Volvo XC90, Audi Q7 Score Top Marks In Latest Euro NCAP Safety Tests

As we get ever closer to the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, results from the latest round Euro New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) crash tests have been revealed.
Amongst the latest vehicles tested were two luxury SUVs that have both scored top marks in the tests: the all-new
Volvo

XC90
, and the all-new
Audi

Q7
. Both models are expected to debut in Malaysia in time to come.
However, in the latest news release by the Euro NCAP, it was said that while both large luxury SUVs were scored with the maximum five-stars, it was the Swedish XC90 “that made the biggest impression by earning full marks in the crash avoidance and driver assistance tests.”
Amongst its reputable achievements was a 100% score in the
Safety Assist
 quarter of the tests, with the Euro NCAP also praising the XC90’s high level of standard safety equipment, and ability to actively “avoid collisions in all of the scenarios and at all of the speeds tested.”
The tested XC90 was equipped with Volvo’s Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning with Auto-Brake and more.
For
Adult Occupant
protection, the XC90 scored a near maximum 97% score, with Volvo demonstrating that a similar level of protection would be provided to occupants of different statures and to those sat in different positions. The Audi Q7 also managed an impressive 94%.
In the
Child Occupant
 tests, the XC90 scored 87%, with the Euro NCAP performing tests with rear-facing 1.5 and 3-year old (size) dummies. Good protection was recorded for all parts of the body. The Audi Q7 managed to up the Volvo by achieving a total 88%, even achieving the maximum possible safety score for its protection for a 3-year old dummy.
Only a score of 72% was achieved by the XC90 for
Pedestrian Protection
, in which the Euro NCAP revealed that the bumper of the vehicle offered “good” protection in all areas tested. The lower-than-usual score was provided by low pedestrian pelvic protection in. The Q7 managed a similar 70% score, despite its “active” bonnet technology, but similarly showed poor pedestrian pelvic protection.
The XC90’s autonomous emergency braking system that can recognise and react to pedestrians hasn’t been taken into consideration for this test, because the Euro NCAP will only begin to test these systems in 2016.
Dr Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President, Research & Development at Volvo Car Group, said,
“This is further proof that with Volvo XC90 we have developed one of the safest cars in the world. In fact we scored one hundred per cent in the Safety Assist category. From an industry perspective Volvo Cars remains the leader in car safety innovation and miles ahead of the competition with our standard safety offer.”
Echoing his sentiments, Martin Magnusson, Principal Engineer at Volvo Car Group, said,
“We are the first car manufacturer to surpass the criteria that Euro NCAP have applied to the AEB Interurban and City testing procedures. City Safety is one of the most advanced standard crash prevention offers you can find in a modern car. It addresses vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians in certain situations, day and night.”
Watch the XC90's Crash Test Video:
Watch the Audi Q7's Crash Test Video:


Fuel Price Update: 24 - 30 August - Petrol Unchanged, Diesel Down

The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives, and Consumerism (KPDNKK) have announced the latest prices for petrol and diesel, which will come into effect tomorrow.
New prices (per litre) are listed below:
RON95 - RM2.15 (unchanged)
RON97 - RM2.43 (unchanged)
Diesel - RM2.01 (down 3 sen from RM2.04)


Honda City Hatchback 1.5L V-SENSING Dilancarkan – RM91,708

Honda Malaysia
 kini telah memperkenalkan varian baharu, Honda City Hatchback V-SENSING dalam pasaran Malaysia.

Varian V-SENSING ini telah diperkenalkan pada
Honda City sedan
 pada tahun lalu, dan ia ternyata diterima baik oleh pengguna apabila varian V-SENSING bagi City Sedan telah menyumbang sebanyak 34% daripada jumlah keseluruhan penjualan City.

Selain itu, Honda mahu memberikan penambahan nilai kepada pengguna selain meningkatkan lagi penanda aras dalam
hatchback segmen-B.

Perbezaan Harga Honda City Mengikut Varian:

S:
RM75,669.45

E: RM83,075.73

V: RM87,856.36

V-SENSING: RM91,708.51

RS e:HEV: RM107,783.09

Berdasarkan harga yang ditawarkan, varian V-SENSING berada ditengah-tengah antara varian V dan RS. Ia lebih mahal RM3,852 berbanding model V, namun masih tidak mencecah RM100,000.

Di Malaysia, hanya varian RS dan V-SENSING sahaja yang dilengkapi dengan honda SENSING. Selain perbezaan harga dan teknologi
Honda SENSING
, segala yang ditawarkan pada varian V-SENSING ini sama sahaja dengan
varian V
.

Apa Itu Honda SENSING?

Lane Departure Warning
 – Stereng kereta akan bergegar untuk memberi tahu pemandu supaya memperbetulkan laluan jika pemandu terkeluar dari lorong tanpa memberikan signal.

Road Departure Mitigation
 – Apabila kereta bergerak terlalu rapat dengan tembok jalan, satu amaran automatik akan dikeluarkan dan bantuan pengendalian stereng serta brek turut akan diberikan.

Lane Keep Assist System
 – Jika pemandu terkeluar dari lorong tanpa niat, satu amaran pintar akan dikeluarkan dan stereng akan diperbetulkan untuk memastikan kenderaan pemandu berada di tengah-tengah lorong.

Forward Collision Warning
 – Apabila terdapat risiko untuk bertembung dengan kereta di hadapan, pemandu akan menerima amaran visual dan audio

Collision Mitigation Braking System
 – Brek akan digunakan secara intuitif untuk memperlahankan kereta atau menghentikan kereta sepenuhnya sekiranya ada risiko kemalangan.

Auto High Beam
 – Lampu tinggi akan dimatikan secara automatik jika kereta mengesan cahaya lampu kereta lain di waktu malam.

Adaptive Cruise Control
 - Kereta bergerak secara konsisten dalam kelajuan yang telah ditetapkan serta jarak antara dikelalkan di antara kereta dengan kereta hadapan.


Hyundai Sime Darby Malaysia To Honour 0% GST Pricing For Ioniq and Tucson

Customers who have made bookings for the Hyundai IONIQ Hybrid and the Tucson (only for the Turbo and Elegance variants) can be assured that as long as the booking is made by or on 31 August 2018, they need not worry about paying the sales and service tax (SST), even if their vehicle is delivered after 1st September 2018. Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) has confirmed the selling price of these two vehicles with zero-rated GST while stocks last for a limited time only.
The current selling price (Peninsular Malaysia, exclusive of insurance) for the IONIQ and Tucson models with zero-rated GST are as follows:
IONIQ Hybrid HEV – RM94,788
IONIQ Hybrid HEV Plus – RM109,988
Tucson Elegance – RM119,188
Tucson Turbo – RM137,488
HSDM offers a five-year or 300,000km (whichever comes first) warranty on all its new passenger vehicles. In addition, the IONIQ is entitled to 60,000km free service while the Tucson is entitled to 50,000km free service, both with a three-year validity. A 24-hour road assist service is also available now for new and existing Hyundai vehicles.


E-Class Facelift: Sharper, Sleeker and more technologically advanced

The current generation Mercedes Benz E-Class (W213) is three years old, and Mercedes thinks it's about the right time to give consumers a facelift version of the midrange Merc.

Expected to hit European showrooms somewhere in the middle of this year, the facelift E-Class will have seven different plug-in hybrid variants as well as conventional powertrains including a 268hp 2.0-litre and 362hp 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine.

Recently reviewed by a bunch of journalists, bloggers and YouTubers in Las Vegas, Nevada the mid-range Mercedes will come with Mercedes' futuristic MBUX infotainment system, famous for its 'Hey Mercedes' voice control activation line. Two huge 26cm screens will come as standard in the facelift E-Class, to provide an immersive experience with either the infotainment system or vehicle statistics.

Although it is mostly covered externally, the facelift E-Class looks like it will have more of a distinctive look compared its little brother the C-Class, through a larger grille, more angular headlights and completely new horizontal taillights.

The latest version of Mercedes' Energising Comfort Control will also be available for the new car providing passengers with a network of features that links climate control, music, ambient lighting and fragrances.


The Hyundai Kona Is Coming Here In Q4 2020

Yes, one of Hyundai’s most anticipated models, Hyundai Kona will finally be made available to Malaysians after what seems like an eternity of teasing and spyshots.

If you’re having trouble picking between the myriad of compact SUVs and crossovers on the market, it’s about to get a little bit tougher as Hyundai Sime-Darby Motors (HSDM) has announced that the
Kona
 will be coming in the fourth quarter of 2020, giving Malaysians a fresh new option to choose.

First launched in Korea back in 2017, the Kona has seen popularity in various markets around the world with a whopping 600,000 units sold worldwide up until the second half of 2020. Through its production run to date, it has won accolades from Chicago to Australia – a true testament of its prowess and appeal.

The styling isn’t the only attractive aspect of the Kona, as our Malaysian models will get LED daytime running lights, LED headlights, and a heads-up display that keeps the information front and centre. This compact model will complement the Tucson and Santa Fe that Malaysians know and love, also being HSDM’s first B-segment model.

“We are excited about the launch of the Kona as it’s an entirely new product for us in this segment and we are reassured of a good response for the Kona. The Compact SUV is in great demand not only in Malaysia but globally as well,” said Mr Low Yuan Lung, Managing Director of HSDM.

What will it feel like to drive? How much will it cost? We like you wait with bated breath for the launch of the 2020 Hyundai Kona.

In the meantime, do you know how many
SUV's
 Hyundai currently have in their line-up?


