Road Trip: Bridging the conventional and the unconventional in Penang

The holiday season is upon us. It’s the time of the year where your children have two months’ worth of free time to kill, and yourself a full two-week break from the daily grind. That’s if you’ve been hard at work, of course. All’s good, then. Now that everyone is off duty, what better time than now to take your family out on a holiday?
Ideally, you’d rather fly off to a foreign land to spend a good chunk of your dividend at a four-star countryside resort, away from the gloomy year-end wet spell and miserable haze. And yet, despite having the means, you’re discouraged because the depreciating Malaysian Ringgit wouldn’t afford you that family suite with a private swimming pool you know your kids will love. Let’s say you’re willing to dig deeper into your wallet and insist on leaving, to which you did. A week or two later, you’re all smiles until you lay eyes on your prized daily driver. It’s covered in layers of dust, gecko droppings and left exposed to the heat and rain. Worst of all, the engine wouldn’t start.
Okay. Now backpedal to being discouraged about the Ringgit. At this point, a road trip sounds delightful, plus you get to enjoy spending hours of chatter and laughter with your family, all within the comfort and privacy of your beloved car. Unfortunately, given the nature of my journalistic profession, any road trip spanning two days or more is borderline fanciful, if not unlikely at all. It was all gloom and doom until I read an extensively elaborated e-mail from Shell Malaysia, but the only words that caught this selective pair of eyes were “Sponsored Road Trip.” It’s quite possibly the closest experience to having a prayer answered, and I unhesitatingly, without reading the T&Cs, agreed.
To add to my delight, the sponsored bid also covers an engine oil change – one that was just tens of kilometres before my car was due. The only catch was I had to use to their brand new (this one’s a mouthful)
fully synthetic Shell Helix Ultra ECT C2/C3 0W-30 motor oil
. I regretted not reading the fine print for two reasons – I had no clue what I was getting myself into and I wasn’t sure if the engine oil would suit my Korean daily driver given the viscosity rating. After a quick check with the user handbook and a reliable mechanic, I was all good to go and off I went – to Penang.
Yes, as cliche and predictable as it may sound, I haven’t actually seen Penang for what it is, much less get embroiled in unprincipled glut at the many hawker stands in George Town. So for that, I’ve committed to finding the best Char Kuey Teow (fried flat rice noodle) during my visit, but not before deciding on a place to spend the night. Now this is where the conventional meets the unconventional. Instead of making a reservation at a seaside resort, I chose a place smack-dab in the middle of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage city. If the picture below is any indication of the building’s age, inside is a whole different world altogether.

Playing host to my stay in George Town was a kind lad by the name of Chee Sek Thim, a local theatrical director who runs the Airbnb-listed guesthouse known as
SINKEH
, which means ‘newcomer’ in the Hokkien dialect. If you haven’t already guessed by now, I found this gem of a place through Airbnb.com – a Californian-based homestay listing website that’s now valued at over $25 billion. This 19th century Straits Chinese house located along Malay Street (Lebuh Melayu) is an architectural wonder in its own right; a quintessential memento left behind by 19th century Chinese immigrants comprised of traders, coolies and craftsmen.
SINKEH is just one of many post colonial remnants that stood the test of time. Within the seemingly dilapidated façade is a setting that’s unlike any resorts or hotels. And if you’re a dog person like myself, Luna with the rest of her human companions will make you feel well at home. I was hit by a sense of surrealism just standing at the reception while my eyes soaked in the century-old beauty with both feet absorbing the cold smooth cement floor; fingers running through the creases of the red brick countertop and towering rusted door, followed by the perpetual mild scent of nature oozing off the greeneries by the common area. Home never felt this close, and I hadn’t an ounce of envy for my other friends who were staying at The Northam all suites hotel.
Sek Thim was given the Building of the Year Award and Gold Award for Best Alteration and Addition to the century-old building
Ask any Penang-bound Tom Dick and Harry on their reason for visit and I can wager on a pair of my 17-inch wheels that they’re there to sample the country’s best hawker dishes. I for one, am possibly the biggest gorger of char kuey teow and I, as mentioned earlier, have set out on a three-day hunt to actively seek out the tastiest diet-wrecking plate in George Town. Unsurprisingly, the first two plates have already surpassed Kuala Lumpur’s hawker standards, but the glut in me was far from satisfied.
It wasn’t until three days, eight servings and a total of 50kms later before my palate was appeased at Cecil Street Market Hawker Centre. You can judge me all you want here, but I ordered two additional servings before calling it quits, just to fulfil the quota for this year and the next. I’ve got to admit, ten plates of char kuey teow was just too much lard and carbs for me to stomach. What goes in, has to come out eventually, right? I’ll leave the imagination to you, but suffice to say, I regretted it. Or did I? No, not really.
Does this plate of fried oysters not look good to you?
Another Godsend was the clear skies – something most of us KL dwellers have dreamed of for the past four months. During the drive to Penang, an environmentalist on BFM addressed the health implications of prolonged exposure to the haze and drew a startling comparison between inhaling haze particles and smoking cigarettes. I don’t have to tell you which is worse, but nothing can be quite as bad as breathing in haze 24/7 for the past four months. So yes, the clear blue skies was something I immensely appreciated, on top of the cleaner Penang air and rain, of course.
The weather was forgiving enough for me to embark on a 30-minute drive from George Town to the Buddhist temple Kek Lok Si in Air Itam, or rather the famous Asam Laksa stall. Confession: We spent a little too much time taking pictures of food and of us eating, and by the time we made our move the sun was out and gone were the rainclouds. Heat and I don’t mix well together, so I referred to Waze for a touristy suggestion and found that Penang Hill (also known as Bukit Bendera) was just over 5 minutes’ drive away.
A car wash a day keeps the frowns at bay
Upon arrival, the usual weekend crowd was nowhere to be seen and parking was aplenty. Five minutes later and reality sent me Freddy Krueger in the form of three school busses, each ferrying what appeared to be hundreds of little primary schoolchildren. A few sighs and whines followed thereafter, but I didn’t want my visit to be all about food – so up the funicular train we go and the first thing my eyes caught was the Love Lock bridge.
It’s exactly what it sounds like, minus the obvious Paris and Romanian romance. I wouldn’t for a second imagine a couple going full PDA on Penang Hill, although I’m very certain it has happened before. Most of the messages on the Love Locks were washed away by rain, save for the newer ones including one that read “I Love Pink”. Not sure if the person gets the idea behind a Love Lock, but to spend RM30 in professing your fondness for the colour pink on a pink lock is kind of missing the point, unless the person is addressing American Pop R&B artist Alecia Beth Moore.
So, time for a quick recap. Short getaway, check. Amazing lodging, check. Food? A little too much for my own good, but check. There’s one more thing that deserves some credit for this much needed road trip, and that’s Shell’s new engine oil. I know you must be thinking that since this is a sponsored article, all I have to do is rave about the new product and fabricate experiential advantages of it based on top of their marketing ploy.
Well, I needn’t. A little over six months ago, I participated in
Shell’s Love My Ride Festival
 and
sampled their most advanced engine oil
 then, which was the Shell Helix Ultra with PurePlus Technology 5W-40. There were evident gains – my car ran smoother, warm-up time was considerably shorter and the time taken from ignition to regular idling rev dropped to less than 10 seconds. The 0W-30 fully synthetic motor oil is ‘thinner’ or less viscous than the 5W-40, but my engine performed flawlessly with no loss of power even when temperatures soared. It retains all of the 5W-40’s characteristic advantages, but improves on lubricity, cleansing prowess and fuel economy.
This road trip couldn’t have happened at a better time, what more with everything else playing out better than planned. I’ve learned so much about Penang and all its cultural and heritage grandiosity, and got more than I bargained for at SINKEH when the 19th century building rekindled my adoration for outright simplicity. For those of you reading this and are planning a trip to Penang, give Airbnb a shot. And as usual, for those who will be doing a lot of driving during this holiday season, be sure to have your ride properly serviced and get your tyres checked. After all, it is the monsoon season. Drive safe and happy holidays, folks.
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Ran out of things to do? Build your own paper cut-out Toyota GT86 with retro-inspired liveries!

There’s probably nothing we can prescribe to you that you haven’t already done this MCO so it’s a good thing car companies, aside from channeling their resources to build ventilators, have gotten creative with their content.
Instead of new car and tech announcements,
Audi for example has put together a colouring book
, featuring Audis of various generations and now Toyota has done this – a GT86 paper cut-out with
six different retro-inspired liveries
.
These GT86s were originally created for the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed to help commemorate 50 years of Toyota in the UK. Upon unveiling, the crowd went wild according to Toyota hence the idea came about to give everyone an opportunity to have their own paper cut-out GT86.
Ideally, Toyota says, get it printed on A3 paper, rather than A4, for a less complicated build and a larger model at the end. Using scissors, carefully separate each of the three main sections (the roof and two sides) and each of the four tyre tracks from the grey background. Be careful not to cut off the little white tabs with dots on.
If you asked me, I’d say opt for a thicker, less crumple-prone piece of paper if you have butter fingers and cutters instead of scissors for better precision.
Here are the links to the six different retro-inspired GT86s:
Yatabe Speed Trial Toyota 2000GT
Shelby Toyota 2000GT
Ove Andersson’s Toyota Celica 1600GT
IMSA GTU Toyota Celica
Castrol Toyota Celica GT-Four
Esso Ultron Tiger Toyota Supra
Fold and glue all of these tabs so they adhere to the underside of the adjacent panel as doing so will pull the car into a three-dimensional shape that should resemble a Toyota GT86. Keyword is should.
Toyota says this activity is for older children (meaning us) and it
should take about an hour to put together
.
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Subaru confirms fully-electric SUV, to launch within next five years

Following in the footsteps of what seems like almost every other car manufacturer on earth these days, Subaru has confirmed that it is working on a fully-electric SUV, scheduled to be launched in the “first half of 2020’s”.
Not much information has been divulged in the short 125-word statement, aside from the fact that it will be “similar in size” to the
Forester
. The statement also says that the all-new C-segment EV SUV will be built on a platform that is shared with Toyota.
Subaru unveiled a full-sized clay model for its upcoming EV earlier this year at a press conference in Tokyo.
The announcement did not come as a surprise, as the two companies already announced previously in June 2019 that they are jointly developing “a new C-segment-class BEV SUV model for sale under each company’s own brand” – which means, much like the
GR86/BRZ
, the new SUV will also be available as a Toyota.
The new fully-electric SUV will most likely be built on Toyota’s latest e-TNGA platform, utilising Subaru’s all-wheel drive technical know-how from its
Symmetrical-AWD drivetrain
. The new electric-focused architecture is also modular, so expect to see further models in the C- and D-segments – in both sedan and SUV form – from both marques.
The new EV SUV will reportedly use the name Evoltis.
Toyota has also
recently teased
its offering based on the e-TNGA platform, and stated that the first model has already “has already been developed and is being readied for production”.
The new fully-electric SUV will be Subaru’s second step in its electrification efforts. Prior to this, the Japanese carmaker has only dabbled in mild-hybrid technology using its e-Boxer powertrain, which has been featured on the Impreza, XV, and Forester. Subaru says that the Subaru XV e-Boxer and
Forester e-Boxer
 models today represents 60% of the sales volume in Europe.


