Volvo Establishes New Dealership In Penang

In an effort to offer better services to its growing customer base in the Northern region, Volvo Car Malaysia has opened a new 3S centre in Juru Auto-City, Penang.
Operated by iRoll Auto Sdn Bhd, Volvo Juru, which began operations in mid-June itself, implements the Volvo Retail Experience (VRE) - a new concept which promises a Scandinavian feel within its sales floor and an improved customer service experience.
For instance, the waiting lounge in Volvo Juru features chic Scandinavian-designed furniture, offering customers a very plush and cozy ambience while their vehicles are being serviced at the two available service bays.
According to VCM, Juru Auto-City was chosen as the location for the 3S Centre due to its easy access to the North-South Expressway and its reputation for being a hub for auto-related services.
“Establishing our presence on mainland Penang is a very important step towards creating better access to Volvo products and services to our customers in the Northern region where the market is certainly booming,” said Lennart Stegland, Managing Director, Volvo Car Malaysia.
The Volvo Showroom in Juru opens from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Monday to Saturday


Linking Real Car Buyers With Car Dealers – Malaysia’s No.1 Car Site Sets New Record

iCar Asia Limited, the publisher of Carlist.my, LiveLifeDrive.com and Malaysian Evo magazine closed quarter 2 of 2015 by achieving its best ever monthly results.
Carlist.my, Malaysia’s No.1 car site with over 166,000 cars on sale, registered over 1.9 million car buyers in visiting the website in the month of June. Out of the many visiting car buyers, 220,000 of them utilized the ‘call’ function on our mobile-friendly website to contact a car dealer last month.
Over 1,700 car dealers also paid to have their advertisements appear as a ‘Featured’ listing, another monthly record for the company.
With over 166,000 cars listed on Carlist.my, and a proven record of delivering high-quality leads to dealers, it appears that many dealers do not mind spending RM8 (up from RM3 in February) to ‘bump’ their ads to the top of the listing.
Over 70,000 ads were ‘bumped’ to the top within the 30-day period. Last month, Malaysian car dealers bought a record RM550,000 in monthly credits for their future ‘bump’ activities.
Damon Rielly, CEO of iCar Asia said, “Carlist.my is a powerhouse in the market. The ability to triple the price of our ‘bump’ product and within three months still achieve new record highs for paying accounts is testament to the very strong market leadership position we have built.  We are excited about the huge potential awaiting Carlist.my as the clear market leader.”
In the coming months, LiveLifeDrive.com will be relaunched into a luxury automotive lifestyle content portal.
Outside of Malaysia, iCar Asia continued to strengthen its lead in Thailand and Indonesia.
Thailand’s No.1 car site One2car.com delivered a record 270,000 leads to car dealers. Total visits to iCar Asia’s Thai websites – One2car.com, AutoSpinn.com and Thaicar.com exceeded 4 million in June.
Mr Rielly said, “We are very happy with the rapid progress made in Thailand post the acquisition of the market-leading One2car.com.  We have made significant changes to all aspects of the business and successfully guided our customers through these changes.  As a result, our position in the Thailand market is stronger than ever. We now have the capability to grow rapidly into the incredible opportunity that exists in Thailand’s very large automotive market.”
In Indonesia, Mobil123.com delivered over 140,000 individual car buyers to car sellers in June. Over 1,600 dealers are now paid subscribers to Mobil123.com, while a record 1.8 million unique car buyers visited the website in June.
Mr Rielly said, “The key driver for success in Indonesia is to continue to drive our key metrics to record levels, and to increase the number of Dealers who utilise our market-leading Response Management System (RMS) to promote their listings and sell more cars.  We are extremely happy with the performance of the business and believe we are in the prime position to reap the huge opportunity in Indonesia.”
All these combined to deliver a strong Quarter 2 result for iCar Asia Limited. Cash receipts for the period increased by 169% over the prior corresponding period in 2014 to AUD1.3 million. In excess of AUD2.7 million was collected in the first half of 2015, an increase of 138% over H1 2014.
Net operating cash outflow for the quarter was AUD3.2 million which included one-off costs relating to the integration of One2car.com. Despite these one-off costs, this cash outflow was AUD0.5 million lower than in Q1 of 2015. Cash receipts from display advertising are seasonally lower in Q2 as compared to Q1 2015 as collections from peak season Q4 2014 advertising revenues took place in Q1 2015, while collections from low season Q1 advertising revenues took place in Q2 2015.


BMW's 7 Series Gets the M Treatment with the M760Li xDrive

We have
said it before
 that BMW’s
new 7 Series

amazes us with its handling finesse and driver-oriented character
. And it is no surprise that BMW knew they had something special on their hands. Suitably BMW upped the performance envelope of the 7 Series' new range topper to the nth degree with the introduction of the first 7 Series to officially wear an “M Performance” badge.
To give its full name, the M760Li xDrive goes against BMW’s recent naming convention of assigning a numerical value larger than its engine displacement as the M760Li comes with a 6.6-litre turbocharged V12 engine, because if you are going to overdo things, might as well do it to the engine instead of the name.
Peak power now stands at 600hp at 5,500rpm with a massive 800Nm of torque summoned up from 1,500rpm. With power through its rear-biased all-wheel drive system via an eight-speed automatic transmission with M Performance-specific shift programs, the M760Li is able to sprint to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds and onto a top speed of 305km/h with the M Driver’s Package which elevates its standard 250km/h speed limiter. To give you an idea of how quick that is, you can hang onto the tail of a Porsche 911 Carrera S if you aren’t carrying anyone too heavy behind.
Being a product of M Performance Automobiles the M760Li comes with the M aerodynamic package with larger air intakes in the front apron, exclusive galvanised Cerium Grey finish for the kidney grille frame and bars, front apron strip, strips on the exterior door handles, Air Breathers, side door trim elements, and boot lid handle. The M760Li’s immense 20-inch Cerium Grey M light-alloy wheels are there to house the car’s massive 19-inch M Sport brakes which are finished in metallic blue and bears the M logos. To accentuate the fact that there is a huge V12 under the bonnet, V12 badging is fitted to the C-pillars with a new M sports exhaust system with flap control to deliver its soundtrack.
However if all that looks too brash and risks stirring the peasantry, BMW also offers the M760Li in the V12 Excellence trim for no extra cost. Instead of the big and proud M aerodynamic package look, the M760Li would look no different from the standard 7 Series equipped with the Excellence trim. Though that being said with the package the M760Li would still sport 20-inch BMW Individual light-alloy rims because you still need to house those massive disc brakes, which now sport understated black callipers. However with the V12 Excellence trim, the V12 badging is moved to the rear boot lid and comes with a “comfort-based” exhaust system.
To aid its handling, the M760Li comes equipped with the Executive Drive Pro suspension system with the active roll stabilisation feature, whereas the Active Steering rear-wheel steering still lends the M760Li some proper cornering agility and stability. Since this sits atop the 7 Series range, the M760Li comes with all the driver assistance systems with the Steering and lane control assistant, Lane Keeping assistant with active side collision protection, Rear collision prevention and Crossing traffic warning functions, Traffic jam assistant with semi-autonomous driving, and Active Cruise control with Stop&Go function.
Though it isn’t the full-fat dedicated M model, the M760Li xDrive is probably the closest one would get to an M7, but not like the affluent of the world would care of such specifics since this V12 luxobarge is able to keep up with a 600hp M5 “30 Jahre M5”, the M Division’s most powerful series-production model in its history.


Autotrader UK: Used Car Market Is Strong In UK, Like In Malaysia Too

According to the latest data from UK-based Auto Trader, based on the circa 510,000 vehicles currently advertised on its marketplace, used car prices continue to record strong levels of growth despite the current lockdown measures in place across the UK.

Despite the temporary fluctuations from time to time, the data shows used car market prices and demand despite the slowdown of the pandemic. This news draws the same parallels here in Malaysia, according to a
recent announcement
 by the Federation of Motor and Credit Companies Association of Malaysia (FMCCAM).

Autotrader notes that increase in sales continues to be driven primarily by supply and demand dynamics. Whilst the tightening restrictions are adding pressure on supply networks (and no doubt this affects the new car market more so than the used car marlet), the healthy level of demand in the market has been largely unaffected.

Auto Trader’s director of data and insight, Richard Walker, said, “Nearly three weeks after the Prime Minister announced the third lockdown, we have a much clearer view of what impact the new restrictions are having,”

He further adds, “Whilst retailers are currently limited to online retail channels, with the current levels of supply and demand in the market, along with the margins available, we don’t see any reasons to suggest a different approach to pricing.”

According to Auto Trader – the UK’s largest digital automotive marketplace – hatchbacks and wagon models have recently seen the largest price growth in recent times, but SUVs remain most in demand.

As for Malaysia – the Federation of Motor and Credit Companies Association of Malaysia (FMCCAM) announced that despite dealers only operating 9 months last year,
the sales tax exemption
 and six months moratorium helped spur sales in the second half of the year, which totalled some 400,000 used cars sold in 2020. On par with sales recorded in 2019.

There were a few factors for this:

Healthy demand:

The pandemic has also deterred people from using public transport, which has meant more buyers looking for personal cars to move around. More affluent customers, who have cancelled other activities such as holiday travels, are able to repurpose those funds towards a new or used car. Lastly, given the economic climate and uncertainty, a substantial percentage of customers may have opted for a cheaper used vehicle instead of a brand new vehicle.

Healthy supply:

With the
government’s initiatives
 to boost the economy – people that have opted to buy new cars have meant a steady stream of used vehicle stocks in the market. When good vehicle options are met with good bargains, demand naturally increases.

Buying options

The used market generally offers cars at a fraction of their original prices, but with most of the financing options of a new car. Accessibility to deals is also great thanks to online classifieds such as
Carlist.my
. In more recent time, t
hird-party diagnostics and aftermarket warranties
 have also increased buyer confidence, all of which have contributed positively to the overall buyer experience.

The current uptick in the used car market will play heavily on the new car marketplace and the current PENJANA stimulus package, which has been
extended to the end of June 2021
.


