Ford Ranger Sets Record Half-Year Sales in APAC for 2017

With the amount of money that Ford has invested in our region, it's no surprise when we see solid growth figures for the blue oval. But one of the most important models for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, one that every market can appreciate, is the Ford Ranger. The last half year has seen Ranger sales hitting a new record for 2017, with more than 21% growth in sales figures to a total of 63,525 vehicles.
This surge in sales is owed to markets like Australia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. In New Zealand, not only is the Ranger the best-selling pickup truck, it is the best-selling vehicle- period. With each evolution of the Ranger, it becomes ever more popular as it balances the rugged and practical needs of a workhorse with the modern luxuries that urban dwellers require in a car.
To sum it up, Australia managed to maintain their lead in APAC with 21,638 Rangers sold through the first half of the year, or roughly 30% of the overall sales figure. Thailand is close behind with 20,230 Rangers moved in the same timespan. Vietnam edges out Phillipines and New Zealand with 6,985 Rangers sold, while the other two countries managed to sell 4,596 and 4,980 Rangers respectively. While sales in Taiwan are not particularly huge, there is still a 29% improvement over the same period last year.


Travel Tips By RapidKL For The Coming 2015 Malaysian F1 GP

If you’re heading to Sepang this coming weekend for the 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix, the second round of the F1 calendar, RapidKL has you covered. Our home race sees thousands of spectators heading down the highways to the circuit, and it can be tricky at times for those making the journey by car.
To help, RapidKL is setting aside more than 100 buses for use to shuttle race-goers to and from the Sepang International Circuit throughout the three day race weekend. The service will be operating routes from the KLIA2 terminal and the KLIA Long Term Parking zone to cater for international and domestic travellers as well as those who wish to take the ERL, costing RM10 per journey.
In addition, for those who wish to be transported directly to the circuit, they can make their way to the convenient drop off points at Suria KLCC and KL Sentral, costing RM18 for a single journey pass and RM30 for a return trip.,
The service will begin at 8am within 30 minute intervals with the last buses leaving SIC at 7.30pm, extending to 8.30pm for the race day on Sunday, so spectators won’t have to rush to leave once the racing ends. The post-race concert is slated to end at 7.30pm as well, and there will surely be many buses to accommodate the outflow.
It looks like this won’t be a one-time convenience as the agreement reached between Rapid Bus and SIC stipulates this Formula One shuttle service running for at least three years until 2017.
"SIC is pleased to collaborate with Rapid Bus for one of the biggest events in the Malaysian sporting and tourism calendar. We support the use of public transportation and having this dedicated shuttle service will be invaluable for increasing convenience for those coming to see the race. Additionally, we are very happy to be cementing a partnership with Rapid KL for the longer term, and look forward to their shuttle services during the eni Superbike World Championship and Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix," said Dato' Razlan Razali, CEO of the Sepang International Circuit.


Proton Likely To Return To Australia With The X70

It's no surprise that with global market trends pointed at SUVs, Proton may very well be bold enough to return to Australia.
According to GoAuto
, Proton looks ready to come back to a market that they left back in 2017 after seeing a severe drop in sales. The actual business case for returning will be studied over the next 24 months, whereupon a decision will be made as to whether it's viable for Proton to re-enter the Australian market.
But more than that, it is becoming clear what Proton's position is in the partnership with Geely - and it's one that Malaysians can be proud of. Speaking to GoAuto at the show, Geely head of international PR Ash Sutcliffe said "Proton have a lot of experience in developing right-hand-drive cars, and their chassis and platform development is really helpful for Geely,”
“For example, we do a lot of testing in Malaysia that we can’t do in China – hot-weather testing, when it’s cold here we can go there, and they have fantastic facilities, and they’ve got a lot of talent in developing right-hand-drive cars. So the match together is quite good.”
That being said, Proton would have to compete against the all-electric Geometry sub-brand from Geely, which may or may not be a better business case give the government's favourability for electric vehicles. In either case, to see Proton expanding into various other regions is a big step - perhaps going even further than they had in the past.


VIDEO: Watch A McLaren 675LT Get Hooned Around The Spanish Castelloli Circuit

McLaren
 touts its
675LT as the most track-focused sports car ever
 in the history of the British carmaker. That’s all fine and dandy words but they’ve now released this video to drive that point home.
Shot at the Castelloli circuit in Spain, we get taken on a journey beginning with outside of the supercar, finished here in Napier Green and fitted with Stealth ultra-lightweight  forged wheels (19-inch ones at the front and 20-inchers on the back). From there, its glimpses of the other parts of the car including the engine and active “Longtail” Airbrake.
That pleasing melodic music playing in the background is drowned out when the tweaked, M838LT 3.8-litre V8 engine is fired up, ready to unleash all of its 675PS (666hp) of power and 700Nm of torque.
Leaving two tyre trails on take-off, the lighter, harder and more powerful version of the
650S
 is a real track weapon.
Right at the part when the driver switches from Normal to Sport mode (1:24), the 675LT gets even more fired up, attacking the track even more aggressively, all aero components in full operation. Switch off the traction control together and it becomes a masterful drift machine, no doubt the enemy of tyres everywhere.
When McLaren talked about the dynamic prowess of its new 675LT, we were intrigued. Now, when they showed us this video, we are enthralled.
The Ferrari 488 GTB better watch its back
.


Toyota, Mazda and Mitsubishi Top J.D Power Customer Satisfaction Ratings

J.D Power’s 2016 Malaysia Customer Service Index (CSI) Study report was released today, and it suggests that the level of customer satisfaction remains somewhat flat compared to 2015.
The study, now in its 14th year, measures overall service satisfaction among owners who took their vehicle to an authorized service center by examining dealership performance in five factors (in order of importance): service quality (32%); service initiation (22%); vehicle pick-up (18%); service advisor (15%); and service facility (13%). Brand service performance is measured on a 1,000-point scale.
Overall customer service satisfaction averages 751 points this year, up 2 points from 2015.  While all factors have improved in the low single-digit figures, satisfaction with service advisors has declined by 1 point.
Toyota
 ranks highest in overall service satisfaction among mass market brands with a score of 763,  performing well in the service initiation, service advisor and service quality factors. Ranking second is
Mazda
 with a score of 760 and
Mitsubishi
 ranks third at 758.
Other findings include:
Malaysian National Brands Show Improvement:
 Overall customer service among the Malaysian national brands within the mass market segment averages 747, up 5 points from 2015.
Service Centers Sending More Service Reminders:
More customers indicated they received routine maintenance notification (41% vs. 30%) from the previous year. An increase of 4 percentage points (26% vs. 22%) was seen in customers’ specific service needs being discussed with the service center prior to taking the vehicle in.
Longer Waiting Time for Service by Appointment:
Customers waiting three or more days for an appointment (31% of respondents) average an overall satisfaction score of 743. Furthermore, the percentage of customers who waited three days or more has increased by 10 percentage points. Customers waiting two days or less for an appointment (69% of respondents) average an overall satisfaction score of 768.
Delighted Customers Raise Loyalty and Advocacy:
 Among customers who are highly satisfied with their dealer service (overall satisfaction scores of 823 and above), 46% say they “definitely would” return to their dealer for post-warranty service and 50% “definitely would” recommend their dealer to friends and family. In contrast, among customers who are less satisfied (scores of 690 and below), only 15% say they “definitely would” return to the dealer for post-warranty service, and only 11% say they “definitely would” recommend the dealer to others.
“With the stresses of modern living, Malaysian car owners are clearly more time-constrained and demand to complete this important but time-consuming errand in a hassle-free manner. Hence, it is critical for dealerships to ensure they have the right ratio of service advisors who exhibit high quality customer-handling skills to meet customers’ expectations,” said Rajaswaran Tharmalingam, the country head of Malaysia for J.D. Power.


Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan To Be Made In Mexico This Year, Germany In 2019

The first ever Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan will go into production in Aguascalientes, Mexico later this year, followed by Germany in 2019. Separately, a longer wheelbase (60 mm longer)
A-Class L Sedan
 will also go into production later this year in Beijing, exclusively only for China.
The Mexican plant making the A-Class Sedan, the COMPAS (Cooperation Manufacturing Plant Aguascalientes) plant is a joint-venture between Daimler and the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Apart from Mercedes-Benz models, it also makes the all-new Infiniti QX50.
However unlike the GLA-Class, there will be no Infiniti-badged versions of the A-Class Sedan as Nissan has reportedly suspended any future development work with Daimler.
The Mexican-made A-Class Sedans will be exported across the greater Americas continent. In North America, it will be sold alongside the CLA-Class.
Meanwhile the German plant in Rastatt will supply to markets in Europe, and presumably other parts of Asia too.
Measuring 4,549 mm long, the A-Class Sedan is slightly shorter than the outgoing CLA-Class but longer than the Audi A3 Sedan. However, it boasts of a segment-leading 2,729 mm wheelbase, which for reference, is 29 mm longer than the already very spacious Honda Civic.
Opening the boot lid will reveal a 420-litre boot capacity.
Depending on markets, up to six engine options will be available – five petrol and one diesel.
The entry point is the M282 1.33-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, producing 163 hp and 250 Nm, paired to either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Despite the 1.33-litre capacity, it still wears the A200 badge.
A larger M260 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine powers the A220 and A250. Power outputs range from 190 hp/300 Nm to 224 hp/350 Nm, paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. 4Matic all-wheel drive is standard for the A220 and optional for the A250.
With an aerodynamic drag co-efficient value of 0.22, the A-Class Sedan holds the record for being the most aerodynamically efficient production car. In comparison, the hatchback which typically results in more drag due its vertical rear section, has a co-efficient value of 0.25.
Like the all-new W177 generation A-Class, the A-Class Sedan boasts of having the latest natural language operated, Artificial Intelligence-enabled MBUX infotainment system. In terms of safety systems, the A-Class Sedan will mirror the advanced driving aids adopted by its hatchback counterpart, including semi-autonomous driving features used in the S-Class.
Its interior also mirrors the A-Class hatchback. Depending on variant, the Sedan variant will come equipped with one of three digital display screen combinations:
two 7-inch displays (17.78 cm)
one 7-inch and one 10.25-inch (26 cm) display
two 10.25-inch displays
The A-Class Sedan will be making its world premiere at next month’s Paris Motor Show.
Introduction in Malaysia
 is yet to be confirmed but we understand from Mercedes-Benz Malaysia a business case is being built for that model.


