BMW Group Hams Hall Plant To Produce Engines For The New i8 Roadster

Yes, the plant has a strange name. But humour aside, BMW Group Hams Hall production plant near Birmingham is going to be producing the powertrains for the new i8 Roadster, which is now on sale in the UK. The plant has already had experience in producing powertrains for the regular i8 Coupe, so this shouldn't be too much difficulty.
Did we forget to mention that it's the only production plant in the world that produces three-cylinder petrol engines with the hybrid electric motor for BMW? Since 2001, the plant has had the responsibility of building low capacity, highly efficient engines, and has seen a number of several-hundred-million investments over the years to keep it cutting edge and relevant. 4.5 million engines have come out of this particular plant since 2001.
The plant currently employs over 1,000 locals, and production at the plant accounts for just over 11% of UK engine production. The engines, in addition to powering the i8 family, are also used in other BMW models and the MINI range, albeit in not quite an aggressive state of tune. The plant also supplies individual components like crankshafts, cylinder blocks, and cylinder heads to other production sites.
Despite the i8 family being around for a while, the powertrain remains at the forefront of BMW's powertrain development with everything from TwinPower Turbos to VALVETRONIC variable valve timing, for an output of 231 hp from just 1.5-litres, and a total system output of 374 hp with the electric motor assisting.


Shell Sanitizes Their Stations And Advocates Social Distancing

Of the list of services that are deemed essential during this MCO, petrol stations are bound to be one of the most frequented as everyone needs to fuel their car up – regardless of how infrequently they are using their vehicles. Shell, like most other petrol brands, has decided to implement a couple of measures to reduce the risk of infection when you’re at that station.

For one, the various touchpoints around a petrol pump are wiped down and disinfected every hour. Granted, that’s not exactly very frequent, but it is better than absolutely nothing. It does raise questions as to how disgusting these touch points can be when you use them day to day, even without the threat of COVID-19.

They have also decided to make all their food items – from their in-house Deli2Go, to their Select in-house items, and even third-party brands – for take-away or delivery only, further minimizing the risk that people come in contact with the virus. That being said, how often do you really sit down at a petrol station for longer than you need to? For most of us it’s grab items, isi minyak while you pay, and hit the road.

Thankfully, this sanitizing regime has also meant that Shell will clean their toilets more regularly – which again is something that we would usually expect from any establishment, but it’s good that an hourly schedule is in place.

Social distancing markers have popped up at all payment points to make sure people aren’t crowding around and potentially infecting each other. This should really be common sense by now but there are still people who manage to aggressively avoid any news or information regarding this MCO.


BMW i4 Now Featured On Malaysian Website – Is it Coming Soon?

Quite possibly the most important Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) BMW has ever made has now appeared on the BMW Malaysia website – we’re talking about the
BMW i4
.

First unveiled earlier this year, BMW’s fully electric four-door GranCoupe has now made its way on BMW Malaysia’s website, alongside the
BMW iX
 – another all-electric mid-sized SUV that takes on the likes of the
Mercedes-Benz EQC
.

BMW Malaysia has previously teased bringing in the iX, the appearance of the i4 would suggest that Malaysia might be in for a formal introduction of both these models in due time.

It’s still early days and can be viewed as nothing more than a registration of interest, which is exactly what happens when you click on the
link of the iX
 or i4. If the i4 is officially introduced here, it will join other BMW i models such as the
i3
,
i8 Coupe
 and
i8 Roadster
 in having official prices here in Malaysia.

As the name suggests, it’s the all-electric counterpart of the 4 Series GranCoupe and is one of the most important EVs simply because it distils the engineering hallmarks BMW are best known for – great driving, four-door sedans – just now in electric.

Powering the i4 is an electric motor that delivers a maximum output of around 530hp channelled to the rear wheels, offering similar power levels to current BMW V8 engines. The fifth-generation BMW eDrive in the i4 features a highly integrated drive system in which the electric motor, transmission and power electronics are accommodated in a single housing.

Juicing the i4 is a newly designed high-voltage battery featuring a flat design and optimised energy density. With a weight of some 550 kilograms, it has an energy content of around 80 kWh. This gives the BMW i4 a range of approximately 600 kilometres. In terms of performance, the i4 is claimed to sprint to 0-100km/h in a
BMW M3 rivalling
 4.0 seconds all the way to a top speed of more than 200 km/h.

The i4 is produced at BMW’s plant in Munich and will be gradually introduced to markets all around the world. Is ours coming soon?


Subaru Japan Launches New-Generation Forester With E-BOXER, 14 km/L in WLTP

Subaru yesterday launched the new-generation Forester mid-sized SUV in their home country of Japan.
The launch follows the official unveiling of the new-generation Subaru Forester
held just over two months ago in New York
.
Now in its fifth-generation, the new model is based on Subaru’s new Global Platform (SGP) which boasts improved collision safety and hazard avoidance technology, and is the first vehicle to feature Subaru’s Driver Monitoring System.
With the Japanese consumers having a very high affinity for hybrid vehicles, Subaru has offered the new Forester with a mildly electrified version of the 2.0-litre engine powertrain, called e-Boxer.
This is, however, not the first time Subaru is offering a hybrid model, as the previous generation Subaru XV was also equipped with a compact hybrid system.
The Forester e-Boxer is equipped with the heavily-revised FB20 2.0-litre horizontally opposed (boxer) layout engine that also sees duty in the
all-new Subaru XV
. Maximum outputs are lower in the e-Boxer setup though, with 145 PS and 188 Nm of torque.
The electric motor, mounted after the Lineartronic CVT, adds 13.6 PS / 65 Nm of torque to the powertrain. The design and setup of the compact electric motor and CVT-type transmission allows the Forester e-Boxer to start-off without firing the combustion engine, commonly known as E.V. mode.
A compact lithium-ion battery is placed in the luggage area, taking up very little space. As per usual hybrid systems, the battery self-charges under braking (regenerative braking) or during cruising. The E-Boxer returns a fuel consumption of 14.0 km/L under WLTP test procedure, while hitting a high 18.6 km/L under the Japanese JC08 test procedure.
The non-hybrid Forester gets a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine, delivering 184 PS and 239 Nm of torque. Interestingly, under WLTP test procedure, the larger engine capacity is only six percent worse in fuel economy, registering 13.2 km/L.
Another highlight of the Japanese-market new Subaru Forester is the standard inclusion of the pedestrian airbag. The airbag, which spans across the trailing edge of the bonnet, deploys once the sensor behind the front bumper is triggered.
The deployment of the airbag reduces head and neck injuries to the pedestrian as the airbag now cushions the impact to the bonnet.
The Forester E-Boxer is only available in the ‘Advance’ grade, while the Forester 2.5 is available in three grades, with the top-of-the-range ‘X-Break’ being the coolest-looking using strategically placed orange highlights in and out of the vehicle.
The new Forester is scheduled to hit Japanese roads in July, with the 2.5-litre first, and the E-Boxer to follow later in September 2018.


Carlist.my DRIVE: Auto Fair 2019 Returns This Weekend!

Carlist.my, Malaysia’s No.1 automotive platform will once again be hosting the Carlist.my DRIVE: Auto Fair 2019 at Setia City Convention Centre this weekend, from the 16th to 18th August 2019.
Endorsed by the Malaysian Automotive, Robotics & IoT Institute (MARii), the event, which is being held for the third consecutive year, promises to have something for everyone present.
The main highlight of the event is that there will be test drive sessions of the latest cars in the market, as well as exclusive deals and promotion packages from Malaysia’s largest car brands.
With more than 40 car models from brands such as Mazda, Subaru, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Honda, Toyota, BMW, MINI, Proton, and Perodua set to be present, visitors and potential buyers are sure to be spoilt for choice.
Besides the manufacturers mentioned above, MARii too will be showcasing their own interactive display truck.
An array of food trucks will be located outside the main hall, together with a JPJ booth to pay for your outstanding summons.
Hamish Stone, the CEO of iCar Asia said, “We’re very excited to host our third Carlist.my DRIVE: Auto Fair event with something for everyone. We’ve had great support from visitors in previous years and we are bringing another high quality car show again this year. This event is now a major destination for those who are looking to test drive and buy new cars in one place, or looking to upgrade some car accessories”.
For more info about the exhibition and test drive booking, click
here
.


Mercedes-Benz E350 Coupe & Cabriolet – New 2.0L Mild Hybrid, 299hp

Mercedes-Benz’s new 2.0-litre M264 four-cylinder petrol engine makes its world premiere in the
E-Class Coupe
 and Cabriolet before its inevitable introduction in other the company’s other future models.
For the moment, the engine does not replace the existing M274, but is instead positioned above it. Its outputs of 299 hp sees it introduced in a new E350 variant that sits above the existing 245 hp E300 model. Maximum torque of the new M264 is rated at 400 Nm, 30 Nm higher than the E300.
Official fuel consumption is rated at 6.7 litres/100km for the E350 Coupe and 6.8 litres/100km in the slightly heavier E350 Cabriolet; 0-100 km/h sprint times are claimed at 5.9 and 6.1 seconds for the Coupe and Cabriolet models respectively.
Outputs and performance figures of the E350 Coupe against
existing petrol variants
 are summarized below:
The M264 engine is part of an upcoming
new family of engines
 developed at a combined cost of €3 billion by Mercedes-Benz. Its innovations include twin-scroll turbochargers and 48V electric architecture powering a belt-driven starter-generator as well as an electric water pump.
The starter-generator gives a momentary 10 kW / 150 Nm boost to the engine on start-up, whilst also facilitating energy recuperation on braking and engine switch-off on coasting. It also brings about better comfort by smoothening the engine start-up process with reduced noise and vibrations.
Additionally, Mercedes claims that the higher voltage of the 48V architecture mean that power for accessories can be supplied with just a quarter of the current needed by 12V systems. This allows usage of thinner and lighter wires – Mercedes claims this indirectly contributes to saving fuel; we suspect it contributes very directly to saving costs as well.
The Mercedes-Benz E350 is on sale in Europe immediately, priced at €60k for the Coupe and €65k for the Convertible. Expect this engine to make its way into other Mercedes-Benz models in the not too distant future.


VIDEO: Road Bullying Myvi Wants To Pick A Fight With Everyone

Oh gosh. It looks like another road bullying incident has been caught on camera in Malaysia. This time involving a purple Myvi, and a few unsuspecting victims – yup, a few, we said.
Shared on social media by one
Wilson Lim
, it appears that a driver of a purple Myvi attempted to crash into him, and then attempted to brake-check a Toyota Unser. There’s even a Peugeot that gets in on the action very early on in the video.
*ALSO READ: 6 Criminal Acts To Be Wary Of On Malaysian Roads
According to Wilson, he said that,
“I was driving to work today and I met with a little incident that bothered me. I have NO INTEREST in looking up who this person is. But, here’s a lesson for everyone to see.
“At first, I tried to manoeuvre out to the middle lane from the left lane, and failed to notice a purple Myvi (BME 2278) that came in at a faster rate. I put up my hand as a sign of an apology later, then he attempted to crash into me.
“After that, another person driving a Toyota Unser was brake-checked by this purple Myvi. A tyre screeching sound can be heard, but unfortunately, I muted my recorder.”
Carlist.my contacted Wilson quickly to ask him a bit more about this, and he was quick to reply. He had nothing further to add, only that this be used as a helpful reminder to drivers to be more careful on the road.
Wilson said,
“Actually, I am no fan of simply shaming people. But if you would post this video up to educate others on the typical dangers you could encounter on the road, then please do so.
His final bit of advice for readers was,
“When I’m faced with this type of situation, I see no point in lowering myself to match their attitude/ behaviour. I would simply move on with my life. Besides, it’s not like I suffered any injuries, nor was there damage to my vehicle.”
Wilson, we salute your attitude towards this driving menace. Well done on keeping a cool head.

