Elon Musk is “extremely confident” that Tesla will launch its fully-autonomous system next year

Despite the
overtly dangerous
 and frankly,
incredibly stupid
 demonstrations online of people leaving the driver’s seat completely while the car “drives itself”, it should be clear that Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system – currently in Beta testing for a select group of owners – is by no means anywhere near full self-driving. At most, it is a Level 3 autonomous system – which
is
 an incredible feat, but calling it self-driving is overselling it, by a lot.
But that’s not going to stop eccentric billionaire and avid Twitter user Elon Musk from making some overzealous claims. According to a report by
Electrek
, the Tesla CEO said that he is “extremely confident” his company will release a fully-autonomous driving system to customers in 2021.
The comment came after Musk won the Axel Springer Award in Germany this past Monday. When the publication’s CEO Mathias Döpfner asked about when Tesla will be delivering full autonomy to customers, Musk replied: “To actually answer your question, I am extremely confident of achieving full autonomy and releasing it to the
Tesla
 customer base next year.”
While Musk admits that the answer is significantly simplified and the regulatory landscape over the world – or even in the United States – could throw a wrench in his plans, he did express his belief that “at least some jurisdictions are going to allow full self-driving next year.”
Elon Musk’s predictions about autonomous driving has become somewhat of a running joke among the industry. He famously (infamously?) predicted that its cars will have full autonomous driving capabilities, and there will be
one million Tesla Robotaxis on the roads
, both by the end of 2020.
But of course, neither of those have happened thus far, four days into December 2020. The first we’ve already debunked above, and the second – well, there are approximately zero of them on the roads.
So will Tesla release the
actual
 full self-driving Level 5 autonomous driving system next year? That’s a tough question to answer – not just because of Elon Musk’s history of predictions, but also due to the long and arduous certification process for these systems to be approved throughout the world. We certainly won’t keep our hopes up, if we’re being honest.


Nissan GT-R sets fastest drift ever recorded, 304km/h! [+Video]

The all-wheel-drive Nissan GT-R isn’t a weapon of choice when it comes to producing sideways action in a massive cloud of tyre smoke. This heavily modified GT-R however has just set a new Guinness World Record for the fastest drift ever recorded, in the world.
Under the hands of Japanese drift legend,
Masato Kawabata
, the GT-R set the record while going at a mind boggling
304 km/h
 at Fujairah International Airport in the UAE. This broke the record set formerly by Poland’s Jakub Przygoński, drifting his 1,068-horsepower Toyota GT86 at 216 km/h three years ago.
https://youtu.be/KTEITmTomII
The bespoke GT-R developed by Nismo and GReddy Trust, had the GT-R’s front driveshaft removed to make it rear-wheel driven. With some heavy modifications in the engine, it generates
1,361 hp!
Congratulations and huge RESPECT to Nissan & Masato Kawabata for the record!


2017 Mercedes-Benz X-Class unveiled, 3.0L bi-turbo V6 included! [+Video]

Mercedes-Benz has really pushed the envelop here when it comes to nonconformity. The fact that BMW, Audi and Volvo have not made a luxury pick-up truck meant only one thing – to get the ball rolling with the all-new Mercedes-Benz X-Class.
The X-Class is the third product to be conceived out of the Daimler AG and Nissan-Renault partnership. Although greatly differing from the
concept
 last year, the ute still looks fairly decent to earn itself a pass in the aesthetics department.

The fascia sports the familiar twin-louvre radiator grille, while the side profile is clearly reminiscent of the
Navara
. The rear end, well, looks just about like any other conventional pick-ups. Three trims will be offered for the X-Class:
Pure, Progressive
 and
Power
.
Each differs in dashboard, trimmings and upholstery (up to six configurations, in fact). Depending on the variant, the X-Class comes with an
8.4-inch COMAND
 online infotainment screen, leather seats, powered seats with lumbar support and a redesigned rear bench that offers better comfort for passengers.
There will be four engines powering the X-Class, with the X 350 d being the range topper. The X 200 petrol is only reserved for left-hand drive markets, by the way.
Name
X 220 d
X 250 d
X 350 d
X 200
Engine
2.3-litre four-cylinder single-turbodiesel
3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel
2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol
Max Power
163 hp
190 hp
258 hp
165 hp
Max Torque
430 Nm
450 Nm
550 Nm
238 Nm
 Drive
Rear-drive & selectable four-wheel
4MATIC All-wheel
Rear-wheel
Transmission
Six-speed manual
Six-speed manual & seven-speed automatic
Seven-speed dual clutch automatic
Six-speed manual
The suspension has also been reworked – it gets revised coil springs, double wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear axle. Interestingly, Mercedes-Benz offers two ride heights depending on customers’ needs – 202 mm ground clearance for the more comfort-oriented setup, whereas the workhorse is taller by 20 mm for greater axle articulation. Both would suit the Malaysian palette, we bet.
The X-Class has a payload of
1,042 kg
, and the cargo bay is thoughtfully lit (just like the
Ranger
). On the safety front, it’s packed with seven airbags, active brake assist, lane keeping assist and collision prevention assist as standard. It doesn’t end there, because there’s Trailer Stability Assist, tyre pressure monitoring system and even emergency call system!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aGK4xW2jFM
The Mercedes-Benz X-Class will go on sale in European markets by November this year before making its way to the rest of the world in 2018. Pricing in Germany starts from
37,294 Euros (approximately RM184k)
 and upwards. Want one? Guess you’ll just have to wait and see…
IMAGE GALLERY


Bridgestone Potenza Adrenalin RE004 now available in Malaysia

Bridgestone Tyre Malaysia has officially introduced the Potenza Adrenalin RE004, replacing the
popular Adrenalin RE003
. Described as a “premium street sports” tyre, the RE004 promises enhanced driving pleasure with “maximum handling and high responsiveness on both wet and dry surfaces”.
According to the company, the new RE004 offers superb dry handling and wet braking performance, while at the same time still in compliance with the ECE R117-02 international regulation governing the tyre requirements for sound emission, rolling resistance, and wet performance.
Triple and half grooves
Wide inner rib
Rigid connecting blocks
The new tyres feature the
“triple and half grooves”
 technology, along with an
aggressive “A-shaped” tread pattern
 to deliver maximum control and stability during braking and cornering. Highly
 rigid connecting blocks on the shoulder
 enhances the tyre’s sensitivity, while reducing excess movements at high speeds.
The RE004 also features
wider ribs
 than before to maximise contact patch between tyre and road , allowing for a more even distribution of pressure on the road. The tyres are manufactured with a
new improved compound
 featuring evenly-spread silica, which the company says improves wet and dry performance, as well as lowers the rolling resistance for enhanced fuel efficiency.
as a result, the new Adrenalin RE004 delivers an improved overall performance compared to its predecessor. According to Bridgestone’s own internal tests, dry handling and initial response have been improved significantly, followed by wet handling, wet grip, wet braking, and ride comfort – all while maintaining the performance in terms of road noise and dry braking distance.
The Bridgestone Potenza Adrenalin RE004 is now available at all Bridgestone authorised dealers nationwide. Sizes range from
15- to 17-inches
 – do check out the full list in the table below:
Click to enlarge


BMW i8 Protonic Frozen Black and Frozen Yellow editions unveiled

The Protonic editions of the
BMW i8
 isn’t exactly new, but they have went on to add two more colours to the unique lineup – Frozen Black and Frozen Yellow. The new duo joins other Protonic offerings of the past – Ionic Silver, Crystal White, Sophisto Grey, Protonic Blue and
Protonic Red
.
Besides the obvious new colours, they both have bespoke interior styling that adds to the allure of this electrifying sports car. Mechanically, the same
1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged
 petrol engine is retained, and it is paired to an electric motor. The hybrid powertrain generates
362 hp and 570 Nm of

torque
, and it is capable of a 4.4-second century sprint.
The BMW i8 Protonic Frozen Black will take centre stage at BMW’s stand at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, while the Frozen Yellow will be available later this year.
IMAGE GALLERY


Toyota, Mazda and Denso join forces for electric vehicle development

It’s getting ever so clear that the days of the petrol-powered cars are numbered. With countries like
France, India
 and

China,
all taking steps leading to their ban in the impending future, major automakers are hard pressed to ditch their traditional ways and oversee a smooth transition to electric vehicle production.
Recently, Toyota has just entered into a new venture to develop electric vehicle technology with another industry leader, Mazda and Denso, Toyota’s biggest supplier of components, according to a report by
Reuters
. This follows after reports that Ford is in talks to
build EVs in China
, alongside future electric
Volvo’s being built in China
– with all clearly taking necessary steps to meet growing trends and future demands.
Development of affordable EV technology, with Toyota providing the financial muscle will also be applied to compact cars, sedans, SUVs and even pick up trucks. With batteries costing lesser, EVs can be built with more power, allowing its production to be more feasible.
With Mitsubishi’s recent announcement that its
new Evolution model
 may not be petrol-powered alongside their new “Alliance” with Renault and Nissan, the pressure is on. The likes
Honda
,
BMW Group
,
Hyundai
 and
VW
 have all pledged electric car launches by 2020. Mazda with this new venture has whispered plans of an EV launch by the same year.
At the moment, we can expect to receive one of the world’s best selling electric cars, the
Nissan Leaf
, due to be
launched in Malaysia next year
. Let’s see what the public perception and response would be like.


