Nissan gears the 370Z towards enthusiasts

                YOKOHAMA: The upgrades to Nissan's nimble 370Z sportscar may be subtle, but they should still be enough to keep keen drivers smiling.

For the 2018 model year, the standard model will be getting a number of external aesthetic upgrades that until now were exclusive to the range-topping NISMO model. These include tinted headlamps, a black rear bumper treatment and matching door handles.

Nissan is also adding another choice to the existing exterior colour palette - a sharp Metallic Red - and has redesigned the 19-inch alloy wheels that will now come on the car as standard.

However, the big change comes in the transmission tunnel. While the car will be retaining its 3.7-litre 328hp naturally aspirated V6 powerplant, it is getting a high-performance EXEDY clutch (when specified with the six-speed manual, rather than seven-speed automatic gearbox).

It will make changing up and down more precise and reduce the amount of pedal effort required. When paired with the car's Synchro Rev Control (the 307Z is the only car in its class that offers a rev-matching feature for blipping the throttle on the down-change on a manual transmission), it should make for even sharper driving and control.

At a time when more and more carmakers are abandoning the manual transmission altogether in favour of sequential, automatic or dual-clutch paddle shifting systems, Nissan should be applauded for "keeping it real" and ensuring that those who want it can still have some analogue, engaging fun when driving.

And while the clutch and rev-matching system are now standard, Nissan is also offering a few new optional extras including its premium NissanConnect infotainment system, which incorporates satellite navigation, a DVD player and reversing camera.

"For nearly half a century, Nissan's Zcar series has built a cult following with sports car fans with a passion for performance and quality," said Ryan Gains, chief marketing manager, Segment and Sports Cars, Nissan Europe. "The Nissan 370Z MY18 remains true to this legacy, further elevating driving dynamics and classic design to new levels."


New Renault boss plans leaner, electric future

                PARIS: French carmaker Renault pledged to slim down and focus more on technology as its new CEO laid out plans to revive a business hammered by management turmoil and the Covid-19 crisis.

In a departure from the world-conquering view of former boss-turned-fugitive Carlos Ghosn, chief executive Luca de Meo said Renault would reduce the number of cars it turns out, focus on its most profitable models and on new electric launches - including a revamped version of the classic Renault Super Cinq.

“We grew bigger, but not better,” De Meo said in an online presentation, which aimed to project a jazzier, more youthful brand under a street-art style “Renaulution” slogan.

De Meo, who arrived last July after a stint running Volkswagen’s Seat brand, said the task now was to “steer our business from market share to margin.”

Even before the Covid-19 pandemic upended the car industry, Renault was struggling to adjust to life without Ghosn, the architect and long-time boss of its alliance with Japan’s Nissan. Ghosn was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on financial misconduct charges, which he denies, and later fled.

The company also faces new challenges, as the European Union tightens emissions regulations and rivals PSA and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles complete their merger to create Stellantis, the world’s fourth-biggest automaker, with potentially more resources to meet the industry changes.

Renault’s car production will drop to 3.1 million vehicles by 2025 from 4 million in 2019 - and down from the 5 million per year targeted by Ghosn in 2017.

Half of new launches will be electrified, manufacturing will be simplified and Renault will also focus on areas like car sharing and ride hailing, with the aim of deriving a fifth of revenues from these mobility services by 2030.

De Meo ruled out further job cuts, beyond the 15,000 it earmarked last year over the next two to three years.

But he hiked cost savings goals, with an extra €500 million (RM2.5bil) planned to reach €2.5 billion by 2023, and then €3 billion by 2025.

Investors were initially unimpressed, with Jefferies analyst Philippe Houchois describing profit goals as “underwhelming”, reflecting the “depth of challenges at Renault.”

Technology

Underscoring attempts at a fresh start for its troubled alliance with Nissan, Renault included a video message in its presentation from the Japanese carmaker’s boss Makoto Uchida, who gave the plan his thumbs up.

Under de Meo’s efficiency drive, Renault will build vehicles on fewer shared platforms to pare back costs by 600 euros per car by 2023, and aim to cut development time for new vehicles by a year, to under three years.

The 53-year old’s shift to a more electric line-up will include building a battery plant in France with one of the company’s suppliers, while the company is working on partnerships in areas like technology.

“We’ll move from a car company working with tech to a tech company working with cars,” de Meo said.

Renault aims to lift operating margins to 5% by 2023. It also plans to lower capital spending and research costs to 8% of revenue from 10% by 2025. Together, these measures should lower Renault’s break-even point by 30% by 2023.

The company has yet to publish margins for 2020, though following the pandemic which disrupted operations, they are likely to be lower than the 4.8% hit in 2019.

Renault also said it was targeting automotive free cash flow of €3 billion by 2023, and €6 billion by 2025.

“The commitment to short-term cash targets is positive as it remains the key concern for investors,” Citibank analysts wrote in a client note.

Renault said it had drawn an additional chunk of its €5 billion government-guaranteed loan secured early in the Covid-19 crisis.

The company said it would combine all its sports car efforts into one unit “dedicated to developing exclusive and innovative” vehicles, with Formula One racing “at the heart of the project.”


Licences for 15,000 senior citizens under JPJ campaign

                KUALA NERUS: The Road Transport Department expects about 15,000 senior citizens to get their driving or riding licence under the One Community, One JPJ (SKSJ) programme this year.

Its director-general, Datuk Seri Ismail Ahmad, said the programme was to help the community in dealing with JPJ, especially those in remote areas such as orang asli and senior citizens by bringing services to the people.

“We want road users, especially motorcycle riders, to get a valid licence so that they will be covered by insurance in the event of an accident,” he said after closing an SKSJ programme here yesterday.

Ismail said under the Kuala Nerus SKSJ programme, 447 participants obtained B2 class riding licence.

Participants only paid RM170 to obtain the licence compared to a minimum of RM400 charged by driving schools.

He said the programmes had benefited 77,500 people since it was introduced in 2009.


Bentley's China retailers fully operational, new Flying Spur deliveries begin

                BEIJING: Bentley Motors announced that all of its 40 retail outlets in China have fully opened as the country gradually returns to work following the Copvid-19 outbreak in the country.

Meanwhile, the British luxury marque has also begun customer deliveries of its new Grand Touring (GT) Flying Spur with first customer deliveries taking place across Europe and the UK during the first quarter of 2020.

Deliveries have been scheduled to begin in Eastern Markets, North America and the rest of Asia later this year.

The new Flying Spur is said to set a new benchmark for modern luxury GT and represents a perfect fusion of performance-orientated agility with exclusive, four-door, limousine-style comfort.

The new GT, with its extended wheelbase, comes with a choice of 127 unique interior and exterior colours which includes combinations.

In addition, adorning the Flying Spur for the very first time, the electronically-deployed, hood-mounted Flying B mascot seems to be a rather popular option with 50% of buyers opting for this extra.

The cabin gets stylish design lines flowing through the cabin while featuring a world-first three-dimensional diamond-quilted leather door inserts as well as new-designed fluted leather seats for the Mulliner Driving Specification.

At the rear, a state-of-the-art detachable Touch Screen Remote Control can be used to operate all major functions.

State-of-the-art driver assistance technologies include a Night Vision infra-red camera, Traffic Assist, Blind Spot Warning and a heads-up display as well as the new model’s Advanced Connectivity services.

Also a first, the Flying Spur features Electronic All-Wheel Steering, coupled with Active All-Wheel Drive and Bentley Dynamic Ride to take care of ride and handling while power comes from a 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 engine producing 635PS and 900Nm for a 0 to 100kph sprint time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 333kph.

"We have been paying close attention to developments surrounding the outbreak and are now pleased to be able to reopen our showrooms, with robust safety measures put in place, and allow customers back in to experience the extraordinary Bentley line-up,” said Bentley Motors managing director (Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao) Kim Airey.


America’s streets are getting rougher

                NEW YORK: When it comes to road conditions, drivers in some areas of the US have it far rougher than others. Pandemic-punched budget holes may mean they won’t get smoothed out anytime soon.

Many cities have used lockdown-induced empty streets as an opportunity to make repairs without disrupting traffic.

But more than 700 US cities have said they may cut infrastructure spending because of budget shortfalls, and more states are pushing off construction projects. Funding sources for roads vary by state.

For drivers, roads can be bumpy for their wallets, too. Potholes caused an estimated US$15 billion in damage to American cars over the course of five years, according to a 2016 report by the American automobile Association. The average bill for repairs caused by hitting a hole was about $300.

Three of the large US cities with a high percentages of run-down roads are in California, according to a new analysis of 2018 Federal Highway Administration data published by car-buying app CoPilot.

San Francisco isn’t new to road ridicule: a 2016 report also found it was the worst in the country, costing local drivers about US$1,000 per year.

At the state level, bad roads range from Georgia with only 6% of large urban roads in rough shape to Rhode Island, with almost half.


Rare Volkswagen Golf Mk1 up for auction

                LONDON: An incredibly rare 1979 Volkswagen Golf GTI 1.6 Mk1 Series 1 in museum quality condition with ‘unicorn’ status will go under the hammer with leading online classic car auction house, The Market.

The very early, UK, right hand drive, 4 speed variant has covered less than 17,000 miles from new in the hands of only three registered owners, making it possibly the best preserved, most original and most well-known Golf GTI Mk 1 on the planet.

