Facelifted Mercedes-Benz CLA Launched - From RM236,888

The facelifted C117 Mercedes-Benz CLA range has broken cover, offering a host of new exterior highlights and value-added specifications.
Following the launch of the
facelifted A-Class
 earlier in the year, t
he CLA four-door coupe is the second member of Mercedes’ New Generation Compact Car (NGCC) family to be revitalised and is offered in three different variants, priced as follows:
Mercedes-Benz CLA 200 – RM236,888
Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 Sport 4Matic – RM278,888
Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4Matic - RM408,888
Mark Raine, Vice President of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia comments, “Its breathtakingly sporty proportions and edgy design gives this four door-coupe and unmistakable look, making the vehicle a dream desire for modern-day customers. The CLA is the most exciting and only vehicle in its class. This four-door coupe is sure to steal the show wherever it goes.”
So what’s new?
Exterior
All models are now equipped with the AMG Line exterior. The refreshed body styling comprises a new front and rear apron and restyled side-sill panel. The radiator grille now features chrome pins and the twin exhaust exits have been redesigned – now with flatter, wider dimensions.
The new CLA is fitted with LED performance headlamps - direction indicators,
DRLs
and position lights are all in the form of multi-function fibre-optic cables. Rear light graphics are new and feature automatic intensity control to reduce unwanted glare.
The car also sits lower to the ground courtesy of the sports suspension that comes replete with the AMG Line kit.
Interior
The interior benefits from new seat covers and trim parts and well as the addition of some chrome plated controls – on the fascia and electronic seat adjuster controls.
The key highlight is the freestanding 8-inch media display with a new-style glass cover. The CLA 200 and 250 Sport are equipped with the Audio 20 CD system, while the CLA 45 is equipped with the Comand Online infotainment suite.
The CLA 200 draws power from a turbocharged inline-four producing 156hp at 5300rpm and 250Nm of torque between 1250- and 4000rpm. The century sprint is completed in 8.2seconds all the way to a 230km/h top speed. The 1991cc turbocharged four-cylinder in the CLA 250 ups the ante with 211bhp at 5500rpm and 350Nm from 1200- to 4000rpm. The CLA 250 sprints to 100km/h in 6.5 seconds, top speed is rated at 240km/h.
The facelifted Mercedes-Benz CLA range offers the following equipment:
CLA200 AMG Line:
Dynamic Select
Active Brake Assist
Pre-Safe System
AMG Line Exterior (Chrome package)
LED High-Performance headlamps
18-inch multispoke alloy wheels
AMG Line Interior
8-inch media display
Aluminium cabin trim
Seat Comfort package
3-Spoke Multifunction steering wheel in Leather
Parking Pilot (autonomous side and reverse parking)
Carplay smartphone integration
Reverse camera
CLA250 Sport 4Matic:
Eco start/stop system
AMG Line Exterior (Night package)
18-inch AMG twin-spoke alloy wheels
Aluminium trim with dark honeycomb-grain
Attention Assist
TireFit Repair Kit
Electrically adjustable front seats with memory function
The CLA 200 and 250 Sport features new trim elements in black Dinamica microfibers, the sports seats are trimmed in an Artico man-made leather/ Dinamica microfiber combo. The multifunction steering wheel design is new, as is the shift-lever in perforated leather.
The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4Matic
The redesigned front apron compliments a new A-Wing design with aggressive looking front splitters and canards finished titanium grey and high-gloss black respectively. The new design elements have also reduced the overall coefficient of drag (Cd) for the car. The twin-louvers of the radiator grille are now finished in chrome. At the rear, the rear diffuser inserts are new, which now includes four vertical fin elements.
The highlights of the new Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4Matic is as follows:
AMG Line Exterior
AMG Night Package
AMG Aerodynamics Package
19-inch AMG Cross-spoke light alloy wheels
Panoramic sliding sunroof
AMG Exclusive Interior Package
AMG Carbon-fibre trim
AMG Performance seats
AMG Performance steering wheel (Upholstered in Nappa leather)
Blind Spot Assist
Lane Keeping Assist
Comand Online
Harman Kardon Logic 7 Surround Sound
Apple Carplay and Android Auto smartphone integration.
Power is up by 21bhp to 381bhp, while torque has been increased by 25Nm to a whopping 475Nm between 2250rpm and 5000rpm. The power hikes result in a faster 0-100km/h time – now requiring just 4.2seconds.
AMG Speedshift DCT 7-Speed transmission now receives s
horter gear ratios.


Tokyo 2015: Daihatsu Tempo – Next Generation ‘Pasar Malam’ Van

This is Daihatsu’s vision for its new generation of light commercial vehicles – the Daihatsu Tempo, a concept commercial van which will be presented at the upcoming 2015 Tokyo Motor Show.
The objective of the Tempo concept is to showcase the benefits of a front-engine front-wheel drive (FF) layout for commercial vehicles, which are typically front-engine rear-wheel drive for better traction when carrying heavy load behind.
Daihatsu says FF layout, which characterises all Daihatsu light commercial vehicles, allow for greater flexibility in interior space – as demonstrated in this food catering vehicle concept.
The layout also allows for easy entry and exit, and Daihatsu adds that it is possible that some of the features demonstrated in the Tempo concept be developed further to penetrate into new market segments.
Daihatsu currently manufaacturers front-wheel drive GranMax light commercial van in Indonesia. The vehicle is also exported to Malaysia and Japan.


Carlist.my DRIVE: Luxury Edition 2017 – 6 Premium Brands, All You Can Drive At TPC KL, 4-5 Nov

The
Carlist.my DRIVE
 event returns in a more exciting, more upmarket fashion this coming weekend, with cars from six luxury brands gathering in one location to be test driven back-to-back.
DRIVE: Luxury Edition 2017
 is a two-day exquisite test drive event like no other, a truly unique test drive adventure putting you behind the wheel of multiple premium brands at the TPC Kuala Lumpur private golf club. (
Navigate by Waze
)
The following range of cars will all be available for test drive back-to-back:
Jaguar:
 XE, XF, F-Pace
Land Rover:
 Defender, Discovery Sport, Range Rover Evoque, Range Rover Sport
Lexus:
 ES, IS, NX Special Edition, RX (LC 500 on display)
Mercedes-Benz:
 GLA 200, E200, E250
Volkswagen:
 Polo, Vento, Jetta, Passat, Tiguan
Volvo
 V40, S60, S90, XC60, XC90
Special interest rates and rebates will be available exclusively for this two-day luxury test drive event. Car purchases can be financed through special hire purchase packages by Public Bank.
Check out also special car detailing offer packages by Regal Valet and luxury item showcases by Maison Francis Kurkdjian Paris and Christofle Paris.
The exciting
Carlist.my DRIVE
: Luxury Edition 2017
 is an event not to be missed. Event is open to public and admission is free. Just sign up and book your test drive slot at
https://www.luxury.carlist.my
 today.
Bring along your friends and family members as well. Light refreshments will be served at an exclusive lounge for all.


Find A Pothole In KL? Just Call FT Minister Shahidan Directly!

Update:
According to The Star and other outlets, Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim "has been inundated by phone calls" after revealing his phone number publicly in Parliament, which apparently goes straight to voicemail. He's now asking everyone to send him an SMS instead. By next week, he'll probably start a special WhatsApp group.

Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim during a session of the Dewan Rakyat, to the amusement of those present, publicly spoke his mobile phone number out loud, urging (or daring?) the public to lodge complaints with him about
road damage
 in the capital city.

Along with that, he made a personal guarantee that the matter (
or pothole
), would be actioned upon, if not outright fixed, within 24 hours of receiving the complaint. He also gave out the numbers of FT deputy minister Datuk Seri Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias and Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah, though we can’t tell if it was with their full blessing.

Image credit
: Bernama

“You can call me at 019-4545111, my deputy at 019-6524444, or the mayor at 016-2068883. We are ready.”, said Shahidan. “Malaysians can call us any time. Those who have just arrived in KL and find potholes or dangerous roads to drive on can contact us, and we will take action within 24 hours. We want to be the best in Malaysia and the world.”

If you’re a resident in Kuala Lumpur that’s spent even a brief amount of time behind the wheel, you’ll be pretty familiar with the quality of roads here, which can be littered with
bumps, unevenness, and potholes
.

This writer remembers hitting a pothole so severe along the former Jalan Duta (or Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim) years ago, just months after acquiring his first car. The damage was so bad that the tyre had burst and the wheel had cracked. It was a cruel lesson that Kuala Lumpur roads are never to be trusted.

Over the past several years, a number of declarations have been made by politicians and government officials alike to greatly improve the roads in Klang Valley, with a specific focus placed on Kuala Lumpur.

Although there have been strides made toward this end, and the frequency of encountering serious potholes is noticeably reduced, ultimately the federal capital still suffers from inconsistent road quality and patchwork fixes that are far from smooth to drive on. Have you been on Jalan Maarof….ever?

Perhaps it’s time to give Mr. Shahidan Kassim a call about that since his number is already on my contacts lists, as the case will be with plenty of other Malaysians.

Do you think this is a good move? Should more ministers and people in charge of the upkeep of our country follow suit and hand out their personal numbers?


New 2017 Isuzu MU-X Launched In Malaysia – From RM176,640

Isuzu Malaysia has given its seven-seater MU-X a mid-lifecycle update. Highlights of Isuzu’s latest seven-seater SUV include:
Bi-LED projector headlamps with LED daytime running lights
six airbags (up from the previous model’s two)
Rear fog lamps
Soft touch cabin materials with faux wood inserts
New electroluminescent (e-LUMAX) Multi-Information Display (MID)
Hill Descent Control (HDC)
18-inch alloy wheels
8-speaker infotainment system (up from the previous car’s six)
Powertrain remains unchanged. Under the bonnet is the familiar 2.5-litre VGS commonrail direct injection intercooled turbocharged diesel engine that’s paired to a 5-speed automatic transmission with sequential shift – the same powertrain from the D-Max.
Maximum output is 136 PS at 3,400 rpm and 320 Nm of torque at between 1,800 – 2,800 rpm. The numbers are hardly impressive but as anyone familiar with Isuzu vehicles can attest, Isuzu engines are typically tuned very conservatively, but the relaxed character of the engine makes it supremely reliable.
As before, the new facelifted MU-X is offered in two variants – 4x4 (shift on-the-fly part-time 4x4 system) and 4x2.
Prices (excluding insurance) range from RM176,640 for the 4x2 variant and RM183,000 for the 4x4 variant. That’s quite an increase from the pre-facelift model’s RM151,944 and RM164,969 respectively, but of course, the previous model didn’t have any of the upgrades available in this new model.
Although the MU-X is based on the D-Max, the MU-X features a different five-link suspension with coil springs and stabilizer.
The base model Isuzu D-Max 4x2 (RM176,640) comes with the following features:
Bi-LED projector headlamps with auto levelling and LED daytime running lights
Front fog lamps
Rear fog lamps
3-spoke leather wrapped steering wheel with control buttons
Cruise control
Automatic air-conditioning
Air-conditioning vents for 2
nd
 and 3
rd
 row seats
8-speaker 2-DIN infotainment system with 7-inch touch screen
Beige leather seats
6-way power adjustable driver’s seat
6 airbags
ABS with EBD and BA
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
Hill Descent Control (HDC)
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Traction Control System (TCS)
The more expensive Isuzu MU-X 4x4 (RM183,000) adds the following:
8-speaker 2-DIN infotainment system with 8-inch touch screen
Roof-mounted fold down rear monitor (for infotainment)
Terrain Command 4WD system
On top of the 5 years unlimited mileage warranty, the Isuzu MU-X is also covered by Isuzu Malaysia’s 24-hour Doctor Mobile roadside assistance.
As before, the Isuzu MU-X is imported from Thailand.


