Mercedes-AMG S 65 Cabriolet debuts, Affalterbach’s most potent S-Class to date

There’s nothing within the three-pointed star’s stable that’s more showy to drive around than the
RM1.15 million Mercedes-AMG GT S
. That is until your wife decides that you’re getting a little too much attention for both your sakes. If you value the relationship more than the car but still want something that will satiate your need for speed, then that’s where the Mercedes-AMG S 65 Cabriolet comes to mind.
We’re sorry if you thought this car will be less showy, because this
twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre V12 cabriolet
 is just proof that you have an entire bank vault to your name. Revealed here in all its glory before debuting at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2016 is a heavier S 65 variant (
2,180 kg
 as opposed to the 2,035 kg hardtop variant), thanks to the added bracing built within its platform. Despite being heavier, Mercedes-AMG claims that the S 65 Cabriolet sprints from 0 to 100 km/h as quickly as the S 65 Coupe at
 4.1 seconds
.
QUICK FACTS
Name
2016 Mercedes-AMG S 65 Cabriolet
Engine
5,980cc; twin-turbo V12, 3-valves per cylinder
Transmission
AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic
Max Power
630 hp @ 4,800 – 5,400 rpm
Max Torque
1,000 Nm @ 2,300 – 4,300 rpm
0 – 100 km/h; Top Speed
4.1 seconds; 250 km/h (electronically limited)
The AMG engine (every unit is hand-built, mind you) is the same roaring 12-cylinder block shared with the ridiculous powerful
Mercedes-AMG SL
, down to the exact tune of
630 hp
 and
1,000 Nm
 of torque. It’s mated to AMG’s 7G-Tronic automatic transmission sending all the power to the rear wheels. Top speed is limited to
250 km/h
, although customers can specify to have it
increased to 300 km/h
 with the optional Driver’s Package which comes with larger-profiled tyres.
The engine doesn’t come with cylinder deactivation, but features
auto start-stop technology
 to conserve fuel whenever possible. Fuel consumption is rated at
12.0 litres per 100km
.
What distinguishes this unassuming sleeper from the regular S-Class Cabriolet is the more extensive use of chrome around the car, particularly at the front air ducts. Other clear giveaways are the
V12 BITURBO badges
 around the car and a set of
multispoke 20-inch wheels
. The front wheels are wrapped with 255/40 R20 series tyres while the rear settles for a fatter set of 285/35 R20 rubbers.
Its soft top is made of a multilayered acoustic fabric that’s
electro-hydraulically operated
 and can be opened or closed (both done in 17 seconds) on the move at speeds up to 50 km/h. Stowing the top away will take up a bit of a boot space – a typical rag-top trait, and it can be had in
four different colours
; Black, Dark Blue, Beige (seen in these pictures) and Dark Red. Mercedes says the AIRCAP wind protection deflector and AIRSCARF neck warming system will ensure that passengers can cruise in comfort even with the top down and wouldn’t need to adjust the climate controls because they are fully automated.

Inside the S 65 Cabriolet is typical high-end Mercedes stuff, but this variant gets a
 luxurious Nappa leather sports seats
 (perforated) with integrated screens on both the back of the front head restraints. The front seats and armrest also feature heating function. It’s also loaded with Mercedes-Benz’s Intelligent Drive safety features which, if used with caution, will allow the S 65 Cabriolet to drive on its own via use of the active cruise control and lane departure warning system.
The 2016 Mercedes-AMG S 65 Cabriolet is scheduled to make its global debut next month in Detroit, and customers can expect to order the vehicle during the second quarter of 2016.
IMAGE GALLERY


Volkswagen Vento ALLSTAR & GT launched, aesthetically better, from RM79k!

Following the introduction of the
Volkswagen Polo ALLSTAR
, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has given the
Vento
the ALLSTAR treatment. The turbocharged Vento was also given a sportier image with a new GT-trim.
Taking the standard
Vento Highline
 as base, the Vento GT adds a satin black roof and mirror caps, five-piece GT aerokit, black door stripes and trunk garnish. Inside, it gets new leather seats, aluminium sports pedals, ‘GT’ scuff plates, ‘GT’ emblems and ‘GT’ floor mats.
QUICK FACTS
Name
Volkswagen Vento 1.6 MPI ALLSTAR
Volkswagen Vento 1.2 TSI GT
Engine
1,598 cc; 4-cylinder, DOHC
1,197 cc; turbocharged 4-cylinder, SOHC
Transmission
6-speed automatic
7-speed dual clutch DSG
Max Power
104 hp @ 5,250 rpm
104 hp @ 5,000 rpm
Max Torque
153 Nm @ 3,800 rpm
175 Nm @ 1,550 – 4,100 rpm
Price (Retail)
RM78,888
RM89,888
Moving over to the Vento ALLSTAR, it gets the same enhancements as the Polo ALLSTAR including the black door strips, rear spoiler, trunk garnish, ‘ALLSTAR’ badge on the B-pillar, leather seats, aluminium sport pedals, ‘ALLSTAR’ scuff plates and ‘ALLSTAR’ floor mats. Other standard equipment dittos the regular Vento Comfortline. Additionally, the Vento ALLSTAR is equipped with the new MY VW Drive App that tracks fuel consumption, driving style and vehicle condition for the driver. Users are also able to obtain immediate help directly from the app in case of an emergency.

Mechanically, the Vento GT is powered by a 1.2-litre TSI four-cylinder mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic DSG producing
 104 hp
 and
 175 Nm
 while the Vento ALLSTAR retains the same 1.6-litre MPI four-cylinder mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox to develop
104 hp
 and
153 Nm
 of torque. Official fuel consumption figures are rated at 5.5L/100 km for the blown motor and 6.3 litres per 100 km for the naturally aspirated mill.
On the safety front, both the ALLSTAR and GT gets four airbags, ABS with brake assist, anti-pinch for all four windows, ISOFIX mounting points and Intelligent Crash Response System (ICRS).
Electronic Stability Control
 however remains exclusive for the turbocharged GT.
Customers can have their Volkswagen Vento ALLSTAR and GT in two different exterior shades – Candy White and Reflex Silver. All purchases come with a 5-Years manufacturer’s warranty and 5-Years Roadside Assistance package. To celebrate the Raya Holidays, VPCM are throwing in a 5-Years Free Maintenance package and RM11,000 worth of duit raya for customers who purchase a Vento from today till 31 July 2017.
IMAGE GALLERY
Volkswagen Vento 1.6 MPI ALLSTAR

Volkswagen Vento 1.2 TSI GT


Mercedes-AMG celebrates 50 years of greatness with the AMG GT3 Edition 50

This year, Mercedes-AMG are celebrating their
50th anniversary
 and there’s probably no better time to introduce the highly exclusive AMG GT3 Edition 50.
Unveiled during last weekend’s Nurburgring 24-hour race, the AMG GT3 Edition 50 is based on the
AMG GT
 that’s built to the GT3 race car specification. The bespoke matte grey paint with contrasting black stripe aside, the “
50 YEARS AMG
” and “
50 YEARS OF DRIVING PERFORMANCE
” deco are found around the car.
It gets a rather glaring carbon fibre GT aero kit comprised of a huge front diffuser, GT wing, side skirts and air intakes. Being a true-bred race car, it sits just one person and the seat itself is made of carbon fibre. There’s also a roll cage and digital instruments fitted as standard.
Just like the GT3 cars, the AMG-made
 6.3-litre V8
 is tasked to generate power to the rear wheels. A six-speed sequential racing transmission is tasked to do so.
Finally, each of the five buyers of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Edition 50 is entitled to receive the “
50th Anniversary of Mercedes‑AMG
” commissioned by IWC. Each watch is finished according to the style of the car.
IMAGE GALLERY


The long awaited Renault Megane R.S. has been unveiled – 390Nm from a 1.8-litre engine

It’s here, it’s finally here! After
months of teasing
 and looking at the Koleos and dreaming of the same look being on a Megane,
the wait is finally over
! Man is it a stunning piece of machinery – if this isn’t in the top five most good looking cars of 2017, we’d be shocked!
Renault Sport has pulled the wraps of the new Renault Megane R.S which has been
developed with the input of Nico Hulkenberg
 and the numbers are simply spectacular. It’s all-new
1.8-litre
 direct injection, turbocharged engine makes a
280 hp
 with
390 Nm
 of torque from as low as 2,400 rpm. The meager engine’s staggering output is owed to developments on the redesigned cylinder head, higher capacity dual-intake air filter, twin-scroll turbocharger and exhaust. Its combined fuel consumption is rated at
6.9L/100km
.
There will be two different transmissions available in the Megane R.S. – a
six-speed manual
 and a
six-speed Efficient Dual Clutch (EDC)
 automatic transmission. It’s trademark agility is now enhanced with
4CONTROL
 technology with four-wheel steering, a first in its segment. The feature which will come as standard in both Cup and Sport variants allows the steering to be more incisive while the turning circle is even tighter when manoeuvring.
Renault Sport has had a hand in the gearshift calibrations while the EDC’s gear shift times have been optimised for greater performance. It’s supplemented by the
Multi-change down
 technology which allows fast sequential downshifts together with launch control in either Sport or Race mode.
With such performance pedigree, its got the expressive and sporty form to go with its substance too. A
Formula 1-style blade
 is finished in gun metal satin stands out from the body’s high gloss paint work while
wider air intakes
 will provide more air for the intercoolers and engine. Extractor vents are also provided, positioned behind the front wheels for better cooling.
Overall width of the Megane R.S. has been increased together with new
18 and 19-inch wheels
. 355mm rotors with Brembo calipers occupy the front with
bi-material cast iron and aluminium
 brake discs as optional upgrades.
Under its skin, the new Megane R.S.’s Cup and Sport chassis has also been enhanced with
front and rear hydraulic compression stops
, to provide additional damping and
PerfoHub independent steering axis front suspension
which will provide more stiffness than before. A Torsen limited slip differential is only available in the Cup variant.
Inside the Megane gets an upgraded R.S. Monitor in the form of a
8.7-inch TFT
 display with R-Link 2 which displays driver’s performance in real time, camera connectivity to film a drive while the R.S. Replay allows owners within to Renault Sport community to engage with one another. Its
MULTI-SENSE
 system offers five different driving modes including Comfort, Normal, Sport, Race and Perso for a more individualised driving setup. The R.S Drive mode on the other hand offers quick access to Sport and Race modes.
The Megane R.S will comes with a suite of
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)
 which can be activated or deactivated though R-Link. They include Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Active Emergency Braking System (AEBS), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Safe Distance Warning (SDW), Traffic Sign Recognition with Over Speed Prevention (TSR with OSP), Blind Spot Warning (BSW), reveerse cameras and parking sensors.
The Megane R.S will feature a new colour, called the
Volcanic Orange
 which projects a certain special effect as light reflects off its body, on top of its iconic Liquid Yellow. Next year, Renault is even expected to introduce a
Trophy version
 of Megane R.S. with a 300 hp/400Nm power plant.
IMAGE GALLERY


Team Proton R3 triumphs again – wins second successive Sepang 1000KM race

In winning this year’s Sepang 1000 KM endurance race that took place last weekend and successfully defending last year’s overall title, Proton R3 has set a new record as the most successful team in the endurance race’s history.
It is also the fifth time a Proton had crossed the finish line in first place, as the Iriz became the fourth Proton to win the race following previous victories by the Proton Suprima S (2017 and 2016), Proton Preve (2014) and Proton Satria Neo (2012).
Driven by Fariqe Hairuman and Syafiq Ali, the Proton Iriz rose to the top step of the podium after a 181-lap race. A third victory for Syafiq Ali also made him the most successful driver in the 1000 KM endurance race.
Last year’s winning pair with Team Proton R3, Admi Shahrul and James Veerapan, were not so lucky with the
 team’s newcomer, the Proton Saga
, as it pulled out of the race after 178 laps, shortly after setting its fastest time on lap 171.
“The 2018 S1K was a tough and exciting race run in hot weather conditions at a very fast pace. There were many lead changes with multiple safety car periods adding to the complexity of our race strategy. We managed to get a good lead over the rest of the field with 40 laps to go and thankfully we were able to then stretch our advantage to over 2 minutes at the end of the race,” said Gary Lee, Team Principal of Proton R3.
CEO of Proton Edar, Abdul Rashid Musa added, “At PROTON, we truly believe motorsports improves our products. It’s not easy to succeed in a race like the S1K as cars have to run flat out for nearly 9 hours, but our wins prove Proton cars have exceptional handling and are engineered to perform even when driven in such extreme conditions. To be both fast and reliable is very difficult so when we manage to achieve it we make sure what we learn on the racetrack is transferred to our cars on the road.”
IMAGE GALLERY


Is a car subscription plan the right choice for fresh graduates?