Originally purchased by its first owner for £5,132.39 in September 1979, the classic VW is expected to sell for between £31,000 and £42,000 when it goes under the hammer with online auctioneer The Market, beginning on Mar 19 and closing on Mar 25.

So famous is this particular car that it even has its own Corgi Vanguards Classics 1:43 scale model, an exact miniature replica of the car itself.

“This is possibly the last opportunity that any of us will ever have to own what is still an essentially brand-new, unrestored, reference quality Golf GTI Mk1 – and not just any GTI, but the very purist, earliest model of the car that blazed a trail for everything that came thereafter,” comments Tristan Judge, director, The Market.

This particular example, registration ‘ENT 847V’, is well known within enthusiast circles having featured in a number of specialist magazines as well as making two television appearances.

The first was ‘The Car’s The Star’, broadcast by the BBC in May 1995, which saw Quentin Willson behind the wheel of “the world’s most complete car”. The car also went on to feature on the BBC’s ‘Clarkson’s Car Years’ in June 2000, in which Jeremy Clarkson names the Golf GTI as “the car of the century.”

Finished in Black with silver and black tartan seats, the car is complete with many original and rare features.

These include the small, early-type rear light clusters, non-locking fuel cap, Wolfsburg three spoke steering wheel, genuine Wolfsburg mud flaps, Toric T-76 buckle-less seat belts and golf ball gear knob. The 4 speed gearbox model was only available for three months in late 1979 before the 5 speed gearbox variant was introduced.

Typical of the very earliest models, the car does not have a sunroof, rear fog lamp, radio, aerial or passenger door wing mirror, all of which are staple features today, but expensive options when the Golf was new.

In 2015 the car was treated to recommissioning by renowned Mk1 Golf experts Crazy Quiffs of Wallingford.

This included a strip of the underside of the car and replacement of dampers, brake components and fuel lines to ensure safety. The engine was also removed for cleaning, the gearbox rebuilt, and the clutch assembly replaced.

“This is a true collector’s car and a genuinely unrepeatable opportunity. It is also road ready. We believe this amazing Golf GTI will be hard fought over when the auction takes place, potentially providing the opportunity to set a new record price for the model,” concluded Tristan.

The car is accompanied by its Volkswagen Historic Vehicle Certificate as well as a brand new in box Corgi scale model and a treasure trove of paperwork including its original bill of sale, original log book, brochure, original VW publicity photos, old MOT certificates, bills, correspondence with the BBC and all its old road tax discs.


China's Meizu unveils first smartphones since deal with Geely founder

                SHANGHAI: China's Meizu today unveiled its first smartphone products since it was taken over by a venture belonging to Zhejiang Geely Holding's founder, with the firms saying it marked their first step to integrating consumer electronics and travel.

A company run by Geely chairman Li Shufu took a majority stake in Meizu last year, making the Volvo owner the first established carmaker to enter the premium smartphone sector. He later named the company Xingji Meizu, with the brand as its smartphone arm.

At an event in Shanghai today, Xingji Meizu showed off its new smartphone line comprising of three models priced between 2,999 and 6,299 yuan (RM1,929-RM4,051) and which use the firm's homegrown Android-based operating system FlymeOS.

The company also introduced Flyme Auto, a system it had adapted to be used in cars, while Geely unveiled its Lynk & Co 08 crossover as the first model to use that operating system.

The launches come as Chinese consumers demand more smart technologies in their cars, favouring for example, the ability to use mobile apps from the car's dashboard.

Other tech-auto partnerships in China include Huawei Technologies, whose Harmony operating system powers Seres cars.

Meizu's new phones hits shelves as China's smartphone sector comes out of one of its worst-ever sales slumps.

In 2022, smartphone shipments fell 14%, and total unit shipments fell below 300 million for the first time in a decade.

Nearly 90% of smartphone sales in China belong to Apple Inc, Xiaomi Corp , BBK-owned Oppo and Vivo, and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd spinoff Honor, according to consultancy Canalys.

Meizu, a two-decade-old Chinese consumer electronics company, rose to prominence early in the past decade as an up-and-coming Chinese Android. However, it was bested by rivals and now holds marginal market share.


Highway users can pay toll with any digital payments soon, says Works Minister

                KUALA LUMPUR: The public will soon be able to pay highway toll using any digital payment provider and not just Touch 'n Go, says Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

The Touch ‘n Go card for highway tolling would also be retired in 2025 and the SmartTag lane to be phased out, he said in an interview with news portal Free Malaysia Today.

"Soon, it will be up to the public to use any digital mode of payment – whether you want to use Touch ‘n Go eWallet, debit or credit card, or Visa or Mastercard or any kind of (electronic) payment system, as long as there’s a link available on a (particular) highway," he was quoted as saying.

He said the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) was working to ensure it would be convenient for the public to embrace the online mode of payment.

"We have been listening to the people’s demand to open more (online payments) and we are aware that people have been complaining that they have to pay in advance for Touch ‘n Go whether they are using (the highway) or not," he said.

The future implementation of any digital payment for highway toll would however depend on when the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) penetration reaches a satisfactory rate and when highway concessionaires were ready to link up with additional online payment providers, he said.

Only one RFID tag would be required for the purpose, he said.

He also said highway concessionaires had been instructed to be prepared to put in place by 2025 a multi-lane free flow system, which is a barrier-free tolling system, without toll booths and no dedicated lanes.

The multi-lane free flow system uses a gantry structure equipped with automated number plate recognition at specific locations.

"If there is delay by some highway concessionaires, we may consider a private investment model or private finance initiative to take over (the multi-lane free flow system).

"The private investment model is for an open system. As you can see there are many highways in the country and all the systems need to be integrated. If we look at Singapore and Taiwan, they have single authority control (over the system)," he said.

Fadillah said there were some elements that LLM had to fine-tune before launching the multi-lane free flow system, including the regulations aspect, enforcement procedures, infrastructure development, RFID penetration rate and communication plan for multi-lane free flow implementation.

Fadillah added that the multi-lane free flow system was a key factor in the Intelligent Transportation System blueprint for future highway networks.

Meanwhile, the pilot stage of automated number plate recognition is under way at the Kajang-Seremban Highway, he said.

"We are also looking at a proposal for a public-private partnership, subject to further discussion with the Kajang-Seremban Highway concessionaire and another pilot project at Besraya Highway soon," he said.


New Peugeot 508 to debut in Geneva

                PARIS: The Geneva Motor Show will see Peugeot raise the bar in the D-class segment with the world reveal of its all-new 508, sporting a radical new aerodynamic design.

Breaking the mould of the traditional, four door saloon silhouette this exciting new model combines a bold new low coupé design with the enhanced practicality of five doors.

Its striking new look takes inspiration from a sports coupé, with sharp side window design, elegant frameless doors and alloy wheels designed to fill the wheel arch housings. It showcases a beautifully integrated rear hatch, offering a significantly larger aperture to the generous 487-litre boot whilst carrying all the hallmark features of the latest Peugeot vehicles, including the full LED ‘claw-effect’ rear lights.

With its sharp exterior design, beautifully appointed, premium interior and the very latest generation of the Peugeot i-Cockpit, the all-new Peugeot 508 delivers a whole new driving experience to D-segment car buyers.

Inside, it contains the three main characteristics of the Peugeot i-Cockpit, including the compact, full grain leather trimmed steering wheel, a large 10-inch capacitive touchscreen angled towards the driver and a 12.3-inch head-up digital instrument panel. It also features i-Cockpit Amplify, which enables the driver to choose between two levels of ambience – “Boost” and “Relax”.

Available with a range of six highly efficient petrol and diesel engine/transmission combinations, covering 130hp to 225hp, the all-new Peugeot 508 offers an exceptional driving experience.

The new flagship model comes equipped with class-leading levels of advanced driver assistance systems, including a new night vision system, which is new to the segment and uses an infrared camera with the ability to detect pedestrians at night and in cases of reduced visibility.


Ford patents cargo conveyor belt design to make retrieving groceries a breeze

                DETROIT: To solve the issue of not being able to reach things shoved deep into the cargo space of a three-seater SUV, Ford has patented a conveyor belt which would bring those things to you instead.

We've all been there: that watermelon you put in the boot rolled all the way up to the back of the driver's seat, forcing you to crawl into the cargo space to retrieve it. This is a seemingly small but valid issue, especially for those who don't have the ability to maneuver into that space.

In response to this, Ford applied to patent a "third row conveyor load floor," which, as you may have already guessed, puts a series of conveyor belts on the floor of the cargo space all the way up to the back of the third-row seats. Belt activation would be in your control, fortunately, thanks to a gearbox.

This invention could go one of two ways: either with the successful execution by drivers and passengers who can use the belts to retrieve that watermelon, or with a watermelon that explodes as it is rolled onto the ground. In either case, the patent is only a patent, and it may never actually make it to an SUV.

On the other hand, if it does, you better be careful not to walk away from the boot after you've turned it on.


This is the Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept

                INGOLSTADT: Audi has unveiled a concept for an executive class Avant with electric drive system.

The A6 Avant is the second electric model to be unveiled last week after the A6 Sportback in April 2021, boasting fast charging and a long range of up to 700km.

