RM2 Million - R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II Nur Or...?

Do you plonk down RM2 million for an R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II Nur or do you instead look for faster, better, stronger cars?

Because of depreciation
, used cars don’t tend to carry the same high price tag as a factory fresh example. Of course, there are exceptions to that rule, with classic or vintage examples of rare and highly sought after vehicles only increasing in price as the years roll on.

Case in point: the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II Nur, which was recently advertised for sale at RM2,000,000.

I don’t care who you are, that’s a lot of money. Surprisingly, as pictures of the car were shared around various social media networks and pages, the internet was having a good ol’ time lambasting that price tag, pointing out how it was overhyped and overpriced - in not so many words.

This got us wondering about what might be a more appropriate use of that budget. Charity comes to mind, maybe a chunk set aside for investment or a luxurious extended holiday. But say you had RM2 million burning a hole in your pocket and somehow had to blow it on a car (or cars), would you be better off passing up on that
rare GT-R
?

Is It Worth RM2 Million?

Before we get into that, let’s run through a bit of background about that extremely pricey Nissan. The R34 GT-R was technically the 5th-generation high-performance model based on the 10th-generation Skyline saloon. The model line made its debut in 1999, quickly rising to prominence in car circles as a track-munching all-wheel-drive monster - hence its nickname - with massive tuning potential.

The R34 Skyline GT-R, even in its base form, was a rare car by modern standards, lasting just 3 years in production with a mere grand total of 11,578 cars made. This rarity only cements its legendary status in the enthusiast community. By contrast, its successor, the
R35 GT-R
, is much more prolific with a reported 37,315 examples produced in its first 10 years of production since 2007, which is still ongoing.

Though the seller here does not state it, the R34 V-Spec II Nur (as in Nurburgring) was only produced in 2002 as one of two final run limited edition variants of which 718 examples were produced of the planned 750. In addition to the mechanical and cosmetic upgrades, which are numerous, this car is also done up in the optional Millennium Jade Metallic body colour option, making it even rarer.

Just recently, in the USA, the same car had been advertised for sale starting at US$485,000 (equivalent to RM1.9 million) while another is currently being auctioned in Japan starting at 50 million Yen (also RM1.9 million). So yes, it does have some justification for costing that much here too. That being said, those other examples had less than 500km on the odometer, so despite being 19 years old, are basically brand new. Mutiara Motors isn't shouting about their unit being super low mileage, so it's probably seen some action.

What Else Could You Buy?

Unless you’re a JDM junkie, you might not fully appreciate the full pedigree of the R34 Skyline GT-R V-Spec II Nur. And speaking of appreciation, this is a car you might want to keep garaged and well preserved as there’s a good chance its value will continue to appreciate. But what’s the fun in that?

Cars are for driving, and what could be more rousing than that finely tuned RB26 twin-turbocharged inline-6 unless it was caged in a temperature-controlled crypt.

These are some of the (newer) cars that you could get with the same amount of money as that R34, but that you might actually feel compelled to enjoy at every opportunity - going fast or slow.

With that RM2 million budget, you’re pretty much spoiled for choice on the used or ‘nearly-new’ market as the bulk of exotic speed machines are priced near or just below that figure. Go ahead, pick your poison.

Porsche 911 (991) GT2 RS

This is probably the most outrageous production car Porsche has put on the road and sold to mere mortals.
The GT2 RS
 is essentially a track-oriented lightweight GT3 RS with its naturally aspirated engine swapped out for the twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre flat-6 from the 911 Turbo.

If that wasn’t spicy enough, the motor has been tuned to deliver more power, at 700PS and 750Nm. Most frightening of all, the Turbo’s all-wheel-drive safety net has been removed so that all that fury is sent to the rear wheels.

It takes a deft touch and a lot of bravery to push this thing to its limit, but it’s epic fast when that synergy is established. It’s currently the fastest Porsche to ever lap the Nurburgring with a time of 6:47.25,
set in 2017
. Last month, June 2021, Porsche broke that by 9 seconds with a time of 6:38.835.

If you want speed, this is for you.

Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster

The recent announcement that Lamborghini will be retiring
the Aventador
 comes as little surprise but a good deal of sadness nonetheless, especially when you realise that this car will be the final Bull powered purely by a V12 engine.

Its successor, when it does finally emerge, will likely be
supplemented by an electric motor
 or, worse, ditch internal combustion altogether.

This Roadster version brings a certain restraint, elegance, and Italian riviera glam to the Aventador range, so it’s perfectly suited to posing around town or enjoying a scenic coastline drive while that 6.5-litre orchestra synchronises its harmonies to your right foot.

Sensations like these might soon be lost forever, so enjoy them while you can.

Aston Martin DBS Superleggera

Probably the best looking (modern) Aston Martin the famed automaker has ever produced, at least until the next car comes around.
Besides finding a DB5
, there’s no better way to live out your James Bond fantasies than rolling up in one of these.

If you measure a car on how special it makes you feel when driving it, not many can scratch that itch quite like an Aston.

This DBS uses the same
5.2-litre V12 from the DB11
, but tuned up to deliver 725PS and an earth-shattering 900Nm. And despite being twin-turbocharged, sounds incredible.

Despite the ‘superlight’ Superleggera moniker, this is still a very capable high-speed grand touring cruiser, but just one that’s also quite good fun when spanked around a track.

The interior is packed with creature comforts as well, enveloping you in a cocoon of fine materials and some high-tech go-faster features.

Ferrari GTC4Lusso

This is a Ferrari like no other, which is the main reason why it makes this list. While the rest of the world
buys the predictable
 mid-engine Berlinetta manhood compensation device, this one shows you have class and prefer to not run with the crowd.

The GTC4Lusso might be a slightly awkward name, but you might remember it in its former form: the Ferrari FF. Conceived as a four-seater Ferrari, hence that original name, the Lusso sticks to its predecessor’s foundations by retaining that delicious
wagon-like Shooting Brake profile
, extended bonnet and, shockingly, a four-wheel-drive layout.

That F140 6.3-litre V12,
shared with the F12
  is a sonic experience best left untainted by worded descriptions but churns out 610PS and 760Nm in a manner most beautiful, endowing the GTC4Lusso with almost hypercar pace and a razor-like throttle response.

All in a car that’s incredibly luxurious inside and has four full-sized seats large enough to ferry yourself and 6-foot passengers across continents in total comfort. You could even call it practical, but better still it stops short of being an SUV, which Ferrari is apparently in the middle of developing. Dark times ahead.

Choose Wisely

There we have it, a few choice alternatives for the individual with RM2 million to spend. If that happens to be you, be sure to consider allocating some of that to charity before picking up the keys to your brand new set of wheels. Be that the R34 V-Spec II Nur ‘Godzilla’ or something else….

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

Check out all the best new & used car deals in Malaysia at
Carlist.my.

Sell your car fast with the best offer? Visit us at
CarlistBid.my
.

Get your latest
new car promotion
 here also.


A BMW Owner Is Reunited With His E21 After Nearly 2 Decades

Do you remember your first car? For most of us, it was probably some hand-me-down or something 'functional', but the memories you make with your first car (both good and bad) are irreplaceable- regardless of what cars you eventually progress to. For Att Viravaidhya, he had the joy of inheriting a BMW E21 3 Series from his parents, using it for his college commute along with numerous other adventures.
But like most of us, he was forced to sell the car when it came time to study abroad. The next would-be owner lived a good ways away, but still travelled to see the near immaculate E21 3 Series, purchasing it after just an hour with the car. It was the last that Att would see of this car, or so he thought.
Over 17 years after he bid farewell to that E21, he moved his family over to Chiang Mai. His college girlfriend had now become his wife, and he was settling into adulthood. But after seeing an E21 roaming around town, his curiosity was piqued and he began looking at E21 postings for sale.
It wasn’t long after that when he found one for sale, just 2 kilometres from where he lived. Lo and behold, it was owned by the very person he had sold it to, close to two decades before- and it was still in immaculate condition. He bought the car back and restored it to the masterpiece you see here today.


Stark Varg Didedahkan – Motorcross Elektrik Paling Pantas, Paling Senyap Di Dunia

Nampak gayanya, setiap minggu ada sahaja berita menarik mengenai
kenderaan elektrik
 yang muncul ibarat cendawan tumbuh selepas hujan. Kali ini, syarikat pengeluar motosikal elektrik dari Sepanyol, Stark Future telah mendedahkan motorcross elektrik paling pantas di dunia, Stark Varg.

Stark Future yang diasaskan oleh Anton Wass dan Paul Saucy telah memperkenalkan motorcross elektrik yang dilengkapi dengan pelbagai kepuasan kepada penunggang. Pertama, ia dilengkapi dengan motor elektrik yang menghasilkan kuasa bersamaan 80 HP serta pek bateri 6 kWh yang didakwa boleh dilenjan sehingga 6 jam.

Kebanyakan motorcross di dalam kelas yang sama hanya mempunyai kuasa dalam rangkaian bawah 60 HP. Jadi dakwaan syarikat tersebut mungkin boleh dipercayai. Varg juga menghasilkan 938 Nm tork dan baterinya boleh dicas penuh dalam masa 2 jam.

Prestasi

Menurut syarikat berkenaan, Varg merupakan sebuah motorcross yang
versatile
 kerana motosikal ini boleh dilaras secara teknikal seperti pelarasan output, engine-braking, traction control, virtual flywheel weight mengikut kelesesaan anda. Terdapat 5 mod pemanduan terbina dalam pada motocross ini, namun penunggang boleh
custom
 mod pemanduan sendiri sehingga 100 mod.

Malah output 80 HP Varg juga sudah 30% melebihi output kebanyakan motocross 450cc (4 strok). 938 Nm tork yang dihasilkan pula sudah dua kali ganda melebihi mana-mana motocross di bawah 450cc. Outputnya boleh dilaras dari 1 HP-80 HP menjadikan ia pilihan tepat bagi semua kategori penunggang.

Teknologi Aplikasi VARG

Perkara yang paling menarik pada motocross ini semestinya paparan meternya yang menggunakan sambungan aplikasi VARG yang memaparkan kelajuan, tenaga digunakan, peta dan sebagainya. Aplikasi tersebut juga boleh dimuat turun di App Store atau Play Store. Kenapa menarik? Sebab paparan digital tersebut boleh dicabut dan boleh digunakan sebagai telefon pintar sepenuhnya. Siap boleh masuk sim kad lagi.

Jarak Perjalanan

Dengan bateri 6kWh yang mempunyai berat kurang daripada 32kg,
Motosikal elektrik
 ini hanya mempunyai berat sebanyak 110kg. Syarikat tersebut mendakwa jaraknya bersamaan motor 450cc jika diisi minyak penuh atau 6 jam tempoh penggunaan secara berterusan. Baterinya juga kalis air, jadi tidak perlu risau untuk meredah kawasan basah. Varg juga dilengkapi dengan gentian karbon, aluminium dan magnesium chassis bagi mengekalkan berat pada motosikal ini berada pada tahap minimum.

