New RM130 million BMW Regional Parts Distribution Centre opens in Senai

BMW Group Malaysia officially opened the doors to their new Regional Parts Distribution Centre (PDC) in Senai, Johor. With an investment of over RM130 million, the 775,000 sq ft facility will support the after sales operations of 23 countries (listed below).
The logistics warehouse sits in the Free Industrial Zone (5 minutes’ drive from Senai International Airport) and is home to an inventory comprised of after sales parts, components and lifestyle merchandises for BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad. To date, the Group has engaged 55 local service providers with an annual contract value in excess of RM25 million.
But how does the PDC benefit BMW customers? Well, you can expect better availability and faster lead times in after sales support. Distribution is motorised through land, air and sea, benefiting no less than 23 countries:
Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
South Korea
Australia
New Zealand
Indonesia
Taiwan
Hong Kong
Macau
Philippines
Brunei
Laos
Cambodia
Myanmar
Vietnam
Bangladesh
Mongolia
Sri Lanka
Tahiti
New Caledonia
Fiji
Guam
CEO of Malaysian Investment Development Authority, Dato’ Azman Mahmud said, “This new Regional Parts Distribution Centre is very timely in capturing the growing market opportunities in the region, especially with the existing free trade agreements and the upcoming Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. We are extremely proud that BMW has recognised Johor to be a strategic location to meet its burgeoning regional demands.”
The new centre was completed in December 2016 and is expected to create 120 new job opportunities.
IMAGE GALLERY


Proton opens third 3S outlet in Kota Kinabalu

Proton has just expanded their dealership network in East Malaysia, as the third 3S centre in Kota Kinabalu run by Shirba Auto is now in operation.
Carrying Proton’s new corporate image, the new facility with a built-up area of
2,259 square meters
 will offer
12 service bays
 with
6 service hoists
, a comfortable
 customer lounge with free Wi-Fi
, as well as
ample parking space
 for customers’ convenience.
Proton’s ongoing effort to upgrade its existing outlets and expanding their dealership network has been progressing steadily. The company currently has
104 3S and 4S centres nationwide
, making them the brand with the most number of outlets to offer sales and services under one roof.
East Malaysia is a key market for Proton, as the brand saw a growth of
31% year-to-date
 with the
 Proton Saga
 leading its popularity in the region. In Sabah alone, sales growth was 39% compared to the same period last year.
The new Proton 3S is located at
KM 18, Jalan Tuaran, Tebobon Menggatal, 88450 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
. The showroom will be open from
8.30 am to 5.30 pm
 on Monday to Saturday, and
8.30 am to 4.30 pm
 on Sunday. Operating hours for the service centre are
8.30 am to 5.30 pm
 on Monday to Friday,
8.30 am to 1 pm
 on Saturday, while the service centre will be closed on Sunday.


Convertibles might actually be safer than “regular” cars

It’s easy to assume that convertibles – be it soft top or hard top – are naturally more dangerous than their “normal” counterparts, as occupants are more exposed to the elements. However, a new study published by the United States’ Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found through statistical data that topless cars are just as safe – if not, maybe even a little safer – than their non-convertible counterparts.
Using historical data between 2014 to 2018 from the country’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the non-profit organisation found that
both crash rates and driver death rates were lower for convertibles
 than the nonconvertible versions of the same cars.
Ferrari F8 Spider
.
Specifically, convertibles were involved in 6% fewer police-reported crashes per miles travelled than their conventional counterparts. Driver death rates were also found to be 11% lower. All car models featured in the study were no more than five year-old.
Although, as you might expect from the lack of a top physical barrier, 21% of convertible drivers killed in crashes were ejected from their vehicles, compared to 17% on non-convertibles. In rollover crashes, the likelihood of ejection was found to be 43%, versus 35% for their conventional counterparts.
Porsche 911 Speedster
.
Statistically speaking, these differences are not enough to claim that convertibles are actually safer, but Eric Teoh, IIHS director of statistical service and author of the paper, said that “they do indicate there’s
no statistical basis for concerns that the lack of a permanent roof makes them more dangerous
“.
Of course, there are definitely more than one reason behind the lower crash and death rates. One of which, IIHS hypothesises, is due to the fact that convertibles are mostly driven for leisure purposes, where the better driving conditions and rate of usage could potentially affect crash rates and thus perceived safety.
Despite the limitations of the study, Teoh was confident that they made the best statistical considerations and can confidently conclude that convertibles do not pose a higher safety risk than their non-convertible counterparts.
The
 Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0
.
Convertibles have come a long way in terms of safety; most modern convertibles – such as the recently-launched
Porsche 911 Speedster
 and
Ferrari F8 Spider
 – all feature specific safety considerations such as reinforced A pillars, to pop-up rollover protection behind the passengers.
So if you’re still on the fence about buying a convertible due to the safety concerns, There is no need to worry. Just like “normal cars”, Teoh recommends potential owners to judge their safety performance through their crash test ratings.


Does the Hyundai Kona N deserve celebration or is it “yet another performance SUV”?

If there’s one thing that we shouldn’t complain about, it’s the introduction of more performance cars. But with the recent influx of new Hyundai N models, the brand’s line-up of performance cars just seems to be getting to a point of over-saturation – in the same vein of
BMW’s M division
 and
Mercedes-Benz’s AMG
.
Hyundai today officially began teasing the Kona N, the Korean carmaker’s first all-out performance-oriented SUV, bringing the total number of models within the N family up to five – including the
i30 N
 (and i30 Fastback N),
i20 N
, Veloster N, and the Elantra N which has just recently been teased.
While Hyundai is still keeping mum on the performance figures of the upcoming Kona N, the company did reveal that it will be powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine under the bonnet. The four-banger will most likely match the output figures of the i30 N, which makes
275 hp
 and
353 Nm
 of torque.
Hyundai only mentions an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission in the teaser, though we expect that a performance six-speed manual gearbox will also be made available, as is with the other N models. Of course, all the other N performance equipment should also make its way here, including the “N Corner Carving Differential” electric limited-slip differential, and Hyundai’s cheekily-named N Grin Control System.
In terms of looks, the upcoming Hyundai Kona N will be based on the facelift model launched last year, but donned with a much more aggressive exterior kit than even the N-Line trim that’s currently available. As with other N models, expect to see red accents on the exterior bodywork, alongside larger wheels and a completely revamped exhaust system – massive split exits as seen on the teaser images.
“We’re excited to expand the recipe for success we’ve developed with the i30 N and, most recently, with the i20 N to one of our most popular SUVs on the market today: Kona,” says Hyundai Motor Europe Vice President of Marketing & Product, Andreas-Christoph Hofmann. “The addition of Kona to the N family will bring our high-performance brand to the next level.”
More details on the Hyundai Kona N will be shared in the coming weeks.
GALLERY


Honda Civic FC & NSX in the running for 2017 Golden Steering Wheel Award

Here’s another selling point for Honda sales representatives  around the world to add to the Honda Civic (
as if the car is not enticing enough
), it is in the running for the 2017 Golden Steering Wheel awards in Germany.
Now entering its 42
nd
 year, the Golden Steering Wheel awards is organised by Germany’s Auto Bild magazine that recognises the best new cars of the year and Honda’s two most successful models – the
tenth-generation Civic FC hatchback
 and
all-new NSX
 are in the running for the top spot in the Small car and Sports Car categories, respectively.

Globally, the Civic FC is recognised as Canadian Car of the Year, Kelley Blue Book’s Best Buy of the Year while the high-performance
Civic Type-R
 is What Car? Magazine’s Most Anticipated Car Launch of the Year and Auto Express’s Best Hot Hatch of the Year.
The NSX on the other hand, has claimed the
2017 International Best New Engine of the Year
, Road & Track’s Performance Car of the Year and Business Insider’s Overall Car of the Year awards under its belt.
David Hodgetts, managing director of Honda UK, commented: “We are delighted that Auto Express has recognised both the Civic and NSX by shortlisting them for this year’s awards. The two contenders have already made a big impact in their relative sectors by winning multiple awards; a win for Honda would be a fantastic achievement at the Golden Steering Awards. We are incredibly keen to win and are asking all Honda fans and customers to get voting!”
Fans and public alike can head over to
Golden Steering Wheel’s voting page
 to pick your favourite and most deserving car(s). The finalist will be judged by a European panel of experts to determine each category and overall winner.


New vs Old: 2014 Mazda3 2.0 SkyActiv & 2009 Mazda3 2.0 Sport compared

We took the new Mazda3 to meet its predecessor that was introduced here locally in 2009. Similar to the newer Soul Red Metallic car we have here, this particular Crystal White Pearl Mazda3 example came from the first batch of CBU models imported from Japan.
Read full review on the 2014 Mazda3 2.0 SkyActiv Sedan
The previous generation Mazda3 was offered with three engine choices for the Malaysian market, a 1.6 litre 4-cylinder producing 103hp and 144Nm of torque, a 2.0 litre 4-cylinder with
145hp
 and
182Nm
 of torque, and the range-topping MPS powered by the fiery 2.3 litre 4-cylinder turbo flexing out 255hp and 380Nm of torque. The new Mazda3 currently only comes in a single guise, which is the 2.0 litre 4-cylinder SkyActiv producing
162hp
 and
210Nm
 of torque but 1.5 litre 4 cylinder with 99 hp and 150 Nm will be eventually introduced later to the Malaysian market. In all fairness, both cars featured here are the 2.0 litre model.
The styling have been subtly evolved, where you can still recognise the familiar pointy motifs used throughout the whole car. Noticeably the smiley grille is now narrower and moved up a bit to incorporate the Mazda logo on the nose. Overall the design have been updated with a more complex surfacing and criss-crossing lines used on the new car. A dash of chrome bits here and there adds a more premium feel to the new car as well. The dimension is not altered much, the new car is slightly wider and lower, and gains a 60mm worth of wheelbase but the bootspace is now down to 408 litres from 430 litres on the previous car.