Audi said the fast charging and long range of its upcoming electric cars meant that they would be as good as its combustion engine counterparts, making them practical as daily cars for short or longer trips.

The A6 Avant has the same dimensions as the A6 Sportback e-tron. At 4.96 metres long, 1.96 metres wide, and 1.44 metres high, its body puts it in the luxury class. Its lines are a consistent development in Audi’s contemporary formal language.

Significant elements like the closed Singleframe and the continuous strip of lights in the rear emphasise its kinship with the other electrically powered Audis in the e-tron fleet.

“We’re not just electrifying the Avant’s successful 45-year history. What we want most of all is to use technical skill to add an exclamation point. In particular, this includes powerful 800 volt technology, 270 kW of charging capacity, and a WLTP range of up to 700km,” said Audi Board Member for Technical Development Oliver Hoffmann.

The range-topping A6 e-tron would be able to sprint from 0 to 100kph in less than four seconds.

Premium Platform Electric

The Audi A6 e-tron Sportback and Avant concept cars are now the first members of a family of vehicles – initially in the C-segment and later also in the B- and D-segments – to be based on the Premium Platform Electric, or PPE for short. This modular system is being developed under Audi’s leadership together with Porsche AG.

The first Audi production vehicles built on the PPE platform will be successively unveiled starting in 2023.

The PPE is the first platform designed to accommodate an unprecedented range of high-volume automobiles – including SUVs and CUVs with high ground clearance as well as cars with low ride height that are part of Audi’s core product range, such as the A6 series.

The A6 Avant’s back end, designed to be as beautiful as it is spacious, is one of the key attributes that qualifies it as the storage champ in a double sense.

The drive system and battery technology also justify that title. With its 800 volt system and a charging capacity of up to 270 kW, it can generate enough energy in just 10 minutes at a fast-charging station to drive about 300km. And in less than 25 minutes, the A6 Avant e-tron concept’s 100 kWh battery can be topped up from 5 to 80 percent.

Slippery as can be

Aerodynamics has always played a key role in Audi’s long history.

The Sportback’s cD value of just 0.22 is unprecedented in the electrified C-segment. With its expansive roofline, the Avant’s cD value is just 0.02 units above that. This translates to a car that has minimal aerodynamic drag – which initially translates into lower energy consumption and therefore extended range.

Large 22-inch wheels and short overhangs, the flat cabin, and a dynamic roof arch give the Avant proportions that are distinctly reminiscent of a sports car.

The absence of hard edges results in smooth transitions between convex and concave surfaces throughout the body, as well as in soft shadows. The Audi A6 e-tron concept appears monolithic, as if from a single mold – particularly when viewed from the side.

The gently backward sloping roof arch with the slanted D-pillar is a typical feature of Audi Avant window design; the D-pillar rises up from the stable base of the vehicle’s back end in an especially streamlined manner. The eye-catching quattro wheel arches effectively accentuate the width of the body and are simultaneously integrated organically into the side surfaces.

The wheel arches are connected by the specially sculpted battery area above the rocker panel, which is highlighted with a black inlay – a design element that is now a hallmark of the Audi brand’s fleet of electric vehicles. Also typical of Audi e-tron models are the sleek, camera-based virtual exterior mirrors at the base of the A-pillar.

A characteristic feature of an electric Audi is the large enclosed Singleframe grille, which is bordered at the bottom by deep air intakes for cooling the drivetrain, battery, and brakes.

Lights with wow factor

The flat headlight bezels extend far into the sides of the laterally sweeping front end, underscoring the horizontally aligned architecture of the vehicle body.

The flat headlights and taillights are slim and flush with the overall composition of the lines.

Digital Matrix LED and digital OLED technology makes it possible to achieve maximum brightness and a wide range of features even with a minimal surface area, while at the same time offering customizable light signatures.

Three small, high-resolution LED projectors are built into each side of the body, transforming the ground beneath them into a stage when the doors are opened – small, extended, dynamic lighting effects greet the occupants with messages in their own language.

The combination of safety features and aesthetic design is particularly important to Audi. That’s why the small, high-resolution projectors also display warning symbols on the ground – to warn a bike rider that the car door is about to open, for example.

The Digital Matrix LED front headlights achieve almost cinematic quality. If, for example, the A6 Avant e-tron concept is parked in front of a wall during a break to recharge the battery, the driver and passengers can pass the time playing a video game projected onto it. Instead of on a small screen in the cockpit, they’ll see their current game’s virtual landscapes projected onto the wall in XXL format – and all this via the Digital Matrix LED headlights.

The rear end of the concept car features a new generation of digital OLED elements that, as a continuous strip of lights, act like a display. They can also be used to create almost unlimited customizable variations of digital light signatures and dynamic lighting displays that can be adapted to the customer’s personal taste.

One new feature in the taillights is the three-dimensional architecture of the digital OLED elements, that – adapted to the shape of the body – makes it possible to perfectly integrate the night design into the overall look. This makes it possible to experience the dynamic light show not only in two dimensions – as was previously the case – but with an impressive, 3D spatial effect.

In addition, the projections around the vehicle allow its communication range to be extended beyond the vehicle for the first time.

With the help of intelligent connectivity in the vehicle, the A6 e-tron concept provides information to other road users with visual signals.


Mercedes-AMG unveils newly minted 421hp 2.0-litre M 139 turbocharged engine

                AFFALTERBACH (Germany): Mercedes-AMG's newly developed 2.0-litre turbocharged M 139 four-cylinder engine now produces up to 421hp and 500Nm of torque.

At 160.5kg, the newly configured 1,991cc single-turbo engine has a 7,200rpm redline and a compression ratio of 9.0:1 and a maximum charge pressure of 1.9 bar as standard.

It comes equipped with 16-valves with eight designated for intake that's controlled by a dedicated adjustable camshaft.

The remaining eight valves help exhaust exit the engine more optimally via a CAMTRONIC valve timing adjustable camshaft that helps improve flow dynamics.

Fuel is sent into the combustion chamber at a maximum charge pressure of 1.9 bar via a combination of modern direct injection and old-school manifold injectors that come with solenoid valves to help minimise carbon build-up on the intake valves.

The basic engine is capable of producing 387hp at 6,500rpm and 480Nm of torque from 4,750 to 5,000rpm.

The uprated S engine, however, is able to move more air at 1,200kg per hour into the engine and sends fuel into the combustion chamber at a higher maximum charge pressure of 2.1 bar.

This helps to increase the engine's output to 421hp at 6,750rpm and 500Nm of torque from 5,000 to 5,250rpm.

The new engine is entirely assembled by hand on the first floor of the AMG engine manufactory in Affalterbach, Germany with a newly implemented Industry 4.0 for the company's "One Man, One Engine" principle.

Compared to the transversely installed M 260 four-cylinder engine in the "35" models or the preceding M 133 engine, the new M 139 is rotated around its vertical axis by 180 degrees.

This means that the turbocharger and exhaust manifold are now facing the firewall to allow for an improved air ducting with shorter distances and fewer diversions - both on the intake and exhaust side.

The M 139's turbine housing is divided into two flow passages which run parallel to one another.

Together with the divided ducts in the exhaust manifold, the exhaust flow can be fed separately to the turbine to prevent individual cylinders from influencing each other negatively during load cycles.

In turn, this helps to improve the gas cycle resulting in higher torque readings at lower engine speeds and good responsiveness.

Furthermore, the shafts of the compressor and turbine have roller bearings for the first time ‑ as in the top output variant of the AMG 4.0-litre V8 engine in the AMG GT 4-door Coupé.

These reduce mechanical friction within the turbocharger to a minimum and is capable of responding more readily as well as reach a maximum speed of up to 169,000rpm in a shorter time span.

With a maximum charge pressure of 2.1 bar (1.9 bar in the basic version), the electronically controlled wastegate (exhaust relief valve) allows the charge pressure to be controlled more precisely and flexibly while optimising responsiveness, especially when accelerating from partial load.

The main input signals for the wastegate control unit are the charge pressure, throttle flap position and the knocking tendency.

The modifying signals include the intake air temperature, engine temperature, engine speed and atmospheric pressure to make temporary boosting of the charge pressure (overboost) possible under acceleration.

Fresh air is used in addition to oil and water to cool the turbocharger.

This is directed specifically to the charger from the radiator grille, via the engine cover designed as an air deflector and ducts beneath the bonnet.

The all-aluminium crankcase is a chill-cast unit. The areas around the cylinders are mostly solid, and the cover plate is only penetrated by smaller ducts for the coolant and engine oil.

The crank assembly with a lightweight, forged steel crankshaft and forged aluminium pistons with optimised piston rings combines low friction with high strength.

The sump features baffle plates so that despite the larger sump, and even under high lateral acceleration forces, there is always sufficient engine oil to lubricate all relevant components.

To reduce friction between the pistons and cylinder walls, the linings are coated with patented NANOSLIDE technology for a mirror-like surface that provides minimal friction and is twice as hard as conventional grey cast-iron liners.

Developed by Daimler AG, Nanoslide was first used for AMG's M 156 engine as well as other AMG engines including Formula 1.

Repositioning and slightly angling the injection nozzles and spark plug system in the cylinder head made it possible to greatly enlarge the exhaust valves compared to those of the preceding M 133 engine.

