4 New Cars From Subaru Malaysia In 2022: BRZ, WRX, WRX Sportswagon, Outback

Subaru is one of the largest and most prominent automakers in Japan, but you wouldn’t necessarily know that judging by their Malaysian presence. Currently, their line-up
consists of the XV
 and Forester - exceptional vehicles in their class, for sure, but hardly the last word in variety.

That’s all about to change in 2022 as TC Subaru boss Glenn Tan confirmed the arrival of at least 4 new models, tripling the local distributor’s selection within just 12 months. Even more, interestingly, these soon-to-launch cars aren’t just aimed at the mass market.

In a brave but entirely praiseworthy move, the majority of new models headed our way will make the ears of car enthusiasts perk up as performance-oriented all-wheel and rear-wheel-drive cars are now confirmed to be joining the roster.

Pricing, launch windows, and final specifications are all a matter of speculation at this time, but the prospect alone is worth getting excited about. Of course, we’ll keep you updated as news continues to trickle down about the arrival of these new-to-Malaysia models, but for now, let’s have a quick broad-strokes refresh about the Subarus we’ll be seeing in showrooms in the coming months.

Subaru WRX

This is by far Subaru’s most recognisable nameplate and one that’s synonymous with its rallying heritage. Though it's a shame that the Japanese automaker hasn’t returned to the WRC since its 2008 exit from the sport, the WRX lives on.

Where previously it was a performance offshoot of the Impreza, the WRX has since 2014 spawned as a separate model, at least in classification. Technically this,
the VB, is the 2nd-generation WRX
, and is built on the same Subaru Global Platform as the rest of their line-up.

Upon its international debut, the VB made waves for seemingly all the wrong reasons. Its styling was widely criticised, and not just for its overuse of SUV-style grey cladding, while its upsized 2.4-litre flat-four turbocharged engine produced an unremarkable 271hp. Rumour has it that
the incoming WRX STI
 will push that past 400hp, but we're not there yet.

Still, early impressions from abroad paint the all-new WRX as a very competent fast AWD four-door saloon to drive, especially with the 6-speed manual over the ‘tuned’ Lineartronic CVT option, which is great news to an automotive market as barren as Malaysia is at the moment for anything performance/enthusiast-oriented.

Subaru BRZ

Though the Toyota 86 (GT86, GR86) is the more recognisable as a brand unto itself, the majority of the credit for the twins belongs to Subaru (BRZ). In this second-generation rear-drive coupe, they’ve somehow managed to push the envelope with regard to accessible thrills.

In 2021, unfortunately, these two Japanese bastions of uncorrupted driving enjoyment remain in an uncontested arena with more and more automakers opting to wind down their sporty vehicle efforts in favour of less aspirational offerings. The upshot is that this has not diluted Subaru/Toyota’s pursuit.

Naturally, we can’t wait to drive one, and some skepticism does lurk, wondering
if this all-new BRZ
 can recapture the 'everyman performance' magic that its predecessor managed to condense so adeptly. From all accounts so far (yes, from abroad), it does that and more.

It’s still a lightweight, responsive, mostly pure analogue machine but one that seeks to remedy previous shortcomings. Under its bonnet lives a larger 2.4-litre naturally-aspirated flat-four pushing 228hp and 250Nm, so there’s more grunt to be enjoyed throughout the driving experience.

Apart from a cabin that’s been thoroughly overhauled to be as up to date as (mostly) anything else on the road, the BRZ is also much better resolved from an aesthetic sense, as well - though that’s entirely subjective. We’ve so far heard no rumours of UMW Toyota being in a particular hurry to get the GR86 onto our shores, so local distributors TC Subaru should have this corner of the market all to itself for a good while yet.

Subaru WRX Sportswagon

This is the biggest surprise arrival for 2022. We had thought that the
previous-generation Levorg
 and its chilly reception here had left a sour enough taste in TC Subaru’s mouth that introducing another wagon - of any sort - would be out of the question.

To start off, yes, there is a wagon version of the WRX, but it is only called such in very specific markets. Australia and New Zealand, in this case. Announced months prior and now due to arrive Down Under and in Middle Earth at around April 2022, we are expecting that regional rollout to coincide with ASEAN’s.

In other parts of the world, such as
its home market of Japan, the car is branded Levorg
, though clearly this Impreza-based estate is attempting to draw more comparisons with the WRX.

As we’ve expressed
our love for the body style many times
 before, we can’t wait for any kind of wagon to join the local new car market, but here it should offer buyers a pretty comparable (if not identical) experience to the 4-door WRX, but with added practicality and a sexier silhouette, evoking the Legacy Tourers and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution XI wagons of the past.

The same FA24 that powers the BRZ returns here, albeit with a turbocharger that takes power to 260PS, just slightly down on the WRX saloon. Unfortunately, there won’t be a manual option (yet), with power reaching all four wheels via Subaru’s ‘Performance’ CVT.

Subaru Outback

Bolstering the already solid line-up of SUVs comprised of the XV and Forester in Malaysia, the
Outback completes the trio
 by sitting at the top of the food chain. Based on the 7th-generation Legacy, it’s the brand's largest, most luxurious, and most capable all-paw machine they offer.

It will put up a very tough fight against other larger high-riders such as the Mazda CX-9, Peugeot 5008, and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, especially if priced right, but absolutely demolish other rivals when it comes to genuine off-road prowess.

Despite being offered in markets such as North America with a turbocharged 2.4-litre petrol or 2.5-litre turbodiesel, incoming Malaysia-bound units will likely share a data sheet with the Thailand-spec Outback, which is powered solely by a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol with 188PS.

Its rugged exterior is offset by the rather plush cabin appointments, too, which brings together soft leather upholstery, an 11.6-inch central infotainment touch display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Support, and an 11-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system.

A Big Bang

TC Subaru has remained quiet these past few years with their line-up slowly being whittled to the XV and Forester. Admittedly, with what the brand’s Malaysian presence lacks in variety, both those models are very impressive vehicles that continue to be front-runners in their class.

That said, it’s clear that monotony is about to be broken for Subaru in a big way with 2022 promising two versions of WRX, an even more well-rounded and exciting two-door rear-drive coupe, and a return of the brand’s flagship SUV.

Sure, our market is playing catch-up in terms of the spectrum of new Subarus, but by the end of the year, TC Subaru’s selection of cars will have effectively tripled, which is an ambitious undertaking regardless.


LA 2018: BMW iNext Previews An All-Electric Self-Driving SUV Due In 2021

First announced earlier in May, the BMW iNext made its world premiere at yesterday’s opening of the Los Angeles Auto Show.
A production version of the iNext will go into series production at the company’s Dingolfing plant in 2021.
Details of the iNext however are still kept under wraps. For now, BMW wants to draw the public’s focus on the iNext’s integration of company’s strategic innovation fields - Autonomous driving, Connectivity, Electrification and Services (ACES). BMW says this is the first time that solutions from the Group’s disparate research teams are brought together in a single vehicle.
Highlights include cabin materials that now double as a control button. For example, wood and cloth surfaces - which in this concept, includes acquard cloth upholstery – are reactive to touch and can be linked to control specific functions which would otherwise be hidden away from view. BMW calls this solution ‘Shy Tech.’
The production iNext will eventually be joined by an equally electric i4 sedan (previewed as the
i Vision Dynamics concept
), although no introduction timeframe has been announced for the latter.


Honda Reportedly Green Lights S1000 and S660 Type R

We were really excited when we first laid our eyes on the
Honda

S660 kei-roadster
 only to find out that it will only be available in the Japanese market but that could all change.
According to
motoring.com.au
, Honda has given the go ahead for an S1000 variant that well be an export model and be offered in other markets outside Japan if word from Honda’s Tochigi R&D centre is to be believed.
Where the S660’s name points towards its 660cc turbocharged three-cylinder engine, the S1000 will instead by powered by a new 1.0-litre turbocharged VTEC engine. Motoring.com.au report that the S1000 will not retain its original dimensions and, being 200mm wider and 150mm longer than the
S660
.
Additionally, the S1000 will be fitted with wider tyres and does away with the soft top in favour of a fixed hard top. A “snorkel-type” roof air intake to cool the VTEC engine will further differentiate it from the S660.
That’s not all because a Type R version for the S660 is also reportedly in the pipeline with an expected power output of over 100hp.


Review: 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport R Dynamic – Classic Ambition, New-Age Execution

We review the second-generation 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport 2.0L R Dynamic

William Shakespeare said, “Expectation is the root of all heartache,” – though there are positives to having certain expectations in life, expecting too much, or too little, from anything or anyone in life can sometimes complicate matters.

However, approaching the Land Rover Discovery Sport with little to no expectations left me with an open mind to experience what it had to offer, without being dragged into the regular tit-for-tat comparison with its competitors, and the larger segment.

The Discovery nameplate stretches back to the "Series 1" from 1989

Now, there’s no denying that the Land Rover Discovery Sport is a left-field choice over here. Though the ‘Discovery’ nameplate itself stretches back to 1989 and is lauded the world over for its heritage of 4WD ability – a newer rung of mid-sized premium SUVs from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi have steadily monopolised the market over the last decade or so.

Add to this, the lack of familiarity with the Land Rover and Range Rover line-up in Malaysia, and you can see why the Discovery Sport hasn’t piqued as much interest, as it really should – because it’s one cracker of an SUV for those who appreciate a vehicle which fuses proper off-road ability with the trappings of luxury and on-road performance.

Overview

The Discovery Sport can trace it roots back to the Freelander model of the late 90s to mid-2000s and is the entry model of the Land Rover range, it is also their bestselling product currently.

As you might surmise, for a manufacturer who builds sedans, sports cars, and SUVs – such as BMW or Mercedes – it might be easier to create separate identities to demarcate its models within the larger range, but for a manufacturer like Land Rover, who has only ever built SUVs – this is slightly harder.

Their naming convention is also slightly unique – with the ‘Sport’ moniker – such as in the Discovery Sport and Range Rover Sport, characterising lower range vehicles than models that don’t carry the moniker (such as the Discovery and Range Rover). This is slightly counter-intuitive, as most carmakers typically put a premium on ‘sporty’ or ‘performance’ models.

Therefore, to simplify here’s a graphical representation of how the larger Land Rover and Range Rover range shapes up in the Malaysian market.

The second-generation Land Rover Discovery Sport – or Disco Sport – as it is colloquially known, was launched in May 2020. The new model is highlighted by the new modular Premium Transverse Architecture (PTA) platform – which is also shared with the Range Rover Evoque. The PTA platform is optimised for a range for petrol, diesel, or electrified hybrid powertrains.