The new Mazda3 is equipped with technology to deliver better performance for lesser fuel used. To achieve that, the new 2.0 litre SkyActiv G powerplant under the bonnet is helped by the ingenious i-ELOOP system that stores wasted kinetic energy generated when the vehicle is decelerating and reuse them back to power the vehicle’s electrical devices. On top of that, the i-stop system shuts down the engine when the car comes to a complete halt to save more fuel from being wasted. There’s also a new six speed gearbox replacing the five speed automatic transmission on the previous car. The new car’s claimed fuel economy is just 6.5l/100km where the old car will only manage 10.0l/100km.
Read full review on the 2014 Mazda3 2.0 SkyActiv Sedan
While the new Mazda3 wins on the tech front, equipment-wise it loses out to the the old car. In the white car, you get goodies like cruise control, auto headlamps and wipers, dual-zone climate control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, and interior ambient light to name a few. While the new car is missing those equipment, it gains a sunroof and a keyless entry. Both cars have the same amount of six airbags plus ABS as their safety equipment.
The driving dynamics is more polished in the new Mazda3, in a sense you feel the ride is more supple with the suspension is more sorted to iron out road surface irregularities. The white car has clocked more than 92,000km (and counting) on the odometer but still rides admirably, so this also proofs that Mazda builds solid cars. In the end, even though the power increase over the old car is not that significant (145hp @ 6500rpm, 182Nm @4500rpm versus 162hp @ 6000rpm, 210Nm @ 4000rpm), the SkyActiv engine with i-ELOOP technology and an extra gear ratio should lower the fuel consumption so you could enjoy more miles per tank.
Side-by-Side Comparison
2009 Mazda3 Sport 2.0

2014 Mazda3 2.0 SkyActiv

ENGINE
Type
4-cylinder direct injection petrol
4-cylinder direct injection petrol
Displacement
cc
1999
1998
Max Power
hp/rpm
145/6500
162/6000
Max Torque
Nm/rpm
182/4500
210/4000
STEERING
Type
Electrical power-assisted
Electrical power-assisted
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission
5-speed activematic
6-speed SkyActiv Drive
SUSPENSION
Type
MacPherson struts / Multilink
MacPherson struts / Multilink
BRAKES
Front
Ventilated disc
Ventilated disc
Rear
Solid disc
Solid disc
TYRE & WHEELS
Tyres
215/45 R17
215/45 R18
Wheels
Alloy
Alloy
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHTS
Overall Length
mm
4580
4585
Overall Width
mm
1755
1795
Overall Height
mm
1470
1450
Wheelbase
mm
2640
2700
Max Kerb weight
kg
1300
1220
Luggage Capacity (VDA)
L
430
408
FUEL
Tank Capacity
55
51
Consumption
10.0L/100km
6.5L/100km
PERFORMANCE
Max Speed
km/h
200
210
0 – 100km/h
sec
10.6
8.8
PRICE
RM
131,537.90
139,950.80
Read full review on the 2014 Mazda3 2.0 SkyActiv Sedan
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VIDEO GALLERY
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IMAGE GALLERY


McLaren F1’s Monaco GP one-off Gulf Oil livery looks absolutely gorgeous!

The historic Monaco Grand Prix is Formula 1’s most glamorous event each year, and to mark the occasion, drivers often wear a specially-designed one-off helmet for the weekend. Although this year’s Monaco GP will – once again – not feature its usual star-studded guest list, McLaren F1 is still determined to make it just as memorable by running the iconic Gulf Oil livery on its car – and my oh my, does it look absolutely stunning.
While the British team’s association with Gulf dates back to the days of team founder Bruce McLaren in the late 1960s, McLaren has only ever run the iconic blue and orange livery once, on the
 McLaren F1 GTR
back in 1997.
The petroleum company came back on board as a strategic partner last July, but the Gulf branding only went as far as a logo on the engine cover, wing mirrors, and the drivers’ race suits. Through the collective voices of fans like us online, McLaren and Gulf finally decided to give the fans the livery they’ve always wanted – too bad it’ll only be a one-off.
McLaren Racing boss Zak Brown said: “This will be McLaren’s homage to Gulf’s celebrated race car design. We’re enormous fans of brave and bold design, and the striking Gulf blue is among the most loved liveries in racing, a celebrated piece of culture which transcends the world of motorsport.
“Design has always been important to McLaren – you see this in everything we do from our return to papaya to our stunning headquarters, the
McLaren Technology Centre
. We’re excited to exhibit this as a team and celebrate our proud association with Gulf in Monaco.”
In addition to the livery, the iconic Gulf colours will also be featured on Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo’s race suits, the race team kit, and all of McLaren’s social media communications.
Lando and Daniel will also wear race helmets with bespoke retro designs, specifically created for the event, both of which to be raffled for the team’s mental health charity partner, Mind, after the race.
“It’s beautiful,” Norris commented on the livery. “I think everyone can agree it will be the best-looking car on the grid by a very long way. It’s awesome, it’s a cool opportunity for both of us, and especially at Monaco, so I think it brings it all together, it’s pretty unique.”
Ricciardo added: “Of course I love it. It’s cool. I didn’t need another reason to get excited about Monaco, so I’ve got to control myself and save some energy for next week. Awesome. As long as you look good, that’s the first box you’ve got to tick, and we’re certainly doing that, so I’m really excited.”
While the Gulf liveried McLaren MCL35M will only be featured for one race weekend, you can at least keep a piece of it for quite a bit longer, as the team will also be releasing a range of limited-edition Gulf merchandises on its own official merchandise store, linked
here
.
The McLaren cars in Gulf Oil livery will take to the track for the first time on Thursday, thanks to the Monaco GP’s unique schedule. Let’s pray that it doesn’t suffer the same fate as the retro liveried Mercedes in the 2019 German Grand Prix – fingers crossed.
GALLERY


Datsun GO live – a new exciting concept designed for young Indonesians

All we get here are Almera’s with some Nismo badging but young Indonesians get a car whose design is catered to their customising way of life. What?!
The Datsun GO live, based on the popular Datsun GO is an exciting new concept created specificially for young Indonesians who see car customisation as a way of life. It recently made its debut in at the GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show.
Datsun’s Executive Design Director, Kei Kyu said, “If the GO live could be summed up in a single word, it would be ‘freestyle’. The car reflects the fun, expressive and liberating attitude that Indonesian car enthusiasts have toward their vehicles. In short, it’s meant to be fun, upbeat and cool.”
Looking at the limited images available, the signal of intent is clear – to woo the younger more vibrant Indonesian demographic. That said, its funny how the
promotional video of a car catered to a young Indonesians
, do not actually feature an Indonesian in it.
The Datsun GO live’s camouflage-style paint scheme with bright yellow accents is a reflection of the colours and patterns found on many of today’s latest trends – whether its shoes, clothes or accessories.
The tall and sleek compact 5-door hatchback features a large, bold hexagonal grille with slim, canted headlights. Its bulding fender flares, an inspiration from Datsun’s design heritage offers a wider, more muscular stance.
The rear sits higher up, giving the impression that the GO live is constantly moving forward. Yes, that’s what was reported – we just convey then. The rear end is highlighted with large square taillights, a flamboyant roof-mounted wing and a thick rear bumper – because who doesn’t like a thick rear end?
Complementing its elevated stance, the GO live comes with 17-inch wheels with yellow spokes to match the body. Kyu said, he handpicked the wheel and tyre combination with large profiles to represent the diverse nature of the GO live.
Kyu stated that the GO live isn’t intended to just appear sporty, sitting low and extra wide on the ground because it’s too predictable. He emphasised that the car is for anyone who loves to spend the weekends actively – whether on long drives or to the mall.
The latter doesn’t only apply to young Indonesians.


Cycle & Carriage Bintang to offer Study Grant – up to RM5,000 annually

To mark its 120th anniversary this year, Cycle and Carriage Bintang Berhad has launched the Cycle & Carriage Study Grant to support the technical and vocational education of youth pursuing a career in automotive.
It is said that by 2020, Malaysia will see an increase in demand for an additional 1.3 million Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) workers.
The Cycle & Carriage Study Grant is open to Malaysians aged 16 years and above
who are currently enrolled in or have secured a placement in an automotive course
 within a skills training institution accredited by the Department for Skill Development (DSD) of the Ministry of Human Resources or Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE).
The grant seeks to aid those from families with a monthly household income of RM3,000 and below. Each year five (5) candidates will be selected as recipients of the Cycle & Carriage Study Grant and they will each
receive up to RM5,000 annual bursary
 for a maximum of three years of studies.
The application process, which is conducted from March to April, will be followed by an interview with the Cycle & Carriage selection committee in May.
Candidates will also require a minimum credit in English and Mathematics either at the Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3) or Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) or Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM) level.
Grant recipients will also be offered paid internship opportunities within the Cycle & Carriage network for greater exposure to actual working environments, learning directly from qualified and experienced technicians.
Interested applicants can apply for the Cycle & Carriage Study Grant
here
.


World’s first public trial of self-driving taxis happened in Singapore!

Step aside Lyft, Uber and Grab. nuTonomy is here to send you to the history books.
nuTonomy
, Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) R&D partner in the development of self-driving car service has just launch a public trial of an autonomous vehicle taxi.
nuTonomy is the leading software developer for self-driving cars based in the U.S, and the company claims that this trial is a world’s first.
Last week, members of the public in Singapore had the opportunity to experience the autonomous vehicle taxi service through invitation. Invited residents are able to request for a ride via nuTonomy’s ride-hailing app at no cost. Either a Renault Zoe or a Mitsubishi i-MiEV will ferry the passengers within Singapore’s one-north business district where the trial is conducted. Check out what some of the first few lucky passenger has to say
here
!
This exercise is geared to collect data on software system performance, vehicle routing efficiency, vehicle booking process, and the overall passenger experience. To give the passengers a greater sense of security and collect onboard data, a nuTonomy engineer will be riding alongside them. With these data, nuTonomy will be able to refine their software to prepare for a widely-available commercial robo-taxi service for the Singapore market by 2018.
As a first in the world for a trial of its kind, nuTonomy are excited for the opportunity to collect first hand feedback from riders in a real-world setting. This gives nuTonomy a unique advantage in developing a fleet of self-driving cars.
Self-driving vehicles may seem to take out the fun in driving, but to be honest, what fun is there to commute in KL city congestion? nuTonomy is making urban driving a less stressful, more comfortable and most importantly, safer affair. Maybe we can learn a thing or two from the strategies the Lion City is taking to revolutionise our daily commute.
IMAGE GALLERY


Review: W213 Mercedes-Benz E 250 Avantgarde, the executive’s pacifier

These days you could get a Mercedes-Benz in any shape and size, be it a
small hatchback
 or a
16-foot long SUV
, but their core product is inarguably the limousine range. And within that range, there’s the E-Class – the go-to vehicle for successful men (and women) as a portrayal of their flourishing career and good taste.
It’s a proven recipe, the three-pointed star bears the heritage of producing fine carriages, and the positioning of the E-Class between the decadent
S-Class
 and the youthful
C-Class
 hits just about the right spot in terms of size and price. Now in its
fifth generation
 (codenamed W213), it was already named the
2017 UK Car of the Year
,
Best Executive Car, and New Company Car of the Year
, but are those awards enough to capture the hearts of Malaysian businessmen and doctors alike?
QUICK FACTS
Name
Mercedes-Benz E 250 Avantgarde

Engine
1,991cc; turbocharged inline-four
Transmission
9G-Tronic, 9-speed automatic
Max Power
211 hp @ 5,500 rpm
Max Torque
350 Nm @ 1,200 rpm
Price (OTR without insurance)
RM420,888
Launched here
 in June 2016, the entire Malaysian W213 E-Class range is powered by the same
2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
 with varying states of tune. You could get an E 200 Avantgarde at just below the RM400k mark, but our test car here, the
E 250 Avantgarde
, retails at
RM421k
. Another five grand bags you the E 250 Exclusive, while at the top end sits the E 300 AMG Line at RM459k. They’re all fully imported at the moment, but soon they will be assembled locally at the company’s
Pekan plant
.
EXTERIOR
There used to be a time when you can easily tell an E-Class from miles away, particularly the front with its quad-eyed face. But now the spotting game just got harder because the designers have streamlined the design on every new model for a more coherent look throughout the entire family.

