Get full insurance coverage when driving in Thailand, Malaysians urged

                KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians wishing to drive while on holiday in Thailand should consider getting full insurance coverage to reduce potential risks during traffic accidents.

Currently, there are four types of mandatory insurance while driving in Thailand – Compulsory Insurance (CI), Travel Insurance (TI), Voluntary Insurance (VI) and Extension 101 Insurance (E101).

Besides VI, which compensates the parties involved in the accident, additional insurance like TI is important, while E101 will cover the Malaysian vehicle involved.

A Malaysian activist living in Satun, Thailand, Abdul Halim Othman, said this should not be taken lightly as procedures to resolve accident cases could be complex due to communication barriers as well as the high cost of hospital treatment in the country.

According to him, most Malaysians have very little knowledge about getting full insurance coverage when driving in Thailand, with some wishing to save and thinking that they can easily resolve such issues.

“As soon as we step past the Malaysia-Thailand border, even for a short meal in Danok, we are already subject to the regulations of the Thai authorities.

“Insurance will act as our ‘legal aid’ that will come to our rescue. If nothing happens, it’s okay.

“But if anything does happen, it will be tough without full coverage. So you need to remember this before it really happens,” he told Bernama.

Also known as Cikgu Joe Satun, Abdul Halim has helped scores of Malaysians involved in traffic accidents in Thailand since 2011 on a voluntary basis.

“My wife is from Satun and can speak Thai and Malay, so she acts as the intermediary to deal with authorities or Thai parties involved in the accident.

“On my part, I will contact the Malaysians or the Malaysian ambassador here about the documentation needed.

“Without either one of us, things can’t be done,” said the tourism-based business operator.

Abdul Halim reminded Malaysians that having insurance was a condition for motorists to enter Thailand.

Azizan Ishak, 62, who was involved in a road accident while riding his motorcycle in Thailand in 2019, said the incident was an eye-opener for him.

Azizan, who suffered fractures to both his wrists in the accident, had only paid the basic CI insurance at RM15 as coverage for his week-long motorcycling trip in Thailand.

“The accident happened while I was on my way from Krabi to Phuket,” he said.

“A four-wheel-drive vehicle entered the right lane suddenly, causing me to hit the vehicle, breaking both my wrists.

“The costs involved, including medical fees, transport and compensation, reached around RM8,000 in cash.

“Luckily, with Cikgu Joe Satun’s (Abdul Halim) help, it was reduced to around RM3,000 only.”


Govt seeks win-win solution for taxi, Uber and GrabCar drivers

                JOHOR BARU: The Land Public Transport Commission wants to create a friendly environment among taxi, Uber and GrabCar drivers.

SPAD chairman Tan Sri Dr Syed Hamid Albar said currently, the playing field between taxis, Uber and GrabCar were uneven due to the regulations set by the authorities.

He cited an example where taxi drivers had to pay for a permit that allowed them to charge a fare on their customers and the taxis had to also go through Puspakom inspections.

“This is different when it comes to Uber or GrabCar drivers where the majority of them use their own private vehicles and do not have any permits to offer their services towards the public, which is against the law.

“However, due to such services becoming a favourite among Malaysians, the Government is considering whether to make Uber or other similar services legal in the country,” he told reporters after officiating at the SPAD southern region office at Menara Cyberport here yesterday.

He added that the commission had taken into account the views of all stakeholders including taxi drivers as well as public perception about Uber and GrabCar in a survey.

Syed Hamid said that he recently met with a group of taxi drivers where many of them voiced their unhappiness since the other services made their presence in the country.

“For example, a taxi driver now earned less than RM30 a month, which is quite alarming as it is well below the poverty line, ever since passengers prefer to take Uber or GrabCar.

“However, taxi drivers must accept that the environment has changed where they must provide an even better service compared to Uber, which is not only available in Malaysia but throughout the world,” he said.

He added that SPAD had forwarded its paperwork to the Economic Council under the Economic Planning Unit for a review before presenting it to the Cabinet by this year on whether to allow Uber or other services to conduct their services here or be regulated.

Syed Hamid gave his assurance to all stakeholders that it would be a win-win situation for both sides where everybody would be able to benefit from.


Hyundai Bayon looks set to take on small SUV market

                FRANKFURT: Hyundai continues to follow the crossover trend, bringing the Bayon onto the market this summer, a small SUV that's closely related to its i20 supermini and priced at around US$20,000 (RM83,000).

The car sits below Hyundai's Kona SUV and is only 2cm shorter. Technically, the Bayon is closely related to the i20 and, for a cost of around US$3,700 (RM15,295) more than that car, offers extra space and more variability.

In addition to the high seating position typical of SUVs, the Bayon offers a surprising amount of space for its 4.18-metres length and 2.58-metre wheelbase. The trunk can hold 411 litres or 1,205 litres with the rear seats folded down.

The dimensions may be new, but the ambience is familiar from the i20. There's colourful mood lighting, digital instruments behind the steering wheel, and next to it a large touchscreen with an online connection.

The touchscreen not only navigates in real time or streams your favourite music, it also creates a relaxed atmosphere by playing ambient sounds such as rain, a beach backdrop or the noises of a street cafe.

The Bayon comes with a variety of driver assistants, including lane assist, autonomous emergency braking, and automatic high-beam activation of the headlights. The car also has six airbags.

The 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine comes with either 99 or 118bhp. The car reaches 100kph in 10.4 seconds and the top speed is 185kph.

The engines are available as mild hybrids with 48 volt technology and the innovative iMT transmission, which saves fuel when coasting.

However, the Bayon lacks the more powerful engine options of the Kona and it also doesn't have all-wheel drive.

The smaller engine should suit city drivers, but drivers who takes long journeys will likely prefer the more powerful 118bhp option.

Car buyers at the moment are clearly liking small cross-over models that offer more verve and charisma but which are still as sensible as a classic small car.

The Bayon is firmly in this class and looks like being a real alternative to competitors such as the Ford Puma and the Opel Mokka.


Petron and PayNet contest offers Proton X50 among prizes

                KUALA LUMPUR: Petron Malaysia together with Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) have rolled out the ‘Petron Fuel Champs! MyDebit Je with your ATM Card’ contest to encourage more customers to fuel up using their MyDebit ATM card.

For just a minimum RM5 fuel purchase at Petron, MyDebit ATM card holders can have a chance at winning the Proton X50 1.5T Executive in the grand draw.

There will also be two first prize winners, who will each win a Yamaha MT-25 Sport Motor while three second prize winners will each receive a Samsung 65-inch QLED television.

Ten consolation prize winners will receive up to RM700 worth of Petron Miles points.

All winners will also receive a limited-edition international football jersey.

Petron head of retail and commercial business Choong Kum Choy said the company was pleased to collaborate with PayNet again to generate more awareness on the convenience of paying using MyDebit.

“Lots of big prizes are up for grabs for our customers, including a brand-new car, just by fueling up with their MyDebit ATM card at our service station,” said Choong.

MyDebit is the only card scheme in Malaysia that does not hold RM200 at fuel pumps.

When a service station chain accepts MyDebit payments, consumers can select the amount of fuel that they wish to purchase and only that amount is blocked during fueling.

If consumers refuel less than the amount selected at the start, all excess amounts are credited back to their bank accounts immediately after fueling is done.

On top of the main prizes, six winners will be selected monthly throughout the promotion period.

In August, three lucky customers have won first prize, bringing home an autographed international football jersey while three second prize winners have received RM500 worth of PMiles points.

Another six winners will be selected through the month of September and October respectively.

All winners will also stand a chance to participate in a virtual meet-up with the Polish football legend, Jerzy Dudek.

‘Petron Fuel Champs! MyDebit Je with your ATM Card’ contest runs from Aug 1 until Oct 31.

Customers only need to spend a minimum of RM5 of fuel with their ATM Card transaction at the fuel pumps and send their fuel receipt via WhatsApp to 019-388 6733, or Whoop App.

Whoop App can be downloaded from Apple Store or Google Play Store. Customers can submit more than one entry as each proof of transaction qualifies as one entry.


Mercedes-Benz finally kills off diesel in US market

                DETROIT: Mercedes-Benz may not have been the most vociferous exponent of the benefits of diesel engines in passenger cars in America over the last decade or so, but it was up there for a while. While Volkswagen could appear almost evangelical at times about diesels a while back, the emissions cheating scandal it got embroiled in ended any chances it had of converting US buyers to its "clean diesel" models.

Mercedes has now been involved in two years of debates and discussions with the Environmental Protection Agency about diesels, but it has now finally decided not to put diesel engines in its passenger vehicles anymore.

According to the Autoblog website, at the recent Detroit Auto Show, the Mercedes Car Group's head of research and development, Ola Källenius, said diesels only account for three percent of brand sales at most, and that, "The diesel doesn't fit into our portfolio in the US." In future then, the company's only diesel engines will be in its Sprinter line of commercial vans.

In the wake of "Dieselgate" in early 2016, the US Department of Justice told Daimler it would probably be a good idea to have a look at the diesel certification process of its Mercedes vehicles. Not long afterwards, Mercedes put plans on hold for a year to sell diesel versions of its C-Class sedan and GLC-Class crossover in the American market.

A year on from that decision, the EPA was still holding back on granting Mercedes the right to sell 2017-model-year diesel vehicles in the US, so Mercedes has now understandably decided to stop trying.

If Americans were anywhere near as keen on diesel vehicles as their European counterparts have been encouraged to be by governments over the last couple of decades, the fight would probably continue.

But with only two to three percent of its sales being diesels, it makes no commercial sense for Mercedes to continue trying to sell models with engines nobody seems to want in America anyway.


Nissan distributor kicks off Star Wars-themed promo

                SERI KEMBANGAN: Nissan distributor Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd has kicked-off a unique campaign this month, offering Nissan car buyers the chance to win a Star Wars: The Last Jedi-themed holiday trip to Croatia.

Croatia was one of the locations where the latest Star Wars film was shot.

During the campaign period, there would be rebates and savings of up to RM6,500 for selected Nissan models, plus the continuation of RM1 promotion for premium accessory package and rebates of up to RM4,500 are offered.

Members of the public can visit Nissan showrooms and roadshows to experience the Star Wars-themed excitement and the Nissan deals on offer.

