Tambang Percuma Buat OKU Sehingga 30 September 2022 – PRASARANA

Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (PRASARANA)
 menawarkan tambang percuma selama sebulan kepada orang kurang upaya (OKU) sempena
sambutan kemerdekaan negara yang ke-65.

Menurut
Menteri Pengangkutan
 Datuk Seri Lr Dr Wee Ka Siong, operator perkhidmatan rel dan bas utama negara menawarkan tambang percuma khusus untuk pemegang kad
OKU
 yang berdaftar dengan Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM) dan pemegang kad konsesi OKU MyRapid
bermula 31 Ogos hingga 30 September ini.

Bukti Prihatin Terhadap Golongan OKU

Wee berharap lebih ramai golongan OKU akan menikmati tambang percuma ini untuk bersiar-siar di ibu negara menaiki pengangkutan awam kerana semua perkhidmatan Rapid KL, Rapid Penang dan Rapid Kuantan yang merangkumi
Transit Aliran Ringan (LRT), Transit Aliran Massa (MRT), monorel, Bas Rapid Transit (BRT) atau bas henti-henti dan Rapid Mobiliti percuma selama 31 hari.

Tambahnya, pemberian tambang percuma ini sebagai tanda terima kasih Kumpulan PRASARANA kepada pengguna OKU sempena ulang tahun kemerdekaan negara ke-65, selain bukti keprihatinan Keluarga Malaysia yang serius menjaga kebajikan serta keselesaan pengguna OKU.

Terdahulu, Wee menaiki tren bersama sekumpulan OKU berkerusi roda dan cacat penglihatan dari Stesen MRT Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) dan disambut Presiden Persatuan OKU Sentral, Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi di Stesen MRT Pasar Seni.

Pengangkutan Awam Dan OKU

Berdasarkan statistik PRASARANA, Wee berkata purata penggunaan bulanan kalangan OKU menggunakan pengangkutan awam adalah 23,527 bagi perkhidmatan rel dan 26,762 bagi perkhidmatan bas.

Kempen ini diharap dapat membantu kelangsungan hidup golongan OKU bergerak ke tempat kerja atau baru hendak memulakan perniagaan selepas terjejas akibat COVID-19 kerana ia dapat dimanfaatkan lebih 10,000 golongan OKU yang menggunakan perkhidmatan awam setiap hari.

"Meskipun tempoh tambang percuma selama sebulan, pada masa sama kita akan menilai keberkesanan program kerana mahu mendapat maklum balas daripada golongan pengguna ini supaya dapat mengetahui bentuk rintangan yang mereka hadapi ketika menggunakan pengangkutan awam,” jelas Wee.

Tambahnya, pihaknya mahu tahu apa punca mereka tidak selesa dan mereka mengalu-alukan pandangan daripada golongan ini serta sedia menjadikan kemudahan pengangkutan awam lebih mesra OKU, sekali gus membolehkan PRASARANA meningkatkan perkhidmatan terutama ketika waktu sesak terutama membabitkan OKU.

"Jadi selepas sebulan kita akan umumkan sejauh mana keberkesanan tawaran ini kepada golongan OKU selepas mendapat maklum balas dari segi reka bentuk dan apa saja perkara berkaitan pengguna OKU ini," katanya.

Wee berkata, sejak beberapa bulan lalu, pihaknya sudah mengarahkan audit berkala termasuk prosedur operasi standard (SOP) perlu dipatuhi dan PRASARANA akan mensyaratkan Indeks Prestasi Utama (KPI) bagi setiap stesen termasuk semua kemudahan beroperasi dengan baik.

"Ini kerana jika kemudahan ada tetapi tidak boleh digunakan disebabkan masalah teknikal, ia menyukarkan pergerakan OKU kerana mereka memerlukan kemudahan beroperasi sepenuhnya tetapi apabila keadaan sesak, pergerakan mereka akan terbantut,” jelas Wee.

Wee berkata pihaknya akan mempertingkatkan pemantauan supaya tahap keselesaan mereka bertambah baik. Selain itu, Wee berkata PRASARANA juga menyahut seruan untuk mengambil kakitangan OKU bekerja di pusat panggilan dan menggalakkan lebih ramai lagi pada masa hadapan.

Sementara itu, bagi penggunaan perkhidmatan bas henti-henti Rapid KL, Rapid Penang dan Rapid Kuantan, penumpang OKU hanya perlu menunjukkan kad perakuan OKU atau kad konsesi OKU MyRapid kepada kapten bas bagi membolehkan mereka menikmati perjalanan percuma.


Perodua Announces 1H2015 Results: Increase Of 14.8%, Axia Leads Sales

Perodua
 today announced their sales figures for the first half of 2015 which saw an increase of 14.8%. This amounted to a sales figure of 108,500 vehicles sold as compared to 94,500 vehicles during the same period in 2014.
The increased sales figures is reflective of the strong demand for the
Perodua Axia
 which accounted for nearly half of total sales from January to June with 53,700 units. Since the compact car began receiving bookings in August 2014, Perodua has received 134,000 orders and have delivered 83,700 since it was launched in September 2014 until 9 July, 2015.
“Based on our internal analysis, we estimate that our market share for the first six months of the year to be 33.8% based on forecasted total industry volume of 321,400 vehicles,” President and CEO of Perodua, Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said.
The second national car maker also recorded 10% less sales in the second Q2 of 2015, mainly due to consumers’ reaction towards the implementation of the Goods & Services Tax (GST) on 1 April, 2015.
However, Perodua are cautiously optimistic that it will be able to meet its 208,000 sales target by the end of the year, a 6.3% growth from 2014.
In 1H2015, Perodua managed to produce 116,000 vehicles, an increase of 12% compared with 104,000 vehicles produced in the same period last year.
Aminar added, “The first step towards achieving greater customer satisfaction is with Perodua Sentral, Petaling Jaya which began operations in early May 2015, whereby we have increase the level of customer care as part of our commitment to delight out customers.”
“We would like to thank the media, our business partners, the government, and our respective customers for their strong support in making Perodua the preferred automotive brand in the country,” he said.


Next-Generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class Production To Continue In Finland

Mercedes-Benz confirms that it will continue its cooperation with Finnish contract manufacturer Valmet Automotive to produce the
next-generation of compact cars
 at its plant in Uusikaupunki, Finland. Valmet Automotive has been producing the current A-Class premium hatch there since 2013.
The lead plant for the Mercedes-Benz Compact Cars range (namely the A-, CLA- and GLA-Class) within the global production network is located in Rastatt, Germany. Further locations are the Hungarian Mercedes-Benz plant Kecskemét and the Chinese production site, BBAC in Beijing, and additionally, as part of the cooperation with the Renault/Nissan Alliance, a joint plant in Aguascalientes, Mexico, is currently under construction.
With its plant in Uusikaupunki, Valmet Automotive remains the optimal add-on of the global compact car production of Mercedes-Benz Cars: Since 2013, additional units of the current Mercedes-Benz A-Class have been produced there.
The contract to produce existing compact A-Class, as well as the mid-range GLC (also produced on the same line), has been extended to end-2017. The
next generation A-Class
 is expected to be introduced in 2018.
Markus Schäfer, Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars, Production and Supply Chain Management added, “We are convinced that the next generation of Mercedes-Benz compact cars continues on its road to success. With the follow-up order for Valmet Automotive, we utilize additional production volumes for our new compact vehicles. Working with professional cooperation partners is an important strategic pillar in our flexible and efficient production network.”


Breaking All The Rules: This Is What The Ferrari F1 Team Could Do

Ferrari’s internal design studio, Centro Stile Ferrari, has come up with this striking creation: the
Ferrari
 Formula One Concept, as it’s been simply dubbed. It has even set up
a website
 to showcase and gather public feedback on its vision for the future of Formula One, if only visually.
Would it be possible to come up with an F1 car which not only is technologically advanced, but also captivating to the eye and aggressive-looking? And could this be made without having to overturn the current technical rules? At Ferrari, we believe so. Let us introduce you to the ‘concept design’ that was conceived by our design studio (Centro Stile Ferrari) together with the Scuderia’s aero department.
Minimal changes give the car a look that is way different from what have been familiar with so far.
Our challenge was to create something that was – to put it short – better looking
. We value your comments on that.
That's Ferrari's official statement on the creation of their Formula One Concept. There's very little else to read into how it phrased the ending portion, and better looking is something that couldn't be used to describe the Formula One cars of the past couple of years.
As the 2015 Formula One season ramps up for the first round in Melbourne, Australia, the regulations that necessitate drastic technical and visual changes to the sport in recent years are still mostly in effect, and this may be Ferrari’s indirect response.
We must say it’s very beautiful. A glimpse of what Ferrari would want to put onto the grid should it not be hampered by regulatory obligations. With the voting for changes in regulation concerning the 2016 season and beyond not being very far off, it could be the Scuderia's attempt at generating interest and support from the fans who were dissatisfied with last year’s aforementioned changes.
There are some very interesting alterations that Ferrari has chosen to apply here: the side panels stretched to run the width of the expanded wheelbase, a much lower and wider rear wing, and a much more pronounced exhaust port. We won’t speculate if that could be an afterburner, although that would be an brilliant addition – no they're just safety lights. Shame.
We're glad to see Ferrari stretching its legs like this to remind us of its formidable design chops outside its production models and how much better looking the pinnacle of open-wheel motorsport could be. With that said, the reality is that there’s very little chance this vision from Ferrari will make it to the grid on a circuit near you, especially in the next couple of seasons, but it sure is fun to imagine.


Tomica ZC33S Suzuki Swift Sport Released In Malaysia

Litt Tak Sdn Bhd, the official importer and distributor of Tomica models in Malaysia have just released several new models here.
First up is the new generation Suzuki Swift Sport, codenamed ZC33S. This new model is available in red or yellow and it features working suspension.
The second model released by Litt Tak is the Mitsubishi Fuso Super Great truck. This scaled-down truck features a container than can be loaded and unloaded.
Tomica models can be bought at various Toys “R” Us outlets, as well as Aeon, Isetan, and Parkson outlets throughout Malaysia. Additionally, one can also shop for Tomica models on Litt Tak’s
official Lazada store
.


Spyshot: Pelancaran Toyota Veloz Semakin Hampir – Dalam Perjalanan Ke Bilik Pameran Toyota?

Kembar
Perodua Alza 2022
,
Toyota Veloz
telah dikesan dibawa oleh sebuah lori untuk dibawa ke bilik pameran menandakan pelancarannya sudah tidak lama lagi.

Sehubungan dengan itu, jom kita lihat apa yang berbeza di antara Toyota Veloz dan Perodua Alza selain daripada logo yang digunakan berdasarkan beberapa keping gambar ekslusif ini.

Warna Badan Dwi-Tona

Salah satu daripada Toyota Veloz yang dikesan mempunyai warna badan dwi-tona di mana bumbungnya berwarna hitam. Perodua Alza pula tidak ditawarkan dengan pilihan tersebut meskipun pilihan itu ditawarkan pada
Perodua Ativa.

Rupa Hadapan Berbeza

Selain daripada logo, reka bentuk gril dan bamparnya juga berbeza di mana Toyota Veloz mengenakan gril berbentuk hexagon manakala Alza tampil dengan rekaan
X Face Design
 seperti Perodua Ativa.

