Land Rover Defender 90 introduced from RM838,000

                ARA DAMANSARA: Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia (JLRM) has launched the all-new three-door Land Rover Defender 90 that comes packed with innovation to provide all-terrain driving experience in high levels of comfort and class.

It's available in two offerings of P300 and P400 that come with prices of RM838,800 and RM1,098,800 respectively.

Prices come with 10% sales tax but without insurance, road tax and registration.

A five-door longer wheelbase variant called the Defender 110 was launched locally by JLRM in October last year.

As seen in the Defender 110, the new Defender 90 also comes with two Ingenium engine choices.

The P300 gets a 2.0-litre four-cylinder block with 300PS and 400Nm of torque while the P400 is equipped with 3.0-litre six-cylinder mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV) mill with 400PS and 550Nm of torque.

The Defender 90 has a maximum wading depth of 900mm and has a twin-speed transfer box, which provides a boost of speed and control to power through challenging conditions such as steep inclines and declines, unpredictable terrain and off-road driving.

Aside from ensuring a comfortable driving experience, the adjustable Electronic Air Suspension can provide an access height of 40mm below normal ride height or raise vehicle height up to 75mm.

For extreme off-road conditions and unsteady surfaces, a further extended ride height of 70mm is available, providing exceptional wheel articulation and poise.

Its Adaptive Dynamics feature allows drivers to fine-tune their driving characteristics through adaptive dampers that evaluates bodily movements up to 500 times per second.

Also featured are the intuitive new Pivi Pro infotainment system and Land Rover’s next-generation Electronic Vehicle Architecture, dubbed EVA 2.0, that provides Software-Over-The-Air (SOTA) updates that ensure the Defender 90 will have the latest programmes.

EVA 2.0 consists of a state-of-the-art forward-facing digital camera, advanced ultrasonic sensors and a powerful onboard network which supports a comprehensive suite of driver assistance technologies.

This includes a 3D Surround Camera that provides 360-degree visibility on surrounding areas, off and on-road, for maximum security.

The advanced camera system provides enhanced augmented on-screen visualisation when using Wade Sensing and Land Rover’s ClearSight Ground View transparent bonnet technology, to improve visibility.

Available in five colours, the new Defender 90 comes with 170 individual accessories, the largest range ever produced for a Land Rover, ensuring that no two Defender vehicles will be the same.

Accessories include the innovative Exterior Side-Mounted Gear Carrier that offers extra space, as well as a new Above and Beyond Collection of outdoor performance equipment and apparel, complementing the driver’s adventures with the Defender 90.

Sime Darby Motors Malaysia retail and distribution managing director Jeffrey Gan said the Defender 90 is celebrated globally for its engineering, technology and design.

“With its all-terrain capabilities, we are confident that this powerful and iconic vehicle is well-suited to enhance the driving experience for Malaysians, whether on city streets or off the beaten track,” he said.

JLRM managing director Syed Ahmad Muzri Syed Faiz said the new model has been 70 years in the making and consistent innovation has led to this feat.

“The Defender 90 is purpose-built for optimum durability and equipped with advanced technologies. With this, customers can embark on both on-road and off-road adventures in first-class comfort and safety, while being prepared for any environment,” he said.

The iconic model comes with a Land Rover Care programme which includes a five-year warranty, five years’ free service and three years’ roadside assistance.

Visit www.landrover.com.my for more information.


Insurers see drop in car thefts in Malaysia

A cannibalised Wira.
KUALA LUMPUR: The number of car thefts reported in the country has dropped by almost half over the past five years, according to the General Insurance Association of Malaysia (PIAM).

It has reduced from 70,847 cases in 2013 to 35,953 cases in 2018.

PIAM chief executive officer Mark Lim attributed the success to the concerted effort among government agencies, the private sector and the public over the years to reduce such thefts, which had also indirectly reduced the insurance claims for vehicle thefts.

“The downward trend continues, and the first six months of this year saw a further reduction in the number of such thefts.”

In 2018, there were 7,027 cases of vehicle thefts reported in the first six months and the number dropped further to 5,173 cases over the same period this year.

Lim said that Proton Wira topped the stolen cars list.

A total of 225 cases of such thefts were reported in the first six months of this year, followed by Proton Iswara (164), Perodua Kancil (123), Toyota Hilux (112), Perodua Myvi (100), Proton Waja (76), Proton Saga (68), Toyota Vellfire (65), Nissan Vanette (64) and Honda City (51).

In terms of frequency of theft of a particular model based on the number of insured models on the road, Lim said Toyota Vellfire topped the list with 65 cases followed by Toyota Alphard (29), Nissan Vanette (64), Toyota Liteace (18), Proton Perdana (22), Nissan Cefiro (four), Isuzu Trooper (four), Mitsubishi Triton (19), Toyota Hilux (112) and Proton Iswara (164).

