F1 World Champions Pay Tribute To Michael Schumacher

Last week January 3rd was Michael Schumacher’s 50th birthday. As you might have already know, Michael had a near-fatal skiing accident five years ago and he is not quite the same as before. Very little is known about his current condition other than he is being cared for at his home in Switzerland.
His family asks for privacy and only a small group of close friends have seen Michael since, and none of them are saying anything about his present condition, apart from the obvious that he needs round-the-clock care.
Fans and the F1 community are still rooting for the seven-time world champion's (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004) recovery and for this his 50th birthday, former archrival Mika Hakkinen posted on his Instagram wishing him “Happy 50th birthday. You were truly missed filming Motorsports Heroes documentary.”
At their peak, the two were bitter rivals. The duo’s
legendary overtaking move in the 2000 season at Spa
 is now stuff of legends but what was less remembered was
the built up to it
, where Michael pushed Mika towards the grass at 300 km/h, which infuriated Mika.
Still, in their retirement years, Mika often describes Michael not as a foe but as an old friend. This is not surprising. Few can understand the pain and sacrifices that world champions go through, and like war veterans, sometimes the only people who can understand them are their fiercest rivals. Nikki Lauda, in his retirement years also said the same of how much he missed the late James Hunt, and wished he's still around to watch the movie Rush with him.
During his days with Ferrari, Schumacher wasn’t very kind to Mika but in his retirement years he did went on record to say, "The most respected guy in all those years was Mika Hakkinen (1998, 1999 world champion). Great fights but stable private relationship."
In conjunction with Schumacher’s 50th birthday, the official Formula 1 channel has published several video interviews with the other F1 World Champions that Schumacher had raced with – Damon Hill (1996), Mika Hakkinen (1998, 1999), and Fernando Alonso (2005, 2006), asking them on their relationship and thoughts on Schumacher. Also interviewed was Mika Hakkinen’s former teammate David Coulthard.
As expected, all of them were candid about their dislike for Schumacher’s liberal interpretation of what’s legal and what’s not, and the questionable ethics of his racing tactics. Still, they all agree that these imperfections were also what made the Schumacher-era of F1 so colourful, and everyone agreed that he was one of the best, if not the best driver in Formula One history.
"My battles with Michael, I have to say they were the best moments of my career," said Alonso, the two-time world champion who first broke Schumacher's dominance in 2005. Alonso also added that the racing intensity with Schumacher was notably lower after he wrestled the world title away from Schumacher. Michael retired the following year, probably having accepted the fact that it's time to make way for a younger contender and that it's better to retire when he is still regarded as a champion.
1996 world champion Damon Hill, who lost the 1994 title to Michael when the latter staged an accident which put him out of the race in Adelide 1994 said, "I didn't expect that Michael would take me off if I was going to pass him."
"I couldn't understand, if you are that talented and brilliant, why would you want any extra help, and Michael would admit that there were times when he overstepped the mark," said Hill.
On hindsight, Hill also explained that Schumacher's move was to be expected. "I would say now, I would say definitely in the team there would've been a discussion because they need to win the world championship, and they are not going to let you pass." However Hill also asked retrospectively, "But in his position, what would I have done? I don't know."
Hill was full of praise for Michael's driving talent. "I had to dig deeper than I've ever driven before, to be able to put myself even on the same level as Michael."
The most anticipated interview was of course, that of Mika Hakkinen. "To beat him and challenge him on the race track it was always a fair fight and I know Michael was enjoying it. Fair fight - I meant from my side," said Mika with a cheeky smile before laughing.
However Mika also pointed that out while Michael's tactics on the track can be controversial, he always gave due respect to his rivals in public. "It's so easy to solve your frustrations in public, to start saying something about your competitor. We didn't start this kind of games in the media."
The videos of the interview can be viewed
here
. There are eight videos and one podcast in the playlist.
One notable person is missing from the list though – 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who never quite forgave Schumacher for deliberately driving his Ferrari into Villeneuve's Williams in a failed attempt to block Villeneuve from winning the 1997 World Championship. In 2017, Villeneuve recounted the title deciding race at Jerez in 1997. You can view the interview
here
.


2017 All-New Honda CR-V: 1.5 VTEC Turbo, Underpowered?

As you would’ve already know by now, the current generation Honda CR-V is set to be retired, and an all-new, fifth generation model is expected to be launched in Malaysia very soon, possibly as early as next month.
At the moment, Honda Malaysia is still coy about the finer details of the all-new model, choosing to release more information progressively as we get closer to the all-new SUV’s official launch.
However Honda dealers have indicated that there will be a total of four variants and two engine options – 1.5-litre turbocharged, direct injection VTEC Turbo and a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated port injection i-VTEC, paired to a CVT-type automatic transmission that’s either linked to 2WD or 4WD drivetrain.
Specifics on which engine will be paired to which drivetrain however, will only be announced later.
We were also told that the 4WD system used in this all-new CR-V is of a newer system that actively diverts power to the rear-axle depending on road conditions, as opposed to the outgoing model’s reactive-based system that begins to driver power to the rear axle when one of the front wheels starts slipping.
It’s not the same engine as the Civic Turbo’s
While the top of the range’s CR-V’s 1.5-litre VTEC Turbo engine might share the same displacement as the Civic Turbo, the two are not identical.
Of course, both engines still share the same engine block and dual variable valve timing control (intake and exhaust), there are however a few significant differences.
For one, the 1.5-litre VTEC Turbo used in the all-new CR-V has been retuned to produce 20 PS more power (193 PS at 5,600 rpm) and 43 Nm more torque (243 Nm from 2,000 to 5,000 rpm) than the Civic.
To put it in comparison, the all-new CR-V’s 1.5-litre VTEC Turbo is more powerful than the outgoing CR-V’s 2.4-litre naturally aspirated i-VTEC engine’s output of 190 PS at 7,000 rpm and 222 Nm at 4,400 rpm.
Naturally, retuning an engine to produce more power from the same displacement will have an effect on its fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and long-term reliability.
To compensate for this, the CR-V’s 1.5-litre VTEC Turbo engine’s internals have been upgraded to cope with the higher boost pressure.
The pistons for example, are different from the Civic’s. Higher boost pressure will require lower compression ratios, to that, the CR-V’s piston crowns have been reshaped. It’s also been optimized to reduce weight.
The pistons are cooled by twin oil jets located under each piston. Special cooling channels are grafted into the pistons for optimal cooling. A similar solution is also under in the FK8 Civic Type-R’s 2.0-litre VTEC Turbo engine.
The wastegate has also been upgraded, still electrically operated as in the Civic.
We only had a very brief drive in the all-new CR-V, spanning a total distance of no more than 1 km, mostly to experience the
Honda Sensing
 feature rather than the CR-V’s performance.
Our stint in the CR-V was short but it was enough to tell us this all-new model is significantly better to drive than the outgoing model.
Within the just a few hundred meters, it was obvious the all-new CR-V’s electric power steering has been vastly improved. It now feels better weighted, more confidence inspiring.
Taking it through a quick slalom course, the all-new CR-V remains very planted, as well as a sedan, nevermind the fact this is a tall riding SUV and the model we drove had only 2WD.
Like all turbocharged engines, standing starts will feel slow initially, before launching itself with maximum torque once the turbocharger’s boost builds up. It pulls with sufficient vigor, and drives more like an agile sedan rather than a bumbling potato of an SUV.
We were also told that the CVT has been improved to deliver a more direct drive feel.
Underpowered? It's not a Porsche Macan, but it's definitely not underpowered.
Read also:
2017 All-New Honda CR-V: What Is Honda Sensing?
2017 All-New Honda CR-V: No Seven Seats, But Maybe That's A Good Thing?


2016 Malaysia Autoshow: Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid Previewed Ahead Of Launch

Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) has previewed the Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid for the second time at the ongoing 2016 Malaysia Autoshow, just ahead of its official launch date at the end of the year.
This comes days after HSDM announced the order books for the hybrid vehicle are
opened
, with an estimated retail price upwards of RM130,000.
Similar to the
Prius for Toyota
, the Ioniq was developed from the onset by Hyundai to be
powered only by electrified powertrains
 namely hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and full electric.
The hybrid variant will be made available at the launch featuring Hyundai’s 1.6-litre four-cylinder GDI Kappa engine (good for 105PS) working in tandem with a 44PS electric motor.
Combined output of the system is rated at 141PS and 265Nm, delivered to the front wheels via a 6-speed dual clutch transmission. A lithium-ion polymer traction battery, located under the rear passenger compartment feeds the electric motor.
The Ioniq’s styling is influenced by various active and passive aerodynamic features designed to manage airflow around the vehicle. An active aero front grille, wheel air curtains, rear spoiler, and smooth underbody cover to all help contribute to a drag coefficient of just 0.24.
With a wheelbase measuring 2,700mm, the Ioniq is similar in size to most C-segment sedans in the market. The body is constructed with 53.5% advanced high-strength steel and lightweight aluminium.
The Malaysian market Hyundai Ioniq will include a touchscreen audio-visual navigator, dynamic reverse camera, electronic stability control, and seven airbags.
Members of the public can view the Hyundai Ioniq at the 2016 Malaysia Autoshow 2016 which starts today till 13 November.


Lexus Applies "Chef's Table" Documentary Style To Master Craftsmen

Building cars can usually be a fairly thankless job. You are but one of thousands working along factory lines to crank out cars as quickly and efficiently as possible, with the lowest number of defects possible. But Lexus treats their employees a little differently - they're called Takumi, or master craftsmen in Japanese, and to be regarded as truly a master takes 60,000 hours of work and commitment to their craft. But can they survive in a world that's becoming increasingly AI and robotics driven?
It's this recognition that sees a Lexus craftsmen being one of four people featured in a documentary about the survival of human craft. He sits on par with a double-Michelin-star chef, a traditional paper cutting artist, and a carpenter for one of the oldest construction companies in the world - all four are committed to becoming the best at their chosen crafts.  The visually stunning, character-driven portrait, made by Chef’s Table Director, Clay Jeter, for Lexus, is due for release on Prime Video, through the Prime Video Direct self-publishing service, on March 19, 2019 globally.

