Wuling Air EV enters Thai market for just 395,000 baht (RM53k), Malaysia next?

The Wuling Air has arrived in Thailand, taking the title of the cheapest electric vehicle in Thailand, dethroning the Neta V.

This marks the second market for Wuling Air in the region, following its
successful launch in Indonesia
. Interestingly, the Wuling Air is also manufactured in Indonesia, and the initial batch of 400 units in Thailand
has been fully imported from there
 (CBU).

Wuling Thailand offers two variants of the model, allowing customers to add an extended warranty package as an option. The pre-booking prices for the variants are as follows:

Standard Range 17.3 kWh: THB 395,000 (~RM 52,000)

Long Range 26.3 kWh: THB 415,000 (~RM 55,000)

For an additional THB 20,000 (~RM 2,600), customers can opt for the extended warranty package, which includes a 3-year/100,000 km car warranty and an 8-year/120,000 km battery warranty.

The Wuling Air EV has a slightly more compact appearance when compared to your regular EVs - think of the original SMART. The Standard Range variant features a 41 PS/110 Nm electric motor powered by a 17.3 kWh LFP battery, providing a range of 200 km for the rear-wheel drive hatchback.

Stepping up to the Long Range variant offers the same power output but with a larger 26.7 kWh LFP battery, extending the range to 300 km. The top speed of the Wuling Air is 106 km/h, and it takes approximately 4 hours to achieve a full state of charge (SoC) with 6.6 kW AC charging.

The Wuling Air EV boasts simplicity, featuring LED headlights, turn signals integrated into the side mirrors, and 12-inch wheels as standard across both variants.

The Standard Range variant includes a 7-inch digital instrument cluster and a basic radio with two speakers. Meanwhile, the Long Range variant upgrades to a 10.25-inch instrument cluster and a central 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It also adds four speakers and synthetic leather upholstery as notable enhancements.

Both variants share common safety features, such as hill hold control (HHC), a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), and a reverse camera. The Long Range variant further includes electronic stability control (ESC) to enhance the safety package.


Tokyo 2019: Mazda Just Blindsided Us With The All-Electric MX-30

What just happened? Mazda, a company that has championed the internal combustion engine and committed to pushing it as far as it can go, has just unveiled their first all-electric model in the form of the MX-30. Now, the MX prefix is something you would expect on a roadster, so imagine our surprise when we learned it's actually an electric crossover SUV.

Not that this is necessarily a bad thing. Many manufacturers are picking the SUV as their entry point to the electric mass market, and there's no doubt that crossover SUV customers are more likely to be the most progressive and open demographic when it comes to adopting new technologies or defying the norms.

Powering the MX-30 is what Mazda calls e-Skyactiv, which is basically their all-electric powertrain. Key figures are as follows: 141 bhp, 265 Nm, a 35.5 kWh battery, and a range of just over 200 kilometres on a single charge. These aren't mind blowing figures, but they're certainly realistic ones - at least reflective of other mass market electric vehicles.

What's less conventional is the overall design. Without a front grille required for cooling in the way, designers are truly free to express Kodo design as intended - and you can see here how clean and fluid the lines are with this MX-30. More impressive is the return of suicide, or freestyle, doors, with the rear doors being rear hinged to allow access for rear passengers.

The interior also gets a rework - first in the form of recycled materials helping to lower the carbon footprint, and the second being a fairly large overhaul to the dashboard design and layout compared to current Mazda models.

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


Honda Takata Airbag Recall: Here’s The Latest List Of Affected Models

The number of fatalities involving faulty Takata airbag inflators currently stands at 23, and the figure will continue to rise if car owners are not proactive to get the airbag inflators replaced.

Owners of affected vehicles have been urged by the respective car companies to get the faulty airbag inflators replaced, as even a low speed collision can trigger the faulty airbags.

For Honda owners, Honda Malaysia has been reminding owners to send their vehicles in for the Takata airbag replacement, and the completion ratio is currently at 79% or 465,000 units.

Owners do not need to pay for the Takata airbag replacement and stock availability is currently at 100% for both the driver and passenger front airbag inflators.

Owners of these affected vehicles can also get their airbag inflators replaced at Honda Mobile Hubs at selected shopping malls, Honda roadshows, and selected Petronas stations. No appointments are required for these locations.

Check Honda Malaysia’s
official webpage here
 with your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to see if your Honda model is affected by this recall.

Owners of affected Honda models living near Setia Alam are encouraged to visit the
Carlist.my DRIVE
 event this weekend to get their faulty airbags replaced.

Apart from Honda, models from Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Subaru, and BMW are also affected. Owners are advised to check with the respective brand's official websites to verify if their vehicles are involved in the recall.


Kualiti Jalan Raya: Malaysia ke-21 Terbaik Di Dunia – Betul Ke?

Nampak gayanya, dakwaan ramai kononnya
keadaan jalan raya di negara ini amat teruk
 dibuktikan sebaliknya oleh indeks global yang meletakkan kualiti jalan raya di Malaysia di tangga 21 terbaik di dunia.

Indeks tersebut dikeluarkan oleh portal statistik terkenal antarabangsa, The Global Economy yang meletakkan Malaysia di hadapan beberapa negara maju yang lain.

*Kredit foto: The Global Economy

Kualiti Jalan: Malaysia Di Tangga Ke 21 Terbaik Dunia

Daripada julat keseluruhan tujuh mata untuk posisi tertinggi dan satu mata untuk posisi paling rendah, tahap jalan raya di Malaysia masih lagi antara yang terbaik dalam dunia dengan 5.3 mata.

Negara jiran, Singapura muncul sebagai negara yang memiliki jalan paling berkualiti di dunia dengan 6.5 mata sambil diikuti Belanda, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Jepun, Austria, Portugal, Emiriah Arab Bersatu, Korea Selatan dan Oman.

Di rantau Asia Tenggara, Malaysia di posisi kedua selepas Singapura serta di atas Brunei (ke-30), Thailand (ke-56), Indonesia (ke-59), Laos (ke-86), Filipina (ke-87) dan Vietnam (ke-104).

Sebaliknya, kualiti jalan terburuk di dunia menjadi milik Chad yang meraih 1.9 mata disusuli Mauritania, Madagascar, Yaman, Haiti, Kongo, Angola, Mozambique, Guatemala, Cameroon dan Nigeria.

Lebih Baik Berbanding Negara Maju?

Berdasarkan info yang dikeluarkan oleh portal itu, tahap jalan di Malaysia adalah lebih baik berbanding Sweden (ke-23), Kanada (ke-31), Australia (ke-33), Britain (ke-37), New Zealand (ke-48) dan Rusia (ke-99).

Namun adakah ia bermakna ketika ini jalan di Malaysia lebih baik berbanding negara tersebut? Tahukah anda statistik ini merupakan data lama yang dikeluarkan pada 2019? Perangkaan terbaharu untuk tahun 2020 dan 2021 belum lagi diterbitkan.

Kedudukan tangga ke-21 daripada 141 yang diraih negara ini bukanlah sesuatu untuk dibanggakan kerana kualiti jalan raya di Malaysia pernah mencapai situasi terbaik pada 2007 iaitu di tempat ke-14.

Setahun sebelumnya, ketika indeks mula diterbitkan, Malaysia berada di posisi ke-15 dan selepas itu makin teruk dengan pernah mencecah kedudukan yang terendah iaitu ke-27 pada 2012 lalu.

Mutu jalan raya di negara ini kemudiannya beransur baik pada tahun-tahun yang berikutnya iaitu ke-23 (2013), ke-19 (2014), ke-15 (2015), ke-18 (2016), ke-23 (2017) dan ke-19 (2018).

Jalan Di Malaysia Masih Teruk

Berdasarkan data yang dikeluarkan pada Oktober 2021, sebanyak 63,900 jalan berlubang telah ditampal oleh pihak konsesi di jalan-jalan persekutuan seluruh Semenanjung sahaja, belum masuk Sabah dan Sarawak yang sememangnya lebih terkenal dengan kualiti jalan seakan permukaan bulan.

Setiap tahun ada sahaja kemalangan yang disebabkan oleh keadaan jalan sendiri. Bila dah tular akibat kemalangan, barulah laju jalan berlubang tersebut dibaiki. Berapa banyak lagi nyawa yang harus dibayar sebelum masalah ini diselesaikan oleh pihak berwajib?

Berdasarkan hampir
64,000 turapan
 jalan yang berlubang, berapa banyak agaknya jalan yang betul-betul diturap mengikut piawaian? Tahukah anda bahawa jalan yang tidak diturap dengan sempurna di seluruh negara telah menyebabkan sekurang-kurangnya
5 kes kemalangan jalan raya berlaku setiap hari
?

Sebelum ini, pengasas Persatuan Mangsa Kemalangan Jalan Raya Malaysia, Azlan Sani Zawawi atau lebih mesra dikenali sebagai
Lando
berkata, banyak aduan diterima tentang permukaan jalan yang tidak diturap sempurna telah dilaporkan menjadi punca kemalangan sejak pelaksanaan PKP 3.0 pada awal bulan Jun tahun lalu.

Diharapkan pihak berwajib dapat meningkatkan lagi mutu jalan di negara ini untuk kegunaan semua, bukanlah sekadar untuk menang di atas kertas sahaja.


Ferrari Unveils Special Retro Burgundy Livery to Mark 1000th Grand Prix

The upcoming Tuscan Formula 1 Grand Prix in Italy will be the 1000th race in which
Ferrari
will be contesting, and what better way to mark the occasion than running the cars in a special Burgundy livery at Mugello over the weekend?

Founded by Enzo Ferrari, the
Ferrari
 Formula 1 team first competed in the competition back in 1950 at the Monaco Grand Prix, and thereafter became a fixture in the sport, and the only constructor to have raced in every single season of F1 to date.

“Scuderia Ferrari’s 1000th Grand Prix is a very important milestone, therefore it had to be marked in a special way," said Piero Ferrari, son of Enzo and now vice chairman of the company.

"That’s why we decided to run a unique livery on the cars for this event, with the SF1000s taking to the track at the Mugello Circuit in the Burgundy colour first seen on the 125S, the first racing car to carry the Ferrari name.

