Petrol Prices Expected To Climb Next Month, Says PDAM

A
report from the Malaysian Digest
 suggests that the RM1.70 for RON95 petrol we enjoy this month, may be on the up come the 1
st
 of March, 2015, when new prices are announced.
As of February 1
st
, 2015
, Malaysians pay RM1.70 per litre for RON95 petrol and diesel, while RON 97 is sold at the pump for RM2.00 per litre.
These prices are determined by a managed float system that’s based on the monthly average of global crude oil prices for the preceding month. The new managed float system was put in place by the government late 2014, after it had fully removed fuel subsidies which was reported to cost the government some RM20 billion a year.
The speculation now exists because global crude oil prices have just been reported to have risen to US$60, where it was US$48 in the previous month. President of the Petrol Dealers’ Association of Malaysia, Datuk Hashim Othman, told the Malaysian Digest (MD) that based on that point, he too expects a price increase at the pump.
Come February 28
th
, 2015, likewise March 31
st
, 2015, we’ll know for sure.


Volkswagen Giving You Ang Pao For CNY

Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia is grabbing the proverbial ox by the hands with some very interesting ang pao rebates for you this Chinese New Year.

Customers who book via the eShowroom will enjoy additional online savings on top of the ongoing ang pao rebates. Those interested in the Passat range will also enjoy free additional 1-year insurance or RM5,500 savings.

Tiguan Allspace Highline, Tiguan Allspace R-Line,
Arteon R-Line
, Passat Elegance and the
Passat R-Line
 are all entitled for RM1,000 ang pao rebates. To add some mandarin oranges to top that off, eShowroom savings of RM3,500 is also applicable for all models except for the Arteon R-Line that gets RM4,500 instead. Since no CNY is complete without some shandy, there is an additional Year of Make 2020 savings of RM3,500 for both
Tiguan
 models, RM2,500 for the Arteon R-Line and either a Free 1-year insurance or RM5,500 for both Passat models - WAH!

Lagi Volkswagen mau tambah after-sales offer lagi for service:

A list of additional offerings include complimentary 5 Star Service Check, up to 20% discount on batteries and tyres, and complimentary Volkswagen ang pao packets. The above campaign runs from now till 28 February 2021.


Hyundai Introduces A Smartphone App That Can Optimise A Hyundai EV Performance

Hyundai Motor Group announced the development of an industry-first smartphone-based app that is able to pair up with an electric vehicle and control various performance parameters and functions of the vehicle in real time.
The app doesn’t have a snazzy name yet, but Hyundai calls the technology ‘smartphone-electric vehicle pairing based performance adjustment technology’, which is quite a mouthful.
Once connected to the vehicle – it allows drivers to adjust seven performance parameters of the vehicle such as the maximum torque output of the motor, ignition, acceleration and deceleration abilities, regenerative braking capacity, maximum speed limit, responsiveness, and energy use on the climate control system.
As more and more EVs take to the roads, especially in rental or car-sharing industries, the new app-based technology will allow drivers/users to use their custom settings in whichever electric vehicle they drive by downloading their profile from a centralised server.
The application provides optimized settings for a designated destination by analysing the remaining distance and electric energy requirement. It can also accommodate sportier driving by recommending tailored performance settings. Users will also be able to share their custom settings with other users, and vice-versa, or apply predetermined settings from Hyundai based on the driving conditions and route.
The technology uses a blockchain network to encrypt major performance parameters and creates new data blocks before storing the data in a server to block unauthorised manipulation.
Hyundai says the technology is possible in EVs only, simply because of their nature of operation, i.e.: altering EV performance doesn’t change the carbon footprint. As such, electric vehicles provide drivers more leeway in applying such technology.
The technology is expected to be implemented in future Hyundai and Kia vehicles. Hyundai Group plans to deploy a further 23 electric vehicles by 2025.


Review: Honda Odyssey 2.4L EXV – Unparalleled Peace Of Mind

When one mentions “luxury Japanese MPV”, the first model which comes to our minds is probably the Toyota Alphard.
But what if the Alphard is too common or too big for one's liking?
The Estima was also being offered by UMW Toyota Motor some time ago but that too has been discontinued, and all we have are recond units.
But what if you want a luxury Asian seven-seater which is more generous with technology and features?
Fortunately, the time when there weren’t many alternatives to the Alphard and the Estima has changed, as many newer and updated models have made their way into the luxury MPV segment and broadened the spectrum of choices for the buyer.
For instance, those who want maximum seating capacity have the Weststar Maxus G10, and buyers who want something slightly smaller but just as practical have the Kia Grand Carnival, but if safety and technology are on top of your priority list, the Honda Odyssey 2.4L EXV right here may just be the model you’re looking for.
Specifications
Engine: 2.4-litre in-line four cylinder, petrol
Transmission:  CVT with 7 virtual ratios
Max Power: 175 PS at 6,200 rpm
Max Torque: 225 Nm at 4,000 rpm
Price: RM258,896 OTR without insurance, including SST
Safety: 6 airbags, ABS, EBD, BA, HSA, VSA, Honda Sensing, Parking Assist
Origin: Made in Japan
Overview
The updated 2018 Odyssey seven-seater MPV made its Malaysian debut in February this year, with Honda Sensing advanced driving assistance system features as well as a few cosmetic updates.
The updated Odyssey is the third model in Honda Malaysia's portfolio to get Honda Sensing after the CR-V and the Accord.
Unlike the outgoing model which had two variants, the current Odyssey is only offered in one trim level - the 2.4L EXV which is priced at RM258,896 (OTR without insurance).
The big news with the updated Odyssey is the inclusion of the Honda Sensing, which includes the following features:
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
Road Departure Mitigation (RDM)
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS)
However unlike the CR-V, the Odyssey does not come with Low Speed Follow, as the function requires an electric parking brake. The Honda Accord, which also uses a conventional mechanical parking brake, also does not come with Low Speed Follow.
Powering the Odyssey is the same powerplant package as before - the Honda Earth Dreams 2.4-litre DOHC i-VTEC four-cylinder petrol engine producing 175 PS and 225 Nm, paired to a CVT-type automatic gearbox.
Exterior
Measuring 4,840 mm long, 1,820 mm wide, and 1,695 mm tall, the Odyssey is slightly smaller than the Alphard which is 4,945 mm long, 1,850 mm wide, and 1,895 tall.
Features wise, a lot has changed compared to the pre-facelift Odyssey. The 2018 model we’re looking at now comes with LED projector headlights, new LED fog lamps, new bumpers, a new front grille, new bumper, new LED taillights, LED fog lights, 17-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, as well as Auto Retractabe Door Mirrors.
Despite having all these new features, the Odyssey still looks quite conservative, and doesn't really attract much attention like the sleeker and sportier 2012 Odyssey Absolute.
That being said, there’s nothing much to shout about the new Odyssey in terms of exterior design except for the striking front end with a generous dosage of chrome.
Interior

Despite being one of the smalIer models in the luxury MPV segment, the 2018 Odyssey is generous with space and practicality inside.
In typical Odyssey fashion, one can walk from the front to the second row between the seats, and since the model is a 7-seater, we could also walk all the way to the third row. However, we had to bend a little whenever we were moving from row to row to prevent knocking our heads on the roof.
The seats are all clad in leather but only the front row and second row seats come with foldable arms rests which really adds to comfort during long hauls.
The second row captain’s seats, which are the main highlight of the Odyssey, also come with retractable leg-rests and window blinds. Plus, these seats can also be moved sideways to widen the “walkway” between them.
The third row in the Odyssey, unlike the plush ones in the Alphard or Elgrand, didn't really feel luxurious, but the saving grace was that there is ample leg room thanks to the moveable second-row seats.
In the driver’s seat, comfort and visibility was top notch. The huge windows, leather seats, high seat height, and the quiet cabin made it feel like we were travelling in a luxury coach some times.
Our favourite feature in front was the small centre console with two cup holders and a tray on the lower half of the dashboard which could be raised to a more usable height. This tray came in handy whenever we needed space to store our smartphones, Smart Tags, keys, and what not.
Adding to the whole
atas
 feel was the dashboard which had almost no physical buttons or levers on it.  Almost everything was accessed using a touch-screen interface, including the air-cond controls.
While we had two USB ports, an HDMI port, and a 12-volt socket in front, all the second and third row passengers had was one USB slot and two 12V sockets in the third row, which was rather disappointing.
In this day and age where smartphones have become the next most important thing in life after the oxygen we’re breathing, a couple of additional USB chargings slot in the second and third rows would’ve earned the Odyssey more brownie points.
Another key feature in the Odyssey is the ease of putting the third row of seats away. All one has to do is lift a handle, pull it, and the seat folds flat on the floor, freeing up quite a bit of storage space.
Driving it
After spending a few days with the Odyssey, we found it to be an absolute delight to drive. The engine was very smooth and quiet, and only became audible when we pushed it hard.
The CVT was alright too when we drove it calmly, but when we worked it harder during overtaking and accelerating, the rubber-band effect became more apparent, but it wasn’t that bad.
Thanks to the big windscreen and windows, visibility was top notch. We could see everything around us so clearly that the Lanewatch camera seemed redundant.
Manoeuvring it through parking lots and tight spots was not an issue as well, thanks to the four parking sensors, the multi-view camera with aerial view, and the tight turning radius of 5.4 meters.
On the road, NVH level was low and the Odyssey felt more planted than we expected it to be. There was still noticeable body roll but as long as we drove it like how an MPV was supposed to be driven, it felt quite balanced.
Besides all of the above, what sets the Odyssey apart from most MPVs in the game and puts it in a league of its own, is the safety features it is equipped with.
The 6 airbags, ABS, EBD, BA, HSA, and VSA aside, the Odyssey comes with Smart Parking Assist System which allows the MPV to basically park itself, Cross Traffic Monitor system which alerts when there is a vehicle approaching while it is getting out of a parking spot, a multi-angle rear-view camera, Blind Spot Information, and the Honda Sensing package.
The Honda Sensing package, which includes Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), basically keeps the Odyssey in its lane, prevents it from rear-ending a vehicle in front in case it stops suddenly, and also allows the Odyssey to follow the vehicle in front while adjusting the speed accordingly without the driver having to intervene frequently.
As for the passengers, there is nothing much to complain except for the fact that there is only one USB charging slot in the second row, and that the third row feels less “special” than the seats in front.
Conclusion
Overall, the 2018 Honda Odyssey has improved a lot from the outgoing model. There is no doubt that it is a worthy option for those who are looking for a luxury seven seater MPV which is smaller than the Alphard, Elgrand, or the Kia Grand Carnival.
There is still room for improvements. For instance, the third row seats can be upgraded to be a tad more luxurious like what we get in the Alphard, and a roof-mounted screen, as well as more USB slots can be added to make things better for the rear occupants.
But on the bright side, the list of safety features and driver assistance offered in the Odyssey is mighty impressive. With so many systems keeping things in check while the Odyssey is on the move, the degree of peace-of-mind you get while piloting the Odyssey can only be matched by a few vehicles out there, and they cost much, much more.