Valtteri Bottas: Being compared to Lewis will only motivate me

Despite the various roadblocks, the 2020 season will always be remembered fondly by the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team. Not only did they become the first team in the history of F1 to win
seven consecutive World Constructor Championships
, Mercedes-AMG F1 team’s championship-winning W11 this year is also arguably one of the most dominant Formula 1 car to ever have graced the sport – achieving 12 front-row lock-outs across 17 races.
The success of the team is further bolstered by Lewis Hamilton’s
seventh World Championship title
, equalling Michael Schumacher’s all-time record – but you’d be amiss to think that all of these achievements are based on individual brilliance either.
As they always say, behind every successful man is a strong woman, and behind every successful racing driver is a hard-working team, from co-drivers to the janitors. As for Mercedes, their team spans from the two drivers and race engineers by the trackside, all the way to the guys working behind the scenes at Petronas’ laboratories and the team’s factory in Brackley.
Thanks to the brilliant people over at
Petronas
, we had the distinct pleasure of speaking to some of these key team players – including driver
Valtteri Bottas
 in today’s entry, who is an integral part to the team’s recent success.
The Number 77 Finn is without a doubt a true title contender in his own right, with performances that often matched – if not exceeded – that of his teammate Lewis Hamilton. Unfortunately, a string of rotten luck and poor performances meant that Bottas can only settle for second once again, this year.
In this 15-minute roundtable session alongside the regional media outlets, we got the chance to learn a little more about what makes him tick, from how it’s like being Lewis Hamilton’s teammate, to his own race car collection.
The full interview transcript is below the break.
How important is Petronas’ contribution to the team’s record-breaking seven consecutive world championship title?
The relationship between Mercedes and Petronas has been ongoing for over a decade. It’s been a long journey and a successful journey so far. I have no doubt in the future it can be as well.
I always think about the fluids in the car that Petronas provides as the blood of the heart – and engine is always the heart – so it’s been super important in terms of performance and reliability. That’s something that our team is well known for – in terms of reliability and obviously performance as well – as you can see from the results.
So this ongoing push for the technology from the fluid side, working together, has been definitely a big part of the success of the team in the last past years.
Earlier this year, we had the opportunity to speak to Petronas’ trackside fluid engineers about the length that they go to in order to extract the most from the car. As a driver how does that help you prepare for the races, and get all the performance out of the W11?
Yeah, we have some Petronas fluid engineers at every single Grand Prix, and they are basically making sure that everything is functioning well – taking samples and detecting if there are any risks with any particular part of the car, and there are no extra [impurities] in the fluids post-session; so they can detect if something is about to go wrong.
Having them there, and chatting with them every now and then, just gives me the confidence that everything is under control, and trust that the car is going to see the chequered flag in every race.
They are doing their job, and they’re really busy with that, and I’m also busy with my work – obviously driving, but also the engineering work between my performance and race engineer – so we’re doing different things, but it gives me the confidence to race at the full performance knowing that there’s nothing to worry about, basically.
Finland has such a rich history in Formula 1, with drivers like Keke Rosberg, Mika Hakkinen, Kimi Raikkonen, and obviously yourself. Why do you think your country has such a strong representation and has such strong success in the sport, and who was your childhood hero?
I think in Finland – at least for me – the big thing was that we as young kids doing go-karting, there were always heroes and people that we look up to. For me, it was Mika Hakkinen, clearly. Having had the accident in ‘95 in Adelaide, and then recovering from that and becoming a double world champion, it was something that was super inspiring for me. So I think that made me push even further and work hard to become a driver one day.
In Finland, Motorsport is really important in the culture. Anything with an engine, there’s always a racing series for it. Maybe some of the series are not that well known, but whether it’s on two wheels or four wheels there are lots of categories [for them].
The level of go-karting is really good – although we can only race in the summer because in winter it’s more difficult with the snow! (laughs) But yeah, the level is really, really high, so that brings up the competition from a young age.
I believe the mentality of the Finns is really good for the sport because we need to be able to stay calm no matter what in this sport no matter what. That kind of mental determination that I think we have as a nation is only a bonus for any sport – for sure for motorsport as well.
What is actually more popular in Finland – Formula 1 drivers or some of the drivers that compete in other leagues such as ice racing that is very popular in your country?
I believe, it’s still the Formula 1 drivers, in terms of their following and TV numbers; Formula 1 is still the most followed motorsport in Finland. But I think the most popular, if I’m not wrong, is ice hockey, overall as a sport. It’s a big passion for the Finns, and also for me as a kid. Other winter sports as well, like cross-country skiing and ski jumping is also big [in Finland].
They do have some nice ice racing series, and actually I am lining myself up to do the Arctic Rally in Lapland in January, I think 15-16 January if it goes on, which for the moment it is. I’m planning to do that with a WRC car, and it will be my third time doing that rally, good fun.
Being in Mercedes is a bit of a double-edged sword; it puts you in a position to win races and maybe championships, but it also puts you in direct comparison to Lewis Hamilton. You get a lot of comments such as “it’s all about the car” and “other people can also beat Lewis Hamilton if they had the same car”, what are your thoughts about this?
I’m really proud to be a team member of this team. We’ve been able to make history in recent years, and with all the success we had together and the opportunities provided, I wouldn’t change a thing.
Being against Lewis, it’s a great motivation; in terms of numbers, he’s the most successful racing driver in F1 history, so it’s a great motivation to try to be better than him. It’s not easy – I’ve had many defeats, but also I’ve had wins. And with statistics – in terms of pure pace – I’m getting closer and closer, so it definitely keeps me going on.
I wouldn’t want anything in the easy way, so I don’t see that as a negative thing. For sure, people are always going to compare, that’s the nature of this sport, and that’s what it is, but that’s only going to motivate me.
Does it change your mentality in the races itself (being matched against Hamilton) – perhaps make you push a bit harder, or choose a different strategy in the race? And what will you be doing – or changing – to mount a bigger challenge next year?
Being against Lewis, for sure it’s mentally draining, because you have to always be at a 100% and try to be at my best capability every single race week, but I believe that is the same for every single driver if they want to perform at their very best.
It’s a challenge for sure, but it’s also very rewarding when I get the results – when I get to be on top of my game and be better than Lewis. The feeling, the reward from that always feeds into more motivation to be better. Like I said earlier, I wouldn’t have anything easy. I want to earn it – the results – and I will give everything I’m able to do that. For me, I am in a good situation.
For the future, like next year, it’s not about big things. If you break every single race week down, it’s the small things that I have to perfect. There’s no one particular area, it’s more of the small things here and there that I will have to nail every single race week.
I know I have it in me because I have been able to win races, so it’s about getting the small things together and just build on this year. I’ve been able to progress each year, so I need to keep doing that, keep working hard and eventually, the hard work will pay off.
It’s safe to say that your team has outclassed every other team this season. What is the key to the success behind the team’s performance?
There’s no one thing, it’s multiple things in the team that makes up the performance. For sure the partnership with Petronas definitely made a big difference. Because of them we’ve been definitely one of the most – if not the most – reliable team over the years, and we’ve been always collecting the points when others have failed, basically. I think it’s the consistency in the team.
It’s not always easy to stay at the top because all the other teams have a clear goal of trying to chase us, and trying to beat us. But for us, we need to make our own goals and our own targets to meet if we want to stay on top.
I think in the recent years, the key is that we’ve been really setting clear targets, realistic but brave targets, for all the departments of the factory and every single team personnel – and going for that together, super united, and being supportive and honest at making mistakes, and learning from mistakes.
There’s so much talent in this team, both in the race team and in the factory, and it’s the quality of the people and the motivation of the people that is bringing these amazing results that we’ve been getting lately. Even for me it’s really motivating to watch and follow the drive that the team has.
It’s very much a mental mindset, that we’re willing to do whatever it takes to be the best, and that applies to every team member.
Albert park is going to be resurfaced after next year’s race, with changes to radius and surface to improve the racing. What do you think – as a driver – could or should be done to Albert Park to help bolster some of the overtaking opportunities that just aren’t there at the moment?
First of all, it’s already a great track, so I don’t see a really massive need to change anything. I think the bumps on the surface of the circuit actually brings a bit of character.
Every track is unique in its own way, and I’ve always been a big fan of the track in Melbourne, but it is true that the overtaking is super tricky because the track is super narrow, and there are not that many corners that are good for doing good attacks under braking and overtaking.
It’s not rocket science when it comes to changing a track to improve overtaking; it’s basically extending some of the straights and making sure that after the straights is a rather big braking zone and a big wider track, that can make racing better.
But to be honest, I think that with the new
regulation changes coming in 2022
 – at least in theory – the racing should be a lot better so hopefully that will fix the issue, and we don’t have to change the tracks. And the resurfacing, I hope they don’t remove all the bumps, it would be nice to keep some character (laughs).
Do you own any of your former Formula 1 cars, or any of the cars from your junior career? And would you wish to build a bit of a collection when you finish racing to look back on, or do you see the cars as the tools of your job, and it’s the success and achievements that you scored within them that you take away?
I’ve actually been chasing for my first go-kart that I started racing with, but still no success. I don’t know where it is, but it will be a nice memory, you know, where it all started. Eventually one day, it would be nice to have something where it all ended.
I actually have one car, the 2014 Williams [FW36] car that I had my first podium in at Austria. That season with Williams in 2014 was really successful and the team felt like they wanted to compensate me more at the end of the year, so they gave me the car as a gift.
That’s now in a secret place, where hopefully one day I can build a bigger collection (laughs). So yes, absolutely, it might be expensive to get all the cars, but if there’s a way, it would be nice to have some memories.
It’s tight between yourself and Max Verstappen in the championship. How important is second in the championship, or does it not matter because it’s not first?
For sure it’s not first, so yeah, it’s not quite as important, but I’d still rather be second. I always push forward every season trying to get maximum points and finish as high as possible, and I feel our team would deserve being 1-2 in the championship. With the car we have this year, I think it would be a shame if I was third (laughs). So yeah, definitely still pushing for that.
It’s still pretty close, and especially with the bad race I had last weekend [Bahrain] and the weekend before, Max is pretty close in the points so that should be interesting – last two races in the season. The Red Bull in Max’s hands doesn’t look too shabby, so it could be an interesting couple of races.
[This interview took place right before the Sakhir Grand Prix, which due to a string of unfortunate circumstances, saw Bottas finish the race in seventh position. Max Verstappen retired from the race that weekend due to a collision with Charles Leclerc on lap 1.
Max Verstappen managed to win the following race, coincidentally the last race of the season. However, the points from his race win was not sufficient to overtake Valtteri Bottas (who finished second) in the championship standings. The season concluded with Lewis Hamilton winning his seventh WDC title, with Bottas in second, and Max Verstappen in third.
We were also originally scheduled to have a roundtable session with Lewis Hamilton, but he unfortunately tested positive for Covid-19 just hours before the interview was scheduled to take place. Toto Wolff is coming up next, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled!]


Mazda3 2.0L Skyactiv-G CKD: Confirmed spec list leaked, price from RM105k to RM125k!

Exactly a week ago, we broke the news to you that the
Mazda3 CKD
 will be making its way here by May along with its tentative price tag of
RM119k
. Now, we have just been tipped of their equipment levels and they appear to be close to being confirmed.

There’s a slight change in the chain of info now regarding the price tag for both sedan and hatch touring variants. According to the spec list, there will be three trims available –
sedan mid spec
,
hatch touring mid+ spec
 and the
sedan high spec
. Our previous report revealed that the sedan and hatch variants will be identically specced, but the leaked spec sheet indicates otherwise.
The mechanics remain largely the same as the
RM139k CBU unit
, sharing the same
2.0-litre Skyactiv-G engine
 (14.0:1 compression ratio) that’s good for
162 hp
 at 6,000 rpm and
210 Nm
 at 4,000 rpm. It’s paired to the same
six-speed Skyactiv-Drive
 transmission driving the
front wheels
.
Mazda3 sedan CBU: Read review
here
So what’s different in the three CKD trims as opposed to the CBU sedan unit? Let us break it down for you in the table below.
* Proposed OTR price
 (without insurance)
CBU Sedan
(RM135,159.00)
CKD Sedan Mid
(RM105,000.00)*
CKD HB Mid+
(RM119,000.00)*
CKD Sedan High
(RM125,000.00)*
Wheel
215/45R18 7J
205/60R16 6.5J
215/45R18 7J
215/45R18 7J
Length
4,580 mm
4,580 mm
4,460 mm (- 120mm)
4,580 mm
Climate Control
Auto, Single Zone
Manual
Auto, Single Zone
Auto, Single Zone
Auto Cruise Control
N/A
N/A
N/A
Equipped
Auto Dimming Rear View Mirror
N/A
N/A
N/A
Equipped
Windshield Wipers
Manual
Manual
Manual
Auto
Seats
Fabric
Fabric
Fabric
Leather
Power Seat
N/A
N/A
N/A
Driver Only

On the outside, the key differences are as such:
GPS Navigation
Equipped
N/A
N/A
Equipped
Reverse Camera
N/A
Equipped
Equipped
Equipped
Paddle Shifters
Equipped
N/A
Equipped
Equipped
Headlights
Bi-xenon, auto levelling
Halogen, manual levelling
Bi-xenon, auto levelling
Bi-xenon, auto levelling
Tail Lamp Type
LED
Bulb
LED
LED
DRLs
Equipped
N/A
Equipped
Equipped
Sunroof
Equipped
N/A
N/A
N/A
Keyless Entry
Equipped
N/A
Equipped
Equipped

The high spec variant will be getting a few more special features to justify its asking price, and for about RM15,000 lesser than the CBU unit, you get the Head Up Display, High Beam Control System, Smart City Brake System, Rear Vehicle Monitoring System and Lane Departure Warning System. Airbag count is the same across the range, with each variant getting a total of six airbags. As per the table above, the high spec variant will lose the sunroof offered in the CBU variant.

