The all-new Isuzu MU-X is the real-life ugly duckling turned swan story

The all-new Isuzu MU-X SUV has been officially unveiled today in Thailand. Just like it’s predecessor, the new SUV is based on the
latest Isuzu D-Max
 pick-up truck – now in its third generation, but fitted with a passenger cab body that accommodates three rows of seating.

In terms of appearance, the all-new

MU-X
 tastefully tones down the striking front-end of the pick-up truck to give it a slightly sleeker, more streetwise look. The LED headlights have been slimmed down and given a unique DRL signature, while the grille has also been made smaller and classier – the aggressive “fangs” from the pick-up truck are reduced to what we’ll probably call “baby teeth”.
The front fascia also reminds us significantly of Mazda’s SUVs, especially how the surrounding trim on the grille extends into the headlights itself. It wouldn’t surprise us if Mazda did actually contribute to the design, since the pick-up truck also forms the base of the new
Mazda BT-50
!
Down the sides, the glasshouse of all-new Isuzu MU-X has been completely redesigned with a thinner black plastic-cladded C pillar, while the D pillar at the rear is now thicker and body-coloured; the two separated by a stylised window ‘cut-out’, giving the entire side a clean and modern look thanks to the almost unbroken window line.
The character lines, stamped creases, and prominent rear haunches also help improve the overall premium impression of the SUV, moving the model away from the utilitarian image it had.
The difference is less stark inside, with the dashboard mostly resembling that of the new Isuzu D-Max. The MU-X does however get a completely-redesigned centre console, fit with an electric parking brake and leather knee pads for the extra touch of luxuriousness.
Equipment wise, the all-new Isuzu MU-X is available with an electric-powered tailgate, a seven- or nine-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, analogue instrument cluster with 4.2-inch multi-info display, eight-way powered driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control with PM2.5 filter, as well as ambient lighting.
The SUV is also offered with an advanced driver assistance system on the higher-end variants, which includes features such as forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, automatic high beam, multi-collision brake, parking assist, and a pedal misapplication system.
While the MU-X borrows the ladder frame chassis from its pick-up truck counterpart, it seperates itself as a passenger-focused vehicle thanks to the more comfortable independent double-wishbone front and five-link coil springs rear suspension, in place of the leaf spring set-up on the pick-up truck.
The all-new Isuzu MU-X is available with two engine options, both
 taken from the D-Max pick-up truck
 – a 1.9-litre four-cylinder turbo unit which makes
150 hp
 and
350 Nm
, as well as a 3.0-litre four-pot turbodiesel which makes
190 hp
 and
450 Nm
 of torque. Most variants on sale in Thailand are two-wheel drive and paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shifters, although the 1.9L Luxury variant is available with a manual transmission, while the 3.0L Ultimate 4WD is the only variant available with all-wheel drive.
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Toyota Yaris bound for Malaysia, 3 variants from RM71k

UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) has just published the
Toyota Yaris
 on their official website, signalling the imminent launch of the new B-segment hatchback.
Like the
facelifted Vios
, there will be 3 variants of the Yaris available –1.5 J, 1.5 E and 1.5 G which are estimated to be priced at RM71,888, RM77,888 and RM84,888 respectively or between RM2.4k to RM5k cheaper than the Vios.
QUICK FACTS
Name
Toyota Yaris 1.5 J
Toyota Yaris 1.5 E
Toyota Yaris 1.5 G
Engine
1,496cc; 4-cylinder DVVT-i
Transmission
CVT
Max Power
107 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Max Torque
140 Nm @ 4,200 rpm
Est. Price (OTR without insurance)
RM71,888
RM77,888
RM84,888
Only one powertrain is available on the new Yaris, the 2NR-FE 1.5-litre Dual VVT-i petrol engine and Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) with seven virtual ratios. Output is rated at
107 hp
 and
140 Nm
 of torque driving the front wheels. There is also a Drive Mode Selector that alters the powertrain between Eco, Normal and Sport.
There will be five
colour options available – Citrus Mica Metallic, Red Mica Metallic, Attitude
Black, Silver Metallic and Super White II. There’s an optional aero kit
available for RM2,800 on the E & G variants with a spoiler while the aero
kit on the J does not include a rear spoiler (RM2,450).
While the full specifications
are not released yet, equipment available on the Yaris include headlamps with
follow-me-home function, Optitron Meter & Multi-information Display, electrochromic
rear-view mirror, automatic climate control, DVD-AVX touchscreen infotainment with
USB Mirroring and rear USB charging ports.
Safety equipment dittos
the Vios with 7 airbags, Vehicle Stability Control, Blind Spot Monitor (BSM)
with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, 360-degree Panoramic View Monitor (PVM),
Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC) and Front Digital Video Recorder.
Every purchase of the new Toyota Yaris comes with a 5-Years Unlimited Mileage Warranty. Interested parties can now register your interest on
UMWT’s website
.
IMAGE GALLERY
Toyota Yaris Launching in Malaysia


Volkswagen will keep making manual cars as long as we keep buying them

There’s no understating the convenience an automatic gearbox provides, especially for most daily commutes through heavy traffic. But for us driving enthusiasts, driving an automatic vehicle just feels like soulless and disconnected.
However, most people are not driving enthusiasts, and the low demand of manual transmissions have made stick shifters a rare breed. Locally we pretty much can’t buy a brand-new car with a manual transmission, unless you opt for the barebones ‘
kosong-spec
‘ variant.
Fortunately, there’s at least one carmaker committed to keeping this dream alive. Speaking to
Autocar
, Volkswagen has said that it is committed to offering the manual gearbox on its cars for the long-term.
Volkswagen Head of Technical Development Operations, Matthias Rabe said, “Some people enjoy going back to their roots and changing gear manually, and so long as there is a demand, we will continue to offer them.”
It’s not all talk no show either, the latest eighth-generation Golf GTI,
unveiled just last month
, comes with a manual transmission as standard. Although, the electrified
 GTE variant
 is only available with a seven-speed DCT.
Volkswagen’s sister company, Porsche has also pledged to keep the manuals alive, with the reintroduction of an
manual option
 for the Carrera S and Carrera 4S variants.
German rival BMW has also committed to saving the manuals. BMW M division chief Markus Flasch previously
said in an interview
 that the M3 and M4 will continue to be offered with a manual gearbox.
Well then, now is perhaps the time for us to walk the talk and buy up the manuals. With demand, distributors would be more willing to take a risk and offer the more enthusiast-oriented products, and we might one day see great driving cars being offered with a manual gearbox again.


Hydrogen-powered Hyundai Tucson travels 2,383km in Germany within 24 hours

Ten years back, Hyundai is the absolute last car that one would have considered buying. But times have changed, they went from being a car you wouldn’t pay 10 bucks for to being a car you’d spend 10 bucks on the valet ticket.
Hyundai has turned the company around 360 degress to the desirable marque that makes a range of handsome and stylish sedans and compacts. Right now, they are accredited with being the first manufacturer to sell a production-built hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, namely the ix35 model.

Sports Scientist Arnt-Gøran Hartvig and physicist Marius Bornstein have both taken their own brand of zero-emission motoring to the streets of Deutchland in a feat that will define the daily usability of the hydrogen-powered car, which in this case is the Hyundai ix35 or better known in some markets as the
Tucson
.
The duo drove as the heading suggests,
2,383 kilometres in the span of 24 hours
. Now, this was accomplished by nothing more than driving around on German roads; from the Shell station in Hamburg to the one in Berlin to be exact. Refuelling takes a mere three minutes and then it’s back to the commute.
The whole point of this exercise was to see how well this car and its fuel source can cope with daily commute, running around and long distance journeys. A tank full of hydrogen would give the ix35 a range of approximately 600km to 700km.
The ix35 has a tank with a 5.64 kg capacity. Currently, the going rate of hydrogen per kilogram is RM26.33 which adds up to about 25 cents per kilometer. Filling up the ix35 would set you back RM143.50 for a range of about 600 km. All things considered and bearing the fact that these are very conservative figures, it’s not that bad at all.
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Tesla Model Y是欧洲2023上半年得销量冠军！

Tesla Model Y
在2023年上半年的欧洲新车销售榜中排名第一，这是电池电动车(BEV)首次在六个月的时间内占据了首位。
根据
Automotive News Europe
引用市场研究机构Dataforce的初步数据，2023年上半年，Tesla Model Y在欧洲的销售额增长了三倍，达到125,144辆，而在去年同期，销售额为40,147辆。
仅在六个月内，Tesla Model Y在2023年的销售业绩几乎已经接近去年全年的总数。更令人印象深刻的是，它在2023年3月的表现已经完全超过了2022年上半年的销售数字，当月销售了46,282辆。
Tesla Model Y的崛起是由欧洲对该型号的大幅降价推动的，尽管看起来价格并不是其成功的主要因素；在同一时期，价格更为亲民的Dacia Sandero和Volkswagen T-Roc分别售出118,883辆和107,249辆，分别位居第二和第三。
去年在欧洲销量最好的车型，Peugeot 208，此次跌至第五位，与去年同期相比销量下降了5.1%，这是十大车型中唯一两款销量出现赤字的车型（另一款是Volkwagen Golf）。
与Model 3一起，Tesla在2023年上半年在欧洲的总销量达到163,987辆，几乎是去年同期的两倍。这个85,000辆的增长也占到了欧洲BEV销量增长的263,860辆的三分之一，今年上半年，BEV销量增长了45%。
Tesla Model Y最近刚刚在
马来西亚正式亮相
，起步价格仅为RM199,000，这是为基本的后驱版本，配有一台后轴的单电机，输出功率为347 hp，扭矩为420 Nm，0-100 km/h的加速时间为6.9秒。
由于对电动车的兴趣空前高涨，再加上对汽车行业的经济前景看好，很可能在马来西亚，Tesla Model Y将跟随欧洲和全球许多市场的销售趋势，尽管，不要期待它能很快，或者说永远超越Perodua。
【英文版】


Here’s how you can be part of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s Training Academy

