Toyota Might Be Bringing Back The MR2 Because Why Not

Seems there is some smoke collecting in the Japanese rumour mill with noted publication
Spyder7
 declaring rather confidently that Toyota is developing a compact mid-engine sports car in the same vein as the much loved MR2.

There’s plenty to be excited about if proven true, but every car enthusiast has been
burned by the glowing coals of high expectation
 before; enough to know it’s unwise to invest any emotional weight until some official confirmation or announcement is forthcoming. That said, Toyota has demonstrated a tendency to listen to the whims of the keen driver over the past few years.

Equal to their continued progress in post-combustion mobility such as parallel hybrids, plug-in hybrids, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and now battery electric vehicles, the Japanese brand has doubled down on cars like the GR Yaris and now
two generations of the 86/GR86
.

As far as honest grass-roots attempts go, the
GR Supra
 ranks slightly lower compared to its Gazoo Racing brethren but is most worthy of commendation on effort and intent alone. Sports car enthusiasts know how rare a proper two-door rear-drive, inline-6 coupe is to come by these days, so we’ll take what we can get.

For the case supporting the return of the MR2, however, there at least seems to be the momentum of a growing stable of sporty models. More recently, the four-cylinder mid-engine transverse layout its predecessors were known for has yielded success for cars like the Porsche 718, Lotus Elise, as well as the
Alpine A110
, so it won’t exactly be without some competitors.

In the same way that the Japanese automotive giant sought the help of collaborators like Subaru and BMW, Spyder7 claims Toyota is seeking yet another partnership with a 3rd party. Funnily enough, it cites Porsche and/or Lotus; either of which would be a hilarious pairing.

The report goes on to say that a 2.8-litre or 3.0-litre V6 will sit amidship with between 345 to 400hp on tap, sending power to the rear wheels via a choice of two transmissions, both made by Aisin: a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic. Projected prices would start at 6 Million Yen, or around RM220,000.

My suggestion? Give Honda a ring - Honda who has been so delinquent in exploring the
return of the S2000
. Both manufacturers shall have input on this Frankenstein monster of a sports car, of course, though the engine should definitely be a high-revving naturally aspirated VTEC. Call it the MR2000.

Also, bring back the pop-up headlights. Please.


Pemilik Kereta Keyless Harus Berwaspada - Taktik Terbaru Pencuri Kereta

Tahukah anda, kecurian
keyless
 semakin meningkat dan sebuah kereta menggunakan sistem itu boleh dicuri dalam masa 20 saat sahaja?

Pemilik kereta yang menggunakan sistem tanpa kunci (
keyless
) berisiko kehilangan kenderaan dengan adanya alat penggodam berfrekuensi di pasaran tempatan.

*Kredit foto: AWS Insurance

Alat berkenaan yang berharga sekitar RM50 hingga RM150 boleh didapati secara dalam talian atau kedai elektronik. Ia berupaya membuka pintu kereta dan menghidupkan enjin dengan menggodam informasi pengecaman frekuensi radio (RFID).

Menurut Harian Metro, terdapat 3 cara si pencuri kereta menggodam sistem
keyless
 ini:

Alat penggodam tersebut haruslah dipasang di komputer sebelum ia boleh berfungsi dengan perisian RFID yang ringkas (ia boleh dimuat turun secara percuma dari Internet). Perisian itu akan membaca dan meniru frekuensi yang dipindahkan dari sistem kereta ke alat kawalan

Alat penggodam menyerang sistem pengunci kereta, sekaligus meniru kod yang dihantar melalui frekuensi kepada kereta tersebut. Kod yang ditiru itu akan dapat membuka kereta tersebut

Pencuri juga mencuri kod daripada alat kawalan dengan menghantar signal radio kepada alat berkenaan. Ia menyebabkan sistem kereta akan berkomunikasi dengan akaun kunci dan menghantar respon secara automatik untuk membuka kereta

Terbaharu, kumpulan penjenayah terancang menggunakan taktik
relay attack
 untuk mencuri kereta dalam purata masa 20 saat!

Taktik ini memerlukan dua pencuri - pencuri pertama berada dekat dengan kunci keyless untuk mendapatkan signal menggunakan teknologi geganti (
relay
).

Manakala pencuri kedua berada berhampiran pintu kereta, sekaligus sistem kereta akan membuka pintu kerana menyedari kehadiran kunci
keyless
, walaupun ia sebenarnya adalah peranti
relay
.

Ini lebih memudahkan si pencuri untuk mencuri kereta dengan pantas dan modus operandi kebiasaannya berlaku di rumah, ketika pemilik sedang tidur, lapor Majlis Ketua-Ketua Polis Kebangsaan Britain (UK NPCF).

Di Britain, kes kecurian kereta keyless ini meningkat sehingga 30 peratus dan polis Britain telah menumpaskan tujuh anggota sindiket yang terlibat dalam kes kecurian lebih 50 kereta dengan sistem
keyless
, bernilai 2.4 juta Euro (RM13.9 juta).

Apa saranan kepada pemilik kereta
keyless
?

UK NPCF menggesa pemilik menempatkan kunci
 keyless
 masing-masing dalam tin besi atau beg perlindungan yang mencegah signal keluar daripada bekas simpanan

Memasang peranti pengesan GPS kepada kereta untuk memudahkan anda mengesan keberadaan kereta, jika kehilangan kereta atau dicuri

Sistem anti-kecurian seperti Immobilizer dapat menghalang enjin kereta dihidupkan atau mematikan enjin setelah dihidupkan, jika kereta dihidupkan tanpa kunci
keyless
 sebenar

Kunci stereng atau gear bagi menghalang kereta dicuri – teknik ini kita biasa praktikkan dahulu, terutamanya jika meninggalkan kereta untuk tempoh yang lama

Bukan sahaja di rumah, malah di mana-mana sekalipun, sentiasa beringat ketika ingin parkir kereta supaya tidak memberi ruang kepada si pencuri kereta untuk merembat kereta anda!


MetMalaysia predicts heavy rain in the next few days - get special perils insurance if you want extra protection for your car

The Department of Meteorology Malaysia (MetMalaysia) has issued a warning as they forecast continuous rain for the next few days in Peninsular Malaysia and some areas in Sabah & Sarawak.

According to MetMalaysia, there will be a concentration of wind and rain on the East Coast of the Peninsula and west of Sarawak, and this bit of weather has the potential to produce heavy rain and strong winds on the East Coast of the Peninsula from today till 11 November 2022.

States on the West Coast of the Peninsula, such as Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor are expected to experience heavy rain and thunderstorms from the afternoon till late in the evening.

This warning by the Met department is giving us a heads up of the potential bad weather in the next few days, so we better be prepared and, avoid areas that may be at risk of flooding.

If you must move around during this period, it is best to get special perils insurance for your vehicle as it'll give you extra protection.

The cost of special perils coverage varies according to insurance providers, but generally, it will set you back 0.5% of your vehicle's total value, which is not a lot to pay for added safety. As an example, if your vehicle is worth RM60k, the special perils add-on will only cost you RM300. Some even go as low as 0.2%, so it really does depend on your insurance provider.

If you're not sure what special perils insurance is, click
here
, as we've written a short piece which explains what it is and how you can obtain it.


Ford Bids Farewell To The Year Of The Horse In Sideways Fashion

Now that we have welcomed the Chinese Year of the Goat/Sheep, we bid farewell to the Year of the Horse. As a grand gesture, Ford wanted to end the year in style, noise, and lots and lots of tyre smoke. What
Ford
 vehicle embodies the horse? It’s none other than the pony car itself, the Ford Mustang and in this celebration of China’s farewell to the Horse year, we get to see one hooned around Ordos city in Inner Mongolia.
The duty of hooning the 5.0-litre Ford Mustang on the empty streets falls on Vaughn Gittin Jr., American professional drifter who competes in the Formula Drift series. Drifts, powerslides, smoke, and tyre shredding, you can find it all in this video.
It certainly is fitting that the Horsemen of Ordos is applicable to both the Mongolian natives and Ford’s own pony car mounted by a professional drifter.
Now then, what about the other horses in the automotive industry? Car makers that feature a horse on their logo include most notably
Ferrari
 and
Porsche
. As for
Lamborghini
, that’s still a few years away.


Toyota Prius In Malaysia Not Affected By Latest Recall

You may have caught wind of the news on international sites, that some 625,000 units of the
Toyota

Prius
 a (alpha), Prius v, Prius + and the Auris Hybrid, have been recalled globally for a software glitch that could result in the failure of the hybrid powertrain.
Fortunately
Prius owners in Malaysia need not worry
, as UMW Toyota Motor has recently confirmed: primarily because the above-mentioned models aren’t sold here. The vehicle we have here is the Toyota Prius, not the Prius a, Prius + or the Auris Hybrid. In its brief statement, we were told that:
“Recently TMC issued a press release regarding a recall of Prius a (alpha), Prius v, Prius + and Auris Hybrid. We would like to clarify that the recall does not affect UMW Toyota Motor as these models are not introduced or being sold by UMW Toyota Motor in Malaysia.”
Affected vehicles are located primarily in the US, Australia and Japan. Toyota is recalling these affected models in for a software upgrade to the affected ECU units. Regarding the issue, Toyota issued the following statement:
“In the involved vehicles, the current software settings for the motor/generator control ECU and hybrid control ECU could result in higher thermal stress in certain transistors, potentially causing them to become damaged. If this happens, various warning lights will illuminate and the vehicle can enter a failsafe mode. In rare circumstances, the hybrid system might shut down while the vehicle is being driven, resulting in the loss of power and the vehicle coming to a stop.”


Malaysia vs. Liverpool FC Happens This Friday: You May Want To Take The Train

Either if you’re headed to the match yourselves, or if you’re simply planning on driving by the Bukit Jalil National Stadium for whatever reason this coming Friday, do keep in mind that Liverpool FC are in town, and will be taking on a Malaysia XI team that night (24th, July 2015).
Yes, traffic is expected to be in full swing, with parking set to be another headache for motorist to consider, around the national stadium.
The best advice then, says Rapid Rail, is to utilise the LRT and Monorail services.
The match is expected to end at roughly 11pm, and it has been confirmed that the LRT Station at Bukit Jalil will extend its operating hours to 12am (midnight) and maybe beyond to accommodate the travelling footy fans.
“Whatever it is, we will extend our services on the Ampang LRT line to make sure everyone gets to use the service and get back safely,” said Ahmad Nizam Mohd Amin, CEO of Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd.
Liverpool FC are expected to field a line-up that includes:
Jordan Henderson
Simon Mignolet
Martin Skrtel
Fernando Coutinho
Daniel Sturridge
Danny Ings
James Milner
Strangely, the media release we received from MyRapid shows that the ‘Malaysian’ XI team is likely to feature:
Chad Souza
Dramane Traore
Thiago Junior
Zah Rahan Krangar
Vincent Bikana
Now, we don’t claim to know too much about football, nor what the local competitions are like, but that doesn’t sound to us like too many Malaysian footballers are invovled here, aren't they?
Either way, you’ve been warned and advised to get on the Ampang line LRT, make your stops at the LRT Bukit Jalil, and walk over to the stadium to avoid traffic. Don’t forget your MyRapid or Touch ‘n Go cards either.