Lampu DRL

Veloz juga hadir dengan sepasang lampu DRL manakala Alza hanya hadir dengan lampu kabus LED sahaja. Namun pelanggan boleh menambah kit badan
Gear Up
 keluaran Perodua untuk memiliki lampu DRL.

Rim

Berdasarkan gambar, Veloz ini dilihat menggunakan rim yang sama seperti Veloz di pasaran Indonesia. Di sana, Toyota Veloz menggunakan rim bersaiz 17 inci, berbeza seperti Alza yang hadir dengan rim yang lebih kecil iaitu 16 inci.

Rel Bumbung

Sebagai sebuah MPV yang lebih praktikal, Toyota Veloz juga hadir dengan rel bumbung untuk kegunaan pemilik bagi memasang ruang simpanan tambahan di bahagian bumbung. Ciri ini tidak ditawarkan pada Perodua Alza 2022.

Bahagian Belakang

Bahagian belakang kedua-dua model ini juga sedikit berbeza di bahagian
diffuser
. Walau bagaimanapun, Veloz mempunyai lampu LED bersambung di bahagian belakang sementara Alza tidak mempunyai ciri ini.

Interior

Meskipun bahagian dalamannya tidak kelihatan pada gambar intipan tersebut, namun Toyota telah pun mendedahkan imej interiornya yang menampilkan dua tona warna, iaitu hitam dan putih sementara Perodua Alza, menerima gabungan warna hitam serta merah pada bahagian pintu serta tempat duduk.

Selain itu, Veloz juga bakal menerima sambungan Apple CarPlay dan Android Auto tanpa menggunakan wayar, tidak seperti Alza. Veloz juga datang dengan pengecas telefon tanpa wayar di bahagian konsol tengahnya.

Harga

Perodua Alza 2022:

1.5 X CVT – RM62,500

1.5 H CVT – RM68,000

1.5 AV CVT – RM75,500

Toyota Veloz:

1.5 AT – RM95,000

Kesimpulannya, Toyota Veloz 2022 adalah hampir RM20,000 lebih mahal berbanding Perodua Alza 2022 meskipun kedua-duanya diasaskan dari platform dan kerangka yang sama. Sama seperti Toyota Rush dan Perodua Aruz, Perodua Alza 2022 ini dilihat sebagai versi MPV yang lebih mampu milik berbanding Veloz.

Tarikh pelancaran model ini masih lagi belum didedahkan namun pelanggan berminat boleh membuat tempahan di laman web Toyota. Bagi anda, yang mana satu lebih berbaloi?


Geneva 2019: BMW Announces X3 Plug-in Hybrid, Fully Electric From 2020

At the ongoing Geneva Motor Show 2019, BMW has just announced the newest addition to their globally popular plug-in hybrid range of premium vehicles.
Due to only enter production in December 2019, the new BMW X3 xDrive30e will continue to use the proven petrol-electric powertrain that consists of a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired with a 30 kW / 41 hp electric motor.
The combined system output for the X3 xDrive30e is 252 hp, similar to outputs found in the upcoming G20 BMW 330e and the current BMW 530e. BMW estimates the SUV will take just 6.5 seconds to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h.
Thanks to the introduction of the latest lithium-ion battery cell technology, the X3 xDrive30e should have an all-electric range of 50 kilometres.
BMW also announced that the BMW 225xe Active Tourer and BMW 530e will also benefit from the new lithium-ion battery cell technology. The new battery pack offers more capacity within the same dimensions.
The all-electric range for the compact hatchback has been increased by 25 percent to 57 kilometres, while
the 530e
 sees an extended range of up to 64 kilometres, a good 16 kilometres further.
Joining the new BMW X3 xDrive30e at the BMW stand at the Geneva Motor Show 2019 is the facelifted BMW 7 Series that feature a more powerful plug-in hybrid system.
Named 745e, the new hybrid system has replaced the small 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with a
larger 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine
. Total system output in the BMW 745e is a whopping 394 hp, up from 322 hp in the pre-facelift
740e model
.
Through this extensive range of plug-in hybrid models, BMW aims to have over half a million vehicles with electrified drive systems on the road by the end of the year. Come 2020, BMW will introduce a fully-electric BMW X3, competing with Mercedes-Benz that has planned to make the EQC commercially available at the same timing.
Last year, BMW delivered over 140,000 units of various models equipped with the plug-in hybrid technology across the globe. In Malaysia,
BMW Malaysia has quite a healthy lead in sales
 of plug-in hybrid models, with over 7,200 units sold last year.


Malaysia Is BMW’s Fifth Largest Market For Plug-in Hybrids

Fifty five percent of all BMW models sold in 2017 were contributed by plug-in hybrid models, thanks to generous government incentive for locally-assembled energy efficient vehicles (EEVs).
Speaking at yesterday evening’s launch of the all-new 530e, the first plug-in hybrid 5 Series, Mr. Raymond Tan, Head of Sales, BMW Malaysia revealed that Malaysia is the world’s fifth largest market for plug-in hybrid BMW models.
“In terms of model mix share, we are also proud to share that 55% of our total models for the country are hybrid vehicles with eDrive technology. This also makes us the fifth in the world in terms of deliveries of plug-in hybrid vehicles,” said Tan.
Last year, BMW Group Malaysia set an all-time high sales record for the BMW X5 xDrive40e by delivering over 3,000 units in 2017 alone, making Malaysia the second largest market after America for the model. Malaysia is also the third largest market for the BMW 330e and the BMW 740Le xDrive with over 2,400 units and over 450 units delivered respectively in 2017. In also interesting to note that across the world, only Japan and USA, both of which are much larger automotive markets, buy more of BMW's flagship 740Le xDrive than Malaysia.
With four plug-in hybid models in its portfolio; 330e, 530e, 740Le xDrive, X5 xDrive40e, all assembled at BMW’s assembly facility in Kulim, BMW Group Malaysia now has the largest offering of plug-in hybrid models in the country. Other rivals in the segment include the Mercedes-Benz C350e and E350e, and the Volvo XC90 T8 and XC60 T8.
Also present at the event was Dr. Mohd Azman Zainul Abidin, Group Chief Executive Officer of Malaysian Green Technology Corporation.
“A key strategy for Malaysia to move towards low carbon mobility is through industry wide cooperation and partnerships. We at GreenTech Malaysia are pleased to have BMW Group Malaysia as a partner from the very beginning, to ensure necessary and sufficient infrastructure is provided to support the new innovation of Plug-in Hybrid technology and eventually Electro Mobility. This will increase consumer confidence in the viability of electric vehicles and plug-in-hybrid vehicles. It is reassuring to see BMW Group Malaysia taking initiative to further propel Malaysia into a futuristic future of electromobility, while we continue to grow the number of ChargEV charging stations across the country,” said Dr. Azman.


Tol Percuma Malaysia - Singapura Dari April 1 - April 7

Tol
 percuma di antara Malaysia dan Singapura akan berlangsung selama 7 hari dari April 1 hingga April 7 2022.

Perdana Menteri Malaysia, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob mengumumkan tol percuma selama seminggu bermula esok di:

Plaza Tol Kompleks Imigresen, Kastam, Kuarantin dan Keselamatan (ICQS) Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (Tambak Johor) dan

Tanjung Kupang (Lebuh Raya Linkedua)

Tol Percuma Malaysia - Singapura

Tol percuma ini membabitkan perjalanan masuk dan keluar menerusi kedua-dua
plaza tol
 yang terlibat sepanjang tempoh itu.

Pengecualian tol ini melibatkan semua jenis kenderaan darat bagi memudah pergerakan rentas sempadan dengan Singapura selain untuk rakyat Malaysia dan pengguna menambah nilai atau memperbaharui kad
Touch `n Go (TnG)
 dan
Smart Tag.

Menurut Ismail Sabri, tol percuma tersebut adalah tambahan kepada pengecualian Caj Jalan (CJ) yang dikenakan kepada kenderaan persendirian pendaftaran Singapura apabila memasuki Malaysia melalui laluan darat di kedua-dua lokasi.

Keputusan kerajaan mengecualikan bayaran tol itu dibuat selepas mengambil kira penutupan sempadan Malaysia dan Singapura sejak dua tahun lalu selain memastikan kelancaran lalu lintas di kedua-dua plaza tol dengan pembukaan sempadan laluan darat berkenaan.

“PLUS menganggarkan sekurang-kurangnya 42,000 kenderaan akan memasuki Malaysia menerusi Tambak Johor dan Linkedua setiap hari dan tol percuma ini bakal memanfaatkan lebih 300,000 perjalanan rentas sempadan Malaysia-Singapura bagi pemilik kenderaan,” tambahnya.

Beliau memaklumkan PLUS dengan kerjasama Kerajaan Johor serta kementerian dan agensi berkaitan sedang giat mengadakan persiapan terakhir di plaza tol, kawasan rehat dan semua kemudahan awam yang disediakan di Lebuhraya PLUS bagi memastikan perjalanan yang lancar.


PLUS Hands Over Honda CR-V To JPJ As Highway Patrol Vehicle

PLUS Malaysia Berhad handed over 10 Honda CR-V patrol vehicles to the Road Transport Department (JPJ).
The Honda CR-V patrol vehicles were handed to the Deputy Director of JPJ, Tuan Zamakhshari Hanipah by PLUS Managing Director, Datuk Azman Ismail. “The presentation of these vehicles will enable PLUS to improve safety on our highways through regular enforcement by the RTD. The handing over of the vehicles to the RTD is an initiative to assist the authority to carry out its monitoring and enforcement duties on the highways,” Azman said.
According to PLUS, the patrol vehicles are part of an effort to further enhance safety on their highways, as the company witnessed a drop in the number of accidents. A total of 14,532 accidents were reported in 2016 and that figure was reduced to 13,269 in 2018.
“We also set up 2 RTD Enforcement Stations at our Dengkil and Gunung Semanggol Rest and Service Areas (RSAs) to assist RTD in conducting regular advocacy and road safety programmes on the highway. A third RTD Enforcement Station in Pagoh RSA will be opened soon,” Azman added.
In addition to that, Azman also said that PLUS will be funding the installation of another 11 AWAS cameras at accident-prone areas over the next few months.
Looking for a new Honda? Find the best deals
here
.


Bangkok 2017: BMW 740Le And M760Li Previewed In Thailand

BMW Thailand has previewed two new models ahead of its official debut at the 2017 Bangkok International Motor Show next week.
The first is the BMW 740Le xDrive, a plug-in hybrid that boasts a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to the company eDrive hybrid system to deliver 326 hp and 500 Nm. The electric motor is build into the 740Le's eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission. When the driver selects the MAX eDRIVE pure-electric mode, the 740Le can travel up to 41 km on pure electric, with speeds of up to 140 km/h. 0 - 100 km/h is achieved in just 5.3 seconds.
Moving up the ladder is the BMW M760Li xDrive. Here, the flagship 7-series is powered by a 6.6-litre twin turbocharged V12 that does 602 bhp and 800 Nm. The monstrous amount of power enables the 2.2 tonne luxury sedan to hit 100 km/h from standstill in just 3.7 seconds.
The company says that the BMW 740Le xDrive will have a starting price of THB 6.699 million (~RM854,946), whilst the V12-powered M760Li is priced at THB 12.499 million (~RM1,594,790).
Both models will be shown to the public at the 2017 Bangkok International Motor Show, happening from 29 March.


