The Range Rover Sentinel Is Part Luxury SUV, Part Fortress

If the idea of an
armoured luxury sedan
 doesn’t tickle your fancy, what about an armoured SUV? Recently unveiled, the new Range Rover Sentinel, which is fully engineered by
Land Rover
’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) can now be yours on a built to special order basis, with prices (excluding taxes) starting at €400,000 (RM1,931,342).
Built at SVO’s Oxford Road facility, the Sentinel (cool name) is based on a standard wheelbase
Range Rover Autobiography
 with a 3.0-litre V6 supercharged petrol engine providing 340PS, mated to a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission.
It offers excellent occupant protection and we aren’t joking. This thing is built to provide the highest levels of protection an SUV can offer against a wide variety of attacks as you shall now find out.
First up, the core of the vehicle is a specially-developed six-piece armoured passenger cell, made of super-high-strength steel. The standard glass is replaced with multi-laminated armour privacy glass of optical quality, providing excellent vision of the assailants firing at you with their assault rifles, while withstanding penetration by 7.62mm high velocity, armour piercing incendiary bullets. There is a 100mm opening in the driver's window for document delivery if needed and the load space features anti-smash protective glass.
The Sentinel is also fully certified to VR8 standard against ballistic threats by QinetiQ, an independent organisation that was formerly part of the British Government's Defence Establishment Research Agency. This means that the vehicle is capable of offering protection against up to 15kg Trinitrotoluene (TNT) blasts and defence against DM51 grenade explosions from both beneath the floor and above the roof.
Should the tyres be deflated during an attack, escape is still possible thanks to run flat inserts in the tyres - fitted to special 20-inch split rim alloy wheels, allowing the vehicle to be continuously driven. Large 380mm front and 365mm rear ventilated disc brakes, both with high-density pads are available if you need to stop.
Other extreme safety bits include an anti-tamper exhaust, a self-sealing fuel tank, auxiliary back-up battery and a split charging system. As an additional option, floor and under bonnet fire suppression systems, a customer configurable siren system, emergency service lights, and an external speaker can be specified as well.
Even with all these high-end security measures, the Range Rover Sentinel remains inconspicuous and almost identical to its base car, drawing very little attention towards it. Good news for the ever-cautious VIP inside. Speaking of the inside, the Sentinel retains the abundant legroom of the standard model that comfortably seats two full-size adults in the rear.
The uprated suspension to ensure ride comfort and handling are retained while revised Dynamic Stability Control and Ride Stability Control systems allow for a payload of up to 650kg can be carried.
And should the worst case scenario happen and the main doors are blocked by an accident or an attack, occupants can leave the vehicle via the Emergency Escape System behind the rear seats.
The driver will be thankful for the Command Driving Position, giving a clear and unobscured view of the surroundings, particularly useful in the event of an attack. He or she will also receive a full driver-training programme to ensure drivers are capable of handling the vehicle to maximum effect in the most challenging circumstances.


Feature: Visiting Bosch’s Wiper Plant In Changsha, China

Besides the car launches and test drives, plant tours often happen in the line of work as a motoring hack. Still, some trips are rarer occasions than others and a visit to Bosch’s wiper plant in Changsha, China certainly counts as one.
The invite to visit Bosch’s Changsha plant in China was received with some intrigue here in the
Carlist
 office – between the five of us in the entire team, none of us have ever visited a wiper factory before, and it’s not something we’ve ever thought of doing.
Indeed, the city of Changsha itself is not a place any one of us here in the office had heard of before the invite came in – it is not in the same level of prominence as Beijing and Shanghai, or even Chengdu and Tianjin. It is not even among the ten biggest cities in China.
Yet, with a population of 7.4 million spread over nearly 12,000km
2
 of land area, it is bigger on both counts than Kuala Lumpur and Singapore combined. The Bosch wiper plant has been operating in Changsha for a decade now and according to company officials, we were part of the first media contingent to visit it.
Naturally, Bosch claims that the Changsha plant is run with the same standards, equipment, and processes as its lead automotive wiper plant in Tienen, Belgium.
“We are committed to deliver quality products from our Changsha plant. Robust design, reliable quality, and superior service level are the focal points that we concentrate on to win and maintain customers’ trust,” said Dr Norman Roth, Regional President for Bosch Electrical Drives for Asia Pacific.
To date, Bosch has invited approximately RMB 70 million (approx. RM43.1 million) on the Changsha plant since 2004. The plant utilizes a high degree of automation to achieve consistent product quality. Spanning a total area of 82,000m
2
, the plant employs 4,640 personnel and has 2,400m
2
 of floor space dedicated to R&D modelled after the company’s facilities in Belgium.
So, what did we learn from our tour?
Bosch developed flat-blade wipers in 1999
 – Colloquially also known as boneless wipers, flat-blade wipers are now used in 90% of new vehicles coming out from Europe. Compared to traditional wipers, flat blade wipers press against the windscreen evenly along its length, thus producing a more consistent wipe. If your car does not come with flat blade wipers, no problem, you can replace them with Bosch’s aftermarket flat-blade wipers that have been tested to fit 95% of vehicles available in the Asian market. The blades are designed to be simple to replace, so you can DIY.
200,000 wiping cycles –
We saw very elaborate testing rigs where Bosch takes windscreens of actual vehicles that the wiper blades will be used in and subject them to continuous wiping cycles in various temperature and humidity conditions. Bosch claims that its flat blade wipers can sustain consistent wiping performance for up to 200,000 wipe cycles.
Wiper judder –
Your wiper blades are designed to flip each time the wiper changes direction. Sometimes, however, imperfections on the windscreen or wiper blade, caused either by manufacturing defect, poor tolerancing, or simply dirt, can hinder the flipping process. This causes the blade to ‘chop’ at the windscreen as the wiper arm sweeps across, and what we see thus is the juddering of wiper blades. The lesson here is to always clean your windscreen and wiper blades, and to ensure that you always choose good quality wiper blades.
Hybrid wiper blades –
More than its superior cleaning properties, consumers have a liking for flat-blade wipers for aesthetic reasons – they look far more upmarket than conventional wiper blades. Certain wiper manufacturers have come up with the hybrid wiper blades as an intermediate solution. Hybrid blades outwardly have the seamless appearance of flat-blade wipers, but is structurally like conventional blades. Bosch, for the record, does not make hybrid wiper blades. The company believes in the superiority of its flat blade solution and is pushing that as its main product whilst still offering conventional wipers for the cost-conscious.
Jet wiper –
 The next innovation in wiper development. Bosch is moving the windscreen washer spray nozzle to the wiper arm. This arrangement provides better targeting of the water jet, thus ensuring more effective cleaning of the windscreen whilst using up to 30% less water than conventional sprays. Best of all, Bosch designed it to be compatible with existing wiper blade designs.
Never knew there is this much to learn about wipers eh?


Audi Turns To Samsung, LG For Next-Gen Battery In Upcoming Electric SUV

Audi
 has teamed up with two South Korean tech giants, LG and Samsung, to co-develop new battery technology. The technology companies will supply the Ingolstadt-based automaker with advanced energy storage cells for an upcoming all-electric SUV.
This upcoming vehicle is the most exciting development, as it will not only sport a range of more than 500km, but also unite European and Asian efforts into finding new ways to power the future of personal autonomy.
“Together with our South Korean development partners, we are bringing production of the latest battery‑cell technology to the EU and strengthening European industry with this key technology,” stated Dr. Bernd Martens, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG for Procurement. The cell modules are to offer particularly high performance. “This will allow us to supply a technological solution that makes electric cars even more attractive for our customers.”
“With our first battery‑electric Audi‑SUV, we are combining an emission‑free drive system with driving pleasure,” said Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG for Development. “We will optimally integrate the innovative cell modules developed with LG Chem and Samsung SDI into our vehicle architecture, thus achieving an attractive overall package of sportiness and range.”


The upcoming Lamborghini Aventador's rear looks menacing as hell!

The new Lamborghini Aventador speculated to be unveiled in the next few months, has been spotted in the wild once again, but this time thanks to some minimal camo, we get to see a lot more than before.

Youtuber Varryx who hunted down the camouflaged Aventador spotted the car coming out of Lamborghini's HQ in Bolognese, Italy where he then pursued the car to provide us with the pleasure of seeing the rear of the car as we've never seen it before.

The Youtuber starts off by pointing out that the car is not heavily camafolouged like in previous sightings, where we can now see the final bumper design which shows that the Aventador will come with some chunky and funky diffuser.

He then moved on to the exhaust, citing that the hexagonal twin exhaust is something that we've already seen, but now we can confirm that the exhaust will feature four pipes in the hexagonal housing.

He then moved on to some 'important things' where he said that we can now clearly see the final design of the engine cover. The engine cover will apparently not be a see-through cover, and there are slatted vents on the sides.

Moving on to the most outer side of the engine bay, just behind the C-Pillar, the Aventador has been designed to come with aerodynamic side spoilers, which the Youtuber said is there to channel air for aerodynamic purposes. He had never seen this bit of detail before and sounded quite excited.

Last but not least, the feature that got the Youtuber most excited was the sighting of the third brake light, which according to him, is a world first. As you can see, the third brake light 'weirdly' follows the shape of the roof, stretching from side to side just above the engine cover vents. It is quite unique, and something we have not seen before in any supercar.

The new flagship supercar will debut sometime in the next couple of months. Since the outgoing Aventador production ended last year, we can
expect Lamborghini to roll the new supercars off the assembly line swiftly
.