Stark Future berkata ini merupakan motocross pertama daripada pelbagai motosikal elektrik lain yang bakal dihasilkan kelak bagi membuktikan bahawa teknologi elektrik lebih hebat daripada petrol dalam segala segi. Dengan segala dakwaan yang telah dibuat, agak sedikit janggal apabila Stark langsung tidak mendedahkan kelajuan tertinggi motocross ini pada media, laman web syarikat, atau video pengenalan motorcross tersebut. Pelik.. bukan?

Bagi sesiapa yang berminat dengan motocross elektrik ‘paling pantas’ di dunia ini, tempahan boleh dibuat di web rasmi Stark Future dan penghantaran bakal dilakukan pada November tahun depan. Oh, harganya bermula USD11,900 bersamaan RM50.3k sahaja.

*Kredit foto: Stark Future


Bermaz Jazzes Up Mazda 2 With New M+ Dynamic Styling Package

By the looks of it, Mazda Malaysia has introduced a new optional styling package for the (DJ) Mazda 2 hatchback. Marketed as the M+ Dynamic Styling Package, the exterior trim accessories are available for both G-Vectoring Control (GVC) and non-GVC variants (depending on availability) of the Mazda 2 hatchback.
The RM4,500 M+ Dynamic package adds a suite of Dynamic Blue colour finished styling accessories including:
Bodykit
Wing mirrors
Rear spoiler
Rear bumper
M+ emblem in blue.
16-inch alloy wheels with Dynamic Blue highlights
There are no changes to the interior.
Separately, buyers can also opt for the cheaper RM4,000 M+ package, which has all the items in the M+ Dynamic package except for the 16-inch alloy wheels with Dynamic Blue highlights.
Powertrain remains identical to the standard car, powered by a 1.5-litre direct-injected four-cylinder that produces 112 hp at 6000 rpm and 148 Nm at 4000 rpm. The engine is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. Two variants are currently offered, the entry-level variant is priced at RM 87,586 while the LED headlamp-equipped variant is priced at RM 92,886, both excluding without insurance.


Honda City Hatchback vs Honda Jazz – Mana Yang Lagi Best?

Honda City Hatchback
 akan menggantikan
Honda Jazz
 yang telah ditamatkan pengeluarannya tidak lama lagi. Bagi sesiapa yang terlepas untuk membeli Jazz atau sudahpun memiliki Jazz, patutkah anda menukar Jazz sedia ada anda kepada Honda City Hatchback?

Seperti yang anda tahu,
generasi keempat Honda Jazz
 hanya akan ditawarkan untuk pasaran Jepun, China dan Eropah sahaja. Jadi perjalanan hidup Honda Jazz di Malaysia telah tamat secara rasmi pada tahun ini.

Honda Jazz merupakan antara model yang cukup terkenal di Malaysia setelah diperkenalkan sejak tahun 2001. Meskipun berbentuk kecil, namun Jazz mempunyai ketahanan enjin yang baik dan sering mendapat permintaan tinggi dari golongan muda terutamanya.

Persoalannya, mampukah Honda City Hatchback ini menggantikan tempat Jazz yang sudah bertapak di Malaysia selama 3 generasi? Apakah perbezaan serta pembaharuan yang ada pada City Hatchback untuk menggantikan model popular seperti Jazz?

Dimensi

Model

Honda Jazz

Honda City Hatchback

Tinggi (mm)

1,524

1,488

Lebar (mm)

1,694

1,748

Panjang (mm)

3,989

4,345

Jarak Antara Roda (mm)

2,530

2,589

Berat (kg)

1,099

1,179

Exterior

Reka bentuk wajah hadapan Honda City Hatchback ini kelihatan lebih matang dan terkini seperti
Honda City Sedan
 generasi ketujuh selaras dengan reka bentuk generasi baharu Honda yang lebih kemas. Berbeza dengan Jazz generasi ketiga, wajah hadapan Honda Jazz dibina berdasarkan DNA Honda City generasi keenam. Selain itu, Honda City Hatchback kini menggunakan lampu utama LED berbanding Honda Jazz yang menggunakan lampu
halogen
.

Dari segi saiz, Honda Jazz hanya lebih tinggi dan ringin sedikit sahaja daripada City Hatchback. Namun City Hatchback ternyata jaguh dari segi lebar, panjang serta jarak antara roda yang lebih panjang. Jika Honda Jazz yang sebelum ini terkenal dengan ruang dalaman yang luas, bagaimana pula dengan ruang dalaman City Hatchback yang lebih panjang dan lebih lebar?

Interior

Di bahagian dalam, papan pemuka City Hatchback tampil lebih menarik dan tersusun berbanding rekaan papan pemuka Honda Jazz yang kelihatan sedikit berusia. Meskipun diperkenalkan sebagai pengganti Jazz di Malaysia, namun fungsi kerusi ULTRA yang sememangnya popular dengan Honda Jazz turut ditawarkan pada Honda City Hatchback. Ini membuatkan proses membawa barang besar menggunakan kereta menjadi lebih mudah. Jangan ingat kereta macam City Hatchback ni tiada ruang kargo yang luas. Dengan kerusi ULTRA, ia mampu memberi lebih ruang kargo berbanding Honda City Sedan.

Selain itu, Honda City Hatchback juga dilengkapi dengan sambungan Apple CarPlay serta Android Auto pada sistem infotainment. Rekaan corong
penyaman udara
 di kawasan skrin paparan infotainment kereta tersebut juga kelihatan lebih besar berbanding Honda Jazz sebelum ini.

Kuasa Dan Prestasi

Di Thailand,
City Hatchback
 dikuasakan oleh enjin 1.0L Turbo 3-silinder. Walau bagaimanapun, model hatchback yang diterima oleh pasaran Indonesia pula menggunakan enjin 1.5L Naturally Aspirated i-VTEC 4-silinder, sama seperti Honda City sedan terkini di negara ini. Nampak gayanya, negara ini juga turut bakal menerima enjin yang sama seperti Indonesia.

Dari segi kuasa dan prestasi, varian tertinggi City Hatchback RS bagi pasaran Malaysia dijangka akan menggunakan unit rangkaian kuasa hibrid
i-MMD
 yang sama seperti versi
Honda City RS
 Sedan. Sistem hibrid i-MMD berkenaan menampilkan enjin 1.5 liter i-VTEC kitaran Atkinson yang menghasilkan output 98 PS dengan 127 Nm tork yang digandingkan dua motor elektrik yang menjana 109 PS dan 253 Nm.

Untuk varian yang lebih rendah, City Hatchback akan dilengkapi dengan enjin yang sama terdapat pada Honda Jazz iaitu enjin 1.5L DOHC i-VTEC yang mampu menghasilkan 121 PS dan 145 Nm tork.

Ciri-Ciri Keselamatan

Memandangkan ia kereta baru, City Hatchback akan hadir dengan ciri keselamatan yang lebih terkini dan menyeluruh berbanding Jazz yang sedikit berumur. Jika Honda City RS Sedan di Malaysia dilengkapi
Honda Sensing
 serta
Honda LaneWatch
, kemungkinan besar City Hatchback RS juga bakal hadir dengan ciri keselamatan yang sama meskipun City Hatchback RS yang dilancarkan di Indonesia tidak mempunyai sistem itu. Honda Jazz di Malaysia juga tidak dilengkapi dengan ciri-ciri tersebut.

Selain itu, sistem
Honda Connect
 yang kini terdapat pada Honda City Sedan baharu juga dijangka akan dimasukkan pada versi hatchback kelak. Antara kelebihan Honda Connect:

Automatic Collision Detection – panggilan kecemasan automatic jika berlaku pelanggaran

Security Alarm Detection – kereta akan menghantar isyarat ke telefon jika penggera berbunyi

Speed Alert – jika kereta bergerak laju melebihi had laju yang ditetapkan, kereta akan menghantar isyarat ke telefon. Boleh digunakan untuk memantau pergerakan kereta ketika dipinjam

Find My Car – jejaki kereta anda

Geo-fencing Alert – Menghantar isyarat sekiranya kereta anda memasuki atau keluar daripada kawasan yang ditetapkan

Emergency Call

Car Status – minyak, bateri, kunci serta airbag

Remote Vehicle Control – hidup/mati enjin, penyaman udara, kunci/buka, lampu

Service Reminder

Menurut segala info di atas kertas, Honda City Hatchback ini memang dilihat sebagai pengganti paling sesuai bagi Honda Jazz yang telah ditamatkan penjualannya di pasaran negara ini. Jika Honda Jazz ditawarkan pada harga RM72k hingga RM85k, berapa pula harga City Hatchback ini kelak?


Check Out All The JDM Goodness In Carlist Now

Lucky enough to grow up witnessing the era of JDM goodness, I believe many of you like myself, missed the unmistakable sound of swarming bees from the RX-7s and the addictive burble of Subaru Imprezas. That joy from spotting and differentiating EVO V, VI, Tommy Makkinen Editions, and that smug on our faces when we talk S203 and S204 in front of non-car people.
It was the most romantic of eras for people like us, hence out of pure curiosity with a dose of enthusiasism, I decided to have a look at what's there in our listings.
This list is an actual listing as of 13th of October 2015, and it's full of tear jerking JDM goodness, especially if you're a Mitsubishi fanboy. (Nevermind the highlighted Vellfire, my mouse hovered acrossed as I was screen capturing it)
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO BRING YOURSELF TO JDM WONDERLAND NOW


Zero GST - The Rich Will Gain Most, The Poor And Middle Class Less So

In keeping with Pakatan Harapan’s election manifesto, the newly formed Malaysian government under the leadership of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has since announced that come 1-June 2018, all items currently taxable by GST will become zero rated. It is good news for many since items like RON 97 petrol will now be cheaper and so will cars.
For now, there is no announcement that the existing 6 percent GST will be replaced with the previous 10 percent SST, which effectively means that there will be a drop in car prices.
However, the quantum of reduction will vary greatly, depending on the base value that the tax is calculated from.
Someone who buys a base model
Perodua Axia 1.0E
 (currently priced at RM24,900 with GST) can only hope to gain a measly
RM1,344
in reduction while the person who is buying a
Mercedes-Benz S400h AMG
 (RM598,888 with GST, without insurance) will enjoy a whooping discount of
RM33,632
.
If existing EEV incentives for locally-assembled fuel efficient cars haven’t brought prices for premium cars low enough, zero-rated GST will. Even those who are shopping for a cheaper
C200 AMG
 (RM254,888 with GST, without insurance) can look forward to a reduction of
RM14,386
Young adults buying a
Perodua Myvi
 (between RM44,300 to RM55,300 with GST, without insurance) can expect reductions of around
RM2,500 to RM3,100
.
The middle class buying an entry seven-seater
Honda BR-V
 (RM83,210 to RM90,100 with GST, without insurance) or compact family sedan like a
Honda City
 (RM75,930 to RM89,200 with GST, without insurance) can expect a reduction of around
RM4,000 to RM5,000
, while those shopping for a higher range
CR-V
(between RM141,558 to RM167,327, with GST, without insurance) can expect prices to be slashed by around
RM9,000
, depending on variant.
As it is, car dealers are reporting massive cancellation in orders, and sales have reduced to a trickle. Industry players are expecting May’s TIV (total industry volume, a measure of total vehicle sales) figures to be the lowest in recent history, but are also anticipating a sharp spike in orders come 1-June.
Many stakeholders are also bracing themselves for another round of upheaval once the government decides to reintroduce SST. Although the government has yet to make any formal announcements regarding the reintroduction of SST, it’s hard to imagine running country’s civil service while balancing all our debts against a reducing tax base. Without GST for the next half of 2018, the government is estimated to be losing some RM25.6 billion in revenue in this year alone (RHB Research Institute estimates).
Update:

The Ministry of Finance have confirmed that SST will be making a return, replacing GST
Nevermind about servicing the debts left behind by the previous Najib administration, our schools, hospitals, public infrastructure, and public services need money to keep them running.
When SST is reintroduced, which it will at some point, prices will go up once more and car sales will once again grind to a halt. So what can you do as a consumer? If you are looking to buy a car, do it within this period. On top of the reduction in prices driven by zero-ing of GST, many brands are also offering attractive Raya promotions.
But we have to add a caution to our buying advice – please don’t take a 9-year loan. If you have to take a 9-year loan, you can’t afford to maintain the car and you start doing nonsense like skipping maintenance work, and complain on Facebook that replacement parts and tyres are expensive. Only in a parallel universe can there exist a sophisticated car with all the features you want but require the same maintenance cost as the cheapest Perodua.


