2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class E 400 Full Review: A Darker Shade Of Luxury

Malaysians have undoubtedly taken very well to the new crop of
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia
’s compact cars. The relatively affordable (for a Mercedes)
2014 A-Class
 and
CLA-Class
 have impressed many, and as a result, you have the sort of numbers seen on roads today. But there are those who curse the new flock of three-pointed stars, poking pitchforks and proclaiming that while they may look good, they don’t handle as well as a hot hatch should, nor are they as comfy as a typical
Mercedes-Benz
 should be. To be fair, they aren’t typical Mercs, are they? They’re part of a new range of cars from the Stuttgart-based company, made to be more affordable than the matured
C-
,
E-
, and
S-Classes
. Yet, staying in-line with the common theme of the company, they haven’t exactly been made to break records at the Nurburgring either. They just are, what they are: and that’s a more affordable, and slightly-less prestigious range, of not-so affordable and prestigious cars. Anyways, if those aren’t for you and it is within your means to look higher up the price scale, here is the
2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class E 400
, sitting as far up the ladder as possible (in this segment), primed for luxury, with a whopping 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 under its hood.
Buyer’s Guide:
 If the base
E 200 and mid-range E 250 models
 aren’t to your specific satisfaction, you’ve come to the right place. While the E 400 is RM88k more expensive than an E 250, driving it on a daily basis does make your money feel well spent, while just looking at it takes care of any remaining balances. Plainly, the car you see here is as significant a step up as the stepped-up prices. With
BMW Malaysia
 no longer offering its six-cylinder rival, the
 535i
, the only other comparable German in the market is the
Audi A6 3.0 TFSI
 for RM515,000. Further east,
Lexus
 also has a
GS 350
 for RM470k, but the normally-aspirated 3.5-litre V6 in that may not rub your aspirations for a premium sedan the same way. And don’t forget, if it’s boyish ambitions that you plainly need to appease,
Naza Italia
 has a full-blown Italian to offer, in the form of a
Maserati Ghibli
: RM539k, four doors, Ferrari 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6, and all.
KEY SPECS:
2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class E 400 Avantgarde
Price: RM493,888 (without insurance)
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 bi-turbo
Transmission: 7G-TRONIC Plus with Direct Select lever & shift paddles
Power: 333hp @ 5,250 to 6,000rpm
Torque: 480Nm @ 1,600 to 4,000rpm
0-100km/h: 5.3 seconds
Fuel consumption: 7.5-litres/100km (claimed), 8.5 – 10.5-litres/100km (observed)
Driving a 2014 Mercedes-Benz E 400:

PERFORMANCE:
 You might imagine that being a Mercedes, power delivery ought to be a lot more tamed and ‘
sophisticated
’ (a.k.a. lazy) compared with a BMW that was born to do just that. But you’d be quite surprised with just what the E 400 is capable of. Plainly, 333hp and 480Nm of torque is a mountain of power to live with and it’s enough to blast you past slower traffic with nearly no effort or notice at all. The seven-speed torque converter transmission takes a quarter of a second too long to spring to action in driving modes that aren’t Sport, but the surge of power is so smooth and ferocious at the same time, you don’t mind it at all.
RIDE COMFORT:
 It’s sublime, to say the least. Having driven the new crop of compact MB cars, this thing is a whole other monster when it comes to ride comfort (just as we remember in the E 200 and E 250 we drove a while back). In popular cities and urban neighbourhoods where imperfect roads can be a bother, the E 400’s ride soaks it all up so well. Cruising on long stretches of bumpy and undulated Malaysian roads really is an absolute joy to trot along at legal limits. Well beyond that limit, overly sensitive drivers may be reminded of the car’s comfort-minded suspension when things start to twitch ever-so-slightly – but trust us, it’s nothing to bother most people.
HANDLING:
 Given the nature of the beast, we had no intention of going out of our way to find a few deserted bends to see out how well the E-Class would get on in the corners. But given the nature of Waze, what was supposed to be a straight-forward highway cruise to PD ended up being a detour through exactly the kind of roads we were looking to avoid. Even still, it’s wasn’t all that bad. If you work the grip as if you were in a hot car, yes, you’re going to lose it. But if it’s just over a few cheeky twists of the wheel, the car does well – especially with the kind of power you have to burst you around.
NOISE, VIBRATION & HARSHNESS:
 There isn’t much to speak of, really. A slight amount of wind noises become apparent when you’re gunning it down long highways at ridiculous speeds, but again, it takes some serious effort to bring up any of this car’s imperfections.
VISIBILITY:
 Having just walked out of a
BMW 5 Series
 and into the E-Class, you get a sense that this car feels a lot narrower and shorter without having compromised cabin spaciousness, the E-Class actually is just hairs smaller (28mm shorter, 6mm narrower overall). However, a world of difference is apparent on the road, when generally manoeuvring around. Seeing out and around is a lot easier as well in the E-Class, than it was in the 5er.
Living with a 2014 Mercedes-Benz E 400:
 When Mercedes-Benz Malaysia launched the E-Class facelift last year, you’ll remember that it was a preview of things to come from the all-new S-Class that was launched months after. In short, you can sort of imagine the level of technological embellishments you’d be getting from the W212 E-Class facelift – even more so from this range-topping E 400.
FEATURES:
 You can rest-assured that all the standard bits you’d expect from an E-Class are well accounted for: navigation, reverse camera, engine start/stop and keyless entry… the list goes on, so best we don’t waste your time there. However, there are two things that will likely grab your attention the most: the first being a 360° surround-view camera, the other being its range of entertainment offerings. The 360° camera combines views from four different surrounding lenses to give you a bird’s-eye view of your car, and is displayed alongside either the rear or front cameras (depending on your driving direction) on the seven-inch display screen. Overall, the entertainment appointments in the E 400 seem to add up. Rear passengers will be treated to two eight-inch display screens, high-quality wireless Kleer headphones and lots of connectivity options and ports to plug various video and audio devices into. That said, the primary audio system doesn’t quite live up to expected standards – it’s alright, but not quite as fantastic as you’d expect.
CABIN SPACE:
 Door to door, the E-Class leaves no room for complaint: it’s wide, comfortable and everything feels good to touch. Headroom, on the other hand, was quite disappointing – especially if you’re a taller chap. If not for the moonroof above which opens a gap in the headliner, it’d be very cramped. No such problem then for rear passengers, who also enjoy some very cushy seats, and a center armrest that folds down and opens up to a pair of cupholders and cubbyholes.
STYLE:
 We don’t normally address a car’s styling, preferring to leave it to the ol’ adage of beauty being in the eye of the beholder. This time, though, we’re making an exception. The pictures you see here barely do any justice to the car’s overall looks - you can thank the hazy weather and rubbish photographer (who may be me) for this. The AMG Sports package transforms the E-Class into something visibly more special, adding 18-inch alloys, a bodykit, chrome strips here and there, and twin rectangular stainless-steel pipes at the rear. In the black paint you see it here, it’s just the ticket.
Verdict: Should you buy one?
 With no equivalent six-cylinder BMW to pit it against (officially), it’s a straight fight between this and the Audi A6 3.0 TFSI. The Audi option boasts a Quattro drive, and nearly as many luxury appointments as they E 400, but once you add up all the necessary options to properly match the two, don’t be surprised to see total bill in access of RM560k for your four rings. On paper, the E 400 looks a lot better for performance as well, being the quicker of the two, courtesy of the extra 23hp, and 40Nm of torque. But yes, Audi’s Quattro ought to right things in the real world, leaving the E-Class just hairs behind at the start, but catching quickly down the straight. So, should you buy one? Well, if the E 400’s price tag isn’t a cause for any concern to you, then you might as well be interested to know a full-on S-Class S 400 L Hybrid, dubbed by many as the best car in the world, is priced at just RM94k more – that’s
if you can manage to book one
. If not, then yeah, the E 400 is a decent substitute. And that says a lot.


2016 All-New Nissan Serena Goes On Sale in Japan

Following a
preview
 back in July, the fifth-generation Nissan Serena has officially gone on sale in Japan. Nissan’s popular seven-seater MPV is now claimed to boast a best-in-class interior, enhanced practicality features and Nissan’s ‘ProPilot’ Autonomous Drive Technology.
The Japanese market introduction now confirms the S-Hybrid direct-injected MR20DD inline-four will continue as the power plant of choice, albeit with some tweaking for better fuel consumption. The engine is mated to Nissan's X-Tronic continuously variable transmission. For the Japanese market, the Nissan Serena is available in eight two-wheel drive and four all-wheel drive variants starting from JPY2,316,600.
Nissan’s ProPilot single-lane autonomous driving technology is also offered in the upper-range of ‘Highway Star’ variants. ProPilot automatically controls the distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle. The driver may pre-set the cruising speed between approximately 30 km/h and 100 km/h.
Click on image to enlarge
The system steers autonomously and can apply braking to slow down or come to a full-stop, afterwhich the system resumes moving the vehicle only if the driver presses a button or depresses the accelerator. The system is also capable of adapting to preceding vehicles that move in or out of the lane.
Other highlights of the all-new Nissan Serena include:
Interior length increased by 180mm
Built-in 2nd row seatbelts
Sliding second-row seats
‘Hands-free’ powered sliding door (Swipe foot under car body to open)
‘Around View’ 360-degree monitor
Intelligent Park Assist, automatic parking assist system
Safety: ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), Hill Start Assistance (HSA), Lane Departure Warning (LDW).
Front, Side and Curtain airbags for the front row.
LED projector headlamps
There might be a
period of gestation
, however, with Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM), Nissan’s sole distributor in Malaysia, not expected to roll-out any new models until 2018. Both the Nissan Serena and
Kicks
 could be prime candidates for local introduction in the near future.