It seems like car subscription programmes are all the rage nowadays, with car manufacturers like
Renault
, Nissan, and
third party providers
 coming up with their own subscription services. With all the talk about depreciation when it comes to car ownership, we start to wonder if a car subscription is the way forward.
While alternative car ownership methods such as car leasing has been a common practice in many Western countries, these concepts are still relatively rare in Malaysia, where hire-purchase dominates the market.
While subscribing to a car might sound weird, it isn’t too much of a stretch when we look at the bigger picture; by signing up to these services, you are essentially paying the provider a monthly fee for the usage of the car, not unlike online services like Netflix or Spotify.
Subscription service providers like
Flux
 promises peace of mind “ownership” by taking care of the laborious tasks like renewing your insurance and road tax, roadside assistance and carrying out car maintenance, giving you access to cars without the need of paying a down payment.
The Kia Picanto – the logical choice for fresh graduates.
Sounds too good to be true? Well, let’s get into the details. Say you are a fresh graduate looking for a simple car to get to and fro from work and the occasional
mamak
 session with your friends, a small car such as the Kia Picanto will be the logical choice. The Kia Picanto is the lowest priced car available on Flux at RM814 per month (on a 3-year tenure period). Ignoring the refundable 1-month security deposit, the total cost of subscription after three years works out to be
RM29,304
.
On the other hand, purchasing the same car through a regular hire-purchase – a seven-year loan period based on a 2.80% interest rate and 10% down payment – works out to be roughly RM639.30 per month in loan repayment. Seems like a steal, but we still have to tack on the annual road tax, insurance premium and general servicing costs. More importantly though, you will be paying that amount for the full seven years, as well as forking out almost RM5,000 for the down payment itself.
The Honda City is a capable B-sedan, but is it something a fresh grad should be looking at?
For the sake of an additional data point, let’s have a look at the best-selling non-national B-segment sedan. A Honda City S that we found on the Flux website costs a monthly fee of RM1,314; the car typically retails for RM73,836 (without insurance). With the same hire purchase terms as the previous example (7 years on 2.80% interest), we worked out the monthly loan repayment to be about RM946.20 per month. Over three years, subscribing to the car costs about RM47,304, while costing about RM41,446 for a regular hire-purchase.
If we are looking plainly at the numbers, the cost of “ownership” through a subscription plan does look pretty enticing, considering the added savings from your annual insurance premium, as well as maintenance fees. Moreover, you are also entitled to more flexibility and convenience with a subscription service.
For those with a more exotic taste, Nissan offers their fully-electric Leaf through a subscription programme.
However do bear in mind that acquiring your vehicle through the traditional methods of hire purchase or even cash purchase, you are likely to receive discounts and ‘free’ maintenance packages from dealers and manufacturers.
At the end of your loan repayment, you also get to legally own the car, whereas customers of a subscription service will have to return their cars after the contract ends. Having a car to sell or trade-in can also help with financing your next car purchase, or better yet pass it on to a family member or friend in need!
Car subscription programmes like these certainly pose as an interesting option into car ownership, and we even had quite some discussion of our own at AutoBuzz.my! Just like property, we Malaysians still can’t seem to come to an agreement between purchasing and renting, as both of these options do possess their own benefits and disadvantages.
Proton recently announced that they are offering up to
100% financing for fresh graduates
, with free maintenance too!
With this brief overlook, we think that car subscription services might be suitable for fresh graduates who do not have much in savings, or are not yet ready for long-term commitment of a car purchase. There are of course the option of pre-owned cars as well!


Buy a Bugatti Chiron, sell in four months and make RM 5 million

Obviously that’s not going to be a feasible investment prospect for most of us but it’s interesting to see how such cars hike up in value in such a bizarre way, isn’t it? This is as most of us stand to lose at least 20% of our new car’s value the moment it’s driven out of the showroom.
Sportscars only tend to appreciate in value when it’s of a certain age and even then it applies to only a select few brands and an even more select few models. Take the Porsche 911 for example – a unit in the shoddiest of conditions will still cost you an arm a leg and it took almost 20 years for the 911’s of the 1990’s and older to see any appreciation in value.
A lucky owner in the UK is set make a cool 1 million pounds (
RM 5.6 million
) in profit when he sells his “still-new”
Bugatti Chiron
, supposedly the first “used” model in the UK. The black Chiron has only done 1,000 miles (
1,609 km
) and is one of the very first examples delivered in the UK.
Apparently the supercar’s value has soared to 3.6 million pounds (
RM 20 million
), up by 1.1 million pounds (
RM 6.1 million
) from its asking price of 2.5 million pounds (
RM 14 million
). What made the deal even sweeter, albeit only for the owner, is that the leather and carbon combination interior option was ticked, then costing 53,000 pounds (
RM 297k
) and carbon fibre seats, a 16,000 pounds (
RM 89k
) option.
The dealer in charge of selling the Chiron stated, “Although the Chiron is not yet sold out, if you place an order today you will be waiting at least three or four years before the car could be built and delivered, so we are offering the chance to ‘jump the queue’ but of course there is a hefty premium to pay for this privilege.
Production of the Chiron will take place over the next eight years with around
60 units per year
 and its rarity speaks for itself. As the successor to the Veyron, it has made headlines ever since it was introduced; churning out
1,500 hp
 and
1,600 Nm
 of torque from its 8.0-litre W16 quad-turbo engine. 0 to 100 km/h in that bad boy takes just under
 2.5 seconds
 while 0 to 200 km/h is done in under
6.5 seconds
.
It’s also a good drinker too – the Chiron is capable of emptying its 100-litre fuel tank in just 9 minutes at its top speed of 420 km/h with a fuel consumption rating of
21.4L/100 km
. It also recently made headlines with a
0 to 400 km/h to 0 run in just 42 seconds
!
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Video: Lotus Emira ‘First Edition’ with a 3.5-litre supercharged V6 in Malaysia, 5 Things

Lotus Kars
 Sdn. Bhd. recently showed us the
new Lotus Emira
and boy does it look as good as it does in the pictures; if not better! It’s priced from
RM1,131,800
 on-the-road, while prices in Langkawi start from
RM456,900
.
The Emira will be available in Malaysia firstly with a 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine, with 405 hp and 420 Nm. The Toyota-sourced engine is paired to a 6-speed manual as standard, with a 6-speed automatic gearbox available as an option. With the manual gearbox, the Emira is only 0.1 seconds slower from 0 to 100 km/h at 4.3 seconds compared to the automatic gearbox.

On the outside, the Emira runs on 20-inch forged alloy wheels, with 4-pot brake calipers all-round. With the
 Lower Black Pack
, the Emira’s front air blades, front splitter, side sills, and rear diffuser are all finished in gloss black.
RELATED:
Lotus welcomes the new Eletre

– its first-ever, fully-electric ‘Hyper SUV’
The Emira can be specified with the
Design Pack
that adds privacy glass, sports pedals, Alcantara headlining and brake calipers either in black, red, yellow, or silver. The Design pack also comes with Lotus-branded footwell mats.
The new Emira offers up to 208-litre of storage behind the two seats and 151-litres in the boot; enough for one cabin-sized luggage or a set of golf clubs.
There are a variety of option packs for the Emira including the
Convenience Pack
 that comes with front parking sensors, a reversing camera, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dimming mirrors, and a net for rear luggage. The
Driver’s Pack
 offers a choice of Sport or Touring suspension with Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport tyres or Sport suspension with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres.


2017 Toyota Yaris Hybrid launched in Japan, performance variant to follow

Toyota has refreshed its supermini lineup with the launch of two interesting variants of the Yaris, which is more commonly known as the Vitz in Japan. Also,
a hotter, performance-oriented Yaris
 is in the pipeline and will debut as soon as March 2017!
First, the Yaris receives some substantial visual update. The front and rear bumpers now get a much sportier design, whereas both headlights and tail lamps receive LED treatment. The new car’s length is 3,945 mm and sits 1,500 mm tall – about 20 mm longer and 10 mm shorter than its predecessor. Wheelbase remains the same at 2,510 mm.

Previously, the Yaris was only available with the 1.0-litre and 1.3-litre engines. Now, a new
 1.5-litre 1NZ-FXE
 joins the JDM range. This Atkinson cycle engine is Toyota’s tried and tested mill that is currently powering the Prius C and earlier generations of the Prius. It’s aided by an electric motor that brings the combined output to 98 hp. Power is delivered to the front wheels via the same old eCVT.
The Toyota Yaris Hybrid will be equipped with
Toyota Safety Sense
, and can be had with 17 exterior colours. Pricing begins from
1,819,800 yen
 (approximately
RM71,843
) for the cheapest trim to
2,237,760 yen
(approximately
RM88,343
) for the sportier trim.
On a separate note, the performance version of the Yaris will apparently have about 210 hp, aiming to go toe to toe with established rivals such as the
Ford Fiesta ST
 and Peugeot 208 GTI. Back at home, the Toyota Yaris is no longer offered here after the second-generation hatch made its brief appearance.
What do you think, guys? Should UMW Toyota Motor reintroduce the Yaris, or would you prefer the 210 hp Yaris with a stick shift?
IMAGE GALLERY
TOYOTA YARIS 1.5L HYBRID

TOYOTA YARIS PERFORMANCE VERSION


ACO Tech’s new ATLAS infotainment OS even comes with an in-car e-wallet payment system!