Put The New Triton To The Test At The Mitsubishi 4Sure Thrill Event This Weekend

If you’re in the mood for some high speed off-road action this weekend, then there is no other place you would want to be besides the Mitsubishi 4Thrill event happening in Setia Alam.
Organised by Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia, the two-day event, which aims to showcase the durability and capability of the
new Mitsubishi Triton
, will be taking place at the Setia City Convention Centre outdoor car park in Setia Alam on the 9th and 10th of March from 10 am to 8 pm.
The main highlight of the event is the presence of two-time Dakar Rally champion Hiroshi Masuoka, and local motorsports talent Leona Chin who will be offering visitors high speed taxi rides through a purpose-built off-road course.
Besides the exciting taxi ride experience, visitors will also get to drive the new Triton themselves through an off-road track which was specially designed to test the Triton’s Super-Select 4WD II system and off-road mode.
The off-road course comprises uneven surfaces, an obstacle course, muddy terrain, a descending track, side traverse, and even a small jump.
If you are one of those who have been thinking of purchasing a new Mitsubishi vehicle, the 4Sure Thrill event is also the best time as you are entitled to goodies like:
First 1,000 customers to own the new Triton will receive an exclusive limited edition Thule Subterra Luggage worth RM2, 000
Petrol card vouchers worth RM30 for the first 30 new owners who book any Mitsubishi model
Exclusive Ralliart umbrella for new owners who book any Mitsubishi model
Free Starbucks coffee for the first 100 participants to complete all three courses (high-speed ride, off-road obstacle course, and on-road test drive)
4Sure Thrill photo/video contest winners will receive RM800 petrol card vouchers, RM500 Touch & Go card and RM300 Tesco vouchers for the first, second and third prize respectively.
There's entertainment for the entire family, including RM5,000 in lucky draw prizes waiting to be won, such as:
First prize: PlayStation 4 worth RM 1,800
Second prize: Petrol card worth RM 800
Third prize: Thule Subterra Backpack worth RM 500


Detroit 2018: All-New Kia Forte Debuts – Goodbye 6AT, Hello CVT

Kia Motors America (KMA) has just unveiled the all-new third-generation Kia Forte at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show. The Kia Forte is known as the Cerato elsewhere, though Malaysians are familiar with both names, as Naza Kia Malaysia offered the Cerato as a replacement to the Forte.
Taking its design cues from the Stinger, the all-new Forte continues to feature its tiger nose grille up front, surrounded by a pair of Stinger-inspired headlights. The all-new Forte’s turn signals are mounted at the bottom of the front bumper, near the integrated air curtains that help improve aerodynamic performance. The separate turn signal design cues continue to the rear, with the rear turn signals and reverse lights housed at the bottom corners of the rear bumper.
In term of dimensions, the all-new Kia Forte has grown to 4,640 mm in length, 1,440 mm in height and 1,798 mm in width. This allowed engineers to improve interior legroom and boot space. The all-new Kia Forte’s boot space comes in at 427 litres.
Inside, the all-new Kia Forte gets an equally new interior design that features a standard 8.0-inch floating-type infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Wireless charging and a 320-watt Harman Kardon premium sound system are available as an option.
As for the powertrain, the all-new Forte is powered by Kia’s second-generation 2.0-litre Nu four-cylinder Atkinson cycle petrol engine. The engine can be paired to a six-speed manual or Kia’s all-new Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT), which is their own-developed CVT. Yes, it certainly looks like Kia is phasing out their six-speed automatic transmission in favour of CVTs. Kia estimates that the Nu engine is able to output 147 hp and 179 Nm of torque, delivering 35 combined MPG (14.8 km/L) , a 3 MPG (1.28 km/L) improvement over its predecessor.
This powertrain combination marks the first of a new line of powertrains Kia calls “Smart Stream” that will eventually find their way into future models.
The all-new Kia Forte can also be had with a number of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), and Smart Cruise Control (SCC).


2016 Proton Perdana open for bookings – 2.0, 2.4 from RM100k to RM150k

The all-new 2016 Proton Perdana is now officially available for bookings, Chairman of Proton and former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed announced at a special media briefing held earlier today at the national car company’s corporate headquarters in Shah Alam.
Based upon the now-discontinued eighth-generation
Honda Accord
, the 2016 Proton Perdana will enter the market with the same selection of 2.0- and 2.4-litre i-VTEC naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol engines.
Actual launch date has yet to be confirmed, but Dr Mahathir indicated that he hopes the car will be ready to hit the roads before we end the first quarter of 2016. Pricing has yet to be confirmed, but Proton is looking to contain both the 2.0 and 2.4 variants within the RM100k-RM150k bracket.
Whilst the mechanical platform and electrical architecture are carried over almost wholesale from Honda, Proton is has done more than just
slap its badge on the Accord
. The company spent approximately RM200 million to engineer relevant changes that give the Perdana a different flavour compared to its
Honda
 donor car.
We were given a quick preview (with our cameras locked away, unfortunately) of a pre-production unit of the new Perdana at the end of the abovementioned media briefing.
Stylistically, the new Perdana is quite a looker. Proton’s stylists did a fine job working within the constraints of the Honda platform whilst still delivering a vehicle of pleasingly balanced proportions. Onlookers can differentiate between the 2.0 and 2.4 models by looking out for an all-round bodykit fitted exclusively to the latter.
As suggested in spy photos, the entire rear C-pillar section is reconfigured to give the Perdana its own distinctive silhouette and window line. The familiar rising belt line of the Accord is present, a result of Proton continuing to utilize the Accord’s doors – albeit with reshaped window frames. There are otherwise no common body panels between the Accord and Perdana.
Up front, the Accord’s boxy fascia has been replaced by a more curvaceous and expressive appearance with the Perdana. On the 2.4-litre pre-production unit shown, the headlights were xenon projectors with LED position lamps, daytime running lights, and integrated signal lamps.
Over around the rear, the tail light cluster utilize full LED illumination, and as an addition over the Accord, the Perdana will have rear fog lamps. The number plate, like in the
first generation Perdana
, is bumper-mounted, as opposed to bootlid-mounted in the Accord. We could not locate the boot release switch on the display unit though.
Inside, we see the familiar interior of the eighth-generation Accord. The 2.4-litre display vehicle wears a beige interior with wood trim inserts; the 2.0-litre model gets a black interior.
As seen in
interior spy pics
 provided by our friends from
Autofreaks.com
, Accord’s crowded stack of buttons is replaced by a neater-looking touchscreen to operate infotainment. The display vehicle was not fitted with keyless entry – unfortunately, since we've seen an example of a working centre console with such a feature integrated into
Tun M's own official vehicle
.


Honda Malaysia Discontinues RM159k Stream MPV For 2015

Following the slow-selling
Freed
 out of the market,
Honda
 Malaysia looks to have phased out its Honda
Stream
. The seven-seat MPV was last sold in Malaysia from RM159,011 (with insurance), and its lacking has reduced Honda Malaysia’s MPV offering to the RM228,006 Honda
Odyssey
.
The discontinuation of the Stream here is not much of a surprise, because in Japan, where the Stream originates, the model has also been discontinued. Many have associated the arrival of the all-new Honda Jade with being a successor to the Stream, but it would be inaccurate to do so, because while proportions do appear to add up, closer inspection reveals a lot that's different about the two models.
The Jade measures 4,660 mm long, 1,775 mm wide and 1,500 mm tall. Compared to the Honda Stream, the Jade has a significantly larger footprint - 90 mm longer and 80 mm wider. However the Jade is also 45 mm lower, thus severely compromising its ability to carry passengers in the third row. At best the Jade is a six-seater, while the Stream offers a healthy 5+2 arrangement.
The Honda Jade is also more expensive than the outgoing Stream in Japan, and is positioned there as purely a petrol-elelctric hybrid model, fitted with a hybrid powertrain similar to what is available in the Japan-market Fit (Jazz), Grace (City) and Vezel (HR-V) hybrid models (1.5-litre i-DCD + seven-speed dual-clutch transmission). Elsewhere, in China for example, the Honda Jade does comes with a 1.8-litre engine paired to a five-speed automatic or CVT transmission (a similar arrangement to what's available in the Stream here in Malaysia).
Another potential candidate than we understood Honda Malaysia to once consider was the Honda Mobilio, an Indonesian-made seven-seater that’s primed for emerging markets with its more affordable price. However, the idea was reported to be canned after Honda Malaysia was not convinced of the 1.5-litre budget-MPV’s ability to meet the high expectations of Malaysian customers – made for emerging markets, the Mobilio was designed to be more affordable, rather than offer the kind of refinement levels Honda Malaysia customers come to expect.
For now, it looks like the seven-seater Honda Odyssey is your only choice of Honda MPV for the moment, with its RM228k price tag, 2.4-litre petrol Earth Dreams DOHC i-VTEC engine, CVT transmission and ample equipment.


VW Malaysia Now Offers A 300W Helix Soundbar Option For Passat, Tiguan, Golf R-Line

Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) today announced the introduction of the ‘Sound & Style’ range models with special accessories worth up to RM16,000.
The models are:
Golf R-Line ‘Sound & Style’ -  RM 177,390
Passat Comfortline ‘Sound & Style’ - RM 188,690
Passat Highline ‘Sound & Style’ - RM 211,390
Tiguan Highline ‘Sound & Style’ -  RM 174,990
All of the models listed above will receive a Helix 300 W Soundbar, which also works as a 5-channel amplifier with an integrated sound processor and subwoofer.
In addition to the soundbar, the Passat Comfortline and Highline ‘Sound & Style’ models receive aluminium sports pedals, aluminium side scuff plates, and VW Tint.
While the Passat Comfortline ‘Sound & Style’ comes with 18-inch Dartford alloy wheels, the Highline variant gets 19-inch Verona alloy wheels.
The Tiguan Highline ‘Sound & Style’ on the other hand, gets a chrome trunk garnish, chrome exhaust tips, rear black spoiler, and VW Tint on top of the soundbar.
Last but not least, the Golf R-Line ‘Sound & Style’ gets the 300 W Helix soundbar and VW Tint.
Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM said that the ‘Sound & Style’ range is another example of the brand’s commitment to be on the beat with the different wants and needs of drivers.
“Malaysians love to drive, and we love our radio stations and playlists. The ‘Sound & Style’ range strikes the perfect chord as we are not just offering cars that are pleasurable to drive, but with next-level music quality. Fans of our brand can continue to expect more special edition offerings to cater to our discerning customers.”
The ‘Sound & Style’ range is available for viewing at the Volkswagen Tour happening at IOI City Mall, Putrajaya from 14th May till the 20th May, 10am to 10pm.
Customers who place a booking on any Volkswagen model at the Tour will receive an additional RM500 rebate on top of the free RM1,000 petrol card and great savings on selected models.
To find the best deals on Volkswagen models, click
here
.


All-New Toyota Vios Launched In Laos and Cambodia, Fully-Imported From Thailand

Toyota is slowly introducing the all-new Vios regionally, starting with Laos and Cambodia. If this model looks familiar, you’d be right as Toyota has slapped the Vios badge onto the Yaris Ativ.
For Laos, Toyota is offering the Vios with a 1.3-litre 1NR-FE four-cylinder petrol engine, which can be paired to a five-speed manual or a CVT that sends power to the front wheels. Speaking of power, the 1NR-FE manages 99 PS at 6,000 rpm and 123 Nm at 4,200 rpm.
Brakes are ventilated discs up front, while the rears get drum brakes. Laos-bound models are also fitted with 15-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 185/60R15 tires all round.
Below are equipment of the entry-level Vios 1.3E MT -
Halogen headlights
Bulb type rear combination lamp
Electric rear view mirrors
Body coloured door handles
Fender-mounted turn signals
Urethane steering wheel with audio controls
6.8-inch infotainment system with USB and AUX, Bluetooth and six speakers
Seven airbags
ABS with BA
VSC
Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC)
The pricier Vios 1.3G CVT adds –
Halogen projector headlights
Follow Me Home function
Front fog lights
LED DRLs
LED tail lights with light guide
Acoustic front windshield
Leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls
Auto air-conditioning
Cruise control
Reverse camera
In Laos, the all-new Toyota Vios is priced at USD 19,300 for the 1.3E MT, while the 1.3G CVT is priced at USD 21,600.
For the Myanmar market, the all-new Vios is also offered in two trims, both sharing the same 1NR-FE engine and CVT-type automatic transmission.
The cheaper Vios 1.3J offers these equipment –
Halogen headlights
15-inch steel wheels
Urethane steering wheel
Radio with USB connectivity and four speakers
Dual SRS airbags
ABS with EBD
Moving to the range-topping Vios 1.3G, the Myanmar market car is nearly identical to the one sold in Laos, but further adds rear disc brakes.
As reported earlier by
The Bangkok Post
, Toyota could be replacing the Vios with the
Yaris Ativ
 in the near future, once the model has been fitted with a 1.5-litre engine.
Seeing that Toyota is gradually replacing the outgoing Vios with this all-new model, it is safe to assume that Malaysian units will be updated to this model very soon, seeing that the
facelifted Vios
 won’t be finding its way here.