July 2017 Vehicle Sales - 4.4% Drop In Sales, But Increase Year-On-Year

July 2017 saw a dip in sales, with 48,553 vehicles sold, a 2,247 units or 4.4% drop from the month before. Despite shifting less cars than June 2017, July actually saw an increase year-on-year, with an almost 20k improvement compared to the same period last year, marking a 6.3% increase. Another reason why July saw less car sold was also because of technical issues with JPJ's "e-daftar" system.
As of July 2017, a total of 333,010 vehicles were sold in Malaysia, slightly above the halfway mark to achieve Malaysian Automotive Association's TIV forecast of 590,000 units for 2017.
Last month, only Perodua and Toyota registered a month-on-month improvement in sales.
Perodua's upward sales figure continue to climb, recording a 6.2% increase month-on-month. Last month, the company sold 18,920 vehicles, marking a 1,099 unit increase over the 17,821 units sold in June. This is due to the company's efforts in clearing existing stock of the Myvi, in preparation for the launch of the new model later this year.
As for Honda, the company maintains its position as the country's number one non-national brand, with a total of 8,576 units sold in July. Sales of Honda dropped 2.6% versus June, which saw 8,808 units sold that month. Honda's sales are expected to pick up once the company ramps up production of the new CR-V, which has already seen 1,400 orders within a week after its debut. Honda initially planned to shift 700 units of the CR-V monthly. Apart from that, deliveries for the new Honda City and Jazz Hybrid models have just commenced, so we could see some positive growth for Honda next month.
Mercedes-Benz also saw a drop in sales last month, due to shortage of its CKD models. The company sold 760 vehicles last month, a 38.8% drop from June. Even on a year-to-year basis, Mercedes-Benz's sales saw a drop of 3.4%. The impending introduction of the Mercedes-Benz E350e could improve the company's sales figure.
Mazda is currently caught in an in-between phase, as the company is clearing remaining stock of its CX-5. A total of 701 vehicles were sold in July, a 12.5% drop versus June 2017. The year-on-year drop for Mazda is more significant at 31.9%. The Hiroshima-based company will be launching the all-new 2017 Mazda CX-5 in the coming months, which means that sales figure could pick up once the new model is launched.
Proton was also not spared from the downward trend, with just 5,954 units sold last month, marking a 17.6% drop compared to the month prior. Despite the drop, Proton recorded a strong 14.5% growth year-on-year, with 45,347 units sold to date, versus 39,593 units sold in the same period last year.


Hyundai Unveils Futuristic Vision G Concept

Korean automaker
Hyundai
 has some big plans for its upmarket offerings, at least if their new
Genesis
 is anything to go by. They’re looking a coupe offering too, and this HCD-16 Vision G Coupe Concept could preview that.
Interestingly, Hyundai decided to reveal the car a little early at the Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art. Initially, we were only meant to catch a glimpse of the car – which may be our first look at Hyundai’s next-generation of their Fluidic Sculpture design language – at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
Design chief of Hyundai-
Kia
, Peter Schreyer, says the Vision G represents “a DNA that balances design and performance with the idea that you don't need to be over the top in terms of glitz and stereotypical luxury cues.”
It certainly is striking with its sloping roofline, sculpted body, long hood, and gaping front grille whale shark-like cues.
Powering the Vision G Concept sits a 5.0-litre Tau V8 engine that outputs 420hp and 520Nm of torque. We’re not sure yet how far Hyundai might go to make this car a production reality, or whether this heralds this imminent arrival of a replacement for the Genesis Coupe. Certainly has the right design chops to fill such a role.
Enjoy the gallery below. What do you think of the design? Is it a winner?


Miros Asking For Import And GST Exemptions For Cheaper Child Car Seats

To make child seats more affordable for parents, the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) intends to propose an exemption from import tax duty in addition to a waiver of Goods and Services Tax (GST) for that product classification.
Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, chairman of Miros, says the proposal will be forwarded to the National Road Safety Council once it is finalised. Hopefully this will encourage more parents to purchase and install car seats, writes The Sun.
“Among the challenges for parents to purchase is always the affordability issue. If it’s true that car seats are being imposed import tax duty up to 30% in view of the GST, we need to look into this,” said Lee.
He added that since nearly all child seats are imported into Malaysia, something must be done to reduce the price on the market to ensure they are made as accessible as possible to the average motorist.
Miros director-general Prof Wong Shaw Voon, meanwhile, says that a star rating system for child seats is being discussed to be used measure the quality of child seats that are sold in our local market to make the buying process more streamlined.
"This might be the same as what Asean NCAP is applying with new car. But this matter still requires an in-depth study and we have to work out on the mechanism before we can start providing a rating system for this purpose," he said.


Volvo Is Probably Launching The XC40 Recharge T5 PHEV Here Soon

It's been a fairly slow start to the year, but Volvo Car Malaysia is intent on making a statement.

Unlike what the Recharge name meant to Volvo models when it was first announced with a pure electric variant of the XC40, it now stands in as a catch-all phrase for electrified Volvo variants that can recharge their batteries via an external power source - which happens to include Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles, or PHEVs. Volvo Car Malaysia recently teased a picture of a headlight, which is fairly likely to be
one from an XC40
.

But it probably isn't any XC40, given that we've
had the T5 variant here
 in Malaysia for the last few years. The sole petrol model on offer here packed a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine pushing 252 hp and 350 Nm of torque, spread across all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. No, what Volvo Car Malaysia has teased is the XC40 Recharge T5, which will come with a hybrid powertrain.

The individual components of the powertrain are an electric motor pushing 81 hp and 160 Nm, and a three-cylinder, 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that puts out 178 hp and 265 Nm of torque - similar to those found in the
Proton X50
. A total output of 258 hp and 425 Nm is only delivered to the front wheels, unfortunately - it doesn't have the pure-electric drive to the rear like larger hybrid Volvo models do.

Performance metrics aren't too different, but of course the party piece of the XC40 Recharge T5 is the fact that you can achieve incredible fuel consumption (provided you keep that battery happily charged). Volvo quotes a consumption of as low as 2 litres of petrol per 100 kilometres. You'll have a 10.7 kWh lithium-ion battery sitting in the transmission tunnel (which would otherwise take a propshaft) to help you on your way.

Charging can be done in a variety of ways, as is the case with most PHEVs and EVs. A regular three-pin charger will charge at a rate of 2.3 kW for 5 hours, while more powerful options from 3.7 kW to 22 kW will reduce that time progressively to three hours. It's still not quite as convenient as you would expect, but just by driving it around you will make sure that battery doesn't run completely dry.

Of course, the XC40 Recharge T5 coming to Malaysia is more than just speculation, as our neighbours up north in Thailand have nice "Made in Malaysia" tags on their cars. That's to say that Volvo's local assembly plants are already making the XC40 Recharge T5 - it just isn't sold here yet. Whether it stands side by side with the regular XC40 T5 or replaces it entirely remains to be seen.


Rancang Perjalanan dan Kongsi Kenderaan

Tiba pada hari di mana anda akan memulakan perjalalanan balik kampung, jangan lupa untuk membuat persiapan yang sewajarnya. Pertama sekali, sebelum menempuhi perjalanan jauh yang akan memenatkan fizikal dan emosi, anda perlu cukup rehat, serta jika perlu, mencuri sela waktu ketika di dalam perjalanan itu untuk merehatkan diri buat seketika dalam usaha mengumpul semula tenaga dan tumpuan kepada pemanduan.
Untuk itu, adalah amat penting untuk anda merancang perjalanan dengan rapi. Bagaimana untuk melakukan perkara ini? Hampir semua penyelia lebuh raya utama di seluruh negara akan mengeluarkan jadual cadangan perjalanan untuk musim perayaan. Jadikan ini sumber rujukan utama anda.
Pelbagai kemungkinan akan berlaku ketika waktu puncak dan jalan raya menjadi begitu padat dengan kenderaan. Jadilah pengguna yang bijak dan mainkan peranan anda untuk melegakan kesesakan lalu lintas yang biasanya akan berlaku. Ikuti cadangan perjalanan yang disediakan, biasanya mengikut zon-zon kawasan dan tempoh waktu yang tertentu agar tidak terlalu bertembung dengan pengguna lain serta jangan termakan dengan provokasi pengguna jalan raya lain yang beremosi.
Jika anda memandu balik kampung secara berseorangan, anda juga mungkin ingin memainkan peranan di dalam mengurangkan kesesakan dengan cara berkongsi kenderaan bersama teman-teman. Gunakan platform teknologi yang ada untuk mencari 'rakan kongsi' dalam perjalanan anda, mereka-mereka yang mungkin mempunyai destinasi yang sama seperti anda, atau ke lokasi-lokasi yang berada di dalam jalur perjalanan yang sama.
'Rakan kongsi' kerana anda tidak hanya mempunyai teman sepanjang perjalanan yang mungkin akan dapat memeriahkan perjalanan, tetapi juga tanggungan kos petrol serta tol yang turut boleh dikongsi dan menjadikan perjalanan semua orang yang terlibat itu lebih jimat. Jika jumlah kenderaan yang berada di atas jalan raya pada satu-satu masa boleh dikurangkan, kesesakan lalu lintas yang teruk juga boleh dielakkan.


Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show Returns After Five Years

The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) has announced that the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) is making a comeback this year, all set to take place from 23 November to 2 December 2018 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), Kuala Lumpur.
With “Beyond Mobility” as the theme, this year’s edition of KLIMS, which will be the ninth installation of the event, will see many new model launches, new automobile concepts, latest powertrain offerings, as well as future connectivity technology being showcased by vehicle manufacturers.
For KLIMS 2018, MAA is expecting more than 350,000 visitors to the 10-day event.
Datuk Aishah Ahmad, the president of MAA emphasised that KLIMS will continue to be represented as the eminent national automotive event, which has played a significant role in Malaysia’s automotive industry.
MAA is urging automotive industry players to leverage on KLIMS 2018 to fuel their market position. Daihatsu, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Isuzu, Kawasaki, Kia, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Perodua, Proton, Toyota, UD, V-Kool, 3M are among the frontrunners in confirming their exhibition spaces.
KLIMS 2018 is expected to make its comeback at over 50,000 square meters of gross exhibition floor with over 100 participating exhibitors and attracting over 350,000 visitors.
Event details are as mentioned below:
Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2018 (KLIMS)
Organiser: Malaysian Automotive Association
Date: 23 November – 02 December 2018
Venue: Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre Kuala Lumpur (MITEC)


Korean Brands Losing Ground In Key Markets

After nearly a decade of strong growth, Hyundai and Kia are now buckling under the pressure of renewed competitiveness from European and Japanese brands. Both brands are losing market share not just in export markets but also in its domestic market in South Korea.
Bloomberg reported that Hyundai’s market share in Korea fell to 32 percent in January this year, the lowest in 15 years, as sales of imported models from Volkswagen and Audi rose.
The Audi A6 and Volkswagen Tiguan are the two best-selling imported models in Korea, while Mercedes-Benz and BMW are the best-selling import brands.
Both Hyundai and Kia were once described as a ‘Japanese car killer’ but the two leading Korean brands are now losing ground to a reinvigorated Toyota and Honda.
In China, which is Hyundai’s largest export market, the brand is under severe pressure. Hyundai has reportedly stopped releasing any monthly sales data after a sharp plunge in its July’s sales, which had reportedly dropped by almost 50 percent from March.
Data from the China Automobile Dealers Association revealed that the combined market share of Korean brands in China, including Kia and Ssangyong, dropped 2.5 points from last year to 6.5 percent in the first half of 2015, while Japanese brands made a strong comeback to claim 3.6 points from last year, now totalling 19.3 percent.
In contrast, Toyota, Honda and Nissan all made strong gains in the first half of 2015. Honda made the biggest gains, with sales rising 30 percent over the same period, while Toyota and Nissan gained 10 and 5.7 percent respectively over the same period last year.
Sales of Japanese brands in China dropped sharply in 2012 amidst political tensions between China and Japan, which later resulted in anti-Japanese sentiments amongst Chinese consumers.
Over in the US, Hyundai’s market share declined slightly by 0.1 points to 4.4 percent, but its market share was defended at a very high cost. According to US car price monitoring website TrueCar.com, Hyundai has been raising its incentives to dealers by 50 percent, to around USD2,400 per car, versus Honda’s USD1,400 per car.
In the first half of 2015, Hyundai’s operating profit fell 17.1 percent amidst a 3.2 percent drop in global sales.
Toyota too suffered a 1.5 percent drop in global sales as growth in emerging markets slowed, but the company’s cost reduction measures and a favourable exchange rate for the Japanese Yen aided its third straight year of record quarterly profit – reaching 646.39 billion Yen for the period between April to June 2015.
In Malaysia, Hyundai’s market share fell from 1.5 percent in 2014 to 1.1 percent (as of June 2015) while Kia fell from 1.5 to 0.8 percent. Mazda gained 0.3 points to 2.0 percent while Honda gained 1.9 points to 13.5 percent.


China Construction Bank To Extend RM1.88b Loan To Proton

Proton has secured banking facilities worth RM1.88 billion from China Construction Bank (CCB). The company said on Friday that the loans are earmarked to finance Proton’s future business expansion plans as it strives to achieve its goal to be the number one automotive brand in Malaysia and number three in the ASEAN trade bloc by 2027.
CCB is among the top-five largest banks in the world by market capitalization.
At the same time, Proton also announced that it had entered a Licensing and Technical Assistance Agreement (LTAA) with Pakistan’s Alhaj Automobile to build a manufacturing plant in Karachi to assemble Proton vehicles there.
The new plant will be built in Karachi on a greenfield (previously unused) site with an initial investment of USD30 million. It will also create 2,000 direct employment opportunities in its first three years of operations and an estimated 20,000 indirect jobs for supporting industries in the coming years.
“The exchange of documents between Proton and its partners, Alhaj and CCB, is a significant step in Proton’s journey to achieve its long term goals. Expansion to foreign markets is critical for sales growth while obtaining financing allows the Company to invest in the many projects required to turn PROTON into a truly global automotive brand,” said Dato’ Seri Syed Faisal Albar, Chairman of Proton.


Volkswagen Unveils Its All-New Transporter T6

The all-new T6 model in the Volkswagen Transporter van series has been unveiled in Amsterdam with sales to begin later in the year.
This minivan and its predecessors has been one of the longest-running in VW’s line-up with around 12 million vehicles sold over its 65 year span since the original Type 2 was introduced in 1950. This newest T6 will, of course, be available in many versions to cater to the passenger and commercial market, with a long-wheelbase version available sometime after initial launch.
This newest iteration updates the styling over the T5 with more angular exterior cues and LED head and tail lamps, while the overall boxy shape and silhouette remains largely unchanged. The interior has been through a sprucing up as well to bring it up to parity with the design direction of VW’s other offerings. The 6.6-inch centre-mounted infotainment display being the most immediately apparent feature. Other bits of kit include an electrically operated tailgate, adaptive cruise control, adaptive chassis control, and a new heated windscreen.
Engine options are diesel 2.0-litre in varying levels of tune ranging from 83 hp in the base model to a range-topping 201 hp with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission available as an option. And with a stop-start system included as standard on all models, the T6 achieves economy figures that are on average 15% better than its predecessor.
The T6 will also be offered with a limited edition trim level that is based on the higher-end Multivan Comfortline passenger model. Called “Generation SIX”, it comes with upgrades that include four two-tone paint finish options with matching interior trim elements, 18-inch “Disc” alloy wheels, and a two-tone Alcantara interior.
Priced “on par or slightly lower” than the previous model according to VW, prices will start at approximately RM90,400 for the commercial version and RM117,750 for the Multivan passenger models.


Guan Eng Janji Hapus Tol Lebuhraya PLUS Jika PH Menang PRU

Pakatan Harapan berjanji akan menghapuskan tol di
Lebuhraya Utara Selatan (PLUS)
 sekiranya parti ini memenangi
Pilihan Raya Umum ke-15 (PRU15
) dan membentuk kerajaan persekutuan.

Janji ini telah dinyatakan oleh Pengerusi DAP, Lim Guan Eng Pada majlis makan malam kempen sebelum PRU15 di Jelapang, Perak baru-baru ini.

Hapus Tol Lebuh Raya Jika PH Menang PRU

Walaupun pernah didengari sebelum ini, namun Guan Eng tetap komited untuk memansuhkan tol PLUS pada tahun ini.

Pengerusi DAP itu sebelum ini pernah berjanji perkara yang sama pada 2017, walau bagaimanapun, setelah PH membentuk kerajaan pada 2018, tol masih lagi tidak dimansuhkan.

Lim berkata, kegagalan memansuhkan tol itu dikatakan kerana kerajaan PH tidak mempunyai masa yang cukup untuk memerintah kerana kerajaan PH digulingkan setelah hanya 22 tahun memerintah.

Pada tahun 2020, PH telah mengurangkan bayaran tol untuk lebuh raya itu sebanyak 18% semasa ia memerintah selama 22 bulan, selaras dengan manifestonya.

Menurut China Press, bekas menteri kewangan itu berkata, PH “boleh memansuhkan tol” di lebuh raya jika ia mendapat masa lima tahun lagi menjadi kerajaan.

*Kredit foto: The Star

Hapuskan Tol, Boleh Atau Tidak?

Walaupun pernah dijanjikan oleh PH, pemansuhan tol menjadi antara janji Manifesto Pakatan Harapan (PH) yang tidak tertunai selepas satu tahun mentadbir negara.

Perdana Menteri ketika itu, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad berkata, janji itu gagal ditunaikan selepas menyedari kos tinggi yang terpaksa ditanggung kerajaan seandainya ia dilaksanakan.

"Kita telah berjanji untuk menghapuskan tol tetapi kini kita sedar, sebelum ini apabila kita memutuskan untuk menghapuskan tol, kita tidak memahami kos.

"Tetapi sekarang kita menyedari bahawa untuk menghapuskan tol bermakna kerajaan perlu membeli semua lebuh raya dan itu melibatkan kos yang besar.

Menurut Tun, kerajaan perlu membayar RM30 bilion kepada PLUS sebelum kerajaan boleh menghapuskan tol.


To Register Or Not: The Fuel Station MySejahtera Fiasco

Everybody seems to have their own view on what to do at the petrol station when it comes to registering on
MySejahtera
.

Yesterday's news of a breakthrough COVID-19 vaccine is a sign that the end to this long and painful nightmare is hopefully near, but before we get there, we must still adhere to some SOPs set by the Malaysian government no matter how ridiculous some portray it to be.

The latest
SOP
 to make headlines is the confusion over whether you have to register with MySejahtera when filling up your vehicle at the fuel station.

There was a mass media report yesterday saying that the police would penalise those who did not register when filling up their vehicles at the pumps. This report was based on the comments made by Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department Deputy Director DCP Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid who stated that anyone arriving at the petrol station needs to register with the MySejahtera app, including those who use the self-service kiosk.

But according to
S
in Chew Daily, two National Security Council hotline operators contradicted each other when asked about this matter.

According to the Chinese-language newspaper, one operator said this was not needed if consumers paid for their fuel with credit cards directly at the pumps but another agreed with the police who said that MySejahtera registration was necessary even if you do not go to the fuel station's cashier counters.

When confronted about the discrepancy, the NSC operator said that the issue would be addressed by the briefing on security matters related to the conditional movement control order (CMCO) today so we shall have to wait and see.

While waiting for this briefing, some news had come out where the CPRC (crisis preparedness and response centre) has responded to this fiasco and said that registering with MySejahtera App is not needed when filling up petrol at the self-service kiosk. Only those entering the premise are needed to scan the MySejahtera App.

The Star Online also reported that the President of Petrol Dealers Association Datuk Khairul Annuar Abdul Aziz said that only those who enter the petrol station shop, toilet or surau would need to register.

But above all, the one statement that matters the most is of course the one that came from Datuk Ismail Sabri. During the regular evening briefing which we have come to know since the pandemic hit us, Sabri basically said in a nutshell that any form contactless transactions at the petrol station premise will not require a MySejahtera registration.

"If you enter the petrol station shop, register, if you go to the mechanics at the side of the petrol station, register. If you are using the manual car wash service you have to register. If you are filling up your tyres with air you do not need to register. If you are paying via debit or credit card at the self-service kiosk you do not need to register. Even if you pay at the window you do not need to register".

What Sabri is basically trying to say is that any form of activity at the petrol station pump that doesn't incur you to be in close contact with others you do not need to register. For others like using the toilet or visiting the Surau, you must".

It's pretty logical really but this is what happens when things are not specifically specified - people just come up with their own conclusion.


Season 6 of Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia Off An Electrifying Start

For 5 years, Toyota Gazoo Racing has brought thrill-packed racing to Malaysians while encouraging the public to get as close to the action as possible. And now with TGR Season 6 in full swing, there’s plenty more on-track shock and awe to be savoured.

This year, Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia had kicked off at the Sepang International Circuit on the weekend between 18th and 19th February following the fiery evening of
five GR Sport and GR cars launching into the Toyota Malaysia lineup
 where the new blood of the racing series also took the limelight in front of the cheering crowd and press.

The two-day race weekend of the opening round certainly delivered the thrills and wheel-to-wheel dogfights with race incidents and post-race penalties adding to the drama, watched by over 3.5 million viewers over live streaming.

“
At the start of this 6th season of racing, you can already see a very large pool of young drivers beginning to exert their dominance especially in the Super Sporting and Sporting Classes for professionals and amateur racers respectively. This is a very positive development for the sport,”
said UMW Toyota Motor President Datuk Ravindran K.