BMW Chief Designer Karim Habib Leaves – Third Top Design Official To Leave In 10 Months

Karim Habib, head of the BMW Design Team since 2012 is rumored to have left the company.
While there has been no official statement yet from BMW, German website
Auto, Motor Und Sport
 reports that the Lebanese-born Canadian, most notably known for his works on the
(F01) BMW 7 Series
 is the third top BMW design official to leave the company in the past 10 months.
This comes after Anders Warming, Chief Designer of the MINI brand, left for German-Chinese automaker Bogward and Benoit Jacobs, ex-Chief Designer of BMW’s ‘i’ division left for Chinese start-up Future Mobility. It is not yet known, to where or who Habib goes.
Karim Habib first joined the BMW design team in 1998, a graduate of the McGill University in Montreal, initially majoring in Mechanical Engineering.
He later did a postgraduate study at the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Switzerland, spending some time at its USA branch where he was supervised by a tutor from the BMW Group.
After finishing his studies, he started working for BMW’s Interior Design team, followed by spells in the Exterior Design and Advanced Design departments. He briefly served Mercedes-Benz in 2009 and 2010 before returning to BMW in 2011.
In recent times, besides the bread-and-butter models, Habib also penned the retrospective
BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage
, a car that “highlighted the potential importance of a brand’s past in future design”.
As head of Design for BMW, he aimed to implement systems that foster creative freedom and placed great value on the integration of all parties in the design process.
Habib’s move could mean that BMW’s head designer Adrian Van Hooydonk has the unenviable task of heading all three design departments.


This rotary-powered Mazda3 RWD beast produces 1,400hp!

Formula D driver, Michael "Mad Mike" Whiddett is coming in hot for this year's Pikes Peak event with his rotary-powered Mazda3.

For the 2023 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Mad Mike got his hands on a Mazda3 and proceeded to stuff a rotary engine. The four-rotor Wankel along with some major modifications resulted in a beast that produces 1,400hp to the rear wheels.

*Image credit: Mad Mike Whiddett

A lot of work has gone through into building this unique rear-wheel-drive monster, including a couple of Garrett G40 turbos and other necessary bits and pieces to ensure a successful hill climb like a six-speed sequential gearbox, as reported by
Carscoops
.

*Image credit: Mad Mike Whiddett

You would think that 1,400hp to the rear wheels might be counterintuitive for a hill climb rally car, but Mad Mike was able to resolve that by including some massive aero parts to ensure that his monstrous Mazda3 is able to stick to the ground at all times.

The body kit which is said to be made by Mazda comes with a widebody kit, a huge front splitter, an even bigger rear diffuser, and a massive rear wing that is mounted directly to the chassis. The result? The meanest and sexiest Mazda3 in existence. And the sounds it makes? Even more sinister.


New BMW Z4 Concept Breaks Cover At Pebble Beach

After much anticipation, BMW has finally taken the wraps off the new Z4 Concept at the most posh car gathering in the world; the Pebble Beach Concours.
Set to enter production in 2018, the new Z4 Concept adopts a few design cues from the Concept 8 Series, featuring a long wheelbase, a low-slung, stretched silhouette and a compact rear end.
The car also comes with a shorter bonnet and crisper overhangs compared to the E85 and E89 Z4s, in order to ensure that the driver sits closer to the centre of the car.
Other exterior design highlights include a distinct wedge shaped body, large domes stretching out rearwards from the cabin, a ‘shark nose’ front fascia, large air intakes, L-shaped LED taillights, carbon fibre diffusers, ‘Energetic Orange’ paint, as well as 20-inch bi-colour double spoke alloy wheels.
Inside, the cabin adopts the colour of the car body, complemented by a chrome trim strip which runs across the dashboard. The driver’s seat, the door trim panels, instrument panel and the centre stack that encircle the driver are finished entirely in black, meaning that they stand out prominently from the coordinated orange shades.
The instrument cluster and central information display are now integrated into the driver’s cockpit, with two displays positioned at almost the same height to give the impression of a single, cohesive unit.
In addition to the two screens, there is also a head-up display which presents key driving information within the driver’s direct field of view.
Co-developed with Toyota, the new Z4 will share the same platform as well as the suspension setup with the new Supra. Rumour has it that both cars could share a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain but BMW has not confirmed anything since the car is still a concept.


Tokyo 2019: All-New Honda Jazz Makes World Debut – 5 Variants, Hybrid, Honda Sensing

Honda today unveiled the all-new 4th-generation Jazz at the 46th Tokyo Motor Show 2019 which just opened its doors today.

Scheduled to go on sale in Japan in February 2020, the all-new Honda Jazz, or Fit as it is known in Japan and America, will come in five different types – Basic, Home, Ness, Luxe, and Crosstar – with varying exterior and interior styling and features.

While the Basic variant is the simplest one out of the lot with the most “gentle” appearance and nothing fancy, the Home variant is arguably the most futuristic looking one, featuring 16-inch wheels, a white interior, as well as colour coordinated seats made of high quality fabric.

The Ness variant, on the other hand, is the most exciting looking one with bright colour options, water repellent seats, and soft padding material on the instrument panel among other features.

Those who want something rugged have the Jazz Crosstar, which comes with a very sporty SUV-ish appearance, 16-inch wheels, and water repellent seats.

Last but not least, we have the Luxe variant, which is the most luxurious looking one among all five. It is the only variant which comes with leather seats and platinum-type chrome plating on the exterior.

Technical details are yet to be revealed, but what we know is that all variants will be powered by a new 1.5-litre 2-motor hybrid system.

The list of key features include a front pillar with a cross-sectional structure which makes the car safer than before in the event of a collision, as well as a flat-topped instrument panel and “hidden” wipers that ensure maximum visibility from the driver’s seat.

Featuring a completely redesigned, very modern-looking interior, the all-new Jazz also happens to be the first Honda to feature a new-generation body-stabilising front seats which add to comfort, especially during long-distance journeys. Rear seats however are similar to the outgoing model.

Other notable features include an enhanced version of Honda Sensing system which is offered as standard across the range, comprising a front wide-view camera, eight sonar sensors mounted in the front and back of the vehicle, as well as a new short distance Collision Mitigation Braking System.

The all-new Jazz is also the first Honda to be equipped with the Honda Connect onboard communication module developed exclusively for Honda vehicles.

Starting with the all-new Jazz, Honda will begin evolving the Honda Total Care Premium package which consists of services like Remote control of some vehicle functions via smartphone, emergency support service which connects the vehicle directly to a support centre, and Security “rush over” Service.

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


5 Sebab Kenapa Wanita Sukakan Perodua Myvi

Bila bercakap tentang Myvi, umum mengetahui akan populariti jentera keluaran Perodua ini sehingga mendapat jolokan
 King Myvi
. Selain daripada harga mampu milik, model kereta ini juga sentiasa melalui penambahbaikan mengikut fasa generasi dari tahun 2005 hingga kini.

Antaranya, Perodua pernah mengeluarkan edisi terhad Myvi LE untuk wanita dengan meletakkan cermin di bahagian pemandu yang boleh dijadikan cermin solek, juga kemasan bunga-bungaan untuk ruang dalaman. Tidak hairanlah kenapa Myvi menjadi model tumpuan wanita Malaysia!

Di sini kami senaraikan 5 sebab utama kenapa wanita menggemari kereta Myvi sebagai kereta pilihan.

1. Rekabentuk slim dan sporty

Wanita sukakan kecantikan dan rekabentuk kereta Myvi 2020 misalnya, lebih cantik,
slim
 dan
sporty
, sesuai dengan citarasa anak muda hari ini berbanding bentuk bulat dan seakan berpetak seperti
model-model terdahulu
.

2. Keluasan ruang dalaman

Jika anda perhatikan rekabentuk luaran kereta Myvi, anda pasti tidak menjangka bahagian dalam kereta ini sebenarnya agak luas. Untuk Myvi generasi ketiga ini, Perodua telah memendekkan kepanjangan tempat duduk, jadi pengguna dapat menikmati ruang kaki yang lebih luas. Selain itu, bentuk dashboard turut memberikan lebih ruang di bahagian kaki.

3. Praktikal dan mesra wanita

Kereta Myvi juga antara pelopor fungsi mesra wanita dengan memperkenalkan
handbag holder
 di bahagian tepi tempat duduk, kompartmen pelbagai fungsi untuk meletak mug dan telefon bimbit, juga kompartmen untuk tisu. Ini memudahkan wanita untuk menyusun atur ruang dalaman agar tidak terlalu bersepah dan sekaligus dapat menjimatkan ruang.

4. Bersaiz kecil

Berdasarkan kajian Institut Penyelidikan Keselamatan Jalan Raya Malaysia (MIROS) pada 2017, wanita mempunyai kekurangan dalam keupayaan spatial (ruang dan jarak) berbanding lelaki, terutamanya ketika memandu di jalan raya. Masalah anggaran jarak ini mengakibatkan pemandu wanita akan bertindak terlalu berhati-hati yang akan menyukarkan kenderaan lain dan boleh mengundang risiko kemalangan.

Justeru, kereta segmen B seperti Myvi memudahkan pemanduan wanita dan lebih sesuai untuk dibawa ke lokasi sibuk seperti di tengah bandar berbanding kereta bersaiz besar seperti SUV atau MPV. Ini sekaligus dapat meningkatkan keyakinan pemandu wanita untuk mengawal pemanduan dalam apa jua situasi jalan raya.

*Kredit foto: Live Life lah

5. Penjimatan minyak

Kebanyakan wanita suka merancang kewangan terutamanya bila tiba hari gaji, semua perbelanjaan siap diasingkan untuk kegunaan sebulan. Kereta dengan penjimatan minyak yang efisien bukan sahaja dapat memudahkan urusan belanja petrol, malah dapat menjimatkan perbelanjaan bulanan.

Kereta Myvi dilengkapi sistem eco atau ciri mematikan enjin secara automatik ketika anda berhenti di lampu isyarat atau dalam keadaan
idle
. Situasi sebegini dapat mengurangkan pembakaran minyak dan menjimatkan minyak ketika anda memandu.

Bagi wanita, kereta sebagai medium pengangkutan seharusnya tidak memeningkan kepala dan terlalu
complicated
 untuk dipandu. Sebab itulah kereta hatchback kesayangan rakyat Malaysia, Myvi menjadi antara pilihan utama wanita.


BMW Malaysia Launches Public DC Fast Charger At Auto Bavaria Ara Damansara - More DC Chargers To Be Installed Nationwide

BMW Group Malaysia has installed a new fast DC Charger at Auto Bavaria Ara Damansara, ready for public use. The same facility will also be installed at other BMW i
distribution centres
 across the country, leading up to the arrival of the next-generation BMW i fleet.

According to BMW Malaysia, they are committed to accelerating the availability of the charging infrastructure in Malaysia, along with Rapid-Charging DC Chargers for quick on-the-go charging at selected dealerships nationwide.

Hans de Visser, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia said, "We have been driving the change towards electrification not only with our growing portfolio of electrified vehicles but also by expanding the local charging infrastructure network across the country."

"We partnered with GreenTech Malaysia from the get-go to ensure a functioning ecosystem for electromobility to thrive in, and are continuing to deliver on that commitment alongside our network of dedicated dealers–not just for BMW and MINI owners, but for electric vehicle owners in Malaysia."