New Jaguar F-Type Coupe Updated With 2-Litre Engine, Priced From RM575,800

A slight rejuvenation and a visually more appealing exterior accompany the new Jaguar F-Type coupe. New design for its headlights, rear lights and bumper enhances the F-Type’s existing contemporary design to match the pure performance of this coupe, now available with the Ingenium 2-litre turbocharged petrol engine.
With the new engine output naming convention at Jaguar Land Rover, the F-Type Coupe fitted with the new 2.0-litre Ingenium petrol engine carries the P300 label. Apart from the P300 badge, the new F-Type coupe can be easily identified with the large, centrally mounted exhaust outlet.
The new engine, which already sees duty in the
F-Pace
 SUV, is tuned to deliver a much higher output in the coupe- 300 PS and 400 Nm, up from 250 PS and 365 Nm of torque. Paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, the F-Type P300 completes the century dash in just 5.7 seconds. Top speed is limited to 250 km/h.
Inside, the F-Type coupe now features a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system called Touch Pro. The system supports pinch and swipe gestures on top of the customizable home screen. The sport-seat frames are now in lightweight magnesium, eliminating more than 8 kilograms in weight. Customers can opt for Siena Tan leather over the standard black leather-suede combination.

Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia has priced the new Jaguar F-Type Coupe P300 from RM575,800 (excluding road tax, registration, and insurance) and includes the following features:
Xenon head lamps with DRL
18-inch 10-spoke wheels with staggered tyres (Front 245/45 R18, Rear 275/40 R18)
Electronically-controlled bootlid spoiler
Switchable active exhaust
Sports seats with leather and suede cloth
Meridian Sound System with 10 speakers
InControl Touch Pro with Bluetooth
The 19-inch 5 split-spoke dual-tone wheels with staggered tyres (Front 245/40 R19, Rear 275/35 R19) and panoramic glass roof seen on this beautiful Ultra Blue example are among the many optional items that customers can specify.
All vehicles distributed by Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia come with ‘Jaguar Care’ programme which includes a five-year warranty (or 150,000 kilometres), five-year (or 65,000 kilometres) free service package and three years’ roadside assistance.


New 2017 BMW 4 Series LCI (F32) and M4 (F82) Launched in Malaysia

BMW Group Malaysia today announced the expansion of its product lineup with the introduction of the new 4 Series Coupé, which will come in three trim levels:
BMW 420i Coupé Sport - RM 338,800
BMW 430i Coupé M Sport - RM 408,800
BMW M4 Coupé - RM760,800
*Prices mentioned are OTR without insurance
Design wise, the new 4 Series Coupé now comes with a more prominent presence, thanks to newly designed front and rear sections.
While the car’s front end now features modified air inlets and new bi-LED headlights which replace the outgoing xenons, the rear section sees the inclusion of a new apron, larger tailpipes, as well as  newly designed all-LED tailights.
Other introductions include new 18 and 19-inch light alloy rims and the newest exterior colour called ‘Snapper Rocks Blue’, which is offered as an option for the BMW 420i Coupé Sport.
Cosmetics aside, the 4-Series now comes with an enhanced suspension system – made stiffer for better dynamism while adapting damper settings to retain ride comfort.
However, only the 430i Coupé M Sport gets the Adaptive M Suspension as the 420i Coupe Sport gets the standard suspension setup.
Coupled with increased steering precision consequent of advanced fine-tuning of the chassis, BMW claims that body roll has been reduced in the 4 Series without compromising the ride comfort known in its predecessor.
In terms of engine offerings, the new 4 Series is powered by the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine that is part of the current BMW B-series modular engine family.
Under the hood of the 420i Coupé Sport is a 184hp and 270Nm version of the mill which enables the car to do the century sprint in 7.5 seconds.
Meanwhile, the 430i Coupé M Sport gets a boosted version of the engine which kicks out 252hp and 350Nm, able to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 5.8 seconds. Both variants are paired to the famous ZF 8-speed automatic gearbox.
Inside, new ambient lighting, new chrome appliqué trims bedecking the audio and air conditioning systems, as well as a new sports steering wheel are offered as standard in the 420i and the 430i M Sport.
The 430i M Coupé Sport also features the latest-generation (ID6) user interface with six tile icons arranged on two screen pages on the 8.8-inch display.
The interface also enables touch screen functionality, making the new 4 Series the only car in its segment have such an offering.
The 420i and 430i M Sport are also equipped with BMW Connected services including Intelligent Emergency Call, Teleservices and Remote Services via the BMW Connected App. However, the BMW Concierge Services capability is only available on the BMW 430i Coupé M Sport.
As for the M4, the car comes fitted with BMW Adaptive Full-LED headlights and tailights  as standard, M specific exterior mirrors, gills and double tailpipes, as well as a carbon roof and a Powerdome on the outside.
Inside, the M4's unique features include redesigned and illuminated M emblems, M Sport seats, M leather steering wheel with M Drive buttons, and also carbon fibre trim.
Under the hood, the new M4 is powered by a 3.0 litre M TwinPower Turbo in-line six-cylinder engine capable of producing up to 431 hp and 550 Nm, paired to a seven-speed double clutch transmission.
Powertrain package aside, the M4 also comes with Active M Differential, M Dynamic Mode, M Servotronic electromechanical steering, M compound brakes and adaptive M suspension.
In case you're wondering how quick this thing is, it can accelerate from standstill to 100km/h in just 3.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 291km/h.
On that note, those who wish to have a closer look at the cars can head to the Raya @ BMW roadshows held at all BMW dealerships from 6th to 21st July, or visit the Revolution by Time Kulture event which runs from the 6th to 16th July in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.


Volvo Car Malaysia Appoints New MD, Records Strong Growth In 2018

Volvo Car Malaysia has announced the appointment of Nalin Jain as its new Managing Director, who will be taking over from the current Managing Director, Lennart Stegland, starting 1st March 2019. Stegland will be retiring from the company, after spending more than 40 years with Volvo, having served in various leading roles in research and development, marketing and sales, and managing various national sales companies.
Jain has previously served as the Chief Financial Officer of Volvo Auto India, and has over 20 years of experience in the automotive, consulting, and technology fields.
The announcement was made during a Chinese New Year get-together with the press last week, where the company also revealed that it has recorded strong sales growth in 2018, finishing the year with a total of 1,384 units delivered.
The sales figures translate into a 35 per cent increase from 2017 (1,021 units), and a 48 per cent increase from 2016 (934 units).
According to the company, the positive growth began since the introduction of the XC90 T8 Twin Engine SUV in late 2015.
The company also exported a total of 1,889 vehicles comprising the V40, XC40, S60, V60, XC60, and XC90 to Thailand, Taiwan, Philippines, and Vietnam.
It was said that recent investments on the company’s assembly plant in Shah Alam has enabled it to accommodate more assembly volume and new platforms such as the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) that underpins its new 60s and 90s Range, and the Modular Compact Architecture (MCA) used by the new XC40.
VCM also introduced the Volvo Service Agreement (VSA) in 2018 – a comprehensive service package that covers replacement of most wear-and-tear parts (excluding tyres), for either three years or five years.
Moving forward, Volvo Car Malaysia plans to take its customer experience to the next level by rolling-out a new service concept they call Volvo Personalised Service or VPS in 2019.
A new management system to ensure optimum availability of parts called Volvo Managed Inventory (VMI) will also be introduced sometime this year.
In terms of dealership network, Volvo Car Malaysia has grown its nationwide presence to a total of 11 dealerships which includes the recent re-introduction of the brand in Kuching after close to 10 years. The company is aiming to add more dealerships in 2019, especially in locations that are currently not represented by the brand.
On the Financial Services front, Volvo Car Malaysia had also introduced Volvo Car Leasing – a first for Volvo Cars in Southeast Asia – that lets customers enjoy stress-free Volvo ownership, minus the usual financial strain of a hire-purchase agreement. The company is also planning to introduce Volvo Insurance in partnership with AXA Insurance later this year.
Volvo Car Malaysia is projecting a double-digit growth in 2019 with the new XC40 and the opening of more retail locations as the two main drivers.


Honda Malaysia Rolls Out Their 130,000th Civic

It's hard to imagine that in the span of just 18 years, the Honda Civic has gone from being a left-field alternative to a staple for car consumers. There have been ups and downs, but Honda Malaysia has rolled out their 130,000th Civic today - a 1.5-litre VTEC Turbocharged Premium variant in Dark Ruby Red - which marks a large milestone for the brand and its presence in Malaysia. Prior to 2001, the Honda Civic was assembled by Kah Motor - so this figure is purely on the merits of Honda Malaysia itself.
The owner in question, Ms. Fatihah Binti Abdul Kadir, picked up her car from the Botanic Auto Mall Sdn Bhd dealership in Klang. Having owned a Honda Stream in the past, it was an easy transition to the Honda Civic, especially given how spacious and practical the latest generation is. Even until today, demand for the Civic is high enough that there is a reasonable waiting list if you want to get your hands on one.
Despite the shift towards crossovers and SUVs, the Civic has remained a popular model. The seventh generation saw a late introduction back in 2001 with only 9,300 units sold, but the eighth generation saw a major jump with around 50,400 units - as the FD-generation Civic proved to be a huge model for the brand. The ninth generation was a bit of a stumble with a decline to 27,000 units, but this current tenth generation is incredible; with a little over two years on the market, more than 42,200 units have found owners.
Honda Malaysia Group Vice President, Ms. Jahabarnisa Haja Mohideen said at the handover ceremony, “A heartfelt thank you and deep appreciation to all our 130,000 Civic customers in Malaysia. Their support and belief in the Honda brand have enabled our models to achieve segment leadership positions including the Civic which is leading the C-segment. In Malaysia,
the Civic is synonymous with the Honda brand and has won many hearts here. It has consistently been well supported by Malaysians."
In this holy month of Ramadan, Honda is rewarding all new customers with special rewards worth up to RM5,000 in the “Enjoy the Special Gifts of Ramadan” campaign. The promotion begins on the 1st of May 2019 and ends on the 31st of May 2019 - terms and conditions apply.
To find the best deals on Hondas, click
here
.