Although perhaps the E-Class now looks too similar to its siblings. If you’re buying one, we advise you to keep the badge on the boot lid because without it, you might get a confused look from your friends at the country club – great if they thought you just bought an
S-Class
, but maybe not so when your friends mistook your ride for a
C-Class
 instead.
You might end up having to explain to your friends that, unlike the C-Class, the
LED headlights
 on the E-Class feature two DRL strakes on each side, and the
stardust reflectors
 in the taillights are unique to the E-Class. To put it simply, this could have been avoided if the E-Class had a more distinct styling feature.

Regardless, the W213 is a much sleeker car than the W212 it replaces. From some angle there’s a hint of the original W219 CLS in it, lending it a bit of a “boulevard cruiser” look especially when fitted with these shiny 5-spoke
19-inch alloys
. In this Avantgarde trim, the E-Class wears the sportier grille, but those who prefer the traditional grille have to top up another RM5k for the
Exclusive
 trim, which also brings a different set of 19-inch rims. Personally I think the E-Class looks best in Exclusive trim. It inspires just the right amount of old-school charm without looking too elderly.
INTERIOR
Open the door and immediately your eyes will be drawn towards the flat horizontal panel on the dashboard. What appears to be a single piece item actually houses
two separate 12.3-inch full HD screens
 side-by-side; the right screen serves as a digital instrument cluster, and the left one is used for the COMAND infotainment system.

You need to refrain yourself from poking the screens because they won’t respond to your touch, but there’s a
 controller
 in the centre console that combines a
clickable rotary dial
 and a
touchpad
 for you to scribble on. Alternatively, you could slide your thumb on the
world’s first steering-mounted touch controllers
. They work brilliantly, although at times you might accidentally trigger them while your hands are busy shuffling the steering wheel.
Both screens are fully configurable with loads of options provided to suit any type of driver. It covers most things from
360 degree camera
, analogue clock and dials to web browser, power meter, and navigation map. Furthermore, you are given a selection of
64
 available colours for the LED ambient lighting. Warm orange makes you sleepy? Try bright fuchsia or lime green instead, that ought to keep your eyes peeled for hours.
Our test car’s interior is finished in a swanky black and brown colour combo, accentuated by a rather peculiar black ash wood inlays as fitted on the
GLC 250 4Matic
 we tested awhile ago. But one thing’s for sure, the build quality is hard to fault. Even though hard and shiny plastic can be found at the nether region of the cabin, they still feel robust, while the switches and toggles operate with reassuring solidity that they would last for decades.

It’s a nice place to be in (as long as you don’t go bonkers with the ambient lighting and turn it into a night club on wheels) and the rear accommodation is fit for most bosses. There’s plenty of leg room and head room for the two outer seats’ occupants to stretch, although the middle seat passenger’s leg room is slightly restricted by the sizeable transmission tunnel.
Sitting in the back, there’s nothing to fiddle with except for the aircond controls, although the
panoramic glass roof
 does provide a lovely view out. If you want some privacy in the back seats, you can roll out the shades for the roof, side windows, and the rear screen, but don’t get too excited because the seat backs won’t recline. However, they do split 40:20:40 and fold down flat. Behind it, the
540 litre trunk
 should be able to hold a couple of golf bags and some additional luggage without any issue.
PERFORMANCE
It’s the familiar M274
turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder
 that we’ve seen in various other Mercedes, and in this E 250 it generates
211 hp
 and
350 Nm
 of torque. For comparison, the same engine in the E 200 delivers 184 hp and 300 Nm, and in the E 300 it produces 245 hp and 370 Nm. A 9G-Tronic
nine-speed automatic
 is on duty to send power to the rear wheels, enabling the E 250 to do the century sprint in 6.9 seconds. The E 250 will go on to a top speed of 250 km/h, while returning an average fuel consumption of 6.2 l/100 km.
THE DRIVE
Debuted with state-of-the-art semi autonomous driving tech, the W213 E-Class could practically drive itself and potentially put your driver’s job in jeopardy. What’s more, you can use your smartphone as a remote to manoeuvre the car into a parking spot, and you don’t even have to be in it while doing so.
Sounds awesome right? Unfortunately those features are optional, and they’re not fitted on this E 250. So don’t expect some fancy autopilot tech to take over the wheel as you’re traveling at 110 km/h so you could reply that email from the driver’s seat.
However, you can bank on the new E-Class to deliver first-class ride, because it won’t disappoint you. The way the E 250 deals with rough roads is admirable, even on the standard steel springs and these 19-inch wheels wrapped in low profile rubbers the E-Class never gets flustered. Instead, it maintains its composure, ironing out craggy roads like it was never there.
Around town the E 250 is surprisingly nippy for its size with tight turning circle making you feel like you’re driving a C-Class. Parking shouldn’t be a problem too, there are sensors and
surround view camera
 to aid you, or just leave the task to the
Park Assist
, it can manoeuvre you into that tight spot by steering the car for you.
As a car that’s geared towards comfort, the handling is safe and tidy with plenty of grip, but it feels a little too big for gung-ho driving on twisty backroads even though the steering is pretty keen. Besides, the auto ‘box doesn’t like to be rushed either. It takes a while to react to your input from the steering-mounted paddles, and the delay between shifts can be rather off-putting for the more spirited drivers out there.
Driven sedately as it should, the E 250 is in its element on the long highways. The smooth ride, together with the combination of the punchy turbo four and the languid nine-speed ‘box makes long distance cruising quite satisfying. While there’s perceptible tyre roar and wind noise at times, I’m merely nit-picking on an otherwise comfortable cruiser.
SO, IS THIS CAR FOR YOU?
If you cover big miles mostly being driven, the base E 200 should be able to transport you to your destination leisurely, although we reckon you should settle for at least the E 250 for that little bit of extra grunt when the need arises. The W213 is also a great alternative if you can’t quite stretch your budget for an S-Class, or simply because you don’t need the bigger brother’s extra girth. Better still, wait for the CKD version if you’re not in a rush, that should slash a few grand off the current asking price. If you prefer to drive your own, the E-Class is all right, but perhaps you should check out the new
BMW G30 5 Series
, just to be sure.
WOULD I BUY IT?
I didn’t like the E-Class initially, but I’ve been looking at it the wrong way. The E 250 is not a car that would entertain your juvenile shenanigans. Instead, it encourages you to loosen up your anxious mind after putting a hard day’s work with its laid back nature to mollycoddle you back into a relaxed state once you reach home. Alas it’s not something that I would personally spend my money on, but as company car, I’ll have mine in Exclusive trim.
IMAGE GALLERY

 2016 Mercedes-Benz E 250 Avantgarde Review in Malaysia – AutoBuzz.my


Volvo XC40 Recharge T5 plug-in hybrid to be launched in Malaysia on Feb. 25!

It’s official – Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) confirmed today
through it’s Facebook page
that the Volvo XC40 Recharge T5 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) will be officially introduced here in Malaysia!
Unfortunately, no further information have been provided – that’ll have to wait for one more week, on the 25th of February, where the car will be launched through a virtual livestreamed event at 11am.
The
Volvo XC40 plug-in hybrid
 was first introduced back in 2018. Don’t be confused by its name though, this isn’t the
fully-electric XC40
 that’s also called the “XC40 Recharge” – Volvo decided to include the ‘Recharge’ moniker in every model that features any sort of electrification, so technically all T8-badged Volvo models here in Malaysia should also include the badge.
In the
Recharge T5
 configuration, the PHEV XC40 features a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine with 180 hp and 265 Nm, paired to a small DCT-mounted electric motor (with a peak output of 82 hp and 160 Nm) for a total system output of
262 hp
 and
425 Nm
 of torque.
The power output translates to a
7.3 seconds
century sprint time, while top speed – as with all other Volvo vehicles – is limited to 180 km/h. And here’s an additional trivia for you: the three-pot engine, alongside the seven-speed DCT gearbox, are reportedly based from the same family of those found in the
Proton X50
!
By way of comparison, the
Volvo XC40 T5 AWD
currently available in Malaysia packs a 252 hp and 350 Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo underneath its hood, and does
0 to 100 km/h
 in
 6.4 seconds
 – thanks to its lower overall vehicle weight without the extra heft from the 10.7 kWh lithium-ion battery.
The battery pack on a Volvo XC40 PHEV being installed at Volvo’s plant in Ghent, Belgium.
We’ll learn more about the XC40 Recharge T5 plug-in hybrid at the upcoming launch event for the Malaysia market, which as we’ve mentioned above, will happen at 11am on the 25th of February. If given the choice, will you be going electric? Let us know in the comments section below!
GALLERY


