Left-field Car Choices: For Those Who Want To Be Different!

Ever feel like you just want to stand out sometimes? Ever feel like almost every car you see on the road is the same old, same old? Then these left-field car options just might be sometimes you're after!

Malaysians are usually an adventurous bunch, but when it comes to cars, they tend to go for the typical options - the safer purchases if you will.

Who can blame them really, because cars are a depreciating asset that can sometimes be a hassle and a money pit. Things such as resale value, maintenance, parts availability and ease of servicing affect how much you typically need to spend on it, let it be on the financial side or time given to care for it.

However, not everybody prefers to play it safe. There are many left-field options that stand out from the crowd. Yes, it might not make the most financial sense, but hey, life is too short, and you should get what your heart wants - oh gosh, we almost sound like an Alfa Romeo advert here.

So without further ado, here are some left-field options for people who are a bit more daring.

Mercedes-Benz Vito/V-Class

The Mercedes-Benz Vito, known as the V-Class these days, is an MPV from Mercedes-Benz that offers a
fine alternative
 to the typical Toyota Alphard/Vellfire. First launched in 2015, the Mercedes-Benz V-Class is the company's first real stab at the Malaysian market's thriving large MPV segment.

Anytime you see a V-Class, it's a breath of
fresh air
. With the roads littered with multiple generations of
Toyota Alphard and Vellfire
 models, the V-Class stands out, which makes a lot of sense when you have to plonk about RM400k on a vehicle.

163 hp and 380 Nm of torque might not sound like much given the car's proportions, but rest assured, the V220d has plenty of punch low in the rev range and a steady stream of mid-range torque for moving about town and cruising on the highway. It won't break a sweat doing 140km/h all day.

Perhaps, the biggest drawback of a people carrier is its lack of boot space; yes, it may carry people, but it struggles with a few decent sized travel bags. The V-Class, on the other hand, has third-row sliding seats which slide forward for more room. However, one would rarely have to do that given the generous boot space, even with the third-row in its nominal position.

Mitsubishi Mirage

If you're bored of the typical Perodua Axia, Kia Picanto and the like, then perhaps the
Mitsubishi Mirage
 could be the answer for you.

Yes, you might not be able to buy it new, but there are plenty of good used Mirages available on the market. For drive, the Mirage will rely on the uber reliable 1.2-litre, three-cylinder DOHC MIVEC engine and Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) automatic.

With an output of 77hp @ 6,000rpm and 100Nm of torque @ 4,000rpm, the Mitsubishi Mirage is more potent than the cars mentioned above and, coming from Mitsubishi, probably as reliable.

Other specific features such as the 14-inch alloy wheels, digital auto air-conditioning, LCD multi-info display screen on the instrument panel, keyless entry and engine push-start button really do make it relevant still. It even has side repeaters on the wing mirror, making it look and feel up to date.

Jaguar XE R-Dynamic

When we reviewed the Jaguar XE not so long ago, we titled the review as the car
"for those who want to stand out"
. The Brit or Indian, depending on which perspective you are looking at it from, is probably the best reflection of a left-fielded person as a typical compact sedan buyer will usually go for a BMW 3-Series or a Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

The 2020 Jaguar XE facelift
debuted
 in Malaysia towards the second half of last year and is most fun in its R-Dynamic variant. According to my colleague who reviewed it, it is the most fun he's had in a rear-wheel-drive sports saloon yet, and we can believe him as Jaguar has always been known to make fast and tight handling rear-wheel-drive cars.

He also said that it is a car that begs to be driven hard and is most rewarding over B-roads. Chuck it around a corner and awe at its torque vectoring abilities. With 300PS and 400Nm of torque out of its 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, it's less powerful than its rivals, the C43 and M340i but considering it has a lightweight aluminium chassis, it might just be able to give them a run for their money.

Peugeot 3008

If you're just sick and tired of the heavily Japanese dominated C-Segment SUV offerings, perhaps some French flair would be better for you. Introduced to the Malaysian market in the second half of 2019, the
Peugeot 3008
 is actually an SUV filled with accolades. It has so far received 67 awards from three different
continents
, picking up trophies such as the Interior of the Year, European Car of the Year and Best Crossover.

On the inside, both cars pack Claudia leather seats, with either Graphite or Goa stitching depending on the variant. Leather and fabric materials cover most touchpoints, while blue mood lighting adds a touch of class in an otherwise utilitarian segment. Its interior is probably where it shines the most, bringing a really fresh look to what usually is a utilitarian look in most SUVs. Mazda's CX-5 would likely give its interior some competition, but it definitely looks better than the rest of the pack.

Its suite of driver assistance systems, from Driver Attention Alert, to Speed Limit Recognition and Recommendation, 180-degree reverse camera with stitching function, and an upgraded Blind Spot Information System and Active Lane Departure Warning is also a neat part of the car.

With a turbocharged 1.6-litre (THP) engine that produces 167 PS and 240 Nm of torque, it is also the most powerful from the typical Honda CR-V. With Berjaya Auto Alliance taking over from Nasim, you can also be sure to get Japanese type aftersales services.

Mazda 6

The Honda Accord and Toyota Camry rightly dominate the D-Segment executive sedan market. They just tick all of the boxes for what people want in a car in this segment. They are comfortable, spacious, luxurious and blend in well with the myriad of vehicles on the road.

But if you want a car with exquisite looks, a smooth engine, excellent handling, fuss-free classy interior and some of the things that made the other cars dominate the market, then the soon to be discontinued
Mazda 6
 is the one for you.

Its secret recipe really is its weird but striking exterior design, smooth 2.5-litre engine and something Mazda calls
GVC
. Short for G-Vectoring Control, GVC is a mild ignition retard system that shifts the car's weight onto its front wheels during cornering. The purpose of this is to provide more feedback to the driver, thus making the car a little more agile, which in return reduces steering effort.

Many seasoned drivers already do this, consciously or subconsciously. They do this by trimming the throttle or applying a little braking for some forward weight transfer, but through the Mazda 6, even inexperienced drivers can corner better.

The 2.5L variant and engine is also a visceral experience as it is eager to redline and paired with the equally quick transmission, you wouldn't be amiss in calling the Mazda 6 a sports sedan. But the best feature out of them all when it comes to the engine is its vibration-free smoothness and linear power delivery. It's just quiet and smooth and such a pleasure to drive!


Toyota GR86 Elektrik Diperkenal – Untuk Kegunaan Litar Lumba Sahaja

Sebuah firma penalaan prestasi di Kanada, Scalar Performance telah memperkenalkan Toyota GR86 elektrik untuk kegunaan litar perlumbaan dan jauh lebih padu berbanding versi petrol.

Setelah membuat penampilan pertama pada pameran perdagangan Persatuan Pasaran Peralatan Khas (SEMA) di Las Vegas baru-baru ini, Scalar SCR1 atau dikenali sebagai Toyota GR86 berkuasa bateri ini dibangunkan untuk 'Siri Super Touring' Persatuan Sukan Auto Kebangsaan AS (NASA).

Walau bagaimanapun, model ini tidak akan dijual di bilik pameran dalam masa terdekat. Sebaliknya ia dibangunkan untuk kegunaan litar perlumbaan sahaja buat masa ini.

Kereta Lumba Toyota GR86 Elektrik

Scalar SCR1 merupakan kereta elektrik pertama yang menerima kelulusan untuk menyertai pertandingan NASA dan telah bersedia untuk membuat debut perlumbaannya tahun depan menentang pesaing berkuasa petrol.

Kuasa Scalar SCR1 dijanakan oleh motor elektrik 800 volt, menghasilkan sehingga 333 PS dan 468 Nm tork. Ini menyaksikan peningkatan ketara pada enjin petrol 2.4 liter pada
Toyota GR86
yang menghasilkan 235 PS dan 250 Nm.

Kuasa ini dihantar ke roda belakang melalui kotak gear satu kelajuan dan
slip-differential
 terhad. Scalar mendakwa SCR1 boleh memecut dari 0 hingga 98km/j (60mph) dalam 3.9 saat sebelum mencapai kelajuan tertinggi 267km/j.

Menurut prestasi Scalar, bateri 65kWh SCR1 dipasang dengan sistem pengurusan khas yang direka untuk menghentikan sel ion litium daripada mengalami peningkatan mendadak dalam suhu dan boleh menyebabkan kebakaran.  Namun sistem pencegah kebakaran akan diaktifkan jika kenderaan mula terbakar, kata syarikat itu.

Firma Kanada itu mendakwa SCR1 boleh dipandu secara maksimum sehingga 45 minit di trek perlumbaan, manakala baterinya mampu dicas penuh dalam masa kurang daripada 20 minit apabila menggunakan pengecas pantas DC 150kW.

Selain itu, terdapat juga peningkatan mekanikal tambahan seperti suspensi boleh laras Öhlins dan angkup brek Wilwood (depan enam piston, belakang empat omboh), terletak di belakang roda Enkei 18 inci yang ringan.

Jika dibandingkan dengan Toyota GR86 yang biasa, bahagian luar SCR1 dipasang dengan
splitter
 hadapan yang besar, sayap belakang dan
difusser
 untuk menjana
downforce
 ketika bergerak kelajuan.

Bahagian dalaman Scalar SCR1 pula dilengkapi dengan alatan yang diluluskan untuk kegunaan trek oleh NASA seperti
roll cage
, tempat duduk lumba dan tali pinggang keledar enam mata.

Dengan semua perubahan yang dilakukan pada model elektrik GR86 ini, Scalar mendakwa SCR1 mempunyai berat 1378kg, iaitu hanya 80kg lebih berat daripada Toyota GR86 GT berkuasa petrol.

Pada mulanya, model elektrik ini hanya terhad kepada hanya 10 contoh. Namun SCR1 ini secara tidak langsung akan mengetuai perjalanan ke arah pembangunan generasi kedua. Scalar turut memberitahu bawa pemilik kereta lumba elektrik generasi pertama tetap boleh membuat peningkatan perkakasan dan perisian secara percuma.

Dari segi harga, Scalar masih belum mengumumkan harga untuk SCR1, namun ia dipercayai jauh lebih mahal daripada model GT86 yang boleh didapati di negara kita pada harga RM257k hingga 264k manakala Toyota GR86 versi petrol sayangnya masih belum membuat kemunculan di negara kita.


Bahaya Garisan Putih Jalan Raya Kepada Penunggang Motosikal

Penunggang motosikal
 dinasihatkan berhati-hati ketika menunggang di atas garisan putih (
road marking
) bagi mengelakkan kejadian tidak diingini daripada berlaku.

Malah Jabatan Siasatan Dan Penguatkuasaan Trafik PDRM turut menasihatkan pengguna motosikal agar mengelakkan daripada melalui atas garisan putih jika boleh.

Fungsi Garisan Putih Jalan Raya

Garisan jalan (
road marking)
merupakan tanda yang diturap pada permukaan jalan raya untuk memberi panduan, amaran dan maklumat kepada pengguna jalan raya. Garisan putih jalan ini juga berfungsi untuk mengawal dan memastikan aliran trafik teratur dan lancar.