Peugeot and Honda among winners at the Women’s World Car of the Year

After announcing 27 different cars as the
 finalist of the Women’s World Car of the Year
 awards at the end of January, the winners from each of the nine categories including one for electric cars, have been announced.
This is the 11th year the WWCOTY has taken place, where the cars are judged by 50 female motoring journalist from 38 countries. It is the only jury in the automotive industry made up exclusively by women.

Following are the winners in each of the nine categories:
Best Urban Car
 – Peugeot 208
Best Family Car
 – Skoda Octavia
Best Luxury Car
 – Lexus LC500 Convertible
Best Sports Car
 – Ferrari F8 Spider
Best Urban SUV
 – Peugeot 2008
Best Medium SUV
 – Land Rover Defender
Best Large SUV
 – Kia Sorento
Best 4×4 & Pick-up
 – Ford F-150
Best EV
– Honda e
These vehicles, launched between January and December 2020, represent excellence in their segments
based on

safety, comfort, technology, and value for the money.

“The objective of the awards is to choose the best cars of the year. These are not ‘women’s cars’ because there is no such thing,” as highlighted by the committee.
Following this, the Women’s World Car of the Year panelist will now choose the
Best Car of the Year
dubbed the “Supreme Winner” from the nine category winners. The results will be announced on March 8, on International Women’s Day.


Global demand for Volvo XC40 hits 80,000, Malaysian debut soon?

In January 2018, Volvo reported that orders for the
Volvo XC40 exceeded 20,000 units globally.
 Four months down the road, that number has quadrupled to 80,000 units worldwide! This has led to Volvo Cars’ decision to expand production for the XC40 in Europe and China in order to meet the overwhelming demand.
“The XC40’s success has surpassed even our highest expectations,” said President and CEO of Volvo Cars, Håkan Samuelsson. “The small SUV segment is the fastest-growing segment in the industry now, and with these additional CMA-based models we expect to benefit further from that growth.”

That number is expected to grow even further following the successful market debut of the XC40 in China at the 2018 Beijing Auto Show in April. Volvo will also begin production of the XC40 at its LuQiao plant in China in the first half of 2019, highlighting the popularity of the compact SUV in the world’s fastest-growing market for SUVs.
Introduced in late 2017, the XC40 sits on the firm’s new Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform that underpins future compact Volvo and
Lynk & Co models
. The compact SUV went on to earn the prestigious title of 2018 European Car of the Year.
Not too long ago, Volvo debuted its
first-ever three-cylinder engine on the XC40;
 a 1.4-litre turbocharged transversely mounted in-line three petrol mill pushing out
156 hp
 and
265 Nm
 of torque. The new T3 Drive-E engine was designed for the Twin Engine plug-in hybrid setup which will be introduced at a later date, in line with the brand’s grand scheme to
electrify all Volvo cars from 2019 onwards
.
We had our first encounter with the XC40 at the
2018 Singapore Motor Show
 and Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM), has expressed its intentions to introduce the XC40 to the Malaysian market. Question to you dear readers, how would you dress your ideal XC40 – with the
Momentum package, R-Design or Inscription?
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Volvo XC40 Inscription T5 AWD


Watch the new Honda Civic sedan vs the Mazda 3 & Toyota Corolla in a drag race!

Let’s just address the elephant in the room and call it out as it is, drag races are for the simple-minded; for the lack of a better term.
Especially when it concerns C-segment vehicles like the Toyota Corolla Altis, the Honda Civic and the Mazda 3, a drag race as a buying guide is as useful as an umbrella in a typhoon but we watch it anyways.

Find out everything you need to know about the all-new 11th generation Honda Civic here!
Because when it comes to C-segment cars in Malaysia, cars most people buy as a symbol of “I’ve made some dough and I’m now comfortable”, it leaves for plenty of conversation and of course, bragging rights.

The drag race consists of
two runs
, one from a complete stop, along with another at a rolling start.
Don’t you think the rear section of the all-new Honda Civic hatchback, looks like the Kia Stinger?
The Corolla you see in the video gets 169 hp and 205 Nm from a larger 2.0-litre engine while the local model only makes 139 hp and 172 Nm from the 2ZR-FE 1.8-litre engine.

In the Mazda 3, there’s 186 hp and 252 Nm to play with, while the all-new Honda Civic, is rated at 180 hp and 240 Nm. The arrival of the new Civic means all three of the main players in the C-segment are now on the same level playing field.
While the Corolla in Malaysia has been supremely effortless and fluid to drive, coupled by a really good chassis and cabin refinement, the Mazda 3 is all about agility, sharpness, and driving engagement.
What will the Civic be like? We can’t wait to find out. As for this race, which would you put your money on? The results may surprise you.


Nissan has suspended all productions in Japan for 2 weeks

After a misconduct with its final inspection stage procedures, a fiasco that has lead to a recall of over 1.2 million vehicles sold in Japan over the past 3 years between January 2014 to September 2017, Nissan is shutting down production at all six of its assembly plants in Japan for at least 2 weeks.
The move which halts a production average of around
 1,000 cars per day
, will allow the second largest Japanese automaker to investigate and address its inspection procedures to comply with the country’s transport ministry requirements.
This follows after a discovery by Japan’s Ministry Land, Infrastructure and Transportation (MLT) that unqualified technicians not properly registered were conducting final stage inspections.
The
Nismo-extension
 of the Nissan Leaf
due for Malaysia
 in 2018
The MLT had discovered earlier this month that unqualified technicians at the assembly plants producing Nissan vehicles were
using stamps from certified technicians
 to sign off on final vehicle inspections, a severe violation of ministry guidelines.
As such, Nissan has taken recall measures for a repeat of the final inspections specifically on areas of steering radius, braking and acceleration capabilities, at a damaging cost in the region of USD 200 million (approx RM 845 million).
Ironically, reports from certain quarters have claimed that the catastrophe was due to a focus on increasing efficiency on the inspection line along with poor communications between plant personnel.
That said, the Japanese automaker will continue production of vehicles due for export outside of Japan, including the Nissan Leaf electric car as the bogus certifications is a local requirement by the ministry and only applies to vehicles for the domestic market.


The Dutch Police Force loved the Porsche 911 – there’s one odd reason why

Today, dozens of countries have deployed fleets of supercars for their police force in efforts to keep up with and nab the highway baddies and our beloved country isn’t excluded – we have the Mitsubishi Evolution X, although it’s uncertain what has happened to them of late.
It should be some amusement for you to know that it’s not an uncommon practise, dating back to the early 1960’s in the Netherlands. Back then, the absence of speed limits on Dutch highways saw a worrying spike in serious accidents and the Rijkspolitie (Dutch Police Force) was tasked with finding the right vehicle for high speed patrol.
The requirements were simple – it had to be reliable, handled well, stops effectively and lastly, it had to
have an open top
. Being just as surprised as you are on that last point, there reason for it was totally legit – it was so that officers could
stand up in their cars and direct traffic
 – presumably on the go!
It wasn’t long before the Rijkspolitie’s yard was filled with the understated Porsche 356 which made a watertight case with its balance of performance, reliability and of course, its cabriolet capabilities.
From 1962 to 1966, the Rijkspolitie established themselves as no-nonsense highway patrols with trademark orange and white livery on the 356’s alongside blue flashing lights on it’s A-pillar.
In 1967, the Dutch Police Force got on the 911 Targa wagon and they remained a permanent fixture of Dutch policing until 1996. With a total of 507 Porsches, including the 914, 924 and 964 models, doned the orange and white, it’s historically the largest Porsche police fleet in the world.
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Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia appoints Shinya Ikeda as new CEO

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM)
 has named Shinya Ikeda as its new Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Tomoyuki Shinnishi who has held the role since October 2016. Ikeda officially assumed office in Malaysia on 11th October 2021.
Prior to his latest position here in MMM, Ikeda was serving as the General Manager in Mitsubishi Corporation Japan’s automotive arm since 2019.
Ikeda’s career in the automotive industry started in 1995. He joined Mitsubishi Corporation back in 2008, where his first assignment was to manage the automotive business investment in Malaysia. He then moved to Malaysia to serve as both CFO and GM within MMM between March 2009 to May 2012, where he led new business development within the country.
Following that, Ikeda returned to Mitsubishi Coporation, where he held various leadership roles in automotive and finance businesses within the company across various markets including as Japan, Indonesia, Russia, and Germany.
Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia has just launched its Home Delivery Service for customers who bought their new cars online. Learn more here!

“I am excited to join Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia’s team. The company has grown from strength to strength and has now become one of the nation’s leading automotive brand,” said Shinya Ikeda.
“As announced in the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation Mid-Term Business Plan last year, MMC will continue to focus on the ASEAN market and particularly Malaysia as the country is one of the most important markets in the world to expand the Mitsubishi brand presence.
“I look forward to working with the team to contribute with the knowledge and experience that I’ve had. I am also happy to be back in Malaysia as the country is home to various diversified food and culture and also people with enormous talent and potential.”
The Mitsubishi Connect app in Malaysia has been updated with even more features for car owners. Learn more here!
Ikeda’s predecessor, Tomoyuki Shinnishi, was responsible for the launch of several new Mitsubishi models here in Malaysia during his tenure, including the
new Triton
 and
 Xpander
 seven-seater crossover. Under his leadership, the Xpander became the
best-selling non-national MPV
 in the country, propelling Mitsubishi to become the top three non-national brand in Malaysia.


Reconnecting with mother nature the Nissan way

Since 2018, Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) had embarked on a CSR programme focused on ‘reconnecting’ with nature. The aim of the
Nissan Nurtures Nature
 (NNN) initiative is to get Nissan customers, non-profit organisations, business partners, ETCM staff as well as the public at large to participate in activities that contribute to the betterment of the environment, centred around the
3R philosophy
 –
Reduce, Recycle and Reconnect.
The latest instalment of the NNN campaign dubbed
BodyMindSoul Festival
 is happening from
29
th
 November to 1
st
 December
 at the
Setia City Convention Centre, Shah Alam
. It features a series of eco-centric activities including mini herb planting using recycled materials and even an exhibition on how to turn used tyres into furniture, along with workshops and displays tailored to make
environmental awareness
 a fun learning process, for all ages.
If you are keen to participate and pick up some pointers from experts on how to lower your carbon footprint and make good use of materials that may have a worthy second life, make you way to Setia City Convention Centre this weekend.
Activities start from
10am and last till 8pm
. Of course, you can also test drive the second generation, fully electric
Nissan Leaf
 at the venue, if you haven’t experienced the thrill of driving an EV.


