New Kia Picanto priced at RM49,888

KUALA LUMPUR: The all-new Kia Picanto compact car was just launched by its official distributor, Naza Kia Malaysia, with an asking price of RM49,888 (on-the-road without insurance). It is available in only one trim, the 1.2 EX automatic.

“The Kia brand is a trendsetter in the global automotive sector. This was especially evident after renowned automobile designer Peter Schreyer was appointed Chief Design Officer. Each Kia model is masterfully crafted equipped with cutting-edge technologies and is engineered to have its own personality without compromising safety and functionality,” said Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd Group chief executive officer (Automotive Group) Datuk Samson Anand George..

The new Picanto, now in its third iteration, has taken a dynamic approach to design with sophisticated and bolder lines for a fun urban drive look.

Under the bonnet sits the 1.2 litre Kappa II four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed automatic transmission which produces 84PS at 6,000rpm and 122Nm at 4,000rpm.

The visually striking details of the car include the wide signature “tiger nose” grille which segue into the new projection bi-functional headlamps with LED indicators and LED daytime running lights.

Inside the new Picanto is a more refined cabin with new materials and layout. It is also slightly roomier than the previous generation as the wheelbase has increased by 15mm to 2,400mm. Boot space has also increased to 255 liters and more room can be had by folding the second row seats (a 60:40 configuration) for up to 1,010 litres of maximised cargo space.

New to the Picanto is the free-standing 7.0-inch touchscreen at the centre of the dashboard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with voice recognition features.

It also comes with contemporary features such as keyless entry, push start button, one touch triple turn signal, auto light control, RPAS (Rear Parking Assist System), electric folding side mirrors and safety power window on the driver’s side, AUX and USB ports.

Safety-wise, six airbags strategically placed up front and at the sides of all passengers, ISOFIX mounts, rear seatbelt pretensioners and active safety systems like ABS and ESC.

The car’s body is stronger than before as 44% of the bodyshell is cast in Advanced High Strength Steel AHSS (previously only 22%).

If accessories is your thing, Naza Kia Malaysia has the Novus accessories available which comes in two packages, Novus X and the Novus S, priced at RM5,618 and RM3,498 respectively (prices include GST).

Accessories included in the package are the Novus emblem, solar tints, stylish and sporty Novus Bodykits, as well as leather seats and a DVR-digital video recorder among others.

The Picanto is now available in five different colours: Pop Orange, Lime Light, Honey Bee, Clear White and Titanium Silver.

There is also a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and the new Picanto is now on display in authorised Kia showrooms nationwide.

Naza Kia Malaysia is banking heavily on the Picanto to lift up sales, targeting 5,000 units to move out of the dealerships in 2018.

This would comprise 50 per cent of Naza Kia's total sales target for this year, said Samson.

"We are confident we can achieve the new Picanto sales figures because it is an excellent product at an excellent price. We have not had the price at below the RM50,000 bracket for a very, very, long time" he told reporters at the launch today.


Analysts say auto sector on recovery path

                PETALING JAYA: Analysts are optimistic that the local automotive industry has bottomed out following three consecutive months of vehicle sales growth this year.

Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB) Research, in a recent report, said the “worst is likely over.”

“We take the view that the sector has bottomed out and is en route for an earnings recovery six to nine months from now, depending on the ringgit’s movement.”

The research house added that the recent uptrend in auto loan applications and approvals were signs of support for further vehicle sales recovery. Maybank IB said auto loan applications, on a three-month moving average basis, expanded for the first time in over a year, rising 7.1% year-on-year in February 2017 after contracting over the past 13 consecutive months.

It pointed out that the three-month moving average approval rate improved to 52% in February 2017 from just 48% in December 2016.

An analyst from a local bank-backed brokerage said he expects vehicle sales to maintain its growth trajectory into the second quarter, due to the upcoming Hari Raya holidays at the end of June.

“We expect sales to be boosted by promotional campaigns leading up to the festive period, which will help spur bookings ahead of Hari Raya.”

According to the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA), total vehicle sales grew 10% to 53,717 units last month compared with 48,788 units in the previous corresponding period.

Sales rose 7% to 140,839 units in the first three months of this year compared with 131,251 units in the first quarter of 2016.

The MAA attributed the improved sales to the longer working month of March (compared with February), as well as the rush for deliveries by companies with their financial year ending in March.

On its outlook for April, the association said sales volume levels is expected to be on par with that of March, due to the continuation of aggressive promotional campaigns by car companies.

Hong Leong Investment Bank, however, is less optimistic about the local vehicle sector this year. “The sector is expected to continue being undermined by the ongoing subdued consumer sentiments and weak ringgit in 2017, which has impact on cost structure and margins.

“Nevertheless, we expect national original equipment manufacturers to sustain sales volume in 2017.”

Given the weaker consumer sentiment currently, Kenanga Research has also projected a less-than-stellar outlook for the local automotive industry.

“Driving around 2017, in view of higher living expenses, we believe consumers may continue to limit spending on big-ticket items.

“Furthermore, the unfavourable foreign exchange is still an issue for automakers, squeezing their profit margins with higher operating costs. With this, we gather there is lack of re-rating catalysts to bring about any significant shift in the sector,” it said.

Last year, a total of 580,124 vehicles were sold, narrowly meeting the MAA target of 580,000 units for 2016.


Mercedes-Benz presents first electric-hydrogen-powered GLCs to German customers

                BERLIN: Mercedes-Benz has handed over the first GLC F-CELL vehicles to selected customers in its home market.

The GLC F-CELL is unique as it features both fuel cells and a battery drive which can be charged externally using plug-in technology.

Alongside various national and regional ministries as well as the National Organisation Hydrogen (NOW) and H2 Mobility, the first customers in the German market also include Deutsche Bahn, the German railways.

Further handovers will also be made this year, including to the companies Air Liquide, Shell, Linde AG and also the cities of Stuttgart and Hamburg. Other business as well as private customers in Germany will also be able to enjoy access to the GLC F-CELL from the spring of 2019 via Mercedes-Benz Rent.

The GLC F-CELL is a plug-in hybrid that is powered by electricity and hydrogen. Mercedes-Benz claims the all-electric SUV is suitable for everyday use and emits no CO2 emissions in operation.

The interplay between battery and fuel cell, a long range and short refuelling times make the GLC F-CELL a vehicle which boasts high everyday practicality. Two carbon-fibre-encased tanks in the vehicle floor hold 4.4 kg of hydrogen.

Thanks to globally standardised 700-bar tank technology, the hydrogen supply can be replenished within just three minutes - as quickly as is customary when refuelling a combustion-engined car. With a hydrogen consumption of around 1 kg/100 km, the GLC F-CELL achieves around 430 hydrogen-based kilometres in the NEDC cycle; in hybrid mode it additionally delivers up to 51 km on a fully charged battery. At the same time, an output of 155 kW helps to ensure high driving dynamics.

The GLC F-CELL has a combined hydrogen consumption of 0.34 kg/100 km and combined electrical consumption of 13.7 kWh/100 km.

The plug-in fuel cell drive combines both zero-emission drive technologies and, thanks to its intelligent operating strategy, continuously optimises the use of both energy sources in line with the current operating situation. This is also influenced by the selected drive program: ECO, COMFORT or SPORT.

The car has four operating modes:

> HYBRID: the vehicle draws power from both energy sources. Power peaks are handled by the battery, while the fuel cell runs in the optimum efficiency range.

> F-CELL: the state of charge of the high-voltage battery is kept constant by the energy from the fuel cell. Only hydrogen is consumed. This mode is ideal for steady cruising over long distances.

> BATTERY: the GLC F-CELL runs all-electrically and is powered by the high-voltage battery. The fuel cell system is not in operation. This is the ideal mode for short distances.

> CHARGE: charging the high-voltage battery has priority, for example in order to recharge the battery for the maximum overall range prior to refuelling with hydrogen or to create power reserves.

In all operating modes, the system features an energy recovery function, which makes it possible to recover energy during braking or coasting and to store it in the battery.

As hydrogen filling stations are still limited, the market launch of the GLC F-CELL is taking place in selected urban areas. Mercedes-Bnez is focusing on major cities which are already comparatively well equipped with hydrogen filling stations, such as Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Munich and Cologne.

The GLC F-CELL will be offered exclusively in the form of a full-service rental model. This will include all maintenance and possible repairs together with a comprehensive warranty package covering the entire rental period.

From the spring of 2019, other business as well as private customers will also be able to experience the new fuel cell technology and rent the vehicle via Mercedes-Benz Rent from one of the seven GLC F-CELL outlets throughout Germany. The GLC F-CELL will be available for both short and long-term rental via the Premium Car Rental service from Mercedes-Benz.

By the end of 2019, the hydrogen refuelling station network is expected to grow from its current level of 50 to some 100 stations. The long-term objective of the partners is a network of up to 400 hydrogen refuelling stations. Similar infrastructure projects are being promoted in Europe, the USA and Japan.

Daimler is part of Hydrogen Mobility Europe (H2ME), a lighthouse project promoted by FCH JU which combines Europe's leading initiatives in the field of hydrogen mobility – in Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Scandinavia.

Daimler has been working on the fuel cell for more than 30 years. Its researchers have been working on fuel cell technology since the 1980s. In 1994, Mercedes-Benz unveiled the first fuel cell vehicle to the global public: the NECAR


Volvo Cars' sales grow 10% in April on demand jump in China

                STOCKHOLM: Sweden-based Volvo Cars said today that sales increased by 10% year-on-year in April to 51,976 cars, boosted by strong gains in China.

Volvo Cars, which is majority-owned by China's Geely Holding, said in a statement that sales in China were up 46%. In Europe, its biggest market, sales were up 5%, while in the US they were down 4%.

Volvo Cars said sales of fully electric cars nearly doubled to account for 17% of total sales.

All recharge models, also including those not fully electric, were up 28%.


Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT: Solid build and ride

                THE Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT was launched early this year and the response has been overwhelming.

I was informed by Suzuki headquarters in Shah Alam, Selangor that the waiting period now is at least four to six months.

Dealers are waiting for the arrival of the new stock.

When I was asked to review the bike recently, I could not say no.

I am dying to find out the performance of the bike.