Toyota Malaysia has truly cemented itself as a champion of driving enthusiasts by being the only mass market manufacturer to offer such a comprehensive range of analogue driving machines. Add to the long-running Gazoo Racing series meant to fan the flames of grassroots motorsport and the fostering of local racing talent.

The 2023 season consists of the GR Vios Challenge, GR Vios Sprint Cup as well as the GR Vios Enduro Cup and S1K with a grid of new faces, young drivers hungry for white knuckle racing rivalries, and close to RM1 million in prize monies and incentives.

It builds on Season 5’s unique combination of motor-racing spectacle of grit, twisted metal, and screaming engines with the excitement of a carnival with activities, stage performances and attractions for fans and the public alike, confidently seeking to exceed its 15 million total spectator benchmark this time around.

With more than 40 drivers forming the grid in the GR Vios Challenge including defending Super Sporting Class champion Hayden Haikal representing Axle Sports alongside teammate last year’s Sporting Class champion Naquib Azlan.

Other big names to watch out for include former series champion Tengku Djan Ley and Mitchell Cheah for Prima Pearl TD Racing, the Laser Motor Racing pair of Eddie Lew and Putera Adam, Royal 47 Racing’s Brendan Paul Anthony, Telagamas Toyota’s Freddie Ang, Toyotsu Racing’s William Ho, and S&D Tama Motorsports’ Goh Chok Tong.

Of course, the star-studded Promotional Class returns to the GR Vios Challenge series with half a grid’s worth of new faces including professional ten pin bowler and Ratu Ten Pin drama actress Syaidatul Afifah; actor, television host and Hot FM radio presenter Imran Aqil; actor and host Ezzrin Loy; actor, host and television personality Hefsy Sahad; and actress and model Reen Rahim.

Overall champion and actor Shukri Yahaya also rejoins the driver roster for Season 6, as does actor Zizan Razak and actress and TV personalities Ahirine Ahirudin and Ain Edruce.

Continuing UMW Toyota’s efforts to empower local racers, the 6th season also sees a continuation of the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program that began in 2020, with 6 NEW rookies joining the program in addition to the existing 12 drivers.

The fresh blood on the grid includes 16-year-old and 2019 Rotax Max Malaysia junior champion Ariff Azmi; 16-year-old racing driver and simulator racer Iman Danish; 17-year-old karter Azriel Azhar; 18-year-old simulator racer Nazmir Azlan (the third sibling to join the GR Vios Challenge); and 19-year-old simulator racers and racing enthusiasts Yazid Razak and Elson Lew.

UMWT invites everyone to join in the fun and action both on and off the track at the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival, happening next from the 2nd to 4th June at the Sepang International Circuit and again from September 29th and October 1st.

Additionally, there will be Round 1 (5-7 May) and Round 2 (23-25 June) of the Vios Sprint Cup and a mammoth 9-hour Vios Enduro Cup happening on the 26th of November. Everything will also be streamed live on Toyota’s webiste at
www.toyota.com.my
 so there’s no excuse to miss out on a moment of the action!

Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival / Vios Challenge

Round 1

17th-19th February

Sepang International Circuit

2x-30 minute race

Round 2

2nd-4th June

Sepang International Circuit

2x-30 minute race

Round 3

29th September - 1st October

Sepang International Circuit

2x-30 minute race

Vios Sprint Cup

Round 1

5th-7th May

Sepang International Circuit

2x-60 minute race

Round 2

23rd-25th June

Sepang International Circuit

2x-60 minute race

Vios Enduro Cup / Sepang 1,000km Endurance Race

-

26th November 2023

Sepang International Circuit

9 hours / 1000km


December 2018 New Vehicle Sales- Premium Segment At All-Time High

The closing of 2018 saw yet another record sales performance by Perodua and other smaller marques such as Mazda, Subaru, and Renault.
Mazda saw a growth of 65%, Subaru gained 8.2%, while Renault was the highest in growth (in percentage) with 70% compared to sales results in 2017.
Overall, the TIV for 2018 capped at 598,714 units, an increase of 22,089 units or 3.8% compared to 2017.
We will be taking a closer look at the premium TIV, where strong localization efforts by Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volvo, and
even MINI
 has greatly assisted their pricing and thus a positive effect in their sales volume.
Back in 2013, there was no policy to reward Energy Efficient Vehicles (EEV) and the customized incentive plan for manufacturers. The TIV was at close to its peak of over 655,700 units, with the premium TIV contributing only 19,739 units or 3% of the segment share.
For 2018, record sales by Mercedes-Benz, BMW, MINI, as well as Volvo, have pushed the premium TIV to 4.93%. Sales of premium vehicles reached almost 30,000 units, while the TIV was much lower at just 598,714 units.
All these four manufacturers gradually gained sales volume thanks to the deployment of plug-in hybrid vehicles that enjoy plenty of price incentives as well as a comprehensive in-house financing programme.
The MAA has forecasted the
TIV to be 600,000 units
 this year. With
many new models from premium brands launching this year
, it should be quite a breeze for the segment to maintain a percentage of close to 5%.
For reference, our neighbours up north also saw growth in the premium segment, from 27,000 units in 2017 to 32,000 units in 2018. Mercedes-Benz is also the market leader there, amassing 15,785 units of sales- a staggering 9% increase compared to the previous year.


Honda Accord SM4 – One of the Best Buys for Under RM10,000!

The Honda Accord SM4, your best buy for under RM10,000 and one which I love.

Just because you don’t have a lot of money, that doesn’t mean that you can’t drive a nice car. Yes, welcome to the world of used cars, where the possibilities are endless.

Today, we’re going to be focusing on a car that many of us are quite familiar with – the 4th generation Honda Accord, which is also known as the Accord SM4.

The fourth-generation Accord, introduced on the "CB" chassis, was unveiled in 1989 for the 1990 model year. Although much larger than its predecessor, the sedan's styling was evolutionary, the 4th gen model featured the same low slung design and wraparound rear window as its predecessor.

This model was also assembled in Malaysia back in the 1990s, at the Oriental Assemblers Johor Bahru Car Assembly Plant.

For this fourth-generation Accord, Honda made many significant engineering design improvements. Among them was the completely new all aluminum 2.2-liter 16-valve electronic fuel-injected engine which replaced the previous 2.0-litre 12-valve model from the past generation.

Also worth mentioning here is that all Accords equipped with automatic transmissions used an electronically controlled rear engine mount to reduce low-frequency noise and vibration. The mount contained two fluid filled chambers separated by a computer controlled valve.

At low engine speeds, fluid is routed through the valve damping vibration. Above 850 rpm, fluid is routed around the valve making the engine mount stiffer. This made the car very refined for its time. In fact, it is still more refined and solid than quite a number of new cars in the market.

Priced at more than RM120,000 when it was first launched, the 4th generation Accord, despite having aged so well, costs less than RM10,000 today, mainly due to its age and the number of successive generations that have emerged later on.

So, in case you’re wondering why this car is among the best choices for under RM10,000, we break it down for you:

It still looks good, both in stock form, or when modified.

It was built exceptionally well – minimal rattle and squeak even today.

It feels luxurious – Soft touch dashboard, solid seats, leather steering wheel and more.

It's big – there’s ample space for people AND luggage.

It’s anything but slow – No VTEC? No problem! Still can reach 180km/h if maintained well.

You can send it to any mechanic for maintenance as things are quite straight forward.

Spare parts are still widely available, although sometimes you may have to resort to reconditioned ones.

Wide range of engine upgrade options are available for those who want to upgrade to VTEC Powah! –H22A, F20B, K20A, Manual, Turbo, just name it.

It’s durable – Just see how many SM4s are still going strong on our roads.

It has attained cult status and a massive following in Malaysia and around the world, meaning that getting support, tips, parts, and help is no issue as there are hundreds of communities, clubs, and even forums, keeping the spirit of brotherhood going strong.

However, there are also a few things that you need to bear in mind if you do opt for the SM4. Firstly, due to its age and price, there is not going to be any Hire Purchase loans involved. You'll either have to buy it cash, or get a personal loan and use it to buy the car, and settle the loan accordingly.

Secondly, there is not going to be any comprehensive insurance policy (first party) due to the car's age, but fortunately, many insurance companies are offering added services such as roadside assistance and towing services for cars with third-party protection nowadays to make life easier for owners.

Last but not least, spare parts. Finding parts for this car is not a problem as almost every workshop out there have the items needed. However, the only catch is that a lot of these parts are reconditioned, and not brand new. New parts can still be purchased, but you will probably have to order them from Japan and pay a bomb for it.

One way to go around this, which a lot of owners have done, is by either upgrading to a newer engine like the H22A or F20B DOHC VTEC engines, or purchase a unit which has already gone through the conversion process.

On the bright side, these engines are not only newer, more powerful, and more fuel efficient than the old carbureted stock 2.0-litre F20A engines, but can also be "plugged-and-played" for the SM4. The downside is of course the conversion cost, which depends on what you want to shove into your engine bay.

So, if you’re looking for a decent car with a budget of RM10,000 or less, the 4th generation Honda Accord SM4 here is definitely worth your consideration.

We have many units available for sale on
Carlist.my
as well!


Bermaz Motor's MazdaSports Division Launches MazdaSports Academy

It's no secret that Mazda has a strong affiliation with motorsports and a strong belief in the value of driving pleasure - jinba ittai, and all that. What's interesting is that we're finally seeing that same enthusiasm locally, with Bermaz Motor's MazdaSports Division and the launch of their first driver training program. Known as the MazdaSports Academy, the one day course is aimed at teaching participants how to drive their Mazda vehicles, starting with things as basic as seating position to more complex techniques.
The first course is being held at Serdang on the 9th of June, 2018, and will be limited to just 20 Mazda owners - specifically those who own a Mazda 2, Mazda 3, or Mazda CX-3. Owners will be required to participate with their own vehicles, and it's advised that you register quickly to grab your slots. To find out more, call 1800 22 8080 or visit the Mazda Malaysia Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/mazdamy/
.


Detroit 2017: Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe ‘Night Edition’ - Now Even More Exclusive

Mercedes-Benz's flagship S-Class range is set to grow in 2017, with the addition of the S-Class Coupe ‘Night Edition’, due to be launched at the upcoming Detroit 2017 motor show.
The S‑Class Coupé ‘Night Edition’ is offered with a host of exterior and interior highlights. On the outside distinctive radiator grille with a single louvre in high-gloss black is offered, alongside 20‑inch AMG multi-spoke light-alloy wheels, finished in high-gloss black. The exterior mirror housings and the inserts in the side sill panels are likewise in high-gloss black.
Front and rear aprons with AMG body styling come as standard, as do the ‘Night Edition’ badge on the front wings and the illuminated door sills with Mercedes-Benz lettering. The exclusive selenite grey Magno paintwork is available as an option - matt paint finish from the Designo range and features special-effect pigments.
On the inside, the "Night Edition" name is engraved on the insert of the AMG sports steering wheel in Nappa leather. A suite of Nappa leather upholstery is also available, to compliment high-gloss black Poplar wood trim, to further emphasise the car's individual character.
The ‘Night Edition’ S-Class Coupe will be offered in three different models, the S 400 4MATIC Coupé, S 500 Coupé or S 500 4MATIC Coupé. Following the Detroit 2017 unveil, the S-Class Coupe ‘Night Edition’ will be made available in Europe, starting April of next year, and in August 2017 for North American markets.