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) Training Academy recently celebrated the graduation of its newest group of apprentices from its Automotive Mechatronic Training programme.
A total of 26 apprentices graduated from the MBM Training Academy this year. To date, no fewer than 827 globally certified apprentices have passed through its doors since the establishment of training programs locally.
All 26 graduates received
 three certifications
; the Mercedes-Benz Automotive Mechatronic Training Certificate; the Mercedes-Benz Qualified Maintenance Technician Certificate; and the National Dual Training System (NDTS) Certificate, which is equivalent to the Malaysia Skills Certificate Level 3, a certification recognised by the Department of Skills Development under the Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia.
“These graduates form the foundation of our network and enable us to deliver the Best Customer Experience, an assurance that all Mercedes-Benz customers and fans have come to trust. We look forward to nurturing more Malaysian youth and sustainably contribute towards the nation’s demand for highly skilled talent in the automotive industry”, said MBM President and CEO, Dr Claus Weidner.
The MBM Training Academy presented the Class of 2018 Best Student Award to Wong Shiong Heng. The 23 year-old silver-star recipient from Negeri Sembilan was affirmed for his outstanding achievement over the three-year training period in the areas of academics, performance, attendance and attitude.
“I was surprised when I heard my name called out for the Best Student Award. I feel that all the effort I put in has paid off. When I first started the course, I found the teaching method very different from what I have experienced in the past. The course emphasised heavily on attitude, punctuality and discipline. I took it as a challenge, I persevered and my hard work paid off. I am thankful for the support of my family, trainers and peers. They have all contributed to helping me achieve the Best Student Award,” said Wong.
Following the completion of the 3-year training programme, the apprentices will be absorbed into MBM’s extensive network of Autohauses and service centres nationwide. With a variety of career opportunities available, an example of a possible career progression could include apprentices beginning their career as a Qualified System Technician, and possibly be promoted to a Certified Diagnosis Technician or Certified Service Advisor.
The new, facelifted W205 Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Read about it
here
!
The Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Training Academy began taking in 60 trainees per year starting in 2017 over a three-year programme, the new Advanced Modern Apprenticeship. Based on training guidelines set by Daimler AG, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, the Training Academy maintains
 a trainee ratio of one trainer to 15 trainees
 to ensure optimum quality in the delivery of its modules.
The three-year course comprises a
 70 percent practical-based curriculum
, which includes 30 per cent on-the-job-training and 30 per cent theory-based curriculum. Trainees are exposed to a wide range of skills including presentation, critical analysis, decision making, systematic thinking, mentoring, self-discipline and team work skills to prepare them for the working world.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia along with the dealer network invests over RM100,000 per trainee for the implementation of the training programme. The
next intake of trainees will begin in July 2018
. Interested applicants can submit their application forms
here
.


We would never dare perform this stunt with the Datsun 510

I wouldn’t trust any driver with any new car with such a stunt – most definitely not with a car like the Datsun 510.
It may be a video to demonstrate the prowess of the Datsun’s front disc brakes but I’m afraid the car’s stopping performance has been overshadowed by the “true hero” of the video, the presenter and the size of his family jewels.

If you watch till the end you’d see the presenter shaking hands with the driver; if you asked me, he’s probably thanking the driver for not running him over cause that definitely looks too close for comfort.
What do you reckon? Should we release GC Mah from captivity for this stunt?


Porsche goes north, opens doors to RM15 million Porsche Centre Penang

Sime Darby Auto Performance, the exclusive and sole distributor of Porsche cars in Malaysia have opened the doors to their third showroom in the country, but this time it’s in Penang.
The brand new 3S Porsche Centre Penang is strategically located in Penang’s automotive hub, just along Jalan Baru in Seberang Perai. Getting to the RM15 million facility from Georgetown is as easy as turning out from the first bridge.

Built to meet the increasing demand from the northern region, the state-of-the-art centre has a built up area of
 35,575 sq ft
, sitting atop a land spanning 102,524 sq ft. Besides the ample parking space, the showroom is fully air conditioned and is big enough to accommodate 10 display cars. There’s also a dedicated cafe, exclusive Carrera lounge, luxurious and comfortable space as well as nine service bays, including a warehouse for spare parts!
CEO of SDAP, Arnt Bayer said, “We are thrilled to be moving into Penang with our third Porsche Centre in Malaysia. This new 3s Porsche Centre will enable us to deliver a higher level of customer satisfaction and a unique ownership experience for all Porsche owners and enthusiasts in the northern region.”
Those who have bought their dream cars can also look to their apparels and accessories section, even toys for the young ones.
The
Porsche 718 Cayman and Cayman S
 were jointly launched with the new showroom
Managing Director of Porsche Asia Pacific, Martin Limpert said, “SDAP has been our sole and exclusive importer in Malaysia since 2010 and continuously invested into the Porsche brand, with special dedication to state-of-the-art facilities and best skilled people. The new Porsche Centre Penang marks another milestone for the Porsche growth in Malaysia and is a bold statement of SDAP’s commitment.
I strongly believe in the long-term potential for Porsche in Malaysia and I am convinced that this latest addition to the Porsche dealer network will support our growth and path and assure an outstanding customer experience.”
IMAGE GALLERY


Renault returns to F1, unveils its gorgeous new RS16 machine

Formula One’s most successful engine manufacturer, Renault, is set to make a return as constructor this 2016 season with the unveiling of their new RS16. The team is now known as Renault Sport F1, and the team’s goal is to be on the podium within three years.
Renault has had a rich history in Formula One, more notably as an engine supplier to winning teams such as Benetton, Williams, and most recently Red Bull Racing. The team bought over the struggling Lotus F1 team, which was actually the former Renault team before the French manufacturer scaled down in 2011.
Also revealed are the two new drivers for the team, Jolyon Palmer and Kevin Magnussen. The latter replaces Pastor Maldonaldo whose contract had been terminated due to sponsorship issues. As part of the Renault group, there’s little surprise to sport Infinity logos on the new RS16. Infiniti has pulled out from Red Bull Racing to become Renault Sport’s technical partner.
The livery, predominantly in black scheme has little shades of yellow. That said, the team has hinted that the livery could be changed before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in March.
“We have the resources, we have the team, we have the organisation, we have the spirit. Renault is back to win,” said Renault Sport President Jerome Stoll.
Bon retour, Renault Sport!
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The Mercedes-AMG GLC63S 4MATIC+ is now the fastest SUV in the world!

Having heard and seen for ourselves, very very briefly, on what the GLC 63 S 4MATIC was like on the main straight of the Sepang Circuit when the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s VP of Sales and Marketing, Mark Raine, stormed passed us, this news is hardly surprising.
With an official time of  7.49.369 minutes around the North Loop of the Nurburgring, it was
 two seconds faster than its competitor
, and did so at the first attempt with AMG development engineer Markus Hofbauer at the wheel.
If you’re looking for a balance between outright performance and family-friendliness, there aren’t many options out there to distract you from the GLC 63 S 4MATIC+.
Launched in Malaysia recently, it’s equipped with a 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine, air suspension system with adaptively variable damping, 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive with fully variable torque distribution, the rear axle locking differential and high-performance ceramic composite braking system. We’d love to see how it fares against the
Lister LFP that’s based on the Jaguar F-Type
.
IMAGE GALLERY


Toyota C-HR with TRD kit unveiled, two extra aggressive stylings! [+Video]

If you’re eyeing for the
Toyota C-HR
 and would immediately want to stand out from the rest, then the company’s Toyota’s aftermarket division, Toyota Racing Development (TRD), has just that thing for you! Unveiled at the 2017 Tokyo Auto Salon, TRD let loose two of their latest bodykits for the brand new compact crossover.
The
Aggressive Style
, as seen in the white example below, features hugely aggressive bumpers with LED daytime running lights. A lip spoiler and an outrageous looking rear diffuser are found at the back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vcUXPI8oDA
On the other hand, the
Extreme Style
 C-HR in bright orange has a slightly subtler and less aggressive kit. It dons a more adventurous, outdoor styling with plastic wheel claddings and red mud flaps. Both kits come with TRD’s 18-inch alloys, although the orange C-HR wears a set of smaller 16-inch rims.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnBwAjP73E4
The kits are now available as an option to all C-HRs sold in Japan. Perhaps the local bodykit makers should start working their mojo in anticipation of its arrival, eh?
[IMAGE GALLERY]


All new BMW 4 Series – behind the massive grille hides a beautiful coupe

There’s just no way of going about it (especially since it’s so huge) – Yes, the all-new BMW 4 Series coupe has those large vertical grilles as previewed on the
Concept 4
. BMW calls it “striking”, and we think that’s pretty much spot on.
History will tell us that BMW is no stranger to unorthodox design choices (see: Chris Bangle era vehicles) that later turn in to iconic designs. Will this be another one of those? No idea, but at least some of the
AutoBuzz
boys are already getting used to it… We digress.
If we can all agree to look past the grille for now though, the new 4 Series is actually quite a pretty looking coupe. The coupe’s signature design elements – short overhangs, long doors with frameless windows, the slim window graphic and a flowing roofline – are all accentuated on the new 4 Series, making it look a lot more like a model of its own instead of just a “
3 Series
 with 2 less doors”.
The new 4-er stands 57 mm lower than the four-door relative, and its tracks wider by 23 mm, to give the coupe its sportier appearance. Compared to its predecessor, the new 4 Series have been enlarged in almost all dimensions – 128 mm in length, 27 mm in width, 6 mm in height, and 41 mm in its wheelbase.
Up front, the slim LED headlights, stretched lengthwise well into the front wheel arch, further enhance the low-and-wide stance of the coupe. Moving towards the rear, the cabin glasshouse slowly tapers inwards on the flowing roofline, giving the new 4 Series a truly muscular stature.
The rear design of the new 4 Series draws a lot of parallels to the
8 Series
, with the roofline flowing into an upwards curve, creating a natural integrated spoiler – though less pronounced. The brand’s new signature light-bar taillights signature makes an appearance here too, finished with darkened housings.
Inside, the cabin design of the all-new 4 Series is nothing we haven’t seen before – it is after all based on the existing
G20 3 Series
. As is BMW tradition, the dashboard follows the marque’s driver-centric design principles.
The central control stack, tilted slightly towards the driver, features an infotainment display up top running BMW Operating System 7.0 with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. Meanwhile, behind the steering wheel is the Live Cockpit Professional fully-digital instrument cluster.
The all-new BMW 4 Series is headlined by the M440i xDrive, featuring a 3.0-litre inline-six petrol engine with 48V mild hybrid technology for an additional 11 hp boost when needed. Output is rated at
374 hp
 and
500 Nm
 of torque, resulting in a century sprint time of
4.5 seconds
, onward to a top speed of
250 km/h
.
The M-tuned 4 Series also gets other M Sport specific treatments, such as the M Sport suspension with stiffer mounts and anti-roll bars, or the optional M electronically controlled dampers, M Sport brakes, and M Sport fully-variable locking rear differential.
Other variants include the 420i with a
184 hp
 and
300 Nm
 2.0-litre inline four engine, and a 430i with the same engine but uprated to
258 hp
 and
400 Nm
.
As for oil burners, a
190 hp
 and
 400 Nm
 2.0-litre inline-four is used for the 420d and 420d xDrive, while the 430d xDrive and M440d xDrive will use a three-litre turbocharged inline-six unit producing
286 hp/650 Nm
 and
340 hp/700 Nm
 respectively. All diesel variants will be equipped with 48V mild hybrid technology.
All powertrains are paired to a
 eight-speed Steptronic gearbox
, though you can step it up to the Steptronic Sport transmission with a new Sprint function if you tick the M Sport Pro package during your order.
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TC Subaru resumes operation at selected service centres

TC Subaru, the exclusive distributor of Subaru vehicles in Malaysia, announced today that it has received approval from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to resume operations at selected service centres in the country during the extended Movement Control Order (MCO) period.
The selected service centres will resume partial operation starting from today, to carry out service maintenance, minor repairs, and vehicle breakdown services on an appointment-only basis.
According to the statement, the list of service centres include the company’s own service centres in Petaling Jaya and Cheras, Selangor; Bukit Mertajam and Georgetown, Penang, as well as service centres managed by its authorised dealers across the nation. The full list of approved service centres and their revised operation hours can be found
here
.
We recently checked out the
Subaru Forester 2.0-iS EyeSight
. watch our full review
here
!
In an effort to look after the health and wellbeing of its customers, The company says that safety measures have been put in place at all Subaru service centres to adhere to social distancing and hygiene guidelines.
These measures include regular sanitisation of work areas, temperature screening and use of surgical masks for all staff, while hand sanitisers and disinfectant sprays will be placed and used throughout the entire premise.
In view of the extended MCO period, TC Subaru will be extending all warranties expiring during the MCO period by 60 days or 1,000 km, whichever comes first. For emergency or urgent matters during the MCO, customers can contact the Subaru Careline at
1-800-22-9898
 or
012-536-0080
.
Recently, TC Subaru has also introduced its
online booking portal
 for its Forester and XV models. Customers will be able to secure a booking of either models in the comfort of their own homes with a booking fee of RM188.