The documentary, which premiered at the DOC NYC film festival in New York, is unique in that the medium is also the message. There will be a feature length version plus a ‘60,000’ hour cut, which loops scenes of each Takumi’s essential skills of their craft repeated over and over again to highlight the hours, days and years of practice involved. Narrated by Former British Museum Director Neil Macgregor and including interviews from world experts in craft and AI, the film asks how we will honor and preserve human craft as we simultaneously design machines to act more precisely and quickly than humans ever can.


MYAirline prepares for SEA destinations by Q1 2023

Malaysia's latest budget airline,
MYAirline
, will most likely offer flights to Southeast Asia countries as early as the first quarter of 2023.

The plan has been in the works for quite some time as the proposal involves starting with domestic destinations first before moving on to offering overseas flights. Looking at the region, it won't be long before MYAirline goes global since it's already the final month of 2022.

Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand & more

As previously reported, MYAirline will be looking at offering international flights to destinations that will be kept under the four-hour flight duration. This will help to ensure that its operations can continue to provide 'low-cost air travel solutions' in the future.

The first few countries outside of Malaysia that MYAirlines are looking into are Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. According to its CEO, Rayner Teo, "We are hoping that we will be able to target our first international flight during the end of the first quarter of next year. International flights are slightly more complicated in terms of approval because we have to deal with more than one country."

Langkawi, Kuching & KK already available

*Image credit: MYAirline

For those who are looking for an alternative carrier to fly over to places like Langkawi, Kuching, or Kota Kinabalu, MYAirline has already begun offering flights to these destinations as part of the first phase of the business.

So far, it's been positively reported with 80% of the load factor being achieved for flights to East Malaysia and about 70% to Langkawi. The next phase will involve places like Penang, Kota Bharu, and Sibu pending approval from the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM).


Toyota bZ4X officially launches in Indonesia for RM355k

Toyota Astra Motor has just launched the bZ4X into the Indonesian market making it the second country in the ASEAN region - following Thailand - to add the brand’s sole pure electric offering into their local line up.

Priced from an equivalent of around RM355k, the bZ4X is sold as a single variant very similar to its Thai spec, but at a significantly higher price at approximately RM119k dearer thanks to much fewer EV subsidies.

The electric SUV is built on Toyota’s e-TNGA platform and boasts underfloor lithium ion battery with a capacity of 71.4kWh to send to a single front-mounted motor with 204PS and 266Nm of torque.

Curiously, this is notch down from what’s offered in Thailand where the bZ4X is given 218PS and 337Nm of torque.

Sure, that’s far from excessive in terms of on-paper stats (0-100km/h in 8.3 seconds), but the upshot from having a less power-hungry electric powertrain is increased endurance. Toyota Indonesia isn’t exactly forthcoming with its range on a fully charged battery, but logic says that it should exceed the Thai model’s claimed 516 kilometres.

Charging, as usual can be done over the slower AC charger or faster DC variety at up to 6.6kW or 150kW, respectively. The latter needs just 30 minutes to get the bZ4X’s reserves from 0-80%. What’s more is that the battery is covered under an 8-year/160,000km manufacturer’s warranty.

Equipment highlights include a panoramic sunroof, 18-inch alloy wheels, wireless smartphone charger, as well as a 12.3-inch central infotainment system that works in tandem with a digital instrument cluster.

The Indonesia-spec EV also comes with the full complement of active safety and driver aid features from Toyota Safety Sense, including Pre-Collision which includes AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking), Lane Tracing Assistant, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Automatic High Beam, Blind Spot Monitoring, and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.

All that’s left really is to speculate when UMW Malaysia will bring the bZ4X to our shores. Seems our neighbours in Indonesia and Thailand always get to play with the new toys first.

When it does make local landfall, it should make a great rival for the Kia EV6. The Korean contender, however, does pack a pretty formidable arsenal - dual electric motors, 77.4kWh battery, 325PS, 605Nm, 506km range - for its RM301k asking price.

To even have a chance at sparring with the EV6, the Toyota bZ4X made available to Malaysians would need to be better specified than either the ones offered in Thailand or Indonesia.

Should be interesting.


2022 Volvo XC60 Facelift Unveiled - From RM292k

Volvo Car Malaysia launches the new "Smarter XC60", priced from RM 292k.

The second-generation Volvo XC60 has been with us
since 2018
, so it's about time that it got a facelift.

Just as a recap, the Volvo XC60 was first introduced to the Malaysian market in 2018, and the most recent update of the SUV was in April this year, where the nomenclature was updated in line with Volvo's global strategy for electrification.

Not to be confused with the refreshed model that arrived in Malaysia in April this year, this XC60 in front of your very eyes is a facelift version, introduced globally in March 2021.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 facelift comes with a restyled front bumper with sharper lines and a touch of chrome on the lower end. At the rear, Volvo has altogether gotten rid of the fake exhaust finishers for a cleaner look and included a chrome strip at the lower end just like in the front. There are also new 19-inch 6-multispoke black diamond-cut alloy wheels that finish the refreshed look.

However, the biggest headline of the 2022 XC60 facelift happens to be on the inside as it has been updated with a new
Google-based
 infotainment system, just like the one found on the
XC40 Recharge
.

According to Volvo Car Malaysia Managing Director, Charles Frump, the integration of the Google-based system truly takes the
XC60
 up a notch and even helps it to become the best in class.

“The Smarter XC60 with Google Services delivers the most intuitive infotainment experience in the automotive industry. It fully delivers on our brand promise to provide the freedom to move in a personal, sustainable and safe way,” said Frump.

Through an onboard high-speed cellular modem, the 2022 XC60 now has access to the internet and can interface with it much like smartphones.

The Android-powered infotainment system with Google apps and services built-in has been said to offer
unparalleled connectivity
, especially with Volvo teaming up with Google on integrating an infotainment system powered by Android. Volvo is one of the first companies to team up with Google to bring new technology connectivity to a vehicle.

As an Android device, these Volvos native access to Google's apps and services can work independently or in conjunction with the driver's own smart device.

For example, the in-car navigation is enhanced with hands-free native access to Google Maps with personalised routes, points of interest, and intelligent calendar scheduling, all operable through the large, sharp touchscreen with a zippy interface and minimal input or data lag. Meanwhile, the intuitive voice control system basically controls every part of the interface by just speaking to 'the car'.

Google Assistant and its natural language processing allow drivers to quickly communicate complex instructions and receive accurate responses, whether to dictate a new message reply or look up the location of your next appointment. On the way there, you could also request your favourite playlist to come on the stereo, and if it isn't on your phone, it'll be streamed over the air from your service of choice.

Not only will these Volvos have native access to a curated selection of apps from the Google Play store adapted for vehicle use, but these apps will also have certain functionalities that can tie into specific in-car systems that the Android OS can control, such as vehicle temperature, ambient interior lighting, and destination setting.

According to Volvo Car Malaysia, Google's database and cache will help the Google-based system to continue operating in areas where there are Internet blind spots.

As far as safety goes, the XC60 facelift will come equipped with Volvo's latest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) sensor platform, which offers a better refinement of the already powerful active safety system, consisting of an array of radars, cameras and ultrasonic sensors. Features such as collision avoidance, lane-keeping aid, run-off road mitigation, cross-traffic alert with auto braking, Blind Spot Information System and a surround-view camera are all available on the XC60 facelift.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 facelift is offered in two variants, the RM262,266 B5 Momentum (mild hybrid) and the RM325,449 Recharge T8 Inscription Plus (plug-in-hybrid). Both are priced without insurance and include the after-sales tax exemption.

Both are equipped with 8-speed auto transmission, but the similarities end there from a mechanical and performance point of view. The
B5
 has 249hp/350Nm of torque, while the T8 with its supercharger as well as a turbocharger has 407hp with 640Nm of torque, with 87hp and 240Nm from the battery.

For more information, you can visit www.volvocars.com/my or follow Volvo Car Malaysia on Facebook and Instagram.


How Can A Three-Cylinder Engine Produce 600 Horsepower?

Three-cylinder engines are making
quite big waves
 these days, but that wasn't always the case. They have however become such a big deal due in part to the fact that a three-cylinder engine is now capable of producing 600 horsepower.

Three-cylinder engines used to be frowned upon for their roughness and lack of power, usually associated with cute little Japanese Kei Cars, known for their itsy bitsy dimensions and fuel efficiency.

These days, however, thanks to development in turbocharging and out-of-the-box engineering, the three-cylinder engine has moved ahead by leaps and bounds, even so far as creating 300hp per litre as found in the
Koenigsegg Gemera
.

How can a 2.0-litre
three-cylinder engine
 create 600hp, you ask? Well, it's down to big bores, big strokes, lightweight yet strong parts, an ingenious sequential turbocharger setup and something called Freevalve.

Known as the Tiny Friendly Giant (TFG), the 2.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine in the
Gemera
 was specifically created for the car. While the big bores and big strokes gave it a high revving character, the engine owes most of its brute power to the Freevalve technology and patent-pending two-stage turbo system.

The engine is the first in the world to use Freevalve technology that allows infinitely variable valve timing – basically offering total control over how much air the engine is breathing in and in turn how efficient or powerful it is. The technology has a huge range of applications, even if taken to the mass market and can transform relatively simple engines into incredibly potent powerplants.

Koenigsegg says no other variable valve actuation system offers this level of control and reliability, which is why they were also able to create a patent-pending sequential turbo setup for the engine.

Quite simply, one turbo is connected to three exhaust valves – one from each cylinder. The second turbo is connected to the other three exhaust valves. During low rpm and part to high load, all exhaust gasses are pushed to only one turbo, by only opening one exhaust valve per cylinder – thereby doubling the exhaust gases to that turbine. When adequate boost is reached, the second exhaust valve is opened to start the second turbo.

Combined together, the result is a three-cylinder two-litre engine that gives 400 Nm of torque from 1700 rpm with max torque of 600 Nm. These never-before-achieved numbers in an engine of this size make the TFG the most powerful engine per cylinder and volume to date, putting it light years ahead of any other production three-cylinder engine today.

According to an interview between road and track and Koenigsegg, despite the turbocharging making the TFG a potent engine, "in theory, a naturally aspirated TFG could make 280 horsepower", which is impressive in itself.

In total, the Gemera achieves 1700 hp and 3500-ish Nm of torque when it combines the TFG with a hybrid setup that packs three electric motors.

It’s a little crazy, isn’t it? They look like normal performance numbers with an extra “0” tacked on the end – but a Koenigsegg isn't a Koenigsegg without its wow factor!


