2017 Honda City facelift previewed, VSA and keyless entry standard

Just one month after Thailand unveiled the Honda City Facelift, Honda Malaysia wasted no time in continuing the hype here. After all, the car is the hottest B-Segment sedan in the market today. Displayed here in the very metal is the Malaysian-spec Honda City facelift, but it differs a tad bit from the
Thai-spec model
 we featured earlier this month, but it’s for the better.
Starting from the front, it gets full LED headlamps (reflector type) and fog lamps like the
Civic FC
. The grille resembles the one on the
Civic FB
 while the Solid Wing chrome grille extends into the headlamp housings. Dual-tone alloys are featured here and measures
16-inch
 in size, wrapped in 195/55 profile Goodyear Excellence tyres.
The rear end is where it slightly differs from the
Thai-spec model we pictured
. Our City will get an additional ducktail spoiler with integrated third brake light and LED combination tail lamps. Other than that, the facelift exercise sees a slightly revised lower bumper section. This model on display (presumably the highest trim) gets a reverse camera too.

As with recent Honda preview models, the car displayed was heavily tinted, therefore there’s no telling if the cabin would remain identical to its Thai counterpart. However, Honda Malaysia revealed that all variants of the City facelift will come
as standard
 with VSA, hill-start assist, keyless entry and start as well as the dual tone alloy wheels.
The City will soldier on with the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder with i-VTEC and Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) producing
119 hp
 and
145 Nm
 of torque, just like
before
. Regardless, this City is a certified Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV). Honda Malaysia also revealed that they will be revising the City model lineup from the current
four variants – S, S+, E, V
 to only three variants.
Bookings
 for the facelifted Honda City is now opened.
Members of the public can catch a glimpse of the facelifted Honda City at the following Honda roadshow:
18 Feb – The Curve, PJ
19 Feb – One Utama, PJ; East Coast Mall, Kuantan; Seberang Jaya, Penang; Icon City, Penang
20 Feb – Green Town, Ipoh; Yau Tet Shin, Ipoh
21 Feb – SS2 Bank Area, PJ; Uptown, PJ; Section 17, PJ
22 Feb – Public Bank Area, Seremban; Dataran Pahlawan, Melaka
23 – 26 Feb – Gurney Plaza, Penang
23 Feb – Weltex Parade, Muar; AEON Big parking, Batu Pahat
24 Feb – Bukit Indah/Perling, JB; Taman Sentosa, JB
IMAGE GALLERY


Proton records growth in April, SUVs continues to lead sales

Proton delivered
15,017 units
 in April to land the automaker an estimated market share of
26.7%
. After four months of strong sales performance, the brand’s total sales of
47,843 units
 place the company in a solid second position in the ranking with a market share of
24.4%
.
In terms of growth, April 2021 saw a tiny increase of 28 units over March’s figures. As periods of March and April last year were at its strictest of the MCO phase, a comparison is unnecessary.
As always, the main contributor (37%) to Proton’s sales was the
Proton Saga

which sold
5,472 units
. Based on internal intelligence, the Saga returns to the top of the monthly sales chart, as well as overtaking arch-rival Perodua Bezza.
Production of the highly in-demand
Proton X50
 continues to stabilise, with monthly deliveries close to 3,500 units since February 2021.
Sales of the Proton X50 in April saw an increase of 70 units to reach 3,583 units. Combined with the sales of
Proton

X70

with 2,101 units, Proton’s SUV models are now the biggest contributor to the company’s revenue. A total of 18,328 units of SUVs have been delivered in 2021,
contributing to 38% of 2021 sales
.
“April was a good month for the automotive industry and aside from Proton, several other brands also had their best month of the year so far. TIV is estimated to be over 56,000 units as all brands are trying to fulfill sales orders before the
expiry of PENJANA sales tax incentives at the end of June
.
“For Proton, we are continuing with efforts to meet the strong demand for our products while maintaining a high level of product quality. At the same time, we are focusing on improving customer service and addressing issues related to spare parts availability, which is vital as our sales volume increases. We estimate the situation will see significant improvement as the year progresses but we are working hard to move up that timeline,” said Roslan Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer, Proton Edar.
The month of April also saw the best monthly sales performance of the
Persona
 with 2,266 units and
Exora
 with 616 units. Thanks to the introduction of the
Iriz R3 Edition
, April’s sales numbers of the hatchback was the best since 2019 with 974 units.
Last month, Proton commenced the construction of the
expansion
 of their Tanjung Malim plant. The RM200 million stamping facility is expected to become operational by the third quarter of 2022 and will allow the company to stamp out much larger pieces of body panels.


Audi has a team of scientists to make sure your car smells just right

Car manufacturing is already a labourious and finicky task – there are just so many things to consider, from design and engineering, to user interface and material selection, and those are just the basics. If there’s someone to go above and beyond the standard though, you’ve got to believe it to be the Germans.
Other than just making their cars drive, look, and feel good, Audi employs a team of scientists to make sure your car smells good too. No, seriously – we checked the date too.
According to
The Drive
,
 the dedicated smell scientists, called the Audi Nose Team, have been a part of the German carmaker’s research and development team since 1985. Their single goal is to ensure that the car doesn’t stink, not just when it’s fresh off the assembly line, but also under extreme situations, too.
And fortunately for us, they take it very seriously. Heiko Lüßmann-Geiger, Audi Nose Team lead since the early 2000’s, even said that the smell is one of the most foundational elements in the “comfort pyramid” that can make or break he experience of car ownership.
“At the tip of this hierarchy pyramid is the well-being of the customer, right at the base is the smell,” explained Lüßmann-Geiger. “If the customer is now irritated by this odour from below, he will no longer correctly perceive all the other positive comfort properties of the vehicle. He is too irritated by the stress brought about by the odour.”
All materials in the car are graded on a scale from one (“odourless”) to six (“unbearble”). For example, core carmaking materials such as glass, ceramics, and metals are often rated as a one. All materials must be rated below a four (“irritating”) in order to pass the sniff test.

According to the
official Audi Twitter account
, the nose team analyses over 500 individual interior components in each model to get the “new car smell” just right.
So the next time you get into an Audi, make sure you take a big whiff and remember – whatever you’re smelling has been fine tuned by a group of scientists. And for those who don’t have regular access to an Audi, at least there’s still the
specifically-designed new car scent perfume
, right?


Looking to upgrade your Volkswagen to a newer model? Das WeltAuto has the answer!

Upgrading your car is never an easy feat. There are various expenses to consider and not to mention the headache of getting the most value out of your used vehicle. If you’re a Volkswagen owner, there may be a solution with Volkswagen’s global used car programme introduced by Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia and
Das WeltAuto
 called the
Trade-Up campaign
.
The campaign is
targeted at existing Volkswagen owners
 including the Touran, Cross Touran, Sharan, Passat CC and Passat B7; giving them the opportunity to trade in their vehicles with “extra support” for a brand new Volkswagen.

Through the campaign, owners of the above-mentioned Volkswagen vehicles can
enjoy an additional RM3,000 trade-in support
 for all Volkswagen models including the new
Arteon R-Line
,
Passat Elegance
, and both variants of the
Tiguan Allspace
 (the R-Line and Highline).
All Volkswagen vehicles are accepted for trade-in and will undergo a strict and thorough 133-point check conducted and verified by Volkswagen Technicians. Customers who purchase a vehicle from Das WeltAuto will also enjoy a 1-year extended warranty and 1-year roadside assistance. Rest assured that these vehicles are fitted with genuine parts, accident-free, and come with complete proof of service from authorised Volkswagen service centres.

Das WeltAuto is available at eight Volkswagen dealerships:
Volkswagen Puchong
Volkswagen Gombak
Volkswagen Glenmarie
Volkswagen Tebrau
Volkswagen Alor Setar
Volkswagen Juru
Volkswagen Ipoh
Volkswagen Skudai
Following the Sales Tax Exemption announcement, for the latest price list of Volkswagen vehicles in Malaysia, click
here
.


Alfa Romeo Giulia named the Most Beautiful Car of 2016, and we agree

Alfa Romeo staged a truly memorable comeback with the unveiling of the
all-new Giulia Quadrifoglio
 back in June 2015. The Italian rear-wheel drive beast is the successor to the 159 (which still looks hot today), and packs about 505 hp and 600 Nm of torque out of a twin-turbocharged, all-aluminium 2.9-litre V6 engine.
It dashes from standstill to 100km/h in just 3.9 seconds and boasts a perfect 50:50 weight distribution. A little over a year later,
Alfa Romeo launched a lukewarm variant called the Giulia Veloce
. Equipped with a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, the Veloce is good for
280 hp
 and
 400 Nm
. There’s also a 2.2-litre turbodiesel variant making
210 hp
 and
470 Nm
 of torque. Unlike the Quadrifoglio, both Veloce variants are all-wheel drive and share the same eight-speed automatic.
Just recently, at the
Das Goldene Lenkrad
(Golden Steering Wheel competition), a star-studded panel of 29 automotive judges and readers of
Auto Bild
 and
Bild am Sonntag
 casted the majority of votes favouring the Giulia. Created by the Alfa Romeo Style Centre, the Giulia is a new expression of the best Italian tradition combining harmonic proportions, linearity of style, high quality materials including sophisticated aluminium, wood and leather accents.
We’ve seen enough already. Can someone represent the brand here in Malaysia, please?


SunAgata Supercars awarded sole distributorship for Lamborghini in Malaysia from 2021

Automobili Lamborghini
 has appointed SunAgata Supercars Sdn. Bhd. as the new sole distributor for its vehicles in Malaysia, beginning January 1, 2021. The agreement includes distribution of new Lamborghini vehicles, alongside spare parts and rights to aftersales services in the country.
The newly-formed team at the Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur (LKL) Centre will be led by Chief Executive Officer Roland Chan, who is also concurrently serving as the CEO for McLaren Kuala Lumpur. Working alongside an experienced cohort of automotive professionals, owners of Lamborghini vehicles previously procured from the official Malaysian franchise can look forward to continuity of service excellence at LKL.
Initial workshop operations will be conducted at a temporary facility at Audi Centre Glenmarie, Shah Alam, while construction of the new state-of-the-art workshop is completed. The new LKL workshop is expected to be operational in March 2021, while the Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur integrated 3S facility is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2021.
The temporary facility will still be equipped with dedicated Lamborghini parking area, reception, and facilities, ensuring convenience and the highest level of customer service at all touchpoints during this transition period.
For all sales and service enquiries, customers can contact LKL’s dedicated contact point for Lamborghini, Nicole Perreau, via phone at
+6012-5190380
 or email at
[email protected]
. The temporary workshop facilities is located at Audi Centre Glenmarie, 27 Jalan Pelukis U1/46, Temasya Industrial Park, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor.


New MINI owners to get 5-years free scheduled service and unlimited mileage warranty

MINI Malaysia has introduced the 60 Months MINI Service + Repair Inclusive Programme (MSRI) for all new MINI vehicles purchased in celebration of 60 years of the MINI.
The offer will assure new MINI owners with 60 months/80,000 km (whichever comes first) of
Free Scheduled Service
 along with
60 months of Warranty with Unlimited Mileage
 for all models in the MINI line-up.