Land Rover Unveils New Discovery Sport With Mild Hybrid Powertrain

Land Rover has taken the wrap off the new Discovery Sport, which now comes with new exterior and interior features, as well as new electrified powertrain options.
Similar to the new Evoque, the new Discovery Sport is built on Land Rover’s new Premium Transverse Architecture (PTA) which accommodates new electrified engines, including a 48-volt mild hybrid.
The new body is also 13 per cent stiffer than its predecessor, with rigidly-mounted subframes that reduce noise and vibration intrusion into the cabin, improving comfort and providing maximum safety in the event of a collision.
On the exterior, key design cues including the clamshell bonnet, new signature LED lamps at the front and rear, a new front grille, new bumpers, as well as the signature beltline and tapered roof which have been carried over from the outgoing model.
In terms of dimensions, the new Discovery Sport is 2 mm shorter and 3 mm taller than the outgoing model. Besides that, the width and the wheelbase length of 2,741 mm remains.
Inside, the new Discovery Sport offers a more flexible seating arrangement than before, with up to 24 combinations for enhanced versatility.  Land Rover says that the materials used inside the Discovery are also more premium than the outgoing model.
Infotainment is taken care by the latest version of Land Rover’s Touch Pro system with a 10.25-inch touch screen similar to what we have in the Velar.
Other new features include new seats, a smart rear-view mirror, ClearSight ground view which shows a 180-degree view beneath the vehicle onto the touchscreen, wireless charging, 4G WiFi hotspot, USB and 12-volt connectivity points on every row, as well as individual heating and ventilation controls for all seats. Speaking of seats, the second row offers 40:20:40 split fold and slide functionality, in addition to the split-folding third row seats.
Offered in four trim levels, (S, SE, HSE, R-Dynamic) the new Discovery Sport comes with a choice of two petrol engines (200 PS and 249 PS) and three diesel engine options (150 PS, 180 PS, and 240 PS).
Out of the lot, the 150 PS diesel engine is paired to a 6-speed manual gearbox, while the rest of the lot get a nine-speed automatic gearbox and Land Rover’s AWD system.
The AWD models also benefit from Driveline Disconnect – a Power Transfer Unit at the front axle that disconnects drive to the rear wheels under steady state cruising, reducing frictional losses and re-engaging AWD in less than 500 milliseconds.
Capable of wading 600 mm-deep water, the new Discovery Sport comes with Terrain Response 2 system which automatically detects the surface and adjusts the torque delivery to best suit the conditions, and the Advanced Tow Assist which makes reversing with a trailer (up to 2,500kg) safer.
Available in the Discovery Sport for the first time is the new 48-volt mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV) powertrain, which uses an belt-integrated starter generator to harvest energy normally during deceleration and braking, and stores it in an under-floor battery.
At speeds below 17km/h, the engine will shut off when the driver applies the brakes, before redeploying the stored energy to assist the engine under acceleration to reduce fuel consumption.
According to Land Rover, an even more efficient plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) model, and a three-cylinder petrol Ingenium engine will also join the range later in 2019.
Other safety and driver assistance systems include Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Autonomous Emergency Braking, and Driver Condition Monitor.


All-New Toyota Vios Launched In Singapore

Borneo Motors, Singapore’s official importer and distributor of Toyota vehicles has introduced the all-new Vios. The new Vios is essentially identical to the Yaris Ativ sold in Thailand, albeit with a larger 1.5-litre engine, as opposed to the Kingdom's Eco Car-specific 1.2-litre.
Available in two trim levels - E Grade and G Grade, the all-new Vios is powered by the same 1.5-litre Dual VVT-I four-cylinder petrol engine that does 105 bhp and 140 Nm. For the Singaporean market, the sole transmission option is a CVT-type automatic that sends drive to the front wheels.
In terms of equipment, the base Vios E gets :
Halogen headlights
Front fog lights
Wing mirror-mounted side turn signals
Electric wing mirrors
Smart Entry and Start
Tilt & telescopic steering weeh
Optitron speedometer with MID
Toyota Telematics System
7 airbags
ABS with EBD
VSC, HAC, Brake Assist
Reverse camera
ISOFIX anchor points
Moving one level up is the Vios G, which adds :
Daytime Running Lights (DRLs)
16-inch alloy wheels
60:40 split folding rear seats
Steering wheel-mounted audio controls
Auto air-conditioning
Rear seat centre conole
Toyota Telematics with navigation
Seven colours are available – Super White II, Silver Metallic, Gray Metallic, Attitude Black Mica, Quartz Brown Metallic, Red Mica Metallic and Dark Blue Mica Metallic.
In Singapore, the all-new Vios is priced from SGD 89,988.
Sources within Toyota Motor Thailand have hinted that the all-new Vios will eventually find its way here, possibly towards the end of 2018.


Mysterious Proton Perdana Found In Abandoned UK Building Belongs To Mahathir Mohamad

The mystery of Mahathir's Proton Perdana in an abandon UK building solved.

We all know that Dr. Mahathir Mohamad is the father of Proton and it seems that even after so many years, the ex-prime minister can still make headlines for the national car company.

The recent headline to hit the news is regarding an abandoned Proton Perdana in the UK, and according to verified sources, the Proton Perdana belongs to Dr. Mahathir.

Last week, Youtube channel Lost Adventure which entertains its Youtube viewers by sharing their adventures of abandoned buildings and lost history, discovered an abandoned building in Surrey, UK, where they found a host of luxury and prototype cars.

The abandoned building that these Youtubers explored belonged to obsolete vehicle manufacturer, Bristol Cars and among the collection of rare vehicles was a Proton Perdana with the number plate VK 5231 which belongs to Dr. Mahathir.

This was confirmed by
Kelab Che Det
 on Facebook along with supporting documents.

"Kereta Proton Perdana bernombor plat VK 5231 tu didaftarkan atas nama Mahathir bin Mohamad. Untuk pengetahuan, bangunan tersebut milik Bristol Cars, pemilik dia Kamal Siddiq, seorang usahawan warganegara Britain berdarah Pakistan. Macam mana pulak kereta Tun M boleh ada dekat UK ni? Cerita dia bermula pada akhir tahun 2016 bila Tun M pergi ke UK dan ada berbincang dengan Kamal Siddiqi untuk convert kereta biasa kepada kereta hibrid melalui syarikat R&D milik Kamal iaitu Frazer Nash Research Limited yang berpengkalan kat UK."

So it seems that Mahathir wanted to develop a Hybrid system for the Proton Perdana through Frazer Nash Research Limited. He took his own initiative to do so in the hope that it will cause some spark in Proton to start researching the possibilities of manufacturing a Hybrid vehicle.

Why Frazer-Nash Group? Well, it has been said that Frazer-Nash group specialises in electric vehicle technologies and had once supplied electric vehicles to Malaysia when it was hosting the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. The ties of the company and Malaysia doesn't end there either as it once partnered with Tenaga Nasional in 1996 and was supposed to produce Malaysia's first electric car, but the plan didn't materialise and was abandoned in the early 2000s.

Could we have had a Hybrid Proton vehicle that could have changed the fortune of Proton pre-Geely? Could this have kept the national carmaker a Malaysian company? We will never know, but one thing is for sure, it seems that Mahathir's heart was in the right place and he was always trying to move Proton forward.


CPSM Applauds Government's Decision To Make Child Seats Mandatory By 2020

With much of the finance news taking centre stage following the government's announcement of the 2019 budget, one of the overlooked statements made was that child seat usage is to be mandatory in Malaysia by 2020. Child Passenger Safety Malaysia (CPSM) applauds this decision as it falls in line with their goals of promoting child seat usage.
Child seats, or child restraint systems as they are also known, are highly important for the safety of young ones who cannot properly be restrained with regular seatbelts. As an NGO, CPSM has been tirelessly working towards raising awareness in the public regarding child safety in vehicles.
To echo the advocacy plan by the Transport Ministry and Road Safety Department next year, CPSM has already lined up several campaigns such as the ‘Child Passenger Safety Technician Certification’ course in April 2019, among others, with the aim to increase the number of trained advocates of child passenger safety in Malaysia.
CPSM has charted a few advocacy programmes and communication plans beginning this month and until the implementation of compulsory usage for child safety seat in cars with continuous persuasion techniques and simple message to parents that a child also deserves protection in a car.
CPSM will step up the effort by conducting safety seat checks on child safety seats purchased and used by parents in several states starting from the northern region in the first quarter of 2019, to teach and guide parents to install and use child safety seats the correct way.
There will also be community talks and classes and also articles about child passenger safety in several publications. We also hope to increase CPSM’s social media reach by more than 50% by March 2019 targeting urban parents. The eventual goal is zero deaths of children as a result of riding unrestrained in motor vehicles.


Mercedes-AMG Teases More Of The C 63 Coupé, Debuts Mid-August

Another teaser image of the new
Mercedes
-AMG C 63 Coupé has been posted on the carmaker’s Facebook page, this time revealing the rear of the high-performance two-door model.
Although heavily camouflaged, we can roughly make out the car’s taillights which appear to be adopted from that of the
S-Class
 Coupé and are pretty consistent with earlier renderings of the
C-Class Coupé which we reported on
. The trademark AMG quad exhaust tips are also clearly seen as well.
Earlier, Mercedes-AMG released other teaser images that showed the C 63 Coupé’s front end and other parts but withheld a view of the car’s rear end until now.
The coupé will adopt the powertrain found in its four-door variant, a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine paired to an AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT seven-speed sport transmission. The C 63 sedan comes in ‘S’ and ‘non-S’ variants with power figures listed as 503hp and 700Nm of torque for the former and 469hp and 650Nm, the latter.
A
countdown site
 has already been set up to the car’s debut where “Something Fast Is Coming” on 20 August (Malaysian time).


