Review: All-New Subaru Forester Driven In Thailand – Excelling Through Steady Evolution

It would seem, that in more recent times, there’s been great pressure for all manufacturers to unveil groundbreaking new technology with each new model or generation of vehicles:
Toyota’s TNGA Platform
, and
Mercedes-Benz’s MBUX
 AI-driven Infotainment system are good examples of this.

So much so, that revealing a new design, and an updated engine or two simply does not cut it anymore.

However, while this might be true for larger manufacturers – with vastly greater development budgets, R&D centres, and manufacturing capabilities – smaller brands are less capable at making big paradigm shifts in their tech and product strategies, instead, to survive, to thrive they have to rely on calculated gambles and constant evolutionary improvements throughout the lifespan of their product range.

But every once in a while, smaller manufacturers do take bigger jumps with their product strategy and that helps leapfrog the driving experience and competitiveness of the overall product.

Like the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it… but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it a whole lot better.

One such SUV that perfectly fits this bill is the Subaru Forester, which now enters its fifth-generation looking stronger than ever.

During a recent media drive, we had a chance to sample the new Forester over a three-day drive, covering approximately 1,300 km from Penang to Hat Yai, Pranburi, and finally to Bangkok, prior to the Malaysian launch.

Overview

First launched in the mid-nineties, the first-generation Forester actually shared the same underpinnings with the Subaru Impreza and better resembled a high-riding wagon, instead of an SUV. In a time when vehicles were called crossovers when they did not specifically conform to any segment, the Forester quickly developed a reputation for being a stout and reliable family carrier, with a liking for the rough stuff given its superb all-wheel drive powertrain and high ride height.

In the three generations that followed, the Forester has since grown in size and stature, with all generations featuring Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive platform and trademark horizontally-opposed Boxer engines.

The most important aspect of the new fifth-generation model is that it sits on the entirely new Subaru Global Platform (SGP) – which boasts a between 70-100 percent increase in torsional rigidity, which in turn has resulted in improved passive safety, comfort levels, NVH levels and overall driving refinement.  Under the hood, things are more familiar, with a 2.0-litre Boxer engine sending power to a CVT-type automatic transmission.

Most of our time during the drive was spent in the Forester 2.0i-S variant, which is the middle child of the pack starting with the 2.0i-L, and top-of-the-range 2.0i-S EyeSight (ES). The ES offers the Subaru’s suite of active driver aids such as Pre-Collision Braking and Throttle Management, Lane Sway and Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control and Lead Vehicle Start Alert. In addition, the ES variant offers two specific X-Drive modes – one for Snow/Dirt and another for Deep Snow/Mud, in addition to the ‘Normal’ drive mode.

Specifications

Engine: 2.0-litre, naturally-aspirated horizontally-opposed four-cylinder, direct injection

Power: 154 hp @ 6,000 rpm

Torque: 196 Nm @ 4,000 rpm

Transmission: CVT-type automatic, Symmetrical all-wheel drive

Performance: 0-100 km/h: 10.3 seconds, Top Speed: 193 km/h, Economy (claimed): 7.6 L/100 km (NEDC)

Safety: Seven airbags, ABS, Stability Control, Traction Control, Active Torque Vectoring, Hill Descent Control, Hill Start Assist

Price: RM 139,788 (2.0i L), RM 149,788 (2.0i S), RM 159,788 (2.0i S EyeSight) – OTR, excluding insurance

Origin: Fully Imported from (TCSAT) Bangkok, Thailand

Exterior

In terms of design, though changes are more subtle, Subaru have done well to give Forester a contemporary uplift – keeping true to their somewhat boxy but angular proportions and stylish design elements.

Guided by the company’s latest “Dynamic x Solid” design language, the front end has been substantially reworked with larger (standard fit) LED headlights and C-Shaped LED Daytime Running Lights (2.0i-S and 2.0i-S ES variants). The grille stands larger and bolder now and features Active Shutters; lower down the bumper receives a larger skidplate, while the fog lamp enclosures are larger now to accentuate a tougher stance. The width of the car has also increased by 20mm to 1,815 mm.

Round the flanks, the Forester sports a bolder shoulder line that starts just after the front wheel arches, runs the length of the wheelbase (which has increased to 2,670 mm) and peels off towards the base of the rear quarter windows. The rims sizes start at 17 inches for the 2.0i-L and larger 18-inch items on the 2.0i-S and 2.0i-S ES variants.

Round the back, the almost hidden difference is the larger boot aperture and tailgate – which is 135 mm wider at 1,300 mm. The taillights mimic the headlights with angular C-Shaped units at either end. I especially like the chunky garnish strip at the lower end of the bumper as well.

While the changes aren’t huge, one gets a good sense of how much larger the new Forester is compared to its predecessor, now it finally looks on par with its competitors like Mazda CX-5 and Mitsubishi Outlander in terms of stature. The other positive aspect is that the outlook now finally gives the Forester a slightly more distinctive look of its own, instead of being just a slightly larger, boxier alternative to the Subaru XV (which is no less talented).

Interior

It’s much the same on the inside, small updates have made the interior more premium and practical to be in.

Most of the dashboard redesign revolves around the centre stack, which houses two screens. One at the very top, housing a crisp vehicle data display for parameters such as pitch angle, fuel economy, and Eyesight functions for variants that come fitted with, and the second, for the infotainment unit which is less impressive.

All-in-all, the unit looks slightly dated in design, and screen resolution and glare really puts it at odds with the great job Subaru have done otherwise with the interior. Screen sensitivity is not the best either, so half the time, we would end up prodding the screen hard to select options from the menu sets.

That said, I commend the dashboard’s new textured contours and soft-touch materials, the steering wheel, being just the right size with adequate padding makes it a joy to operate. By highlighting the climate control and gearshift trim in Piano Black, Subaru has done well to give the interior an additional touch of style.

There ample cubby holes and storage compartments peppered all around the cabin space, much appreciated is the depth of both the compartments in the centre console which are useful for dumping stuff like your smartphone, Smart Tag receiver, and Starbucks ‘Venti’ cup.

The 2.0i-S models we drove gets the slightly different X-Mode options from the 2.0i-S ES – the X-Mode in the top-spec ES variant receives additional modes for Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud –  which in all honesty, won’t be required or used by 99 percent of customers. Hence, the simplified version in the 2.0i-S is the perfect compromise in my opinion.

In the back, leg and shoulder room is much improved over the model it replaces – the increase in wheelbase length means the Forester will fit four in superb comfort and five occupants with a little bit of squeezing. The Honda-CR-V manages a tinge more space ‘width-wise’, but the Forester allows for more stretching of your legs at the back, and better all-round than in the Mazda CX-5.

The rear seats offered adequate padding and softness over the long driving stints we sat through, my only bugbear was with the front seats – there too much lower lumbar padding and the lower regions, hence your back is always slightly arced which may cause some discomfort for taller occupants after a long journey.

Driving Experience

Given most of our drive time was spent travelling on highways and smaller city roads and slow-ish convoy speeds no less, there was little chance to test the superb all-wheel drive traction and power of the 2.0-litre Boxer engine.

With that said, in rainy conditions, the Forester proves to be among the most surefooted SUVs I have ever driven. For comparison, there’s more poise than in the Mitsubishi Outlander and dare I say it, a tad more than the CR-V (2WD).

The steering is nicely weighted and pleasantly accurate, therefore, there is always an assuring feeling that you can point the Forester exactly where you want, and flow through a corner, or slightly bumpy high-speed section with no drama whatsoever. The CX-5 is still my benchmark in terms of handling precision, but the Forester is no slouch either, and as I suspect, the Forester gets better the harder you drive.

The suspension setup of Forester is another strong point of its overall package. Given the sublime body rigidity – the chassis and suspension is able to soak bumps and undulations with aplomb. Primary and secondary ride quality is also much improved over its predecessor because the tyres rarely get unsettled by larger bumps and potholes. During enthusiastic driving, the dampers also load up well to return a surefooted ride and great mechanical grip.

The FB20 naturally aspirated, direct-injection 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine proves to be a stout performer, there’s adequate torque between 1,300 rpm and approximately 2,200 rpm hence pulling away in traffic is easy or climbing a hill for instance is easy. The engine gets stronger between the 3,000 rpm and 5,000 rpm ranges, as with any Boxer engine, it just gets better the more you rev it.

During a short sting when the roads were empty (Thailand traffic isn’t the most predictable), I manage to push the Forester up to around 165 km/h which was despatched without fuss. At highway speeds, the engine hums away at around 2,100 rpm hence there’s adequate power for overtaking or climbing. With 156 PS and 196 Nm of torque at the ready, performance is on par with the competitors such as the CR-V 2 and CX-5 (2.0-litre engine variants respectively), but it must be said, that both those SUVs also offer more powerful turbocharged versions which are quicker.

In my opinion, Subaru makes one of the best CVT-type automatic gearboxes out there – those who have had a chance to drive the current Subaru WRX – will know what I mean. The CVT-type automatic suspension in the Forester is relatively quiet and responsive at low, mid and highway speeds. Additionally, there’s little engine drivetrain judder during stop-go traffic making this a really easy transmission to get to terms with.  There is of course, transmission whine under hard acceleration, but I suspect most owners are not going to drive their Forester in anger every day; hence it’s no deal breaker.

But it must be said, the aspect I found most impressive about the new Forester’s drivetrain is its fuel efficiency – for the most part, Boxer engines are lauded for their lightweight construction,  compact proportions and a unique sound, but rarely ever for good fuel economy. During the drive, the vast majority of drivers managed to achieve between 5.5- to 7.0-litres/100 km with very conservative driving, the best recorded around 5.2-litres/100km, which is great even for a hybrid sedan, let alone a naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre AWD SUV.

Our car was quite possibly returned the highest fuel consumption of the lot - thanks to our team's more "enthusiastic" driving - and we still clocked fuel consumption of 7.7-litres/100km; which is commendable.

Conclusion

With so much of the buying decision centred around styling and equipment these days – especially for SUVs – it might be easy to pass off Forester as a second-best contender, but given the major changes and updates, the new Forester is anything but.

Subaru and improved on almost every aspect where it matters – which makes it a very practical SUV for the family – and for the money – very good value as well. The Forester is also the only SUV in its class that is offered with AWD as standard and this should count for a lot as it offers an additional quantum of safety and drivability.

All-in-all, it’s a superb alternative to more popular SUV such as the Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5, but just as talented nonetheless.

For the latest deals on Subaru vehicles, click
here
.


