2016 Subaru XV facelift launched in Malaysia – from RM133k onwards

Little over a month after its
regional debut at last year’s Thai Motor Expo,
 the facelifted Subaru XV is officially launched in Malaysia. The improved model incorporates additional features and get mildly revised aesthetics to distinguish itself from its
predecessor
.

Locally assembled at the Tan Chong Motors Assembly (TCMA) plant in Segambut, the new and improved XV is offered to Malaysian buyers in two variants, both featuring a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine arranged in Subaru’s renowned Boxer configuration:

Standard 2.0i – RM132,724.65

Premium 2.0i-P – RM137,074.89

Prices are quoted on-the-road inclusive of GST and insurance for private registration in Peninsular Malaysia.

Like
all Subaru models
 bar the
BRZ
, the XV distributes traction evenly to all four wheels through the company’s famed Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. Power from the naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre port fuel injection engine is rated at 150PS and 196Nm.

Standard transmission for both variants of the XV is Subaru’s in-house developed Lineartronic CVT, designed specifically for the brand’s unique engine-driveline architecture. Claimed fuel efficiency is 7.9 l/100km.

What’s new in the facelift?

Updates to the 2016 XV start from the cosmetic – the front fascia incorporates a new hexagonal grille and headlight clusters with C-shaped position lamps. Sharper contour lines adorn the front bumper, and the 17-inch alloy wheels now sport a revised design. Over at the rear, new combination lamps and rear fog lights complete the external revisions.

A very unique feature in the XV are its side mirror-mounted indicators. In addition to the outward-mounted bulb as we see in most cars with this feature, Subaru has also added a series of LEDs lined under the surface of the mirror itself. When activated, the LEDs blink in such a way that the driver sees a blinking arrow flashing on the mirror. Quite why this feature is not mentioned louder on the vehicle’s official marketing materials is puzzling.

The interior notably gets an array of premium features such as multi-info display in a revised instrument cluster, keyless entry and start, aluminium pedals, and electric adjustment for the driver’s seat. Leather upholstery on the seat wears distinctive orange contrast stitching. Most of these features are exclusive to the Premium model, however.

Variant Overview

The following features are offered in the standard XV 2.0i model:

One-touch indicators

Paddle Shifters

60:40 split-folding rear seats with central armrest

Multi-function steering wheel with tilt & telescopic adjustment

Auto climate control

Cruise control

Airbags: dual frontal + driver knee

Safety: ABS, EBD, Electronic stability control (VDC), Brake assist & override, ISOFIX

Engine Immobiliser

Front & Rear Fog Lamps

Halogen reflector headlamps with level adjustment

17-inch alloy wheels

Topping up a bit over RM4k to the premium 2.0i-P model gets, in addition to the features above, the following:

Daytime running light

LED signals in side mirror

Keyless entry, start-stop button

Aluminium pedals

Retractable cargo cover

Uprated instrument cluster

Touchscreen multi-function display

USB/AUX-IN

Premium Audio

Reverse Camera

Electric adjustment for driver seat

Voice Command

The new facelifted 2016 Subaru XV is officially available for bookings at all Subaru showrooms nationwide.

Our man Jim had a quick spin behind its wheel during its regional launch at Bangkok last year. Follow
this link
 for his review.

We also have a wide range of
new and used Subaru XVs
 for your browsing here on Carlist.my.


Geneva 2016: Volkswagen Phideon – The New Flagship For China

Now that the Volkswagen Phaeton is being phased out with no replacement in sight yet, this Phideon, the result of a joint development between Volkswagen AG and its Chinese partner SAIC Volkswagen, will take over the mantle as Volkswagen’s flagship product in China, the company’s single largest market in the world.
Positioned above the Chinese market Passat (US market Passat) and Magotan (a long wheelbase version of European market Passat), the Phideon measures 5.05 metres long, 1.87 metres wide and 1.48 metres high. That’s over 280 mm longer than our standard wheelbase (European market) Passat B7!
Volkswagen also confirmed that the Phideon is a production version of the C Coupe Concept (below) that was previewed at the 2015 Auto Shanghai motor show.
Initially, there will be two engine options available – a 3.0-litre TSI turbocharged V6 paired driving all four wheels via Volkswagen’s 4MOTION or a 2.0-litre TSI turbocharged four cylinder that drives the front wheels.
A plug-in hybrid model will also join the model line-up at a later stage.
The Phideon is the first Volkswagen model to be built based on the company’s modular MLB platform for longitudinal engines.
Comfort is further enhanced with the adoption of an air suspension system borrowed Volkswagen’s sister-company Bentley.
A ‘Soft Close’ electric soft-closing system for the doors raises the car’s level of refinement.
The Phideon will go on sale in China in the third quarter of this year.


Infiniti Q60 Coupe Launched - From RM308,800, 7-Year Warranty

Infiniti Malaysia has pulled the wraps off the all-new Infiniti Q60, a premium sports coupe that combines expressive design and exciting performance, aimed at the traditional buyer base of cars like the
BMW 4 Series
 and
Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe
. The all-new Q60 Coupe replaces the G37 Coupe first launched in 2009 and is the only two-doored offering within the Infiniti stable.
The Q60’s design combines is sculpted lines and strong, muscular proportions. The new car boasts instantly identifiable Infiniti design features such as the double-arch front grille and the crescent-cut C-pillars. Along the flanks, the Q60 features newly-designed 19-inch aluminium alloy wheels as standard fitted with 255/40 RF19 run-flat tyres. The new design also boasts an impressive aerodynamic efficiency of 0.29 Cd.
The Q60 is powered by a four-cylinder, direct injected turbo-charged 2.0-liter engine that delivers 211hp at 5,500 rpm and 350 Nm maximum torque between 1,250 and 3,500 rpm. Infiniti’s Idle Stop-Start system is also fitted as standard and delivers a combined fuel economy rating of 7.5L/100km.
The engine is paired to a seven-speed automatic transmission with Adaptive Shift Control (ASC). The system uses a lateral acceleration sensor to detect topographical changes in the road and modulate gear-selection patterns according to the changing conditions. Four drivetrain modes are selectable – ‘Standard’, ‘Snow’, ‘Sport’, and ‘Personal’.
On the inside, the Q60’s infotainment systems are centered on two touchscreens (8-inch upper and 7-inch lower), as part of the InTouch central control system, which controls all the in-car functions and eliminates the need for many switches and toggles.
Infiniti has worked on minimizing the Q60’s noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) levels by including Active Noise Cancellation components to filter out engine noise frequencies and an acoustic windshield further reduces noise entering the cabin. An all-new 13-speaker, Bose Performance Series sound system, the first for any production vehicle, has been tuned for the acoustics of the Q60.
The Q60 is equipped with six airbags as standard, a pop-up engine hood is also standard, engineered to meet new global safety standards for pedestrian safety.
The Q60 is fully imported from Japan and is available in five exterior colors, with 'Dynamic Sunstone Red', the highlight colour of the new car.
On-The-Road price is inclusive of GST (without insurance) applicable in Peninsular Malaysia from RM308,800 with a 7-year unlimited mileage warranty.


8 Cara Mudah Untuk Hilangkan Bau Durian Di Dalam Kereta

Bagi penggemar durian, musim durian ini memanglah best sebab durian murah. Cuma yang tak bestnya, bau durian melekat pada kereta!

Selalunya kita dengar cerita tentang
Myvi
 sebagai
King of The Road
 sahaja kan? Kali ini, King Myvi boleh tepi sikit sebab sekarang ini merupakan musim King of Fruits, Le Durian! Meskipun sering dicerca dan dihina oleh orang luar tentang bau dan rasanya yang tajam dan pelik, buah durian masih disukai ramai di negara ini. Malah ada yang sanggup berbelanja sehingga beribu-ribu hanya untuk menikmati raja buah ini.

Tetapi, buah durian punya level king ini jauh lebih hebat berbanding
Myvi
. Kenapa saya cakap macam itu? Kerana buah durian berkebolehan untuk menapau semua jenis kereta dengan meninggalkan bau yang amat kuat jika diletakkan di dalam kereta. Kalau anda penggemar durian yang tidak kisahkan bau durian, tiada masalah. Tetapi kalau anda ada orang rumah yang tak suka dengan bau durian, kan pening nak kena bebel nanti?

Sekiranya anda seorang hantu durian yang baru sahaja memiliki sebuah kereta baharu, nak bawa durian itu pun boleh membuatkan anda berfikir sejenak. Mana taknya, bau durian ni memang kuat dan melekat meskipun durian telah dikeluarkan daripada kereta. Bagi orang yang tak makan durian, bau durian ni boleh buat gaduh. Takkan nak bagi
Perodua Ativa
 anda yang baru sampai rumah beberapa hari lepas tu berbau durian? Jatuh saham nanti.

Jangan risau. Setiap permasalahan ada jalan penyelesaiannya. Untuk menyelamatkan kereta anda daripada bau durian serta telinga anda daripada dibebel, berikut merupakan 8 cara mudah yang boleh anda ikuti untuk menghalang King Durian daripada meninggalkan bau yang kuat pada kereta anda.

1. Tangkai Durian

*Kredit: Ibdilillah Ishak (@ibdil) di Twitter

Sebelum anda meletakkan buah durian di dalam kereta, potong tangkai durian daripada buah terlebih dahulu. Kemudian, ambil tangkai itu dan belah dua pada bahagian hujungnya dan sangkutkan pada corong pendingin hawa kereta anda.

Nampak macam tak masuk akal kan? Tapi jangan risau, tiada unsur sihir atau magik di sini. Petua ini banyak kali dikongsi oleh penggemar durian serta penjual durian. Menerusi maklum balas orang ramai yang telah mencuba petua ini, ianya terbukti berkesan. Cubalah!

2. Pengudaraan

Kalau durian dah ada banyak di dalam kereta dan anda pulun pendingin hawa di tahap maksimum, bau durian semestinya akan terkumpul dan menghantui kereta anda selama berhari-hari. Anda boleh menukarkan mod pendingin hawa kereta hala ke luar. Selalunya, perokok akan melakukan perkara ini untuk mengelakkan bau rokok melekat di kereta.

Selain itu, anda juga boleh mematikan pendingin hawa kereta dan turunkan kesemua tingkap semasa memandu bagi membolehkan udara luar masuk dan membilas udara terkumpul di dalam kereta. Sebelum anda melakukan perkara ini, pastikan anda telah meletakkan durian tersebut di dalam plastik sebanyak dua hingga tiga lapis dan ikat seketat-ketatnya bagi mengelakkan udara yang padat dengan bau daripada keluar daripada plastik tersebut.

Kalau anda seorang yang anti penggunaan beg plastik, jangan risau kerana anda boleh juga menggunakan 3-4 helai kain basah untuk membalut durian tersebut dengan rapi sebelum diletakkan di dalam kereta. Beberapa helai kain basah yang membaluti buah durian itu berupaya untuk memerangkap baunya daripada keluar tanpa menggunakan plastik sama sekali. Selain dapat mengurangkan penggunaan plastik, penyu-penyu di lautan turut menangis gembira!

3. Roti

Selain daripada menjadi sumber makanan kepada rakyat marhaen hingga ke golongan T20, roti juga berfungsi sebagai salah satu komponen penting dalam membanteras bau durian daripada merosakkan bau wangi kereta anda. Anda boleh menggunakan roti putih (pelbagai jenama) untuk petua ini. Jangan guna roti telur siap dengan dal dan sambal pula, berlipas kereta tu nanti.