Subaru’s New Levorg STI Unveiled In Tokyo, Still Mostly Mysterious

Subaru has pulled the covers off the angriest version yet of their 2nd-generation Levorg at the 2020 Tokyo Auto Salon. Annoyingly, the STI Sport is still labelled a ‘prototype’ despite it looking exactly like what we’d expect the finished production version to be.

That aside, it should be earmarked for a Japanese market launch later this year before being made more widely available internationally. But have Subaru added a significant amount of performance-focused enhancements to the Levorg to make it worth the wait? We hope so!

While you could argue that styling is subjective and has little impact on actual driver enjoyment, the Levorg STI Sport wears its added aggression with a refreshing dose of restraint. We’re plenty used to seeing Subaru Tecnica International take things a step farther than others in this department, so it’s refreshing to see something so grown up. In this bright white exterior finish, we dare say that the car is downright understated.

There is the new front splitter and rear diffuser combination, of course, and we have to believe that they’ve been added for some functional reason. New, too, are a set of alloy wheels of an unspecified size - looks like 18-inchers - and wearing nondescript tyres. Not exactly breaking news.

And if that isn’t too much for you to take in, Subaru’s signature bonnet scoop is still present and seems to be an unaltered carry-over from the standard Levorg.

A new and exciting engine was meant to be a headlining new feature to be revealed about the Levorg STI Sport, but Subaru decided to omit any information of the powertrain from its debut appearance at the Tokyo Auto Salon, unfortunately.

Many, including us, were expecting to see a turbocharged version of Subaru’s 1.8-litre direct-injection horizontally opposed Boxer four-cylinder, balancing big boosted power with the automaker’s much touted ‘lean burn’ technology for both performance and fuel efficiency.

It’s a foregone conclusion, however, that the car will feature Subaru’s Symmetrical All Wheel Drive system and the EyeSight active safety suite, but new to the brand are the electronically-controlled dampers that are said to be premiering in the eventual hot Levorg, controllable via a Drive Mode Select system that alters parameters around the power unit, steering, suspension, and the AWD system depending on driver preference and mood.

At the event in the Japanese capital, the Levorg STI Sport prototype was presented to the audience with heavily darkened windows to obscure the finer details of the interior, and the same goes for these images shown here. However, we reckon there won’t be all that much different from what we’ve already seen in other variants of the second-generation Levorg.


VinFast VF 8 EV arrives in the US - 288km range enough to satisfy Americans?

The first batch of
VinFast VF 8 EV
 units has arrived in the US, but does it have what it takes to stack up against the stiff competition?

A total of 999 units of the VinFast VF 8 City Edition braved the seas from Vietnam to California. This will be followed by deliveries to customers which are set to begin before the year ends. Just in time for the new year.

288km EPA range a 'boo' factor for the US?

An article posted by Carscoops seems to indicate that the VinFast VF 8's EPA range of 288km is not nearly competitive enough for its price tag which starts from $59,000 or around RM261,000.

Within that price range, those living in the country can opt for other EVs from the likes of Cadillac, Audi, and even Tesla where all of them offer significantly higher EV driving ranges from 380km (Audi G4 50 e-tron quattro) to 531km (Tesla Model Y dual Motor Long Range).

402hp with 471km WLTP range?

With good looks and great power options that go up to 402hp and 620Nm of torque thanks to its dual-electric motor and AWD setup, the VinFast VF 8 actually carries a WLTP range of up to 471km thanks to its 87.7kWh battery pack.

VinFast representatives in the US have stated that the range it offers is more than enough to cover the usual daily travels but to make the VF 8 even more desirable, each unit comes with a class-leading 10-year warranty or 125,000 miles (just over 200,000km). Its battery pack also gets 10 years of warranty but with unlimited mileage.


Mitsubishi Advises Against Going Beyond B7 Biodiesel

Following Carlist.my’s
earlier report in April
 regarding the compatibility of standard diesel engines with the government’s proposed B10 biodiesel mandate, Mitsubishi Motors is the latest company to confirm that the B7 blend (7 percent palm oil derived methyl esther) is the maximum biodiesel blend that its diesel engines can accept.
Currently, all diesel fuels sold in Peninsular Malaysia are B7 biodiesels.
Earlier in March, it was reported in The Star that Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah has confirmed that the government is considering to mandate B10 biodiesels nationwide within this year.
The response after repeated calls by the palm oil industry to mandate B10 biodiesel to increase the consumption of palm oil, following a 15 percent slump in crude palm oil prices last year.
Malaysian Biodiesel Association’s deputy chairman U.R. Unnithan told The Star that as a result of the slump, the association's 21 members are only utilising around 22 per cent of their capacity. He also added that mandating B10 and B20 biodiesel will raise their utilisation to 37 per cent and 74 per cent respectively.
“Every RM100 increase per tonne in CPO price would contribute RM2bil to our GDP (gross domestic product),” said Unnithan.
Several car manufacturers have raised their concerns over any premature move to introduce B10 biodiesels. Generally speaking, a standard diesel engine, without any modifications can only accept up to B7 biodiesel.
BMW Group Malaysia have warned that using B10 biodiesel on a standard diesel engine will cause severe damage to the engine, causing the thinning of motor oil, resulting in oil sludge, and corrosion of fuel system components.
Isuzu Malaysia too, has confirmed similar findings.
"One of the primary concerns about biodiesels of grades B7 and above has been, among others, the high presence of water in the blends of Palm Methyl Ester. Biodiesel is hydroscopic in nature and tends to absorb water from the atmosphere. This can cause deposit formation, microbial growth and degradation of fuel quality. These phenomena can affect the vehicle's engine operation and durability.
"In view of this, Isuzu, as one of the world's largest producer of diesel engines, collaborates with the Japan Automobile Manufacturer's Association (JAMA) that based on test findings, the current acceptable limits of water content in biodiesel is only acceptable to grade B7 only.”
Since then, we have checked with several more diesel vehicle manufacturers on regarding their engine’s compatibility with B10 biodiesel.
Now, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has also confirmed the same with regards to using B10 biodiesel.
In a written reply to Carlist.my, Mitsubishi Motor’s Corporate General Manager for the Global Pick-up Project Promotion Office Mr. Koichi Namiki confirms that the all-new Mitsubishi Triton can safely run with B7 biodiesel, but not anything higher than that.
Namiki also added that depending on market requirements, it is able to do the necessary development to develop diesel engines that can run on biodiesel blends above B7.
When asked what modifications would be necessary to make a diesel engine compatible with B10 biodiesel, the Namiki said: “Fuel system components, mainly the injectors, fuel tank, fuel lines and hoses, will need to be investigated carefully.”
Read also:
Diesel Tech Leaders Urge Caution Against Raising Biodiesel Blend


Rolls-Royce Sweptail - EUR13 Million One-Off For a Very Wealthy Owner"

Aimed at the high and almighty ‘one-per cent’ members of the society, the Concorso d’Eleganza at Villa d’Este, Italy just took place last week where Rolls Royce unveiled its latest creation called the Sweptail.
The hand-built car, which is a one-off model made for a yacht and luxury car collector who wishes to remain anonymous, is said to have drawn inspiration from Rolls-Royce’s luxury coaches built in the 1920s and 1930s.
According to Rolls-Royce, the Sweptail is an extension of 103EX Concept, which Rolls Royce showed under its Vision Next 100 to make personalised futuristic cars for its patrons.
Powered by a 6.6-litre V12 engine, the two-seater coupe which stretches over six metres long, features the largest ever aluminium grille in a Rolls Royce and also the largest ‘Spirit of Ecstacy’ hood ornament to ever be fitted on a ‘Roller’.
Inside, the trims are made from Macassar Ebony and Paldao veneers while the seats, door panels and the steering wheel are clad in Moccasin and Dark Spice leather.
The highlight feature of ‘Sweptail’ however is the uninterrupted glass roof ordered specifically by the owner - one of the largest and most complex ever seen on a motor car of any marque. Apparently it allows the cabin to be flooded with natural light, animating the host of handcrafted materials and componentry.
While no official announcement was made about how much the top-secret client paid for this thing, sources have reported that it asked for 10-million Pounds (about RM55 million), making it the most expensive new car in the world.
Who do you think the owner is? Interesting number plate though.


Petronas has started dispersing flood aids and donations

Petronas is already handing out flood aid in preparation for the upcoming rainy season.

While some are busy campaigning for the upcoming election,
 Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas)
 is getting ready for the rainy season, as they have allocated RM6.7 million in flood contributions to deal with the predicted disaster this year.

The allocation includes donations to rescue agencies in an effort to help the teams prepare for the floods.

According to Sinar Harian, Petronas East Coast General Manager, Mohammad Ahmad Shazly Ramli said Pahang was among the states that received donations in the form of rescue equipment and protection for the flood victims. This contribution will also been handed over to Kelantan and Terengganu shortly.

He said this when Sinar Harian met him the Petronas Flood Preparation Donation Ceremony to the Pahang government. The donation was handed over by Petronas' East Coast GM to the Menteri Besar of Pahang, Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.

The donated equipment includes two engine-powered boats, fuel tanks and mobile boat trailers, 1,000 tents (C-Tents), 700 life jackets and 7,000 raincoats.

Ramli also said that the contribution for the state of Pahang was part of 36 boats, 8,800 tents, 5,500 life jackets and 55,000 raincoats provided by Petronas for 14 states across the country.

Not only is Petronas donating equipment, their foundation, Yayasan Petronas is also involved in organising the
Community-Based Disaster Risk Management Program
 (CBDRM), for residents in Mukim Ganchong in Pekan, Pahang and Tumpat Islands, Kelantan.

"Preparation training programs before the disaster were implemented to help residents in high-risk areas to prepare more systematically to face floods," said Ramli.


This Honda Yearbook Ad Will Make You Go Look for Your High School Photo Album

Another day, another super bowl ad; and Honda just released what appears to be one of the coolest commercials of this year featuring some pretty big names in Hollywood to promote the new CR-V.
In line with the spirit of ‘Throwback Thursdays’, Honda aptly released the ad called “Yearbooks” yesterday in which high school yearbook versions of Amy Adams, Steve Carrell, Viola Davis, Missy Elliot, Tina Fey, Magic Johnson, Jimmy Kimmel, Robert Redford, and Stan Lee talk about their journeys toward success, and never giving up on your dreams.