READ MORE:
Proton Wira topped the stolen cars list
IGLA device to foil car theft and carjacking

“Reducing the number of vehicle theft is important as it is usually the precursor to the commission of other crimes such as robbery and smuggling, ” he added.

PIAM chairman Antony Lee said insurance companies were forking out almost RM15mil in motor insurance claims every day.

“Although road fatalities decreased by 6.7% from 6,740 in 2017 to 6,284 last year, the number of road accidents continue to go up.

“Based on statistics published by the Transport Ministry, a total of 548,598 accidents were recorded in 2018, ” he said.

He added that motor insurance claims rose by 12% for the first half of this year to RM2.71bil.

He said PIAM was in talks with the Transport Ministry to find ways to reduce road accidents through the “carrot-and-stick” approach.

For example, he said, this might include rewards for drivers who have a summons-free record.

On the whole, Lee said the general insurance industry recorded a drop of 1.4% with gross direct premiums of RM8.92bil for the first half of this year, compared with the same period last year.

He added that further liberalisation of the insurance industry would help buffer the effect of a slower growth due to external economic factors such as the ongoing US-China trade war.


Bloodhound car sniffing out 2017 land speed record attempt

                LONDON: The British-based Bloodhound project has secured new funding and is looking to go supersonic next October.

The current Land Speed Record - 1277.98kph, held by Andy Green and the Thrust SSC car -- has stood for 19 years but it looks as though it could soon change hands.

The Bloodhound Supersonic Car has been in development for a number of years and was initially set to attempt a new record in 2016 but everything was recently put on hold when the project ran into financial difficulties.

However the team has confirmed that new partners have been sourced and that everything is back on track, for an October 2017 attempt in South Africa.

Project director Richard Noble said: "This is probably the biggest moment in the project's history. Before we could only see financially a few months ahead but now we can put our foot down and really go for it!"


Battery giants face skills gap that could jam electric highway

                SEOUL: The South Korean battery giants powering many of the world's electric vehicles face a skills shortage that could drag on the global race towards zero-emissions transport.

The country's three major players, which command a third of the global electric vehicle (EV) battery market, told Reuters they were all grappling with a shortage of research and engineering specialists as demand for the technology balloons.

LG Energy Solution, SK On, and Samsung SDI Co Ltd all rank in the top-six global battery makers, and supply the likes of Tesla Inc, Volkswagen and Ford Motor Co among others.

Yet they are facing growing demands from big automakers and can't find enough technicians with the training needed to keep advancing cutting-edge tech such as solid-state batteries.

"Although we are seeing such a growth in the industry, it appears that we are facing a shortage of talent," an official at LGES said. "It is crucial to recruit external talents as well as nurturing our own talent."

This was echoed by its two big domestic rivals, with SK On describing the sector's expansion as "exponential".

Indeed the global battery sector has doubled in size over the past five years and South Korea is short of almost 3,000 graduate degree-level positions in areas such as research and design, according to the most recent data from the Korea Battery Industry Association, from late 2020. LGES, SK On and Samsung SDI currently have a total of about 19,000 employees.

The Korean crunch reflects a growing talent shortage across a wider global battery market that, according to IHS Markit forecasters, will triple in size to almost US$90 billion by 2025.

The EU's European Battery Alliance planning group, for example, says "re-/up-skilling" is needed in the bloc because its battery industry needs 800,000 new workers by 2025.

If the global skills gap is not plugged, some industry experts say it could slow the pace of advances in batteries, which are being counted on to clean up road transport, one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

"Talent demand in the battery industry outweighs supply, and battery makers are anxious to ensure that they have got this small group of people who can work on this technology, and won't be left behind in the fast-growing market," said Samsung Securities analyst Cho Hyun-ryul.

'Competitive packages'

In a sign of the skills pressure, LGES - South Korea's No.1 battery maker by volume - plans to launch a new "battery-smart factory department" at the prestigious Korea University next spring with guaranteed jobs for graduates.

More immediately, executives have been flying to the United States to lead recruiting events at schools there. The LGES CEO and his managers went to Los Angeles last month while the SK Innovation CEO and staff hosted an event in San Francisco on Saturday.

These companies are not only competing with other established Asian players, including market leader CATL from China and Japan's Panasonic, but fast-growing US and European rivals like Sweden's Northvolt bridging the technology gap.

The talent shortage in South Korea is being compounded by some existing employees moving to foreign competitors that had offered better pay, according to two industry sources with knowledge of the matter. They declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Northvolt, which counts Volkswagen as a client, has previously said that some of its employees were recruited from top battery makers, including LGES and Panasonic.

"We do have few people working for Northvolt that are from South Korea, which is obviously a very impressive country when it comes to battery manufacturing and development with several well-respected companies active in this space," a spokesperson for the company told Reuters last week.

"We try to offer competitive packages to our employees – everyone working here is a shareholder in the company for instance," he added, though did not specify pay details.