BMW Group Malaysia Welcomes New Millennium Welt BMW 4S Dealership In Batu Pahat, Johor

Customers in the southern states of Peninsular Malaysia will be glad to know that
BMW
 Group Malaysia recently introduced Millennium Welt Batu Pahat, a new 4S – Sales, Service, Spare Parts, and Systems dealership in Johor.
Bryan Wong, Dealer Principal, Millennium Welt in Batu Pahat said, “With our wealth of knowledge and experience of the premium automotive market in the state of Johor, we at Millennium Welt are pleased to introduce our latest BMW 4S dealership facility here in Batu Pahat. With the significant market potential, the new Millennium Welt Batu Pahat is all geared up to deliver total satisfaction and offer customers in Batu Pahat with the excellent premium ownership experience which they deserve.”
With a total build up space of 13,000 square feet, the new BMW 4S dealership offers full sales and after sales services for BMW cars including
MINI
 models. The facility features a seven-car display area and two service bays for cars while customers can utilise a lounge area, the Isetta Bar, and discussion rooms as they wait for their cars to be serviced.
Alan Harris, Managing Director & CEO of BMW Group Malaysia said while welcoming Millennium Welt Batu Pahat to BMW Group Malaysia’s network of dealerships, “We are pleased to be able to better serve our customers in Batu Pahat and the surrounding areas here in the Southern Corridor with our newest partner, Millennium Welt Batu Pahat. The premium segment here in the state of Johor and the Southern Corridor has been growing at a steady pace over the last five years and contributes over 20% to the overall premium passenger car industry in Malaysia.”
The Millennium Welt BMW 4S is located at No. 1702, Jalan Zabedah, 83000 Batu Pahat, Johor Bahru. For further information customers can call BMW Voice at 1800-88-3000 or visit
www.bmw.com.my.


All-New 2018 Mitsubishi Expander Launched In Thailand - Made In Indonesia, 2 Variants

Mitsubishi Motors Thailand has officially launched
the all-new Xpander
seven-seater MPV in the land of smiles.

Imported from Indonesia, the Xpander is offered in two trims in Thailand:

GLS Limited - 779,000 THB

GT - 849,000 THB

While the long list of standard features offered in the Thai market includes:

Crystal LED position lamps

LED tube tail lights

Rear spoiler with LED stop lamp

Front windscreen with sound-insulation tinting

Multi information display

Rear air cond vents

Dual airbags

The range-topping GLS Limited gets extras like:

Leather seats

Fog lamps

Exterior chrome bits

4.2-inch TFT display with 3D Animation

High contrast meter

Eco indicator

Voice command

Powering the new Xpander is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 105 PS and 141 Nm of torque, paired to a 4-speed automatic gearbox.

Designed as a crossover which combines an MPV’s practicality with SUV-like ground clearance, the Xpander goes against models like the Toyota Avanza, Suzuki Ertiga, and the Honda BR-V in Thailand.

Produced at Mitsubishi Motors new plant in Bekasi Prefecture, West Java Province in Indonesia, the Xpander will eventually be supplied to Nissan, which currently owns a controlling stake in Mitsubishi Motors (34 percent).

That being said, the Xpander is widely expected to form the basis for
the next generation Nissan Grand Livina
, assuming that Nissan retains the Grand Livina nameplate.


BMW 320e, 520e Expands PHEV Options At The Entry-Level

For the past few years now, we’ve known BMW’s plug-in hybrid variants are aimed as mid-tier alternatives for the 330i or 530i in the 3 Series and 5 Series, respectively, which offered a huge boost in fuel efficiency while still offering bursts of decently high performance.

Though newer BMWs such as
the X5 xDrive 45e

and 740Le
 have taken the same electrified components and mated them with an even gutsier 3.0-litre inline-6 turbo-petrol engine, variants on the lower rung of the ladder haven’t seen much technology come its way.

This is exactly where the new 320e and 520e hope to capitalise as more efficient alternatives to the 320i and 520i. Offered in both the current-generation 3 Series and 5 Series as a sedan (G20, G30) or Touring (G21, G31), these new additions are another stepping stone for the automaker to hit their internal target of 25 electrified vehicles by 2023.

Unlike the MINI Countryman SE plug-in hybrid, which paired a B38 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol with an electric motor and lithium-ion battery array, the 320e and 520e use a very similar powertrain to the more expensive 330e
and 530e
.

Both utilise a 2.0-litre B48 four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor for a combined output of up to 150kW and a peak torque of 350Nm, making them even more powerful than the 330i or 530i. Below the rear seats, there is a 12kWh battery that’s rated for at least 50km of pure electric range and can run up to 61km according to the WLTP test cycle on both cars.

In spite of lacking the all-wheel traction of xDrive, BMW claims the lighter rear-drive sedans are the quickest to accelerate with the 320e quoted for 0-100km/h time of 7.6 seconds while the 520e manages this in 7.9 seconds. It’s also worth noting that their top speed under electric power only is set identically to the 330e and 530e at 140km/h.

Apart from the dramatically different powertrain, the 320e and 520e are otherwise identical to their petrol-only counterparts in both equipment levels and cosmetic design. That said, their final specification can - and often does - vary on the specific market it’s entering.

Exterior flourishes such as the
M Sport package
, Shadow Line trim, as well as interior features Navigation System Professional, Live Cockpit Plus, and BMW Connect are all supported on both these new variants. We suspect that these will be very successful new additions to the 3 Series and 5 Series range that further boosts the total volume sold from BMW’s hybrid range.

And given the success of the company's PHEVs with Malaysian buyers, these '20e' versions pose a less expensive but still very desirable option that's sure to be another crowd favourite.


Cleaner RON 95 Euro 4M Implementation Delayed To January 2020

Fuel companies were supposed to introduce the cleaner specification RON 95 Euro 4M petrol this October. This obviously did not happen. To recap, the biggest difference in Euro 4M specification is the reduction of harmful sulphur content, down from 500 parts per million (ppm) to 50 ppm.
The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives, and Consumerism (KPDNKK) has announced that the government has decided to postpone the full implementation of this RON 95 petrol specification to January 1st 2020.
In a media statement released by the ministry late on Friday, Dato’ Saifuddin Nasution Bin Ismail, Minister of KPDNKK, explained that petroleum companies have notified to the government that they require more time for the preparation to fulfil Malaysia’s needs without leaving a price impact to the consumers.
The government also explained that petroleum companies will begin the transition of RON 95 petrol from Euro 2 to Euro 4M specifications in stages from July 2019.  The media statement further adds that the government has agreed that a price update will be introduced during the transition stage to reduce the impact of the change in the price of the cleaner fuel specification.
This method is also viewed as fair to the users as, during the transition period, the RON 95 petrol does not fully meet the full specification of Euro 4M.
As mentioned earlier, Euro 4M specifications dictate a sulphur content of 10 times lower than Euro 2M. A reduction in sulphur content improves the exhaust catalyst efficiency and ultimately
produces cleaner emissions and thus better air quality.
The maximum benzene level in Euro 4M petrol is also lower to 3.5% from the 5%, while the maximum limit for Reid Vapour Pressure is reduced to 65 kPa from the 70 kPa. A lower vapour pressure ensures that the fuel doesn’t nearly evaporate as quickly when being poured into the fuel tank, or at rest. RON 97 Euro 4M petrol was first introduced in September 2015.
In-line with the government’s aspiration of a balance economic development with protection to the environment, the government plans to implement petrol with Euro 5 specification (Sulphur at 10 ppm) from 1 st September 2025.
Currently, petroleum companies in Malaysia only offer Euro 4M specification in RON 97 petrol, while diesel is offered in both Euro 2M (500 ppm) and
Euro 5 (10 ppm)
. Fuel prices for the month of October (a new monthly adjustment cycle was introduced in September 2018) are as follow:
RON95 Euro 2M–
RM2.20
per litre
RON97 Euro 4M–
RM2.79
 per litre
Diesel Euro 2M–
RM2.18
 per litre
Diesel Euro 5–
RM2.28
 per litre


Toyota Commences Production Of All-New 2018 Camry In Kentucky

Toyota has begun production of the all-new 2018 Camry at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc., (TMMK).
The 2018 Toyota Camry is the first vehicle in North America to be built with Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA), Toyota's new global platform that was first introduced on the new generation Toyota Prius.
Recently, Toyota Kentucky hired more than 700 new staff, bringing the total number of staff to over 8,000.
In 2016, the largest Toyota plant in the world produced 11 million vehicles in the past 31 years, which includes more than 8 million Camrys. Last year. TMMK produced more than 500,000 new vehicles, including the Camry, Camry Hybrid, Avalon, Avalon Hybrid and Lexus ES 350, representing nearly a quarter of the number of Toyota vehicles produced in North America.
Earlier this year, Toyota announced that they have invested USD1.33 billion at TMMK for TNGA improvements that will modernize and streamline its production process. Since its establishment in 1986, TMMK represents a USD 7 billion investment. Over the next five years, Toyota will be investing USD 10 billion, adding to the USD 22 billion the company has invested over the past 60 years.
“The launch of the next-generation Camry is important for Toyota in America, and expands the company’s footprint in and commitment to Kentucky,” said Wil James, president, TMMK. “We are proud to be the first in North America to produce a vehicle with TNGA. It’s a testament to the skill and dedication of our team members.”


Tokyo 2015: Meet The Coms Connect By Toyota Auto Body, The Car With Transformer Aspirations

We said aspirations, not ability – so unfortunately the Coms Connect does not actually transform.
Toyota
 Auto Body, the car’s intrepid creators, no doubt did knock the idea around, most likely. Perhaps, they figured their name was fairly close to the word ‘Autobot’ that they could pull it off.

The Coms Connect was envisioned to be a personal people mover for the rapidly changing landscapes of business, lifestyle, and even urban planning. We're pretty sure the designers took inspiration from the anime Robotech (Anyone remember that? Hashtag nostalgia.) or something similiar.

While the car stops short of transforming to the ‘ROID’ or ‘WALKER’ modes that the action figure shows (in the gallery above), the car apparently will allow modes called ‘delivery’, ‘personal’, and ‘tandem’. These are to “meet the various needs of different vehicle users” – we have no idea what they actually do.

As you can see, the Coms Connect’s design is dominated by the central pod that seats the driver, its canopy wrapping around the occupant and integrates with the swing doors for ease of access.

It is powered by a lithium-ion battery that’s mounted behind the driver and is driven by four in-wheel motors. The driver controls the car via joystick, interestingly.

Unlike a couple of the other Toyota Auto Body creations that we spied at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, we would sincerely like to see the Coms Connect being used in towns for people to get around easily, quietly, and with zero environmental impact. And if by then it does transform, that’s even better.


