Yes. For Sure. Toyota Hybrids Are Coming, Confirms UMW Toyota

Last week, UMW Toyota Motor announced that it would have more to reveal about a mysterious ‘something’ that would be
unveiled in the next 7 days
. Given the future-facing and environmentally charged theme of its wording and microsite, we assumed it to be the official start of locally assembled hybrid models.

It wasn’t. When the day finally arrived (Monday), instead of an event or a full-blown announcement, we got a press release that communicated: that Toyota believes electrification is great and that petrol-electric hybrid vehicles will be joining the Malaysian line-up ‘soon’.

Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota Motor, Akio Takeyama said: “For the immediate future, we are absolutely positive that the HEV is the most accessible and realistic choice for Malaysian customers in terms of practicality and infrastructure, with an enormous potential in Malaysia. It is a realistic bridge towards vehicle electrification while efforts are still being undertaken to help realize enablers for BEV, such as cost reduction, energy mix improvement and infrastructure development."

This is great news if not for the fact that this has been known for the better part of 2021, so while it might have been the first time some of us heard about it given the announcement’s coverage on UMW Toyota Malaysia’s own website and social channels, it’s old news to folks that have been paying attention to the information trickle of the automotive scene.

In addition to providing information on hybrid technology and its benefits, Toyota Malaysia’s website now features a “Live Hybrid Film Premiere” which counts down to October 14th at 2pm.

Firm details remain scarce but an obvious candidate to spearhead this move to introduce hybrids (locally assembled ones, at that) into Toyota showrooms is the Corolla Cross Hybrid, which has been rumoured even before the model was even launched here.

Teaser graphics released by UMW Toyota Motor of this hybrid push does seem to point to an SUV-like vehicle with other identifiers characterising it as the Corolla Cross due to its shape and front end design. As previously covered, the
1.8G variant has been on sale since April
 though CKD deliveries for the higher-tier 1.8V have been confirmed for the latter part of 2021.

In hybrid form, the Corolla Cross uses an Atkinson-cycle version of the naturally aspirated 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine called 2ZR-FXE that produces 98PS and 142Nm. This is mated to an AC synchronous electric motor good for 72PS and 163Nm, resulting in a combined output of 122PS.

Power is still transmitted through a CVT (or eCVT, as they call it) and uses a 6.5Ah nickel-metal hydride battery. Though other markets do have the Corolla Cross Hybrid offered as an ‘E-Four’ all-wheel drive with an electric motor powering the rear wheels, we will more than likely receive the front-drive version.

When the jump to locally assembled Toyota hybrids does happen, we can also expect plenty more electrified versions of existing models to join the party, not to mention new models previously inaccessible to Malaysian buyers.

Depending on how warmly the market reacts to having more fuel-efficient hybrid Toyotas on sale here at affordable prices, UMW Toyota Motor’s line-up could balloon significantly, but is that enough to keep competition from Honda at bay for the crown of top non-local automaker by volume?


Proton Receives More Government Aid – RM1.7 Billion More

Proton has reportedly been granted further aid from the government, this time amounting to RM1.7 billion, which will be used to support the national carmaker on the back of mounting operational costs and lackluster product sales.
The Edge reports
 that funds from the government’s first conditional soft loan of RM1.25 billion, dispersed last year, has been largely used up to pay its vendors; and, despite a determined marketing effort in 2016, profit from sales are simply inadequate to support the company.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, The Edge reports that Proton will not utilise all the funds from the new loan at once, instead, using the funds as needed, while parent company DRB-Hicom secures a deal with a foreign strategic partner (FSP).
For the longest time, the race to become Proton’s FSP has been a tight one between
China’s Geely
 and
France’s PSA Group
. DRB-Hicom recently
confirmed its commitment
 to finalizing its selection of a foreign partner for Proton within the first half of 2017.
Despite aggressive marketing campaigns and a busy year of new products launches, which included the
Perdana
,
Persona
,
Saga
 and
Ertiga
 models, sales of Proton cars have been lackluster, amidst the stagnating market conditions. In April, sales fell to 5,616 units after delivering 7,207 units in January, 6,099 units in February and 6,070 units in March – the sixth month of consecutive contraction. Proton has delivered a total of 24,992 vehicles in the first four months of this year, maintaining its overall third spot behind Perodua and Honda respectively.
Additionally, The Edge reports that the new cash injection from the government will ensure that vendors and other creditors will receive timely payment and support the company’s day-to-day operations in the short term. In the long term, federal funds alone will not be able to support the national carmaker, and its survival would hinge heavily on securing a foreign strategic partner.


2021 Hyundai Palisade And Kona Facelift Coming Later This Year

Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM), the sole distributor of Hyundai vehicles, has confirmed it will be bringing in their Palisade flagship SUV and its compact SUV, the 2021 facelifted Kona later this year.

Though uncertain exactly when in 2021, the gamble on bringing its flagship SUV and trendy compact crossover is in line with the distributor’s strategy of building the brand and its products as a viable alternative to leading Japanese brands in Malaysia.

The recent launch of the
2020 Hyundai Elantra
 is another indicator of their overarching strategy.

First
introduced at the tail end of 2018
, the Palisade is Hyundai’s flagship premium 7-seater SUV that rides on a bespoke new chassis and is powered with an Atkinson-cycle 3.8-liter V6, dual CVVT, direct-injected engine. Power is rated at 291hp at 6,000rpm and a peak torque of approximately 355Nm of torque at 5,000rpm. Other highlight features include Heads-Up Display (HUD) that projects a virtual image onto the windshield, a system of mirrors combined with a full-color TFT LCD display, and features adjustable brightness to ensure excellent day and night-time visibility.

The Kona on the other hand was
launched in October 2020
 in two variants ranging from RM116k to RM124k. Among the highlights of the facelifted Kona are a new (149PS, 180Nm) Smartstream G2.0 Atkinson engine mated to a CVT transmission, a more refined front fascia design, new 17 and 18-inch wheels, an enhanced SmartSense state-of-the-art safety package, and a remote starter.

This facelifted version also projects a more modern look in its interior. The new console area gets a new horizontal layout while the air vents and speakers also get new rings with aluminium finish.

Elsewhere, an upgraded ambient lighting technology lights up the cupholder and foot lamps on the front passenger and driver side. New interior colour options, materials, and trims are also to be expected with then facelift.


What Is Camber And Can You Have Too Much Of It?

We're going to break down what exactly camber is, why it's useful, and how much you really need?

When it comes to wheel alignment, the most important aspect to control is naturally going to be whether your wheels are tracking straight, or whether they run with toe-in or toe-out. This represents the brunt of the behaviour of your car, from the steering to the overall handling. But let's not forget that camber, the angle of the wheels from the vertical, is also pretty important.

We're not going to dive into the history of camber with incredibly old cars, which ran positive camber whether designed for racing or the road. In the modern history of camber, the purpose has been twofold for the most part. The first is to ensure that the tyre maintains a suitable contact patch with the road when you're cornering, and the second is to resist lateral loads and transmit them more effectively through the tyre.

If that sounds boring to you, just imagine it as letting you travel in corners more quickly with more grip. But simply increasing camber (negative camber, that is) doesn't quite work - regardless of what "stanced" out cars may have you believe. To understand why we don't go all the way, let's look at what problems may result out of too much negative camber.

Compromised Braking And Acceleration

As you can imagine, having the
tyres
 angled to the road when you're travelling in a straight line (static camber, that is), also means that the contact patch of your tyres to the road is smaller than if you were running with the wheels completely flat to the road - or with zero camber. This means that it is harder for your tyres to slow down the car and to accelerate it, due to the smaller patch of contact.

Uneven Wear Over Time

Tyres wear out over time much like your eraser wears out when you rub out errant pencil marks. Naturally, if your tyres are angled to the road, the inside of the tyre (the part that's more in contact with the road) are more likely to wear out first if you're travelling in a straight line most of the time - which is going to be the case when you're on public roads.

Inconsistent Behaviour On The Limit

One of the nuances of having more extreme amounts of negative camber is that when you first start turning the steering wheel, your tyres actually have less grip than you would with zero static camber. This naturally is less and less as you increase the amount of negative camber, and depending on the type of tyre you have and the
suspension
 setup of your car, it can make the car feel slightly vague and resistant to turning initially.

It is only when the car starts to roll and the tyres generate grip that the negative camber comes into effect and you start to feel higher levels of grip as the tyres adhere better to the road. In some cases, with tyres that simply don't generate enough initial grip, you can quite readily understeer off your intended line.

So How Do I Check If I Have Too Much Camber?

As is the case with many things, it's actually much easier to figure out the ideal camber setup if you're working with a race car. Yes, this sounds strange but many race car components and settings are actually easier to calculate and sort out as they deal with a narrower range of conditions - but we digress. How race teams would do it is to measure the temperature of the tyre at the inside, middle, and outside of the tyre.

Assuming the ideal pressures have been found, if you're running too much camber you will naturally see higher temperatures on the inside of the tyre than the outside. The idea for race teams is to adjust camber until there is a relatively small temperature gradient across the surface of the tyre. Since you're unlikely to drive as hard or as regularly as a race car driver would on a track, this isn't an option.

The second option requires a lot more time, and that's checking your tyre wear over the course of weeks, months, and potentially even years depending on your usage. Tyre wear, as we mentioned earlier, will indicate whether you are utilizing too much of the inside of your tyre rather than evenly wearing out the tyre across the entire surface.

And that's where we come down to chalking your tyres. Chalk rubs off relatively quickly, but not so quickly that you would lose the markings immediately. This method is adapted from what drivers in autocross sessions do as they don't have enough consistent competition runs to note what the tyres are doing and whether they are optimized for the course.

The idea is to drive your regular daily route to work and back, or what you would spend most of your time doing with your car. Do it a couple of times in a row and you'll eventually wear out the chalk marks on the parts of the tyre that you're using effectively. If you find yourself with chalk still on the outside edge of the tread and the shoulders, then you simply have too much negative camber because you're not fully utilizing the width of the tyre.

Obviously, not every car comes with adjustable camber - in fact, most won't unless you have aftermarket suspension and adjustable geometry. For the most part, the standard alignment settings a manufacturer provides you with will be the most broadly applicable setup for the road.

But for those who have gone aftermarket and aren't quite sure when they'll be going for competition next, it's probably best to wind back the camber settings to something more realistic.


Suzuki begins electric vehicle journey with eVX Concept

Suzuki has just unveiled their eVX concept, a vehicle which is basically their mission statement to create an EV by 2025.

Suzuki might not be the biggest Japanese auto manufacturer, but it isn't going to stop them from also wanting to have an EV in their lineup.