China to allow foreign automakers full ownership of brands from next week

The world’s largest automotive market will end a 28-year-old policy, allowing foreign automakers to have full control of their operations without the need for a local partner from January 1st 2022.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the country’s National Development and Reform Commission formally announced the directive two days ago, after previewing the intention 12 months earlier.
At the end of 2018, Volkswagen China produced its
30-millionth vehicle
Back in 1994, the initiative for 50:50 joint-venture was laid down to encourage technology and information transfer to local car manufacturers plus profits back to the country. Fast forward to 2021, it seems that with the more modular construction of electric vehicles (EV), the country is now overpopulated with local EV brands with the government
suggesting consolidation
 to ‘keep things under control’.
Mercedes-AMG A35 L
BMW i3 Sedan
Honda Integra
Fully electric Toyota C-HR called IZOA
JV companies also created many China-only models
In 2018, signs of loosening were seen via Tesla’s investment of its wholly owned Giga Shanghai factory plus the announcement of an increase in ownership of up to 70%. The first Chinese-made Tesla Model 3 was ready for delivery exactly
two years ago
 and the ‘Gigafactory’ is now earmarked to be the largest Tesla plant and main export hub.
Recently,
Volvo Cars
 became the first major foreign automaker to announced its intention of full control over its Chinese operations after acquiring shares of companies it formed during the joint venture establishments. Stated-owned JV companies include SAIC (Volkswagen), FAW (Toyota, Volkswagen), BAIC (
Mercedes-Benz
), Dongfeng (Nissan,
Honda
) and Changan (
Mazda
, Ford).
Lotus will be making plenty of
EVs in China
, for China
As noted by
Forbes
, the new directive will make new car manufactures such as Rivian and
Lucid

entering the largest EV market with less financial resources. The Chinese government however still maintain the limitation of foreign ownership in industries such as tobacco products rare-earth minerals and film production and distribution.
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New Lexus LS now open for booking, from RM1.02 million!

Lexus Malaysia is now taking orders for the
new facelift Lexus LS 500
 which will be available here in two variants – the LS 500 Luxury and the LS 500 Executive Kiriko. Last year, Lexus launched the
new facelift IS
, and locally, the
new LX 570
 and
LC 500 Convertible
 models.
The new car features a redesigned front bumper, along with a new appearance for the radiator grille and new triple-projector headlamps with more distinctive graphics.
At the back, the LS 500 which rides on Air Suspension also gets an updated look with new LED combination tail lamps however those 20-inch wheels remain unchanged. In terms of colour options, the new Lexus LS 500 is now available in two colours – Iridium Silver and Sonic Iridium.
Picture for illustration purposes only.
The real magic of the Lexus LS though lies on the inside. Opt for the more expensive
Executive Kiriko variant
and you’ll be greeted with
Kiriko Glass panels and hand-folded pleats by the door
.
The Executive Kiriko however, gets a smaller boot (440 litres) than the Luxury variant (480 litres) due to the additional cooler box in between the rear seats. As an LS owner, is that something that would bother you?
Besides, you’d be so distracted by the Ottoman and massage functions of the rear seats, boot space would be the last thing on your mind. If that doesn’t take the edge off, just turn up the 23-speaker Mark Levinson Reference Surround Sound System that’s exclusive to the Executive Kiriko variant.
The Executive Kiriko variant also features dual 11.6-inch LCD displays with Apple Car Play and Android Auto available. Interestingly, the “lesser” Luxury variant features a bigger 12.3-inch display.
Both variants come with 12 airbags, yes 12, and is equipped with the Lexus Safety System+ which includes autonomous braking, Dynamic Radar cruise control, Lane Tracing Assist and rear cross traffic alert.
Under the hood is an improved 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 Dynamic Force engine with
415 hp
 and
600 Nm
. Massive it may be, but a
Civic Type R it won’t fear
 as 0 to 100 km/h takes just five seconds.
Both variants of the new Lexus LS 500 are now open for booking at all six Lexus Malaysia Showrooms nationwide. Prices start from
RM1,023,629.00
 for the LS 500 Luxury and
RM1,304,768.00
 for the LS 500 Executive Kiriko, on-the-road with the sales tax exemption. Early birds will receive their new rides as early as May 2021.
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Video: CBU Mercedes-Benz C 200 Avantgarde, C300 AMG Line in Malaysia from RM288k, 5 Things

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has introduced the
fully-imported W206 C-Class in Malaysia
, available in two variants. The C 200 Avantgarde starts from
RM288,334
 while the C 300 AMG Line goes for
RM330,681
. The prices stated are inclusive of SST exemptions.
Like the previous generations of the C-Class, the Avantgarde and AMG Line differs significantly on the outside. The C 300 gets 19-inch wheels paired with non-runflat tyres while the 18-inch wheels on the C 200 are wrapped with run-flats.

Before, the C 300 would always be fitted with Multibeam LED headlamps, but with these two variants, both share the same headlight system. Both also share the same adaptive suspension, that can be tweaked according to the drive mode selected. Another highlight of the new C-Class is the remote boot release.
Inside, the C 300 AMG Line stands out from the C 200 Avantgarde with different door trims, a sportier steering wheel, and a panoramic sunroof. True to its AMG Line variant, the C 300 also gets sportier seats.
With the C 200 Avantgarde, Mercedes-Benz has brought back the 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine with a 48V mild-hybrid system. It makes 204 hp and 300 Nm, while the C 300 gets a bigger, more powerful 2.0-litre engine with 258 hp and 400 Nm. The C 300 AMG Line goes from 0 to 100 km/h in six seconds flat. The C 200 is about a second slower to the mark.
To know more, check out the video! For more pictures, click
here
!


Honda reveals the dashboard of its adorable Urban EV

The Honda Urban EV concept grabbed the headlines at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show with its retro cute looks and diminutive size, harking back to the first generation Civic. If you’ve been pinning to find out how the production version is going to look like, all will be revealed in the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show starting 5
th
 March 2019.
The Honda Urban EV stole the show at Frankfurt in 2017.
But even from teaser image released by Honda, the multi-screen display of the compact electric car does show the greenhouse of the Urban EV largely sticking to the concept shown at Frankfurt in 2017, but it will be a 5-door instead of a 3-door hatch, with its charging receptacle on its bonnet, and minus those oversized white alloys, of course.
Large ‘wood’ trim is a nice retro touch, as is the two-spoke steering.
Apart from the wrap-around LCD display, it appears Honda isn’t abandoning physical controls just yet with a conventional climate control interface and various hard switches under the large piece of ‘wood’ trim (not sure if it’s real or simulated) that runs across the dash. If you’re wondering why the two-spoke steering, well, the first generation Civic had that, so Honda is clearly taking this retro business quite seriously.
The Urban EV is shown as a five-door hatch on dash display.
The Honda Urban EV is expected to hit showrooms in Europe and Japan late this year, no mechanical specs been revealed yet, but a 30kWh-capacity lithium ion battery pack powering a front mounted electric motor, with a range of up to 400km wouldn’t be far off the mark.
Production to start later this year, but will we be able to buy one?


Mazda3 2.0 SkyActiv CKD hatchback set to arrive by May 2015, priced at RM119k [+Video]

As the title clearly depicts, locally assembled Mazda3 will arrive as early as end-April or early May, and we were informed by a reliable source from Mazda Bermaz Motor that the Mazda3 will come in two body forms –
sedan
 and
hatchback
. It seems like they’re sticking to the same strategy of putting a fixed price for both variants, just like the
Mazda2
.

The CBU version of the
Mazda3 2.0L Skyactiv-G
 is currently sold at RM139k, but many remain undeterred despite its pricing being on the higher side of the scale, or so we’re told. For those who’ve been eagerly waiting for this piece of info, the Mazda3 CKD from Kulim, Kedah will be priced at
RM119k
 – a whopping RM20,000 cheaper, although there’s no mention of omitting its equipment (like the sunroof) to offset the lower price tag. We can however, expect Mazda to throw in a
bit more goodies
, but it’s only a matter of time before we know what’s for sure.
Mazda3 2.0 SkyActiv-G hatchback CKD is coming to Malaysia! Wanna know how much? #Mazda3 #autobuzzmy
A video posted by AutoBuzz.my (@autobuzzmy) on
Mar 9, 2015 at 4:36am PDT

You may be curious about the Mazda3 Hatch Touring donning a Thai number plate, that’s because our chief editor GC Mah is now at the
Land of Smiles
 on a fuel challenge mission – to drive the
Mazda2 1.5L SkyActiv-D
 (the D stands for diesel)
over 1,000 kilometers
 from Bangkok to Changlun, Kedah in a single fuel tank!
Our little car that’s taking us from Bangkok to Malaysia, in 1 tank. Mazda2 1.5 SkyActiv-D. Follow our progress! #mazdacleandiesel #autobuzzmy
 A photo posted by AutoBuzz.my (@autobuzzmy) on
Mar 8, 2015 at 10:30pm PDT

GC has covered exactly
658 km
 and is now putting the night at
Surat Thani
 before making the final leg of the journey down to Penang tomorrow. You may follow his journey on our Facebook page
here
. Or our
Instagram
. He doesn’t quite have the greenest or lightest right foot around, so any form of encouragement would be of great help!
Alternatively, while we wait for GC’s review on the Mazda2 diesel, do check out our
video
 and
written review
 of the petrol 2. If you feel like going one up, then we have the Mazda3 reviews in both
video and written forms
 as well. Keep an eye out on this space as we bring you the latest developments at Mazda!
[divider]
VIDEO GALLERY
Mazda3 2.0L SkyActiv-G Launch Video
Mazda3 2.0L SkyActiv-G Review
Mazda2 1.5L SkyActiv-G Review
IMAGE GALLERY


All-electric Volkswagen Microbus (Kombi) confirmed for production!

The original Volkswagen Microbus (Kombi Van, Bulli in some markets) was released in United States 70 years ago and became an instant hit not just in the US but everywhere around the world. Seven decades later, Volkswagen has announced that an all-electric successor to the Microbus will enter production come 2022!
Unveiled at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the new Microbus will be based on
Volkswagen’s I.D. BUZZ concept car
 and like all vehicles of the
I.D. family
, the Microbus will feature an
all-electric drivetrain
. Like its predecessor, Volkswagen will also be offering the new-generation Microbus in different body styles to satisfy a wide-spectrum of consumers. A
cargo variant
 with Level 3 autonomous driving is already in the pipeline.

Measuring at 4,942 mm in length, 1,976 mm in width and 1,963 mm in height, the concept car offers
exceptional interior space
 just like the original Microbus. The battery pack for the electric powertrain will also be mounted in the vehicle floor as to not take up the interior space. According to the company, the production version will incorporate much of the design cues from the concept car and feature
 variable seating
,
highly automated driving
 among others.
Despite being more than 70 years apart, the new model carries its predecessor’s genes – maximum utilisation of space on the footprint of a midsize passenger car. “After the presentations at the global motor shows in Detroit and Geneva, we received a large number of letters and emails from customers who said, “please build this car”, Volkswagen CEO Dr Herbert Diess reported in Pebble Beach.

“The Microbus, known as the Bulli in America, has always been part of the Californian lifestyle. Now we’re bringing it back by developing Volkswagen’s next e-generation and by reinventing the Bulli as an electric vehicle.” added Diess.
This all-electric Volkswagen Microbus sounds promising eh? Wouldn’t mind taking one of these on a 20,000 km journey
like the guys at
#Live2Drive
!
IMAGE GALLERY


Facts & Figures: Toyota GR Yaris powers into Malaysia; yours for RM299k!

After endless speculation and rumours, UMW Toyota Motor has finally announced the arrival of the highly-anticipated
Toyota GR Yaris
in Malaysia, priced at RM299,000.00. It will be available as the
 Performance Pack Edition
 in limited units.