Caranya mudah sahaja, letakkan beberapa keping roti putih di dalam kereta dan biarkan semalaman. Seelokknya, letakkan di bahagian yang berbau kuat seperti di ruangan but belakang kereta. Roti berkemampuan untuk menyerap bau durian di dalam kereta.

4. Kopi

Kopi adalah pembunuh bau-bauan yang terunggul sepanjang zaman. Bahkan, penjual minyak wangi masih menggunakan biji kopi untuk meneutralkan semula bau minyak wangi pada hidung pelanggan untuk membolehkan pelanggan membezakan bau minyak wangi.

Seperti minyak wangi, buah durian turut mempunyai bau yang kuat. Anda boleh menggunakan biji kopi atau serbuk kopi dari rumah. Balut sebahagian serbuk kopi dengan kain, ikatkan dengan getah dan letakkan serbuk kopi itu di dalam kereta untuk dibiarkan semalaman. Untuk cara lebih mudah, gunakan serbuk kopi berbentuk uncang.

5. Soda Bikarbonat/ Serbuk Penaik

Serbuk penaik atau soda bikarbonat ini bukan sahaja boleh naikkan kek anda, namun ia juga mampu menaikkan semula aroma segar kereta dengan menyahkan bau durian yang melekat di kereta anda.

Caranya, letakkan sebekas serbuk soda bikarbonat di dalam kereta dan biarkan semalaman. Untuk kesan yang lebih kuat, taburkan sedikit serbuk penaik di bahagian lantai kereta dan tempat yang paling kuat berbau seperti bonet belakang kereta. Biarkan selama 2-3 jam dan vakum semula serbuk yang telah ditabur tadi.

6. Pandan

Pandan merupakan sumber wangian semulajadi yang mudah untuk diperolehi. Kalau anda duduk di kawasan kampung, boleh petik sahaja daun pandan di halaman rumah. Kalau di bandar, jangan risau, daun pandan ini boleh didapati di pasar.

Untuk menggunakan pandan untuk menghilangkan bau durian, ambil beberapa helai daun pandan dan letakkan di dalam bonet belakang kereta. Bau yang terhasil daripada pandan itu mampu menghilangkan kesan bau durian pada kereta. Untuk kesan yang lebih berkesan, letakkan daun pandan di corong pendingin hawa anda sebagai air freshener semulajadi kereta anda.

7. Arang

Selain berfungsi sebagai bahan bakar utama bagi shisha, arang juga mampu menyerap dan memerangkap bau durian dalam kereta. Anda boleh membeli sahaja arang biasa yang dijual di kedai runcit berhampiran rumah anda.

Caranya mudah sahaja, letakkan arang di dalam bekas terbuka dan tinggalkan semalaman di dalam kereta. Itu sahaja. Anda kini juga boleh mendapatkan arang yang dijual khas untuk menghilangkan bau kereta di pasaran online.

8. Cuka

Ini merupakan salah satu petua yang digunakan oleh orang dulu-dulu. Dengan cuka, anda boleh menghilangkan reaksi muka semasam cuka oleh penumpang yang tidak berpuas hati dengan bau kereta anda.

Caranya, tuangkan cuka di dalam gelas atau mangkuk dan letakkan di bahagian bonet belakang serta di bahagian tengah dalam kereta dan biarkan semalaman. Nak lebih kick? Perahkan sedikit lemon ke dalam larutan cuka tadi. Bukan sekadar bau durian, bau rokok pun boleh hilang!

CARA YANG PALING BERKESAN

Cara-cara ini sudah terbukti berkesan melalui perkongsian orang ramai di media sosial. Tetapi sekiranya langkah-langkah ini tidak berkesan pada kereta anda, ada lagi satu cara yang paling berkesan untuk menghalang bau durian daripada menghantui kereta anda.

Caranya, makan sahaja durian tersebut di kedai. Dengan ini, bau durian hanya akan menghantui jari jemari dan mulut anda sahaja. Tak perlu nak bawa balik. Kalau keluarga anda penggemar durian, bawa mereka keluar sekali untuk makan durian. Selain dapat menghalang bau durian daripada masuk ke dalam kereta, anda juga dapat mencipta masa berharga bersama keluarga.

Diharapkan tips dan petua yang dikongsi ini mampu membantu anda untuk membawa pulang durian tanpa rasa bersalah pada kereta anda. Anda ada petua lain untuk hilangkan bau durian pada kereta? Kongsikan dengan kami!

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

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

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

Get your latest
new car promotion
 here also.


Lampu HID, LED, Halogen – Apa Yang Boleh, Apa Yang Tidak Mengikut JPJ?

Nak
ubahsuai lampu kereta
 untuk menjadi lebih baik tapi tak tahu sama ada lampu tersebut mendapat kelulusan daripada
JPJ
 atau tidak? Jangan risau,
we got you
!

Bila dah ada modal, aktiviti pengubahsuaian kereta ni memang menyeronokkan. Tetapi sebelum anda berbuat demikian, anda perlu tahu terlebih dahulu dengan apa yang dibenarkan dan apa yang tidak dibenarkan oleh JPJ. Jangan main lenjan je, nanti tahu-tahu dapat
surat saman
. Kan rugi tu?

Dalam artikel kali ini, kami akan berkongsi jenis
penggunaan lampu kereta yang dibenarkan
 serta yang dilarang oleh JPJ tidak kiralah sama ada lampu hadapan, lampu belakang, lampu signal serta lampu aksesori tambahan pada kenderaan anda.

1. Lampu Hadapan

a) Lampu HID Secara Retrofit Tidak Dibenarkan

Lampu
High Intensity Discharge (HID)
 merupakan lampu yang tidak menggunakan filament tetapi menggunakan gas Xenon. Pemasangan lampu HID secara aksesori (retrofit) adalah tidak dibenarkan kecuali penukaran keseluruhan sistem lampu tersebut dengan mendapat kebenaran daripada badan yang diberi kuasa seperti SIRIM.

Pengubahsuaian lampu secara retrofit bermaksud anda mengubahsuai atau menambah sesuatu lampu yang tiada semasa penghasilan kereta tersebut di kilang. Kebanyakan kereta baharu sekarang menggunakan lampu LED dari kilang yang jauh lebih baik berbanding lampu halogen. Tetapi tahukah anda, anda tidak dibenarkan untuk menukar lampu halogen biasa kepada lampu HID dengan sewenang-wenangnya untuk menambah kecerahan lampu kerana ia dikira salah di sisi undang-undang?

*Kredit foto: Alla Lighting Automotive LED Bulbs

Lampu halogen yang diubahsuai ke lampu jenis HID akan menjadi terlalu terang sehingga mengganggu pengguna jalan raya yang lain terutamanya pada waktu malam. Ini kerana sistem pemantulan lampu kereta anda direka untuk penggunaan lampu halogen, bukanlah lampu HID. Dengan menggunakan lampu HID, pantulan lampu tersebut boleh menjadi terlalu tinggi dan menyebabkan silau pada pemandu lain. Sebab itu penukaran lampu halogen ke HID ini diharamkan oleh JPJ kecuali mengikut piawaian yang ditetapkan.

Pemasangan Lampu HID yang diluluskan adalah yang mematuhi United Nation Regulations seperti berikut:

UNECE R48: Installation Of Light

UNECE R98: Gas-Discharge Headlamp

UNECE R99: Gas-Discharge Headlamp Source dan pemasangan lampu HID yang dilakukan oleh syarikat pengeluar kenderaan yang mematuhi standard di atas.

Sebagai contoh, United Nation Regulations 48 (UNR48) yang berkaitan lampu kenderaan, lampu utama kenderaan hanya boleh menggunakan lampu dengan kadar pancaran cahaya (brightness intensity) 4,300K maksimum. Tetapi dalam pasaran, terdapat lampu HID yang mencecah sehingga 16,000K. Jika didapati bersalah, anda boleh didenda sehingga RM 2000 atau penjara bagi tempoh tidak lebih 6 bulan dibawah seskyen 119 (1) APJ 1987.

Jika tahap kecerahan lampu kereta anda kurang memuaskan, anda boleh tukar mentol lampu halogen yang lebih baik dan cerah untuk memberi pencahayaan yang lebih baik ketika memandu pada waktu malam.
Osram
 dan Philips merupakan antara jenama yang menawarkan lampu yang sah disisi undang-undang Malaysia yang boleh anda dapatkan sebagai alternatif.

*Kredit foto: Shopee

b) Lampu Berkelip-Kelip

Penggunaan lampu hadapan yang berkelip kelip ini sangatlah mengganggu fokus pengguna jalan raya yang lain. Selain daripada lampu penunjuk arah dan lampu berjaga-jaga, penggunaan lampu berkelip ini tidak dibenarkan kerana ia bukan sahaja menyebabkan silau, ia turut menyebabkan darah pemandu lain naik sehingga memaki-maki pengguna lampu tersebut. Jika kita tidak boleh bantu orang, sekurang-kurangnya janganlah susahkan orang lain.

c) Lampu Tambahan

Jika anda merancang untuk menambah lampu tambahan di bahagian hadapan, pastikan ia berwarna putih atau amber. Apa-apa lampu tambahan pada kenderaan persendirian di hadapan selain daripada warna yang disebutkan adalah tidak dibenarkan.

2. Lampu Belakang

a) Lampu Belakang Digelapkan (Smoked)

Jika lampu hadapan terlalu cerah menjadi kesalahan, lampu belakang yang samar, gelap ataupun kelam juga menjadi satu kesalahan. Tidak kiralah sama ada anda menggunakan Plasti Dip, pelekat balutan, lapisan filem gelap atau spray cat sendiri secara manual (memang pernah terjadi!)

Kalau nak gelapkan sedikit sahaja, ia masih dibenarkan asalkan ia tidak mengganggu tahap pencahayaan yang sepatutnya diberikan oleh lampu terbabit. Bila lampu belakang gelap, orang pun silap silap tak perasan kedudukan kenderaan anda pada waktu malam. Nanti tahu tahu bampar belakang kereta dah jatuh kena hentam dengan kereta lain.

Tahap kecerahan lampu brek anda juga akan terganggu, terutama pada waktu tengahari apabila sinaran matahari jauh lebih terang untuk menyembunyikan lampu brek yang telah digelapkan itu. Lebih parah bila lampu brek ketiga anda tidak berfungsi, lagilah orang tak perasan anda sedang menekan brek. Tahu tahu bampar belakang kereta jatuh lagi lepas kena hentam kali kedua. Nak ke?

b) Lampu Tambahan

Pemasangan apa-apa lampu tambahan selain warna merah atau amber pada bahagian belakang juga tidak dibenarkan oleh JPJ kerana ia boleh mengelirukan pengguna jalan raya yang lain.

c) Lampu Berkelip-Kelip

Pemasangan lampu berkelip-kelip selain daripada lampu signal dan lampu berjaga-jaga pada bahagian belakang kereta juga tidak dibenarkan kerana ia mengganggu pemandu jalan raya yang lain. Jangan sesekali ubahsuai lampu brek anda supaya berkelip-kelip ketika tidak digunakan.

3. Lampu Isyarat Tunjuk Arah (Signal)

Lampu signal juga tidak boleh terlalu gelap kerana ia membahayakan nyawa anda dan orang lain. Kebiasaannya, apabila pemandu menggelapkan lampu belakang, lampu signal akan turut gelap sama. Kegelapan lampu signal yang melampau dikira mengganggu fungsi sebenar lampu tersebut sebagai lampu isyarat penunjuk arah.