Better late than never, Suzuki has just unveiled their eVX concept at the 2023 Auto Expo in Delhi. The eVX is an all-electric concept SUV derived from Suzuki’s first global strategic EV and is scheduled to be introduced to the market by 2025.

According to Suzuki, the eVX is a BEV model that combines Suzuki’s strong 4x4 DNA with the advanced features of the latest BEVs.

The exterior has also been designed to be instantly recognizable as a Suzuki SUV, but in our opinion, it looks more like a vehicle to come out of Daihatsu rather than Suzuki.

Suzuki unveiled not much else about the eVX or their future EV, but they did leave us with some technical specs, which basically leads us to believe that the car will be bigger than the Vitara and that the EV will be equipped with a 60kWh battery. Apparently, this battery pack will give the SUV a range of about 550 km.


PLUS Offers Promo On SmartTAGs And PLUSMiles Cards At Northern Toll Plazas

In under a month’s time, the Penang Bridge, Jitra, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Lunas, and Kubang Semang toll plazas are will begin its full electronic toll transaction initiative (beginning 9
th
 September), and to ensure the public is ready for the switch, PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) is offering promotions on PLUSMiles cards and SmartTAGs at these toll plazas.
From now until 31 December, the public can purchase RM5 PLUSMiles cards which come preloaded with RM5 reload value. Additionally, the public can also purchase SmartTAGs at a promotional rate of RM96 each (inclusive of 6% GST), a discount of RM31.20 from the normal price of RM127.20 (inclusive of 6% GST). This offer is valid until 30 September while stocks last. Both items can be purchase at the above mentioned five toll plazas.
PLUS say that as of current, more than 40,000 PLUSMiles cards and 9,000 SmartTAGs had been sold at the designated toll plazas since early August.
“The PLUSMiles cards and SmartTAGs promotion has helped to boost the number of electronic toll transactions at the Penang Bridge, Jitra, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Lunas and Kubang Semang. On average, close to 70% of the total number of users at these toll plazas is paying toll electronically,” PLUS Chief Operating Officer, Mohammad Fuad Khusairi said.


Toyota Corolla Cross topples Proton X70 as Malaysia's best-selling C-segment SUV

The
Toyota Corolla Cross
 has taken over the title from the
Proton X70
 as the country's best-selling C-segment SUV.

That's quite a title to obtain considering the fact that the Proton X70 has been the segment's 'king' since its inception in Malaysia in December 2018. As reported by our sister site,
Wapcar
, it's no longer the case in 2023.

For the first half of 2023, Proton stated that 6,116 units of the X70 were sold together with the statement "second highest volume C-segment SUV" in the country. So, what makes the Toyota Corolla Cross first?

Wapcar also reported that the Toyota Bukit Raja plant has produced 6,437 units of the Corolla Cross as of May 2023. Looking at the same time period, the Proton X70's production numbers from the Tanjung Malim plant sat at 4,857 units.

Considering the fact that the Toyota Corolla Cross is still a newer model compared to the Proton X70, we can safely assume that all of the units are already spoken for when paired with the three-month waiting period.

There are several reasons why people are going for the Toyota Corolla Cross. Despite its higher-selling price from RM130,400 to RM142,000, it's difficult to find a similar product within its segment that offers high levels of space, comfort, fuel efficiency, and more.

Those factors are further amplified thanks to Toyota's great aftersales services and even solid resale value. These are also the reasons why the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is the best-selling hybrid model here in Malaysia.

On Proton's side, the X70 is still a worthy car to own if you're into more power paired with premium finishes for all of its variants. And you can get one of your very own (ready stock at several dealers) from RM98,800 to RM128,800 - a very good deal for an SUV of its nature.

Despite being in the same segment, both the Toyota Corolla Cross and Proton X70 are winners depending on what you're looking for in an SUV. One is a great deal when it comes to 'bang for your buck' while the other is just a great performer overall.

Which is which, it all depends on your preferences and perceptions of things.


Review: Lenjan Perodua Alza 1.5 AV Dari Rawang Ke Kota Bharu

Rasanya ramai sudah sedia maklum dengan
rupa dalaman dan luaran
 serta
spesifikasi enjinnya
, tapi bagaimana pula dengan prestasi pemanduannya?

Kehadiran
Alza 2022
 dalam pasaran Malaysia telah membuatkannya dilihat sebagai MPV terbaik pada ketika ini yang menawarkan ciri-ciri termaju pada harga RM75,500 sahaja.

Carlist.my telah berpeluang untuk memandu Alza baharu ini dari Rawang ke Kota Bharu dalam program media anjuran Perodua, The All-New Alza ‘Pakat Mari Kota Bharu’ pada awal bulan Ogos lalu.

Pengalaman Pemanduan

Perjalanan kami ke Kota Bharu di mulakan di ibu pejabat
Perodua
yang bertempat di Rawang, ke Kuantan untuk makan tengahari dan mengisi minyak. Di Kuantan, sebanyak RM50 telah digunakan bagi memenuhkan tangki minyak sebelum meneruskan perjalanan ke Kota Bharu.

Ketika sampai di Kota Bharu, masih ada 2 bar minyak yang tinggal. Rujuk gambar dibawah untuk mengetahui jarak laluan yang digunakan:

Alza yang kami terima baru berusia sehari keluar kilang. Benda pertama yang dicuba semestinya mod pemanduan baharu pada Alza ini. Mod pemanduanya menampilkan:

ECO: Jimat minyak, kurang kuasa

Normal: Mencukupi untuk pemanduan seharian

Power: Untuk memotong, naik bukit

Transmisi DCVT pada Alza ini juga lancar tapi maklumlah, kereta baru keluar kilang. Berkenaan prestasi enjin 1.5L 2NR-VE yang digunakan pada Alza 2022, ia bukanlah satu kereta yang sarat dengan prestasi yang mengagumkan, namun kuasa yang diberikan cukup untuk menggerakkan badan kereta seberat 1,170kg serta berdimensi 4,425 x 1,730 x 1,670 mm ini.

Prestasi breknya juga telah dipertingkatkan di mana tayar belakang varian tertinggi Alza ini dibekalkan dengan brek berbentuk cakera menggantikan brek drum seperti Alza terdahulu. Meskipun saiz kereta ini lebih besar berbanding Myvi, namun kawalan stereng Alza terasa seperti lebih baik berbanding
Myvi 2022.

Menurut Perodua,
 platform DNGA
 yang digunakan bagi membangunkan Alza adalah lebih ringan dan kukuh. faktor seperti gegaran dan bunyi bising turut telah dikurangkan. Dikurangkan bukanlah bermaksud tiada, kerana telinga anda tetap akan dihidangkan dengan ngauman lantang transmisi DCVT itu ketika dikerah.

Ciri
Adaptive Cruise Control
dengan fungsi
stop and go
 serta auto hold merupakan fungsi kegemaran penulis pada Alza ini. Anda hanya perlu menekan semula pedal minyak jika kenderaan di hadapan anda kembali bergerak dan menyambung fungsi ACC mengikut kelajuan ditetapkan.

Tapi walaupun kita tetapkan kelajuannya pada 110 km/j, namun kereta tidak akan terus memecut bagi mencapai kelajuan itu. Alza 2022 ini akan memperlahankan kenderaan dan menjaga jarak sekiranya ada kenderaan dikesan di hadapan.

Namun sistem ini akan termati dengan sendiri jika sistem mengesan ada kereta memasuki lorong secara tiba-tiba di bahagian hadapan kereta. Mungkin ia dibuat atas sebab keselamatan. Tapi kalau kereta lain tidak terlalu rapat dan laju untuk menukar lorong di hadapan, sistem ACC ini akan tetap berfungsi dan fokusnya akan bertukar pada kereta di hadapannya.

Exterior

Secara jujurnya, rupa luaran kereta ini jauh lebih menawan berbanding kembarnya seperti
Daihatu Xenia
 serta
Toyota Veloz.
 Berikut merupakan ciri luaran baharu pada Alza 2022:

Lampu hadapan LED

Lampu kabus LED (H dan AV)

Signal ‘sequential’ (H dan AV)

Rim 16 inci (H dan AV)

Spoiler bumbung

Cermin sisi boleh lipat (H dan AV)

Brek cakera di belakang (AV)

Interior

Ruangan dalaman Alza ini boleh tahan juga, cuma bahagian tengah papan pemukanya perlukan sedikit penambah baikan kerana ia terlalu kosong. Fungsi
Android Auto dan Apple Carplay
pada Alza terbabit amatlah membantu bagi tujuan akses muzik serta navigasi tanpa merujuk pada skrin telefon.

Corong udara di belakangnya juga memberikan lebih keselesaan kepada penumpang di bahagian belakang, terutama di barisan ketiga. Ruang butnya juga amat memberangsangkan dengan 137 liter berbanding 83 liter pada Alza terdahulu.

Selain itu, saiz panjang ruang dalam kabin Alza 2022 kini berada pada jarak 2,765 mm, iaitu 115 mm lebih panjang jika nak dibandingkan dengan Alza terdahulu. Saiz panjang barisan tempat duduk kedua juga telah meningkat kepada 240 mm, iaitu 90 mm lebih panjang berbanding sebelumnya dan kini dilengkapi dengan perehat lengan.

Ciri Keselamatan

Untuk kereta sebesar Alza, kamera 360 serta RCTA amatlah membantu terutama ketika meletakkan kenderaan di kawasan yang sempit. Ciri-ciri Perodua Smart Drive Assist yang amat padu pada harga dibawah RM80,000 memang mengagumkan. PSDA terdiri daripada:

Advance Safety Assist

Driving Assist

Parking Assist

Headlamp Assist

Dengan menggunakan platform DNGA, tahap keselamatan pada badan kereta ketika pelanggaran berlaku telah dipertingkatkan. Selain itu, Perodua Alza 2022 juga hadir dengan ciri keselamatan asas seperti 6 beg udara kecemasan, VSC ABS dan EBD.

Harga

Berikut merupakan harga OTR tanpa insurans Perodua Alza 2022 berdasarkan varian yang ditawarkan:

Varian 1.5 X: RM62,500

Varian 1.5 H: RM68,000

Varian 1.5 AV: RM75,500

Kesimpulannya, Alza 2022 ini jauh lebih baik berbanding Alza terdahulu. Sebanyak 15% daripada 200,000 tempahan tertunggak Perodua merupakan model Alza 2022. Ini disebabkan oleh:

Ciri keselamatan yang dipertingkatkan

Ciri bantuan keselamatan termaju

Tawaran digital yang dipertingkatkan

Ruang yang luas

Keselesaan pemanduan yang lebih baik

Manakala hampir 4,000 pelanggan telah menukar tempahan Perodua Alza mereka kepada versi terkini walaupun ketika itu tempahannya belum dibuka secara rasmi. Ini jelas menunjukkan ramai yang sedia maklum bahawa Alza 2022 ini memang amat berbaloi untuk dimiliki sebagai kereta keluarga.