Ford's EV Boss Cleverly Takes A Swipe At The Competition

Can you figure out who the swipe is directed towards?

The automotive industry is very competitive. It's difficult for manufacturers not to take swipes at the competition - especially when it is presented on a silver platter.

Recently, Ford's Global Product Development Director for  BEVs, Darren Palmer said, "the Mustang Mach-E's bumpers don't fall off, the roof doesn't come off when you wash it," and more.

He continued to talk about the
Mach-E
's vital attributes, which include, "doors fit properly, the plastics and other materials colour-match, and the door handles don't get stuck in cold weather."

On the surface, it only seems that the Brit, Darren Palmer is talking about the excellent finish of the
Mach-E
, but for those who put two and two together, they would know that this is actually a swipe at the Mach-E's closest competitor. Who? Well, you'll have to figure that out for yourselves, because just like Darren Palmer, it's not very nice to mention names here.

For those who figured it out, then you would probably know that the swipes are justified, as the car produced by
that company
 has had some issues with fit and finish.

This is one of the key reasons why development and quality control are essential in the automotive industry or else, people - especially your competitors - will be allowed to take a dig at you.

What Ford and Palmer are trying to say is that they tested the Mach-E for many miles. That's what experienced vehicle manufacturers do to try to ensure that the production vehicles are robust enough for people not to be concerned about buying them. Even then, some might still get it wrong sometimes - to be fair, Ford has also had their fair share of issues such as the Powershift debacle.

Those new into this game have shown their inexperience in this department which has seen their cars fall apart in the most unexpected of ways. No matter how impressive the tech behind the car is, the vehicle is still a car, and the basics such as securely having the roof attached to the body is quite an important one.

It's a shame, really. They're really on to something great there if only the fit and finish was better, then maybe they would be the most valued company in the world, instead of being the most valued car company in the world.


BMW has created advanced battery cells that'll give their EVs more range

BMW's Neue Klasse cars which will debut in 2025, will feature battery cells that are next generation, giving their EVs more range and lower production cost.

With EVS now one of the most in-demand cars in the world, it's no surprise that manufacturers are working hard to improve them. One of the weaknesses of EVs is their batteries, as they can only provide
a certain amount of energy
 and that they are costly.

Well, BMW has found a way to make them cheaper and more efficient as their Neue Klasse line of electric vehicles will feature advanced lithium-ion battery cells, capable of offering 30 per cent more driving range and cost 50 per cent less to manufacture.

The sixth-gen battery unit, which has been touted to be more efficient, is currently under development at the BMW Group Battery Cell Centre of Excellence in Munich, Germany. The battery cell will have a cylindrical shape with a new design that allows it to be attached directly to the vehicle's frame.

The new design is not only able to make the chassis more rigid and
provide better driving dynamics
, but it also contributes to cost savings of up to 50 per cent for battery pack components.

Charging time too has benefited from the advancement, as 10 to 80 per cent charging time will take 30 per cent less than BMW's current EV models.

The new battery cell is made via recycled cobalt, nickel and lithium materials, and the production process of the cell will use renewable energy, making it one of the world's eco-friendly battery cells.

Neue Klasse which translates to "New Class" in English is BMW's term for their next-generation vehicle platform, which will replace BMW's current Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform used in their EVs.

The first vehicles to use them will be built in 2025. The first two vehicles will be a compact sedan and a compact crossover, probably an EV version of the 3 Series and the X3, BMW's best-selling cars.


The BMW M3 CS Is For Those Who Want An M4 CS But Prefer Four Doors

Perhaps it may be a little confusing these days given the separation between the 3 Series and 4 Series model lines, but this news is more important than you think. BMW has historically produced more aggressive versions of their M3, but these have usually been limited to the coupe variants. This has continued even into the separation of the M3 and M4, meaning that as of yet there has been no more aggressive version of the M3.
That is, until now. The all-new BMW M3 CS is the first of its kind, building upon what the Competition Package offered. The standard M3 makes 425 hp, while this M3 CS makes 460 hp- which is 10 hp more than what the Competition Package provided. The focus for CS and CSL models in the past has not merely been increasing power, but dropping kerb weight as well- and the M3 is pretty hefty at 1,621 kg.
With the use of aluminium and carbon components, the weight has been shaved to just under 1,600 kg (estimated, based on a 1,585 kg unladen weight). The suspension systems are largely similar to those of the Competition Package, albeit with some minor changes to suit the more aggressive nature of the car.
The interior isn't vastly different from a regular M3 either, and there isn't as much aggressive lightening as you might find in older BMW lightweight specials. There simply isn't a market for a car that goes as bare bones as some of the cars you would have seen before, and it would compromise everyday use far too much to be practical.
What is unique to this M3 CS is its aerodynamics. The rear boot-lid Gurney spoiler lip immediately idenitifes this as an M3 CS, and the aerodynamics have been tweaked through the front splitter and rear diffuser in order to reduce aerodynamic lift. It's a minor difference, but it's a difference nonetheless.
The important thing to remember is that the M3 CS offers that little bit more aggression and performance without taking the M3 all the way to the extreme that is a GTS variant, as in the M4 GTS. The suspension is still pliant enough for day-to-day use, there isn't some crazy water injection system that requires topping up, and there aren't bright coloured accents or a sinister looking GT wing out back. Around 1,200 units of the M3 CS will be produced, starting March 2018.


Volkswagen And Ford Signs MoU To Explore Strategic Alliance

Volkswagen AG and Ford Motor Company have announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that is aimed at strengthening each company’s competitiveness. However, this new alliance would not involve equity arrangement, which includes cross ownership stakes.
Jim Farley, Ford’s president of Global Markets said, “Ford is committed to improving our fitness as a business and leveraging adaptive business models – which include working with partners to improve our effectiveness and efficiency. This potential alliance with the Volkswagen Group is another example of how we can become more fit as a business, while creating a winning global product portfolio and extending our capabilities.”
Both Volkswagen and Ford are exploring possibilities in various areas, including the development of a new range of commercial vehicles.
Dr. Thomas Sedran, Head of Volkswagen Group Strategy said, “Markets and customer demand are changing at an incredible speed. Both companies have strong and complementary positions in different commercial vehicle segments already. To adapt to the challenging environment, it is of utmost importance to gain flexibility through alliances. This is a core element of our Volkswagen Group Strategy 2025. The potential industrial cooperation with Ford is seen as an opportunity to improve competitiveness of both companies globally.”


Harga Tol Kekal, Tiada Kenaikan Tahun Ini – Kementerian Kerja Raya

Kementerian Kerja Raya telah memberi pengesahan bahawa tiada kenaikan
kadar tol
 akan dikenakan pada tahun ini.

Penangguhan kenaikan kadar tol yang telah dibuat kerajaan pada
tahun lalu
 akan diteruskan sehingga hujung tahun ini.

Tahun lepas, kerajaan telah menangguhkan kenaikan kadar tol bagi tiga lebuh raya utama seperti Lebuhraya Shah Alam (Kesas), Lebuhraya Lembah Klang Selatan (SKVE) dan Lebuhraya Pantai Timur Fasa 2 (LPT2). Penangguhan tersebut turut melibatkan 26
lebuh raya
 lain di Malaysia.

Menurut jawapan bertulis Kementerian Kerja Raya di Parlimen, kerajaan telah memutuskan untuk menstruktur semula kadar tol dan akan berunding dengan syarikat konsesi lebuh raya sebelum 2023.

Sepanjang tempoh rundingan berlangsung, kadar tol yang diwartakan sebelum ini akan dikekalkan dan penangguhan kenaikan kadar tol akan diteruskan untuk 2022.

Kenyataan tersebut dikeluarkan bagi menjawab persoalan yang dikemukakan oleh ahli parlimen Puchong, Gobind Singh yang bertanyakan tentang status kenaikan kadar tol yang ditangguhkan pada tahun lalu.

Harga tol juga tidak boleh diturunkan sesuka hati kerana kerajaan perlu mematuhi harga yang telah ditetapkan berdasarkan perjanjian konsesi yang telah ditandatangani sebelum ini.

Berdasarkan perjanjian konsesi tersebut, jika kerajaan melaksanakan tambang tol lebih rendah daripada kadar yang dipersetujui atau memansuhkan kutipan tol, kerajaan perlu membayar pampasan kepada syarikat konsesi.

Selain itu, Menteri Kanan Kementerian Kerja Raya, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof berkata kerajaan perlu menanggung pampasan sebanyak RM2.25 bilion pada tahun lalu berikutan keputusan mengekalkan kadar tol di Malaysia.

Walau bagaimanapun, beliau menambah keputusan kerajaan untuk tidak menaikkan kadar tol pada tahun ini dibuat ekoran peningkatan kos sara hidup yang disebabkan oleh COVID-19.


Priceless BMW (E12) 530 MLE Returns Home – The M5 Before The M5

After a year of painstaking restoration, BMW South Africa has unveiled its latest restoration project – the track-inspired
BMW 530 MLE
; a limited edition “homologation” special developed specially by BMW Motorsport for South Africa.

The priceless 530 MLE now returns to the “Home of BMW Legends” at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn.

The story of the 530 MLE dates back to the mid-1970s when BMW South Africa wanted to go racing. The company sought out famous racing driver and Head of BMW Motorsport Jochen Neerpasch. Shortly thereafter, two of the first-generation BMW 5 Series (E12) race cars were prepared to compete in the flagship Modified Production Series in South Africa.

The BMW 530 Motorsport Limited Edition (MLE) rolled up to the starting line in the Modified Production Series in 1976. Fifteen wins from 15 consecutive starts followed, and BMW stamped its authority on the racing series with three championship titles in three years. The BMW 530 MLE was the most successful racing BMW 5 Series in history when it was retired in 1985.

But, to qualify for entry, BMW South Africa had to sell 100 road-going versions of the E12, known as the 530 Motorsport Limited Edition (MLE), to the public.

Developed by BMW Motorsport as a limited edition “homologation” model for South Africa, 110 units of the Type 1 were produced in 1976, while 117 versions of the Type 2 rolled off the production line at Rosslyn in 1977.

