Shell V-Power Racing – Motorsports-Inspired Fuel For The Road

Although petrol in Malaysia are broadly categorized into RON 95 and RON 97 grades, it is the combination of base fuel, as well as the fuel additives used by the respective brands that play crucial roles in determining the overall impact of the fuel formulation on the performance of the vehicle.
Not all fuels are the same. Good fuels incorporate high quality additives that clean up carbon deposits in the engine to help achieve an efficient combustion, resulting in improved performance.
Shell’s technical partnership with Ferrari  provides the company’s fuel scientists an opportunity to combine the right fuel additives with the base fuel and test in extreme conditions from which to extract an understanding on what will deliver the best possible performance out of any given engine.
Leveraging on decades’ worth of experience on track, Shell was the first fuel retailer in Malaysia to offer a special grade of fuel catering specifically to the demands of high-performance drivers. The Shell V-Power race fuel supplied to the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One team contains 99% of the same types of compounds used in Shell V-Power Racing road fuel available at Shell stations.
What’s the big deal?
Compared to regular grades of petrol, Shell V-Power Racing is formulated to offer four key benefits:
Active Engine Cleaning:
 In conventional carburetor and port fuel injection engines, the air-fuel mixture is fed through the intake valves of each cylinder. Carbon deposits accumulate on each intake valve disrupt the flow of this mixture and robs the engine of its full performance potential. The cleaning ability of Shell V-Power Racing’s formulation help eliminate these deposits that can result to smoother entry of the air-fuel mixture into the combustion chamber. For engines that utilize direct injection, this cleaning action takes place at the injector itself, minimizing clogging of the injectors.
Friction Modification Technology (FMT):
 The FMT additive of Shell V-Power Racing is designed to form a protective coating between the piston ring and cylinder wall to help minimize the engine’s frictional loss. FMT is designed to provide additional lubrication in areas that are hard to reach by the engine oil such as the upper piston ring.
Enhanced Octane Rating:
Whilst it is true that most vehicles will run on RON 95 grade fuel without any problems, it is not always true that high octane fuel benefits only high performance vehicles. Regular engines may also benefit from higher octane fuel to help minimize knocking incidents, depending of course on the engine as different vehicles respond differently to high octane fuels. Vehicles equipped with knock sensors and are designed to respond and benefit from the presence of higher octane fuel can automatically advance its ignition timing to liberate extra power.
Euro 4M:
 Since January 2015, Shell has upgraded Shell V-Power Racing to be compliant with Euro 4M standards, meaning its Sulphur content is lowered. This allows the use of Euro 4 vehicles which are equipped with emission control devices designed to improve your vehicle’s emissions.
Locating a Shell station with Shell V-Power Racing
Shell V-Power Racing petrol is currently available at 45 stations nationwide. (Follow
this link
 for GPS coordinates and navigational shortcuts.)
The selected stations that offer Shell V-Power Racing can be identified from afar by looking out for the ‘Shell V-Power Racing’ branding affixed atop the fuel dispenser islands of the station. In Shell stations that do not offer this fuel, the branding reads ‘Shell V-Power’ only.
Certain stations additionally mark the Shell V-Power Racing-designated fuel dispenser islands with a red parking box.
When fueling your vehicle up, remember to pick the red nozzle.
On the Road
As part of an engagement programme with Shell Malaysia, this writer tried out Shell V-Power Racing petrol on three separate vehicles with mixed results.
Differences were immediately noticeable when Shell V-Power Racing was introduced in a
2010 Proton Saga FL 1.3
 and a
2012 Ford Escape 2.3 FWD
, as both vehicles that have been regularly fueled by RON 95 petrol by their respective owners.
In both these vehicles, the engines felt noticeably punchier and delivered standing starts with greater conviction. The Saga’s engine also revved more freely, delivering smoother and more purposeful acceleration. After returning to RON 95, the owner of the said Saga even noticed a reduction in performance.
A more comprehensive test was undertaken in a 9-year-old
Proton Waja Campro
 that serves as the daily ride of this writer. Compared with the earlier two vehicles, the improvement in performance was not immediately noticeable, perhaps due to the fact that this car has been operating on a RON 97 diet for some years now.
In the low- to mid-range RPMs, there were subtle improvements in pulling power in which the engine noticeably needed less effort climbing slopes. Effects at the top end were more acute – the engine felt more eager to accelerate.
As a measure to mitigate placebo effects, I made it a point to measure my vehicle’s fuel consumption to ensure that the added performance was not the result of a heavier foot. To my surprise, the car averaged slightly better consumption when fueled by Shell V-Power Racing compared with other fuels.
Compared to the usual 9.5 l/100km (10.0 l/100km with RON 95) thereabouts with regular fuel, I was able to record a remarkable 8.7 l/100km in mixed driving. In my nine years of owning this vehicle, I have never seen a figure lower than 9.0 l/100km in situations other than full highway cruising. This is an impressive demonstration of the added combustion efficiency which the Shell fuel is designed to deliver.
Based on the above figures (which are admittedly derived by rudimentary manual calculations), my car when fueled by Shell V-Power Racing consumes 13 and 8 percent less fuel than when fueled by regular RON 95 and RON 97 petrol respectively. In high performance cars, expect the difference to be starker and substantial enough to offset the fuel’s premium pricing over regular petrol. Do take note that these numbers can vary from car to car and also due to different driving styles!
Whilst I do subscribe to the wisdom that not all fuels are the same, I have always been somewhat skeptical towards premium fuel. I am particularly wary that the added performance claimed by many owners can simply be a result of placebo effects. The simultaneous improvement in performance and fuel economy in my own vehicle suggests that there is substance behind Shell V-Power Racing fuel after all.
Don’t just take my word for it, of course. Do try the fuel yourself, and let us know what you think. If you need guidance to find a station, follow
this link
.


Hyundai Will Debut Its Rugged i20 Active At Frankfurt 2015

Hyundai
 has just announced it will be bringing a new variant of i20 hatch called the i20 Active to the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. It will be flanking the five-door and Coupe versions of the i20 when it goes on sale in Europe from early 2016.
The expected crossover ruggedized changes have been made, including the requisite extra ground clearance – an additional 20mm in the case of the i20 Active. Alongside that we have extra cladding on the wheel arches and skid plates along the front and rear, giving it more of a go-anywhere impression.
The new i20 Active’s introduction comes in tandem with a pair of newly developed 1.0-litre T-GDI three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engines, available in two power outputs, that will also be available across all i20 body types by the end of 2015.
A more fuel efficient 100PS version starts out the engine family, with a more powerful 120PS version that has been engineered for more spirited driving while still returning impressive economy figures.
We’ll see more Hyundai’s i20 Active when it makes its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, where Hyundai will also be showing off its new
2016 Santa Fe
,
N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo
, and
Vision G Concept
, among others.


Bazar Ramadan Dibenarkan Beroperasi Di Wilayah Persekutuan – Perlu Patuh SOP

Meskipun kes positif sedang meningkat naik buat masa ini, namun operasi Bazar Ramadan di seluruh Wilayah Persekutuan menjelang bulan Ramadan tahun ini tetap dibenarkan beroperasi namun dengan pematuhan Prosedur Operasi Standard (SOP) sedia ada.

Kenyataan itu dibuat oleh Menteri Wilayah Persekutuan, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim. Beliau berkata pihaknya juga akan memberikan lesen pengoperasian kepada semua peniaga yang membuat permohonan.

“Kita akan membuka bazar Ramadan seluas-luasnya kepada sesiapa yang ingin berniaga sahaja untuk mengelak daripada dimanipulasi individu yang tidak bertanggungjawab menjual lesen,” tambahnya.

Shahidan turut berkata, lesen yang dikeluarkan perlu digunakan peniaga untuk berniaga di bazar dan orang lain tidak dibenarkan berniaga di atas lesen yang telah diberikan.

“Siapa yang berbuat demikian, pihak kita tidak akan bagi lagi individu itu meniaga di tempat lain. Sepatutnya pemikiran seperti itu tidak ada lagi di masa ini,” ujarnya selepas meninjau program Agrobazaar dan Karnival Food Truck Putrajaya baru-baru ini.

*Kredit foto: BERNAMA

Shahidan menegaskan bahawa peluang berniaga di bazar Ramadan perlu diberikan kepada para peniaga yang amat memerlukan, lebih-lebih lagi dalam membantu mereka sewaktu pasca Covid-19 ketika ini.

“Kita mahukan orang yang betu-betul berniaga dan keadaan sekarang pasca Covid-19, kita akan menggunakan peluang ini untuk menggerakkan aktiviti ekonomi,” ujarnya.

Mengulas mengenai peningkatan kes Covid-19 hari ini, Shahidan berkata, pihaknya akan mengikuti perkembangan semasa berhubung situasi jangkitan Covid-19.


System down at RFID lanes on PLUS highway - will this happen again?

If you’re were travelling along the North-South Expressway yesterday, December 15th, PLUS’ issues with the RFID lanes at toll plazas meant motorists were strongly advised to use SmarTAG or their Touch n’Go cards instead. As you might expect, it was a frustrating evening for many.

For now, it is uncertain which toll plazas were effected exactly but it’s safe to assume that the system at large caused a significant number of lanes to be behave unpredictably or malfunctioned altogether.

It has been reported that the toll plazas at Juru, Sungai Buloh, and Jalan Duta had been effect.

RFID System Down Causes Chaos

At 9:40pm last night, PLUS have issued an advisory through their social media accounts to warn road users to use alternate means of toll payment. However, by 10.10pm, another post confirmed that it was back to operating as normal.

Though gaining access to the highway by innocently going through the RFID lane (provided it has not been blocked for some reason) could pose no immediate problems, users were likely to get stuck at the gate when trying to exit the highway.

As previously established, motorists that enter a highway using RFID will need to also exit the same highway using an RFID lane lest they be handed a penalty charge. To avoid this, PLUS had also stationed personnel at the effected toll plazas to assist.

The issues surrounding the RFID lanes has been persisting since yesterday morning but apparently hadn’t been resolved over that period.

RFID Problems Will Continue, Even With The System Up

The RFID implementation effort has also seemed to have plateaued after support was added to the major interstate highways such as North-South Expressway. However, many complaints still surround its overall reliability and speed/convenience advantage over SmarTAG.

Detection issues that can cause congestion remain commonplace, a problem compounded by the fact that many toll plazas - even large ones for major thoroughfares in the Klang Valley - do not have any more than a single RFID lane, meaning just one problem with one car can delay a dozen others.