Buka Penutup Radiator Ketika Panas – Bodoh Atau Tak Ambil Tahu?

Baru-baru ini, sebuah video TikTok seorang wanita membuka penutup radiator ketika panas telah tular di media sosial. Mana taknya, wanita ini hanya menggunakan kain untuk membuka penutup tersebut. Korang rasa apa yang jadi lepas itu? Memang tersemburlah air panas keluar daripada radiator tu. Tak pasal-pasal boleh melecur tangan tu.

*Sumber:
TikTok

Macam mana boleh tersembur? Kenapa air tu panas? Radiator ini berfungsi untuk mengekalkan suhu operasi
enjin
 anda. Dalam bahasa mudah, bendalir penyejuk yang digunakan untuk proses ini boleh mencecah suhu sehingga 80-90 darjah selsius! Dah boleh buat air milo dah tu. Kalau enjin berada pada tahap panas lampau, suhunya mencecah 100 darjah selsius. Boleh rebus telur untuk sarapan pagi!

Membuka penutup radiator ketika ianya panas dan berasap akan menyebabkan air panas memancut keluar dari radiator dan boleh mengundang kecederaan pada anggota badan. Ini kerana penutup radiator di dalam pelbagai jenis kenderaan berfungsi sebagai injap untuk mengawal aliran penyejuk (coolant) antara radiator dan bekas penyimpanannya. Lagipun, kuasa stim dari wap air yang terhasil juga cukup tinggi, di sekitar 30 hingga 200 kPA. Masih nak buka penutup radiator ketika panas?

Yang pastinya, tak semua arif tentang
penjagaan kereta
 ini. Tetapi, perkara ini merupakan perkara yang selalu diperkatakan. Boleh kata tiap-tiap tahun berlaku. Bukan itu sahaja, bahkan perkara ini telah dijelaskan ketika kelas mengambil lesen memandu lagi. Tidur ke masa ambil lesen? Tak pun ambil lesen terbang?

*Kredit foto Institut Memandu Kota Gading

Tiada lagi alasan untuk tidak mengetahui perkara ini. Sekiranya anda boleh menggunakan telefon pintar anda untuk merakam anda membuka penutup radiator ketika panas dan memuat naik video tersebut di media sosial seperti TikTok, maknanya anda juga berkebolehan untuk menggunakan carian Google untuk mencari cara yang terbaik untuk berhadapan dengan kepanasan melampau enjin. Kan? Nak tak nak je ceritanya.

Tambahan pula, video yang dimuat naik wanita tersebut telah mencapai lebih satu juta tontotan di TikTok. Bayangkan berapa ramai yang dah tengok kebodohan wanita ini. Sebagai influencer media sosial yang mempunyai ramai pengikut, seharusnya beliau tampil dengan konten yang lebih bermanfaat kepada pengguna, tambah-tambah media sosial seperti TikTok dibanjiri dengan ramai generasi muda. Dapat la juga mereka belajar sesuatu. Tetapi, terdapat juga mereka yang berkongsi pelbagai ilmu mengenai kereta di TikTok. Mungkin anda boleh belajar melalui mereka di situ. Jangan lupa untuk follow Carlist.my di Facebook juga! Pelbagai petua tentang penjagaan kereta boleh didapati di Facebook Carlist.my dibawah
#KasiBikin.

Meskipun wanita terbabit tidak arif tentang kereta, beliau tetap cuba untuk menyelenggara keretanya dengan sendiri. Sikap wanita ini yang suka DIY sebenarnya tak salah, malah harus dipuji. Tak salah nak buat sendiri, tapi pastikan mengikut cara-cara yang betul. Kalau tidak, nanti tak pasal-pasal bahagian lain turut rosak sama. Naya poket nanti.

Kalau tak pandai, pastikan ada orang yang lebih arif tentang kereta untuk bantu. Boleh lah belajar sikit daripada situ. Betul tak? Di harapkan insiden ini akan memberi peringatan kepada wanita terbabit serta semua pembaca supaya tidak mengulangi kesilapan yang sama. Sekurang-kurangnya dapat juga netizen mendapatkan pengajaran daripada video yang tular itu. Kalau dah tahu cara-cara yang betul, silap-silap wanita tu boleh jadi lagi pakar dari para jejaka di luar sana!

Kepada yang masih tidak tahu, sebelum membuka radiator kereta, anda perlulah mematikan enjin dan biarkan ia sejuk terlebih dahulu. Untuk membantu menyejukkan enjin dengan lebih cepat, buka penutup but enjin bagi memudahkan udara panas di bahagian enjin untuk keluar. Anda juga dibenarkan untuk menuang air sejuk di sekitar badan radiator tersebut bagi menyejukkan komponennya dengan lebih pantas. Common sense lah, kalau dah nampak radiator tu berasap, takkan masih nak pegang juga?

*Kredit foto Daily Mail

Apabila radiator sudah berada di dalam keadaan suam atau sejuk, ikuti langkah langkah ini:

Letakkan kain tebal yang basah di atas penutup radiator

Pastikan tangan anda berada di posisi selamat untuk membolehkan anda memutar penutup radiator serta menahan tekanan air daripada keluar

Pusingkan penutup radiator mengikut arah lawan jam sedikit demi sedikit sehingga terdengar bunyi mendesis dari penutup radiator, kalau terdengar bunyi tersebut, pastikan anda tahan dengan kuat pada posisi tersebut hingga bunyi itu hilang.

Selepas bunyi tersebut hilang, pusing lagi tutup radiator dengan perlahan sehingga penutup radiator terbuka.

PENTING

Tetapi, anda disarankan untuk tidak sering membuka tutup radiator kerana ianya berisiko untuk merosakkan penutup radiator tersebut. Kalau dah rosak, bersedialah untuk melihat suhu enjin anda berada di atas tahap normal. Kalau benda ini berlaku, enjin akan mengalami kesan buruk seperti bunyi pelik, enjin kurang kuasa, penggunaan bahan api berlebihan serta risiko
kereta rosak di tengah jalan.

Kalau nak tambah bendalir penyejuk sekalipun, boleh saja tambahkan di tangki simpanan berhampiran radiator. Tak perlu masukkan melalui lubang penutup radiator ketika panas. Sekiranya enjin anda overheat akibat kehabisan coolant di radiator, jangan sesekali menambah air di radiator kerana wap panas akan menyembur keluar apabila air sejuk dimasukan ke radiator yang dalam keadaan overheat. Untuk lebih selamat, lebih baik tunggu enjin sejuk terlebih dahulu. Semoga bermanfaat kepada kita semua!

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

Check out all the best new & used car deals in Malaysia at
Carlist.my.

Sell your car fast with the best offer? Visit us at
CarlistBid.my
.


The Dangers Of Roll Cages And Racing Harnesses

Not everything designed with the racetrack in mind can be equally applied to road going cars - and two such examples are roll cages and racing harnesses.

It's hard to imagine that the very devices designed to keep you safe could actually increase your chances of injury or death - and yet, that's something that many Malaysians don't seem to understand. This is actually similar to the nature in which racing slick tyres operate, as is racecar suspension - neither of which are really designed to work with road cars in a more frequent use context.

What we're going to talk about today are two specific items you would find in a race car, that just don't work in the majority of cases for your average fast road or fun project car. Let's start with roll cages, or safety cages as they're known. In road cars like the Porsche 911 GT3RS, you sometimes find half-cage setups that occupy just the rear half of the cabin.

In full on race cars, however, there is a requirement for a roll cage that fills the entire cabin, sometimes even with anti-intrusion bars at the door area. The strength requirements and materials as well as construction techniques get ever more expensive to execute as you go higher up the tiers of motorsport, but in reality even a basic roll cage that would pass the minimum FiA requirements for
racing is not a cheap endeavour
.

According to JPJ's rules, road cars aren't allowed to have roll cages in them, though the reasoning isn't immediately obvious. For a time, road cars that were also going to enter competition such as rally were afforded a roll cage that
 they could legalize
, but the car was only allowed to be driven to and from, or between competition events. This loophole was closed out sometime in the mid 2000s, so the short answer is roll cages are illegal.

As to why they pose a danger, the answer is twofold. The first is that Malaysians at notorious for cheaping out when it comes to modifying cars - hence the market being rife with fake products. With a roll cage, cheaping out on one means bad construction and thin materials, and that turns your roll cage into something that could snap and impale you in the event of a crash.

The secondary concern is that if you are involved in a fairly hefty crash, even the strongest roll cage will deform with the chassis. Sometimes that deformation bends the cage inwards to the point where the cage may come in contact with your head - and that is why you should ideally be wearing a helmet when driving or riding passenger in a car with a functioning roll cage.

Another point of concern is installing and using racing harnesses in a road car - and we're not just talking about fake harnesses which can outright break and kill you in the event of an accident. We're talking about the dangers of impact without a head restraint system, or HANS device, which is something you see required at almost every level of motorsport.

The danger with a racing harness is that when properly installed and worn, your body is held firmly to the seat, with almost no movement allowed against the belts. Your legs, your arms, and most importantly your head and neck are still free to turn and extend, and therein lies the problem. In the event of an impact, your head will snap forward as a result of the momentum it still carries, and this can damage or break your neck.

Some harnesses are designed to work without a HANS device as they are designed to stretch and deform slightly to absorb some of the impact, a little like a three-point seatbelt in a regular car. The other benefit of the three-point seatbelt is that the body can move forward or around the shoulder belt, helping to mitigate some of the impact force.

If you're thinking of installing a racing harness anyway and wearing a helmet and HANS device everywhere you go, you better think twice. As the HANS device restricts movement of the head, it can be very difficult to check your mirrors and your blind spots when you're on the move, which is something you really should be doing when you're out on the road.