Car Insurance - Are The Add-On Options Important?

Do you know what your car insurance policy covers? What isn’t covered? Or do you think you’ve ticked all the boxes because you always opt for a Comprehensive Insurance Policy? As complete as that term and policy sounds, do you know that it doesn't actually protect you from every kind of damage or loss in the event of a mishap.

Even though a Comprehensive Insurance Policy (first-party) offers possibly the broadest coverage among other plans, there is still room for more protection. When buying car insurance, you’ll have the option to extend the level of coverage on your policy with add-ons to help fill the gap for incidents that aren’t covered by your basic insurance plan.

However, since optional coverage means optional charges, it is essential to understand what is on offer to know which ones to pick and which ones to pass on. Saying that however, if you really prefer complete peace of mind while on the road, then technically, all available added protection is beneficial.

With that being said, let us look at some of the optional coverage offered by RHB Group, as they have some well thought out add-ons which might come in handy if anything untoward were to happen to your vehicle or even passengers.

Unlimited Breakdown Towing

While more and more cars are being equipped with technologically advanced systems, which makes motoring a bit more convenient, it has to be said that the downside of these advancements is that the car relies heavily on many little sensors to operate optimally.

A tiny malfunction from one of those many sensors could potentially cripple your car and leave you stranded in remote locations, which is why it is best to have a backup plan in the form of an unlimited breakdown towing service as provided by RHB.

What you get for this additional add on is that in an event where your vehicle encounters a sudden breakdown within Malaysia, RHB's assistance provider shall perform an on-site repair or provide an unlimited towing service without any towing charges to tow your car either back to your home or to your preferred workshop if on-site repair is not possible.

Although this sounds more beneficial for vehicle owners who have older cars, trust us when we say that every car owner can benefit from this add-on, especially if the car is high in tech or not equipped with something simple like a spare tyre, which some new cars do not have.

Special Perils Add-on Covers

A Special Perils Add-on cover is basically an optional benefit that covers damages caused by natural disasters such as flash floods, storms, landslides, earthquakes, sinking of soil and other unexpected natural disasters, among others.

Although the chances of our vehicles being damaged by hurricanes and earthquakes are slim in Malaysia, floods and thunderstorms happen all the time, which is why it is advisable to get this coverage just to be safe. Remember the countless number of submerged cars seen on video or pictures during the rainy season? It happens, so it's best you get yourself protected from these potentialities.

What's best with RHB's Special Perils Add-on is that you can choose from either a Full Special Perils Cover or Limited Special Perils Cover to suit your coverage and financial needs, but it is wise to select the full cover as the full repair cost to be borne by the policyholder is zero, as opposed to the limited cover which may require you to pay for a portion of the repairs carried out. But then again, any extra cover is better than none.

Just before you carry on reading, if you’re looking for an insurance quote for your vehicle, click
here
 for an instant 10% online discount.

Betterment Contribution Waiver

The fundamental promise of a comprehensive motor insurance policy is to place your car in the same condition as it would have been before an accident occurred.

Let's say you were involved in an accident, and your car was sent for repairs, and new 'original parts' were used to replace the damaged parts, this would mean your vehicle is now better than before the accident.

You might not know this, but sometimes, you will be asked to contribute to the final bill under the clause of betterment charges which all insurance companies practice.

To protect vehicle owners from these additional costs, RHB offers a Betterment Contribution Waiver add-on, which basically lets you walk away from the repair cost scott-free. Of course, nobody likes unexpected expenses, so why chance it in the first place?

Full Body Spray Painting

Vehicle colour matching is one of the most challenging repairs to get 100% correct. While some colours are easy to match, others will show slight deviation from your car's original paint job, where it has probably aged or been exposed to excessive amounts of UV from the sun which has altered its colour slightly.

In the event of a need to repair your car from a damage claim, a new coat of paint is usually applied to the recently repaired area of the vehicle, causing the tone of the newly applied coat of paint to be different from the existing one.

To solve this problem, RHB now offers a Full Body Spray add-on, which provides a full-body spray painting for your entire vehicle which practically makes your car look brand new and uniform in colour. Non-matching paint on a car just makes a car look awful, not something you want to look at for the rest of your ownership duration.

Are the add-ons worth it?

When you top up your RHB comprehensive insurance policy, which covers death or injury to other parties, damage to other parties' property, loss/damage to your vehicle caused by theft or fire, damage to your vehicle due to accident, transportation of damaged vehicle, covers for legal representation and legal costs with the add-ons mentioned above, you can be pretty sure you will have one of the most worry-free experiences if anything were to happen to your car on the road.

Usually, add-ons are often overlooked by insurance buyers simply because many deem it unnecessary or expensive, but in the case of RHB’s add-on options, it’s pretty safe to say that all of their add-ons are pretty well thought of and will help make your insurance cover a bit more expansive, providing you all the protection that you need.


Verstappen Calls Aston Martin F1 Safety Car Slow As A Turtle

If you missed it, reigning Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has called out the
527bhp Aston Martin Vantage
 safety car as slow as a
 "turtle".

Verstappen made that comment after the
Australian GP
 where the safety car was brought out twice after Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz beached his car on the gravel and Sebastian Vettel crashed his Aston Martin. According to Vettel, the safety car was driving too slowly around the track, causing his tyres to lose grip as they were cold.

Aston Martin F1 Safety Car slow as a turtle

"There's so little grip, and the safety car was driving so slow, it was like a turtle. Unbelievable," Verstappen said after the race. "To drive 140 km/h on the back straight, there was not a damaged car, so I don't understand why we have to drive so slowly."

“For sure the Mercedes safety car is faster because of the extra aero because this Aston Martin is really slow. It definitely needs more grip, because our tyres were stone cold," said Verstappen.

What about a Ferrari F1 Safety Car?

Australian Grand Prix race winner Charles Leclerc also agreed with Verstappen's statement and even slyly implied that the Aston Martin safety car was not fit for duty.

"I was struggling massively to put some temperature in them, so I also struggled. To be honest, I wanted to complain, but then I checked how much the safety car was sliding in the corner, and I don't think there was anything more that he could give, so I didn't want to put too much pressure on," said the race winner.

Mercedes driver George Russell
 also joined in the bashing of the Aston Martin safety car and said that the Mercedes safety car is a faster car than the Aston.

"We don't have issues with the Mercedes-AMG safety car. On a serious note though, the Mercedes-AMG is like five seconds, a lot quicker, than the Aston Martin safety car, which is pretty substantial," said Russell.

Leclerc couldn't help himself after George's statement and said "We need to put a Ferrari on the track, so it's then five seconds faster than the Mercedes car."

FIA responds to Aston Martin 'turtle' criticism

Following this, the FIA has responded to criticisms of the Aston Martin safety car being a 'turtle' - conforming in a way that the Aston Martin is slow...

They released a statement on Twitter stating that the priority of the safety car was not how fast it goes but instead it is there to help officials keep the race running in a safe manner.

"In light of recent comments regarding the pace of the FIA Formula 1 Safety Car, the FIA would like to reiterate that the primary function of the FIA Formula 1 Safety Car is, of course, not outright speed, but the safety of the drivers, marshals and officials."

"The safety car procedures take into account multiple objectives, depending upon the incident in question, including the requirement to 'bunch up' the field, negotiate an incident recovery or debris on track in a safe manner and adjust the pace depending on recovery activities that may be ongoing in a different part of the track."

The FIA added that the ultimate speed of the safety car was not defined by its technical aspects, but instead by what race control needs.

Sharing duties: Aston Martin Vantage/ Mercedes-AMG GT

"The speed of the safety car is therefore generally dictated by race control, and not limited by the capabilities of the safety cars, which are bespoke high-performance vehicles prepared by two of the world's top manufacturers, equipped to deal with changeable track conditions at all times and driven by a hugely experienced and capable driver and co-driver.

For those who are unfamiliar with this year's safety car arrangement, Formula 1 currently has two safety cars, an Aston Martin Vantage and a Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series, which alternate between races.

While both cars feature a 4.0-litre twin-turbo engine, the Mercedes wins the horsepower output race as it has 730hp compared to the Aston's 528hp. Apparently, as suggested by Verstappen, the Mercedes-AMG safety car also delivers higher levels of aerodynamic performance.

That's at least one time Verstappen will fancy a Mercedes in front!


What Is Your Daily Car If You Work At Koenigsegg As Its Head Test Driver?

It must be a dream come true to be the head test driver at Koenigsegg which is exactly who Robert Serwanski is.
Serving the Swedish hypercar maker since 2011, the Swede himself has been behind the wheel of some of the most exciting Koenigseggs ever to be produced including the One:1.
Part of his daily duties include piloting the most exotic of cars as quickly as possible, full of danger and peril in the process. Want a sample of what that’s like?
Look here
. Note the no-hands driving at high speed.
Or watch the man at work:
Now you might think a man working for Christian von Koenigsegg will get a highly exotic office car to serve as his daily driver, right?
Think again because Serwanski’s daily driver is a simple
Mazda 3
 with a 2.2-litre diesel engine and an automatic gearbox. The choice of a
Mazda
 isn’t surprising considering he race
Miatas
 before joining Koenigsegg. In fact, he has an NC Miata in his garage.
That is certainly a far cry from the over 1,000hp monsters he drives at work daily but we reckon after a hard day’s “work”, a Mazda 3 would be good ride to chill out in on the way home.
According to
Jalopnik
, Serwanski also drives 193km to work daily and a clean diesel engine would certainly be better in terms of mileage as well.


Has Fernando Alonso’s F1 Return Marked Sebastian Vettel’s Retirement? We Think So…

Fans of Sebastian Vettel might have to swallow the inconvenient truth, he might just not have any seat to fill in the 2021 Formula 1 season.

In a dicey game of musical chairs – the recent blaze of activity with regards to the 2021 F1 team driver lineups – has left Sebastian Vettel seemingly without a drive seat next year. The final nail in the coffin possibly coming just over a day ago with Fernando Alonso returning to Formula 1 after a nearly two-year hiatus to drive for Renault in 2021.

