Call to ban pavement parking in UK over 'discriminatory' impact

                LONDON: UK officials are facing calls for pavement parking bans following a new report that says this problem, notorious in places where narrow paths are frequently blocked by cars, puts people off walking in their neighbourhoods.

As the number and size of cars grow, the footpaths in cities and towns around the world are increasingly lined with parked cars, often making it difficult or impossible to walk on narrow paths.

Sustainable transport charity Sustrans, which commissioned the UK's largest study of active travel in urban areas, has now criticized the "discriminatory" practice of pavement parking, which often sees cars taking up much of the space in the UK's famously narrow footpaths.

Some 56% of disabled respondents to the poll of 23,000 people said they feel welcome when walking or using a wheelchair or mobility scooter - known as wheeling - in their local area. That is compared with 69% of non-disabled people.

The survey also suggested that 55% of residents on low incomes feel welcome, compared with 74% of those in managerial or professional roles. Fewer cars on pavements would help 70% of people walk or wheel more, according to the survey.

Pavement parking is already banned in London and the UK Government is considering extending this across England.

A ban in Scotland is expected to be introduced by the Holyrood administration next year. People walk or wheel more frequently than other forms of urban transport, the poll indicated.

Half of respondents (50%) do so at least five days a week, compared with 39% for car use, 11% for public transport and 5% for cycling.

The majority of people questioned (56%) want to see more investment on walking and wheeling compared with just 32% for driving.

The UK Government's spending commitments for England are £27 billion for roads but just £2 billion on cycling and walking, according to Sustrans.

The charity's chief executive Xavier Brice said: "The evidence is clear that people wish to feel safe and welcome while walking and wheeling, and without parked vehicles getting in their way.

"Pavement parking is discriminatory against wheelchair and mobility scooter users, other disabled people, those with visual impairments and more.

"The UK Government's target is for half of all journeys in towns and cities to be cycled or walked by 2030. Achieving this will be impossible unless we do more to make walking and wheeling more accessible and inclusive.

"A vital first step is to ban pavement parking."

A Department for Transport spokesman said: "We want everyone to be able to enjoy the benefits of cycling and walking, and our plans are supported by an unprecedented £2 billion package of funding for active travel over five years.

"We are actively considering the options for addressing pavement parking and we will announce next steps as soon as possible." — PA Media


Watchmaker Bremont pays homage to Jaguar E-type

                LONDON: British watchmaker, Bremont, has revealed two new watches that pays tribute to the 1961 Jaguar E-type sports car, which became the fastest production car in the world and was described as "the most beautiful" by Enzo Ferrari.

Dubbed the MKI and MKII, both watches now add to the existing six chronographs previously created to complement each of the six ‘continuation’ lightweight E-type sports racing cars currently being built by Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations.

According to Jaguar Director of Design Ian Callum, the new watches feature a design inspired by the Jaguar E-type sports car that goes together with the Special GT, or ‘Lightweight’ E-type continuation cars.

Callum and the creative team at Bremont drew inspiration from the E-type’s dashboard for the look of the new watches.

The polished stainless steel MKI is slim with it's case featuring a combination of white gold and aluminium.

A date window is located at the six o’clock position on the tachymetre-inspired dial similar to the Lightweight, featuring an off-set small ‘seconds’ indicator and a distinctive ‘red line’ quadrant between three and four o’clock.

Behind the dial and domed crystal of the 43mm MKI watch is a new movement with date functionality based on Bremont’s self-winding proprietary BWC/01.

The sapphire crystal case back reveals the automatic movement with a unique automatic winding weight in the form of a miniaturised three-spoke E-type steering wheel complete with an iconic Jaguar ‘Growler’ face in the centre.

The MKII, on the other hand, celebrates the 1960s era of sports car motoring with a black dial carrying the Jaguar heritage logo above the six o’clock position and its hour markings presented in the style of the numerals found on E-type instruments.

The classic chronograph layout - featuring two subdials at the three o’clock and nine o’clock positions - is achieved through the use of a decorated BE-50AE automatic movement.

This has been specially customised by Bremont to a unique specification by featuring a subtle ‘red line’ on the 60-minute counter, which pays homage to the E-type’s tachymeter.

Also measuring 43mm in diameter but with a stainless steel case, the timepiece is fitted with a domed crystal for a vintage appearance.

The MKII is made entirely in the United Kingdom via Bremont’s three-part ‘Trip-Tick’ technology to ensure hardness that’s seven times greater than that of a normal steel watch.

Also with a sapphire crystal case back, the automatic movement uses the same E-type ‘steering wheel’ winding weight.

Furthermore, an automotive imagery can be seen in the ‘tyre tread’ winding crown, which is topped with the Jaguar heritage logo to match the dial.

Both MKI and MKII watches graces the wearer’s wrist with perforated ‘racing’ leather strap and also comes with a spare.

Bremont Jaguar MKI

Bremont Jaguar MKII


Kia Sorento Hybrid starts production in S. Korea

                SEOUL: Kia has started production of the new Sorento Hybrid, at the automaker's Hwasung production facility with Hybrid, petrol and diesel variants of the SUV assembled on the same production line.

The new Sorento is the first vehicle to be based on Kia’s new-generation midsize SUV platform.

Paired with a larger body to maximise cargo and luggage space, the platform ensures the Sorento is one of the most versatile and spacious three-row SUVs on the road.

Its innovative interior packaging means it can also accommodate Kia’s new ‘Smartstream’ electrified powertrains, offering owners greater fuel efficiency, lower emissions, and higher performance than ever.

The Sorento Hybrid’s new ‘Smartstream’ electrified powertrain pairs a 1.6-litre T-GDi (Turbocharged Petrol Direct injection) engine with a 1.49 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack and 44.2 kW electric motor.

The intelligent packaging of the Sorento’s new platform means the battery pack can be located under the floor, with minimal impact on cabin or luggage space.

Producing 230 ps and 350 Nm torque, the new electrified powertrain combines low CO2 emissions with high levels of performance.

Power is sent through a six-speed automatic transmission via a transmission-mounted electrical device, allowing the full power of the engine and motor to be transferred in parallel with minimal loss of energy.

The result is immediacy in acceleration response at any speed, with direct access to available battery power at higher speeds.

Towards the end of 2020, the Sorento will also be available in certain markets for the first time as a Plug-in Hybrid.


BP says era of oil-demand growth is over

BP's Looney is shrinking oil and gas output by 40% over the next decade and spending up to US$5 billion a year building one of the world’s largest renewable-power businesses. — AFP
LONDON: BP Plc said the relentless growth of oil demand is over, becoming the first supermajor to call the end of an era many thought would last another decade or more.

Oil consumption may never return to levels seen before the coronavirus crisis took hold, BP said in a report today.

Even its most bullish scenario sees demand no better than "broadly flat” for the next two decades as the energy transition shifts the world away from fossil fuels.

BP is making a profound break from orthodoxy. From the bosses of corporate energy giants to ministers from Opec states, senior figures from the industry have insisted that oil consumption will see decades of growth.

Time and again, they have described it as the only commodity that can satisfy the demands of an increasing global population and expanding middle class.

The UK giant is describing a different future, where oil’s supremacy is challenged, and ultimately fades. That explains why BP has taken the boldest steps so far among peers to align its business with the goals of the Paris climate accord.

Just six months after taking the top job, chief executive officer Bernard Looney said in August he’d shrink oil and gas output by 40% over the next decade and spend as much as US$5 billion a year building one of the world’s largest renewable-power businesses.

That’s because he suspects oil use may already have peaked as a result of the pandemic, stricter government policies and changes in consumer behaviour. BP’s energy outlook shows consumption slumping 50% by 2050 in one scenario, and by almost 80% in another. In a "business-as-usual” situation, demand would recover but then flatline near 100 million barrels a day for the next 20 years.

BP isn’t the only big oil company adapting its business to the energy transition. Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Total SE and others in Europe have announced similar pivots towards cleaner operations as customers, governments and investors increasingly call for change.

Three possible futures

BP’s report considers three scenarios, which aren’t predictions but nevertheless cover a wide range of possible outcomes over the next 30 years and form the basis of the new strategy Looney announced in August.

The "Rapid” approach sees new policy measures leading to a significant increase in carbon prices.

The "Net Zero” course reinforces Rapid with big shifts in societal behaviour, while the "Business-as-usual” projection assumes that government policies, technology and social preferences continue to evolve as they have in the recent past.

In the first two scenarios, oil demand falls as a result of the coronavirus, the report shows.

"It subsequently recovers but never back to pre-Covid levels,” according to Spencer Dale, BP’s chief economist. "It brings forward the point at which oil demand peaks to 2019.”

BP’s outlook last year contained a scenario called "More energy,” which had oil demand growing steadily to about 130 million barrels a day in 2040. There’s no such scenario this time.

"Demand for oil falls over the next 30 years,” BP said in the report. "The scale and pace of this decline is driven by the increasing efficiency and electrification of road transportation.”

Covid-19 impact

The pandemic shattered oil consumption this year as countries locked down to prevent infections from spreading. While demand has since improved, and crude prices with it, the public health crisis is still raging in many parts of the world and the outlook remains uncertain in the absence of a vaccine.

The impact, including lasting behavioural changes like increased working from home, will affect economic activity and prosperity in the developing world, and ultimately demand for liquid fuels, according to BP. That means it won’t be able to offset already falling consumption in developed countries.

Demand for liquid fuels is seen falling to less than 55 million barrels a day by 2050 in BP’s Rapid scenario, and to around 30 million a day in Net Zero. The drop is mostly in developed economies and in China. In India, other parts of Asia and Africa, demand remains broadly flat in the first scenario but slips below 2018 levels from the mid-2030s in the second.