PERFORMANCE
Built on a unique platform combining Toyota’s new GA-B platform and the rear section of the TNGA-C platform used for the
Corolla
 and
C-HR
, the GR Yaris is the first production model to built at the bespoke GR factory at Motomachi, Japan. It’s also the birthplace of the Lexus LFA.
Engine: 1.6-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged
Transmission: 6-speed manual with Intelligent Manual Transmission (i-MT)
Drivetrain: GR-Four All-wheel drive (AWD)
Horsepower: 261 hp @ 6,500 rpm
Torque: 360 Nm @ 3,000 to 4,600 rpm
0 to 100 km/h: 5.5 seconds
Top speed: 230 km/h
The GR Yaris will
only be available with a manual gearbox
. The Intelligent Manual Transmission helps match the engine speed while the driver is downshifting for smoother gear changes. As part of the Performance Pack, the GR Yaris is fitted with a Torsen limited-slip differential (LSD).
The GR Yaris comes in three different modes – Normal, Sport and Track. In
Normal
mode, torque is split 60:40, in
Sport
 30:70 while in
Track
 mode, torque split is a perfectly balanced 50:50 distribution.
EXTERIOR
Weighing just 1,280 kg, the body of the GR Yaris has been constructed with a mix of carbon fibre and aluminium to keep weight as low as possible. The 18-inch BBS wheels come as
part of the Performance Pack
 along with a thicker front anti-roll bar and bigger diameter front springs. Otherwise, the GR Yaris rides on a set of suspension tuned by the Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team.
The car’s battery has been placed in the boot for better chassis balance to improve handling, stability and responsiveness.
18-inch BBS forged alloys wheels with 225/40 R18 Michelin Pilot 4S tyres
356 mm brake disc with 4-pot calipers (F), 297 mm brake discs with twin pot calipers (R)
Double wishbone rear suspenion
Forged carbon roof
Colours: Emotional Red 2, Precious Black, and Platinum White Pearl
INTERIOR
Inside, a pair of lightweight front sport seats take centre stage, complemented by smoked silver trims. Up ahead is a bespoke GR three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel and just to keep things exciting, they’ve even retained the mechanical handbrake for when you need to make a quick U-turn. *wink*
Such is the attention to detail that the pedal position, pad angle of the pedals, and its pressing angle were all calculated with regards to the driver’s hip point to gain the best possible controllability. Even the short-shift gear lever is positioned higher on the centre console and closer to the steering wheel for quicker shifting.
Analogue instrument cluster with 4.2-inch TFT multi-info display
Gear shift indicator
Boost meter
Head-up display
7-inch touchscreen infotainment system
Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
Six speakers
Dual-zone air conditioning
Just because it’s a rally car for the road doesn’t mean the GR Yaris does not come with creature comforts. It gets a smart entry system with push start, an electrochromic rear view mirror and power windows with jam protection.
In case you’re wondering where most of the GR Yaris’ noise comes from, Toyota says an
engine sound enhancement system
 is in place to help transmit sounds into the cabin according to how hard you press the throttle.
SAFETY
You can’t go fast without feeling safe and in that aspect, the GR Yaris has pretty much got it all covered too. It comes with six airbags and Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) features that include a Pre-Crash System, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert, Lane Tracing Assist, and Auto High Beam.
The GR Yaris’ Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) features an
Expert Mode
 allowing the driver to disable it along with the traction control.
Rear parking sensors
Driving video recorder
Tyre pressure monitoring system
ISOFIX
Each Toyota GR Yaris in Malaysia is accompanied with a plaque to highlight its exclusivity as there are
less than 200 units available for the Malaysian market
. The GR Yaris comes with a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty and is
available exclusively at all GR Garage outlets
.
GALLERY


All-new Volkswagen Golf 8 to be launched in Malaysia on 16 Feb!

Here we go, boys and girls. The highly-awaited
all-new Volkswagen Golf 8
 will finally be officially launched here in Malaysia on the 16th of February.
As seen in the
 preview event late last year
, the 2022 Volkswagen Golf will be offered in two variants at launch – 1.4 TSI R Line and
 Golf GTI
, both
locally assembled
 here at Pekan, Pahang.
Most of the Golf 8’s specifications have already been revealed, and we already had the chance to see (and touch) the car back in November last year – be sure to check out our
 walkaround video here
.
While no official specification sheet has been provided just yet, we do know that the “base” R-Line variant will feature the same 1.4-litre TSI turbocharged four-cylinder engine from the
 Mk7.5 model
, with
150 hp
 and
250 Nm
 on tap. Drive is sent to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox, instead of the seven-speed DSG.
The GTI meanwhile will feature a revamped EA888 2.0L TSI engine, now making
245 hp
 and
370 Nm
 of torque. Just as before, it’s front-wheel drive only, with power delivered via a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission for a century sprint time of
6.4 seconds
.
As for kit, both models come with the sportier “R-Line” exterior trim – although obviously, the GTI gets all of the shinier bits including the honeycomb mesh grille, red pin stripes, larger 18-inch wheels (17 on the R-Line), and actual tailpipe exits at the rear. LED Plus headlights and LED tail lights meanwhile are standard across both variants.
Moving inside, both cars are again nearly identical to each other in terms of specification; both get the same semi-bucket seats with integrated headrests (suede-like fabric upholstery on the R-Line, leather on GTI), as well as the digital instrument cluster and infotainment display panel.
However, it’s again the GTI that gets all the extra goodies, including a sportier-looking flat-bottomed steering wheel, plus accent piping and stitching on the seats, and variant-exclusive honeycomb trim on the dashboard. The displays also get sportier-looking GTI-exclusive displays.
As expected, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) is still being coy on the pricing for the 2022 Volkswagen Golf 8, but at least we don’t have to wait much longer. Seeing that the Volkswagen Golf will be locally assembled here in Malaysia for the first time ever, we’re also hoping it to be priced lower than the Mk7.5 generation here in Malaysia – only time will tell!
Interested to get involved in the launch? VPCM is also currently running a contest for a chance to win two passes to the Malaysian launch event in Sepang – more info can be found on its Instagram profile, linked
here
.
GALLERY


Here are the Top 5 most expensive Porsches ever sold

At long last, it’s back. Porsche has returned with yet another one of their much loved
“Top 5 Series”
 and in this installment, we’ll go through some of the most exotic, most iconic, most decorated and most expensive Porsches ever sold.
Whether it’s their race cars or road cars, old Porsches have seen a spike in desirability, with their price tags skyrocketing along the way.
Based on personal observations, even a 996 Porsche 911 Turbo, the first water-cooled 911, which was easily available in the mid-RM100k, is now asking for upwards of RM200k. Lets not even start with their
air-cooled models
.
In this episode, the five cars featured include a Porsche 917/30 Spyder, 550 A Spyder, 911 GT1 Strassenversion, Le Mans-winning 956, and the iconic Gulf livery 917 K hardly springs any surprises.
Whether or not they justify their speculated prices, with the second most expensive capable of fetching more than USD 10 million, there is no doubt however that these cars are museum worthy pieces that represent Porsche’s defining, revolutionary and most glorious moments in motorsports and automotive engineering.


EON appointed as dealer for Smart Malaysia, Smart #1 to be sold at Glenmarie facility

Proton New Energy Technology Sdn Bhd (
PRO-NET
) has just appointed Edaran Omobil Nasional (EON) as an official dealer for the upcoming Smart brand in Malaysia. EON is the second-appointed dealer for the brand in Malaysia after Hap Seng Smart.
Following these two dealer announcements, PRO-NET will soon announce five other dealerships that it has appointed. EON is an automotive retail arm of DRB-HICOM. The retail arm represents brands such as Proton, Volkswagen, Audi, Mitsubishi, and Isuzu.
PRO-NET CEO, Zhang Qiang said, “We are very excited to be partnering with a well-established and trusted brand in the automotive industry. Pro-Net believes EON’s vast knowledge and experience coupled with DRB-Hicom’s extensive customer reach will create an ideal synergy that will propel smart Malaysia’s vision to great heights.”
DRB-HICOM CEO and head of automotive distribution, Akkbar Danial said, “EON is committed to contribute towards the success of this new partnership. We are led by a dynamic team with vast experience which gives us the advantage to create synergy with smart Malaysia to meet the demand for the smart #1 and yield a significant impact on the local market. We have chosen to start our pure EV journey from our iconic building along the Glenmarie automotive corridor to serve customers from the region.”
RELATED:
Hap Seng Smart appointed as first Smart authorised dealer in Malaysia
The upcoming Smart vehicle is the Smart #1. It is a fully-electric car with a single-motor rear-wheel drive (RWD) powertrain that makes
272 hp
 (metric) and
343 Nm
 and provides a
 6.7-second
 century sprint time. The Smart #1 houses a 66-kWh battery pack that provides an all-electric driving range of
420-440 km
 on the WLTP test cycle. There is also a Brabus-tuned version of the Smart #1 with a dual-motor setup.
Set to launch in Malaysia in the fourth quarter of 2023, the Smart #1 scored a perfect 5-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash test in November 2022.
RELATED:
Smart #1 scores 5-star Euro NCAP rating – Malaysia-launch in Q4 2023


Polestar 1 will be offered on a subscription basis, available from 2019

When Polestar pulled off the wraps for their first ever car, the
Polestar 1
, the company expressed that customers can own (or rather, drive) one of their cars through a subscription plan. The company has elaborated a little more on this subscription plan for their new high-performance hybrid.
Initial launch market of the Polestar 1 includes Sweden, China, USA, Germany, Norway and the Netherlands where Polestar will open a physical store called
Polestar Space
. These brick and mortar facilities serve as an environment where customers can physically interact with the brand and are expected to open its doors in the middle of 2019 – around the same time when
Polestar’s manufacturing facility
 in Chengdu, China is ready to commence production.
Polestar manufacturing plant in Chengdu, China
The Polestar 1 and
all future Polestar cars
 will be offered through a subscription model. No deposit is required, and customers only need to fork out the monthly subscription fee (to be announced during market launch) for an all-inclusive ownership that covers insurance, depreciation, servicing and various other on-demand services.
During the official launch of the Polestar 1, the company received overwhelming registration of interest for the subscription of the Polestar 1 and has already outnumbered early production slots. This shows that the market is ready for a high-performance hybrid and subscription-based car ownership experience.
The Polestar 1 is a two-door Grand Tourer packing a sophisticated hybrid powertrain with
 600 hp
 and
1,000 Nm
 on tap. It will have a pure electric range of
150 km
 – the longest electric range of any hybrid on the market and shares only 50 percent of its platform with the
S90
. The remaining 50 percent are new development from Polestar themselves.
IMAGE GALLERY


Video: The Lamborghini Huracan STO is maddest road car we’ve driven yet!

Lap after lap, the same thought kept popping up in my head while behind the wheel of the
 Lamborghini Huracan STO
 – how is it possible that the public is allowed to buy such a car?
Everything about the Huracan STO – from its acceleration, braking performance, steering and throttle response, gear changes – have been turned up to ‘Max’ by Lamborghini. Whether through corners or on the straights, it just lights up all the senses – making you feel a live as it comes alive.
The main source of this menace rests just behind the shoulders of the both occupants – a 5.2-litre naturally-aspirated V10 engine with 640 hp and 564 Nm – with a roar so thunderous, it can even wake the dead.