Geneva 2016: Skoda VisionS – Electrifying Czech SUV Concept

The turnaround of
Skoda
 is often lauded as one of the
Volkswagen
 Group’s biggest success stories. Yet, Wolfsburg’s subsidiary in the Czech Republic has curiously never had a presence in one of the fastest growing market segments in the automotive industry – the
SUV
.
The Skoda VisionS concept being showcased in Geneva previews a new model that is set to change that status quo. Based on VW’s MQB modular transverse engine platform, the boxy-looking VisionS measures 4.7 metres long, 1.91 metres wide, and 1.68 metres tall.
Compared with existing VW Group SUVs, it slots between the
Tiguan
 and
Touareg
 in size. Indeed, if the concept’s measurements are carried into production, we are looking at one of the bigger members of the large MQB family, exceeding even the
Passat B8
 for size.
All measurements to the nearest 0.01 metre.
Whilst the production model should be offered with the usual array of turbocharged petrol TSI and diesel TDI engines, the VisionS show car features a petrol-electric all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid setup all but identical to what’s found under the
Tiguan GTE
 at
last year’s Frankfurt show
.
Up front, the 1.4-litre EA211 TSI motor supplies 156hp and 250Nm worth of outputs complemented by an additional 40kW and 220Nm from an electric motor mounted inside a 6-speed DSG hooked to the front wheels. The rear wheels, meanwhile, are spun independently by a second electric motor with 85kW and 270Nm at its disposal.
The three propulsion sources work together to deliver a combined output of 225hp, good enough to propel the VisionS to a top speed of around 200km/h, along the way reaching 100km/h from rest in 7.4 seconds.
With a full charge from the mains, the 12.4kWh lithium-ion battery mounted just ahead of the VisionS’ rear axle is good enough to sustain up to 50km of zero emission cruising. Driven economically, the vehicle’s range can be stretched up to 1,000km with the use of both power sources.


The Worst Cars We Drove In 2020

Every automotive publication has its own list for its own Car of the Year, here at Carlist.my, we have it
too
 - if you haven't, go vote at that link. However, have you noticed that no automotive portal in Malaysia will list their worst cars of the year? We want to fix that this year!

COVID-19, economic slump, anxiety over job security, travel restrictions - many people we know would like to hit DEL on 2020 but on the flip side have we not become more resilient, cautious, adaptable, brave, and thankful both as individuals and as a society - the pandemic made us stronger, and that I think may be the silver lining of 2020.

2020 also gave us a whole host of good cars which you can vote on - Carlist.my's Editor Choice will ensue later in January.

But what about the not-so-good cars, the underwhelming cars, the cars that you might struggle to find a redeeming quality for? Where's the list for that?

Hence, in that spirit, we're going to try something new this last day of the year, we're going to give the power to you, our loyal and not-so-loyal bunch of readers, you've read and listened to us all year - it's our turn to hear what you think is the Worst Cars of 2020.

So go on and sound off in the comments about what you think were the Worst Cars of 2020.

We'll call it Carlist.my's Limau (that's Lemon in BM for the uninformed) Awards and it kicks-off now!


Training Programme for Jobseekers Seeking Auto Industry Employment

Take it from us, the automotive industry is one of the most exciting fields anyone can hope to build a career in, especially if you’re a motoring enthusiast like we are. But how do you get into the club? Where is the right door to knock?

Working in the automotive industry is more than just working for a car company. Even here in
Carlist.my
, there are a variety of job functions to suit a wide range of talents – Finance, HR, Marketing, Sales and Advertising – just like any other company. We have the following openings available if you’re interested:
Click to view
.

In the automotive industry at large, there are job openings and career opportunities not only at the brand principals, but also various points along the industry supply chain – vendors, dealers, logistics, aftersales, accessories – and each of these companies have various job functions to fill.

“It’s startling to read that 25% of the 200,000 yearly graduates are still unemployed after 6 months. On the flip side, the industry craves for quality talent; particularly for graduates with some basic knowledge of the motor industry or work experience to join their team. Unfortunately many companies have trimmed their Executive/Management Trainee development programs in today’s soft economic conditions and instead prefer to poach executives from competitors” shared Devindran Ramanathan founder of ACS AsiaPac Sdn Bhd.

In an effort to address this issue, Devindran, a 26-year veteran of the automotive industry, has initiated a collaboration with a group of industry experts to put together an Unemployed Graduate Training Programme (UGTP) that aims to help participating graduates enhance their employability by the automotive industry.

Experts and representatives from OEM partner organizations and automotive stakeholders Datuk Aishah, President Malaysian Automotive President (MAA); Tony Savarimuthu CEO of brand consultancy agency Merdeka LHS; Wong Mei Inn, Country head of eBay Malaysia; and Datuk Thavalingam, Employment Law expert; are some of guest trainers and facilitators who will be contributing their time to this programme.

ACS AsiaPac was founded in 2011 by Devindran and works closely with various industry players providing Aftersales Training and Consulting services focusing on the retail aspect of the business.

“We have a great network of industrial luminaries who have agreed to step forward and to lend their time and expertise to champion this program. We will help selected participants identify their unique strength and explore hidden talents to embark on a career in the industry” added Devindran.

“Our focus is for this group to be aware of the career opportunities which lie in the retail motor industry and the skills which employers demand. We aim to improve the graduate’s employability in the automotive, transport, equipment sectors If they have that entrepreneurial spirit within them, we hope this program will inspire them to achieve their dream should they even want to start their own business,” Devindran went on to emphasize.

Participation in the programme is limited to just 25 participants aged between 22 and 30 years old. Priority will be given to unemployed graduates or individuals between jobs. The six-day programme will run over three alternate weekends on 6-7 Aug, 20-21 Aug, and 3-4 Sept covering a variety of topics.

Where possible and compatible, the team will help secure relevant work experience for participants and prospective organizations that support the programme. It aims to help at least half of the 25 participants to find suitable employment within the industry.

So, if you’re in the midst of seeking employment in the industry you love, head over to
www.acsasiapac.com
 to obtain further details of the programme as well as to download its registration form. An administrative fee of RM200 will be collected to cover venue (to be confirmed) and F&B costs throughout the programme. Registration closes on 15 July 2016.


No More Nissan Teana In Malaysia, All-New Almera, Sylphy, Kicks Compact SUV On The Way

Those who have been to the official website of Edaran Tan Chong Motor, the authorised distributor of Nissan vehicles in Malaysia recently, would have noticed that the Teana is no longer listed as part of the brand’s offerings in Malaysia.
This is because ETCM has stopped selling the Teana, and has also pulled out of the D-segment in Malaysia for time being. Currently, the Almera is the only Nissan sedan model for sale.
Speaking at the recent media test drive session of
the new X-Trail
, Christopher Tan, the Sales and Marketing Director of ETCM said that this is in line with changing customer demands, and also the company’s plans for the near future.
According to Tan, the demand for the Teana as well as D-segment models on the whole has decreased lately, as more buyers are going for SUVs which are available for about the same price, if not cheaper.
So, in order to cater to the changing needs of buyers, Tan said that ETCM will also be introducing a new compact SUV model, which is most probably the ASEAN version of the
Nissan Kicks
, to take on the Honda HR-V, Toyota C-HR, and also the Mazda CX-3.
However, this doesn’t mean that it’s the end of the line for Nissan sedans in Malaysia as Tan confirmed that the
all-new Almera
 and the
all-new Sylphy
 which made their global debuts recently, will be arriving on Malaysian shores.
While the Almera, Sylphy, and the Kicks are due to be introduced here a few months after they are launched in Indonesia and Thailand probably in 2020, what we do know is that the
Nissan Leaf
, as well as the fifth-generation Serena Hybrid, could be arriving here later this year itself.
Find the best deals for new Nissan cars
here
.


All-New Range Rover Evoque Is Teased With Art Installations

In the lead up to the world premiere of the all-new Range Rover Evoque – due 22nd November – Range Rover has teased the outlook, and in many ways the exacting proportions of the vehicle with intricate art installations scattered across London city.
The full-scale, wire form art installations were produced by the same Land Rover Design team responsible for designing the new Evoque.
The 1:1 scale wire forms, displayed in posh addresses around Kensington and Chelsea, were finished in distinctive shades of copper, red, and blue, and showcase Range Rover’s modernist design approach for the Evoque.
The wireforms also characterise the SUVs distinctive fast roofline and rising waistline that define new Evoque’s coupe-like silhouette.
Order books for the all-new Evoque are due to open at the same time as the world debut in London.


Berapa Pendapatan Sebulan Sebagai Pemandu E-hailing?

Berapa pendapatan sebulan yang boleh anda jana sebagai seorang pemandu e-hailing?

Maxim Malaysia kini membuka peluang kepada rakyat Malaysia untuk mendaftar masuk sebagai
pemandu e-hailing
 mereka.

Maxim Malaysia, salah satu perkhidmatan tempahan perjalanan yang diperkenalkan di Malaysia pada tahun 2018 bukan hanya menyediakan khidmat e-hailing, malah turut menyediakan servis lain seperti penghantaran makanan, barang, trak dan pindahan barang besar.

Maxim Malaysia Cari Pemandu e-Hailing

Kini Maxim Malaysia ingin membuka peluang untuk orang ramai dengan mendaftar sebagai pemandu mereka tertakluk pada terma dan syarat.

Pemandu boleh memilih untuk bekerja sepenuh masa ataupun sambilan di samping tiada syarat khas yang ditetapkan kepada pemandu e-hailing untuk
waktu bekerja.

Pemandu juga dapat mengira dan mengatur pendapatan bersama Maxim Malaysia di laman sesawang
https://taximaxim.com/my/ms-my/5859-ipoh/driver/income
. Laman web ini membenarkan pemandu untuk mengukur perjalanan dengan lebih efisien.

Laman sesawang tersebut juga mudah difahami dan mesra pengguna di mana pemandu hanya perlu mengatur beberapa langkah dan Maxim akan membantu membuat pengiraan.

Pengiraan Pendapatan Pemandu e-Hailing

Pengiraan pendapatan bergantung kepada:

Bandar di Malaysia

Jenis kenderaan

Penggunaan minyak

Jenis minyak yang digunakan

Masa bekerja

Hari bekerja

Segalanya boleh diubah bergantung kepada pemandu itu sendiri dan lebih menarik, pemandu boleh menetapkan sasaran mereka yang tersendiri.

Sebagai contoh sekiranya pemandu membawa Maxim di sekitar Ipoh dan menggunakan kenderaan ekonomi, penggunaan bahan api bagi setiap 100 km adalah dalam 10 liter serta bekerja 8 jam sehari selama 5 hari, jumlah yang akan diperoleh anggaran ialah sebanyak RM3,392, dengan 24 anggaran jumlah tempahan.