Other points in the energy outlook:

> The Rapid scenario has carbon emissions from energy use falling by around 70% by 2050, while they drop by more than 95% in Net Zero. Business-as-usual sees them peaking in the mid-2020s.
> Demand for all primary energy -- the raw materials from which energy is derived -- increases by about 10% in Rapid and Net Zero in the period, and by around 25% in the third scenario.
> In Rapid, non-fossil fuels account for the majority of global energy from the early 2040s.
> Growth in China’s energy demand slows sharply relative to past trends, reaching a peak in the early 2030s in all three scenarios.
> Renewable energy -- excluding hydro -- increases more than 10-fold in both Rapid and Net Zero, with its share in primary energy rising from 5% in 2018 to more than 40% by 2050 in Rapid and almost 60% in Net Zero.
> Natural gas consumption is seen broadly unchanged to 2050 in Rapid and around 35% higher in business-as-usual. Demand falls by about 40% by 2050 in Net Zero.


Samsung returns to auto business by buying Harman

                SEOUL: Samsung Electronics said today it would buy US auto parts maker Harman International Industries for US$8 billion in a bid to enter the growing market for automotive technology to produce “connected” cars.

The deal, the biggest in the firm’s history, will provide a chance for the tech titan to move past the exploding Galaxy Note 7 crisis that is expected to cost it billions of dollars as well as its cherished reputation.

Board members of Samsung - the world’s largest producer of smartphones - approved the all-cash deal of the Connecticut-based firm for US$112 a share, Samsung said in a statement.

The deal will give the South Korean giant a “significant presence” in the global market for online-connected auto parts, the firm said. ”Harman perfectly complements Samsung in terms of technologies, products and solutions, and joining forces is a natural extension of the automotive strategy we have been pursuing for some time,” Samsung vice chairman Kwon Oh-Hyun said in a statement.

”Harman immediately establishes a strong foundation for Samsung to grow our automotive platform.”

Harman produces high-end audio systems and other Internet-enabled entertainment features for global carmakers including General Motors and Fiat Chrysler.

Samsung Electronics - the flagship unit of the Samsung Group - produces a wide range of electronics from smartphones to home appliances and semiconductors. The latest deal will offer the firm a chance to combine Harman’s expertise in high-tech auto parts and its own mobile and semiconductor technologies, Samsung said.

Samsung is hoping to complete the deal by the third quarter of 2017 after getting approvals from Harman shareholders and regulators. The latest deal also came as the firm seeks new sources for growth beyond its key business of mobile handsets as the market slows.

The market for smart, connected electric vehicles including self-driving cars would grow by an average of 13 percent each year to US$186.4 billion by 2025, it added.

The Samsung group dabbled in carmaking business in the 1990s but was soon forced to sell the business to the French carmaker Renault in the wake of the crippling 1997-98 Asian financial crisis.


2017 CarSifu Auto Show: Car brands record over 70 customer bookings

                PETALING JAYA: The results are in. Over 70 cars have been booked at the 2017 CarSifu Auto Show held at the Mid Valley Megamall from Oct 25-29.

Many of the car brands had offered cash rebates and various other incentives such as hampers and bags to attract potential buyers.

That's not all. Those who had booked a car at the show had a chance to win Sharp TV sets and ionisers. The winners will be decided in a lucky draw, and the results will be published soon at carsifu.my.

Golden Screen Cinemas joined in the fun by offering free Shake Shake popcorn to 200 daily visitors on the last three days.

Thirteen brands were featured at the show namely Peugeot, Mazda, Toyota, Isuzu, Volvo, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Infiniti, Kia, Renault, Citroen and Proton. they comprised vehicles of different sizes and segments, with a wide selection of hatchbacks, sedans, pick-up trucks, SUVs and MPVs.

Some of the cars on display were winners at the Oct 5 CarSifu Editors’ Choice Awards.

The five-day car show extravaganza was organised by Star Media Group and carsifu.my.

Boustead Petroleum Marketing and Silverstone Marketing are the Star Media Group partners in the awards and the auto show.


Jan 4-10: RON97 petrol up 2 sen to RM2.65 per litre


Jakarta curbs private cars in bid to cut choking pollution

Motorists commuting in heavy traffic in Jakarta. — AFP
JAKARTA: Indonesia’s capital announced new curbs on private cars on Wednesday as it moves to rein in Jakarta’s choking air pollution, but experts warned the measures were unlikely to stamp out the problem.

The traffic-clogged city has more than 10 million residents, but about three times that number live in surrounding towns, swelling emissions from vehicles, factories and power stations.

In the current dry season, Jakarta has consistently ranked among the world’s most polluted cities, based on data from Air Visual, a Swiss-based group that monitors air quality.

In 2016, the municipal government ordered curbs on private cars governed by whether their license-plate numbers were odd or even, to reduce traffic jams on main thoroughfares. That effort was widened last year, ahead of the Asian Games.

On Wednesday, it said this policy would be extended again to cover smaller roads.

This move comes after an instruction last week by Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan to levy congestion charges for cars from 2020, set an age limit of 10 years on vehicles on the road by 2025, tighten emission tests and rein in industrial discharges.

However, experts said the governor needed to do more.

“All the steps taken will in themselves improve the air quality, but the overall impact will not be big because they are not addressing the main problem,” said Almo Pradana, senior manager for energy and climate at the World Resources Institute Indonesia.

Pradana added that Jakarta did not have enough monitoring devices to pinpoint the cause of the pollution spikes.

“If we look at air quality issues, what you have to do is you have to find what makes the air quality worsen, how much in percentages comes from transportation, and when, and how much comes from coal power plants and factories,” he said.

A strategic plan to cut pollution based on an inventory of emissions would be a better solution, he said, adding that this week’s massive power outage had made the city’s air cleaner.

But ending the city’s love affair with cars appears likely to be difficult.

Jakarta residents took to social media on Wednesday to figure out how to get around the restrictions, including strategies such as changing car plates and buying more cars.

“It’s a burden for people, not effective!” one of them, Tito Pangesti, said on Twitter.

“Make better regulations, like banning old minibus with black exhaust smoke on the street ... if you want to reduce pollution, odd-even is not a solution.”

Environmental groups have sued President Joko Widodo and several government officials over Jakarta’s worsening air quality, trying to force the government to investigate the source of emissions.


Formula One: Mercedes in emergency talks after Rosberg blow-up

                SHANGHAI: Mercedes held emergency talks with their bickering drivers after Nico Rosberg furiously criticised Lewis Hamilton’s tactics after the Chinese Grand Prix.

With relations on a knife-edge before this weekend’s Bahrain race, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has moved swiftly to prevent things spiralling out of control - as they did last year when Rosberg drove into Hamilton in Belgium.

World champion Hamilton powered to his second win in three races this season, but Rosberg’s outburst shattered the fragile truce which existed between the rivals following their long-simmering feud.

Wolff took a dim view of the German’s accusation that Hamilton had intentionally held him up with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel in hot pursuit.

“It needs to be contained without any escalation,” he said, flatly denying Hamilton had tried to wreck Rosberg’s chances. “Lewis didn’t do it on purpose. We have cleared that now - there wasn’t any animosity.”

Hamilton’s victory was an eighth in 10 races dating back to last season for the Briton, who dominated all weekend before winning for a record fourth time in Shanghai.

Once again he simply had too much pace for Rosberg, who appears to be unravelling under the pressure, berating mechanics after missing out on pole position and demanding that Hamilton speed up during Sunday’s race.

“It’s not my job to look after Nico’s race,” Hamilton shrugged. “I just focused on myself.”

That prompted Rosberg to snipe: “It’s now interesting to hear from you, Lewis, that you were just thinking about yourself.”

It was an unsavoury end to the weekend for Mercedes after striking back at Ferrari following Vettel’s surprise win in Malaysia, and raises concerns before Hamilton and Rosberg clash again in the desert.

“You need to be very careful half-an-hour after the race to point the finger,” Wolff said.

“(Lewis) was the quicker guy out there and he made the tyres last longer so we have the right order. What we need to look at is, was the race result for the team ever at risk?“

Vettel, meanwhile, failed to pull off a repeat of his upset in tropical Sepang but he and Kimi Raikkonen showed again that the Ferraris can be a handful for the Silver Arrows.

However, it will take something special to stop Hamilton in this kind of form.

His 35th career victory followed a fifth pole in China, joining Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Juan Manuel Fangio as the only drivers to score five or more poles at one track as the records continue to tumble.

Williams will travel to the Middle East in high spirits after Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas finished fifth and sixth respectively, while there was at least some light at the end of the tunnel for McLaren after their first double finish of 2015.

They have still yet to score a point this season, however, after Alonso finished 12th and Button 13th, only to be demoted one place to 14th after being penalised for colliding with Lotus’s Pastor Maldonado.


New 7-seat Mitsubishi Xpander launch imminent, display at Mid Valley Megamall

                PETALING JAYA: It's time to pay a visit to Mid Valley Megamall to see the display of Mitsubishi's new seven-seat crossover, the Xpander.

It is on display today from 10am to 10pm until Sept 13.

There are no specifications or pricing yet however and booking will commence soon according to Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia's (MMM) press release.

“The Xpander is localized to meet the demands of Malaysian customers. It will be priced competitively to cater for families and adventure-seekers who are looking for a more comfortable and practical seven-seater to make their journeys a more pleasant one. Malaysians can expect to place their bookings soon,” said Chief Executive Officer of MMM, Tomoyuki Shinnishi.

 Looks like the teaser display of the Xpander is situated at the East Atrium of Mid Valley Megamall.

MMM also announced that the Xpander is being locally-assembled in Pekan, Pahang so this could mean the Xpander is going to be competitively priced.

Besides going to Megamall, you can visit MMM's official website and let them know whether you're interested in the Xpander.

Other information from the press release stated that the plant in Pekan comes with an all-new body welding workshop including new welding equipment.

It will also come with an advanced painting technology including a 360 degree ED-coating and robotic spray  system, to ensure full coverage of corrosive prevention coating and consistent paint finishing on the Xpander's body.


Williams F1 founder Frank Williams dies aged 79

                LONDON: Frank Williams, the founder and former team principal of the once-dominant Williams Racing Formula One team, died aged 79 today, the team announced.

"After being admitted into hospital on Friday, Sir Frank, passed away peacefully this morning surrounded by his family," Williams Racing said in a statement.

Williams and his daughter Claire, a former deputy team principal, no longer have any involvement with the British-based F1 team after it was sold to US-based Dorilton Capital last year.

Williams had been in a wheelchair since he was paralysed in a car crash in France in 1986. He was admitted to hospital in 2016 with pneumonia and again in December last year.

