Indonesia proposes to tax polluting cars, plastic and sweet drinks

Indrawati said the tariffs on vehicles would vary depending on emission levels and other aspects. — Reuters
UPDATE: Indonesia’s parliament today told the government to tax a wider range of plastic products than it had proposed, but held off on the administration’s plans to levy sweet drinks and polluting vehicles.

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s finance minister proposed today new duties on vehicles that emit carbon dioxide, sweetened drinks and plastic bags, to control consumption of the products in South-East Asia’s largest economy.

Sri Mulyani Indrawati’s proposal comes amid weak tax collection after the economy grew at its slowest pace in three years in 2019. Indonesia had a nearly US$15 billion revenue shortfall last year due to weak company profits and falling exports.

The government wants to impose duties on new vehicles that emit carbon dioxide as part of efforts to control pollution, the minister said. The tariffs would vary depending on emission levels and other aspects, she said, without providing details.

The proposal would also levy excise taxes ranging from 1,500 rupiah to 2,500 rupiah ($0.11-$0.18) per litre on sugar- and artificial sugar-sweetened beverages, such as bottled tea, coffee, carbonated soft drinks and energy drinks, she told a hearing with parliament’s finance commission.

The aim is to cut consumption of sweet drinks, Indrawati said, arguing that the prevalence of diabetes and obesity levels have steadily increased in the past decade.

Some 2% of Indonesians age 15 and above suffer from diabetes in 2018, up from 1.1% in 2007, while the number of obese adults rose from 10.5% in 2007 to 21.8% in 2018.

Indrawati also brought up again her 2017 proposal to impose an excise tax of 200 rupiah per bag on plastic bags, which parliament has not approved yet. The levy, though small, can halve Indonesia’s consumption of plastic bags to 53,533 tonnes a year, she argued.

The total additional revenue expected from all three measures per fiscal year is 23.56 trillion rupiah or about US$1.72 billion - 1.61 trillion rupiah from plastic bags, 6.25 trillion rupiah from drinks and 15.7 trillion rupiah from vehicles, she said.

Indrawati did not say when the government plans to begin collecting the excise taxes.

Chairman of the Indonesian Food & Beverage Association Adhi S. Lukman said the proposal would jack up prices and hurt people’s purchasing power.

“Basically, there is no data that shows applying excise will reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases and obesity, if that’s the intention,” he told Reuters, adding that he would lobby against the measure.


Why ride-hailing fleets could cause more pollution than private cars

                NEW YORK: Research suggests that although ride-hailing vehicles are less polluting on a single trip, they are more polluting than a private vehicle over the course of a day.

In the United States, ride-hailing services may claim that they help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in major cities and keep traffic moving.

But it's not that simple.

A recent study suggests that while this type of vehicle is, on average, less polluting on a given journey, this advantage is negated over the course of the day by all the miles they are driven without paying customers.

According to a study published by the American Chemical Society, even a fully electric fleet of private-hire vehicles would not fully mitigate the additional cost that ride-hailing cars impose on society, compared to driving a private car.

Because they drive for longer than other vehicles, trips in ride-hailing cars can reduce the air pollutants associated with so-called cold starts.

In addition, they are, on average, newer and less polluting than conventional passenger vehicles. In fact, on average, ride-hailing travel could result in a 50-60% reduction in the costs linked to local air pollution.

Unfortunately, this benefit is offset by the negative effects of the time spent between fares, during which drivers travel without passengers until their next pickup.

This can account for up to 40% of the total mileage of each car. In the end, each ride-hailing trip could cost society about US$0.35 more in terms of pollution treatment than if it were made in a private car.

To come to this conclusion, researchers simulated the replacement of private vehicle travel by ride-hailing services in six US cities, including Austin, Chicago and New York.


Le Mans to be raced behind closed doors

                PARIS: One of the world's most celebrated car races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, will be contested behind closed doors this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, organisers announced on Monday.

The annual endurance test attracted a massive 252,000 fans in 2019 and several movies have been made about the event including the cult 'Le Mans' starring Steve McQueen in 1971.

"Sadly, the world's greatest endurance race will be run this year with no spectators trackside," Pierre Fillon from the Automobile Club de l'Ouest said.

"Given the constraints involved in organising a festival-scale event over several days in the current situation, we have agreed with the local government authorities to hold the race behind closed doors."

The 88th 24 Hours of Le Mans at the Circuit de la Sarthe will be held as scheduled on Sept 19-20. starting at 14:30 local time (8.30pm in Malaysia).

Unlike Grand Prix racing, which develops the fastest cars, endurance tests such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans are designed to produce sporty but reliable, fuel efficient road vehicles.


Setel offers contactless refuelling option at Petronas stations

                KUALA LUMPUR: Setel, Malaysia's first petrol e-payment solution, has introduced Setel4Me which provides for a pure contactless transaction at select Petronas fuel stations.

The latest update to the app (available for download on Google Play Store and Apple AppStore for free) enables users to remain seated in their vehicle while it gets refuelled by a pump attendant.

At present, there are only five stations offering this service and is indicated by the app (which tracks the app user's location) after selecting the pump number.

The locations are:
- Petronas Bukit Raja NKVE (Klang Bound)
- Petronas Jalam Kolam Ayer, Ampang
- Petronas Mutiara Damansara
- Petronas Sprint Highway
- Petronas Taman Tun Dr Ismail

If available, an option to have a pump attendant refuel your vehicle will be made available.

At present, the app is providing a 10% cashback with select credit cards from Ambank, CIMB, Citibank, Hong Leong, RHB and UOB banks.


Ferrari to build a future as good as its past with new CEO, says chairman

Camilleri speaking with a technician after the Italian Formula One Grand Prix at the Monza racetrack, Italy, on Sept 2. - Reuters
AMSTERDAM: Under new CEO Louis Camilleri, Ferrari is determined to be as successful as it was under his predecessor Sergio Marchionne, the chairman of the Italian supercar maker told a shareholder meeting to approve Camilleri’s appointment.

“Sergio Marchionne strengthened the foundations of Ferrari, now we can build on that for the future, which will be a bright future,” John Elkann said on Friday.

“Under the leadership of Camilleri, Ferrari is determined to build a future that is as good as its past,” he added.

Camilleri’s appointment won the backing of 98 percent in a shareholder vote.


BMW X7 now also offered in M Sport grade at RM729K

                KUALA LUMPUR: The BMW X7 M Sport has arrived, introducing a second variant that seeks to show the sporty side of the SUV.

The locally assembled X7 xDrive40i M Sport is priced at RM728,800. Price is for extended five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and 5 years' free servicing.

The X7 comes with the M Aerodynamics package and 22-inch alloy wheels with M Sport brakes.

It is powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder petrol engine hooked up to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The engine makes 340hp and 450Nm of torque.

It shares much of what the RM709,000 X7 Pure Excellence variant gets.

These include Executive Drive Pro suspension control system and integral active steering features, complemented by an all-wheel drive system.

The latest variant of the SUV also retains the seven-seater layout, panoramic sunroof, BMW Laserlight, BMW display key, active cruise control and engine auto start/stop, parking assistance with surround camera.

Inside, the M Sport car also has fancy glass controls such as seen in the gearshifter, Start/Stop button and iDrive knob. The cabin also gains a Harman Kardon hi-fi system, BMW Live Cockpit Professional and M Sport leather steering wheel.

New to this variant is a different wood trim to give off a sporty vibe.

Three types of leather upholstery are offered and they go by names like Vernasca Cognac, Vernasca Coffee and Vernasca Black.

Exterior colour choices are Black Sapphire, Mineral White, Manhattan Metallic and Arctic Grey Brilliant Effect (an M Sport-only colour).

SPECIFICATIONS


The project to build a 'green' race track for electric vehicles

                PARIS: For years, a project to build a motor racing circuit has been envisioned near Laon, in the Aisne region of France, on the site of a former military base.

Faced with strong local opposition, especially from environmentalists, it was finally decided to make the track a destination dedicated entirely to electric vehicles, with on-site power provided by a solar park. A world first!

The site's owner, the British company MotorSport Vision — which already owns some of the UK's most prestigious race tracks (Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, Snetterton, Donington Park, etc.) — is to create from scratch the world's very first "eco race track."

The initial project to race powerful supercars at the site has been abandoned in favour of a circuit reserved for electric vehicles only.

At the helm of MotorSport Vision is none other than the former Formula 1 driver, Jonathan Palmer.

As part of this ambitious project, he announced a 100% electric race track, but also a complex entirely powered by a dedicated solar park, spanning a little more than 300 hectares, and installed directly on-site. This should be able to provide all the energy needed to operate the site's infrastructure, as well as ensuring electric vehicle charging.

Palmer hopes to make this new "green" race track a reference in terms of eco-responsibility, as a non-polluting and relatively quiet place, far from the usual image of a motor-racing track.

Moreover, the launch of this race track, which is just over three kilometers long, falls in line with current industry trends, since manufacturers will be obliged to stop selling new combustion engine cars in Europe by 2035.

As such, France looks set to be home to the world's first "eco race track," expected to open in the next four to five years.


Lanmodo Pro looks to shield your vehicle from the elements

                SAN FRANCISCO: From international crowdfunding website, Indiegogo, comes the Lanmodo Pro automatic car tent that's touted to provide ease of installation and use while protecting a vehicle against some of nature's elements.

The Los Angeles-based company claims that its product is 'the world's first four-season tent for vehicle protection' and can be had in three colours of Black, Silver or Navy for its two variants - the Standard and the All-in-one Lanmodo Pro, that's covered by a one-year limited warranty.