Brute force and ultra responsive controls – whether brakes, steering or throttle – aren’t the only reasons for the Huracan STO’s fiesty behaviour. A lot of sensory overload is a result of how light the car is. Weighing just over 1,300 kg, the Huracan STO is only as heavy as a Honda Civic but with nearly three times the performance and braking power as its fitted with 6-pot brakes in the front.
It’s also over 40 kg lighter than the Huracan Performante; a result of extensive use of carbon fibre on its body. Over 75% of the Huracan STO’s exterior is made of carbon fibre. That also includes the ‘cofango’ front section featuring the front bonnet and fenders as one single piece. Adding more lightness are 20-inch magnesium wheels, a titanium roll cage developed with Akrapovic, a lightened windscreen, and carbon fibre bucket seats.
Has that triggered your curiosity? Watch and listen to howl of that V10 now!


The Audi A1 Citycarver is totally unecessary, but actually why not?

By jacking up the
A1 Sportback
 by a couple of inches, Audi has created the A1 Citycarver. While we wonder why the world needs the A1 Citycarver, remember that Land Rover used to build the
Evoque Convertible
.
In similar fashion to the
Fiesta Active
, the A1 Citycarver is clad with pretentious
wheel arch extensions
 to go along with its new-found attitude. Annoyingly the addenda work rather well on this A1, making it look like a worthy alternative to the bigger
Q2
.
While looking down on the plebeian
A1 Sportback
, A1 Citycarver owners will most likely point out that they have more kit and their bumpers are different too. However, A1 Sportback owners can claim that they have the same interior space, right down to the 335 litres boot.
Like in the A1 Sportback, a
digital instrument cluster
 is part of the standard equipment, but the range-topper gets Audi virtual cockpit and MMI navigation with
10.1-inch touch display
, and the 560 watts
Bang & Olufsen 3D Premium Sound System
.
Suspension aside, the A1 Citycarver is mechanically the same as the A1 Sportback. There’s a choice of
turbocharged petrol
 engines ranging from a
1.0-litre 3-cylinder
 to a
2.0-litre 4-cylinder
 with either manual or S tronic transmission.
This colour scheme reminds us of the
Subaru XV
And if you’re wondering why Audi didn’t just call it the A1 Allroad, it’s mainly because the A1 is not fitted with the quattro all-wheel drive system.
IMAGE GALLERY


Lotus reminds us why the Emira is for the purists in a shakedown video

As Lotus prepares to ramp up production of their latest Emira core model, the company has released a short clip on the capabilities of the sports car.
Driven by Gavan Kershaw, the director of Attributes and Product Integrity, the Lotus Emira First Edition slides through the corners so smoothly and easily like a hot knife through a slab of butter at their Hethel test track.

Amid some sideways action, he explains the Emira’s outstanding performance on both the track and the road, adding, “With the supercharged 3.5-litre V6 engine, you start an acceleration from as low as 1,500rpm and the car just pulls and pulls and pulls, getting stronger and stronger as the revs increase. This is what a real sports car feels like.”
Gavan also expands on the car’s intuitive driving performance, plus the four different driving modes. Tour, for maximum stability and control; Sport, for increased body slip and throttle response; Race, with even greater motorsport-derived dynamics with more focused graphics in the 12.3 instrument cluster; and Fully Off, where the stability control is completely disengaged. ABS is still active in all modes.
Apart from new cars and designs, Lotus is also revamping the look and feel of their sales centre. Check out how awesome the first looks, here!

Ergonomics also play a very important aspect in a sports car, with the shift lever positioned close to the steering wheel, and also on a shaft not too low to enable a very natural hand movement between steering and rowing the gears.
The Lotus Emira also proudly displays the manual shifting linkage and mechanism via an opening at the transmission tunnel, an important feature first seen in the
Lotus Exige
.
He concludes, “The whole package is tuned to give you maximum reward and confidence. It’s ‘For The Drivers.” With outputs of
405 hp
 and
420 Nm
, the Lotus Emira V6 completes the benchmark 0 to 100 km/h sprint in
4.3 seconds
 and a top speed estimated to be around 290 km/h.
Lotus Cars Malaysia has announced the price of the Emira V6 First Edition starting from
RM1,131,000
 and RM449,800 in Langkawi, dearer than a
Porsche 718 Cayman
. For the drivers who prefer a lightweight four-cylinder behind their backs, be prepared to wait late until 2022, as Lotus is only planning to introduce the First Edition with the Mercedes-AMG sourced four-cylinder powertrain from autumn of 2022.
Lotus will electrify China with four models, beginning with an SUV scheduled for launch in the coming months!
As for the much talked about variant with an entry price of under GBP60,000 (RM344k), production is only scheduled to begin in 2023.
GALLERY


Euro NCAP praises Ford Focus Advanced Driver Assistance to be intuitive

Being awarded the maximum
5-Star crash safety rating by Euro NCAP
 earlier this year means the
all-new Ford Focus
 is one of the safest vehicles on sale today. However, the Focus was recently commended by the crash test authority on its Advanced Driver Assistance technologies.
Equipped with three radars, two cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors, the Focus boasts features such as Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection, Evasive Steering Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Speed Sign Recognition and Lane-Centring, Adaptive Front Lighting System with Predictive curve light and more.

Euro NCAP secretary general, Michiel van Ratingen said: “The Ford Focus delivers a very balanced package of driver assistance technologies, with the capability to make journeys safer, while also ensuring that the driver needs to remain alert and ready to take appropriate action in an emergency.”
The technologies developed for the Ford Focus not only makes the family hatchback a lot safer but also allows the drivers to have a more comfortable and less demanding driving experience, especially on long journeys.


Proton X70 is the best-selling SUV in March 2019

Proton Holdings Berhad ended the first quarter of 2019 with more record setting achievements as registrations in March alone totaled to 6,145 units for an 11% market share – up 2.6% from March 2018.
“The numbers posted by Proton in 2019 is the direct result of hard work at every level within the company. These achievements are credit to the growth in the number of 3S/4S outlets, an increase in product quality, refocusing on customer service and improvements in many other areas, said CEO of Proton, Dr. Li Chunrong.
“With the forthcoming launch of our updated models later this year, PROTON is confident its investment in the business will continue to benefit sales growth,” he added.
As for the nation’s most talked about SUV,
2,979 units of the Proton X70 were registered in March alone
 – not only making it the best-selling SUV for the month but the most popular SUV overall for the first three months of 2019.
The figure is also a new automotive industry record in Malaysia for the
most registrations by an SUV in a single month
. So far, over 25,000 bookings have been made for the X70 since it was launched.
Dr. Li attributes the increase in sales to the 75 3S/4S outlets located nationwide, while adding that there will be more of such outlets in preparation for the introduction of future models.


试驾报告：2022 Mercedes-Benz C300 AMG Line- 赢了对手却超越不了自己

全新Mercedes-Benz C300 AMG(W206)打从去年二月推出至今，一直受人瞩目，其中也不乏奔驰粉也非常兴奋，这是因为这一代C-Class不仅仅在外观上做了迭代更新，内饰上更是做了有史以来最大的设计改变。
经过和不少潜在买家的交流中得出，潜在买家在C300和BMW 330i之间其实非常难抉择。其中一个因素是因为在新价钱出列之后，330i和C300的价钱其实非常接近。330i的售价比C300低了大约RM10k，那我们就来看看C300 AMG到底有什么看家本领吧！
这次全新C300最大的改变分别有几个部分：外观，内装和动力配置和配置，我们逐一来剖析。
在外观上，尾灯舍弃了使用多年的三角灯设计，转而使用了和S-Class一样最新的设计语言，在外观上看起来就像是一台迷你S-Class，车身设计也肉眼可见的更加流线了。小编看了真车之后是觉得真的是好看的，圆润的车身设计加上犀利的头灯和尾灯搭配非常的具有美感，整体看起来也比较结实。
在动力部分沿用了之前的2.0直列四缸涡轮增压引擎，但和上一代不同的是，这次增加了一个48V轻混ISG发电机马达，可在低转速时提供额外的200牛米扭力和高转数时27匹的马力。
在驾驶感上，这台2.0升
255匹
马力
400牛米
扭力搭配新增的电动马达的确可以在起步时更加顺畅的加速，动力上无论是在高速公路加速或超车都绝对绰绰有余。
和BMW的330i M Sport比起来，C300的调校较为均衡，它并没有如330i M Sport上所搭载的M Sport悬挂般死硬，而是较为
中性
一些。当然，对于驾驶感来说是非常主观的，有些驾驶的确喜欢梆硬，有满满路感的安全感，但对于小编而言，330i M Sport更适合于周末的郊游或赛道日，而C300的悬挂
更适合日常驾驶
。
这一代的全新C-Class最大的升级莫过于内装，使用和S-Class最新的设计语言。容易令人误触的触摸板也被移除，取而代之的是一片11.4寸的触摸信息娱乐OLED屏幕，使用最新的MBUX系统，并搭载Qi无线充电托盘，可实现一启动就无缝连接无线Apple CarPlay，让驾驶可以一气呵成的上车，启动引擎，连接Carplay，启程，而Apple CarPlay并不需要付费开通。在屏幕的正下方也配置了指纹感应器，车主可以设置不同的指纹，不同驾驶者设定他们专属的设置，如座椅设定、侧镜设定、常使用的应用甚至是空调温度。座舱空间也比上一代感官上宽阔了一些，隔音似乎也有了进一步的提升。本地组装车型如今独家搭载了电动免提行李箱，而安全套件还包括Pre-Safe乘员碰撞保护系统。
在试驾期间，这片屏幕表现得非常出色，尤其是在开启导航时，它就像是一片iPad Pro在你旁边开着地图导航，使用体验非常的好。小编认为Mercedes-Benz的车载信息娱乐系统的好用程度在这代的C-Class上首次超越了BMW。
当然，无论是CKD版本或者CBU版本均配全景天窗，这是BMW 330i上没有的。
那这款车有没有一些令人遗憾的点呢？恐怕也是有的。
首先这款全新C300在驾驶感上并没有和上一代的C300相差得太远，它所使用的9G-TRONIC变速箱在降档方面依然是有些迟钝。在要超车或者加速踩下油门时，它会先楞个1秒多，才开始降档加速，油门并不跟脚，这个问题在历代的Mercedes-Benz车款似乎都一直存在。
方向盘方面更换了全新设计的方向盘，大多控制仍然沿用了触控。但Mercedes-Benz的触控似乎对Apple CarPlay的控制并不友好，尤其是要切歌的时候，方向盘上的触控按钮是非常难控制的，直接点按屏幕会来得更直接，这就有一点本末倒置了。
让小编觉得最遗憾则是车头灯，上一代C300搭载的是Multibeam LED头灯，而这一代则是降级成高性能LED车头灯。那是因为在这代全新C300上已经没有推出Multibeam车头灯了。在Mercedes-Benz Malaysia选择配置时，车头灯方面只有高性能LED头灯和Digital Light车头灯可选。Digital Light系统更加聪明，更多功能且投射距离更远，如果搭载Digital Light的话，车价一定会因为成本的提升而有所提高，这也是没办法的事。希望Mercedes-Benz Malaysia可以开放选配，让车主选择自己喜欢的车头灯系统吧。
在暗路较多的马来西亚来说，车头灯是尤为重要的，虽然说这代C300搭载了330i上没有的自适应远光灯，但因为它只有开或关的机制，只要路上出现车或者电单车，它就不会开启，所以要启动它的条件是非常苛刻的。在没开启远光灯的前提下，这套头灯的投射距离是不够的。
事实上，小编和不少实际的Mercedes-Benz的车主聊过，他们几乎对于这些配置完全不在意，甚至有一位车主在试驾完小编手上这台车后就立刻去下定了，这也间接证明了它的魅力所在。
目前全新的Mercedes-Benz C300 AMG起售价为
RM327,888
不含险，全马目前车辆货源非常紧绷，下定的话需要等大约5个月左右。
总结来说，如果你希望有着非常强烈的路感，极致的操控性，跟脚的油门和聪明的变速箱的话，可以毫不犹豫的选择BMW 330i M Sport。但如果你是要买来日常驾驶且对于舒适度要求较高，并且还拥有一些性能的话，Mercedes-Benz C300 AMG也许才是您的首选。
各位看官觉得330i M Sport香一点还是这款C300 AMG香一点呢？
欲知更多Mercedes-Benz C300 AMG的更多详情，请点击
这里
！
【图集】