Even the look of the race numbers on Charles’ and
Sebastian’s
cars will reflect the tradition of the past, giving the impression of being hand painted onto the bodywork, while the drivers’ race suits will also match the car colour.

The anniversary will be extra special for Ferrari fans, as the team's 1000th race is being held at their own Mugello track – a circuit that has never before hosted an F1 race – and Vettel and Leclerc said they are both excited by the prospect.

“It’s a great honour to be driving a Ferrari in what is the 1000th Grand Prix for this, the longest serving of all Formula 1 teams," said Vettel. "It will be even more of a pleasure to celebrate this anniversary at the Mugello Circuit and also because, for the first time this season, a few spectators will be allowed into the grandstands.

“I can’t wait to be on track at Mugello with Ferrari," said Leclerc. "The circuit is really beautiful and on top of that, we are celebrating our team’s 1000th GP in Formula 1. I’m also pleased to learn there will be a few thousand fans in the grandstands.

It is said that the Formula One Safety Car, which is an adapted Mercedes AMG GTR road car, will also be painted red this weekend as a nod to Ferrari’s milestone race.

Now, avid fans of the sport would remember that rivals Mercedes did something similar in July 2019 in Hockenheim, Germany to celebrate the company’s 125th year in motorsports, where the drivers were sporting 1950s gear, and the day actually turned out to be a complete disaster for the team.

While Bottas made a mistake and crashed out, Hamilton entered the pits beyond the legal entry point to replace a broken front wing after a collision with Leclerc, and picked up a five-second time penalty, failing to collect any points.

Realising this, the German team responded to Ferrari’s Burgundy livery announcement in social media saying, “Well, this didn’t really go very well for us last year” which cracked everyone up.

So, following last week’s dramatic race, the following round also promises to be an exciting one. Let us wait and see how the Prancing Horses are going to do on their big day.


You Now Only Need 1 Pedal to Drive the Nissan LEAF

When you first drive an electric car, you may find it a little difficult to adapt to the extremely high low end torque and sharp regenerative braking when you lift off. It's part of the nature of electric cars, but once you get used to it the driving experience can be fairly intuitive. Even with the Tesla Model S, you rarely need to step on the brakes if you have the regenerative braking at its maximum setting.
But Nissan is planning to go one step further, with total control over the movement of the car with just one pedal. They're calling it the e-Pedal, and they plan to implement it in their new Nissan LEAF. With just one switch, the accelerator pedal becomes a direct controller of speed- that is to say, when you come off the pedal completely the car will try to come to a dead stop, even accounting for hills and the like.
It's a little bit of clever programming, but Nissan feels that it would make driving a little less stressful and a little more exciting. If we had to wager a guess, the throttle is reprogrammed not to demand torque but to represent speed- with the throttle pedal off it will try to get to 0 km/h as quickly as possible through regenerative braking, and at full throttle it will deliver full power until you reach it's maximum speed.


Turbocharged vs Supercharged: What Is The Difference?

Turbochargers and superchargers both deliver more air to the engine thus increasing its performance, but the method it creates air is totally different.

The recent influx of small yet
powerful engines
 in cars owes all of its glory to forced induction. Through this engine process, cars with small engines can benefit from better performance and fuel economy.

But what is forced induction? Well, forced induction is a technique of increasing the supply of air that is forced/compressed through the throttle body so that the pressure in the combustion chamber can be increased, which results in a significant increase in engine performance.

Generally, manufacturers either turn to the turbocharger or supercharger to provide the engine with this forced air. Both devices can help boost engine performance, which may even turn some cars into high-performance machines with great speed despite their relatively small displacement.

But what are turbochargers and superchargers? Let's break it down.

Turbocharger

A turbocharger is a device that consists of two blades back to back connected to an axle in a housing shaped like a snail shell. The main turbo parts are divided into two sections, namely the hot side and the cold side. The principle of how it works is that the turbo is powered through the use of air pressure from the exhaust of the combustion chamber to move the blade on the hot side of the turbo.

With the movement of the blade on the hot side, the blade on the cold side automatically rotates because the two blades are connected to the same axle. When the blades on the cold side rotate (spooling), it will suck as much air as possible and compress it into a solid unit (dense air) which is then sent back to the combustion chamber via the throttle body. This gush of dense air helps the engine create more power.

Supercharger

A Supercharger has the same working principle as a turbocharger. However, there is a significant difference in the method it uses to deliver compressed air. Unlike a turbocharger that works by utilising exhaust fumes to supply compressed air, a supercharger works by utilising the engine, which sees it being connected to the engine via a belt to rotate the compressor blade inside the supercharger unit.

Diagram credit, The Drive

Because of its direct parasitic nature, there is no power lag as the supercharger is always spinning due to it being connected to the engine's crankshaft, which is also constantly spinning. Superchargers are known to provide instant acceleration and linear power delivery, unlike the big gushes of power that turbochargers deliver.

So which one is better?

While the supercharger doesn't have any lag, it does tend to return bad fuel economy as it robs more and more power from the engine as it climbs through the rev range. The reason for this is because the supercharger uses the engine's power to spin itself. This is considered inefficient, but if big direct kicks from acceleration is what you are looking for, hands down, the supercharger wins.

Despite its turbo lag, which is relatively minimal in the modern-day, the turbocharger is considered a more efficient performance enhancer for the engine. Due to its ability to provide better performance as well as fuel economy, most car manufacturers choose to equip their engines with turbochargers as it has the better balance of both worlds.

For this reason alone, the turbocharger wins over the supercharger as it's not so much about power but rather fuel efficiency. The ever-increasing and stricter emissions standards and desire for good fuel economy have driven car manufacturers to utilise turbochargers more than superchargers.

As an example, muscle cars like the
Dodge Challenger HELLCAT
 which don't have fuel efficiency at the top of their priority usually utilise a supercharger, but cars like the Toyota
GR Yaris
 which aims to achieve both fuel efficiency and good performance will generally come with a turbocharger.

As you can see, turbochargers can deliver the best of both worlds, while superchargers only have one goal, which is to deliver performance from the get-go.


Frankfurt 2019: Volkswagen ID.3 Unveiled – The Dawn Of A New Electrified Era

Volkswagen has unveiled the ID.3 at the ongoing Frankfurt International Motor Show. Arguably one of the most important new vehicles in recent years, the ID.3 is the first model of a completely new generation of pure electric vehicles. The ID.3 reflects the realignment of the Volkswagen brand and is also the first model with the
new Volkswagen logo
.
The ID.3 is based on the new modular electric drive matrix (MEB) platform, which has been designed from the ground up to feature an electric drive system.
Three drivetrain variants (dependent on the battery size) will be offered at the outset; the basic variant features a 45 kWh battery pack which enables a driving range of up to 330 km (as per WLTP), while two larger batteries, a 58 kWh and a 77 kWh unit, offer a driving range of 420 km and 550 km respectively.
Powering the ID.3 is an electric motor positioned at the rear axle. It generates 150 kW (58 kWh variant) and delivers a maximum torque of 310 Nm, which is claimed to give the ID.3 a top speed of 160 km/h.
Thanks to its fast charging capability, it is possible to charge the ID.3 sufficiently for a range of around 290 km (WLTP) within 30 minutes, using a charging output of 100 kW. The batteries themselves are integrated into the underbody for optimum driving dynamics and weight between the front axle and rear axle.
On the inside, the MEB platform allows for large interior space for five occupants; highlighted by a newly developed, centrally positioned, 10-inch touch display for all infotainment functions. The ID.3 additionally utilises for App Connect for smartphone integration.
Separately, the ID. Light, which is also new, supports drivers with an LED strip during navigation and can, for instance, prompt them to brake in the event of any dangers. All controls – including those on the electrically adjustable multifunction steering wheel – are operated using touch functions featuring touch-sensitive buttons. Only the electric windows and hazard warning lights use conventional tactile switches.
The entry price for the ID.3 (45 kWh) is under EUR 30,000, while the limited launch edition, dubbed the ID.3 1
st
 (with the 58 kWh battery) is priced at just under EUR 40,000.
The ID.3 1
st
 will be offered in three trim variants during the initial European market launch:
Basic version:
 Navigation system,  DAB+ digital radio, seat heating, Mode 2 charging cable, 18-inch light-alloy wheels
Plus version:
 Rearview camera system, ACC Adaptive Cruise Control, Keyless Start and Go, “Style” exterior package, Matrix LED headlights, 19-inch light-alloy wheels
Max version:
 Augmented Reality (AR) head-up display, Beats sound system, panoramic roof, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Change Assist, high-voltage charging system, 20-inch light-alloy wheels


One For The Honda Fanboys - A Tour of Mugen Headquarters In Japan

As far as petrolheads are concerned, a trip to Japan is not complete until we drop by one of the local tuners or garages, unless, well, you’re not into cars.

It’s like visiting Amsterdam without dropping by one of the “coffee” shops, you know? These are after all must-sees.

So, that being said, we had the opportunity to visit the land of the rising sun in October last year for the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, and of course, part of our program included a visit to M-Tec Co Ltd in Saitama, which is the home of Honda’s tuning arm – Mugen.

Formed in 1973 by Hirotoshi Honda, the son of Honda Motor Company founder Soichiro Honda, Mugen, meaning "Without Limit", "Unlimited" or "Vast", is an engine tuner and parts manufacturer that makes OEM parts such as body kits and sports exhausts for selected Honda models.

Besides tuning and racing Honda vehicles in the Super GT championship and selling aftermarket parts to amateur enthusiasts, Mugen was also involved in Formula 1 from 1992 to 2000, and the Formula Nippon race in Japan, where it was the exclusive engine supplier until 2005.

Another interesting fact about Mugen is that they are also heavily involved with motorcycles. In fact, when the company started up in 1973, they initially offered aftermarket parts for motocross bikes before expanding their product lineup.

Today, Mugen is a dominant force in the Isle of Man TT race TT Zero electric bike category, winning the event for 6 consecutive years from 2014-2019.