The V-Strom 1050XT is a dual-purpose adventure bike that has three selectable engine maps, traction control with three modes, lean angle-sensitive ABS with two modes, linked brakes with slope and load-dependent control, hill hold and plus cruise control.

The design of the V-Strom 1050XT, has been strongly influenced from Suzuki’s iconic DR-Z prototype and the production of the DR-BIG model.

The V-Strom comes with Suzuki’s iconic front beak that gives the bike a much more aggressive look.

The unit I reviewed came in orange and white.

I will be the first to admit that this is not the best-looking adventure bike, neither it is an ugly machine.

The ergonomics of the bike are perfect.

The sitting position and the reach to the handle is comfortable.

Even while standing on the foot pegs when transversing dirt tracks, I did not have to bend myself too much to get that sweet spot.

The saddle was firm and yet comfortable for long rides.

The build quality of this bike is superior and nothing looks cheap.

Every design on the bike is practical and at the same time enhances the aesthetic of the bike.

The V-Strom 1050XT is fitted with cast aluminium wheels, engine bars and hand guards.

The hand guards are big enough to deflect wind, rain and occasional pebbles flung up while riding in the rubber estates.

Like any other adventure bike, an LCD screen is a crucial tool to display all the necessary information to a rider.

The layout on the screen was simple and the information is legible even on a hot sunny day.

I was able to change the riding mode and also the menu through the rocker switch placed on the leftside handlebar control.

Any new owner of this machine can learn this within 30 minutes.

The model might not be the fastest dual-purpose bike but I can assure you, that any seasoned rider will enjoy this bike.

The bike comes with decent torque and horsepower that can do what a dual-purpose bike should do.

While riding on the highway to Ipoh clocking triple-digit speeds, I realised that the bike has a rock-steady and vibration-free ride despite encountering a crosswinds.

The bike was cruising effortlessly on the North-South Expressway.

At high speeds, the windscreen deflected on-rushing wind from hitting my head.

The windscreen height cannot be adjusted while on the go.

I had to stop twice to adjust the height of the windscreen which I found to be cumbersome.

Meanwhile, the front suspension is the spring preload and compression/rebound damping of the KYB inverted front forks that can be fully adjusted, allowing the suspension to be set based on the preference of the rider or the usage conditions.

The rear suspension is a bottom link type mono-shock, and the preload can be adjusted simply by turning the easy access dial by hand.

It is safe to say that the brakes on this machine are designed to stop this machine at any speed.

The front Tokico brake calipers come with two 310mm floating discs that are made from stainless steel.

Meanwhile, the rear brake has a 38mm single-piston caliper with a 260mm disc.

While riding in the traffic, the riding experience was pleasant.

The bike did well at lower rev range without any hint of engine stalling while being able to scoot off quickly to the next traffic light.

What is even more important, unlike many other adventure bikes, is the V-STrom 1050XT's slim design that allowed me to zig-zag through the traffic.

However, I do find the side panniers increased the width of the bike a bit wider than the handlebar, and hence I had to be mindful when squeezing between cars.

The ideal width should be the same or less than the handlebar.

Besides being perfect for highways and city rides, this motorcycle is comfortable in taking any corners and twisties without sacrificing any riding pleasure.

I pushed the bike hard on few corners while going up Fraser's Hill and the bike had good ground clearance to avoid its body scraping the road.

I was able to hold my line while entering and exiting the corners.

What is even amazing, I was able to flick the V-Strom 1050XT like a racing bike as it has good suspension and evenly distributed weight.

The agility of the bike and the broad power band gave me so much confidence while riding in the hill.

In conclusion, the RM81,900 V-Strom 1050XT is a simple bike with practical rider aides that promises an enjoyable ride on the highway and a light off-roading.

Built to last, the V-Strom 1050XT lives up to the line-up's reputation as reliable machine.

SPECIFICATIONSSuzuki V-Strom 1050XTEngine: 1,037cc, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 90-degree V-twin
Maximum power: 106hp at 8,500rpm
Maximum torque: 100Nm at 6,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed
Suspension: Front KYB inverted telescopic, coil spring, oil damped; rear link type, single shock, coil spring, oil damped
Braking system: Front Tokico, four-piston calliper, twin disc, ABS; rear Nissin, two-piston, single disc, ABS
Features: Three riding modes, traction control with three modes, lean angle-sensitive ABS with two modes, linked brakes with slope and load-dependent control, hill hold and cruise control
Fuel capacity: 20 litres
Wet weight: 247kg
Price: RM81,900 (without registration, road tax and insurance)


Now you can get Iriz with a choice of Proton decals

                PETALING JAYA: Proton took advantage of the Malaysia Autoshow 2016 to introduce a stickered-up Iriz.

The Iriz 1.3 Standard CVT and Iriz 1.3 Executive CVT come with a choice of "Honeycomb" or "The Stripe" patterned decals.

The Honeycomb decals are available in gray or white; The Stripe are in red or blue.

Proton is issuing 2,000 units of the "limited edition" Iriz, with prices ranging from RM44,450 to RM49,130. The cars are also open for booking at Proton outlets nationwide.

Proton is also offering discounts of up to RM8,000 for selected models in November.  Malaysia Autoshow 2016 is held at the MINES Exhibition Centre in Seri Kembangan, Selangor, and runs from Nov 10-13.


Kia introduces 1.0-litre turbo engine and 7-speed DCT

                SEOUL: The new cee’d GT Line signifies the arrival of Kia’s all-new downsized 1.0-litre T-GDi (turbo gasoline direct injection) engine and new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission in Europe.

The new GT Line offers buyers the sporty looks of the high performance Kia cee’d GT and pro_cee’d GT and the versatility of the conventional cee’d model family.

The GT Line specification is available on all three cee’d body types – five-door cee’d, three-door pro_cee’d and cee’d Sportswagon.

The exterior of the GT Line evolves the design language of the cee’d GT, with ice-cube LED daytime running lights and deeper bumpers surrounding Kia’s hallmark ‘tiger-nose’ grille.

At the rear of the car, both the cee’d hatchback and pro_cee’d include the wider GT bumper and twin exhausts, while the Sportswagon is fitted with dual exhausts and a subtle rear diffuser.

All GT Line models are fitted as standard with the GT model’s eye-catching side sill mouldings and rear LED light units, and a new 17-inch alloy wheel design.

The interior of the cee’d GT Line has been uprated with a higher quality, sportier ambience, inspired by the cabin of the current turbo-powered GT models.

The GT Line boasts a classy, new grey, white and black upholstery with grey stitching; a series of GT Line logos throughout the cabin; and the same piano black and leather steering wheel and aluminium alloy pedals fitted to Kia’s high-performance GT models. The dashboard is also equipped with a new aluminium start-stop button, GT-inspired centre fascia design, illumination for the USB and aux-in ports and new chrome trim around the air vents and power window switches.

For the launch of the cee’d GT Line, Kia is introducing its 1.0-litre ‘T-GDi’ engine, a downsized, three-cylinder power unit engineered to improve fuel consumption and emissions while offering strong, willing performance and immediate responses to driver input. This is the first of Kia’s upcoming range of downsized engines to make its debut in Europe.

The 1.0-litre T-GDi engine produces 120PS and 172Nm torque, and has been engineered to deliver lower CO2 emissions than the 1.6-litre GDI engine found in other cee’d models, pending final homologation closer to the GT Line’s launch.

The 1.0-litre cee’d GT Line is also equipped with Kia’s fuel-saving ISG system as standard which improves emissions and fuel economy, and is available with a six-speed manual transmission.

Kia’s new turbocharged engine, developed in-house at the company’s Namyang R&D centre in Korea, features a high-pressure direct injection system, advanced engine cooling and an integrated exhaust manifold for cleaner emissions and efficient packaging.

Immediate engine response and highly-efficient combustion were cornerstones of the engine’s development, fulfilling Kia’s sustainable engine downsizing strategy. The 1.0-litre T-GDi engine will be fitted to other vehicles in Kia’s European model line-up in future.

The new cee’d GT Line features a second new technology debut for Kia, with the arrival of the brand’s all-new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT).

Available on GT Line models equipped with the 133 ps 1.6-litre CRDi diesel engine, Kia’s new DCT is capable of handling torque outputs up to 300 Nm – higher than the six-speed torque-converter automatic transmission it replaces.

Like the new 1.0-litre T-GDi power unit, Kia’s new DCT has also been developed in-house and has been engineered with low fuel consumption and a sporty driving feel when in manual mode, and with comfort and smoothness when left in automatic mode.

Drivers specifying the new DCT for their cee’d GT Line will benefit from faster gear changes than a traditional automatic transmission, as well as lower running costs. It is anticipated that the new DCT will offer lower emissions and higher fuel economy compared to the outgoing six-speed automatic gearbox.

Kia’s R&D teams have targeted a three to five per cent improvement in acceleration (0 to 100 kph) and five to seven per cent improvement to fuel efficiency.

After the cee’d GT Line, the new seven-speed DCT will be available on a number of Kia models in future, with similar gains expected in fuel efficiency and performance depending on its application in different models.

 The Cee'd Sportwagon.Diesel engine included

The new GT Line variant is also available with a 1.6-litre CRDi diesel engine that has also been upgraded with power increased from 128PS to 133PS and torque from 265Nm to 285Nm.

With the small increase in performance, the engine’s full torque is now available from lower engine speeds for more effortless acceleration under all road conditions.

Despite the increase in power and performance, however, CO2 emissions are expected to fall slightly once the homologation process is complete.

The cee’d GT Line will be available from Kia dealers across Europe in Q4 2015, offering the company’s unique 7-Year, 100,000 mile warranty as standard.

Designed and engineered in Europe, the cee’d family – incorporating the hatchback, wagon and pro_cee’d – continue to be manufactured at Kia’s production facility in Žilina, Slovakia.

With 75,960 units sold across Europe in 2014, the cee’d remains one of the brand’s bestselling models across the region.


Three killed, three injured after crane falls on car

                KUALA LUMPUR: Driving near or under any construction site is always a risky affair. Most times, no untoward incidents happen. But when accidents do happen as they have in the past, it throws the limelight yet again on the hazards that motorists face when in such situations.

In the latest incident today, three construction workers were killed while two are believed to be seriously injured after a crane fell on top of a car at a construction site of a highway at Puncak Banyan, Persiaran Alam Damai here.