UMW Toyota Motor Is Inviting You To Their Hari Raya Open House

Toyota
 showrooms nationwide will be organising a Hari Raya Open House to celebrate the festivities this year, and they’re inviting you to attend.
Taking place this weekend on the 25
th
 and 26
th
 of July, between 10am and 6pm, all UMW Toyota Motor showrooms will be putting up a variety of activities for all to join in and enjoy: contests for kids, selfie booths, etc. There will also be Hari Raya delicacies served, including ketupat, lemang, rendang, Raya cookies, and more.
Attractive cash rebates and free equipment will also be on offer for Toyota models such as the
Vios
 and the
Hilux
. For example, the Vios 1.5 TRD Sportivo and 1.5G variant is now offered with a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with GPS navigation and reverse camera for free.
The Hilux gets the same benefits, but with an added stainless-steel sports bar at no extra cost.
Visit
www.toyota.com.my
 for more details.


The Next Step In Volkswagen’s Long-term Trust Building Exercise

Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) ended 2016 with 6,048 cars sold, a far cry from its high of 13,303 cars sold in 2012.
On the surface, it’s easy to point to Volkswagen’s well publicized after-sales woes as the reason behind the drop in sales.
However this simplistic conclusion doesn’t explain why Volkswagen’s fellow European rival Peugeot suffered an even bigger drop from 6,114 cars in 2012 to a miserable 1,710 cars in 2016, while Ford’s passenger cars (the over-achieving Ranger, a bright spot for Ford, is classified as a commercial vehicle) fell from 4,930 cars to 1,084 cars. In theory, assuming all else being equal, they should be in a position to capitalize from Volkswagen’s woes.
In truth, what sealed Volkswagen’s fate was not its poor handling of the much maligned DSG dual-clutch transmission crisis, but the resurgence of Honda and Mazda assisted by government incentives for locally-assembled energy efficient vehicles. Within the same four-year period, Honda tripled its market share in passenger cars while Mazda doubled theirs, often at the expense of mainstream European and Korean marques.
With or without failing transmissions, Volkswagen’s fortunes would have suffered more or less the same fate like Ford and Peugeot.
When you have a reputable Japanese brand that now offers European-style driving dynamics and good styling at competitive prices (case in point Mazda), it removes much of the motivation to buy German or French, or even Korean, which are also seeing their market share decimated.
Still, that doesn’t mean that Volkswagen can resign themselves to the new normal, adjusting to the current status quo.
Ford and Peugeot can regain their footing once they have more competitive products, because the Ford EcoSport and Peugeot 2008 are just too disappointing when compared to the overachieving Honda HR-V, the sort of cars that are trending these days.
However the same cannot be said for Volkswagen. The
all-new Volkswagen Passat
 is good enough to rival a BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. In fact, in some areas like features and interior space, the Passat surpasses all three premium compact sedans. However the Passat is still not gaining traction in the marketplace because of the stigma of questionable reliability and after-sales support that still hangs over every Volkswagen.
Thus, regaining trust rather than setting lofty sales targets is mission objective No.1 for Erik Winter and Florian Steiner, the two co-Managing Directors parachuted from Volkswagen AG’s wholly-owned automotive retailer subsidiary Porsche Holdings (despite the name, it’s independent from Porsche AG, which makes Porsche cars) to stabilize the Volkswagen business in Malaysia, managing the business as employees of Porsche Holdings, on behalf of VPCM.
Speaking at a round table with the press this evening, both Erik and Florian, each responsible for branding and after-sales respectively, firmly declined to layout any business targets for 2017, stressing that the main task ahead for VPCM is to regain the trust of consumers.
Rather announcing their sales targets for 2017, as one would normally expect to hear at this time of the year, the two managing directors took the opportunity to highlight the customer satisfaction initiatives done for 2016, and a follow-up to those plans in 2017.
Since taking the Volkswagen distributorship in September 2016, one of the earliest announcements made by VPCM was putting a stop to fire sale discounting.
On the question of sustainable business practices, Erik re-emphasized Florian’s statement made during the launch of the all-new Passat, that there will be
no more ridiculous discounts
.
“We keep the prices. Of course there will still be seasonal promotions, because that’s what everybody does, but we keep the prices.” said Erik, who also added that Volkswagen will not be increasing the prices of its cars despite the weakening Ringgit and moves by other brands to raise their prices.
In the second quarter of this year, Volkswagen will open a dedicated sales and after-sales training Volkswagen Academy in Glenmarie industrial park in Shah Alam, Selangor. The four-storey facility will be staffed by trainers from Volkswagen AG, and has a capacity to train up to 150 staff daily.
In the longer term, the Volkswagen Academy will see to it that dealers will be adequately staffed with skilled technicians familiar with Volkswagen products.
With the implementation of an urgent parts order channel, Volkswagen dealers who place an order for a part before 11am on a working day can now receive their order on the next day. This is done at no additional charge to the customer. By
2018, a new regional parts centre
 will be operational in Johor, replacing the company's current parts centre in Singapore.
On top of that, VPCM also revealed that its engagement with Volkswagen Club Malaysia have prompted the company to push for an
additional 2-year goodwill warrant
y, for qualified vehicles who have already passed their standard 5-year warranty – a testament of its willingness to listen to their customers and fans of the brand.
In addition to that, all Volkswagen vehicles serviced and repaired at authorized Volkswagen dealerships are automatically entitled to a 2-year warranty on the replacement part(s). This parts warranty is independent of the 5-year manufacturer warranty on the vehicle.
VPCM also repeated the message that all its cars now come with 5-year manufacturer’s warranty, and that the previous problematic insurer-backed 3+2 years extended warranty have since been dropped.
As for the practice of providing courtesy cars, VPCM said that the service is still available but the company is paying more attention to how the courtesy cars are given out because the previous arrangement has led to many abuses. There were cases of owners of Polo or any lower range Volkswagen model not returning the Passat or other higher range model courtesy cars given to them, which resulted in a shortage of courtesy cars and unnecessary secondary problems for the company.
Going further back into the company’s back-end processes, Florian revealed that VPCM has improved the warranty claims process, not just for the customer, but also for the dealer.
In the past, there were dealers who prioritized paid maintenance and repair jobs over warranty claim jobs but with the improved processes in place, the interests of the dealers are now well taken care of and according to Florian, there is no reason for any dealer to decline a warranty claim job.
Moving forward, VPCM confirms that there will be at least two model launches this year, the
all-new locally-assembled Tiguan
 which we have already reported here before, and the new facelifted Volkswagen Beetle.
On top of that, there will also be several more limited edition models, presumably for the Vento, Polo or Jetta.
To further strengthen its network, VPCM will be adding three more 3S centres this year, one each in Tebrau, Permas Jaya and Seremban, bringing its total service centres count to 33.


Ferrotec Investing In Malaysia To Make Semiconductors

Ferrotec's investment in Malaysia can help us make more locally produced semiconductors and upskill our local workforce at the same time.

Ferrotec (USA) Corporation has stated its commitment to invest more than RM500 million in Malaysia as they plan to open their first manufacturing facility in Southeast Asia.

Ferrotec plans to build its facilities in Kulim

Construction of their facility is expected to begin in the next few weeks, covering an area of 8.13 hectares with a factory measuring 800,000 square feet in Kulim Hi-Tech Park, Kedah.

International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali said the global company which is also a supplier of component materials, precision systems and a leader in quartz fabrication for the semiconductor industry worldwide, is also committed to creating 250 to 500 high-skilled jobs for Malaysians.

"They are also committed to assisting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia in building the supply chain and ecosystem of the
semiconductor industry
," said Azmin.

Azmin also suggested that Ferrotec will train Malaysian workers, especially at facilities based in the US or Japan, by involving students or Malaysians with professional status residing in the two countries.

How does their investment benefit us?

"This is a very
encouraging development
 where the company not only wants to bring investment to Malaysia but at the same time wants to see Malaysia continue to thrive in new technologies by involving local companies, especially SMEs," said the minister.

According to Ferrotec Corporation's website, they make semiconductor manufacturing equipment as well as many other automotive-related products, including laser radar, head-up display, and various types of Peltier coolers, including ones for EVs.

Kickstart more local companies to manufacture semiconductors

It's interesting that Ferroetc makes semiconductor manufacturing equipment. This can probably help more companies locally to start making semiconductors to help with the
global shortage
 both locally and worldwide.

When the local workforce gets trained on how to create and manufacture these types of products and technologies, it will only increase the knowledge and skill of our local workforce, which in turn will benefit our automotive industry in the long run.

By having the
products locally produced
, it could also be beneficial to our local vehicle manufacturers as they can source automobile technologies locally, which will help equip local cars with better equipment.


Somehow The Philippines Sold More EVs Than Malaysia In H1 2022

An interesting addition to data coming from the Malaysian Automotive Association is the contrasting sales performances between ourselves and our
regional neighbours in Southeast Asia
 for the first half of 2022.

Depending on what metrics you scrutinise, the importance you place on them, and the picture they paint relative to other countries, Malaysia either comes out smelling like roses in terms of an automotive industry on the rebound after the hardships of the past 2 years....or, it doesn't.

Here's something shocking: the Philippines sold almost twice (2x) as many EVs as we did in the first half of 2022. It's almost unbelievable!

Global vehicle sales are on the rise, of course, but some are faring better than others. In ASEAN, overall sales numbers over the past 5 months - January to May - go to Indonesia (396,153 units) followed by Thailand (374,803 units) with Malaysia in 3rd spot with 265,656.

That being said, based on the projected total industry volume published for each country, Malaysia ranks even lower on exactly
how much we outperformed expectations
 over this time in 2021. We’re standing at a respectable 8% increase
while Vietnam is at a much more vibrant
 39%, Indonesia at 24%, Thailand at 22%, and the Philippines at 15%.

In 2022, the silver lining here
 is that we’re at least doing better, relatively, than Myanmar (-2%) and Singapore with the largest industry performance contraction of -36%.

In terms of vehicle production, we continue to be utterly dwarfed by Thailand’s output, which managed to roll out 745,288 units between the months of January and May 2022. This was expectedly followed by Indonesia with 544,027 units. Malaysia stands in its regular 3rd spot with a decent showing of 258,048 units produced.

However, with Indonesia’s aggressive (
and mostly successful
) push to woo big industry players into setting up shop within its borders with attractive tax reliefs and a wealth of natural resources, land area, and a cost-effective workforce, we expect it to catch up or even overtake Thailand before the decade is up to become the region’s automotive juggernaut.

While Malaysia is holding steady, the country had announced a big government-led push to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles by introducing near-tax-free pricing benefits and no road tax payable until after 2025.

