2015 Ford Everest Review In Chiang Rai: Extraordinary Versatility

“Engineered for Extraordinary.” That’s the tagline Ford have entrusted to its all-new Everest but is it deserving of such a hyperbolic statement? Let’s find out.
The third-generation Ford Everest is a result of a four-year development program that began in 2011, led by Ford’s Asia Pacific design and engineering units based in Melbourne. It may utilise the T6 platform that underpins the all-new Ranger but beyond that, the Everest is a completely ground-up development.
So why not just consider a monocoque construction as opposed to a body-on-frame one? This is in part due to surveys which the Blue Oval conducted, where customers defined ruggedness and comfort as their demands for the new car.
This meant that Ford had to perform a myriad of modifications to the chassis and powertrain derived from the Ranger to be adapted for the Everest, so much so that the end product shares very little with its commercial vehicle sibling.
Just how deep to these changes go? Well, I can tell you that it certainly is way beyond skin deep despite the looks, so let’s jump right into it.
KEY SPECS:
2.2L Titanium 4x2
Engine: 2.2-litre Duratorq four-cylinder TDCi diesel engine
Transmission: 6R80 Six-speed torque converter automatic with Sports Shift
Power: 158hp @ 3,200 rpm
Torque: 385Nm from 1,600-2,500 rpm
3.2L Titanium 4x4
Engine: 3.2-litre Duratorq five-cylinder TDCi diesel engine
Transmission: 6R80 Six-speed torque converter automatic with Sports Shift
Power: 197hp @ 3,000 rpm
Torque: 470Nm from 1,750-2,500 rpm
EXTERIOR DESIGN:
From the front, the all-new Everest adopts its pickup truck sibling’s look with similarly shaped headlights (featuring halogen or xenon bulbs), right down to the position of the fog lamps. Even the muscular grooves on the hood are retained here as well. Distinguishing details for the SUV include its front grille and a silver front bumper guard that frames the fog lamps as well.
As we continue down the side of the vehicle, the side display vents are still present and point towards either of the two variants, be it the 3.2L or 2.2L variant. Another indicator are the side mirror (with indicators) where the higher-spec 3.2L’s are chromed. Being a plush seven-seater, the Everest’s rear section is modified from the Ranger to accommodate third-row seating with changes made to the suspension, which will be covered later.
Moving towards the rear, the taillights are linked by a centre chrome plate bearing the ‘Everest’ nameplate, while another bumper guard that bears resemblance to the one located at the front surrounds the rear fog lamps as well.
It certainly has a presence to it and I would even call it quite a handsome looker especially when riding on those 20-inch wheels found on the 3.2L, whereas the 2.2L gets smaller 18-inchers.
INTERIOR DESIGN
It’s a similar story on the inside with the layout of the cabin near-identical to that of the new Ranger. Beginning with the driver, the instrument cluster has a central analogue speedometer flanked by two multi-info colour configurable display screens. The one on the left displays multimedia and phone connectivity functions while the right one is capable of showing a tachometer, fuel level, temperature, digital speedometer, and many more. A main draw is the off-road mode which displays the pitch and yaw of the vehicle, handy when navigation rough terrain.
Infotainment is handled by Ford’s proprietary SYNC 2 system with multiple media inputs, Bluetooth phone connectivity, climate control, and a compass that shows the direction of travel (navigation component is market dependant).
Below the buttons and dials which control the climate control as well, there are two 12V power adapters and beneath that are controls for the features found on the Everest in its 3.2 4WD specification. These include the diff-lock, 4x4 low-diff, parking sensor, park assist, and the dial which controls the Terrain Management System.
Only the 3.2 gets two eight-way powered seats at the front while in the 2.2, only the passenger gets it. The second-row seats is adjustable with a 60:40 split fold while the third-row seats can be easily folded flat with either a pull of a lever at the back or with a simple push of a button (3.2 only). Air-conditioning vents can be found on the roof of the car for both the second- and third-row as well, controlled via two dials located in the second row. Passengers also have a panoramic sunroof with a retractable shade as well.
DRIVING THE 2015 FORD EVEREST
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The drive took us through the scenic Thai province of Chiang Rai and introduced the Everest to a typical environment a customer might go through on their daily drive. Going further, Ford even gave us a taste of an extreme situation where the inner ruggedness of the Everest reveals itself, much to our delight.
Portion one of the drive saw us navigate through the twisty roads around Chiang Rai where the majority of the province, which dealt primarily in agriculture. This meant tight twisty roads, which can be a tiring ordeal if not for the Everest’s electric power assisted steering, a first in its class and displacing the Ranger’s hydraulic setup that makes navigating the big SUV no much more difficult than a sedan, particularly useful in tight situations, like parking. Thankfully, Active Park Assist is available here to ease the act of parallel parking. The steering itself adjusts its weightage depending on the current speed of travel as well.
Not only is the Everest easy to navigate, it doesn’t feel cumbersome through the bends either despite its body-on-frame construction. The T6 frame from the Ranger itself receives a significant makeover by Ford with independent Macpherson struts at the front with coil springs and a Watt’s linkage at the rear. The latter is of importance to keeping the bulk of the Everest in check through the corners by allowing the rear axle to move up and down with very little lateral movement, allowing for a more tightly control steering and handling, resulting in well-managed body roll, leagues above the competition.
Two new systems, Curve Control Roll Stability Control also help keep the Everest as composed as it is. The first senses when the vehicle is entering a corner too quickly and automatically adjusts the engine’s torque and applies the brakes to keep things in check. The second uses gyroscopic sensors to detect fast cornering or sharp swerving, selectively applying individual brakes to reduce the likelihood of a rollover.
Coupled with the leather seats – black on the 2.2L and cream-coloured on the 3.2L, and it all equates to a surprisingly comfortable ride, despite its commercial origins. Put simply, the Everest redefines what a ladder-on-frame SUV should feel like on the road, pardon the hyperbolism.
The 3.2-litre Duratorq engine paired to a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission is more than capable of shifting the vehicle’s heft. As for the smaller 2.2-litre four-cylinder unit, it does feel a little more pressured to do the same as compared to its pickup sibling, even with the extra structure at the rear, but still manages to get by well enough. Noise levels are not immediately noticeable but that’s expected of a diesel-powered vehicle. At low rpm, Ford have fitted the Everest with a system dubbed as Active Noise Cancellation, which uses technology similar to that found in noise cancelling headphones, to minimise engine noise.
HOW PRACTICAL IS IT?
This is a seven-seater SUV and is meant to pack in your many family members or your many things. The second row offers a comfortable amount of leg room and can be slid forward for access to the third row. At the back, leg room is a little bit sparser, and shouldn’t be an issue for young children but getting an adult at the back may be a little bit of a squeeze.
With a 60:40 manually-operated split folding second row seats and the 50:50 one-touch electrically assisted folding one set to its maximum cargo capacity, 2,010 litres of storage is available, coinciding with the 30 plus stowage spaces littered throughout the car. With the seats folded up, 450 litres are available.
As you can see, the boot also comes equipped with a 230V/150W power point so you can plug in a cooler for your road trip with the family. Of course, the third row seats will have to fold down to accommodate this. A powered tailgate provides easy access to the boot but lacks the Kuga’s foot-sensing opening function.
WHAT ABOUT THE OFF-ROAD BIT?
At this point, we are well aware that the all-new Ford Everest handles itself pretty well on the tarmac, with impressive handling and levels of refinement. On the next portion of the drive, everyone jumped into the 3.2L Titanium 4x4 variant which comes fitted with the new Terrain Management System (TMS) for a spot of off-roading demonstrations.
Before we jump into it, there’s a few things you need to know about the four-wheel drive system on the Everest. Firstly, this is more sophisticated than that found on the new Ford Ranger, and is a full-time setup. The system comprises of a two-speed active transfer with a Torque on Demand feature. On its own, torque is split on a 60:40 rear-to-front basis and if you’re cruising on the highway, it can be changed to an 80:20 bias. Depending on the situation, nearly 100% of the power and be delivered to either ends as well.
An electronic locking rear differential is also added to cope with extreme situations that require absolute traction as is a low range mode, both activated by the driver with buttons in the cabin. Speaking of which, the TMS gets a dedicated dial near these controls and the gear lever, offering four different modes – Normal; Snow, Mud and Grass; Sand; Rock.
Of course, there’s a need to test out the validity of the Everest’s off-road capabilities, and so we turned off to a paddy field with relatively steep inclines/declines, a patch of river crossing, and generous amounts of mud and loose soil to try and punish the seven-seater SUV. It didn’t help the nerves that a downpour the night before made things all the more menacing.
That wasn’t an issue for the Everest as it tackled the course and proved itself to be a capable all-terrain vehicle. Just set the TMS dial to the relevant mode for the road condition and the SUV just continues on its way. At each station, we were given instructions on how to use the Everest’s other all-terrain functions like the hill descent, which worked flawlessly by managing the vehicle’s speed on the steering wheel, and the dynamic low range.
The river crossing was uneventful as well as it didn’t really challenge the car’s 800mm water wading capabilities. Climbing uphill and downhill wasn’t an issue either with a high approach (29.5 degrees), break over (21.5 degrees), and departure (25 degrees) angles, coupled to a 225mm ground clearance. We’re not sure if customers on our side of the world will be driving their cars through situations like what you see here but it’s good to know that if need be, the Everest is capable of it.
WHAT SAFETY OPTIONS DO I GET?
As what was mentioned earlier, Curve Control and Roll Stability Control is part of the safety package but the Everest also gets the standard electronic stability control as well. Seven airbags (front, side, curtain, and knee) are also part of the safety suite
On the other hand, driver assistance systems fitted include Adaptive Cruise Control with Collision Warning, Lane Keeping System, Hill Launch Assist and a Blind Spot Information System.
COMING TO MALAYSIA? PRICE?
Yes definitely but only after the new Ford Ranger makes its official launch debut here in Malaysia. Expect the powertrain options to be similar to what is listed at above but it’s anyone’s guess what the final equipment list will be like.
Prices aren’t given at the time of writing though with the high level of sophistication found on the all-new Ford Everest, we may be looking at something significantly northwards of the Isuzu MU-X’s RM152k entry price tag, with estimates pinning it at around RM180k for the 2.2L and over RM200k for the 3.2L.
As for its competitors, well there are few in the seven-seater SUV segment which will go up against the Everest. The Isuzu MU-X (from RM151,944) comes in close by offering the same seven-seater SUV layout but at a more affordable price. The Toyota Fortuner (from RM169,096) and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (from RM150,277) are also noteworthy competition as well.


