for another day shall we?
This turbocharged 1.6 litre powerplant is not about hurrying up your drive to your trendy neighbourhood cafe for your caffeine fix but the engine sufficient enough to get the car going when the need arises.
Nought to hundred km/h
 can be achieved in
8.6 seconds
 and keep your right foot planted you should top at
230 km/h
 but I don’t see the point why would you need to drive the CLA 200 that fast. Power delivery is laggy at the lower rev range not only when in the default E mode, but even on S or M mode as well.
THE DRIVE

Each time you twist the key to start the car (sorry, no fancy push start button here), the CLA 200 will default itself to E (Economy) mode with
ECO start-stop
 function turned on. With this mode, you’re supposed to get the best mileage per tank of fuel. The throttle response is gentle to inspire you to drive smoothly and the 7-speed DCT will swap cogs for you seamlessly. Manoeuvering it is easy when the CLA is equipped with
front and rear sensors
, and it helps that it comes with
reversing camera
 as the view out back is pretty limited. There’s
PARKTRONIC
 as well to aid you with parking tasks. The front sensors also give out warning signal if you’re approaching the car in front too fast and too close but sometimes the sensors on W1683V tend to bleep out loud when there’s nothing around. Not sure whether it was just a glitch or does the sensors really detect something that’s invisible to the naked eyes. Either way I had goosebumps whenever that happens.
Those who expect the CLA 200 to ride soft are in for a surprise. On the potholed-stricken roads of KL the ride is on the hard side but not too brittle to make you feel uncomfortable. As with most new cars nowadays you can blame it on those big rims wrapped in low-profiled tyres, even more when the tyres are of the run-flat variety as per equipped on this CLA 200. Just be sure to thread the roads carefully when driving in town.
Once you finally break free from the traffic you can play around with the remaining two driving modes S (Sport), and M (Manual) via the
drive program button
 on the center console. Put the car in either of these two modes and you will instantly feel the difference in throttle response, but it does not mean you are traveling that much quicker than in E mode. In S it will hold on to a gear longer until further up the rev range and in M the gear changing duties are left to your own self. One thing that bothers me is that when in S and leave the gearbox on its own, occasionally the gearbox is quite hesitant to shift up when the rev needle is already hitting the redline. But should you work your fingers with the
 shift paddles
 yourself in M, the shifts are instant and more satisfying.
With the 156 horses and 250Nm of torque under the bonnet the 1.6 turbo is adequately rapid when you need it to be. Although you still need to plan your move when it comes to overtaking slower vehicles on the road because as mentioned earlier, the turbo lag is still evident on lower revs. Use the CLA 200 to tackle the B-roads and it will entertain you with fine handling and good steering feedback. Shame that with all the cabin refinement and sound insulation, the sporty engine soundtrack is still audible to the ears but it won’t stir your emotion. Proof to this is when you pop open the bonnet and give it a few revs, you can hear the missing sweet sound of turbo spooling that you don’t get to hear when you’re sitting comfortably in the driver’s seat.
The 1.6 turbo can be economical especially when you leave it on the default E mode with ECO turned on but during my stint with mixed driving (mostly spirited driving in M mode) I managed a miserly 12.0l/100km. If driven sedately you should be able to get near to the claimed fuel consumption of
5.5l/100km
. Traveling down the highway at 100km/h the engine revs lazily at 2,000 rpm with the only noticeable noise comes from the tyres and wind around the A pillars. Overall the CLA 200 is not a fast car and it never intended to be one in the first place. As a daily drive it should serve you well with its typical Mercedes refinement.
IS IT FOR YOU?

If you’re looking for something speedy, this CLA 200 is not what you’re looking for. The CLA 200 is for people who revel in style and grace from the sexy four-door coupe silhouette and not about being a hooligan behind the wheel. The price is pretty steep for a car with a 1.6 litre mill under the bonnet. That’s RM37,000 premium over  the similarly-powered A 200 sibling and just RM3,000 shy from the more potent A 250 with 2.0 litre turbo generating 211hp. That shouldn’t be a problem if you want to make a statement with the CLA and its presence will definitely help to make everyone notice you.
COMPARISONS