Sekiranya lampu signal anda terlalu samar dan sukar untuk dilihat, bersedia sahajalah untuk dihentam oleh kereta dari pelbagai arah. Mana taknya, bila signal anda tidak jelas kelihatan, anggap sahaja isyarat signal anda itu umpama niat. Macam mana orang nak perasan!

4. Spotlight

Pemasangan spotlight hanya dibenarkan untuk kenderaan
4×4
 sahaja. Pemasangan spotlight ini mestilah berwarna putih atau amber sahaja dan dipasang di bahagian hadapan kenderaan sebagai tambahan kepada lampu sedia. Ketinggian pemasangan spotlight hendaklah tidak melebihi 5 kaki (1524mm) dari atas permukaan jalan.

Pemasangan spotlight di atas bumbung kenderaan adalah tidak dibenarkan. Selain itu, hanya 2 unit spotlight sahaja dibenarkan untuk pemasangan pada kenderaan dan lampu spotlight ini hanya dibenarkan untuk diguna semasa aktiviti
off-road
 sahaja. Haram digunakan di atas jalan raya.

5. Lampu Mata Arah (Beacon Light)

Lampu mata arah (Beacon Light)
 merupakan satu lampu penanda amaran pelbagai warna dan dikategorikan sebagai komponen aksesori yang dipasang di atas bumbung atau bahagian atas sesebuah kenderaan. Penggunaan lampu ini adalah bertujuan untuk memperingatkan pengguna-pengguna jalan raya yang lain bahawa mereka perlu memperlahankan kenderaan, berhati-hati, berwaspada serta memberikan laluan.

Menurut kaedah 24 Kaedah-kaedah Kenderaan Motor (Lalulintas Jalan) 1959 hanya kenderaan polis,
bomba
, ambulans dan JPJ sahaja dibenarkan mendapat hak haluan (Priority Over Traffic) di mana-mana jalan raya negara ini. Walau bagaimanapun menurut Kaedah 138 (1) Kaedah-Kaedah Kenderaan Motor (pembinaan dan penggunaan) 1959, Ketua Pengarah JPJ Malaysia mempunyai kuasa untuk mengecualikan mana-mana kenderaan daripada mematuhi mana-mana kaedah yang sedia ada. Kenderaan kegunaan persendirian tidak akan dibenarkan memasang alat ini.

Berikut merupakan kebenaran serta larangan JPJ terhadap pengubahsuaian lampu kereta di negara ini. Pastikan anda tidak mengubahsuai lampu kereta anda tanpa mengikut syarat yang dikeluarkan oleh JPJ jika tidak mahu diburu 'surat cinta' daripada pihak penguatkuasa. Pilihan di tangan anda!

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

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

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

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


Honda Malaysia Opens Up 3S Centre In Keningau, Sabah

While we have a fairly intensive network of dealerships and 3S Centres across Peninsular Malaysia, our friends over in East Malaysia may not have such a great time finding a place to service their cars or to check out the latest models. Earlier today, Honda opened a 3S Centre in the town of Keningau, over in Sabah- which will be a great help to owners in the area.
Located halfway between Tenom and Tambunan, this Honda 3S Centre by Vermillion Autohaus Sdn Bhd can also potentially serve these two neighbouring townships.
From January to October 2017, Sabah contributed more than 2,000 units sold; the opening of the Vermillion Autohaus Honda 3S Centre will help to support this growing number of Honda vehicles.
Established with an investment of RM2.5 million on a 5,000 square feet build-up area, the new Vermillion Autohaus Honda 3S Centre is equipped with four service bays with hoists that can accommodate up to 30 cars per day. These service bays include two for fast service, one for general repair, and one for tyre service.


New Lexus NX300 Range Now Opened For Bookings – From RM 313,888

Lexus Malaysia has announced that bookings are now opened for the newly-updated NX, with prices starting from RM 313,888.
This slight revision updates the facelifted Lexus NX that was previewed back in January 2018, and Lexus Malaysia has dropped the NX300 Hybrid from the local line-up, leaving buyers to choose between the Urban, Premium, and F Sport.
Prices of the updated Lexus NX are as follow:
Lexus NX300 Urban – RM 313,888
Lexus NX300 Premium – RM 333,888
Lexus NX300 F Sport – RM 349,888
The biggest change for the updated Lexus NX range is the inclusion of the Lexus Safety System+, which includes:
Pre-Collision System (PCS)
Lane Tracing Assist (LTA)
Lane Departure Alert (LDA)
Pre-Collision Brake Assist
Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC)
Active Cornering Assist (ACA)
Parking Support Alert
Adaptive High-beam System (AHS)
Equipment count has also been revised, as the NX300 F Sport loses its 10.3-inch LCD and 14-speaker Mark Levinson audio system, now replaced with an 8.0-inch LCD and 8-speaker Lexus Premium Audio, just like the other two variants. Lexus Malaysia has also deleted the glass roof option from the NX line-up – all variants of the updated NX do not get any fancy glass roof.
Lexus Malaysia is offering the updated NX with seven body colours – Amber CS, Blazing Carnelian, Graphite Black GF, Red MC CS, Sonic Titanium, Sonic Quartz, and Sparking Meteor ME. As for the NX300 F Sport, it can be had with two exclusive colours – Heat Blue CL or Lava Orange CS.
Lexus NX units officially imported by Lexus Malaysia are backed by a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty.
Looking for a new Lexus? Find for the best deals
here
.


Exceedingly Rare BMW M1 Goes Up For Sale At RM3.6 Million

How much would you pay for a classic
BMW
? Well, if you have £603,000 (RM3,560,757) in hand, this exceedingly rare and pristine example of the BMW M1 can be yours as it has gone up for sale in Germany
, advertised by Mint Classics of Münster.

Introduced at the Paris Motor Show in 1978, the M1 was the first mid-engine vehicle BMW had ever built. Only 433 road cars were ever produced and this example is just one of three painted in striking Polaris Silver. The other two were a prototype and one commissioned by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

Since the car was delivered in March 1981 in France, it had only covered a distance of 17,500km. Everything about this M1 is unchanged since it was produced, with matching VIN, engine and gearbox numbers, and comes in the full original specification inside and out.

That includes the 3.5-litre straight-six engine with separate throttle bodies and four valves per cylinder which produced 277hp, allowing for a 0-100km/h time of around 5.5 seconds and top speed of 260km/h.

For a short history lesson: In the 1970s, BMW’s newly-formed Motorsport GmbH Division (sound familiar?) wanted to build a competition car which wasn’t based on a regular production model. Styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro, they went into an agreement with Lamborghini to produce sufficient quantities for homologation purposes.

Unfortunately, Lamborghini’s delay due to financial issues forced
BMW
 to find another way to ensure its M1 got to the track and road. In the end, the car’s spaceframe was built by Marchesi and fibre-glass reinforced plastic body was produced by T.I.R, both from Modena, Italy.

The parts were then send to Giugiaro’s Italdesign who assembled the M1 and fitted the interior. After that, the cars we sent to Stuttgart where BMW would fit the mechanicals.

Although only 433 road cars were made, the actual total number of production M1s was 453, with 20 being race versions made for the BMW M1 Procar Championship, the brand’s one-make race series.


Traffic Lights Suck, But Audi Can Fix That

If you have ever taken the time to travel through more rural parts of Malaysia – that is to say, off the highway – you may have realized that in the last decade or so, more and more traffic lights have popped up along roads that were previously simple main roads. It’s undeniable that traffic lights make it a little safer for those who have to come out of the numerous junctions you find along these rural roads, they also play havoc with the overall flow of traffic. What used to be a fairly smooth journey would become a stop-start hell, especially during peak traffic hours – yes, even within a fairly small town.

If we extrapolate this anecdotal example, we can begin to understand why traffic in urban centres is absolute garbage. It all comes down to how fast drivers can clear these traffic lights, with the reaction time of each driver compounding the wait time. Many car manufacturers have talked about or experimented with the idea of a smart city – one where cars can communicate with the various infrastructures around them and harness that data to make better informed driving decisions.

One of these aspects is communication with traffic light systems, and Audi seems to be on to something with their program in Düsseldorf. By summer of this year, roughly 450 out of the 600 intersections in Düsseldorf will have their traffic lights networked – and in turn, connected to the Audi Traffic Light Information service. Düsseldorf is the second city to roll out this program after Audi’s home town of Ingolstadt, and Audi owners will have access to two functions within the Traffic Light Information service.

The first function is known as GLOSA, or Green Light Optimized Speed Advisory. For those not familiar with the concept of a green wave, it is a system that was introduced decades ago that ideally allows you to travel uninterrupted through a series of traffic lights if you’re at moving at the right speed. With GLOSA, drivers will be informed of how fast they should travel along a road to hit a continuous series of green lights so they don’t need to come to a stop.

Time-to-Green is the second function, and it’s not unlike what we see with some physical traffic light countdown timers here. The timer helps to prime the driver for an impending green light, allowing them to decide if they want to rest off the brakes (if there’s plenty of time before a green) or to get ready to move off (if the green is coming soon). This in turn helps to save fuel as well, when paired with an effective stop-start system.

But there’s a lot more that goes on under the surface than simple green light timers. The system as a whole relies on three sources of data: control of the traffic signals, real-time data that combines everything from road occupation cameras to bus and tram info and even pedestrian crosswalk button presses, and finally historical data. An algorithm takes all of these factors and comes up with an ideal speed for the GLOSA function, adapting and learning over time as it compares real world results with expected results.

Why should it matter to you? While the program is in its fledgling stages, over time it will be rolled out to other parts of the world that have moved towards a smart city concept. It will help to smoothen traffic flow, regardless of whether you’re having the car drive itself, or you maintain a hands on approach. The less often traffic comes to a dead stop, the faster you’re going to move.


Toll Hike Proposal Does Not Mean Approval Says Finance Ministry

The proposal to
increase toll charges by 30%
 does not mean approval, said the Finance Ministry on the matter.
Speaking to the
The Sun Daily
, Datuk Chua Tee Yong, Deputy Minister at the Ministry, said, “First of all, what was mentioned in the media was a leaked discussion. Having said that, no final decision was made, from what I understand. It was just a discussion.”
At this stage, the proposed toll hike is merely a suggestion brought up because of the agreement made with highway concessionaries and the government will consider all variables and options first before a formal proposal is put forth.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
responded to the leaked proposal
 from the Works Ministry reported on June 12 as a “betrayal of trust” by members of the administration.
Last year in November, toll concession companies were compensated RM558.69 million after the government decided to delay the increase of toll rates for 20 highways across the nation.


Naza Kia Value 5 Plus Financing Package – Now Offers More Savings

Naza Kia Malaysia today introduced an upgrade to their Kia Value 5 Plus (KV5) program,
introduced
 at the end of last year, to now offer more lucrative savings for customers.
The Kia Value 5 Plus allows customers upgrade to a new Kia after five years of ownership, with a guaranteed future trade-in value from the remaining balance, utilising the KV5 value. The KV5 program applies to the Kia Sportage, Kia Sorento and Kia Cerato models at all Kia authorised sales outlets.
Now, in conjunction with the upcoming festive season, Naza Kia Malaysia will be holding a Kia Ang Pow Vaganza Day on 14th-15th January 2017, where customers have the golden opportunity to own the latest Kia models from RM999 onwards per month with Kia Value 5 Plus.
Dato’ Samson Anand George, Group Chief Operating Officer, Automotive Group, Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd adds, “Now more than ever, we are making it easier to own a Kia through the Kia Value 5 Plus program, especially since we received such overwhelming response from customers regarding the initial Kia Value 5 program. Kia Value 5 Plus is another option for customers to enjoy more benefits with smart financing.”
“As soon as Kia owners register with this financing package, they will benefit from monthly installments from as low as RM999 per month over five years. With this latest offering, Kia owners can opt to use this special financial package to lower their monthly installment payment by up to 40% within the 5-year loan tenure.”