We are confident that this move will be mutually beneficial in ensuring charging infrastructures are more accessible across the country and help alleviate the concerns of potential EV owners in Malaysia such as range anxiety", said Hans.

BMW Group Malaysia has been leading electric mobility in Malaysia since 2015, which saw the first BMW i introduced in the country. Since then, more than 21,000 units of electric BMW and MINI vehicles have been successfully delivered nationwide.

The vehicle in the picture is the BMW iX, a vehicle inspired by BMW's
Vision iNext Concept car
. It was globally unveiled in November 2020 and is the flagship model of the BMW i range. It was launched in Malaysia in August 2021, and joins the
BMW i3
 and
i8
 as the third BMW i model on sale in Malaysia.

Powering the iX is two current-excited synchronous motors – one on each axle, with an integrated drive unit consisting of electric motor, power electronics, charging technology and high-voltage battery - delivering a total of 326hp and 630Nm. The iX is claimed to complete the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.1 seconds onto a top speed of 200km/h.

The iX is offered with a 76.6 kWh (gross capacity) lithium-ion battery, which gives the iX a driving range of up to 425km (WLTP) on a single charge. Speaking of charging – the iX is optimised for High-Power DC Charging (HPC) of 150kW and AC charging of up to 11kW.

Other i models that have yet to arrive in Malaysia are the iX3,
 i4 GranCoupe
, and the iX xDrive50.


Kereta Ditenggelami Banjir – Apa Yang Perlu Anda Lakukan?

Musim banjir
 yang melanda
Lembah Klang dan Selangor
 telah menyaksikan ribuan kenderaan yang terperangkap dalam banjir. Lebih teruk, ada kenderaan yang telah ditenggelami air sepenuhnya. Kami di sini ingin berkongsikan cara yang boleh anda lakukan sekiranya kenderaan anda
terperangkap
 dalam situasi seperti ini.

Pertama sekali, jika enjin kereta anda masih hidup, jangan sesekali redah air banjir walaupun anda menggunakan
King Myvi
 yang dikatakan mampu bergerak dalam apa jua cuaca sekalipun. kalau anda redah air banjir yang tinggi,
enjin
 kereta anda berpotensi untuk mati akibat hydrolock.

*Kredit foto: Kosmo

Risiko Redah Banjir

Hydrolock atau hydrostatic lock merujuk kepada keadaan tidak normal yang berlaku pada sebarang alat yang memampatkan gas secara mekanikal, kebiasaannya dalam sistem pembakaran enjin. Air boleh masuk ke dalam enjin apabila pemandu meredah banjir melebihi paras
air intake
 atau ketika bergerak laju yang menyebabkan wujud gelombang air (
tall bow wave
).

Oleh kerana cecair yang masuk enjin tidak mampat, maka piston tidak boleh melengkapkan pergerakannya dan menyebabkan kematian enjin atau berlaku kegagalan mekanikal. Antara komponen yang berpotensi untuk rosak adalah
connecting rod
 bengkok ataupun patah,
crank
 pecah,
head
 pecah,
block
 pecah,
crankcase
 rosak,
bearing
 rosak, atau gabungan komponen tersebut.

Kalau enjin kereta anda tidak dihidupkan ketika ditenggelami banjir, ia tidak akan menyebabkan kerosakan yang teruk pada kereta. Masalah ini boleh diatasi dengan proses
purging
iaitu mengeluarkan cecair tersebut dari enjin. Yang paling penting, cabut terminal bateri dan bawa keluar segala barang berharga yang ada di dalam kereta anda sebelum meninggalkan kereta.

*Kredit foto:
Brothersha Shajaaruddin (Facebook)

Tapi bagi kereta dah ditenggelami banjir, ada beberapa perkara mudah yang boleh anda lakukan untuk menyelesaikan masalah ini. Yang paling penting, pastikan anda telah mengambil perlindungan tambahan seperti
perlindungan bencana alam
 dalam insurans anda.

Hubungi Syarikat Insurans
–
Peril Khas/Tunda

Anda perlu tahu bahawa walaupun anda mengambil
insurans
 komprehensif yang menyeluruh, namun ia tetap tidak akan membayar sebarang pampasan atau ganti rugi kepada anda jika kereta anda rosak teruk akibat bencana alam seperti banjir atau pokok tumbang akibat ribut.

Perlindungan daripada bencana alam dipanggil Peril Khas. Perlindungan yang diberikan oleh polisi ini termasuklah melindungi kereta anda daripada bencana alam seperti banjir, gempa bumi, tanah runtuh, tanah gelincir, taufan dan sebagainya

*Kredit foto: Malaysia Kini

Kebiasannya, harga bagi perlindungan ini ialah 0.5% daripada jumlah yang diinsuranskan. Tetapi ianya mungkin berbeza mengikut pengendali takaful dan syarikat insurans. Sebagai contoh, jika jumlah diinsuranskan bagi kenderaan anda adalah RM 50,000, anda perlu membayar RM250 setahun. Bagi mereka yang tinggal di kawasan yang kerap mengalami banjir, anda mungkin memerlukan perlindungan tambahan ini.

Jika anda telah mengambil insurans bencana alam ini, ikuti langkah ini untuk membuat tuntutan:

Hubungi pihak insurans bagi perkhidmatan tunda

Kumpulkan bukti: lokasi, masa, tarikh, gambar, salinan kad pengenalan, salinan lesen memandu, salinan geran dan salinan polisi insurans sebagai rujukan

Buat laporan polis dalam tempoh 24 jam (jika sempat) bagi memudahkan urusan insurans anda.

Serahkan segala borang tuntutan dan dokumen sokongan kepada ejen insurans

Bawa kereta ke bengkel panel

Tetapi, untuk mereka yang tidak mengambil insurans tambahan bencana alam ini, anda masih boleh menghubungi syarikat insurans anda bagi mendapatkan khidmat tunda secara percuma untuk membawa kenderaan anda ke bengkel. Perkhidmatan ini kebiasaannya dikira
standard
 dalam setiap insurans kereta. Hanya jarak perjalanan yang diberikan sahaja mungkin berbeza.

Jangan Hidupkan Enjin

Jika kenderaan anda telah ditenggelami air, jangan sesekali mencuba untuk menghidupkan kenderaan tersebut walaupun air telah surut. Ini bagi mengelakkan masalah yang lebih teruk daripada berlaku kepada enjin kereta anda. Tinggalkan sahaja urusan tersebut pada pihak bengkel yang akan membaik pulih kenderaan anda.

Jika masih boleh dibaiki, mungkin anda hanya perlu flush minyak enjin beberapa kali bagi memastikan enjin anda bebas daripada air banjir. Setiap air yang masuk ke dalam enjin sentiasa membawa berita buruk kepada akaun bank anda. Tindakan anda cuba untuk menghidupkan enjin mungkin akan membawa lebih banyak kerosakan pada komponen kereta yang hanya akan membawa keburukan, tambah-tambah pada mereka yang tidak mengambil insurans bencana alam.

*Kredit foto: Kosmo

Kesimpulannya, pastikan anda dan kereta kesayangan anda telah bersedia bagi menghadapi musim tengkujuh yang kerap kali melanda negara ini. Segala kerosakan yang mungkin berlaku ketika banjir boleh dikurangkan sekiranya anda mengikuti langkah langkah yang telah dinyatakan. Jika kawasan anda berpotensi untuk banjir, tinggalkan kereta anda ke tempat yang lebih tinggi sebelum banjir berlaku bagi mengelakkan sebarang kejadian tidak diingini daripada berlaku.


Foto Proton Iriz Active 2021 Bocor - Tapi Adakah Ianya Setakat Style?

Lagi satu model Proton yang dijangka tiba dengan kemas kini keduanya ataupun MC2 kali ini adalah
Proton Iriz
 yang diberi gelaran Proton Iriz Active 2021. Ia bakal tiba dengan gaya seakan 'crossover'.

Persoalannya adalah adakah gaya 'crossover' ini setakat pengayaan kosmetik atau adakah mungkin kita boleh bakal off-road bersama Iriz Active ini? Dari gambaran awal, malangnya ianya lebih kelihatan sebagai kosmetik sahaja.

Model Iriz Active yang digembar-gemburkan kebelakangan ini agak
style
 jugak dengan kit badan yang baharu yang menerapkan 'overfenders' pada empat bahagian sisi kereta serta bumbung dan rel bumbung berwarna hitam seakan
Proton X50 Flagship
. Rim 16-inci melengkapkan pembaharuan pada bahagian luar Iriz Active 2021 ini.

Yang paling menarik dan menonjol bagaimanapun ialah pada bahagian dalam Proton Iriz Active 2021 ini. Konsol tengah dan papan pemuka yang baru, kombinasi merah hitam agak merecik! Sistem infotainmen yang terapung dan serba baharu juga jelas kelihatan pada foto bocor Iriz Active 2021, nampaknya kedua-dua
Proton Persona MC2 2021
 dan juga Proton Iriz MC2 2021 bakal menerima sistem infotainmen yang sama berserta sistem kawalan penghawa dingin yang baharu.

Apa pula cerita transmisi Iriz Active ini? Kekal CVT ke atau bagaimana? Yang pasti foto bocor Proton Iriz Active 2021 ini tidaklah memberi gambaran penuh kesemua kemaskini bagi Iriz MC2, jadi terpaksalah kita tunggu bersama-sama untuk pelancarannya kelak!

Jika diberi pilihan korang nak Iriz Active atau
Iriz R3
?

*Gambar foto Proton Iriz MC2 2021 ehsan daripada rakan media kami Automachi dan Irizians.

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

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

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

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


Marshal Konvoi Skuter Tahan Lalu Lintas Dipersoal – Hanya Polis Boleh Berbuat Demikian

Jika kereta anda diarah untuk berhenti oleh
 pengiring atau marshal
yang bukan dari kalangan polis, abaikan sahaja arahan tersebut sebab Pengarah Trafik Bukit Aman, Datuk Mat Kasim Karim yang suruh!

Baru-baru ini, kecoh apabila seorang pengiring
konvoi
skuter didapati telah menghalang lalu lintas bagi membenarkan rakan-rakan konvoinya melepasi lampu isyarat berdekatan persimpangan menuju ke Hospital Pengajar Universiti Putra Malaysia (HPUPM), Serdang.

*Kredit video: DashCam Owners Malaysia

Marshal Konvoi Halang Lalu Lintas

Berdasarkan video berdurasi 58 saat yang dimuat naik di
Facebook DashCam Owners Malaysia,
 salah seorang penunggang konvoi melibatkan motosikal SYM Jet X 150 itu telah memberhentikan motosikalnya untuk mengawal lalu lintas.

Ketika lampu isyarat bertukar hijau, motosikal itu masih lagi berada di tengah-tengah persimpangan tersebut bagi memberikan ruang kepada rakan konvoi lain melepasi
lampu isyarat
 tersebut.

Tindakan ini telah menimbulkan kecaman pelbagai pihak kerana individu itu berlagak seperti polis yang tidak bertauliah untuk mengawal lalu lintas. Malah ada yang menasihati empunya video
dashcam
 ini untuk tampil membuat laporan polis.