F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali said the sport had lost a "much loved and respected member" of the F1 family.

"He was a true giant of our sport that overcame the most difficult of challenges in life and battled every day to win on and off the track," Domenicali said in a statement.

"His incredible achievements and personality will be with etched on our sport forever. My thoughts are with all the Williams family and their friends at this sad time."

Under Williams' leadership, the team won nine constructors' championships and seven drivers' titles, most recently with Canadian Jacques Villeneuve in 1997.


BMW may deploy motorcycle ride-sharing in congested cities

GENEVA: BMW AG would like to start offering up the back seat on motorbikes and scooters to get around congested cities — if the issue of helmets can be solved.

“This is definitely an option, but we haven’t found the solution for the second helmet yet,” Peter Schwarzenbauer, who heads BMW’s MINI, Rolls-Royce and motorcycle brands, said in an interview at the Geneva International Motor Show. “There’s the issue of sizing and then re-using helmets in the summer heat — it’s not ideal.”

 BMW is considering a second electric scooter, says Schwarzenbauer.

BMW already offers car sharing via its DriveNow brand, where customers can rent vehicles like the MINI Countryman by the minute.

As a first step to bring motorcycles to a broader audience, the Munich-based carmaker will start a pilot in May allowing people to rent motorbikes via an app from dealers for a few days at a time, starting in Germany, France and Austria. The potential broadening of services is a step in a plan to triple BMW’s customer base to 100 million users by 2025.

To meet growing demand for agile two-wheelers skirting congestion in cities, BMW is considering a second electric scooter, Schwarzenbauer said. The new model would be smaller than the existing C evolution maxi-scooter that has a driving range of about 160km, he said, declining to give more details.

"Quite aside from ride sharing, in many cities we’ll see more mobility on two wheels,” he said.

 A woman riding on the back of a motorcycle, part of the Go-Jek ride-hailing service, on a busy street in central Jakarta. - Reuters

The most lively markets thus far for motorcycle ride-sharing have been in Southeast Asia. Honda Motor Co. invested in Singapore-based Grab in 2016 and partnered with the company that has offered motorbike-hailing services in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. PT Go-Jek Indonesia PT pioneered the business model and could become the country’s first US$1 billion startup to hold an initial public offering.

BMW’s Schwarzenbauer declined to comment on whether the company plans to combine DriveNow with Daimler AG’s Car2Go service. The two carmakers have been in talks to put together their respective car-sharing units to gain scale, according to people familiar with the matter. Both have in recent weeks bought out their respective partners, marking steps towards a potential combination.

“Size is the deciding factor with this kind of offering,” he said. “We’re currently at a use rate of around 15 percent. From a rate of 30 percent, then it really gets interesting.”


New Aprilia RSV4 and Tuono turn up the heat

                SEPANG: NAZA Premira, the sole distributor of Aprilia in Malaysia, has introduced two new dynamic two-wheeled machines – the RSV4 RF Limited Edition and the Tuono V4 1100 Factory, while priced with GST at RM138,800 and RM118,800 respectively.

The Italian bikes use the same engine – a 65-degree V4, but have different characteristics with the 999.6cc RSV4 pushing out 201hp at 13,000rpm and 115Nm of torque at 10,500rpm, while the 1,077cc Tuono is graced with 175hp at 11,000rpm and 121Nm of torque at 9,000rpm.

The RSV4 would be the most unique of the pair, being limited to only 500 numbered units worldwide, and it’s been tuned to leave a lasting impression out on the track, while the naked Tuono does it on the streets.

The RSV4 gets a completely new front nose with a more protective fairing that’s been honed in the wind tunnel and an engine tune-up producing 16hp more, while weighing 2.5kg less than its predecessor.

Furthermore, it keeps its suite of Aprilia Performance Ride Control (APRC package) software, which includes traction control (eight-way adjustable), wheelie control, launch control, race-tuned ABS as well as a quick shifter.

As for the Tuono, it’s 1.5kg lighter and allows for rider’s smartphone connectivity via the V4-MP platform, while being equipped with Ohlins suspension, forks and steering dampers as well as LED lights.

Furthermore, its been made more comfortable with its newly-designed foam saddle, a 15mm-lower seating position, and revamped handlebars for better ergonomics for those looking to spend more time on the bike.

“With the launch of these two successful models, we are bringing Aprilia’s racing DNA, spirit and tenacity to the road,” said NAZA World Group of Companies group executive chairman and group CEO Datuk Wira SM Faisal Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin.

Both bikes have a two-year or 20,000km warranty (whichever comes first).

Aprilia RSV4 RF SuperpoleAprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory Superpole


Audi presents new generation of plug-in hybrid vehicles

The new Q5, A6, A7 and A8 plug-in hybrids.
INGOLSTADT: Audi has unveiled new plug-in hybrid versions of its A8, A7 Sportback, A6 and Q5. They will go on display at the March 7-17 Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland before arriving in dealerships later this year.

Each of these models matches a turbocharged gasoline engine with an electric motor. This new "TFSI e" hybrid setup offers an electric-only range of over 40km. Audi also promises easy access to nearby charging stations in 16 European countries thanks to the myAudi mobile app.

From now on, the "TFSI e" label will only be used for Audi's plug-in hybrid models, while the "e-tron" label will be reserved for fully electric vehicles.


Russia starts sales of 'Putin limousine', eyes Chinese market

                MOSCOW: Russia opened a showroom today selling its first post-Soviet luxury limousine under the Aurus brand, a type of car used by President Vladimir Putin at his inauguration last year.

Russia has been trying to reduce its dependence on imported goods and technology, a drive that gathered speed after Moscow was hit by Western sanctions in 2014.

The Russian-built limousine, also known as the "Russian Rolls-Royce", is intended to become the heir to the ZIL sedans that for decades transported Soviet leaders.

Priced at 18 million roubles (RM1.15mil) the Aurus, in its basic configuration, targets customers in North Africa and the Middle East, as well as European and Chinese buyers.

“We expect a similar showroom will appear in China in 2020-2021,” Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said during the opening ceremony in Moscow.

The Russian state has invested over 12.4 billion roubles (RM792mil) in the Aurus limousine project since 2013.

The vehicles are produced by a Russian research institute known by the acronym Nami in partnership with Russian carmaker Sollers.

Today’s ceremony featured the Aurus Senat sedan.

“The minivan and the SUV Komendant are at the testing stage. I hope to see the latter at the (Moscow International) Automobile Salon in 2020,” Manturov said.

A hybrid or fully electric version of the Aurus is expected to be ready by 2024-2025. There will also be an extended sedan and a shortened limousine.

Aurus CEO Adil Shirinov said potential customers were not only government officials but also businessmen: “We believe the audience will be quite wide.”

Aurus is taking orders, but no retail sales are planned this year, he added.


Pininfarina showcases young designers ideas with future car design exhibition

                TURIN: A new exhibition "On Board Emotions" which opened on Tuesday here attempts to answer the question "What will the car of tomorrow look like, and how will it make us feel?"

The free exhibition, which is being held as part of the Turin Motor Show, features the work from students at four of Europe's leading design schools - Italy's IAAD; international network IED; France's ISD Rubika; and Sweden's UMEA.

Each design is different, but each started with students responding to the same brief relating to how the next generation of cars will look and feel and how they will communicate visually with their owners.

"The best way to celebrate the past is to look to the future," said Pininfarina chairman Paolo Pininfarina. "This is the reason why Pininfarina decided, at the end of 2015, to close the celebrations for its 85th anniversary promoting a workshop aimed at aspiring designers, some of which we hope to welcoming soon in our team."

In all 80 students took part in the workshop and each school involved was shadowed by a current Pininfarina designer. A total of 16 designs - four from each school were selected for the exhibition which is housed in the Borgo Medievale of Torino a medieval castle and open-air museum.

"The response was enthusiastic and originated projects full of cues that hint at a new future in the way cars will be used," said Chief Creative Officer Fabio Filippini.

For example, A-Craft, designed by IED students Kaihang Huang and Salvatore Ville examines how the relationship between man and machine is morphing as new forms of mobility and functionality evolve and how this will shape the cabin of tomorrow. A-Craft offers users private, semi-private and public space and uses magnetic levitation for suspending the seats and making them comfortable no matter what the terrain.

Eredita Romana, from ISD Rubika students Robinson Mancaux, Yann Marez, Ewan Duchamps, Pierre-Hughes Vallin, Maxime Barthelemy and Luis Barbesier, takes things to the opposite extreme with a back to basics approach that offers drivers a control mode akin to riding a horse or that converts into a lounge space when the car is driving itself.

The Individuale, designed by IAAD's Andrea Ortile, Gabriele Rizzi, Marco Zafferana, Francesco Palumbo, Alessio Coci and Andrea Costa is about changing to suit the driver's emotional as well as practical needs. Though the car is autonomous, a manual override system gives the driver control via two arm-operated levers so that sensation and emotion are heightened with each command or movement.

The exhibition is free to the public and runs until June 12.


Buyers shun used Toyota Corona sedans — maybe it's the name?

The Toyota Corona (1957-2001) was a global success. Now, nobody wants to have anything to do with a car that sounds like a deadly virus. — dpa
BERLIN: In these feverish times it seems no one wants to own a rare, second-hand 1977 Toyota Corona — even if it's a steal.

One Corona owner, in the German city of Bochum, has even guaranteed that his Japanese sedan is free of the dangerous namesake bug sweeping the world, only to learn the Corona is one tough car to get rid of.

For an asking price of €9,500 (RM46,000), the dark red, used Corona Mark 2 is up for sale on a second-hand selling platform with a mileage of just 97,000km from two previous owners.

The 76-year-old owner, Bernd Hintzsche, told German media the enjoyment of sitting behind the wheel of a Corona is "contagious", and yet the former Toyota dealer has struggled to find a buyer.

It's just one of countless used Corona models advertised online and waiting for a new owner, as the rapid spread of the deadly coronavirus tarnishes the once beloved car's name.

Built by the Japanese manufacturer between 1957 and 2001, the Corona was a global success and it was marketed in some countries as the Carina. Toyota chose the name Corona which means "crown" in Latin.