Pagani’s new Huayra BC Pacchetto Tempesta turns the already-extreme supercar up to 11

It’s hard to believe, but the
Pagani Huayra
, is already 10-years old – where did the time go? Anyway, to mark this momentous occasion, the Italian supercar maker will be unveiling a special “Pacchetto Tempesta” (Storm Package) edition of its
20-units-only Huayra BC
 at the 2021 Monterey Car Week.
In essence, the Pacchetto Tempesta takes the already hardcore Huayra BC, and turns it up one notch higher – both inside and out. Take for example, the Mercedes-AMG-sourced 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine, which has been bumped up in power by over 8% (!), now making
827 hp
 and
1,100 Nm
 of torque.
If that figure sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the same exact power output as the
Pagani Huayra Imola
, a limited edition model that was restricted to just five units. And just because it’s a special engine, the Huayra BC Pacchetto Tempesta also gets a new six-pipe exhaust system – four in the iconic central stack, and two at the bottom – to fully extend the engine’s vocal cords.
Take a look at the Pagani Huayra R, a naturally-aspirated V12 beast designed specifically for track use only!
Other enhancements on the Pacchetto Tempesta edition include a new rear wing with an integrated central fin, alongside a new front splitter with a dedicated air intake to maximise aerodynamic efficiency. A new set of Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tyres were also specifically formulated for the Pacchetto Tempesta, using modelling from Formula 1 tech.
The Pagani Huayra Tricolore is a RM27 million statement of national pride. Check it out here!
Pagani says that the package is designed to further unleash the car’s “true racing attitude”, although its list of upgrades also includes things like a new set of suspension and a new “Soft Driving” mode, designed specifically to enhance comfort… so, the best of both worlds? Well, we’ll never get to drive one, so I guess we’ll just have to take their word for it.
GALLERY


Good news – we’re finally getting a factory-made Safari Porsche 911

Jacked-up, offroad-friendly Porsche 911s are all the rage these days, eh? There was the
 Singer All-Terrain Competition Study
 that used a 1990 911, and recently Porsche themselves even
climbed the world’s tallest volcano
 with a modified 911 Carrera 4S.
Now, Porsche has now announced that it’ll be unveiling a “very special variant” of the
911
 at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show starting November 16, and if you still haven’t figured it out by now, yes – it’s a Safari 911, coming to you straight from Zuffenhausen.
It’s called the Porsche 911 Dakar, as a nod to the first overall victory by Porsche in the Paris-Dakar rally back in 1984, which was won in a modified 911 fitted – for the first time ever – with an all-wheel drive system.
To ensure that the 911 Dakar can live up to its name, then, Porsche has put the Safari model through an intensive testing regime covering over half a million kilometres – with over 10,000 of those being off-road.
RELATED:
The new Marc Philipp Gemballa Marsien is a Porsche 911 for off-road use
In addition to the off-road proving grounds in Weissach, the testing programme also included a variety of different loose surfaces to cover all sorts of off-road driving conditions (and climate), including the Château de Lastours test track in southern France, frozen lakes in Arjeplog, Sweden, as well as the sand dunes of Dubai and Morocco.
As usual, Porsche’s test drivers only have good things to say about the upcoming off-road 911, including bombastic keywords like “stunned”, “exhilarating driving experience”, and “incredibly fun to drive”. We don’t doubt it, but we’ll be the judge when we have the chance to drive it ourselves.
No technical specifications have been revealed just yet, but the press release does say that it’ll have a “combination of low weight, higher ground clearance, a powerful rear-mounted engine, and [a] short wheelbase”. It’ll also ride on all-terrain tyres, with the anti-lock braking system specifically optimised for braking on gravel.
Given its brief, plus the specific mention of the 1984 race-winning car, we’re guessing that it’ll also feature an all-wheel drive system. Either way, it won’t be too long more to find out.
ALSO READ:
Lamborghini’s last non-hybrid car is the all-terrain Huracan Sterrato, to debut by year end
GALLERY


Facts & Figures: Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace launched in Malaysia in two flavours

Alongside the launch of the
Arteon R-Line
, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) today also introduced the Tiguan Allspace for the first time in Malaysia.
The
locally-assembled
 5+2-seater SUV will be available in two variants – Highline and R-Line, priced at
RM165,000
 and
RM209,575
 respectively.

EXTERIOR
The new Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace features an extended wheelbase from the
regular Tiguan
, extending the overall length of the SUV by
215 mm
. To balance out the added length at the rear, the front bonnet area of the Tiguan Allspace has been raised slightly, along with sharper lines for a more imposing stance.
The Tiguan Allspace Highline comes with LED headlights with LED daytime running lights, LED taillights, chrome roof rails, and 18-inch “Kingston” alloy wheels as standard. The R-Line kicks things up a notch with the following additional kit:
19-inch “Sebring” alloy wheels
R-Line aerokit including front and rear bumpers, side skirts, and rear spoiler
Twin exhaust tailpipes
R-Line design strips on the character line
Automatic headlights
LED taillights with 3D effect
PERFORMANCE
The Tiguan Allspace is available with two powertrain options: a 1.4-litre TSI turbocharged petrol engine (lifted from the regular Tiguan) on the Highline, as well as a 2.0-litre TSI turbocharged unit for the R-Line, that’s even higher in performance than the
 Arteon R-Line
 and
Passat Elegance
!
Tiguan Allspace Highline
Engine: 1.4-litre TSI turbocharged petrol
Transmission: Six-speed wet dual-clutch DSG
Drivetrain: Front engine, Front-wheel drive
Max horsepower: 150 hp @ 5,000 – 6,000 RPM
Max torque: 250 Nm @ 1,500 – 3,500 RPM
Tiguan Allspace R-Line
Engine: 2.0-litre TSI turbocharged petrol
Transmission: Seven-speed wet dual-clutch DSG
Drivetrain: 4Motion all-wheel drive system
Max horsepower: 220 hp @ 4,500 – 6,200 RPM
Max torque: 350 Nm @ 1,500 – 4,400 RPM
The more powerful engine puts the new Tiguan Allspace R-Line at the top of the performance chart in its segment. Power delivery is aided by the addition of the 4Motion AWD system, the same one from the
Golf R
, as well as the Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) with up to 5 different driving modes in 15 increments.
INTERIOR
With a name like ‘Allspace’, even an infant could have probably guessed that the new SUV is all about interior room. Thanks to the elongated wheelbase and increased overall length, the Tiguan Allspace boasts a rear cargo space of
1,775 litres
 with all rear seats folded down;
700 litres
 with the third row seats folded down, and
230 litres
 with all seats in its normal position.
The Tiguan Allspace’s interior equipment list include:
11.7-inch Digital Cockpit instrument cluster
Eight-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Mirrorlink connectivity
Tri-zone automatic climate control
12-way electric adjustable driver seat with memory function, Vienna leather upholstery
Electric parking brakes
Folding tables at the back of front seats
Leather steering wheel with paddle shifters
Electric powered tail gate
Just like the exterior, the R-Line takes it up a notch with the addition of the following:
Upgraded Discover Pro 9.2-inch infotainment display with 3D navigation, voice and gesture control
R-Line flat-bottomed sports steering wheel with paddle shifters
R-Line stainless steel pedals
R-Line aluminium scuff plates
R-Line black headliner
R-Line ‘Vienna’ leather upholstery with comfort sports seats
12-way electric adjustable seats with memory function for both driver and front passenger
SAFETY
Safety features are pretty much identical across the board on the two variants – both without advance driver assistance features included:
Six airbags
Reverse camera
Park distance control sensors, front and rear
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Brake Assist (BA)
Post-collision braking
Intelligent Crash Response System (ICRS)
Hill-hold control
Alongside the addition of the all-wheel drive system on the Tiguan Allspace R-Line, the top-of-the-range variant also gains Hill Descent Control as standard for better off-roading capabilities.
PRICING
Available in five exterior colour choices: Blue Silk, Pure White, Deep Black, Platinum Grey and Pyrite Silver, the new Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace Highline is priced at
RM165,000.75
, while the Tiguan Allspace R-Line is priced at
RM209,575.79
. Both prices are on-the-road prices without insurance, and inclusive of the
sales tax exemptions
 that will be in place until 31 December 2020.
Included in the price as standard is the five-year unlimited mileage warranty, three-year free scheduled service package, and five-year roadside assistance package.
Interested to check it out yourself? The new Tiguan Allspace R-Line will be on display at the
Volkswagen Tour
 roadshow, taking place at 1 Utama Shopping Centre throughout the weekend, starting today. Following the Sales Tax Exemption, for the latest price list of Volkswagen vehicles in Malaysia, click
here
.
IMAGE GALLERY


Nissan uses “ramen delivery” to show how smooth its electric all-wheel drive system is

Nissan just released a video of the “Nissan e-4ORCE Ramen Counter” project to show just how comfortable its vehicles, equipped with the e-4ORCE ride control technology, will be.
Nissan Ariya EV crossover
Interior
The video shows how a motorised serving tray with a “downsized” e-4ORCE technology can swiftly deliver ramen and maintain the noodle’s presentation by suppressing all the tiny movements. The e-4ORCE technology is also found in the new
 fully-electric Ariya crossover
.

The “e-4ORCE ramen tray” uses two electric motors – each in the front and back – that operate independently from one another; just like an actual car with e-4ORCE. e-4ORCE is made up of three words; electric, 4-wheel control, and Force.
e-4ORCE is Nissan’s most advanced all-wheel control technology that accurately manages power output to each individual wheel and braking performance for smoothness and stability.