Ferrari FXX K revealed, monstrous 1,035 hp from 6.2-litre V12 hybrid

This is the
Ferrari FXX K
, a
1,035 hp
 machine developed specifically for their
XX Programme
. The XX Programme is essentially a special program for the selected Ferrari owners where not only they get to drive their XX machines at the racing circuits all over the world, but they also contribute to the development of future Ferrari models by providing useful data gathered from their track sessions.
Following the previous
FXX
 that was based on Ferrari’s then-flagship car Enzo, the new
FXX K
 is
based on LaFerrari
. The “K” refers to the
Kinetic Energy Recovery System
 (KERS) fitted to the FXX K, which is said to “maximise its track performance”. Fair enough because the FXX K can only be driven in the track like the other XX Programme cars, as the FXX K is not road legal but at the same time they’re also not qualified to enter any racing series.
QUICK FACTS
Name
Ferrari FXX K
Engine
6,262cc; Naturally aspirated V12 hybrid
Transmission
7-speed Dual Clutch
Max Power
1,035 hp
Max Torque
>900 Nm
Price
N/A
EXTERIOR
The FXX K is full of aero-sorcery, where each panel is different from LaFerrari. The nose is lower by 30 mm, and the design of the
twin-profile spoiler
 and a large splitter with center gap is inspired from their GT cars in the World Endurance Championship. As a track car, the headlights have been reduced to a couple of tiny strip of LEDs, but surprisingly the FXX K keeps the LaFerrari’s long-armed side mirrors unlike mirror-free FXX
There’s an extended side skirts on each side for better airflow, while grip is provided by special
Pirelli P-Zero slicks

with sensors
 that monitors the pressure, temperature, and even longitudinal, lateral, and radial acceleration. The wheels measure
19 x 10.5 inches
 at the front, and
20 x 13 inches
 at the rear.
The back of the FXX K is higher than the LaFerrari, and incorporates fins with winglets on each side. Like the front, strip of LEDs replace the original light units from the LaFerrari, and the tailpipe count now reduced to two. All the aero works to create up to
540 kg of downforce at 200 km/h
, and from
30 to 50 % improvement in downforce
 compared to LaFerrari.
INTERIOR
The bare interior is still furnished with two seats, but the center of the dash sits a new carbon panel with a more simple button layout for the driver. The
carbon steering wheel
 also retains the buttons from LaFerrari’s steering, although the
Manettino switch
 labels are different where they are used to control the intervention level of the
E-Diff electronic differential
,
F-Trac traction control
,
Racing SSC
 (Side Slip Angle Control), and the
high-performance ABS
.
Another Manettino on the center console controls the
HY-KERS system
;
Long Run
 (LR) for optimum performance consistency,
Qualify
 (Q) for maximum performance within a limited number of laps,
Manual Boost
 (M) for instant maximum torque delivery, and
Fast Charge
 (FC) for a fast recharge of the battery.
PERFORMANCE
The
6,262 cc V12
 from LaFerrari now produces
60 hp more
 in the FXX K, at
848 hp at 9,200 rpm
 and
750 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm
. Combined with the
140 Kw electric motor
, the FXX K generates a
total of 1,035 hp
 and
more than 900 Nm of torque
. No timing stats were released, but LaFerrari goes from
0 to 100 km/h
 in
less than 3 seconds
 with a
top speed in excess of 350 km/h
.
WHAT ELSE?
Being a part of the XX Programme, you can’t simply walk in to a Ferrari showroom to purchase the FXX K. Ferrari will select from their most loyal of current customers to invite them personally on board the XX Programme. While the selected owners are undoubtedly the lucky ones to get to drive and to be a part of the development team, us average Joes might still be able to catch a glimpse of it in Sepang, when (and if) the
Ferrari Racing Days
 returns to Malaysia next year.
IMAGE GALLERY


Check out the soon-to-be launched facelifted Proton Persona

Shortly after releasing the first images of the
Proton Iriz facelift
, the national carmaker also released a set of official photos for their B-Segment sedan. The facelifted Proton Persona gains updated design cues trickled down from the X70 as well as updated in-car technologies.
On the outside, the grille now features the Ethereal Bow and Infinite Weave motif combined with a new sleeker lower bumper with integrated LED daytime running lights. Over to the rear you’ll find a shark fin antenna, ducktail spoiler and neater rear bumpers. The refreshed Persona now rides on a set of 15-inch eight twin-spoke aluminium wheels.
Inside, you are greeted with a more modern cabin thanks to a new instrument cluster design, a GKUI-based touchscreen infotainment system, a frameless rear-view mirror, an X70 gear lever and a new trims for the seats.
No word on the powertrain just yet but expect the Persona to soldier on with the same 1.6-litre four-cylinder VVT engine and CVT combo with
107 hp
 and
150 Nm
 of torque. More information about the facelifted Proton Persona and its technical specifications will be released closer to the launch date.
IMAGE GALLERY
Proton Persona Facelift


McLaren 720S vs Porsche 911 GT2 RS in a drag race – Who do you think won?

We know them both as blindingly quick supercars, we know that they’ve got atomic levels of power under those hoods on paper, but how do they fare when pitted against each other in reality?
Motorsport Magazine
 recently shared a 45 second clip to show who’s the real boss between the
McLaren 720S
 and the
Porsche 911 GT2 RS
, in a 1000 metre drag race.
On one end of the ring, you have the
McLaren 720S
 that makes
 720 hp
 and
770 Nm
 of torque while the
most powerful road-legal 911 ever made
 is armed with
700 hp
 and
750 Nm
. 0 to 100 km/h in the McLaren takes a disturbing 2.9 seconds while the Porsche does it 0.1 second quicker.
Credit:
 Motorsport Magazine


New Volkswagen Golf R ’20 Years’ is the most powerful Golf to date

Can you believe it’s been two decades? In celebrating 20 years of the Golf R, Volkswagen has launched the special edition Golf R ’20 Years’. It won’t be limited by numbers but instead, Volkswagen will limit the production run to approximately one year. Prices start from 59,995 euros.
To begin with, there’s more power. Where the standard Golf R makes 320 hp, the ’20 Years’ edition offers
13 more horsepower
at 333 hp. 0 to 100 km/h is done in 4.6 seconds, a whisker quicker than the standard Golf R at 4.8 seconds. This effectively makes the Golf R ’20 Years’, not only the most powerful Golf R to date but also the most powerful Golf to date.
That’s not all; this is where it gets quite serious. Its 7-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox has been tuned to shift quicker in S and S+ modes. Its turbocharger is preloaded to keep it spinning at a constant speed for even quicker throttle response.
Also new is the open throttle valve during overruns, which Volkswagen says results in more immediate acceleration with quicker build-up of engine torque when the driver takes their foot off the accelerator and then accelerates again.
“This is accompanied by an especially distinctive drive sound. It heightens the anticipation of a typical R driving experience,” the company said.
Aside from the serious performance upgrades, there are some gimmicks too like the
Emotion Start
 feature. Volkswagen says it will activate an “initial engine speed overshoot up to 2,500 rpm” which basically makes the car rev louder upon start-up – something owners of such a car would expect (and appreciate).
The Golf R ’20 Years’ is also dressed differently as you can tell. The black radiator grille prominently features the blue R-logo, similarly on the fenders, at the rear and inside the car. For even more ‘wow factor’, the “20 R” logo projects onto the ground from the side mirrors in the dark.
Inside, one would be immediately drawn to the carbon fibre trims used on the dashboard and door panels – the first time ever in a Golf.
The new special-edition model Golf R ’20 Years’ with its oldest predecessor, the 2002 Golf IV R32.
Like all Golf models, the Golf R “20 Years” will be produced in the Wolfsburg factory – the home of the Golf – and will hit European and other markets by mid-2022.


Panasonic’s new AR HUD concept could change the way we drive in the near future

Autonomous driving might be the future of cars, but until then, it’s still us fleshy mortals piloting these moving death traps – and if we’re completely honest, humans are not very good drivers. So instead of showing off autonomous driving tech at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year, Panasonic instead worked on a new augment reality (AR) head-up display (HUD) system that could very well affect the way we drive cars, today.
AR HUD is not exactly a new technology – the latest
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
‘s HUD does already come with AR functionalities that displays navigational information, such as arrows at a junction, as if it’s floating in mid-air.

However, Panasonic’s new concept takes the HUD to another level by using cameras and sensors to detect everything in front of you – a full 180-degree forward vision up to 90 metres across three traffic lanes. It then uses
artificial intelligence
 (AI) to analyse what’s most important, and highlights them as a 3D image right on your windscreen.
For instance, the system will be able to detect a cyclist or a merging vehicle in real time, and project a graphic onto the danger itself to bring it to the driver’s attention. Panasonic’s AR HUD system can even project a highlighted empty parking space onto the windscreen – something us Malaysian drivers would seriously appreciate!
Aside from the AI technology, Panasonic also made the actual display a lot better for drivers to see clearly. Advanced optics in the projection system provides an expanded field of view beyond the “usual” 10 x 4 degrees for a virtual image that looks bigger and further away, while a camera system constantly monitors the driver’s eye position to adjust the display accurately to where the driver is looking at.
Panasonic’s new AR HUD also comes with a vibration control system to stabilise the display, no matter how bumpy the road is. It is also supposedly compact in its packaging, meaning it can pretty much be adopted in “any vehicle configuration.”
The new Panasonic AR HUD system sounds like a seriously cool idea, and could possibly help transition us into the autonomous future, by getting us to first trust what the car is seeing, before letting the cars make the judgement calls in the future.
But of course, it’s still CES, so concepts like these might never actually make it to production. Would you want a system like this in your next car? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
GALLERY


3 luxury features on the 2022 Mercedes-Benz E 300 that were unnecessary, but yet so charming

“When you drive this, people will think you’re a boss.”
Not many marques say “you’ve made it” better than the three-pointed star. But apart from projecting the desired image to business partners, neighbours, or even potential suitors, owning a Mercedes-Benz also means you’ll get to sample some of the latest and greatest in automotive technologies.
Now, whether these features actually enhance the motoring experience still largely depends on the owner’s tech competence and acceptance to new gadgets. But when Mercedes-Benz Malaysia loaned us the
facelifted E 300 AMG Line
 for a week, a few did truly stand out.
The unnecessarily accurate trip computer
Or more specifically, the fuel consumption meter. While displaying the real-time and average fuel consumption figures is nothing new, the Mercedes’
MBUX system
 takes it to another level by displaying the actual real-time numbers, way,
way
 higher than necessary or even useful – sometimes up to 60-70 l/100 km under hard acceleration, even though the graphics on the gauge maxes out at 25.
And that’s not all. If the engine is idling when the car is stationary, the fuel consumption of the car is displayed in l/hour instead, finally saving the needle from its age-old awkward resting positions at either side of the FC gauge.
Fuel consumption really isn’t something a RM400k car owner would bother with too much, especially with our subsidised fuel, but it’s still a nice feature to have nonetheless.
The rather tactile capacitive steering wheel
From having just capacitive touch buttons (a la Blackberry… yes, I’m that old) on the
pre-facelift model
, to now a steering wheel that’s entirely touch sensitive, Mercedes-Benz is truly going for a clutter-free look devoid of knobs, buttons, and toggle switches for its latest crop of vehicles.
While some may bemoan the decision to remove physical buttons, these controls were not missed during our affair with the new 2022 Mercedes-Benz E 300 AMG Line, as the capacitive steering wheel spokes actually did a better job, especially thanks to the flexibility they afford.
ALSO READ:
2021 Mercedes-Benz E 300 AMG Line facelift launched in Malaysia – RM375k
For instance, setting the speed for the adaptive cruise control is a quick and easy affair on the right steering spoke; to increase the speed, you can either click on the ‘+’ symbol on top of a groove to increase it in increments of 10 km/h, or slide your fingers directly on the indent if you want a more fine-grain control.
The same method applies to the volume control of the exemplary Burmester system, where the control surface is found on the left-hand spokes. Oh, and on a side note, the adaptive cruise control also works up to a speed of 210 km/h – don’t ask us how we know.
The MULTIBEAM light show
Before you denounce us for calling the rather excellent
MULTIBEAM
 system unnecessary, it’s the “flex” that occurs every time you start the car in the dark that we find excessive. The system would do a horizontal and vertical “range check” with its integrated LEDs upon starting up – potentially drawing unnecessary attention, especially if you are starting your car near places like an open-air
mamak
.
Other than the unnecessary light show, however, we were absolutely taken away by the true capabilities of Mercedes-Benz’s matrix lighting system. Driving along the sometimes poorly lit trunk roads in Kota Bharu is made so much easier and safer with its Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus, which lights up the poorly lit areas without blinding oncoming motorists.
Would these features one day trickle down to sub-100k econoboxes? Well, as the exceptionally well-equipped
Perodua Alza
 has proven, it already did – albeit in a more plebeian format.
So is it still worth paying a premium for these features in a Mercedes-Benz? We would love to hear from you – but from our experience, even though they might be completely unnecessary, we loved them more than having people mistaking us as a boss.