Little did they know that the moniker would come to stand for one of the world's worst epidemics which has claimed thousands of lives and spread to all continents.

The elderly Corona now probably deserves the title of being one of the world's least desirable second-hand cars. Regardless of the poor timing, Hintzsche said he is getting too old to drive his Corona, which has heavy, non-servo-assisted steering.


2021 Skoda Octavia gains new safety tech

                LONDON: The new fourth-generation Skoda Octavia will have a raft of high-tech safety features including Turn Assist, which can monitor oncoming traffic when turning right at a junction as well as identify cyclists and pedestrians.

If immediate danger is detected when executing a manoeuvre, the vehicle will be brought to a complete standstill, triggering the warning signal and preventing a possible collision.

This advanced safety feature will be in standby mode every time the engine is switched on and is activated when the right indicator is on.

Turn Assist will be introduced for the first time in a Skoda and the Octavia is the first vehicle in its class to launch the innovative safety technology.

Another first to feature on a Skoda is the new Exit Warning technology, which is part of the Blind Spot Detection system and comes into effect when the car is parked up.

Monitoring the rear and sides of the vehicle, the system warns the driver and other passengers when it may not be safe to open their door through the use of visual warning lights and sounding an alert, both of which will continue until the hazard has passed or if the doors remain open.

Working on both the front and rear doors, the alert will avoid passengers swinging their doors open and causing a possible collision with a cyclist – known as ‘dooring’ – or any other road users.

The cameras in the new Octavia can observe possible hazards to the rear of the vehicle up to a distance of 35 metres and at angle of approximately 120 degrees, providing greater assurance for drivers and passengers on when it is safe to exit the car.

Complementary to both Turn Assist and Exit Warning is Collision Avoidance Assist, with the new Octavia the first Skoda to have this technology.

The front cameras of the vehicle are able to detect an impending accident and perform a controlled evasive manoeuvre around the hazard, be that other vehicles, a cyclist or a pedestrian.

The system uses real-time data provided by the array of cameras and radars to calculate the most appropriate, and crucially the safest, trajectory around the potential danger.

This calculation factors in the distance, width and position of the vehicle or obstacle ahead and the system will be able to perform this function at speeds of up to 90mph.

Cyclists will further be protected by the Predictive Cycling Protection feature in the all-new Octavia which uses the front cameras and radar to trigger a cascade of warnings to the driver if a cyclist is detected ahead – and will even engage the emergency brakes if necessary to avoid any possible accident.


Rotary engine reloaded: Infographic explains why Mazda won't let it die

                LOS ANGELES: A new infographic from US Mazda parts supplier explains why the Wankel rotary engine continues to be part of Mazda's future product plans. The graphic highlights the rotary engine's superior power to weight ratio, smooth acceleration, and simplicity. The graphic also explains why Mazda "loves" the rotary engine.

"Most people don't realise the numerous advantages the rotary engine offers over a standard 4-stroke engine," explains MazdaPartsUSA.com manager and director Frank Mitchell. "Dare I say it, but rotary engines are in many ways the best engine option available," says Mitchell.

 The RX-8 Renesis Rotary powertrain.

The graphic highlights advantages that Wankel rotary engines enjoy over Otto 4-stroke engines, including:

> A substantially simpler design, as rotary engines do not require a crankshaft, rods, valves, or a camshaft. This makes rotary engines inherently more durable.
> A more efficient design, at least in terms of power to weight ratio. Because rotary engines have fewer moving parts, they produce about 3 times as much power as a similarly sized Otto 4-stroke engine (by weight).
> Smooth acceleration with a very high redline, making the rotary engine a perfect choice for many racing applications.

The graphic also mentions the rumoured return of the rotary engine in a production Mazda product, specifically in a new RX-9. The graphic includes an image of Mazda's RX-Vision concept car, which is said to be a preview of the next generation RX sports coupe.

"I don't have any insider info, and I'm not offering any predictions here, but I'd be shocked if Mazda brought back the RX without offering a rotary engine," says Mitchell. "While the rotary's emissions aren't as clean as other engines, Mazda's SKYACTIV technologies are impressive. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Mazda has found a way to make the rotary engine meet future emissions standards," explains Mitchell.


Jaguar to launch offroader to enter ultra hot luxury SUV segment

                FRANKFURT:  Jaguar, known for its sporty sedans, will launch the F-PACE offroader in 2016, entering the ultra popular segment of the luxury sports utility vehicle in a radical departure for the 80-year-old brand.

Luxury SUVs have long been built by parent company Jaguar Land Rover, which already owns the Range Rover brand, in what has become a popular segment among women and family buyers.

"The F-PACE is our family sports car," Ian Callum, Jaguar's director of design said.

The company is also launching two diesel powered Range Rover models in North America in 2016 with new engines promising fuel savings of up to 30 percent when compared with gasoline engine powered models.

Sunday's announcements, made during the Detroit auto show, mark further expansion by the British automaker, which has gone from being loss-making to a major profit-maker since it was bought by India's Tata Motors in 2008.

The move comes as Jaguar Land Rover continues a broad expansion plan, which includes widening its model range, boosting volumes and expanding production away from Britain.

The fast-growing luxury car segment has traditionally been dominated by German brands Audi, BMW and Daimler's  Mercedes-Benz, but JLR is among those seeking to take a bigger slice of the lucrative market.

The firm, which saw global sales rise by 9 percent in 2014 to over 460,000 vehicles, launched its cheapest car ever in Britain, the five-door model XE sports sedan last autumn as part of plans to attract younger and female customers.

"With...the introduction of the new Jaguar XE and the Land Rover Discovery Sport, we anticipate retailing over half a million vehicles for the first time in the company's history," Group Sales Operations Director Andy Goss said.

The firm said its 2014 global sales grew across all regions increased with the biggest rise recorded in the China region where volumes rose by 28 percent to just over 122,000 units.

Jaguar Land Rover did not disclose pricing for the new SUV.

 The GLE Coupe.

In other developments, Daimler AG said its Mercedes luxury brand plans four new or redesigned sport utility vehicles this year.

Mercedes will also expand to 80 from 75 the number of cars and SUVs with all-wheel drive.

On Sunday, Mercedes unveiled a new mid-sized SUV called the GLE coupe ahead of the Detroit Auto Show.


Peugeot 3008 arrives from RM143K

                PETALING JAYA: The new Peugeot 3008 SUV has been launched with two variants for choice - Active and Allure, and are priced at RM142,888 and RM155,888 respectively.

It arrives with five colour options of Metallic Copper, Magnetic Blue, Amazonite Grey, Ultimate Red and Pearl White, while being accompanied - like all Peugeot models, by a five-year manufacturer’s warranty together with Nasim’s existing 24-hour Peugeot Assistance service and complimentary Sky Park Subang lounge access.

Under its hood lies a 1.6-litre twin scroll turbo high pressure (THP) engine with Variable Valve Timing mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic to manage the output of 167PS and 240Nm of torque.

The difference between the base Active and top specced Allure variants is the latter features LED head and tail lights, eight-way electric driver seat and interior mood lighting.

Standard features include USB and Bluetooth connectivity, auto electric parking brake, automatic dual zone air-conditioning, six-speaker with 3D Arkamys sound system and premium luxury premium leather seats.

Safety features as standard are six airbags, hill start assist, electronic safety program, anti-lock braking system, electronic brakeforce distribution, emergency brake assist, anti-skid regulation, dynamic stability control and advanced grip control as well as hill assist descent control.

The character of the front face has been redesigned by incorporating a stylish new chequered wide grille with chrome plated trims and fog lamps emerging from the bodywork.

Inside, the clever i-Cockpit dashboard features a compact steering wheel, a 12.3-inch digital Heads-Up Display screen that shows navigation, speed, trip-computer, front and rear parking assistance and footage from the reverse camera.

This all-digital display is at head-height and provides easy visibility.

The next generation Peugeot i-Cockpit interior serves as the SUV’s best utility feature in its segment.

The various parameters of the coloured ‘heads-up’ display are managed by the Toggle Switches which are easily accessed by the fingertips.

The new SUV comes with a wide-ranging set of technological equipment for improved safety such as Park Assist with front and rear parking sensors, available space measurement which assesses the size of the potential parking space and the reverse camera with 180-degree function that automatically activates when the reverse gear is engaged

The all-digital display shows key information on vehicle speed at head height and visibility of all driving information.  The panels’ different modes are operated using the control wheel located on the left of the steering wheel.

The spacious 520-litre boot size can be further enlarged with the split folding rear seats with ‘Magic Flat’ functionality.

With the rear seats folded, the total storage volume is increased to 1,670 litres.

The new 3008 SUV rides on 18-inch Los Angeles Shiny Haria Grey alloy rims.

Its style, spaciousness and its revolutionary Peugeot i-Cockpit, garnered the Peugeot 3008 SUV with such accolades as 'European Car of the Year 2017' at the Geneva Motor Show 2017 and also bagged the Grand Prix award for 'Best Interior Design of 2016' at the 32nd International Automotive Festival.


Ferrari tempers 2020 expectations, 2 new models coming

                MILAN: Demand for Ferrari’s Portofino and 812 Superfast models helped the Italian supercar maker hit last year’s profit targets though it only provided a cautious upgrade to its outlook for 2020.

Ferrari said the biggest increase in shipments in 2019 had come from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan but demand from the region slowed towards the end of the year.

Chief executive Louis Camilleri said its performance was especially weak in Hong Kong and he did not rule out that the coronavirus outbreak might have an impact this year.

He said Ferrari could cope with slower orders from Asia, however, by speeding up deliveries of its supercars, which typically have waiting lists of least a year, to other parts of the world where demand was stronger.

“That’s the beauty of this company, we can offset it geographically,” Camilleri said. “I think we can offset weaknesses in China if it’s for a few months.”

Shipments to China, Hong Kong and Taiwan rose 20% last year to account for about 8% of overall deliveries, even though they slumped 65% in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Ferrari said it planned to boost adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to €1.38 billion-€1.43 billion this year above a previous target €1.3 billion given in 2018, disappointing some.