ACO Tech, the home-grown automotive software company, has unveiled its brand-new ATLAS automotive operating system, which it hopes to form an ecosystem that not only provides in-car infotainment systems, but also a suite of connected features including payments and other lifestyle convenience bonuses.
In that vein, the company has signed a strategic partnership with UOB Malaysia, Fasspay Payment Solutions, and
Five Petroleum Malaysia
to kickstart its plans.
Together with its newly-minted partners, ACO Tech will implement a car-based digital wallet system and an integrated in-car payment system, dubbed ATLAS Pay, which will be made available by the fourth quarter of this year.
The company will further collaborate with Five to offer automotive-related support through an extensive network of approved service providers, automotive merchants, and “seamless refuelling experience” at Five petrol stations, presumably with payment handled via ATLAS Pay.
“As auto manufacturers strive to deliver a connected and personalised driving experience to consumers, it is imperative for ATLAS to be agile, scalable and ever-evolving,” says ACO Tech CEO, Li Pu. “While ensuring our technology capabilities are optimised to rapidly adapt to demanding needs, building relationships with industry partners continue to be a priority for ACO Tech to provide innovative in-car experiences that make perfect sense to drivers.”
ALSO READ: Your next car’s cabin could be powered entirely by Apple CarPlay
Aside from the ATLAS OS infotainment system, which is built on the open-source Android 10 platform to deliver a “personal experience” that “[meets] the diverse demands and preferences of the Malaysian lifestyle”, the ATLAS ecosystem also includes the dedicated ATLAS Auto app that allows the user to access vehicle telematics from their mobile phones, alongside an automotive-focused social networking platform.
ACO Tech is also working on a wearable watch-like device that will allow users to control their vehicles remotely, with real-time info synchronised directly to the device.
In addition to the aforementioned partners, ACO Tech also signed a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) during the launch event to expand its partnership with Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) to continuously develop cloud-based automotive solutions based on Huawei Cloud for regional markets.
The new extended collaboration will see both companies accelerate innovations in software applications for big data and artificial intelligence to further “promote the adoption of smart mobility lifestyle”.
ACO Tech says that there are now more than 10,000 cars on the road equipped with the ATLAS operating system, which will soon be extended to the X50 soon via an over-the-air (OTA) software update in the near future. The company also teased a “global partnership” on audio streaming that will be announced later this month, which could be foreshadowing the addition of Spotify onto the platform.


All-electric Geometry A is Geely’s answer to the Tesla Model 3

Geely Auto Group has officially
launched its first pure electric brand Geometry and its first electric vehicle
(EV), the Geometry A in Singapore. The premium electric sedan and Geometry
brand marks Geely’s entry into the growing alternative energy vehicle space.
The Geometry A is an all-new vehicle from the Geely Auto Group, using a second-generation electric vehicle architecture. It measures 4,736 mm in length, 1,804 mm in width, 1,503 mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,700 mm – think
Honda Civic
 size. It tips the scale at 1,650 kg which is comparable to the
Tesla Model 3
.

President of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, President & CEO of Geely Auto Group, Mr An Cong Hui presenting the Geometry A
Its design may not be
everyone’s cup of tea, but this is the final look that 5 Geely Global Design
studios have put together. Unlike Lynk & Co vehicles which spots a quirky
design language, the Geometry A takes function over form to the extreme.
Every element of the car from the creases, body lines and sealed edges are there to make the Geometry A as aerodynamic as possible, resulting in a best-in-class drag coefficient of
0.237 Cd
. Take the pop-out door handles for example, on the move, the flush position smoothens the airflow around the body giving the Geometry A additional 10 km of driving range.
There are little cues linking
the Geometry brand back to Geely such as the silver logo (Geely logo spots a
black and blue finish), GEELY lettering across the rear tailgate and the “吉利几何” (Geely
Ji
He
) badging.
The doors open up to a
minimalistic cabin furnished with all the latest technologies available from
the Geely Auto Group. How minimalistic? For starters you get a tiny 4.2-inch display
as the instrument cluster which displays only the essential info – range, battery
charge while everything else is projected onto the 8.0-inch full coloured W-HUD.
There are only three physical switches on the centre console for the power button, electronic parking brake and self-parking system. Climate control, multimedia and drive systems are all controlled by
touch-sensitive surfaces
 to create a seamless and uncluttered cabin.
All the cars main functions
are linked to the 12.3-inch touchscreen system with AI voice command interaction,
4G connectivity, online navigation and more. Other features you can find in the
Geometry A include EU-certified baby skin-safe recycled fabric upholstery, panoramic
sunroof, 7-colour ambient lighting, powered glove box with password-safe security
and ION Air-Purlify System.
Touch sensitive “buttons” for HVAC controls under the air vents
There are two range versions of the Geometry A available –
Standard
and
Long Range
. The former features a 51.9-kWh lithium-ion battery pack giving
410 km
 of driving range (European NEDC cycle). The Long Range version gets a larger 61.9-kWh battery pack with
500 km
 of zero local emission driving range.
Both versions are DC
fast charging compatible, able to recharge from 30% to 80% in 30 minutes when
plugged into a 60kW fast charging station. A normal charging pile takes 8 and
11 hours to fully charge the Standard & Long Range batteries, respectively.
The battery also has an
Intelligent Temperature Control System (ITCS) which conditions the battery pack
to its optimum operating temperature in extreme conditions, prolonging the
battery life and maintain its performance.
Regardless of battery capacity choice, the electric motor packs
120 kW
 (163 hp) and
250 Nm
 of torque allowing the Geometry A to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in
8.8 seconds
 with a limited top speed of
150 km/h
. Not quite up to the Model 3s performance, but Geely says this offers the best balance between driving dynamics, range and vehicle longevity.
Safety is core to the Geometry
brand as well as Geely Auto Group hence the Geometry A is complete with Level 2
semi-autonomous driving capability. Using 3 Millimetre Wave Radars, 6 Cameras
and 12 Ultrasonic Radars, the electric sedan is able to follow the vehicle in front
and keep itself in lane at its maximum velocity of 150 km/h.
Autonomous Emergency
Braking with Pedestrian Recognition, Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Detection,
Lane Change Assist, full-speed Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go are not
luxury features here, but rather the
expected
standardequipment for all
Geometry vehicles.
On top of that, it
even comes with first in class Rear Collision Warning where the radars detect an
imminent collision from the rear and flashes the hazard lights to prompt the
driver behind to slow down.
There will be three trim levels of the Geometry A available for both the Standard and Long Range versions. The Standard Range is priced from RMB150k to RMB170k (RM92k to RM104k) while the Long Range is priced from RMB170k to RMB190k (RM104k to RM116k) after Government subsidies in China.
As a reference, the Tesla Model 3 is priced between RMB407k to RMB516k (RM250k to RM316k). Yikes.
The Geometry will be a global brand to be sold outside of China and have identified key overseas markets that are ready to distribute their vehicles. To date, Geometry has received over 27,000 orders for their first electric sedan, 18,000 of which are from overseas customers from Singapore, Norway, France and Argentina while the remaining orders are from their home market.
IMAGE GALLERY
Geometry A Launched in Singapore


Bentley reveals the world’s largest carbon fibre wheel for the Bentayga SUV

Bentley has just announced the availability of full carbon fibre rims for their
Bentayga
 premium SUV. The rim, measuring 22 inches, took five years of engineering with Bucci Composites and is said to be
the largest carbon fibre rim
 in production in the world.
Lightweight and strong, carbon fibre material has been used mainly on body panels or as a structural tub as the material is incredibly rigid and inflexible (as well as static placement), something that is the polar opposite for vehicle rim application.
However, with advancements in material science and manufacturing technologies, single-piece rims made from carbon fibre has slowly been selected as the ultimate factory upgrade for the most focused high-performance variant.
First used in the
Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R
, the Bentley Bentayga is probably the fourth production model to feature carbon fibre rims after the Ferrari 488 Pista and
Ferrari SF90 Stradale
.
Apart from
weighing 6 kg lighter
 than aluminium items, the new carbon rim has undergone rigorous TUV (Technical Inspection Association, Germany) testing and is the first carbon rim ever to pass all tests. One of the most severe tests is the impact test, where the carbon material has been engineered with the layering of fibre weaves to slowly deflate air in case of a failure.
There is only 1 of 1 Bentley Bentayga Design Series you can buy in Malaysia. Find out its exclusivity here!
This gentle deflation of air allows the driver to still have full control of the Bentayga whilst moving to the roadside. Aluminium wheels are said to crack that result in instant deflation which could lead to loss of control of the vehicle.
Apart from being safer even when it fails, the carbon fibre rim also promotes better tyre wear thanks to its rigidity and the all-important improvement in agility and steering response. Quick laps around the Nurburgring Nordschleife also confirmed the new carbon fibre rim’s performance advantage and physical strength.
This driving school allows you to take driving lessons with exotics including the Bentley Bentayga. Find out how much here!
Bucci Composites has patented various innovative production techniques combining with the use of high-pressure RTM (resin transfer moulding) in producing the carbon fibre rim. The process includes cutting of carbon fibre cloth into prescribed shapes and draped into a mould and repeated in a larger mould until the desired specification and size are achieved.
Customers can look forward to upgrading their “boring” aluminium rims to carbon fibre units through the
Mulliner
 customisation portal in late 2021.


New Polestar 3 debuts as brand’s first SUV – 610 km range, up to 517 hp & 910 Nm

Polestar
 has debuted the new
Polestar 3
, which is the brand’s first SUV. Production of the Polestar 3 will take place at Volvo’s facility in Chengdu, China, and later also in South Carolina. Deliveries are expected to begin in Q4 2023 and the price of the Polestar 3 is €89,900 (approx. RM 409,076) in Germany.
Taking inspiration from the
Polestar Precept
, the Polestar 3 features a dual-blade headlight design in front. There are also many aerodynamic features on the exterior including a front aero wing integrated into the bonnet, an aero wing integrated into the rear spoiler, and rear aero blades.
Standard exterior features on the Polestar 3 are LED lights, retractable door handles, and 21-inch alloy wheels. At the front end of the Polestar 3 is a “Smart Zone” below the front aero wing that houses several front sensors, a heated radar module, and a camera.
Powering the Polestar 3 is a dual motor all-wheel drive (AWD) system that makes 360 kW (
489 hp
) and
840 Nm
 on the standard car. With a “Performance Pack”, the numbers can be bumped up to 380 kW (
517 hp
) and
910 Nm
. 0-100 km/h acceleration is done in
5.0 seconds
 in the standard version and
4.7 seconds
 with the Performance Pack. The AWD system has a rear wheel bias, but you can decouple the rear axle in certain circumstances (and only use the front axle) to save energy.
Supplying electricity to the dual motor system is a
111-kWh
 battery pack. On the standard version, the battery can provide up to
610 km
 of range (WLTP). Charging times have not been revealed but the Polestar 3 can handle
11-kW
 AC charging and
250-kW
 DC Fast charging. The car also is also capable of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-grid connectivity (V2X).
In the handling department, the Polestar 3 comes with electric torque vectoring and a dual-clutch function on the rear axle. Standard on the Polestar 3 is a dual-chamber air suspension system that can be adjusted for either comfort or dynamic driving.
RELATED:
Topless all-electric Polestar 6 to debut in 2026 – 884 hp, 900 Nm
Inside, the Polestar 3 features animal welfare-certified leather with fully traceable wool upholstery and a panoramic glass roof as standard. Smack in the centre of the dashboard is a 14.5-inch touchscreen display that runs on Android Automotive that has been co-developed with Google. It also supports Over The Air (OTA) updates.
Safety-wise, one of the highlights of the Polestar 3 is the interior radar sensor system that can detect sub-millimetre movement in the cabin, preventing users from accidentally leaving their children or pets in the car. The interior radars are also linked to the vehicle’s climate control system to avoid heat stroke or hypothermia.
The latest Advanced Driver Assistance Sytems (ADAS) in the Polestar 3 has been developed in collaboration with Zenseact, Luminar, and SmartEye. There are five radar modules, five external cameras, and 12 external ultrasonic sensors on the Polestar 3.
RELATED:
Electric Volvo XC90 patent images leaked – borrows styling from Polestar 2
For the first model year, the Polestar 3 will be fitted with the Plus Pack and Pilot Pack as standard. This includes a 25-speaker audio system from Bowers & Wilkins with 3D surround sound, Dolby Atmos capability, soft closing doors, Head-up Display (HUD), and pilot assist.
The Pilot Pack that includes LiDAR from Luminar will add an additional control unit from NVIDIA, three cameras, four ultrasonic sensors, and cleaning for the front- and rear-view cameras, providing accurate real-time data about the car’s surroundings, especially in the long-range field. This enables enhanced 3D scanning of the car’s surroundings in greater detail and helps prepare the car for autonomous driving.
Polestar CEO, Thomas Ingenlath said, “Polestar 3 is a powerful electric SUV that appeals to the senses with a distinct, Scandinavian design and excellent driving dynamics. It takes our manufacturing footprint to the next level, bringing Polestar production to the United States. We are proud and excited to expand our portfolio as we continue our rapid growth.”
RELATED:
BMW, Polestar designers say big screens might be on their way out
GALLERY