The company is also heavily involved in the local motorsports scene in Japan, organising and participating in races like Honda Sports and Eco program, as well as one-make races such as the Honda N-One Owner’s Cup and the Honda Jazz 1.5 Challenge Cup.

Unlike many tuner “shops” which are rather visually loud with all the “Bikin-ed” cars being displayed in all their glory, M-Tec’s outlet looks like any other factory in an industrial area, until you have a closer look and start noticing the cars that are parked in the compound.

When we arrived at the facility, we were greeted by this beauty right here – a fully "Mugen-ised" FK8 Civic Type R.

Mugen’s touches on this Civic Type R here revolve only around the cosmetics, featuring a wild matt black full aluminium rear wing, 20-inch wheels, twin muffler tips that replace the stock triple tips, dynamic LED signal lights, a Mugen carbon fibre rear diffuser, as well as an additional front lip.

Under the hood, however, the 2.0-litre turbo engine and the 6-speed manual transmission which kick out 310 PS and 400 Nm of torque, as well as all the other mechanical bits, remain untouched.

Inside, the car comes with a Mugen leather gearknob, Mugen push-start button, Mugen scuff plates, as well as a Mugen full bucket race seat.

According to the folks at Mugen, every accessory here is available for sale except for the rear wing and the exhausts, and in case you’re wondering how much this Mugen styling kit costs, we were told that it is about RM40,000 on top of the price of the car.

The funny thing is that in Japan, even with all the Mugen goodies, the FK8 Civic Type R here retails for about RM250,000, which is like RM50,000 less than what we pay here for a stock unit, no thanks to our tax structure.

Alright then – let us cut to the chase and feast our eyes on all the gems hidden in Mugen’s headquarters through the mega gallery below, with goodies ranging from the tuned cars, electric motorcycles, a merchandise corner which is no longer in business since the online store took over, an engine hall of fame, memorabilia which includes cool stuff like the official tea of the Isle of Man TT, and lots more.


Honda's Newest 3S Centre Is A Gold-Rated Green Building

Ipoh natives have something to be proud of, as their town will be home to the first car showroom in Malaysia that is gold-rated by the Green Building Index (GBI). Part of Ban Hoe Seng (Auto) Sdn Bhd, this Honda 3S Centre manages to conform both to Honda's corporate standards and those of the GBI.
Standout features are 60% natural daylight use through large glass openings and skylights, motion activated LEDs in certain areas to reduce power draw, natural ventilation and cross ventilation for the workshop area, and 100% potable offset for landscape and water closet flushing - which constitutes about 49% of the total water demand of the 3S centre.
Built on 2 acres of land, this 3S centre houses 19 workshop bays - 14 of which are general service bays, along with 4 general repair bays, and 1 tyre alignment bay - with a total accomodation of 60 cars per day. The showroom side of the operation is as modern as you would expect with comfortable customer lounges and the ever important complimentary customer Wi-Fi.
Honda Malaysia Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Toichi Ishiyama said, “As one of the oldest Honda dealerships in Malaysia, Ban Hoe Seng (Auto) continues to impress us with their challenging spirit and successes. This award-winning dealership has now set a new benchmark by being the first to build and develop an environmentally friendly Honda 3S Centre that maximizes resource efficiency and focuses on the building’s sustainability. In Honda, we are committed to reducing the environmental footprint."
To make an appointment or to find out more about the services and facilities, customers can contact Ban Hoe Seng (Auto) (Honda 3S Centre) at 05-292 7333. Customers can also visit them at 2, Jalan Sri Klebang A/13, Bandar Baru Sri Klebang, 31200, Chemor, Perak or head to
www.honda.com.my
 for more information.


Inaugural Asia GT Festival Attracts More Than 30,000 Visitors

The inaugural Asia GT Festival came to a close last Sunday after three days of racing, food, music, and various lifestyle activities at the Sepang International Circuit.
A total of about 30,000 people were at the festival between 15th to 17th March, comprising a good mix of tourists and also locals who mostly came with their families or groups of friends.
On Saturday, Round 1 of the GT4 category ended with Phantom Pro Racing’s Alex Fontana and Chris Chia taking a 1-2 podium finish in the team’s debut race.
As for the GTC category, Evan Chen of Arrows Racing emerged victorious, ahead of Zhang Dasheng and Zhou Bihuang of YCRT. Arrow Racing’s Kelvin Wong and Miguel Kong took third place to complete the podium.
The GT3 category on the other hand saw Nick Yelloly and Junsan Chen taking home the first ever victory for FIST-team AAI after a fierce battle against local racer Jazeman Jaafar who drove with Craft-Bamboo Racing AMG.
Sunday’s race session kicked off with the Saga Cup race which was flagged off by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir, where over 70 first generation Proton Sagas competed.
The Saga Cup was organised by the Malaysia Speed Festival (MSF) with the objective of developing and growing the Malaysian motorsports industry.
And then, there was the round 2 of the GT4 category which was won by Rainey He and Sunny Wong of Phantom Pro Racing, followed by Liao Yang and Will Bamber at second place, and Alex Fontana and Chris Chia of Phantom Pro Racing finishing third.
The results of the GTC category were same as Round 1, with Evan Chen of Arrows racing winning once again in his Lamborghini Huracan.
Besides the races, the main highlights included the Celebrity Bazaar which featured a series of pop-up stores by local celebrities such as Amy Search, Elly Raja Lawak, KTown Clan, and Raja Mawar among others.
There were also food trucks, family-friendly activities like wall climbing, flying fox, and a giant water tub for children.
For petrolheads, there was an automotive lifestyle marketplace where brands such as Toyota, Touch ‘n GO, Bufori, Proton, Tom Stickers, and LIMA Auto Scooter showcased their products.
The Festival ended with a mini music showcase by local rappers Joe Flizzow and SonaOne, who were joined by seven members of 16 Baris – a collaborative platform featuring up and coming Southeast Asian hip-hop acts.


The BMW 2002 Hommage Gets A New Outfit For Pebble Beach

A couple of months ago, BMW
revealed the 2002 Hommage
 to the world- a car that paid tribute to the 50th anniversary of the original 2002 Turbo, and based off of the BMW M2 running platform.  While the roofline remained largely unchanged and distinctly M2, it is the flanks and the head and tail that have gone through an extensive rework in order to adapt styling elements of the original 2002. At launch, it was said that the 2 Series was essentially the spiritual successor to the 2002, and this design study essentially bridged the gap at the highest level of performance.
With most of these design studies, however, they tend to be one-and-done affairs. The Hommage models are made up, displayed to the world, and then left behind in a musem for the most part- or occasionally put on tour in one of the various BMW Welt events. The 2002 Hommage is different: it makes its return to the public eye at the Concours D'Elegance at Pebble Beach, dressed to the nines in a racing-inspired livery.
It's an orange and black affair, and those with keen eyes will notice the resemblances it bears with the
Jagermeister
 livery common on BMW 2002s at the time. The name has been tweaked to
Turbomeister
, but the overall design elements are the same. The black portion engulfs the hood and the boot, running down the shoulder of the car as well; it helps to break up the overall silhouette of the car, drawing a line between past and present.
The reversed 'turbo' graphic from the first iteration of the 2002 Hommage makes a return, sitting in the same position on the front apron. It's a menacing little touch, intimidating for any who happen to see the 2002 Hommage in their rear view mirror. The same graphic is applied unmirrored to the rear ducktail, completing the look and maintaining symmetry throughout. The kidney grills and lower grill opening are adorned in white for stronger emphasis and contrast, while the rear diffuser has been swapped to an exposed carbon piece for heightened aggression.
As a design study, we can only hope that the reception to this will spawn more iterations and variants of the 2002 Hommage. It's a car that embodies modern BMW engineering while paying respects to its roots- a concept that any car enthusiast can get behind. Perhaps if the roof were a little less obviously-2-Series, it would be a more complete Hommage example- such as the 328 Hommage and the 3.0 CSL Hommage.


Jaguar Land Rover's Research Project Aims To Prevent Car Damage Caused By Potholes

Jaguar
 Land Rover is currently researching a new connected car technology which will allow a vehicle to identify potholes and warn other vehicles about them via the cloud.
The car maker’s prototype system is based on the
Land Rover

Range Rover Evoque
 along with its MagnaRide active suspension. Several sensors on the car monitor movement and changes to the suspension height in order to identify the state of the road surface and adjusts suspension firmness accordingly.
For the next stage of the project, Jaguar Land Rover's Advanced Research Centre plans to install a forward-facing stereo digital camera that scans the road ahead for potholes and makes the necessary manoeuvres to minimise or avoid damage to the car. This is a crucial step in the company’s plans for autonomous driving in the future.
Dr Mike Bell, Global Connected Car Director, Jaguar Land Rover said, “At the moment the most accurate data comes from when the car has driven over the pothole or manhole.”
Should the prototype encounter a pothole, it is capable of geotagging the location of the road defect and share this data in real-time via the cloud with other vehicles, helping them deal with the potholes effectively. The data is also useful for authorities as they now have better information on potholes and their severity, making the allocation of resources to have them repaired more efficient.
The project is ongoing in the United Kingdom at the moment, where the cost of vehicle damage caused by potholes in the UK is estimated at £2.8 billion (RM16,205,381,024) every year.


Had Laju Jalan Raya/ Lebuh Raya Di Malaysia

Kesalahan memandu melebihi
 had laju
merupakan antara kesalahan yang sering dilakukan oleh pengguna jalan raya di Malaysia.

Jika nasib anda tidak baik, kesalahan ini akan dirakamkan oleh kamera AwAS (dahulunya kamera aes) dan nantikan sahaja surat saman yang akan tiba ke rumah.

Untuk memastikan anda tidak melakukan kesalahan seperti itu, pastikan anda mengetahui info utama berkenaan perbezaan had laju mengikut jenis jalan di Malaysia.

Had Laju

Had Laju Kebangsaan adalah satu set had laju yang ditetapkan bagi semua jalan raya dan lebuh raya di Malaysia.

Memandu melebihi Had Laju Kebangsaan adalah satu kesalahan di bawah Akta Pengangkutan Jalan 1987 dan boleh dikompaun sehingga maksimum RM300, bergantung kepada perbezaan di antara kelajuan pemandu dengan had laju yang berkenaan.