Ferrari shares closed down 2.3% on the Milan stock exchange at €150.70, though still not far off a record high of 158.7 euros hit less than two weeks ago.

Morgan Stanley analysts said the outlook was slightly below market expectations though they did not expect a material reaction in the share price, which has been riding high.

High margins

Ferrari - which is controlled by Italy’s Agnelli family through Exor - said adjusted EBITDA rose 22% in the last quarter of 2019 to €333 million, just missing a forecast of €340 million in a Reuters poll.

Its fourth quarter results left 2019 profit at €1.269 billion, in line with an estimate of about €1.27 billion the company gave in November.

Its adjusted core profit margin came in at 33.7%: that’s short of a company’s target of 34%, but still a return most carmakers only dream of.

Rival Aston Martin, for example, has a margin below 7% while Porsche, which is owned by Germany’s Volkswagen, as an operating margin of about 17%.

Ferrari plans to slow the roll-out of new cars in the coming years after releasing a record five new models in 2019, including the SF90 Stradale, the Prancing Horse’s first production hybrid in its range.

Two new models are planned for this year, Camilleri told analysts on Tuesday.

The group has pledged to launch 15 models between 2019 and 2022, while achieving a significant increase in their average retail price.

In a bid to extract more growth, Ferrari launched a plan last year to enhance its brand through new clothing and accessory collections, entertainment offers and other luxury products and services.

The strategy includes a manufacturing agreement with Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani and the opening of a new restaurant with Michelin-starred chef Massimo Bottura in the company’s home town of Maranello in northern Italy in late 2022.


Porsche vows 911 will keep its roaring engine as long as possible

                FRANKFURT: Porsche AG may be carving out a new future after pulling off Europe’s biggest listing in a decade, but the sports-car maker vowed that one thing will remain the same: The 911 running on gasoline.

Asked whether Porsche would electrify the iconic model introduced in 1964, chief financial officer Lutz Meschke said while the company could flexibly react to new regulation, it’s reluctant to change the 911.

"It’s the core, it’s the heart, it’s the soul of our company,” Meschke said in an interview with Bloomberg Television’s Tom Mackenzie here.

"We want to drive the 911 as long as possible with a combustion engine.”

Porsche shares debuted Thursday here at 84 euros, raising €9.4 billion (RM43bil) for parent Volkswagen AG, with another hint the iconic model is here to stay after the carmaker chose P911 as its ticker.

Books closed on Wednesday with a final price of 82.50 euros, Porsche said

While the Taycan electric vehicle outsold the 911 last year, the gasoline car remains Porsche’s most profitable model.

Bloomberg Intelligence estimates the 911 makes up almost 30% of the company’s earnings on just 14% of unit sales.

The 911 has a starting price of €113,492 in Germany. "We can live very well” with the 911 as a combustion-engine car, Meschke said. "It’s very successful.”


2018 Bangkok Motor Show: Show Girls

                The Bangkok International Motor Show is known for its beautiful show girls who tirelessly preen and pose for the cameras, and the 2018 edition stays true to tradition.

Here is a selection of the "eye candy" adorning the vehicles on display at the motor show.


Is Chinese military’s off-road SUV the toughest on the planet?

                HONG KONG: The People’s Liberation Army rates its Chinese military BJ80 SUV the “most reliable off-road vehicle in the world” after the boxy four-wheel drive model achieved test scores that were seven times higher than those of the Mercedes-Benz SUV on which it was reportedly modelled, according to an official document seen by the South China Morning Post.

“It is an incredibly high score considering the ordeals it had to go through,” said Song Kai, an associate researcher specialising in automobile structural fatigue at the College of Mechanical and Vehicle Engineering at Hunan University in central China.

“In the military proving ground, a vehicle can age 10 times faster than in a normal environment,” said Song, who was not involved in the BJ80 project. “If the result is correct, the vehicle might have passed the entire reliability test with only two or three failures. For a mass production model, it is almost a miracle.”

China produced more than 29 million motor vehicles last year, equivalent to the number built by the United States, Japan, Germany and India combined, according to the Paris-based trade group Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles.

The midsize BJ80 made by Beijing Auto Works has been widely perceived as a copy of Mercedes’ G270CDI, a midsize all-wheel-drive military model that is part of the carmaker’s family of G 463 light weight utility vehicles.

The German vehicle, powered by a turbocharged 2.7 litre, five-cylinder diesel engine with a double overhead camshaft, is used by military forces in China, Canada, Australia, the US and other countries. But the Chinese vehicle sells for a fraction of the price of the German car in all markets.

China takes step towards precision warheads for unstoppable nuclear weapon, state media says
The PLA sought to determine how the Chinese vehicle would stack up against its German counterpart, so it arranged to pit the two SUVs against one other in a reliability test that would subject them to the greatest possible abuse over the most challenging terrain.

With military drivers behind the wheel, the tests aimed to establish the vehicles’ respective rates of mean distance between failures (MDBF) – a measure of reliability that calculates the average distance travelled by a ground vehicle before it needs preventive maintenance or repair.

Ultimately, the BJ80 had MDBF of 7,536km – compared with the Mercedes’ 1,201km.

By contrast, American military ground vehicles typically have an MDBF of 450km, according to a 2004 study done for the US Army by Rand Corp, a think tank that provides research and analysis to the US military.

 The BJ80 (lower pic) looks similar to the Mercedes G270CDI.

The tests were carried out at the largest PLA military vehicle test facility in Yongding, in eastern Anhui province, according to researchers.

The proving ground stretched over about 650 hectares. Though small compared to similar US military test facilities, the site created by Chinese engineers and construction workers simulates a multitude of potential car-wrecking terrains, including the Gobi Desert, permafrost, war trenches, foxholes and rice paddies.

Driving fast over these rough surfaces puts enormous strain on the cars’ drive chains, suspension systems and other components.

“A consumer vehicle might be able to do a cross-country tour without sweat on a highway, but it may not survive a day of being abused by the military,” said a researcher who was told about the test but asked not to be named owing to the topic’s sensitivity.

Special equipment also was used to simulate dust storms, extreme heat, low temperatures or electromagnetic blasts that could burn on-board computer chips.

Through the tests, the PLA observed that the BJ80, which is powered by a 2.8-litre Cummins turbodiesel engine, could reach 45kph in the worst road conditions, more than 10 per cent faster than the G270.

The Chinese vehicle, however, had louder cabin noise at full throttle on a high-speed loop than the German car. When idling, the Chinese car also had greater steering wheel vibration than the Mercedes.

The BJ80 also outperformed other foreign SUVs in reliability tests, including the Mitsubishi Pajero and Toyota Land Cruiser, but comparison figures were not provided in the document.

The assessment rated the BJ80 the “most reliable off-road vehicle in the world”.

Beijing Auto Works’ parent, Beijing Auto Industry Corp, or BAIC, confirmed the test results in an exchange with the Post. But it declined to give more details about the test or its plans for the vehicle, citing the need to respect military confidentiality.

Mercedes-Benz, which is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, did not respond to requests for comment.

Car experts, however, questioned the credibility of the test results, noting that the PLA both organised the test and was the car’s developer.

“It was like the player is also playing the role of a judge,” said an automobile technology researcher.

“Many elements, such as the age and condition of the German vehicle, can affect the final results [of reliability tests]. Testing conditions can also be manipulated to work in favour of [Chinese] domestic cars.”

Mercedes, the researcher said, “has over a century’s experience in making military vehicles. It is quite unusual that a Chinese car can outpace the [German car in a] test by a large margin”.

China’s Ministry of National Defence did not respond to requests for comment.

But the mainstream car research community responded more positively to the news.

The China Society of Automotive Engineers, the nation’s biggest non-governmental organisation formed by car researchers in industries and universities, awarded the BJ80 project the top prize at the China Automotive Science and Technology Awards last month.

Yuan Shihua, an automobile technology researcher at the Beijing Institute of Technology, a major weapons development research institution, said he accepted and trusted the test results, saying the PLA counted on the vehicle to get its soldiers in and out of war zones.

“It is a matter of life and death,” he said. “There is no room for cheating.”

A petrol version of the BJ80 with a 2.3-litre turbo engine has been on the civilian car market for more than two years. It has a price tag of nearly 300,000 yuan (RM182,000), an unusually high price for a domestic brand.

Just 1,500 civilian model BJ80s were sold in China last year, a fraction of the more than 10 million SUVs that are sold annually in the world’s biggest car market.

Online car forums have featured relatively few discussions about the BJ80. Buyers in the few chats have complained about the vehicle’s gas guzzling and excessive cabin noise.

One of the most discussed topics was about using aftermarket mock-ups to make the car look more like a Mercedes G-series SUV. — South China Morning Post


New Honda Jazz and City Hybrids outperform sales expectations

                PETALING JAYA: Honda Malaysia today announced that the new Jazz Sport Hybrid i-DCD and new City Sport Hybrid i-DCD have recorded 1,200 bookings as of Sept 30 2017.

The impressive booking numbers for the two models achieving their combined sales target for 3 months in just a 2 month period.

The new Jazz Sport Hybrid i-DCD and new City Sport Hybrid i-DCD opened for bookings about two months ago, at the end of July 2017, with a monthly sales target of 150 units and 250 units respectively.

To date, Honda Malaysia has sold more than 500 units of the City Sport Hybrid i-DCD and 330 units of the new Jazz Sport Hybrid i-DCD.

The recorded sales has enabled Honda Malaysia to regain the lead position in terms of market share of the hybrid segment among hybrid vehicles below RM200,000, for the past 2 months.

The new Jazz Sport Hybrid i-DCD and new City Sport Hybrid i-DCD offer the same features as the E variant of the respective models, and with additional enhancements for occupants to enjoy the sporty performance of the powertrains as well as interior comfort in the improved quietness of the cabin.

These enhancements include a Shift-By-Wire Gear that gives a quicker and more responsive experience to the driver for a smoother ride during gear transitions, and the 3D Speed Meter Design, a Multi-Information Display that provides information on the power flow, sport meter, drive meter, drive information and eco display for drivers in their line of sight.

Both models are equipped with a suite of safety features that underline Honda’s emphasis on safety, such as four airbags, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Brake Assist (BA), Hill Start Assist (HSA), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Multi-Angle Reverse Camera and ISO Fix.