2015 Mazda CX-5 2.5L CKD Prices, Specs Revealed: From RM150k, Limited Units Available

With the 2.5-litre variants of the
CX-5
 only in CBU form at the moment, it looks like Bermaz Motor (official distributors of
Mazda
 vehicles) are gearing up towards revealing their locally-assembled model for Malaysian sale.
If this spec sheet is accurate (as shared on
a dealer's FB page
), what we could be looking at here are prices and details of the
Mazda CX-5
 2.5-litre CKD (pre-facelift). Great news, but it’s a bit troubling when the whole spec sheet isn’t completely viewable – the top and bottom seem to have been cropped off for some reason.
*2015 Mazda MX-5 Prices, Specs Revealed For Malaysia
Prior to this, Bermaz's 2.5-litre CX-5 was offered in two variants (RM165k RM175k) – one of the reasons they had introduced a CBU 2.5-litre version so early on was because of the overwhelming demand for the SUV.
With the introduction of the locally-assembled versions, Bermaz has managed to slash up to RM16k off against their CBU (fully-imported) counterparts.
*Above image pieced together by us for your ease of viewing
For the pre-facelift model we have here, it looks like Bermaz is doing away with the 4x4, and keeping it to a pure 4x2 arrangement, and offering just one 2.5-litre CX-5 variant, with a choice of either solid or metallic paint.
Prices for the now locally-assembled 2.5-litre CX-5 4x2 (solid paint) starts from
RM149,075
, (OTR with insurance), while the metallic body paint version retails for RM400 more - overall, the local assembly has slashed prices up to RM16k against the fully-imported versions.
Current CBU CX-5 2.5-litre prices:
RM165,369 (4x2)
RM185,644 (4x4)
New CKD CX-5 2.5-litre prices:
RM149,075 (4x2, Solid Paint)
RM149,475 (4x2, Metallic Paint)
Speaking to a representative within Bermaz, we also understand that the pre-facelift CX-5 2.5-litre CKD here is also on a very limited run, so best hurry along to place your bookings.
Where spec is concerned, it looks like the new range-topping, locally-assembled CX-5 variants are coming fully loaded, with the following being key highlights to look out for, listed under Bermaz’s Special Accessories Package:
19-inch alloy wheels
Navigation system
DVD, Audio, AM/FM, MP3, Bluetooth
Leather seats
BOSE 9-speaker audio system
Reverse Camera with Colour TFT display screen
Mazda Skytint (safety tint)
Other standard equipment & features include (this part is again trimmed off from view):
Bi-Xenon headlamps with Adaptive Front-Lighting System
Keyless entry and Smart Start System (engine)
Leather-wrapped steering
Six-airbags, ABS, EBD, BA
Dynamic Stability Control + Traction Control
Again, do keep in mind that Bermaz is only offering a limited run of the pre-facelifted 2.5-litre CX-5 CKD, so best hurry along if you want one.
What about the facelifted CX-5?
Just months ago, however, a few selected
dealerships quietly rolled in the CX-5 facelift
, which again, was only offered as a CBU unit, with the 2.5-litre engine. As we understand it, those are still available for bookings, but do be prepared for the naturally higher price points: RM173k to RM183k (
one a 4x2, the other a 4x4, both with equal spec
).
We're still in the dark over when either 2.0-litre versions of the facelifted model may appear, or when locally-assembled begins for that. Stay tuned!


New Vehicle Sales In Malaysia – January 2018

For the past two years, the Total Industry Volume (TIV) for the first month of the new year has been hovering around 45,000 units, which is approximately 7% of the total TIV.
It is no different for January 2018, with the TIV closing at 44,575 units.  Also no surprise are the top contributors to the sales volume.
Click to enlarge.
Perodua leads, followed by Honda, Proton, Toyota, Nissan, and Mazda. What is surprising is the difference of Toyota’s and Proton’s year-on-year performance. Both brands suffered a sales reduction of over 2,000 units. Based on data, Toyota's weak January 2018 performance was contributed by sluggish passenger vehicle (sedan, hatchbacks and wagons with 5 seats) sales.
While passenger vehicle still lead the monthly sales, January 2018 was one of the best months for SUV models. New models from Mazda (CX-5), Honda (CR-V), Mitsubishi (Outlander CKD), Peugeot (3008), and Subaru (XV) have certainly contributed to the strong numbers for SUV category.
Pick-up models continue to lose their appeal, with January performing below the average sales of 2017. Based on MAA data, Toyota (1,096 units) nonetheless still leads the pick-up segment, doubling the sales of what second-placed Nissan can achieve. Mitsubishi trails by just 27 units, with Ford and Isuzu behind.
In the premium segment, Mercedes-Benz still leads BMW by quite a margin. MINI and Volvo are separated but just 2 units of sales, with both selling 71 units and 69 units respectively.


5 Adegan Kereta Paling Gempak Dalam Filem Malaysia

Pernah tonton mana-mana filem tempatan yang menampilkan adegan hebat yang melibatkan kereta? Filem tempatan tak kurang hebatnya!

Filem yang berasaskan kereta ini sudah banyak dihasilkan dan terbukti mengaut keuntungan yang besar. Tak percaya? Lihat saja pada kejayaan francais
Fast & Furious
. Filem yang pada mulanya berasaskan perlumbaan kereta telah berubah menjadi filem yang padat dengan aksi menarik, namun masih lagi mengekalkan kereta sebagai salah satu faktor utama cerita ini.

Industri filem tempatan turut tidak ketinggalan untuk menghasilkan adegan-adegan menarik yang melibatkan kereta dalam penggambaran filemnya. Kalau anda sering menonton filem luar untuk menyaksikan kereta-kereta idaman anda, sebenarnya filem tempatan pun ada banyak tawarkan koleksi kereta yang menarik.

Jom kita imbas semula antara adegan-adegan menarik yang melibatkan kereta dalam filem tempatan.

5. KL Gangster 2, 2013

Selepas kejayaan KL Gangster yang mengutip RM11.74 juta, Filem KL Gangster 2 turut menawarkan adegan aksi yang gempak. Selain penuh dengan adegan koreografi pergaduhan yang tangkas serta ganas, filem ini turut menawarkan salah satu adegan kereta yang menarik perhatian rakyat Malaysia.

Dalam satu adegan pergaduhan dalam filem ini, sebuah kereta Proton Waja milik PDRM telah diterbalikkan oleh pengikut Shark (lakonan Syamsul Yusof). Adegan tersebut berlaku setelah dua orang polis menaiki Proton Waja bertindak untuk berhenti dan mengarahkan Shark untuk meletakkan senjata beliau. Kedua-dua polis tersebut dibelasah sehingga tidak sedarkan diri dan Shark mengarahkan anak-anak buahnya untuk terbalikkan kereta polis dan memusnahkannya sebagai balasan kerana telah mengganggu urusannya.

Apa yang menariknya tentang adegan ini? Bukan selalu kita dapat tengok kumpulan gangster memperlakukan kereta polis serupa demikian. Bukan sekadar terbalik dan dirosakkan, kereta terbabit turut ditembak bertubi-tubi oleh Syamsul Yusof menggunakan senapang milik salah seorang anggota terbabit. Meskipun kereta terbabit hanyalah Proton Waja, namun Proton Waja PDRM semestinya menjadi antara kereta yang paling digeruni di jalan raya.

*Sumber: YouTube Nur Hafni

4. Castello, 2006

Malaysia turut mempunyai ‘terminator’ yang tersendiri. Dalam filem Castello yang ditayangkan pada tahun 2006, Rosyam Nor memegang watak utama sebagai Castello di mana beliau telah melakonkan salah satu adegan kejar mengejar yang ikonik dalam industri filem negara.

Dalam filem ini, Castello cuba mengejar Sepet (Que Haidar) yang melarikan diri menggunakan sebuah
teksi
 Proton Iswara. Pada awalnya, Castello berpaut pada bumbung teksi berkenaan sebelum terpelanting ke hadapan akibat teksi tersebut dibrek. Sepet lantas memecut teksi berkenaan menggunakan laluan di tepi sungai berhampiran PWTC.  Tidak berputus asa, Castello telah merampas sebuah jet ski yang sedang ditunda di jalan raya dan terus mengekori Sepet menggunakan laluan sungai tersebut.

Yang menariknya bukan part kejar guna jet ski, tapi apabila Castello memecut laju dan membawa kenderaan air itu ke darat bagi menghalang Sepet daripada melarikan diri. Kalau anda rasa adegan Vin Diesel melompat daripada kereta untuk selamat nyawa seseorang itu dah cukup cool, Castello dah buat sesuatu yang jauh lebih cool daripada itu! Kebolehan krew filem tempatan untuk melakukan aksi tersebut dalam tahun 2006 harus dipuji.

(adegan kejar mengejar yang disebut berlaku pada durasi 1 jam 8 minit)

*Sumber: YouTube Mr. NE

3.  Kongsi, 2011

Filem Kongsi mengisahkan tentang seorang pembunuh upahan bernama Tumulak (Shaheizy Sam), yang datang ke Malaysia untuk mengucar-kacirkan kumpulan kongsi gelap yang ada di Malaysia. Dalam filem ini, Tumulak telah merempuh sekatan jalan raya menggunakan Nissan 180SX lalu dikejar oleh
Mitsubishi Evo 10
 dan Proton Waja milik PDRM.

Dalam aksi kejar mengejar tersebut,
Proton Waja
 PDRM telah menghimpit Nissan 180SX menyebabkan Tumulak terpaksa memandu secara bahaya sehingga terbabit dalam kemalangan. Setelah kemalangan, Tumulak masih tidak berputus asa dan telah merempuh kenderaan polis terbabit berkali-kali sebelum keretanya disekat oleh Proton Waja milik PDRM.

Setelah Nissan 180SXnya dirempuh oleh pihak polis, Tumulak keluar dari but belakang Nissan 180SX lalu memijak-mijak kereta polis berkenaan sebelum melarikan diri. Adegan kejar-mengejar diantara Polis dan Tumulak di jalan raya dengan kehadiran kereta awam di sekitar Kuala Lumpur harus dipuji. Selain itu, adegan ini juga memberi spotlight kepada kereta baharu Mitsubishi Evo 10 milik PDRM pada ketika itu.

*Sumber: YouTube UltraRacing_Official

2.  KL Gengster 2, 2013

KL Gangster sekali lagi menampilkan aksi kereta yang menarik. Dalam pertempuran akhir yang besar dan padat dengan aksi, Tailong (Rosyam Nor) telah melutut dan meniarap diatas sebuah Hummer dan menembak kearah Malik (Aaron Aziz) yang sedang mengejarnya.

Oleh kerana usaha untuk menghalang Malik dari terus mengejarnya seakan tidak berhasil, Tailong telah bertindak untuk mengacukan pistolnya ke arah tangki minyak dua kenderaan awam dan menembaknya sehingga meletup.

Aksi Rosyam Nor yang sedang melutut di atas sebuah kenderaan bergerak sambil memerhatikan dua kenderaan awam meletup akibat perbuatannya merupakan salah satu adegan yang melibatkan kereta yang terbaik bagi filem aksi di Malaysia.

*Sumber: YouTube Hady As-sumatrani

1. Evolusi KL Drift 2, 2010

Ini merupakan antara filem kereta yang meninggalkan kesan yang mendalam pada pencinta kereta. Filem ini menampilkan kereta-kereta yang pernah menjadi kegilaan semua pada suatu masa dahulu seperti
Nissan 350Z
,
Mazda RX-7
,
Nissan Silvia S13
 dan
Toyota Supra
.

Dalam adegan kejar mengejar terbabit, Mazda RX-7 yang dipandu oleh Shaheizy Sam telah terbabas dan terjunam daripada flyover dan kereta terbabit hancur setelah menerima impak hentakan yang kuat dari bahagian hadapan sebelum meletup. Kalau anda dah boleh rasa pedih di hati apabila melihat RX-7 diperlakukan sebegitu, Toyota Supra berwarna kuning yang dipandu Shamsul Yusof turut terlibat dalam kemalangan.

Toyota Supra terbabit hilang kawalan lalu membedil tembok batu di tepi jalan sebelum keretanya melambung dan berpusing di atas jalan raya lalu terbakar. Sebagai pencinta kereta, melihat dua kenderaan JDM dimusnahkan sebegitu rupa memberikan rasa sedih dan pilu meskipun ianya bukan milik kita. Tapi dalam adegan tersebut, produksi filem ini kelihatan serius dalam memaparkan impak kemalangan yang ternyata bukanlah dihasilkan menggunakan CGI, malah menggunakan kereta betul.