Volvo Drive-E – New Strategy Powering Gothenburg’s Resurgence

Powertrain engineering is at its heart, balancing multiple priorities to negotiate a usable compromise. In motorsports, for example, the task is straightforward – an engine can be pushed right to its limit to extract its maximum performance potential.
For day-to-day road use, however, things get a little more complicated, because factors such as efficiency and longevity enter the equation. A Formula 1 engine, for example, is designed to last a couple of races and then requiring a ground-up rebuild. A road car’s engine has to last a little longer than that.
Engines designed for high performance usage can afford to have peaky power deliveries, with maximum power kicking it right at the top of its rev range. In a road car, however, it’s tiring having to redline the engine every time, so its characteristics have to be adjusted to allow more usable performance at lower revs.
Even more recently, tightening emission regulations have emerged as the biggest challenge facing car makers that are already juggling between so many priorities. Although customers generally consider a car based on its performance attributes, emissions determine whether a car can even be sold in a given market.
In Europe, the progressive switch from Euro 3 to Euro 6 standards has seen not only emission targets being continuously reduced, but requires that cars are able to sustain those emission levels over increasingly longer periods of usage.
Compounding the problem further, measures implemented to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions have the effect of actually increasing fuel consumption because combustion temperatures in the cylinders have to be lowered. Something done to reduce emissions have be counteracted by something else to offset the resultant increase in fuel consumption.
These requirements represent major challenges in engine development programmes, and add significant time and cost to the process. For small-volume players like
Volvo
, this puts quite a strain on the company’s resources.
But whilst ‘economies of scale’ is often quoted as a byword for productivity and profitability, small players can achieve similar levels of competitiveness with the big boys by playing smart and entering the game with the right strategy in mind.
Because of its history under Ford ownership, Volvo’s current models are powered by a mix of in-house developed and Ford-sourced engines, the latter consisting of 1.6- and 2.0-litre versions of the four-cylinder EcoBoost engine. Nevertheless, as Volvo seeks to move on from the
Ford
 chapter of its history, the EcoBoost engines are in the midst of being phased out in favour of Volvo’s own modular Drive-E engine family destined to span the entire range of its future models.
Designed to fit Volvo’s current Ford-based models as well as its upcoming generation of SPA and
CMA
 modular platform-derived models, the Drive-E engine family consists largely of 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines of various outputs; 1.5-litre three-cylinder derivatives are also available with petrol power only.
In order to optimize costs, Volvo designed the Drive-E engine family with a high degree of commonization and modularity. Both 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines share a common crankshaft and whilst their heads and blocks are unique, sufficient similarities are present that enable them to be cast along the same production line. The engines are built on aluminium construction reinforced with cast iron to offer an optimal balance in light weight and strength; Volvo claims that both the petrol and diesel engines are lighter than rival engines of similar power.
Besides its light weight nature, Volvo also took great care to ensure the engines are suitable for compact packaging. This important in enabling the transverse-engined cars to achieve the short overhangs typically-associated with longitudinal-engined vehicles, thus giving them more attractive proportions. More importantly, it allows Volvo to design more effective crash impact zones and gives more space to fit a more intricate suspension design for better ride and handling characteristics.
For conventionally-powered versions of the engine, the range of outputs available covers a suitably wide base. By varying the arrangement of turbochargers feeding the engine, Volvo is able to provide a family of petrol engines with outputs ranging from 152hp/270Nm to 306hp/400Nm, and diesel engines starting from 120hp/250Nm going up to 230hp/480Nm.
The Malaysian market currently has access only to the upper end petrol engines, namely the turbocharged T5 with 245hp and 350Nm as well as the twincharged T6 with 306hp and 400Nm. Both the T5 and T6 engines are currently available in the
XC60
 whilst the
T6 was recently added to the S60
.
As tested recently in the
XC90 T8
, the Drive-E engine family is ready for integration of plug-in hybrid technology. Looking ahead, Volvo plans to have even its entry-level 40-series models ready to offer the option of variants with electrified hybrid powertrains.


Survival Guide for Those Travelling with Children in the Car

With Christmas and the last week of the year upon us, most of us will definitely be planning to travel somewhere to celebrate, and chances are that many of our cars will have adolescent passengers.
Now, almost every parent out there knows that travelling with a child is not a walk in the park. For one minute, they will be happy and before you know it, they’re screaming their lungs off.
As natural as it is for kids to misbehave purely due to boredom or hunger, it is also very risky as they can distract the driver, which can end up in unwanted circumstances.
So, instead of dreading the long drive, here are a few tips which were shared by our friends at Ford Malaysia to keep your children safe, comfortable and happy in the car. At the end of the day, if they are happy, everyone will be happy.
• Set a good example

Safety consciousness stems from a child’s caregivers. It’s essential that the parents be good role models themselves. Despite all the technological advances, seat belts are still a top life-saving device in an accident so parents should always buckle up to set a good example for the kids.
• Establish the rules, Part 1: Inside the car
Parents should establish rules around roads and cars, and make sure they are followed by all. For kids old enough to understand, parents should declare the family car commandment of: ask permission first, whether it’s to open a window, a moon roof, or to change the music.
• Establish the rules, Part 2:

Outside the car
Take note: Even when outside of the car, children are at risk for an auto-related injury, so never let them out of your sight when cars are present. Make sure all children hold a parent’s hand when vehicles may be present, whether it’s on a road or even when cars are parked.
• Keep the children comfortable and occupied

Make sure to have your child’s favorite toys (soft ones are better) and books to keep your child entertained, and help keep the driver focused on the road. Snacks and drinks will also help your child be less fussed. And don’t forget to schedule stops for bathroom breaks.
Also, one reason a child may be fussing is because they could be too cold or too hot, so parents should keep track of what the climate is like in the back seat.
Above all, never leave children unattended in your vehicle. Exposure to high temperatures for even a short time can cause death or serious heat-related injuries, including brain damage.
• Child seats are a must
Even newborns and young children should be properly secured in a rear seating position with a child safety seat that is designed for their age and weight. Some parents are tempted to hold their child in the front seat with them, but this is not safe.
In case of sudden braking, the force of acceleration can be as great as 4G, and holding on to a child is not enough.
Children should use proper child safety seats from the first time they get into a car. That way, the child will see their safety seat as a natural part of travelling in a car.
Even when you follow all the guidelines above, children may still grumble and wriggle in the backseat. But they are kids, and that’s what they do.
The next time your child starts to fuss, stay calm and find a safe place to pull over. And always be extra careful when there are children in the car.
To know more about child seats, how to install them, and the importance of these devices, you can always check out our demo video and guideline
here
.


KLIMS 2018: New Honda HR-V Previewed, Again

Odd but true – you can no longer buy the Honda HR-V, despite the fact that it’s still the most sought after crossover in Malaysia. The pre-facelift HR-V was sold out earlier than expected during the zero GST period earlier this year but it’s been five months since Honda Malaysia opened the order books for the new HR-V facelift in July and to date, we still don’t know what the price of the new HR-V is, or when deliveries will begin.
So here at the 2018 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show, Honda is once again previewing the new HR-V facelift, in RS (Road Sailing) variant - but this time we get to take a peek at the new interior.
Among the upgrades fitted to the new HR-V RS are:
LaneWatch (Honda’s blind spot detecting camera that’s also found in the Accord and CR-V)
Variable Gear Ratio (VGR) steering that adjusts the steering ratio according to vehicle speed
Paddle shifters
Ivory coloured leather seats
8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
Ivory leather wrapped dashboard and centre console
RS grille
New LED headlights with LED daytime running lights
New LED tail lights
New front and rear bumper
Note that these features are specific only to the RS variant. Specifications for regular HR-V variants have yet to be announced.
Mechanically, it remains unchanged with the same 1.8-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine driving the front wheels via a CVT-type automatic transmission.


Geely Haoyue 7-Seat SUV Is Large And Wants To Be In Charge

As big brother to the Boyue, the Haoyue assumes the title of Geely’s SUV flagship. A D-segment fighter that has huge ambitions.

This is the largest SUV in Geely’s line-up to date, and it’s called the Haoyue. You may have heard about or seen this D-segment entrant already with the Chinese automaker releasing some images earlier this year.

Now, though, the Hao Yue (or Haoyue, or Haoyue GX11) has arrived at its official home market launch date, and we can finally get to grips with the many details that surround this all-new model. The 7-seater is clearly quite smart looking, masking its size with its many contours and character lines.

Geely terms this as the ‘Expansive Aesthetic’ concept, which seeks to soften the appearance of size by adopting more muscular, athletic design cues. Seems to have worked, and we have to admit it looks considerably more unique and far less generic than their other SUVs.

We imagine it’s still quite imposing when encountered in the flesh, however. But could that be in the form of an incoming Proton model, as the rumour mill is suggesting? It’s a possibility that we can’t overlook, but as of right now our first national automaker has other priorities - such as the X50, based on the Geely Binyue - before being able to focus on an SUV flagship to (sort of) call their own.

Should a hypothetical Proton X90 materialise, however, it would surely put some real fear in the hearts of rivals such as the Mitsubishi Outlander, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Mazda CX-9. Prices for the Haoyue start at just 103,600 yuan, which is about RM63,000.

That’s an unbeatable - even impossible - price point should it ever appear with a Proton badge. There’s still no doubting that an X90 would probably still be the least expensive 7-seater on sale here, but one that could still be stuffed to the gills with cutting edge tech, safety features, and luxury amenities.

Back to the Haoyue, the SUV offers up serious interior/cargo space. Though a 7-seat layout can be chosen, a 5-seat option is also on the table, granting it an uninterrupted boot capacity of 2,360-litres. With the seats folded flat, Geely claims the rear horizontal interior space extends to 2.2 metres, equivalent to a king size bed. Amazingly, even with all 7-seats installed, buyers have the option of upgrading them to ‘VIP’ tier seats which are all independently adjustable.

The panoramic sunroof obviously gives the illusion of making an already large interior seem even more expansive, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the Haoyue truly does boast one of the largest cabins in its class. Geely hasn’t sacrificed luxury in the name of space either. This looks to be a range-topping variant pictured here but, even so, the materials and finishing do look impressively high quality.

A large 12.3-inch widescreen infotainment display is perched above the centre console where it’s partnered with a fully digital instrument cluster - also measuring 12.3-inches. We’re not huge fans of the GKUI system used by Geely and subsequently found in models like the Proton X70, but at least the updated interface and large (and hopefully responsive) screen probably allows it to perform to its full potential.

The automaker is also keen on emphasising the Haoyue’s ‘healthy car’ concept, which they implemented early into the model’s development, claiming that all materials underwent “stringent environmental testing with requirements over 20 times higher than Chinese national standards”, which also meant intentionally removing that typical ‘new car smell’ due to the supposedly harmful chemicals used to achieve it.

Every Haoyue also comes with a high-efficiency CN95 certified air purification system that works in tandem with its tri-zone climate control, capable of filtering out 99 percent of PM2.5 particles and 98 percent of droplets larger than 0.74 microns, the kind that may contain viruses and other dangerous airborne elements.

At launch, the Haoyue’s powertrain should look awfully familiar to X70 owners, utilising a 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine which is mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, at least in the meantime before a more powerful Volvo co-developed  2.0-litre unit comes to light. Output for the 1.8T mill is expected to be an equally familiar 180PS and 300Nm with either a front-drive or all-wheel drive layout.

The Haoyue is also equipped with Level 2 autonomous driving tech consisting of 24 external sensors that feed its 17
intelligent drive
 features, which is impressive for its class, and enables it to perform one-touch self-parking manoeuvres. Also through this sensor array, Geely claims the Haoyue is able to automatically follow, stop, and turn at speeds up to 150km/h.

Will it make its way here? Kita tunggu dan lihat!


An image of the upcoming Volvo EX30 EV has surfaced ahead of its global debut

An image of the Volvo EX30 was leaked on Twitter recently before its global launch on 7th June 2023. The EX30 represents Volvo's smallest crossover model to date, and the leaked side profile image gives us an idea of what it may look like.

In terms of exterior design, it's obvious that the
Volvo EX30
 takes inspiration from the larger and more luxurious Volvo EX90. Prior to the leaked image of the Volvo EX30, design sketches had been revealed to the public a few months ago.

In terms of exterior dimensions, the Volvo EX30 is considerably more compact compared to the XC40. As a reference, the Volvo XC40 has a length of 4,440mm, width of 1,910mm, height of 1,651mm, and a wheelbase of 2,702mm.