Garisan putih jalan raya ini terdiri daripada:

Garisan memanjang dan melintang

Penanda jalan (simbol)

Anak panah

Perkataan

Kenapa Garisan Putih Jalan Raya Berbahaya Kepada Penunggang Motosikal?

Permukaan Tidak Rata

Garisan putih yang diturap di jalan raya bersifat tebal dan timbul. Keadaan ini membuatkan motosikal boleh hilang imbangan sekiranya penunggang motosikal bergerak dalam keadaan laju. Antara garisan yang perlu diberi perhatian adalah garisan putih Chevron.

Permukaan Licin

Disebabkan garisan ini timbul, permukaan garisan ini tidak sama seperti permukaan jalan raya di mana ia lebih licin lebih-lebih lagi apabila cuaca hujan.

Tampalan Garisan Jalan Sementara

Ketika kerja-kerja pembinaan dilakukan dan jalan terpaksa dikecilkan, garisan jalan sementara akan dibentuk. Namun setelah jalan kembali dibuka, kebanyakan garisan sementara ini akan ditampal dengan cat hitam sebelum garisan putih baharu dibentuk jika jalan tidak diturap semula. Ini membuatkan permukaan jalan bertambah teruk.

Tidak Mesra Tayar Botak

Faktor tayar juga memainkan peranan untuk memastikan motosikal tidak mudah tergelincir ketika melalui permukaan jalan yang basah. Pastikan tayar motosikal tidak botak untuk memberikan grip yang lebih kuat.

Bagi mengelakkan kejadian yang tidak diingini berlaku, penunggang motosikal dinasihatkan untuk mengelakkan diri daripada berjalan di atas garisan putih. Berhati-hati di jalan raya!


Sultan of Johor Collects His Mack Big Rig in Australia

We aren’t strangers to the fact that Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar of Johor has what is arguably, the finest automobile collection in the country or indeed the region. And today he has picked up the keys to the latest and most unique addition to his collection, a Mack truck.

According to
ABC News
 and Big Rigs Australia, the customised Mack Super-Liner, which was delivered today at Brisbane, is said to be the world’s most expensive Mack truck. The price tag for this behemoth is a well-kept secret, but the team who built it says that it beats the previous record of AUD481,000 (RM1.456 million) for a customised rig.

Whatever the price maybe, His majesty looks like he is definitely getting his money’s worth, as the truck features a specially-built sleeper cabin that is 80 per cent larger than standard, and is fully upholstered with imported South African leather. The sleeper cabin also comes complete with a stone topped kitchen area with a fridge, microwave, and grill.

Out the back the truck features a rear leisure deck equipped with sunshades, deck chairs, and a pull-out barbeque. What’s more is that the floor of the cab, sleeper cabin, and rear deck is made from solid jarrah timber.

The front seats are embroidered with the Johor royal emblems using 72,000 stitches of gold thread. There are six CCTV cameras located around the truck that is linked to two flatscreen TVs, while for entertainment the truck features a Bose surround sound system with Xbox and Playstation consoles. The floor of the cab also comes fitted with programmable strip-lighting built into it.

If the eye-catching custom paint-job doesn’t grab your attention, the truck features police-standard strobe lights and four air-horns, to ensure nobody is left oblivious to its presence. And as befitting of the Sultan royalty, the iconic bulldog hood ornament was replaced with a gold tiger figurine that was specially commissioned from Wallace Bishop.

That being said, the big rig isn’t just for show. According to the report, the Sultan plans to put it into good use to tow his powerboat around the country. From Brisbane the customised truck will be shipped to Singapore, where a team of engineers from Mack Trucks Australia will carry out test runs on towing the Sultan’s powerboat. After that the Sultan plans to run it in a charity run when it arrives in Malaysia at the end of this month, so expect to see this big and proud rig making its rounds around Malaysia very soon.


Porsche Is Developing Its Production Processes For The Taycan And The Future

For the longest time, each new model introduced to the market meant a retooling effort in manufacturing and assembly sites - iterative changes, and nothing particularly groundbreaking save for larger re-development when a production site simply can't handle a new vehicle.

But the introduction of electric vehicles has seen a lot of manufacturers haing to invest in entirely new tooling, and entirely new processes for production. Some have tried to adapt existing production sites to produce electric cars, but the most efficient are production sites built from scratch.
Porsche is tackling this issue head-on with the production of the Taycan ramping up. Six billion Euros invested and 1,200 new employees, merely for the launch of the Taycan, and Porsche is continuously developing their Porsche Production 4.0 in order to commit to electric mobility in the years to come.
As it is now, the Taycan production site operates as a "factory within a factory" at the main plant in Zuffenhausen, which is to say it is so far removed from conventional car production that it could be a factory on its own. It's definitely a departure from what Porsche knows, and for that they have looked to combining experienced sports car manufacturers and new staff.
The new system is designed to be flexible in nature, with driverless transport systems within the factory, and will allow Porsche to combine continuous car production with versatile assembly. The number of work cycles that can be completed within same amount of space has also been increased, making work more efficient.
This is in tandem with the goal of being resource-friendly, and the aim is for the Taycan to be carbon-neutral in production, with the eventual goal being to have the entire factory being zero impact. The aforementioned 1,200 new jobs is the largest influx ever made in Porsche's history, a testament to the complexity of the Taycan.
Part of the production process development also depends heavily on the electric vehicle architecture, and in the case of the Taycan that happens to be an 800 V system. The system allows for quick charging as well as better packaging, along with higher power density and better performance on the whole. The components have all been designed based on this system, and the result is a car that takes just 4 minutes for enough charge to drive 100 kilometres.


Rise In E-Hailing Delivery Rider Accidents Is Worrying

Ever since the pandemic hit us, there has been a rise in demand for food delivery riders due largely to
health and safety concerns
 related to COVID-19, that rise however has also caused a rise in accidents involving e-hailing riders.

While this rise in demand has provided people with fast foods and
more jobs
, it's a bit concerning that a total of 347 accidents have been recorded by the police involving e-hailing food delivery riders in the first seven months of this year.

Revealing this concern, Bukit Aman Deputy Director of Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT), Datuk Mohd Nadzri Hussain, said that out of the total, 48 cases involved fatal accidents while the others involved minor and severe injuries.

Data collected from January 2020 to July 2021 across the country showed that out of the 347 accidents, 48 were fatal while the rest were severe or minor injuries.

For 2020, e-hailing drivers and riders recorded 17 deaths, 10 severe cases and 64 with minor injuries.

However, the
number of road accidents
 involving the group has seen a drastic rise this year.

"Jika dilihat dari Januari hingga Julai 2021 sahaja, sebanyak 31 kes kematian direkodkan membabitkan penunggang e-hailing manakala 26 mangsa cedera parah dan 199 cedera ringan," he said to Harian Metro.

Infographic source: Harian Metro

One of the reasons for this rise in cases involving
 the group
 boils down to them not complying with the law regarding movement and traffic rules.

"Antaranya mereka melanggar lampu isyarat merah, menggunakan telefon bimbit, tidak memakai topi keledar, berhenti di petak kuning dan tiada lesen memandu dan cukai jalan. Selain itu kesalahan lain dikesan adalah membabitkan ubah suai kenderaan dan kesalahan berkaitan teknikal seperti nombor pendaftaran tidak ikut spesifikasi," he said.

Image credit: astroawani

According to JSPT's study and statistics, the offences often committed by those involved were
violating
 traffic lights, using mobile phones and not wearing helmets.

This is one of the major causes of accidents involving e-hailing riders, which continues to increase and is really beginning to get out of hand.

However, the number of summons for e-hailing offences could not be provided specifically as he said the enforcement is comprehensive on all motorcyclists.

He added that the number of summonses issued against motorcyclists for traffic light violations amounted to 47,393 from January 1, 2020, to July 2021.

With this being said, JSPT advises all e-hailing drivers and riders to always abide by the laws and regulations of the road to ensure safety on the road for the well-being of themselves and the people.

"Kerja mereka mencari rezeki halal dengan menjadi penghantar makanan terutama ketika pandemik COVID-19 ini memang mulia kerana memudahkan orang ramai mendapatkan makanan tanpa perlu keluar rumah".

But what's the point of endangering themselves by violating traffic laws that end up threatening their own lives, he added.

So dear e-hailing riders and drivers, we know a hungry man is an angry man, but please do not rush or break the law in an attempt to appease stomachs, we understand that you need to stop for red lights!


Does Charging Your Phone In Your Car Ruin Your Battery?

Electricity is electricity - but not all electricity comes from the same place.

It's a bit of an odd question. Some of you with some mechanical and electric experience may already know the answer fairly quickly, while others may be genuinely curious - either way, we're here to answer it: does charging
your phone
 in your car ruin the lifespan of your car's battery?

The short answer: no. The long answer takes a little bit of understanding of how a car's electrical system works - both old school stuff and the modern stuff - and why there may be other considerations beyond your car's battery. Let's dive into it.

For the majority of automotive history, the average car has come with a battery. Yes, it's the big boxy thing that sits in your engine bay or occasionally in your boot, and it's usually the thing you have to change when you try to start your car and the engine just won't fire up. Different types of batteries have different lifespans depending on usage - but it is also a bit of a gamble as some batteries can last as short as six months if you're unlucky.

But that's beside the point. The function of the battery is twofold - the first is to provide the starter motor of the engine with enough juice to get it turning, and the second is to function as a bit of an energy reserve for when you really start to pile on electrical loads.

"A reserve for what?" you might ask. Well, car engines also have something known as an alternator which is driven by your spinning engine via a belt. The alternator works as a little generator, providing electricity as it spins - and this is what powers the vast majority of your car, the vast majority of the time. The alternator also serves to recharge the battery as you move along - if it didn't, your battery would go flat pretty fast.

The battery steps up when the alternator isn't spinning quickly enough and generating enough power to help feed all the various systems, like the fans and the screens, the radios and the
headlights
 - and so on. Rarely is that the case these days, but it's always good to have a bit of backup.

So by now, you can see that the alternator is what's really doing the heavy lifting - and also why charging your phone in your car doesn't exactly destroy your battery in any particular way. That being said, adding too much electrical load can also be a problem for your car, and both the alternator and the battery may need uprating in the process.

Fortunately for you, charging your phone is one of the smallest electrical loads you can add to your car. Brighter or additional headlights, as well as sound system components like subwoofers, speakers, and amplifiers, are usually the biggest contributions to heavier electrical loads. That's usually the reason why cars with insane sound system setups also need beefed up alternators to cope with the load.

Sometimes you may also want a larger battery just for the extra juice provided to make cranking the engine a little easier. This isn't something you generally do for your average daily driver unless you really want to get creative with the engine bay, but rather something we do with aftermarket modifications.

With all that in mind - go ahead and plug in that
phone
 charger without worrying about a thing. But accidentally leaving your headlights on overnight? That's going to be a problem you'll pay for in the morning.