The campaign was launched today at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang near here.


Jaguar F-Pace defies gravity

FRANKFURT: Jaguar’s first family sports car has defied gravity by performing a record-breaking 360 degree loop, one day ahead of its global motor show debut in Frankfurt.

The all-new Jaguar F-Pace, the world’s most practical sports car, was driven with daring precision by expert British stunt driver Terry Grant. The F-Pace sped through the specially built structure, using its sports car derived technology and world-class collection of safety features to complete the record loop and officially signal the opening of order books worldwide.

Ian Callum, Director of Design for Jaguar said: “The Jaguar F-Pace is an SUV with the soul of a sports car. When we created this car we thought differently; we took a Jaguar sports car and made it family friendly. The F-Pace exudes performance yet you can fit five people and all their belongings in it. This is a car for people who love driving, who love design and who love technology – this is the ultimate practical sports car.”

The extraordinary feat, showcased the powerful design of the lightweight F-Pace and its ability to combine agility with sports car speed and performance.

Pro Driver Terry Grant undertook two months of intense physical and dietary training to ensure his body was prepared for the 6.5 G-Force, which is greater than the forces experienced by space shuttle pilots.

Months of planning went in to ensuring that both car and driver could complete this world record-breaking challenge. Precise physics, angles, speeds and dimensions were considered by a team of experts including structural engineers, mathematicians and safety experts.

The all-new Jaguar F-Pace is a performance crossover designed and engineered to offer the agility, responsiveness and refinement that all Jaguars are renowned for, together with unrivalled dynamics and everyday versatility.

Developed using Jaguar’s Lightweight Aluminium Architecture, the all-new F-Pace combines purity of line, surface and proportion with F-Type-inspired features such as the powerful rear haunches, fender vents and distinctive tail light graphics.

The bold front grille and the muscular bonnet hint at the performance potential of engines like the 380PS 3.0-litre supercharged V6. Elements such as slender full-LED headlights, forged 22-inch forged alloy wheels and short front overhang carry the design vision of the C-X17 concept through to production.

The all-new F-Pace seats five occupants in absolute comfort. The interior is a perfect blend of premium materials and finishes, exquisite detailing, luxuries such as heated, electrically-reclining rear seats, and cutting-edge technologies including the InControl Touch Pro infotainment system and 12.3-inch HD virtual instrument cluster.


Toyota, Mazda joint venture Alabama plant will now cost US$2.3b

                WASHINGTON: Toyota Motor Corp and Mazda Motor Corp said today they will invest US$2.3 billion (RM9.7bil) in a new joint venture factory in Alabama, US$830 million (RM3.5bil) more than announced in their original plan in 2018.

Production is expected to start next year building up to 150,000 future Mazda crossover vehicles and 150,000 Toyota sport utility vehicles annually. The Japanese automakers are expected to receive US$97 million (RM407mil) in additional tax incentives for the added investment, a person briefed on the matter said.

The automakers have faced challenges as they continued construction work during the coronavirus pandemic on the plant, which will now cost about 50% more than first estimated.

The companies said the higher investment “accommodates production line enhancements made to improve manufacturing processes.”

The plant continues to target up to 4,000 new jobs and has hired 600 employees to date.

“Mazda and Toyota’s increased commitment to the development of this plant reiterates their belief in the future of manufacturing in America and the potential for the state of Alabama to be an economic leader in the wake of unprecedented economic change,” Alabama governor Kay Ivey said in a statement.

The companies said the plant’s roofing, siding, floor slabs, ductwork, fire protection and electrical work is 75% to 100% complete.

State and local governments in Alabama previously provided more than US$700 million (RM2.9bil) in tax incentives.

In September, President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe signed a limited trade deal that cuts tariffs on US farm goods, Japanese machine tools and other products but delayed the question of auto imports for future talks.

Trump threatened hikes but did not raise current auto tariffs of 2.5% on passenger vehicles and 25% on pickup trucks.

Japan exported 1.7 million vehicles last year to the United States, making up about 10% of US vehicle sales.


EPMB wins exclusive rights to assemble, distribute China’s best-selling mini-EV

                KUALA LUMPUR: EP Manufacturing Bhd (EPMB) has secured the exclusive right to assemble and distribute the Lingbao-developed electric cars in the Malaysian and Indonesian markets.

The automotive parts manufacturer, in a statement, said the five-year deal also allowed EPMB the option to use its own brand name for the electric vehicle (EV).

EPMB’s wholly-owned subsidiary, EP 4Wheeler Sdn Bhd, had on Dec 27 signed an exclusive distributor agreement with Hubei Dongfeng Power Auto Trade Co Ltd and Xiamen Tsingyan Hylong Motor Technology Co Ltd to assemble and sell the right-hand drive LINGBOX cars.

EPMB is granted the right to distribute the cars under its own name or the brand name of LINGBOX Auto or Qingyan Hailong.

The agreement is effective from Jan 1, 2023 and expires on Dec 31, 2027 and shall be automatically renewed for another five years, subject to terms and conditions.

LINGBOX is one of the models under the Lingbao auto brand, which is owned by China-based Jiangsu Jemmell New Energy Vehicle Co Ltd.

“With the rising appetite for EVs in Malaysia and Indonesia, the group foresees a good response for LINGBOX and we hope to bring in more new models to capture a bigger share in the regional EV market. This would create another revenue stream for EPMB,” EPMB acting chief executive officer Lim Sim Yee said.

READ MORE: All systems go for EP Manufacturing to make electric scooters


Happy Verstappen triumphs in sweltering Miami

Verstappen,  Leclerc and Sainz celebrating on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Miami on Sunday. — AFP

MIAMI GARDENS (USA): World champion Max Verstappen resisted a late attack from series leader Charles Leclerc of Ferrari to claim an accomplished victory for Red Bull in sweltering conditions at the inaugural Miami Grand Prix on Sunday.

In a physically exhausting race for the drivers and teams at the Miami International autodrome, the 24-year-old Dutchman produced a mature performance to make the most of superior straight line speed in a largely processional race until a late Safety Car intervention.

His second win in succession and third of the season enabled him to trim Leclerc's advantage to 19 points in the drivers' championship. Leclerc has 104 and Verstappen 85. It was the 23rd win of the Dutchman's career.

"It was an incredible Grand Prix, very physical as well, but I think we kept it exciting until the end," said Verstappen, interviewed by retired American driver Willy T. Ribbs after the race.

When Ribbs suggested he looked ready to "get into a boxing ring", Verstappen retorted: "I think I'll stick to racing, but I appreciate boxing a lot. It felt a bit like that out there in terms of how we feel now.

"I'm incredibly happy with winning here in Miami and it was an incredible Sunday for us."

Leclerc said he felt that the Red Bull was clearly a faster car than his Ferrari in a hot and punishing race.

"It was such a difficult race, physically," said Leclerc. "We struggled quite a bit with the medium tyres, especially in the first stint, and was overtaken there. That made our race a bit more difficult from that moment onwards.

'Step up'

"On the hard tyre, we were very competitive and towards the end I thought I could get Max at one point, but today they had the advantage in terms of pace."

He said he hoped Ferrari would make a "step up" with upgrades for the Spanish Grand Prix later this month, but added that he had enjoyed the atmosphere generated by a sell-out crowd that was sprinkled with celebrities.

"It was fun and it's amazing to see so many people again," he said. "I keep saying it, but it's great to see so many Ferrari fans in the grandstands.

"Now, we need to keep pushing. Upgrades will be very important throughout the year and I hope that we can do a step up from the next race onwards."

Verstappen came home 3.786 seconds ahead of Leclerc with Carlos Sainz third in the second Ferrari after holding off a late charge from Sergio Perez.

George Russell finished fifth after recovering from 15th on the opening lap to come home ahead of Mercedes team-mate, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

In a tactical race of attrition and many minor incidents, Russell made the most of a late Safety Car intervention when McLaren's Lando Norris collided with Pierre Gasly's Alpha Tauri to take a 'free' pit stop for new tyres.

The final 10 laps produced more action than the previous 47 including another accident when Mick Schumacher of Haas collided with fellow-German four-time champion Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin.

Valtteri Bottas of Alfa Romeo finished seventh ahead of Esteban Ocon and his Alpine team-mate two-time champion Fernando Alonso and Alex Albon who was a fine 10th for Williams.


CarSifu Auto Show 2022: Volvo

                SINCE its launch in March, the all-electric Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric has been endearing the local motoring scene with its combination of stylish compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) looks and zero emissions capability.

Although looking very much like the conventional XC40 SUV, the new XC40 Recharge Pure Electric is a different machine under the sheet metal.

Being an electric vehicle (EV), the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric does not come with a petrol engine, transmission or exhaust pipes, but has a front cargo compartment, or “frunk,” under the hood.

In their place are a large high voltage battery pack and an electric motor each on the front and rear axle to deliver a powerful and silky-smooth whisper quiet driving experience unmatched by its non-electrified siblings.

The XC40 Recharge Pure Electric is the country’s first locally assembled EV and is spearheading Volvo Car Malaysia’s plans to accelerate its transformation towards full electric mobility.

The company is aiming to achieve a 75% contribution from its pure electric line-up by 2025, which is in-line with Volvo Cars’ global ambition of becoming a fully electric car company by 2030 and carbon neutral by 2040.

Aside from the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric, Volvo Car Malaysia plans to launch a new EV model in Malaysia every year for the next five years.

Aside from assembling EVs for local buyers, the cars are also being shipped to markets within the ASEAN region.

The response for the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric has also been overwhelming, with encouraging sales numbers signalling the beginning of Malaysians adopting electric vehicles and a more sustainable lifestyle.

Highlights of the XC40 Recharge Pure Electric include a close-off front grille, LED head and tail-lights, ‘Thor’s hammer’ daytime running lights, and gloss black roof and wing mirrors.

An aluminium decor styling with dark leather/nubuck combination upholstery are used for the interior.

The instrument meter is an electronic screen, while the infotainment system is an Android-powered type that offers Google Maps, Google Assistant and Google Play Store served up by a 9-inch touchscreen.

Its powerful dual motor system produces a combined output of 408hp (300kW) and 660Nm of torque for an all-wheel drive capability.