The new Subaru Solterra is perhaps the prettiest in the brand’s recent line-up

After a simple
initial

announcement with just key portions of the EV strategically darkened, the Subaru Solterra has made its world premiere this morning.
Back in June 2019, Subaru and Toyota announced their
partnership
 to develop a global C-segment sized electric vehicle in the form of an SUV. Proven to be a mutually beneficial partnership as seen in the
Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ
 that spawned the second-generation models, both companies will market the new EV SUV with very slight tweaks to the styling and perhaps dynamism.
In front, the hexagonal grille (now just a coloured panel) has been maintained from earlier Subaru models, but other design details are a good break away from the rather uninspiring styling such as on the Forester.
Both the Subaru Solterra and recently-detailed Toyota bZ4X will ride on the jointly developed battery electric vehicle (BEV)-dedicated platform which is simply called e-Subaru Global Platform.
Measuring the same 4.69 m long and 1.86 m wide dimensions as the Toyota, the Subaru Solterra has nearly similar dimensions with the
Forester
,
Kia EV6
 and
BMW iX3
 while slightly shorter than the Subaru Legacy Outback.
Toyota last month detailed their bZ4X and the Subaru Solterra will also share the same powertrain- a front-mounted motor drive unit with
204 hp
 or a dual-motor setup for electric all-wheel drive (AWD) with
218 hp
 output.
Much of the powertrain technology and finetuning in the dual-motor setup will be handled by Subaru, thanks to their expertise in AWD technology. Like all other Subaru SUV models, the Solterra will also be featured with the
X-MODE AWD
 control system and added with a new Grip Control function that enhanced stability in all road conditions. Users of Subaru SUVs also expect the vehicle to perform well over unpaved terrains, so the Solterra comes with a proper ground clearance of 210 mm.
The electric powertrain from the Toyota bZ4X is also replicated on the Subaru Solterra
Subaru vehicles with AWD technology just surpassed 20 million units in June of this year! Find out some trivia about the technology here!
The topic of driving range and EV is inseparable, and as such, Subaru quotes approximately
530 km
 of range for the front-wheel drive variant, while the AWD with 218 hp goes to circa 460 km on a single charge from the 71.4 kWh battery pack.
Inside the interior, the Subaru and Toyota share the same low-height dashboard and top-mounted driver’s instrument panel. Currently, only one steering wheel design with regular electric power steering is available for the Solterra. With a wheelbase of 2.85 metres, the Subaru Solterra ensures rear legroom similar to a D-segment sedan, a common focal point with the current generation Subaru models.
Toyota is heading towards a different direction in
steering technology
 in the bZ4X, offering a fully electronic steer-by-wire system that sees the oblong-shaped steering wheel rotating just 150 degrees from lock to lock.

The Subaru Solterra will only be available in North America, Europe, China and Japan from the middle of next year.


Ford’s proudest feature on the 2022 Ranger is not what you think it is

Launched in Malaysia last month, the 2022
Ford Ranger
 is one of the better-looking trucks on offer right now. However,
Ford
’s proudest feature is neither the distinctive face with the “C-clamp” headlights, nor is it the massive 12-inch infotainment screen. Instead, it is the simple box step that sits right behind the rear wheels.
In fact, Ford even believes that the addition of the box step feature will soon be followed by rival trucks since it is so practical. And Ford has good reason to believe so, since the decision to add the box step was not just an afterthought. It was the result of hundreds of hours of work, engaging with customers to get their feedback on the Ranger, led by the chief designer of the Ford Ranger, Max Tran.
He said, “Seeing owners use their trucks, whether for work, family, or play, inspired some fantastic ideas that drove our design and development decisions. One great example of that is the integrated box side-step. During our clinic sessions, we noticed that many customers had trouble reaching over the side of the truck into the bed; others were standing on the rear tire or the bumper to gain access.”
“So, we came up with the idea of a box step, behind the rear wheel,” he added. “We mocked one up, tested it with owners, and the response was overwhelming. People told us that step would be reason enough to buy the Ford Ranger.”
ALSO WATCH:
All-new 2022 Ford Ranger launched in Malaysia, from RM109K
As tested by our very own Woon!
Who would have thought that such a simple thing could be a segment-first feature? Unfortunately, though, the box step feature is only available on the Ford Ranger Wildtrak.
Led by Max Tran, the Ranger team spent hundreds of hours with customers around the world to see how they use their pickups daily. Ford conducted over 5,000 interviews and made over 1,800 pages of field notes for reference, which helped develop and guide both engineers and designers to build a pickup with the features and capabilities customers wanted.
RELATED:
All-new 2022 Ford Ranger launched in Malaysia – from RM109k
The result is the new Ford Ranger which is built on the third-generation T6 platform. Powering the Ranger is either a 2.0-litre single turbo diesel engine (
170 hp
/
405 Nm
) or a 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine (
210 hp
/
500 Nm
). The single turbo engine is paired to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed auto while the bi-turbo engine is paired to a 10-speed auto gearbox.
Sime Darby Auto ConneXion

(SDAC), the sole distributor for Ford in Malaysia, will be previewing the next-generation Ranger in Kuching on 7-11 September at Vivacity Megamall, and at Suria Sabah Shopping Centre, Kota Kinabalu on 5-9 October.
For the full breakdown of the 2022 Ford Ranger, you can check it out here.


Check out the latest trailer of the new season of Top Gear!

No matter how large the explosions, no matter how bizarre the challenges, deep down we all know that Top Gear would never be the same after the departure of the infamous trio.
Even Clarkson, the brainchild of the series watched by so many around the world, felt less than sympathetic when told that ratings and viewership of the motoring franchise had dipped significantly since their departure.
“Just another day at the office…” Your first look at brand new
#TopGear
 with Freddie Flintoff, Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris
@flintoff11

@PaddyMcGuinness

@harrismonkey

pic.twitter.com/ViqPhll5YT
— Top Gear (@BBC_TopGear)
May 26, 2019

We, however, perpetually believe in second chances and from the montage at least, one thing is for sure – their production quality is still top notch. Whether or not the two new hosts, Paddy McGuinness and Freddie Flintoff, will be as charismatic as Chris Harris, we’ll just have to wait and see!
Image credit:
Top Gear


Aston Martin Vantage AMR unveiled, only 300 units in the world!

At the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, Aston Martin launched their new race-inspired performance division Aston Martin Racing (AMR) with one philosophy in mind – to bring road-going Aston Martin to new and exciting extremes.
Today, the newly established brand has presented their first ever AMR model to enter production, the Aston Martin Vantage AMR. Only 300 of these bad boys will be produced – 100 V12s and 200 V8s.
Be that as it may, the Vantage AMR sits at AMR’s entry level range. Like on the standard models, the 4.7-litre V8 produces
430 hp
 while the larger 5.9-litre V12 lump gets massaged to dish out
595 hp
 (up from 565 hp). As standard, both engines come with a seven-speed automated sequential manual transmissions with paddle shifters. For the purist, a six-speed manual can be had with the V8 while the V12 gets a
seven-speed manual setup
.
With the Vantage AMR, much of the design cues were inspired from Aston Martin’s race cars.
Four exterior themes
 are available for the Vantage AMR: Stratus White with an Orange graphic, Ultramarine Black with Blue graphic, Zaffre Blue with Red graphic and Scintilla Silver with Grey graphic. Opt for the optional
‘Halo Pack’
 and the car gets Stirling Green with vivid Lime Green accents to reflect the brand’s 2016 World Endurance Championship-winning #95 Vantage GTE.

Other exterior options include carbon fibre finish for the lightweight front grille, side strakes, lamp infills and mirror caps on the outside, instrument surround, door tops and door grabs on the inside. The V8 Vantage AMR gets a five-spoke alloy wheel design while the V12 Vantage AMR rides on lightweight 10-spoke alloy wheels. Both are available in three different finishes.
For the more hardcore of enthusiasts, the Vantage AMR can be specified with the
 AMR Aero Kit
, developed in partnership with Aston Martin Race Team which adds carbon fibre front splitters, dive planes, side sills, fixed rear spoiler and forged aluminium alloy wheels. On the V12 variant, customers can opt for the
AMR titanium exhaust
 which not only shed
14 kg
 over the stock exhaust but also heightens the aural sensation and sharpens engine response.
The Aston Martin Vantage AMR can be had in both Coupe and Roadster guises, with prices starting from £97,995 (RM532k) in UK and €126,995 (RM607k) in Europe. Good news is that the Vantage AMR is available for Asia Pacific markets.
With
Aston Martin now officially represented in Malaysia
, could we expect this limited-edition model to find its way here?
IMAGE GALLERY


Ford Mustang is the best selling sports car in the world! [+Video]

The
Ford Mustang
, currently in its sixth life cycle, was the first ever ‘Stang to be introduced to right-hand drive markets. Apparently, all it took was just one move to springboard it to become the best selling sports car in the world.
Last year alone, the Blue Oval shipped over 150,000 units of the Mustang, 45,000 of which are sold outside of the United States – Malaysia included. According to IHS Markit, international growth for the Mustang is at a whopping
101 percent
, with the bulk of exports going to
China
and rather surprisingly, Germany!
Since 2015, more than
395,000
 units of the Mustang have been assembled at the company’s Flat Rock Assembly plant. The numbers however, will continue to grow, following the launch of the
Mustang facelift
 and its
topless variant
 early this year.
As a refresher, the facelift gets a new 10-speed automatic (yes, ten speed!) and will not come with the V6 engine. Only the 2.3-litre EcoBoost and 5.0-litre V8 will make it through the production line. The handling has also been improved thanks to revised suspension and new
MagneRide adaptive dampers.
Back home, pricing for the
Mustang
 starts at
 RM489k
 for the 2.3-litre, while the big bore V8 costs
RM599k
.