Anggota PDRM Merokok Di Dalam Kereta Peronda – Boleh Kena Saman Ke?

Salah ke jika anggota polis
merokok
 di dalam kereta peronda? Boleh kena saman ke?

Baru-baru ini, kami ada berkongsi artikel tentang perbuatan
merokok dalam kenderaan
 perkhidmatan awam yang boleh dikenakan saman. Berdasarkan artikel berikut, kami menerima satu soalan yang bertanyakan tentang segelintir anggota polis yang didapati merokok dalam
kenderaan peronda
. Persoalannya, adakah perbuatan itu salah? Kalau salah, siapa yang akan saman mereka?

Bagi sesiapa yang tidak tahu, undang-undang Malaysia melarang aktiviti merokok di dalam kenderaan perkhidmatan awam seperti berikut:

Bas bermotor – kenderaan perkhidmatan awam yang mempunyai 7 tempat duduk atau lebih

Bas sewa persendirian – bas yang disewa dibawah suatu kontrak bagi penggunaan kenderaan tersebut secara sepenuhnya

Bas persendirian – bas yang dimiliki oleh mana-mana orang dan digunakan hanya untuk membawa pekerja-pekerja pemilik bas tersebut atau bagi membawa orang-orang berhubung dengan perniagaannya.

Bas Sekolah

Teksi

Sesiapa yang melanggar larangan ini boleh didenda tidak melebihi RM10,000 atau dipenjarakan tidak melebihi 2 tahun atau kedua-duanya. Walau bagaimanapun, kerajaan tiada kuasa untuk melarang individu untuk merokok di dalam kenderaan persendirian.

Persoalannya, bagaimana pula dengan kenderaan polis? Adakah ianya dikira sebagai perkhidmatan awam, kenderaan komersial ataupun kenderaan persendirian? Adakah undang-undang larangan merokok semasa memandu turut terpakai kepada mereka?

Untuk mendapatkan pengesahan lanjut tentang persoalan tersebut, kami telah bertanya sendiri pada beberapa anggota polis untuk mendapatkan penjelasan yang lebih mendalam tentang isu ini.

Pertama sekali, kereta peronda polis bukanlah diklasifikasikan sebagai kenderaan perkhidmatan awam. Sebaliknya, ia dikenali sebagai kenderaan jabatan. Ia merupakan kenderaan kerajaan yang diperuntukkan untuk kegunaan jabatan atau kenderaan kegunaan khas seperti kereta
bomba
, ambulans, kereta jenazah, kereta peronda polis dan seumpamanya.

Menurut seorang anggota polis yang dihubungi di Balai Polis Gombak, tindakan merokok di dalam kereta peronda semasa bertugas tidak dibenarkan sama sekali mengikut etika polis. Perbuatan itu menggambarkan sikap tidak bertanggungjawab anggota polis terbabit.

Walau bagaimanapun, tindakan merokok dalam kereta itu tidak salah di sisi
undang-undang jalan raya
 sehingga mengeluarkan saman kerana undang-undang jalan raya hanya melarang aktiviti merokok di dalam kenderaan seperti bas dan teksi.

Meskipun tiada
saman
 akan dikeluarkan, namun tindakan dalaman akan diambil terhadap anggota tersebut. Beliau turut ada menyebut bahawa merokok ini bukanlah satu jenayah ataupun perkara yang berat. Bahkan, di balai polis juga telah disediakan ruang merokok khas untuk anggota polis yang merokok.

Tambahnya, ianya berbalik semula pada etika PDRM yang menekankan disiplin dalam menjalankan tugas. Imej
PDRM
 seharusnya dijaga dengan baik oleh semua anggota supaya dapat mendidik masyarakat untuk turut sama mencontohi penguatkuasa di Malaysia ini.

Kenyataan tersebut turut disokong oleh seorang lagi anggota polis berpangkat Lans Koperal yang bertugas di
Sekatan Jalan Raya (SJR)
 berdekatan Taman Greenwood, Gombak. Menurut anggota polis berkenaan, tindakan merokok semasa memandu kereta peronda adalah perbuatan yang salah dan dilarang oleh PDRM.

Menurutnya, sekiranya anggota polis didapati merokok semasa memandu, mereka akan dikenakan tindakan tatatertib oleh pihak atasan. Jika orang awam ada terjumpa dengan anggota polis yang merokok semasa memandu, mereka boleh tampil membuat aduan di laman web rasmi Suruhanjaya Intergriti Agensi Penguatkuasaan beserta bukti seperti gambar dan
nombor pendaftaran kereta
 peronda tersebut untuk dilakukan siasatan lanjut.

Kesimpulan berdasarkan penjelasan yang diberikan oleh kedua-dua anggota ini, jelaslah bahawa tindakan anggota pihak berkuasa seperti PDRM untuk merokok ketika memandu kenderaan jabatan seperti kereta peronda adalah salah dan tidak dibenarkan. Walaupun tidak dikenakan saman, tetapi tindakan tatatertib akan diambil terhadap mereka. Sekiranya anda ternampak aktiviti tersebut berlaku, anda boleh tampil membuat aduan untuk tindakan lanjut.

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

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Carlist.my.

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

Get the latest new car promotions at
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 website now.


Next-Generation 2016 Toyota Prius Spotted Testing In Thailand

The fourth-generation
Toyota
 Prius is expected to make its global debut later this year at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show in October but thanks to an
Indian Autos Blog
 reader who snapped a photo of a camouflaged test vehicle on the streets of Thailand, it appears that global testing of the all-new Prius is well underway.
There’s no denying that under the heavy camo, the car seen in the photos largely retain its hatchback shape and sports a similar look to another
test vehicle sighted in the United States
.
Even if the next-gen
Toyota Prius’
 (currently codenamed 690A) familiar body shape is retained, it is all new beneath the metal starting with the company’s
Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA)
 which will also underpin future models from the company.
Car Advice
 reports that the new Prius will be around 10% more efficient than the current model which roughly translates to a fuel economy figure of 3.5 litres per 100km. Besides that, the Prius aims to have an increased thermal efficiency of nearly 40%, potentially making it the highest for a mass-produced passenger vehicle. As a comparison, the outgoing model stands at 38.5% thermal efficiency.
Nickel-metal hydride batteries will be fitted as standard although higher end variants could be fitted with lithium-ion batteries which promise longer electric-only driving range albeit being more expensive.


Toyota Classics 2015 - Unforgettable One Night Musical Gala To Support Conservation Efforts

Toyota
’s corporate social responsibility programme to promote and nurture explorations into art and culture, called Toyota Classics, will be bringing internationally acclaimed musical acts to seven countries in Asia.

The Gala event will be graced by the famed Hungarian theatre company Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre, and are to perform at the 26
th
 Toyota Classics annual concert held in Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam this October.

For the Malaysian leg of the Asian tour, the Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre will be delighting audiences at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas during their performance on the 19
th
 of October 2015.

At a media event to announce the concert performances for the 2015 Toyota Classics, UMW Toyota Motor Deputy Chairman Mr Akio Takeyama said: “Since its inception in 1990, Toyota Classics has held over 184 sell-out classical concerts in Asia, and helped to promote classical music in these countries. Toyota Classics’ tagline ‘Music that Moves Lives’ encapsulates its objective and spirit, which is to enrich lives through the appreciation of classical music,”

“The concert is a fundraising initiative, a corporate social responsibility effort of the company, to raise funds to assist and finance community and environmental projects carried by non-governmental organizations (NGOs).”

All proceeds from ticket sales for the Toyota Classics will be donated to local charities to aid different disadvantaged groups. So far, the programme has managed to raise approximately 7 million US Dollars (RM27 million) through similar concerts over the past 25 years.

In Malaysia alone, the Toyota Classics concerts have raised RM7.5 million, passed along to give aid to 60 charitable organizations.

This year, the Toyota Classics concert has adopted a theme for the affair titled “Wildlife Protection and Conservation,” with three NGOs chosen as the recipients: Borneo Conservation Trust, Malaysian Nature Society and World Wide Fund for Nature, Malaysia. The concert this October is pegged to raise over RM365,000 to help save the environment and its unique ecology.

Mr Akio Takeyama said “the three environment-and-nature-based organizations have been chosen based on their relentless dedication in preserving as well as protecting the natural habitats for the wildlife and plants,”

In closing, he said: “We will continue to invest in CSR related programmes in spite the current economic situation as we believe some of the initiatives are long term in nature and requires adequate sustainability. This would not have been possible without the generous support of Malaysians and non-Malaysians.”

More information
can be found here
.

The one night gala performance on October 19
th
 will be attended by His Royal Highness (HRH) Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Al-Haj, the Sultan of Selangor. Former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and wife, Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali and His Excellency Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia Dr. Makio Miyagawa are amongst dignitaries attending the concert as well.

Toyota Classics 2015 tickets sales begin today, 4th August, 2015 and are priced at RM265, RM212, RM159 and RM106, and can be purchased now from the Box Office, Dewan Filharmonik Petronas.

The Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre is one of the oldest and most successful

theatres of the Hungarian capital. In 1923, the city of Budapest decided to give the

genre of operetta a home of its own. With the opening of the Metropolitan Operetta

Theatre, the Hungarian capital saw the beginning of the “silver operetta” period by

giving a new and permanent home to the genre. Nowadays it functions as a musical

theatre with two divisions: Hungarian operettas and their modern descendants, that

is contemporary Hungarian musicals on its program on the one hand, and musicals

based on literary or historical topics aimed at a younger generation on the other.


Isuzu D-Max and MU-X Now Get 5 Years Warranty

In conjunction with welcoming the Lunar New Year,
Isuzu
 Malaysia today announced that it has extended the warranty offered for the
D-Max pickup truck
and the
MU-X
 seven-seater SUV.
Effective October last year, the D-Max now comes with a 5-years/150,000km warranty, while the MU-X is offered with a 5-years/unlimited mileage warranty. Previously, the D-Max and the MU-X only got 3-years/100,000km.
On another note, the company also mentioned that it will be unveiling its new flagship dealership in Shah Alam within the next few months.


All you need to know about the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon Kuala Lumpur

Remember back in January when we confirmed that
Tokyo Auto Salon would be coming to Kuala Lumpur?
 Well, if you don't, this is a friendly reminder, as things are heating up running towards the big auto show event this June.

Tokyo Auto Salon is one of the largest automotive events in the world and is focused on showcasing the latest aftermarket automotive parts and accessories, as well as custom cars and performance vehicles.

While the Tokyo Auto Salon is primarily held in Japan, some events have been organised outside of the country, including specials in Thailand and Singapore.

At last, Tokyo Auto Salon is finally making its way to Malaysia, and the same organiser who brought Tokyo Auto Salon to Singapore promises the Malaysian edition will be as authentic as the Japanese version, featuring many of the things it is famously known for, right here at the Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC) between 9 - 11 June 2023.