Here’s one aspect of the all-new Nissan Almera that’s more impressive than its 1.0L engine

Turbo engines, torque, effortless acceleration; these are some of the USPs that the likes of Nissan and Honda have been highlighting on their new B-segment products, the all-new
Almera
 and
City
.
The performance of a car matters, as there is nothing more annoying than having a limp engine to fuel your drives, but that may not be a priority for a large portion of us. For those who don’t drive with the mentality of a Formula 1 racer, the performance factor is often secondary.

What matters more, in our opinion, for a person who spends a couple of hours a day through some of KL’s finest tarmac to and fro from work, is the refinement of the cabin and ride which brings us to the all-new Almera. Nissan had just previewed the car last Friday and are now taking orders for the second-generation model.
Aside from revealing every possible detail of the 2nd-generation model, there was even a test drive arranged for us that day. Smooth and immediate is how we’d describe the throttle response, with most of its 152 Nm from a 1.0-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder engine delivered from 2,400 rpm to 4,000 rpm but that’s not the only thing that got our attention.
The first-generation Nissan Almera was priced from as low as RM66k when it was first launch almost 8 years ago.
From what was positioned as the accessible Japanese car for the masses (1st-gen Almera) with its extremely competitive pricing (
as it costs as low as RM66k
), the second generation model is a clear indication of Nissan’s intention to elevate the all-new Almera’s image and this is done through various efforts but mainly by improving on its Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH).
For starters all four doors come with extra insulation and so does the A-pillars, while thicker front windows have been opted for the Almera. Even the side mirrors have been moved further way from the A-pillars for better air flow, which as a result helps reduce wind noise.
Another area which Nissan has improved on in the Almera is the back rest of the front two seats have been added with springs, unlike before, for better comfort and back support.
The result of which, from our brief test drive in the hustle and bustle of the Glenmarie area in Shah Alam, was more than noticeable. Behind the wheel of the new Almera, whether stationary or on the move, it’s hard to not notice how much of the unpleasant environment outside the car was silenced and dialled out.
However, it remains to be seen what the cabin environment would be like when the Almera is moving at higher speeds on the highway. This is as our test drive was confined to the surrounding area of Glenmarie.
Prices for the new Almera is yet to be confirmed although estimated prices start at
RM8X,XXX for the lower to variants
 (VL, VLP) while the highest spec variant (VLT) is priced at an
estimated RM9X,XXX
. If you’re keen to get up close with the new Almera before you decide on a purchase, here’s a table of where the Almera will be in the coming weeks.


Save up to RM10k on your new Volkswagen this Chinese New Year

In conjunction with the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations,
Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia
 (VPCM) has announced its latest campaign with
rebates of up to RM10,000
 for selected Volkswagen models, perfect for those who are looking for a new VW car for the year of the ox.
VPCM will be offering a RM1,000 “
ang pao
 rebate” for customers purchasing the recently-launched
Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace
 Highline and R-Line,
Arteon R-Line
,
Passat Elegance
, and
Passat R-Line
 during the Chinese New Year campaign period – which runs from today until the
28th of February
.
In addition to the
ang pao
 rebates, customers who book any of the models listed above via the
Volkswagen eShowroom
 will also enjoy additional exclusive online savings, ranging from RM3,500 to RM4,500. The full list of rebates can be found on the table below:
Together with the Year of Make 2020 savings, customers can enjoy up to RM10,000 in cash savings for the Passat Elegance and the Passat R-Line if they make their booking via the online platform. That means the Passat Elegance goes for just
RM171,856
 during this campaign period, while the R-Line variant is priced at
RM193,411
 with the maximum savings applied.
All Volkswagen models come with a three-year free maintenance programme, five-year unlimited mileage warranty, and five years of free roadside assistance.
For existing Volkswagen owners, VPCM is also offering additional savings on parts replacements and genuine engine oil in the CNY Aftersales Service Campaign, alongside a complimentary 5-Star Service Check, up to 20% discount on batteries and tyres, as well as complimentary Volkswagen
ang pao
 packets. The full list of savings offered in the CNY Aftersales Service Campaign are as follows:
Customers interested in taking advantage of the deals offered in the Chinese New Year aftersales service campaign are encouraged to arrange a service appointment via VPCM’s new
Online Service Booking website
.


Yes, you can drive over 700 km without refueling in a Proton

After 710 km of driving through challenging and mixed-conditions, 18 teams have successfully completed the Proton 1 Tank Adventure!
Flagging off in Kota Bharu, the convoy of 18 finalists along with special guests and celebrities made their way through the beautiful coastal roads along the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia to the finish line at Puteri Harbour, Johor Bharu.
In an effort to ensure the safety of the participants, Proton introduced a rule change for this year’s edition of the 1 Tank Adventure, with strictly-enforced time limits between each checkpoint to minimise speed difference between the competitors and road users. As a result, all teams recorded an average speed of over 70 km/h.
The challenge was broken-up into three classifications based on their vehicles – Iriz, Persona and Saga, and split between media and owner categories. The best results recorded within each classification were
4.82 L/100km
,
5.03 L/100km
, and
4.65 L/100km
 respectively.
Both the Iriz and Saga would have easily travelled over 800km (based on its 40-litre fuel tank) while the Persona would have just missed that benchmark. Out of the six Proton Sagas, four recorded a fuel consumption figure of under 5L/100km.
For the final, all cars were fueled exclusively with Petronas Primax 95 with Pro-Drive, which has proven to deliver a smoother, more responsive and efficient drive.
The
Iriz
,
Persona
 and
Saga
 featured in the 2019 Proton 1 Tank Adventure have all been updated in the last year. While the Iriz and Persona received mostly refinements and visual updates, the
2019 Proton Saga
 was fitted with a new 4-speed automatic gearbox, replacing the CVT gearbox.
Proton, Chief Executive Officer, Dr Li Chunrong said, “The Proton 1 Tank Adventure covered more than 2,305 km to measure the fuel efficiency of our cars. Multiply that by the number of competing teams over all four events and over 40,000 km would have been logged.
“This is a ringing endorsement for the fuel efficiency of Proton cars as the figures were obtained by owners and members of media on public roads instead of the confines of a laboratory test,” he added.
IMAGE GALLERY


2022 Geely Binyue looks ready for space – 3-cylinder engine to be dropped

Following the
recent facelift just under a year ago
 in July last year, images of yet another new iteration of the

Geely Binyue (Proton X50 for you and I) has surfaced online.
Despite it being rumoured to be an update/facelift, the Geely Boyue sports a completely different front-end design – almost like a brand new car. It even comes with a completely new pair of headlamps that are slimmer and sharper.
As for that front grille, is Geely trying to challenge BMW in terms of grille size or have they been secretly taking notes from Lexus’ spindle grille?
At the rear, the changes are just as dramatic. While most of the lower half remain largely the same, including the diffuser design and the quad-exhaust tips, the top half of the rear section looks much more futuristic than before. In fact, with the new lightbar that’s connected to the taillights, it looks like most modern cars revealed in the last two years including the Kia Carnival MPV, Porsche Macan and 911, and the Lexus UX to name a few.
The biggest news though, has to be the 3-cylinder engine which is rumored to be dropped due to lack of interest from Chinese replaced by a new 4-cylinder unit. The engine capacity remains at 1.5-litres, but the X50-to-be will be making more power at 180 hp.
The change towards a 4-cylinder is rumoured to be down to emission regulations while some sites have reported that the 3-cylinder engines have received poor response from Chinese customers. More to come!
RELATED:
 There’ll soon be a new Chinese competitor for the Proton X50!


2023 Honda WR-V: 1,300-unit monthly sales target, 2-3 months waiting period

The
2023 Honda WR-V
 has just been launched in Malaysia today, and to say that it is a highly anticipated car is probably an understatement, as people have been queueing up to preview the car since last month. Not only that, bookings received for the 2023 Honda WR-V since mid last month up till yesterday has reached a total of 2,500 units. With the sales momentum expected to continue rolling,
Honda Malaysia
 is expecting to sell around 1,300 units of the WR-V each month moving forward.
Out of the 2,500 bookings received up till yesterday, the 1.5 RS has been the most popular, occupying 43% of the total booking, with the 1.5 V, E, and the entry-level S variants following behind contributing 38%, 12%, and 7% of bookings respectively. Naturally, the carmaker continues to expect the 1.5 RS to be the bestselling variant, and to contribute up to 60% of the Honda WR-V’s total sales in Malaysia.
If you’re interested in buying the 2023 Honda WR-V or any new car for that matter, one of your main concerns must be the waiting period between dropping a booking and collecting the car. Regarding this matter,
Honda
 has ensured that customers will only have to wait around two to three months starting today.
Honda is also working hard to solve the chip supply issue that it and other carmakers have been facing. The carmaker is also expecting to normalise its supply by the end of this year.
RELATED:
2023 Honda WR-V launched in Malaysia, from RM90k – Ativa rival, 1.5L NA, CVT
With the top-spec 2023 Honda WR-V carrying the “RS” name, just like many modern Honda models launched in Malaysia in the past couple of years, many might be questioning about the possibility of a Hybrid variant in the future. And Honda has responded saying that the idea is currently opened for consideration. Therefore, do not get your hopes up just yet, folks.
The Honda WR-V is a crossover, so naturally, space is one of Honda’s main priorities when developing the car. However, it lacks features like the Ultra seats that have been featured in the
Jazz
 and
City Hatchback
.
In response to the absence of the Ultra seats, Honda explained that it is for weight management purposes. This is because the structure of the Ultra seat itself takes up quite a bit of weight compared to regular seat designs, and to fulfil safety regulations, adding extra weight to the car is unavoidable.
Another feature that is lacking from the 2023 Honda WR-V is the tonneau cover to, well, cover items placed inside the rear boot. This might be a questionable omission, but Honda mentioned that during initial development phase of the WR-V, it found out that there wasn’t a significant demand for the tonneau cover at the time. However, the company said that it will continue to conduct surveys in its future developments, and will respond to the market when there is significant demand for the tonneau cover.
RELATED:
Honda City facelift debuts in Thailand – Honda Sensing, remote engine start now standard


Thailand’s Vin Diesel lookalike even has his own “muscle” car!