Currently there’s no direct rival for the CLA 200 here in Malaysia. The Audi A3 sedan is rumoured to be launched within this year, but for now the nearest rivals are the
BMW 316i
 and the
Volkswagen CC 1.8
. You won’t draw as much attention as the CLA if you pick the BMW, but you will get more space and supposedly more driving enjoyment from the rear wheel drive platform with just enough power from the turbocharged 1.6 litre powerplant. It’s practical to boot as well but you won’t be able to stand out from the crowd in the 316i when there are already plenty of F30 3-Series roaming the roads nowadays.
Volkswagen CC is another 4-door coupe but it’s bigger than the CLA in almost every aspect, well maybe except the grille size. The style have just been updated from the recent facelift so you will get a good few more years out of it. You get more space but just as much poke as the CLA 200, and due to the heavier weight penalty the fuel consumption is not as good compared to the CLA.
Mercedes Benz CLA 200

BMW 316i

Volkswagen CC 1.8 TSI Comfortline

ENGINE
Type
4-cylinder direct injection petrol, turbocharged
4-cylinder direct injection petrol, turbocharged
4-cylinder direct injection petrol, turbocharged
Displacement
cc
1595
1598
1798
Max Power
hp/rpm
156/5300
136/4350
160/5000-6200
Max Torque
Nm/rpm
250/1250-4000
220/1350
250/1500-4200
STEERING
Type
Electrical power-assisted
Electrical power-assisted
Electrical power-assisted
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission
7G-DCT dual clutch
8-speed Automatic
7-speed DSG
SUSPENSION
Type
Spring strut & transverse link / Control arm & trailing arm
MacPherson strut / Multilink
MacPherson strut / Multilink
BRAKES
Front
Ventilated disc
Ventilated disc
Ventilated disc
Rear
Solid disc
Solid disc
Solid disc
TYRE & WHEELS
Tyres
235/45 R18
225/50 R17
235/45 R17
Wheels
Alloy
Alloy
Alloy
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHTS
Overall Length
mm
4630
4624
4802
Overall Width
mm
1777
1811
1855
Overall Height
mm
1432
1429
1421
Wheelbase
mm
2699
2810
2710
Max Kerb weight
kg
1430
1480
1521
Luggage Capacity (VDA)
L
470
480
532
FUEL
Tank Capacity
50
60
70
Consumption
5.5L/100km
5.9L/100km
7.2L/100km
PERFORMANCE
Max Speed
km/h
230
210
223
0 – 100km/h
sec
8.5
9.2
8.5
PRICE
RM
235,888.00
209,800.00
228,888.00
WILL I BUY IT?

I can’t help but to crave for a bit more power in the CLA. If the 2.0 litre CLA 250 is available here I reckon that should be the better car overall and that would be pricier as well. Nevertheless I don’t mind driving the CLA 200 for its combination of style and prestige rolled into a svelte package, it’s pretty darn difficult to resist the CLA 200. I’ll have mine in Jupiter red with almond beige interior, please.
Watch our video car reviews here
[divider]
IMAGE GALLERY


New Mercedes-AMG GT63 Hybrid S E Performance is the brand’s first hybrid!