If you don't want to miss out and want to experience a tier 1 auto show right here in our very own backyard, here's all you need to know about the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon KL.

There are early bird tickets

Tickets are priced at RM60 and RM28 per day for adults and children respectively, but during the early bird ticket sales period (18-30 March), tickets will be available at 30% off, which is RM40 and RM18 per day for adults and children. Tickets are available online until the day of show from

www.tokyoautosalonkl.com

Better be quick, as organisers Muse Group Asia mentioned at the media briefing that 5,000 tickets had been sold in the last 48 hours.

Buy a ticket and stand a chance to attend Tokyo Auto Salon Japan 2024 for free

The grand prize for the lucky draw is an all-expenses-paid trip for 2 to next year's Tokyo Auto Salon, Japan. Get your early bird ticket for RM40

and be one of the lucky winners of these prizes:

Grand Prize: an all-expense paid trip to Tokyo, Japan for 2

100 lucky winners of tickets to FastX movie screening for 2

50 lucky winners of 'Sneak Peek' passes to TASKL Setup for 2

*Early Bird Tickets are only up until 30 April 2023. Limited slots available.

What kind of exhibitors can we expect?

The show will cover a total floor space of 130,000 sq ft and is expected to draw 150,000 visitors from within Malaysia and the ASEAN region.

More than 50% of the floor space has already been filled, and among exhibitors already confirmed for the show include Red Springs Sdn Bhd that will curate the 4x4 exhibits, Hot Wheels, EMMA Malaysia and Soon Soon Garage. Regional auto players joining include Option 4 Wheel from Thailand and Adtory-Minshing Automotives from China.

According to Junichi Fukui, the Director-General of the Tokyo Auto Salon Federation, famous Japanese brands such as Spoon, HKS, Top Secret and many more will be at the event, bringing some Japanese flair to the show.

Seeing that Top Secret will be at the exhibition, will the infamous Smokey Nagata be there?

Although it's not 100% confirmed, Junichi Fukui did say that Smokey Nagata has ahigh chance of gracing the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon KL.

For those of you who don't know who he is, Smokey Nagata is a legendary Japanese car tuner and owner of Top Secret. Nagata gained fame in the 1990s for his high-speed runs on public roads in Japan and Europe, often in modified Toyota Supras. He even tried a 200mph run on British roads where he arrested afterwards.

He gained notoriety for his "highway battles" with other car enthusiasts and for his ability to push his cars to speeds exceeding 300 km/h on public highways.

Will there be some activities for non-petrol heads?

On average 1,000 vehicles and more than 500 exhibitors, 4,000 booths and over 300,000 Japanese and international visitors visit the show annually.

One of the reasons why it has been widely accepted is because the show also offers something for the family. " There's something for everyone at Tokyo Auto Salon and the Malaysian version will be no different. We will have activities for families and even non-car people", said Fukui.


Proton: Overcoming The ‘Kereta Tin Milo’ Stigma

‘Kereta tin milo,’ or Milo tin car, is a derogatory remark that is commonly used by Malaysians to describe cars with shoddy body strength. It was commonly used by folks from an earlier generation to describe Japanese cars, but today it is mostly used to describe cars from our local brands – Proton and Perodua. Where did that remark originated from and why ‘tin Milo?’ Why not ‘tin susu cap junjung?’
Well, as shown by illustration above by Malaysia’s most famous cartoonist Datuk Mohammad Nor Khalid or better known as ‘Lat,’ this was exactly how the ‘tin Milo’ remark originated from.
In the old days, circa ‘70s era when Japanese cars were pushing out European brands to dominate our local roads, it was not uncommon for workshops of that era to ‘recycle’ used Milo tins to patch up the bodywork of cars damaged from an accident. They would repaint the damaged area, painting over the word ‘Milo.’
It was a very shoddy way of repairing cars but remember that this was in the ‘70s, and the concept of a full-fledged Body and Paint facility, integrated within a 3S centre was still new.
How and why cars were repaired this way? I have little idea, but the older folks who lived through that era told me that was common practice back then. Probably because Milo tins were made from thicker gauge metal compared to Milkmaid brand tins?
So when these shoddily repaired cars were involved in another fender bender and the paintwork was scratched, the word ‘Milo’ can sometimes be seen. Thus giving rise to the ‘kereta tin Milo’ remark.
Since then, cars have come a long way. Contrary to popular opinion, Japanese cars are not any less safe than a German equivalent,
especially cars from Honda
, which has its own set of internal standards that are even more strict than Euro NCAP’s or US IIHS’s requirements.
When the United States’s IIHS introduced the very demanding small frontal overlap collision test in 2012, two of the top three safest cars were Japanese (Honda’s Acura and Nissan’s Infiniti). At the top was of course Sweden’s Volvo. All German brands including Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi were rated either ‘Poor’ or just ‘Marginal,’ before rushing out new updates in the following year.
At the last round of testing by Australia’s ANCAP,
Mazda outperformed Audi
.
Similar to the progress made by Japanese brands, Proton too needs to shake off the ‘kereta tin milo’ stigma.
Despite the fact of all its latest generation models – the Preve, Suprima S and Iriz – received best in-class five-star NCAP safety rating, the perception of a shoddy Proton is difficult to shake off.
In conjunction with
Proton’s 30
th
 anniversary
, Proton invited Carlist.my to have a chat with its Chief Technical Officer En. Abdul Rashid Musa, a very driven man who has taken the task of improving the safety standard of Malaysian cars unto himself.
While En. Rashid’s job encompasses a wide area, including electronics, powertrain and chassis control, safety remains his favourite topic of interest, as he sees it as a way for him to contribute to a better society for everyone.
“Safety encompasses many aspects, covering not just the vehicle but also road design and more importantly, the attitude of the driver. I can give someone a five-star but if that someone is a reckless driver, then it’s pointless. As a car manufacturer, we only have control over the aspect of the vehicle itself so this is the area that I spend a lot of time in,” said Rashid.
Braving A New World
Again, contrary to popular opinion, Proton is not oblivious to the challenges of the global car market. Proton is very well aware that if it wants to grow further, it needs to move beyond Malaysia’s small domestic market, and export to bigger developed markets but to do so, it would have to meet many stringent safety and exhaust emission standards there, especially those in Europe.
At the same time, Rashid has to contend that he has only 800 staffs in his R&D team, one of the smallest in the global car industry, so Proton has to be very selective in what it chooses to work on.
“Volkswagen has over 20,000 engineers, with over 8,000 working on powertrain alone, even Suzuki and China’s Geely has over 5,000 engineers,” lamented Rashid, who then went on to explain that this is why it highly imperative for Proton to collaborate with other car makers.
Rashid also revealed that he had recently
paid a visit to Volvo Car’s
 headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden recently with Proton’s Chairman Tun Dr. Mahathir, but declined to say anything more about that.
Considering the small team that he has, Rashid is especially proud of his team’s work on the Preve, Suprima S, and Iriz, which he reckons is comparable to an Audi or a BMW. Holding us right at the moment before we start laughing at him, Rashid pulled out a slide tabling the crash test results from Australia’s ANCAP.
Rashid proudly pointed out that the Proton Preve scored 34.25 points, just 0.20 points behind an Audi A4, and it was well ahead of Korea’s Hyundai Elantra and Kia Forte, Japan’s Mitsubishi Lancer and Toyota Corolla, and Europe’s Ford Focus.
Of course, many of these models were older than the Preve and did not benefit from the latest development work that these competitor brands are capable of, but it doesn’t take away the fact that Proton can now stand proudly, even when pit against established premium brands like Audi.
Rashid also pointed out that Proton is aware that many NCAP organisations including Euro NCAP and ANCAP are
raising the bar for the maximum five-star rating
. Starting 2014, fitment of Advanced Driving Assistance System (ADAS) features like autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and speed limit warning are now compulsory for a five-star rating from Euro NCAP and ANCAP.
Rashid revealed that the next generation of Proton models are already being designed to accommodate such features. But as these features are likely to cost more, its availability is subject to market demand. In other words, if consumers are willing to pay for it, they will be made available.
“We call it ‘design lock,’” Rashid explained about Proton’s terminology for anticipating potential future requirements.
“Take the Iriz for example, it is designed to accommodate not just an internal combustion engine (ICE), but also a hybrid or a full-electric powertrains. Our ‘design lock’ has already ensured that should there be a requirement, the Iriz can accommodate electric motors or other hybrid components. It just a question of whether is there a demand from the market for that particular feature or not,” said Rashid.
Affordable Safety For All
Rashid is keen to highlight the fact that the Proton Iriz is the most affordable five-star rated car in ASEAN.
The Iriz starts from just RM41,553, with the all-important
electronic stability control (ESC)
 available as standard, as opposed to the industry’s common practice of keeping the crucial life-saving feature only for the more expensive variants.
The FIA describes ESC as the second most important safety feature after seatbelts, saying “Buying a car without ESC is like buying a car without seatbelts.”
ESC however, does not come cheap. “We make safety affordable. We are not saying it is cheap, but we are saying safety is affordable,” said Rashid.
When asked about the cost of ESC, Rashid explains that while it is true that cost of ESC’s hardware has been dropping, to just several hundred US Dollars, the hardware needs to be linked to several other supporting electronic modules installed on the steering rack, engine, transmission, brakes, chassis, so the total cost of the system adds up to several thousand US Dollars.
Rashid also explains that a lot of manhours were spent calibrating the ESC system for each car, and individual calibration is required even for different variants of the same car.
“The weight of the vehicle is different, so we cannot have the same setting for Preve and Suprima S. Even from one variant to another, there could be a difference. Some variants without ESC for example, might not come fitted with the necessary electronic control modules so it is not just as simple as installing an additional hardware to the car,” said Rashid, adding that the calibration job is even more complicated if the engines are different as that would mean that the engine computers are also different, a CFE and a CamPro IAFM engine for example.
“We are putting a priority on safety, this is not something that we can trade off with money,” he added.
Rather on focusing on making cheap cars, Rashid explains that in order for Proton to progress, it needs to get out of the ‘cheap car’ trap, because in due time, cars from China will be coming in and Rashid is very aware of the threat posed by low-priced Chinese brands.
Rather than competing on price alone, Rashid prefers to see Proton offering cars offering good value. “Value is a function of features over cost, correct? The more features you have over the same cost, the better the value.”
Offering low priced cars is not necessary the right way to go. Rashid explained that Proton for one, will not go down the route of brands like Nissan's Datsun, which took advantage of lax safety regulations in developing markets and sell
cars that do not meet the latest UN regulations
 on vehicle safety.
He also brought the example of the Tata Nano, which was not successful despite its very low price.
He also highlighted that underneath a Proton is a wide array of German-developed technologies, and that many key components are made by well-established companies with a strong record for quality and safety. “No Takata airbags in our cars,” he said with a grin.
“My analogy about the Proton brand, is like a Bata shoe. If a Bata shoe is not good, it cannot become a shoe for school children, because school children are very robust with their shoes – they climb trees, play football, jump into a pool, and yet nobody will buy a Bata shoe for RM100. But consumers won’t blink an eye if they have to pay RM300 for a Nike or an Adidas. So similarly like Proton, we have this ‘Bata shoe syndrome.’ So although we have so many features in the car, people still want it to be cheap so we can’t sell the car at a higher price. As I have shown to you earlier, you can see for yourself the safety performance of a Proton, and its comparable to a BMW, but that’s a RM300,000 car,” said Rashid.
“Plus, we are coming from a developing country. This (automotive industry) is a developed country’s industry, so there is a gap in trust there. So this is a hurdle we have to face but more importantly, we need to communicate effectively with consumers,” added Rashid.
The two slides above showed how the safety features in the Proton Preve protected the driver of this Preve, which rolled several times. The lady pictured standing in the lower right side of the slide, was the driver. She walked out unscatched, with a not a single injury on her. Rashid proudly tells us that she has since replaced her Preve with another Preve.
“We know that we are not a luxury brand, but we want to make our cars affordable, offering good value for money (as opposed to simply making a cheap car),” said Rashid.
Rashid is currently busy working on a new generation of Proton cars  that he is very excited to introduce them to the market, but for now he has to be coy about the details. In between his presentation, we briefly caught sight of a presentation slide that listed the three all-new models –
Proton Perdana
, Proton Persona and Proton Saga.
We will certainly be looking forward to these three all-new models from Proton.
Related:
30 Years of Proton – Tracing Back To A Time When Malaysians Cheered For Proton
Remembering The Late Datuk Gurcharan Singh – A True Malaysian Who Made Proton A Success In The ‘80s
From Saga to Prevé - Seven Protons We Admire