The larger exhaust cross-sections allow the gases to stream out of the combustion chambers with low losses and reduce the overall piston venting action.

More efficient cylinder head cooling was achieved by seating rings with a reduced installed height and a cooling borehole near the combustion chamber, in the web area between the exhaust seating rings.

The cooling performance was also improved by a near-surface water jacket geometry, a faster flow rate and an optimised volumetric flow rate.

Turbocharging and direct injection with a spray-guided combustion process not only allow a high power yield but also improve thermodynamic efficiency and therefore reduce both fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.

Cooling of the transmission oil is integrated into the engine's coolant circuit and is assisted by a heat exchanger mounted directly on the transmission. The engine control unit is mounted on the air filter housing, where it is cooled by airflow.

The demand-controlled, electric high-performance water pump operates independently of the engine speed.

Late activation during warm-up means that the engine block warms up more rapidly, with a positive effect on friction, consumption and emissions.

The pump can also be switched on or off as required when driving under less power or at low engine speeds.

Furthermore, the electric water pump ensures the full engine output and optimum heat dissipation over the entire engine speed range.

It also protects against thermal damage when idling in very high ambient temperatures.

Functions such as alternator management, the ECO start/stop function with fast restarting, the gliding function and a petrol particulate filter are also part of the technology package for the new AMG four-cylinder.


Why you shouldn't hold down the clutch when waiting at a red light

                BERLIN: How many of you out there are still driving vehicles with manual transmission? If you are one of them, try and avoid keeping your foot on the clutch the whole time when waiting at the traffic lights.

Whenever a driver pushes down on the clutch, there's a large amount of strain that is placed on one part of the car, the so-called release bearing. After enough time spent at red traffic lights, all this pressure on the bearing can lead to significant damage.

If that part breaks, then you may find your car can no longer properly separate the clutch discs, which leads to friction and, ultimately, a clutch that no longer works.

For the owner, that means having to get the whole clutch system replaced, which will cost at least a few hundred dollars.

That's why daily commuters are best off declutching while they wait and saving themselves a trip to the workshop.


Petron Malaysia stations now accepts Boost e-Wallet

                KUALA LUMPUR – Petron Malaysia has expanded e-wallet services at its stations in a collaboration with Malaysia’s leading e-wallet, Boost to enable cashless payments.

Petron Malaysia Head of Retail and Commercial Business Choong Kum Choy said Boost would create more payment options that are convenient and secure for Petron customers, besides allowing rewards and promotions.

"Public acceptance and use of e-wallets is increasing rapidly, and our service stations are more than ready to fuel this demand”, he said.

Boost chief executive officer Mohd Khairil Abdullah said the cashless payment programme with Petron would further encourage and give more opportunities for Malaysians to experience the convenience of going cashless as part of their day-to-day spending.

Petron partnered with GHL Systems Bhd, a leading payments company in Malaysia and Asean to introduce Boost at almost all Petron service stations nationwide.

The collaboration also enables payments via all leading domestic Malaysian e-wallets such as Goodkredit, Grabpay, Maybank QRPAY, MBSB, Mcash and Touch n'Go as well as
cross border e-wallets (Alipay and Unionpay) which are presently accepted in Malaysia.

GHL Group CEO Danny Leong said the unified single payment acceptance device within Petron's network could be easily extended to include other forms of cashless channels when they become available in the market.

In conjunction with its collaboration with Boost, Petron Malaysia is rewarding customers through the Spend & Win SURE ONG! campaign.

“We are always looking for better ways to give the most rewarding and Fueling Happy experience to our loyal customers. This campaign underscores our commitment in
giving customers more value for money and better returns,” said Choong.

From now until Jan 31, with a minimum spend of RM50 using Boost, users get RM5 in cashback, limited to two cashbacks per user.

In addition, with each RM40 spent at Petron stations, Petron Miles members and Boost users will earn one entry to the lucky draw contest.

To participate in the lucky draw, all transactions must be swiped with a validly registered Petron Miles card.

Prizes and Boost cashback worth up to RM1,000,000 consist 15 grand prize winners of RM8,888 cash each, while 150 first prize winners will receive RM888 cash.

There will be 500 consolation prize winners who receive 18,888 Petron Miles points each.


Tokyo Motor Show 2019: Mitsubishi Super Height K-wagon Concept

                TOKYO: Mitsubishi has introduced its latest Super Height K-wagon Concept - a next-generation super height "Kei" wagon that caters to drivers who want to go more places and longer distances.

The K-wagon promises wide-open passenger space while delivering the performance and functionality of a vehicle within its category, only it comes with a unique design that stems from the brand's styling of its sport utility vehicles (SUV).

The Japanese carmaker's front Dynamic Shield design concept was used for the front face, with a coated steel bar perpendicular to a horizontally-themed grille.

Its side view possesses a cabin-like silhouette that utilizes a long wheelbase and sculpted active character lines while the side sill garnish and wheel arches have been blacked-out to accentuate the character and uniqueness of an SUV.

Designed for the active outdoors person, its body colour takes on a two-tone combination of olive green and white with silver roof rails with the wheels incorporating the same colour scheme as the body.

Inside, it offers the wide-open passenger space of a super height Kei wagon passenger space was maximized in the back seats in particular with family use in mind.

With the largest rear door opening and back seat legroom in its class, passengers have plenty of space to relax with splashes of brown as the main theme and orange appearing ubiquitously as a secondary colour as synthetic leather covered with diamond quilting for the seats creates a high-quality feel.

For performance, the K-wagon will be looking to provide brisk road performance that's combined with advanced driver assistance technology and safety equipped as well as a high-performance engine mated to a continuously variable transmission.

By doing so, Mitsubishi says that its K-wagon should deliver brisk, stress-free road performance in low-speed and high-speed zones.

For added safety, the K-wagon will be blessed with the incorporation of e-Assist preventive safety technology package that includes MI-PILOT single-lane driver assistance on highways (a braking system that mitigates damage from collisions) and collision prevention assistance for pedal misapplication.


Norton Motorcycles launches British café racer V4CR

                LONDON: Norton Motorcycles has launched its first naked sport motorcycle, the V4CR which is billed as the most powerful British café racer.

The V4CR is based on the V4SV, but with stripped-back fairing for an artistic modern design, coupled with a riding experience befitting its 185 brake horsepower.

With just 200 set to be made, the naked superbike café racer is the first new motorcycle from Norton Motorcycles, following on from the re-engineered V4SV and new generation Norton Commando 961.

Hand built at the company’s Solihull headquarters, the new bike's stripped-back carbon-fibre fairing reveals the attention to detail in the handmade aluminium frame, and titanium exhaust system.

Exposed air intakes at the front, combined with the short body and compact tail unit, gives the V4CR its unique aggressive stance.

Available in two colour schemes, Carbon or Manx Platinum, the superbike café racer features an under-seat carbon fibre 15-litre fuel tank, with Kevlar reinforcement, and carbon-fibre body panels.

It is also the second motorcycle to be powered by Norton’s own liquid-cooled 1200cc, 72-degree V4 engine, which has been optimised to produce 185bhp at 12,000rpm and 125Nm of torque at 9,000rpm.

A quick shifter and auto blipper system, adjustable Öhlins front and rear suspension, Brembo brakes, solid aerospace grade aluminium billet-machine yokes, a lean-angle sensitive traction-control and three engine modes (wet, road and sport) are all featured on this British-made motorcycle.

As standard, the Norton V4CR has a traditional single round headlamp fitted with a modern LED unit, keyless ignition and a full-colour six-inch TFT display.

When it comes to the finishes, the Manx Platinum option presents platinum-coloured bodywork complemented by carbon panels, a striking orange seat and forged aluminium OZ racing wheels.

The second option, the V4CR Carbon, features exposed carbon fibre bodywork, with a black seat and carbon fibre BST wheels.

Dr. Robert Hentschel, CEO of Norton Motorcycles, said: “The Norton V4CR is a raw expression of impeccable design and intoxicating performance. We’ve taken the engineering of the V4SV and stripped back the outer shell to ensure the rider gets a truly uninhibited motorcycling experience.


Two people per car limit can be increased to three in case of medical emergencies, says Ismail Sabri

                PETALING JAYA: The two-person per car limit can be increased to three people in the case of medical emergencies, seeking healthcare services and medical attention, says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The Senior Minister (Security) had said that only up to two people per car would be allowed to travel to buy daily necessities and medication during the 14-day total lockdown starting on June 1.

Ismail Sabri had also said travel will only be allowed for two people including the driver in a 10km radius within homes to acquire daily necessities.

"However, three people will be allowed to travel in a car if the purpose of travelling is to acquire healthcare services, medical attention and emergencies," he said.

The Government announced today that all economic and social activities will not be allowed to operate during the 14-day total lockdown except for 17 essential services.

Ismail also said the e-hailing service will be allowed to operate and the two-person per car rule will apply.

Airports and seaports will be allowed to operate, said Ismail Sabri, adding that land and sea transportation is allowed to operate at a 50% capacity.

Bus and vans that transport employees will be allowed to operate at a 50% capacity, he said.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri also said commercial vehicles and vehicles carrying essential goods are allowed to operate, subjected to the respective licences and registration of the vehicle.

Government department vehicles and official cars will be allowed to operate based on the passenger capacity of the vehicle, he added.