The announcement, along with all the other confirmations for the 2021 driver roster could signal retirement as the only option for now. Unless Vettel can strike a deal with one of possibly two teams – Racing Point (Aston Martin Racing as it will be called next year) or Alfa Romeo – by the end of the year.

While Fernando Alonso’s romantic return to Renault, the team he secured two World Championship driver title’s with (in 2005 and 2006) might have little effect on Vettel's retirement, it simply means there’s one less seat in a competitive car in 2021.

That had more to do with Ferrari leaving the four-time World Champion high and dry earlier this year after both driver and team could not reach an agreement on future contracts, which saw Carlos Sainz Jr. take his spot at Ferrari, and ultimately set in motion the chain of events that led to Vettel’s current predicament.

So where does that leave Vettel in 2021?

Well, Mercedes-Benz and McLaren are happy with their driver lineup.

However, Vettel has stated that he would return to Red Bull if the seat was offered to him.

In a press conference ahead of this week’s Austrian GP, Vettel said, “I know the team very, very well from my past, so of course I am still in contact with a lot of people there whether Christian (Horner), Team Principal, Helmut (Marko), Red Bull advisor, or others. It’s not fair to say I know the team inside out because it has also changed and moved on, but I know why they were strong back then and they are still an F1 contender and it’s a car that you can win races in, so for sure that would be interesting.”

However, their current No.1 driver Max Verstappen has voiced out that there’s no reason Red Bull should replace its current No. 2 driver, Alex Albon – who is in flying form at the moment.

Verstappen added, “I think at the moment the team is very happy with both of us and I am really happy with Alex as a teammate. He’s good with setups, so we both give good feedback to the team. And he’s a fast guy. So I don’t think there is any reason to change, and I think Christian and Helmut can back that up. It’s also not up to me to decide these things.”

Red Bull’s head honcho Helmut Marko has also said that Vettel would be too expensive to maintain, especially with the introduction of new regulations on capped team budgets.

He adds, “It would be difficult to see how we could accommodate him because we weren’t expecting him to be on the market. We never expected Ferrari to so rudely not offer him another contract.”

Which leaves Vettel with (Racing Point) Aston Martin Racing or Alfa Romeo for 2021.

We can pretty much cancel out Aston Martin Racing; who would have to replace Lance Stroll (whose father is a major funder of the team) - so not happening, or boot out up-and-comer Sergio Perez, who's been in great form and also comes with major funding. While it's not beyond imagination that a few silly mistakes by Perez during the season could change the situation in favour of Vettel - it's still early times.

Hence, the last chance hurrah would be Alfa Romeo, who will have to replace Kimi Raikonnen at the end of 2020 after the Finn announced his retirement from F1 and hopeful return to the World Rally Championship. (Psst… Vettel, this is how you leave in style).

Nonetheless, Sebastian Vettel’s experience would be invaluable to the smaller outfit who would want to develop a car capable of winning podiums. However, once again Vettel’s competitiveness (and to a certain extent, ego) might deprive him of taking the jump.

In a recent statement, Vettel said, “It’s not a secret that I’m competitive. I’ve achieved so much in this sport and I’m interested in achieving more – not just taking part.” Hence, the chances of this happening are slim as well.

We could enlist the Haas F1 team as a candidate as well, who have yet to confirm their 2021 roster but this is a further impossibility than the former two.

All said and done, we really think this is goodbye for now Sebastian. Or Forever.

Cover image credit:
Scuderia Ferrari


Want to Know What New Cars You can buy with a Manual Transmission Today? Check This List Out

“Brand new car with a manual transmission" is a combination so rare these days that it warrants questions rather than buyer interest. After all, Malaysians would prefer to have some clever cogs do the tedious work of shifting, rather than enjoying that last bit of interactivity only a manual gives, so why bother some might ask. Even so there are a few models that you can get with a manual transmission today, most of which we can think of is already
listed here
 by our friends at Autofreaks.
If you were expecting some exciting models, then you would be disappointed to find that most new cars with manual transmission today are comprised largely of local cars, poverty-spec variants, and pick-up trucks. The rarity of a manual transmission today is due to a number of reasons, with consumer preference being a huge determining factor, and the business case of ploughing your resources into selling an automatic variant that will definitely have a better chance at selling in huge numbers, being the other.
While most manual transmission cars are there to stoop to a budget, some cars like the
Ford Fiesta
 ST and
Focus ST
,
Peugeot 208 GT
I, and
Renault Megane RS
 come with manual transmissions simply because they are only available with a self-shifter. Still, the more well-heeled enthusiasts would be glad to know that
Porsche
 would only be too happy to sell you a
Boxster
,
Cayman
, or
911
with a manual transmission, if you have the dosh.


Fuel Price: 26 Oct – 1 Nov – Petrol Up 3 Sen, Diesel Up 2 Sen

The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives, and Consumerism (KPDNKK) has announced fuel prices for the upcoming week. For a second successive week, Malaysian motorists will have to bear with increases in fuel price across the board.
The increases are sharper too. Compared to
last week
 which saw only 1 sen per litre increases for all fuel grades, the coming week sees both RON 95 and RON 97 grades of petrol increase by 3 sen and diesel going up by 2 sen.
Prices per litre of fuel for the coming week from 26 October to 1 November 2017 are as follows:
Petrol RON 95 – RM2.20 (up 3 sen from RM2.17)
Petrol RON 97 – RM2.50 (up 3 sen from RM2.47)
Diesel – RM2.13 (up 2 sen from RM2.11)


The Volkswagen Beetle That Was Really A Porsche

While this Volkswagen Beetle may appear stock standard, not many people know that this particular car hides a secret. You see, unlike other Beetles made in the same era, this Volkswagen Type 39, an early prototype for the Beetle, was built at Porsche's plant in Zuffenhausen, not Volkswagen's plant in Wolfsburg.
The Volkswagen Type 39 also carried a 32 PS engine lifted from the Porsche Type 64 that was originally designed for the Berline-Rome race.
Back in 1939, the Wolfsburg plant was still under construction. Ferdinand Porsche and his son frequently drove the Type 39 to and fro between the production location in Zuffenhausen and the Wolfsburg plant's construction site.
This particular Volkswagen Type 39 with chassis number 1-00003 is the last surviving model of its kind and is currently kept in a museum in Hamburg.


MINI Malaysia Introduces The New MINI Connected Feature Plus More

MINI Malaysia is now offering the heavily revised new MINI Connected to their line-up of vehicles. The new MINI Connected that communicates with a built-in 4G SIM Card allows owners to access a digital world of personalized services designed to make day-to-day mobility and planning even easier.
Harald Hoelzl, MD of BMW Group Malaysia added, “The BMW Group has over 20 years of experience in developing innovations that connect the driver to the car and to the world they live in. This expertise is now introduced in all MINI vehicles here in Malaysia with MINI Connected. In the age of personalisation and digitalisation, MINI Connected presents the best of both worlds with extensive connectivity capabilities and personalised services.”
The new MINI Connected app for Apple and Android devices has been redesigned and now connects drivers even more closely with their car through eDrive Services and Remote Services. With eDrive Services, which is only exclusively available in the
MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid
, owners can use their smartphone to keep track of the vehicle’s battery status and remaining range, as well as to initiate the charging process. Drivers can also view personal efficiency status data for their most recent journey.
Through the MINI Connected app, Remote Services can be activated to control MINI functions using a smartphone – be it to operate the head light flash or honk to help locate the parked MINI in an unfamiliar environment.
Synchronising the MINI Connected app with a personal calendar can turn it into a personal mobility assistant and help MINI drivers get to appointments on time. This also enables functions including “Send to Car” where the app transfers routes planned on the smartphone to the car’s navigation system, Last Mile Route– a continued navigation via smartphone while walking from the parked car to the actual destination, Time-to-Leave Notification, and Share Live Trip Status.
The new MINI Connected also includes additional services to maximize safety and convenience:
Intelligent Emergency Call: Automatically call MINI emergency call centre when the vehicle’s crash sensors are activated.
TeleServices: Inform owner if the MINI requires maintenance. It can also call for local roadside assistance.
MINI Online: Provides information on the latest news and weather, read out through the audio system.
The standard new MINI Connected features such as MINI Connected App, Remote Services, Intelligent Emergency Call, Teleservices, and MINI Online are available as standard in all new 2019-production models. More information on the new MINI Connected can be found
here
.
Premium features such as Apple CarPlay and MINI Concierge Service are extended to all MINI John Cooper Works variants and the
MINI Countryman Sports
.
MINI Malaysia has also enhanced selected variants in conjunction with the introduction of the new MINI Connected feature. Apart from the MINI Connected feature being offered as standard, the front passenger seat will also be fitted with ISOFIX points for mounting of a child seat.
MINI John Cooper Works models meanwhile gain a panoramic sunroof, while the entry model to the MINI ownership in Malaysia, the MINI Cooper Clubman, now gets Comfort Access as standard.
All new MINI models sold by MINI Malaysia are backed by a 4-year unlimited mileage warranty that includes free scheduled service as well as a 5-Year Roadside Assistance programme.


Isuzu Malaysia Holds Customer Appreciation And Awards Night 2018

Isuzu Malaysia recently held a Customer Appreciation Night 2018 to celebrate its commercial vehicles fleet customers based in the Klang Valley area. The event served as a gesture of Isuzu Malaysia’s immense gratitude and appreciation for the staunch support shown by its fleet customers throughout the years.
Isuzu Malaysia CEO, Koji Nakamura, led a toasting ceremony while Chief Operating Officer, Atsunori Murata, took the opportunity to convey the company’s gratitude to all attendees for the unwavering support and trust shown throughout all these years.
Isuzu has been at the
 No. 1 spot for the most preferred commercial vehicle
based on sales volume in all segments in Malaysia, for four consecutive years from 2014 until 2017.
The event also saw appreciation awards given to selected Isuzu fleet customers from 50 companies. 27 awards were presented to 17 business partners, covering various categories, including ‘Light-Duty Customer Appreciation’ Award, ‘Medium-Duty Customer Appreciation’ Award, ‘Heavy Duty Customer Appreciation’ Award and ‘CV Customer of The Year 2018’.
Chief Operating Officer of Isuzu Malaysia’s After Sales Division, Ryo Kakogawa, also shared the company’s dedication and commitment to consistently provide top-notch after-sales services and support. This is to ensure commercial customers are able to run their businesses with complete peace-of-mind.
He said that through
 Isuzu Service Centre (ISC)
- Isuzu Malaysia’s flagship after-sales facility located in Shah Alam - customers will be offered an elevated level of comprehensive, professional and efficient vehicle care, aside from ensuring a quicker turn-around time for vehicle servicing.