The ad then shows how the CR-V, which was first introduced in the U.S during the Super Bowl 20 years ago, has evolved from being the “young kid dreaming of making it big” to the best-selling SUV in the country.
It is also worth mentioning that this will be the third time the CR-V has made a Super Bowl appearance after 1997 and in 2012.
Revealed in October last year, the 2017 CR-V has been completely redesigned and reengineered, boasts bold new styling, a more premium interior, and most importantly comes with a turbocharged engine and a host of new features and technologies.
On the exterior level, the new CR-V’s styling heads in a fresh new direction with a sharper front-end design, LED DRL array on all trims, a new grille, new wheel design, muscular fenders, longer hood, longer wheelbase, short rear overhang, and dual exhausts.
Under the hood, the 2017 CR-V is powered by either a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine producing 190hp or a 2.4-litre naturally aspirated direct injection engine – both paired to a CVT with Honda’s G-Shift control.
Already on sale in the U.S, we expect the new CR-V to be introduced here later this year.


Peluang keemasan untuk miliki Subaru XV

Unit-unit terhad yang dipamer dan digunakan dalam siri jelajah Subaru kini ditawarkan dengan potongan harga
Sekiranya anda sudah mempertimbangkan untuk memiliki kenderaan SUV crossover kompak sebenar,
Subaru XV
 untuk sekian lama, percayalah bahawa kini merupakan masa terbaik untuk berbuat demikian.
Unit dalam jumlah terhad Subaru XV yang sebelum ini digunakan dan dipamerkan dalam siri jelajah Subaru bersama pemandu lagak ngeri antarabangsa, Russ Swift di seluruh negara kini ditawarkan dengan tanda harga yang sangat menarik dan tidak boleh dilepaskan.
Bagi mereka yang berada di Semenanjung, Subaru XV yang digunakan secara minimal dalam siri jelajah berkenaan kini ditawarkan pada harga RM89,828 termasuk insurans, manakala bagi mereka yang berada Sabah dan Sarawak, ia boleh dimiliki pada harga bermula RM92,890 termasuk insurans.
Semua unit Subaru XV yang termasuk di dalam tawaran khas ini pernah digunakan untuk tujuan-tujuan tertentu sewaktu siri jelajah berkenaan. Sebahagiannya digunakan untuk aksi lasak oleh Russ Swift sendiri, sebahagian untuk dipamerkan kepada pengunjung manakala sebahagian lagi digunakan sebagai kenderaan perantara bagi membawa pengunjung ke sekitar kawasan pameran dan demonstrasi pemanduan yang dijalankan.
Untuk makluman, jarak pergerakan pada meter kenderaan-kenderaan ini sangat rendah; sekitar 400 kilometer sahaja, dan ada di antaranya kurang daripada itu. Untuk itu, Subaru akan membuat pemeriksaan lengkap dan menyeluruh, termasuk mengenal pasti jika ada komponen atau bahagian yang perlu ditukar akan diganti terlebih dahulu, sebelum menyerahkannya kepada pemilik baru.
Untuk rekod, semua unit yang terlibat ini merupakan unit yang belum pernah didaftarkan, dan dikilangkan pada tahun pengeluaran 2014 dan 2015.
Selain itu, semua unit yang ditawarkan ini juga didatangkan dengan jaminan pengeluar bagi tempoh lima tahun atau 100,000 kilometer, yang mana dahulu. Jadi, anda tidak perlu runsing kerana ia dilengkapi dengan jaminan yang sama seperti kenderaan baru yang lain sebaik sahaja anda mendaftarkan kenderaan ini.
Jadi, jangan berlengah lagi! Tawaran ini hanya diberikan untuk tempoh terhad, tertakluk selagi stok masih ada. Hubungi wakil pejual Subaru segera!
Sempena sambutan Hari Raya ini, peraduan Book dan Menang anjuran
Carlist.my
 akan menawarkan hadiah wang tunai sebanyak RM10,000 kepada seorang pembeli Subaru bertuah.
Maklumat lanjut di
sini


2018 Mazda 6 Facelift Previewed, More Power For All Engines

Bermaz Motor has just lifted off the veil on the new 2018 Mazda 6 Facelift. The preview event, which also formally launched the
new Mazda CX-3
, was held in conjunction with company’s opening of its
 new 3S centre in Jelutong, Penang
.
For 2018, Bermaz Motor maintains the four-variant line-up that also continues with the existing engine choices of two petrol and one diesel.
Mazda 6 2.0 Sedan
Mazda 6 2.5 Sedan
Mazda 6 2.5 Touring
Mazda 6 2.2 Diesel Sedan
What’s new
Visually, the new Mazda 6 is differentiated from the pre-facelift model with a more matured front-end through the redesigned grille, front bumper, and new LED head lamps.
Subtle changes have also been made to the tail lamps and rear bumper. The exhaust tips have been positioned closer to the outer edges of the bumper.
The biggest change is reserved for the interior, now even more luxurious than before. The new dashboard with premium materials and design details extends into the doors in one seamless pattern, while the seats have also been redesigned to offer better comfort and reduce fatigue.
The Mazda Connect infotainment display has been enlarged to an eight-inch colour display and also projects the image of the 360-degree View Monitor. A coloured Head-up display, which Mazda terms it as the Active Driving Display, now projects information to the windscreen rather than on a retractable panel. A 4.6-inch colour multi-information display is also standard in the 2.5-litre and 2.2-litre models.
Noise intrusion into the cabin has also been extensively reduced through the usage of thicker door panels, new outer glass, new headliner, and new door seals.
In terms of updated safety features, the autonomous emergency braking now works in reverse too! Only available at parking speeds, the Smart City Brake Support - Reverse (SCBS-R) applies full brake pressure to prevent or at least minimize collision impact if the sensors detect the Mazda 6 is approaching an obstacle behind it.
Engine and Transmission
Maximum outputs for both petrol engines have also been increased- the 2.0-litre now delivers 162 hp and 213 Nm of torque (up from 153 hp/200 Nm) and the 2.5-litre now has 192 hp and 258 Nm of torque (up from 185 hp/250 Nm). In terms of fuel consumption, the 2.0-litre requires 6.5 litres per 100 kilometres, while the larger 2.5-litre requires 7.0 litres per 100 kilometres.
The turbocharged diesel engine also sees gains in maximum output. A whopping 450 Nm now spins the front wheels, up from 420 Nm. Maximum power meanwhile increases to 188 hp from 173 hp. This high-performance diesel engine can only consume low sulphur Euro 5M diesel and returns a very attractive 5.2 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle.
The turbocharged 2.5-litre petrol engine that was launched in the USA and Australia is not making its availability here, only in the new flagship
seven-seat CX-9 SUV
.
All engines continue to drive the front wheels via the Skyactiv-Drive six-speed torque converter automatic transmission with manual-shift and sports mode, along with Mazda’s G-Vectoring Control (GVC) technology.
Standard features
As mentioned earlier, there are four variants in the new Mazda 6 line-up, starting with the 2.0 Sedan equipped with these standard features:
17-inch wheels, with 225/55R17 tyres
LED head lamps with integrated fog lamp function
Front and rear parking sensors
Rain-sensing automatic wipers
Cruise control
Standard display 4.6-inch multi-information display
Power-adjusting front seats, with driver memory function
60:40 split folding rear seats
USB-ports on rear armrest
MZD Connect Infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen display and commander control
6 audio speakers
Reverse camera
Auto hold function
G-Vectoring Control (GVC)
Those who are opting for the larger 2.5-litre engine size, as well as the sexy-looking Mazda 6 Touring, will also have these features:
19-inch wheels, with 225/45R19 tyres
Keyless entry with speed sensing auto lock and walk away lock
Adaptive LED head lamps (automatic high beam control)
Tilt and slide powered moonroof
Gloss-black door pillar garnish
Coloured TFT 4.6-inch multi-information display
Head-up display
Steering wheel gear paddle shifters
BOSE audio system with 11 speakers
GPS navigation system
360-degree View Monitor
i-Eloop energy recovery technology (2.5-litre petrol only)
Smart City Brake Support, forward and reverse
Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist System
Driver Attention Alert (DAA)
Meanwhile, the 2.2 SkyActiv-D sedan model mirrors the features on the 2.5-litre sedan but omits the Sport Mode and i-Eloop energy recovery technology. Subtle differences on the touring and sedan are the radio antenna and lighting technology in the tail lamps. The Touring also comes with a retractable tonneau cover.
The new Mazda 6 is available in a choice of seven colours, with the new Soul Red Crystal replacing Soul Red. Other colours are Snowflake Pearl White, Sonic Silver, Jet Black, Deep Crystal Blue, Machine Gray, and Titanium Flash.
All Mazda 6 models are imported from Japan, and prices will be announced soon.
For reference, the pre-facelift Mazda 6 retailed for RM156,191 for the 2.0-litre, while the 2.5-litre sedan was just under RM190,000 and the Touring was RM 4,000 more. The diesel variant was the highest priced in the Mazda 6 line-up, priced at RM197,402. These were prices from June 1st 2018, with zero-rated GST.


Peugeot 208 Facelift Revealed Ahead Of Geneva Motor Show

In line with the latest across the firm, here is the new 2015
Peugeot 208
 facelift, updated inside and out, and headed for a full metal debut at the coming Geneva Motor Show.
If you’re looking hard for the
Peugeot
’s changes, keep your eyes focused on the lower bit of the front grille and the tail lamps, because that’s largely where you’ll find them – this is just a minor refresher from the French car maker.
So what’s new?
EXTERIOR:
 On top of adding an all-new colour to the line-up (seen above), Peugeot will be offering the new 208 in a total of 13 body colour options – all of which they’re saving to reveal at a later date.
The front bumper is a totally new design that has the black trims encapsulating the front fog lamps, while the higher up, the front grille is slightly wider than before. Around the back, you’ll find Peugeot’s familiar 3D ‘Claw-design’ LED tail lights have now been incorporated.
INTERIOR:
 Inside, the brand’s i-Cockpit is retained as-is, which keeps its compact steering wheel size, low-positioned instrument clulster, heads-up display and seven-inch touchscreen intact.
TECH:
 There has been some tech improvements here, with the introduction of an Active City Brake system and Park Assist, alongside a MirrorScreen (a clever way to name a screen mirroring function) feature now added to the host of infotainment features of the touchscreen display.
POWERTRAIN:
 Engine offerings have been updated as well, with Peugeot introducing a new batch of Euro 6-compliant mills for the ride. They’ve also been paired with a new six-speed automatic transmission which Peugeot calls its EAT6 (Efficient Automatic Transmission) which has been developed by Aisin.
The tunes of a 1.6-litre BlueHDi diesel will be available at launch, alongside a string of 1.0 PureTech, 1.2 PureTech and 1.6-litre THP petrol engines in various tunes that offer power outputs from 68hp to 208hp.
NEW GT LINE:
 Everything that we’ve known to be typically reserved for the top-end GTi model is now available on a new 208 GT Line that Peugeot have just introduced – minus the power. Highlights of the new GT variant include 17-inch CAESIUM diamante alloy wheels, red interior stitching, black exterior trim panels, etc.
GTi:
 As for the range-topping
208 GTi super hatch
, it looks like Peugeot have decided to scheme it according to what was delivered on the special 30
th
 Anniversary model (picture here in two-tone colour). Everything that we saw and liked there, has now become a permanent fixture to the range, displacing the previous Peugeot 208 GTi.


