Reminder: Heavy Vehicles Are Banned At Peak Hours In KL City - JPJ

In case you weren’t aware, the same slow moving big vehicles that could be the cause of your
daily driving frustrations
 are probably already banned from being out there on the roads.

That is, of course, if the conditions for time and location are met. Traffic…it’s bad out there, getting worse. If you’re a Klang Valley commuter, the roads only seem to be increasing
in congestion
 as the weather stays nice and clear.

In a statement posted to social media, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) has responded to the torrent of complaints from motorists that have cited an
unacceptable level of road congestion
, reminding us that there are laws and restrictions already in place (and have been for a long time) to bar heavy vehicles from further clogging up the roadways.

Specifically, all operators and drivers of heavy vehicles - such as goods vehicles - should know that those with a ‘Berat Dengan Muatan’ (or laden weight) that exceeds 7,500kg are prohibited from entering the city centre during peak hours.

But with that said, if the reports are true that at least a few particularly bad traffic jams were caused by or obviously made worse by the presence of heavy vehicles, why hasn’t the JPJ been steadfast in its enforcement of this long-standing law? Merely ‘reminding’ the perpetrator is a far cry from actually taking action to prevent and deter them from repeating it.

This ‘peak hour’ period is defined as between 6.30am until 9.30am and 4.30pm to 7.30pm on all days, but we’re pretty sure any of us can recall a time when we have seen heavy vehicles out when and where they shouldn’t be, so clearly there is little regard for the law.

According to the JPJ, any party found in violation of this can be issued a compound fine by the PDRM traffic wardens or JPJ enforcer personnel of not more than RM300 or charged in court where it could balloon to as much as RM2,000.

So far as which exact roads are these heavy vehicles not allowed to enter during those ‘peak’ hours, the department also has included a very useful listing of them all:

Time Restriction:

Morning - 6.30am to 9.30am

Evening - 4.30pm to 7.30pm

All roads within the Kuala Lumpur City Centre

Jalan Segambut

Jalan Istana

Jalan Tun Razak

Jalan Sentul

Jalan Kuching from Taman Wahyu, Jalan Ipoh to City Centre

Jalan Genting Klang from TAR College to City Centre

Jalan Cheras from Taman Midah to City Centre

PLUS Highway from R&R Rawang to Kuala Lumpur

PLUS Highway from Bukit Raja Toll Plaza, Klang to Kuala Lumpur

Time Restriction:

Evening Only - 4.30pm to 7.30pm

Jalan Kepong

Jalan Genting Klang

Jalan Ipoh from Kepong Roundabout to Jalan Batu Caves

Jalan Gombak from Jalan Kampung Bandar to Kuala Lumpur

Jalan Cheras from Jalan Pudu to Jalan Tenteram

Jalan Sungai Besi from Jalan Kuchai Lama to KL-Seremban Highway

Old Klang Road from Federal Highway to Jalan Kuchai Lama


JPJ Patrol Cars In Johor To Use GoPro Cameras To Monitor Road Users This CNY

The Johor Road Transport Department (JPJ) today fitted every one of its patrol cars in the state with GoPro action cameras in an effort to monitor motorists more efficiently this Chinese New Year festive season.
According to a report by
Harian Metro today
, the GoPro cameras in the patrol cars will be recording motorists throughout the “Ops Tahun Baru Cina 2019” operation which will be ongoing until 12th February.
Johor JPJ director Razali Wagiman said that if any offences or incidents are recorded, the footages will be used to assist further investigations.
The “Ops Tahun Baru Cina 2019”, which will involve a total of 150 JPJ officers throughout the state of Johor, will also focus on closely monitoring express bus drivers to prevent any traffic offences from being made.
It Is said that many undercover JPJ officers will be stationed at bus terminals, and also disguise as passengers in order to check on the conditions of buses, and also the drivers’ behaviour.


All-New 2019 Porsche 911 Spotted Undisguised For The First Time

For the first time ever, the all-new 2019 Porsche 911 has been caught completely undisguised.
After months of having only pictures of the car in full camouflage, an image of what looks like a completely undisguised rear of the new 911, code-named 992, was posted on Instagram yesterday by user ninastigmeier.
Looking completely different from the current version of the 991 series which was last updated in 2015, the 992 can be seen rocking a redesigned rear end, featuring new connecting LED taillights, a new bumper design, as well as quad exhaust tips integrated into the bumper.
The rear fenders also appear to be quite wide, suggesting that the car spotted here could be a Turbo or a Carrera S model.
No official details of the powertrain packages or the equipment have been revealed but various sources have speculated that the 2019 911 could use an upgraded version of the 3.0-litre turbocharged flat-six, paired to either a seven-speed manual or dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
Porsche has not revealed any details on when the car will be making its global debut as well, but looking at things, we will not be surprised if the brand unveils it as soon as March during the Geneva Motor Show.


How To Jump-Start A Hybrid Car?

There may come a time when you'll find that you can't start your hybrid car (
HEV or PHEV
) due to a dead or discharged 12V battery. Is it possible to
jump-start
 it back to life?

The short answer is yes, you definitely can. Although hybrids and plug-in hybrids are different from conventional ICE cars, there are some similarities, and that 12V battery is one of them.

This means that if your HEV or PHEV is unable to start because of a dead or discharged 12V battery (not the hybrid battery), then it is possible to jump-start the car with the same procedures as you would normally do on ICE cars.

There are, however, some tips that can help to make that process a smooth and worry-free transition. First and foremost, ALWAYS check your car's owner's manual before doing it.

In most cases, you will only have the services of a donor car with a healthy 12V battery and a set of jumper cables. With cars like the
Honda City Hybrid
 or the
Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid
, the steps are the same as conventional ICE cars.

Turn off EVERYTHING

Before the jump start procedure can be initiated, make sure that everything in your car (with the dead battery) and the donor's car (with the healthy battery) is turned off.

Things like air-conditioning, lights, radio, GPS, seat-warmers, and other electronic features should be turned off. This is to avoid any possible surge of energy that may short circuit the electronics that were assigned to run these things in the vehicles during the jump-starting process.

Pop the hood & locate the battery

For cars with an exposed 12V battery, it's pretty much straightforward, even in HEVs and PHEVs. Get the two cars as close as possible, and pop the front bonnet to gain access to both batteries.

Then, it's just a matter of clamping the jumper cable on the positive (+) end of the dead battery, followed by the other red positive end on the donor's positive terminal of the battery.

Next, use the black jumper cable and clamp the negative (-) terminal of the donor's battery (the healthy one). For the other end, find an unpainted metal surface (like an engine mount bolt) within the engine bay of your car to ground the entire procedure.

Some cars may have batteries that are located in inaccessible places, but that shouldn't stop the entire jump-start process. In this case, just look for the auxiliary battery terminal in your engine bay (usually a red rubber cover with a positive symbol, sometimes they're black).

That's your battery's positive terminal, and the rest of the procedure is the same as an exposed 12V battery. In some cases like cars from the US, the 12V positive battery terminal can be found within the fuse box.

Ladies & gentlemen, start your engines

Once every clamp and cable is firmly secured (and the cables or connections are not touching each other), get into the donor's car and start the engine. A few minutes and some revs should do the job to jump-start your hybrid vehicle back to life. Just get into your car after that and start her up.

Once successful, you may start removing the jumper cables. Keep in mind that the order should be the opposite of how you started the initial jump-start process.

The black negative clamp on the unpainted metal surface first, followed by the black negative clamp on the donor's car, then the red positive clamp on the donor's car, and finally, the red positive clamp on your car's positive terminal.

Some warning lights may come on

In some cases, some warning system indicators may turn on after the whole jump-start process. For brands like Honda, you're advised to drive a short distance at over 20km/h and it should do the trick and turn off the warning lights.

If it doesn't, drive straight to the nearest authorised dealer or service centre to have the vehicle checked. All the best, good luck, and stay safe always!


Frankfurt 2015: Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class – Our Live Impressions Of The New SUV