*Kredit foto: Malaysia-China Insight

Abaikan Arahan Marshal Jika Tiada Polis

Sebelum ini, Pengarah Jabatan Siasatan dan Penguatkuasaan Trafik (JSPT) Bukit Aman, Datuk Mat ada menyatakan bahawa penggunaan pengiring dalam sesuatu pertandingan, konvoi atau apa jua program mestilah dengan kehadiran anggota polis.

Pengguna jalan raya dinasihatkan untuk mengabaikan sahaja arahan trafik daripada pengiring ini jika tiada polis terlibat. Antara arahan lalu lintas oleh pengiring tidak bertauliah yang boleh diabaikan adalah:

Meminta anda memberikan laluan

Memberhentikan kenderaan di persimpangan jalan

Melencongkan kenderaan anda

dan sebagainya

Mengikut Akta Polis 1967 dan Akta Pengangkutan Jalan 1987, hanya Pegawai Polis, Pegawai Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) dan Warden Trafik Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan (PBT) yang diberi kuasa untuk mengawal lalu lintas di jalan awam.

Boleh Guna Marshal Atau Tidak?

Penggunaan khidmat
marshal
 sebenarnya dibenarkan oleh PDRM, namun semua kumpulan konvoi yang mahu menggunakan khidmat pengiring perlu membuat permohonan dan mendapat kelulusan PDRM terlebih dahulu bagi mengelakkan perkara tidak diingini seperti kemalangan.

Jika diberi kelulusan, polis sendiri akan menghantar anggotanya untuk turut serta dalam konvoi tersebut. Oleh itu, sebarang tindakan menahan, melencongkan atau memberhentikan kenderaan juga akan dilakukan oleh pihak polis sendiri.

Kesimpulannya, segala penggunaan pengiring dalam sesuatu pertandingan, konvoi atau apa jua program mestilah dengan kehadiran anggota polis.


New 2017 Honda Jazz Facelift Launched In Thailand

Honda Thailand has introduced the 2017 Jazz facelift. Earlier, during the Carlist.my DRIVE event, Honda Malaysia previewed the upcoming Jazz in hybrid form.
For Thailand, their new range-topping Honda Jazz is the RS variant, featuring a sportier design that includes a new front grille with RS emblem, RS front and rear bumpers, black side mirrors and two new colours, Phoenix Orange Pearl and White Orchid Pearl.
Inside, the sporty Jazz RS receives new seat covers with orange stitching. Other features include a multi-info display (MID), touch panel air-conditioning, push start button, infotainment system with a 6.8-inch touchscreen and a multi-function steering wheel. The Honda Jazz's signature Ultra Seats are also present.
Engine and transmission remain unchanged, with power coming from a 1.5-litre SOHC i-VTEC petrol engine that outputs 117 hp and 146 Nm, mated to an Earth Dreams Technology CVT. The new Honda Jazz RS also comes equipped with paddle shift, cruise control and ECO assist. For Thailand, the engine is E85 gasohol biofuel compatible.
Available in six colours, Taffeta White, Modern Steel Metallic, Lunar Silver Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, White Orchid Pearl, and Phoenix Orange Pearl, the 2017 Honda Jazz receives six airbags, VSA, HSA, ABS with EBD and a rear view camera.
Below are the prices :
Jazz S MT -  THB 555,000
Jazz S CVT - THB 594,000
Jazz V -  THB 654,000
Jazz V+ - THB 694,000
Jazz RS - THB 739,000
Jazz RS+ THB 754,000


The Return of the Silver Arrows - A Formula of Champions

This weekend, the Formula One circus will emerge from their highly-secretive winter hiding holes with brand new cars, and the greatest annual motorsports spectacle in the world will begin anew. 20 drivers from 10 teams, over 20 weekends from now till the end of November, will battle it out for Formula One supremacy. The big question that every Formula One fan's mind would be whether the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One team can defend their title, or even repeat their dominance of the sport. Come race day on March 15
th
, all eyes will be trained on defending world champion Lewis Hamilton and his teammate Nico Rosberg, in their silver Mercedes Formula One cars. Can they repeat the team’s stellar performance of 2014? Or was it nothing more than a beginner’s fluke?
Veterans of the sport can tell you that Formula One is an alluring and yet harsh mistress. Behind the glamour and popularity showered onto the sport’s participants, success is hard to earn and as often it is the case, short-lived. Today you can be the man of the moment in a defining race, tomorrow vilified as an underperformer in another race. Mercedes-Benz for one, know all too well of the peaks and troughs of the sport.
Long before the global motorsport franchise that is known as Formula One came to be, there was Grand Prix racing, and between the 1930s and the 1950s, during the era from which the legend of the German ‘Silver Arrows’ was born, Mercedes-Benz was the force to be reckoned with. Back in then, the quickest and most technologically advanced cars were the shining Silver Arrows of Mercedes-Benz, and the best drivers of their era, names like Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss, drove for Mercedes-Benz.
All that changed in 1955 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, where a freak accident caused the Mercedes-Benz 300SLR of Pierre Levegh to somersault into the packed grandstands of the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. The tragic incident caused the deaths of 79 spectators, the worst accident in motorsports history. Though the accident was no fault of their own, Mercedes-Benz put a halt to their motorsports activities and placed a self-imposed ban on circuit racing, a ban that would last for nearly 30 years. Mercedes-Benz would only make a return to Formula One in 1994, but only in the capacity of an engine supplier. But as they say in the automotive business, nothing is certain until it is done, and in 2009 Mercedes-Benz decided to end their hiatus and return to Grand Prix racing.
Stepping Back Into the Ring
Rather ironically, just as the 2014 Formula One season saw a huge change in Formula One regulations, the 2009 season was rocked with the introduction of a new regulation, which stipulated the reduction of aerodynamic aid. This regulation forced teams to ditch their car’s complicated melange of wings and winglets in exchange of a clean body that was reminiscent of Formula One cars of the 1980s. With less aerodynamic and downforce, these technical changes were enough to overturn the established pecking order in the 2009 season. Old stalwarts on the grid were found losing out to teams which weren’t quite as successful in previous years.
Emerging from the chaos was the newly-formed Brawn GP Formula One team, who incidentally, were using engines supplied from Mercedes-Benz. Thanks to their unique interpretation of FIA’s technical regulations, the Brawn GP cars ran a blown double diffuser design that gave them such an aerodynamic advantage that they were able to dominate the first eight races of the year. So dominant in fact, that Jenson Button was able to walk away with the Driver’s title, even while putting through a mediocre performance in the latter half of the season.
At the other end of the scale, BMW-Sauber emerged bruised and battered from a dismal season without a race win. Their F1.09 Formula One car was barely mounting a viable challenge in neither the Drivers’ nor the Constructors’ championship.  BMW, who were clearly disappointed by the results and cautious about the outlook of the global economy following the fallout of the 2008 financial crisis, announced their withdrawal from the sport. In effect, BMW was pulling the plug on the Sauber Formula One team, which they acquired in 2005. With BMW’s imminent withdrawal at the end of the season, Petronas’ future in Formula One was left in doubt. It would have been easy to call it quits when BMW pulled the plug, but Petronas, fuelled by a passion for motorsports, and seeing the value of their continual involvement in Formula One in raising Malaysian talent, as well as uplifting Malaysia’s profile on the international stage, they stuck with the sport and looked out for avenues in the paddock to continue their involvement beyond their long-time racing partner, Sauber.
By the end of the 2009 season the Brawn GP team made its mark in history by becoming the first team in the sport’s 60-year history to ever win both world championships in their maiden season, and achieve a 100 per cent championship success rate. In the Brackley-based team, Mercedes-Benz saw an opportunity to start fresh and mould a new era for the brand in Formula One racing, and quickly moved to sell off their stake in McLaren and buy a controlling stake in the team. Recognising Petronas’ accumulated experience from nearly 15 years in Formula One, Mercedes then found a viable partnership in the Malaysian-based oil and gas company, and quickly signed a long-term agreement with Petronas as their title sponsor and the team’s Fluid Technology Solutions Partner, thus forming the Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One team.
Mercedes then formed the dream team of the Formula One paddock. Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, was convinced to make a comeback from retirement after a three-year absence, who would be paired with a promising young driver, Nico Rosberg, son of the 1982 Formula One champion, Keke Rosberg, to head what was said to be, an all-German effort. The team roster would also include Ross Brawn, the man who engineered Schumacher’s racing successes in the early 2000s, and Nick Fry, an experienced figure in the motorsports arena. From the outset the Mercedes GP Petronas team had nothing but the best and most experienced people on board to cover all aspects of the team, from the technical know-how to winning races; topped with championship-winning talent. On the eve of the 2010 season, the new team manage to achieve convincing lap times over the season’s pre-season testing. Everyone at Mercedes GP Petronas seemed optimistic that championship glory wouldn’t be too far away.
Dreams of a triumphant return of the Silver Arrows however never materialised in the team’s first season in 2010, while the team struggled in the mid-field through 2011 and 2012. Championship glory seemed to draw ever distant from the team’s grasp. Despite having world-class talent in their ranks, Mercedes couldn’t deliver a car that could win races. And to further complicate things, a storm of changes was brewing over the horizon as 2014 would see the biggest technical regulation change; possibly in the sport’s entire history.
The Challenge of the Times
In the interest of keeping the sport zeitgeist, FIA’s new regulations required teams to drop their big and relatively simple 2.4-litre naturally-aspirated V8 engines, in favour of downsized 1.6-litre turbocharged direct-injection V6 power plants, which are coupled to energy recovery systems. This of course meant new engines and new technologies would have to be developed from the ground up. And that wasn’t all.  To further press home the point on environment sustainability, the FIA imposed limitations on the amount of fuel each driver could use at the start of each race, reducing it from 150kg to 100kg. Drivers were also limited to five power units per season, as compared to eight engines allocated in previous years.
Understandably the stakes were high as drivetrain engineers were heading into unknown territory. Though turbocharging in Formula One isn’t new, the turbocharged era of the 1980s was primarily focused on outright pace and performance. 2014 and onwards engineers would have to find a way to temper pace, reliability, and fuel efficiency. Unbeknownst to people outside the now renamed Mercedes AMG Petronas team’s headquarters in Brackley, work on the 2014 contender started as early as 2011. It was suggested by the Brackley chassis group to separate the turbocharger’s compressor and turbine, and place them on either end of the V6 engine, to reduce the size and complexity of the drivetrain. Mercedes High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth, who were responsible for building Mercedes-Benz’s Formula One engines, validated their engine concept and went about designing a powertrain package. The engine that resulted, the PU106A Hybrid was a technical masterpiece.
With the two turbocharger components separated and placed on the front and back of the engine, there wasn’t a need for a large intercooler and extensive lengths of piping to cool down the air being fed into the engine. With the exhaust piping shortened on the other hand, there would be less turbocharger lag, thus less dependency on the electric boost from the hybrid unit, which is used to compensate for the turbo lag. As a result of which, the driver could put the electrical charge to better use elsewhere. It was a work of sheer engineering brilliance that rewrote the rulebook on engine design.
A Partnership of Synergies
As remarkable as the PU106A Hybrid was, it wouldn’t be of any good if the car from Brackley was poorly designed. And this is where Mercedes AMG Petronas got it right. Ever since the start of the engine development, both teams in Brackley and Mercedes High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth, worked closely in designing a car that would make full use of the technical advantage that the PU106A Hybrid offered. The car they came up with, the Mercedes F1 W05 Hybrid, was built around the new engine to be aerodynamically efficient and better balanced on the circuit.
Since the engine used smaller intercoolers, designers of the F1 W05 Hybrid were able to reduce the size of the car’s side pods, where the intercoolers are usually located, in effect reducing its surface and cutting drag. Furthermore, since there is less heat behind the engine from the exhaust system, engineers were able to bring the gearbox closer to the rear of the engine, and bring the car’s centre of gravity closer to the centre, which in turns bring improvements in handling.
A Formula For Success
Designing a race-winning engine is one thing, ensuring that it makes it to the end of every race, is another more daunting challenge. Furthermore with the engine count for each season reduced, the margin for error is made ever tighter. The change big naturally-aspirated engines to smaller turbocharged units will also bring about its own unique challenges for Petronas, who is the team’s Fluid Technology Solutions Partner and tasked with delivering a fluids package that could stand the rigours of competition.
With its smaller displacement and increased power per litre output, the V6 turbocharged engine would be running at hotter temperatures than what its naturally-aspirated predecessors were running at. What’s more, with the turbochargers constantly feeding air into the engine, the engine would be running at its peak power output regardless of external factors such as ambient temperature and humidity, thus putting more strain on the internals. This is the crux of the engine’s reliability for Petronas’ lubricant experts. If fuel is the food of an engine, oil is its lifeblood. Without oil, an engine would literally grind to a halt, and as it turns out, formulating the right oil is just as difficult as taming the elements.
Oil thins at higher temperatures, so the hotter and engine gets, the less effective the oil inside becomes at reducing the engine’s internal friction. To counter the thinning of the oil at higher temperatures, engineers have to use a thicker and more viscous oil to maintain its protective layer and prevent the engine’s metal components from rubbing against one another, generating more heat, further compounding energy losses, and potentially resulting in catastrophic engine failure. However, on the flipside of the coin, restoring to thicker engine oil limits the engine’s responsiveness and in effect, blunts its competitive edge.
Not only that, the smaller displacement of the engine also meant that it would be carrying less lubricant fluids. According to Mercedes, the new V6 engine uses just three litres of oil, a minute quantity as compared to the seven litres of oil used in the old V8 engine. With less fluids coursing through each engine, every bit of lubricant inside has to contribute more to the cooling and efficiency of the engine, which in turn requires thinner and faster flowing oil. In addition to that, the reduction in the quantity of fuel that can be consumed per race also puts added responsibility on the part of the lubricants to minimise as much friction as possible in order to maximise the engine’s efficiency. This of course can be achieved through the use of thinner and less viscous oil, but as mentioned earlier, this is not without its technical challenges.
Just as how the team’s engineers took a holistic approach to designing the body of their 2014’s challenger around the compact new engine, Mercedes AMG Petronas knew that a similar approach had to be taken when it came to formulating the total Fluid Technology Solution from Petronas. The result of which is that never before in the history of Formula One have a power unit and its lifeblood been developed so closely.
In order to meet these seemingly contradicting and complex requirements, Petronas drew on their 19 years of experience in the highly competitive field of Formula One to formulate a new engine lubricant that would be perfectly suited for the new engine of Formula One. The lubricant is a precisely balanced mixture of advanced, thinner synthetic base oils to help in cooling and polymer viscosity boosters. These boosters are meant to come into effect at higher engine temperatures to thicken the oil. In order to improve overall fuel efficiency, Petronas also formulated friction-reducing oil components into the lubricant to make it easier for the engine’s metal surfaces to slide past each other. To prevent the oil from breaking down at higher engine temperatures and ensure that it retains its properties, high performance additives have also been included into its formulation.
But the task of finding aspects of the powertrain to further improve efficiency doesn’t stop at just the engine. Energy losses in the gearbox can also have a significant impact on the car’s fuel efficiency and performance. After all, being the relay of mechanical energy from the engine to the rear wheels, the gearbox plays an equally important role in efficiency as the engine. Furthermore, the regulations also limit drivers to using no more than one gearbox for six consecutive events. To address this, Petronas has formulated a precision gearbox lubricant for the car’s all-new eight-speed gearbox, which ensures internal friction is kept to a minimum, whilst its internal components are protected from failure.
To tackle the heat issue, Petronas formulated the Syntium lubricant to ensure that it won’t degrade over the course of the race, even in the extreme heat of the engine’s operation. Next, Petronas’ fuel engineers specifically honed their Primax fuel, molecule-by-molecule for turbocharging and direct-injection systems, with a higher fuel energy density to get the most out of the limitations on fuel. By increasing the energy content of the fuel, the drivers would be able to get the most power out of their engines without having to worry too much about conserving fuel to get to the end of the race.
Breaking New Records
With a comprehensive and complete fluid package powering the cars and keeping them running race after race, Hamilton and Rosberg dominated the 2014 championship in convincing style, as the Mercedes AMG Petronas team finished the season with at least one of their drivers standing on the podium at the end of every single race. Theirs was a domination not seen since the heydays of Aryton Senna and Alain Prost in their red and white McLarens of the 1988 Formula One season. Statistically, the Mercedes F1 W05 Hybrid ended 2014 as being the most dominant car in the sport’s history, taking 16 race victories out of the season’s 19 races, usurping the McLaren MP4/4’s record of 15 race victories in 1988. A record-breaking effort and a well-deserved achievement for both Mercedes-Benz and Petronas, who pulled through the thick and the thin to emerge from the doldrums and take the lead in a brave new era of Formula One.
Of course, it is a given that 2015 will bring about its own unique set of challenges for both team and driver as the season kicks off with the opening race in Melbourne this weekend. While some teams may have the best driver or the quickest car on the grid, winning a race comes down to a combination of talent, technology, and people working together to bring out the best in them. If anything, 2014 was a demonstration that the Mercedes AMG Petronas team has nailed the formula to win in the competitive world of Formula One.
In similar fashion, Petronas’ presence in Formula One is far from being a lofty exercise of pride. The technological strides that Petronas has achieved and the knowledge gained from their ever growing involvement in the sport, is applied to their Petronas Syntium range of lubricants and fed back into Petronas Primax fuels. This involvement enables Petronas technicians to put their new formulations to the test in the harsh and competitive environment Formula One cars are being subjected to. With a running laboratory like a Formula One car, Petronas is able to fast- track any developments in fluid technology, which would have otherwise taken months to achieve through standard laboratory testing. At the end of the day, you can be certain that the same race-winning formula that was used in the ensuring both Lewis Hamilton’s and Nico Rosberg’s cars made it from the start to the finish at every race, can also be found in every Syntium bottle on the shelf and every drop of Primax fuel at the pumps.
Being at the pinnacle of motorsports, Formula One is often defined by big numbers and incredible figures, all of which describes the kind of performance these cars are capable of doing and the cutting-edge technologies that go into the car. Check out our
big and shiny infographic
 on the stats behind the car, people, and races that made 2014 one of the most exciting season in Formula One history.