Home Grand Prix: The Ultimate Guide To Setting Up Your Racing Sim

With our cars, no matter how many new parts and how much toil we’ve poured into them, now relegated to the grocery run each week
under lockdown
, that itch to get behind the wheel only grows more unbearable. The monotony of being stuck at traffic lights and slowly bopping over speed bumps only seems to make it worse.

Unsurprisingly, an effective balm many have found for this affliction is sim racing, which just stands for
Simulation Racing
. It attempts to make the racing in video games as comparable to the real thing as possible, regardless of how authentic or arcade-like the actual video game is graphically or in terms of physics.

In fact, if you’ve ever spent any time in a coin/token-operated arcade, you might remember games like Outrun, Daytona USA, or Ridge Racer. This is exactly the same concept, except you own the whole rig and it's in your home.....and you have unlimited tokens.

Permanent Upgrade

The difference is all about control as well as how nuanced and true-to-life the experience of driving a not-real car can be. Starting at the very bottom we have the disease-ridden dumpster fire of touch-operated (or tilt-operated) mobile racing games - the kind you play on your phone.

Up a few atmospheres and you have the game consoles and PC space where you’re either using a controller with a decent thumbstick or tapping every tiny steering adjustment or throttle blip by spamming your keyboard. Both are legitimate avenues to get your feet wet, but are pretty removed from how driving actually works.

For that, we’ll need an actual steering
wheel
 and some pedals, maybe even a gear shifter. This is where console/PC gaming evolves into sim racing. Where very little of controller-style racing can translate into the real world, sim racing can actually hone and improve your driving skills. Not only do race drivers use it to keep sharp in-between seasons, but prominent sim racing competitors have even landed a real drive with professional teams.

Racing Sim - Wheel And Pedals

These are typically sold as a set, especially at the beginner to intermediate level, and are the bread and butter of the sim racing experience.

There are 3 main types of sim racing wheels, defined by their internal mechanisms: gear-drive, belt-drive, direct-drive. All employ electric motors to deliver resistance. Gear-driven type wheels, which we’ll be covering almost exclusively here, are the most cost-effective option thanks to a less powerful actuator.

Belt-driven and direct-drive type wheels occupy the higher end and, especially for the latter, can command a pretty steep price for their responsiveness, smoothness, accuracy, and overall realism. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t hone your skills and be competitive with lesser hardware. For most people, a gear-driven wheel can provide ample amounts of enjoyment and performance.

For a long time there have been 2 companies trading blows for mass-market dominance, and the competition has resulted in a very refined pair of sim racing wheels that’s perfect for the beginner: Logitech and Thrustmaster.

Currently, the G29 or G920 from Logitech and the T300 from Thrustmaster are the only two models that should be on
everyone’s shortlist
, with prices hovering online for around RM1,500 to RM2,000 for the wheel and floor box-type 3-pedal combo and around RM250 for the H-pattern gear shifter add-on, if you want that
manual
 sensation. There are probably cheaper alternatives when starting out, but at least with these you know they won’t suck and have proven to offer plenty of headroom before your ability overtakes its capability.

Racing Sim - Cockpit

Here’s where things can get really complicated as well as pricey. Apart from the cash outlay, you’ll need enough space so make sure that aspect is covered as well. Though many sim racing wheelsets do come with clamps to secure them to a table or desk, mounting them there both looks strange and can feel awkward to use.

To counter this, there are pre-made solutions to suit a variety of price points. Some are collapsible to ensure better storage but aren’t as comfortable or heavy-duty while others use fixed seats and a thick metal frame for total rigidity.

No matter which you choose, however, the aim here is to get you seated low with the wheel and pedals placed optimally and securely for driving.
The DIYers
 here can also try to construct such a ‘rig’ themselves with basic materials (such as wood or even pipes) and some free time as there are plenty of guides and community-shared schematics available.

So yeah. This stuff is legit.

Racing Sim - The System

If you already have a recent console such as the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, you’re already halfway home to completing your sim racing setup. That said, for the best experience, you might want to invest in the newer PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X to take advantage of the extra processing and graphical horsepower they provide.

Ideally, however, you should be looking at a powerful desktop computer for the most immersive experience. Apart from being upgradable over time, they will work most cohesively with the other products you have invested in.

The newest PCs have CPU clock speeds, core counts, and multi-purpose utility that puts even the newest consoles to shame. Plus you’ll be opening yourself up to features found nowhere else such as support for multiple monitors and high in-game frame rates for high refresh rate monitors. In addition to a higher degree of graphical fidelity, there is also more compatibility with realistic ray-traced graphics as developers build them into their games.

Building your computer to spec can be a rewarding experience while potentially saving you some money compared to buying one pre-made. Be warned, though, as the price of standalone higher-end GPUs and processors has skyrocketed in the past year thanks to surging demand and a global semiconductor shortage.

Your choice of platform will also dictate which wheel and pedal you’ll choose as, for the most part, those made to support the PS4/PS5 will not be usable on the Xbox One/Series, and vice versa. That said, most do have universal support for PCs.

You’ll need to play around with placement of a large monitor (or many smaller ones) or TV to get the right viewing experience relative to your ‘cockpit’, computing hardware, and living space. There are plenty of options here but getting to a decent starting point shouldn’t be too difficult. Maybe even a VR headset and a good pair of headphones if you can keep the nausea and claustrophobia at bay.

Racing Sim - The Games

Another advantage of the PC platform is the plethora of
sim racing titles on offer
, many of which can be purchased digitally for much less than their retail price during a sale. Not only do the newest features and updates tend to arrive here first, but you can even play much older titles if that catches your fancy.

With the 2 consoles, you’ll naturally still get the majority of current racing sim titles. However, note that Sony-exclusive titles such as Gran Turismo Sport and
the upcoming Gran Turismo 7
 will be confined to the Playstation, in case that’s a deal-breaker.

As both Xbox and Windows are Microsoft-owned platforms however, racing games such as Forza Motorsport and the Forza Horizon series are offered on both, requiring no additional purchase in between platforms. This means that if you’re accustomed to playing those racing titles on Xbox, you can download and play the PC version at no extra charge.

While platform-exclusive racing games are great, these games below are considered to be
the industry standard in simulation racing:

Assetto Corsa Competizione -
Windows PC, Xbox, Playstation

Project CARS 2 -
Windows PC, Xbox, Playstation

iRacing (subscription required) -
Windows PC, Xbox, Playstation

DiRT Rally 2.0 -
Windows PC, Xbox, Playstation

Honourable Mentions:

Grid (2019) -
Windows PC, Xbox, Playstation

Dirt 5 -
Windows PC, Xbox, Playstation

Wreckfest -
Windows PC, Xbox, Playstation

F1 2020 -
Windows PC, Xbox, Playstation

And there you have it, the guide to setting up your own racing sim at home and tackling the Nordschleife.


Over 15,000 Bookings Collected For Proton X70

The total bookings collected by Proton for its first ever X70 SUV has exceeded 15,000, more than 60 percent of it are for the most expensive Premium 2WD variant (priced at RM 123,800).
Proton dealers have been collecting bookings since 8-September, and on 17-October, an online booking platform went live.
According a report by Bernama quoting Proton Edar Sdn Bhd CEO Datuk Abdul Rashid Musa, bookings have climbed up to an average of 200 to 300 bookings per day since the X70 was launched on 12-December.
"Strong support has continued, and this has been the best response received by Proton for a long time," he said.
"New bookings for X70 will stand a chance to receive the car within two to three months from the order date, depending on the variant and colour chosen," added Abdul Rashid.
The Proton X70 is available in four variants, with prices ranging from RM 99,800 to RM 123,800. All variants are powered by a 181 hp/285 Nm 1.8-litre turbocharged direct injection petrol engine. More details
here
. A summary of comparison with key rivals can also be found
here
.
For now, Proton is offering the X70 with four ‘Xtra Packages’:
Xtra Low Financing Rate: From 2.34 percent per annum
Xtra Warranty Coverage: 5-year warranty with unlimited mileage
Xtra Service Package: 5 times free labour service (within 100,000 km or five years)
Xtra Data Package: 5-year Internet data package (1 GB/month), for use with the car’s Internet-enabled infotainment
Current models of the Proton X70 are imported from China, while locally assembled models – to be made at Proton’s plant in Tanjung Malim – will commence starting October 2019.


Spyshot: 2018 Toyota Corolla – Same Look Body, TNGA Underneath?

European spy photographers have captured what is believed to be a test mule of the next-generation Toyota Corolla undergoing winter testing.
The prototype in question wears a conventional three-box sedan body with window lines similar to the
present model
. Its front end is heavily camouflaged, but at the rear it exposes a set of placeholder tail lights from the current US spec Corolla.
Closer look at the base of the prototype’s A-pillar, however, shows a slight mismatch at its joining to the fender panel, and the bonnet seems to follow a slightly different shutline to the current model.
Beneath its camo, the next-generation Corolla is expected to be based on the new Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) modular platform that was introduced with the
fourth-generation Prius
 and, like Volkswagen’s MQB and Volvo’s SPA, set to underpin a whole new generation of vehicles.
Can we accordingly expect the
Prius
’ rear double wishbones to replace the present model’s torsion beam suspension? We certainly hope so.
A
new range of engines
 are expected to feature in the 2018 Corolla. Last December, Toyota had committed to roll out no fewer than 17 versions of nine new engines between now and 2021. All these engines are developed under the TNGA umbrella.
There were even reports that Toyota is considering the use of
BMW-sourced powertrains
, likely the 1.5-litre B38 or 2.0-litre B48, to supplement its in-house offerings.
Pictures:
 Stefan Baldauf


2023 BMW M2 & M2 Pro Package arrives in Malaysia - From RM598k

BMW Malaysia has announced the arrival of the all-new
2023 BMW M2
 and the M2 Pro Package (G87).