The Standard kit is currently retailing at USD$499 (RM2,000) and includes a tent, wall charger, car charger, remote control, and a carry bag. However an early bird promotion brings the price down to USD$279 (RM1,116).

The All-in-one goes for USD$899 (RM3,600) and adds a stand, six pull-ropes, eight side canopies, 14 tent pegs, two tent poles, and a LED bulb to help it turn itself into a 4,800mm-wide, 2,350mm-wide and 1,800mm-tall tent that can fit up to six persons. The early-bird promo brings it down to USD$599 (RM2,400).

The creators claim that its 13.5kg product can be fully deployed in 30 second with the help of a 10 watt Brush Motor powered by a single 2,200mAh 18mm x 650mm (18650) lithium-ion battery. Charging can take up to five hours via the car charger or three hours via the wall plug.

Its fibreglass base is secured on top of a vehicle's roof with a suction base that has a detachment lever. Once secured, it will require 70kg of force to pop it off.

Once deployed via a wireless remote controller, the tent is able to cover an area that's 4,800mm-long and 2,350mm-wide before folding into a more compact 850mm-long and 230mm-wide dimension for storage.

The canopy uses a reflective polyester film to help reflect sunlight and 48kph-rated wind channels have been integrated beneath the canopy to help circulate out hot air.

Also, tethers help the tent to be further secured to the car with loops for the front wing mirrors, hooks for the rear door handles and anti-theft tethers with steel wires go between the doors.

According to the company, distribution will begin in May and shipping will be free for those in the United States, while the rest of the world will be charged accordingly.

 Lanmodo Pro Standard

 Lanmodo Pro All-in-one


PM wants F1 to return but circuit boss is in no hurry

                LONDON: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said he wants Formula One to return to the country but there have been no talks with the sport's owners, according to Sepang circuit boss Razlan Razali.

The grand prix dropped off the calendar in 2017 with Razali saying then that it was financially not viable and Malaysia would not continue even if the race was offered for free.

"Right now, we are not desperate to want it back," Razali said during a visit here on Wednesday, adding that nothing could happen before 2022.

There were also no guarantees that Formula One was interested.

"Yes, our prime minister has made a few statements. He hopes one day it comes back, but I’m not here to knock on (commercial rights holders) Liberty Media’s doors and say ‘Excuse me, can we have a chat’."


Car makers all for cleaning up diesel's image

                British consumers are confused when it comes to diesel fuel's green credentials and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) wants to remedy the situation.

With the support of a host of major car makers, SMMT is attempting to redress the balance and correct many misconceptions.

They might be more expensive to buy but new-generation diesel engine cars are cheaper to run, offer better fuel efficiency than petrol or even many hybrids and, thanks to a number of technological upgrades have also become less sluggish, quieter and kinder to the environment.

However it would appear that despite ongoing popularity in the region - 55% of new cars sold in Europe are diesels - they're still perceived by many motorists as adding to rather than reducing pollution.

So much so that the SMMT has last week launched a nationwide campaign, backed by Ford, BMW, Jaguar and Volkswagen to help dispel misconceptions and underline the role that cleaner diesel engines have in helping to hit stringent future cleaner air targets.

"Diesel cars produce, on average, 20% less CO2 than equivalent petrol cars and so have a vital role to play in helping to arrest climate change," said Graeme Grieve, CEO BMW Group Britain. "Great strides have been taken to transform diesel engine emissions technology and continued, major investment from the industry is making them even cleaner."

From September, all new cars on sale in the EU, regardless of their engine type will have to comply with the Euro-6 emission standards, meaning that they will be the leanest from an environmental standpoint in automotive history.

However, the SMMT is concerned that in Britain, this is being ignored by policymakers who are basing fines, rewards and penalties solely on a car's engine type. For example, in some areas of London it costs more to park your car outside your home if it has a diesel engine, regardless of its emissions or fuel economy rating.

Britain is not alone in targeting diesels as a means of cleaning up its environmental act.

In France, over 70% of cars on the roads are diesel and to encourage motorists to consider fuel efficient gas engines, hybrids or full electric vehicles instead, the government has increased the price of diesel fuel. Moreover it is contemplating banning cars from city centres once they've passed a certain age and launching a scheme to help drivers trade in a diesel for a gas, electric or hybrid model.

There is no debating that a well-maintained and serviced diesel engine burns less fuel than a gas engine with the same displacement. But there is also no debating that diesel engines release more potentially harmful nitrogen oxides (NOx).

To counteract this, the latest diesel cars have special particulate filters but they take time - usually 5km of travel - to really start working at an optimum level. This issue could have been one of the contributing factors to the record pollution levels seen in Paris in March 2014 which saw the city introduce a driving ban and make public transport free in order to bring pollution levels down to below 180 micrograms of PM10 particulates per cubic meter.

"Today's diesel engines are the cleanest ever, and the culmination of billions of pounds of investment by manufacturers to improve air quality. Bans and parking taxes on diesel vehicles therefore make no sense from an environmental point of view. We need to avoid penalising one vehicle technology over another and instead encourage the uptake of the latest low emission vehicles by consumers," said Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive. - Relaxnews


BMW warns of pandemic risks as third-quarter profit rebounds

                FRANKFURT: BMW's third-quarter profit rose almost 10% thanks to Chinese demand for luxury cars, but the German automaker warned a new wave of coronavirus infections sweeping Europe and the United states posed a "considerable" risk to its business.

Sales of luxury models such as the 8 series and X7 helped the carmaker reach a new sales record in the quarter, but the cautious outlook sent BMW shares lower on Wednesday.

“After a more stable phase in the economic environment in the third quarter, the pandemic is now clearly regaining momentum,” BMW said.

“If the pandemic takes an even more serious course and the global economy experiences a perceptible downturn, the risk exposure could be considerable, particularly on the demand side.”

BMW shares were down 1% at 1112 GMT, underperforming Germany's blue-chip DAX index.

Like rival Mercedes, BMW's pretax profit recovered in the third quarter, rising 9.6% to €2.46 billion  (RM12bil), lifted by an 8.6% increase in deliveries.

The automotive EBIT (earnings before interest and tax) margin rebounded to 6.7%, from minus 10.4% in the second quarter and 6.6% a year earlier.

“BMW beat mostly on earnings quality with auto margin recovering to year ago level,” Jefferies analyst Philippe Houchois said, pointing to prudent cost management, lower R&D spending and a rebound in demand from China.

But after the pandemic-related hit in the spring, BMW still expects overall deliveries of high-end vehicles and group pretax profit this year to be significantly lower than last year.

Reliance on China

Deliveries of BMW and MINI-branded vehicles rose 8.6% in the third quarter, mainly thanks to a 31% spike in China, which helped offset a 15.7% drop in demand in the United States, where the pandemic has hit sales hard.

The growing importance of China led BMW to abandon its strategy of seeking “balanced sales across all continents”.

“We don’t like to refer to it as a dependency (on China). What is happening is a natural adjustment,” chief executive Oliver Zipse told reporters on a conference call.

“If we speak about dependencies, we are dependent on our customers,” he said, noting China has a higher population than both Europe and the United States.

China accounted for 34% of all BMW Group’s new car deliveries in the third quarter, followed by Germany on 13% and the United States on 12%.

Zipse also said BMW would come to terms with whoever wins the US presidential election. “Naturally it is in everybody’s interest that there is an unambiguous result,” he added.

Expecting global demand for premium cars to drop by more than 10% this year, the Munich-based company is adjusting its production footprint.

Manufacturing of the BMW X1 and MINI Countryman will be phased out at Dutch contract manufacturer VDL Nedcar, with production moved to BMW plants, Zipse said.

The company is also preparing to introduce a new vehicle architecture in 2025, developed to build mainly electric and digitally connected vehicles, he added.

BMW reiterated it expected to achieve an automotive EBIT margin of 0%-3% this year.


Germany probes Porsche over suspected petrol engine manipulation

The investigation is focused on engines developed between 2008 and 2013, including those of the Panamera and 911 models.
HAMBURG/MUNICH: Germany’s motor vehicle authority KBA is investigating Volkswagen’s luxury sports vehicles unit Porsche AG over the suspected manipulation of petrol engines to achieve improved emissions data.

A KBA spokesman said today the investigation involved petrol engines that Porsche produced for the European market before 2017.

Porsche had confirmed a newspaper report on Sunday that it had informed the authorities after internal investigations uncovered suspected irregularities.

German prosecutors fined Porsche €535 million (RM2.6bil) last year for lapses that allowed the company to cheat diesel emissions tests, but manipulation has not yet been proven for petrol engines.

A Porsche spokesman on Sunday said the issues related to vehicles developed several years ago, adding there were no indications that current production was affected. The carmaker was working closely with authorities, he added.

Bild am Sonntag weekly had reported that the investigation was focused on engines developed between 2008 and 2013, including those of the Panamera and 911 models, with suspected illegal changes to hardware and software that could affect exhaust systems and engine components.

The paper also said that apart from discussions with employees, evidence was also being sought in the minutes of company meetings and hundreds of thousands of emails.

A spokesman for Audi, Volkswagen’s premium division, said there were no indications that the issues identified at Porsche also existed with regard to Audi components.

“Audi AG is constantly and continuously reviewing technical and regulatory aspects of various vehicle types,” the spokesman said in emailed comments.


Pre-owned Kia deals starts this weekend!

                KUALA LUMPUR: Naza Kia Malaysia, the official distributor of Kia vehicles in Malaysia, is hosting a carnival-themed Kia Pre-Owned Fest at its Naza Automall in Petaling Jaya.

The event, from June 28 to 30 (9.30am to 6.00pm), boasts of almost 200 pre-owned Kia vehicles being made available for sale with prices starting from RM8,000 (while stocks last).