Volkswagen To Unveil Special Edition 2017 Polo ALLSTAR This Weekend

At this coming weekend’s Carlist.my MAA DRIVE Test and Buy event that’s happening at the Setia City Convention Centre, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia will be launching a special edition Volkswagen Polo ALLSTAR.
The first of three special edition ALLSTAR models, the accessorized Polo hatchback will soon be followed by the Vento ALLSTAR later this month, with the Jetta ALLSTAR rounding up the ALLSTAR triplets by June.
The Polo ALLSTAR, which is priced at RM72,888*. Available in Carbon Steel Grey, Reflex Silver, Candy White and Flash Red, the model comes with RM6,000 worth of exclusive accessories such as leather seats, aluminium pedals, rear spoiler, black door strips, ‘ALLSTAR’ scuff plates, emblems and carpet mats.
Mechanically, the Polo ALLSTAR remains unchanged, retaining the standard Polo’s 1.6-litre naturally aspirated MPI engine paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission.  The engine produces 105 PS of power and 153 Nm of torque, with a claimed fuel consumption of 6.3-litre/100 km.
The Polo ALLSTAR will make its first public appearance at the Carlist.my MAA DRIVE event happening on the 13th and 14th May 2017 at Setia City Convention Centre. There will also be a nationwide Volkswagen showroom event on 14th May 2017, where members of the public can visit their nearest authorised dealer to get up close with the Polo ALLSTAR.
This weekend’s DRIVE event will allow members of the public to shop, test drive and compare more than 50 models from 15 different car brands in one location. Register your interest
here
 to win a Touch ‘N Go card with RM30 preloaded value. On top of that, the first 400 visitors to register and complete a test drive will receive a Caltex petrol voucher worth RM30.


Porsche Malaysia Launches The Red Hot 2015 Boxster GTS and Cayman GTS

Porsche
's official distributor in Malaysia, Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP), during its Buka Puasa event at their new
Porsche Sungai Besi Centre
, has launched a pair of Porsche’s new GTS model sports cars: the
Boxster
 and
Cayman
.
These more powerful variants, as standard for Porsche models carrying that designation, are also equipped with other enhancements to driving dynamics. As for prices, the
Boxster GTS
 starts at
RM660,000
, while the
Cayman GTS
 starts at
RM700,000
.
The GTS badge is given to models that are developed to perform on the track as well as be a spectacle on the street. Both these GTS iterations have a 3.4-litre flat 6-cylinder boxer engine. The Boxster GTS produces 330hp and 370Nm or torque while the Cayman GTS produces 340hp and 380Nm of torque – an additional 15hp and 10Nm for both models over their equivalent S variant engines.
The included Sport Chrono package comes with 6-speed manual or the optional Porsche 7-speed PDK double clutch transmission. With the Sport Plus button activated, a PDK-equipped Boxster GTS needs just 4.4 seconds to perform the century sprint while the Cayman GTS gets there a hair quicker at 4.3 seconds. A manual transmission option allows both cars to reach a higher individual top speed, however, with the Boxster GTS topping out at 280km/h and 285km/h for the Cayman GTS.
The Boxster GTS and Cayman GTs also feature visual flourishes that place it higher in the Porsche food chain than those in the more common S tier, offering blacked-out Bi-Xenon headlights with Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS), 20-inch Carrera S wheels riding on 235/35 front and 265/35 rear tyres, and a sports exhaust system with black tailpipes.
Both GTS models also come with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) as standard, enabling the driver to choose from, in Sport mode, a sportier ride and response when the mood should strike, or a more comfortable and cosseting driving experience in Comfort mode.
Inside, the cars feature an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel, headliner, centre console, and sports seats. GTS nomenclature is also embroidered into the headrests and displayed within the tachometer.
Below you'll find more picture of the Boxster GTS and Cayman GTS at the Malaysian launch event, as well as the official promotional pictures from Porsche of both cars.