Developer Of Mercedes-Benz's MBUX To Provide Proton With AI-Powered Speech Recognition System

Nuance Communications Inc has announced that they will be providing automotive-grade voice recognition system to Geely, which will then install the system in future Proton models.
Nuance is the same company that worked with Mercedes-Benz on its revolutionary Mercedes-Benz User Experience, or MBUX in short.
Through this partnership, Geely will provide Proton with a range of vehicle platform technologies, including Nuance’s AI-powered speech system. By utilizing its Dragon Drive platform, Nuance is able to develop a natural voice system with automatic speech recognition, natural language understanding, and text-to-speech capabilities for use in Southeast Asia.
Yes, we can now use our Malaysian English for voice command. With that, users can utilize their voice to control the air-conditioning, car windows, sunroof, music controls, navigation, and search for points of interests.
Stefan Ortmanns, executive vice president and general manager, Nuance Automotive said, “We’re proud to be part of this historic joint venture between Geely and Proton, which is sure to transform the automotive market in China and Southeast Asia. This represents a significant step forward in our efforts to partner with automakers in the region, and we look forward to leveraging our presence to expand our support for Geely and Proton as they begin their work together.”
Yang Jun, the Vice President of Engineering at Proton said, "Part of the goal of our joint venture with PROTON is to bring more advanced and innovative cars and enhanced mobility to the Southeast Asia region, and technology innovation in the car is a big part of that. It's clear that AI-powered speech recognition will have a significant role to play, of course in today's vehicles, but also in the car of the future. Our work with Nuance is extremely important as we work toward that future."


BMW Malaysia Adds Six New Charging Bays at Bangsar Shopping Centre

With the continuous growth of electrified vehicles in their portfolio, BMW Group Malaysia has just expanded their BMW i Charging facilities, adding six new charging bays at Bangsar Shopping Centre, Kuala Lumpur.
Harald Hoelzl, Managing Director at BMW Group Malaysia said, “2018 was a remarkable year for the BMW Group globally and we reflected this here with another year of record-breaking business performances for the eighth consecutive year with 14,338 vehicles delivered, a segment-leading growth of 13%. This reinforces Malaysia’s position as a key market in the region for the BMW Group and we are truly humbled with this achievement.”
Last year, BMW Group Malaysia delivered a total of 14,338 vehicles, where BMW vehicles saw an increase of 13% to 12,008 units. Sales of MINI were also at a historic-high, registering 1,200 units which represented a growth of 18%.
Hoelzl added that BMW Malaysia’s portfolio of Visionary Mobility vehicles accounted for over 57% of deliveries last year with over 7,500 Plug-in Hybrid variants of BMW and MINI vehicles making their way to homes across Malaysia in 2018.
“As the country’s leading provider of premium electrified vehicles, we are constantly driving initiatives for innovation, local assembly capabilities, awareness on new and clean technology for the automotive industry as well as helping develop the infrastructure for electrified premium vehicles in the country. We began working on these initiatives with the Malaysian Green Technology Corporation (GreenTech Malaysia) as early as 2015 and we have also developed projects on our own with our network of dealerships across the country,” said Hoelzl.
The six new BMW i Charging bays are located at parking level LG, conveniently close to the escalators to the shopping level. These facilities join BMW Malaysia’s growing network of charging points and the broader infrastructure, with the most recent being the ones at
Ramada Plaza, Malacca
. Other BMW i Charging facilities are:
Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat, Perak
WEIL Hotel, Perak
Iconic Hotel, Penang
The BMW ChargeNow service, which is offered as part of the BMW 360° Electric programme, grants straightforward access to partner charging facilities like ChargEV, where customers can enjoy 24/7 support and access to all charging locations in ChargEV’s growing network nationwide.


Thailand Now Sells Cheaper Mercedes-Benz CLS, Thanks To Local Assembly

The new Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class joins an ever-growing list of locally assembled upper-end models in Mercedes-Benz Thailand line-up.
Through the assembly of the vehicle at the company’s plant in Samut Prakan, Thailand, the price of the stylish 4-door coupe has reduced from THB 4.98 million to THB 4.39 million, a drop of almost THB 600,000, as reported by the
Bangkok Post
.
The CLS 300d is equipped with a new-generation 2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine. Engine outputs are 245 hp and a massive 500 Nm of torque. The engine is paired with the 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic transmission driving only the rear wheels.
In Malaysia, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia offers the range of the new CLS in three engine variations, all fully-imported from Germany. The 2-litre CLS 350 is priced from RM570,888, while the 3-litre
CLS 450 4Matic
 is priced from RM698,888.
The performance-oriented, 435 hp Mercedes-AMG CLS 53 4Matic meanwhile starts from RM878,888.
BMW Malaysia meanwhile offers the
locally-assembled 630i GT M Sport,
 priced from RM430,800. The four-cylinder 2-litre petrol engine outputs 258 hp and 400 Nm of torque channel drive to the rear wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission.


Volkswagen Adds Walnut Blasting Decarbonization To Its Aftersales Offerings

Preventative maintenance is the best kind of maintenance. For direct injection cars, one of the more common issues is a build-up of carbon deposits on the valves – largely due to the fact that fuel is not delivered via the intake ports, so the cleaning properties and additives in your fuel don’t in turn help to keep the valves clean.
Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia has just introduced Walnut Blasting Decarbonizer as part of its range of aftersales products, now available at all authorized dealerships. Recommended as a preventative maintenance measure at the 45,000 kilometre mark, this service is available for as low as RM 515.
The benefit of the process is that it helps to clean the deposits off of your valves, which ensures a proper seal and compression during combustion. While carbon deposits may seem like a fairly minor issue, if left untended to it can eventually result in engine misfiring and knock, as well as various other electronic power control and engine warning faults.
Erik Winter, Managing Director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia said that this service addition is part of the ongoing effort under the Volkswagen Cares promise. “It goes without saying that our customers are our top priority – and we are continuously looking for ways to improve our services and offerings to our customers under the VW Cares brand promise to provide value-added and quality services. This is one of many to come.“
For the best deals on Volkswagen models, click
here
.


Ora Punk Cat Is a Ciplak Electric VW Beetle, But We Like It

But that’s okay….Since Volkswagen themselves don’t seem interested in carrying on the Beetle nameplate and ended production of the
final units in July 2019
, we can assume that it won’t officially return anytime soon as an EV.

That’s what Ora is betting on, perhaps. That, and the fact that it would be mighty difficult for the German automaker to really pursue them for copyright infringement or intellectual property theft given how nonchalant China has been with such matters, with copycat items of nearly everything under the sun being produced within borders, and sold beyond it.

We’ve already seen their other, more traditionally styled
compact hatch called the Good Cat
, which is also an EV, and this car continues the feline naming convention. Here, they’ve taken more inspiration from the original Beetle than the more modern
Golf-based 3rd-generation version
.

We're not even going to get into talking about why it's called the 'Punk Cat', but at least that's a much more interesting name than, say, the '
001
' by Geely-owned Zeekr. What we love most about this car is its rejection of conventional EV styling. While other electric cars are falling over themselves trying to look the most futuristic and sci-fi, the Punk Cat goes in the totally opposite direction.

Things kick off with a two-tone exterior - white on green in this instance - as well as chrome bumpers. What’s not faithful to the Beetle are its rear doors with the original VW being only sold as a two-door hatch.

Inside, the colour combo is carried over to match, but here there are accents of dark pink on the very retro-styled cabin, complete with a single-dial cluster and thin but big diameter steering wheel. A huge touchscreen is perched over the dashboard, a jarring reminder of the times.

Chinese EV brand Ora, which is a subsidiary brand of Great Wall Motors just like
Haval
, have not disclosed any powertrain details about the Punk Cat. However, assuming that its EV guts are pretty closely related to the aforementioned Good Cat, we can expect a front-drive layout thanks to a single electric motor producing 145PS and 210Nm.

That said, it should also be fitted with a pretty large battery and support DC fast charging as that car’s standard range is quoted as just over 400km thanks to a usable 47.8kWh battery. An even larger 59.1kWh battery option is also available, extending the range to around 500km.

Since the Ora Good Cat was spied roaming around the
streets of Selangor
 earlier this year, there’s a possibility of the Punk Cat coming to a showroom nearby sooner or later. It would certainly add a welcome dose of fun and quirkiness into the world of EVs, perhaps even locally. We reckon the new EV brand probably isn’t planning to storm the German market anytime soon, though.

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Geneva 2018: World Premiere Of Mercedes-Benz C-Class Facelift

Mercedes-Benz will be rolling out the facelift of its hugely successful W205 C-Class range at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in early March.
The scope of the exterior updates during this mid-life product improvement cycle are quite typical: new headlight design and features (MULTIBEAM with ULTRARANGE), new taillamp design as well as new bumpers with variant-specific trim inserts (silver or chrome trim strip).
The interior of the C-Class meanwhile receives the biggest budget for its facelift program. Major updates can be seen immediately from the driver’s seat with the new multifunction steering wheel, which looks pretty much the same as the wheel from the last year's facelifted S-Class flagship.
Drivers can control the content in the meter display through the Touch Control Buttons that respond to swiping motions like the screen of a smartphone.
The new C-Class will also adopt the display concept of the current S-Class and E-Class, with an optional 12.3-inch high resolution fully digital instrument display offering three different display styles of Classic, Sport and Progressive.
Interestingly, the digital display is housed within the original curvature of the meter binnacle, rather than a rectangular screen as executed in the S-Class and E-Class dashboards.
The latest driver assistance systems found in the larger and newer E-Class will also find its way into the options list of the new C-Class. Improved camera and radar systems enable to scan much further all-around. Addition of Active Lane Change Assist and Active Steering Assist together with the new scanning systems enable the new C-Class to have semi-autonomous driving in certain situations.
Expect powertrain options to be maintained, with turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinders combined with the new 9-speed 9G-Tronic automatic transmission to continue in the mainstream, non AMG models.
To date, Mercedes-Benz has sold over 415,000 units of the sedan and estate models since its global launch in 2014. In Malaysia, over 11,000 units have been delivered, with a wide range of variants including the high tech C 350 e plug-in hybrid.