Peugeot Launches 508 SW In Europe

For the Europeans, hatchbacks and wagons are the name of the game. Crossovers might slowly be gaining ground, but these two bodystyles have been staples for various manufacturers, which has also led to a number of wagon only variants being sold in Europe. Peugeot panders to this demographic with the 508 SW, which is an estate version of the critically acclaimed 508 sedan. Between the 26th of May and the 1st of September, 2019, Peugeot will be rolling out the 508 SW in 10 different European countries.
Depending on the country, there will even be a 225 PS plug-in hybrid variant of both the 508 sedan and 508 SW that will be going on sale from June 7th, 2019. On the whole, the 508 SW is largely the same as the regular 508 sedan, even down to the powertrain options. Petrol variants come in the form of the Puretech 1.6-litre engine in a 180 PS or 225 PS state of tune, paired with an eight-speed torque converter automatic.
The more popular diesel variants will come with either a 1.5-litre or 2.0-litre BlueHDI turbodiesel engine, the former being available in a 130 PS state of tune with either a 6-speed manual or 8-speed torque converter automatic, while the latter comes in either a 160 PS or 180 PS state of tune - both with the 8-speed torque converter automatic transmission. The 2.0-litre turbodiesels also have the highest torque outputs of the range with 400 Nm on tap from just 2,000 rpm.
Optional equipment can include things like an infra-red Night Vision system, adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping functionality, and so on - but this is on top of standard equipment that brings the 508 SW up to the latest and most stringent EuroNCAP regulations. All engines comply with Euro6.d-temp emissions standards, which are de rigueur for emissions testing as of now. Pricing for the 508 SW in France starts at 36,650 Euros (RM 171,752).
For the best deals on a Peugeot, click
here
.


Tokyo 2019: Toyota To Unveil Next-Gen Mirai Concept Next Week

Toyota recently announced that it will preview the second-generation Mirai fuel cell electric concept vehicle (FCEV) at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show next week.

The Mirai Concept, which is in the final stages of development, will be on display at "Future Expo" from October 24 until November 4.

According to Toyota, the totally re-designed Mirai reflects a major step forward for FCEVs and the potential of a hydrogen society, boasting significantly greater range, improved driving performance, and an elegant, sporty design that offers increased passenger room and comfort.

Powering the Mirai is a fully-redesigned fuel cell system by Toyota, which includes a fuel cell stack that delivers substantially improved performance.

Toyota says that the new fuel cell system targets a 30% increase in driving range over the current generation thanks to increased hydrogen storage capacity, among other measures.

Launched in 2014, the first-generation Toyota Mirai proved the global potential of hydrogen to power clean and sustainable mobility, combining a driving range with refueling time equivalent to conventional vehicles and emissions of nothing but water.

Since then, approximately 10,000 Mirais have been sold globally, helping pave the way towards a hydrogen society that will reduce emissions, diversify energy sources, and generate global economic growth.

Coming back to the second-gen Mirai concept, the car features a dynamic exterior design built on Toyota's latest TNGA platform, including low lines, elegant proportions, sleek, taut bodywork and large 20-inch wheels that generate a powerful and distinctive look.

Even the colour we’re looking at now, known as “Force Blue Multiple Layers”, was newly developed using layers of colour to achieve exceptional brightness and depth.

Inside, the next-gen Mirai Concept comes equipped with a 12.3-inch wide screen on the centre console and instrument panel which embraces the driver, providing a simple, modern space to create a feeling of warmth and comfort.

The fuel cell system configuration using the TNGA platform also allows for five seats instead of the current-generation Mirai's four.

As for the powertrain, the Mirai’s fuel cell system has been upgraded to offer better performance and increased hydrogen storage capacity, with a thirty percent increase in approximate driving range.

The vehicle has also been totally redesigned based on Toyota's premium rear-wheel drive TNGA platform to combine greater agility and driving performance with a sleek and elegant exterior design.

Looking for a new Toyota? Find the best deals
here
.


Audi Previews E-Tron Quattro Concept Ahead Of Frankfurt. Clearly The Q6?

Ingolstadt-based automaker
Audi
 feels that electric driving should be a pleasure and not a compromise, and has released official sketches of its newest concept, the e-tron quattro.
This comes just before the leading weeks of the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show where Audi is due to show the full car to the world, one that would likely act as a near-production precursor to the Q6 SUV – slotted in between
Q7
 and
Q5
. It has been reported to be undergoing final testing stages at one of Audi’s engineering centres.
Originally known by the internal code name ‘
C-BEV
’, it has been developed, Audi says, from the ground up as a fully electric vehicle and is based off of their second-generation modular longitudinal platform that would provide a budding segment like that of EVs room to grow insofar as drive system packaging goes. Some have speculated a 2018 release window.
The exterior is very familiar Audi, but has been optimised for drag reduction (anything to not waste the charge in batteries). It has an entirely closed underbody and an overall drag coefficient of 0.25, a leading number in the SUV world.
Despite its slender coupe-like profile, Audi claims its cabin to be rather spacious, with room enough to comfortably fit four people. Inside, it has been garnished with high technology including the OLED interfaces that Audi is quite fond of.
To allow for the lowest centre of gravity possible and a balanced load, between the axles sit a large lithium-ion battery compartment holding hundreds (thousands?) of individual cells, likely helped along with the
technical expertise of Samsung and/or LG.
Speaking of expertise, Audi has taken considerably from the knowledge gained through its
Audi R8 e-tron
 sports car to engineer this concept’s drive system. It consists of three electric motors in a triangular arrangement – two on the rear axle and one on the front. Audi claims a range exceeding 500km on a charge.


BMW Opens New Regional Parts Distribution Centre In Senai, Johor

For BMW Group Malaysia, our country is more than just another car market for the German premium brand to do business in. Malaysia also home to several of BMW Group’s regional level operations for Asia Pacific.
The company’s headquarters in Cyberjaya also functions as its regional technical training centre. It’s vehicle assembly facility in Kulim, Kedah, will soon be exporting the 3 Series, 5 Series and 7 Series to Vietnam and Philippines starting next year.
The company’s regional parts distribution centre in Johor currently supports 23 markets in the Asia Pacific region.
Earlier today, BMW Group Malaysia officiated its new Regional Parts Distribution Centre at the Free Industrial Zone of the Senai International Airport in Johor Bahru.
The new 775,000 square feet centre will replace the company’s previous facility located within the Free Trade Zone of the Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Johor.
Built with an investment of over RM130 million, the new BMW Group Regional Parts Distribution Centre is one of the largest BMW facility of its kind in the Asia Pacific region and will support over 23 countries in the region as a logistics warehouse and parts distribution centre for after sales parts, components and lifestyle merchandises for the brands BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad.
Apart from Malaysia, the 23 countries supported by the new regional parts distribution centre are Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Philippines, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Guam.
Mr. Hendrik von Kuenheim, Senior Vice President Region Asia, Pacific and South Africa, BMW Group, said, “The record sales performance we achieved in Asia last year and in the first quarter of 2017 is a testament to the strength of the BMW Group in the region. In that, we believe Malaysia to be a key market that supports our strategic business direction in expanding our footprint in the region. The opening of the new BMW Group Regional Parts Distribution Centre here will help the BMW Group to continue driving our vision to deliver the best in automotive innovation and value to customers in the region.”
Mr. Han Sang Yun, CEO and Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia said, “In review of our 14 years of operations in Malaysia, BMW Group Malaysia has not only established itself as the leading provider of premium individual and sustainable mobility but also an organisation which demonstrates growth in every aspect – our performance as evidenced in the record breaking sales increase of 16% posted last year, and the maturity of our product portfolio with the recent introduction of plug-in hybrid models which saw phenomenal reception in the local market.”
Completed in December 2016, the new BMW Group Regional Parts Distribution Centre marks the first phase of the construction of the premium automaker’s facility. The facility benefits from the strategic location and modern infrastructure as well as sea port and airport access found in the Free Industrial Zone of the Senai International Airport in Johor Bahru.


The Biggest Indication Yet That The GR Yaris is Coming To Malaysia Soon

Get excited, cause the GR Yaris is coming to Malaysia soon...

UMW Toyota (Toyota Malaysia) is a very straight and narrow company. They don't do things for the sake of hype and usually follow through with whatever they promote and promise.

So when they post up something on their social media page, there is usually smoke after the fire, so be excited, because just about 24 hours ago and out of the blue, they posted a picture of the GR Yaris on their Facebook page, with a caption explaining what the GR Yaris is all about.

"Some are born great, some achieved greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them. As for GR Yaris, it is all three.

Born from Toyota's title-winning experience in the World Rally Championship, the GR Yaris is a pure performance car and a product of our philosophy, to push the limits of our vehicle beyond boundaries through motorsports, all towards achieving the goal of producing ever better cars, just for you!"

If you're still not getting what we are trying to say, let us put it in simple words, the GR Yaris is coming to Malaysia!

When we first saw the GR Yaris being teased globally we pretty much shut down the idea that it will ever come down to Malaysia, because usually, Toyota Malaysia brings in high volume selling cars.

When they brought down the Supra last year, it was a surprise and it really did catch everyone off guard. There was no teasing, no hints what so ever that they were going to do so.

This time, however, we have a big hint and like we said before, Toyota doesn't do things without substance like other companies, so yes, we will be seeing the
GR Yaris
 in Malaysia at some point.

When? Well, the GR Yaris will only be launched in the UK in October so it's safe to say that we will be getting it sometime after that because at least up to now, the UK has a date for its launch unlike everywhere else. Our sources say first quarter of 2021, so you have time to save up.

Yes, the Japanese market has a GR Yaris, but it's the diet coke version and not the full fat. It's called the GR Yaris RS and it is front-wheel drive and only has 118hp. The full fat version will be a 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder unit that outputs a screaming 261hp and 360Nm, making it the lightest and most powerful three-pot petrol engine in production. Oh yeah, it will also be possible to configure the car with a 4WD system.

Indicative price of the GR Yaris? We expect it to be around the RM150k-RM170k mark, not cheap, but then again all things brilliant rarely are.


Closure Of Seven Major KL Roads For Ma’al Hijrah Procession

In conjunction with the Awal Muharram celebration tomorrow (14
th
 October) to mark the beginning of the first month in the Muslim calendar, the national-level Ma’al Hijrah procession will take place in the capital, necessitating some road closures between 6.30am to 9am.
Bernama reports that the Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Legal staff officer DSP S. Markandan revealed the roads to be Jalan Parlimen, Jalan Tun Perak, Jalan Raja (Dataran Merdeka), Jalan Hishamuddin, Bulatan Hishamuddin, Jalan Bangsar, and Jalan Perdana.
Citizens who are joining in on the procession will be gathering at five locations – Masjid Jamek along Jalan Tun Perak, Padang Merbok, Dataran Merdeka, Muzuim Kenesian Islam at Jalan Perdana and Muzium Negara. From there, they will begin the walk to Masjid Negara.
The gathering itself, along with the procession, is organized by the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim) and is expected to draw an expected crowd of 50,000.


Lynk & Co - Are We Being Trolled?

Lynk & Co wants (wanted?) to be the Spotify of cars, but almost 4 years later, the upstart is still selling them full price.

Volvo and Geely are both filled with no lack of talented, intelligent people, so when the top minds from both come together to conceive of an entirely new vehicle brand, it’s probably going to be stemmed from a pretty good idea.