Battery specialists in South Korea newly graduated with doctorate degrees can earn as much as 100 million won (RM352,000) a year, and those without that level of qualification average about 80 million won (RM282,000) after gaining a few years of experience, according to two sources at major South Korean battery firms.

South Korea's average annual salary was 37.4 million won (RM132,000) in 2019, according to tax agency data.

'Win for American autos'

The Korean sector has also been mired in internal conflict, with LGES and SK Innovation, which wholly owns SK On, locked in a two-year dispute over technology, trade secrets and staff poaching until April this year when they settled their differences.

In a signs of the global importance of the two conglomerates, US President Joe Biden - who has made boosting EVs a top priority - described the settlement as "a win for American workers and the American auto industry."

"We need a strong, diversified and resilient US-based electric vehicle battery supply chain," he added.

Even in the face of the growing skills gap, the worldwide demand for their products has supercharged the battery makers' expansion plans.

LGES expects its production capacity to reach 155 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of batteries by the end of this year and plans to raise that to 430 GWh in 2025 that could power about 7.2 million EVs.

SK Innovation aims to boost its annual production capacity more than five-fold to 220 GWh by 2025 and last week announced the plan to invest 10.2 trillion won with Ford to build three battery plants in the United States.

Richard Kim, principal analyst at IHS Markit, said the skills gap was likely to be a problem for years to come.

"The labour shortage in the battery industry has already been a global issue, and the reality is that there has been an imbalance of supply and demand of manpower as many companies start to expand their capacity," he added.


Mitsubishi reveals Eclipse Cross PHEV

                TOKYO: Mitsubishi Motors Corp (MMC) has launched its Eclipse Cross plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) - marking the company's second PHEV in its lineup.

This mid-sized sports utility vehicle (SUV) in non-PHEV guise was initially launched during the Japanese carmaker's 100th anniversary in 2017.

"At Mitsubishi Motors, we are also committed to helping to achieve a sustainable environment by putting our EV and PHEV technologies into broader use. By 2030, we will raise the proportion of electrified vehicles in the total sales to 50%, with a focus on PHEVs such as this new model,” said MMC Chief executive officer Takao Kato.

The Eclipse Cross PHEV variant now incorporates a twin-motor 4WD system pinched from the larger and more popular Outlander PHEV.

Japanese order books opened for the Eclipse in October and was said to have doubled the initial expectations at 2,000 units in about six weeks.

“We aim to provide customers around the world with exciting products that also offer peace of mind, by improving on our trademark eco-friendly technologies while also taking our 4WD technologies to the next level,” said Takao Kato, CEO of MITSUBISHI MOTORS CORPORATION.

Developed under the design concept "Daring Grace", the Eclipse PHEV has been slapped with an evolved version of the company's Dynamic Shield front grille that's supported by a skid plate below it - both flanked by redesigned headlights.

At the rear, the double windshield has made way for a single windshield for better rear-ward visibility while sporting a pair of three-dimensional taillights that have been positioned higher.

For colour options, the Eclipse Cross PHEV comes in two high-luminosity Diamond Color series of Red Diamond and a new White Diamond.

The latter is a shade that radiates both a white sheen of a pearl coupled with a subtle nuance of metal.

Inside, the cabin has been blacked out with the seats upholstered in a combination of embossed suede-based materials and synthetic leather.

Leather seats are also available in light grey as well as black with matching door trims.

Powering all four wheels is a combination of a 2.4-litre MIVEC engine and an electric motor that gets its "juice" from a 13.8kWh battery - allowing for an all-electric range of 57.3km.

Additionally, three driving modes are available starting with EV Mode which uses the battery and electric motors as the vehicle's main source of propulsion.

In Series Hybrid Mode the engine is used to charge the battery while propulsion still comes from the electric motors.

Parallel Hybrid Mode will employ both engine and electric motor to power its wheels.

Lastly, Automatic leaves the SUV to switch between modes according to driving conditions.

The PHEV provides owners with a 100V AC on-board outlet with a maximum of 1,500-watt power supply for electronics and appliances - perfect for outdoor leisure activities and can act as an emergency source of power.

The rechargeable battery is said to be able to power an entire household with its stored energy by connecting a V2H6 device to the quick-charging port.

Since the vehicle can generate its own power, it has the ability to supply power to a household for up to 10 days when fully charged and fueled.

Out on the road, the Japanese carmaker says that the Eclipse Cross PHEV's front and rear suspension has been further optimised to help make the Super-All Wheel Control (S-AWC) system even more effective in terms of dynamism and comfort.

The way this PHEV behaves while out and about can be altered via four driving modes of Normal, Snow, Gravel and Tarmac.

The S-AWC system is able to distribute power between the front and rear axle as well thanks to the electric motors which help to negate transmission losses.

Weight distribution has also been optimized along with its centre of gravity thanks to the hevy battery being located throughout the centre of the floorboard.

The benefit here is an even more comfortable ride with added steering stability.