Review: 2020 Nissan Almera - Leaps And Bounds

The latest B-segment sedan is finally on the market, and it punches so far above its belt in so many ways. It's the Nissan Almera, and here's what we've learned.

I will be the first to say that Nissan's local products in the last few years haven't exactly been the most exciting - at least to someone who was a fan of the first-generation Nissan X-Trail, second-generation Nissan Sylphy, and second-generation Nissan Teana. Those were truly incredible products, solid performers in their segments, and set an example that other manufacturers struggled to follow.

But sometimes it takes a period of reflection and introspection to figure out what's necessary to move the brand forward, and after nine years of the previous-generation Nissan Almera, we finally have its successor. This fourth-generation model was launched in the United States last year, and has
finally been made available in our market
 - even with COVID-19 and CMCO throwing a wrench in the works of many product launch plans.

Despite its shortcomings, the Almera that Malaysians have known for nearly a decade was a product that led in a few ways. It was one of the first to offer Apple Car Play as standard, and it had impeccable interior space and room - but ultimately consumers felt that the Almera was a littla under-specced in other areas.
All of these issues
 are addressed with this full model change, and more.

From the outside, the styling of the all-new Almera is a pretty radical departure from what we know - although it isn't
something new
 for other markets around the world. A very prominent front grille and smooth, flowing lines results in a car that looks the part with hardly a flat surface to be found. Even the skinny tyres were addressed, as this range-topping VLT variant coming with 205/55 R16 tyres. LED headlamps, DRLs, and foglights are also specific to the VLT variant.

On the inside of the Almera is where you really start to see Nissan's work. Not a single cheap-feeling material in sight or to the touch, with much of the dashboard being wrapped in a soft-touch faux-leather. This kind of trim is still something we don't see commonly in this market segment or even those higher up, so it is an amazing stylistic choice in our eyes.

The instrument cluster is made up of a screen and a traditional analog speedometer, where the screen can be swapped to various other displays and modes if need be or left as a tachometer and safety system monitor. What's more important is the massive eight-inch touch screen display mounted in the centre of the dashboard, being a far cry from entertainment systems in Nissan models of the past. As expected, Apple Car Play connectivity comes as standard.

Another core strength retained in the
Almera
, like most Nissan models, is the larger-than-expected interior space. Legroom and headroom in the Almera is fantastic, even allowing a 180-cm tall person (yours truly) to sit behind someone else who is equally tall. This is a rarity, and while the Almera doesn't quite have the packaging and storage space of certain other models, it adequately seats four adults without a hint of cramping.

We've left the powertrain and driving dynamics for the last, because they are a bit of a tricky point. This generation of Almera is available locally with a sole turbocharged 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine paired with a CVT-type automatic transmission. It is currently the only turbocharged model available in class, and despite the tiny displacement, it provides just the right amount of shove to get around town. Outputs stand at 100 PS and 152 Nm of torque. There is no manual override for the CVT, but most customers aren't interested in such features either.

Ride and handling aren't outright impeccable, but they are far from bad. The ride isn't the smoothest or the most supple, but neither is it crashy or uncomfortable. The steering is a little numb, and the back end can feel a little skittish at times - a Mazda 2 it is not - but it happily takes to the bends with a bit of effort and thought. The Almera has never been known as a trunk-road king, but it wouldn't be unhappy if you took it there.

Granted, a lot of what we have mentioned is available only in the top-spec model, but priced at RM 91,310 until year end (RM 95,888 with sales tax), it's a
downright impressive proposition
. It even has functions like cruise control, the around-view monitor for parking, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic alert. This is on top of the safety features common through the
Almera range
, such as forward collision warning and Nissan's form of autonomous emergency braking.

At the very least, visit your nearest Nissan dealer to try out the Almera for yourself - it is worth the hassle of scanning and checking in and sanitizing your hands every ten minutes or so. Like so many cars we've seen on the market, the
Almera stands out in a variety of ways
 but to really understand it one must experience the car first hand. We'd probably prefer ours in that wild shade of Radiant Orange or Monarch Red though.


The DeLorean Has Just Returned From The Future And It's Future Self Is An Electric Car

The DeLorean DMC-12 is about to be reincarnated as an electric vehicle.

More than a year ago, rumours fuelled by the patent owners of DeLorean Motor Companies circulated that the DeLorean DMC-12 would return to the market in a new form as an electric car.

It seems that the speculation was not just another
PR stunt
 because apparently, the company that owns the DeLorean patent has got new partners who together plan to launch the DMC DeLorean electric car this year.

As we all know, the original DeLorean Motor Company no longer exists. Although the name still exists, DeLorean's patent owner, Stephen Wynne, who acquired the rights to make parts for the
6,000 or so remaining vehicles
, is not affiliated with the original car maker.

Stephen Wynne, who acquired the rights for the DeLorean brand in 1995 has been trying to resurrect the DMC-12 for many years now. Well, according to Bloomberg, it seems that he has finally found the right partners, as "the infamous gull-winged car will be resurrected in Texas by a group of executives who most recently spent time at China-backed EV startup Karma Automotive".

Before the Super Bowl LVI kicked off, DeLorean Motor Company released a teaser of their new, more modern,
fully electric
 DMC car via Twitter.

Albeit just a brief silhouette of the car, the social media posting ended by inviting viewers to sign up for its premiere this year.

There was not much else to it, however, we know that the redesigned DMC will be called DeLorean EVolved. One thing is for sure though, it will be a luxury sports car equipped with an electric powertrain.

Autocar reminded us that last year, Italdesign also uploaded a teaser image similar to the car. Rumour has it that Italdesign, who designed legendary cars like the BMW M1, Maserati Coupe, Lamborghini Gallardo and
Volkswagen Golf
, will collaborate with DeLorean Motor Company on the upcoming EV.

Interestingly, according to Autocar, Italdesign has signed an official partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering, an engineering division of the late Sir Frank Williams' Formula 1 team.

The publication said the partnership would focus on "an open-source EV platform for low-volume car manufacturers."

As much as the DeLorean DMC-12 is an iconic car, famously brought into the spotlight by Robert Zemeckis' Back To The Future, they will have their work cut out as it will enter a crowded arena full of startups trying to emulate what
Tesla
 has done.

Perhaps the new DMC can go back to the future to try and forge an easier path to success.


GVE Asia Group Takes Over Volkswagen Sungai Besi Dealership

Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has announced a change at its Sg. Besi dealership, whereby effective 2nd December 2019, the facility will be operated by a new dealer partner, GVE Asia Group.

The Volkswagen Sungai Besi dealership was previously operated by Wearnes Automotive Sdn Bhd.

Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM expressed Volkswagen’s appreciation to Wearnes Automotive for its 11 years of support. “We thank Wearnes for being part of the Volkswagen family. We’ve seen many years of growth, and their service to the brand has been invaluable. At the same time, it gives me great pleasure to welcome GVE Asia Group into the network. I look forward to a fruitful partnership as we continue to build the Volkswagen brand together and to meet the needs of our customers.”

GVE Asia Group is a leading automotive company that distributes and retails a range of luxury and premium passenger marques in Malaysia.

Its business operations comprise of used car dealerships, sales and aftersales and other automotive related services. This is GVE Asia’s first entry to the Volkswagen network.

Spanning over 75,181sqft over two floors, the Volkswagen Sungai Besi 3S centre fits nine display vehicles and houses aftersales facilities that are in accordance to Volkswagen’s global standards.

Open seven days a week (showroom), customers can also enjoy a modern waiting lounge complete with cable TV, Wi-Fi and cafe.


Infiniti Teases Its Q30 Compact Hatch Ahead Of Full Unveil At Frankfurt Motor Show

For the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show,
Infiniti
 is on the ramp-up to have its new Q30 compact hatch - a first for the company - make its global debut.
The Frankfurt Motor Show was also where Infiniti chose to show off the Q30 Concept two years ago in 2013 and now the luxury division of
Nissan
 is ready to present a production version.
(Infiniti Q30 Concept)
Development of the vehicle is in its final stages, taking place across Europe and, since 2014, at the company’s Engineering Centre in Cranfield, United Kingdom.
The architecture of the Q30 is essentially that of a third-generation (W176)
Mercedes-Benz

A-Class
, brought together through the Daimler-Nissan alliance. From the photo released, the shape of the car does strike a heavy resemblance.
We’ve also seen Infiniti’s take on a crossover-style vehicle based on the Q30: the
QX30
 concept that was shown at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show which is due for release in 2016. The notable changes there are the raised ride height and more rugged panelling around the tyres.
(Infiniti QX30 Concept)
The production version will likely be toned down and lose some of its more pronounced lines. However, we’ll have to wait until Infiniti clues us in on its cross-country variant of the Q30 for us to have a clearer idea.
Infiniti say the Q30 will be on sale in Europe at the tail end of 2015, with other markets following suit in due course.


BMW Takes Us through the Nitty-Gritties of the New 4-Series, Again

We’ve seen all the pictures and read all the stories about
the new BMW 4-Series
which was launched last month, but it looks like BMW wants to show us more.
The company released a feature video yesterday highlighting all the new features, the reason behind the updates, the differences from one variant to another, as well as a few other details in order to make us understand why the car is the way it is compared to the outgoing model.
However, you will notice upon watching the video that the emphasis is mainly on the cosmetic changes and not really on the technical aspects, probably because the power output remains the same as before.
BMW have revised the suspension setup for the new car as well, where the Coupe, and Gran Coupe both come with stiffer suspension matched to advanced damping technology and an upgraded steering set-up which is claimed to reduce body roll and improve high speed stability.
That said, the new 4-Series is expected to arrive in BMW showrooms around the world later this year.