Honda Accord Hybrid Powertrain Receives 2019 Wards 10 Best Engines Award

WardsAuto has named the Accord Hybrid’s Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (I-MMD) Two-Motor Hybrid powertrain as one of the acclaimed on the 2019 Wards 10 Best Engines list.
The engine was selected for both its fuel efficiency and responsiveness, plus the seamless way power is delivered to the drive wheels. Another key factor was the Accord Hybrid’s affordability.
The Accord Hybrid is powered by Honda's innovative two-motor hybrid powertrain, which pairs a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-four engine to an electric motor and generator combo that produces 315 Nm of torque and a combined system output of 212 hp. The Accord Hybrid’s two-motor system operates without the need for a conventional automatic transmission.
Depending on the driving situation, the I-MMD powertrain shifts between three distinct drive operations, EV Drive (100 percent electric motor), Hybrid Drive (electric motor and gasoline engine driving the generator motor), and Engine Drive (petrol engine) – utilizing power from the engine and electric motors to accommodate the current driving conditions.
Other notable finalists on the 2019 WardsAuto list include Infiniti’s 2.0-litre Variable Compression four-cylinder (
Infiniti QX 50
), Lexus’ 2.0-litre Atkinson four-cylinder hybrid (
Lexus UX 250h
) and BMW’s 3.0-litre (B58) turbocharged inline-six (
BMW G05 X5
).


SPYSHOTS: 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser Facelift Shows Its Front And Rear

Thanks to Instagram user
@hamad1two3
, we now have pictures that purportedly show the 2016
Toyota
 Land Cruiser facelift.
Most noticeable is the new front fascia that receives a generous serving of chrome elements around its more angular front grille. The chrome elements extend below the reshaped headlights as well and can be found on the lower grille and surrounding the fog lamps. Besides the new front bumper, the new Land Cruiser also receives a new hood design.
Moving behind, the facelift SUV’s tail lamps now feature new graphics and is linked by a chrome bear which bears the model’s name. Just below it, there is a ‘GXR’ badge – pointing at a supposed variant while on the other side, the ‘V8’ emblem is found.
This indicates that the 2016
Toyota Land Cruiser
 would retain its 5.7-litre V8 petrol engine developing 381hp and 544Nm of torque although the possibility of other engine options is to be expected.
The engine features DOHC 32-valve with Dual Independent VVT-i EFI, aluminum block and cylinder heads, and is paired to a six-speed automatic ECT-i transmission with sequential shift mode and uphill/downhill shift logic.


Mazda And Toyota Sets Up New Production Facility - 300k Annual Production

Mazda Motor Corporation and Toyota Motor Corporation have established a new joint-venture company called Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA Inc. The new plant is located in Huntsville, Alabama with production expected to commence in 2021.
Back in
January
, both companies announced their plans to partner up for the new Alabama plant.
The new Huntsville plant will have the capacity of producing 150,000 units of Mazda’s upcoming crossover model and 150,000 units of the Toyota Corolla annually. Additionally, the new joint-venture plant is expected to create up to 4,000 new jobs.
Toyota and Mazda will invest USD 1.6 billion into the new plant with equal funding contributions.
Mazda's Executive Officer Masashi Aihara, who will be the President of MTMUS said, "We hope to make MTMUS a plant that will hold a special place in the heart of the local community for many, many years. By combining the best of our technologies and corporate cultures, Mazda and Toyota will not only produce high-quality cars but also create a plant employees will be proud to work at and contribute to the further development of the local economy and the automotive industry. We hope that cars made at the new plant will enrich the lives of their owners and become much more than just a means of transportation."
Hironori Kagohashi, executive general manager of Toyota and MTMUS's Executive Vice President added that the new plant will be Toyota’s 11
th
 production plant in the US. "We are committed to realizing a highly competitive plant and producing vehicles with the best quality for customers by combining Toyota and Mazda's manufacturing expertise and leveraging the joint venture's synergies. Based on this competitiveness, we will make every effort to becoming a best-in-town plant that will be loved by our hometown," he added.


Proton Launches 2023 Exora - New Proton Logo, New Seats, ESC Now Standard - from RM63k

Proton launches the 2023 Exora which now features exterior, interior, and safety updates - priced from RM62,800.

Proton's long-serving MPV
, the Exora has just received
a fresh update
 turning it into what Proton calls styling revisions that aptly capture its unique selling propositions of "Extraordinary Design, Extra Spacious, Exceptional Intelligence, and Exhilarating Performance."

Price

Prices of the 2023 Proton Exora are as follows:

1.6T Executive CVT - RM62,800

1.6T Premium CVT - RM69,80

Exterior

The main changes on the outside consist of the new round Proton logo on the front grille and tailgate as well as newly fitted LED daytime running lamps (Premium). Marching on in the Exora are dual tone 16” alloy wheels, side skirtings and rear spoiler, and a black roof with black rear garnish (Premium).

Interior

Unlike the outgoing model, which has dual-fabric seats, the 2023 Premium variant comes with full leatherette seats, a leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel with Proton's new logo, and armrests for the front seats for a touch of luxury and comfort. Just like before, each row of seats is equipped with individual air-conditioning vents with the N95 Cabin Filter, fitted as standard to improve air quality.

Infotainment

The Premium variant also gets a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which features the popular “Hi PROTON” Voice Command. Online navigation, music streaming, weather forecast, 4G, and Wi-Fi complete the entertainment system experience. Additionally, the system features smartphone connectivity to mirror link with Android devices. 2 USB ports are available to charge your electronic devices.

Safety

Perhaps the biggest upgrade is in the
safety
 department as all variants are now equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard. Other safety features such as two front airbags, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), and Emergency Stop Signal (ESS) completes the Exora's safety kit. A reverse camera is included in the Premium variant, and all variants come with rear parking sensors as standard.

Powertrain

As before, the 2023 Proton Exora comes with the
familiar 1.6-litre turbocharged engine
 paired with a CVT transmission, which generates
140PS
 of power and
205Nm
 of torque.

Warranty

The 2023 Exora comes with a 5-year/150,000km warranty, 5-year data package(1GB/Month), and free labour for the first 3 services.


MRT Putrajaya Line Phase 1 To Operate This Week - Low Ridership Expected

The MRT Putrajaya Line Phase 1, which stretches 17.5 kilometres from Kwasa Damansara to Kampung Batu is ready to operate.

The line will begin operating at 3pm on June 16, but MRT Corp is
cautious over ridership numbers
 throughout the 12 stations, ahead of its launch next Thursday.

According to FMT, Putrajaya line project director Amiruddin Ma'aris said the increase in private vehicle purchases during the Covid-19 pandemic likely meant that fewer people would use public transport.

"We expect ridership to increase slowly, given that the purchase of private vehicles has not been decreasing, in part due to the SST tax exemptions.

"The public will continue to use private vehicles as they service their car loans rather than take on extra transportation expenses," he told FMT at a media briefing for the Putrajaya line.

He urged the government to implement policies to
encourage greater use
 of rail and bus services.

"Infrastructure and services must come with the relevant policies," he said. "All these push and pull factors must come together for people to opt for public transport."

But for those who will utilise the new line, here's some information about the new rail service.

The new line will be served by a total of 20 train sets, with each train set comprised of four carriages with a total capacity of 1,200 passengers.

The trains are driverless and will be fully automatic in operation.

Joining the operation of the Putrajaya line on the same day are 13 feeder bus routes, which will serve the residential and commercial areas of Bandar Sri Damansara, Taman Ehsan, Taman Kepong, and Bandar Baru Selayang.

Seven of the stations will also have park-and-ride facilities, offering a total of more than 2,800 parking bays.

The 12 stations which will be open are:

Kwasa Damansara

Kampung Selamat

Sungai Buloh

Damansara Damai

Sri Damansara Barat

Sri Damansara Sentral

Sri Damansara Timur

Metro Prima

Kepong Baru

Jinjang

Sri Delima

Kampung Batu

Phase 2, from Kampung Batu to Putrajaya, will begin operations in January 2023.


Proton X50 kemalangan– Proton Bukan Lagi Tin Milo

Meskipun terlibat dalam kemalangan berbahaya yang mengakibatkan sebuah
Proton X50
 total lost, pemandu terbabit hanya cedera ringan je!

Kebelakangan ini, macam banyak pula kisah X50 ini. Ada yang tunggu tempahan, ada yang ubahsuai sehingga terlibat dalam
kemalangan
 dan ada juga berita mengatakan X50 bakal dilancarkan di
Thailand
 tidak lama lagi. Terbaru, sebuah lagi Proton X50 terlibat dalam kemalangan jalan raya.

*Sumber:
Facebook

Menurut saksi kejadian, Proton X50 itu terlanggar rim dan tayar lori yang tertinggal di jalan raya menyebabkan kereta itu berpusing sebanyak 4-5 kali dan terseret sepanjang 100 meter. Bila dah total lost macam ni, sah la kereta akan hancur teruk kan? Menariknya, struktur badan X50 masih dalam keadaan baik. Zon remuk pada bahagian depan X50 ini turut berfungsi dengan baik setelah tiang A,B dan C kereta dilihat masih dalam keadaan yang boleh dikenalpasti. Zon remuk pada X50 berfungsi meningkatkan masa tindakbalas perlanggaran semasa berlakunya kemalangan. Ini menyebabkan daya impuls dikurangkan seterusnya mengurangkan risiko kecederaan.

*Sumber:
Facebook

Dalam Bahasa mudah, meskipun kereta hancur remuk, namun bahagian pintu masih dapat dibuka. Ini membuktikan bahawa
SUV
 ini memang layak untuk menerima 5 bintang ASEAN NCAP! Ciri keselamatan yang tip top pada Proton X50 ini sekali lagi membuktikan bahawa Proton kini bukan lagi ibarat tin milo yang mudah hancur seperti dulu.

Jom lihat antara ciri keselamatan lain yang hadir bersama X50:

1. 6 SRS Airbags

2. Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

3. Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)

4. Adaptive Cruise Control

5. Lane Keep Assist (LKA)

6. Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

7. Blind Spot Information System (BLIS)

8. Intelligent High Beam Control (IHBC)

9. Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

10. Auto Park Assist (APA)

11. 360 Camera

Susulan kemalangan ini, orang ramai mengutarakan pendapat mereka mengenai kereta ini. Ramai berpendapat bahawa ciri keselamatan yang ada pada X50 ini memang hebat. Ada juga yang berpendapat bahawa kemalangan ini merupakan iklan yang terbaik untuk Proton X50 sendiri pada waktu ini. Mana taknya, ciri-ciri keselamatan tu merupakan ciri penting sebelum beli kereta. Bila dah tular perkara seperti ini, lagi membuak-buaklah kepercayaan orang ramai terhadap ciri keselamatan X50 ini!

Tambahan pula ramai yang dah tak sabar nak dapat X50 tu. Bila dengar kereta total lost tapi pemandu hanya cedera ringan, berita ini lagi pengiktirafan bagi Proton X50.

Berminat dengan X50? Tempah sekarang! Tapi kena tunggu sikitlah sebab
pengeluarannya terjejas
 akibat pandemik ini. Tapi lepas dengar berita ni, rasanya berbaloi kalau tunggu! Proton X50 boleh didapati di negara ini dengan harga bermula RM79,200.

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

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 here also.


Proton Recalls Proton Perdana 2012 To 2018 To Replace Airbags

PROTON is urging owners of the Proton Perdana built between 2012 and end of August 2018 to come in to have their passenger airbag inflator replaced.