Slowing Economy - ASEAN’s New Car Sales Hits Four-Year Low

Car sales in the ASEAN trade bloc slowed by eight percent in the first six months of 2015. Worryingly, two of ASEAN’s biggest car markets – Indonesia and Thailand - saw their market contracting by double digits, 18.2 percent and 16.3 percent respectively.
ASEAN’s member countries collectively sold 1,481,977 cars as of June 2015, eight percent less than the same period in 2014.
This year’s six-month performance is the worst performing six-month period since 2011, when Thailand was hit by devastating floods which severely affected the region’s automotive industry in the second half of 2011.
The Association of Indonesia Automotive Industries (GAIKINDO) said June saw sales contracting by 26 percent over the same month last year. It was also the first time in five years and nine months that Indonesia’s monthly new car sales had dropped by more than 25 percent.
The association also indicated that it might have to revise its full-year forecast again, which had already been cut once earlier this year, from 1.2 million vehicles to around 1.1 million vehicles.
GAIKINDO said the weakening of the Rupiah is pushing up prices of imported parts, thus raising prices of finished vehicles. It also added that consumer sentiments is poor and is affecting spending.
Over in Thailand, sales declined by 16.3 percent from 440,911 vehicles last year to just 369,109. Toyota Motor Thailand, which compiles the country’s new vehicle sales data has since revised its full-year forecast for Thailand to ‘800,000 units or less,’ down from the company’s initial forecast of 920,000 units.
If sales doesn’t reach at least 880,000 units by the end of this year, 2015 will be the third consecutive year of decline for Thailand’s domestic car market.
Company President Mr. Kyoichi Tanada has warned that 2015 is quickly becoming the most challenging year for him since he assumed his current position in 2009.
Over in Malaysia, sales declined marginally by 3.3 percent, down from 333,156 units in the same six-month period in 2014 to 322,184. Earlier today, Honda Malaysia announced that it will be revising its full-year forecast for Malaysia's new vehicle sales downwards by 3.9 percent, from
697,000 vehicles to 670,000 vehicles
. Weakening Ringgit, implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) and petrol price fluctuation were given as the reasons behind the downward revision.
Other smaller emerging markets like Philippines and Vietnam remained strong, growing 20.7 percent and 66.8 percent respectively, but this is largely because of the low base effect for these two countries.
In the first half of 2014, Philippines sold 108,957 vehicles while Vietnam sold 55,030 vehicles.


Top Gear-Sponsored Final McLaren F1 GTR Longtail Up For Sale

There seems to be an influx of rare cars that are now on sale. Even some previously
priceless movie memorabilia
 now have a price tag attached, and then there’s this – a McLaren F1 GTR Longtail. Not just any, but Top Gear’s. Alright, well, not exactly.
This example was sponsored by Top Gear magazine in the FIA GT Endurance championship in 1997, but despite the backing, it didn’t fare too well with only two points raked in by season’s end. What makes this particular
McLaren
 so valuable, besides the gratuitous TG affiliation, is that this car was the final car of this type to ever be built.
There’s an interesting story behind it, as well. The final car was meant to be chassis number 27R, but was irreparably damaged while testing and so taken out of circulation. Enter this car to take its place, chassis number 28R.
There’s no denying the value of even a stock McLaren F1, with its glorious 6.1-litre
BMW
-developed atmospheric V12, meticulous money-is-no-object development, a body made out of futuristic materials, and some truly innovative ideas, all contributed to it being the fastest production car in the world during the early 90s. And holding that record for more than a decade. Making this final unit of the GTR Longtail racer even more of a rarity.
After its unspectacular season, it bounced around a few owners and now finds itself under the care of McLaren’s Special Operations division in ‘absolutely tip top condition’, according to them. So if you've got very deep pockets, its up for private sale again with the automaker themselves scrutinizing the transaction.
McLaren is also keen to point out that this car would be eligible for street-legal conversion, making it one of three road going F1 Longtails……in the world.
Hyper-rarity, racing experience, record braking heritage, and a Top Gear endorsement. This car should fetch a hefty sum indeed. After all, one of its previous owners reportedly paid 13 million US dollars for it – approximately RM46 million. It should be worth a bit more now, assuming it has appreciated since then.


Home Turf Hero - Hyundai Goes Big For 11th Seoul Motor Show

For the 11
th
 Seoul Motor Show that begins today, April 2
nd
 2015,
Hyundai
 wanted to go into it with guns blazing, showing the world just how much it has to offer on its home turf.
The automaker brought with it an all-new urban crossover vehicle concept called the Enduro, an all-new
Sonata
 Hybird along with a companion plug-in hybrid version called the PHEV, a
Veloster
-based mid-engine concept racer called the RM15 (Racing Midship 2015), the all-new
Tucson
 (first seen at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show) slated for a Korean release, and lastly a medium-duty truck called the Mighty and a minibus called Solati that are on display at their commercial vehicles booth. Let's talk about the interesting ones, shall we?
Enduro CUV Concept
Let’s begin with this first. With a name plucked from the word ‘endurance’, Hyundai obviously wants people to know how durable and hard-going this new vehicle is going to be. While looking more and more like a pure design study than a production-near concept, it does seem like there could be a future product waiting to be born here. SUV Crossover vehicles with higher ground clearance and head-turning coupe-esque styling are capturing wider markets these days and Hyundai wants a piece of that pie. Unusually, here they’ve ditched the usual four door layout in favour of just two.
Not a word about its internals but it does have some interesting visual features such as an aluminium ‘aero blade’ (as dubbed by Hyundai) connecting the front fender to the large hexagonal grille and darkened fender cladding around the wheels. Inside, the cabin is driver-centric by design in a way that creates a “dynamic atmosphere” and expresses “sportiness, toughness and endurance”- Hyundai’s words.
Sonata PHEV and Sonata Hybrid
The all-new 2015 Sonata Hybrid, launched under Hyundai’s Blue Drive sub brand, features a 2.0-litre Nu GDI gasoline engine delivering 156 PS that works in tandem with a 38 kW electric motor and a lithium-polymer battery that has a 13.3 percent higher capacity, allowing significant improvements in fuel economy and carbon emissions. If fitted with the 16-inch wheel option, it is capable of travelling 18.2 km with each litre of petrol.
The Sonata PHEV has much shared with the regular Sonata Hybrid, the major differentiators that this new model comes with are 9.8 kWh lithium polymer battery pack (approximately six times larger than in the Sonata Hybrid) and a 50 kW electric motor (32% more powerful than in the Sonata Hybrid) mounted to a six-speed transmission, enabling an all-electric range of 38.4 km and higher speeds under electric power. When the batteries are depleted, however, a 2.0-litre Nu GDI gasoline engine takes over to both propel the car and to recharge the power cells. Total combined output stands at 205 PS and through a 240V Level 2 charging station, its lithium batteries can be fully charged in around three hours.
RM15 High Performance Coupe Concept
Take a Veloster, mix in some racing intentions and an active imagination, and you’ll probably be thinking along similar lines to what Hyundai has created.
Specifics? It’s a lightened, hardened version of the Veloster that’s had its engine shifted to sit behind the driver and its power sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual. Speaking of that engine, it’s the familiar 2.0-litre Theta T-GDI engine that has had its intakes and turbocharger tuned to have it produce 300 PS at 6,000 rpm and 383 Nm of torque at 2,000 rpm, reducing the century sprint to a mere 4.7 seconds.
The video below demonstrates that it's quite a handy (and angry) little drift machine. Perhaps this is what the Veloster should have been all along?


Berjaya Sompo Aims For Top-5 Ranking By 2020, Offering Japanese-level Customer Care

General insurance provider Berjaya Sompo, a joint venture between Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance and Berjaya Group, has announced its ambition to become one of the top-five general insurance providers in Malaysia by 2020.
Supporting this ambition is a range of initiatives aimed at making Berjaya Sompo’s products more user friendly, as well as evolving its brand image.
Mr. Tan Sek Kee, CEO of Berjaya Sompo said, “Customer feedback is key to product innovation and this allows us to incorporate solutions into products that customers value and want. We execute this by listening to customers and gathering data trends through consumer surveys and market research. Ultimately, Berjaya Sompo is working towards improving the overall experience and journey for all customers across different touch points.”
The company has simplified its products and purchase processes, removing confusing terminologies and streamlining optional add-ons, while embracing digitization to allow it to reach out to new customers and service them irrespective of their distance from the nearest Berjaya Sompo branch.
For example, its Sompo Motor comprehensive motor insurance now includes a basic special perils coverage (up to RM10,000 or 20 percent of sum insured, whichever lower) as standard. Of course, full special perils cover and other options like unlimited towing costs, waiver of betterment (cars less than 15 years old), and e-hailing fee reimbursements are available as an option.
In the past, the insured vehicle’s owner needs to list down the names drivers to be insured. This has since been waived by Sompo Motor. It also offers a 12-month warranty against defects on new parts replaced and workmanship carried by their panel workshops.
“Sompo Motor has reduced the hassle of going through commonly included add-ons for a comprehensive private car insurance by including them in the basic benefits. New add-on benefits also include better coverage for older vehicles and full coverage against natural disasters. We welcome the implementation of motor detariffication as it enables Berjaya Sompo to compete on a level playing ground, giving the spotlight to the true hero: Sompo Motor. With this product, our main focus is enhancing the base level features and service level. We want to ensure we have a product that our customers find useful and beneficial,” said Mr. Stuart Chua, Chief Distribution Officer of Berjaya Sompo.
Berjaya Sompo is now collaborating with Honda Malaysia, Mazda Malaysia, and Nissan Malaysia to provide bundled insurance packages.
As for its new branding, Berjaya Sompo is leveraging on its partner Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance’s 130-plus years heritage (since 1888) and reputation as Japan’s largest non-life insurer. Sompo Japan owns 70 percent of Berjaya Sompo, the maximum allowed by Bank Negara regulations.
Its latest branding campaign, called ‘Silent Guardians’ incorporates a lot of Japanese elements while a new ‘Sompony’ mascot will be the icon of Berjaya Sompo.
Berjaya Sompo currently has 20 offices and 2,800 agents nationwide but there will be no further expansion of its brick and mortar stores beyond this. Instead, the company will be digitizing its services.
Mr. Tan said, “Berjaya Sompo will be investing heavily in digitalization as a key focus area to move the brand forward. One example of this is digital innovation, as we are developing new B2C channels to serve today’s mobile customers, as well as the simplification of our online products across Motor, Travel, Snatch and Home as we make it quicker and easier for Malaysians to purchase our products. In the near future, we will also be looking at strengthening our data capabilities and translating meaningful data that will help us serve our customers better.”