Regarding the estimated size, the Volvo EX30 is expected to have a length between 4,200mm and 4,250mm when equipped with 20-inch rims. If the EX30 opts for 19-inch rims, the overall length would be less than 40,00mm.

Volvo recently released this cheeky picture of its dash (can you spot the small EX30 in the picture?

At the same time, Autocar has also verified that the Volvo EX30 will be available with two battery choices and an option for all-wheel drive (AWD). One variant will offer a 51kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery, similar to those used by Tesla and BYD.

The other battery option available is the Nickel Cobalt Manganese (NCM) battery, which has the capacity to store energy up to 69kWh. When combined with a rear-wheel drive system exclusively, the EX30 can travel up to 480km on a single full charge.


Shelby GT EcoBoost Mustang Revealed Packing More Power, Sharper Handling

Shelby American has gotten their hands on the
EcoBoost-powered Ford Mustang
 and gone to work on it, and the result is a GT upgrade package which makes the pony car even more appealing than it already is.
The GT package includes both visual and performance upgrade so this isn’t just for show. Under the hood, Shelby has installed a modified CPU along with a Shelby Tuned BORLA performance exhaust system. This brings the power of the 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost engine upwards by at least 20hp, resulting in over 335hp available when fuelled by 91 octane fuel.
The suspension of the GT EcoBoost Mustang also sees shorter springs and bigger sway bars fitted to it, with new 20-inch Venice WELD Racing wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 275-35zr20 tyres.
Visual enhancements sees a lot of carbon fibre components from the front splitter to the hood, grilles, spoiler, and rocker panels. There are also various emblems, graphics, and badging bits tagged on to further differentiate the GT EcoBoost Mustang from a standard one.
Inside, there are Shelby branded floor mats, illuminated door sill plates, a numbered dash plaque, and embroidered headrests.
Looking at the options list, you can specify the car with a roll cage, Sparco race seats, a short throw shifter, and a five-point harness. If additional performance is what tickles your fancy,
Ford
 Performance half-shafts and Wilwood performance brakes are also available as an option.


Road Tax Renewal Exemption Extended Until 31st May 2021

Transport Minister Dr. Wee Ka Siong has announced that private vehicle owners with road tax or driver’s license expiring from Feb 1st to March 31st 2021 have until 31st May 2021 to renew provided their vehicle insurance is valid.

This second extension of the exemption is to allow private owners more time so as to not overwhelm and overcrowd Road Transport Department (JPJ) offices during the current MCO period. The first exemption extension in 2021 was announced on 29th January 2021, which allowed an exemption until the end of April which now proceeds onto the end of May 2021.

*
Image courtesy of FreeMalaysiaToday

Separately, Motor Vehicle Licences (LKM) and Competent Driving Licences (CDL) which expire in April and May, may renew them between 1st June – to 31st July 2021.

Dr. Wee further advised private owners to renew their motor vehicle insurance and roadtax online to reduce overcrowding and risk exposure during the MCO period.

For more latest car news, reviews, car buying guides and videos visit us at Carlist.my
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.

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.

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Gaji Cukup Mampu? Here’s some great used cars for your budget

So you’ve resolved to get a car. Congratulations! Regardless of whether it’s your first or whether you’re upgrading to your second, third, or even fourth vehicle, the first consideration is always price.

There is an almost overwhelming amount of choice when it comes to car models and variants to catch your fancy, but before you delve deeper into that, it’s important to relate the kind of car you’re intending to purchase with the budget you’ve set aside.

Depending on where you may land on the income scale, the options for cars will naturally expand or contract. However, you’ll still be spoilt for choice, especially in the used market where prices are lower and there are great deals to be had!

How Much Should You Spend On A Car?

Very few of us have the luxury of ample cash in hand to drive away with a car fully paid off from day one, so a hire purchase loan from a bank is the reality for the large majority of Malaysians.

As a general rule, common wisdom suggests that you shouldn’t spend more than 20% of your monthly salary on your car repayments. It’s also not advisable to extend the loan duration to the maximum 9 years if you can help it. Given the total amount you’ll be paying at the end of that tenure in interest, it’s better to keep it between 5 and 7 years.

This isn’t a hard and fast rule, of course, as everyone’s situation and priorities are different. With that in mind, here are some of our picks for cars based on your income group. Feel free to make use of the loan calculator tool
on CARSOME
 to figure this out in more detail.

Also, for the purposes of this little guide, we’re also going to assume a deposit of not more than 10% of the car’s advertised selling price.

Entry Level: RM1,500k to RM3,000

Perodua Axia

Look no further than the first-generation
Axia
 as your ideal first car. Cheap to run, affordable, compact but deceptively spacious, with a peppy 1.0-litre 3-cylinder engine to keep you entertained. We found some great examples for under RM30,000 so your repayments should be under RM400 a month.

Perodua Myvi

The King of Malaysian roads needs no introduction as it has been the default do-it-all car for so many of us for so many years. While you can spend more on a pre-owned example of the current 3rd-generation
Myvi
, the older and arguably more iconic 2nd-generation version still presents fantastic value and contemporary features.

It’s got space enough for a small family, a reliable powertrain, and a proven track record of smooth motoring to hundreds of thousands of satisfied Perodua owners. Clean examples are fetching just under RM40,000 on the used market, so your monthly repayments should be around the RM500 mark.

Mid Tier: RM3,000 to RM5,000

Toyota Vios

Whether you're commuting to work or embarking on a road trip, the second-generation Toyota Vios is a practical and reliable choice. Known for its fuel efficiency, comfort, and reliability, the Vios has become a popular choice for budget-conscious drivers, but its Toyota quality and tight tolerances make themselves evident the more time you spend with the car.

As Toyota sold them with rather high specifications, most examples on the used market today are well equipped in terms of safety and tech features for their day while some even come with a snazzy aerokit as standard. We found a tidy 2017 unit for just under RM60,000, meaning a monthly repayment of RM810.

Honda City

Alternatively, the 6th-gen Honda City is an unmissable proposition. It’s even more spacious and practical than some C-segment sedans despite being dimensionally more compact while its i-VTEC engine is arguably even more efficient with petrol when mated to an efficiency-oriented CVT gearbox.

The City also sold in larger numbers than the Vios over the same period, meaning you’re more likely to find a wider selection of cars on the used market to pick and choose from. Like the Toyota, it’s also pretty well-equipped. We found a range-topping City 1.5 V for just under RM70,000 translating to a monthly repayment of RM932.

Upper Tier: RM5,000 to RM8,000

Mazda CX-5

The
CX-5
 is a pivotal model for Mazda and one of its most popular to date with its combination of looks and luxury. One of the standout features of the CX-5 is its handling and driving dynamics. It is known for its precise steering and agile handling, making it a joy to drive both on the highway and in the city.

Overall, the Mazda CX-5 is a well-rounded SUV that offers a balance of performance, efficiency, high specification, and style. It is a great choice for drivers who want a vehicle that is both fun to drive and practical for everyday use. A 2018 unit we spotted was just under RM120,000, making its monthly repayment around RM1,580.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

This one might be pushing it a little but we found a 2014
Mercedes-Benz A 250 Sport
 for about the same price (under RM120k) as the Mazda, so why not? Expect to pay around RM1,550 a month.

This generation of A-Class kicked off the model’s rebirth as a stylish and desirable sporty hatchback under the German brand. And in this guise offers a punchy 211hp from its turbocharged 2.0-litre engine for decent everyday thrills in addition to a pretty comprehensive equipment list.

And let’s face it, the A-Class does have the most important feature of all: that big three-pointed star up front that lets everyone know you’re driving in a Mercedes-Benz. You’ve arrived.

The CARSOME Advantage

If you thought the cars we’ve gathered here represented great value, the wonderful thing is they all also happen to be available from
CARSOME
, which ensures that every car is thoroughly inspected, refurbished, and quality assured through their
CARSOME Certified program
, giving you even more for your money.

Just pick a car you like from their huge selection and you’ll be safe in knowing that it has been put through the wringer to make sure that it’ll give you the best used car ownership experience. Best of all,
CARSOME
 will take all the headache and hassle out of your hands by handling all the paperwork and processing whether it’s buying, selling, or trading in.

Download the
CARSOME app or visit their website
to start browsing for your next car today!


Fast-Wheel Drive: Is FWD the King of the Gymkhana/Autocross scene?

Autocross, or Gymkhana as we prefer, is a great way for car enthusiasts of any skill or experience level to hone their car control and driving technique due to its accessibility and fun factor. One could argue that all you really need is a driver’s license, but it isn’t exactly a deterrent for the determined.

Gymkhana Vol III has returned! Take your car for a spin and put your skills to the test with our two different categories: Showroom+ and Prepared at Shah Alam Stadium this 20th May 9.30am-430pm! See you there! Register here:
https://carl.st/gymkhana_vol_3

Simply knowing how to drive is enough, but not enough to post a good time. For that your car needs to be properly set up and yourself acutely in tune with its strengths and weaknesses and how to navigate around them. That said, there’s a longstanding debate about which format of car is ideal to thread around the short, precision course: front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive? And for the sake of argument we’re going to ignore engine placement relative to this.

There’s no question that the latter, or rear-wheel drive (RWD) cars, tend to be more fun. Their propensity to break traction and stick their tail out is a hallmark characteristic, and while it can deliver the smiles, it can come at the cost of speed.

However, on a rear-driven car, the fact that the front wheels aren’t bothered with putting the power down, it can use all its contact patch to translating the driver’s steering input onto the surface. This separation of tasks make RWD cars a favourite of enthusiasts. Aside from this, mastering the power slide is also an addictive pastime.

The debate itself continues to rage on - RWD vs FWD remains a hot topic with no definitive answer. Part of the reason it might never be completely settled upon is the fact that there are so much more variables to a car that might ultimately impact its handling. No two cars are ever really equal, so comparing two models with different drive layouts with different drivers who’ve installed different modifications and tunes is nearly pointless.

That said, one thing is (almost) universally undisputed: around a closed, tight course, modern FWD cars are (or can be) incredibly fast and agile.

There’s also something to be said about the sheer accessibility of FWD cars compared to RWD ones. In 2023, nearly every new car sold on within the ‘mass market’ category has drive going exclusively to the front axle while rear-driven cars are generally priced less within reach for the budding petrolhead.

At the high level, mastery of a front-drive, purpose-tuned autocross/gymkhana machine is no easy task either. To compete at the top, drivers fielding FWD cars must have even smaller tolerances for error to thread the line between traction and understeer, but how it seems to pull you out of corners can be a greatly exploited.