The mid spec sedan is tentatively priced at
RM105,000
; hatchback mid+ spec at
RM119,000
 and high spec sedan at
RM125,000
. Prices listed here are pending confirmation and does not come with insurance. All variants of the Mazda3 CKD will be packaged with a
three-year
 or
60,000 km warranty
 programme. Mazda announced that they only have 20 units of CBU Mazda3s left, after which the CKD variants will resume sales duties.
[divider]
IMAGE GALLERY
Mazda3 2.0L Skyactiv-G Sedan CBU

Mazda3 2.0L Skyactiv-G Hatchback CKD


The all-new Audi A6 can park itself without a driver in the car

Audi has finally unveiled its latest business sedan, the Audi A6. This completes the four ring’s new-generation of core sedan models –
A8 D5
, A6 C8 and
A4 B9
. The eighth-generation A6 gets an elegant exterior to match its progressive interior as well as a mild hybrid system on all variants.
Measuring at 4,939 mm in length, 1,886 mm in width and 1,457 mm in height, the new car is marginally larger than
the model it replaces
 – 7 mm longer, 12 mm wider and 2 mm taller to be precise. Despite the swelled profile, boot space remains the same at
530 litres
.

Design wise, the Russian Doll effect is still very much in place. Like the rest of the Audi range, the front end of the A6 is dominated by the large Singleframe grille and sleek LED headlamps. Unlike the
A7
 which spots a more progressive design language, the design of the A6 is less busy with necessary lines to show sophistication.
There are
five trim levels
 available for the A6 – Basic, Sport, Design, Design Selection and S Line, all ranges in exterior equipment, body kit and wheel options (up to 21-inch). Top of the range A6 comes equipped with
Matrix LED headlight
 with five horizontal lines for daytime running lights, single horizontal chrome strip connecting LED taillamps  and dynamic indicators. Audi offers 14 colour options for the exterior – seven which are new to the A6 colour palette.
Like its larger siblings, the A6 features a
triple screen cockpit
 – a 12.3-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit instrument cluster, 10.1-inch upper MMI display and 8.6-inch lower display. The three screens are coupled with a variety of interior trims from open-pore wood trim to leather wrapped trims. Two interior lighting packages can be had with the interior – ambient lighting and contour ambient lighting. The latter can set off the cabin with 30 different colours.
At launch, the A6 is available with two powertrain options – a 3.0-litre V6 TFSI petrol with
335 hp
/
500 Nm
 and a 3.0-litre TDI diesel with
281 hp
/
620 Nm
. The two engines are equipped with Quattro all-wheel-drive system as standard. An eight-speed Tiptronic automatic is paired to the TDI mill while the petrol engine gets a seven-speed S Tronic dual clutch box.
Those who like a little more excitement in their A6 can check the options list for
 dynamic all-wheel steering
, sport differential, adaptive air suspension and dynamic dampers. All these are paired with the Audi Drive Select System to give an even wider spread of driving characteristic.
Like the A7, all variants of the A6 will feature mild hybridisation courtesy of a 48-volt primary electrical system to improve fuel economy by up to 0.7 litres per 100 km. Read all about the mild-hybrid system
here
.
Audi will be setting new standards in the segment for driver assistance systems as the A6 comes equipped with Audi AI system that uses as many as five radar sensors, five cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors and a laser scanner to allow the A6 to park itself into designated carpark without a driver. Adaptive Cruise Assist semi-autonomous driving is also available on the A6.
The all-new Audi A6 is due to roll off the assembly line at the Neckarsulm plant and will go on sale in Germany in June 2018 with base price starting from €58,050 (RM278k).
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Audi and Skoda sold over 3.3 million cars with emissions cheat device

Audi and Skoda, both subsidiaries under the Volkswagen Group, have come forward admitting to have sold some 3.3 million cars installed with the ‘defeat device’ software which allows each car to cheat on emissions tests.
According to a report by
Auto Express UK
, Audi’s representative said about 1.42 million cars with V-compliant engines are affected in Western Europe, with more than 30 percent (577,000 units to be precise) of them sold in Germany alone. Affected Audi models ranging from the A1, A3, A4, A5, A6, TT, Q3 and Q5 are all confirmed to be fitted with the prohibited software, but Audi claims newer models with EU6 engines aren’t affected by the software.
The engine in question here is Volkswagen’s
 type EA189 oil burner
 used in over 11 million cars including SEAT, Skoda, Audi and Volkswagen models. All four brands have admitted to using the
1.6-litre
 or
 2.0-litre TDI engine
 with the nefarious software, allowing them to fly under the radar when put through emissions test. In real world driving, it was found that the cars produced over 40 times the pollution count.
The illegal software
cost former VAG CEO, Martin Winterkorn his job
 who is now replaced by ex-Porsche CEO, Matthias Müller. But Winterkorn wasn’t the only one to lose his job. Both top spots in SEAT and Skoda have also been vacated, with Luca de Meo (from Audi) succeeding Jurgen Stackmann of SEAT. Skoda’s ex-chairman Dr Winfried Vahland’s successor hasn’t been named yet, but Vahland will be helming VAG’s North American operations.


MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4, first ever plug-in hybrid MINI, coming to M’sia?

MINI’s largest and latest model,
the Countryman
, is now available as a plug-in hybrid variant. The MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 packs a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine that’s paired to a synchronous electric motor, and will go on sale by June this year.
The hybrid system generates
224 hp
 and would sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in
6.8 seconds
. Power is sent to all four wheels, but the task is evenly split between the engine and electric motor: the former powers the front wheels through a
six-speed conventional automatic
, while the latter juices the rear wheels via a
two-stage single-speed transmission
.
MINI claims an all-electric range of 40km, with charge time taking anywhere between 2 to 3 hours. Like all plug-in hybrids, the Cooper S E Countryman can be charged through a home domestic socket or a wallbox. There’s no cranking when setting off – only the electric motor comes to life. In auto mode, the engine is only activated above 80 km/h, but when MAX eDRIVE is toggled, the threshold raises to
125 km/h
.
Exclusive design bits of the Countryman PHEV include “E” emblems on the radiator grille, side scuttles and door sills, 17-inch Light Spoke alloy wheels, hybrid-specific displays on the instrument cluster and 6.5-inch screen and of course the eDRIVE toggle switch.

MINI is giving a six-year or 100,000km warranty for the high voltage lithium-ion battery. Now for the bigger question… will this come to Malaysia? There’s a good chance it will, considering that the previous Countryman was also locally assembled. Do watch this space for future updates!
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MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 PHEV

MINI Cooper S Countryman


The Toyota Supra prototype is ready to take on Goodwood hill climb

The highly anticipated Toyota Supra sports car is scheduled to make its public debut at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK. The only thing is that it is a prototype model and will be draped in a full camouflage.
According to Toyota, the prototype model will be participating in the Goodwood hill climb with Chief Engineer Testuya Tada and Master Driver, Herwig Daenens behind the wheel. This will give onlookers and fans around the world a first taste of the glorious in-line six-cylinder engine as well as how the near-perfect balance (50:50) chassis and front-engine rear-wheel drive sports car will dance through the corners.
Upon closer inspection of the camouflaged Supra, we can tell that the road-going version shares the same silhouette as the
Toyota GR Supra Racing Concept
 (
“test drive” exercise of the GR Supra Racing Concept race car is now available)
 down to the raised boot lid. The prototype also wears a less elaborate rear diffuser, twin exhaust pipes (one on either side of the car) as well as stylish five twin-spoke alloy wheels shod in Michelin branded rubbers.
The new Toyota Supra is expected to hit markets in the first half of 2019 and will be available strictly as a coupe. If you prefer an open top motoring experience while carving through a mountain pass, perhaps the
BMW Z4
 that shares the same development grounds with the Supra will pique your interest.
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Toyota Supra Prototype

Toyota GR Supra Racing Concept


We’re really digging this new colour on the updated MINI Clubman!

The only MINI with six doors – the Clubman – is now in Malaysia with interior, exterior and even powertrain upgrades.
Priced at
 RM298,888
, the new Clubman can be had from RM 3,418 a month based on estimates of 80% loan on a 5-year tenure through the Balloon Financing from BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia.
Perhaps the most catchy offering in the Clubman is the new
Indian Summer Red
 exterior paint job – a move away from the darker, more subdued tones from before.
Other exterior colour offerings include a new British Racing Green, Pepper White, Thunder Grey, Melting Silver and Starlight Blue.
The new Clubman comes with a redesigned radiator grille which now extends across the front bumper, new LED headlights, Union Jack-styled tail lights and 18-inch alloy wheels.
True to the funky nature of a MINI, the white headlight rings not only serve as Daytime Running Lights but also turn indicators. Being a Clubman, it was never going to struggle with space – capable of offering from 360-litres up to 1,250-litres of boot space.
Under the hood is a powerful 2.0-litre TwinPower Turbo engine with
192 hp
and
280 Nm
 that’s good for a 7.2 second time to 100 km/h from standstill and a top speed of 228 km/h while returning a claimed 6.2 L/100km fuel consumption rating.
The engine is paired with a new 7-speed Dual Clutch Sports Automatic Transmission that provides fast gear changes and can be operated via a newly designed electronic selector lever which returns to its original position after changing between driving mode, neutral position and reverse mode.
Prominent interior deco includes a Walknappa leather steering wheel and seat upholstery with Union Jack motifs on the headrest. The vibrant mood is also enhanced by Frozen Blue illuminations for the door bezel, cockpit bezel and centre console.
As for tech, the Clubman’s young and hip owners will not be shortchanged of entertainment and conveniences with a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, Apple CarPlay, built-in 4G sim technology,
The current update of the MINI Connected app now enables sending of navigational information from smartphone to vehicle and receiving departure information as well as the MINI Remote Services – which displays vehicle location, fuel level and other vehicle status details on their mobile devices.
The function also allows quick activation of the headlight flash, horn, ventilation and door lock/unlock function.
Aside from the 4-years Unlimited Mileage Warranty with Free Scheduled Service, the new Clubman is accompanied by MINI Malaysia’s 5 Years Roadside Assistance programme, along with 24-Hour, 365-days-a-year Accident and Help on the Phone and On the Spot Hotline, Free Towing Services and when needed (over 200KM from residential home), Replacement Vehicle, Seamless Mobility, Accommodation, Mobility Services Solutions as well as Repatriation services.
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CUPRA Formentor SUV’s new feature aims to prevent “car dooring” accidents