Honda Civic Type R is the fastest FWD around Nurburgring… again! [+Video]

Two years ago, the previous generation
Honda Civic Type R
 (FK2) brought glory to Honda when it became the fastest front-wheel drive (FWD) car to lap the Nurburgring. Sadly, that was short-lived when Volkswagen came along and beat the Honda with the new
Golf GTI ClubSport S
.
Needless to say, Honda went back to the drawing board and tried again with the new
Type R hot hatch
. With a lap time of
7 minutes 43.8 seconds
, Honda officially dethroned the Golf GTI ClubSport S by a massive
5.41 seconds
gap. At the same time, it’s also 6.8 seconds quicker than its predecessor!

How did they do it? First, they
shortened the gear ratios
 for its six-speed manual gearbox and the increased
torsional stiffness
 by up to
38 percent
, improving both steering response and cornering stability. The old torsion beam rear suspension was also ditched in favour of the lighter multi-link setup, shedding a whopping 16 kgs!
The record-breaking car was actually a development car, having no infotainment system or rear seats. In their absence is a floating roll cage that was added for safety reasons and by no means gave the Type R more rigidity. Regardless, Honda says the development car is technically about the same as the one going on sale.
Let’s all hope this record is there to stay for the time being!
IMAGE GALLERY


More preferred BMW M cars over Mercedes-AMGs last year

It seems clear that when luxury is concerned, Mercedes-Benz are the go-to guys but when it comes to driving, buyers know where to get the good stuff.
BMW may have missed out on the No.1 spot in global vehicle sales for the premium segment, selling 2.1 million cars in 2019 as compared to the 2.3 million units Mercedes-Benz offloaded but their performance divisions have had the complete opposite impact.

This is as BMW announced a
new sales record of 135,829

units of M vehicles sold
 – a 32.2% jump from the year before. By comparison,
Mercedes-AMG shifted marginally lesser at 132,136 units
.
The USA was the single biggest market for these M delights – gobbling more than 44,000 units, followed by BMW’s motherland and the UK.
The Americans also had the strongest appetite among all for AMGs, followed by Germany, the UK, China and Japan.
Leaked images of the
latest G80 BMW M3
.
BMW M CEO, Markus Flasch said, “We are very proud of the fact that we have been able to acquire market leadership in the performance/high-performance automobile segment for the first time in the almost 50 years of the company’s history.”
In addition to the encouraging news, BMW also announced that their latest assault in the high performance market will include the premiere of the new BMW M3 and M4 Coupe this year.


Review: BMW M340i xDrive – the best of both worlds

When BMW unveiled the
 all-new M3
 and
M4
 last year, it was as if the entire internet went up in flames – not for its performance, because it is most likely ridiculously fast, but for its looks. You know what we’re talking about, the humongous “buckteeth” grille plastered onto the front fascia.
While most of us here at
AutoBuzz.my
 have already warmed up to the new looks, many online are still evidently hung up about the big change (
yes, pun intended
) – so much so that they’re put off from buying the new M car entirely. So what if we told you that you can get an M-level performance, on a car that doesn’t look so… funky? Allow me to introduce you to the
BMW M340i xDrive
.
“Normal” never looked so good.
To most onlookers, the M340i looks just like any other BMW 3 Series – but you see, that’s actually part of its charm. The G20-generation 3 Series has always been regarded as one of the best-looking BMW in recent years, and when you strut into the office on the weekdays, nobody bats an eye because the 3-er is by all means, a very sensible choice.
The only details that somewhat hint at its performance are the larger hexagonal tailpipe exits, slightly lowered ride height, and the new mesh-design grille that is just magnificent to look at.
And if your daily commute consists mostly of long highway journeys, this baby-M might even be a better choice than the
330i
, thanks to its silky-smooth B58 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six mill and eight-speed automatic gearbox combo underneath the bonnet. Heck, even the electronically-controlled adaptive M Suspension in comfort mode feels more supple over undulations than the M Sport items of the 330i!
Just as the
387 hp
 and
500 Nm
 output figure suggests, gobbling up miles in the M340i is ridiculously easy, made even better by the sultry voice it makes. A quick poke at the accelerator pedal sends the car surging forward, and the power creeps up so linearly and rapidly, you wouldn’t have thought it’s coming from a turbocharged engine – truly, the B58 might be the pinnacle of six-cylinders.
So that’s the weekdays sorted, and the best part is it doesn’t disappoint on the weekends too. In fact, what impressed us most about this car is its ability to turn from a civilised cruiser into a complete lunatic with just a touch of a button. Flick it into Sports Plus mode, and the cracks and bangs from the exhaust system immediately tells you that you’ve woken up a beast that’s just raring to go.
And as we’ve alluded to before, boy oh boy does the M340i go. Zero to 100 km/h is completed in a brisk
4.4 seconds
, which is just 0.2 seconds slower (or literally, two blinks of an eye) than the all-new BMW M3. Remember what we said about M-level performance?
Better yet, its superb engine is just one part of the equation. The BMW M340i’s real pièce de résistance lies within the brilliant M xDrive all-wheel drive system, a drug best experienced on the twisty B roads.
Just like all the other G20-generation BMW 3 Series, the nose of the M340i dives right into the corner at a flick of the steering wheel; the added weight from the AWD system takes nothing away from the sharpness of the car. At this point, you’ll already be grinning from cheek to cheek. And then, you witness its true party piece.
Standard-fit adjustable side bolsters help defy the lateral G-forces.
As you gradually increase your speed mid-corner, the extra traction on the front axle digs into the tarmac to hold your line at speeds you’d never thought possible, as if the M340i is on rails, or powered by some form of black magic.
And when you want to let your hair loose and have some fun, the M340i happily obliges too, never hesitant to display its mischievous side. A little extra enthusiasm on the throttle pedal, and the rear-biased M xDrive AWD system pushes the M340i’s rump out immediately, giving you an on-demand dose of adrenaline injected right into your bloodstream.
The electrical wizardries constantly keep you in check too, never letting the rear overtake the front, lending you confidence to hang in the balance of the tyre’s limit of adhesion over and over again. I’m far from a professional driver, but I think I might have done some of my best driving in the M340i.
Undoubtedly, the most ardent BMW fans would rush to crucify it, saying something to the tune of “a real BMW should always be rear-wheel drive!” If you happen to belong in that camp, trust me – give this a go, and you’ll immediately change your mind. There’s a reason why the new BMW M3 and M4 are now offered in an
all-wheel drive configuration
, too.
To us, the BMW M340i xDrive is the epitome of the best of both worlds – easy on the weekdays, and just the right amount of crazy on the weekends. And what’s more, it’s about one-thirds off the price of an
M3 or M4 here in Malaysia
, but you’re still getting almost all the performance and fun factor.
We don’t say this lightly, but the BMW M340i xDrive might really be the only car you need.
BMW M340i xDrive specifications:
Engine
2,998 cc; Twin-scroll turbocharged inline-six
Transmission
8-speed Steptronic automatic
Max horsepower
387 hp @ 5,000 – 6,500 rpm
Max torque
500 Nm @ 1,600 – 4,500 rpm
0-100 km/h; Top speed
4.4 seconds; 250 km/h (electronically limited)
Price (OTR, w/o insurance, inclusive of SST exemptions)
RM402,354.15
GALLERY


Wolverine could play Enzo Ferrari in new biopic movie

Hugh Jackman, better known for his role as Wolverine in the X-Men franchise, could be trading his claws for horsepower very soon. The Australian actor is set to play Enzo Ferrari in the latest movie depicting both the iconic figure and his company.
The biopic will be based on a book written by renowned motoring journalist, the late Brock Yates. The movie titled
“Enzo Ferrari: The Man and the Machine”
 will be directed by Michael Mann, the man behind movies like Ali, Miami Vice and Public Enemies.

The new Enzo Ferrari movie revolves around the late 1950s; a troubling period for the founder of the most recognised brand in automotive. Not only mourning the death of his son, Dino Ferrari, Enzo was also troubled by marital affairs at that time.
The new movie will also focus on Enzo Ferrari’s attempt to revive his company’s fortunes by entering into the 1957 Mille Miglia event, a gruelling 1,000 mile (1,600 km) road race across Northern Italy.
It was to be the last edition of the road race as it was subsequently banned. It followed after the Ferrari 335 S crashed during the race; killing both driver and co-driver along with several spectators. According to GC Australia, the film is set to begin production in 2021.
Locally, Naza Italia just launched the
new Ferrari Roma
, with a price tag of RM968k before options and duties.
Named after the most iconic Italian city
, the Roma houses the same 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 with 620 hp and 760 Nm. The same power plant can be found in the
Portofino
 and
F8 Tributo
.