Had Laju Utama

Lebuh Raya:
 110 km/j tetapi ada kalanya diturunkan kepada antara 80 atau 90 km/j di kawasan bukit berbahaya, kawasan angin lintang serta bahagian yang mempunyai kadar aliran trafik yang tinggi di kawasan bandar.

Jalan Persekutuan:
 90 km/j, diturunkan kepada 60 km/j (40 bsj) di kawasan bandar.

Jalan Negeri:
90 km/j, diturunkan kepada 60 km/j (40 bsj) di kawasan bandar.

Had Laju Kenderaan Berat

Lebuh Raya
: 80-90 km/j

Jalan Persekutuan dan Negeri
: 70-80 km/j, 60 km/j di kawasan bandar

Had Laju Lain

Had laju 30 km/j dikuatkuasakan di kawasan sekolah di sepanjang masa. Selain itu, kereta yang memasang gerabak trailer kecil di belakang juga dikenakan had laju yang sama seperti kenderaan berat


New 2017 Honda City Facelift Previewed In Malaysia - VSA Now Standard

Barely a month after its regional debut in Thailand, Honda Malaysia has begun previewing the facelifted new 2017 Honda City in Malaysia. The new City is expected to be launched in Malaysia sometime in March or earlier.
The display car seen here had its doors locked so we are not able to take any pictures of its interior yet. Assuming that our locally-assembled Malaysian market model will have the same interior as the City sold in Thailand, the new City’s interior should remain visually quite similar to the outgoing model.
However that doesn’t mean that Honda has not upgraded the features in the new City. Engine push-start button and keyless entry are now standard across the range. The highest V-grade model also adds a reverse camera.
More importantly, the all-important Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) – Honda’s terminology for Electronic Stability Control or ESC – is now available across the range. Previous, VSA is only available on the top-two highest E- and V-grade models. Additionally, Hill Start Assist (HSA) is also now a standard feature.
Outside, the most notable difference with the new City are its full-LED headlamps, which now includes a pair of LED daytime running lights – both limited only to the high specs V-grade model. There’s also new bumpers in front and behind, new chrome grille, and new dual-tone alloys wheels.
The boot lid is now finished by a ducktail spoiler with an integrated third brake light.
Mechanically, the new City remains unchanged. Under the bonnet is a 1.5-litre SOHC i-VTEC engine paired to a CVT-type automatic transmission.
Pricing is not yet announced, but it is expected to be slightly higher or similar to its predecessor (below).
City S: RM74,006.90
City S+: RM77,123.80
City E: RM82,268.90
City V: RM89,467.20
As you can see, the outgoing model has four variants. However Honda Malaysia have confirmed that the S and S+ variant will be rationalized into one variant.
In the build up to the new City’s launch in the coming weeks, customers can view the new City at Honda road shows at the following locations:


The Legacy of Bridgestone’s Founder Include The Nissan Leaf and GT-R

Born on this day 1-February in 1889 to a family of tailors in the city of Kurume, Japan, Shojiro Ishibashi’s name is often lost in the footnotes of any discussions involving icons of Japan’s automobile industry. Many are aware of names like Soichiro Honda and Kiichiro Toyoda, some have read about Jujiro Matsuda but very few outside of Japan are aware of the significance of the Ishibashi family name.
Unless you speak Japanese, you are unlikely to make any connection between the Ishibashi name and tyres. Ishibashi literally translates to ‘stone bridge,’ and as you’ve guessed it, Ishibashi is Bridgestone’s Japanese name.
But before Ishibashi/Bridgestone became a household name for tyres, the Ishibashi family’s business was in tailoring. When Shojiro took over the family’s business at the age of 17, he leveraged on his family’s expertise in fabrics to venture into the manufacturing of
tabi
, traditional Japanese socks. His first company operated under the name Nippon Tabi Company Ltd.
Traditional
tabi’s
 soles wear out quickly. Shojiro improved it by adding rubber to the soles, thus creating what the Japanese refer to as
Jika-tabi
, a sort of hybrid between Western-style rubber work boots and traditional Japanese
 tabi
. It continues to be popular among Japanese farmers and workmen to this day.
Anecdotes of Bridgestone’s history noted that to promote his products, Shojiro, imported the first American car (of unspecified make) in Kurume, painted his company name on its sides and drove it around the city.
The move set in motion Shojiro’s relationship with cars and his eventual entry into Japan’s fledging automotive sector. Having already setup Japan’s first rubber products factory, Shojiro now had to find ways to create demand for more rubber products. The answer was obvious – tyres.
As more cars populated Japanese roads, Shojiro seized the opportunity to establish Japan’s first tyre company.
Although Shojiro’s business was largely domestic, he was keenly aware of the bigger world beyond Japan and the importance of exports. Compared to his contemporaries, Shojiro was unusually Western in his appearance and mindset, and regularly travelled to Europe and USA to learn more about tyre manufacturing.
Keenly aware that the Ishibashi name was difficult to pronounce by potential Western customers, Shojiro setup his tyre business under the name Bridgestone, reversing the order of the ‘stone bridge’ English translation of his family name.
The first Bridgestone tyre was built in April 1930, by staffs from the tyre division of Nippon Tabi Company Ltd.. The division was later spun off as an independent company in March 1931, operating under the name Bridgestone Tire Co., Ltd. Its original logo was that of a keystone, the most important part of a stone bridge.
At that time, synthetic rubber had not been invented and thus procuring reliable supply of high quality rubber was essential for Bridgestone, and which country was the world’s biggest export of rubber in the ‘60s? You’ve guessed it, Malaysia.
Here is a photo of Tunku Abdul Rahman present as the guest of honour at the opening of Bridgestone’s first overseas plant, in Singapore, a few months prior to the island state’s sudden departure from the federation of Malaysia. The original Bridgestone logo was also clearly visible in the background.
The rest is history as we know it today. Most consumers might only Bridgestone for its tyres but the company also produces a variety of industrial rubber products, including seismic isolators for earthquake resistant buildings, crucial in earthquake prone Japan. It also makes giant tyres for the world’s largest mining trucks and airplanes, and even golf balls and clubs.
Today, Bridgestone is the world’s largest tyre maker by revenue (USD 22.1 billion in 2016), ahead of France’s Michelin (USD 21.1 billion), USA’s Goodyear (USD 13.6 billion), Germany’s Continental (USD 10.8 billion) and Italy’s Pirelli (USD 6.4 billion).
But what is less mentioned, even in Bridgestone’s own archives is that Shojiro Ishibashi was also instrumental in setting up the present day Nissan Motor Company Ltd, and more importantly, he contributed to the creation of several icons of Nissan, including the Leaf and GT-R.
Unlike Toyota, or Honda or Mazda, Nissan was not the result of one man’s dream. There was no equivalent to Soichiro Honda or Kiichiro Toyoda or Jujiro Matsuda in Nissan’s story. Instead, Nissan was the result of a series of mergers involving multiple Japanese car companies, arranged by several Japanese industrialists.
In 1949, Shojiro was the main investor in the Tokyo Electric Car Company, which would later be renamed as the Tama Electric Car Company. As you might have read elsewhere, the Tama Electric Car is the precursor to the present day Nissan Leaf.
On hindsight, we now know that 1940s battery technology and analog electrics was simply not sufficient to support an electric vehicle but for what it’s worth, the Tama had a 96 km cruising range, with a top speed of 35 km/h, and was used as taxis in Japan until 1950.
At the same time, Shojiro also owns Fuji Precision Industries, a sister-company to Fuji Heavy Industries, the precursor to today’s Subaru Corporation. Both Fuji Precision Industries and Fuji Heavy Industries were spinoffs from the Nakajima Aircraft Company, which after Japan's defeat in World War 2, was prohibited from manufacturing aeroplanes and broken up into several companies.
With electric cars heading nowhere, Shojiro rebranded Tama Electric Car Company as the Tama Car Company, producing regular petrol-powered models using engines made by Fuji Precision Industries. With Shojiro owning both companies, he merged the two to form Prince Motor Company, the same company that would later give birth to legendary nameplates like the Gloria, Laurel, and Skyline.
It was during Shojiro’s ownership that an S54 Prince Skyline 2000GT overtook a Porsche 904 at the 1964 Japanese Grand Prix. Although the Porsche reclaimed its leading position and relegated the field of Prince Skylines to positions second to sixth, the brief lead by a Japanese car over a highly respected German marque like Porsche was enough to motivate a new generation of Japanese engineers.
The racing specs S54 Prince Skyline 2000GT was succeeded by the legendary ‘Hakosuka’ KPGC10 Skyline GT-R, the first in the GT-R’s lineage. Later, the Skyline GT-R would drop the Prince badge as Prince Motors was absorbed into Nissan.
As an investor, Shojiro was unlikely to be directly involved in the creation of the Skyline GT-R (that honour goes to Shinichiro Sakurai, but that’s another story) but it is safe to say that without Shojiro’s considerable resources, the legend of the GT-R might not have been possible.
Although Nissan and Bridgestone once shared a common history, both companies operate independently and share very little exclusive relationship. At one time, Bridgestone did make a bespoke high performance Potenza RE070R RFT designed exclusively for the R35 Nissan GT-R, which along with the Dunlop SP Sport 600 DSST, were the only two tyres original equipment tyres for the GT-R. Today, the GT-R comes exclusively only with Dunlop tyres. However, Bridgestone is still the sole tyre supplier for the Nissan Skyline (sold as the Infiniti Q50 elsewhere) in Japan.


Auto Insurance - Understanding Your Coverage And What You Are Paying For

Auto insurance is a form of security provided by an insurance company to the owner or driver of a car against any damages to others and yourself in the case of an accident. It is essential that you have an insurance policy that properly protects you and that is up-to-date.

Without a valid auto insurance, you may face headaches that come with hefty repair bills, where you will have to fork out your own money to cover the costs of the damages to the other party as well as your vehicle. This may get even worse if there are any injuries sustained in the accident to either yourself or the other party. In the interest of safety, you should not be driving your vehicle without a valid auto insurance policy.