Of the available vehicles, there are more than 100 pre-owned units of Kia models ranging from the Picanto to the Sorento sport utility vehicle (SUV).

Additionally, the entire Kia line-up will be displayed at the automall including the Sportage and Sorento SUVs as well as the fastback Stinger.

During the event, family members are also able to enjoy food and beverages, activities, entertainment and multiple lucky draws throughout the day. Prizes include petrol, shopping and Dotty’s Pastries & Coffee vouchers.


No plan to reduce petrol price to RM1.50 per litre

                KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The Government does not plan to reduce the price of petroleum to RM1.50 per litre, unless the world price of crude oil price drops to that level, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah told the Dewan Negara today.

He said it was also because such a plan (to reduce oil price to RM1.50 per litre) was not contained in the Pakatan Harapan's manifesto for the 14th general election.

He said this in response to an oral question from Senator Datuk Ng Chiang Chin during the question and answer session in the Senate.

Ng wanted to know the amount of oil subsidy and plans by the Government to reduce the oil price to RM1.50 per litre, as promised by Pakatan in its election manifesto.

Amiruddin said the subsidy for RON95 petrol borne by the Government for the period between May and June this year was RM1.667bil.

The Government, he said, still maintained the retail price of RON95 petrol and diesel at RM2.20 and RM2.18 per litre respectively, although their actual market price was higher.

He said a detailed mechanism on the implementation of a targeted petroleum subsidy system was being worked out and an announcement on it would be made after the matter had been finalised.

The subsidy will be given to those eligible for use of motorcycles of 125cc and below and cars with 1300cc and below, he added.


Ministry to query TnG on its new Visa card’s inability to handle toll payments

                PETALING JAYA: Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub tweeted that Touch 'n Go would be asked to provide an explanation about its new prepaid Visa card tomorrow morning.

"I have received a lot of complaints regarding this matter and I have informed the Enforcement Division to look into this issue seriously,” he said in a tweet today.

Salahuddin’s tweet was accompanied by The Star’s report, “Touch ‘n Go unveils Visa card tied to ewallet, but it can’t be used to pay for tolls”.

At the launch yesterday, the company said that the card can’t be used for toll payments as it was unable to integrate both Visa Paywave and its NFC features due to interference issues discovered during the early development phase.

Most people on social media have been critical, saying that it is inconvenient to have to carry two cards in order to use its ewallet.

The Visa prepaid card, tied to the company’s ewallet, allows users to make online and offline payments both locally and internationally.

According to TnG, the card acts as a complementary payment channel to its ewallet, allowing users to make payments even if the merchant doesn’t have a DuitNow QR code.

The card also allows users to withdraw cash at automated teller machines (ATMs) with the Visa Plus logo.


Isuzu to relocate factory from Thailand to Indonesia, says Indonesian minister

                JAKARTA: Japanese truck maker Isuzu Motors plans to relocate a factory from Thailand to Indonesia and could start production as early as next year, Indonesia's industry minister said on Wednesday.

Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita met with Isuzu's executives in Tokyo on Tuesday, the ministry said in a statement.

Isuzu in Thailand did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation.

"We appreciate Isuzu's decision...we will provide incentives and will support the relocation process," the minister said in the statement.

Isuzu already has a factory in Karawang, Indonesia.

Indonesia currently produces automobiles for several Japanese brands including Honda, Mitsubishi and Suzuki. It is also seeking to position itself as a centre for electric vehicle battery production, capitalising on its abundant raw materials.


Teen model charged with reckless driving

                BUKIT MERTAJAM: A 19-year-old part-time model who allegedly drove against traffic on the highway and caused a fatal accident in March has been charged with reckless driving.

Ng Pei Ven (pic above) was initially charged under Section 44 of the Road Transport Act 1987 with driving under the influence of drugs to the extent that she was incapable of controlling her vehicle, resulting in a death.

She is now charged under Section 41 of the same Act with driving recklessly to the extent of causing the death of Mohamad Fandi Rosli, 26.

Ng, who was without her lawyer, pleaded not guilty to the new charge which was read out by a court interpreter during mention at a magistrate’s court here yesterday.

Magistrate Jamaliah Abd Manap then set Aug 28 for next mention and ordered that her lawyer be present.

Ng is said to have driven in the oncoming lane on the North-South Expressway, crashing into Mohamad Fandi’s car and killing him on the spot, at the 134km mark near Permatang Pauh, at about 7.50am on March 14.

Four other vehicles were also damaged in the accident.

If convicted, she faces a jail term of not less than two years and a fine of not less than RM5,000. Her driving licence has been suspended for the duration of the trial.

After her case was heard, Ng put on a surgical mask and black cap before leaving the courtroom.

She left the courthouse quickly, looking down as her mother guided her away from press photographers.

It was reported on May 13 that Ng was freed of a charge of administering drugs to herself after deputy public prosecutor Kamaliza Md Zin informed the court that her urine test result was negative.


Tesla to modify electric cars for China to meet new charging standard

                BEIJING: Tesla Motors Inc said it will modify new electric vehicles it produces for China to fit the national charging standard in the world's biggest automobile market once that standard has been set.

The American electric car maker is also actively involved in the process of setting that standard in China, the company said in a statement on its website on Monday.

Tesla cut jobs in China earlier this year after it missed sales targets, which analysts partially blame on difficulty charging the company's electric cars in China.


General Motors targets 20 all-electric models by 2023

                DETROIT: General Motors announced plans Monday to launch 20 all-electric cars by 2023, part of a long-term push to an "all-electric" fleet as governments globally embrace fuel efficiency.

The biggest US automaker said it will introduce within 18 months two new models built on the learnings of the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt, which was launched in December 2016.

"General Motors believes in an all-electric future," said General Motors executive vice president Mark Reuss.

"Although that future won't happen overnight, GM is committed to driving increased usage and acceptance of electric vehicles through no-compromise solutions that meet our customers' needs."

The Bolt, the first all-electric vehicle aimed at the middle market, now faces competition from Tesla's Model 3, which has won admiration among many environmentalists and car aficionados as a leader in new car technologies.

Car companies are investing heavily in all-electric vehicles as officials from China to Europe emphasize the need for more energy-efficient vehicles, even as today's fleet remains overwhelmingly populated with conventional autos.

Officials from Britain and France are among those who have said they plan to block sales of diesel or gasoline-fueled cars in 2040, while Norway has set a 2025 deadline.

China has set a target that at least 12 percent of cars must be hybrid or electric by 2020.


2021 Detroit auto show axed, replaced by open-air Motor Bella in September

                DETROIT: The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) announced on Monday that the show for 2021 has been cancelled because of the ongoing pandemic.

In its place will be an open-air Motor Bella event that seeks to bring next-generation mobility and exciting vehicle debuts to media,
show-goers and the automotive enthusiasts’ world.

Motor Bella will be held from Sept 21-26 at the M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan as the traditional DEtroit show takes a pause this year.

Centrally located in the metro Detroit area, M1 Concourse, often referred to as an “87-acre playground for auto enthusiasts,” enables exhibitors to showcase key vehicles and technologies in an outdoor setting.

Plans call for 1.6 million square feet of dynamic vehicle and technology display space including terrain ideal for showcasing off-roading capabilities.

M1 Concourse also offers a 1.5-mile hot track on the grounds for technology and vehicle demonstrations.

“The pandemic has caused changes in our society and world in ways not previously imagined, and we all should be looking for new and highly creative ways of doing business,” said executive director Rod Alberts.

“This new event captures that creative spirit. It will provide new mobility experiences and increasingly innovative approaches to
tapping into the industry and its products.”

Alberts said attendees can expect a multi-sensory experience at the new event. “This all-outdoor venue, with adrenaline-pumping track activities and a full complement of OEM and technology exhibits, is going to offer the sights, sounds and even the smell of all that the new world of mobility has to offer.”


Flax instead of plastic? How renewables are entering car interiors

A handful of kenaf fibres as used by BMW in door panels. - dpa
MUNICH: Instead of leather, pineapple fibres keep the car seat covers taut. Stuck onto the hemp-based dashboard are decorative flourishes made from eucalyptus, flax and kenaf.

Modern cars are increasingly relying on renewable raw materials in their interiors.

Compared to artificially manufactured products, nature-based has some key advantages: the materials are grown sustainably, are continuously available in theory, have good insulation and crash behaviour, and are potentially biodegradable.

"These materials often have a smaller carbon footprint, are lighter, easier to recycle, and offer benefits in terms of their look and feel," explains Daniela Bohlinger, head of sustainable design at BMW.

 Eucalyptus wood on a BMW car dashboard. - dpa

In BMW’s electric-powered i3, around 20 per cent of the materials used are recycled, while this figure is 15 per cent for conventional BMW vehicles.

Depending on the car’s configuration, up to 80 per cent of all surfaces in the driver's field of vision may be renewable or sustainably processed raw materials, including kenaf (a type of mallow), eucalyptus, wool shearings (instead of cotton) or olive leaf extract for tanned leather. The possibilities are endless.

"We are looking into just about everything, such as the use of wool from kapok nuts or the processing of plastic recovered from rivers and lakes," says Bohlinger. BMW is also researching recycled materials to replace plastic parts for wheel arches, underbodies or cable trees.

"The important thing for all recycled materials is that they maintain the same quality as conventional materials," says Bohlinger.

At Volkswagen, flax, hemp, kenaf, paper, cellulose, cotton and wood are also being used in production models. Components with these materials can be found, for example, in door and side panels or floor coverings.