I was driving to work today and i met with a little incident that bother me. I have NO INTEREST in looking up who this person is. But just a lesson for everyone to see. At first, i tried to maneuver out to middle lane to left lane and failed to notice a purple myvi (BME 2278) that came in at a faster rate. i put up my hand as a sign of apology, then he attempted to crash into me. after that, another person driving a Toyota Unser was brake checked by this purple myvi. tyre screeching sound can be heard by unfortunately i muted my recorder. could this be determine as reckless driving? i have no interest at the moment but i would say to all Malaysian Drivers, drive safe. no need to prove your point that you are the Alpha drivers on the road. Some people might crashed from your (BME 2278) behaviour and attitude. but still, drive safe everyone.
Posted by
Wilson Lim
 on Monday, 17 August 2015


Shanghai 2019: The Volkswagen ID. Roomzz Concept Is Pretty Much A Lounge On Wheels

Volkswagen has just presented the newest member of the ID Family called the ID. Roomzz at the ongoing Auto Shanghai 2019.
The multivariable all-rounder is a zero-emission SUV which is tailored to both family and business requirements. According to Volkswagen, the production version is expected to be launched in China in 2021.
Design wise, the ID. Roomzz’s bodywork design follows the clear, homogeneous lines of the rest of the ID. family. Combining future IQ.Drive systems, the concept can glide fully automatically (Level 4 autonomous driving) through the traffic in ID. Pilot mode, where the occupants are provided with information via interactive light zones.
As for the cabin, the completely new variable interior concept can be individualised to a great extent. Various seating configurations can be adapted not only to passengers’ personal wishes, but also to the respective driving mode.
When the driver switches to fully automatic driving mode, the individual seats can be rotated inward by 25 degrees to enable a more communicative, lounge-like atmosphere on board.
Moreover, when the car is driving fully automatically, the ID. Pilot Relax mode allows each passenger to adjust their seat individually to suit their needs. In this mode, the seat can be moved from an upright to a reclined position.
In the manual “ID. Drive” mode, the digital cockpit along with the steering wheel appears to hover in front of the driver. The digital cockpit consists of a full glass-front panel. The digitalised steering wheel has been conceptually integrated into the panel.
The materials used in the interior are also unusual. The seat covers, for example, are made of AppleSkin – a new product that consists of a renewable raw material. Specially processed wooden veneers are also used in the “ID. Light” areas of the door panels.
We also have the CleanAir system which uses an active filter system to ensure that the air in the vehicle interior remains clean even if the ambient air isn’t.
Powered by a 82 kWh battery, the ID. Roomzz boasts a range of up to 450 km before the battery has to be recharged. In about half an hour, the concept car can be recharged to 80% of its capacity via a fast charging system with 150 kW (DC).
Two electric motors continuously drive both axles with a system output of 306 PS (electric 4MOTION).
Where performance is concerned, the ID. Roomzz can accelerate to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds and reach top speeds of up to 180 km/h. As is the case with all electric cars, the maximum torque is available from the very start.
That said, the ID. Roomzz Concept is currently being presented to the public at Auto Shanghai 2019 in China which will go on until 26th April.


BMW Malaysia Introduces New 4 Series and Special Pricing for X6

BMW Group Malaysia today announced the introduction of the new 4 Series, as well as a special 100
th
 Year Anniversary Celebrations pricing for the
X6
.
Offered in four coupe variants and a Gran Coupe version, the new 4 Series’ price is as mentioned below:
            BMW 420i Coupé                -                    RM 297,800.00
            BMW 420i Coupé Sport      -                     RM 317,800.00
            BMW 430i Coupé Sport      -                     RM 356,800.00
            BMW 430i Coupé M Sport  -                     RM 386,800.00
            BMW 430i Gran Coupé M Sport    -           RM 416,800.00
The big news with the new 4 Series is the new B48 aluminium inline-four cylinder engine with TwinPower turbo, which is mated to the engine is an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Although the same engine powers all variants, total output varies from one model to another due to different states of tuning.
While the 420i and 420i Sport’s engines produce 184hp and 270Nm of maximum torque, the 430i Sport, 430i M Sport, and the 430i Grand Coupe on the other hand come with a powertrain package capable of kicking out 252hp and 350Nm of maximum torque.
As far as performance is concerned, the 420i and 420i Sport are capable of sprinting from standstill to 100km/h in 7.5 seconds and achieve a top speed of 236km/h, with a claimed fuel consumption reading of 5.5-litres per 100km.
Meanwhile, the 430i Sport, 430i M Sport and the 430i Gran Coupe’s engines produce 252 hp and a maximum torque of 350Nm respectively. This translates into 5.8 seconds in sprint time from 0 to 100 km/h, and a top speed of 250 km/h. Fuel consumption stands at 5.9 litres per 100 kilometres for the 3 models.
Features:
BMW 420i Coupe
184hp / 270Nm
17” Star-spoke light alloy wheels
Dakota Leather upholstery
Satin Silver matt interior trim
Sports leather steering wheel
6.5” display monitor with BMW Radio Professional
Four exterior paint shades - Alpine White, Black Sapphire, Midnight Blue and Mineral Grey
BMW 420i Coupe Sport
184hp /
 270Nm
18” Double-spoke light alloy wheels
High-gloss black kidney grille
M Sport supension
Coral Red matt interior trim
Sports leather steering wheel with paddle shifters
Sports seats
Exclusive exterior colours - Melbourne Red and Glacier Silver
BMW 430i Coupe Sport
252hp / 350Nm
18” Double-spoke light-alloy wheels
Adaptive M Sport suspension
Dakota Leather upholstery
High-gloss black and highlight trim finishers in Coral Red Matt
Sports seats
Sports leather steering with paddle shifters
HiFi loudspeakers,
Navigation System Professional
Intelligent Emergency Call
BMW Teleservices
Concierge Services
Remote Services
BMW 430i M Sport
252hp /
 350Nm
18” M Double-spoke light alloy wheels
M Aerodynamics Package
Aluminium Hexagon with Estoril Blue highlight trims
M Leather steering wheel with paddle shifters
Sports seats
Comfort Access
BMW 430i Gran Coupé
252hp /
 350Nm
18” M Double-spoke light alloy wheels
Adaptive M suspension
M Aerodynamics Package.
Aluminium Hexagon interior trim finishing
Dakota leather upholstery
M Leather sports steering wheels with paddle shifters
Sports seats
Comfort Access
Electric glass roof
Harman Kardon surround sound system
Navigation System Professional,
Intelligent Emergency Call, BMW Teleservices
Concierge Services
Remote Services
Offered with BMW’s 5 Years Unlimited Mileage Warranty comprising of 5 years free scheduled service, the new 4 will also come with 24-month BMW Tyre Warranty, applicable for BMW Approved Star-Marked Tyres which are featured as a standard for all BMW cars. The tyre warranty also covers the fitment and balancing cost.
The car will also benefit from the new BMW ConnectedDrive suite of technologies – the first in the Malaysian premium segment. For example, a SIM card built into the vehicle enables customers to enjoy optimum connectivity and access to the unrivalled range of services from BMW ConnectedDrive without the need for a smartphone. This includes Concierge Services, Intelligent Emergency Call as well as BMW Teleservices and Remote Services.

On another note, BMW Malaysia also announced a special 100
th
 Year Anniversary Celebration price for the X6 xDrive35i of RM628,800(OTR without insurance), which is RM38,000 cheaper than the current retail price of RM666,800.
Looking for a BMW? Find one now at
Carlist.my
 today!


2015 Mazda CX-3 Scores 4-Star Euro NCAP Safety Rating

The
Mazda

CX-3
 mini SUV has received 4-stars in the Euro New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) safety rating after being testing by the Brussels, Belgium-based safety rating programme.
The results should not be compared against NCAP results from other parts of the world, and Euro NCAP results before 2015, as the scoring is different. Starting 2015, Euro NCAP has further tightened its testing - adding a 50 km/h full width frontal collision test with a
rigid
 barrier and a
small female
 dummy in front and behind to complement the existing 64 km/h 40 percent offset frontal test with a
deformable
 barrier and an
adult male
 dummy. Thus, all comparisions with earlier Euro NCAP or ASEAN NCAP results are null.
In addition to that, there is also greater emphasis on advanced driver's assistance features like autonomous emergency braking (AEB), whose performance are also factored in the final score.
The CX-3 had an overall score just shy of 5-stars, given the more stringent testing methods this year. It was mentioned that while Mazda's Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) system is available for the CX-3, it is an optional item that Euro NCAP says "is not expected to be fitted to enough vehicles to qualify for assessment."
The CX-3 scored a total of 32.4 points or 85 percent in the
Adult Occupant
 category, providing good to adequate protection to passenger and driver respectively. It loses point here, however, for its weaker rear passenger score in a frontal full width collision test. For rear impacts, the CX-3 fared well for front seat whiplash protection but scored poorly for those in the rear seats. Full points were awarded for the more severe side pole impacts, though.
In the
Child Occupant
 category, the CX-3 scored 39.1 points or 79 percent, scoring maximum point for protection of children not over 18 months old. For the forward facing crash test dummy simulating that of a 3-year old child, the CX-3 performed well with non-excessive forward movement. For side impacts, both test dummies were safely and properly contained within their restraints.
The driver is able to clearly monitor the status of the airbags and the safety systems, which was rewarded in the testing scheme.
For
Pedestrian Protection
, the Mazda CX-3 scored a total of 30.3 points or 84 percent with the car’s bumper scoring maximum points for pedestrian leg protection and good results in all areas tested. The hood of the CX-3 also scored highly, with good or adequate ratings over the entire surface.
The Mazda CX-3 looks to be currently
available for bookings
 from Bermaz Motor and will be sold as a completely built unit when it arrives, tentatively in
November 2015
.