Review: 2022 Honda Civic 1.5 RS (FE) - Annoyingly Impressive

In Malaysia, C-segment sedans and hatchbacks are a dying breed. For the most part, you can blame/thank the Honda Civic for that - it literally outsold its competitors to the point of giving up, so unwilling keep the fight going that they withdrew those models entirely.

Goodbye Ford Focus
. Goodbye Peugeot 308. Goodbye Hyundai Elantra. Goodbye Kia Forte. GG, but you lost. The Civic was just too good and kept on getting better. And for a lot of people, that shift from a formulaic four/five-door box to something
actually desirable
 happened with the 10th-generation, the FC.

2022 Honda Civic FE - Extending The Lead?

This newest version,
referred to as the FE
 in this low-slung sedan body style, is its much-anticipated replacement, and a chance for Honda to smooth out any rougher edges that didn’t quite sit right with the broad audience. An evolutionary step to course-correct its revolutionary predecessor.

As such, it does arrive on the scene with a familiar set of basic ingredients. The FE is based upon the same basic architecture, maintains key styling cues, a similar profile, and very similar dimensions. It’s even powered by the same turbocharged engine, which is now made universal across the range.

What hasn’t been maintained is the pricing structure. Wind the clock back about 5 or 6 years, the Civic
FC was introduced with a starting price
 of around RM110k for the entry-level 1.8S and
peaked at RM132k
 for the 1.5 TC-P.

In 2022, this all-new Civic with a turbocharged engine and Honda Sensing active safety as standard
now starts at RM131k
 and can swell to RM151k for this sportier
looking
 RS. That’s quite a jump.

Honda Civic RS: Worth It Over The 1.5V?

And I say ‘
looking
’ because there are no major differences in equipment or hardware between the RS and mid-spec 1.5V, only some exterior and interior cosmetic items, a larger set of wheels and
those Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres
.

Having learned a considerable amount about exactly who is buying the Civic, Honda Malaysia knows this RS has a much greater appeal to that certain demographic of buyers - perhaps by default. Sure, it’s now bloody expensive, but as a showroom fresh
alternative to a used BMW 3 Series
 (which would’ve gotten them just as much kudos from buddies), the Civic makes more sense.

Plus, it’s got a 5-year, unlimited mileage warranty.

2022 Honda Civic RS - Exterior & Design

If the FC looked a bit too Japanese with its
signature ‘ketam’ tail lights
, harder edges and generally more rigid body lines, the FE remedies that with an overall softer design treatment. The best way to describe it is as
more understated
.

Some degree of character is lost in that process as well, but to most people, this is a negligible sacrifice to grant it a more European or Continental allure. And it works. This Civic takes the basic shape and basic visual DNA from its predecessor, but is now less divisive visually.

While the 1.5E and 1.5V can be a little on the boring side of the spectrum, the RS looks aggressive enough to make a proper statement. The black accents are aplenty, even on the door handles, window surrounds, and boot lid spoiler to match the 18-inch twin-5 spoke wheels in matte black.

Again, aggressive but tasteful, and if selected with the Platinum White Pearl body colour, can just about
pull off a Type R vibe
.

2022 Honda Civic RS - Interior

There’s a much tighter feel in here when it comes to materials and construction, though there is a big and varied mix of textures and surfaces that goes against its general ethos of minimalism (for switchgear). Unsurprisingly, the harder, nastier plastics are positioned below where your hands can easily reach, and the rest of it isn’t exactly especially premium or expensive in feel but is well above average.

The dashboard’s visual centrepiece is that metal garnish that runs a good two-thirds of the car’s interior width, interrupted by the steering column and gauge cluster, but upon closer inspection houses just three air conditioning vents as opposed to something actually capable of ejecting larger volumes of cold/warm air. Think
previous-gen Honda HR-V
.

It’s a nitpick but this example of form over function seems like an aberration from an automaker such as Honda. Happily, the rest of the cabin feels like a good couple of notches above the
benchmark set by the Civic FC
. In RS trim, the seats are now predominantly upholstered in this micro-suede with bolsters in leather and plenty of red contrast stitching..

At the rear there’s little to argue about with rear legroom comparable to, or even exceeding, some D-segment offerings from other manufacturers.

The FE has a 35mm wheelbase advantage over its predecessor but I was hard pressed to notice the difference. A point of concern here is the relatively limited amount of rear headroom, especially if sat fully upright and slump-free.

Taller occupants might be in for a tight squeeze, as will the unlucky one sat in the rear middle. The Civic has a rather pronounced centre tunnel that interferes with the foot wells. This is the kind of comfort concession is to be expected of a sedan with rear-wheel drive but not so much for this front-drive, front-engine Honda.

2022 Honda Civic RS - Engine & Powertrain

This Civic RS’ - and every other Civic variant - powertrain is a technically improved version of the the same L15B7 turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol that sat under the bonnet in the previous car (and the Accord, and the CR-V….
and now the HR-V
).

This top-spec Civic, in spite of the ganas looks, is technically the slowest of the bunch with a quoted 8.5 second sprint time to 100km/h. Still respectably in ‘wam hatch’ territory, but a couple of tenths down from the entry-level 1.5E, so don’t be itching for a mini drag race with one from standstill.

It’s still a punchy motor as ever, with a power bump of 9PS to 182PS and 20Nm to 240Nm at their respective peaks.

Drive also reaches the fronts via Honda’s CVT that, while quiet and efficient in normal driving, leaves us wanting for more engagement even with the shift paddles. Still, that’s still ample grunt to keep you easily tailgating and quick overtakes, if that’s your thing.

Shifting into drive mode to Sport does leave it hanging on higher revs but that’s where that dreaded CVT whine gets most pronounced, a huge contrast to its otherwise barely perceptible operation. Peak torque is sustained between 1,700rpm until 4,000rpm, so there’s little reason to take it any closer to redline.

To drive, this powertrain package feels identical to the FC at low speed, hard acceleration, and at a high speed cruise with the added power and torque being imperceptible, possibly due to the Civic FE growing in size and weight as mentioned, thereby cancelling out any potential performance improvements.

2022 Honda Civic RS - Behind The Wheel

Sat appropriately low and well positioned into the Civic’s driver seat, the RS feels particularly….sporty. The steering wheel has a noticeable BMW characteristic in its size, orientation, and general placement. It feels good and bodes well for the spirited drive to come. Hopefully.

If nothing else, the Civic feels very stable. You’re never in doubt that you’ve got 182PS at your disposal and its 240Nm of torque seems to be continually, and variably, at that gearbox’s call, moving you along with a certain disinterested efficiency.

No, this isn’t engaging, but it is impressive. If you were expecting the RS to light your hair on fire (or at least to singe it a little), my question to you is: what have you been smoking? On the kind of typical drive a Civic owner might find themselves on - commuting to and from work, things like that - the car is uncommonly refined, smooth, accommodating, and most of all obedient to your request for pace.

Engagement
 and a sense of excitement in this situation comes from the tinge more tyre roar from those Michelin PS4s, which is one of the few things that penetrate the otherwise very well insulated cabin. Comfort is fair overall but can be a little busy on rutted surfaces thanks to those stiffer sidewalls.

Show it some challenging bends and the Civic is, again, merely obedient. It turns in, stably and sure-footedly, with plenty of grip afforded by the premium French rubber it wears and precise inputs from that steering wheel. You might crack a smile at how well it tracks the corner, which it will do all day, but eventually, realise you’re a little unfulfilled.

This is a car that keeps its limits known only to itself, and you’ll probably need a track to truly discern where its dynamic edges really are. It does drive well, no doubt, but there’s a vagueness, a lack of sparkle and personality
here where a car like the Mazda 3
(which I was driving back-to-back), by comparison, always seems eager to communicate what its front axle was up to.

You need to trust the Civic more implicitly for the fun factor to set in, chuck it into a corner and stay confident that it will know what to do you with this physics problem set you’ve put at its feet. Hopefully, it will deliver you an entertaining answer. The car really does have some solid handling chops, just hidden behind a black box.

Sport mode is a no for me, best left well alone unless you want to be made very aware you’ve got a CVT.

2022 Honda Civic RS - Tech & Safety

You’re really well stocked when it comes to the Civic FE's tech package as Honda Malaysia has outfitted every variant with their
Sensing active safety and driver assist suite
, and the RS gets all the bell and whistles besides.

Apart from Honda Lanewatch which we wish was fitted on both sides instead of just the passenger door mirror, there are crucially 6 airbags, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Automatic High Beam, and Adaptive Cruise Control with Low Speed Follow (camera-based). We can only think of Rear Cross Traffic Alert being a noteworthy non-inclusion.

Oh yeah, you only get single-zone climate control. At this price, that's baffling.

Up front, that 9-inch infotainment system again uses Android as a software basis with beefy enough silicon to make the modern interface buttery smooth (unlike the FC’s, at times) and the panel itself is crisp and bright.
Apple CarPlay
 and Android Auto can be accessed via USB connection or even wirelessly only through Bluetooth and short-range WiFi, but you might still want to keep that cable handy as there’s no Qi wireless charging pad, which at this price point is - again - pretty baffling.

The tech package is comprehensive and works smoothly enough that you begin to wonder how/if other automakers’ more upmarket offerings can really be of tangible benefit.

2022 Honda Civic RS - Conclusion

If you want the full, consummate C-segment sedan experience, you might consider keeping that RM7,000 in your pocket and settling for the Civic 1.5V. However, if you want extra whipped cream on top, a good chunk more kerb appeal and a sporty touch from showroom, the RS could be considered money well spent.

It is a fine-looking thing. The Civic RS is plainly desirable, and coupled with the fact that it’s built upon an extremely competent car beneath its flash exterior makes the proposition even more compelling.

Honda really has taken the Civic to new heights here that it’s hard to see any other manufacturer mounting a serious offensive to claim its throne.
The Mazda 3 still drives better
 and has a much more luxuriously appointed cabin than the Civic’s, but that evidently isn’t a deal breaker for most.

For many years now, Honda’s C-segment sedan has been refining the art of being good enough, and the FE in 2022 has now been elevated to “better than good enough” in too many aspects that it’s almost an irresistible package absent any real competition.

Expect, as this writer does, to see many on the road. All owned by people who were already contemplating a used BMW F30.

Good news: The Civic FC was the 'game changer', and this hugely competent FE sequel extends that lead.

Bad news: It's kind of a one-horse race now. Bit boring.


How Do You Listen To The Best Exhaust Notes Of The Auto World?