We’re sure you’ve seen the viral photo of a Thai man with an uncanny resemblance to
Fast & Furious
 actor Vin Diesel (but if you haven’t, it’s below). While most people would pass it off as just a cute coincidence, the story actually goes much, much deeper than that.
The photo that started it all.
 Image: อาทิตย์ โมดิฟาย/Facebook
According to Singaporean news site
Mothership
, the Chiang Rai local has already been aware of his own resemblance to the Hollywood star, and have been posting photos like these as early as 2017. In fact, the photo that went viral actually dates all the way back to 2019!
T-shirts and cross necklaces are now his wardrobe staples, the bald head his standard haircut, and the nonchalant emotionless face has since become his default pose. Just like Vin Diesel, the Thai man also seems to frequents the gym – although we’re not sure if he’s doing it just to look more like the actor, or he’s just a gym rat himself.
RELATED: Here are the most iconic one-liners from ‘The Fast and the Furious’ – 20 years and counting!

 Image: อาทิตย์ โมดิฟาย/Facebook
But that’s far from all, because the Thai Dom Toretto lookalike even got himself a “muscle” car to complete the look! Well, “muscle” in inverted commas, because the car looks like it’s been converted into a Ford Mustang/Dodge Charger replica from a Japanese family sedan, possibly an old Mitsubishi Galant or the E20 Toyota Corolla. Still, A+ for effort.
ALSO READ: Toyota Supra from the first The Fast and The Furious movie sold for RM2.2 million

 Image: อาทิตย์ โมดิฟาย/Facebook
And Dom Toretto isn’t even the only Vin Diesel character that the Thai man has tried to portray. In September last year, the man also uploaded an older photo of himself dressing up as Richard B. Riddick, a character also played by Vin Diesel in a 2004 film.
As of the time of writing, the viral photo has garnered over 76 thousand shares on Facebook, and gained many new fans – us included. Be sure to check out more on his photos on his Facebook page, linked
here
.


Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid has lower horsepower figures than standard 1.8…but why?

In the build-up to the official announcement of the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) made some
videos
 regarding the benefits of the hybrid system.
Buzz words used such as electric, emission-free, silent, efficient and powerful have been used to describe the attributes of this new generation hybrid system. As such, let’s take a closer look at this fourth-generation hybrid system from the
leader
 in petrol-electric hybrid technology.
Discreet blue highlights on the emblem and headlamps identify the Hybrid model
Background of Toyota Hybrid System in Malaysia
In Malaysia, the Toyota hybrid system was only made available in the Toyota Prius 1.8, the Toyota Prius C 1.5 as well as the
Toyota Camry Hybrid 2.5
 which was also locally-assembled in the ASSB plant in Shah Alam, Selangor.
The models were all introduced thanks to government incentives that exempt all import and excise duties (100%) for hybrid vehicles from early 2010 to 2013. Incentives for CKD models such as the Camry Hybrid continued.
The key components
The Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid has been on sale in
Thailand
, Vietnam and the Philippines since their respective launches, thus, it’s fair to assume the hybrid system will be the same in Malaysia given the similarities in regional requirements and resources- discounting the more powerful
184 hp 2.0-litre Hybrid Dynamic Force
 system.
1.8-litre 2ZR-FXE engine
Transaxle
Power Control Unit (PCU)
NiMH battery pack
The hybrid system in the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is taken straight from the fourth-generation Toyota Prius and Toyota Corolla Hybrid, as all these three models are built on the TNGA GA-C platform.
The engine features a heavily revised naturally aspirated Atkinson-cycle 1.8-litre engine (2ZR-FXE), with new materials and design to make the engine quieter, smoother and breathe better to hit thermal efficiency of 40%. Output is modest and unchanged,
97 hp
 at 5,200 rpm and
142 Nm
 at 3,600 rpm, as the engine is only tasked to charge the battery and move the vehicle with additional power supplemented by the electric motor.
The pair of electric motor-generator units (called MG1 and MG2) are made smaller and lighter to suit the new multi-shaft transaxle design. It sees a reduction in outputs, from 82 hp / 207 Nm to
72 hp / 163 Nm
.
The battery in the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid continues to maintain the air-cooled NiMH battery pack but has been made more compact, yet more energy-dense, giving better performance and easier packaging — now located entirely beneath the rear seat, avoiding any compromise in luggage space and utility.
Newer but lower output than before, but why?
Toyota does not numerically add the peak engine power of 97 hp with the peak motor power of 72 hp. Instead, the company says based on internal measurements, the combined system output is
122 hp
 at 5,200 rpm and not 169 hp, as the peak power of both energy sources occurs at different speeds. Toyota also does not document the combined torque figures, unlike the Honda e:HEV system which can be 100% electric motor driven and thus quote a high figure of
 253 Nm
.
For those who can recall, the 122 hp from this fourth-generation system is
lower than the 136 hp
 generated by the third generation 1.8-litre hybrid system. Toyota was quick to point out that the latest fourth-generation system consumes less fuel while delivering
better real-world performance
, with the hybrid system delivering its power in a more user-friendly manner.
The new power control unit (PCU) allows the system to
draw more on its electric power
, which means that acceleration feels more natural with the engine-rpm building gradually as the car picks up speed, rather than a constant engine speed and the drone of the older system.
Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 11 seconds in the 122 hp
Toyota C-HR Hybrid
 – a car similar in size and weight as the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid. The top speed is capped at 170 km/h.
Check out our initial impression of the Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 here!
And yes, even electrified, the hybrid system has a lower output than the 1.8-litre petrol engine that churns out 139 hp, but at a rather high peak engine speed of 6,400 rpm.
The Corolla Cross Hybrid has, however, traded less horsepower for better fuel consumption figures; rated at
4.3 L/100 km
 while the regular engine returns 6.8 litres per 100 km travelled, both figures based on certificates from Thailand.
How does the Toyota Hybrid system operate?
As Honda is pushing the e:HEV hybrid system into various B-segment models, the latest being the all-new
HR-V
 model launched in Thailand, we thought we might take a quick recap on
how the Toyota hybrid system differs from the Honda system
.
The Toyota hybrid system has a much smaller electric motor output, as such, it will only operate in electric vehicle (EV) mode at very low speeds as such parking and crawling in traffic jams. The petrol engine will switch on to provide drive to the front wheels as well as charge up the NiMH battery pack, a situation that occurs for the majority of the driving speed.
The petrol engine will then switch off at every release of the accelerator pedal, when the PCU deems no power or forward motion is needed. The motors then become generators to charge the battery.
The hybrid system in the Honda e:HEV meanwhile features a much more powerful electric motor as well as a disconnecting clutch, which decouples the engine from the wheels, making the system more efficient. The petrol engine is only connected at highway speeds, while the rest of the drive is mostly performed by the electric motor, and the engine just functioning as the battery charger- a term called series-hybrid like
Nissan’s E-Power
 system and
Daihatsu’s e-Smart Hybrid
.
As such, based on information we have, the electric motor and petrol engine never ‘blends’ their power together to drive the front wheels; it’s an either-or setup. The previous generation i-DCCD sport hybrid system with a dual-clutch transmission however blends both the power outputs and is available in the outgoing
Honda HR-V hybrid
 priced at RM114,000.
UMWT has just opened the
order books
 for the new Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, with an estimated price of
RM137,000
. As for Honda, the e:HEV hybrid system is currently available in the Honda City RS, priced at RM105,000, and will be joined by the
Honda City Hatchback
 RS e:HEV soon.
GALLERY


Everything about the Proton X50 has been impressive so far, except one feature

It’s been a week or so since
Proton previewed the X50
and suffice to say, the hype it has generated seems to have surpassed that of the larger X70 when it was
launched in December 2018
.
While it’s completely understandable why the media and ultimately the public has fallen head over heels for Proton’s new crossover, it’s quite easy to overlook the car’s shortcomings when the bulk of it is so impressive.
There’s really no faulting the interior design of the X50.
We’re talking remote start capabilities, either through the key fob or the Proton Link app,
Advance Driving Assistance System (ADAS) with Level 2 autonomous driving capabilities
, a 360-degree view monitor, a panoramic sunroof, and the list just goes on.
What’s more impressive is that the X50 could very well be priced below RM100k. That being said, prices have yet to be confirmed and announced so we’ll refrain from speculating further. What we can share though, is what we’ve seen, touched and felt during our brief stint with the car at Proton’s Tanjung Malim plant last week.
Long story short, the X50 looks and feels like a car that’s twice as expensive (based on what we expect it to be priced). If Honda, Toyota, or even Kia were to slap their emblems on it and price it at RM150k or more, it’ll still have no problems drawing long queues outside showrooms and sell even quicker than the latest iPhone.
That being said, here’s where the X50 has been a victim of its own success. As the car is “almost perfect”, in terms of its value for money, it’s very easy to spot the slightest shortcoming and
it lies within the 360-degree and reverse camera display
.
It’s probably not the infotainment system’s fault, which now features the latest GKUI 19 operating system previously not available in the Proton X70. The displays were quite sharp and we’d even rate the user experience of it quite highly as it was smooth, responsive, and rather intuitive to use. Instead, if we deduced correctly, it’s the quality of the cameras.
With an interior that’s as well-built as the X50’s, with dual-tone leather seats in the Flagship variants and generous amounts of tasteful brushed aluminum-like trims, the clarity of the cameras is the complete opposite of what we know and expect of China when it comes to tech.
You don’t need to look far, just take their smartphones as an example, which has been giving established brands like Samsung and Apple a run for their money. It seems that they’ve somehow neglected that aspect of the car.
The clarity of the display was only as good as a 360p quality video on YouTube in our opinion, 480p at the very best and when it’s featured in a cabin with a fancy dashboard and panoramic roof, it’s a complete turn-off and has no place in such a quality environment.
With some weeks left to its launch (purely based on the word on the street), it’s unlikely that this article would make Proton’s team scramble. It’s just that with all the positive hype surrounding it, we felt it’s best to stay level-headed and objectively point out the pros and cons of the most exciting car to come out of Proton yet.