As part of the 60 Months MINI Service + Repair Inclusive Programme includes service vehicle check, engine oil and brake fluid change and servicing of air filter, fuel filer, micro filter, spark plugs.
All new purchases of MINI vehicles registered from now till 31st of August 2019 will be eligible for the celebratory offer.
Additionally, the 60 Months MINI Service + Repair Inclusive Programme will also be applicable for fleet packages, duty-exempted vehicles and the Returning Expert Programme (REP) customers.


Sales Tax Exemption: Mercedes-Benz Malaysia releases updated price list

Ahead of the commencement of the sales tax exemptions for private vehicles, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) has now released the updated prices list after sales tax exemption for its models, with reductions across the board ranging from 1.9% to 7.1%.
The Sales Tax Exemption comes under Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s
short term economy recovery plan
. The exemption period, which begins on
15th June to the 31st December 2020
, sees the sales tax on locally-assembled models reduced to zero, while imported units halved to 5%.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Price List after Sales Tax Exemption:
The recently-launched trio of compact AMG models sees a reduction of 3.4% (RM13,103) on the
A 35 Edition 1 Hatchback
, 3.6% (RM16,618) on the
A 45S Edition 1 Hatchback
, and 3.4% (RM15,086) on the
CLA 45S
. All three models are fully-imported.
The
S450L AMG Line
 gets the largest reduction, coming in at 7.1% (RM49,775). Although, the newer plug-in hybrid
S560e
 variant is still priced lower at RM646,626, after a 1.9% reduction in price due to the exemption of sales tax. Both of the large executive sedans are locally-assembled.
As for the SUVs, the locally-assembled
AMG GLC43
 gets the largest reduction in terms of percentage at 6.2% (RM29,282). The recently-updated
GLC 200 and GLC 300
 gets a 4.5% (RM13,509) and 4.8% (RM16,731) reduction respectively, while the
GLC 300 Coupe
 variant gets a higher reduction at 5.5% (RM23,018).
For the updated price list after sales tax exemption from other car brands in Malaysia, click
here
.


Geely FY11 flaunts driver-centric cabin, 2.0L turbo with 238 hp & 350 Nm

Geely Auto has released yet another photoset of their upcoming Sports Coupe SUV, this time we can a full look of the car’s interior. Known internally as the
FY11
, the brand’s “most driver-focused car to date” features a driver centric cockpit.
At the centre of the FY11’s cabin is a flat-bottomed multifunctional steering wheel and a high-tech centre console that has been angled ever so slightly towards the driver for ease of access. Curiously, the LCD instrument cluster features a familiar layout to
modern BMWs
.
The GKUI infotainment
system has also been updated to feature crisper graphics and presumably more intuitive
to use. Travel down towards the centre console and you’ll find an airplane throttle-styled
electronic gear selector and a rotary knob drive mode selector.
The FY11 also features
semi-bucket seats to hold you in place around bends but the designers also want
the seats to be comfortable for long journeys hence the headrest design of the FY11
were referenced with headrests found on first-class airline cabins.
Geely has confirmed that their first model to ride on the Geely-Volvo developed Compact Modular Architecture Platform (CMA) will be equipped with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum output of
238 hp
and
350 Nm
of torque.
IMAGE GALLERY
Geely FY11


Mercedes-Benz EQB 350 and EQC 400 prices confirmed – RM 329k and RM389k

Previewed in July this year,
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia
 has finally confirmed the price for both the all-electric Mercedes-Benz
EQB 350 4MATIC
 and
EQC 400 4MATIC
 at
RM328,888
 and
RM388,888
 respectively. The prices listed are on-the-road (OTR) prices and without insurance.
Both cars are offered in one variant each and were previewed during the launch of the
Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+
. Mercedes-Benz Malaysia currently has four models in its EV line-up.
Mercedes-Benz EQB 350 4MATIC
The EQB 350 4MATIC is a seven-seater EV SUV based on the
Mercedes-Benz GLB
. Of course, the 4MATIC in its name hints at an all-wheel-drive (AWD) system with a dual-motor configuration. The powertrain’s maximum system output is
292 hp
 and
520 Nm
. The century print is done in
6.2 seconds
.
Giving the EQB 350 4MATIC up to
423 km
 of range (WLTP) is a
66.5 kWh
 battery pack. The EQB is capable of 100 kW DC fast charging and 11 kW AC charging. DC fast charging (100 kW) brings the state of charge (SOC) from 10% to 80% in
32 minutes
 while AC charging (11kW) fully charges the car from 10% in
6 hours and 15 minutes
.
Based on the Mercedes-Benz GLB, the exterior of the EQB features Mercedes-Benz’s “Electric Art” styling, 19-inch five-spoke light alloy wheels, polished aluminium roof rails, LED high-performance headlamps, and surround lighting.
Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4MATIC
Based on the Mercedes-Benz GLC, the EGC 400 4MATIC is a five-seater EV SUV. The maximum power output of the car is
408 hp
 and
760 Nm
, resulting in a
5.1 second
 0-100 km/h acceleration time. Like the EQB, it also gets a dual-motor AWD system.
There’s a bit more electric range in the EQC 400 MATIC, thanks to the large
80 kWh
battery. Based on WLTP standards, the electric range of the Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4MATIC can go up to
437 km
. With 11kW AC charging, the EQC charges from 10% to 100% in
seven hours and thirty minutes
. With 100 kW DC fast charging, the SOC goes from 10% to 80% in
40 minutes
.
The exterior design of the EQC 400 4MATIC includes an AMG Line exterior with 20-inch AMG light-alloy wheels, aluminium-look running boards with rubber studs, and Multibeam LED. On the inside, the EQC gets an MBUX multimedia system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration.
In 2022 alone, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia launched four models in its EV line-up. Besides the EQB and EQC, the line-up includes the
Mercedes-Benz EQA 250
 and the
Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+
.


New Hyundai Sonata Hybrid gets solar roof charging system

Shortly after announcing the
world’s first CVVD engine technology
, Hyundai is set to roll out the new Sonata Hybrid with a solar roof charging system.
The system, which will be rolled out in future Hyundai vehicles, supports the vehicle’s electric power source, improving fuel efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions.
The silicon solar panels seamlessly incorporated on the car’s roof can be charged while driving and
 with six hours of charging daily, can increase travel distance by an extra 1,300 km annually
.
Electricity generated is converted to standard voltage via a controller and subsequently stored in the car’s battery. Hyundai says that while the solar roof system plays a supporting role for now, it’s providing options for vehicles to no longer require fossil fuel to operate.
The new Hyundai Sonata is now on sale in Korea and will soon be sold in North America, with no immediate plans for sale in Europe.


BMW Malaysia to launch the new iX electric SUV soon?

BMW Malaysia has taken to Facebook again to hint at the imminent arrival of the iX all-electric SUV.
No further details were spared aside from a statement that kind of implies being stagnant or left behind if you don’t go electric. Ouch.
Roam around
BMW’s official page
 and you’ll notice a mention about two different variants – the xDrive40 and xDrive50 – aside from all the other fancy touches (especially on the inside).
If both the variants are available, you’re looking at some powerful BMW SUVs coming our way. The
xDrive50
 can up and go from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds with 523 hp and 765 Nm. That’s as quick as the
X3 M
 and
X4 M
 launched in Malaysia last year!
The ‘lesser’
xDrive40
 version of the iX SUV isn’t slow either with Golf GTi-like sprinting abilities. It still packs a healthy 326 hp and 630 Nm. Both are equipped with two motors; one each in the front and back.
Both models come with an 11-kW AC Charger as standard. According to BMW, it takes eight hours to fully charge up the xDrive40 and 11 hours for the xDrive50.
Currently, the only fully electric vehicle sold locally by BMW Malaysia is not a BMW, but is the
MINI Cooper SE
instead, from RM218k. Stay updated by BMW Malaysia on the new iX fully-electric SUV, click
here
.


Honda Malaysia announces Mr. Toichi Ishiyama as new MD & CEO

Honda Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (HMSB) today announced that Mr. Katsuto Hayashi will step down as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) after serving in the company for one and a half years. He will be succeeded by Mr. Toichi Ishiyama, 48.
Mr. Ishiyama has been with the Honda brand for 25 years in various roles in Japan, USA, Thailand, China and Pakistan. He spent a bulk of his time in market research and product planning and will be advantageous in ensuring that HMSB maintains its position as the number one non-national vehicle brand in Malaysia.
During Mr. Hayashi’s tenure in Malaysia, he strategically switched HMSB’s focus under the theme of Next Generation Advanced Technology – offering
turbocharging technology
,
Sport Hybrid i-DCD
 as well as
Honda Sensing
 to the Malaysian market. He subsequently saw HMSB recorded 100,000 sales units in the fiscal year of April 2016 to March 2017 as well as celebrated its
600,000
th
 production unit
 – of which he delivered his entire speech in Bahasa Malayu.
Mr. Hayashi delivered his entire speech in BM, projected on screen are the translations
Mr. Hayashi will be taking on a new role as General Manager, Overseas Operation Division (Americas), Regional Operation (North America) in Honda Motor Co. Ltd back in his home country Japan.
We at
AutoBuzz.my
would like to express our gratitude for everything you have accomplished here in Malaysia Hayashi-
san
, especially how you stir up the competition in the automotive scene.
Sayonara
Hayashi-
san
 and we wish you all the best.


BMW reveals the F15 X5 xDrive40e plug-in hybrid SAV: XC90 and Q7 e-tron rival

This introduction sees another addition to BMW’s
F15 X5 SAV
 lineup, and is positioned to take on a key competitor from Sweden, the
Volvo XC90 T8 Plug-in Hybrid
. As the name suggests, the Volvo’s T8 engine configuration is touted as the world’s most powerful and greenest SUV, making some
450 hp
 and
640 Nm
 of torque thanks to triple charging aided by a
60 kW electric

motor
,

and it sips just 2.5 litres of fuel per 100km. This first plug-in hybrid production car from the BMW core brand, the X5 PHEV however makes almost half of the T8’s output figures, so let’s see how it stacks up.
QUICK FACTS
Name
BMW F15 X5 xDrive40e PHEV
Engine
1,997cc; inline-4 with BMW TwinPower turbo + 250 Nm electric motor
Transmission
8-speed ZF automatic
Max Power
313 hp
Max Torque
450 Nm
0-100 km/h; Top Speed
6.8 seconds; 210 km/h (electronically limited)

The rather mouthful X5 xDrive40e plug-in hybrid by contrast is not nearly as powerful as the Volvo. It comes in one configuration only – a
2.0-litre inline-four
 engine with BMW’s TwinPower turbo, one that makes
245 hp
 and
350 Nm
 of torque. It’s paired to a
250 Nm synchronous electric motor
 integrated into the
eight-speed ZF gearbox
 driving
all four wheels
 – that’s the xDrive for you.