Ahead of next week’s IAA Munich Mobility motor show 2021, Mercedes-AMG has launched the AMG GT 63 S E Performance plug-in hybrid after their first
teaser
 last week. While the name is incredibly long, it did not adopt the much-rumoured ‘73e’ moniker.
Mercedes-AMG will be using the ‘E Performance’ label for their new range of electrified models, a name that first appeared on their 2021 W12 Formula 1 racer as well as on the
Project One
 F1-derived hypercar.
On the exterior, the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance maintains the looks of the regular GT 63 S variant, down to the front fascia, side skirts and exhaust tips. There were no design changes to the
six-cylinder variants
 in the 2021 update, so nothing is changed here too.
The E Performance model-specific badges however are limited to the fender emblems paired with a new chrome finishing on the decorative trim. The rear ’GT 63 S’ emblem is highlighted in red, which is difficult to see in these images thanks to the Jupiter Red paintwork. Similar to other mainstream plug-in hybrid Mercedes-Benz models such as the
C350e
 and
E350e
, the charging port is located at the right corner of the rear bumper.
Even with an increase in horsepower and torque, the GT 63 S E Performance continues to ride on 21-inch wheels and standard fitted AMG ceramic high-performance composite brake system, measuring a massive 420 mm at the front and 380 mm in diameter at the rear.
The layout of the electrified components in the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance is perhaps a world’s-first for plug-in hybrids, with the electric motor positioned transversely inside the rear axle. Called the Electric Drive Unit (EDU), the compact rear axle also integrates an electrically shifted two-speed gearbox plus limited-slip differential (LSD).
The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine sees no changes to its output and performance curve of
639 hp
and
900 Nm
 of torque that first premiered in the GT 63 S variant in 2018. Maintained is also the AMG Speedshift MCT 9G automatic transmission with a multi-clutch system and 4Matic+ fully-variable all-wheel drive traction with Drift Mode.
Peak output of the electric motor is
204 hp
, and combined with the V8 engine, the system output is a massive
843 hp
 and up to
1,470 Nm
 of torque. Mercedes-AMG quotes
2.9 seconds
 to hit 100 km/h from standstill, with 200 km/h reached in under 10 seconds. Compared to the regular
GT 63 S
 variant, the additional electric power shaves just 0.3 seconds off the century sprint time. The top speed maintains at 316 km/h.
Much of the technological breakthrough lies in the battery pack placed on top of the rear axle. The AMG High-Performance Battery (HPB) is a lithium-ion battery pack in cylindrical format that has a lot of development work with the all-conquering Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team.
The compact HPB pack has a capacity of 6.1 kWh with 70 kW (95 hp) of continuous output and a 150 kW (204 hp) of peak output for 10 seconds. It only weighs 89 kg, which is half of what a regular uncooled battery pack of the same energy content weighs. Fully charged and driven as gently as possible, the emission-free range is a measly 12 kilometres and up to speeds of 130 km/h.
The HPB in the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance is designed for fast power delivery, thus it gets a new dedicated direct cooling system with modules that are millimetres thin. Around 14 litres of coolant circulate around the battery pack to keep it within the optimum operating window of 45 degrees Celsius.
A comprehensive AMG Dynamic Select driving mode is thus calibrated and programmed for the new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance, with six configured modes (plus one Individual) ranging from electric-only to a balanced mode to full-on Race mode. To keep owners happy and passengers entertained, the sonorous and powerful start-up sound typical of AMG is emitted via the cabin loudspeakers when starting in electric-only Comfort drive mode.
Drivers can also alter the electric regeneration strength, from Off to Level 3 which allows for “one-pedal” driving as the regeneration power is as high as 100 kW. In Race mode, regeneration is at its lowest to allow for consistent dynamics and vehicle behaviour.
GALLERY


The Mitsubishi Airtrek makes a return in China – full EV with 520 km range

After bringing back the
Eclipse
 nameplate, Mitsubishi has done it again, this time with the revival of the Airtrek. The company launched the new mid-sized fully-electric SUV at the ongoing Auto Guangzhou 2021 in China, after
teasing
 the model in June.
The new Mitsubishi Airtrek joins the tiny line-up of just four other models in China comprising only SUVs. Back in 2012, Mitsubishi Motors Corp and GAC Group formed a joint venture to create the GAC Mitsubishi Motors Corp (GMMC), offering the ASX, Eclipse Cross, Outlander and Pajero Sport models.
The launch of GMMC’s first all-new model also showcased the new design language of Mitsubishi, with a very expressive dynamic shield design incorporating the T-shaped headlamp and taillamp cluster design, as seen on the recently introduced
facelifted Xpander
. The new Mitsubishi Airtrek also gets electric pop-out door handles.
Inside, the Airtrek sees a horizontally-themed instrument panel that offers a broad field of vision. To create a high-class feel, soft padding is introduced on touchpoints and stitches are used in every detail. With its long wheelbase and broad overall width, the Airtrek also offers spacious interior room for the whole family to ride in comfort.
Mitsubishi interiors are now one of the best, given Wards Auto Award as well as Good Design awards! More here!
Thanks to a well-sized 70 kWh battery pack that is placed beneath the floor, the Airtrek has a driving range of up to
520 km
 based on local test cycles.
The company did not divulge the details of the powertrain, but local auto news portals suspect a front-mounted drive unit with
184 hp and 350 Nm
 outputs inherited from the Aion V, a product from GAC Group. Mitsubishi promises the Airtrek will excite drivers with nimble handling and smooth acceleration from the electric platform.
Yes, after the return of the Airtrek name, expect to see Ralliart too! Details here.
The new Mitsubishi Airtrek will be available for sale in China from spring 2022, with a price tag starting from CNY210,000 (approx. RM137k), surpassing the ageing Outlander.
GALLERY