The S-AWC system integrates the company's Active Yaw Control (AYC) to adjust braking force between the front left and right wheels for a sharper cornering experience.

The AYC is further integrated with the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Active Stability Control (ASC)

Integrated control of these systems produces highly stable vehicle behaviour that is true to the driver's intent.

Entertainment comes from an eight-speaker Mitsubishi Power Sound System (MPSS) controlled by a touch display that's been enlarged to 8.0-inches.

A new smartphone link navigation system with built-in maps is accompanied by Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and VICS traffic information compatibility.

Three trim levels are offered which starts with the M variant that gets standard equipped that includes preventive safety features.

The mid-range G variant includes a 100-volt power outlet (max 1,500 watts) and a Heads-up Display while the flagship P variant, with its enhanced looks, adds on the smartphone link navigation system as well as other special features.

In Japan, the Eclipse Cross PHEV has been priced from 3,848,900 to 4,477,000 yen (RM150,000 to RM175,000).

“The new Eclipse Cross is an ideal partner for drivers who want to do more with their car, and to seek new challenges," added Kato.


Toyota Motor Credit settles with US over racial bias in auto loans

                WASHINGTON: Toyota Motor Credit Corp  has agreed to pay up to US$21.9 million in restitution to thousands of African-American, Asian and Pacific Islander customers, for charging them higher interest rates on auto loans than white borrowers with comparable creditworthiness, said the US government.

Toyota Motor Credit will also change its pricing and compensation system to substantially reduce dealer discretion and financial incentives to mark up interest rates, the US Justice Department and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said in a statement on Tuesday.

The US financing arm for the world's largest automaker said in a statement it decided to reach a voluntary agreement with the United States so it could "preserve consumer financing options while fairly compensating its dealer partners and upholding its commitment to fair lending practices."

It added it "respectfully disagrees with the agencies' methodologies to determine whether industry lending practices have been discriminatory." The agreement limits the amount dealers can mark up a loan to a maximum of 125 basis points, according to its statement.

Ally Financial agreed to establish an US$80 million restitution fund when it settled allegations of discrimination in auto financing last year. Similarly, last year the finance arm for Honda Motor Co. agreed to pay US$24 million and Fifth Third Bancorp to pay US$18 million over discrimination.

The CEO of AutoNation, Inc. the largest US auto dealership chain, has urged other dealers to follow the practices outlined in the Honda settlement, saying they could reduce variability in loans without hurting the dealer economically.

In its complaint against Toyota's financing arm, the United States said that from 2011 through 2013 the average black customer was obliged to pay more than US$200 and the average Asian or Pacific Islander customer more than "US$100 more during the term of the loan because of discrimination."

Before Sept. 10, 2014, Toyota did not require dealers to document reasons for adding basis points to loans and did not monitor its portfolio for possible discrimination, the complaint added.


Out of Japan’s tsunami comes a floating car

Prototypes of Fomm's Concept One electric vehicle stand parked at the company's workshop in Kawasaki, Japan. — All images by Bloomberg
TOKYO: Hideo Tsurumaki watched the giant tsunami waves crash onto Japan’s northeast coast on March 11, 2011, sweeping away cars filled with people trying to escape.

As the vehicles sank slowly into the sea, Tsurumaki thought about his mother, who lives by the ocean in another earthquake-prone part of the country. She has difficulty walking, like many of those who tried to flee by car that day. And he thought that if the cars had been able to float, fewer people would have perished.

Two years later, the former employee of a unit of Toyota Motor Corp. started to build a small, watertight electric vehicle that can float in floods, or even cruise at low speeds. His startup has some notable backers, a functioning prototype, and plans to produce 10,000 cars a year from late this year at a factory that it’s renting near Bangkok in Thailand. By 2020, Tsurumaki hopes to take the company public.

 Handlebars as steering control.

“I intend to put one outside our house,” Tsurumaki, 55, said of the cars. “Many others will probably think the same.”

Vehicles that can travel on land or water have been around since at least the early 19th century, used by everyone from tour operators to armies. While Tsurumaki’s invention may have been inspired by the tsunami, it falls short of a design needed to take on or survive the ferocity of the tidal waves or the might of strong flood currents. At best, he envisions it as a small electric vehicle - a second car for affluent families for short trips around the neighborhood.

Most customers will only use the floating capabilities in emergencies, probably only once in their lifetimes, he says.

Tsurumaki, a motorbike-racing enthusiast who only gave up on becoming a professional racer due to injury, left his post as lead engineer for an ultra-compact one-seater electric vehicle at Toyota Auto Body Co. in 2012. He founded Fomm Corp. with an initial capital of 200,000 yen (RM7,200), and hand-built the first prototype while operating from a single-room dormitory.

 Tsurumaki.

Tsurumaki worked for three years with University of Tokyo researchers on ways to drive the car in water with all tyres submerged, eventually deciding to use turbine-shaped wheels that draw in water as they revolve, and a component at the front that releases the water to achieve propulsion. It also allows the vehicle to be turned using the steering wheel.