The 530 MLE was fitted with a factory tweaked version of the 3.0-litre engine found in the (E12) 530 production model that produced 197 hp and 277 Nm of torque. The 530 MLE was capable of sprinting from 0 – 100km/h in 9.3 seconds and had a top speed of 208km/h. Not brisk by today’s standards but note this was a four-door sedan from the mid-seventies.

The 530 MLE proved to be an early step of BMW’s foray into track-oriented cars for the road.

After years of searching, BMW South Africa in 2018 acquired one of the only BMW 530 MLEs known to have endured beyond its 70s heyday. Car number 100 came with a particular pedigree – it was owned by race driver and the racing 530 MLE’s team manager Peter Kaye-Eddie, and its engine and chassis numbers are a matching set.

Unique in the world, the Rosslyn-produced vehicles saw weight-reduction measures that included bodywork and pedals drilled by hand, manual windows with no air conditioning, and Mahle wheels.

South Africa enjoys a long history of rare and storied BMW special editions. In 1973, BMW Group Plant Rosslyn was the very first BMW plant established outside of Germany and several models were specially built for the local market until 1990.

A growing list of these BMWs have been methodically restored in later years, including the cult classic, Africa-only (E30 – affectionately called Gusheshe) BMW 333i.

The 530 MLE was restored by Luis Malhou of Custom Restorations.


Toyota Pays Tribute To Classic Racers With Six Liveried 86s For Goodwood Festival

For the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed 2015,
Toyota
 will be bringing six 86 sports coupés dressed up in classic Toyota liveries to pay tribute to the brand’s motorsport history.
Known as the GT86 in Europe, each of the six
Toyota 86
 coupés are kitted out with vinyl wraps and decals that are reproduced from the original liveries in the right proportions for the 86 complimented with retro-styled wheels. Additionally, they also receive a lowered ride height with new springs installed along with a Milltek Sport stainless steel exhaust system.
Each car is inspired by different models from the progenitor Toyota sports car, the 2000GT, to World Rally Championship Celica GT-Four. The Esso Ultron Tiger Supra from the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship is also among the racers celebrated as well as the machine that inspired Toyota to launch a full international motorsport programme – Ove Andersson’s 1970s Celica 1600GT rally car.
With so much heritage and history represented by these liveried 86 coupés, it is disheartening to know that this will be a strictly one-off collection by Toyota and will most likely not be sold. However, if you are attending the Goodwood Festival of Speed, they will be available for public test drives before being put up on display there.
The celebrated cars and their matching details are as provided below:
Yatabe Speed Trial Toyota 2000GT
 (yellow with green bonnet): this 2000GT set multiple new world and international speed and endurance records during a 72-hour run at the Yatabe High Speed Testing Course in Japan in 1966. It demonstrated Toyota’s commitment to engineering a sports car with world class potential.
Shelby Toyota 2000GT
 (white with blue bonnet): racing legend Carroll Shelby masterminded Toyota’s racing programme for the 2000GT in the USA. The intention was to demonstrate the car’s potential when pitted on track against established American and European competition. Drivers Scooter Patrick and Dave Jordan duly claimed a number of victories during the 1968 season.
Ove Andersson’s
Toyota Celica
 1600GT
(red with black bonnet): Andersson’s entry in world rallying with the first-generation Celica paved the way for the founding of Toyota Team Europe – and ultimately today’s Toyota Motorsport. The liveried GT86 celebrates the car he entered in the 1972 Daily Mirror RAC Rally, with official manufacturer support from Toyota. His class win and ninth place overall were an early sign of the great things the partnership would deliver.
IMSA GTU Toyota Celica
 (red with yellow stripes): Celica was the first Toyota to race in North America under the Toyota Racing Developments (TRD) banner, competing in the IMSA GT series. The IMSA GTU car prospered with Dan Gurney’s All-America Racing Team between 1983 and 1985.
Castrol Toyota Celica GT-Four
 (red and green Castrol livery): this Group A Toyota made its World Rally Championship debut in 1994 and went on to claim seven podium finishes in seven events entered during the 1995 season, including victory for Didier Auriol in the Tour de Corse.
Esso Ultron Tiger Toyota Supra
 (tigerskin effect): Supra was a longstanding entry in the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship, competing from 1995 through to 2006. In fact its competition life went on beyond the end of production of the road-going Supra. When its track days came to an end, it enjoyed a new lease of life as a virtual racer in the
Gran Turismo
 computer game. The Esso Ultron Tiger car was one of the most distinctive-looking to take to the grid.


JPJ Tawar 70% Pengurangan Pembayaran Saman

Bersempena dengan Sambutan Ulang Tahun ke 75,
Menteri Pengangkutan
 telah bersetuju untuk memberikan tawaran pengurangan pembayaran saman
JPJ
 (diskaun) kepada semua saman JPJ yang boleh dikompaun sahaja (yang masih lagi berkuat kuasa) semasa tawaran ini, kecuali untuk kes-kes yang masih dalam sebutan mahkamah.

*Kredit Foto: Free Malaysia Today

Bagi pengguna jalan raya, berita pengurangan saman ini pasti disambut baik oleh semua. Tawaran lumayan ini bermula pada 13 April 2021 dan akan berakhir pada 11 Jun 2021. Tempoh masa yang anda ada bagi menyelesaikan semua saman anda adalah 30 hari sebelum tawaran ini tamat.

Segala
saman
 yang dikeluarkan bagi kesalahan di bawah Akta Pengangkutan Jalan 1987 (Akta 333), Akta Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (Akta 334), Akta Pengangkutan Awam Darat (Akta 715), serta kaedah-kaedah dan perintah dibawahnya.

Bagi kes-kes yang masih dalam tindakan senarai hitam turut tidak terlepas untuk menikmati diskaun dan pengurangan saman ini. Ini lah masanya untuk bersihkan balik nama anda!

*Kredit Foto: BERNAMA

Tetapi, bagi pesalah trafik yang telah disenarai hitamkan, pesalah tidak boleh terus membayar samannya. Sebaliknya, pesalah dikehendaki untuk hadir semula ke pejabat JPJ (Cawangan Atau Negeri) untuk tujuan pengdokumentasikan semula sebelum menjelaskan sebarang urusan diskaun notis saman.

Walau bagaimanapun, 70% pengurangan pembayaran saman ini adalah berdasarkan kepada kadar kompaun semasa yang terdapat dalam sistem JPJ dan yang telah ditetapkan bagi kes-kes dibawah akta tersebut.

Sekiranya tempoh saman anda masih aktif dan tempoh kompaunnya mesih berkuat kuasa dengan syarat pembayaran dilakukan dalam tempoh yang dinyatakan (60 hari). Dah tak sabar nak clearkan saman? Urusan pembayaran (diskaun) saman ini boleh dibuat di semua pejabat JPJ (Negeri, Cawangan, UTC), Kiosk dan Portal JPJ (atas talian)

Tawaran pengurangan notis saman ini dilihat sebagai salah satu tujuan untuk meringankan beban mereka yang kurang berkemampuan. Ditambah pula dengan situasi pandemik yang tidak berpenghujung, inisiatif ini setidak-tidaknya mampu untuk membuatkan pengguna kenderaan tersenyum.

Sekiranya anda ada banyak hutang JPJ yang tertunggak, inilah masanya untuk anda selesaikan segala hutang anda sebelum terlambat! Kalau ada saman polis yang masih belum diselesaikan, anda jangan risau, bayar sahaja menggunakan
MyBayar Saman
 dan terima diskaun sehingga 50%! Meskipun tarikh tamatnya telah berlalu, namun ekoran orang ramai berpusu-pusu untuk menjelaskan saman mereka, tempoh masa MyBayar Saman telah dilanjutkan sehingga 15 April 2021.

Sementara itu, Pengarah JSPT Bukit Aman, Datuk Azisman Alias berkata, lanjutan tawaran selama empat hari itu dilakukan susulan sambutan menggalakkan daripada orang ramai yang membuat pembayaran saman menerusi aplikasi berkenaan. Ketika ini, seramai 708,030 pengguna sudah berdaftar dengan aplikasi berkenaan serta 5,340 aduan e-mel terkumpul.

*Kredit Foto: The Star

Pada hari ke-18 (11 April) tawaran saman ini diberikan sejak dimulakan 25 Mac lalu, MyBayar Saman berjaya mengumpul sebanyak RM73.3 juta bayaran saman membabitkan 659,998 saman. Jumlah ini termasuk RM6.28 juta bayaran saman membabitkan 56,909 saman yang dijelaskan menerusi aplikasi berkenaan pada 11 April lalu.

Nampaknya pengurangan saman serta diskaun seperti ini berjaya memujuk pengguna jalan raya untuk menjelaskan segala saman mereka yang terkumpul. Apa-apapun, saman tetaplah wajib dibayar. Jadilah pengguna jalan raya yang bijak dan bertanggungjawab!

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 the latest new car promotions at
New Car
 website now.


Isuzu 1.9L Ddi BluePower Wins Diesel Engine Of The Year Twice… Here’s Why

The Isuzu 1.9L DDi BluePower engine has bagged the Diesel Engine Of The Year for the second time running at Carlist.my’s Car Of The Year (COTY) 2020 awards. Having made its debut in the 2019 Isuzu D-Max, this tiny yet super-efficient engine remains the most technologically advanced diesel powertrain in our market…. and for good reason!

Going big with a smaller package

The new 1.9-litre Ddi Bluepower engine is the smallest Isuzu engine on sale in our market and features in the award-winning Isuzu D-Max pickup truck. Dubbed the “RZ4E”, the new power plant replaces the older 2.5-litre VGT (4JK1) turbodiesel.

Despite its smaller size, the new mill offers even better fuel economy (a longstanding trademark of Isuzu engines), bulletproof reliability, lighter weight, and lower emissions, in addition to more power and refinement.

Innovation of this magnitude is rarely found nor seen in the pickup truck segment – which is typically, driven more by purely economic engineering parameters such as cost of ownership, service life, maintenance, and durability rather than the newest technology and equipment.

However, the numbers do not lie: the RZ4E engine delivers a 10 percent increase in power, delivering 110kW (150PS) at 3,600rpm and a 9 percent increase in torque, producing 350Nm (35.7kg/m) between 1,800rpm and 2,600rpm compared to the 2.5-litre engine it replaces.

This was not easily achieved – a new generation powertrain

Downsizing an engine’s capacity suffocates an engine’s ability to produce torque, something a truck – with its load-hauling and towing duties – surely needs; therefore Isuzu had to get smart with the engine.

The RZ4E gains a massive 37 percent reduction in mechanical losses by reducing internal friction. Coupled with an intelligent Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system and an eco-oil filter, the engine has been able to improve fuel efficiency by approximately 19 percent (tested in Thailand) with lower carbon emissions. The reduction of internal friction also means that parts will last longer.