Illegal Taxi Drivers In Trouble As Bank Repayments Mount Over Seized Vehicles

Those whose cars have been seized by the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) for operation of illegal taxi services find themselves in a rock and a hard place as their respective banks are demanding loan repayments.
As the court deliberates and delays the hearing, these owners are not permitted access to their vehicles, and therefore unable to perform the services necessary to generate the income to satisfy their lenders.
The Sun Daily
 reports that many of these vehicles are new, and are used as partner transport for smartphone apps such as Uber, GrabCar and others over the past 11 months. Even supposing the court delivers its verdict to strip the cars from their ownership, the drivers would still have to pay the outstanding monthly instalments.
The report states that there are currently somewhere around 53 private cars sitting idle awaiting the court verdict. Among them are
Mercedes-Benz
 (
E200
,
E230
,
S280
),
Nissan
 (
Teana
,
Sylphy
,
Almera
),
Toyota
 (
Camry
 and
Vios
),
Honda
 (
Accord
,
City
,
Jazz
),
Hyundai

Elantra
,
Kia

Optima K5
, along with several local models such as
Proton

Saga
,
Proton Preve
 and
Perodua

Myvi
.
The Land Public Transport Act 2010 states under Section 16 that using a private vehicle without a license to operate or provide public transport, forfeiture shall be made by the court.
An SPAD spokesperson told the daily: "When the order of forfeiture is given, the legal and beneficial title of the vehicle shall be vested or passed to SPAD. When the vehicle is forfeited, it becomes the property of SPAD. Like any other property, the vehicle can also be disposed of in various ways. Among others, it can either be tendered off, auctioned or sold back to the accused or previous owner at market value.”
It is not clear whether proper legal counsel has been or will be provided to the affected car owners by Uber Malaysia and MyTeksi Sdn Bhd. Hire purchase agreements also stipulate that private vehicles are not meant to transport passengers for a fare.
SPAD conducted a special Ops over the past 13 days where the commission have confiscated 13 cars operating under Uber and Grabcar at various locations within the Klang Valley. A total of 96 vehicles have sent to the commission’s store yard in Sepang.
"If the offender is an individual, the person shall be liable to a fine of not less than RM1,000 but not more than RM10,000 or imprisonment not exceeding one year or both," added the spokesperson.


DRB-Hicom: Proton Bidders Complete Due Diligence; Decision Within H1 2017

Suitors for Proton have completed their due-diligence of the company over the past weeks ahead of potential bids for a
controlling stake
 expected soon, the company’s current owners DRB-Hicom Bhd have confirmed.
DRB-Hicom is currently waiting for the said parties, yet to be officially disclosed but reported to include China-based
Geely Automobile Holdings
 and France’s PSA Group, to submit their bids. DRB-Hicom also reaffirms its commitment to finalize its selection of a foreign partner for Proton within the first half of 2017.
 “The entry of a foreign strategic partner will enable Proton to revitalize itself through access to new platforms, powertrains, and technologies which will further improve Proton’s range of products and its quality,” said DRB-Hicom Bhd’s Group Managing Director Dato’ Seri Syed Faisal Albar.
Faisal also reaffirms that whilst DRB-Hicom is ready to offload a majority stake in Proton, it remains committed to revive the brand’s fortunes and is thus keen to find a right foreign strategic partner that will be critical to accomplishing that goal.
"There are a
few criteria
 that we are looking at. First, we ask ourselves whether or not there is a strategic fit [between the two car makers]; and then whether or not there is operational fit, and cultural fit. These three things are quite key to DRB-Hicom and Proton," said Faisal in September 2016.
Elaborating on the three aforementioned criteria, Faisal explains that a good strategic fit will ensure Proton achieves competitive economies of scale domestically and also ensure that Proton cars grow strongly within the ASEAN markets and subsequently beyond.
From Proton, Faisal explains that the eventual foreign partner will have access to Proton’s current range of models and unused capacity of the Tg Malim plant. The foreign partner will also have access to Proton’s in-house R&D team as well as chassis tuning expertise of Lotus Cars UK.
“It is important to point out that DRB-Hicom’s search for a foreign strategic partner for Proton is a critical exercise to ensure the sustainability of the national car maker.
“We have stated before that we will maintain a significant equity in Proton, and this has not changed. The foreign strategic partner search is not about shirking our national responsibility but about enhancing Proton as a bona-fide car maker, and eventually putting them, and Malaysia on the global map,” Faisal said.
DRB-Hicom is also keen to protect the interests of Proton’s current network of vendors. On this point, Faisal emphasized that “DRB-Hicom shall also assess the intention of the potential partners in utilizing the current ‘home-grown’ vendor network. This is a very significant element in our evaluation, as DRB-Hicom who also own subsidiaries serving Proton as vendors, would avoid for these ‘home-grown’ network to be diluted substantially.”
“DRB-Hicom is confident that with the right foreign strategic partner, Proton will enhance its brand equity and can again be a successful carmaker as it was in the 1980s and 1990s,” Faisal added.
Related:

Geely – Fridge-maker To Car-maker In Just 12 Years, Who Are They?


Wanita Perlu Tahu - Elak Ditipu Bengkel

Servis kereta di
bengkel
 adalah satu perkara yang mendebarkan bagi kebanyakan wanita, terutamanya jika ini kali pertama anda harus servis kereta. Jika kereta baru, kebiasaannya servis akan dilakukan di pusat servis kereta berdaftar dan perlu membuat janji temu. Silap haribulan kena ambil cuti kerana cuma hari itu saja ada kekosongan. Leceh kan?

Kalau hendak servis kereta di bengkel luar, takut
ditipu
 oleh pengusaha bengkel atau mekanik pula. Penulis sendiri pernah melalui pengalaman ngeri ini...sepatutnya servis biasa untuk tukar
minyak pelincir
 dan penapis minyak dalam anggaran RM150 tapi akhirnya kena bayar RM500! Kata si mekanik, itu
rosak
 ini rosak jadi itu kena tukar, ini kena tukar. Akhirnya, penulis jugak yang dipersalahkan kerana tidak menjaga kereta.

Jika anda pernah melalui pengalaman yang sama atau ingin mengelak daripada kejadian kena ‘tapau’ dengan bengkel, kami sediakan 5 cara untuk mengelak dari menjadi mangsa penipuan (seperti penulis).

1. Tanya keluarga atau kenalan

Sebelum tarikh servis kereta anda, pastikan anda bertanya kepada keluarga atau rakan tentang bengkel yang mereka selalu kunjungi untuk servis kereta masing-masing. Pastikan mereka sudah lama menghantar kereta di bengkel yang dimaksudkan. Ini bermakna mekanik di situ bagus dan boleh dipercayai.

Dapatkan nombor telefon bengkel tersebut dan pastikan anda menelefon untuk bertanyakan tentang servis dan harga mereka pula. Ada bengkel yang akan memberikan diskaun kepada rakan-rakan bengkel sebagai referral mereka.

2. Tanya kelab kereta

Terdapat banyak kelab kereta di Malaysia dan kebiasaannya, ahli kelab kereta lebih arif tentang bengkel yang sesuai dengan model kereta anda. Mereka juga sering berkongsi pengalaman dan boleh memberikan pandangan tentang masalah perihal kereta.

*Kredit foto: Kelab BMW E90 Malaysia

3. Lawatan ke bengkel

Setelah mendapat cadangan bengkel, luangkan masa untuk melawat bengkel tersebut dan melihat cara mereka mengendalikan kereta. Lebih bagus kalau anda boleh bawa suami atau kenalan lelaki yang arif tentang kereta untuk menemani anda.

Periksa juga cara bengkel tersebut meletakkan kereta-kereta yang diservis. Ada bengkel yang mempunyai lambakan kereta dan hanya meletakkan kereta di luar bengkel tanpa kawalan. Ini akan meningkatkan risiko kereta anda dilanggar atau dicuri nanti. Kalau bengkel dilengkapi cctv lagi bagus!

4. Minta sebut harga

Kini tibalah masanya untuk anda menghantar kereta untuk diservis di bengkel.

Sebelum meninggalkan kereta anda, minta mekanik untuk menulis harga untuk jenis servis dan
alat ganti
 yang akan digunakan di atas kertas. Jika hanya cakap mulut, dikhuatiri harga akan berubah menjadi lebih mahal apabila siap diservis nanti.

Anda juga boleh menelefon suami atau kenalan lelaki untuk bertanyakan harga yang diberikan. Jika anda mengikut langkah 1-3 di atas, kemungkinan untuk ditipu sangatlah tipis tapi
better safe than sorry!

Setelah anda berpuas hati, barulah anda boleh meninggalkan kereta di bengkel tersebut.

5. Komunikasi

Jangan lupa pesan pada pihak bengkel untuk menghubungi anda
sebelum
 melakukan sebarang penambahan atau pertukaran kepada harga asal tadi. Kebiasaannya, mekanik akan menyarankan apa yang patut anda tukar ganti atau perbaiki selepas melakukan pemeriksaan rapi dan ini akan menambahkan kos anda. Bincang dengan mekanik jika anda bersetuju dengan penambahan tersebut.

Jika anda tidak pasti dengan saranan mekanik, sekali lagi, tanyalah kepada yang arif tentang kereta seperti suami atau kawan lelaki anda.

Jadi, komunikasi sebegini penting untuk mengelakkan anda mendapat kejutan harga yang naik berkali ganda dalam invois nanti.

6. Tuntutan Tribunal

Bagaimana jika anda merasa tertipu dengan bengkel dan dipaksa untuk membayar harga yang tidak dipersetujui?

Menurut Tribunal Tuntutan Pengguna Malaysia (TTPM), jika pihak bengkel tidak memberitahu anda untuk menukar apa-apa bahagian dalam kereta dan memaksa anda untuk membayar sepenuhnya harga barangan dan upah, pihak bengkel telah melanggar Seksyen 9(b) dan 12(1)(b), Akta Perlindungan Pengguna 1999.

Anda sebagai pengguna boleh memfailkan tuntutan dengan mengunjungi cawangan TTPM berhampiran dengan yuran berharga RM5.

*Kredit foto: KPDNHEP

Akhir kata, mencegah itu lebih baik dari merawat. Kita sebagai wanita dan pengguna yang bijak haruslah sentiasa mengambil langkah berjaga-jaga dan amalkan rundingan untuk mencari jalan penyelesaian yang terbaik.

Bukan semua bengkel adalah penipu, yang penting lakukan
survey
 dan selamat mencuba!


Top 10 Funny Malaysian Car Nicknames

Having a nickname is like having a belly – Most of us have one. Be it one of the common ones like “Bob”, “Panjang”, and “Kecik”, or some unique ones, we all know someone with a nickname.

According to the dictionary, a nickname is usually an informal name that is used to show affection or to easily identify someone based on a particular characteristic of the person.

However, nicknames are not only for human beings but also objects, which of course, include cars.

There are many cars out there with pretty cool nicknames, but what we’re going to focus on now is on the funny local ones.

Although the origins of most of these nicknames remain unknown, they have gained popularity nationwide, and have been accepted and recognized by the people.

That being said, lets jump straight into the list:

1) 1995 Proton Wira 1.8 EXi DOHC Special Edition aka Proton Wira “Tiang Gol”

Since there were like 10 different variations of the Proton Wira, the easiest way of identifying the 1995 Wira 1.8 EXi DOHC Special Edition, which was arguably the most
gempak
 version of all the other Wiras, was through its football goal post-like rear spoiler.

2) 1972 1st-gen Honda Civic aka Honda Civic “
Bulat
” / “
Telur
”

The Honda Civic is definitely the car with the most nicknames in Malaysia, as the model name has not changed since day 1, requiring the masses to come up with various nicknames to distinguish between one generation with another.

Hence, it is no surprise that the 1st gen Civic here, due to its rounded silhouette, got the nickname "Civic
Bulat
"/ "Civic
Telur
".

3) 1983 3rd-gen Honda Civic aka Honda Civic “
Mayat
”

This is a tricky one. While some say that the nickname "Mayat" actually refers to the 3rd gen Civic due to its flat rear end which resembles a hearse, some say that it is the 4th gen Civic for the same reason.

Even though the origin remains a mystery and the debate is still ongoing in many
mamaks
, forums and WhatsApp groups, both the variants are widely referred to as the "
Mayat
" until today.