In 2016, Fomm formed a partnership with Trinex Assets Co., a Thai real estate company whose president also runs a car-parts maker, to help build the vehicle, which is now on its fourth prototype. Production is scheduled to start in December, with the car going on sale around the same time. Thailand, a major automaking hub, started favorable policies for plug-in vehicles and hybrids this year, including tax breaks for as long as eight years.

Tsurumaki has attracted some big-name Japanese investors. Yamada Denki Co., the largest home-appliances and consumer-electronics chain, formed a capital alliance in October, without disclosing the stake. It plans to sell the car. In November, he sealed a tieup with audiovisual equipment maker Funai Electronics Co., which will help produce the car in Japan.

 The ignition button on the prototype.

Tsurumaki’s electric city commuter, which is about the same size as a golf cart, features a lightweight body and batteries under each of its four seats. It accelerates by pulling a lever on the steering wheel, which is partly to save space. The batteries are replaceable, so users won’t have to wait the six hours it takes for a full charge.

The car will travel as much as 160km on one charge, with a top speed of 80kph.

“The car may serve as an upgrade for tricycles in Bangkok as the government pushes for cleaner vehicles, and it’s just as easy to navigate as the tuk-tuks,” said Ken Miyao, an analyst at consultancy Carnorama Inc. in Tokyo. “’I can see a reasonable chance for them to succeed.”

While the startup has made progress, challenges still abound.

The biggest is costs. Electric vehicles are already expensive to produce, because of the high costs of parts such as batteries. The floating car will have additional expenses, such as for sealants to make it watertight.

Initially, Tsurumaki wanted to style its body like tough military vehicles, but the cost prompted him to give up on the idea. He settled on a design and materials that would just let it float.

The relatively small annual production target makes it harder to negotiate good deals with suppliers, according to Tsurumaki. That means the cars will sell for about 580,000 baht (RM72,000), enough to buy a much bigger vehicle.

“It’s a chicken-and-egg situation,” he said.

 Employees installing the suspensions.

Tsurumaki says he’s looking to cut the price to less than US$5,000 (around RM20,000) per car by sourcing mass-produced components at lower costs.

Miyao, the analyst, agrees cost is key.

“They need to make cars as cheap as those without floating capabilities,” he said. “I don’t think anyone would want to pay twice as much just for this gimmick they may be able to use only once in their lifetimes at best.”


Lamborghini teases Aventador SVJ, Ferrari hints at new model

                BOLOGNA: Lamborghini has released a new teaser for its flagship hypercar, while Ferrari's website reveals an image of what might be a brand-new as-yet unnamed model.

As teaser images go, the latest one issued by Lamborghini, of its next flagship hypercar doesn't reveal much. It's probably designed to keep anticipation as high as possible, ahead of the car finally being unveiled later in August.

The new Aventador Superveloce Jota, or SVJ for short, will debut later this month at Monterey Car Week. In the meantime, all this latest image tells us is the car is likely to be finished in a fairly loud shade of green.

We've already seen some official spy shots of the car covered in its camouflage, and it's no surprise that Lamborghini is keen to show the car off going through its paces at the Nurburgring. The Aventador SVJ recently claimed the production car record for the famed German circuit with a time of 6:44.97s, which eclipsed the previous record of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS by two seconds.

 The new Aventador SVJ undergoing testing.

Compared to the regular Aventador, the SVJ benefits from a complete aerodynamic overhaul and performance-related enhancements, which give the SVJ an even more aggressive look. The car has a deeper front wing, wider side skirts and motorsport-style single centre nuts on the wheels, and it also features Lamborghini's ALA 2.0 active aerodynamics system.

Lamborghini isn't the only car maker teasing us this week. Ferrari has also posted a teaser image of a potential new model. The image appeared on an owners-only area of Ferrari's website, and shows a sketch of an unnamed car covered by the strapline "Icona Ferrari."

The date on the teaser image is Sept 17, the date of Ferrari's Capital Markets Day when new CEO Louis Camilleri is set to unveil the company strategy for the next five years.

It's been suggested the image's file name, "Ferrari F176" could be the codename of a new model, possibly a limited-edition model based on the 812 Superfast, but there's no official word on that from Ferrari yet.


New Renault Clio gets top marks from Euro NCAP

                PARIS: The new Renault Clio has received the coveted 5-stars rating in the latest Euro NCAP safety tests.

Groupe Renault’s best-selling model has been tested according to its new stringent protocol launched in 2018 and won the highest score.

The fifth-generation of the Clio is already one of the safest city cars ever tested by Euro NCAP. It became the 22nd Renault vehicle to receive the maximum rating of five stars. The safety performance achieved is due in part to the enhanced passive safety and the most comprehensive range of driving aids in the segment.