For more information on the New Jazz Hybrid and New City Hybrid, customers can visit any of the 90 Honda authorised dealers nationwide or call Honda’s Toll Free number at 1-800-88-2020, or log onto www.honda.com.my.


All Goodyear Autocare Centres adopt zero contact SOP

                PETALING JAYA: Goodyear Malaysia announces its Zero Contact Initiative (Zero Contact), whereby customers can get new tyres fitted at any participating Goodyear Autocare centre without any direct person-to-person contact throughout the entire process.

Customers will first have to arrange for an appointment with their preferred Goodyear Autocare centre for services.

This can be done via phone call or WhatsApp through Goodyear Malaysia’s website and use the map to select the closest desired location. Once located, simply click on the WhatsApp icon to make an appointment with your selected Goodyear Autocare centre.

READ MORE: Goodyear has developed smart tyres

At the stores, there will be specially-designated Zero Contact parking areas for customers to park their cars, as well as a drop box for them to place their car keys.

The Goodyear Autocare centre staff will then proceed to collect the car and fit new tyres.

READ MORE: More sole as Skechers team up with Goodyear

“The assurance of Goodyear’s Zero Contact process, from the moment you drop-off your vehicle, and up until you collect it, is that there will be zero direct physical contact between staff and customers to minimise risk of any potential spread," said Goodyear Malaysia managing director Alex Ng.

"We decided to extend this programme in Malaysia, off the back of the success it had in the United States, Australia and other Asean countries. We hope that through this programme, we continue to assure Goodyear's loyal customers that we have taken all the necessary precautions for their personal safety and at the same time, remain committed to ensuring the safety of their tyres.”


Poor infra hindering Asean's auto industry, says consultant

                KUALA LUMPUR; Asean boasts a huge market for the automotive industry, but poor infrastructure is a hindrance to its exponential growth.

For instance, Indonesia's automotive industry is concentrated in its capital, Jakarta, Partner of Roland Berger Strategy Consultants Dr Martin Tonko said recently.

 Dr Tonko

"In order to sell more cars (in Indonesia), you need more streets to accommodate those cars," he said after the Asean-EU Business Summit's Panel Discussion held in conjunction with the 47th Asean Economic Ministers' (AEM) Meeting and Related Meeting from Aug 20-25.

Hence, the industry's development is very much connected and dependent on good infrastructure, he added.

On other developments, Tonko commended some Asean member countries for striving to shift to clean fuel such as the introduction of Eco Car Programme in Thailand.

"The discussions on fuel shift from Euro 4 to Euro 5 would also make the industry stronger," he said.


German Tesla fan clocks a million electric kilometres in his Model S

von Gemmingen with his Model S.— All images by dpa
STUTTGART: A German aristocrat with a passion for electric cars has clocked up 1 million kilometres on his 2013 Tesla Model S - to prove a point about the prowess of electric vehicles.

Hansjoerg Freiherr von Gemmingen-Hornberg, a farmer by trade who now lives from his assets and enjoys driving as a hobby, passed the 1 million mark on Thursday here, where he completed the final kilometres under the watch of an expert.

The reason he's spent the past few years drumming up as much mileage as possible? To prove a point.

"There's so much bashing going on," he said here. "I want to counter it."

In fact, the 56-year-old has barely had time for anything else. He has been travelling an average of 600km a day, albeit in a leisurely fashion - often on the Autobahn, but seldom at more than 120kph.

"I don't do that much else," von Gemmingen said.

The Tesla's path to 1 million kilometres was not without obstacles. It's already on its second battery and its fourth motor, and a new set of tyres had to be fitted every 50,000km.

Von Gemmingen says he has no idea how much the venture has cost him. "I've never calculated it accurately."

As an early Tesla adopter, he can still charge the car for free at the carmaker's so-called superchargers. Many repairs have also been covered by the warranty.

Tesla itself has had nothing to do with his project and he has not benefited from any support from the company, he says.


Win grand prize of RM33,333 cash in BHPetrol's Mudah Menang contest

                PETALING JAYA: Boustead Petroleum Marketing (BHPetrol) is holding the Mudah Menang contest with grand prize of RM33,333 cash.

The contest runs from March 1 to May 30 and is open to all BHPetrol eCard members at participating BHPetrol service stations.

To join, customers only need to spend RM30 on petrol or diesel products at any BHPetrol service station and/or purchase any items from participating BHPetromart stores during the contest period.

Each purchase must be swiped with a valid registered eCard or scanned with the eCard mobile application.

Each accumulated expenditure amounting to RM30 is entitled to one entry.

A total of 51 winners will receive prizes consisting of the Grand Prize of RM33,333 cash and 100,000 ePoint points for three winners, the consolation prize of RM3,333 cash and 30,000 ePoints for three winners; and the weekly prize of 100,000 ePoints points for three winners per week.

Not only that, for customers who use the eCard online application during the contest period, monthly prizes are also offered specially for them.

Two winners are eligible to receive one unit of iPhone 12 64GB or one unit of iPad Gen 8 each.

BHPetrol marketing general manager Lawrence Chuah said the company always strived to provide the best to its customers by offering the quality fuel, a wide selection of attractive items at BHPetromart stores and adequate public facilities.

"Through this Mudah Menang contest, it is our way of appreciation to all customers for their continued support. In addition, we hope that more customers will take the opportunity to become eCard loyalty members to enjoy various privileges every time they refuel or shop at BHPetrol," he said.

To register as a member, customers can download the eCard online application at Apple Appstore or Google Playstore.

Details of the contest is available at www.bhpetrol.com.my.


Hyundai to provide Covid-19 tests, 'drive through' testing support in US

                LOS ANGELES: Hyundai Motor Co’s North American unit will expand its support for “drive through” testing for the coronavirus and donate 65,000 tests to hospitals in the United States, the South Korean automaker said on Tuesday.

The company announced US$4 million in grants and said it would support “drive through” testing at 22 hospitals.

Hyundai said it would provide the tests, which have been developed by South Korea-based diagnostics company Seegene, to hospitals in cities including New Orleans, Chicago and Detroit.


EU and UK clinch narrow Brexit accord

A general view of the Houses of Parliament in London. — Reuters

LONDON/BRUSSELS: Britain clinched a narrow Brexit trade deal with the European Union on Thursday, just seven days before it exits one of the world’s biggest trading blocs in its most significant global shift since the loss of empire.

The deal, agreed more than four years after Britain voted by a slim margin to leave the bloc, offers a way out of a chaotic finale to a divorce that has shaken the 70-year project to forge European unity from the ruins of World War Two.

It will preserve Britain’s zero-tariff and zero-quota access to the bloc’s single market of 450 million consumers, but will not prevent economic pain and disruption for the United Kingdom or for EU member states.

Many aspects of Britain’s future relationship with the EU remain to be hammered out, possibly over years.

“We have taken back control of our destiny,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters after posting a picture on Twitter of himself raising both arms in a thumbs-up gesture of triumph.

“People said it was impossible, but we have taken back control.”

The UK formally left the EU on Jan 31 but has since been in a transition period under which rules on trade, travel and business remained unchanged until the end of this year.

Johnson, the face of the pro-Brexit campaign, had said that since 52% had voted to leave the EU, he did not want to accept the rules of its single market or its customs union after Jan. 1.

The EU did not want to give unfettered privileges to a freewheeling, deregulated British economy outside the bloc, and so potentially encourage others to leave - resulting in a tortuous negotiation.

“It was a long and winding road,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters, quoting the Paul McCartney song. “But we have got a good deal to show for it... Finally we can leave Brexit behind us and look to the future. Europe is now moving on.”

‘Jumbo’ deal

Johnson described the last-minute agreement as a “jumbo” free trade deal along the lines of that done between the European Union and Canada, and urged Britain to move on from the divisions caused by the 2016 Brexit referendum.

The deal will also support the peace in Northern Ireland - a priority for US President-elect Joe Biden, who had warned Johnson that he must uphold the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

EU member Ireland said the deal, which the Commission website said would be published soon, protected its interests as well as could possibly have been hoped.

But it left much of the detail still to be worked out.

The trade pact will not cover services, which make up 80% of the British economy, including a banking industry that positions London as the only financial capital to rival New York.

Access to the EU market for UK-based banks, insurers and asset managers will become patchy at best.

Johnson said the deal did not contain as much as he would have liked on regulatory equivalence for financial services, but still contained some “good language”.

JPMorgan said the EU had secured a deal that allowed it to retain nearly all its advantages from trade with the UK but with the ability to use regulations to “cherry pick” among sectors where the UK had advantages - such as services.

“The unity and strength of Europe paid off,” French President Emmanuel Macron said. “The agreement with the United Kingdom is essential to protect our citizens, our fishermen, our producers. We will make sure that this is the case.”

Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage said the deal would keep the UK far too closely aligned with the EU, adding that he hoped this would be the beginning of the end of the bloc.
Even with a deal, goods trade will have more rules, more red tape and more cost. There will be some disruption at ports. Everything from food safety regulation and exporting rules to product certification will change.

Investors turn to detail

A US State Department official welcomed the agreement and said Washington wanted good relations with Britain and the EU.

“As we have said, we respect the UK’s sovereign decision to depart the EU, and we look forward to continued strong relationships with both the UK and EU,” the official said.

When the UK shocked the world by voting to leave the EU, many in Europe hoped it could stay closely aligned. Von der Leyen, quoting Shakespeare, said that “parting is such sweet sorrow”.

The EU loses its principal military and intelligence power, 15% of GDP, one of the world’s top two financial capitals and a champion of free markets that had acted as an important check on the ambitions of Germany and France.

Without the collective might of the EU, the United Kingdom will stand largely alone - and much more reliant on the United States - when negotiating with China, Russia and India. It will have more autonomy but be poorer, at least in the short term.

The Bank of England has said that, even with a trade deal, Britain’s gross domestic product is likely to suffer a 1% hit from Brexit in the first quarter of 2021.

And Britain’s budget forecasters have said the economy will be 4% smaller over 15 years than it would have been if Britain had stayed in the bloc.