The driver of the car - a Malaysian - was severely injured. The three found alive have been rescued and hospitalised.

"We received a call on the incident at 8.45am and 25 firemen from Cheras, Tun Razak and Hang Tuah were deployed to the scene,"said a Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department spokesman.

Following the latest tragedy, Senior Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said in future the road or lane near any worksite must be closed to all traffic if a heavy structure needs to be removed in implementing road or highway construction projects.

“In the implementation of such a project, if for example, you want to move the gantry launcher, the road needs to be closed. Once the structure has been safely (moved), only then can you reopen the route,” he told reporters here today.

This is the second incident involving the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) this year, as five people were trapped in a factory van travelling on the MRR2 Highway near Bandar Tasik Selatan on March 3 when a portion of a bridge under construction fell on it at around 5.58pm after it was hit by a trailer carrying heavy machinery.

In the previous incident involving the factory van, two women were killed while another three people were seriously injured.

Following the previous incident, Projek Lintasan Sungai Besi-Ulu Klang Sdn Bhd confirmed that the trailer that hit scaffolding belonging to the SUKE construction site was a private vehicle and was not involved in or affiliated with the construction of the highway in any way.


Toyota drops diesel from new model, signals likely phase-out

                PARIS: Toyota has decided to drop diesel engines from its new C-HR compact in the wake of Volkswagen's emissions scandal and will probably do the same for future model renewals, the carmaker's second-ranking global executive said on Thursday.

The Japanese automaker decided "within the last six to 12 months" not to offer a diesel version of the car, unveiled at the Paris auto show, because demand for the powertrain technology is falling sharply, executive vice president Didier Leroy said in an interview.

 The C-HR

If faced with a renewal decision today for other models up to and including the larger Auris compact, a Toyota staple, "we would probably do the same thing", Leroy added.

Toyota's decision is the latest example of how the so-called "dieselgate" scandal is forcing carmakers to rewrite strategic plans that will shape their futures for years to come.

Reuters reported this month that Renault expects diesel engines to disappear from most of its European cars after the French automaker reviewed the costs of meeting tighter emissions standards following Volkswagen's scandal.

While the scandal centred on the German carmaker's cheat software, it also focused public attention on an industry-wide disparity between nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions on the road and those recorded in regulatory tests.

Mass-market diesels that meet legal NOx limits in approval tests commonly emit at least five times as much in everyday use. Renault has said it complied strictly with regulations and that its cars were not equipped with emissions falsifying software.

From 2019, vehicle approvals will depend on emissions performance during real driving. This is compelling manufacturers to install costlier emissions treatment systems.


Three crashes, three deaths raise questions about Tesla’s Autopilot

A Model S. — AFP
DETROIT: Three crashes involving Teslas that killed three people have increased scrutiny of the company’s Autopilot driving system just months before CEO Elon Musk has planned to put fully self-driving cars on the streets.

On Dec 29, a Tesla Model S sedan left a freeway in Gardena, California, at a high speed, ran a red light and struck a Honda Civic, killing two people inside, police said.

On the same day, a Tesla Model 3 hit a parked firetruck on an Indiana freeway, killing a passenger in the Tesla.

And on Dec 7, yet another Model 3 struck a police cruiser on a Connecticut highway, though no one was hurt.

The special crash investigation unit of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking into the California crash. The agency hasn't decided whether its special-crash unit will review the crash that occurred Sunday near Terre Haute, Indiana. In both cases, authorities have yet to determine whether Tesla's Autopilot system was being used.

NHTSA also is investigating the Connecticut crash, in which the driver told police that the car was operating on Autopilot, a Tesla system designed to keep a car in its lane and a safe distance from other vehicles. Autopilot also can change lanes on its own.

Tesla has said repeatedly that its Autopilot system is designed only to assist drivers, who must still pay attention and be ready to intervene at all times. The company contends that Teslas with Autopilot are safer than vehicles without it, but cautions that the system does not prevent all crashes.

Even so, experts and safety advocates say a string of Tesla crashes raises serious questions about whether drivers have become too reliant on Tesla's technology and whether the company does enough to ensure that drivers keep paying attention. Some critics have said it's past time for NHTSA to stop investigating and to take action, such as forcing Tesla to make sure drivers pay attention when the system is being used.

NHTSA has started investigations into 13 Tesla crashes dating to at least 2016 in which the agency believes Autopilot was operating. The agency has yet to issue any regulations, though it is studying how it should evaluate similar "advanced driver assist” systems.

"At some point, the question becomes: How much evidence is needed to determine that the way this technology is being used is unsafe?" said Jason Levine, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety in Washington. "In this instance, hopefully these tragedies will not be in vain and will lead to something more than an investigation by NHTSA."

Levine and others have called on the agency to require Tesla to limit the use of Autopilot to mainly four-lane divided highways without cross traffic. They also want Tesla to install a better system to monitor drivers to make sure they're paying attention all the time. Tesla's system requires drivers to place their hands on the steering wheel. But federal investigators have found that this system lets drivers zone out for too long.

Tesla plans to use the same cameras and radar sensors, though with a more powerful computer, in its fully self-driving vehicles. Critics question whether those cars will be able to drive themselves safely without putting other motorists in danger.

Doubts about Tesla's Autopilot system have long persisted. In September, the National Transportation Safety Board, which investigates transportation accidents, issued a report saying that a design flaw in Autopilot and driver inattention combined to cause a Tesla Model S to slam into a firetruck parked along a Los Angeles-area freeway in January 2018. The board determined that the driver was overly reliant on the system and that Autopilot's design let him disengage from driving for too long.

In addition to the deaths on Sunday night, three US fatal crashes since 2016 – two in Florida and one in Silicon Valley – involved vehicles using Autopilot.

David Friedman, vice president of advocacy for Consumer Reports and a former acting NHTSA administrator, said the agency should have declared Autopilot defective and sought a recall after a 2016 crash in Florida that killed a driver. Neither Tesla's system nor the driver had braked before the car went underneath a semi-trailer that had turned in front of the car.

"We don't need any more people getting hurt for us to know that there is a problem and that Tesla and NHTSA have failed to address it," Friedman said.

In addition to NHTSA, states can regulate autonomous vehicles, though many have decided they want to encourage testing.

In the 2016 crash, NHTSA closed its investigation without seeking a recall. Friedman, who was not at NHTSA at the time, said the agency determined that the problem didn't happen frequently. But he said that argument has since been debunked.

Friedman said it's foreseeable some drivers will not pay attention to the road while using Autopilot, so the system is defective.

"The public is owed some explanation for the lack of action,” he said. "Simply saying they're continuing to investigate – that line has worn out its usefulness and its credibility.”

In a statement, NHTSA said it relies on data to make decisions, and if it finds any vehicle poses an unreasonable safety risk, "the agency will not hesitate to take action.” NHTSA also has said it doesn't want to stand in the way of technology given its life-saving potential.

Messages were left Jan 2 seeking comment from Tesla.

Raj Rajkumar, an electrical and computer engineering professor at Carnegie Mellon University, said it's likely that the Tesla in Sunday's California crash was operating on Autopilot, which has become confused in the past by lane lines. He speculated that the lane line was more visible for the exit ramp, so the car took the ramp because it looked like a freeway lane. He also suggested that the driver might not have been paying close attention.

"No normal human being would not slow down in an exit lane,” he said.

In April, Musk said he expected to start converting the company's electric cars to fully self-driving vehicles in 2020 to create a network of robotic taxis to compete against Uber and other ride-hailing services.

At the time, experts said the technology isn't ready and that Tesla's camera and radar sensors weren't good enough for a self-driving system. Rajkumar and others say additional crashes have proved that to be true.

Many experts say they're not aware of fatal crashes involving similar driver-assist systems from General Motors, Mercedes and other automakers. GM monitors drivers with cameras and will shut down the driving system if they don't watch the road.

"Tesla is nowhere close to that standard,” he said.

He predicted more deaths involving Teslas if NHTSA fails to take action.

"This is very unfortunate,” he said. "Just tragic." —  AP


Honda City attracts around 9,000 bookings

                PETALING JAYA: Honda Malaysia is having a chest-thumping moment with an announcement today that its all-new City, launched a month ago, had attracted nearly 9,000 bookings to-date.

The top V variant was the most popular of three, capturing 54% of total bookings received.

As the economic powerhouse of Malaysia, the central region was not surprisngly the main contributor to bookings at 44%, followed by the north at 22% and the south at 19%.

In terms of colour, the Platinum White Pearl colour appears to be the favourite among customers, representing 28% of the overall sales for the fifth-generation City.

To-date, more than 2,400 units of the City have been delivered to customers nationwide.


Fear overtakes rudeness as parking bay hogger lodges police report

File pic of a generic basement parking lot.
KUALA LUMPUR: A woman who was recently filmed hogging a parking bay at a shopping centre here has lodged a police report over the incident, according to Oriental Daily.

Posting the report on her Facebook, she also apologised and admitted it was her fault.

A video showing her “reserving” the spot by standing in the empty bay was widely shared on Facebook last week.

The man who filmed the video wanted the parking bay but she refused to budge, leading to an argument between them.

Fearing for her safety following the backlash, she decided to lodge the police report.


Budget 2019: RON95 petrol subsidy for owners of cars with 1.5l engine capacity and below

                PETALING JAYA: The Government will subsidise RON95 petrol for those driving cars with engine capacity of 1,500cc and under, and those with motorcycles with engine capacity of 125cc and under.

The subsidy will be 30 sen per litre and capped at 100 litres a month for cars and 40 litres a month for motorcycles, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said when tabling Budget 2019 in Parliament today.

The targeted subsidy scheme, expected to kick off in Q2, 2019, will benefit 4 million drivers and 2.6 million motorcyclists in the country. It will cost the Government RM2bil to carry out the subsidy.

In addition, the price of RON95 petrol will be floated after the subsidy is put in place.

Motorcyclists in Penang and Johor will have every reason to smile. Toll imposed on motorcylists at the two bridges linking Penang island to the mainland and at the Second Link between Johor and Singapore will be abolished next year.

This is the first federal budget by the Pakatan Harapan government and is the largest at RM314.5bil when compared with the last two federal budgets. This is an RM24.1bil increase from last year's budget, which saw an allocation of RM290.4bil, while Budget 2017 had an allocation of RM260bil.