Pemandu cuma perlu melalui beberapa langkah mudah untuk mendaftar bersama Maxim sebelum mula bekerja. Mereka juga perlu memuat turun aplikasi Taxsee Driver dan mendaftar atau terus mendaftar di talian
sea.taxsee.pro/my/


Q3 2020 Vehicle Sales In Malaysia: Small Wins In Recovery

Since we can no longer observe the MAA data on new vehicles sales on monthly basis following the association’s move to quarterly updates, a more birds-eye-view of a collective 3 months will have to suffice.

A few days ago the Q3 2020 year-to-date numbers were released, consisting of a grouped total for July, August, and September. With 2020 going the way it is (lousily), nobody really expects anything outstanding in comparison with the relatively stable circumstances over the same period in of 2019.

That being said, it is worth observing the upward trend of vehicle sales between the previous months of the year since it would paint a picture of how resilient (or not) the local new car market is, and by extension gives us a peek into the wellbeing of our economy.

Then again, in a bid to stimulate spending after months of passivity during the Movement Control Order, the government had introduced a sales tax exemption of between 50 and 100 percent for locally assembled or fully imported new cars, respectively.

This would be effective from its announcement date in June to the end of 2020, so take these past 3 months of sales numbers with a grain of salt as they aren’t entirely ‘organic’. Like the
loan repayment moratorium
 that had ended on September 30th, there have also been calls for an extension of this SST discount for a further 6 months to June 2021. We’ll see.

It seems to have worked, though, as car sales have definitely seen an encouraging rise with 166,796 units registered in Q3 alone. Given the current rate of progress with 341,489 units registered Year-to-Date, MAA’s most recently revised (in July) Total Industry Volume (TIV) target of 470,000 for 2020 looks well in sight barring any more major setbacks in Q4.

Big Hitters: Proton, Perodua, Toyota, Honda

Proton
 - Of the largest volume automakers for Malaysia, only Proton managed to exceed this year’s  numbers up to Q3 compared to 2019, bucking the trend by about 5.2% and accounting for 21.5 percent of all new cars sold so far this year, selling 73,547 in cars as opposed to 69,920 cars at Q3 2019's count. Things look set to get even rosier still with the
imminent launch
 of the X50 crossover.

Perodua
 - Our second national automaker still holds a commanding lead in terms of
pure volume
 and market share, moving 145,012 cars in by Q3 2020 and accounting for 42.5% of all new cars sold this year. Though it’s hardly surprising, the company was shy of its Q3 2019 figure of 178,754 cars. Still, a slump of ‘just’ 18.8% seems like a minor inconvenience in light of all that has happened in 2020 so far.

Toyota
 - At 10.8% market share by Q3 2020, third placer Toyota has edged out both its arch-rival Honda by 0.7% and managed to outpace its previous self by 0.1%. That being said, the Japanese juggernaut’s 36,834 cars so far does put it at a 22.63% (or 10,774 units) deficit compared to this point in Q3 2019.

Honda
- Recently pushed out of its cushy podium spot, Honda certainly has some lost ground to make up going into the final quarter of this year. With 34,655 units to show for up until the end Q3 2020 compared to its 65,123 in Q3 2019, it’s lead over Toyota has dwindled enough to be overtaken. No doubt they plan to recover with the
all-new City
, but will it be enough to compensate for its 46.79% decline in volume compared to Q3 2019?

Slow Rise To Prominence: Mazda, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Ford

Rounding out the Top 10 automakers by Q3 2020, even in the midst of the MCO-induced spending ceasefire, these four automakers have managed to carve out a slight increase in market share compared to the prior year led by Mazda at 2.3%. However, in terms of raw units, all suffered a noticeable decrease over the same period in 2019. Obviously.


Mazda Announces G-Vectoring Control Plus

When it comes to both mechanical and automotive development, Mazda has taken numerous steps to advance existing technology instead of automatically adopting new, complex, and potentially problematic components in order to meet targets and deliver a driving experience. Where many companies have started to offer adaptive suspension as a standard option, Mazda still believes in the tenets of a well-designed chassis and suspension geometry.
G-Vectoring Control was one such item that used a mild ignition retard system to shift the weight of the car onto its front wheels during cornering. The purpose of this is to provide more feedback to the driver and make the car a little more agile, thus reducing steering effort. Many seasoned drivers already do this, consciously or subconsciously, through trimming the throttle or applying a little bit of braking for some forward weight transfer.
But with the new G-Vectoring Control Plus, which will first be rolled out with the updated CX-5 and eventually across the range, there’s the addition of a brake-based system that further improves handling stability – and it’s not torque vectoring, like you would expect. The brakes are applied to the outside front wheel when exiting a corner, which induces a certain amount of yaw that straightens the car a little quicker (a bit like an overzealous stability control system).
In more simple terms, it’s a system that reduces the effort needed to straighten the wheel as you come out of a maneuver. The system operates whether you’re unwinding the steering coming out of a bend or if you’re making sudden lane changes in slippery conditions, and you can bet that Mazda engineers spent a lot of time calibrating it to ensure it doesn’t behave in a particularly strange way.


Five Things to Keep in Mind When Picking New Rims For Your Car

Thinking of accessorising your car? Chances are you are looking at those humble rims your car came fitted with from the factory, and are already checking your bank balance to see if you can swap it out with something better looking. Well before you step into your neighbourhood tyre shop to swap them out, here are some important tips to take about picking the right rim for your car.

#1: Choose Original Rims

Just like tyres, there are plenty of rim manufacturers out there in the marketplace to choose from. From brands such as Advanti Racing Wheels, to BBS, or O.Z., the choices are immensely varied and you are certain to find one that would suit the look that you are looking for. That being said, such rims from original manufacturers are costly, and the temptation is there to opt for cheap replicas, which looks nearly similar and costs a fraction of the original rim’s price.

Though replicas look similar, they might not have the build quality or strength to withstand impacts from potholes or debris on the road. Getting a tyre puncture is a minor inconvenience that is easy to fix, as compared to having your wheels dented or worse, shattered. Such incidents can leave you stranded and your car immobile for a time if you don’t have a replacement rim on hand.

Most reputable rim manufacturers have quality standards that ensure the wheels are tough enough to survive the poorly built roads. So if you are going to pick out a rim and tyre, don’t skimp on the budget and pick a rim and tyre from a reputable manufacturer.

#2: Pick the Right Size

In picking a new rim, the first thing you would be tempted to do is to upsize it to a larger one. Big wheels do look good, but keep in mind that picking a bigger rim for your car does bring about compromises in terms of comfort and safety.

Should your wheel size go up, the thickness or profile of your tyre would have to be reduced. Reducing the thickness however would in effect reduce the tyre’s effectiveness in absorbing bumps on the road, as there is less rubber between the tyre surface and wheel to serve as a cushion when the tyre runs over something rough.

This lack of a cushioning effect also puts the wheel at risk of damage from pot holes and debris on the road. Should the wheel drive over a pot hole deep or a debris big enough, the thinner profile wouldn’t do much in absorbing the brunt of the force, or allowing enough elevation to clear big debris.

#3: Maintain the Circumference

Finding tyres to suit bigger rims are the least of your concerns, Hankook for instance have plenty of tyres to suit larger rims, especially with their popular range of premium tyres such as the Ventus V12 evo
2
 which are available in sizes to suit 18-inch rims and larger. What you should be wary about is ensuring that the tyre you fit to the big rim has a lower profile to maintain the wheel’s circumference.

If you maintain your tyre’s profile while fitting on a larger rim, your wheel’s circumference would be larger, which in turn would affect your car’s speedometer and odometer readings. The larger the circumference would be from the original size, the car’s speedometer would be displaying a speed that is lower than you are actually traveling, thus putting you in danger of breaking speed limits and getting traffic summons. The odometer would in turn be reading less mileage than you are actually covering, and as a result you will overshoot your car’s actual service intervals.

So if you are going for a rim that is bigger than your car’s original rim size, it is best to opt for a thinner tyre with a lower profile tyre to maintain as much of the original wheel’s circumference as possible.

#4: Be Wary of the Offset

One of the most popular trends amongst owners is fitting on rims with negative offset to give their car’s the impression that its wheels are bulging out from the wheel arches, much like a muscle car.

Offset is the distance of the wheel hub – mounting point – from the rim’s centre line. A positive offset would mean that the hub is close to the rim’s outside, which most cars adopt as its original setup. A negative offset on the other hand means that its hub is closer to its inside and sits behind the wheel’s centreline.

Most owners would be tempted to go for a negative offset to get that ‘deep dish’ rim look. We do not recommend adopting rims with a negative offset as it could potentially cause increased steering kick back, making it tricky and dangerous to steer on rough roads. Having the wheels fitted in this manner would also put additional strain on the suspension components.

#5: Don’t Stretch the Tyre

Another hot trend amongst car circles today are ‘stretched’ tyres. To achieve this look, owners would fit a tyre onto rims that are much wider than the tyres were originally designed to fit onto. To get it to fit, the tyre sidewalls would have to be stretched to fit the wider rim. This gives the whole wheel a muscular appearance, which goes well with the ‘deep dish’ negative offset rims look.

This trend is dangerous and highly not recommended as the tyre sidewalls, which are a load bearing structure of the tyre, is designed to suit a 90-degree tangent to the rim.

While all Hankook tyres are made to be as safe as possible on the road, stretching its sidewalls to suit the rims would compromise the tyre’s structural strength and ability to absorb impacts. Doing this would put stresses that goes beyond the tyre’s original design, and doing so would put you and your occupants in danger of experiencing a tyre blowout.