GALLERY: 2015 Peugeot 508 Facelift Previewed, All 3 Variants Captured

The facelifted 2015
Peugeot
 508 has arrived in Malaysia, and while its doing the rounds at a local mall near you (probably), we’ve got some shots of all three variants at Peugeot Glenmerie (Nasim Sdn Bhd).
These new
508s
 bring with them a new front-end design with a two-tier grille, most obviously, and a shake-up in the variant order as well. Prices are pegged at a tentative
RM175k (1.6 THP) to RM205k (2.2 HDI turbo diesel)
. There will be three variants, starting out with the 508 1.6 THP which replaces the pre-facelift Premium variant, and then sitting above that we have the more premium GT which comes with nicer wheels and dual tailpipes – and GT badging, of course.  Lastly, there is the SW which is nearly identical to the base THP, but with an estate body style and a panoramic glass roof.
Peugeot 508 THP (sedan)
Peugeot 508 SW THP (station wagon)
Peugeot 508 GT
It’s also worth noting that it looks like the 508 SW GT, the turbo diesel wagon, has been omitted in the facelift transition to our market, which is a shame, as it was a sharp looking thing on the roads even before the design refresh.
On the inside, 508’s interior is largely unchanged from the pre-facelift model, and is also identical across all three variants, toys and all. There are a few minor differences, however. A quick look at the center console shows that the rotary control dial for the infotainment screen is no longer included; in its place, a shallow pocket with a sliding cover. Where's the dial then? It's gone entirely, because you don't need it anymore. The infotainment screen on the dash is now a touchscreen unit.
Here’s a collection of features you’ll be getting as standard with the new 508 (note that these are common throughout all variants):
LED Daytime Running Lights
Keyless entry system and push start
Leather seats, gear knob, and steering wheel
Automatic four-zone air conditioning
8-way electrically adjustable front seats with electric lumbar support
USB and Bluetooth connectivity
JBL 10-speaker sound system
Multifunction steering wheel with paddle shifters
Navigation and infotainment control center with touchscreen input
As for safety, the 508 includes:
5 Star Euro NCAP Safety Rating
Six airbags
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Automatic electric parking brake
Electronic stability program (ESP)
Dual ISOFIX anchor point support
Under the hood, power is upped from the turbocharged four-cylinder 1.6-litre THP Prince engine that powers the THP sedan and station wagon (SW), now producing 163hp and 240Nm of torque. In the GT sedan, the 4-cylinder 2.2-litre HDI turbodiesel engine produces 203hp and a 450Nm of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels through a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission, sourced from Japanese maker Aisin, and there are paddle shifters are located behind the steering wheel.
While the 508 is expected to make an official launch next week, do enjoy the pictures in the gallery below, showing all three variants of the 2015 Peugeot 508.


2019 Subaru Forester – Quick Review

Over the last few days we’ve had the chance to sample the all-new Subaru Forester, and suffice to say the SUV is an impressive step up over its predecessor. For one, it sits on Subaru’s new global platform rather than a tweaked version of the old Impreza platform, and chief among the improvements are better crash safety and higher chassis rigidity.

The old naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre EJ20 has been phased out in favour of the newer FB20, which while still being naturally aspirated and 2.0-litres in displacement, adds direct injection and increases in power to 156 hp, with and 196 Nm of torque from 4,000 rpm. Power is channelled through a Lineartronic CVT-type automatic transmission to all four wheels.

Also included in the top-spec variants is EyeSight, Subaru’s active safety system that utilizes a stereoscopic camera setup to achieve a wide range of safety functions, from autonomous emergency braking to lane departure warnings, and even adaptive cruise control.

It’s that last one that is an absolute joy to have during long distance trips – such as the drive from Klang Valley to Kuantan. Adaptive cruise control is a highly underrated feature that when used properly can really help to reduce fatigue – it’s like your regular cruise control, but it automatically adjusts distance to the cars ahead as they speed up and slow down.

What's also cool is that the adaptive cruise control functions between 0 km/h and 180 km/h, which essentially allows for cruise control even in stop and go traffic. It may seem like a minor feature, but it's one that takes us that little bit closer to autonomous driving. Sadly, while lane departure warning alerts drivers if they're crossing lane lines, there is no trace function that pulls the steering wheel to follow the curve of the road, so drivers still need to be attentive when it comes to steering the car.

The X-Mode off-road system has received a revamp, now offering Dirt and Snow, as well as Mud and Deep Snow modes which adjust the powertrain and symmetrical all-wheel drive system depending on the situation in order to maintain maximum traction.

To test this, we spent an hour or so traversing the slippery slopes at Most Fun Gym (MFG). What’s important to note here is that MFG was designed as a motorcross training ground, meaning the paths are extremely tight and not really meant for four-wheeled vehicles. And yet, even on pure road tyres, it wasn’t difficult for the Forester to find purchase and haul itself up and down slopes (yes, there’s automatic hill descent control as well).

One of the stand-out tests was navigating a tight switchback that led into another tight switchback. What seems like a fairly simple obstacle is actually pretty difficult for a lot of dedicated off-road vehicles – pickup trucks and the like. The fact that the Forester could clear these with ease was a testament to the passenger-car-like turning radius afforded by using a passenger car platform.

There are a range of small adjustments made to the way the powertrain reacts – for example, the Lineartronic CVT now has seven virtual ratios instead of six, and throttle response can be varied greatly depending on whether you’re in I or S drive modes. While not being the most groundbreaking of changes, it’s enough of a powertrain update to keep the Forester relevant, but we would be lying if we said we didn’t long for a turbocharged engine instead.

As an actual vehicle to live with, the Forester seems to be happily in the middle of the pack. It isn’t the largest nor is it the smallest in class, both in terms of exterior and interior dimensions. It doesn’t have a seemingly infinite number of storage bins, but neither are you hunting for a place to store your smartphones and water bottles. Rear legroom and headroom is ample though not astoundingly so.

And that’s perfectly fine. At its competitive price point of RM 159,788 for the top-spec 2.0i-S EyeSight model (as tested here), you get an impressive amount of car. Subtle luxuries like an integrated USB port and climate control for the second row, steering responsive headlights, and a multifunction display that sits above the entertainment head unit – these are not specifically necessary for a car at this price point, but they are certainly welcome additions.

To find out more about the newly-launched Forester, check out our launch story
here
. To find the best deals on a Subaru, click
here
.


Japan Car Of The Year Finalists Announced

Japan Car Of The Year 2020 finalists announced!

Japan's annual Car of the Year awards (JCOTY) is a world-renowned awards organisation which accords cars with honours for being the best car of the year.

Established in 1980, the body has awarded many trophies to great cars such as Volvo's XC40 in 2018 as well as Toyota's RAV-4 who came out tops last year.

The all-time biggest winners are Honda with 11 accolades with Toyota coming in second with eight and Mazda in third with six.

And now, the finalists for the 2020 Japanese Car of the Year have just been announced, and it includes a few full-electric cars. The ten finalists have been shortlisted from 33 nominations. These cars will now move on to the final stage, where they will be further evaluated by the supervisory board, who consist of automotive journalists from Japan.

The  JCOTY award will be awarded at the end of the month at Sodegaura Forest Raceway, Japan.

The 2020-2021 finalists are:

Peugeot 208 / e-208

Audi e-tron Sportback

BMW Alpina B3

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe

Land Rover Defender

Honda Jazz

Mazda MX-30

Nissan Kicks

Subaru Levorg

Toyota Yaris / Yaris Cross / GR Yaris

Which car is your favourite and which one do you think should get the award?

Let us know what you think.

Sadly for us here in Malaysia, we've only thus far officially launched the Yaris, the rest semua takda.


Mercedes-Benz Teases the Production Ready X-Class

It takes a little bit of success to give you the confidence to go further and diversify. At least in the case of Mercedes-Benz, their rapid portfolio diversification (long before BMW) has led to the pick-up truck segment with the X-Class. We've talked about the X-Class before, and Mercedes-Benz quickly confirmed the model would be making it to production when there was such a positive reaction to the concept.
This is the latest in the line of X-Class teasers, signalling that the full production model is likely going to come soon. We can hardly wait for it; the X-Class may not be the first German pickup (the Volkswagen Amarok has been around for years), but it will be the most luxurious on the market. It may not be as popular in American markets given their need for far more cargo area, but it could find a niche in places like the Middle East and Australia.


BYD Atto 3 EV SUV officially launched in Malaysia - From RM149,800

Sime Darby Motors, the official distributor for the BYD brand here in Malaysia, has officially launched its first-ever product in the country - the
BYD Atto 3 EV SUV
.

We've been writing about the arrival of BYD since August and the official launch of this electric vehicle with high prospects is out - two variants are up for grabs which are the BYD Atto 3 Standard Range and the Extended Range.

BYD Atto 3 EV SUV - RM149,800 - RM167,800

BYD - Sime Darby Motors Malaysia has priced the BYD Atto 3 EV SUV at RM149,800 for the Standard Range and RM167,800 for the Extended Range variant. The difference in the price for the two variants is mainly due to its BYD Blade battery capacity - 49.92kWh for the Standard and a bigger 60.49kWh for the Extended.

Range-wise, the BYD Atto 3 Standard Range offers an all-electric driving distance of up to 410km (NEDC) while the Extended Range can get up to 480km (NEDC). Both models, however, are fitted with the same electric powertrain based on the e-Platform 3.0 - a front-mounted electric motor that churns out 203hp and 310Nm of torque. 0-100km/h? 7.3 seconds.

BYD Atto 3 specs - Exterior

The dimensions between the two variants are identical (4,455mm length, 1,875mm width, 1,615mm height, 2,720mm wheelbase). The BYD Atto 3 Standard rides on 17-inch alloy wheels (215/60 R17) as compared to the Extended Range's 18-inch units (215/55 R18).

Behind those are a set of the same front ventilated disc brakes and rear discs that are similar for both variants. Other exterior features include:

All-LED lights with Adaptive Front Light (AFL)

Panoramic sunroof

Electric unlock tailgate

One-touch open/close tailgate (Extended Range only)

Roof rails

Electrically heated & retractable side mirrors

As for charging, both models support up to 7kW of AC charging (Type 2) as well as DC fast charging (CCS2) with a slight difference at 70kW max for the Standard Range and 80kW for the Extended Range. Both variants also come with the VTOL mobile power supply function.

BYD Atto 3 - Interior

The interior for both variants are identical with features such as a five-inch instrument panel, steering wheel mounted controls, synthetic leather seats, six-way power adjustment for the driver seat (four-way for the front passenger seat), 60/40 split-fold rear seats, and 440 litres of boot space which can be expanded to 1,340 litres when the rear seats are folded.

Finished in the only interior colour option available, which is a combination of Eclipse Blue and Hazy Grey, the most exciting aspects have to its 12.8-inch centre infotainment display with a rotating function and that funky-looking aeroplane-style gear selector.

The only differences between the two variants within the cabin are the wireless phone charger (only for Extended), CN95 cabin air filter (PM2.5 for the Extended), and the number of speakers - six for the Standard and eight Dirac HD Sound speakers for the Extended.

Safety - Euro NCAP five-star rating

It's the same arrangement for both models when it comes to safety, and the BYD Atto 3 EV SUV has loads to offer in terms of safety specs. We'll just list down the most important ones, below.