Online bookings are now open for those who are interested to get this new M2 which caused a few controversies when the spy shots were leaked online late last year. The official photos, however, looked pretty dang good when it was globally launched in October.

2023 BMW M2 - bold exterior

Perhaps the biggest talking point of BMW's latest compact high-performance coupé here in Malaysia has to be its front end. Featuring the new unframed kidney grille with horizontal slats, the front end also comes with a striking-looking apron with large and quite square-ish air intakes on the side.

Despite the gaping looks, they do function by offering higher cooling performance for the new M2's engine and brakes. Other features include Adaptive LED headlights with High-beam Assistant, aluminium front wings, and a bonnet that comes with a power dome.

The theme of large and rectangular surfaces continues to the sides with widened side skirts and very pronounced wheel arches that house 19-inch wheels up front and 20-inch units at the rear.

Hiding behind those 930 M bi-colour rims are blue brake calipers (six-piston fixed-caliper brakes for the front) for the M2 but if you opt for the Pro Package, you'll be getting the M Compound brakes finished in high-gloss red positioned within the 930 M Black light-alloy wheels (also 19-inch front, 20-inch rear).

Rounding it all up at the rear, the BMW M2 comes ready to rock with a spoiler lip and rear diffuser that offer increased downforce that matches its M twin tailpipes. Only the Pro Package variant comes with the M Carbon Roof and M Lights Shadowline.

Measuring 4,580mm (length), 1,877mm (width), 1,403mm (height), and 2,747mm (wheelbase), the new BMW M2 is longer and wider with a slightly stretched wheelbase as well as a lowered height to offer an even sportier looking coupé compared to its predecessor. Boot space is set at 390 litres.

3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six - 460hp & 550Nm

The powertrain for the new G87 M2 comes in the form of a 3.0-litre M TwinPower Turbo straight-six engine that produces 460hp and 550Nm of torque down to the rear wheels. Mated to an eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission, the new M2 can hit 0-100km/h in just 4.1 seconds before blasting to its top speed of 250km/h.

If that's not enough, the additional M Driver's Package kicks it up to 285km/h. Other features include new axle kinematics, double-joint aluminium spring strut front axle and wishbone, five-link rear suspension, Adaptive M Suspension, Active M Differential, M Drive Professional system, and more.

Sporting-oriented cockpit

Step inside the cockpit and you'll be welcomed with the BMW Curved Display with M-specific displays where everything has been merged together and oriented towards the driver, including the information and control displays (12.3-inch instrument cluster & 14.9-inch infotainment display).

Other highlights for the interior include:

Fully electric M Sport seats with side bolsters

M leather steering wheel with pedal shifters & M Mode button

M Anthracite headliner

Aluminium Rhombicle Anthracite M Interior Trim

Head-Up Display with M-specific design & colours

M Seat Belts (Pro Package)

Carbon fibre M Interior trim (Pro Package)

Priced estimated from RM598,800

The all-new 2023 BMW M2 is priced at RM598,800 while the M2 Pro Package takes things up to RM642,800 (OTR without insurance). The price tags include BMW Malaysia's extended five-year warranty and service package.

Future customers can spec the exterior with five colour options - Zandvoort Blue, Alpine White, Brooklyn Grey, Black Sapphire and Toronto Red. Interior upholstery is available in Leather Vernasca in Black with exclusive highlight, Leather Vernasca in Black with Blue contrast stitching, and Leather Vernasca in Cognac with décor stitching.


When Mazda Made Big, Luxurious, Rear-Wheel Drive Cars

If you have been following our posts, you would’ve have gathered that the
all-new Mazda 3
 now no longer spars with a Honda Civic or a Toyota Corolla Altis, but an Audi A3 and a Mercedes-Benz A200.
The all-new BP generation 3 is the first of Mazda’s seventh generation products tasked to raise the brand’s premium appeal – the objective of the company’s Mazda Premium mid-term strategy.
Mazda has already won a legion of fans with its cars’ driver-oriented Jinba Ittai character. Now the company just needs to convince its customers that to pay more, failing which, the relatively small company will have no hope of staying independent past the next decade.
However, a car maker can neither claim to speak on behalf of keen drivers nor claim to be premium if it doesn’t have a rear-wheel drive sedan, nevermind if the market is trending towards SUVs. From BMW to Bentley, the image shaper of most car companies is often a high-end rear-wheel drive sedan. That product sets the tone for the rest of the brand’s product range, SUVs included.
This fact isn’t lost on Mazda, which has since announced that it is developing a straight-six engine and a rear-wheel drive platform – ambitious for a company that makes just 1.6 million cars annually, 5 times less than Toyota.
The rear-wheel drive sedan will likely to build on the design cues established by the Mazda Vision Coupe (above).
Mazda certainly isn’t the first mainstream brand attempting to move upscale. Many have tried, with mixed results.
It may come as a surprise to many but Mazda once ran a Japan-only luxury division known as Efini (to be specific, it's Ẽfini), and had plans for an even more upscale Amati brand in the USA to challenge Toyota’s Lexus.
Neither brands survived past the ‘90s as a severe economic recession hit Japan just as Amati was about to be launched, thus putting an end to Mazda’s ambitions.
Prior to Japan’s post-Bubble Economy’s ‘Lost Decade’, Mazda had such a wide product range that even BMW and Mercedes-Benz couldn’t match.
Long before the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class made its debut, Mazda had been making sleek, low slung roofline and frameless doors sedans like the Sentia. The Mazda Luce R130 was a contemporary to the BMW 3200 CS, sharing many similar design elements - thin A- and C-pillars, frameless doors, no B-pillars, and a signature sharknose.
The first upscale Mazda sedan was the Luce 1500. Launched in 1966, it was a contemporary to BMW’s New Klasse sedans. In many ways, the proportions of the Mazda was better than an equivalent BMW 1500.
Mazda Luce 1500
By the late ‘70s, the expanded Luce range included a flagship hardtop variant. ‘Hard-top’ doesn’t imply that there was soft-top variant. Instead, the term hard-top was commonly used by Japanese car makers of that era to mean sport sedans with frameless doors.
The Luce Hard-top also shared the same rotary engine as the RX-7, although conventional piston engines were also offered. The model was exported as the 929, while rotary engine-powered variants were called the RX-9.
Subsequent Mazda Luce hard-top sedans became even more refined, and were best known for their dignified image. The car had a very slim, almost streamlined ‘80s Audi-esque styling.
By the ‘90s, as Mazda had expanded its range of upscale sedans further. New nameplates added include the front-wheel drive Xedos and Millenia (above) as well as the rear-wheel drive Sentia. It was also around this time when the Efini (and the stillborn Amati) brand was established.
Originally envisioned as a separate dealer network for upscale Mazda cars, the Efini brand’s flagship was the MS-9, essentially a rebadged Mazda Sentia (below).
Powered by a 3.0-litre V6, the rear-wheel drive coupe-ish sedan had four-wheel steering 20 years before Porsche adopted the technology. It even had solar panels to power the air-conditioner’s blower, back in 1991! Discontinued in 1999, the MS-9 was the last rear-wheel drive Mazda sedan.
Another model sold under the Efini brand was the RX-7, but after the Efini brand was discontinued, the RX-7 reverted back to wearing the Mazda logo. It also explains why early generation Japanese market FD generation RX-7 wore an Efini badge while later models wore a Mazda logo.

Rumour has it that Mazda had plans for a V12-powered flagship sedan for its even more premium Amati brand. Had Japan’s economy not imploded, the Amati sedan would have bettered a Lexus LS 400, at least that was the aim.
Then there was the '90s Mazda Eunos Cosmo, a Japanese grand tourer that challenged the likes of a E31 BMW 8 Series. It was technological tour de force and was better equipped than any Mercedes-Benz or BMW of that era. Power came from a three-rotor, twin turbo rotary engine that made 304 PS - big numbers for that era.
The interior featured a touch screen but remember that this is the ‘90s and TVs were still large CRT types rather than LCD. The Eunos Cosmo’s CRT touchscreen displayed broadcast TV channels, satellite navigation, and air-conditioning controls.
The tail-end of the ‘90s were particularly brutal to Japanese car makers and Mazda was not immune to the reality of a post-Bubble Economy Japan. The brand would spend the next 20 years building conventional sedans like the 323 and 626, putting all boundary-pushing projects aside.
However, this was also a period of time for Mazda to reflect, observe and learn. Nobody doubts Mazda’s technical abilities, but Mazda needed more discipline to balance between realizing an engineer’s dream and listening to an accountant’s warnings.
Now that Mazda counts Toyota is its partner, Mazda is eager to resume where it had left. Somewhere between Mazda’s maverick character and Toyota’s cautious approach lies the sweet spot for sustainable business venture.
Efini and Amati might be no more, but perhaps it was for the better. Mazda’s original plan with Efini and Amati would’ve condemned Mazda’s namesake brand to live the rest of its live as a mainstream brand that appealed only to middle-class buyers.
In contrast, the current Mazda Premium strategy would keep a single identity, lifting the entire brand’s appeal but the company have to be brave about abandoning the budget conscious, mainstream segment. The strategy have worked well for Audi and BMW - neither of which were considered as premium brands in the early days, despite what the two companies' public relations messages say. BMW was only accepted as an alternative to Mercedes-Benz in the '80s, nearly 70 years after after the company's founding. Audi wasn't considered a premium brand until the early 2000s. It's a similar story with Volvo today.
Mazda's move to abandon the mainstream segment is risky but it follows a particular Sun Tzu’s Art of War's teaching - “When your army has crossed the border, you should burn your boats and bridges, in order to make it clear to everybody that you have no hankering after home.” The all-new Mazda 3 is doing just that. There is no turning back. It will forfeit its previous position to the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla Altis, to cross the Pacific to claim the more lucrative prize, one that’s fiercely guarded by Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz.
The
all-new 3
 is only a statement of intent. When the Vision Coupe concept becomes a production car (
rumoured to be jointly developed
 with Toyota/Lexus), the battle for supremacy will begin. Pay attention to the way light is curved and reflected off the Vision Coupe's side panels.
Mazda's craftmen call this manipulation of light and shadow 'Utsuroi' (notice the light and shadow play in the video below) and the all-new Mazda 3 will be the first Mazda to feature such design, a design which Mazda says other
manufacturers who rely too much on computers won't know how to
 produce. Perfecting the organic-like curves requires expert craftsmen, and the foundation of luxury is not electronics, but aesthetics and craftmanship.