In the current Golf, more than 100 components are made from renewable raw materials, while fellow German automakers Audi and Mercedes also use a variety of renewable products in interiors and panelling.

Even so, these materials are not without their drawbacks. The materials’ seasonal changes in availability and price present some problems for the industry for continuous production.

 Kapok thread on a reel from the nuts behind. It is coming to cars as fabric. - dpa

In some cases, negative environmental impacts such as water, fertilizer, energy and land use, as well as social impacts such as food competition, can impede the use of eco-based products.

An additional challenge is the fluctuating properties of the renewable raw materials. Often, the desired properties can only be achieved through expensive processing and treatment.

Toyota has been using renewable raw materials in production models since 2001, in components such as door-sill panels, door linings and seat cushions, says spokesman Dirk Breuer. In addition, fibres for rear shelves, roof racks, carpets and seat covers are no longer made of plastic.

The Toyota Sai, currently sold in Japan, uses renewable raw materials for 80 per cent of interior surfaces, and also features biodegradable rubber instead of plastic for vacuum hoses; this will also soon be used for fuel or brake hoses.

Manufacturers’ move toward renewable resources is not merely a matter of altruism and environmental awareness; EU regulators, for example, set targets for materials of recycled origin and demand that 85 per cent of a car consist of metal and other material that can be re-used.

"However," says Daniela Bohlinger of BMW, "sustainability is also becoming a topic that defines the concept of a premium car," with consumers increasingly interested in the lasting impact of their vehicle purchase.


Hollywood stars pose for 2017 Pirelli Calendar

                MILAN: Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz and Lupita Nyong'o have posed for the 2017 Pirelli Calendar, which features a host of Hollywood's biggest names.

The likes of Uma Thurman, Kate Winslet and 'House of Cards' actress Robin Wright are also among the 15 stars who appear in the calendar.

The photos were taken by the German fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh, who has shot for Pirelli twice before.

Other movie greats featured include Alicia Vikander and Helen Mirren, with the photos taken in Berlin, London, Los Angeles, Le Touquet and New York.

The first Pirelli Calendar was published in 1963, and the publication has since featured many of cinema's best known performers.

All image source: Pirelli


Zeekr hires ex-Lexus brand veteran to helm Europe operations

                SHANGHAI: China's Zeekr has hired a former Lexus executive to helm its operations in Europe, according to a memo seen by Reuters, as the electric vehicle (EV) maker plans to sell into the region later this year.

Spiros Fotinos, who spent 24 years with Toyota and led the brand management of Lexus globally, joined Zeekr in September as the chief executive officer of Zeekr Europe to oversee the brand's operation in the region, the memo showed.

A Zeekr representative confirmed the appointment of Fotinos.

The previously unreported move underscores Zeekr's efforts to establish a foothold in the premium EV segment in the home markets of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi.

The Geely-owned brand said on Wednesday it planned to offer the SUV-styled Zeekr X and its Zeekr 001 EV sedan in western Europe. Zeekr previously said it would start delivering in Europe in the fourth quarter of this year.

Zeekr CEO Andy An said then the company would provide more details on its strategy for overseas sales at the Shanghai auto show, scheduled for April 18-27.

It aims to sell 140,000 Zeekr cars this year, doubling the figure in 2022, An added.


Renting a car? Don't forget to unpair your phone afterwards

                HAMBURG: If you pair your smartphone with the infotainment system of a rented car, make sure that you delete your data before returning the car. If you don't, personal data such as your contacts may be readable by others.

The easiest way to delete your data is to reset the car's infotainment system to the factory settings, advises Germany's ADAC car club.

Depending on the car model, you may have to dig deep into the settings menu to find this feature, but generally it should be available as an option.

If you can't find it, the next step is to look for an option to unpair your smartphone, which is usually easier to find, ADAC says.

And if you used an app that was installed in the infotainment system, for example for streaming music from Spotify, don't forget to log out of that service.

If you only want to use your phone for calls when travelling in the car, you can also refuse to transmit any data to the car's infotainment system. You should see (and be able to deny) the request for authorization on your smartphone once paired with the car.


Tesla to unveil Model Y on March 14, says Musk

Musk at a SpaceX launch event in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Sunday. — Reuters
SAN FRANCISCO: Tesla Inc will unveil its Model Y on March 14 at an event in LA Design Studio, chief executive Elon Musk said on Sunday.

"Model Y, being an SUV, is about 10 percent bigger than Model 3, so will cost about 10 percent more and have slightly less range for same battery," Musk said in a tweet.

The Shanghai Gigafactory, based in eastern China, aims to manufacture Model 3 and Model Y cars, with annual capacity of 250,000 vehicles.

Tesla earlier this week offered a US$35,000 version of its Model 3 sedan and said its global sales would now be online-only, steps designed to increase demand and cut overhead costs for the electric vehicle maker.


Volvo wants to seize software and chip ordering from suppliers

                GOTHENBURG: Volvo Cars’ chief executive said his company needs to take more direct control of the software in its vehicles, which will dramatically transform its relationship with traditional auto suppliers.

Hakan Samuelsson summed up the structural changes that the Chinese-owned Swedish carmaker needs to make as “quite a revolution, really.”

During EcoMotion Week, a mobility conference webcast from Tel Aviv, he said reliance on suppliers for certain functions slows Volvo down, and that setting up a more centralized electronics architecture will lead to more direct relationships with chip manufacturers.

“Today, the software is decentralised in a lot of black boxes, and we buy it from suppliers based on specifications, but when we want a change and you have to talk to suppliers, it is too slow,” Samuelsson said.

“To have speed of development but also to guarantee high-quality, over-the-air downloads, you really need to secure the compatibility of all functionalities, and that is very difficult if you have the old structure.”

Samuelsson’s comments allude to two major challenges that have been vexing established automakers: one for several years, and the other more recently.

Tesla Inc. has become the world’s most valuable automaker by far because its vehicles are both electric and capable of being updated over the air, much like mobile phones.

Incumbent car manufacturers are only just starting to build their vehicles with similar capability, and they’ve relied on their traditional suppliers for help.

Bringing more of this work in-house could also spare Volvo and other carmakers from supply-chain issues like the shortage of semiconductors that hindered auto production for months, according to Samuelsson, whose CEO term was recently extended through the end of 2022.

Large carmakers are highly reliant on first-tier parts suppliers such as Germany’s Continental AG and Robert Bosch GmbH, who procure chips and other subcomponents from smaller parts makers and chip manufacturers.

Samuelsson sees this setup as needing to change, in part so that Volvo can be more direct with semiconductor makers about how many vehicles it’s planning to build.

“With a more central electronic architecture, we will be the one who has the commercial relationship with the chipmaker, and that is necessary to give the suppliers the right forecast,” Samuelsson said.

“That is very difficult when we have this decentralised structure with various black boxes.”


Small BMW G 310 GS Big On Adventure

                The BMW G 310 GS or better known as the ‘Baby GS’ due to its smaller cc displacement compared with the 1200cc, 800cc and 650cc siblings has caught the world attention.

This is due to BMWs bold move to introduce a capacity below the 500cc.

From a distance, the 310 GS can pass off as the bigger GS but when I came closer, the bike looks small and timid.

However, I will admit that the finishing of the G 310 GS is top notch.

The quality of this bike is as good as the bigger GS that we know. Nothing was compromised.

The notable GS features, like the beak, mudguards, cast swingarm and the luggage rack is truly BMW.

For a lower cc bike of this sort, BMW has definitely made it look premium at much lower price.

The sitting position of the 310 GS is very similar to the other GS which is upright.

Meanwhile the handle bars are wide and easily reachable without having to strain my arms.

Such sitting position and the wide bars are suitable when I decided to venture into a mild off-road environment in Semenyih.

The 313cc single-cylinder engine is definitely a must bike for any novice adventure bike rider.

The 310 GS promises adventure but power that is very manageable which is a good start before one graduates up to a bigger bike within the GS stable.

This GS is like a mini Swiss Army knife which can perform exactly like a bigger GS but limited by its smaller engine capacity.

While riding up to Fraser’s Hill, I had a whale of a time.

In the beginning I felt very threatened by my other riding mates who were riding bikes of 1,200cc and above.

These bikes definitely left me behind on the highways but on the highland, it was the Baby GS who was the king of the mountain.

Every corner and twisties along the Frasier’s Hill route was a walk in the park.

The light weight and the agility of the 310 GS gave me all the confidence to flip the bike left and right.

Not only that, even riding down the hill was effortless unlike the heavy bikes which had to be extremely careful with the sweeping corners and hairpins.

The bike comes with a 11 litre tank that offer some 210km plus range which is very decent for a 310cc bike, making it suitable for interstate rides.

On highways, the baby GS is very calm and composed.

No surprises from this small fella.

While I was clocking above the legal speed limit, the bike’s composure was solid like a rock although I was expecting some sort of vibration.

I was feeling hard for vibrations but could not find any. Bravo Baby GS.

The short windshield on the bike managed to protect my head from wind blast when I was throttle happy.

However, it is highly recommended to have an adjustable windshield that allows taller riders to have a better wind protection.

The digital panel is simple and easy to read even during the day under the hot sun.

The bike is fitted with basic yet important information to any riders like tripmeter, gear indicator and fuel consumption.

The 310 GS, unlike the other bigger BMW siblings, is not equipped with riders aids except for the anti-lock braking system (ABS) which can be engaged and disengaged while on-the-fly.

Baby GS comes with six speeds complemented with light clutch.

The clutch and the gears engagements are very smooth.

On many occasions, I was pulling the clutch lever with two or three fingers.

There is no need to grab the clutch lever with four fingers especially when you are riding off-road and this reduces the hand fatigue.