The local model is offered in a singular 2.0L turbocharged R-Dynamic guise, with two body configurations – a 5-seater (at RM379,800) and the 5+2 seater you see here, which retails for RM409,800.

In addition to the new platform, the new Disco Sport also features the company’s latest Terrain Response 2 AWD system, which features a new ‘Auto’ drive mode, which optimises traction and driven wheels depending on the driving requirements.

Other highlights include an array of driver aids that include a 360-degree surround camera with Wade Sensing capability, Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Autonomous Emergency Braking, and Generation 2 “Head-Up Display”.

Specifications of the Land Rover Discovery Sport (5+2 seater) 2.0L R Dynamic

Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged, four-cylinder

Power: 200PS at 5,500rpm

Torque: 320Nm at 1,250rpm - 4,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic, All-Wheel drive with Terrain Response 2.

Safety: 7-airbags, ABS with Brake Assist, VSC, Lane Keep Assist (LKA) with Steering Correction, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with High-Speed Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Assist (BSA), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC), Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), 360-deg camera, ClearSight Ground View, Head-up Display (HUD), ISOFIX

Assembly: Fully-Imported from England.

Price: RM409,800 (OTR excluding Insurance)

Exterior

The soft edges and rounded proportions of the Disco Sport belie its rather large on-road presence. Measuring in at 4,597mm in length, 2,069mm in width, and 1,727mm in height, the Disco Sport is slightly smaller in length to the Mercedes-Benz GLC and BMW X3 – but roughly 200mm wider and significantly taller than both those SUVs giving the Disco Sport a very wide, confident stance.

This is a very handsome SUV, and much like the Range Rover Evoque – it’s design which is centred on simplicity and elegance will age well in my opinion. Parked in front of your neighbourhood kopitiam, the Disco Sport will attract its fair share of gazes from curious eyes, most of which, simply want to know what it is. Therefore for its relatively high price tag, you are ensured of exclusivity.

Interior

The interior is quite possibly the biggest highlight of the Disco Sport – superbly built and finely textured materials line the entire cabin. From the tactile leather seating, to the “Titanium Mesh” trim panels, and the sumptuous leather steering wheel – it is a wonderful place to be in. In many ways it feels better engineered and put together than the
Range Rover Velar
 which I sampled a while back.

It would seem the interior of the Disco Sport is so well thought out that it offers something for everyone in the car. For myself, in the driver’s seat, it was the intuitive infotainment system centred on a 10-inch central touchscreen, sublime Head-Up Display system, which packs so much info right in your field of vision, and of course, 380W Meridian sound system. My wife loved the overall airiness of the cabin and the width of the rear seats, and my 2-year old daughter was simply amazed by all the things she could see out of the expansive Panoramic glass roof (which is standard on the 5+2 seater variant).

Driving Experience

Now I’ll have you know this is by far not the sportiest SUV in its class. A
BMW X3
 will happily run rings around the Disco Sport all day. The steering is nicely weighted but lacks adequate feedback, its high centre of gravity means it leans a bit more in the corners than other SUVs, and it’s also down on power compared to its rivals for the same money.

However, where it excels though is in its ride quality – which is darn near one of the most comfortable cars I have ever sat in – it literally flattens bumps big and small, and the PTA platform’s added rigidity means the suspension works nicely to give you a supple but surefooted driving demeanour.

Simply put, if you are not too bothered with terms like “performance handling and dynamic cornering” this is the SUV for you – because the Disco Sport eschews false pretences of being a sports car on stilts, it’s simply an honest SUV for the family, and performs admirably.

The brakes though are superb.

The aforementioned tall ride height also means that it offers best in class water wading ability (up to 600mm), which made light work of the recent flash floods around KL. Alas, I had little opportunity to put its lauded Terrain Response 2 system to the test given most of my driving centred around KL, but safe to say, what little gravel driving I did, wouldn’t have utilised 5 percent of the Disco Sport’s off-road talents.

But, the Disco Sport isn't without its drawbacks. The 9-speed ZF gearbox, though marvellously quick in its up and downshifts – finds itself searching for gears in mid-to-low speeds, especially in traffic. It is pretty obvious that the nine forward speeds are there to offer better gear reduction for off-roading (i.e.: when crawling over mud or snow), but on the road, however, there’s a slight disconnect between the ratios of the first two gears and the ones that come after that.

Therefore, you’d likely experience the Disco Sport holding onto its tall first and second gears for very long, before rifling through the rest of the gears as you get up to speed. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it is harder to simply cruise at low speeds or climb a small hill without the gearbox wanting to rev out the first two gears as if it’s in a drag race.

The ‘Ingenium’ 2.0L turbo engine, though not packing crazy power numbers – just 200PS and 320Nm – is very linear and quite punchy all throughout its powerband. Put your foot down, and it will accelerate with surprising gusto, again, props to the quick-shifting transmission. On an empty patch of road, it gets up to 180km/h pretty quickly, but its happiest cruising at just around 120km/h.

Another downside is the Disco Sport’s somewhat thirsty fuel requirements. Note, however, that literally all my driving was done in traffic within the city, which returned an average 14.5 litres/100km, this would surely drop to a sub-10 litres/100km in my opinion, when on a highway, given the car’s long legs. All in all, a full tank returned approximately RM415km of driving range.

Conclusion

Coming in at just over RM400k, the Disco Sport does not come cheap – and that’s simply a by-product of the fact that it’s a fully-imported vehicle. If one simply wants to get into a premium SUV, then the BMW X3 xDrive30i (at RM314k) and
Mercedes-Benz GLC
 300 AMG Line (at RM350k) retail for substantially lower price points. An RM400k price tag also means one could get into a large seven-seater
Volvo XC90 T8
 for much less.

However, if you’ve made it this far in the article – then you’d understand that the highlights of the Disco Sport lie in its sublime off-road ability and exclusivity in that it stands out in a crowd. Moreover, if you’re going to spend that much on a car – it should be a requirement.

Note though, that’s in addition to the fact that it’s a well designed, well built, and well-executed SUV with traditional SUV traits at its heart, albeit with thoroughly modern execution.


2017 Honda Jazz Facelift Spotted Ahead Of DRIVE

Honda's upcoming Jazz facelift has been spotted ahead of this weekend's DRIVE event at the Setia City Convention Centre in Setia Alam.
Similar to the
Toyota C-HR
, the Honda Jazz is also still under covers. We noticed that this could be the hybrid variant as Honda Malaysia mentioned that the Jazz Hybrid will be making its first public appearance here. Bookings for the new Honda Jazz and Jazz Hybrid were
opened
 earlier this week.
Honda Malaysia is expected to introduce the facelifted Jazz in the second quarter of 2017, with the
hybrid variant
 coming a little later in the third quarter of 2017. Similar to the Honda City facelift, the updated Honda Jazz is likely to receive a revised front end and rear end plus update to the equipment level.
The model to look forward to is the new Honda Jazz Hybrid. Featuring Honda's intelligent Dual-Clutch Drive (i-DCD) Hybrid System, which is full-hybrid, unlike previous-generation Jazz's IMA mild-hybrid system. The upcoming Jazz Hybrid's 1.5-litre engine will come in DOHC form, instead of the SOHC form of the regular petrol variants. Power output, according to Honda is 137 PS. Under the Japanese market JC08 test cycle, the Honda Jazz Hybrid have a claimed fuel consumption of up to 36.4 km/litre.
Check out the new Honda Jazz Hybrid at this weekend's
Carlist.my MAA DRIVE, Test & Buy Event
. Visitors can place their bookings for the new Jazz and other Honda models, with some models offered with a discount of up to RM12,000.


Nissan's COO Wants To Focus On Japan, China, And the USA - But Not ASEAN

There's no denying that Nissan's been in a bit of a pickle in the last few years, but they may just be able to pull out of it.

The Europeans won't be happy - but perhaps that's due to the aggression of their own government. Nissan's 400Z won't be destined for Europe, as a result of the ever tightening fleet emissions regulations that Europe imposes on automakers. This, and many other decisions, are part of the master plan of Ashwani Gupta - Chief Operating Officer of Nissan - to help pull the automaker back.

Carlos Ghosn is a name of the past for Nissan, and something they want to put behind them. In the time that Nissan has been struggling with this internal strife, their model line-up has been aging and screaming for generational improvements, which in turn both hurts the brand and the consumers.

2020 was a particularly nasty hit, because the company was poised to grow with the market - and its margins. Instead, the company saw just a 5.8% market share globally and a net loss of just over RM 26 billion - let alone an operating loss of RM 1.6 billion over the financial year.

In order to stem the flow of cash, drastic actions need to be taken. In the next four years, Nissan will be shutting the Datsun brand, closing plants on Spain and Indonesia, and leaning more on their partner Renault as part of their alliance. These are the core principals of the Nissan Next four-year plan that Gupta had a hand in developing after Ghosn's departure.

It also means focusing on the markets that make Nissan money. Europe used to be a pretty solid performer for Nissan, but with that slow model lifecycle consumers quickly lost interest as other manufacturers started to provide more appealing, brighter, more modern options. For now, the key markets for Nissan will be Japan, China, and the USA - which could spell problems for the rest of us smaller markets.

For you see, ASEAN markets are relatively small volume and relatively "poor" for lack of better words - even when you combine the market demands collectively. When an automaker decides to focus on products developed for the USA and China (especially), there isn't enough money left to design something that caters to our ASEAN needs and wants at the price point we require.

There are many examples of this in cars that were developed for Europe, and ported (not so successfully) to our market. Even with hilarious levels of cost-cutting in features and materials, these products just can't come in at the prices we can stomach. Nissan products may very well be the same if this is the new mandate for their product development teams - and perhaps
the Almera
 is the last fantastic product we see from them in a while.

But it is something we can easily understand. For the company to survive, it needs to focus on its strengths - rather than attempt to pander to a hundred different markets and stretch themselves thin. At the very least they will give us the
400Z
, and while it may not be the car of the people, it is definitely one that will keep Nissan's name in the hearts and minds of petrolheads the world over.


GWM hosts 2023 Global Conference with over 260 distributor representatives

GWM recently held their "NEW GWM NEW ENERGY" global conference in Shanghai on April 19th, which was attended by more than 260 distributor representatives from over 60 countries and regions.