Mazda Begins Production Of All-New MX-5

Konnichiwa. We’re happy to report that
Mazda
 Motor Corporation has started production of the all-new
Mazda MX-5
 at its Ujina Plant No.1 in Hiroshima with the first few models produced being destined for the Japanese market.
Sales of the two-seater sports car will begin in Japan around June 2015 through a dedicated website. Following sales start in Japan, the MX-5 will be progressively rolled out to overseas markets.
The Mazda MX-5 features the SKYACTIV technologies that includes two direct-injection petrol engines in 1.5- and 2.0-litre capacities. Transmission options include a six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmission.
With a double wishbone suspension in the front and multi-link setup in the rear, the roadster aims to deliver the ultimate
Jinba Ittai
driving experience. Couple all that technologies with the beautiful exterior courtesy of Mazda’s KODO design theme and it makes for a very appealing sports car.
As of now, rumours indicate a September launch date of the fourth-generation MX-5 in Malaysia with our units being CBU (fully-imported) from Japan.


The Discontinuation Of The Volkswagen Beetle… Is There A Light At The End Of The Tunnel?

The Volkswagen Beetle is possibly the most recognisable car of all time.

Yet, after three generations and more than 22 million units sold – produced over eight decades no less – Volkswagen decided to cull its brand-shaping car. On 10th July 2019, with the
final unit of the car
, painted in Stonewashed Blue rolled off the production line, destined for Volkswagen’s museum In Puebla.

Created by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche under instruction by the Fuehrer himself as part of a grand social mobility project by the Nazi party, the car was never officially known as the Beetle until much later. It was known simply as the KdF-Wagen, and later the Volkswagen Type 1.

The original Beetle was best known for its reliable air-cooled flat four-cylinder engine and rugged dependability.

The second-generation model came around in 1997, officially known as the ‘New Beetle’; tighter regulations on exhaust emissions meant that it was no longer possible to make Beetles with air-cooled engines so the New Beetle adopted regular water-cooled four-cylinder engines and front-wheel drive layout.

The third and
final generation model
, simply called the ‘Beetle, was introduced in 2011 and remedied most of the drawbacks of the second-generation car with a sharper design, new interior architecture, better driving dynamics.

From starting out in the 40s as a means to mobilise the nation and provide jobs, to being a style icon of pop culture and living large on the silver screen – the Beetle has done it all.

So why did Volkswagen discontinue the Beetle? Well, there are a few reasons for this…

A lot of it has to do with demand. In much the same way that vinyl records were purged from the shelves of record stores after the introduction of the compact disc (and radio cassette), the Beetle is a fond memory from a bygone era and market place, which has now gone SUV crazy.

There isn’t a strong business case (especially for a carmaker as massive as VW); sales have steadily declined – the second generation Beetle sold around 1.13 million units, the final iteration managed just 530,000, a far cry from the 21.5 million units of the original Beetle Bug.

The Beetle also faces competition from its other Volkswagen models. Models like the Golf, Tiguan, even the cutesy Up! (depending on market), are the new status quo for young buyers and small families alike. Hence there’s is little space for a compact 2-door, regardless of the style, heritage, and fanfare.

For the time being, the excess production capacity afforded by the discontinuation will be taken up by a new crossover positioned below the Tiguan. Rumoured to be sold as the Tarek, the yet to be confirmed crossover is said to be a variation of China’s Volkswagen Tharu, and the model will first go on sale in the USA/Canada market this year.

But there might be still light at the end of the tunnel… while Volkswagen has confirmed there are no plans to review the Beetle for now. They have said they are "leaving the option open for some elements of the car’s identity to be reinterpreted on a future,
electric Volkswagen
".

An Electric Beetle?

Volkswagen’s I.D. series of vehicles based upon the
electric-only MEB platform
 gives Volkswagen the ability to consolidate its electronic drivetrains, electronic controls, drivetrain software, and allow for further integration of driver-assistance and safety functions to be integrated across the group’s electric vehicles.

This allows the development and production costs to be shared across all VW group brands and dramatically reduces the lead-time for new model introductions and prototype testing. In the short time since the MEB’s introduction, VW has already an array of vehicles across its Audi, Skoda, and Seat brands in addition to its own I.D. lineup, with many more in the pipeline between 2020 and 2025.

In addition to the Golf-looking I.D. 3 which began production in Q3 of 2019, Volkswagen also introduced two retrospective concepts: the I.D. Buzz and the I.D. Buggy. The first a futuristic take on iconic Volkswagen Kombi van and the second concept puts an electric spin on the original Beetle Dune Buggy: essentially a fibreglass buggy body on top of a Beetle chassis, produced in the mid-sixties.

There are a few reasons why we think Volkswagen will revive the Beetle as an electric vehicle:

The Beetle was always known for its simple yet rugged drivetrain. An electric drivetrain does away with the complexity of an internal combustion/hybrid engine (and also negates the need for a multitude of drivetrains to cater for differing markets). This keeps things simple and efficient, vis-a-vis cutting down development costs.

The MEB platform allows for greater room inside the cabin, another hallmark of the small Beetle.

The MEB offers greater flexibility for designers to create futuristic designs that are safer and integrate new connected technologies.

As electric drivetrains become more prevalent, the overall costs of electric cars will allow prices of electric cars to fall as well, making the Beetle more accessible for a greater number of buyers.

The Beetle’s longtime rival, the MINI Cooper has already received electrification as part of its product strategy with the
MNI Electric
.

So there could very well be a light at the end of the tunnel for the Beetle, but its resurgence will likely revolve around Volkswagen's ability to evolve it from being the people's car to being a stylish icon of future electric mobility.

However, there
's still chance to own a Volkswagen Beetle...

There is few Volkswagen Beetle Sport priced at RM137,390 in Carlist.my which included
used
 and
new
 units... Welcome to visit the dealers... fast!


Petronas Dynamic Diesel Euro 5 Now Available In Sarawak

Petronas Dagangan Berhad (PDB) recently introduced its Petronas Dynamic Diesel Euro 5 in Sarawak, starting with Bintulu and Miri.
The company first introduced its Euro 5 diesel in November last year in Peninsular Malaysia.
Petronas’ Dynamic Diesel Euro 5 was developed from the knowledge gained during the partnership with Iveco to formulate a fuel blend for the Petronas De Rooy Iveco team in the Dakar Rally. The winning formula is called Pro-Drive.
Based on lab tests conducted by Petronas, the new diesel fuel is said to be able to remove deposits and protect the injectors, thus enabling the fuel the clean the engine for better engine efficiency.
Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, the Minister of Utilities, who officiated the launch, said, “Sarawak very much welcomes this new generation of sulphur-free diesel, given that Sarawakians are largely dependent on diesel. This will assure motorists that not only are they driving a cleaner fuel, but also one that is more powerful, giving them a smoother and longer journey.”


Lamborghini’s 820hp Essenza SCV12 Will Spit Green Fire On Its 40 Owners

The Essenza SCV12 is the ultimate Lamborghini, at least for now, and houses their most insane V12 engine to date.

Lamborghinis are fast and loud. Yes, we all know that to be the case. Their current line-up of models have injected some much needed finesse to put them on-par with other supercars in terms of out-and-out on-road thrill to match the noise and theatre, but the Essenza SCV12 is a different kind of animal.

For now, this is the King of Bulls, the alpha beast in the Sant’Agata stable. It’s very green, very exclusive, very powerful, and falls squarely into the ‘hypercar’ category despite the term’s muddy definition. That said, it’s also track-only, so driving on public roads is out of the question.

Just 40 examples are due to be built as the car is designed, developed, and built by Lamborghini’s Squadra Corse racing arm. Having a twelve-cylinder mid-engine layout, you’d be right to assume some relation to the formidable but ageing Aventador. While that’s true, Lambo’s race geeks have made pretty extensive modifications to the point that only trace amounts of the base car are left in the final product.

Nearly every bit of steel has been replaced with titanium and/or carbon fibre, and the bespoke aero package anything but conservative, generating a colossal 1,200kg of downforce at 250km/h. It rides on slick racing tyres, naturally, made by Pirelli.

The interior, as you’d imagine, has been stripped of nearly every creature comfort. That race-spec steering wheel is a sight to behold, sure, but the only
luxury
 that we can see within the car comes from the generous helpings of Alcantara to help offset the otherwise entirely carbon-clad cabin.

However, the star of the show here is the naturally aspirated V12 engine at the heart of the Essenza SCV12. It displaces the same 6.5-litres as the Aventador's, but with heavily revised motorsport-tuned internals and a little bit of black magic, Lamborghini has managed to extract 820hp - an insane figure without the aid of forced-induction. They’re calling it their most powerful V12 to date, and it’s no wonder why.

This isn’t stealthily augmented by some hybrid tech either, as was
the Sian
, yet it produces more raw power. And remember, this is the version they expect to ‘sell’ to customers. Exactly how the Italian marque expects those 40 buyers to tame all that fury on the track without the superhuman reaction times of a racing driver is anyone’s guess.

In fact, even the buyer experience isn’t cut and dry with Lambo’s ultimate track car. Owners will likely not be allowed to take the car back home with them, even if it is on a trailer, but instead allowing Squadra Corse staff to hold onto it until the next time he or she chooses to have a track-day, in between which the car will be stored in a new purpose-built hangar near the company's HQ.