The SUV is able to complete the 0-100kph sprint in 4.9 seconds, has a top speed of 180kph and is the quickest EV of its segment.

It has a 400V system and the lithium-ion battery comes with a capacity of 78kWh of which 75kWh is usable to enable a driving range up to 418km* on a single charge.

The XC40 Recharge Pure Electric can be topped up by an 11kW AC charger from 0 to 100% in around seven hours, while a 150kW DC-type will power up from 10% to 80% in 33 minutes.

Its alloy wheels are shod in 19-inch Pirelli P Zero Elect tyres that are specially made for electric vehicles.

Tyre sizes are 235/50R19 for the front wheels and 255/45R19 for the rear.

The XC40 Recharge Pure Electric has also been made safer by an upgraded Advanced Driver Assistance System.

Among its detection devices are a front-looking radar with two rear side radars, one front-looking camera with four 360-degree around view cameras and 12 ultrasonic proximity sensors.

Key smart features include active cruise control, City Safety, blind spot information system, lane keeping aid and cross traffic alert among others.

Also included are airbags, anti-lock braking system and electronic stability control.

Other goodies are a wireless charging pad for smartphones, Harman Kardon sound system, rear air conditioner vents and handsfree rear power tailgate.

Available colours are Black Stone, Crystal White Pearl, Denim Blue, Glacier Silver and Sage Green.

Volvo Car Malaysia will begin taking orders again with the introduction of Model Year 2023, with exciting new updates to be announced soon.

Interested buyers can book for a test drive or make any online orders via www.volvocars.com/my upon the announcement.

The XC40 Recharge Pure Electric will be available for closer viewing at the CarSifu Auto Show 2022 at Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur from Oct 5-9 and at The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey, Johor Bahru from Oct 26-30.

Disclaimers: *Range figures as per Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (“WLTP”) derived from laboratory testing. Real world range can differ from the stated figures. Overseas model shown. Charging equipment sold separately.


Flux, the monthly car subscription service is here

                PETALING JAYA: A car subscription service called Flux has just been launched in Malaysia and offers all the benefits of having your dream car without the drawbacks, according to the press release.

One can browse through the collection of cars on its online platform, www.driveflux.com and once members have selected a car, they then choose a subscription plan which starts at monthly for total flexibility or up to three years.

Members also choose a mileage package between Lite, Standard and Unlimited which offers a monthly maximum of 1,250km, 2,000km and cap-less mileage respectively. The Lite package is offered at no additional charge.

The subscription plans indicate how long members intend to use the Flux service, not a specific car as they have the privilege to switch throughout their subscription.

The Flux collection carries cars such as the Honda CR-V, BMW 6 Series GT fastback, Toyota Yaris, Volvo XC40, Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 and Kia Sportage among others.

“It’s unbelievable that in 2019, the only financially attractive way a Malaysian can have access to a car 24/7 all year round is through a hire purchase loan. Because buying a car, a highly depreciating asset, is probably the worst financial decision a household can make.

"I founded Flux to challenge the status quo and offer a better alternative to the conventional car loan, here at home in Malaysia. At Flux, we are excited to pioneer a new means to access all the benefits of having a car in your driveway, without the costs," said founder and chief executive officer of Flux, Aziz Ayman.

Its inventory is sourced from reputable automotive groups and retailers, ensuring only the best vehicles are made available to our members.

These cars, new and pre-owned alike, are independently inspected to determine that each and every one is maintained to the highest standards and free of major accidents and flood damage.

Flux has partnered with leading automotive insurers for comprehensive protection and 24/7 nationwide roadside assistance to ensure your safety and assist you in every step of the post-accident process.

Flux was founded in 2018 by Aziz and Tan Sri Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz.


New Bentley Continental GT Speed round the corner

                LONDON: Bentley Motors will unveil on March 23 what it describes as the most dynamic road car in its 101-year history.

Designed, engineered, developed and handcrafted in Bentley’s carbon neutral luxury automotive factory, the third-generation Continental GT Speed is said to be the ultimate performance-focused interpretation of the world’s benchmark luxury grand tourer.

Bentley said in a brief statement that the car features advanced chassis technology and styling cues specific to Continental GT Speed.

The virtual unveiling will start at 16:00 GMT on March 23 (midnight the next day in Malaysia).

Teaser video here.


Unique Rolls-Royce Dawn with famed architect Kengo Kuma

                TOKYO: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and architect Kengo Kuma have bridged the luxury automotive and architectural worlds with the unveiling of a first-of-its-kind Bespoke Rolls-Royce Dawn.

The one-of-a-kind Dawn will debut as a moving representation of the new luxury residence ‘The Kita’ in central Tokyo, designed by Kuma upon commission by global luxury property developer Westbank.

The Bespoke Dawn was created for the exclusive use of the owner of the unique multi-level penthouse, ‘The Kita Tea House’, which sits atop the newly completed property in the tranquil yet central Kitasando neighbourhood.

The penthouse is so named for its rooftop tea house which is framed by views of the Eternal Forest of the Meiji Shrine and Kengo Kuma’s reborn Japan National Stadium.

As is characteristic of Kuma’s architecture, ‘The Kita’ challenges the relationship between interior and exterior.

The open-top Dawn was therefore a natural canvas for the car, providing a peaceful and cocooning private space where you are conversely never disconnected from the outside world.

The Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective worked in consultation with Kuma and Westbank to ensure that the interior and exterior design reflected ‘The Kita’ in terms of materials, colour palette, texture and ambience to offer the resident a seamless aesthetic and atmospheric transition from property to conveyance.

The overriding aim for Dawn’s styling was one of Japanese delicacy with a sense of precision seen in the clean lines of the building, creating a clarity of structure with a prevailing sense of calm, the design’s depth revealing itself softly and subtly.

At the same time, both car and residence have a strong visual identity and a generosity of proportion that breaks Japanese norms: deceptively neutral yet deeply atmospheric; inherently practical, yet extremely comfortable.

The Dawn’s exterior is rendered in Silver Haze, a multi-faceted colour that speaks of the silver-grey of the building’s core structural materials.

When illuminated by the sun, it reveals a bronze sheen, a warmth that reflects the bronze koshi screen louvers on the exterior of the building and the bronze detailing of the interior.

It is finished with a sleek Silver hood and clean-cut Black coachline. Bringing the interior and exterior together is the warm, intimate feel of natural open-pore Royal Walnut panelling on the rear deck, a nod to the rich Walnut panelling of the towering penthouse entrance lobby.

Inside, the sweeping contours of the Selby Grey leather interior are highlighted by Arctic White and Black accents, with seatbelts in Slate Grey.

In the first application of its kind for Rolls-Royce, the finish of the front fascia is gradated.

Running the full width of the interior, the horizontal ombré transitions from Piano Selby Grey to Piano Black, a representation of the blended and fluid nature of the building’s luscious and innovative materials.

The colour transitions from the residence’s luminescent grey-flecked Bianco Carrara marble, through to the light greys of soft brushed stainless steel and ceramic tile, and finally, to the dark granite and metallic tile.

Into the fascia is set a stainless steel inlay of ‘The Kita’s’ logo, the most delicate example of such an inlay that the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective has produced and a gesture of solidarity with the great skill that went into crafting the residence’s unique hand-finished stainless steel fittings.

The same lattice motif is applied in embroidery to the front headrests and the waterfall between the rear seats.

Final touches include a specially designed Bespoke clock and Bespoke umbrellas colour matched to the interior, reflecting the discerning tastes of the architect.

Kuma said this was the first time he had consulted on a project of this kind and was proud to be able to do so for Rolls-Royce, a company with which he shared a respect for traditional craftsmanship and a desire to bring out the best in natural materials.

“Rolls-Royce has brought the essence of ‘The Kita’ into the car’s aesthetic, allowing the owner of ‘The Kita Tea House’ to take in their surrounding city environment. It is a great honour to see the car finally here at home in Tokyo.”

Westbank founder Ian Gillespie said The Bespoke Dawn is a beautiful addition to its body of work.

“Kuma-san’s influence on the Rolls-Royce Dawn is the embodiment of the serenity and beauty he has created in ‘The Kita Tea House’, as an extension of that memory for the individual to enjoy,” he said.


Expect over 50 vehicle debuts at newly formed AutoMobility LA

                LOS ANGELES: AutoMobility LA, a merger of LA Auto Show’s press & trade days and Connected Car Expo, announced on Thursday that several auto-tech products and services, including more than 50 vehicles, will make their debut in front of media and industry professionals from Nov 14-17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Among the many global unveilings by top auto manufacturers will be Alfa Romeo’s new SUV and Jeep’s new compact SUV to compete in the growing compact crossover segment. Porsche will be presenting more than one global and several North American debuts, including the new Panamera, while Nissan will take the sheets off three, including the 2017 Nissan Rogue: Rogue One Star Wars Limited Edition.

Other confirmed debuts include the turbocharged Civic Si from Honda, the new fifth-generation Land Rover Discovery and the pocket-size smart ForTwo Electric Drive cabriolet. Mercedes-Benz will show three models for the first time in the US, including the AMG GT Roadster, G550 4x4 Squared and the track-ready AMG GT R.

An epicentre for advanced automotive design, Los Angeles will become a stage for several concept car unveilings. In a global debut, Acura will preview its future interior human-machine interface design and technology direction, which strives to achieve a seamless connection between man and machine.

Infiniti will feature its new SUV vision, the QX Sport Inspiration, while Subaru’s global concept reveal will uncover a new line of vehicles for the brand. In addition to production and concept vehicles, both luxury and economy marques plan on bringing more hybrid, electric and alt-fuel models to their displays.

A diverse mix of established automakers, tech companies and disruptors including BMW ReachNow, Hyundai, Ridecell and whiteCryption, are planning to unveil innovations and advancements around artificial intelligence, automation, car sharing, security and more inside the show’s new Technology Pavilion.


New Proton 3S centre opens in Penang

                PENANG: A new Proton 3S (sales, service and spare parts) centre has been added to the list and its doors have just re-opened on the island-state of Penang.

Operated by Autobinee Oriental Sdn Bhd (since 1989), the new facility required an investment of RM1.0mil to upgrade and is now part of Proton's network strategy rollout designed to give customers better total ownership experience.