Based on the brand-new Alliance modular platform, CMF-B, the Clio benefits from an optimised body structure, revised seat structures and seat-belt fasteners designed to provide optimal support for all occupants, no matter the occupants size or position in the car, with pyrotechnic pre-tensions and load limiters.

Renault supports the Fix4sure technology for excellence in occupant restraint. In addition, All-New Clio's excellent interior safety features makes it possible to install a wide variety of child seats, both front and rear, on isofix and with the I-size system, as well as featuring enhanced head protection for the rear passengers in case of side impact.

The Euro-spec Clio features a wealth of standard safety features such as: six airbags, ABS with emergency brake assistance, a camera and radar (lane assist, traffic sign recognition with speed limit alert, distance warning, emergency braking), cruise control/speed limiter, seat belt unlock alert for the front and rear seats and emergency call. Vision is optimised with standard 100 per-cent LED front headlamps.

Thanks to Clio's new electronic architecture, it was possible to introduce an active emergency brake system with recognition of pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles. For even more safety and comfort, the Clio will also feature advanced driving aids with the Highway and Traffic Jam Companion, the first step towards autonomous driving.


Etiqa's first Super Premier Workshop announced

                KUALA LUMPUR: Etiqa’s top premier panel workshop, Eurozone Automobile Sdn Bhd, recently earned the recognition of being named Etiqa’s very first Super Premier Workshop.

In addition to being a top performing workshop, it met the stringent criteria set by Etiqa which includes fast repair time averaging 14 days, and high customer rating of 5 over 5.

They were also able to assist their customers in securing claims approval in just 30 minutes for claims below RM30,000.

Equipped with the latest and most advanced equipment and tools, Eurozone Automobile repairers are able to offer customers the best diagnostic services, vehicle servicing, electrical and mechanical repairs.

Only genuine approved parts are used, as well as eco-friendly paint material, top-branded lubricants and motor oil.

Eurozone Automobile’s highly skilled technicians are also fully qualified to work on all car models, using updated equipment to keep the vehicle in excellent condition.

While the vehicles are being attended to, customers are able to enjoy the facilities available there, which include a café, gym, an entertainment centre, as well as a prayer room.

In a joint statement, Etiqa General Takaful Bhd CEO Shahrul Azuan Mohamed and Etiqa General Insurance Bhd CEO Fukhairudin Mohd Yusof said:

“We are very excited to introduce our customers to Eurozone Automobile, the very first Super Premier Workshop. This is an initiative to take Etiqa’s promise of Fast & Easy services to our customers to a whole different level."

Eurozone Automobile owner Ong Chee Eng said the workshop was honoured to be categorised as an Etiqa Super Premier Workshop.

"We have always put the needs of our customers first, offering them first class service from start to finish, and ensuring that their experience with us is smooth and hassle free.

"Our workshop is also equipped with the latest equipment and tools so that even the vehicles receive the best care,” Ong said.

Etiqa’s Head of Claims Care Muhammad Azlan Noor Che Mat said a Super Premier Workshop is no ordinary workshop, as it is modelled to provide customers an exceptional claims and service experience.

"We have set very high standards for this category of workshop, and our vision is for our panel Premier Workshops to reach the ranks of the Super Premier Workshop so that we can bring a new standard of Fast & Easy service experiences to more people across the country.”

For details on Eurozone Automobile, Etiqa’s panel Super Premier Workshop, visit www.etiqa.com.my.


Out and about with Chevrolet Cruze Sport

                The Chevrolet Cruze last received a proper facelift back in 2012 and ever since then, its general outlook hasn’t been altered. Instead, its had a few special editions come about and the latest is the Cruze Sport.

It's been slapped with a few additional parts to the Cruze LT’s standard equipment, and voila – here's the Cruze Sport.

It’s currently priced on-the-road with insurance at RM122,868 – RM14,056 more than the Cruze LT, and it comes together with a standard -year or 200,000km warranty, whichever comes first.

The list of upgrades include a new front splitter, side skirts, rear bumper skirting with integrated faux dual twin-exhaust tips, door visors, rear boot lip and lightweight 17-inch alloy wheels with 215/50 Kumho Solus KH17 tyres.

Inside, the cabin gets premium leather seats with backrest “Cruze Sport” embroidery, LED-lit “CRUZE” scuff plates, driver footrest, multi-information display, a USB port and Bluetooth connectivity.

As for what lies under the hood, the 1.8-litre naturally aspirated Ecotec engine remains unchanged at 138hp at 6,200rpm and 176Nm of torque at 3,800rpm. It's still married to (and managed by) a six-speed automatic gearbox before sending the twist to the front wheels.

However, the engine’s throttle response has been upped and a stainless steel air filter has been added to allow it to “breathe” a little more easily.

Other note-worthy standard equipment includes keyless entry with push-start button, cruise control, heat-absorbing glass, anti-lock braking system, traction control, electronic stability programme and electronic brake-force distribution.