Malaysian law also requires all vehicles to have insurance coverage even before the road tax can be purchased or renewed. Thus, it is a mandatory requirement that all cars are insured, at least with the basic third party coverage.

But what is the difference between third-party and first-party insurance? And what do "first party” and “third party" actually mean?

In the auto insurance world, "first party" is basically you and "third party" is everyone else.

For a better understanding of this, we have created a table which should help to paint a clearer picture.

Cover

Third Party Cover

Third Party, Fire and Theft Cover

First Party

			(Comprehensive Cover)

Liabilities to third party for: Injury, Death, Property Loss/Damage

Yes

Yes

Yes

Loss/ Damage to your own vehicle due to accidental, fire/theft

No

Yes

Yes

Loss/Damage to your own vehicle due to accident

No

No

Yes

Liabilities to the driver & passenger(s) of your own vehicle (bodily injury, death)

No

No

Yes

Third-Party Coverage

As an example, under a third-party insurance plan, your own losses will not be covered if you hit someone - but the person you hit will be. This is vice versa for everyone on the road, as the person at fault will be the one using their insurance to pay for damages caused to the other person or their property.

What this basically means is that a third party will be claiming compensation from your insurance for damages caused to the third party. You will have to pay for your damages out of your own pocket, as there is no compensation if the vehicle is badly damaged or considered a total loss.

Third-Party Coverage with Fire and Theft

If, however, you choose the third party insurance with fire and theft cover, then you will be compensated if your vehicle incurs fire damage as well as theft of your car. Please do note that this is an additional clause under third-party insurance that you can request for which gives you better protection than the mandatory basic third-party coverage.

First-Party Coverage (comprehensive)

Under a first-party insurance plan, you and the person involved in the accident will be covered whether you are in the right or in the wrong. First party car insurance allows you to claim even if the accident was your fault.

Not only does it cover you for an accident that has just happened in front of your very eyes, but it also covers you for accidents that happen when you are not around. As an example, you return to your car to find that someone has hit it and driven off without leaving their contact details. Luckily you have first-party cover which should compensate you for any damages incurred.

One of the best things about first-party insurance is that there is compensation for total loss, where your insurer will pay you the fair market value of your car as of the day of the accident.

Despite every vehicle on the road having the requirement to at least have third-party cover, it is better to have a comprehensive auto insurance policy as it gives you total peace of mind, no matter what type of incident you find yourself in.

If you’re looking for extensive first-party insurance for your vehicle, why not try
RHB’s Private Car Insurance
, as not only do you get free towing as part of the policy, but you also get inclusive legal representation and coverage for legal costs. Furthermore, renew or purchase RHB car insurance online to enjoy a 10% discount!


Mercedes-Benz Pengeluar Pertama Dapat Kelulusan Pemanduan Autonomi Tahap 3

Mercedes-Benz
 merupakan pengeluar automotif pertama di dunia yang mendapat kelulusan untuk penggunaan pemanduan autonomi Tahap 3 (SAE Level 3).

Dengan kebenaran ini, kereta-kereta Mercedes (S-Class dan EQS) akan dilengkapi dengan sistem swapandu Tahap 3 yang diberi nama Drive Pilot, di bawah regulasi undang-undang United Nations UN-R157.

Drive Pilot boleh dipandu dan melakukan operasi seperti penukaran laluan, brek dan memecut tanpa memerlukan input pemandu, namun hanya pada kelajuan maksimum 60 km/j.

Setakat ini, sistem ini hanya boleh digunakan di jaringan lebuh raya Jerman sepanjang 13,191 km dan ujian sedang dibuat bagi membolehkan ia dibenarkan di negara-negara seperti Amerika Syarikat dan juga China.

Drive Pilot bergantung pada penderia LiDAR, kamera, mikrofon luar (untuk mendengar kenderaan berhampiran), sistem penentududukan lanjutan (lebih maju dan tepat daripada GPS biasa).

Model
S-Class
 dan
EQS
 dengan sistem ini juga akan mendapat sistem elektrik berlebihan yang akan memastikan stereng dan brek kekal berfungsi, walaupun sistem utama gagal.

Berbeza dengan sistem pemanduan autonomi Tahap 2 (
hands-off
) dalam kebanyakan kereta di pasaran, sistem swapandu Tahap 3 membolehkan kereta dipandu secara automatik bersyarat, seperti dalam keadaan trafik sesak dan pemandu tidak perlu menumpukan perhatian kepada jalan di hadapan (
eyes off
).

Bahkan, menurut Ahli Lembaga Pengurusan Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, Markus Schafer, sistem Drive Pilot ini memudahkan pemandu untuk melakukan tugasan lain di dalam kereta seperti menghantar emel untuk urusan kerja atau membeli belah dalam talian.

Namun, pemandu masih perlu sentiasa bersedia untuk mengambil alih pemanduan, misalnya apabila kelajuan melebihi 60 km/j (bagi Drive Pilot) atau keadaan jalan di hadapan sudah mulai lengang.

Mercedes-Benz bukanlah pengeluar pertama dengan sistem swapandu Tahap 3 kerana pada Mac 2021,
Honda
 menawarkan sistem ini untuk Honda Legend yang diberi nama Traffic Jam Pilot.

Berbeza dengan Mercedes-Benz yang merancang untuk menembusi pasaran global, Honda Legend hanya untuk pasaran Jepun.


Production-ready 2023 5-door Suzuki Jimny spotted in India

It's been months since we last heard about anything regarding the
fifth-gen 5-door Suzuki Jimny
, until now.

Set for its official unveiling in January 2023, the latest-generation Suzuki Jimny has been spotted yet again and this time around, it looks like it's completed some final rounds of tests ahead of its debut and without any camo wrap.

Almost ready for the 2023 Indian Auto Expo

*Image credit: ZigWheels

There are a couple of things why we Malaysians should be excited about the new Jimny. Set to be launched on 11 January 2023 at the Indian Auto Expo, the spy shots of what seemed to be the final production model is also a right-hand-drive unit.

This also means that there's a high probability that it'll enter the Malaysian market considering the success of the current f
ourth-gen 3-door Suzuki Jimny
. The five-seater version will obviously offer a lot more interior space as well as a bigger presence on the road. Sounds like a sweet deal to us.

Longer wheelbase + bigger bodyshell = new engine?

There are no official dimensions yet in relation to this five-door Jimny but with a longer wheelbase paired with a bigger bodyshell to accommodate those two extra doors, we can also expect to see a new and improved powertrain as well.

Experts in the industry have pointed towards Suzuki's new K15C 1.5-litre DualJet engine which is said to offer more power and torque compared to the current K15B unit that churns out 100hp and 130Nm of torque. However, there are also others who mention that it might retain this powertrain paired with either a four-speed auto or a five-speed manual.

A few things are certain; the Kinetic Yellow exterior colour will remain (but no black roof?) as well as the possibility of using the same 15-inch wheels as the current-gen 3-door Jimny. They look great, but a new set of rims should be more appropriate since it's going to be a new-gen model after all.


Subaru Revises their Global Design Language

Subaru’s newest design language is something that has been 4 years in the making. Mamoru Ishii is Subaru’s newest global design chief, and he’s intent on bringing emotion and excitement back into Subaru’s design work. For a long time, Subaru’s brand strength has been in stability and reliability, but Ishii is intent on changing that.
"We are moving to that next step, aiming for a product that the customer will buy because of the design, a design that has excitement, emotion, one that is solid and dynamic," Ishii told Automotive News. "Customers have stopped rejecting us because of design, but we're not getting customers to buy because of design.”
Subaru believes the key to remain small and competitive in an era of consolidation and large scale is to produce attractive designs. It is one of the six pillars of Fuji Heavy Industries’ midterm business plan, aiming to boost annual global sales to 1.2 million vehicles by 2021, from 958,000 vehicles just this year.
While the original Subaru fan may have been trading looks for functionality, the emphasis on design is quickly becoming important in Subaru as a company. There is a great deal of investment in their design department, with offices in California and Germany that help to conduct focus groups for upcoming design work.
This is a stark change from what Subaru’s original marketing reflected. Nearly 5 decades into the business, Subaru is one of the fastest growing brands, with eight consecutive years of sales improvement in the United States- despite only seeing iterative improvement in design. Ishii also intends to improve the interiors as well, referencing cars like the Tesla Model S as being the motivation for a different level of quality.
The new language is known as Dynamic X Solid, and will be applied to all of Subaru’s products within the next 5 years. It will first be displayed in the redesigned Impreza, slated to arrive in the United States by November. The looks follow on from the well-received Viziv 2 Concept during the Geneva autoshow of 2014.


2023 smart #1 Revealed - Geely EV Hatch, Sold By Proton Edar

Meet the smart #1, a fresh joint venture between parent company Daimler AG
and Geely
, to be sold by Proton Edar in Malaysia.

The smart #1, in lowercase and with the hashtag, is an electric high-riding hatchback sort-of-SUV that seeks to usher in a new age for the ailing brand

The Chinese automaker contributes most of the engineering involved while Mercedes-Benz’s side of the coin involves its design and styling.
Underneath that posh MINI-rivalling skin
, the #1 sits on Geely’s Sustainable Electric Architecture (SEA) platform, specifically SEA2 for smaller vehicles.

A Better Electric MINI, From Geely

Due to enter production in China in late 2022 with early 2023 being earmarked as when first deliveries are expected to reach Europe. As that takes place,
Proton Edar will be charged with sales and distribution duties
 for both Malaysia and Thailand, meaning order books should be open in the coming months.

Its floor-mounted battery uses an unusual nickel-manganese-cobalt chemistry and boasts a capacity of 66kWh that smart claims are good for a 440km range with rapid DC charging supported up to 150kW for 10% to 80% replenishment in about half an hour.

Currently, the only motor configuration on the smart #1 is a single unit at the rear delivering 272PS and 343Nm, so it should be decently brisk. The top speed is quoted at 180km/h though acceleration is not disclosed. An
AWD
 option and additional battery capacities will be offered in the future, the company confirmed.

Mercedes-Benz was completely justified in wanting to revitalise the smart brand, one that receded into obscurity following a period of fanfare and apparent innovation at the start of its life in the late 1990s.