So far PROTON reports that a total of 87.5 percent of the Takata airbags have been replaced.
Proton Perdana
's affected by this recall are those built from 2012 to the end of August 2018. This is part of a global recall for cars equipped with Takata airbags.

"Thanks to the joint efforts of our staff and dealers, PROTON managed to contact our customers and have performed the airbag inflator replacement exercise. There are 6,342 units affected and as of 18 August 2020, our service outlets have replaced 5,625 units or 87.5% completion," said Roslan Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer of Proton Edar.

No other Proton models are affected by this recall as they come equipped with airbags from another supplier.

So if you're one of the remaining 717 owners that have yet to get your passenger airbag inflator replaced then please do so now.


FK8 Honda Civic Type R Spotted In Transport Not Owned By PDRM

Through some reliable sources, we have found out that the widely circulated photos of (FK8) Honda Civic Type R spotted in transport brandishing Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) vehicle livery is in fact not officially owned by the PDRM.
The vehicle has in fact been loaned by Honda Malaysia to PDRM for preliminary evaluations. The Honda Civic 1.5 turbo is another vehicle undergoing similar evaluations.
The images, mostly circulated through social media over the past two days suggested the Honda Civic Type R will replace the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X as PDRM’s high-speed pursuit vehicle.
In December 2008, PDRM commissioned 25 units of the Lancer Evolution X, which were known as
Helang Lebuhraya Polis
. The vehicles were especially used for highway high-speed pursuits (especially in cases of carjacking, kidnapping, and hijacking), patrolling duties, or VIP escort.
With 310 PS and 400 Nm of torque delivered from its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the Civic Type R produces almost identical power figures to the hallowed Lancer Evolution X (295 PS/ 407 Nm), making it an ideal replacement, but this, unfortunately, is a lone eagle for now.
Image credit: various social media sources


Ex-BMW Man Markus Duesman Heads To Volkswagen AG For Top Audi Job

Ex-BMW head of 'purchasing and suppliers', Markus Duesmann has formally joined Volkswagen AG, after choosing not to renew his contract with former employer BMW AG.
Duesman is the second high-profile exit from BMW, after Herbert Diess in July 2015, who is now the chief executive of Volkswagen Group.
Volkswagen AG issued a statement earlier today stating, “The Supervisory Board of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft (AG) decided to offer Mr. Markus Duesmann a position on the Group Board of Management. Mr. Duesmann, currently Board of Management Member for Purchasing and Supplier Network at BMW AG, will take up his new position as soon as he is able to do so. An agreement to this effect has already been signed. With Duesmann, Volkswagen AG is welcoming on board one of the automotive industry’s most experienced and distinguished experts,”
From left: Matthias Müller (Chairman, Supervisory Board of AUDI AG) and Prof. Rupert Stadler
Reuters reports
 that Duesman has been tipped to assume the CEO position at Audi, but cannot do so until current CEO, Prof. Rupert Stadler formally steps down. Stadler was arrested in June, on the grounds that he could influence the outcome of an extensive fraud investigation into
Audi’s emission cheating
 scandal.
Stadler was previously granted a
5-year contract extension
, till the end of 2022 by the Supervisory Board of Audi AG.


Petrol Price Update:  7th of November to 13th of November - Harga Semua Turun!

The Ministry of Finance Malaysia has announced the updated prices of petrol and diesel fuels starting from the 7th of November to the 13th of November.

The price of RON97 and RON95 petrol has dropped by RM0.03 to RM 1.91 and RM1.61 per litre, while the price of Diesel, has dropped by a bigger RM0.06 to RM1.68 per litre.

In summary, the prices for petrol and diesel are listed below:

RON95 – RM 1.61 per litre (dropped by RM0.03)

RON97 – RM 1.91 per litre (dropped by RM0.03)

Diesel – RM 1.68 per litre (dropped by RM0.06)

Above you will find the historical data for fuel prices in Malaysian since the beginning of 2020.


New Mercedes-Benz Prices With SST revealed - Up To 6% Increase

The
SST tax break
 has finally come to an end, and Mercedes-Benz has updated its car prices with the sales tax reintroduction effective 1 July 2022.

It's no surprise that the entire
Mercedes-Benz
 line-up saw a price hike between 1.45% upwards to 6.05% depending on the model of choice. Below are the old and new car prices in comparison between the SST rebate and reintroduction.

Mercedes-Benz new 2022 prices with SST

MODEL

VARIANT

PRICE WITH SST EXEMPTION

PRICE WITH SST REINTRODUCTION (1 JULY 2022 ONWARDS)

PRICE DIFFERENCE

PERCENTAGE

A-Class

A 200 Progressive Line

RM220,458.79

RM229,888.00

RM9,429.21

4.28%

A 250 AMG Line

RM243,857.88

RM253,888.00

RM10,030.12

4.11%

AMG A 35 4Matic

RM325,090.23

RM353,888.00

RM18,797.77

5.78%

AMG A 45 S 4Matic+ (hatchback)

RM454,406.03

RM481,888.00

RM27,481.97

6.05%

CLA

CLA 45 S 4Matic+

RM467,691.13

RM495,888.00

RM28,196.87

6.03%

GLA

GLA 200 Progressive Line

RM241,379.06

RM251,888.00

RM10,508.94

4.35%

GLA 250 AMG Line

RM271,164.84

RM283,888.00

RM12,723.16

4.69%

AMG GLA 35 4Matic

RM345,048.74

RM363,888.00

RM18,839.26

5.46%

GLB

GLB 200 Progressive Line

RM271,788.37

RM281,888.00

RM10,099.63

3.72%

GLB 250 4Matic AMG Line

RM320,965.61

RM332,888.00

RM11,922.39

3.71%

AMG GLB 35 4Matic

RM392,582.31

RM405,888.00

RM13,305.69

3.39%

C-Class

C 200 Avantgarde

RM288,334.11

RM299,888.00

RM11,553.89

4.01%

C 300 AMG Line

RM330,681.08

RM344,888.00

RM14,206.92

4.30%

GLC

GLC 200 AMG Line

RM299,539.21

RM313,888.00

RM14,348.79

4.79%

GLC 300 4Matic AMG Line

RM338,693.20

RM356,888.00

RM18,194.80

5.37%

GLC Coupé

GLC 300 4Matic Coupé AMG Line

RM403,536.13

RM426,888.00

RM23,351.87

5.79%

GLC 300 e 4Matic Coupé AMG Line

RM392,582.31

RM398,888.00

RM6,305.69

1.61%

AMG GLC 43 4Matic Coupé

RM508,597.80

RM538,888.00

RM30,290.20

5.96%

E-Class

E 200 Avantgarde

RM330,240.80

RM345,888.00

RM15,647.20

4.74%

E 300 AMG Line

RM378,929.97

RM397,888.00

RM18,958.03

5.00%

E 300 Coupé AMG Line

RM495,071.25

RM520,888.00

RM25,816.75

5.21%

GLE

GLE 450 4Matic AMG Line

RM485,389.57

RM509,888.00

RM24,498.43

5.05%

GLE Coupé

AMG GLE 53 4Matic+ Coupé

RM812,046.55

RM856,888.00

RM44,841.45

5.52%

S-Class

S 580 e

RM698,744.00

RM708,888.00

RM10,144.00

1.45%

EQA

EQA 250

RM278,201.25

RM286,888.00

RM8,686.75

3.12%

As you can see for yourselves in the table above, the model that was most affected by the SST reintroduction in the Mercedes-Benz line-up is the
AMG A 45 S 4Matic+
 hatchback, with a whopping increase of RM27,481.97 or 6.05%.

The least affected model is the
S-Class S 580 e
 with a hike of RM10,144 or 1.45% in percentage. The rest of the model offerings from Mercedes-Benz Malaysia floats between the increase of 1.61% to 6.03%.

Those who have managed to place your bookings before the end of the SST tax break on 30 June 2022 are most likely smiling right now.


VIDEO: Toyota's LMP1 Racer Can Serve A Crowd Breakfast With Its Immense Braking Heat

Motorsport is amazing. Even more amazing than the mere sensation of speed is the human effort involved at the driver’s individual level to sustain superhuman levels of concentration while subjected to heavy G-forces and to the team pushing the boundaries of strategy and technology.
But it’s hard, oftentimes, to really capture just how far the extremes of human and mechanical stresses are pushed in motorsport. For instance, the sheer heat produced during breaking from very high speed.
Toyota
 set out to do just that.
So, as you’ll see in the video, Toyota invited some unsuspecting people for breakfast. As they walk in, rows of coffee pots can be seen, but with no heat to boil the water. Same goes for the unelectrified toasters and unheated frying pans. That is, until the Toyota TS040 HYBRID Le Mans LMP1 racer starts up and rolls into the middle the room - we all know
why Le Mans matters
.
It's hooked up to a what we can only imagine to be a heat exchanger while it runs through a virtual lap of Le Mans. During the run, the car develops roughly 6,000,000 joules of energy during each lap, the amount necessary to prepare these cups of coffee, slices of toast, and fried eggs, to serve breakfast to everyone in the room.
Astonishing. Which is why rather than letting that heat merely dissipate, Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems have been developed and deployed in racing cars, such as Toyota’s High-Performance Hybrid System. These absorb the energy generated during braking and stores it in a bay of batteries to further boost performance where necessary.
Combined with the diesel-powered engine in these Le Mans racers, this hybrid power is both highly efficient and very powerful. Also, note how in spite of the car accelerating in the middle of the room that the guests don’t seem to be too affected by the sound? That’s because these LMP1 cars are deceptively quiet, too, matching or even undercutting the noise levels produced by the lower-performance Super GT series cars.


GIIAS 2015: Daihatsu FT Concept Previews All-New Toyota Rush/Daihatsu Terios

The Daihatsu Terios, which most Malaysians will recognise as the Toyota Rush, was first introduced in Indonesia in 2006. Both models are produced by Daihatsu in Indonesia and the seven-seater twins are unrelated to the Rush and Terios models sold in Japan and Europe.
Instead, the Indonesia-made ASEAN region Rush/Terios are based on the seven-seater, rear-wheel drive Daihatsu Xenia/Toyota Avanza twins, both of which are also produced by Daihatsu in Indonesia.
The ageing Rush and Terios models are expected to be replaced by an all-new model in around 2016 or 2017.
What you see here is the Daihatsu FT Concept, which made its global debut at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) in Jakarta.
Unlike the smaller
FX Concept
, which most probably previews a next generation Perodua Kembara/Nautica-like five-seater crossover to replace the Japanese and European market Daihatsu Terios/Toyota Rush, the larger FT Concept is a seven-seater SUV.
Not much is revealed about the FT Concept but Daihatsu describes it as a ‘full-scale SUV’ with a front-engine and rear-wheel drive layout and a ‘wide interior space than can comfortably accommodate seven passengers.’
Sounds like a Toyota Rush/Daihatsu Terios to us.
Daihatsu also added that the production version of the FT Concept is intended to serve as a top-model in Daihatsu Indonesia’s line-up – which is just another way of describing the Terios in Indonesia.
Next Perodua SUV Model?
There is a possibility that this might preview a new Perodua model. Although the current generation Rush is sold by Toyota, the company might be streamlining its seven-seater models – which consists of the Avanza, Rush and Innova.
We have already reported that the seven-seater
Toyota Sienta
 might be coming here by 2016 or 2017. It might be reasonable to expect Toyota to drop the slow-selling Rush to avoid unnecessary sales cannibalisation with the rest of its seven-seater models range.
Perodua had earlier wanted to introduce the current generation seven-seater Rush (Terios, below) but the model was finally given to UMW Toyota in 2008, and Perodua was forced to make do with the Japan-made five-seater Terios, rebadged as the Perodua Nautica.
Complications in Approved Permit allocations (Perodua is a national car company and the government disagreed with Perodua’s intention to sell an imported car) cut short the Nautica’s life in Malaysia.
This time around, Perodua might want to stake its rightful claim to the Daihatsu-developed SUV. If our speculations are correct, a production version of the FT Concept wearing a Perodua badge will surely give the upcoming
2016 Honda BR-V
 a hard time.
Of course there’s also a question of whether can the Perodua brand command the circa-RM70k to RM90k price tag that’s to be expected for a vehicle of this class.
But back in 2008, Perodua also didn’t have the Alza, which now commands up to RM62,999.
Perodua’s brand strength have improved much over the years, so it might just be able to get away with a RM70,000 plus model.
Of course, all these are just speculations on our part.