Nissan Navara Black Series – No Added Power Just More Black

Most of us recognize the Black Series name as denoting hardcore, more focused versions of Mercedes-AMG's high-performance cars. Closer down to earth, however, we have the Nissan Navara Black Series which adds a range of 'blacked-out' accessories to the regular
NP300 Navara
 pick-up truck.
Available for the VL, V, and SE variants of the NP300, the Navara Black Series adds the following:
Matte black front grille
Front bumper
Front and rear overfenders
Headlamp eyelid covers
Matte black fog lamp covers
Side mirror covers
Cargo bed sport bar
On the inside, Black Series variants receive (combination) black leather seats, previously reserved only for the VL variant.
The Navara is powered by a 2.5-litre turbodiesel engine that outputs 190 PS and 450 Nm of torque, matched to a seven-speed automatic transmission.
The Nissan Navara Black Series is priced as follows:
Nissan Navara Black Series
2.5 VL Auto (RM)
2.5 V Auto (RM)
2.5 SE Auto (RM)
Peninsular Malaysia
124,800
115,800
108,800
Sabah & Sarawak
126,800
117,800
110,800
Langkawi
118,600
110,000
103,500
Labuan
119,600
111,000
104,500
The Black Series carries an RM5k premium over the regular 2.5-litre ‘SE’ and ‘V’ variants respectively, and an additional RM4k over the ‘VL’ variant. The Black Series accessories are factory fitted and include a 3-year or 100,000km warranty.
Separately, local distributor Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd (ETCM) has started a 'year-end campaign'
,
offering customers who purchase Nissan vehicles the chance to win a
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
 themed holiday trip to Croatia. Dubbed ‘Take Home a Nissan and Take on the Galaxy”, the campaign offers rebates and savings of up to RM8,000 for selected Nissan models, plus the continuation of RM1 promotion for selected accessory packages.


Accidentally Filling Your Petrol Car With Diesel - Fuel Disaster or Easy Fix?

What happens if you accidentally fill your petrol car with diesel? Is there a save or are you a goner?

We’ve all been at the filling station, perhaps one that we’re not used to, and accidentally reached for the wrong nozzle. We’re not talking about
grabbing the one for RON95
 with RON97 by mistake, but the 'other' one.

‘Misfueling’ is one of the most embarrassing mistakes in your car ownership (or drivership?) life, but such an easy one to make. In fact, you might be surprised to find out how often it happens.
Some mixing is fine
, but not this kind.

While the rate at which this occurs in Malaysia is hard to pinpoint, statistics from the United Kingdom show that an average of 150,000 British motorists fall victim to this error each year. However, unlike us, diesel-powered cars are much more widespread there and are a popular choice for buyers of hatchbacks to sedans to crossovers.

We wonder if this will happen to cars
once synthetic fuels reach the market
....

Getting the pump nozzles wrong is therefore more likely, which is made worse by the fact that there are more filling station operators in the UK than in Malaysia. On the bright side for most of us, just know that pumping diesel into a petrol vehicle is much less mechanically catastrophic than the opposite: pumping petrol into a diesel vehicle.

Firstly, because diesel engines rely on the fuel itself as lubricating agent, and mixing in petrol would nullify this characteristic, it causes much more wear on the engine internals. Secondly,
 because petrol is much more combustible
, it would ignite much sooner than diesel would. This premature ignition and added volatility could cause irreparable damage to the diesel engine and its components.

Why It Happens?

First, a little background on what spurred the writing of this article. This writer was aware that people have been known to mistakenly fill their petrol-powered cars with diesel and vice versa, but thought that it was a problem of the past. Savvy motorists in 2021 won’t fall for it, right?

That was, until I saw someone
in a HR-V
 do exactly this over the past weekend. My mind doubted it at first, but was sure it was a black nozzle that I saw her return to the pump. Before she could pull away, I managed to alert her and asked that her engine be promptly turned off. We soon got the help of a mechanic next door to push the Honda into his garage to drain the tank.

The lesson here is to always be aware of what you’re doing, both when driving the vehicle and when nearby it. At the moment, Malaysia is going through
its longest period of lockdown yet
, turning us into homebound zombies, and it’s easy to be oblivious to mundane activities such as topping our cars off with fuel.

It’s when we get lost in our own thoughts that a careless and potentially very expensive (but easily avoidable) mistake like this can happen.

Fail Safe

Both car manufacturers, safety regulators, and fuel station operators have all contributed to measures that can prevent the wrong fuel being pumped into an incompatible engine.

For one, nozzles for diesel fuel are made slightly wider to make it more difficult to insert into the neck of your petrol tank, but that doesn’t seem to stop most people who are willing to simply use more force. Secondly, pump stations will always reserve the far-most (usually left) nozzle for diesel but will also tend to label it black and place a removable flap before it can be picked up.

Petrol and diesel also have distinctive smells which might finally provide a sensory alert to the more experienced driver that has become accustomed it.

What Happens?

It does really depend on how much diesel managed to get into the fuel system - meaning the ratio of petrol to diesel in your tank and beyond.

If you managed to put in only a few litres of diesel into your mostly petrol-filled tank before realising and stopping the pump, it might be as simple as completely draining the tank provided you did not turn your engine on. You should arrange to have this done as quickly as possible, too.

You will likely need a mechanic to do this properly. If there isn’t a servicing staff on hand that can help, you might want to whip your phone out and arrange for the
vehicle to be towed
 to your preferred workshop.

Then again, if your tank was mostly empty and was filled with even a few litres of diesel, it might have already contaminated the fuel lines and injection system. However, this is still rectifiable if the car was left turned off.

If the diesel fuel was mixed and managed to get into the injection system and combustion chamber itself, your engine is still saveable but there’s likely a big invoice coming your way. Diesel will clog fuel injectors and spark plugs, leading to a barrage of warning lights and plenty of weird noises and vibrations before the engine stops running completely.

Worst Case Scenario

Assuming either that the engine was running with the diesel/ petrol mixture or that the driver has complacently even started driving off normally with a full tank of the wrong fuel, eventually there will be judders and shakes before the engine will stop working completely.

This is a dangerous combination as cars with hydraulically assisted steering and brakes rely on the engine to maintain hydraulic pressure, meaning your ability to steer and stop will be severely impaired with a nonfunctional engine.

While older cars might still be able to operate for extended periods on the wrong fuel, modern ones with high pressure fuel injection systems and computerised control modules are not as resilient in the same way.

The absolute worst place for such engine failure to occur is on the overtaking lane of a wide multi-lane highway, but regardless, do your best to get the vehicle safely onto the emergency lane or shoulder as quickly as possible.

To get the car back into working order in this case, the entire fuel system will probably need to either be serviced or replaced outright: fuel lines, fuel pump, injectors, and maybe even an engine overhaul and new catalytic converter if the damage is severe and far-reaching enough.

Unfortunately, because this does not fall under defects related to the manufacturer, your warranty won’t cover the cost of repairs. By the same logic,
your insurance policy
 will likely not provide any relief either.

Tips If You Pumped Diesel Into Your Petrol Car:

Don’t panic:
 Causing a commotion or acting rashly will not be beneficial to anyone, especially at a crowded filling station.

Immediately stop fuelling:
As soon as your realise this error, stop the pump. As more diesel enters the tank, the worse the outcome could be. You might even be able to drive the car normally if only a tiny amount of diesel entered the tank, though we
do not recommend this
.

Inform the filling station attendants:
If they’re somewhat experienced, they might have already seen this mistake happen a bunch of times and will know how to advise you correctly. Typically, while keeping the engine off and the transmission in neutral, they will help you push it to the side while you call for assistance.

Getting professional help:
Some filling stations have a servicing garage attached that can help drain your tank. If not, you will want to call your insurance provider to arrange for the vehicle to be towed to your preferred workshop. In an ideal case, your car will have a ‘droppable’ fuel tank, allowing it to be easily detached and cleaned of the unwanted fuel and any residue.


2016 Jaguar XE Officially Launched In Malaysia, In Showrooms For RM340,000

What is perhaps the most important car for
Jaguar
, their all-new small executive saloon, the XE, has finally made landfall in Malaysia. It comes to us nine months after production began in April 2015 and is Jaguar’s first premium compact sedan since the debut of the
X-Type
 way back in 2001.
Jaguar-
Land Rover
 Malaysia has launched their all-new XE at the Mont Kiara Equestrian Club, and they are rightly proud of this particular car and what it could mean for their local brand growth. The car will be on sale now upwards from RM340,000 all the way up to RM580,000, with quoted prices inclusive of GST, but non-inclusive of tax and insurance.
Jaguar XE Prestige, turbocharged 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder, 200PS:
RM340,000
Jaguar XE R-Sport,
turbocharged
 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder, 240PS:
RM365,000
Jaguar XE S, supercharged 3.0-litre V6, 340PS:
RM580,000
.
The location is telling, as well, as on usual days this venue’s car parks are filled with the Jag’s main rivals. They’re hoping to give the owners an enticing new option. The baby four-door Jag has a lot riding on its shoulders, entering a cutthroat market that, in the brand’s absence, has continued to be dominated by the usual trio of German suspects: the
BMW