Mitsubishi Is Thailand's No.1 Vehicle Exporter

Mitsubishi Motors has outpaced other larger car makers (such as Toyota and Nissan) to become the number-one automotive exporter in Thailand for the first time, with a total export volume of 309,915 units for the fiscal (12-month) period ending March 31st, 2017.
The company's export performance means that its Laem Chabang factory in Thailand is now the largest global production hub for Mitsubishi Motors eclipsing even their Japanese plants. Over 80 percent of the Laem Chabang plant's outputs are exported with over 120 countries worldwide being recipients.
The milestone coincided with a visit by Carlos Ghosn to the Laem Chabang Industrial Estate yesterday, his first since becoming Chairman of Mitsubishi Motors.
Carlos Ghosn added, "The Laem Chabang plant in Thailand is a tremendous strength of Mitsubishi Motors' business. Our world-class production facilities are capable of producing 424,000 vehicles a year. As Thailand's leading automotive exporter, this factory has become the global production hub for Mitsubishi Motors."
The Nissan Motor Company became Mitsubishi Motors’ largest shareholder after completing the purchase of a
34% controlling stake
 in October of 2016.
The facility in Laem Chabang is responsible for the production of the Pajero Sport,
Triton Pick-Up
, Mirage and Attrage models. The main export destinations are Europe (28%), ASEAN and Asia region (25%), North America (21%), Oceania (12%), Others (14 %).
The future growth of Mitsubishi Motors will be supported by better procurement, improved logistics, better plant utilization and access to technology sharing and common vehicle platforms, reflecting the Alliance's larger investment in research and development.
And considering Nissan plans to
move production
 of pick-up trucks for the ASEAN region to Mitsubishi’s Thai plant, the production numbers could considerably grow in the near future.


BYD Dolphin Malaysia launch imminent, camo'd unit seen around KL

Excitement is building among Malaysian EV enthusiasts as sightings of a camouflaged unit of the highly anticipated BYD Dolphin have been reported around Kuala Lumpur.

Speculations are rife that the
 launch of BYD's latest electric vehicle (EV) in Malaysia is imminent
, marking a significant step forward in the country's growing EV market.

While details about the exact version of the Dolphin remain closely guarded secrets, automotive enthusiasts and industry experts are eagerly anticipating its arrival. The camouflaged unit spotted on the roads of Kuala Lumpur has only added to the intrigue, leaving onlookers guessing about its unique features and performance capabilities.

The potential of the BYD Dolphin in the EV market is generating significant buzz, and for good reason - this five-door hatchback is poised to become the Perodua Myvi of the electric vehicle world, offering a compelling value proposition that could make it a game-changer.

Despite its affordable price tag, the BYD Dolphin packs a punch in terms of performance and driving range. In its highest form, the Chinese EV can accelerate from 0 to 50 km/h in just 4 seconds, proving that you don't need to compromise on speed and power in an affordable EV. Furthermore, when driven sensibly, the Dolphin can travel an impressive 401 kilometres on a single charge, making it a practical option for daily commuting and beyond.

Under the hood, the Dolphin is equipped with a single electric motor capable of producing 174 horsepower and 290 Nm of torque. This motor draws power from BYD's cutting-edge Blade lithium metal phosphate (LFP) battery, boasting a capacity of 44.9 kWh. Surprisingly, the 94k yuan (RM59k) variant we mentioned earlier is actually one of the higher-spec models available in China, with other versions offered at even lower prices.

The more affordable versions of the Dolphin come with a slightly less powerful motor, offering 94 horsepower and 180 Nm of torque. However, the performance remains impressive, achieving a 0-50 km/h acceleration in just 4 seconds. The base variant, while having similar power to the mid-level Dolphin, features a reduced battery capacity of 30.7 kWh, resulting in a range of approximately 300 kilometres.

Charging the Dolphin is also a breeze. The top and mid-level variants can accept fast DC charging of up to 60 kW, while the base variant can handle up to 40 kW. With fast DC charging, the Dolphin can go from 30% to 80% battery capacity in just 30 minutes, making it convenient for quick top-ups during longer journeys. When using an AC charger, the Dolphin can be fully charged in six hours and 25 minutes.

With its impressive performance, long driving range, and affordable pricing, the BYD Dolphin has the potential to become the go-to EV for the masses. If BYD can manage to keep the prices below the RM100k mark for the lower-spec variants, it could mark a turning point in the adoption of EVs among Malaysian consumers.

The arrival of the BYD Dolphin is expected to stir up the EV market, providing consumers with another affordable option in the segment.

BYD's commitment to innovation and its strong global presence bode well for the success of the Dolphin in Malaysia. As the world transitions towards a more sustainable future, EVs are poised to become the primary mode of transportation, and the BYD Dolphin is set to play a significant role in shaping Malaysia's EV landscape.


2017 Honda Civic Hatchback Turbo Launched In Indonesia

The Honda Civic Hatchback is now available in Indonesia, the second country in the region to launch the model after Thailand.
Imported from Thailand, the Civic Hatchback shares the same 1.5-litre VTEC Turbo engine as its sedan counterpart, producing 173 PS at 5,500 rpm and 220 Nm between 1,700 – 5,500 rpm, paired to the same CVT-type automatic transmission driving the front wheels.
There are two variants on offer – E variant (IDR 438,000,000) and S variant (IDR 399,000,000). Those prices are about 15 percent cheaper than the cheapest Civic Turbo sedan but that’s only because Indonesia’s tax structure favours hatchbacks and MPVs over sedans.
The main differences between the E and S variants are the headlamps (LED versus halogen projectors), and airbag count (two for S and six for E).
In Thailand, the Civic Hatchback is priced not very far off from a similarly equipped Civic sedan, 1,169,000 Baht for the hatchback versus 1,199,000 Bath for the sedan, a difference of about 3 percent.
Jonfis Fandy, Marketing & After Sales Service Director of PT Honda Prospect Motor, the distributor of Honda vehicles in Indonesia said, "Hatchback segment is one of the market that continues to have great potential in Indonesia. The presence of the Honda Civic Hatchback will open a new market for high-end hatchbacks and provide exciting options for customers who want stylish but high performance hatchback with the latest advanced technology. "
So will we be seeing this Civic Hatchback in Malaysia? The short answer is no. Sources in Honda Malaysia have already told us that apart from the recently launched new Jazz and Jazz Hybrid, the company won’t be launching any more hatchback models for the rest of the year, and that parts commonality/platform sharing will be another factor – which explains why we said that the
two remaining Honda models
 to be launched this year are the City Hybrid and HR-V Hybrid.
This also rules out the Civic Type-R, at least not for this year.
Late last year, we have already quizzed Honda Malaysia about the
potential for a Civic Hatchback in Malaysia
, CEO Mr. Katsuto Hayashi said that the model not in the plans for Malaysia as the market potential for hatchbacks at this price point is very limited. He also went to explain that a hatchback is necessary for Indonesia due to the peculiarities of Indonesia’s tax structure, where sedans are taxed higher.


Subaru EyeSight To Debut In Malaysia In H2 2019

Subaru’s signature advanced driving assistance feature EyeSight will be launched in Malaysia in the second half of 2019, said Glenn Tan, Managing Director of Tan Chong International Limited (TCIL), the parent company of Subaru distributor Motor Image.
Expected to be made available in a new, higher specification variant of the XV starting second half of 2019, the feature will also be introduced in other higher range variants of existing Subaru models including the Forester and Outback.
Analogous to Honda’s Sensing, Subaru EyeSight is an advanced driving assistance feature that works to mitigate/reduce the severity of an accident caused by a distracted driver. It consists of six functions: Pre-Collision Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Throttle Management, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Sway Warning, and Lead Vehicle Start Alert.
However unlike Honda’s Sensing, Subaru’s EyeSight is not capable of performing corrective steering action. It merely warns the driver and if necessary, applies full braking. On the plus side, EyeSight uses simpler stereoscopic cameras to perform similar vehicle and pedestrian detection functions, allowing Subaru to introduce the feature at a lower cost.
Although prices have yet to be confirmed, Glenn says EyeSight is unlikely to add more than RM8,000 to the total cost of the vehicle.
EyeSight has just been introduced for the
first time in the ASEAN region
 at last week’s 2018 Singapore Motor Show, in the Subaru Outback and XV. In Taiwan, which is Motor Image’s biggest market, the take up rate for EyeSight is between 70 to 80 percent, depending on model.
Although simpler in design, Subaru’s EyeSight has been independently verified by USA’s IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) and the Japan New Car Assessment Program (JNCAP) to be the best performing advanced driving assistance feature.


British Racing Green Toyota 86, But Only In Japan

For a short period of time, Toyota is celebrating victorious British racing machines that are traditionally painted in Racing Green with a short production run of Toyota 86 coupe painted in that signature colour.
The 17-inch rims that feature a bronze coating, high-performance multi-piston Brembo braking system, SACHS absorbers, and a rear spoiler are available as an upgrade package simply called 'High Performance Package'.
Inside, Toyota has meticulously matched black and saddle tan colours, with the seats combining smooth leather, perforated leather, and Alcantara material.
Contrasting saddle tan stitching is found on the daily touch points: steering wheel, shift lever boot, and parking brake cover.
This limited special Toyota 86 is built on the “GT” grade, a variant just below the highest that available in the Japanese market.
Features included in the “GT” grade include keyless entry and push start button, decorative exhaust tip finishers, dual-zone automatic air-conditioning, multi-info display in a TFT screen, and leather-wrapped steering wheel with control switches.
To recap, the facelifted Toyota 86 features higher engine outputs of 207 PS and 212 Nm of torque, but only when paired with the 6-speed manual transmission. Improvements in the intake and exhaust manifolds help increased the outputs of the four-cylinder boxer engine.
The six-speed sports automatic transmission continues to be paired with the engine that debuted in the popular coupe, generating 200 PS and 205 Nm of torque.
Priced from JPY 3,251,880, the order books are open from now until the end of May, and customers are expected to receive their new British Racing Green 86 around the end of July. The aforementioned performance package cost an additional JPY 243,000.


VIDEO: Porsche Explains Its New 2016 911 Carreras, Previews Its Turbo Flat-Six Noise

To say that
Porsche
’s move to make its flagship car, the
911
, go without a naturally aspirated engine in favor of
turbocharging for 2016
 has been met with some mixed reactions would be accurate, if a little unenthusiastic.
The debate as to whether the car loses its characterful powertrain in this iteration versus how smaller capacity force-inducted engines are necessary for the survival of the sports car as we know them today is one for the ages.
The benefits of added horsepower and torque are welcome, 20hp and 60Nm to be exact, not to mention the 8-litres/100km claimed economy figures, but time will tell whether it was a worthwhile trade-off.
In the video below, however, Porsche very professionally explains some new changes they’ve made to the car’s aerodynamics and, of course, powertrain. All set to the backdrop of a new 2016 911 (Type 991.2) driving along a scenic, almost Martian, landscape.
Importantly, we hear the new turbo flat-six work its aural magic. But does it holds its own against a legacy of very vocally-endowed ancestors? You decide.