The 703 square metre outlet is the first in Penang to sport the local carmaker's new corporate image and was officiated by Proton deputy CEO Datuk Radzaif Mohamed.

Centrally located at the thoroughfare of Jalan Air Itam, the new 3S centre has four bays with four hoists as well as other amenities that include free Wifi, beverages and a customer lounge.

The Northern region continues to be one of the leading contributors to the car maker's overall sales.

From January to July this year, the region saw sales of more than 9,800 cars to mark an increase of over 36%, compared to the same period last year.

In the state of Penang alone, there was an increase of over 38% year-to-date versus the same period last year.

These numbers were largely contributed by sales of the Saga, Persona and X70.

“The northern region is a very important market for us. Penang, in particular, is an affluent state with sophisticated buyers. In order to meet their expectations, we know that a strong product needs to be backed-up by an equally strong customer experience. This is where our network strategy has become a keystone within our growth plans,” said Radzaif.

“We are confident that with this new facility, our position here in Penang will only be strengthened further”, he added.

The network upgrading, better quality of cars and good products have contributed to the car maker's strong growth in 2019.

Year-to-date the company has sold 52,269 unit of cars, an increase of 47% versus the same period last year.

“We are starting to see our efforts bear fruit. The extremely positive performance we have seen this year has come from a combination of the right product mix, good cost control, improved quality and the new network strategy. This has propelled us take the number 2 spot in terms of car sales for Malaysia. However, this is merely the beginning as there is much more to do and we are committed to ensuring that the brand will continue on this upward trajectory,” said Radzaif.


Volvo Car UK installs data SIM card as standard in all new models

                LONDON: Volvo Car UK is boosting its in-car connectivity offering by fitting a data SIM card as standard to all its new models. The feature is being introduced on all Model Year 2020 cars from today, and can be retro-fitted to any that have already been delivered to customers.

The SIM card allows the driver and their passengers to be fully connected at all times, with access to 100GB of data for up to one year, making this the longest and most generous Vodafone plan currently offered by a car maker in the UK. This facility is available for the first 12 months for no extra cost on top of the car’s initial purchase price.

Operation of the SIM card, which is supported by Vodafone, is independent of any of the occupants’ own SIM-equipped devices, so there is no impact on their personal or business data usage, or device’s battery charge.

The provision of an integrated SIM card brings multiple benefits in terms of access to entertainment and information apps, Real Time Traffic Information (RTTI) for efficient journey planning, and cutting-edge connected safety services. Users also benefit from a stronger signal while on the move, since reception is through their car’s antenna.

The SIM card creates an on-board WiFi hotspot that can be used by up to eight devices. This makes life easier and more enjoyable for everyone on board – especially those customers with children, who can keep themselves entertained on long drives by streaming music or movies, or playing online games. It also gives access to all the native information and entertainment apps that are built into the car’s Sensus touchscreen system, including Spotify, TuneIn, Google Local Search, Yelp, Park and Pay, Record & Send, Glympse, Weather and WikiLocation.

Automatic roaming covers 42 European countries and overseas territories.

As part of Volvo’s industry-leading commitment to safety, the SIM card also enables alerts to be received and transmitted when a similarly connected (Volvo) car’s hazard lights are triggered nearby, or slippery road surfaces are encountered. By sharing information in real time via a cloud-based network, Volvo cars can give drivers early warnings about potentially dangerous conditions ahead, reducing the risk of an accident.


Daimler to unveil long-distance electric car in October

                FRANKFURT: Germany's Daimler will lift the curtain on its much-anticipated long-distance electric car at the Paris Motor Show in October, as the automaker gears up to compete with Tesla Motors Inc's Model X sport-utility vehicle (SUV).

The company will display a prototype of an electric-powered Mercedes car with a 500-kilometre range, chief development officer Thomas Weber (pic) said this week in Stuttgart at an event for journalists.

"The structure is ready, the teams are working and the initial results from road tests are coming in quick succession," he said.

Weber did not specify how soon the car would hit the road but said it would be sometime this decade.

Daimler and European rivals are stepping up investments in electric vehicles in order to meet new EU pollution targets and catch up with US battery-car specialist Tesla. The German government has also announced subsidies for buyers of electric and other less polluting cars.

German competitor Volkswagen's subsidiaries Audi and Porsche have already unveiled long-distance electric prototypes, while BMW is working on one.

Weber also said Daimler would launch its fourth-generation electric Smart car at the end of the year in both two and four-seater variants.

Daimler currently offers two fully electric cars under its Smart and B-class models and a host of plug-in hybrids, powered by a combined battery and combustion engine. Further hybrid models are in the pipeline.

The company is aiming to sell more than 100,000 electric cars a year by the end of the decade, Weber said. He declined to provide the sales figure for 2015.

Daimler has also been working on fuel cell powered cars, which run on electricity generated by hydrogen. It initially planned to launch such a vehicle in 2014 but had to postpone, blaming pricing issues.

The fuel cell operated SUV GLC, likely to compete with Toyota's Mirai, is now expected to enter production next year.


Malton eyes stake in Ho Wah Genting's electric vehicles business

                KUALA LUMPUR: Malton Bhd has entered a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to acquire equity interest in Ho Wah Genting Bhd's subsidiary HWGB EV Sdn Bhd.

The property developer said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia that the MoU with Ho Wah Genting and HWGB EV is to explore a potential investment in HWGB EV through the acquisition of 14% equity interest in the company.

According to Malton, it plans to invest in HWGB EV's future business of manufacturing, assembling and distributing electric vehicles in Malaysia.

"The MoU enables Malton to have access to further information in relation to the EV Project and to conduct its own internal assessment and feasibility study on the viability of investing in HWGB EV," it said.

The MoU shall be in force for 12 months from the date of the agreement.

HWGB EV had recently said it would assemble the Seiyong S1 battery electric vehicle in Malaysia. The S1 is a four-seat hatchback that Seiyong Motor of Beijing had started selling in its home market in December 2019.

The S1 has a range of around 300km and uses a 31.9 kWh lithium-ion battery that powers an electric motor producing 35kw/47hp and 150Nm of torque. Top speed is 110kph.

HWGB EV is expected to announce more details on the local assembly of the S1 in due course.


Singapore to abolish motorcycle toll charges at Second Link from Jan 21

                SINGAPORE: Singapore will match the removal of motorcycle tolls at the Second Link from Jan 21, according to Singapore’s Ministry of Transport on Tuesday.

"We note Malaysia’s removal of motorcycle toll charges at the Second Link. Singapore’s long-standing policy is to match Malaysia’s toll rates," it was quoted as saying by The Straits Times here.

Toll charges for motorcycle was S$0.40 at the Tuas Checkpoint for both arrival and departure.

Malaysia had abolished toll collection for motorcycles at the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link (Linkedua) Expressway’s Tanjung Kupang Toll Plaza near Gelang Patah, Johor, from midnight of Jan 1.

The move has long-term benefits to 50,000 residents around Johor Bahru who use the route daily.

The abolition of toll for motorcycles was announced during the tabling of the 2019 Budget on Nov 2 in line with the government's commitment to reduce the cost of living of the people.

Before the move, motorcyclists had to pay a toll of RM1.10 at the Tanjung Kupang Toll Plaza.


Pininfarina teases new concept

The Project One hypercarPininfarina HK GT concept teaser image.
TURIN: There used to be a time when a motor show wasn't a motor show if it didn't have a least one concept car on show with gull-wing doors, but then things took a turn to the sensible side. But like most fashion trends that come and go, gull-wing doors are back in style.

And Pininfarina is getting in on the act as it's just released a teaser image of a new model with vertical-opening doors ahead of a full reveal at the Geneva Motor Show next week.

The car in question appears to be a 2+2 two-door coupe, and the image the design house has released shows the massive doors fully open in all their splendid glory.

 H600 concept.

The HK GT concept is a very elongated design, but the upside of that is it could potentially have enough room in the back seats for real humans to fit into. And like everything else on the car, the doors are also pretty long and that could mean reasonably comfortable access to those rear seats.

Beyond what we can see, not too much else is known about the car other than the fact it's an all-electric model from the Chinese company Hybrid Kinetic Group and it's called the HK GT.

Hybrid Kinetic is a Hong Kong-based company that has done a US$68 million deal with the legendary Italian design house Pininfarina to design its cars. The company already brought us the Pininfarina-designed H600 last year, which is scheduled to go into production by 2020. The makers claimed that model houses an electric powertrain with an onboard "micro-turbine" generator with a total output of around 800hp.

Although there appear to be some similarities between the design of the H600 and the new HK GT, it's unlikely the new model to be revealed in Geneva will simply be a two-door version of the H600. It's probably fair to assume a similar powertrain will be planned for the HK GT, although whether this one remains a motor show concept or eventually goes into production remains to be seen.


Tokyo Motor Show 2019: Mitsubishi Mi-Tech concept

                TOKYO: Mitsubishi Motors Corp (MMC) has unveiled the Mi-Tech concept compact plug-in hybrid SUV concept at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show.

"We are dedicated to electrification technology, particularly plug-in hybrids (PHEVs)," said Takao Kato, chief executive officer, MMC.

The Mi-Tech concept is a small plug-in hybrid electric SUV that embodies the MMC brand statement "Drive Your Ambition"with a lightweight, compact, new PHEV drivetrain, a four-motor electric 4WD system, and advanced driver assist and preventive safety technologies.

Dynamic Buggy Type Design

Under the concept of "Stimulates the driver's adventure", the Mi-Tech concept is designed to be a dynamic buggy-type vehicle.

The front end has T-shaped headlights and adopts MMC's signature Dynamic Shield new front design concept.

It uses a satin plated color in the center of the grille, and copper as a secondary color to accentuate its expressiveness as an electrified vehicle.

On the lower bumper, aluminum skid plate is placed on both sides to protect the body, while the interior has an air intake.

Light, compact PHEV drivetrain

The power generator in the new PHEV drivetrain is a lightweight, compact gas turbine engine-generator in place of the traditional petrol engine.

The gas turbine engine-generator has a powerful output for its size and weight.

Another benefit of the gas turbine is its flexibility to run on a variety of fuels such as diesel, kerosene and alcohol.

Electric 4WD system

MMC took pride to apply its S-AWC Integrated Vehicle Dynamics Control System to a Quad Motor 4WD System with front and rear Dual-Motor Active Yaw Control (AYC) units.