2016 Toyota Alphard 3.5L V6 launched, two variants, RM419k & RM519k

It really has been a while since we laid eyes on the latest Toyota Alphard,
having seen it in the flesh early last year at the Bangkok Motor Show
. Thanks to parallel importers, some of you may have already seen them on the road, but the Alphard selection from UMW Toyota is restricted to just two variants – the Alphard 3.5L and Alphard 3.5L Executive Lounge.
Priced at RM419,000 and RM519,000 respectively, these fully imported MPVs are specially tweaked to suit the Malaysian climate and road conditions. On top of that, UMW Toyota is offering a full
5-Year manufacturer’s warranty
 with unlimited mileage, and guarantees a
10-year parts availability
 after the model is discontinued.
QUICK FACTS
Name
Toyota Alphard 3.5
Toyota Alphard 3.5 Executive Lounge
Engine
3,456cc; V6, DOHC with Dual VVT-i
Transmission
6-speed automatic with Sequential Shifter
Max Power
268 hp @ 6,200 rpm
Max Torque
340 Nm @ 4,700 rpm
Price
 RM419,000
 RM519,000
EXTERIOR
By measure of sheer dimensions, the Alphard is just 15mm shorter in length (4,915mm) compared to the Vellfire (4,930mm), but its width (1,850mm) and height (1,895mm) equal that of the more affordable sibling. Standard here are the
 full LED headlamps
 (with cornering lights), LED daytime running lights, LED fog lamps,
18-inch wheels
 shod with 235/50 series tyres, LED tail lamps, rear spoiler, rear fog lamps and powered side mirrors with integrated signal indicators.

Chrome comes in abundance, but it’s one of those things that will take forever to grow on us.
INTERIOR
The Alphard’s cabin is distinctly more premium than the all-black Vellfire. Right off the bat you’ll notice the
beige themed interior
 for the base Alphard (the Exec Lounge can be optioned with black upholstery), and equipment that are standard comprise of keyless entry with push-start button, tri-zone climate control (air vents for third row as well) with nanoe technology, Optitron instrument cluster, reverse camera and automatic soft-closing doors.
Now, depending on how big a boss you are, equipment levels vary greatly between the two Alphards. The standard variant gets a four-spoke leather wrapped steering wheel with brown wood grain, powered Ottoman front passenger seat, Captain Seats (Ottoman with power recline) for the rear passengers, illuminated ceiling, 7-inch DVD-AVN with navigation, eight speakers as well as a roof mounted 10.2-inch display.

Opt for the Executive Lounge variant and you’ll get additional Telephone and Voice Control switches on the steering wheel (here it gets embellished with VIP wood grain) and ceiling illumination with metallic ornament. The rear seats are upgraded to VIP trim and comes with power reclining as well as built-in air conditioning. The
17-speaker JBL sound system
 is hooked up to a main 8-inch DVD-AVN head unit built within the centre dash, whereas the roof mounted display is smaller, measuring just 9-inches across.
PERFORMANCE
Unlike the Vellfire, which can only be had with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, the Alphard comes with the
2GR-FE 3.5-litre V6 engine
 featuring dual VVT-i technology. This naturally aspirated motor is good for
268 horsepower
 at 6,200 rpm, with the full
340 Nm
 of torque peaking in at 4,700 rpm. It’s paired to a
six-speed automatic with sequential shifter
, whereas the Vellfire settles for a CVT.
SAFETY
Standard safety features across all variants are as such: seven airbags including a driver’s knee airbag, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control and front and rear parking sensors.
WHAT ELSE?
You can have your Alphard in
 four exterior colours
 – Black, White Pearl, Silver Metallic and a newly developed paint, Luxury White Pearl. Again, the Alphard is fully imported from Japan and comes with a 5-Year warranty with unlimited mileage.
Check out our report on the Vellfire 2.5L here
!
IMAGE GALLERY


Perodua received 24,265 orders in July, 37% for the all-new Alza

Perodua managed to collect
24,265
 orders in July, of which
9,000 (37%) were for the all-new Perodua Alza
. Despite the reinstatement of the Sales and Service Tax (SST), demand for Perodua vehicles remains strong. With a sales figure of
145,689 units
 between January and July 2022, Perodua reports a 48.7% jump from the same period in 2021 (97,945 units).
Perodua President and Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Sri Zainal Abidin Ahmad said, “The sales increase can be attributed to two main reasons, the first is due to the strong demand for our vehicles, especially between January and June this year as customers wanted to take advantage of the government’s sales tax exemption initiative.
“The second reason why the 2022 year-to-date numbers are stronger is due to the nationwide Covid-19 pandemic lockdown that happened between June and mid-August last year.”
Photo:
Perodua/Facebook
Although the year-to-date figures show growth, the month-to-month sales has naturally dropped by 13.3% due to the SST reinstatement – only 18,346 units were sold in July, as compared to 21,164 units in June 2022.
Dato’ Sri Zainal said that Perodua is working closely with the government to overcome the labour shortage by early August and Perodua expects its production to resume in full beginning this month.
“On the semiconductor issue, we have secured enough chip supply for us to produce and register more than 247,800 units this year, however we are still working on sustaining production growth. This means that we could not announce our new targets yet,” he added.
ALSO WATCH:
2022 Perodua Alza 7-seater MPV launched in Malaysia, from RM62,500
Photo:
Perodua/Facebook
As for the industry as a whole, Perodua believes that the Total Industry Volume (TIV) for the year will be more than the 630,000 units initially estimated, as most brands in the country accumulated “massive bookings” between January and June this year.
“Given that the government has extended the registration deadline for all vehicles booked on or before 30 June 2022 to 31 March 2023, we believe the industry can do better than a 30,000-registration increase by the end of this year,” Dato’ Zainal Abidin commented.
In July, the Malaysia Automotive Association announced an increase in the total industry volume to 630,000 units from a forecast of 600,000 announced by the body in January 2022.


Turns out the Lexus UX is quite popular, 8,800 orders in 1 month!

Lexus’ smallest SUV, the Lexus UX
broke cover at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS)
 in February but Lexus only commenced sales of the UX on 27 November 2018. Since then, the Japanese luxury carmaker has collected over 8,800 orders of the new SUV, proving the positive response the world has towards the UX.
Collecting over 8,800 orders one month from its initial launch may not seem like a shocking number but considering that the company sets a monthly sales target of 900 units, it is significant for the Lexus brand.
The UX rides on Lexus Global Architecture – Compact (GA-C) platform which offers the lowest centre of gravity in the company luxury crossover segment. The sharp design is also deliberately done to attract the young and hip demographic.
The UX recently made an appearance at the
2018 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS)
 and local distributor, Lexus Malaysia has hinted at a local debut in 2019. Something different from your usual BMW X1 and
Mercedes-Benz GLA
?
IMAGE GALLERY
Lexus UX Previewed at 2018 KLIMS


Toyota brings first GR Garage outside of Japan, to Malaysia

Alongside the unveiling of the
Toyota Supra
 last week, UMW Toyota has also announced the launch of GR Garage in Malaysia –
 the first outside of Japan
.
GR Garage was introduced in Japan some years ago to cater to car enthusiasts. UMW Toyota’s Chief Motorsports Officer and Deputy Chairman, Mr Akio Takeyama said, “The GR Garage [is] a place where enthusiasts can gather and talk about their passion of cars, especially sportscars and motorsports.”
The GR Garage will be carrying Gazoo Racing specific products at selected Toyota dealers, including the GR Supra, GR high performance products, and GR merchandises to provide a “shop in shop” experience to the customers.
As a start, the GR Garage will be introduced at
five outlets
 – Wing Hin Balakong, PCM Klang, Focus Tetap Setia Alam, Telagamas Kulim, and Mutiara Johor Bahru.
Toyota Gazoo Racing is the umbrella organisation for Toyota’s global motorsports programme. Toyota aims to transfer technical learnings from the racetrack and rally stages to the development of new generations of sport’s focused GR models, as well as its wider range of vehicles.
IMAGE GALLERY


Peugeot to make a larger mark in Thailand with five new models

Peugeot is set to introduce at least five new models over the next couple of years in Thailand and models earmarked for this invasion includes two SUVs while the the Peugeot 3008 and 5008 will be the first two models introduced in the market predominantly made up of Toyotas.
The latter two will come from the Naza Automotive Manufacturing (NAM) plant in Gurun, Kedah after establishing itself as Groupe PSA’s first manufacturing hub in the ASEAN region.

Currently, Groupe PSA governs likes of Citroen, DS, Opel, Peugeot and Vauxhall to name a few.
This comes after news that Peugeot has appointed Belfort Automobiles in Thailand as the exclusive importer and distributor of Peugeot vehicles in Thailand.
The
new Peugeot 208
.
Prior to this, Peugeot announced that NAM had begun exporting the first of its produce to the Philippines with Thailand now the next receiver of Malaysian-made French goods.
All in all, Peugeot has now penetrated 11 countries and their vehicle’s funk and flair is anything to go by, brace yourself for an imminent French invasion.


Porsche 718 Boxster to spawn hotter variant with 4.0L flat six?

Presently, the Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman duo can be had in three flavours: a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo, 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo on the S and a higher output 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo on the GTS, effectively sending the tunes of the naturally-aspirated flat-six to the history books.
However, according to a report by
AutoCar UK
, the fine people at Stuttgart are apparently working on bringing back the flat-six to their entry-level sports car. According to the news outlet, the next Boxster will apparently be offered with a
4.0-litre naturally aspirated flat-six
, taken straight from the latest
911 GT3
.
AutoCar UK
 speculates the large N/A mill will find its way in the next-generation
Boxster Spyder
, a lightweight, hardcore, track-focused version of the 718 Boxster. It is not the first time that Porsche made a Boxster Spyder with a flat-six as the previous generation (third-gen 981) had a 3.8-litre flat-six pushing out
370 hp
 and
420 Nm
 of torque paired to a six-speed manual box.
Unlike the regular variant(s), the Boxster Spyder ditched all its sound deadening materials, lost its folding roof mechanism for a soft Targa top for maximum weight savings. Should the Boxster Spyder becomes a reality, expect Porsche to deploy the same formula for maximum performance on-track.
Imagine a Cayman GT4 without a roof
On the
911 GT3
, the 4.0-litre flat-six mill spews
500 hp
 and
460 Nm
 of torque; astronomical figures when compared to
365 hp
 and
430 Nm
 found in the
GTS’ 2.5-litre turbocharged motor
. However, we can expect a lower output when the Boxster Spyder debuts, safeguarding the desirability of the 911 GT3.
Sime Darby Auto performance has the Porsche
718 Boxster
 and
Cayman
 duo on sale in the standard and S variants. Recently joining their stable is the all-new 911 GT3 which
can be optioned with a manual box at no additional cost
.