By Lynk & Co’s own description, they’re Chinese-Swedish, which may be true in terms of philosophy and such but does little to help shed light on the intricacies of how the automaker operates. However, in terms of positioning, they’d slot in between the premium Volvo and more mass-market Geely  models.

Making its debut in 2016 alongside its maiden vehicle - aptly named the 01 - the marque seemed to seek to turn the automotive ownership model on its head, jettisoning traditional ways and fully embracing a more global perspective that also espoused catchy/cringe Silicon Valley start-up terms such as “mobility”, "disrupt", “connectivity”, and "community".

I See What You Did There....

In essence, it was car sharing. Cars as a service; when you need it, any way you’d like it. And, better still, because each Lynk & Co vehicle would be designed and engineered to be used by multiple people in a short span of time, they would be more uniquely adapted to the task. Hopefully.

However, despite all the supposed fanfare and idealistic goals, the brand has made very little headway on the international stage. China seems to be the only market they've been selling to in its near 4 year history, and to their credit they've been received positively, reflected by rather sales strong numbers - yes, even relative to China.

It appears they’ve also put their car sharing/subscription efforts almost entirely on ice, though not publicly. Despite it being a foundational aspect of the business and brand, all their cars available within China have been ‘sold’ to customers in that same traditional sense. As in, whoever bought the car paid full price and isn’t obliged to share it with anyone.

This reversal is actually quite comical given how incomprehensibly lifestyle-oriented (to the exclusion of sense and logic) their own website is (unless they’ve got another one in secret, behind the Great Firewall of China). The company’s corporate literature loves to talk about themselves being
different
 and
rebellious
 and
cool
, but doesn’t seem back that up with much information about the cars themselves or its unique ownership/subscription model.

Here's some examples of the Lynk & Co
lifestyle.

Instead, every page on their website is a muddled collection of words that pretentiously describes a vague life lived on the edge (of something), peppered with beautifully
fake candid
 photographs of attractive and culturally dirverse young people (in Europe), or posing with every random thing or activity except ones involving a car. Sounds about right. It almost looks like a placeholder website filled with stock photographs.
Check it out
 if you haven’t, I dare you to make sense of it.

Trolololol

What
 are they selling?
Where
 are the cars?
What
 are the cars? There are sections in the main navigation tab about “Membership”, “Sharing”, and most amusingly, “Movement”. Remember, isn’t a car company, people. This a movement; this is Lynk & Co!
Can you dig it?

At this point, unsurprisingly, none of these pages provide any sort of concrete information about…..well, anything. Every sentence is annoyingly vague and weirdly self congratulatory, yet they’re using plenty of future tense phrasing, talking about how they plan to do this, that and the other. Are we being trolled?

Yet, in China, for their first official year on the market in 2018, Lynk & Co has apparently boasted of being that year’s “
fastest growing new brand
” with over 120,000 cars sold and having over 220 retail outlets that connect customers directly with the manufacturer. This allows buyers a greater degree of customisability while Lynk & Co gets more control over the experience.

As clearly their sales numbers have been showing, there’s plenty of space for their cars to exist and thrive even without their fancy car subscription gimmicks in place. Why, then, are Lynk & Co looking so timid at the prospect of expanding beyond China’s borders as a ‘conventional’ automaker?

Given that all their cars are more luxurious and generously equipped, could it be out of caution to not risk cannibalising Volvo’s own models? Or could the culprit be a lack of confidence in its own line-up, which includes the
newly revealed 06 compact SUV
, when stacked against other global marques? Seems unlikely.

So How?

There’s a lot we don’t know about Lynk & Co, though we have to admit we do find the unusual personality of the company and their vehicles very interesting, even endearing. Cars like their 01 and 03 are, objectively, very appealing both inside and out. However, what doesn’t sit easy are the reasons why they seem so reclusive and deliberately opaque about their plans, especially given how ‘disruptive’, ‘forward-facing’, and lifestyle-oriented they wanted to (appear to) be.

In late 2019, plans were in motion for the brand to be introduced in the Netherlands, with bike-infested Amsterdam selected to be the first city for their car sharing subscriptions platform/enterprise to be made available alongside outright vehicle purchases.

Coinciding with that slated late-2020 European launch would be production of the 02 SUV in Ghent, Belgium. Given how this year has played out so far, no one is surprised at the lack of progress.


Mitsubishi Unveils All-New Triton At Geneva After Thai Global Debut

Mitsubishi
 revealed the all-new L200 at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. For us here in Malaysia, we know it as the
Mitsubishi Triton
 that made its global debut in Thailand nearly four months ago. Almost identical, the main difference between the European L200 and Triton mainly comes down the level of trim. The fundamentals of the pickup truck including the new exterior styling and all-new turbo diesel engine remains the same.
Engine and transmission
As mentioned earlier, the new engine here is a 2.4-litre alloy-block turbo diesel mill generating 181 hp and 430 Nm of torque, paired to either a six-speed automatic or manual transmission. The former choice includes paddle shifters. The lighter aluminium alloy block constitutes a 20% improvement in fuel efficiency and a CO2 emissions reduction of 17%.
Transferring the power to the ground falls on a Super Select 4WD-II drivetrain as that found on the European Pajero with a choice of four modes, including 2WD and three 4WD modes.
Thai market:
The Thai market Triton is available with the all-new alloy-block engine along with the previous cast-iron 2.5-litre turbo diesel (with two levels of tune available) and 2.4-litre petrol powerplant. Transmission options include a six- or five-speed manual transmission, and a five-speed torque converter automatic with Sport Mode.
Similarly, Mitsubishi’s 4WD system known as Easy Select 4WD (ES4) allows drivers to choose between 2H, 4H, or 4LL models. 2WD models will have a choice of PLUS and normal models which handle power delivery and fuel consumption.
Exterior Styling
With a near mirror image of each other the L200 and Triton features a radical restyling at the front with a new-look front grille featuring three vertical slats on each side, flanking the three-diamond logo. The headlights include integrated daytime-running lights and is available with HID and halogen bulbs and fog lamps are present as well.
The Triton’s cargo bed remains the same length and width as that of the previous model, but has been designed to be deeper, giving each model the same accessible floor height.
Featues & Equipment
Among the list of equipment available on the L200 include:
Active Stability & Traction Control with Trailer Stability Assist and Hill Start Assist systems
Lane Departure Warning
Seven airbags (side airbags, curtain airbags for the front seats, knee airbag for the driver)
Keyless operation system with engine stop/start switch
Cruise Control with adaptive speed limiter
Dual temperature automatic air conditioning
Steering column-mounted paddle shifters
Reach & rake adjustment of the steering wheel
Rear view camera
Digital audio broadcasting radio system
Thai market:
Features like Lane Departure Warning, digital audio broadcasting radio system, and seven airbags are not present for the Thai market but the other features are retained. Airbag count however is diminished to just two across the range.
Keep in mind that the specifications mentioned here may or may not appear when the Malaysian-spec car is launched which is expected to be shortly before 2016.


Isuzu Malaysia Confirms Its Models Are Compatible With B10 Biodiesel

Isuzu has confirmed that all its vehicles, including lorries as well as its D-Max pick-up and MU-X SUV are compatible with B10 biodiesel. This includes both old and new Isuzu models.
B10 biodiesel consists of 10 percent blend of palm oil. Currently, all diesel fuels sold in Malaysia are B7, with 7 percent blend of biodiesel – the maximum allowed by most manufacturers (unless confirmed otherwise), as increasing the mix of palm oil beyond 7 percent raises the question of compatibility with existing diesel vehicle’s fuel systems.
“All our existing models comply with biodiesel B10, following the government’s latest instructions,” said Chief Operating Officer Atsunori Murata at a media event today evening.
Since 1-February, all regular Euro 2M grade diesel is now B10. The higher grade Euro 5M diesel, however, will remain as B7.


Perodua Ativa Terbalik – Pentingnya Ada Dashcam Pada Kereta

Baru-baru ini, sebuah
Perodua Ativa
 telah terlibat dalam kemalangan dengan
Honda Jazz
. Meskipun ia mungkin menjadi Ativa pertama yang menyembah bumi, namun kejadian ini telah membuka mata banyak pihak tentang kepentingan mempunyai
dashcam
 pada kenderaan anda.

Menerusi perkongsian pemandu Ativa terbabit, Saliza Sal di dalam group Facebook Ativa Club Malaysia,
kemalangan
 yang berlaku pada 8 Oktober lalu telah menyebabkan keretanya terbalik dan menyebabkan pelbagai kerosakan pada bahagian kanan serta pintu kiri belakang kereta.

Kemalangan berlaku apabila sebuah Honda Jazz cuba untuk membuat pusingan U dari bahagian kiri luar jalan sebelum melanggar bahagian kiri pintu belakang Ativa terbabit. Pelanggaran tersebut telah membuatkan Ativa berkenaan hilang kawalan lalu terbalik dan terseret di bahagian kanan kereta.

Berbalik kepada tajuk artikel, mengapa
dashcam
 pada kereta ini penting? Sebabnya, berdasarkan pemilik Ativa berkenan, pemandu Honda Jazz itu telah menuduhnya melanggar kereta Jazz terbabit di balai polis. Masa inilah dashcam akan membantu anda dalam memainkan peranannya sebagai bahan bukti kukuh untuk membantu anda dalam membuat laporan polis.

Menerusi video dashcam yang dikongsi Saliza di Facebook, dakwaan pemandu Honda Jazz itu terbukti palsu kerana rakaman menunjukkan Honda Jazz yang melanggar Ativa. Tak cukup dengan itu, rakaman itu juga menjadi bukti Jazz berkenaan dipandu secara berbahaya kerana cuba membuat pusingan U di tempat yang tidak dibenarkan iaitu garisan berkembar (
double line
).

Rakaman terbabit juga menunjukkan pemandu Jazz berkenaan langsung tidak menggunakan
lampu
signal
 yang dihadiahkan pada keretanya secara percuma oleh
Honda Malaysia
 ketika cuba untuk membuat pusingan U dari arah kiri luar jalan.

Itulah pentingnya ada bukti rakaman ketika kemalangan. Dengan ini, pemandu Ativa terbabit tidak perlu bersusah payah nak yakinkan pihak polis dengan kata-katanya. Secara tidak langsung, rakaman
dashcam
 itu juga telah membuktikan bahawa pemandu Honda Jazz itu telah membuat laporan palsu.

Tahukah anda membuat laporan polis palsu juga dikira sebagai satu kesalahan yang boleh menyebabkan anda didakwa? Menurut Seksyen 182 Kanun Keseksaan (KK), sesiapa yang membuat laporan palsu boleh dikenakan hukuman penjara selama 6 bulan atau denda sehingga RM2,000.

Mudah bukan? Sekarang, cuba bayangkan jika Ativa terbabit tidak mempunyai
dashcam
. Jika bukti serta saksi kejadian, silap-silap pemandu tidak bertanggungjawab seperti pemandu Jazz itu mungkin terlepas. Tapi dilihat daripada kerosakan dan kesan pelanggaran yang berlaku pada Ativa berkenaan, secara logiknya memang jelas nampak bahawa Ativa ini dilanggar, bukannya melanggar.