Malaysia-Assembled MINI Countryman Exported To Thailand

Just four months after its local debut in Malaysia, the Malaysia-assembled MINI Countryman is now on sale in Thailand.
Built at the BMW Group Malaysia’s vehicle assembly facility in Kulim, Kedah, which assembles not just BMW and MINI vehicles but also
four- and three-cylinder engines
, the crossover MINI is exported to Thailand under preferential tariff rates outlined by the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA).
Only the 2.0-litre turbocharged Cooper S variant is exported. Prices start from THB 2.299 million but that’s partly because the specifications level is lower than what’s offered to Malaysian buyers.
However Thai buyers have the option of paying THB 200,000 extra for the Touring trim, which adds 19-inch wheels (up from 18-inch), reverse camera, 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system and Mini Connected connectivity, all of which are also available on our local Countryman.
Our local Countryman is dressed with JCW aerokit package and gets a different bumper while the Thai model uses a standard bumper.
Previously, the same amount of money only buys a Thai buyer the imported, Dutch-made 1.5-litre turbocharged Cooper Countryman.
The MINI Cooper S Countryman is powered by a 192 hp/280 Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired to an 8-speed torque converter automatic transmission driving the front wheels. Malaysia also happens to be the first country to assemble the Countryman outside of the Netherlands, where contract manufacturer VDL Group’s NedCar plant is the mother plant for the Countryman.
In Malaysia, the
MINI Cooper S Countryman Sports
 sells for RM 232,011 excluding insurance. Of course, the price will be revised once more when the 10 percent Sales and Services Tax is reintroduced on 1-September 2018.


2022 Kia EV6 Spied  In Glenmarie - Looks Better Because It's In Malaysia

Kia’s handsome flagship electric vehicle, the EV6, has been spotted on our shores indicating a launch that’s
more imminent than we thought
.

We’ve known for some time that new Kia distributors for Malaysia, Dinamikjaya Motors, a subsidiary of Bermaz Auto (BAuto), was keen on introducing the South Korean EV into local showrooms some time in 2022. After all, they already have
bookings in the double digits
.

Is The Kia EV6 Launching Soon?

This car, an obvious test unit for localisation purposes, was snapped near the BAuto Training School in Glenmarie, Shah Alam. Our best guess is this is the GT-Line variant with the larger alloy wheels and sportier exterior garnishes, though we do not know if this is the RWD or AWD version.

Though its exact arrival date has not been confirmed, the EV6 is slated to directly rival other fully electric models that have already made their Malaysian debut.
One example of this is the IONIQ 5
 brought in by Hyundai Sime Darby Motors, a car that was developed in tandem with the Kia as a sister model.

Apart from their shared E-GMP (Electric-Global Modular Platform) architecture and identical electric powertrain tech, the EV6 is aimed to be a sportier, more dynamic alternative to the IONIQ 5’s retro-futuristic take on the traditional five-door hatchback.

Which Spec Is Coming To Malaysia?

We can expect battery capacities to start at 58kWh and to top out at 77.4kWh to yield a maximum estimated range of 510km on a single charge, though this is primarily dependent on the exact variant and spec of EV6 that Kia’s new local distributors choose to offer here.

In other markets so far, a high-performance GT version of the EV6 uses dual electric motors for up to 585PS and 740Nm of torque, numbers
comparable to a Porsche Taycan
. Meanwhile, each car is capable of AC charging at up to 11kW and DC fast charging up to 233kW for a rapid charge (up to 80%) in just 16 minutes.

Pricing is still murky, as you’d imagine, but expect it to not fall far from what HSDM has priced the IONIQ 5, which is
between RM199,888 and RM259,888
.


August 2018 New Vehicle Sales- Pick-Up Models Are The Stars

For the final month of the tax-free holiday, new vehicle sales in August continue to sustain at the sixty thousand-unit level. The total sales, however, did not surpass July month’s, achieving 65,551 units.
This is just 2,914 units lower sales compared to the previous month.
Year-to-date, the Total Industry Volume (TIV) is 423,730 units, which is 39,008 units (or 10.1%) more than the same period last year. While a majority of the car companies see strong sales in the final tax-free month, a few companies experienced a reduction which could be attributed to
production setbacks
.
Perodua saw the largest reduction of over 6,000 units, while Honda experienced a sales decrease of 2,019 units in the month of August compared to the previous month.
One highlight for the month was the sheer number of pick-up models that went through the JPJ registry. With the total of 6,865 units, this represents over 10% of new vehicle sales in August is a pick-up model! For reference, pick-up sales last year only contributed to 7.1% of the TIV, or an average of 3,400 units per month.
Toyota sold 2,881 units of their Hilux last month. Sales of both Ford Ranger and Mitsubishi Triton models crossed the 1,000-unit mark, to register 1,056 units and 1,039 units respectively.
Isuzu D-max and Nissan Navara meanwhile both managed to deliver the exact same quantity of 872 units in August.
With the conclusion of the tax-free holiday (zero-rated GST) that lasted for three months, we take a quick look at how the lower new vehicle prices have helped the sales of car companies.
In this three months (June, July and August), total sales have increased tremendously, nearly 48,000 additional units compared to the same period last year.
In terms of sheer numbers, Toyota has gained the most from the tax-free holiday period, moving an additional 12,833 units versus the same three-month period last year.
With the reintroduction of SST from September 2018, vehicle prices have returned close to their GST-level with slight reductions. Few companies continue to offer customers to transact their new vehicle price at zero-GST levels, such as
Volkswagen
 and
Proton
.
Mazda meanwhile has reported having a
backlogged of over 8,000 bookings
, which they estimate will only be cleared by early next year.
For a compilation of new car prices with SST,
click here
.


AutoFest KL 2016 Set To Be KL’s Largest Automotive Festival

With over 250 high-end reconditioned cars plus many more high-end motorcycles, classic cars, and new cars on offer, the first ever AutoFest Kuala Lumpur 2016 is set draw huge crowds next month.
The three day event will take place from 13-May to 15-May, at the Matrade Exhibition and Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
It’s organised by Red Jacket Events Sdn. Bhd. and sponsored by the Association of Malay Importers and Traders of Motor Vehicles (PEKEMA).
“At least 40 PEKEMA members have confirmed their participation, with many more expressing their interest, but we have limited spaces and we want to avoid a situation where the event to consists only of PEKEMA members’ cars. We are inviting many other dealers to participate,” said PEKEMA’s Dato’ SM Zulkifli SM Amin at a press conference earlier today.
Apart from reconditioned luxury cars, new car dealers will also be participating at the event, with a separate hall within the Martrade building dedicated to hosting new car dealers.
To further facilitate the car buying process, Hong Leong Islamic Bank will also be offering pre-approved financing packages to qualified individuals who intend to purchase a vehicle at the event.
Gracing the event are personalities like racing driver Fairuz Fauzy and Tengku Djan, as well as the cast of Bikers Kental 2 – Awie, Afdlin Shauki, Zizan, and Bront Palarae.
There will also be a Lotus-only gymkhana event, exhibition of modified cars, as well as a summons payment counter (JPJ and PDRM).
Supporting the event is a social media contest by Yayasan Patriot Negara Malaysia, where winners of the #MyDreamPlateAutoFestKL will go home with a special edition Patriot number plate.
Admission is free for AutoFest Kuala Lumpur 2016. For more information, visit
www.autofest.com.my
.


BMW Group Malaysia Sets New Sales Record For 2017

BMW Group Malaysia has achieved its all-time high sales performance in 2017, with a total of 12,680 units of BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad delivered. The figure also marks BMW’s seventh consecutive record annual sales, selling 16% more vehicles than 2016, when the Group sold 10,906 vehicles. The fact that the company set a new record even as sales of the previous generation F10 5 Series model was tapering at the end of its lifecycle, and the Group didn't had the benefit from a full-year contribution of the locally-assembled all-new G30 generation 5 Series, making it all the more impressive.
The breakdown of the 12,680 vehicles delivered are as below:
BMW : 10,618
MINI : 1,010
BMW Motorrad : 1,052
Out of the 10,618 BMW vehicles delivered, 3,564 units were contributed by the BMW 3 Series, out of which 67% being the BMW 330e variants. BMW Malaysia’s sole X5 model, the xDrive40e saw more than 3,000 units delivered, while the range-topping 740Le found more than 400 new homes. As for the recently-introduced G30 5 Series, more than 1,600 vehicles were delivered.
It is also worth noting that in 2017, BMW Group Malaysia recorded the world's highest sales mix of plug-in hybrid BMW models.
MINI also saw a 12% increase to 1,010 vehicles delivered in 2017. Last year saw the introduction of the all-new MINI Countryman, and MINI John Cooper Works Clubman and MINI John Cooper Works Countryman.
Last but not least, BMW Motorrad delivered 1,052 units of its motorcycles in 2017, a 5% growth as opposed to 2016. BMW Motorrad added five new motorcycles to its lineup, namely the  BMW S1000RR, BMW R1200GS, BMW K1600 GT and Bagger and BMW R nineT Urban GS.
Mr. Han Sang Yun, Managing Director and CEO of BMW Group Malaysia said, “We are humbled by this achievement. Our successful growth here in Malaysia is a result of our absolute commitment to the country as well as all our customers, dealers and their premium ownership experiences. We are committed more than ever to serve the country and the South East Asian region from Malaysia this year and set another benchmark with utmost excellence for the premium automotive industry here. Going into 2018, with the continued support of the Malaysian government, our customers and our strong dealership network, we will realise our investments and plans for the region here and we hope in sustaining this momentum and achieving yet another milestone for the Group and the country.”
Globally, the BMW Group delivered 2,463,526 vehicles (including MINI and Rolls-Royce), 39,157 units more than Mercedes-Benz Cars (including smart), which sold 2,424,369 vehicles in 2017. This makes the BMW Group the world's leading premium car company.
However at a brand level, Mercedes-Benz retained its title as the world's best-selling premium brand, with 2,289,344 vehicles sold, as opposed to BMW's 2,088,283 units.


Free 2015 Honda Civic Type R For Gran Turismo ‘Hell’ Challenge Winner

Fancy yourself a king of the Green Hell on Sony PlayStation’s Gran Turismo 6? Well,
Honda
 UK is giving its nation a chance to prove it, and win a
2015 Honda Civic Type R
. Check out the
official site here
.
Unfortunately, this one’s not for all to join. All that there is to do is sign-up, and challenge for the quickest lap around the Nürburgring’s Nordscheilfe in a competition they’re calling “King of The Hell”. Fitting, for a car crowned to be the fastest FWD vehicle to ever take on the North Loop.
It’s a real pity we can’t join the fun, but wouldn’t it be cool if Honda Malaysia arranged something similar for us when/ if the new Type R comes here.
Check out the trailer of the competition below:


How About A Jaguar Compact Hatch To Fight The Mercedes-Benz A-Class?

Jaguar
 may be thinking of having a go at producing a small front-wheel drive car as our friends at
motoring.com.au
 have reported. Should this be a reality, it would certainly be a rival to the successful
Mercedes-Benz
 A-Class and BMW 1 Series.
During a round table interview at the recent New York Auto Show, Jaguar’s design director Ian Callum told motoring.com.au that the brand is investigating the idea of a producing such a vehicle.
"I think there's a huge opportunity in the small car market, but it's a very difficult business – hugely competitive and hugely price conscious," he said.
For now, Jaguar are not able to meet the volume required or be price competitively enough to tackle the small-car market. However, the recent introduction of the F-Pace crossover SUV shows the company is willing expand beyond its current offering of sedans and coupés.
"I am of the opinion that if you go any smaller than XE you have to go front-wheel drive. I think the world will accept that. Even BMW is accepting it.”
Should Jaguar decide to take on such a task, it would require the development of a new chassis architecture which is still several years away. The British carmaker’s new arsenal of engines would certainly be well suited for a project like this with a number of four-cylinder Ingenium petrol and diesel engines at their disposal. Tag on electrification and a hybrid powertrain could be another option as well ala
Lexus CT200h
.