Alongside this, the commonrail-injection system has also been improved. The new design provides better atomization of fuel allowing for more precise injection volume - which in turn improves fuel economy and reduces the typical clatter noise and vibration present in other diesel engines. This makes the most out of every drop of fuel.

Another significant area of improvement has been in the construction of the engine itself. The new RZ4E is 56kg lighter than the older 2.5-litre engine. This not only helps with fuel economy, and payload in the Isuzu D-Max but gives it a nimbler front end for better handling.

To fully capitalise on the punchy new engine – Isuzu fitted a brand new 6-speed transmission – both in manual and automatic versions depending on variant. The new gearboxes offer closer ratios for more spirited acceleration, particularly in the mid-speed range for better overtaking and acceleration. The two top ratios are overdrives giving the new Isuzu D-Max a far more relaxed speed range for cruising on the highway.

But, how do we know it works…

A manufacturer’s claim is just a claim until it’s proven in the real world. To this effect, Isuzu’s long-standing participation in the Borneo Safari Expedition has proven the perfect testbed for all its products for over a decade.

The new D-Max is no different – completing its maiden voyage in the 2019 Borneo Safari edition. The new powertrain proved itself up to the job to handle the extreme demands of muddy, hilly, rutty, and slippery terrains of Borneo.

The new Isuzu D-Max – aptly named the Blue Monster – had barely clocked 200km on its odometer before it was positioned at the starting point. The ‘Blue Monster’ was virtually as it left the showroom, save for a few additions to make it more suited to the terrain and obstacles, including a body lift kit to fit the extreme mud terrain tyres, long-travel shock absorbers, a snorkel, winch, and heavy-duty guards to protect the vehicle underbody from hard impacts.

After the extreme 8-day long adventure, it emerged a force to be reckoned with amidst one of the toughest terrains on the planet.

A proven package

For these reasons, the Isuzu 1.9L Ddi BluePower remains the most technologically advanced, and therefore a two-time Carlist.my COTY award-winning powertrain. A feat rarely achieved.

To experience the Isuzu BluePower, get behind the wheel of the new Isuzu D-Max. An extensive range of 11 variants is on offer to cater to virtually any pickup truck buyer.

There’s no time like the present to cash in on some exclusive Chinese New Years
promos
 for the Isuzu D-Max!


Proton Records Market Share Increase Of 2.1 Percent In January 2018

Proton forecasts a Total Industry Volume (TIV) market share of 10.9 percent in January 2018, up 2.1 percent from December 2017’s 8.8 percent. The increase comes despite registering fewer cars in January 2018 (4,783 units) than December 2017's total of 4,802 units.
The
Saga
, Persona and Exora remain the most popular models, making up 80 percent of total Proton car sales in January 2018.
Abdul Rashid Musa, Vice President of Sales and Marketing adds, “As the most affordable and value-for-money car in its segment, the Saga remains to be the most popular choice among Proton customers, making up 41% of overall Proton car sales. Naturally, the Saga has been enriching the lives of more than 1.7 million Malaysian families since its first production.”
In conjunction with the upcoming Chinese New Year celebration, Proton is offering discounts on the following models:
Exora – Up to RM500
Saga – Up to RM1000
Persona – Up to RM1,000
Iriz – Up to RM5,000
Perdana
 – Up to RM13,888
The promotion is valid until 28th February 2018.
Existing customers can also drop by any Proton authorised service outlets, valid until 24th February 2018, for a free 20-point safety inspection.
To find out more about how the Malaysian market performed in 2017, click
here
.


Mitsubishi monthly sales up 68 percent – driven by Triton surge

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia
 received a healthy boost in its monthly sales numbers, rising 68 percent from 696 units sold in
February
 to 1,173 units in March 2016.
The massive surge in sales was driven primarily by increased demand for the
Triton
 pick-up, which shifted 716 units, up 42 percent from the 429 it managed in February. With these strengthened numbers, the Triton was the second best-selling pick-up truck in Malaysia for the month of March. Click here for our
full review of the Triton
.
Also contributing to sales growth was the locally-assembled
ASX
, which saw demand rise by 22 percent from 170 units in February to 207 units in March. Click here for our
full review of the ASX
.
Demand is also good for the
newly-launched

Outlander
. Despite setting a modest sales target of 100 units monthly, MMM has to date collected over 300 bookings for its new seven-seater SUV. Click here for our
brief review of the Outlander
.


Honda Plant Forcing Accountants To Assemble Cars

What do you do when you have a worker shortage on the assembly line due to COVID-19? You force your employees in accounting, purchasing, and research and development to begin assembling vehicles.

Well, at least that is what a Honda plant in Marysville, Ohio did.

Assembly line workers had some new co-workers working the assembly line. In an e-mail obtained by WOSU, a general manager at the plant asked employees in accounting, purchasing and research and development to work the factory floor.

It initially begin as a volunteer request but not long after became a mandatory exercise.

"Regardless of whether or not you wanted to, you could be subject to it," an employee said. "They took volunteers first, but my understanding was they didn’t receive many volunteers for this activity, so then they made it mandatory." added said employee, who spoke with WOSU anonymously out of fear of losing his job.

All three departments were required to provide a certain number of employees to make up the shortfall on the floor. A Honda spokesperson confirmed the initiative and also added that Honda has done something similar before.

On the off chance that you may have family and friends in Ohio who might have recently ordered a new Honda, please advise them to be extra careful when collecting their vehicles.


Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia Celebrates 5th Anniversary Milestone

Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd (MBSM) recently celebrated its fifth anniversary. Starting from ground up to a portfolio of RM2.2 billion in just five years and financing and insuring four out of every ten Mercedes-Benz cars sold; MBSM is raring to go in 2018.
“It’s been five fantastic years! We have so much to celebrate, and one of the reasons for our celebration is the long-term support of our esteemed media friends, who have, and continue, to play an essential role in our success,” said Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia, Managing Director, Mike Ponnaz.
MBSM was first established in 2012, entering the Malaysian market at an opportune time to support its sister company, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM), with innovative automotive financing packages. At that time, MBM had registered a strong sales record of over 6,000 vehicles sold. In 2012 and 2013 MBSM focused on setting up the business, studying the needs of the market in order to begin catering to the aspirations of Mercedes-Benz customers.
After establishing its operations, MBSM progressed into building greater awareness of its role in the Mercedes-Benz customer journey throughout 2014 and 2015. This included retail and corporate customers in the passenger car category as well as customers from the Commercial Vehicles division. MBSM focused on empowering its customers by matching financing options with different financial flexibility needs.
Along the way, MBSM marked other accomplishments namely, its parent company, Daimler Financial Services AG (Daimler Financial Services) was ranked the top five World’s Best Multinational Workplaces in 2016. “Our employees are the foundation of our success and we are committed to cultivating a workplace environment that supports their growth and development and enables them to provide the very best service to our customers,” explained Ponnaz.
MBSM’s keen focus on supporting Mercedes-Benz customers led to its ability to identify the evolving needs and aspirations of customers. Over the last two years, MBSM launched cutting-edge solutions like Agility Financing and
Lease2Go
 that have redefined the process of owning and financing a Mercedes-Benz vehicle
.

“We have 16,000 active customers, and we recorded contracts worth over RM1billion in 2017 alone. We are very proud of the collective achievement of the team and look forward to growing in line with the remarkable sales achievements of over 12,000 Mercedes-Benz cars sold by MBM, and 2,469 Commercial Vehicles sold last year. Moving forward, 2018 will be a year of strengthening our portfolio and serving our customers better,” said Ponnaz.
Following five years of steady growth, MBSM took the time to personally thank the media recently at a special celebration. Also present at the milestone celebration was Mr Thomas Hungerland, Daimler Financial Services AAP, Regional Head SEA, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Dr Claus Weidner, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, President & CEO.


The All-New 2019 Hyundai Santa-Fe Is Finally Here - New 8-Speed Automatic Transmission

After much anticipation,
the fourth-generation Hyundai Santa Fe
 finally made its global debut earlier today.
Available as a 5-seater and also a long wheelbase 7-seater, the 2019 Santa Fe does not only sport a fresh new design, but also comes with many new technologies which aim to add to versatility, safety, and practicality.
The 2019 Santa Fe line-up offers a choice of three powertrains – a 185 hp 2.4L inline four-cylinder GDI engine, a 232 hp 2.0L four-cylinder engine, and a 200 hp 2.2L CRDi turbodiesel engine. All engines are mated to a brand new eight-speed automatic transmission.
The SUV also comes with Hyundai’s HTRAC All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) system, which provides an electronic, variable-torque-split clutch with active torque control between the front and rear axles.
With three driving modes to choose from - Normal, Sport, and Smart, the system helps to provide optimum control in all weather conditions.
Adding to the whole package is the updated suspension of the 2019 Santa Fe. The biggest change sees the rear shock moved upright from an angled position, improving the ride and handling no matter the driving conditions.
In addition, there is an optional self-load-levelling suspension which provides the Santa Fe with a consistent ride height regardless of cargo or trailer tongue weight.
This allows Hyundai engineers to tune the rear suspension for comfort and avoid making it too firm for occasional trailer use.
On the exterior, the main highlight is the face of the new Santa Fe, which is highlighted by Hyundai’s ‘Cascading’ grille, and a ‘Composite’ Light design comprising LED Daytime Running Lights positioned on top of the LED headlights.
Complementing the new front end is a wide stance, a dynamic character line which goes all the way from the headlights to the taillights, a larger daylight opening (DLO) with a satin surround, diamond-cut 19-inch wheels, as well as a redesigned rear.
Inside, improvements include the infotainment display which has been tilted and positioned to reduce glare, window switches and grab handles which have been moved forward for more elbow room, smaller door pockets which translate to more legroom, repositioned cup holders, and a redesigned, more comfortable armrest.
Cabin space has been enhanced as well. With the second-row seats folded, leg room has been lengthened to be the best-in-class.
The hip-point for the second-row seats has been moved back and the floor has been lowered for even more comfort. Engineers also have incorporated one-touch folding second-row seats.
While the list of infotainment and connectivity features includes:
Hyundai’s latest AVN 5.0 navigation system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
Standard 7-inch user interface
Qi wireless charging pad compatible with Android and iOS devices
12-speaker Infinity stereo system
Smart Speed-Dependent Volume Control
3-years of complimentary Blue Link services
8.5-inch Heads-Up Display
As far as safety is concerned, the new Santa Fe comes with:
Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist (RCCW)
Blind Spot Detection with Automatic Braking
Rear Seat Occupant Alert
Safe Exit Assist
Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist
Lane Departure Warning
Having sold more than 1.5 million units so far, the new version of the Santa Fe, which is Hyundai’s best-selling SUV in markets like the U.S, is expected to arrive at showrooms in the third quarter of the year.


Ismail Sabri Yaakob: Malaysia Borders To Reopen Fully On April 1st, 2022

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has announced that Malaysia’s international borders will open effective April 1st, 2022 after being officially closed for over two full years.