3 Series
,
Audi

A4
, and
Mercedes-Benz

C-Class
. Oh, and the
Lexus

IS
 - coincidentally, we
recently reviewed IS 200 t F Sport
.
In terms of philosophy, the XE emerges out of the gate with its sights squared on the Bavarians, who up until now, has been the default choice when it came to a sporty exec saloon with the many shades of their popular and rather excellent 3 Series.
Jaguar’s restraint at reentering this market is telling of their ambition, taking a slower approach to make sure their next premium compact saloon entrant was fully baked and is everything the X-Type was not: memorable. Being the most affordable car in their stable as well as being sold in a very popular division of the market, JLR is banking on the XE being the car to which most people associate with the brand. Getting it wrong could cost them dear.
It is the first Jaguar to be constructed utilising JLR’s new modular aluminium-intensive platform which allows further development on the base XE. Primarily, this flexibility allows for various drivetrain options to be adapted, perhaps even retrofitted as time goes on, as well as making a future all-wheel drive version a possibility. This new platform will also form the basis of a whole new generation of Jaguar models starting with the upcoming F-Pace SUV.
The car’s shape is immediately recognisable as a modern Jaguar, and from a distance could be mistaken for the larger XF - the large gaping grille flanked by a pair of narrow pointed headlamps and a clean but pronounced shoulder line that extends the length of the car. It’s a pretty little thing, one that Jaguar isn’t shy about boasting of its genetic relation to its sports cars (particularly the F-Type), even in its base guise, and would clearly win if looks alone were a deciding factor among in this segment. Still, a beguiling first impression does tend to last.
Starting with the entry model, called the XE Prestige, that receives a 200PS turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, stepping up would give you the XE R-Sport. Naturally, that brings a sportier trim and a more powerful 240PS version of the same 2.0-litre turbo-four in the XE Prestige. Both 2.0-litre petrol engines are from the
Ford
 EcoBoost family and are not the upcoming Ingenium range. As such, the current crop of petrol engines are an interim measure before the newer breed of JLR powertrains arrive in 2017.
Move up to the top ’S’ variant, and the XE’s visual drama reaches a crescendo with larger wheels, a lowered, slightly widened, and altogether more aggressive stance to complement the sportier suspension setup. Under the hood sits the much loved supercharged 3.0-litre V6 engine that produces 335hp (340PS), 450Nm of torque, and a truly glorious engine note. That engine is very similar to the unit that powers the Jaguar F-Type sports car, albeit tuned to be more gentlemanly than loutish.
All Jaguar XE variants come with five year or 150,000km warranty along with a three-year roadside assist package. Owners of the 2.0-litre Prestige and R-Sport variants will are also eligible for a five-year or 80,000km free scheduled maintenance while the 3.0-litre S variant receives a five-year or 65,000km package.
To celebrate the launch of the all-new XE into Jaguar’s Malaysian line-up, new XEs will come with an exclusive accessories package worth RM10,000. However, the offer is limited to stock and is only available for a limited time.
Jaguar looks to be off to the races with their XE sports sedan, and with any luck will give the establishment a good run for other people’s money.


Luxgen Looks to Expand to South East Asia

If you've never heard of Taiwanese company Luxgen before, you'd be forgiven- they don't have much of a global presence outside their home market (and rather surprisingly, the Middle East). While Luxgen has an ongoing partnership with Nissan in the Phillipines (under their parent company Yulon Motor), they have been conducting studies on countries like Vietnam and are considering what products would be a good fit for our region,
as Bangkok Post has reported here
.
What exactly does Luxgen produce? Under the Yulon Motor group, the company has been operating for a little over 8 years now with its vehicles being produced in Hangzhou, China. The name itself is a portmanteau of Luxury and Genius, and to be fair it isn't the worst brand name we've heard recently. Their model lineup consists of everything from full-on MPVs to regular sedans and SUV crossovers. It's a fairly basic model range that appeals to a large range of customers, although with their rate of development it's only a matter of time before they diversify even further and attack niche markets or regional specialties, like hatchbacks for a European market.
For Luxgen, it's more than simply selling products. If they come to South East Asia, they'll be coming in full force and will most likely be setting up assembly facilities within the region in order to cater to possible demand or simply for export to their current countries of operation. There are also various methods of expansion- whether they up the volume at their current shared facilities with Nissan, or whether they use their ties with Nissan to expand to other countries in the region. Yulon Motor has a 24.5% stake in Nissan's Phillipine operations, and is integral to helping Nissan achieve a regional annual sales volume of 500,000 units.
The main barrier for entry to ASEAN would be the import duties to be paid, and this is especially confusing as not all countries honour the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement set in place that seeks to eliminate duties between ASEAN countries by 2018. Vietnam in particular has an extremely high import duty at 77%, but there are various other regulations that also make it difficult to set up shop in this region.
In its home market, Luxgen sold 17,000 units through 2016 and this represents a solid 10% of the market share. This year they hope to push that figure up to 20,000, which is a fair increase as the brand becomes more and more established. It's difficult to say if they'll be expanding to Malaysia as well, but we aren't the worst place to set up shop as other companies have started their export operations as well.


Volvo Recalls 200 All-New XC90s For Faulty Wire Harness

Volvo
 is recalling approximately 200 units of their
XC90
s of model year 2016. The problem stems from newly discovered issue concerning the electronic wire harness that actuates certain in-car restraints.
The front seat wire harness is the only ones known to harbour this fault. An incorrect assembly have resulted in damaged wire insulation, bringing up a warming message within the instrument cluster asking the driver to bring their car to the workshop.
The most alarming scenario would be the damaged and/or faulty wire harness causing the front seat airbags not deploying or not functioning as intended.
Thankfully, no incidents have been reported concerning this issue and the recall is merely a precautionary measure.
XC90
 owners can rest assured that there is no risk of the side airbags deploying prematurely because of this.
The majority of the 200 XC90s are located in Volvo’s native Sweden, while the rest are located in various parts of Europe and the United States. Efforts are being made to contact the owners directly to have them to bring their cars to the nearest workshop to rectify the wire harness issue.


Hyundai and Kia Hit Record Low in Their Home Country

Things are looking a little rough for Hyundai and Kia in their home market. Even with their foreign performance aside, for the first time in history the Korean manufacturers have slipped below a 60% market share in their own domestic market. Part of this is due to a decline in output due to labour strikes, as well as a strong rise in the sales of foreign automotive products. The current combined market share of the two sits at 58.9% according to industry data from last Friday.
Even if we look at locally produced foreign products, the combined total market share sits at 26.7%, with fully imported cars coming in at 13.9%. Other small local rivals are becoming fiercely competitive, snapping up market share in the wake of Hyundai and Kia's decline. This year is the seventh in a series of year on year decline for the two brands, starting at 80% in 2009, to 67.7% through 2015, and now down to 58.9%. Data and information are sourced from Yonhap.


Detroit 2017: Honda Insight To Return In 2018?

At the on-going 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Honda has confirmed that the company will be launching a new dedicated hybrid model in 2018. Honda also said that the model will be made in the US, but of course, this doesn't mean the model will not be produced in Japan or elsewhere.
“To further grow sales of electrified vehicles in addition to the Accord Hybrid and Clarity Plug-in, I'm pleased to announce that Honda will launch an all-new, dedicated hybrid vehicle next year. This model will utilize our innovative 2-motor hybrid system and will be made in the U.S,” said Takahiro Hachigo, President and CEO of Honda Motor Co. Ltd.
Hachigo also added that the dedicated hybrid model will contribute to Honda’s goal of having electrified vehicles contributing two-thirds of their global sales by around 2030.
The last time Honda sold a dedicated hybrid model was in 2016, when the CR-Z was discontinued. Two years earlier, the Honda Insight had also been dropped from Honda’s global line-up.
Both models were slow sellers but it did rather well in spot markets like Malaysia, where imported hybrids were given full tax exemptions between 2011 and 2014.
Elsewhere, Honda’s mild-hybrid Intelligent Motor Assist (IMA) system were less appreciated as they weren’t that economical in the real world, and because it still relied on the petrol engine to drive the car (with the electric motor assisting), it wasn’t very smooth in stop-go traffic and early models (except the Civic Hybrid) shuts down the air-conditioning compressor whenever the engine is shut off.
Now, Honda no longer use IMA and all their hybrid models are powered by full-hybrid systems, meaning that the electric motors are powerful enough to drive the car from standstill, thus they are smoother, and the air-conditioning operates independently off the petrol engine.
The yet to be named dedicated hybrid model will be powered by the same two-motor i-MMD (Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive) hybrid system that’s currently employed in the
Accord Hybrid
 (not sold here but available in Thailand).
Honda didn’t say what body style or size will this dedicated hybrid model be but if you look around the marketplace, all dedicated hybrid models namely the Toyota Prius and Hyundai Ioniq – are more or less within the C/D segment, and often take the form a very predictable low front and hightail Kammback styling for optimum efficiency.


The Lotus Elise Classic Heritage Edition Is The Lightweight Throwback You Need

As strange as it sounds, Lotus is probably on the precipice of a major product and technology shift that will make their cars substantially heavier. As the push for hybrid and all-electric powertrains starts to ramp up thanks to both global emissions standards and parent company Geely, Lotus will undoubtedly have to add battery packs and electric motors to their sports cars – something largely antithetical to the “Simplify, then add lightness” creed that Colin Chapman introduced decades ago.

So as the clock winds down, perhaps it might be time to buy your first (or second, or third) Lotus. What better way to enter the Lotus family than to the pick their smallest and simplest model – the Elise Sport 220. For a limited time and production run only (100 units!), there’s a Classic Heritage Edition which has the fibreglass phenomenon done up in a variety of classic Lotus motorsport colour schemes.

Mechanically, this Classic Heritage Edition remains unchanged with the supercharged 2ZR-FE 1.8-litre engine pushing 220 PS and 250 Nm of torque, sitting behind the driver and delivering power to the rear wheels through a six-speed close ratio manual gearbox. Standard options include a DAB digital radio with four speakers (a luxury for a car like this), air-conditioning (also a luxury), cruise control (surprising), lightweight forged alloy wheels (expected), black carpet with floor mats (throw them out for a track day), colour matching interior trimmings, and additional door detailing.

Options for the model are a fibreglass hard top to replace the standard roll up fabric unit, a lighter lithium-ion battery, and a lightweight titanium exhaust system – all for cost, of course. As it stands, however, the Classic Heritage Edition is big value for money as the standard options would run you an extra RM 63,000 over a regular Elise 220 Sport, whereas the price difference is just RM 34,000 if you snap up one of these 100 units.

How much can we expect the car to be if it lands here? With some convoluted mathematics, we take the price of the Elise 220 Cup which stood at RM 316,000 or so and equate that to the 43,500 GBP price over in the UK with a 1,200 GBP comfort pack and 1,250 GBP air-conditioning option. Altogether that comes close to the 46,250 GBP base price for the Elise Classic Heritage Edition, which means you can expect it to be priced at between RM 300,000 and RM 350,000 if it comes here, depending on how MITI decides to tax it.