Malaysian Government Fleet To Include EVs Starting 2023

The
Malaysian government
 will be adopting
electric vehicles
 (EV) into their vehicle fleet, and it'll start in 2023.

According to the Minister of Environment and Water, Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, all new vehicle procurement by the government and GLCs will consist of
electric cars
, and as stated above, that'll begin next year.

Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint (2021-2030)

One of the strategies within the Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint (LCMB) published by the Malaysian Green Technology And Climate Change Centre back in 2021, states that EV adoption by the government and GLCs will be the catalyst for a much wider EV adoption by private vehicle users and even business model developments for local EV manufacturing.

Plans to start in certain locations like Langkawi and Putrajaya carry some forward-thinking suggestions such as the possibility of providing electric motorcycles to residents in the first stage of the pilot test. These locations were also mentioned as they have the potential for better adoption for infrastructure and support.

Going back to the LCMB, the initial stage will only see 10% of new vehicle procurements for the government fleet to include BEVs (by open tender). By 2025, that number will shoot up to 50% before the plan to 'establish local product qualification for tender participation' is set into motion by 2030.

Will the cost be of any issue?

Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim also mentioned that the details have not been finalised yet as the EV options in the country are still quite limited. If the program were to start now, the cost would be higher as compared to a later date when more EVs are used.

As for the charging infrastructure, the government is in multiple negotiations with several parties to further expand the network to accommodate more EV users in the country, as well as ensure that the chargers are reliable to use as more electric cars roam the roads today.


A Futuristic Honda HR-V Electric Is Coming Soon, Like It Or Not

At the 2021 Shanghai Motor Show, otherwise known as Auto Shanghai, Honda brought along something called the SUV e:prototype, which looks an awful lot like
the SUV e:
concept
 they showed off late last year in Beijing.

Though some of its design elements differ (and have improved), the most obvious split between the two is its door count - the one seen in Shanghai has 5. Also note that the prior concept served as inspiration for the
next-generation HR-V
, and it’s easy to assume this SUV e:prototype is a preview of the automaker’s fully electric compact SUV.

The car here is also leaning closer to being a production reality than it is a show floor crowd pleaser as Honda has confirmed an on-sale window in the spring of 2022 as part of an electric 10-car plan for the Chinese market over the next 5 years.

Given its close visual resemblance to what we now know to be the incoming HR-V and what could be shared underpinnings, the SUV e:concept could emerge as a full EV variant of Honda’s hugely popular model.

It’s pretty much the same relation the Mercedes-Benz EQB has to the ‘normal’ of GLBs, or
the EQA to the GLA
, hence this EV-centric Honda sporting some significantly altered cosmetics over the standard range.

We don’t yet know how much Honda will choose to tone down this ‘prototype’ in between its appearance at Auto Shanghai and its journey into showrooms but it would be a shame to lose that very nice fascia. That light signature is certainly bold to match the square nose/jaw combo and nicely frames the illuminated logo, and despite it being an EV we still spy some cooling-related intakes low down.

Its HR-V-like profile is clearly seen when looking at its roofline and those rear door handles hidden around the C-pillar. Around the back we see a light bar joining the tail lamps and another placed at the edge of a tailgate spoiler. All very futuristic, but not excessively.

Unfortunately, the electric powertrain, its main attraction, was something not detailed by the automaker, but we can predict it will need to have some fairly decent range to keep up with the other mass-market brands also competing in the same EV space - many of them homegrown - even if it doesn’t particularly impress on performance.

The very latest, third-generation version of
Honda Connect
 will also make its way into the production version of the SUV e:prototype, featuring a selection of connected services and A.I-powered convenience functions.

It’s frustrating when automakers roll out an impressive vehicle that could have a huge impact on one of their most successful current nameplates but don’t furnish it with the proper details, especially when such a vehicle is supposedly so close to its finished production form, as is the case here.

We’ll definitely keep an ear to the ground about any new developments on the SUV e:concept as it inches closer to its early 2022 debut. Hopefully, Honda will leave that silly name far behind as well.

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DBKL Might Impose No-Car Fridays For Staff, Encouraging Public Transport

If you’re a staff member for DBKL, you might not be allowed to drive your own car to work on Fridays. KL mayor Mahadi Che Ngah has officially put out a memo encouraging employees to forego their personal vehicles in favour of public transportation on Fridays.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur, DBKL) isn’t
exactly most known
 for its progressive views on traffic, staff wellbeing, and their contributions to ease their carbon footprint, but has made a shock move to this end.

According to the mayor, this was done to support KL’s efforts towards creating a low-carbon city, but one does wonder how much of an impact a couple of hundred DBKL staff will have even over the long term.

“This can make the air here cleaner and the people feeling more comfortable and safer, besides helping to improve the health level. For a start, we gave away the My30 travel card for public transport services provided by Prasarana Malaysia Berhad early this month,” said Mahadi after the opening of the Kuala Lumpur Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Centre, officiated by Federal Territories Minister Shahidan Kassim.

We are also studying a ban on our employees from driving to work every Friday to encourage a low-carbon lifestyle. The action is to minimise the release of carbon from the use of motor vehicles in the city centre,” he added.

Going forward, Mahadi hinted at plans for DBKL-funded
solar farms
 near several lakes in the capital city “to replace the use of fossil fuel”, but did not elaborate on how or to what capacity.

City Hall should be commended
encouraging the use of public transportation
and alternative means of getting to work, particularly those that minimise or do not involve the release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere (besides the CO2 we exhale, of course).

However, unlike ‘car-free’ Sundays, any measurable impact on the air quality in Kuala Lumpur can only take place if the majority of the workforce coming into the city centre takes the same steps and gives their personal vehicle a break every Friday.

Coming out of this pandemic, plenty of Malaysians
have taken up cycling
 as a means to get back ‘out there’ and stay active, but only time will tell if ‘no car Fridays’ will catch on.


Ford’s Driving Skills For Life Campaign Equips Drivers With Training To Stay Safe

The
Ford
 Motor Company and its ongoing global campaign ‘Driving Skills For Life’ (DSFL) has branched to Malaysia through a newly-initiated series of workshops aimed to raise awareness of safe driving practices, kicking off with a session at Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus.
The free workshop was designed to encourage drivers to always be aware of the safest driving techniques and to equip them with the knowledge to evade a dangerous and unexpected situation on the road.
The World Health Organisation’s Global Status Report on Road Safety pegged Malaysia per capita road fatality rate as being one of the highest in ASEAN, while information from The Malaysian Institute of Road Safety (MIROS) show that an average of 18 people are killed on this country’s roads a day, a dire figure that is expected to rise by 2020 to 29 people per day.
“Driving Skills for Life is designed to equip people with the skills they need to be better, safer drivers. Road safety is a very serious issue, and we feel it is our responsibility to help reinforce this message among Malaysian motorists, especially young drivers,” said David Westerman, managing director, Asia Pacific Emerging Markets, Ford Motor Company.
The DSFL programme, which is Ford’s flagship global corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, has in Asia reached its eight successful year of training drivers of all ages. Currently, the programme has reached motorists over 32 countries and by the end of 2015 is projected to have trained more than 150,000 individuals.
“The whole experience was fun, especially getting behind the wheel to practice. Most of us think we know all about driving skills, but in reality we all have a lot to learn. If I ever need to avoid an accident, I feel much more confident now that I have the skills to be able to,” said Jaclyn Hwang, one of the participants and a student of Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus.
By educating and equipping drivers with the necessary practical skills needed to be at their safest on the road, it would slowly but surely reduce the number of fatalities and injuries. The programme comprises of a classroom theory session followed by a hands-on driving session.
“As a global company with an established presence in Malaysia, we are committed in our efforts to instil road safety awareness amongst drivers to help reduce the number of road fatalities, making the roads safer for drivers, motorists and pedestrians,” added Westerman.


Bermaz Strengthens 2022 Mazda CX-3 Range With Two ‘Core’ Variants

Where we previously left off
, the Mazda CX-3 range was only offered in a single
highly
 specified variant (aptly named 2.0L
High
), local distributors Bermaz Motor have now introduced two more sharply priced additions to entice customers.

Called the 1.5L Core and the 2.0L Core for a respective RM107,870 and RM118,159 fully imported from Thailand, you do trade some of the bells and whistles found in the range-topper for some added pricing flexibility, though those figures aren’t exactly going to be worrying the leaders in the B-segment SUV space.

Pictured: Mazda CX-3 2.0L High

The most obvious new element here is the inclusion of a second engine option belonging to the new base variant, that being a 1.5-litre SkyActiv-G four-cylinder petrol mill outputting 114hp and 149Nm. Higher up the range, power comes from the 2.0-litre SkyActiv-G unit that’s also found, among others, in the CX-30 and Mazda 3 with 154hp and 206Nm.

All variants are front-drive with power channelled through a 6-speed SkyActiv-Drive automatic transmission that supports manual override though both Core variants do not have paddle shifters which are exclusive to the 2.0L High.

Other trade-offs include smaller 16-inch wheels (18-inch on the 2.0L High), halogen headlights and tail lights instead of LED illuminators, the lack of a sunroof, fabric seats with manual adjustment instead of leatherette with adjustable electric adjustment, and manually-controlled air conditioning.

That said, all variants do have keyless entry, passive cruise control, idle stop/start,
Mazda’s G-Vectoring Control (GVC)
, leather steering wheel and leather gear shift knob, and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Pictured: Mazda CX-3 2.0L High

Aside from the usual fare of anti-lock brakes, brake assist, and stability control, you’re also left with just two (2) airbags instead of the 6 fitted to the 2.0L High. There aren’t even any parking sensors - like none, zero, front or rear - where the range-topper gets 4 on each end as well as a 360-degree view monitor. Still, at least there’s a reversing camera as standard.