2014 Peugeot 5008 MPV Review: The Charms Of French Practicality

Having had a facelift and an upgrade not too long ago,
Peugeot
 Malaysia recently introduced its new
2014 Peugeot 5008 MPV
 here. With an unchanged price tag, and a whole lot more to offer than its predecessor, the new seven-seater directly contends with the likes of the
Mazda Biante
, and the new
Nissan Serena S-Hybrid
.
KEY SPECS: 2014 Peugeot 5008
Price: RM159,888 (with insurance)
Engine: 1.6-litre Twin-Scroll THP, four-cylinder petrol
Transmission: Six-speed Auto Adaptive Gearbox with Tiptronic and Sport Mode
Horsepower: 165hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 240Nm @ 1,400 to 4,250rpm
Performance: 0-100km/h in 10.8 seconds, top speed limited to 195km/h
Observed fuel consumption: 9.7 to 11.4-litres/100km (claimed: 7.9-litres/100km)
Buyer’s Guide:
The 2014 Peugeot 5008 is a decent people carrier. But despite the promise of it being a seven-seater, the reality is that it’s more of a 5+2 arrangement, given the lacking space in the third-row seats for full size adults. With the rear-most seats folded and tucked away (very neatly) under the boot floor, the 679 litres of space is far more usable.
The 5008 is also feature-packed, offering lots in the way of entertainment and creature comforts. Safety is also no compromise, with six airbags and a full suite of active and passive safety features.
For price and purpose comparisons, drawing on the Japanese Mazda Biante (RM150k) and Nissan Serena S-Hybrid (RM139k to RM150k) make the most sense, and both have their charms about them as well. However, it’s the French MPV that has the most to offer feature wise. Adversely, you may favour the Mazda and the Nissan for their slightly more functional practicality, familiarity and simplicity.
Want to know more? Check out
Carlist.my
 for our
complete review of the 2014 Peugeot 5008 MPV
.


Global EV Brands Losing Out Fast In Chinese Market

The number of new energy passenger cars (EVs and PHEVs) sold in China within the first four months of 2022 has more than doubled to 1.49 million units compared to 2021. Apart from
Tesla
, in third place, there are no other global brands present in China's top 10 list for new energy vehicles (NEVs).

Chinese locals are constantly looking at Chinese brands such as
BYD
,
Wuling
, Cherry, and
Xpeng
 when it comes to EVs and PHEVs due to what they are able to offer, particularly in terms of smart tech integration within the Chinese market. Other giant brands like General Motors and Volkswagen are losing out and losing out fast because of this.

Tesla is only third in China?

BYD
 alone sold around 390,000 EVs so far this year, which is around three times more than what
Tesla
 is doing so far in China. Locals there stated that other global brands besides Tesla are too far away from their lifestyle which consists of the heavy use of apps like Alipay and Taobao, which they can use within the cars offered by the local Chinese brands.

Chinese brands have successfully incorporated these features into their EV offerings, plus over-the-air updates mean that their vehicles will always be up to date with the latest features important for the Chinese people. What they want is not just a car that suits their daily needs, and other aspects like power and speed are simply out of the equation for them in the decision-making process.

'Smartphone-like' experience is the way to go

In other words, Chinese EVs offer smartphone-like experiences that people have become accustomed to and are very comfortable dealing with on an everyday basis. This is what global brands have been losing out on, and their control over the Chinese auto market has significantly dropped to less than 20% (it was around 60-70% back in the 1990s).

General Motors
 and
Volkswagen
 are going out of their way with their own determined strategies on how they can retake the Chinese market by 2030. From what they've come to understand, whatever that works in other markets like Europe won't have the same effect in China.

Considering that China's EV market is at an all-time high of $500 billion, getting a piece of that pie, even if it's only a little sliver, is imperative to happy days ahead.


Takata Airbag Crisis: Honda Malaysia To Have 70% Stock Availability For Passenger Side Airbag By Dec 2016

Honda Malaysia expects to accumulate sufficient stock to replace 70% of defective Takata-made passenger-side airbag modules by the end of December, the company announced in its latest official update of the situation released to the media today.
The statement further explained that stock availability is expected to reach 55% by the end of November 2016, a month ahead of schedule, before gradually building up to 70% availability by the end of December.
As of 23 Nov 2016, Honda Malaysia has replaced more than 62,300 out of approximately 125,000 defective Takata front passenger airbag inflators – translating to a completion rate of about 50%. It also means that there over 60,000 Honda vehicles on the road driving around with potentially defective airbag modules that can add to the death toll caused by this fiasco.
Separately, on 23 June 2016, Honda Malaysia recalled an additional 147,894 vehicles also to replace their Takata front passenger airbag modules, but as a preventive measure.
For driver-side frontal airbag modules,
Honda Malaysia has 100% stock availability as of 19 August 2016
. As of 23 November 2016, over 175,000 out of approximately 264,000 affected Honda vehicles had their driver-side frontal airbags replaced – translating to a completion rate of 66%.Once again, that's nearly 90,000 Honda vehicles out there that can potentially kill their drivers in an accident.
According to a company source, Honda Malaysia is one of very few Honda distributors in the world to secure 100% availability of stock to replace the driver-side frontal airbag.
The same source also revealed to us that due to the low take-up rate from Malaysians, Honda distributors from other countries are vying to take up those stocks. We were also told that there will always be a spike of customers flooding in to replace their airbags whenever an incident is reported in the media only for demand to cool off within weeks.
The
Takata airbag crisis
 is the
largest ever industry-wide recall in the history of the automotive industry
, affecting multiple brands and millions of vehicles across the world. In Malaysia, Honda is the worst affected brand, yet it has also been most
pro-active in its efforts
 raising awareness among consumers.
To date, Honda is the only company that has offered to take up the cost of
replacing inflators for grey-imported models
. Earlier, the company also offered
compensation of RM50 per day for loss of use
 to customers that were unable to have their driver-side frontal airbags replaced. The compensation offer is no longer in effect, however, with Honda Malaysia now having secured 100% stock availability of the driver-side frontal airbag modules.
Besides urging customers to go back to the dealerships, Honda Malaysia is also taking the initiative in reaching out to the customer. The operation of its current mobile hubs has been expanded to cover 18 shopping malls until 25 December 2016. Operation of
Honda Service Central Hubs
 specifically setup to replace defective Takata airbag modules, meanwhile, has been extended until 31 December 2016.

Click to enlarge
Honda customers are advised to check the status of their vehicle recall by logging on to either
Honda Malaysia’s official website
 or go direct to the company’s
Product Recall microsite
. The Honda Toll Free number (1-800-88-2020) is also able assist.
If you are driving a Honda vehicle affected by the Takata airbag crisis, we strongly urge you to take immediate action. That, or you may find yourself becoming the subject of stories such as the ones below:
Fatal Takata Airbag Incident: Honda City Was Part Of Recall, But No Repairs Made
Honda Malaysia Confirms Takata Inflater Ruptured in Crash


Michelin Debuts The Uptis, World's First Airless Tyre

Not only is the Michelin Uptis a demonstration of what the future holds, but it is also part of a bigger picture where tyre production will not affect the environment negatively.

Back in 2019, Michelin
started publicising
 to the world that in 2024, they and General Motors would be rolling out a tyre that would not need any air and be completely
puncture-proof
.

Two years later, Michelin has succeeded in making a prototype and has exhibited it at the recent IAA Mobility show in Munich.

Demonstrated on a
Mini Electric
 and winning over the public who attended the motor show, the need for air in the tyre is eliminated with a revolutionary structure capable of supporting the vehicle while also delivering a safe, comfortable ride.

Called the Uptis - which stands for Unique Puncture-proof Tire System, the tyre was demonstrated to certain lucky members of the general public who had the opportunity to take a ride and test this
revolutionary tyre
.

“The truly distinctive structure of the Michelin Uptis prototype, or its ‘weirdness’ as we have often heard it called, really attracted the attention of many visitors and left a lasting impression on them. It was an exceptional experience for us, and our greatest satisfaction came at the end of the demonstration when our passengers, who were admittedly a little wary at first, said they felt no difference compared with conventional tires,” said Cyrille Roget, Michelin Group Technical and Scientific Communications Director.

Michelin Uptis is also the first step in the Group’s VISION Concept, which features airless technology that eliminates the risk of punctures and reduces environmental impact.

With VISION,
Michelin committed
 itself to meet a huge challenge to make mobility safer, cleaner, more efficient and universally accessible.

While the design of the 3D-printed Uptis tyre has pretty much made the vehicle safer and more efficient, it's the materials used to make the tyre that will have the largest impact when it comes to the environment.

According to Michelin the Uptis is manufactured from bio-sourced and recycled materials, as VISION leverages the high-tech materials expertise of Michelin and its partners to achieve the objective of 100% sustainable materials by 2050. The tire’s lifecycle ensures that its environmental footprint is minimal.

Michelin maintains that it remains on course to bring the first Uptis tire to market in 2024!


RHD Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray V8 hybrid is coming to Australia - 655hp & 793Nm!

The Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray V8 hybrid will be heading to Australia and that has been confirmed by the country's GM Specialty Vehicles spokesperson.

It's definitely big news for the folks living in Down Under as this Chevy will be the first right-hand-drive model to be made available in Australia since forever.

Chevrolet's fastest Corvette yet

Regarded as the fastest-ever Corvette (yet), the E-Ray V8 hybrid is destined to arrive in countries that drive on the left side of the road, but for Australia, the timing of its timing is still in the dark. But, it is coming.

It seems that they're also waiting for the arrival of the Z06, but the E-Ray is obviously the more interesting choice as it's the first Corvette ever to come with not only an all-wheel-drive system but also a hybrid powertrain.

6.2L V8 hybrid with 655hp & 793Nm

Fitted with a 6.2-litre small-block V8 engine, the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray produces 495hp and 637Nm of torque. The front-axle electric motor adds an additional 160hp and 165Nm, making the total output for the E-Ray a whopping 655hp and 793Nm of gut-wrenching torque.

Mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, the E-Ray is able to hit 0-100km/h in just 2.5 seconds. Love quarter-mile drag races? The E-Ray is claimed to complete the 400m sprint in 10.5 seconds. Yup, it's a 10-second car.

All-electric driving up to 72km/h

When driven in Stealth Mode, the E-Ray can propel itself using nothing but electricity at speeds of up to 72km/h. However, you won't get very far considering the 160hp electric motor is paired to a tiny 1.9kWh battery pack located within the structural tunnel between the seats.