In electric mode alone, the xDrive40e can cover up to 31 kilometers and maxes out at 120 km/h, although it can do 210 km/h when the petrol engine kicks in. Average consumption is rated at 3.3 litres per 100 km and the chunky SAV emits just 77 grams of carbon dioxide.
The electric motor draws its power from a lithium-ion battery pack housed underneath the luggage compartment floor, resulting in a loss of 150 litres of cargo space (500 litres now). BMW says this architecture is the safest way of storing the battery because it will remain intact in the event of an accident.
Three driving modes can be chosen from; EcoPro, Comfort and Sport, and with the additional eDrive button in the centre console, you now get to choose the hybrid drive’s operating mode. There’s the Auto eDrive, Max eDrive and Save. It’s pretty self explanatory, though the Max eDrive mode enables the driver to squeeze every ounce of juice from the battery.
Standard equipment for this variant includes the Munich carmaker’s GPS navigational system, auxiliary heating and ventilation system, Adaptive Suspension Package and rear air suspension with Dynamic Damper Control. And like all other BMWs, you can customise your PHEV from BMW Individual.
If you’re wondering whether the xDrive40e will find its way to Malaysia, chances are it isn’t. Frankly speaking, it’s likelier for us to get the
X5 M and X6 M
 than its PHEV sibling. How’s that for a perspective?
[divider]
IMAGE GALLERY


Proton officiates new 3S Centre in Tawau, Sabah

Proton has just expanded its dealership and services network in the East Malaysia region, with the official opening of a new 3S (sales, services, and spare parts) Centre in Tawau.
The outlet is operated by Fook Loi Corporation, who has three other Proton 3S centre under its belt in Kota Kinabalu, Lahad Datu and Sandakan. All of the outlets were opened in the span of less than 15 months.
Carrying Proton’s latest corporate image, the Tawau 3S Centre houses a total of
10 servicing bays
 with
 four service hoists
, and can accommodate up to
five cars
 in its showroom.
Other amenities include a kids’ corner, coffee bar, laptop charging ports, as well as free WiFi connectivity.
 To date, Proton has a total of
120 3S and 4S certified outlets
 across the country, making Proton the brand with the largest number of 3S and 4S outlets nationwide.
Recently, Proton has announced that the national carmaker
exceeded 100,000 units
 sold in 2019, which equates to over 56% growth over the previous year.
The new Proton 3S Centre in Tawau is located at
1.5km, Japan Apas, Tawau, Sabah
. The Showroom is open from
8.30 am to 5.30 pm
 from Mondays to Fridays, and
8.30 am to 1 pm
 on Saturdays. Operating hours for the service centre are
8 am to 5 pm
 from Mondays to Friday, and
8 am to 4 pm
 on Saturdays.


Hozon to produce EVs in Thailand, to cater for ASEAN region

Hozon New Energy Automobile
, the company responsible for the Neta V(which recently
debuted at the Malaysia Auto Show 2023
), will soon begin making its electric vehicles (EVs) in Thailand.
Bangkok Post
 reports that Hozon’s EVs made in Thailand will be for the South East Asian (SEA) market.
The Chinese company has recently signed an agreement with Thailand’s Bangchan General Assembly Co Ltd this week to start production of its NETA V model. The Thai-produced Neta V will begin assembly in January 2024 with an annual capacity of 20,000 vehicles.
In Thailand alone, Hozon aims to sell 10,000 vehicles in 2023. Globally, the company aims to sell 300,000 vehicles this year. Hozon also aims to enter the Middle Eastern and European markets. Hozon is backed by CATL, the largest EV battery maker in the world that supplies to several well-known carmakers.
Thailand officially welcomed the Hozon electric cars last year in fully-imported (CBU) form. As for Malaysia, Hozon’s Neta V just recently made its debut at Malaysia Auto Show 2023. The Neta V is a budget-oriented compact EV and is priced at
RM99,800
, making it the cheapest electric car in Malaysia, dethroning the Ora Good Cat. As a matter of fact, the Neta was even offered with a RM10,000 cash rebate if purchased during the
2023 Malaysia Auto Show
.
RELATED:
Neta V makes Malaysia debut – budget-oriented compact EV SUV from RM99,800
The Neta V houses a 38.5-kWh battery pack that provides 380 km of range. Performance isn’t exactly the Neta’s forte, only producing 70 kW (
95 hp
) and
150 Nm
 from a single front-mounted electric motor on the front axle. No 0-100 km/h times are specified but officially, the Neta can do
0-50km/h
 in
3.9 seconds
. As for top speed, the Neta maxes out at
120 km/h
.
As for charging, the Neta V can handle a maximum AC charging rate of
6.6 kW
 (single phase) which takes about
8 hours
 to fully charge the car. DC charging can be done at a maximum rate of
100 kW
, and this can bring the battery’s state of charge (SOC) from 30% to 80% in just
30 minutes
.
In Malaysia, the Hozon (or Neta) will be distributed by local distributor Intro Synergy which is a subsidiary of GoAuto Group. Deliveries of the Neta V in Malaysia are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2023.
RELATED:
GoAuto subsidiary named Malaysian distributor for Hozon, Neta V EV “soft launch” next week


This mini Toyota Mirai RC car is actually powered by hydrogen

The
Toyota Mirai
, currently in its second generation, is only one of the couple of hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles actually on sale right now. To showcase its hydrogen FC technology and its potential to be used in “slightly more novel ways”, the carmaker’s UK arm teamed up with Tamiya and Bramble Energy to create this one-of-a-kind mini remote controlled (RC) Toyota Mirai… that’s also actually powered by hydrogen!
To make a mini Mirai RC car, the first step is – of course – to create a scale model of the actual Toyota Mirai car. With the help of RC car and scale model experts Tamiya, they’ve managed to create a 1/10th scale replica plastic shell of the actual car, painted in Scarlet Flare Red, a colour taken from the Mirai’s actual colour palette.
Then comes the innards, which is what this mini Mirai is all about. Taking the Tamiya TT-02 RC car as base, Toyota UK enlisted Bramble Energy, a company specialising in miniaturised hydrogen application, to convert the existing electric powertrain into a hydrogen-powered miniature model, consisting of a printed circuit board fuel cell system, a control system, and hydrogen storage.
We managed to check out the Toyota Mirai in person during the Tokyo Motor Show in 2019! Take a look here.
The end result is a mini hydrogen-powered RC car, with 20 Watts (about 0.03 hp) of power driving all four wheels. Thanks to the switch from LiPo battery to hydrogen fuel cell, the new mini Mirai also doubled the driving time of the existing RC car – and the best part is that the hydrogen canisters are easily swappable, meaning there’s no need to wait for the car to charge in between play time!
According to Bramble Energy CEO and co-founder, Tom Mason, the biggest challenge in creating the mini Mirai was to fit all the required system components into the compact Tamiya TT02 chassis and the Mirai RC car shell. However, the end result is fully operational, which proves that they’ve succeeded.
Tamiya made a life-sized toy car that you can actually drive! Check it out here.

Speaking about potential uses of hydrogen technology, Toyota UK spokesperson David Rogers said that “cars are the tip of the iceberg for Toyota in terms of progress towards a hydrogen society”. adding that the company is also planning to carry out more “trials of fuel cell-powered buses, trains, boats and, who knows, maybe even homes”, with the help of collaborations across Europe.
And just for a bit of fun, Toyota UK even took the mini Mirai out for a spin at the Old New Inn mini model village in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire -how apt. Check it out in the video above!
[Source: Toyota UK via
Carscoops
]
GALLERY


New Mitsubishi Xpander facelift coming in 2023 – Hybrid variant confirmed

The
Mitsubishi Xpander
 first had its
global reveal back in 2017
, and even then, its design was based on a concept unveiled in 2016. In automotive terms, that’s basically a lifetime – so a facelift for the Mitsubishi Xpander is pretty much due.
According to a roadmap that was included in Mitsubishi Motors Corporation’s (MMC) FY2020 annual report, the company has now confirmed that a “new Xpander” model will be introduced in 2023, two years from now!
Not much else has been revealed on the new model just yet, but the roadmap did mention a “Xpander HEV” model that will also be introduced in 2023, which means that there’ll definitely be one new hybrid powertrain option underneath the sheet metal.
The 2023 “New Xpander” is most likely a major facelift for the model, similar to what we saw on the current
Mitsubishi Triton
. Curiously, the roadmap also mentions a “new Triton” that’s due for 2022, could we be getting a second facelift for the hugely-popular pick-up truck, perhaps one with
Ralliart branding
? Only time will tell – but at least it’s not too long of a wait from now!
For the new Xpander, we expect to see a refreshed exterior more closely tied to
Mitsubishi’s latest concepts
, along with a spruced up cabin with more creature comforts – the latter hopefully includes a range of advanced driver assistance features.
The new Mitsubishi Xpander that’s due for 2023 will actually be the second refresh the model has seen; the
Malaysian-market model
 was actually launched in the facelifted form. However, the
changes were mild at best
, with most of the differences reserved to the equipment list of the seven-seater MPV.


Gallery: 2023 Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC – Compact performance sedan from RM354k est.

The Malaysian launch of the
Mercedes-AMG A 45 S
 just took place at the Sepang International Circuit last week. Alongside it,
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia
 also announced that its younger brother, the 2023
Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC
 is available for pre-booking in Malaysia. Unfortunately however, the performance sedan wasn’t present at the launch event. But worry not, as it later “attended” Mercedes-AMG Track Day, allowing us to show you a gallery of the car just in case you’re curious of how it looks like.
Looking to renew your vehicle insurance? Be sure to check out MotorTakaful.com by Etiqa. Renewing online will not only get you a 10% instant rebate, but also cash back at the end of your coverage. Log on to
www.motortakaful.com
 to find out more.
On the outside, the 2023 A 35 4MATIC sedan in Malaysia features the AMG-specific radiator grille, as well as the brand’s Multibeam LED headlamps, which comes with Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus as standard. The new AMG round badge is also fitted onto the A 35 instead of the Mercedes star in the performance sedan.
In addition, the A 35 also comes with a new front apron and power domes (also comes standard with the A 200 and A 250), which gives it a coherent ‘AMG face’. The performance sedan features a revised rear lamp design, a rear spoiler lip, and round exhaust pipes as well.
ALSO WATCH:
2023 Mercedes-Benz A-Class facelift, from RM239k – 5 Things
At the sides of the 2023 A 35 4MATIC are the 19-inch AMG 5-twin spoke light-alloy wheels, together with red-painted brake callipers as standard. The wheel arch has also been made wider to accommodate the AMG wheels. Underpinning the A 35 is the AMG Ride Control suspension.
Powering the Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC is a mild hybrid system. Part of the mild hybrid system is a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine. Mated to an 8-speed AMG Speedshift DCT transmission, the engine produces
306 hp
 and
400 Nm
.
The A 35 also comes with a 48V auxiliary power supply and a belt-driven starter generator (RSG), which gives it an additional
13 hp
 and
150 Nm
 of boost. Power is sent to all four wheels via the brand’s 4MATIC all-wheel drive system, and the century sprint takes
4.8 seconds
 to achieve, while top speed for the performance sedan is rated at
250 km/h
.
Moving inside, you get black sports seats that are wrapped in Artico man-made leather together with Microcut microfibre. The front seats are electrically adjustable and come with memory function.
As an AMG vehicle, the 2023 A 35 is equipped with the Manufaktur red seat belts too. The AMG Performance steering wheel is also here, wrapped in Nappa leather and features AMG steering wheel buttons. Mercedes-AMG has also decorated the A 35 with black and silver aluminium AMG Design trim elements.
The 2023 A 35 performance sedan is specified with the brand’s latest MBUX multimedia system (NTG 7), together with a 10.25-inch MBUX multimedia system, and a 10.25-inch all-digital instrument display. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both supported, the MBUX augmented reality (AR) for navigation, and a mobile device wireless charging system are also included with the Mercedes-AMG A 35 in Malaysia.
Other AMG trims that come with the 2023 A 35 include the AMG auto dimming interior mirror, AMG illuminated door sills with “AMG” lettering, as well as the AMG floor mats. The Burmester surround sound system, Thermotornic automatic climate control, and ambient lighting with 64 colours are also here with the A 35 sedan.
Safety-wise, the Malaysian-spec 2023 Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC comes with a suite of safety features. This includes the Driving Assistance Package, Active Distance Assist Distronic, Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Active Brake Assist, Exit Warning Assist, Interior monitoring system, and Pedestrian protection. Tow-away protection with visual and audible warning, Tyre pressure monitor, Mercedes-Benz’s Guard 360° Vehicle protection, Parking Package with 360-degree camera, and Active Parking Assist also come together with the A 35 sedan.
RELATED:
2023 Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4Matic+ facelift launched in Malaysia – from RM510k
GALLERY


GALLERY: 2015 Nissan Almera Facelift complete with Nismo Performance Package

Following Nissan’s recent announcement of the
Nissan Almera facelift’s arrival
, we paid a visit to a Nissan dealer earlier today and saw the very car in the metal, dressed up with the
RM14,000 Nismo Performance Package
 – a kit that made its world debut here in the Malaysian market. Speaks volume about our market’s significance, no?