It will go without saying that the road borders that link us with both Thailand and Singapore will be open, but travellers will be subject to the policies and requirements enforced by the destination country.

The Malaysian government is in the process of finalising the VTL (Vaccinated Travel Lane) between Thailand, Brunei, and Indonesia. Regardless, all those wishing to leave Malaysia will have to undergo a RT-PCR test two days prior to departure and a rapid test (RTK) upon return.

Meanwhile, visitors entering Malaysia -
whether foreign or returning citizens
 - that are fully vaccinated will not have to undergo quarantine. Foreign travellers will also no longer need to apply through MyTravelPass.

However, despite the borders being reopened and the COVID-19 situation classified as entering an ‘endemic’ phase post-April 1st, nearly every ongoing SOP routine will remain in place including the wearing of masks at all times in public venues, registering on MySejahtera, and the like.

The government’s decision to reopen borders at this juncture was motivated by the fact that 98% of the Malaysian adult population is now fully vaccinated while more than 50% have received their booster shot. Though the country has been seeing a surge in new active cases due to the outbreak of the Omicron variant, 99% of infections are mild or asymptomatic.

In addition, the move is also meant to spur the revival of the country’s economy, specifically the tourism industry that has been the most severely impacted by the pandemic.

“The country also wants to provide comfort to travellers and to not complicate their travel process. Most importantly, Malaysia is now a destination that is open and can be visited by all,” said Ismail Sabri at a press conference in Parliament on Tuesday.

Let's not mess it up
.


Police: FK8 Honda Civic Type R To Be Returned After 3-6 Months

Corroborating our
earlier story
 that the FK8 Honda Civic Type R spotted brandishing Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) vehicle livery is not actually owned by PDRM, but by Honda Malaysia, Utusan Malaysia reports that the Police force has been given between 3-6 months to conduct technical evaluations of the vehicle's suitability for Police applications.

Director of PDRM’s Strategic Resource and Technology Department, Datuk Seri Tajudin Md Isa confirmed that the cars were loaned by Honda Malaysia for a period of 3-6 months for the technical review, after which it will be returned (at no cost) to Honda Malaysia.

Images of the FK8 Civic Type R, went viral several days ago, followed by netizens suggesting that the Civic Type R will replace the aging Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X (25 units), which were known as the
Helang
 Lebuhraya Polis
. These vehicles are used for high-speed pursuits (in cases of carjacking, kidnapping, and hijacking), patrolling duties, and VIP escort.

The Honda Civic 1.5 turbo is also undergoing similar technical evaluations.

Image credit: various social media sources


Review: Mercedes-Benz E350 AMG Line – All The E-Class You’ll Ever Need

Is there any surprise really, that in the list of the top 20 selling cars in the US in 2019 – nine were SUV entries. Notwithstanding, that the US market is widely different from ours and their insatiable appetite for trucks is something of an anomaly for most other marketplaces.

However, given that the cost of vehicle ownership is far more reasonable in the US – without a crippling taxation structure – in addition to having a plethora of vehicle choices (both foreign and domestic) at virtually any price range; customers are free to simply go out and buy the best vehicle that suit their needs and budget.

However, the crucial takeway from 2019, as
Motor1.com
 reports, is that the sedan/saloon bodystyle is still very much popular amongst buyers, despite pundits saying that SUVs are largely replacing them.

Cars like the Toyota Camry, Honda Civic, premium saloons such as the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class respectively held steady in 2019.

Which got me thinking, if SUVs are the new defacto mainstream, are stylish sedans the new way to stand out in a crowd?

If so, the E350 AMG Line is a damn good place to start…

Overview

First introduced in early 2019, the E350 AMG Line takes its place at the top of the E-Class range (non Mercedes-AMG models), above the RM329k E200 SPORTSTYLE Avantgarde (yes, that’s quite a mouthful), and the RM379k E300 Exclusive Line.

The E350 AMG Line dips just under the RM400k mark, and receives the latest generation (M264) 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine which is aided by a mild-hybrid 48V starter/generator. The engine alone makes 370 Nm, boosted by an additional 150 Nm of boost contributed by the RSG (the outputs from engine and starter generator motor peak at different engine rotational speeds so the figures can't be summed up numerically).

In addition to the new engine, the E350 also gets the Driving Assistance Package and Dynamic Body Control adaptive suspension system supplied as standard.

In terms of equipment, the AMG Line trim adds 19-inch AMG 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels and more aggressive front and rear bumpers. The Night Package on the hand adds subtle details such as the gloss black wing mirror covers for that extra touch of aggression.

In terms of competitors, the E350 AMG Line goes up against the (G30) BMW 530i M Sport (priced at RM 372.8k) and Audi A6 3.0 TFSI (priced at RM 589.9k). The Audi A6 is a fully-imported vehicle hence the huge disparity in price over the Merc and BMW.

Specifications:

Price: RM399,162

Engine: 2.0-litre, inline-4, turbocharged petrol, 48V starter/generator, EQ Boost

Power: 299hp at 5,800 rpm

Torque: 400 Nm between 3,000-4,000 rpm

Transmission: 9G-Tronic 9-speed automatic transmission

Safety: Seven airbags, ABS with EBD, Stability Control, Dynamic Body Control, Collision Warning, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Lane Keep Assist with steering correction, Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Information System.

Origin: Locally-assembled at Pekan, Pahang.

Exterior

With a greater emphasis on their SUV models, and with it a large influx of SUV Mercs hitting the roads in recent times – it’s good to know that the humble ol’ E-Class can still hold its own and turn heads down a busy road.

While I do believe that the W213 generation E-Class lost some of its individuality – in looking different from the S- and C-Class – the older models had; there’s little doubt the overall proportions and pizzaz still make it a thing of beauty.

The deep blue colour featured on the test car is the best of the lot in my opinion, there is beauty, and careful restraint in the way Mercedes has contrasted the exterior colour against the black and chrome design elements peppered on the outside.

While its closest competitor, the 530i M Sport is arguably the more aggressive looking of the two – the E350 offers grown-up looks with oodles of pizazz.

Interior

The stylistic treatment of the E-Class’ exterior continues on the inside – gentle curves on the outside and flowing lines find themselves on the dashboard fascia, and continues downwards towards the centre console.

There is a real sense of occasion when getting on the E-Class, which is made even more impressive at night when the ambient lighting (literally hundreds to choose from) of the cabin illuminates virtually every crevasse between the upper and lower sections of the interior.

The AMG Line interior package serves up wonderful Nappa leather seating, a sporty multifunction steering wheel (also in Nappa leather) – which is superb by the way – and other bits to demarcate the E350 from other models within the range. The “metal weave” trim affixed to the dashboard and door panels does look suave and tactile to the touch – though that was not my initial impression, thinking instead that it was meant to copy the carbon trim of the E63S; even so, I wouldn’t fault it for that.

Other notable highlights of the interior include the massive Panoramic-sliding sunroof and dual configurable screens making up the main focal point of the interior.

If I had to nit-pick a downside, it would be the piano black centre console, which scuffs easily and feels a tad flimsy compared to the other components of the interior.

Driving Experience

To summarise in not so many words  – the E350 is pretty much all the E-Class one would ever need.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the roaring V8 of the E63 as much as the next guy, but realistically speaking – 300 hp and 400 Nm is plenty on a day to day basis. The E350 accelerates with gusto from virtually every gear – hence you never feel short of power when trying to climb a hill or when overtaking.

On a bendy B-road the instantaneous torque – from as low as 1,800 rpm – slingshots you out of corners, rising up seamlessly through the nine forward ratios. This gearbox does seem to want to hold a higher gear as long as possible – and that’s perfectly understandable – given it’s not a hot-hatch, hence the paddle shifters come in handy when trying to drop a gear and line the car up for a corner.

On the highway, the E350 cruises calmly at 140 km/h making this a venerable mile-muncher, and it will hit 200 km/h in very short order if space permits.

All this performance while still returning around 6.0-litres/100km during highway driving and around 7.8-litres/100km when in the city – superb figures for a car weighing more than 1.7 tonnes.  To give you a comparison, the super-efficient Honda City Hybrid returns marginally better numbers than those, but delivers less than half the power and torque the E350 gives you, which is undeniably aided by this car’s 48V electrical architecture and starter-generator motor.

Given its standard fit Dynamic Active Body Control active suspension, the E350 has a beautifully plush ride – almost mimicking the S-Class’ comfort levels to a tee – even on the worst of city roads. Needless to say, on the highway, it’s a magic carpet ride.

Yes, it stiffens up considerably when you toggle into the sportier drive modes, but this is first and foremost a cruiser, hence, while the E350 will not shy away from a fast corner, the whole process might seem a bit contrived. In addition, when you wish to calm things down, the brakes are very powerful too.

The 530i M Sport might be a sharper steer all around, but for the most part, the E-Class offers a great duality of comfort and driving dynamics.

Conclusion

The E-Class is quite possibly one of the most prestigious nameplates in the motoring world.

With a heritage and model lineage spanning more than six-decades – if you trace the E-Class’ roots back to the W120 Ponton from the mid-50s – it has always managed to epitomise style, technology, safety, and driving performance in equal amounts.

In its latest iteration, it remains an utterly relevant vehicle simply because regardless of the growing masses of SUVs, the E-Class and in particular the E350 as featured here still offers all the above, and two very important quantums that are a by-product of the aforementioned – prestige and exclusivity.

Come to think of it, the more SUVs there are, the more special and unique sedans will become, and that’s no bad thing if you ask me!