Not only is the detection issue frustrating, but the resulting effect of having cars behind reverse and /or attempt to filter into other TNG or SmarTAG lanes can be quite dangerous.

Will The Outage Happen Again?

This is hard to say, of course. Probability over time point to a 'zero failure' future being basically impossible to achieve, but the bigger question to answer might be why such a failure point is allowed to be so disruptive.

For one, sensor arrays should be made to be more robust so that detection can happen quicker and further away from the barrier to give drivers further warning if there is a problem in order to provide for additional braking distance.

RFID lanes should also come with a fallback TNG reader should the necessity arise to bypass the touchless system(s) altogether.

Thirdly, the entire stipulation that a motorist that used RFID to enter the highway has no choice but to exit the highway with RFID should be worked around. The entire highway payment system has to be more integrated and flexible to means of payment.


Tokyo 2017: Mazda CX-8 – Malaysia Bound

Officially unveiled last month, the Mazda CX-8 SUV was designed for those looking for an SUV larger than the CX-5 yet smaller than the CX-9.
Although it was initially slated only for Japan, the company later announced that the seven seater SUV will be heading to other markets in the world, and guess what? Malaysia is one of the countries that has requested for it.
That being said, we came across the CX-8 at the Tokyo Motor Show last week and it looks just as good as it looked in pictures.
In Japan, the CX-8 is powered exclusively by a 2.2-litre turbodiesel SkyActiv-D engine but if it comes here, our guess is that it will be a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre petrol engine.
Similar to the Mazda CX-9, the CX-8 is also a three-row SUV, but the difference is that the latter is available in either six- or seven-seater configurations.
If customers opt for the six-seater version of the Mazda CX-8, the second row gets a pair of captain seats with a large storage compartment in between.
Bermaz, the authorised distributors of Mazda vehicles in Malaysia did not specify a timeline for the upcoming Mazda CX-8, but a debut some time in 2018 is likely.


Top 5 Mercedes-Benz's That Make You Look Baller

Baller and Mercedes-Benz are synonymous, but there are some of their cars that are a bit more baller than others.

 A Baller car is usually a car that portrays a successful person who lives a lavish lifestyle similar to a professional sportsperson.

Why a sportsperson? Because they usually have tons of cash and usually splurge on the most expensive, luxurious, and fanciest cars on offer.

This is where the slang 'baller car' originates from because if someone says that your vehicle is baller, what they usually mean is that your car is 'lit'!

One car manufacturer that usually gets associated with baller cars are Mercedes-Benz and the simple reason for that is because they have been supplying cars to the rich and famous since the 1920s.

Dictators love them, basketball players love them, even presidents and prime ministers roll in them - so it's no surprise that Mercedes Benz is associated with successful people, no matter how bigoted they are.

So we took this opportunity to list just five cars because this piece would probably be five pages long if we didn't limit it.

1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupe

The
300SL
 is one of the most iconic cars out there. Not only was it one of the fastest production cars of its time, but it was also the first production fuel-injected car in the world.

215 hp and a top speed of 260 km/h from a 3.0L overhead cam straight-6 doesn't seem as impressive in the modern day we live in, but thankfully the car has that distinctive gull-wing doors and beautiful body silhouette which makes it timeless. You'd definitely want to drive slow in this car - so that everyone can admire its beauty and call you a baller.

Any Year Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Every baller has a
G-Class
 in their driveway (short for Geländewagen terrain vehicle). It's one of those cars that have turned from a useful utilitarian vehicle into a baller's 'kereta pasar'. The unchanged boxy design throughout the years is timeless and just exudes luxury mixed with importance.

In its highest form, the G 63, the
SUV
 can achieve phenomenal speeds for a barge, thanks to an AMG built 4.0-liter V8 bi-turbo, which produces 585 hp and 850 Nm of torque, which helps move the 2.5 ton of metal from zero to sixty-two in 4.5 seconds.

2010 SLR McLaren

When Mercedes collaborates with somebody, they usually collab with the best. Between 2003 and 2010, Mercedes-Benz and British motor racing team, McLaren created the SLR McLaren, an exotic sports car that lived by the ethos of Sport Light Racing. Developed by McLaren and Mercedes and built in England, the SLR is a car that paid homage to the 1955 300 SLR, a 2-seat sports racer that dominated in the World Sportscar Championship.

The 5.4L supercharged V8 power plant generates 650 hp which allowed the silver bullet to go from 0-60 in a speedy 3.3 seconds. There were several limited-edition variants including a roadster which of course had the butterfly wing doors which instantly turned it into a baller car.

Mercedes Benz AMG GT 4 Door

If Darth Vader ever drove a car, the
Mercedes Benz AMG GT 4 Door
 would be his choice of wheels. Of course, Vader would love to drive around in an AMG GT coupe but he'll need a bit more space for the Storm Troopers. In its matt black body and wheel colour, the four-door
Mercedes tourer
 is fit for any evil lord which instantly makes it into a baller car.

The most powerful 63S variant is powered by the same 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 as the AMG GT, paired to a 9-speed multi-clutch AMG Speedshift transmission driving all four wheels.

2020 Mercedes-AMG GT R

Apart from all things shiny and luxurious, ballers tend to love speed which is why the
2020 Mercedes-AMG GT R
 makes this list. As to date, this is the fastest production Mercedes ever built. The 4.0-liter used across the
GT
 range has been dialed up in the GT R models to produce 577 horsepower at 6250 rpm - 108 more horses than the standard GT.

Its main party piece is in the form of a 9-stage motorsport-grade traction control system supported by more downforce, better aerodynamics, more air vents, and lower weight are all tenets of a track-focused car. There’s even an active air dam that reduces front-end lift at higher speeds to keep the car glued to the road.

We're pretty sure everyone has got a different selection of baller cars, so let's hear yours.


BMW Unveils Updated 5 Series (G30) For 2020 - Looking Pretty Familiar

It’s been a busy week for
BMW
 as the Munich-based automaker announced a series of updates to a number of cars, but the most prominent of those is the G30 5 Series. The executive saloon has always been a very strong contender in its class, and with the model now surpassing 3 years of production, it’s time for an update.

For the 2020 model year, the 5 Series receives a mild facelift and an improved feature set over the car’s debut. This entire exercise is referred to as a Life Cycle Impulse (LCI) in BMW’s own lingo. And last time we saw that happen was on their flagship saloon, the 7 Series, which was subject to a rather major nip and tuck.

Curiously, the G30 hasn’t been on the receiving end of some trickle down design. Instead, it resembles the smaller 3 Series more than ever. Clearly, those redesigned headlamp clusters play a big part in that, and its kidney grille
nose
 has been left largely untouched and kept at a conservative size, but is now noticeably more square shaped.

Speaking of those headlights, Adaptive LED illuminators are made standard throughout the range, but fancier tech such as BMW Laserlight remain an optional extra. Taillights are also mildly altered, described as “three-dimensional sculpted”, and each 5 Series now gains trapezoidal exhaust tips.

New wheels are also on the cards, ranging between 18 and 20-inches, including the semi-futuristic 20-inch BMW Individual Air Performance Wheels which are designed to be extra lightweight while minimising wind resistance. Those opting for the M Sport pack can also choose brake caliper accents to be finished in red in addition to the usual blue.

Powertrain packages have been largely carried over from the pre-LCI G30 5 Series, albeit with optimisations in direct fuel injection, the starting 520i’s (currently priced at RM328,800) 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder producing 184hp and 290Nm.

The 530i (currently priced at RM372,800) also remains level with 252hp and 350Nm from the powerful tune of the B48 motor. However, BMW are keen on supplementing all four and six-cylinder variants with a 48V mild hybrid system, though whether it will be included on cars sold in Malaysia remains to be seen.

In the new 530e (currently priced at RM338,800), things also seem a little resistant to change. For one, the 2.0-litre engine and PHEV hybrid system generates a combined output of 252PS and 420Nm. However, a new XtraBoost feature has been added to temporarily raise power to 292PS, which is always welcome.

While we’re on the topic, the more powerful 545e xDrive (available elsewhere starting November) has been given an interesting upgrade much like the one seen with the newest 740i Le. They’ve ditched the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo for a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-6 which, when working with the hybrid motor, pushes out a combined output of 394hp and 600Nm as well as proper super saloon 0-100km/h time of 4.7 seconds, all while sipping between 2.4 – 2.1 l/100 km.

Inside, the cabin should be entirely recognisable to anyone with even a cursory familiarity with the pre-facelift 5 Series. Only the very perceptive might notice the slight change in switchgear finishes and slightly reconfigured controls on the multifunction steering wheel. Elsewhere, the changes are mostly under the skin.

Each 5 Series’ iDrive system now gets the latest BMW OS 7 software which, among other interface and feature additions, also includes support for Android Auto as well as Apple CarPlay. The system also marks the premiere of BMW Maps, a new first-party cloud-based navigation system boasting fast routes, precise arrival times, and real-time traffic info.

Meanwhile, the 5 Series’ safety and convenience offerings have been expanded to include Reversing Assistant, something that made its debut in the 3 Series that allows the car to intelligently (and autonomously) backtrack from a difficult parking situation.

Expect an early 2021 Malaysian debut for the updated BMW 5 Series with more information on the local range to be available closer to that launch window.


Leaked Images Of 2021 Proton Persona MC2 – New LED Headlights, Infotainment Upgrade

Leaked and pretty telling images of the upcoming Minor Change 2 (MC2) 2021
Proton Persona
 show that the updates the model has received are substantial, as opposed to the usual aesthetic changes reserved for updates of this kind. Pictures reveal that not only does the 2021 Proton Persona look more modern; it also receives updated equipment such as LED lights and a different infotainment system.

The MC2 is the latest update for the Persona model, which was
first launched in 2016
, and followed up by the
MC1 facelift in 2019
.

On the outside, the most visible changes are the redesigned front bumper which features a more intricate foglamp cluster, LED headlights, a slimmer front grille and updated wheel rim design along the flanks.

However, bigger changes are seen on the inside. The interior image reveals premium-looking brown leather seats, much like the Proton X70. However, it remains to be seen if the 2021 Persona will receive Nappa leather instead of faux leather, dubbed leatherette by Proton.

Possibly the biggest effort has been in the centre of the interior – where we see an entirely new centre console with finally, an integrated armrest and a flush surface from which the gear shifter pops out of, much like the X50.

Additional buttons just after the gear shifter could hint at newer drivetrain features. Further up, the keen-eyed will sport that the climate control module is entirely new, the former (three) rotary knobs now replace with two smaller knobs and what looks to be a central digital screen – hinting at the possibility of the 2021 Persona receiving a climate control unit.