4) 1995 5th-gen Honda Civic aka Honda Civic “Dolphin”

Another year, another Civic. This time, the 5th generation Civic EG had a rather smooth and fluid silhouette, somewhat resembling a fish. Also, the smooth front fascia which doesn't have a traditional grille opening somewhat resembles the "beak" of a dolphin, we think.

While it's open to debate how similar it looks to a Dolphin, the name has stuck to the model ever since.

5) 2015 10th-gen Honda Civic aka Honda Civic “
Ketam
”

No, we are not done with the Civic yet. After skipping a few generations, the model has once again gotten a nickname - the "Civic
Ketam
", referring to the design of the taillights which resemble crab claws.

6) 1994 5th gen Honda Accord aka Honda Accord “
Jerung
”

Dolphin and
Ketam
 aside, here is another Honda model that resembles a sea creature. Since the 5th-gen Accord here somewhat looks likes a shark due to the sharp front-end, the name "Accord
Jerung
" was born. Similar to the Civic, the Accord nomenclature has not changed along the way, resulting in this nickname.

7) 1990 Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Ninja aka "Land Cruiser Ninja Turtle"

The Toyota Land Cruiser 80 came out at a time when the Ninja Turtle cartoon took over the world. Since the model was called the Land Cruiser Ninja in Malaysia, and some of them came with a spare tyre cover which resembled the back of a Ninja Turtle character, the name "Land Cruiser Ninja Turtle" was born.

8) 1978 2nd-gen Toyota Starlet aka "
Starlet Kambing
”

Another car, another animal. We tried asking around, and not many people know why the 2nd-gen Toyota Starlet was called the "
Kambing
". One theory is that the hood-mounted side mirrors and the design of the Starlet's front fascia resembles the face of a goat (really?), which explains the name. Do you know the origin? Let us know below!

9) 1989 3rd-gen Ford Laser TX3 “
Sampan
”

This was THE car to have in the early 1990s, known for its performance and also the sporty design. However, since there were a vew different variations of the Laser, it was only a matter of time before the 3rd-gen model got a nickname. This time, since it looked like a boat to a few people, it was given the name "
Ford Sampan
".

10) 2nd-gen Toyota Vios "
Dugong
"

Do we even have to say anything here? Just look at it.

So, there you have it - some of the cool and funny Malaysian car nicknames which we could think of!

Did we miss out anything or get any of the facts wrong? Let us know!


Sneak Peek: 2024 Toyota C-HR teaser unleashed ahead of electrifying June 26 debut

It's well known now that Toyota has plans for a second-generation C-HR, based on the Prologue concept. Since then, we've witnessed the crossover
testing its might at the Nurburgring
 under camouflage, but now, we are given an exciting glimpse of the production version - well the back end anyways!

The intriguing teaser reveals a rear light signature with three parallel lines on each side, flanking the illuminated make and model lettering. Some are suggesting that the C-HR will not carry Toyota's traditional oval logo, but it's hard to say from the teaser.

The Prologue concept strongly indicates that Toyota's B-segment crossover has undergone a complete redesign by their Euro team in southern France.

While details are limited, it has been revealed that the new C-HR boasts slightly shorter overhangs while offering a more spacious interior, suggesting an extended wheelbase. Flush door handles contribute to enhanced aerodynamics.

In addition to its fresh appearance, the next C-HR brings a significant change as Toyota confirms the availability of a plug-in hybrid version. The PHEV will utilise batteries assembled in Europe and will be offered alongside the regular self-charging hybrid variant.

The new C-HR will join Toyota's lineup of compact crossovers, including the Yaris Cross.
In Malaysia, the C-HR was available with a 1.8-litre naturally aspirated engine
 (imported from Thailand), while our neighbours in Thailand and Indonesia also get the 1.8-litre hybrid. There's also a 1.2-litre turbocharged variant that many grey importers are selling.

Boasting edgy design and advanced technologies, the second-generation C-HR is set to make its premiere on June 26 and is expected to hit European markets before the end of the year. However, Toyota has decided not to introduce this model in North America.


Malaysia In Top 10 Most Stressful Countries To Drive In The World

Some new findings (or it is a full-on study?) has dared to come out and say that Malaysia is one of the 10 countries that are the
most stressful to drive in
, coming in at 8th place behind Belgium (shockingly) and ahead of Brazil.

Really, this shouldn’t necessarily come as a shock to us local motorists, but it’s useful to have confirmation that our roads definitely do not provide the most serene or fuss-free driving experience regardless of the car you happen to be behind the wheel of.

Of course, take this report/ranking with a pinch of salt as it was published by Confused.com, a UK-based insurance and financial services comparison platform. Not exactly the last word in scientific behavioural journaling.

Still, they did draw upon data from several rather reputable sources to inform their study, most notable of which are the World Health Organisation and the World Economic Forum.

Rank

Country

One speed camera every km of road

Quality of road infrastructure (/100)

Fatal accidents per 100,000 population

Number of cars per km of road

Stressful driving score (/100)

1

United Arab Emirates

1.45

83.4

2724.33

552.5

88

2

Bulgaria

100.06

40.2

6.66

171.1

80

3

Turkey

37.02

67

97.17

173.4

78

4

Italy

43.53

56.8

4.01

77.7

76

5

Hong Kong

0.17

85.6

216.16

390.1

76

6

Czech Republic

52.15

48.5

4.83

96.7

74

7

Belgium

42.02

56.4

4.2

48.4

72

8

Malaysia

995.88

72.4

22.93

91.5

72

9

Brazil

114.86

33.5

18.61

19.7

71

10

Argentina

259.01

43.4

12.61

41.6

71

Interestingly, the United Kingdom ranks 10 places down in 18th on their table, just below Singapore in 17th place. The list is topped by the UAE as the most stressful country to drive in, according to them. Emirati drivers also boast the highest
number of fatal accidents
 (2,724) per 100,000 people, followed by India (1,138).

Within the coveted Top 10, the only other Asian country to rank so high (which is a bad thing) besides Malaysia is Hong Kong, which is notoriously short on space to drive much less build new/larger/better roads. Other ASEAN countries aren’t even present until the Philippines in 13th place.

Is Malaysia really that bad to drive in? We know things can get pretty frustrating in the Klang Valley and maybe other cities such as Georgetown and Johor Bahru, but on the whole and factoring in rural roads are we worse than Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, or Myanmar?

The mind boggles.

Further down in their findings they also rank the Top 10 countries with
the worst quality roads
, something we reckon plenty of Malaysians are pretty used to experiencing. Whether its sheer luck or entirely factual, we don’t make the cut on this particular list. This is good, if surprising, outcome.

Zimbabwe comes in at the top with the worst road infrastructure score, which is to expected, followed by fellow podium sitters Romania and Brazil. However, the Philippines is the only Asian (let alone ASEAN) entrant at number 8 ahead of Iran and the Czech Republic.

Somehow, the Philippines has worse roads than we do, but apparently it’s much less stressful to drive in than Malaysia. Makes sense…


Hyundai & Kia EV Sales Are Climbing Up FAST

EV sales
 are on a steep rise in the US market and the hottest sellers with high demands are none other than the
Hyundai Ioniq 5
 and
Kia EV6
.

While
Tesla
 is still leading the charts in terms of sales,
Hyundai and Kia
 are zooming past the other EV competitors in the market. Both the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 have outsold every other EV model offering in the US apart from Tesla, and that's a growth of epic proportions in the EV industry.

Even the Ford Mustang Mach-E was beaten

Collectively, a total of 21,467 units of the Ioniq 5 and EV6 were sold in the US from the start of 2022 until the month of May. That's a heck of a lot more compared to America's top brand, Ford, and its first-ever EV model, the
Mustang Mach-E
. They only managed to convince 15,718 new owners in the first five months of this year.

The Korean duo also drove past the
Nissan Leaf
, Chevrolet Bolt, and other EV models to a point where even Tesla's Elon Musk was impressed at the speed of their growth in such a short period of time. Dealers currently do not have any of these EVs in stock, and when they do, they're sold out within hours paired with a waiting period of around six months.

Great timing + good specs + great prices = sales

There are currently over 30 EV models that you can find in the fast-growing US market, but only a small number of that is priced under the $45,000 (around RM202,650) mark. Hyundai and Kia are able to deliver under these prices as well as offer something that a lot of folks actually want - tech and space.

Other EVs within that price range can't even compete with the Ioniq 5 and EV6 in terms of cargo space as well as some other vital features like faster-charging capabilities, well-equipped interior, and some unique specs that no other EVs have like its bi-directional power (can be used to power electrical items or even charge other EVs).

Based on an article posted by
Bloomberg
, the Korean EV offerings are pulling in buyers with smaller budgets that usually cater to entry-level ICE sedans. Looking at both the Ioniq 5 and EV6 as a whole, they present a perfect recipe for those looking into jumping onto the EV bandwagon as well as navigating away from the increasing petrol prices in the country.

And it shows as three out of four new Kia EV6 owners came from another brand, and what's even more amazing is the fact that only 1 out of 10 used to own PHEVs. The rest? Good ol' ICEs and Hyundai and Kia were convincing enough to pull them onboard even when dealers are selling them above the actual recommended retail prices. Korea at its best, folks.


Honda Malaysia Issues Recalls For Honda City Hybrid & Civic - 702 Units Affected

Honda Malaysia
 has issued an official recall for two of its model offerings - the
2021 Honda City Hybrid
 and the
2022 Honda Civic
.

A total of 702 units have been identified due to two particular issues that are needed to be resolved as a precautionary safety measure. This involves 630 units of the 2021 Honda City Hybrid and 72 units of the 2022 Honda Civic.

Inactive ADAS front camera

The first recall issue pertains to the
Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) camera
 that is fitted on the front windscreen. It has been identified that the cars involved in the recall may have their ADAS camera not functioning properly.

If this is the case, it may cause the ADAS to be inactive while driving. This particular issue has been detected in a total of 630 units of the Honda City Hybrid 2021 year model.

Incomplete welding for driver seat slide adjuster

The second issue posted by Honda Malaysia's official recall revolves around the issue of an incomplete welding point for the driver seat's slide adjuster.

If left unfixed, it may cause the seat to not be in a fixed position while driving and may compromise the driver's seatbelt protection. In this particular case, a total of 72 units of the Honda Civic 2022 year model have been identified.

Free of charge for inspection, repair & replacement

Honda Malaysia will inform all affected customers via notification letters and advise them to book an appointment with any of its authorised dealers upon receiving the letter.

All matters related to the inspection repair, and replacement in this particular recall activity will be free of charge.


Why Don’t We Get Models like the Toyota Corolla Apex Edition?

Toyota has introduced the limited edition 2021 Corolla Apex Edition, but will it be coming here?

Limited to only 6,000 units for the United States, the Corolla Apex Edition comes with a unique blacked out bodykit, fog lamp covers, side mouldings, an optional spoiler, and contrasting bronze trim.

Further adding to the whole package are black mirror caps, a sporty exhaust system with a 3.5-inch stainless steel tip, as well as smoked taillights.

Offered in three colour options - Cement, Super White and Black Sand Pearl, the Corolla Apex Edition also features coil springs that lower the car by 15 mm, stabiliser bars, as well as 18-inch aluminium wheels.

Inside, key features include premium black fabric upholstery, heated front seats, as well as an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar support.

Power is supplied by the same 2.0 litre four-cylinder Dynamic Force engine as the other variants, making 169 hp and 205 Nm of torque. Paired to the mill is a choice of Dynamic-Shift CVT or a six-speed Intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT).

