Honda's Concept D Is The Mother Of Its SUVs, Revealed At Auto Shanghai 2015

Famed for its fantastic SUVs around the world,
Honda
 Motor (China) Investment has just unveiled a brand-new concept vehicle at the on-going Auto Shangai 2015 show: meet the Honda Concept D.
The Concept D is a preview of a super-sized, “top-end SUV” that’s being primed exclusively for the China domestic market, where it will enter mass production at some point of the brand’s future there. Currently, the largest Honda SUV sold officially in China is the
CR-V
 – the Concept D will be a bigger vehicle, but it isn’t clear if this will trump even the US-market Honda Pilot.
High-quality driving, a spacious cabin, advanced safety tech and features, are all Honda have spoken about the car’s characteristics, apart from the fact that this will be positioned as a “new flagship model of Honda in China” when it goes on sale, being manufacturer from both Guangqi Honda and Dongfeng Honda.
President of Honda Motor China Investment, Seiji Kuraishi, said, “Including this Concept D, which is a proposal for a new value that only Honda can provide as the pioneer of the SUV market in China. We would like to continue providing attractive products equipped with our advanced technologies to our customers in China. Toward this end, we will accelerate the localization of our business in China.”


New Vehicle Sales To Fall 2 Percent This Year

Malaysia’s automotive industry is expected to contract even further to 647,000 units this year, estimates RHB Research. This means that 2016 could potentially see a second consecutive year of decline for new vehicle sales in Malaysia, pending the final tabulated numbers for 2015 by the Malaysia Automotive Association (MAA) later this month.
RHB said it understands that 2015’s numbers are likely to fall to 665,000 vehicles while market research company Frost and Sullivan is projecting 657,500 vehicles, down 1.3 percent from the record sales of 666,465 vehicles in 2014.
RHB Research expects this year’s sales to be poorer than 2015 as many consumers had brought forward their purchase to 2015, in anticipation of higher prices in 2016 due to our weakening Ringgit.
“TIV (total industry volume) in 1Q16 may shock on the downside after buyers advanced their purchase decisions to avoid higher prices. Sector margins will remain under pressure, with headwinds overwhelming and risks weighted on the downside,” said the financial research house in its Auto and Automotive parts sector report for January 2016.
It added: “We see a difficult year ahead for companies in the sector. Sentiment continues to wane as consumers become increasingly cautious of committing to big ticket discretionary spending given the rising cost of living. The sharp decline in the MYR could manifest itself in 2016 in the form of higher car prices that consumers will take some time to adapt to. We believe there is a low probability that USD/MYR may be able to strengthen above MYR4.00 this year, with RHB forecasting an average rate of MYR4.34.
“Margins would remain under pressure in an increasingly competitive market place, while price-sensitive consumers may demand for the best deal and could decide to trade down, diluting the model mix. National auto manufacturers will not be immune, as the middle-income target market is especially susceptible to spikes in the cost of living”
On automotive stocks to buy or sell, it said: “We see few re-rating catalysts for the auto sector in 2016. Headwinds remain overwhelming with few positives to highlight. Accordingly, we expect TIV to contract further in 2016 to 640,000 units. The outlook for demand and profit margins remains challenging in the face of weak sentiment. Risks remain weighted on the downside.”
It maintained its Buy call for Berjaya Auto’s stocks (
Mazda
) on the back of “strong product pipeline, expectations of further gains in market share from a small base and compelling product range” but called Sell for UMW’s (
Toyota
,
Perodua
) and Tan Chong’s (
Nissan
) stocks.


Nikkei: New Mazda SkyActiv HCCI Engine By 2018; 30 Percent More Efficient

It is known for sometime that the next generation improvement of Mazda’s SkyActiv engine family will feature Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) technology.
Unlike existing petrol engines, HCCI engines are ignited by compression, making them closer in behaviour to diesel engines instead.
We have earlier
speculated that this new generation of engines will be introduced in the next-generation Mazda 6
 expected to launch later this year, but a
report by the
Nikkei Asian Review
 has pinned it instead to the next-generation Mazda 3 that is being slated for 2018.
The new engines are expected to be more powerful. Rumoured figures suggest outputs of 170PS / 210Nm for the 2.0-litre engine and 210PS / 275Nm for the 2.5. The report from
Nikkei
 also highlights up to 30% gains in fuel efficiency.
It is estimated that with this new engine, the next-gen Mazda 3 can be as economical as 3.3 litres/100km without the use of hybrid technology.


Fuel Price Update: 1st June to 14th June - RON 97 Down 13 Sen

The Ministry of Finance Malaysia has announced the updated prices of petrol and diesel fuels starting from 1st June to 14th June.
The price of RON97 petrol will decrease by 13 sen to RM 2.63 per litre, while the price of RON95 petrol is capped at RM 2.08 per litre.
The price of diesel will remain capped at RM 2.18 per litre for Euro 2M and RM 2.28 for Euro 5 respectively.
In summary, the prices for petrol and diesel are listed below:
RON95 – RM 2.08 per litre (unchanged, capped)
RON97 – RM 2.63 per litre (down 13 sen)
Diesel Euro 2M – RM 2.18 per litre (unchanged, capped)
Diesel Euro 5M – RM 2.28 per litre (unchanged, capped)


BMW i4 Now Priced At RM390k - Bookings Open For 340PS Electric Gran Coupe

After a few months of patient waiting, those keen to see a ‘proper’ BMW take up an electric powertrain on Malaysian roads can now put their names down for an i4 eDrive40 M Sport, which now boasts an
on-the-road price of RM389,800
.

Obviously, the pricing is with the
government’s EV incentives in place
, which now exempts all electric passenger cars from import duty and excise duty. Owners will also not be required to pay any road tax until beyond 2025.

More Power For Less Dollar

As a value proposition, it certainly is very compelling, coming in at just a few thousand Ringgits less than a
430i M Sport (Coupe)
, which current goes for RM396k with a 50% SST discount. In fact, the i4's listed price is inclusive of BMW’s 5-year Extended Warranty and Service Package, so opting out of that (if possible) for the standard 2-year coverage plan will slash it even further.

Along with the iX3 and iX, the i4’s battery is covered by a separate 8-year warranty. Phew!

The BMW i4 is one of those cars you’ve seen
making official appearances in Malaysia
, yet have not heard that many details about. With its price and details on its final specification now published, the sleek four-door EV is finally, truly here.

The 3rd fully electric entry into BMW Malaysia’s zero emissions portfolio is obviously based on the G26 4 Series Gran Coupe, but crucially has had its petrol/diesel engine replaced with an electric motor and underfloor lithium battery.

Silent Sub-M Car

BMW have not messed with the styling too much with only very subtle hints that this isn’t your typical 4 Series. It’s a more restrained visual treatment than was given to their
other EV convert, the iX3
, from which this i4 takes its powertrain tech.

That said, the automaker has endowed the i4 with a little more power and torque with its single rear-mounted electric motor (yes, it’s RWD) delivering a punchy 340PS and 430Nm of torque for a 0-100km/h sprint of 5.7 seconds.

Coupled to an impressively large capacity 83.9kWh battery, it should have pretty epic endurance with WLTP cycle testing yielding a published range of 590km on a single charge.

As usual, it supports AC (up to 11kW) and faster DC charging (up to 200kW, 50kW more than the iX) with the latter capable of refilling its energy reserves from between 10% and 80% in just 31 minutes.

Inside looks awfully familiar to the G26 4 Series or even the G20 3 Series, however instead more traditionally shaped instrument binnacle housing a digital instrument cluster, the i4 features a single curved panel that houses a 12.3-inch panel for the driver and a 14.9-inch touchscreen just above the centre stack.

Other cabin highlights include a 360-degree camera, a Qi wireless charger, 3-zone climate control, and a 525-watt Harman Kardon audio system with 17-speakers.

Buyers can also choose between Black, Mocha, or Tacora Red (our favourite) for the Sensatec faux leather upholstery. The M Sport pack also adds the usual assortment of badges, aluminium pedals, and a nicer steering wheel.

Full Spec Means Full Spec

BMW’s full suite of active safety and driver assist features are also on deck, including Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)l, Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Keep Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go.

For now, exterior colour options include Mineral White (pictured), Black Sapphire, and Dravit Grey, though favourites like Portimao Blue, Sanremo Green, and Brooklyn Grey will be coming later this year.