Honda Releases All-New Insight In Japan

Honda dropped a surprise last month in the form of a teaser for the all-new Insight, slated for a debut in Japan some time in December. Earlier, it was
reported
 that the all-new Insight was initially planned to be a left-hand drive-only model for the North American market.
Similar to the North American model, the Japan version of the all-new Honda Insight is powered by an Atkinson cycle 1.5-litre petrol engine mated to a two-motor hybrid system, allowing the all-new Insight to operate as a series hybrid, a parallel hybrid, or a pure electric vehicle. Under most driving conditions, the Insight operates as a series hybrid, with the electric traction motor providing power to the front wheels with energy supplied by the batteries or the generator motor.
The all-new Honda Insight further differentiates itself from other hybrid models as it does not utilize a conventional automatic or continuously variable transmission (CVT). Instead, the all-new Insight has a high-capacity lock-up clutch that connects the engine and generator motor to the traction motor, allowing power to the sent directly from the engine to the front wheels and supplementing the traction motor under certain driving conditions for either maximum power or efficiency.
Under the JC08 test cycle, Honda says that the all-new Insight in its base LX trim is able to return 34.2 km/L. Variants fitted with larger 17-inch wheels return 31.4 km/L under the same test cycle.
Speaking of trim, Honda will be offering three variants of the all-new Insight – LX, EX, and EX Black Style.
The all-new Insight range will start with the base LX, which includes:
Honda Sensing
LED headlights
16-inch alloy wheels
Leather-wrapped steering wheel
Push button-type gear selector
Electric Parking Brake with Auto Brake Hold
Dual-zone automatic air-conditioning
Moving up is the Insight EX, which adds:
LED front fog lights
Trunk lid spoiler
17-inch alloy wheels
Power adjustable front seats
Auto-dimming rear view mirror
Blind spot warning
Combination leather seat
Smart welcome light
The range-topping Insight EX Black style further adds:
17-inch alloy wheels finished in Berliner Black
Front grille finished in black chrome
Rear bumper skirt
Combination leather seats with leather and Ultra Suede
Ultra Suede interior trim
Seven body colours are available, namely Crystal Black Metallic, Cosmic Blue Metallic, Modern Steel Metallic, Lunar Silver Metallic, Premium Crystal Red, Platinum White Pearl, and Rousse Black. The last three colours are a cost extra.
For the Japanese market, the all-new Insight is priced from JPY 3,261,600 for the Insight LX, while the Insight EX will cost buyers JPY 3,499,200. The range-topping EX Black Style costs JPY 3,628,800.
Honda expects to sell 1,000 units of the Insight every month in Japan.
In addition to that, Mugen has also just released interior and exterior parts for the all-new Insight. The list of accessories include:
Front grille garnish
Front skirt
Side skirt
Rear skirt
Rear spoiler
Side mirror cover
18-inch Mugen alloy wheels
Sports muffler
Emblems
Carpet sets


Jakarta 2017: Mitsubishi To Export Xpander MPV To Malaysia In 2018, Confirmed As Next Generation Nissan MPV

Mitsubishi Motors have confirmed that the all-new seven-seater Xpander that has just made its global debut at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) last week will be exported to neighbouring countries in the ASEAN region starting February 2018, reports Reuters.
The report by the London-based news agency quoted Mitsubishi Motors CEO Osamu Masuko as saying, "We will export this car across ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries starting next February.”
It also added that exports will begin first for Philippines, followed by Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
To be produced at Mitsubishi Motors new plant in Bekasi Prefecture, West Java Province in Indonesia, Mitsubishi says it has set an annual production target of 80,000 units for the Xpander, with Reuters adding that export markets are expected to contribute up 20,000 units to the overall target.
Masuko also confirmed that the Xpander will eventually be supplied to Nissan, which currently owns a controlling stake in Mitsubishi Motors (34 percent).
"It will eventually be supplied to Nissan Motors for the Indonesian market," he said.
While Mitsubishi did not confirm it, the Xpander is widely expected to form the basis for the next generation Nissan Grand Livina, assuming that Nissan retains the Grand Livina nameplate. In any case, you can be certain Nissan’s next budget 7-seater model for the ASEAN region will be supplied by Mitsubishi. The Nissan version however, is expected to have a slightly different exterior styling.
The Xpander is a crossover-ish, quasi-MPV/SUV type of vehicle, very much like the
Honda BR-V
. It marries the functionality of a seven-seater MPV with the rugged looks of an SUV.
With a ground clearance height of 205 mm, the Xpander rides 5 mm taller than the Honda BR-V. At 4,475 mm long, 1,750 mm wide, and 1,700 mm tall. It’s larger than the BR-V – 22 mm longer, 15 mm wider and 34 mm taller. Of course, exterior dimensions doesn’t tell everything, as all Honda models sold here are known for their best in-class interior space, despite being slightly smaller than its peers on the outside, thanks to a more space-efficient packaging that the company is known for.
The Xpander is powered by a 4A91 1.5-litre MIVEC naturally aspirated petrol engine that produces 105 PS of power, paired to a 4-speed automatic transmission. The BR-V on the other hand, uses a similar capacity engine but delivers more power – 120 PS, paired to a more modern CVT-type automatic transmission.
In Indonesia, prices of the Xpander ranges between IDR 214,550,000 (about RM69,000) for the base model (a 5-speed manual transmission model that you can be sure won’t be offered here) to IDR 245,350,000 (about RM79,000) for the most expensive automatic transmission model that comes with electronic stability control and touch screen infotainment system.
More on the specifications of the Mitsubishi Xpander
here
.


Bangkok 2017: Toyota Yaris Ativ Hints To Next Generation Toyota Vios

At today’s opening of the 2017 Thailand International Motor Expo, we had a chance to take a closer look at the Toyota Yaris Ativ, an entry-level lower-B segment sedan that’s positioned below the upper-B segment Vios.
Launched earlier in August, the Yaris Ativ is created in response to Thailand’s unique Eco Car regulations. As such, it uses a smaller 1.2-litre 3NR-FE Dual VVT-i petrol engine. The engine produces 86 PS at 6,000 rpm and 108 Nm at 4,400 rpm. In comparison, the 1.5-litre Vios produces 108 PS at 6,000 rpm and 140 Nm at 4,200 rpm.
Drive is transferred to the front wheels via a CVT-type automatic transmission that's shared with the Vios but minus the manually selectable seven-speed ‘virtual ratios’ function.
Despite having a smaller engine, the Yaris Ativ’s body size is no smaller than a Vios. In fact, the Yaris Ativ is actually 5 mm longer and 30 mm wider than the Vios, while maintaining the same height and wheelbase. Herein lies a clue: there's a reason why the very meticulous Toyota allowed both the Yaris Ativ and Vios to share a similar body size. More on that later.
With a starting price of THB 529,000, the Yaris Ativ is priced about 15 percent lower than the Vios.
It competes against the Honda Brio Amaze, Nissan Almera and Mazda 2 Sedan. Unlike Malaysia, the Thailand market Almera uses a 1.2-litre petrol engine while the Mazda uses a 1.3-litre petrol.
It might be an entry-level model but the Yaris Ativ is decently equipped. Standard features on all variants include seven airbags, electronic stability and traction control (VSC and TRC), hill start assist, anti-whiplash front seats.
Inside, the cabin even comes fitted with matching body colour plastic trims, with decent space for five adults.
The odd, gawky looking front-end design is not going to win the Yaris Ativ any beauty awards but as a basic, practical family sedan backed by the trusted Toyota badge, the Yaris Ativ certainly checks all the right boxes.
Is it coming to Malaysia?
Sources at Toyota Motor Thailand have hinted that the Yaris Ativ will eventually succeed the Vios, once it’s fitted with a larger 1.5-litre engine of course. The fact that the Yaris Ativ has a slightly larger body size than the Vios is in itself a very strong indicator of where the Yaris Ativ sits in the grand scheme of things. The model's introduction had to be fast-tracked for Thailand as the Eco-Car programme is putting the 1.5-litre Vios at a disadvantage. For now, Toyota Motor Thailand will sell both the Vios and Yaris Ativ in parallel until the current Vios is phased out.
It is unclear if the Vios nameplate will be retired for Thailand but we are pretty certain that for Malaysia, the Vios nameplate will remain. Likely to be introduced in Malaysia in 2019, the Yaris Ativ-based new Vios could be a candidate for Toyota’s upcoming
new passenger car plant
 in Bukit Raja, Selangor.


Tamiya Builds A Life-Size Mini 4WD Car

Remember these names - Magnum Saber, Proto Emperor, Liberty Emperor, Manta Ray Jr, and that black-red Hyper Dash motor? Tamiya’s mini 4WD models are among Japan’s most famous exports, after Tomica die-cast models. Every kid who grew up in the ‘80s and ‘90s will remember them.
In conjunction with the Tamiya Mini 4WD Japan Cup 2015 event, Tamiya has commissioned the construction of a life-size, fully functioning model of its Aero Avante – one of its most popular mini 4WD models.
While a toy mini 4WD is powered by two AA batteries, this life-size Aero Avante is powered by a 1.6-litre air-cooled engine paired to a 4-speed manual transmission. It has a top speed of 180 km/h.
This tubular frame chassis life-size Aero Avante measures 4,650 mm long, 2,800 mm wide and 1,440 mm tall.
The single-seater car will be demonstrated at the Toyota Mega Web centre, a showroom cum automotive theme park in Odaiba, Tokyo.
Some of you may also remember there was a cartoon series that revolves around Tamiya's mini 4WD.


Chery announces CKD plans with Inokom partnership for Tiggo 8 Pro and Omoda 5

Chery Malaysia has announced its official partnership with Inokom Corporation Sdn Bhd to officiate its local assembly or CKD plans into motion.

It's indeed exciting news considering the fact that the two models that Chery Malaysia has chosen for the local assembly plans are the Tiggo 8 Pro models as well as the very exciting EV model, the Omoda 5.

According to Chery Malaysia's Country Director, Mr Leo Chen, "We are very excited to be partnering with Inokom. With nearly three decades of experience in assembling vehicles of many world-renowned brands, Inokom is an ideal partner for Chery in our mission to take root in Malaysia and provide Malaysian consumers with high-technology and high-quality vehicles that are ahead of the curve in terms of design."

The CKD production line for Chery Malaysia will begin in June with an initial target capacity of 20,000 units per year. As for the official launch of both the Tiggo 8 Pro series and the Omoda 5, that will take place sometime in July. Hopefully, there will be some ready stock on standby and minimise the waiting period for anticipating future customers.

"We are also accelerating all other aspects of our localisation strategy, including recruiting top Malaysian talents in areas such as product, sales, after-sales, branding and marketing, and of course through our dealership network – we target to launch with no fewer than 30 dealers covering all major cities nationwide," added Mr Chen.


Acura features Van Halen classic for Super Bowl 50 ad

With the Super Bowl 50 (American football game that will determine the 50
th
 champion of the National Football League (NFL) all set to take place later this week, the level of hype and excitement is at its peak, and as always, all eyes are on the commercials.
In case you didn’t know, companies spend millions for 30-second ad spots during the Super Bowl, simply due to the record-breaking number of viewers around the world. And more often than not, these ads end up being among the best to come from these companies.
That said, the ads for this year have started making their way to Youtube, including this ad for the

Acura NSX
. The highlight of this ad is not only the Acura NSX, but also the classic Van Halen song – “Runnin’ with the Devil”.

The ad basically features legendary rock vocalist David Lee Roth’s wailing and guitarist Eddie Van Halen’s trademark riffs as the commercial spans clips showing various parts of the NSX, such as the mold, paint, engine, and tachometer among others.
Leila Cesario, the national advertising manager for the Acura unit of American Honda said, “What we are doing is taking our American super car on to the big American stage,” she said in an interview, making a reference to the industry’s term for a high-performance sports vehicle.”
“We knew that we wanted a loud rock song to help tout the car and to get attention, and we are glad that Eddie Van Halen along his brother Alex, who plays drums in the band, were amenable to the song being used, said Cesario.
It is said that Acura, which is the luxury division for Honda, is also having a social media outreach program besides the commercial, where viewers stand a chance to drive the NSX by generating tweets that contain a link to the 30-second Super Bowl ad.
On another note, Acura also announced that it will launch a “NSX online vehicle configurator” later this month to let fans and potential customers design their own NSX online.
While the NSXs sold in the USA, Canada and China will wear the Acura badge, in other parts of the world including Australia, Europe and Japan, the NSX will be sold under the Honda brand.  In fact, both the Acura NSX and Honda NSX might appear to be the same cars, but there’s actually quite a number of

differences between the two
.
Looking for a Honda? Find one at

Carlist.my

now.