*Sumber: YouTube Enma Ai Yes Gao Mikado No VGCP AUTTP EDCP

Berikut merupakan 5 adegan kereta yang hebat dan gempak dalam filem tempatan bagi diri saya. Kalau anda ada adegan gempak lain yang melibatkan kenderaan dalam filem tempatan, kongsikan dengan kami!


Can You Do Donuts In An Electric Car? Nissan Says Yes

When one says “electric vehicle”, the first thing that comes to most of our minds are things like clean technology, charging infrastructure, and driving range.

However, many EVs out there today are also able to deliver an exciting driving experience, such as the Nissan Leaf here.

To demonstrate the capabilities of the car, Nissan recently challenged a professional stunt driver to drift the Nissan Leaf, which went better than expected.

The Nissan Leaf demonstrated with ease its ability to produce both maximum torque and force, while delivering virtually silent donuts and burnouts.

Throughout the test, the Nissan Leaf’s emissions remained at zero - a number symbolized by the vehicle’s donut tread marks.

The world’s best-selling EV thereby debunked outdated perceptions that electric vehicles are nothing but large golf carts.

As such, exhilarating performance aside, this indoor drift experiment provided yet another reason for us to smile at the prospect of future electric mobility.


Thailand International Motor Expo 2018 Returns, 29 Nov To 10 Dec

Consumers in Thailand can look forward to yet another promotion-heavy Motor Expo this coming Thursday. The 35th Thailand International Motor Expo 2018 is scheduled to begin on 29 November and to conclude on 10 December 2018.
Held under the theme concept of “Enjoy Driving! Before Driverless Era”, the 2018 Thai Motor Expo will feature exhibitors from 36 makers from 9 countries plus 23 motorcycle brands from 7 countries.
Apart from the display of concept vehicles, visitors of the Thai Motor Expo can also expect to witness the launch of several new car models as well, including the all-new Honda Accord, Nissan X-Trail facelift, all-new Suzuki Jimny, and Honda Civic facelift.
For the young ones, there will be a “Skill Driving Experience Junior” activity, aimed to instil road safety awareness. Visitors can also try out various advanced driving assistance systems such as autonomous braking at the Autonomous Test Drive Area.
A brand new Volvo V40 T4 awaits a lucky visitor who booked a new car at the motor show. Additionally, for riding enthusiasts who placed a booking for a new motorcycle will stand a chance to win a Yamaha YZF-R6. Each entry ticket to the Thai Motor Expo entitles a visitor a chance to win a MG3 Hatchback.
Kwanchai Paphatphong, the organizing chairman of the Thai Motor Expo expects 45,000 bookings to be placed for cars and another 8,000 bookings for motorcycles. The 2018 Thai Motor Expo is expected to welcome 1.5 million visitors which will generate over 55 billion Baht of commercial transaction, elevating the Thailand new vehicle sales for 2018 to over 1 million units.
For more information, please head to
 https://www.motorexpo.co.th/


MAA: Vehicle Sales In May 2021 Hold Steady Despite MC0 3.0 – June Might Be A Different Story

The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) reported that vehicle sales in May 2021 have held steady despite the implementation of the
MCO 3.0
, recording 46,663 units (passenger and commercial vehicles), versus 23,366 units in May 2020 but what about June 2021?

The encouraging numbers, however, may be short-lived as the
current FMCO
 (implemented 1st – 28th June), which requires all showroom operations to close could tell a very different story for the month of June.

The figures for May 2021 are also the lowest in the last three months after a strong performance in March (63,978 units) and
April (57,912 units)
.
Sales in March 2021
 were buoyed by buyers pushing forward their purchases to capitalise on the SST exemptions (at the time expected to cease at the end of March). Sales in April and May 2021 were possibly spurred forwards as well given the SST exemptions were then extended (announced end-March 2021) until the end of June 2021.

However, with the exemptions now granted until the end of the year, buyers will likely have more time to commit to purchasing decisions, which might see the market plateau in the coming months. MAA expects minimal sales in June 2021 on the back of
showroom closures
 and the current FMCO, excepting carry forward sales from May 2021 registration units that were invoiced in May 2021.

Other factors that will contribute to a sharp drop in sales are the closures of government agencies like JPJ, Puspakom, SPAD, and LPKP which will impact new car inspections and registrations. MAA also noted that the production of certain models has also been affected in the last few months due to
global chip shortages
.

The Total Industry Volume (TIV) from January to May, however, has been positive compared to 2020 (due to the implementation of MCO 1.0 between March and May) recording 245,932 units (passenger and commercial vehicles), versus 128,790 units in the first five months of last year.

Used car sales have also reported healthy numbers in the first five months of the year, however,
here's why we think
 the second half will be a lot more challenging.


2015 Mercedes-Benz Malaysia C-Class Driving Experience: A Hands-On Approach To Safety Systems

This writer has never had the opportunity to drift a car before. I imagined it to be as easy as what is shown in movies – simply turn in, apply more power, and catch the slide. Easier said than done as I found out during
Mercedes-Benz
 Malaysia’s C-Class Driving Experience at the Setia City Convention Centre carpark.
Following the introduction of the
locally-assembled Mercedes-Benz C-Class
 previously, several members of the media were then given the chance to participate in this event which highlights the brand’s various safety and driving technologies by providing a hands-on approach behind the wheel of the new C-Class as well as some of Mercedes-Benz’s other vehicles sold here in Malaysia. This included the recently introduced GLA-Class and
A-Class
.
Firstly, we were introduced to Peter Hackett, Chief Driving Instructor for Mercedes-Benz along with three other driving instructors assisting him for the day. Let’s just say that these gentlemen are more than capable of teaching us a thing or two about driving. After the mandatory briefing on safety as well as the list of activities we would be performing, we were then ushered to the open-air carpark after being split into colour-assigned groups.
Activity One: Drift Test and Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
Being assigned to the red group, we were the first to experience what was the most exciting activity of the day, under the direction of Jake Fouracre. After being guided on the proper seating position while driving, Jake then moved on to the interesting bit of the C-Class which we will soon drive.
Drawing our attention to the rear tyres we were told that they are fitted with Easydrift Driver Training System (DTS) rings. As the name suggests, they allow you to drift with ease. How? Here’s a simple explanation: The Easydrift DTS consists of a pair of rings made from hard, slippery plastic that are installed over the rear tyres. As Jake pointed out, they provide a grip level equivalent to driving on ice, which is next to nothing.
And with that, Jake went out onto the course with the car’s ESP switched off and demonstrated excellent car control, sliding his way gracefully through a slalom, around a bend and through another slalom before greeting us again at the starting point. He then proceeded run the same course but this time with ESP turned back on to illustrate the difference. After that, it was our turn to have a go as we picked a partner each and made our ways into the cars.
Setting off, I gingerly accelerated my way past the first cone and started to pick up speed. However, upon my first interaction with the steering wheel, I had managed to spun the car a full 180 degrees. Redirecting myself back on course, it was a lot of fun and excitement trying to drift the rear-wheel drive C-Class ala Initial-D. Sadly, that wasn’t the case by the time I made it back to the starting point.
On my second go, the ESP was reengaged and the results were immediately apparent. As the car slowly entered into a slide, the system kicked into action, limiting the power sent to the rear wheels while braking individual wheels to ensure I didn’t spin around like a top as the lap before.
After a few more rounds, each with the ESP either engaged or disengaged, it became apparent that even though our country’s climate may not experience extreme colds like other countries that produces icy slick roads, Mercedes-Benz’s ESP system is still capable of assisting the driver maintain control even when fitted with near zero-grip tyres. And with that, we continued on to our next activity.
Activity Two: Agility Course
For this activity, Elliot Barbour introduced us to a mini circuit that aims to showcase the agility of Mercedes-Benz cars. After a short convoy drive to familiarise ourselves with the flow of the circuit, Elliot attacked the circuit as flat-out speed as an initial demonstration. Then, it was our turn.
It was the same format as before, two drivers are assigned to the car with driver swaps after each round of the mini circuit. When both drivers have completed one stint each in the car, they move on to sample it with another Mercedes-Benz car.
Hopping into the A 250 first, I floored my way as quickly as I could through the circuit, taking care not to hit any of the cones laid out. The little hatchback was nimble and agile but given that I’m not a professional racing driver, I deduced it would be faster in the hands of Mr. Elliot.
It was the same story in the GLA 250 4MATIC as well. The permanent all-wheel drive system made the crossover surprisingly brisk even when tracking over the loose gravel and sand spread across the parking lot.
When we finally got our hands on the C-Class, it was a little unnerving as the circuit was really tight but the saloon still managed to give us quite a bit of a thrill as we sped through the course as fast as our driving skills would allow us to.
Activity Three: Braking and Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
In this final exercise, we were told to test Mercedes-Benz’s anti-lock braking system, a feature found on every model in the brand’s line-up. We accelerated in the A 250 and slammed on the brakes hard upon seeing either of two lights come on which were fitted on a gantry, activated after the car passes between a laser speed trap sensor.
Easy stuff so far until our instructor, Ro Charlz, put up an obstacle just past the braking point, which we need to avoid following the direction of whichever light came on at that point while performing heavy braking. A test of the driver’s reaction time and the car’s ability to adapt to it.
Next, we were told to put our faith in the car’s ability to maintain stability even during hard braking. How? By accelerating as quickly as we could and upon reaching the braking point, slam on the brakes and let go of the steering wheel. We were told the C-Class would correct itself and not place us in a RM269,888 w As we’re still alive to write our experience, suffice to say, it was as claimed.
Overall, the event provided all the thrills and excitement that few will ever get to experience in their daily driving. Drifting, Gymkhana-like courses, and aggressive braking are all done within an extremely safe environment with experienced driving instructors to guide participants through each exercise.
The event also allows Mercedes-Benz customers to better understand just what their cars are capable of and to experience for themselves the actual safety and driving assistance technologies that go into Mercedes-Benz cars.
Now, where can I get those Easydrift tyres?


New BMW X7 Launched In Singapore, Priced From SGD 471,888

BMW Asia and Performance Motors Limited recently introduced the new BMW X7 in Singapore, with prices starting from SGD 471,888.
Power comes from a 3.0-litre TwinPower Turbo straight-six petrol engine that outputs 340 hp and 450 Nm, paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission that routes power to all four wheels via the BMW xDrive all-wheel drive system.
Depending on the market it’s sold in, the new BMW X7 is aimed directly at the Lexus LX, Infiniti QX80, and Mercedes-Benz GLS. The new BMW X7 has a length of 5,151 mm, 2,000 mm width, and a 1,805 mm height. As for the wheelbase, BMW says that the new X7 has a wheelbase of 3,105 mm.
Considering that the new BMW X7 is positioned as the company’s flagship SUV, the equipment list is just as expansive, as the new X7 includes:
BMW Laserlight
Slim LED front fog lights
21-inch Y-spoke alloy wheels
Run-flat tires
Adaptive two-axle air suspension
Five-zone automatic air-conditioning
Panoramic glass roof
The new BMW is also packed to the brim with technology, which includes:
BMW Live Cockpit Professional
Dual 12.3-inch displays
BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant with ‘Hey BMW’ command
Remote Software Upgrade
BMW Digital Key
Remote 3D View
Reversing Assistant
As for safety equipment, the new BMW X7 is equipped with the Driving Assistant Professional suite, which includes:
Crossing Traffic Warning
Rear Collision Warning
Priority Warning
Wrong-way Warning
Lane Change Warning
Lane Departure Warning
Lane Change Assistant
Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go
For the Singaporean market, the new X7 xDrive40i is available across several trim levels:
Seven-seater Design Pure Excellence
Six-seater Launch Edition Design Pure Excellence
Six-seater Launch Edition M Sport
Photos courtesy of
oneshift.com
Looking for a new BMW? Find the best deals
here
.


Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Is Geared Up For 2021

We talk to Mercedes-Benz Malaysia about how they are coping with the pandemic, why there will not be a Mercedes-Benz
EQA
 anytime soon as well as what new cars they will be launching this year.

The COVID-19 outbreak has forced many automakers to speed up their digitalisation efforts, and it seems, even a fortified luxury car maker like Mercedes-Benz has had to fall in line.

Through an online meeting, we got the chance to talk to Mercedes-Benz Malaysia's President and CEO, Dr. Claus Weidner and their Vice President of Sales and Marketing Passenger Cars, Michael Jopp to discuss their business strategy for 2021.

According to Jopp, they have had to adapt to the current situation to continue their customer-centric ways. One of these adaptations is a rethink of how to connect with customers online, which practically resulted in an
online shop
 which we reported about a few days ago.

He said, "The lockdown has of course affected showroom traffic which is why we have launched the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Virtual Showroom. Customers can pretty much browse cars online, calculate financing options, check on stock availability and pretty much do anything else that a physical showroom can."

While discussing the 2021 outlook for Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, Jopp also seemed optimistic about the year saying that MBM has learned how to live with the new way of life and adjusted itself. "It's been more than a year now that we have had to live with the pandemic. Through the year, we have learnt how to adjust to certain things so that we may continue operating efficiently and safely so that we can continue to serve our customers and live up to their expectations."

Part of MBM's strategy for 2021 is also to unlock the full potential of its unique sub-brands – AMG, Maybach, G-Class and EQ. Fully aware that Mercedes' EQA is getting all the right attention at the moment, we couldn't resist asking Dr Claus Weidner when we might see an
EV Mercedes-Benz
 in Malaysia.

The Mercedes Benz Malaysia President and CEO said that they are always working behind closed doors to introduce
Mercedes-Benz EVs
 into Malaysia, but the stumbling block it seems doesn't lie with them. " We're always working on introducing an electric vehicle in Malaysia, but until the national automotive policy makes it easier for us to do this, it just doesn't seem feasible to do it. Nevertheless, we're always monitoring the situation and keeping tabs on demand for these cars from the public and our customers. We also hope the new NAP will allow us to plan better as we are committed to Malaysia."

Some of the other questions asked were, why has Mercedes-Benz Malaysia stopped publishing sales figures? According to Dr. Weidner, they have left this to JPJ and MAA as they have a more accurate reading. "This is something that we mentioned before in 2020. The two bodies together can come up with good sales data so we will leave it to them".

Finally, the irresistible question of what new cars we can expect from Mercedes-Benz this year was also thrown into the mix. An excited Jopp didn't give too much away, but he did say that they will be launching some SUVs and compact cars this year. "We're pretty optimistic about 2021 and will be launching some SUVs and compact cars. Hopefully, with the rollout of the vaccine in Malaysia later this year, we can go back to operating at 100 percent."


All-New Nissan Grand Livina Spotted For The First Time In Indonesia

Following Mitsubishi Motors’ absorption into the Renault-Nissan Alliance, news got out that
Nissan is actually developing the new Grand Livina
 which will be based on the Mitsubishi Xpander MPV.
Although we knew that both models are essentially the same cars which are going to be differentiated by slightly different styling, we had no idea how the all-new Grand Livina is going to look like.
Well, looks like we don’t have to wait any longer as the all-new Grand Livina has finally been spotted in Jakarta.
From what we can see in the images shared by the folks at
AutonetMagz.com Indonesia
, the all-new Grand Livina definitely shares the same platform and body as the Xpander.
The main difference is the design of the front fascia. While the Xpander features Mitsubishi’s Dynamic Shield design theme, the Livina looks quite different, thanks to Nissan’s V-Motion grille, and a redesigned bumper with chrome lip. The LED headlights and the wheel design look different as well.
At the rear, a few minor bits differentiate the both. For instance, the all-new Grand Livina comes with blacked out bits around and in between the tail lights, unlike the Xpander. The Grand Livina’s rear bumper looks like it has been redesigned as well.
There have not been any shots on the interior yet, but expect it to be almost identical to the Xpander, with slightly different features.
As for the mechanical stuff, we expect the all-new Grand Livina to be powered by the same powertrain package as the Xpander, which is a 1.5-litre MIVEC petrol engine that outputs 104 PS and 141 Nm, driving the front wheels via a 4-speed automatic transmission.
That being said, it is unclear if the Malaysia-market all-new Grand Livina will be imported from Mitsubishi’s plant in Indonesia, or assembled at Tan Chong’s plant in Serendah.
It is also worth noting that TCMA already has an existing relationship with Mitsubishi Motors prior to the tri-diamond brand’s entry into the Alliance.
Its Segambut plant, which specializes in contract assembly work, has been assembling the five-seater ASX for Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia, before adding the seven-seater Outlander to the list.


Mercedes-Benz Prepares Itself For CES 2017

For years, car manufacturers have used the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to display their latest and greatest technologies when it comes to infotainement and the like. But one of the more recent trends (and it's difficult to say who exactly started it) was bringing concept cars that were designed to fit an autonomous driving future.
This coming show in January, Mercedes-Benz is going all out with their CASE (Connected, Autonomous, Shared & Service, and Electric Drive) corporate strategy. It's their way of linking the various aspects of technology we expect to see in the coming years, from networking to flexible usage models and autonomous driving. On display will be the Concept EO- a sporty SUV crossover with pure electric drive.
In addition to this, there will also be the Vision Van, which is a study of vans for urban use in the future. There will be a great deal of innovative integrated technologies in this van, with the main focus being 'last mile delivery', or the final step of the supply chain to your house.
But perhas most interesting of all will be their display of a 'cognitive car'. We'll have to wait and see what Mercedes-Benz intends to present, but the next level above an autonomous car is one that learns. Hopefully it won't learn that humans are evil and need to be exterminated.


Aftermarket Intake: Types Of Intakes (Part 2)

Now that we've
discussed what an air intake does
 and how an aftermarket intake might actually hamper your vehicle's performance if the necessary adaptation steps are not taken, let's have a look at what type of intakes are available in the market today.

Generally, there are four types of popular aftermarket air intake mods that you can widely purchase for your car. They are; Cold Air Intakes (popularly know as CAI), Ram Air, Short Ram Air and Performance Drop In Air Filter.

Cold Air Intake

Cold air intakes are air intake systems that suck cold air from outside of the engine bay instead of the hot air cooked up in a closed engine bay. With the logic that cold air is denser, which carries more oxygen, it helps the engine create more power. This type of intake will give you better engine performance, but the common problem with this type of intake if not appropriately engineered is that it can cause hydrolock, a process where the intake sucks in water which is a big no-no for the engine. Stock air intakes are already CAI type intakes as they utilise the grille for cool air.

Ram Air Intake

If the hint is not in its name, this air intake rams air into the engine usually by routing the piping to the front of the car right in the path of travel and fast incoming air. Usually, air is rammed through a scoop at the front somewhere. The logic behind this intake is to push more air into the engine instead of the engine sucking it in. They are usually most effective at higher speeds as the air needs to be pushed into the intake system. In theory, the fast air is pressurised in the intake system, which acts as a small turbo or supercharger. While this sounds like a recipe for more performance, daily driving in slow traffic could actually hamper your car's performance as not enough air is being pushed into the intake system.

Short Ram Air

Although the name might suggest it is just a shorter version of the Ram Air intake, the SRA works slightly differently. The SRA is basically a short pipe near the mass airflow sensor with a conical filter attached at the end of it. The shorter pipe increases throttle response and provides one heck of a noise. Unfortunately, this is as good as it gets for SRA systems because it mainly sucks hot air from the engine. Perhaps a turbocharged car can do away with the hot air as it has to go through an intercooler anyways.

Performance Panel Filter

A performance drop in air filter is basically a drop in air filter shaped like the stock filter but uses different material to filter the air. The material used to filter debris and dust on a stock filter is paper while many performance air filters use foam, mesh, etc. Theoretically, it does let more air in, but the downside is that it tends to let more than just air into your engine - like dust. Some performance companies have created a hybrid version which promises to filter dust, but do your research before you purchase one.

To decide which one might be the best for you, a good place to start looking are the forums. They have extensive conversations about air intakes and cover subjects such as fitment, performance, fit and even sound. There is an intake for everyone, but be warned, the best intake if you are not planning to do any other modifications to your car is probably stock. Whatever you do, just make sure your engine doesn't run out of breath.


12 Day Of Christmas - Santa's Sleigh - The Stand-Out Cars Of 2020

Despite the pandemic, these cars have defied the odds and stood out in 2020! They make our Santa's Sleigh list.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 has been somewhat of a rollercoaster year. So many things that were supposed to be changed this year to adapt to the unprecedented times.

Surprisingly, however, the automotive industry marched on and bounced straight back up once everyone settled into this new way of life. Many car manufacturers went ahead and launched new cars despite the pandemic, and some of them really did make an impression.

This is good news for Santa as he has a plethora of cars to choose from to replace his old aging sleigh, so without further ado, here are the cars that stood out the most in 2020.

2020 Proton X50

As boring and predictable as this is, there's no turning away from the fact that the
Proton X50
 is the car that stood out the most this year. It is nothing short of a national phenomenon. With over
25,000 bookings
 since its preview in September, it would seem, not even a global pandemic can stop the Proton X50 from becoming one of, if not the most successful model of 2020.

Well, it’s a recipe that’s hard to beat. It’s a superbly designed urban SUV, well equipped with convenience and safety equipment across its variant range, and that's before we get to its
award-winning
 three-cylinder turbocharged engine.

2020 Honda City

The Proton X50, unfortunately, captured many hearts that were once set on other cars but despite that, there were some cars like the Honda City that were unfazed by its arrival. The
2020 Honda City
 received 9,000 bookings even before it was launched with the V variant being the most sought after.

Just to recap the V variant of the
2020 Honda City
 is priced at RM89,800 (RM86,561.45 with SST Exemption) powered by the new 1.5L DOHC (previously single-cam SOHC) i-VTEC powertrain, which produces a healthy 121PS of power and maximum torque of 145Nm. The engine is mated to a CVT-Type automatic transmission.