It focuses on institutional reforms, the people's wellbeing and promotion of entrepreneurial culture to recapture Malaysia's "Economic Tiger" status. The Budget 2019 carries the theme of "Credible Malaysia, Dynamic Economy, Prosperous Rakyat".

Other highlights:

> The Government will freeze intra-city toll charges on all highways in 2019 with an estimated budget of RM700mil.

> The Government will implement the Biodiesel B10 Programme (a mixture of 10% palm oil content) for the transport sector and B7 for the industrial sector in 2019.

> The Government is allocating RM926mil for building and improving highways, roads and bridges.

> New incentives to encourage Malaysians to use public transport. Public transportation users can buy RM100 monthly passes for unlimited trips on RapidKL rail or bus services starting from January 2019. There is also a RM50 monthly pass for those who only use RapidKL buses. This scheme will be expanded to other bus companies in stages.


Ferrari rolls out coronavirus testing to get staff ready for work

                MILAN: Workers at Ferrari are signing up en masse for voluntary coronavirus screening so they can return to work as soon as possible in an ambitious scheme that could serve as a blueprint for manufacturers desperate to resume production.

Under its “Back on Track” project, Ferrari staff, families and suppliers first take blood tests to see if they’re clear and will then be given an app which will alert them if they’ve been in close contact with any scheme members who contract Covid-19.

As manufacturers in Europe and North America scramble to find ways to restart their businesses while keeping the virus out of production sites, Ferrari’s scheme to test workers and track possible cases of Covid-19 is being closely watched.

The aim is to ensure only healthy staff resume work but if someone does get the disease, their close contacts will be alerted by the smartphone app to stay away from the plant until they’ve been given the all-clear.

“We’ve all understood we’re not indestructible,” said Alberto Zanetti, head of the UILM union in northern Italy’s Modena province, which is home to Ferrari’s Maranello plant. “Workers want to get tested.”

Ferrari said 500 out of the 4,000 workers at its Italian plants in Maranello and Modena had already taken tests and the company had the potential to do about 800 a day.

“This screening will allow us to take an initial picture of the health status of the tested company’s population,” said Ferrari’s head of human resources Michele Antoniazzi, adding that almost everyone offered a test had agreed to have one.

The blood tests show whether an employee is healthy, or might be infected. In the second case, they then need a swab test to confirm whether they actually have Covid-19.

Under the scheme, Ferrari will also give specific insurance coverage to those hospitalised after testing positive and will arrange temporary accommodation and medical assistance for anyone who has to self-isolate.

For now, Ferrari’s plants remain shut along with other businesses in Italy deemed non-essential. But the carmaker says its scheme developed with virologists will help provide a safe working environment as soon as restrictions are eased.

Anonymity assured

Union boss Zanetti said the aim was to protect individual production units from the spread of the virus and that he expected more than 90% of employees to take tests.

“Other companies are calling us to see how it works,” he said.

Ferrari only produced just over 10,000 of its luxury sports cars last year so its initiative might not easily transfer to bigger automakers that churn out millions of vehicles a year.

However, Ferrari chairman John Elkann is also chairman of auto giant Fiat Chrysler and he said Ferrari would share the project results. Exor, the holding company of Italy’s Agnelli family, controls both companies.

Gaetano Gargiulo, who works in the R&D department in Maranello where prototypes of Ferrari’s “Prancing Horse” supercars are built, said he had taken the blood test.

“I did it early in the morning and by 4pm I’d received the response on my mobile,” said Gargiulo, who is also part of an internal safety group appointed by fellow workers. “I was very happy to do it, for me and my family. I know that many colleagues are pushing to do it as soon as possible”.

Gargiulo is also optimistic his fellow workers will agree to adopt the smartphone app when it’s launched.

“People are looking at it as a positive thing. As they agreed to take the blood test, they’ll also use the app,” he said.

Ferrari’s app adheres to an European initiative called Pan-European Privacy Preserving Proximity Tracing (PEPP-PT), which is designed to track transmission chains of Covid-19 without infringing individual privacy.

The Ferrari app was developed by tech startup Bending Spoons here, the same firm picked by the Italian government to create a national tracking platform as part of efforts to lift the nationwide lockdown.

Antoniazzi said the app would only track contacts users have had with others in the scheme using Bluetooth technology and would not record movement. Data collected will also be managed by a company outside Ferrari.

“People will be guaranteed anonymity and therefore privacy.”


Koenigsegg debuts Regera megacar in Geneva

                GENEVA: The Regera was created as a luxury Megacar alternative to Koenigsegg’s traditional extreme lightweight race-like road cars.

Regera is Swedish for “to Reign”.

The Regera utilizes an EV (Electric Vehicle)'s plug in feature, and has a drysumped twin turbo DOHC 5.0-litre V8 engine.

Its combined output is over 1,500hp and over 2,000Nm of torque, and it can hit 0 to 400km/h in less than 20 seconds.

Koenigsegg says the Regera is the first fully robotised car.

As the Regera features functions such as; active front and rear wings, chassis control and lifting system - the pumps and accumulators were already in place to connect a few more hydraulic operators. These in turn replaced gas struts of equal weight – resulting in minimal weight impact.

Due to the above, the Regera is the first car in the world that operates all body closures completely automatically.

Meanwhile, the Koenigsegg One:1 featured the world’s first top mounted active rear wing which was an innovative solution that maximised down force compared to its size and weight.

The Regera, being more luxury oriented, has taken this solution to the next level, allowing the wing also to fully fold down into the body work enhancing the cars elegance while parking and reducing drag while cruising.

The wing´s active foldable mechanism, is a lightweight work of carbon fiber art and the movement is truly mesmerizing.

Sporting a unique exhaust-note, the Regera has a custom designed, sound tuned titanium system jointly developed by Akrapovic.

The Regera has a unique Koenigsegg Direct Drive Transmission or KDD, invented by Christian von Koenigsegg.

The patent pending KDD system replaces the combustion engines traditional transmission and gives the added benefit of pure EV mode.

What is unique is that the KDD manages to create direct drive to rear axle from the combustion engine without the need of multitude gears or other traditional types of variable transmissions, with inherently high energy losses.

During highway travel, for example, the KDD reduces drivetrain losses, compared to traditional transmission or CVT by over 50%, as there is no step up or step down gear working in series with the final drive - just direct power transmission from the engine to the wheels.

Its three electric motors constitute the most powerful electrical motor set-up in production car history, replacing the gears of a normal transmission.


Ford goes the extra mile with Driving Skills for Life programme

                KUALA LUMPUR: Ford Motor Company has continued its global Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) programme in Malaysia, hosting workshops for students at the Malaysian Multimedia University (MMU), aimed at raising awareness of safe driving.

Ford’s half-day DSFL workshops – provided free-of-charge – emphasise the importance of safe driving skills for Malaysian motorists.

According to The Malaysian Institute of Road Safety (MIROS), Malaysia recorded a total of over 476,000 road crashes which resulted in over 6,600 fatalities in 2014.

The Driving Skills for Life programme is aimed at educating drivers on necessary and practical skills for driving safely, helping to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries associated with traffic accidents.

DSFL training includes both classroom session covering theory, as well as a hands-on driving session to apply the learnings.

In addition to the programme’s core content, an emphasis on the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol has been incorporated this year, including having participants wear specially designed gear that helps simulate the experience of driving while movement, coordination and alertness are impaired.

“Being a new driver and a huge car enthusiast, I loved having the chance to learn new skills to drive safer on the road. The programme taught me to keep a safe distance between my vehicle and the car in front, and how to use proper braking techniques in an emergency situation,” said a DSFL participant and MMU first-year Computer Science student Noor Azlan bin Mahmud.

The DSFL workshops at MMU, Ford’s flagship global corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, builds on Ford’s outreach to young drivers in Malaysia, which began with DSFL at Taylor’s University earlier in the year, and will continue in 2016.

By the end of 2015, Ford DSFL will reach more than 150,000 people with behind-the-wheel training and hundreds of thousands more through online training, school programmes and safe driving campaigns in 32 countries.

In addition to Malaysia, DSFL training is provided in China, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

In Asia, Ford DSFL is now in its eighth successful year of training licensed drivers of all ages.

“Driving Skills for Life is a hands-on driver training programme designed to help drivers develop essential skills to be safe on the road, which is especially important for newly licensed drivers like university students.”

“As a global company with an established presence in Malaysia, we are passionate about instilling road safety awareness among drivers, with the aim of making the roads safer for drivers, motorists and pedestrians,” said Ford Motor Company managing director (Asia Pacific and Emerging Markets) David Westerman.


AmInvestment bullish on auto sector, projects 565K TIV for 2020

                KUALA LUMPUR: AmInvestment Bank has maintained its "overweight" call on the automobile sector, with a total industry volume (TIV) projection of 565,000 units for 2020.

In a note, analyst Jeremie Yap said TIV in the second half of this year would be supported by improved performances across the board for all major automakers with the implementation of the short-term National Economic Recovery Plan (Penjana), entailing a 100 per cent and 50 per cent sales tax (SST) exemption on locally-assembled (CKD) and fully imported (CBU) car models respectively from June 15 until Dec 31.

“Going into 2H2020, we are expecting a strong recovery over the next six months as the number of domestic Covid-19 new cases is easing and most businesses have resumed operations.

“The government has also relaxed the movement control order (MCO), where all dealerships, showrooms and Road Transport Department outlets are now able to take in booking orders and registrations for new vehicles,” Yap said.

Yap said the SST exemptions would result in reduced car prices of between 1.1 per cent and 6.5 per cent for cars across the board for all automakers, which is seen as a much-needed shot in the arm for local vehicle sales, similar to the three-month tax holiday in June-August 2018.

In 2018, he said the zero-GST “tax holiday” resulted in a cut in car prices of between three per cent and five per cent across the board, significantly spurring demand for new cars with a total sale of 198,500 units for the June-August 2018 period (up 42 per cent quarter-on-quarter, up 32 per cent year-on-year).

He said Proton and Perodua would benefit from the SST exemption stimulus more than the others given that the prices of their product offerings would be even more affordable post-SST exemption as their entire line-up are locally assembled CKDs.

“We strongly believe that Proton and Perodua will continue to lead the auto sector in 2H2020 due to their more attractive pricings for their line-ups and value propositions compared to their peers (i.e. X70 vs. X-Trail/CR-V; Aruz vs. BR-V).