GALLERY


Japanese drifter goes full-throttle on track in Toyota GR Yaris

You’ve heard previously
what rally drivers had to say about the Toyota GR Yaris
 so now let Japanese racing driver and drifter, Nobuteru Taniguchi, share his thoughts on
Toyota’s
latest hot-hatch. We watched the entire video in broken English from automatically-generated translations and here’s are some of the feedback we gathered.
The test drive took place in wet conditions
at the Fuji Speedway
but right away, the GR Yaris delivered on the hype and promises that surrounded it. The first thing you’d immediately notice is how throaty the (world’s most powerful) 3-cylinder 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, with 272 hp and 370 Nm, sounds. 0 to 100 km/h in this feisty little thing will only take you five seconds by the way.

While we do not understand Japanese, Nobu did use the words “kimochi” and “powerful” to describe the GR Yaris. The latter is self explanatory but don’t ask why we know what “kimochi” means. The explanation may not be suited for publication.
From what we deduced, Nobu also described the GR Yaris to have a
wide powerband
 and that it had
good stability
. Note how much the speedometer climbs before a gear change! The latter was evident when the car was switched to Track Mode with its Vehicle Stability Control system switched off. Three different driving modes were tested – Normal, Sport and Track.
The other thing Nobu pointed out was how responsive the car was, with “small” turbo lag. From the on-board camera, you’d also notice how controllable the car is even when in a skid; a testament to the GR Yaris’ all-wheel drive system with 50:50 torque distribution. As and when necessary, the driver can also tweak the torque distribution for different driving conditions – 60:40 for a more front-bias setup, 30:70 for a “more rear-wheel drive” experience.
Word is that this little monster will be coming to Malaysia but it won’t be cheap. How much are you willing to pay?


GAC Motor to make Malaysian debut with GS3 SUV – launch tomorrow!

There’ll be a new kid on the block very soon, in the form of Chinese marque GAC Motor. And when we say soon, we actually mean tomorrow, according to
two teasers
 that were published over the weekend on the carmaker’s official Facebook page.
According to the teaser images, the brand with make its Malaysian debut with the GAC Motor GS3, a B-segment SUV that rivals the likes of the
Honda HR-V
 and
Proton X50
. The teaser images, which shows off the GS3’s headlights, also suggests that we’ll be getting the facelifted version here on our shores.
GAC Motor will be represented by WTC Automotif (WTCA) here in Malaysia, a new subsidiary under the Tan Chong Motor Group. The companies signed an MoU for the potential sales and assembly of GAC vehicles in Malaysia and Vietnam last year, so there’s a possibility that the GS3 will be locally-assembled (CKD) here in Malaysia – though we’ll have to wait for confirmation on that front.
Back in China, the GAC Motor GS3 (Sold under the Trumpchi brand) comes equipped with a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine in two stages of tune – the lower-end model gets
161 hp
 and
235 Nm
 of torque, while the rest of the line-up gets
166 hp
 and
265 Nm
. Drive is sent to the front via a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox.
As for the cabin, the GS3 comes with a pretty modern interior headlined by the floating digital instrument cluster and infotainment combination panel that’s somewhat reminiscent of modern
Mercedes-
Benz

cars.
Of course, ADAS systems are also available on the GAC Motor GS3, although it’s unclear how many of them will actually make their way onto the Malaysian model – if any at all.
The GAC Motor GS3 will enter a pretty competitive scene here in Malaysia, especially with the likes of the aforementioned Honda HR-V and Proton X50 already capturing the minds of car buyers in the segment.
The notion of a completely new brand will make it all that much more difficult, but at least TC Motors will not be a complete stranger to the challenge, having only recently launched the new
JMC (Jiangling Motors) brand
 here in Malaysia, led by the
Vigus pick-up truck
.
Keep your eyes peeled as we bring you the latest info on the GAC Motor GS3, tomorrow!
GALLERY


SpyBuzz: Facelifted Toyota Corolla Altis spied on the road!

Earlier this year,
Toyota revealed the 2017 Toyota Corolla Altis facelift
 that sports the firm’s Keen Look and Under Priority design language. Now, the 11th generation of this Malaysian favourite C-Segment sedan was caught in broad daylight on a Turkish street.
Seen under real light from the pictures at
otodriver.com
, the latest Corolla Altis looks tamer compared to the firm’s latest offerings like the
C-HR
,
Mirai
 and
Prius Prime
. That said, the chromed grille does a pretty good job of zesting up the face of this rather sedate sedan.
The world’s best selling compact car
comes in many guises (and names) to suit different market conditions around the world. We are willing to bet our last dollar that this very model here will hit our shores in the near future without any major cosmetic changes.
The local C-segment is occupied by quite a few capable models, all with their own strengths to appeal to their own set of buyers. It would be interesting to see what UMW will be doing to fend off the competitors.
[Source:
otodriver.com
]


Volvo to set 180 km/h limiter on all their cars by 2020?

In efforts to ensure
that the company’s Vision 2020 which aims for no one to be killed or seriously
injured in a new Volvo by 2020, the Swedish carmaker is toying with the idea to
restrict the top speed of all its cars to 180 km/h.
Research by Volvo has shown that speeding is a very prominent cause for serious injuries and fatalities in its cars. While their cars are equipped with some of the latest Advanced Driver Assistance system, when a car is speeding above a certain velocity, the in-car safety technology and smart design are no longer enough to mitigate severe injuries and/or fatalities in the event of an accident.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjQt2lEZIXg
This video sends a strong message about driver error
President and Chief
Executive of Volvo Cars said: “We want to start a conversation about whether
car makers have the right or maybe even an obligation to install technology in
cars that changes their driver’s behaviour, to tackle things such as speeding,
intoxication or distraction.”
“Because of our
research, we know where the problem areas are when it comes to ending serious
injuries and fatalities in our cars. And while a speed limitation is not a
cure-all, it’s worth doing if we can even save one life,” added Mr Samuelsson.
Besides looking into
imposing a restricted top speed, the company is looking into how a combination
of smart speed control and geofencing technology can automatically limit the
car’s speeds around schools and hospitals in the future.
“People often drive
too fast in a given traffic situation and have poor speed adaption in relation
to that traffic situation and their own capabilities as a driver. We need to
support better behaviour and help people realise and understand that speeding
is dangerous,” said Mr Samuelsson.


All-new Renault Zoe quietly appears on Renault Malaysia website – priced from RM163k

After more than five years since it was first launched in Malaysia, the
Renault Zoe

is now apparently making a comeback here in its third iteration, codenamed ZE50. Quietly appearing on Renault Malaysia’s website, the new Renault Zoe EV is now available for booking starting at a price of
RM 163,000
 (OTR without insurance) – although interestingly, the booking fee is still listed at RM0 for now.
First introduced in Malaysia in 2016
 at a price of RM146k, the first-generation Zoe was equipped with a 22 kWh battery that provided a 210 km range (NEDC). The revised ZE50 Renault Zoe comes with a much larger
52 kWh
 battery that provides
395 km
 of range (WLTP). With the bigger battery (and other improvements), the Zoe is now about RM17,000 more expensive than it was more than five years ago.
RELATED:
Renault Zoe EV debuts in Malaysia, costs RM145,888
This time around, the Renault Zoe is offered in two variants – the Renault Zoe Zen R110 and Renault Zoe Intens R135. The high variant Zoe Intens R135 produces
135 hp
 and
245 Nm
, which is more powerful than the lower variant Zoe Zen R110 with
110 hp
 and
225 Nm
. Since both variants get the same 52 kWh battery, the Zoe Intens has a shorter EV range of
386 km
 (WLTP).
While the first-generation Renault Zoe was not capable of DC charging (but was capable of up to 43kW AC charging), the ZE50 Renault Zoe is now capable of
50 kW
 DC fast charging and
22 kW
 AC charging. The former charges the car from 0 to 80% in 70 minutes, while the latter charges the car from 0 to 100% in three hours.
RELATED:
Renault Zoe E-Sport gets 460 hp & 640 Nm, 0 to 100 as quick as a GT-R!
Click to enlarge – Price list as seen on the Renault Malaysia website.
On the exterior, the design is still largely similar to the old Zoe that made its world debut way back in 2012, albeit refreshed. Interior updates include a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a 10-inch customizable digital instrument cluster.
In keeping up with the times, the ZE50 also provides safety features like lane-departure warning, Lane-keeping assist, and automatic high beam, among others.
Priced at RM163k (or RM175k for the Intens R135 variant), the Renault Zoe will not be the cheapest EV on offer in Malaysia. That title still belongs to the
Hyundai Kona electric
 Lite. Those who are interested in the Renault Zoe may register their interest on
Renault Malaysia’s official website
.


2015 Jaguar XF unveiled, lighter and more efficient [+Video]

You might think you’re looking at the facelifted
Jaguar XF
, but this is actually an
all-new
 XF. Set to debut at the
2015 New York International Auto Show
 in April, Jaguar has revealed some details of their sleek new sedan.
Featuring evolutionary design from the outgoing XF, the new XF retains the basic shape but it is now
7 mm

shorter
 and
3 mm lower
 than before. However its
wheelbase
 has grown by
51 mm
 in an effort to boost the rear seat space.
Though it might look familiar, the design details are new. The obvious giveaway are the
LED lights
 front and back with signature new LED pattern as seen on the
F-type
 and the
XE
.

Apart from that, the rear quarter windows are now separated from the rear doors, and the vents on the front fenders have been redesigned for a slimmer horizontal profile.
Inside, the new XF keeps the
rotating gear lever
, and even the
hidden swiveling air vents
, but only on the outer-most vents on the dashboard.
In the middle of the dash, there’s a
10.2-inch touch screen
 for the
Jaguar InControl® Touch Pro™
 premium infotainment system while the instrument cluster follows the XJ, utilising a
12.3-inch TFT screen
 with configurable display.
Underneath it all is Jaguar’s
advanced aluminum-intensive architecture
 which is claimed to be around
80 kg lighter
 than its rivals. Together with a “meticulously-tuned” Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS), front double-wishbone and rear integral link suspension, the new XF should handle as good as it looks.
In some markets, the new XF will have an option for a
 torque on-demand all-wheel drive system
 (AWD) with
Intelligent Driveline Dynamics
 (IDD), similar to the system used in the
F-Type AWD
.
A range of powertrains will be offered, including the new
4-cylinder

2.0-litre
Ingenium
 diesel
 with two different outputs:
161 hp
 and
380 Nm
, or
178 hp
 and
430 Nm
, paired to either a
six-speed manual
 or an
eight-speed automatic
.
If that’s not enough, there are a couple of
3.0-litre V6
 options paired exclusively to an eight-speed automatic transmission. One is a
diesel twin-turbo
 with
296 hp
 and
700 Nm
, while the other one is a
petrol supercharged
 with
375 hp
 and
450 Nm
.
[divider]
VIDEO GALLERY

IMAGE GALLERY


2023 Hyundai Palisade facelift launched in Malaysia – 7/8-seater SUV, from RM369k

The YDPA-approved seven-seater SUV has just been given a facelift update. Arriving here in Malaysia approximately nine months after its
global debut
, the 2023 Hyundai Palisade facelift will be offered here in both a seven- and eight- seater variant, with prices starting at RM368,888 for the entry-level variant.