Crowning the dashboard is a new freestanding infotainment screen with the central air-conditioning vents now residing underneath the screen, instead of the sides like before. The screen looks larger too.

However, the biggest question surrounding the MC2 2021 Proton Persona is its drivetrain, while (109PS/150 Nm) the 1.6-litre four-cylinder is expected to be unchanged, it remains to be seen if the 2021 Persona will receive a conventional four-speed automatic transmission like the
facelifted Proton Saga
. This is an addition that has proved popular with Saga buyers since its introduction in the interest of reliability.

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.


Volkswagen Orders External Investigation On ‘EPA Dieselgate’

Following an announcement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board (EPA and CARB) alleging that the Volkswagen Group has violated US emission regulations by fitting its cars with a software that is able to turn off the vehicle's emissions control system, Volkswagen has announced that it has ordered an independent investigation on the matter.
It alleges that the software is fitted on diesel-powered Volkswagen and Audi models made between 2009 to 2015.
A statement released by the EPA reads, “As described in the NOV (notice of violation), a sophisticated software algorithm on certain Volkswagen vehicles detects when the car is undergoing official emissions testing, and turns full emissions controls on only during the test. The effectiveness of these vehicles’ pollution emissions control devices is greatly reduced during all normal driving situations. This results in cars that meet emissions standards in the laboratory or testing station, but during normal operation, emit nitrogen oxides, or NOx, at up to 40 times the standard. The software produced by Volkswagen is a ‘defeat device,’ as defined by the Clean Air Act.”
It adds, “EPA and CARB uncovered the defeat device software after independent analysis by researchers at West Virginia University, working with the International Council on Clean Transportation, a non-governmental organization, raised questions about emissions levels, and the agencies began further investigations into the issue. In September, after EPA and CARB demanded an explanation for the identified emission problems, Volkswagen admitted that the cars contained defeat devices.”
In response, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, CEO of Volkswagen AG has said that the company has ordered a group of independent, external investigators to look into the allegations.
In a press statement released today, Winterkorn said: “The Board of Management at Volkswagen AG takes these findings very seriously. I personally am deeply sorry that we have broken the trust of our customers and the public. We will cooperate fully with the responsible agencies, with transparency and urgency, to clearly, openly, and completely establish all of the facts of this case. Volkswagen has ordered an external investigation of this matter.
“We do not and will not tolerate violations of any kind of our internal rules or of the law.
“The trust of our customers and the public is and continues to be our most important asset. We at Volkswagen will do everything that must be done in order to re-establish the trust that so many people have placed in us, and we will do everything necessary in order to reverse the damage this has caused. This matter has first priority for me, personally, and for our entire Board of Management.”
Cycle Beating – Everyone does it, but don’t get caught
Like many developed countries, the US has strict regulations on vehicle emissions and fuel consumption.
As it is not possible to test every single car model that is sold in the country, the EPA accepts emissions testing results conducted internally by the vehicle manufacturer, accepting it on goodwill that the tests are conducted in accordance to the requirements set by the EPA.
At the same time, the EPA will also conduct random testing on its own.
The use of a ‘defeat device’ is well known in the industry and if the allegations are proven to be true, then it is a case of “Everyone does it, but Volkswagen was unfortunate enough to get caught.”
Regulators are well aware of the existence of such software being loaded into cars, but it is difficult to conclusively prove it.
Emissions tests are often conducted in a very specific manner, following a very specific driving pattern. Thus, it is quite possible for any manufacturer to load a customised software into the vehicle’s engine computer, enabling it to tell if the vehicle is being put through an emissions test.
In 2014, the EPA slapped Hyundai and Kia with a total fine of USD300 million for overstating its fuel economy claims, the highest fine paid to the EPA in history.
In the same year, Ford was forced by the EPA to compensate more than 200,000 customers in the US with payments ranging from USD200 to USD1,500 after it was found to have overstated the fuel economy of Fiesta, C-Max, Fusion and Lincolm MKZ models sold in the US. It however, escaped hefty fines after the company agreed to re-test the vehicles under the supervision of EPA officials.


Audi Malaysia Unveils 2022 Model Prices With SST

PHS Automotive Malaysia (PHSAM)
, the new distributor for
Audi
 here in Malaysia, has announced its entire 2022 model line-up together with the prices (SST included).

This 'rejuvenation' for the brand in the local market marks a new era for Audi and starting July 2022, a total of 11 different models are on sale from the Q2 all the way up to the RS 7.

New models, new prices

Below are the prices for your reference (OTR excluding insurance in Peninsular Malaysia) and inclusive of the 10% sales tax.

MODEL

VARIANT

PRICE

A5

Sportback S Line

(2.0 TFSI Quattro)

RM454,162.00

A7

Sportback S Line

(3.0 TFSI Quattro)

RM714,907.50

A8 L

S Line

(3.0 TFSI Quattro)

RM1,046,907.50

Q2

S Line

(1.4 TFSI)

RM282,710.00

Q3

S Line

(1.4 TFSI)

RM304,890.00

Sportback S Line

(2.0 TFSI Quattro)

RM357,223.60

Q5

S Line

(2.0 TFSI Quattro)

RM486,223.60

Sportback S Line

(2.0 TFSI Quattro)

RM487,223.60

Q8

S Line

(3.0 TFSI Quattro)

RM867,422.00

RS 4

Avant

(2.9 TFSI Quattro)

RM859,655.00

RS 5

Sportback S Line

(2.9 TFSI Quattro)

RM809,655.00

RS 6

Avant

(4.0 TFSI Quattro)

RM1,082,402.00

RS 7

Sportback

(4.0 TFSI Quattro)

RM1,088,402.00

As an added bonus, all new Audi models sold from 1 July 2022 onwards will also come with three years of free maintenance, five years of unlimited mileage warranty, and five years of roadside assistance.


Spyshot: New Honda BR-V Facelift Caught In Indonesia

The facelifted Honda BR-V has been caught in Indonesia, possibly hinting that a regional debut will happen pretty soon. Indonesia is the biggest market for the BR-V and the model was developed by Honda R&D Asia Pacific (HRAP).
Indonesian automotive site OtoDriver posted the lone spyshot of the facelifted BR-V, depicting the new model’s mildly-revised front end.
Changes to the front end include a new front bumper with a pair of more intricate-looking front foglight surrounds and an additional trim piece in the upper grille. The wheels on the facelifted BR-V also appear to sport a different design.
The outgoing Honda BR-V has remained largely unchanged since its introduction in 2017
In terms of powertrain, the pre-facelifted Honda BR-V is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder i-VTEC petrol engine that is paired to a CVT-type automatic that sends all 120 PS and 145 Nm to the front wheels.
Photo credit:
OtoDriver
Looking for a Honda BR-V? Check out the best deals
here
.


Musim Banjir - Tips Memastikan Kereta Anda Selamat!

Persediaan awal hadapi
banjir
 musim tengkujuh merupakan satu langkah yang bijak bagi memastikan perbelanjaan baik pulih kenderaan di tahap minimum jika ditenggelami air.

Setiap tahun, negara kita tidak terlepas daripada musim tengkujuh. Jabatan Meteorologi Malaysia sebelum ini telah meramalkan bahawa musim tengkujuh melanda negara ini bermula dari November 2020 sehingga Mac 2021. Sebanyak empat hingga enam episod hujan lebat yang ketara dijangka berlaku dalam tempoh Monsun Timur Laut atau musim tengkujuh di negara ini. Apakah persediaan anda dan
kereta anda
 bagi menghadapi bencana alam ini? Jika kereta anda terperangkap di dalam banjir musim tengkujuh ini, jangan panik!

Ikuti langkah-langkah berikut bagi meminimakan kos baik pulih kenderaan anda sekiranya ditenggelami air.

1. Tempat parkir yang tinggi

Sekiranya anda menetap di dalam kawasan yang berpotensi besar untuk banjir, anda haruslah sentiasa bersedia dan peka tentang keadaan cuaca. Sediakan tempat parkir kereta yang lebih tinggi daripada kawasan persekitaran atau bawa kereta anda ke tempat yang lebih tinggi sebelum banjir berlaku bagi mengelakkan kenderaan anda dimasuki air.

2. Keluarkan segala barang berharga

Periksa kereta anda. Selamatkan segala barang barang berharga yang mudah rosak akibat ditenggelami air terlebih dahulu. Air banjir bukanlah seperti air hujan kerana air banjir merupakan air tadahan hujan yang sudah bercampur lumpur yang pekat dan kotor. Proses membersihkan kenderaan anda daripada banjir mungkin akan mengambil sedikit masa. Jangan risiko kan barang barang di dalam kenderaan anda.

3. Cabut bateri

Apabila hujan lebat, sebelum air naik dan mengalir masuk ke dalam kereta, sila cabut terminal bateri kereta bagi mengelakkan peralatan eletrik kereta anda daripada rosak atau 'short' memandangkan tempoh kereta anda bakal ditenggelami air adalah tidak diketahui. Dengan mencabut terminal bateri kereta, anda berupaya untuk menyelamatkan komponen komponen elektrik yang terdapat pada kereta anda. Kalau nak baik pulih semua sekali nanti, memang kering poket.

4. JANGAN START ENJIN!

Malang tidak berbau, jika air sudah naik melebih paras ekzos, jangan sesekali menghidupkan enjin kereta anda. Apabila air masuk ke dalam enjin kereta anda, itu adalah berita buruk kepada akaun bank anda. Jadi elakkan perkara ini. Tinggalkan saja kenderaan anda buat sementara waktu. Tindakan anda menghidupkan enjin kereta tersebut hanyalah akan mengundang padah pada enjin kereta anda.

Tetapi, sekiranya banjir telah surut, anda tetap dilarang untuk menghidupkan enjin kereta kerana air banjir dikhuatiri masih berada di dalam enjin kereta anda. Sebaiknya, gunakan khidmat lori tunda bagi membawa kenderaan anda ke bengkel untuk pemeriksaan selanjutnya. Anda dilarang sama sekali daripada menghidupkan enjin kereta semasa dan selepas kereta anda ditenggelami air. Ini bagi mengelakkan masalah yang lebih serius daripada berlaku kepada enjin kereta anda. Enjin kereta anda berkemungkinan masih elok dan tidak perlu overhaul sekiranya anda mengikuti segala tips yang diberikan. Sebaliknya, anda hanya perlu flush minyak enjin beberapa kali bagi memastikan enjin anda bebas daripada air banjir.