2015 Toyota Camry Hybrid And 2.0G First Impressions: The Familiar Made New

The new 2015 Toyota Camry is almost upon us but just before that, UMW Toyota Motor invited us to attend a short media drive of the D-segment saloon, now available in a hybrid variant.
Hold on a minute, isn’t that just the same Toyota Camry with a visual upgrade? You wouldn’t be wrong to assume that but beneath what is familiar, lies something new as you’ll soon find out.
Offered to us were two of the three variants that will be available on launch day: the Camry 2.0G and new Camry 2.5 Hybrid. The 2.0E variant sadly wasn’t among the attendees.
The drive itself was divided into two sections, the first consisted of a new technology and refinement demonstration of the 2.5 Hybrid variant whereas the road driving portion saw us have a go at the 2.0G-spec Camry.
Buyer’s Guide:
Three variants will be available at launch: the 2.0E, 2.0G and 2.5 Hybrid. Prices will only be announced at launch and this first impressions drive merely focuses on the 2.0G and 2.5 Hybrid only.
KEY SPECS:
Toyota Camry 2.0G
Engine: 6AR-FSE 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder, 16-valve DOHC with VVT-iW (intake), VVT-i (exhaust) petrol engine
Transmission: Six-speed torque converter automatic with Super ECT and sequential shifter
Power: 167PS @ 6,500 rpm
Torque: 199Nm @ 4,600 rpm
Toyota Camry 2.5 Hybrid
Engine: 2AR-FXE 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder, 16-valve DOHC with VVT-i (intake) and ACIS
Transmission: Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (E-CVT)
Power: 160PS @ 5,700 rpm
Torque: 213Nm @ 4,500 rpm
Electric Motor Output: 143PS and 270Nm
Total System Output: 205PS
Exterior
At first glance, the new, dynamic front fascia seems to be near identical on both variants. Look closer and you’ll see the 2.5 Hybrid gets LED headlamps instead of HID projector ones on the 2.0G. The grille pattern also differs from the 2.0G with small notches on the horizontal slates for the Hybrid and side indicators at the sides of the front bumper.
Along the side, different sized (17-inch for the Hybrid and 16-inch for the 2.0G) and designs of the alloy wheels further add to the differentiation. At the rear, all is similar except the dual exhaust tips on the 2.0G compared to the Hybrid’s singular one. Other minor details on the 2.5 Hybrid include the blue halo Toyota logo and ‘Hybrid’ badging while the 2.0G wears the ‘VVT-iW’ badging instead.
Interior
Step inside both variants and you’ll notice the almost similar interiors save for the different design ‘wood’ trim. However, the Hybrid variant does come with a few additional features including the Blind Spot Monitor, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, different multimedia and navigation unit, additional on-steering wheel controls, and all-around automatic power windows.
Shared between the variants are an 8-way driver and passenger electric powered seats, dual-zone climate control unit, gated gear shifter, and leather seats. Also, the materials used are better as well, a welcome approach over the previous Camry’s cheap-feeling plastics.
The 2.0G benefits from an optional Android powered 2-DIN multimedia and navigation unit with reverse camera and a larger boot thanks to not having a battery pack as found in the Hybrid.
Safety
All variants have anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake distribution (EBD) and brake assist (BA) but vehicle stability control (VSC), traction control (TRC), and hill-start assist control (HAC) is reserved for the 2.0G and Hybrid variant. Airbag count stands at two for the 2.0E and 2.0G but the Hybrid gets a full seven.
Driving a 2015 Toyota Camry 2.5 Hybrid:
For this part of the drive, most of it was done in a controlled environment within an open air parking lot to demonstrate some of the highlighted technologies found on the hybrid car. Sadly, we didn’t get a chance to take the Toyota Camry 2.5 Hybrid on the open road.
New Hybrid Powertrain
Part one of the drive began with a sprint test (untimed) to demonstrate the new hybrid powertrain that lurks under the hood. The Atkinson cycle 2AR-FXE 2.5-litre petrol engine works together with an electric motor that draws its power from a nickel-metal hydride battery.
If you do want to put it in full EV mode, you can do this with a simple press of a button but keep in mind that you would need a minimum charge capacity of four bars as indicated on the multi-info driving display to do so. An engineer from the Toyota Motor Corporation says the maximum speed in EV mode is 40 km/h and the electrification serves more as a support for the petrol engine and as such, range is highly limited (undisclosed).
Off the line, the Camry Hybrid is pretty brisk and when compared against a competitor in the form of the Honda Accord 2.0 VTi, the results pretty much spoke for themselves although we weren’t behind the wheel of both vehicles at the same time to conduct a test (drag race) of our own.
The claimed fuel consumption figure of 5.2 litres per 100 km was provided to us, which follows the European Driving Combined Cycle. Unfortunately, we weren’t given the chance to drive the car long or far enough to make our own calculations.
Blind Spot Monitor
The next phase of the demonstration saw us being escorted by two motorcyclists on both sides of the car, specifically the blind spot areas of the car to demonstrate the Blind Spot Monitor found only on the Camry Hybrid.
In practice, whenever a motorcycle or something larger comes within three metres behind and metre alongside the vehicle, pictogram indicators would light up to inform the driver that there is something in his blind spot. Should you continue to activate your turn signal before switching lanes (something more people should do), the indicators would then begin flashing to catch your attention. Suffice to say, the system worked flawlessly.
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA)
Reversing out of a parking lot can be extremely stressful as you can’t really see what is coming up from either side of your car, which is where the RCTA system comes into play.
Simply put the car in reverse and the rear-view camera is displayed on the seven-inch touchscreen display. Even before you begin moving your vehicle, the system will keep track of any side approaching vehicle behind the car and will beep three times rapidly to inform you once that vehicle gets too close. Keep in mind however that this system only works if you’re reversing at a speed of under 8 km/h.
In several passes, the system was able to detect and alert the driver of a car passing from behind.
Refinement
Our last test wasn’t as scientific as we would have liked it to be but it demonstrates the overall improvements to the Camry’s cabin NVH levels. Toyota say the new Camry is 7 decibels (previously 81 dB) quieter than before so we fired up our smartphone Sound Meter app and drove the Camry Hybrid over sand, loose gravel, and rumble strips.
On average, we managed to record a reading of 74 dB throughout the ‘experiment’ but it was agreeable by the other motoring media riding in the car that the new Camry Hybrid was comparatively quiet.
Driving a 2015 Toyota Camry 2.0G:
Done with the hybrid, we hopped into the Camry 2.0G for a short 14 km drive where we had to swap vehicles in between, which included the current Camry, the new Camry 2.0G, and other segment-equivalent competitor models: Honda Accord .
The 6AR-FSE 2.0-litre mill now outputs 167PS and 199Nm of torque, 19PS and 9Nm more than the previous Camry. This new engine is capable of running on both the Otto and Atkinson cycles by managing the intake valves, now governed by Toyota’s new VVT-iW variable valve timing technology. The exhaust side is still controlled by VVT-i.
Toyota claims a 12% increase in fuel economy with a combined fuel consumption figure (ECE) of 7.3 litres per 100 km. Paired to the engine is another new introduction, the U761E six-speed torque converter automatic transmission with Super ECT and sequential shifting that replaces the previous four-speed automatic.
Driving dynamics that have been improved include new suspension and steering calibrations, and a new pre-load differential that aims to increase stability, improve turning performance and enhance steering
How do these changes reflect on the road? Put simply, they make the Camry a much improved car compared to its predecessor. On the highways, it cruises along nicely and should you be required to overtake, the new six-speed gearbox now reacts quicker than the previous four-speed while ensuring the engine doesn’t sound overworked.
Verdict:
Although we only had a brief encounter with the new Toyota Camry in the 2.0G and 2.5 Hybrid guise, it certainly left an impression on us. In many aspects, there’s a lot going for the new car. On one hand, the new powertrains are a step up from its predecessor’s, the cabin has seen some much improved refinement in the choice of materials, and a better ride quality add up to make this a better Camry.
Like we said, beneath what is familiar, lies something new and with Toyota’s latest offering, they look set to increase their competitive edge over their rivals.


Ford Invests USD 1billion Stake In Tech Startup Argo AI

The Ford Motor Company is investing a whopping USD 1 billion over the next 5 years on American tech startup Argo AI – combining Ford’s expertise on autonomous vehicles with Argo AI’s robotics and artificial intelligence software; to spearhead the development of autonomous vehicles.
Argo AI was founded by CEO, Bryan Salesky, and COO, Peter Rander, former leaders on the self-driving car teams of Google and Uber respectively. Both are also alumni of the Carnegie Mellon National Robotics Engineering Center.
The collaboration will see the current team developing Ford’s virtual driver system – the machine-learning software that acts as the brain of autonomous vehicles – combined with the robotics talent and expertise of Argo AI. This innovative partnership will work to deliver the virtual driver system for Ford’s SAE level 4 self-driving vehicles.
Ford will continue development of its purpose-built autonomous vehicle hardware platform, as well as on systems integration, manufacturing, exterior and interior design, and regulatory policy management. Argo AI will join forces with Ford’s autonomous vehicle software development effort to strengthen the commercialization of self-driving vehicles.
The software developed through the partnership could potentially be relicensed to other companies and sectors looking for autonomous capability.
Raj Nair, Ford executive vice president, Global Product Development comments, “Working together with Argo AI gives Ford a distinct competitive advantage at the intersection of the automotive and technology industries. This open collaboration is unlike any other partnership – allowing us to benefit from combining the speed of a startup with Ford’s strengths in scaling technology, systems integration, and vehicle design.”
Argo AI will also work hand in hand with Ford’s Smart Mobility (LLC) division, which will lead the commercialization strategy for Ford’s self-driving vehicles. This includes choices for using autonomous vehicles to move goods and people, such as ride sharing, ride-hailing or package delivery fleets.
The investment will see as Ford the majority stakeholder in Argo AI. Importantly, Argo AI has been structured to operate with substantial independence. Argo AI’s board will have five members: Raj Nair, Ford executive vice president and chief technical officer; John Casesa, Ford group vice president, Global Strategy; Salesky; Rander; and an independent director.
Separately,
Forbes reports
, a key reason Ford has chosen to invest heavily in Argo AI, is to attract and retain talent in the competition between Silicon Valley and traditional automakers. As Ford Chief Executive Mark Fields said, “There’s a war for talent out there.” Salesky added, engineers from both Ford and Argo AI teams will be rewarded equally.
By the end of this year, Argo AI expects to have more than 200 team members, based in the company’s Pittsburgh headquarters and at major sites in South Eastern Michigan and California. Argo AI’s initial focus will be to support Ford’s autonomous vehicle development and production.


SMEs Can Now Deliver Goods Themselves Using GoCar

The ongoing COVID-19 crisis has affected many businesses. Plus, the extended MCO period is posing even greater threat to business owners, especially small-to-medium enterprises (SME).

While many are still paying overhead costs despite the halt in operations, engaging a third-party delivery service and incurring additional merchant fees may not be feasible.

So, in an effort to help SMEs provide their own delivery services to customers during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period, GoCar Malaysia, the on-demand car-sharing platform, has introduced the GoCar for Delivery initiative.

To support local businesses in this challenging time, GoCar is offering all Nissan Almeras in its fleet at RM30/day, their lowest rate to date exclusively for this initiative.

GoCar for Delivery is available to any business that is in need of cars to fulfil deliveries, including supermarkets, online grocers, cafes, and restaurants.

In case you’re concerned about how safe and hygienic things will be under this initiative:

There will be no human interaction as customers will only be using the GoCar app to book, unlock, and return the car.

Every car will be equipped with anti-bacterial wipes to disinfect surfaces inside the car whenever needed.

Customers are entitled to cover unlimited mileage at no extra charge.

24/7 customer support is available.

According to GoCar, the delivery initiative gained positive response from its members in the first week, with a total of 120 registrations comprising 40 businesses and 80 deliverers.

“In line with the #KitaJagaKita philosophy, we want to help our SMEs to continue running their operations cost-efficiently” said Alan Cheah, CEO of GoCar Malaysia.