2016 BMW 7-Series (G11/G12) Quick Review in Portugal - One For the Drivers in Us

Let's do some simple maths. As I do not have the figures for 2015 as yet, and working with what I know from 2014, the year of twenty-fourteen ended with close to 1 million sales figures for these individual models combined:
• 373,053 units of the
BMW 5 Series
• 307,791 units of the
Audi A6
• 257,571 units of the
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Why do I mention about the sales figures of the premium executive segment of the German Big Three when I'm trying to talk about their flagship class limousines here? Because of a trend known as ‘upgrading’.
You see, as much as brands like to snatch sales or win customers from their competitors, it's actually much more effective to simply retain their existing customers. When you buy a
1 Series
,
BMW
 will make sure you can happily upgrade to the
3
, and then the
5
, or veer off to letting you sample something different such as the
X5
 or
6 Series Gran Coupe
 later on. It's a very common strategy that is both proven and prevalent in the automotive industry.
Hence for close to a combined one million buyers of the
Audi A6
, BMW 5 Series and the
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
, their only choice for their next purchase is either cross shopping from alternate brands, or head on for the full monty that each of their respective brands has to offer - the
Audi A8
,
BMW 7 Series
 and the
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
, the ‘Luxury Flagship Limousines’.
But that's the thing isn't it, 'Luxury Flagship Limousines' is what they're commonly touted as. As though an owner of a 5 Series or
E-Class
 would suddenly want to relinquish the driver's seat and hire a chauffeur to do the dreaded task of actually driving around town while they're seated behind, sipping champagne and thinking about mergers. A common scene for TV commercials for these cars would somehow always seem to involve a scene where the main character arrives at the airport, and is immediately climbing up the ramp to board his Gulfstream jet. As if a person who suddenly buys a few hundred thousand ringgit car will happen to have a hundred million ringgit Gulfstream G6 conveniently parked in a private hangar.
Gentlemen, that's never the case.
Before we discuss the new design, let’s take a look back to 2002, the year Chris Bangle penned the highly-controversial
E65 7 Series
. The car was the first opening salvo of BMW’s new radical avant-garde design. It was such a visual assault from the German norm of conservative and evolutionary design that BMW’s biggest number made the then three-year-old
W220 S-Class look old and tired
. And it’s impossible to not draw a comparison to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class when we talk about a new 7 Series.
As the first car in the world with an integrated infotainment system, the iDrive, along with the famed Bangle butt design, it sky rocketed the 7 Series’ sales tremendously. The controversial E65 out-teched, out-luxuried, and out-classed the S-Class of that same era. It earned the spot BMW long yearned for, and played a pivotal role in establishing the brand as the world’s leader in luxury car making. Fast forward to today and we find that Mercedes-Benz has basically dominated the sales charts with its new S-Class luxo-barge.
And I believe at some point in the development of the
new 7 Series (codenamed G11/G12)
, BMW decided that they didn’t want to position it just as an all-out pursuit for the traditional luxury of a superb transportation device piloted by someone else four feet in front of you. Instead they also wanted the
7 Series
 to be the epitome of modern luxury for a driving machine with you enjoying the moment for yourself – much like that of the 5 Series, but larger, much better equipped, brimmed with unimaginable conveniences, and yet immaculately appointed and supremely well-constructed.
Yes, modern luxury. BMW told us that when they’re developing the 7 Series, they sent 7 of their designers to 7 different cities in the world to catch the pulse of how modern luxury is interpreted differently across the world, and capture the essence of what entails ‘modern luxury’. Now that must have had something to do with why this interior isn’t designed to deliver any specific visual impact. Instead, everything has sort of a minimalist approach, intentionally hiding or downplaying the capabilities it is hiding underneath, both exterior and interior.
Contrary to what Mercedes-Benz is trying to accomplish as the ultimate chauffeur driven luxo-barge, the new 7 Series is no barge. It’s a super saloon that you can comfortably upgrade from your E-Class or 5 Series. Key of which is because it retained the beautiful sporty proportions of the 5 Series, it promises supreme, class leading handling, and the engine line up - do we even need to talk about how efficient and powerful BMW engines are? And how well their transmissions work? It’s by default. BMWs have reach such an ingrained impression through continuous achievements that no one ever questions their achievements in this front anymore. They make some of the best engines in terms of performance, but they’re always some of the most efficient ones - always.
Inside, it is as spacious as the current generation F01/02. Key of which is yet another BMW hallmark - they know what they want to achieve - and retained the same exterior dimensions as the previous generation as they didn’t see a need to grow it any bigger in size. But on the oft side they developed a great way to make it better, integrating something class leading. Something called ‘Carbon Core’, and this will change how BMWs are made forever.
You see, amongst all major premium car makers, BMW is the most hardworking in pushing boundaries of technology, they invested heavily and learn how to mass produce carbon fibre, they made a
supercar with a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder engine
 that out drags the
V8-powered Mercedes AMG GT
, and then there’s the
i3 electric car
 with a range extender engine - or not - yes, it’s optional. And throughout those endeavours and learning experience, they implement these innovations bit by bit into their core product line-ups.
Consumer perception that BMWs drive well and are fuel-efficient isn’t just purely a perception. There is a lot of hard work and technology that has gone into their cars to live up to its longstanding reputation. And this new 7 Series is no exception, by replacing the core structures of the car with carbon fibre, not only it is now stronger, it is also lighter while lowering the centre of gravity to improve handling. So much so that even if the new 7 Series is more luxurious and loaded than before, it is 100kg lighter than the previous generation.
And a lighter, stronger car with improvements done in terms of efficiency and safety makes driving enjoyable too. And driving this car is what makes it a whole lot different from its peers. This also opens up a big opportunity for BMW.
As previously mentioned, when owners of 5 Series or E-Class upgrades, they only have two routes to choose from currently. To go full size and sit behind while staring at the hopeless driving skills of their chauffeur, or squeeze their family members into the
Panamera
, or the 6 Series Gran Coupe,
A7
,
CLS
 segment; all of which are legitimate upgrades for owners who still want to drive themselves, but you’re paying higher price for way lesser interior room, and thus sacrificing practicality for the sake of style.
The new G11/G12 BMW 7-Series on the other hand, is just a simple, straightforward upgrade. More technology, more luxury, more room, and the same driving enjoyment that you would expect from something wearing a roundel badge, or better. What’s most amazing is despite its size, it behaves very well on tighter curves that snakes up the horizon like gigantic slaloms. The experience of helming this flagship is natural, you can feel that BMW had taken plenty of time in honing to handle these kind of roads, and unlike Mercedes-Benz’s Active Curve Tilting - which uses complex sensors to tilt the car into tricking the driver that you’re actually not cornering at all - the big BMW does it with a fluidity of anticipation, so that you can explore further and further into pushing the car. It’s one of those modern good cars that you can’t feel the steering at slow speeds, but communication intensifies the faster you go. It’s a very nice, very authentic experience.
Of course, I tested two variants, and without further guesses, the LWB trails the SWB slightly in terms of handling, but that’s a trade-off for the Executive Lounge, which to cut short, is a function that with a push of a button turns the rear seat into a Business Class lounge. While most luxury flagship limousines have a set of controls in the centre arm rest for the rear passengers to have access to half the controls available from the centre console, the 7 Series has a custom built tablet by Samsung for controlling every single entertainment, comfort related features in the car. Don’t worry though, you don’t need to deal with Android’s rubbish interface designs, as the interface is entirely designed by BMW’s iDrive team.
Those who are familiar with BMW’s iDrive, the controls are expectantly sleek in its operation, the visuals are beautiful, and the way it is seamlessly integrated into the rear arm rest, especially the visual extravaganza when you want to release it from its dock - an engineering showcase befitting of something from a Sci-Fi movie - where the clasps slowly retracts and your tablet raised mechanically for you to grab hold of. It’s an excellent show stealer this, and definitely a conversation piece for rear passengers.
There are plenty more new and beautifully integrated features that has been shoehorned into the 7-Series, each well deserving of a feature article on its inner-workings and purpose. However we had made an
earlier post that serves as a brief summary
 of some of these new features found in the 7-Series,
So is the 7-Series a better choice than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class as the default choice of a luxury flagship limousine? No its not.
It’s almost impossible as well given the Mercedes-Benz’s EEV incentive status in Malaysia, as the BMW will definitely end up costing a lot more when it arrives on our shores sometime this year. And to be honest, far and few will appreciate BMW’s subtle approach of an understated interior.
But if you are tired of seeing so many Plus size C-Classes running around town, all of them in either black or silver colour, you can opt for the BMW 7 Series with an M-Sport bodykit, in an eye-catching shade of Sepang blue and you wouldn’t look out of place at all as you step off your car at a red carpet event passing your keys to the valet. Whereas the S-Class owner must make sure his chauffeur is not on leave that day.


2017 Subaru Forester 2.0i-S Makes Official Malaysian Debut. Priced at RM133,818

Previewed for the first time
 just a few days ago at the Carlist.my MAA DRIVE Test and Buy event in Setia City Convention Centre, Motor Image Malaysia, the authorised distributor of Subaru vehicles in Malaysia has officially launched the Forester 2.0i-S.
Positioned between the naturally-aspirated Forester 2.0i-P and the turbocharged Forester 2.0 XT, the 2.0i-S variant features several aesthetic enhancements both inside and outside.
Powered by the same naturally aspirated 2.0-litre engine as the 2.0i-P variant producing 148hp and 198 Nm of maximum torque, power is delivered to all-four wheels via a CVT-type gearbox.
Setting it apart from the other two variants, the Forester 2.0i-S’ exterior features
a new sports grille, front and rear under spoiler, carbon fibre panel interior trim,  as well as gun metal wing mirrors.
Inside, the 2.0i-S gets carbon fibre trims unlike the 2.0i-P’s aluminum trim. Besides that, the seats are clad in
 bespoke suede leather, while the
2.0i-P gets full leather upholstery.
Other standard features include LED headlights with LED DRLs, 17-inch wheels, dual-zone climate control system, powered rear liftgate, as well as a Kenwood infotainment system with a seven-inch touch-screen.
Priced at RM133,818 OTR without insurance, the Forester 2.0i-S is available in 5 colour options - Pure White, Silver Metallic, Dark Grey Metallic, Sepia Bronze Metallic and Obsidian Black Metallic.


Aston Martin Could Make Surprise Return To F1 With Red Bull Racing

You don’t really think of
Aston Martin
 when Formula One comes to mind. It only competed in the 1959 and 1960 seasons. But with their new ties to
Mercedes-Benz
, a deal could be in the works to exchange F1 engines for the comeback of the Aston name into the sport.
You see, Mercedes-Benz's parent company Daimler AG owns 5 percent of the British sports car manufacturer, as per the agreement signed in 2013. And according to
Autocar
, should the deal happen, would see the dominant Mercedes-AMG engines powering Red Bull Racing's future cars. In return, Aston Martin would become a technical partner with branding on the cars.
Mercedes’ board is reported to be in favour of the move, and are eager to run more customer teams to offset their cost of investment into the sport. As Aston Martin does not compete directly with Mercedes for road car sales, Daimler views them as an ideal candidate for the partnership.
"We must be open-minded. Our number one objective is to win the world championship. At the moment I would say I cannot see a situation of us supplying an engine to our number one enemy - but maybe we need to recalibrate who our number one enemy is tomorrow and next year,” said Toto Wolff, Mercedes F1 boss, when asked by Autocar.
Wolff, however, told another magazine that "the door is open" when questioned about the same matter.
In the meantime, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner did not dismiss reports of a future Mercedes partnership, but declined to say anything concrete in light of Red Bull’s ongoing collaboration with
Infiniti
 and
Renault
 until the end of 2016.
The Renault engines that currently power Red Bull’s F1 cars have not, so far, been able to keep pace with the cars of the
Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team
 and those of other teams powered by Mercedes engines.
The possible deal between Mercedes and Red Bull is reported to be sparked by Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer and the company’s director of marketing Simon Sproule, who were both credited with brokering the long-term sponsorship agreement of Infiniti on Red Bull Racing cars.


Car thieves targetting rental cars, including affordable models

When it comes to
car thieves or crime syndicates
, targetting rental cars seems to be the easiest way to carry out their dastardly deeds.

Providing fake details to rent cars of any shapes, sizes, and prices and driving them away before removing any GPS tracker to basically go off-grid is a much more 'foolproof' plan compared to actually attempting to break into cars and risk being caught by the authorities or members of the public.

And what's stopping them? By the time the owners of the cars they've rented realize that something is off (usually when they don't return the car in time of can't be contacted), these car thieves are already a few days ahead - enough time to do what they need to do to mask their tracks and resell the stolen cars on the black market both foreign and domestic.

Endless list of victims big and small cars

While this modus operandi may have been around for quite some time targetting luxurious cars, it seems that we are also seeing some of the more affordable car models falling victim to these crimes these past few years.