5. Jangan redah banjir

Tidak dinafikan, memandu di dalam keadaan hujan di musim tengkujuh ini merupakan sesuatu yang agak mencabar. Sekiranya anda melihat air di jalan telah mula naik melebihi paras ekzos anda, elakkan daripada meredah air banjir menggunakan kereta anda. Kadang kala, lopak air tersebut lebih dalam daripada apa yang kita sangka. Air tersebut boleh masuk melalui ekzos dan seterusnya merosakkan komponen komponen penting kereta.

Tip Bonus: Dapatkan insuran Perlindungan Bencana Alam Semulajadi

Malang tidak berbau, jika kereta anda terperangkap di dalam banjir, klausa perlindungan bencana alam semulajadi mungkin menjadi penyelamat dompet anda. Tanya dengan syarikat insuran anda berapa premium tambahan bagi menambah klausa perlindungan bencana alam semulajadi. Selalunya kos ini tidaklah banyak mana pun. Sebagai contoh jika anda perlu membayar sebanyak 0.5% daripada Sum Assured (had yang boleh claim nanti) dan Sum Assured anda ialah Rm50,000, maknanya tambahan insuran anda bagi perlindungan bencana alam semulajadi hanya RM250 bagi setahun. Okay la tu.

Akhir kata, pastikan anda dan kereta kesayangan anda telah bersedia bagi menghadapi musim tengkujuh yang sedang melanda negara ini. Kerosakan yang berlaku ketika banjir boleh dikurangkan sekiranya anda mengikuti langkah langkah berikut. Mencegah adalah lebih baik daripada mengubati.


Projek Pengurusan Banjir LPT1 Mula 1 Oktober Ini

Pengendali
Lebuhraya Pantai Timur Fasa 1 (LPT1)
, ANIH Berhad bakal memulakan kerja fasa satu projek pengurusan banjir di
lebuh raya
 berkenaan bermula 1 Oktober ini.

Perkara ini telah disahkan oleh Pengurus Besar Kanannya, Radzimah Mohd Radzi yang berkata pihaknya telah mengambil beberapa langkah penting bagi memastikan projek berjalan lancar.

*Kredit foto: Utusan

Projek Pengurusan Banjir LPT1

Antara langkah yang bakal diambil termasuklah menjalankan kajian terperinci dan komprehensif bagi mengenal pasti komponen tebatan banjir yang akan dilaksanakan untuk mengurangkan risiko kejadian
banjir
berulang.

Antara kajian utama yang dilakukan adalah menerusi kerjasama Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran (JPS) melibatkan semakan dan penilaian data kajian lampau berkaitan isu banjir termasuk analisis dan penilaian hidrologi, hidraulik serta kajian kesesuaian tanah.

Menurut Radzimah, projek ini akan mengambil masa selama dua tahun untuk disiapkan sepenuhnya dan ia melibatkan 11 kawasan kritikal di sepanjang LPT1.

Ini merupakan sebahagian komitmen berterusan syarikat serta kerajaan dalam mempertingkatkan tahap keselesaan dan keselamatan pengguna ketika musim tengkujuh.

*Kredit foto: Malaysia Gazette

Fasa Pertama Projek

Fasa pertama projek ini melibatkan jaringan di KM124 dan dijangka mengambil masa selama 12 bulan. Laluan kecemasan arah ke
Kuala Lumpur
 di lokasi terlibat akan ditutup selama enam bulan bermula Oktober ini.

Laluan kecemasan KM124 arah ke Kuantan pula akan ditutup bermula dari Mei hingga November 2023.

Laluan kontra di kawasan terbabit juga akan diaktifkan bagi memastikan impak lalu lintas sentiasa berada pada tahap minimum sepanjang kerja dilaksanakan.

Pengguna jalan raya dinasihatkan supaya mematuhi papan tanda keselamatan sepanjang projek pengurusan banjir dijalankan.

Untuk mendapatkan maklumat terkini mengenai projek pengurusan banjir ini, anda boleh layari akaun YouTube ANIH TV yang turut melibatkan segmen ANIH Menjawab pada setiap Rabu bermula 12 Oktober ini.

*Kredit video: ANIH TV


LA 2018: Mercedes-AMG GT R PRO Debuts Alongside GT Facelift

Just a couple of hours ago, Mercedes-AMG brought out the facelifted AMG GT and AMG GT R PRO at the ongoing 2018 Los Angeles Motor Show.
First up is the facelifted Mercedes-AMG GT line up, now with a slightly tweaked exterior. Changes are subtle, limited to new headlights with redesigned light guides and tail lights, new wheel choices, revised muffler tips, and rear diffuser design.
Changes inside are more apparent. The updated AMG GT range now gets a full 12.3-inch digital display that replaces the traditional meter cluster, allowing for three AMG-specific display styles – Classic, Sporty, Supersport. Supersport is a new display style that features motorsport-inspired shift lights.
New meter cluster aside, the facelifted AMG GT models also receive tiny TFT displays in the centre console which functions as displays for the chassis, ESP, exhaust system, rear spoilers, and start stop function. The TFT display theme continues to the new steering wheel lifted from the updated C63 range, now with the new Touch Control buttons. The AMG drive programmes are shown on tiny TFT displays located on the steering wheel.
Completing the updated interior is the new 10.25-inch infotainment display that sits on top of the air-conditioning vents.
Mechanically, the AMG GT range remain largely unchanged. The 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 continues to power all three models with different output figures:
AMG GT: 476 hp, 630 Nm
AMG GT S: 522 hp, 670 Nm
AMG GT C: 557 hp, 680 Nm
Apart from the updated AMG GT line up, Mercedes-AMG also introduced the limited edition AMG GT R PRO, a model they teased a few days prior to its debut.
The hotter AMG GT R PRO outputs 585 hp and 700 Nm from its massaged 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8, which shaves its 0-100 km/h time to just 3.6 seconds. Top speed is an eye-watering 318 km/h.
Differentiating the AMG GT R PRO from the plebeian models are the AMG coil-over suspension, which gives drivers the ability to adjust the compression and rebound of the dampers.
In addition to that, the front axle of the AMG GT R PRO is fitted with an adjustable torsion bar constructed out of carbon fibre, while the rear gets a steel-made bar, also adjustable like the front. Furthermore, the AMG GT R PRO gets Uniball spherical bearings at the upper wishbones of the rear axle, which are more wear-resistant than regular wishbone bearings.
Handling is enhanced even more by a carbon fibre shear panel in the rear underbody of the car, which stiffens up the rear end structure. The electronically-controlled dynamic engine and transmission mounts have also been retuned in an effort to further improve agility.
Visually, the AMG GT R PRO comes standard with the Carbon Package I that includes a front splitter, fins fitted into the wings, trim strips in the side sills, and a rear diffuser with clear-coated carbon fibre. A carbon fibre roof with lowered centre help reduce the centre of gravity.
In addition to that, the hotter AMG GT R PRO gets racing stripes running over the bonnet, roof, and rear hatch, as well as the sides. The wrap comes in light green when the vehicle is finished in Selenite Grey, while other body colours will receive the strips in matte dark grey. The stripes can also be omitted as an option.


Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia Previews the Discovery Sport at Sepang, Possible August Debut

Jaguar Land Rover (Malaysia) gave owners, prospective customers, and members of the media a quick preview of Land Rover’s new seven-seat SUV, the Discovery Sport, at the
Land Rover
 Experience Drive Days, which was held at Sepang.
Measuring in at 4599mm long and 2173mm wide, the Discovery Sport occupies a smaller footprint than the likes of the
Audi Q5
 and
BMW X3
, and promises to pack the all-terrain functionality that has become hallmark of the Land Rover name. The Discovery Sport previewed at the event is the 2.2D 190PS SD4 variant, which features a 2.2-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine that produces 190PS and 420Nm of torque. The engine is hooked up to a 9-speed automatic, just as you would get on the Range Rover Evoque.
Inside the Discovery Sport comes with Land Rover’s Terrain Response system that automatically adjusts several parameters on the car to suit certain terrain conditions, powered tailgate, reverse camera, panoramic roof, and a Meridian Surround Sound audio system. For now Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia have yet to confirm the pricing of the Discovery Sport, and expects the model to be making its debut in Malaysia by August, if all goes as planned.


Lebuhraya Karak: Lorong Tambahan, Terowong Baharu Genting Sempah Bakal Dibina

Sempena dengan pelancaran
 Lebuhraya DASH
, Perdana Menteri Ismail Sabri Yaakob juga memberitahu bahawa
Lebuhraya Kuala Lumpur – Karak
 bakal ditambah baik!

Menurut PM, keputusan ini dibuat kerajaan bagi memudahkan pergerakan pengguna di lebuh raya berkenaan.

*Kredit foto:Kosmo

Penambahbaikan Lebuh Raya

Kerajaan bakal membina lorong tambahan di Lebuhraya Kuala Lumpur – Karak (dari
plaza tol Gombak
 hingga ke Bentong) bagi mengurangkan masalah kesesakan lalu lintas di lebuh raya berkenaan.

Bukan itu sahaja, PM turut mengumumkan bahawa kerajaan juga bakal membina sebuah lagi terowong baharu di Genting Sempah bagi mengurangkan kesesakan di kawasan berkenaan.

Pada masa yang sama, kerja-kerja tebatan banjir di Lebuhraya Pantai Timur 1 (LPT1) akan dilaksanakan susulan daripada kejadian banjir yang sering berlaku di sana.

*Kredit foto: Bernama

Kesemua kerja-kerja pembaikan yang dinyatakan di atas mengambil kira penstrukturan semula kadar tol dengan perjanjian konsesi tambahan yang sedang dimuktamadkan.

Melaui penstrukturan terbaru ini, kerajaan telah menjimatkan RM8.8 bilion anggaran dalam bentuk pampasan yang sepatutnya dibayar kepada syarikat konsesi yang terlibat.

Dengan ini, PM berkata pengguna lebuh raya bakal dapat menikmati kadar tol yang lebih rendah sekaligus mengurangkan beban kos sara hidup yang sedang semakin meningkat.