“GoCar for Delivery’s core initiative is only a small piece of the puzzle. We noticed that many businesses do not have transportation to help with distribution services, and there is a need to save expenses in a crucial time like this.”

As a community-driven car-sharing platform, GoCar is currently partnering with top brands of similar values and missions such as Beep Delivery powered by StoreHub to reach out to more local businesses in the coming weeks.


Fully Electric And Fully Autonomous, This Cargo Ship Is Ready To Sail

Called the Yara Birkeland after project founder, scientist Kristian Birkeland, this fully electric vessel is not only void of the usual fuel-burning engines, but is also
fully autonomous
.

We know that an ‘
electric revolution
’ is sweeping the world of automobiles and personal mobility, but what about larger forms of transport like ships and aeroplanes? Is electricity a viable alternative? Norwegian company Yara International thinks the tech is ready for the open ocean.

Called the Yara Birkeland after project founder, scientist Kristian Birkeland, this fully electric vessel is not only void of the usual fuel-burning engines, but is also
autonomously operated
 with a maiden voyage planned before the end of 2021, setting sail between Herøya to nearby Brevik completely unmanned with only 3 remote control centres monitoring its progress.

First devised in 2017 and taking 3 years to build and test at an approximate cost of 25 million Euros, its owners originally intended to begin operations on the Birkeland much sooner in 2020, but faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The high tech container ship measures just over 80 metres in length with a capacity of 120 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) and is powered by twin 900kW propulsion system supplied by a massive 7MWh battery (7,000kWh), equivalent to the energy capacity of 700
Tesla Model S
 100D electric cars.

That said, the Birkeland isn’t a particularly quick ship with a top speed of just 13 knots. By comparison, the average container ship in this class can travel at up to 25 knots at full steam. Yara believes that its cargo-hauling duties would replace 40,000 lorry trips per year, a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions while also taking traffic congestion out of the picture.

We would be interested in finding more information about the Birkeland’s charging solution and how long might a 7MWh battery take to charge; definitely much longer than a coffee break, that’s for sure.

Still, it’s hard to see fully unmanned ships like the Birkeland making their presence known at busy ports around the world, at least anytime soon. Navigating narrow waterways and mooring precisely at docks still require highly experienced humans at the helm.

With much of the world’s shipping industry dealing with highly valuable cargo required for global trade to keep on rolling, there’s just too much at stake. The legal implications of fielding an autonomous vessel are probably something most ports and operators will not be willing to deal with, which is a similar reason why autonomously operated passenger and airfreight craft have not found footing.

Norway, however, is much more suited to experimenting with a crew-less electric cargo ship with its aggressive anti-pollution policies and an abundance of coastline.


A Chance To Win Adidas RM3,000 Vouchers and Petronas RM100 Gift Cards

The football fever is here and to add sizzle to the scorching season, Petronas Dagangan Berhad (PDB) is throwing in a galore of exciting prizes for its customers starting from now until 22 nd of July 2018, via its
Arena Bola
 Petronas Campaign.

The campaign offers five weekly winners an Adidas Shopping Spree worth RM3,000 in Kuala Lumpur and 250 weekly winners Petronas Gift Card worth RM100, which can be used to redeem fuel or other items at Kedai Mesra.

To participate, customers just need to complete 3 simple steps:

Fuel up a minimum of RM40 Primax petrol
or
 purchase two
Kombo Bola
 drink and snack combination package priced from only RM3 at Kedai Mesra.

Whatsapp ‘HI PETRONAS’ to 016-341 8807

Follow the steps sent to your phone to upload an image of your receipt

Mesra card holders are also rewarded through increased entries of three-fold instead of a single entry for non-cardholders.

Elaborating further on the campaign, PDB’s Head of Retail Business Division Aadrin Azly said, “We want to provide our customers with a unique experience throughout the FIFA World Cup and hence we have partnered with Adidas, the official sponsor for the game to offer our customers relatable and meaningful rewards,”

“We also took into consideration our customers’ need for snacks and drinks during the matches and have made these combo purchases eligible for participation.”

“We have also made the participation very easy, where customers only need to Whatsapp the receipt to us. Of course, our Mesra card members will have more chances in terms of entries as these are part of the perks of being our loyal customers,” he added.

For avid collectors, PDB will also be retailing limited editions of football-themed Petronas Gift Cards on Lazada and Shoppe as collectables, while stocks last.

For more information as well as terms & conditions about the
Arena Bola
 Petronas Campaign,
visit the dedicated site here
.

In conjunction with the World Cup, PDB has also launched its
Play Like A Champ
 web-based game, where there will be more freebies to be given away including Mesra points and Adidas shopping vouchers.


Volvo’s 180 km/h Limit Coming To Malaysia – The Problem With Speed

As some of you may know, a couple of months ago Volvo made some waves in the industry and among consumers by stating that they would eventually be capping the top speed of their vehicles to 180 km/h – globally. At first, we imagined this to be more of a knee jerk statement or something selectively applied – but it seems that they are really going through with it, and according to Akhtar Sulaiman, Marketing and PR Director of Volvo Cars Malaysia, it will be applied here too.

How soon do you see Volvo models having this limit imposed locally?

I cannot confirm that at this stage. What we do know is that the speed limiter function will be integrated on cars after the stipulated production date. I can tell you, however, that the rollout will happen somewhere in Q4 of 2020.

In line with Volvo’s overarching vision to have zero deaths/serious injuries in new Volvo cars by 2025, we feel that we need to proactively make certain changes so that we can achieve these results.

Will the limit be retroactively applied to other models in the future?

Once the speed-limiter function is enabled, after said production date, it will be applied to all cars sold globally.

Will the limit be applied to existing models that have already been sold?

No, the speed limiter will only be applied to units that are produced after the stipulated production date.

While it may seem like a flagrant violation of your rights, there isn’t anything particularly awful about having a speed limit cap. For one, the Japanese have had fairly rigorous 180 km/h speed limiters for decades, and even until today there are some cars that maintain that limiter if you import them via parallel channels.

The other issue is that many parts of the world aren’t equipped for vehicles travelling at such high speeds. There are many who quote the Autobahn as being a driving Nirvana for its de-restricted sections, but one needs to drive on these European highways to understand why they can be de-restricted as such.

Similarly, many parts of the Autobahn are no longer speed-limit-free. Roadworks and traffic during actual driving hours result in pretty normal travelling speeds – far from the over 200 km/h speeds that people associate with the highway. There are still times when one can drive as fast as they wish, but those times are becoming few and far between.

There is also the legal angle to consider, as our friends at Motormuse have mentioned in passing. In order for someone to be breaking the law with regards to speed, there first has to be a law with a strict definition of a speed limit. In the event of an incident, there must be a party on which the blame can fall in order to make reparations.

This kind of limitless speed situation has led to incidents in the past where the blame in the event of an accident can be difficult to place. One particularly high profile case involving a modified Audi R8 landed one journalist in the hospital, and the public at large was divided in opinion as to whose fault it was. While the section of the Autobahn on which the incident happened was derestricted, there are also unspoken rules as to what kind of speed you should adjust to when passing other traffic.

And even beyond all this, there’s the question of maturity. Some of you may feel comfortable and confident driving at extremely high speeds – and that’s great! Unfortunately, the vast majority of drivers on the road (especially in Malaysia) have trouble getting even the basics right – from lane discipline to signal use, and even keeping cars in a condition appropriate for high speed driving. If people are too lazy to even check their tyre pressures, what makes you think removing a speed limit is a good idea?

Which brings us back to our main point. Having a 180 km/h speed limit imposed by Volvo’s own systems isn’t the end of the world. Unless you happen to have some incredible luck, you won’t even be able to travel faster than 180 km/h regularly for sustained periods of time, because other road users will inevitably get in your way.


2023 Honda Civic Type R Teased Ahead Of Launch

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has launched a teaser page for the upcoming and all-new
2023 Honda Civic Type R
.

The
teaser site
 doesn't say much about the new
Civic Type R
, apart from a countdown timer to
21 July 2022 at 11.00 am
 (that's the time and date for the world premiere in Japan) as well as a link for public viewing and paper craft.

There's also a teaser video posted by Honda around the globe showcasing the new Honda Civic Type R dressed in that red/black/white camo while ripping around the track, but again, not a lot can be said about it apart from hyping up for its global debut.

Same engine, different transmission?

Coming in hot for its sixth generation, the Honda Civic Type R is pretty much in the dark when it comes to specs, but a lot of folks have speculated that it might run the same 2.0-litre K20C1 engine found in the FK2 and FK8.

Possibly punching out the same figure of 306hp as previous Type Rs, what's more interesting is the speculation of the 2023 model comes with an automatic transmission as an option (not sure whether it'll be a dual-clutch unit or torque converter).

No confirmation yet, but experts are also indicating that the six-speed manual will be the standard while the auto is an option. If this is true, then the 2023 Honda Civic Type R might make some waves in areas like Europe where it'll stand as the final Civic Type R to be sold in that particular market.

For now, check out our first in-depth insight on the
2022 Honda Civic FE
 and how it is better than the FC (or you can watch the video posted below).