There are six other driving modes to choose from - Tour, Sport, Track, Weather, My Mode, and Z-Mode. Just like most high-performance hybrid sports cars, the electric motor does most of its job to add a little zest during hard accelerations as well as add to the vehicle's overall stability.

Price-wise, folks in the US can get one USD104,295-USD111,295 (around RM447k-RM477k). The E-Ray, however, will go on sale at the end of the year. For the rest of the world, expect its possible arrival sometime in 2024.


The BMW X5 Goes On An Inception-Like Roadtrip

Following its
global unveiling last month
, the all-new BMW G05 X5 is a big step forward for the German luxury brand. Even though there's plenty of hubub surrounding the X7 iPerformance (slated for release next year), the X5 is the here and now, and the one that started it all for the wide and wonderful BMW X range of SAVs and SACs.
BMW has just released a video showcasing the X5 as it travels across a variety of terrains, with some mind bending editing to make you feel like it's 2010 and you're watching Inception again for the first time. The sleek SAV features a number of new technologies to make the ownership experience more convenient than ever, which has been the focus of the luxury car industry over the last few years.
The all-new X5 is longer (+36 mm), wider (+66 mm) and taller (+19 mm) than the model it replaces, coming in at 4,922 mm x 2,004 mm x 1,745 mm. In addition to this, the wheelbase is now 42 mm longer, coming in at 2,975 mm. As shown in the video, the X5 is now available with 22-inch wheels as an option.
On the inside, things are completely different as well, with the new centre console design and plenty of piano black materials. Controls are much easier to access and well within reach, allowing drivers to change settings on the fly without having to dive into menus.
At launch, the all-new G05 X5 can be had with one V8 and three straight-six engines. The V8 powers the X5 xDrive50i model, delivering 462 hp and 650 Nm. The other petrol model is the X5 xDrive40i, delivering a total of 340 hp and 450 Nm. The range-topping X5 M50d is powered by a quad turbocharged straight-six diesel that churns out 400 hp and 750 Nm.


Analysts Say 2019 Is The Beginning Of The End For Internal Combustion Engines

With the increase in demand for electric cars in some of the biggest markest in the world - read: China, Europe, and the US - analysts are saying that 2018 saw the peak demand for cars with internal combustion engines. Governments around the world are pushing for energy efficient vehicles, for cleaner transportation, and this means that electric cars are getting bigger and bigger incentives to persuade consumers to make the shift.
Well, at least that's what
a report by the Financial Times states
. The problem is it isn't quite as straightforward as people expect, as the sales of electric cars in many parts of the world is sluggish due to a lack of infrastructure and the technology still being in relative infancy. We haven't quite developed technology that can charge an electric car in as short of a time as it takes to fill up a tank of petrol or diesel, so for many consumers who don't have the luxury of time or flexibility of movement, an electric car is still out of the question.
Even in Kuala Lumpur, where we are seeing an aggressive push for charging outlets in malls and car parks, plug-in hybrid vehicle owners are finding it difficult to charge their batteries. In all honesty, their cars usually end up being good value for money propositions at purchase, rather than being environmentally friendly from a holistic standpoint. Even then, hybrid vehicles will still out-sell electric vehicles as they have the added practicality of being able to fill up at any petrol station on demand.
This "writing on the wall" for internal combustion engines is based on data collected from the second half of 2018, which saw a steady decline in demand for cars with internal combustion engines. The statement doesn't take into account the fact that 2018 was a rough year for international trade in general, what with big political shifts and many automakers left in limbo as local policies are constantly changing and putting a wrench in the works, so to speak.
Big firms - Accenture, Morgan Stanley, Barclays, Jato Dynamics - all speak of varying levels of decline in demand for the conventional car, with each firm also reporting either a minor increase or decrease in car demand on the whole (electric included). The current prediction is that regardless of whether the market goes up or down for car sales, electric cars will gain ground on their conventional counterparts - especially when China has the lion's share of consumers.
But we wouldn't be so quick to discredit the internal combustion engine just yet. There are plenty of emerging markets, especially in ASEAN, where demand and production and growth are all steadily increasing as countries in the region develop.


Fuel Price Update: 26th April – 2nd May – No Change

The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives, and Consumerism (KPDNKK) has announced new fuel prices for the next seven days and there is no change in the prices.
RON95 –
RM2.20
per litre (no change)
RON97 –
RM2.47
 per litre (no change)
Diesel –
RM2.18
 per litre (no change)


Detroit 2016: Audi h-tron quattro Concept - Sits Between Q5 and Q7

Following the Audi A7 Sportback h-tron quattro demonstrator unveiled at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show, Audi has released a follow-up to its h-tron project with this hydrogen fuel-cell electric Audi h-tron quattro Concept at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show.
Unlike a front-wheel drive Toyota Mirai sedan, Audi’s h-tron quattro is an all-wheel drive SUV that uses a pair of electric motors driving the front and rear axle – 90 kW in front and 140 kW behind.
Claimed driving range is up to 600 km, and it takes about four minutes to refuel its three 700 bar pressure hydrogen tanks, as opposed to the Mirai’s two, but Audi did not release the tanks total storage capacity yet.
Claimed 0-100 km/h acceleration time is under seven seconds.
Nestled under the floor is a lithium-ion traction battery that is able to provide a temporary 100 kW boost to the 110 kW hydrogen fuel-cell electric drivetrain. There's a 320W photovoltic solar panels on the concept car's - which Audi adds is the world's largest to be fitted on a car - roof supplements the energy needs of the air-conditioning system.
Measuring 4.88 meters long, 1.93 meters wide and with a 2.91 meter wheelbase, Audi says the concept car is positioned between the Q5 and Q7 – hinting a new addition to the growing Q-family perhaps? Look hard enough, we might just get a hint of how the next generation of compact- and mid-size SUVs from Audi might look like.
Not much else is revealed about the h-tron quattro Concept but Audi did say that the concept car provides a foretaste of the technologies for piloted driving and parking that will go into production in 2017 with the next generation of the Audi A8 full-size sedan. Piloted driving at Audi revolves around the central driver assistance controller (zFAS). It computes a model of the car’s surroundings in real time and makes this information available to the assistance systems and the piloted driving and parking systems. The latter can assume driving tasks during parking or in stop-and-go traffic on freeways at speeds of up to 60 km/h.
European car makers have been slower to introduce FCVs as opposed to their Japanese counterparts not just due to the lack of financial support from European governments, but also because of the wider geography of Europe, which makes it more complicated to roll out hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, as opposed to Japan.


Buying The Right Engine Oil For Your Car

We explore and discuss how you should go about choosing the best engine oil for your car.

If you want to talk about getting the most out of your ownership experience with a car, one of the best ways to improve longevity is to pick a good engine oil. Oil happens to be the lifeblood of the engine and the one you select can have a big impact on how quickly (or slowly) an engine wears out. Engine wear is an unavoidable fact of life, and all we can really do is slow it down or mitigate it.

Before we even get into what oil to select, let’s just run through a quick list of ‘best practices’ that will help regardless of which oil you put into your engine. These are things that every owner should know when it comes to taking care of their car.

Always warm your car up gently. You don’t need to sit around with it idling, but for the first five minutes or so you should keep engine rpm low and be light with the accelerator.

Change your oil according to the specified service intervals. Even if you don’t return to an official service centre, oil degrades over time and use.

Keep an eye on your oil level. Some engines, especially older ones, will naturally consume oil over time and it’s important to keep track if it falls too low.

The Right Stuff - Viscosity

Now let’s get into the right kind of oil for your engine. The truth is, there is no singular brand that works best as every engine behaves a little differently. The most important value to look at is viscosity – which is represented either with a single number or a pair of numbers as shown above. You should always refer to this number in your service manual when purchasing oil for your vehicle, but there are some caveats.

Photo Credit: Raedi Yusof

For example, older and more worn engines may benefit from running a slightly higher viscosity oil in order to reduce oil consumption and keep things operating smoothly. The same applies for high stress applications, if you’re the kind of driver who goes to track days or has frequent spirited drives. Going to a slightly higher viscosity – say from 10W-40 to 10W-50 – can be beneficial.

Mineral, Semi-synthetic, or Fully Synthetic

There’s no argument that fully synthetic oil is the best kind of oil to put in your engine, regardless of age or design. It usually has the most additives and is the most resistant to temperature and abuse, so it would be our oil grade of choice whether dealing with a 40 year old Ferrari 308 GTS, or a brand new Toyota Yaris.

Photo Credit: Nelson Sim

Again, there are some caveats to this that apply in very specific situations. For some particularly old engines, oils with high zinc additive content are good to reduce wear in the valve train of the engine. For running-in freshly built engines, a good mineral oil is important as it allows the various components to bed in properly. In all other cases, we would choose a fully synthetic oil.

Affordable or Expensive

It may surprise you to know that even relatively affordable oils can be beneficial for your engine. Of course we’re not talking bargain basement items, but more commonly available products like Mobil 1, Castrol Magnatec, or Shell Helix have proven to be good standard solutions that provide good lubrication across a range of applications. That being said, you can always look for more specialist brands.

Photo Credit: MSF Racing

Among enthusiasts, you will find a much larger range of oils that they stand by with various results. Moty’s, Penrite, Millers, and Royal Purple may not be names that you are familiar with, but they have more specialized blends that work a little better in high performance applications. Be aware though as “racing” grade oils may not be designed for the repeated cold start usage that you get with a day-to-day car, and you are better off reading the label carefully to understand the application.

Buyer Beware

What has been increasingly common lately are fake oils entering the market – especially on online platforms. These oils are being sold for surprisingly low prices and can in fact damage your engine if you’re not careful. Always make sure that you’re getting your oil from a reputable source as you will have no idea what the actual oil content is in a fake product.

The same can go with oil filters, which we recommend changing with every oil change as well. Filters have a big impact on keeping your oil clean, and between a fake and original filter there is a huge difference in actual filtering ability. Some aftermarket filters boast longer service intervals but we recommend against them as there is no guarantee that they are 100% effective.

And there you have it. We hope our quick guide gives you a better idea of what to choose the next time it comes to an oil change.  With the right kind of oil, your engine will run smoother, cooler, and generally last longer – and that’s a huge impact for something you may change once or twice a year.