Still no signs of its coupe cousin just yet, but here is the all-new
2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class
 making its grand public debut at the on-going Frankfurt Motor Show.
We’ve brought to you just about everything you need to know about the all-new
Mercedes-Benz
 GLC-Class SUV, but now, reporting to you live from Frankfurt, here are our first impressions of being up and close with the car.
But first, let’s recap quickly what this all-new five-seater SUV is all about.
Revealed to the world only in pictures thus far, the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class is a class competitor for the
BMW X3
 and the
Audi Q5
. And if you’re wondering, no, this isn’t Mercedes-Benz’s first attempt at an SUV for this particular segment. Previously known as the GLK-Class, Mercedes-Benz has renamed its latest iteration of the car in line with its new naming strategy: the ‘C’ in the ‘GLC’ refers to car’s close ties to the
C-Class
 sedan.
Another reason why the GLK is almost completely unheard of in our market is because Benz has never done a right-hand drive model for it, believing in the past that Europe, US and China were sufficient markets for it. Now, as you’ve already
seen from the Indonesian motor show recently
, the car is available as a right-hand drive one, which gives it a solid chance of coming to Malaysia.
Performance:
At launch, only two diesel (GLC 220 d, GLC 250 d) and one petrol (GLC 250) model was made available. The fourth is a plug-in hybrid petrol version (GLC 350 e) which holds position as the range-topper. The same range is being displayed here, all of which comply with the Euro 6 emissions standard.
Closer to home, in Indonesia, the GLC-Class was launched with just one petrol engine option (GLC 250), but split in two design variants. And just like our Malaysia C-Class C 250, the GLC 250 is equipped with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that delivers 211hp and 350Nm of torque.
The engine is common to what we get here in the C-Class C 250, but its transmission is instead a 9G-Tronic nine-speed torque converter automatic transmission that is standard for all GLC-Class variants (except the plug-in hybrid version).
If you’re looking to guess which engine options ought to come here, don’t forget that Mercedes-Benz Malaysia is about to
kick-off a wave of diesel-powered cars
 for us – so don’t go discounting the GLC 220 d or the GLC 250 d just yet.
Exterior Styling:
Being that this is essentially a C-Class SUV, the GLC borrows a lot of styling cues from what you see on the C-Class and its latest SUVs (think bigger GLE-Class, or smaller GLA-Class). Up front, you get the Benz brand’s signature twin-bar radiator grille with a centralised three-point star. The headlamps aren’t all too unfamiliar if you know what’s been slapped on latest-gen Benz cars, while you do also get the brand’s LED Intelligent Light System (ILS) headlamps as options.
Around the rear, the taillights are slim, and the rear bumper/ diffuser arrangement features a chrome strip that appears to link the two trapezoidal exhaust tips just like you’ve seen them on the C-Class, albeit with a bumper designed more towards being a protective cladding, rather than an air-channelling feature. Overall, it’s a sculpted rear-end that you’ll either love or hate.
Just like its SUV cousins, there’s a lot of protective body panels in a matt-black finish.
There are two design lines to choose from at the moment, being the Exclusive and AMG lines – each adding their own elegance or sportiness to the exterior and interior. Speaking of which…
Interior Design & Features:
If you didn’t know any better, you’d easily mistake the GLC-Class’s interior for what’s available in the C-Class sedan. The positioning, styling and features of the interior are identical between the SUV and sedan, but for the Benz brand’s unique SUV steering wheel design.
But that isn’t exactly something we’d complain about: apart from the S-Class and the yet-to-be-revealed next-gen E-Class, the C-Class’s interior is by far one of the best interiors Benz has put together yet.
The design combinations are nearly identical to what is possible on the C-Class, so yes, you could have the wood inlays or piano black styling, but of course, Malaysian-availability will depend on Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s product planners. Additionally, there’s a new Head-Up Display system, but that too is subject to what local planners will decide on.
What you can be sure of for local availability are things such as the free-standing display screen (in either 7.0 or 8.4-inch sizes (depending on it being either an Audio 20 CD system or the premium COMAND Online one), the five circular air-conditioning vents, the Mercedes-Benz touchpad and rotary dial control on the centre console and the Mercedes-Benz Direct Shift lever located just behind the steering wheel.
Displayed here at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show are GLC-Class cars with just about everything thrown in: Burmester audio, HUD, full OFF-ROAD design line, new OFF-ROAD Engineering package and lots of other equipment typically assigned to the top-spec variants only. And they’re all nice to see as
we reported in our full global reveal
, but do keep in mind that what’s available locally will greatly differ.
Live Impressions @ Frankfurt:
And to our ‘first’, or ‘live’, impressions of the car: First up, it’s got to be said that pictures do make the GLC-Class appear a lot larger than it actually is. It’s visibly not that much larger than a BMX X3, and is sized nicely for our local driving conditions – giving a nice high and commanding view of things ahead, without leaving an unnecessarily large footprint wherever it goes.
Staying with the exterior, and it’s impressive how short Mercedes-Benz has managed to keep the front and rear overhangs of the car: there’s practically no space wasted between the front wheel and the beginning of the front bumper, and the case is same with the rear. Why would this matter? Well, it’s a clear sign of this car’s ability to get up or down steep hills on the beaten path.
The finer details of the car’s exterior isn’t all that dissimilar to existing Benz cars, but for the front grille, where the twin-bar radiator grille features a new black inlay.
Equipped with the Easy Pack tailgate, opening and close the GLC-Class’s boot is as easy as you’d like. And the opening is impressively wide as well, to which you’ll find 580 litres of space. With the second-row seats slid forwards and folded flat, there’s a maximum load space of 1,600 litres, 50 litres more than its predecessor, largely thanks to a wider area (150mm more).
Moving into the car, you wouldn’t be faulted for thinking Mercedes-Benz had completely lifted the C-Class’s interior and placed in its SUV counterpart here: it’s brutally identical, and we don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.
The seating appears to feature the largest change inside the car, in which just like the GLA-Class and the A-Class, you do sit higher off the ground in all corners of the cabin. Even still, there’s a very prominent sedan-like feel to this that will be appreciated by those who don’t fancy going for the full high-riding SUV affair: the GLC appears to offer a good middle ground to this.
As for the rest of the GLC, we’ll have to wait for a chance to drive it before we can share any more insight into it. Thus far, it looks quite ready to be another hit for Mercedes-Benz Malaysia. Stay tuned for more!
Here’s a few other GLC-Class related posts to keep you warm:
Right-Hand Drive GLC-Class Makes Debut In Indonesia
All-New Mercedes-Benz GLC-Glass Global Debut: Full Details and Specs
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Plans SUV Assault For 2016: GLE-, GLC-Class Expected
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Eyes More Diesel Models For Us


Honda Sport Hybrid, Is It Expensive To Maintain?

“Hybrid, you sure you want to buy a hybrid? Maintenance very high lah.”
Yeah, that is the mindset that Honda Malaysia wants to eradicate with the introduction of its new hybrid lineup.
Easier said than done, however, stigma remains ingrained in the minds of many. The perceived complexity of hybrid systems have put many off potentially purchasing a hybrid, espcially when it comes to the hybrid battery.
With the introduction of the new Honda City and Jazz Hybrid, Honda Malaysia is making a corceted effort to educate the public that owning a hybrid is no different from owning a regular petrol model.
Starting with vehicle maintenance, like the regular petrol models, Honda is offering buyers of the new City and Jazz Hybrid a 10,000 km service interval with 6 free labour services at 20,000 km intervals, alternating with paid services.
A quick comparison between the hybrid and petrol variant does indicate that at certain service intervals, the hybrid variant is cheaper to service.
For example, the most expensive service for the Jazz 1.5 is priced at RM945, while the same service package for the Jazz Hybrid costs RM100 less, at RM845.
Apart from that, the petrol Honda Jazz requires its CVT fluid to be replaced at every 40,000 km interval, compared to the hybrid’s 160,000 km interval. That’s almost a RM500 savings right there.
In short, the new generation hybrid models from Honda does not require special service.
What about the spare tyre, you may ask.
Well, in the case of the Honda Jazz and City Hybrid, both these models come equipped with a tyre repair kit, designed to fix one damaged tyre. The tyre repair kit can fix tyre tread punctures up to 4 mm in size in about 10 minutes.
Watch the demonstration video below, showcasing how easy is it to fix the tire.
Bear in mind that the tyre repair kit can only fix one tyre. Replacement tyre repair kits can be purchased at any authorized Honda service centres for RM182.85 (after 6% GST and 15% discount).
In an event that the lithium-ion battery needs to be replaced out of the 8-year warranty window, Honda Malaysia states that the replacement battery will cost RM5,513 to replace. The Hyundai Ioniq’s larger 1.56 kWh capacity hybrid battery costs RM9,800 to replace.
As for the vehicle's 12V starter battery, both Honda's hybrid models can utilize any regular battery that costs between RM180 to RM200. While the infographics provided by Honda mentioned that the high capacity starter battery in the Ioniq costs roughly RM1,000 to replace, officials from Hyundai Sime-Darby Motors clarified that high capacity auxiliary battery costs only RM436 to replace.
According to Honda, over a 5 year period, owners of the Honda City and Jazz Hybrid just need to fork out RM2,867 for regular maintenance, exclusive of tyre change or fuel costs. Honda's infographics also showed that the Hyundai Ioniq requires RM3,208 to service, though HSDM did clarify that the RM3,208 figure is inclusive of air-conditioning service. Without that, the Ioniq costs RM2,299 to service over the same 5 year period.
Seeing that hybrids offer an advantage in terms of fuel economy and driveability over its regular petrol variants without the need of any special service, we reckon that potential buyers should seriously consider Honda’s hybrid offerings.


Hyundai Kona Meets COMOS – The EV Solution We Need?

If you’re on the fence about owning an electric vehicle, you can rent one daily, weekly, monthly – or outright lease a Hyundai Kona with COMOS.

If you’re looking to drive an electric car on the daily in Malaysia, you don’t exactly have many options. You could buy a Nissan LEAF outright – which is a fantastic option if your place of dwelling allows for it. But other than that, you’re pretty much limited to leasing from various companies – COMOS being one of them.

COMOS is known for bringing electric car rental and leasing to Malaysians, with the Renault Twizy and Renault Zoe being the options they are most known for. Rental rates go from daily to weekly to monthly, but it seems now they’re stepping up with the addition of a much larger electric offering – the Hyundai Kona SUV.

While you could buy the Hyundai Kona directly from the distributor, COMOS is offering it as part of a fleet leasing program that in turn affords you the benefits of… well… leasing. It’s pretty much hassle free “ownership”, with annual road tax and insurance renewal, scheduled service and maintenance, as well as wear and tear parts replacement covered as part of your lease.

Many people can’t see the value in a leasing program, but it’s really cutting out a lot of the trouble that comes with a hire purchase agreement and disposal of a car after you look to trade up or out. There is an extra benefit in that with a leasing program, you don’t really need to worry about how you’re going to take care of this asset – since it’s in COMOS’ best interest to keep it in the best shape possible.

And that’s kind of the reason why we think this may be the EV solution that people need. After all, when you’re moving to next-generation technology, it’s probably time we rethink the way we purchase and consume vehicles as well. Leasing is very common in other parts of the world where many people will lease a car for a couple of years and trade up to a newer model at the end of the lease – they may lose a little compared to a hire-purchase agreement, but the process is far smoother.

COMOS is offering the Hyundai Kona in either the Standard or High Spec, with some pretty significant differences in equipment. The Standard comes with the lower 39.2 kWh battery, 136 PS and 395 Nm of torque as its powertrain, while the high spec goes for a more potent 64 kWh battery, 204 PS, and the same 395 Nm of torque. The equipment added with the High Spec is a TPMS, blind-spot collision warning system, rear cross traffic collision avoidance assist, powered front seats, a heads up display, a wireless phone charger, and a rain sensor.

The pricing for the Standard model goes for RM 4,300 a month, while you only need to top up an extra RM 600 for the High Spec. Both lease agreements are 60 months long, with the option to purchase the vehicle at the end of tenure, and both include the installation of the wall-box charger at your home as part of the agreement.


SPYSHOTS: Honda S660 Spotted In Production Form

Honda
’s upcoming S660 looks set to make its way to dealers across the country thanks to Japanese website
Minkara
 that published photos of what appears to be the production version of the convertible kei car.
Originally introduced as a concept in 2011 as the EV-STER Concept and more recently at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show as the S660 Concept, the final product serves as the successor to the 90s Honda Beat.
In terms of design, there isn’t a huge departure between this and the 2013 concept that bears the same name. The head light and tail light clusters are modified as is the grille. The interior also resembles the familiar Honda design as well, and less of that found in the funky concept.
Measuring only 340 cm in length and 148 cm in width, the S660 weights less than one ton (1,000 kg). A Perodua Axia measures 364 cm (length) and 162 cm (width) in comparison. Powering the small kei car is a 660 cc three-cylinder turbocharged engine, pushing 63 hp and 104 Nm torque through either a CVT or, as you can see in the images, a six-speed manual transmission.
It does resemble a miniature Honda NSX, right? Unfortunately, it won't make its way to Malaysia. Boo.


2023 Ford Ranger Raptor 2.0L Bi-Turbo Diesel launched in Malaysia - RM248,888

Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC) has officially launched its latest
2023 Ford Ranger Raptor 2.0L Bi-Turbo Diesel
 offering here in Malaysia.