Kepentingan Dashcam

Rakam kemalangan jalan raya

Memudahkan
tuntutan insurans

Bukti kesalahan pemandu

Mampu merakam nombor pendaftaran kereta lain

Mampu rakam visual dan suara

Ada pelbagai jenis
dashcam
 yang ada di pasaran sekarang. Kebiasaannya, pemandu akan menggunakan kamera ini di bahagian hadapan serta belakang kereta untuk merakam segala kemalangan atau pelanggaran yang berlaku yang melibatkan kereta pemilik.

Rakaman ini akan berfungsi sebagai bukti bagi menuntut insurans untuk membaik pulih kenderaan anda. Sebagai contoh, sekiranya kereta anda dihentam oleh binatang seperti lembu yang naik angin secara tiba-tiba, pasti sukar nak yakinkan ejen insurans anda untuk membuat tuntutan, kan? Kalau ada video kan mudah?

Dashcam
 juga boleh digunakan untuk merakam kesalahan pemandu lain yang memandu secara berbahaya di jalan raya. Bukan itu sahaja, kebanyakan
dashcam
 di pasaran ditawarkan dengan kualiti video yang amat jelas sehingga menampakkan nombor pendaftaran kereta lain. Ini bakal
memudahkan pihak berkuasa
 atau orang ramai untuk menjejak sesebuah kereta sekiranya perlu.

Meskipun bersaiz kecil, namun kebanyakan
dashcam
 boleh merakam visual serta audio. Ini amat membantu pemandu teksi atau
e-hailing
 sekiranya berlaku sebarang rompakan atau ugutan kerana segala perbualan antara pemandu dan penumpang dapat didengari dengan jelas dalam rakaman. Selain itu, segala ugutan daripada pemandu lain di tepi tingkap kereta anda pun turut boleh didengari.

Pemasangan dashcam kini dilihat sebagai satu keperluan berbanding hanya sebuah aksesori tambahan. Sebagai pemandu yang bijak, ambil langkah berjaga-jaga dengan menggunakan
dashcam
 pada kereta bagi memudahkan urusan anda di masa hadapan sekiranya anda dilanda musibah seperti pemandu Ativa terbabit.

*Kredit foto kemalangan: Saliza Sal


Subaru XV Crosstrek – Introductory Price from RM119,500

Subaru’s popular XV crossover receives an added dose of ruggedness with the introduction of the XV Crosstrek.
Available in conjunction with both the 2.0i and 2.0i-P variants of the recently updated XV, the Crosstrek package comes with the following factory-fitted package of accessories:
Front Spoiler
Rear Under Spoiler
Side Skirts
Suede and Leather Seats
Special carpet mats
Other equipment of the Crosstrek 2.0i and Crosstrek 2.0i-P are identical to their regular non-Crosstrek counterparts.
Official on-the-road pricing inclusive of insurance for the XV Crosstrek variants are as follows:
XV Crosstrek 2.0i: RM142,705.61
XV Crosstrek 2.0i-P: RM147,083.41
As part of an introductory promotion, however, local Subaru distributors Motor Image is making the XV Crosstrek available at special introductory prices of RM119,500 for the Crosstrek 2.0i and RM126,750 for the Crosstrek 2.0i-P
Regular variants of the XV
 are priced as follows:
XV 2.0i: RM134,005.13
XV 2.0i-P: RM138,355.37
Read our full review of the Subaru XV 2.0i-P in
English
 or
Bahasa Melayu
.
The Subaru XV Crosstrek and other models of the Subaru range, including the stylish
Levorg
 estate, are currently on display in Subaru's roadshow being held at the Centre Court of Mid Valley Megamall over the weekend until Sunday, 24 July 2016.


Lotus Tamatkan Pengeluaran Elise, Exige Dan Evora

Nampaknya era model Lotus
Elise
,
Exige
 dan
Evora
 sudah berakhir setelah kesemuanya ditamatkan pengeluaran.

Model Elise mula diperkenalkan sejak 1996, diikuti oleh Exige pada tahun 2000, manakala Evora pula tiba pada tahun 2009.

Sejak lebih 26 tahun yang lalu, syarikat itu telah menghasilkan sebanyak 51,738 unit Elise, Exige dan Evora. Ini bermakna, ia mewakili hampir separuh daripada jumlah pengeluaran Lotus sepanjang 73 tahun kewujudannya.

Unit yang ke-35,124 dan terakhir
Elise
 merupakan model Sport 240 Final Edition berwarna kuning.
Exige
 terakhir (unit ke-10,497) pula merupakan model Cup 430 Final Edition yang dicat dengan warna hijau perlumbaan, manakala
Evora
 yang ke-6,117 dan yang terakhir adalah model GT430 Sport berwarna kelabu metalik.

Barisan pengeluaran model-model ini akan digantikan dengan model
Emira
. Ia dijangka mula dihasilkan pada musim bunga akan datang dan Lotus berkata mereka mampu menghasilkan sehingga 5,000 unit Emira setahun.

Menerusi satu kenyataan, Pengarah Urusan Lotus, Matt Windle berterima kasih kepada para kakitangan dan pelanggan syarikat di atas keghairahan, semangat dan sokongan mereka.

Tambah beliau, pihaknya menanti kehadiran Emira dan
Evija
 di kilang serba baharu di Hethel, Norfolk dengan pelaburan sebanyak 100 juta Pound.


2017 Aston Martin Vanquish S Volante Released – Visceral Pageantry

Aston Martin have released its latest addition to the Vanquish range, the Volante drop-top convertible, in ‘S’ form which bumps power from 573PS to a whopping 603PS. The power and pageantry of the Volante S seamlessly combine to create Aston’s most powerful and formidable convertible of all time.
Like the Vanquish S Coupe, under the hood lies the long-serving all-alloy 6.0-litre V12 naturally-aspirated engine – revised inlet manifolds design, optimised engine mapping and free-flowing quad exhaust tailpipe system pushes power up to 603PS, but torque remains the same as the non ‘S’ version at 630Nm.
The engine is tacked to an eight-speed auto, channeling power to the rear wheels, via a carbon fibre prop shaft and limited slip differential (LSD).
Acceleration times should be comparable to that of the Coupe version at 3.5 seconds to 100km/h, all the way to a 323km/h top speed. Combined fuel economy is rated at 13.1 litres/100km on the NEDC cycle.
The Volante is wrapped in operatic levels of carbon fibre from front to rear. The ‘2x2 twill’ front splitter and rear diffuser are new and is claimed to improve the high speed stability of the Volante S.
Inside the cabin, Vanquish S Volante exudes class with interior features such as ‘Filograph’ quilt design options. A Bang & Olufsen audio system and the AMi III Infotainment system is also on offer with the new car. As with any
Aston Martin
, the possibilities of customised craftsmanship is only bound by your imagination, and perhaps the chequebook.


Review: Mercedes-AMG C63S Sedan – The Everyday Supercar

Launched in Malaysia last May, the updated
Mercedes-AMG C63S
 here is without a doubt, one of the most interesting cars which we got to drive recently.

After spending a couple of days with the car, we couldn’t help but wonder, “What were the folks at Mercedes-Benz and AMG thinking when they made this thing?”

Our guess is that they wanted to build the mother of all sleepers and boy, did they nail it!

When one mentions things like “V8”, “500 hp”, and “rear wheel drive” in the same sentence, it will usually be referring to a 2-door sports car or a supercar, but not today, folks… not today!

What we have here with us is a C-Class, but with an epic twist. Under the unassuming hood lies a hand built 4.0-litre V8 monstrosity which produces a whopping 510 PS and 700 Nm of torque.

Yes, we know that this is not the first time that Mercedes-Benz has slammed a monstrous engine into a sedan, but choosing to keep it exclusively rear wheel driven when they actually have an impressive 4Matic all-wheel drive system available? Now that is what makes this car so special.

Drag race? No problem! The car can do the century sprint in 4 seconds.

Track day? No problem! The C63S was actually built for it. Plus, there are tonnes of driver assistance and race oriented gizmos which makes it perfect for the circuit.

In fact, there are even maps of popular race tracks from around the world pre-programmed in the Track Pace system in case you visit them and decide to time your lap. How cool is that?

Drift? No problem either! There are 500 hp and 700 Nm being sent exclusively to the rear wheels, and all you have to do is fiddle with the traction control settings, bring it to minimum, and voila! You’re going sideways.

The best part is that you can head back home straight after racing; fetch your family, and drive straight to IKEA, as the C63S is practical enough
bro
.

The only catch is that it costs RM769,000
lah
.

Exterior

On the exterior, only a few things distinguish the updated C63 from your regular C-Class, such as the emblems obviously, the new Panamericana grille, a resculpted rear diffuser, 19-inch AMG wheels, and the AMG exhaust tips.

At a glance, one might not be able to tell that this is actually a C63 but once you get close enough and hear it, and notice things like the 19-inch wheels and the huge brake discs, you will know what’s up.

Interior

Inside, the C63S sedan gets a generous dose of Nappa leather/Dinamica microfiber upholstery, AMG powered sports seats with memory function and lumbar support for the driver and co-driver, Thermotronic automatic climate control with rear vents,  a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument display and 10.25-inch central display, the COMAND Online infotainment system, as well as Burmester surround sound system.

Unlike a lot of performance oriented models that come with blacked out Alcantara-clad interior that are not that visually appealing, the C63S’ interior is quite a feast to the eyes, thanks to the two-tone leather seats, the ambient lighting, the panoramic sunroof, as well as the generous dose of brushed metal and chrome accents on the door panels, steering wheels, and the dashboard.

Driving Impressions

The C63S here is not a car in which you jump, kick into “D”, and just
jalan
, no. There are actually quite a few things that need some getting used in the beginning.

Firstly, there are the AMG Performance seats which are way sportier than the seats in other variants. And then, we have the AMG Performance steering wheel wrapped in Alcantara-leather combination, full of buttons and controls.

Similar to what you see on the steering wheel of a Porsche or a Ferrari, the C63S’ steering now has a Dynamic Select toggle on top of the usual selector on the centre console, to choose between 6 driving modes (Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Race, Individual).

After choosing the driving mode, we moved to another toggle on the left side of the steering wheel to choose how stiff we wanted the suspension to be, and to choose how much we wanted Traction Control to intervene (there are 9 levels).

And then we have the centre console with dedicated buttons to control all of the above, plus a button to choose how loud we wanted the exhausts to sound (Normal or Powerful), and two more buttons to activate and deactivate the auto start-stop function, as well as to access the 360-degree view camera.

On top of all the different modes for the suspension, engine, gearbox, exhaust, traction, and stability control, we even had three different display themes to choose from, for digital instrument panel.

So, during our stint with the car, we were mostly in Comfort mode, just to see how the car felt to be driven normally within city limits. While everything was set in Comfort, we left the exhaust in Powerful mode all the time because the noise it was making was just simply irresistible.

Is it driveable on a daily basis? Definitely, but two things were bothering us. First, the suspension was a tad too firm for our lovely pothole-filled roads, resulting in a bumpy ride throughout.

And then, there are the seats that was also quite firm. They provided absolutely top-notch support when we were driving the car hard, but when we were just cruising around, we couldn’t help but wish we had more cushion.

But then again, this is a performance oriented car that was designed to rip race tracks and twisty roads apart, so it is only natural for it to be “stiffer” than your regular executive sedans.