The car that filmed this Bugatti Chiron’s 0-400 km/h run is a Panda-coloured….

By now you would’ve seen the record breaking 0-400-0 km/h run of the
all-new Bugatti Chiron
 all over the internet. Accelerating from standstill to 400 km/h and immediately come to a complete stop in just 41.96 seconds is without a doubt an impressive feat.
However, what surprised netizens was not the fact that the Chrion managed the stunning feat. We wouldn’t expect less, it’s a
1,500 hp
 Chiron after all. The internet was more curious what Bugatti used as their tracking car – the camera car that filmed the record breaking attempt. Internet trolls showed their creative side, sharing
memes
of their best guess. Among them were the
Audi RS6
, Stage 3 Golf R and even a twin-turbo Toyota Supra! Of course, none of them are true.
Do you really think a Supra can keep up with this monster?
A week later, Bugatti is here to clear the air, unveiling their tracking car that recorded the money shot on Facebook. If you haven’t watched the speed record, we highly recommend you do so first:
Now the car that filmed the Chiron’s
0-400-0 km/h
 run is none other than a…
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it’s another Bugatti Chiron – it has to be! A panda-coloured Bugatti Chiron, powered by the same 8.0-litre quad-turbocharged W16 that spits out
1,500 hp
 and
1,600 Nm
 of torque. All that monstrosity is sent to all four-wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Its century sprint takes under
2.5 seconds
,
 0 to 200 km/h
 in less than
6.5 seconds
 and
0 to 298 km/h
 in under
13.6 seconds
. Top speed is an unbelievable
 418 km/h
 and as you can see in the video, gunning for V-Max is effortless, to say the least.
IMAGE GALLERY


Review: 2014 Subaru Forester 2.0XT, a turbocharged family SUV

Mention Subaru to any average Joe you see, they’ll either be clueless, or the legendary Impreza comes to mind. But Subaru does have more than one card up their sleeves, from the C segment Impreza, to the D segment Legacy, the XV as well as the Forester.
I’ll be having a look at the rather new Subaru Forester 2.0XT. How well does it fare? Read on to find out more.
QUICK FACTS
Name
 Subaru Forester 2.0 XT (SJ)
Segment
 Compact Crossover SUV
Engine
 1998cc Boxer engine with DIT, turbocharged (240hp)
Price
 RM206,500
 Powering the latest generation Forester is the same engine used in the RWD Subaru BRZ, but turbocharged. A 2.0L Boxer engine with Direct Injection Turbo (DIT) producing 240 horsepower. This new Subaru Forester 2.0XT, codenamed ‘SJ’ is even more powerful than the previous turbocharged Forester 2.5XT. Also new to this engine is that the timing belt has been replaced by a timing chain system, so plus points to reliability there.
 EXTERIOR
 On the outside, you may not spot much difference from the past generation (SH), but looking closer, sharp eyes will notice that the latest generation (SJ) is sharper than before, and loses the signature hood scoop in the process. The air take for the intercooler is now integrated with the radiator air intake at the grille.

Other than that, the wheels are also inspired by the Subaru XV’s design, with the same polished black looks with the silver outlines. To some, it can be viewed as unique, but others may not fancy those rims at all. Unlike the JDM units (the Forester is CBU from Japan, but as a European model), DRL LEDs not fitted at the slits along the edge of the bumper. Local models can get the option for the DRLs if the buyer opts for it. The headlights are self-leveling xenon lights with automatic on off.
INTERIOR
 To be honest, Subarus were never known for their interior. I may even go as far as saying that it looks relatively bland at first glance. However, after driving it for awhile, it does seem like Subaru has done their homework well. There is a Multi-Function Display unit at the center of the dashboard, which shows vital stats, clock, fuel consumption, oil temperatures, boost pressure and radio information.

As for the audio system, Harmon Kardon supplies the 8 speaker sound system, but the unit I tested, unfortunately did not come with the Harmon Kardon head unit. It is a pity, really, as the all-in-one head unit that was being evaluated in my unit was rather buggy when used. I won’t delve much into the details of the head unit, as it’s still a prototype unit. The sound quality is still good nonetheless. No complaints there at all. Also worth mentioning is that Subaru has included leather seats in this Forester instead of the original fabric seats. I can see the rationing behind this, as it may not be acceptable by the buyers who are paying upwards RM200,000 for a car without leather seats.
The Forester has an integrated reverse camera, to assist you in parking in tight spaces, but what it doesn’t include, is a reverse sensor. Nope, this RM206k Subaru will have to make do with just a reverse camera, without the beeps and that’s not very good. Overall visibility for the Forester from the driver seat is excellent, as blind spots are kept to a bare minimum. The rear split-folding seat can be conveniently folded with a one touch button, or rather a latch. With that, you get an instant boot space for your IKEA goods.
There are four 12V power port strategically placed in the car. One of it is in the arm rest compartment together with a USB port and a AUX port. This is really good when you want to tuck away all cables and gadgets while you are charging them. There are exit holes for your cables as well. Very well thought of. Oh, we love the wide opening sunroof. Your kids will love it too.
PERFORMANCE

Thanks to the 2.0L Boxer engine with Direct Injection Turbo, you’ll be pleased to know that the Forester does the century sprint in a mere 7.5 seconds, which is fast for a SUV. Floor the throttle, let the revs build up, and watch the speedometer climb. Besides the new DIT engine, the SJ series Forester also has a new Lineartronic CVT gearbox which has 3 modes. Intelligent (I) for regular driving, Sport (S) for that extra edge, and Sport Sharp (S#) for when the boyracer mode kicks in.

Each modes has it own perks, and for most drivers, leaving it in Intelligent will reward you silky smooth cruising. Switching to Sport, throttle response will be sharpened, while Sport Sharp will simulate a conventional automatic gearbox, down to the shift shock. In my opinion, Subaru’s take on their Lineartronic CVT is almost perfect, as it has the modes to cater for almost all users, without sacrificing usability.
Handling isn’t bad at all, since the underpinnings of the Forester can be traced back to the legendary Impreza. Body roll is kept to a bare minimum, and with Subaru’s  Symmetrical AWD system at work, you can be assured that the car will stay on its course when the weather gets challenging. Suspension feel a little hard but it absorbs bumps and potholes really well.
Purists might complain that the Forester has lost its charm considering that the SJ has Electric Power Steering (EPS) instead of the normal hydraulic power steering. It does feel a little light but Subaru has tuned their EPS to be one of the best I’ve driven. Some EPS equipped cars (I’m looking at you, Grand Livina), are awfully dull, and lack of any feedback, but Subaru’s implementation has balanced everything out nicely. The front 12.4″ disc brakes and rear 10″ disc brakes will ensure you can stop right on time, while the ABS and EBD will make sure you won’t be skidding when it gets wet.
THE DRIVE

On the actual drive itself, it is bigger, taller and wider than most B and C segments that floods our local roads. Think of it as being almost as the king on the road, in terms of size and power. Getting smaller cars out of the way (although not recommended nor encouraged) is a very easy task of just creeping up behind one. Almost all smaller cars will move out of your way. Despite all that, ride comfort is a bit harsh for the passengers, as the Forester can be said as a sports-biased SUV, instead of being family and comfort biased. But that also means that  handling is much better than the competitors, like the Honda CRV and Mazda CX5. The other thing I noticed, is the faces of other people give when I step out of a RM206k SUV. Pretty much all of them will give a rather surprised look, as they would be wondering how can such a young guy be driving such an expensive car. I’m sure they’ll all assume it’s my father’s car.
IS IT FOR YOU?

So, is the Subaru Forester 2.0XT for you? Well, if you want a very comfortable SUV, then please look away. But if you’re looking for a powerful yet nimble handling SUV, then the Forester may just be right for you. Besides, unlike the Honda CRV or the Mazda CX5, the Forester can be said as pretty rare, as I haven’t seen much of this car on our local roads. That could probably be a plus point.
COMPARISONS
 To be really honest, the Subaru Forester, at least locally, has a bad disadvantage in terms of pricing. At slightly above RM200k, it is pricier than its other Japanese competitions. There are a few SUVs in Malaysia to compare it with, but I’ll be comparing it with the nearest competitor in terms of pricing.  The cheaper but very much less powerful non-turbocharged Mazda CX5 as well as a pricier alternative, the Volkwagen Tiguan 2.0TSI.
Mazda CX5
Subaru Forester 2.0 XT
Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TSI
ENGINE
Type
 SKYACTIV-G 2.0L DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder with VVT
DOHC 16-Valve, Horizontally-Opposed,
 4-Cylinder, 4-Stroke, Turbocharged, Petrol Engine
2.0L inline four cylinder, 16V, turbocharged / intercooled, TSI
Displacement
cc
 1998
1998
1998
Bore x Stroke
mm
 83.5 x 91.2
 86 x 86
 82.55 x 92.71
Compression Ratio
13.0
10.6
9.6
Max Power
hp/rpm
 155 / 6000
 240 / 5600
210 / 5300-6200
Max Torque
Nm/rpm
 203 / 4000
350/2400-3600
 280 / 1700-5200
Carburetion System
 Advanced Direct Injection
 Gasoline direct injection
 Gasoline direct injection
Fuel Tank Capacity
L
 58
 60
64
STEERING
Type
 Electronic Power Assist Steering (EPAS)
 Pinion-assist type electric power steering system
 Electronic Power Assist
DRIVETRAIN
Type
AWD
AWD
AWD
Transmission
 SKYACTIV-Drive 6-speed Sport with manual-shift mode
 Lineartronic CVT
7-speed direct shift gearbox DSG
Gear Ratio
 1-3.552 2-2.022 3-1.452 4-1 5-0.708 6-0.599 FGR-4.624 R-3.893
D – 3.505 – 0.544 Reverse – 2.345
NA
SUSPENSION
Type

Front
 – MacPherson strut with stabilizer bar
Rear
 – Multilink with stabilizer bar

Front
–  MacPherson strut type
Rear –
Double wishbone type
Front
 – Strut-type with lower control arms
Rear
– Multilink, coil springs
BRAKES
Front
 Ventilated disc brakes
 Ventilated disc brakes
Ventilated disc brakes
Rear
  Solid disc brake
  Ventilated disc brakes
 Solid disc brake
Diameter – Front
inches
 11.7
12.4
12.3
Diameter – Rear
inches
 11.9
 10
11.1
TYRE & WHEELS
Tyres
 225/65 R17
 225/55 R18
 235/55 R17
Wheels
 Alloy
 Alloy
Alloy
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHTS
Overall Length
mm
 4,555
 4,595
4,426
Overall Width
mm
 1,840
 1,795
 1,809
Overall Height
mm
 1670
1,735
1,703
Wheelbase
mm
 2700
 2,640
 2,604
Ground Clearance
mm
 210
 220
175
Max Kerb weight
kg
 1522
 1,613
 1689
Luggage Capacity (VDA)
L
 561
 1,592
673, Seats Folded – 1588
FUEL
Grade
min. 95 RON
min. 95 RON
min. 95 RON
Consumption
 6.9 L/100 km
8.51 L/100 km
9.9 L/100 km
PERFORMANCE
Max Speed
km/h
186
221
213
0 – 100km/h
sec
8.9
 7.5
7.3
PRICE
RM
 154,400
206,500
240,000

 WILL I BUY IT?