British businesses, among the world’s worst hit by the coronavirus, were downbeat.

“After four long years of uncertainty and upheaval, and just days before the end of transition, businesses will be able to muster little more than a muted and weary cheer,” said Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce.

The UK, which imports about US$107 billion more a year from the EU than it exports there, had bickered until the end over fish - a totemic issue, but worth less than 0.1% of GDP.

Tony Danker, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, said time was now critically short.

“Coming so late in the day, it is vital that both sides take instant steps to keep trade moving and services flowing.”

The deal governing post-Brexit trade needs the approval of both the European Parliament and the EU’s 27 member states. Ambassadors from EU countries will meet on Dec. 25 to start reviewing the deal.

The European Parliament said on Thursday it would analyse the deal in detail before deciding whether to approve the agreement in the new year.

The British parliament, as divided as the country over Brexit, will debate and vote on the deal on Dec 30, just one day before the transition period lapses.


Vitesse AuDessus carbon fibre package for Lambo Aventador

                WASHINGTON: US bespoke carbon fibre product maker Vitesse AuDessus has announced the launch of an extensive carbon fibre package for the Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce Coupé and Roadster. The offering is comprehensive and includes every external body panel for both the coupé and roadster variants. Parts can be bought individually or in packages.

The Essentials Package includes the lower front bumper, side skirts, mirrors and rear diffuser while the Extended Package also includes the bonnet. The parts come in the factory twill weave with a glossy or matte finish. Each part is fabricated using pre-preg carbon fibre fabric that is autoclave-cured in CNC-milled aluminium molds. After hours of hand-finishing, each part is inspected to ensure quality.

"There is no doubt that the Superveloce is an absolutely stunning supercar. One of the car's few aesthetic failings lies in the use of highly-visible plastic bodywork. Several SV owners approached us seeking a carbon fibre option for these parts, namely the lower front bumper, side skirts, rear diffuser and mirrors. Our offering completes the visual story," said CEO Stefany Sanchez.

Offered separately or bundled as a package are Vitesse AuDessus's lightweight carbon fibre wheels. Available styles include a Veneno-inspired seven spoke, the Superveloce’s OEM-style wheel and several in-house, center lock designs. Each wheel design is tested to meet or exceed manufacturer standards and includes a proprietary coating to protect against the high heat generated by the carbon ceramic rotors.

"Our wheels are the lightest and strongest wheels available on the market today. By shedding more than 25kg of unsprung weight, our wheels markedly improve acceleration, handling and fuel economy. The Superveloce is already an exciting, exclusive, and sexy automobile. Our wheels make it that much more," said Sanchez.

Every removable body panel for the Aventador Superveloce is available in bare carbon replacements in the weave, tint and finish specified by the client. For those parts attached to the monocoque, the brand offers lightweight veneers.

The parts come with a five-year warranty against defect or yellowing. It also guarantees OEM quality fit and finish.

Lead-time for the parts is 3-4 weeks, and 4-6 weeks for the wheels, depending upon specification. All original parts are removed and stored in their original condition. Vitesse Audessus ships worldwide.

All parts are limited to 300 examples. The carbon fibre wheels cost US$25,000, while the Essentials Carbon Package is US$15,525 and Extended Carbon Package US$22,275.


VW does not see chip shortage ending in 2023, says weekly

                BERLIN: Volkswagen no longer sees chip shortages ending in 2023, and the German carmaker is preparing for the "new normal" of supply chain disruptions, Murat Aksel, head of procurement on the Volkswagen board, told German weekly Automobilwoche.

"Investments for new capacity are now on track, but there will probably still be a structural shortfall in semiconductors up to and including 2023," Aksel told the weekly, adding that "it's a structural issue that can't be solved so quickly."

The supply of wire harnesses on the other hand, which were in short supply after Russia's February invasion of Ukraine, is no longer an issue, he said: "That's running stable again."

However, Aksel warned that "what we've seen in the supply chains over the past two years, this is the new normal," adding that Volkswagen is investing heavily in early detection.

"With the new geopolitical issues, if anything, it's going to get even more complex and challenging," added Aksel.


Ford GT order books open

DETROIT: The first new supercar from Ford in over a decade will be limited to just 250 examples a year and each one is expected to cost a minimum of US$450,000 (RM1.76mil).

Yet despite the huge price tag that puts the car on a par with the biggest and best efforts in the current Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini and McLaren lineups, Ford is expecting demand to more than outstrip supply.

Therefore, to bring a bit of democracy to proceedings, the company has set up a dedicated web portal where anyone can essentially register their interest and even start specifying a virtual GT.

Like Ferrari, Ford wants to ensure that each of the initial 500 examples set for production (250 this year and a further 250 in 2017) goes to the most deserving of homes rather than to a speculator that's looking to sell on the car for a profit to someone who really will love every moment of owning it.

That's why whenever Ferrari unveils a new halo car, it is off limits to anyone who isn't a current or past owner of three existing Ferrari flagship models.

While Ford will be similarly choosy with initial applications, it is also promising that this process will be worth it. "The purchase process for the Ford GT is as unique as our all-new supercar," said Henry Ford III, global marketing manager, Ford Performance.

"We understand GT customers are strong ambassadors for Ford Motor Company, and we look forward to providing them a service as distinct as the car itself."

Each owner will be assigned a personal concierge who will take them through every step of the process from specifications to delivery and after-sales service.


BMW i roadshow to start from Oct 4

                CYBERJAYA: BMW Group Malaysia is going on a peninsula-wide roadshow to showcase its achievements and raise public awareness about electro mobility.

"The Born Electric: BMW iRoadshow" will take place at selected shopping centres in the Klang Valley, Johor, Penang, Kedah and Kelantan. The announcement came as BMW is set to roll out the refreshed mid-engine i8 coupe in Malaysia tomorrow. Looking very similar to the first i8 that made its world debut in 2014, this one is a minor facelift with a tweaked powertrain. It's a mid-cycle facelift or what BMW calls a "Life Cycle Impulse" (LCI).

Since introducing the BMW i sub brand in 2013, the group has delivered over 100,000 electrified vehicles globally last year and is poised to deliver another 140,000 vehicles in 2018.

BMW Malaysia is also contributing to the numbers with electrified vehicles comprising 55% of its deliveries in the country.

It has also been promoting innovation, upgrading its local assembly operations, and educating the public (and potential BMW customers) about its efforts in clean technology for the automotive industry as well as changing the local infrastructure for premium vehicles.

BMW is doing all these with an end goal in mind: Malaysia is a lucrative market for its hybrids.

In October last year, it revealed that Malaysia was the leading market in Asean and the fifth largest market in the world for BMW hybrids. Malaysia is also the second largest market in the world for the X5 xDrive 40e plug-in hybrid, it added.

As part of its efforts to sell more electrified cars, it had given away BMW i Wallbox Plus and BMW i AC fast charging cable to customers buying its hybrids in last year's promotion. Its dealerships are helping to spread the green message by installing chargers at public venues. BMW Group Malaysia is also working with GreenTech Malaysia to tap its ChargEV charging stations that are found in shopping centres and other commercial sites.

"The Born Electric: BMW iRoadshow will demonstrate our progress with the Mobility of the Future here in Malaysia and will introduce new models to our portfolio of premium vehicles,” said BMW Group Malaysia managing director and CEO Harald Hoelzl.


Climate concerns kill off legendary VW GTI tuning meet

                VIENNA: Local authorities at Wörthersee in Austria have killed off the popular annual Volkswagen GTI tuning event, saying it no longer fits in with efforts to green the climate, according to local media.

The little lakeside village of Reifnitz in southern Austria near the Slovenian border has been a focus since 1982 for the four-day car event. It celebrates the petrol-powered hot hatch, now in its eighth incarnation, and was partly sponsored by the Wolfsburg manufacturer.

The auto happening regularly drew tens of thousands of fans and hundreds of tuned-up cars, although the coronavirus pandemic caused it to be suspended last year and in 2021 and 2020. Around 5,000 vehicles took part in 2019.

A statement from the the local Maria Wörth disrict council said the decision was prompted by "the effects of climate change and the orientation towards more sustainability," the daily newspaper Der Standard reported.

It said the event had reached "the limits of its capacity to cope" and had led locally to "increasing criticism and decreasing acceptance."

"We are working to create attractive and sustainable living spaces that benefit all people who spend time in the municipality - regardless of whether they spend a few days there or a lifetime," wrote mayor Markus Perdacher.

Before the event was suspended, locals often lodged complaints about tuned cars racing through the streets and police confiscated the numberplates of hundreds of modified cars which contravened road safety regulations.


Castrol challenge pits two pro drivers against their digital clones

                MALAGA: Two professional drivers pitted their skills against their digital clones in Castrol EDGE’s latest Titanium Trial.

Known as the Clone Rival Trial, this is the fourth trial from the Castrol EDGE Titanium Trials series and involves the Koenigsegg One:1 and the track-only Aston Martin Vulcan. The aim of the challenge was to pursue the ultimate driving performance, showcasing man, machine and oil.

And of course, the oil in question was Castrol EDGE SUPERCAR, which was launched in conjunction with the trial. The key ingredient in the oil is TITANIUM FST, which Castrol said doubles its film strength, preventing oil film breakdown and reducing friction to help maximise engine performance. It is suitable for use in supercars where the engines are subjected to extreme pressure to produce high amounts of horsepower.

Danish Koenigsegg test driver Christoffer Nygaard drove the One:1, which is one of only six in the world, delivering an astounding power-to-weight ratio, previously thought impossible for a road car.

British racing star and two times Le Mans winner, Darren Turner, drove the all-carbon fibre Aston Martin Vulcan – one of only 24 such vehicles ever produced. Darren is one of only 7 people in the world who are trained to drive this supercar.

Boosted with Castrol EDGE in their engines, the supercar challenge took place at Spain’s Ascari race track. The 5.425km long track includes 25 demanding and technical turns, elevation, camber changes, and airborne opportunities ensure that this track is notoriously hard to memorise and master.