Making the brake calipers electric has also allowed for high response, high accuracy control of drive and braking force of the four wheels while delivering a drastic improvement in turning and traction performance.

When driving off-road and two wheels are spinning out, the ability to transmit the optimal driving force to all four wheels makes it possible to transmit force to the two wheels still on the ground and keep driving.

It can deliver thrilling driving experiences such as 180-degree spins by counter-rotating the left and right tyres.

Advanced driver assistance and preventive safety technologies

The vehicle comes equipped with Human Machine Interface (HMI) which displays various information detected through sensing technology including advanced optical sensors on an augmented reality (AR) windshield.

With vehicle, road, and surrounding traffic conditions shown on the AR windshield, drivers can make accurate, heads-up decisions even in poor visibility.

Equipped also with Mi-Pilot, next-generation driver assistance technology, the concept car extends driver support not only on freeways and ordinary roads, but also on unpaved roads.


More powerful battery pack for Volvo 90 and 60 series PHEVs

                KUALA LUMPUR: Volvo Car Malaysia is introducing a newly improved Recharge plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain in all its Recharge T8 models for a longer electric range with better performance and driveability.

In the new long-range high-voltage battery, a third layer of cells is built in to increase nominal energy from 11.6kWh to 18.8kWh, delivering a more powerful rear electric motor of 145hp.

The additional electric power provides an increased total power of 462hp, offering customers
a greater all-electric range between 70km to 90km.

This improvement allows customers to primarily drive on pure electric mode which would result in a cleaner commute with lower carbon emissions.

Based on the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), the new powertrain will be featured on all of Volvo’s Recharge PHEV models which include the XC90, S90, XC60, S60 and V60 models.

The XC60 and S90 PHEV models will also include the One-Pedal Drive settings, where customers are able to enjoy a seamless and intuitive drive when in stop-and-go traffic.

 Technical cutaway of the powertrain/battery of the XC60 PHEV.

Already featured in Volvo’s pure electric models, the function offers a more effective battery regeneration and higher regenerative power that will improve fuel efficiency.

Volvo Car Malaysia managing director Charles Frump said the improved powertrain would allow customers drive sustainably at a longer distance, at the same time provide them with range confidence that fits the needs of their everyday lives.

Highlights of the new Recharge Plug-In Powertrain:
> A new long-range battery of 18.8kWh from 11.6kWh;
> A new rear electric motor of 145hp compared to the previous 88hp;
> An increased EV range of up to 90km from the previous 40km to 49km;
> An improved CO2 performance;
> An increased total power of 462hp compared to the previous 407hp.
> The One-Pedal Drive will be available on the XC60 and S90 PHEV models

Alongside the new and improved features, Volvo Car Malaysia will be adjusting the prices of all of their vehicles from May 1 onwards.

The price adjustment will start with VCM’s current models of the XC40 T5, XC40 Recharge T5, XC60 B5, and XC90 B5 while the new line-up of the 90 and 60 series will be sold at the new price point upon rollout.

The price for the current Recharge T8 models remains the same and will be sold while stocks last.

For more details on the new Recharge Plug-In Powertrain and car price adjustment, customers can contact any Volvo car authorised dealer or follow Volvo Car Malaysia on Facebook http://bit.ly/VolvoMY-FB and Instagram http://bit.ly/VolvoMY-IG for more updates.


NIO rolls out its 100,000th EV

                SHANGHAI: Chinese electric car maker NIO has produced its 100,000th car on April 7.

Exactly 1,046 days on from NIO’s flagship ES8 SUV starting serial production, the 100,000th NIO car – the latest ES8 – rolled off the production line at the JAC-NIO manufacturing centre in Hefei, China. NIO users of the first generation ES8, ES6 and EC6 joined staff to celebrate the moment.

NIO marked the production of its 50,000th premium SUV last July. Less than nine months later, NIO has the latest milestone.

NIO secured further sales record, delivering 7,257 vehicles in March
This achievement was preceded by another record for NIO: in March 2021, the company delivered 7,257 vehicles, setting a new monthly record with a strong 373 per cent year-on-year growth.

The deliveries comprised: 1,529 ES8s, the company's six- and seven-seat premium smart electric SUV; 3,152 ES6s, NIO’s five-seat high-performance long-range electric SUV; and 2,576 EC6s, the five-seat smart electric coupé SUV.

In the first quarter of 2021, NIO increased its deliveries by 423 per cent year-on-year and set a new quarterly record with 20,060 vehicles delivered. By 31 March 2021, cumulative deliveries of the ES8, ES6 and EC6 reached 95,701 vehicles.


Singapore start-up unveils one-seater flying vehicle

The Crimson S8 can fly at a height of 15m with a payload of 100kg. — The Straits Times/Asia News Network
SINGAPORE: A Singapore firm has unveiled a one-seater flying vehicle that it hopes could be used for door-to-door transportation in urban areas when it is launched in the United States.

The personal aerial vehicle, named Crimson S8, is earmarked to launch in California late next year, Neo Aeronautics said yesterday.

It will not be launched in Singapore due to regulations.

The vehicle is currently undergoing indoor trials without an operator on board in Loyang. Neo Aeronautics is looking to fine-tune the model and conduct outdoor trials soon.

Founder and chief executive Assoc Prof (Adjunct) Neo Kok Beng said the vehicle is designed for low-level urban aerial mobility and facilitates door-to-door urban transportation.

It can fit into a standard American carpark lot measuring around 15sq m and can fly at a height of 15m with a payload of 100kg.

It will have a maximum speed of 100kph.The current development model can stay airborne for 20 minutes, but the company plans to improve the limit up to at least 60 minutes.

READ MORE:  Malaysian firm shows off flying shuttle. Just don't call it flying car

The vehicle can also fly on autopilot or be manually controlled by the pilot.

Prof Neo, who teaches innovation and technology commercialisation at the National University of Singapore, said the Crimson S8 is designed to fit into the ultralight category set by the US Federal Aviation Administration.

This means that any potential operator will not require a pilot licence to fly the vehicle.

“Flying the Crimson S8 fulfils our aspiration that everyone can fly as it is as simple as operating a drone,” he said.

Prof Neo said the company planned to launch the vehicle in 25 cities in the United States by 2025, with 1,000 units in each city.

He started the company last August last year and built the Crimson S8 with three other engineers. He has invested over US$200,000 (RM825,550) of his own money into the project.

In the long term, he plans to offer the Crimson S8 on a membership-based scheme.

“If we sell unit by unit, not many people can afford it. We are going for the masses so we go by membership services and will take care of maintenance and upgrading,” said Prof Neo.


Pollution from electric cars an 'ignored' problem, says OECD

                PARIS: For electric cars owners who are keen on being kind to the environment, a new report published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) makes for uneasy reading.

The dossier warns that fine particulate matter (PM) from brakes, tyres and road surfaces are an "ignored environmental policy challenge" and could soon become a major health problem for city dwellers.

Electric vehicles are the culprits here together with their petrol and diesel equivalents, said the report, published in December.

The report said the dirt kicked up from road wear and the re-suspension of road dust particles from passing vehicles might even cause worse health problems than from burning coal.

"The issue here is particulate matter only, the stuff that is bad for our immediate health, mostly in urban areas, and has nothing to do with greenhouse gas emissions," said the report, titled "Non-exhaust Particulate Emissions from Road Transport: An Ignored Environmental Policy Challenge."

"Globally, exposure to ambient PM has been ranked as the seventh most important risk factor for mortality, causing an estimated 4.2 million premature deaths in 2015."

The OECD was particularly critical of heavy electric vehicles such as big SUVs, people carriers and commercial vehicles. Their weight have gone up due to heavier, long-range batteries on board.

It said heavyweight EVs emit an estimated 3-8 per cent more particle matter than equivalent vehicles with combustion engines. Lightweight electrics, on the other hand, generally emit fewer particulates than their combustion-powered counterparts.

Even electric bicycles come in for some OECD criticism since their high-performance disc brakes release more fine particles into the air – especially as they are much faster and heavier than traditional cycles.

As a solution, the OECD suggests a reduction in the number of kilometres travelled by private vehicles, which is not a call to limit mobility generally. The report advocates more widespread use of public transport, non-assisted cycling and walking.

The report also suggests that electric cars should not be made exempt from climate improvement policies, such as congestion charges, since these vehicles also contribute to the level of potentially hazardous non-exhaust emissions.

READ MORE: Invention captures harmful car tyre dust, wins UK award


Targeted RON95 petrol subsidies will be delayed, says Ahmad Maslan

                KUALA LUMPUR: The government's plan to introduce targeted subsidies for electricity and diesel are in the works but those for RON95 petrol will be slightly delayed, says Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.

"We are looking into targeted subsidies for electricity and diesel. We might delay targeted subsidies on RON95 petrol.

"When will the targeted subsidies be implemented? Wait for the announcement," the Deputy Finance Minister said during his winding-up speech on Budget 2023 at the committee stage in Parliament today.

Presently, electricity tariffs for low voltage non-domestic users such as micro businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises are being subsidised.

In February, Ahmad told the Dewan Rakyat that the government could save up to RM17bil if it decides to implement a targeted petrol subsidy mechanism.

Ahmad said that RM50.8bil was spent on subsidies for petrol, diesel, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in 2022.

Ahmad also said that there was RM10.9bil in unclaimed monies with the Accountant-General's Department.

"RM10.9bil is a large sum and we will ensure that there is public awareness on this," he said.

He added that several measures would be carried out to help make the claims.

Among the measures, he said, was to set up an online portal for checks, counters at the Accountant-General's Department and special booths.

Meanwhile, Ahmad said there would be an announcement on the implementation of the luxury goods tax in June this year.


China's debt-laden Evergrande produces its first car

                SHANGHAI: China's property giant Evergrande began production of its first electric car in the northern city of Tianjin on Friday, a subsidiary of the group announced.

Despite fighting for survival with an enormous debt of an estimated US$260 billion, Evergrande is active in several sectors and has high hopes for the automotive market.

The group "is pleased to announce that the mass production of Hengchi 5 will commence on 16 September", Evergrande Auto said in a statement, adding that the first deliveries will be made from October.