Lamborghini will also enrol them in an exclusive training program similar to that given to their works drivers, which grants them access to various track events held by the automaker on various circuits across the world.

All told, the Essenza SCV12 is probably going to be the foundation upon which Squadra Corse builds their next-generation of competition-ready race cars, and the fact that they’re letting customers into that process so early in their championship campaign is a bloody cool move.


Honda Takata Airbag Recall: Second Recall For ’03-’07 Accord; 9,998 Units Affected

Honda Malaysia has issued a second recall for 9,998 units of the Accord (2.0-Litre) 2003 – 2007 Year Model for a replacement of the Takata front driver airbag inflator as a preventive measure.
Honda believes this second recall is a necessary precaution and urges affected customers to replace the defective driver front airbag inflator as soon as possible. The second replacement of the defective Takata driver front airbag inflator is free of charge and the cost of the replacement will be borne by the company.
Affected customers will receive notification letters from Honda Malaysia with the details of this product recall and stock availability.
Customers can take their vehicles to any of Honda’s 95 authorised dealers for an inspection and replacement.
As of today, there are no crashes or injuries related to the Takata driver front airbag inflator in the Accord (2.0-Litre) 2003 – 2007 Year Model reported in Malaysia. Most incidents involving Takata airbag inflators involve the City 2003-2008 Year Model.
As of 21st April 2019, the total number of both driver and passenger front airbag inflator replacements completed is at more than 527,480 units or 89% completion ratio.
Honda Malaysia also appeals to affected Honda customers who have yet to have their affected Takata front airbag inflators replaced to do so urgently as it may deploy with excessive internal pressure when activated. The defective airbag inflator casing might rupture which may result in injury or fatality of the driver and front passenger.
Click
here
 for the latest list of all the affected Honda models.


Mercedes-Benz vs BMW: How Do They Fare For H1 2019?

The two biggest names in luxury automobiles have finally released their worldwide sales data for the first half of 2019 - so let's take a look and see how the market has shifted (if it has). Both Mercedes-Benz and BMW are on a strong product offensive with either new models or facelifted models coming out as the months go by, which has helped to boost interest and bolster sales for both brands. As the automotive market is really just one gigantic pie, for someone to capture more market share, someone else gets a little less of that pie.
Let's talk broad strokes. Mercedes-Benz will easily admit that they saw a small, yet significant drop in sales compared to last year, with 1,134,729 cars delivered throughout the first half of 2019 - a drop of 4.6%. BMW is a little trickier to define as their group (inclusive of MINI and Rolls-Royce) managed to move 0.8% more cars through the same six month period with 1,252,837 units - but if we look at BMW vehicles alone, the increase is higher at 1.6%, with a total of 1,075,959 units moved.
Even if we toss in Smart's contribution to Mercedes-Benz' figures, the number only stands at 1,195,047 - not quite enough to match BMW Group as a whole. In a nutshell, Mercedes-Benz may win if we look at solely Mercedes-Benz badged models, but BMW Group wins in terms of total sales. When we look at the numbers a little closer, however, there's a slightly more interesting story (bear with us).
Perhaps one of the largest contributions to BMW’s growth is the release of electrified vehicles within the group. Demand has increased a great deal – 22% alone for the BMW i range, while MINI saw their Countryman ALL4 rising by 55.8% in terms of deliveries. On the other hand, Mercedes-Benz has been fairly quiet on this front – despite the launch of their EQC, they haven’t really managed to move product as quickly.
Even Rolls-Royce posted an increase in sales by 42.3% compared to the first half of last year – and while not strictly being a BMW model, the sales are still a strong indication that BMW Group is heading in the right direction. The most luxurious models that Mercedes-Benz offers are still under the Mercedes-Maybach name – and while being ranked highly, it’s still difficult to compare with the British sub-brand.
Globally, Mercedes-Benz isn’t doing too hot. It saw a drop in sales across each region – despite a 1.3% increase in the mega-market that is China. Drops ranged from 3.1% to 8.8% - the highest region being NAFTA, or Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Comparing this with BMW, Europe and the Americas also took a hit with -2.1% and -1.8% across the group, but Asia as a whole picked up by 6.9%, with a whopping 16.8% increase in China alone. Even in their home market of Germany, BMW saw a 4.1% increase in sales, compared to Mercedes-Benz which had a drop of 2.7%.
So what’s the takeaway from all of this? Mercedes-Benz is still doing incredibly well and they have a right to claim that they are at the top of the luxury segment in terms of car sales, at least with their Mercedes-Benz branded products. That being said, BMW Group (inclusive of MINI and Rolls-Royce) is picking up fairly quickly, even in markets where Mercedes-Benz has been taking a hit – which should be worrying for the three-pointed star.


Brabus Showcase Gallery 2015 At Pavilion KL

Are you a big fan of ludicrous amounts of horsepower? Who are we kidding, of course you are! Which is why you should check out the Brabus Showcase Gallery 2015 currently ongoing at Pavilion KL to check out some of the boldest looking machines from the tuning company which specialises in
Mercedes-Benz
 vehicles.
Organised by Naza-Brabus Motor Sdn Bhd, you can get upclose with the beast known as the Brabus CLS Rocket 730 that takes a standard
Mercedes-Benz CLS
 63 AMG and cranks up its 5.5-litre bi-turbo V8 engine to produce, as the name suggests, 730hp and 1,065Nm of torque. Various bits of visual enhancements as you can clearly see, make identifying one real easy.
If you prefer a car to be a little more inconspicuous, the Brabus B50 should fit the bill. Based on the
Mercedes-Benz S
 500, it gets a reworking of its ECU, bringing the power output up from 455hp and 700Nm to a more Brabus-like 540hp and 820Nm of torque. This is accompanied by a more restrained body kit styling that makes it an elegant sleeper package.
Naza-Brabus also offers styling kits for other Mercedes-Benz vehicles as well which as you can see, includes the
GLA-Class
,
CLA-Class
,
C-Class
, and even the A45 AMG.
So, if you’re interested to know more about Brabus cars or just want to see these monstrous machines in the metal, head on over to Pavilion where the showcase will go on until this Sunday, 23 August 2015. Meanwhile, have a little taste of Brabus with our gallery below.


Affordable Midlife Crisis Cars

It's really unfair for people to call your sport's car purchase a mid-life crisis car. They don't understand! The buy is actually made in a calculative manner. The acquisition is made when a person has finally reached a point in their life where they can actually afford to invest in a sportscar and maintain it at the same time.

Those who label it a mid-life crisis car should really call it "you've saved up enough money so now you can get a nice whip" car instead of a crisis car. We know sometimes it's just a tease when someone calls it a midlife crisis vehicle, but hey, we have to defend these purchases cause these people know that life is too short to be buying another less-than-exciting car.

Saying that we thought we would pay tribute to these people and list down some tremendous affordable sportscars. Traditionally, a sportscar means a car created and designed to be fast and good in the handling department. But for us, an essential part of this is that the car must be fun to drive, so speed is not everything.

Audi TT

If a car has Tourist Trophy as part of its name, as in the Tourist Trophy name from the fast and wild Isle of Man TT racing event, it better be good. Luckily, the Audi TT is, it is also one of the most accessible sports cars you can buy right now. The design is Bauhaus-inspired, unique and unmistakable, making it one of those cars that is sure to get you some eyeballs. When the first generation came out to great fanfare, Audi had to do a recall on the vehicles as owners were reporting the car being unstable at high speeds (excess of 180km/h). They did a recall and added a rear spoiler as well as new rear suspensions. Three generations of Audi TTs later, unfortunately the current generation will also be the last. Audi have decided to end the TT, replacing it with some environment friendly electric model. It's now or never if you want in on this future classic. We recommend the second generation as it is relatively affordable at the moment and a bag of fun to drive.

BMW Z4

If you want to drive a sportscar daily, we recommend the first-generation BMW Z4. It has no fancy tricks up its sleeve and goes on its daily business by living through that famous BMW attribute of being the ultimate driving machine. Typical of BMWs of that generation, the Z4 has the perfect balance of comfort and sportiness as well as luxury. The first-gen Z4 fixed everything that was wrong with the Z3, offering a stiffer chassis as well as a bigger car. We also recommend you go for the ones with the M54 engines as they are pretty much bulletproof and reliable. Did we mention that it is also a rear-wheel-drive?!

Toyota MR-S

The Toyota MR-S is actually the third and final generation of the famous Toyota MR2. When creating the third generation MR2, Toyota called the concept car the MR-S and when they were ready to produce the vehicle, they just decided to stick with the MR-S nameplate for the Japanese market. It is also known as the MR2 Spyder in the United States and MR2 Roadster in Europe. Although not having the brute force of the second generation MR2, this mid-engined two-seater sports car in its final iteration went for the lightweight approach and also went completely convertible. The chief engineer of the vehicle, Harunori Shiratori said he wanted to create a car with true driver enjoyment with low inertia and weight, blending them together to provide good movement. So they did and that is why the MR-S is known to be one of the most fun cars to tackle the twisties. Prices start from RM60k upwards.

Porsche Boxster

If you want a cheap Porsche (expect Porsche type maintenance) that's not the first-gen Cayenne, then the Boxster is the way to go. While the current generation of mainstream Boxsters are flat-four turbocharged engines, the previous ones had that authentic Porsche flat 6 engines which we loved. Yes, it might not be the fastest Porsche around, but it is still an exciting car to drive. If that doesn't cut it for you, we're pretty sure its engine rumble at slow speeds will. Don't let anyone tell you a Boxster is not a real Porsche, cause a Porsche is a Porsche.

So splash the cash if you have it and enjoy the long winding roads of your hard earned freedom. We hope to join you there someday.

We'd like to dedicate this article to our colleague Jonathan Adams who served as the inspiration for this piece.


Litar Uji Sistem Keselamatan Kenderaan (MT3) Dibangunkan Di Sepang

MIROS Technology Test Track (MT3) bakal menjadi perintis kepada pelbagai
ujian sistem keselamatan
 aktif dan pasif kenderaan di Malaysia serta rantau Asia Tenggara.

Litar sepanjang 1 kilometer bernilai RM10 juta akan dibangunkan di
Sepang
 dan akan membuka peluang ke arah penghasilan kenderaan bertaraf lima bintang dan lebih selamat digunakan.

Ujian Keselamatan Di Litar MT3

Litar MT3 menawarkan ujian keselamatan kenderaan seperti:

Ujian berkaitan bantuan keselamatan terhadap kenderaan penumpang

Ujian bagi kenderaan komersial

Ujian motosikal

Ujian infrastruktur jalan seperti
road furniture crash test

Menurut Menteri Pengangkutan, Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, pembinaan MT3 ini selari dengan pelantikan
Institut Penyelidikan Keselamatan Jalan Raya Malaysia (MIROS)
 sebagai Pusat Keselamatan Jalan Raya ASEAN yang berperanan menyumbang dan mempromosi keselamatan jalan raya dalam kalangan negara ASEAN.