“With that, we maintain BUYs on DRB-Hicom (fair value: RM2.49) and MBM Resources (fair value: RM4.62) as they are proxies to Proton and Perodua’s performances in the auto sector,” he added.


London parking the most expensive in Europe, says survey

                LONDON: The cost of carparks makes you grumble? The cost of London will make you humble. The mobility services website Ubeeqo has found the British capital has the most expensive parking in Europe, with an average price of 10.40 euros (RM47) per hour per space.

Using data from the online encyclopedia Parkopedia, it found hourly parking rates in major European cities vary widely.

Stockholm, Athens, Oslo and Milan round out the top five, with average rates of 5 euros to 8 euros per hour, making these cities rather expensive destinations for road trippers or rental-car holidaymakers.

READ MORE: Parking in KL a pain from July 30

Parking costs in Amsterdam, Paris, Munich and Rome range from 4.20 euros to 4.70 euros per hour, while an hour’s parking in Hamburg costs an average of 2.70 euros. According to Ubeeqo, Berlin comes in at a relatively reasonable 2 euros.

Even so, the most affordable parking on the continent can be found in eastern Europe, with comparatively low hourly rates in the major capitals of Budapest (1.60 euros), Prague (1.30 euros) and Warsaw (1 euros).

Parkopedia is a online platform focused on the theme of parking, currently with data on more than 6,300 cities in about 75 countries, which includes Malaysia. Check it out to see the price point for your own city.


Kia Sportage 2WD introduced

                KUALA LUMPUR: The Sportage two-wheel drive (2WD) sport utility vehicle is the latest offering from Naza Kia Malaysia.

It is the second model to be introduced by Naza Kia Malaysia this year following the launch of the Rio five-door in May.

“Sleek, exceptionally functional and packed with safety features, the Sportage 2WD promises to deliver the style and performance to match modern, hectic lifestyles,” said Naza Kia Malaysia acting head Roshdy Hassan.

The Sportage 2WD has a "tiger nose" radiator grille and piercing front projector headlamps with LED light guide and fog lamps that sit beneath the front end of a clamshell bonnet.

Other highlights include the ribbed roof, chunky door handles, large wing mirrors and 17-inch sport rim designed alloy wheels.

There are also features such as a leather trimmed steering wheel boosted by Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS), rear seat back recliner, auto cruise control and rear parking assist system.

Other features available include an Infinity sound system with seven speakers including subwoofer, escort light system, tilt and telescopic steering column, rear view camera and a radio/CD/MP3 audio system.

The Sportage 2WD’s 2.0-litre Nu engine develops 154ps at 6,200rpm and 191Nm at 4,700rpm of torque with a six-speed automatic transmission.

The Sportage 2WD is fitted with six airbags, electronic stability program (ESP) which consists of anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC), vehicle stability management (VSM), hill-start assist control (HAC) and downhill brake control (DBC).

Available in Clear White, Bright Silver and Mineral Silver, the Sportage 2WD is priced at RM118,888 on-the-road.


Five highway tolls to start accepting debit and credit cards, says Nanta

                KUALA LUMPUR: Soon drivers can use credit cards and debit cards to pay for highway tolls on five roads, says Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.

Four of them - the Sungai Besi Expressway, the Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway, the New Pantai Expressway, and the Guthrie Corridor Expressway - were in the Klang Valley, while the fifth is the Penang Bridge.

Nanta said the five roads would implement the open payment system by September.

If it proves successful, more highways could switch to the open payment system.

Nanta said the system would be assessed in October before it could be implemented on all highways nationwide.

"From the beginning of this year, we have been talking with the highway concessionaires on the steps towards the implementation of an open payment system," he said in a Facebook posting.

"The implementation of this system is among the early initiatives for a switch to the Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF), which is underway," he said, adding that it would take several months to integrate the open payment system.

"The MLFF implementation will be done in phases, by the third quarter of 2024," he said.

Nanta said the implementation of the MLFF would enable an open payment system to be carried out for toll collection on all highways.

"This will open up more opportunities for eWallet providers and end the monopoly of Touch 'n Go.

"It will also create healthy competition among industry players and open up more choices for highway users in terms of toll payment methods," he said.

The introduction of the Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) will give users more options for paying tolls and should help ease traffic bottlenecks, especially at toll plazas.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had said recently that the monopoly of Touch 'n Go in the payment system for tolls and public transportation would be reviewed, to stimulate competition in the market.

On Monday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the ministry had instructed all agencies including public transport operators under the ministry's purview to create an open payment system application.


2018 CarSifu Auto Show: There's more than one reason to attend

                KUALA LUMPUR: With a week more to go before the introduction of the Sales and Service Tax (SST) in September, a pair of business partners have been given a mission to secure a vehicle during the 2018 CarSifu Auto Show.

For business partners Harmeet and Sarjit Panesar, who got to know about the show through The Star newspaper, their brother-in-law have commissioned them to seek and select the best offer at the show.

"We've actually been shopping around for a few months now and since we saw that the show was happening in Mid Valley in The Star newspaper, we thought we should come and take a look for my brother-in-law," said Sarjit.

"We're considering the Isuzu D-max pickup truck at the moment and next up we thought we should take a look at what Renault is offering. We're still undecided, but ultimately we need to make a decision by today about which to get," added Harmeet.

 Fazli Jusoh with his wife Ami Azrila Abu Bakar (second right), 40, daughter Nur Anis Suffiya (second left), 6, and Mohd Iman, 4.

As for 39 year-old government servant Fazli Jusoh, this may just be the right time to make a change and replace his existing vehicle to fit his family members more comfortably.

"I'm actually considering a sport utility vehicle at the moment and I was thinking perhaps the Nissan X-Trail would be a better size for us," said Fazli who brought along his wife, two children and their grandmother.

 From left: Grandmother Shamsiah Tek, Fazli Jusoh, daughter Nur Anis Suffiya, son Mohd Iman, and wife Ami Azrila Abu Bakar, 40 with a Nissan X-trail SUV during the show.The 2018 CarSifu Auto Show is being held at Mid Valley Exhibition Centre (MVEC) at Mid Valley Megamall from today to Aug 26, 10am to 9pm daily and is showcasing automotive brands offering great deals that include Subaru, Mazda, Nissan, Renault, Kia, Peugeot, Citroen, Proton, Isuzu and Volvo.

Visitors who book their cars at the show will automatically be entered into the Book and Win contest that has Sharp Malaysia sponsoring five units of Aquos 60-inch 4K television with Easy Smart and 10 units of  the Japanese electronics brand's Plasmacluster Car Ion Generator.

Other than vehicles, the show is also featuring trendy apparels from Camel Activ as well as property developer Sunsuria promoting its iconic Sunsuria Forum freehold mixed-integrated development located in Setia Alam, Shah Alam.

Also on display at the 2018 CarSifu Auto Show is official fuel partner Petron Malaysia who are giving away Petron gift cards (each pre-loaded with RM10) to 500 lucky visitors as well as a 20% discount if customers purchase to packs or more of Petron engine oil.

Official tyre partners Toyo Tyre and Silverstone are also at the show and will be giving talks on tyre care as well as hosting game sessions.

There are also other attractive promotions and contests by Qwik Pay ticketless and cashless payment app for car parking, Ottoman high-quality PU leather car floor carpets (40% discount for the duration of the show), Touch ‘n Go eWallet, RDS Marketing which offers Noco vehicle battery chargers and jump starters, and vehicle inspection specialist Aucnation Synergy.

 Ottoman demonstration


Fisker Ocean all-electric SUV debuts at CES 2020

                LAS VEGAS: Fisker Inc has revealed its Ocean luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2020 in Las Vegas.

With a projected production of more than a million vehicles between 2022 and 2027, the Ocean's price will range from USD$29,999 (RM125,000) to USD$37,499 (RM155,000) with full options included.

The Ocean has been earmarked for production at the end of 2021 and deliveries beginning sometime in 2022.

No initial performance figures were revealed except the California-based company did, however, divulge that the Ocean will be equipped with an 80kWh lithium-ion battery that's good for up to 480km.

Other goodies will include a Karaoke feature that's shown through a heads-up display – synced with the Fisker Flexee app for a fun in-vehicle family experience.

There's also a patented "California Mode" which lowers/slides all nine glass windows/panels to open the entire cabin with one touch to create an open-air feeling, while still maintaining a full "roll cage" safety structure around the passengers.

Also, the rear hatch glass can drop to allow long items to be placed through the opening without having to drive with an open tailgate.

"We look forward to sharing even more details at the Geneva Motor Show 2020 – including our fully-engineered platform and more technical specifications," said chairman and CEO Henrik Fisker.

Fisker Inc was previously known as Fisker Automotive which brought about the Fisker Karma luxury plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that made its debut in 2008.


Winners of the first Toyota Velocity Championship eSports event

                SUBANG JAYA: 400 enthusiastic participants raced against each other at the biggest national eSports racing event in Malaysia and Muhammad Uzair S Abdul Nasir Khan turned out to be the country’s fastest and quickest simulator driver.

First runner-up went to Mior Muhammad Hafiz Mior Lahmudin while the second runner-up was Aiman Haziq Aidi.

The top three winners received RM20,000, RM10,000 and RM5,000, respectively, while consolation prizes of RM2,000 each were given to the other 7 finalists. A total of RM60,000 cash prizes were offered during the championship.

Their duel was at the first Toyota Velocity Championship held at the Sunway Pyramid, Blue Atrium from Sept 21 to 23, 2018.

UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd (UMWT) is the first Malaysian car company to be associated with the fast-growing Esports racing activity, which virtually mirrors the high-performance activities of Toyota Gazoo Racing, giving the public a chance to experience the thrills and excitement of racing.

“We are delighted with the overwhelming response from the public towards the very first Toyota Velocity Championship. Esports is definitely a rapidly rising industry not just in Malaysia but also globally as it provides exciting experience for the younger generation. Toyota’s involvement and strong presence in such activities complements the dynamic and sporty side of the brand,” said President of UMWT, Ravindran K.

 Toyota Gazoo Racing celebrities trying their hand at the eSport racing event.

For the Toyota Velocity Esports Championship, participants raced on the high-powered Toyota GR Supra Racing Concept, Toyota’s iconic sportscar.