The system can apply the brakes on each wheel independently for the most efficient braking performance. The system also allows the driver to feel in full control of the vehicle, even in slippery conditions, by offering the most traction on the road surface.
Notice how the soup in the ramen is barely moving as the serving tray is moving (rather quickly) and Nissan says this is exactly how the driver and occupants of the Ariya and other Nissan vehicles equipped with the e-4ORCE system will feel. You can say goodbye to the dips and dives, along with other vehicle body movements from acceleration and braking – movements that are often the cause of motion sickness.


Could this really be the new BMW 2 Series Coupe?

Over the weekend, two images of what appears to be an unreleased BMW 2 Series Coupe-esque car have surfaced online, courtesy of Instagram account
Wilcoblok
. Although a huge chunk of the bodywork is draped over by a car cover, we still got to see most of the front and rear without any disguise, revealing some noteworthy details.
First of all, the front fascia of the car features a relatively small kidney grille, aligned in a horizontal layout for a more “traditional” BMW look. The small grille is refreshing to see, especially with the forthcoming 4 Series set to receive the
extra-large treatment
 on the grilles.
However, the grille is where all the familiarity ends. The headlights looks to be a massive departure from current BMW design language, especially without the usual ‘Angel Eyes’ corona rings.
The triangular motif on the front lower apron is also something we’ve not seen from the Munich-based carmaker. The M badge on the front lower radiator grille – albeit the odd placement – seems to point to the fact that we’re looking at a M Sport variant instead of a full-fat M2.
The unconventional design continues at the back, with a taillight shape that is slightly reminiscent of the pre-CLI E90 3 Series. The light graphics also lose the iconic BMW L-shape design. The lower bumper does bring it back to more recent times, with an overt “air-vent” design at the sides, along with a large diffuser on the bottom.
The pictured car seems to be carrying a German registration plate, which means it is a functioning car of some sort, and not a clay model that was taken out of the design studio.
Though, with anything on the internet these days, it’s better to take it with a pinch of salt. The images could also be the work of an avid BMW fan with the help of Photoshop.
For something more concrete, it’s better to get information from a trustable source such as BMW’s 2 Series Product Manager Gernot Stuhl, who has confirmed that the 2 Series Coupe will
remain rear-wheel driven
as opposed to the all-new
2 Series Gran Coupe
.
BMW M2 CS
, the last M2 of the F82 generation.
According to previous reports, the upcoming BMW M2 – which has been
 given the go-ahead
 – will be powered by a three-litre inline-six engine, generating north of
420 hp
, 10 hp more than the current BMW M2 Competition.
We recently had the opportunity to check out how the all-new
BMW 218i Gran Coupe
 and
M235i xDrive Gran Coupe
 feels like with a front-wheel drive platform. Be sure to check that out too!


No more Kopi-O license says Transport Minister, calls for automation in tests

Newly appointed Transport Minister, Anthony Loke is starting a crackdown on
Kopi O
license or offering bribes to secure a driving licence, as announced in a press conference. The Road Transport Department (JPJ) will be focusing on improving the current system with integrity to prevent the reoccurrence of this issue.
Loke explained that the current fees for vehicle licence that can be collected by driving academies as approved by JPJ are set at
RM350 for B2
 (motorcycle <250 cc),
RM1,150 for D
 (manual cars) and
RM1,250 for DA
 (automatic cars). These predetermined fees include the driving lessons and examination fees. Loke also highlighted that JPJ only collects a small portion of the fees.
The Transport Minister has given orders to stop driving academies to offer “Until Pass Package” (pakej sampai lulus) and collects a premium over the predetermined fares. However, he explained that driving academies can charge for value added services such as pick up and drop off but stressed that these value-adds are completely optional for the consumers.
In the event that driving academies collects additional fares, it has to be reflected in an itemised bill. “No (more) hidden costs, if there are any (driving) institutes disobeys these rules, I will not hesitate to cancel their licence,” he said.
Moving forward JPJ will head towards the direction of automation or without human intervention in conducting its driving tests. The Ministry will look into installing onboard cameras for the on-track test and invigilators will monitor from a control room. For on the road tests, the entire process will be recorded on video to maintain the integrity of the exam and allow the candidates to file an appeal if there are any discrepancies.


Volkswagen cars to be zero-rated GST, up to RM17k price reduction

In view of the new Pakatan Harapan Government’s announcement that Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be zero-rated beginning from 1 June 2018, the
rakyat
 were hoping to see a reduction in price.
Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) was amongst the first carmaker to reflect the new pricing of their vehicles.
From 1 June 2018 onwards
, all Volkswagen vehicles will be cheaper by some RM4,400 to RM17,102 with CBU models getting the most drastic price change.
Managing Director of VPCM, Erik Winter said: “This period in time is a windfall for Malaysians, and so I would like to urge those considering our products to grab this opportunity as there is no better time to own a Volkswagen. Customer peace of mind is always a priority for us, and we want to be able to provide this during the transition period until the implementation of the SST. We want our customers to benefit from the revised prices and enjoy our ongoing promotions.”


The next-gen Hyundai Veloster sounds pretty darn mean! [+Video]

Hyundai Motor Group has just teased their next-generation Hyundai Veloster in a YouTube clip complete with the car’s soundtrack. Based on the sound alone, we are loving the car already.
In the 51 second clip, we can see the all-new Veloster in full camouflage taking off into the night, giving us a taste of what is to come with the next-gen sporty hatchback. The black painted alloys matched with the red painted calipers, central-mounted dual-exhaust outlet and a rear diffuser gives us all the reason to believe that this is the hotter Turbo variant.
When the Veloster first made its global debut in 2011,
Hyundai wanted to give customers the best of both worlds
 – the sleek roofline of a coupe but all the practicality of a hatchback which results in a three-door hatchback design. Fun fact, the name Veloster was conceived by combining “Velocity” and “Roadster”.
Hyundai has confirmed that the second-generation Veloster will make its global debut at the 2018 North American International Show in January.
IMAGE GALLERY


Nissan turns up the heat with the new Almera Black Series

Feast your eyes on this new Nissan Almera, all decked out with what Tan Chong calls the Black Series bodykit, made up of Tomei parts – body parts that is.
As you can see from the image below, the Black Series bodykit is made up of the Gloss Black Front Grille, Gloss Black Side Mirror Covers, Gloss Black Trunk Lid Spoiler and Gloss Black Y-Spoke 15-inch Alloy Wheels, along with Tomei rear bumpers, spoiler, front bumper and side skirts – to a total of RM 8,500 – a sum included into the total price of the car.
NISSAN ALMERA – BLACK SERIES*
1.5L E Auto (RM)
(with 10% Sales Tax without Insurance)
1.5L VL Auto (RM)
(with 10% Sales Tax without Insurance)
Peninsular Malaysia
RM 69,800.00
RM 79,800.00
Sabah
RM 72,300.00
RM 82,300.00
Sarawak
RM 72,300.00
RM 82,300.00
If you asked me, I’d rather them spend it on Tomei engine components, as they’re more well-known for in the aftermarket scene rather than body parts. At least when the Almera is quick, no one can actually see and closely evaluate how the car looks.
The interior isn’t entire neglected either. It’s been enhanced with newly-designed leather seats, a 6.75-inch Clarion Advanced Display Audio with reverse camera, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Solar Gard tinting and a Driving Video Recorder (DVR).
The rest of the car’s underpinnings, like engine and tranmission, is all the same.
“With the introduction of the new Nissan Almera – Black Series, it adds more style, presence and personality, making it simply menacing,” said Sales and Marketing Director of ETCM, Mr Christopher Tan.
The Nissan Almera Black Series is available in E and VL variants and a new Titanium Olive colour, exclusive only to the Almera Black Series. The vehicle comes standard with 5-years unlimited mileage warranty, whereas the accessories come with 3-years or 100,000km warranty (whichever comes first).
IMAGE GALLERY

 ALMERA LEAFLET FINAL


This Facebook page is a must-join if you like old cars!

Facebook groups and pages are treasure coves of quality content, none more so when it’s automotive related.
Once in awhile, you get page members sharing pictures like this!
Whether you’re into old cars, new cars, or just want to observe other owner’s new car experiences before you buy one yourself, there’s something for everyone.
Recently, we came across a group called
 “Kereta sebelum tahun 2000”
 that all enthusiasts of cars made before the year 2000 would want to join.
According to an article by The Vocket, the founders started the page out of interest for pre-2000 cars and wanted a platform for other similar enthusiasts to gather. And they’re not short of those.
As of this article, the “Kereta sebelum tahun 2000” has gained over 80,000 followers in just over a year. The group was formed in May 2020. Because of large following, the content posted is just incredible and diverse too.
There are pictures of abandoned cars, restored cars, old race cars, rare classics in random locations, personal stories with cars, 90’s JDM legends, an actual Ghost Busters car and other cars you never knew existed in Malaysia.
There is a lot of love in this Facebook page.
It’s just a buffet of owners sharing their project cars, their restored classics, their ownership experience with the odd picture of rare cars sighted on the road. For all of us who’ve been confined at home for the last 18 months, with no car gatherings or events to go to, this is a much welcomed source of entertainment.
Who wouldn’t check out other people’s nice cars? There’s no end to it either; there are countless postings per day!
Sourece:
Kereta sebelum tahun 2000.


Ford partners with Google, bringing Android to its cars starting 2023

Our phones have two main operating systems, and you only have to choose between Apple or Android. But for some reason, car manufacturers seem to prefer to roll one themselves, which – more often than not – results in half-baked infotainment systems that are unintuitive at best, or
completely unusable at worst
.
Fortunately, more carmakers are slowly realising that it just isn’t feasible to create their own infotainment system any more, leaving software to the pros. Ford and Google today announced a strategic six-year partnership, that will help the carmaker accelerate its transformation plan and “reinvent connected vehicle experience”.
The big news in this partnership is that all Ford and Lincoln models at “all price points” will be powered by the
Android Automotive operating system
, with Google services baked right into the cars. These services include Google Maps, Google Assistant, as well as the Google Play Store, where users can download various other applications – all optimised and integrated for in-vehicle use.
The Android system will also open up the doors for third party developers – in addition to Ford themselves – to build new apps that will provide an “ever more personalised ownership experience”.
Ford President and CEO, Jim Farley commented on the newly-minted partnership: “As Ford continues the most profound transformation in our history with electrification, connectivity, and self-driving, Google and Ford coming together establishes an innovation powerhouse truly
able to deliver a superior experience for our customers and modernise our business.”
Ford’s Sync 4 system from the
 Mustang Mach-E
.
Alongside the Android Automotive operating system, Ford will also leverage on Google Cloud’s Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and data analytics technologies to modernise the carmaker’s operations, while also powering connected vehicle technologies.
The cars will be able to receive constant over-the-air updates to ensure everything in the vehicle is working smoothly or even enable new features, as well as real-time notices such as maintenance requests or trade-in alerts.
To alleviate any privacy concerns, Ford has also clarified that Google will not have access to Ford data in the cloud. Google also further assures that they won’t share third-party data with advertisers through this system, according to a spokesperson at the press conference.
“From the first moving assembly line to the latest driver-assist technology, Ford has set the pace of innovation for the automotive industry for nearly 120 years,” said Google and Alphabet CEO, Sundar Pichai. “We’re proud to partner to apply the best of Google’s AI, data analytics, compute and cloud platforms to help transform Ford’s business and build automotive technologies that keep people safe and connected on the road.”
The two companies will also form a new collaborative group called Team Upshift, which will make use of the talent and assets of both Ford and Google to develop anything from a new personalised retail experience, new data-driven ownership offers based on connected vehicle data, and more.
“We are obsessed with creating must-have, distinctively Ford products and services,” said Farley. “This integration will unleash our teams to innovate for Ford and Lincoln customers while seamlessly providing access to Google’s world-class apps and services.”