Founded in 2019, the subsidiary Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group has spoken of its ambition to rival the American manufacturer Tesla, giving itself "three to five years" to become the world's "most powerful" player in the electric car sector.

But the firm has fallen behind in designing and marketing its vehicles, exacerbated by major cash flow problems, and the launch of the Hengchi 5 SUV was postponed several times.

Evergrande, one of China's biggest developers, has scrambled to offload assets in recent months and its financial situation has worsened considerably since last year.

Its troubles are emblematic of the problems rippling across China's massive property sector, with smaller companies also defaulting on loans and others struggling to raise cash.

The giant was originally due to unveil a restructuring plan in July, but the announcement was postponed to an unspecified date.

China's electric car market is particularly competitive, with manufacturers jostling to take advantage of an industry boosted in recent months by generous purchase subsidies from local governments.


Bentley announces limited edition Continental GT Cabriolet

                LONDON: Bentley is launching a limited edition of its Continental GTC in honour of 1929's spectacular Blower No. 1.

Under the aegis of its Mulliner customisation department, only 100 of this modern interpretation of the iconic racecar will be produced.

Available in two special colours, Dragon Red II or Beluga (black), this made-to-order version of the Continental GTC, the Number 1 Edition by Mulliner, includes 18 karat gold-plated badges on the fenders in reference to the Bentley Blower as well as the number 1 painted on its front grille.

The limited edition convertible keeps the impressive W12 6.0 litre, 626hp motor, allowing it to reach up to 333kph, going from 0 to 100kph in only 3.8 seconds.

The model's price has not yet been disclosed. As a point of reference, the Bentley Continental GTC is available from 238,800 euros (RM1.1mil).

This limited series is the third produced for Bentley's hundred-year anniversary, the first being based on the Mulsanne W.O. Edition in homage to founder Walter Owen Bentley's 1930 model. The second was the Continental GT Number 9 edition inspired by the Bentley 4.5 litre (the same driven by Sir Henry Birkin in 1930's 24 Hours of Le Mans.)


Malaysia and Singapore should have three to four more bridges, says Dr M

                KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today Malaysia and Singapore need at least three to four more bridges to facilitate traffic flow between the two countries.

The Prime Minister said that compared to Penang, which now plans to build its third bridge to the mainland in the form of a tunnel, the traffic flow in Singapore is much bigger.

“Even Penang, which has less population than Singapore, at first rejected the first bridge but then, subsequently, we built another bridge and now we want a tunnel, and that's (just) Penang and the mainland.

“Singapore traffic is much bigger than Penang's. We only have one causeway and a bridge. We need at least three to four more bridges,” he said during a question-and-answer session at the Invest Malaysia 2019, here, today.

Dr Mahathir said Singapore, however, does not want any more bridges for some reason that he himself does not understand.


Petron Turbo Diesel Euro 5 powers 4x4 challenge

                PETALING JAYA: Petron powered 50 vehicles in the 4x4 supremacy event, Top 10 World’s Toughest Motor Races “Rainforest Challenge” with its technologically-advanced Turbo Diesel Euro 5.

Turbo Diesel Euro 5 has proven to deliver supreme power and force to 4x4 vehicles in the 21 st edition of the Rainforest Challenge 2017, where in vehicles survived harsh conditions, superseding various stages of challenges during the 10-day race in Pahang.

The 2017 race affirmed the fuel’s TriAction Advantage additive formula in Turbo Diesel Euro 5 that gives vehicles better power and better engine operation.

“We are thrilled to be the main fuel sponsor for the second time in this globally recognized 4x4 off-road racing and adventure event. This proves how our cutting-edge Turbo Diesel Euro 5 fuel delivers what it promises to - better power, excellent engine protection, and better mileage. With the right fuel, vehicles achieved superior performance and triumphed as winners in this grueling adventure race,” said Petron Head of Retail, Faridah Ali.

50 drivers from different countries: Malaysia, Brunei, China, Cambodia, Ecuador, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Spain and many more pitted their skills and machines against Mother Nature to win a cash prize of RM20,000.

The event featured seven categories; Below 3050cc, Above 3050cc, Production Pick-up Truck, Modified Pick-up Truck, Portal Axles, Electric Winch, and PTO Winch.

Team Maxxis from Sabah emerged as the winner of the Rainforest Challenge 2017. Team Russia 104 won first prize while Team Malaysia 117 won second prize. The 3rd and 4th runners up went to team Russia 107 and Team Russia 105, respectively.

Turbo Diesel Euro 5 is now available at 115 stations all over Peninsular Malaysia and will be rolled-out across more sites in the coming months.


Subaru makes CEO change as Japan's carmakers play catch-up on EVs

                TOKYO: Subaru appointed Atsushi Osaki (inset) as chief executive officer and president, following Toyota Motor Corp.’s decision to overhaul its top ranks, suggesting a greater urgency among Japanese carmakers to accelerate efforts to better compete the electric-vehicle era.

Osaki, 60, will succeed Tomomi Nakamura, who oversaw a period of strong sales growth in the US and initiated the Japanese carmaker’s pivot to electrified vehicles.

Toyota, which owns 20% of Subaru, announced plans in January for new CEO Koji Sato to take over from Akio Toyoda.

Subaru, known for its all-wheel-drive vehicles, is seen playing catchup in the global automotive industry’s race to electrify.

It hasn’t set forth plans to produce EVs in the US, where new federal legislation is offering hefty subsidies to domestically made EVs.

"To change leadership during a time of such uncertainty and change will be a challenge,” Osaki said last Friday.

"It’s precisely because the future is so uncertain that it’s important for the company to move forward with conviction.”

Osaki, who had served as executive vice president in charge of manufacturing, will take on his new duties from June, the company said in a statement Friday. Nakamura will become chairman.

During Nakamura’s tenure, Subaru weathered pandemic restrictions, component shortages and persistent supply-chain issues to make record-breaking gains in US sales.

Even so, the auto manufacturer has yet to establish a footprint in the growing market there for electric cars.

Subaru and Toyota Motor Corp. developed together and now sell different versions of essentially the same EV - the Subaru Solterra and the Toyota bZ4x.

Subaru won’t be making an EV plant in the US anytime soon, Nakamura said in November, largely because it can’t afford to pay its employees as much McDonald’s Corp., which has a US$20 to US$25 minimum wage in some areas.


Tesla's 11,000-page plan to win the battery race

The site of the Tesla battery plant for electric cars in Gruenheide near Berlin. — AP
BERLIN: Elon Musk says Tesla’s new Model S Plaid is “crazy fast” — and various videos circulating on social media suggest he’s right.

The same can’t be said for progress in Germany, where Tesla is building its first European car factory and has just asked authorities for permission to make major changes to the project on the fly.

To spare you the task of combing through Tesla’s updated construction plans — they amount to some 11,000 pages — here’s what you need to know.

The key change is the addition of a facility to make 50 gigawatt-hours of battery cells a year. That’s only half the capacity Elon teased in November, but it would be roughly enough to supply the 500,000 cars Tesla aims to churn out yearly at the site near Berlin.

Tesla had originally planned to add the battery plant after the car factory is operational, but Germany’s cumbersome permitting process and the urgency with which its rivals are pushing their own projects may have convinced Musk to move things forward.

Porsche said Monday it will make battery cells for its electric sports cars in a new venture with a German lithium-ion specialist as early as 2024.

The same day, Volvo Car Group said it’s teaming up with Sweden’s Northvolt, a company founded by former Tesla executives, to build a battery factory that will be operational in 2026. In the coming weeks, Renault and Stellantis will host EV events similar to VW’s “Power Day” in March.

Aside from batteries, Tesla filed some more changes to the German plant. They include:

> An expansion of the body shop, which will require an additional 1,180 foundation pillars to be hammered into the sandy ground
> An overhaul of the plant’s foundry design
> Measures to reduce water consumption
> Setting up a waste-water treatment facility

While Musk is known for a tendency to change his mind (especially among those who ordered a Model S Plaid+), the tweaks to the factory in the small town of Gruenheide still came somewhat as a surprise.

The extent of the changes means another public consultation process is required, which is expected to delay the opening of the factory by several months and offer yet another another forum to locals who have raised concerns about the plant’s impact on the region.

Musk’s problems with German bureaucracy could get worse before they get better.

Local authorities had hoped to green-light the factory as early as last summer, but lawsuits from environmental groups anxious about water use and threats to local wildlife have slowed the process. The pandemic also deferred the project by several months.

Tesla still aims to start production at the site before the year is over, and much of the factory is already built.

But don’t be shocked if Musk encounters more setbacks. Other high-profile projects have dealt blows to Germany’s reputation for punctuality recently, perhaps none more embarrassing than Berlin’s US$7 billion airport that opened eight years late.


Mercedes-Benz and Bosch showcase automated valet parking at LA hotel

                LOS ANGELES: Drive a fully electric, luxury vehicle up to the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown and simply let the vehicle park itself.

This scenario became a reality in a demonstration of automated valet parking at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown featuring the EQS sedan from Mercedes-EQ.

Automated valet parking technology from Bosch and Mercedes-Benz is at the core of the demonstration. It features INTELLIGENT PARK PILOT in the EQS from Mercedes-EQ and integration with the smartphone app as part of a holistic demonstration of the future vehicle experience for consumers.

The demonstration is operated in conjunction with the InterContinental Downtown Los Angeles Hotel, an 889-room property located in the tallest building west of Chicago.

Bosch engineering teams have been working over the past few years to further develop automated valet parking and support specific testing and deployments around the world.

Automated valet parking presents benefits on both sides of the parking experience. For consumers, they will no longer have to search for a parking space and can save time once they arrive to their destination.

For parking garage operators, they can increase parking capacity as vehicles no longer need to have room to open doors on all sides as all occupants have already exited the vehicle. Furthermore, operators can offer services such as charging, washing or maintenance.

"Our vision is that getting time back is a key component of the luxury experience our customers are looking for. The EQS gives you time back by driving itself in traffic jams on highways, but with INTELLIGENT PARK PILOT, it may also be able to park itself," said Dr Philipp Skogstad, President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America.

The S-Class and EQS in Germany/Europe already have the hardware to enable automated valet parking when paired with the required optional equipment.