Using state-of-the-art Playstation Gran Turismo Sport simulator machines, drivers are provided with realistic 3D perception of the environment. The virtual race runs at the legendary Suzuka International Racing Course in Japan.

Besides the championship competition, which was open to members of the public who registered to take part, there was also exciting exhibition race between celebrities from the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Racing Festival; Diana Danielle, Janna Nick, Shawn Lee and Syukri Yahaya Aiman Tino, Khai Bahar, Nabila Razali, Wany Hasrita, Akim Ahmad and Nabil Ahmad, who raced against UMW Toyota Motor’s racers.

The celebrities, who also race in the Vios Challenge One-Make Race of the TGR Racing Festival, also interacted with their fans and the public during the event.

Fans will also be able to catch the celebrities in full action at the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Racing Festival at MAEPS Serdang, from Oct 19 to 21, 2018.


Lexus LC 500 Convertible:  Open up to pleasure

                Ours is a country of sedans and increasingly SUVs. Open-top motoring has and will always be a niche pursuit.

In the Malaysian context, where the weather is either hot or rainy, going topless is simply undesirable.

But when the stars are aligned — like a cool breezy day with a touch of the sun peeking from the clouds paired with an open road — heck, that’s when a car with a retractable roof comes into its own.

And then the joy of the drive begins. It’s what this kind of car is built for. It’s also an object of pride to be paraded.

In a country where convertibles are as rare as Malayan tigers, being seen driving one is a way to stand out from the crowd and cheekily declare to all and sundry: “Look at me and my ride. Admire and envy!”

With the Lexus LC 500 Convertible (LC), that surely is the case.

This stylish road hugger with oversized wheels is visually impressive and is guaranteed to draw attention with its sleek, flowing silhouette.

Lexus calls this body colour Naples Yellow Contrast Layering but the RM1.35mil car, launched locally last November, is also available in a choice of 10 other colours.

It goes down well with a black interior, which can also be had in red or brown.

Soft top colours are restricted to just black or beige.

The twin to the LC 500 coupe, the convertible looks like a piece of rolling sculpture with every unit said to have been vetted by Lexus takumis or craftsmen for the highest standards of build and finish.

Inspired by the LC-LF concept car, the LC comes with a pair of tri-beam LED projector headlights that flank the massive spindle grille.

The rear features LEDs for its light clusters and its third brake light that has been integrated into the edge of the upswept boot lid spoiler.

By its nature, a convertible’s body needs to be reinforced as there’s no fixed roof.

This Lexus gets the requisite amount of braces - which extends to the underbelly - to keep it rigid so as to improve handling.

The 2+2 driver-centric cabin is snug and plush, featuring eight-way powered sports seats that have been wrapped in semi-aniline leather.

An 8.0-inch digital combination meter cluster is paired with a 10.3-inch infotainment screen in the centre.

The latter is, alas, not a touchscreen and is controlled mainly from a touchpad that is finicky.

The switch to open and close the roof is smartly hidden under the touchpad palmrest.

On paper, the powered roof opens in 15 seconds and closes in 16 seconds and can be operated up to 50kph. But we only managed 18 seconds and 19 seconds respectively.

Keeping up with the times, the LC plays nice with smartphones as it comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, an important consideration since our phones have become so much a part of our lives.

A desire for the LC requires you to overlook a few things: the car can only seat two adults; the boot is small and getting out is a pain in the butt especially on a slope. But all’s well if you can let such limitations slide.

Powering the LC is a 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine with port and direct injection to produce 470hp at 7,100rpm and 540Nm of torque at 4,800rpm.

Power is relayed to the rear wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission. It goes from 0 to 100kph in 4.9s and reaches a top speed of 270kph.

The drop-top is more grand tourer than sports car.

At highway speeds, the LC comes across as a refined and smooth operator with a steering that is light yet precise.

Pile it into corners and it shows just how agile it is, thanks in part to a mechanical limited-slip differential and a 52:48 front: rear weight distribution.

It shows a docile side when pottering along city streets.

Despite having huge wheels, adaptive dampers make for a firm and comfortable ride.

The 4-layered roof does a good job in keeping the cabin insulated from the outside but the fine engine notes are not totally divorced.

Take the top down and that’s when the LC’s emotive pull is at its strongest.

The wind in your hair, the sun in your face. But mainly, it opens up the senses to the V8 orchestra upfront.

The mighty engine can snarl, pop and crackle with the best of them.

Toggle through the drive modes for intensity by degrees, knowing that you have the best seat on the floor.

Lexus has done an excellent job at managing airflow over and around the cabin with aero bits so that the driver can still hold a conversation with a passenger without having to shout.

But that’s missing the point of this Lexus.

In moments like these, it’s best to shut up and enjoy the journey — and that seductive soundtrack.
SPECIFICATIONSLexus LC 500 ConvertibleEngine: 4,969cc, 32-valve DOHC, V8 petrol
Maximum power: 470hp at 7,100rpm
Maximum torque: 540Nm from 4,800rpm
Transmission: 10-speed Direct Shift Automatic
Acceleration (0-100kph): 4.9 seconds
Top speed: 270kph
Fuel consumption (combined): 12.7l/100km
Suspension: Multi-link (front and rear)
Features: Six airbags, Lexus Safety System+ ( Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Alert with Lane Keep Assist, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Automatic High Beam and Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert), rear deflector, active roll bars, rear-wheel drive, push-start ignition, adaptive variable suspension, paddle shifters, all-round ventilated discs, navigation system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Android Screen Mirroring, 13-speaker Mark Levinson Reference Surround Sound System, 149-litre boot, 21-inch forged wheels with runflat tyres, electronic flush-type door handles
Price: RM1.35mil (on-the-road without insurance with SST)


Strong demand for energy-efficient vehicles, says minister

                KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 200,260 energy-efficient vehicles (EEV) were sold last year, making up 34 per cent of the total sales of 591,298 units.

International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said this was an increase of 19 per cent compared to the previous year.

"It is not true that EEV and hybrid cars are not well-received by car buyers," he said at the Dewan Rakyat sitting, here on Monday.

He was replying to a question from Datuk Kamarul Baharin Abbas (PKR-Teluk Kemang) on the incentives given by the government to car buyers to buy EEV and hybrid cars as well as the reason these vehicles were not well-received by the public.

Mustapa said the government's incentive of exemption from import and excise duties had encouraged many companies to introduce their own hybrid models for the local market.

He said to date, the vehicles which have been recognised as EEVs include those from Perodua, Honda, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Nissan and Renault.


VW to start using high-nickel batteries for electric car

                FRANKFURT: Volkswagen will raise the amount of nickel used in it electric car battery cells to 80% in the next year from 65% at present, Frank Blome, head of battery cells at the carmaker said on Tuesday.

Volkswagen’s current electric car battery cell contains 65% nickel, 15% cobalt and 20% manganese. Next generation batteries will have 80% nickel, 10% cobalt and 10% manganese, Blome told analysts on a call.

Volkswagen is embarking on a mass production push to build 3 million electric cars by 2025, requiring 300 gigawatt hours worth of battery cells, mainly in Asia and Europe, he said.

Ramping up manufacturing battery packs at scale will help the carmaker to cut battery cell costs far below US$100 per kilowatt hour by 2025, he said.


First look at Infiniti's Q Inspiration Concept

                HONG KONG: Infiniti has just posted its best-ever sales figures for the calendar year in the US, and things could get even better for the luxury arm of Nissan if the concept it's just released an image of goes into production looking as it does in the teaser.

The Q Inspiration Concept will make its global debut at the upcoming 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and if the front of this one is as attractive as its rear is, it really will be something to look forward to.

The teaser image makes it looks as though this concept could be quite reminiscent of the Audi A7, although the Infiniti concept appears to be taking the fastback style to a new level with a cabin that reaches almost to the very edge of the car.

From this single image it initially looks as though the Q Concept could be a hatchback. Then again, as some panel gaps appear to be evident at the bottom of the D-pillar, and as there also appears to be a rear pane of glass similar to the Tesla Model 3, it probably suggests this concept may technically be classified as a sedan.

"We aim to take traditional sedan architecture to its next stage of evolution," said Infiniti's executive design director Karim Habib.

"The Q Inspiration offers an alternative form; something more flowing in appearance and muscular in stance, with an unusually long and balanced cabin. Experimenting with new proportions in an established segment with the arrival of smarter, compact powertrains, the Q Inspiration features a shorter hood and elongated body, with all the benefits to interior well-being, comfort and space that this layout entails.

Infiniti's description accompanying the image does make brief mention of "advanced powertrains," which could be among the most intriguing things about the Detroit reveal.

At the very least it could have a version of Infiniti's variable-compression engine under the hood, it could be a hybrid or plug-in hybrid, but don't be surprised if Infiniti has chosen to go all the way with fully-electric powertrain for this one.


Thailand International Motor Expo 2017 officially opens

                BANGKOK: The Thailand International Motor Show 2017 officially opened its doors for the 34th time to the public with a large variety of vehicles waiting to be perused by patrons.

This year's show features the theme "New age vehicles... a distant dream come true” with 35 car manufacturers from nine countries and 20 motorcycle manufacturers from eight countries.

The aim of the show is to help the international media play an active role as a mediator between consumers - in helping them obtain the best value and quality for their money, and vehicle producers as well as help further develop Thailand's automotive industry as help the country bolster its automotive sales for the remainder of year.

The vehicles on display range from Nissan, KIA, Mazda, Honda, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, KIA and MG to name a few.

 Among the displays are two concept cars that graced the show this year - the Hyundai RN30 and Mitsubishi Gran Tourer Plugin Hybrid Electric Vehicle (GT-PHEV).

The show also feature premium brands that include Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Aston Martin and Maserati as well as the ultra premium brands of Bentley and Rolls Royce.

Aside from the four wheel section, there's the two wheel section featuring brands of Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha, Ducati, Harley Davidson, KTM, Aprilia, Triumph and Vespa among others.

Additionally, there's also a used car section as well as a vicinity for test drives.

The show opens from 12pm to 10pm daily and runs until Dec 11 at Impact Arena, Muangthong Thani in Bangkok, Thailand.