Porsche Cayenne facelift interior unveiled: Taycan-inspired, April 18 world debut

Ahead of its world debut which is set to happen on April 18, 2023, the refreshed third-generation
Porsche Cayenne
 facelift has been revealed, albeit only its interior.
Porsche
 has already announced that the fourth-generation Cayenne will come with a
fully-electric powertrain
, but before that, the third generation will be given a necessary refresh.
The images shared by Porsche show a
Taycan
-inspired interior for the new Porsche Cayenne facelift. Porsche shows the Cayenne now sporting three screens on the dashboard – a 12.6-inch screen for the instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch screen for the infotainment head unit, and a 10.9-inch optional screen for the front passenger.
Hoodless instrument cluster
The instrument cluster comes with 7 interface design choices. Despite retaining the binnacle design, the display now no longer has a ‘hood’ to create a sleeker appearance. The centre 12.3-inch screen supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity and certain car functions can even be controlled via Siri.
The optional passenger screen allows the front passenger to assist the driver to set navigation and media controls. Interestingly, the optional passenger screen is covered in a special foil to make it invisible from the driver’s point of view. This serves to reduce driving distractions.
RELATED:
Porsche confirms EV Cayenne, 7-seater ‘K1’ EV SUV also in the works
Relocated gear selector
All driver controls have now been moved closer to the steering wheel. The most significant one is the gear selector which is now a gear stalk on the right side of the steering wheel. The driver assistance controls have also been redesigned and located directly on the steering wheel. Speaking of the steering wheel, the new Cayenne sports a reworked 911 steering wheel with a modern and sporty design.
Although the three screens dominate the dashboard, Porsche ensures that the new Porsche Driver Experience is the right balance between digital and analogue elements. One significant analogue element would be the central analogue clock that has been retained in the new Cayenne.
RELATED:
First made-in-Malaysia Porsche Cayenne rolls out of new Kulim CKD assembly plant
HVAC controls on the centre console
The relocation of the gear selector has made way for HVAC controls on the centre console. Sitting on a black panel, the HVAC controls combine touch recognition and haptic feedback with mechanical air conditioning switches. In the vicinity is a physical volume controller that “ensures functionality that is both haptically and aesthetically pleasing”.
Generally, the new Caynne’s interior has been designed to emphasise wdith. It is also a ‘clean’ design, with a redesigned instrument panel, centre console and upper part of the inside of the door. For the first time, Porsche has designed all the air outlets in the cockpit without louvres.
The new Porsche Cayenne facelift will make its world debut on April 18, 2023 at Auto Shanghai in China. Porsche has also confirmed its plans for an all-electric Caynne, but that is for the fourth-generation Porsche Cayenne.
RELATED:
Porsche once experimented with a weird Cayenne Convertible


New Toyota GR86 premiered, faster with 235 hp and 250 Nm

The highly anticipated people’s sportscar from Toyota has return. Toyota, together with Subaru, unveiled the Toyota GR 86 at a world premiere event in Japan earlier today.
The highlight of the new Toyota GR 86 is the new naturally aspirated four-cylinder boxer engine, now displacing an additional 0.4 litres thanks to a larger bore of 94 mm (versus 86 mm that was previously attached to the model’s name).
The ‘FA24’
2.4-litre
 engine continues to be a high-revving unit, with a maximum output of
235 hp
 at 7,000 rpm, while maximum torque of
250 Nm
 arrives at a much earlier 3,700 rpm.  No electrification is employed in the GR86 or recently introduced
Subaru BRZ
.
The Toyota GR 86 is offered in either a classic six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted shift paddles.
Drivers will still be happy to learn that they can spin the engine to 7,400 rpm with either transmission. Toyota is quoting a time of
6.3 seconds
 for the new GR 86 to complete the century sprint. That is over a full second faster than the model it replaces even if it is hauling 30 kg more than its predecessor at
1,270 kg
.
For those curious, the old GT86 had a specific horsepower-to-tonne ratio of 167 hp per tonne, while the latest engine pushes the number to
185 hp per tonne
.
In order to handle more power and torque, Subaru and Toyota have also increased the bodyshell’s rigidity by as much as 50% over the previous model. The use of light-weight aluminium panels has been extended to the roof as well as front fenders, while the first generation GT86 only featured an aluminium bonnet.
Toyota also said weight savings were achieved through a better seat structure and exhaust muffler design. Tyres are now more performance-focused too, with
Michelin Pilot Sport 4
 items measuring 215/40 in 18-inch diameter.
Toyota GR 86
Subaru BRZ
Both the GR 86 and Subaru BRZ shares the same exterior, with the front bumper only separating the two brands. The GR 86 features a matrix-grille pattern with a GR badge stuck at the corner.
Inside, the steering wheel and start-stop button are given the GR labelling, with the driver greeted by a seven-inch multi-info display that has animation resembling the movement of the horizontally opposed pistons of the engine.
In variants with the automatic transmission, the GR 86 uses Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist Technology that performs the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) features such as autonomous emergency braking.
More details of the new GR 86 will be released at a later date, and let’s hope not too late as there were rumours of
Akio Toyoda requesting a change
 in the driving feel of the GR 86 as it felt too similar to the Subaru BRZ.
GALLERY
Toyota GR 86


New special edition 911 GT3 celebrates 30 years of Porsche Supercup

The Porsche Supercup has been one of the best-known and toughest customer racing series in the world for 30 years. In celebrating the 30th anniversary of the series, the organisers of this one-make series have decided to mark this special anniversary with a treat for themselves.
The project managers at Porsche Motorsport had asked the specialists at Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur to build a
roadgoing 911 GT3
based on the 911 GT3 Cup in the 30th-anniversary livery. The unique model was completed in less than six months.
Highlights include a spectacular eight-colour paintwork design with the anniversary logo and a multicolour pixel mesh around the rear wheel arches. To add a touch more exclusivity to the model, the names of all 29 previous Porsche Supercup champions are painted (yes, painted) in gold on the rear bumper.
The project began with a standard Porsche 911 GT3 – the roadgoing version of the racing car used in the Porsche Supercup – before it was disassembled and rebuilt. If you’ve assumed that the multicolour paintwork is merely a wrap, the eight colours – GT Silver Metallic, Agate Grey Metallic, high-gloss Black, Meteorgreymetallic, Parliamentgreymetallic, Volcanogreymetallic, Grigiogranitometallic and Diamondblackmetallic – are all painted.
According to Porsche, the greatest challenge in the painting process was to precisely apply the multicoloured pixel mesh to several points on the dynamically shaped body. The number ’30’ painted in gold and finished with high gloss clear lacquer is another indication of exclusivity.
After the paintwork, the vehicle was reassembled by hand at Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur and further customised with embossed anniversary logo on the headrests, centre console in Black/Aurum along with seat piping, and door panel stitching finished in Mojave Beige.
To recap, the 911 GT3, now sold in Malaysia, produces 510 hp and 470 Nm from a rear-mounted 4.0-litre naturally-aspirated flat-six engine to drive the rear wheels. With the quick-shifting PDK gearbox, it can do 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds and flat out, the 911 GT3 will hit 320 km/h.
GALLERY


1 out of 3 traffic fatalities involve youths, Honda wants to fix that with its driver coaching app

Honda
 continues with its commitment to advancing safety for everyone sharing the road and has introduced its new Honda Driver Coaching smartphone app. Designed to help improve new drivers’ skills and promote safe driving practices, the app is available in the U.S. only and is free to download via the Apple App Store only.
Described by the company as a perfect complement to formal driver education, the Honda Driver Coaching app provides exclusive access to many new and prior model year Honda and Acura models equipped with head units that support Apple CarPlay. The app is able to deliver detailed, real-time driving data and analysis, together with a clever game component to ensure the lessons are fun and engaging.
To use the Honda Driver Coaching app, users simply need to get the app installed in their iPhone and have their iPhone connected to the vehicle’s Apple CarPlay-supported head unit. The app will then analyse driver inputs, which include steering, braking, and acceleration in real-time. The app will also instruct the driver when they need assistance.
When the driving lesson is complete, the driver will be presented with a calculated arriving score, allowing them to track their progress. In addition, the app will also present a summary of their drive, along with specific driving tips. When not driving, users can also gain access to an extensive library of driver training videos via the app using their smartphones, which can help sharpen their driving skills.
RELATED:
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American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Safety Strategy Leader, MJ Foxley said, “We created the Honda Driver Coaching app to take meaningful action to address a critical issue – that nearly one-third of U.S. traffic fatalities involve drivers under 25 years of age. With schools getting out and summer driving season just around the corner, we hope our new Honda Driver Coaching app can positively influence young drivers and the safety of everyone sharing the road.”
The Honda Driver Coaching app is compatible with Honda and Acura models equipped with Apple CarPlay in the U.S. as listed below:
Honda Civic
 (2019-2020)
Honda Insight (2018-2022)
Honda Accord
 (2018-2020 and 2023 or newer)
Honda HR-V
 (2023 or newer)
Honda CR-V
 (2020 or newer)
Honda Pilot (2023 or newer)
Acura Integra (2023 or newer)
RELATED:
Honda e:Ny1 EV unveiled – 412km range, not just an electric HR-V


Grab your subsidised child seats by BMW Malaysia and partners from as low as RM99!

BMW Malaysia,
Safe ‘n Sound
 and
Childline Foundation
 has kicked off the second phase of the child safety seat subsidy programme for parents in the B40 income group.
The programme will be supported by
 Shopee
 as its exclusive e-commerce partner alongside baby and children goods brands
KU.KU Duckbill
and
 Otomo
, educational toys and games distributor
 Mideer
, food storage sealing solutions provider
Ankou
 and car performance parts and accessories provider
 Kakimotor
.
The subsidy programme was first introduced in December 2019 with Safe ‘n Sound and Childline Foundation where
150 units of infant carrier car seats were made available at a subsidised price of RM100 each
. The initiative garnered over 25,000 registrations from parents in the B40 income group.
BMW Group Malaysia, Head of Corporate Communications, Sashi Ambi said, “Our aim with this initiative has always been to make the use of child safety car seats instinctively mandatory; a basic practise as parents to ensure that children are always safe in cars. We are very pleased that these brands have come in to help us to not only advocate the importance of child safety seats but also to make more child safety seats accessible to those in the B40 income group. We hope more partners will continue to join us in taking ownership of this shared responsibility as we move towards collectively affecting change.”
The
second phase
 of the subsidy programme will focus on catering to the remaining registrants from the first phase with a range of child safety seats for newborns to children up to 36 kg.
This includes the
snskidz Ace infant carrier car seat
 (for newborn to 13kg), the
snskidz Sport car seat
(for newborn to 18kg) and the
snskidz Proto
 (for 2 year-olds to 36kg). All snskidz child safety seats carry the ECE R44-04 certification.

Each of the snskidz child safety seats will be available with a RM50 subsidy, on top of the discounted price from Safe ‘n Sound exclusive for recipients of the subsidy programme.
The snskidz Ace will be available at a subsidised price of
 RM99
 (RRP: RM199), the snskidz Sport at RM169 (RRP: RM269) and snskidz Proto at RM249 (RM349).
In hopes of accelerating the delivery of child safety seats amongst the first 25,000 registrants, BMW Malaysia, Safe ‘n Sound and Childline Foundation are also
initiating a public fundraiser on Shopee where the public is welcomed to contribute with no minimum amount
. All funds raised will be channeled to Childline Foundation to subsidise as many child safety seats as possible for the remaining registrants.
Recipients of the subsidy programme will receive a unique Shopee voucher worth RM113 which can be applied upon checkout on the site.