During the conference, GWM President Mu Feng gave a detailed presentation on the company's global expansion and new energy strategic plan based on the Forest Ecosystem. GWM announced their Intelligent NEV philosophy of "Greener, Higher, and Safer" and will implement the "ONE GWM" model and global single-product strategy to create more high-quality new energy products for customers.

The conference also included an award ceremony to acknowledge distributor partners who helped expand the GWM market. GWM established partnerships with dozens of new distributors during the Global Business Partner Signing Ceremony.

Before the ceremony, GWM invited distributor representatives to visit their factory and R&D laboratory, which gave them a comprehensive understanding of the Forest Ecosystem. Distributors expressed recognition of GWM's vehicle manufacturing strength and new energy solutions.

One new distributor partner shared, "Visiting GWM, I was able to experience their excellent new energy solutions, and I hope to bring new energy vehicles to more local customers as soon as possible."

Distributors from Australia, South Africa, and Brazil are optimistic about GWM's future market performance. GWM aims to implement the whole industrial chain overseas and strengthen the Forest Ecosystem to achieve a win-win result for all and jointly promote the transformation of GWM's global new energy strategy with global distributor partners.

Currently, GWM has more than 700 overseas sales channels covering more than 170 countries and regions worldwide, with total sales of more than one million vehicles. In 2022, the company's overseas sales volume exceeded 170,000 units, hitting a record high with a year-on-year increase of 21.28%.

Since their export in 1997, GWM has had more than 700 overseas sales channels covering more than 170 countries and regions worldwide, with total sales of more than one million vehicles.


Level Up: We Tried to Convince Our Colleague to Buy the New Passat 2.0 TSI Elegance

Let’s face it – the D-segment is dying, no thanks to the rise of SUVs.

With more buyers who are upgrading from B-segment and C-segment models ending up with SUVs simply because they offer better practicality than sedans that cost much more, it is no surprise that the executive sedan market is in a dire state.

However, despite the drop in demand, there are still some who prefer a D-segment sedan over an SUV for many reasons, like our colleague here who is looking to upgrade his Honda City to a larger sedan. Plus, he also claims to be a “Sedan-man” through and through.

So, since we were about to get our hands on the newly launched Volkswagen Passat 2.0 TSI Elegance when he was talking to us about his plans to upgrade, we told him that this is a car which he should definitely consider.

Not only does the new Passat look good, but it also offers a lot of power, an enjoyable driving experience, generous amount of space, practicality, and convenience, which makes it an ideal family transporter as well as a status symbol.

Launched in January, the new Passat 2.0 TSI Elegance now features a redesigned front and rear end, an updated powertrain, an updated infotainment system, as well as new convenience and safety features.

Locally-assembled at the DRB-Hicom plant in Pekan, Pahang, the new Passat is only offered in one variant – the 2.0 TSI Elegance with an asking price of RM189,012 on the road without insurance.

Prior to the update, the model was offered in
three variants
 - Comfortline, Trendline, and
Highline
, with two engine options (1.8 TSI and 2.0 TSI) to choose from, with prices ranging between RM159,990 and RM198,990.

Now, however, there is only one powertrain option - an updated version of the current 2.0-litre TSI engine that is paired with a new 7-speed wet dual-clutch automatic gearbox, kicking out 190 PS and 320 Nm, which is 30 PS and 30 Nm lesser than the outgoing Passat 2.0 TSI Highline.

Prior to this, the Passat 1.8 TSI came with a 7-speed dry-type dual clutch automatic transmission, while the 2.0 TSI variants came with a 6-speed wet-type dual clutch automatic transmission.

On the exterior, a refreshed front and rear profile distinguishes the new Passat from its previous iteration, while other distinctions include the “Passat” lettering stretched across its rear and bold 18-inch “Liverpool” alloy wheels.

The lights are also new, featuring an all-LED headlight system, front and rear sequential turn signals, and a three-wing tail light design.

Inside, updates include newly-designed door trims, a 30-colour ambient lighting system, and a new leather multi-function steering wheel with new ergonomic multifunction buttons for convenience and connectivity at the touch of a button.

Further complementing the interior is the 12-way powered electric driver’s seat, 3-zone Climatronic air-conditioning system for all passengers, and new power-operated roll up rear sunshades. Boot space on the other hand, stands at 586-litres.

Also new is the 11.7-inch Digital Cockpit which offers a high-resolution, thin-film transistor (TFT) similar to that of a smartphone, which incorporates functions and features in 2D and 3D graphic display for navigation and media. A six-view customizable screen offers a new level of personalization with over 30 combinations options.

While the outgoing range-topping Passat 2.0 TSI Highline came with a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with GPS navigation and MirrorLink, the new one here comes with a 9.2 -inch touchscreen with voice control, gesture control, customizable three-view split screen, as well as Wireless AppConnect with Apple Car Play.

Other features include a wide range of connectivity options through a capacitive touch display, three illuminated USB-C ports and Bluetooth connectivity for mobile and audio streaming.

Where safety is concerned, new features include Side Assist with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, as well as the Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, which complement other features like the Blind Spot Monitoring System, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Brake Assist (BA), Intelligent Crash Response System (ICRS), Hill-hold Control, Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, and the Proactive Passenger Protection System.

Driving Impressions

If there is one word that can perfectly describe the experience behind the wheels of the new Passat, it is definitely “smooth”.

Yes, the car’s power delivery and acceleration isn’t as “explosive” as the outgoing model due to the drop in engine output and torque, but it is anything but slow.

There is still ample power available on tap, which makes the new Passat quite an enjoyable car to drive. The suspension on the other hand, is setup with comfort in mind but the ride is still very planted and composed with minimal body roll.

Despite the length and width of the car, the steering actually feels quite light, making it easy to manoeuvre the new Passat with ease, especially in places like shopping mall parking lots and tight spaces.

A slightly more weighted steering would certainly make the new Passat a much more exciting car to drive along the twisty bits, but the fact is that this is a car which is going to spend most of its life in the heart of the city with occasional runs along the highways, so its light steering actually makes perfect sense.

Further complementing the smooth driving experience was the cabin which is quieter now thanks to redesigned, thicker door panels, followed by the impressive audio system, the ambient lighting, rear air vents, and the generous head and leg space.

On top of all of the above, what impressed us even more is how fuel efficient the new Passat is. Equipped with a 66-litre tank, the new Passat consumes 6.5-litres per 100 km, and returned around 800 km with a full tank of fuel during our stint with the car.

So, with so much to offer, do you think the car impressed our colleague here? Do you think he agreed to buy the new Passat? Watch the video to find out!


Infiniti Releases Q60 Promo Video With Game Of Thrones Star Kit Harington

Infiniti has launched a short film to promote the
Q60
with one of the world’s most talked about actors at the moment - Kit Harington.
Harington recently rose to fame playing the role of Jon Snow in the award-winning HBO television series Game of Thrones.
The one-minute film titled ‘Tyger’ opens with Harington striding towards the Q60. He settles in the car and dramatically begins reciting William Blake’s primal poem, The Tyger.
Harington then takes the Q60 for a winding drive while reciting the poem. The film ends with an effortless stop from the Q60 and a knowing glance by the actor.
“What inspires me personally in my life, is a beautiful piece of writing. Something which is specific, delicate and beautiful,” says Kit Harington. Blake’s The Tyger is an inspiring reflection of such writing and also captures the high performance empowerment of the Q60 – they are both an exploration of aesthetic beauty, primal ferocity, ambition and seduction.
Harington’s Tyger film is one of three new films being released to promote the Q60. According to Infiniti, two more web films with audio engineer and music technologist Young Guru, as well as sneaker designer Sophia Chang will be released in following weeks.
Looking for an Infiniti? Find one now at
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Volkswagen Once Sold Car Rental Company Europcar… Now They Want It Back

Volkswagen has expressed interest in buying Europcar which is facing a financial fallout after COVID-19. But why?

Volkswagen is reportedly in talks to reacquire French-based (global) rental firm Europcar for a fraction of what the German automotive giant once sold it for, as the firm struggles to cope with losses attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

RTE reports
 that Volkswagen has reached out to Europcar "to express interest in the acquisition and to carry out due diligence", as of March 2020 Europcar was said to have a market capitalisation of EUR 390 million, but net debt approaching EUR 1.0 billion. Travel restrictions amid the pandemic slashed the demand for rental cars.

However, the company has secured a EUR 307 million financing package from the French government to help it manage the financial fallout caused by the pandemic.

If the deal goes through, Volkswagen just might reacquire Europcar for a fraction of the EUR 3.32 Billion it sold it for (to investment firm Eurazeo) back in 2006.

Besides acquiring a global player in the car rental business – the acquisition would likely offer Volkswagen an important linchpin in its strategy of being a global mobility provider. As part of the Volkswagen Group’s Together 2025 strategy, the company aims to provide sustainable mobility through its emphasis on digital networking, autonomous driving and most importantly,
electrified vehicles
.

To this end, Volkswagen has budgeted over EUR 34 Billion up to the end of 2022 for e-mobility, autonomous driving, digital connectivity and new mobility services. Joint ventures in China will be spending a further EUR 15 Billion on the electric offensive over the coming years.

Taking ownership of Europcar and its fleet of 60,000+ vehicles across 3,500 locations worldwide – will firstly give Volkswagen major turnovers in terms of fleet renewals for conventionally powered vehicles and a venerable testbed to deploy its new range of I.D. full-electric vehicles.

Not to mention, the wealth of data that can be collected from its ‘for hire’ cars across many different locations, drivers, and driving styles. Smart re-acquisition by VW?


Toyota Yaris WRC Takes 1st and 3rd in Finland

It was only a matter of time before the Toyota Gazoo World Rally Team would find their footing. This year they're clawing themselves back up, and with the addition of Ott Tänak to their roster, the team is seeing more and more points coming their way. They are currently third overall in the manufacturer standings, just one point behind second place and 27 points from first.
The most recent round of the World Rally Championship took place over the last weekend, and saw Toyota taking both first and third places on the podium. Ott Tänak naturally took top spot, with 12 stage victories as well. He had a 32.7 seconds lead over the competition, and Jari-Matti Latvala took third, missing second by just 2.8 seconds.
While Finland is the homeground for the Toyota team, given that Tommi Makinen is the team principal, it's still worth noting that the team managed to clock the fastest times in 18 out of 23 stages. The next round of the series will return to tarmac at the ADAC Rallye Deutschland from the 16th to 19th of August.