Peugeot Malaysia sponsors 298 cars for KL 2017 Games – 408, 508 and Traveller

Nasim Sdn Bhd, the official distributor for Peugeot vehicles in Malaysia has just been named the Platinum Sponsor after handing over a fleet of approximately 298 cars for use during the Kuala Lumpur 2017 Games.
The fleet is comprised of the
408
,
508
 and
Traveller
 models, some of which will be used as a canvas for the
rakyat
to show our athletes some support by penning down their messages. The cars will then go on a nationwide tour and be parked at specific locations, after which will be displayed to the athletes.
Naza and Peugeot Malaysia are also offering 100 free tickets for 50 lucky winners to catch the opening ceremony live at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on 19 August. In order to be in the running, all you have to do is take a picture with the pledge car, write a caption and include #PeugeotMalaysia, #DrivingChampions and #NazaCorp before uploading it to social media.
The KL 2017 Games will be held from 19 to 30 August, followed by the ASEAN Para Games from 17 to 23 September.


Toyota GR86 officially launched in Japan, priced from approx. RM111k, audio not included

Toyota in its home market has finally launched the all-new GR86 coupe with a simple two variant line-up and offered in both automatic and manual transmission.
Prices for the ZN8 Toyota GR86 manual transmission begins from
JPY3.036 million
 (approx. RM111k) for the SZ and
JPY3.349 million
 (approx. RM122.4k) for the more beautiful RZ variant that is used in catalogues and communication.
The redesigned 86 logo for the Japanese market
The six-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel shift paddles and Sport drive mode meanwhile requires buyers to top-up an additional JPY163,000 and is available in both variants. The AT models also add Subaru’s Eyesight ADAS suite that includes Pre-crash braking, lane departure alert and adaptive cruise control.
HKS and Greddy got special access to the GR86 and BRZ development. Here’s what they created!
Opting for the SZ variant and saving JPY313,000 sees the Toyota GR86 being equipped with smaller 17-inch wheels, non-adaptive headlamps, fabric sport seats together with an unwrapped meter hood, regular non-metallic foot pedals and door sill plates, pre-wired 6-speaker audio setup and reduced ambient lighting.
Standard features are high in both variants, inclusive of the limited-slip differential, full coloured 7-inch driver’s instrument cluster,
GR start-stop button
, Track drive mode, Active Sound Control (fake engine noise), dual-zone automatic air-conditioning, Bi-LED headlamps and LED tail lamps with signature lighting and sans factory-fitted infotainment system.
What about the other partner, Subaru? They also offer the same two-variant and two-transmission line-up, with the entry-level
BRZ 2.4
 R MT priced slightly higher at JPY3.08 million, but better-equipped BRZ 2.4 S MT is cheaper than the Toyota GR86 RZ at JPY3.267 million.
The prices of the new generation Toyota GR86 are higher than the outgoing model, which had its prices starting from JPY2.623 million for the facelifted
2017 Toyota 86 2.0 G
 MT. A Toyota GR86 RC 6MT variant continues to be offered for drivers who plan to compete in the GR86-BRZ Cup. This basic variant comes with 16-inch “steelies”, two speakers, and exhaust tips without decorative finishers.
Both the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ comes fitted with a new 2.4-litre boxer engine producing outputs of
235 hp
 at 7,000 rpm and
250 Nm
 of torque at 3,700 rpm with spreads much better across the engine operating range. The sprint from 0 to 100 km/h is completed in just
6.3 seconds
.
GR Parts are also available for the new Toyota GR86. Take a look at the massive catalogue here!
The joint project is expected to only serve an average of just 1,200 enthusiasts a month, domestically, with Toyota taking 700 units of the production located in Subaru’s Gunma plant. It is however good to note that Toyota sees the interest of an additional 200 units per month compared to the older ZN6 86 model.
Thanks to the huge fan base and interest in the vehicles, both Toyota and Subaru will be having a mega gathering in November called ‘Fuji 86 Style with BRZ’ where visitors are encouraged to test drive and
compare both products
 back-to-back to experience the differences.
Enthusiasts will however only get to drive their new cars from December, just in time for Christmas.
Here is a Toyota GR86 photo appreciation album. Enjoy it!
GALLERY
Toyota GR86 – Japan