It’s the first all-new model from smart since 2014 and we can see traces of that smooth ‘jellybean’ shape that Benz is so enamoured with everywhere on the smart #1, but this design shift is an entirely welcome one following the unsuccessful reinterpretations of the original ForTwo and ForFour.

Some characteristic elements of the new smart design ethos feature prominently here, such as the wraparound front light bar, short overhangs, two-tone paint scheme, and a ‘flying roof’ effect courtesy of a distinctively shaped C-pillar.

smart #1 Design - Style And Substance

The car has stayed incredibly faithful to the concept shown at the 2021 Munich motor show both in terms of the exterior as well as the interior, which thanks to its 2,750mm wheelbase and EV packaging, can be compared to
a Mercedes-Benz E-Class in sheer roominess
.

Flush door handles are used to open its doors with frameless windows. Its cabin uses a central 12.8-inch infotainment screen as its focal point and uses an interface that is entirely unrelated to Mercedes-Benz’s MBUX platform but is more related to the system used in the Zeekr 001. The upright placement of the panel itself and rounded HVAC vents below do put us in mind of the newest S-Class, though.

There’s also a smaller and rather shallow 9.2-inch display just ahead of the driver as well as a larger heads-up display. A panoramic glass roof complements the light and airy cabin design, as does the ambient lighting and customisable trim colour combination, and if it weren’t yet very obvious the #1 was trying very hard to be trendy, there’s a 13-speaker speaker array by Beats.

The smart #1 is positioned as a premium EV for those who fancy themselves as stylish urbanites. As mentioned, it is a very comparable product to those from BMW-owned MINI, and here the British marque seems to have plenty new to worry about from an automaker they probably never regarded as a serious rival.

In Europe, it will scrap with the Volkswagen ID.4 and the Renault Megane E-Tech, however, it will be equally interesting to see how this smart sizes up against the
excellent Hyundai IONIQ 5
.


LA 2017: Subaru Debuts 8-Seater Ascent – Only For North America Though

Developed exclusively for the North American market, the Subaru Ascent is Subaru’s largest ever vehicle. Available either as a 7- or 8-seater, the Ascent will also debuts Subaru’s all-new 2.4-litre ‘boxer’ horizontally-opposed four-cylinder direct injection turbocharged engine.
The highlight of the Ascent is Subaru’s latest 2.4-litre turbocharged ‘boxer-four’ FA24 engine. Producing 260 hp at 5,600 rpm and 375 Nm of torque between 2,000 – 4,000 rpm, Subaru says its latest downsized engine delivers the same level of drivability and fuel economy of a naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6.
Drive is transferred to all four wheels via CVT-type Lineartronic automatic transmission.
As with all Subaru, the Ascent comes with the company’s signature Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive as standard. The X-Mode function integrates finer adjustments on the vehicle’s engine, transmission and brakes for optimal performance in slippery or rough surfaces.
It rides 220 mm off the ground, on the company's latest Subaru Global Platform
Inside, the Ascent comes with optional two Captain seats for the second-row (seven-seater configuration). A regular bench seat is also available for eight-seater configuration models.
Prices have yet to be announced, as today’s announcement at the opening of the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show only serves a preview. The all-new Ascent will only go on sale in USA and Canada in mid-2018. The vehicle will be built exclusively at Subaru’s plant in Indiana, USA.


The Civic Type R won’t die, Honda to bring it into hybrid/EV era

Japanese automaker Honda seems to be quite persistent about the presence of a Type R model (or models) even as the company dives further and further into hybrids electrification, underlining the importance of hot hatchbacks and cars made for driver enjoyment.

The current FL5 Civic Type R, the only model to wear that badge, is based on the 11th-generation Civic 5-door hatchback and offers a similar mechanical package to its predecessor - a front-drive layout with turbocharged 2.0-litre four-pot and a manual transmission.

That was the same basic rundown for cars that have been culled by other automakers as their focus shifts elsewhere, leaving behind hot hatch legacies such as the Ford Focus ST, Fiesta ST, Peugeot 308 GTI, and more recently, the Renault Megane RS.

Fortunately, the opposing view seems to be held by those at Honda with the Type R’s lead engineer Hideki Kakinuma telling Autocar: “without Type R, there is no Honda.”

Clearly, the essence of the brand does resonate with many in the enthusiast community and is one that Honda values as a core part of its DNA. However, it doesn’t preclude the fact that company’s future Type R models might need to adopt electrification or even a fully electric powertrain to stay alive.

In many countries, the Civic Type R is the only model in the Honda line up that is solely powered by internal combustion. With the FL5 due to remain as the company’s enthusiast flagship for some years to come, it’s likely things will need to change by the time a replacement is called for.

“Carbon neutrality doesn’t have to be focused on the powertrain itself,” Kakimuna adds. “It can have the possibility of achieving it even though you are driving a car with an ICE. So I would not reject the possibility that the next Type R can be ICE. However, given the current circumstances, this is very unlikely.”

“But the Type R itself does not depend on the powertrain. It’s a certain philosophy, a principle of the joy of driving, and that involves a lot of aspects… If this excitement can be provided with a certain powertrain that is carbon neutral or somewhat electrified – or a completely different technology – this will also be justifiably a Type R.”


A Brief Look At The History Of The Mercedes-Benz C-Class In Malaysia

We take a brief look at the history of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class in Malaysia.

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a car that can be considered as a permanent fixture on Malaysian roads. With the
fifth-generation (W206)
 due to be launched in Malaysia next year, we thought we would look back at some of its previous generations and see what changes and innovations it brought with it.

For those unaware, the C-Class is Mercedes' line of compact executive cars and was the smallest model in the brand's line-up till 1997. It was made for small families and young executives who really wanted to make an impression. It's since become a staple in automotive lore.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class W202

The W202 series C-Class will always be remembered as the first vehicle in the world to be equipped with a common-rail injection diesel engine (C 220 CDI). It had a tough act to follow as it was the replacement for the venerable Mercedes-Benz 190e (W201), which is basically a C-Class before the nomenclature name change.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class W203

The W203 ushered the C-Class' into the new millennium and with it came along 20 new technical innovations, including adaptive front airbags, headlamp assist, multifunction steering wheel, and fibre optic cables.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class W204

Most C-Class' before the W204 was considered more of a comfort cruising machine rather than a driver's car, but the W204 really did change that opinion as it brought the challenge to the dastardly
BMW 3-series
. With its classy looks and better driving dynamics, some people consider this as the pinnacle of the C-Class.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class W205

The current generation
C-Class (W205)
 was the first C-Class to use Mercedes-Benz's MRA platform, which shares many of its contemporary leanings with its bigger brothers, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and S-Class models. The MRA architecture utilises a lot of aluminium, giving the C-Class a 100 kilogramme weight loss. Out of all the C-Class', this is probably the one that has the most attitude when it came to exterior design.

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Could Subaru Look To Hybrids For Next-Gen WRX STI's Turbo Nutter Power?

You can’t see it, but believe me when I say this particular round of speculative news has us squinting rather skeptically. But when we think about the future potential of such an idea for
Subaru
, outlandish as it may seem now, it starts to gain traction. Pun intended.
Subaru has just pulled the sheets off its next-generation
Impreza
 hatch and sedan at the Tokyo Motor Show and the Los Angeles Auto Show quite recently (pictured below), demonstrating not only how it does indeed intend to
definitely maybe
 revive the iconic Impreza name, but bring it back with some much-needed style. Those two are ‘concepts’ in a somewhat loose manner, given how much of the car's exterior looks production-ready.
Subaru were tight-lipped about just what could be powering the new Impreza concepts, next-generation
WRX
, or major changes in engines at all for that matter, so if a report from
Motoring.com.au
 is to be believed, perhaps they are setting a silent stage for a sudden drastic bet on hybrids.
The next car to wear the
STI
 badge, perhaps with faithful resemblance to the Subaru WRX Concept from 2013 (pictured up top), is due to arrive somewhere within 2017, and would boast all the usual pumped-up fittings and perhaps even some gold wheels to complete the look. All standard fare for a fast Subaru so far, but the report said the automaker is engineering a new turbocharged flat-four powertrain that works in tandem with an electric motor, with the aim of improving fuel economy while maintaining the STI’s reputation for high performance.
According to the source, Subaru is reported to be working on a heavily reworked all-wheel drive system that incorporates “motor-drive” on the rear axle. Also new is the alleged marrying of said powertrain to an all-new dual-clutch six-speed automatic. Again, it seems turning the STI into more of a fuel sipper is on their list of higher priorities, with 6.5-litres/100km being a rough target.
Current-generation Subaru WRX
A source also told Motoring that Subaru is, at the moment, conducting tests on a new Impreza-based STI hybrid, and pending further development and refinement, should see public eyes at the 2018 Tokyo Motor Show.
The SGP platform on which the next WRX would sit does permit packaging to house a modest bank of lithium-ion batteries as well as boasting space for a electric rear-axle motor and other support hardware. Only time will tell if Subaru’s ideas on why those recessed areas exists matches up with the theorised hybrid agenda.


Audi Malaysia opens up interest registration for EVs - e-tron GT and Q8 e-tron arriving soon!

It seems that Audi Malaysia wants to know whether you are interested in their EVS as they have announced that they are now taking registrations of interest (ROI) for their all-electric e-tron range.

Just like Mercedes and BMW, they too have a range of EVs that are quite comprehensive, and if you're interested in any of them, this is your chance to
show your intent for them
.

Let's get to know the e-trons better

RS e-tron GT and e-tron GT Quattro

As far as EVs go, the Audi e-tron GT selection is certainly fine-looking masterpiece on wheels. There are two variants the
 e-tron GT quattro and the more manic RS e-tron GT
.

In essence, both variants share the same setup of dual electric motors, an all-wheel-drive system, and an 85kWh battery pack that offers up to 487km.

The biggest difference is the power output as the e-tron GT quattro produces 476PS and 630Nm of torque, whereas the more powerful RS e-tron GT kicks it up to 598PS and 830Nm of torque.