As you might have expected, both Core variants also miss out on any of the active safety and driver aid features given to the top dog CX-3 such as Blind Spot Monitoring, Smart City Brake Support (AEB, basically), Driver Attention Alert, Lane Departure Warning, Automatic High Beam, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

Pictured: Mazda CX-3 2.0L High

Exterior colours include Polymetal Gray, Machine Gray, Soul Red Crystal, Jet Black, Platinum Quartz, and Snowflake White Pearl. All CX-3s are now available for booking and comes with a 5-year/100,000km manufacturers warranty and free maintenance package inclusive of parts, labour, and lubricants.

2022 Mazda CX-3 1.5L Core

RM 107,870

2022 Mazda CX-3 2.0L Core

RM 118,159

2022 Mazda CX-3 2.0L High

RM 131,359


Mazda Big Breakout Coming In 2023 – But How Far Along Are They?

Mazda's ambitions of
breaking out from the cookie-cutter Japanese car scene
 to join the premium club is a bullish yet precise dream, but as of 2023, we might start to see the earliest examples of just how they might achieve it. It’s a
far-reaching plan, and not to mention an expensive gamble
, parlaying on their current success of building cars that are not just beautiful to drive, but great to look at as well.

In choosing to negate the temptations (and profits) of volume production, their overarching strategy is to position the brand above the likes of
Honda
,
Toyota
, and
Nissan
 – and compete with the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and crucially Lexus. Arguably the only other
Japanese brand that can command the respect and prestige
 that comes with playing on the premium stage.

Outlining the plan

The major outline of their ambition was first announced in 2019, where they announced comprehensive investment towards elevating the current “Kodo” design, SkyActiv-G, -D, and -X powertrains, as well as introducing an entirely new large vehicle platform that underpins a range of new longitudinally-mounted inline six-cylinder petrol, diesel, 48V mild-hybrid, and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

However, that was telling just half the story, because the bodies that would be draped over these new powertrains will make up the next-generation CX-5, CX-8, CX-9 SUVs as well as a luxury sedan inspired by the drop-dead gorgeous
Mazda Vision Concept,
 first unveiled at the 2017 Tokyo Motor show. In 2020, Mazda went further by actually
announcing that the new six-pot engines
 will be ready for production sometime in 2022.

The six-cylinder units were announced alongside transverse inline-four hybrid powerplants which will power various “new-gen small” models. These range from the newer generations of models such as the Mazda 3, and CX-30. The transverse four-cylinder will also feature Skyactiv-G, -D, and -X tech, with the integration of mild-hybrid electrification. Front- and all-wheel-drive powertrains will be offered depending on the model and market.

More recently, Mazda further outlined its planned product salvo which will include 13 electrified models by 2025, as well as the introduction of their scalable SkyActiv platform – slated for 2022. Therefore, by and large, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rather large impact it had on Mazda’s overall sales numbers and bottom line, they seem to be slowly constructing the building blocks of their grand plan.

This begs the question, what’s coming next, and what do we know so far?

The smaller platform

Mazda’s major product push includes introducing 13 new electrified models – consisting of hybrid and all-electric vehicles

First of the latest generation platforms is the SkyActiv Multi-Solution Scalable Architecture for transverse power units

This will come first in 2022 and underpin five plug-in hybrid models and three full electric vehicles (EVs) coming between next year and 2025

This platform will most likely underpin the updated or all-new models of the CX-3, CX-4, CX-30 (Mazda have axed the CX-3 in some markets), next-generation Mazda 2, and facelifted Mazda 3. The majority of these models are destined for the US, Europe, Japan, and China markets.

The larger platform

Also uses the SkyActiv Multi-Solution Scalable Architecture but one that is optimised for its incoming longitudinal 6-cylinder engine family

This architecture is claimed to be able to deliver “multiple electrification” options

This new platform will underpin everything from Mazda’s future BMW sedan-killer (likely the next-generation
Mazda 6
 or 9 depending on how you look at it), and larger CX-8 and CX-9 models. A recent report by Australian website Carsales inferred that the CX-5 and not the upcoming large sedan,
would be the first model to receive the new powertrain architecture
, perhaps as early as March 2023. This makes perfect sense, as the CX-5 is Mazda’s best-selling product, accounting for approximately 30 percent of annual sales.

This additionally seems to play into our
presupposed scenario that Mazda’s new flagship sedan
 will in fact not be a direct replacement for the Mazda 6, but stand alongside the CX-9, the company’s flagship model currently.  Japanese website Best Car Web recently also reported that the electrified 3.0-litre straight-six engines will deliver 300hp and approximately 343Nm of torque, while the 3.3-litre turbodiesel engine is rumored to supply 282hp and a whopping 600Nm of torque. Yes, you read that right, 600Nm!

The electric platform

It will be called the SkyActiv EV Scalable Architecture in 2025

Slated introduction in 2025 and will cater for various bodystyles and small and large-sized vehicles

Will underpin next-generation EV models which will rollout between 2025 and 2030

1 in every 4 Mazda will be EVs by 2030 because of this platform.

The first of Mazda's all-electric cars was the MX-30 and more will follow. Given the wide-ranging applications, this platform could underpin an all-electric version of the next Mazda 2 to even the MX-5 sports car, something that should bode very well for the latter model given its worldwide acceptance and driving performance.

But there’s a catch, and it’s quite a big catch…

To fully gear the company towards the next generation of products, Mazda has announced that there will be no major launches until 2023. Granted most of its popular (SUV) models are still fresh, next year could be a very challenging time for Mazda.

Especially after hard-hit sales in 2020 on the back of the pandemic slowdown and global chip shortages which saw a deficit of 242,000 (990,000 cars) cars sold versus 2019 (1.232 million units) and a 34.8 percent decline in operating profits, from JPY43 Billion in 2019, to just JPY8.8 Billion in 2020.

Mazda has also axed the
lackluster selling CX-3 and Mazda 6 in North America
, which should signal similar actions for other markets if they wish to reduce operating expenses in 2021 and 2022. It’s a relatively large gamble, but sales did recover in the last six months of 2020. For 2021, Mazda has forecasted a global sales volume of 1.41 million units, but its achievability remains to be seen.

But, Mazda’s trademark maverick spirit should see them push through to the light at the end of the tunnel, and all things granted, it should be a very bright light, because, in 2023, we might just see a breakout like no other, perhaps an entirely new Mazda from the one we know.

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Isuzu D-Max Gains A Fury Edition In The UK

Isuzu
 UK has launched a special edition model of its popular pickup dubbed the Isuzu D-Max Fury, expanding the pickup’s variant count to 10.
Exclusive to the UK-market, the Fury is much like the
D-Max Diablo offered here in Malaysia
, sporting stylish visual enhancements that distinguishes itself from a regular
D-Max.
On the Fury, the immediate standout is the Magma Red metallic paint finish on it, only available with this unique variant. It also sports 17-inch, five-spoke grey alloy wheels wrapped with 255/65 R17 Pirelli Scorpion tyres.
Elsewhere, the exterior enhancements include a dark grey metallic finish for the front grille, accompanied by a bright red Isuzu logo at its centre. The door and tailgate handles are finished in Cosmic black while the heavy-duty side steps are gun metal grey. Finally, the rear bumper is painted black.
The visual changes extend into the cabin as well with red stitching on at various areas including the steering wheel (with red Isuzu logo) and gear knob. Fury carpet mats are also fitted as well. For the first 100 customers who opt to upgrade their interior upholstery to the Limited Edition Black and Red Fury leather, they will receive seats that have the ‘Fury’ badging stitched on the headrests of the front driver and passenger.
Under the hood, Isuzu’s 2.5-litre VGS turbo diesel engine producing 163PS and 400Nm of torque is found, mated to either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. Regardless of gearbox choice, four-wheel drive comes as standard.
The
Isuzu D-Max
 Fury was built to accompany the production class Jewson Isuzu D-Max Rally truck in the Britpart MSA British Cross Country Championship (BCCC). Prices start from £19,999 (RM124,888) to £22,324 (RM139,427).


BMW G30 5 Series: What It Will Probably Look Like

If you've been following the news on the upcoming BMW G30 5 Series, we're sure that you're itching to know what it looks like underneath that swirly-patterned 3M camouflage wrap. Thankfully, there have been a few renders developed based on spy shots and magazine photographs- and they look stunning.
First up is a photo we found on
BMWBlog
 which was a rendering by German automotive magazine, Auto Zeitung. Their base photo was of the car being tested, and they filled in the rest of the details in post processing.
But while we're on the subject of renders, the good men over on the Bimmerpost forums have a smattering of renderings to pick from.
These were provided by
Paul Bracq
, hailing from Australia. The renders are based on spy shots of the G30 taken in static locations.
It's clear that the G30 blends elements from the G11 7 Series and the F30 3 Series as well, appearing sportier and more aggressive than the outgoing F10 model- not that it was plain to begin with.
Rounding out the crop of renders on Bimmerpost are a
set from German magazine Autobild
, which seems to have rendered based on the photos taken during the prototype drive we
reported earlier
.
These are much higher quality and provide a better idea of what the new 5 Series is going to look like in the metal. We can't wait for it to come to our shores.


Leaked: Indonesian 2017 Honda CR-V Specs - 1.5 VTEC Turbo

After making its Asean debut in Thailand, the fifth-generation Honda CR-V will debut in Indonesia next.
According to
otodriver
, the alleged specifications of the Indonesian Honda CR-V have leaked courtesy of Instgram user
garasihonda
.
The range-topping 2017 Honda CR-V for Indonesia is expected to receive:
Full LED headlights with Auto Leveling
Panoramic sunroof
Electric powered tailgate
18-inch alloy wheels
Seven seats
9-inch infotainment system
Electric Parking Brake with Auto Brake Hold
Cruise Control
Paddle Shift
Auto Headlights

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On top of that, the Indonesian Honda CR-V will receive the 1.5-litre turbocharged VTEC engine. Unlike its Thailand cousin, Indonesian units are not fitted with Honda's i-DTEC turbodiesel engine. A source also told otodriver that the Honda CR-V 2.0 will drop its manual transmission in favour of a CVT.
Similar to the Thai-spec CR-V, variants of the Indonesian Honda CR-V will also be equipped with seven seats.
Closer to home, the 2017 Honda CR-V is primed for a debut some time this year.