Singapore’s EV sales data is conspicuously absent in MAA’s collection of numbers, though we’ll assume it to be an encouraging number given how much driving an EV makes more sense in the island nation metropolis over a car powered by internal combustion.

A most interesting figure was how many electric vehicles were reportedly sold in the Philippines. At 751 units, EVs represent 2.4% of the country's total passenger cars sold between January and May 2022.

Sure, the country’s total passenger car sales count of 31,283 pales in comparison to our tally of 233,725 cars. However, at just 390 units, we only managed a little more than 50% of what they were capable of selling.

In the first 5 months of 2022, EV sales in Malaysia accounted for 0.167% of passenger car sales, meaning the Philippines is selling 7x more EVs relative to
cars powered by ICE
 than we are in 2022. Yeah….

Do bear in mind, of course, that MAA’s data very likely does not factor in sales from EVs imported and sold via the grey market and only uses sales numbers released by the offices of automakers’ local branches or a representative local distributor.

Still, that’s some perspective.

The Philippines also has the presence of EV-centric automakers that are either not present at all in Malaysia
such as BYD
 and Wuling Motors from China to serve mass market needs or premium ones like Audi which does sell their cars here but does not include their electric models such as the e-tron SUV.


Shell Credit Card Payment Glitch – Only 230 Stations Operating Normally

In a statement by Shell Malaysia, it is confirmed that at approximately 1 am on 16 January 2017, Shell stations nationwide started to experience technical issues affecting credit card transactions. Currently, 230 of Shell retail stations are operating normally, accepting cash and credit card transactions. However, other stations are only accepting cash payments.
Separately, The Star and Malay Mail report, that as many as 900 stations are affected. It follows, stations that are not affected are of an older design, and hence not connected to the newer network system.
Shell says it is working with its IT vendor around the clock to identify the root cause and extent of the issue and resolve the matter.


Langkawi Tourism Bubble Has First COVID-19 Positive Case

The Kedah Health Department has confirmed the first COVID-19 positive case as a result of the Langkawi tourism bubble.

As reported by the New Straits Times, a 3-year-old child is the first COVID-19 case that has been detected to come have come tourists under the
Langkawi tourism bubble
.

According to Kedah Health Director Dr. Othman Warijo based on investigations conducted by the Langkawi District Health Office, the family of three, both the parents and the child, originating from Nilai, arrived in Langkawi on September 24 at 7.30pm via a flight from klia2.

He went on to add that the child began having fever the next day and was sent for treatment on Sept 26 before being confirmed COVID-19 positive.

So far only one positive case has been reported involving tourists under the Langkawi tourism bubble.

"The patient has mild symptoms and been placed under the Langkawi District CAC (Covid-19 Assessment Centre) observation while the close contacts have shown no symptoms and all have been fully vaccinated," Dr. Othman Warijo said in a statement.

Investigations revealed that there were five individuals who had come into close contact with the child, both of the child's parents and three locals from the resort. All five individuals have undergone swab tests that have come back negative but will still undergo quarantine for 10 days.

Dr. Othman further added that there was a chance that the child could have been infected before traveling to Langkawi and that further contact tracing was ongoing.

This comes on the back of the
reopening of other tourism bubble locations
 like Melaka, Tioman island, and Genting Highlands beginning October 1.

According to National Recovery Council (MPN) chairman and former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
interstate travel
 is expected to be allowed as early as mid-October.

This coincides with the projection that 90% of Malaysia’s adult population is expected to be
fully vaccinated by that time
, following a previous statement by current prime minister Dato' Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob that interstate travel will be relaxed.


Rakyat Malaysia Antara Termalas Jalan Kaki – Malas Atau Tak Selamat?

Kajian Universiti Stanford di California meletakkan Malaysia sebagai negara ketiga tertinggi di dunia yang paling kurang dan malas untuk
berjalan kaki
 dalam aktiviti seharian. Betul ke?

Sebelum anda menyerang media sosial universiti terbabit dengan tentera bawang tempatan, keputusan kajian tersebut diambil berdasarkan maklum balas 717,527 responden yang memberi gambaran keseluruhan tentang gaya hidup penduduk di 111 negara di seluruh dunia.

*Kredit foto: Kosmo

Rakyat Malaysia Malas Jalan Kaki?

Kajian itu mendapati secara purata, rakyat Malaysia hanya melakukan sebanyak 3,963 langkah sehari berbanding sekurang-kurangnya 5,000 langkah sehari bagi setiap individu seperti yang disarankan oleh Pertubuhan Kesihatan Dunia (WHO).

Sementara itu, negara jiran Indonesia pula dinobatkan sebagai juara paling malas berjalan kaki di dunia apabila hanya mencatatkan jumlah purata sekitar 3,513 langkah sehari. Perbezaan langkah secara purata pun tak jauh beza dengan Malaysia. Apa yang menyebabkan rakyat Malaysia malas berjalan kaki?

Malas Atau Tak Selamat?

Tidak adil sekiranya kita gelar rakyat negara ini malas. Jika kita lihat di sekitar ibu kota Kuala Lumpur,
jalan raya
 yang dibina memang mengutamakan penggunaan kereta. Nak jalan kaki pun seram jika perlu berjalan di tepi jalan besar tanpa sebarang laluan khas pejalan kaki. Kalau ada laluan pejalan kaki sekalipun, mesti akan disalahgunakan oleh gerai peniaga atau digunakan sebagai tempat letak kenderaan.  Terpaksalah tempah
e-hailing
.

*Kredit foto: Twitter

Selain itu, aktiviti berjalan kaki sering dikaitkan dengan penggunaan pengangkutan awam. Jika rakyat Malaysia perlu bazirkan lebih masa untuk bersesak-sesak menggunakan
pengangkutan awam
 untuk ke tempat kerja, lebih baik mereka naik kereta dan hadap sahaja trafik sesak. Sekurang-kurangnya ia jauh lebih selesa.

KL Free Car Morning

KL Car-Free Morning ialah inisiatif hijau untuk mempromosikan gaya hidup sihat di kalangan penduduk tempatan dan pelancong di Kuala Lumpur melalui aktiviti sukan rekreasi, seni dan kebudayaan.

Acara ini diadakan setiap Ahad setiap bulan dari 7 pagi hingga 9 pagi dengan menutup sebahagian jalan di tengah-tengah bandar Kuala Lumpur untuk rakyat Malaysia berbasikal, berlari, bermain papan selaju, berkasut roda dan hanya berjalan kaki.

Ia bermula dari Dataran DBKL (berhampiran Dataran Merdeka) dan membawa peserta melalui kira-kira 7 atau 5 kilometer di jalan-jalan utama di Segi Tiga Emas Kuala Lumpur. Kalau nak sertai aktiviti ini, anda perlu mendaftar terlebih dahulu sebagai peserta di laman web
https://klcarfreemorning.my/

Jom jalan kaki!


Spyshot: All-New 2019 Ford Ranger Interior Captured

Spy photographers have managed to capture the interior and engine bay of the upcoming
2019 Ford Ranger
 for the first time ever, allowing us a better look at the company’s new global pickup truck.
Ford is planning to re-introduce the Ranger back to the United States after it was discontinued in 2012. Actual timeframe has yet to be disclosed, though it is expected that Ford will be introducing the Ranger in the US around the same time as the launch of the global Ranger’s mid-life update.
The interior design is largely similar to the outgoing global Ford Ranger, down to the elongated air-conditioning vents with bronze trim. This is logical as Ford would want to reduce development costs for an outgoing model.
Our spy photographer mentioned that this test mule is likely going to be sold as the Ranger FX4 in the United States, as this particular Ranger appears to be more rugged in appearance than other spied models, with different wheels and a front skid plate. Front tow hooks are also visible on this test mule.
The new Ranger FX4 is expected to be positioned above the regular Ranger, but below the
Wildtrak
 and
Raptor
.
Elsewhere, the engine bay of the 2019 Ford Ranger has also been revealed, though with the amount of sensors make it difficult to identify the
actual unit used
.
Closer to home, Sime Darby Auto Connexion in April introduced the Ranger FX4, powered by the current model’s 2.2-litre turbodiesel that churns out 158 hp and 385 Nm.


Lockdown 3.0 - Kemungkinan Tiada Jualan Pada Bulan Jun 2021

Berikutan pelaksanaan
Full Lockdown 3.0
 pada awal bulan ini, tiada kereta dijangka dapat dijual pada bulan Jun 2021 ekoran penutupan bilik pameran dan pengeluaran diberhentikan bagi
fasa pertama PKP Penuh
 ini.

Jika perkara ini berterusan dan tiada jualan direkodkan pada bulan ini, industri automotif negara dianggarkan bakal kehilangan pendapatan sekitar RM3.44 bilion berdasarkan purata harga jualan kenderaan RM70,000 seunit di Malaysia.

Meskipun banyak pengeluar kenderaan telah beralih ke platform dalam talian seperti
e-showroom
, namun urusan jual beli tetap tertangguh kerana terdapat kekangan untuk memproses dokumentasi pinjaman serta urusan pendaftaran ketika fasa pertama lockdown ini.

Malah, kebanyakan agensi kerajaan seperti
JPJ, PUSPAKOM, Agensi Pengangkutan Awam Darat (APAD) dan Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP) ditutup
 atau hanya dibenarkan beroperasi dengan jumlah kakitangan yang minimum.

Berdasarkan nota penyelidikan yang dikeluarkan oleh Kenanga Research, hanya beberapa unit berjaya didaftarkan menerusi sistem e-Daftar
Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ)
 bagi pembelian kenderaan dengan pinjamannya telah dipersetujui menerusi surat aku janji (LOU). Urusan pendaftaran adalah penting bagi mengelakkan perjanjian daripada luput. Jika perjanjian luput, proses terpaksa dilakukan semula.

Sementara itu, Presiden Persatuan Automotif Malaysia (MAA), Datuk Aishah Ahmad berkata jangkaan tanpa jualan mungkin berlaku memandangkan semua bilik pameran dan rantaian pengeluaran ditutup. Tak cukup dengan itu, pengeluar kereta juga sedang terjejas dengan
kekurangan cip computer
 untuk menghasilkan kereta.

Walau bagaimanapun, jika bilik pameran masih mempunyai stok kenderaan untuk dilepaskan, kakitangan masih boleh mendaftar kenderaan tersebut dengan JPJ secara dalam talian. Tetapi, beliau tidak merasakan bahawa ia membabitkan jumlah yang besar.

Berdasarkan statistik, kadar jualan kenderaan ni negara ini semakin menurun sejak 3 bulan lalu. Pada
Mac 2021
, sebanyak 63,978 unit terjual manakala
jualan kenderaan pada bulan April
 mencatatkan penjualan sebanyak 57,912 unit kenderaan.
Jualan pada bulan Mei
 merosot sebanyak 19% kepada 46,663 unit berbanding jualan pada bulan sebelumnya.

Pelaksanaan Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP) 3.0
 pada pertengahan bulan lalu menjadi punca penurunan ini. Bukan itu sahaja, PKP 3.0 juga menyebabkan jumlah keseluruhan industri (TIV) pada Mei lebih rendah kerana tempoh bekerja lebih singkat berikutan cuti umum Aidilfitri dan
kekurangan cip komputer
 yang menjejaskan jualan beberapa pengeluar.