BMW World Malaysia to showcase concept roadster bike

                KUALA LUMPUR: The BMW World Malaysia 2015 will feature the BMW concept roadster for the first time in the country.

The bike, announced earlier last year, is a typical BMW roadster with a 2-cylinder boxer engine, single-sided swing arm with cardan drive and a light tubular space frame. It interprets these classic elements in the most state-of-the-art, dynamic form.

The BMW boxer engine has always promised impressive performance and supreme power delivery across the entire engine speed range. In its latest generation it generates 125bhp at 7,750 rpm from 1,170 cc with a maximum torque of 125Nm at 6,500 rpm. The engine is also visually mid-point of the BMW Concept Roadster.

The compact proportions with low front and high rear form a wedge-shaped silhouette around it which accelerates the bike even when stationary. The crouching posture with a powerful focus on the front wheel and the very short rear promise agile, light-footed handling.

The LED headlamp shows off the distinctive "face" of the roadster, giving it a technical look.

Open to the public from April 17 to 19 at Bukit Kiara Equestrian and Country Resort, Kuala Lumpur, BMW World Malaysia will feature the largest display of premium BMW automobiles in the country.

Tickets are now available at RM18 per entry.

They can be purchased at www.bmwworld.com.my.

Proceeds will go to the Agathians Shelter.


SsangYong Australia gives 3 years free servicing to frontliners

                SYDNEY: SsangYong Australia is giving medical frontliners a three-year free servicing package on new cars bought in May 2020.

The special package is on top of financial support already provided to medical frontliners via SsangYong Australia's corporate fleet programme.

Since 2000, SsangYong had established itself as the Korean SUV leader, building a full line of vehicles comprising the Rexton, Korando, Musso, Tivoli and XLV.

The Korean auto brand is still struggling in Australia, after re-launching in 2018 as an SUV specialist.

In November 2018, the company had opened its first full factory subsidiary in Australia.

READ MORE: Ssangyong to sell assets after parent Mahindra drops rescue plan


Dirty power stations pose bigger threat to Japan car output than quake

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp employees at work in the Kawasaki plant last year. — Reuters
TOKYO: A global shift to zero carbon emission rules poses a greater potential threat to car manufacturing in Japan than the earthquake and tsunami that devastated its northwest coast exactly a decade ago, Toyota Motor's president said today.

The 2011 Fukushima quake destroyed factories and disrupted auto supply chains for months, raising questions about whether production should go overseas.

A decade later, Japan's heavy reliance on coal and gas to generate electricity means that unless it can replace them with renewable energy sources, carmakers would emit carbon during production that could put it over limits other countries adopt, even for zero-emission vehicles, said Akio Toyoda, speaking as chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA).

"In the past, production was moved out of Japan to the markets where cars were sold or to lower wage locations that gave a competitive advantage. The next shift could be to countries that have a more sustainable energy structure," Toyoda said.

"The challenge is an order of magnitude greater than the quake was," he added, speaking on the tenth anniversary of the quake and tsunami that destroyed towns and factories and claimed 20,000 lives.

Of the nearly 10 million cars built in Japan by Toyota, Honda Motor Co, Nissan Motor Co and other manufacturers, around half are exported, according to JAMA.

The industry employs more than 5 million people and Japan's car lobby can influence government policy. Toyoda's warning comes as Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's administration considers how to achieve a target it announced last year to eliminate greenhouse gases emission by 2050.

Japan has become more reliant on coal and natural gas since the tsunami as the destruction of the Fukushima nuclear plant forced the shutdown of other reactors.

In addition to an expansion of solar energy, Japan's government and Toyota are also promoting the use of hydrogen fuel as a way to lower carbon emissions.


Chinese brands become the people’s choice

The BYD Atto 3 was recently launched in Malaysia.
SHANGHAI: Popularity of local brands in the Chinese vehicle market is growing, according to analysts, as a result of their quick shifts towards electrification and the incorporation of cutting-edge smart features into new models.

Last month, sales of Chinese-branded vehicles topped 1.3 million units, up 9.8% year-on-year (y-o-y). They accounted for 54.4% of China’s passenger vehicle segment, which went down 5.6% y-o-y, according to statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

In the first 11 months of this year, sales of Chinese-branded vehicles reached 10.48 million units, up 24.2% y-o-y.

They seized a 49.2% share of the Chinese market from January to November, up more than five percentage points compared with the same period in 2021.

The rising trajectory of Chinese brands started around 2020, when they accounted for less than 40% of the market.

Their popularity has since been on the rise, while German and Japanese volume brands are losing ground.

Analysts said Chinese brands have seized the opportunities brought about by electrification, offering a richer variety of choices than their international rivals that dominated in the petrol car era.

Major Chinese carmakers BYD and Geely now sit high on the lists of candidates instead of Volkswagen and Toyota for volume car buyers, while Chinese startups Nio and Xpeng are gaining an upper hand over established premium ones from BMW to Mercedes-Benz.

Edward Wang, managing director of syndicated research at J.D. Power China, said Chinese brands are expected to lead in smart and software-based vehicles because they are quicker to adopt new technologies and launch new models.

“Such innovation is injecting momentum into Chinese brands in a rapid, effective and continuous way,” said Wang, adding that smart features and exciting onboard experiences are becoming increasingly important factors when car buyers make decisions.

“They are not necessarily buying a model solely for these functions, but they certainly would not buy it if it didn’t have such functions,” he added.

J.D. Power China’s findings released earlier this year showed that 53% of respondents said they would choose Chinese vehicles, and 67% of those who currently drive them said they would choose Chinese brands again.

BYD, which stopped selling petrol cars earlier this year, is now the world’s largest maker of new energy vehicles (NEVs), with its monthly sales hitting records several times this year.

According to the company’s report, its deliveries last month hit a new high of 229,942 units, including electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, which is 155% more than in 2021.

Its deliveries of NEVs have exceeded 3.1 million units. The carmaker expects its performance to grow even further in 2023, with its premium marque Yangwang unveiled to explore the high-end segment.

Other Chinese NEV makers are working to sharpen their competitive edges as well.

In November, GAC Aion, based in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, unveiled its latest electrical and electronic architecture.

The architecture, called Xingling, features one of the world’s most powerful sensing systems to improve the safety of smart vehicles, according to the carmaker.

The system comprises 39 sensors, including three second-generation lidar units with variable focal lengths.

It also involves infrared remote sensing technology, which can detect objects that cameras and radar may fail to spot.

The Xingling architecture came days after its latest vehicle platform, called the AEP 3.0, was introduced.

GAC Aion said it introduced hypercar technology into the platform so its vehicles can take on Tesla in terms of acceleration.

The carmaker kicked off a large power battery project earlier this month.

The project, with an investment of 10.9 billion yuan (US$1.56bil or RM6.9bil) and an area of about 44.4 hectares, will be engaged in battery research and development, design, intelligent manufacturing, sales and services. — China Daily


AirCar's first inter-city flight hailed as 'new era' of transport

                BRATISLAVA: Developers are hailing a "new era" of transport after a flying car completed its first inter-city flight.

The AirCar by Slovakia-based company Klein Vision completed a 35-minute journey from Nitra to Bratislava in the country at around 6am on Monday morning.

Using wings that fold away in less than three minutes and a propeller at its rear, the dual-transportation vehicle has now completed more than 40 hours of test flights.

It runs on fuel from a regular petrol station and is fitted with a 160bhp BMW engine. It has flown at 2,500 metres with a cruising speed of 190kph.

Its creators say the AirCar's new, pre-production model will be capable of cruising speeds of 300kph and of flying distances of just over 965km.

"This flight starts a new era of dual-transportation vehicles. It opens a new category of transportation and returns the freedom originally attributed to cars back to the individual," AirCar inventor Professor Stefan Klein says.

Michael Cole, the president and chief executive of South Korean car maker Hyundai's European operations, says that flying cars will be deployed in cities by the end of the decade.

"We think that by the latter part of this decade certainly, urban air mobility will offer great opportunity to free up congestion in cities, to help with emissions, whether that's intra-city mobility in the air or whether it's even between cities," he told a conference organised by the UK Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

"If you'd asked me a few years ago were flying cars something that I would see in my lifetime, I wouldn't have believed it," he adds. "But it's part of our future solution of offering innovative, smart mobility solutions."


Live showrooms, interactive 3D imaging: how carmakers are taking auto shows into the virtual world

                PARIS: After Volkswagen created an interactive digital experience for its new launches last April, now Peugeot is giving virtual access to its latest models.

As most major motor shows worldwide have been canceled this year due to the global health crisis, virtual presentations are trying to recreate the sensations of the events through various virtual approaches.

Peugeot has created a dedicated website, the Peugeot Show, which offers a 3D recreation of a traditional show booth. This site will be on view through Oct 31, allowing the French brand to present its latest models.

Virtual users can "wander" through the site with a 360-degree perspective and have access to the cars directly from their smartphone, tablet or computer. The vehicles are organised into three distinct universes: performance, electric and new cars.

Between Oct 15 and 25, a live showroom will also be offered via the same website, with a physical booth and live presentations as well as direct discussions with sellers, mimicking a traditional show, but remotely. These sessions will be offered every day from 9am to 7pm Central European Time, plus two night openings until 9pm on Oct 16 and 23.