Toyota C-HR: 1.8L NA, 1.2L Turbo, 1.8L Hybrid, Which Is The Better One?

When the Toyota C-HR was
first previewed
 here more than two years ago, shock and awe was the order of the day. The edgy and outrageous styling made many traditional buyers uncomfortable but that's the whole point - this is not your uncle's Toyota. Its rather high RM 150,000 price made it even more controversial but as far as the market is concerned, negative comments from netizens mean nothing because every single C-HR that reaches a Toyota dealership is sold the moment it's put up for sale. Not a day goes by without seeing one on the road.

Subjective opinions on the car's styling aside, we absolutely love the way it drives. We will stand firm on our claim that the C-HR is not just one of best handling crossovers we've tried recently, but it's also one of the most well-balanced cars on sale today. It has much of the character of a MINI, minus the power, but it's also a lot more comfortable.

Globally, the C-HR is available with three different petrol engines. The one on sale by official distributor UMW Toyota Motor uses a 1.8-litre naturally aspirated engine (imported from Thailand), while our neighbours in Thailand and Indonesia also get the 1.8-litre hybrid. There's also a 1.2-litre turbocharged variant that many grey importers are selling.

Between the three engines, we wanted to find out if Malaysians are paying more for a rather mediocre 1.8-litre naturally aspirated engine, when turbocharged and hybrid variants are also available.

Two years on, we can now finally answer this burning question - is the 1.8-litre naturally aspirated variant really the poorest performer of the trio? I hate to burst your bubble, but after getting our hands on both the turbocharged and hybrid variants the answer is: not really.

Here’s a quick look at the stats of all three powertrains.

Apart from the engine, all three C-HRs are based on Toyota’s TNGA platform, the suspension is identical: MacPherson struts at the front and double-wishbone trailing arms at the rear – which means any improvement in performance or driving enjoyment is solely down to the engine.

Driving Experience

First up is this 1.2-litre turbocharged privately imported, Australian specifications unit. Apart from the engine, the second biggest difference in this particular unit is the inclusion of Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) suite of active safety assists such as Lane Keep Assist and Active Cruise Control - which is not available in the ones sold by UMW Toyota Motor.

As you would expect from any turbocharged engine, there is ample torque down low in the rev range, with peak torque of 185 Nm coming in at 1,500 rpm. Compared to the naturally aspirated local C-HR's gradual and undramatic acceleration, this 1.2-litre turbocharged unit is punchy but only at city speeds. Push it a bit harder and you are reminded that at the end of the day, this is still a tiny 1.2-litre engine and as some say, there is no replacement for displacement.

So yes, there’s little doubt that the 1.2-litre will have an edge on the 1.8-litre up to around 60-70 km/h, but above that, it's the larger 1.8-litre naturally aspirated engine that provides a more relaxed cruise at highway speeds, while the smaller turbocharged unit felt strained.

Over multiple acceleration tests, the turbocharged variant was able to get a car length’s lead over the 1.8-litre up till about 70 km/h, but as speeds increase, say to around 110 km/h, the earlier torque surge in the 1.2-litre tapers off at around 4,000 rpm. From this point on, the 1.8-litre will pull ahead in a more effortless manner.

Another point to note is that the 1.2-litre unit produces 116 PS, substantially less than the 1.8-litre’s 141 PS – this is what matters higher in the rev range. Again, where power starts to evaporate in the 1.2-litre (around 5,200 rpm) the 1.8-litre can keep revving to 6,400 rpm, so as we found out, the 1.8-litre always claws back lost ground and eventually overtakes the 1.2-litre unit.

Also, the smaller 1.2-litre engine isn’t substantially lighter than the 1.8-litre, with both cars weighing in at just over 1.4 tonnes (as tested the 1.2-litre turbo weighs more); there’s little to gain, at best, in terms of having a lighter front end, and thus nippier handling.

Next is the C-HR Hybrid, a reconditioned Japanese market model that we managed to have a bit of driving time not too long ago in Singapore. Although it shares the same platform and drivetrain as the Prius, the petrol-electric C-HR didn't drive as well, even when compared to a non-hybrid C-HR.

Against the trio, it can be said that the hybrid variant handled the poorest. Put it through a sequence of fast corners, the shifted weight balance is quite apparent.

Standing start accelerations felt even slower than the 1.8-litre naturally aspirated model.

The CVT automatic (belt-less E-CVT for the hybrid) in all three cars does a brilliant job of being responsive and intuitive to the driver’s needs; smooth and quiet while in the city and “knee-jerk” quick when you need it to step down and provide acceleration. Much has been said about the C-HR’s handling and overall execution - click here for our
full review
.

Overall, after our much-anticipated driving experience, we conclude that there is not much to gain from having the 1.2-litre turbo variant or even the 1.8-litre hybrid over our Malaysian-spec 1.8-litre. Yes performance is slightly better in town but once on the open road, the 1.8-litre is more relaxed at highway speeds. The similar capacity hybrid is also good but the weight penalty has severely compromised the C-HR's excellent balance and handling - although its fuel economy will of course be far better too.

For the record, we averaged a real-world driving fuel consumption of less than 7-litres/100 km in the naturally aspirated model.

Having said that, the Toyota Safety Sense feature - not available in our local C-HR but offered in other markets - would have been appreciated.

Overall, we came to a conclusion that it's the 1.8-litre naturally aspirated unit that's the best fit for our local driving conditions. The turbocharged unit is a small capacity engine designed to clear strict European emission regulations and it doesn't drive like what consumers in this part of the world expect a turbocharged engine to. As for the hybrid, the additional weight penalty means it doesn't ride or handle as well as the 1.8-litre naturally aspirated variant.

Having said that, most parallel imported models from Japan come the aforementioned Toyota Safety Sense package, and snazzier looking LED head lamps and tail lamps with sequential turn signal lights. Our local naturally aspirated model makes do with regular halogen projector lights.

However as far as powertrain is concerned, we don't miss having the hybrid or the turbocharged engine. Sometimes, the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Our ideal specifications for the C-HR would be to pair our local specifications naturally aspirated engine with the styling and equipment offered by reconditioned Japanese market models - LED lighting and Safety Sense package included. Of course, this will also mean bumping up the selling price. But in our own make believe world, we would pair the C-HR's supremely well balanced ride and handling with the
Honda HR-V Hybrid
's far more responsive 152 PS/190 Nm engine and 7-speed dual-clutch automatic, but as we all know, the perfect car doesn't exist.

For the latest deals on the Toyota C-HR, click
here
.


Supply Of New Myvi Disrupted, 3,000 Customers Affected

Production of Perodua’s, and perhaps Malaysia’s best selling car, the new Myvi, has been temporarily halted at the company’s Rawang production facility.
The company said that a supply disruption at one of its vendors will affect some 3,000 customers that were scheduled to take delivery of their new Myvi before the end of August. Production of other models (Axia, Bezza, and Alza) are not affected and deliveries to customers are as scheduled.
“We wish to apologise most sincerely to our customers who have been waiting patiently for their new Myvi,” said Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd Managing Director Dato’ Dr Zahari Husin.
“We take full responsibility for this issue and are putting all the necessary measures in place to ensure that production resumes as soon as possible,” he added.
“We fully understand and are deeply concerned with the frustration of the customers involved. As such, we are currently working on a suitable form of compensation for said customers and will get in touch with them very soon via our outlets,” Dato’ Dr Zahari said.
In July,
production at Perodua
 amounted to almost 23,000 units, reacting to the surge in demand with the announcement zero-rated GST that resultant in a lower retail price. Their 2018 sales performance up to July has been stellar too, selling an estimated 141,000 vehicles that represent a jump of almost 19% compared to the same period last year.


BMW Teases the i8 Roadster

While BMW has been hard at work behind the scenes with developing new products, the third model in their lineup is slated to be the i8 Roadster- combining the flagship BMW hybrid model with the pleasures of open top driving.
For now technical details are few and far between, but don't expect this to be too far off from the i8 that we've come to know and love. What is for certain is that the car will maintain it's supercar-esque door opening mechanisms even with an open top roof.


Porsche Sent Their 919 Hybrid Evo To The Museum, But Is That The End?

Late last month, Porsche announced that their 919 Hybrid Evo - essentially a no-holds-barred version of their 919 Hybrid racecar - was sent to their museum courtesy of professional drivers Mark Webber and Marc Lieb. It was a fitting send off for a car that Porsche had developed and run for a fairly short stint during the last few years of the World Endurance Championship, and their bowing out from the series was sad but not altogether unforeseen.
After all, Audi had done the same just a few years earlier, and Toyota was the only other competitor in the top-tier LMP1 class. Porsche made sure that 2018 was spent showing the world what the 919 Hybrid could do when unshackled, hence the lap records at various tracks around Europe, and it's truly an amazing feat of engineering when you consider how long Porsche went from idea to competing to retirement.
But is it truly the end of motorsport for Porsche? Lately it seems like a lot of manufacturers are pulling out from various motorsports, including Mercedes-Benz exiting the Deutch Tourenwagen Masters, but the focus now is shifting towards Formula E. After all, every European luxury brand has announced big steps in developing and producing their electric vehicle offerings, and it seems like Formula E would be the best place to develop technology in an accelerated manner.
The only problem is that Formula E is still a fairly restrictive sport - which makes it great for the drivers, but not so good for manufacturers looking to do some serious stress testing. The 919 Hybrid was a car that helped Porsche develop a number of hybrid technologies - the trickle down effect, so to speak - but in Formula E their hands would be tied. It would take a lot of persuasion, perhaps even an almost Group B type arrangement, before we see companies turning the wick up with electric racecars.
As Porsche has already indicated that they plan to enter Formula E by the end of 2019, it will allow them to at least get a leg into the sport before it explodes with popularity. Formula E may not have the pomp and fanfare that Formula 1 or WEC does, but it's certainly not the series that people laughed at just a couple of years back. Given free rein, it would be very interesting to see just how far manufacturers are willing to go.