One of the key highlights of the C63S is that it comes with a new 9-speed AMG Speedshift 9G automatic gearbox which replaces the outgoing 7-speed unit, resulting in much smoother and more civilised power delivery, which makes the car more driveable on a daily basis.

It may be smoother when driven slow, but when we put the pedal to the floor, the C63S just “explodes” and “eats” everything in its path. Now, just to put things into perspective, 0 to 100km/h in 4 seconds is just 0.5 seconds slower than the Porsche 911 GT3 RS.

This probably explains why we were told to “take it easy” by the folks at Mercedes-Benz Malaysia when we picked up the car, as opposed to the usual “enjoy the ride, guys!” because this thing here is quicker than 95% of cars on Malaysian roads!

The C63S is also one of those cars that made us wish that we knew how to drift, as it is super tail-happy with 510PS waiting to be laid down on the tarmac.

However, the electronically-controlled rear-axle limited-slip differential, the AMG Dynamics dynamic handling control system, and the ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) made sure that the car stayed sharp and planted at all times, resulting in an unbelievably sharp and responsive RWD car.

If you have what it takes, you can always reduce the level of intervention by the Traction Control and powerslide your way in and out of corners as the rear just slides out in the blink of an eye.

This is our take on the Mercedes-AMG C63S:

Our Rating

Design:  3/5 – It looks like a regular C-Class until you get close enough

Driving Dynamics: 4/5: Explosive power delivery, unbelievably sharp for a RWD car

Comfort: 3/5 – Sports car seats & firm suspension are not really suited for Malaysian roads

Space: 3/5 – It’s a compact sedan with enough room for 4 people

Ups & Downs

Plus: The power, the sharpness, and the brutal exhaust note.

Minus: Bumpy ride, not very fuel efficient.

Verdict

After spending a couple of days with the C63S, it felt as if the folks at Stuttgart and Affalterbach just went “f*** it, let’s go crazy with this one here” when they made this car.

What it is is essentially an everyday supercar. Despite having so many systems and gizmos constantly working hand-in-hand when the car is being driven, you don’t notice them at all. Yes, it does take some time to get used to all the modes and settings but once you’re familiar with them, it’s a walk in the park.

Plus, how many cars are there at the moment with this level of performance, practicality, safety, convenience, and driver assistance all bundled perfectly into a single package?

As far as the Malaysian market is concerned, the C63S doesn’t really have a “real” rival. The new M3 is not here yet, the Alfa Romeo Giulia is only available as a grey import, so good luck on getting proper after sales service, and there are no Audi RS models being sold in Malaysia yet.

So, if you want a sleeper compact premium sedan with enough power to take on supercars and sports cars, look no further.


Video (BM): We Test The Hyundai Ioniq’s AEB With Roda Pusing

A little side project of our
ongoing collaboration
 with our BM-speaking friends of
Roda Pusing
. In the midst of shooting one of our upcoming videos, we were invited to participate in a simple little demonstration of the
Hyundai Ioniq’s
 autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system.
AEB tests are always unnerving for drivers attempting it at the first time. It goes against our natural instinct of going for the brake pedal at the sight of an obstacle. It is an instinct that I have learned to occasionally curb solely on the occasion of such exercises after much experience, but one that our
RP
 colleague Albakry has yet to master.
A typical AEB test uses inflatable dummies that simulate the appearance of another motor vehicle or walking pedestrian.
The setup employed by
Roda Pusing
 for this video is significantly more modest in budget than seen in proper tests – substituting a TV box in place of inflatable dummies.
The presence of the box should be picked up by the car’s forward facing radar, but whether it registers on the camera’s recognition software – programmed to detect cars and pedestrians – is another matter altogether.
We leave you with the video here to see the outcome for yourself.
Without spoiling the ending of the video; regardless of the test’s outcome, AEB is a technology that is still at an infancy stage in its development. Effective or not, AEB is not meant to substitute the alertness and attentiveness of the driver. It can bail out the occasional lapses of concentration, but it is not meant to replace the driver, not yet at any rate.
Autonomous emergency braking is gaining increasing importance in recent years, and will continue to do so with certain developed markets even mandating their fitment in all cars. In 2013, Euro NCAP added specified test procedures for AEB system in its evaluation regime.
In Malaysia, usage of AEB has yet to be mandated, but is gaining popularity in higher-end vehicles. The
Hyundai Ioniq
 is noteworthy for being the most affordable in our market equipped with the feature, albeit only for the costlier HEV Plus variant priced at RM113k without insurance; the regular Ioniq, which is priced barely over RM100k, nevertheless gets 7 airbags and electronic stability control as standard.


Honda CR-V Mugen Limited Edition Launched, Just 300 Units

It's Malaysia's best selling non-national SUV, and for a limited time you can get it with a special package and in a special colour. Just 300 units of the Honda CR-V Mugen Limited Edition will be available for Malaysian consumers, for a price of RM 152,900 for the Passion Red Pearl, or RM 153,300 for White Orchid Pearl - the only two colour options available. First shown back in 2018 during the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show, this limited run model is only available in the 1.5 Turbocharged 2WD trim.
Parts that feature on the Mugen Limited Edition model include a front under spoiler, front grille garnish, side garnish, rear under spoiler, rear upper wing, and the ever-desirable Mugen emblem. Everything else remains largely the same as the regular road-going CR-V, but this isn't a bad thing as it has always been a strong product within its class.
This limited edition model follows on from the success of other special edition models that Honda Malaysia has offered in the past, including the Jazz Mugen and BR-V Special Edition. The concept is consistent - sportier exterior bits and occasionally an increase in the amount of equipment, at great value to potential customers.
In conjunction with the CR-V Mugen Limited Edition launch, customers who participate in a CR-V test drive will stand a chance to win exclusive gifts worth up to RM100,000. For more information or to test drive the CR-V, customers are invited to visit any of the 98 Honda dealerships nationwide or call Honda’s Toll Free number at 1-800-88-2020 or log onto
www.honda.com.my
.
For the best deals on Honda models, click
here
.


2018 BMW M5 - Here's What You Need To Know

When BMW announced its
seventh-generation 5-Series
 late last year, a total of seven models were available. BMW did not mention anything about its new M5, only stating that the M550i xDrive being the range-topper.
That is set to change later this year as BMW could debut the newest M5 at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show.
For starters, the upcoming 2018 BMW M5 will be real quick, thanks to its 4.4-litre twin turbo V8 powerplant from the outgoing F10 M5. Don't expect a plug-and-play solution from BMW's M department, as we understood that they have reworked the engine to produce well over 600 hp. The next-gen M5 is also going to be the first M car to receive the AWD treatment, which will allow it to complete the century sprint quicker than the M550i's 3.9 seconds. Bear in mind that the X5 M and X6 M are AWD models, though those two models are in fact SUVs.

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 Engine aside, it is very likely that BMW will be dropping the manual transmission altogether, opting for their ZF eight-speed automatic as reported by
BMW Blog
. The outgoing F10 M5 is available as an seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and six-speed manual, though the latter is limited to the North America market. We don't expect to see BMW fitting its dual-clutch transmission to the 2018 M5, as the ZF torque converter-type automatic copes better with the monstrous torque. The BMW M5's key rivals, the Mercedes-AMG E63 S and Audi RS6 are fitted exclusively with automatic transmissions.
Exterior wise, it is safe to assume that the M boffins have grafted on a far more aggressive outlook for the performance variant of the 5-Series. Expect to see large air intakes up front coupled with additional aerodynamic bits. The rear end is likely to receive the same sporty treatment, potentially with quad muffler tips and a rear diffuser.
Photo credit:
BMW Blog


2015 KL City Grand Prix Ramps Up For Thrilling August Race Weekend

Between the 7
th
 and 9
th
 of August 2015, Kuala Lumpur will play host to its first Grand Prix set right in the heart of the city where a 3.25km track will wind around the city’s most iconic locations with race cars reaching speeds over 200 km/h.
The event itself is the result of a five-year agreement between GT Global Race (M) Sdn Bhd and Kuala Lumpur City Hall and is intended to become a major regional attraction that follows in the footsteps of the Macau Grand Prix.
According to The Star, Simon Gardini, project director and technical consultant, said he hopes that this race will be the start of a long-running annual event – as least 50 years by his projections. A seemingly high bar, but seeing as how the Macau Grand Prix is going strong after more than 60 years, perhaps Malaysia is poised to do the same.
The three-day race event weekend will feature numerous races that range from the open-wheel Formula Masters to the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo series, with more to be announced.
Targeting a Category 3 license from the FIA, the future street track - consisting of 10 left corners and 6 right - will run through the Kuala Lumpur city centre and will have cars racing along Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Pinang, Jalan P Ramlee before screaming along the main straight that runs on Jalan Ampang, alongside Suria KLCC.
Gardini said that the streets of Kuala Lumpur lends itself quite nicely to a street race, “Many cities are also built in boxy grids which means many turns end up being 90 degrees but the streets in KL are not like that. There are curves here that adds an interesting variation to the circuit and more importantly, creates a better spectacle,”
Insofar as how Kuala Lumpur’s usual day-to-day affairs will be affected, Gardini commented on how the organizers are working very closely with City Hall to ensure as many precautions as possible are taken to ensure as minimal a disruption as possible.
In preparation, road signs, traffic fixtures and other possible obstructions would have to be switched to removable alternatives. In addition, DBKL gave its assurance of a smooth track with manhole covers, potholes, dips, and other imperfections will be fixed to become level with the road. Actual resurfacing work is said to be done at least two months prior to allow proper settling of the material and construction of physical structures for the race should commence about seven weeks in advance. Also, three major roads will be reopened at the end of each day during the race weekend.
Come August, Kuala Lumpur should be teeming with excitement and buzz in the lead up to the race weekend. Far from just being about racing, surrounding the event would be food festivals, track challenges, concerts, cultural shows, auto shows, and corporate events.


Suspension Tuning 101 – Know What You Need Before Upgrading

Your suspension system absorbs and dampens vibrations, undulations, and road irregularities by isolating and controlling and these forces to give the car's passengers a comfortable ride but when it's time for a change, do you go stock or adjustable? What's the difference?

Your cars suspension system is primarily made up of absorbers, springs, tyres, suspension linkages and other chassis components such as the anti-roll bars. Depending on how these components are set up and additionally interact with each other can alter the way a car drives, handles and behaves on the road.

All suspension systems are different

This is why a
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
 can be set up to provide a ‘magic-carpet ride’ for its occupants, an
Isuzu D-Max
 can be designed to cross rough adverse terrain and an
(FK8) Honda Civic Type R
 can be driven hard on the track, and road. A car’s suspension system is set up by the manufacturer to behave in a very distinct way depending on the primary purpose and design requirements of the vehicle.

For instance, with a
Toyota Camry
 manufacturers will aim to make it as isolative and comfortable as possible without being too “boaty” in the corners, while a
Porsche 911 GT3
 will be set up exactly the other way around – lethal in the corners with a modicum of comfort for everyday driving.

Upgrading your suspension

However, as we’ve said altering parts of your suspension can alter the way the car behaves, therefore while you may have bought a family sedan, upgrading your suspension (properly) can enhance its handling, stopping ability, body control and straight-line stability depending on how you plan to use your car. However, it is important to define your usage needs at the outset so you upgrade your car properly without sacrificing your car’s comfort levels or usability.