Volkswagen Dealers Participate In Retail Qualification World Championship

There seems to be a growing trend among car brands these days - they host or partake in training competitions that pit the staff at different dealerships against each other in order to determine who the better staff is when it comes to meeting brand standards and understanding the brand inside and out. Volkswagen is the latest to do so, with the hosting of the Retail Qualification World Championship at the Volkswagen Training Academy in Glenmarie.
The competition kicked off last year with 311 participants from Volkswagen dealers across the country taking part. The competition sees participants going through online tests, theoretical and practical assessments, and exams as well. The top 27 performers from the online test were chosen to go on through to the national finals, of which 10 were service advisors, 10 were parts advisors, and 7 were master technicians.
The finals were broken down into several modules for the respective categories over three days. Services advisors were tested on soft skills, dialogue reception and after-sales systems, whereas parts advisors were tested on role-play scenarios, after-sales systems and underwent a written exam. The Master technicians were tested on dialogue reception, diagnostic competency, technical professional competency and systematic methodology.
The champions of the RQWC National Finals are Mr Lu Weng Jen from MHV Autohaus (Volkswagen Gombak) in the Service Advisor Category; Mr John Leow Zhi Kuan MHV Autohaus (Volkswagen Gombak) in the Parts Services Category; and Mr Yeoh Chun Ping from Goh Brother Motors (Volkswagen Juru) in the Master Technician category.
Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM said that participations in global assessments are a way to continuously ensure excellence in local standards. "It goes without saying that our customers are our top priority – and this is but one of the major initiatives we are taking to uphold our Volkswagen Cares philosophy to provide value-added, quality products and more importantly, exceptional service to our customers across our network.“


Don’t Bother Waiting For This New Toyota Vios – It’s Not Coming To Malaysia

If you have been following our earlier posts, you would’ve seen pictures of the
new 2017 Toyota Vios
 during our coverage of the 2017 Bangkok International Motor Show.
Considering that Thailand is the region’s source for components and assembly kits for the B-segment Vios, it was reasonable to expect changes to the Thai-market Vios to be mirrored in Thailand’s neighbouring countries – except that this time, that won’t happen.
In a departure from Toyota’s common practice of offering similar/same products across the ASEAN region, sources at Toyota Motor’s regional office in Thailand have told us that the new design adopted by the Thai-market Vios is exclusive only for China and Thailand.
All other markets in the ASEAN region, including Indonesia and Malaysia, will retain the existing model’s design.
Apart from a different front-end design and interior trim colours, the Thai-market Vios is similar to the model sold in Malaysia, sharing the same 1.5-litre Dual VVT-i engine paired to a CVT-type automatic transmission with seven virtual ratios.
So if you are considering buying a Vios but aren’t sure if you might lose out when a new facelift is introduced a few months later, don’t bother waiting any further.
The current generation Vios will continue to soldier on for at least another year, after which an all-new model based on a variation of Toyota’s TNGA platform will be introduced sometime around mid- or late-2018.
Alternatively, you might also want to look at the
new Honda City
, which was refreshed earlier this year. Now with sharper styling and funky LED headlights (V-grade model only), the City is still the segment’s benchmark for interior space, family-friendly practicality and safety.


2021 Lexus ES 250 Launched In Malaysia, New F-Sport Variant Added

Lexus’ midsize luxury saloon,
the ES
, has just been refreshed for the 2021 model year in Malaysia, receiving some equipment and visual updates alongside
a new F Sport variant
 that sits atop the range, supplanting the ES 250 Luxury.

“As one of the most accomplished executive sedans on the road, the Lexus ES 250 elicits admiration for its impeccable engineering and styling that satisfies any discerning taste. Combined with the Lexus attention to detail and constant quest for excellence, the improvements to the updated model will invariably retain the Lexus ES 250 as the choice sedan to arrive in,” said President of Lexus Malaysia Mr Ravindran K.

As mentioned, the ES trio now consists of the
ES 250 Premium (RM295,663.50)
 and
ES 250 Luxury (RM329,910.50)
 - where the bulk of the cosmetic alterations over last year’s cars are concentrated - and
ES 250 F Sport (RM345,134)
.

The latter introduces Lexus’ sportier trim line with plenty of tastefully more aggressive touches added inside and out to match its ‘baby-LS’ shape, coupe-like roofline and athletic proportions. At the front, the Luxury and Premium receive a new spindle grille design with fewer vertical bars and L-shaped patterns.
The F Sport
, meanwhile, gets a mesh-style front grille elements finished black in addition to 19-inch alloys in Dark Premium Metallic and black side mirrors.

For the Lexus ES 250 Premium, the Bi-LED Projector units have a new inner bezel design. The ultra-compact 3-beam LED projector headlamps of the Lexus ES 250 Luxury and F SPORT have a new and distinctive Daytime Running Light design.

Inside there are ergonomic improvements to the infotainment and navigation experience with the central screen (12.3-inch for the ES 250 Luxury and F Sport, 8-inch for the Premium) moved 112mm forward and angled 5 degrees toward the driver for improved legibility. Elsewhere, USB ports have now switched to accept Type C connectors.

Another bit of newness for the 2021 ES 250 is the inclusion of a new Walnut Black trim with Mauve upholstery option whereas the F Sport gains variant-specific aluminium finish on the trim and either Flare Red or Black upholstery with a sportier leather-covered 3-spoke steering wheel, dimpled leather-trimmed shift knob and sporty aluminium pedals and footrest.

Returning to power the ES 250 is the 2.5-litre A25A-FKS naturally aspirated four-cylinder from Toyota’s Dynamic Force family of petrol engines, producing 204 hp at 6,600 rpm and 247 Nm at 5,000 rpm and mated to an 8-speed Direct Shift 8-speed automatic transmission that drives the front wheels.

Just as in previous model years, Lexus Safety System+ features prominently on the ES and is standard across the range. For this year, the headlining Pre-Collision System (PCS) has now been enhanced with bicyclist detection by both millimetre-wave radar and monocular image sensors. Pedestrian detection is also improved via a more low-light capable camera system.

Of course, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) with Stop & Go Function, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), and Lane Departure Alert (LDA); and Adaptive High-beam System (AHS) are still part of the LSS+ ensemble, though AHS now utilises the BladeScan technology that’s capable of more intelligent shielding of light than in the case of conventional adaptive high beam systems.

In short, it precisely controls light distribution by synchronising the rotation of the blade mirrors and switching the LED lights on and off to broaden the range of high beam illumination, enabling the driver to recognise pedestrians and road signs without dazzling drivers approaching from the opposite direction.


Live From Italy: All New 2015/2016 Audi A4 (B9) Malaysian Review And Test Drive

Remember the term ‘Premium Sports Sedan’ or ‘Premium Sports Compact’ that began surfacing in the 90's? I believe this actually came as a direct result of BMW challenging Mercedes-Benz in the art of luxury car making, in that the strive to build the biggest and plushest teutonic limousine ended up in an arms race of growing proportions, quickly pushing both the 7-Series and S-Class higher up the luxury car real estate with each successive generation.
As both flagships move up in size, the 5-Series and E-Class that followed suit created a vacuum lower down the food chain which could attract car buyers into the brand at a much younger age. This results in the creation of the 190E, which challenges the second generation 3-Series even though the first 3-Series wasn't meant to be a premium car in anyway. Soon, the 'segment' was created as Audi joined in with the first generation Audi A4 in year 1994.
But you know what, the term ‘Sports’ in the 'Premium Sports Sedan' terminology were arguable back then when the BMW 318s of the 90's were basically static obstacles in the face of fast Honda Civics or Subaru Imprezas. The Audi A4’s ‘formidable’ 1.8 Turbo? That only makes a puny 150hp. A far cry from the 2-litre Turbos the Japanese everyday sedans were making during that era. The Premium Sports Sedans were premium, but they can hardly be associated with speed or performance. Hence the word 'Sports' was more like an excuse for a trunk that lacked space, rear seats with virtually no leg room, and suspensions that crash and burn when presented with highway expansion joints.
The word 'Sport' was to infuse a sense of awakening for those who’ve fallen into the age groups where mid-life crisis should kick in, yet with bank balances that couldn’t quite agree with their financial demographics. The word 'Sport' is also used to remind the group that could’ve settled for a 3.0 V6 Nissan Cefiro, that they should give up those comfortable leather seats, the plushy ride, the powerful note of that award winning engine; just to make way for the Ultimate Driving Machine that completes the century sprint in more than 11 seconds while the B13 Nissan Sentra (Genting Sentras) does it in 9.9 seconds.
Yes, this segment started off as a bit of a luxury con job, albeit a very successful one in promoting what Alfa Romeo coined ‘
Cuore Sportivo
’ or 'Sporting Heart' in Viking language. The creation of this segment nevertheless struck a chord in the hearts of millions of impressionable young banking and insurance agents all the way from Wall Street to Jalan Maarof. And these are the young men who once firmly believed that working hard meant that they could own a Mercedes-Benz by the time they retire. Now imagine only to suddenly realise that banks will happily bankroll them an Audi A4 or a BMW 3-Series off their monthly paychecks right after their probation periods. Yes, these cars are literally flying off the production lines.
Within a short span, this segment not only became the bread and butter of these companies, it also serves as a platform to secure future brand loyalists. For example, if you are Mercedes-Benz, you are better off taking care of that C-Class customer who will potentially buy many more cars from you again than to
pissed off the S63 AMG buyer
, who will in all likelihood, be looking at the prospects of a Bentley soon. The figures really speak for themselves, BMW recently celebrated the roll-out of the 14 millionth 3-Series, and Audi also celebrated the 12 millionth Audi A4 / Audi 80, and counting. What this means, is that over the past 20 years, 26 milliion customers buy into these two brands.
While Audi's 1.8T wasn't the most powerful or most glorious of turbocharged engines back then, it's versatility (Audi tuned it to 175hp later while fanboys squeezed more than 200hp easily out of them) established the fact that Audi was 20 years ahead in downsizing their engines. This was during an era where the premium sector regards 6-cylinder engines as the proper entry point towards luxury motoring. Hence it's not hard to imagine the A4 with a 1.8T that which happily keeps up with an inline 6 cylinder 2.5 engine to achieve a somewhat cult status amongst the modification scene. Realising the benefits of downsizing way early, Audi also never saw the need to play musical chairs of car numbering 'push-up-bras' with their lineups, where BMW names a 2-litre as a 330i and a 3-litre as the 340i. Mercedes-Benz is even funnier by naming both their 6.2-liter and a 4-liter V8s as a '63'.