Supercars: a thing of unadulterated passion and relentless excitement. Who can deny the fact? From Italian thoroughbreds to German skunkworks and American muscle, these beats were made for one purpose: drama!
And what would the drama be without the noise? Yes, bursting off the line to 100km/h or more in under four seconds is heart-stopping, but you can’t always live out that dream on your everyday roads, can you? Not legally, or safely, at least.
What you can do, is make a lot of noise. And boy, aren’t these dreams machines responsible for just that.
Collected here are some of our favourite exhaust notes from the world’s greatest supercars, listed in no particular order. So turn up your speakers, and enjoy the noise.
2015 Mercedes-AMG GT S
The Mercedes-AMG skunk works has never been short of serving up some of the industry’s best soundtracks – especially where V8s are involved. So we’ve just picked their latest and greatest for this list: enter the all-new Mercedes-AMG GT.
With two possible variants to choose from (GT, GT S), what you see here is the more powerful ‘S’ version. But unlike the normally-aspirated 6.2-litre V8 employed in the brand’s previous list of mental developments, the GT and its GT S are equipped with an all-new 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8, which make a massive 503hp and 650Nm of torque at best (GT S).
Audibly, we’ll let you decide what that does.
2014 Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4
Well, what did you expect of the flagship Lamborghini? Dubbed the “Relentless Force,” this ‘hypercar’ puts out a massive 700 horses and 690Nm of torque to all four wheels, and does it without any turbocharging – just raw, abundant power.
The Raging Bull takes no longer than 2.9 seconds to hit 100km/h, where you’d do well to hang on to something until its top speed of 317km/h. And while all that goes on, you can only imagine the soundtrack of a full-blown Lamborghini V12 powerhouse.
2014 Bentley Continental GT V8 S
The second 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 in this list already, you wouldn’t imagine something as elegant as a Bentley to make it to this list, would you? The Continental GT V8 S has one optional extra, called the Sports Exhaust, which if you don’t mind waking the neighbours, you need to have.
It’s a phenomenal experience, the sit behind the wheel of a bellowing V8 with Bentley’s Sports Exhaust package strapped on. We’ve personally had the chance to drive this last year, and it has to go down as one of this writer’s most memorable experiences in 2014. Especially when you remember that this decadent, luxury-intensive sports car weight two-tonnes, and still manages to hit 100km/h in 4.5 seconds.
2014 Porsche 911 GT3 (991)
We wouldn’t dare leave a boxer engine out of this list, so here’s one, in the form of Porsche’s 991 GT3. Maintaining its normally-aspirated nature, the new 991 GT3 packs an equally new 3.8-litre DFI flat-six engine that pushes out 475hp, purely to its rear wheels.
Red-lining at 9,000rpm courtesy of its uniquely developed Porsche PDK dual-clutch transmission, the latest GT3 managed a Nurburgring lap time of 7:25s – a second behind the GT2 RS, and beats the previous GT3’s 7:33s.
2014 Ferrari 458 Speciale
Only just displaced as the flagship sports car of the brand by its replacement, the 488 GTB, the 458 Speciale was nothing short of a spectacular. Equipped with the company’s most powerful tune of a normally-aspirated V8, the Speciale made a massive 597hp and 540Nm of torque, even scarier when you recall that the car weighs just 1,395kg at the kerb.
Sitting inside, or witnessing from the out, the soundtrack of the 458 Speciale is an art nailed by Ferrari on this track monster.
Why limit your full potential to hear these amazing machines doing what they do best?
Meet the ReSound LiNX – the world’s smartest hearing aid (or as we like to call it the Sports Car of Hearing Aids)
Courtesy of the Hearing Experts Malaysia, the ReSound LiNX offers a natural and brilliant sound from a hearing aid device that can seamlessly connect to a variety of Apple devices, and is ultra-small and nearly invisible.
ReSound LiNX offers excellent hearing despite whatever noise-filled situation, and courtesy of its iSolate nanotech technology, it is protected from any moisture, sweat, ear wax or debris.
The ReSound LiNX also offers the capability to connect to your iPhone, iPad, iPod and other electronic devices. Doing this not only allows you to listen to your music and video in brilliant audio quality, but also lets you receive or make phone calls via its connectivity with your iPhone mobile device.
Managing the ReSound LiNX via the ReSound App available for download at the App Store is also possible. The App allows you to turn your hearing aid on or off, control its volume. One other cool feature is how the App can remember your favourite places, like restaurants, in your car, or while watching the TV at home, and select your preferred settings automatically to ensure that you always get the exact settings you need.
So don’t hold yourself back from enjoying these amazing soundtracks from the automotive world while you can, and contact the
Hearing Experts Malaysia
 today for more details, or call 03-20356771 for a free consultation (Mon – Fri, 8am to 8pm).


Banjir Besar Di China Tenggelamkan Kereta Api Bawah Tanah – 12 Maut, 5 Cedera, Ratusan Terselamat

Seramai 12 orang maut, 5 cedera manakala ratusan penumpang tren berjaya diselamatkan setelah
banjir besar
 menenggelami laluan tren bawah tanah di tengah-tengah bandaraya Zhengzhou, China. Negara tersebut telah merekodkan hujan paling lebat dalam tempoh 1,000 tahun.

Menurut pegawai kerajaan di China, ketika kejadian, bandar itu dibadai dengan hujan lebat dan ribut kuat yang jarang berlaku. Kira-kira 100,000 penduduk dipindahkan di Zhengzhou apabila banjir semakin buruk apabila kebanyakan jalan utama dinaiki air sekaligus menjejaskan sistem pengangkutan.

Hujan lebat telah menyebabkan tebing sungai pecah dan menyebabkan banjir sehingga membuatkan perkhidmatan kereta api bawah tanah itu ditenggelami air. Banjir besar itu turut menyebabkan laluan tren bawah tanah tergendala dan penumpang terpaksa menunggu bantuan di dalam gerabak bersama air setinggi paras dada sebelum diselamatkan.

Paras air yang naik laju telah membuatkan
para pengguna kereta api tersebut terperangkap
 di stesen dan di dalam gerabak kereta api sehingga terpaksa memegang erat pada siling bumbung tren itu. Keadaan bertambah cemas buat para penumpang apabila paras air di luar gerabak lebih tinggi dan semakin deras. Menurut laporan, seramai lebih 500 orang berjaya dibawa keluar dari stesen tren bawah tanah itu.

Menurut Jabatan Bomba Henan, ramai mangsa yang terperangkap di dalam tren tersebut telah meminta pertolongan menerusi media sosial. Lebih 6,000 anggota bomba dan 2,000 anggota polis serta tentera China dikerahkan menjalankan operasi mencari dan menyelamat di kawasan yang dilanda
bencana
. Anggota penyelamat terpaksa memotong bumbung gerabak terbabit dan menarik keluar penumpang.

Menurut penjelasan salah seorang mangsa, ketika mereka diselamatkan, mereka perlu berpaut pada tali yang disediakan untuk keluar daripada kereta api. Tetapi oleh kerana arus air yang deras sehingga paras bahu, ada yang lemas dibadai arus.

Banjir besar tersebut turut membuatkan
jalan raya
 berubah menjadi sebuah sungai dengan menenggelamkan puluhan kenderaan yang berada di jalan raya. Melalui sebuah rakaman yang tersebar, hanya bumbung kereta sahaja kelihatan ekoran paras air yang sudah tinggi. Ada juga rakaman yang menunjukkan seorang lelaki terperangkap di dalam kereta ketika banjir besar yang naik sehingga paras cermin hadapannya.

Setakat ini, sekurang-kurangnya 25 maut sejak hujan lebat melanda beberapa wilayah di China pada minggu lalu dan tujuh lagi masih hilang. Bencana itu turut menyaksikan kira-kira 200,000 penduduk bandar Zhengzhou di wilayah Henan sudah dipindahkan, menurut pegawai kerajaan tempatan.

Sementara itu, sebuah hospital di wilayah berkenaan yang menempatkan seramai 10,000 pesakit mengalami gangguan bekalan elektrik yang terputus sepenuhnya disebabkan banjir. Malah, tingkat satu bangunan itu turut ditenggelami air banjir. Menurut seorang pengguna media sosial dalam laman Weibo memberitahu bapanya terpaksa bergantung kepada petugas perubatan untuk mengepam oksigen ke paru-parunya secara manual disebabkan mesin ventilator terpadam akibat bekalan elektrik terputus.

Pihak berkuasa China turut memberi amaran bahawa sekiranya
hujan lebat
 berterusan, sebuah empangan di Luoyang berisiko untuk pecah pada bila-bila masa sahaja. Empangan Yihetan itu boleh menjejaskan kira-kira tujuh juta penduduk di Luoyang sekiranya pecah.

*Kredit foto: South China Morning Post

Bukan itu sahaja, banjir tersebut turut telah menyebabkan satu letupan besar berlaku di kilang aloi alumiunium berhampiran wilayah berkenaan. Hujan lebat turut menyebabkan bekalan elektrik terputus di seluruh bandar itu.

Memetik laporan pihak berkuasa daerah Zhengzhou, pelaksanaan kawalan banjir tidak dapat dilakukan sebaiknya kerana risiko bencana ini dianggap sangat berbahaya. Ekoran bencana alam yang sedang melanda, perkhidmatan kereta api terpaksa ditangguhkan, sementara
lebuh raya
 pula ditutup dan penerbangan ditangguh atau dibatalkan.

Pihak berkuasa turut menasihati penduduk agar kekal berada di rumah atau pergi ke tempat perlindungan yang lebih selamat dan sentiasa mendapatkan maklumat terkini.

*Kredit video: South China Morning Post

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.

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Same Same But Different: Timing Chain or Timing Belt?

Timing belt or timing chain? Your car definitely has one or the other, so let us explain what sets them apart.

Your average car’s internal combustion engine is a precision instrument, even if you’re talking about an old banger. But with so many parts working together, and most of them needing maintenance of some kind, it’s easy to neglect some key components when they’re due for servicing or outright replacement.

Aside from your scheduled oil changes and other fluids, your timing belt or timing chain is critical to the engine’s operation. If that fails, it could be game over for that once-reliable motor. This is because both function to keep the camshaft and crankshaft working together closely

The camshaft is responsible for the opening and closing of intake and exhaust valves in the engine. Should that be mis-timed or completely out of tune, the basic cycle of a four-stroke engine - intake, compression, combustion, exhaust - would stop.

Each of those four
steps
 requires the camshaft(s) to open and close the intake or exhaust valves in perfect synchronicity (a.k.a timing) across all cylinders for an engine to run, letting air (or fuel + air if using port injection) in and exhaust gases out as needed. And making sure that’s always happening is the timing belt, or timing chain.

Timing Chain vs Timing Belt

They both work the same way, essentially. Though, there are 2 main differences, and they’re both fairly obvious: material and location.

Timing chains are the older of the two and is, as the name describes, an actual metal chain much like the ones you’ll find on your bicycle or a motorcycle, connecting the crankshaft to the camshaft.

They are also housed within the block itself and isn’t visible during normal operation, requiring partial engine disassembly to access. But thanks to this alongside the inherent durability of the metal chain material, timing chains are much better insulated from the elements and other outside wear factors. Coupled with it being in constant lubrication from the engine oil, they last much longer than timing belts.

Of course, a manufacturer would often include maintenance notices for timing chain replacements, just in case - usually at 100,000km. However, a lot of high quality timing chains have been known to last the lifetime of the vehicle if properly maintained, and the best thing you could do to ensure timing chain longevity is to always make sure you have clean high quality oil coursing through the engine.

On the other hand, timing belts were first seen in cars from the 1960s and designed to mitigate some of the downsides of the timing chain, namely noise/vibration and, to a much larger extent, cost. The simple fact was that using a rubber belt to keep engine timing in sync was a cheaper way to mass produce an engine.

Automakers would then use different material formulations to make a more durable timing belt, but of course it could never be as strong as a timing chain made of high strength steel. The belt would also need to endure the high temperature, humidity, and the occasional attack from the various chemicals and pollutants that accumulate in the engine bay since they are not insulated within the engine.

As a result, a timing belt can begin to stretch and/or crack over prolonged use, requiring replacement much sooner than your typical timing chain. Thankfully, a timing belt is relatively cheap and, because it’s accessible from the engine bay and usually with little to no disassembly, it’s also much easier to inspect its condition as well as to swap a worn belt for a new one if necessary.