BMW Shorties 2018 – Colourless Tops List Of Short Films

In its 12th edition, the 2018 BMW Shorties has awarded its Grand Prize for the short film ‘Colourless’ by Ananth Subramaniam, a story of the journey of a young, aspiring swimmer and her struggles in navigating the waters between her swimming community and life with her single father.
‘Colourless’ takes us into the world of Samantha – a gifted young swimmer whose desire to be seen for her talent is perennially undermined by the reality of her circumstances: struggling to connect with her single father and dealing with adolescent insecurities.
Samantha’s story is a reminder of how the path of self-validation for one’s passion and talent can be filled with loneliness and frustration; and only with dedication and unwavering belief can we truly achieve our greatest dreams.
The 14-minute short film was presented with the coveted title of the BMW Shorties 2018 Grand and a production grant of RM 80,000 to fund their next short film.
‘Colourless’ stood out as the frontrunner for the judges this year for its outstanding production quality, layered scriptwriting, creative direction, sound design, editing skills and actor performance. The short film also took home supporting awards for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design, Best Editing, and Best Actress.
Sashi Ambi, Head of Corporate Communications of BMW Group Malaysia said, “Each year, we never cease to be amazed by the amount of talent and quality of submissions on the BMW Shorties; this year is no exception. This only motivates us to continue pushing the BMW Shorties as the leading platform for new-generation filmmakers and digital content creators to hone their craft and share their uniquely-inspired works with audiences in Malaysia and beyond.”
The short films from the finalists of the 2018 BMW Shorties can be viewed at
www.bmwshorties.com.my
.


Toyota Supra To Be Launched In Malaysia This Year, Yaris Too

UMW Toyota has announced today that it will be launching at least two new models later this year – the Supra and the Yaris.
As
reported by Carlist.my last year
, a limited number of units of the all-new A90 generation Toyota Supra have been earmarked for Malaysia. Prices have yet to be confirmed but as you can imagine, don’t expect it to be cheap.
Globally, the Supra is available with two engine options, both turbocharged BMW units – a 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder and a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder. Sources familiar with the matter have indicated that only the 3.0-litre version will be offered for Malaysia.
Considering that Malaysia’s import duty structure is based on engine capacity, it’s fair to say the all-new Supra will be at least on par or more expensive than a 2.0-litre Porsche 718 Cayman.
For reference, a similar engine capacity BMW M4 retails upwards of RM772,800.
At the opposite end of the price scale, Toyota has also confirmed that the all-new Yaris will be launched here very soon. This is not surprising, considering that
spyshots of the Yaris
 have surfaced in November last year.
The Yaris is a hatchback version of the familiar Vios sedan. Mechanically identical, the Yaris will be powered by the same 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine paired to a CVT-type automatic. Our local Yaris will most likely be different from the Thailand market Yaris, which uses a smaller 1.2-litre engine to comply to Thai EcoCar regulations for tax incentives.
Like the Vios, the all-new Yaris will be assembled at the Assembly Services Sdn. Bhd. plant in Bukit Raja, Klang.


Fuel Price Update: 10 - 16 May - No Change

The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives, and Consumerism (KPDNKK) has announced the fuel prices for the next seven days and there is no change in the prices. The prices have been stagnant since 29th March 2018.
RON95 –
RM2.20
per litre (no change)
RON97 –
RM2.47
 per litre (no change)
Diesel –
RM2.18
 per litre (no change)


Review: Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 TSI – Last of the Twin Charged Ones

In a market that’s dominated by the
Honda

CR-V
 and
Mazda CX-5
, the
Volkswagen

Tiguan
 never made a strong enough dent into the Japanese-controlled fort. Initially offered with only a 2.0 TSI turbocharged engine from the
Golf GTI
, the Tiguan was priced on the wrong side of the RM200,000 divide. The introduction of a 1.4 TSI version brought prices down, it's now front-wheel driven instead all four, has a less powerful 1.4 TSI Twin Charged engine and loses leather trimming.

Opting for the RM10,000 Tech Pack option adds Bi-Xenon headlamps that automatically adjusts for range and swivels according to your speed and steering angle, dual zone automatic air-conditioning, cruise control, RCD 510 infotainment system with reverse camera.

Despite the lower price, the Tiguan still fares poorly in terms of value. Specs-for-specs, the Tiguan’s equipment levels are well below that of the Honda CR-V 2.4-litre 4WD (RM172,600). And let’s be honest, the hard beating that the Volkswagen brand took recently isn’t really helping matters.

Still, the Tiguan has its charms, despite the brand’s recent snafus.

Specifications:

Price: RM188,888 (Tech Pack option), excluding insurance

Engine: 1.4-litre TSI direct injection, twin charged, inline-4, transverse

Power: 160 PS @ 5,800 rpm

Torque: 240 Nm @ 1,500 to 4,500 rpm

Transmission: 6-speed dual-clutch automatic, wet clutch type

Safety: Six airbags, ESC, ABS with BA, ISOFIX

Origin: Fully imported from Germany

Overview

A new generation, all-new Tiguan has already been preview at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, but the model will only go on sale in Europe sometime around the third quarter of this year, with sales of right-hand drive models to commence slightly later. We don’t expect to see the all-new MQB platform-based Tiguan on this side of the world until 2017.

With this in mind, we do expect Volkswagen dealers to be offering some attractive offers on the Tiguan. At the moment, there are no on-going promotions for the Tiguan, apart from the usual dealer initiated offers.

Surprisingly, despite the less than stellar reputation that the current generation of Volkswagen models suffer from, dealers appear to not have much problems shifting the Tiguan off their showroom floor.

It’s one of the few
Volkswagen
 models that you actually have to wait for it – some say the Tiguan’s wet-type 6-speed DSG transmission, which was less affected by the snafus that afflicted the 7-speed dry-clutch unit, helped. Of course, the Volkswagen Malaysia has repeatedly assured customers that problems with the DQ200 7-speed DSG unit has already been solved, but realistically, even though the problems have been dealt with, it will take at least one model generation to come to pass before a new group of consumers move in to fill the void.

Exterior

“Boring.” That’s a common response elicited by the Tiguan’s exterior styling, which frankly I never quite agreed. Personally, the Tiguan has a rather understated, timeless design and just like many Volkswagen models in the past, the Tiguan wouldn’t look too out of place even when parked next to a newer model. The same cannot be said for an older generation CR-V.

In terms of size, the Tiguan is significantly smaller than its Japanese competitors. On the upside, that would mean that it’s easier to park. On the other hand, the smaller real estate also means that its cabin is a lot more cramped than its peers.

The lack of keyless entry also shows the Tiguan’s age. Having said that, the Germans are, for whatever reasons, slow to adopt convenience features, preferring to focus on driving related features. For the record, even the all-new BMW X1 doesn’t have keyless entry. So it’s something that potential buyers will have to accept, despite paying the high price for the car.

Interior

“Boring,” again that was a common reaction from those who stepped in to the car, but this time around, I shared the same sentiment. Even when it was first launched, the Tiguan had a rather unattractive interior.

I wished to say that its bland cabin was compensated by top-class ergonomics and practicality, but sadly there was no saving grace for the gray-ville that surrounds the occupants.

It was difficult to get into a comfortable driving position. The driver’s seat adjusts for height as well as fore and aft, while the steering wheel adjusts for both reach and rake, but despite the high level of adjustability, you can’t quite settle into a comfortable driving position. The dashboard sits a bit too high, but pumping the seat height adjuster merely tilts you a bit too far forward rather than raising you vertically.

My almost six-foot tall colleague Daniel Wong also complained of the same, less about the height, more about the relative distance of the pedals, and the steering rack’s limited range of telescopic adjustment, which was a shame because the floor hinged ‘organ pedal-type’ accelerator pedal would in theory, allow for a sharper control of the throttle.

In comparison, we had no issues settling in our preferred driving positions when we got behind a Honda CR-V or a Mazda CX-5.

Curiously, I don’t remember having the same problem in the Tiguan 2.0 TSI, which came with thicker padding leather seats.

The front-centre armrest was also positioned too far behind, and was too low to be of much use during long distance drives. You can tilt rear-hinged armrest it upwards, but that position wouldn’t allow you to rest your arm anymore. Maybe the interior designers see it differently, that you must keep your hands at the 9 and 3 o’ clock position on the steering wheel.

Behind, there is ample room for two adults, but three could be a bit of a squeeze, and the transmission tunnel intrudes quite a fair bit into the cabin, but no more than the CX-5. Only the CR-V offers a truly flat cabin floor in the rear.

Parents however, will appreciate the Tiguan’s fold-down tray tables, which is able to hold small cups and water tumblers. There’s also a pair of air-conditioning vents behind.

The rear seats are splits and folds flat in 60:40 ratio, but there are no convenient one-touch controls that you can operate from the boot to fold the seats, unlike the Honda CR-V. To fold the seats, you first have to open the rear doors, pull a strap to collapse the seatback forward, before going back to the boot.

So not very impressive then is it? Don’t be too quick to strike the Tiguan off your list yet.

How does it drive?

Together with the Jetta, the Tiguan will be the last two Volkswagen models to be powered by the 1.4-litre TSI Twincharged petrol engine. It’s a unique, one-of-a kind setup that combines the benefits of a turbocharger with a supercharger.

The only other brand that makes similarly setup engines is Volvo - the XC60 T6 and XC90 T8, and they cost RM318,888 and RM453,888 respectively.

Yes the Volkswagen TSI 1.4-litre don’t have a very reliable reputation, with many reports of cracked pistons afflicting earlier models, but on their part, Volkswagen assures us that it has since corrected some gaps in its casting and curing process, and all earlier affected engines have already been replaced under warranty.

On the move, the engine’s 240 Nm of torque made light work of pushing the Tiguan’s 1,551 kg along.

While it has ample torque, the delivery was rather jerky, especially in stop-go traffic. Below 1,500 rpm, there’s almost nothing but shortly before the tachometer winds past the 2,000 rpm mark, the engine dumps a huge load of torque to the front wheels, pulling you ahead as if you were being swept away by a strong wave. It’s good for traffic light duels, but not good when all you want is just to move a few feet forward in traffic.