BMW Concept X7 iPerformance Debuts In South East Asia

Electrified vehicles have been good business for BMW across the world. Year-to-date deliveries for electrified BMW and MINI models have reached a staggering 60,660 units, which only serves as encouragement for electrified vehicles in the future. Locally, BMW Malaysia has seen 3,200 owners take up delivery of electrified models.
Looking to the future, we have the Concept X7 iPerformance. Being its debut in South East Asia, it’s an important display for BMW Malaysia.  It’s a model that’s important for the BMW model range as they lack a dedicated electrified 7-seater SUV; the BMW X5 comes in a 5 + 2 format, but the third row is omitted for iPerformance models. As is the trend with modern concept vehicles, the Concept X7 iPerformance is a lot closer to production than one would expect, especially given that Audi has already launched their Q8 model just last month.
Some design elements here are clearly not going to make it all the way to the production floor, but are nonetheless key elements in a design study. The X7 iPerformance has the largest kidney grille to date, it seems, with contrasting gloss and matte surfaces. The headlights are outfitted with, as you would expect, BMW’s laser light technology.
The overall form of the car is very much like a traditional two-box SUV (or SAV, as BMW insists it be called). Being proportionally longer, it has a sleeker appearance than other models in the X family, but is very much a tall and wide car as well. From the outside, it looks very much like a fully production ready car, with nothing too outright radical or unfeasible for construction and assembly.
But more important than the design is the interior space and technology. The X7 iPerformance is meant to be the flagship of the X model range, and as such it needs to be the biggest, most advanced model available. A panoramic roof, the largest of its kind, provides an airy cabin ambience, while six seats are provided with proper, ample legroom. A combination of smoky white leather and dark, olive-bronze leather with gold pigments are the material of choice for the seats.
The centrepiece of the interior is a large, 12.3-inch instrument cluster that blends near seamlessly with the central touchscreen information display. Backlit crystal glass in a dark Silver Night shade adorns the gear lever, iDrive controller, and buttons on the steering wheel. It’s a very modern take and it makes clear the functionality and purpose of the X7 iPerformance.
The rear passengers are offered access to the entertainment systems as well, with touch screens in the back of the front seats. It’s a great tool for both children and professionals alike; the former finding entertainment, while the latter finding value in practicality for work. Each display is connected allowing users to slide information or content to each other.
As for when you can expect to see the X7 iPerformance go to production, you would have to wait until sometime next year. For the time being, the Concept X7 iPerformance will be showcased in Bangsar Shopping Centre, from Wednesday the 18
th
 of July to Sunday the 22
nd
 of July 2018, during the X Range roadshow.


Updated 2019 Mazda MX5-RF Is Here – New Features,More Power, From RM259k

Bermaz Motor Sdn Bhd, the authorised distributor of Mazda vehicles in Malaysia has announced the arrival of the updated 2019 MX5-RF in Malaysia.
Available in two variants (MX-5 RF 2.0L M/T and MX-5 RF 2.0L A/T), the roadster is priced at RM 259,154 and RM 260,354 (otr without insurance) respectively, which is about RM33,000 more than the outgoing model which was priced at RM227,277.
The big news is of course, the updated 2.0 litre naturally-aspirated SkyActiv-G four-cylinder petrol engine which produces 184 PS and 205 Nm of torque, which is a 24 PS and 5 Nm bump from before.
Plus, the engineers at Mazda have also ensured that there is a richer torque curve throughout the entire rev range. Speaking of rev range, the MX-5 RF’s engine now revs up to 7,500 rpm, which is 700 rpm higher than the outgoing model. The engine is paired to a choice of either a SkyActiv-Drive 6-speed automatic gearbox, or a 6-speed manual transmission.
Engine aside, the MX-5 RF now receives Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.  Both systems are accessible via the Mazda Connect Infotainment system.
Other upgrades include new black-metallic 17-inch wheels across both variants and the addition of the new telescopic steering wheel (42mm of travel).
Fully imported from Japan, the MX-5 RF is available in 7 exterior colour options (Soul Red Crystal, Machine Gray, Jet Black, Snowflake White Pearl, Eternal Blue, Ceramic Metallic, and Artic White), and comes with a 5-Years Manufacturer Warranty with 5-Years Free Maintenance inclusive of labour, parts and lubricants.
Both Manufacturer Warranty and Free Maintenance have a coverage period of five years and a mileage limit of 100,000km, whichever comes first.
Looking for a new Mazda? Find the best deals
here
.


Fuel Price Update: 24th to 30th August - RON 97 Up 2 Sen

The Ministry of Finance Malaysia has announced the updated prices of petrol and diesel fuels starting from the 24th to 30th of August 2019.
The price of RON97 petrol will increase by 2 sen to RM 2.51 per litre, while the price of RON95 petrol is capped at RM 2.08 per litre.
The price of diesel will remain capped at RM 2.18 per litre for Euro 2M and RM 2.28 for Euro 5 respectively.
In summary, the prices for petrol and diesel are listed below:
RON95 – RM 2.08 per litre (unchanged, capped)
RON97 – RM 2.51per litre (up 2 sen)
Diesel Euro 2M – RM 2.18 per litre (unchanged, capped)
Diesel Euro 5M – RM 2.28 per litre (unchanged, capped)


Stop The Crash ASEAN 2016 – Experience The Latest Automotive Safety Features In Action

Stop the Crash ASEAN 2016 is currently ongoing at the Sepang International Circuit from 29 to 30 November 2016. The road safety awareness event led by Global NCAP serves to demonstrate the latest innovations in automotive safety in action within a controlled environment.
The campaign aims to encourage governments to adopt relevant UN global standards and make advanced safety mandatory in new vehicles. Public admission is welcomed and free of charge – if you need convincing on the importance of safety, we highly encourage that you make the time.
A total of seven demo stations are available for attendees to experience, covering five key areas:
Electronic Stabilty Control (ESC):
Test vehicles provided by Proton demonstrating the difference evading an obstacle on the wet at high speed with ESC switched on and off. The differences are quite stark – with ESC on, the vehicles respond to the inputs of their driver with little fuss or drama; with ESC off, the vehicles behave twitchier and more liable to lose control. Fantastic for the cameras though.

Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB):
 Test vehicles from Volvo, Mazda, and Subaru demonstrating autonomous emergency braking covering vehicle and pedestrian detection.
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) for Motorcycles:
 ABS is common in cars, but less so in motorcycles, where it is even more crucial. The demo shows motorcycles with and without ABS braking on a slippery surface; predictably, bikes without ABS simply locked their tyres up and only had the specially-rigged support wheels either side to stop them and their poor riders from falling over.
Tyre Safety:
 Tyres are the vehicle’s only contact points with the road. At each corner, the car presses against the tarmac on a surface no bigger than a person’s palm. It is therefore crucial that they are always inflated correctly and have adequate tread depth. Regardless of the type of safety feature fitted to your vehicle, it all falls apart if the tyres are not up to scratch.
Blind Spot Monitoring:
 A simple radar-based feature that helps warn drivers of other vehicles approaching from the visual blind zone. Besides preventing fender benders, this feature is important in minimizing accidents with bicycles and motorcycles.


Proton Reclaims No.2 Best-Seller Position From Honda

Proton rounded off a successful month in April by racking up 7,011 unit sales, returning the reinvigorated brand to second position on Malaysia's new car sales charts - reclaiming the position from Honda, which had held that position for over 3 years. In terms of cumulative sales however, Honda still leads, but by a small margin (official numbers to be announced by MAA).
The figures showed an increase of 14.1 percent over the same period in March, and a 75 percent improvement when compared to April 2018. This was achieved despite a downturn in Total Industry Volume (TIV) of 6.2 percent month-on-month, making Proton the only company in the top-5 place to do so.
Year to date, sales have grown by 50.2 percent.
Key sales drivers were the Proton Saga and X70, but sales also received a boost after the introductions of the
Iriz
 and
Persona
 facelift models. Proton sold 3,047 units of the Saga in April, the first time sales have breached the 3,000 unit sales mark since August 2018, when the industry enjoyed a brief GST & SST

tax holiday period.
Year-to-date Proton has delivered 11,133 units of the Proton X70, grabbing itself a 20.4 percent market share in the SUV segment. It leads the C-Segment SUV market and tops the charts for SUVs priced above RM100k.
Proton CEO Dr. Li Chunrong added, “Proton is proud to finish second in overall sales in April 2019. Our aim is to try and end the year in second place to create a solid base for our long term goal of leading the Malaysian car market again. With the launch of the Iriz and Persona and improved versions of the Proton Exora and Saga set to be introduced later this year, the company is quietly confident it can achieve its goal,”
For the best deals on Proton vehicles, click
here
.


Volvo Expects to Introduce Full Electric Model by 2019, Will Expand Hybrid Offerings

With the world quickly adopting hybrid and electric drivetrains, Volvo has announced that they will be introducing plug-in hybrids across its entire range, and will deliver their first fully electric car for commercial sale by 2019.
As part of this new strategy, Volvo says that they expect electrified vehicles to account for up to 10 per cent of total car sales in the medium term. Currently Volvo has one plug-in hybrid model in the form of their XC90 T8 Twin Engine All-wheel Drive plug-in hybrid.
More plug-in hybrid variants will follow for the company’s 90-series and 60-series model range, which is built on Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture (SPA). The next plug-in hybrid variant we can expect to see from Volvo will be in the upcoming S90 sedan range. This strategy will be expanded further with Volvo’s new Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), which will underpin Volvo’s new range of smaller 40-series cars, and has been designed from the outset for electrification.
Volvo will be broadening its plug-in hybrid range with a front-wheel drive version of their Twin Engine plug-in hybrids. The plug-in hybrid system on the XC90 T8 Twin Engine features a front-wheel drive engine setup coupled to an electric motor mounted to the rear axle, hence its all-wheel drive designation. Turning it into a compact front-wheel drive configuration would be interesting to see.
Currently Volvo believes that plug-in hybrids offer customers the best combination of efficiency, range, and convenience. According to Volvo’s electrification strategy the commercial availability of their own all-electric car will only happen by 2019, the details of which will only be revealed at a later date.


Apa Nak Buat Jika Terperangkap Dalam Kereta – Banjir, Kereta Terjunam Ke Dalam Air Dan Kanak-Kanak Yang Ditinggalkan

Meskipun kabin kereta merupakan ruang selamat bagi pemandu dan penumpang sesebuah kereta, namun ia boleh menjadi mimpi ngeri kepada mereka sekiranya mereka terperangkap di dalam kereta berdasarkan beberapa situasi.