Frankfurt 2017: Audi Elaine Concept Is So Clever It Can Even Monitor Your Health Condition

Building on the e-tron Sportback Concept revealed at this year’s Shanghai Auto Show, Audi has taken the wraps off the Elaine Concept in Frankfurt, featuring an advanced level 4 autonomous driving technology.
Measuring 4900mm in length, 1980mm in width and 1530mm high, the Elaine, which is about the size of an A7 Sportback, is powered by a combination of three electric motors that produce 370kW of maximum output.
Capable of sprinting from naught to 100 in 4.5 seconds, the concept has an overall range of 500 km between every charge.
While exterior highlights include Audi’s Matrix LED lights in front and in the rear with digital projectors, illuminated Audi logos, and huge 20-odd inch wheels, the big news is what it offers inside.
Since it is a level 4 autonomous vehicle, it still has a steering wheel, a dashboard, as well as pedals but the Elaine uses Audi’s next-generation AI system called the 'personal intelligent assistant' (PIA), which is actually capable of taking over the driving task at speeds up to 130 km/h change lane automatically, park itself, and even fetch the driver once it gets summoned via a smartphone app.
Besides being able to drive itself, the Elaine also comes with Audi’s Fit Driver monitoring system, which monitors the driver’s health condition via a small device, and adjusts the driving pattern accordingly.
Expected to be released by the year 2020, Audi says that the Elaine Concept’s powertrain package is what will most likely be found in its future EV models.


New BMW X5 xDrive45e iPerformance Revealed, Goes On Sale In 2019

Back in June, BMW unveiled the all-new
G05 X5
, the fourth iteration of its successful SUV lineup. Come 2019, the Munich-based firm will introduce a plug-in hybrid variant of the new X5.
Called the X5 xDrive45e iPerformance, the new variant features a 3.0-litre TwinPower Turbo straight-6 paired to an electric motor for a combined system output of 394 hp. The internal combustion engine and electric motor deliver their power to an 8-speed Steptronic automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels via BMW’s xDrive system.
The X5 xDrive45e is able to sprint from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 5.6 seconds. More impressive is the pure electric range of the new model, which is now roughly 80 km, almost tripling the amount of its predecessor. Additionally, the X5 xDrive45e can travel up to 140 km/h on pure electric power, an improvement from the 120 km/h of the previous generation F15 X5.
Being a plug-in hybrid also means that the combined fuel consumption is impressive, recording just 2.1 L/100 km, while emitting just 49 g/km of CO2.
BMW engineers have placed the high-voltage battery of the X5 xDrive45e into the underbody of the SUV, lowering the centre of gravity. Despite that, boot space is now 150 litres less than the regular petrol-powered models. With all seats up, boot space is 500 litres, expanded to 1716 litres with the back seats folded down.
As standard, the new BMW X5 xDrive45e is fitted with a two-axle air suspension and electronically-controlled dampers.
More details are expected to be known once the model goes official next year.


Tun Dr. Mahathir: Korea, Japan, China Need To Open Their Car Markets To Proton

Proton is struggling right now because the government isn’t doing enough to help Proton, which has to compete on unequal terms where Korean, Japanese and Chinese brands are allowed to export their cars into Malaysia, but not the other way around, says Proton’s Chairman Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
“The Koreans protected their market. So does Japan, so does China. So what’s wrong with us protecting our market?” said the Tun Dr. Mahathir in an interview with The Edge TV.
When asked how long the government should continue to protect Proton, Tun Dr. Mahathir replied, “For as long as they keep their market closed to us.”
“There is no more protection now (for Proton). Foreign cars are given exemptions if they don’t comply with our needs. If they don’t comply with our needs they are given exemptions. Only we have pointed that there are 70 cars that are given exemptions, from not complying with Malaysian requirements, but Proton did not get any exemptions,” he added.
Tun Dr. Mahathir did not elaborate on what these exemptions are but they are likely to relate to compliance with UN WP.29 (also commonly known as UNECE – United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) regulations for motor vehicle safety.
Since 1-January 2012, Malaysia has progressively implemented UNECE regulations but some manufacturers have problem meeting them due to the poor coordination between JPJ, which oversees the implementation of UNECE, and the Department of Environment and Ministry of Domestic Trade, which oversees the implementation of emission and fuel standards.
To summarise this rather complicated matter, what Malaysia is aspiring to achieve is equivalent to asking for a car with European safety standards, but paired to an engine and emissions control system that must be compatible with our ‘dirty, third-world’ Euro 2M fuel.
Few manufacturers are able comply with such an odd request. Our small market size further complicates matters. Hence the need for several brands to request for exemptions.
The other issue is that JPJ requires an independent laboratory to certify these vehicles’ compliance to UNECE regulations. Japan and Korea does not have such requirements, and their governments accept internal testing results from the manufacturers themselves. So although the vehicle meets the necessary safety standards, manufactures might not have the necessary certification papers from an independent laboratory. Thus, the distributor in Malaysia has to foot the certification cost, which entails crash testing at least three vehicles, and the associated transport charges. You can imagine how much it will cost.
This explains the move by several brands to request for exemptions. An exemption does not necessarily mean that the car does not meet the necessary standards, but it is more like a request to JPJ to accept internal testing results that have already been submitted to authorities in Japan or Korea.
Back to Proton, Tun Dr. Mahathir also lamented that “Malaysians are campaigning against Proton.”
He then went on to explain that Proton will not produce cheap, low quality cars, and will only make cars that are as good as imported ones.

Related:
Proton: Overcoming The ‘Kereta Tin Milo’ Stigma
New range of Proton engines coming
Tun Dr. Mahathir also hinted that Proton will soon introduce a new range of engines.
“We also want to produce cars which are compliant with Euro-6 (emission standards) in the near future. We will do that, we can do that, we have the technology. It will cost a little bit more but then Malaysians always expect a poor quality car, selling cheaply, that is not Proton anymore, we have a different idea,” he said.
The current range of Proton engines, including the latest VVT engine fitted to the Iriz, only complies to Euro-4 standard, but can be further developed to meet Euro-5.
Starting 2015, countries in the European Union have already phased in the most stringent Euro-6 standard.
Is It True That Korea, Japan and China protect their local car manufacturers?
Yes and no. It depends on how you define protectionism. All the three countries above are key trading partners of our world, so outright protectionist methods like import quotas (analogous to our AP system) are illegal there.
However, the governments of these countries have progressed to a stage where they no longer rely on crude methods to protect their local industries. Instead, they use much more sophisticated means to protect their local car manufacturers. Safety and environmental concerns are commonly used as platforms to thinly disguise their protectionist intentions.
Technically, most of the measures mentioned here cannot be considered as a protectionist policy as they apply evenly to all manufacturers. Of course, they are carefully designed in such a way that it does not inconvenient the domestic manufacturers.
Korea for example, requires all foreign cars to provide certification papers in Korean language, conducted under Korean testing standards. This implies a need for foreign car manufacturers to retest their vehicles, often at a very high cost. For Korean manufacturers who will be doing their certification in Korea anyway, this is not an issue.
Up until the early 2000s, the Korean government even limited airtime for TV commercials for foreign car brands, and construction and expansion of car dealerships selling foreign cars would require government approval.
All that only changed when Korea signed a Free Trade Agreement with USA in 2012.
Related:
Korean Brands Losing Ground In Key Markets
Smashing The Critics: Hyundai Pits US-Made Sonata Against A Korean-Made One
Korea To Become First Asian Country To Launch Nissan Maxima
Meanwhile Japan uses the Kei car regulation (minicars below 660cc) to carve out a profitable, high volume market for its domestic manufacturers. The peculiarities of a ‘kei’ car’s dimensions and engine size meant that such cars can only be marketed in Japan’s unique driving environment, so it is very unlikely that a foreign company would want to build a car of such specifications, and sell it in Japan.
The ‘kei’ segment is the largest car segment in Japan and while the regulations doesn’t say so, it is in reality a Japanese brands-only market. Profits derived from this segment are then channelled into the development of larger, global models which are then exported all over the world.
Foreign cars sold in Japan will also need to comply with other peculiar requirements like compliance to domestic safety standards for items like fuel tanks. Often this mean that that foreign cars imported into Japan will need to have these parts replaced.
It’s the same in the USA – supposedly a champion of free trade. Pick-up trucks are the most profitable segment in the US and imported pick-up trucks are slapped with a hefty 25 percent import duty. The US argues that manufacturers who build their trucks in USA will escape the tax, but such large trucks have little market potential outside the US so not many manufacturers would have the resources to develop and sell a US-only truck. Toyota and Nissan are the only two foreign pick-up manufacturers in the US (Honda Ridgeline is classified as a car).
The fuel economy and emission standards in the US are also carefully drafted to be more relaxed on pick-up trucks, indirectly creating a market for these unncessarily large pick-up trucks.
The US’s domestic FMVSS safety standards also meant that many cars must have their safety restraint systems (seatbelts, airbags), rear-view mirrors, bumpers, turn signal lights changed to US-standard types before they can be sold there.
The vehicle’s instrument panel must also be changed to read in imperial units - miles and gallons. Likewise, the vehicle’s certification papers must all be changed to read in imperial units.
In China – it’s pretty simple. It’s a centrally planned economy and nothing happens without the approval of the government, so foreign car makers will almost certainly have to partner with a state-owned company. And this being China, there is never a shortage of state-owned companies to partner with.
Over in Germany, the so-called ‘Volkswagen Law’ protected Germany’s biggest carmaker from a takeover bid by any foreign party. The law was only removed in 2013 after a longstanding legal tussle with other members of the European Union.
In short, yes, one way or another, governments from around the world still protect their local industries, but they do so using much more sophisticated means.
This is 2015 so to reintroduce the methods used by Malaysia to
protect Proton in 1985
, the path that Tun Dr. Mahathir appears to be hinting at, no longer works. To argue that Proton needs protection to survive would not gain any support from taxpayers, many whom felt that 30 years is enough.
However swinging to the other extreme, that of supporting an absolutely open market, would be foolish because as we have explained above, none of the developed countries with a vested interest in manufacturing practices a truly open market.
Everyone has to up their game. Not only must the cars be sophisticated, but the methods to protect our domestic industries must also be more sophisticated.


2015 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Launched In Malaysia: RM1.75mil A Pop!