Priced at RM248,888 (on-the-road excluding insurance), the latest addition to the next-generation Ford Ranger line-up is now offered with the 2.0-litre diesel engine right next to the range-topping Ranger Raptor with the 3.0-litre twin-turbo EcoBoost V6.

Looking at the strong demands for the next-gen Ford Ranger, the turbodiesel Ranger Raptor was brought in to cater to the demands of customers who want a Ranger Raptor that's more affordable and fuel-efficient than the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6.

The latest Ford Ranger Raptor comes with the 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo Diesel engine that produces 210PS and 500Nm of torque - the same unit that's found in the previous generation's Ranger Raptor. The other benefit is of course the fuel consumption rated at 8.2L/100km thanks to the engine's pairing with the e-shifter 10-speed automatic transmission.

From the outside, the turbodiesel Ranger Raptor pretty much looks the same as the Ranger Raptor V6 apart from the missing Raptor decal. Exterior features include the signature C-clamp LED daytime running lights, flared wheel arches surrounding the 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped with BFGoodrich all-terrain KO2 rubbers, bold front end, and more.

Despite being priced below RM250,000, the turbodiesel Ranger Raptor sports the redesigned FOX 2.5-inch Internal Bypass shock absorbers, rear Watt's link, advanced permanent four-wheel-drive system, and an all-new electronically controlled on-demand two-speed transfer case as well as rear locking differentials.

The Terrain Management System is also similar to the V6-powered Ranger Raptor which comprises seven selectable driving modes - Normal, Sport, Slippery, Rock Crawl, Sand, Mud/Ruts, and best of all, Baja.

Going to the insides, it's the same modern affairs between the two Ranger Raptor models where you'll find the 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster, 12-inch centre touchscreen, leather gear knob with e-shifter, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and cast magnesium paddle shifters just to name a few.

Other highlights include:

Ford SYNC 4A infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

Bang & Olufsen's eight-speaker sound system

360-degree camera

wireless Qi charger

Four USB charging ports + more

As stated above, the 2023 Ford Ranger Raptor 2.0L Bi-Turbo Diesel is priced at RM248,888 (OTR excluding insurance). Each unit comes with a five-year manufacturer's warranty (or 160,000km) with the option to extend it to seven years via the PremiumCar extended warranty package.

Customers can opt between five different colour options - Absolute Black, Arctic White, Blue Lightning, Conquer Grey, and the new Code Orange. The first 300 customers will also receive a couple of 'early bird' benefits in the form of a Kenwood DRV-A700W dashcam and an RM500 discount voucher for one Ford Ranger Getaways event.


smart#1 Brabus moose test: when power is enhanced, but chassis isn't

smart#1 Brabus fails the moose test, only comfortable doing it at low speeds.

There's been a lot of hype surrounding the smart#1 Brabus, as it is the performance version of the regular smart#1, beefed up by
renowned tuner, Brabus
.

However, a recent moose test carried out by km77.com has somewhat shown a chink in its armour as the more powerful smart#1 can't seem to swerve or change direction quickly to avoid an obstacle.

According to the test, the 434 hp model is totally uncontrollable when it tries to swerve between cones at 77km/h. Test drivers kept on testing it and kept reducing its speed and found that the EV was only comfortable doing the moose test at speeds of under 65km/h.

To put this into context, motor1.com said that "larger and less sporty models such as the Hyundai Tucson PHEV and Kia Niro were both significantly faster and safer in the manoeuvre, putting the so-called Brabus to shame.

One of the major reasons for this is due to the nonexistent tweaks to the chassis and steering on the performance model, which should have been carried out to cope with the extra power.

Jumping from 268hp to 434hp is quite a big a hop, and it's quite surprising to see smart and Brabus not beefing up the suspension at the very least to cope with the newfound performance.

Even the 19-inch wheel size is the same, so it seems like they have not thought about handling whatsoever.


Teksi, e-Hailing Dikenakan Bayaran Masuk RM2 di KLIA2

Penumpang udara yang memilih untuk menggunakan
e-hailing
 atau teksi setelah mendarat di KLIA2 kini dikenakan caj tambahan sebanyak RM2.

Caj RM2 ini merupakan “bayaran masuk” baharu yang dikenakan ke atas semua pemandu e-hailing dan teksi jika mereka ingin mengambil penumpang di Pintu 5, Aras 1 lapangan terbang berkenaan.

Caj Tambahan Untuk e-Hailing, Teksi

Caj baharu itu dibuat selepas syarikat yang menguruskan aliran trafik dan sistem beratur di KLIA 2 memasang gantri di Aras 1, di mana pemandu e-panggilan dan
teksi
mesti menggunakan kad Touch N Go mereka untuk masuk ke kawasan mengambil penumpang.

Menurut laporan FMT, pemandu juga dikehendaki mempunyai nilai minimum RM20 dalam kad
Touch ‘n Go
 mereka. Namun, sesetengah pemandu dipercayai mengalihkan caj tambahan RM2 itu kepada penumpang mereka.

Agensi Pengangkutan Awam Darat (APAD)
 telah mengesahkan pengenalan dasar baharu oleh RA Consultant Group Sdn Bhd (RACG), syarikat yang dilantik oleh Segi Astana Sdn Bhd, yang merupakan pemegang konsesi kompleks bersepadu gateway@klia2.

“RM2 adalah caj perkhidmatan oleh RACG untuk semua pemandu e-panggilan dan teksi sebelum mereka dibenarkan mengambil penumpang di hab pengangkutan KLIA2,” jelas APAD.

Tambah APAD, pemandu bas juga perlu membayar bayaran masuk itu tetapi pada kadar berbeza sebelum dibenarkan mengambil penumpang di kawasan berkenaan.

Walau bagaimanapun, APAD tidak menyatakan sama ada ia telah memberi lampu hijau kepada RACG atau Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) untuk mengenakan “bayaran masuk” itu.

*Kredit foto: FMT

Tiada Justifikasi Untuk Kenakan Caj

Sementara itu, Presiden Persatuan Pemandu Grab Malaysia (GDMA), Arif Asyraf Ali yang menyifatkan bayaran masuk RM2 itu sebagai “tol”, berkata tidak ada justifikasi dibuat untuk memperkenalkan sistem gantri.

“Saya tertanya-tanya apakah perkhidmatan yang RACG sediakan kepada kami untuk mengenakan tol sedemikian untuk mengambil penumpang?” katanya, sambil menambah pemandu boleh diberi penarafan buruk oleh penumpang kerana isu kos tambahan.

“Pemandu sudah terbeban dengan isu kenaikan harga sejak kebelakangan ini dan kini kami terpaksa berdepan dengan perkara ini,” keluhnya.

Arif meminta RACG dan MAHB agar pemandu diberikan tempoh ihsan sekurang-kurangnya 15 minit tanpa caj seperti sistem parkir di lapangan terbang.

“Sebagai contoh, jika pemandu Grab melebihi tempoh ihsan selama 15 minit di hab pengangkutan, maka wajarlah untuk mengenakan caj RM2 kepada kami,” katanya.

Tambahnya, pihaknya juga perlu mempertimbangkan kemungkinan penumpang boleh membuat pembatalan saat akhir selepas pemandu sudah memasuki hab dan membayar yuran masuk.

Naib Presiden GDMA Azril Ahmat berkata penumpang tidak akan berpuas hati kerana perlu mengeluarkan kos tambahan dan pemandu akan menanggung beban kemarahan mereka.

“Ini adalah langkah mengaut keuntungan semata-mata oleh syarikat pengurusan dan MAHB. Akhirnya kami yang akan rugi kerana biasanya kami terpaksa menunggu agak lama untuk penumpang,” katanya.

Difahamkan bahawa KLIA juga telah mengenakan “bayaran masuk” yang sama sebanyak RM10 untuk pemandu teksi dan e-panggilan, namun hanya jika pemandu melebihi tempoh ihsan 5 minit untuk mengambil penumpang di Pintu 4, Aras 1 pintu utama terminal utama.

Diharapkan MAHB boleh mengeluarkan penjelasan berhubung “bayaran masuk” yang dikenakan di kedua-dua lapangan terbang ini.


Designated Survivor 60 Days Is A K-Drama Featuring Hyundai’s Flagship Cars

Designated Survivor 60 Days is a Korean remake of a similarly titled serial drama by NetFlix. The drama is aired over Korea’s TVN network but of course, you can also easily watch it on your favourite K-drama streaming site.

The drama revolves around Park Moo Jin, a former university professor who was appointed by the President to become the Minister of Environment. However, it didn’t take long before Park’s noble ways put him at odds with his politician colleagues.

On the day of Korea’s State of the Union address, an explosion rocked the National Assembly building, killing the President and the rest of the cabinet. Park was the only surviving member of the cabinet and under an emergency protocol, had to assume the role of Acting President for 60 days.

With the country without a functioning government, the bumbling Park had to step up to lead his country and find the culprit.

As with many Korean dramas, product placements are plenty.

Already the official car for the Korean government, Hyundai took the opportunity to feature their products very prominently in the drama.

Park’s character is portrayed as one which is deeply concerned about the environment. He hates PET plastic bottles and in one scene, he clashed with the President over the government's stance to bow to political pressure from US to lower Korea’s emission standards for diesel cars.

In keeping with his character, Park’s car is a hydrogen fuel-cell electric Hyundai Nexo. One scene showed Park using the Nexo's Smart Parking Assist to get the car out of a tight parking spot with another demonstrated its autonomous emergency braking feature.

Meanwhile, members of the Blue House were chauffeured in Hyundai’s flagship Genesis G90, while the convoy of security detail will travel in a Hyundai Palisade.

Readers might also be interested to know the there is one unit of
Hyundai Nexo registered in Kuching
. It’s part of a trial run by Sarawak Energy to roll out hydrogen energy.


Download the Carlist.my app and get RM50 off your next car service (plus a FREE 20-point inspection)!

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Carlist.my
 is putting RM50 toward your next visit to the Ampang or Petaling Jaya CARSOME Service Centre where not only will you be able to choose from different service packages to suit your needs.

All you have to do is (1) download the Carlist.my app, click on the CARSOME Service Centre icon, and finally fill up the form to book an appointment!

Not only will your car will be worked on by certified mechanics using quality spare parts, your wallet (and peace of mind) will benefit from the transparent billing and upfront pricing offered there.

Best of all, your car will also be eligible to a complementary 20-point inspection covering a plethora of under-the-hood items as well as the wheels, underside, and interior to make sure all potential issues are identified.

This quick, comprehensive check helps identify what your car needs or if anything requires critical attention.