All-new Audi Q2 premiers in Geneva, but its looks isn’t for everyone

Audi has unveiled the fourth member of the expanding ‘Q’ family with the Audi Q2, and carries a slightly different design template that is said to appeal more towards the younger demographic.
We won’t be going to speak too much on the design (we’ll let you be the judge), but we certainly hope that the Q2 will look better in the flesh than just seeing it off these official pictures. Although we have to mention about the angular concave on the shoulder line and that
contrasting C pillar blades
; they do give the car some character.

Yet another product being spun off the MQB platform, at
4.19 metres long
,
1.79 metres wide
,
1.51 metres tall
and a wheelbase of
2.60 metres
, the Q2 is roughly the same size as the
Honda HR-V
, but it will definitely not be in the same price range as the popular Japanese crossover.
It’s packed with tech inside with some toys borrowed from the bigger siblings, namely the stunning
Audi virtual cockpit
,
adaptive cruise control
 with Stop & Go function,
lane-keeping assistant
 and
lane departure warning
 system. Most of them are optional items, but the
MMI screen
 with rotary controller on the center console is standard on all Q2. Spec up to
MMI navigation plus
 with
MMI touch
 and Audi will add in all else but the navigation system and touchpad controller.

For added convenience, a
powered tailgate
 can be specified that opens to a
405-litres
 worth of cargo space. This of course can be expanded to 1,050 litres with the back seats folded down (60:40 split). Multi-split folding rear seat backrest with cargo-through loading is optional, though.
Further
customisations
 are available to spruce up the Q2 (assuming that it caters to the “younger demographic”), allowing buyers to go crazy on the colours, trims and wheel designs that range from 17 to 19 inches in diameter. We predict that a carbon C pillar blades are somewhere in that long options list, but we could be wrong.
The Q2 range starts with a 114 hp
1.0-litre three-cylinder TFSI
 petrol, and a couple of
four-cylinder TFSI
 petrol displacing
1.4 litres
 and
2.0 litres
 producing 148 hp and 190 hp respectively. Two
four-cylinder diesel
 engines are also available; one is a
1.6-litre
 diesel with 114 hp, another is a
2.0-litre
 with two different state of tunes, 148 hp and 190 hp.
Depending on the engine, the Q2 drives the front wheels by default with
quattro all-wheel drive
 available on certain models. Transmission choices are a
six-speed manual
, or the
seven-speed S-tronic dual clutch
 gearbox.

Audi will open the order books in July for the UK market, and first deliveries will commence in November, so the soonest we can expect the Q2 to arrive here in Malaysia is in 2017. That is, if the Q2 makes its way here. So what do you think? Does the Q2 appeal to you?
IMAGE GALLERY


Lexus and Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week (KLFW) returns, more than just cars

Lexus Malaysia returns as the official sponsor of this year’s Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week (KLFW) after beginning their partnership in 2019.
The annual event, lasting five days, brings together fashion collections from Malaysian designers with buyers, the press and the general public.
In reaffirming Lexus’s continued commitment to supporting Malaysia’s fashion industry, Deputy Chairman of Lexus Malaysia, Akio Takeyama said, “Events in the previous year have made it abundantly clear how central the human connection is to excellence in design, be that in automotive technology or fashion. As a leading luxury brand that creates amazing experiences through empathy, a keen eye for detail and superior craftsmanship, Lexus is proud to once again partner this prestigious event in showcasing innovative and captivating designs.”
Guests to the KLFW 2021 will also be pampered with Lexus’ signature hospitality as they are chauffeur driven in models such as
the ES
, the RX and perhaps even the latest
Lexus LM
.
To celebrate the event with greater visual impact, Lexus will be showcasing the
Lexus UX
 and the
Lexus LC 500 Convertible
 in Pavilion KL from November 3rd to 7th.
Apart from gorgeous looks and an exquisite cabin, the Lexus LC 500 Convertible also sings the sportiest exhaust roar! Enjoy it here as GC shows who’s the boss in our Drag Series.
Mr. Andrew Tan, founder of the KLFW, with the Lexus UX 200
In addition to that, Lexus is also presenting for the first time the Kuala Lumpur Fashion Awards in conjunction with KLFW. With award categories including Brand of the Year, Outstanding Achievement, Fashion Icon of the Year and Most Sustainable Brand, the event will honour 30 Malaysian designers in an evening of glamour, style and excellence.
“Creative expression is integral to our identity as humans and Lexus has always shared a synergy with the world of arts and design,” said President, Lexus Malaysia, Ravindran K. “In the vein of our very own Lexus Design Award, the KL Fashion Awards will not only recognise the resilience and innovation displayed by these fashion designers in the previous year, but also serve as a platform to highlight undiscovered talents.”
The Lexus UX 200 is currently the most accessible product into the Lexus Experience. Find out more about the amazing interior and drive in our review here.
Regular news, information and updates on the Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2021 can be found on
Lexus Malaysia
 Facebook page, the KLFW
Facebook
 page as well as
Instagram
 page.
GALLERY