While I was bouncing away on dirt trails, I realised that this tall fella is extremely stable.

For tall bikes, stability is always a challenge but not for this GS.

Novice off-road riders will find the 310 GS well-planted on the trail and highways.

BMW Motorrad engineers have designed the 310 GS well that its center of gravity does not hamper the riding experience on all terrain.

The front 300mm single disc, four-piston caliper from Brembo does an awesome job in braking and I did not experience any lunges when I slammed on the front brakes.

And not to forget the rear brakes which comes with 240mm single disc, single piston caliper bites hard enough to give me the stop I needed without the skids.

The G 310 GS absorbed all the humps and bumps that I could think off while riding on few off-road trails.

I was expecting a below average suspension performance but I was wrong.

Being a light bike, I expected the bike throw me off the saddle when I was ‘monkeying’ around on few off-road trails but the suspension offered me a pleasant and controlled ride.

The single cylinder G 310 GS has a small capacity but has a big appetite for long distance and off-road rides.

I won’t be surprised if the folks at BMW decides to enhance the G 310 GS to a GSA like the 1200.

Let’s wait and see.

BMW G 310 GS Engine: 313cc, DOHC, liquid cooled single cylinder
Maximum power: 33.5hp at 9,500rpm
Maximum torque: 28Nm at 7,500rpm
Transmission: Six-speed
Front suspension: 41mm telescopic upside down
Rear suspension: Swingarm mounted single shock, adjustable preload
Front brake: 300mm single disc, four piston caliper, switchable ABS
Rear brake: 240mm single disc, single piston caliper, switchable ABS
Fuel capacity: 11 litres
Wet weight: 169.5 kg
Price (without GST): RM28,106


Ford to open orders on F-150 trucks amid production snags

                DETROIT: Ford Motor Co said on Friday that it will open orders for its popular F-150 Lightning truck next week as part of its plan to scale to annual production of 150,000 units.

Ford is facing another production snag on the F-150 pickup trucks due to missing door handles, a source said on Wednesday.

The company faced a production snag in February after a battery fire. Production resumed in March.

"While a supplier part shortage is affecting some of our North American plants, we expect to make up all of the production that is impacted," the automaker said in an emailed statement on Wednesday.

Ford this week posted robust first-quarter revenue and reiterated its plans to boost Lightning production to a rate of 150,000 vehicles a year by the end of this year.


Looking ahead at ways to avoid accidents between autonomous cars and cyclists

                LONDON: While it can already be dangerous for cyclists to ride on roads surrounded by motorists who aren't necessarily all vigilant, what will happen in the future when they have self-driving cars to contend with?

These vehicles will have to learn to understand the behavior of cyclists to ensure the safety of all. This is what research carried out by specialists in human-computer interactions at the University of Glasgow has demonstrated, by studying the behaviour of cyclists on the roads of Britain.

This research suggests, for example, that autonomous vehicles could communicate with other road users via signals displayed externally, like LEDs placed on the edges of cars that could warn other road users of a lane change, rapid acceleration or sudden braking.

Otherwise, in the future, cyclists could be equipped with smart glasses displaying information about the intentions of autonomous vehicles. These glasses would allow cars to communicate with nearby cyclists, possibly in the form of augmented reality markings or even vibrations alerting riders to danger.

To come up with these proposals, the researchers conducted two observational studies of road traffic in and around the city of Glasgow to learn more about how road users interact with each other.

They observed 414 separate interactions between cyclists and motorists at five intersections in the city during busy morning and late afternoon periods. In a second phase, they equipped 12 volunteer cyclists with eye-tracking glasses and head-mounted video cameras to observe what they were primarily looking at when in the vicinity of vehicles.

Of course, this study has its limitations, especially since it only concerns British road users. It goes without saying that in Germany, Italy, the United States, Japan or France, behaviours can be different.

Nevertheless, it shows the need to study these behaviours to better understand what the relationship between humans and machines on the road could look like in the era of autonomous vehicles.


Volvo to to embed Google apps in Sensus infotainment system

                GOTHENBURG: Volvo today said it is working with Google to embed the voice-controlled Google Assistant, Google Play Store, Google Maps and other Google services into its next-generation Sensus infotainment system, based on Google’s Android operating system.

Volvo’s intended partnership with Google will further enhance the way Volvo customers engage with and interact with their cars. Apps and services developed by Google and Volvo Cars are embedded in the car, plus thousands of additional apps are available through the Google Play Store that is optimised and adapted for Android-based car infotainment systems.

Since the next generation of Sensus will run on Android, new apps and software updates will be available in real time and can be automatically applied. This allows future Volvo cars to react to customer needs and offer drivers up-to-date information and predictive services.

“Bringing Google services into Volvo cars will accelerate innovation in connectivity and boost our development in applications and connected services,” said Henrik Green, Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Volvo Cars. “Soon, Volvo drivers will have direct access to thousands of in-car apps that make daily life easier and the connected in-car experience more enjoyable.”

The Google Assistant provides a central voice interface for the car that allows drivers to control in-car functions such as air conditioning, and use apps to play music and send messages. This integration contributes to reducing driver distraction, helping drivers keep their eyes on the road at all times.

Google Maps will also enable the next generation of Sensus to provide refreshed map and traffic data in real time, keeping drivers informed about upcoming traffic situations and proactively suggesting alternative routes.

Today’s announcement builds on the strategic relationship between Volvo Cars and Google, which began in 2017 when Volvo Cars announced the new generation of its infotainment system will be based on Google’s Android platform. The first Android-based system is intended to be launched a couple of years from now.

Volvo Cars said it is committed to developing strategic relationships with third parties to broaden the range of connected services. The company also makes its own apps, software and connected services.


VW CEO: smart cars, not e-cars, are 'gamechanger'

                MUNICH: Volkswagen head Herbert Diess on Sunday said autonomous cars, not electric vehicles, were the "real gamechanger" for the auto industry, which is facing the end of combustion engines in Europe by 2035.

Diess' comments signal the pace at which the 62-year old tries to transform Europe's largest carmaker by basically saying that the shift towards battery-powered electric vehicles (EV), which still needs to be backed up by actual sales, was sealed.

"Autonomous driving is really going to change our industry like nothing else before," Diess said in Munich ahead of the official opening of the IAA car show, adding the shift towards electrified cars was "kind of easy" in comparison.

"The real gamechanger is software and autonomous driving."

Diess spoke as environmental pressure on the auto sector is ramping up, with the European Commission in July proposing an effective ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035.

On Friday, Greenpeace and German environmental NGO Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) said they would take legal action against German carmakers, including Volkswagen, if they failed to step up their policies to tackle climate change.

Diess, who was confronted by Greenpeace activists before entering the venue on Sunday, is therefore not only aiming to overtake Tesla and turn Volkswagen into the world's largest seller of electric vehicles by 2025.

He also wants to make software services for autonomous cars a key pillar of the group's future business, which is why Volkswagen has bought into self-driving software startup Argo AI, a competitor to Alphabet Inc's Waymo.

Traditional carmakers and tech firms have poured billions of dollars over the past decade to realise the vision of driverless cars, but robotaxis remain elusive due to technical and regulatory hurdles that require continued human presence.

Volkswagen expects 1.2 trillion euros of software enabled sales in the car sector by 2030, accounting for about a quarter of the global mobility market, which is expected to more than double to 5 trillion euros as a result.

"By 2030... about 85% of our business is cars, private cars, privately owned, shared rental cars. And about 15% of mobility should be shuttles, mobility as a service," Diess said.

This ties into the group's recent move to lead a consortium in an acquisition of car rental firm Europcar, a bet on potentially lucrative mobility services that still need to become reality.


The memory of the marque: A look inside the archives of automakers

The Porsche archive.
BERLIN: At a typical archive of a car manufacturer, you'll find a mass of photos, sketches, memorabilia, film material and other documents that tell the story of the car brand.

"An archive is a company's memory and an important part of the administrative process," says Ulrike Gutzmann, who is responsible for the Volkswagen Group's archive.

It safeguards what's important and it can be looked up when needed. "This ensures the company's ability to act and make decisions in the future."

 Digitising old documents is just one part of the work carried out at the VW archives.

The aim is to preserve and make use of information and documents from the past and present. The documents are usually entered into the archive in the context in which they were created. This is kept as it helps in assessing a document's significance and is therefore important information.

The VW Corporate Archives were founded in 1997 and are responsible for documenting the history of the group as well as the brands VW and VW Commercial Vehicles.

Scientists and journalists make use of documents on site almost every day, and there are also up to 4,000 inquiries each year. VW can fall back on 9km of shelving, packed with archival material, while special software contains over 1.3 million entries. The oldest documents are from the 1930s, the newest are publications from the current year.

 The VW archive also contains objects like this colour and upholstery pattern for the Beetle.

Porsche already had a loose collection of designer Ferdinand Porsche's historical documents from 1940 onwards, even before the present-day company was founded. The archive, which documents the company's important technical, economic and social situations, has been in operation since 1982. So far, 2.5 kilometres worth of files have been collected.

"The trick is not to blindly stockpile everything, but to decide what is historically relevant," says Frank Jung, head of the Porsche archive. This is important so that future generations can trace an authentic, unaltered picture of corporate decisions and processes. Not just in three years time, but in 300 years.

The oldest document dates from 1887 and is a photograph of the Porsche family. A particularly valuable archive item is the first drawing of the Porsche crest from 1952, which gets around 6,000 inquiries per year.

 The birth certificate of the automobile from the Mercedes-Benz archive.

At BMW, the first reference to a historical archive dates from the early 1940s. In the beginning it consisted of registries and an archive for technical documents.