Point is, FWD is the default gateway format that gets most of us these days hooked to cars and precision driving. And with the breadth of ability these cars have, they have a lot to offer and even aspire to. One only needs to look at how sought after (not to mention fast) the Honda Civic Type R is; the current and past 2 generations especially.

Now that the FL5 version restores the Nurburgring lap crown back to Honda, it’s also worth reminding ourselves how many more powerful, exotic machines it beats with its time of 7:44.881. Prior to this, a number of similarly front-driven Renault Sport Meganes held that title and humbled a great many big power, snarling beasts.

Of course, cars with all-wheel drive bring another set of parameters to the table with their own set of idiosyncrasies, disadvantages, and advantages to the gymkhana/autocross arena.

The most sound advice to be given here is just to enjoy the car you’ll be driving around the course. Take the time to learn how it responds and relish in the exactingly minor tweaks to your inputs that make the biggest positive differences.

Focus on the basics of light weight, proper suspension tuning, strong brakes, and as close to a perfect weight distribution as you can get it. Of course, this all depends on how ‘prepared’ you want your car to be. If your goal is a fun day out with others in the car community, an Autocross/Gymkhana event is right up your alley.

Once more, Carlist.my will be organising Volume III of our Gymkhana event this May 20th, 2023 from 9.30am to 4.30pm at Shah Alam Stadium! A perfect opportunity to put your car and skills to the test while having a blast! Register here:
https://carl.st/gymkhana_vol_3


Change Of Leadership At Nissan

It only feels like yesterday that Nissan announced a new trio of top dogs to spearhead the company and help dig them out of trouble and into a new era.

Twenty-five days later, that trio is set to lose one of its members as Nissan Motor Co, Ltd officially announced yesterday that executive officer and vice COO, Jun Seki will be leaving the company.

Jun Seki who had previously been serving as senior vice president of performance recovery at Nissan had just recently taken up the new roles, as part of new top management to take Nissan into a new direction after the infamous Carlos Ghosn term.

The news of Jun's departure has also effected Nissan's shares as it has hit an 8-year low, a significant drawback after what seemed like steady progress to recovery for Nissan.

Jen Suki will be joining a leading Japanese electric-motor manufacturer called Nidec Corp as president and chief operating officer.


Honda WR-V Makes Global Debut in Brazil

Honda has officially taken the wraps off its latest crossover – the WR-V, at the ongoing 2016 Sao Paolo International Motor Show in Brazil.
Destined only for the South American markets for time being, the ‘Winsome Runabout Vehicle’ is actually based on the
Jazz
, and sits beneath the
CR-V
 and the
HR-V
 in the company’s product portfolio.
From what we can see, the WR-V is basically a raised and more rugged version of the Jazz with exterior features like halogen headlamps with LED DRLs, a chromed grille, skid plates, roof rails, and what looks like 16-inch alloy wheels.
Issao Mizoguchi, the president and director of Honda Brazil said that the WR-V is a result of the company’s research on what customers want in South America.
“Introduction of this all-new WR-V is a testament to Honda’s commitment to the South American market, and we will continue to deliver more products unique to Honda that pleases our customers,” said Mizoguchi.
There has not been any announcement on the car’s technical or interior details, but our guess is that it will be powered by the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine as the Jazz.
But what is certain is that the WR-V will be going for sale in Brazil in the first half of 2017, followed by other South American markets.
Looking for a Honda? Find one now at
Carlist.my


Team Proton R3 Wins 2018 Sepang 1,000 KM Race

Team Proton R3 have defended the Sepang 1,000 KM (S1K) endurance title it won in 2017 by claiming a second successive win in the event.
The Proton Iriz R3 bearing number 81 started the 181-lap race in second place, while the new teams’ latest entrant, the Proton Saga R3 started in third place.
The win in the 2018 edition puts Proton R3 team as the most successful team in the event’s history, winning four races since 2012. It was also the fifth time a Proton car crossed the finish line in first place, starting with the Satria Neo in 2012, followed by the Preve in 2013, and the Suprima S in 2016 and 2017.
This is also the third time Syafiq Ali won the endurance race, making him the most successful driver in the S1K history.
Team Principal of Proton R3, Gary Lee, said, “The 2018 S1K was a tough and exciting race run in hot weather conditions at a very fast pace. There were many lead changes with multiple safety car periods adding to the complexity of our race strategy.”
“We managed to get a good lead over the rest of the field with 40 laps to go and thankfully we were able to then stretch our advantage to over 2 minutes at the end of the 181-lap race,” added Gary Lee.
The sister Proton R3 Saga meanwhile was on course to finish in third place until a technical problem disabled the car at the very last lap.
An estimated 2,000 race fans from various Proton car clubs, vendors, dealers, and even bankers dressed in yellow showed their support since the start of the race from 12:50 pm on Saturday.


Pros and Cons of a 3-cylinder Engine

While four-and six-cylinder engines were the norm in cars for the longest time, the industry is once again showing signs of change. A case in point would be the rise of the three-cylinder engine.

Also known as a straight-three engine, inline-triple, or inline-three, a 3-cylinder engine, is a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine with three cylinders arranged in a straight line or plane, side by side.

Even though 3-cylinder engines have been around since the 1960s, they were used mostly in Kei cars, and were not as popular as four- and six-pot mills. Here's a look at some quick pros and cons of a 3-cylinder engine:

Stricter emission rules and challenging economic landscapes require manufacturers to constantly do things as cost-efficiently as possible, which has resulted in more brands resorting to reducing the number of cylinders.

Obviously, the main difference between a 3 and a 4 cylinder engine is the number of cylinders, but besides that, the way these engines fire is also different, as the crankshaft rotation rate varies from one another. Popular cars with a 3-cylinder engine include the Ford Fiesta EcoBoost, and the BMW i8.

So, like most things in the world, the 3-cylinder engine also has its pros and cons. On the upside, lesser cylinders mean lesser parts, which translates into lower manufacturing costs.

And since there is one cylinder less, there is less friction and less weight, which means that lesser fuel is needed to generate power.

So, if fuel efficiency is what you’re aiming for, a 3-cylinder engine is just what you would want. Lesser parts also mean lesser things to maintain and worry about, which translates into cheaper maintenance costs for the owner.

But that’s not all. A smaller engine means that there is more space to play with, which gives manufacturers the freedom to make the cabin as spacious as possible since most cars with 3-cylinder engines are compacts.

Now, remember the difference in crankshaft rotation between 3- and 4-cylinder engines above? As much as it contributes to low fuel consumption, this difference also makes the three-pot engine idle in a slightly rougher and noisier manner than a four-pot mill.

Another downside of a 3-cylinder engine is that the power delivery is not as seamless as four-pot engines. This is because a 3 cylinder engine is a little sluggish at low rpm, but as the revs increase, the crankshaft gets ample conserved momentum and it is able to produce a healthy power output.

A 4-cylinder engine on the other hand, does not suffer from this problem as it has no lag in the firing order. Things are just smoother throughout the rev range.

So, all in all, the three-cylinder engine, just like its bigger counterparts, has its ups and downs, but the downs are nothing serious.

Plus, with technology like turbocharging, supercharging and electric motors providing the extra “oomph” these small engines lacked once upon a time, they are just as impressive as four-cylinder engines when it comes to delivering power to the ground. Couple that with low fuel consumption and cheap road tax, and we have the ideal recipe for modern day urban motoring.


5 Tips To Extend The Life Of Your Tyres

We list down 5 tips on how to properly care for your tyres so that they can last you a longer time.

Tyres are a very important vehicle component and not as cheap to replace as
wipers
. Like everything else on a car,
tyres
 need to be cared for if you want them to last.

While most of us pay serious attention to our cars' engine, interior, and bodywork, some of us
neglect
 the tyres. This shouldn't be the case because properly cared for tyres is the difference between a good day and a bad one plus will save you money in the long run.

Generally, new tyres should be able to work efficiently for up to six years, which is why most extended tyre warranties are for six years. After that, it's worth getting a professional to check the condition of your tyres just to be sure they can still operate efficiently.

You should probably replace tyres that are ten years old just to be on the safe side. Besides, old tyres don't offer you the performance or efficiency you crave, so it's best to change them if you care about your safety.

Sometimes, however, tyres can't even last past three years, and one of the reasons for this premature failure is down to tyre care neglect. If you're surprised that tyres need to be cared for and not sure what you have to do to keep them tip-top so that they have a long life, these 5 tips will bring you up to speed.

1. Tyre pressure maintenance

We can't stress enough how vital tyre pressure is. This is probably one of the most significant oversights, especially when our cars have been through a lockdown where it has been left parked for a long time. Parked vehicles over a long period usually lose more tyre pressure than daily driven ones.

Air pressure in tyres allows the tyre to support load, grip and absorb road imperfections. An underinflated tyre will be compromised and not be effective at doing the things it should be doing. You can find the exact tyre pressure your car needs on the placard placed on the driver's door.

It is generally recommended that you check your car tyre pressure once every two weeks, but since our vehicles are sitting still quite a bit these days, perhaps it's best to check them every time you roll out.

For best results, tyre pressure must be checked while the tyre is cold. If the tyres are hot, add 4-5 psi to the measurements provided by the manufacturer. You should also get an air pressure monitor tool to check the air pressure manually as the meters at petrol stations are usually not very accurate. Very rarely are the meters at these stations calibrated which might give a false reading.

2. Get your wheels aligned

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

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

Other key indicators of misaligned tyres are differences in driving quality, uneven condition of the tyre tread on the outside of the tyre, the steering wheel of your car does not return to its original position after turning, or when the position of the steering wheel is tilted when driving on a straight road.

3. Get your tyres rotated

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

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

Some modern vehicles have tyre rotation reminders that will pop up on your meter cluster when it is due, but it's best to keep track of them manually for peace of mind.

4. Get your tyres balanced

If you suddenly feel like your car handles poorly or that there are some vibrations when you are driving, then it's best to get your wheel and tyre balanced. One of the most common causes of sudden imbalanced tyres is the loss of the tyre balance weight that has dislodged itself.

To create a well-balanced wheel and tyre, a mechanic will use a special balance machine that will determine where the weights need to be placed to produce a balanced wheel and tyre combo. Sometimes weights will be placed in more than one place, depending on how severely out of balance the wheels and tyres are.

5. Clean your tyres

A simple tyre wash with soap and water will help remove dust and unwanted foreign bodies from it. Although cleaning tyres is often seen as an enhancement of its aesthetics, it is actually a significant maintenance step that can prevent your tyres from cracking and discolouration, which will help them live a long and dependable life.