PDRM to offer 50% discount on traffic summonses from Jan 18 - Feb 1

Police are offering
50% discount
 for traffic offenders to settle their outstanding summonses online from Jan 18 to Feb 1
Bernama
 reports.

"This year, police would emphasise e-payments for any party that wants to settle their outstanding summonses, especially during this festive season" said Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) director Datuk Azisman Alias.

“But this time, I try to give special discount of 50%. We never did online payment before which would not require people to queue for hours to pay.

Payments can be made online via MyEG and Rilek.com.my

Azisman went on to add that there was a total of 5,763 cases of fatal crashes reported last year, which was marginally lower compared to 5,870 cases in 2018. “This is JSPT’s key performance index where we have reduced fatal accidents by 107 cases or 1.8%. Although the number is small, this is our KPI, and we expect this number to reduce every year,”.


Peugeot’s Fractal Concept Unveiled, A Tech-Laden Ultimate City Cruiser

Peugeot
 is bringing this, its new Fractal concept vehicle to the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. This fully-electric coupe can go roofless once you remove the lightweight single-piece component, and has a laundry list of tech that could see real-world application.
First of all, it’s a two-door, four-seat car that’s described by Peugeot as an ‘urban coupe’. With a combined output of 335hp being transferred onto the road via an electric motor on each axle, a weight of just 1000kg, and a range of up to 450km, the Fractal seems to tick the right boxes.
It is rather compact too, with measurement of just 1.77m wide, 3.81m long, it would prove to be quite nimble around town. Its wheels may look large, but the 19-inchers sit on ‘Tall&Narrow’ tyres.
Importantly, this visual change marks a shift from the automaker’s previous efforts, one that is suspected to make its showroom debut in a revised
3008
 crossover. The Fractal concept, with its roof removed, could be an early look at what an upcoming
Peugeot 308
 CC might look like.
It also sits on special hydraulic platforms that have the ability to telescopically raise itself to have a ground clearance of 11cm in the city to better deal with those potholes and bumpy road surfaces and also reduce it to 7cm to improve aerodynamics while on a highway cruise to conserve battery charge.
The French automaker also states that its interior contains more than 80% of 3D-printed components lined with ‘anechoic protrusions’ that absorb ambient and road noise sound waves to make the custom-designed Focal speaker system much clearer. The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster is driver-customizable, there are touch-activated buttons, and an additional 7.7-inch flat-mounted central touchscreen round off the minimal interior.
But the feature that Peugeot wants to highlight most about the Fractal concept is its sophisticated sound system and the way it integrates into their next-generation i-Cockpit, calling it “unprecedented attention to acoustics.”
Instead of only providing passengers with an audiophile-level aural experience, the Fractal concept generates its own digital sound signature while on the move to alert pedestrians to its presence. This is in line with a forthcoming European legislation that necessitates that all electric vehicles produce some identifiable sound by 2019.
Indeed, Peugeot is part of the eVADER project, an initiative to develop standardized sound symposers as a safe counterpoint to the silence electric vehicles are famous for.


Post-SST: No Changes In Prices For Volvo Models

Volvo Car Malaysia has updated the prices of their local lineup in line with the government’s reintroduction of the Sales and Service Tax (SST).
Compared to the period when the 6% GST was still in effect, the updated pricelist from Volvo indicates that there has been no change in prices for the Swedish marque.


Ford Supports KupiKupifm In Celebrating Christmas With Children In Hospital

Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC), the sole distributor of Ford in Malaysia made it an extra-memorable Christmas for the children at the Hospital Wanita dan Kanak-kanak Sabah, Likas, Kota Kinabalu in support of local radio station Kupikupifm DJs
Cheer to Patient
 CSR Program.
Hospital Wanita dan Kanak-kanak Sabah is a small hospital focusing on obstetrics, gynaecology and paediatrics and is associated with the main hospital in Kota Kinabalu, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Goodie bags filled with stationery and children’s books courtesy of SDAC were given out to the young patients. Kupikupifm DJs entertained the patients and hospital staff with their talented singing and guitar strumming of popular Christmas carols.
Apart from Santa, Marvel superhero Ironman also made an appearance to bring excitement and smiles to the children at their wards.
The CSR program is one of many activities that SDAC is committed in giving back to the local community to make a tangible difference in enhancing the lives of the people and environment.


2023 Rolls-Royce Spectre EV Endures 625,000km Of Tests In South France

Hear ye, hear ye. The great and powerful Rolls-Royce would like you all to know that they are testing its newest model and
first-ever fully electric vehicle, the 2-door Spectre
, in the beautiful riviera region of southern France.

Isn’t it gorgeous? Even with all that somewhat distracting camo-wrap covering the important bits of the exterior, the scenic landscape can only hope to jealously match it for beauty.

We find the car carving up the coastal roads around Miramas, specifically. Clearly, RR expects plenty of its customers to frequent such places, being just a few hours from the border with Monaco and all.

Rolls-Royce Spectre - first full EV

Pre-production Spectres has covered some 625,000km of real-world testing here, which included a visit to the historic Autodrome de Miramas, as part of its global testing program that saw the cars cover a total of some 2.4 million kilometres in various locations with wildly differing, often challenging conditions - much more so than a summer drive along the riviera, of course.

Rolls-Royce has now confirmed the inclusion of a newly-developed intelligent suspension system to deliver the brand’s characteristic otherworldly
magic carpet ride
, using electronic roll stabilisation and GPS data to predict road surface imperfections (to pre-emptively compensate) and corners for a seamless drive.

Its floor-mounted battery has been constructed as a structural component meaning the Spectre will be 30% more rigid and claimed to be the stiffest chassis ever fitted to a Rolls-Royce. We admit those are not attributes we’re used to associating with their cars.

Despite its imposing size and shape (the doors themselves are 5 feet long), it’s also said to be the most aerodynamic car to come out of the British ultra-luxury marque’s stable with a drag coefficient of just 0.25.

There’s still no word about the car’s all-new electric powertrain or underlying technology, though. This aversion to technical specifications is quite typical of Rolls-Royce, but given we’re still some ways off the car’s official full premiere, we’ll let it slide.

Rolls-Royce Spectre - EV specifications?

Unlike most automakers to which a switch to electrified or fully electric drive in place of internal combustion might sound like a mismatch, the silence and effortless power delivery expected of RR’s cars lend themselves very neatly to powerful zero-emissions powertrains.

We’re also quite certain that much of the EV tech going into the Spectre will be the latest and greatest from parent company BMW, who have been producing and selling some pretty
high-profile electric
and
hybrid vehicles
 for a significant chunk of time.

Until we hear more, enjoy this selection of pictures that Rolls-Royce has blessed us with.


Volvo XC40 Launched In Malaysia, Priced From RM255,888

Volvo Car Malaysia has just launched its latest premium compact SUV, the all-new XC40.
The all-new Volvo XC40 is the first Volvo model to be built on the new Compact Modular Architecture (CMA). The larger 60- and 90-series cars are underpinned by the Scalable Platform Architecture (SPA).
Similar to its SPA-based 60 series and 90 series siblings, the all-new XC40 will come with class-leading driver assistance features, including:
Pilot Assist semi-autonomous driving
City Safety - Autonomous Collision Mitigation and Avoidance
Run-off Road Protection and Mitigation
Rear Cross Traffic Alert with Auto Brake
Adaptive Cruise Control
Blind Spot Information System (BLIS)
Lane Keeping Aid (LKA)
What we appreciate most about the XC40 is its interior, which is easily the most practical in its class. The door panels for example, are deep and wide enough for a notebook and a water bottle, simultaneously. This is only possible because the door panels don't need house any speakers. Instead, the speakers and sub-woofers are hidden inside the dashboard, a world's first. The glovebox lid also has a hook for handbags, or in our local culture, take away food packaging.
Other highlights of the all-new XC40 include the card slots, storage area under the centre arm rest that are deep enough for a tissue box, with a removable waste bin too.
The all-new Volvo XC40 is only available in one variant, the T5 R-Design, powered by a 2.0-litre Drive-E powertrain with 252 hp and 350 Nm. An 8-speed automatic takes care of shifting duties. Standard equipment include:
LED headlights with Active High Beam & Active Bending Lights
LED front fog lights with cornering function
R-Design front grille
R-Design Decor Inlay
R-Design scuff plate
R-Design carpets
R-Design half leather, half Nubuck seats
Qi wireless charging pad
2 USB ports up front
1 USB Type-C port
Sensus infotainment system
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
A plug-in hybrid is in the plans, but Volvo Car Malaysia has not committed itself to a specific launch timing yet, pending discussions with the government for incentives for locally-assembled hybrids.
Priced at RM255,888, on-the-road without insurance, deliveries to customers will commence on January 2019 and all units delivered to customers will be locally-assembled. There were a small number of units imported from Ghent, Belgium, but these are either showroom cars or for Volvo Car Malaysia's internal use.


Review: 2020 (C190) Mercedes-AMG GTR Coupe – Rolling Thunder, Piercing Fury

We get up close and personal with Mercedes-AMG's most brutal supercar: the (C190) AMG GTR

On the afternoon of the 24th of July 1971, a large red Mercedes-Benz rolled onto the paddock of the legendary Spa Francorchamps race circuit. People laughed at this ungainly beast of a thing, which looked like someone, had hacked through a luxury limousine to create somewhat of a racecar. People sneered and laughed, but, 24 hours later, they laughed no more!

Starting from fifth on the grid, this particular 300 SEL AMG affectionally known as the “Rote Sau” or “Red Pig”, was the brainchild of two Mercedes-Benz engineers – Hans-Werner Aufrecht and Erhardt Melcher, who thought it a good idea to shoehorn a 6.8-litre V8 engine into the relatively large (W109) S-Class chassis and go racing.