Beliau turut berharap agar MT3 dapat menarik pihak swasta dan agensi lain untuk bekerjasama dengan MIROS bagi memastikan kenderaan dihasilkan memenuhi spesifikasi ditetapkan.

“Melalui litar itu, agensi seperti
Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ)
 juga diharap dapat melaksanakan pengujian kepada kenderaan bagi proses kajian, penyelidikan dan penilaian,” katanya ketika berucap merasmikan majlis pecah tanah MT3

Dijangka Siap Hujung Tahun Ini

Sementara itu, Pengerusi Lembaga Pengarah MIROS Prof Dr Wong Shaw Voon berkata litar uji MT3 yang dibina di tapak 100 ekar itu dijangka siap hujung tahun ini.

Tambahnya, litar uji MT3 menawarkan perkhidmatan ujian perlanggaran untuk pembekal perabot jalan seperti penghadang jalan menguji tahap pematuhan produk mereka terhadap piawaian ditetapkan pihak berkuasa.

Buat masa sekarang, beliau berkata ujian perlanggaran ke atas perabot jalan hanya boleh dilakukan di negara lain yang melibatkan kos tinggi.

“Kemudahan ujian perlanggaran di MT3 ini dijangka dapat menarik lebih ramai pengeluar tempatan untuk menghasilkan produk lebih kos efektif dan secara tidak langsung membantu pertumbuhan industri pengeluaran tempatan untuk produk perabot jalan,” katanya.


Renault Trezor Named Most Beautiful Concept of 2016 in Paris

The 32nd Paris International Automobile Festival was just concluded a few days ago and the one of the main highlights of the night was that the Renault Trezor concept car was named the most beautiful concept car of 2016.
First revealed in September 2016, the Trezor is basically an embodiment of Renault’s technologies and also styling cues of the future.
The 2-seater electric coupe is also a more futuristic interpretation of the Dezir concept that was shown to the world back in 2012. While the Dezir heralded the first stage of Renault’s new design strategy, the Trezor took things to the next level by adding more ‘feelings’ and ‘maturity’ into the design philosophy of the brand.
Featuring only a single visible seam where the roof connects to the bottom half of the car, the car is given a very futuristic look on the outside. Further complementing the design is the the clamshell-like roof that opens up "much like a jewellery box" to give passengers access to the interior.
Inside, the concept is full of "warm, simple and sensual lines" and features that were included to recognise the company's ambitions of autonomous driving.
Measuring at 4,700mm long, 2,100mm wide and 1080mm tall, the Trezor concept is powered by an electric powertrain capable of producing up to 350hp and 380Nm of torque, enabling the car to sprint from naught to 100km/h in under four seconds.
The car also comes with two batteries, a brake-operated energy recovery system courtesy of the Rechargeable Energy Storage System (RESS) technology developed for Formula E racing, and a chassis made of carbon cell and tubular steel frames.
“The jury decided this award should go to the Trezor because of the extreme beauty, sensuality and elegance it exudes,” said Rémi Depoix, President of the Festival Automobile International.
“It is the epitome of a concept car and we were notably won over by the cohesion of its overall design and the attention that has been paid to the details. It is a fine creative work which, we hope, will inspire Renault’s future roadgoing models.”


Unsung Frontliners: MCO From Grab Drivers' Perspective

Being stuck at home during the MCO is hard on all of us for a whole bunch of different reasons. For one, we don’t get to drive our cars. There are tens of thousands of kilometres of the Malaysian road network which we took for granted all this while, and now sorely miss.

Bored and often hungry, plenty of us Malaysians rely on food delivery services, and for these riders and drivers, their experience during this movement control order is in stark contrast to the rest of us living through a mild form of house arrest.

They’re a different type of frontliner, these drivers/ riders, observing the hustle of our busiest of urban centres turned into ghost towns and called upon to bring necessities to the sheltered masses. The roads no longer pose much of an obstacle now that traffic has become next to nonexistent, save for
a few epicentres
.

What’s their perspective on how this period of isolation has impacted the Malaysian condition? How are they themselves coping with the severe drop in ride sharing fares and sharp rise in food and goods deliveries?

More importantly, with the police focused on roadblocks and quelling movement between zones, has this exposed a certain unseen side of road users who are willing to flout the MCO guidelines where the authorities aren’t looking? Let’s hear it from their side.

According to Grab drivers who operate in the Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, and Kuala Lumpur areas, the volume of drivers has seen a noticeable increase over weekends despite employees adapting to a ‘work from home’ arrangement.

In more affluent suburban areas, many take the opportunity to flaunt their loud and expensive sports cars, with a few noticing some Ferrari drivers hilariously donning the requisite official on-brand shirt, shoes, and cap only drive down the road to stock up on a carton of cigarettes. Perhaps they’re still waiting for a special order of red N95 face masks bearing the Prancing Horse logo to complete the look.

License To Be Blur

With the empty roads, a common observation by Grab drivers is increase in reckless driving habits. Drivers in pretty much all areas drive faster and are less observant of their surrounding.

Grab drivers have to be on higher alert as other road users are generally less careful behind the wheel these days, drifting in and out of their lanes, not slowing down at intersections, and consistently running through red lights even in residential areas.

Empty Festival Of Speed

With more roadblocks being set up and fewer police officers left to patrol the streets, it seems almost too obvious that drivers (who have been stuck at home, itching to drive) would take advantage of the empty roads to be a little naughty with the accelerator pedal.

However, Grab drivers notice that these same drivers are also driving fast and seem to be more uncaring about where they choose speed. That could be a dangerous combination. It is no wonder that we're seeing quite a few incidents of reckless driving on social media.

Overall Vehicle Count Is Decreasing

This is good. Despite what has been reported elsewhere, anecdotal feedback from more than a dozen Grab drivers have them all in agreement that the volume of vehicles on roads are decreasing as the MCO grows longer.

This shows that the tactics and measures taken by the Royal Malaysian Police and other authorities have been effective, for the most part, in curbing citizens from leaving their homes unless absolutely necessary.

To be sure, of course there are individuals who still blatantly flout the MCO for a multitude of stupid reasons, but the total count of cars does seem to be steadily winding down with each passing week whether thanks to better education of the effects and dangers of the COVID-19 virus or the harsher penalties imposed on those caught - or both.

Even more encouraging is that Grab drivers notice that other road users do observe the '1 person per car' rule and very rarely come across another car with more than just its driver. Even when accepting a fare, it’s usually for a single person with the occasional exception being a woman with another woman as a companion, usually to the clinic or supermarket. The Grab Share feature, however, is disabled throughout the MCO period.

Feeling The Crunch

Contrary to the perception that the food delivery industry is booming with the surge of MCO-related food cravings and Grab drivers have had to shift to delivering food and other goods, things aren't as rosy on that side either.

These drivers are having to make due with earning less than they have been with normal passenger fares despite the higher volume of deliveries to fill.

The overall reduction in earnings can only be dealt with by working longer, hours, unfortunately, at least until the MCO is lifted and more point to point Grab car bookings come back to relevance. However, one driver notes the unique challenges in making deliveries by car with some customers in apartments and condominiums not willing to collect their delivery at the ground level or at the lobby.

What some neglect to consider is that most buildings restrict door-to-door delivery access, especially so during this period where health concerns are at a high and despite the insistence of the residents, made worse by the frequent lack of parking spaces for visitors.

—————

Grab drivers and riders, like all Malaysians, have had to cope with the hardships the COVID-19 pandemic has presented with little warning. As they are performing an important service during the MCO in providing the rest of us with some of the conveniences of normal life, let’s keep their struggles in mind and throw a little extra appreciation to these unsung frontliners. Terima kasih Abang Grab!


BMW Malaysia Launches 2022 M3 and M4 Competition M xDrive - from RM823k

In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of BMW M, BMW Malaysia has welcomed five new high-performance models to the local BMW M portfolio, including the M3 Competition and M4 Competition.

BMW M Galore

The new BMW M3 Competition Sedan and BMW M4 Competition Coupé (both arriving with the M xDrive for the first time)

The new BMW M5 and BMW M5 Competition

BMW M's all-electric debut – the BMW i4 M50

Hans de Visser, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia said, "We are thrilled to be celebrating five remarkable decades of M with the introduction of five new high-performance premium models for our loyal customers, fans, as well as premium motorsports enthusiasts in Malaysia."

"I cannot see a more fitting way to celebrate this golden anniversary for M than to introduce to all our Malaysian customers and enthusiasts the first ever BMW i4 M50 amongst our highly anticipated fleet of high-performance vehicles," said Hans.

As part of the celebration, BMW Malaysia is also conducting a nationwide search for the oldest BMW M models across the entire model series. Classic BMW M owners are encouraged to submit details of their vehicles
here
 by 8th June 2022, to win exclusive BMW M merchandise and a feature by BMW Group Malaysia.

2022 BMW M3 Competition and BMW M4 Competition with M xDrive

The New BMW M3 Competition Sedan and BMW M4 Competition Coupé with M xDrive mark the first time the M-specific all-wheel-drive system is made available beyond the BMW M5 and BMW M8.

The system channels the engine's power to all four wheels and gives the car M performance characteristics - which in a nutshell, helps give the vehicle better acceleration as well as better traction on wet surfaces.

The M xDrive all-wheel-drive system

The M xDrive all-wheel-drive system is deliberately rear-wheel bias, where power is only channelled to the rear during everyday driving – but when the vehicle reaches its traction limits, the system sends power to the front wheels as well.

The Active M differential at the rear axle complements the all-wheel-drive system, as it splits the engine's power between the two rear wheels ensuring noticeably better traction, agility, and directional stability with differing levels of grip.

The M xDrive also allows the driver to tailor the all-wheel-drive system via three different driving modes: 4WD, 4WD Sport and 2WD mode.

Performance of the S58

A BMW M TwinPower Turbo inline six-cylinder petrol engine is at the heart of the two cars, paired to an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic and the intelligent all-wheel-drive system. The engine's output is rated at 510 hp and 650 Nm of torque, giving the cars the ability to achieve a century sprint in 3.5 seconds.

Exterior and Interior 2022 BMW M3 and M4

As part of BMW’s lightweight construction, the roof on both vehicles is made from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). This helps to lower the vehicles’ centre of gravity, enhancing their agility.

On the inside, the M Drive Professional which has been developed specifically for track driving helps the driver analyse data in their pursuit of the perfect lap by tracking and recording a myriad of performance data.

Customisation and optional equipment including exterior colours, interior upholstery, interior trim, driving assistance, and M Performance Parts amongst others, can be added at special rates later via the online configurator for the new models.

Price and Pre-Booking 2022 BMW M3 and M4

BMW M3 and M4 Competition Pricing with Monthly Instalment Plan through BMW Straight Line Financing

Model

Monthly Instalment Plan
*

Recommended Retail Pricing**

BMW M3 Competition

From RM9,159

RM827,800.00

BMW M4 Competition

From RM9,392

RM848,800.00

*Based on estimates of an 80% loan on a seven-year tenure

**With BMW Service & Repair Inclusive and SST (on the road, without insurance)

The M3 and M4 Competition are now available for pre-booking on the BMW Shop Online platform via
shop.bmw.com.my
 at a fee of RM 5,000.