Seven airbags

360-degree view monitor

Tyre Pressure Monitoring System

Parking radar sensors (front & rear)

Traction Control System

Hill Decent Control

Stop & Go Full Speed Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC-S&G)

Auto Emergency Braking

Front & Rear Collision Warning

Blind Spot Detection

Rear Cross Traffic Alert + more

For those who are interested to get your very own BYD Atto 3 EV SUV, there are five different exterior colour options to choose from - Surf Blue, Forest Green, Parkour Red, Boulder Grey, and Ski White.

The first BYD showroom will open sometime this month at TREC KL, Jalan Tun Razak followed by three more come 2023 in Ara Damansara, Penang, and Johor.


Mercedes-AMG Confirms GT Family Expansion, Game-Changing E 63, No SLS Replacement

Straight out of the horse’s mouth,
Mercedes
-AMG has confirmed to us new that the AMG GT sports car family is set to grow beyond the one variant offered at the moment.
We managed to grab a few moments with Mercedes-AMG GmbH CEO, Tobias Moers, at the recent Frankfurt Motor Show, who had more than a few exciting snippets of info to share with us about the brand’s future outlook.
“There’s a strategic plan behind everything we do, and we constantly want to expand our portfolio. We have had a lot of new models come so far, and we are definitely on a path to grow,” said Moers.
He continued, “We are heavily involved at the moment with expanding the family of the GT, and there will be additional members of that family in the future, and this will happen together with the development of further AMG models and Sports models.”
Given that the AMG GT isn’t by any means a direct replacement for the now discontinued SLS AMG supercar, we asked Moers if a potential replacement was in sight.
“Is the AMG GT enough? I don’t know. We ask ourselves that every day. But so far, we don’t have anything considerable to share with you today.
“More closely to what is happening now, we are in fact working on the next performance level of the GT. It’s not a Black Series: that’s something we’ll need more time with to develop. For now, you can expect the next performance level that will be derived from the AMG GT.
“What we will be revealing soon will be a very exciting car, for the road and track, as you have already seen our GT3 race car displayed outside (at the Frankfurt Motor Show).”
By the logic of deduction, Moers is seemingly describing an AMG GT3 road-legal sports car, one possibly employing the same 4.0-litre biturbo V8 AMG engine, albeit tuned with even more power than the already available 510hp and 650Nm of torque, a more track-focused exterior, and a stripped out cabin – all hell-bent on bringing pure track-performance to the streets.
The Next-Generation Mercedes-AMG E 63
During our chat with the CEO of AMG, he also revealed to us that the next-generation Mercedes-AMG E 63 will feature the “biggest step of improvement” they have ever brought to an E-Class, from one generation to the next.
“It will be the biggest step of improvement we have ever made from one model to the next, with the E 63. Everything will be revolutionary, in every respect: from driving dynamics, outright performance, fuel-efficiency, everything.”
It’s very little for us to derive any conclusive details from, but we have been told that the E 63 may be relieved of its ferocious 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 in favour of AMG’s latest 4.0-litre biturbo V8.
Speaking on the matter of engine displacement downsizing, Moers said, “Yes, the E 63, and our other models, will let go of the current engines available in favour of smaller displacements, but never will they sacrifice power output, driving dynamics, drivetrain precision, throttle response – all of these aspects will be improved upon, with only engine displacement being reduced.
So, there you have it. All eyes open then for a deadlier AMG GT and a revolutionary Mercedes-AMG E 63.


Mazda Previews All-New Seven-Seater CX-8 For Japan

Mazda is set to introduce a new member to its CX family, the Japan-only CX-8. Positioned as a flagship model for the Japanese market, the diesel powered-only CX-8 will serve as a flagship model for Mazda in Japan.
For now, Mazda will only show a side view of the CX-8. The model will only go on sale in Japan by the end of this year.
Isn’t the
CX-9
 Mazda’s flagship model you ask? Well, the CX-9 is not sold in Japan. The full-size seven-seater SUV is aimed primarily at the North American market, with smaller markets like Australia (and Malaysia too) making up the fringes of the CX-9’s market.
The CX-8 will be offered with two seating configurations – either as a six- or a seven-seater.
Measuring 4,900 mm long, 1,840 mm wide and 1,730 mm tall, the CX-8 is nearly as tall as the CX-9 (which is also a seven-seater), but is 196 mm shorter and 96 mm narrower. Not surprisingly, both cars’ wheelbase are identical, at 2,930 mm long, suggesting that they are developed from the same underpinning.
The CX-8 is powered exclusively by a 2.2-litre SkyActiv-D clean diesel engine paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission. For now, it is unclear if the model will come with all-wheel drive.


New Vehicle Sales Increased 36% In August 2022 - 66,614 Units

The
Malaysia Automotive Association (MAA)
 reported that the
new vehicle sales
 for the month of August 2022 saw a
36% increase
 compared to July.

The Total Industry Volume (TIV) for August of 2022 sat at
66,614 units
 - an increase of 17,692 units compared to the previous month of July at 48,922 units. The year-to-date for August was also way in the green at 63% higher compared to the same period of 2021.

Fulfilment of bookings by car companies

One of the main reasons for this steep increase was due to the fulfilment of bookings by car companies in August. These were successfully completed for a lot of the said bookings that they received prior to 30 June 2022, which was the final date of the SST tax holiday.

As most of you may already know, there was a rush of orders, bookings, and deliveries prior to 30 June 2022 following the announcement of the end of the tax exemption period. A portion of those bookings was honoured and delivered for the month of August, and it is expected that this trend will continue into the month of September as more orders are being processed.

63% increase in YTD sales volume

MAA also reported that the year-to-date (YTD) sales for August 2022 were 63% higher compared to the similar corresponding period in 2021. This indicates that the economy has greatly improved from the effects of COVID-19 in previous years, particularly in the new vehicle sales segment.

Sitting at 447,209 units so far, that's indeed a massive number compared to 2021 which was only 274,600 units. Based on the forecast predicted by MAA at over
630,000 TIV sales by year-end
, we can safely say that the trend in numbers certainly looks promising as we head into the final quarter of 2022.

While the vehicle manufacturers are still going all out to fulfill their orders and bookings, MAA also expects that the continuation of chips and components shortage will affect some brands.


Brunei Is First Export Market For Newest Proton Models

Over the weekend, Pad Motors Sdn Bhd of Brunei crossed a milestone with the soft launch of the updated Proton Iriz, Saga, and Persona following last year’s launch of X70 in July 2019. A more lavish campaign, including a roadshow programme will kick off on January 28th.

In total, Proton boasted a very strong showing last year with total sales volume growing by 55.7%, in-line with their goal to be the number one national automaker and the third largest in ASEAN by 2027. To achieve this, a continual uptick in export volume is crucial.

“The export market will play an increasingly important role in growing PROTON’s annual sales. When we updated the Proton Iriz, Persona, Exora and Saga last year, we did so while taking in to account the needs of markets outside of Malaysia and today, three of those cars are now available in Brunei. It’s a good start to 2020 but as the year progresses, we will be looking to export our cars to more countries,” said Dr Li Chunrong, Chief Executive Officer of PROTON.

With the 2020 version of the X70 rolling off its production line in Tanjung Malim, local buyers now have more flexible and accessible pricing as well as availability of the popular model.

“Exporting the Proton X70 will be critical for PROTON’s future sales growth, especially in neighbouring ASEAN countries. It will spearhead the introduction of the next generation of PROTON models currently being jointly developed with Geely and will lay the groundwork for the brand with customers in these markets,” added Dr Li Chunrong.


Daimler-Backed Volocopter To Start Air Taxi Trials In Singapore In 2H 2019

Volocopter, a German aviation start-up specializing in air taxis, will be conducting trials in Singapore in the second half of 2019. Daimler was one of the companies that funded Volocopter back in 2017, providing 25 million euros to the start-up, for an 11% stake.
The German start-up made this announcement at the Autonomy - the Summit of Urban Mobility in Paris last Thursday.
According to Volocopter, the trials are aimed at determining if their Electrical Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles can operate in Singapore.
As the name suggests, the Volocopters are able to take off and land vertically and are designed based on drone technology. Each Volocopter can fly two people up to a 30 km distance.
These Velocopter can be operated with different levels of autonomy - either fully-autonomous with a pilot controlling the joystick or remote-controlled from the ground.
In Singapore, the trial flights are supported by the Ministry of Transport (MoT), the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), and the Economic Development Board (EDB).
The trials in Singapore will evaluate the feasibility of air taxi routes in Singapore and the implementation of an air traffic management system. In addition to that, Volocopter also said that the trials would need to consider Singapore’s humidity and tropical climate.
Volocopter expects to start public demonstration flights after the trials have been completed.
Florian Reuter CEO of Volocopter said, “We are getting ready to start implementing the first fixed routes in cities. Singapore is a logical partner: The city is a true pioneer in technology and city development. We are confident this is another exciting step to make air taxi services a reality.”
In September 2017 Volocopter performed a public unmanned test flight in Dubai, where they partnered with the Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai.


Five Dangerous Car Seat Myths Debunked

Car seats are essential to ensuring the most amount of safety is provided to child passengers, but there are some myths out there that perpetuate the dangerous practices while using or buying them. Myths that need to be - forgive us - ‘busted’.
No matter how safe cars become, the danger of something going wrong or being the victim of an accident remains, especially when it concerns our most vulnerable occupants: children.
‘Buckle Up for Life’, a collaborative education programme between Cincinnati Children’s and
Toyota
, has shared its top five myths and important facts on car seats, in conjunction with Child Passenger Safety Week that runs from September 13
th
 to September 19
th
.
MYTH 1:
 Used Car Seats Are Always Okay.
FACT:
Car Seats Have Expiration Dates.
A lot of hand-me-downs are given between parents, like clothes and toys, but used car seats should be always avoided. If the seat has been through a crash, it could be compromised. The plastic material can degrade over time, leaving it brittle and liable to be non-protective in a subsequent collision.
If you do have a used car seat, find out its history and check the expiration date. Commonly, it will be placed on a sticker affixed to the seat and on the registration card.
MYTH 2:
Older Kids Can Sit In The Front Seat
FACT:
Kids Under 13 Are Safest In The Back
A lot of parents are under the impression that once their kids have outgrown and their car seats or booster seats, it is now safe for them to sit in the front alongside the driver. The fact is that, all children under the age of 13 are much safer in the back seat.
MYTH 3:
 Seat Belts Alone Are Enough To Protect Small Children
FACT:
Children Under 145cm (or 4 feet 9 inches) should sit in booster seats.
Seat belts are designed with adults in mind and would not properly fit young children to protect them in the event of a crash. When kids put on seat belts, they can ride up around their waists or necks, potentially causing injury. With a booster seat, they are elevated to a height so that the seat belts would be able to protect them properly.
MYTH 4:
 A One Year Old Can Ride In A Forward-Facing Car Seat
FACT:
Children Should Be Rear-Facing Until Age Two
The American Academy of Pediatrics say children under the age of two should remain in rear-facing seats. The stance is based on a study by the University of Virginia which revealed that children under the age of two are 75 percent less likely to die or be severely injured in a crash if they are rear-facing.
MYTH 5:
Expensive Car Seats Are Safer Than Others
FACT:
All Approved Car Seats Are Equally Safe
In the United States, all car seat manufacturers are required to meet the same performance standards issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Certain products on the market may sport a higher price tag based on fabric, padding or other aesthetic additions, but they do equate to better safety.