And yours truly, is one such owner of the Audi A4 1.8T. Aside from that
notorious transmission which I later swapped to manual
, I remember my Audi A4 as an extremely well built car, the buttons were solid when pressed, the entire dashboard was soft touch, the wood panel inserts were made of the real stuff, the door hinge mechanism allows for a 90º wide opening for easier ingress and egress, while every bit of plastic inside is of extremely high quality. The roof lining was covered in a soft and plush wool-cotton like material that could’ve been a soft bath robe, compartments were either padded or rubberised. Everything is rock solid, the car was quiet, and I remembered very well during heavy rain, the roof of a W204 Merceds that I was test driving was playing hydro percussions of some sort over my head, while my 1997 Audi A4's sound proofed roof soaked up the heavy rain droplets nicely.
The first generation A4 B5 not only made a name for Audi as having extremely good build quality, but at the same time the A4 which entered the British Touring Car Championship was winning so many races that the racing series just decided to ban Audi from participating amidst complains from all other racing teams. Now of course, we're here to talk about the brand new Audi A4 B9, which we've flown all the way from Malaysia to Frankfurt, and then to Venice, Italy to give you the first thorough impression of this brand new 2015 / 2016 Audi A4 (B9).
I was rather disappointed when I first saw it earlier this year. It looks boring. But as one begin looking back at Audi’s design evolution, they’ve always been subtle if it wasn’t for 2006’s heavy update of the B6 platform into calling it a B7 with the industry changing trapezoidal grilles. And of course in 2008 when the B8 arrived, those LED daytime running lights sent Mercedes-Benz and Lexus scrambling to place one strip of LED light here, another one there just to keep up. The truth of the matter is, from the first of 13 million Audi A4s produced till now, Audi has only ever introduced two new design elements. So it is safe to not expect anything new to come to the table that soon. Or is it?
There's one thing that's very fundamental about Audi cars if you notice. Audi hates unnecessary lines running across its cars. While BMW and Mercedes-Benz goes all flame in and out with their multi-concave, fluidic-surfacing business, Audi just wants to keep it clean. Hence the most prevalent and astonishing design on the new A4 is a smooth unbroken character line that is integrated with the bonnet shut line and runs across the body, effectively making it look like a concept car where it seems like there are no bonnet openings, and an industry first to achieve it. Another great relief, is that Audi also engineered their way out of cutting a line across the front bonnet from across both headlights, which can be seen in the BMW 3-Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class just to get an easy pass on EuroNcap's pedestrian crash test results.
Another Audi hallmark design that can be seen in the new A4, which was carried over since Audi started it anyway, is the hiding of an entire recessed panel is used to house the number plate, using the shut lines of the boot running along the outer edges of the rear lamps. What's new this round, is that the side mirrors has been reduced slightly in size and mounted on the doors, giving a fantastic view of the roads with the wing mirror housings on the A-pillars no longer getting in the way.
See the interior? Audi is still king in interior build, masters of its craft. You can never find Audi cocking up its interior as it’s such a hallmark of Ingolstadt since the first A4. And in terms of ergonomics, none of the premium car boys can hold a candle to Audi when it comes to interior storage planning and ergonomics. Case in point, all four doors of the Audi A4 B8 can hold 1.5-litre large bottles, and has a long, padded door panel that’s very useful when it comes to storage. What’s even better, towards the end, there’s a gentle slope that goes upwards so that you can slide that inevitable coin upwards into your hands, instead of having it lodged at the very edge of the door panels.
Coming to the centre console, Audi's cupholders will always be conjoined in the middle, creating a highly usable compartment for the driver to chuck anything in it. Compared to BMW's strict "A cupholder is a cupholder" approach, Audi's solution is way more user friendly. Another noteworthy point is that Audi never sees the need to ‘click-lock’ the center armrest compartment lid, as in having a button-operated spring-loaded covers that fling open. Instead they designed a hinge mechanism that’s heavy and tightly loaded so that it stops wherever you let it be, and it also doubles as an adjustable armrest. To close, just lightly lift it and the soft close mechanism will slowly glide the lid down unobstructed. And since it’s not a click-lock type of compartment lid, there’s no need to close shut, thus allowing easy access of wires to move around the cabin as our phone stays plugged into the USB ports within.
In the new A4, they took the concept further by retaining a small opening that can be used to either retrieve objects, or as a handle to open the lid. And if you slide the lid, it doubles down as an additional compartment.
If you hadn't already noticed, the rear view mirror is frameless, it is a thing of beauty that seamlessly reflects the trees that we are blasting by as seen here. Notice the huge vent between the center vents and the passenger vent? That is a diffuser. What? Ok, how often have you been face blasted by the air conditioning system during a hot day? Yes, this allows the same volume of air conditioning pumped through the cabin, but in a diffused air flow that's more relaxing. First in class? Not just.
The ergonomics has been improved as well, and it’s good that Audi addressed one of my biggest gripes towards the interior of A4s of old. In the outgoing A4 the door panel arm rest curves upwards and houses all the window switches towards the front, which I do find this as an ideal and ergonomic spot to rest your hands and flick the switches. But the act of winding up or down the window is actually a very rare thing we do nowadays, whereas I’ve always hoped for the buttons to be placed further back, and the arm rest reprofiled flat and moulded with a hand grip so that I have a place for me to slot my palms in during long drives. In the new A4, they’ve addressed this exactly to my liking.
With the option to specify the new A4 with the touch input capable MMI Touch rotary controller, Audi has done a drastic rethink of the interior layout. Instead of positioning the gear lever in front of the MMI controller, they have swapped its position, with the gear lever (for the automatic variants) can be doubled up as a palm rest for drivers to control the MMI and scribbling on top of the MMI knob for quick search.
The automatic gear lever works in almost the same way as BMW's,as that it is fixed in place and to select a gear you just nudge it in the right direction and press the lever-mounted button when you want to leave it in 'Park'. Though not as beautifully sculpted as that of BMW's, the gear lever is a far more practical application in terms of operating it. The button placements are more intuitive as well. But, that's to the driver's own personal preference.
With Mercedes-Benz and BMW debuting full LCD panels for their flagships, Audi raised the middle finger and placed it in their entry level cars. Going full LCD with the Audi TT first, and now the A4 as an optional extra, which one-ups the TT’s Virtual Cockpit in terms of usability, as it does not only integrate every single function into its 12.3-inch screen. Audi also retained the centre mounted 8.8" inch LCD screen for the ease of the passenger accessing controls.
Short of having infrared night vision, the new A4 B9 has pretty much everything the 7-Series has. It has a heads-up display, lane departure warning system, adaptive cruise control (ACC), and a blind spot warning system that goes the extra mile in remaining active for up to 3 minutes after you’ve parked your car, just in case there’s an approaching bicycle or something that might endanger the driver or passenger; which is actually a very common occurrence in Europe where bicycles are everywhere.
Speaking about the ACC, upon activating the lane departure assist and dynamic cruise control there are two renditions with which the system differentiates according to speed. At speeds of 65km/h and below, the system will be able to steer the car for you, and maintain the distance with the car in front. When the system detects that there are no cars in front of you, and upon approaching a bend based on GPS data, the car will automatically slow itself down. The Matrix LED headlamps is said to swivrel in the right direction just as you're about to reach a turn by using GPS data.
As European laws mandate that no vehicle must be able to steer itself without intermittent intervention from the driver, the system cannot fully operate without the driver touching the steering every 15 seconds. Failing to do so, after repeated warning, the system will go into deceleration until full halt while the car steers itself within lanes, if the driver is traveling below 65km/h. If above 65km/h, the system won't go into a full halt as it will pose a hazard for other motorists traveling on the highway. Just imagine an RS6 approaching from behind at 300km/h, and you get the idea why Audi engineers decided it should only be used at speeds of below 65km/h.
Aside from class leading features and equipments, another hallmark of recent Audis has always been class leading interior room, and the new A4 has done it again with a boot that’s only 10 litres smaller than that of a Rolls Royce Phantom's, and an interior room that matches that of the current Mercedes-Benz E-Class. It may not seem like it at first from pictures, but once I sat in, especially coming from a current owner of the B8 S4, the new B9 definitely has more room within. On paper it shows headroom has been increased by 24mm, and legroom by 23mm, but in reality it feels more than that, because these two figures are correlative in the sense that if you sit more upright by reducing your headroom, you'll get more legroom, vice versa. Nevermind the space, I'll cut it short, it's larger than both 3-Series and the C-Class, so we can move on to how it drives.
From the get go, there's a few things one can notice, first off, the engine Start/Stop has improved tremendously in the sense that it's operation is imperceptible. And immediately on the move you will notice, just how quiet the car is. And it's not the "Oh it's a brand new car" kind of quiet, it is extremely quiet for this segment. Audi claims it is akin to A8 levels of quietness, and to be brave enough to benchmark it against their flagship, you bet that they weren't joking about it. The entire car uses acoustic glasses, and there's substantial sound proofing materials used throughout. The dropping of the wing mirrors to the doors also reduces significant amounts of turbulence and wind noise, and lastly its slippery new body must've have contributed to its quiet demeanour as well.
But the biggest contributing factor towards its high level of comfort, is the brand new five-link suspension Audi designed for the new A4. And this, has got to be the biggest game changer for this car. It rides beautifully. There's a serious amount of thought being put into fine tuning the new A4's suspension, and it tells as it feels as though there are multiple levels of shock absorption happening and working altogether. If you're used to reading car reviews about Ford's exceptional talent in suspension tuning, well sorry Ford, Audi must've snatch your top talents away and got them to deliver something that is a few notches better.
There is no costly air suspension trickery happening beneath, just exceptionally a beautiful suspension setup that soaks up everything the road will throw your way, while letting you know what's happening underneath when it comes to the business of throwing the car around a corner. It's lovely, and it's comfortable, very very comfortable. The weight reduction of the car, (the manual 1.4 only weighs 1,320kg, and the 2.0 TFSI only weighs 1,430kg), the superb sound proofing, the new mechanical bits underneath, everything works in perfect harmony to deliver such a compeling drive and ride.
At a glance, the new A4's appearance might be evolutionary compared to its predecessor, but don't be mistaken, the improvements done to the new A4 are massive, and it's not just incremental bits across all aspects we're talking about either. It's the inclusion of segment busting features, being introduced into a category that used to woo new customers into the brand. Audi is hell bent in wanting to create a class leading product, crammed with more technology, boasting more space, more efficiency,faster and being way more comfortable than before. And the new A4 has every box ticked, as though the engineers asked a focus group to sit down and list everything they wanted in the car, and then delivering them accordingly.
But in the midst of all this calculated approach to appeal and to achieve in every single aspect, has Audi produce yet another clinical, focus group, excel sheet derived vehicle that aims to bust on numbers but ultimately lacking in character and emotion? Perhaps.
And I’m very sure for those who used to love Audis just because they were left-field, and got attracted to them just because Audi wasn't the obvious or predictable choice, (me for example) would’ve headed elsewhere in search of esoteric choices. Maybe the new Alfa Romeo Giulia, the new Volvo S90, or the Jaguar XE might suffice given how popular Audis are now - or put simply mainstream.
In my opinion, Audi shouldn't miss them one bit, because apart from being a challenger to the segment leader, the new Audi A4, short of focusing on having key features such as the Lexus IS’s funky speedo, or the Q50’s detached power steering as major marketing punchlines, the A4 retains what made it good, and focuses on making it great. And through this, earned what is now rightfully its place as the segment’s benchmark, poised to take over the spot from the BMW 3-Series proudly, unequivocally.
**All pictures - Diambil dengan iPhone 6**