2020 Nissan Almera Turbo

It's pretty hard to say how the
Nissan Almera Turbo
 will do sales-wise as they only recently launched, but if raving reviews of the car by the media is anything to go by then it should do really well. We suppose the complete 360 turn around from what we are used to help the cause of the new Nissan Almera Turbo, and what a turn around it is.

Priced at RM 91,310 until year-end (RM 95,888 with sales tax), it's a
downright impressive proposition
. It even has functions like cruise control, the around-view monitor for parking, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic alert. This is on top of the safety features common through the
Almera range
, such as forward collision warning and Nissan's own form of autonomous emergency braking.

2020 Mitsubishi XPANDER

Despite having some stiff competition from the Honda (BR-V) and Perodua (Aruz), we think the
Mitsubishi XPANDER
 will do well. Since
bookings
 for this seven-seater crossover have opened, more than 2,000 customers have put their faith in the three diamond star with their wallets. Part of this is also due to the sales tax exemption that expires at the end of 2020, so many customers are grabbing new vehicles as quickly as they can.

With a party trick of flat-folding second AND third-row seats that provide an impressive amount of cargo-carrying capacity if need be it has swayed buyers towards itself rather than its competitors. Most options will allow a fold but it won't exactly be flat or flush. Watch this
video
 to see how it works.

What has been your stand-out cars of 2020?


Shah Alam City Countil Offering 50 Percent Discount On Compounds For Two Months

For those who have outstanding compounds issued from the Shah Alam City Countil (MBSA), they will be offering up to 50 percent reductions on said compounds starting November 1
st
 and will last for two months.
Shahrin Ahmad, MBSA Corporate Communications and Public Relations Division chief, said the campaign has been set up to ease the process of paying these outstanding compounds and encouraging them to settle their payment before stern action is taken against them, writes Bernama.
"The compound reduction campaign also included offences under the MBSA Road Transport ruling, which is not displaying vehicle coupons and not parking their vehicles at the parking spaces provided.
"We also collaborate with the Road Transport Department to blacklist the offenders who failed to settle their MBSA compounds by introducing the 'I-Blacklist' system," he said in a statement today.


2015 Hyundai Sonata Is The First Car To Roll Out With Android Auto

In the fight to bring the slickest, prettiest, most comprehensive in-car infotainment solutions to market,
Hyundai
 just took a charged sprint to the finish. Its 2015
Sonata
 will be the first car production car to offer Android Auto right from the start.
Android Auto, Google’s project to bring the functionality of a smartphone to a car’s integrated display, has been in the works for nearly a year now with betas and public previews. This, however must mean the software giant and automakers are finally seeing it as a viable and desired alternative to their own proprietary solutions. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a good thing. Imagine, a unified interface when you plug in your phone, no matter which car you enter.
"Android Auto aligns with Hyundai's core interior design principles of safety, intuitiveness and simplicity," said Dave Zuchowski, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. "We launched this highly anticipated feature on our best-selling Sonata, adding to our promise of value. With the launch of Android Auto, we provide more owners with the experience of cutting-edge technology."
Android Auto, and its Apple competitor CarPlay, aims to solve the user interface issue that has plagued many in-car screens while making it safer to operate smartphone functions while driving. The fact is, many of us interact or simply full on use our smartphones while driving, a very unsafe practice. So avoid this and allow our attention to eyes to remain on the road, voice recognition software has become so advanced in smartphones that it’s only natural to use it in a car. It is therefore the primary input method. There is an onscreen keyboard, but it’s only accessible while stationary.
Now drivers will enjoy Google Maps navigation, Messaging, Calls, Music, Voice Search and more without taking their eyes off the road. And should they have to interact with the screen, its bright and large buttons are much easier to manipulate from the driver’s seat than a relatively small screen with relatively small buttons of a smartphone display – such as the way most of us mount our smartphones in cars.
Since this is a recent technology, only owners of devices that run a recent version of Android will be able to use Android Auto. In this case, Android 5.0 Lollipop or newer. From there it’s a simple plug in from the car’s USB jack to the micro USB port on the smartphone. The device’s screen will blackout after an Android Auto splash screen and functionality will be transferred to the car’s screen and controls. The smartphone is pretty much useless at this point, and best left in the cubby hold.
Hyundai doesn’t intend on leaving existing owners of its 2015 Sonata in the lurch, and is offering a free software update that will install Android Auto functionality through its dealers. The update is live for US customers, but it’s unclear when that will expand to other markets. Alternatively, later this year owners will be offered an option to download the Android Auto software update onto a USB stick to perform the update themselves.
Android Auto support will be spread to other vehicles in the Hyundai line-up later.


Hyundai Sends A Message To Space Using 11 Genesis Sedans

Hyundai
, in a surge of generosity and some inclination for chatter about their new Genesis sedan, has released a video telling the story of how they helped a girl who misses her dad send a message to him where she previously couldn’t.
Stephanie is thirteen year old girl from Houston, Texas who doesn’t get to see much or spend time with her father as he works as an astronaut that is primarily based on the International Space Station, orbiting the Earth at staggering average speed of 27,600 km/h. Up there, there are extremely few open lines of communication despite being in close proximity to the satellites we rely on every day.
Enter 11 Hyundai Genesis sedans and the vast expanse of the Delamar Dry Lake in the Nevada Desert where a large team from Hyundai gathered to, through a series of very precisely choreographed sequences, synchronously drive the cars in formation to create a message that can be seen from space. The end result is a remarkably accurate copy of the handwritten note that Stephanie wrote to her dad, but at a much larger scale. So large, in fact, that at 2.15 square miles, it garnered Hyundai a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest tire track image.
The video itself of the message taking form under the dramatic desert light while set to classical music is quite a spectacle to behold, and the knowledge that it helped connect father and daughter does warms the heart. Kudos to Hyundai for their clever and thoughtful approach to promote their new Genesis saloon.


Trying Out The New Honda HR-V RS' Variable Ratio Steering

The Honda HR-V was first introduced to the Malaysian market back in early-2015 and went on to be a sales success for Honda Malaysia. More than 7,000 units were booked within the first month of its introduction, before becoming Honda Malaysia’s second most popular model behind the City.
In July 2018, Honda Malaysia previewed the HR-V RS, part of the updated HR-V line-up. We reported back in July that the updated HR-V range was expected to be introduced within the third quarter of 2018, but due to delays in government approval, the plan was postponed.
Compared to the regular HR-V, the RS variant of the popular sub-compact crossover receives various visual enhancements, including larger 18-inch wheels, RS-specific front grille, and bumpers. As for the interior, the HR-V RS gets ivory-coloured leather upholstery.
Another highlight of the HR-V RS is its Variable Gear Ratio (VGR) steering system. At low speeds, the system is engineered to provide tighter steering angles for better car control. At higher speeds, the VGR steering system is able to increase its steering angle which makes it less sensitive to small steering corrections, thus making it easier and more relaxing to drive for longer distances.
To test the VGR steering system, Honda Malaysia invited members of the media to sample the HR-V RS in a specially-designed course.
We started off at the low speed slalom course, where the benefits of the VGR steering system was most noticeable as the HR-V RS felt more nimble than the regular HR-V. This should translate into a better experience when driving at lower speeds, such as driving around a car park.
Moving over to the double lane change exercise, we noticed that the HR-V RS felt marginally more planted than the outgoing model. The steering also felt more weighted than the pre-facelift model, which further improves the driving experience.
To recap, the Honda HR-V RS carries over the pre-facelift’s 1.8-litre i-VTEC four-cylinder petrol engine, churning out 140 hp and 172 Nm to the front wheels via a CVT-type automatic.
Unlike the updated Honda Accord, CR-V, and Odyssey, the range-topping HR-V RS is not equipped with Honda Sensing. Instead, the HR-V RS gets LaneWatch, utilizing a camera located on the left wing mirror to minimize blind spots. The LaneWatch camera is also found on the HR-V Grade V variant.
A more in-depth review of the updated Honda HR-V will follow once we get our hands on a review unit.


Lexus Brings The LC Convertible Prototype To Goodwood

Of the many luxury cars we've seen in the last decade or so, there is one that consistently takes our breath away whenever we chance upon one on the road. It's the
Lexus LC Coupe
, the halo car for the Japanese luxury carmaker, the first of its kind in the model lineup, and further proof that Lexus is capable of so much more when not constrained by bureaucracy or pricing. Stunning design combined with a meaty, naturally-aspirated engine and a powertrain optimized for touring.
This year's Goodwood saw a number of manufacturers stepping up with bigger displays both on and off the hill-climb, and Toyota was there in full force. Naturally, Lexus comes as part of the package - more so because of the nature of the event - and while the Supra may have stolen the spotlight, Lexus wasn't going to show up empty handed.
Enter the LC Convertible Prototype. It's as simple as it sounds - the drop-top version of an already gorgeous car. Coupes are fantastic as all-rounders, but trading away a little bit of sound insulation allows for a full open air, open top experience, while maintaining the same level of luxury and world-beating craftmanship that you'd expect from a Lexus.
This isnt the first time Lexus has revealed a convertible prototype - as Toyota did with the 86 before - but the difference is this model will actually reach production. Specifications have yet to be revealed, although we can expect it to mirror that of the LC Coupe.
For the best deals on Lexus models, click
here
.


Isuzu Malaysia Pays Tribute to Superdads

Father’s Day might not be as hyped up as Mother’s Day but that doesn’t mean that daddies contribute less to the betterment of their families.
In fact, they deserve just as much credit as mommies for being the backbone, the role model, and also the entertainers for their families and loved ones.
That said, in an effort to pay tribute to all the ‘Superdads’ out there in conjunction with Father’s Day, Isuzu Malaysia released a sweet video of a conversation between a father and his daughter on what a supercar is, and how the D-Max is in fact, more than a supercar.
The video shows a girl asking her father if the D-Max is a supercar, followed by the dad explaining what their D-Max has done for them, and ends with the daughter telling her father that he is also Superdad for all he has done for her.
Now, wipe those teary eyes, enjoy the video and please wish your dads in case you have forgotten that it was Father’s Day yesterday.


Audi Has Created An Autonomous Driving Simulator, But Why?

Most petrolheads will agree that autonomous driving is probably going to be the beginning of the end. More and more people are opting for ride sharing services as opposed to owning and driving a car themselves (and why wouldn't they, with issues like congestion and a lack of parking?)- and the logical conclusion is that autonomous driving will eventually take over. We can be dragged kicking and screaming into the future, but we might as well be dragged in a comfortable car- which is why Audi has developed an
Autonomous Driving
 Simulator.
The point of the simulator is to study how people function in an autonomous car that is taking a simulated drive through a night-time cityscape. There is no steering wheel, nor are there controls- but people can still use the internet or interact with other occupants, or just plain old work. The simulator also measures EEG (or brain activity), so as to see how distracted occupants are by the simulated surroundings.
Eventually, all of this research will be used to help improve autonomous cars and make them more effective at being... living rooms. Or something. But the point remains: if we're going to have our steering wheels taken away from us, we might as well be in a nice car that's fine tuned for the task of autonomous driving.