All-New Lexus ES250 Range Now Opened For Bookings – From RM 299,888

Lexus Malaysia has opened bookings for the all-new ES250, which was previewed at the 2018 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (2018 KLIMS).
Two variants will be available – ES250 Premium and ES250 Luxury, with prices expected to start from RM 299,888 for the former and RM 332,888 for the latter.
Both variants of the Lexus ES250 share a new 2.5-litre VVT-iE naturally-aspirated petrol engine that is paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Similar to the recently-updated Lexus NX range, the all-new Lexus ES range will also receive the Lexus Safety System+ advanced driver assistance package as standard, encompassing a range of features such as:
Pre-Collision System (PCS)
Lane Tracing Assist (LTA)
Lane Departure Alert (LDA)
Pre-Collision Brake Assist
Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) with Stop and Go
The more expensive variant of the two, the ES250 Luxury adds these features:
10-way powered front seats (driver + passenger)
Powered reclining rear seats
3-zone climate control
Heads-up display
12.3-inch Electro Multi-vision Display
Panoramic view monitor
Adaptive High-beam System (AHS)
Lexus models that are officially imported by Lexus Malaysia are backed by a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty.
Looking for a new Lexus? Find for the best deals
here
.


China's BYD Overtakes Tesla As World's Largest EV Producer?

Chinese automaker BYD has officially snatched the crown
off of Tesla’s head
, claiming the title of world’s leading EV producer, according to the company’s own filings. Is this true?

The news came after those published figures were posted to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. BYD Auto, which stands for ‘Build Your Dreams’ if you deconstruct its acronym, has claimed to have sold 641,350 ‘new energy’ vehicles in the first half of 2022.

BYD new EV superpower?

This is a staggering 314.9% increase from its sales figures compared to what was posted at the end of H1 2021. By comparison, over the past 2 quarters, Tesla sold some 564,743 cars.

However,
here comes the spin
. Tesla’s range of models since its inception has been 100% fully electric passenger cars, but that does not also apply to BYD. Of that massive volume of 641k cars sold so far in 2022, the Shenzen-based automaker sold
323,519 vehicles that were fully electric (BEVs)
.

BYD had also been producing its own combustion engines up until March 2022 when they doubled down on a fully zero-emissions strategy. Besides this, the company also produces commercial vehicles such as buses, trucks, and even forklifts and it’s unclear how much of this was factored into the final published figure.

The remainder of their cars is comprised of other types of powertrains which, though electrified such as plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), are not classified as battery electric (passenger) vehicles in parity with those offered by Tesla, who reportedly might have produced/sold even more vehicles in 2022 if not hindered by production delays at their new Gigafactory in Shanghai.

This was the US EV-maker’s third ‘Gigafactory’ and was responsible for roughly 50% of its 2021 production volume globally, which suffered a 22-day shut down in May due to a pre-emptive city-wide COVID-19 lockdown. Once production was resumed, it faced many supply chain issues to the worsening parts and semiconductor shortages.

BYD is backed by Warren Buffet

BYD, on the other hand, seems to be going from strength to strength and are currently China’s largest domestic automaker. Partially funded by Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway, the automaker’s shares have leaped by 36% since January 2022 with a market capitalisation approaching 1 trillion Chinese yuan.

They plan to
aggressively pursue expansion
 outside of China with a European and North American sales network rapidly taking form. If they weren’t able to technically dethrone Tesla in the global EV production/sales race just yet, it seems to only be a matter of time before they do.


All-Electric Lotus Evija Open For Booking In Malaysia, RM 16 Million

It’s the most expensive Lotus yet, and it can be yours locally too.

While it’s a little surprising to see that Malaysia is getting the most advanced car that Lotus has ever produced in the form of the Evija, let’s not forget that Malaysia is home to many closet millionaires in their own right. Koenigsegg was set up here for a time, and McLaren comes in and out of the market when they can – in fact, we also have far more Porsche 911 GT2 RS units than you would expect.

But the
Lotus Evija
 doesn’t come cheap, and bookings start at RM 16 million – landed in Peninsular Malaysia – making it possibly one of the most expensive cars ever officially sold here through an official channel. Lotus Karz is currently handling the Lotus brand in Malaysia – that is to say, importing and distributing – and it will be interesting to see how they intend to handle the service and maintenance of this particularly special Lotus.

Performance figures are staggering: 2,000 PS, and 1,700 Nm of torque deployed by four electric motors, with a helical planetary gearbox at each corner too. If the
Lotus Evija
 were to line up for a drag race with a Perodua Myvi 1.5, it would hit 100 km/h in just under 3 seconds – and by the time the Myvi hits 100 km/h, the Evija will be doing over 300 km/h. A surprisingly modest 70 kWh lithium-ion battery stores the charge – in comparison, a top-spec
Taycan
 packs a 93.4 kWh battery.

Oddly enough, Lotus also throws in some faux sound, modeled after their Type 49 Formula 1 car which packed a V8. In our opinion, high-performance electric cars have ear-screeching sounds of their own through the operation of their brutal motors and whatever few drivetrain components there are – listen to a Formula E car and you’ll realize they’re far from quiet.

Many will argue that this money would be enough to buy someone’s dream garage and the house to boot, but as is the case with many things in the world of hypercars, you are paying for the next generation of development. The Evija paves the way for
Lotus
’ new era of vehicles, and it will undoubtedly be one of those cars that maintain value by virtue of importance and novelty – even if 130 units will be made globally.


Mitsubishi Offers 40% Off Parts And Labour For Customers Affected By Penang Flood

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia, the official distributor of Mitsubishi vehicles in Malaysia, announced a flood relief effort for its customers affected by the recent flood disaster in Penang.
The company will offer a 40 percent discount on spare parts and labour prices from today until 31 December for vehicles damaged by flood.
Only vehicles that were purchased from MMM’s authorised dealers will qualify, and cases are subject to verification to ensure authenticity.
“We hope that this effort will help ease the burden of our customers through this difficult period. Our prayers and best wishes go out to our customers and their families who have been affected by the floods,” said Tomoyuki Shinnishi, Chief Executive Officer of MMM.
Besides discount on parts, MMM announced that it will also support customers by offering free towing services for vehicles involved in the flood to the nearest Mitsubishi service centre.
All customers need to do is to lodge a police report and call the Mitsubishi Motors Customer Careline at 1-800-88-2166 or 03-7803 1566 to obtain the free towing service.
The company has also initiated a clean-up programme in some flood-hit areas together with 120 Triton Tuners Club members and dealers.


AC vs DC Charging - Guide for New EV Drivers in Malaysia

In late 2021, the Malaysian government
announced aggressive incentives and perks
 to buyers of electric vehicles as part of a longer-term objective for the country to gain a foothold in expanding the EV manufacturing and supply chain market.

With that being over a year ago, this past 12+ months have seen
more introductions of fully electirc models
 into the market and rising interest among the typical car buyer.

That increase in the install base of EV owners means robust charging solutions need to be implemented. However, the real ‘Step One’ is equipping the nation with the knowledge of how electric cars are charged up.

One thing is for sure: it'll take many times longer compared to filling a typical car with petrol or diesel.

AC vs DC Charging

It's true that AC (alternating current) charging is the slower charging method compared to DC, but that doesn't mean it's inherently bad.

It relies on the car’s onboard converter, meaning these chargers are less demanding on the grid as well as cheaper to purchase and set up.

They can be installed at home (often referred to as a wallbox) and are the preferred type of charger to be provided to the public.

Meanwhile, a DC (direct current) charger will always be able to get you to 80% quicker as it offloads that conversion step to a much beefier system, hence their size. Their cost and operating expense, however, means that operators usually charge users by the minute.

This is also why faster DC chargers are more suited to
specific locations such as highways
 where the least possible charging time is desired.

AC Charger

DC Charger

Current Type

Alternating

Direct

Port type

Type 2

CCS2

Conversion to DC

Happens in-car

Happens in-charger

Max. Charging Rate (in 2022)

Up to 22kW

Up to 360kW

Typical charging time (to 80%)

i.e.: 7 to 15 hours

Less than 1 hour

Cost to use/operate

$$

$$$$

Ideal for

Home

Dedicated fast-charge stations

Charging In Public vs At Home

Obviously, charging
at home is the foundation of any EV ‘lifestyle’
. Here’s where having a landed property is a real advantage for EV owners, as opposed to high rise living.

Apartments and condominium residents in Malaysia, at least in 2022, have very few charging options.

That said, more and more property developers are willing to include EV-friendly facilities at common areas or, even better, at the parking level.

Out in the wild, public chargers are far from plentiful either, especially if you're not in a particularly developed area, making it doubly important to leave the house on a full charge done overnight (like you would a mobile phone), which is the reality of a majority of EV owners today.

In the private sector, the likes of ParkEasy, chargEV, and JomCharge have also partnered up with shopping complexes to offer a seamless charging while you shop, some sponsored by a specific automaker.

However, designated electric vehicle parking spots equipped with AC chargers are scarce.

Home

Public

Charger Current Type

AC (wallbox)

AC or DC

Cost to use

Electricity bill charges

Per hour/minute

Cost to set up

Paid by homeowner

Paid by a 3rd party

Charging rate

Consistent

Inconsistent

Charge time

Predictable

Unpredictable

Convenience

Yes

Not in 2022

Malaysia’s EV Charging Network

Until a fully fleshed out nationwide electric vehicle charging solution is implemented and charging network sufficiently mature, pre-planning is at the core of every EV owners daily motoring routine.

Automakers, to counter this 'range anxiety' have been trying to squeeze in bigger and bigger batteries into their EVs, which inevitably increases cost.

The future of EV adoption won't necessarily be won by cars capable of travelling longer and longer distances on a single charge, but by more widespread availability of locations to plug-in and top up those electrons, especially in urban centres.

Longer distance travel will, however, more or less necessitate more DC charging station to be operational. For a heftier by-the-minute fee, they essentially allow EV users to quickly replenish their car's energy reserves in about the same time as a bathroom break and a cup of coffee, making them perfect for highway rest areas.

So, do you think you're ready to
jump on the EV life
? Or do you think it's too much of a nuissance at our current infrastructure state?

Comment below & share your thoughts!