BMW gears up to mass produce electric cars by 2020, will debut new i model in Frankfurt

Krüger has announced a new i model that's positioned between the i3 and i8.
FRANKFURT/MUNICH: BMW is gearing up to mass produce electric cars by 2020 and will to have 12 different models by 2025, it said on Thursday, as traditional manufacturers race to catch up with US electric car pioneer Tesla.

Car buyers shunned electric vehicles because of their high cost and limited operating range until Tesla unveiled the Model S in 2012, a car that cracked the 322km range barrier on a single charge.

Since then, big advances in battery technology and a global crackdown on pollution in the wake of Volkswagen’s diesel scandal have raised pressure on carmakers to speed up development of zero-emission alternatives.

BMW, which launched the i3 electric car in 2013, said it was now readying its factories to mass produce electric cars by 2020 if demand for battery driven vehicles takes off.

“By 2025, we will offer 25 electrified vehicles – 12 will be fully-electric,” chief executive Harald Krueger told journalists here, adding the electric cars would have a range of up to 700km.

It marks a significant foray by a major manufacturer into electrification. BMW, which includes the MINI and Rolls-Royce brands and sold 2.34 million cars last year, announced the move on the day smaller rival Jaguar said it would offer electric or hybrid variants of all its models by 2020.

On Wednesday, Nissan unveiled a new version of its LEAF electric vehicle in its latest move to take on Tesla, the US firm co-founded by Elon Musk that sold 83,922 vehicles last year.

Traditional carmakers have been slow to embrace the electric vehicle market because it remains unprofitable, largely due to the cost of batteries which make up between 30 percent and 50 percent of the cost of an electric vehicle.

A battery pack with 60kWh capacity and 500km range costs around US$14,000 (RM59,000) today, compared with a petrol engine that costs around US$5,000 (RM21,000). Add to that the US$2,000 (RM8,400) for the electric motor and the inverter, and the gap is even wider.

 The Li-ion battery pack on the floor of the i3.

But capacity investments into the battery sector may bring down costs of electric vehicles to a “tipping point” when they reach parity with combustion-engined equivalents some time between 2020 and 2030, according to analysts at Barclays.

With cities threatening to ban combustion-engined vehicles or to tax diesel cars more heavily, the total cost of ownership of electric cars could drop below their combustion-engined equivalents, and Europe could become a 100% pure battery electric vehicle market by 2035, according to analysts at ING.

The Frankfurt motor show, starting next week, will be used by BMW to unveil a new four-door electric car positioned between the i3 city car and the i8 hybrid sportscar, Krueger said.

“We will be increasing the share of electrified models across all brands and model series. And, yes, that also includes the Rolls-Royce brand and BMW M vehicles,” he said.

German rivals will also be showing electric cars, with Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz brand unveiling the EQA, a concept mass market electric car, Volkswagen taking the wraps off the ID Crozz.

Aside from vehicle cost, a key obstacle to making electric cars popular is the amount of time it takes to recharge, and a lack of charging stations.

London needs to spend 10 billion euros (RM51bil) to get charging infrastructure to a level where retail buyers can practically own an electric car, consultancy AlixPartners has said. Almost none of that spending has been earmarked so far.


Ferrari says internal documents online, but no evidence of cyber attack

                MILAN: Ferrari said on Monday some internal documents had been posted online and the luxury sports carmaker was working to identify how this had happened.

It will implement all the appropriate actions as needed, it said in an emailed statement.

Ferrari added it had no evidence of a breach of its systems or ransomware, and said there had been no disruption to its business and operations.

Earlier on Monday, Corriere della Sera newspaper, citing the Red Hot Cyber website, said Ferrari had been the victim of a cyber attack and seven gigabytes of documents, including internal ones, datasheets and repair handbooks, had been made public.

It added the alleged attack had been carried out by RansomEXX cyber gang.


New Proton 3S outlet opens in Kota Kinabalu

                KOTA KINABALU: Proton's new 3S (sales, service and spare parts) outlet, operated by a Shirba Auto Sdn Bhd, has officially opened its doors in Kota Kinabalu.

The opening was jointly officiated by International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Darell Leiking and Proton corporate strategy senior director Yusri Bin Yusuf.

The new 3S outlet marks the third one for Kota Kinabalu with its a built-up area of 2,259 square meters.

It comes equipped with 12 service bays, six service hoists, customer lounge with free Wi-Fi, customer parking bays and a children's play area.

The local carmaker so far has 104 - 3S & 4S outlets nationwide - making the car company with the most number of outlets to offer sales and services all under one roof.

“The initiatives that are put in place have resulted in us gaining confidence from investors and the market. Many have decided to invest in a dealership because they have witnessed the positive developments at PROTON. They see PROTON as a solid brand and are willing to partner with us. Brand perception has also shifted and this is evident from our increasing sales,” said Proton CEO Dr Li Chunrong.

Year-to-date, sales in East Malaysia saw a growth of 31%, whilst for Sabah, the increase was 39%, compared to the same period last year with the Saga remaining the popular choice in the state.


Nissan shows how its all-electric Leaf fights air pollution

                TOKYO: Nissan says that its fully-electric Leaf has managed to same more than 2.0-tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) since 2010.

This proves that electric vehicles have become a sustainable alternative in addressing air pollution.

According to a 2019 report that if air pollution can be curbed through measures, millions of lives could have been saved.

The report also indicated that approximately 4.0bil people in Asia and Oceania – 92% of Asia and the Pacific’s population, are exposed to air pollution levels that pose a significant health risk.

This was further highlighted with the February 2020 launch of the world’s largest real-time air quality data bank under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) indicating that much of the region remains in ‘unhealthy’ air quality levels.

With reference to a 2019 state global air report, air pollution is now globally the fifth leading cause of death among all health risks and according to "Our World in Data", 9% of deaths have been attributed to it.

To address this as part of the commitment to reduce CO2 emissions, Nissan has collected analysis of the impact its vehicle has had worldwide since it debuted in 2010.

At the same time, there is compelling data to demonstrate how electric mobility can be part of solutions to address air pollution levels.

According to the data, just one electric vehicle (EV) can save 4.6.tonnes of greenhouse gases each year which is equivalent to planting 209 trees.

To date, more than 460,000 Leaf owners globally have contributed to around 2.1mil tonnes of CO2 saved, which requires more than 81mil trees to process in a year.

Also, the Leaf has managed to cover over 13bil emission-free kilometres - which is the same as driving to the moon more than 33,800 times.

With a 55% reduction in current CO2 emissions needed by 2030 to halt global warming, Nissan is saying that 2020 could be the catalyst year of change for consumers by switching to an EV and make an impact in reducing air pollution.


Look out for potholes when you drive

                PETALING JAYA: Potholes are the bane of motorists and have been known to cause fatalities in the country, particularly among motorcyclists.

Damage sustained by vehicles driven over potholes also results in the owners needing to fork out money for costly repairs.

In Shah Alam, motorcycle repair shop owner Nurul Nazeley Sulaiman, 38, said motorcycles were more prone than others to damage from potholes.

“The recurring issue for motorcycles brought into the workshop are damaged rims.

“The typical cost for new ones is around RM180. Original rims could go up to RM500,” he said, adding that rim replacement was done in cases considered only as “minor damage”.

When it rains, the potholes are even harder to detect.

“I repaired one motorcycle that was involved in a terrible pothole accident. The replacement of parts cost nearly RM500, which included replacing a motorcycle fork (RM180), wheel bearing (RM180) and motorcycle shaft (RM25 per shaft).

He said large vehicles swerving to avoid potholes would also pose great risks to motorcyclists.

“Recently, when I was riding my motorbike and unable to avoid a pothole, I slipped and fell onto the road.

“Luckily, there were no vehicles around and I managed to pick myself up. I sustained minor injuries and it cost me RM340 to replace my motorcycle’s damaged rims,” he recounted.

If the potholes were deep, he said, motorcyclists might be at risk of major injuries or even death.

“This is a serious concern in Malaysia, where motorcycles make up a significant number of the country’s vehicles on the road,” he pointed out.

While cars are better able to withstand damage from driving over potholes, their owners face higher repair costs.

Bandar Puteri Puchong workshop technician Siva Raman said that on the occasions that a car was sent for repair due to potholes, it usually involved replacing the rims.

“Repairs for a dented rim will cost around RM1,000, but if it is badly damaged, the vehicle’s lower arm bar near the brake disc will need to be changed and that will cost up to RM2,000.

“The cost is particularly burdensome for low-income drivers, who may not be able to afford the repair cost.

“In some cases, the vehicle owners choose to ignore the damage, which can lead to even more severe damage and a higher repair bill down the line,” said Siva.

Last year, Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) made headlines when it was ordered by a magistrate’s court to pay Dr Fahrurrazi Hamid RM2,980 for damage to his car.

Dr Fahrurrazi received compensation for two tyres, four tyre rims and other fees.

He said he had hit the pothole while driving at night on Jalan Sungai Long near the Budiman Business Park intersection in Kajang.

“The hole was at least 10cm to 15cm deep and caused damage to my car rims.

“Road condition problems are a recurrent issue in Malaysia.

“It is a serious matter as these potholes can cause injury or death.

“Local authorities need to be proactive in fixing roads to prevent accidents.

“In addition, the pavement quality should be improved to prevent the potholes from reappearing,” said Dr Fahrurrazi.

The country’s dire road conditions have prompted the creation of a non-governmental organisation.

Azlan Sani Zawawi, better known as Lando, started Ikatan Silaturahim Brotherhood (Brotherhood Malaysia) with the aim of fixing potholes and advocating road safety.

“Many of my friends had fallen off their motorcycles due to potholes and a few had died from such accidents,” he said.

He claimed that he had single-handedly repaired over 3,000 potholes while his organisation had repaired over 10,000 potholes nationwide since 2007.

Typically, the organisation advised road users to lodge complaints to the authorities and would intervene if there was no action within three days, he said.

“In April, there was a court case in Pasir Gudang that involved an accidental death due to a pothole and I hired a lawyer to represent the victim’s family,” he added.

According to Azlan, Brotherhood Malaysia made four road markings on potholes around Petaling Jaya in March.

One site was a pothole located along Jalan PJS1/25.

He said the act of painting markers on the road to point to the potholes was to pressure the authorities to carry out repair work.

A Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) representative said the pothole along Jalan PJS1/25 was repaired and the road was partially closed on March 6 for a few days.