Equipped with the most
Porsche
 can throw into a car before breaking the boundaries of what’s street legal, here is the 2015 Porsche
911
 GT3 RS, launched in Malaysia.
RM1.75mil is what you’ll need to cough up for this monster, and that’s before any registration, road tax or insurance. The price does however come with a four-year factory warranty.
“Never before has a ‘GT street vehicle’ been closer to its Cup and RSR cousins, both visually and functionally,” said Arnt Bayer, CEO of Sime Darby Auto Performance.
The 911 GT3 RS is powered by a 500hp, 460Nm of torque 4.0-litre six-cylinder engine, paired with a special PDK (Porsche dual clutch) transmission.  Its century sprint is sorted in a monstrous 3.3 seconds, while hitting 200km/h takes just 10.9 seconds.
Completely ready for track use, the GT3 RS’s dual-clutch PDK transmission is equipped with a ‘paddle neutral’ function that lets drivers, in a sense, dump the clutch, for when disengaging the drive gear is necessary on the race track. The car is also equipped with a pit-lane speed limiter button.
As you’d expect, the car is far more suited for track use, with a wide-body racing kit, full-on roll cage inside the car, CFRP bonnet, magnesium roof, carbon-fibre everything, you know the drill.
Inside, Porsche highlights to us that the full bucket seats are a new feature, themselves based on the carbon bucket seats of the 918 Spyder.
There’s an optional Sport Chrono Package, which features a Porsche Track Precision app for your smartphones. The app can be used to track your lap times automatically via GPS, and create log of several driving parameters – a true track companion for the ardent enthusiast.
However, we understand Porsche Malaysia has been allocated just 20 examples of this absolute track monster, and we hear that should you want one, it might be too late.


Ford Ranger Wildtrak 2.2L Launched In Malaysia - RM 127,888

Good news for those of you who craved the Wildtrak styling but didn't want to shell out big bucks for the 3.2-litre Ranger. Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC) has just launched the Ford Ranger Wildtrak 2.2-litre variant, which brings the high-end Wildtrak styling and equipment to the entry-level models.
How much is this going to set you back by? The Wildtrak 2.2-litre is priced at RM 127,888 OTR without insurance for Peninsular Malaysia (RM 133,888 for East Malaysia). It's an attractive proposition considering the Wildtrak 3.2-litre goes for RM 139,838, meaning that this is a healthy RM 11,950 less, and only RM 12,800 more than the regular Ranger XLT 2.2-litre which sits at RM 115,088.
The 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine itself is no slouch, delivering 160 PS at 3,000 rpm, and a torque of 385 Nm between 1,600 and 2,600 rpm. Paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and 4WD, the Ranger remains fairly competitive in segment despite advancements among competitors. But the brunt of the price difference comes in the form of equipment and styling.
The more obvious Wildtrak exterior is the first difference you notice, but on the inside there's' the SYNC 3 entertainment system with Android Auto and Apple Carplay support. Everything else remains the same, but such is the way of the Ranger model range.
The new Ranger Wildtrak 2.2L also comes with an early bird offer of two years/40,000km (whichever comes first) free service and maintenance. The same offer is now also available for the Wildtrak 3.2L variant. To celebrate Ford Ranger Wildtrak 2.2L arrival in Malaysia and Sime Darby Auto Connexion’s tenth anniversary, one Ford Fiesta 1.5L Sport and 15 Huawei Mate 10 Pro smartphones are up for grabs with purchase of any Ford Ranger variant


KL City Grand Prix Clean Up To Take 2-3 Weeks

The first-ever Kuala Lumpur City Grand Prix (KLCGP) came to an end over the weekend of 7-9 August 2015, and work to remove the structures put in place for the race could take two to three weeks to complete.
The work includes dismantling the grandstands, concrete crash barriers, catchfences, and on-road placements like chicanes, around the roads of Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Ampang, Jalan Raja Chulan, Jalan Perak, and Jalan P. Ramlee.
Event organiser, GT Global Race Malaysia Sdn Bhd began removing the structures from 10.30pm on Sunday, a few hours after the event concluded with the prize presentation ceremonies.
Speaking to
The Malay Mail Online
, Datuk R. Jaya Raj, director of Pakatan Traffic, the traffic consultant appointed by the organiser said that the workers will only begin removing the items from 10.30pm to avoid causing additional congestion during the peak hour traffic. “Our personnel will be on hand to ensure the work does not disrupt traffic or pose a danger to road-users,” he said.
City traffic police chief, Asst Comm Mohd Nadzri Hussain would monitor the clearance work and will delay it should there be heavy traffic on certain days.


After Volkswagen, Korea Fines Nissan For Cheating On Emissions Tests

As speculated by many observers, it’s quite difficult to believe that Volkswagen is the only company to be using a so-called ‘cheat code’ that selectively disables the exhaust emissions control systems on its diesel-powered vehicles.
The South Korean government has now confirmed that it has found evidence of a cheating device installed in the Korean market Nissan Qashqai diesel.
French news agency AFP reports that a statement by South Korea’s Ministry of Environment reads "Our investigation... concluded that Nissan illegally manipulated emission data."
Hong Dong-Kon, a ministry official handling transport-related regulations, added: "A group of auto industry experts we consulted with also agreed that this is a clear manipulation of emission data."
Tests by the Korean government showed that the Qashqai switched off its emission reduction device when the ambient temperature reached 35 degrees Celsius to stop the vehicle from overheating, whereas other cars waited until the temperature reached 50 degrees.
The ministry also said that when the Qashqai's emissions reduction device stopped working, the level of emissions was about the same or higher than the Volkswagen cars equipped with emissions-cheating software systems.
Nissan will be given 10 days to present its opinions on the Qashqai issue before Seoul officially carries out punitive measures, the environment ministry said.
So far, only the Nissan Qashqai has been implicated, and the Qashqai is not very popular in Korea so the financial consequences for Nissan will be quite limited. In the first five months of 2016, Nissan less than 900 units of the Qashqai. The ministry said that Nissan would be fined 330 million won (USD 280,000).
The news comes less than a week after Nissan announced its plan to take a
controlling stake in Mitsubishi Motors
, itself mired by a similar scandal in Japan when Nissan called out Mitsubishi for rigging the fuel consumption test data on Nissan minicar models produced under contract by Mitsubishi.


Spyshot: All-New Kia Picanto Spotted In Malaysia

Well look what we have here. Our colleague Aswan spotted these Kia Picanto models on the back of a trailer, indicating that Naza Kia Malaysia’s
plan to introduce
 the new model early next year is well on track.
The company has also set up a
teaser site
, giving us a good idea of what the new Picanto will be equipped with.
Amongst the equipment are:
Projector headlights
LED DRLs
Front fog lights with integrated air curtain
Chrome door handles
LED rear combination lights
Keyless entry
7-inch infotainment system
Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
Reverse camera
ABS, HAC, ESC
6 airbags
5-year warranty
From the photos, we can also see that the new Picanto gets rear disc brakes, wing mirror-mounted turn signals and a single rear fog light.
Powertrain wise, we expect to see Naza Kia Malaysia offering the proven 1.25-litre petrol engine paired to a four-speed automatic. It is possible that the five-speed manual might be dropped for the Malaysian market.
Naza Kia Malaysia has not confirmed the Picanto’s launch date, though we can expect the new model to go on sale early next year.


All Service Centres Need To Do What This Audi Dealership Is Doing

It has perhaps happened to anyone who has bought a new car and had to take it in for periodical service or to repair a fault at the service centre.

After checking in your car and handing over the keys, you get a call from the service centre. They have spotted something unusual, which requires fixing, "but, we'll check it out first to confirm if the item needs replacing, Sir/Madam".

In most unfortunate of times, you might see your service bill with an additional zero, you really wish wasn't there. Boom, a few hundred ringgit has now become a thousand ringgit... or more!

Now, while I'm in no way suggesting that service centres are out to cheat or swindle their customers - it would surely help if there was more transparency between the service centre and the customer.

This is where a small Audi dealership in Denver, USA is starting to revolutionise the service experience for its customers,
Autonews
 reports.

Technicians at this Audi dealership now produce a highly detailed and narrated video during the initial diagnostics and inspection process, which tells customers if their cars are ok or if something needs repair.

The video recording is then sent to the customer for his/ her viewing before the dealership starts the service or conducts any repairs.

Audi Denver uses an in-house developed software which seamlessly integrates technicians, to the administrative advisors, and then the customer.

Audi Denver's internal statistics indicate that in the short time they have been using the application and sending videos to their customers - approval ratings have almost doubled, service throughput has increased because customers approve of repairs much faster given they can see what needs fixing, and service operations are more profitable because customers are getting those repairs on time.

Audi Denver admits that it was sceptical in the initial stages if the system would improve the after-sales experience but the need to improve transparency once a customer's car goes into the service bay was at the heart of their decision to implement it.

Now, in a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged the US, the same video recording has allowed technicians to conduct services for their customers at home - given the transparency and safety the system offers to both parties.

The system has also helped Audi Denver win a legal case with a customer who crashed her car and blamed the dealership for not advising her to change her tyres. However, when they went back to the video, it showed that the tyres were highlighted but the customer chose not to change them.

Technicians also learned over time to finesse their narration and not use technical acronyms and special terms, instead, using “layman” terms were found to be most effective.

A substantial number of aftersales services in Malaysia utilise smartphone apps for the booking of services, and to interact with the aftersales service personnel, this simple yet undeniably effective idea could go a long way to improving the relationship and productivity between customers and the service centre.

Especially when most customers elect to take their cars away from the aftersales network after the warranty period elapses.

This is one avenue where service centres can play catch up because most independent workshops in Malaysia have been sending pictures and videos regarding repairs to their customers for years.

How about you, would you like your service centre to send a quick informative video during your next car service?

Cover image credit:
trevormessinger.com


Isuzu Malaysia Delivers 141 Vehicles To City-Link Express, Including Five Giga Prime Movers

City-Link Express began using Isuzu vehicles for their courier service back in 2011. Fast forward to October 2018, Isuzu Malaysia and City-Link Express held a handover ceremony to commemorate the official handover of a new fleet of Isuzu vehicles, this time, over 140 units!
In total, City-Link Express will add 128 units of ELF 4-wheeler, eight units of ELF 6-wheeler and five units of the GIGA model. With the company pushing for growth expansion, this marks the first time City-Link Express is adding the Isuzu GIGA Prime Mover Trucks into its operation fleet, as these vehicles will be used for long distance deliveries and long-haul usages.
During the ceremony, Koji Nakamura, CEO of Isuzu Malaysia, took the opportunity to express his gratitude and appreciation to City-Link Express for their continuous support for Isuzu Malaysia and its range of durable and economical trucks. He is confident that the Isuzu trucks recently delivered will be a vital force for City-Link Express to achieve their company’s long-term business objectives and overall mission accordingly.
To commemorate the handover, Nakamura presented a symbolic mock key, a special banner and an F-series scale model truck to the Founder and Executive Chairman of City-Link Express, Dato’ David Tan. Also in attendance was City-Link Express’ Chief Executive Officer, Ronald Tan, and Sales Manager, Colin Tan. After the ceremony, guests were brought on a tour around the City-Link facility.
Due to both companies’ established partnership, Isuzu Malaysia will carry out training sessions for the drivers on product knowledge and basic maintenance of the GIGA model. These sessions are expected to provide attendees with vital knowledge and understanding of the key features of the model while achieving economic and safe driving.