Review: 2016 Volkswagen Passat B8 – 1.8 TSI & 2.0 TSI Driven In Langkawi

Beset with seemingly endless issues plaguing its vehicles, the last two years have been a nightmare for the Volkswagen brand. Locally, the brand is under fire for reliability and aftersales, whilst on a global stage, the company is still reeling from the dieselgate scandal that is set to plague its image for years to come.
Rebuilding a battered brand image is a challenging undertaking, but for Volkswagen, the journey starts now. A new distributor is in place to start with a clean slate, and this year, the brand also has a fully refreshed its core sedan line-up having replaced the Polo Sedan with the
Vento
, facelifted the
Jetta
, and all but
ready to launch the all-new Passat B8
.
Between the three major launches, the Passat is arguably the most crucial. Being a full model change, it gives the public a first glimpse at VW’s next chapter in this country. Success for the Passat is absolutely crucial in VW’s quest to rebuild the public’s trust in its products. At a glance, the car radiates off a positive
first impression
, but does it have the substance and resilience to revitalize Volkswagen’s fortunes? We flew to Langkawi to find out.
Specifications:
1.8 TSI
Engine: 1.8-litre, Inline-4 Transverse, Turbocharged Petrol
Power: 180PS @ 5,100 – 6,200rpm
Torque: 250Nm @ 1,250 – 5,000rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dry dual clutch automatic
2.0 TSI
Engine: 2.0-litre, Inline-4 Transverse, Turbocharged Petrol
Power: 220PS @ 5,600 – 6,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,700 – 5,600rpm
Transmission: 6-speed wet dual clutch automatic
Safety: 6 airbags, ABS, EBD, electronic stability control, hill start assist, ISOFIX
Origin: Locally-assembled at Pekan, Pahang
Overview
Like the Vento and facelifted Jetta launched earlier this year, Volkswagen is speccing the Passat with a choice of three variants for the Malaysian market. Spearheading the range is the 2.0 TSI Highline model pumping out 220PS and 350Nm from its EA888 four-cylinder turbo, immediately propelling the Passat to the forefront of the segment’s power stakes.
Below it, the 1.8-litre version of the same engine powers the Trendline and Comfortline models with a not too shabby 180PS and 250Nm. Compared to the preceding model’s engine of the same capacity that was offered as the sole powertrain, the new one gains an additional 20PS, but makes do with the same amount of torque. In any case, these are outputs that rival 2.4- to 2.5-litre Japanese D-segment sedans, so either way you choose, you won’t be short on pace.
Both engines come standard with dual clutch automatic transmissions – 7-speed dry clutch for the 1.8; 6-speed wet clutch for the 2.0. The 2.0, it is worth noting, is effectively the
Golf GTI
 engine and drivetrain packaged into an executive sedan. Performance-wise, it puts the Passat firmly in the mix against mid- to high-spec versions of the
BMW 3 Series
 and
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
.
In addition to its superior outputs, the 2.0 TSI also additionally gets adaptive dampers as part of its Dynamics Chassis Control package together with the XDS+ electronic differential torque vectoring system.
Trim levels are decent across the range. The Trendline starts off with a rather austere equipment roster, but things improve as you move up the range, culminating in goodies such as keyless entry, handsfree bootlid opening, and Active Info Display - a 12.3-inch TFT screen functioning as a virtual instrument cluster. Follow this link for a more detailed breakdown of the
Passat’s equipment by variant
.
As part of Volkswagen’s new badging convention based loosely on the engine’s torque outputs, the 1.8-litre variants wear 280 TSI badges on the bootlid; the 2.0-litre models, meanwhile, carry the 380 TSI designation. For this media programme, VPCM gave us two variants to sample – 1.8 TSI Comfortline and 2.0 TSI Highline.
Volkswagen has yet to announce official prices for the Passat, but expect them to be competitive. Being locally-assembled, the 2.0 TSI variant should still be priced within the near side of RM200k, whilst the 1.8 TSI variants can potentially start from RM150k – RM160k thereabouts. Stay tuned for the official launch scheduled to happen on 16 Nov.
Exterior
Whereas the previous Passat B7 was an extensive update of the preceding Passat B6, the latest Passat B8 is entirely new; not that this is immediately obvious at first glance. Like the Golf 7 which provided its MQB platform for use here, the B8 is styled with seemingly deliberate restraint and with a conscious effort to create an evolutionary leap from the B7.
Overall length of the Passat has contracted by 2mm from the B7’s size; in a field occupied by 4.8-metre-plus vehicles, the Passat’s 4,767mm length ensures that it has the most compact footprint within the D-segment. Compared to the B7, the B8 is wider by 12mm but shorter in height by 14mm. Crucially, the wheelbase has gained a substantial 79mm to measure 2,791mm between the axles.
The result of these dimensional alterations is a more dynamic and purposeful stance with shorter overhangs and greater width. The strong character line running along the flanks further add tension to the side profile surface whilst visually emphasizing its reduced height. For occupants, the longer wheelbase also translates to a more spacious cabin and better stability on the move.
Wheels start at 16 inches for the Trendline model and going up by increments of an inch with each jump in grade. Exhaust configurations differ too – the 1.8 TSI get dual circular pipes on the left, whilst the 2.0 TSI have integrated outlets either side of the bumper.
Both the Comfortline and Highline test cars we saw in Langkawi get LED headlights with active swivelling function. In the Trendline, this is downgraded substantially to halogen reflector units. Volkswagen’s global catalogue curiously does not provide an intermediate option, xenon projectors for example, between these two extremes, which is unfortunate. Whilst we can excuse VW dropping the costly LED headlamps for the base model, reflector-type headlamps at this price simply doesn’t cut it for the tastes of our market.

Note:
Halogen reflector headlight image on left from
carsales.com.au
.
Interior
Compared to the outside, in-cabin revisions of the Passat are significantly more substantial. We spotted some very subtle cost-cutting measures. Most notably, the B7’s floor-hinged accelerator has been changed to a top-hinged unit, but this could simply be VW standardizing the pedal box for all its MQB cars.
Overall, however we commend VW for cleverly reinvesting those savings into other areas that, in general, elevates the B8’s cabin perceived quality not only above its predecessor but also approaching that of premium marques. A BMW 3 Series cabin, for example, cannot claim to feel like a more expensive place to sit in.
Selection materials, for example, cannot be faulted, be it the wooden dash inserts of the 2.0 or the brushed metal finish in the 1.8; both are tastefully applied and feel convincingly premium. The frameless rear view mirror, in particular, look like a properly upmarket item. Overall fit and finish is excellent to the eyes of this writer.
Ergonomics, in typical Volkswagen fashion, are difficult to fault. Be it the regular dials of the 1.8 TSI or the Active Info Display of the 2.0 TSI, instruments are clear and legible with all relevant controls within easy reach. Small item storage is decent, but not as great as before – the lidded cubby on the centre console has ostensibly shrunk from what it was in the B7 to accommodate a relocated parking brake switch. Still good enough to swallow your phone and keys though.
As required of the segment, particularly in our climate, rear air-con vents are provided and all variants get triple-zone climate control as standard where dual-zone systems are the norm.
Driving Experience
Volkswagen Group vehicles underpinned by the MQB platform typically offer decent dynamics and the Passat is no different. Whilst the subtle nuances are tuned to deliver the classic Passat driving experience in assigning greater priority to comfort and refinement, the distinctive traits of MQB-based vehicles are present – a firm yet well-damped ride, controls sensibly calibrated for easy modulation, and progressive behaviour at the limit.
This collection of characteristics give the latest generation of VW cars wide appeal to drivers of varying skill levels – they can be pushed to the limit with confidence, yet easygoing enough to be a friendly day-to-day companion. The brakes encapsulate the new tuning mindset perfectly; previous generation Volkswagen brakes tend to lack finesse in their calibration – biting abruptly even when you feather the pedal; the Passat, like more recent models, responds to prodding of the middle pedal in more linear fashion yet still stops the car with convincing authority.
The narrow village roads of Langkawi precluded serious examination of the Passat’s stability at sustained high speed cruising, but there were sufficient kilometres of winding roads for us to test out its chassis balance around corners. Body roll is present but manageable, as the chassis meets changes in direction with progressive poise. Steering responds predictably with decent communicativeness.
In regular driving conditions, the 1.8 TSI is an adequate performer. Its outputs are competitive against 2.4- to 2.5-litre D-segment sedans with competent handling to match. Only at the limits and driven back-to-back do the 2.0 TSI’s superiority really tell – the XDS+ system provides keener turn-in around bends whilst the 100Nm torque advantage make a noticeable difference when overtaking. In fact, the 2.0’s acceleration can be described as explosive when you bury the throttle.
There can be no doubt that where the driving stakes are concerned, the Passat is among the field’s leading pack. It has the performance and handling to trump most D-segment cars and trouble a few premium compact execs along the way. Only the Ford Mondeo and Mazda 6 can really claim to exert any superiority over the Passat in this area; both of them giving the driver a greater sense of involvement. The Passat, for its impressive breadth of talents, can feel disconnected at times; not a deal-breaker for regular drivers though.
Comfort & Refinement
The new Passat seems to ride slightly firmer than its predecessor, but it’s still comfortable enough within the context of the segment. On the DCC-equipped 2.0 TSI model, dialling the adaptive dampers to Comfort mode brings about a truly plush ride quality, although we found the 1.8 TSI entirely adequate in most situations during the drive.
Road roar can get surprisingly loud, but other sources of noise are well muted. This shortcoming can be addressed easily enough by quieter tyres or aftermarket sound-deadening materials near the wheel arch.
Of note is the impressive damping of vibrations that allow the auto stop/start system of both models to operate almost imperceptibly.
Reliability?
Recent reliability issues have burned Volkswagen badly enough that they do not care for a repeat of that episode.
One reason why the B8 is launched in Malaysia more than two years after its global debut was that the local team had spent 18 months testing the vehicles on our local roads. Some cars in the test fleet had clocked as much as 200,000km during that short period and did not suffer anything beyond regular wear and tear. The cars were given regular mileage-based maintenance.
We will have to wait and see if any improvements are forthcoming at the service centres, but at least the homework has been done at product level.
Conclusion
Without an official price to work with, it is difficult to come to a proper consideration of the Passat B8’s case. We’d hazard a guess that the mid-spec Comfortline model will take over where the B7 left off at RM170k thereabouts. Ideally, we’d like to see the Trendline at the RM150k ballpark and the Highline to stay on the near side of RM200k.
Evaluated without the baggage of Volkswagen’s recent troubles, the Passat is without doubt an excellent vehicle. It boasts a timeless design outside, nicely-appointed cabin inside, well-equipped, decent to drive, and superbly engineered. We’d say it has a claim of being pseudo-luxury vehicle, and can be legitimately considered as an alternative to cars in the C-Class and 3 Series segment.
Can the Passat be the saviour of Volkswagen’s fortunes? Perhaps it can, but not likely to through sales numbers. What this new Passat needs to accomplish is to go through an entire model cycle without any major technical issues cropping up. This is the model that needs to consign the infamous DSG failures to the past, and rebuild consumer confidence in the brand. Once positive word of mouth spreads, the journey to rebuild Volkswagen can truly begin.