CUPRA has introduced a new feature in its
Formentor SUV
 which will help prevent car dooring accidents – where a car, pedestrian or other moving object is hit when the door is opened.
The
 “Exit Warning” feature
, which is aided by a rear-facing camera, will deliver an audible warning to the passenger, if a cyclist, pedestrian or vehicle is coming from behind, and the SUV will be the first CUPRA vehicle to be equipped with it. The Formentor is also the first vehicle to be designed and developed from the ground up by SEAT.
While it may seem like the most effective solution at the moment for the reckless, car manufacturers have various safety features in place to counter such accidents.
Take the
Range Rover Evoque we reviewed
 for example; if there is a moving object by or approaching the doors, a symbol by the door handle (in the passenger’s line of sight) will illuminate to warn the passenger against opening the door.
Might sound insignificant to you, but according to data in the UK, 10 cyclists were killed in 2019 alone from such incidents.
The VZ is the most powerful variant of the Formentor SUV, with 310 hp and 400 Nm from a 2.0-litre TSI turbocharged engine driving all four wheels. The engine is paired to a 7-speed DSG gearbox, allowing the Formentor to get from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.9 seconds!


Indonesia to aims to sell only fully-electric new cars by 2050

Following similar announcements from
Thailand
 and
Singapore
, Indonesia is now the latest country in the region to join in on the EV push. According to a report by
 Reuters
, Indonesia’s energy minister Arifin Tasrif said that the country is aiming to sell only electric cars by 2050.
The plan doesn’t just include cars either; EV motorcycles will precede the 2050 target by 10 years, as the country seeks to reduce its carbon emissions across all facets. Indonesia announced earlier that it intends to become carbon-neutral, with all coal-powered power plants to be retired by 2056.
The
 LG-backed battery plant in Indonesia
 will reportedly make batteries for Hyundai EVs
The move is in line with Indonesia’s plans of becoming a global EV production hub, taking advantage of the country’s rich supplies of nickel laterite ore used in lithium-ion batteries.
Even Mercedes-AMG is going fully-electric! Check out what the future holds for the performance marque here.
Just three weeks ago, LG Energy Solutions
signed a Memorandum of Understanding
 with Indonesia’s Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) for the development of a new integrated battery cell plant in Bekasi, Indonesia, with a total investment worth USD9.8 billion planned.
Indonesia has long grappled with air pollution and traffic congestion problems, especially in its capital Jakarta, which consistently ranks among the region’s most polluted cities.
According to data published by the country’s Automotive Industries Association in 2019, the country had more than 15 million cars and 112 million motorcycles on its roads. The country sold on average 6.5 million motorcycles per year and about 1 million cars per year in the past decade.


Hyundai, Genesis and Kia design chief Luc Donckerwolke resigns

Luc Donckerwolke has left Hyundai Motor Group after two years of overseeing the company’s global designing efforts. According to an internal memo sighted by
Automotive News
, Donckerwolke cited personal reasons for his departure.
The Belgian designer joined the South Korean giant in 2015 as the head of design for Hyundai and Genesis, later stepping up as the group Chief Design Officer and taking Kia under his purview in 2018, replacing Peter Schreyer in that role.
Donckerwolke is the man behind Hyundai’s new “Sensuous Sportiness” design language. He is credited for the design of the all-new
Hyundai Sonata
,
 Elantra
,
i20
, as well as concept vehicles such as the
 Prophecy
and
Le Fil Rouge
.
The new design language at Genesis, characterised by two lines joining the front headlights to the taillights – as seen on the
all-new G80
, is also the work of Donckerwolke.
Prior to his stint at Hyundai Motor Group, Donckerwolke had a 23-year history at the Volkswagen Group, most recently the Director of Design at Bentley. His work at the group includes the Audi A2, Lamborghini Mucierlago and Gallardo, as well as the Bentley Flying Spur, among others.
Donckerwolke was behind many of Hyundai’s more controversial styling, such as the
all-new Elantra.
“It’s been an honour and privilege to contribute to the shaping of the future of Hyundai, Kia and Genesis,” Donckerwolke said in a statement. “Their audacious and progressive attitude has allowed me to push the boundaries and challenge the status quo.”
It is understood that no successor has been named for the position currently. SangYup Lee will continue serving as head of design at Hyundai and Genesis, while Karim Habib, previously at Infiniti, will be overseeing design efforts at Kia.


Mercedes-Benz GLA facelift teased, to arrive in Malaysia later this year

Unveiled during the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, the
Mercedes-Benz GLA
 is the brand’s smallest crossover offering. Considering that the A-Class has recently undergone a facelift exercise, it is only a matter of time before the SUV equivalent receives the same updates.
Now, Mercedes has just released a single teaser image of the GLA facelift on their Facebook page, ahead of its global debut at the Detroit motor show happening next week. It appears that the GLA facelift will receive styling cues from its hatchback sibling. We can tell the headlamps now feature a single LED tube design, new front grille and a reworked front bumper along with repositioned fog lamps. No images of the rear were revealed but expect Mercedes to tweak the LED tail lamps and revise the rear bumper.
If the A-Class updates are of any indication, we could very well see similar nip and tucks to the interior as well as the 7G-Tronic dual clutch transmission. The most exciting part however, would be the updates to the GLA45 range. Considering that the facelifted A45 now packs
381 hp
 and
475 Nm
 under its sleeves, the same updated
M133 2.0-litre inline-four turbo
 may very well find its way to the GLA45 facelift.
We can trust Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) to be quick to introduce this updated range to our shores very soon, especially if they intend to keep up with their aggressive product launch we saw last year. For now, stay tuned for more info on the Mercedes-Benz GLA class when the global debut happens next week.


Lamborghini Aventador SVJ is now the new King of the Ring [+Video]

Lamborghini is expected to unveil their track-focused Lamborghini Aventador SVJ at Monterey Car Week in California this August but before that, the Italian supercar maker decided to take their raging bull to the Nürburgring Nordschleife for a record-breaking lap.
Clocking in at 6:44.97 minutes, the Aventador SVJ took the title of fastest production vehicle from previous record holder, the
Porsche 911 GT2 RS’ record
 of 6:47.3 minutes which it held on for one year.
Piloting the all-wheel drive Aventador SVJ is Lamborghini official driver, Marco Mapelli who took the car to its absolute limits during an exclusive session on the Ring. Technical details of the Aventador SVJ remains scarce but the company promised higher power output, weight-to-power ratio of 1.98kg/hp. Other aerodynamic enhancements include the brands patented ALA 2.0 active aerodynamics system with aero vectoring.
Automobili Lamborghini Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Stefano Domenicali said: “Its tenure as the Nürburgring lap time record holder, even before its unveiling during the Monterey Car Week in California in August, endorses Lamborghini’s competence in applying superlative design engineering and ground-breaking technologies.”
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Mazda Zoom Zoom Carnival: There’s no better time to buy that new Mazda than now

We’re three months into the new year, which means some of you may have already received your bonus for last year’s hard work. If you’ve decided to buy yourself a new car, then consider dropping by Mazda’s Zoom Zoom Carnival; a month-long campaign with plenty to look forward to.
Beginning this weekend (5 and 6 March only), the Zoom Zoom Carnival will kick off at two prime locations within the Klang Valley –
Mazda Glenmarie
 (HQ) and
Mazda Puchong
. Customers who sign up during this promotional period can stand a chance to win some
Mazda Bonanza Vouchers
. These vouchers will either give you discounts on the car, body kit or car coating. However, most cars will come with Mazda’s SkyTint fitted as standard –
for free
!
Will the
Mazda MX-5
 be your next car?
But that’s not all. You will also be in the running to walk home with a brand new,
exclusive Mazda EPOS watch
 (worth over RM2,000) upon signing up! And if you are unaware of this, every purchase of a new Mazda vehicle comes packaged with a
3-Year Free Scheduled Maintenance
, which means you won’t have to pay a single cent (yes, not even labour fee) when you send your car in for servicing. All of Mazda’s new models have a
service interval of 10,000km
. Imagine the amount of money and time you get to save! This service package however, does not extend to the Mazda BT-50.
If you’re not convinced, be sure to
watch our video reviews
 below, or drop by these locations for viewing and test drive:
Location
Date
Telephone Number
Address
Mazda Glenmarie (HQ)
5 & 6 March (Sat & Sun)
03 – 7626 8888
No. 7, Jalan Pelukis U1/46, Temasya Industrial Park, Section U1, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor
Mazda Puchong
5 & 6 March (Sat & Sun)
03 – 8063 7888
Lot 2-G-1, Menara 2 @ PFCC Jalan Puteri 1/2, Bandar Puteri, 47100 Puchong, Selangor
Mazda Ampang
19 & 20 March (Sat & Sun)
03 – 2161 1399
No. 214, Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Mazda Kajang
19 & 20 March (Sat & Sun)
03 – 8737 5563
Lot 1872 Block C/D, Jalan Semenyih, 43300 Kajang, Selangor
Mazda Padang Jawa
26 & 27 March (Sat & Sun)
03 – 5518 0590
Lot 765, Jalan Padang Jawa, Seksyen 16, 40200 Shah Alam, Selangor
1 Utama Shopping Centre (Oval Concourse, New Wing)
30 March – 3 April (Wed – Sun)
–
Bandar Utama City Centre, Lebuh Bandar Utama, Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
VIDEO GALLERY
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New Colours for the Mazda2 1.5L Skyactiv-G


Review: Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi, when size meets practicality [+Video]

Okay, before I start the review, here’s my confession. I haven’t driven any Korean cars before, only being a passenger in them. And this is my first diesel. So it’s safe to say that I dont know what to expect. After spending some quality time with the Hyundai (Inokom)
Santa Fe
, perhaps, this can be good.
QUICK FACTS
Name
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi Executive Plus
Segment
J-Segment / SUV
Engine
2,199cc CRDi Diesel (197hp, 436Nm)
Transmission
6-Speed Automatic
Price
RM189,903.30
Watch our video review on the Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi Executive Plus here
The Santa Fe I have here, is the
third
 iteration of Hyundai’s mod-sive SUV. Back in 2001, Hyundai started offering the Santa Fe to the North American market. It was not much of a looker, but was a solid workhorse. Hyundai sold the first generation Santa Fe  till 2006, then the second generation came along.
In the Malaysian market, the second generation was marketed as an Inokom. It looked sleeker than the first generation, while maintaining the signature rear door hatch handle. The third generation here, was introduced back in 2013, so it features the Korean’s latest corporate face.
EXTERIOR

From the outside, the Santa Fe displays a very muscular face, without trying too hard. To add to the modern taste, the Santa Fe is also equipped with
DRLs
 as eyebrows, above the headlights. Foglights are standard across the range. Moving on to the rear of the SUV shows that the new Santa Fe has sharper lines than the outgoing model.