You must be asking, what do you get if you pay RM14,000 for the Nismo Performance Package? Well, quite a fair bit, actually. You don’t just get the
all-around bodykit
, no. The Nismo designed
16-inch alloy
 wheels come with it, wrapped with 205/50R16 series Continental Max Contact MC5 tyres. This kit also gives you Nismo’s performance suspension system, Nismo exhaust muffler and special edition floor mats, red wing mirrors and aero boot lid.

If you don’t need Nismo’s suspension system and the exhaust tip, you can opt for the less expensive
Nismo Aero Pack
 that gives you the exact bodykit, minus the red wing mirrors, aero boot lid, floor mats and the said suspension and exhaust tip. This pack will set you back at
RM9,000
.
The Nissan Almera facelift is priced
from RM66,900
 for the base 1.5E model, up to
 RM79,900
 for the range topping VL model. Prices are OTR with insurance, and excludes any of the mentioned Nismo packages. It does however, come with a three-year or 100,000 km warranty programme, whichever occurs first.
You can also catch the Nissan Almera facelift and other Nissan models at their ongoing nationwide roadshow (refer to the table below). Meanwhile, enjoy the gallery of the Almera facelift with Nismo Performance Package we’ve put together for you!
Date
Region
Venue
6 January – 11 January
Central
1 Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya
8 January – 11 January
Northern
Village Mall, Alor Setar
9 January – 11 January
East Malaysia (Sabah)
Giant, Tawau
14 January – 18 January
Central
Alamanda Shopping Centre, Putrajaya
15 January – 18 January
Northern
Queensbay Mall, Penang
16 January – 18 January
East Malaysia (Sabah)
Center Point, Kota Kinabalu
18 January – 24 January
Eastern
Tesco Kota Bharu
23 January – 25 January
East Malaysia (Sarawak)
StarMegamall, Sibu
30 January – 1 February
Central
Paradigm Mall, Petaling Jaya
30 January – 1 February
East Malaysia (Sarawak)
Imperial City Mall, Miri

[divider]
IMAGE GALLERY


Mazda Kai Concept debuts, gets new SkyActiv-X engine & futuristic cabin

Sharing the stage with the
Mazda Vision Coupe
 is the Mazda Kai Concept, a compact hatchback design that heralds the next-generation of Mazda cars. Unlike the Vision Coupe, the Kai Concept is a more, accurate (if you will) representation of the production model.
Wearing the latest KODO: Soul of Motion design language, the Kai Concept features muscular and solid proportions all round. The body lines were deliberately placed to create a delicate flow of reflections over the body sides, making the
Soul Red Crystal Metallic paintjob

pop
 even more.

With the Kai Concept, Mazda aims to further refine every aspect of the car especially in areas of dynamic performance, NVH levels, comfort and driving feel. Underpinning the Kai Concept is Mazda’s SkyActiv-Vehicle Architecture and the
next-generation SkyActiv-X with HCCI
 (homogeneous charge compression ignition) technology. The new engine promises 10 to 30 percent increase in torque and 20 to 30 percent better engine efficiency compared to the current SkyActiv-G engines and is said to equal the latest
SkyActiv-D Diesel engines
 in terms of fuel efficiency.
The cabin is unmistakeably Mazda – driver centric design, three-spoke steering wheel and instrument cluster layout. One standout feature on the Kai Concept is the infotainment display built into the dashboard that
extends to the passenger side
. Although it remains unclear whether this design hints at Mazda’s next-gen MZD Connect system or will remain a design study.
We know that the SkyActiv-X will make its
market debut sometime in 2019
, which is around the same time an all-new Mazda3 is due. Could this Kai Concept be the next-generation Mazda3? We’ll find out soon enough.
IMAGE GALLERY


Aston Martin reveals interior and price of the all-new DBX

It says a lot when an all-new Aston Martin model is to be unveiled to the world in Beijing, China. You can guess as much that the focus is about getting the eyeballs of the largest automotive market in the world. If the Porsche Cayenne and Lamborghini Urus are anything to go by, the DBX should double, if not triple the sales of Aston Martin.
The chosen ‘feng sui’ date is
20
th
 November
, just two weeks to go, but Aston Martin has taken the liberty to tease the interior as well as reveal the
recommended retail price
 of the DBX for four different markets –
£158,000 in the UK
,
€193,500 in Germany
,
JPY 22,995,000

in Japan
 and U
S$189,900 in the USA
. The price of £158,000 in the UK is targeted directly at the Lamborghini Urus, which should translate into a
RM2 million price tag
 here, after duties and taxes.
From the image teased, the DBX’s interior could easily be mistaken for a Bentley’s for its opulence and extensive use of leather and alcantara, but presented in a sportier bent. Aston Martin says that the DBX interior was designed ‘
meet the needs of the 99th percentile male
 to the 5th percentile female’, and even a group of children were invited to share their views on the ingress and egress of the vehicle.
According to Aston, all the hard work on the cabin has ensured
class-leading front and rear legroom
, along with a feeling of airiness courtesy of the full-length panoramic glass roof and expansive side windows, and that whichever seat you may be in, there will be ‘a sense of space and lightness with encapsulating views of the world you’re exploring’. Powerful words.
The all-aluminium, all-wheel drive DBX is expected to be powered by
Mercedes-AMG-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
 in the tune of around 550 hp, mated to a
9-speed auto
; Aston’s own 5.2-litre V12 will be the other engine option, with a hybrid powertrain to come later in the model life, also sourced from Mercedes-Benz.


All-new Mitsubishi Triton debuts, Malaysia launch before end of 2024 – Up to 204hp, 470Nm, longer wheelbase

Mitsubishi
 has just unveiled the all-new
Mitsubishi Triton

today and the new truck makes its world debut in Thailand. It is built on a newly developed ladder frame chassis and the Triton is now larger in just about every dimension. Upon its world debut, the Triton is available in a Double Cab (High 4WD & Standard 2WD), Cub Cab (High 2WD), and Single Cab (Standard 4WD) configuration. The all-new Triton is set to launch in Malaysia before the end of 2024.
Let’s first address the increase in the size of the Mitsubishi Triton. The double cab version now measures 5,360 mm long, 1,930 mm wide, and 1,815 mm tall. It is just bigger in every dimension in comparison to its predecessor.
As for its wheelbase, it is now 3,130 mm long, which is 130 mm longer than its predecessor’s 3,000 mm wheelbase, and you can immediately see that the Triton has sacrificed a bit of its agility for robustness. Its turning radius is now 6.2 m, which is 0.3 m more than the outgoing version’s 5.9 m. And this is just one of the many changes in the Triton as it has evolved into a more robust workhorse. The approach angle, departure angle, and break-over ramp angle are now slightly down at 29°, 22.8°, and 23.4°, at least for the double cab version.
All-new Triton (Double Cab)
Outgoing Triton (Double Cab)
Length (mm)
5,360 (+55)
5,305
Width (mm)
1,930 (+115)
1,815
Height (mm)
1,815 (+20)
1,795
Wheelbase (mm)
3,130 (130)
3,000
Front Track (mm)
1,570 (+50)
1,520
Rear Track (mm)
1,565 (+50)
1,515
Bed length (mm)
1,555 (+35)
1,520
Turning radius (m)
6.2 (+0.3)
5.9
Approach angle (°)
29 (-2)
31
Departure angle (°)
22.8 (-0.2)
23
Ramp break-over angle (°)
23.4 (-1.6)
25
The all-new Triton is a tougher machine now with its newly-developed ladder frame chassis boasting a larger cross-sectional area. Thanks to that, bending rigidity is now higher and so is torsional rigidity. So the new Triton is supposedly able to handle more abuse and heavier loads. Speaking of load, the bed is now also longer at 1,555 mm compared to the outgoing Triton’s 1,520 mm. And although the Triton seems to have grown overall, Mitsubishi says that the new Triton’s body is lighter than its predecessor’s.
RELATED:
Geely & Renault sign JV agreement for new engine company – to supply Proton, Volvo, Nissan, Mitsubishi
As for improvements to the exterior, the Triton boasts more durable door handles (which are bigger and easier to grip), wider side steps with improved water drainage, a lower cargo bed height, and a larger upper surface area of the rear bumper. The all-new Triton also introduces new exterior colours such as Yamabuki Orange Metallic and Blade Silver Metallic.
As for performance, the all-new Mitsubishi Triton gets a newly-developed 4N16 engine. The 4N16 engine is a 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine with a 1:15.2 compression ratio. The engine is tuned for three different power outputs for the all-new Mitsubishi Triton and the most powerful version outputs 150 kW (
204 hp
metric) at 3,500 rpm and
470 Nm
 at 1,500-2,750 rpm. The other two tuning settings of the 4N16 make
184 hp
/
430 Nm
 and
150 hp
/
330 Nm
 respectively.
High Output
Standard 1
Standard 2
Engine
2,442 cc turbodiesel DOHC inline-4
2,442 cc turbodiesel DOHC inline-4
2,442 cc turbodiesel DOHC inline-4
Max. Power (hp/rpm)
204/3,500
184/3,500
150/3,500
Max. Torque (Nm @rpm)
470/1,500-2,750
430/2,250-2,500
330/1,500-3,000
RELATED:
Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia joins Tokyo Auto Salon KL 2023 with modified Triton & Xpander
Transmission options for the all-new Mitsubishi Triton include a 6-speed automatic transmission which has been carried over from the outgoing Triton and a 6-speed manual transmission. Interestingly, the 6-speed manual is shift-by-wire and this reduces cabin vibration.
Of course, the Super Select AWD system and Easy Select AWD system are carried over into the all-new Mitsubishi Triton. Suspension-wise, the Triton sports a double wishbone setup in front and a leaf spring setup at the back.
Mitsusbishi Motors has also improved the maintenance aspect of the Triton, with one of them being the fact that maintenance for the 6-speed manual transmission is unnecessary. Work has also been made easier for the maintenance technicians (or those who prefer DIY maintenance) as the oil drain bolt has been relocated in such a way that it can be accessed without having to remove the under-engine-cover. The service holes for the Triton are also now larger so no extra attachments are needed for the standard garage jack.
RELATED:
Mitsubishi’s upcoming HR-V rival teases new floating screen, Yamaha sound system
All in all, it seems that the Mitsubishi Triton has looked at the all-new