The engine’s idle start-stop function was quite smooth for a four-cylinder engine, good enough that I left it on in all but the worst stop-go traffic.

Out on the highways, it has more than enough power and a quiet enough cabin to make for a relaxing drive. The Tiguan’s powertrain is remarkably able to cruise its way to triple digit speeds on the motorway. It really feels effortless in its power delivery, and whilst it doesn’t have the outright speed or high-speed stability offered by its four-wheel drive 2.0 TSI predecessor, this front-wheel drive variant already feels well-endowed and capable enough as it is.

Round the bends, the steering is well-weighted while body lean is controlled – which is a better than what you would expect from a family-focused SUV.

How Comfortable Is It?

The Tiguan’s excellent sound proofing makes for a very hushed cabin ambience even at high speeds, whereas its suspension tuning manages to deliver a supple and yet planted car-like ride, which is saying something, considering that this is still an SUV with an elevated ride height.

Ruts, gaps on the tarmac surface and road undulations – the Tiguan absorbed it all in stride.

It’s a pity that the composed ride could not shake off some of its earlier mentioned ergonomic foibles. Otherwise, the Tiguan would have been a very capable companion for many families.

How economical is it?

Over a nearly 300 km distance of mostly city and inter-city driving, with only a fair bit of highway distance in between, the Tiguan 1.4 TSI’s trip computer was showing an average fuel consumption of 9.8-litre/100 km. That’s slightly less than a Honda CR-V 2.0-litre 4WD, so it’s pretty good.

Conclusion

Overall, the Tiguan 1.4 TSI doesn’t offer a very attractive package especially when you compare it against the very-practical
Honda CR-V
.

But if you are going to do a lot of long distance driving in it, then the Tiguan’s forte in delivering an effortless cruise comes into play very well. It’s a pity that the Volkswagen is still hounded by the stigma of being an unreliable ride.

Find more
Volkswagen Tiguan
 models on sale at Carlist.my.


My Stupidly Obvious Road Tax Reform Plan Is Stupidly Obvious

Previously
, and bluntly, I tried to explain why I thought the road tax sytem in Malaysia is embarassingly out of date and does not seem to conform to any
underlying motive
.

I think most of us will agree that, even if my specific arguments seemed flawed, there is something fundamentally broken about how (1) how road tax is calculated and, (2) how our roads seem to only get worse over time - and not just in very urbanised areas such as the Klang Valley. Let me remind you:

Potholes everywhere

Bumpy patch jobs that are that never last long

Uneven manhole covers becoming artificial potholes

Ineffective drainage system leading to floods

Use your imagination, it's probably true

A Stupidly Obvious (But Also Better) Way?

Anyway, back to the road tax situation - ultimately, it's easy to complain. Though I had ranted about how the system made no sense, I did not present an alternative. Here is it:

My idea is a simple one, and it's based on the cost of the car. Due to our apparent indifference to promoting the adoption of fully electric vehicles given how they're taxed (more confusingly), it shouldn't matter how large or small our engines are if CO2 emissions are more influenced by other factors.

In what messed up system are we putting up with if the roadtax I pay for a Subaru XV costs the same as some other (very fortunate) person's who bought a multi-million ringgit Koenigsegg Gemera. It makes no sense. Present your argument.

Basically, if you can afford to buy an expensive car, you can afford to pay for the expensive road tax regardless of the arbitrary size of the engine. In the same way we fork out each year to LHDN based on our income, road tax should be calculated on the price (or value, if used) of the car. This also correlates to how our
auto insurance
 is calculated, and it seems stupidly obvious.

You earn more, you pay more income tax. You earn less, you pay less (or none at all).

Your car is worth more, you pay more to insure it. Your car is worth less, you pay less to insure it.

Why can't it work the same way for road tax?

If my income tax and car insurance are based on variables such as my salary and depreciation, why does JPJ force me to pay the same road tax for my car FOREVER? Especially if most of our roads are in a bad condition and we have to pay tolls everywhere we go anyway?

Where Everyone Wins

A car doesn't need to be taxed like crazy just because it has a bigger engine, especially now where there is no mercy after the 3,000cc mark.

Not only will this promote a more varied automotive landscape in Malaysia, but it will be a boon for the sale of older cars that might otherwise struggle to find a new home. After all, it's better for the environment for a car to serve out its service life than to laboriously be turned into scrap.

If you think that this would only benefit car enthusiasts that might love to buy cheaper used cars with large engines, remember that older cars are also more prone to mechanical issues, which we have to get fixed, which further props small businesses or your taman mechanic.

To our detriment, we also likely pay for more fuel, which is more money circulating in the economy. But also remember that, due to that fact, we're also less likely to use those old big-engine cars on a regular basis.

This proposed road tax structure is also a self-policing system that will ultimately make cars more accessible to more people, not just ones powered by internal combustion, but is also effective with EVs and hybrids.

For example, for most of us, being an early adopter of fully electric cars is beyond our financial means. Cars like Teslas or a Lucid Air or a Rivian R1T costs a lot of money, obviously. But when they realise that the road tax is making their cars
even more prohibitively expensive
, and they can tap a much larger market by undercutting their competitor, it would only incentivise them to innovate towards lower price points.

Whether that's discovering new materials, refining the production process, engineering a less costly battery, or just reducing their profit margin - we all win as consumers.

How We Got Here?

At its most essential level, there is something hugely wrong with a road tax calculation structure that's tiered on engine displacement. In the past, the size of an engine was what a lot of automakers used to denote different variants, and the only way to access a top-spec trim was to get the one with the biggest engine.

It was
a simpler time
 when a BMW 325i actually had a 2.5-litre engine (inline-6) or a Mercedes-Benz S 500 used a 5.0-litre engine (V8). Then automakers got wise to the fact they could sell more cars if they got around this big displacement problem and help their customers save money.

Enter small displacement engines with forced induction (turbochargers, superchargers) - problem solved, right? Many governments responded by switching to an emissions-based road tax system, under which those smaller engines performed even worse than their higher displacement but naturally aspirated counterparts.

This forced automakers to prioritise their research to lower that CO2 figure (and other pollutants), which is an
ongoing battle
 even today. Importantly, Malaysia stayed stagnant in the face of this, continuing to charge us purely based on displacement - and quite unfairly too.

If you think that my hastily proposed idea is worth exploring or complete cat crap, let me know and let's get into a constructive discussion. Peace.


Mazda To Begin Production Of 2.0 SkyActiv-G Engine In Thailand

Mazda is stepping up its investments into the Thai automotive industry, ramping up the capacity of its Chonburi engine plant and initiating production of the 2.0-litre SkyActiv-G petrol engine there. The company has also announced plans to construct a new engine machining facility to complement the engine assembly plant.
Operational since October 2015, the
Mazda Powertrain Manufacturing (Thailand) Co Ltd (MPMT)
 plant currently boasts an annual production capacity of 30,000 units. The plant produces the 1.5-litre SkyActiv-D diesel and 1.3-litre SkyActiv-G petrol engines used in the Mazda 2. Neither engine are currently offered in Malaysia though, the
Mazda 2 for our market
 being powered exclusively by the 1.5-litre SkyActiv-G engine; the 1.5-litre diesel engine is currently undergoing
local trials
 here conducted by local distributors Bermaz Motor.
Moving forward, Mazda plans to further invest JPY 22.1 billion into the plant, escalating its annual production capacity to 100,000 engines whilst adding the 2.0 SkyActiv-G engine into its portfolio.
The upgrades are scheduled to be ready by the first half of 2018, after which it will be exporting the 2.0 SkyActiv-G to Mazda’s ASEAN production sites in Malaysia and Vietnam.
By increasing production capacity and starting up the new engine machining factory as scheduled with quality assured, Mazda intends to further develop MPMT as its first overseas hub for engine export, thereby improving our global production efficiency and contributing to the development of Thailand's automotive industry," said Masatoshi Maruyama, Mazda's Managing Executive Officer in charge of Global Production."
This major investment by Mazda is a massive win for the Thai automotive industry. The Mazda SkyActiv engines are extremely sophisticated powertrains. Besides securing a high amount of foreign direct investment, the local Thai economy and workforce are also set to benefit from the transfer of highly advanced engineering and production technology.


Targeted Fuel Subsidy Will Cause Prices Of Goods To Rise Even Further

Members of the public will suffer if the targeted fuel subsidy programme is implemented.

According to a report by Malaysian Insight, the Petroleum Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM) has come out and said that a targeted fuel subsidy programme cannot be implemented now, as members of the public will pay a high cost for it.

PDAM President Khairul Annuar Abdul Aziz said that although a targeted programme is better than allowing subsidy leakages - if introduced now, it will cause a ripple effect that will see prices of goods across the board rise even further.

Khairul's suggestion is to gradually increase fuel prices, instead of a jump, and all forms of subsidies should be given as cash aid directly to
affected persons
, according to a report compiled by FMT.

"We hope the government can sit down with us dealers to talk about the impact as soon as possible," he said.

The current deliberation by the government to introduce a targeted fuel subsidy programme came after Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz's
intention to review fuel subsidies
 currently in place due to the sharply rising global price of crude oil, which recently has exceeded US$120 per barrel (RM503.16).

Back in May, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mustapa Mohamed said, despite the massive hike in global oil prices, the country's fuel subsidy will continue as oil and gas
remain essential
 drivers of growth and a key pillar of Malaysia's development.

The narrative has changed since then, as an interview with Bloomberg saw Mustapa saying that the Malaysian government has begun work on replacing the current blanket fuel subsidy scheme with a more targeted approach in light of rising government spending to deal with the higher living costs.

"Unanticipated subsidies are expected to push the government's total spending in 2022 significantly higher by about 30 billion ringgit ($6.8 billion), adding that the higher revenue from rising commodity prices was insufficient to offset the spike. The extra funds were mainly for petrol, chicken and egg subsidies as well as flood reliefs," wrote the Bloomberg report.

The report continued by adding that Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob expects the final subsidy bill this year to breach 71 billion ringgit.