Gone were the soft curvy lines, and it has been replaced by much sharper lines the new model has. Unlike the Sonata, I’m quite fond of the Santa Fe’s rear end. Perhaps its how the lines flow in the Santa Fe, which I feel, is better than the Sonata.  No fancy roofrails or sidesteps can be found on the Santa Fe, unfortunately. Executive Plus variant such as this one comes with
19-inch
 wheels whereas Elegance ones are with 18-inch.
INTERIOR

The interior of the Santa Fe is a pleasant place to be, both in terms of comfort and design. The brown seats you see here, are nappa leather seats. They not only smell good, but they are very comfortable. In the past, Korean cars never had any good looking interiors, but ever since Peter Schreyer took helm, things improved a lot.

The dashboard has the usual touch screen display, which pleasantly, is of the capacitive type, has radio, GPS and USB playback functions. Upon digging into the many submenus, it seems like it supports TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) as well, but sadly, isn’t available on our local trim.
Audio quality is pretty decent, considering that it doesn’t have any audiophile branded equipment inside. Build quality on the inside is pretty good, and soft touch materials can be found throughout the Santa Fe’s interior. The steering wheel itself, has the ability to set the cruise control, audio volume, steering sensitivity and navigating through the menus. Also, it is worth noting that the Santa Fe, like the Forester before, has European-style signal and wiper stalks, meaning that the signal is on the left, while wiper is on the right.

The Santa Fe is also littered with aircon vents and power sockets. On the front, there are 2 12V sockets, while the rear also has one. In terms of aircon vents, the Santa Fe also delivers. It has aircon vents on the B-pillar to blow rear passengers, and also blows from under the front passenger seats. So on a hot afternoon, it wont be a mobile sauna in the Santa Fe.
On a side note, if you’re like the many Wazers out there, the Santa Fe might pose an issue with your GPS satellite locking. I suspect this is due to the sunroof’s 2 piece design which effectively killed off the GPS signal. Opening the sunroof did allow for a very quick GPS lock, so the main culprit is the sunroof. Just something to keep in mind.
Watch our video review on the Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi Executive Plus here
PERFORMANCE + THE DRIVE

The Santa Fe is powered by a
2.2-liter CRDi
 (Common Rail Diesel Injection) 4 cylinder engine. This particular diesel engine, produces
197 hp
, and
436Nm
 of torque. Yup, 436Nm of torque. That is even more than what the Mother Trucker (Nissan Navara) has. In fact, it has more torque than most sub-RM200k SUVs in our market.
Overtaking is effortless, and with a silky smooth
6-speed automatic
 gearbox developed by Hyundai themselves, you won’t feel the speed climbing. It’s until when you peek at the speedometer, and realise how fast the needle climbs. For those who prefers manual shifting, it is quite unfortunate that the Santa Fe only has manual shifting via the gear selector, and not paddle shifters. Speaking of gear selector, the blanks buttons surrounding it kinda cheapens the interior.

Also, the parking brake switch could do with a bit more feedback, like a click. Steering feedback isn’t great, since its an EPS unit. On the bright side, there are 3 modes (Normal, Comfort, Sport) to choose from, but toggling between them doesn’t seem to have any noticeable changes. But niggles aside, the Santa Fe is still pretty good. Cruising at 90km/h is pretty frugal, as the engine is only spinning at 1500rpm. But despite my absolute best efforts, I couldn’t manage to lower the average fuel consumption of
9.1L/100km
.
Ride comfort of the Santa Fe is good. It can travel on some pretty rough trunk roads without making the passengers feel uncomfortable. High speed stability is also good, as travelling at 170km/h, wind noise isn’t an issue. The good part is that the EPS get progressively heavier as the speed climbs. On the flip side, the Santa Fe isn’t the SUV you would chuck into corners, as the sheer weight makes itself very noticeable. Body roll is aplenty through the corners, and the height of it doesn’t exactly encourage me to go any faster.
IS IT FOR YOU?

Looking at the price, the Hyundai Santa Fe is not cheap. It costs almost RM190k for the top spec diesel variant. That is almost RM200k for a Korean car. A very tough pill to swallow for most car buyers. But this is not an average Korean car. The Santa Fe is very refined. It has the looks, the performance, the build quality to justify the price tag. If you want a big SUV, with the presence and performance to boot, then the Santa Fe is a very good option. Resale value shouldn’t be of a concern when choosing a Korean marque.
COMPARISONS

Price wise, the Santa Fe is well above the likes of the Honda CRV and Mazda CX5. But the Santa Fe doesn’t compete in that segment, as it is much bigger than them. Who else does the Santa Fe compete against? Well, the Santa Fe is practically in a league of its own. In other markets, the Santa Fe would be going against the Mazda CX9, Ford Flex, Kia Sorento, Jeep Grand Cherokee among others. Well since the Kia Sorento is also sold in Malaysia (albeit petrol only), it can be said that sibling rivalry is at it again.
Mazda CX-5
Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CRDI
Toyota Fortuner
ENGINE
Type
 SKYACTIV-G 2.0 Direct Injection
4-cylinder all aluminum common rail diesel injection
4-cylinder, In-line, 16-valve, DOHC, Intercooler VNT Diesel
Displacement
cc
 1997
2199
2494
Bore x Stroke
mm
83.5 x 91.2
 85.4 x 96
 92 x 93.8
Compression Ratio
13.0:1
N/A
18.5:1
Max Power
hp/rpm
 113 / 6000
 197 / 3800
101 / 3400
Max Torque
Nm/rpm
198 / 4000
436 / 1800-2500
 343 / 1600-3600
Carburetion System
Electronically Controlled Direct Injection
Common Rail Diesel Injection
 D-4D Common Rail
Fuel Tank Capacity
L
58
71
80
STEERING
Type
Electric Power Assist (EPAS)
 Electric power assistance rack and pinion
 Rack and Pinion
DRIVETRAIN
Type
4WD
4WD
Full-time 4WD
Transmission
SKYACTIV-Drive 6AT
 6 Speed Automatic
4 Speed Auto
Gear Ratio
1 – 3.552
 2 – 2.022
 3 – 1.452
 4 – 1.000
 5 – 0.708
 6 – 0.599
 R – 3.893
 FDR – 4.624
1 – 4.651
 2 – 2.831
 3 – 1.842
 4 – 1.386
 5 – 1.000
 6 – 0.772
 R – 3.393
 FDR – 4.750
1 – 2.804
 2 – 1.531
 3 – 1.000
 4 – 0.753
 R – 2.393
 FDR – 4.555
SUSPENSION
Type
Front
– MacPherson strut

Rear
 – Multilink

Front
–  MacPherson strut type

Rear –
 Multi-link System
Front
 – Independent Double Wishbone with Coil Spring and Stabiliser

Rear
– 4-Link with Coil Spring and Lateral Control Rod
BRAKES
Front
 Ventilated disc brakes
 Ventilated disc brakes
Ventilated disc brakes
Rear
  Solid disc brake
  Solid disc brakes
 Leading-trailing Drums
Diameter – Front
inches
 11.7
17
NA
Diameter – Rear
inches
 11.9
16
NA
TYRE & WHEELS
Tyres
 225/65 R17
 235/55 R19
265/65 R17
Wheels
 Alloy
 Alloy
Alloy
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHTS
Overall Length
mm
4,555
 4,690
4,705
Overall Width
mm
1,840
 1,880
 1,840
Overall Height
mm
 1,670
1,690
1,850
Wheelbase
mm
 2,700
 2,700
 2,750
Ground Clearance
mm
210
185
220
Max Kerb weight
kg
 1,589
 1,879
1,945
Luggage Capacity (VDA)
L
 561
516
296
FUEL
Grade
min. 95 RON
Diesel
Diesel
Consumption
 8.4 L/100 km
8.1 L/100 km

9.1 L/100 km as tested
N/A
PERFORMANCE
Max Speed
km/h
207
200
185
0 – 100km/h
sec
9.4
 10.2
N/A
PRICE
RM
 154,401
189,903.30
170,073
Watch our video review on the Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi Executive Plus here
WILL I BUY IT?
 It depends. If you need the comfort and space it offers, then the Santa Fe is right up your aisle. But if resale value bothers you like mosquitoes at night, then look away. You won’t find another SUV with that amount of power for anything less. The Santa Fe is a very good effort from Hyundai, and despite the previous incarnations being pretty mediocre, the latest Santa Fe shows that the Koreans now has an ace up their sleeves.
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Now’s your last chance to buy the Lotus Exige and Elise – Final Editions from RM618k