TNB and Mysuri Biz Tech to supply 1,000 EV taxis for Malaysia

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has announced that
Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB)
 in collaboration with Mysuri Biz Technologies Sdn Bhd will provide
1,000 units
 of Electric Vehicle (EV) taxis to support Malaysia’s go-green efforts. The announcement was made at the fifth International Sustainable Energy Summit (ISES) 2022.
He said a legal regulatory framework will be established for the safety of the development of EV charging infrastructure, so that aspects of public and user safety are preserved and guaranteed, as reported by
The Edge Markets
.
London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC)
 is a leading manufacturer and retailer of electric vehicles in the UK
At the ISES 2022, the Malaysian Prime Minister said, “I would also like to inform you that Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), in collaboration with Mysuri Biz Technologies Sdn Bhd, will provide
1,000 units
 of EV taxis, in support of the country’s decarbonisation efforts. The involvement of GLCs (government-linked companies) such as TNB needs to be intensified to support the development of the country’s EV industry.”
The summit is a collaboration between the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia and the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. SEDA was established in September 2011 under the SEDA Act 2011 (Act 726), with the key purpose of driving the renewable energy and energy efficiency agenda in the country.
RELATED:
Hyundai IONIQ 5 ‘Robotaxi’ self-driving taxi to begin operation in 2023
Strides EV taxi fleet in Singapore uses the MG 5 EV. Photo:
Strides Taxi/Facebook
So far, there have yet to be any EV taxis in Malaysia. Even hybrid taxis are not a thing here. Our neighbouring countries like Thailand and Singapore already have a few EV taxis, mostly using budget cars like the MG 5 EV.
As for EV infrastructure, TNB has collaborated with PLUS Malaysia to set up
an EV charging network along the North-South Expressway (NSE)
. The Malaysian energy company has also announced that it
will help logistics company DHL in installing more EV charging stations
 to prepare DHL to switch to EVs soon.


Season-opener in Melbourne cancelled, Formula 1 calendar in jeopardy

While the announcement to
cancel the 2020 Australian grand prix
 didn’t come as a surprise, the time it took FIA, the F1 governing body and local organisers to finally come to their senses was shocking, with Friday’s practice session literally hours away after the McLaren team had already withdrawn a day earlier due to a team personnel having been
tested positive for Covid-19
.

There were already murmurs of discontent among the drivers with reigning champion
Lewis Hamilton
 describing it as
 ‘shocking’
that they are even at Albert Park, Melbourne amidst a
global pandemic
, while four-time world champion
Sebastian Vettel
 also echoed doubts whether the show should go on.
 https://twitter.com/F1/status/1238242680326553602
Across the globe, major sporting events have been called off as governments ban mass gatherings and urge populations to practice social distancing. Focus will now turn to the next two races –
Bahrain on 22
nd
 March and Vietnam on 5
th
 April
, on whether they too will suffer the same fate – and how the 2020 Formula 1 season can be salvaged.


Euro 2M phased out, two Euro 5M biodiesel blends now available in Malaysia

The Malaysian government, via the Environment and Water Ministry, has begun instructing fuel suppliers to commence dispensing low-sulphur Euro 5M Diesel from today,
April 1st 2021
.
Wait a minute, hasn’t fuel companies been offering
Euro 5M Diesel
 since the middle of 2016? Upon further checking, the government has now completely phased out the Euro 2M standard that originated from the mid-90s, offering just Euro 5M diesel but with
two blends of biodiesel
.
The Euro 5M Diesel which we are familiar has a palm oil biodiesel-to-petroleum diesel blend of 7%, dubbed
B7
. Meanwhile, the newly introduced diesel fuel will continue to have a higher percentage of palm oil biodiesel of 10% or labelled as
B10
.
Based on a visit to
BHPetrol
 and
Caltex
 websites, both blends of Euro 5M specification diesel will continue to use blue nozzles for B7 and black for B10. Owners of modern turbocharged diesel engines such as the
SkyActiv-D 2.2
 unit from Mazda and
Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2CRDi
 must continue to use the B7 blend, as a 7% blend of palm oil biodiesel is the maximum quantity the engine can safely and reliably operate with.
Refer to the fuel door as well as owner’s manual on the biodiesel blend. This Hyundai model only takes a maximum of B7 biodiesel
Meanwhile, the black-nozzled B10 biodiesel is targeted at commercial vehicles in the transportation sector, as well as some
modern pick-up
 trucks. The phased-out
Euro 2M diesel is 50 times “dirtier”
 than the
Euro 5M specifications
, as the sulphur content is 500 parts per million (ppm), resulting in higher levels of dangerous emissions in the air.
According to the minister, Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, the phasing out of Euro 2M diesel was September 1st 2020, but a decision was made in June 2020 to postpone the implementation date seven months later due to the constraints faced by industries as well as the outbreak of Covid-19.
The latest weekly fuel price announcement states that diesel prices remain at
RM2.25 per litre for B7
 blend and
RM2.15 per litre for B10
 blend, which are ceiling prices that have been set by the government since February 2021. The price of the uncapped
RON 97 fuel
 has been on a rising trend, now retailing at RM2.52 per litre.


Toyota Corolla Cross, Hilux, Fortuner price increased – up to RM5k

UMW Toyota Motor has updated the prices of the Corolla Cross, Fortuner and Hilux after recently revealing the new prices of the
Corolla Altis and Camry
. The Corolla Altis 1.8E is now priced at
RM134,888
 while the 1.8G is priced at
RM145,888
, representing a RM4,000 increase from before. The Camry on the other hand is now priced at
RM219,800
, an increase of RM10,000 from before.
As for the
Corolla Cross
, the 1.8G now costs
RM130,400
 (up RM2,097), the 1.8V at
RM137,400
 (up RM2,971) and the
Corolla Cross Hybrid
 at
RM140,000
 (up RM2,009).
Prices have also gone up for the
 Fortuner
with the 2.4 AT (diesel) now priced at
RM184,880
, the 2.7 SRZ AT (petrol) at
RM191,880
 and the 2.8 VRZ (diesel) at
RM225,880
. Prices for all three models have been increased by RM5,000.
Four variants of the
Hilux
 range have seen a RM3,000 increase and this includes the 2.4 Single Cab MT now priced at
RM98,880
, the 2.4E AT priced at
RM114,880
, 2.4V AT priced at
RM139,880
 and the 2.8 Rogue AT priced at
RM152,880
. As for the 2.4E MT, it’s now costs RM2,000 more at
RM112,880
.
Prices for models such as the
Veloz
,
Yaris
,
Vios
 and
Innova
 remains unchanged from before.
.


Mercedes-Benz C-Class: 30 years of showing the world what versatility truly means

In 1982, the makers of some of the prolific cars on the planet decided to venture into a segment of the market unheard of for the luxury marque. Bearing in mind this came from a company with an illustrious and colourful past. The icon for dignitaries, head of state, royalty and captains of industries. Mercedes-Benz debuted the 190E.

Penned in 1979, the W201 – dubbed the “Baby Benz” – had a rather expensive birth with Mercedes spending around
600 million British pounds
 (RM3.4 billion) on research and development, and was promptly labeled as one of the most over-engineered models. Three different variants were introduced, namely the 190, 190E and 190D. The one more familiar to us is the 190E (E for Einspritzung or Fuel Injection) that was powered by a
122 hp
, four cylinder engine. Not impressive by today’s standards, but this workhorse went on to sell over
1.8 million
 units in its 11 year lifespan.
Mercedes-Benz Typ 190 E 2.3-16, der Baureihe 201, 1984.
Around this time, the automotive giants were plunged into a rallying battle. Audi, amongst others, were dominating the motorsports scene. Mercedes then introduced the
320 hp Cosworth-
powered 190E, but they were simply too late to the party. The 190E was hopelessly outclassed by the competition, primarily the almighty turbocharged
Audi Quattro
.
AMG however, was a tuning company more familiar with the racing series called
Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft
or
 DTM
. Therein lies the genesis of that legendary partnership. Mercedes went on to introduce the AMG DTM competition touring car in 1993 and subsequently conceived the W201 that also featured a
190E 2.5-16 Evolution
 which had a bodykit and engine fitted specifically to keep up with the BMW M3.

In early 1990, Mercedes had a bit of a rethink with their naming-paradigm. Hence, all models were class-prefixed from thereon in. With that, in May of
1993
, the newly named
W202
 C-Class was introduced as a replacement for the 190E. The C-class was Mercedes’ entry-level model until 1997 with the introduction of the A-Class. The C-Class was also introduced with revolutionary-at-the-time safety features such
 SRS Airbags
,
SIPS
 (side impact protection system),
Brake Assist
 and
 Traction Control
; giving its competitor, the BMW 3 Series a good run for its money.
Commonly seen on our shores are the C180, C200 and C220 models that featured
multi-valve
 four cylinder engines that made
120 hp, 138 hp
and
 148 hp
 respectively. This global model came in a variety of oil burners as well. AMG was hard at work as well, coming up with the
C32 AMG
 that was fitted with a
3.6-litre
 straight-six engine putting out
276 hp
 and
385 Nm
 of torque. This model was put to head to head with the E36 BMW M3. The Merc boasted a 0 to 100 sprint time of
5.8 seconds
 and had an electronically limited top speed of
250 km/h
.
W202 C36 AMG – Photo credits to
carwallpapers.ru
In 1997 though, Mercedes released an uprated model of an AMG-badge bearing C-Class called the
 C43 AMG
. This featured for the first time in this line of cars a
V8
 (M113) engine which made
306 hp
 and
410 Nm
 of twist. This was also the first hot Mercedes model to be made at the AMG plant in Affalterbach. That said, the performance figures were similar to that of the previous version, with the difference being that the C43 had a higher top speed of
270 km/h
. It came with a Tiptronic transmission shifter and used the braking system from the
E55 AMG
 model.
After a seven year production run, the W202 was replaced with – yes you guessed it – the
W203
 model which debuted early in the turn of the century. Aside from the usual estate or stationwagon variant that it superseded, the W203 also debuted with a coupe body. The diesel models were also introduced with mechanical features such as
commonrail direct inject
 and
variable geometry turbochargers
.
All-wheel-drive
 was also featured as an option for certain models in the range. This newer iteration was also more fuel efficient, thanks to variable valve timing technology. The W203 went on to sell
 1.4 million units
 in the duration of its life span.