What started out with rental car companies is also now plaguing individual owners who register their personal cars on several platforms and apps to rent out their cars to complete and total strangers. There was even a report of a Perodua Axia being stolen by the renter who made a few mods to cover up his/her tracks before selling it off to an individual in a different state.

Why is this still a thing?

For the criminals, the risks seem to be relatively low (if you're not caught, that is). As to the question of why this issue is still a huge problem here in Malaysia, the answer is simple - supply and demand.

All of these stolen cars labelled as
'piang', 'JT'
or
 'Jalan Terus', 'lari bank'
, and more, the risks of operating or driving one seem to outweigh the super low prices these car thieves or syndicates are offering.

Yes, a poor mindset to have but the supply and demand are coming from increased desperation and these criminals are just taking advantage of the situation at hand. Some of these lowlifes even offer 'added benefits' like data interchange, plate swaps, new grants, and more to avoid the cars being detected or repossessed by the authorities.

It's just that for some folks, the offer of buying a good car with an unbelievable price tag despite carrying these law-breaking 'statuses' and paired with a low risk of detection, well, it's a very hard offer for some people to pass. 'Desperate time calls for desperate measures', as the saying goes.

Is the law doing anything about it?

*Image credit: Kosmo

For most cases, yes, the law will take action against any reports of stolen vehicles. Based on a report posted by
The Star
, it seems that some companies are faced with more difficult situations when it comes to dealing with their rental cars getting stolen.

Looking at the content of that said article, the process of actually reporting the car/cars being stolen may need a few more steps as they are instructed to dispute the matter first with the 'renters' for 'breach of contract' when it comes to renting the cars.

Right now, you can easily search for any of these stolen cars being advertised freely online and even blatantly on social media platforms labelled as 'piang', 'JT' or 'Jalan Terus', 'lari bank', and more'. And yes, people do buy them, despite all the risks involved in having one in your possession.

What can we do about this?

Like most things, we can stop the supply if we can deal with the demand. No demand = no supply. The government and authorities should be the ones at the frontlines handling this ongoing 'epidemic'.

Despite these stolen cars being sold at ridiculous prices, it's just not worth the risk of paying the fine or possibly spending time in jail and possibly derailing the rest of your life due to this action. Best advice? Spend just a bit more and get some legit used cars like on
Carlist.my Qualified
.

Like the great Russell Peters once said, "Be a man! Do the right thing!"


Owner Review: Civic FC (Ketam) 1.5 Turbo - After 6 Years

Looking for a great
used Honda Civic
?

Buying a used car is always a gamble & in this article, I will share my real 6 year owner review of my 2016 Honda Civic 1.5 Turbo (FC or aka ketam).

So after my personal sharing, I hope it can help you make a decision if this particular car model should or shouldn't be shortlisted for your next used car purchase.

I'll cover the following points:

Why I bought the Civic FC in 2016 over other car models.

What I still like about my Civic FC even in 2023

What I don't like about my Civic FC if compared to newer cars

Issues I had within my 6 year ownership

Would I recommend the Civic FC as a great used car buy in 2023?

Let’s begin!

Why I Bought a New Civic FC Back in 2016

At the time, the contenders were the Mazda 3, Corolla Altis & the new Civic. I summarize the pro & cons findings in the table below:

Car Model

What I Like

What I Don't Like

Mazda 3

- Pretty Kodo design

			- Definitely stand out compared to the other 2 cars

- CBU pricing at RM130k+

			- Reviewers say the 18” tires are expensive to replace

			- The interior is not that luxurious IMO

			- No rear AC vents

Toyota Corolla Altis

- It’s a reliable corolla

- If i’m not mistaken, it was slightly more exp than the base Civic at the time

			- The sales rep only let me test drove it around the parking lot

			- Lame interior & uncle car vibe

Honda Civic

- The 1st mainstream turbo in Malaysia that’s not a luxury car

			- It’s a Honda

			- Radical new design

			- The best interior Civic I’ve seen

			- RM118k starting price for the 1.8NA, RM127k for the turbo

			- Remote start? Hell yes!

- Reliability of the new turbo engine

			- Lame halogen lights for a RM127k car

			- This will be a common car on the road

The pros of the Civic clearly outweighs the cons. It was a pretty hard to beat family car package.

There were 3 variants of the 2016 Honda Civic (that I can recall at the time):

1.8 NA - RM118k+

1.5 TC - RM127k+

1.5 TCP - RM137k+

I obviously was eyeing the turbo, but the top-spec 1.5 TCP costs RM 10k more than the 1.5 TC & it only offers additional built-in navigation, blind spot assist & cosmetics trims.

So I thought the 1.5 TC was the best bang for our buck & it did not stray too far from our budget. So in Dec 2017, my family & I decided on the
Civic 1.5 TC
.

So after almost 6 years, but not more than 90,000km (thanks to the pandemic & WFH), let’s dive into the meat of my review:

What I Still Like About the Civic FC After 6 Years

The 1.5L Engine Makes a Lot of Sense

The 1.5L engine may sound small (which it is), but it makes a lot of sense for a daily commuter.

I don’t need so much horsepower as 80% of the time, I am stuck in horrific KL traffic most of the time anyway.

I only need boosts of power during overtaking & when I am in the mood for spirited drives. So a 1.5L turbo engine offers a cheap RM70 road tax. My weekly fuel cost is around RM70 for a full tank that can last around 2 weeks for me (400 to 450 km travel).

Does a 2.4NA make any sense in today’s KL traffic?

Large Boot Space for Hauling Family Stuff

Underrated selling point if you use the Honda Civic FC as a family car & frequently pick up people from the airport all the time.

The current generation Civic FE's boot space is smaller than the FC:

Civic Model

Boot Space

FC

519 litres

FE

497 litres

During our family trip to Bali (2 adults & 1 baby), we can fit all of our stuff in the boot:

Nuna Trvl stroller

2 medium-sized suitcases

2 backpacks

Boot space is often overlooked. Do you travel to the airport often? Do you do regular family road trips? So far, my
Civic FC
 can carry all of my family's stuff without an issue.

Spacious Interior with Rear AC Vents

The interior at the rear is spacious for our baby car seat & other miscellaneous baby gear.

Rear AC vents are also something I highly look for in a family car to keep everyone (especially the baby) cool in the hot Malaysian weather.

Remote Start Feature is So UNDERRATED

In 2017, Honda was one of the 1st to bring the remote start stop function to the mainstream market. Most people think this is a gimmick feature.

But as a family man, where I often take my family out for trips & park the car in the sun, the remote start feature allows me to start the car remotely & turn the AC on full blast.

So by the time we reach the car, the cabin is nice & cool. A totally
UNDERRATED
 feature!

Ride Comfort & NVH

NVH levels on the Civic are acceptable at highway speeds but not impressive. It's enough dampening to not annoy me to the point that I need to spend extra on sound-dampening aftermarket services.

The Civic's suspension is surprisingly soft for a low-riding "sport" inspired car & coupled with the rear multi-link suspension setup, the car rides over bumps & uneven roads acceptably well, which is paramount for passenger comfort.

Now, the low height of the
Civic
 is great for handling, but it does have its drawbacks:

What I Don’t Like About the Civic FC vs Newer Cars

It’s Too Low to Ferry Old Folks

This was never an issue for me when I was single & driving it alone most of the time.

However, once I got married, I tend to do more family stuff & my parents & in-laws do show audible difficulties when getting out of the car due to the low seating position.

The 1A USB Charger at the Back is a Joke

There’s only 1 USB charger for the people at the back & the plug is located in the rear center armrest.

It’s only 1A, which quite frankly is near pointless to charge any modern smartphone as the current is too small.

Luckily, the USB chargers up front are decent in current rating. But I do have to buy at least a 2m long charging cable to reach all the way back.

Cost Cutting in the Interior Back Seat

At first glance, the leather rear seats seem nice. However, once I sat at the back, my elbows felt the left & right most outer parts of the rear seats are made out of hard plastic (it was a full cushion in my previous FD).

I think this is a cheeky move by Honda to save some money during the manufacturing process.

The Honda Service Center Transparency

This is a big one for me, as I like to send my car for servicing at the Honda dealership even out of warranty for maximum peace of mind.

So before I head over for each of my booking, I usually check out the Honda website to get an estimate of the financial damage I’ll be dealing with.

For example, in one of the service interval, the Honda website quoted around RM500+. But when I got to the dealership, they quoted me RM700+.

I obviously asked the Honda person to break it down for me & the justification was that the price quoted on the website was not inclusive of the engine oil & oil filter.

I’d love to take my car for servicing at the dealer, but I hope Honda can just put the absolute price on the website so the consumer can know  how much they'll be paying during each service without any surprises or arguments at the dealer counter.

Issues I Faced Throughout My Ownership

All cars will have issues, no matter the brand & from which country its from.

There are thousands of mechanical & electrical components in a car. Over time, there’s bound for something to stop working or wear out prematurely.

After 6 years of ownership, I am happy to report that there were only 2 things that went wrong with the car:

Spoiled Infotainment Unit (Under Warranty)

The infotainment will beep everytime I touch the screen.

At around the 4.5 year mark of the car, something suddenly went off & the infotainment system was beeping like crazy even though no one was touching the screen.

It was so bad that I couldn't change the radio or use the infotainment at all. Driving in the car with all the constant beeping was unbearable.

I brought the car back to the dealership & luckily it was still under warranty. They replaced the entire infotainment unit free of charge, but it stated on the invoice that the price for a new infotainment unit was around RM5k+ plus labor, in which I did not pay a cent as it went bad within the warranty period (thank god).

Car electronics… Do you love em or hate em?

Spoiled AC Cooling Coil

At around 5.5 years of the car age, the AC was suddenly not cold anymore. I knew something needed to be replaced.

Trying to save money, I took the car to a regular workshop & the guy confidently said that I have to replace a hose. Not knowing any better, I agreed. Parts & labor cost me RM 450.

The AC continued not to work the following week. I didn’t want to see the same guy again.

So I googled ‘Car AC Specialist’ & booked an appointment. The shop was very professional & they identified that my cooling coil is leaking.

Unfortunately, the cooling coil was located at the back of the dashboard, and they have to use 1 day to take the dashboard apart to access the cooling coil.

The total bill came out to around RM2k. The problem was fixed & the job was done professionally.

Would the Civic Make a Good Used Car?

Yes. As mentioned earlier, no car is perfect & in my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons, which makes the
Honda Civic FC
 (2016 to 2022) an easy car to recommend.

What to Look Out for When Buying a Used Civic FC?

These tips are general & apply to
buying any used car
:

Find a car with convincing service records.