In some cases, employees also collected photos and brochures. For the company's 50th anniversary in 1966, a commemorative publication was created, which was then sorted and filed.

When the BMW museum was built in 1973, it developed into an archive. When the Mobile Tradition division was founded in 1994, various collections were combined and the archive expanded. Today, it comprises around 41,000 printed documents, 2.5km of shelving with files and is maintained by 10 employees.

Collecting and saving everything that's important for the documentation of the company and its products. This is what Gerhard Heidbrink from the Mercedes Archive sees as his task.

 Porsche aims to make the company's history searchable for future generations.

As the oldest car maker in the world, Mercedes is of particular importance. In 2011, the documents of the patent granted to Carl Bent were included in the Unesco Memory of the World register. The patent from 1886 is considered the birth certificate of the automobile.

"With our archive, we can document almost every detail of our long history and traditions and generate new ideas and topics for communication," says Heidbrink. The difficulty lies in distinguishing what's important and what is not, in obtaining it, preserving it for decades and recording it in such a way that it can be found in the future.

The archive, officially founded in 1936, is considered one of the first archives of any automaker. It includes 16km worth of files, which are handled by around 25 employees.

 Corporate archives such as those of Mercedes store countless documents in shelf systems that stretch over miles.


BMW iDrive 8 to make world debut on March 15

                MUNICH: BMW's iDrive has been around in one form or another for the past 20 years. It's time for the next evolution.

The new-generation BMW iDrive 8 will be revealed on March 15 in an online world premiere.

The first iDrive showed up on the E65/E66 7 Series in 2001.

The upcoming one was previewed in the BMW iX last November. It is smarter than ever. The end goal of iDrive 8 is to be able to use the full potential of a connected vehicle to make it an ever safer and more enjoyable means of transport.

Thanks to new sensors and increased digital intelligence, certain driving and parking tasks are expected to be automated.

The system will enable greater communication with the outside world for car and driver to be informed in real time of traffic conditions or potential incidents along the route.

It will also be able to receive and display hazard warnings from other BMW models equipped with iDrive.

You can follow the March 15 world premiere live at www.live.bmwgroup.com.


Bright but brief: Halogen lamps disappoint in their durability

                BERLIN: When buying halogen headlights for your car, it appears that drivers will have two choices: the brightest lights possible or the longest lasting lights.

Indeed, combining performance with durability for halogen lights seems to be beyond the reach of motorists, according to German car magazine Autobild, citing a study by safety experts Tuev Rheinland.

After examining 21 examples of H4 halogen lamps costing between 3 and 39 euros (between RM15 and RM187) per pair, Tuv concluded that the products didn't last beyond a few years usage.

Manufacturers of long-life products, which can often be identified by additions such as "longlife" or "ultra life" in the product name, are only able to give a guarantee of up to four years on their halogen lamps.
 Philips Vision halogen headlamp.
While LED lamps are longer-lasting, laws in some places such as EU countries prohibit their usage as a substitute for halogen lamps in car headlights. When it comes to changing a headlight bulb, motorists should remember to change the bulb on the other side too.

The better-made bulbs are usually made so carefully that their lifespan is close to the other bulb in the pair, so if you break one, the probability is very high that the other will follow soon afterwards.

It is important to note that, after changing the headlights, they must be tested to ensure that they do not hinder the vision of oncoming drivers.

Likewise, the location and dimensions of the filaments in the lamps must be accurate to a tenth of a millimetre, otherwise nothing or not enough of the light will hit the street.

This, predictably, makes it difficult for motorists to judge the precision of the lamp with the naked eye. The good news though, is that the price tag is not a good gauge on the quality of the lamp.

The best 10 lamps in the test cost between 6 and 39 euros (RM29 and RM187), while the worst lamp cost 10 euros (11 dollars).

The test winner was the Philips Vision for 18 euros (RM87), followed by three products: Cartechnic for 12 euros (RM58), Philips Longlife Ecovision for 17 euros (RM82) and Philips X-Treme Vision + 130 per cent for 34 euros (RM163).

Below this, tied with a commendable score of 44, were the budget options made by Unitec (6 euros or RM29) and the Narva H4 Standard (9 euros or RM44).

READ MORE: The race to make car headlights brighter and smarter


2019 Bangkok Motor Show: Suzuki Jimny

                BANGKOK: Suzuki Motor Thailand launched the Jimny four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle at the Bangkok International Motor Show 2019.

Imported from Japan, the Jimny is priced from 1.55 to 1.68 million baht (RM199,029 to RM215,722).

Power comes from a 1.5-litre petrol engine with 102hp and 130Nm of torque, mated to either a 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual transmission.

Highlights include Allgrip Pro off-road driving technology, cruise control and a turning circle of 4.9 metres.

It has a square-shaped bonnet, iconic round headlamps with LED tail lamps, and powered door mirrors.

The interior has an LCD display screen, Suzuki Smart Connect system with Apple Carplay, and automatic air-conditioning.

Safety features include dual airbags, electronic stability programme (ESP), Hill Hold Control, Hill Descent Control, Traction Control, and a robust Total Effective Control Technology (TECT) body with extensive use of high-tensile and ultra-high-tensile steel.


MINI JCW to get sportier exhaust note

                MUNICH: The top athletes of the British premium brand MINI in the small car segment will feature a petrol engine particulate filter, which is integrated into the sports exhaust system, from March 2019.

The small car segment will deliver their thrilling performance not only with exemplary efficiency, but also with further improved emissions behaviour.

The MINI John Cooper Works will be equipped as standard with petrol engine particulate filter to reduce particulate emissions.

The petrol engine particulate filter is now an integral component of the exhaust emissions purification technology on all petrol engine models of the MINI brand in the small car segment.

In the MINI John Cooper Works and in the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible, the petrol engine particulate filter is integrated into the standard sports exhaust emissions system.

This ensures that the dynamic power delivery of the 2.0 litre, 231hp 4-cylinder engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo technology generates a distinctively sporty sound while ensuring exemplary exhaust emissions behaviour.

Both John Cooper Works models now meet the especially stringent Euro 6d TEMP emissions standard. The introduction of the latest exhaust emissions reduction technology has no influence on the exemplary fuel consumption and CO2 values of both top athletes.


MyCar wants easier roadtax renewal for ride-hailing drivers

                PETALING JAYA: Ride-hailing operator MyCar has urged authorities to make it easier for ride-hailing drivers to renew their roadtax and not link the process to the vehicle's ride-hailing status.

MyCar founder and director Mohd Noah Maideen said it has received many complaints from drivers who could not renew their roadtax because they did not have the Electronic Vehicle Permit(EVP).

"This situation has caused dissatisfaction among drivers who have to cancel their EVP and change the status of their vehicles from E-hailing (ride-hailing) to personal vehicle before they are allowed to renew roadtax.

"This situation is further made worse if E-hailing operators such as MyCar fo not purchase enough EVPs.

"Operators have to reduce the acquisitions of EVPs due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic which has caused a 85% decrease in bookings for almost six months," he said in a statement today.

He urged agencies such as the Land Public Transport Agency, Sabah and Sarawak Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board to loosen procedures for cancellation of EVP.

"We also hope that the Road Transport Department will not connect the renewal of roadtax with the EVP and E-hailing vehicle status.

"MyCar also asks that the Transport Ministry reduces the cost for the EVP by 50% from RM115 to encourage operators to purchase more EVPs and give more opportunity to drivers to acquire the EVPs in order to drive legally," he said.

He also hoped that reseach and implementation be done as fast as possible because these awkward procedures burden drivers to renew their roadtax or even use their vehicles daily for personal use.


It takes less than 6 secs to steal your car nowadays

                PETALING JAYA: Gone in 60 seconds? Most definitely not.

In fact, it takes less than 10 seconds for car thieves to drive away a vehicle with the help of high-tech devices such as signal jammers and frequency duplicators.

“Gone are the days when thieves unlocked the vehicle manually, hot-wired it to start and drove the car away,” said Senior Asst Comm Khairuldin Saad.

He said thieves used sophisticated gadgets and only took less than six seconds to unlock a vehicle.

Thieves had also been known to use “programmer” or frequency duplicator, to copy the radio channel used to lock the car, to unlock keyless vehicles.

He said they also used GPS jammer to prevent the car from being traced after they are driven off.

“The devices used by car thieves can be obtained via online shopping,” he said.

READ MORE:
Vehicle thefts on a decline, say police
Why you might want to wrap your car fob in foil
Car hacking: Are car makers prepared for cyber attacks?
High risk of theft: Cars with keyless entry in Malaysia
BlackBerry working with automakers on anti-hack tool, says analyst
HARMAN devises onion-like security system to check car hacking

Police investigations revealed there are multiple facets involved in a car theft – from those hired to steal the vehicle, the transporter who would bring the vehicles to its last stop and the mastermind involved.

“The thief would steal the car, dropped it off at a designated location for a middleman to pick it up.High risk of theft: Cars with keyless entry in Malaysia

“The mastermind would decide on what to do with the stolen vehicle – to strip or sell it abroad,” he said.

Car thieves, he said, used carparks at the supermarket and residential areas as their drop off point to avoid suspicion.

SAC Khairuldin said members of the syndicate would not meet up with each other and in most cases, they would not know each other.

He said each of them had a specific task.

“The thief and middleman are also paid differently for their roles.

“For example, thieves assigned to steal a Toyota Vellfire would be paid between RM5,000 and RM7,000 per vehicle,” he said.

He said the payments would be made through online transactions.

“This is to make it harder for the authorities to trace them, even if one of them is arrested,” he said.