Therefore, define if you want your
car to simply look sportier
 if you plan to use it every day while enjoying a spirited drive on the weekends or if you plan to take part in track sessions that can range from casual track days to full-blown race events. Most importantly, understand that with everything you do to your car, it’s a balance, and there are trade-offs.

Upgrading your suspension primarily starts with upgrading your absorbers and springs. Of course, there are way more factors to consider, like wheels, tyres and chassis components – to cohesively improve the handling, but, to be concise, we are only going to look at upgrading your car’s spring and absorbers, and the various options ranging from mild to wild.

To illustrate this we will take a look at various suspension upgrade options for the popular
(FC) Honda Civic
 sedan – a car popular with both family buyers and enthusiast drivers, and look at how far you can go if you’re firmly in the latter bunch.

1. Sports/Lowering Springs

This is the simplest and cheapest to upgrade your car's looks, and driving performance without sacrificing too much comfort. Sports spring sets usually consist of four springs that replace the original springs of the vehicle. In addition to lowering the overall ride height of the car (by 1-2.5 inches), sports springs are also designed to be stiffer than the original springs which help improve the cars handling, stability and braking.

Choose a spring from a reputable manufacturer simply because they have designed the spring rates to work cohesively with the car’s original absorber setup. The spring rates or stiffness are commonly developed based on extensive bench and real-world testing; therefore choosing a sport spring set that is too soft or hard can adversely affect the comfort levels of your car.

Image credit: FB @ EuroGarage

Do note: Compare the spring rates of the original versus aftermarket set to get a setup that is best for you. Do not lower your car excessively (more than 2.5 inches), as this can affect your car’s steering system and increase tyre wear.

Results: Your car’s stance and sportiness will be greatly improved without sacrificing too much comfort, perfect for a bit more show and with little drawbacks. A good set is capable enough for the odd weekend blast as well.

2. Sports absorbers/dampers

Sports dampers like sport springs, replace the original absorbers of the vehicle with ones that are more suited to sporty driving. Sports dampers were more prevalent in yesteryears because they were able to focus a car's handling more precisely and offer better body control without moving to an aftermarket adjustable kit. However, with more and more aftermarket adjustable kits hitting the market, at relatively cheaper prices, sports absorbers are declining in popularity. However, they can still be a potent option for a driver who wants a more dynamic performance without substantial drawbacks in comfort and usability. In certain cases, sports dampers from one manufacturer can be mated to springs from another to deliver very specialised driving characteristics.

Image credit: kakimotor.com

Do note: Carefully study the characteristics and compatibility of the sports absorbers, especially if you have already gone down the route of changing to a sport spring set first. They may not always work well together.

Results: Greatly improved dynamic without the need for a complete adjustable kit, this is perfect for a daily vehicle that is also driven spiritedly on the weekends or performance cars that only need a slight improvement in handling, but already have the desired ride height.

3. Aftermarket Adjustable/Coilover Kit

Moving to an aftermarket coilover/suspension kit involves replacing your springs and absorbers with an entirely new aftermarket setup that is designed to suit your vehicle model. As the name implies, an adjustable suspension set allows further tuning and customisation to suit your driving needs. There are two distinct types of aftermarket adjustables typically available in the market:

Height adjustable kits

Image credit: CivicX.com

A height-adjustable kit allows the car to be lowered (or raised) more than the typical sport spring setup while retaining the necessary spring and damper stroke/ travel characteristic to remain compliant on normal roads. In addition to having spring and dampers that are designed to work in unison with the lowered ride height, they allow for fine-tuning of the vehicles ride height based on your application. This way one could lower the car for a track day (sharper handling), and raise it up if the car is used on a daily basis.

Height and damping adjustable kits (High-Low Soft-Hard)

Image credit: FB @ R Engineering

Height and damping adjustable kits allow for fine-tuning of the ride height and damping characteristics of the vehicle. A combination of valves and pistons within the shock absorber body/ tube can be augmented to change the compression characteristics (when the tyres go upwards towards the body) or rebound (when the tyre is pushed back down to the road) to best suit the driving style and application of the car. Now your car can be raised or lowered, and stiffened or softened depending on how you want to drive it.

Do note: Adjustable kits range from cheap and unbearable to expensive and formidable depending on how much they cost, and in most cases, you get what you pay for. Most reputable manufacturers go through hours of design and testing to develop kits that holistically deliver better performance without limited drawbacks. Getting the right spring rates that fit your adjustable kit and application is also critical as springs that are too stiff may be great on a smooth track surface but rattle your spine when you go over a speedbump; as always do your research before committing to an adjustable kit.

Results: The results can vary from mild setups that give your car slightly better handling and great looks to bespoke setups that are suited for street and track use and everything in between.

Conclusion

The most common misconception of suspension tuning is that simply lowering your car makes it infinitely better to drive – and thus people immediately imagine dropping in a set of coilovers are going to turn their bread and butter sedans into supercar rivalling machines in the corners.

Image credit: stancelowlife.blogspot.com

Err… no, your car’s chassis and suspension is an elaborate and complex system. While lowering its ride height with a spring/ adjustable kit will improve some aspects, to holistically improve your car's handling, you also need to look at your tyres, brakes, and other chassis components that will work in unison and derive much greater dynamic balance and performance.


BMW Unveils New 2 Series Coupe and Convertible

This year brings mild changes to the BMW 2 Series in the form of its mid-life facelift, which BMW lovingly calls the LCI (life cycle impulse). While we only had the 2 Series Coupe in its 220i trim level, the Americans have had far more options from the get go. The 2 Series has been available there in both Coupe and Convertible forms as the 228i and M235i, and this new 2 Series brings the updated engines to the model range- meaning the naming designation changes to 230i and M240i respectively.
These new engines have already been rolled out in cars like the 3 Series and the 5 Series, but for those who aren't familiar we'll recap quickly. The 230i has a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder twin-scroll turbocharged engine with 248 hp and 350 Nm of torque, while the 240i has a 3.0-litre 6-cylinder twin-scroll turbocharged engine with 335 hp and 500 Nm of torque. They are paired with an 8-speed Steptronic transmission as standard, with manual transmissions and the xDrive all-wheel drive system as options as well.
As for the rest of the car, the majority of the work has gone into aesthetics. The 2 Series isn't as big of a product as say the 3 Series or 5 Series such that BMW would go to lengths to change the geometry and design of the suspension for their respective LCI models. That being said, there is still a lot that can be done with a few nips and tucks here and there. The most prominent change would be the addition of bi-LED headlights and tail lamps which provide a crisper, more modern look.
There are also new alloy wheels, all very pretty but none of which are relevant to what we'll be getting (which may be nothing given the discontinuation of the 2 Series Coupe locally). On the inside there is a redesigned instrument panel, with better materials and palettes than the rather underwhelming choices in the pre-LCI 2 Series. There's been attention paid in order to improve the feeling of interior room, and high gloss black and aluminium is the new choice of finish. There are also plenty of options for stitching and seat materials, from the standard Black and Red contrast stitching, to Dakota Leather seats in Cognac.
To top it all off is the new iDrive 6.0 system with touch screen functionality that has finally been introduced to this entry-level BMW coupe (and convertible). There may not be gesture control, but touch controls and voice controls are more than enough to navigate through the completely redesigned menus. Driver assistance systemsare also included with the facelift, with things like Active Cruise Control and Lane Departure Warnings. A little peculiar for a small sporty car, but perhaps still usable in the day-to-day commute.


BMW Jalin Kerjasama Dengan TNB, Siemens Dan MGTC Untuk Bangunkan Ekosistem Dan Infrastruktur EV

NEXTGen Malaysia
 yang berlangsung selama 3 hari anjuran BMW Group Malaysia telah menyaksikan satu kerjasama terjalin antara BMW, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Siemens dan Pusat Perubahan Iklim dan Teknologi Hijau Malaysia (MGTC) bagi membangunkan ekosistem serta infrastruktur
kenderaan elektrik.

Platform yang disediakan oleh BMW ini menghimpunkan para pakar dan penggiat industri untuk memudahkan pertukaran idea mengenai inovasi dan solusi lestari. 4 model barisan kenderaan elektrik (EV) keluaran BMW iaitu iX, iX3, i3S dan iX4 di antara tarikan utama pameran.

Pengarah Urusan BMW Group Malaysia, Hans de Visser berkata, “Apabila BMW i diperkenalkan di Malaysia tujuh tahun yang lalu, kami telah membayangkan bahawa masa depan mobiliti elektro akan kelihatan seperti hari ini.”

“Seperti para rakan kongsi kami, kami juga percaya bahawa masa depan kita akan berlandaskan elektrik dan wujud keperluan bagi para pemegang tara untuk menggalas tanggungjawab secara bersama di setiap peringkat untuk membangunkan solusi-solusi lestari demi hari esok yang lebih cerah.”

Sementara itu, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif MGTC pula menyifatkan usaha sama yang dijalin dengan BMW Group Malaysia untuk memacu penerimagunaan dan pelaksanaan elektrifikasi di dalam negara adalah sejajar dengan strategi MGTC bagi mobiliti karbon rendah.

Turut menyokong langkah ini, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif TNB, Datuk Ir. Baharin Din berpendapat pengelektrifikasian mobiliti merupakan langkah yang seterusnya dalam sektor automotif. TNB berasa teruja untuk menggiatkan pemupukannya menerusi usaha sama jangka panjang bagi memudahkan akses ke atas infrastruktur pengecasan di seluruh negara.

Hari pembukaan NEXTGen Malaysia telah menyaksikan kehadiran Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Institut Automotif, Robotik dan IoT Malaysia (MARii), Dato’ Madani Sahari; Presiden Persatuan Pengitar Semula Automotif Malaysia (MAARA), Datuk Haji Khan bin Mohd Akram Khan; Pengarah Kanan, Kumpulan Solusi Teknologi di MGTC, Huzaimi Nor bin Omar; dan Ketua Unit TV & Audio Visual di Samsung Malaysia Electronics, Calvert Yap.

Selain itu, kerajaan sedang mengenal pasti beberapa inisiatif untuk menyokong penggunaan teknologi maju yang akan membantu pembangunan mobiliti yang mematuhi Alam Sekitar, Sosial dan Tadbir Urus (ESG).

Menteri Kanan Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri, Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, berkata menyepadukan elemen ESG dalam perniagaan adalah keperluan yang semakin meningkat bagi memacu pewujudan nilai jangka panjang, menggalakkan amalan perniagaan yang mampan dan menarik lebih ramai pelabur yang berdaya maju.

Sebuah Pasukan Petugas Kenderaan Elektrik (EV) antara kementerian peringkat kebangsaan yang diketuai oleh MITI (Kementerian Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri) telah ditubuhkan dengan mandat untuk bertindak sebagai platform membincangkan strategi dan pelaksanaan langkah-langkah untuk memacu pembangunan EV dan keseluruhan ekosistemnya di seluruh negara.

"Fokus kerajaan bukan saja untuk menarik dan menggalakkan pelaburan dalam industri pembuatan dan pemasangan kereta termasuk
alat ganti
 dan komponen yang berkaitan dengan kenderaan generasi akan datang, malah mengiktiraf keperluan bagi menggalakkan permintaan daripada pengguna,” tambah Azmin.