Setakat Januari hingga Mei, TIV automotif tempatan berada pada 245,932 unit berbanding 128,790 unit dicatatkan tempoh sama tahun lalu. Mengikut pecahan, kenderaan penumpang mencatatkan jualan 41,988 unit pada Mei, manakala kenderaan komersial 4,675 unit.

Meskipun ada kemungkinan 0 jumlah kenderaan dijual bulan ini, Kenanga Research tetap mengekalkan saranan 'neutral' dengan sasaran TIV tahun ini sebanyak 545,000 unit, iaitu 3% lebih tinggi berbanding tahun lalu. Mereka yakin ia dapat dicapai meskipun negara sedang menjalanani
full lockdown
 kerana pengecualian cukai jualan kereta penumpang telah dilanjutkan sehingga akhir tahun ini. Menurutnya, ia akan diimbangi bekalan mencukupi bagi model baharu untuk memperoleh margin lebih baik

Sementara itu, Penganalisis CGS-CIMB, Mohd Shanaz Noor Azam, berkata firma penyelidik itu masih menjangkakan perolehan sektor automotif kembali melonjak dengan pertumbuhan keuntungan bersih 34 peratus lebih tinggi tahun ini. Walaupun jualan pada bulan ini dijangka berada pada paras tahap minimum, TIV pada separuh masa kedua tahun ini dijangka akan kembali kukuh.

"Bagaimanapun, kami juga melihat kemungkinan kejatuhan berpotensi 10 peratus dalam unjuran TIV, jika kerajaan melanjutkan sekatan pergerakan penuh sehingga Julai," katanya dalam nota penyelidikan.

*Sumber foto: JKJAV

Bagi Penganalisis TA Securities, Angeline Chin, pelaksanaan program vaksinasi yang berkesan merupakan petanda baik kepada industri automotif. Jualan juga akan meraih momentum hasil pemulihan ekonomi, persekitaran kadar faedah yang akomodatif dan pelancaran model baharu.

"Kami meramalkan TIV tahun ini kekal kepada 627,000 (mengikut unjuran TA Securities) iaitu 18.4 peratus lebih tinggi berbanding tahun lalu. Secara keseluruhannya, kami mengharapkan sektor automotif berprestasi lebih baik pada 2021, berkat insentif cukai," katanya.

For more latest car news, reviews, car buying guides and videos visit us at Carlist.my
Auto News
.

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Carlist.my.

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BMW Shows The All-New G29 BMW Z4 With Its Top Up, More Details Announced

The all-new G29 BMW Z4 is set to make its first public appearance at the Paris Motor Show next month. However despite the repeated teasers and previews, the roadster will not go on sale until March 2019. As such, BMW has made yet another announcement, this time with a few more details on the powertrain and variant line-up, ahead of the car’s debut in Paris.
On top of the Z4 M40i First Edition announced by BMW last month, we now know that there will be at least three variants and two engine options on offer – Z4 M40i , Z4 sDrive30i, and Z4 sDrive20i.
The M40i is powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine that makes 340 hp and 500 Nm (0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds), while the sDrive30i and sDrive20i are powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine making 258 hp/400 Nm (0-100 km/h in 5.4 seconds) and 197 hp/320 Nm (0-100 km/h in 6.6 seconds) respectively. Customers can choose between M Sport and Sport line trims.
All engines are paired to an 8-speed torque converter automatic transmission. Sorry purists, there will be no manual transmission offered. Apart from the reduced demand for roadsters, the complexity of homologating cars to meet the new WLTP fuel consumption and exhaust emissions test cycle is probably another reason, as manufacturers now need to keep their variant line-up leaner.
All variants come with mixed sized tyres. The M40i will use 275/40 ZR18 tyres in the rear and 255/40 ZR18 in front. The four-cylinder 30i and 20i models will have 255/45 R17 behind and 225/50 R17 in front.
The fabric soft-top – available either in Black or Anthracite with silver effect colour - is electrically operated. It opens/closes in 10 seconds, operable at speeds of up to 50 km/h. The boot volume is 281 litres, unchanged irrespective of whether the roof is up or not.
Depending on variant, key features include colour heads-up display, 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, BMW Operating System 7.0 infotainment system with optional BMW Live Professional, variable sport steering, a full suite of advanced driving aids including - autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, active cruise control with Stop-Go function, and rear cross traffic alert. The M40i variant gets adaptive M suspension, M Sport brakes, and an electronically controlled M Sport differential.
The fully-digital instrument panel now features a pair of symmertrically opposed, angluar shaped meter clusters.
The market for roadsters isn’t as big as it used to be and the Z4 has no real rivals. Its closest rival is the Mercedes-Benz SLC-Class but that’s an aging model that is long overdue for a replacement, and Mercedes-Benz has no immediate plans for one. However the SLC still stands out for its folding hard top, which some customers prefer for the added security. The downside is that a hard top takes twice as long to open/close (20 seconds), and takes more boot space (225 litres with the roof folded, 335 litres when it’s up).
With a 2,470 mm wheelbase, the all-new Z4 is actually 26 mm wider than its predecessor, while track width is now 98 mm wider in front and 57 mm wider behind, all in an effort to improve agility. Overall, the all-new model is now 85 mm longer (4,324 mm), 74 millimetres wider (1,864 mm), and 13 millimetres taller (1,304 mm).
There’s also the Audi TT convertible, but unlike the rear-wheel drive Z4, the TT is available either as a front- or all-wheel drive, also only with a soft top.


The 2021 Isuzu D-Max Is Coming This April!

#NotAprilFools - The 2021 3rd-generation Isuzu D-Max will be making its debut in Malaysia this April!

Priced from RM89,000 to RM145,000 depending on the variant it is expected to make its debut towards the end of April 2021, well in advance of its supposed introduction in 2022. This comes just 18 months after its global debut in Thailand.

Pre-launch bookings will begin today at all authorized Isuzu dealerships nationwide. Chief Operating Officer of Isuzu Malaysia’s Light Commercial Division Mr. Masayuki Suzuki said that the fast-tracked launch of the all-new Isuzu D-Max was made possible through the support of Isuzu Motors Ltd that views Malaysia as a strategic market.

“We are extremely thrilled that this impressive all-new
Isuzu D-Max
 has been made available in Malaysia much earlier than expected. As the fifth country in the world to launch this model after its global introduction in Thailand, it stands as testament to the strong commitment from Isuzu Motors towards ensuring that the Malaysian market enjoys the latest selection of choice Isuzu vehicles,” he went on to add.

If you're inclined to make a booking, the 3rd-generation
Isuzu D-Max
 will come in an array of configurations, from single to double cab, powered either by the much acclaimed
RZ-4E
 1.9-litre or 4JJ-3CTX 3-litre engines.

As we reported previously the 2021 Isuzu D-Max achieved the maximum
5-star
 EURO NCAP rating, a first for a pick-up truck. Future buyers will be glad to know that the 3rd-generation Isuzu D-Max has also scored 5-stars on the ASEAN NCAP. The new D-Max will come replete with a host of Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) features. We'll explore this more in-depth during the media drive and subsequent launch.

Mr. Suzuki wrapped up by saying "The all-new Isuzu D-Max has made scores of new fans in the markets it has been introduced in and I believe that the same will happen here in Malaysia. This new model evokes a new level of interest in owning and driving a pick-up truck hence we have initiated this pre-launch booking programme to ensure those who have eagerly awaited the arrival of the new model will be among the very first to take delivery once it has been officially launched."

With the recent preview of the
2021 Nissan Navara PRO-4X
 and the impending arrival of the 2021 Isuzu D-Max, Malaysian buyers are definitely about to be spoilt for choice in the pick-up market!


Perodua Ativa – Kebal Atau Tin Milo?

Baru-baru ini, sebuah
Perodua Ativa
 telah terlibat dalam kemalangan setelah dilanggar oleh
Honda Jazz
 sehingga terbalik. Berdasarkan kejadian tersebut, adakah
SUV
kompak milik
Perodua
 ini boleh dianggap kebal atau hanyalah sekadar
tin milo
?

Untuk pengetahuan anda, Ativa tersebut telah dilanggar dari arah kiri pintu belakang ketika sedang memecut sebelum hilang kawalan dan rebah mengiring ke sebelah kanan. Bila kereta dah terbalik, memang kemik la bahagian luaran Ativa tersebut.

Kesan pelanggaran paling ketara boleh dilihat pada pintu belakang Ativa berkenaan. Pintu tersebut telah kemik dan seakan-akan hampir tertanggal.
 Hal ini menimbulkan tanda tanya bagi sesetengah pihak tentang mengapa Perodua hasilkan kereta selembut tin milo?

Untuk pengetahuan anda, setiap kereta dihasilkan dengan
crumple zone
 bagi menyerap hentakan daripada pelanggaran sekaligus mengurangkan impak bagi meminimumkan kecederaan kepada mereka yang dilanggar atau yang melanggar. Jadi ini menjelaskan mengapa bahagian luaran kereta mudah kemik jika dilanggar.

Tetapi,
crumple zone
 hanya terdapat di bahagian hadapan dan belakang kereta sahaja. Untuk kes Perodua Ativa ini, Perodua telah menyatakan bahawa platform DNGA yang digunakan pada Ativa memberikan rangka pintu yang lebih kukuh menggunakan plat keluli tegangan tinggi (high-tensil steel plates) manakala pintunya hanyalah diperbuat daripada keluli konvensional.

Jadi tidak peliklah mengapa pintu Ativa kelihatan seperti itu. Meskipun pintunya kemik, namun rangka badan di bahagian pintu kereta ini masih lagi kukuh. Jika pintu kereta turut dihasilkan dengan besi yang tidak mudah kemik, impak pelanggaran yang lebih kuat mungkin akan dirasai dan berisiko untuk membuatkan mangsa kemalangan mengalami pendarahan dalaman atau kecederaan yang lebih serius.

Meskipun tanda harga yang ditawarkan oleh Perodua terhadap Ativa ini dikira sebagai mampu milik dan lebih rendah berbanding SUV lain, namun Perodua tidak sesekali mengabaikan ciri keselamatan pada model keluarannya. Malah, kereta kecil seperti
Axia
turut dilengkapi dengan sistem ADAS A.S.A Perodua.

Ingat, kemik itu bukan bermaksud tidak bagus. Malah Perodua Ativa ini telah diiktiraf sebagai kereta yang menerima penarafan
5 bintang Asean NCAP
. Untuk menerima penarafan 5 bintang ini (markah penuh), Ativa ini telah melalui beberapa ujian pelanggaran dari pelbagai arah untuk membuktikan bahawa kereta ini selamat untuk digunakan.

Seharusnya, dakwaan badan kereta tempatan terlalu lembut ini sepatutnya dah boleh dilupakan. Kalau dulu-dulu bolehlah. Mana yang lagi penting, kereta kemik atau penumpang selamat? Cuba bayangkan kalau Perodua atau Proton hasilkan kereta yang sekeras-keras alam. Memanglah kereta tak kemik tapi pemandu, penumpang serta orang yang melanggar itu lebih terdedah kepada risiko cedera parah atau maut.