Prolonged lockdown has affected Honda Malaysia’s business chain

It has been two months since the announcement of the Movement Control Order (
MCO 3.0
) Phase One “Full Lockdown” period that was initially planned for the first two weeks of June 2021. The government also introduced the National Recovery Plan (NRP) with the idea to transition into Phase 3 by September where the majority of economic sectors are allowed to operate.
However, the majority of the manufacturing and services industries that are deemed non-essential are still not allowed to open today. In summary, apart from three states, the country is still stuck at Phase 1 with a higher number of daily cases than we first started the “lockdown” in June.
Honda Malaysia, the
leader in non-national overall sales
, has closed its Melaka plant, corporate office as well as dealer showrooms since June 2021. The closure of sales channel and minimal revenue from the shrunk aftersales services has affected all 101 Honda authorised service dealers.
The sales advisors whose income largely depend on commissions of new vehicle sales have been severely impacted. All 101 Honda authorised dealers face financial difficulties and the uncertainty of employment for sales as service advisors as well as other supporting staff at the dealership.
“With only certain aftersales services allowed and sales and manufacturing operations on halt, it is no surprise that sales have plunged. Honda Malaysia saw a decline of 52% in car sales for the year-on-year period of May to July 2021. We sold about 5,700 units in this period compared to close to 12,000 units sold in the same period last year when the country was under Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) and Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO),” said Honda Malaysia, MD and CEO, Ms Madoka Chujo.
Next-gen Honda BR-V to start production soon. Find out more here!
“The prolonged business closure has also impacted Honda Malaysia’s new model production due to no testing conducted in the manufacturing facility. The current extended lockdown and no visibility on business resumption timeframe have impacted planning and overall investment of the automotive marques,” added Ms Chujo.
The City Hatchback now available in Thailand and Indonesia
The all-new Honda Civic coming to Thailand very soon
Honda Malaysia also expresses concern on the supplier network with few of the companies exporting their goods too. With no operations since June, the suppliers might not be able to sustain and could subsequently affect the overall supply chain.
Nonetheless, Honda Malaysia reiterates its full support for the Malaysian Government’s efforts to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic by adhering to the SOPs since it was imposed in March 2020 or just over 500 days ago.
“Honda Malaysia understands the hardship that the dealers and Honda associates are going through, and hence, the company is trying to do its best to assist them during difficult times,” said Chujo.
Honda Malaysia is registering its staff under the Public-Private Partnership Industrial Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PIKAS) to expedite the vaccination for all its staff. The target is to achieve 100% of the first dose vaccination by mid-August 2021. Honda Malaysia is also appreciative of the hard work of all the frontliners who have been working tirelessly to help fight the pandemic.
Honda especially reserved one Jazz for frontliners while celebrating 1 millionth unit in Malaysia
.
Honda Malaysia hopes that should the early resumption of the automotive sector be possible under strict SOPs and guidelines set by the Government, there will be no long-term impact such as retrenchment of employees and can help to mitigate potential business closure among the supply chain.


UMW Toyota enters Vios and Yaris in Sepang 1,000 km – free entrance on Saturday!

For those familiar with the local four-wheel motorsports events, the Sepang 1,000 km (S1K) endurance race is quite the year-ending event that many amateur and professional racers look forward to. The premise is simple, just 1,000 km of human and machine endurance – and this year, UMW Toyota will also be taking on the challenge head on.
The three-day-long race weekend has officially begun today with scrutineering and team preparations. Track action starts at 10:00 A.M. tomorrow for Free Practice 1, followed by the first qualifying session at 3:30 P.M. and ending at 6:30 P.M.
The big event will formally commence on
Saturday morning
 from 10:50 A.M. and a field of some 45 cars will begin their 181-lap race at
11:00 A.M
. The main grandstand of Sepang International Circuit is
welcoming fans
 to experience live motorsports after an absence of more than a year.
Being an endurance event, members of the public can enter the main grandstand
for free
 anytime before 8:00 P.M. to catch the last few laps and prize-giving ceremony. Entrance is limited to individuals aged 18 and above, fully vaccinated and wearing of facemask is compulsory.
Honda Malaysia (Honda Malaysia Racing Team) and Proton (and its R3 operations) have long established their presence in the endurance event, having both won the overall winner’s title. In the previous S1K 2019, Proton was the overall champion with the Iriz R3, ahead of the Saga R3 driven by local motorsports darling
Leona Chin
 in an all-ladies driver line-up.
The highlight of the S1K is the incredibly fast builds in the
Malaysian Touring Car (MTC)
 category. Both Honda Malaysia Racing Team and Proton R3 field MTCs due to the technical regulations that allow plenty of modifications to the tune of
190 hp
 from an engine displacement of 1,600 cc.
UMWT, running under the banner of Team Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia will be fielding a Toyota Vios in the MTC class bearing race no. 37. The team comprises of three-time Toyota Vios Challenge champion
Tengku Djan
, inaugural Rookie Champion Naquib Azlan as well as UMWT’s Chief Motorsports Officer and Deputy Chairman, Akio Takeyama.
This is Takeyama’s second Sepang 1,000 km endurance race, after making his and UMWT’s
debut in 2019
 and finishing in 12th position.
Meanwhile, the second Toyota Vios will enter the highly competitive SP2 (Stock Production 2) category that sees competition from Suzuki Swift Sport, Honda Jazz, and Honda Fit RS. Representing Team Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia’s SP2 Vios No. 36 are
Gazoo Youth Talent Development
 drivers Mika Hakimi and Jwan Hii as well as the talented Zizan Razak, runner-up of the Promotional Class Season 4.
We won’t be surprised if the duo met with fellow rookies Putera Adam and Ameer Harris who had quite an outing at the recently ended double-header of the Malaysian Championship Series 2021, racing SP2 machinery as well.
Also making its debut in the MTC category will be a brand-new Toyota Yaris (Car No. 39) driven by Season 3’s Vios Challenge Sporting Class champion and 16-year-old
Hayden Haikal
 who will partner another young and talented driver Timothy Yeo, representing Wing Hin Motorsports, a prominent
GR Garage
 and Toyota dealer
.
They will be joined by Season 2’s Vios Challenge Super Sporting Class champion Boy Wong and Vios Challenge Sporting Class driver Dannies Ng. The pair finished third overall in the 2019 S1K in a chrome-grey Toyota Vios MTC bearing competition No. 38.
Thanks to the strict technical regulations that limit engine modifications in the SP2 category, many teams who own the Toyota Vios Challenge racing cars also participate in this category. UMWT has made this Sepang 1,000 km race more rewarding for the Vios racers as the S1K Vios Enduro Cup champion is rewarded RM10,000 with prize money awarded up to fifth category placing.
Image credit: Facebook/
WingHinMotorsports
 and Facebook/
SepangCircuit


Lexus NX officially launched in Japan, featuring Lexus’s first turbo [+Video]

Debuted a few months ago at the 2014 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, Lexus’s new Compact Crossover SUV now goes on sale in Japan. The new 2.0-litre turbo also makes its first appearance in this new SUV bearing the NX200t badge.
The sharply styled Lexus NX looks well, sharp especially from the front with the spindle grille and Lexus IS-aping separate LED daytime running lights. Although the whole L-finesse design has been toned down quite significantly from the LF-NX concept, the production Lexus NX still appears as one of the most adventurously-designed vehicle in its class. Measuring
1,645 mm tall
,
1,845 mm wide
, and
4,630 mm long
 with
2,660 mm wheelbase
, the NX sits below the RX in the Lexus SUV range.

Inside, there’s a new
Remote Touch Interface
 with touch pad functionality, and a
wireless charger
 for mobile devices. The
Panoramic View Monitor

with Cross Traffic Detection
 should help the driver as the screen displays everything around the vehicle, captured by four separate cameras mounted on each corner of the vehicle. Another driving assistance featured is the
Radar Cruise Control

with All-speed Tracking
 that helps to maintain the gap in traffic with the vehicle in front.

The japanese market Lexus NX is offered with two engine options, a 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle hybrid in the
NX300h
, or an all-new 2.0-litre turbo in the
NX200t
. The
2,493 cc 4-cylinder
 petrol in the NX300h is combined with an
electric motor
 to generate a total of
194 hp
. The Nx200t on the other hand is powered by a
turbocharged 1,998 cc 4-cylinde
r producing
235 hp
 at
4,800 – 5,600 rpm
 and
350 Nm
 of torque at
1,650 – 4,000 rpm
.

The NX200t transfers the power via a new
6-speed auto
 while the NX300h uses a
CVT
 box. Both can be had in either front wheel drive or all wheel drive version, but the NX300h uses an
E-Four All-Wheel Drive
 system as opposed to the
Dynamic Torque Control All-Wheel Drive
 in the NX200t. There’s also the
F Sport
 variant equipped with specially-tuned suspension including performance dampers and a
Navigation/Artificial Intelligence-Adaptive Variable Suspension
 (NAVI/AI-AVS) system that is said to provide an increased “ride comfort and handling stability”.
Assembled by Toyota Motor Kyushu in its Miyata Plant, the
NX200t
 is priced from
¥4,280,000
 to
¥5,180,000
 and from
¥4,920,000
 to
¥5,820,000
 for the
NX300h
. Over there, Lexus targets to sell 700 units of the new SUV per month.
[divider]
IMAGE GALLERY


Could the Nissan IMs Concept be Nissan’s first EV sports sedan?

Nissan has just premiered an electric sports sedan concept at the 2019 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). The Nissan IMs Concept is the Japanese carmaker’s vision of a high performance pure electric sedan that fully embraces the three pillars of Nissan Intelligent Mobility – Intelligent Driving, Intelligent Power and Intelligent Integration.
Because there is no longer a combustion engine in the picture, Nissan was able to incorporate aerodynamic friendly design cues into the car without losing the traditional sedan styling. Despite the grille-less front fascia, Nissan’s signature V-motion design language is still present in the shape of a bold, thin V-shaped lighting design.

The boxy rear design appears to have been inspired by the
Infinity Q Inspiration
 along with the single piece tail lamp trim. To emphasise its Japanese character, a traditional Japanese Asanoha geometric graphic pattern has been applied in gold over the IMs concept’s smoked glass roof surface. Although we think the
IMx Concept
 looks miles better than this…
The IMs concept utilises a dual electric motor set up, one located on each axle giving it all-wheel-drive capabilities and ideal front to rear weight balance. The electric motors are said to be able to generate up to
 483 hp
 and
800 Nm
 of torque while a 115-kWh battery pack juices the car for up to 611 km on a single charge. As with any EV concept, fully autonomous driving capabilities are planned for the IMs concept to allow drivers to safely and comfortably interact with their passengers between commutes.