To prevent car theft, SAC Khairuldin advised vehicle owners to go back to basic by installing extra locking mechanisms, such as a pedal, or brake and steering locks.

“These old fashioned locks would make it longer and harder for them to take away the vehicle,” he said.


Govt to retain fuel subsidies for now

                TAMPOI: The government is still maintaining petrol and diesel subsidies for now and has no plans to abolish them in the near future, says Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Salahuddin Ayub.

He said thus far, the government’s stance on petrol and diesel subsidies remains unchanged.

“That’s an independent view (of economists). The government is free to accept any view.

“However, for now, the government today is still maintaining petrol and diesel subsidies until a decision for us to implement targeted subsidies is made,” he told reporters after launching the Retail Sector Digitalisation Initiative in Kipmall, here today.

The Pulai MP said this when asked if the government will announce the abolition of petrol and diesel subsidies in the tabling of the next budget as speculated while replacing them with a system of assistance to those in need.


California shuts down Uber’s self-driving cars

                SAN FRANCISCO: California shut down Uber’s testing of self-driving cars shortly after the ride-sharing service launched its pilot in San Francisco, citing a lack of permit and threatening to sue.

Uber Technologies Inc launched the test without a permit as required by the US state. Twenty companies have been approved to test a total of 130 vehicles, the California Department of Motor Vehicles pointed out.

In a letter to Uber, the DMV counsel Brian Soublet said the permit is required in part to protect public safety.

”It is illegal for the company to operate its self-driving vehicles on public roads until it receives an autonomous vehicle testing permit,” he wrote.

”It is essential that Uber takes appropriate measure to ensure safety of the public. If Uber does not confirm immediately that it will stop its launch and seek a testing permit, DMV will initiate legal action.”

Uber was not immediately available to comment on the DMV action.

Uber rolled out its driverless cars in San Francisco after an initial pilot earlier this year in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

”We’re excited to start operating in our hometown of San Francisco with Volvo XC90s, our first cars built in partnership with a major auto-manufacturer,” Uber said in a statement.

A consumer protection organisation based in Santa Monica, Consumer Watchdog, earlier Wednesday condemned the Uber pilot.

”Consumer Watchdog today called on San Francisco police to impound Uber’s robot cars operating without a permit on city streets and asked City Attorney Dennis Herrera to file criminal charges against Uber CEO Travis Kalanick,” it said in a statement.

Consumer Watchdog cited reports of Uber’s robot cars running red lights in San Francisco.

Backers of autonomous vehicles say the technology can reduce more than 90% of accidents, which mostly are due to human error.

Since its debut in 2010, Uber has grown into a worldwide phenomenon despite regulatory hurdles and resistance from traditional taxi operators.

In its latest funding round, Uber was valued at more than US$60bil (RM267.87bil), but has racked up losses at it expands and takes on competitors such as Lyft.


Goodwood Festival of Speed postponed

                LONDON: Following the developments in the past week regarding the coronavirus and the advice received from the UK Government and the Public Health England, Goodwood has taken the decision to postpone the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard.

Scheduled to take place on July 9 to 12, Goodwood is currently exploring potential alternative dates for late summer or early autumn with tickets already purchased for this year’s event will remain valid for the new date.

The postponement of the event looks to help keep its customers, drivers, team members, volunteers and staff from possibly contracting the virus during the event.

“These are dramatic and unbelievable times but they will pass and we are already trying to think about just how exciting it’s going to be to welcome you all back to Goodwood for what perhaps might be the ‘Greatest Event Ever”.

Plans for the Goodwood Revival will continue to be reviewed, in the hope that the event will be able to go ahead as planned from Sept 11 to 13.

A new date for the postponed 78th Members’ Meeting is also being reviewed – to get a motorsport fix in place of last weekend’s postponed meeting, Goodwood Road & Racing will host a live stream of last weekend's (March 28 and 29) of a selection of its favourite races and demonstrations from the GRRC archive.

The live stream was held from 10.00am to 6.00pm GMT on Saturday, and continued through the same hours on Sunday, just as it would have been done for a normal Members’ Meeting.


Mazda reveals new MX-30 hybrid with rotary engine as range extender

                HIROSHIMA: Mazda Motor Corporation unveiled the Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV, a plug-in hybrid model that uses a rotary engine as a generator, at the Brussels Motor Show on Friday.

The MX-30 launched in 2020 as Mazda's first mass-production battery electric vehicle, with a mild hybrid model joining the product lineup for some markets.

The MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV is a series plug-in hybrid. It has an 85 km battery electric driving range sufficient for a wide range of everyday driving needs as well the ability to use a generator to enable long distance drives. On top of this, the entire driving range is motor-powered.

Mazda chose to use a rotary engine to power the generator system. Leveraging the unique way in which rotary engines can produce the required output with a small power unit, Mazda developed the new rotary engine to work as a generator and positioned it on the same axle as a high-output motor and a generator in the motor room.

Mazda then paired this compact electric power unit with a 17.8 kWh lithium ion battery and a 50 litre petrol tank to achieve the unique series plug-in hybrid system.

The MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV can suport normal and fast charging, has 1,500 W power supply functionality, and three drive modes drivers can choose from to suit different driving situations: Normal, EV, and Charge modes.

Additionally, the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV will be available in a special edition model: “Edition R.”

Edition R vehicles feature black-based exterior and interior trims with Maroon Rouge Metallic, a remake of the roof colour of Mazda's first passenger vehicle, the Mazda R360 Coupe, as an exterior accent colour. It also includes exclusive design elements such as a rotor-shaped emblem sewn into the floor mats and embossed on the seat headrests.

Technical dive

With no mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels, the rotary unit simply acts as a generator, ensuring the MX-30 R-EV always drives via the electric motor to deliver a seamless EV driving experience.

Compatibility with both AC charging and rapid DC charging is another benefit, meaning 3-phase AC charging takes around 50mins, while for maximum customer flexibility, DC rapid charging can be completed in around 25 minutes.

The Mazda MX-30 R-EV has three drive-modes to suit different driving situations: Normal, EV and Charge, and thanks to a 125kw/170ps output, it delivers slightly better acceleration performance than the 145ps fully electric MX-30 .

Between the launch of the Mazda Cosmo in 1967 and production of the RX-8 ending in 2012, Mazda mass-produced more than 2 million rotary engines.

Adapted to meet the needs of modern times the rotary engine is now being used as a power generator rather than a drive unit.

The new 8C rotary engine is a 830cc single rotor with a 120mm rotor radius and 76mm rotor width, its compact size enables coaxial placement and integration with the electric motor, decelerator and generator to achieve a unit with an overall width of less than 840mm, allowing it to fit under the bonnet without changes to the MX-30 body frame.

Thanks to the use of aluminum the engine is over 15kg lighter than the twin-rotor Renesis engine used in the RX-8. The use of direct fuel injection reduces emissions and increases fuel economy, while the engine also features an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system to improve efficiency at low rpm and low load running.

A 17.8kwh battery was chosen to ensure enough capacity for a 85km electric-only driving range while at the same time considering the environmental impact of the battery over the entire vehicle life cycle.

The MX-30 R-EV’s high output 122kw/166ps electric motor can produce up to 260Nm of torque.

Mazda claims the new R-EV retains the same relaxed, accurate and engaging driving experience as the pure-electric MX-30.


New BMW 3 Series arrives

KUALA LUMPUR: The new BMW 3 Series has more powerful and efficient drivetrains, interior enhancements, and a host of ConnectedDrive technologies – the first in the Malaysian premium segment.

Price tags are RM208,800 (318i Luxury Line); RM238,800 (320i Sport Line); RM258,800 (320i M Sport); RM268,800 (320d M Sport) and RM308,800 (330i M Sport).

Prices for the premium sports sedan are on-the-road, without insurance with BMW Malaysia’s five-year unlimited mileage warranty and free scheduled service programme.

The Navigation System Professional for the 320d and 330i M Sport now boasts quicker start-up, faster route calculation and a better 3D visualisation in urban areas.

A full-colour, high-resolution Head-Up Display is also standard in the 330i.

A SIM card built into the car enables connectivity and access to services from BMW ConnectedDrive without a smartphone.

The Concierge Service, for example, allows selecting points of interest while driving, such as restaurants or hotels, make a reservation if desired, and set them as a navigation destinations.

Another standard feature is Intelligent Emergency Call, where in the event that airbags are triggered, accident data and the car’s location are automatically sent via the built-in SIM card to the BMW Call Centre.

There is also BMW Online Office which uses the on-board SIM card to read, write and send emails from the car.

Other apps and services include Audible, Deezer, GoPro and Spotify.

The 318i is the first 3 Series model with the award-winning TwinPower Turbo 1.5-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine, which delivers 136hp at 4,500 to 6,000rpm and torque of 220Nm at 1,250 to 4,300rpm.

As for the 320i and 330i, they have a new 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine.

In the 320i, this engine delivers 184hp at 5,000 to 6,500rpm and torque of 290Nm at 1,350 to 4,250rpm.

In the 330i, it is tuned with higher power output of 252hp at 5,200 to 6,500rpm and torque of 350Nm at 1,450 to 4,800rpm.

As for the 320d, it has the latest 2.0-litre 4-cylinder diesel engine which delivers 190hp at 4,000rpm and torque of 400Nm at 1,750 to 2,500rpm.

All variants have an eight-speed Steptronic transmission, and fuel-saving measures include the ECO PRO mode, which is selected via the Driving Experience Control switch as well as Automatic Start/Stop function and Brake Energy Regeneration.

"The new sixth-generation 3 Series brings together highly attractive dynamic design with exceptional dynamics, efficiency and unbeatable practicality; just as it did four decades ago,” said BMW Group Malaysia managing director and CEO Alan Harris.