What are you waiting for? Claim your RM50 voucher and book a service at CARSOME Service Centre today! Your car will thank you for it.
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PLUS Highways To See 18% Lower Toll Rates Starting Feb 1st 2020

Last week was capped off by an announcement by the Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia that all PLUS-operated highways will see an 18% reduction in toll rates starting as early as February 1st, 2020.

At 11.15 sen/km (down from 13.60 sen/km currently), this reduction will take toll rates on the North-South Expressway to a level lower than they were in 1999 (11.24 sen/km), according to a statement issued by the PMO.

Additionally, it was confirmed that all PLUS highway toll charges will be fixed at today’s rates as concessions have been extended by 20 years following the previous period’s expiry due in 2038, effectively prolonging it to 2058.

Projek Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan (PLUS) Malaysia Berhad, currently the country’s largest highway concessionaire, will also remain co-owned by Khazanah Nasional Berhad (51%) and the Employees Provident Fund (49%).

Once in effect, the lowered toll rates will apply to all PLUS-operated highways such as the North-South Expressway (NSE), North Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), North-South Expressway Central Link (ELITE), Penang Bridge, Seremban-Port Dickson Highway, Malaysia-Singapore Second Link (LINKEDUA), East Coast Expressway Phase 2, and the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway (BKE).

“We have studied all the bids made by the private sector and also by Khazanah and in the end, we decided that the best way is not to sell PLUS to anybody but to retain it with Khazanah and EPF,” said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to reporters after opening An-Nur Balai Islam Complex at the Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) headquarters.


Fuel Price Update: 4 - 10 Jan - Petrol Up, Diesel Up

Petrol and diesel prices for the next seven days have been announced by Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives, and Consumerism (KPDNKK) and looks like there is a hike across the board.
Effective tomorrow, the price for a litre of petrol will increase by 3 sen while diesel price will see a 6 sen hike.
That being said, the prices will be as mentioned below from midnight:
RON95 – RM2.29 per litre (up 3 sen from RM2.26)
RON97 – RM2.56 per litre (up 3 sen from RM2.53)
Diesel – RM2.32 per litre (up 6 sen from RM2.26)


Geneva 2019: Subaru To Unveil Another Iteration Of Viziv Concept

Subaru today announced the continuation of another Viziv concept car that will be featured at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show 2019.
This year, the design study will be called ‘Viziv Adrenaline Concept’. The accompanying teaser shot shows a vehicle that rides high with the desert in the background, suggesting an SUV model. This will be the seventh creative design model under the Viziv name that debuted in 2013.
The name Viziv is a portmanteau of the words 'Vision for Innovation’.
 At last year’s Geneva Motor Show, Subaru showcased the
Viziv Tourer Concept
, a design that offered some insights into the next-generation Levorg wagon.
Few months prior at the Tokyo Motor Show 2017, Subaru teased performance enthusiasts with the
Viziv Performance Concept
, which was immediately associated with the next-generation WRX sports sedan.
None of these concepts has yet made it into production, with the latest Subaru products having little inspiration from these concept design studies.
The Viziv Adrenaline Concept will be
joined by two electrified models equipped with e-Boxer
 technology, where Subaru is using the motor show as an avenue for their European premiere.


You Can Now Buy Shell Helix Products And Service Packages On Lazada

Shell Malaysia today launched its first official Shell online store on Lazada Malaysia online shopping platform.
Items sold on the Shell Malaysia Official Online Store include genuine Shell Helix products as well as engine oil service packages at selected authorised workshops in the Klang Valley and Johor.
According to Shell Malaysia, prices of Shell Helix products include delivery across Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.
The service packages on the other hand, which are priced from as low as RM103, include the preferred Shell Helix motor oil, oil filter, labour and a complimentary 15-point vehicle check.
In conjunction with the launch, shoppers at the Shell Malaysia Official Online Store will get an e-voucher from Lazada Malaysia worth up to RM30 for every purchase of Shell motor oil or oil service packages from August 3 till 10, 2017.
Car owners who purchase an engine oil service package from the Shell Malaysia Official Online Store will be contacted by the official Shell distributor to arrange their preferred service venue, date and time slot followed by a confirmation via SMS.
The Shell Malaysia Official Online Store also provides access to product technical support to those seeking guidance on the Shell Helix motor oil that is best suited for their cars.
According to Shell Lubricants Executive Director – Southeast Asia & Oceania, Troy Chapman, Malaysia was the first market in Southeast Asia to enable online purchase of genuine Shell Helix products and service packages from an official channel.
Lazada Malaysia Chief Executive Officer Hans-Peter Ressel said that the company was thrilled to welcome Shell, a reputable global brand, onto its well-established e-commerce platform in Malaysia.


All-New 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan Tested For Over 200,000 km On Malaysian Roads

The upcoming launch of the all-new 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 TSI in Malaysia is a culmination of more nearly one and a half years of preparation, which included upgrading the assembler Volkswagen Group Malaysia’s vehicle assembly facility in Pekan, Pahang to cope with the all-new MQB platform Tiguan (and the recently launched all-new Passat B8) as well completing an extensive durability testing on Malaysian roads.
When asked about assurances on the durability of the all-new second generation Volkswagen Tiguan in our punishing local driving conditions, Mr. Erik Winter, Managing Director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) revealed that since last year, several pre-production Volkswagen Tiguans have already been produced at Pekan, and that these early so-called pre-production endurance test cars have been subjected to real-world testing in all sorts of driving conditions that typical Malaysians face every day.
“These pre-production cars are being driven on Malaysian roads for quite a long period, in different driving conditions, different surfaces, to ensure that it is ready for the Malaysian market. As confirmed by some of you (Carlist.my:
Funtasticko.net
 to be exact) who already captured
spyshots
 of the Tiguan driving around, these are the pre-production cars. There are a couple of them and all together they have driven between 200,000 and 250,000 km in Malaysia, to make sure that the fits the Malaysian driving environment,” said Erik.
The all-new Tiguan is expected to be launched in early-April, with an estimated pricing of RM149,000 for Comfortline and RM169,000 for the Highline. Both variants are powered by a turbocharged 1.4-litre TSI (no more Twincharge supercharger and turbocharger combo) paired to a 6-speed wet-type dual clutch DSG transmission.
There is an early-bird discount of RM7,000 for customers who book their Tiguan within this pre-launch period.
Like all Volkswagen models sold since September 2016, the all-new Volkswagen Tiguan is covered by a 5-year manufacturer-backed warranty.
More on the specs, features, and differences between the Highline and Comfortline variants
here.


Starrtrek Carriers Debuts The Premium Auriga Deluxe 122 And Blizzard - No More Prying Eyes On Your Expensive Collection

Starrtrek Carriers Sdn Bhd has introduced sophisticated new vehicle transportation carriers, the Confidential Auriga Deluxe 122 and Blizzard semi-trailers.

Said to be the first of its kind in Malaysia, the Italian-made Confidential Auriga Deluxe 122 and Blizzard
semi-trailers
 are both game-changers for Malaysia's automotive logistics market.

According to Starrtrek Carriers's Managing Director, Datuk Kumar Prabakaran, who has 30 years of experience in the
logistics industry
, Starrtrek commits to introduce its fleet of automotive transporters by bringing the best in class European-designed car carriers.

"With this state-of-the-art car carrier, we are setting another benchmark for higher quality and no compromise vehicle logistics service. We are proud to be a pioneer in this field and to be able to offer our customers even higher quality door-to-door services", said Kumar.

The Auriga Deluxe can move vehicles without being subjected to the harsh Malaysian weather, road, gravel and stone chips as the trailer is confidentially enclosed, while the Blizzard semi-trailers are non-enclosed and bring forth the potential to load more units per trip than the norm in Malaysia.

Both trailers have advanced hydraulic systems to aid vehicle loading and unloading with minimal handling. Its lightweight, high yield steel combined with new technology and innovation enables a greater sense of reliability,
safety
, and ultimate protection to the vehicles during transportation journeys, especially when facilitated only by the best-handpicked drivers to fulfill door-to-door services.

The Confidential Auriga Deluxe can accommodate six-passenger vehicles or up to four sports utility vehicles for each trip depending on the vehicle dimension, while the Blizzard semi-trailer can accommodate a maximum of 10 units of cars depending on the dimension and kerb weight.

Currently, Starrtrek Carriers Sdn Bhd has one Confidential Auriga Deluxe and six units of Blizzard Semi-trailers and operates throughout Peninsular Malaysia.

Both Auriga Deluxe and Blizzard are supported by Scania Prime Movers, which are fitted with GPS and surveillance cameras for safety and compliance.

For more information, please contact Starrtrek Carriers at
www.starrtrekcarriers.com.my
 or via WhatsApp at 017-998 8262.