Better Safe Than Sorry

To stay on the safe side, always replace a timing belt according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, or sooner to be even safer, and the same goes for a car fitted with a timing chain. Though the likelihood of a chain failure is significantly less compared to a belt, the likelihood that it could lead to a catastrophic problem is still present.

Going Forward

In 2020, engines are much more complex compared to a mere decade ago. More demands are placed upon them to be smaller, more fuel efficient, more powerful, and to produce fewer emissions.

As a consequence, these factors have forced automakers to phase out timing belts due to the more highly stressed nature of these newer engines. Here, stronger timing chains are called upon as rubber belts are just less dependable and more prone to accelerated wear and failure when the going gets tough.


Toyota Appoints Actor Fattah Amin As Its Toyota C-HR Ambassador

Toyota has appointed actor Fattah Amin as its ambassador for the
Toyota C-HR
 SUV.
Mr. Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor added, “Many Malaysians would have seen Fattah Amin in some of our advertisements during the launch of the Toyota C-HR earlier in the year. Now, with him as our Toyota C-HR Ambassador for the exciting crossover model, we will be able to leverage on his strong following to create more awareness for the product as well as the brand in general,”
Fattah who has been driving then Toyota C-HR for a month so far applauds the C-HR’s power plant for having “just the right amount of power” and its “smooth and stable ride”.
The Toyota C-HR is powered by a naturally-aspirated 1.8-litre four-cylinder which output 140 PS and 171 Nm at 4,000 rpm. The Toyota C-HR is built on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) which in addition to offering better component packaging and safety, also delivers a far more refined driving experience.
Drawing from his previous experiences with Toyota, Fattah added, “I am very happy to further my association with Toyota after participating in the first season of the
Vios Challenge
 that is part of the TGR Racing Festival. The experience of driving the Toyota Vios in racing conditions gave me new insight into the sporty and dynamic side of Toyota Cars,”
The Toyota C-HR is priced at RM150,000 (inclusive SST, excluding insurance), and is offered with a 5-year/ unlimited mileage warranty.


Longgokan Tren LRT Terbiar Di Ulu Yam Bukan Milik Prasarana

Selain menjadi port
kemalangan
,
Ulu Yam
 sekali lagi menjadi lokasi tumpuan umum dengan penemuan longgokan tren
LRT
 lama yang terbiar. Apa cerita ni?

Bagi yang tidak tahu, model tren LRT yang kini digunakan bagi laluan Sri Petaling dan Ampang merupakan model LRV CSR-Zhuzhou yang juga dikenali sebagai AMY dari China.

Sebelum kedatangan AMY,
Prasarana
 menggunakan model Adtranz-Walkers yang dihasilkan di Australia bagi kedua-dua laluan tersebut.

Model Adtranz-Walkers itu telah digantikan dengan model AMY secara berperingkat di sekitar tahun 2015-2016. Jadi apa sebenarnya yang terjadi dengan tren lama itu?

Berdasarkan video, gambar serta info yang tersebar menerusi media sosial, dianggarkan sebanyak 73 gerabak tren lama ditinggalkan dan dibiarkan di berdekatan kawasan Ulu Yam. Kawasan terbabit menjadi tumpuan setelah beberapa video di dirakamkan di kawasan berkenaan termasuk aktiviti
parkour
.

Berdasarkan semak samun yang tumbuh membaluti
tren
 berkenaan, boleh dijangka bahawa tren ini telah ditinggalkan di sini sejak penukarannya dengan model AMY. Mungkin ada dalam sekitar 5-6 tahun tren tersebut dibiarkan di situ.

Ini menimbulkan banyak tanda tanya memandangkan sejumlah tren yang banyak hanya ditinggalkan begitu sahaja tanpa tindakan selanjutnya. Tanggungjawab siapakah ini sebenarnya? Memandangkan isu ini menjadi viral, Prasarana telah mengeluarkan kenyataan media bagi menjelaskan situasi sebenar.

Pada 24 Oktober lalu, Prasarana telah mengesahkan bahawa gerabak tren tersebut bukan lagi hak milik Prasarana. Sebaliknya, hak milik set tren itu telah dipindahkan kepada CRRC Zhuzhou (sebelum ini CSR Zhuzhou) pada 2014 sebagai sebahagian daripada program beli-semula untuk pembelian 50 set tren baharu yang kini digunakan untuk perkhidmatan LRT laluan Ampang-Sri Petaling.

Walau bagaimanapun, CSR-Zhuzhou juga mengesahkan set tren itu sudah dilupuskan dan dijual pada 2016 kepada pihak ketiga yang kemudiannya diletakkan di kawasan persendirian di Ulu Yam. Memandangkan ia bukan lagi dibawah penjagaan Prasarana, jadi syarikat berkenaan enggan mengulas lanjut tentang isu ini.

Anda tidak dinasihatkan untuk pergi ketempat tersebut memandangkan ia merupakan kawasan tanah persendirian. Segala aktiviti di kawasan tersebut tanpa kebenaran akan menyebabkan anda didakwa kerana menceroboh.

*Kredit video: Heart Patrick

Sebaliknya, jika anda teringin sangat nak tengok gerabak keretapi lama yang digunakan untuk laluan Sri Petaling dan Ampang, anda boleh pergi melawat Asia Rail Centre di UniKL untuk melihat sendiri sebuah gerabak Adtranz-Walkers yang masih dalam keadaan baik di sana. Melalui cara ini, anda tidak perlu menceroboh ke tanah persendirian di Ulu Yam itu hanya untuk melihat keretapi lama.

Buat masa ini, tiada ulasan lanjut mengenai perancangan terhadap tren yang terbiar itu memandangkan pemilik terkini tren berkenaan serta pemilik tanah persendirian itu masih tidak didedahkan. Alangkah baiknya jika gerabak itu dijual sahaja kepada mana-mana pengusaha hotel, kedai makan atau sebagainya yang menggunakan konsep kereta api. Sekurang-kurangnya ada juga guna daripada jadi sampah yang terbiar saja.

*Kredit foto LRT terbiar: Naem JD


Keep Your Child Safe IN The Car

Just as you think you've seen it all, "bolehland" springs up another surprise!

This relates to the latest incident which happened a couple of days ago where a small boy was seen lying on the fast lane of a highway after being flung out of a car.

The footage which was taken from Alan Chang's dashcam, showed the horrible event unfolding.

The footage starts off with a blue Honda Jazz and white Perodua Myvi typically egging each other on in the fast lane. We see the Myvi driver undercut the Jazz through the slower lanes, dodging and diving past other motorists in the process.

The Myvi driver then wanting to prove a point, moves in front of the car it overtakes and in doing so swipes another vehicle which causes it to hit the barrier and spins out.

Before you know it you see a small boy rolling around on the fast lane with Alan stopping right behind him thankfully. The footage does take some nerve to watch as you witness an innocent child in danger.

Now, we are not here to point fingers because we are all human and make mistakes, but taking the right steps to safely travel with a child should be on every parent's mind.

I've personally been in a road accident with my kid in the vehicle and the only difference between her still breathing and living a beautiful life was the child seat.

For those who have never thought of it before but now wish to travel with peace of mind knowing that you have taken every measure to make sure your child is safer in the car, here are some tips;

Overcoming the introduction of children's car seat

Kids can never really sit still and the introduction of a car seat where they will have to be in one place for a duration of time will incur some rebellion - loud crying mostly. To overcome this, you must commit to it no matter how loud they cry in the beginning, you must put them in the seat. After some time, they will adapt to the situation and it will be easier to place them there. Promise, it does get easier!. Just look at every other parent with kids in car seats, they're fine!!

Keeping kids preoccupied whilst in seat

There are many ways to keep a child entertained in a car. Games, books, snacking, singing, storytelling through a media player, you name it. The name of the game is planning your trip and what to do during that journey. If you are alone in the car, prepare some of their favourite toys to play with. Worse come to worst, you can always put a video on, and although many parents frown on this practice, it's still better than having them running around in the car unsecured due to them crying being in the child seat.

Overcoming the price of child car seats

If you can afford the best child car seat by all means that should be the one to go for, but a MIROS (Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research) QR code approved child seat can be had at a sub RM200 price. Sometimes in a sale, you can have it for much less. Think of the child seat as part of the car and the additional cost of owning one- a car that is.

Child lock the doors

If you're buying a new car, try to get one with child lock features on the doors. If you have an old car that doesn't have this feature, this is where the child seat will come in handy. Even if the door freakishly flings open, the child will still be secure in the seat.

As parents, we should do all we can to keep our children safe while in the car and that involves making sure they remain IN the car.


Perodua Officiates New RM500 Million Engine Plant

Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd and Perodua have officiated the Daihatsu Perodua Engine Manufacturing Sdn Bhd (DPEM) joint venture facility located in the Sendayan Techvalley today. Built at a cost of RM500 million, DPEM is commissioned to mainly supply engines to Perodua, but is also open to doing business with other manufacturers.
Operating on two duty shifts per day, DPEM has a production capacity of 18,000 engines per month, which can potentially be tripled with expansion to the surrounding land. The plant is a full-fledged manufacturing facility complete with its own foundry to perform casting of aluminium engine blocks and other components.
Since operations began in May 2016, the plant has already churned out 35,000 engines of the Toyota-Daihatsu NR family, out of which 90% have been supplied to Perodua for use in 1.3-litre variants of the newly-launched
Bezza
 sedan.
The remaining 10% of engines are supplied to a manufacturer which Perodua has declined to officially name in respect of client confidentiality. We are fairly certain, however, that the engines are being supplied for
installation in the Toyota Vios
 that was
recently updated
 with the new 1.5-litre 2NR-FE Dual VVT-i engine.
The DPEM plant is Daihatsu and Perodua’s second major investment in the Sendayan Techvalley area following the adjacent Akashi Kikai Industry (M) Sdn Bhd transmission plant that opened only last year.
Speaking at a press conference following the officiating ceremony, Perodua President & CEO Datuk Dr Aminar Rashid Salleh remarked that Sendayan was chosen as the venue for both the engine and transmission plants due to strong support from the Negri Sembilan state government.
He also added that Sendayan’s proximity to both air and sea port facilities further supported the decision because the two plants were setup with export plans in mind for the future.
“With both DPEM and Akashi Kikai now online, we are able to offer a comprehensive engine component solution to other (automotive) original equipment manufacturers (OEM),” said DPEM Chairman, Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin, who is also Group Chairman of UMW Holdings Bhd.
Asmat further said that DPEM and Akashi Kikai were established to reap potential opportunities expected to arise from a fully liberalised automotive market by offering high quality engine components at competitive prices. He also added that DPEM is on the lookout for more manufacturers to supply engine components to in the future.
At present, the engines and transmissions supplied DPEM and Akashi Kikai are shipped separately to Perodua’s Rawang plant to be integrated. Datuk Aminar mentioned that Perodua is studying the possibility of instead having the engines and transmissions integrated in Sendayan before being transported to Perodua for installation into new vehicles.