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Video: Don't Drive Drunk Or You'll Walk Onto The Highway And Not Even Care

It’s been a while since a video left us semi-angry and confused, but also kind of giggling. The one thing you should NOT do when driving down the highway is stop your car middle of it and walk about. This driver didn’t get the memo.
From what we can gather about what is situation in the video was that a member of the ABC 10 news team was travelling down the I-15 Freeway around City Heights, San Diego, California, when he pulled over to figure out what was wrong with a car that was just sitting in the middle of the road with its driver still inside, seemingly unconcerned about the danger of the situation.
The woman, apparently intoxicated (apparently?), then got out of her stalled Scion tC and casually walks across three lanes before scurrying to talk to the man filming this strange scene after he, we assume, was trying to get her attention.
After a brief exchange of words, she then just as casually walks back across three lanes to her car where she just sits. It’s a real humdinger why she seems painfully unaware of the real danger she is causing for herself and to others.
Some concerned motorists also pull over and attempt to divert traffic away from the woman’s car by standing in the road, which isn’t the best of ideas.
There were some really unnervingly close calls, some involving cars and even some 18-wheeler trucks. And the man holding the camera began to raise his voice at the woman who, still, did not seem to register the severity of the situation nor the message the man was trying to communicate after all this while.
Even after desperately shouting over the noisy traffic “You gotta get out of here!” and “Lady, your life is in danger!” right up against the car window, the woman remained unresponsive to him and instead proceeds to place a phone call.
This takes the term “Don’t Panic” a bit too far, in our opinion.
The video stops before the situation is resolved but ABC2 News says that the California Highway Patrol arrives on the scene shortly after and the woman was promptly arrested on drunk driving charges. It’s really quite remarkable how no vehicle came into contact with the stricken Scion.


Move Aside, Ferrari, The Range Rover Sport SVR Is The New King Of Tianmen Road

It has only been a month since the
Range Rover Sport PHEV conquered the Heaven’s Gate in China
, but Land Rover is not showing any signs of slowing down.
Just a few days ago, the new Range Rover Sport SVR, piloted by Panasonic Jaguar Racing driver Ho-Pin Tung, took on the ‘99 corners of the famous Tianmen Road’ in China.
And guess what? The standard production Range Rover Sport SVR set a new unofficial record of 9 minutes 51 seconds for the 11.3km ascent  at an average speed of 68.8km/h (42.8mph), beating the previous best of 10 minutes 31 seconds set by a Ferrari 458 Italia supercar in 2016.
With 575 PS and 700 Nm of torque available from its enhanced 5.0-litre V8 supercharged engine, the new Range Rover Sport SVR, which happens to be the fastest ever production Land Rover, can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds with a top speed of 280km/h.
Coupled with changes to the chassis, the new SVR delivers more dynamic response without compromising traditional Range Rover comfort.
According to Land Rover, the engineers at the brand’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division who built the SVR, focused on controlling pitch under heavy acceleration and braking, and changed the damping hardware to have improved turn-in, mid-corner grip and body control.
Inside, new lightweight SVR Performance seats provide superior support and traditional Range Rover luxury with Windsor leather, an embossed SVR logo, and a choice of four colour combinations.
Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s Ho-Pin Tung said, “I am used to the high speeds of racing but this was even more demanding. Maintaining concentration was the biggest challenge as the road twists and turns constantly, with huge drop-offs to the side.”
“The consequences of getting it wrong would have been really serious so I focused on establishing a rhythm and the Range Rover Sport SVR made this easy – it may be an SUV but it has the performance and agility of a supercar and can take you to places a supercar can only dream of.”
The record-breaking ascent is the latest challenge completed by the Range Rover Sport after the PHEV model made the dizzying climb to the iconic Heaven’s Gate natural rock arch at the road’s summit last month.
We wonder what is next.


You’re Not As Good As You Think You Are – Lessons From BMW Intensive Driving Experience

“Too fast, you’re not going to make it,” crackled my instructor Ivan Khong over the walkie talkie placed inside my BMW 420i, which was on the verge of overcooking Turn 6 of Sepang circuit.

I am here at the BMW Intensive Driving Experience, the second step of BMW’s in-house advanced driver training which is open for the public to join, for a fee of course.

Like most people, I have zero interest in becoming a racing driver, and despite the stereotype of someone in my line of work, I have only the faintest interest in track days.

So what am I doing at Sepang then? Consider this: Ninety percent of drivers think they are above average – get the joke?

Unfortunately the statistics are not a joke. It’s an actual result of a psychological study done in Sweden. Psychologists call it Superiority Bias, a fancy way of saying too many people think too highly of themselves.

When it comes to road safety, Superiority Bias results in high road fatalities. Everyone thinks they are too good for speed limits.

But here’s the clincher – another study also shows that people with low IQ tend to overestimate their IQ, while people with high IQ tend to underestimate theirs. It’s called the Downing Effect, a fancy way of saying talented people know what they don’t know, while mediocre people don’t even know what they don’t know.

Spending two days with a group of advanced driving instructors is certainly a humbling experience. It’s good to know what you don’t know.

“If you can’t even do an emergency lane change at 90 km/h without hitting the cones, what makes you think you can handle 110 km/h?” asked another instructor.

The first order of the day was classroom lessons.

“A headrest is not to rest your head. It’s actually short for Head Restraints,” said Ivan.

Participants were also reminded the importance of holding the steering wheel at 9 and 3 o’ clock positions, and adjusting the seat’s distance and height to maintain a slight bend in the elbows and the knee when the right feet is pressing hard on the brake pedal. The latter is crucial in protecting your pelvis in the event of an impact, the former is important for steering with precision.

Note the highlights in red.

We were also given a simple lesson in basic maths and physics, because one can’t understand the limits of a human driver and the car’s traction without understanding these two.

Driving at just 100 km/h, a car needs 62 metres to come to a complete stop, even in ideal dry conditions. Should danger suddenly appear, the average driver takes one second to react and in that one second, the car would’ve already travelled nearly 28 metres – about six car lengths - before the brakes are even used.

A good driver is always aware of his current speed versus the stopping distance required given the road conditions.

Any time there is a gap between how far ahead your eyes can see and how much braking distance you need, slow down. This is especially true for blind corners.

Next was the Kamm’s circle theory – which explains the limits of your tyres. It doesn’t matter how much horsepower you have. A car’s potential is always limited by its tyres, which is always trading off available grip between maximum braking or maximum acceleration, and maximum steering.

With the classroom lessons done, it’s time to hit the tarmac outside. The highlight of the day was oversteer control on a wet skidpad. Contrary to popular opinion, oversteer is induced at low speeds, with sudden application of throttle and steering angle to loosen the tail. Controlling and holding the slide takes a lot of finesse and practice.

The next exercise was an emergency lane change at 100 km/h without braking. The trick to clearing the obstacles is applying sufficient steering angle and exercising proper line of vision.

In an emergency, the average driver isn’t steering enough or braking with sufficient pedal pressure, both being related to their seating position.

Another common mistake is object fixation. There’s a difference between “Look where you are going,” versus “Look where you want to go.” The former will lead you into a crash while the latter needs practice. Our brains are wired in such a way that our hands will naturally steer towards where our eyes are looking.

A common mistake among average drivers is not turning their head to look at the corner they are taking. Your eyes should see the bend before the car.

Rather than looking at the escape path and steering towards it, drivers tend to fixate their eyes on the danger ahead - in our case, the bright orange cone.

The final exercise was dynamic braking, also known as trail braking. It’s a very high level technique, useful more for racing but applicable on public roads if you have to brake and steer from very high speeds mid-corner.

The exercise involves approaching a fast sweeping bend at 100 km/h, applying full braking power before easing off the brake pedal as you increase steering angle once you start turning in. It’s an application of the Kamm circle theory.

Get it right and you will squeeze past the cones, laid in a manner that it curves and tightens your lane progressively. Get it wrong and you will understeer and plough straight, even with ABS.

When done with all the exercises, participants were let loose on the full track, albeit always behind an instructor leading the way and showing us the lines, before swapping positions.

The best students were those who can clear Turn 7 and 8 in one steering angle, and those who managed a clean getaway from Turn 13 and 14, which were always an exercise of measured patience and finesse.

Providing precise and fine steering and pedal inputs also helps. No sawing your way at the steering wheel or alternating between braking and accelerating.

As we spend most of our time on public roads and brake progressively, we had to remind ourselves that on the track, one needs to stomp the brake pedal with maximum strength to activate the ABS. This is necessary to clear Turn 1, 4, and 15 well.

So can I sign myself up for an amateur racing series? Not even close. I ended the day learning that racing drivers employ vastly different techniques from what we were taught today. Powerful GT or Formula series race cars use ground effects and can take a much more aggresive racing line and when in a dog fight race, conditions are never ideal and you’re always improvising. Often this means throwing out many of the things we’ve learned today. The maxim “First you learn the rules, then you learn to break the rules” is very true as one scales the hierarchy of advanced driving.

There’s still so much more to learn. The more you spend time with the real experts, the more you realized how little you know, and why you shouldn't drive so fast on public roads. What we’ve learned today is only good enough to clock a clean lap time, and to drive better on public roads.

The BMW Driving Experience Programme is open to the public, including non-BMW owners. The entry, one-day Advanced module costs RM1,888. Those who have passed Advanced Module can sign up for the two-day Intensive Module for RM3,688. Lower rates are available for BMW owners and BMW White Card Elite holders. More information at
bmw.com.my
.


Damansara Link to remain closed until December

Motorists travelling from Petaling Jaya towards Bangsar on the Sprint Highway have to endure the
traffic congestion
 a little longer.

The traffic interruption was expected to last till March 2023. However, the reopening of the route has now been delayed to December this year. Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) announced the closure and traffic diversion along Sprint Highway towards Bangsar from Petaling Jaya back in October last year.

Listen up! CARSOME Autofair is back this month for 2023, from March 17th to 19th! And if you
pre-register with this link
 to let them know Carlist.my sent you, you’ll be able to claim some Carlist.my branded goodies!

Affected routes are Jalan Maarof towards Bangsar, Petaling Jaya towards Kuala Lumpur via Pusat Bandar Damansara (involving Jalan Johar, Jalan Beringin and Jalan Semantan).

The road closure is to facilitate the construction project of a multi-level flyover which was extended due to bad weather and material shipment delays. Since then, affected motorists have had to take alternative routes into the city centre as suggested by the Sprint Highway Communications Department.