If possible, avoid cars that have been modified by the previous owner.

Anyone can roll back the odometer. Expect a min of 20km per year.

Watch out for signs of a
flood damage
 car from this article.

For a more transparent buying experience for a used Honda Civic, check out
Carsome
.my.


Honda Malaysia Launches Jazz Mugen And BR-V Special Edition

You would be surprise how well these limited edition models sell. Granted, they aren't much more than aesthetic and trim pieces, but they offer a unique exclusive touch that keeps a model looking fresher and a little more resilient to the passing of time. Honda's latest offerings here in Malaysia are the Jazz Mugen and BR-V Special Edition. They'll be limited to just 300 units each, and being some of the most sought after Honda models you can be sure that they'll be taken up quickly.
In the case of the Jazz Mugen, there's an all-around Mugen body kit - hence the name - which makes it look a tad bit more aggressive and inherently sportier as a result. The Front Aero Bumper, LED Front Fog Lights, Sport Front Grille, and Tailgate Garnish are the standout pieces, along with the Side Under Spoiler, Rear Under Spoiler, and Tailgate Spoiler to balance out the looks.
With 90,000 units of the Honda Jazz on Malaysian roads spanning three generations, it's a popular model for those that want to abandon the sedan-centric mindset most Malaysians have. Apart from the aesthetics, much of the features are the same with six airbags, Vehicle Stability Assist, Hill Start Assist, Anti-Lock Braking System, and ISO Fix. Pricing stands at RM 88,600 for Modern Steel Metallic, and RM 88,720 for White Orchid Pearl, limited to 300 units across both colours. Prices are on the road, excluding insurance.
As for the BR-V Special Edition, this model sees fewer aesthetic enhancements in exchange for more features and functionality. The exterior gets a new Tailgate Spoiler, Running Board, and Side Step Garnish for a little bit of spice, but the party piece is the 6.8-inch Infotainment System with Smartphone Connectivity for a wealth of convenience. This special edition model comes in tandem with the introduction of the Passion Red Pearl paint colour, replacing the Dark Ruby Red Pearl of before.
The BR-V Special Edition goes for RM 90,700 for the Passion Red Pearl model, and RM 91,000 for the White Orchid Pearl - both places on the road, excluding insurance. As is the case with the Jazz Mugen, these models are limited to 300 units across both paint options. For more information or to book or to test drive the Jazz or BR-V, customers are invited to visit any of the 99 Honda dealerships nationwide or call Honda’s Toll Free number at 1-800-88-2020 or log onto
www.honda.com.my
.


Ford Continues To Do Its Part For Road Safety Awareness

Ford and local distributor Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC) continue their efforts to raise road safety awareness in Malaysia through its global ‘Driving Skills For Life’ (DSFL) initiative – this time with almost 50 students from the Han Chiang College in Penang.
This DSFL event is the latest in a
series this year
, and the second DSFL programme provided for Han Chiang College following positive feedback and demand from the first event held last December.
Four half-day sessions were provided free-of-charge and were specially tailored to address challenges faced by young drivers, such as inexperience in dealing with unexpected situations, distracted driving, and the importance of ensuring child seats are securely fastened.
The training is also held especially timely, as many students prepare to drive home for the National Holidays in two weeks. Ford’s DSFL workshops primarily encourage safe driving by equipping participants to make the correct decisions when behind the wheel, to reduce the chance of accidents occurring.
DSFL sessions start in the classroom, with participants learning about a range of topics from steering control, to tips for highway driving and driving in the rain as well as fuel-saving tips.
Participants also learn about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or medication, by wearing specially designed goggles that help simulate the experience of driving while movement, coordination and alertness are impaired.
The Ford DSFL programme is now in its tenth year in Asia – around 85,000 participants have experienced the DSFL programme in the ASEAN region since its inception.


Toll Rate Hikes Don’t Translate To Profit Spikes, Says Concessionaires

Last week’s in-tandem
toll hike
 of 17 some-odd major highways (mostly in the Klang Valley) did hit Malaysia’s motorists hard. Amidst all the negative aura, the concessionaires that operate these highways wish to clarify that the extra cash gained through these hikes aren’t going into their pockets either.
Datuk Zainuddin A Kadir, president of the Association of Highway Concessionaires Malaysia (PSKLM) told Sin Chew Daily that there was no right timing for the toll rate revision, but members of the association felt it was important to proceed amid increasing operation and maintenance costs.
“Toll hikes do not mean the profits of highway concessionaire companies will increase,” he said, and added that it will be channeled to various expenses such as loan repayments, operations, upgrade and maintenance work, and dividends to investors. Of the accumulated toll fees, only a portion goes to the concessionaire’s bottom line.
Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH)
Zainuddin used the Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE) to illustrate his point, citing that it had been operating at a RM190 million loss since 2009. In addition, the hike would be used to pay for upgrade work, such as Prolintas’s RM120 million project to increase the amount of lanes on the Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH).
The concessionaires understand the challenges faced by Malaysians, he said, and noted the these revisions are in accordance to agreements that have been inked in the past and has had its implementation delayed multiple times.
Here’s
our full picture
 of what tolls are affected following the recent toll hike, as well as how much the new rates are compared to where they were previously.


MG EP EV Launches In Thailand - When Will We Get It?

While Malaysians are still choosing between a variety of conventional cars, the Thais have started to get full-on electric models from MG - at an attractive price too.

Back at the start of 2019, there was an MoU signed between Berjaya and SAIC Motor Passenger Vehicle Co - the details aren't too important, but it gave birth to MG Berjaya which was supposed to bring in MG vehicles for the Malaysian market. Back in 2019 this wasn't all too important, but earlier in 2020 there was a sighting of the MG ZS EV - an all-electric SUV that was supposed to go on sale in May.

Unfortunately with all the MCOs, CMCOs, RMCOs, and EMCOs - MG Berjaya didn't quite get around to bringing the model to market. The electric SUV would have been an excellent offering even as a CBU unit from China, and it would have been priced extremely competitively - tentative pricing would have it even below that of the Nissan LEAF EV. With a 150 PS and 350 Nm electric motor, a range of 335 kilometres, and a quick-charge rate to 80% in 30 minutes, it definitely would have been an excellent alternative to conventional SUVs.

Coming towards the end of 2020, Malaysians are once again being left out of this wave of new EV vehicles as the Thai market sees the introduction of the MG EP EV - an all-electric wagon that fits comfortably in the C-segment of the market. With a wheelbase of 2,665 mm it's just slightly shorter than that of the
Toyota Corolla
 and the
Honda Civic
, but of course with a wagon bodystyle there is plenty of room for additional cargo.

Performance figures are a little better than the ZS EV SUV that was slated to be launched earlier this year. The range goes up to 380 km, and performance outputs stand at 163 hp with a lower torque of 260 Nm. There is a transmission that delivers power exclusively to the front wheels, but this isn't really an issue for a mass-market vehicle. Fast charging takes a little longer at 40 minutes for an 80% charge, while a regular home wall box charger will do it in seven and a quarter hours.

The price for all this? Just RM 133,135 (988,000 baht) - as a CBU import from China. That's impressive considering that Thailand has some pretty high import duties for vehicles, much like Malaysia - although there may be other incentives at play that we aren't aware of. What's especially interesting is that the maintenance costs over five years in total are said to be just over RM 1,000 - meaning even more savings over the course of ownership.

What's most striking about the EP EV is that it hardly looks different from a conventional car - and this is becoming a trend among various manufacturers as well. The initial idea with EVs was to make them distinct and to push them as ownership statements, but perhaps the better choice was to make them non discreet so that they don't seem like as large of a leap from a conventional car.

We are on the cusp of many major technological breakthroughs in the field of battery EVs, especially with the prices of graphene coming down as a solid alternative to rare earth materials while simultaneously boosting performance and range. Once these advancements hit mass-market manufacturing, EVs will become incredibly strong counterpoints to the internal combustion engine - let's just hope our infrastructure can keep up.


Audi Introduces All-New Q3 To Malaysian Market, RM 269,900

Slowly but surely, Audi is pushing their newest models through for the Malaysian market. Latest to enter the fray is the all-new Audi Q3, which is the smallest SUV (or crossover) in their line-up. While it will be making its public debut at the upcoming Premium Auto Car Expo (PACE) from November 2nd to 3rd, we figure it would be good to go through a couple of the details first.

Of course it's the new design with sleeker styling that catches the eye first, with the Singleframe octagon grill dominating the front end, flanked by narrow headlights in full LED trim. The side and rear are also more athletic in design, with more aggressive contouring and dynamic turn signals for the rear LED tail lights.

An important highlight with this model is the fact that it's the first Audi model in Malaysia to come with the latest version of the Virtual Cockpit Plus in addition to the MMI touch with navigation. The 12.3 inch screen that sits right in front of the driver offers a wealth of information and flexibility in configuration, while the 10.1 inch infotainment unit displays as much as you need and can be operated by either touch control or natural language voice control.

In terms of overall size, the Audi Q3 has grown in every dimensions. It measures in at 4,484 millimeters long, 1,849 millimeters wide, and 1,585 millimeters high, with a wheelbase that's a whopping 77 millimeters longer than before for that every important legroom. Even the rear seats can be moved across a range of 150 millimeters to vary the legroom depending on how much bootspace you need.

There is but a singular powertrain offering for Malaysia at the singular RM 269,900 price point: a 1.4 TFSI petrol engine pushes 150 hp to the front wheels through a 6-speed S Tronic transmission as standard, allowing for a 0 to 100 km/h sprint in 8.9 seconds and a top speed of 207 km/h. The all-new Audi Q3 is fully imported from Hungary.

If you happen to buy an Audi model between the 2nd and 10th of November, you will also be eligible for a lucky draw with three prizes: third sees you taking home a Front Genuine Universal Traffic Recorder valued at RM 2,500, while second bumps this up to a shopping voucher for Genuine Audi Accessories valued at RM 5,000, and the top prize is an exclusive Audi Driving Experience in Germany valued at RM 40,000.

To find the best deals on Audi models, click
here
.