Castrol EDGE worked with virtual reality experts REWIND to replicate the real race location. Combining acoustics and a cutting-edge tactile feedback system, the simulator provided the immersive feeling of the engine, road and body impacts. The supercars were analysed, taking into account tyre size and weight, car aerodynamics, weather conditions and even down-force at varying speed, ensuring that the simulator experience was as close to the real thing as can possibly be achieved.

The two drivers each recorded 10 virtual sessions at the Titanium Lab in London, before data of their best performances were fused together, creating their "Ultimate Lap".

Watch the two supercar drivers take on the ultimate challenge in the clips above.


India woos Tesla with offer of cheaper production costs than China

                NEW DELHI: India is ready to offer incentives to ensure Tesla Inc’s cost of production would be less than in China if the carmaker commits to making its electric vehicles in the south Asian country, says transport minister Nitin Gadkari.

Gadkari’s pitch comes weeks after billionaire Elon Musk’s Tesla registered a company in India in a step towards entering the country, possibly as soon as mid-2021. Sources familiar with the matter have said Tesla plans to start by importing and selling its Model 3 electric sedan in India.

“Rather than assembling (the cars) in India they should make the entire product in the country by hiring local vendors. Then we can give higher concessions,” Gadkari said in an interview, without giving details of what incentives would be on offer.

“The government will make sure the production cost for Tesla will be the lowest when compared with the world, even China, when they start manufacturing their cars in India. We will assure that,” he said.

India wants to boost local manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs), batteries and other components to cut costly imports and curb pollution in its major cities.

This comes amid a global race by carmakers to jump-start EV production as countries work towards cutting carbon emissions.

But India faces a big challenge to win a production commitment from Tesla, which did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment about its plans in the country.

India’s fledgling EV market accounted for just 5,000 out of a total 2.4 million cars sold in the country last year as negligible charging infrastructure and the high cost of EVs deterred buyers.

In contrast, China, where Tesla already makes cars, sold 1.25 million new energy passenger vehicles, including EVs, in 2020 out of total sales of 20 million, and accounted for more than a third of Tesla’s global sales.

India also doesn’t have a comprehensive EV policy like China, the world’s biggest auto market, which mandates companies to invest in the sector.

Gadkari said that as well as being a big market, India could be an export hub, especially with about 80% of components for lithium-ion batteries being made locally now.

“I think it’s a win-win situation for Tesla,” Gadkari said, adding he also wanted to engage with Tesla about building an ultra high-speed hyperloop between Delhi and Mumbai.

India is drawing up a production-linked incentive scheme for auto and auto component makers as well as for setting up advanced battery manufacturing units, but the details are yet to be finalised.

Switching to cleaner sources of energy and reducing vehicle pollution are seen as essential for India to meet its Paris Accord climate commitments.

India last year introduced tougher emission rules for carmakers to bring them up to international standards. It is now looking at tightening fuel efficiency rules from April 2022, which industry executives say may compel some automakers to add electric or hybrid vehicles to their portfolios.

Battered by the Covid-19 pandemic, the industry says it needs longer to make the transition.

Gadkari said he was not directly responsible for making the decision on whether to delay, but was confident India would meet its Paris treaty commitments without disrupting economic growth.

“Development and environment will go hand in hand. We will take some time but we will soon reach the international standard norms,” he said.


Volvo Cars, China in first blockchain project for recycled cobalt

                LONDON: Volvo Cars, owned by China’s Geely, has produced the first cars containing recycled cobalt mapped using a blockchain, and has joined a separate project to monitor cobalt from Democratic Republic of Congo, Volvo said.

Carmakers are under pressure from customers and investors to prove electric vehicles do not rely on conflict minerals or child labour.

They are exploring the usefulness of blockchain - the technology to create an immutable ledger first used for cryptocurrency - to improve accountability throughout supply chains.

In emailed comments on Friday, Volvo said it had completed the first blockchain, using recycled cobalt in China.

“It tracked cobalt from a Chinese recycling plant to Volvo Cars Zhejiang over a two-month period to June 27,” Volvo said, adding its aim was “full transparency and traceability”.

The blockchain has been developed by British blockchain specialist Circulor using technology from US company Oracle and is expected to be rolled out widely this year. Volvo declined to comment on the next steps.

The batteries are made by Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL).

Volvo also confirmed it was joining Ford, technology giant IBM, South Korean cathode maker LG Chem and China’s Huayou Cobalt in a project overseen by responsible-sourcing group RCS Global.

In an email, RCS Global said it was pleased Volvo was joining its efforts to achieve “quantifiable and continuous” improvement of supply chains.

Among battery minerals, cobalt is particularly challenging because around two thirds of all supplies are from Democratic Republic of Congo, where governance challenges are extreme.

Glencore, a producer of industrial-scale cobalt in Congo, has this year faced a series of problems, including an incursion of artisanal miners on its concession.

Those involved in tracking minerals say blockchain alone is not the answer.

But they are testing how entering data from each stage of a mineral’s journey into a blockchain can improve accountability and even fend off disputes between, say, transportation companies and those using them.

“No technology can completely replace due diligence. What it will do is improve enforcement of standards by highlighting when things are not working as intended,” said Doug Johnson-Poensgen, CEO of Circulor.

Oracle has provided technology for blockchain projects aimed at anything from certifying the origin of olive oil to reducing costs by streamlining cross-border banking payments.

Apart from its work on cobalt, IBM has cooperated with retailers including Walmart to trace food through supply chains.


BMW all for diversity

                MUNICH: The BMW Group says employee diversity is critical for it to advance its mission to create sustainable future mobility. This is why it has thousands of employees from more than 120 countries on its payroll.

It said its global working environment requires people with knowledge of different languages and cultures, adding that its global outlook enables it to compete for new markets, customers and qualified young talent.

It also said it is also committed to tolerance, openness and diversity outside its own ranks.

In 2011, the company launched a partnership with the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC) to promote international dialogue and intercultural understanding.

The initiatives recognised by the BMW Group and UNAOC have already supported 3.6 million people in 112 countries worldwide.

To advance the topic of diversity in German corporate culture, the BMW Group joined the Diversity Charter & Association in 2012.

The charter, under the patronage of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, has so far been signed by more than 3,400 companies and public institutions.

"Diversity is the foundation of our success. A working environment free of prejudice, combined with respectful coexistence, are important requirements for this," said Ilka Horstmeier, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Human Resources.


2020 BMW X3 xDrive30e plug-in hybrid: Up to 55km in EV mode

                MUNICH: The new BMW X3 xDrive30e is the third Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) in the brand's current model range to feature a plug-in hybrid drive and power transmission to all four wheels.

Its lithium-ion high-voltage battery enables purely electric mobility with a range of 51 to 55km.

Average fuel consumption can be between 2.4 and 2.1 litres per 100km.

The new BMW X3 xDrive30e will be produced from December 2019 onwards at the BMW plant in Spartanburg, USA and worldwide market launch is due to start in spring 2020.

The drive power is generated by a 2.0-litre, 184 hp 4-cylinder petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and an electric motor integrated into the 8-speed Steptronic transmission with an output of 109hp.

Together the two drive units mobilise a system output of 292hp.

The maximum system torque of the plug-in hybrid drive is 420Nm.

This allows the new BMW X3 xDrive30e to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds. Its top speed is 210km/h.

The high-voltage battery can be fully charged in less than six hours, at conventional household sockets using the standard-equipment charging cable.

At a BMW i Wallbox, the same charging process can be completed in around three and a half hours.

In MAX eDrive mode, which can be activated via the eDrive button on the centre console, the new BMW X3 xDrive30e achieves a top speed of 135km/h with a locally emissions-free and virtually silent drive unit.

In the standard Auto eDrive setting, purely electric driving is possible at speeds of up to 110 km/h.

The combustion engine only switches on at higher speeds or when there are particularly high load requirements.

The BATTERY CONTROL setting serves to keep the charge state of the high-voltage battery at a level determined by the driver.

In this way, the power supply can be specifically reserved and used for local emissions-free driving.

Luggage compartment volume is at 450 litres, and by folding down the rear seat with 40 : 20: 40 split, the storage space can be extended to up to 1,500 litres.

Its standard equipment includes acoustic pedestrian protection. When driving electrically at low speeds, an unmistakeable sound designed specifically for electrified BMW models is generated to alert other road users.

In addition, the new BMW X3 xDrive30e has an auxiliary air conditioning system as standard. It can also be controlled remotely from a smartphone using the BMW Connected App: the driver can therefore get into a warm vehicle in winter and a pleasantly cool vehicle in summer.


Volkswagen Passat R-Line enhanced from RM211,900

                KUALA LUMPUR: Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia has launched the enhanced Passat R- Line that offers higher performance with more premium features befitting its status as the world’s best-selling mid-sized sedan.

Priced from RM211,916 with the current sales tax exemption, the Passat R-Line comes with three years free maintenance, five years unlimited mileage warranty, and five years roadside assistance.

Its 2.0TSI turbocharged engine now produces 220PS and 350Nm of torque and is coupled to a six-speed wet clutch DSG to delivers a dynamic driving experience that can be personalised even further with Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC).

Fuel efficiency is rated at approximately 6.9l/100km.

Finer details have been added to the interior to make it more luxurious, with the key highlight being a
premium Harman Kardon audio system featuring 12 high-performance speakers, including a subwoofer, and 700-watt amplifier for an immersive audio experience for every drive.

The sound system can also deliver rich and vibrant acoustics in four modes of Pure, Chill Out, Live and Energy.

Meanwhile, the air conditioner gets a haptic-touch control that is simple and intuitive to use.

Locally assembled in Pekan, the new Passat R-Line is the second model in Malaysia to received the new Volkswagen logo and the vehicle is available in five colours including the new Scale Silver.

Aside from Scale Silver, other metallic colours are Aquamarine Blue and Manganese Grey; whereas Deep Black and Oryx White are the two pearl-effect colours that are available at no additional cost.

VPCM managing director Erik Winter said the company was pleased to kick-start 2022 with the launch of the upgraded Passat R-Line.

“The Passat is built on a successful combination of class and performance, which makes it the sedan of choice for the sophisticated both globally and locally. We have retained the unique features of the Passat R-Line but fine-tuned its performance, so that it becomes an ideal partner for the discerning driver,” he said.