When placed beside the Tiguan, it does seem like a bargain considering it packs more horses, a little faster, more torque, more space and cheaper. If I have the budget, I would go for it.
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IMAGE GALLERY

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VIDEO GALLERY


Chery returns to Indonesia, to become new base for ASEAN exports

Chery
 is back in Indonesia, with the official return marked by a launch event at the 2022 Indonesia International Motor Show (IIMS) last week. The re-entry into the republic is part of the Chinese marque’s wider push into the ASEAN market.
In addition to the brand launch at IIMS, Chery is also displaying a variety of vehicles at its stand, including the
Tiggo 8 Pro
, Tiggo 7 Pro, the EQ1 mini EV city car, as well as the
Omoda 5
, which is making its first-ever appearance in the region. The latter has also been
 earmarked for Malaysia
when the brand makes its return onto our shores, widely expected to be sometime later this year.
Chery International President, Zhang Guibing said that Indonesia is one of the world’s most promising auto markets and an important strategic market for Chery in Southeast Asia. He added that Chery will take the Indonesian market as the bridgehead as it expands its reach to the neighbouring countries within the region.
Indonesia will become the base for export to other ASEAN countries and regions, the company said in a press release. It was previously reported that in addition to a manufacturing plant in the Archipelago, Chery will also be setting up a new research and development arm in the country.
RELATED: Watch out, Proton X50 – Chery Omoda 5 confirmed for Malaysia launch
The company aims to expand its network of dealerships in Indonesia to over 100 outlets within the next two years, covering major cities and regions such as Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Bali, with parts hubs in the four core islands to pensure fast parts supply and after-sales service.
As for Malaysia, it seems that we will not have to wait too much longer now. The company has been shifting its marketing efforts up a notch recently with the launch of its own official Omoda 5 fan page, hinting at an imminent launch soon. Keep your eyes peeled!


Mazda’s latest CX-3 in Japan is “Super Edgy”

No, we’re not being (or at least trying to be) funny – Mazda’s has just unveiled a new trim level for its
CX-3
 in Japan, and it’s literally called “Super Edgy”.
The new trim level is unveiled as part of the model’s 2021 refresh in its native country, and – as its name suggests – features some unique aesthetic design elements to make it look striking, or “edgy” as the Gen Zs would say.
The main highlight of the exterior is its two-tone paint job on the outside, with the upper half of the bodywork (from the glasshouse) being painted in gloss black. There’s also an extended colour palette for the “Super Edgy” model, including Platinum Quartz Metallic that’s seen here.
On the inside, the “Super Edgy” Mazda CX-3 gets a new multi-texture, multi-tone upholstery with Grande Luxe suede-like artificial leather for the seat back and centre paddings, and regular smooth artificial leather for side support – like many modern sports car seats these days.
The Mazda CX-3 has been recently updated in Malaysia with additional tech. Learn more here.
More interestingly, however, is the new red copper accent that can be found on the centre of the seat back, seating surface, and as an accent ring around the air conditioner louvre – Mazda says it’s to create a more elegant ambience in the cabin, and to increase “sex appeal” – we’ll chalk it up to shoddy Google Translate from Japanese.
Other additions in the model update include an upsized infotainment display from seven to eight inches, new wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity, as well as an optional wireless Qi charging pad for your mobile phones.
The Mazda CX-3 “Super Edgy” is priced from JPY2,491,500 (approx. RM91k) in Japan (depending on variant), which is nearly JPY600k (approx. RM21k) more than the model’s base variant. It’s now available for pre-orders, and is scheduled to be released in “late May”.


Mazda3 2.0L SkyActiv-G CKD introduced, price at RM105k to RM121k [+Video]

By now we’re sure you have heard and seen all there is to know about the fully imported
Mazda3 sedan
. But beginning today, Bermaz Motor Sdn Bhd, the exclusive distributor of Mazda vehicles in Malaysia has announced the arrival of the
Mazda3 CKD
. Unlike the sole CBU unit, the popular
Japanese C-segment sedan
 now comes in three variants and two body types.
QUICK FACTS
Name
Mazda3 2.0L Sedan (GL)
Mazda3 2.0L Sedan (High spec)
Mazda3 2.0L Hatchback
Segment
C-Segment Sedan/Hatchback
Engine
1,998cc; inline-4 cyl, DOHC, direct injection
1,998cc; inline-4 cyl, DOHC, direct injection
1,998cc; inline-4 cyl, DOHC, direct injection
Transmission
6-spd SkyActiv-Drive auto
6-spdSkyActiv-Drive auto
6-spdSkyActiv-Drive auto
Max Power
162 hp @ 6,000 rpm
162 hp @ 6,000 rpm
162 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Max Torque
210 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
210 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
210 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
Price (OTR
without
insurance)
RM105,705.30
with GST
RM120,705.30
with GST
RM120,705.30
 with GST

This announcement confirms the equipment levels and their estimated price tags in our
earlier report
. As a recap, the trio will share the same naturally aspirated
2.0-litre SkyActiv-G
 engine paired also to the same
six-speed SkyActiv-Drive
 automatic transmission. The petrol engine makes
162 hp
 at 6,000 rpm and
210 Nm
 of torque at 4,000 rpm, and all that power is sent to the
front wheels
.
Mazda3 2.0 SkyActiv-G hatchback CKD is coming to Malaysia! Wanna know how much? #Mazda3 #autobuzzmy
A video posted by AutoBuzz.my (@autobuzzmy) on
Mar 9, 2015 at 4:36am PDT

If you haven’t yet noticed, Mazda is employing the same strategy as the
Mazda2
 with the pricing of their high spec sedan and hatchback variants – at
RM120,705.30
 (additional RM400 for metallic paint) without insurance. As opposed to its smaller sibling, the Mazda3 sedan and hatchback’s features don’t mirror each other.
Externally, the range topping duo both sit on
18-inch wheels
 with 215/45 profile tyres, share the same auto-levelling
bi-xenon headlights
 with
LED daytime running lights
, LED tail lamps and
smart keyless entry
. The base GL variant will make do with
16-inchers
 (205/60 series tyres), halogen headlamps, halogen-type DRLs and bulb type tail lamps.
All CKD variants of the Mazda3
will not
 have a sunroof
Standard features on the inside include a
7-inch LCD
 touchscreen head unit with MZD Connect System, reverse camera,
six speakers
, leather wrapped steering wheel with switches, push-start ignition, i-Stop function and a total of
six airbags
. Now, the high spec hatchback will get fabric seats with manual adjusters, paddle shifters, GPS navigation and Adaptive Front-Lighting System.
Despite sharing the same price tag, the
sedan is best equipped
 here with all the niceties its hatchback half offers, but with extra features such as leather upholstered seats and power adjustable driver seat. It doesn’t end there, though. For the same price, you also get cruise control, auto dimming rear view mirror, Head-Up Display, High Beam Control System, Smart City Brake System, Rear Vehicle Monitoring and Lane Departure Warning System.
There are
four colours
 to choose from: Artic White, Meteor Grey Mica, Aluminium Metallic, and Blue Reflex Mica. In reference to the pricing in the table above, all variants will incur an additional cost of
RM400
 if your colour option isn’t white. As with all their models, the Mazda3 CKD also comes with a
three-year or 60,000km
 free maintenance package.
If this piques your interest, read our
full review
 of the CBU Mazda3 or watch our
comprehensive video review
 above.
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IMAGE GALLERY
Mazda3 2.0L SkyActiv-G Sedan CBU

Mazda3 2.0L SkyActiv-G Hatchback (Thailand spec)


J.D. Power: Porsche is the most appealing brand in the US in 2020

Car buying decisions are rarely made just based on figures and numbers; emotional response is also often a huge deciding factor, and that’s why we
review cars
 – not just to tell you about what you can already read from a spec sheet, but how the car makes us feel while driving it.
In an attempt to quantify the “emotional attachment” we speak about that owners have towards their new cars, J.D. Power has published their Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study for 2020 – and according to their findings, Porsche is the most appealing brand in the US last year (both luxury segment and overall winner), while Dodge takes the top spot among the mass-market brands.
Now in its 25th year, the J.D. Power APEAL Study has been redesigned for 2020 by measuring owner’s emotional response and level of excitement with their new vehicles across 37 attributes, ranging from the sense of comfort and luxury, to the feeling they get when they step on the accelerator. The scores are then aggregated to compute an overall APEAL score on a 1,000-point scale.
In case you missed it: Porsche will locally assemble its vehicles in Malaysia starting 2022. Read more here.
Based on the responses of 110,821 owners of 2021 model year vehicles, who were surveyed after their first 90 days of ownership, the study found that
Porsche
 ranks highest in the luxury segment and overall with a score of 881, followed by
Lincoln
 (876),
Cadillac
 (874),
BMW
 (869), and
Land Rover
 (866) in the fifth place.
Meanwhile on the mass market segment,
Dodge
 ranks highest with a score of 872.
 Ram
(871) came in second, followed by
GMC
 (857),
For
d

(853), and
Mini
 (846).
A Dodge in its natural habitat – engulfed in tyre smoke.
Notice how the difference between Porsche and Dodge is just a mere 9 points? It’s a similar trend across the two segments, with the gap between the average scores coming in at just 23 points – the narrowest ever.
On the surface, this might seem a little weird at first. Porsche makes some of the world’s best sports cars, and Dodge, well, sells budget muscle cars. But in recent years, mass-market cars have all become so good that it’s genuinely hard to even pick a “bad” car any more. New tech and features are coming in thick and fast, and even driving feel has been significantly improved across the board.
The work of a true fan. Check out the Perodua Ativa transformation here!
And that’s before you take into account the kind of cult-like following these budget-friendly cars are able to generate. Just take a look at the size of the
Myvi
 fan clubs here in Malaysia and you’ll understand.
On the topic of cult following, if you ever spend any time on Twitter, you’ll definitely notice and wonder why
Tesla
 isn’t mentioned here at all. Well, that’s just Tesla doing Tesla things and not letting J.D. Power survey their owners in 15 states.
Tesla is now the quickest production EV around the Nurburgring Nordschleife. Watch the on-board video here!
They definitely should have, though, as Tesla would’ve been far and away the highest-scoring brand in the 2020 APEAL Study, with 893 points out of 1,000 based on the owners that J.D. Power
did
 manage to survey.
Check out the charts below to see the full ranking – and let us know in the comments below if you agree (or disagree)!
GALLERY


Recycle your old electronics at all Volvo dealerships nationwide!