Situasi yang dimaksudkan adalah:

Terperangkap dalam banjir

Kereta terbabas ke dalam air (sungai, tasik, parit)

Kanak-kanak terperangkap dalam kereta

Oleh itu, kami akan menyenaraikan beberapa perkara yang perlu dilakukan ketika terperangkap dalam situasi seperti yang dinyatakan di atas untuk kekal selamat.

Banjir

Memandangkan Malaysia dan musim hujan berpisah tiada, bencana alam seperti
banjir
 bukanlah perkara asing bagi negara ini. Bagi yang suka memandu ketika hujan lebat, anda lebih terdedah kepada risiko untuk terperangkap dalam banjir ketika memandu. Jika sudah terperangkap, apa yang perlu anda lakukan? Duduk sahaja dalam kereta sampai banjir reda? Berikut merupakan 6 perkara wajib yang perlu anda lakukan jika terperangkap dalam banjir.

1. Jangan Redah

Kalau dah nampak jalan itu ditenggelami air, seeloknya
janganlah redah
 kalau tak mahu menyesal di kemudian hari. Carilah jalan alternatif lain menggunakan
aplikasi navigasi
 di telefon pintar masing-masing. Kalau air tu belum naik tinggi dan deras, pandu kereta dengan perlahan-lahan pada gear rendah (sekitar 20km/h) dan jangan lepaskan minyak dan kekalkan momentum seperti itu ketika
meredah banjir.

2. Matikan Enjin

Bila dah terperangkap dalam kesesakan lalu lintas dan air mula naik, mustahil untuk anda membuat
pusingan U
 memandangkan kehadiran puluhan kereta lain di sekeliling anda. Jika anda berada dalam situasi seperti ini, matikan enjin sebelum air naik lebih tinggi. Jangan lupa untuk sumbatkan plastik atau sesuatu yang padat serta kalis air di bahagian lubang
ekzos
 bagi mengelakkan air masuk.

3. Cabut Terminal Bateri Kereta

Jika air semakin deras, anda perlu meninggalkan kereta tersebut untuk menyelamatkan diri. Tetapi sebelum selamatkan diri, selamatkanlah kereta anda sekali dengan mencabut terminal
bateri kereta
 anda kerana anda tidak tahu berapa lama kereta anda akan tersadai di situ.

4. Barang Berharga

Satu lagi perkara penting yang perlu dilakukan adalah menyelamatkan barang berharga yang ada di dalam kereta bersama-sama anda. Jangan sesekali tinggalkan barang berharga di dalam kereta kerana bukan sahaja air banjir yang akan memasuki ruang dalaman, tetapi turut akan disertai oleh lumpur serta kotoran lain yang hadir bersama air banjir.

5. Selamatkan Diri

Selepas melakukan segala perkara yang disebut, anda perlu pergi berlindung menyelamatkan diri di kawasan yang lebih selamat. Nyawa anda lebih penting daripada nilai kereta anda jadi jangan teragak-agak untuk tinggalkan kereta jika keadaan semakin buruk.

6. Jangan Hidupkan Enjin

Untuk
kenderaan yang telah ditenggelami banjir
, jangan sesekali menghidupkan enjin kenderaan tersebut kalau tak mahu kereta anda sakit lagi teruk. Sebaiknya, hubungi bantuan trak tunda untuk mengendalikan kereta anda dan dibawa ke bengkel untuk urusan selanjutnya.

Kereta Terbabas Ke Dalam Air

Bagi kereta yang terbabas ke dalam sungai, parit, tasik dan seumpanyanya, anda perlukan tindakan yang pantas supaya dapat menyelamatkan anda daripada turut karam bersama kereta. Tekanan air yang kuat menyukarkan pintu untuk dibuka. Meskipun cara-cara ini tidaklah semudah yang dikhabarkan, tambah-tambah ketika berada dalam situasi sebenar, tapi penting untuk anda tahu langkah-langkah yang perlu dilakukan untuk menyelamatkan diri.

1. Jangan Panik

Kereta yang terjunam ke dalam air tidak akan
tenggelam
 dengan serta merta. Jadi gunakan masa yang ada untuk menenangkan diri dan berfikir secara rasional kerana peluang untuk menyelamatkan diri masih ada.

2. Buka Tali Pinggang Keledar

Pastikan diri anda tidak terikat dengan
tali pinggang keledar
. Jika kereta telah dimasuki air, tali pinggang itu boleh menjadi sukar untuk dibuka dan anda akan terperangkap di tempat duduk pemandu. Buka tali pinggang terlebih dahulu sebelum terlambat.

3. Buka Tingkap Dan Keluar

Jangan sesekali cuba membuka pintu kerana ia akan mempercepatkan kereta tenggelam serta tekanan kuat yang ada ketika dalam air menyebabkan usaha ini amat menyusahkan. Sebaliknya, jika sistem kenderaan masih berfungsi, bukalah tingkap seluas-luasnya dan keluar daripada kereta anda.

Jika tingkap tidak boleh dibuka, pecahkan
cermin kereta
 dengan mensasarkan cermin di bahagian tepi, bukan cermin hadapan. Cermin hadapan dicipta untuk menahan impak yang kuat. Jika tendangan anda tidak cukup kuat untuk memecahkan cermin, gunakan kunci stereng atau besi pada tali pinggang keledar untuk pecahkan cermin.

Anda juga boleh mendapatkan tukul kaca yang kecil dan mudah untuk disimpan di dalam kereta sekiranya kecemasan seperti ini berlaku. Dengan tukul kaca ini, cermin kereta boleh dipecahkan dengan satu hentakan sahaja untuk menjimatkan masa kerana dalam hal ini, masa itu emas. Pastikan anda membersihkan serpihan kaca pintu yang pecah sebelum melompat keluar dari tingkap kereta bagi mengelakkan daripada baju tersepit atau mendatangkan kecederaan lain pada anggota badan anda.

4. Pandai Berenang

Berenang merupakan kemahiran yang sepatutnya dikuasai oleh semua orang. Jika anda tidak tahu berenang atau cara-cara untuk mengapungkan diri anda di permukaan air, langkah-langkah ini mungkin agak sukar untuk anda lakukan. Belajarlah berenang untuk kebaikan diri sendiri, ahli keluarga dan masyarakat.

Kanak-Kanak Terperangkap Dalam Kereta

Jika anda ternampak kanak-kanak ditinggalkan di dalam kereta ketika cuaca panas tanpa pengawasan individu dewasa, apa pula yang harus anda lakukan? Berikut merupakan beberapa fakta yang perlu anda tahu jika kanak-kanak terperangkap di dalam kereta.

Dalam cuaca panas, suhu di dalam kereta yang diparkir boleh meningkat sehingga 40℃ lebih panas daripada suhu di luar dan kebiasaannya suhu ini boleh meningkat dalam tempoh masa lima minit pertama selepas anda mematikan enjin

Suhu panas yang berlebihan di dalam kereta boleh menyebabkan seorang kanak-kanak yang terperangkap boleh berhadapan dengan keadaan dehidrasi mendadak, strok haba, dan mati lemas

Semakin kecil usia kanak-kanak yang terperangkap di dalam kereta, bermakna semakin tinggi risiko untuk dirinya mengalami sensitiviti akibat strok haba dan semakin cepat masalah dehidrasi akan berlaku

Walaupun anda mungkin
meletakkan kereta
 anda di bawah kawasan berbumbung, namun, kematian disebabkan strok haba masih berisiko untuk berlaku. Jadi elakkan daripada meninggalkan anak walaupun di parkir berbumbung

Kematian disebabkan strok haba menjadi punca utama kematian berkaitan kenderaan yang tidak melibatkan kemalangan kepada kanak-kanak di bawah usia 15 tahun

Strok haba boleh berlaku apabila badan tidak berkeupayaan untuk menyejukkan diri dengan cepat

Badan seorang kanak-kanak akan memanas antara tiga hingga lima kali lebih cepat berbanding individu dewasa

Apabila terperangkap di dalam kereta dengan suhu yang panas, organ utama kanak-kanak akan berhenti berfungsi apabila suhu badan mencapai 40℃

Seorang kanak-kanak boleh maut apabila suhu badannya mencapai 42℃

Menurunkan tingkap kereta pada 5 sentimeter (cm) atau lebih tidak mendatangkan impak yang besar terhadap penurunan haba kereta. Penyaman udara juga hanya memberikan impak penyejukan yang sedikit selepas enjin kereta anda dimatikan

Warna hiasan dalaman kereta atau kerusi tidak memberikan kesan kepada peningkatan haba kereta

Kereta bersaiz besar tetap akan berdepan isu peningkatkan haba pada kadar yang sama seperti kereta bersaiz kecil atau sederhana. Jangan berasa selamat jika kenderaan anda adalah sebuah
MPV
, masalah strok haba, dehidrasi atau mati lemas tetap berisiko untuk berlaku

Apa Yang Perlu Anda Lakukan?

Cari ibu bapa/penjaga kanak kanak tersebut

Hubungi pihak berkuasa jika ibu bapa/penjaga tidak dapat dijejaki dan maklumkan situasi yang berlaku

Jangan biarkan kanak-kanak yang berseorangan di dalam kereta. Cuba berkomunikasi dengan kanak-kanak tersebut untuk mengetahui situasi semasa.

Pecahkan cermin jika terdesak seperti kanak-kanak sudah pucat dan tidak sedarkan diri. Tetapi maklumkan dahulu pada pihak berkuasa dan dapatkan bantuan orang awam. Pecahkan cermin yang jauh dari kanak-kanak tersebut.

Berikut merupakan cara-cara untuk mengendalikan situasi terperangkap di dalam kereta. Diharapkan perkongsian ini dapat membawa manfaat kepada pemandu dan penumpang kenderaan sekiranya terperangkap dalam kereta di saat getir.


Over 20,000 People Have Booked The All-New Perodua Myvi

It's only been a month and more than 20,000 people have put money down for the all-new Perodua Myvi. 4,500 of those cars have been delivered to these eager customers, but that's not the best news. For December, Perodua is offering an exclusive offer for Axia, Bezza and Alza (for selected variants only) with a rebate of up to RM 2,000.
In addition to this, Perodua also encourages its customers through its ‘Jom Singgah’ campaign to visit authorised Perodua showrooms and service centres nationwide for special promotions and great offers. This campaign runs from the 8th to the 10th of December.
Perodua has sold 184,707 vehicles in the first 11 months of 2017, a jump of 1.2% from 182,485 sold in the same period last year. Perodua has 181 sales and 214 service centres nationwide.


First Honda Civic e:HEV RS in Malaysia delivered to owner

The first-ever registered
Honda Civic e:HEV RS
 was delivered to its first owner last week.

Mr. Chin Kok Fung was finally handed the keys to his new Honda Civic hybrid model by one of Honda Malaysia's authorised dealers, MH Prestige Auto Sdn Bhd. Being the first registered model in Malaysia, the Honda dealer organised a ceremony to owner the first Honda Civic e:HEV RS owner.