Owners of the cars will receive the complete BMW Group Malaysia Premium Ownership experience which includes:

BMW 5-Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty with Free Scheduled Service Programme

BMW Roadside Assistance and Accident Hotline

The BMW Group Loyalty + Mobile App - BMW Privileges Card

BMW Service Online


Zombie Apocalypse: Your vehicle of choice?

While it may not yet be the dawn of the Walking Dead or Train to Busan, these past few weeks have certainly had a sense of foreboding to them. While we sit at our homes, in order to halt the spread of this virus, I couldn’t help but think that if I had to grab my family and make a run for it, what vehicle would I use?

Top of the list:

Isuzu 1.9L D-Max Blue Power

Singapore to Bangkok on a single tank of fuel, 1000km through some of the highest elevations in West Malaysia with 1000kgs on board - with two bars of fuel remaining in the end. Is it any surprise why this pick-up is top of my list?! Yes, these tests were conducted on the single cab variant but let's remember it was also transporting 1000kgs through different types of terrain. I'm sure I would be able to pack my family of three plus our cat, together with enough necessities to at least reach a zombie-free piece of land. Sure we will eventually run out of fuel and supplies but the D-Max will at least give us options to go further afield in search of our little piece of safety. Plus I’ll be able to install bull bars on the Isuzu to ram through zombies if it comes to that.

The contender:

Proton Iriz 1.6L Premium

During the Proton 1 Tank Challenge conducted last year, the best result recorded was from a Proton Iriz with 4.82L/ 100km. That effectively means that I could quite easily cover 800km’s on a single tank of fuel (40L). This test was conducted over real world driving conditions so as to mimic the actual experience everyday drivers like you and me have. While I won’t be able to carry as many things or supplies, at the very least I should be able to get far enough from the zombie populated areas. The Iriz also has enough grunt if I need to get away fast.

The dark horse:

Subaru WRX 2.0L CVT

Safety is of course a main component when you’re looking for an escape car and the Subaru WRX scores high in this area. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates it as Top Safety Pick+ for Small Cars. The WRX scored highly in crashworthiness, crash avoidance and mitigation. The 2.0L Turbocharged Boxer engine with AWD propels it to a top speed of 240km/h. It will also be the fun-nest car to drive but I suppose when you’re driving for your life, fun is not high on your list of priorities. Still...

The silly option:

BMW i8 Coupe

I’ll most likely only be able to fit in a small luggage bag of supplies with just enough space for my son and cat in the rear. Does that really matter though when I’ll be able to cruise in style with those vertically-hinged doors with 356bhp on tap? I’ll be able to rely on the battery and conserve fuel while driving at lower speeds for several kilometres. While I’m sure I’ll be hard pressed to find a port to recharge the car, the battery can be topped up through regenerative braking. If it’s all going to end anyway, at least go out in style?

The fun will begin though if and when one of these cars break down, do I have the necessary skill-sets to diagnose and repair it? Do you? At a time when we run to the mechanic for the simplest of fixes, it really would be Armageddon if our cars break down during a zombie apocalypse. Something to ponder...


Paris 2016: Lexus UX Concept Teased Ahead Of Unveil

Lexus will be debuting the UX Concept at the upcoming 2016 Paris Motor Show set to be held later this month.
The company has officially released a solitary teaser image showing the concept’s rear three-quarter view without providing any further concrete details.
Presumably, the concept will foreshadow a new crossover model to join Lexus’ growing portfolios of crossover currently consist of the
NX
 and
RX
 in addition to the
GX
 and
LX
 full-sized SUVs.
Development of the UX Concept was led by the company’s ED2 European Design Centre.
Visible details of the vehicle include A-pillar mounted cameras to replace the traditional side mirrors, huge wheels surrounded by chunky arches, and matte silver-finished rear bumper diffuser with dual tail pipes.
The vehicle’s overall silhouette features a rather sharply-raked roof that tapers down aggressively aft of the C-pillar. It’s not quite the BMW X4 or X6 type of profile, but it’s certainly not the traditional upright design of an SUV.
Lexus’ teaser release makes only vague mentions of what to expect, but it is safe to anticipate much in the way of connectivity technologies and advanced active driving aids.
Overseas reports also speculate on the likelihood of a hybrid powertrain being featured, which will be entirely in keeping with the company’s recent habits when showcasing concept vehicles.


BMW M850i xDrive Coupe MY Edition Unveiled - RM1.1 Million

BMW Malaysia
 has unveiled the newly-enhanced
BMW M850i xDrive Coupe
 MY Edition for the local market.

Some new enhancements and updates have been added to the
luxury M Performance sports coupe
 that features a newly-designed front profile as well as a host of upgraded equipment fitted as standard.

New M parts all around

The front profile has been enhanced thanks to a set of M exterior mirrors and the signature M emblem on the kidney grille (which also features the 'Iconic Glow' lighting) as included in the M Performance package.

You'll also find a sportier side profile from its new 20-inch double-spoke M light alloy wheels in the 895 M Bicolour style with staggered tyres. Hiding behind those are the M Sport brakes finished in high-gloss black. The M Lights and high-gloss Shadowline were added to complete the exterior facade.

Larger 12.3-inch control display

Step inside the enhanced BMW M850i xDrive Coupé MY Edition and you'll quickly notice the larger high-resolution control display which measures 12.3 inches. Carbon fibre trim finishers help to enhance its overall cabin sportiness to a new level.

Other features include the M Sport seats, electroplated controls on the doors, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a very nice set of Bower & Wilkins Diamond surround sound system is also available as standard for the BMW M850i xDrive Coupé MY Edition.

RM1,102,800 a piece (OTR without insurance)

Interested to get one of your very own? BMW Malaysia has priced this beauty at RM1,102,800 (on-the-road excluding insurance) and customers have a couple of choices for the exterior colour - BMW Individual Frozen Pure Grey Metallic or BMW Individual Frozen Tanzanite Blue Metallic.

The BMW Individual Extended Leather Trim “Merino” upholstery, however, has a wider choice of colour options which includes Black, Cognac, Ivory White, Night Blue, Tartufo, and Fiona Red.

Quite a price tag, but what you're essentially getting is a 530hp twin-turbo V8 luxury coupe that'll do 0-100km/h in just 3.9 seconds as well as other high-tech bits like Adaptive M suspension and Integral Active Steering just to name a few.


All-New Lamborghini Urus Launched – 650hp, 850Nm

Lamborghini has launched the all-new Urus, the company’s first ever Super Sports Utility Vehicle and the third vehicle in their lineup. The Lamborghini LM002 can be considered as the Urus' spiritual predecessor.
Unlike its stablemates, the Urus’ name is not adapted from fighting bulls, but rather a breed of domestic cattle also known as Aurochs. These breed of cattle are extinct, though closely related to the Spanish fighting bull.
Powering the all-new Urus is a 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 that outputs 650 hp at 6,000 rpm and 850 Nm from 2,250 rpm to 4,500 rpm, allowing the SUV to accelerate from a dead stop to 100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds, with top speed rated at 305 km/h. Kerb weight of the Lamborghini Urus comes in at less than 2,200 kg, allowing for a power-to-weight ratio of 3.38 kg/hp. In comparison to the Urus, the LM002 featured a 5.2-litre V12 that pumped out 455 hp and 500 Nm of torque.
An eight-speed automatic transmission with a slip-controlled lock-up clutch comes as standard, which sends drive to all four wheels via a four-wheel drive system with various drive modes.
In the STRADA, TERRA and NEVE modes, torque vectoring helps to reduce understeer, while SPORT and CORSA modes allows for more oversteer. Lamborghini has also fitted the all-new Urus with a SABBIA mode, which is calibrated to improve agility on loose surfaces like on gravel or sand dunes.
Furthermore, the all-new Lamborghini Urus gets a rear-wheel steering system adapted from the Aventador, allowing the steering angle to vary between positive and negative 3 degrees.
Pirelli has developed a range of summer, winter, all-season, all-terrain and sport tires that ranges from 21-inches to 23-inches for the all-new Urus.
Inside, the all-new Urus gets the Lamborghini Infotainment System III (LIS), which includes voice control, wireless phone charging, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Baidu CarLife as standard. Also standard is a sound system with 8 speakers, though a high-end Bang & Olufsen sound system with 21 active speakers can be had as a cost option.
"The Lamborghini Urus is a visionary approach based on the infusion of Lamborghini DNA into the most versatile vehicle, the SUV. The Urus elevates the SUV to a level not previously possible, the Super SUV. It is a true Lamborghini in terms of design, performance, driving dynamics and emotion as well as drivable every day in a range of environments," says Stefano Domenicali, Automobili Lamborghini Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "The Urus fits perfectly within the Lamborghini family as a high performance car. It is the culmination of intensive development and passionate skill to create a new breed of bull: a Super SUV that transcends the boundaries of expectations and opens the door to new possibilities, for both our brand and our customers."
In Europe, the Lamborghini Urus will carry a base price of EUR 171,429 before options.


Honda Malaysia Opens The Largest 4S Centre For the East Coast

We're used to seeing more and more companies opening 3S centres in various regions outside of the Klang Valley, but rarely do we see a company opening up a 4S Centre all the way out in Kelantan- and this just so happens to be the largest for the East Coast yet. Honda Malaysia is expanding their network in the area, and Ban Chu Bee being the largest Honda dealership in the region has decided to open this new 4S centre.
Going from a 3S centre to a 4S centre, the cost of investment increases dramatically as it has to include body and paint facilities as well. All in, Ban Chu Bee dropped a cool 22 Million Ringgit. With 8% of Honda Malaysia's sales coming from the region, it was only natural that a 4S centre open up in order to cater to cars in the area and hopefully boost the brand strength on the East Coast.
The new 4S centre will also take the load off existing centres: with 22,600 service intakes through 2016, this new centre is capable of doing 100 vehicles a day, or roughly 22,000 a year. This easily doubles Honda Malaysia's ability to rapidly service and repair cars.
Ban Chu Bee has been dealing Hondas for over 30 years, making them trusted both to Honda Malaysia and their customer base. The 4S centre sits on a plot of land that's 152,460 square feet, with 62,200 square feet being built up. Sales, Service, Spare Parts, and Body and Paint are all offered under one roof, providing more convenience and speeding up the process. There are 20 service bays. 5 of which are fast service bays, 8 of which are for general repairs, and 1 specifically for air conditioning servicing.
To make an appointment or to find out more about the services and facilities, customers can contact Ban Chu Bee (Honda 4S Centre) at 09-744 3337 / 09-744 5893 /
Lot 1349, Jalan Pasir Mas-Salor 15100 Kota Bharu, Kelantan
 or log on to
www.honda.com.my
 for more information.