Hyundai Veloster 1.6L Turbo now open for booking, price starts from RM150k with GST

There’s a new hot hatch in town, and adding to the growing pool of turbocharged 1.6-litre pocket rocket is the Hyundai Veloster Turbo facelift. Hyundai Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) is quick to bring this one in, considering that the facelifted model was just launched in its native country sometime in January.
QUICK FACTS
Name
2015 Hyundai Veloster Turbo
Engine
1,591cc; Gamma T-GDi petrol
Transmission
7-speed dual clutch transmission
Max Power
184 hp @ 5,500 rpm
Max Torque
265 Nm @ 1,500 to 4,500 rpm
0 – 100 km/h; Top Speed
Under 8 seconds; 220 km/h
Price (OTR
without
 insurance)
from RM150,000
 (including GST)

Staged to make its official debut here in mid-April 2015, HSDM has already started taking orders for this fully imported (from Korea) hot hatch and thrown in a ballpark figure for those interested. Get this, it will cost
upwards of RM150k
 with GST but without insurance. This means the Veloster Turbo is costlier than most rivals, some of which are more distinguished hatches built on a history of racing credentials.
Offered here in one configuration only, the Veloster comes with the brand’s
turbocharged 1.6-litre T-GDi
 (petrol, direct injected) engine that produces
184 hp
 at 5,500 rpm and
265 Nm
 of torque from 1,500 to 4,500 rpm. That’s
2 horsepower
 and
25 Nm
 of torque more than the Fiesta ST, all of which is sent to the
front wheels
 via a new in-house developed
seven-speed dual clutch transmission
. The other two cars in this segment to come with a DCT are the Renault Clio RS (6-speed) and the Volkswagen Polo GTI (7-speed).
Engine aside, the Veloster Turbo sits on 18-inch wheels and rides on a firmer set of suspension to accommodate the sportier drive. Its front fascia gets tweaked a little, sporting a new grille and rounded fog lamps. The front bumper is also redesigned, complemented with a lip to go with the sporty stance. Over the back, the Veloster Turbo gets a pair of centralised exhaust tips and sportier bumper.
The Veloster Turbo takes the fight to the venerable Ford Fiesta ST, Renault Clio RS, Volkswagen Polo GTI and Peugeot 208 GTI. Hyundai will also be offering the Veloster Turbo in a limited edition Matte Grey colour, and like other Hyundai models, it will come with a
five-year or 300,000km warranty
 programme. The launch is just around the corner now, so stay tuned for the latest updates!
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All-new Lexus LX 600 raises the bar for luxury SUVs!