Lessons From Mazda’s Jinba Ittai Instructor

“Respect the water and understand your limits,” zen-like words of wisdoms from Ian Khong, Mazda’s Lead Jinba Ittai instructor at Malaysia’s first ever MazdaSports Academy. Yes, Jinba Ittai instructor is a real position within Mazda.
If you don’t already know, ‘jinba ittai’ is Japanese for ‘oneness between horse and rider.’ It is the spiritual compass that guides Mazda. In simple terms, Jinba Ittai speaks about building cars whose dynamic behavior is so natural to the driver, that it becomes an extension of the driver’s limbs.
The objective of MazdaSports Academy is not to turn participants into racing drivers, but to teach them to be safer drivers. Often this involve unlearning the many bad driving habits acquired over the many years of casual driving – wrong seating position and bad steering techniques are the biggest offenders.
You can’t appreciate Jinba Ittai or recover from a skid if you are not sitting and steering the car in the correct manner.
Initially, Mazda had allocated only 20 spots for the day course at MAEPS in Serdang. Clearly Mazda had underestimated the demand as all 20 slots were filled up in just 1 hour! It prompted Mazda to extend the course by another day, accommodating a total of 40 participants over the weekend.
Yours truly doesn’t drive a Mazda but Carlist.my was invited to participate in a CX-3 press car.
The first order of the day was, of course, learning the correct sitting position and steering wheel techniques. Adjust the driver’s seat and steering wheel’s until your stretched out wrist rests at the steering wheel’s 12 o’ clock position, with your shoulders firmly resting on the seatback.
Next, your elbows should be slightly bent when holding the steering wheel at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions. You should be close enough so when your foot is firmly pressing the brake pedal as hard as you can, your legs are still bent at the knee. Note that your knees should remain bent even after applying maximum braking pressure. This is extremely important because a straight stretched out leg will, in the event of a crash, provide a direct path for the impact forces to hit your hips. A broken hip is far more difficult to treat than a broken leg.
Our lead instructor Ian also explained that Mazda pays more attention than many other manufacturers when it comes to sitting positions, going to the extent of studying the exact muscles used when we steer or shift a gear, before deciding on a driver-centric cabin layout.
Achieving perfect alignment between the steering wheel and control pedals is harder than you think because regular road cars need to suit a wide range of drivers. Limitations in packaging the many mechanical components behind the vehicle’s bulkhead often force manufacturers to adjust either the steering rack or the pedals to be slightly off-set.
Wrong steering technique is another common bad habit. While instructors from different advanced driving schools advocate slightly different techniques, they all agree that the standard driving school’s push-pull method is only suitable for big-rimmed steering wheels of non-power assisted cars from the ‘50s. Modern cars respond better with the hand-over-hand technique, which require drivers to keep the hands at the steering wheel’s 3 and 9 o’ clock positions, firmly holding it through a turn, before crossing one hand over the other for tighter turns.
With the theory sessions done, we headed to the makeshift safety cone-lined course at an empty car park. The practical exercise was done under the guidance of advanced driving instructors Jason Ngion and Jay Choong.
The first driving exercise involves familiarizing ourselves with anti-lock brakes (ABS). Modern cars with ABS and Brake Assist have very good braking performance but many drivers are not braking hard enough in emergency situations. You have to literally stand on the pedal, push as hard as you can, because your life depends on it. Driving instructors often say “If you can break the brake pedal, you can take the car home for free.”
When ABS is activated, a slight pulsing sensation can be felt but this is exactly how ABS is designed to work and it is very important that drivers continue braking as hard as they can while steering away from danger. ABS doesn’t reduce braking distance. It merely stops the tyres from locking under hard braking, allowing you to steer your vehicle away from the danger, which you won’t be able to if the tyres are locked.
Next is an exercise in making a sudden emergency lane change without braking, simulating obstacle avoidance in situations where the driver has no time to brake. The immediate take away is that many of us don’t steer fast enough with sufficient angles. Even if we manage to avoid the initial obstacle, we often failed to provide sufficient corrective steering angle to point the car back straight.
This is due to two common mistakes – wrong steering technique and vision. The former has already been explained while the latter may sound counter-intuitive. To avoid an obstacle one has to look away from the obstacle and towards the escape route.
Our brain’s hand-eye coordination is wired in such a way that we automatically steer towards what our eyes are focused on. If your eyes are focused on that tree, you are going to hit that tree. Instead, look to the direction where the car should be steered towards. It’s easier said than done but that’s why practices like this is important.
The last training session involves skid control on a wet surface. Driving straight into a large pool of standing water before yanking the steering wheel to the left, participants were shown how quickly things can go very wrong when it’s wet, even at just 60 km/h.
“How fast do you see people drive by when it’s raining heavily? This is just at 60 km/h,” said Ian, who reminded participants to always respect the water when driving.
Participants were taught the theory of aquaplaning and its relation to tyre size. The wider your tyres are, the higher the risk of aquaplaning, a condition when the volume of water on the road’s surface exceeds the tyres’ ability to disperse the water, causing it to float like a balloon. In such situations, electronic traction and stability controls won’t make a difference anymore because the tyre are no longer in contact with the ground.
Participants were taught to avoid such situations by practicing good judgement on speed versus braking distance, to read the road conditions by looking much further than the immediate vehicle in front. When approaching standing water, one should reduce speed by lifting off the throttle and keeping a firm grip on the steering wheel rather than suddenly stabbing on the brake pedal.
As this is a safe and controlled environment, participants were encouraged to slowly increase their speed until their vehicle goes into a spin, just to familiarize themselves with a skid and to understand the limits of their tyre’s traction. Contrary to popular opinion, many crashes that occur along wet corners don’t happen because the vehicle has skidded, but after it. As some participants noted, a skidding car can suddenly change direction once the front wheels regain its grip, throwing the car from an understeer into an oversteer situation. Countersteering during the initial stage of the skid is easy, but correcting the steering angle once the tyres regain their grip is harder.
The last activity saw the participants putting their lessons to good use by challenging themselves to a time trial. Right from the moment the first car was flagged off, it was very obvious that we were in a company of enthusiast drivers who were keen to improve themselves, as everyone posted respectable times. They definitely went home as better drivers than they were before the start of their lessons.
This inaugural event by MazdaSports Academy was open only to smaller models like the Mazda 2, Mazda 3 and CX-3. A separate session catering to larger models (which require a slightly different course setup) like the CX-5 and rear-wheel drive models like the MX-5 are in the plans.
In the future, we can expect to Bermaz Motor to organize more activities and launch more products under the MazdaSport brand. It currently offers accessories packages for the Mazda 2 and Mazda 3, under the M+ and MS names, and more recently, driving experience programmes.


Honda Civic e:HEV - Better than the Civic 1.5 Turbo?

If you thought that the
2022 Honda Civic FE
 range couldn't get any better, then brace yourselves for the incoming
Honda Civic hybrid
 model - the
Honda Civic e:HEV
.

Just like the currently available
Honda City RS
 and
HR-V RS
 hybrid models, the Honda Civic e:HEV will be entering the Malaysian market soon and we got to try it out at the Sepang International Circuit. What do we think of it? Two thumbs up all the way to the showroom, baby.

First 2.0-litre e:HEV powertrain from Honda Malaysia

Unlike Honda Malaysia's other two e:HEV hybrid models, the Honda Civic e:HEV will be the first model in its line-up to be powered with the 2.0-litre e:HEV hybrid powertrain dubbed the i-MMD or intelligent Multi-Mode Drive.

The Civic's newly-developed 2.0-litre NA Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine is paired with dual electric motors that function as a generator for the lithium-ion battery onboard while the other uses the generated electricity to power the front wheels.

The ICE engine in itself produces 143PS and 189Nm of torque but when paired with the electric motor, the Honda Civic e:HEV punches out a respectable 184PS and 315Nm of torque. To put things into perspective, the Honda Civic RS with its 1.5 turbocharged engine produces 182PS and 240Nm of torque.

In other words, the Honda Civic hybrid model has 2PS and 75Nm of torque more, and they can be delivered to the front wheels faster thanks to the nature of the Honda i-MMD powertrain. Mated to an 'E-CVT' (Electric Continuously Variable Transmission), the Honda Civic e:HEV smokes the Civic 1.5 Turbo in a drag race while being more efficient with its fuel consumption (up to 25km/l when driven sensibly).

Exterior - Additional 'hybrid' highlights

At first glance, the Honda Civic e:HEV variant might look similar compared to the
non-hybrid Honda Civic RS
, and that's because they are. They're both the Civic FE with similar RS trims, but there are some differences that can help you to differentiate between the two RS models.

For the Honda Civic e:HEV, the Honda badges at the front and rear have slight blue highlights just like the ones found on the City RS and HR-V e:HEV RS. The next giveaway is those 18-inch wheels which come with dual-tone rims, one tone more compared to the non-hybrid Civic.

At the rear, you'll find the e:HEV emblem as well as a single exhaust - one less compared to the Civic 1.5 Turbo. Other details include some chrome bits on the front grille, door handles, and window lines. These are subtle differences in terms of its exterior, but can be easily identified with a slightly longer glance.

Complete Honda SENSING safety package

We highly suspect that the Honda Civic e:HEV will be launched as the highest variant within the Civic line-up, and that means that Honda Malaysia won't be skimping on the safety specs for its latest Honda Civic hybrid model.

The Honda SENSING safety suite is included as standard and for those who are unfamiliar, it includes:

Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)

Lead Car Departure Notification System (LCDN)

Road Departure Mitigation (RDM)

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)

Low Speed Follow (LSF)

Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS)

Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

Auto High Beam (AHB)

As an added bonus, the Honda Civic e:HEV will be the first model from Honda Malaysia to come with a 'Key Card' for enhanced convenience when it comes to keyless entry as well as vehicle start-up. More details will be released soon as we head closer to its official launch date (we don't know yet, but it'll be soon).


LEAKED: All-New 2016 Toyota Hilux Revealed In Thai Brochure

The
Hilux Revo Thailand Facebook page
 recently published a photo that gives us a first look at what the all-new 2016
Toyota
 Hilux will look like, at least for the Thai-market.
Based on the scanned brochure image, we can see that the pick-up truck
closely matches the spyshots
 which found their way onto the internet earlier in the year. This includes the revised front-end with a chromed two-bar grille, wraparound headlights, and other design cues adopted on the other modern Toyota vehicles.
Unfortunately, the scanned brochure image did not include a look at the rear which we reckon would not be significantly different.
It is also interesting to note that another
Facebook page
 also posted several images that showed what appears to be the all-new
Toyota Hilux
 being transported albeit being covered up. This could indicate that Toyota Motor Thailand are looking to launch the pick-up in their local market soon.
As for us here in Malaysia, there is no indication as to when the all-new Toyota Hilux will make its local debut. Stay tuned to this space.


Uber Flying Taxi, Anyone?

Just as we were amidst getting used to the fact that autonomous self-driving vehicles are the way of the future, Uber has decided to take things a notch further by exploring the possibilities of coming up with flying cars.
Yes, you read that right - Flying cars.
According to
a report in Bloomberg
, necessary measures are already being taken by Uber, with the first being the appointment of veteran NASA aircraft engineer Mark Moore.
It said that Moore, who was once based at NASA’s Langley Research Centre, published a white paper in 2010 outlining the feasibility of electric aircrafts that could take off and land like helicopters but were smaller and quieter, providing an effective alternative to driving, especially during peak hours of the day.
The initiative, known as Uber Elevate, will be spearheaded by Moore who has been given the role as director of engineering for aviation at the ride-hailing company.
However, the report also states that Moore acknowledged that many obstacles stand in the way, and they’re not only technical. He says each flying car company would need to independently negotiate with suppliers to get prices down, and lobby regulators to certify aircrafts and relax air-traffic restrictions.
So, with Uber Elevate still in visionary stages, the company and Moore have laid out a radical vision for airborne commutes and identified technical challenges that need to be solved before the project enters the next phase - like noise pollution, vehicle efficiency and limited battery life.
Just to give you an idea on roughly how these flying cars will be, Moore told Bloomberg that these air taxis will have ranges of between 200 to 300 km, and can be partially recharged while passengers are boarding or exiting the aircraft.
He also predicts that we’ll see several well-engineered flying cars in the next one to three years and that there will be human pilots, before projects like Uber Elevate actually materialise.