Petaling Jaya resident Tracy Toh said she had filed hundreds of pothole complaints to MBPJ and often had to follow up.

She said the issue of jurisdiction also made reporting problematic – if a road fell under the Public Works Department (JKR), MBPJ will refer the complainant to JKR instead of forwarding the complaint.

After Toh reported to MBPJ about a concrete grating that was missing slabs, she said MBPJ responded that the road beside the former SS2 Mall was not under its jurisdiction.

“Another problem is that MBPJ allows utility companies to dig up the roads but does not ensure those companies resurface the roads after the work is completed,” she said, citing how main roads in Section 13 and 14 had been left in bad condition for years despite residents’ complaints.

“Section 14’s commercial area also has many potholes that are filed under ‘Penyelesaian Jangka Panjang’ (long-term resolution) by MBPJ.”

Toh, who also frequently drives on Kuala Lumpur roads, said DBKL’s dedicated channel for pothole complaints was a lot more responsive but potholes reappear soon after repairs or road surfaces are uneven after repairs are carried out.

Alliance for Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said that for decades, every government that came into power had failed to take a serious approach to solve the issue.

“Potholes are a nationwide problem because Malaysia lacks proper maintenance culture.

“Local councils should have a mobile team conduct regular inspections of roads and immediately alert the relevant department to repair the potholes,” he suggested.

Citing the MPKj case, Lee said the public should take legal action against local governments for their failure to maintain public roads.

“When roads are resurfaced, the quality of the materials used is often poor.

“This lack of material durability makes the roads susceptible to damage from heavy vehicles,” he said.

He said that another major contributing factor to road damage was the presence of ageing underground pipes.

“When these pipes leak, they slowly weaken the surrounding road surface, leading to the formation of small holes that can become dangerous to road users over time.

“The government should convene a Cabinet meeting to discuss the issue of potholes.

“The relevant minister should bring up the matter and request the Prime Minister’s intervention.

“The Prime Minister is able to issue directives to ensure that every town and local authority implements a ‘Zero Pothole’ policy. The local authorities should be held fully responsible,” said Lee.

He said the adoption of such a policy would issue a clear directive to local governments to prioritise road maintenance and establish a sustainable maintenance culture.

“If the issue is a lack of funds for maintenance, the local authority must ensure that it has adequate funding and sufficient budget allocation to ensure regular maintenance,” he added.

Several roads with potholes are plaguing Klang Valley road users.

StarMetro detected three areas with recurring potholes: the entrance of MRT Semantan North Portal along Jalan Damansara heading towards Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim, Jalan Sultan Ismail near the Jalan P. Ramlee junction in Kuala Lumpur, while in Petaling Jaya, they can be found in Persiaran Surian from Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP) heading towards Kota Damansara.

MBPJ and DBKL did not respond at press time.


Maserati's Trofeo 'club' expands with Quattroporte and Ghibli

                ROME: Maserati has expanded its high-performance Trofeo collection with the addition of the Quattroporte and Ghibli which now joins the Levante sports utility vehicle (SUV).

To highlight the brand's all-Italian identity, the colours chosen for the Trofeo collection launch were of the country’s flag - green for Quattroporte, white for Levante and red for Ghibli.

A new 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine is now the beating heart of the Ghibli and Quattroporte Trofeo which provides 580hp at 6,250rpm and 730Nm of torque.

The engine, already in the Levante Trofeo, is being built at the Ferrari plant in Maranello to the company's specifications.

Both the Ghibli and Quattroporte Trofeo can reach a top speed of 326kph while the Levante Trofeo is only able to reach 302kph.

Like the Levante Trofeo, the new Ghibli and Quattroporte Trofeo get the Integrated Vehicle Control (IVC) system and now sports the Corsa (Race) button with Launch Control.

Externally, these high-performance models get slapped with a front grille with twin-vertical bars in Black Piano and the use of carbon fibre for the front air duct trims and rear extractor.

The whole Trofeo collection is distinguished by the red details that characterise the bottom profiles of the side air vents and the lightning bolt on the Trident badge on the C-pillars.

There are major changes at the rear of the car, where the light clusters having been completely restyled, with a boomerang-like profile inspired by the 3200 GT and the Alfieri concept car.

In terms of the Ghibli Trofeo, the bonnet has also been restyled, featuring two aggressive air ducts for better cooling, just like the Levante Trofeo.

The Ghibli and Quattroporte Trofeo are fitted with 21-inch aluminium Orione wheels (also available on the Levante Trofeo).

Inside, the cabins get a new on-board panel that displays an exclusive interface once turned on, while the headrests bear the Trofeo badge with the name in three-dimensional relief on the full-grain Pieno Fiore natural leather upholstery.

The Active Driving Assist (ADAS) system is available as standard and includes Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Lane Keeping Assist, Surround View Camera, Highway Assist System, Active Blind Spot Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, Forward Collision Warning Plus and Hill Descent Control (Levante only).

As for the Maserati Intelligent Assistant (MIA), the multimedia screen's resolution has been upgraded and enlarged to 10.1-inch on both Ghibli Trofeo and Quattroporte Trofeo.

The Levante Trofeo, however, retains its 8.4-inch display but with better resolution and graphics.

Furthermore, with the Maserati Connect programme, the Trofeo collection is always connected, with a full set of services to simplify its use.

The Ghibli and Quattroporte Trofeo will be built at the Avvocato Giovanni Agnelli Plant (AGAP) at Grugliasco (Turin) and the Levante Trofeo at the Mirafiori (Turin) plant.


Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo for the fans

                FRANKFURT: Specifically for the 66th International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, Bugatti has transformed a virtual project into tangible reality.

The French super sports car brand will be presenting its virtual concept Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo, which it developed in cooperation with Polyphony Digital Inc, creator of the Gran Turismo video game franchise, as a real show car.

The project is the brand’s tribute to its great racing tradition of the 1920s and 1930s and its victories in Le Mans 24-hour races.

“When the target group suddenly grows from 450 Veyron owners to several million fans, gamers and high performance aficionados, it is a very exciting matter. We had a lot of fun with this project,” explained Achim Anscheidt, the head of Bugatti Design.

“In the Bugatti Veyron, we have developed a super sports car which unites two characteristics, the beauty and the beast,” said Anscheidt.

“The Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo embodies the performance beast. It has a more radical and extreme style. This is a thorough-bred Bugatti for the virtual race track, not for the street.”

The virtual race car has also been furnished with the most recognisable symbol of a Bugatti, the horse shoe on the front grille.

The horse shoe is flanked by the eight-eyed headlights, which were developed especially for the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo.

Another typical Bugatti design element is the centre fin, which originated on the legendary Type 57 Atlantic from 1936.

The designers employ two versions of the fin on the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo: one on the front and rear wings, where they contribute to the appearance of the vehicle and the other running the length of the roof, where it makes an important contribution to the car’s dynamic stability.


Tesla posts new job ads signalling entry to Singapore

Despite having criticised Singapore for not being supportive of electric vehicles, Tesla appears to be planning to set up shop in the island republic soon. — Bloomberg
SAN FRANCISCO: Tesla Inc posted fresh job ads for roles based in Singapore, signalling Elon Musk’s electric-vehicle maker is preparing to set up shop in the wealthy city-state it has so far skirted.

The car manufacturer is looking for senior developers in Singapore, according to job postings on LinkedIn, which didn’t disclose how many people are sought. In July, Tesla began advertising for positions such as store leader and sales advisers in the city.

A Tesla representative in Beijing declined to comment.

Musk has previously criticised Singapore for not being supportive of electric vehicles, and Tesla hasn’t got any showrooms in the city whose premium-car market is dominated by brands such as BMW AG and Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz.

The California-based company has been quick to expand in other major Asia-Pacific metropolitan markets, including Hong Kong, Sydney, Tokyo and Taipei.

Singapore said this year it plans to phase out fossil fuel-powered vehicles by 2040, planning to add incentives to encourage consumers to buy electric cars.

The island state has been relatively slow to adopt EVs and Musk said on Twitter in January 2019 that the government was unwelcoming.

Tesla plans to ship cars made at its new Shanghai factory to other countries in Asia, including Singapore, people familiar with the matter said this month.

Shipments could start as soon as the end of this year or early 2021, according to the people.


MCO: Mitsubishi reopens selected service centres

                KUALA LUMPUR: Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM), the official distributor of Mitsubishi Motors vehicles in Malaysia, announced that it will resume operations at selected service centres nationwide from today.

The company announced that it has received approval from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to operate during the Phase Four (until May 12) of the Movement Control Order (MCO) for selected authorised service centres.

Customers are advised to contact their nearest MMM authorized service centres for servicing and maintenance works to set an appointment - walk-ins will not be entertained and customers are not allowed to wait at the service premises

For added safety, the service centres will practice contactless vehicle acceptance, pick-up and drop-off only and temperature checks, as well as the use of masks for all customers and staffs, will be conducted.

Also, hand sanitizers will be available at the entrance of the service centres and vehicles will be sanitized before handing over to customers.

For emergency and enquiries, customers are advised to contact Mitsubishi Assist 24Hours call centre at 1-800-88-2166 / 03-21610246 or for more information, log on to www.mitsubishi-motors.com.my.


Test drive Flux's line-up of EVs at M1NTED in KLPAC Aug 27-28

                KUALA LUMPUR: Car subscription service provider Flux, together with Malaysia's first NFT Festival - M1NTED - will be hosting an electric vehicle (EV) free test drive experience at KLPAC, Sentul here on Aug 27-28.

The two-day experience, from 9am to 6pm daily, will allow eager visitors to test drive Flux's range of EVs such as the Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric, MINI Cooper SE, Hyundai Kona and Ioniq 5, and as well as the GWM Ora Good Cat which has not been officially launched in Malaysia.

Through this event, drivers can learn about the advantages and disadvantages of "owning" an EV and get a first feel of what it's like to drive an EV.

If you are looking to try out the EV for a longer peroid, Flux is offering a weekly EV subscription programme that allows a test drive for seven days, starting from only RM1,200/week at https://driveflux.com/weekly-ev.

Flux is expecting to see over 4,000 attendees at the NFT Festival during this weekend.

Although Flux’s booth is free and open to the public, the NFT Festival is a ticketed event and visitors can learn more at www.m1nted.asia.

Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy gourmet dining options while learning about NFTs.