Pandu Uji: 2016 Subaru XV – Urban, agresif dan tangkas

Untuk berlaku adil, di seluruh dunia ini tidak akan ada sebuah kenderaan yang paling sempurna dan lengkap yang mampu memenuhi setiap keperluan dan kehendak pemiliknya. Setiap model kenderaan dicipta di atas satu tujuan tertentu yang spesifik.
Apa yang boleh dilakukan oleh pengeluar kenderaan sesudah itu adalah dengan melakukan percubaan untuk menawarkan pakej sesebuah kenderaan terbabit dengan kaedah paling seimbang yang mungkin dapat dicapai; paling tidak pada tiga elemen ini – rekaan, prestasi dan praktikaliti.
Subaru XV tidak dapat dinafikan berhasil mempertemukan keseimbangan yang boleh dikatakan  sangat menjadi untuk tiga perkara yang dinyatakan ini. Ia cuba menampilkan tidak hanya rekabentuk unik crossover yang menawan, tetapi turut dilengkapi dengan ciri-ciri kejuruteraan yang meletakkannya selangkah di hadapan berbanding pesaing dalam kelompok kenderaan yang sama. Beberapa model lain yang boleh dibayangkan berada di dalam lingkungan yang hampir sama dengannya di dalam pasaran kini adalah seperti Mitsubishi ASX, Honda HR-V dan Mazda CX-3.
Ia membawa imej sebuah kenderaan yang cukup serasi dengan kemodenan, urban dan dalam masa sama sportif untuk aktiviti rekreasi. Tambahan pula, Subaru XV versi 2016 yang dipandu uji ini diberi nilai tambahan untuk meningkatkan penampilan, seperti kemasan pada lampu belakang yang transparen, ruang kabin yang lebih senyap, sistem suspensi yang diperkemas untuk memberikan keselesaan terbaik kepada penumpang serta sistem penghidup enjin tanpa kunci yang sedikit sebanyak menyuntik ciri elegan pada kenderaan ini.
Namun begitu, aspek pemanduan adalah taruhan terbesar yang ada pada Subaru XV yang menjadi kelebihan  utamanya mendahului pesaing lain. Terdapat beberapa faktor yang meletakkannya di depan; pertama enjin boxer 2.0 liter yang menjadi penjana kuasanya dan yang kedua, sistem pacuan semua roda Symmetrical All-Whell Drive yang membolehkannya dipandu dengan gaya yang lebih agresif tetapi selamat.
Memandu Subaru XV merupakan pengalaman yang tidak ingin disia-siakan. Dalam kalangan kenderaan crossover yang ada, model ini memiliki ketangkasan yang didambakan oleh sesetengah orang. Maklum balas yang diberikan, baik pada input stereng, penyaluran kuasa dari enjin ke roda, cengkaman pada tayar tidak kira pada permukaan apa pun serta pada pedal minyak dan brek semuanya berfungsi pada tahap kecekapan yang membolehkan anda untuk sentiasa berasa yakin di dalam perjalanan.
Dengan kedudukannya yang sedikit lebih tinggi berbanding kereta sedan biasa, Subaru XV mempunyai kelebihan juga pada aspek kelepasan permukaan (ground clearance). Ini memberikannya satu lagi kelebihan; untuk merentasi apa juga jenis permukaan yang menanti di sepanjang perjalanan, tentunya dalam situasi-situasi yang tidak keterlaluan atau terlampau ekstrim.
Sepanjang memandu unit pandu uji ini, masa banyak dihabiskan di laluan dalam bandar. Satu perkara yang disedar, ketika melanggar bonggol ataupun lubang-lubang yang bersepah di atas jalan raya Kuala Lumpur ini, impak daripada hentakan berkenaan tidak terlalu ketara dirasakan. Terima kasih kepada profil tayar Continental Contact MC5 yang tebal serta kemaskini pada sistem suspensi yang dilakukan, berhasil meningkatkan aspek keselesaan pada model ini.
Untuk menggambarkan karektor pemanduan mampu diberikan oleh Subaru XV, dan jika hanya satu perkataan sahaja diperlukan untuk menjelaskannya, perkataan itu ialah 'solid'. Sukar untuk menjelaskannya dengan lebih terperinci. Tetapi, jika anda ingin memahaminya, tak ada jalan pintas; pandu dan bezakan karektor dan maklum balas pemanduan pada Subaru XV ini dengan pesaing-pesaingnya sendiri. Hanya dengan cara itu anda akan dapat memahami dan menghargai setiap ciri yang ditawarkan oleh kenderaan crossover keluaran Subaru ini.
Dengan kemampuan pemanduannya, serta ketangkasan prestasi kendalian yang ditawarkan, penggunaan petrol pada model ini juga dirasakan berada pada tahap memuaskan, tentulah ia bergantung sepenuhnya kepada gaya pemanduan anda.
Ketika mencubanya tempoh hari, purata penggunaan petrol yang berjaya dicapai ialah 9.6 liter bagi setiap 100 kilometer. Dengan prestasi enjin 2.0 liter boxer miliknya, serta kendalian agresif yang kerap menjadi tumpuan dan cara memandu, angka ini boleh dikira sederhana dan berpatutan. Secara kasar jika berdasarkan jarak penggunaan petrol semasa dan bakinya, satu tangki penuh minyak mampu memberikan sekitar 400km hingga 450km jarak pemanduan, berdasarkan cara pemanduan berhemah.
Subaru XV berdiri di atas keunikan dan kelebihannya yang tersendiri. Untuk itu, tidak hairanlah ia mampu menjadi model keluaran pengeluar Jepun itu yang pertama diterima secara meluas oleh penggemarnya dan orang kebanyakan, serta menjadi model pertama pemasangan tempatan Subaru di Malaysia.
Spesifikasi Subaru XV
Enjin: 2.0 liter DOHC Subaru Boxer
Kuasa maksimum: 150PS @ 6,200rpm
Tork maksimum: 196Nm @ 4,200rpm
Transmisi: CVT Automatik
Ciri-ciri keselamatan: Penarafan 5 bintang Euro NCAP
Harga: RM134,005 (Subaru XV 2.0i)
Sempena sambutan Hari Raya ini, peraduan Book dan Menang anjuran Carlist.my akan menawarkan hadiah wang tunai sebanyak RM10,000 kepada seorang pembeli Subaru bertuah. Sila klik pautan berikut
untuk maklumat lanjut
.


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Nissan's Fight To Escape Control From Renault And Their More Powerful Government Ties

The
Nissan
 Motor Corporation has inked up a set of new proposals that would effectively divorce influence from current parent company
Renault
 as well as curb any future intervention from the French government in their alliance, according to sources close to Reuters.
The revisions, assuming it comes to pass, will ultimately also defuse an ongoing dispute of governance that came to a head in April this year when the Emmanuel Marcon, the French Economy Minister raised the country’s stake in Renault to 19.7 percent (up from 15 percent) to secure itself twice the voting power it had prior.
Nissan’s plans were revealed in the documents stating its position, where the company seeks to limit the state’s voting rights in Renault as well as written guarantees that prevent intervention to its current and future operations by the French automaker - who owns 43.4 percent of Nissan - and their now more powerful state stakeholders.
The new proposal would deem the right for Nissan to buy back its shares in Renault and extricate its business alliance with Renault henceforth, should the signed agreement be breached. So far, both the Nissan-Renault alliance and the French government has not made any comment on the matter’s proceedings.
The confrontational stalemate between Marcon and Carlos Ghosn, the CEO of both Nissan and Renault, is earmarked to reach a critical point on December 11th, when the Renault board is expected to pen its response to the French government’s influx of power and shares.
In a confidential report brought to light by Reuters, Nissan had apparently drummed up its own steps to cease Renault control forcefully by increasing its own stake in the French automaker to roughly 25 percent (from its current 15 percent) and activating voting rights on those shares.
Both sides are quoted as “working on a compromise” - with more on this matter as it surely will unfold, unquietly we suspect.
This conflict can be dated back to Nissan’s financial rescue by Renault in 1999, which since then has granted the French carmaker more or less complete control, even if it has not elected to exercise its power over Nissan. Over the years, any spectator can draw the inexpensive conclusion that the Japanese marque has outgrew its French partners, and is fighting for operational and leadership control especially if the French government has its way with its recent power grab.
Fast forward to 2015, Nissan seeks to nullify Renault’s control of it, one notable prerogative being the Renault-Nissan alliance agreement stipulation that grants Renault the right to name Nissan’s top three executives. Nissan, for its part and future compliance, wants Renault to commit to refrain from intervention in its governance or operations.


Geely Man Becomes New CEO of Lotus

Lotus Cars CEO Jean-Marc Gales has stepped down with immediate effect, and will be succeeded by Feng Qingfeng, vice president and chief technical officer of Geely Auto Group.
Gales, who left due to personal reasons, will become the Chief Strategic Advisor to Lotus Chairman, Daniel Donghui Li in a part-time role, and also join UK-based classic car dealer and restorer JD Classics as the new CEO.
According to Daniel Donghui Li, chief financial officer of Geely Holding and Lotus Cars chairman, Gales has stabilised and turned Lotus to profitability for the first time in the iconic brands history with new industry leading products and unique business models since joining the company in 2014, in just 3 years.
“Lotus is poised for the next phase of growth under Feng Qingfeng’s leadership, where its expertise in lightweight materials and sport cars-engineering will form part of the wider expansion of Geely ‘s automotive portfolio. At the same time I will welcome Jean-Marc‘s Council as Chief Strategic Advisor to myself and the Board of Directors,” he added.
Feng, the newly appointed CEO of Lotus Cars said, “I am honoured to have been appointed to lead this iconic British sports car group. With Geely’s global synergies and total support I am confident that Lotus has an exciting opportunity to achieve its full potential as a luxury sports brand, based around its engineering legacy and its future product pipeline.”
Group Lotus sold 1600 sports vehicles last year, which was an increase of 10% versus 2016. 2017 was also the year the company made profit for the first time in history.


Volvo Cars Waves Goodbye To Diesel Engines

The new Volvo S60 sedan which is all set to make its global debut later this year will be the first Volvo to be produced without a diesel engine, highlighting Volvo Cars’ commitment to a long-term future beyond the traditional combustion engine.
All new Volvo models launched from 2019 will be available as either a mild petrol hybrid, plug-in petrol hybrid or battery electric vehicle.
This is the most comprehensive electrification strategy in the car industry and Volvo Cars was the first traditional car maker to commit to all-out electrification in July 2017.
“Our future is electric and we will no longer develop a new generation of diesel engines,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars.
“We will phase out cars with only an internal combustion engine, with petrol hybrid versions as a transitional option as we move towards full electrification. The new S60 represents the next step in that commitment.”
Last month, Volvo Cars stated that it aims for fully electric cars to make up 50 per cent of its global sales by 2025. The announcement was made at the 2018 Beijing Auto Show, positioning it as a powerful player in China, the world’s leading market for electrified cars.
Based on Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), which also underpins the company’s award-winning new 90 Series and 60 Series cars, the new S60 will initially be available with a range of four-cylinder Drive-E petrol engines as well as with two petrol plug-in hybrid versions. Mild hybrid versions will follow next year.
Production of the new S60 will start at Volvo Cars’ brand new manufacturing facility outside Charleston, South Carolina, which according to Volvo will be the only manufacturing location for the model.