All-New Toyota Corolla – One Name, Three Faces

Toyota has just introduced the all-new 12th generation Corolla sedan simultaneously in both China and the USA. As before, both the North American (USA and Canada) and Chinese market Corolla are quite different. We still don't know which of these variations are coming to our market, but it's likely to be one of the two Chinese market designs.
Like many car companies operating in China, Toyota maintains two joint venture operations - FAW Toyota and GAC Toyota, both selling different range of Toyota models. Thus explains the use of two different name plates - Corolla and Levin, sold by FAW Toyota and GAC Toyota respectively - for what is essentially the same car with slightly different styling.
From the photos, it is apparent that the Corolla has three different front-end styling to cater the different needs of its two biggest markets.
For the North American market, the Corolla XSE shown here gets a slightly more aggressive front bumper with aero stabilizer fins at each end, while the headlights gain an extra J-shaped LED lighting element. The Toyota emblem has also been repositioned to the top portion of the bumper, above the slim upper grille.
The China market Corolla and Levin, on the other hand, are comparatively toned down. The Chinese duo does not receive the same aggressive front end as its American sibling.
The sides of the Corolla XSE feature a set of 18-inch wheels with a dual-tone finishing, slightly larger than the Chinese duo's 17-inch units. The design of the wheels are slightly different from the China market Levin, while the light grey side skirt further differentiate the side profile from its overseas siblings.
Towards the back, the Corolla XSE gets a bootlid spoiler and a more pronounced rear diffuser than the China versions. Twin muffler tips help complete the Corolla XSE’s rear end.
Chinese versions of the Corolla receive a simpler-looking rear end without an integrated diffuser on either model. The sportier version of the duo, the Levin, gets a black finishing on the bottom half of the rear bumper and a body-coloured insert. Despite their differences, the bumper shape remains identical across all three models.
Moving inside, the North American Corolla XSE gets a dual-tone colour scheme, with a black upper dashboard and cream coloured dashboard trim. The upper portion of the door trims and seats also receive the same treatment.
Unfortunately the display cars at the Guangzhou Auto Show had their respective interiors hidden by heavily tinted windows, so it’s hard to say how the interior looks like. But a video released by Toyota did give a quick glimpse at the inside, possibly showing that the Levin could receive an all-black interior, while the Corolla could receive the dual-tone interior. This point is further strengthened by the fact that the Levin shown at the Guangzhou Auto Show is a hybrid, which is represented by the energy flow display in the all-black interior pictured below.
So there you have it, one model with three distinctive faces.


Bangkok 2017: 2017 Chevrolet Colorado High Country Storm Launched In Thailand

Chevrolet Thailand have rolled out a special edition of their
Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck
 called the High Country Storm, in conjunction with the 2017 Bangkok Motor Show.
The High Country Storm comes equipped with a host of aesthetic accessories, namely 18-inch alloy wheels, a gloss black rear sports bar, gloss black door handles and wing mirror protectors. The car also receives other visual highlights in the form of matt-black hood stickers, decorative motifs along the side and black rear boot lid.
The Colorado Hugh Country Storm is available in two models starting with the 2.5-litre turbodiesel 2WD automatic at THB 1,028,000 and the 2.5-litre turbodiesel 4WD automatic at THB 1,098,000.
The 2.5-litre engine in question is the 2.5-litre Duramax turbodiesel four-cylinder which outputs 180hp and 440Nm of torque. Power is transmitted through a six-speed automatic transmission equipped with a Centrifugal Pendulum Absorber (CPA) which reduces overall noise and vibration levels within the powertrain.
The High Country Storm accessories package is offered with a choice of six vehicle colours.


Tun Dr. Mahathir At Volvo Car’s HQ In Gothenburg – What’s Happening?

A set of photos depicting Tun Dr. Mahathir paying a visit at Volvo Car’s headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden was uploaded onto the former premier and Proton’s chairman’s official Facebook page.
The Facebook post did not elaborate any further on the background of the visit, so details are scarce. However, one of the pictures showed an overview of the agenda for Dr. Mahathir’s visit, and there was nothing out of the ordinary.
His half-day visit started off with a welcome by Volvo Car’s President and CEO, Hakan Samuelsson, followed by a series of presentation on Volvo Car’s R&D capabilities, the company’s signature SPA (Scalable Product Architecture) platform, Volvo’s research into autonomous driving – a key part in Volvo’s vision to ‘Drive Towards Zero’ target, which aims to have zero accidents or injuries in a new Volvo car by 2020, and its latest XC90 SUV.
It is worth noting that the low-key Volvo brand has a long history in Malaysia. Many people forgot that Sweden has been a very good friend to Malaysia’s automotive industry.
When Malaysia embarked on the early stages of its industrialisation plan in the ‘60s, it was Swedish car maker Volvo that first to responded to calls by the Malaysian government to setup a car assembly plant in Malaysia.
Setup in 1967, the Swedish Motor Assemblies plant in Shah Alam began producing the Volvo 144 in early 1968. It was the first locally-assembled car in Malaysia.
Today, Volvo is the longest running car assembler in Malaysia and one of the few non-national brands that exports its cars from Malaysia. The Malaysia-produced Volvo V40, S60, XC60 and XC90 are exported to Thailand and Indonesia.
Malaysia is also home to Volvo’s regional technical training centre.
Volvo is also the first car maker to install a laser welding facility in Malaysia, installed in 2013 to support local assembly of the V40. The company was rather quiet of its investments into Malaysia so many didn’t know about it.
What could Proton offer Volvo? Well, Volvo desperately needs additional sales volume. Producing less than 500,000 cars a year (465,866 cars in 2014), the subsidiary of Geely Holding desperately has a long-term goal of selling 800,000 cars per year.
Although the
all-new XC90
 is already on sale in Europe, the previous XC90 is still sold alongside the all-new model in countries like China, and it actually makes a lot of sense.
Despite being over 10 years old, the previous generation XC90 is still a lot safer than many other new cars on sale today.
As expected of Volvo, the company builds its cars according to its own set of very demanding standards, whose requirements are up to 10 years ahead of many other testing standards from around the world.
Take for example the extremely demanding small frontal overlap protection crash test, introduced by the United States’s Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in 2012.
The XC90, whose designs date back to 2002, passed the test with the maximum Top Safety Pick+ score.
This was because although it is not yet required by any third-party automobile safety organisations, all Volvo cars since 1992 have already been designed with such considerations. The first generation of Volvo’s SPOC (severe partial overlap collisions) was introduced in the 850 in 1992.
So an aging 10-year old design Volvo XC90 actually outperformed many other newer models in the test.
You can be certain that there is absolutely no way that Volvo Car will allow its flaghip XC90 to be produced by somebody else, but we would love the idea of the previous generation XC90 living on under a different name.


Volkswagen To Introduce Vento 1.2 TSI – From RM80,000-plus

Volkswagen Group Malaysia has announced today that it is accepting bookings for the new Volkswagen Vento – essentially a higher specifications Volkswagen Polo Sedan with a TSI+DSG combo drivetrain.
There will be three variants - Highline, Comfortline and Trendline – with prices estimated to range from RM80,000 to RM90,000.
Features by variant have yet to be confirmed, but we know that the top of the Vento range Highline variant will come equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), four airbags (front and side), anti-lock braking system (ABS), Intelligent Crash Response System (ICRS) and ISOFIX anchorage point for child seats, giving the car a 5-star rating by ASEAN NCAP.
The teaser pictures revealed that the Vento is differentiated from the 1.6-litre naturally aspirated Polo Sedan by its LED tail lamps, a different three slats radiator grille, a slightly different front bumper with a pair more rectangular front fog lamps.
Touted as the only turbocharged sedan in its class, the Vento will be powered by 1.2-litre TSI engine that produces 105 PS, with a 175 Nm of torque sustained from 1,500 rpm to 4,100 rpm. Power is transferred to the front wheels via a 7-speed dual clutch DSG transmission.
Inside, the Vento also has a slightly different steering wheel and infotainment system.
Five colours are available; Candy White, Flash Red, Reflex Silver, Carbon Steel Grey and Deep Black. More information at
http://vw.volkswagen.com.my/coming-soon/the-vento/
.


Strong ecosystem of electrical, electronics industry reason for Tesla entry

Apparently, Tesla decided to enter Malaysia because we have the right ecosystem to support EV manufacturing.

Ever since Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz
officially confirmed
 that Tesla would be setting up shop in Malaysia, there's been a lot of curiosity as to why Tesla has chosen us.

Well apparently, one of the reasons why Tesla has decided to proceed to have an official presence here in Malaysia is due to our strong ecosystem in electrical, and electronic components manufacturing.

According to a report by Bernama, Zafrul said we have the right ecosystem to support electric vehicle manufacturing as we are the world's seventh largest producer in the electrical and electronics (E&E) sector in addition to semiconductors which are essential components in any EV manufacturing.

"When talking about EV manufacturing, companies like Tesla will invest here because we have an ecosystem in E&E. The most interesting factor about Malaysia is, when you look at the ecosystem for E&E, it can support the EV industry".

"For example, Tesla says that a relatively large part of their supply chain is from Malaysia, so why don't they move here," he said at a press conference recently.

So far, MITI has confirmed that Tesla will be opening a head office in Malaysia, introduce Tesla Experience Centers and Service Centers and create a network of Superchargers in Malaysia.


The Newest Porsche 911 Targa Is More Targa Than Ever

....and Porsche brings back the manual!

Here’s the all-new
Porsche
 911 Targa, which like clockwork has been revealed in sequence following the start of the latest 992 generation of the iconic rear-engine sports car which began in late 2018 with the crowd favourite Carrera (and Carrera S) and Carrera 4 (and Carrera 4S).

Mechanically, the Targa is very similar to those variants. Identical, in fact, save for the metal origami hanging out the back, as opposed to the full soft top that features on the Cabriolet variants, also adding its retro-inspired signature wraparound rear glass house and prominent B-pillar.