We knew it was happening, but it’s still sad to see. Shortly after the
official announcement
 that the Exige and Elise will go out of production after this year, Lotus has now introduced several special “Final Edition” versions to bid farewell to the beloved sports cars.
A total of five Final Edition variants are being made in “limited numbers”, two for the Elise and three for Exige, all offered with unique paint colours, new exterior kit, exclusive badging and plaques, and extra power – reflected in their new names.
For the
Lotus Elise
, The range starts off with the Elise Sport 240, which replaces the outgoing
Sport 220
. As the name suggests, the Toyota-sourced 1.8-litre supercharged four-cylinder engine has been tuned for more power, now making
243 hp
 (240 bhp) and
 244 Nm
 of torque.
Thanks to the 23 extra ponies, 0-100 km/h sprint now takes 4.1 seconds, onward to a higher top speed of 237 km/h. But more power isn’t the only thing that’s going for the new Elise Sport 240; it now also boasts a weight-to-power ratio of just 264 hp/tonne, thanks to various lightweighting measures, such as the new 10-spoke Anthracite lightweight forged alloy wheels which are 0.5 kg lighter each corner, dropping total weight down to 922 kg.
Further weight savings can be had if you opt for the optional carbon fibre sill covers and engine cover, lithium-ion battery, and lightweight polycarbonate rear window, which further drops the mass of the Elise Sport 240 down to 898 kg.
Next up on the list is the Elise Cup 250, which sees a modest gain of 2 hp over the outgoing model, now making
248 hp
 and
244 Nm
 from the same 1.8-litre supercharged mill.
However, the key focus on the Elise Cup is in its aerodynamic department, which sees the inclusion of a new front splitter, rear wing, rear diffuser, and side floor extension. All in, the Final Edition Elise cup makes a total of 66 kg of downforce at 160 km/h, and 155 kg of downforce at its 248 km/h top speed.
In terms of kit, the new car gets a new 10-spoke diamond-cut ultra-lightweight M Sport (not
that
 M Sport) forged wheels, Bilstein sport dampers and adjustable anti-roll bars, lightweight lithium-ion battery, and a polycarbonate rear window as standard.
Just like the Sport 240, a variety of other lightweight carbon fibre options are available for the new Elise cup, further reducing the weight to just 931 kg.
Celebrating 25 years since the introduction of the nameplate, both the Final Edition variants of the Elise will be offered in several exclusive colours, including Azure Blue, the colours used in the first production car images provided to the media in 1996; Black, the official brand colour of Lotus’ motorsport division; and Racing Green, the colour of the original Elise unveiled at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show.
The Final Edition Lotus Elises also get additional standard equipment on the interior, including a new digital instrument cluster, alongside a new flat-bottom steering wheel design wrapped in leather and Alcantara, as well as new seat trim and stitch patterns.
The
 Lotus Exige
 meanwhile, bows out with three Final Edition models – Exige Sport 390, Exige Sport 420 and Exige Cup 430, all fitted with the same Toyota-sourced 3.5 litre V6 engine.
The Exige Sport 390 replaces the outgoing
Exige Sport 380
, featuring a revised Edelbrock supercharger to provide
 402 hp
 and
420 Nm
 of torque, translating to a century sprint time of 3.7 seconds, onward to a top speed of 277 km/h.
The Exige Sport 420, meanwhile, is an improvement to the
Sport 410
, with a slight 10 hp and 7 Nm gain in its power output, now making
426 hp
 and
427 Nm
 of torque. While not the most powerful (the honour goes to the Exige Cup 430, which we’ll discuss later), the Exige Sport 420 is actually the fastest car of the lot, with a top speed of 290 km/h (+16 km/h), though its 0-100 km/h time is unchanged at 3.4 seconds.
Standard equipment on the new Exige Sport 420 include Nitron three-way adjustable dampers, Eibach adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars, four-piston AP Racing brake calipers with J-hook brake discs, and 10-spoke Anthracite lightweight forged alloy wheels.
Last but definitely not the least is the
Exige Cup 430
, the flagship track-focused model of the line-up. Power output is unchanged at
 436 hp
 and
440 Nm
, and so are the top speed (280 km/h) and century sprint time (3.3 seconds).
With the motorsport-grade carbon fibre front splitter, front access panel, roof, diffuser surround, enlarged air-intake side pods, one-piece tailgate and race-derived rear wing, the Exige Cup 430 boasts a massive 76 kg downforce at the front, and a further 95 kg at the rear, giving a total of 171 kg of downforce at its top speed – all on a car that weighs just a pip over one tonne.
All of the handling goodies from the Sport 420 is also carried over here, but the Exige Cup 430 benefits from a high-flow titanium exhaust system as standard, alongside a motorsport-derived variable traction control, with five pre-set traction levels controlled via a rotary switch on the steering column.
Just like the Elise Final Edition models, the Exige variants are also offered in several iconic colourways, including Metallic White from the unveiling of the V6 Exige at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, and Metallic Orange, used on the first press fleet car in 2000 and the Exige GT3 concept.
Here in Malaysia, the Final Edition Lotus cars are now available for order through our
local Lotus distributor, Lotus Karz
. Prices start at
RM618,000
 (RM288,000 w/o duties) for the Elise Sport 240, while the Exige Sport 390 and Exige Sport 420 Final Editions are priced at
RM968,000
 (RM398,000 w/o duties) and
RM1,239,000
 (RM508,000 w/o duties) respectively.
With the production for the Elise and Exige slated to end later this year, Lotus estimates that they would have made around 55,000 of these cars in total – accounting for more than half of all Lotus road cars ever produced since the first Lotus in 1948.
While we’re certainly sad to see the end of an era, Lotus is already hard at work in anticipation of its new chapter of sports cars, starting with the
Type 131
. We can’t wait to see what’s on offer from Lotus in the near future, but for now, goodbye, old friend.
GALLERY


11 cars you must not miss at the 2018 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show

The 2018 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) is coming your way this weekend from the 23rd November to 2nd December 2018. Hosted by MAA (Malaysia Automotive Association), KLIMS is back after a five-year hiatus and patrons can expect it to be bigger and better than before.
With a new venue partner, Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), KLIMS 2018 will be hosting the unveiling of concept cars and the latest production models. Here are some of the cars and concepts that will be making its public appearance at Malaysia’s biggest Motor Show.
Proton X70
The national carmaker will be presenting to the public for the first time, their first-ever SUV, the
Proton X70
. As the first newborn from the partnership between Proton and Geely, the X70 will spearhead Proton’s new vision to restore its brand image not only in Malaysia but also in the ASEAN region.
Word has it is that Proton will be showing all
four variants of the X70
 – Standard 2WD, Executive 2WD, Executive AWD and Premium 2WD. If you’re wondering what the future of Proton cars entail, be sure to head over to the Proton booth to touch and feel the X70 yourself.
Perodua Concept Car
Not much information on the concept car was announced by the company, only a short teaser on their official Facebook page. The concept car will be unveiled at the “Perodua Illumination” booth with the promise of “technology innovations and more”.
The last time Perodua presented their concept car at the 2013 KLIMS, the
Buddyz Concept
 went on to become the brand’s first-ever sedan, the Perodua Bezza in 2016. So be on a look out, for what
may
be Perodua’s next car.
Updated Mitsubishi Triton
Check out
 what the Triton is like to drive here
!
Fresh off its
global debut in Bangkok, Thailand
, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia has managed to swiftly bring the updated Triton to our shores. Although its official local debut will only
happen early next year
, this preview will give us a taste of its new exterior design in the metal.
Despite major changes on its exterior, the updates in the new Triton also runs skin deep with the new model being 15 kg lighter, equipped with a new six-speed automatic transmission, larger rear dampers, improved Super Select 4WD system as well as a host of new Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.
It sure sounds like Mitsubishi has a fierce contender in the pick-up segment. Although, we have a feeling that the refreshed Triton will be overshadowed by the next car on our list…
Ford Ranger Raptor
The first ever high-performance pick-up truck in Malaysia will be making its official debut here at KLIMS. Getting inputs from the Ford Performance division, the
Ranger Raptor
 is the first model to wear the Raptor badge other than its big brother, the F-150 Raptor.
Distinguishing it from a standard Ranger, the Ranger Raptor stands 320 mm wider and 150 mm taller, complete with less-than-subtle cosmetic changes on its exterior. Want to know how much this monster pick-up will cost? Be sure to head on over to Ford’s stand at KLIMS.
All-New Toyota Camry
Also making its market debut is the
eight-generation Camry
 which will be displayed at the Toyota stand. While its powertrain options will be carried over from the outgoing model, the all-new Camry still has lots going for it in the shape of a new Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform, stylish cabin design as well as a range of Toyota Safety Sense Advanced Driver Assistance System.
We will be able to see the all-new Camry in the flesh as well as the variant models that UMW Toyota will be offering. Will it finally sway buyers away from the mighty
Honda Accord
 and German alternatives like the
Volkswagen Passat
? Come over to KLIMS and find out yourself.
New Toyota Vios
UMW Toyota will also be presenting a
new Vios
 which is essentially the Yaris Ativ sedan that is on sale in Thailand. Complete with a restyled exterior, more sophisticated cabin and most importantly seven airbags, the new Vios will finally measure up to the rest of the competition in terms of equipment.
The company has said that this will merely be a preview for the public to get up close and personal with the B-Segment sedan before its official debut at a later date.
Toyota FT-1 Concept (New Supra)
If the Vios and Camry doesn’t pique your interest, perhaps the
FT-1 Concept
 will have your attention. While the
production version of the Supra
 is well underway, being in the presence of the concept car will still be quite an occasion.
The rationale behind showing the FT-1 Concept at one of the biggest motoring events in the country may hint towards the imminent arrival of the new Supra when the car is due for its global debut. Remember, Toyota Malaysia did officially sell and distribute the first-generation Supra back in the 90s. Exciting times ahead for UMW Toyota eh?
All-New Lexus ES
Lexus Malaysia has confirmed that the
Lexus ES
 sedan will be taking centre stage at their booth, alongside the
LC 500 Coupe
. Essentially a watered-down
LS
, the ES certainly has the presence and poise to put up a good fight against German rivals like the
G30 BMW 5 Series
 and
W213 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
.
Although don’t expect the Lexus to command the same, attractive price positioning as the locally-assembled Germans. What you get in return is top notch Japanese craftsmanship and a cabin that exudes
Omotenashi
 – the Japanese spirit of hospitality.
First-Ever Lexus UX
Also on display at the Lexus stand is the Japanese premium car maker’s first ever compact luxury crossover dubbed the
Lexus UX
 – U for urban and X for crossover. The smallest Lexus SUV has plenty to offer with its edgy exterior and posh interior – you even get the same LCD instrument cluster display as the LC 500!
Knowing that Lexus Malaysia prides itself over an extensive variant line up of SUVs, it wouldn’t be surprising that the UX will make its local debut eventually. If you’re in the market for a BMW X1 or Mercedes-Benz GLA, pop by KLIMS and check out this baby SUV for yourself before deciding.
All-New Hyundai Santa Fe
The
fourth-generation Hyundai Santa Fe
 made its world premiere at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show and for the flagship SUV to make its way to Malaysia within the same year is a commendable feat from Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM).
Hyundai Santa Fe
The new Santa Fe is larger than before, carries a bolder look and gets the full range of Hyundai’s latest-generation
SmartSense Technology
. HSDM did not disclose whether other models like the Kona or the i30 will be making an appearance at the Motor Show but hey, the Santa Fe is a good start.
All-New Nissan Leaf
No motor show will be complete without at least one electrified vehicle on display. The second-generation Nissan Leaf will be making an appearance here in Malaysia, in line with
Edaran Tan Chong Motor’s (ETCM) plans to introduce the new Leaf to the market
.
The new-generation Leaf boasts a sleeker and more conventional design as well as an updated e-powertrain and semi-autonomous driving capabilities. Compared to the old model, the electric driving range on the new Leaf has doubled to
378 km
.
All in all, the 2018 KLIMS is not a show to be missed with plenty of new launches and concept cars stimulate your senses. Tickets are priced at
RM20
 for adults (RM25 on weekends) and
RM5
 for students and children below 12 years old for both weekdays and weekends.
Furthermore, every ticket purchase earns the visitors a lucky draw entry to win a Toyota C-HR, Honda City or Perodua Myvi. Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show is happening from 23rd November to 2nd December 2018, 11 am to 10 pm on weekdays and 11 am to 10 pm on weekends.