2023 Hyundai Palisade exterior
For the 2023 facelift update, Hyundai has given the Palisade a significant makeover for its front fascia, characterised by the large ‘Cascading Grille’ occupying almost the entire front end. The daytime running lights have been pushed to the edges, with a segmented signature that visually joins the grille element to the headlight cluster below.
All variants of the new 2023 Hyundai Palisade facelift here in Malaysia will feature a full-LED lighting system up front, including the turn indicators which are hidden within the grille, but at the rear, only the petrol variants get the redesigned LED tail lights; diesel variants, like the one pictured here, will feature halogen bulb illumination.
Tying up the exterior redesign are the new bumpers and skid plate elements, alongside a new set of 20-inch two-tone alloy wheels. Thanks to its new design touches, the 2023 Hyundai Palisade has actually grown approximately 15 mm in length with a slightly longer front overhang, although other dimensions are unchanged.
Exterior colour choices for the new 2023 Hyundai Palisade facelift include Creamy White Pearl, Graphite Gray Metallic (pictured), Shimmering Silver Metallic, Gaia Brown Pearl, Abyss Black Pearl, and Moonlight Blue Pearl.
Unchanged powertrain offerings
The powertrain offerings underneath the bonnet of the 2023 Hyundai Palisade facelift remain
unchanged from before
. Buyers will get to choose between a 3.8-litre naturally-aspirated V6 petrol engine, or a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel. These are unfortunately still Hyundai’s older Lambda series of engines, and not the latest Smartstream units, which are not offered on the Palisade globally.
Only the diesel variants will be offered with Hyundai’s HTRAC all-wheel drive system here in Malaysia.
Engine
3.8L naturally-aspirated V6
2.2L 4-cylinder turbo diesel
Transmission
8-speed automatic
8-speed automatic
Drivetrain
Front-wheel Drive
All-wheel Drive
Max Power
295 hp @ 6,000 rpm
200 hp @ 3,800 rpm
Max Torque
355 Nm @ 5,200 rpm
440 hp @ 1,750 to 2,750 rpm
0 to 100 km/h
7.8 seconds
10.2 seconds
Top Speed
210 km/h
190 km/h
Significantly refreshed interior
A key update to the 2023 Hyundai Palisade facelift is its redesigned interior, which helps the cabin of the SUV feel a lot more premium and modern than before. The main changes are the two new displays atop the dashboard, measuring 12.3-inches for both the touchscreen infotainment display and digital instrument cluster. A head-up display is also standard across all variants.
In keeping up with the times, the USB charging ports within the cabin have also been replaced with USB-C, although a USB-A data port is still available within the centre console for your Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
Other interior highlights include a wireless charging pad in the centre console, three-zone climate control system, 12-way powered driver seat with cushion extension and lumbar support, eight-way powered front passenger seat, and a one-touch folding mechanism for the second-row.
Seat heating and ventilation is also available as standard for the first and second row seats, although the latter is only reserved for the range-topping seven-seater variants; the eight-seater only comes with seat heating for the second-row bench.
Customers can opt between a Black, Burgundy, or Warm Grey (pictured) for their Nappa leather upholstery – the first two options will be paired to “Cloth Look” trims on the interior, while the latter gets a “Layered Wood” effect.
Advanced driver assistance features across all variants
All variants of the new 2023 Hyundai Palisade facelift here in Malaysia will come as standard with six airbags, and the Hyundai SmartSense advanced driver assistance system. The ADAS suite includes the following features:
Smart Cruise Control with stop and go functionality
Blind-spot collision-avoidance assist
Rear cross traffic collision avoidance assist
Lane keeping and lane following assist
autonomous emergency braking with junction support
Leading vehicle departure alert
Driver attention warning
High beam assist
2023 Hyundai Palisade facelift pricing in Malaysia
The new 2023 Hyundai Palisade facelift in Malaysia is priced as follows:
Hyundai Palisade Executive (eight-seater)
2.2L Diesel – RM268,888
3.8L Petrol – RM378,888
Hyundai Palisade Luxury (eight-seater)
2.2L Diesel – RM389,888
3.8L Petrol – RM399,888
Included in the price is a standard two-year/50,000 km warranty package, although Hyundai Sime Darby Malaysia will also be offering an optional five-year/300,000 km extended warranty, which also includes a three-year free service package. The extended warranty and service package is priced at RM11,000 for the petrol variants, and RM12,000 for the diesel variants.
As each car will only be ordered based on your individual booking, customers will also be given the choice to upgrade their equipment list, with items such as a 360-degree surround view monitor and a better sound system at an extra cost.
Hyundai Sime Darby Motor acknowledges the 12% increase in price when compared to the
 outgoing pre-facelift model
, which it attributes to the increase in new advanced driver assistance features, as well as the price hike in raw materials and foreign exchange rates.
READ MORE:
Hyundai Ioniq 6 EV, Creta SUV teased for launch in Malaysia “soon”!
GALLERY


Frankfurt 2015: Ford spills the beans on Focus RS, 0-100 in 4.6s and 265km/h top speed

The Blue Oval Motor Company recently pulled the covers back on its
hottest Focus RS
 and announced that it will be powered by the same EcoBoost lump used in the
all-new Mustang
, albeit 10 percent more powerful in this form. Aside from that, it was declared that the RS would also be equipped with an all-wheel drive system for the first time.
That being said, Ford was being rather scarce with information of their wackiest RS model till the wraps came of at the Frankfurt motor show where a whole slew of details emerged as promised. For starters, it will launch itself to
100 km/h
 from standstill in just
 4.6 seconds
 before rocketing onto a top speed of
 265 km/h
.
These daft figures are thanks in part to the
 2.3-litre turbocharged
 mill that makes
 345 hp
 and
440 Nm
 of torque, all of which is channeled to the four wheels via a
 six-speed manual gearbox
. There’s also a
Launch Control
 system that will catapult you off the line. When it comes to the corners, Ford’s
Dynamic Torque Vectoring
system with differentials will keep you out of the roughage.
Having said that, one would naturally assume that power isn’t in short supply here, but you’d be mistaken. The RS comes with an
overboost
 function on the turbochargers that will give you a
total
 of
470 Nm
 for short amount of time, such as when Launch Control is
activated
.
The Focus RS can select from
four
 different
Drive Modes
 that will
 reconfigure
 the
AWD
 system,
damper
 controls,
Electronic Stability Control
,
steering
 and
engine
 responsiveness (
exhaust

sound too
) to deliver optimum performance on road or circuit driving conditions. Normal, Sport or Track settings are available, alongside a special
 Drift Mode
 – yes you read that right, to help the driver achieve
controlled oversteer
 drifts should it tickle your fancy.
Ford’s performance engineers have been hard at work to extract as much power as possible out of the
 Pony-car derived
 block. The engine features a new
 low-inertia twin-scroll turbocharger
 with a larger compressor,
enhanced air intake
 design, and a large-bore high
 performance exhaust
 system. The result of which is an increase of
10 percent
 over the standard measure.
Ford has indicated a retail sticker value of £28,940 or roughly
 RM191,000
. Expect that value to be much higher after taxes and duties are applied should Ford decide to stick the RS up for sale on our shores. Ford will start deliveries of the Focus RS beginning early 2016.


Imagine racing in a series made up of the Lamborghini Urus, how cool is that?

Ever since it was
 launched in Malaysia earlier this year
, our nation’s elites have been dying to get their hands on the Lamborghini Urus and word is that supply is struggling to cope with the increasing orders for the World’s First Super SUV.
Now, Lamborghini Squardra Corse, the brand’s motorsport division, has unveiled the Urus ST-X Concept which will be used in a one-make series that will combine circuit and off-road racing.
The new race series will debut in 2020 in Europe and the Middle East, with an “arrive and drive” concept according to Lamborghini, that offers drivers/customers “a complete car and technical support package” during race weekends.
On the mechanical modifications on the Urus, Lamborghini only disclosed that larger air intakes were fitted, along with a side-exit exhaust system, to help the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with
 650 hp
 and
850 Nm
, breathe and exhale more efficiently.
Other developments have seen the Urus’ production model weight (2,200 kg) reduced by 25%, to just over 1,600 kg. With a raised ride height and steel roll cage, other modifications include a race fuel cell, fire extinguisher, front hood with visible carbon fibre, a larger rear wing and 21-inch wheels with single lock-nuts.
IMAGE GALLERY


The most powerful Porsche 911 will be a hybrid, says Porsche boss

Porsche is serious about electrification – just look at the
Porsche Taycan
. That is why we weren’t surprised when Porsche said that there will be a hybrid 911. But nothing prepared us for what Porsche’s CEO Oliver Blume just said.
In an
 interview with Top Gear
 for the future of the 718, Blume (perhaps accidentally) let out on a bombshell – the hybrid version of the
992 generation Porsche 911
 will be the most powerful 911 of all.

“We have said the next 911 will add a hybrid version. That will be the highest-performance 911 of all,” Blume said. “So it won’t have the extra weight of batteries, it will be a non-plug-in hybrid. We have the experience to do that –
look at the racing 919
.”
That’s a lot to take in, so let’s break it down a little. We already know Porsche’s formula for hybridisation, by putting an electric motor in between the flat-six engine and the PDK gearbox – as seen on the
Cayenne
 and
Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid
.
The Hybrid 911 will most likely follow that too formula too, without the weight penalty of the battery pack. But that will also mean there won’t be much electric-only range, and it might be hard to make the 136 hp that the Panamera’s electric motor makes.
The Hybrid variant of the 911 will also most likely derive its engine from the upcoming 911 Turbo S, which reportedly already makes 650 hp from a 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six, according to
Car and Driver
.
Want the ultimate Porsche track machine? This is the one to go for – 911 GT2 RS.
Currently, the most balls-to-the-wall Porsche 911 you can drive (on the road) is the
GT2 RS
, which produces 700 hp and 750 Nm of torque from its 3.8-litre twin-turbo engine.
Surpassing that will be a tall order for the hybrid variant to achieve, but with a newer and more powerful engine, paired with the power generated by the electric motor, we won’t be surprised if we see the hybrid Porsche 911 with north of
 800 hp
.
Now there’s only one question – will this be the new GT2 RS, or will it be a separate model? We are pretty sure
Porschephiles
 will definitely oppose the former suggestion..
In the same interview, Blume has also said that the next
Porsche 718
 might become full-electric. Blume said that “We have to decide in the next 12 months, because of the lifecycle of the 718,” and that means we won’t have to wait too long to find out.