Rolls Royce To Name Their New Convertible Model 'Dawn'

Rolls Royce doesn’t often release new cars, and even rarer does it come with a completely new name. However, the next car to spring forth from the world’s foremost brand of motoring luxury will be a drophead model called ‘Dawn’.
Ghost
,
Phantom
,
Wraith
 - those are the only three names to wear the Spirit of Ecstasy over past decade or so. The car itself is expected to be based on the current Wraith coupé sans its roof and some choice additions to set it apart even further. Powering it could be the same 623hp 6.6-litre V12 seen in the Wraith.
“Our new Rolls-Royce Dawn promises a striking, seductive encounter like no other RollsRoyce to date,” said Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes, their Chief Executive Officer.
Virtually nothing else accompanies the name announcement from
Rolls Royce
 besides some photos of its Silver Dawn drop top of 1952 (not such a new name after all) and some very spirited words about the philosophy and immense care the company took in picking the name. Seriously, it’s worth a read purely for its fluffy self-aware hyperbole.
‘Dawn' perfectly expresses the character of the new Rolls-Royce. In its tentative, inchoate, anticipatory state, dawn is the world coming to light from the ethereal dark of the night. The early-day chill of dawn provides an erotic tingle on the skin, awakening the senses and passions as the day begins. Like Eleanor Thornton, thought by many to be the inspiration behind the Spirit of Ecstasy, the Rolls-Royce Dawn will also prove itself to be the muse that leads its owner to believe that at the start of the day, anything is possible.
The new Rolls-Royce Dawn is beguilingly visceral. It excites both men and women - they want it, they need it and they want to immerse themselves in it. It is languid and beautiful, fresh and fragrant and awakens the passion of your life.
New life, new possibilities, fresh horizons - a tingling, anticipatory ambience in the air - all signified by a new Dawn.
Wow. Okay then.


Men In Black Goes International, Features Lexus RC-F

It looks like the next instalment of the Men In Black (MIB) franchise sees it getting a complete revamp, with a mostly new cast featuring industry greats such as Liam Neeson, Chris Hemsworth, and Tessa Thompson. It's also based in London, which is a nice departure from New York as the previous movies were set in.
This is the post-Deadpool era, which means most action movies will have a good mix of humour and soberness, with an added dose of subversion. MIB has traditionally managed to tick the boxes for humour, so perhaps this instalment will be a little more mature (relative to previous iterations).
But for us car fans, the highlight may be the Lexus RC-F which features prominently towards the end of the trailer. It replaces the classic American vehicles that MIB agents have traditionally employed, and falls in nicely with Lexus' widespread injection of products into most major movies in theatres.
This RC-F seems to replace it's touch sensitive pad with the "red button" that rockets the car to ludicrous speeds, as the button has done in previous vehicles. It's definitely a sleeker, sharper option for MIB agents to get around in, and far less conspicuous than big old American metal.


All-New G29 BMW Z4 Previewed For Malaysia, Tentatively Priced From RM460k

Alongside the all-new G20 BMW 3 Series, BMW Malaysia surprised the crowd today by previewing the all-new
G29 BMW Z4
.
The unit previewed here is the range-topping M40i variant, powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six petrol engine good for 340 hp and 500 Nm.
However, BMW Malaysia will only be offering the sDrive30i variant of the Z4, powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that does 258 hp and 400 Nm. However, BMW Malaysia will be more than happy to accommodate buyers that are keen to get the M40i variant of the Z4, special orders can be arranged, price upon application.
Built on the same CLAR platform as several recent BMW models, the all-new G29 Z4 has a lot in common with the all-new A90 Toyota Supra, down to the same 3.0-litre straight-six engine.
This Black Sapphire example is a pre-production sample, which explains the missing BMW emblem on the steering wheel. When the BMW Z4 officially goes on sale in May, the steering wheel will be on the correct side and the emblem will be present.
The all-new BMW Z4 is expected to feature these equipment:
LED headlights
M Sport suspension
Variable sport steering
BMW Digital Key
Qi Wireless Charging
Intelligent Parking Assistant with Reversing Assistant
Four exterior body colours are available with the all-new Z4, including:
Alpine White
Black Sapphire
Francisco Red
Misano Blue
Further customization options include three interior colours - Black décor with Black stitching, Magma Red with Black stitching, or Cognac with Black stitching.
In terms of pricing, the all-new G29 Z4 is expected to carry a starting price of RM 460,000 for the sDrive30i variant.


Proton Gets Final RM250m In Aid From Government

In a filing to Bursa Malaysia made late yesterday, DRB-Hicom Bhd announced that its subsidiary Proton Holdings Bhd. has received RM250 million in financial aid, the final tranche of the RM1.5 billion soft loan granted by the Ministry of Finance.
The soft loan will be granted in the form of redeemable convertible cumulative preference shares (RCCPS), issued by Proton Holdings to Govco Holdings Bhd, a company owned by Minister of Finance Incorporated, at a price of RM1 each.
Earlier in June, the government announced that it will be granting Proton RM1.5 billion in soft loan. Initially, it was said that the loan will be given in three tranches. The initial RM1.25 billion was given out on 7-June, and yesterday’s announcement represented the final tranche.
Earlier reports have quoted Proton chairman Datuk Seri Syed Faisal Albar as saying that the soft loan will be used to pay its vendors, and that Proton does not need any further financial assistance after this.
In June, Proton launched the
all-new Perdana
. The model is adapted from the previous generation Honda Accord. Later this month, Proton will be launching the
all-new Proton Persona
, while an
all-new Proton Saga
 and an unnamed MPV that will be based on the
Suzuki Ertiga
 will round up Proton’s product renewal efforts.


Fuel subsidy is a complex challenge, says Anwar

According to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the formulation and implementation of a targeted subsidy mechanism is a complex task that poses challenges.

While
a team is currently working on it and some proposals have been made
, there are concerns about its effectiveness due to its intricate nature.

According to The Star, Anwar explained that identifying the recipients of subsidies for electricity is relatively straightforward since houses and factories can be easily identified. However, when it comes to diesel subsidies, it becomes more complicated as it involves drivers who may use different vehicles or switch between small and expensive cars.

The objective of a targeted subsidy is to ensure that it benefits those who genuinely need it, rather than the affluent. Anwar highlighted that subsidies such as those for haj and electricity tend to benefit even the wealthy, whereas they should ideally be directed towards those who truly require assistance.

During a friendly session with traders, hawkers, and patrons recently, Anwar refrained from making specific promises about the timeline for implementing targeted subsidies but assured that the government was working diligently to expedite the process.

He acknowledged that it is a complex matter and emphasized that
once the mechanism is ready, the government is eager to roll it out promptly.

Earlier this week, discussions between the Economy Ministry and the National Economic Action Council commenced to determine the type of aid that would be provided under the new targeted subsidy approach.

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan revealed that the implementation framework for targeted subsidies is currently 75 per cent complete. Notably, the government spent over RM50 billion on blanket fuel subsidies last year.


Mastermind Responsible For Smuggling RM19m In Stolen Vehicles Put Behind Bars

Nyo Ah Hai, who has been labelled as the ‘mastermind’ behind a transnational car-smuggling syndicate that involved some 172 cars – reportedly being
Toyota
s, mostly - with a value totalling more than RM19 million (6.8m Singapore Dollars) has been sentenced to 90 months in jail for his crimes before States Courts.
According to
Channel News Asia
, the 51-year old Malaysian, who also goes by the trade pseudonym Robin Hai, had been able to evade the authorities for the seven years since 2008, when he is believed to have began his illegal activities. His last-known residence was in Nibong Tebal in Penang. All stolen vehicles involved were Malaysian-registered.
Nyo focused on smuggling the stolen cars into Singapore for export and sale overseas to countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, and Kenya. He was wanted by the Singaporean, Malaysian, and Indonesian authorities as well as Interpol.
After finally being apprehended at Changi Airport on May 14, 2014 for travelling under a false passport, the news agency said he was charged with 15 counts of voluntarily assisting in the disposal of stolen property and one count of using counterfeit travel documents.
He did not work alone, but relied on a group of accomplices locally and abroad. Channel News Asia provided details of Nyo’s operations, which would usually start with communicating with suppliers of stolen cars throughout the country. After identifying the vehicles he wanted, Nyo would pay a Thai national known as “Wendy” to fabricate fake sales invoices for those cars.
Following this, the false invoices would be emailed to another accomplice, Steven Tan, the owner of a Singaporean freight forwarding company. He would work to procure cargo clearance permits so the cars would successfully pass through Singapore Customs.
Another accomplice, Ben Tan, owner of a car import company in Singapore would be given those permits and make arrangements to have them towed across. Drivers, “Ah Hua” and Tan Keok Beng, two other conspirators, were tasked with removing the license plates and to transport the said cars across the Causeway to a bonded warehouse on Penjuru Road in Jurong, Singapore.
A Singaporean export company owned by Erwin Tiong would then handle the logistics of sending the cars father abroad, such as to Nyo’s customers in Thailand.
Jane Lim, the Deputy Public Prosecutor who heard the case, dismissed any attempts to secure a lighter sentence by the defence’s attorney, arguing that the accused had been conclusively helming the illegal operations and sought to recruit others.


VIDEO: Snatch Thieves Strike Unsuspecting Motorcyclist Riding Near Skudai Parade

We’ve seen thieves
smash open parked cars to snatch visible valuables
. We’ve seen them
strike unsuspecting pedestrians
, too. But we don’t always come across something quite like this.
If for nothing else, this video’s a good reminder of how dangerous things have become on Malaysian roads – a point we
particularly pointed out a few months back
.
Making its rounds on social media right now is a video about a duo on a motorcycle, seen plotting their snatch, and striking a fellow motorcyclist when its least expected. The whole event is believed to have happened near Skudai Parade, JB.
READ ALSO: 6 Criminal Acts To Be Wary Of On Malaysian Roads
It’s something we can’t stress enough: thieves strike when victims least expect it – so never let your guard down. And, to be honest, we weren’t quite expecting the timing of this snatch, which is even riskier, given that both vehicles were moving when the thief reaches out the snatch the victim’s neck chain.
Watch the following clip, and always remember to keep your guard up. Don’t give these opportunists the chance to try something funny, because plainly, they’re stupid enough to risk it all for a quick buck. Notice how they spot the chance as the ride up alongside the victim initially, and then plot to act.
It’s unfortunate that we live in such a world (country, more so), but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Take care folks.

Lelaki diragut ketika sedang menunggang motosikal di Skudai Parade
Lelaki diragut ketika sedang menunggang motosikal di Skudai ParadeMore : Sukan Star TV @ Sukan Star .com @ sukanstar.com
Posted by
Sukan Star TV
 on Monday, 24 August 2015


RFID DI Semua Plaza Tol PLUS Menjelang Tahun 2022

Kesemua plaza tol di
Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan (PLUS)
 bakal dilengkapi dengan sistem
RFID
 sekurang-kurangnya 1 lorong untuk setiap plaza tol menjelang awal tahun 2022.

Kemudahan ini bakal memberikan pilihan kepada pemandu untuk menggunakan kaedah alternatif pembayaran tol tanpa tunai dengan menggunakan
Touch ‘n Go
e-wallet
 yang sudah lama dinanti-nantikan oleh pengguna jalan raya.