All-New Third-Generation Kia Picanto Previewed For Malaysia

During a Naza Kia event down in Johor, we were treated to a preview of the all-new third generation Kia Picanto, in GT trim. The third-generation Picanto was
unveiled at the Geneva motorshow
 earlier in the year.
Painted in a loud shade of yellow, this third-generation Picanto represents an iterative step forward from the previous generation, and is completely new underneath despite its fairly similar looks.
It's wise to note that the specifications shown in this model may not be the one we get. The sunroof and large entertainment head unit, for example, are probably things that won't make it into our local specification Picantos.
For now, it would be wise to assume that the Picanto we receive will have the same powertrain options as before (powered solely by a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated motor)- and it's possible that they may drop the manual variant from the lineup for our market. Naza Kia has no firm launch date yet, but it is expected to be on sale by Q2 or Q3 of 2018.


Spied: Proton Iriz Facelift Bares Rear End

Ever since photos of the purported Proton Iriz facelift surfaced, folks were curious about the design of the updated model.
Well, fret not, as our friends over at
Automachi
 recently posted a spyshot of the upcoming Proton B-segment hatchback.
From the photo, the rear end of the updated Iriz receives a black trim that connects both tail lights with the Proton wording located right smack in the centre. Also new is the rear bumper, now with a more intricate design than the outgoing model. The reflectors have been moved upwards, with small inserts at each end of the bumper. A large black trim/diffuser piece help complete the rear end of the new Iriz.
The spyshot also shows the new 10-spoke alloy wheel design of the Iriz, replacing the twin 5-spoke design of the outgoing model.
In terms of powertrain, the updated Iriz is expected to carry over the existing engines and transmissions, including the 1.3- and 1.6-litre VVT engines mated to either a Punch-sourced CVT-type automatic or five-speed manual transmissions.
Photo credit:
Automachi


The Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet And Vision Gran Turismo Will Appear In Justice League

As part of the debut for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet, the 3-pointed star made arrangmenets to have it feature in the up and coming Justice League movie- the latest in a line of DC Comic-based movies that are getting better with each film. Borrowing the segmented approach to individual plot development that Marvel has been using for their movie franchises, it allows for solid character development and builds towards their crossover movies- but we digress.
Driving the E-Class Cabriolet is Wonder Woman, portrayed by Gal Gadot- and it's a fitting car for a woman of her class and nature. It's classy while remaining understated, mixing that avant-garde front end with a more reserved cabriolet body. While the E-Class Cabriolet is a car which we'll eventually see on our roads, the Vision Gran Turismo also makes an appearance- naturally driven by Bruce Wayne. The interior of the car had to be fabricated solely for the movie, as the show car was an exterior-only concept.


2016 Proton Persona Bookings Exceed 10,000 Units; Overwhelming Demand For Premium Variant

Proton today announced that the a
ll-new Persona
 which was launched last month has already received more than 10,000 bookings, which according to Proton, is far beyond its expectations.
Speaking at a press conference after the
launch of the all-new Saga
 earlier today, Datuk Ahmad Fuaad Mohd Kenali, the CEO of Proton said that the Premium CVT variant of the Persona, surprisingly, is the version which has received the highest number of orders compared to the other three trim levels.
When asked if there have been delays in delivery due to the high number of bookings, he said that Proton is ramping up the production for the Persona Premium CVT in order to ensure that the cars get delivered on time.
The new Persona is currently offered in four variants:
Persona Standard MT - RM46,800
Persona Standard CVT - RM49,800
Persona Executive CVT - RM55,800
Persona Premium CVT - RM59,800
 Looking for a Proton? Find one now at
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Video Listings Now Available on Carlist.my

The times they are are a-changing, and if you've been keeping up with the news, social media and generally what's around you, you'd pretty much know that we are currently living in this new form of state called the new norm.

At this current juncture, the new norm (short for new normal) is a state where everything is pretty much connected digitally, especially from a business perspective. It is where everyone is physically distant but virtually near. Some parts of this new state might change when the COVID-19 pandemic arrests, but many experts warn that some things might not ever go back to the normal we've been used to, so we have to learn to adapt to this new way of life.

One of the changes that we must prepare for is how we view used cars. The digital world has really opened up the used car market, but it was always limited to pictures and texts based on what the seller wanted you to know but now, Carlist has added a third dimension to let your used car viewing experience feel a bit more immersive, and for the first time on any Malaysian online classifieds car site, you can now view cars via video.

Close to 7,700 cars can now be inspected via video on Carlist. One simple click is all it takes for you to get that much needed captivating used car viewing experience. Not only does this method let you have a better inspection experience, but it also gives you access to hard to reach cars like never before.

People have always been limited to cars based on their locations as vehicles that are far away geographically are usually hard to inspect without actually checking it out in person. With the help of a video, you can now have a better idea of the condition of the car. This will in some ways get you closer to the vehicle, even from the comfort of your home. It's a lot harder to hide blemishes on a video as opposed to a still image. Here are some examples;

Honda Civic

Volkswagen Scirocco

Mercedes Benz E250

If this doesn't suffice, you could always call up the dealers and ask them to take more videos of the car, because Carlist dealers are still active, on their feet and willing to help. In fact, this might be the best time for you to get in touch with respective dealers to inquire about a vehicle you may have your eye on. They've got more time on their hands to answer questions regarding the state of the car or even loan applications.

All you have to do is visit
 www.carlist.my
 and click on the "video listings" tab at the bottom of the landing page where "Quick Search for" is. It will take you to all the listings that have a video preview of the vehicle.

So get viewing and start inquiring. Good luck with your search!


Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Issues Recall For E-Class And CLS-Class

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has issued a recall on a limited batch of models. The models included in the recall include the E-Class (Model Series 212) and CLS-Class (Model Series 218).
The reason for the recall is due to Daimler AG, Germany discovering an issue with the rubber seal of the engine compartment in the affected models mentioned.
While no dots were officially connected by MBM in their media release to us, a few days ago, Mercedes-Benz announced a similar recall in the
United States
, where 147,000 vehicles were recalled for a similar issue pertaining to the rubber seal as well. The cars there were also reported to  a rubber seal that could fall onto the exhaust system and cause a fire under the hood. The fix for the issue involved attaching additional clips to keep the seal firmly in place.
In the US, E-Class and CLS-Class vehicles from 2013 to 2015 were affected and involved four-door sedans, wagons, hybrid and AMG variants, but excluded coupes and convertibles. The case is likely similar in Malaysia.
Prior to the US scenario, a similar problem resulted in a recall being put out in
Europe
 and
China
 where 149,000 CLS-Class and E-Class cars were affected.
As for owners affected in Malaysia, through its authorised dealers, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia will begin informing all affected customers and perform the necessary rectification work in mid-March. The process is expected to take less than an hour.
For more information on the recall, contact Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Customer Care Centre at 1800-88-1133 from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.


Mitsubishi Merdeka Promotion Offers Cash Bonus Up to RM10,000

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM), the official distributor of Mitsubishi vehicles in Malaysia announced that it is offering exclusive deals and cash bonuses up to RM10,000 in conjunction with the upcoming Merdeka celebrations.
According to MMM, customers who book and register a new Mitsubishi Outlander SUV, Triton pick-up truck, or ASX Compact SUV by 31 August 2017 will enjoy up to RM10,000 in cash bonus.
In addition to the cash bonus, Mitsubishi owners who service their vehicles with a minimum spending of RM350 at authorized Mitsubishi service centres from 1 August – 30 September, will receive either an exclusive Ralliart umbrella in August or a car care kit in September (while stocks last).
That being said, Mitsubishi is currently represented by 57 outlets throughout Peninsular Malaysia and 13 in East Malaysia.


Shanghai 2017: 2017 Mini John Cooper Works Countryman Unveiled

The second generation Mini Countryman was unveiled globally late last year. Similar to other models in their lineup, Mini will be introducing a hotter John Cooper Works variant.
Slated to make its first public debut at the 2017 Shanghai Motor Show, the Mini John Cooper Works Countryman will arrive in showrooms later this year.
Power comes from a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine capable of 231 hp from 5,000 to 6,000 rpm and 350 Nm from 1,450 rpm to 4,500 rpm. Unique for JCW models include bespoke pistons, larger charge-air cooler, additional radiator, sports exhaust with controllable exhaust flap with chrome muffler tips. A six-speed manual comes as standard, though customers can opt for an eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission. Opting for the latter allows for shorter shift times and a Launch Control feature. Drive is sent to all four wheels via Mini's ALL4 all-wheel drive system.
Visually, the Mini John Cooper Works Countryman gains the John Cooper Works Aerodynamics Kit. Versus the reguar Countryman, the hotter JCW variant gets large cooling vents in place of the parking lights and fog light up front. Red highlights can be found on the side turn indicator surrounds, with the S emblem replaced by the JCW logo. Mini is offering four solid colours and six metallic colours for the JCW Countryman, with Rebel Green being exclusive for the JCW variant. The contrasting Chili Red for the roof and exterior mirror covers are also unique to JCW models.
On the handling front, the JCW Countryman now with standard sports suspension with stiffer suspension and damper setting. On top of that, the JCW Countryman is fitted, as standard, with Brembo sports brake system with 4-piston disc brakes up front. The brake calipers are finished in red. 18-inch JCW light alloy wheels in Black Thrill Spoke comes as standard, though owners can also opt for 19-inch wheels.
The John Cooper Works styling cues continue inside, as the Mini JCW Countryman gets JCW sports seats with integrated head rests, JCW steering wheel and JCW gear shifter. The rest of the interior is identical to the regular Countryman, like the rear seats that can be moved longitudinally by up to 13 cm in a 60:40 split.

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 Mini Malaysia is set to debut the
second generation Countryman
 very soon.


Teaser Volkswagen Golf Mk8 2021 Dipertontonkan – GTI dan R-Line Versi CKD?

Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM)
 telah mula aktif menunjukkan teaser bagi dua varian
hot hatch
Volkswagen Golf Mk8 2021, iaitu varian R-Line serta GTI (prestasi tinggi).

Melalui teaser yang dipertontonkan di media sosial pengeluar kereta Jerman itu pada 13 November lalu, ia menunjukkan dua jenis model yang akan ditawarkan kepada pembeli di dalam pasaran Malaysia. Kedua-dua varian
Golf Mk8
 ini dikhabarkan bakal dijual di Malaysia secara
CKD, bukan lagi CBU
 setelah model ini kelihatan sedang menjalani ujian di kilang Volkswagen di Pekan, Pahang.

Sebenarnya kereta ni dah lama dah dilancarkan di pasaran luar. Tetapi jika benar model ini akan dibawa masuk sebagai CKD, masuk akal juga mengapa Malaysia lambat sikit untuk terima sebab urusan bagi mengeluarkan kereta CKD lebih rumit prosesnya berbanding membawa masuk kereta CBU tambah-tambah ketika pandemik teruk melanda dunia.

Jom kita tengok apa yang ada dengan All New Golf Mk8 yang bakal dilancarkan ini.