Geely Teases New GE11 EV – Q1 2019 Debut

Geely is on a roll with new models, as the Zhejiang-based company has teased yet another upcoming model. Just over two weeks ago, Geely teased the
FY11
, an SUV coupe that will be their new flagship mode.
Called the GE11, this new model is Geely’s latest foray into electric vehicles (EVs). The company did offer several EVs in the past, but those models were not designed as an EV from the ground-up, instead developed as an EV at a later stage.
Developed as an EV in mind, the new GE11 will be competing against other EVs, including the China-only
Nissan Sylphy EV
.
The lone teaser image provided by Geely showcases a possible new design language without the company’s signature expanding cosmos front grille. Instead, the GE11 receives a relatively blank front end with a new silver emblem, a departure from the grey and blue emblem found on other Geely models.
Moving to the side, the Geely GE11 features a fastback design similar to the
Borui GE
 sedan, while the rear end features a pair of slim tail lights. The Geely wording is positioned within the matte chrome strip that connects both tail lights, similar to other recently-introduced models.
Powertrain details are unknown, but Chinese news portals
BitAuto
 and
Autohome
 reported that the Geely GE11 outputs 130 kW, with a top speed of 150 km/h. Other details, such as range and battery capacity aren’t available yet.
The new Geely GE11 is expected to be launched within the first quarter of 2019.
Photo credit:
Autohome
,
BitAuto


BMW Malaysia Urges More Partners to Support Child Car Seat Subsidy Programme

BMW Malaysia today announced that over 25,000 parents have registered for the first phase of the subsidised infant carrier car seats in just two weeks, demonstrating an urgent need for child car seat subsidies for low-income level households.

Therefore, the company is urging for more partners to come together to support its child car seat subsidy programme for parents in the B40 income group.

Sashi Ambi, Head of Corporate Communications at BMW Group Malaysia said, “There is an urgent need for us to come together and take action. The overwhelming response to the first phase of the subsidy programme shows that more parents are now aware of the need for child car seats and are quick to adopt its usage given the opportunity. As such, to all partners and companies who have the means to help subsidise these infant carrier car seats, we welcome you to join in the subsidy programme to prioritise child safety in cars for all.”

The subsidy programme was introduced as part of the BMW Safety 360° initiative. In its first phase, BMW Malaysia, Childline Foundation and Safe ‘n Sound made 150 units of the snskidz Ace infant carrier car seats available at a subsidised price of RM 100 each for parents in the B40 income group. Registration for the subsidy programmed opened 2nd December 2019 and has received over 25,000 registrations in the course of two weeks.

The infant carrier car seats were recently presented to parents from the Klang Valley region, while the remaining seats will be sent to recipients across the nation. The rear-facing infant carrier car seat, which retails at RM199, can be used from birth to 13kg and carries the ECE R44-04 certification.

Interested parties can be part of the subsidy programme by writing to
bmw@voxeureka.com
 with the name of the participating company and the amount of subsidy (in Ringgit Malaysia) they would like to commit by 13th February 2020.

The subsidy programme is in line with the Malaysian Transport Ministry’s move to enforce the usage of child car seats starting this year. To encourage the adoption of child car seat usage, drivers will not be penalised for the first six months of enforcement but will receive warnings to install the seats.

“With the festive period just around the corner, we also want to remind parents to ensure their children are in the right child car seat, be it for the long or short distance; and we wish everyone safe travels this Chinese New Year,” Ambi added.


Review: 2016 Honda Civic (FC) 1.5 VTEC Turbo – Progress Has A New Face

It’s quite ironic that Honda’s latest overachieving product, the Civic is everything Soichiro Honda stood against. At his peak, the late genius believed in the superiority of naturally aspirated air-cooled engines.
In the decades before the VTEC era, Honda engineers spent many hours arguing with Mr. Honda trying to convince him that the days of air-cooled engines are over.
The old man would argue, “Field Marshall Rommel defeated the British in North Africa with air-cooled tanks.”
His head of R&D Tadashi Kume, who later became the President of Honda, would counter argue “I hate to say this sir, but Rommel was defeated in the end by Americans driving water-cooled Jeeps.”
The enraged Mr. Honda would counter with, “Who’s going to check the water in their radiator every day? Why can’t you understand such a simple concept?”
The old man would only step down after his air-cooled H1300 failed to sell, before finally agreeing to approve the water-cooled Civic project in 1970, setting in motion the creation of one of the most important cars of the century.
When Honda-san was still around, extracting 100 horsepower per litre without turbochargers was ideal. His company’s B16A VTEC engine was the benchmark – 1.6 litres, 160 hp, 8,000 rpm of sharp throttle response and unadulterated naturally-aspirated goodness.
Those days are long gone and under the scrutiny of today’s green parties in Brussels, Washington and Tokyo, nobody can make those engines anymore.
In the same way rapid changes have forced Soichiro to drop his ideals on air-cooling, so too must the Civic evolve.
The Civic might have been a hero car for anyone who grew up in the ‘80s and ‘90s, but today’s Civic lives in a very different world.
The Civic is no longer the aspirational car it used to be. Ambitious young adults are increasingly tempted to skip the Civic phase and jump towards a premium European marque. They demand quiet, sophisticated cabins rather than loud screaming VTECs. Young families are now less interested in sedans and prefer crossovers like the
HR-V
.
Which brings us to this Civic FC. It’s probably the most un-Civic Civic, and as you will find out in the following text, that could either be a good or a bad thing depending on what you expect the car to be.
Specifications for Honda Civic 1.5 TC-P
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged transverse four-cylinder 16-valve DOHC VTEC Turbo
Power: 173 PS at 5,500 rpm
Torque: 220 Nm between 1,700 – 5,500 rpm
Transmission: Automatic (CVT) with paddle shifters, front-wheel drive
Safety: 6 airbags, electronic stability control (VSA), emergency stop signal (ESS), anti-lock brakes (ABS), Hill Start Assist (HSA)
Price: RM135,800 with insurance
Overview
The latest FC-generation Civic comes in three variants, and two engine options – a naturally aspirated 1.8-litre and a turbocharged 1.5-litre. The differences between all three variants are detailed at our
launch story here
.
Its main competitors are the
Toyota Corolla Altis
 (from RM120,900) and
Mazda 3
 (from RM108,940). Apart from these two stalwarts, there’s also the Kia Cerato 2.0 (from RM119,888), Hyundai Elantra 1.8 (from RM118,794),
Renault Fluence
 (RM112,178), Nissan Sylphy (from RM111,900),
Ford Focus
 (from RM139,888) and the upcoming
new Volkswagen Jetta
.
Exterior
It certainly stands out from the crowd. At night, the tail light’s glow pattern is fast becoming an icon on our streets.
In front, the full LED headlamps mark this particular unit as the flagship 1.5 TC-P model.
The side profile has a low, sloping silhouette, almost like a four-door coupe BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe and Mercedes-Benz CLA.
Interior
Vehicle packaging is Honda’s forte and it shows in the Civic’s cabin. It’s a lot more practical and more spacious than any other model in the segment.
Compared to the previous
FB-generation Civic
, the driver now sits 20 mm lower. The rev counter and speedometer function is now integrated within a full colour LCD centre cluster. It can even show turn-by-turn directions for the GPS navigation function with a reducing distance indicator bar - just like how BMW's navigation system works! It also shows the status of the infotainment and turbocharger.
The plastic switches on the steering wheel are a bit too hard for my thumbs but at least you don’t need to press the volume switch. Simply sliding up/down the electrostatic switch will do.
As you would expect from a car with such a low slung body, the hip point is rather low so elderly occupants or even less fit younger ones might find ingress and egress a little less convenient than other traditional three-box sedans.
Larger frame drivers may also find the narrow front seats to be lacking in shoulder support. The seat frames have been made smaller around the shoulders to increase interior space and to provide better outward visibility to rear passengers.
The rear passengers also sit slightly higher than the front passengers, further improving outward visibility and comfort. Despite the sloping roof line, headroom in the rear is not as tight as what you would expect. In fact, the whole package works very well.
The centre armrest is deep and wide enough to swallow a DSLR camera, while the recess ahead of the transmission’s shift lever is big enough for you to empty the contents of your pocket into. Beneath it is a nicely sculpted pocket to keep your phone while it’s hooked up to the USB and HDMI port.
The 7-inch infotainment system supports Apple Car Play and Android Auto, so you can actually mirror certain approved apps like Google Maps (Waze is not) on the infotainment screen. One problem when running Google Maps though, as the system insists on reverting back to the Home screen shortly after every next turn direction so you can’t take a glance at the map in between directions.
Sitting behind, shoulder room is rather tight with three adults on board, but it’s still within what you could reasonably expect from this class of cars. Fortunately, rear legroom is unrivalled.
There’s an obvious hump on the floorpan even though this is a front-wheel drive platform but there is a reason to that. Honda’s typically flat floor has been sacrificed in this Civic to increase chassis rigidity – torsional stiffness is now up by 25 percent.
The rear seats also no longer split-fold for the same reason. Open the 519-litre boot, you’ll notice a chassis stiffening bar running across the back of the rear seat. It’s a feature that’s only available in the ASEAN market Civic sedan. The same model sold in the US trades tight handling for more practical split folding rear seats.
How does it fare with the Mazda 3 you ask? Mazda cars might typically be known for their high quality interiors but not the 3, which is one of the earlier generation of Kodo design cars and didn’t benefit from the improvements implemented in the Mazda 2, CX-3 and new CX-5 and new 6. We expect the forthcoming
Mazda 3 facelift
 to improve on this aspect.
For now, the Civic clearly has the best interior fittings in its class, as well as the most spacious interior, assuming you can live with the low hip point and are not too big for the seat frames.
Driving experience
The engine cover says VTEC Turbo but there will be no ‘VTEC kicked in yo’ memes to be made. These days, the
raison d'être
 for many cars is to deliver effortless performance with minimal drama, mirroring the character of turbocharged European cars.
Objectively, the 173 PS and 220 Nm makes the Civic 1.5 TC-P properly fast. Honda claims a 0-100 km/h time of 8.3 seconds – the fastest in the segment. That’s 0.1 seconds faster than the now discontinued Volkswagen Jetta 1.4 TSI TwinCharger (a turbocharger-only Jetta facelift will be launched soon), and 0.3 seconds faster than the Ford Focus 1.5 EcoBoost, despite the Ford's 7 more PS and 20 Nm more torque)
But with the drive transferred to the front wheels via an ultra-efficient and smooth CVT, your butt dyno will tell you that the Civic is the slower car. Without the rising and falling of engine revs at every upshift, the CVT-equipped Civic feels slower than it actually is.
At full throttle, the stepless CVT with torque converter will simply hold the revs somewhere in the middle while speed continues to increase, giving you the impression that the car is stuck in the wrong gear but that’s just how CVTs operate.
In the more important ‘in-gear acceleration,’ where the vehicle is already at speed - the sort of acceleration you will do when overtaking slower vehicles - the CVT works well enough but without distinct steps in its upshift, the car feels slower.
Climbing up the tight mountain roads of Sabah heading towards Kokol Haven and Mount Kinabalu Park, with the CVT in S mode, our pack of Civics were often harassing the back of the supposedly more powerful 2.4-litre 5-speed automatic Honda Accord lead car, which could only stay ahead because it’s piloted by BMW Driver Training instructor Kenneth Chiew. So comments about the CVT blunting the Civic’s performance are exaggerated.
The transmission might be a bit too smooth for its own good, but it’s exactly what the Civic’s target buyers want – a fuel efficient and smooth solution for everyday driving.
However we did express our concern to Honda that the Civic’s CVT doesn’t come with a separate oil cooler. Past experience with early generation CVTs suggests that they don’t cope well with sustained high speeds at high ambient temperatures. Many manufacturers now equip their CVTs with standalone oil coolers – Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi for example.
Assistant Large Project Lead Hiroshi Ito, who has over 40 years of experience with Honda, assured us that even under Malaysia’s punishing driving conditions, a separate oil cooler is not necessary. Ito reckons the current setup copes well even if the vehicle is driven at 180 km/h in our climate for extended periods of time. Ito added that the large opening of the Civic’s grille provides sufficient cooling for most driving conditions.
For the record, the CVTs used by the City, Jazz and HR-V also don’t have a separate oil cooler but they have proven to be very reliable so far. The VTEC Turbo powered Civic however, produces higher torque, and is a paired to a different, larger CVT.
Like all Hondas, the Civic has an overly light steering. It feels heftier than the City and Accord but it’s still too vague for keen drivers. On the upside, the chassis is stiff enough to handle to nastiest switchbacks and it takes a lot of effort to unstick the Civic from the road.
The Civic’s talented chassis has a very breath of talents but fully exploiting it will require the driver to have some faith in the rather uncommunicative steering.
On straight highways, the Civic’s slightly vague steering is actually more comfortable than the sharp but darty Mazda 3, which is nice when you want to have fun but its tendency to hunt for road cambers on uneven surfaces can be tiring on long distance drives.
The Brake Hold function was also a convenient feature to have in stop-go urban traffic. Instead of having the maintain pressure on the brake pedal when stopping in traffic, simply depress the brake pedal firmly once the car is stationary, and you can lift your foot off the pedal even with the transmission still in Drive. What separates the one installed in the Civic versus similar feature in European models like Volkswagen is the smooth and quick manner it engages and disengages.
Honda also provided a Toyota Corolla Altis 2.0 and a Mazda 3 2.0 for us to sample, but as you would expect, neither naturally aspirated engine sedans are a match for the turbocharged Civic. A Ford Focus 1.5 EcoBoost and a Volkswagen Jetta 1.4 TSI would have been a closer comparison, but neither European models are a popular choice.
As expected, the Mazda has a livelier chassis, whose tail can be provoked to step out a little but its engine's 162 PS and 210 Nm is gutless against the Civic's deep reservoir of torque. The Mazda’s 6-speed automatic transmission with a fast acting lock-up clutch might deliver a more direct drive feel than the Civic’s somewhat mushy CVT, but it’s still no match for the Civic’s effortless acceleration, with peak torque coming in at just 1,700 rpm.
The Corolla Altis is a case of two steps forward and one step back. The instrument panel looks premium, sporty and purposeful but the cheap looking locally-sourced infotainment system, and a tacky looking clock that looked like it came from the ‘80s undid all the positives. The Altis’s smaller, almost flat-bottom steering wheel was the best to hold among the trio but steering feedback, while better weighted than the Civic, felt too artificial.
It had a better CVT though. Launching the car from standstill, the Altis’s CVT replicated stepped upshifts of a regular automatic transmission. It’s still slower than the Civic, but it doesn’t have the disconcerting mismatch of a steady engine rev noise and increasing vehicle speed as in the Civic.
Comfort
Earlier generation Civics were known for their harsh ride. The previous
FB generation model
, especially the facelift model was more refined but this all-new model has certainly raised the bar for everyone.
Driving on poorly maintained roads, the ones peppered by residual cement leaked from mixer trucks, broken strips of tarmac, uneven surfaces around manhole covers, the Civic soaks them up so well that we thought were in an Audi A3 – which Ito-san revealed that was one of the models the Civic was benchmarked against for ride and handling.
Driving around Kota Kinabalu, there wasn’t much opportunity the assess the Civic’s cabin quietness at high speeds but initial impressions are positive, with little reasons to doubt Honda’s claims of having the quietest cabin in its class.
Fuel Economy
After 200 km-plus of driving, split among three drivers driving across a wide variety of driving conditions including urban, uphill and downhill drives, we recorded the best average fuel consumption of 12.6 km/litre, before dropping to around 11 km/litre after pushing the car a lot harder in the hill climb sections.
Conclusion
This is a simple one. The all-new Civic simply dominates its peers. When judged as an overall package, no other C-segment sedan (or even several other D-segment sedans for that matter), even come close to matching what the Civic offers.
Yes, boy racers might hate the Civic's too-smooth-for-its-own-good CVT. For this select crowd, we would recommend the Focus EcoBoost, upcoming new Jetta TSI or even the Mazda 3. However do note that the Ford and the Mazda are shockingly cramped inside. The Jetta is an aging package that has seen better days although it still offers a very engaging driving experience.
For the general car buying public comparing the Civic against other popular bread and butter models like Toyota Corolla Altis, Nissan Sylphy, the Civic is clearly the better buy.
The biggest threat to the Civic is not its sedan peers, but SUVs and crossovers - the sort of cars that more people want these days.
To put things in perspective, the far more practical
Honda CR-V
 2.0 starts at RM142,900, just RM7,000 more than this Civic 1.5 TC-P. The Mazda CX-5 2.0 is even cheaper, starting at RM128,000. Both 5-star NCAP rating SUVs give you all the essential passive and safety features that you get in the Civic, but fuel consumption is marginally higher though.