Free Honda merch & accessories worth RM4,000

The handover ceremony also saw Mr. Chin being gifted with official Honda accessories and merchandise worth RM4,000. According to Mr. Chin, "I have always been a fan of performance driven cars. When Honda introduced a 2.0L e:HEV powertrain, I was immediately impressed with the technology and performance it offers. I am looking forward to experience the thrill of owning this exciting e:HEV technology and to test the car’s potential."

Honda Malaysia's Managing Director and CEO who was present during the ceremony stated that over 180 units of the Honda Civic e:HEV RS have been successfully delivered to customers across the country. That's certainly quite an achievement considering that the new Honda Civic hybrid variant was officially launched just last month in November.

Better than the Civic 1.5 Turbo?

We have officially tested the new Honda Civic e:HEV RS variant at the Sepang International Circuit and when put side by side with the non-hybrid Honda Civic RS, the 2.0-litre hybrid powertrain certainly has a lot of extra advantages not only in terms of performance but also fuel economy as well.

Check out of
first impressions
 of the new
Honda Civic e:HEV RS
 in the video link, below. Is it worth the RM166,500 price tag? We certainly think so.


BMW M6 GT3 Confirmed For Frankfurt Debut Packing 585HP

The
BMW Z4
 GT3 has been the long serving race car for
BMW
 Motorsport and its customer teams but will soon be replaced by the new BMW M6 GT3 where more information has been released following its predecessor’s final appearance at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BE) with victory for BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS.
Last seen at the
fifth M festival at the Nürburgring race track
, the
BMW M6
 GT3 will make its full debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Under the hood will be a 4.4-litre M TwinPower Turbo V8 engine with a maximum output of 585hp, depending on the classification. There isn’t a lot of heft to it either because its self-supporting steel chassis, FIA-approved safety cell, the carbon fibre crash structure at the front and carbon fibre reinforced plastic crash element at the rear all weigh less than 1,300kg.
Interested customer teams can purchase the racer from 15 September onwards at a net price of €379,000 (RM1,611,242) but BMW have said that the new car is the most economic GT sports car that it has ever built, claiming running costs for the powertrain is roughly 30% lower than those of the Z4 GT3. In short, the impressive performance developed is matched with spare parts that offer good value for money.


Fuel Price Update: April 2017 Week 4

Since April, fuel prices are updated on a weekly basis.

Here are the new prices for petrol and diesel.

RON95 - RM2.27  (up 3 sen from RM2.24)

RON97 - RM2.54 (up 2 sen from RM2.52)

Diesel - RM2.21 (up 5 sen from RM2.16)


Volkswagen Malaysia Offers Special 'Polo Goes Zero' Campaign To Uber Drivers

Volkswagen
 Malaysia will be working with Uber to provide existing Uber Partners (Uber drivers) the opportunity to upgrade their rides to provide Uber riders the experience of being chauffeured in a German-engineered car with a special package of the ‘Polo Goes Zero’ campaign, available from now until 30 April 2015.

The ‘Polo Goes Zero’ campaign allows one to purchase the Polo 1.6 and Polo Sedan at zero interest and zero down payment, from RM999 monthly for seven years. In addition to this attractive package, Uber Partners will also receive a discount of RM200 from their first scheduled maintenance and free one-year road tax worth RM90.

Both the
Volkswagen Polo
 1.6 and Polo Sedan are locally-assembled and currently priced at RM89,888 and RM91,888 respectively.

“Uber seamlessly connects riders to drivers who provide a safe, comfortable and reliable service. With our partners potentially using Volkswagen’s high quality cars we know our riders would appreciate its finesse associated with the brand,” said Leon Foong, General Manager of, Uber Kuala Lumpur.

Uber Partners who are interested simply need to provide their latest Uber statement for verification to be eligible to participate in this promotion. If you aren’t an Uber Partner yet, simply log-on to
partners.uber.com
 to sign up as one using the promo code “ubervwpolo”.


Prizes Worth RM100,000 Awaits Those Who Vote The Name Of Proton's SUV

Proton has just upped the ante with its
online poll
 which invited the public to vote for the name of its first SUV.
The national carmaker announced today that RM100,000 worth of gift vouchers will be shared among participants as a token of appreciation, while five winners will be chosen based on the best reasons given for the name they have voted for.
The prize package will consist of exclusive VIP invites to the launch of the SUV, as well as the honour of being among the first people to test drive and experience the technology and features of the SUV at Proton’s test track in Shah Alam.
The online poll will run for one month on the official Proton Facebook page and is open to all Malaysians with no purchase conditions attached.
“We would like to share this significant milestone for Proton with our fellow Malaysians as the new SUV also represents a symbol of Malaysian achievement. Therefore, we will reward the public for participating as well as select five lucky poll respondents as winners to receive some exciting prizes, ” said Proton’s VP of Sales and Marketing, Abdul Rashid Musa.
There is also the option of proposing an alternative name for the SUV. Should the alternative name be picked, one lucky winner will be rewarded with a 4D/3N tour package to Hangzhou and Shanghai for two inclusive of a visit to the headquarters of Geely.
Proton’s first SUV is the first model to be jointly developed with Geely. It will be the first premium C-segment SUV produced by a Malaysian automotive brand.
The closing date for submitting the survey is 30th April 2018 at 11.59pm and winners will be announced closer to the launch date of the SUV.


Volvo Magnifies Customer Service With New 3S Centre In Kuching

Volvo Car Malaysia, together with its authorized dealer, Fotroende Automobile, marked a decade-long re-entry into Sarawak with the grand opening of Volvo Kuching.
Located along the busy arterial road of Jalan Tun Jugah, the full-fledged 3S centre offers customers the latest showroom and service standards which Volvo terms “Volvo Retail Experience” or VRE. VRE is a comprehensive standard that covers critical aspects of a dealership: from the look and vibrancy of the showroom to the quality of service rendered to customers.
The launch ceremony was officiated by Mr Lennart Stegland, Managing Director of Volvo Car Malaysia, who impressed on the importance of Sarawak for the future growth of the brand. He said, “Sarawak’s potential in the premium car market cannot be understated. It is vital that we regain a foothold in Kuching before expanding into other cities within the state."
"We have worked hard to ensure that the brand is represented by competent and passionate dealer partners that will serve our customers well," added Stegland.
The company’s name, Fotroende Automobile, is derived from the Swedish word “
Förtroende”
 which means confidence; something that the company’s Principal hopes to build, together with the brand in Kuching.
“Demand for the brand is strong, especially with the arrival of exciting new models from Volvo. We are proud that have been chosen by Volvo Car Malaysia to represent the brand here in Kuching,” said David Lai, the Managing Director of Fotroende Automobile.
Volvo Kuching is located at RCW Corporate, No 1 Jalan Tun Jugah, 93350 Kuching. Operation hours are from 8:30 am till 5:30 pm, Monday to Friday, and closes at 4:00 pm on Saturday. The showroom will also be open on Sundays and Public Holidays from 10:00 am till 3:00 pm.


6 Essential Tyre Maintenance And Care Guide

Tyres are usually taken for granted until they fail entirely on you, so follow these 6 essential tyre maintenance and care guide to keep your motoring safe.

Like everything else on a car,
tyres
 need to be cared for because your vehicle is not going anywhere without them. However, it's not the going you should be worried about because it's the stopping that really puts the tyre to the test.

When it comes to safety, tyres are one of the most essential components of your vehicle. The brakes slow the wheels, but it's actually your tyres that stop the car.

While most of us pay serious attention to our cars' engine, interior, and bodywork, most of us
neglect
 the tyres.

It shouldn't be this way, because properly cared for tyres are the difference between a good day and a bad one, so what can we do to keep it in tip-top condition?

1. Tyre pressure maintenance

We can't stress enough how vital tyre pressure is. This is probably one of the most significant oversights, especially now that we are in lockdown where our cars are left parked for a long time. Parked vehicles over a long period usually lose more tyre pressure than daily driven ones.

Air pressure in tyres allows the tyre to support load, grip and absorb road imperfections.

An underinflated tyre will be compromised and not be effective at doing the things it should be doing. You can find the exact tyre pressure your car needs on the placard placed on the driver's door. It is generally recommended that you check your car tyre pressure at least once every two weeks, but since our vehicles are sitting still quite a bit these days, perhaps it's best to check them every time you roll out.

2. Check your tyre tread depth

The tread depth of your tyres must always be more than 1.6mm for it to work at its best. If your tread depth is any less, it is deemed unsafe and must be replaced. The more the tread depth, the better the grip and stopping capability.

Some say you can measure tread depth by using a coin, but we don't live in the dark ages, which is why tyre manufacturers have included tyre tread depth
gauges or bars
 on the tyre itself. If they are even with the thread, it's time to change your tyres.

3. Get your wheels aligned

Wheel alignment is the process of getting your wheels angled correctly and pointing in the right direction. If you hit a bump, curb or pothole, it could throw the wheels out of alignment. Misaligned wheels accelerate tyre wear and affect your car's stability on the road.

Alignment is something you should be doing at least once every 7000 kilometres to prevent premature and uneven wear of tyres. Poor alignment signals include vehicle pulling to the left or right, irregular or rapid tyre wear, squealing and crooked steering wheel when driving straight.

4. Get your tyres rotated

Just like the name implies, tyre rotation is the process of rotating your tyres. It is necessary because your tyres wear unevenly depending on the type of vehicle you have over a period of time. For example, a front-wheel-drive car puts more stress on the front tyres, and they tend to wear out faster than the rear tyres.

Therefore, rotating the tyres helps even out tyre wear, which ultimately will get you longer life out of your rubber doughnuts. Tyre rotation is best done every 10,000 kilometres, but manufacturers do sometimes have their own recommended schedule.

5. Dry rot due to lack of use

As funny as this sounds, if you don't use your tyres a lot, they will go bad due to dry rot. If you notice cracks on your tyres, especially on the sidewall, this means your tyres have rotted. Another cause of dry rot on tyres is due to excessive exposure to UV from sunlight. So if you want to avoid dry rot, try not to park your car where your tyres are not exposed to harmful UV rays.

You could also try to inhibit dry rot by cleaning your tyres often and applying a protective product over them. Finally, under normal driving conditions, it is recommended to replace tyres every 5-6 years from the date of manufacture.

6. Clean your tyres

A simple tyre wash with soap and water will help remove dust and unwanted foreign bodies from it. Although cleaning tyres is often seen as an enhancement of its aesthetics, it is actually a significant maintenance step that can prevent your tyres from cracking and discolouration, which will help them live a long and dependable life. Washing your tyres will also help you identify any possible damage on them so that you know whether your tyres are in tip-top condition.

If you follow these simple yet efficient tyre maintenance and checks, you can be confident to have a bit more safety behind your back and make a real difference in how long your tyres last.