Review: 2017 Volvo V90 Cross Country – Swedish Superwagon

“It is sixteen degrees below zero over there,” said a friend after checking the weather forecast. “Are you sure you can handle it?” The truth is I had never seen snow in my life- real snow, not the artificial kind you might find at Genting- and this worried me a little. Adjusting to freezing climates is one thing; driving on frosty roads is something else altogether. But Volvo Cars Malaysia was doing just that: they were flying us out to Sweden to let us test the all-new V90 Cross Country, and a couple of other models along the way.
After nearly 48 hours of flights and layovers, we arrived in the winter wonderland known as Östersund. The airport that services the area is relatively small, much like one that you might find in Langkawi, and Volvo had commandeered a small section of it in order to brief us on the car and the route we would be taking, as well as to warn us of the perils we might face when out there. Speed cameras were an important talking point, but thankfully they would all be marked out properly and were few and far between (as they well should be). Rather surprisingly, the good folks at Volvo weren’t too concerned about the driving conditions- perhaps because the cars were all equipped with proper winter tyres.
Once we were assigned our cars it was time for us to head out and drive to our hotel in the ski resort town of Åre- which happened to be a good 90 kilometres away from the airport. One of the first thing you learn when dealing with the cold is that you put your jacket and gloves on before you step out into the chill, rather than trying to fumble with it once you get out there. Thankfully the walk to our car for the day- a Volvo XC90 T8- was just a few hundred metres across the snow covered car park.
You might think that driving is the same in any country that you go to, with the only major distinction being between left hand drive and right hand drive countries. You will quickly discover that this is a flawed idea, especially if you find yourself driving through Östersund in the middle of winter. As the roads around the airport are frequented by traffic, snow and ice doesn’t have much of a chance to build up- but you still find snowbanks encroaching onto the road in certain places.
And that’s when the lane departure warning suddenly makes a lot of sense. Yes, that annoying warning system that you turn off because it keeps beeping or tugging at the wheel- that little feature is a godsend when trying to keep a huge car within your lane while squeezing past snowbanks at fairly reasonable speeds. The more we drove through Östersund, the more a lot of these features began to fall into place. The automatic speed limit display on the heads up system helps you adjust as speed limits in Östersund change as rapidly as our national automotive policy. And with a scenery as beautiful as the snow covered fields and lakes and mountains, the collision detection warning is definitely useful should you find yourself distracted.
Winter tyres are a huge help as well when it comes to getting around; Nokians were the brand of choice for the entire exercise, being double studded but also tarmac friendly. They offer a fair amount of grip even on ice-covered roads; on the off chance I hopped out of the car to grab a few photos such as this one by a frozen lake, I could barely walk around without slipping and sliding. The fact that a nearly-two-tonne SUV can maintain over 100 km/h on this kind of surface is something my brain still can’t quite rationalize- but eventually we made it to our accommodation and retired for the night.
The next day started bright and early, and we once again piled into a mishmash of cars as we set off from the lodge. First on the agenda for the day was the opportunity to drive on a giant frozen lake with a high speed and low speed track mapped out for us. Does this have any relevance for our market (or really anywhere in the world without snow)? Not in the slightest. Was it some of the most fun you can have on four wheels? Without a doubt, yes. Driving on low friction surfaces in open places is the best way to explore the limit of a car; there’s minimal wear on the mechanicals, and almost no risk of damaging the car in any way.
You could argue that this was done to show us how well these new Volvos handle in such extreme situations and driving conditions, but the truth is that most drivers are hardly, if not never, going to reach this point when driving their Volvos. It is still impressive to see a full-sized XC90 T8 pirouetting and snapping through directional changes not unlike a WRC car during rally Finland, but it is as alluring as it is unnecessary. That being said, we would be lying if we said it didn’t leave us with a huge sense of respect for the Swedish automaker and their products, and perhaps gave us a little hope that Volvo will return to the world of performance cars sooner than we think.
By the time we were done pretending to be Colin McRae, the lake had been wiped smooth of snow and was down to bare ice- which is also something we discovered was as treacherous as oil at times.  It was time to head off, and luckily for us we had another day or so to experience the V90 Cross Country in its entirety. After all, the XC90 T8 is something already we have here, while the V90 (and the corresponding S90) are the hottest new models slated to arrive in the coming months.

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January 26, 2017

 For those unfamiliar with the Cross Country family, it began many years ago when Volvo was looking to create something that could handle the rigors of light off road driving, but still had all the dynamics and safety aspects that made a Volvo, a Volvo. This was before luxury SUVs became commonplace, so of course cars like the XC60 and XC90 weren’t around to meet the needs of this segment. But lovers of the Volvo wagon form could purchase an XC70 (also known as a V70 Cross Country) and they would get a car that sat with just enough ground clearance to get through the tough stuff, but still low enough to be dynamically excellent.
This new V90 Cross Country follows that same formula, with the overall ride height of the car increasing in order to meet those cross-country needs. There’s additional body cladding and such in order to differentiate it from the normal V90 models, and our particular car was the T6 AWD model that also came packaged with air suspension at the rear. It’s an exciting looking car from the outside, with perfect wagon proportions and modern chic styling that follows on from the XC90.
On the inside, things only get better. When the XC90 was unveiled to the world, people fell head over heels for the completely new interior- one that perhaps took a leaf out of Tesla’s book: it had a huge central touch screen that controlled a variety of operations, and left the dashboard otherwise uncluttered but elegant in its simplicity. The V90 Cross Country takes this even further, with the repositioning of air vents and different material choices to make it even more luxurious (if you thought that were even possible). While Volvo held on to their previous interior design scheme for a little too long, their new look is likely to stay relevant for decades to come.
The vast majority of consumers have never really regarded modern Volvos as being dynamic, especially when the last association with “performance” was with the 850R back in the 1990s. Even then, it was only respected and appreciated by enthusiasts, and only those who were open minded enough to accept a fast Volvo. Of course things began to change with the current gen V40 and V60, both of which are more fun to drive than one would expect from the Swedish brand, but neither of these are immediately obvious rivals to offerings from the German trio. The V90 Cross Country, despite sitting taller than its regular V90 sibling, could easily change that perception.
Let’s bear in mind that we were experiencing the V90 Cross Country on icy, unfamiliar roads- dual carriageways to be precise. And let’s also throw in a little bit of context: the locals in the area aren’t particularly patient drivers and will overtake you at any opportunity, even if you’re travelling at the posted speed limit. After realizing there wasn’t much danger of being a little liberal with our speeds, we took the opportunity to follow the locals down through some sweeping curves and over crests, and the V90 Cross Country performed beautifully.
The body control is damn-near perfect while ride comfort remains largely uncompromised, thanks in part to the air suspension at the rear, but also because Volvo went through hundreds of different spring and damper settings before they were satisfied. While there is only a twin-charged 2.0-litre mill up front (as per the T6 badge), it pushes out a solid 316 hp and 400 Nm of torque- similar to that of the S60 T6 and easily rivalling the BMW 340i or Mercedes C400 if they were even sold locally. It’s also paired with an 8-speed automatic (competitive within the class), but what is unique is that it has all-wheel drive.
This is the major distinction. Yes, naturally all-wheel drive makes a car more effective and easier to drive in adverse conditions, but it also has the added benefit of splitting torque between the front and rear wheels to reduce torque steer. The biggest change is in the steering system when compared to the S60 T6 and the V40 T5 Drive E: there’s none of that dullness in response and feedback that occurs whenever you touch the throttle. With accurate steering and excellent chassis dynamics, the V90 Cross Country is definitely a force to be reckoned with.
But even if you don’t care about how it drives and handles, and you simply want to assess it as a luxury car, the V90 Cross Country delivers. It’s not merely the choice of materials or the features, but rather the package as a whole and the refinement that is most definitely luxury-level. While it’s true that these particular cars were outfitted with a number of options, such as the panoramic sunroof and heated seats, if you did away with all the bells and whistles the V90 Cross Country would still be an excellent luxury product.
The Volvo V90 and S90 are slated for
release in the coming weeks
, so even though we’re not likely to get this Cross Country variant here, it is a great first look at what’s to come. The V90 Cross Country with the T6 AWD powertrain is the perfect blend of practicality, performance, and luxury. It looks stunning, it drives well, and it easily rivals- if not bests- the current offerings on the market in the areas that most consumers care about, and even ones that are rarely prioritized. While the S90 is likely to sell in larger numbers because of our sedan-biased market, the V90 will reward those who can bring themselves to live with and love a wagon.