Not bad at all considering that it's actually the cousin of one of our favourite EVs, the Porsche Taycan.

Q8 e-tron

The Audi Q8 e-tron is the top model among its electric SUVs and crossovers. It can be had in either a standard or Sportback body, just like the Volvo XC40 Pure electric and its brother, the C40.

Available in either a 50 or 55 variant, the EV SUVs mainly differentiate themselves through the amount of power and range they can deliver. Still, they both have a top speed of 210 km/h and come with a two-electric motor setup.

The Q8 e-tron 50 draws power from an 89kWh battery which allows the EV to deliver up to 505km (491km standard body) of range and offer 335 hp and 664 Nm of torque.

The Q8 e-tron 55 draws power from a larger 106kWh battery which allows the SUV to offer a range of up to 600km (582km standard body) and 402 hp and 664 Nm of torque.

PHS Automotive Malaysia (PHSAM), the official distributor of Audi here in the country, previously announced that their range of EVs would enter the local market this year.

They would be starting with the e-tron SUVs and we're guessing that the Audi e-tron GT models will follow suit later on in 2023.


Audi's 2023 Q8 e-tron and Q8 Sportback e-tron launched in Malaysia - from RM384k

PHS Automotive Malaysia introduced the Audi Q8 e-tron today with two variants for each bodystyle - Sportback and er…non-Sportback. Malaysia is the first Southeast Asian market to receive the Q8 e-tron, imported from Audi's production facility in Belgium.

The starting price for the Audi Q8 e-tron, without insurance and inclusive of on-the-road charges, is RM384,790. This makes it slightly more affordable than the entry-level BMW iX, which starts at RM385,430. Similarly, the Mercedes EQC400 4Matic is priced at RM393,888.

The aforementioned price applies to the base Q8 e-tron advanced 50 quattro model from Audi. It is equipped with two electric motors that deliver a combined system output of 340 PS (335 hp or 250 kW) and 664 Nm of torque. This configuration allows for a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of six seconds and a top speed of 200 km/h.

The electric motors of the Q8 e-tron are powered by a lithium-ion battery with a total energy capacity of 95 kWh (89 kWh usable). This battery enables a range of up to 410 km according to the WLTP standard. Charging the battery to full capacity takes approximately 9.15 hours with an 11-kW AC charger (Type 2). However, using DC fast charging (CCS2) at a maximum input of 150 kW, the battery can reach a 0-80% state of charge (SoC) in just 28 minutes.

In terms of features, the Q8 e-tron advanced 50 quattro model includes adaptive air suspension, 20-inch Graphite Gray five-arm dynamic style alloy wheels, man-made 'mono.pur 550' leather upholstery, LED headlamps with high-beam assist, the High-Gloss styling package, a leatherette dashboard, and an interior with an aluminum look and glossy black operating buttons.

The vehicle also comes equipped with the Audi virtual cockpit plus, which is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and the MMI Navigation plus infotainment system with MMI touch response. This system consists of dual high-resolution touchscreen displays. The upper display is a 10.1-inch unit that provides access to most vehicle functions, while just below it, there is an 8.6-inch display for climate control and selected features.

Completing the list of features for the base option, the Audi Q8 e-tron includes the Audi smartphone interface, which supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It also offers powered front seats with a memory function for the driver, four-zone climate control, Audi drive select, a powered tailgate, and eight airbags. Safety features encompass Audi pre sense front and rear (including autonomous emergency braking), adaptive cruise control (with a speed limiter, efficiency assist, swerve assist, and turn assist), lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, as well as front and rear cross traffic assist.

For those willing to spend more for enhanced performance and luxurious equipment, there's the Q8 e-tron S line 55 quattro variant available at a retail price of RM475,790. This variant showcases a sportier S line trim both inside and out. Its all-wheel drive electric powertrain delivers 408 PS (402 hp or 300 kW) and 664 Nm of torque. Consequently, the acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is reduced to 5.6 seconds, while the top speed remains the same. The battery in the Q8 e-tron S line 55 quattro has a higher gross energy capacity of 114 kWh (106 kWh usable), which extends the range to 481 km.

In terms of charging capabilities, the higher-spec variant supports AC charging at a faster rate of 22 kW, enabling a full charge in six hours. The DC fast charging rate is also increased to 170 kW, and it takes approximately 31 minutes to reach a 0-80% state of charge (SoC).

The Q8 e-tron S line 55 quattro enhances the features offered by the base variant by incorporating several additions. These include 21-inch five-arm black turbine style alloy wheels, Valcona leather upholstery, matrix LED headlamps, an illuminated Singleframe grille, a panoramic glass sunroof, illuminated S line scuff plates, a three-spoke flat-bottomed steering wheel, an air ionizer and aromatization system for the climate control, power-assisted door closing, and virtual exterior mirrors (replacing traditional side mirrors with cameras).

Moving on from the standard Q8 e-tron, there is also a Sportback version available for those seeking a more dynamic shape. The Q8 Sportback e-tron offers a coupe-like body style and mirrors the two variants available in the regular model.

However, opting for the Sportback does entail a slight sacrifice in terms of boot space, which is reduced to 528 liters at the rear. The pricing for the Q8 Sportback e-tron advanced 50 quattro starts at RM390,790 and features the same powertrain as the regular-bodied equivalent mentioned earlier. The performance figures remain unchanged, although the range is slightly improved at 415 km, likely due to the vehicle's profile. The charging specifications remain identical.

Likewise, the equipment provided with the Q8 Sportback e-tron advanced 50 quattro closely resembles the non-Sportback variant, but there are noticeable distinctions. The base version of the Q8 Sportback e-tron includes sport adaptive air suspension, 20-inch Graphite Gray five-arm Aero ring style alloy wheels, Valcona leather upholstery, matrix LED headlamps, the Black Styling package, red-painted brake calipers, and dark Matte Brushed decorative inserts. These features are not available for the Q8 e-tron advanced 50 quattro.

Moving on to the final variant in the Q8 e-tron lineup, we have the Q8 Sportback e-tron S line 55 quattro, which is priced at RM485,790. Similar to the previous variant mentioned, it features a powertrain comparable to the non-Sportback equivalent mentioned earlier. Additionally, it offers slightly improved range at 487 km. The 22-kW AC charging and 170-kW DC fast charging capabilities remain the same.

The kit list is also similar, with the range-topping Q8 Sportback e-tron mirroring the Q8 Sportback e-tron advanced 50 quattro, except for one notable distinction: the Audi Sport 21-inch Black Metallic five-arm Aero structure style alloy wheels.

With every purchase of a Q8 e-tron, customers will receive a standard two-year warranty and five-year roadside assistance. The electric vehicle battery is also protected by an eight-year, 160,000-km warranty. Additionally, all variants have the option to include the Audi Assurance Package (AAP) for an additional RM13,000. This package extends the vehicle warranty for three more years, resulting in a total of five years of coverage.

All e-tron models sold are equipped with an e-tron Charging System Compact. This system comprises an intelligent compact charger and power cables. It is compatible with a standard household power socket, providing an output range of 1.8 to 2.3 kW. Alternatively, it can be used with a three-phase power supply, offering an output of 11 kW.

To prevent potential overload on the home's electrical system, the charging unit allows users to set the charging power to 100% or 50%. This provides flexibility and ensures the safe charging of the vehicle. As an additional perk, owners will receive complimentary RM1,000 JomCharge credits, which are valid for one year.


How Much Will The Perodua Ativa’s Success Hurt The Myvi And Aruz?

Perodua has the market cornered when it comes to A-segment and
B-segment
 vehicles in Malaysia and has carved out a very lucrative niche as the country’s first choice when it comes to those kinds of compact and value-oriented models.

However, like any other automaker with a narrower focus, they too will face issues with product overlap or ‘cannibalisation’, wherein certain models, while distinct, are similar enough to cut into the appeal (and eventual sales) of another model within the line-up.

With the Ativa kicking off 2021 with a bang as the year’s most highly anticipated new launch, Perodua must not only ensure that their all-new compact SUV debuts as an extremely competitive package next to its external rivals, but that it’s also differentiated from its in-house offerings too.

As it turns out, this was a pretty major consideration for the automaker, and they’ve identified their most recent
‘SUV’, the Aruz
, as the likeliest point of overlap with the Ativa, followed by the prolific Myvi.

Naturally, Perodua would like all customers - both existing and new to the brand - to not be swayed by what will be coming in the future. However, with the rollout of the latest features always coming to the newest model first, the ‘FOMO ‘ (Fear of Missing Out) effect can easily dilute the appeal of a car that isn’t as freshly launched.

Interestingly enough, should any product cannibalisation take place, the company expects the range-topping Myvi AV (currently at RM52,700) to be the most vulnerable. After all, both the Ativa and Myvi occupy the B-segment category with five-doors, decent interior space, an economical engine, and youthful image, all wrapped up in an easy-to-manoeuvre/ park hatchback design.

With the Ativa’s pricing set between RM60k to RM70k, Perodua have clearly attempted to keep the two models separated on cost alone, where only the top-spec Myvi AV would be within jumping distance. However, even then, customers tempted by the new model’s SUV charms would still need to spend a little extra to reach the base Ativa variant.

Meanwhile, as Perodua’s largest vehicle, the Aruz doesn’t need to worry about buyers getting jealous of the Ativa’s space advantage like the Myvi. Still, it would still be vulnerable due to other disparities such as the Ativa’s superior safety tech, refinement levels, and
powertrain advantage
.

In particular, the entry-level Aruz X (currently at RM68,530) corresponds most closely with the mid-spec Ativa but, again, comes up short in those same comparisons from the previous sentence. It’s unique asset here is its unmatched practicality and versatility to which the Ativa has no response.

Need 7-seats or the capacity to carry even more cargo than the Ativa’s 370-litre boot can swallow up? Then you need the Aruz, and there’s no two ways about it.

Officially, Perodua expects no more than a 5 percent rate of cannibalisation between the Ativa and specific variants of those two existing models: the Myvi AV and the Aruz X. When taken in perspective of how many different vehicle permutations the company currently offers, mild product overlap of an all-new model with just 2 variants is pretty manageable - even negligible.