As reported by The Star, Datuk Sufian Majid, President of Bukit Damansara Residents Association has urged parties involved to expedite the project and that there must be a clear deadline to avoid further delays. Also adding that it is a safety concern when certain parts of the construction zone were not properly lit at night.


Review: 2018 G01 BMW X3 - M40i, xDrive30d Sampled In Portugal

When the first BMW X3 was launched in 2003, that model opened the floodgates for the mid-size premium SUV market. Since its introduction, more than 1.5 million units have rolled out of BMW’s assembly lines. In fact, the X3 is just part of the 5.4 million X vehicles BMW has sold since introducing the original X5 in 1999.
That's proof that customers love buying SUVs, as this segment of vehicles account for more than 34% of BMW's sales volume.
The all-new G01 BMW X3 you see here is in its third iteration, first introduced at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. Just like the new 5 Series and 7 Series, the new BMW X3 is also underpinned by the same CLAR platform, allowing for weight savings of up to 55 kg, depending on variant.
Specifications
G01 BMW X3 M40i
Engine: 3.0-litre Inline-6, Turbocharged
Power: 360 hp @ 5,500 rpm – 6,500 rpm
Torque: 500 Nm from 1,520 rpm – 4,800 rpm
Transmission: 8-speed torque converter automatic, AWD
G01 BMW X3 xDrive30d
Engine: 3.0-litre Inline-6, Turbocharged, Diesel
Power: 265 hp @ 4,000 rpm
Torque: 620 Nm from 2,000 rpm – 2,500 rpm
Transmission: 8-speed torque converter automatic, AWD
Overview
4.8 seconds. That is how quick the all-new G01 BMW X3 M40i takes to accelerate from a dead stop to 100 km/h. That’s quicker than the Porsche Macan S or the Mercedes-AMG GLC43.
No, really.
The range-topping G01 BMW X3 M40i does pack quite a punch when it comes to raw performance, thanks to the available 360 hp and 500 Nm. The rest of the range are no slouches either, with the base xDrive20d starting off at 190 hp going up 265 hp in the xDrive30d.
Cars prepared at the international media drive all had six-cylinder engines. There was the G01 X3 M40i with a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six that churns out 360 hp and 500 Nm. Also present was the X3 xDrive30d with a diesel engine of the same capacity, good for 265 hp and a massive 620 Nm of twisting power. ZF's 8-speed auto is the standard transmission.
The M40i is the first of its kind to receive enhancements from BMW’s M tuning arm, including launch control and an updated xDrive system that sends drive to all four wheels.
More relevant powertrains to the Malaysian market will however be the 2.0-litre inline-four variants set for introduction in spring 2018. They consist of the sDrive20i and xDrive20i with 184 hp and followed by the 252 hp xDrive30i model.
The test cars at the global test drive event are all decked out to the brim with options, so it may not be representative of what will be offered to our market.
Exterior
There’s no beating around the bush for the exterior of the new G01 X3.
Versus the model prior to it, this model looks sharper up front, with BMW’s signature kidney grille now larger in size. The LED headlights you see here are optional items.
While it may look sharper than the model it replaces, the new G01 BMW X3 still looks too similar to its smaller sibling, the X1.
On the flagship M40i, M-specific bits include unique front and rear bumpers, sports exhaust system, M Sport brakes and Cerium Grey finished trim bits.
Additionally, the 3D LED tail lights seen here are also a cost extra.
Interior
The interior of the all-new G01 BMW X3 continues the company’s fashion of keeping things simple and intuitive.
Premium materials are used generously in the interior of the X3, which is a good thing. Even non touch points of the interior gets the same high quality material treatment.
Sitting right smack in the centre of the dashboard is BMW’s iDrive 6 infotainment system together with a large 10.2-inch touchscreen. This infotainment system is similar to the one found in the new 7 Series and 5 Series, with gesture control, Apple CarPlay and a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot.
Options for the new G01 BMW X3 include a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, full colour head-up display, chrome trim, ambient air package, tri-zone automatic air-conditioning and ambient lighting.
We especially enjoyed the combination of the head-up display and digital instrument cluster, providing us with ample information on the road. Navigation information is also clearly shown on the HUD.
Boot space is 550 litres with the rear seats up and can be further expanded to 1,600 litres with the seats folded down, on par with its competition. For more flexibility, the rear seats can be folded 40:20:40 and one-touch fold. There is also a hidden storage compartment under the rear boot floor.
Driving Experience
Thanks to its turbocharged straight-six under the bonnet, the G01 BMW X3 M40i is really quite a beasty SUV to drive around our test route in Portugal. Never once we felt wanting from its powerplant. The straight-six also presented us with a lovely engine note when gunned.
Torque delivery is strong, as its maximum 500 Nm of twist is available from a lowly 1,520 rpm all the way to 4,800 rpm. While the BMW X3 M40i may not feature a dual-clutch transmission, the ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic does the job just fine, if not better.
Being a sportier version of the regular X3, this M40i variant also comes with a sports exhaust system that pops and crackles as you’d expect.
Handling wise, the G01 BMW X3 M40i tackled the back roads and highways of Sintra with ease. Steering input was direct, allowing the X3 to turn in sharply, while the suspension did a swell job of keeping the 1.8 tonne SUV planted.
As for the diesel-powered X3, we managed to sample the said vehicle on an off-road course.
Here, BMW’s xDrive system and Hill Descent Control kept everything under control. Bear in mind that our test cars are wearing factory-fitted tires, not off-road-specific units.
The massive 620 Nm of torque also helped the X3 scale some tougher terrain without breaking a sweat.
After our stint on the off-road course, we managed to briefly try the diesel X3 on the road. With more available torque than the M40i variant, don’t be surprised if the xDrive30d variant is quicker than its hotter sibling under some conditions.
What we sampled during our time at Portugal are likely not going to be representative of what will b offered here in Malaysia, though we expect the X3's handling and dynamics to come close enough.
Conclusion
Unlike earlier BMW X3 models, the new G01 BMW X3 blends high quality materials into a reasonably good looking SUV, whilst offering superior driving experience over some of its key rivals. We dare say that the X3's interior is a nicer place to be in than the Mercedes-Benz GLC, thanks to BMW's intuitive controls and ease of use, though the interior design of the GLC may seal the deal for some.
Then there's the dynamics of the G01 BMW X3. In this context, we reckon that the BMW X3 is a far more polished vehicle on the road than the Mercedes-Benz GLC, offering better road manners whilst maintaining ride comfort for passengers.
That aside, we especially enjoy the G01 BMW X3 as it bridges the gap between the smaller X1 and X5 perfectly, offering more practicality than the smaller X1, while being easier to maneuver than the larger X5.
The arrival of the petrol-powered G01 X3 models could be highly anticipated for some, as we reckon the 20i and 30i models could very well be driving force for BMW's sales figures in Asian markets. So BMW has their bases well covered, as they have an X3 for almost every customer, including those seeking a high performance model in the form of the flagship M40i.


Mazda Increases Local Content in CKD and Export Models

In an effort to increase the quantity of local content in locally assembled models, Bermaz Auto, the authorised distributor of Mazda vehicles in Malaysia announced that the developing, manufacturing, assembling and sales of seats in its CKD and export models will be done locally by a newly incorporated company – APM Delta Seating Systems Sdn Bhd.
The company, which is a joint-venture between Auto Parts Holdings Sdn Bhd (APM) and Delta Kogyo Ltd Japan (Delta), will supply seats, seat frames and components for export to ASEAN countries, while also supplying components for Mazda vehicles assembled in Malaysia which will be exported to other ASEAN countries in CBU form.
It is said that the company was formed with an authorized capital of RM25 million divided into 25,000,000 ordinary shares of RM1.00 each. The issued and paid-up capital of RM23 million will see APM owning 60 percent and Delta owning 40 percent of equity interests.
The production plant for this JV will be located in Kulim, Kedah with a built up area of 12,856 sqm which is estimated to be completed in February 2017. This JV, initiated through a program by Mazda and Malaysia Automotive Institute four years ago, is in support of Malaysia’s Northern Corridor Economic Region direction to boost the economic growth in the Northern Peninsular Malaysia.
Looking for a Mazda? Find one at
Carlist.my


Shanghai 2019: Geely Unveils Preface Concept - Previewing The Future

Geely has unveiled its latest concept model called the Preface Concept at the ongoing 2019 Shanghai Auto Show.
Built on the company’s flexible CMA platform, the Preface Concept features an evolution of Geely’s ‘Expanding Cosmos’ design language, which will be implemented in future Geely models.
According to Geely, the Preface Concept features a front grille that is wider than before, filled with black vertical lines that help to accentuate the Geely emblem. The Preface Concept also features frameless suicide doors, though this could be limited to the concept car.
Speaking of ingress and egress, the Preface’s interior features dual LCDs in place of the instrument cluster and infotainment displays, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, and ergonomically designed seats.
Vice President of Geely Design Shanghai Guy Burgoyne said, “This is a continuation of Geely’s Expanding Cosmos design identity, reflecting that we have completed an orbit, but we are not simply going around again, we are sling-shooting ourselves forward, onwards to the next great challenge.”
Geely will be introducing several global-oriented models over the next two years as they implement their “global refined car development strategy”. The Preface Concept is a preview of what’s to come in the future.


TRIO – A Home That Resembles Your Dream Car

Dream car or dream home? Is it a catch-22 situation for you to choose between your ultimate fulfilment, future retirement plans, or even exploring investment opportunities?

At TRIO by Setia, we make your aspirations come true!

TRIO, a new freehold development by SP Setia seeks to provide you that balance. As every car is designed and built to the highest quality, so is TRIO, a meticulously planned development project, built to the quality of your definite requirements. The exquisite resort-inspired home that will elevate your need from single, multi-generation living or future retirement and investment.

Consisting of three towers nestled in the thriving neighbourhood of Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Klang, TRIO by Setia blends the best of a resort-living concept with over 15 facilities such as a swimming pool, gymnasium, community garden, yoga deck, wading pool, sauna, BBQ area and other facilities enjoyment that all-inclusive, self-contained appeal that’s ideal for young go-getters, family and retirees that always make you feel on vacation all year long.