Here it is, the all-new Lexus LX 600, the brand’s flagship large SUV. Similar in many ways to the recently unveiled
Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series
, the big Lexus (and
Infiniti
) that is more commonly seen in the Gulf Countries and the US, continues to place rough-road performance as its key characteristic.
Built on a new ladder-frame chassis called the Lexus GA-F platform that is 20% more rigid and 200 kg lighter, the all-new Lexus LX, now in its fourth generation, continues to be fitted with robust hardware designed for unpaved roads. While it occupies the same price level (and size) as the
Mercedes-Benz GLS
,
BMW X7
 and Range Rover, the all-new Lexus LX features a very traditional non-independent four-link axle-type suspension with rear lateral control arms that is inherited from the previous model.
Plenty of work has been done to the suspension system which now features a new lighter Active Height Control system. Ride height is adjusted via gas, hydraulic and metal springs which now also includes a rear fitted spring rate switching device. A new electric power steering (EPS) replacing the old hydraulic unit is also designed to deliver better driving sensation across all conditions.
The suspension automatically adjusts to Hi1, Hi2 and Normal heights while in motion as well as adapting and stabilising the vehicle during pitching and rolling. As expected, the suspension control program adjusts its parameters and response according to the Multi-Terrain Select drive mode and AWD mode. With so many parameters on the chassis, Lexus has decided to offer up to 19.3 inches of screen space to visualise all the driving information.
A wide-format 12.3-inch touchscreen is fitted at the edge of the dashboard, showing the usual infotainment, camera and navigation content. Directly below it is a 7-inch high-resolution screen showing the setting from the Multi-Terrain Select and Active Height Control chassis systems plus many more.
Lexus says although it’s a frame-based SUV that retains its predecessor’s traditional off-road driving performance and vehicle stability, the all-new LX offers a high level of vehicle control, along with supreme on-road ride comfort. The wheelbase is also unchanged at 2,850 mm, which Lexus says it’s an optimum value for comfort, space as well as clearing ground obstacles.
For customers in Japan who require even more off-road performance (and image), a new OFFROAD variant is being introduced, featuring three differential locks, 18-inch wheels with suitable tyres and dark highlights on the exterior. It sure sounds very similar to the treatment on the
Toyota Land Cruiser GR Sport
 variant.
Like the all-new Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series, the all-new Lexus LX 600 is powered by a downsized turbocharged engine. Now with just six cylinders and displacing 3.5 litres, the petrol engine delivers
415 hp
,
650 Nm
 and channelled to a new 10-speed automatic transmission. Full-time four-wheel drive ensures sure-footedness and maximum traction in regions where snow, mud and sand are regular occurrences.
The all-new Lexus LX 600 will also move to higher comfort levels, offering a variant called Ultra Luxury or Executive depending on markets. Unlike the traditional seven-seat layout, Ultra Luxury will only accommodate four, with the second row having large captain seats, although not as opulent as the
Lexus LM 350
.
Similar to the Lexus LS limousine, the rear passenger diagonal of the driver will benefit the most in the Ultra Luxury package, featuring a maximum leg space of 1,000 mm and even a footrest thanks to the extended recline of the front passenger seat.
The two rear seats are also shaped with neutral body posture and feature concave headrests, seatbacks and cushions that gently wrap around the head, hips and lower. The Mark Levinson branded audio also pumps out clearest and best staged soundtracks via a 25-speaker setup, the most of any Lexus model.
For the North American market, there is also an F Sport variant, featuring dark-coloured 22-inch wheels, perhaps the largest full-height mesh-pattern spindle grille, badges, and sportier tuning of the chassis network plus a rear differential with LSD.
No prices have been announced with the US and Japan scheduling delivery of the new Lexus LX 600 from the first quarter of 2022. Lexus Malaysia sold the outgoing
2020 LX 570
 for RM1.226 million.
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Honda Malaysia expands dealership network with new 3S centre in Cheras

Honda Malaysia has officiated the opening of the latest Honda 3S Centre in Cheras, by MJN Motors for added convenience and access to customers in the Cheras, Kajang, Seri Kembangan and the adjacent areas.
MJN Motors has invested a total of RM6 million into the 11,000 square foot 3S centre that boasts a total of 12 bays – 7 Service Bays, 3 General Repair Bays and 2 Tyre Service Bays – that can accommodate up to 30 cars per day.
Also offered in the premises are amenities like
a Customer Lounge, an Executive Lounge, a Kids Corner, a Cafe Counter and even a Surau. Additional services such as Road Tax renewals,
Insurance coverage and courtesy car are made available at MJN Motors Honda 3S Centre.
To make an appointment or to find out more about the services and facilities, customers can contact MJN Motors Sdn Bhd (Honda 3S Centre) at 03-9081 6088 (Sales and Service) or visit them at Lot 58274, Jalan Sayang 1, Taman Rasa Sayang, 43200, Cheras, Selangor or log on to www.honda.com.my for more information.
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