Washing your tyres will also help you identify any possible damage to them so that you know whether your tyres are in tip-top condition.

If you follow these simple yet efficient tyre maintenance and checks, you can be confident to have a bit more safety behind your back which will, in turn, make a real difference in how long your tyres last. Like we said at the beginning, they are not cheap to replace, so take care of them well, and they should take care of you.

And if it so happens that your tyres are in need of replacing before you go on your holiday, then Michelin has an ongoing promotion that you should check out
here
.


Tengku Djan, Mika Hakimi Tawan Perlumbaan 1 dan 2 TGR Vios Sprint Cup

Berada di tempat yang betul dan menyerang pada masa yang tepat menjadi formula kemenangan bagi pasangan pelumba
Tengku Djan Tengku Mahaleel
dan Mika Hakimi yang merekodkan kemenangan cemerlang dalam Perlumbaan 1 dan 2
GAZOO Racing Vios Sprint Cup
.

Pasangan pelumba dari pasukan Prima Pearl TD Racing mencatatkan perlumbaan yang memberangsangkan di
Litar Antarabangsa Sepang
 setelah memenangi kedua-dua perlumbaan yang mengambil masa selama satu jam.

Mika yang berusia 18 tahun memecut ke garisan penamat sebagai pemenang selepas merampas kedudukan pendahulu dalam pusingan terakhir Perlumbaan 1 sementara Tengku Djan, Juara keseluruhan Cabaran
Vios
sebanyak tiga kali dan Raja Drift Malaysia terpaksa menunggu sehingga peringkat kedua terakhir Perlumbaan 2 untuk merampas kemenangan.

Tidak seperti Perlumbaan 1 yang diadakan dalam keadaan panas terik, Perlumbaan 2 berlangsung selepas perlumbaan tertunda dua kali akibat hujan. Sejurus reda, permukaan litar sepanjang sekitar 5.543km menjadi lebih mencabar dan licin.

Keputusan Perlumbaan 2 Vios Sprint Cup

Tengku Djan Ley/Mika Hakimi – Prima Pearl TD Racing

Boy Wong/Nabil Azlan – Axle Motorsports

Hayden Haikal/Naquib Azlan – Axle Motorsport

Eddie Liew/Putera Adam – Laser Motor Racing

Farique Hairuman/Tarmimi Tahang – M7 Japan Project Racing Team

Statistik Perlumbaan

Grid Perlumbaan 2 terdiri daripada 19 kereta atau 38 pemandu, dengan kemasukan pelumba Laser Motor Racing, Eddie Liew dan Putera Adam yang dapat mengatasi masalah teknikal yang menyingkirkan pasangan itu dari memulakan Perlumbaan 1.

Tengku Djan dan Mika memulakan Perlumbaan 2 di tempat keenam kedudukan setelah dikenakan hukuman penalti. Walau bagaimanapun, pendahulu grid Perlumbaan 2, pasangan Ady Rahimy dan Abdul Miqail memulakan permulaan yang baik tetapi gagal mengekalkan pendahulu perlumbaannya apabila Vios yang dipandu berpusing keluar trek sebaik perlumbaan memasuki pusingan kedua.

Itu membuatkan Naquib sebagai pendahulu perlumbaan bersama Bradley, disamping Nabil dan Mika dalam mengejar. Kedudukan kekal tidak berubah selama empat pusingan sehingga Bradley tersilap menilai kadar breknya, membuatkan beliau kehilangan kedudukan kepada Nabil dan Mika.

Pelumba yang paling mencuri perhatian adalah Putera Adam yang melonjak 17 anak tangga dari kedudukan terakhir dan mendahului pada pusingan ke-7 perlumbaan. Pelumba berusia 16 tahun itu memecut laju dan menjadi pelumba terakhir yang membuat hentian pit wajib bagi penukaran pemandu.

Berbaki 30 minit perlumbaan, pasangan Putera Adam yang kini memandu, Eddie mendahului perlumbaan di hadapan Tengku Djan. Namun jarak tersebut berkurangan setelah  pusingan demi pusingan apabila pasangan Tengku Djan dan Boy melepasi litar hampir satu saat setiap pusingan lebih pantas, dan menjelang pusingan ke-14, ketiga-tiga pemandu itu bersaing untuk kedudukan pendahulu.

Dengan hanya berbaki tiga pusingan, Tengku Djan menyerap tekanan untuk bergerak dari tempat ketiga ke tempat pertama seperti yang dilakukan pasangannya, Mika pada hari untuk memenangi Perlumbaan 1.

Bagi Tengku Djan, Mika mempamerkan kelajuan yang hebat apabila berjaya kekal tenang sepanjang perlumbaan berlangsung. Kerjasama antara kedua-dua pemandu amat penting untuk bersaing dalam perlumbaan seperti ini, katanya.

Format Baharu Tawar Kelainan

Sementara itu, Presiden UMW Toyota Motor Ravindran K. berkata GAZOO Racing Vios Sprint Cup dan format perlumbaan satu jam dengan pertukaran pemandu sudah pasti memperkenalkan dinamik baharu kepada perlumbaan.

 “Elemen-elemen ini digabungkan adalah selaras dengan usaha kami untuk menyumbang bukan sahaja minat yang semakin meningkat dalam sukan permotoran, tetapi untuk menjadikannya lebih menarik untuk pasukan dan pemandu yang mengambil bahagian serta penonton dan peminat,” kata Ravindran.

Perlumbaan GAZOO Racing Vios Sprint Cup telah diadakan sempena Siri Kejohanan Malaysia (MCS) yang menampilkan dua perlumbaan 1 jam pada hujung minggu, dengan setiap pasukan menampilkan dua pemandu untuk bersaing dalam Vios untuk mendapatkan hadiah berjumlah RM60,000.


BMW Details Further Enhancements To B-Series Engine Family

The BMW Group has unveiled new versions of its latest-generation B-series modular petrol and diesel engines incorporating new enhancements claimed to further improve overall performance and efficiency.
Built on a common architecture displacing 500cc per cylinder, the B-series engines are suited for transverse and longitudinal installation, enabling them to entirely span the
BMW
 and
MINI
 line-up providing for a wide range of outputs across the model spectrum.
Regardless of fuel type or cylinder count, engines of the all-aluminium B-series family share many standardized elements and design features such as uniform positioning of the intake and exhaust sides as well as arrangement of their timing chains and accessories.
BMW claims that this high level of commonality across the board enable its entire family of engines to meet the company’s ‘exacting standards’ for efficiency, power delivery, and refinement. We would like to think that cost benefits are in the picture as well.
Currently, the B-series engine family consist of 1.5-litre three-cylinder, 2.0-litre four-cylinder, and 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol and diesel derivatives in various states of tune, some enhanced with hybrid technology as well. This latest round of updates focuses on the 1.5- and 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines.
Petrol Engines
Carrying on from before, the petrol half of the engine family uniformly features turbocharging, direct injection, Valvetronic, and Double VANOS as standard. Valvetrain timing is chain-driven, sporting a less noisy single-piece design.
An updated charging system sees the exhaust manifold-integrated turbocharger now being housed together with the cylinder head. Depending on output, the three-cylinder engines get their turbos encased in either aluminium or steel; four-cylinder engines use steel regardless.
A reworked fuel system features a new fuel pump together with modified fuel lines. For the future, BMW claims that this new setup enables higher fuel injection pressures up to 350 bar, thereby facilitating better precision in fuel metering and improving emissions across the rev range.
Cooling system has also been improved. The new coolant pump now has separate outlets for the flow of coolant to the cylinder head and engine block, which results in far more effective thermal management, leading to reduced emission of carbon dioxide and other pollutants.
Providing for the engine smoothness BMW owners have been accustomed to from the good-old six-cylinder engines of yore, the new three- and four-cylinder engines get balancer shafts that serve to cancel out vibrations. A new lighter balancer shaft is in the works that aims to give future iterations of the three-cylinder engine even smoother characteristics and a more attractive-sounding engine note.
All versions of the three- and four-cylinder engine get a new common drive belt to power ancillaries such as the alternator, water pump, torsional vibration damper, and air-con compressor.
Overall, BMW claims improvements in fuel economy of up to 5 percent thanks to these modifications with outputs raised by 7hp and 20Nm.
Diesel Engines
Updates to the diesel engine start from the core, beginning with a new manufacturing process for the cylinder block. A new process called ‘form honing’ produces slightly flared cylinder bores that compensate for the uneven expansion of the engine block under heat. In theory, this ensures that the cylinder diameter is largely uniform from top to bottom, thus minimizing friction losses.
Revised fuel injectors with upgraded sensors enable even more exact metering of fuel injected into the cylinders, utilizing multiple injections at one time. Cleaner combustion is achieved by further ramping up injection pressures to result in finer atomization of fuel; three-cylinder engines will inject fuel at 2,200 bar, whilst the four-cylinder engines go up to 2,500 – 2,700 bar depending on tune.
Future iterations of BMW’s four-cylinder turbodiesel engine will utilize twin sequential turbos as standard. The system is controlled by means of the low-pressure stage’s electrically-adjustable charger vanes as well as the wastegate valve for the high-pressure stage and a compressor bypass, both of which are actuated pneumatically. For the future, BMW is working on switchable cooling for the low-pressure stage housing to further improve efficiency.
According to BMW, these enhancements help the improved diesel engines to be 5 percent more efficient and 5 percent cleaner at the pipes than their predecessors.


Carlist.my Drive: Auto Fair 2018’s Drive & Win Contest Winner Gets Her Hand On A Brand New Nissan X-Trail

A brand new Nissan X-Trail 2.5L Aero Edition was given away to the grand prize winner of the Carlist.my Drive: Auto Fair 2018’s Drive & Win Contest earlier today at the Nissan 4S Centre in Glenmarie, Shah Alam.
The winner, Ms.Hui Ting who comes from Cheras, Kuala Lumpur said, “Owning a big car has always been one of my dreams, so I was really surprised when I was contacted and told that I was the grand prize winner.  I was super lucky to have won.”
She was one of more than 6,500 contestants who took part in the contest which was conducted during the Drive: Auto Fair event at the Setia City Convention Centre back in July.
All visitors had to do to participate in the contest is register themselves and take an available vehicle for test drive.
Out of the lot, the grand prize winner was selected via a lucky draw which was shown live via the Carlist.my’s official Facebook page.
The keys to Hui Ting’s brand new Nissan X-Trail 2.5L Aero Edition were presented by Jonathan Adams, Chief Marketing Officer of iCar Asia Limited, while being witnessed by Phang Rick Kee, the Deputy General Manager, Marketing, Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM).
“This year’s Drive event was a great success, as Carlist.my’s number 1 position helped greatly in driving the public to the event. While this allowed more sales to be done from participating car manufacturers and partners, we will definitely be conducting more events in the near future,” said Hamish Stone, CEO of iCar Asia Limited.
This year’s installation of the Carlist.my Drive: Auto Fair saw more than 13,000 visitors over three days, where more than 1,600 test drives were completed and more than RM4 million worth of car sales were generated.