Ford Ranger
and cranked the “functional workhorse” aspect of the Triton to 11. And this treatment continues inside the cabin. For instance, Mitsubishi has improved the visibility of the monitor, meters, and switches with clever use of contrast. The switches have also been given optimum levels of sensitivity that make them easy to operate even when you’re wearing gloves.
Mitsubishi has implemented its “Mitsubishi Touch” for the steering wheel grips and door handles and soft pads have been added in main areas that protect the driver and passengers. As for cubby space, the centre console of the all-new Triton can fit two large cups and in the automatic version, it can even fit tablets and files in addition to that. The centre console glovebox itself is able to fit four 600ml water bottles.
Other cabin enhancements include a higher hip point (by 20mm), USB-C ports, and more vertical A-pillars to ease ingress and egress. Mitsubishi also says that the cabin has also been designed to allow drivers to easily see changes in the vehicle’s posture when driving.
Safety-wise, some of the all-new Mitsubishi Triton’s safety features include Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Forward Collision Mitigation system (FCM), Blind Spot Warning (BSW), Lane Change Assist (LCA), and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA).
The all-new Mitsubishi Triton also comes with Mitsubishi Connect which allows your car to be connected to your mobile phone. With Mitsubishi Connect, you can use your phone to find your car (location access), check the remaining fuel volume, check the oil condition, check the driving history, remotely start the air conditioning, remotely operate the headlights, and remotely operate the horn.
With the global debut of the all-new Mitsubishi Triton in Thailand, it won’t be long until it reaches Malaysia. In Malaysia, the Mitsubishi Triton is available in its double cab 4X4 configuration (VGT Standard, VGT Premium, VGT Athlete) and also in its 4X2 low-riding “Quest” version.
RELATED:
All-new Mitsubishi compact SUV set for August debut in Indonesia – ASX successor?
GALLERY


Review: Bentley Bentayga W12 6.0-litre twin-turbo, Beauty is the beast

Does the world really need a Bentley SUV? Probably not. But like the few which resisted the SUV wave, Bentley eventually caved and so the Bentayga was born; not before courting controversy with its 2012 concept, the
EXP 9 F
, which was widely disparaged for how it looked. Bentley subsequently tweaked it and this is the result. Hmm…
I can comprehend, even empathise with what Bentley was trying to achieve with the styling of the Bentayga. With the Volkswagen group brands fully utilising the MLB evo platform and spawning the
VW Touareg
,
Audi Q7
,
Porsche Cayenne
 and
Lamborghini Urus
, it was imperative that the Bentayga occupied a totally different space from its platform-sharing cousins, which goes to explain why the Bentayga isn’t quite an SUV in the vein of the sporty
Continental series
, but more in the shape of the ultra-luxurious
Mulsanne
.
Not the prettiest of sights, but can’t mistake the Bentayga for anything else other than a Bentley.
It had to be something opulent which appealed to royalties (ranging from Buckingham types to hip-hop moguls) who seek added flexibility and a road presence that a saloon can’t quite muster.
Pulling off something that looked easy on the eyes was always a challenge (see also the
Rolls Royce Cullinan
), especially when you have to somehow incorporate those gawky circular headlamps. All I can say is that the Bentley Bentayga is imposing, a statement of bling, and is much better appreciated from the inside.
QUICK FACTS
Name
Bentley Bentayga W12
Engine
5,950cc; twin-turbo W12
Transmission
8-speed automatic
Max Power
608 hp @ 5,000 – 6,000 rpm
Max Torque
900 Nm @ 1,350 – 4,000 rpm
0 – 100 km/h; Top Speed
4.1 seconds; 301 km/h
Price (OTR without insurance)
From RM1,883,000
Hides that are Free from Insect Bites
The allure of owning a Bentley has a lot to do with the ability to kit the car out to your heart’s content.
Try and configure a Bentayga to your own liking
 and you’ll understand why its cabin is never going to be confused with that of a Q7 or a Cayenne despite some familiar-looking VW group switchgear, and that each Bentayga is probably unique to its owner.
Our test unit’s cabin sported a combination of ‘Camel’ and ‘Beluga’ hides (referring to the hues, not the animals) which were ‘hand-picked from herds that graze high above sea level in Northern Europe’ and that all ‘hides used to upholster the Bentayga are naturally free of the insect bites that could otherwise leave blemishes in the leather’.
Add swathes of ‘dark stained burr walnut’ and plush carpeting and you have an interior that’s made out of genuinely decadent stuff.
If you’re going to be a chauffeur, make it a Bentley.

 Only blemish-free cow hide is ever used.

 Bentayga serves up just the right amount of tech.

 A different Bentley for every “occassion”.
Of course, it’s a wonderful place with which to operate a vehicle, even better if you’re just kicking back in those supple seats at the back, with James the chauffeur going about the business of circumventing the traffic.
There is more than a whiff of old-school charm about the Bentayga interior, yet it never feels old fashioned with just the right amount of technology (yes, you can easily overdo it these days) sprinkled over the right places, without detracting from the opulent ambience.
Decadent Performance
There are no slow Bentleys, only different degrees of fast. Before the Lamborghini Urus came along, the Bentayga, with its
608 hp
 and
900 Nm
 6.0-litre W12 engine – comprising two narrow-angle 15-degree V6 engines joined at the crank, urged on by twin turbochargers – was the fastest production SUV with a top speed of
301 km/h
.
And it could also accelerate from idle to 100 km/h in
4.1 seconds
. Having that W12 engine and all-wheel drive helps, but a lot of the Bentayga’s performance also has to do with how relatively ‘light’ it weighs (2,440kg), considering its size, W12 motor and amount of equipment lavished upon it.
I guess when you have
900 Nm
, 2.5-tonnes can feel like 800kg.
W12 is buttery smooth mechanically, but could do with more auditory excitement.
‘Unflappable’ comes to mind when you unleash the beast in the Bentayga. The manner in which it wafts from a crawl to unprintable speeds is ludicrous (sorry, Tesla), with little in the way of noise or body motion, only that your body is pinned firmly against those insect bite-free cowhides.
The calmness within the cabin at speed is not unlike being on a high-speed train, the buttery smooth W12 motor is curiously devoid of a signature soundtrack but it hums no matter how you wind it up.
In fact, forward progress is in a way remarkably…unremarkable, something which Bentley probably intended it to be.
Zero to 100km/h takes 4.1 seconds, top speed is 301km/h, for a 2.5-tonne SUV.
So, for all the incredible performance available to the Bentayga, it was never going to be a driver-engaging type of vehicle, even if its adaptive air suspension and more crucially, the active body roll control (dubbed the Dynamic Ride System) allow the Bentayga to stave off body roll and to behave like something a size smaller in corners; perfect for CEO-types seated at the back who are not to be stirred or shaken at all costs.
James the chauffeur would also approve of the light steering response from the Bentayga’s electric powered rack. Granular feedback? Who needs them when you’re piloting a tank this luxurious.
Starts from RM1.8 million
As they say, if you need to ask, you probably can’t afford it. The Bentayga is that kind of car, made for a select few who won’t bat an eyelid nor be bothered about what others think of their choices.
Sure, you can get into a Mercedes-Maybach or a fully-decked out Range Rover for less money, but the marque with the wings flies at a higher plane than the aforementioned brands, while the introduction of the Rolls Royce Cullinan only makes the Bentayga a ‘bargain’ for those who are able to see that beauty lies in the beast itself.
IMAGE GALLERY

 Dynamic Ride System works wonders, keeps body roll on a tight leash.

 Some things are better left in analogue.

 A different Bentley for every “occassion”.

 Only blemish-free cow hide is ever used.

 Bentayga serves up just the right amount of tech.

 Plush carpeting and an event seat for star-gazing evenings.


Toyota recalls Prius and CT200h over side airbags and fuel emission controls

Just recently, Toyota Motor Corp announced a worldwide recall over possible defects involving airbag modules and fuel emissions control units. Now, UMW Toyota is running a special service campaign involving some of the cars sold in Malaysia.
This involves two hybrid models:
3,500 units of Toyota Prius (third generation) – 2009- 2012
2,700 units of Lexus CT200h – (2010-2012)
The first recall involves the side/curtain airbag inflators, which were not related to the recent
Takata
 scandal. Instead, the airbags in question here is supplied by Swedish company Autoliv, who is responsible for supplying over 90 percent of the inflators for the Prius model.
It’s believed the inflators for the side airbags are suspected to have a
small crack in a welded area
, which potentially can cause the separation of the inflator chambers. The
inflator could deploy prematurely into the car’s interior,
 potentially injuring the occupants. The repair work will add retention brackets on the side airbag inflators, preventing the inflator chambers from being ejected into the cabin. The work will take approximately two to four hours to complete.
The second recall is related to an emissions control unit or charcoal canister. There is a possibility that
 cracks could develop in the coating of the emissions channel
 due to the improper shaping of portions of the channel. This could lead to cracks which will eventually cause a
fuel leak
. During the remediation work, the fuel suction plate subassembly will be replaced and will take between two to three hours.
As reported by
Reuters
, no injuries have been linked to either issue. Meanwhile, owners are advised to bring their cars to the nearest authorised UMW Toyota service center for the rectification. All replacement costs, if necessary, will be borne by the manufacturer.
You may contact Toyota and Lexus via their toll-free number at
1800-8- TOYOTA (869682)
or
 1800-8- LEXUS (53987
). Remember, this issue is not to be taken lightly at all.


Proton’s new Compact Car teased online, launching imminent

The local automotive scene is now abuzz with the impending arrival of Perodua’s new compact car, the
Axia
. Adding to all that hype is Proton’s Global Small Car (
GSC
), also known as the Proton Compact Car (
PCC
). Little is known about the car, save for the handful of pictures Proton has deliberately made public through their
microsite
 –
www.betulbetulonz.com
, in celebration of our 57th National Independence Day.
We can only assume that the car, widely referred to as the ‘
Iriz
’, will not be embracing that name judging from the way Proton names their models.Proton’s model naming trend is pretty clear cut, and that it usually ends with the letter ‘A’. We have the Sag
a
, Wir
a
, Satri
a
, Putr
a
, Perdan
a
, Gen-2 (Gen-Du
a
), Person
a
, Suprim
a
, Exor
a
, Inspir
a
; you get the point. Objectively speaking, we’ll give Proton the benefit of the doubt, seeing how they’ve gone out of the norms with the Savvy and Preve.
Names aside, the ‘Iriz’ spots several unique touches formerly strange to the Proton brand. For example, the new headlights have the word ‘Proton’ embossed onto it, a nifty touch there. You don’t see many non-premium car manufacturers doing that, so that’s a plus point for prospective buyers, if you’re into that kind of thing.
It’s quite likely that the headlights will be halogen powered via the
projector units
, as seen in the teaser picture here. The reflector headlights however, will most probably be for the high-beam. Signal indicators are placed inwards next to the grille. It’s not an unfamiliar look, but they do look good nonetheless.
In line with Proton’s ambition to produce a compact car of global standards, the ‘Iriz’ is claimed to have a
5-Star
 ASEAN New Car Assessment Program (
NCAP
) safety rating and Vehicle Dynamic Control (
VDC
) – that’s the electronic stability control.