Berbekalkan matlamat untuk memperkasakan generasi Malaysia yang seterusnya dengan ilmu mengenai pelbagai aspek inovasi lestari, NEXTGen Malaysia menyajikan ucaptama dan panel perbincangan yang menarik termasuk pameran khas oleh Sunway XFarms, Circular Future, dan KUALESA.


Cara Pantas Tuntut Insurans Selepas Kemalangan Jika Bukan Salah Anda

Tahukah anda sekiranya anda terlibat dalam
kemalangan jalan raya
 yang bukan disebabkan salah anda, anda boleh tuntut ganti rugi melalui agen insurans anda sendiri yang jauh lebih pantas berbanding menuntut ganti rugi daripada insurans kenderaan yang melanggar anda?

Betul! Sebelum ini kami ada menulis segalanya tentang
insurans kereta
 seperti jenis insurans, cara membeli serta cara menuntut insurans. Anda dipersilakan untuk baca artikel tersebut sekiranya masih belum faham tentang insurans secara amnya.

Kebiasaannya jika seseorang itu terlibat dalam kemalangan, mereka akan menuntut ganti rugi daripada
kenderaan yang melanggar
/ salah. Bagi sesiapa yang pernah terlibat dalam kemalangan dan menuntut ganti rugi daripada insurans kenderaan lain, pasti mereka tahu bahawa proses ini merupakan perkara yang mengambil masa.

Tahukah anda bahawa anda masih mempunyai pilihan lain untuk menuntut
ganti rugi
 dengan cepat dan pantas berbanding menuntut insurans pihak ketiga kereta lain? Tuntutan ini dipanggil Own Damage Knock-for-Knock (ODKFK). Berbanding dengan insurans pihak ketiga kereta lain, tempoh memproses permohonan ODKFK ini juga lebih pantas kerana anda berhubung secara terus dengan ejen insurans anda.

Kelebihan Membuat Tuntutan ODKFK

1. NCD Tidak Berubah/Terkesan

NCD bermaksud No-Claim-Discount di mana bayaran insurans boleh dikurangkan jika anda diberikan NCD. NCD merupakan ganjaran untuk anda sekiranya tiada tuntutan dibuat terhadap polisi insurans anda setiap tahun. Kadar NCD berbeza dikenakan untuk kelas kenderaan yang berbeza. Untuk kereta persendirian, skala NCD berkisar antara 25% hingga 55% seperti yang diperuntukkan dalam polisi.

Dengan menggunakan tuntutan ODKFK selepas kemalangan, kadar NCD anda tidak akan terkesan. Jadi tak perlu risau tentang ini dan buatlah tuntutan ODKFK untuk tempoh proses yang lebih pantas dan lancar.

2. Segala Kos Ditanggung Pihak Insurans

Jika anda membuat tuntutan ODKFK selepas kemalangan, segala kos yang terlibat akan dibiayai sepenuhnya oleh syarikat insurans anda. Dah la NCD tak kacau, lepastu tak perlu bayar apa-apa. Secara ringkasnya, ia sama sahaja seperti tuntutan insurans pihak ketiga, namun kali ini di tanggung oleh syarikat insurans anda.

3. Proses Baik Pulih Di Bengkel Yang Diluluskan Oleh Syarikat Insurans.

Selain itu, kenderaan anda akan dibawa ke
bengkel kereta
 yang telah diluluskan oleh syarikat insurans anda sahaja. Dengan ini, kualiti komponen kereta serta
alat ganti
 yang digunakan pada kereta anda sudah terjamin kualitinya. Kalau dapat bengkel bagus dan tak perlu keluar duit, siapa yang tak seronok?

Syarat-Syarat Menuntut ODKFK

1. Wajib Mempunyai Insurans Komprehensif

Pertama sekali, jika anda berminat untuk membuat tuntutan ODKFK setelah terlibat dalam kemalangan, pastikan kereta tersebut dilindungi dengan
insurans komprehensif
 atau insurans pihak pertama. Insurans komprehensif membawa maksud insurans yang lebih menyeluruh dan teliti.

Insurans ini bertindak melindungi liabiliti pihak ketiga, kecurian dan
kebakaran
 kereta anda secara tidak sengaja. Bukan itu sahaja, segala kerosakan terhadap kereta anda sekiranya berlaku kemalangan, kerosakan atau kehilangan harta benda di dalam kereta anda sendiri turut akan ditanggung insurans ini. Jika terlibat dalam kemalangan yang mendatangkan kematian atau kecederaan anggota badan yang disebabkan oleh pemandu, ketahuilah bahawa penumpang anda juga dilindungi.

2. Tidak Terlibat Dalam Tuntutan Insurans Kecederaan Tubuh Badan Pihak Ketiga

Tuntutan ODKFK ini hanya boleh dibuat sekiranya tiada sebarang tuntutan insurans kecederaan badan pihak ketiga dibuat setelah kemalangan. Pendek kata, kemalangan tersebut haruslah tidak melibatkan kecederaan kerana tuntutan ODKFK ini hanya melindungi kereta anda, bukanlah kecederaan yang di alami. Jika anda cedera, anda dinasihati untuk menuntut ganti rugi melalui insurans pihak ketiga untuk perlindungan yang lebih menyeluruh termasuk kecederaan berbanding ODKFK.

3. Tidak Melibatkan Kenderaan Awam Atau Kenderaan Kerajaan

Jika anda terlibat dalam kemalangan bersama kenderaan awam atau kenderaan kerajaan seperti bas, teksi ataupun
kenderaan Menteri
, anda tidak boleh membuat tuntutan ganti rugi menggunakan ODKFK ini. Ia hanya terpakai bagi kemalangan yang melibatkan kenderaan selain kenderaan awam ataupun kerajaan sahaja.

Jadi selepas ini jika anda terlibat dengan kemalangan yang bukan disebabkan oleh kesalahan anda, boleh la tuntut ganti rugi menggunakan ODKFK ini berbanding menggunakan insurans pihak ketiga kereta lain. Selain jimat masa, urusannya juga mudah. Hubungi ejen insurans anda untuk pertanyaan lanjut berkenaan tuntutan ODKFK ini.


Honda Launches the WR-V For the Indian Market

Over in a different part of Asia, the Indian market has just been blessed with the launch of the Honda WR-V. What is the WR-V, you ask? Well it's a crossover that is built on the Honda Jazz platform, and more importantly it is the first model that was developed by Honda R&D India in conjunction with their Japanese counterparts. If this at all sounds similar to the Honda HR-V, that's because it kind of is, but the main distinction is that Honda doesn't sell the HR-V in India.
When we take a look at the specifications, we begin to understand why. The Honda WR-V comes with an option of a 1.2-litre DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine with 90 PS and 110 Nm of torque, or a 1.5-litre DOHC i-DTEC diesel engine with 100 PS and 200 Nm of torque, both of which are paired with a manual transmission. The petrol variant gets a 5-speed manual while the diesel variant gets a 6-speed manual- and perhaps it is this pair of unique powertrains that requires the WR-V to be uniquely developed for the Indian market.
But even if you were to take the powertrains out of consideration, the WR-V is quite a stunning looking car. The HR-V might have a more traditional crossover shape, but the WR-V shares some elements with the Jazz and yet looks unique on its own. It's a sportier proposition than the HR-V, and in many ways it's the same as the HR-V save for the powertrains available. Whether Honda will choose to export this model to other markets is yet to be said.

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 Perhaps if there were to be differences it would be in the cabin design. The WR-V has a cabin that's more similar to the Jazz than the HR-V in the layout of the centre console, with no dual level storage. What is good to see is that at least in images the WR-V doesn't seem to have been compromised on material quality, meaning that this workhorse oriented car can still provide the modern luxuries Honda is known for at a competitive price point. Features like Push-Start and Smart Key are made available on the higher spec diesel model. The Honda WR-V starts from 775,000 rupees (or RM 52,545).


Honda Malaysia's RM19m 3S Centre Opens In Semenyih

Honda
 Malaysia Sdn Bhd has officially opened its newest 3S Centre in Semenyih. And it’s a big one, big enough to warrant the RM19 million investment.
The facility itself is built on a plot of land measuring 61,000 square feet with a built-up area of 22,000 square feet.
Inside, there are 14 service bays with a capacity to accommodate 30 cars per day through its 14 service bays out back. There’s also customer lounge area for those waiting for their car to complete its service or repair work, Wi-Fi connectivity throughout, a kids play area, and even car drop services.
Honda Malaysia Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Yoichiro Ueno said, “This new facility is designed to offer comfortable and relaxing atmosphere with its sophisticated exterior to give good presence to the vicinity. Semenyih is one of the fastest growing areas in Selangor. With this newly designed facility and its strategic location, I am confident that SAG Ultimate will succeed in enhancing the sales and after sales experiences for customers in Selangor.”


Bridgestone Launches New Turanza T005A Touring Tyres In Malaysia, From RM437

Bridgestone Tyre Sales Malaysia has officially introduced its latest tyre in the Turanza range, the Turanza T005A. The T005A replaces the GR100 (introduced in 2014) and boasts better comfort, enhanced wet grip characteristics, and safer handling through improved grip levels.
The new flagship touring tyre, that target users of premium sedans, is designed to reduce noise and vibration levels. The Turanza T005A features variable pitch in the asymmetric tread pattern that reduces pattern noise, and high-angle sipes that are fine-tuned to soften tyre impact on the road. A special sheet is also placed in the sidewall to reduce damping, thus improving the comfort level.
A new design in the crown (the contact patch of the tyre) has been optimized to ensure consistent contact pressure. Higher and a more consistent contact pressure in the new Turanza T005A versus the outgoing GR100 allows the new tyre to reduce impact noise and shock, translating to a more comfortable ride over rough roads.
Bridgestone has also improved the Turanza T005A at a molecular level, with the company introducing an exclusive Nano Pro-Tech compound in this tyre. The new compound is engineered to strengthen the bond between silica and polymer to increase the contact area, resulting in reduced heat generation and energy loss, leading to better wet performance and safety.

Lastly, chamfering (rounded sipe edges) on the tyre pattern prevents deformation and ensures even contact with the road for improved grip levels for braking and cornering.
The Turanza T005A is available in 21 different sizes ranging from 16-inch to 20-inch, priced between RM437 and RM1,137. Apart from the size 235/60R16, the Turanza T005A covers an aspect ratio range from 55-series to 35-series.
The new tyres are manufactured at Bridgestone's facilities in Thailand, Indonesia, and Japan.
The Carlist.my team was invited to experience the new tyres at Bridgestone's Thailand Proving Ground.
You can read all of the experience here!
If you have a Toyota Camry, Toyota Alphard-Vellfire, Honda Accord, Honda Civic 2016 (FC code), Lexus ES, Mercedes C-class W204, and Volkswagen Passat just to name a few, the Turanza T005A is a great replacement tyre, outperforming its predecessor in all aspects.
16 inches
215/55 R16 93V
225/55 R16 95V
235/60 R16 100W
17 inches
215/50 R17 91W
215/55 R17 94W
225/50 R17 94W
225/55 R17 97W
235/55 R17 99W
245/45 R17 95W
18 inches
225/40 R18 88W
245/40 R18 93W
225/45 R18 91W
235/45 R18 98W XL
245/45 R18 100W XL
255/45 R18 103W XL
235/50 R18 101W XL
245/50 R18 100W
19 inches
245/45 R19 98W
275/40 R19 101W
20 inches
245/40 R20 99W
275/35 R20 102W