Unpopular Opinion: Basikal Lajak And Ulu Yam Touge - What's The Difference?

In today's unpopular opinion, is there really a difference between basikal lajak and those who participate in touge activities at Ulu Yam?

There's a lot of coverage, chatter, and opinions on the
recent judgement of Sam Ke Ting
, who was sentenced to six years in prison and fined RM6,000 for causing the deaths of eight teenagers on basikal lajak.

Because the courts ruled in favour of the
deceased children
, memes and jokes have sprung up on social media, with some netizens poking fun at the situation by summarising that the new king of the road is 'Basikal  Lajak' instead of cars. What is your view on the matter?

What's the difference between Ulu Yam touge sessions and basikal lajak?

Please don't do this! Video credits to Malaysian Crash Compilation and Jordan Honda Team

Perceptions about the incident and subsequent ruling have remained mixed, as varied as the kuah nasi kandar at your favourite eatery but that's not what we're here to discuss today. The question we'd like to pose is,
how different are the Ulu Yam touge sessions compared to basikal lajak?

Are they not exactly the same thing just using different modes of transportation?

Both basikal lajak and Ulu Yam touge:

is illegal

endanger others

take place on public roads - not closed street circuits

participants use little to no safety gear

can cause fatalities - as we've unfortunately seen

Road Transport Act 1987

For those of you who participate in touge activities, you are in breach of Section 41 of the Road Transport Act 1987, which states:

"any person who, by the driving of a motor vehicle on a road recklessly or at a speed or in a manner which having regard to all the circumstances (including the nature, condition, and size of the road, and the amount of traffic which is or might be expected to be on the road) is dangerous to the public, causes the death of any person shall be guilty of an offence..."

For the basikal lajak crew, they are breaking the law by riding on the highway without permission, which under
Section 54(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987
 is an illegal act. Cycling activities on highways without the permission of police or the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) can get them penalised or a prison term of up to 12 months. On top of that, the failure to install front and rear lights, as well as a bell, under
Article 35 of the Road Regulations 1959
 is also an offence.

Take it off the streets!

Basikal lajak or even touge sessions while on
public roads are dangerous
, do inherently have their benefits if given the opportunity in a safe controlled space. We have some really good and talented drivers and cyclists in Malaysia, and I've seen both firsthand. The problem is that they don't have access to a controlled environment to test their skill and sharpen their technique. This is why they head to public roads to do so, chasing thrills at the expense of others. We at Carlist.my do not in any way shape, or form condone this. That's why through
CarTell
 we
organise gymkhanas
 in controlled locations so that the car community can have fun, sharpen your skills and be safe.

Perhaps if the powers that be and we're looking at state governments here provided drivers and cyclists with a safe place to practice their skills without costing an arm and a leg, exceptional talents could be identified, which might be beneficial to our national sporting aspirations.

On the cycling side, I know that some initiatives around the country like Junior Cycling Malaysia and Bikeschool Malaysia have done a good job in educating and turning the Basikal Lajak kids into proper athletes and providing them with a suitable space and environment to do so. Now can we have a similar programme to nurture young motorsport talents?

Do we have to wait for a death before something is done?

Do we have to wait for something more serious to happen involving another 8 lives or more before we do something? In all honesty, both basikal lajak and touge sessions are one and the same as they both race on public roads but with different types of machines. One has garnered a lot of attention because
eight youths are now dead
 so do we have to wait for some more deaths before the other one gets any ridicule, attention, bans?

Both these activities unsupervised and uncontrolled
endanger innocent Malaysians
 and need to stop! The government should be proactively looking for a solution on how to do so, one immediate idea being to maintain and allow access to the smaller circuits we have around the country for car clubs and car enthusiasts groups to safely test their limits and skills on.

If we can have more of these types of initiatives and facilities, we could possibly have more Azizulhasni Awangs and more Alex Yoongs, but till the government provides either party with more opportunities, unfortunately, we will see more of them hitting the road an underground street races, let it be on a bicycle or a car.


Leaked: 2016 Perodua Sedan

This single photo uploaded by the Proton Community Malaysia Facebook page is probably the first clear shot of Perodua’s upcoming sedan.
Perodua’s yet to be named sedan is expected to be launched sometime between late-2016 and early-2017, and is likely to go head-to-head with the Proton Saga, itself also due to be replaced soon.
Perodua has yet to make any official announcements regarding the all-new sedan’s specifications but have in the past hinted that it will be powered by an all-new aluminium NR-series engine, available in 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre guise. The engine is shared with the current
Toyota Avanza
. The new engine is also slated to go into the upcoming
new Toyota Vios
 that’s due later this year.
A five-star NCAP rating have been suggested by Perodua’s president and CEO, Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh, implying that the new Perodua sedan could be the first Perodua model to be equipped with electronic stability control (ESC).


Ferdinand Piech In Talks To Sell Shares In Porsche SE

Porsche Automobil Holding SE, the largest shareholder of the Volkswagen Group, has announced in a statement that talks are in place between the Porsche and Piech families for the sale of shares held by Ferdinand Piech to other members within the family.
Discussions are at an early stage; however, as the statement further added that ‘it is unforeseeable’ whether the deal will occur. Piech reportedly holds 14.7% of Porsche SE shares valued in the region of €1 billion, according to
Automotive News
. Porsche SE is not to be confused with the car-making Porsche AG, or even Porsche Holding Salzburg (PHS) the automotive retail company.
As mentioned in
this earlier article on
Carlist.my
, the Porsche and Piech families were brought together by the marriage of Austrian lawyer Anton Piech to Louisa Porsche, the daughter of Ferdinand Porsche. From this marriage, Louisa went on to give birth to Ferdinand Piech.
Indeed, the histories of Volkswagen and Porsche are inextricably linked, with Ferdinand Porsche having been responsible for designing the first Beetle and also having founded the car company which till today carries his family name.
Ferdinand Piech’s own career began at Porsche, after which he went on to work in Audi before finding his way to the top job at the Volkswagen Group, becoming its chairman in 1993.

Related Articles

Quattro To Veyron: The Amazing Cars Of Ferdinand Piech’s Reign

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April 29, 2015

Ferdinand Piech Is Out - Sells Stake VW Holding Company

Auto News

March 28, 2017

BREAKING: Porsche’s Matthias Muller Is The New CEO Of VW AG

Auto News

September 30, 2015

 During his time in charge of the VW Group, Piech was noted for his ruthless management style, but was tolerated for his engineering brilliance and not to mention the fact that he actually
delivered results
, propelling the VW Group to become
one of the world’s largest car manufacturers
.
Once of the most notable casualties of Piech’s time was none other than Bernd Pischetsrieder, whose dismissal Piech managed to orchestrate following differences between the two.
Piech’s hard-ball style caught up with him in 2015, however, as was forced to step down after a similar but this time unsuccessful attempt to park the blame of
Volkswagen’s Dieselgate
 crisis at the foot of then-Chairman
Martin Winterkorn
.
Winterkorn did eventually step down
, but not before the Volkswagen Board exercised its own brand of power play by
publicly backing Winterkorn
 and giving Piech the ultimatum – step down or be forced out.
Together, the Porsche and Piech families control a vast business empire. They own Porsche SE, which holds a 52.2% stake in the Volkswagen Group. The car company Porsche AG, on the other hand, is a subsidiary of the VW Group.
Yet another company carrying the Porsche name is Porsche Holding Salzburg (PHS) which, in 2011, became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. PHS specializes as a large scale dealer and is the largest automotive retail company in Europe. It was recently appointed to handle
distributorship of Volkswagen vehicles in Malaysia as well
.


Lego Ceases Production Of Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Sends It Off Like A Real Car

Porsche and Lego Technic have announced that production of the 1:8 scale 911 GT3 RS has ceased. The little scale model was launched back in 2016, priced at USD 299.99.
As a send-off for the iconic little Porsche, both companies got together and had the little Lego model rolling off Porsche’s Zuffenhausen production line, just like an actual Porsche.
Nicola Mellor, Lego Technic brand manager said, “LEGO Technic lets fans of iconic sports cars such as the Porsche 911 GT3 RS to Build For Real – and what better way to send off one of the final versions of this fan favorite set than to have it roll out of its spiritual home in Stuttgart. Fans looking to get their hands on one should zoom out to pick one up now – but Porsche fans should keep an eye out for even more exciting, authentic LEGO Technic builds in 2019!”
The 1:8 scale Porsche features 2,704 pieces, featuring a rather detailed bodywork, realistic headlights, brake callipers, low profile tires, and even red suspension springs. The interior of the little Lego features a detailed dashboard, working gearbox, steering wheel with paddle shifters, racing seats, and a glove compartment containing a unique serial number.
Fret not, as you can still purchase the cheapest Porsche 911 GT3 RS via selected online stores, including Lazada and Shopee.
As Porsche recently introduced the
all-new 992-generation 911
, we reckon that a new Lego model might just be around the corner.


Interstate Travel: Don't F*** This Up, Malaysia

Just a few days ago, as we roll into mid-October,
Malaysians have gotten their freedom back
 - at least, insofar as crossing state borders on a whim. It doesn’t sound like a whole lot, but this one restriction kept families and friends apart and caused untold ruin to commerce and personal relationships.

Should interstate travel be even be allowed again? Why now? Is this a mistake? Those are loaded questions, for sure, but one could argue that, as a nation, we were reaching a tipping point where maintaining a lockdown status quo would start to incur devastating ripples to the economy and the mental state of the population - basically, a daily tragedy not counted in new daily infection numbers.

Malaysia, essentially, remained physically segmented from each other
for close to a full 6 months
. But the scary thing is how easy the tide may turn on us once again if Malaysians do not remain vigilant and indulge in their most careless impulses.

This has been a strange year. What began full of optimism that brighter days laid ahead after the mess that was 2020, much of us were blindsided into pessimism as weeks continued to roll on with higher and higher infection numbers and the looming threat of yet another lockdown.
Our fears were confirmed by early May
 after much political tiptoeing.

Smugness About Small Wins

It’s easy to feel slightly overconfident with what we’re seeing around us. Lived experience is pushing the narrative that COVID-19 is behind us. People are crowding the streets, shopping complexes, even remote hiking trails and waterfalls, all in imagined retaliation for being trapped at home all this while.

We Malaysians, as a population, should be commended for embracing mass inoculation at the rate that was observed over the past few months with due credit (and plenty of it) paid to the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) and all other parties involved for organising the monumental task of a nationwide
vaccine program
. The logistics alone boggles the mind.

However, as was proven time and again over the past 24 months, we do have a tendency to slip back into our old ways. Letting our guard down at this crucial time could prove catastrophic to the future of our country -
put simply, we can’t afford another MCO.

So, with our past mistakes in full view, what can we do to avoid falling into the same hole?

Travel Unrestricted, Restrict Contact

As of October 11th, you can technically now jump into your car, a plane, a bus, a train, your bicycle, or just plain walk anywhere you wish to within Malaysia’s borders - but should you?