Volkswagen Golf R-Line

Teaser bagi model Varian
R-Line
 ini telah ditunjuk lebih awal berbanding GTI. Teaser berkenaan menunjukkan varian R-Line ini bakal hadir dengan lampu IQ, pakej styling R-Line serta rim aloi Valencia bersaiz 17 inci. Gril hadapan serta lampu utama LED yang lebih nipis memberikan rupa yang kemas pada Mk8. Keadaan bampar yang lebih rendah turut memberikan rupa dinamik serta prestasi yang lebih responsive pada kereta ini.

Selain itu, di website rasmi mereka, Volkswagen ada menunjukkan bahawa R-Line dan GTI bakal dilengkapi dengan instrumen kluster yang bersifat digital sepenuhnya bersaiz 10.25 inci. Dari segi enjin bagi R-Line, ia masih menjadi misteri tetapi ia berkemungkinan akan menggunakan enjin EA211 1.5L Turbo 4 silinder bagi menggantikan enjin 1.4 TSI meskipun masih tiada pengesahan rasmi buat ketika ini.

Bagi enjin 1.5L, ia ditawarkan dengan output berbeza mengikut pasaran iaitu 130 PS/200 Nm serta 150 PS/250 Nm. Tapi pasaran Malaysia kemungkinan besar akan menerima pilihan yang kedua. Enjin tersebut kemudiankan digandingkan dengan transmisi automatik DSG 7-kelajuan.

Volkswagen Golf GTI

Beralih pada model yang lebih berprestasi tinggi, teaser GTI juga menunjukkan beberapa bahagian seperti bahagian hadapan, sistem lampu LED IQ dan rim aloi Richmond aloi yang bersaiz 18 inci. Ia juga menunjukkan beberapa perubahan kecil berbanding R-Line seperti perbezaan grilnya di mana GTI menggunakan gril bertemakan
honeycomb
.

Berdasarkan gambar-gambar yang disiarkan di laman sesawang rasmi VPCM sebelum ini, Golf Mk8 R-Line dan GTI di pasaran Malaysia ini bakal menerima paparan instrumen digital, serta skrin sesentuh untuk sistem
infotainment
 bersama sambungan Apple CarPlay dan Android Auto.

Dari segi trenkuasa, GTI dijangka masih akan menggunakan enjin 2.0L Turbo 4 silinder yang menghasilkan 245 PS dan 370 Nm. Output tersebut lebih berkuasa sebanyak 15 PS dan 20 Nm berbanding model terkini
GTI Mk7.5
.

Enjin tersebut dipadankan dengan transmisi automatik DSG 7-kelajuan walaupun mengikut sesetengah pasaran seperti pasaran Jerman, enjin ini hanya dipadankan dengan transmisi manual 6 kelajuan. Manakala di Australia, mereka menerima enjin 1.4L TSI yang menghasilkan 150 PS dan 250 Nm dan dipadankan dengan transmisi automatik 8 kelajuan berbanding DSG. Pendek kata, kita hanya boleh tunggu dan lihat sahaja pengumuman Volkswagen kelak. GTI ini mampu memecut sehingga 250km/j dan hanya memerlukan 6.2 saat untuk bergerak dari 0-100km/j.

Buat masa ini, harga yang bakal dikenakan terhadap kedua-dua varian bagi model Mk8 ini masih tidak diketahui. Mungkin lagi murah, mungkin lagi mahal. Untuk konteks, Golf 1.4 TSI Mk7.5 dijual pada harga RM168,505 manakala Golf GTI dijual pada harga RM238,857. Tetapi, model sebelum ini merupakan model import sepenuhnya (CBU). Kalau CKD kelak, sudah tentu akan jadi lebih murah. Tapi dengan penambahan yang ada pada Mk8 ini, mungkin juga harganya boleh pergi lebih mahal.

Jika anda berminat dengan
hot hatch
 buatan Jerman ini, anda kini boleh mendaftar minat anda di laman web rasmi Volkswagen sekarang!


LA 2017: Lexus LX 570 5-Seater Introduced

Lexus has unveiled the five-seater Lexus LX at the ongoing 2017 Los Angeles International Motor Show. In contrast to the
Lexus RXL
, which gains two extra seats over the regular RX model, the LX drops two seats in favour of a larger cargo space.
By dropping the third-row of seats, the LX model gains 15 percent more cargo room, now 908 litres with the second-row in place and a whopping 1,430 litres with the second-row folded down. For added versatility, the new LX 570 features a standard roof rack with rails.
Lexus will offer the new 2018 LX 570 five-seater in one trim level, which includes the same standard equipment as the three-row model, this includes a leather-trimmed interior, four-zone automatic climate control, powered tailgate, moonroof and 20-inch wheels.
Power is drawn from the same 5.7-liter V8 petrol engine, which delivers produces 383 hp and 546 Nm of torque. The engine is connected to an 8-speed automatic transmission with adaptive shift technology.
For easier entry and exit, The Active Height Control (AHC) feature which lowers the body by about three inches when parked is offered as standard, same as the 7-seater model.
The LX 570 5-seater features the same safety technology as the three-row model, including 10 airbags and the Lexus Safety System+ suite that includes Pre-Collision System (PCS) with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Alert (LDA), Intelligent High-Beam headlamps and All-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.


Mazda 2 Sedan Becomes A Toyota - Meet The Scion iA

Yes you read that right. The Mazda 2 Sedan is now also sold by Toyota, albeit under its US-market only Scion brand. The new Scion model replaces the previous generation Toyota Yaris Sedan (previous generation Vios to us) for Toyota in USA and Canada.
The US-market's Yaris line-up is now limited only to the hatchback model, and is the European-market Yaris model rather than the ASEAN-market model.
Like its Yaris Sedan predecessor, the Scion iA is positioned as an entry level car, priced at around USD 16,000.
The Scion iA is built by Mazda under contract, at its Salamanca plant in Mexico, exclusively for the North American market.
Parked next to the fabulously stylish
Mazda 2
 Sedan, we haphazard a guess that the Scion iA is not going to win many fans with its looks. Still, Scion says the letter 'i' in the iA's name represents "Individual. Intriguing. Easy on the customer’s income" while the 'A' is for "aggressive styling, accommodating cabin and trunk, and affordable."
Underneath the bonnet, the Scion iA retains Mazda's  SkyActiv-G 1.5-litre engine, paired to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic.


2016 Honda Amaze facelift revealed in India

First unveiled in 2012, the
Honda
Amaze (also known as Brio Amaze in some markets) has gone through a mild facelift and the first market to reveal it is none other than India.
Featuring a few small, yet significant updates revolving around the car’s exterior, interior, as well as standard equipment, the Amaze is priced between Rs 5.30 lakhs (RM7,194) and Rs 8.30 lakhs (RM11,266) for the petrol variants, and between Rs 6.42 lakhs (RM8,174) and Rs 8.20 lakhs (RM11,211) in India.
Outside, the Amaze now comes with a redesigned front fascia, which comprises a new grille, new bumper, as well as new tail lamps.  Inside, the car gets a new dashboard, similar to the one in the BR-V, which is headed for India, and maybe even Malaysia soon.
Also, the buttons and levers used to control the air conditioning and infotainment have been replaced with touch controls, like the ones fitted in the City. In addition, the car gets a two-tone dashboard with sleeker air-cond vents, silver accents, as well as a new 3D instrument cluster, with a multi-information screen.
The Honda Amaze also gets new seats, heat absorbing windscreen, and Bluetooth audio streaming feature. Safety and comfort features have been enhanced as well, as the Amaze now comes with two airbags, ABS, and EBD.
Under the hood, the Honda Amaze is powered by the 1.2-litre i-VTEC petrol and 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engines, and for the first time, the petrol variant gets a CVT gearbox. Honda India claims that the Amaze is the first petrol car in its class to offer CVT technology.
While the i-VTEC petrol mill produces 88hp and 109Nm of maximum torque, the i-DTEC engine churns out 98hp and 200Nm of torque, with a fuel consumption of 25.8km/l. The petrol version on the other hand, returns 18.1 kilometers for a liter of fuel.
Katsushi Inoue, the president and CEO of Honda Cars India said, “Amaze has been a very successful model since its launch 3 years ago and we have close to 200,000 owners in India. We are confident that the New Amaze with bold new style, premium interiors with new age features will attract even more customers. The new Amaze has been designed keeping in view the customer feedback. We value our customers and always try to exceed their expectations.”
He added that every new Honda model that is introduced in the Indian market will come equipped with Dual SRS Airbags as standard and by April 2017, and the entire model line-up will have Dual SRS airbags as standard equipment.
Also being sold in Thailand and Philippines, the facelifted Amaze is yet to make its debut in the ASEAN region, but we can expect it to do so later this year.
Looking for a Honda? Find one now at
Carlist.my


Sébastien Loeb Joins Peugeot to Take On The Dakar Next Year

With nine World Rally Championship titles under his belt, coming close to winning at Le Mans and the World Touring Car Championship, and not to mention smashing the Pikes Peak hill climb record by a minute and a half, Sébastien Loeb is one of the most successful drivers in motorsports history. But there is one event that he has yet to leave his mark on, and that is the Dakar Rally.
Set to take place on the 3
rd
 to 16
th
 of January 2016, the 13-day cross-country event will take place over parts of Argentina and Bolivia. It is considered by many to be one of the toughest rally event in the world, spearing through some of the driest and most hostile parts of the world, and has gained notoriety in claiming the lives of some of its participants.
The 41-year old Loeb will be joining the
Peugeot
-Total team line-up alongside rally veteran and two-time WRC champion Carlos Sainz, 11-time Dakar winner Stéphane Peterhansel, and five-time motorcycle winner Cyril Despres.
Unlike rally events in the WRC, Loeb says that taking on Dakar is a whole different kettle of fish. “It will be very long, over two weeks, and you need to have the endurance to look after the driver and the car.”
“In WRC I have been used to getting around obstacles, but with this car you can just drive straight over them and it takes some time to have the confidence to believe it. I’ve also been used to having very detailed pace notes, but in cross-country rallies you have to find the road for yourself and improvise,” he added.
Besides that the Peugeot 2008 DKR will be the first time Loeb will be driving a diesel car in competition. While Loeb will be piloting the 2015-spec 2008 DKR for Dakar, Sainz will be strapped into the team's new 2008 DKR16 2016-specification.
Both Loeb and Sainz will be teamed up for next month’s Rallye du Maroc on October 3
rd
, which also serves as a symbolic reunion for the two drivers as they were previously team mates for Loeb’s very first full season of the WRC in 2003.