Kantoi Bakar 3 Kereta Demi Tuntutan Insurans Palsu – Untuk Bayar RM500k Hutang Ah Long

Akibat terdesak dengan bebanan hutang ceti haram (Ah Long) bernilai RM500k, 2 lelaki tergamak untuk membakar 3 kereta milik mereka sendiri demi membuat tuntutan insurans palsu bagi menjelaskan hutang tersebut.

Dalam kejadian tersebut, tiga kenderaan termasuk kenderaan mewah model Bentley Continental GT, Ford Fiesta dan Hyundai Accent dilaporkan terbakar dalam kejadian di Taman Merdeka Batu Berendam, Melaka. Pada awalnya, suspek pertama membuat laporan pada 13 September mendakwa kereta
Bentley Continental GT
 miliknya
terbakar
 dan mengalami kerosakan 70 peratus.

*Kredit foto: Sinar Harian

Polis turut menerima 2 lagi laporan tentang kejadian kebakaran 2 buah kenderaan jenis
Ford Fiesta
 dan
Hyundai Accent
 menerusi seorang lagi suspek berbeza. Pihak polis terus bergegas ke tempat kejadian untuk menyiasat dan mendapati bahawa timbulnya keraguan daripada laporan yang dibuat mengatakan kenderaan tersebut dibakar.

Tindakan kedua-dua suspek yang berusia 36 tahun tersebut bagaimanapun berjaya dihidu pihak polis dan polis telah menahan suspek pertama pada jam 5.30 petang pada hari sama laporan dibuat manakala tangkapan suspek kedua dibuat keesokan harinya bagi membantu siasatan.

*Kredit foto: Kosmo

Hasil soal siasat mendapati kedua-dua suspek tersebut dipercayai sengaja membakar sendiri ketiga-tiga kenderaan milik mereka bagi mendapatkan wang segera daripada
tuntuan insurans
 palsu yang dianggarkan bernilai RM250k.

Aktiviti ini juga dipercayai telah dirancang sejak 3 bulan lalu demi membayar hutang Ah Long yang mencecah nilai setengah juta ringgit. Setelah menyiasat dengan lebih lanjut, polis mendapati kedua-dua suspek berkenaan mempunyai rekod jenayah lampau melibatkan kes khianat dengan api, samun, curi dan
dadah
.

Menurut Ketua Polis Melaka, Datuk Abdul Majid Mohd. Ali kedua-dua suspek kini masih direman dan kertas siasatan yang dibuka mengikut Seksyen 435 Kanun Keseksaan juga telah dilengkapkan untuk dihantar kepada Timbalan Pendakwa Raya bagi tindakan lanjut.

Beliau turut berkata bahawa pihaknya akan membuka semula tiga kertas siasatan sebelum ini membabitkan kebakaran kenderaan untuk mengesan sama ada ia melibatkan modus operandi sama untuk membuat tuntutan palsu insurans.

Yang paling penting, terdesak macam mana pun kita, janganlah sesekali kita meminjam duit dengan ceti haram. Sedangkan orang yang pandu Bentley pun tak mampu nak bayar semula hutang Ah Long, apatah lagi anda yang hanya bergaya dalam
Myvi
. Fikir-fikirkanlah.


Frankfurt 2017: Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet Concept – Full EV, Haute-Couture Luxury

The recent Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance played host to the unveiling of the
Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet
, which is inspired by the equally beautiful
Vision 6 Coupe
 concept from 2016.
But the ongoing 2017 Frankfurt Motorshow however, gives us the clearest glimpse yet, of just how staggeringly beautiful the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet really is.
A celebration of beauty and astute engineering prowess - The Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet is designed from the ground up as an electric car.
The drive system has an output of 750 hp. Power is sent to all four wheels through four compact permanent magnet synchronous electric motors, one at each wheel.
The shallow underfloor battery is claimed to deliver a range of over 500 kilometres according to the NEDC cycle. Performance isn’t sluggish either, with a 0-100 km/h sprint achieved in 4.0 seconds and an electronically governed top speed of 250km/h.
The vehicle is also equipped with a quick-charge function which allows DC charging based on the Combined Charging System (CCS) – offering a charging capacity of up to 350 kW.
Additionally, the Vision 6 Cabriolet can be charged to achieve an additional 100 km range after just five minutes of socket time.
The Vision 6 Cabrio measures 5700 mm in length from tip-to-toe of its boat tail silhouette, 2100 mm in width and a low 1340 mm in height – identical to the Coupe’s length and width. It's finished in the dazzling Nautical Blue Metallic paintwork. The 24-inch multi-spoke alloys with a Rose Gold centre lock also provide a touch of exclusivity.
The interior is inspired by modern flowing contours and trimmed in authentic materials to exude a feeling of premium luxury. The Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet takes the Chesterfield seat design to a whole new level – with individual ‘Three-pointed star’ buttons within the quilting, backlit in blue. The open-pore wood floor with inlaid aluminium is supposed to underscore the Vision 6 Cabrio’s connection to yachting.
The Vision 6 Cabriolet projects important driving information, such as navigation, onto the windscreen via two head-up displays. The continuous glass strip, that runs the length of the dashboard, doors and rear spaces of the cabin is called the '360° luxury lounge' and beams stylish display graphics. The retrospective instrument cluster combines 'hyperanalogue' digital displays in the background with real dial needles.
Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer of Daimler AG comments, “The Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet takes modern luxury into the realms of the ultimate in luxury and is the perfect embodiment of our design strategy. Breath-taking proportions combined with a luxurious "haute couture" interior help to create the ultimate experience”.


Lockdown 3.0 Disambung Dua Minggu Lagi – 15 Hingga 28 Jun 2021

Menteri Kanan Pertahanan Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob berkata, penutupan penuh sektor sosial dan ekonomi menerusi
Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP 3.0) atau Lockdown 3.0
 akan dilanjutkan untuk tempoh dua minggu lagi bermula 15 Jun sehingga 28 Jun 2021.

Menerusi Sidang Khas Majlis Keselamatan Negara (MKN) mengenai COVID-19 yang dipengerusikan oleh Perdana Menteri pada hari ini, kerajaan telah mengambil keputusan untuk melanjutkan tempoh lockdown setelah mengambil kira jumlah kes harian masih tinggi melebihi 5,000 sehari dengan purata kes baharu sehingga semalam ialah 6,871.

Walau bagaimanapun, beliau menjelaskan bahawa segala senarai positif/negatif dan Prosedur Operasi Standard (SOP) bagi setiap aktiviti perkilangan, perniagaan dan industri masih kekal tanpa perubahan seperti mana diumumkan sebelum ini. Segala SOP yang berkaitan boleh disemak di laman web rasmi MKN.

Oleh itu, kerajaan mengharapkan agar tiada lagi kekeliruan berlaku dalam pelaksanaan dan penguatkuasaan SOP memandangkan tiada apa yang berubah. Mana-mana sektor-sektor yang telah diberi kebenaran untuk beroperasi pada Lockdown 3.0 ini turut juga akan kekal dibenarkan beroperasi seperti biasa apabila Lockdown 3.0 ini dilanjutkan bermula 15 Jun ini.

Terdahulu, kerajaan telah memutuskan untuk melaksanakan penutupan penuh sektor sosial dan ekonomi ataupun total lockdown fasa pertama di seluruh negara bagi tempoh 14 hari bermula 1 hingga 14 Jun 2021. Sepanjang total lockdown fasa pertama, seramai
1.57 Juta pekerja telah diberi kebenaran untuk bekerja.

Susulan penyambungan Lockdown 3.0 ini, orang ramai masih dilarang untuk
merentas daerah atau merentas negeri
tanpa kebenaran. Anda dinasihatkan untuk duduk di rumah sekiranya tiada urusan penting di luar kerana PDRM masih menjalankan
Sekatan Jalan Raya
 bagi menghalang individu daripada merentas daerah atau negeri tanpa kebenaran.

Stay home, stay safe! #KitaJagaKita


More affordable EVs to arrive later this year - RM120k okay or not?

The rise of EVs here in Malaysia will see a lot more affordable models entering the market this year.

Norazman Ayub, Deputy Secretary General of MITI (Ministry of International Trade and Industry), stated that the ministry is 'encouraging' more car companies to bring in more affordable EV models into the country, and that will be made available later this year.

EVs priced from RM120,000 to come later this year

A statement from Norazman as reported by
The Daily Express
 mentioned that the importation of cheaper EVs particularly from China is highly encouraged to further push the adoption of electrification by the majority of Malaysian folks.

For now, there are a number of more affordable EVs such as the
BYD Atto 3
 (from RM150k) and GWM's
Ora Good Cat
 (from RM140k) to name a few, but in order to get more folks to jump onto the EV bandwagon, the price range has to be a lot more affordable. While the suggested starting price of RM120,000 is more interesting, the biggest possible adoption might happen if any of these car brands can come below the RM100,000 mark.

10,000 public EV charging stations by 2025

The Malaysian government will also push on expanding the EV charging infrastructure network to at least 10,000 charging stations by 2025. They are looking at getting around RM20 billion worth of investments to strengthen the Malaysia EV ecosystem by 2025 and RM40 billion by the year 2030.

The national target for EVs in the total industry volume (TIV) is set at 15% by 2030. Not a bad starting point, in our opinion, but this can only be done with more affordable EVs. You can see the huge attraction for models like the BYD Atto 3, but their next upcoming model like the
BYD Dolphin
 which is said to come in under RM100k might help turn the tide when it comes to a much bigger scale of EV adoption.


The Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail Is A Modern All-Terrain Tyre Built Specifically For SUVs

The Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail is an all-terrain SUV-specific tyre built for adventure-seeking owners.

In some parts of the world, cars that we call SUVs (sports utility vehicles) are known as CUVs (crossover utility vehicles). In these parts of the world, CUVs are generally smaller SUVs based on car platforms, whereas the SUV classification is reserved for larger SUVs like the Toyota Land Cruiser or Range Rover.

Some examples of CUVs are the likes of the Subaru XV/ Forester, Honda HR-V/ CR-V, Proton X50/ X70, Toyota Corolla Cross and Volvo XC40/ XC60. However, since we are in Malaysia, we'll stick with the SUV terminology as that is what these vehicles are widely known as here.

Body on frame vs Unibody

These days, only a handful of SUVs are built through a body-on-frame construction, with the majority of modern SUVs featuring a unibody construction.