Mercedes worked tirelessly with now in-house tuner
AMG
 to perfect the BMW M3-beating concoction. The W203 received not one, not two, but three different variants in its six-year life span. As the previous generation had a V8 engine, the W203 initially featured a
supercharged 3.2-litre V6
 engine which belted a respectable
350 hp
 and
450 Nm
 of torque; numbers in great favour of an ideal power-to-weight ratio.
The result? A seemingly worthy E46 BMW M3 rival; one that manages the century sprint in 5.2 seconds. Not to be outdone, the C32 AMG gave way in a mid-gen facelift to the
 C55 AMG
, which was powered by a
5.5-litre V8
 taken straight out of the E55 AMG model. This unit made
367 hp
 and
510 Nm
 of torque. Immediately the sprint time dropped to
4.7 seconds
. Power was sent to the rear wheels via AMG’s PowerShift
five-speed

gearbox
.
Oddly enough, Mercedes decided to dabble with the idea of an
oil-burning AMG
 model dubbed the
C30 CDI AMG
. It used a
3.0-litre inline-five cylinder
 engine that dished out
231 hp
 and
540 Nm
 of torque. This model received credit for being the most powerful production diesel powered car in the world. Sadly, the
C30 CDI AMG
 had appalling sales figures and remained as
 the only diesel powered AMG model made thus far
. Mercedes went back to the drawing board whilst the BMW M3 remained undisputed.

Manufactured in 2007 with a total sales figure of over
 2.4 million units
, the W204 featured a more S-Class-esque styling cue. Conventionally designed by clay, the W204 was designed in virtual reality called a
digital prototype
 where engineers could simulate and perform crash tests and make structural changes to the layout
before
 the actual prototype was built.
The W204 was also the most extensively tested C-Class to date. Four different trim levels were offered with this model, beginning with the
Classic, Elegance, Avantgarde
 and
AMG
 trims. The C-Class also featured a revised navigation system which was displayed on a
 seven-inch LCD screen
. Later models received
 LED DRLs
for the first time on a C-Class. Another C-Class’ first was the debut of Mercedes’
BlueEFFICIENCY
 diesel technology.
The W204 was jam packed with a plethora of safety programs such as
Adaptive Highbeam Assist
,
Active Lane Keeping Assist
,
Active Blind Spot Assist
,
 PRE-SAFE Brake
,
Lane Keeping Assist
 and
 Blind Spot Assist
; just name a few. The brand’s BlueEFFICIENCY tech was highly regarded and praised with
excellent
 fuel consumption and low Co2 emissions.
After relentlessly testing and re-engineering, the W204 gave birth to the
C63 AMG
 which was purportedly a ‘built-from-the-ground-up’ model with a
6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8
. It’s a different approach, considering how the previous models were simply slapped with a larger engine on the same body and chassis. The C63 used a detuned version of the very powerplant (
M156
) used to power the
SLS AMG
 and a host of other AMG Mercs.

This made it a much better rival for the
Audi RS4
 and
BMW M3
 with
451 hp
 at 6,800 rpm and
 600 Nm
 of torque at 5,000 rpm, mated to a
seven-speed SpeedShift
 multi-clutch transmission (MCT) with
three shift modes
 – Comfort, Sport and Manual. The C63 effectively put to shame some of the more distinguished sports cars, boasting a blistering 0 to 100 km/h sprint time of
4.4 seconds
. Needless to say that Mercedes finally cracked the code with this winning combination.
Now in its fifth generation, the
W205
 was presented to the world in February 2014 featuring more rigid and lightened chassis that’s
100 kg
 less than its predecessor. Couple that with an S-Class oriented design fascia, the C-Class has never looked better and will surely fly off the shelves all over the world.
It’s rather amazing what this broadly successful premium compact car has achieved over the years. Numerous attempts, trials and errors have truly shaped the C-Class to what it is today, and it has shown the world that variety truly is the spice of life. From rallying to touring car racing and then a muscle car; the humble C-Class is clearly a versatile one. But one thing is for sure – we have yet to see the best of the W205, for it has shown the world what versatility truly means.
IMAGE GALLERY


Range Rover SVAutobiography detailed in pictures, Executive Class rear seats

During the reveal of the
refreshed Range Rover SVAutobiography
, Land Rover provided limited photos of its luxury SUV. Now, the British carmaker has now released additional official images for us to have a closer look at SVAutobiography.
As reported earlier, the SVAutobiography is an (even more) upmarket version of the long-wheelbase Range Rover. The four-seater SUV has its interior reimagined to be a
First-Class Cabin
 that features quilted Nappa leather upholstery,
Executive Class rear seats
, powered rear doors, full-length centre console, a detachable 10.0-inch touchscreen rear entertainment system and an exclusive
Zenith analogue clock
.

The Executive Class rear seats are able to recline up to
40-degrees
 and gets features such as the hot stone massage function as well as heated calf and footrests. Thanks to the new seat design and extended wheelbase, rear passengers have the luxury of
1.2 metres worth of legroom
.
Powertrain options for the Range Rover SVAutobiography include a 4.4-litre turbodiesel V8 with
334 hp
, 5.0-litre supercharged V8 with
557 hp
 and the recently introduced
2.0-litre P400e plug-in hybrid
 packing
398 hp
 and
 640 Nm
 of torque.
IMAGE GALLERY


Facts & Figures: 2020 Jaguar XE now available in Malaysia

Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia has introduced the 2020 Jaguar XE here in Malaysia, which has been given a facelift update globally last year. The new
Jaguar XE
 will be available here in a sole
R-Dynamic variant
, with prices starting from
RM395,831.02
 on the road, without insurance, and inclusive of the
sales tax exemptions
 effective until the end of 2020.
EXTERIOR
The 2020 Jaguar XE has received a mild cosmetic makeover with this update. Thanks to the R-Dynamic package, the Malaysian-specification Jaguar XE also gets sportier front and rear bumpers, the former featuring aircraft winglet-inspired styling cues on the air inlets.
Visual updates on the new Jaguar XE include:
Reworked headlights with ‘J’ blade daytime-running lights
Redesigned taillights with new bolder, sharper lighting signature
Larger air intakes on the front bumper
Dark mesh detailing on the rear bumper, with integrated dual exhaust exits
New 18-inch wheel styles
PERFORMANCE
The updated Jaguar XE is available in Malaysia only in P300 form, featuring Jaguar Land Rover’s 2.0-litre Turbocharged Ingenium engine.
Engine: P300 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine
Transmission: ZF 8HP45 eight-speed automatic
Powertrain: Front engine, rear-wheel drive
Max horsepower: 300 hp @ 5,500 RPM
Max torque: 400 Nm @ 1,500 – 4,500 RPM
0-100 km/h: 5.9 seconds
Top speed: 250 km/h
To enhance the refinement of the sports sedan, Jaguar equipped a pendulum damper in the torque converter gearbox of the XE that is “extremely effective at absorbing low frequency vibrations”, allowing the engine to run at lower speeds – thus resulting in better fuel economy.
Jaguar Drive Control is also fitted as standard on the XE, with switchable driving modes that alters the engine and transmission response, steering feel, parasitic load management, as well as traction and stability control. This is controlled via a toggle switch on the centre console.
INTERIOR
Much like most recent Jaguar and Land Rover facelift updates, the new XE also sees a significant overhaul to its interior styling, though retaining the overall architecture from before. Changes in the cabin include:
New Touch Pro Duo infotainment system; 10-inch upper infotainment display, 5.5-inch lower screen for climate control and drive settings, two dynamic rotary dials with integrated display
12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
Smartphone Pack, featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity
Wireless charging pad
New pistol-style gear shifter stalk
The new updated Jaguar XE also comes equipped with Smart Settings, as seen on recent JLR models including the
all-new Range Rover Evoque
,

Jaguar E-Pace
, and
Land Rover Discovery Sport
. The feature uses artificial intelligence to learn the driver’s preference in climate control, infotainment, and comfort settings over time, and will preset the right settings when the driver is approaching the car, with separate profiles for different keys and mobile phones.
SAFETY
The safety equipment on the Jaguar XE have been given a minor spec bump, with a couple of new additions to the active driver assistance suite. As standard, safety kit on the XE now includes:
Driver condition monitoring
Lane keep assist with lane departure warning
Park Assist with 360-degree Parking Aid
Traffic sign recognition with adaptive speed limiter
Rear traffic monitor
Six airbags
Dynamic stability control
Traction control
PRICING
The updated 2020 Jaguar XE is now available in Malaysia in the sole P300 R-Dynamic form, with prices starting at
 RM395,831.02
, on the road, and without insurance. The price listed here also includes the

sales tax exemptions
 that is in place until the end of 2020.
Included in the price is also the Jaguar Care programme, which includes a five-year unlimited-mileage warranty with free scheduled service programme, as well as three years of free roadside assistance.
IMAGE GALLERY


Toyota Raize sales suspended, another Daihatsu safety scandal appears

Following the
Daihatsu
 safety scandal involving the Yariz Ativ/Vios and Axia/Agya, further internal investigations have revealed that the Toyota Raize has also been involved in a safety scandal. The safety issue concerns the UN-R135 test, which is a pole side collision test. According to Daihatsu, instead of submitting the right driver’s seat data for test, the company submitted the left side data.
Like the
Vios
/Yariz Ativ issue, the Toyota Raize’s safety scandal concerns the driver door. In the pole side impact test (UN-R135), the left and tight test must be performed and the data must be submitted. Quoting Daihatsu on its official website, “This time, the passenger seat side (left) was tested in the presence of witnesses. For the driver’s seat side, we submitted the left side data instead of the right-side in-house test data.”
According to Daihatsu, this matter was discovered during an internal inspection of Daihatsu’s certification operations in response to Daihatsu’s announcement on April 28, 2023, that it had committed wrongdoing in conducting side impact collision tests of vehicles destined for overseas markets.
The Toyota Raize is essentially the same model as the Daihatsu Rocky and the
Perodua Ativa
. Sales of the Daihatsu Rocky have also been suspended, but no statements have been made regarding the Perodua counterpart of the Toyota Raize. With the
Axia
, Vios, and now the Raize being involved in the Daihatsu safety scandal, it is possible that the Alza/Veloz may be affected too. No news has surfaced regarding these models yet.
RELATED:
No recalls for Toyota Vios amidst Daihatsu safety “procedural irregularity”
In a statement released by Toyota, the company says that “All Group companies, including Toyota Motor Corporation, have begun a company-wide reexamination and thorough review of the governance system until now. We will work with Daihatsu to carefully address this matter while listening to the voices of those on the front lines. We will also continue to report on the details as soon as they become available.”
RELATED:
MIROS to assess Perodua Axia safety, no complaints received so far
Daihatsu Motor Corporation, in a statement, said, “Our company believes that this fraud is a fraud in the area related to vehicle safety and is not socially acceptable. It is thought that management failed to get involved in the field, neglecting compliance with laws and fostering a healthy corporate culture, and lost sight of proper car manufacturing, leading to the occurrence of fraudulent acts.”
“Rather than ending this incident of misconduct as a mere matter of business conduct, the reforms are tied to the philosophy and action guidelines of the entire corporate group. We will thoroughly investigate the environment and the root cause, work on improvement and recurrence prevention, and will work with the determination to change the company so that the same mistake will not be repeated by draining the pus.”
“The Company will fully cooperate with the third-party committee’s full clarification of the incident and its root cause analysis. In addition, management will immediately communicate with the workplace and focus on creating a workplace where people can speak frankly.”
UPDATE:
Toyota Raize passes in-house re-test of UN-R135, authorities to confirm


Mitsubishi Triton Knight is a Triton Adventure X with free accessories!