Unless you’re a little dead inside, the thought of a relaxing vacation must have crossed your mind multiple times; all that time in lockdown in front of our screens everyday tends to have this effect. It’s easy to let your browser wander into one of many hotel booking websites, even committing to an overnight stay (often longer) based on your best educated guess on when travel will be allowed again.

Like clockwork, hotel bookings in
the usual destinations
 in Peninsula Malaysia were swarmed as more evidence mounted prior to last weekend’s October 10th announcement. Penang, Langkawi, for example, were fully booked for the following weekend and beyond.

It seemed as if plenty of us were just waiting for 12.01am to hit the highway, our car keys trembling in our sweaty palms.

Of course, the smart thing to do is to wait.

Should you travel immediately? Maybe, but not necessarily. That determination should be weighed against the prospect of thousands of others doing the same thing. Our destinations will still be there, after all, but contributing to the swarm of local tourists will only increase the odds (and risk) of unnecessary infection.

The unfortunate reality is that, when the rise in COVID-19 cases does inevitably spike following the resuming of free interstate travel, there could be a heavy handed and reactionary response that could see our freedom of movement slowly stripped away again.

Visiting friends and family shouldn’t come at the expense of our health, and does not involve exposing ourselves to a dense concentration of other people unless explicitly chosen, regardless of which state you happen to be in or have travelled to. Avoiding this is a simple step, but also an effective one.

Crowds = Bad

This simple mantra should be imprinted into every Malaysian’s memory. It’s baffling how often this tends to be wilfully ignored or conveniently 'forgotten'. One of the most shocking examples of this was the horse of hikers that all had the same bright idea to go take a dip in a stream/waterfall in Selangor - most likely for Instagram/TikTok views.

This occurred just days after the ‘
10km radius’ rule
 was abolished and, as a precursor to interstate travel in full, free crossing between Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Putrajaya was allowed.

The hikers, despite having to struggle for a spot to park their car at the trailhead, sharing the narrow dirt path with many others, and seeing a crowd forming around a relatively small patch of space, decided against the smart move of turning back. So many red flags, all of them disregarded.

Most Malaysians, if quizzed objectively, know to stay away from crowds with COVID-19 being an airborne virus. Limits are placed on how many people can dine in, occupy an elevator, or enter business premises at any one time, yet some are still clueless about applying the same principle into other areas of everyday life.

Popular leisure spots like beaches are a hot bed for dense crowds and there’s only so much local authorities can do to restrict them from accessing these public areas. With domestic tourists itching to squeeze in a holiday on such short notice despite it currently being the ‘off-season’, these destinations are the frontrunners for the origin of a new cluster.

Would that situation escalate quickly enough for the government to step in and declare the location off limits or, worse, reason to backpedal on interstate travel altogether? Maybe, maybe not, but why should anyone be willing to add to those odds?

If you see a crowd, think twice, and turn back.

Vaccines Are Not Perfect

To the point above, despite being our best and most proven method to quell the outbreak of virulent diseases, they are imperfect instruments and are not 100% effective. Therefore, crossing a two-dose 90% threshold of our adult population is merely an arbitrary number.

First of all, there are multiple vaccines in circulation which means efficacy levels at the population level is a nightmare to quantify. The through-line here is to remember that they protect against developing severe symptoms, and DO NOT PREVENT INFECTION to a significant degree.

Anyone could be a virus carrier with asymptomatic characteristics, vaccinated or otherwise, making them just as dangerous (i.e potentially fatal) to those they come into contact with those that don’t have protection via the vaccine.

In Closing

No doubt the resuming of interstate travel has rekindled the spirit of adventure for Malaysians, showing us how much of a blessing the mundane act of ‘going where we please’ was taken for granted prior to 2020.

Keep your mask on

Don’t travel if you don’t have to yet

Exercise patience and common sense

Anticipate risk factors, and...

Don’t mess with crowds

We have sacrificed and undergone so many hardships for this privilege to be returned to us, but our behaviour in the short term will be the true test of our self control. Rushing out to travel won’t necessarily bring about a negative outcome immediately, but disregarding
‘SOP’ practices
 and past lessons will mean the difference between maintaining our newly rediscovered normalcy or rebounding into another dreaded MCO period.

Don’t ruin it for the rest of us!


PDRM Belanja RM48 Juta Beli 16 Dron Berkuasa Tinggi

Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM)
 bakal menerima 16
dron
 berkuasa tinggi jenis Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) yang bernilai RM48 juta bagi membantu meningkatkan tahap keselamatan sempadan di seluruh negara.

Menurut Timbalan Ketua Polis Negara, Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim, sebanyak RM48 juta telah diperuntukkan oleh kerajaan menerusi Rancangan Malaysia Ke-12 (RMK-12) melalui proses tender oleh Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) bagi mendapatkan dron ini.

Dron tersebut akan dikawal oleh Pasukan Gerakan Udara (PGU) bagi membantu meningkatkan tahap keselamatan di kawasan sempadan seluruh negara terutama di kawasan yang tidak berpagar sejauh 44.55 km yang digunakan oleh penjenayah yang menggunakan lorong tikus bagi mengaburi mata pihak berkuasa.

Pengarah Jabatan Logistik dan Teknologi Bukit Aman Datuk Seri Sahabudin Abd Manan berkata, RM48 juta itu adalah anggaran berdasarkan kajian harga pasaran dron berspesifikasi terkini yang sesuai bagi penugasan taktikal dan pemantauan.  Dron ini akan digunakan dalam tugasan pemantauan segala ancaman di sempadan negara serta membanteras aktiviti jenayah seperti:

Pencerobohan

Penyeludupan (lorong tikus)

Jenayah rentas sempadan

Buat masa ini, jenis model dron yang bakal diterima polis itu masih belum didedahkan. Walau bagaimanapun, Shahabudin telah mendedahkan spesifikasi dron yang bakal diperolehi oleh PDRM seperti berikut:

Berkuasa tinggi

Dron elektrik (menggunakan kuasa bateri)

Boleh terbang di udara melebihi 4 jam

Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL)

Dilengkapi dengan Gyro Stabilised Camera (Electro Optical/ Infra Red)

Dengan kamera berkualiti tinggi, dron ini mampu membuat penerbangan dan rakaman visual resolusi tinggi (foto, video dan penstriman langsung) tanpa sebarang masalah pada waktu siang dan malam, ditambah pula dengan kebolehan
flight time
 4 jam di udara.

Menggunakan dron bagi membantu pihak polis melaksanakan tugasan mereka bukanlah perkara baru.
Polis New York (NYPD)
 pada tahun 2018 telah membelanjakan sekitar RM2 juta untuk membeli 14 biji dron berkuasa tinggi.

Jika nak dibandingkan antara dron NYPD yang dibeli pada 3 tahun lepas dengan dron PDRM pada tahun ini, masuk akal juga jika nak dikatakan terdapat kenaikan harga dron kerana semestinya akan ada peningkatan pada model dron baharu. Tetapi jika menilai dari sudut kos keseluruhan antara RM2 juta dan RM48 juta, ada perbezaan besar sebanyak RM46 juta lagi disitu. Adakah ianya jauh lebih baik berbanding dron NYPD yang digunakan dalam operasi besar-besaran mereka seperti konsert, situasi tebusan (hostage) dan penyiasatan jenayah?

*Kredit foto: CNN

Berdasarkan kos RM2 juta yang dibelanjakan oleh polis NYPD, kalau nak dibahagikan dengan 14 dron, baru memakan belanja sekitar RM142,000 untuk setiap satu manakala dron PDRM bakal menelan belanja kira-kira RM3 juta setiap satu dron.

Sahabudin menjelaskan bahawa harga dron itu mahal kerana ia bukan merangkumi harga dron sahaja. Pakej dron tersebut juga merangkumi kenderaan stesen darat bergerak yang dilengkapi dengan Turret Tracking Antenna System, Weather Station dan Portable Global Navigation Satelite System bagi setiap unit dron. Dalam kes ini, PDRM akan menerima 16 dron dan 16 kenderaan stesen darat bergerak.

Walau apa-apapun, dengan kehadiran dron, diharapkan semoga dapat membantu PDRM dalam menjalankan tugas dengan lebih cekap. PDRM juga menghargai komitmen kerajaan dalam memastikan pasukan memiliki aset dan kelengkapan terkini bagi memantapkan penugasan supaya keselamatan dan ketenteraman awam sentiasa terpelihara dengan dan selamat.

*Kredit cover photo: BERNAMA

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Mercedes-Benz EQC Makes ASEAN Debut In Malaysia

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has introduced the electric EQC here in Malaysia, marking the debut of the company’s EV in the Southeast Asian region.
The model that was previewed here (yes, previewed, but more on that later) is a left-hand drive EQC 400 4Matic, which gets dual electric motors – one motor on each axle. The pair of electric motors are capable of outputting 408 hp and 760 Nm, allowing the EQC 400 to complete the 0-100 km/h sprint in just 5.1 seconds. By comparison, the hot Mercedes-AMG GLC43 completes the same century sprint in 4.9 seconds.
Considering that the EQC was developed as an EV from the ground-up, engineers at Mercedes-Benz managed to fit the lithium-ion battery in the vehicle floor, keeping the centre of gravity as low as possible. The lithium-ion battery pack packs 80 kWh of energy, which in turn allows the EQC 400 to boast a driving range of up to 471 km.
Standard equipment on the EQC 400 include:
Multibeam LED headlights
Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus
19-inch five-spoke Aero wheels
Brown open pore ash wood trim
Electric Art interior
Ambient lighting
360-degree camera
MBUX infotainment system
Head-up display
Burmester surround sound system
Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
Active Distance Assist – Distronic
Steering Assist
Active Parking Assist with Parktronic
Active Speed Limit Assist
As mentioned earlier, the EQC shown here is merely a preview of what’s to come, as deliveries of right-hand drive units of the EQC have yet to commence. This particular EQC will also be making its rounds around the region as part of its launch campaign. Considering that this is merely a preview, prices have yet to be announced.


Proton X70 Special Edition (SE) 2021 Dilancarkan – Harga RM116,800

PROTON secara rasminya telah melancarkan
Proton X70 Special Edition (SE)
 2021 secara maya di laman Facebook rasmi mereka.

Proton X70 Special Edition (SE) 2021

Walaupun industri automotif negara kian
merudum
ekoran pandemik, PROTON memulakan langkah kanan dengan melancarkan model edisi terhad Proton X70 SE yang hadir dengan beberapa ciri yang telah dipertingkat.

HARGA: RM 116,800 (OTR, tanpa insurans, dengan diskaun SST RM7,000 sehingga 31/12)

VARIAN: PROTON X70 PREMIUM

UNIT: 2,000 UNIT SAHAJA

WARNA: OCEAN BLUE DAN RUBY RED

Proton X70 SE tampil dengan pilihan warna baharu yang diambil daripada katalog warna adiknya,
Proton X50
iaitu warna Ocean Blue. Selain itu model ini turut menawarkan warna Ruby Red, yang tidak ditawarkan di Brunei. Pasaran Brunei hanya tawarkan
Proton X70 Exclusive Edition (EE)
 dalam warna Ocean Blue sahaja.