Now, the interior is where the ‘Iriz’ excels in its class. For a start, the PCC features a
touch screen colour head unit
 with
GPS
 navigation, media and Bluetooth connectivity. It also functions as a
Wi-Fi hotspot
, a first to be offered in the Myvi-dominated segment.
A
rear-view camera
 adds to the already impressive list of features the head unit has, and complements it with parking guides instead of displaying just what’s behind the car. The lines on the rear view camera display however, seems to be ghosting, although we are not dismissing the possibility of a trajectory aid.
Many of the interior features, like the ones mentioned above, could only be available in the upper-end variants. Another likely variant-dependent feature is the
keyless entry
 and
push-to-start ignition
.
Six
 – is the number of
airbags
 stuffed inside the ‘Iriz’. It’s clear in the teaser picture that the PCC gets six airbags in the following configuration: dual front, side and curtain airbags. The top-view of its interior layout hints at impressive rear legroom space, but the materials used on the seats aren’t distinguishable. It’s very likely that the seats can be had in fabric or leather, though we won’t be getting a centre armrest from the looks of it.
The Proton ‘Iriz’ has already spurred interest from the public, and the folks at Proton have so far been successful at keeping the car’s development a well-kept secret. It’s about time now, Proton. You’ve got us all excited.
[divider]
IMAGE GALLERY


Gallery: Nissan Almera 1.0L Turbo VLT – Exceeding Expectations

Even with a certain Proton standing in their way, Nissan has earned a solid pat on the back with the
new Almera Turbo
. It has exceeded all our expectations and is much more than the old Almera could ever dream of being.
Aside from its new good looks, the Nissan Almera’s biggest selling point now also includes a turbocharged 1.0-litre engine and the offering of autonomous emergency braking in all three variants; starting from RM79k.
It’s a far cry from what the previous generation model offered, allowing the Almera to now be mentioned in the same breath as the
new Honda City
 and the
soon-to-arrive facelift Toyota Vios
.
The makeover in the cabin is as drastic as the exterior. There’s now an 8-inch touchscreen display with a decent 6-speaker sound system and the convenience of Apple CarPlay.
The only shortcoming in this area is the clarity of the display. It’s a seemingly common failing in cars of this segment, as it’s also seen in the
new Mitsubishi Xpander
 and surprisingly,
in the new Proton X50 as well
. It’s also got a surround-view monitor with bird’s eye view, contributed by a camera mounted on each of the side mirrors.
There are also improvements on the Almera Turbo that’s beyond the naked eye.
Cabin insulation has improved
 leaps and bounds, especially when driving in urban areas, with additional insulation in the A-pillar section and the use of thicker glass for the front windows.
Cabin space is still in abundance and despite the car being four centimetres lower, headroom has not been compromised when compared with the older model which we had concurrently for comparisons.
The adoption of
a turbocharged 3-cylinder engine with 100 hp and 152 Nm
, in favour of the former 1.5-litre 4-cylinder naturally aspirated engine, paired to a CVT gearbox has allowed power delivery to be far smoother and responsive than before but that’s not all.

It’s now
actually fun to drive
. It feels nimble with far more assurance and composure while you’re at higher speeds. When you’re driving on less than ideal road conditions though, the knocks and vibrations from underneath the car won’t go unnoticed.
The new Nissan Almera Turbo is no longer just the entry point to a “first Japanese car” this new Almera, but with crossovers and SUVs taking over, let’s hope Nissan’s not too late.
GALLERY


Proton is recalling the Perdana over risk of faulty airbag inflators

In line with Honda’s recall announcements regarding the passenger airbag inflator on the Accord, Proton has also issued a recall to replace the passenger airbag inflators for all Proton Perdana models based on the Accord.
A total of 6,432 vehicles
built from 2012 to the end of August 2018
 are involved, and the affected owners will be notified. This is merely a precautionary measure and Proton assures that other Proton models are not affected as the airbags used in them are supplied by a different vendor.
The pre-facelift model is also affected.
“The safety of our owners is of the utmost importance to PROTON. All Proton Perdana owners will be informed of the matter and are advised to call our designated service centres to book an appointment for the replacement of the passenger airbag in their cars, said
 Deputy Chief Executive Officer of PROTON,  Dato’ Radzaif Mohamed.
He added, “
Cars built

after 31 August 2018 are unaffected
 by the service fix while replacement of the inflator will take approximately one hour and will be performed free of charge.”
Owners of the affected Perdana are advised to call PROTON’s Customer Care Hotline at 1-800-888-398 or email to
[email protected]
 for any enquiries and assistance.


2023 Honda WR-V launched in Malaysia, from RM90k – Ativa rival, 1.5L NA, CVT

After being launched in Indonesia and
Thailand
, the
2023 Honda WR-V
 has finally made its launch in Malaysia. Offered in a total of four variants, prices for the WR-V (Winsome Runabout Vehicle) start from
RM89,900
.
Honda WR-V 1.5 S –
 RM89,900
Honda WR-V 1.5 E-
RM95,900
Honda WR-V 1.5 V –
RM99,900
Honda WR-V 1.5 RS –
RM107,900
Looking to renew your car insurance? Check out
MotorTakaful.com
 by Etiqa for an instant 10% rebate, cashback, and many more if you renew online.

The 2023 Honda WR-V has been introduced to the Malaysian market to fill in the space of the BR-V which was previously dropped from
Honda Malaysia
’s
 line-up, and to rival the
Perodua Ativa.
 Dimensions-wise, the WR-V measures 4,060 mm long, 1,780 mm wide, and 1,608 mm tall, and is underpinned by a 2,485 mm wheelbase. The crossover also has 220 mm of ground clearance.
Compared to the Perodua Ativa, which measures 4,065 mm long, 1,710 mm wide, and 1,635 mm tall, with a 2,525 mm long wheelbase, the WR-V is essentially slightly smaller than the Ativa in almost all dimensions. However, the WR-V’s width is the sole exception, as it is 27 mm wider than the local competitor.
RELATED:
2023 Honda WR-V – 1,300-unit monthly sales target, 2-3 months waiting period
On the outside, the Honda WR-V 1.5 S in Malaysia comes with the equipment listed below as standard:
Manual halogen headlights
Front position lights
LED rear lights
16-inch single tone five-spoke alloys
Trunk spoiler
Micro pole antenna
Opting for the WR-V 1.5 E will get you:
Automatic halogen headlights
Shark fin antenna
Moving up to the Honda WR-V 1.5 V, you get:
Automatic LED headlights
Auto high beam (AHB)
LED daytime running lights (DRL)
Powered side-view mirrors
The top-of-the-range Honda WR-V 1.5 RS gets you:
RS exterior package
17-inch dual-tone alloys
Front LED sequential turn signals
Powering the 2023 Honda WR-V is the same 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated (NA) 4-cylinder engine found in the Honda City, City Hatchback, as well as the entry-level Honda HR-V 1.5 S. Paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) equipped with Honda’s G-design shift technology, power is sent to the front wheels only, resulting in a total output of
121 hp
 (metric) and
145 Nm
.
The powertrain and further technical details of the 2023 Honda WR-V are as such:
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder naturally-aspirated DOHC with i-VTEC
Max. power:
121 hp
 (metric) @ 6,600 rpm
Max. torque:
145 Nm
 @ 2,300 rpm
Top speed:
165 km/h
Transmission: CVT
Front brakes: Ventilated disk
Rear brakes: Drum brakes
Front suspension: MacPherson strut with stabiliser bar
Rear suspension: H-shape torsion beam
RELATED:
2023 Honda Civic e:HEV RS hybrid review – Japan’s answer to the sports sedan question
Moving inside, you will find the 2023 Honda WR-V’s interior design to look rather familiar. And this is no surprise, as it is essentially based on the one found in the second-generation BR-V. In fact, the interior design even reminds us quite a bit of a scaled-down version of the outgoing fifth-generation CR-V, which is still on sale here in Malaysia.
Standard interior features available in the 2023 Honda WR-V 1.5 S in Malaysia include:
Fabric seats
Keyless entry and push start system
Manual digital air-conditioning
Analogue instrument cluster
7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support
2-speaker sound system
Two USB-A ports
Mechanical handbrake
380-litre boot space (but without a tonneau cover)
Opting for the WR-V 1.5 E will get you:
4.2-inch TFT instrument display
Multi-angle reverse camera
Moving up to the WR-V 1.5 V, you get:
Leather seats with blue stitchings
Leather interior with stitchings
Rear centre armrest
Automatic air conditioning
Opting for the higher-end Honda WR-V 1.5 RS will get you these extras:
RS interior package
Paddle shifters
Remote engine start
Walk-away auto lock
2 tweeter speakers
Safety-wise, the Malaysian-spec WR-V is packed with four airbags as standard. As for Honda’s Sensing ADAS suite it is available with the WR-V 1.5 E and beyond. Features like the Honda Connect telematics suite and six airbags are equipped with the top-of-the-range WR-V 1.5 RS. And as with other Honda models, the WR-V doesn’t come with the traditional blind-spot monitoring system, but instead Honda’s own LaneWatch side camera system.
Safety features that come with the 2023 Honda WR-V 1.5 S as standard include:
Four airbags
Honda LaneWatch system
With the WR-V 1.5 E, you get:
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
Lane Keep Assist (LKAS)
Road Departure Mitigation (RDM)
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
Lead Car Departure Notification (LCDN)
The WR-V 1.5 RS add-on:
Six airbags
Honda Connect Telematic suite
To recap, the 2023 Honda WR-V crossover has just been launched in Malaysia, with four variants being offered. Prices start from
RM89,900
 and top out at
RM107,900
. The crossover also comes with the standard five-year unlimited mileage warranty, as well as five times free labour service, applicable within 100,000 km or five years, whichever comes first.
RELATED:
Prices increased for Honda HR-V, Civic, City Hatchback in Malaysia by RM1.1k, RM1.2k, RM300
GALLERY
2023 Honda WR-V 1.5 RS
2023 Honda WR-V 1.5 V


Lexus Malaysia opens doors to a fully-refurbished flagship showroom

Lexus owners can now kickback in the comforts of a fully refurbished flagship showroom in Mutiara Damansara, aimed to further elevate the luxurious ownership experience.
“The enhancements to the facilities allowed Lexus Malaysia to redefine its core brand values and to clearly showcase owners with a truly exclusive Lexus experience,” said President of Lexus Malaysia, Lexus Mutiara Damansara, Ravindran K.
Among the highlights of the new showroom includes the Lexus Signature Scent of “Wild Earth” in the air, a Mark Levinson audio system in an acoustically-tuned guest room, and even a Zen Room where guests can enjoy soft music and massage chairs.
The attention to detail on all things luxury is such that even the coffee is sourced from Cafe Richard, a highly acclaimed French brand offered in high-end Parisian cafes.
“Not by any means is the Lexus brand and its products deemed conventional, neither should the retail experience be. By designing innovative ways to excite and change the world, Lexus remains the visionary brand that anticipates the future for the people and society,” said Deputy Chairman of Lexus Malaysia, Akio Takeyama.
IMAGE GALLERY