VW Polo Black & White Edition Sold Out In Just One Minute

Volkswagen Passenger Car Malaysia (VPCM) today announced that the Polo Black & White Special Edition, which was
launched last week
 in conjunction with Lazada's 11.11 Shopping Festival, has been sold out.
The best part is that every unit was booked within one minute after it was launched.
All 11 cars were booked by 12:01am on the 11th of November and all purchase transactions were completed only 1 hour after.
Limited to only 11 units, the Volkswagen Polo Black & White Edition was sold exclusively on Lazada online shopping platform.
Customers only needed to pay a booking fee of RM799 on Lazada to enjoy the retail price of RM68,488 for the Polo Black & White and receive added accessories worth RM7,500.
Add road tax, registration fee, inspection/handling fee and other charges however, the on the road price excluding insurance stood at RM69,228.
Only available in Candy White, each unit is fitted with a black rear spoiler, black body side moldings, leather seats, 15” black alloy wheels, black side mirror and authorised VW Tint.
Mechanically, it remains unchanged from the standard Polo, which is priced at RM75,730. The 1.6-litre naturally aspirated engine makes 105 PS and 153 Nm, driving the front wheels via a 6-speed Tiptronic torque converter automatic transmission.
Like all Volkswagen models, the Polo B&W is covered by 3 years free maintenance, 5 years manufacturer’s warranty and 5 years roadside assistance.


Discounts Of Up To RM8k For Ford Ranger Raptor, RM7k For Wildtrak – Limited Time Offer

Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC), the official distributor for Ford vehicles in Malaysia, is offering attractive savings on selected
Ford Ranger
 (2020 Production Year) Raptor and WildTrak models in conjunction with the upcoming festive season.

From now until 30th April 2021, customers can save up to RM8,000 on 2020 year-made models of the
Ford Ranger Raptor
 while those considering the refined and smart
Ranger WildTrak
 can benefit from savings of up to RM7,000 respectively.

Turse Zuhair, Head of Sales, Sime Darby Auto ConneXion added, “As models at the top of their class, the Ranger Raptor and WildTrak are the epitome of lifestyle pickup trucks that are gaining in appeal to discerning customers and pickup enthusiasts in Malaysia. With these special deals, we hope to offer customers more savings this festive season,”

Both the Wildtrak and Raptor models are powered by Ford’s 2.0-litre bi-turbo four-cylinder turbodiesel which outputs 213PS and a whopping 500Nm of torque.

The urban orientated Ranger WildTrak is offered with an extensive array of smart safety technologies such as Autonomous Emergency Braking with Vehicle and Pedestrian Detection, Forward Collision Warning and Lane Departure Warning.

The
hallowed Raptor
, on the other hand, is envisioned as a performance off-roader courtesy of race-bred suspensions from Fox Racing Shox, and its Terrain Management System which includes a “Baja Mode”.

Interested customers are encouraged to visit their nearest authorised Ford dealership or send a WhatsApp to the Ford Digital Salesperson at 019-2041200 for more information.


Extreme Modifications – The Good, the Bad, and the Crazy

When it comes to modifying a vehicle, the possibilities are endless. Depending on the taste, the creativity, and the depth of the owner’s pocket, the sky is the limit to the amount of things that one can do to a vehicle.

Among all the different cultures and styles, the most common form of modification is arguably upbadging; when you modify your car to look like a more gempak version of the model, like buying a BMW 3-Series 320i and slapping on an “M3” badge for instance.

However, the case of the M badge is only the mildest case of upbadging, as we have many super creative owners who go the extra mile to make their vehicles look like something completely different, and sometimes a model that nobody would’ve even imagined.

Look at this
Perodua Aruz
 for instance – the owner decides to aim for the sky with a bodykit that resembles the front end of the Lexus LX570!

While everything else from the wheels, the body colour, the ride height and everything in between appears to be in stock condition still, the front end has gone through a complete “facelift” and truth be told, doesn’t look too bad, does it?

If you think this
Aruz
 is crazy, you haven’t seen anything. Japanese custom bodykit specialist Albermo recently released a special bodykit for the Daihatsu Rocky, or the upcoming
Perodua D55L SUV
, which actually mirrors the Lamborghini Urus.

While the company already had Lamborghini-inspired bodykits for the Toyota Prius and the RAV4, the Rocky compact SUV, which seems to be doing pretty well in Japan, was the third model to receive this kit from Albermo.

The thing about bodykits such as these is that the companies that produce them have already done all the groundwork, making it a plug-and-play accessory for the Aruz, the Rocky, and what not, which means that there is not much room for errors.

Plus, since many owners have already fitted them to their cars, you would know exactly how it would look, which makes it easier to decide whether or not to go for it.

What if you want to do something that nobody else in the world has done to their car, like the owner of this proud (wait for it)
Proton Saga Aeroback
 Camaro Bumblebee here?

Spotted outside a bodykit shop in Bandar Sunway by a friend recently, the Proton Camaro here which is obviously not in its final form yet, is sporting a fully custom bodykit that mirrors the front end of the Chevrolet Camaro.

From what we can see, whoever designed this bodykit actually did a good job in making the Camaro’s front fascia design blend in seamlessly with the body lines of the Proton Iswara. Love it or hate it, this car will certainly be turning heads once it is completed.

So, there you have it, a few examples of how people have transformed their Perodua Aruz into a Lexus LX570, their Daihatsu Rockies into mini Lamborghini Urus, and the Proton Saga into a Chevy Camaro, and this is only the tip of the iceberg.

What is the craziest modified car that you have seen? Share a picture with us below!


Buying Guide: Used Proton Perdana

On this day 26
th
 January in 1995, Tun Dr. Mahathir, who was then the Prime Minister of Malaysia, launched the Proton Perdana – the first 2.0-litre car from the national car maker.
To mark the 21
st
 anniversary of this occasion, this week’s used car buying guide will be focusing on the Proton Perdana.
Specifications:
Engine: 4G63 2.0-litre transverse four-cylinder (1995 – 1998), 6A12 2.0-litre V6 (1998 – 2010)
Transmission: 4-speed automatic
Safety: ABS
Origin: Shah Alam
Overview
Essentially a rebadged Japanese market Mitsubishi Eterna (above), the Proton Perdana was pretty well equipped for its time. It had anti-lock brakes (ABS) and cruise control – both were a first for a Proton, while its four-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission featured fuzz logic technology, another first for a Proton.
Powering the Perdana was a 2.0-litre four-cylinder 4G63 petrol engine, which shares the same engine block as the famous 4G63T unit that powered the legendary Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.
Three years later, on 12 November 1998, the four-cylinder Perdana was replaced with a more sophisticated Perdana V6 (above), which was powered by a 2.0-litre V6 6A12 petrol engine, with ride and handling fettled by the chassis tuning experts at Lotus Cars.
In 2003, the Perdana V6 was given a mid-lifecycle facelift treatment, receiving a rather Alfa Romeo-like front grille (below).
Later models were more reliable, thanks to a factory fitted transmission oil cooler. While either of the two engine options were reliable, the Perdana had a rather fragile transmission, which was prone to overheat. A transmission oil cooler, whether fitted aftermarket or from the factory, was necessary to cure it.
Today, a decent condition model can be had for around RM20,000, which is not too bad if you are looking a large-ish looking sedan but don’t want to pay Camry-level money for it.
There’s also a small production run for an extended wheelbase
Perdana Executive
 (above), whose overall length was stretched by 250 mm.

Exterior
Despite its age, the Perdana still looks pretty contemporary. It’s one of Proton’s better looking cars from the ‘90s.
Most of the used examples on used car market are easily over 10 years old so watch out for rust spots around the wheel arches, door frames, boot and roof.
Being based on a relatively popular Japanese market Mitsubishi model, the Perdana was rather popular among tuners in the early 2000s but you wouldn’t want to buy any of these heavily modified examples, especially those which had holes drilled into their body panels to accommodate all sorts of tacky looking body kits and pseudo aero parts. Look out for signs of patched up holes around the boot lid, wheel arches and fenders.
Interior

Despite its D-segment positioning, the Perdana is actually not that spacious inside. On the upside, shoulder room is still better than many of its similarly priced contemporaries.
As with any leather trimmed interiors, avoid cars that have spent a lot of time being baked under the hot sun. Check the appearance of the leather seats against the vehicle’s claimed mileage. An unusually old looking interior that doesn’t quite match with the car’s claimed mileage suggests that the odometer has been tampered with. Of course, this does not apply if the seats have been retrimmed, but it is very easy to tell if the seats have been rewrapped after-market.
How does it drive?
Driving dynamics was one of the Perdana’s strongest forte. Even until today, a properly maintained Perdana still handles better than many other newer Japanese and Korean sedans. With its relatively low and wide body, coupled with a generous wheelbase, the Perdana has an inherently well balanced driving character.
The V6 model can be expensive to maintain but the added cost is justified by the significantly superior driving performance, especially on long journeys on the highway, over the more economical 4-cylinder version.
Maintenance
Perdanas might cheap to buy, with many well maintained examples going for around RM15,000 to RM20,000, but be warned that this is still a D-segment sedan so don’t expect to pay Myvi-class type of figures for its maintenance.
The V6 engine costs significantly more to maintain, due to the higher quantity of engine oil required, and higher number of spark plugs – but many workshops recommend using Iridium-type ones, which can last up to 100,000 km.
Fuel consumption is also significantly higher than the four-cylinder version.
Both the 6A12 V6 and 4G63 four-cylinder engines are quite reliable but considering the age of the car, it might be prudent to budget a few thousand Ringgit for a top overhaul of the engine.
As the Perdana was once quite popular among tuners, watch out for cars that have had their engines swapped with other more powerful Mitsubishi engines. In principle, this fine but make sure you have all the legal papers. Verify that the engine and chassis numbers printed on the vehicle registration papers matches with what’s stamped car’s engine block and chassis, else you are going to have a lot of problems with JPJ.
A well maintained stock standard car is always preferred over a modified one.
While the Perdanas engines are reliable, the four-speed automatic transmission is its Achilles heel as it tends to overheat. Many owners have either installed an after-market transmission oil cooler or swapped the transmission altogether along with the engine.
Later model Perdanas, were said to have transmission oil coolers fitted as standard do peek under the hood of these models to be sure.
Another weak point with the Perdana are the front suspension's lower arm, which are quite fragile and have been known to wear our prematurely. Avoid cars which have been lowered or fitted with oversized tyres and you should be fine.
From The Used Car Lot
There are over 200 units of
Proton Perdanas currently listed on Carlist.my
, with prices ranging from RM7,000 to RM28,000.
The pick of the range will be the facelifted
post-2003
 year models These can be had for as low as RM11,000.
Special thanks for
Roda Pusing
’s Albakry Salehuddin, an ex-technician for TVR and Renault, who used to operate a workshop before venturing into the motoring media scene, for his technical advice.