Volvo Car Malaysia has partnered with
E-waste Recycling Through Heroes
 to provide an
E-waste Green Box
 for Malaysians to dispose and recycle their used electronics at all Volvo Car dealerships nationwide. Click here to
locate your nearest Volvo dealer
.
The same can be done at the Volvo Car Manufacturing Malaysia plant, where a Green Box is placed at the security guard post.
Volvo dealerships nationwide will now have a dedicated E-waste Green Box located in a visible area for everyone, whether a Volvo customer or not, to drop their unwanted devices or electronics.
Anything from
batteries, laptops, mobile phones, monitors, tablets, printer, keyboards
can be dropped off for recycling. For larger items, there’s also free pick-up services available at
www.erth.app
.
ERTH is a registered organisation with the Malaysian Department of Environment (Jabatan Alam Sekitar) that collects, purchases and transports electronic waste to be recycled at local government-licensed recycling facilities.
ERTH ensures that the recycling process is in line with the guidelines from the Basel Convention, an international agreement treaty designed to reduce the movement, transport and/or shipment of hazardous waste between nations.
Aside from that, Volvo Car Malaysia, along with other Volvo Cars facilities around the world, has also
gone paperless with their brochures and price lists, while abstaining from single-use plastics
.
Founder of ERTH, Mohamed Tarek El-Fatatry, said, “In Malaysia, only about 25% of our e-waste is recycled according to the latest government statistics, while the remainder is often incinerated or dumped in landfills. We hope that through this collaboration and Volvo Car Malaysia’s network of dealerships across the nation, more people can be encouraged to adopt proper recycling habits for the sake of our planet.”


All-new Honda WR-V to launch in Malaysia Q3 2023

Yes, it’s confirmed! Following rumours that have been swirling around the internet recently,
Honda Malaysia
 has now announced that the
all-new Honda WR-V
will indeed be making its debut here on our shores later this year, in the third quarter of 2023.
The Honda WR-V will become the entry-level SUV offering in the marque’s line-up here in Malaysia, replacing the
BR-V
that has
now been discontinued
.
Honda Malaysia says that the introduction of the WR-V will make it the “first Japanese mass market manufacturer to enter the Small SUV segment” in our market. For context, the Honda WR-V measures 4,060 mm in length with a wheelbase of 2,485 mm; 1,780 mm wide, and 1,608 mm tall, putting it right about the wheelhouse of a
Perodua Ativa
.
Looks wise, the Honda WR-V sports a fairly aggressive design motif that was first previewed by the
RS SUV concept
 back in 2021. Highlights include the chequered flag-inspired front grille, LED headlights, skid plate-like elements on the bumpers, 16- or 17-inch alloy wheels, as well as a two-tone black roof on certain variants.
Introduced in Indonesia last November, the second-generation Honda WR-V is offered solely with a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine and CVT gearbox powertrain combo, the same as that of the
Honda City
, sending
121 hp
 and
145 Nm
 of torque to the front wheels.
Given Honda Malaysia’s strong market push for its hybrid powertrains, we could also possibly see the global debut of an e:HEV hybrid-powered Honda WR-V RS variant here on our shores, just as the
 City RS e:HEV did back in 2020
. Although, that will ultimately come down to pricing, as the small SUV segment consists of predominantly price-sensitive customers.
Over in Thailand
, the Honda WR-V is fairly well-equipped with standard features including a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, automatic climate control, synthetic leather and fabric combi seats, as well as automatic climate control.
The Honda Sensing advanced driver assistance suite also comes as standard across both variants over in the Land of Smiles, with features including autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, road departure mitigation system, lead car departure notification system, as well as auto high beam.
The range-topping RS variant adds on the Honda LaneWatch blind spot camera system, and raises the airbag count from four to six with the addition of side curtain airbags.
GALLERY


This McLaren F1 (Chassis #69) is the best way to spend your RM56 million

McLaren F1 is one of the few supercars in the world that will make every petrolhead bow with respect. With 64 cars made between 1993 and 1998, it’s a unicorn on the road. Now, McLaren is offering what could be the final F1 car in the world, the chassis #069, for sale.
The F1 is the brainchild of former F1 car designer, Gordon Murray, whose credentials include the legendary MP4/4 F1 car that won all but one race in the 1988 Formula One season. The F1 car seats three, and the driver is positioned in the middle just like a race car. Powered by a
BMW-sourced 6.1-litre naturally aspirated V12
that liberates
618 hp
 and
651 Nm
 of torque (numbers that don’t seem like much today given the displacement), and comes with a gold foil to improve thermal insulation.
Weighing in at
1,138kg
, the F1 can perform the century sprint in
3.2 seconds
with a top speed of
384km/h
. Mind you, this is achievable in 1993 and until this day, it’s still the fastest production naturally aspirated car in the world. Even making this car more special is, this is only available with a
six-speed manual gearbox
.
This example of the F1 is the 60th unit built by the folks of Woking in 1998 and has been maintained by McLaren’s Special Operations Heritage division. It’s painted in Carbon Black and rides on matte black 17-inch magnesium wheels with centre locks. Inside, the driver receives black and contrasting red leather racing seats upholstered in Alcantara. The car isn’t brand new, though, but it clocked just 4,480km on the odometer over the past 18 years.
McLaren has yet to reveal a price for the #69 F1, but it’s estimated that this legendary car in pristine condition will cost somewhere around the
£10 million
 (over RM56 million) mark. That money will not only buy you a rare unicorn with rocket jetpacks but also gets you a set of lightweight French toolkit, a limited-edition book from McLaren and a McLaren F1-themed watch.
IMAGE GALLERY


Malaysia Budget 2015: More highways; RON95, diesel, LPG exempted from GST

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
 has tabled the
final budget
 – Budget 2015 – of the
10 Malaysia Plan
 (10MP), with the Government currently formulating the 11
th
 Malaysia Plan that is to be announced next May.
During Najib’s speech he mentioned that several goods amounting to
RM3.8 billion
 will be exempted from the soon-to-be-implemented
Goods and Services Tax (GST)
, which will see the abolishment of the current
Sales and Services Tax (SST)
.
Among the exempted goods are
RON95
,
diesel
 and
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
. Just last week, the Government announced a
RM0.20 increase in RON95 and diesel
.  There was no mention of the exemption of
unregulated RON97 fuel
, which – if slapped with the six percent GST – will see its price raised from
RM2.75
 to
RM2.92
 per litre. As with the fuel subsidy rationalising plan, Najib said it will be done progressively, beginning as early as January next year.
Also tabled in Budget 2015 were the following highway projects:
Pan Borneo Highway –
RM27 billion
 construction project covering 1,663 km connecting Sabah and Sarawak
Sg Besi – Ulu Klang Expressway (SUKE) –
RM5.3 billion
 highway spanning 59 km
Damansara – Shah Alam Expressway (DASH) –
RM4.2 billion
 highway, 47 km
Lebuhraya Pantai Barat (West Coast Expressway) –
RM5 billion
, 276 km
Lingkaran Luar KL – Hubungan Timur –
RM1.6 billion
, 36 km
Public transport projects:
MRT Phase 2 construction –
RM23 billion
, 56 km, connecting Selayang to Putrajaya
LRT3 project –
RM9 billion
, connecting Bandar Utama, Shah Alam and Klang
Electric Train Service connecting Ipoh to Butterworth, construction beginning April next year
In his speech, Najib added “With the SST abolished, we will forgo a revenue of RM13.8 billion. After deducting RM13.8 billion and RM3.8 billion from a revenue of RM23.2 billion, the Government will have a remaining balance of RM5.6 billion.
Of this amount, RM4.9 billion will be channelled back to the rakyat through assistance programmes, such as the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) aid increment. All told, the GST will net us a revenue collection of only
RM690 million
.
Such is Najib and the Government’s plan for the country’s transportation system. All we can do for now is to expect the Government to come up with an
elaborate
 and
transparent plan
 when it comes to executing the above projects in the coming few months.


Porsche Asia Pacific registered a 41% sales growth in 2019, driven by Cayenne and Macan

The insatiable appetite for Porsche SUVs continues unabated with both the
Cayenne and Macan models constituting over 60% of total sales
 in the Asia Pacific region in 2019. Porsche delivered
3,025 units
 which contributed to a
41% increase over 2018
, making Asia Pacific one of the fastest growing regions in the world.
Will the Cayenne Coupe prove to be a hit in 2020?
The
Cayenne
model led the Porsche sales charts with an increase of
154% at 1,070 units
, with the Cayenne plug-in hybrid making up for more than half of total deliveries, while the
Macan grew by 84% with 1,090 units
 delivered. The Porsche 911 also contributed 352 units over the calendar year, recording a 16% increase, while the Panamera and 718 series managed 312 and 201 vehicles respectively.
Leading regional markets include Thailand (922 units), Singapore (591 units), New Zealand (415 units), Malaysia (367 units) and Vietnam (326 units).

“2019 was a momentous year for Porsche Asia Pacific. The strong performance across markets was a result of the attractive product portfolio, which stirred customer excitement for the Porsche brand and sports cars. Our success was also possible because of the strengthened market and business development strategy built together with our business partners in the region,” said Arthur Willmann, Managing Director of Porsche Asia Pacific.
Willmann also reminded Porsche fans that 2020 promises to be a
pivotal year
 as Porsche enters the era of electromobility with
new Taycan
, the first all-electric Porsche. Porsche will also compete in
Formula E
 for the first time in the region, namely in Jakarta, Indonesia, while Porsche Carrera Cup Asia events are scheduled to happen in Vietnam (Hanoi Street Circuit), Singapore (Marina Bay Street Circuit), Malaysia (Sepang International Circuit) and Thailand (Bangsaen Street Circuit and Chang International Circuit).


Get an extra RM10,000 on your trade-ins with Peugeot’s year end promotions!

Nasim Sdn. Bhd., the official distributor of Peugeot vehicles in Malaysia, is offering exclusive deals on the Peugeot 3008 and 5008 SUV Plus for the year-end holiday season!
From now until 31st of December 2019, customers can trade in their existing vehicles and receive
up to RM10,000
 on top of their vehicle’s appraised value.
Additionally, customers who purchase the Peugeot 3008 or 5008 SUV Plus in the same time frame will be entitled to a
three-year free maintenance
 service package, which includes parts and labour charges.
The French marque is also partnering with Affin Bank to offer special ownership financing plans for the SUVs, with monthly payments from as low as RM1,300.
Both of the SUVs are powered by a 1.6-litre twin-scroll Turbo High Pressure engine, producing
167 hp
 and
 240 Nm
 of torque. The engine is mated with a
six-speed automatic transmission
 with pedal shifters on both models.
Peugeot’s i-Cockpit infotainment system is also present on both the 3008 and 5008 SUV Plus, which features advanced safety features such as Active Lane Departure Warning and Correction, Driver Attention Alert, and Blind-spot Monitoring Information.
All Peugeot models come with a
five-year/120,000 km warranty
, along with 24-hour Peugeot Assistance service for peace-of-mind ownership. Peugeot owners also receive complementary access to the Peugeot Lounge at the Subang Airport, as well as Peugeot Privilege Membership.