Review: G05 BMW X5 - A Breadth Of Talent

In the world of luxury SUVs, or SAVs as BMW calls them, the X5 is known as both a pioneer and a benchmark. It was the first of its kind - an SUV that drove like a BMW - and it showed the world what could be possible with the right kind of motivation.
But like every car manufacturer, BMW is tasked with improving their models with every generation; the only problem is that improvement can mean very different things depending on who you ask. One person may seek more aggressive, responsive handling, while another may want better comfort for the day to day.
And then there are those who believe that the X5, and its luxury SUV brethren, should be able to handle the toughest of conditions when heading into the wilderness. It's a valid ask, given that the SUV body form should be used for more than just aesthetics.
Juggling all of these requirements for two decades has been tough, even with the advancements in engineering and technology that have helped to broaden the appeal and operating abilities of the X5. This latest generation sees some of the largest steps forward in X5 history - and it's a model that
has recently been previewed here
 ahead of its official launch.
From quite nearly the beginning of our time testing the all-new BMW X5 in Atlanta, we had everyone from engineers to PR staff telling us how amazing the two-axle air suspension was - a revolution so to speak. It was just one of many technologies implemented that aimed at widening the range of characteristics of the X5 to meet the expectations of a broader audience.
In tandem with active roll bars and integral active steering (rear wheel steering), this latest generation was poised to be quite the weapon when slinging it along some back roads. It was made clear that BMW, after all this time, still has great pride in the handling ability of one of their largest models. Suffice to say, other manufacturers have noticed and followed their trend, and in this day and age a luxury SUV is no longer dogged by sub-par dynamics.
The First Impression
It may be easy to poke fun at BMW for making their kidney grilles larger with every passing generation, but this serves a subtle - yet important - purpose with the overall styling. You don't realize why until you first see the X5 up close and in person, for it is an incredibly large car that would dwarf the first generation model. As is the case with visual trickery, the large 20-inch wheels and massive grille help to hide the heft, making the X5 a little more socially acceptable.
The styling has remained true to BMW, with no sudden moves that would disrupt the X5 lineage or make it stick out like a sore thumb. Where we see a larger shift is the interior, which has managed to blend the driver-centric orientation of BMWs from decades past with the bells and whistles of today, lending some much needed dimensionality to an otherwise flat surface. As far as luxury car interiors go, it hits the mark.
The Practical Bits
This generation of X5 has an optional (usable) third row of seats, as well as an optional split electric tailgate. Headroom and legroom are offered in ample measures, and the hip-point is just about right for sliding in and out of the car with little effort. Ergonomics are an often overlooked and underappreciated aspect of vehicle design, and so it's important to make note of when a manufacturer gets it right.
The excellent infotainment system - now in its seventh generation - boasts a wealth of connectivity and flexibility for the future, allowing for over the air software updates and voice control among other things. The full-screen instrument cluster with its infuriating reversed tachometer has also made it, though we are slowly warming up to the aesthetics of it, and the layout does allow for more flexibility in terms of displaying information for the driver.
The Driving Experience
The trunk roads surrounding Atlanta's more built up city played host to our tests. The car in question was an X5 xDrive40i, powered by a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-6 engine that produces 335 hp and 450 Nm of torque, channelled to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox. Modern turbocharged engines offer great tractability and this is no different, with a huge amount of low down torque that allows you to spurt out of corners with surprising litheness for a two-tonne car.
We could wax lyrical about how the X5 had precise steering, predictable dynamics, and a progressive nature as you approach the limit - but these are things that are par for the course for a BMW. The air suspension and adaptive damping functioned as they do, keeping the car plush and pliant across rough tarmac while sharpening up when pitching the behemoth into a corner. What turned out to be far more exciting was the second half of our testing, which involved bumping around a massive estate in X5s equipped with the first-of-its-kind xOffroad package.
What the M Sport package is to the road, the xOffroad package is to everything off the road. Body cladding and additional protection are expected, but a full selection of off-road modes as well as some cool optional all-terrain tyres - a first for a BMW model. The off-road modes are reminiscent of Land Rover's systems which is terrain based and adjusts parameters like the ride height and powertrain response to suit the situation.
Perhaps most special of all was the surround view camera - a system which has advanced by such a great deal that it is simply staggering in function. Having a birds-eye view of a car has fast become normal across the market, allowing for somewhat easier parking, but BMW's system goes further to even render a view from the outside of the vehicle looking at the wheels and bumpers - with ultrasonic sensors to detect and display proximity to obstacles. It is such a fantastic tool for offroading that it quite nearly does away with an external spotter.
The Caveat
There's only one problem. All of the aforementioned packages are optional, as part of a number of different ways you can specify your particular X5. For buyers in Europe or the United States this isn't an issue as they have the ability to pick and choose what they want to a surprising level of detail.
But for us over in Malaysia, we don't quite enjoy that liberty. BMW hasn't specified exactly what boxes they will tick for the X5 during its preview, but judging by the shifter surround we won't be getting the two-axle air suspension that was raved about, nor many of the trick features that make the all-new X5 such a joy to fling around - a driver's SUV so to speak.
And honestly, that's perfectly fine. Over time, the proportion of customers seeking the Ultimate Driving Machine in the X5 has become far outnumbered by those looking for a comfortable SUV with enough luxury and class to match their lifestyle, while being practical enough to pick the kids up from football practice. Let's not even get into the fact that X5 owners here will almost never leave a paved road with their vehicle.
The X5 has served its purpose across the previous three generations. It has proven to automotive journalists and the world that BMW knew what they were doing when it came to sheer driving pleasure and developing the dynamics and handling of a car; it just isn't something that they need to pursue with the current crop of customers.
The Conclusion
Even without the trick features, we wouldn't expect BMW engineers to leave us hanging out to dry. The new X5 is both more comfortable and more dynamic than before, as is the nature of progress. If you enjoyed the previous generations of X5, you will enjoy this generation as well. If you are looking for one of the most dynamic SUVs in class, you won't go wrong with the X5.
As the market careens towards SUVs and crossovers, it is the X range of models that thrives while other product offerings dwindle and fade from existence. While Ferry Porsche may have said that the last car built on earth will surely be a sports car, we're more inclined to think that the last car built will probably be a sport utility vehicle.
For the best deals on a BMW, click
here
.


2015 Ford Ranger Facelift Makes Debut at the Bangkok Motor Show

We have seen the preview and teasers, and now
Ford
 has taken the wraps off the new facelifted 2015
Ford Ranger
 at the 2015 Bangkok International Motor Show. More than just a fancy new grille, the Ford Ranger is said to be more refined than ever and sports plenty of new features that were previously unheard of in the segment.
Brave New Looks, Significantly Updated Underneath
Though the dominant new upright trapezoidal grille will split opinion, there is plenty of re-engineering works beneath the sheet metal, to mark it out as more than just a nip and tuck work. The facelift work brings to the Ranger improved sound insulation, retuned suspension for additional comfort and better handling, and a new electric power-assisted steering system, that provides a precise steering, as well as being quieter in operation and improves fuel efficiency by three per cent.
The interior too has been updated to offer a more comfortable and contemporary, car-like environment for the driver. The cabin gets a new central 8-inch touchscreen multimedia system, whereas the driver gets a new dual-TFT instrument cluster, similar to that used in the Ranger’s SUV-derivative, the new Ford Everest.
According to David Dewitt, head of Ford’s Asia Pacific Exterior design team, the new Ranger was designed to reflect the current trend of customers who use their pickup truck for both work and their lifestyle.
Premium Car-Like Features
Ford who are known to push the boundaries of the type of features they will fit to their new models, have once again raised the bar with the facelifted Ranger. Beneath its new cabin, the Ranger now boasts a whole host of features that is bound to entice car owners out of their cars. The array of features fitted to the facelift Ranger includes:
Lane Keeping Alert and Lane Keeping Aid. Using a bank of forward-facing cameras, the system is able to detect if the driver is drifting unintentionally out of a lane when driving at high speeds. The Lane Keeping Alert warns the driver with a vibration in the steering wheel, and if no action is taken, the Lane Keeping Aid will apply steering torque to guide the vehicle back.
Adaptive Cruise Control. The Ranger comes with radar sensors that can maintain both a preset speed as well as a preset distance from the vehicle ahead.
Forward Alert. This system works with the Adaptive Cruise Control to give audio and visual warnings when it gets too close to a vehicle in front and charges the brakes to ensure optimum braking performance.
Driver Impairment Monitor. Using the forward-facing cameras and on-board sensors, this feature can detect if the driver is drowsy. Should the system detect drowsiness, it will warn the driver with gradually louder signals.
SYNC 2. The Ranger comes with the latest generation of Ford’s in-car connectivity system, which is said to recognise more natural voice commands. And can change the car’s climate control settings, entertainment system, and navigation system.
Front and Rear Parking Assist
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
Electronic Stability Program
Efficiency Improvements
Aside from the new electric power steering system, Ford has also tweaked the Ranger to improve fuel efficiency. According to Ford the Ranger features a 20 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency across the range. The Ranger will be available with four engines, the range-topping 147kW/470Nm 3.2L five-cylinder Duratorq, a 118kW/385Nm 2.2L four-cylinder Duratorq with a ‘high-efficiency’ 96kW/330Nm variant, and a 122kW/225Nm 2.5L 4-cylinder Duratec petrol engine.
According to Ford, the 3.2L Duratorq engine features an updated exhaust gas recirculation system that helps boost fuel efficiency by up to 18 per cent. While the ‘high-efficiency’ 2.2L Duratorq engine is said to be 20 per cent more fuel efficiency than the standard 2.2: engine. All Rangers will also be fitted with the automatic start/stop systems, which Ford says is able to bump fuel efficiency up by 3.5 per cent, while a longer final drive ratio boosts fuel efficiency at highway speeds.

According to Sime Darby Auto Connexion, only the three diesel variants will be available when the
facelift Ranger comes to Malaysia
. For now it is too early to confirm the price and specifications of the Rangers bound for Malaysia.


Suzuki Launches A Diesel-Electric Hybrid Ertiga For Indonesia

Suzuki has just launched a budget hybrid variant of the Ertiga in Indonesia, with a starting price of IDR 219.5 million. In a rather unusual setup for this region, the Ertiga hybrid doesn’t run on petrol, but diesel. It’s only available with a 5-speed manual transmission.
It’s a hybrid but not exactly quite the same type of hybrid like a Toyota Camry Hybrid (which uses a full-hybrid system), but more of a micro-hybrid like a Nissan Serena S-Hybrid.
Suzuki’s marketing materials calls it a mild-hybrid, but that’s a bit of a misnomer as mild-hybrids usually have an electric motor nestled within the transmission to drive the wheels, but not by electric power alone as that’s a function that’s available only in more expensive full-hybrids.
The Suzuki’s low-cost micro-hybrid system (Suzuki calls it SVHS -  doesn’t have any motor to drive the wheels. Instead, it uses of an uprated starter motor, which Suzuki refers to as an ISG (integrated starter generator), to provide a temporary boost to the engine when driving away from standstill. It’s a setup that’s very similar to the one used in the Nissan Serena S-Hybrid that’s available here. Of course, the big difference is that the Nissan is petrol-powered.
The Suzuki doesn’t have any traction battery seen in other mild- or full-hybrid models. Instead, it uses a regular lead-acid battery, but one with a larger 70 Ah capacity, as opposed to the standard Ertiga’s 30-35 Ah unit, to cope with the frequent engine idle start-stop function.
The ISG is linked to a 1.3-litre diesel engine via a belt-drive system. The engine produces 88 hp at 4,000 rpm and 200 Nm at 1,750 rpm. It delivers a claimed fuel consumption of 22.6 km/litre.
The video below refers to the Indian market Suzuki Ciaz that uses the same powertrain but roughly explains the working of the SVHS in the diesel-electric. The Ertiga model sold in India is available with a lithium-ion battery, but Suzuki has dropped this feature for the Indonesian market to keep the price low.
The
Ertiga is also sold in Malaysia
 under the Proton badge, but under Malaysia’s stricter motor vehicle regulations, it’s only six-seater as there are only six seat belt points. It’s also only available with a 1.4-litre petrol engine, paired to either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic, priced between RM58,800 to RM64,800. Read our driving impressions of the Ertiga
here
.
Image of the Indonesian-market Ertiga courtesy of our Indonesian sister-site
otospirit.com
.