Rather than merely being known as the 911 with a (mostly) metal folding roof, the Targa has a niche mostly to itself, but nonetheless is touted as being just as much a pure-blooded Porsche as the rest of them. Great pains have been taken to ensure the weight penalty imposed is minimal while keeping everything compact enough to not disturb the 911’s iconic shape.

As you’d imagine, Zuffenhausen has gotten pretty good at this trick, and this newest Targa’s moveable roof assembly is just as effective as it was in its 991 counterpart, the 992’s immediate predecessor, and where its fully automatic folding roof premiered.

The automaker has fashioned the metal bits out of lightweight magnesium, which also provides enough rigidity to serve as a structural crossmember (also useful during a rollover) with or without the soft roof deployed which, by the way, takes 19 seconds.

Besides that, everything below its neckline, so to speak, is pretty standard fare for a non-GT model 911. The overall design is very much an evolutionary step from the 991 with only minor tweaks made to the front fascia. Its rear end, meanwhile, receives the new illumination cluster with an uninterrupted light strip and vertical 3rd brake lights.

The all-new 911 Targa, like the outgoing model, can only be had with all-wheel drive and is split between the Targa 4 and more powerful Targa 4S. Powering both these variants is the same 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged flat-six engine, albeit slighty gutsier over the older car, with the respective figures being 385PS and 450Nm or 450PS and 530Nm.

Lighter overall weight and that boost in engine power means these newest batch of Targas also out-accelerate the cars they replace, with the Targa 4 managing 4.2 seconds (0.1s faster) and the Targa 4S hitting 100km/h in 3.6 seconds (0.4s faster).

Porsche has also made some welcome changes to the all-wheel drive system, now equipped with reinforced clutch discs and dedicated water cooling for the front differential for greater robustness and allows for increased actuating torque to improve adjustment accuracy of the front-axle drive.

Surprisingly, Porsche has included the choice of a 7-speed manual transmission should the 7-speed PDK dual-clutch not catch your fancy, though the privilege of a three-pedal layout can only be had if you choose the pricier Targa 4S and pair it with the optional Sport Chrono Package.

There’s life yet in the 991-generation Targas, however, as these new 992 versions are expected to make their European and North American markets debuts in later 2020. Other regions, such as ours, are earmarked for a tentative local introduction window of late 2020 or early 2021. Porsche has also promised a special edition 911 Targa for a reveal next month, June 2020 - something to look forward to.


Review: Audi R8 V10 Plus Driven in Ingolstadt – A Feast for All Senses

It was a sunny, yet cold and breezy morning at the
Audi
 Sport circuit in Neuberg, Ingolstadt – Audi’s home in Germany, when we were greeted by the gorgeous and talented
Rahel Frey
; Audi's factory driver in the R8 LMS Cup who actually finished fifth overall last year.
Despite being told that there would be someone from the company to guide us through the Audi Driving Experience, we had least expected it was going to be one of Audi’s factory drivers themselves. At this point of time, we knew that it was going to be a good day.
Frey then led us to a conference room for a quick briefing on what was going to happen the whole day, the do’s and don’ts, followed by a ‘Q&A’ session, and all the usual stuff.
A cup of coffee and a few jokes later, it was time to finally move on to the main agenda; what we flew about 28 hours from KL for – to get our hands on the 2016 Audi R8 V10 Plus.
Specifications
Engine: 5.2-litre, Naturally aspirated, V10, petrol
Max power: 610hp @ 8,250rpm
Max torque: 560Nm @ 6,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual clutch automatic with paddle shifters, AWD
Fuel consumption (combined): 13.9 litres/100km
Origin: Neckarsulm, Germany
Price (estimated): More than RM1.25 million
Overview
First unveiled at last year’s Geneva International Motor Show, the
second-generation R8
 has gone through a significant amount of updates with the sole aim of outdoing its predecessor, and from what we have seen, there is no doubt that Audi has done a good job.
First and foremost, the new R8 V10 Plus is the fastest and most powerful series-production Audi of all time, and the big news is that there will not be a V8 or a manual model anymore. Instead, the new R8 is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10 engine.
While the base model is capable of producing 540hp, the range-topping R8 V10 Plus which we tested has the engine tweaked to produce a whopping 610hp and maximum torque of 560Nm, enabling it to accelerate from naught to 100km/h in only 3.2 seconds and achieve a maximum speed of 330km/h. Paired to the engine is a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox which replaces the outgoing single clutch automated manual transmission.
Similar to the outgoing model, the R8 is still built on an aluminium monocoque chassis, but this time, more carbon fibre has been added in key places, which has resulted in increased rigidity by 40 per cent and 20 per cent less weight.
An interesting fact about the new R8’s platform and powertrain is that it is the exact same package that is underpinning the
Lamborghini Huracan
, thanks to the fact that
Volkswagen
 Group owns both
Audi
 and
Lamborghini
.
However, we can assure you that the car will not remind you of a Lamborghini at any time, and truth be told, the R8 feels unmistakeably Audi.
Despite being half-siblings, the R8 and the Huracan are still competitors and joining the Italian in the rivals’ corner are cars like the Mercedes-AMG GT, McLaren 650S, and the
Porsche 911 Turbo S
.
Exterior
Measuring at 4,420mm long, 1,240mm tall and and 1,940mm wide with a 2,650mm wheelbase, the R8 has not changed much from before in terms of size. The second-gen model is now wider by 36mm, shorter by 20mm, and taller by 12mm. Wheelbase length on the other hand, remains the same.
Besides the slight difference in dimensions, the R8 has its lights redesigned to look like it came off a ship in
Star Trek
, and if you have some additional cash you don’t know what to do with, you can opt for Audi’s laser light technology. On top of all that, the front grille has been redesigned as well, looking sharper and wider than the outgoing model. Behind, the lights and the exhaust pipes have been redesigned too.
In case you’re wondering how to distinguish the R8 V10 Plus from the standard model, just look at the wing mirrors and the rear spoiler, as the former has them made in carbon fiber, while the standard variant has them finished in body colour. Outwards, the R8’s design remains familiar, but the car is 50kg lighter, and 40 per cent more rigid than before.
Interior
Inside, the R8’s cabin has been completely redesigned, with new features like the 12.3-inch virtual cockpit display, new air-cond control levers, a revised centre-stack with gear levers and buttons similar to the ones found in the
TT
.
Thanks to the redesigned cabin and the increased overall height, the R8’s cabin feels roomier now. In fact, it was more spacious than expected for a supercar. Getting in and out of the car was not an issue as well, even for the writer who stands close to six-feet tall and weighs one-tenth of a tonne.
While there is a wide range of material and colour options for the cabin, the car which we tested looked like how rapper Snoop Dogg would want his – with Suede brown Alcantara roof and pillars, complemented by bucket seats, door panels, and the centre console clad in brown Nappa Leather. The only thing missing were two furry dices hanging from the rear-view mirror.
Comfort and refinement levels exceeded our expectations. Visibility was also decent. However, we feel that things would’ve been better if the wing mirrors and rear-view mirror were slightly bigger.
True to Audi’s claims, all functions were driver-oriented and allowed easy operation even when we reached our limits - and all could be done while the driver’s hands were on the steering wheel. Complementing the whole experience was the newly designed sport seats with integrated headrest which provided excellent lateral support.
How does it drive?
For a car that kicks out 610hp and 560Nm of torque, the level of composure the R8 V10 Plus offered was mind-blowing.
Yes, it scares the undies out of anyone who stands next to it when it comes to life, revving up to 2,500rpm and back upon the press of the ignition button on the steering wheel but that’s what supercars do, don’t they?
But once it settled down, the R8 V10 Plus was a ‘smooth operator’. Before we took it to the Neuberg track, we had the opportunity to test the car’s straight-line acceleration and experience the abilities of its quattro all-wheel-drive system, the ABS brakes, as well as the new electro-hydraulic steering.
Despite being powered by a naturally aspirated high-revving engine, the R8 V10 Plus’ acceleration was so quick and brutal that it felt like were in a turbocharged car, and all the credit goes to the new dual-clutch S tronic gearbox.
There were four driving modes which we could choose using a ‘Dynamic Select’ button on the steering wheel – Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, and Individual, where the car’s throttle response, steering feedback, transmission, and the suspension setup varies from one mode to another. Since we had no time to sit and fiddle with the Individual mode, we tried out the remaining three.
As the name suggests, Comfort mode was the most comfortable, with the throttle, gearbox, and the quattro system taking things easy, making it the ideal for road usage. Auto mode on the other hand saw the car adjusting itself based on where and how the car was being driven, giving the driver the best level of performance and grip based on what the car ‘feels’.
And then, there was the ‘Dynamic’ mode, in which we spent most our time with, simply because it was the most fun. Upon selecting the drive mode, the engine got grumpier, throttle became more sensitive, the steering and suspensions stiffened up, and off we went onto the Neuberg.
If the driving experience of the new R8 can be described in one word, it would be ‘inspiring’. The chassis, dynamic steering, and the quattro system worked hand-in-hand so well that the car responded exactly how we intended it to, even at manic speed, inspiring us to push it even harder.
There was so much composure everywhere, both when it was dry or wet. Yes, the car did whip out its rear when we tried to exit a couple of corners fast under Dynamic mode, adding to the excitement, but it could be brought back to tempo in no time. Throughout our stint on the track, our hearts were beating fast only in excitement, but never once in fear. That is how superbly composed and safe the driving experience was.
As fast as we (thought we) were, we realised that the car’s limits were beyond our abilities, and let the pros like our instructor Rahel Frey show us how to properly ‘abuse’ the car. In all, it was an unforgettable experience.
How economical is it?
This question shouldn’t even pop up in the mind of anyone who wants to get a car in this segment, but we will enlighten you with the numbers anyway.
Audi Malaysia has not yet disclosed which of the new R8 V10 will be introduced here, but if at all this variant comes in, expect it to be priced higher than the current R8 V10 quattro FSI which asks for RM1.25 million.
In terms of fuel economy, the R8 V10 Plus' combined fuel consumption is rated at 13.9 litres/100km - a figure we (unsurprisingly) far exceeded in our track stints.
Conclusion
In all, the new R8 does everything its predecessor could do, better. Not only does it looks sharper, but performs in a more impressive manner and has the ability to beat many of its rivals both on and off the racetrack.
The only downside is that it does not have the visual appeal of a Lamborghini Huracan or a Mercedes-AMG GT. So, if you are looking for a supercar that you want to flash around and be noticed from a mile away, the new R8 might not be the right car for you.
But if you are someone who prefers flying under the radar until someone comes and tries to find out what you are capable of the hard way, this is it. Look no further.
Looking for an Audi R8? Find one now at
Carlist.my