Menurut CEO Teras Teknologi, Anwar Ishak, penambahan lorong RFID itu akan dilaksanakan sekali dengan sistem pengecam nombor plat automatik (ANPR). Penggunaan sistem RFID dan ANPR juga membolehkan kenderaan bergerak melepasi plaza tol pada kelajuan sehingga 30km/j.

Penggunaan kedua-dua sistem berkenaan adalah lebih baik untuk mengekang kesesakan di jalan raya berbanding SmartTag yang memerlukan pemandu untuk bergerak pada kelajuan 20km/j di plaza tol. Ujian rintis berkaitan RFID dan ANPR telah sedia dijalankan oleh PLUS sejak Julai 2020 lepas, di Hutan Kampung-Sungai Dua.

Memandangkan sistem tol PLUS merupakan sistem tol tertutup, RFID diperlukan di kesemua plaza tol bagi merekodkan perjalanan keluar dan masuk pemandu bagi mengenakan caj tol yang tepat di setiap laluan keluar plaza tol.

Ketua Pegawai Teknologi PLUS Kang Yew Jin menjelaskan bahawa sistem ANPR menyediakan lapisan pengesanan sekunder jika terdapat sebarang kekeliruan berkaitan lokasi pemandu memasuki lebuh raya, ia akan dapat mengetahui berapa banyak yang perlu dikenakan kepada mereka.

Ini akan mengelak daripada mengenakan hukuman denda kepada pemandu yang secara tidak sengaja menggunakan kaedah pembayaran yang berbeza ketika memasuki lebuh raya dan dapat membantu dalam pertikaian tentang kesilapan pembayaran.

Sistem ANPR menggunakan kamera resolusi tinggi di kedua-dua lorong masuk dan keluar bagi mengecam
nombor plat kenderaan
 yang masuk/keluar dan bekerjasama dengan Pusat Pengesahan Tol (TVC) untuk memproses pembayaran pelanggan dengan lancar.

Malah kos untuk memasang sistem ANPR ini juga lebih murah berbanding kos pemasangan SmartTag. SmartTag akan digantikan tidak lama lagi namun garis masa penggantian tersebut bergantung kepada penggunaannya oleh pemandu, meskipun kerajaan telah menetapkan sasaran untuk memperkenalkan
plaza tol tanpa palang (MLFF)
 yang bergantung pada RFID menjelang 2026.

Ketika ditanya sama ada pihak lain akan mempunyai akses kepada data kamera seperti polis atau Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri, Kang dia menjelaskan bahawa kemungkinan itu ada, tetapi tidak menjelaskan lebih lanjut. Beliau juga berkata bahawa sistem MLFF itu boleh dibuka kepada e-dompet lain, walaupun pihak mereka belum lagi meneroka perkongsian sedemikian.


Five reasons to LOVE the 2023 Honda WR-V

It's no surprise that the 2023 Honda WR-V is coming to Malaysia very soon, which is why Honda Malaysia took some of the country's motoring media members to Thailand for a short taste of what the small SUV has to offer.

Our trip's goal was simple - drive Thailand's range-topping Honda WR-V RS spec from Bangkok to Pattaya in the span of three days and experience for ourselves what the compact SUV is capable of in different driving scenarios much similar to ours here in Malaysia.

From city driving with traffic jams to highway travel, here are five reasons why believe that the 2023 Honda WR-V will be a popular model once it is officially launched in the Malaysian market (NOTE: expect some minor changes between the Thai-spec WR-V from ours once it arrives).

1) Sporty & sleek design

At first glance, the 2023 Honda WR-V certainly has the ability to stand out amongst the crowd despite its 'smaller than usual' stature. In the current market, the closest and probably only competitor it has is the Perodua Ativa when you look at the dimensions.

While the Perodua Ativa might be slightly longer in terms of length and wheelbase, the Honda WR-V arguably has a better road presence thanks to its wider stance and lower height. The numbers might not be that far apart between the Honda WR-V and Perodua Ativa, but one thing is for sure - it's hard to deny its good looks, especially when riding on those 17-inch dual-tone rims.

For fellow Honda fans, you might be able to spot a few 'inspirations' from other Honda models in the WR-V. The front end is garnished with LED headlights and sequential turn signals plus chrome pins in the grille certainly have that HR-V look and feel with a few dashes from the City and Amaze.

The same can be said about the side profile, but perhaps the most outstanding exterior angle has to be from the rear where those rear lights reminded us of the Honda Civic FE. While the Ignite Red Metallic with the black roof combination looks modern and sporty, we somehow prefer the WR-V finished in either the Gray Meteoroid Metallic or even White Taffeta. Cantik.

2) Comfortable & 'homely' interior

Step inside the cabin and you are welcomed with an interior finish that resembles the second-generation Honda BR-V. It's a nice and simple yet adequate setup to accommodate your everyday drives from the meter combination display with a 4.3-inch TFT screen, a central 7-inch infotainment touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, big buttons for the AC controls, and plush seats all around.

Don't be discouraged about the slightly smaller appearance from the outside because the WR-V's interior certainly feels nice and not too small for comfort. Designed to deliver for your everyday drives, the support of the front seats is adequate despite having less thigh support if you're taller than the average Asian height (170cm or taller).

If being tall is the case, then a few minor adjustments are needed to get comfortable for longer drives. That being said, the back seats offer a more enjoyable experience for the passengers. There's enough room for the legs and heads of your passengers and those big rear side windows do offer a more spacious sense of space.

The boot space capacity of 363 litres should be adequate enough for a small family to travel around and based on our experience travelling in Thailand with our own luggage (three adults altogether), boot capacity shouldn't be too much of a concern for those who are interested in getting this small SUV.

3) 'Fun to Drive' driving experience

Equipped with a 1.5-litre i-VTEC DOHC engine, the Honda WR-V produces 121PS and 145Nm of torque - similar figures that can be found in the non-hybrid Honda City and HR-V models. With a smaller and lighter presence, this particular powertrain with a CVT gearbox modulating the power to the front wheels, we can honestly say that driving the Honda WR-V was indeed fun and easy.

Working the accelerator and brake pedals are wonderful, especially in congested city situations and as you get it to speed for highway driving, it's basically a no-drama experience. Stomping hard on the accelerator pedal might result in a slightly louder engine noise, but to us, it's still very much in the acceptable audio range.

Perhaps the best driving comfort level can be experienced somewhere between 80km/h to 110km/h where the WR-V just purrs and glides in a smooth and silky fashion. Despite being a bit jumpy during our first leg of travel near Bangkok, the suspension pretty much soaked up most of the road imperfections. They're not the best, but they're certainly good.

We also adored how nimble the WR-V was in navigating through tight spots and traffic jams thanks to its nimbleness, ease of working the steering wheel, and very impressive turning radius. For those who love going to shopping malls that offer compact parking spots, the Honda WR-V should be able to deliver with ease.

Fuel consumption on paper is rated at 16.7km/l and we got around 14km/l. To be fair, we did push to speeds between 120km/h-140km/h while we were on the highways, so getting 16.7km/l can be attained easily if you're driving more sensibly.

4) Honda SENSING safety specs

Just like most Honda models, the Honda WR-V also comes with the Honda SENSING safety package. The Thai RS spec model comes with some very useful features such as:

Front Collision Warning (FCW) with Collision Mitigation Brake System (CMBS)

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)

Road Departure Mitigation System (RDM) with Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS)

Auto High Beam (AHB)

Lead Car Departure Notification System (LCDN)

Honda LaneWatch

Simple things like the Honda LaneWatch offering a real-time video feed of the car's blindspot on the rear left side certainly help in safely changing lanes and the Adaptive Cruise Control helped a lot in making those highway travels a more pleasant experience. Very good things to have, especially if you constantly find yourselves in traffic congestion on a daily basis.

5) Attractive price tag?

For this one, we're not entirely sure just yet but Honda Malaysia is planning to sell a lot of these in the local market and one way of making sure of this is to introduce a competitive and attractive price tag for its latest entry-level SUV model.

In Thailand, the Honda WR-V RS starts from 799,000 baht (around RM106k), but we can most likely expect it to be somewhere closer to RM90,000 once it enters the Malaysian market. This, however, is based on our best-educated guess as the Honda WR-V in Indonesia is priced from Rp 274 million (around RM85k) for the automatic variants.

There should be at least two different variants for the Honda WR-V once it arrives on Malaysian shores. Expect the official launch to be within the third quarter of 2023 and once it's available at dealers nationwide, do register for a test drive. You'll be pleasantly surprised.


2015 Lotus Evora 400: Fastest, Most Powerful Production Lotus Ever

This is the new
Lotus
 Evora 400 and it is the fastest and most powerful production car that the Norfolk-based company has ever produced. However, the differences between this and a regular Evora is beyond the cosmetic kind as two thirds of it is new as you shall now find out.
Firstly, the mid-mounted 3.5-litre supercharged and charge-cooled V6 engine now produces 400 hp, a mighty 55 hp jump from the run-of-the-mill Evora S. Torque figures have also been increased to 410 Nm. If you opt for the manual transmission (available in automatic as well), a limited slip differential comes standard along with it. Acceleration to 100 km/h is completed in just 4.2 seconds.
A new aluminium chassis underpins the Evora 400, incorporating a new interior. Outside, significant changes to the front and rear of the lightweight composite body add to the performance enhancements as well.
At the front, the new bumper has larger cooling intakes and daytime-running lights. Moving on to the rear, a rear diffuser and three-element rear wing helps with the aerodynamic performance.
Providing the stopping power comes in the form of larger, more powerful, two-piece, cross-drilled and ventilated brake discs – 370 x 32 mm front and 350 x 32 mm rear. Just beyond them are lightweight forged wheels – 19-inch on the front and 20-inch on the rear. Those wheels are not only lighter by 3.3 kg than those on the previous Evora, but are now wrapped in Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres as well.
The Evora 400’s vehicle dynamics is controlled via a driver-selectable switch, which allows the driver to select between Traction slip thresholds (‘Drive‘, ‘Sport’ and ‘Race’ settings).
The revised chassis also showcases a reviser interior as well. Lotus say the high-tech aluminium bonded and extruded chassis has been redesigned to improve both entry to and exit from the new Evora 400 cockpit.
With the focus on performance, the front seats are each 3 kg lighter and the rear ones shed 3.4 kg as well. Trim options range from Alcantara to Scottish leather and the lightweight forged magnesium steering wheel with red position stripe along with the revised instrument cluster add to the performance-focused nature.
Combine all the above elements, the
Lotus Evora
 400 laps the Hethel test track a good six seconds faster than the previous model.