Competing against a field of nimbler and smaller vehicles – such as the BMW 2000 CS and Alfa Romeo GTAm – the AMG 300 SEL was naturally disadvantaged by its weight and size. However, with 420 hp and 600 Nm of torque, it was also monstrously fast in a straight line and impeccably reliable – which led to it winning first in its class and second overall. In fact, had it not been for the Red Pig’s appetite for tyres and fuel, and hence pit stops, it arguably could have finished first overall.

Despite the legend of the Red Pig and all the fame and success it undoubtedly inspired for Mercedes-Benz and AMG in motorsport subsequently, it stood for something even greater – it stood for dissidence, it stood for the passion of competition, and it stood for superior performance through
sheer force of will
.

Unlike BMW’s “M” division which is a subsidiary of the company itself – which gives them easier coordination with regards to motorsports programs – AMG’s roots began with it being a relative outsider, taking factory Mercedes-Benz vehicles and reverse engineering them to do something they were not intended to.

In January 2005 Daimler Chrysler acquired 100 percent of AMG shares to establish Mercedes-AMG GmBH. With greater resources, AMG has gone on to diversify its model range and drivetrain offerings. With the (C190) GT range, AMG quite possibly had the freest hand in designing and developing a bespoke supercar.

Now, with the facelifted GTR, AMG might have just gone on to create one of the purest distillations of that fabled genre of automobiles – a racecar for the road.

Overview

First launched in 2014, the GT series (consisting of the C190 coupe and R190 cabriolet) is just the second model lineup to be fully developed by AMG after the SLS AMG. First introduced in 2014 the GT series consisted of the (456 hp) GT and (503 hp) GTS, the raucous GTR variant joined the line-up in 2016 with 577 bhp.

The facelifted model featured here introduces subtle aesthetic updates - updated front and rear headlights, an updated interior, and updated drive functions.

On the inside, major improvements include a new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster (shared with AMG GT 4-Door) and a larger 10.25-inch centrally mounted infotainment display. The highly revised centre console now comes with superb looking TFT "buttons" for the various function and mode controllers. The redesigned steering wheel (now standard across the GT range) is wrapped in Dinamica Microfibre. The AMG bucket seats, in addition, are trimmed in Nappa leather and Dinamica microfiber.

The locally sold AMG GTR comes supplied with the AMG exterior carbon-fibre package II, ceramic composite braking system and finally AMG Performance exhaust system. Another impressive aspect of the Malaysian-spec GTR is that it comes with the AMG Track Package – which is standard of the AMG GTR Pro – featuring the roll-over protection cage system just aft of the seats, a Schroth Racing four-point harness system, and a 2kg fire extinguisher.

In terms of competitors, the AMG GTR has to contend against other track-focussed rivals such as the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and McLaren 570 S.

Exterior

Stand six-feet away from the AMG GTR, and it won’t matter if you’re six or sixty years old – your first impressions: “WOW...”.

Standing low and wide, the GTR is a fusion of sexy proportions and purposeful detail. The large air dams at the front seemingly complex and huge to suck in every cubic inch of air to cool the engine, flanked by redesigned headlights that now feature a three-chamber design for the headlight reflectors, while a new C-Shaped light strip which works as a DRL, turn signal, and position light.

Round the flanks, the wheels grab the most amount of attention – matte black spokes with a semi-gloss silver lip (19-inches at the front, 20-inches at the rear) cover massive ceramic two-piece brakes, which are themselves adorned with bright yellow callipers. The whole lot look like they’re straight off an endurance racecar – which for the most part, it is because the GTR actually forms the basis of the GT4-class customer racing vehicles.

Round the back, a carbon fibre wing straddles the top of the boot lid, just below, the updated rear lamps with its LED light strip and sequential turn signals now appears deeper set with darkened “smoke-effect” lenses.

Lower down, the diffuser remains unchanged from the pre-facelift model but still looks menacingly cool and purposeful.

Interior

This doesn’t happen to me often, but I actually felt claustrophobic in the first instance I sat in the GTR.

The seats are low slung, your butt is possibly just two inches off the floor, and the seat height is static once bolted into side mount brackets, the dashboard is wide and imposing, and the centre console, is higher than your waist height – it can be a little bit too much to take in all at first without feeling overwhelmed. Add to this, that despite how high you might sit in the car, you can never see the edge of the front bonnet.

However, give it a bit of time, and you’ll soon realise that the cockpit starts to wrap around you, then you start to appreciate the fluency of the controls, the feel of that immaculate microfiber-wrapped steering wheel within your grip. In addition, those full-on racing seats – which are the best in terms of design, comfort and body support, bar none, yours truly has ever experienced.

Besides the gear shifter, which is sat too far back – possibly a packaging side effect of having a transaxle transmission, the rest of the cabin is simple and easy to get used to if you have experienced any other modern Mercedes-Benz. Also, note that the Malaysian-spec GTR is supplied as standard with the rollover-cage and four-point race harness which comes as standard on the AMG GTR Pro model.

The 12.3-inch configurable instrument cluster displays crisp graphics and is a cool step with the times, though it has to be said, once you’ve experienced Merc’s MBUX system – all else starts to feel a tad bit dated. Another lovable aspect of the GTR is that despite what it is, Mercedes-Benz has still managed to fit a compact and powerful Burmester sound system in the cabin, but truth be told, all the entertainment you really need lies in that engine up front, and the bass notes that come out the back.

Driving Experience

At the instance of hitting that Start/Stop button, the GTR lights up with a boom. The rush of air and fuel thrusting out the back settles into a rumble after a while. Quick dabs of the throttle sends pulsating barks that can be heard 100 meters away. For sheer occasion, it is hard to beat this.

Arc your arm far back to get the gear into its “D” position, the E-Brake automatically disengages, prod the throttle and ever so gently, the GTR will start to pull away. Despite all that power at the ready, the Speedshift dual-clutch transmission is remarkably easy to get used to, not much different from say a Merc C300.

Quite possibly one of the biggest compliments one could give the GTR is its civility on normal roads. The dynamic suspension feels tight yet composed, allowing adequate bump and rebound over road irregularities, the rear, though more stiff allows for a composed ride at low speeds.

The steering is sublime, at practically any speed, it feels light, connected, and granular – such that every inch of radial movement delivers an output at the front end. However, it does take some getting used to, because it’s so direct, it doesn’t really have a straight-on deadspot– such that it doesn’t self-centre easily like other steering systems – so it almost requires constant input, even on the straights.

Another notable bit of racecar tech is the GTR’s Active Rear Wheel steering, which uses independent actuators at each rear wheel to turn the rear wheel in the opposite direction at speeds up to 100km/h, but in the same direction as the front at speeds above 100km/h.

What this does is give the GTR surreal manoeuvrability at low speeds – so it’s no harder to U-Turn than a midsized SUV – but offers added stability at higher speeds. As you might surmise, the system works so fabulously that it’s almost imperceptible most times.

Get in one of the more aggressive modes –Sports+ or RACE – and find yourself a challenging road; you will soon understand why the GTR is one of the most sublime driving machines in the world.

Literally from any engine speed, 2,000 rpm, 3,000 rpm… squeeze the accelerator and unleash the full (700 Nm) fury that 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 upfront. The rev needle climbs so fast that in the earliest three gears, you really need your wits about you on when to pull that paddle shifter to upshift. I have driven fast cars before but few have left me wanting for air and or blood to my brain like the GTR.

This thing is ferocious in a straight line, the gearchanges are lightning fast, the power delivery sublime yet tractable – and it only gets better in the corners.

Despite its size, get it down a twisty road and you're simply left in awe of its chassis balance, its relative nimbleness during corner transitions, and phenomenal mechanical grip during turn-in and mid-corner. At corner exits, simply unwind the steering while applying throttle and the GTR simply rockets out of corners, flat on its toes, and oozing confidence.

When I had the car Sport+ mode (ESC off), it was sometimes easy to overwhelm the rear tyres coming out of slower corners, but its surprisingly easy to correct the car’s trajectory by applying opposite lock. As opposed to other AMG V8 cars, which will happily cook the rear tyres at the slightest provocation, the GTR simply wants to straighten out and rocket on to the next corner; again, another accolade of the chassis' brilliant stability and communication.

And when you need to calm things down, the massive brakes offer amazing stopping power from literally any speed.

Given that it is designed for continuous hammering on tracks like the Nurburgring, it’s safe to say that no matter how hard you try to push it on Malaysian roads, you're less than likely to even tap 50 percent of its true potential.

Conclusion

Which brings us to its price, RM1,712 million and change – which is a lot of money I know, but it’s also excellent value for money. Yes, you read that right, because, at RM1.7 million, the GTR undercuts its closest rivals, the (RM2.2 million) Porsche GT3 RS and McLaren 570S by a whopping RM450k.

Yes, nearly half a million Ringgit cheaper! That’s almost the price of a
Mercedes-AMG GLC 43
 – which is quite possibly all the car you’ll ever need for all the other days of the week.

The GTR will offer about the same performance as the Porsche and McLaren; the visual drama of a fighter jet and more adoring (and jealous) eyes than any Ferrari the same amount of money will buy you (the Portofino is in the same ballpark).

I don’t know about you, but that’s a winner in my books!


BMW 100th Anniversary Contest – Trip to Munich to be won

The BMW Group celebrates its 100
th
 anniversary in 2016; one of many events and campaigns in place to mark the occasion is the #myBMW100Years contest organized by BMW Group Malaysia for all BMW owners in the country.
A special microsite has been set up at
www.mybmw100years.com
 for the contest, in which owners are invited to share their most exciting and memorable photographs with their BMW vehicles and provide a short caption that reflects the theme ‘Reflecting on your past with BMW’ in less than 1,000 characters.
Participation in the contest is open to owners of
all BMW cars
 and BMW Motorrad motorcycles, regardless whether they were sold through
official
 or parallel imported channels.
After uploading their photographs and captions, participating owners are then encouraged to share their submission on Facebook and Instagram social media channels. The ten participants with the highest number of votes and likes stand the chance to win a trip to the BMW Welt and BMW Museum in Munich.
Closing date of the #myBMW100Years contest is 29 February 2016 and selected winners will be announced on the 7 March 2016 on BMW Malaysia’s official
Facebook
 and
Instagram
 pages.