Lotus Exige Cup 430 Type 25 Pays Tribute To Brand’s Classic F1 Racecar

Lotus has unveiled the Exige Cup 430 Type 25, which the brand describes as is a collector’s piece like no other and a fitting tribute to the Type 25 Formula 1 car.
Based on the Exige Cup 430 unveiled last year, the Exige Cup 430 Type 25 is powered by a 3.5-litre supercharged and charge cooled V6 engine producing 430 hp and 440 Nm, paired to an open gate six-speed manual gearbox.
The output figures make the Exige Cup 430 Type 25 the fastest in its class, sprinting from 0-100kmh in just 3.2 seconds.
On the exterior, every Exige Cup 430 Type 25 comes with a unique livery finished in metallic Lotus Racing Green, or Old English White, with subtle but sharp contrasting pinstripes on the front splitter, front access panel, new and unique bargeboards, roof panel and rear wing, as well as unique decals on each rear buttress.
Complementing the paintjob is the motorsport inspired aerodynamics kit which comprises a carbon front splitter with trailing lip, air curtain elements, large cut-out sections behind the rear wheels, a high-set rear wing, and a rear diffuser, all working in harmony to generate up to 220 kg of downforce.
Other key features include variable traction control with five pre-set traction levels, Nitron three-way adjustable dampers, Eibach adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, ultra-lightweight forged aluminium wheels, four-piston AP Racing brake calipers, two-piece J-hook brake discs, lightweight titanium exhaust system, carbon race seats trimmed in black Alcantara, and a wooden gear selector knob.
As standard the new Exige Cup 430 Type 25 includes air conditioning, an in-car entertainment system, including iPod® connectivity and Bluetooth® functionality, cruise control, a full carpet set and floor mats. Buyers can tailor their cars with a colour change of the door mirror caps and with the deletion of some standard fit items, including the air conditioning, stereo system and carpet set.
According to Lotus, only 25 units of the Exige Cup 430 Type 25 will be produced, each accompanied by a numbered certificate of authenticity, signed by Jean-Marc Gales, and a matching plaque detailing its number in the limited production run.
Owners have the option of collecting their Exige Cup 430 Type 25 from the famous Hethel factory as well as guided tours of Lotus’ modern vehicle production facility and of the Classic Team Lotus facility.
A signed hardback copy of the acclaimed book “Jim Clark: Tribute to a Champion” by Eric Dymock signed by Clive Chapman, and Bob Dance, a principal mechanic for Jim Clark during his Formula 1 race career, accompanies every car.
Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus said, “We are proud to have named this unique Lotus Exige Cup 430 in honour of the Lotus Type 25, a car which left an indelible mark on the development of motorsport.”
Driven by some of the greatest names in racing, including Jim Clark, Mike Hailwood, Chris Amon, and Richard Attwood, the Lotus Type 25 competed against the best on the grid from 1962 to 1967, and changed the evolution of racing cars forever.
Winning three Formula 1 races in its first year at the hands of the talented Jim Clark, the Type 25 just missed out on the Constructors’ Championship in the final race. For the 1963 season the Lotus Type 25 reigned supreme, winning seven of the ten championship races, with seven pole positions and six fastest laps, and recording the first Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships for the Lotus team.


Lexus To Introduce FCV Model For 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Toyota is rumoured to be working on a Lexus-badged hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicle (FCV) as the next step in the company’s plans to roll commercialise fuel cell electric vehicles. A report by Japan’s Nikkei Asian Review claims that the unnamed Lexus FCV model will make its debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The report did not cite any sources but Nikkei adds that the next generation Lexus LS is likely to incorporate some form of zero emissions technology – an area of development which includes FCV technology.
The company’s recently announced “
Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050
” also mentions that Toyota aims to kick start a ‘hydrogen society’ that will see the company selling over 30,000 FCVs annually, a tenfold increase from the company’s target for 2017.
On a related note, Lexus has also announced that it will be presenting a new concept car at the upcoming 2015 Tokyo Motor Show, a concept that Lexus says represents the brands future vision of progressive luxury.
The concept car is likely to point to the proposed Lexus FCV model.
Related link:
Toyota: Back To The Future’s Mr. Fusion Is Already Here


BMW 7-Series Can Now Stream German Bundesliga Soccer Games To Its iDrive Display

The new
BMW 7-Series
 can now stream live soccer games from the German Bundesliga football league.

It's only a matter of time before this happens and the BMW Group went on to get first dibs by collaborating with the Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) to become the first car manufacturer to 'test Bundesliga content in a vehicle in a pilot application'.

Bundesliga in-car App via OTA

To gain access to selected content from the Bundesliga, all one needs is the Bundesliga in-car app that will be delivered over-the-air (OTA) to the new BMW 7-Series. Once that is completed, the matches can be viewed on the BMW Curved Display - a heavenly addition if you're a football fan.

For now, this feature is only available in Germany. But fear not as other regions of Europe, America, and even Asia will begin offering this service soon. As for the pilot run, that is scheduled to continue until the end of March 2024.

Watch football only when the car is stationary

To ensure the safety of BMW 7-Series owners and its occupants, the video content from the Bundesliga in-car app will only be shown when the car is stationary. So, bad news if you happen to roll around with a driver.

When the car is moving, audio streams can be accessed so you don't miss a beat from the Bundesliga's content such as highlights, match data, and even on-demand stuff.

Activation of the Personal eSIM in the vehicle should be conducted first and once that is done, BMW 7-Series owners can enjoy high-speed 5G football streaming while in commute.

Not a big football fan myself, but it is indeed a cool feature to have. Any chance BMW can make a deal with F1, MotoGP, or even UFC? Now, that would be awesome.


Best CVT Transmissions

CVT = Continuously Variable Transmission. Are they reliable? Are they smoother? We explore 5 cars with the best CVT transmissions.

CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission)

With more and more vehicles manufacturers preferring to equip their vehicles with CVT transmissions for the sake of fuel efficiency and reliability, it's no surprise that these once frowned upon transmission is starting to be accepted due to the refinement it produces.

But what is a
CVT
 transmission?

The CVT is a transmission that saw popularity on and off over the last two decades but has eventually become quite a staple – especially among Japanese cars. While there are various ways of engineering a CVT, the most common method is two variable-sized pulleys. One pulley takes an input from the engine, while the other pulley delivers an output to the wheels.

Connecting the two pulleys is a belt or chain. What's unique about the CVT is that the size of these pulleys can change in minute steps, which in turn allows the transmission to vary the ratio of input speed to output speed continuously – hence the name Continuously Variable Transmission.

With that being said, let us look at some cars with the best CVT transmission.

1. Toyota Yaris

With its edgy looks, bright colour palette, and optional bodykit, the
Yaris
 strikes the right balance between the straight-laced image of past Toyotas as well as the more daring and mischievous character the automaker now finds itself leaning more toward.

The 1.5-litre engine is pretty much bulletproof, the ride is refined, and the drive is pretty darn smooth, thanks partly to its CVT transmission. The CVT is pretty much inaudible and helps deliver smooth linear power, which makes it a relaxed drive. The CVT also has a flipside where you can engage its 7-speed sequential mode, which allows you to pick gears manually.

2. Honda CR-V

Honda makes one of the best CVT transmissions around, and it really helps with the refinement of the
Honda CR-V
. Apart from being surefooted and well balanced, the Honda CR-V is also silky smooth, and the CVT transmission helps the SUV accelerate off the line with ease. Another strong point of the Honda CVT transmission in the CR-V is its seamless virtual ratios which are practically unnoticeable.

3. Subaru Forester

The
Subaru Forester
 is one of the most underrated SUVs around, and it's a shame motorist do not open up to it more often. With a good level of passive safety, comfort, NVH levels and overall driving refinement, it's a good thing that its CVT transmission doesn't let it down.

In our opinion, Subaru makes one of the best CVT-type automatic gearboxes out there – those who have had a chance to drive the current generation WRX – will know what we mean. The CVT-type automatic suspension in the Forester is relatively quiet and responsive at low, mid and highway speeds. Additionally, there's very little engine drivetrain judder during stop-go traffic, making this an effortless transmission to get to terms with.

4. Honda Jazz

Honda Malaysia will probably be killing off the
Jazz
 when the Honda City Hatchback arrives, and that's a shame because the Jazz is a versatile little thing with a smooth driving experience.

The 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine isn't all that powerful, and with 120PS/145Nm, can't quite match some of its rivals for pure punch, but the hatchback is no slouch as it is able to accelerate as quickly as any driver wants it to and even climb up some steep inclines without struggle.

That peppiness is managed by the CVT transmission that does a fine job of dialing in the power to the right ratio for an acceleration that is effortless. While some CVTs are occasionally attributed to being the weakest link in a car fitted with one, the Honda unit here complements the Jazz well and aids in its un-rushed and dignified personality while being more conservative of the fuel in its tank. This is a CVT that works; one you can (and probably will) literally forget about.

5. Lexus UX

If it's anybody that can make the good ol' CVT refined, it'll probably be Lexus - because their cars are all about refinement. Despite being an entry-level Lexus, the
UX
 is still Lexus through and through. It has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine mated to a "10-speed Direct Shift CVT", which is basically a CVT transmission with a launch gear and 10 virtual speeds.

As you can imagine, the CVT is smooth and launches the car well when you need to accelerate. It's also one of the quieter CVTs we have experienced, but then again, that's just probably Lexus' impeccable NVH dampeners doing their job. Of course, we're first a little uncertain as to why Lexus equipped the UX with a CVT transmission as it's supposed to be an entry-level luxury vehicle, but with a CVT that good, you will forget that it is there.

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September 2016 New Car Sales: Market Still Sluggish

Malaysia’s new vehicle sales for the month of September dropped by 7.9 percent month-on-month, with cumulative sales reaching 418,433 units, still 13.8 percent lower than the same nine-month period last year.
As expected by analysts, the Perodua Axia and
Bezza
 has begun eating into the sales of the aging Perodua Myvi, which at one time was Perodua’s best-seller. Following Perodua’s 40 percent spike in August sales, achieved on the back of the Bezza’s launch in July, Perodua’s sales declined by 19.3 percent last month.
Honda remains the best-selling non-national brand, leading archrival Toyota by over 40 percent. However, Honda’s numbers for September declined by 9.5 percent despite the launch of the
new Honda Accord
 last month.
Proton on the other hand, is showing a strong 36.7 percent month-on-month growth, pushed ahead by tailwind from the success of the recently introduced
Proton Persona
 and
Saga
.
Toyota declined by 13.5 percent. This is despite having just launched the
Toyota Sienta
 in August. However, Toyota’s performance is expected to show some improvement next month once contribution from the new Toyota Vios, which was launched earlier this month, is factored in.
Mercedes-Benz continued its strong performance, outselling even mainstream brands like Isuzu and Mazda. The three-pointed star now holds a nearly 50 percent lead over archrival BMW. The company had recently achieved its
highest ever quarterly
 sales in Q3 2016.
While BMW looks destined to play second fiddle to Mercedes-Benz for the rest of the year, the company is actually doing a lot better than last year, with a cumulative sales now doing 20.5 percent better than last year. It’s growing healthily, just not as fast as Mercedes-Benz.


Sistem RFID Perlu Dipertingkatkan – Banyak Masalah, Pemandu Risau

Bermula 15 Januari 2022, transaksi tol menggunakan teknologi
Identifikasi Frekuensi Radio (RFID)
 untuk kenderaan ringan persendirian (Kelas 1) akan dilaksanakan sepenuhnya di laluan Juru, Pulau Pinang hingga ke Skudai, Johor di
Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan (PLUS).

Walau bagaimanapun, ramai yang berpendapat bahawa sistem RFID di negara ini perlu dipertingkatkan terutama dari segi pengesanan tag RFID di plaza tol dan kualiti pelekat tag itu sendiri yang mudah rosak. Mana taknya, kalau kena undur sampai 2-3 kali semata-mata nak lepas satu plaza tol, lebih baik bayar guna kad secara fizikal sahaja kan?