You won’t need to venture far beyond TRIO for more convenience as hypermarkets such as AEON, TESCO, GIANT, eateries, banks, hospitals, schools and other amenities are all within close reach. Otherwise, TRIO’s proximity to the proposed LRT 3 (200m) route expansion lets you access the Klang Valley’s widest light rail network, alongside highway connections to KESAS, Federal Highway, SKVE, NKVE, connecting you to Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Subang Jaya.

The upcoming TRIO Walk, a niche, pocket-size commercial phase will soon serve residents via a link bridge – providing you convenience and value over time.

A Typical Car Monthly Repayment Loan, Now Similar To The Prepayment To Own A Home

The current low-interest rates make this period the best time to pounce on such an opportunity, as they make home ownership at TRIO by Setia as financially attainable as a typical repayment of a hire purchase loan for a new car.

Serviced apartment repayments start from as low as RM1500 per month, as low as your car’s monthly commitment.  This is on top of the various already attractive packages that include ZERO Advance Payment & ZERO SPA & Legal fees plus many more deductions available.

Adding to its already strong appeal is the Home Ownership Campaign by the Housing and Local Government Ministry, which was started in 2019 but has been extended to the end of 2021, meaning ZERO stamp duty for new would-be owners of TRIO by Setia!

Resort-Inspired Facilities just like your  “Luxury Coupé”

A getaway vacation is exactly a treat after a hectic day. At TRIO by Setia, you can experience all day a wide range of resort-inspired facilities such as a swimming pool, gymnasium, lush resort landscape, community garden, yoga deck, wading pool, sauna, BBQ area and more. These facilities make it an ideal destination to escape the bustle of the city.

The same contrast can be said about a Luxury Coupé. Whether it’s a sophisticated German machine or Jinba-Ittai of a Japanese machine made to exacting specifications and high-quality materials. This is akin to the guarantee you’ll also be receiving with TRIO by Setia.

TRIO blends so easily to its facilities, you can curate yours into one that encourages a laidback and easy-going atmosphere that’s perfect for social gatherings or one that truly embodies a tranquil weekend escape.

Versatility of Layout and Design similar to “The Daily SUV”

TRIO by Setia offers versatility to fit any lifestyle with units ranging from 624 square feet to 1,313 square feet for those seeking cozy or cavernous.  Much like a car having multiple doors, a large boot, infotainment, and connectivity features, each unit in TRIO cater to different ways people compartmentalize their living spaces with up to 3 main rooms and up to 3 bathrooms.

If you’re seeking the freshness of a new car and the peace of mind of an untouched category, budgets will be a little more constrained. The B-segment is quickly rising to become the standard size format of vehicle, be it for an SUV, hatch, or sedan. For this, an SUV still reigns supreme as the most car you can get for the money with its unsurpassed practicality and staunch track record of reliability, while still being compact enough to thread through dense city traffic.

This versatility of TRIO’s layout can be as differentiated as you need it to be - a space for relaxation, productivity, or play - or work together as a cohesive whole to fit a certain theme or purpose. A growing family, for example, would need theirs to serve multiple functions, just as their dream car would need to be both grocery-getter, people mover, and work commuter.

Wide-Range of Amenities resembling the “The People-Mover MPV”

Located in the thriving city of Bandar Bukit Tinggi Klang, TRIO by Setia’s strategic location means there is a wide array of amenities nearby, surrounded by major banks, local & international schools, established hospitals, local council offices, hotels, hypermarkets, shopping malls and recreational parks.

The MPV formula has been gaining traction for some time and its engineering means it is perfectly matching the criteria of the ideal family vehicle. There’re acres of space inside and it packs a very well-appointed interior, paired with an economical powertrain and refined ride to make every trip feel a little more effortless. Perfect for ferrying your kid to school to school or your family to a park from TRIO.

TRIO’s location means all your basic needs are just a stone's throw away. In simple terms, your living space isn’t confined to your walls as there is a wide range of amenities available at your disposal.

A true balance is struck by TRIO with its suburban tranquility and wealth of amenities.

Accessibility & Close Proximity akin to a “Fuel-Saving Hybrid”

You are perfectly placed in TRIO by Setia as it is strategically located in the heart of Bandar Bukit Tinggi, served by the main road and two secondary access points for residents straight into TRIO’s development, avoiding busy city traffic. TRIO is highly accessible across four major highways - KESAS, Federal Highway, SKVE, NKVE. If you are working in the town center, rest assured that TRIO’s location means the usual workday or casual trips to Shah Alam, Petaling Jaya, Putrajaya, KL and other major cities are easily accessible through one of four expressways intersecting TRIO.

That blends in nicely with the concept of a fuel-saving hybrid providing you miles whilst reducing your fuel costs and harmful emissions. This combined with TRIO’s high accessibility, makes it a win-win proposition

If that isn’t enough, TRIO is just 200m away from an LRT3 Station meaning your movement is not just limited to our car.

Put it in gear, step on the gas paddle and you’re off!

Like your ideal car/s, TRIO by Setia offers endless possibilities of extensive resort-inspired facilities together with variable layout designs, not to mention a wide range of amenities within close reach.

Best of all, it is strategically located in the southern part of Klang, only 200M away from an upcoming LRT3 Station - alongside highways connections such as KESAS, Federal Highway, SKVE, NKVE - connecting you to towns and major cities.

Like buying a car, this is arguably the best time to buy TRIO as the current interest rate is low, resulting in a low monthly mortgage installment, similar to your car's monthly repayments.

For more info on the attractive packages and offers, please contact or WhatsApp TRIO @ 03 3162 3322 or visit their website
here
. Our sales gallery is also open every Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays from 10am to 6pm.

In addition, Trio by Setia has also launched a virtual gallery for public viewing
here
.


Toyota's First WOW Tour Brought Weekend Thrills To Bukit Jalil

Over the past weekend Toyota held their first WOW Road Tour event at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium and it was a flurry of fun and tyre smoke.
As we’ve already covered, the
WOW Road Tour
 is your chance to experience
Toyota
 models like you’d never have a chance to in showrooms.
Visitors get to experience the thrill of sitting alongside professional drivers while they send a Toyota
86
 or
Vios
 sideways through corners or sit in a
Hilux
 while it’s being put through its paces in a challenging obstacle course.
At the Tour’s maiden event at Bukit Jalil, 40 lucky visitors won themselves RM500 worth of prizes from participating in the WOW Thrill Rides. The Tour will be stopping at major cities throughout the country during its three week run with the next one happening at Juru Auto City in Penang.
In addition to experiencing Toyota’s range of vehicles and promotions, there will be activities to engage visitors of all ages.
Toyota is holding their WOW Road Tour in conjunction with their
free accessories package
 for selected models of the Vios and Hilux. Vios customers and those who purchase a Hilux Double Cab 2.5G, 3.0G, and TRD variant this month will also receive a cash rebate of up to RM6,000.
Buyers of any Toyota model during the WOW Road Tour will also walk away with a RM500 e-service voucher for their new vehicle and will be in the running to win a Toyota Vios 1.5J AT.
And for a limited time the Toyota Alphard is offered with a cash rebate of up to RM39,000. There are also promotions offered for the
Corolla Altis
 and
Avanza
 models as well.
To catch the event for yourself, here's a list of the Tour's dates and locations:


Post-GST: Sales Tax Confirmed At 10 Percent, Service Tax At 6 Percent

The Ministry of Finance has confirmed that Sales and Services Tax (SST) will return in September and that the rate will be set at 10 percent for sales and 6 percent for services, according to a report by Malay Mail. As before, sales tax will be levied on purchase of goods while service tax will be levied on commercial services.
The new tax system, which replaces the previous 6 percent GST, will be enforced once it is passed by the Parliament, which is set to convene in August.
Further details will be announced at a later time.
To find the best deals for zero-rated GST before they go away, head over to the Carlist.my: Drive Auto Fair 2018, happening between 27 to 29 July at the Setia City Convention Centre in Setia Alam, Shah Alam. More info
here
.


2015 Land Rover Discovery Sport Launched: RM399k for Si4 Petrol

As promised, after an
exclusive preview for customers earlier this year
, and
a sneak peek at their new Glenmarie showroom
, Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia (JLRM) has officially lifted the veil off the new Land Rover Discovery Sport here in Malaysia.
Available in two variants, the 2.0L Si4 Petrol and 2.2L SD4 Diesel, the Discovery Sport is the brand’s latest premium compact SUV and the first member of the new Discovery family.
Priced at
RM399,000
 (excluding road tax, registration, and insurance), the 2.0L Si4 Petrol comes with a 2-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine which produces 240PS at 5,800rpm and 340Nm at 1,750rpm.
As for the 2.2L SD4 Diesel, its 2.2-litre 4-cylinder diesel engine delivers a strong 190PS at 3,500rpm and 420Nm of torque from 1,750rpm, though prices for the diesel variant is yet to be confirmed. According to JLRM, they are still working on getting the price of the diesel variant as close to the petrol variant, and will confirm its price at a later date.
Both engine choices comes mated to a nine-speed automatic from ZF, which is featured on the Range Rover Evoque, and Efficient Driveline intelligent full-time four-wheel drive system that is equipped with Land Rover’s Terrain Response system.
The Terrain Response system automatically adjusts the car’s steering, throttle response, gearbox, centre-coupling, and braking/stability systems to the demands of the terrain according four settings – General, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud and Rust, and Sand. According to Land Rover, the Discovery Sport is able to scale 45-degree gradients, with approach, departure, and breakover angles of 25, 31, and 21 degrees respectively.
For Malaysia, the Discovery Sport comes equipped with a powered tailgate and configurable mood lighting as standard. Customers with a bigger budget however can specify the Discovery Sport with a whole host of optional features such as Park Assist with Parallel and Perpendicular Parking, Automatic High-Beam Assist, Lane Departure Warning, a panoramic glass roof, 825W 17-speaker Meridian sound system, and HDD satellite navigation.
A key selling point with the Discovery Sport is its efficient packaging, which it to have a 5+2 seating capacity. Though the model seen here at the launch is a five seater model brought in for homologation with the optional Black Design Pack, JLRM says that all Discovery Sport models will be sold with the 5+2 seating as standard.
Despite its exterior dimensions, Land Rover says that interior cabin space was maximised thanks to the use of a next-generation multi-link rear axle that enables a larger cabin space, and stadium seating inside. The second row can be moved fore and aft, while the third-row seats feature an easy-fold function.
Occupants on all three rows will be well taken care of with four 12V power points located around the cabin. There is even an option to fit as many as six USB charging sockets around the three rows, and to beat the heat, second-row occupants get B-pillar air vents, whereas its third-row occupants get an independent climate control.
In terms of safety the Discovery Sport comes fitted with six airbags, Hill Descent Control, Gradient Release Control, ABS, traction control, Hill Start Assist, Roll Stability Control, and Dynamic Stability Control. Every Discovery Sport will be furnished with a 5-year or 300,000km warranty, 5-year or 80,000km free scheduled maintenance, and 3-year roadside assistance for peace of mind.
The Discovery Sport can be viewed at the 1 Utama Shopping Centre (Old Wing) this weekend at the Discovery Sport Open Day, where its capabilities will be put on display on the Land Rover Terrapod. The Discovery Sport Open Day is open on Aug 22 and 23 from 11am to 9pm, for more information and to register for the event, please visit
www.landrover.com.my/discoverysportlaunch
.