Bring everything together and the Cruze Sport seems like an interesting proposition and there’s really nothing to dislike about it.

Having the convenience of keyless entry with push start button always puts a smile on anybody’s face.

So long as the key FOB is in your pocket, pressing the button on any of the door handles allows access to the cabin and rather than taking the key out to start the car, a simple press of the Start-Stop button brings it to life instead.

Inside, the cabin is somewhat spacious yet cosy. Although the seats lack some thigh-support, it does try to add a sense of luxury with the leather upholstery.

But then again, with the presence of some hard plastic on the dashboard and door inserts, that sense of luxury seemed almost mooted.

Although the boot lid seemed “short” in the visual context, but there's about 450 litres worth of space in there. This is due to the full-sized tyre residing under the floor board, which makes the boot shallow, but deep.

Thankfully, the boot's space hasn't eaten into the cabin, with rear-seated passengers having a decent amount of head and knee room.

At 1,788mm-wide, the cabin just doesn't seem the best to fit three “buff-fellows”, but perhaps a girl of “papadam” dimensions could fill the gap between the two.

From standstill, the Cruze Sport feels like a gazelle – leaping into performance, thanks to its improved throttle response. But novice drivers may find the sudden power surge to be a surprise (even for some experienced drivers), which might need some acclimatising.

With much of the engine’s potency coming in early, it seems a little out of breath from its mid-range till red-line - leaving any sense of urgency at the door, even after shifting down a two gears while squashing the accelerator.

It’s no wonder it takes the Cruze Sport a slow 11.5 seconds to reach 100kph, before reaching a top speed of 190kph.

That said, the brakes are decent. They do well to bleed speed and when under heavy braking, the rear end remains calm - perhaps attributable to the car’s combination of wider than standard tyres and a 1,558mm-wide rear track (14mm wider than the front).

Although the suspension uses MacPherson struts with anti-roll bars at the front and what Chevrolet calls a compound crank axle (torsion-beam) for the rear, the car tracks remarkably well though the tight and ‘twisties’.

We can’t be sure, but we suspect that the car has the optional performance progressive coil springs.

On the highway, the car managed to impresses above expectations, with its stiff yet compliant suspension taking care of undulations as the wind gently whistles by when cruising about between 90 to 110kph.

Overall, the Chevrolet Cruze Sport may have its misgivings in the engine department, but it does make up for in terms of handling, comfort and convenience.

And as long as those are the deemed to be of high importance, then the Cruze might just be what you’re looking for.


Just 'DuitNow' with Setel

                KUALA LUMPUR: The Setel app has integrated DuitNow QR to broaden cashless payment acceptance for users.

With access to DuitNow QR, Setel is joining a large ecosystem operated by Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd(PayNet).

The advantage of the integration also stretches to existing DuitNow merchants, as it provides them access to active Setel users.

The Setel app can now be used to scan and pay at any merchant that displays the DuitNow QR code.

The feature is easily accessible through the "Pay" tab on the app homepage. Just tap on "scan QR code", and once the scanner appears, just scan the DuitNow QR code, enter the payment amount, and submit.

Within the year, Setel users will be able to send and receive funds using DuitNow and generate their own DuitNow QR to facilitate fund transfers into their e-wallet.

To promote usage, Setel is offering users Mesra points for every payment using DuitNow that can be used to redeem fuel and other rewards. The promotion is from March 30 to May 31.

The Setel app is used at over 1.6 million stores nationwide. Setel is a wholly-owned company under Petronas Dagangan Bhd.


Volkswagen Malaysia launches facelift Passat Elegance: RM189K

                KUALA LUMPUR: Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has launched the new Passat 2.0TSI Elegance in Malaysia, featuring a revised exterior and interior, improved connectivity and updated lighting signatures.

It is priced at RM189,012 on-the-road, excluding insurance.

The new Passat is the first front-wheel drive Volkswagen model in Malaysia to come with a new 7-speed wet clutch dual-speed gearbox (DSG).

Other new highlights include new front and rear lights and a completely updated infotainment system complete with wireless App-Connect.

The new Passat is powered by a new 2.0TSI turbocharged engine, producing 190PS and a torque of 320Nm.

Fuel consumption is rated at 6.5 litres per 100km.

A new and improved 11.7-inch Digital Cockpit offers absolute clarity, thanks to a high-resolution display colour thin-film transistor (TFT) similar to that of a premium smartphone and incorporates functions and features in 2D and 3D graphic display for navigation and media.

A six-view customizable screen offers a new level of personalization with over 30 combinations options.

Also, a 9.2-inch touchscreen is made easier to navigate with voice control, gesture control and a customizable three-view split screen.

Wireless AppConnect with Apple Car Play is also available in the new Passat for the very first time in Malaysia.

Other features include a wide range of connectivity options through a capacitive touch display, three illuminated USB-C ports and Bluetooth connectivity for mobile and audio streaming.