In the case of the LA hotel, the vehicle interacts with the Bosch intelligent infrastructure installed in the parking garage in order to enable it to drive and park itself.

Sensors installed at the building communicate with the vehicle and guide its maneuvering through the garage. The demonstration also highlights possibilities for additional services such as automated EV charging, car wash and vehicle servicing or maintenance where vehicles move in and out of service areas guided by the intelligent infrastructure.

In conjunction with the necessary optional equipment and the corresponding Connect service, both depending on country, the EQS has the onboard technology to enter and leave multi-story parking facilities equipped with the Bosch Automated Valet infrastructure in highly automated mode and without a driver, provided that the corresponding Connect service is available and booked for the respective vehicle variant of the EQS and national legislation permits such operation.


Fuel subsidies of RM28bil likely this year

                PETALING JAYA: The government may fork out RM28bil for fuel subsidies this year if crude oil price continues to stay above US$100 (RM420) per barrel.

While the government would gain higher oil revenue, KAF Research said the fuel subsidies bill in 2022 could be five times higher than the RM5.3bil allocated under Budget 2022.

“Based on the above analysis, the government will receive a higher oil revenue amounting to about RM57bil this year from RM44bil estimated under Budget 2022 at the current oil price of about US$109.20 (RM458) per barrel, which is 65.5% higher than Budget 2022 assumption of US$66 (RM277) per barrel.

“However, the government would also incur a subsidy bill of RM28bil. The larger-than-expected rise in subsidies of RM22.7bil would dwarf the RM13bil increase in oil revenue.

“Therefore, contrary to popular belief, higher oil prices may pose a net negative impact on Malaysia’s fiscal position to the extent that every US$10 (RM42) per barrel increase in oil price raises the fiscal deficit by 0.1% of gross domestic product (GDP),” it said in a report yesterday.

The government spent about RM11bil in fuel subsidies when the oil price averaged at US$70.85 (RM297) per barrel last year.

Brent crude oil went above US$100 (RM420)per barrel last month – the highest since 2014, when Russia began a military invasion of Ukraine on Feb 24.

Russia is the world’s third largest oil producer behind the United States and Saudi Arabia.

According to KAF Research’s sensitivity analysis, for every US$1 (RM4.20) per barrel increase in Brent crude price will translate into RM300mil rise in the government’s revenue.

However, the same rise in oil prices will also increase the subsidy bill by RM440mil.

“These translated into a net fiscal impact of minus RM140mil for every US$1 per barrel increase in oil prices after subsidies kick in above the break-even of US$55 (RM231) per barrel mark,” it said.

Despite the net negative impact from rising oil prices on Malaysia’s fiscal accounts, the research house maintained the fiscal deficit estimate at 6% of GDP for 2022 as the government has several options to cover the shortfall of RM7bil to RM10bil based on the average oil price estimate of between US$90 and US$110 (RM378 to RM462) per barrel.

“At this juncture, the government has two options.

“It can choose to revert back to the shelved targeted subsidy programme and abolish the fuel price ceiling, or raise the price ceiling to a more tolerable level of RM2.80 to RM3 per litre,” the research house pointed out.

“Before an announcement is made regarding the targeted fuel subsidies, we expect Bank Negara to begin normalising rates in the second half of this year at the pace of one to two rate hikes,” it added.

Recall that Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said the government is studying the fuel and cooking oil subsidy mechanism, so that it will be targeted towards aiding the vulnerable groups.

This is not the first time that Malaysia had to implement a targeted subsidy programme.

In 2008, the government introduced a petrol cash assistance programme by paying an annual amount of between RM150 and RM625 to motorists.

Simultaneously, fuel prices were floated, and the RON97 petrol and diesel prices rose 41% to 63% overnight from RM1.58 to RM1.92 to RM2.58 to RM2.70 per litre.

“As a result, headline inflation shot up to 5.4% in 2008 – its highest in 26 years, from 2% the year before,” KAF Research said.

In 2014, the government abolished fuel subsidies and based the fuel prices on an automatic price mechanism.

It reintroduced fuel subsidies in 2018, setting the RON95 and diesel prices at RM2.20 and RM2.18 per litre respectively in tandem the higher oil prices.

It reduced the ceiling prices to RM2.08 and RM2.15 per litre in 2019 as it awaited the rollout of the targeted fuel subsidy programme under Budget 2019.


smart electric SUV all set for April 7 debut

                BERLIN: smart will be unveiling the #1, its first all-new production car as a purely electric brand on April 7.

The reveal event takes place in the brand's trademark urban style at STATION-Berlin, a historic landmark and disused train station in the German capital, and builds on last year’s reveal of the dramatic concept #1 showcar.

With the renewal of its brand, product and business model, smart has entered a new era of development, with the expansion of its product portfolio and global reach.

The smart #1, with its elegant and aerodynamic exterior, is the inaugural product of the new joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Geely Automobile.

The smart #1 had recently completed extensive pre-production testing in northern China, with its battery and technology systems being put to the test in -40°C temperatures.

The smart Europe team is also supporting testing and local homologation through the original smart research and development centre in Renningen, Germany.

The team, led by Tilo Schweers (Vice President of R&D), are putting the smart #1 through its final testing whilst also carefully preparing the showcars for the Berlin reveal event.


Top 10 jobs of the future that will drive exciting technologies

                As smartphones get more sophisticated, watches connect us to the world and our homes grow more automated, cars will advance in ways customers cannot imagine. Already, people are developing and bringing products to the mainstream that we don’t even know we want.

What will be the jobs that bring the technology that improves our lives to market?

“In the automotive industry we have the opportunity to make our technologies impact real change,” said Gary Smyth, executive director, global research and development at General Motors.

“Not many other industries can embrace the future so holistically: We have battery chemists, electrical engineers, manufacturing experts, software developers and social media operators all in one industry, working at making our lives easier and more productive.”

Ten years from now, the workplace may depend less on location than connectivity, such as eco-friendly workstations that offer collaborative environments catering to technology developers.

GM employees of various experience levels and backgrounds see these as the Top 10 jobs of 2025.

> Electrical engineers – Battery, hybrid and plug-in vehicles are becoming mainstream. The internal combustion engine isn’t going anywhere soon, but the industry is developing alternative ways to make a car move. Electrified vehicles are more powerful and achieve greater range, and as more customers try these alternatives, demand can only be expected to grow. Over the next 10 years, more engineers will be needed to explore and develop electrified vehicles.

> Analytics expert – Data is everywhere and can help diagnose what in a car needs attention before it becomes a problem and help pick the best route to a destination. With smart data, the car and the driver will work together for a more efficient future. Analysts will be needed to create algorithms to decipher how this data can best help drivers.

> Interaction designers - Operating all the technology in the car needs to be designed with an artistry that makes it easy to use. A driver can be going 60 mph on the freeway and the information and technology within the car needs to be accessed intuitively so the driver can keep his hands on the wheel.

> Web programmer – The car is not a smartphone or a tablet or whatever is going to come next, but it will be a platform that allows the next big thing to easily connect to the vehicle and its occupants. Software is playing an increasingly important role in the vehicle, and coders and developers are only going to be in more demand.

> Autonomous driving engineer – GM envisions a world without crashes and a key step toward that direction is the introduction of vehicle-to-vehicle technology on the 2017 Cadillac CTS that allows the car to “talk” to other cars that are equipped with V2V technology. After that will come Super Cruise, a semi-autonomous driving technology in the Cadillac CT6 range-topping luxury sedan. Within these fields there will be sensor experts, radar developers and all types of engineers needed to make these vehicles and those that follow them a reality.

> Customer care experts – It’s not just about cars being made by car people who deliver them to the masses. With social media, direct interaction with companies big and small is direct and near instantaneous. Social care experts provide the listening ear and resolution to problems that can help make customers for life.

> Sustainability integration expert – Proof points of a sustainable business model can be seen throughout GM. Already, the company has 122 plants and facilities that send no garbage to landfills. A variety of other environmentally friendly programs – from using alternative energy sources like solar and wind – to just finding ways to use less of everything opens employment opportunities for people who understand the best ways to apply these goals to the business.

> Industrial engineer – Vehicles are mass-produced products. The best companies discover and apply the most efficient production techniques. The future for this position will challenge engineers to build complex vehicles in ways that are sustainable and efficient.

> 3D Printing engineer – The uses and capabilities of 3D printing in the development, design and engineering world are just beginning to be fully realized. A part mockup that once took weeks to create can now be printed in a matter of hours. Faster prototyping doesn’t just save time; it can lead to more options to be tested and better end products.

> Alternative propulsion engineer – Diesels, battery electrics, fuel cells. There is no single answer to the future of propulsion. Refining and developing new ways for cars to move will also drive job creation.


Porsche-Shell plan to lay fast charger network from Singapore to Bangkok gets under way

                KUALA LUMPUR: Customers will be able to charge their electric vehicles (EV) quickly along the North-South Expressway in Malaysia for a reliable and seamless drive from Singapore through Malaysia to Thailand later this year.

This will be the first high-performance charging (HPC) infrastructure EV network in South-East Asia and Shell’s first cross-country EV infrastructure in the region.

This infrastructure is expected to help EV customers to reduce charging time, book and pay via an integrated platform.

Shell and Porsche Asia Pacific today announced the start of operations of a HPC station in Tangkak, Johor.

This HPC station marks the start of the construction of 12 charge points at six Shell stations located along Malaysia’s North-South highway.

All EV customers will be able to use the HPC Network via a pay-per-use service or an
exclusive membership plan by making reservations via an online booking app.

They will also be able to take a break at the Shell Select retail outlets while waiting for their vehicles to be recharged.

Through this partnership, six Shell stations in Malaysia will be outfitted with 180 kilowatt (kW) direct-current (DC) chargers, offering the fastest charging capacity across Malaysia and later right up to Bangkok, Thailand.

Shell’s new 180kW high-performance chargers are capable of charging EVs at "super-fast" speeds, which in turn translates to shorter waiting times in between charges.

For example, the Porsche Taycan can be charged from zero to 80% battery capacity in around 30 minutes, providing up to 390km (WLTP) of extra travel distance.

Porsche aims to be carbon neutral in South-East Asia by 2030, said Porsche Asia Pacific director (New Business Fields) Dr Henrik Dreier.