Geneva 2017: Toyota i-TRIL Concept and 2017 Yaris to Make World Premiere

It’s confirmed - Toyota will host the world premiere of the i-TRIL concept, as well as the new 2017 Yaris hatchback at the Geneva Motor Show next month.
The i-TRIL, which has a one-plus-two seating layout, also features the Active Lean technology, similar in concept to that used by the Toyota i-ROAD.
It is said that the concept was developed as a viable alternative to city cars, small hatchbacks (A and B segment), other all-electric EV models and motorcycles for people who still want to have fun when driving, even at slower, urban traffic speeds.
Powered by an electric motor, the concept was developed by Toyota Motor Europe in collaboration with the company’s ED2 design centre in Nice.
On another note, the Japanese carmaker also announced that the new 2017 Yaris and its performance derivative, the Yaris GRMN will also make their debut in Geneva.
The introduction of the new, significantly revised Yaris range is set to add further impetus to the success of Toyota’s small hatchback, offering a fresh exterior design as well as an upgraded interior finish.
The Yaris family will also grow to include a performance version in the form of the Yaris GRMN, inspired and influenced by Toyota’s return to the World Rally Championship this year with the Yaris WRC.
The model will be unique in the hot hatch market in being powered by a supercharged engine – a 1.8-litre unit that will produce more than 205bhp.
In addition to the models mentioned above, the Toyota stand at the Geneva Motor show will also feature the full line-up of Toyota Gazoo Racing cars competing internationally this year in the FIA World Rally, World Endurance Championships, and the Dakar rally.
The 2017 Geneva International Motor Show will be taking place from 7 to 19 March 2017.


All-New 2021 Honda Civic Design Seen In AU Patent Filings

The Honda Civic, in its 10th-generation form, might seem about as fresh-faced as they come, but consider that it has been in production for about 5 years. Credit where it’s due, the car has managed to age quite well with a little burst of youth coming from its
2020 facelift
.

This FC, as its codename goes, has been a strong seller for the Japanese automaker, making it all the more important that the pace of innovation isn’t slowed. The last thing they’d want is for a rival to sweep the
C-segment crown
 out from under it, which is why an all-new 11th-generation version is already being prepared.

Not only is the car’s development already well underway, but it looks as if the final design has already been set. The most recent proof of this comes from a recent filing made by Honda with the Australian Office of Intellectual Property, or IP Australia, which shows what looks to be the next-gen Civic from various angles in both hatch and liftback (sedan) forms.

These are merely 3D computer models, of course, but clearly depicts the visual characteristics of the car. All in all, there’s a lot of resemblance here with the 10th-generation Accord. The bonnet is much more horizontal to distinguish it from the passenger cell, which follows an almost coupe-like silhouette all the way past the C-pillar.

Speaking of which, these filings seem congruent with the rumours of Honda cancelling the two-door coupe variant, which is sold primarily in North America. Elsewhere, the front end receives an altered fascia with a nose that’s a little more extended outward. The rear end, meanwhile, eschews the arrow-like tail lamp cluster for a more squinted, regularly-shaped array.

Fans of the hatchback body style will be glad to know that the car seems much better thought out here, looking like much less of a design afterthought. We even have a horizontal light bar that seems to link both left and right clusters, making it resemble the Kia Stinger.

There’s no telling yet if Honda has any new powertrain announcements to accompany the 11th-generation Civic, but we doubt if there will be any significant changes to their current line-up of naturally-aspirated and turbocharged four-cylinder engines.

That being said, it is quite possible that Honda will be more liberal with their hybrid and plug-in hybrid offerings here, perhaps even offering
their i-MMD tech
 similar to what they’ve been doing under the Insight nameplate. In fact, the whole car looks so much like the 2018 Insight!

Keeping in mind that the previous Civic was replaced within 6 years, it would be a safe assumption that a 2021 reveal for this newest evolution is on the cards. That is, if the COVID-19 pandemic did not hamper the car’s development. More on this as the news breaks!


Analysts Call For Revision Of Malaysia's Driving School Syllabus To Train Safer Drivers

Recent cases of traffic-related disasters and fatalities have put the issue of road safety squarely into the foreground, and experts have speaking out to trigger a revision of the way Malaysia deals with road violations and, crucially, the training of new drivers.
Road accidents can happen at any time and even when you least expect it to. Given our
track record
, it’s no surprise we’ve been rudely awakened to needing a way to solve this, and quickly. The numbers show a 3.3 percent increase in road accidents in the first quarter of this year, 117,934 cases, compared to 2014 where it stood at 114,115. That upward trend is worrisome.
According to a
report by Bernama
, stopping this problem at its source would necessitate curbing the lousy driving habits that Malaysian’s have gotten used to practising as part of their everyday habits on the road. It may seem like a being asked to move a mountain, but can we turn Malaysia into a country known for courteous and responsible drivers?
The report mentions four key areas of focus:
Driving School Syllabus
 – A lot of us approach getting our driving license as a means to an end. Sit through lectures, read books, master some commonly used manoeuvres, and before long one’s license is obtained. The problem is, to be fully equipped to drive well on our roads requires a much more comprehensive education. Not just to remain safe but to not violate traffic laws, inadvertently or otherwise.
Help University’s Crime and Criminology Institute Director Datuk Akhbar Satar is calling for a review of the current driving school syllabus to modernise it and to weed out its flaws and incompleteness.
"I feel it's important for the driving school syllabus to cover topics such as ethics and courtesy. These days, it's quite common to see people being rude and even behaving like gangsters when on the road," he said.
Enforcement
 – The frequency of accidents, altercations, violations, even fatalities has contributed greatly to the public view that the enforcement is slack. It’s not just where speeding and illegal racing is concerned, but inconsiderate drivers who are guilty of even minor traffic offences (double parking, improper use of the emergency lane, tailgating, queue cutting, texting while driving, illegal u-turns, etc) and repeat them over and over without any disciplinary action taken against them will likely think they will not be punished even for more serious infractions either, and are therefore more likely to commit them.
Akhbar said "Selfish drivers should not be let off that easily. If they commit an offence, they should be punished accordingly. We have to discipline Malaysian drivers with stricter laws, so that they learn to respect other road users."
Reality Driving
 – A subset of the driving school syllabus reform, 31-year old local driving instructor Mohamed Salim Thayubkhan agrees that the current system does not equip students with the realities of driving, especially in urban areas. He describes that the typical driver in Kuala Lumpur as “highly selfish, with little or no regard for their own safety or the safety of other road users. They are not all considerate.”
"Driving skills can only be learnt through practical lessons, not from books on driving. In reality, what is written in the books is different from what's happening on our roads," Mohamed Salim said.
Rational and Mature
 – On the subject of motoring clubs and healthy motorsports activities, Malaysian Youth Parliament Member (Kedah), Muhammad Nur Faruqi Ismail said "There's nothing wrong in them joining motoring clubs but they must make sure that they are well versed in road safety. For example, if they intend to travel in a convoy, they should have a marshal to supervise them and ensure that they are adhering to the speed limit.” The doors are open for youths to explore safe avenues in motoring so that they will not succumb to the negative and illegal aspects of it.


Geely Debuts GKUI19 And New Custom Chipsets

ECarX, a subsidiary of Geely, has announced its latest E-Series of chipsets at the debut of the new Boyue Pro running on the new GKUI19 infotainment system.
The new system-on-chip (SoC) was co-developed with MediaTek, a Chinese (Taiwan) fabless semiconductor company.
Two chips were announced. The E01 SoC which features a quad core CPU with an integrated Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) that drives dual 1080p displays. The E01 SoC also features a built-in 4G modem for data connectivity.
The second is the E02 SoC, which Geely touts as a next-generation 8-core CPU with an independent Neural Processing Unit (NPU). Additional information, such as RAM capacity and clockspeeds were not made available yet.
Apart from the new chipsets, Geely also introduced its new GKUI19 infotainment system, now with even more Artificial Intelligence (AI) features. For example, the desktop has been upgraded to allow AI to configure the icons automatically depending on the user’s needs.
The new GKUI19 infotainment system is also able to connect seamlessly with Xiaomi, Baidu, and JD.com smart devices, allowing users to control their smart home devices from their car.
Future models fitted with the GKUI19 system can offer ride-sharing service with their car through Cao Cao Mobility, a ride-sharing platform that Geely has invested in.
Further adding to the GKUI19 ecosystem is the X Watch Limited Edition smart watch that allows owners to monitor the Boyue Pro’s vital stats, infotainment, and not forgetting, fitness tracking.
Mr. An Conghui, President and CEO of Geely Auto Group, said: “Geely Auto is committed to being a user-oriented and innovative company. Our goal is to provide users with products with the latest technologies and offer them the ultimate user experience.  We are always exploring new applications for smart mobility and smart connectivity so that smart technologies can reach the consumers faster. “Intelligent Connectivity” will become part of Geely’s DNA and a core strength in our products.”


What Happened To Superchargers?

There are two forms of forced induction, and one of them seems to have vaporized over the years. Why is that the case?

In the world of engines, you can get them in either petrol or diesel flavours. But whichever you pick, you can go even further with the choice of either natural aspiration or forced induction. As a quick recap, natural aspiration means that the engine sucks in air which it uses to burn fuel entirely by itself (the engine generates a vacuum as it spins), while forced induction means you're cramming air down the throat of the engine.

Naturally, the latter lets the engine make more power. It's simple: more air in the engine means you can burn more fuel, and more fuel means more power. Over the decades of internal combustion, there have only been two ways to achieve this. What we're seeing more and more nowadays is turbocharging - especially with downsized, smaller capacity engines. This form of forced induction uses waste gasses from the exhaust to spin a turbine that in turn forces fresh air into the engine.

The other form of forced induction has become a fair bit rarer, and it's what is known as supercharging. Superchargers don't use exhaust gasses to spin up, but rather directly connects to the spinning crankshaft of the engine. There are different kinds of superchargers, but they all operate on that same principle. One of the main advantages of a supercharger is instant response since the supercharger is always spinning and forcing air into the engine - but there are a couple of downsides too.

Complexity Is Unnecessary

Superchargers are tricky things to package because they take up space in the engine bay, and they add complexity to the belts that drive various other accessories in the engine. More than that, by nature of design they also add parasitic losses to the engine as it takes energy to spin the supercharger. Granted, the supercharger helps the engine to make more power as it spins, but it also takes back a certain percentage to operate.