Hyundai Santa Fe gains third row air-con, RM2K price increase

Hyundai-Sime Darby Motor (HSDM) has updated the local-spec
Santa Fe
, and now includes
 third-row air-conditioning
 for all variants. As a result, pricing for the updated Santa Fe has
increased across the board by RM2,000
, now starting at RM171,888.
The updated Hyundai Santa Fe was introduced last year, shortly after the

initial launch
. As before, the Santa Fe is offered in four variants with two powertrain options – 2.4L Executive (
RM171,888
) and Premium(
RM191,888
), as well as the 2.2CRDi Executive (
RM193,888
) and Premium (
RM213,888
).
The 2.4L variants are powered by a 2.4-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder MPI engine making
 172 hp
 and
225 Nm
, while the 2.2CRDi variants get a 2.2-litre turbodiesel unit under the hood, generating
193 hp
 and
440 Nm
.
The 2.4-litre petrol powerplant is paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox, with drive sent to the front axle. The oil-burners meanwhile get an eight-speed box and all-wheel drive as standard.
On the outside, the Executive variants come equipped with projector halogen headlamps with LED daytime running lights, halogen taillights, and 18-inch wheels as standard.
Stepping up to the Premium variants will net you LED units for the headlights, taillights, and both front and rear fog lights. The Premium range also gets the dynamic bending lights function, and 19-inch wheels as standard, shod in 235/55 profile tyres. Diesel-powered variants get dual exhaust exits, while petrol variants get single exhaust tips.
Inside, all variants get 10-way powered driver seats, smart keyless entry and start, electronic parking brake, analogue instrument cluster with 3.5-inch TFT LCD display, dual-zone automatic climate control, electronically folding middle row seats and 7.0-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity as standard.
The RM20,000 price hike to the Premium variants will net you an additional Burgundy upholstery option (though black is still available), 8-way powered passenger seat, leather dashboard trim, Deluxe cloth or Suede headliner, 7.0-inch Supervision LCD info display (analogue dials for the tachometer, temperature and fuel gauge), Qi wireless charging tray, rain sensor wipers and powered tailgate.
As standard, all variants of the Hyundai Santa Fe is equipped with six airbags, Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Hill Start Assist Control (HAC) and Downhill Brake Control (DBC).
Premium variants add Rear Occupant Alert, Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BSCW) and Rear Cross Traffic Collision Warning (RCCW) – the local-spec Hyundai Santa Fe does not come equipped with the Hyundai SmartSense advanced driver assistance systems.
Every purchase of the Santa Fe comes with a five-year/300,00 km warranty. HSDM is also currently offering cash rebates and complimentary accessories worth up to RM15,000 through it’s
Love It and Drive It Campaign
.
IMAGE GALLERY


Sony says you can’t buy the Vision-S, no plans to build it

Last week’s news of the Sony Vision-S being
road-tested
 in Europe and even a short video on the design and engineering of the vehicle got many enthusiasts excited. Unfortunately, you can’t buy the Vision-S even in near future.
Sony has spilt the beans regarding the availability of the Vision-S. The company, in response to automotive portal “
Car and Driver
“, said it has no plans to mass-produce or sell the fully electric vehicle. Instead, experience gained in testing the imaging and sensing technology can be used to develop better systems for autonomous driving technology.
Sony said they already possessed the expertise in three of the four areas that CASE represented – Connected, Autonomous and Electric. The company felt they could play an active role in mobility and took up the challenge.
The Vision-S places full self-driving capability as its key strength. The “Safety Cocoon” concept uses
40 different

imaging
 and scanning devices to monitor the exterior and interior of the vehicle in real-time. The target is to achieve
Level 4
-equivalent self-driving system. A lip-reading sensor is also placed in front of the driver to improve the accuracy of speech recognition.
While one can’t buy the Vision-S, it is still a large part of being a testbed for their consumer electronics products. The infotainment system in the Vision-S is highlighted by the “360 Reality Audio”. All four seats have individual speakers, enveloping the occupants in sound from all directions.
Various control interfaces such as haptic, gesture and touch together with the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) are also being developed and tested.
High-speed data access will be handled by a system capable of connecting to 5G networks. Sony says that apart from providing entertainment, high-speed data is also vital to enable sophisticated autonomous driving technology.
Although Sony is not building or selling the Vision-S, development partners in the project such as Magna-Steyr, Almotive, ZF and Bosch will still benefit as the project is a combination of all suppliers integrating their products and services.
So while you can’t buy the Vision-S, a technology from this working prototype could just be in the future vehicles and even the PlayStation.


Honda Malaysia targets 80,000 sales in 2022, two all-new car launches

Honda Malaysia
 announced its business strategies and targets for the 2022 calendar year at a media gathering yesterday, where they’ve also set a sales target of 80,000 units for the year.
The company says that that target was set based on a forecasted Total Industry Volume (TIV) of 600,000 units, giving them a market share of approximately 13.3%. The 80,000 figure also represents a 51% increase in sales over a difficult 2021, where Honda Malaysia only sold 53,031 units, 12.3% down from 2020 (60,469).
The dip in sales performance last year was largely caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and difficulties with chip shortages. But despite the slower sales in 2021, Honda Malaysia says that it still retained its position of the “No. 1 Non-National Passenger Vehicle Segment” for the eighth consecutive year since 2014, helped largely by its bestsellers – the
Honda City
,
HR-V
, and
 CR-V
, contributing 36%, 21%, and 14% respectively to the total figure.
Honda Malaysia is optimistic for the year ahead, especially coming off the back of good momentum gained from the launch of the
all-new City Hatchback
in December 2021, further boosted by the launch of the
 all-new Honda Civic
last month.
“Since the launch of these models, we are gaining good sales momentum despite the challenges of the flood recovery period recently,” said Honda Malaysia MD and CEO, Madoka Chujo. “I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Honda customers and the Malaysian Government for their unwavering support towards Honda Malaysia.”
ALSO READ: Honda Malaysia announces pricing for City Hatchback RS e:HEV variant – RM107,783
Building upon the momentum, Honda Malaysia has announced that it’ll also be launching two all-new models this year – widely rumoured to be the
all-new HR-V
 and
 BR-V
. Both models made their global debut last year, and have since made their way into the neighbouring ASEAN countries.
Honda Malaysia also announced their plans to further expand the use of their
e:HEV powertrain
 in its future model line-up, hinting at the inclusion of the
RS e:HEV variant
 on the upcoming all-new Honda HR-V!
The Honda e:HEV hybrid powertrain was first introduced here in Malaysia in the City and City Hatchback. Honda Malaysia says that the unique package of e:HEV and RS has received positive feedback from customers not only on its fuel economy and low carbon emissions, but also on its sporty performance and matching styling.
Aside from all-new models, Honda Malaysia also reaffirmed their commitment to “raising the bar” of their respective market segments, by expanding its future model line-up with advanced technologies “such as VTEC Turbocharged, Honda Sensing, and Honda Connect”.
The company also announced the introduction of the new Honda Certified Used Car programme here in Malaysia for the first time, as a means to provide another option for customers to purchase their preferred Honda cars. More details on the new programme will be announced at a later date.
Meanwhile, strengthening of its after sales service experience remains one of Honda Malaysia’s top priority in 2022. A key element to that is its
HondaTouch mobile service
, promising to provide more convenience and satisfaction to their customers.


Bentley Mulsanne Speed announced, 1,100 Nm of torque from just 1,750 rpm

So you thought 1,000 Nm from the 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 in the
Mercedes-Benz S 65 AMG
 was insane, Bentley announced their
Mulsanne Speed
 is generating
1,100Nm
 from a
6¾‑litre twin-turbo V8
. As if 1,020Nm in the “standard” Mulsanne (which Bentley prefers to call it as “the signature Mulsanne”) wasn’t enough!
The legendary 6¾‑litre V8 gets a totally redesigned combustion system with new variable valve timing and optimised turbocharger control to deliver an extra 25hp and 80Nm more torque compared to the signature Mulsanne. A total of
530 hp
 can be had
at 4,200 rpm
, while the whole dollop of
 1,100 Nm
 of torque arrives from just
1,750 rpm
.
All the power is sent to the
 rear wheels only
, via a ZF
8-speed automatic
 gearbox that has been recalibrated to cope with the tremendous amount of torque. The Mulsanne Speed is capable of hitting a
top speed
 of
 305 km/h
, and the century sprint from
 0 to 100 km/h
 takes just
 4.8 seconds
, 0.3 seconds faster than the signature Mulsanne.
Not only that, the V8 is equipped with
cylinder deactivation system
 that shuts down half the amount of running cylinders making it a V4 when not in full use which leads to an
extended fuel range by 80 km
. The combined
 fuel consumption
 is rated at
 14.6 l/100 km
, but seriously who’s counting?
With the increased power, the Mulsanne Speed receives a bespoke
driver-focused Sport suspension
 with switchable Custom setting that allows drivers to individually match steering, chassis and engine tunes according to personal preference.
You can tell apart the Mulsanne Speed from the signature Mulsanne by spotting a polished stainless steel Speed badging on the front fenders, or you can observe the stainless steel parts adorned on the exterior of the Mulsanne Speed. They are finished in a
darker tint
 compared to the signature Mulsanne, and the taillights gets a similar treatment as well. A set of Bentley’s first ever
directional 21-inch wheels
 also help to distinguish it from the signature Mulsanne too.
Inside, the Mulsanne Speed is fitted with
Mulliner Driving Specification
 that includes diamond quilted leather on the door panels and seats with embroidered winged-B emblems, knurled gear lever and “organ stop” ventilation controls, coined finished interior door handles, and drilled alloy foot pedals.
A 60 GB hard drive is available, along with other possible options such as electrically powered tables with iPad connectivity at the back of the front seats, on-board Wi-Fi, frosted glass bottle cooler complete with crystal champagne flutes behind the rear armrest, and a 2,200 watt Naim for Bentley premium audio system with 14-speakers.
The Mulsanne Speed will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show on 2nd of October, and will be available for customer delivery from December onwards.
[divider]
IMAGE GALLERY


Honda Civic beats VW Golf GTI to be crowned Car of the Year in North America

The 11th generation
Honda Civic
 is off to collect its first big accolade- the 2022 North America Car of the Year (NACOTY). The award that covers the United States and Canadian market also awards trucks and utility vehicles every year.
Made in the US and
Canada
, the latest Honda Civic hatchback and sedan models might have a less aggressive and ‘softer’ outlook, the judges were impressed by its driving dynamics and sensation behind the wheel, frequently chanting ‘
fun to drive’
. This year, jurors had the choice between three very different cars.
The Honda Civic brings newfound refinement to the iconic compact car, while Volkswagen has emphasised fun-driving performance with the
Golf GTI

and Golf R Mk 8. Then there’s the
Lucid Air
 – a vehicle many of our jurors have said is a truly game-changing luxury electric car. Five other cars were knocked out after the semi-final round.
The experience in the Lucid Air was a breath of fresh air for many jurors, scoring 170 points compared to the Volkswagen Golf with only 89 points. The Honda Civic secured its win with a total of 241 points.