These online initiatives allow car manufacturers to offer solutions previously adopted by tech brands to share their latest innovations with their audiences in a live, immediate format with Volkswagen organising a virtual show last spring.

As going online can often be a less expensive alternative to taking part in real-life events in Geneva, Frankfurt or Paris, major car manufacturers started showing less interest in these official gatherings for economic reasons over the past few years, even before the pandemic broke out.

This type of virtual show may well herald the future of the industry, Covid-19 or no Covid-19.

Discover Peugeot virtual showroom at salon.peugeot.fr


Mercedes-AMG previews E63 S Wagon ahead of Geneva

                AFFALTERBACH: Mercedes-AMG has given rise to greater practicality for its E63 S sedan - by slapping the badge onto a wagon and gifting it all the necessary goodies to make it worthy - including the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with 603hp from 5,750 to 6,500rpm.

As in the E63 S sedan, the 3,982cc engine gets managed by an AMG Speedshift Multi-clutch Technology (MCT) 9-speed sports transmission with paddle-shifters before letting loose a maximum of 850Nm of torque from 2,500 to 4,500rpm upon its fully variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system (AWD).

The MCT uses a wet clutch in place of the torque converter for weight-savings and better response especially when accelerating, while the AWD system finally has the ability to distribute torque between the wheels at both the front a rear.

The result? Acceleration from 0 to 100kph takes about 3.2 seconds before reaching an electronically limited top speed of 290kph.

As powerful as the engine may seem with an added "Drift Mode", it does have a more economical side to it with the standard inclusion of a cylinder deactivation system.

Externally for the first time on an AMG wagon, the hood is inset between the fenders and bumper like a coupe's, while accompanied by 1.1-inch wider wheel arches to accommodate the larger and fatter wheels at the front.

The bumper also exudes a wider approach that seems to take after a jet wing with flics in black and a large front splitter, which allows for the cooling system to slightly peer through.

There are also side sill panels, rear diffuser that's accompanied by two high-gloss chrome-plated twin tailpipe trims that trumpet off the hallmark AMG V8 sound that has been tuned specifically for the Wagon model.

The E63 S Wagon comes equipped with five different AMG DYNAMIC SELECT drive programs of Comfort, Sport, Sport +, RACE and Individual.

Such modes modify the response of the engine, transmission, suspension, steering, electronic stability programme and all-wheel-drive system.

Aside from the electronics, the German wagon from Stuttgart sits on a three-chamber air suspension system with adaptive damping and has three modes of Comfort, Sport and Sport+.

To further improve the wagon's traction and vehicle dynamics, it's been gifted with an electronically controlled rear limited slip differential (LSD) that reduces slip on the inside wheel when cornering without the braking system intervening.

Working in conjunction with the LSD is the three-stage ESP - ESP On, ESP Sport Handling Mode and ESP Off settings.

The wagon also comes with an electromechanical, speed-sensitive sports steering system with a variable ratio and gets adjusted according to the drive mode selected.

To bleed speed, there the fade-resistant AMG high-performance braking system using a set of perforated 15.4-inch (front) and 14.2" (rear) discs with six-piston (front) and single piston (rear) callipers.

Optionally available is the AMG Ceramic Composite braking system that upsizes the discs to 15.8-inches (front) and 14.2-inches (rear).

Inside, there's the black nappa leather-wrapped AMG Performance Steering Wheel, front sport seats (optional AMG Performance Seats with integral head restraints).

There are other additional choices available for the interior, such as nappa leather trim for the dashboard and beltlines, seat belts available in crystal grey and a steering wheel with a grey '12-o'clock' marking.

As standard, there are dual-12.3-inch digital instrument cluster screens that allow drivers to choose from three display designs of Classic, Sport and Progressive; while the gauges stare back in a carbon-fibre look.

Also included is the semi-automated driving system - Drive Pilot, that's particularly useful in traffic jams or on routine trips.

The world premiere of the E63 S wagon will take place at the Geneva Motor Show in March, 2017.

"The new AMG E63 Wagon combines our brand's hallmark driving dynamics with high everyday practicality. The powerful engine and the intelligent all- wheel drive underpin our claim to always be at the forefront of development when it comes to performance," said Mercedes-AMG CEO Tobias Moers.


Engineer buys Ford Ranger and wins Nissan Almera

 Mohd Shafiq with his family accepting the Almera prize from Dr Ang, witnessed by Aishah.
PETALING JAYA: Mohd Shafiq Saipollah, who visited the My Auto Fest show to get the best deal on a pick–up truck got more than he bargained for when he won a Nissan Almera.

Winning the Nissan Almera 1.5VL was an added bonus for Mohd Shafiq, who had booked a Ford Ranger at the Sime Darby Auto Connexion booth during the show, and registered it a week later.

“It’s unbelievable and a lovely surprise. I had no thoughts about winning the Nissan Almera when I filled in the booking form for the Ford Ranger,” said Mohd Shafiq, a 31-year-old engineer at the Police Air Wing unit of the RMAF base in Sungei Besi, Kuala Lumpur.
“Now there shall no longer be any arguments between my wife and me. She had wanted to buy a passenger car and I was looking out for a pick-up truck to help out my brother in his food truck business”.

The RM82,000 Almera with NISMO Aerokit was the grand prize in a “Buy a Car, Win a Car” lucky draw held at My Auto Fest.
Mohd Shafiq was presented the keys to his Almera at a prize-giving ceremony held at the Edaran Tan Chong Motor showroom in Glenmarie, Shah Alam, today.

Among those present were Malaysian Automotive Association president and organising chairman of the auto show, Datuk Aishah Ahmad and Edaran Tan Chong Motor executive director Datuk Dr Ang Bon Beng.

At the May 20-22 My Auto Fest held at the Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre, visitors had the opportunity to view over 100 new cars and scout for good deals.


Fewer drivers registering with Grab following new rules

                KUALA LUMPUR: Grab Malaysia has seen a reduction in the registration of new part-time drivers following the regulations imposed by the Ministry of Transport (MOT) on ride-hailing companies.

Country head Sean Goh said the number of new part-time drivers had decreased, but he believes this situation will eventually recover. "It is normal that during a transition period we see a decrease.

"We are finding the best solution for all (parties) as we understand the majority of our drivers are part-timers and their income from Grab contributes 30 per cent to their household income," he told reporters after meeting with the Council of Eminent Persons here today.

Goh said that Grab had engaged with the MOT and emphasised it would be a continuous discussion between the two parties to find common ground.

It was previously reported that e-hailing services would be subject to the same regulations as taxis, especially for licence and registration, vehicle inspection and operational requirements.

E-hailing companies must also register with the Companies Commission, or Cooperative Commission, and ensure vehicles undergo yearly inspections if older than three years.

Currently, more than 50 per cent of Grab's fleet are above three years.

Meanwhile, Goh said Grab is in discussion with various insurance companies on new insurance requirements and had yet to close the door to any interested party.

The MOT had announced that e-hailing services must provide insurance coverage for drivers, vehicles, passengers and damages to third parties.

Grab was given a grace period of one year to comply with the new regulations.


Carmakers wake up to new pecking order as chip crunch worsens

                BERLIN: The semiconductor crunch that has battered the auto sector leaves carmakers with a stark choice: pay up, stock up or risk getting stuck on the sidelines as chipmakers focus on more lucrative business elsewhere.

Car manufacturers including Volkswagen, Ford and General Motors have cut output as the chip market was swept clean by makers of consumer electronics such as smartphones - the chip industry’s preferred customers because they buy more advanced, higher-margin chips.

The semiconductor shortage - over US$800 worth of silicon is packed into a modern electric vehicle - has exposed the disconnect between an auto industry spoilt by decades of just-in-time deliveries and an electronics industry supply chain it can no longer bend to its will.

“The car sector has been used to the fact that the whole supply chain is centred around cars,” said McKinsey partner Ondrej Burkacky. “What has been overlooked is that semiconductor makers actually do have an alternative.”

Automakers are responding to the shortage by lobbying governments to subsidise the construction of more chip-making capacity.

In Germany, Volkswagen has pointed the finger at suppliers, saying it gave them timely warning last April - when much global car production was idled due to the coronavirus pandemic - that it expected demand to recover strongly in the second half of the year.

That complaint by the world’s No.2 volume carmaker cuts little ice with chipmakers, who say the auto industry is both quick to cancel orders in a slump and to demand investment in new production in a recovery.

“Last year we had to furlough staff and bear the cost of carrying idle capacity,” said a source at one European semiconductor maker, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“If the carmakers are asking us to invest in new capacity, can they please tell us who will pay for that idle capacity in the next downturn?”

Low-tech customer

The auto industry spends around US$40 billion a year on chips - about a tenth of the global market. By comparison, Apple spends more on chips just to make its iPhones, Mirabaud tech analyst Neil Campling reckons.

Moreover, the chips used in cars tend to be basic products such as micro controllers made under contract at older foundries - hardly the leading-edge production technology in which chipmakers would be willing to invest.

“The suppliers are saying: ‘If we continue to produce this stuff there is nowhere else for it to go. Sony isn’t going to use it for a Playstation 5 or Apple for its next iPhone’,” said Asif Anwar at Strategy Analytics.