*Kredit video: Saliza Sal

Body roll
 Ativa ni bagaimana pula? Jika nak dibandingkan dengan
Myvi generasi ke 3
, Myvi lebih lebar sebanyak 25 mm tetapi Ativa mencatatkan 120 mm lebih tinggi daripada Myvi. Di atas kertas, memanglah Perodua Ativa ini lebih mudah untuk terbalik berbanding Myvi. Namun dengan penggunaan
platform DNGA
oleh Perodua,
body roll
pada Ativa telah dikurangkan.

Ada juga yang bertanya, memandangkan ciri keselamatan Ativa sudah dipertingkatkan dengan kehadiran
A.S.A. 3.0
, mengapakah A.S.A. tersebut
tidak menghalang pelanggaran tersebut daripada berlaku? Berdasarkan video, pelanggaran berlaku dari arah kiri pintu belakang dan bukanlah dari arah hadapan. Jika halangan dikesan di hadapan, pasti sistem keselamatan Ativa akan diaktifkan.

Diharapkan artikel ini dapat menambah kefahaman anda tentang mengapa kereta sengaja dibina dengan ciri-ciri seperti mudah remuk pada kereta terutama bahagian hadapan dan belakang kereta. Janganlah terlalu cepat menghukum kereta keluaran tempatan. Walaupun Ativa ini terlibat dalam kemalangan sehingga terbalik, namun tiada seorang pun yang dilaporkan cedera parah daripada kemalangan ini. Ini membuktikan bahawa ciri keselamatan yang ada pada Ativa telah menjalankan tugasnya dengan baik.

Kemik atau tidak, itu belakang kira. Yang penting semua selamat.


Hyundai Set To Release Eight New CUVs By 2020

Hyundai has announced that they will be releasing eight new or re-engineered crossover utility vehicles (CUVs) in North America by 2020. CUV is the name that Hyundai calls its urban-biased SUVs. The range of Hyundai's CUVs will start with the launch of the Kona in March 2018.
The company’s range of CUVs will include models from the entry-level A-segment all the way up to an eight-seater midsize CUV. Additionally, Hyundai will be fitting its latest petrol, diesel, hydrogen fuel cell and battery electric technologies in these CUVs.
Mike O’Brien, vice president, product, corporate and digital planning, Hyundai Motor America said, “Very soon we are going to have the most diverse CUV powertrain lineup in the industry. These vehicles will show the engineering prowess of the more than 13,000 engineers Hyundai Motor Company has working on current and future models every single day. Our customers are going to have a lot of great CUV choices in our dealerships.”
Back in 2013, Hyundai offered the Tucson Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) for leasing in specific parts of California, though the company does not offer similar FCEV leasing programs with the new generation Tucson.
The Hyundai Tucson is the company's second CUV in their North American lineup, with the other being the Santa Fe. Despite Hyundai's two SUV lineup, both these models account for roughly 35% of the company's North American sales figures.
In terms of new models, the all-new Hyundai Kona will be available at US dealerships from Q1 2018, available across four variants. An EV variant of the Hyundai Kona is expected to debut some time next year as well, rumoured to feature a 500 km electric range.


MINI Malaysia Introduces the MINI 60 Years Edition – Limited To 60 Units, RM255,888

In conjunction with the 60th anniversary of the brand, MINI Malaysia has introduced a limited-run, commemorative model dubbed the 60 Year Edition.
Limited to only 60 units in Malaysia and based exclusively on the MINI Cooper S 3-door variant, the 60 Years Edition is offered in the company's New British Racing Green colour with Pepper White roof and mirror caps. Alternatively, the exclusive model will also be available in ‘Melting Silver’ with Jet Black roof and mirror caps. Signature black bonnet stripes with Aspen White and British Oak pinstripes further underline the MINI 60 Years Edition’s exclusivity.
The 60 Years Edition also enlists additional exclusive features such as unique Bonnet Stripes, Logo Projection system, and door sills, as well as a Walknappa leather steering wheel, Dark Maroon interior, and the exclusive “60 Years Spoke 2-tone” 17-inch light-alloy wheels wrapped with run-flat tyres.
Additionally, the 60 Years Chili equipment package adds LED headlights, LED fog lamps, white turn indicators, and LED rear lights in the Union Jack design. Note too, that the MINI 60 Years Edition carries the Excitement Package’s selectable ambient lighting and MINI Connected’s suite of functions.
Under the hood, the 60 Years Edition features the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder MINI TwinPower Turbo engine found in the Cooper S variant. The engine develops 192hp and a peak torque of 280Nm. The engine is mated to a 7-speed double-clutch transmission.
Performance is brisk, to say the least with a 6.7 second 0-100 km/h sprint time and a top speed of 235 km/h.
The retail price (on the road for personal registration, without insurance) of the MINI 60 Years Edition is RM 255,888. In conjunction with MINI’s 60th anniversary, owners who purchase the MINI 60 Years Edition from now to 31st August 2019 are also entitled to the 60 Months MINI Service + Repair Inclusive programme.
The offer provides owners with 60 months or 80,000km (whichever comes first) of Free Scheduled Service and 60 months of Warranty with Unlimited Mileage. For purchases after 31st August 2019, the MINI 60 Years Edition will be available with the MINI 4 Years Unlimited Mileage Warranty with Free Scheduled Service.


Review: Lexus UX200 Luxury – A Case For Upward Mobility

As one of Lexus’ newest models in their line-up, the UX has a lot of hopes pinned to it in terms of revitalizing the brand’s image and appealing to a younger market. Does it live up to expectations?

The luxury car market is an undeniably competitive space – more so than you would imagine at the thicker end of consumer trends with mass-market econoboxes and compact crossovers. The luxury market is constantly growing and evolving, as customers are looking for the next big thing – something flashier, cooler, and smarter than what’s come before.

This is something that’s especially difficult to keep up with as technologies are constantly evolving and progressing. Twenty years ago the focus was purely on improving refinement and comfort. Just ten years ago was the shift towards developing smarter in-car entertainment systems and advanced driver assistance systems.

More recently the push has been towards connectivity and integration – both with smart devices and smart cities. When a company already has so much on their plate, how do they find the time, space, and budget to develop an all-new product? The
Lexus UX
 is the car to answer that question for the Japanese brand.

Specifications:

Engine: 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine with direct injection

Power: 169 hp @ 6,600 rpm

Torque: 205 Nm @ 4,800 rpm

Transmission: 10-speed CVT-type automatic transmission

Safety: Lexus Safety System+ (Pre-Collision System, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Keeping System, Adaptive High Beam System), 8 airbags, VSC, TRC, ABS

Price: RM 274,998.50 (On The Road, without insurance)

What Do You Get For The Money?

If at first, this form factor seems a little familiar, you wouldn’t be wrong. Like a number of Lexus’ products, there is a relationship with a variant from parent company Toyota – and in this case, it’s the Toyota C-HR. This brings a number of benefits and drawbacks that we’ll get into shortly, but for the most part, these two cars share hard points much like the Toyota Prius and the now-defunct Lexus CT200h.

One of the major distinctions, however, is the powertrain. The Lexus UX200 comes with a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated engine – one of the modern Dynamic Force Engine units that we don’t see in many other products locally. Through the use of direct injection, it bumps up outputs from preceding naturally aspirated 2.0-litre engines in the family to a decent 169 hp and 205 Nm of torque.

That engine is paired with a CVT-type automatic transmission that delivers drive exclusively to the front wheels. Yes, like most crossovers on the market, the Lexus UX doesn’t even attempt to split torque across two axles and most buyers would hardly know the difference, nor care that it’s omitted.

This particular test car surprised us as we expected it to be the F-SPORT variant given its digital instrument cluster – but in fact it was actually the Luxury variant, as all the UX variants get a digital cluster which changes mood and layout slightly depending on your drive mode and driver preferences. The F-SPORT variant goes further with a physical ring that moves for that ultra-canggih LFA homage.

In terms of interior trim and fittings, you get power-assisted and ventilated front seats wrapped in a reasonably hard-wearing leather, as well as Japanese Paper Grain and metallic ornament finishing for the touch surfaces on the dashboard and centre console, as well as a 10.3-inch infotainment unit sitting front and centre on the dashboard that can be navigated with a touchpad next to the gear lever.

But How Does It Really Feel?

The Lexus UX200 – regardless of variant – is not without its issues. From an ergonomic standpoint, it adopts many of the demons that were taken from the Toyota C-HR – and even introduces a couple of problems of its own. The most glaring problem is the fact that the boot floor height is incredibly high, with a large overhang from the loading area in the form of the rear bumper.

While this sounds like an issue that wouldn’t repeatedly prove problematic, it does take away a fair amount of the crossover or SUV experience. The high boot floor results in a loading area and space that leaves a little to be desired, and if you want to sit on the edge of the boot to enjoy a bit of fresh air you won’t find it particularly comfortable as you can’t put a lot of weight on the edge of the boot.

Beyond that, there isn’t a whole lot of space inside the cabin either – although this is an issue that the more compact Lexus models seem to have. Despite having the same wheelbase and relative room as its more mass-market sibling, the seats and bolstering are thicker which results in less legroom and knee room – fitting four tall adults inside can be a bit of a squeeze.

The navigation and infotainment system is leaps and bounds better than what preceded it, though it still has a long way to go if it intends to match what European models are offering in terms of ease of use and the overall user experience. Unfortunately without an extensive and comprehensive rework, it is unlikely that this will improve within the next generation of Lexus products.

Coupled with the not-insignificant price tag and you have a rather difficult proposition that puts the Lexus UX pretty far down on the list of options for people shopping in the entry-level luxury crossover space. Pricing is something that Lexus has been fighting for the better part of a decade, and is again something that works heavily against them in the luxury space.

There’s Always Something To Love

Even with all of these problems, one can learn to love the
Lexus UX200
. In this mid-spec trim, it still comes with many of the comfort features – ones you don’t really notice until you start to miss them. Keyless entry may be the norm these days, but remote boot releases are still a great help when it comes to loading and unloading your car.

The ventilated seats are still an item that is surprisingly rare given our climate, but an absolute joy to have on an extremely hot day when the air conditioning just isn’t cooling you down quickly enough. The heater element is also a pleasant feature to have, especially on colder or wetter nights when you need to warm up quickly.

As for the powertrain – there isn’t really anything particularly outstanding about the unit, but it operates quietly and in comfort, letting you get up to highway speeds relatively quickly. Beyond this it isn’t the most potent of engines, being relatively simple and old-tech among a field of turbocharged options. Despite being a CVT-type automatic, the transmission does have a relatively positive feel to it while driving, shifting quickly enough that you don’t feel as much of the “rubber band” effect so commonly associated with CVTs. Fuel efficiency varies greatly though you could probably return 13 to 15 kilometres per litre if you drive more sensibly.