Throwback Thursday: Nissan GT-R R35 – Nissan’s pride and soul

Another week, another Thursday and we’re back with another installment of our throwback series! The last two editions covered two special Perodua cars so this time we’ll look into an outgoing but aged supercar that’s still causing those way beyond its prestige and value to run for cover – the
Nissan GT-R
 R35.
Those familiar with the GT-R’s history would be well aware of its previous incarnation – the
Skyline GT-R
. Nicknamed the “
Godzilla
” by Australian journalists for its supercar-killing attributes, the car was considered the David amongst Goliaths. However, the last Skyline GT-R rolled out in 2002, at a time when Nissan was in a middle of a painful restructuring plan.
The legendary
Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32)
Carlos Ghosn, the then freshly-appointed head honcho of Nissan understood the Skyline GT-R’s rich legacy as seen in the digital realms of Gran Turismo and the then Japan GT (precursor to Super GT) races. Axing it would be a disastrous move as it should be revived to become the company’s halo car to boost confidence (and more importantly, sales) on the brand. Thus, the Skyline GT-R’s successor was given the green light.
For starters, the car, codenamed the R35, must retain the
 three key recipes
 that made a worthy GT-R: all-wheel drive, a turbocharged engine, and a lower asking price compared to its rivals. Aesthetically, it was largely based on the 2001 GT-R Prototype revealed at the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show.
Designers took inspiration from the Gundam mecha and the predecessor’s signature quad circular taillights were retained. Inside, the multi-display function was developed by
Polyphony
, the video game developers behind the Gran Turismo series, whose exploits with the Skyline GT-R had turned it into a legend during the PlayStation era.
On the technical front, Nissan bade farewell to the iconic RB26 twin-turbocharged engine to make way for a new 3.8-litre V6 twin-turbo engine, the
VR38DETT
. It no longer applied the stick shifter, replaced with an all-new
six-speed double clutch automatic
. The transmission was coupled with Nissan’s famed
ATTESA E-TS
 system that deploys power to all four wheels. Nissan also purposely made the ECU “untuneable”, only to be proven wrong by the talented aftermarket tuners in the following years.
In December 2007 during the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan proudly debuted the all-new Nissan GT-R R35 to the world; sending it on an immediate path to glory.
In the years that followed, the
480 hp
 monster broke records at the Nurburgring and many other circuits worldwide, shaming many supercars multiple of its value in the process. The new GT-R even carried the brand’s racing pedigree with victories in the Super GT and GT series worldwide.
Throughout the next decade, the Nissan GT-R R35 received numerous special editions with incremental horsepower upgrades and hefty price hikes. Today, its replacement is yet to be seen and it’s unsure how long the R35 will soldier on as Nissan’s halo car. Only time will tell if the next Godzilla will be an electrical brute or face the similar fate of the Silvia and the outgoing Fairlady.
IMAGE GALLERY
2016 Nissan GT-R R35 Facelift

2016 Nissan GT-R R35 Nismo


Porsche cars will always come with a steering wheel despite autonomous tech

Porsche has affirmed that they will always make cars that you will want and most importantly be able to drive yourself. In an interview with Porsche AG Vice President of the Executive Board, Lutz Meschke released by the company, Meschke reveals how Porsche envisions the future of autonomous driving technology and how Porsche plans to adopt these technologies in their sports cars.
For starters, a
fully autonomous Porsche without a steering wheel is out of the question
 as Meschke quickly revealed from the get-go. However, Porsche will be embracing
certain elements of autonomous driving
 such as (but not limited to) traffic jam assists, automated parking and adaptive cruise control to reduce driving fatigue. The idea is to allow semi-autonomous driving tech to add to the convenience of the driver and not take over the role of driving.
Porsche AG Vice President of the Executive Board, Lutz Meschke
To quote an example by Meschke, “Imagine you have dinner plans and are running late – and you can let the car park itself automatically. That’s really useful”. These functions help take away the mundane side of driving and will soon to be “must haves” for future car buyers.
Moving forward, Porsche will start to adopt higher-levels of autonomous driving with the
Mission E that will be unveiled in 2020
. Although Meschke did not reveal further about the next-gen autonomous driving, the principle behind the technology he said, “There are hundreds of thousands of things that you can do with technology. For us, it is important to narrow down the options to the key areas for Porsche and concentrate on these.”


Third-row seats of the new Mercedes-Benz GLS can fit a 194 cm tall adult!

Mercedes-Benz has just
unveiled its third-generation Mercedes-Benz GLS, the brand’s largest and most
luxurious SUV at the 2019 New York Auto Show. The new car is now larger than ever
which translates to a spacious cabin for passengers in all three rows.
The new GLS is a massive car with a wheelbase of 3,135 mm which is 60 mm longer than the model it replaces. Overall length has also grown by 77 mm to 5,207 mm while width has also increased to 1,956 mm (+22 mm). If you’re wondering, the new GLS is longer than the
BMW X7
.
The front end features the brand’s new SUV family face with roundish sculpture flanked with large front grille and two power domes to exude presence and off-road intentions. As standard, the GLS comes with Multibeam LED headlamps, with a total of 112 LEDs per headlamp that can light up a distance of more than 650 metres. The three LED daytime running light graphics just like the
S-Class
 underlines the GLS’ positioning.
Unlike its predecessor with a boxy profile, the new GLS is a whole lot sleeker thanks to the curves around the C-pillars to mask its bulk. The taillamp clusters feature the similar design first debut on the
GLE
 and
GLC
 facelift which might take some getting used to for some.
Despite being a large
SUV, engineers have managed to bring down the drag coefficient to 0.32 Cd as
compared to 0.35 Cd of the model it replaces, contributing to lower fuel
consumption and wind noise.
The interior is
furnished with all the latest gizmos the brand has to offer starting from the Widescreen
cockpit with MBUX infotainment system, 64-colour ambient lighting, two
prominent grab handles on the centre console, solid aluminium switch gears and
more.
But the highlight of
the cabin is the considerably more spacious interior. All seats are
electrically adjustable as standard, and the second-row seats now has 87 mm
more maximum legroom compared to before. The third-row seats are now full-fledged
seats that can comfortably seat people up to 194 cm – which is plenty for the
average Malaysian.
A seven-seater with
2-2-3 seating layout is standard while a more luxurious six-seater variant with
two individual seats for the second-row passengers is available for the first
time.
At launch, the GLS is available with a variety of petrol and diesel variants. Sitting at the top is the
GLS 580 4MATIC
 with a 4.0-litre biturbo V8 with EQ Boost 48V integrator starter generator (ISG) system packing an output of
489 hp
 and
700 Nm
. Next up is the
GLS 450 4MATIC
 with a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-line six with EQ Boost technology making
367 hp
 and
500 Nm
.
As for the two diesel variants, they are powered by the OM656 3.0-litre straight-six turbodiesel with two states of tune. The
GLS 350 d 4MATIC
 commands
286 hp/600 Nm
 while the
GLS 400 d 4MATIC
 gets
330 hp/700 Nm
. All variants of the GLS are equipped with a 9-speed 9G-Tronic automatic transmission.
Airmatic air suspension with Adaptive Damping System Plus is fitted as standard on the GLS but for even greater comfort and off-road capabilities, customers would want to go for the E-Active Body Control suspension.
Like the S-Class, the GLS gets the Driving Assistance package Plus advanced driving assistance systems including Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC, Active Stop-and-Go Assist and Trailer Manoeuvring Assist.
IMAGE GALLERY
Mercedes-Benz GLS AMG Line
Mercedes-Benz GLS in Emerald Green


Proton SUV to get AEB, Adaptive Cruise Control & 360 Degree Camera

Proton Cars, after selling 49.9 percent stake to Geely, is set to launch a new SUV based on the Geely Boyue as part of the agreement. Recently, the national carmaker has just released a teaser video hinting the equipment that will be available on the yet-to-be-named Proton SUV.
In the minute-long trailer, the SUV is said to be equipped with Intelligent Voice Command system, Adaptive Cruise Control, 360-degre 3D View camera and the company has just confirmed that Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) will be thrown into the mix.
Based on the information available, the equipment levels mirror the top of the range Boyue that comes will the full Intelligent Safety Suite driver assistance system. Other safety features available for the Chinese market include Door Opening Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Blind Spot Detection.
Of course, it remains unclear the number of variants the Proton SUV will be offered in or whether these safety suites will be standard fitment across the board (although highly unlikely, here is hoping Proton will surprise us).
We know that Proton’s first car to spawn from the new management board will be jammed packed with features that betters even some major premium brands in Malaysia, but the million-dollar question is, how much would Proton’s first SUV cost to Malaysian consumers?
In China, the
Boyue
 is priced from RMB98k (RM60k) to RMB160k (RM98k), undercutting its main rivals by a staggering margin. As a comparison, the
Mazda CX-5
 retails for RMB168k (RM103k) to RMB245k (RM151k) while a
Honda CR-V
 is priced at RMB169k (RM104k) to RMB249k (RM153k). In essence, a top-spec Boyue is even cheaper than even the lowest-spec Mazda or Honda, despite competing in the same category!
Although the prices in China is not reflective of the actual situation here in Malaysia, one thing we can be sure of is that the Proton Boyue will offer an outstanding value proposition for all Malaysians.
IMAGE GALLERY
Geely Boyue in Malaysia


All-new Toyota Harrier teased – Malaysia launch this month!

After making its debut in
Singapore earlier this year
, UMW Toyota has now officially teased the fourth-generation Harrier on its own website, alongside the caption “coming soon April 2021” confirming its Malaysia launch date.
The “find out more” button links to a registration of interest page, which means that the actual launch will be happening very soon, if UMW Toyota’s past launches have anything to go by.
As always, no specifications have been divulged so far, but we expect it to be similar to the Singapore-specification model, as it is currently the only export market for the fourth-generation Toyota Harrier coming out from Japan.
The
all-new Toyota Harrier
 is available in three variants in the island nation: Elegance, Premium, and Luxury. The first in the list, being the base variant, comes with a 2.0-litre Dynamic Force engine with
170 hp
 and
203 Nm
, paired to a Direct Shift CVT gearbox to propel the SUV to 100 km/h in
 9.7 seconds
, onward to a top speed of
190 km/h
.
The two latter variants meanwhile get a more powerful 2.5-litre engine with 176 hp and 221 Nm engine, paired to an electric motor that produces 118 hp and 202 Nm for a
total system output of 215 hp
. Working alongside an eCVT gearbox, the hybrid variants get to 100 km/h in
8.1 seconds
, onward to a lower top speed of
180 km/h
. Fuel consumption is rated as low as 4.7 L/100km.
In terms of kit, the Singaporean Toyota Harrier comes with 18-inch wheels as standard, along with full LED lighting (with adaptive high beam for the headlights), and a hands-free powered tailgate.
Inside, standard equipment on the fourth-generation Toyota Harrier include a 10.5-inch head-up display, an analogue instrument cluster with a massive seven-inch multi-info display, as well as an eight-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a Qi wireless charging pad.
The fancier items, such as leather upholstery with ventilated front seats, as well as the auto-dimming panoramic sunroof, are only available on the two higher-end hybrid variants.
As for safety, all variants of the Toyota Harrier in Singapore come with seven airbags as standard, alongside the full suite of Toyota Safety Sense advanced driver assistance system, with features including autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure warning and centring assist, adaptive high beam, and adaptive cruise control.
Maybe even with some
Gazoo Racing parts
?
Similarly, no pricing information have been announced so far, though we won’t be surprised to see a slight increase in price with the introduction of newer technologies. For context, the
outgoing Toyota Harrier
 in Malaysia starts at RM234,510 (with SST exemptions).