New 2015 Toyota Rush Officially Launched In Malaysia From RM97k

UMW
Toyota
 Motor have officially launched the new 2015
Toyota Rush
 here in Malaysia. The seven-seater SUV retains the same mechanicals as before but receives an update to its styling, inside and out.
Previously,
UMW Toyota Motor announced its post-GST pricing for Toyota vehicles
 here in Malaysia which coincidentally left out the Toyota Rush. With the introduction of this facelift model, we now understand why they have done so.
Buyer’s Guide:
Three variants are on offer here with prices listed as below (OTR inclusive of GST and first-year insurance):
Rush 1.5S (AT): RM103,300.00 (Metallic); RM102,530.44 (Non-Metallic)
Rush 1.5G (AT): RM100,300.00 (Metallic); RM99,530.44 (Non-Metallic)
Rush 1.5G (MT): RM98,000 (Metallic); RM97,258.00 (Non-Metallic)
When compared to the previous Rush facelift launched in 2011, the new Rush has received a hike in its pricing.
Already launched in Indonesia earlier, the new Toyota Rush merely see an update to both its exterior and interior styling. Underneath, the mechanicals remains largely the same.
Exterior:
Let’s start with the exterior where new front and rear bumpers are fitted, with a faux carbon fibre finish to create a two-tone effect. The front bumper now features a chrome lining that runs across the inverted trapezoidal grille, linking the projector headlamps. Only the 1.5S receives the addition of a LED positioning light.
Similarly, the redesigned fog lamps are reserved for the 1.5S including the power retractable wing mirrors. Elsewhere, you’ll see the clear LED rear combination lights and new design 16-inch polished alloy wheels wrapped in 235/60 series tyres, replacing the previous 215/65 ones.
Buyers will have a choice of five body colours: Black Metallic, Silver Metallic, Champagne Metallic, White, and Grey Metallic.
Interior:
Inside the seven-seater cabin, the same dark coloured seats can still be found. The second and third row seats are easily configurable into various flexible combinations as well, capable of a 50:50 split fold with one-touch tumble along with reclining and sliding ability.
Moving on to the infotainment unit, a new design 2-DIN head unit is fitted, capable of receiving additional inputs – AUX-jack, USB, and Bluetooth with audio playback sent through a six-speaker setup.
For the driver, there are new instrument graphics as well as a recoloured steering wheel with on-wheel buttons. However, only the 1.5S’ steering wheel and gear knob are wrapped in leather while the other two variants will have to settle for urethane. Speaking of steering, the new Toyota Rush now adopts an electrically-assisted power steering (EPS).
Performance:
The Rush’s powertrain remain unchanged here. Under the hood of all three variants is the same 3SZ-VE 1.5-litre in-line four-cylinder petrol engine mated to a four-speed torque convertor automatic transmission. The powerplant produces 109PS at 6,000 rpm and 141Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm.
Safety:
As for safety, all three variants share the same spec sheet. Dual SRS airbags (driver and front passenger), anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), side door beam, collapsible steering column, and Toyota’s Global Outstanding Assessment (GOA) Body structure comes as standard.
ISOFIX mounting points are also available for those who want to install a child seat. A portable tyre pump is also available in the new Rush.
Other Information:
Like the other others offered by UMW Toyota Motor, buyers of the new Toyota Rush will receive a three-year/100,000km (whichever comes first) warranty.

The full specifications list can be seen here (click to view larger):


GIIAS 2015: Mazda 2 SkyActiv Limited Edition Pops Up In Indonesia

In wanting to keep some its line-up a surprise for visitors of the 2015 Gaikindo Indonesia International Motor Show,
Mazda
 has rolled out its
Mazda 2
 Limited Edition for the country.
Taking a cue the
Mazda 3 Racing Series LE we saw earlier this year
, the Mazda 2 LE car will be limited to just 200 hatchback units, and features cosmetic to spice up the little B-segmenter’s appeal further.
Nothing Zoomier than the expected Zoom-Zoom affair here, because apart from the contrasting accents, minor bodykit additions and sporty stickers, the Mazda 2 sports no performance-gaining changes, leaving the Indonesian-spec car pretty much identical to ours: 1.5-litre SkyActiv-G petrol engine, paired with a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
Notably, the Indonesian-market Mazda 2 gets the coveted LED projector headlamps with LED daytime running lights. Only two body colours will be available: a Snowflake White Pearl with matching interior upholstery, and Soul Red Metallic with a darker interior.
Carlist.my's Gerard Lye just picked up a Mazda 2 SkyActiv himself lately, and will be properly crossed to find out that Indonesia gets these Limited Edition models. Hopefully for him, and for the rest of the fans of the compact B-seg hatch, Bermaz sees fit for these variants to come on over to Malaysia, or at least be made optional kit for them.


Frankfurt 2015: Suzuki Baleno Compact Hatch Shows Its Humble Offerings

As reported earlier,
Suzuki
 has finally taken the covers off its all-new Baleno at the on-going Frankfurt Motor Show.
Toshihiro
Suzuki
, President, Suzuki Motor Corporation said, “The Baleno stands out in terms of styling and utility as well as in terms of both driving and environmental performance. It is a car that will go beyond—in all areas—what people have come to expect in a compact car.”
Showcasing a new design language called “Liquid Flow” from the Japanese carmaker, the all-new hatchback with an all-new name will go on sale in Europe come early 2016, offering potential buyers the promise of a “compact body, spacious interior, and efficient powertrains.” Clearly, that’s not all.
On top of the fuel-efficient engines that we’ll tell you about in a bit, the Baleno also rides on a new-generation modular platform from Suzuki. The Japanese carmaker tells us that the fruits of the new labour is said to increase structural rigidity and reduce weight, all the while improving fuel efficiency and handling, whilst retaining a high level of safety and low noise, vibration and harshness throughout.
Its overall dimensions then add up to 3,995mm long, 1,745mm wide, and 1,470mm tall – this is only slightly smaller compared to the
Suzuki iK-2 Concept
 which was said to preview the all-new Baleno.
What this is then, is a B-segment hatchback that’s only slightly larger than the popular
Suzuki Swift
, and for now, looks to be headed for sale in Europe: nothing has been said about any Asean arrivals just yet, so hang tight.
Powering the new Baleno will be a variation of three powertrains. These are:
1.0-litre BOOSTERJET direct-injection turbocharged petrol engine
1.2-ltire DUALJET, and
SHVS hybrid with 1.2-litre DUALJET engine
On top of all that’s been mentioned, Suzuki is also touting best-in-class (B-segment hatch) luggage space, offering up to 355 litres.
There’s also a host of impressive tech being thrown in, amongst which are a multi-information colour display screen, adaptive cruise control with speed limiter, and Smartphone Linkage Display Audio compatible with Apple CarPlay.
Safety is also moving on upwards for the brand, who now offers Radar Brake Support amongst “other comprehensive safety features for safety and peace of mind.”
All things considered, it’s becoming clearer now that the Baleno, despite being a B-segmenter, looks to be gunning for a more tech savvy approach that may not infringe on the humble Suzuki Swift’s appeal.
More details soon.


Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Teased, To Debut At 2015 New York Auto Show

Without much else to go off on,
Toyota
 has just released an image and a brief message about a new hybrid model to join the family. The US-market 2016 Toyota
RAV4
 Hybrid, picture-teased here, will debut at the coming New York Auto Show on the 2
nd
 of April, 2015.
Apart from a brief message that reads, “
The 2016 RAV4 Hybrid. See it April 2, 12:30 p.m. EDT at the New York International Auto Show,”
everything else about the car has been left to speculation for now, but it wouldn’t surprise us too much to see a familiar Toyota powertrain employed in the hybrid model.
Interestingly, the words “Limited” are placed above the ‘hybrid’ lettering around the back of the car, suggesting the obvious that this may well be a limited edition model, just like the second-gen RAV4 EV – a joint-initiative Toyota had with Tesla back in 2012 saw the team produce a limited run of 2,600 units, planned for the first three years, with sales reserved purely for California (largely because of the state’s special rebates for hybrid vehicles. However, the Toyota-Tesla model was discontinued by 2014.
The “Hybrid” logo, however, suggests that this is obviously nothing like the second-gen RAV4 EV. It’s purely speculative for now as to which direction Toyota takes for its fourth-gen RAV4 Hybrid’s powertrain, but it’s no secret that the company does have a rather impressive arsenal of hybrid systems to choose from.


Malaysian Government Lost RM4.89b In Excise Duty For Cars

The latest Auditor General’s Report 2018 revealed that between 2015 to 2017, the Malaysian government had given out RM4.89 billion worth of excise duty exemptions for locally-assembled vehicles, reports The Edge.
The duty exemptions were given mostly to energy-efficient vehicles (EEVs). A total of 73,250 EEV-compliant vehicles were sold during this period.
The so-called EEV category of cars was created under the previous National Automotive Policy, which granted certain levels of excise duty deductions/exemptions to low fuel consumption, locally-assembled cars.
The specifics of EEV criteria were not made public, but among the factors considered were investment value and fuel consumption (compared against the vehicle’s weight category).

From the RM4.89 billion worth of excise duty exemption in total, it is revealed that the exemption from three states namely Pahang, Kedah, and Selangor amounted to RM4.095 billion (83.75%) – all three states are host to several vehicle assembly plants.
Kedah (Kulim) is home to the Inokom plant, where BMW and Mazda vehicles are assembled. Pahang (Pekan) is home to Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s vehicle assembly plant while Selangor (Rawang and Shah Alam) is where plants belonging to Perodua, Toyota, and Volvo are located.
On top of EEV incentives, the reduced tax earnings was also due to other exemptions given under the Returning Expert Program (REP) and Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) program.
Comments in the Auditor General’s Report also suggests that EEV incentives are unlike to continue further.
"In the opinion of the audit, the rating of EEVs by JPJ (Road Transport Department) is based on the definition of UN R101, which has not been fully adopted, especially in relation to carbon emissions," said the report, which adds that the incentive needs to be reviewed.


Mazda Loves the Colour Red

Mazda has had a long history of red. It's the hero colour for a number of their cars, from the MX-5 to the RX-8, and even the more mass-market models like the Mazda 6 and the CX-5. But with each passing generation, Mazda also looks at how to take that paint to the next level- and the latest form of their iconic red paint is the Soul Red Crystal found on the all-new CX-5. It's a deep, glossy red that ranges from dark crimson to bright ruby depending on the light.
But achieving this kind of paint finish is not easy, and if you try buying a Mazda 6 in Soul Red you will usually find yourself on a much longer waiting list. The cars require a special painting process that Mazda recently developed which mimics what can be achieved by a painter doing the process by hand. This is also why the colour is a more expensive option- but to those who have it and get to enjoy it, the option is worth the extra money.