All-New Renault Megane R.S. Now Open For Booking – 2 Variants, From RM280k

TC Euro Cars, the authorised distributor of Renault vehicles in Malaysia today previewed the all-new fourth-generation Renault Megane R.S., and also announced the pricing for the hot-hatch.
Available in two variants, the estimated price of the all-new Megane R.S. is as mentioned below:
Renault Megane R.S. 280 Cup (MT) – RM279,888
Renault Megane R.S. 280 Cup (EDC Auto) – RM299,888
* All prices of vehicles stated are on-the-road inclusive of SST, without insurance. There will be an additional RM1,000 for Pearl White, and RM8,000 for Orange Tonic and Liquid Yellow colour.
Powered by a new 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine which produces 280 PS and 390 Nm of maximum torque, the all-new Megane R.S. comes with a choice of either a six-speed manual gearbox, or a 6-speed Efficient Dual Clutch (EDC) automatic transmission.
Complementing the powertrain package is Renault’s
4Control four-wheel steering system
 which comes as standard, which also happens to be a first in class. Plus, there is also the Torsen limited slip differential (LSD).
The different shifters aside, both manual and automatic variants of the all-new Megane R.S. have an almost-identical list of features, which includes:
5 driving modes – Comfort, Normal, Sport, Race, Personal
Multi-Change Down downshifting (EDC Auto variant only)
Launch Control (EDC Auto variant only)
4Control four-wheel steering
Hydraulic compression stops on the suspension
19-inch wheels
Torsen LSD
355 mm front brake discs (+15 mm from previous model)
Brembo brake calipers
Chain-driven timing system
LED headlights
LED R.S Vision fog lamps
LED tail lamps
Fabric sports seats
Wide air intake with Gun Metal Grey satin-finish front blade
3D honeycomb front grille
Wing-mounted air extractors
Newly designed, narrower rear spoiler
Rear bumper with built-in diffuser
Charcoal weaved fabric interior upholstery
Red top-stitching
Aluminium pedals
Ambient lighting
R-Link infotainment system with 8.7-inch touchscreen display
6 airbags
New RS logo
Measuring 5 mm lower than the Megane GT, the R.S. version also comes with wings that have been widened by 60 mm in front, and 45 mm at the rear compared to the GT.
Available in four exterior colour options (Diamond Black, Pearl White, Liquid Yellow, Orange Tonic), the all-new Renault Megane R.S., which is slated for an official launch later this year, comes with a three-year or 100,000km warranty (whichever comes first) and is supported by all 18 authorised Renault Service Centres in Peninsular Malaysia.
Also, the first 10 customers to book the all-new Megane R.S. before 31st May 2019 will enjoy an all-expense paid trip to France, which will include a visit to the Renault Sport facility in Dieppe, France.
While test drives will be available at Renault’s Petaling Jaya showroom only from August onwards (manual transmission only), the all-new Megane R.S. will be available for public preview at East Atrium, Mid Valley Megamall from the 24th to 28 April 2019.


Proton begins exporting cars to Chile. Bangladesh CKD operation to begin in June

50 units of Proton Preve left hand drive (LHD) are currently on their way to San Antonio, Chile, to mark the first batch of 1,000 cars which
Proton
 will be selling in Chile this year.
Set to be sold by Andes Motor, a subsidiary of the Kaufmann Group which will be the Proton distributor in Chile, the Preve will soon be followed by the Exora and also the Saga that are due to make their Chilean debut in May and November respectively.
The Proton models which will be sold in Chile include:
Preve 1.6 Standard MT
Preve 1.6 Executive MT
Preve 1.6 Premium CVT
Exora 1.6 Standard CVT
Exora 1.6 Premium CVT
Saga FLX 1.6 Standard MT
Saga FLX 1.6 Premium MT
Having sold around 3,000 cars in Chile from 1994 to 1998, this is the second time Proton is entering the country’s market. According to Proton, the plan to export to Chile began in 2012 when the Malaysia-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was signed. Thanks to the agreement, Proton enjoys a 6 per cent exemption of import duty in the South American country.
According to Datuk Abdul Harith Abdullah, the CEO of Proton, the LHD Preve will be sold at a price of 17,800USD (RM74,500) in Chile, and will be marketed in prominent cities such as Santiago, Concepcion Vina La Serena, Antofagasta, as well as Valdivia Temuco Osorno.
That being said, Chile is now Proton’s fifth export market after Australia, Indonesia, Egypt, and Thailand. Having exported 5,000 vehicles last year, the national car maker aims to export between 6,000 and 7,000 units this year.
After the Preve, Exora, and the Saga, the next model that is said to be in the pipeline to be exported is none other than the Iriz. Datuk Abdul Harith mentioned that the LHD version of the car is still in development stages, and that it is most likely destined to markets within the Asia Pacific region.
On another note, Proton also revealed that its CKD production in Bangladesh will be commencing this June, and that the Preve will be the first Proton to be assembled there. Having signed an agreement with PHP Group Bangladesh, Proton said that a total of 1,000 units comprising the Preve, Exora, as well as the Saga, will be assembled in the country this year.
Looking for a Proton Preve? Find one now at
Carlist.my


GIIAS 2015: Perodua To Introduce Dual VVT-i Engines In 2016

A new generation of 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre petrol Dual VVT-i engines from Toyota will be fitted in a new Perodua model in mid-2016, announced Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show earlier today.
This will be the same engine that has already debuted in the
new Toyota Avanza
 and its identical twin in Indonesia – Daihatsu Xenia (below).
The 1.3-litre 1NR-VE engine currently powers the new Toyota Avanza and Daihatsu Xenia. A larger 1.5-litre 2NR-VE engine is exclusive to the Toyota Avanza.
Both engines are produced by Astra Daihatsu Motor (ADM) - the distributor of Daihatsu vehicles in Indonesia - at the company’s new engine plant in Karawang. ADM also produces the Avanza under consignment for Toyota, and exports them to Malaysia.
The Avanza and Xenia are co-developed by Toyota and its compact car subsidiary Daihatsu, with the latter takes the lead in the project.
Daihatsu describes the pair of new engines as "next generation engines for ASEAN," adding that it will be launched in Indonesia and Malaysia.
In a statement released to the media earlier today, Daihatsu said, “Technologies will be developed for many different applications, and will also be incorporated in the vehicles of Perodua, a local joint venture in Malaysia. In Malaysia, the new engines will be manufactured at a new engine company that will commence operation in mid-2016.”
Currently, Perodua's 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre engine - the K3-VE and 3SZ-VE engine respectively - uses intake valve-only DVVT valvetrain (Perodua doesn't call it VVT-i because VVT-i is a trademark of Toyota).
What could this new Perodua model be?
A production version of the
FX Concept
 to replace the shortlived Nautica? A
Myvi Sedan
?


New Limited MINI With JCW Cooper GP Pack – Hot Sauce or Tomato Paste?

The recently introduced MINI JCW Works GP package gives the regular MINI Cooper JCW more aggressive looks, but what makes it so special?

The limited-edition
 MINI John Cooper Works GP
 is possibly the most raucous version of our favourite small car that has ever been approved for road use.

Limited to just 3,000 units worldwide, the Works GP is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine making 306 hp and 450 Nm of torque. Mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox, the Works GP will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.2 seconds and will keep accelerating to 265 km/h – undoubtedly giving cars like the Honda Civic Type R and Renault Megane RS plenty to think about.

So naturally, when MINI announced the special edition Works GP pack, which decks out the more pedestrian MINI John Cooper Works variant to look the same, but without the additional hardware– are MINI just serving up tomato paste instead of the hot sauce everyone expects?

Well, just to be clear, the MINI John Cooper Works, or JCW for short, is no slouch either – with 231 hp and 320 Nm of torque, and a 6.1 second century sprint time right out of the box, the ‘regular’ MINI JCW is plenty of power in the right hands.

So what does the Works GP Pack bring to the game?

Well for starters, the trim package now unlocks the Racing Grey metallic paint for the JCW body, which is contrasted by Melting Silver metallic hue for the roof, rear spoiler, and mirror caps for that extra dose of flair. Elsewhere, the black engine bonnet scoop, black door handles and black fuel lid make their way onto the GP Pack JCW. Further down the 18-inch lightweight alloy wheels are fitted with “GP” badge on the centre caps, although the GP Pack doesn’t offer the same four-spoke rim design as the Works GP.

Other subtle highlights also include the Piano Black headlight surrounds, black MINI logo on the bonnet and tailgate, and “GP” logo on the entry strips. The keen-eyed will note that the front air dams in red and racecar-inspired rear spoiler are still reserved only for the Works GP model.

On the inside, the Works GP Pack introduces John Cooper Works sports seats in a Dinamica leather finish with the GP badge. The GP badge also makes its way onto the driver and front passenger mats, while the rear mats will feature red stitching. Perhaps the most interesting interior bits are the Walknappa leather steering wheel which features a 3D-printed metal marker at the 12 o’clock position, and shift paddles etched with a GP logo, also using a 3D printing process.

The Works GP pack will come factory fitted on specified JCW cars starting July 2020, so fingers crossed we catch one of these potent impostors prowling the roads of Malaysia soon.


Reducing Cabin Noise A Major Focus In Developing All-New Mazda CX-5

The early generation of SkyActiv-equipped Mazda cars, including the previous generation Mazda CX-5, were noted for their superior handling, youthful looks and premium looking interior. However they do have one weakness - cabin noise, a criticism that’s often levelled on Mazda cars.
In their pursuit of lightweight construction, which is central to Mazda’s SkyActiv philosophy, Mazda engineers were very selective in their use of sound insulation materials.
In markets like Malaysia, where enforcement of speed limits is lax and our wide network of highways mean that our average driving speeds is a lot higher than many other countries, the noisy cabin of Mazda cars when driven above 130 km/h is a common complaint.
Those undecided on the all-new CX-5 will be pleased to know that cabin noise was singled out as one of the key areas of improvement for Mazda’s latest mid-size SUV.
Minoru Takata, Program Manager for the all-new CX-5 explained that adding insulation materials to muffle out noise, a typical approach used by many car makers, just won’t do for Mazda as insulation materials add weight, which would in turn compromise not just fuel economy, but also the ‘Jinba Ittai’ oneness between car and driver driving feel that Mazda strives so hard to achieve on all its cars.
In order to reduce cabin noise without taking the easy way of simply adding insulation materials, Mazda had to go challenge itself further.
“We minimized the increase of weight (from having to add insulation materials) by analysing the root cause of the noise,” explained Takata, at this morning's launch of the all-new Mazda CX-5.
Reducing the noise would require a combination of solutions - changing the materials used or adjusting a component’s thickness to minimize resonance effect, adjusting the panel gaps and improving aerodynamic properties of specific exterior components so wind flows smoother around the car.
Takata explained that cabin noise can be grouped into three types, each with their own characteristics and frequency range – road noise dominate in lower frequencies and they occur when the vehicle is driven over rougher tarmac, wind noise are higher frequencies and they only occur at higher speeds, likewise for tyre noise.
By employing model-based development, the industry buzzword for complex mathematical modelling to do highly detailed computer simulation and verification – tasks that would either not be possible or requiring very expensive physical prototypes and time consuming data gathering - the development team was able to virtually determine and measure noise levels at different parts of the car’s cabin very early on in the project.
This allowed the team more time to develop countermeasures for it. One notable change from the previous model was the structure of the roof and material of the roof lining. Some mechanical components have also been modified to avoid creating resonance with other moving components. Elsewhere, panel gaps and seals around the windows and door are tightened, which required similar improvements in production processes, to reduce wind noise. Door mirror designs also had to be tweaked.
Takata adds that at speeds of 100 km/h, conversations inside the cabin of the all-new CX-5 are now approximately 10 percent clearer than before. When driving over rougher tarmac, cabin noise is now 1.3 dB lower than before, which is significant enough because one needs to remember that the dB scale is logarithmic and not linear. A 3dB increase in noise is equivalent to doubling the sound energy. In simple terms, a reduction of 1 dB represents approximately 30 percent reduction in sound energy, or 7 percent reduction in perceived loudness.
Prices for the all-new CX-5 starts from RM134,205 (without insurance) for the base model 2.0G GL variant while the higher specifications 2.5G GLS petrol and 2.2D GLS diesel, ranges between RM160,596 and RM174,779 without insurance.