"Our partnership with Shell is a result of well-aligned sustainability objectives and will further supplement our range of charging solutions for electric vehicle owners, with specific benefits accorded to Porsche owners.

"With this new high performance charging network, we are making what was once a vision – long-distance, cross-border emissions-free travel – now a reality.”

For more information about the Shell Recharge HPC, go to www.shell.com.my/motorists/shell-recharge/shell-recharge-hpc.html.


Ford’s first Europe-made electric SUV boasts big sliding screen

                LONDON: Ford Motor Co. unveiled its first Europe-made electric sport utility vehicle, leveraging one of its most prized nameplates and Volkswagen AG underpinnings for a model it’s expecting to deliver a much-needed boost to sales in the region.

The Explorer SUV features a movable 14.6-inch touchscreen that drivers can slide up and down to open and close storage space.

Ford will build it at the EV campus in Cologne, Germany, where it’s invested US$1 billion as part of broader plans to transition its European passenger car lineup entirely to electric models by the end of the decade.

Ford reached a deal with VW in 2019 to license the modular electric architecture the German automaker uses for its ID.4 electric SUV, which went into production the following year. The Explorer will be one of two electric models built off what VW calls the MEB platform, with the US manufacturer expecting volume of 1.2 million vehicles over the next six years.

Ford announced plans last month to dismiss some 11% of its workforce in Europe, with most of the 3,800 job cuts hitting operations in Germany and the UK.

Chief executive officer Jim Farley has set a target to slash US$2.5 billion of costs this year while spending US$50 billion by 2026 to develop and build battery-powered models.

The Explorer was a best-seller during the initial SUV boom of the 1990s and one of Ford’s most profitable vehicles.

It gave way to more fuel-efficient crossovers built with car underpinnings and was eclipsed years ago within the automaker’s own lineup by the smaller and lighter Escape.


OEMs benefit from extension of vehicle delivery period

                KUALA LUMPUR: While the deadline for the automotive sales and services tax (SST) exemption will expire on June 30, 2022, the government's decision to allow the waiver to include vehicles delivered up to March 31, 2023, would help original equipment manufacturers (OEM) sustain their margins until the year-end, says Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) Research.

The Ministry of Finance recently said it would not extend the waiver of SSTs for vehicles booked past June 30, 2022, but would allow deliveries for orders made during this period to extend to March 31, 2023.

"The balanced decision was arrived after considering the current high 264K units of order backlog industry wide driven by the surge in demand and inability of OEMs to fulfil the high orders within a short time, as they are affected by the ongoing supply chain disruptions," said HLIB in its report.

"We are overall positive with the extension of deliveries time until March 31, 2023, giving a fair amount of time for automotive OEMs to fulfil their current high order backlogs (depending on models and specifications).

"OEMs would be able to fully benefit from the current high order backlogs without sacrificing their margins post June 2022, resulting in sustained margins until year end," it added.

It said OEMs with high order backlogs include Perodua (UMW and MBMR), Proton (DRB-Hicom), Toyota (UMW), Honda (DRB) and Mazda (Bermaz Auto).

Following the government's announcement, the total order backlog of 264,000 is expected to increase as consumers rush to place their orders before the June 30 deadline.

Post the June deadline, HLIB said OEMs are not expected to be aggressive with sales and marketing as they await more clarity on consumer sentiment by the year-end.

"We expect OEMs to remain cautious in their budgets in 2023, while leveraging onto attractive new model launches to sustain their sales volume," it said.

HLIB remained "neutral" on the sector with an unchanged total industry volume forecast of 600,000 units in 2022 while staying cautious on a potential slowdown in 2023.

It favours MBMR (Buy, TP:RM5) and DRB-Hicom (Buy, TP:RM2) on expectation of local OEMs to outperform with potential growth from new export markets.

It added that it likes Bermaz Auto (Buy, TP:RM1.95) for its strong balance sheet with high order backlogs of 8,000 units for Mazda in Malaysia.


Ford's Ranger leads the way

                KUALA LUMPUR: Ford announced that its June retail sales in Malaysia rose by 32% from May to 928 units thanks to the demand for its Ranger pickup truck.

Sales for the Ranger alone rose by 796 units - an increase of 35% from May to June, with a total of 3,539 units sold since January.

The company touts the Ranger as the most capable truck in the country by defining its class-defining ability to wade through 800mm of water, along with its towing and payload capabilities.

It's safety features include up to six airbags as well as driver assistance technologies such as lane keeping aid, adaptive cruise control, electronic stability control and ISOFIX child safety anchor points to name a few.

“The Ranger has truly redefined the pickup market in Malaysia, and many customers are happily using it as both a workhorse and a leisure vehicle,” said Ford Motor Company (Malaysia and Asia Pacific emerging markets) managing director David Westerman.


New lease of life for Nabil in pursuit of F1 dream

                KUALA LUMPUR: Nabil Jeffri has been handed a new lease of life in his pursuit of Formula One after securing a race seat in the prestigious GP2 Series, starting next month.

The 22-year-old, whose contract was not renewed by Petronas Talent Development Programme, will don Arden International colours, a British outfit that produced several F1 graduates, like one-time Formula One winner Heikki Kovalainen, Brunno Senna and Carlos Sainz Jr.

This was made possible following the agreement of the Formula One Management (FOM) to host the GP2 and GP3 during the Malaysia F1 Grand Prix from Oct 1-2.

Another promising Malaysian driver, Akash Nandy, has also benefitted from this agreement as the 19-year-old has been confirmed for swiss outfit Jenzer Motorsport.

Nabil and Akash will make their debuts at the Catalunya Circuit in Barcelona from May 14-15. The GP2 will have 11 legs and GP3 nine.

Nabil knows that he will have to make the most of his rookie season. The GP2 is often the last step of the transition for drivers to get into F1.

World champion Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg are among the notable drivers to have graduated to F1.

Nabil has previously spent two years racing in the German Formula 3, where he finished a remarkable second overall in 2014. He then moved up to the more challenging European Formula 3 Championship, but has struggled to impress as he could just manage two points from 33 races.

But Nabil believes he’s up for the new challenge in GP2 and is eyeing a fresh start to the new season.

“My goal is to be one of the top three rookies of the season,” said Nabil, who became the youngest ever test driver in Formula One history at the age of 16.

“It’s the most realistic target for me because I will be up against some of the established drivers.”

Akash is another Malaysian rising star that eager to prove himself.

Akash will be hoping to build on the success he’s had in the Formula 3 Remus Championship in Europe last year, where he won 10 out of 12 races on his way to finish second overall in the competition that once graced by former Formula 1 world champions Ayrton Senna of Brazil and German Michael Schumacher

“I’m looking to win as many points as possible in my GP3 debut,” said Akash.

“I’m honoured to be part of our national racing agenda and always determined to give my very best every time I’m on the track, and make Malaysia proud.”


Major car makers agree to make automatic braking standard in US

                WASHINGTON, D.C.: A group of major automakers accounting for more than half of US auto sales will make automatic emergency braking standard on new US vehicles in one of the industry's biggest auto safety moves since it embraced technology to prevent rollovers more than a decade ago.

The car makers, which accounted for 57 percent of car and light truck sales in the United States last year, said Friday they will work with regulators and the insurance industry to roll out collision avoiding braking technology across their lineups over the next few years.

The automakers are Volkswagen and its luxury car division Audi, BMW, Ford Motor Co, General Motors Co, Mazda Motor Corp, Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz, Tesla Motors Inc, Toyota Motor Corp and Volvo AB.

"We are entering a new era of vehicle safety, focused on preventing crashes from ever occurring," US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement Friday.

 The latest Jaguar XF features automatic emergency braking.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is overseeing the effort, said the collaborative agreement took shape over the last two weeks and that other car and truck manufacturers are still considering joining.

Analysts say it could still take years for automakers to redesign the electrical and braking systems of their cars to install autonomous braking. Among the automotive technology suppliers that could benefit are Continental AG, Robert Bosch GmbH, Delphi Automotive Plc, Denso Corp and Autoliv Inc.

The agreement echoes earlier voluntary moves by big automakers. In the late 1980s, Chrysler began installing airbags in all its vehicles. In the 2000s, GM, Ford and others agreed to make anti-rollover technology standard on most sport utility vehicles. Stability control is now mandatory on light vehicles.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a non-profit group affiliated with the insurance industry, has pushed automakers to install automatic emergency braking by making it a requirement for earning top marks in its influential crash test rankings.

Federal officials say automatic braking can help avoid rear-end collisions, which accounted for one-third of all police-reported car crashes in 2013. Studies, including a recent IIHS report, also show that AEB technology can reduce insurance injury claims by as much as 35 percent.

NHTSA administrator Mark Rosekind told reporters Friday that AEB should become standard among the automakers faster than the the seven to eight years it could take to develop mandatory regulations to deliver the technology to consumers.

"It's visible and the pressure's on to make this happen fast," said Rosekind, who announced the agreement at an IIHS safety test facility 160km from Washington in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. The NHTSA plans to make a series of new auto safety initiatives during the fall, he said.

Only about 4 percent of cars built in North America will have automatic emergency braking, according to the business information firm IHS Inc. Toyota said earlier this year said that by the end of 2017 it would offer such systems in option packages for nearly all its models, with the technology packages ranging from US$300 to about US$500.


Toyota Prius Hybrid now has a fifth seat

                BRUSSELS: Toyota Europe has announced that the new version of its Prius Plug-In Hybrid will be able to carry up to five people, thanks to redesigned back seats.

The transition from four to five seats has been made possible through the installation of a new back seat designed to increase passenger capacity while maintaining comfort. Also new in the interior is new cloth upholstery intended to increase visual quality.

Not much else has changed in the new model. The Prius Plug-In Hybrid still has the hybrid engine offering fuel consumption averaging 1.3 litres/100 km, the equivalent of 28 grams per kilometre of carbon dioxide emissions. In full-electric mode, the vehicle can travel up to 45km and reach a maximum speed of 135kph. The car's exterior has not changed, although Toyota has added a new metallic black colour option.

As before, this model is equipped with a heat pump using exterior air and a large rooftop solar panel which produces electricity to recharge the hybrid battery. Depending on weather conditions, this solar charger can increase the vehicle's autonomy on electric power up to five kilometres a day.