Child Seat: ISOFIX vs Seatbelt - The best options for your money

I cannot stress enough about how
essential child seats
 are. I have personally been in a front end collision while my child was in the car, and the only reason she came out of it unscathed is because she was secure in a child seat.

I have also heard stories from parents that have been through rear and side collision accidents while their child was in the car, and even with them, the only reason their child remained unhurt was because they invested in a child seat.

Children transported in private vehicles (car, van, 4WD) are the first and second leading cause of traffic related-death among children aged 1–4 years old (43.8%) and 5–9 years old (30.2%) respectively, so you should do your best to research the best child seats. Still, without proper installation, even the best child seats would be like a regular seat, so let us take a look at the two ways that child seats are anchored to the vehicle.

You can affix a child seat to your car either through ISOFIX or Seatbelt. According to renowned Dutch child seat manufacturer, Maxi Cosi, both methods are good, but they do have their respective pros and cons.

ISOFIX

Pros

Safety tests show that it’s extremely safe, providing a strong and rigid connection to the car frame.

The risk of incorrect installation is low – 94 per cent of parents use Isofix correctly.

It’s fast and easy: just one click attaches the car seat solidly to the car.

An extra support leg or top tether strap increases stability and minimizes forward movement, keeping your child securely in place.

Booster seats can be permanently secured using Isofix.

Cons

Not all cars have Isofix. Check the car fitting list to see if yours does.

Some Isofix seats cannot be installed using a seat belt, offering less flexibility.

Isofix seats are often more expensive than belt-based seats due to the construction and reinforced materials needed to make it super safe.

An Isofix seat generally weighs more than a belt-based seat, although this isn’t always the case.

Seatbelt

Pros

It’s safe if installed properly

It’s flexible – not all cars have Isofix so it’s easy to switch your car seat between cars.

Cons

Up to eight in ten inexperienced parents install their car seat incorrectly when using a seat belt. This dramatically reduces the protection offered to your child in a crash. Car seats that use seat belts take more time to install than those installed with ISOFIX.

The most common mistakes are not pulling the belt tight enough, or leaving the belt twisted. It’s also easy to make a mistake if the car seat has no obvious way to fit the belt through it.

Whichever one works for you, just make sure that they are installed properly. If you ever move the seats around between cars, double and triple check. Give it a good violent shrug and see if it moves.

Now that we've taken a look at some of the pros and cons between ISOFIX and Seatbelt child seats, we might as well take a look at some of the best seats available out there.

According to safety.com, a renowned independent and passionate family portal, here are some of the best seats available for most situations.

Best car seat for growth with your child

Graco 4Ever DLX 4-in-1 Infant to toddler car seat

Impressed by these features:

Made to protect your child in front, rear, side, and rollover accidents

Can adjust the harness system up to 10 positions

Removable seat cover for cleaning

Price: from RM1,600

Best Infant Car Seat

Britax B-Safe infant car seat

Impressed by these features:

Has a sturdy steel frame

Made with 2 layers of protection for side impacts

Soft fabrics and padding for baby’s comfort

Price: from RM2,000

Best Car Seat for Smaller Vehicles

Graco SlimFit 3-in-1 convertible car seat

Impressed by these features:

Crash tested to meet safety or exceed safety standards

Adjustable harness system

Cup holders for your baby’s beverages

Price: from RM 1,700

Best Car Seat for Easy Installation

Graco SnugRide SnugLock 35 XT Infant Car Seat

Impressed by these features:

Built with SnugLock technology for securing

4 reclining positions

Lightweight for easy transport

Price: from RM 780

Best Budget Friendly

Evenflo LiteMax 25 Infant Car Seat:

Impressed by these features

Easy installation with a belt lock-off design

Meets or exceeds two times the federal crash testing standard

Removable pillows

Price: from RM 400

We are aware that child car seats can be expensive and many parents complain that it's not a priority or that their child kicks and screams when strapped into a car seat. Sure, they may kick and scream or you might have to forgo some of your indulgences to afford a safe car seat but how much is the life of your child worth? If you can't put a number to that then please secure them safely in a child car seat whenever you're out in a car with them.


2016 Thailand International Motor Expo Opens Today

Following yesterday’s preview day for the press, the 2016 Thailand International Motor Expo opens today at the Impact Challenger Exhibition Centre in Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok. The show will run from today until 12-December.
Organized by Inter-Media Consultants, this year marks the 33
rd
 time the company have been running the Motor Expo.
Featuring 37 car brands from 9 countries and 21 motorcycle brands from 8 countries, this year’s Motor Expo aims to rake in 50,000 bookings for cars and 3,000 bookings for motorbikes, from some 1.5 million visitors that are expected to visit the Motor Expo.
There is a free express shuttle bus service to/from the Motor Expo during 12:00 - 22:00 hr on weekdays, 11:00 - 22:00 hr on weekends and public holiday, with the pick-up/drop-off points as listed below:
Mo Chit—IMPACT—Mo Chit. MRT Chatuchak station EXIT 4, BTS Mo Chit station Exit 2;
On Nut—IMPACT—On Nut. On Nut station Exit 2;
Si Lom—IMPACT—Si Lom. MRT Silom station EXIT 1;
Rangsit—IMPACT—Rangsit. Future Park Rangsit, in front of Big C
Go
here
 for our coverage of the 2016 Thailand International Motor Expo.


Geneva 2016: Honda Civic Hatchback Debuts as a Prototype

The tenth-generation Honda Civic gets its Euro-centric hatchback derivative, which is being officially unveiled at the ongoing Geneva Motor Show.
Showcased in
‘prototype’ form
, the new Civic Hatchback is slated to hit European roads in early 2017.
According to
Honda
, the all-new
Civic
 hatchback will be 30 mm wider, 20 mm lower and 130 mm longer than the current generation. Interestingly, the trademark hidden rear door handles of the previous generation model have been dispensed with; being replaced by regular items.
The prototype display unit also undoubtedly showcases the Civic Hatchback closest to its highest state of trim, featuring LED headlights, daytime running lights, and an aggressive bumper with large intakes. Over at the rear, we also find C-shaped LED tail lights.
A selection of three powertrains has been announced for the Civic Hatchback. Like most European models, the engines are all turbocharged.
For starters, the predecessor’s 1.6-litre i-DTEC turbodiesel engine is carried over with various technical revisions to improve efficiency. Alternatively, Honda also offers a choice between two petrol engines of 1.0- and 1.5-litre displacements.
Production of the new model is set to led by Honda’s UK plant, which will be undergoing €270 million worth of upgrade works.
According to Honda, this investment is also part of a long-term vision that will see the UK plant assume greater involvement in Honda’s global operations. Unlike past versions of the Civic Hatchback, this one will be exported across the globe, including the US.
It’s too early to say if Malaysia will be among the recipients of the tenth-generation Civic in hatchback form, but we do know with reasonable certainty that the
sedan variant
 is set to reach our shores sometime this year.


Volkswagen Malaysia Launches Two Limited Edition Jetta Models From RM123k, Limited To 500 Units Each

For a limited time period only,
Volkswagen
 Group Malaysia will be offering two limited edition models of its locally-assembled Jetta 1.4 TSI.
The
Volkswagen Jetta
 Sport and Jetta Club will be limited to only 500 units
each
, meaning there will be a total of 1,000 units of the limited edition Jetta on offer.
The Jetta Sport (seen here) is priced at
RM132,888
 (OTR without insurance) while the Jetta Club is priced at
RM122,888
. Both are still priced cheaper than the standard Jetta (RM134,888 excluding insurance), which will continue to remain on sale.
Compared to the standard Jetta, the entry model Jetta Club (not displayed during the launch) adds as standard window tinting and a Blaupunkt touch screen infotainment with Garmin GPS navigation capabilities.
Meanwhile, the more expensive Jetta Sport adds on a set of genuine Volkswagen Zubehör Aerokit, which includes front under skirting, side under skirting, rear under skirting and rear boot spoiler, and Silex 17” alloy wheels, on top of what's already available in the Jetta Club.
Both limited edition Jetta models are available in four colours: Candy White, Reflex Silver, Platinum Grey, and Deep Black.


Continental ContiConnect Digital Tire Monitoring Platform Makes World Debut In Malaysia

Continental’s newest technology for the commercial vehicle sector - the ContiConnect digital tire monitoring system, made its global debut in Malaysia today at the Setia City Convention Centre.
Designed to make commercial fleets safer, more efficient and intelligent, the ContiConnect digital tire monitoring platform allows fleet managers to see tire pressure and temperature data for the entire fleet in a single web portal.

How the system works is that tire data is collected by sensors which are mounted on the inner liner of the tire. As trucks enter the fleet yard, a yard reader station picks up the data from the sensors and transmits it to the ContiConnect web portal via a cellular network.
In the web portal, the fleet manager can access low pressure alerts, track data over time, and view reports and analytics for all tires equipped with sensors.
The platform also features customizable text and email notifications, so that the fleet manager, maintenance supervisor, or other personnel can receive immediate alerts when low tire pressure or high tire temperature is recorded.
This allows fleets to act proactively to fix issues rather than spending valuable time performing manual pressure checks.
According to Continental, the ContiConnect system helps fleets lower their costs and increase uptime by saving maintenance time, protecting tires from long-term damage, reducing tire-related breakdowns and tire wear, and also by improving fuel efficiency and improving safety for all road users.
“The pilot test we ran on ContiConnect in Malaysia and Thailand showed promising results. So, we are excited to share with our customers how ContiConnect can offer our brand promise of lowest overall driving cost and optimize fleet efficiency. This is an important step Continental is taking towards becoming an integrated solutions provider,” said Philippe Barabinot, Head of Sales and Marketing, Business Region APAC Truck Tires.


Extra Trains At The Ready For KL City Grand Prix Weekend

The KL City Grand Prix is just a couple of days away now, occupying the capital city’s streets with
V8 rumble and the heat of competition
 from August 7 to 9. Prasarana Malaysia Berhad, says it will do more to help ferry the public to and from the heart of the city.
As we all know, there will be road closures along some major roads. With barriers that make up the circuit walls being fair notice. According to
The Sun Daily
, Prasarana’s Communications and Media Affairs senior manager Azhar Ghazali said they will provide an injection of trains to cater for travellers during the three days.
He told the daily: "This applies to all three of our rail services, the two LRT networks on the Ampang Line and Kelana Jaya Line, and the KL Monorail. For now, the services will go on as usual as per any other days. But if we see that there is a need, then we will add more train services."
Mohd Ariffin Idris, Rapid Rail Chief Operating Officer assured that, despite the added influx, train congestion will not be a problem.
"We are ready to add more trains to the maximum if there is a need to do so."
Those working around the golden triangle area of Kuala Lumpur during the race event duration are encouraged to consider public transportation, said mayor Datuk Mohd Amin Nordin previously. He then had announced that
five major roads
 would see closure: Jalan Ampang, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Raja Chulan, Jalan Perak, and Jalan P. Ramlee.