Baru-baru ini, ada pula pengguna yang memuat naik gambar tag RFID miliknya yang cair terkena panas matahari. Malah ada juga yang berkata bahawa pelekat RFID tidak tahan lama dan tertanggal setelah membasuh kereta. Persoalannya, adakah pelekat RFID yang digunakan ini ketika ini mempunyai kualiti yang baik untuk digunakan dalam jangka masa panjang? Atau sesetengah pengguna yang silap tampal? Ada pantang larang ke kalau guna RFID?

Jika sebelum ini kami menulis tentang
kualiti pelekat cukai jalan kenderaan atau
road tax
 kereta yang mudah rosak
, nampaknya ada juga yang menyuarakan pendapat sama tentang pelekat RFID ini. Terdapat juga video tular dimana pemandu perlu mengelap cerminnya terlebih dahulu bagi memastikan tag RFID miliknya dapat dibaca oleh pengimbas di plaza tol. Malah ada juga palang yang hanya terbuka selama satu saat sebelum palang itu tertutup semula. Sampai bila masalah ini perlu dibiarkan terus berlaku?

Perkara seperti ini membuatkan para pengguna lain berasa takut untuk berhijrah ke RFID kerana bimbang perkara sama akan berlaku pada mereka. Sejujurnya, siapa yang mahu sangkut di plaza tol dan menjadi punca kesesakan jalan raya?

Setuju atau tidak, penggunaan RFID secara besar-besaran ini merupakan satu langkah awal untuk mencapai matlamat
Sistem Tol Aliran Bebas Pelbagai Lorong (MLFF)
 selain menggalakkan penggunaan
Touch ‘n Go eWallet
 untuk pembayaran tanpa tunai. Selain itu, sistem pembayaran tol RFID dilengkapi dengan Sistem Pengecaman Automatik Nombor Pendaftaran Kenderaan (ANPR) dan Pusat Validasi Tol di mana ia dipercayai boleh membuatkan pemanduan lebih lancar di plaza tol. Boleh percaya ke?

Secara atas kertas, memang pembayaran tol secara eWallet ini memudahkan pengguna, tetapi jika tahap keberkesanannya masih di takuk lama, adakah negara ini betul-betul bersedia untuk menuju ke Sistem Tol Aliran Bebas Pelbagai Lorong Tanpa Palang (MLFF) atau sistem ini hanya gah pada namanya?

Menerusi perkongsian yang dibuat oleh PLUS Trafik di Twitter, ada beberapa perkara yang perlu dilakukan berkenaan pemasangan dan penggunaan tag Touch ‘n Go RFID. Untuk memastikan tag RFID anda tidak mengalami sebarang masalah, ikuti tips dibawah.

Pastikan nombor pendaftaran kenderaan mematuhi spesifikasi Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) dan boleh dibaca dengan jelas untuk memastikan RFID dikesan dengan baik.

Tag RFID perlu dipasang mengikut panduan yang ditetapkan (di lampu hadapan kiri atau cermin hadapan kiri.

Tag RFID hanya boleh digunakan untuk 1 kenderaan yang didaftarkan sahaja.

Pemandu perlu memandu tidak melebihi 30km/j ketika melalui lorong khas RFID

Untuk lebih selamat, buat pemasangan tag RFID di Pusat Pemasangan RFID yang terpilih. Di sana, tag itu akan diuji dahulu sebelum digunakan untuk pembayaran tol

Selain itu, ada juga pantang larang yang perlu diikuti setelah anda menampal pelekat RFID pada kereta anda untuk memastikan pelekat RFID anda sentiasa berada dalam keadaan baik. Ikuti tips dibawah:

Dilarang mencuci cermin hadapan atau lampu hadapan dalam masa 24 jam setelah tag RFID dipasang.

Dilarang menggunakan cecair kimia sewaktu membersihkan cermin hadapan atau lampu hadapan kenderaan.

Dilarang menanggalkan atau mengeluarkan tag RFID setelah dilekatkan. Tag RFID akan gagal berfungsi jika anda berbuat demikian.

Sekiranya plaza tol gagal mengesan tag RFID anda, tidak perlu menukar lorong atau keluar daripada kereta. Sebaliknya, tekan butang interkom untuk mendapatkan bantuan petugas tol. Petugas tol akan datang dan menyediakan pengimbas mudah alih untuk membantu transaksi tol anda.

Untuk menukar tag RFID yang rosak, pemilik perlu membawa kenderaan ke Pusat Pemasangan Tag RFID untuk mendapatkan tag baharu. Bagi mereka yang yang memilih untuk memasang sendiri dan pelekat tersebut telah rosak, anda boleh memohon tag RFID baharu di Portal rasmi RFID di (rfid.touchngo.com.my) atau hubungi 03-27148888.

Dari segi had laju yang dibenarkan untuk penggunaan RFID di plaza tol, tiada masalah untuk mengekalkan had kelajuan di lorong RFID di bawah 30km/j atas sebab keselamatan. Namun diharapkan supaya teknologi pengimbasan tag RFID ini dapat dipertingkatkan supaya isu seperti tag RFID gagal dibaca atau palang tidak terbuka dapat di elak di masa hadapan.

Sebagai pengguna jalan raya, apa pula pendapat anda tentang penggunaan RFID menggantikkan kad fizikal Touch ‘n Go dan Smart Tag? Adakah sistem RFID di negara ini sudah cukup bagus atau boleh dipertingkatkan lagi?


Geely Back In Talks With Proton?

Proton's search for a foreign strategic partner has taken an interesting turn, as a report from
The Edge
 mentioned that Geely is now back in negotiations with Proton.
It was three weeks ago that we
reported
 that Geely has withdrawn its bid for a controlling stake in Proton.
Apparently some speculated that the move was all a negotiation strategy, as Geely president An Conghui withdrawn just one week before the French President Francois Hollande visited Malaysia.
During Hollande's visit, the President's agenda did not include the Proton-PSA deal. “For the French president to come all this way and nothing to be signed? That is very telling. If they [PSA and Proton] could see eye-to-eye at a high level, they could have at least signed a memorandum of understanding first. The other details can always be sorted out later,” one industry executive told The Edge. The French government owns 14 percent of PSA Group.
PSA may ditch Proton all together and seek a new partner with less political risk.
Elsewhere, Proton is said to be requesting the government between RM1.5 billion to RM1.8 billion to keep them afloat. The additional funds is not part of the earlier RM1.25 billion soft loan that the government handed to Proton in 2016. The Edge reckons that if Proton continues to suffer losses, the move will cause the conversion of soft loan to equity, resulting in the government being the majority shareholder of Proton.
Proton's ongoing negotiation with PSA and Geely needs to be observed closely, seeing that Proton's future depends on it.


2022 Honda HR-V To Get 4 Variants For Malaysia - S, E, V and RS - From RM120k

Sources have revealed to Carlist.my that the incoming 2022 Honda HR-V will be offered in 4 variants in Malaysia - the Honda HR-V S, E, V, and RS with prices starting from RM120k to RM140k.

2022 Honda HR-V variants to be offered in Malaysia

The variants on offer for the 2022 3rd-generation Honda HR-V in Malaysia will mirror the offerings of the
2022 Honda City Hatchback
 that was launched locally in December 2021.

The 4 variants of the Honda HR-V will be:

Honda HR-V S

Honda HR-V E

Honda HR-V V

Honda HR-V RS e:HEV

Price of the 2022 Honda HR-V

We've been informed that prices will begin from RM120k and top off at RM140k - which would make it very competitively priced against its direct rival the Toyota Corolla Cross which retails from RM123k topping off at RM137k for the Hybrid variant.

Engine and Performance

As with our neighbouring markets, the standard engine is the now-established L15B. The base variant will arrive in the all-new HR-V without a turbocharger and has a reduced output of 121PS and 145Nm
just like City E, S, and V variants
.

A notch up the pecking order we find the e:HEV version with Honda's i-MMD hybrid system (Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive). It uses the same engine, albeit one that runs on the more efficient Atkinson combustion cycle, to power an electric traction motor that delivers 106PS and 253Nm to the front wheels.

No
turbocharged RS variant
 (a world-first for an HR-V) will be made available in Malaysia as available in the Indonesian market.

Interior of the 2022 Honda HR-V

By volume, the all-new 2022 HR-V is slightly down on its predecessor thanks to being slightly shorter from nose to tail. It's lower too, but 20mm wider than before to accommodate its lower-slung coupe-like body.

That said, Honda has sought to keep the cabin experience in their newest crossover a commodious one, utilising its much-known use of excellent interior packaging to yield unexpected levels of cabin space which should at least be on par with the outgoing model in terms of shoulder room (extra width?) and is claimed to improve on legroom despite the same wheelbase length of 2,610mm. Headroom could be a weakness, though, thanks to that heavily raked rear screen.

Upfront, the dashboard has seen a total overhaul and adopts a floating (but with a sizeable back panel) 7-inch infotainment touchscreen and
full-width look HVAC vents as the 11th-gen Civic
. Buttons on the centre stack have been reduced to ones surrounding a trio of knobs for climate control and some extras on the multi-function steering wheel, giving a very minimal aesthetic overall.

Honda Connect
 plays a larger role in the all-new 2022 HR-V, though its breadth of ability is contingent on the background infrastructure available locally, and in Japan is even able to support having its own in-vehicle WiFi network, but like the panoramic glass roof, we’re unlikely to receive that in Malaysia.

Honda Sensing

The big headlining feature here is the full inclusion of the
Honda Sensing suite
, something that the outgoing model did not have.

When it does arrive, and knowing that it cannot afford to lose further ground to competitors, we expect the majority of the incoming range to feature some Sensing tech, if not the full complement altogether.

However, seeing as how the City and City Hatchback only arrive with LaneWatch in the 1.5V, we might find the usual 6 airbags, anti-lock brakes, and stability control in the base variants with Sensing reserved for the top-rung petrol-only variant and the e:HEV.

In the upper two variants, buyers will be treated to autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beam, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and front departure alert. Also of note is the continuing absence of rear cross traffic alert.

We should also see some if not all of these additional features when the 2022 Honda HR-V makes landfall here:

3 drive modes

Walk away auto-lock

Electrostatic touch LED map light

Rear seat reminder

Hands-free powered tailgate with walk away cross

Remote engine start

 The color to get has to be the all-new
Sand Khaki Pearl
as witnessed in the video below.