Chipmakers were surprised by the panicked reaction of the German car industry, which persuaded Economy Minister Peter Altmaier to write a letter in January to his counterpart in Taiwan to ask its semiconductor makers to supply more chips.

No extra supplies were forthcoming, with one German industry source joking that the Americans stood a better chance of getting more chips from Taiwan because they could at least park an aircraft carrier off the coast - referring to the ability of the United States to project power in Asia.

Closer to home, a source at another European chipmaker expressed disbelief at the poor understanding at one carmaker of how it operates.

“We got a call from one auto maker that was desperate for supply. They said: Why don’t you run a night shift to increase production?” this person said.

“What they didn’t understand is that we have been running a night shift since the beginning.”

No quick fix

While Infineon, the leading supplier of chips to the global auto industry, and Robert Bosch, the top ‘Tier 1’ parts supplier, both plan to commission new chip plants this year, there is little chance of supply shortages easing soon.

Specialist chipmakers like Infineon outsource some production of automotive chips to contract manufacturers led by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC), but the Asian foundries are currently prioritising high-end electronics makers as they come up against capacity constraints.

Over the longer term, the relationship between chip makers and the car industry will become closer as electric vehicles are more widely adopted and features such as assisted and autonomous driving develop, requiring more advanced chips.

But, in the short term, there is no quick fix for the lack of chip supply: IHS Markit estimates that the time it takes to deliver a microcontroller has doubled to 26 weeks and shortages will only bottom out in March.

That puts the production of 1 million light vehicles at risk in the first quarter, says IHS Markit. European chip industry executives and analysts agree that supply will not catch up with demand until later in the year.

Chip shortages are having a “snowball effect” as auto makers idle some capacity to prioritize building profitable models, said Anwar at Strategy Analytics, who forecasts a drop in car production in Europe and North America of 5%-10% in 2021.

The head of Franco-Italian chipmaker STMicroelectronics, Jean-Marc Chery, forecasts capacity constraints will affect carmakers until mid-year.

“Up to the end of the second quarter, the industry will have to manage at the lean inventory level,” Chery told a recent Goldman Sachs conference.


Aston Martin's first SUV rolls off production line

                LONDON: Aston Martin’s first sport utility vehicle rolled off the production line today, key to hopes of a turnaround at the luxury carmaker which has seen changes in management and ownership over the last few months amid a torrid performance.

Popular for being James Bond’s carmaker of choice, the firm has had a difficult time since it floated in 2018 as sales disappointed and it burnt through cash, prompting it to seek fresh investment from billionaire Lawrence Stroll.

Since then it has announced job cuts, is replacing its boss and has picked a new finance chief among a series of changes as it also responds to the coronavirus pandemic.

The DBX vehicle is the company’s first foray into the lucrative sport utility vehicle market, a late entrant compared to many rivals such as Volkswagen-owned Bentley and BMW’s Rolls-Royce.

“The DBX has become the car that will drive Aston Martin into a bold new era,” said Aston’s chief creative officer Marek Reichman.

Deliveries of the model will start later this month.

Work at the firm’s new St Athan factory in Wales, where the model is being built, had to stop in March as lockdown saw the economy grind to a halt.

Output restarted in May with safety measures in place but the firm has yet to set a restart date for its English factory in Gaydon, where sports cars are built.


Okay, you can now refuel your cars at Shell stations

                PETALING JAYA: Almost all of Shell Malaysia's stations nationwide have returned to full operations after a computer glitch at the company's central monitoring system crippled operations at 900 of its petrol stations.

As of 9.30am Tuesday, 800 Shell stations are fully operational while the remaining stations are still only able to accept cash transactions.

"We continue to work fast to remedy the technical issues at the remaining affected Shell stations.

"We regret the inconvenience caused and thank our customers and retailers for their continuous support," a Shell spokesman said in a statement Tuesday.

The Star Online reported Monday that the glitch resulted in motorists unable to fill up their tanks through credit card transactions.

The problem caused petrol pumps, which are linked to the system, to stop dispensing fuel at around 1am on Monday.

Only stations with the older version of the pumps, which are not linked directly to the system, were able to dispense fuel.


Toyota gives new life to used vehicle parts

                SAN FRANCISCO: Toyota has bumped up efforts to reduce waste by recycling old vehicle bumper covers and other scrap parts.

In partnership with Boles Parts Supply (BPS), Toyota created the National Scrap Program in 2014, a one-stop shop for all of Toyota’s North American Parts Operation’s (NAPO) recycling needs.

Accepting the challenge to help Toyota recycle old bumper covers, BPS began shredding them into plastic pellets.

The pellets are now sold to a vendor where they take on a second life as part of the materials used to create new plastic automotive parts.

The program piloted with Toyota’s two largest parts centres – Ontario, California and Hebron, Kentucky – and in the first 15 months helped recycle over 40,000 pounds of cloth and foam, two materials previously incinerated or sent to landfills.

Between April 2014 and June 2015, it expanded to parts distribution centres in Cincinnati, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland, and more than doubled the amount of cloth, foam, glass and rubber recycled – over 88,000 pounds.

Toyota is currently reviewing the program for potential roll-out to remaining parts distribution centres.


US pedestrian and cyclist deaths rise in 2018, says NHTSA report

                WASHINGTON: US pedestrian and cyclist deaths rose in 2018 while overall traffic deaths fell 1% in 2018 to 36,750, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a preliminary report Monday.

The auto safety agency said it did not know the cause of the overall decline but has said a dramatic increase in traffic deaths in 2016 was the result of more people killed on foot, bicycle or motorcycle.

In 2018, the agency said pedestrian deaths were projected please to rise 4 percent and bicyclist deaths by 10 percent. The overall traffic fatality rate was projected to drop to 1.14 deaths per 100 million miles traveled as deaths fell to 36,750, the lowest rate since 2014. Pedestrian deaths accounted for 16% of all US traffic deaths in 2017, up from 12% in 2009.

The agency has been investigating the role of distracted drivers in overall US traffic death figures but has found challenges in getting an accurate picture of all distracted crashes because of the unwillingness of individuals to acknowledge they were distracted.

NHTSA said in 2017 there were 599 pedestrians, cyclists, and others outside vehicles killed in distraction-affected crashes.

NHTSA counts fatalities as any death resulting from a crash within 30 days of the incident and it takes a lengthy review of several data sources before final numbers are published.

The increases in deaths among pedestrians and cyclists come after a 1.7% decline in pedestrian deaths in 2017 to 5,977 and an 8% decline in bicyclist deaths to 783.

The issue remains a big concern in large US cities.

In New York, pedestrian deaths accounted for 46% of the city’s 207 traffic deaths in 2017, while 60% of the 15 traffic deaths in San Francisco were pedestrians.

Overall, traffic deaths in urban areas are up 17% since 2008. They have fallen by 18% in rural areas.

Deaths of people inside vehicles, which in 1996 accounted for an all-time high of 80% of all traffic deaths, has fallen to 67% in 2017. The 33% outside vehicles figure includes pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

The fatality rate and number of deaths is down dramatically from 2007, when 41,259 people were killed and 1.36 deaths per 100 million miles were recorded.


BMW brings i4 EV to Japan as country warms up to electric cars

                TOKYO: BMW AG is rolling out its four-door i4 sports coupe in Japan, where consumers are showing signs of greater willingness to buy electric vehicles.

Priced at 7.5 million yen to 10.8 million yen (up to RM394,000), the EV is currently available for orders with deliveries starting as soon as March, the German carmaker said in a statement this week.

While Japan has lagged behind the US, Europe and China on the uptake of EVs, there are signs that local drivers are starting to embrace electrified cars.

Registrations for imported EVs totalled 8,610 units last year, up from 3,238 in 2020, according to the Japan Automobile Importers Association, fuelled in part by a price cut for Tesla Inc.’s Model 3.

BMW’s i4 has a range of as much as 590km on a single charge, and features fast-charging capabilities.

Drivers can use a smartphone instead of a key to unlock and start the car, which also has connectivity and voice-recognition features.

Toyota’s bZ4X, Nissan Motor Co.’s Ariya and Hyundai Motor Co.’s Ioniq 5 are all set to go on sale in Japan this year as well.

In another sign of rising EV uptake, Tesla will open a new showroom in southern Japan, local media reported.

Hyundai, which withdrew from the Japanese market more than a decade ago, is returning by positioning itself as an EV maker by selling cars online.

The South Korean automaker is opening a pop-up shop in the Harajuku district from this weekend through the end of May.


Renault Test Drive Challenge winners announced

PETALING JAYA: TC Euro Cars (TCEC), the sole franchise holder for Renault vehicles in Malaysia, recently concluded the ‘Renault Test Drive Challenge’ with a prize presentation ceremony to 85 lucky winners.Five grand prizes in the form of the brand new Apple iPhones XS in addition to 50 petrol gift cards worth RM100 each and 30 exclusive Renault gift packs were given away.The five grand prize winners include 47-year-old Siti Noriah Arshad, Rohazlin Zukkafli, 34, Ganesh Kumar Manokara, Mohamed Al-Azadi Aljohari, 36 and 51-year-old Amran Md Shaari who entered through his test drive experience with GoCar.The ‘Renault Test Drive Challenge’ aimed to encourage more people to get behind the wheel of a Renault vehicle and better acquainted with the exceptional driving experience that the French marque has to offer. In total, the campaign generated an overwhelming number of test drives.Held at Renault showrooms nationwide between Nov 1 to Dec 31, 2018, the challenge was also open to GoCar customers who test drove the Captur through the ride-sharing platform during the contest period.“We’re gratified that so many people have participated in this test drive challenge and gotten behind the wheel to try out a Renault vehicle. Congratulations to all the winners. We hope to hold more of such campaigns to bring the brand closer to more Malaysians and give them more reasons to consider a Renault,” said Kuan Kim Luen, CEO, TC Euro Cars Sdn Bhd.For more information about Renault in Malaysia, please visit www.renault.com.my or www.facebook.com/RenaultMalaysia.