And of course, it’s the intangibles that you don’t see on the specification sheet that really make the difference when it comes to a Lexus product. Granted this isn’t a ground-up Lexus product, but for the most part there has been care and effort taken in order to improve the NVH and insulation, with the only exception being a bizarre amount of tyre noise intruding into the cabin.

While the sound system the UX200 is packaged with is the Lexus Premium Audio and not the Mark Levinson unit, it does reproduce sounds with impressive clarity and sound staging is done impressively for such a tight space that the hallmark “blast music and have a conversation without needing to shout” is executed easily here.

Conclusion

The
Lexus UX
 may not seem like the most obvious choice for those looking for a luxury car, but it still represents what Lexus does best – refinement and ride quality – at the lowest bar for entry to the Lexus family. In a world where upwards mobility is highly sought after, the Lexus UX gives people the opportunity to acclimatize themselves with Lexus. There are also plenty of finance plans (as at time of writing) to match one’s progression in life with multiple tier payment options over the course of a loan period.

The world is changing rapidly and as consumer expectations shift, it made sense that Lexus’ newest product would be a crossover-type SUV rather than a smaller, more compact sedan. Even if it isn’t quite as rugged as one would hope, it has the styling and features and functionality that are necessary to make it in this class.


Detroit 2016: The Specially Developed Michelin Tyres For The Lexus LC500

Following the launch of Lexus’s superbly good looking LC500 luxury sports coupe, Lexus has now revealed that the LC500 wears a set of tyres that had been specially developed by Michelin.
The Michelin Pilot Super Sport ZP – the run-flat capable tyre from Michelin’s high performance Pilot Super Sport range – fitted in the LC500 uses a new hybrid sidewall technology that allows the tire to maintain its run-flat capabilities and superior handling performance while also reducing the tire’s overall mass and rolling resistance.
Michelin adds that the specially tuned tyre is designed to contribute significantly to handling and performance.
The tyre was developed at Michelin facilities in South Carolina, USA and Ladoux, France, as well as at the Higashifuji proving ground and the Japanese Automobile Research Institute in Shirosato, Japan. The development programme ran through over 1,200 prototype tyres.
“Michelin’s global development team worked very closely with the Lexus team to develop a Pilot Super Sport that helps meet the high performance and safety needs of the Lexus LC500,” said Thom Roach, vice president of original equipment marketing, Michelin North America. “Owners will enjoy the peace of mind that Michelin run-flat technology offers without giving up the quiet cabin and comfortable ride that Lexus owners value.”
The Pilot Super Sport ZP fitted on the LC500 showcar at the Detroit Motor Show are not production tyres but concept tyres that feature Micheline’s Premium Touch technology on their sidewalls – a proprietary mold-engraving technology that allows for superior aesthetic contrast and premium velvet texture on the tyres. Thus, the concept tyres were able to incorporate elements from Lexus’ brand design language on its sidewalls.


2016 Ford Transit Window Van Arrives In Malaysia

Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC), the authorised distributor of Ford vehicles in Malaysia today launched the new Transit window van in Malaysia, designed especially for businesses, and anyone who want to transport groups of people.
Priced at RM148,888 on the road without insurance in Peninsular Malaysia and RM151,888 in East Malaysia, the new Transit 14-seat van is also now longer, wider, taller and offers a refreshed cabin.
According to Ford, the interior is significantly more refined, with reduced noise levels and improved ride comfort for passengers. In addition, it also features a stylish instrument panel, incorporating a range of smart stowage solutions including a large hidden compartment under the dual front passenger seat and door storage pockets that can fit an A4 clipboard and 2-litre drink bottle.
Powering the van is Ford’s proven 2.2-litre Duratorq turbo-diesel engine, producing 155PS and 385 Nm of maximum torque. Like its other Transit peers, the TDCi engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission.
Notable features in the new Ford Transit include:
Powered retractable side steps
180 degree opening rear barn door
Electronic Stability Programme with Fail Boost Support
Front and rear parking sensors
Three-point seat belts for all passengers
Second row ISOFIX child seat anchors.
Driver and Front Passenger Airbags
Hill Launch Assist
Emergency Brake Assist and Emergency Brake Warning
Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
Quad Beam Halogen Headlamps with Follow Me Home Lighting
Two-tier side mirrors
Emergency Release Hammer on Single Side Load Door
Connected Radio with Microphone
80-litre Fuel Tank
“We are confident that the versatile new 14-seat Transit van will appeal to a range of customers such as schools, community groups, transport operators and government departments, who will value the flexible seating layout, extra space, and added features,” said Syed Ahmad Muzri Syed Faiz, managing director, Sime Darby Auto Connexion.
Looking for a Ford? Find one at
Carlist.my


2022 Honda HR-V + BR-V Get 5-Star Safety Score From ASEAN NCAP

ASEAN NCAP has awarded two of Honda’s latest SUVs,
the 3rd-generation HR-V
 and 2nd-generation BR-V, with a full 5-star safety rating. Surprised?

This should come as little surprise as Honda is well known for prioritising safety when it comes to standard equipment and vehicle construction, especially with the most recent HR-V.
By comparison, the BR-V
’s handicap is that it’s built upon the older generation.

3rd-gen HR-V and 2nd-gen BR-V get ASEAN NCAP 5-Star

Still, the BR-V scored 77.02 overall next to the HR-V’s score of 81.38 - if only a 77 score got me an A in school. Sigh.

Both cars had very comparable scores when it came to Adult Occupant Protection (AOP), probably the most important crash test safety metric, with 35 points for the HR-V and 33.72 for the BR-V out of a possible maximum score of 40 points. Meanwhile, Child Occupant Safety was, respectively, 17.81 and 17.46 out of a possible maximum of 20 points. Again, quite similar.

Skipping ahead a little to the Safety Assist category
where Honda Sensing
 was put in the hot seat in both to test for comprehensiveness and effectiveness, the HR-V took a score of 18.57 while the BR-V managed a solid 15.71

It’s also worth noting that the HR-V was tipped to ace the ASEAN NCAP testing regime, it fell short while being tested by
the more stringent Euro NCAP
, yielding a less-than-perfect 4-star rating.

On these results, MIROS Director-General and ASEAN NCAP Secretary-General, Dr. Khairil Anwar Abu Kassim said: “We are pleased that Honda is one of the vehicle manufacturers that consistently ensures their models have both passive and active safety technologies. Apart from increasing the safety level for the vehicle occupants, Honda has also made the initiative to equip their SUVs with technologies that are able to avoid collisions with vulnerable road users such as motorcyclists,”

“One such technology is the Autonomous Emergency Braking for Motorcycle in which the technology is able to detect the presence of the preceding motorcycle and subsequently avoid collision with it. We have seen Honda equip similar technology in the Civic model and now consumers who favor SUV as their family vehicle will also benefit from this life-saving technology.”

“In addition to the importance of protecting occupants from injury due to collision, ASEAN NCAP has also placed special emphasis on the safety of children inside vehicles. We have read cases before where children were accidentally left inside vehicles, which is something that we can indeed avoid,”

“Hence, we are proud that Honda has also installed Child Presence Detection technology in the HR-V model as a standard equipment whilst the technology is available in the BR-V either as standard or optional fitment. By having this special technology, we are able to prevent incidences where children were accidentally left in the vehicles and consequently avert such unavoidable death,” he added.


Caj Tol Maksimum Dikenakan Jika Tak Ikut Lorong Tol Yang Betul – Touch n’ Go

Pernah tak terfikir apa yang bakal berlaku kalau jika anda masuk lebuh raya menggunakan lorong RFID dan keluar menggunakan Smart Tag atau Touch ‘n Go (TNG)?

Jawapannya, anda akan dicaj lebih!

Caj Tol Maksimum Secara Automatik Akan Dikenakan

Baru-baru ini telah tular satu video yang menunjukkan seorang pengguna dikenakan caj RM37.47 di plaza tol Kota Damansara di Lebuhraya PLUS berbanding caj kebiasaannya yang tidak sampai RM2.00.

Puncanya? Pengguna itu tidak menggunakan lorong RFID ketika keluar dan masuk ke lebuh raya. Walaupun ramai yang sudah tahu mengenai peraturan ini, namun ramai yang tidak tahu dengan caj denda yang bakal dikenakan jika anda tidak menggunakan lorong tol yang betul.

Menurut Touch n’ Go, caj tol maksimum akan dikenakan secara automatik jika kad Touch 'n Go tidak digunakan dengan betul, seperti;

'Touching-in' di plaza tol masuk dan 'touching-out' di plaza tol keluar menggunakan kad yang berbeza

Masuk dan keluar di plaza tol yang sama (membuat pusingan U).

Data masuk/keluar pelanggan tidak ditangkap oleh sistem kerana cara penggunaan SmartTAG yang tidak betul, iaitu mempunyai bateri SmartTAG yang lemah, bergerak terlalu laju di lorong SmartTAG dan mengikut terlalu dekat dari kenderaan hadapan

'Sentuh masuk' di tempat asal dan 'sentuh keluar' di plaza tol keluar melebihi had masa (> 20 jam)

Apabila berlaku ralat sistem di mana pembaca gagal mengesan kad di plaza tol masuk.

Apabila perkara di atas berlaku, sistem tidak dapat mengenal pasti dari plaza tol mana seseorang pemandu itu masuk kerana tiada bukti dalam bentuk tiket atau kad Touch 'n Go 'touched-in'. Oleh itu, sistem akan menganggap pemandu itu datang dari plaza tol paling jauh.

Nak Refund? Tunggu 30 Hari

Menurut TNG, untuk melaporkan lebihan caj, potongan dua kali atau caj yang tidak betul pada kad Touch ‘n Go anda, sila ikut langkah di bawah untuk mendapatkan bayaran balik.

Klik pada pautan ini
https://customerservice.touchngo.com.my/erefund

Anda akan diarahkan ke halaman “e-Refund”. Isikan semua butiran yang diperlukan

Sila pastikan butiran anda betul dan klik "Serah".

Permintaan bayaran balik untuk penggunaan lebihan caj di tol Plus hanya dibenarkan untuk tempoh 30 hari dari tarikh kejadian. Amaun bayaran balik akan diproses dalam masa 30 hari dari tarikh penyerahan e-Refund anda.

Menurut reaksi netizen, rata-rata mereka yang memohon bayaran balik kerana dikenakan caj tol maksimum masih lagi tidak menerima bayaran balik walaupun sudah melebihi 30 hari.

Kesimpulannya, jangan suka-suka tukar lorong di plaza tol sekiranya lorong RFID sesak jika tak mahu dicaj lebih!


No More Pure ICE Cars From Haval After 2030

Great Wall Motor
's
Haval
 will no longer produce pure ICE or oil-fueled cars by 2030, and that's a fact.

The
SUV-dedicated brand
 under the Great Wall Motor umbrella has announced this 'no oil-fuelled vehicles' initiative during Haval's new energy strategy launch conference last week.

80% new energy vehicle (NEV) sales by 2025

Haval also announced that by the year 2025, around 80% of the brand's new auto sales will consist of new energy vehicles or NEVs. Five years down the road after that, it'll be all NEVs. No more ICEs from Haval after that, ladies and gents.