Bangkok 2015: Thailand Launches Locally-Assembled Nissan X-Trail Hybrid

Following a preview to the Thai media earlier last week, the all-new Nissan X-Trail has now been officially launched in Thailand at the 2015 Thailand International Motor Expo. Unlike the fully-imported from Japan model that we saw in
Jakarta earlier
 in August, this Thai-market model is the first X-Trail Hybrid model to be produced outside of Japan.
Under the hood is a 2.0-litre MR20DD petrol engine from the Nissan Serena S-Hybrid. But unlike the Serena S-Hybrid, whose so-called hybrid powertrain is more of a glorified idle start-stop feature rather than a proper hybrid powertrain, this X-Trail Hybrid uses a genuine full-parallel hybrid system, with one 30 kW motor nestled between the engine’s crankshaft and CVT transmission, driven by a 887 Wh Li-ion battery under the boot floor.
Despite the rather confusing '
Intelligent Dual Clutch Control
' name for its hybrid powertrain, it does not have a dual-clutch transmission (it uses a CVT).
The 'dual clutch' that is mentioned by Nissan refers to Clutch 1, which sits between the electric motor and the petrol engine, and Clutch 2, which sits between the electric motor and the CVT. Depending on driving conditions and power requirements, the two clutches will engage/disengage to optimize the drivetrain's efficiency.
The X-Trail hybrid is produced at Nissan’s plant in Samut Prakan, and claimed local content is as reported to be as high as 70 percent.
Locally assembled hybrid vehicles in Thailand are subjected to a lower 10 percent excise duty, versus 30 percent for a 2.0-litre X-Trail with a conventional petrol engine. Prices start from 1.249 million Baht for a 2WD model, while a 4WD model costs 1.395 million Baht. It’s not that much more expensive than a regular 2.0-litre petrol X-Trail, which ranges from 1.184 million Baht to 1.337 million Baht.
The X-Trail however is expected to see a 10 percent increase in price next year as Thailand switches to a CO2 emissions-based excise duty structure (below), which will see the X-Trail Hybrid taxed at 20 percent. The existing 10 percent rate will be reserved only for hybrid cars that emit less than 100g/km of CO2 – impossible even for a non-plug-in hybrid SUV.
Like our Malaysian-market X-Trail, Thailand’s X-Trail Hybrid continues to disappoint in terms of safety features with only two airbags for the base 2WD hybrid model, and four for the 4WD Hybrid model.
It does however gets a powered tailgate.
The boot floor is also slightly higher than a regular X-Trail’s, and the lower cargo tray cannot be lifted up as it houses the Li-ion battery underneath.
Compared to the Japan-sourced X-Trail Hybrid, Thailand’s model adds a blue tint on the front grille and garnish on the lower section of the front and rear bumper.


Tun Mahathir Seen In A Geely Borui - Potential Perdana Replacement?

Just last week, Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad was seen in a
Geely Borui
 when he was on the way to visit the remains of the late Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin, who was previously the Information Minister, at Surau At Tarbiah in Taman Melawati.
According to
Berita Harian
, the Geely Borui could be rebadged as a Proton Perdana in the future.
Positioned as a D-segment model in China, the Geely Borui can be had as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or a mild hybrid (MHEV).
The PHEV version of the Borui features a 1.5-litre Drive-E three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT), a battery pack, and an electric motor. The Borui PHEV’s combined system output is 257 hp and 425 Nm.
As for the mild hybrid version of the Borui, the powertrain is similar to the PHEV variant, but with a 48V electrical system. This engine is good for 180 hp, while the Integrated Belt Starter Generator (iBSG) contributes another 16 hp and 50 Nm, allowing for a combined system output of 190 hp and 300 Nm.
Prices start from CNY 133,680 (RM82,777) for the mild hybrid variant, while the plug-in hybrid variant carries a base price of CNY 199,800 (RM123,720). The mild hybrid variant’s price tops out at CNY 179,800 (RM111,335), while the plug-in hybrid Borui GE tops out at CNY 232,800 (RM144,154).


Presenting The Inaugural ASEAN Car of the Year Awards

For the first time in ASEAN’s 48-year history, motoring journalists, automotive warranty service providers and financiers from three of the largest markets in the ASEAN trade bloc – Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia – are coming together to launch the first ever ASEAN Car of the Year Awards.

The move is rather timely as the ASEAN trade bloc collectively sold 3.19 million motor vehicles (excluding motorcycles) last year, and exporting 800,000 more. Growing at its current pace, ASEAN is expected to become the fifth largest automotive market by 2019.

Considering that all the major car markets around the world have their own regional awards – the European Union has its European Car of the Year, and North America has the North American Car of the Year.

There’s also the World Car of the Year, which despite its name, doesn’t really represent the world as journalists from only 23 countries are represented in the list of jurors; none of them from this side of the world.

Compared to these regional awards, where winners are selected by the subjective scoring of each journalist, the ASEAN Car of the Year aims to be more objective, moving beyond subjective scores which may have little relevance to an actual car buyer.

Apart from judging by motoring journalists from the three countries, the scoring mechanics behind the ASEAN Car of the Year will also include evaluations by third party service providers.

Opal Auto Mart, a leading after-market warranty service provider with a large database to objectively evaluate the reliability of every car make on sale in Malaysia, will give their input in the judging process.

Liberty Insurance (formerly known as Uni.Asia General Insurance) will judge the depreciation of each model while consumers are invited to rate their car ownership experience.

The scoring process is transparent and will be made public when the winners are announced at the end of this year.

The winning models from Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia that are sold across all three countries with similar specifications will automatically be eligible for the overall ASEAN Car of the Year Award.

Participating judges from Malaysia include Chips Yap of
Motor Trade
r, Kon from
Autoworld.com.my
, Daniel Wong of Malaysian Evo magazine, Yap Kam Foo of
Top Gear Malaysia
, Tom Goh of
Zerotohundred
, GC Mah and Matthew Tong of
Autobuzz.my
, Vishal of NST-CBT, Gan Yong Li of
Pandulaju,com
, Johan Izham and Qhalis Najmi of
Traffic Mag Online
, Denis Wong of
Countersteer.my
, Kenneth Sow of
Kensomuse
, and of course our own Chris Aaron of Carlist.my and its sister publication’s LiveLifeDrive’s Hans Cheong.

The ASEAN Car of the Year awards is organised by iCar Asia, publisher of Carlist.my, Malaysian Evo and LiveLifeDrive.com (to be relaunched soon), Thailand’s AutoSpinn.com and Indonesia’s Mobil123.com.

The awards is a non-profit event and despite being the awards organiser, iCar Asia does -
publisher of Carlist.my, Malaysian Evo and LiveLifeDrive.com (to be relaunched soon), Thailand’s AutoSpinn.com and Indonesia’s Mobil123.com - does
not hold any exclusive commercial rights to the event. iCar Asia is only taking the lead in organising the awards because of our significant presence across the three largest car markets in ASEAN.

iCar Asia will also not be attaching its company logo or any of its publication titles on the ASEAN Car of the Year Awards logo, of which its commercial rights are distributed for free to any participating publication titles and car brands mentioned in the finalists list.

Following are the list of Malaysian finalists nominated by the panel of judges:

1. Budget Car of The Year

Kia Picanto

Perodua Axia

Proton Iriz

2. Compact Car of The Year

Ford

Fiesta

Honda Jazz

Mazda

2

3. Family Car of The Year

Honda Civic

Mazda

3

Toyota Corolla Altis

4. Executive Car of The Year

Ford Mondeo

Honda Accord

Mazda

6

Toyota Camry

5. Family MPV of The Year

Mazda Biante

Proton Exora

Volkswagen Cross Touran

6. Premium MPV of The Year

Ford S-Max

Honda Odyssey

Volkswagen Sharan

7. Crossover of The Year

Ford Ecosport

Honda HR-V

Mitsubishi ASX

Peugeot 2008

Subaru XV

8. Compact SUV of The Year

Ford Kuga

Honda CR-V

Mazda CX-5

9. Family SUV of The Year

Hyundai Santa Fe

Isuzu MU-X

Nissan X-Trail

10. Pickup Truck of The Year

Ford Ranger

Isuzu D-Max

Mitsubishi Triton

11. Coupe of The Year

BMW 2-Series

Hyundai
 Veloster

Peugeot RCZ

Subaru BRZ

Toyota 86

Volkswagen Scirocco

12. Premium Compact Car of The Year

Audi A3

Mercedes-
Benz A-
Class

Volvo V40

13. Premium Family Car of The Year

BMW 3-Series

Lexus IS

Mercedes-Benz
C-Class

Volvo S60

14. Premium Executive Car of The Year

Audi A6

BMW 5-Series

Mercedes-Benz

E-
Class

15. Premium Flagship of The Year

Audi A8

BMW 7-Series

Lexus LS

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

16. Premium Compact SUV of The Year

Audi Q3

BMW X1

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

Mercedes
-Benz

GLA

17. Premium Mid-Size SUV of The Year

BMW X3

Lexus

NX

Porsche Macan

Volvo XC60

18. Premium SUV of The Year

BMW X5

Porsche Cayenne

Volvo XC90

19. Premium Coupe of The Year

Audi TT

BMW 4-Series

Jaguar F-Type

Lexus

RC

20. Performance Car of The Year

BMW i8

BMW M4

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

McLaren 650S

Porsche

9
1
1

21. Grand Tourer of The Year

Bentley Continental GT

BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe

Porsche Panamera

22. Driver's Car of The Year

Ford Fiesta ST

Renault Megane RS

Volkswagen Golf R


2021 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo World Debut – Go Anywhere, Electrified

Porsche’s has officially pulled the covers off its Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo – a more practical, off-road going version of its groundbreaking electrified
Taycan
 sports car range. The Taycan Cross Turismo takes its design inspiration from the Mission E Cross Turismo Concept from 2018.

Four variants of the Taycan Cross Turismo are available at launch, all equipped as standard with the largest 93.4 kW ‘Performance Battery Plus’ pack (which is an optional extra on the Taycan sedan). As with the Taycan sedan, the Cross Turismo is powered by two permanently excited synchronous motors (one on each axle) making it an all-wheel-drive vehicle, equipped with variable torque distribution and Porsche Traction Management (PTM).

The model range comprises the following:

• Taycan 4 Cross Turismo
: Power: 380PS, 476PS with Launch Control, acceleration 0-100 km/h in 5.1 seconds, top speed 220 km/h, driving range (WLTP) 389km – 456km

• Taycan 4S Cross Turismo
: Power: 490 PS, 571PS with Launch Control, acceleration 0-100 km/h in 4.1 seconds, top speed 240 km/h, driving range (WLTP) 388 – 452 km

• Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo:
 Power: 625PS, 680PS with Launch Control, acceleration 0-100 km/h in 3.3 seconds, top speed 250 km/h, driving range (WLTP) 395 – 452 km

• Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo:
 Power 625PS, 761PS with Launch Control acceleration 0-100 km/h in 2.9 seconds, top speed 250 km/h, driving range (WLTP) 388 – 419 km.

Chassis-wise, the Cross Turismo is offered with adaptive air suspension with three-chamber air springs including Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and Smart Lift system that allows the car to be lifted to get over taller road obstacles. Six-piston monoblock brake callipers feature at the front, four-piston callipers feature at the rear.

Separately, the
Taycan
 4 and 4S models receive 19-inch wheels, the Turbo and Turbo S models get snazzy 20-inch alloys.

In terms of appearance – the major difference in the Cross Turismo is its raised, a sloping roofline – called a flyline – which tapers off at the rear for more-wagon like proportions. Of course, this has added interior space, especially at the rear, and a larger boot space – 446-litres now with seats in place, expandable to 1212-litres with rear seats folded down. The Turbo and Turbo S models have a slightly smaller boot space at 405-litres (seats up) – not forgetting the front boot (frunk) which adds another 84-liters for luggage.

Elsewhere off-road design elements include wheel arch trims, and unique front and rear lower aprons and side sills. As part of the optional Off-Road Design package, the Cross Turismo has special flaps at the corners of the front and rear bumpers and at the ends of the sills. These make for a striking exterior as well as providing protection from stone impacts. The off-road package also comes with a feature that allows the ground clearance to be lifted up by 30 mm.