All-new 2023 Kia Sorento launched in Malaysia – 6/7-seater SUV from RM211k

First shown off in a
preview back in January
this year, the all-new 2023 Kia Sorento has now been officially launched in Malaysia with three variants on offer, starting from
RM211,498
 for the seven-seater entry-level variant, moving up to
 RM235,498
for the mid-range six-seater petrol variant, and
 RM255,229
 for the range-topping diesel-powered six-seater.
By the way, if you’re looking to renew your car insurance, you can get a 10% rebate and cash back at the end of your policy if you renew with MotorTakaful by Etiqa. Just log on to
www.motortakaful.com
.
2023 Kia Sorento: Refined Boldness design
While the
outgoing Sorento
 can be – at best – described as a little bland, the all-new fourth-generation model is really anything but. It bears the marque’s latest iteration of the “refined boldness” design ethos, featuring a robust, tough-looking aesthetic yet not discounting on its elegance and sportiness.
The signature Kia touches are all here, including the new hallmark ‘tiger nose’ LED grille, and the ‘tiger eyeline’ LED daytime-running light signature on the headlights that are integrated into the frame of the grille. The aggressive look is complemented by a wide lower air intake with wing-shaped air curtains on the corners, and the skid plate-like elements on the bumpers.
The overall footprint of the all-new 2023 Kia Sorento has been tweaked by a little bit, with a 35 mm longer wheelbase (2,815 mm) but shorter overhangs, and a ‘cab-rearward’ design to make it appear even longer than before (on top of the 50 mm increase in overall length). Its width and height have both only grown by 10 mm, but overall, the 2023 Kia Sorento looks significantly more dominant on the road.
As for equipment, all variants get automatic dual LED projector headlamps as standard, alongside the vertical LED tail lamps, LED fog lights, a smart powered tailgate, and alloy wheels ranging from 18- (seven-seater) to 19-inches (six seater variants) in diameter. The sole entry-level seven-seater variant also misses out on the roof rails, so if are more in tune with the active lifestyle, you might want to look further up the range.
2023 Kia Sorento: Upgraded interior
Just like the exterior, the all-new 2023 Kia Sorento’s cabin also represents a “step-change” in quality and design when compared to its predecessors, thanks to its new striking design and the use of “premium-quality materials”, including metallic trims and embossed wood-effect surfaces.
In terms of equipment, all variants of the 2023 Kia Sorento here in Malaysia will come equipped with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. This is paired to a set of analogue dials for the instrumentation on the entry-level variant, but step up to the two six-seater variants and you’ll get a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster as well.
The fourth-generation Sorento also comes equipped with dual zone climate control with rear air conditioning vents and third-row manual controls as standard, alongside fabric upholstery (on the entry-level variant), eight-way powered front seats (driver gets additional two-way lumbar support adjustments), folding second-row seats with remote folding capabilities, reverse camera, a Mood Lighting System, two USB charging ports for each row of seats, and a wireless charging pad.
Step up to the six-seater variants, and you’ll get an additional head-up display, as well as leatherette upholstery, second-row sunshades, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, and a 360-degree surround-view monitor. The range-topping diesel variant goes one step further with the addition of steering-wheel gearshift paddles.
Gallery: Kia EV6 GT Line AWD – 506 km range EV from RM301k
2023 Kia Sorento: Petrol and diesel powertrain options
The all-new 2023 Kia Sorento will be offered in two powertrain options here in Malaysia: a 2.5-litre Smartstream inline-four petrol engine available for both the seven- and six-seater variants, making
177 hp
and
 232 Nm
, and a 2.2-litre Smartstream turbodiesel mill reserved specifically for the range-topping six-seater variant, making
199 hp
 and
440 Nm
.
The petrol engine is paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox as standard, while the diesel mill gets an eight-speed wet dual-clutch transmission that’s said to be designed for “smooth shifting” and “enhanced fuel efficiency”. The entry-level seven-seater variant also only get a front-wheel drive drivetrain, while the two six-seater variants get all-wheel drive as standard, with an extra terrain mode switch for the diesel.
2023 Kia Sorento: Enhanced safety
Here in Malaysia, all variants of the 2023 Kia Sorento will come as standard with a suite of advanced driver assistance features, including:
High Beam Assist
Blind-Spot Collision Warning and Avoidance Assist
Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist
Lane Keeping Assist (Line and Road)
Driver Attention Warning
Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with Junction Turning support
Lane Following Assist
Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go support
The two six-seater variants also add on a blind spot monitor on the wing mirrors, but the passive safety kit is standard across all variants, including six airbags, ABS, EBD with BA, electronic stability control, traction control, multi-collision brake control, and hill start assist control.
2023 Kia Sorento pricing in Malaysia
The all-new 2023 Kia Sorento will be locally-assembled (CKD) at the Inokom Assembly Plant in Kulim, Kedah. Pricing for the 2023 Kia Sorento in Malaysia is as follows, on the road, without insurance:
Kia Sorento 2.5L 2WD 7-seater – RM211,498.40
Kia Sorento 2.5L AWD 6-seater – RM235,498.40
Kia Sorento 2.2L Diesel AWD 6-seater – RM255,228.80
A total of five exterior colours are available on offer, including Astra Blue, Meteor Grey, Snowflake White Pearl, Sonic Silver, and Jet Black.
The 2023 Kia Sorento in Malaysia is offered with a five-year/100,000 km manufacturer warranty as standard, alongside a five-year/100,000 km free scheduled maintenance package.
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Lamborghini’s last non-hybrid car is the all-terrain Huracan Sterrato, to debut by year end

Equipped with plastic claddings and beefy tyres, the all-terrain
Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato
 is set to debut in December 2022, and it is highly significant to the brand in two ways. One is the fact that it is an all-terrain supercar, creating its new own segment. Secondly, it will be the last car by
Lamborghini
 to have a pure internal combustion engine (ICE) powertrain before a
full electrification of the brand in 2024
.
Automobili Lamborghini first previewed the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato as the “
Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato Concept
”. The brand later teased the all-terrain Huracan in two videos, showing the all-terrain supercar attacking off-road trails, kicking up sand and dust behind it.
Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato Concept
Technical specs for the production Huracan Sterrato have not been revealed, but the Huracan Sterrato Concept did have a 47 mm ground clearance, an increased approach angle, a 6.5% departure angle, a 30mm wider track, and 20-inch wheels. It also featured underbody reinforcements and body protection, including a rear skid plate that acts as a diffuser.
Based on the
Lamborghini Huracan EVO
, the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato Concept shared the same 5.2-litre V10 powertrain. If things remain the same for the production version of the Sterrato, it will make
640 hp
 and get an all-wheel drive system.
RELATED:
Lamborghini teases the Safari-style Huracan Sterrato by drifting it in sand
Camouflaged off-road Lamborghini Huracan
The announcement was made together with the company’s third-quarter report, which saw 7,430 Lamborghinis sold worldwide from January to September 2022. Leading Lamborghinis sales for the year so far is the
Lamborghini Urus
 with 4,834 units delivered in the first nine months of 2022. The greatest growth was shown by the
Lamborghini Huracan
 (2,738 units) with an 11% increase from the same period last year.
In the quarterly report, Automobili Lamborghini Chairman and CEO, Stephan Winkelmann commented, “These consistently rising figures show just how strong Lamborghini is today. We have an order portfolio that already covers the first quarter of 2024, and this allows us to work with peace of mind, looking thoughtfully ahead to the challenges facing us in the future, such as the first step towards hybridization from 2023.”
RELATED:
The idea of an off-road Lamborghini Huracan sounds as exciting as it is bonkers!
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Honda Jazz Sport Hybrid previewed in Malaysia, 135 hp, launching by Q3 2017

In a rather surprising move, Honda chose Malaysia to host the global unveiling of the
Honda Jazz facelift
, otherwise known as Honda Fit in Japan. It gets numerous aesthetic enhancements, and joining the lineup is the range topping Sport Hybrid variant. Malaysia is also the only country outside of Japan to receive and assemble the Sport Hybrid variant.
The Jazz Sport Hybrid finished in Lunar Silver Metallic debuted at the
2017 Carlist.my Drive, Test and Buy Event
. Regular petrol variants of the Jazz facelift will be launched in the coming month, whereas deliveries of the Jazz Sport Hybrid will begin in
Q3 2017
. Now, let’s find out what the Jazz Sport Hybrid is all about.
Powering the Jazz Sport Hybrid is Honda’s new
Intelligent Dual-Clutch Drive (i-DCD)
 hybrid system which combines a 1.5-litre DOHC i-VTEC four-cylinder petrol engine and an Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) electric motor to generate a combined output of
135 hp
. Drive is sent to the front wheels via a
seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
. Unlike the previous generation Jazz Hybrid, this i-DCD hybrid system is able to run on
pure electric mode
.
From the outside, this facelift exercise introduced a new front bumper with new LED daytime running lights and a revised rear bumper. Exclusive to the Sport Hybrid model are blue “Hybrid” badges on the front fenders and rear tailgate. Oddly, the display unit does not come with the fancier full LED headlamps, front fog lamps and multi-spoke alloys like in the press pictures. The interior, while covered, sports fabric seats instead of leather. However, be reminded that this is just a preview and may not be an accurate representation of the actual spec.

Order books for the refreshed Jazz (petrol and hybrid) are now open and will be locally assembled at Honda Malaysia’s production plant in Alor Gajah. If you missed the chance to see the Jazz Sport Hybrid in person, Honda Malaysia will be displaying the very unit at the upcoming Standard Charted KL Marathon happening on 21 May 2017 (Sunday).
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Volvo XC40 R-Design unveiled in Singapore, please come to Malaysia!

Our neighbours across the causeway can finally purchase the
Volvo XC40
 after its official unveiling here at the 2018 Singapore Motor Show. The new compact crossover from the Swedish premium carmaker comes dressed in the sporty R-Design for the Singaporean market.
Based on the company’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform, the XC40 is the brand’s most compact SUV yet. Visually, it gets all the Volvo signature styling such as Thor’s Hammer headlamps, side mirror design and taillamp graphics. The R-Design adds on a sportier body kit, larger wheels and a blacked-out roof with imprinted R-Design badge.

The cabin
 is typically Volvo too with the iPad style Sensus touchscreen display, three-spoke multifunctional steering wheel with paddle shifters, LCD instrument cluster and a leather gear selector with a design similar to the Orrefors gear knob on T8 models. The XC40 can be had in a wide range of interior themes – the model displayed comes with a black with orange (tan?) contrast for the floor and door inserts. Interestingly the orange inserts are made from high-quality fabric commonly found in top grade furniture.
This particular unit is the
T5 AWD variant
 which packs a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine generating
247 hp
 and
350 Nm
 of torque. Drive is sent to all four-wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.
On the question of whether the all-new Volvo XC40 will be introduced in Malaysia, we can expect Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) to be keen on bringing this compact SUV in. However, considering that the XC40 has yet to hit the roads of Europe, it may be some time before its heading our way.
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