While the timelines given by Haval seem to be a tight stretch to work in, the strategy to go full NEV is nothing new as other brands have made their marks like BYD, Volvo, and more. BYD, in particular, has already begun its future plans by stopping its ICE-powered vehicle production earlier this year.

Haval to set up a NEV-dedicated subsidiary

Following the launch of Haval's new logo and concept, Haval has also announced that it will be setting up its own NEV-dedicated subsidiary to oversee the brand's NEV business ventures as well as overall development.

A number of showrooms focusing on the brand's NEV offerings will be popping up in vital markets at the end of 2022 to kickstart this new phase of Haval. They've already invested $1.459 billion (around RM6.5 billion) in R&D for NEVs last year, with a projected return value of $14.595 billion (around RM65.5 billion) by the time they roll into 2025.

That's one heck of a projection, folks.


smart #1 EV Dilancarkan Di China - RM126k

smart #1
, SUV kompak elektrik sepenuhnya yang bakal dibawa masuk Malaysia oleh
Proton Edar
 telah dilancarkan di China.

Di China, SUV elektrik itu ditawarkan dalam dua varian iaitu Pro+ dan Premium.

Model ini tidak lagi dijual melalui
Mercedes-Benz
 seperti dulu. Sebaliknya, ia akan dijual oleh Proton setelah memorandum perjanjian (MoU) yang telah ditandatangani oleh Proton bersama smart Automobile Company.

Oleh itu, Proton akan bekerjasama dengan smart dalam menjual kenderaan elektrik milik smart untuk pasaran ASEAN termasuklah hak menjual jenama tersebut di Thailand.

Harga:

Pro+: RMB 190,000 (RM126,371)

Premium: RMB 230,000 (RM152,958)

Dimensi

Panjang: 4,270 mm

Lebar: 1,822 mm

Tinggi: 1,636 mm

Jarak Roda: 2,750 mm

Melalui saiz dimensi yang diberikan, kita boleh klasifikasikan smart #1 ini sebagai salah satu SUV segmen B dengan ukuran yang tidak jauh beza dengan Proton X50. (66 mm lebih pendek dari X50, namun jarak roda lebih panjang 150 mm berbanding X50)

Prestasi

Motor Elektrik: 200kW - 272 PS

Tork Maksimum: 343 Nm

Kelajuan Maksimum: 180 km/j

Bateri: Lithium-ion 66 kWj

Varian Pro+ mampu bergerak sejauh 535 km

Varian Premium mampu bergerak sejauh 560 km

Pengecas AC 22-kW membolehkan bateri kereta dicas dari 10% - 80% dalam masa 3.5 jam

Pengecas pantas DC 150 kW hanya memerlukan 30 minit untuk mengecas dari 10% ke 80%

75% daripada kotak komputernya menerima kemaskini secara Over-The-Air (OTA)

Varian Pro+

Rim aloi 18-inci dengan tayar 235/50R18

Lampu utama LED

Lampu nyalaan siang DRL

Lampu belakang LED

Paparan instrumen skrin penuh bersaiz 9.2-inci

Sistem infotainmen dengan skrin sentuh bersaiz 12.8-inci

5 pembesar suara

Penyaman udara dengan penapis kabin N95

Power seats
 di bahagian hadapan

Sistem lampu kabin 6-warna

Power boot

Varian Premium

Lampu hadapan LED Matrik

Rim aloi 19-inci dengan tayar 235/5R19

Paparan infotainmen dengan skrin sentuh bersaiz 10-inci

13 pembesar suara dengan sistem bunyi Beats

Sistem bantuan pemanduan keselamatan tahap dua seperti:

Adaptive cruise control

Bantuan kekal lorong kecemasan

Amaran keluar laluan

Bantuan lebuh raya

Brek kecemasan automatik

Bantuan tukar lorong automatik

Bantuan kesesakan trafik

Pengelak pelanggaran hadapan & belakang

Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)

Bantuan parkir automatik

Brek kecemasan parkir

Pengesan titik buta

Kesemua smart yang akan dipasarkan ke pasaran luar akan dihasilkan di fasiliti milik Geely di China. Memandangkan Proton bakal menjual smart untuk pasaran ASEAN, Proton kini sedang giat menubuhkan satu pasukan baru bagi menguruskan operasi smart di rantau ASEAN.

Kalau di China, smart #1 dijual dalam lingkungan harga RM126k - 153k. Kemungkinan harga smart yang bakal ditawarkan di Malaysia juga berada dalam lingkungan yang sama atau lebih murah sedikit ekoran insentif pengecualian cukai dan duti untuk kereta elektrik import (CBU).


New National Auto Policy To Cover Commercial Vehicles, Internet Connected Cars, Plus Green Tech

The new National Automotive Policy (NAP) will be announced before the year ends, and will leverage on the National Industry 4.0 policy that is being drafted by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), said CEO of the Malaysia Automotive, Robotics, and IoT Institute (MARii) Dato’ Madani Sahari.
Speaking at yesterday’s press conference in Cyberjaya to introduce the
rebranded MARii
, which was formerly known as the Malaysia Automotive Institute (MAI), Madani elaborated that the convergence of traditional automotive manufacturing with digitization and other Internet-enabled services/features will create many opportunities for Malaysia but the local auto sector must move up the value chain and recognize the coming disruptions brought about by self-driving cars, Internet-connected cars, and even car sharing apps.
Madani also stressed that the current NAP’s focus on promoting energy efficient vehicles will remain in the new auto policy, but it will not be the only focus as the new policy will also take into consideration the carbon emissions of the entire supply/manufacturing chain.
“There is no point in having a green car if your manufacturing process creates more pollution,” he said.
“On top of the ‘greenness,’ we are also measuring the level of connectivity,” he added, referring to Internet-enabled services such as those currently provided by the Proton X70.
Another example currently on the market is BMW’s ConnectedDrive, which automatically syncs the car’s navigation system with Google Calendar and Google Maps. The music player is integrated with Spotify for on-demand music streaming. The system also includes an SOS call function that if the car’s airbags are deployed, automatically calls for help and sends out the car’s GPS location.
In-car Internet connectivity will become an increasingly common feature among the newer generation of cars. At the moment, its purpose centres mostly on infotainment but the proliferation and support for such features is important because it speeds up the industry’s progress to the next step - promoting self-driving cars, which are already being developed in nearly all industrialized nations.
Self-driving cars can only become mainstream if more cars are able to communicate with one another (vehicle-to-vehicle communication protocal, V2V), which explains the need to incentivize in-car Internet connectivity.
Madani also added that new auto policy will focus not only on passenger cars, and there are chapters within the policy that focus on commercial vehicles, as well as two-wheelers, but did not reveal any further details.


Mercedes-Benz Malaysia - Tailored Servicing For Each Customer

For the past many months now, health has been at the forefront of our society. Collectively, the measures and sacrifices every Malaysian has taken to secure a healthier future has been monumental, but just as important as this period has been with distancing and staying home, our cars will still be there every time we need to venture out into the world.

To keep ourselves safe, reaching beyond our comfort zones, if only for a limited time, is a necessary part of life. In the same way that we take precautions to mitigate risk factors, the vehicles we proudly care for and depend on also need a certain level of upkeep to remain ready to serve us.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia recognises
 that the cars we drive are the invisible backbone to our daily lives, and now that we are on the road to recovery, will be looked upon to surprise and delight us from destination to destination like they had before, ready for the next adventure.

However, this long period of relative hibernation and idleness can have its ill effects. Cars, much like a living and breathing being, are meant to move around and stay active to maintain a high level of health. In this case, they are most comfortable when being driven.

Without this regular stimulation, they can succumb to atrophy if left unmoved for a prolonged duration. Key wear and tear components such as tyres, brakes, and interior materials can start to deteriorate from environmental factors such as excess heat and humidity.

Every component in a Mercedes-Benz has given thorough and exhaustive consideration, doubly so for its wheel and tyre package. This is something that’s responsible for so much of both the driving experience and safety on the road.

Mercedes Original (MO) Tires, which are fitted as standard, provides the same level of integration and tailored fit with the car’s suspension geometry, weight distribution, load capacity, thermal range, and drive functions to deliver maximum grip, minimal braking distances, reliability, longevity, and comfort.

As they were designed to be an ideal match to your vehicle for an exacting fit and seamless compatibility with the advanced safety systems present in every modern Mercedes-Benz, preserving peak dynamics and safety is as easy as making the right choice to continue with Mercedes Original Tires at your next change.

Stepping inside a Mercedes-Benz is to experience quality and craftsmanship that stands above the rest, and keeping that sense of calibre and distinction well into your ownership journey is the prime motivator behind Mercedes-Benz Genuine Car Care. Mercedes-Benz Genuine Re:Start is an all-encompassing interior rejuvenation and purification package with a focus on safety and health to get your car ready to embark on your next adventure.

Whether it is to protect resale value or to satisfy even the most detail-obsessive of owners, every exterior and interior maintenance needs are in good hands with the use of Mercedes-Benz genuine car grooming products that are simultaneously effective, long-lasting, environmentally sound, and gentle on the finest materials.

Through its Customer Personalisation Service, something we have detailed before, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia offers many options for owners to ensure their pride and joy is brought back to tip-top shape and stays there while ensuring your personal convenience and safety is kept priority number one.

Like its name suggests, these services will be personalised and custom-tailored to the specific needs of your vehicle and will work around your availability, location, and preferences, giving Mercedes-Benz owners an unparalleled level of trust and peace of mind.

Customers can easily schedule appointments online through MBM’s official website or directly through the highly configurable MercedesMe smart device app. Signing up for the Star Care Maintenance package not only entitles you to long-term benefits and cost savings on maintenance but more crucially safeguards the integrity and quality of your vehicle with the guaranteed use of only genuine parts and work done by trained experts.

Star Care Maintenance customers receive clearly defined service breakdowns with transparent costs that aren’t impacted by inflation, meaning you can make more confident decisions about your vehicle’s wellbeing over the coming years with the flexibility to choose 12 or 24-month packages that cover up to 12,000km per year.

Alternatively, you can choose to simply leave your vehicle at the designated authorised service centre through their Drop and Go service, have them come to you via Door to Door or, through Express Service, give your Mercedes-Benz the VIP treatment with 2 experienced technicians working simultaneously to complete the appointment in just 60 minutes.

Of course, with Mercedes-Benz service, it is a guarantee that all replacement items, consumables, and spare parts carry that 100% genuine seal of quality to ensure that your car continues to perform at its peak just like the day you first took delivery.
Click here
 to take the next step in your Mercedes-Benz ownership journey, ensuring it’s as poised as you are for that next adventure.

You have a limited time to seize this offer as it comes to a close on the 31st October 2021 so get in touch with Mercedes-Benz Malaysia now by clicking on
this form
.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Customer Care Centre and 24H Service & Breakdown Assistance can be contacted at 1-800-88-1133 for any further enquiries while online bookings can be made here on Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s official website. Alternatively, you can also contact your preferred Mercedes-Benz authorised dealer to book your next appointment and start shaping your own tailored servicing package.