Meanwhile, all we have in Malaysia is two “uncle-spec” 1.8-litre variants priced at RM124k and RM134k without SST. While there is nothing wrong with what we get, it would be nice to see some sporty and special models arriving here since the Corolla nameplate has such a strong presence and following in Malaysia which begs the question, why do we never get something special like the Corolla Apex Edition?

Is it a question of cost? Is it a question of demand?

Well, it is a bit of both actually, as unique models such as these are usually a result of initiatives taken by the brand only for a particular market where the car is doing very well, or if it has a very high demand.

Besides that, there is also the question of how much it would cost to produce a special model like the ones we see here, which would dictate how much the model will be sold for. So, with the additional accessories, if the selling price of the car is too high, nobody would buy it, which is often the case in very price-driven markets like Malaysia.


Only 274 EVs Were Sold in 2021, Figures Will Change Substantially in 2022

Only 274 EVs were sold in Malaysia in 2021. Figures will be substantially different in 2022, especially given the EV tax exemptions.

Ever since the government announced that they wanted to implement
duty-free incentives for electric vehicles
 in the 2022 Budget, it seems EVs are on many minds and lips, especially at the prospect of them being more affordable.

With this in mind, it is definitely likely that EV sales will surpass the 274 electric vehicles sold (MAA members, not including grey market imports) in 2021.

According to MAA President, Datuk Aishah Ahmad, who revealed the figures during their 2021 annual review, the EV incentives will help drive sales.

"The introduction of new models including electric vehicles (EVs) at more competitive prices will help maintain buying interest. Even aggressive promotional campaigns by MAA members will also drive sales and regain market share this year," she said as reported by BHOnline.

Aishah also said that the government's move to introduce import duty and excise duty exemptions for EVs is expected to drive consumption and attract more market participants to invest in Malaysia.

"This incentive encourages global and
local participants
 to inject investment in Malaysia. We have received inquiries on this matter. In fact, MAA expects more EVs to be produced in Malaysia," she said.

However, Aishah commented that the incentives for CBU EVs of two years are a bit short, so MAA will try to request an extension from the government.

"I've been told that the government is serious about making EVs viable in Malaysia, so we hope we can work hand in hand with them to help this cause".

For those of you who are interested in EVs, here is the current list of
EVs sold
 in Malaysia.

1.
Hyundai Kona Electric

Price:

Kona e-lite - RM149,888

Kona e-plus - RM169,888

Kona e-max - RM199,888

Power: 136PS/395Nm - 204PS/395Nm

Range: 305 - 484km

0-100km/h: 7.9sec - 9.9sec

2.
Nissan Leaf

Price: RM181,263

Power: 150 PS/320Nm

Range: 311km

0-100km/h: 7.9secs

3.
MINI Cooper SE

Price: RM 178,241

Power: 186PS/270Nm

Range: 232km

0-100km/h: 7.3secs

4.
Tesla Model 3

Price: From RM270k?

Power: N/A

Range: 448 - 567km

0-100km/h: 3.3 secs - 5.6secs

5.
BMW iX3

Price: From 317k

Power: 288PS/400Nm

Range: 453km

0-100km/h: 6.8 secs

6.
BMW iX

Price:

iX40 - RM361,430

iX40 Sport - RM407,430

Power: 328PS/630Nm

Range: 425km

0-100km/h: 6.1 secs

7.
Porsche Taycan

Price:

Taycan - RM508,000

Taycan 4 Cross Turismo - RM555,000

Taycan 4S - RM595,000

Taycan 4S Cross Turismo - RM617,000

Taycan GTS - RM708,000

Taycan Turbo - RM793,000

Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo - RM798,000

Taycan Turbo S - RM934,000

Power: From 326PS/357Nm - 761PS/1,050Nm

Range: From 340km - 416km

0-100km/h: 2.8 secs - 5.4 secs

These are the current EVs that you can buy in Malaysia, but if you hold on a bit longer, there are a few more that will be
joining them later this year
.

8.
Volvo XC40 Recharge P8
 (Tentatively - Q1 2022)

Price : TBA

Power: 408PS/660Nm

Range: 418km

0-100km/h: 4.9 secs

9.
Kia EV6
 (Tentatively - Q3/Q4 2022)

Price : TBA

Power: 229PS/350Nm - 585PS/740Nm

Range: up to 530km

0-100km/h: 3.5 secs - 5.1 secs

10.
Mazda MX-30
 (Tentatively - Q3 2022)

Price : TBA

Power: 143PS/264Nm

Range: 210km

0-100km/h: 9.7 secs

11.
Peugeot e-2008
 (Tentatively - Q4 2022)

Price: TBA

Power:  133PS/260Nm

Range: 345km

0-100km/h: 9.4 secs

12.
Ora Goodcat
 (Tentatively - Q2 2022)

Price: TBA

Power:  143PS/210Nm

Range: 401- 500km

0-100km/h: 7.6 secs

By the end of 2022, there could possibly be more EVs joining this list, but as a starter, these electric vehicles above should give Malaysians plenty of variety if they wish to start their electric mobility journey.


Mercedes-Benz Tops Malaysian Luxury Car Segment In 2019

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia today announced that the company closed 2019 with a total of 10,020 cars sold, capturing a 1.8 per cent market share in the country while also topping the luxury car segment.

MBM President and CEO, Dr Claus Weidner said, “2019 was a year where we placed great emphasis on expanding our product offensive with innovative technology and emotional design, catering to the needs of our customers. We also celebrated the 15th year anniversary of local production excellence noting the 100,000th vehicle roll out milestone and the commencement of Philippines export initiatives. Through a solid leadership and vision, we reaffirmed our commitment to the Malaysian market and our customers in delivering the Best Product and Best Customer Experiences.”

Key launches that took place last year includes the E-Class with the debut of the E 350 AMG Line, E 200 SPORTSTYLE Avantgarde and the E 300 Exclusive Line, the A-Class sedan with models A200 and A250, the latest GLC and GLE SUV models, the Mercedes-AMG A35, the Mercedes-AMG GT R and GT C, the new GLC 200, 300 and 300 Coupe SUV models.

The year also witnessed the launch of a trio of AMG cars - the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4MATIC+, Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Coupé, and the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S. Last but not least, the company also presented its first ever S-Class Plug-in Hybrid, the S560e.

The Mercedes-Benz EQ brand experience also featured the highly-anticipated Southeast Asian premiere of the all-electric EQC.

Besides that, local production too witnessed new milestones and initiatives in 2019. The Philippines export initiative marked a new chapter with the Mercedes-Benz C 180 left-hand drive assuming the first stage of export, signifying the start of similar initiatives within the SEA region.

MBM’s Pekan Plant production efficiency and expertise also contributed to the 100,000th vehicle roll out in 2019. The CKD production line-up stands at 13 variants from five model lines; C-Class, E-Class and S-Class sedans, GLC and GLC Coupe SUVs, as well as two Mercedes-AMG models, the C 43 and the GLC 43.

On another note, the financial arm of MBM recorded new contracts worth over RM 1 billion and introduced new financing and insurance solutions such as Mobility Plus, the first-of-its-kind car replacement program in Malaysia’s auto financing industry along with Lease@Ease, an all-in-one lease payment plan with value added services such as Tyre & Rims and Comprehensive Insurance with Service and Maintenance.

Efforts in demonstrating impeccable after-sales service led to a record-breaking throughput of 165,299 vehicles, an 11% increase over the 148,800 units managed in 2018. Customer experience enhancements in the year included the introduction of Express Service 2.0 and online appointment bookings.

On its outlook for the year ahead, Dr Weidner said, “2020 will be a memorable, exciting year for Mercedes-Benz with refreshing innovations and new products to elevate the customer experience.”


Nak Berlumba? Dapatkan Restu MAM – Kelab Sukan Permotoran

Penganjur sukan permotoran dinasihatkan berunding dengan
 Persatuan Permotoran Malaysia (MAM)
 sebelum menganjurkan apa-apa perlumbaan bagi memastikan lokasi perlumbaan itu menepati piawaian keselamatan minimum.

Tujuh kelab sukan permotoran diiktiraf oleh MAM berkata pematuhan kepada peraturan keselamatan yang digubal oleh MAM boleh mengelakkan insiden kemalangan maut seperti pada
Perlumbaan Battle of King (BOTK) 2022
di
Litar Perlumbaan Terengganu, Gong Badak
, Sabtu lalu.

Dapatkan Kelulusan MAM

Menurut kelab-kelab tersebut, insiden itu mungkin kurang membawa bencana sekiranya perlumbaan itu dijalankan mengikut peraturan keselamatan yang ditetapkan oleh MAM.

Tambah mereka, walaupun tiada prosedur operasi standard (SOP) rasmi untuk memohon permit daripada MAM, Permit Acara MAM adalah dokumen utama sebelum Pesuruhjaya Sukan mengeluarkan permit kelulusan.

Hanya dengan dua permit ini, polis serta Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan (PBT) akan memberi kelulusan kepada kelab dan penganjur yang diiktiraf MAM.

Penganjur Dan Pengendali Litar Perlu Bekerjasama

Bagi memastikan litar selamat untuk perlumbaan, tujuh kelab yang terdiri daripada Kelab Sukan Bermotor MSF, Integrasi, Mines, Pocket Bike Association of Malaysia, Millennium Motorsports & Adventure Club, BRAAAP and Kelab Sukan Bermotor Maju turut menyarankan supaya penganjur dan pengendali litar saling bekerjasama.

Kerjasama ini boleh membawa kepada perancangan yang lebih teliti dari segi:

Bilangan anggota keselamatan

Bilangan anggoota perubatan

Kenderaan kecemasan

Peralatan keselamatan pemandu

Saringan keselamatan sebelum perlumbaan


Toyota Hilux Facelift Announced, Adds Rocco Variant

A facelifted version of the current-generation Toyota Hilux has just been introduced in Thailand. Known as the Hilux Revo in the Thai market, the facelift also coincides with the introduction of a new Rocco variant.
Visually, the updated Toyota Hilux gets a new Toyota Tundra-inspired front grille with horizontal black strips and a large chrome surround. The front bumper has also been updated with a new lower air intake and front fog light surrounds. The Hilux’s rear end appears to be identical to the outgoing model.
However, the facelift applies to the Hilux Revo Smart Cab and Double Cab. The Toyota Hilux Revo Standard Cab will retain the existing exterior.
Powertrain remains identical for the new Hilux Revo. Three engines are offered in the Thai market, including a 2.7-litre petrol that does 166 hp and 245 Nm, a 2.4-litre turbodiesel with 147 hp and 343 Nm. Toyota also offers a 2.8-litre that outputs 174 hp and 420 Nm. Depending on variant, the engines can be had with a five- or six-speed manual or six-speed automatic.
Inside, the facelifted Toyota Hilux Revo gets a new meter cluster with blue backlit fonts, blue backlit for the digital air-conditioning controls, new stitching for the leather steering wheel.
As for the range-topping Hilux Revo Rocco, this model is powered by a 2.8-litre 1GD-FTV turbodiesel engine that does 174 hp and 420 Nm. The sole transmission choice is a six-speed manual, though buyers can opt to have their Revo Rocco in 4x2 or 4x2 formats.
Toyota has also given the Hilux Revo Rocco a slightly more aggressive exterior, starting with the blacked-out front grille, front fog light surrounds, bottom front bumper trim, side fenders, side mirrors, door handles, rear bumper and sports bar. Additionally, the Hilux Revo Rocco can be identified by its Rocco body decals on the rear side of the truck.
Moving into the interior of the Hilux Revo Rocco, this model gets a unique meter cluster design with white backlight, leather steering wheel, and dark metallic trim on the dashboard, gear lever and air vents. On top of that, the Hilux Revo Rocco also gets a smart key system.
The new model is expected to be shown at the upcoming Thai Motor Expo.