The
Taycan
 Cross Turismo goes on sale in certain markets in Q3 of 2021 but will be launched locally here in the second half of this year. Pre-orders are now open at Porsche Centres nationwide.


Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Slashes 2015 E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid Prices Even Further

It’s post-GST times, and with all that’s going on,
Mercedes-Benz
 Malaysia has slashed prices for its 2015 Mercedes-Benz
E-Class
 E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid by RM10,000.
Making its debut at RM348,888
back in January this year,
 and having its prices already chopped down by the existing excise duty and tax exemptions for locally assembled hybrids, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) has since been enjoying a lot of success courtesy of the enforced 2014 National Automotive Policy.
Now, it seems that the E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid is getting yet another price cut, bringing its asking price down to
RM338,888
. A radio interview on BFM between the morning show’s host and MBM’s vice president, Mark Raine, brought our attention to this when Raine mentioned the reduced price.
Quizzing MBM further, we were able to gather that much like other car brands that have reduced their prices post-GST, Mercedes-Benz vehicles too will feature reductions of around RM2,000 thereabouts across the board. An official announcement of this from the company is pending.
This further drives the E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid’s positioning as the cheapest, brand-new, E-Class money can buy (officially) in Malaysia. And if you haven’t been clued in already, this beauty is also equipped to the brim with equipment and features.
In short, the E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid features everything the range-topping E-Class (E 400) has, to the letter, such as the AMG exterior and interior kit, 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, COMAND Online Multimedia System with seven-inch display, Rear Seat Entertainment System, and safety features resembling much of which features in the flagship S-Class.
Powering the vehicle is a 2.1-litre four-cylinder diesel engine which makes 204hp and 500Nm of torque, while an additional 250Nm of torque is served up by the 20kW electric motor. The traction battery is a lithium-ion traction battery rated at 19kW/ 0.8kWh.
KEY SPECS: 2015 Mercedes-Benz E-Class E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid
Price: RM338,888
Engine: 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel
Electric Motor: 20kW, 250Nm of torque
Traction Battery: Lithium-ion, 19kW/ 0.8kWh
Transmission: 7G-TRONIC PLUS Seven-speed torque converter automatic
Electric Driving Range: 1km, up to 35km/h
Power: 204hp (total system output)
Torque: 500Nm (total system output)
0-100km/h: 7.1 seconds
Top Speed: 242km/h
Fuel consumption: 4.1-litres/100km (claimed, NEDC test cycle)
CO2 Emissions: 109g/km


AD: CIMB e-Bidding Auction – Bid For The Lowest Deals Online

If you don’t already know, it is now possible for members of the public to bid for their dream cars by simply using their smart device. Through the
CIMB e-Bidding Live Auction program
, buyers have access to a wide variety of vehicles at unbeatable prices.
With CIMB Auto and Property Mart's e-Bidding Live Auction platform, interested bidders don’t even have to be present at the auction centre – simply
register to become a member at the CIMB Auto & Property Mart
 website and
view an updated list of the cars on offer
.
Buying an auction car is not much different from buying a used car, save for one critical aspect: a buyer cannot test drive the car prior to the purchase. However, the extremely low prices are a salient point to consider because it gives the buyer a financial margin to spend on mechanical or cosmetic repairs that may be required.
Every auction car is first stored in a storage yard where interested buyers can inspect the engine, chassis number, exterior, and interior of the car so that they may make an informed purchase. From there on, it is incumbent on the prospective buyer to estimate if the car can be repaired or restored to a road legal and satisfactory condition, ideally for less than prevailing used car market prices.
Here’s a guideline on picking up an awesome deal with the CIMB Auto and Property Mart Online e-Bidding platform:
Get the latest vehicle listings, Proclamation of Sale (POS), and Conditions of Sale (COS) from the CIMB Auto & Property Mart website.
Benchmark the vehicle's auction reserve price versus prevailing used car rates for the corresponding production year and variant of the vehicle.
View your interested vehicle at the appointed store yard on the designated viewing date. This is the most crucial step towards securing a good, reliable vehicle.
It helps to bring along a qualified mechanic for an informed second opinion. Take lots of pictures for your own records and future referrals.
Perform a detailed inspection of the vehicle starting with the chassis and engine number. Make sure they match the information listed in the POS. In cases where chassis/engine numbers have been tampered with and not been reported in the POS, buyers are entitled to a refund of the purchase price.
Scrutinize the overall condition of the engine, undercarriage, bodywork, wheels and tyres, and interior, and of the vehicle.
Do your homework on the tentative cost to repair and return the vehicle to a safe and reliable condition. This may include a major service, tyres, brake pads, and other engine accessories (i.e: water pump, alternator).
Once you have a cost estimation for mechanical and aesthetics repairs, add the total onto the reserve price of the vehicle.
By adding the cost of obtaining and repairing the vehicle. Buyers will be able to ascertain a max bidding price that they are willing to pay for the vehicle. In an ideal case, if the max bidding price is within 5 to 15 percent below prevailing market rates, then rest assured you’ve got an excellent deal.
On auction day, place your bids wisely and keep to your max bidding price. If the bidding price goes above what you’re willing to pay for the vehicle, it’s okay to walk away and bid on another vehicle, or on another auction day. Happy bidding!
We’ve scoured CIMB Auto and Property Mart latest list of cars and here are some sensational deals not to be missed:
2005 PERODUA MYVI 1.3L (M) - RM3,800
Why it’s a good deal…
With prices for 2005 Perodua Myvi (manual transmission models) hovering between RM11k and RM19k, picking up an auction deal at RM3.8k gives the prospective owner plenty of room to repair any wear and tear issues and correct any cosmetic issues that could be present on the car.
Max bidding price
Anywhere between RM5.0k – RM6.5k for a max bidding price is fair. Allowing some room for unforeseen repairs if they should arise.
2009 TOYOTA ALTIS 1.8L (A) - RM28,000
Why it’s a good deal…
Simply because it’s a Toyota Altis. Having a reputation for steadfast reliability and rock-solid residual values – buying one at the advertised reserve price means you’re still paying about 15 percent less than the asking market price. Most Toyota Altis 1.8-litre variants of the same production year start at around RM34k.
Max bidding price
Ideally between the advertised reserve price and RM31k is a good deal.
2010 NISSAN GRAND LIVINA 1.6L (A) - RM15,000
Why it’s a good deal…
The Nissan Grand Livina is a popular choice amongst many Malaysian families, given its flexible seating for seven, its relatively small size which makes it easy to drive, and its proven reliability. Prices on the open market range between RM24k and RM28k depending on condition and mileage.
Max bidding price
Obtaining one between the advertised reserve price and RM19k is a great deal.
2005 HONDA CR-V 2.0L (A) - RM16,100
Why it’s a good deal…
The Honda CR-V is hugely popular for its everyday practicality and stout reliability. The second-generation CR-V model also features an AWD system which also ensures good all-weather traction. Prices on the open market range between RM18k and RM26K depending on condition.
Max bidding price
SUVs are extremely popular right now, even the older ones. Picking this particular unit up for less than RM17.5k is superb value.
Click below to sign up as a member and get updates on the best deals from CIMB Auto & Property Mart.


Takata Airbag Crisis: Honda Ramps Up Stock of Replacement Part; Increases Capacity

Perhaps the hardest-hit manufacturer of the Takata airbag fiasco,
Honda Malaysia
 service centres have been struggling to meet demand of vehicles returning to have their airbag inflators replaced.
In a statement released by the company today, Honda Malaysia officially apologizes to all customers affected by the recall and has assured them that all measures are being taken to ensure that replacement parts can be put into the vehicles of customers as soon as possible.
Besides securing an increase in supply of replacement parts from Takata, Honda has also called on other airbag manufacturers – Daicel, Autoliv, and TRW – to step in and provide an alternative supply of parts to alleviate the situation.
Based on latest available data, Honda vehicles account for
over half of 520,000 vehicles
 on Malaysian roads that are being
affected by this recall
, widely described as being the largest ever in automotive history and having already resulted in
four deaths on Malaysian roads
 alone. Certainly, this is a recall to be taken very seriously.
Owners of Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda Subaru please read this:

Takata Airbag Crisis: Frequently Asked Questions, What Should You Do?

Depending on year and model, a vehicle affected by the recall can potentially have either its driver side inflator or passenger side inflator requiring replacement. In some cases, it’s both. According to Honda Malaysia’s internal estimates, the company expects to have the full quantity of inflators for the driver side available to all affected vehicles by the middle of August. There is no estimate for the full availability of passenger-side inflators yet.
Concurrently, Honda Malaysia has also issued a directive for dealers to prioritize replacement of defective Takata airbag inflators. Starting 20 July 2016, all Honda dealers will re-assign half the capacity of their service centres to handle replacement of the airbag inflators. Owners of vehicles that are crowded out of service centres as a result of this an unable to perform their scheduled services on time will be given extended service intervals without voiding their warranty.
Honda Malaysia is also in the process of opening three temporary Central Hubs to further increase capacity for airbag inflator replacement. These three hubs will operate 7 days a week to provide additional centres for airbag inflator replacement, helping alleviate limited dealer capacities for airbag inflator replacement activity, and also to provide storage for the required parts. The locations of the Central Hubs will be announced soon.
Mobile hubs will also be open nationwide to make it more convenient for customers to reach servicing venues and to ensure faster and easier airbag inflator replacement process. The locations and details of these Mobile Hubs will be announced soon.
In an effort to provide better platform for communication, Honda Malaysia has set up a special page
productrecall.honda.com.my
 so that customers can log in to have better understanding on recall process flow.
For customers who have been notified by Honda Malaysia
 (click to enlarge)
For customers who have
not
been notified by Honda Malaysia

(click to enlarge)
Honda Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. continues to alert and inform customers of the importance of replacing the affected vehicles’ airbags. Honda Malaysia has undertaken the following measures to reach the owners of vehicles affected by the recalls, including:
Mailing more than 240,000 letters to owners.
Advertising campaign and issued press releases to notify the public.
Notice and VIN (chassis number) search of affected vehicles on the company’s official website.
Outreach campaigns at all on-ground activities and roadshows.
Sending email to more than 35,000 owners.
Blasting SMS to more than 126,000 customers.
Share information about the recall in Honda’s ‘With Dreams’ magazine.
Phone calls to customers - calls made to more than 2,000 customers.


Bookings For The Proton X50 Opens Up in Brunei

Brunei opens up bookings for the Proton X70 - first export market for the new
award-winning
 Proton darling.

It looks like Proton's plans to start exporting cars again is gaining some momentum, and while the Proton X70 has already been shipped to a couple of countries such as
Pakistan
 and
Brunei
, it is now the turn of its newest darling, the X50.

The Proton X50 is now up for booking in Brunei, making it the first export market for Proton's latest SUV. If we look at the recent Proton trend where the Proton X70 was first exported to Brunei, the neighbouring kingdom was always odds are going to be the first country to get the Proton X50 too.

There's no mention of the
variants and specifications
 on the advert from Proton's Brunei dealer Pad Motors, but it does mention that the Proton X50 has "a stunning exterior, smart connectivity features and class-leading performance". It then continues to say that it'll "awaken your inner spirit and show the world who you really are with the Proton X50".

The burning question really is, when will Brunei actually get their X50's because it's not like Proton's assembly facility in Tanjung Malim is
free and easy
 at the moment. With around 47,000 units booked in Malaysia alone, we can safely say that they have got their hands full, especially when the plant can only produce around
4500 units
 a month based on previous reports.