Even the mighty Land Rover Defender, known for its rugged off-roading capabilities thanks to its body-on-frame construction, has moved over to a unibody setup which tells you a lot about how body-on-frame builds are a thing of the past.

While SUV construction has moved along with the times, tyres for SUVs haven't - or has it?

Introducing the Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail

Falken has recognised that although many SUV owners mainly use their vehicles on tarmac, quite a few of them do take their cars on unpaved roads, although not regularly. Until recently, your only choice for SUV tyres was either road-biased or
traditional all-terrain tyres (A/T) built for 4x4s
.

While the road-focused tyres are great for paved roads and traditional all-terrain tyres provide an excellent compromise for those who want an all-purpose set of rubbers, no tyre manages to blend the two without compromising its performance on or off-road, at least until now!

Falken recognised the need for such a tyre and took the opportunity to create a new line, specifically for SUV owners who want an aggressive-looking tyre with added sidewall protection that can cope with on and off-road conditions.

This SUV-specific tyre is called the Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail, a tyre built for SUV adventure-seeking owners, which delivers rugged off-road capability without compromise on the tarmac.

Engineered to match the dynamic and modern characteristics of SUVs, the Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail strikes the perfect balance between aggressive off-road traction and dependable, all-weather road grip.

Gone are the noisy characteristics of traditional A/T tyres, as well as shorter tread life and lower fuel efficiency. Instead, you get a good off-road tyre like the Falken Wildpeak AT3W but with the road performance of Falken's Azenis FK510 SUV tyre, which delivers outstanding levels of grip in both wet and dry conditions.

Rave reviews in U.S.A and Malaysia

But don't take our word for it because many Americans and Malaysians have actually tried the Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail and have been both pleasantly surprised and happy with its performance.

The Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail has been in the United States since 2018. A quick lookup of reviews online would yield a lot of happy Americans who have bought, used and is very happy with its performance.

Malaysia is actually the second country after the United States to get the A/T Trail range. Stamford Tyres, the distributor of Falken Tyres in Malaysia, has been conducting studies on the tyre since 2018, gearing up for its debut in 2021.

One of the reasons Stamford Tyres decided to bring the tyre into Malaysia was because there were many queries about the tyre from Malaysians, particularly Subaru owners who believed that the A/T Trail would go hand in hand with Subaru's much-coveted AWD system.

As part of their study and research, Stamford Tyres have been working hand in hand with Malaysian car clubs who have reviewed the tyres. The feedback proved conclusive with most of the car clubs reporting that they were delighted with the tyre's performance, especially regarding its low noise, wet and dry grip, wet braking distance and durability.

Features of the Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail

Speaking of durability, one of the reasons why the A/T Trail has better tread life is down to Falken's optimised tread design, which features
Falken's silica-enriched tread compound
 that delivers superior wear life over a wide range of operating temperatures.

Not only does the tread design help the longevity of the tyres, but it also helps channel water away effectively. The A/T Trail has one of the best if not the best anti-aquaplaning performance in the SUV tyre segment when compared to OE passenger-based SUV tyres. This is particularly useful in our country, as Malaysia is known for heavy rain which can cause puddles of water to collect all over the road.

According to Stamford Tyre, the Falken A/T Trail is the highest-rated all-terrain SUV tyre when it comes to wet braking, wet handling, dry handling, dry braking, noise comfort and ride quality. Not only is it great on paved roads, but the Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail also has a durable 2-ply polyester construction and rugged upper sidewall feature, which protects the tire from sharp rocks during those off-road excursions.

Another benefit of the Thai-made Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail tyre is that it has been optimised for tropical weather, unlike other A/T tyres, which have been designed as an all-season tyre. In addition, Sumitomo Rubber's engineers are able to develop a compound adapted to Malaysian weather and road conditions.

Falken is the market leader in all-terrain tyres in Malaysia

Not only does this make the A/T Trail one of the only climate-specific tyres in Malaysia, but also a tyre range that offers the only SUV-biased all-terrain tyre in the market currently. With the addition of the A/T Trail to the Wildpeak line-up, Falken is now the market leader for 4x4 and SUV All-Terrain tyres in Malaysia.

Sizes for the Wildpeak A/T Trail range between 16" to 20" wheels, with prices starting from RM400++.

Falken products, officially distributed by Stamford Tyres, can be found at their retail locations
here
.

You can also follow Falken on FB and IG:
Falken Malaysia
 to keep up with their latest news and promos.


RON97 Fuel Price Update: 21- 27 June – 1 sen lower

The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives, and Consumerism (KPDNKK) has announced the RON 97 fuel prices for the next seven days. The premium grade fuel sees a reduction of 1 sen in per-litre price for the week of 21 to 27 June.
That being said, the prices for petrol and diesel are as listed below:
RON95 –
RM2.20
per litre (no change)
RON97 –
RM2.59
 per litre (down 1 sen from RM2.60)
Diesel –
RM2.18
 per litre (no change)


Goodwood 2016: Mazda MX-5 RF Makes European Debut

The hardtop version of
Mazda
’s iconic roadster, the MX-5 RF, makes its European debut at the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Coming three months after its
global debut at New York in March
, the MX-5 RF is joined on stage by the one-millionth MX-5 ever produced along with two concepts – the MX-5 Spyder and MX-5 Speedster.
Unlike the simple manually-operated mechanism of the
regular MX-5 soft top
, MX-5 RF’s retractable hard top is powered; opening and closing at the flip of a switch, and operable at speeds up to 10km/h.
Mechanically, the MX-5 RF is mostly identical to the regular model, but featuring steering and suspension tweaks that Mazda claims to improve the vehicle’s refinement. Unsurprisingly, the company also claims that the RF, which is short for Retractable Fastback, ‘handles every bit as well as’ the regular model which most of us are highly enthused about.
No word on whether it will reach Malaysia, but Mazda confirms that the MX-5 RF will be available in Europe by early 2017.


The Fenyr Supersport - W Motors Rolls Out Another Crazy Supercar You Can’t Own

Unless you’re the Sultan of Johor, in which case “Greetings from Carlist.my, Your Highness.” - but since they’re only making 25 examples of this Fenyr Supersport, you’re likely not even going to see one in the flesh much less own one.
It’s the latest car come from W Motors, the Lebanese turned Dubai-based supercar maker whose previous vehicle was the Lykan Hypersport,
official guest star
 on the blockbuster Furious 7 earlier this year, another in a line of cars in the series that had more screen time than the actual actors - and
with good reason
.
On to the Fenyr Supersport. It was revealed at the 2015 Dubai Motor Show and has got an eye-catching look to it, much like it’s sibling, the ludicrously expensive Lykan Hypersport. Speaking of which, no mention has been made of price as of yet. However, given that the Lykan sold for around US$3.4 million or RM14.8 million, approximately. For some, the angles, vents, and overall jagged way the car is shaped might be too much. Certainly, W Motors isn’t a fan of subtle curves. Their design language is very much an antithesis to the
Jaguar
 E-Type.
Judging from their naming scheme of a five-letter word followed by ‘something’-sport, ‘Super’ should fall below ‘Hyper’, leading us to guess this car a notch below the Lykan in the W Motors hierarchy.
Under the hood, the Fenyr (Fen-Near?) houses a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged flat six from renowned
Porsche
 tuner RUF Automobile GmbH that is said to produce over 900hp in its final production version. Power is sent to the wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, which we’re guessing is Porsche’s PDK transmission but beefed-up to handle all that added grunt.
It’s aluminium chassis and carbon fibre bodywork keeps the weight low, leading to a claimed century sprint time of just 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 399km/h. All this suggests that the Fenyr is would sit above the Lykan, but we’ll wait until the company makes that clear.
W Motors is still very much a small-scale automaker, so we’re not sure if their ultra-expensive Transformer-inspired cars will be around in the next decade. And while it’s nice to see a new entrant in the supercar landscape, it’s taking on a very competitive market with a decidedly narrower customer base and brands that already have established loyalties.


Shell Achieves New Malaysian Record at ‘#LoveMyRide’ Festival

Last Saturday, Shell Malaysia Trading successfully created a new entry in the Malaysian Book of Records for the ‘most number of cars in a lubricant changing event’, with a total of 378 cars receiving a free engine oil change at the ‘#LoveMyRide’ Festival.
The two-day festival
, which took place over the weekend of June 13 and 14, at the MATRADE Exhibition and Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, targeted a total of 500 cars over two days. The overall target was achieved at 3:17pm on June 14, after another 122 cars underwent the free oil change.
These 500 lucky motorists were chosen from over 1,000 applications received online at
www.lovemyride.com.my
, with each participant receiving a complete oil change for their cars using Shell Helix Ultra with PurePlus Technology 5W-40 fully synthetic engine oil, as well as a free top-up of up to 31 litres of Shell V-Power Racing.
“We wanted those who have never tried Shell Helix Ultra with PurePlus Technology to really experience what a motor oil made from natural gas could do for a car engine.  Imagine a motor oil so pure that it cleanses your car inside out,” explained Azman Ismail, managing director Shell Malaysia Trading. “Combine that with Shell V-Power Racing’s innovative formula and you are all set for an optimum driving experience.”
The oil change event involved 100 student mechanics from Despark College and Shell Helix branded workshops, an estimated 6,000 litres of Shell Helix Ultra, and 15,000 litres of Shell V-Power Racing fuel.


2017 New Toyota Corolla Altis Open For Booking – ESC And 7-Airbags Standard Across Range

UMW Toyota Motor announced today that they have begun taking orders for the facelifted Toyota Corolla Altis.
The 2017 Corolla Altis model will feature a revised exterior design and updated standard safety features that now enlists seven-airbags and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) across the range.
Previously, only the range topping 2.0-litre variant with Additional Safety Package was offered with seven-airbags and VSC.
The updated range now offers two 1.8-litre variants and one 2.0-litre variant priced as follows. Prices are On-The-Road (OTR) inclusive of GST and Insurance.
Region
Corolla Altis 1.8E
Corolla Altis 1.8G
Corolla Altis 2.0V
Peninsular Malaysia
RM120,900
RM123,900
RM138,900
Sabah
RM122,632
RM125,613
RM140,476
Sarawak
RM122,632
RM125,613
RM140,476
Langkawi
RM80,591
RM83,595
RM90,405
Labuan
RM81,434
RM84,420
RM91,142
The new Toyota Corolla Altis comes with a 5-year, unlimited mileage warranty, fully-transferable to the next owner if the car is sold off.