For a limited period, Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia is adding a new variant to the Mitsubishi Triton model line-up in the shape of the Triton Knight, albeit over
120 units in total
 and only available in ‘
White Diamond
’.
In essence, the Triton Knight is an accessorised version of the top-of-the-range Triton Adventure X and adds a grey
front bumper garnish
,
hood protector
,
body stickers
 and
side window deflectors
. On the inside, the Knight gets carpet mats with red stitching and customised scuff plates.
Otherwise, the rest of the Triton Knight remains unchanged from
the Adventure X,
 which means you get a plethora of standard equipment that includes All Round Monitor (overhead camera view when negotiating tight spaces), digital video recorder, and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.
The Triton Knight is priced at
RM137,900
, which is the same as the Triton Adventure X, but for existing customers of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia, there is an additional cash rebate of up to
RM3,000
if you purchase any variant of the Triton, or if you are a pick-up owner (all brands), you’ll also receive a
RM2,000
 rebate on any Triton you may fancy, both cash incentives are on top of current promotions.

The Mitsubishi Triton range of pick-ups is priced from RM79,890 for the recently launched
Triton Quest 4×2
 – the most affordable pick-up truck in the Malaysian market.


Volkswagen Golf Mk.8 in Malaysia delayed by Covid-19, to be launched “soon”

In the press conference following the launch of the Arteon R-Line here in Malaysia, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia Managing Director, Erik Winter confirmed that the Golf Mk.8 will be making its introduction here in Malaysia soon.
Responding to media queries on the brand’s signature hatchback, Winter said: “The golf is an icon. We have had the Golf for many years in Malaysia with very big successes. Let me put it this way – we are working very hard to get the car into the market soon.”
Winter added that the car faced delays in its rollout schedule due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting movement control orders (MCO), compounded by the global chip shortage issue faced by carmakers worldwide.
Check out this drift battle between a Volkswagen Golf R and a Mercedes-AMG A 45 S!
“But, we are progressing right now, and I’m sure that we will meet up soon again to discuss more in detail about this car – hopefully not virtual”, a remark on the virtual car launches and press conferences that have now become the norm within the industry in an effort to reduce social contact due ot the pandemic.
The latest country to receive the all-new Volkswagen Golf in our region is Singapore. The iconic hatchback is offered in two variants in the island nation – a 1.5 eTSI mild hybrid (with three equipment packages – Life, Life Plus, and R-Line), as well as the
Golf GTI
.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Volkswagen Golf in Singapore.
For the former, a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine is paired to an integrated 48V starter-generator, making
150 hp
and
 250 Nm
 in total. Power is sent through a dual-clutch DSG gearbox to the front wheels for a 0-100 km/h time of
8.5 seconds
, onward to a top speed of
224 km/h
.
Meanwhile, the GTI gets an EA888 evo4 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder mill, boasting
245 hp
 and
370 Nm
 of torque on tap. It’s also paired to a seven-speed DSG transmission (unfortunately no manual, and we expect the same for Malaysia too) for a century sprint time of
 6.3 seconds
.
Will we see the same offerings for the Volkswagen Golf here in Malaysia? Only time will tell – but as it stands, it doesn’t seem like we’ll be waiting too much longer.


Volvo Malaysia’s new genuine parts warranty programme covers defects for a lifetime!

As an ongoing commitment to offer quality aftersales services for its customers,
Volvo Car Malay
s
ia
 today unveiled a new warranty programme, called ‘Customer Lifetime Parts Warranty’ that aims to give all Volvo customers added peace of mind throughout their vehicle ownership.
The warranty programme is automatically eligible for all customers who have purchased and installed Volvo genuine parts at an authorised Volvo dealership from 1 October 2021 onwards. And as the name suggests, the warranty will be valid for the entirety of the car’s lifetime, as long as it’s still under the ownership of the registered car owner.
Under the warranty programme, in the event that customers require repair or replacement for any genuine Volvo parts due to a material or manufacturing defect, Volvo Car Malaysia will repair and replace the part free of charge.
The Volvo S90 T8 PHEV facelift has just been launched in Malaysia earlier this year. Check it out here!
For customers with older Volvo models who have not visited an authorised Volvo service centre for more than two years, their cars will be required to undergo a Volvo Health Check to determine that it’s in good condition and has not been modified or tempered with in any way.
The customers will only be able to purchase parts under the warranty programme if the health check is passed, and will then be required to send their car back to any Volvo authorised dealership for subsequent services to ensure that the warranty remains valid.
Interested customers should also note that the warranty programme does not cover the regular wear and tear parts, as outlined in the warranty manual. The Volvo authorised dealerships nationwide will be able to advise you on the full scope of parts covered.
Volvo Car Malaysia’s new online service lets you browse its entire pre-owned car selection. Learn more here.
Volvo Car Malaysia Managing Director, Charles Frump said, “This new offering is part of our commitment to provide the best after-sales services for our customers.
“Customer satisfaction have always been a pivotal aspect for Volvo, and through this warranty programme, our customers can now enjoy the benefits of decreased maintenance costs and experience the quality offered by Volvo, in the years to come.”
Earlier this year, Volvo Car Malaysia also announced a
revised extended warranty programme
, where all new Volvo cars registered from 1 January 2021 onwards will now come with a factory five-year unlimited mileage warranty.


Honda HR-V e:HEV hybrid powertrain detailed for Europe – Malaysia to follow suit?

Ahead of its official European launch in “late 2021”, Honda has now revealed more information about the e:HEV hybrid powertrain underneath the bonnet of the
all-new HR-V
– the sole powertrain offering in the continent.
Just like our
Honda City R.S.
, the Honda HR-V in Europe will also be powered by the marque’s i-MMD hybrid set-up, consisting of a 1.5-litre i-VTEC atkinson-cycle engine, alongside a pair of compact electric motors.
In total, the e:HEV system makes
131 hp
 and
253 Nm
 of torque, which translates to a 0-100 km/h sprint time of
10.6 seconds.
 Meanwhile, fuel economy is rated at
5.4 l/100km
 based on the WLTP test cycle.
Sharp-eyed readers will notice the similar torque figure between the European-spec HR-V and our City RS e:HEV, though Honda says that the new powertrain in the HR-V features a number of improvements, including revisions to the internal combustion engine that resulted in an “increase in torque”, as well as an increase of battery cells from 48 to 60, owing to the HR-V’s larger size.
The latter allows for better storage and deployment of electric power over the existing European-market Jazz, which has a maximum electric throughput of 80 kW. Despite the increased battery size, Honda says that the interior space on the all-new Honda HR-V was not compromised.
Will the all-new Honda HR-V still retain its crown when it makes its way to Malaysia? We think so – click here to find out why!
As with the other e:HEV models, the Honda HR-V will automatically select the most efficient power delivery mode (between hybrid, electric, or engine drive) at any given time. Honda says that the transfer between the driving modes is “virtually unnoticeable” to the occupants.
But on top of that, there are also three driving modes available for the driver to choose from – Econ, Normal, and Sport. Econ mode automatically adjusts the air conditioning system and throttle response for enhanced fuel efficiency; Sport enables a sharper throttle response; Normal, as the name suggests, is a balance between the two.
Did you know that the e:HEV powertrain is related to Formula 1 cars? Read more about it here!
For energy recuperation, drivers can also switch to a “B-range” from the transmission for an “increased EV-like experience” with a more aggressive recuperation profile, allowing for a near single-pedal operation. The energy recovery strength can be further adjusted via the paddles behind the steering wheel.
Honda also says that the use of a single fixed gear ratio transmission on the HR-V’s e:HEV hybrid system creates significantly lower friction as compared to a conventional power split system with a planetary gearbox, which ultimately results in lower energy consumption for pure electric driving.
With all that being said, will the upcoming all-new Honda HR-V feature a similar hybrid powertrain when it’s eventually launched here in Malaysia? Based on the fact that we were one of the first to locally assemble the e:HEV powertrain (for the Honda City R.S.) outside of Japan, we’d say that there’s certainly a chance!
Honda Malaysia might also feel a slight pressure coming from UMW Toyota, since the latter has also recently announced its
commitment to locally-assemble electrified models
 here.
At the end of the day, it will still be a business decision, and if there’s enough demand for it, then perhaps Honda Malaysia could more easily justify the business case. So with that being said, would you be excited to see the Honda HR-V e:HEV here in Malaysia? Let us know in the comments below!


Lexus LS 500 F Sport could make you forget about the BMW 7 Series

Following the
teaser
 released a week ago, Lexus has finally uncovered the LS 500 F Sport that’s set to make its appearance in the upcoming 2017 New York International Auto Show. The sharp Lexus LS 500 F Sport marks the third LS 500 model offered, following the standard
LS 500
 and the
hybrid LS 500h
.

Unlike its tamer siblings, the LS 500 F Sport looks more rebellious with its F Sport addenda. Unique to this LS is the complex front grille that has 7,100 individual surfaces, 2,100 more than the standard LS. Working together with the Spindle grille are two larger side intakes to improve air cooling. The LS 500 F Sport gets bigger
20-inch wheels
, as well as two exclusive exterior hues –
White Nova
 and
Heat Blue
.

The sporty theme is also found on the inside, with the seat covered with perforated leather and Ultrasuede. As always with F Sport models, it obtains aluminium pedals and footrest together with F Sport steering wheel and LFA-influenced instruments.
Just like the other F Sport models, no performance gains are made. It can be had with either the
415 hp 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6
 from the standard LS 500 or the
295 hp 3.5-litre V6 hybrid
. The former reaches 100 km/h from nought in 4.5 seconds, while the hybrid does that in 5.2 seconds.
Being a sporty sedan that poised to be “
the most engaging LS driving experience yet
” means it has bigger brakes and sport-tuned air suspension. It benefits from the latest
Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM)
 chassis control system that tweaks the ABS, traction control, ESC and steering while at different speeds.
Back on our shores, Lexus Malaysia offer the F Sport trim on most of its models. There’s a good chance all three LS 500s to make their way here in the near future, to provide the
W222 Mercedes S-Class
and
G11 BMW 7 Series
 with some competition.
IMAGE GALLERY