Memandangkan Proton X70 SE ini dibina berasaskan daripada varian
X70 Premium 2WD
, jadi tiada panoramic sunroof pada model SE ini. Kalau berdasarkan barisan varian Proton X70 pun, panoramic sunroof hanya ditawarkan pada varian tertinggi Proton X70 iaitu Premium X 2WD sahaja.

Walau bagaimanapun, ketiadaan sunroof pada model ini digantikan dengan cat hitam pada bumbung, cermin sisi dan spoiler kereta ini yang memberikan imej dwi tona pada model ini. Kemasan hitam tersebut kelihatan seakan-akan 62 unit
Proton X70 Merdeka Edition
yang dilancarkan pada Hari Kemerdekaan Malaysia pada tahun 2019.

Perbezaan paling ketara pada bahagian luaran Proton X70 SE ini semestinya rim aloi 19 inci yang sama digunakan oleh
Geely Boyue Pro
. Boyue Pro ini adalah model facelift bagi Boyue yang menjadi asas binaan Proton X70. Selain itu, terdapat juga emblem SE tersergam indah di pintu but belakang  mengingatkan anda serta orang lain bahawa kereta ini merupakan kereta edisi khas.

Di dalam, Proton X70 SE menerima kemasan serba hitam yang sedikit berbeza. Tempat duduknya diberikan balutan kulit Nappa berwarna hitam sambil ditemani karpet lantai khas dengan lencana SE. Untuk pengetahuan anda, varian X70 Premium 2WD dan Premium X 2WD menerima balutan kulit Nappa berwarna coklat keperangan.

Dari segi mekanikal, tiada sebarang perubahan pada X70 SE ini. Ia masih menggunakan pacuan roda hadapan dan enjin 1.8L turbo 4-silinder sama yang memberi output sebanyak 184 PS dan 300 Nm tork serta dipadankan dengan transmisi klac berkembar automatik 7-kelajuan.

Kemungkinan besar ini merupakan kali terakhir PROTON keluarkan model X70 yang berasaskan Geely Boyue sebelum pengeluar tempatan ini memperkenalkan X70 versi facelift atau dikenali sebagai
Proton X70 MC1
 (Minor Change 1) yang berasakan Geely Boyue Pro pula. Ada juga ura-ura bahawa Proton X70 MC1 akan tampil dengan enjin yang lebih kecil, iaitu
1.5L TGDI
 yang sama terdapat pada Proton X50? Sama-sama kita tunggu dan lihat.

Sekiranya anda berminat dengan Proton X70 SE yang berharga RM 123,800 dan hanya terhad pada 2,000 unit ini, anda sudah boleh meninggalkan maklumat anda di laman web rasmi PROTON dan anda akan dihubungi sendiri oleh penasihat jualan PROTON untuk urusan selanjutnya.

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

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Carlist.my.

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CarlistBid.my
.

Get your latest
new car promotion
 here also.


Apple Isn't Going to Buy or Invest in McLaren (Yet)

A couple of hours ago, the internet was set ablaze when the
Financial Times
 posted a report that Apple was looking to acquire McLaren (yes,
the
 McLaren). Since then, Apple has declined to comment when they were reached out to, and McLaren has
flat out denied
 any investments or attempts at acquisition on the part of Apple. But as it was also reported, a few months ago there were negotiations between Apple and McLaren taking place- negotiations which very well may have fallen through.
As many automotive publications have suggested, Apple may have been attempting to acquire or partner up with McLaren in order to gain access to McLaren's various technologies and production processes when it comes to manufacturing cars which are both strong and lightweight. Naturally the performance aspect is something that may not align with Apple's values, considering that they are looking at producing an
all-electric autonomous car
, but there is still a lot that could be ported over from the Woking-based supercar manufacturer.
In the grand scheme of things, however, would it be so bad to have Apple acquire or become a major shareholder in McLaren? Despite releasing new supercar after new supercar with each passing year, it has been reported that McLaren may be making a loss on its products- a loss to the tune of GBP 24.6 Million in 2014. That's a worrying amount of money to be bleeding, despite whatever long term goals the company has- and if figures were right and Apple were really to invest or acquire the group for GBP 1.5 billion, it would certainly help to keep the lights on. Whether or not that would affect McLaren's direction as a brand is another question entirely.


Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Speedster and Shooting Brake Announced, Completing the Zagato Range

Aston Martin has announced that the Vantage Zagato range which currently comprises the coupe and the Volante, will be joined by two new models - the Vanquish Zagato Speedster and the Shooting Brake.
Of the two models, the Vanquish Zagato Speedster will have a production run of just 28 cars (all of which have been sold out), while 99 units of the Shooting Brake, which is yet to be shown fully, will be made, similar to the Coupe and the Volante.
With the Shooting Brake slated to enter production in 2018, deliveries of the Vanquish Zagato Speedster will already be taking place at the same time.
With all four cars based upon the Vanquish S, each Zagato is powered by a naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V12 engine that is mated to an eight-speed automatic Touchtronic III transmission, kicking out 600PS.
Thanks to the powertrain, all members of the Zagato family are able to sprint from naught to 100km/h in less than 4 seconds, and clock a top speed of 317kmh.
According to Aston Martin, the Speedster and the Shooting Brake represent the two extremes of the Vanquish Zagato family.
Although one is an open-top high performance sports car and the other is a more practical grand tourer, both models have a lot in common, such as the body panels made from carbon fibre, ‘Blade’ taillights inspired by the Vulcan, as well as the 3D Zagato ‘Z’ motifs in the front grille and rear vent meshes.
Even the interior of the two cars are similar, featuring herringbone carbon fibre trim, anodised bronze rotary controls, “Z” motif quilting and optional fully-aniline leather upholstery.
The only difference between the two is that the Speedster has a fabric roof the while the Shooting Brake has an elongated glass roof with a powered tailgate which opens to a luxurious rear cabin area complete with a tailored luggage set.
Aston Martin Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, said of the Vanquish Zagato family: “We haven’t released Zagato models as a family before, at least not in this way, but the idea is not without precedent. Think back to the DB7 Zagato and DB AR1, or the V8 Zagato Coupe and Volante, for example.”
“We’ve simply taken things a few steps further. Why create a family of Zagatos? Well, many of our customers want different things. Some prefer the purity of a Coupe, but others love the idea of something more extreme, like the Speedster. And yes, some of them have ordered one example of each. There’s always an over-demand from our clients and patrons. We could easily fulfill demand for more cars than this, but we want Zagato to remain something very special.”
We’re creating collectibles, future concours cars. With only 325 cars worldwide, divided between 99 Coupes, 99 Volantes, 28 Speedsters and 99 Shooting Brakes - they are still the rarest of the rare,” he said.


Duduk Dengan Betul! Cara Yang Tepat Untuk Memandu

Bagi kebanyakan pemandu yang berkemahiran, amat mudah untuk melihat sama ada seseorang pemandu itu adalah seorang pemandu yang baik dan selamat, walaupun sebelum kereta bergerak.
Dengan melihat posisi kedudukan, ketinggian serta cara seseorang memegang stereng sahaja, anda boleh tahu sama ada perjalanan yang bakal anda lalui adalah satu pengalaman yang menenangkan ataupun merisaukan.
Selepas memasuki kereta, seorang pemandu akan mengubah posisinya supaya bersesuaian untuk mengawal kereta.
Jadi, apakah posisi duduk yang betul? Ia mungkin kelihatan senang tetapi majoriti daripada pemandu di jalan raya semuanya duduk pada posisi yang salah. Mungkin ini adalah akibat daripada kurikulum kelas pemanduan yang kurang lengkap.
Jarak Dari Kaki Ke Pedal
Ini adalah salah satu aspek yang kurang diambil kisah oleh para pemandu. Ramai yang berfikiran bahawa ia adalah biasa bagi seseorang pemandu untuk duduk pada mana-mana posisi, asalkan pedal brek boleh dicapai. Tetapi ini adalah salah.
Hidupkan enjin kereta anda, pijak pedal brek sekuat mungkin, ibarat anda ingin selamatkan nyawa anda dalam satu situasi kemalangan. Jangan risau, pedal brek tidak akan patah. Pedal brek adalah salah satu bahagian kereta yang paling kukuh. Seorang pengajar memandu pernah berkata kepada saya, “Jika kamu boleh patahkan pedal brek, kamu boleh bawa pulang kereta ini secara percuma.”
Anda akan sedar bahawa bila dipijak dengan daya yang maksimum, jarak pedal berak anda sebenarnya adalah agak jauh. Sekarang, lihat posisi kaki anda. Kaki anda kini pasti diregang sepenuhnya dalam posisi yang lurus. Posisi ini bukanlah sesuatu yang anda inginkan ketika berlakunya kecemasan.
Sekiranya kereta anda melanggar sesuatu dengan daya cukup kuat, daya tersebut akan dipindahkan ke pinggul anda melalui pedal brek. Ini boleh menyebabkan kecederaan serius pada diri anda.
Kaki anda memerlukan ruang untuk dibengkokkan kerana ini akan mengurangkan impak daya yang boleh emberi kesan kepada pinggul anda.
Jadi ubahlah posisi tempat duduk anda. Pastikan ketika kaki anda sedang memijak pedal brek dengan daya yang maksimum, lutut anda masih boleh dibengkokkan.
Jarak Dari Bahu Ke Stereng
Layari Youtube, saksikan betul-betul bagaimana pemandu rali duduk di belakang stereng. Perhatikan bagaimana mereka memegang stereng tersebut. Mereka akan pastikan siku dibengkokkan sedikit, dan tidak akan menggerakkan badan walaupun ketika kereta sedang bergerak. Hanya tangan dan kepala sahaja yang bergerak dan bukan tubuh badan mereka. Ini adalah kerana mereka tidak menggunakan badan untuk mengawal kereta.
Semakin jauh jarak anda duduk dari stereng, semakin kurang daya yang anda ada. Ini akan menjejaskan kawalan anda. Bayangkan anda memegang sebuah kotak berat – manakah yang lebih mudah? Memegangnya sambil tangan anda diregangkan sepenuhnya atau memegangnya berhampiran degan dada anda? Theori ini adalah sama dengan stereng anda.
Namun begitu, anda tidak seharusnya duduk terlalu dekat dengan stereng kerana ini boleh menyebabkan kecederaan dada sekiranya berlaku kemalangan.
Jarak yang betul adalah bila anda boleh merehatkan pergelangan tangan di atas stereng, dengan bahu anda menyentuh kerusi dan siku dibengkokkan sedikit. Ubah ketinggian tempat duduk atau posisi stereng agar ia berada di hadapan dada anda.
Jangan risau jika anda berasa kurang selesa pada mulanya, terutamanya jika anda sudah terlalu biasa duduk dengan posisi yang salah selama ini. Posisi pemanduan yang betul biasanya sedikit tegak, seperti posisi pemandu rali.
Selain itu, posisi ketinggian tempat duduk yang betul mempunyai jarak sebanyak 4 jari di antara kepala anda dan bumbung kereta.