Fuel Price Update: 12 – 18 Jan – Petrol Down, Diesel Up

The Ministry of Finance Malaysia (MoF) has just announced the price of petrol and diesel, valid for the next seven days. Effective tomorrow January 12th, the price for a litre of petrol will decrease by 1 sen while diesel fuel trend upwards by 1 sen.
In summary, the prices for petrol and diesel are listed below:
RON95 –
RM1.92
 per litre (down 1 sen from RM1.93)
RON97 –
RM2.22
 per litre (down 1 sen from RM2.23)
Diesel –
RM2.05
 per litre ( up 1 sen from RM2.04)
Diesel Euro 5M –
RM2.15
 per litre (up 1 sen from RM2.14)


Bridgestone unveils its most important report yet, The Ishibashi way of the future!

The highly anticipated Bridgestone 3.0 Journey 2023 Integrated Report has just hit the digital shelves, offering a comprehensive and awe-inspiring glimpse into the company's path to becoming a powerhouse.

Under the bold mission of "Serving Society with Superior Quality," Bridgestone kicked off its "third foundation" in 2020, fueled by a vision to deliver social and customer value as a sustainable solutions company by 2050.

The Bridgestone 3.0 Journey 2023 Integrated Report showcases the results of Bridgestone's monumental efforts since 2020 and reveals the roadmap that will guide them toward their momentous 100th anniversary in 2031.

This report is not just about Bridgestone's commitment; it's a rallying cry for all stakeholders to join them on their transformative journey. Shu ISHIBASHI, Bridgestone Global CEO, passionately states, "we hope you will join us on our journey to realize and support a sustainable society while creating new

value".

Let's dive into the highlights of this roadmap report, shall we?

Discover the heart and soul of Bridgestone as they reveal their rich history, daring challenges, and the driving force behind their success—the Bridgestone DNA. Emphasizing a focus on quality, respect for on-site operations, attentive customer support, and an unwavering spirit of innovation, Bridgestone wants to set the stage for its remarkable transformation.

In the report, Bridgestone also unveils its commitment to a sustainable society through its Bridgestone E8 Commitment and the captivating 2030 Long-Term Strategic Aspiration. The report delves deep into the Global CEO commitment, showcasing Bridgestone's unwavering dedication to making the world a better place.

But how does Bridgestone plan to achieve these ambitious goals?

The report provides a progress update on their Mid Term Business Plan (2021-2023), the final year of this exciting phase. It also offers a sneak peek into the planning process for the upcoming Mid Term Business Plan (2024-2026), where Bridgestone's transformation will reach new heights.

The report wants to take everyone on an exploration adventure through its unique Sustainability Business Model. They also want to tell the world about their revolutionary approach to achieving carbon neutrality and a circular economy across the entire value chain.

From tire production and usage to tire renewal and raw materials, Bridgestone is leading the charge towards a nature-positive world, aiming to halt and reverse the loss of natural ecosystems.

But that's not all! Bridgestone's cutting-edge business strategies include their premium tire business and solutions division. The fusion of groundbreaking technologies like ENLITEN® and BCMA redefines the concept of "new premium."

What is ENLITEN® and BCMA?

Bridgestone's eco-friendly and lightweight ENLITEN Technology promises to transform your driving experience.

Based on Bridgestone's internal data, comparing premium summer tires with and without ENLITEN Technology in the same size, these innovative tires improve vehicle handling and driving dynamics by reducing rotating mass. The result? An exhilarating driving experience that will leave you craving more.

With up to 30 per cent lower rolling resistance compared to conventional summer tires, they contribute to a reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions too. And that's not all – these tires are also up to 20 per cent lighter than their counterparts, further conserving fuel, but most importantly, driving pleasure.

Also at the heart of their groundbreaking endeavour lies BCMA (Bridgestone Commonality Modularity Architecture), their base technology for manufacturing and R&D. Together, ENLITEN and BCMA form the dynamic duo that will drive their pursuit of greatness and sustainability.

Of course they love Motorsports, so they shall celebrate it

Bridgestone's devotion to motorsports also takes centre stage as they celebrate their 60th anniversary in style. They want to be part of the evolution of sustainable global motorsport and the birth of a powerful premium brand that sets new standards in the industry.

Bridgestone is also committed to value creation through technology, innovation, and talent strategy. They leave no stone unturned as they tackle global management risks head-on and unleash their intellectual property strategy to stay ahead of the curve.

Last but certainly not least, Bridgestone shines a spotlight on its exceptional ESG

ESG (sustainable activities). The report will help you discover how they want to harmonize with nature, respond to climate-related and nature-related disclosures, and create a safe, secure, and inclusive society that exceeds all expectations.

So, are you ready to embark on this incredible journey with Bridgestone? The Bridgestone 3.0 Journey 2023 Integrated Report awaits you, promising to ignite your passion for sustainability and usher in a new era of excellence.

Visit Bridgestone's official website now to read the full report.


Mazda CX-3 Goes On Sale In Japan

Mazda
 Motor Corporation today began sales of the all-new Mazda CX-3 in
Japan
. With prices ranging from 2,376,000 yen (tax included) (RM 71,870, directly converted) to 3,024,000 yen* (RM 91,469), the company is expecting to sell 3,000 units per month in the local
Japanese
 market.
Combining the full Skyactiv technology suite and Mazda’s KODO-Soul of Motion design philosophy, the compact crossover SUV is available exclusively with the 1.5-litre Skyactiv-D diesel engine for Japan. The engine is paired to either a Skyactiv-Drive automatic or Skyactiv-MT manual transmission and can be had with Mazda’s i-Activ all-wheel drive system.
To help reduce the diesel engine’s combustion noise, Mazda’s Natural Sound Smoother is found the CX-3 to refine engine sound and make the vehicle quieter when running.
That same diesel powerplant can found on the
Mazda 2
, which interestingly enough made an appearance
during the launch
 of said car in Malaysia in sedan form. However, that model is not sold in Malaysia as of yet.
Other features on the Japanese-spec Mazda CX-3 include the MZD Connect infotainment system and i-Activesense safety technologies.
Three variants of the Mazda CX-3 are available for sale in Japan with each having the choice between front- or all-wheel drive.
As for us here in Malaysia, we would most likely not receive the Skyactiv-D engine and would have to settle for a petrol engine variant but as to which one, that’s yet to be confirmed. Potential options include the Skyactiv-G 2.0-litre or 1.5-litre mill.
Those who can’t wait to
get our hands on the Mazda CX-3
 will have to wait just a little longer until mid-2015, with July being its expected time of arrival. When it does arrive on our shores, it’ll be facing off against the
recently launched Honda HR-V
 and that is stiff competition indeed.


Apple and Hyundai Building an Electric Vehicle Together

Will Apple and Hyundai be building an electric car together?

Apple's on and off attempts to build their own electric car has been going on since 2014, but the news of Apple and Hyundai being in preliminary discussions on building an electric vehicle together is probably the most obvious move yet in their quest to build an EV.

Korea Economic Daily, a newspaper published in South Korea covering economic issues just reported that the two giants were in talks to cooperate on electric cars and batteries, sending Hyundai shares surging some 20 percent.

Reuters also reported the same bit of news saying that "Apple and Hyundai are in discussions, but they are at an early stage and nothing has been decided".

Suppose Apple and Hyundai do eventually get to a substantial agreement, this could be a big step forward for the popular American tech company which started the Apple car project almost seven years ago.

Known as Project Titan, Apple has been in some turmoil with the project, ever since it first started to design the Apple vehicle from scratch in 2014. Apple at one point even gave up on the physical car and re-focused on
EV software instead
. "We're focusing on autonomous systems. It's a core technology that we view as very important. We sort of see it as the mother of all AI projects. It's probably one of the most difficult AI projects actually to work on."  said Apple's CEO, Tim Cook.

Doug Field, an Apple veteran who had worked at
Tesla
, returned to oversee the project in 2018. Since his appointment, Apple has moved forward and has returned to the idea of building a vehicle for consumers.

Previously, Apple used a few
Lexus RX
 450h SUVs to test out their software and hardware. The Lexus was kitted out with sensors and cameras and was often seen driving around California, where Apple's headquarters is located. Apparently, the Lexus vehicle used is not part of a Lexus-Apple collaboration but was instead rented from Hertz.

Perhaps the next time you will see testing of the Apple hardware and software will be on a Hyundai, the
Santa Fe
 is definitely a good option.


Detroit 2018: Honda Insight Returns As An All-New Model, To Debut Later This Year

Honda unveiled the all-new Insight prototype at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show, giving consumers a preview of its latest electrified vehicle in its ever-growing lineup. When the production version of the all-new Insight is launched later this year, it will be positioned above the Civic in Honda’s passenger car lineup.
Thanks to its long wheelbase platform, the all-new Insight is able to offer class-leading passenger space, above its compact hybrid rivals. Additionally, Honda says that the all-new Insight offers refined driving performance plus high fuel efficiency, which the company claims to return at least 21 km/L.
Inside, the all-new Honda Insight boasts an optional heated leather steering wheel, eight-inch Display Audio infotainment system plus a seven-inch digital LCD instrument cluster. The Display Audio system in the Insight can be equipped with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, on top of WiFi-enabled over-the-air (OTA) system updates.
As for the all-new Insight’s powertrain, Honda will be offering the new model with a highly-efficient 1.5-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine hooked up to the company's two-motor hybrid system. Under normal driving conditions, the Insight will be powered by the electric motor only, drawing energy from the engine which works as a generator or battery pack. As the battery pack is located under the rear seats, boot space is not compromised, and the aforementioned rear seats can be had with 60:40 split folding capabilities.
Honda Sensing is fitted as standard across the range, which includes Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Departure Warning, Road Departure Mitigation, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow and new Traffic Sign Recognition. Honda’s LaneWatch system is included on the Insight EX and above.
Assembly of the all-new Honda Insight will start later this year at Honda’s Greensburg, Indiana production facility. The same plant also assembles the Civic and CR-V.
The all-new Honda Insight will be launched in North America later this year as a 2019 model year.