F1 Star Fernando Alonso To Retire At The End Of This Season

Two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso has just announced his intention to not race in the highest echelon of motorsports next year.
Alonso will end his Formula One career with McLaren F1 Team at the Abu Dhabi race in late November this year. The superstar Spanish driver, known for his combative racing spirit as well as ranting on his radio in recent years, also
 won the 2018 24-Hour of Le Mans
 with Toyota Gazoo Racing.
Prior to re-joining the McLaren F1 Team (he also raced with the team in 2007) in 2015, 37-year-old Alonso spent five years with the illustrious Scuderia Ferrari team, winning at their debut outing at Bahrain grand prix in 2010. Alonso narrowly missed taking the driver’s championship in that year, as well as in 2012.
Click the link above to listen to the collection of fan favourites on Alonso's radio transmissions
.
Both of his world driver’s championship (2005 and 2006) were won when he was driving with Renault F1 Team and fighting alongside the legendary Michael Schumacher.
With the poor performance of both the hybrid power unit and machinery since moving to McLaren F1 Team in 2015, Alonso’s 32nd and final victory remains at the Spanish grand prix in 2013 with Scuderia Ferrari. To date, the Spaniard has participated in over 300 grand prix races since his debut with Minardi F1 team in 2001.
It was also during this period of abysmal machinery performance that spurred Alonso to attempt the unofficial ‘Triple Crown of motorsport’- winning three prestigious motor races that are the Monaco Grand Prix, 24-hours of Le Mans, and the Indianapolis 500. To date, only Graham Hill has achieved this monumental feat with the race victories notched up between the late 60s and early 70s. Alonso has achieved race victories in the first two motor races.
Fernando Alonso participated in the 2017 Indianapolis 500, his first attempt at the prestigious American race
With his Formula One commitment set to end in 2018, Alonso will have more time and preparation to return to Indy 500 for a victory and thus, achieve the prestigious Triple Crown.
Fernando Alonso and Toyota Gazoo Racing return to racing this weekend at the 6-hours of Silverstone and then resuming his Formula One duties after a month-long summer break in the McLaren MCL33 at the Belgian grand prix next weekend.
Image credit: McLaren F1 Team twitter and Fernandoalonso.com


Isuzu D-Max Updated For 2018 With New Equipment And Colour

Isuzu Malaysia has officially introduced the updated D-Max with new equipment both inside and out. On top of that, a new colour option is also available.
Inside, the Isuzu D-Max 2.5L and 3.0L is now equipped with a new 8.0-inch touch screen infotainment system with GPS navigation, Smart Mirroring, Wi-Fi, USB, AUX and Bluetooth connectivity. The new infotainment system features a built-in locator for Isuzu outlets, allowing customers to locate service outlets easily.
Continuing inside, the Isuzu D-Max Premium 3.0L and Z-Prestige receive new leather seats with a sporty design with rectangular geometric shapes.
The Isuzu D-Max Z-Prestige now comes standard with a sliding cargo tray, which is optional for the other D-Max variants.
On top of the new equipment, the Isuzu D-Max can be had with Cavalry Purple Mica, a new colour that replaces Nautilus Blue Mica.
Masayuki Suzuki, Isuzu Malaysia’s Chief Operating Officer said, “The enhanced D-Max retains our core values (fuel efficiency, durability and reliability) and the exterior and interior improvements are made in accordance to the user needs so that it will be favourably acknowledged by users in Malaysia.”


Fast Lanes for Commercial Lorries at Roadblocks along PLUS during COVID-19

Commercial vehicles such as lorries and trucks transporting essential necessities like food, perishables, medical goods as well as petroleum fuel will have quicker clearance at the roadblocks via a dedicated fast lane. This is to speed up the movement of essential items.

This move by the Traffic Police will also enable Ministry of Health officers, doctors, nurses and enforcement agencies to speedily reach their target destinations throughout the COVID-19 period.

If you are unsure of road diversions or inspections, call the PDRM Hotline at 03-2266 3356 for the latest updates.

Critical services such as the PLUSRonda and the toll-free PLUSLine 1800 88 0000 are still available 24-hours a day in the event of emergencies.

Most importantly let us all adhere to the MCO, flatten the spread of COVID-19 and be safe.


Frankfurt 2017: Volkswagen Shows Off T-Roc, Aimed at Mazda CX-3, Ford EcoSport

There has been much ado about the T-Roc, Volkswagen's latest compact SUV, and we finally got to see it in the metal at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The T-Roc is aimed at models like the Mazda CX-3 and Ford EcoSport, being slightly smaller in actual dimensions than a Honda HR-V or the Toyota C-HR.
As you can see here, it borrows a lot of design language from its larger sister, the Tiguan. As we explained in our previous story, the T-Roc is built on the MQB platform as well- albeit in a much smaller form. It also comes in a two-tone paintwork, including a contrasting coloured roof, which is a first for a Volkswagen SUV.
This two-tone scheme is fast becoming a trend among compact crossovers, as evidenced by cars like the Renault Captur. The overall shape is traditionally SUV, although the rear end tapers a little more than the normal two-box design to denote its crossover design brief.
Also put on show as the R-Line variant of the T-Roc, which comes with extra R-Line bits and bobs for a more aggressive look. Despite its small size, the T-Roc maintains that premium feel that Volkswagen products are known for with a modern looking dashboard and dash cluster. The interior trim pieces are also body-colour matched, which is again one of the quirks of modern compact crossovers.
There will be six engine variants available for the T-Roc, in both petrol and diesel flavours. If the T-Roc is to come here, we can expect the smaller petrol engine variants given the nature of the competition and the fact that the Tiguan is already offered with the 1.4-litre TSI engine.
Key things to note are the rather expansive boot space, with 445 litres available even with the seats up- topping the Honda HR-V at 437 litres, and the Mazda CX-3's rather diminutive 264 litres. This figure can go up to 1,290 litres with the seats folded down, but this doesn't quite match the HRV's figure at 1,462 litres of available space in the same configuration.


Cycle & Carriage Celebrates 120th Anniversary With Star Galleria, Rubbishes Rumours Of Exit

If the customer can’t come to the showroom, then bring the showroom to the customer. That’s the intent of Cycle & Carriage Bintang Berhad’s (Cycle & Carriage) latest initiative to grow its Mercedes-Benz dealership business – the Star Galleria mobile showroom.
The 20 x 8 feet mobile showroom, or as Mercedes-Benz calls it - Autohaus – will be touring to towns not represented by the company’s 13 outlets. The mobile showroom is equipped with Wi-Fi and in-built digital devices, as well as refreshments counter, thus creating a comfortable space for customers to explore the Mercedes-Benz range and financing offers. Selected Mercedes-Benz models will also be available for test drives.
The Star Galleria tour kicked off today at Plaza Arkadia in Desa Park City, Kuala Lumpur and will be heading off to Kulim next weekend.
“This is our effort to enhance the automotive retailing experience, blending a mobile approach that gives customers a taste of that Mercedes Benz luxury with Cycle & Carriage’s hospitality, in places that are unexpected. Leveraging our extensive network and deep-rooted presence in Malaysia, we believe that the Star Galleria will provide Mercedes-Benz fans a more personal and memorable brand experience truly whenever and wherever,” said Cycle & Carriage CEO Wilfrid Foo.
When asked to comment about rumours of Cycle & Carriage exiting the Mercedes-Benz retail business, CEO Wilfrid Foo said, “The reality is that we don’t respond to rumours and speculations, that’s the honest truth. As you can see we are celebrating our 120th anniversary. We have also invested convincingly across our network, refurbishing our outlets in Mutiara Damansara, Ipoh, and Johor Bahru. That shows our commitment to the Mercedes-Benz network and Mercedes-Benz brand, towards our retailing and after-sales business for many years to come.”
“I do not want to respond to rumours but I want to tell you that retailing and after-sales businesses are core for Cycle and Carriage Bintang, and we intend to retain our Mercedes-Benz customers for many years to come,” said Foo, who stressed that on-ground activities like the Star Galleria mobile showroom initiative, is sufficient to answer any rumours of Cycle & Carriage’s exit.
“Cycle & Carriage, a made in Malaysia brand, is proud to be here for 120 years and we intend to continue doing so for many more years to come,” he added.
Cycle & Carriage CEO Wilfrid Foo.
Earlier last week, a report by The Edge Malaysia Weekly, which was later repeated by BFM radio, claimed that Cycle & Carriage could exit the retail business to focus only on selling spare parts and servicing Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Citing unnamed sources who are not from Cycle and Carriage, the report also claimed that Cycle & Carriage will sell the retail business to national sales company Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM).
In December last year, Cycle and Carriage sold its 49 percent stake in MBM to Daimler AG, but this should not be misread as step to Cycle and Carriage exiting the Mercedes-Benz retail business.
Separately, MBM’s Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for Passenger Cars Mark Raine has reiterated that MBM’s business is in wholesale and it has no interest in retail.
“We congratulate Cycle & Carriage on its 120th anniversary, an impressive milestone. Mercedes-Benz Malaysia and Cycle & Carriage share a long-term partnership and friendship spanning 67 years. Cycle & Carriage is key to the expansion of the Mercedes-Benz brand in Malaysia. They complement our extensive product range with best-in-class service. We look forward to continue building on this friendship to better serve our customers and fans,” said Raine.
Founded by the Chua brothers as the Federal Stores in 1899, Cycle and Carriage now operates in Malaysia, Singapore and Myanmar. The company is primarily associated with Mercedes-Benz but in Singapore, the brand also represents Citroen, Mitsubishi, and Kia. In Myanmar, it also sells Mazda vehicles.


Ubah Suai Kereta Mengikut JPJ – Halal vs Haram

Walaupun ianya kereta anda, namun anda berisiko untuk dikenakan tindakan seperti saman sekiranya anda
mengubah suai kereta
 tanpa mengikut spesifikasi yang dikeluarkan oleh JPJ.

Seksyen (12) Akta Pengangkutan Jalan 1987 telah menetapkan keperluan undang-undang mengenai sebarang pengubahsuaian kepada kenderaan sebelum dan selepas pendaftarannya. Rujuk info dibawah untuk mengetahui pengubahsuaian kenderaan persendirian yang dibenarkan serta
dilarang
 oleh JPJ.

Pengubahsuaian Kenderaan Persendirian

Bagi mereka yang ingin mengubah suai kereta, ada pengubahsuaian atau pemasangan aksesori yang boleh dilakukan tanpa mendapatkan kelulusan daripada JPJ. Namun begitu, pengubahsuaian atau pemasangan
aksesori
 tersebut mestilah mengikut panduan yang telah ditetapkan.

Ubah Suai Yang Dibenarkan

Pemasangan
air spoiler, side skirt
 dan
aerofoil
 pada kenderaan.

Pemasangan
door visor
 pada kenderaan.

Pemasangan tambahan bumper pada bahagian hadapan atau belakang kenderaan dan
protecting guards
 (
Kangaroo Bar
) pada bahagian hadapan kenderaan.

Pemasangan rim dan tayar yang lebih besar.

Pemasangan
sun roof / moon roof / canvas top
 di atas bumbung kenderaan

Pemasangan membawa tangga / bot /
surf board

Penukaran kotak gear manual / automatik

Pemasangan kanopi / kanvas

Pemasangan
Winch, Winch Bar, Side Step, Rear Bar
 dan
Snorkel

Pemasangan
roof-rack
 (rel bumbung) /
Bike Carrier

Pemasangan
spotlight

Ubah Suai Yang Tidak Dibenarkan

Pemasangan
bodypart / bodykit
 yang menyebabkan perubahan pada identiti kenderaan.

Pemasangan
rollcage
 sebagai aksesori dalaman pada kenderaan.

Pemasangan lampu HID secara retrofit.

Penukaran sistem pacuan.

Lampu berkelip-kelip (selain daripada lampu penunjuk arah dan lampu berjaga-jaga) pada bahagian hadapan atau belakang kereta.

Pemasangan apa – apa lampu tambahan selain warna putih / amber pada bahagian hadapan dan selain warna merah / amber pada bahagian belakang.

Pemasangan hon yang berirama atau hon dengan dua nada.

Pemasangan cermin gelap atau tinted film pada cermin hadapan dengan ketelusan cahaya kurang daripada 70%.