2018 Geely Boyue: Track thrills in Beijing

                A few fast-paced laps in the Geely Boyue at the Keizer Motorsport Experience Centre in Beijing left us impressed with its crisp steering, responsive handling, and nimble nature during high-speed corners.

The unit we drove was the high-spec 1.8-litre turbocharged Boyue, which makes 181hp at 5,500rpm and 285Nm of torque from 1,500 to 4,000rpm.

The test track experience in the Boyue was part of a “Belt and Road” programme organised by Beijing Xingyuan Automotive Information Technology Co, an Internet-based provider of services for the auto industry in China.

The company was founded in 2016 and provides wholesale services, Internet marketing services and Internet dealer operation services in China.

It also operates auto website www.qichedaquan.com.

Under the “Belt and Road” programme, writers from Malaysia, Egypt, Russia, India and Ukraine visited the 2018 Chengdu Motor Show before being flown to Beijing to test-drive a number of cars from Chinese marques like BYD, Chery, Trumpchi, Changan, Roewe, Wey, Baojun, Haval and Geely.

Beijing Xingyuan Automotive senior executive Steven He said Chinese car marques had improved product quality tremendously in the past few years, and as a result, sales had jumped considerably.

“We want to highlight that the design, built quality and performance of Chinese cars are of global standards. We believe that given the right consumer perception, Chinese cars will be successful in overseas markets also,” he said.

The Boyue was of particular interest to Malaysian writers as it is the base for the X70, Proton’s first SUV which is due for an official launch in Malaysia come November.

A recent preview of the X70 in Kuala Lumpur showed that the flagship X70 has features like Nappa leather upholstery, fully digital (and customisable) instrument cluster, powered driver’s seat, six USB ports, hill descent control, electric brake with auto-hold function, anti-glare rear view mirror, built-in ioniser under the centre arm rest, cruise control, keyless entry with push-start button and possibly a blind-spot monitoring system, among others.

The Premium variant of the X70 has front passenger powered seats with dual controls, and panoramic retractable tinted glass roof which tallies with the high-spec Boyue we have seen twice before in China.

We have driven the Boyue before on a short 2km straight stretch in Ningbo, but there’s nothing like a motorsports circuit to check out the dynamic driving qualities of a car.

Beijing Xingyuan Auto had organised each drive session on the track to start with negotiating a cone-filled slalom run at 40 to 50kph, followed by an off-the-line sprint to more than 100kph before hitting the brake pedal as hard as we could, and finally, dynamic driving through a sequence of tight corners.

Again, we found the interior of the Boyue to be impressive, with high-quality materials as well as nice fit and finish.

We liked the leather seats, which were comfortable and injected a premium look to the cabin.

Fitted with Continental UltraContact UC6 tyres sized 225/55 R19, the Boyue handled precisely through the slalom course, and steering response was precise and crisp.

We put the Boyue in Sport mode, and on the off-the-line sprint, we stepped hard on the accelerator pedal, got the car to just above 100kph on a straight line, before slamming hard on the brake pedal.

We had no issues with steering control during the hard braking. Of course, the UltraContact UC6 high performance tyres also helped with the short braking distance.

As for the dynamic driving, the Boyue excels again with good mid-corner balance, and the VSC (vehicle stability control) reacted fast when we took track curves aggressively.

There was a fair bit of tyre squeal as we attacked the curves, but the UltraContact UC6 tyres continued to maintain high grip.

The chassis felt nimble, and we did not experience worrying body roll in fast corners.

The six-speed torque converter automatic is smooth and responsive - so much so that some of the writers thought it was a sporty dual clutch system.

The gearbox doesn’t hunt much and the Boyue feels well put together, with a nimble chassis and high quality noise insulation materials as we drove it hard on the track.

To recap, the Boyue is sized 4,519mm (length) and 1,831mm (width) and 1,694mm (height) and segment rivals in Malaysia include the likes of the Subaru XV, Mazda CX-5 and Honda CR-V.

The 2,670mm wheelbase affords more than adequate rear leg room and a roomy rear cargo storage area.

Fuel consumption is rated at 7.8 litres per 100km.

The Boyue has been a major success in China with sales of over 20,000 units each month.

It retails for 98,800 to 159,800 yuan (RM59,512 to RM96,255), depending on variant.

READ MORE:

Proton X70 SUV previewed

Geely Boyue SUV made in high-tech Baoji plant

2018 Proton SUV: Facelifted Geely Boyue gets more premium features

Geely Auto: Carsifu visits Geely's Shanghai facilties

Geely group's remarkable rise via tech takeovers

2017 Geely Boyue: Quick test drive in Ningbo


Motorists rush to pick up RM50 notes in Singapore

                SINGAPORE: Motorists on the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) were treated to a rare sight – money strewn all over the road.

The incident took place at around 6.20pm near the area where the Seletar Expressway (SLE) connects to the BKE.

A YouTube video uploaded by the Singapore Reckless Drivers Community yesterday showed a sizeable swathe of the expressway littered with RM50 notes.

The video, taken from a vehicle’s dashboard camera, showed several motorcycles and vehicles parked on the left road shoulder as people rushed to pick up the notes.


Seong Hoe Premium Motors BMW dealership upgraded to feature MINI brand too

                MALACCA: Seong Hoe Premium Motors, Malacca’s longest-serving BMW authorised dealership since 1979, has reopened its doors to a newly refurbished showroom which will now be the home of vehicles from the BMW brand, such as models featured in BMW M, BMW i and more, as well as the MINI brand –in light of the recent acquisition of the MINI portfolio.

The new showroom will also feature an upgraded suite of premium services and facilities.

The newly refurbished dealership offers a large built-up space of over 7,100 sq ft, capable of displaying up to ten BMW vehicles, as well as three MINI vehicles.

The space also features an exclusive MINI showroom on the mezzanine floor.

Meanwhile, customers interested in Seong Hoe PremiumMotors’ BMW Premium Selection offerings may view the vehicles at a new facility located nearby the dealership.

Operating with a dedicated staff count of 50 staff members, Seong Hoe Premium Motors will provide a range of premium services to customers, including BMW Service, BMW Lifestyle, Original Parts and Accessories, BMW Financial and Insurance Services, Fast Lane Service, Pickup and Delivery Service, as well as Roadside Assistance.

MINI Service, Lifestyle and Accessories are also available.

The dealership also features the New Car Handover Lounge, Isetta Bar, RATC (reception at the car) bay and a BMW AC/DC charging station, on top of complimentary internet access.

Located at Lot 2020, Jalan Semabok, Taman Sinn Semabok, Seong Hoe Premium Motors Sdn Bhd is open from 8:30am to 5:30pm daily Monday to Saturday and 10am to 3pm on Sundays and Public Holidays.

BMW Group Malaysia managing director Hans de Visser said, “As demand for our highly-desirable premium vehicles continues to expand in tandem with our offerings across all our portfolios, it is a natural progression for us to raise the bar for one of our most important customer touchpoints –our dealerships.

“This is to ensure our esteemed customers are able to experience every step of the way for themselves the Premium Ownership Experience. We are especially pleased that Seong Hoe Premium Motors shares in this commitment, continuing to deliver world-class standard service for all our customers in Malacca, and we are confident that the newly refurbished showroom will only represent an enhancement of this experience,” he said.

 (From left) Loy, Seong Hoe Premium Motors founder Ng Ah Tong and de Visser.

Seong Hoe Premium Motors general manager Loy Suan Chiow said, “We owe it to the support of our loyal and strong customer base, who continue to put their trust in us for over the past four decades in delivering the Premium Ownership Experience.

“To date, we have successfully delivered over 400 units of vehicles annually, complemented by the highest standards in customer service.

“It is a point of pride for us here at Seong Hoe Premium Motors and one that we intend to extend to our newly enhanced dealership, allowing us to better serve our customers in Malacca and the surrounding areas. With impressive success, Seong Hoe Premium Motors is anticipating a market potential of delivering over 1,000 units of BMW and MINI vehicles within the next three years,” he said.

For details, visit https://www.bmw-seonghoe.com.my/


Petrol 10-sen up, diesel 20-sen up in April

                PETALING JAYA: Fuel prices for the month of April will see an increase across the board.

RON95 and RON97 petrol will see an increase of RM0.10; to RM1.70 (from RM1.60 per litre) and RM2.05 (from RM1.95 per litre), respectively.

Diesel is up RM0.20 to RM1.55 per litre.

The new prices were confirmed by Petron Petrol Dealers Association president Datuk Alang Zari Ishak.

The adjustments will start on midnight Friday.