In China You Can Buy An EV At Your Nearest Mall

Most high-end or ‘luxury’ shopping centres in Malaysia are (first of all, closed at the moment) content with selling the usual assortment of mall type items - fine dining establishments, designer apparel, jewellery, watches, and expensive electronics line their corridors. Some luxury malls in China, however, have started selling luxury electric vehicles.

Whether it's a pop-up store along a busy ground level skylit promenade or a dedicated and expansive lot, more and more of China’s homegrown EV brands - as well as Tesla - have literally set up shop. Gone are the days where you’d need a large vacant lot
to erect a showroom
 and 2S/3S/4S centre, as shown by this video by the
South China Morning Post
.

EV brands such as Nio, Xpeng,
Zeekr
, Geometry and even lesser-known ones such as Weltmeister and Li Auto are now found in malls. One such example, highlighted in the video, is a complex in eastern Beijing that houses no less than 6 ‘stores’ from different manufacturers, all catering to every EV need of any wandering citizen in the Chinese capital city.

Prospective customers can walk in and experience the cars first hand as a sales assistant explains its various features, perhaps even advising them on the latest promotions and financial deals on offer. This place is pretty much a permanent motor show that could technically expand as more EV brands warm to the idea of malls as a legitimate source of customer acquisition.

So far, the only western EV company to have such a presence is Tesla, but it might not be long before other manufacturers with grand electric ambitions start infiltrating shopping centres - Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, or perhaps even Rivian and Rimac. That will indeed
be quite a sight
.

That said, the SCMP video report did shed light on the lingering skepticism around EVs. When asked, both mall visitors and ordinary Beijingers were still unsure about the viability of electric vehicles and how they might fit into their daily lives, expressing doubt over the relatively short range
delivered by a 5 minute recharge
 when petrol-powered cars need that amount of time for a full tank refill.

A few interviewees also lamented the relative scarcity of available charging stations, even in a developed and supposedly EV-centric city like Beijing, and the ones that are there often have long queues.

China is barrelling on with its plan to fully phase out the sales of petrol-powered cars by 2035, and despite making great headway toward this goal (arguably more than any other country), that progress isn’t very clear at a ground level to the country’s citizens.


Multi-brand Dealership Giant Porsche Holding Salzburg Takes Over Volkswagen’s Business In Malaysia

Volkswagen Group Malaysia (VGM) has today officially announced that it will pass the distribution rights of Volkswagen vehicles in Malaysia to the Austria-based automotive retail specialist Porsche Holding Salzburg (PHS). The company will operate in Malaysia under the name Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM).
Former distributor VGM will still remain active in Malaysia, and will centre its business around the distribution of Audi vehicles as well as its assembly of Volkswagen vehicles in Pekan.
In other words, VGM will remove itself from the duties of providing support for sales, marketing and after-sales for Volkswagen vehicles, and concentrate on assembling Volkswagen models at the DRB-Hicom plant in Pekan, before selling the finished vehicles wholesale to PHS. VGM will remain involved in the sales, marketing and after-sales of Audi vehicles in Malaysia.
VGM will be operating under a new Managing Director, Mr Jeffrey Dehate with effect from 1st October 2016.
Not to be confused with the Germany-based Porsche AG, which manufactures Porsche vehicles like the 911 and the Cayenne, the Austra-based Porsche Holding Salzburg (PSH) is independent from Porsche AG, and focuses only on the retail side of the automotive business.
PHS, Porsche AG, and Volkswagen Group share a common history as their origins can be traced back to former chairman Dr. Ferdinand Porsche.
It is important to remember when talking about Porsche, there are actually four distinctly different Porsche entities.
There’s the Porsche AG that well all know, the maker of the iconic Porsche 911. There’s Porsche Design which makes designer pens and sunglasses, there’s Porsche Engineering that offers their engineering expertise to other car makers, and finally there’s Porsche Holdings which operates automotive dealerships.
Porsche Holding was started by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche’s daughter Louise Piech in 1947. Her son Ferdinand Piech was the former chairman of Volkswagen AG. Since 2011, PHS is a 100 percent owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG.
Today, PHS is Europe’s largest multi-brand dealership giant that sells a variety of vehicle brands, including non-Volkswagen Group brands. It is present in 26 markets in Western- and South-eastern Europe, China, and in Columbia and Chile in South America.
Helming PSH’s business in Malaysia are VPCM’s two Managing Directors, Mr. Alin Tapalaga (left in the main picture), who oversees the Brand and Human Resource operations, and Mr. Florian Steiner who is responsible for Aftersales, Information Technology and Finance.
“VPCM is fully committed to the future growth of the Volkswagen brand amidst the highly competitive automotive landscape in Malaysia. With a strong management team already in place, we endeavor to provide our customers with a complete ownership experience. Customers can also rest assured that we will be increasing the CKD model lineup, and will continue to import CBU models into the country,” says Mr. Tapalaga.
VPCM also announced that all new Volkswagen cars purchased after 1-September 2016 will be covered by a 5-year manufacturer backed warranty, replacing the VGM’s previous arrangement of an insurer-backed 5-year extended warranty.
“Customer satisfaction remains a priority to us, and we recognize the importance of a strong relationship with our dealer partners in order to achieve this. Together, we will continue to explore new ways to further enhance our customers’ experience,” adds Mr. Steiner.
With the reorganization complete, both Volkswagen and Audi can now get on with their long overdue efforts to refresh their product line-up. VPCM has confirmed that it will be launching a new
Volkswagen Jetta
 and the all-new
Volkswagen Passat
 later this year, while Audi Malaysia is expected to introduce the all-new
Audi A4
 within the next few weeks.


Projek Pembinaan Tanpa Pelan Pengurusan Trafik Seragam Punca Kesesakan

Kawasan pembinaan di sekitar ibu kota memerlukan pelan pengurusan trafik yang lebih menyeluruh dan efisien dalam masa terdekat bagi mengurangkan kesesakan jalan raya.

Menurut laporan Bernama, Pensyarah Pengajian Kejuruteraan Awam Universiti Teknologi MARA Prof Madya Dr Masria Mustafa berpendapat bahawa banyak projek pembinaan yang tertangguh akibat PKP selama lebih dua tahun kini dijalankan secara serentak menyebabkan kawalan trafik tidak dijalankan dengan baik.

*Kredit foto: MRT Corp

Kawalan Trafik Tanpa Koordinasi

Masria turut mencadangkan agar
Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL)
 menyelaraskan sistem trafik dengan lebih rapi seperti:

Mengambil kira aspek penutupan jalan yang dilaksanakan di kawasan pembinaan berbeza

Memantau sekiranya berlaku ketidakpatuhan yang boleh membawa kepada pembatalan kelulusan asal

Ketika ini, Masria berkata tiada koordinasi serta komunikasi antara pihak terlibat seperti pemaju dan kontraktor dalam perancangan trafik, terutamanya seperti ketika membawa masuk struktur binaan besar yang memerlukan penutupan jalan.

Larangan Kenderaan Berat Tidak Efektif

Masria juga berpandangan bahawa larangan
kenderaan berat
 melebihi 7.5 tan memasuki pusat bandar pada waktu puncak pada hujung bulan lalu sukar untuk mencapai matlamat jika tidak dilaksanakan secara bersepadu oleh pihak berkuasa tempatan seluruh Lembah Klang.

“Kenderaan berat ini mungkin ambil alternatif lain seperti melalui jalan di Petaling Jaya yang berada di bawah Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) yang tidak melaksanakan peraturan yang sama. Kesesakan masih akan berlaku kerana pergerakan dan laluan melibatkan seluruh Lembah Klang, katanya.

Cadangan Masria, perlu ada komunikasi yang lebih proaktif antara agensi dan Kementerian Kerja Raya serta Kementerian Pengangkutan.

Lebih Banyak Lebuh Raya, Lebih Banyak Kereta Persendirian

Bagi Masria, pembinaan lebih banyak lebuh raya seperti Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link). Bangi-Putrajaya Expressway (BPE), dan KL NODE yang dilaporkan dalam proses penelitian dan kelulusan dikhuatiri hanya akan memburukkan situasi trafik.

Beliau berpendapat penambahan kapasiti jalan akan menyebabkan orang ramai terus menggunakan kenderaan persendirian sebagai pilihan utama untuk bergerak dan masalah kesesakan ini tidak akan selesai, sebaliknya ia membawa impak buruk terhadap alam sekitar.

Perkara itu turut disokong oleh Pakar Keselamatan Jalan Raya Universiti Putra Malaysia, Prof Dr Kulanthayan turut berpendapat bahawa pembinaan lebih banyak lebuh raya hanya akan menambah jumlah kenderaan persendirian di atas jalan.

Menurut Kulanthayan, lebih banyak lorong ditawarkan juga akan membawa kepada lebih banyak situasi cerutan jalan (bottleneck) yang memaksa kenderaan mengurangkan kelajuan untuk menukar lorong.

Beliau turut memberitahu pada tahun lalu, jumlah kereta berdaftar di negara ini telah melebihi populasi manusia dengan sebanyak 33.3 juta kenderaan berdaftar berbanding populasi manusia di Malaysia yang berjumlah 32.6 juta.

Memandangkan sistem pengangkutan awam di Malaysia masih belum siap sepenuhnya, beliau mencadangkan agar arahan
bekerja dari rumah
 segera diteliti agar dapat dilaksanakan bagi mengurangkan pergerakan kenderaan persendirian.