Nissan ranks No. 1 in J.D. Power Sales Satisfaction study, Isuzu 2nd

Every year, J.D. Power ranks car makers based on their Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study and the market researcher has just released their 2018 (SSI) study for Malaysia. Based on a comprehensive analysis of new-vehicle purchase and delivery experience, Nissan was ranked highest in sales satisfaction.
Ranked on a 1,000-point scale, Nissan scored 812 and took number 1 spot among all mass market vehicle brands followed by Isuzu in second place with a score of 797. Malaysia’s number 1 non-national brand, Honda, scored 795 points placing the Japanese brand at third place.
The study is based on responses from 2,477 new-vehicle owners who have purchased their vehicle between September 2017 and May 2018. The score was tabulated using six factors – in order of importance – dealer sales consultant, dealership facility, delivery process, working out the deal, paperwork completion and dealership website.
J.D. Power also found that 59 per cent of buyers primarily researches online for key information before buying a car such as its price, features and specifications. At the mass market level, financial considerations are cited as the most influential reasons for purchasing a vehicle, affecting the purchase decision of buyers who are 29 years and younger more than those who are 45 years and older.
Country Head of Malaysia at J.D. Power, Muhammad Asyraf Bin Mustafar said: “Car buyers in Malaysia, especially younger buyers, are increasingly concerned about the cost of owning a vehicle and are turning to online channels to aid in their research on the best available deals.”
“Brands that can offer a competitive pricing model through flexible financing options, better fuel economy, customized maintenance packages and higher residual values are likely to attract more customers. Similarly, it is important that brands can match their product offerings with their customers’ purchase reasons,” he added.


BMW aims for one EV in every five cars sold by 2023

Another day, another car manufacturer committing to electrification. Speaking with German newspaper
Augsburger Allgemeine
, BMW chief executive Oliver Zipse told the daily that the carmaker is aiming for roughly 20 percent of all cars sold to be fully-electric vehicles (EV) by 2023, compared to roughly 8 percent this year.
“We are significantly increasing the number of electric vehicles. Between 2021 and 2023, we will build a quarter of a million more electric cars than originally planned”, Zipse said.
That’s one in every five cars. And in order to achieve that, Zipse admitted that BMW will need to step up in its efforts for expanding electric car charging infrastructure. “15,000 private and about 1,300 public charging points would have to be put into operation every week as of today. Unfortunately, we are a long way from that.”
BMW’s most significant EV to date, the
BMW iX
, is slated to be launched next year. Featuring the carmaker’s
fifth-generation eDrive powertrain
 (which was unveiled alongside the
 iX3
), the dual-motor set-up promises to make
at least 500 hp
, resulting in a 0-100 km/h time of under five seconds.
The German carmaker also says that the BMW iX will feature a battery pack with a capacity of
over 100 kWh
 (at least on the range-topping variant), which should translate to a range of
over 600 km based on the WLTP cycle
, or a power consumption figure of 21 kWh per 100 km.
Charging the battery from 10 to 80% capacity will take only 40 minutes – or 120 km range in about 10 minutes – using a 200 kW DC fast charging. A complete charge using a standard 11 kW AC wallbox takes 11 hours.
In terms of dimensions, BMW says that the iX is “similar in size to the
X5
, with the height of an
X6
, and a wheelhouse size of an
X7
“, thanks to its new skateboard-style EV drivetrain layout clearing out space for the passenger cell.
Also in BMW’s plan is the
 BMW Concept i4
, a four-door gran-coupe-styled EV which will go head-to-head against the Tesla Model 3 and other models in the same segment next year. In top spec, the Concept i4 will have
530 hp
, translating to a 0-100 km/h time of four seconds, and a top speed of over 200 km/h. Additionally, the BMW Concept i4 will also feature
“driving sounds” developed by the legendary Hans Zimmer
!


Mercedes-AMG A45 Petronas 2015 World Champion Edition revealed to celebrate F1 success

The year 2015 is clearly a year to be remembered for the Petronas Mercedes-AMG Formula One team, as both team drivers as well as manufacturer clinched the distinguished title for the second consecutive year. To celebrate this feat, Mercedes-AMG released a limited-edition A45 hot hatch in the form of
2015 World Champion Edition.
This limited edition sports an aero kit built into the A45, with the new front splitter and rear roof spoiler inspired from the W06 Formula One race car. Three colours are available: Mountain Grey Metallic, Designo Mountain Grey Magno and Polar Silver Metallic – all of which are colours of the Petronas Mercedes-AMG F1 team. A set of 19-inch rims is included as well, together with standard goodies such as the
Night package, AMG Exclusive package plus
 and
AMG Dynamic Plus
.
On the inside, there’s a pair of AMG Performance seats and steering wheel in leather and Dynamica microfibre. Also seen are fine petrol green topstitching on the armrest and dashboard; petrol green rings in the air vents plus the seat belts also finished in petrol green highlight strips. The team’s emblem that signifies its achievement in the 2015 F1 season is included on top of the gear lever.
The performance remains the same as the
facelifted A45
, packing an uprated
2.0-litre turbocharged engine
 that makes a whopping
381bhp
 mated with
Speedshift DCT seven-speed
 sports transmission. Together with
AMG Performance all-wheel drive
 and the
front axle differential lock
 (which comes as standard), this hatch can hit the 100km/h mark from standstill in
 4.2secs
.
The car was revealed during the final race of the 2015 Formula One season at Abu Dhabi. Orders can be placed from January 2016 to May 2016. For
65,402.40
Euros (or RM296k following press time’s forex), you can get the keys of a decent hot hatch inspired by a team that secured a phenomenal 16 out of 19 victories in this year’s F1 season. If dominance is what you’re seeking, look no further than this Mercedes-AMG A45 Petronas 2015 World Champion Edition.
IMAGE GALLERY


South Australia mulls special licence, advanced driver training for supercar drivers

The South Australia state government is considering a new road safety law, which could see the state introduce a special licence for supercar drivers.
In a press release, South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas announced that his government is drafting a new legislation that will include “a new licencing scheme for motorists who want to drive elite high-powered super sports cars”. In order to obtain the licence, drivers will need to “comply with specific training and other requirements, similar to motorcycle and truck licences”.
Furthermore, the government is also mulling to ban the disabling of traction control on these high-powered cars. Drivers who are accused of killing a person will also not be allowed to hold a driving licence until their case have been resolved, as part of the new proposed legislation changes.
The new proposed legislations come in the wake of the death of 15-year-old Sophia Naismith, who was killed after being struck by a Lamborghini outside a Chinese restaurant in 2019. The driver of the car, Alexander Campbell, pleaded guilty to driving without due care, but was recently acquitted of death by dangerous driving.
A “mid-tier” type of driving offence, slotting in between driving without due care and death by dangerous driving, is also being considered in the wake of the event,
ABC News

reports.
According to
Drive
, while there are currently no restrictions on the type of passenger vehicles for full licence holders, new drivers on a ‘P1’ provisional licence from the state are already banned from driving “high-performance vehicles”, including cars built before 2010 with eight or more cylinders, or turbochargers.
For cars built after 2010, they will be limited to a power-to-weight ratio of no more than 174 hp (130 kW) per tonne.
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Malinauskas says that they intend to introduce the new draft to the parliament by the end of this year. And while he expects resistance from existing drivers within the state, he believes that “it’s the right thing to do”.
ABC News
 also reported that there appears to be bipartisan support for the reform, so change could indeed be coming to the South Australia state.
With the number of reckless drivers on the roads these days, we think that having an extra barrier-of-entry to driving a high-powered vehicle, in addition to just being filthy rich, could definitely help with making the public roads a little safer for everyone else. At the very least, advanced driver training courses should be mandatory for every supercar purchase, so the drivers can more easily understand the limits of the cars and their own abilities.
Banning people from disabling the traction control, however, could see a bigger backlash from owners – especially if you’re in the camp of “I paid for the car, I should be allowed to do anything I want with it”. What are your thoughts? Drop them in the comments section below.


Move aside Rolls-Royce, the Genesis G90 is the new royalty’s choice

We’ve all seen the usual
Mercedes-Benz
,
Lexus
,
BMWs
, or even
Rolls-Royces
serving as the official state cars, either for the royalty or head of state. All sensible choices, we must say, but perhaps just a little “uninspired”, since pretty much every other head of states (or royalty) have the same car too.
That’s probably how the Sultan of Johor felt, too, because instead of a standard Maybach or some other ultra-luxury model, he’s chosen a Genesis G90 as his official state car! Now,
 that’s
 how you stand out in a crowd.
Of course, since it’s an official state car, it won’t be just like any other G90s out there. Firstly, HRH Sultan Ibrahim Ismail’s Genesis G90 is a stretched limousine variant, which gives it an additional 290 mm in length, and 10 mm in height.
We’re also pretty certain that the royalty-spec Genesis G90 is fully armoured, with bullet-proof glass, hardened body panels and the full nine yards to keep the passengers inside (i.e. the king of Johor) safe and sound at all times.
Take a look at what other nation leaders around the world ride in – and how much they cost!
Since the car is likely made to order, there’s no way to know exactly what it’s packing. There are also no other photos of the car as of now, but based on what the standard Genesis G90L comes with in Korea, we can expect two first class-grade reclining seats at the back, with ample of space for other things such as an entertainment centre and fold-out style tables.
Underneath the bonnet, the South Korean-only Genesis G90L comes exclusively with a 5.0-litre V8 that produces
425 hp
 and
520 Nm
 of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels via Hyundai’s HTRAC all wheel-drive system and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The Mercedes-Maybach S-Class meanwhile can pack up to 630 hp and 1,000 Nm of torque. Check it out here!
It’s also interesting to note that since the Genesis G90L is designated as a South Korea-exclusive, the seating layout actually places the driver on the left, as you can see from the photo above. That’s not really an issue, though, since there’ll always be a motorcade ahead of the car to clear off the roads, and the driver will be specifically trained to drive the car safely, too.
Is this the most interesting official royalty chariot you’ve ever seen? Well, it’s certainly the most unique one here in Malaysia, at least. What other car would you like to see being converted into “royalty-spec”? Let us know in the comments below!
[Photos:
HRH Crown Prince of Johor/Twitter
]
GALLERY
Genesis G90 Limousine


Report: EVs cost 40% more to build than petrol cars, Stellantis CEO says

One of the main hurdles to electric vehicle (EV) adoption is the price of the cars themselves. That hurdle, however, won’t be going away anytime soon as EVs are just more expensive to produce than their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts. And
Stellantis
 CEO Carlos Tavares has put a precise figure on this, stating that EVs
cost 40% more to produce
 than ICE cars.
Autocar reports that during the CES tech event held in Las Vegas last week, the Stellantis CEO said, “Anywhere you introduce technology that is 40% more expensive than the previous one you need to work hard in improving your business model through fixed and variable costs.”
The company says that they have only managed to increase EV prices over the past 18 months due to the semiconductor shortage which has created overdemand for EVs. However, as automotive manufacturing picks up its pace again, Tavares says, “You lose pricing power because you rebalance supply and demand. Then you need to work faster on reducing costs to protect margins.”
Car companies will have to absorb most of the additional manufacturing costs of EVs since, as Tavares says, “If the average transaction price increases because of the EV sales mix increase, then you have risk that the total market shrinks.”
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Although partially absorbed by car manufacturers, it will still be tough to make EVs that cost less than ICE cars.
EVs are generally more expensive simply for the fact they utilise lithium-ion batteries
.
In a previous report, a Honda executive stated that “We [Honda] don’t really believe that the current lithium-ion technology is the long-term solution.” He says that solid-state batteries will be “the game changer for us [Honda]” as it will allow for lower-priced EVs that are “in the neighborhood of what a nice [petrol-powered] vehicle costs.”
During the chip shortage, many car companies recorded bumper profits as they cut back on discounting and other marketing expenses, reports Autocar. Stellantis made a net profit of €8 billion (approx. RM37.3 billion) in the first half of 2022, up 34% on the same period the year before, for a profit margin of 14%.
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