Fuel Price Update: 31 August - 6 Sept – Petrol Up 1 Sen, Diesel Up 3 Sen

The latest price for petrol and diesel has been announced, coming into effect tomorrow.
According to the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives, and Consumerism (KPDNKK), new prices (per litre) are listed below:
RON95 - RM2.16 (up 1 sen)
RON97 - RM2.44 (up 1 sen)
Diesel - RM2.04 (up 3 sen)


Govt To Launch Third National Car In 2020

A report by Bernama has indicated that the new government is set to launch the much-criticized third national car project by 2020, as envisioned by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Image from Bernama
Entrepreneur Development Minister Mohd Redzuan Yusof said the current government believed the move could revitalize the national automotive industry.
“We will attempt to revive and grow the industry due to its tremendous potential. Besides, auto component manufacturing is also one of the sectors that drives small and medium enterprises (SMEs),” he told reporters on the sidelines of the TOC Automotive College Convocation Ceremony here, on Saturday.
“In the past, we tried to grow the automotive industry by creating our own car, but obviously, we need to work on the timeline.
“This had put a lot of challenges that we see today where Proton has been compromised,” he said.
Hence, Mohd Redzuan said the government will refine and improve from “what and where" had gone "wrong” (in Proton).
Back in June, during the Prime Minister’s business trip to Japan, the premier reiterated his intention to start another Proton, which has since been sold to China’s Geely during his predecessor Najib Abdul Razak’s administration. At the time of writing, we hope that
this idea focusses more on the new technology of electric vehicles
 and self-driving rather traditional car ownership.
With Malaysia’s stagnated growth in new vehicle sales, to the tune of an average of 600,000 units annually, there is not much room for a new national car company to form a sustainable and viable business.
MAA President Datuk Aishah Ahmad also said the automotive industry has over 500 vendors to cater to the
half a million locally assembled cars here annually
.
The premier has also mentioned of
 plans to introduce discriminatory trade measures
 to curb sales of foreign brands in the upcoming new National Automotive Policy (NAP) to protect national brands, particularly Proton.
Mohd Redzuan said the government could also be the facilitator for automotive graduates to undergo job training in Japan.
“We are more than happy to facilitate and we have automotive counterparts in Japan who are willing to accept our graduates for job training there,” he said, adding that the move could help the local automotive industry thrive and become more resilient, especially in the car component manufacturing sector.
The automotive sector contributed four per cent to the country’s gross domestic product in 2017.


BMW Announces New 3 Series Special Edition Models For Europe

BMW has unveiled three new special editions of the European market 3 Series, alongside the
updated 1 Series
 and 2 Series.
Similar to the 1 Series, BMW is offering the 3 Series with three new editions, namely Edition Sport Line Shadow, Edition Luxury Line Purity and the Edition M Sport Shadow.
First up is the BMW 3 Series Edition Sport Line Shadow. Here, this variant receives blackened headlight assemblies and tail light set. The signature BMW kidney grille and inserts of the lower air duct is also black in colour. Towards the rear end, the muffler tips are finished in chrome black. Completing the exterior is a set of 18-inch alloy wheels with double spoke design finished in Jet Black.
The interior of the 3 Series Edition Sport Line Shadow sees the inclusion of a new contrasting seam, instrument panel with upgraded features and a new sports steering wheel. The sports seats feature a combination of leather and fabric. The Dark Aluminium Carbon with Pearl Gloss Chrome interior trim completes the interior.
Then there's the BMW 3 Series Edition Luxury Line Purity, identified by its satin-finished aluminium side window, air duct inserts and surrounds of the BMW kidney grille. The rear bumper cover and muffler tips are also finished in the same satin aluminium. As standard, the 3 Series Edition Luxury Line Purity comes with 17-inch light alloy wheels, also in the same satin-finished aluminium. Optionally, customers can go for the 19-inch light alloy wheels.
Inside, leather trim in a new shade of Cognag is available as an option. The interior trim strips in Fineline Light wood with accentuating strips of Pearl Gloss Chrome is offered for the first time on the 3 Series. On top of that, the sports steering wheel now comes in a high-quality version, with the dashboard featuring contrasting stitching and an updated instrument panel with additional display features.
Last but not least is the BMW 3 Series Edition M Sport Shadow. Here, the Edition M Sport Shadow gets blacked out headlights with dark tail light inserts, a black BMW kidney grille and muffler tips. There are also LED fog lights and black inserts for the lower air intake. 19-inch M light alloy wheels finished in Orbit Grey can be had as an option.

The cabin is adorned by sports seats in black leather with blue contrasting stitches, interior trim strips in Dark Aluminium Carbon with accent strips in Pearl Gloss Chrome as well as the new instrument cluster. On top of that, the Edition M Sport Shadow gets M sports suspension, M aerodynamics package, 18-inch M alloy wheels, M leather-wrapped sports steering wheel, M door sills and Driving Experience Control with SPORT+ mode.
BMW has also said that the regular 3 Series models will also receive LED fog lamps as standard equipment. Sunset Orange is a new colour that will be available on the 3 Series. For Sport Line, Luxury Line and M Sport variants, the dashboard will see the inclusion of a new distinctive contrasting seam. Optionally, customers can opt for Cognac leather, more interior trim strips and various alloy wheels, with sizes ranging from 17- to 19-inch.
The BMW iDrive operating system in the new 3 Series is complemented by a Control Display with touchscreen feature. For the standard Radio Professional and optional navigation system, the menu has been reworked to feature a new tile structure with animated graphics in live mode. Both the 3 Series Sedan and 3 Series Touring can be had with a new fully-digital TFT colour display, featuring individually selectable contents and graphic representation that can be selected via the Driving Experience Control switch.


The Peugeot 3008 Is The Most Produced Car In France in 2018

Approximately 258,460 units of the
Peugeot 3008
 SUV rolled out the doors of PSA Group’s Sochaux plant last year, making it the most produced car in France in 2018.
The Peugeot 3008 edged out the second place Toyota Yaris at 248,541 units. Some 1,000 units of the 3008 are produced every day, seven days a week, at the Sochaux plant, which has manufactured over 23 million cars in its history.
The second-generation 3008 is based on Peugeot’s Efficient Modular Platform (EMP2) underpinnings, also shared with the 308 hatch and 408 sedan models.
Locally, the Peugeot 3008 is available in two trim levels, starting at RM141,888 and is powered by a turbocharged 1.6-litre (THP) engine which produces 167 PS and 240 Nm of torque. The engine sends power to a 6-speed automatic that drives the front wheels. The locally supplied Peugeot 3008 SUV is fully-imported (CBU) from France.


Beijing 2016: Kia Cerato Facelift Launched In China

First previewed in Korea late last year, the new Kia Cerato, also known as the K3 and Forte in some markets, has just been launched in China at the on-going 2016 Beijing Auto Show.
Compared to the pre-facelift model (still on sale in Malaysia), the differences in the facelifted Cerato are minor but noticeable enough to set it apart from the outgoing model.
The front bumper, grille, headlamp and tail lamp have all been redesigned. At a glance, the new Cerato’s front-end now features a stronger resemblance to the Optima.
Inside, the infotainment system has been upgraded larger touch screen display, while the passenger side of the dashboard now features a different textured surfaced.
In China, the new Cerato is available with three powertrain options – a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre MPI paired to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic, and a turbocharged direct injection 1.4-litre T-GDI paired to a 7-speed dual clutch automatic.
The 1.6-litre naturally aspirated engine produces 128 PS at 6,300 rpm and 156 Nm at 4,850 rpm while the 1.4-litre T-GDI turbo produces 130 PS at 5,500 rpm. Not a lot of difference, but torque is significantly higher at 210 Nm from 1,400 rpm to 3,700 rpm.
The Korean market Cerato (K3) is equipped with either a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated, direct injection GDI engine, or a turbocharged 1.6-litre VGT engine.
Currently in Malaysia, the outgoing pre-facelift Cerato (below) is sold with either a 1.6-litre or a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission.
At the moment, the new Cerato is only available in left-hand drive form.


Volvo XC40 Ad – See If You Can Spot The Hidden Message

This is proof that Volvo doesn’t just make advertisements,
they tell stories
 - let’s see if you can spot the true hidden message behind its new advertisement of the XC40 SUV.
In this multi-layered and well-produced ad, Volvo takes a thinly veiled swipe at modern consumerism and materialism.
It focusses on how the media machine and capitalist businesses alike, thrive on herding the populous into chasing the latest, newest stuff without actually providing any real benefit to consumers.
The ad tagline “everything you need, nothing you don’t” denotes a deeper meaning of individuality, born of purpose and without the need to conform to popular convention. The cover of My Favourite Things by Jennie Abrahamson further delivers a sombre background to the video.
The backdrop of buzzing black delivery trucks rushing boxed goods that all look the same, is contrasted by the white XC40 travelling against the tide of traffic, charting its own course.
The clearest depiction of the social order of consumption comes at 1.38 min where doors open to a large studio selling limited amounts of black garments – what ensues is a stampede of eager customers fighting tooth-and-nail to purchase them.
To draw parallels between the fashion, technology, and the automotive industry, the ad classily implies at the manner of which car buyers tend to gravitate to the established brands, with products that are seemingly similar in execution, regardless of where they come from.
The
all-new XC40
, launched late last year, is that perfect break from the norm, which delivers on the premium of uniqueness and individuality at every level.


BMW Group Delivers 11,567 Vehicles in 2019

BMW Group Malaysia has rounded off a stellar year in 2019, having delivered a total of 11,567 vehicles across its BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad brands. The strong sales performance is underscored by the introduction of 32 new model variants, across its three brands, four of which were electrified vehicles.

BMW

The BMW brand saw 9,300 new owners in Malaysia last year. This was led by delivery of 2,514 units of the 3 Series, of which over 1,000 were the 330e M Sport. Another key contributor to BMW’s total deliveries in 2019 was the 5 Series which saw over 2,000 new deliveries.

The BMW’s X vehicles charted total deliveries of 3,985 units. The BMW X3 was the highest contributing model with a delivery of 1,354 units, followed closely by the BMW X1 with 1,331 deliveries in 2019. The previous-generation
(F15) X5 xDrive40e
 also contributed another 975 (or around 24 percent) of total deliveries in the BMW X Family, making it the third bestselling BMW X model in 2019, despite the introduction of the
G05 X5
 in May of 2019.

MINI

MINI delivered 1,142 vehicles last year, with the MINI Countryman contributing to more than half of the total deliveries with 685 units.

BMW Motorrad

BMW Motorrad delivered 1,125 motorcycles to new owners. The key contributor to its growth remains the Adventure segment which includes bikes such as the F900 XR and R1250 GS, garnering sales of over 600 units in 2019.

How will BMW fare in 2020? We wait and see.