Both the Honda Civic and Volkswagen Golf GTI models have already
been previewed
 to the motoring media in Malaysia, with the Civic slated for
launch very soon
, judging from the whispers amongst fans.
With trucks and utility vehicles a big part of the North American motoring landscape, plenty of attention are paid to the vehicles in this category. The
Ford Bronco
, a direct competitor to the Jeep Wrangler, won its Utility category with ease with 234 points. The fully electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 managed to edge ahead of the Genesis GV70 by just 40 points at 153 points.
Meanwhile, the 2022 North America Truck of the Year goes to the compact Ford Maverick. This edition also sees finalists that are unheard of in the truck segment- the fully electric Rivian R1T and the Tucson-based
Hyundai Santa Cruz
.
The Ford Maverick ran away with the votes, scoring a massive 277 points compared to just 97 in the similar-concept Hyundai Santa Cruz. Jurors were impressed nonetheless by the broad capabilities of these crossover-based trucks and invigorating the smaller pick-up truck segment.
Founded in 1994, these awards are the longest-running new-vehicle awards not associated with a single publication. They are judged by 50 professional automotive journalists from a wide variety of print, online, radio and television media outlets in the United States and Canada.


Dubai police adopts BMW’s ConnectedDrive to broadcast “Stay At Home” messages

In times like these, with restricted movement so essential to reduce the number of Covid-19 infections, conveying a simple “Stay Home” message to the masses can prove to be a tall order. It requires creative use of technology for the message to be conveyed as comprehensively as possible and the Dubai police force has shown the world how it’s done.
They’ve recently launched an SMS alert service which enables them to broadcast awareness messages and safety alerts to BMW and Mercedes-Benz owners across the country. So far, there hasn’t been any information from the Mercedes-Benz camp, but the Dubai police force has recently shared an image of the message on their social media account.
The message that reads “Please stay at home for your safety, Dubai Police” is projected onto the infotainment display every time the car is started via BMW’s ConnectedDrive network.
Reports have it that 18,000 customers have received the message within 24 hours after the initiative was launched. Subsequently, it was broadcasted to over 30,000 BMW vehicles in Dubai.
“This move is in accordance with the directives of His Excellency Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander in Chief of Dubai Police, to utilise the latest technologies and innovations in ensuring the safety and security of community members,” said a spokeperson of the Dubai police force.


Bowers & Wilkins fits BMW G11 7 Series with 16 diamond tweeters powered by 1400W amp!

Legendary audio makers Bower & Wilkins have taken the opportunity to premier what can only be described as the holy grail of audio systems as a premium option on the all-new
 G11 BMW 7 Series
 at the Frankfurt International Motor Show. B&W claims its Diamond Surround Sound System for the new Bimmer “redefines what is possible for sound quality within a car”.
A bold claim one might add, however the brand does have substance to back such a courageous declaration. B&W has over
40 years
 of building
studio grade audio systems
 that would deeply impress even the likes of legendary composer
Hans Zimmer
. Consider also that B&W are under the Harman Group who own brands such as
Harman Kardon
,
 Infinity
,
JBL
,
Lexicon
 and
Mark

Levinson
; just to name a few.
Designed exclusively for the all-new BMW 7 Series by the British audio gurus, the Diamond Surround Sound System is the first of its kind – an audio system featuring advanced acoustic technologies
 never before seen in a car
, including of course the Diamond dome tweeters.
B&W manufactures these diamond dome tweeters
in-house
 and are made synthetically in a
 clave
 that replicates the
actual

temperatures
 and
pressures
 found in
volcanoes
 needed to produce diamonds. But why? Diamond is the
ideal
 tweeter material, offering the perfect combination of
lightness
 and
rigidity
 to deliver crystal clear,
life-like
 treble for a truly revelatory audio experience.
Up to the job of powering the 16-speakers that litter the interior is a
10-channel 1400W Class-D amplifier
. Not only that, the system is capable of projecting not one, not two, but
 five
 different presets such as
 Studio
,
Concert
,
On stage
,
Cinema
 and
Lounge
. That task is perfected via the
QuantumLogic
 surround sound
 processor unit
.
The result is that the carefully and finely tuned located 16-speaker system delivers breathtakingly realistic, enveloping sound no matter where in the car you are seated. The Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System is
exclusively
 available as a
premium option
 with the all-new
G11 BMW 7 Series
. It’s an option that is rumoured to cost in excess of
RM24,000
. That’s not too bad, right?
IMAGE GALLERY
BMW G11 7 SERIES


Mazda Vision Coupe is a 4-door coupe of our dreams, previews next-gen design

Taking centre stage at Mazda’s booth at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show is the Mazda Vision Coupe, a design study for the brands future models. The new design is an evolution of its iconic KODO: Soul of Motion design language that shaped its current generation of SkyActiv models.
While strikingly similar to the
RX-Vision Concept
 that premiered at the last instalment of the Tokyo Motor Show, the Vision Coupe is a low slung, long bonnet, four-door coupe. The exterior features a “one motion” form with pronounced body lines that gives off a strong sense of speed. Mazda has evolved the KODO design into a more
elegant and premium styling
 which will reflect on its next-generation vehicles.
L: RX-Vision ; R: Vision Coupe

Inside, the cabin features a longitudinal axis design on the dashboard to
create greater sense of space and speed
. The interior is also draped in brushed wood trim with generous use of leather. Other familiar items include the instrument cluster design with clearer fonts and the three-spoke steering wheel design as seen on the
CX-9
.
In line with Mazda’s “
Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030
” vision, the company aims to celebrate the fundamental appeal of automobiles – driving pleasure – promising a car ownership experience that celebrates driving. Mazda, we are already drawing pleasure  just by looking at this stunning machine.
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Proton Iriz Rally Car hinted, successor to the great Satria Neo rally car?

Proton Motorsports has
dropped an image on their Facebook page
, hinting that a
Proton Iriz
 could be their subject for a new motorsports project. As far as we can guess, the rally tyres fitted on the Iriz suggest that such a project could be underway.
Proton has had a colourful history in rallying, be it on international or local stages. Remember the good old Satria Neo? That has long been Proton’s weapon of choice and ran rather successfully for many years. It’s not surprising to pick the Iriz as a rally car, really. Most manufacturers now use their B-Segment cars such as the VW Polo, Ford Fiesta and Citroen DS3 in the World Rally Championship. Another reason why this is a likely scenario is because the Satria Neo is no longer in production.
There’s no confirmation on when the Iriz will make its rallying debut, but we think it’s safe to assume that it will happen in Perlis this May when the 2016 Malaysian Rally Championship kicks off. Two units of the rally-spec Iriz will hit the ground running, piloted by Malaysia’s rally legend Karamjit Singh and up and coming talent Kenneth Koh.
We
reviewed
 the Proton Iriz last year and agree that, given the Iriz’s promising handling capabilities, it should prove to be a good recipe for rally racing. The Iriz also appeared in
touring car racing
 last year as part of the Malaysia Championship Series.


New Toyota Camry coming to Malaysia next week: Hybrid variant included!

It’s been a long time coming, this. The Toyota Camry is making a comeback – a huge one at that might we add, this time packing some mix of really promising things in the bag. Unlike the
Vios
, the facelift doesn’t just spell skin-deep alterations because new looks aside, the Camry will also gain from a
new engine
, a
six-speed gearbox
 and a hybrid variant, no less.
Word has it that the Camry will share the same base
2.0-litre VVT-iW
 engine as the
Lexus NX200t’s
, minus the turbocharger, of course. This more advanced engine is capable of operating in both Otto and Atkinson cycle, optimising fuel efficiency at all rev ranges without compromising performance and emission.
Not much is known about the Malaysian specced Camry Hybrid at the moment, but we’ll be giving you the full details of it come Monday (23 March) when we see it in the flesh, along with the non-hybrid variants as well. But we can tell you this: the hybrid will most likely be based on a
2.5-litre engine
, so stay tuned for the latest updates!
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BMW X5 M and X6 M duo unleashed, 575 hp from 4.4-litre biturbo V8 [+Video]

Officially announced back in October 2014, BMW released new pictures of their mega M duo, the
X5 M
 Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) and the
X6 M
 Sports Activity Coupe (SAC). Sharing same platform but with individual bodystyle, both the X5 M and the X6 M are powered by the same
4.4-litre twin-turbo V8

driving all four wheels
 via an
 eight-speed auto
 box.
QUICK FACTS
Name
BMW X5 M / X6 M
Engine
4,395 cc V8 TwinScroll twin-turbo
Transmission
8-speed Steptronic
Max Power
575 hp @ 6,000 – 6,500 rpm
Max Torque
750 Nm @ 2,200 – 5,000 rpm

EXTERIOR
The X5 and the X6 has been further beefed up externally with lovely M bits. The grille now gets twin slats with a discreet M badge but the front bumper is all-new with gaping intakes. All the matte black trims around the wheel arches, side skirts, and lower edge of the bumpers are now painted in body colour to emphasise the added sportiness of the two vehicles.

Both vehicles sit lower to the ground by 10 mm and the wheel arches are occupied by a set of
20-inch M light alloy wheels
. The Air Breathers on the front fenders get highlighted in chrome, and the twin-stalk side mirrors are exclusive to these M variants too.
The back receives a new bumper with integrated diffuser as well as quad-tailpipes, but the X6 M has an extra bootlid spoiler for better stability.

INTERIOR
The base interior is shared with their vanilla counterparts, but there are quite a number of distinctive M-specific updates done to it. This includes the special
M sports steering wheel
 with shift paddles and the
M gearshift lever
 on the center console, and the
M sports seats
 for the front occupants.
There’s a special M theme for the instruments, as well as the inclusion of the
M Drive menu
 in the information display. The cabin is finished off with a dusting of letter M scattered around on the seats, steering wheel, gearlever, and door sills among others.
PERFORMANCE
Both the X5 M and the X6 M drive all four wheels using the
 xDrive intelligent AWD system
 and
Dynamic Performance Control
. There’s no dual-clutch transmission here, instead an
8-speed M Steptronic transmission
 with
 Drivelogic
 is used to propel the duo.
All
575 hp
 and
750 Nm
 of torque are provided by the
twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8
 engine under the bonnet. With
 launch control
 it will sprint from
0 to 100 km/h
 in just
 4.2 seconds
 while the
 top speed
 is limited to
250 km/h
.
Three modes can be chosen from the
Dynamic Stability Control
:
DSC on
,
M Dynamic Mode
 (MDM), and
DSC off
. BMW said the MDM will “allow greater wheel slip to give keen drivers the chance to execute some mild drifts”. That sure sounds fun!
WHAT ELSE?
A lenghty list of optional items are available for both X5 M and X6 M ranging from the
Head-Up Display
, Alcantara roof liner,
ventilated seats
, to a set of 21-inch wheels.
Additionally, BMW is also offering the
M Performance Parts
 to further enhance the looks inside and out. It features items such as the blacked-out grille, carbonfibre mirror caps, carbonfibre interior trim, Alcantara steering wheel, stainless steel sports pedals, and even the M Performance floor mats.
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2015 BMW X5 M

2015 BMW X6 M

2015 BMW X6 M and X5 M