It's Getting Hot In here

The other issue with superchargers is that they generate an immense amount of heat, more so than what turbochargers generate. Different types of superchargers are differently susceptible to this, but generally supercharging increases the temperature of the air that goes into the engine and that can be extremely bad for performance. But are these the only reasons that manufacturers have decided to stop supercharging their engines?

Turbos Have Advanced Greatly

In the early era of turbocharging, they tended to be fairly large and inefficient. They provided extra air, but they took a lot of time to deliver that air. This delay, known as turbo lag, was one of the reasons that made turbocharging a lot less appealing for mass-market applications. Eventually, turbocharger manufacturers got wise and made smaller, quicker responding turbos that have almost no lag - basically giving you that massive amount of torque even at low engine speeds.

Limited Applications, High Cost

There was once a time when superchargers were fairly common - Mercedes-Benz had their Kompressor models, Toyota had their GZE engine variants, and Audi made use of the supercharger for their V6 engines. Nowadays, the number of models packing superchargers from factory are significantly lower. The
Dodge Hellcat
 and Demon models still fly that supercharger flag high, while Lotus still uses them for a number of their models and Toyota last implemented a supercharger with their previous-generation Yaris GRMN.

The reasoning for this is that the near-instant response of the supercharger took priority over every other drawback. For Dodge's models, the supercharger provides massive amounts of torque that helps to get their cars down the drag strip in no time. With mid-engine cars like the Lotus Exige,
Elise
, and Evora, even small amounts of turbo lag can ruin driveability and precision. And with the
Yaris GRMN
, well Toyota just decided they wanted to make their hot hatch easier to drive.

But outside of those specific applications, there really isn't a reason for a supercharger to be a part of the equation. A turbocharger produces more power, does so more efficiently, and is more easily packaged with the engine to make for a total win in all situations. They turn small engines into giant killers, and big engines into world-beaters. For all of that, there is still the novelty of a supercharged engine - whether it's the whine as it spins or the razor-sharp response.


Detroit 2018: The Infiniti Q Inspiration Concept Reminds Us Of A Few Other Cars

All set to make its debut at the upcoming 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit later this month, Infiniti has released the first image of the Q Inspiration Concept.
Featuring an elongated silhouette of a fastback similar to the Mercedes-Benz CLS and the Audi A7, the Infiniti Q Inspiration which represents the next step in Infiniti’s design, looks like it is going to be a four-door coupe when it enters production in the future.
"We aim to take traditional sedan architecture to its next stage of evolution. The Q Inspiration offers an alternative form; something more flowing in appearance and muscular in stance with an unusually long and balanced cabin,” said Karim Habib, Infiniti’s executive design director.
Karim was also the former chief designer at BMW before joining Infiniti in July 2017.
“Experimenting with new proportions in an established segment with the arrival of smarter, compact powertrains, the Q Inspiration features a shorter hood and elongated body, with all the benefits to interior wellbeing, comfort and space that this layout entails."
From what we can see, the concept features frameless doors, a panoramic glass roof, large sporty wheel design, sleek tail lights that run across the rear and a pair of side air vents that look very similar to the ones on the current BMW 5-Series and 7-Series.
That being said, the Infiniti Q Inspiration Concept will be revealed in Detroit on January 15, 2018.


Titik Buta Boleh Membunuh?

Sedarkah anda akan titik buta tersembunyi pada kenderaan anda berisiko mencederakan atau membunuh anak kecil?

Titik buta merbahaya itu terletak betul-betul di hadapan kenderaan dan boleh mengakibatkan pelanggaran hadapan atau
front collision
.

Apa itu titik buta?

Titik buta atau
blind spot
 adalah kawasan di sekeliling kenderaan anda yang tidak dapat dilihat oleh pemandu melalui cermin pandang belakang, cermin sisi atau peranti kamera kenderaan yang sedang dipandu.

Titik buta ini terhasil dari had reka bentuk kenderaan, yang mana pada kedudukan tertentu, pemandu tidak akan dapat melihat aktiviti sekitar kenderaan dari tempat duduk pemandu.

Di manakah zon titik buta ketika anda memandu?

Kebiasaannya, zon titik buta kereta adalah kawasan sebelah pintu depan dan belakang kedua-dua belah kereta anda yang tidak kelihatan pada cermin sisi.

Tapi sebenarnya,
zon titik buta setiap kereta adalah berbeza
 dan bergantung kepada beberapa faktor antaranya reka bentuk kereta, jarak pemandu dengan stereng, ketinggian pemandu, ketinggian kereta dan jangkauan cermin sisi kereta.

Semakin besar dan tinggi kenderaan, semakin besar zon titik buta.

Di sekolah memandu, kita sememangnya diajar untuk sentiasa menoleh ke belakang untuk memeriksa keadaan sekeliling. Setakat memeriksa cermin sisi tidak memadai.

Namun, seingat penulis, sekolah memandu tidak mengingatkan kita kepada titik buta di bahagian hadapan kereta. Maklumlah, zaman penulis belajar memandu dulu dengan kereta Kancil, jadi mungkin sedikit atau tiada titik buta hadapan.

Titik buta hadapan (Front blind spot)

Tahukah anda kenderaan besar seperti lori, bas, van, trak pikap malah
SUV
 mempunyai titik buta hadapan?

Walaupun anda dapat sudut pandang lebih jauh dan jelas dari dalam SUV misalnya, anda mungkin akan berdepan masalah dalam mengagak posisi hujung hud SUV anda.

Selain ketinggian dan reka bentuk kenderaan, angka sebenar titik buta hadapan juga bergantung kepada ketinggian pemandu itu sendiri - lebih pendek atau kenit pemandunya, lebih besar kawasan titik buta kenderaannya.

Sebagai pemandu yang bertanggungjawab, anda harus mengenal titik buta kenderaan anda dan titik buta kenderaan lain di jalan raya untuk mengelakkan kejadian yang tidak diingini.

Bahaya titik buta hadapan

Kebanyakan kes pelanggaran titik buta yang berlaku di Amerika Syarikat adalah kerana ibu bapa tidak menyedari anak mereka sedang bermain di hadapan atau belakang kenderaan.

Pelanggaran akibat titik buta hadapan ini telah meragut nyawa lebih 931 kanak-kanak di bawah umur dua tahun di Amerika Syarikat dari tahun 1990 hingga 2019.

Menurut pertubuhan advokasi keselamatan KidsAndCars.org, 80 peratus pelanggaran tersebut melibatkan
trak pikap
, SUV dan van.

Satu demonstrasi titik buta hadapan oleh stesen televisyen Indianapolis, WTHR mendapati seorang pemandu yang berada di dalam Chevrolet Tahoe, tidak dapat melihat kanak-kanak yang duduk di hadapan keretanya. Sehingga kanak-kanak yang kesembilan duduk, barulah dia boleh melihat kepala budak lelaki tersebut dari tempat duduk pemandu.

Titik buta di hadapan SUVnya itu menjangkau hampir sepuluh kaki (3 meter) dari bampar hadapan. Ini membuktikan kenderaan besar seperti SUV mempunyai zon titik buta hadapan yang besar dan boleh mengundang bahaya andai berlaku pelanggaran.

Di Malaysia, baru-baru ini dikejutkan dengan kematian seorang kanak-kanak berusia 7 tahun akibat dilanggar dari hadapan (front collision) oleh van ‘sekolah’ yang menghantarnya ke pusat jagaan harian. Kanak-kanak tersebut yang melintas di hadapan van telah dilanggar dan tergilis di bawah van tersebut kerana pemandu van “tidak menyedari kanak-kanak itu sedang melintas di hadapan van”.

Penulis tidak mahu menyentuh tentang sikap terburu-buru pemandu van ‘sekolah’ itu dalam menjalankan ‘tugas’nya dan tidak memastikan kanak-kanak itu selamat dalam premis sebelum beredar, sebaliknya, penekanan harus diberikan terhadap bahaya titik buta hadapan ini!

Jangan jadikan angka kematian sebagai petanda untuk kita semua ‘celik mata’ dalam menangani sesuatu isu. Bukankah mencegah lebih baik dari merawat?

Guna sistem BSM kereta anda

Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS)
 mendesak pengeluar kenderaan agar sistem Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) dijadikan sebuah fungsi wajib dalam kereta untuk menerima 5 bintang penuh dalam
ASEAN NCAP
. Tiada BSM, tiada 5 bintang.

Ini mendorong kebanyakan jenama kereta untuk menawarkan BSM untuk model baharu keluaran mereka antaranya Honda CR-V, HR-V dan Accord, Toyota Vios dan Yaris, malah
Perodua Ativa dan Myvi turut dilengkapi BSM
 bagi varian tertinggi mereka.

Jika kereta anda dilengkapi BSM, sila rujuk cara mengaktifkan sistem ini kerana sesetengah model dan jenama mempunyai cara pengaktifan yang berbeza. Ada juga di kalangan rakan penulis yang tidak tahu akan kewujudan sistem BSM untuk kereta mereka kerana tidak diterangkan oleh penjual kereta, juga sebab namanya mungkin berbeza.

BSM juga boleh dikenali dengan nama lain seperti Blind Spot Assist, Blind Spot Detection dan bagi Honda, BSM dikenali sebagai
Honda Lane Watch
. Pening bukan?

Jika kurang pasti, anda boleh bertanyakan pengedar kenderaan anda atau godek sendiri dalam kereta, ada tak butang BSM? Kebiasaannya, sistem BSM mempunyai sensor pada cermin sisi yang akan berbunyi dan/atau menyala jika ada kenderaan melalui zon titik buta kereta anda.

Ada juga kereta yang didatangkan bersama
kamera 360 darjah
 yang memberi sudut pandang sekeliling kereta anda dan ini sangat membantu terutamanya bagi mengesan titik buta hadapan.

Bagaimana jika kereta anda tidak didatangkan dengan BSM?

Terdapat pasaran
aftermarket
 yang menjual pelbagai kelengkapan BSM mengikut model kereta anda, pastikan anda mendapatkan khidmat mereka yang pakar dalam pemasangan kamera sebegini bagi mengelakkan sudut pemasangan yang salah untuk kereta anda.

Cara elak nahas titik buta

Sebelum memandu, pastikan tiada halangan di sekeliling kereta anda secara manual (berjalan keliling kereta) atau menggunakan kamera 360 darjah

Semasa memandu, sentiasa periksa cermin pandang belakang dan cermin sisi, dan amalkan menoleh ke belakang sebelum menukar lorong atau membuat pusingan U

Gunakan BSM yang ada pada kereta anda untuk perlindungan ekstra

Yang penting, harus sentiasa beringat ketika memandu kerana kita tidak mahu menjadi penyumbang kepada kemalangan atau kehilangan nyawa orang lain di jalan raya.