Volkswagen Joins SOCAR With A Fleet of 50 Polos

Beyond ride sharing, which has taken off in ways we could never expect within South East Asia and the rest of the world, is the added step of personalized car sharing. For many people, especially those living in urban areas, owning a car is not necessary for the majority of a year. While ride-sharing will suffice most of the time, there are occasions when schedules are unpredictable or requirements are beyond what a ride-sharing system is capable of.
It's times like these that you need a car, but again the question is whether you need a car for the other 364 days in a year as well. That's where apps like SOCAR come into play, with their car-sharing (or car renting) systems. SOCAR launched in Kuala Lumpur just three months ago, and you may have seen their cars parked in basement parking lots around various high-end shopping malls.
SOCAR operates on a time-based charging system, with petrol and comprehenesive insurance provided as well. There are various pricing levels available depending on the car you select as well, (i.e. a Nissan Almera will not cost the same as a MINI Cooper hatch). Eager to hop onto this trend, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has provided SOCAR with 50 new Volkswagen Polo 1.6 MPI Hatchbacks, 21 of which have already been delivered.
The remaining 29 will be delivered in the middle of may. Pricing for the Polo for the month of May starts at RM 13.90 per hour, which is far cheaper than a couple of ride-sharing trips and with the added flexibility in time and direction. These cars will be wearing the SOCAR stickers just below the side windows.


2017 Jaguar F-Pace Awarded Two World COTY Awards

The Jaguar F-Pace had garnered two prestigious accolades, scooping up the 2017 World Car of Year and World Car Design of the Year titles. Jaguar’s premium SUV is only the second vehicle to claim the historic double win in the 13-year history of the World Car Awards.
Dr. Ralf Speth, Jaguar Land Rover CEO, adds,
"
The F-Pace was designed and engineered as a performance SUV with exceptional dynamics, everyday usability, and bold design. Winning this award endorses the talent and great work of our teams that have delivered the world’s most practical sports car and Jaguar's fastest-selling vehicle”.
The F-Pace saw off the competition in a vote of 75 influential motoring journalists from 24 countries. The awards brace is the first overall success for Jaguar at the World Car Awards, seeing off competition the likes of the
Audi Q5
 and
Volkswagen Tiguan
 to claim the 2017 Car of the Year prize.
In the 2017 World Car Design of the Year category, the F-Pace saw off the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabriolet and Toyota C-HR to bag this year’s award.
The Jaguar F-Pace was
launched locally
 in November 2016, and is available with a 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrol engine, producing 340PS. The engine is paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Two trim levels are on offer – the Prestige and R-Sport, starting from RM598,800.


Nissan Teases Mystery ‘Intelligent’ EV Ahead Of 2015 Tokyo Motor Show

Nissan
 would surely be trying to keep their toes curled while patiently waiting for the doors to swing open on the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show (just days away now) before they let spill at their announcements. Mystery is the watchword, and applies to their teasers too.
So secretive of their concept that they have barely included any words to accompany the only image that was released of it. We’re used to at least having a paragraph or two, vague as they may be.
But no, for this Nissan has only revealed one sentence: "
Nissan's future vision of car intelligence and electrification is coming to Tokyo Motor Show 2015."
Take away from that what you will, but for us this looks like it could preview the next-generation
Nissan Leaf
. The concept’s overall compact dimensions and overall silhouette do have traces of the electric car’s DNA.
If it is revealed as such, and subsequently reaches showrooms looking as striking as the very dark teaser image, the Leaf could do much better to capture the imaginations of new potential customers. The current Leaf, while technically impressive, is a rather bland if unusual-looking hatchback.
Fingers crossed.
The interesting bit of that one-sentenced caption from Nissan was the inclusion of the word “intelligence”. Could this future EV also be the debut of Nissan’s burgeoning autonomous technology or some other, more ‘intelligent’ means of propulsion?
Here's a first-generation Nissan Leaf, for your reference.


Honda HR-V and CR-V 2WD Prices Down RM1,100 - RM1,400; On Track to 100k Units

Honda has announced price reductions for two-wheel drive variants of both its HR-V and CR-V SUV models, to reflect the new excise duty due to re-classification under the new customs tariff code for two-wheel driven SUVs. The new On-The-Road (OTR) price with insurance of the
HR-V
 and CR-V are as follows:
HR-V 1.8L S - 101,100.00 (down RM1,100)
HR-V 1.8L E - 110,700.00 (down RM1,100)
HR-V 1.8L V - 121,000.00 (down RM1,200)
CR-V 2.0L 2WD i-VTEC - 141,500.00 (down RM1,400)
Separately, Honda has also announced that strong sales figures between January and April 2017 reveal that it is on track to achieve its sales target of 100,000 units in 2017 and maintain the top spot in the Non-National segment and second overall in Total Industry Volume (TIV) this year.
As of April 2017, Honda Malaysia has achieved 35% of its sales target with more than 34,500 vehicles sold, despite the challenging market conditions. In terms of market share, Honda contributed 19.4% to the TIV as of March 2017 which was 5.1 percent higher compared to the same period last year.
The strong 2017 performance comes on the back of two very important model launches, namely the
Honda BR-V
 and facelifted
Honda City
. Honda’s BR-V sold more than 7,800 units and contributed 23% of the current overall sales. The City, which was launched in March, also contributed 23% of the overall sales, in terms of numbers, it tops the B-Segment segment with more than 7,200 bookings since its launch.
The
10th Generation Civic
 has been holding on to the top spot in the C-segment and has sold more than 15,700 units since its launch in June 2016. The Civic has been a game-changer for the segment – selling an average of 840-units per month. Prior to which, turbocharged C-Segment models (such as the
Ford Focus 1.5L Ecoboost
) only accounted for sales of between 50 and 200 units per month.
Honda Malaysia have also assured that during this upcoming Raya festive period, the waiting period for all Honda models is currently at 1 to 2 months. Further measures have been taken to adjust production, on its two independent assembly lines, according to demand and to ensure quality is not jeopardized.
For customers planning to purchase a Honda vehicle soon, Honda is running a month-long festive campaign running from 1st to 31st May 2017 offering customers cash rebates, petrol cards, and 2 years of Free Service (Parts & Labour) - customers can alternatively opt to forego the petrol card and free service for cash.
Honda showrooms nationwide will also be hosting the Honda Nationwide Showroom event happening on 13 May from 10am to 4pm in conjunction with Mother's Day. Test drive gifts and lucky draws will be given out. Alternatively, Honda's range of vehicles can also be test driven alongside their competitors at the
Carlist.my MAA Drive, Test & Buy
 event happening at Setia City Convention Centre on 13-14 May, the same weekend.


Goods Driving License (GDL) Compulsory Soon For P-Hailing Riders

P-hailing riders
 involved in the food and parcel deliveries might have to apply for a
Goods Driving Licence (GDL)
 soon.

This bit of news was stated by the country's transport minister,
Dr Wee Ka Siong
, during his meeting with the e-hailing and p-hailing reps earlier this week.

*Image credit: Hari Anggara

Better regulation for p-hailing services

The next Parliament meeting will see three legislations to be amended, which are the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333), Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board Act 1987 [Act 334], and Land Public Transport Act 2010 [Act 715].

Once the amendments are done, only then will the GDL licence requirement for p-hailing riders be enforced. Dr Wee also added that the requirement might be viewed as a burden for food and delivery riders, but it'll offer better monitoring for the Ministry of Transport in the future.

*Image credit: SoyaCincau

Protection & insurance for riders

Apart from making sure that the p-hailing sector remains competitive, the implementation of the GDL licence is to ensure better welfare and insurance protection for the riders and drivers involved.

This, however, might slow down the recruitment of new riders as it involves some extra steps like training, inspection, insurance coverage, document submission, and more. On the other hand, some form of regulation should in theory be good to ensure better overall safety.

Right now, the minimum age to apply for a GDL licence is 21 years old. One of the amendments that will be proposed in the next Parliament meeting is to lower the eligibility age from 21 to 18 years old, targeted towards the youths within the p-hailing sector.


SST Is Back: 2022 Proton X70 Prices Go Up By As Much As RM7,000

As we slide into the second half of 2022, the car-buying public has been met with somber news as the SST exemptions have been lifted across the board.
National automakers
 such as Proton, whose customers rely on sharp pricing, have been hit hardest.

With the Finance Ministry refusing to budge on further extending the SST exemptions past the 2-year period (first introduced in June 2020
as part of the PEMERKASA+ initiative
), automakers are scrambling to update their pricing to reflect the return of SST into their cost breakdowns.

2022 Proton Prices With SST

Proton, for their part, has not yet given us updated pricing for all the models in their line-up but has done so for roughly 50% of it: that is
the X70, Exora, and Saga
. Once the full updated price list has been refreshed, we will update this article accordingly.

Model

Variant

New 2022 Price (WIth SST)

Price With SST Exemption (Before July 1st)

Price Increase

Saga

1.3 Standard (MT)

RM 34,800

RM 34,400

RM 400

1.3 Standard (AT)

RM 38,800

RM 38,300

RM 500

1.3 Premium (AT)

RM 41,800

RM 41,300

RM 500

1.3 Premium S (AT)

RM 44,800

RM 44,300

RM 500

Starting with the Saga, the brand’s most longstanding nameplate and a car that had been given a facelift and equipment bump back in May (
called the MC2
), prices have been increased by as much as RM500 for every variant except the baseline 1.3 Standard with a manual transmission:

Secondly, with two remaining variants of the Exora, before its rumoured replacement model comes to the fore, we see a larger price increase of RM2,500 and RM2,000 for the 1.6 Executive and 1.6 Premium, respectively.

Model

Variant

New 2022 Price (WIth SST)

Price With SST Exemption (Before July 1st)

Price Increase

Exora

1.6 Executive

RM 59,800

RM 57,300

RM 2,500

1.6 Premium

RM 66,800

RM 64,800

RM 2,000

Moving on to
the 2022 model year X70
, which had also been given a cosmetic refresh and a mostly-new engine transplant from the X50 Flagship and its 1.5-litre TGDI 3-cylinder turbo-petrol, we see as much as RM7,000 being added to its new on-the-road pricing. Ironically, this is for the range-topping variant that’s solely equipped with the older but more powerful 1.8-litre turbo engine.

Model

Variant

New 2022 Price (WIth SST)

Price With SST Exemption (Before July 1st)

Price Increase

X70

1.5 TGDI Standard 2WD

RM 98,800

RM 93,900

RM 4,900

1.5 TGDI Executive 2WD

RM 110,800

RM 105,500

RM 5,300

1.5 TGDI Executive AWD

RM 116,800

RM 111,300

RM 5,500

1.5 TGDI Premium 2WD

RM 123,800

RM 117,900

RM 5,900

1.8 TGDI Premium 2WD

RM 128,800

RM 121,800

RM 7,000

As mentioned, Proton has yet to reveal prices for the remaining 3 models in their line-up, namely the Persona, Iriz, and X50 (their runner-up best-seller). This is odd given that we're multiple days into July 2022. However, we will keep you posted and this article updated with the newest information as it comes in. Stay tuned!


Campur Minyak RON 95, RON97 dan RON100 – Boleh ke? Enjin Tak Meletup?

Bagi anda yang baru sahaja memiliki kenderaan dan masih mentah dalam hal-hal
penggunaan serta penjagaan kereta
, tak perlu segan untuk bertanya. Malu bertanya sesat jalan. Seeloknya, khatam dahulu buku panduan yang dibekalkan oleh pengeluar kereta terlebih dahulu kerana segalanya ada dijelaskan di dalam buku tersebut. Kalau tak ingat buku panduan tu letak kat mana, boleh cari online sahaja sekarang. Tapi kalau malas juga nak baca, jangan risau sebab kami di sini akan berkongsi beberapa persoalan serta mitos popular mengenai perbezaan minyak RON95, RON97 dan RON100.