Pemasangan cermin gelap atau tinted film pada cermin sisi dengan ketelusan cahaya kurang daripada 50% dan belakang dengan ketelusan cahaya kurang daripada 30%.

Penggunaan tayar kepak atau tayar yang terkeluar dari badan kereta

*Kredit foto:ONLY HAND Garage

Ubah Suai Yang Dibenarkan, Tapi Perlukan Kelulusan

Kenderaan Persendirian

Pengubahsuaian ke atas kenderaan OKU.

Penukaran sistem bahan bakar.

Penukaran enjin.

Status kenderaan Vintaj/Klasik

Penukaran Panel struktur kenderaan (kes kemalangan)

Kenderaan Perdagangan

Pengubahan ke atas bes roda kenderaan.

Pemasangan iklan (utk kenderaan
decontrolled
 sahaja)

Mengubah bilangan tempat duduk

Penukaran Had Berat

Pemasangan Pagar Sisi & Kanvas

Penukaran Kabin

Pemasangan Lantai/Lapik Besi

Mengubah Kegunaan Kenderaan

Penukaran Gandar

Penukaran Jenis Badan

Untuk pengubahsuaian di atas atau yang sama dengannya, permohonan boleh dikemukakan kepada Bahagian Kejuruteraan Automotif di JPJ Negeri yang berhampiran.


Tarif Elektrik Di Semenanjung Kekal Tahun Ini

Tarif elektrik
 bagi pengguna domestik kategori kediaman serta pengguna bukan domestik (komersial dan industri) di Semenanjung Malaysia kekal bagi tempoh 1 Julai hingga 31 Disember ini.

Keputusan tersebut dibuat melalui pelarasaan tarif elektrik di bawah pelaksanaan mekanisme Ketidakseimbangan Pelepasan Kos Bahan Api (ICPT).

Pelaksanaan Mekanisme ICPT

Menurut Suruhanjaya Tenaga (ST), pelaksanaan mekanisme ICPT membolehkan:

Pemberian rebat 2 sen/kWj dikekalkan

Tiada surcaj dikenakan untuk pengguna domestik

Surcaj 3.70 sen/kWj untuk pengguna bukan domestik dikekalkan

ST turut memaklumkan jumlah keseluruhan peruntukan pemberian rebat dan kos surcaj ICPT yang ditanggung oleh kerajaan adalah sebanyak RM5.8 bilion.

ST turut mengesahkan bahawa kerajaan sudah bersetuju supaya pelarasan tarif elektrik di bawah mekanisme ICPT bagi pengguna di Semenanjung dilaksanakan untuk tempoh 1 Julai hingga 31 Disember ini.

Peruntukan Kerajaan Bagi Mengekalkan Tarif

Dengan mengekalkan pemberian rebat semasa dan tanggungan kos surcaj ICPT sepenuhnya kepada semua pengguna domestik, kerajaan memperuntukkan dana sebanyak RM2.3 bilion untuk menanggung kos tersebut.

Selain itu, ST turut memaklumkan bahawa kerajaan juga memperuntukkan sejumlah RM3.5 bilion untuk memastikan surcaj ICPT semasa dikekalkan kepada pengguna bukan domestik seperti komersial dan industri daripada dikenakan keseluruhan surcaj yang sepatutnya pada 11.81 sen/kWj.

Harga Arang Batu Meningkat

Menurut ST, berlaku peningkatan dalam kos bahan api dan kos penjanaan lain sebanyak RM7 bilion atau bersamaan dengan surcaj ICPT pada kadar 11.81 sen/kWj bagi tempoh 1 Januari hingga 30 Jun ini.

Ia ekoran kenaikan harga arang batu di pasaran dunia sehingga mencecah AS$265 per tan berbanding dengan kadar AS$79 per tan yang diunjurkan dalam kadar tarif asas
Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB),
 dan antara puncanya adalah berikutan krisis global yang berlaku dan kekangan bekalan arang batu dunia.

Lebih 80% daripada elektrik yang dijana di Malaysia menggunakan arang batu dan gas.

*Kredit foto: Bernama

Kos Bahan Api, Penjanaan Elektrik Disemak Setiap 6 Bulan

Di bawah mekanisme ICPT, ST menjelaskan bahawa kos bahan api dan kos penjanaan elektrik akan disemak setiap enam bulan dan dilepaskan kepada pengguna elektrik dalam bentuk rebat atau surcaj bergantung kepada penjimatan atau peningkatan kos terbabit.

Sebagai langkah untuk meminimumkan kos bil elektrik, pengguna elektrik di Semenanjung digalakkan untuk memanfaatkan Program Net Energy Metering (NEM), selain digalakkan untuk melaksanakan langkah-langkah menggunakan elektrik dengan cekap.

Pengguna juga boleh menganggarkan kos bil elektrik bulanan pada masa akan datang dengan menggunakan kalkulator tarif elektrik melalui portal
www.myelectricitybill.my
 dan memasukkan unjuran harga arang batu dan gas serta kadar tukaran wang asing untuk membuat anggaran kos ICPT pada tempoh pelarasan tarif akan datang.

Kenaikan tarif elektrik semestinya menyumbang terhadap kenaikan harga barang seperti barang dapur hinggalah kepada
harga kereta
. Namun dengan pengumuman kerajaan ini, pengguna
kereta elektrik
 mungkin boleh menarik nafas lega buat masa ini tetapi adakah harga barang masih akan meningkat meskipun harga tarif elektrik kekal sehingga hujung tahun ini?


Was This The Worse Day In The World For This Ferrari 458 Italia Owner?

For this unlucky
Ferrari
 458 Italia owner, it was really an “out of the frying pan and into the fire” moment that saw him receive a summon that listed three road separate offences.

According to the
Trafik KL Facebook page
, the exotic supercar had unfortunately ran out of petrol while on the Mahameru highway, causing a disruption in traffic flow. Soon, a police officer arrived at the scene and concluded that it was the driver’s fault for not ensuring that the 4.5-litre V8 engine in his
Ferrari 458
 was constantly fed with sufficient petrol from the fuel tank to keep it going. Strike one.

Following that, the same police officer also noticed that the vehicle’s registration plates at the front and back were both illegal in nature as they did not follow the regulations set by our Road Transport Department (JPJ). Strike two and three there.

[UPDATE]
 Thanks to Facebook user Abdul who provided this photo that shows the beautiful blue Ferrari receiving some petrol to help get it going again.

It’s also funny to note how it says on item number two, “No. pendaftaran hadapan fancy” which for our non-Bahasa Malaysia speaking readers, translates to: Fancy registration plate at the front.

It just goes to show that no matter what car we drive, constant vigilance on the amount of fuel in our tanks is important to ensure not just that we reach our destination comfortably but also to avoid unwanted and shall we say, embarrassing situations like this.

Also, if you’re thinking of standing out from the crowd with unique number plates, we really think you should reconsider after this too.

Image(s) source:
Trafik KL Facebook page


2023 Proton X90 will only be available at selected dealers?

The
2023 Proton X90
 was officially previewed yesterday in all of its glory but if you're planning to buy one in the near future, you might need to check with the dealers first.

Marketed as the brand's most premium product (and also Proton's first mild-hybrid model), the D-segment three-row SUV will not be available at all of its 3S and 4S centres here in Malaysia. A Q&A session with Proton's higher ranks yesterday revealed that only selected dealers will be given the opportunity to sell the upcoming Proton X90.

For the dealers to be eligible to sell and provide aftersales services for future Proton X90 owners, Proton will look into the overall performance of each 3S and 4S centre. Things like sales records, after-sales performance, customer satisfaction, and more will be looked into in order for any of them to be 'eligible' to sell the brand's most premium model yet.

With that being said, this will either be true or it's a bid from Proton's HQ to push all of its dealers to improve their overall performances in the coming months, and ultimately, all dealers will be 'allowed' to sell the Proton X90 model.

The latter is most likely to be the more logical approach because Proton also mentioned that they're confident that the Proton X90 will do well in terms of sales. How well? They're looking at matching the numbers of the
Proton X70
, which was around 18,500 units sold in 2022.

Production of the new 2023 Proton X90 has already begun at the brand's plant in Tanjung Malim, Perak. The plan is to build enough stock in the inventory to ensure that once the car is officially launched (we're guessing it'll be in May), waiting periods will be kept to a minimum.

To know more about the 2023 Proton X90,
CLICK HERE
.


The 2021 Geely Boyue Asian Games Edition Looks Like A SUV That Proton Would Have Made

Geely recently launched the Boyue Asian Games Edition, an SUV Proton would have loved to make.

Just as you think that the Geely-Proton partnership is a one-way street, a new vehicle emerges from the Geely ranks, looking like a car from Proton's playbook instead of Geely's.

The car we are referring to is, of course, the  Geely Boyue Asian Games Edition, a recently launched special edition model based on the regular Boyue (we call it
X70
 in Malaysia) for the 19th Asian Games, which will be held at the Chinese carmaker's home city of Hangzhou next year.

Some of the Geely Boyue Asian Games Edition's key highlights include the Infinite Weave grille, as seen on the Proton X70, red accents on the brake calipers and rocker panels, 19-inch wheels shod with Continental's UltraContact tyres as well as a brown leather interior.

It appears the inspiration for this special edition Boyue came from Proton. Before the introduction of the Infinite Weave grille on the Proton X70 and
X50
, Geely already had the 'Expanding Cosmos' grilles adorning their front fascia. It does make sense however to bring out a special edition model with a different look by using what they already have in their automotive group parts bin. Since the weave grille from the X50 does look a bit more sporty, it's no surprise that they have chosen to kit out the Boyue sport-oriented special edition model with it.

The splash of red colour on the rocker panel instead of the regular chrome trim seen on the regular Boyue also seems to be influenced by the
Special Edition Proton
 models which sport yellow coloured accents across the front and side.

But the one attribute that the special edition SUV has, like the Protons of yore, is its Lotus-tuned chassis, which brings more than just a new aesthetic look to the car.

The Lotus-tuned chassis on the Boyue Asian Games Edition is more than just some suspension tweaks, as a new rear subframe has been swapped in, which is said to be 25 percent lighter and 20 percent stronger. The company says that the new hardware has improved the Boyue's handling on and off the road.

Similar to what Proton has recently done with their Special Edition models, the Boyue has received no powertrain upgrades and utilizes what is already in Geely's parts bin, in the form of a 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine making 181 hp and 300 Nm of torque. Interestingly, there is a choice of a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch transmission for the car.

The Boyue Asian Games Edition with the manual gearbox goes for RM58,064 in our local currency, while the DCT option is priced at RM68,836.