Remember, too, that this isn’t the first time Perodua has faced off concerns that introducing a new model would result in the inadvertent cannibalising of an existing vehicle range. In fact, this risk was much higher when the Aruz stepped onto the scene and possibly all over the Alza’s toes.

In fact, there was more concern around the Aruz not being able to sway buyers its way since the Alza was already established as the brand’s more spacious option, fending off attacks from the Proton Exora without too much trouble.

Like the Aruz, the Alza also occupies the MPV space (though the Aruz
identifies
 as an SUV) and offer 7-seats, tonnes of practicality - albeit without quite as large an overall footprint - as well as posting near-identical outputs from their very similar 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engines.

Despite all that, since the Aruz’s early 2019 launch, both models have largely stayed out of each other’s way and continue to play into their own unique strengths, therefore attracting different buyers. Ideally, that will be the case with Ativa as well. Actually, it’s looking likelier each day that Perodua’s newest addition will be increasing their market share at close to zero detriment to any other model internally.

All we need to do know is to drive one and see if it lives up to the hype.


Lamborghini Reveals Centenario Roadster at The Quail

Back when the Centenario was unveiled for what would be the hundredth birthday of Ferruccio Lamborghini, it was said that all forty examples were accounted for- twenty of which were the coupe form, and the remaining twenty in roadster form. At the time Lamborghini had not shown us what the roadster variant would look like, but it is a mystery no more.
Unveiled at The Quail event during Monterey Car Week in California, this drop top hypercar has all the attention grabbing features of its fixed roof sibling. The mechanicals are essentially the same, with the same 770 hp naturally-aspirated V12 and rear wheel steering to boot.
If the performance figures of the coupe are anything to go by, the Centenario Roadster should be incredibly fast. 2.8 seconds to 100 km/h, and 300 km/h in just 23.5 seconds, with a top speed of a little over 350 km/h.
The roadster is a little heavier though: Lamborghini hasn’t made any weight claims, but they have said that the Centenario Roadster has a 2.04 kg/hp weight to power ratio, while the Centenario Coupe has a 1.97 kg/hp weight to power ratio- and with the same power output, this means that the Roadster is naturally a heavier car.
Prices for the Roadster seem to be a little cheaper for some bizarre reason: the Centenario Coupe opened at 1.75 million Euro a piece, while this Roadster is a “more reasonable” 1 million Euro per unit. But of course, as mentioned in our previous article, all examples have been accounted for.


VIDEO: A Drifting Bathtub Is The Coolest Thing You'll See This Week

You can drift a car and probably a motorcycle too, but if you really want to make a statement, try drifting a bathtub. Which is exactly what Swiss racing driver Hannes Roth did at this year’s Bergrennen Reitnau, a Swiss hill climb event.
Roth’s machine is nothing short of spectacular to say the least. We can’t say for sure if it is porcelain, acrylic, fibreglass, or plastic that makes up the body of the bathtub but nonetheless, it is supplemented by a go kart and a few motorcycle parts attached to it, enabling it to pull of some sick drift manoeuvres as you can see in the video.
Also fitted is a shower head which serves a practical purpose for that important point-of-view (POV) action camera. This machine isn’t just about being crazy you know.
For your epic creation and great display of skills drifting it, Hannes Roth deserves to be showered with praise, don’t you agree?


Meet Bob And His 700,000 km Toyota Prius

Toyota UK recently interviewed one of their customers Mr. Bob Old and his Toyota Prius, which has clocked almost 700,000 km in 11 years.
Bob bought his second generation Toyota Prius in 2004 and throughout the 11 years he had the car, the only repairs required were related to the brake’s discs and shock absorbers.
“Everyone says you must have changed the battery. No I haven’t changed the battery. It’s still the original NiMh battery that was in the vehicle when it was new,” said Bob.
Unfortunately for Toyota, Bob is so pleased with his Prius that he isn’t looking to change his car anytime soon and intends to continue to driving it until it finally gives up on him.
“I think it has proven beyond any reasonable doubt that the most reliable vehicle on the road that I have ever driven has been a Toyota, and I have driven many vehicles on the road.”


Big Blue Taxi Facilities Will Be Bringing Electric Taxis To Malaysia By August

Electric vehicles may have had a bit of a tough time over here in Malaysia, but Big Blue Taxi Facilities will be rolling out 100 all-electric taxis by the beginning of July or August 2019. These vehicles were supposed to be rolled out back in May
according to an article by The Star
, but there were a number of processes that the taxi company had to comply with before the necessary approvals were acquired.
The electric vehicles in question could be the BYD e6, which is currently in use down in Singapore as taxis operated by HDT, in partnership with Grab. Should this pilot program of 100 electric taxis be feasible, there will be further partnerships for the assembly of another 5,000 units - although one wonders if the infrastructure will be able to cope with the increased demand for charging as we may not have enough charging ports available as of yet.
This monumental undertaking is one that requires co-operation between the government, the electric vehicle manufacturers, and Big Blue Taxi Facilities themselves. Hopefully with better market reception, it will help to accelerate the development of our local electric car infrastructure as well as make a more solid business case for electric vehicle sales in Malaysia.


12 Days Of Christmas - Christmas Punch - How To Clean A Spilled Mess?

What's Christmas without a bit of drama? It's one of those things that come hand in hand with one of the most intoxicating holidays there is.

One of the most regular dramas you will see during the Christmas period will usually involve some excessive intake of happy juice - and when this happens, all sorts of spillage happen in the car - yuck!

To be fair, during this period, it could be any spillage really. It could be kids spilling their drinks in the car, food being tipped over or just simply spilt mess from adults. It is, after all, a holiday period where we let loose.

Fortunately, there are ways to clean it up, but it does require you to be prepared for the incoming mess.

Be prepared with kitchen towels

The first line of defence against spilt mess is acting fast, which is why we recommend keeping some paper towels in the car during this period. As soon as the incident happens scoop as much as you can and soak it up with paper towels. Do not scrub the mess away, but instead blot it. This should help minimise the damage and keep stains from setting in and becoming more difficult to remove.

Get that white powder ready

Now that you have done as much as you can to clean up the mess while on the go, it's time to call in some reinforcements when you get home. Cover the affected area with a thick layer of baking soda. Let it sit for awhile and let it work its magic for as long as possible- we're talking a day or two here. The same principle that makes baking soda great for soaking up unwanted odours in the fridge or stains on clothes means it will work in your car.

After a couple of days, use a high powered vacuum to suck up all that magic powder that has soaked up the crud. You may need to repeat the process a few times to get rid of really tough stains.

Stubborn stains go away

If the stains still do not go away after a few treatments of baking soda then perhaps its time to try some specific cleaning products made for those stubborn stains. Products such as 3M's SCOTCHGARD Fabric and Carpet cleaner should help clean the mess even further.

Lingering Smell Be Gone

If you find that the stains have gone away, but the smell is still lingering around, then a natural way to absorb this unwanted odour would be to use some charcoal. Charcoal is a natural absorber, so leave a bag of charcoal open in your car overnight to help remove those unwanted smells. If this doesn't work then maybe a specific car air freshener will do the trick but be careful not to pick something too strong as it will only mask the smell and create a weird combination of unpleasant smells.


Mitsubishi Says Goodbye To The Evo With This Japan-Exclusive Final Edition

The tenth-generation
Mitsubishi
 Lancer Evolution has been around for a very, very long time. Since 2007 to be exact. However, it is time to say goodbye to the Mitsubishi Evo X and all of its previous nine generations with this commemorative swansong, the
Mitsubishi Lancer
 Evolution Final Edition.
Based on the Mitsubishi Evo GSR, the Final Edition is available with only a five-speed manual gearbox. It is mated to a 2.0-litre MIVEC turbocharged engine but Mitsubishi won’t disclose just how much power it produces. They can however say that the turbo mill will see the addition of sodium-filled exhaust valves that improve output at medium and high engine speeds.
Elsewhere, the Final Edition will be fitted with 18-inch BBS wheels wrapped in Yokohama ADVAN 245/40 series tyres, Bilstein and Eibach suspension components, and Brembo two-piece ventilated brakes. Five body colours are offered – red, white, gray, black, and blue.
Inside, the cabin has Recaro bucket seats while the steering wheel, handbrake, shifter knob, and console lid will all be black leather with red contrast stitching. ‘Final Edition’ badging can be found around the vehicle as well including a numbered dash plaque. Numbered because there will only be 1,000 examples of this special edition Mitsubishi Evo.
Mitsubishi Japan has begun taking orders of the
Mitsubishi Lancer
 Evolution Final Edition. The asking price? 4,298,400 yen (with Japan taxes) or RM132,860 following a direct currency conversion.


Volkswagen Polo Slams Into Police Car Near Jalan Pudu, Flees The Scene

Malaysians know all too well that driving in Kuala Lumpur can be a frustrating affair, but to crash into a police car in – by most accounts – clear traffic is a pretty drastic thing to do. But that’s exactly what happened recently near Jalan Pudu.
Now the video begins like most dashcam-derived footage do: peacefully. The car that’s doing the recording is going along some roads with moderate to light traffic on the 22
nd
 of June a little after 9am. All is well.
Earlier in the video, we spy a dark blue
Volkswagen

Polo
 make its way out to merge into another lane. We don’t see it until around the 3:15 mark (which is where you should skip to for the actual crash) when it accelerates along the inner lane and into a
Proton

Waja
 police cruiser.
Even more unbelievable is that after the impact, the Polo doesn’t seem to want to let up – pushing the Waja out of its way and onto the outer lane facing the wrong direction before speeding away.
We really can’t say much more about the Polo, really. It’s a shocking thing to have happened, much more so for the two policemen in the Waja. Luckily, according to the dashcam video owner, Julian Quah, they both only had minor cuts and bruises.
It’s unclear what happened to the blue
Volkswagen Polo
, but we’ll take a guess that the police would be very interested in having a little chat with its
Kamikaze-esque
driver. Luckily, this footage exists to help them through the investigations.
Have a look for yourself. Again, if you’d like to skip to actual crash, head to the
3:15
 mark.
Video from Shawn Lee.