Apa-apa pun, fahamkan dahulu apa maksud sebenar RON kerana ianya bukanlah nama pemilik minyak tersebut mahupun nama pendek bagi pelakon negara, Namron. RON merupakan singkatan bagi Research Octane Number. Nombor RON tersebut mewakili nilai ‘knock resistance’ atau ketahanan serta keupayaan petrol daripada terbakar sendiri (pre-ignition) dalam enjin sebelum nyalaan palam pencucuh bermula.

Knocking

Peledakan awal atau pramatang tersebut dipanggil sebagai ‘knocking’ di mana petrol akan terbakar tanpa bantuan spark plug. Suhu serta tekanan tinggi pada enjin berupaya menyebabkan pra-penyalaan terjadi. Semakin tinggi kuasa enjin anda, semakin tinggi tekanan serta suhu pada enjin. Jadi, enjin berkuasa tinggi lebih memerlukan minyak yang mempunyai nilai RON yang lebih tinggi untuk lebih tahan dengan suhu serta tekanan yang dihasilkan oleh enjin bagi mengelakkan ‘knocking’.

Nilai RON tinggi lebih kuasa?

Ada yang merasakan bahawa nilai RON yang lebih tinggi pada petrol
memberikan lebih kuasa
 kepada kereta mereka. Sebenarnya, satu liter minyak RON95, RON97 dan RON 100 mempunyai nilai tenaga yang sama. Bezanya cumalah tahap ketahanannya sahaja. Semakin tinggi nilai RON minyak, semakin sukar untuk minyak tersebut daripada terbakar. Dalam suhu dan tekanan yang tinggi, minyak ini tidak akan terbakar dengan mudahnya melainkan apabila menerima percikan daripada spark plug sahaja.

Sekiranya anda mengharapkan minyak RON97 akan memberikan lebih kuasa pada enjin anda, anda mungkin tersilap (ianya juga bergantung pada bahan aditif di dalam minyak itu sendiri, kita dah cover pada bahagian seterusnya artikel ini). Ianya hanyalah petrol yang berfungsi sebagai bahan api kereta anda, bukannya NOS. Ianya tidak akan meningkatkan prestasi
Proton Saga
 anda menjadi sebuah
Mercedes-Benz
. Sebaliknya, hanya nilai ketahanannya sahaja berbeza. Untuk kereta keluaran tempatan seperti
Proton dan Perodua
, minyak RON95 sudah mencukupi.

Boleh ke campur minyak RON95, RON97 dan RON100?

Kalau anda nak jawapan pendek, jawapannya boleh dan tiada masalah. Asalkan ianya bukanlah minyak diesel, minyak hitam, minyak masak ataupun minyak belacak. Jika kereta anda boleh menerima RON95 ke atas, tiada masalah untuk anda selain daripada harganya yang berbeza mengikut RON. Semakin tinggi nilai RON, semakin mahal harganya.

Namun bagi kenderaan yang disarankan untuk menggunakan RON97 dan ke atas oleh pengeluar, anda dinasihatkan untuk terus menggunakan minyak RON97. Tetapi, tiada masalah sekiranya anda tercampur minyak RON95 di dalam tangki minyak bersama minyak RON97 kerana enjin anda tidak akan meletup. Tapi anda disarankan jangan buat selalu kerana enjin anda lebih berisiko untuk berdepan isu ‘knocking’ kerana anda menggunakan RON yang lebih rendah daripada spesifikasi yang ditetapkan dan ia mungkin tidak sesuai dengan tekanan yang diberikan oleh enjin anda.

Minyak RON tinggi lebih jimat?

Sekiranya anda membawa muatan berat dengan gaya pemanduan agresif ketika cuaca panas, anda mungkin dapat melihat bahawa minyak RON tinggi berfungsi lebih baik pada enjin yang menerima tekanan tinggi. Minyak seperti RON97 dan RON100 lebih sesuai untuk kereta yang mempunyai enjin berprestasi tinggi. Namun ada juga yang melaporkan bahawa penggunaan minyak yang mempunyai nilai RON yang tinggi lebih memberikan penjimatan pada penggunaan bahan api.

Penggunaan bahan api kenderaan bergantung pada gaya pemanduan pemandu, trafik dan berat pemandu sendiri. Meskipun penggunaan minyak RON rendah berbanding spesifikasi yang ditetapkan mungkin akan mendatangkan musibah pada enjin pada tekanan tinggi seperti ‘knocking’, penggunaan minyak RON tinggi juga tidak semestinya memberikan lebihan kuasa atau penjimatan pada enjin biasa kereta anda.

Boleh ke campur minyak pelbagai jenama?

Kini, ada banyak minyak petrol yang dihasilkan melalui formulasi yang berbeza. Sebagai contoh, Petronas menawarkan petrol dengan campuran aditif tambahan seperti detergen yang berfungsi membersihkan enjin anda. Minyak Petron pula telah disahkan menepati klasifikasi Euro 4M dimana minyak ini mempunyai kadar sulfur yang rendah dan mendorong kepada pengurangan pencemaran alam sekitar. Caltex pula memberi jaminan enjin kekal bersih dari enapan karbon setiap kali digunakan manakala Shell V Power Racing yang dicampurkan dengan aditif dikatakan berkesan bagi melancarkan proses pembakaran.

Memang benar bahan aditif dalam petrol dikatakan mampu menambahkan prestasi enjin. Kebanyakan jenama minyak kini menawarkan aditif dalam minyak yang membantu meningkatkan kepekatan dengan julat suhu dan mampu mengalir dengan lebih lancar ke dalam enjin. Selain itu, ada juga aditif yang memberikan sifat detergen yang melindungi enjin daripada enapan. Ada juga aditif yang bertindak melindungi enjin daripada kehakisan dan karat. Semua bahan-bahan aditif tersebut mampu memberikan lebih kelancaran dan penjimatan pada enjin kereta anda.

Meskipun dihasilkan dengan formulasi berbeza mengikut jenama, itu tidak akan memberikan sebarang kesan yang ketara pada kereta anda kecuali sekiranya anda menggunakan minyak RON95 pada kenderaan yang memerlukan minyak RON97 atau ke atas.

Kesimpulan

Kesimpulannya, pastikan anda mengetahui jenis minyak yang diperlukan oleh kereta anda. Penggunaan minyak RON97 dalam enjin yang biasa tidak akan menambah kuasa enjin tersebut kerana RON95 dan RON97 ini mengandungi kandungan hidrokarbon yang sama. Tetapi, sekiranya anda menggunakan minyak RON95 dalam enjin prestasi tinggi, ia akan menyebabkan enjin mengalami masalah pengurangan kuasa dan kecekapan disebabkan masalah 'knocking' yang terjadi. Dalam bahasa mudah, bagi mereka yang mengamalkan pemanduan santai, RON95 sudah mencukupi dan RON97 ke atas lebih sesuai untuk pemanduan agresif serta RPM yang tinggi. Rujuk buku panduan kereta anda untuk info yang lebih tepat.

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

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

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

Get the latest new car promotions at
New Car
 website now.


Ford Unveils The Mustang Mach-E All-Electric SUV

Ford has expanded the Mustang family with the Mustang Mach-E, an all-new, all-electric SUV inspired by the Mustang.

When it arrives in late 2020, the Mustang Mach-E will be available with standard (75.7 kWh) and extended-range (98.8 kWh) battery options with either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive configurations that are powered by permanent magnet motors, with a targeted range of at least 482 km.

In extended-range all-wheel-drive configurations, the Mach-E puts out 332 hp and 565 Nm of torque, and sprints from 0 – 100 much quicker than the base Porsche Macan.

The battery, which is located on the floor between the vehicle’s two axles, is secured inside a waterproof battery case surrounded by crash-absorption protection. It is also liquid-cooled to optimize performance in extreme weather and to improve charging times.

Where charging is concerned, Ford offers a Ford Connected Charging station that can add an estimated average range of 51 km per charging hour on a 240V outlet, based on extended-range, rear-wheel-drive configuration.

The Ford mobile charger, which is included with the vehicle, can add an estimated average range of 35 km per charging hour on a 240V outlet.

Ford also will offer two special performance versions - The GT which is capable of doing the century sprint in in less than 4 seconds, and the GT Performance Edition which is targeting a comparable 0-100 km/h in the mid-3-second range.

According to Ford, both GT configurations will be making an estimated 459 hp and 830 Nm of torque.

A limited First Edition will also be available in extended-range all-wheel drive, with red painted brake calipers, metallic pedal covers, contrasting seat stitching and a scuff plate marked First Edition.

Also making its debut in the Mach-E is the next-generation SYNC infotainment system, which features a 15.5-inch screen with a simple interface which ditches complicated menus, making it easier to access features with touch, swipe and pinch controls that every smartphone owner will be comfortable using.

Using Ford’s new all-electric architecture that places batteries inside the underbody, Ford engineers and designers were able to create a vehicle that’s not only true to Mustang but also maximizes SUV space for five passengers and cargo.

Design wise, the Mustang Mach-E comes with signature Mustang elements such as its long, powerful hood, rear haunch design, aggressive headlights, and trademark tri-bar taillamps.

Inside, the Mustang Mach-E can fit five adults comfortably, with plenty of space for friends, kids and cargo, especially with features like the front trunk storage unit. Providing 135 litres of storage space, the front trunk is large enough to comfortably store the equivalent of a carryon luggage bag.

Inside, the Mach-E offers a fusion of sleek, modern design and smart functionality. Key features include Bang & Olufsen speakers, a floating flip-up armrest which doubles as a place to store purses or bags, a double-cowl instrument panel, as well as a panoramic fixed-glass roof.

Finally, getting in and starting the vehicle is easy and effortless with “Phone As A Key” technology, which makes its debut in the Ford brand lineup in Mustang Mach-E.

Using Bluetooth, the vehicle can detect customers’ smartphones as they approach, unlocking the Mach-E and allowing them to start driving without getting their phones out of their pockets or using a key fob.

Looking for a new Ford? Find the best deals
here
.


50 Years Of Merc-AMG: 43, 45, 63, 65 - What Do The Badges Mean?

Every luxury brand has its performance and motorsports arm, and so does Mercedes in the form of 50-year-old Mercedes-AMG. Independently incorporated in 1967 and brought into the fold as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler-AG in 2005, Mercedes-AMG has grown to become one of the most recognized performance marques in the automotive world.

Amongst rarefied company that includes BMW M and Audi Sport, Mercedes-AMG is unique in offering a model range that is unparalleled in its variety yet unwavering in its focus in its pursuit performance. It is also unique amongst its peers in developing its standalone models not based upon any mainstream Mercedes-Benz model.

Related Articles

Mercedes-Benz Mulling Introduction Of AMG 43 Models In Malaysia

Buying Guides

November 17, 2016

Mercedes-AMG: The 50-Year Journey From Barn To Podium

Insights

August 07, 2017

50 Years Merc-AMG: Ten Coolest Cars In AMG History

Insights

September 27, 2021

Audi Sport (
formerly quattro GmbH
) may boast of the
R8
, but after starting off with the SLS AMG in 2010, Mercedes-AMG will soon have
an entire family of models
 based upon the AMG GT, presently available only coupe and roaster format but set to be joined by a
four-door model in 2018
.