Geneva 2018: Volkswagen I.D. VIZZION Has No Steering Wheel

Volkswagen will be premiering the latest addition to their range of I.D. all-electric vehicle portfolio, known as the I.D. VIZZION.
The I.D. VIZZION is a concept vehicle that takes a shape of a fastback sedan, measuring 5.11 meters - almost as long as a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Inside, the car gives users a completely new feeling of travelling as there is no steering wheel or visible controls.
This is the latest full-sized concept car that will not feature the steering wheel, after
Audi unveiled their Aicon autonomous car
 and GM with their Cruise AV.
Other autonomous concept cars
hide away their steering column, such as the Nissan IMx
, as the driver controls (steering wheel and foot pedals) are still very much part of the
global automobile regulations
.
Designed and engineered as an autonomous vehicle from ground up, the I.D. VIZZION allows engineers to feature a ‘digital chauffeur’ with many assistance systems to assume control of the vehicle.
A virtual host, which passengers in their individual seats can communicate with via voice and gesture control, knows the personal preferences of the vehicle guests and adapts to each of them individually.
Providing power for the I.D. VIZZION are batteries with a collective output of 111 kWh which, together with regenerative braking, enables a driving range of up to 665 kilometres. The electric motors, with a system output of 306 PS, drive all four wheels of the concept car.
By 2025, Volkswagen plans to introduce more than 20 electric vehicle models with a sales target of one million EVs per year. This ambitious plan to be the market leader in electric mobility
begins with the Golf-sized I.D.
 in late 2019 followed by the
I.D. CROZZ SUV
. The I.D. BUZZ spacious MPV, a re-interpretation of the legendary Volkswagen Microbus, is schedule for sale in 2022.


Geneva 2019: Audi To Debut Four Plug-in Hybrids Under TFSI e Label

Audi will be presenting the range plug-in hybrid variants of its popular sedans and the Q5 under a new ‘TFSI e’ label at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show 2019.
Customers shopping for an A8, A7 Sportback or A6 model can now look forward to variants with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) option. This is, however, not Audi's first attempt at PHEV. The company introduced the Audi A3 PHEV back in 2013 which remains the sole plug-in hybrid model with very limited availability.
Being PHEVs that are using existing platforms which are not fully-electric ready, the four TFSI e models feature a powertrain combination that is commonly found in the segment- a turbocharged petrol engine paired with an electric motor that is integrated in the transmission.
The 14.1 kWh-capacity lithium-ion battery pack is mounted beneath the floor in the trunk section. Various combined system outputs will be offered with more details planned to be announced at the upcoming motor show.
Audi, however, says the electric driving range will be over 40 kilometres in the WLTP cycle for every model.
The energy recuperation system in the TFSI e models also resembles the feature found in the
 fully-electric Audi e-
tron
 model. When braking, the new Audi TFSI e models recover up to 80 kW of energy. The electric motor handles slight decelerations, i.e. the majority in everyday traffic.
For medium brake applications, the task is divided between the hydraulic brakes, which perform this task alone only with a deceleration force of more than 0.4 G.
Audi will offer the A7 Sportback, A6, and Q5 TFSI e models with comfort-focus features as well as the sporty S Line package.
The company also mentioned that the ‘e-tron’ label will remain reserved exclusively for
fully-electric vehicles
, such as the pioneering
Audi e-
tron

SUV.


Longkang Makan Orang – Lepas Viral, Baru Laju Kerja

Tahu tak pihak berwajib mana yang berkerja lebih laju daripada
The Flash
? Jawapannya.. mana-mana pihak berwajib bila ada
menteri jatuh basikal
 atau bila ada kemalangan yang viral di media sosial.

Menurut sebuah posting yang dilakukan oleh Orang – Kota Tinggi di Facebook, ada longkang tersumbat di di persimpangan Jalan Kota Kecil dan Jalan Sungai Siput sampai
air naik
 memenuhi jalan.

Malah longkang ni dah makan 2 orang
rider
 yang jatuh di saat tengah melayan
corner
 pada waktu malam. Tetapi seperti biasa, tiada apa-apa tindakan yang diambil untuk membaiki longkang tersebut. Sekurang-kurangnya, letak tanda amaran atau kon terlebih dahulu pun dah memadai, tapi habuk pun tiada.

Seminggu lepas itu, di longkang yang sama, seorang lagi pakcik tertewas di mana sebahagian daripada motornya genap ditelan longkang terbabit. Kalau dilihat pada posisi longkang itu yang dilindungi air kat tepi jalan tu, memang tak nampak langsung ada longkang besar yang tidak bertutup di situ.

Persoalannya, takkan nak tunggu
hit count
 sampai 100 rider dulu baru nak baiki? Atau nak tunggu KJ berbasikal di situ? Rasanya dia pun sedang sibuk melawan
golongan anti-vaksin
.

Tak cukup dengan cerita menyayat hati yang menimpa pakcik tersebut, muncul lagi sebuah cerita yang mengatakan ada cubaan untuk mencuri helmet pakcik tersebut ketika beliau rebah bersandarkan tiang lampu jalan. Mujur ada orang awam yang nampak perbuatan tersebut membuatkan pencuri tersebut mencampakkan semula helmet itu.

Bila cerita ni viral, lagilah membuak-buak kemarahan netizen. Bukan pada suspek yang cuba nak curi helmet tu, tapi lebih kepada badan kerajaan yang sering tidur dalam melaksanakan tugas.

Beberapa jam lepas dah viral tu, barulah nampak ada
effort
 sikit bila longkang tersebut ditutupi dengan…
marking tape
.

Tapi beberapa jam kemudian (dalam hari yang sama), barulah jalan itu ditutup dan kelibat jentolak, lori besar mula kelihatan untuk menjalankan kerja-kerja pembaikan. Untuk makluman anda, jalan tersebut bukanlah dibawah seliaan
JKR
 Kota Tinggi, tetapi di bawah Majlis Daerah Kota Tinggi (MDKT).

Menurut MDKT, punca utama permasalahan air bertakung ini adalah disebabkan oleh keretakan di bahagian tengah paip pembentung. Perkara ini telah menyebabkan pergerakan air tidak dapat mengalir dengan baik dan bertakung serta terlalu banyak sampah menyebabkan saliran air bawah tanah semakin sempit dan lambat mengalir ke sungai.

Rupanya boleh pun buat kerja serta merta selaju ini. Takkan nak kena viral dulu baru nak jalan kerja? Kalau begitu, lepas ni jangan marah kalau rakyat keluarkan telefon untuk merakam terlebih dahulu sebelum membantu mangsa. Bukan apa, demi kesejahteraan umum juga kan? Tapi dalam sibuk memarahi pihak berwajib yang lambat bertindak, perlu diingat juga longkang tersebut tersumbat kerana sampah sarap. Makhluk apa yang rajin buang sampah merata-rata? Semestinya bukan kucing!

Diharapkan insiden ini dapat membuka mata semua dalam kepentingan menjaga harta benda awam. Kepada pihak berwajib, rajin-rajinlah pantau jalan-jalan atau longkang yang tersumbat supaya kejadian ini tidak berulang. Selain daripada melayan kes viral, rajin-rajinlah buat rondaan di kawasan di bawah seliaan masing-masing.

Kepada rakyat biasa seperti kita, sama-samalah kita menjaga kebersihan longkang dan sungai. Kat negara lain dah aktif buat pengasingan sampah, di sini masih ada yang membuang sampah di sungai tanpa rasa bersalah. Jadi sama-samalah kita muhasabah diri demi keselamatan semua pihak.

*Kredit foto: Majlis Daerah Kota Tinggi (MDKT),
Orang Kota - Tinggi


Bentley Continental GT First Edition Previewed in KL

Just a few weeks after the launch of the all-new Bentley Continental GT, we were invited for a preview of the First Edition variant of the ultra-luxurious grand tourer model. While the First Edition is a limited run variant, it is also a showcase of the various options and features that can be specified with the Continental GT.
From the outside, it may not be immediately obvious that the First Edition is wildly different from a
regular
 Continental GT, although the most obvious indicator would be a pair of stylized Union Jack badges - one on each fender. There are no loud liveries or odd exterior trim pieces here, which falls in line with the character of the Continental GT.
Open the doors and you'll find few subtleties on the inside as well. Some First Edition scuff plates and a badge on the dashboard are the last of the immediately obvious, while the dual-tone veneer trim sports Grand Black as one of its contrast colours, which is unique and exclusive to the First Edition variants. The quilting is a little more defined than usual courtesy of contrasting colours.
Much in the same way a Porsche 911 GTS is a 911 Carrera S with all the options thrown in, this First Edition variant ticks nearly all the boxes - especially this particular unit in Sequin Blue. It comes with the Mulliner Driving Specification - 22-inch alloy wheels, jewel-studded oil and fuel filler caps, and sportier pedals - along with a 2,200 watt Naim sound system. For reference, the 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo is regarded as a mid-tier option.
In addition to this, both the City Specification and Touring Specification equipment lists are thrown into the mix. Everything from hands-free boot operation, to active safety systems, to adaptive cruise control with jam assist, and even a night-vision camera are fitted to the First Edition as standard. Taking centre stage on the dashboard is the Bentley Rotating Display, which alternates between a 3-gauge display on wood trim and a more modern full touch screen.
As for the rest of the car, it remains mechanically identical to the run-of-the-mill Continental GT. The same robust turbocharged 6.0-litre W12 engine sits up front with a whopping 626 hp and 900 Nm of torque, as is the same 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, and the all-wheel drive system. Air suspension comes as standard, with much gadgetry between the chassis and the wheels to help control its over-2-tonne body weight.
One would expect a special edition model to come with an extremely special price, but the First Edition clocks in at just shy of an estimated RM 2.2 million - which is roughly RM 300,000 more than a regular Continental GT. For the kind of customer this is aimed at and in this price bracket, the difference is not as significant as one would expect.


Sisma Auto Is Now An Authorised Volvo Dealer. Business As Usual With JLR

Sisma Auto, the authorised distributor of Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles in Malaysia, has announced that it has been appointed as an authorised dealer of Volvo cars.
In line with this move, Sisma Auto will be transforming its city showroom at Menara Worldwide, Jalan Bukit Bintang into a Volvo showroom.
Scheduled to officially open in October this year, the showroom is expected to help enhance the visibility and awareness of Volvo’s latest range of products in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s premier residential and commercial district.
Customers who reside in Kuala Lumpur can enjoy a premium ownership experience as the new Volvo city showroom will offer Sisma Auto’s Concierge Service, which offers exclusive home or office vehicle pick-up and drop-off.
Besides that, Sisma Auto’s off-site Volvo service centre will also offer a complete range of aftersales services.
In conjunction with the opening of the new showroom, customers who purchase any new Volvo model from Sisma Auto will stand a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to Sweden.
Sisma Auto’s managing director, Syed Khalil Syed Ibrahim said that the company was thrilled to welcome another premium Continental car brand into its fold.
“Sisma Auto has an excellent track-record of managing luxury brands and with their inclusion into the Volvo Cars family, we will be able to meet the growing demand for our brand,” said Lennart Stegland, Managing Director of Volvo Car Malaysia.
Volvo Car Malaysia has recently seen rapid expansion of their dealership network throughout major cities in Peninsular Malaysia as part of their effort to provide better service and more options for their customers.
Despite having been appointed as an authorised dealer for Volvo, Sisma Auto is still very much committed to building the Jaguar Land Rover brand in Malaysia in the long term.
That being said, the company will continue to operate its Jaguar Land Rover branches in Glenmarie, and Penang to serve its customers.