Hyundai overstated just how clean one of its fuel cell cars is

                LONDON: Even the cleanest cars on the road aren’t immune from accusations of greenwashing.

Hyundai Motor Co.’s UK unit has been ordered to refrain from saying on its website that one of its hydrogen fuel cell cars "purifies the air as it goes” because the country’s Advertising Standards Authority found the claim misleading.

In its ruling made public today, the ASA said consumers would understand Hyundai’s advertising to mean that "the car overall had negligible environmental impact and would remove impurities from the air as it was driven, such that no impurities caused by driving it would remain in the air.”

Although Hyundai made the case to the ASA that its claim was based on the car having an on-board air-purification system that filters gases and fine dust, the authority said the ad must not appear again. While the Nexo doesn’t emit exhaust like vehicles that run on internal combustion engines, it still releases particulates as a result of brake and tire wear.

The ruling is a reminder that shifting to electric and hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars won’t completely do away with transportation emissions. Particles from brakes, tires and road-surface wear are responsible for well over half of particulate pollution from road transport, according to the government’s Air Quality Expert Group.

Britain has been in breach of its own national and European Union air-quality rules for years. Last year, a coroner for the first time ruled that air pollution was a significant factor in the cause of a death — a 9-year-old girl in south London.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced late last year that the UK will stop allowing sales of new cars that run only on gasoline and diesel engines from 2030, and require that all new vehicles be fully electric from 2035.


Daimler to pay US$2.2 billion in diesel emissions cheating settlements

                WASHINGTON: Daimler AG will pay US$2.2 billion to resolve a US government diesel emissions cheating investigation and claims from 250,000 US vehicle owners, court documents show.

The German automaker and its Mercedes-Benz USA LLC unit disclosed on Aug 13 it had reached a settlement in principle resolving civil and environmental claims tied to 250,000 US diesel cars and vans after the automaker used software to evade emissions rules.

Daimler said in August expected costs of settlements with US authorities would total US$1.5 billion, settling with owners will cost another US$700 million and also disclosed “further expenses of a mid three-digit-million EUR (euro) amount to fulfill requirements of the settlements.

Deputy Attorney-General Jeff Rosen said the settlements, which follow a nearly five-year investigation, will “serve to deter any others who may be tempted to violate our nation’s pollution laws in the future.”

In court documents, Daimler agreed to pay 250,000 owners up to US$3,290 each to get polluting vehicles repaired and agreed not to oppose paying US$83.4 million in attorneys fees and expenses for the owners’ lawyers. Owners will get US$800 less if a prior owner files a valid claim.

Daimler noted in court papers it denies the allegations “and does not admit any liability. The settlement does not include an external compliance monitor, it added. The German automaker still faces an ongoing criminal back investigation and could face additional US financial penalties.

The settlements require Daimler to address the vehicles’ excess emissions as part of binding consent decrees. Daimler will issue recalls and extended warranties but is not required to buy back vehicles unless it is unable to offer an emissions fix within a required timetable.

The Justice Department said Daimler failed to disclose at least 16 auxiliary emissions control devices, the government alleged, allowing “vehicles to perform in a variety of consumer-desirable ways, including allowing for fewer (diesel exhaust fluid) tank refills (and) better fuel mileage.”

The settlement includes an US$875 million civil penalty levied under the Clean Air Act and US$546 million to fix the polluting vehicles and offset excess emissions, court papers show. Daimler will pay California US$285.6 million in total.

Diesel vehicles have come under scrutiny in the United States since Volkswagen AG VOWG_p.DE admitted in September 2015 to installing secret software on 580,000 US vehicles that allowed them to emit up to 40 times legally allowable emissions.

In September 2019, Daimler in Germany agreed to pay a fine of 870 million euros (US$1 billion) for breaking diesel emissions regulations.

Both Volkswagen and Daimler have halted sales of US passenger diesel vehicles.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV in 2019 reached a settlement worth about US$800 million to resolve claims by regulators and owners that it used illegal software that produced false results on diesel-emissions tests.

Fiat Chrysler said in July it was in talks to resolve an ongoing Justice Department criminal probe.


No demerit points for beating amber light, says JPJ

                PUTRAJAYA: The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has clarified that there are no demerit points for driving through when the traffic light is amber.

It said in a statement Friday that the Kejara demerit points system only involved beating the red light and speeding.

The statement was in response to social media going abuzz that drivers will be penalised points under the system if they beat the amber light.

Under the Kejara system, which came into force on April 15, drivers risk having their licence suspended or even banned from driving if they chalk up a certain number of points.

The department further denied that 400 Automatic Enforcement System (AES) cameras will be installed nationwide.

It said currently there were 14 such cameras and the number would be increased from time to time.

It advised the public not to be easily taken in by what was said on social media but instead refer to the authorities to get the correct information.


VW's Porsche CEO probed by prosecutors, says German daily

                FRANKFURT: German prosecutors are investigating the chief executive of Volkswagen’s Porsche business, Oliver Blume, over a possible breach of fiduciary trust tied to payments made to a Porsche works council member, a newspaper reported on Wednesday.

By approving the payments, Blume and other Porsche staffers may have contributed towards a misuse of corporate funds, the Stuttgarter Nachrichten said, without citing sources.

The Stuttgart prosecutor’s office declined to comment. Porsche declined to comment on whether Blume, who is also a member of the Volkswagen board, was being probed, saying it never discusses details of an investigation.

Stuttgart prosecutors said on Tuesday they had searched Porsche’s offices as part of a broader probe involving 176 police and tax inspectors as well as 10 state prosecutors.

Porsche managers are being investigated on suspicion of having granted “disproportionate” payments to a member of Porsche’s works council, the prosecutor’s office said on Tuesday, without elaborating.

Stuttgarter Nachrichten said today Blume’s offices were searched in connection with this probe.

A severe breach of fiduciary trust for potential misuse of funds is a criminal offence and can carry a penalty of up to 10 years in jail.

Former Deutsche Bank Chief Executive Josef Ackermann stood trial for breach of fiduciary trust for granting bonus payments to Mannesmann executives. The charges were later dropped in exchange for a 3.2 million euros (RM15mil) non-penal payment.


Toyota Rush in Malaysia not affected by airbag issue in the Philippines

                SHAH ALAM: UMW Toyota Motor has issued a statement saying the Toyota Rush being sold in Malaysia are not affected by a recall issue in the Philippines, regarding defects on the electronic control units (ECU) of the airbags' system.

Recently, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) announced that it is recalling the Rush due the aforementioned defect and units affected were produced from April 2, 2018 to February 7, 2019.

The issue can cause the Rush’s curtain shield airbags to deploy “upon impact on the rear wheel,” when the car passes over potholes or badly maintained roads, due to an error in the programming of the airbag computer.


Aston Martin condo going up!

                MIAMI: Aston Martin, in a first, is teaming up with a property developer to create a luxury condo branded with its name.

Aston Martin Residences at 300 Biscayne Boulevard Way, expected to break ground next summer, is a 66-floor luxury residential tower featuring 390 condominiums offering panoramic views of Biscayne Bay and the Miami area. The waterfront project at the mouth of the Miami River will be contructed by G and G Business Developments, which is part of the Coto family from Argentina.

Aston Martin would play an active role in the project. It would design the interior spaces including the two private lobbies, the two-level fitness centre with ocean views and the full-service spa amongst other shared spaces in the development. When the condo opens in 2021, seven penthouses and a duplex penthouse - all of which will enjoy private pools and spacious terraces - will be complemented by a range of luxury one to four bedroom condominiums.

These spaces would be encased in a sail-shaped building.

The Aston Martin Residences at 300 Biscayne Boulevard Way is part of a carefully curated collection of luxury projects and experiences within the Art of Living by Aston Martin portfolio’ taking customers beyond sports cars and expressing the company’s design and cultural ethos into other products and experiences.


Car clubs: We aim to build ties, not hold street races

                PETALING JAYA: The main purpose of joining car clubs is to develop stronger relations among members and not to organise street races, said car clubs.

“The road is not for racing or reckless driving. It is for everyone to drive safely,” said Khairul Nizam, who is a member of the MyviClub (MyviC).

Khairul, a court interpreter, said his club’s activities were limited to tea gatherings, dinner outings and charitable activities.

“We keep ourselves updated on the club. We really don’t do much else than socialise, and so incidents involving other car club members tarnish our image,” he said, adding that his club had so far organised track meets in Malacca and Pasir Gudang.

“This gave our members a chance to race without harming others,” he said, adding that members were warned not to get involved in street racing.

Those found to be involved, he said, would be warned and have their memberships stripped if they repeated such activities.

Rozar motorsports president T. Nilal Raj said most car clubs did not allow racing.

“We attend auto shows, car club gatherings and events such as blood donation drives and relief efforts.

“Our primary agenda is to be part of auto shows because we are into modifying our cars,” he said, adding that his club had never organised racing events.

“Legal races are okay. In fact, if more can be organised at an affordable rate, I think we will be able to curb illegal street racing.

Bukit Aman traffic chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Mohd Fuad Abdul Latiff said racing on public roads is illegal, even if it is held at dead-end streets or secluded highway stretches.

“We receive public information on street racing on a regular basis and efforts to curb these activities are an ongoing affair,” he said.

He was responding to claims by an ex-racer to The Star that her car club did not encourage group racing but organised drag races in secluded areas or roads with dead ends and not where other vehicles were present.

SAC Mohd Fuad said the traffic police had almost completed their investigations into the cause of Saturday’s accident on the DUKE highway.