At the heart of every Mercedes-AMG car, they say, is its engine. In this special feature, we rundown Mercedes-AMG’s unrivalled portfolio of products on offer in Malaysia and the remarkable engines that power them. The diversity of products on offer means that there is an AMG vehicle to suit you at every stage of your life; the question, therefore, is which AMG model best suits your tastes now?

The AMG 45s – First Stop In a World of Performance

The AMG 45 family of cars derived from the MFA platform-based New Generation Compact Car range are designed to appeal to young and young-at-heart AMG fans.

A 2.0-litre turbocharged engine powers these cars; despite having only four cylinders, it is not short of AMG DNA. Like its V8 counterparts, the M133 engine is exclusively hand-built at Affalterbach, and its outputs of 381hp and 475Nm makes it the most powerful series production four-cylinder engine in the world – more powerful than many bigger capacity six-cylinder engines, in fact.

The AMG 45 range is available in three flavours – the sophisticated
Mercedes-AMG CLA 45
 four-door coupe and the stylish
Mercedes-AMG A45
 hatchback for the young high achievers, or the
Mercedes-AMG GLA 45
 crossover to add a dose of practicality to this already desirable formula of stylish performance. All AMG 45 models come standard with 4Matic all-wheel drive for superior traction.

The AMG 63s – No Compromise V8 Muscle

The 63 badge is rich in history. The number traces its roots to the 6.3-litre capacity of Mercedes-Benz’s first ever V8, the M100 that powered one of the company’s greatest cars of all-time, the legendary 600 limousine.

This connection to history was first revisited in 2006 when the 6,208cc M156 V8 was introduced in the W211 E63 AMG. Despite actually displacing 6.2 litres, Mercedes badged the car as a 6.3 as a nod to the old M100. Subsequent models that used the engine also went on to carry the “63” badge.

Currently, the “63” badge denotes all V8-powered Mercedes-AMG models except the AMG GT. There are currently two V8 engines in AMG’s fold – the 5.5-litre M157 and the 4.0-litre M178. Older of the two engines is the 5.5-litre M157, first introduced in 2011 as the M156’s direct replacement but gradually in turn being phased out for the newer downsized 4.0-litre M178. In its most potent tune, the M157 is rated with outputs up to 585hp and 900Nm.

The M178 is, in effect, a wet-sump lubricated version of the M177 engine that powers the AMG GT. In its most potent guise to date, the M178 is rated with outputs of 510hp and 700Nm in the
AMG C63S
, but that is set to raise substantially when Mercedes brings in the AMG E63S with 612hp and 850Nm on tap.

Whatever the engine, a “63” badge on the back of a Mercedes-AMG denotes raw unadulterated performance with no compromise. A Mercedes-AMG 63, regardless whether it’s a C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, or one of the SUVs, offers near-supercar performance alongside the sumptuous luxury of a Mercedes-Benz.

In Malaysia, the “63” badge currently finds itself affixed to the Mercedes-AMG C63S Sedan and Coupe, the
Mercedes-AMG G63
, and the Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe. Both the C63S Sedan and Coupe are powered by the 4.0-litre M178 engine, whilst the G63 and S63 Coupe feature the older 5.5-litre M157.

An eagerly anticipated new addition to the AMG 63 family in Malaysia will be the all-new W213 Mercedes-AMG E63 expected to arrive this year. Like the C63, the E63 will be powered by the M178 engine is expected to feature 4Matic all-wheel drive for enhanced all-weather traction – an absolute necessity in order to cope with its aggressive outputs.

The 65s – Dominant Road Presence

A symbol of rarefied performance, the 65 badge is reserved strictly for the upper echelons of the range, being available only in the S-Class, G Wagon, and SL roadster.

Whereas the 63 models are hard-hitting, no compromise machines, the 65 models exude a quiet confidence. Powering these cars is a 6.0-litre V12 that is capable of so much torque it has to be limited to 1,000Nm so as not to break its gearbox.

In Malaysia, the AMG 65 range features the Mercedes-AMG S65 Coupe and the Mercedes-AMG G65.

Coming Soon – The 43s: AMGs for Everyday Use

A new growing family in the Mercedes-AMG range are the AMG 43 series of models that are set
to be launched soon in Malaysia
 to coincide with local celebrations of Mercedes-AMG’s 50
th
 anniversary. A teaser image released on
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia's official
Facebook
 page
 confirms that there will be no fewer than
six new AMG models to be launched this Thursday, 11 May 2017
.

Whilst not explicitly confirmed as such, there is very little doubt that the teaser refers to the AMG 43 series models. It was stated that all six models being launched share the same engine, shown in the collage to bear the trademark red-striped engine cover that characterizes the 3.0-litre bi-turbo V6 engine that powers this family of models.

Offered in the C-Class, E-Class, GLC, GLE, and SLC model families, the AMG 43 models allow mainstream Mercedes-Benz owners to step up into AMG’s world of driving performance whilst retaining the cosseting luxury and easy-to-drive nature of a Mercedes-Benz.The full range of AMG 43 models available globally are as follows:

Mercedes-AMG C43 Sedan, Estate, Coupe, Cabriolet

Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 SUV, Coupe

Mercedes-AMG E43 Sedan, Estate

Mercedes-AMG GLE 43 SUV, Coupe

Mercedes-AMG SLC 43

Which six out of these eleven models will be launched in Malaysia? We shall find out on Thursday.

Except for the E43 Sedan and Estate models which get 401hp and 520Nm, all members of the AMG 43 models family have access to 367hp and 520Nm. Aside from the SLC 43, all models offer the added security of 4Matic all-wheel drive traction as standard. Mercedes-Benz's in-house 9G-Tronic automatic transmission is standard for all models in this family.

Outwardly, the AMG 43 models are typified by the same expressive design cues such as AMG badges, enlarged brake callipers, gaping air intakes, quad exhausts, and pronounced rear bumper diffusers to emphasize their performance briefs.

The dynamics of these cars are also promised to offer the same tingling sensation of a full-blooded AMG model, but with its delivery massaged to be more progressive and manageable. Suspension setups of the vehicles are also tuned with a greater emphasis for comfort.

Between the comforts of mainstream Mercedes-Benz vehicles and the guttural sportiness of the Mercedes-AMG 63 range, the Mercedes-AMG 43 family promises to offer a happy middle ground serving enhanced driving performance that is usable day to day.

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

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

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


Bookings open for Ford Mustang Mach-E in Australia, Malaysia next?

The all-electric
Ford Mustang Mach-E
 will be launched in Australia later this year, but they will be taking bookings beginning this week.

Those who are interested to get this electrified Mustang will need to go through an online portal set up by the Ford officials in the country. From there, they will be able to select the variant of choice (Premium or GT) prior to creating an online Ford Account and paying the $1,000 reservation fee.

No prices have been announced just yet by Ford Australia, but the Mustang Mach-E already has a figure for those living in New Zealand set from $75,000 (around RM333k). Quite a price tag to go against the likes of the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, just to name a few that are already here in Malaysia.

The right-hand-drive model allocation for Australia will start its production phase soon in the US, and looking at how rapid the expansion of EVs is here in Malaysia, it won't be long before the Ford Mustang Mach-E lands here in Malaysia as well.

That is, if
Sime Darby Auto ConneXion-Ford (SDAC-Ford)
, is interested in expanding its model offerings here in the country. Right now, they're currently selling the 2023 Ford Ranger range followed by the next-generation Ford Everest. And that's about it, but it's not really an issue considering how popular the Ranger pickup truck is judging by the number of units we see on the roads today.

Going back to the Ford Mustang Mach-E, the base model alone is fitted with a single electric motor that produces 198kw (around 265hp) and 430Nm of torque to the rear wheels. Paired to a71kWh battery pack, it is said that the Mustang Mach-E can travel up to 470km on a single charge.

In other news, there's already a unit of the Ford Mustang Mach-E here in Malaysia. To know more about the first Mustang Mach-E here in the country,
CLICK HERE
.


VIDEO: Youth Groups Rail Against Toll Hikes By Protesting Along Highways

Seems that not many are left satisfied with the
increased toll rates
, especially since the 17 or so highway concessionaires chose to implement the increase (some steeper than others) on the same day. Naturally, the transition was jarring, and the population shaken, particularly the nation’s youth.
Understandably, they will be some of most affected victims of the sudden toll rate hike, being of lower and/or fixed income but still dependent on the many highways to get around to their college classes, for example.
Youth groups PAS Pemuda and DAP Selangor Pemuda (DAPSY) brought 30 or so protestors to the DUKE and LDP highways to express their discontent. The video below shows the crowd taking up the left-most area of the Plaza Tol Petaling Jaya Selatan.
As The Oriental Daily writes, the group had listed out three requests:
Reveal the details of the contracts between the government and highway concessionaires concerning the nature and timeline of toll rate increases.
Invalidate this round of toll hikes
To have a policy of transparency concerning the mechanism by which toll hikes are revised and implemented.
The group can be seen focusing their pickets obtaining a clear explanation as to why these companies have been allowed to seemingly raise their prices on a whim. They are also collecting signatures bring forth the public explanation as well as to revoke the increase that has been made effective today.


4WDs Are Not Invincible To Floods - Make Sure To Change Your Diff Oil If You Redah Banjir

While a 4WD might seem impervious to flood damage, there are some parts of it there are vulnerable to water, especially if you had to recently redah banjir, either to deliver aid or to just get through deep waters.

One of the biggest assumptions that
4WD
 owners make when it comes to their rig is that it should be able to cross floods without being damaged.

Yes, while it might have
survived a floode
d road
, it doesn't mean that the highly lifted vehicle is entirely safe from water damage, especially if the crossing involved is deep.

While the engine and air intake sit high and above, its axles are still low and near to the ground, which might cause some problems if the water level rises above it.

Did you know that a 4WD has this thing called a differential breather?

Its purpose is to ventilate air pressure in your drivetrain assemblies such as differentials, gearbox, and transfer case.

According to ARB, one of world's the most prominent manufacturers and distributors of 4×4 accessories, as your vehicle's differentials, gearbox and transfer case heat up under regular operation, the air inside expands and increases pressure in the casings.

To manage this increase in pressure, most of these components come standard with a series of one-way-valve breathers to allow the pressure build-up to escape.

However, when you enter a river crossing or deep water flood, the cold water quickly cools the expanded cases causing them to retract in size quickly-  this forms a vacuum effect on the breather valves.

Image credit: MalayMail

One-way breather valves will not let any air in. As a result, water will often be sucked in through your surrounding oil seals, allowing water to ingress into your casings, axles, and differentials, leading to severe corrosion damage.

It is advisable to do a service and change of the oil in the transmission, transfer case and axles if you have recently crossed deep water so that you might prevent damage to the components caused by water ingress, which may contaminate the component's oil.

Image credit: Unsealed 4x4

Suppose you're wondering why some
4WDs
 cross deep waters without damaging the mentioned parts. In that case, that's because they probably have this accessory called a breather kit, which acts similar to a snorkel for your differentials, gearbox and transfer case.

According to ARB, the breather kit is primarily a hub that transfers air in and out of the critical vehicle components, as the kit includes a length of air tubing which is run to a high point (usually under the vehicle's bonnet) where it is better protected from dust and water ingress when drawing air back in.

Image credit: 4x4xplor.com

So if you have recently redah banjir with your 4WD, you better visit a mechanic and replace all the oils in the transmission, transfer case, and axles. It could be the difference between a long, happy ownership experience with your 4WD or a troublesome one.

Some might think that adding a snorkel is all you need to make your 4WD a land submarine, but you will also need the breather kit to make it completely resistant to water damage.