Daimler's Cost Cutting Measures Are Ramping Up

It's a natural course of progression for a company. Following periods of great prosperity, there will come a time when a company has to start tightening their belts. With ongoing and upcoming electric vehicle projects, Daimler is one such company that is beginning to put a lid on spending and expenses before things really get out of control.
According to Automotive News China
, Daimler is looking to cut development costs on their light vehicles in order to improve margins. Taking a page out of Toyota's books? Perhaps.
Fortunately for Daimler, costs of production tends to go down once that initial investment hurdle is cleared. The majority of spending at this point in time and for the next few years will be in setting up plants and production facilities, as well as developing platforms. Once all of these assets are in place, platforms can be reused for a variety of models if there is scalability, as well as across generations - and this generally means severely reduced production costs.
Beyond this, there are also numerous collaborations for Daimler to fall back upon. They are currently working with Renault, Nissan, and BMW in order to develop models across their entire product range from light vehicles to commercial vehicles. This in turn means that component costs can be shared or grouped for better economies of scale, and technologies can be shared as well in order to reduce research and development costs.
Perhaps the largest cloud hovering over electric vehicles has been battery production - specifically in terms of raw materials. Not only does this component have an environmental and socio-political cost, it also has an economical cost as well. By varying the amount of nickel, cobalt, and manganese, Daimler will be able to develop batteries with better efficiency and charge capacity, as well as lower the amount of raw materials that have to be imported.
All of this work is in the pursuit of achieving a carbon neutral fleet by 2039. It's a lofty goal on Daimler's part as they will have to convince the lion's share of consumers to make a shift to electric vehicles without alienating the champions of their brands, but that's a bridge they'll cross when they get to it. In the meantime, their Mercedes-Benz EQC looks like a solid product that will be making waves as it launches in various markets around the globe.


Standard Digital Display In More Stylish And Spacious All-New Audi Q3

The all-new Audi Q3 has made a dramatic shift in concept, from a simple compact crossover to a larger, more comfortable crossover that exudes sportiness.
The striking eight-sided Singleframe grille, which debuted in the emotional Q8 sports SUV, is flanked by compact matrix LED head lamps. S Line variants have sportier front and rear bumper designs with more satin silver and gloss black treatment.
At the rear, the large ‘clamshell’ tailgate that also housed the tail lamps in the old Q3 has been redesigned. Returning to the conventional placement of tail lamps fixed on the car body has increased the tailgate minimum opening width from 1,067 mm to 1,129 mm.
Viewed from the side, the all-new Q3 has pronounced wheel arches over the front and rear wheels. The free-standing door mirrors also contribute to the overall sporty image of the all-new Q3. Massive 20-inch S Line wheels fill up those wheel arches.
Moving inside, the all-new Q3 features Audi’s continued strong push for a digitized environment. Even in standard specifications, the company has ditched analogue dials in favour of their beautifully-made ‘Virtual Cockpit’ 10.25-inch digital instrument panel.
Depending on the variant, the dashboard and doors also have high-quality Alcantara inserts, a rare feature in this segment of premium crossovers.
The infotainment system is now taken care by a 10.1-inch touch display that has a surround that mimics the Singleframe grille, with the centre stack angled at 10 degrees towards the driver.
Other key highlights in the stylish interior include a 15-speaker premium sound system by Bang & Olufsen, 360-degree bird’s eye view parking camera system with park assist, and connected apps through Audi phone box.
Compared to the first generation Q3, the all-new Q3 has grown in every measurable length. Utilizing the Group’s MQB platform, the wheelbase gains the most (+77 mm), and the designers made full use of the longer interior by fitting sliding rear seats that have quite a large range of 150 mm.
Depending on the position of the rear seats, the luggage volume ranges from 530 litres to a massive 1,525 litres. To further improve on the practicality and utility of the all-new crossover, the floor of the luggage area can be adjusted to three levels.
At launch, the all-new Q3 will have an option of four engine choices- three petrol and a diesel. Drive and transmissions remain signature to the premium brand, front or all-wheel drive paired with a manual or seven-speed S-tronic automatic dual-clutch transmissions.
The driving modes now change suspension firmness too, through the optional Audi ‘drive select dynamic handling’ package. S Line variants receive sports suspension and variable-ratio steering as standard.
Safety equipment on the all-new Audi Q3 includes the new adaptive cruise assist. The system incorporated functions of adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, and active lane assist. A pair of rear-mounted radars also provides blind spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert.
The all-new Audi Q3 will begin sales in Europe from November 2018, perhaps making its first public debut at the Paris Motor Show in October or even earlier at the Moscow Motor Show that is scheduled for early September.