All these
Lotus-tuned chassis
 upgrades jogged our memories back to 1998 where the
Satria GTI
 was first introduced, two years after Proton acquired an 80 percent stake in the famed British automotive company. The Satria GTI could do the century sprint in 8.5 seconds, making it one of the fastest Proton production models ever produced. It was also the first Proton car to carry the famous "Handling by Lotus" badge.

Sadly In 2017, Geely bought a 51 percent stake in the firm, while Etika Automotive Sdn Bhd from Malaysia controls the remaining 49 percent.

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.

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.

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Mercedes-Benz Is Going On The EQ Model Offensive

Electric cars are going to be the name of the game in the coming years, and Mercedes-Benz has prepared itself extremely well for the expected changes in consumer demands and regulations.

Six new models by 2022. That's the headline that Mercedes-Benz is going for with their most recent announcement - and all of these models are expected to be electric. They may be electric variants of the cars we know and love, but if the EQC SUV is anything to go by, you can exepct them to be highly competitive and perfectly at home in the Mercedes-Benz range.

In the first half of next year, we are going to see the launch fo the EQS luxury sedan. Both the EQA and EQB compact SUVs are also going to go into production next year, the former being in Rastatt, Germany, and the latter in Kecskemét, Hungary - in addition to Beijing, China.

The EQE business sedan - an electric E-Class if you will - will also see production kicking off next year at that same Beijing plant that will produce the EQA and EQB. Arguably, the Beijing plant could be the most important for Mercedes-Benz as it will undoubtedly supply more than just the Chinese market should demand spike rapidly.

If you're keeping count, that's four models spoken for. 2022 will see the production launch of SUV variants of the EQS and EQE sedans, and given how the market is constantly pushing towards SUVs this won't be seen as a misstep on
Mercedes-Benz's
 part.

To support this incredibly rapid increase in production figures, the Mercedes-Benz battery production network will also ramp up in Hedelfingen, Germany effective immediately, while SUV-specific battery production will ramp up at their Kamenz plant in Germany and Jawor plant in Poland. Over in the United States, Tuscaloosa will be making the batteries for the upcoming EQS and EQE SUVs due in 2022.

All of these models will be based on
new electric vehicle platforms
 - while you would think there would be benefits in economies of scale for platform sharing, Mercedes-Benz expects demand for these electric models to be so high that they will practically achieve the necessary scale on their own steam.


Mr. Minister, Sorry But You Are Greatly Misinformed About Volvo

Earlier today, a report by The Star quoted Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan, Second Minister of International Trade and Industry as saying that locally-assembled Volvo cars will arrive in Malaysia by 2022, to be produced at Proton’s Tanjung Malim plant. He also added that Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co (which owns Volvo Car as well as half of Proton Holdings) plans to make Malaysia as the Swedish car maker’s export hub for the ASEAN region.
Ong was quoted saying “Geely is definitely bringing Volvo to Tanjung Malim. While Volvos are sold in Malaysia, it does not have a sophisticated plant in the country to produce them and Geely plans to do it in a big way,”
Another report by the same English daily also said that Volvo plans to use Malaysia as its base to penetrate the 620 million population ASEAN region in a big way.
Well here’s the problem: Volvo does have a sophisticated, export-capable plant in Malaysia, and Malaysia-assembled Volvos have been here since 1968. No need to wait until 2022 because Malaysia has been operating as Volvo’s regional hub for ASEAN since 2012.
Earlier this year, prior to Geely’s deal with Proton, Volvo Car Malaysia had already announced that its
Malaysian plant will be expanding its export
 destinations to include Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and even Taiwan. This is on top of the company’s existing export operations to Thailand.
The oversight is quite embarrassing because the Swedes have long history of supporting Malaysia’s automotive industry.
Volvo was the first car company to establish a vehicle assembly plant in Malaysia and is one of the few brands that export finished vehicles from Malaysia.
Not only that, the plant in Malaysia was Volvo’s first outside of Sweden and until today, Malaysia is the only country outside of Sweden to assemble that XC90. Not just any XC90, but the most sophisticated plug-in hybrid variant that produces 407 PS of power - the Inscription trimmed XC90 T8 model! Not even Volvo plants in Belgium or China gets the honour!
Here’s a brief overview of the relationship between Volvo and Malaysia.
In the early ‘60s, Malaysia embarked on an ambitious plant to diversify its economic base to reduce the country’s reliance on agricultural produce, by establishing heavy industries. An important substitution policy was implemented and taxes were imposed on imported products.
At that time, our little country in South East Asia was only known for rubber trees, tin mining and little else. When we announced to the world that we want to establish a car industry, not many took us seriously but the egalitarian Swedes at Volvo were the first to raise their hands, and said that they will help us and teach us.
Volvo was the first car company to setup a vehicle assembly plant in Malaysia. Located in Shah Alam, construction started in early 1967. The plant was then known as Swedish Motor Assemblies and the first Malaysia-assembled Volvo rolled off the plant in November 1967, a Volvo 144S sedan. However the plant was only officiated in February 1968.
The British, Germans and Japanese came slightly later – Inchcape Motor’s Assembly Services plant opposite Volvo’s facility was setup in 1968. It assembled for several European brands before switching to produce Toyota vehicles exclusively.
The same year also saw Oriental Assemblers’ in Johor Bahru assembling Honda vehicles, before it was transferred to Honda Malaysia’s plant in Pegoh, Melaka in 2003.
By 1976, Nissan vehicles were being put together at the Tan Chong Motor Assemblies plant in Segambut. For a short period of time before Segambut plant was ready, Nissan vehicles were actually assembled in Swedish Motor Assemblies alongside Volvos.
Back in 2012, Volvo Car was not in the best of health. The new generation of SPA platform 90-series and 60-series cars developed with Geely's money have yet to reach the market. Volvo had a plant in both Thailand and Malaysia and as their sales volume were very low, they had to choose to keep only one plant. In a very surprising move, the Swedes chose Malaysia over Thailand.
Today, the manufacturing facility is now known as Volvo Car Manufacturing (formerly known as Swedish Motor Assemblies). It’s a wholly owned subsidiary of the Sweden’s Volvo Car Group.
The plant might be very old but Volvo has invested RM20 million to upgrade the plant to accommodate Volvo’s latest SPA platform and plug-in hybrid technology. This does not include the investments made earlier. In 2013, it became the first car plant in Malaysia to introduce laser welding, for the V40.
Currently, the plant produces the V40, S60, XC60 (outgoing generation), XC90. The S90 and V90 are currently imported but plans are underway to locally-assemble them later.
We hope the oversight, by a MITI minister nonetheless, will be overlooked by Volvo’s decision makers at Gothenburg and Hangzhou, because the rest of us Malaysians are truly grateful for Volvo’s contribution to Malaysia.
We should also point out that neither the Volvo Car Group nor its owner Zhejiang Geely has said anything about assembling Volvo vehicles at Proton's Tanjung Malim plant. These comments came only from the Malaysian government.
Our friends at Astro’s Behind The Wheel (formerly known as Car Malaysia) were was granted a rare visit to Volvo Car Manufacturing last year. Here’s their video.
Here’s another from another one of our friend Bobby Ang from EvoMalaysia.com, explaining how sophisticated the Volvo XC90 T8 is. While you watch it, remember that this car is assembled and exported out of Malaysia.
And while we are listing down Volvo videos, we have to also include the
best car ad of 2017
 by far. In this ad, Volvo compressed the life story of a young girl, intertwining it with the story a sleep deprived young woman struggling to get through her work day, and how everything could be tragically lost in a split second - be warned, you will tear up.


Ops Aidilfitri Stacks Up 170 JPJ Bookings Within First Day

On the first day of Ops Hari Raya Aidilfitri, which began on Saturday, July 11, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) has booked 170 road users for various offences over the course of inspecting 1,030 vehicles.
JPJ’s director-general Datuk Seri Ismail Ahmad, in a report by Bernama, said that operation began at 12 midnight. During the course of which, seven drivers had to perform urine tests conducted by the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) for driving under the influence of illicit substances.
In addition, he told the newswire, the police had issued 54 summonses and the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) had booked two individuals over the same period of the integrated operation. In total, over 1,800 state JPJ personnel are involved in the effort.
At the Batu toll plaza along the Duke Highway, Ismail told reporters:  “The integrated operation involving various enforcement agencies was conducted to ensure safety on the roads during the festive season.”
In Kuala Terengganu, however, the state’s JPJ personnel are clamping down on errant motorcycle riders to reduce accidents involving them as well as pillion riders during this year’s festive season.
Its director Abdul Rahman Emang Anyie stated their aim was to reduce road accidents involving motorcyclists, as they are the largest contributors road accidents overall in the state.


Honda could launch new sports car to celebrate 75th anniversary

Honda Europe vice president has said that an unveiling of a Honda sportscar is "imminent". Could it be the long-awaited Honda S2000?

When it comes to performance-oriented Japanese cars, the spotlight in recent years has constantly shined on Toyota, as they have launched a slew of performance vehicles which have been an instant hit.

Well, it seems that Honda wants to
join in on the sportscar fun
 as rumours are starting to circulate that the Minato-based brand is about to debut a sportscar in conjunction with its 75th anniversary.

Rendering by
Rain Prisk
 on what a revived Honda S2000 could look like

According to Autocar, Honda Europe vice president Tom Gardner has said that an unveiling of a sports car is "imminent". "Watch this space: [2023 is] 75 years - we had the S2000 at 50. Who knows…"

Could it be the long-awaited revival of the S2000? Of course, Gardner didn't say anything, but he was cryptic with his words. "We will characterise the brand, particularly in Europe, as two words – we work very closely with R&D to ensure that our products will embody this – which are 'advanced' and 'sporty'", he said.

"We love a sports car. We love performance, and we're very grateful for the strong reaction we've had to the latest Type R. There is huge demand for it, and the performance has been very well appreciated", said the European division boss.

Many fans will pray to the Honda gods that the
car due to be unveiled would be an S2000
, but we think it's most likely to be a full electric successor to the NSX, which will coincide with their latest assault on the electric vehicle sector.

What gave it away was the constant talk of technology by Gardner, who said "Honda has a very strong technology base. Not technology just for the sake of technology, but technology that adds new value to customers".

When the world bid farewell to the modern Honda NSX in 2022, Acura Vice President and Brand Officer Jon Ikeda hinted the performance machine would return at some point in the future as an electric model.

According to an interview conducted by Nikkei Asia in 2022, Jon Ikeda said: "I would bet on it (return of the NSX)," adding that "it's going to be electric".

Of course, the power of dreams is always there, but if we joined all the dots together, the unveiling would probably see some sort of electrified Honda, which right now points towards the Honda NSX.

We could be wrong, and we hope we are, as we're looking forward to a new S2000 more than an NSX.