A refreshed front and rear profile distinguish the new Passat from its previous iteration, while other distinctions include the “Passat” lettering stretched across its rear and bold 18-inch “Liverpool” alloy wheels.

It also has a redesigned lighting signature - an all-LED headlight system, front and rear sequential turn signals and a three-wing tail light design.

Updates include newly-designed door trims, 30-colour ambient lighting, and a new leather multi-function steering wheel with new ergonomic multifunction button for convenience and connectivity at the touch of a button.

The new Passat is decked in supple leather seats and 12-way driver electric seat with 3-zone Climatronic air-conditioning system.

New to the list is a power-operated roll up rear sunshades.

Boot space is an impressive 586-litres.

A new feature for the new Passat is Side Assist with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, complete with 180-degree detection range of up to 50 metres.

Also, Blind Spot Monitoring System keeps the car secure in its lane with a detection range of up to 70 metres.

There is also the new Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, with integrated sensors on all four tyres to monitor individual pressure readings based on user preference.

Other safety features include Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Brake Assist (BA), Intelligent Crash Response System (ICRS) as well as Hill-hold Control, Automatic Post-Collision Braking System and Proactive Passenger Protection System.

The new Passat Elegance is available in six colours and two finishes. Metallic colours are Aquamarine Blue, Manganese Grey, Reflex Silver and Tamarind Brown, while pearl-effect colours are Deep Black and a new Oryx White.

Pearl-effect colours are available without any additional surcharge.


Mitsubishi announces Merdeka promotions for ASX, Outlander and Triton

                KUALA LUMPUR: Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM), the official distributor of the Japanese brand in Malaysia, is offering a host of promotions to celebrate Merdeka

From now until Sept 30, customers looking to trade-in their vehicle for an ASX Compact SUV may opt for RM8,888 additional trade-in top-up support from MMM authorized dealers.

In addition to this, the promotion also comes with five-year free maintenance as well as a five-year warranty with unlimited mileage.

The ASX 2WD is currently priced at RM111,628 while the ASX 4WD is priced at RM 125,182. All prices mentioned are on-the-road without insurance. This includes a 10% Sales and Service Tax (SST) exemption that's in effect until Dec 31.

Customers opting for the Outlander 2.0 (RM 133,491) will receive a cash rebate of up to RM4,000 and a two-year free maintenance package.

Those considering the Outlander 2.4 (RM147,762) will get a cash rebate of up to RM2,000 and a two-year free maintenance package.

Like the ASX, the Outlander comes with a five-year warranty with unlimited mileage.

Thanks to the SST exemption on locally-assembled (CKD) models, customers can enjoy savings of up to RM8,000 for the ASX, while the Outlander can provide up to RM4,000 in savings.

Customers who book and register a new Mitsubishi Triton VGT Adventure X, Triton VGT AT Premium and Triton VGT MT Premium can choose to either enjoy a low interest rate of up to 0.88% or cash rebates.

The 0.88% low-interest rate is exclusive with Maybank and Public Bank hire purchase only.


Naza College offers up to 30% tuition fee waiver at open day

                KUALA LUMPUR: Naza College of Technology and Business, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Naza Group, is offering up to 30% discounts on tuition fees during its Open Day every weekend from now until 7th April.

Students aspiring to pursue a diploma in courses related to the automotive industry and who register during the Open Day are entitled to 10% early bird discounts.

Additionally, Naza College is also offering Naza CEO Award scholarships for students who excel in sports or art with a 30% waiver off tuition fee and a 20% tuition fee waiver for students of low income households (total monthly income of whose parents or guardians do not exceed RM4,000) via  the Naza Privileged Scholarship.

Students who achieve outstanding results in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM) or United Examination Certificate (UEC) examintions can also apply for the Naza Merit Scholarship.

Other scholarships being offered include the progression scholarship and Naza Family Edu-Aid which provides up to 50% tuition fee waiver for students whose parent(s) are employees of the Naza Group.

“Naza College of Technology and Business is dedicated to providing the best of automotive training to students with aspirations to kickstart their career in the automotive industry. It is our mission to ensure their readiness and confidence when they begin their careers,” said Dr Jagdeep Jassel, CEO, Naza College of Technololgy and Business.

“We believe that students from all backgrounds are entitled to quality education, as long as they have the drive, passion and qualifications to pursue their dreams. With these financial aid schemes available, we provide a platform for students to pursue their education and aspirations irrespective of their financial background,” he added.

Students interested in building a career in the automotive industry are encouraged to visit the Naza College of Technology and Business campus in Glenmarie, Shah Alam for the Open Day to gain insights on the lucrative automotive industry and have one-on-one consultations with skilled and experienced academic staff, and to find out more on the scholarships being offered.

Students who drop by during the Open Day period can look forward to exciting activities instored and even stand a chance to win a pair of tickets to the Asia GT Festival which will take place at Sepang International Circuit from 15th – 17th March.

Courses available at Naza College of Technology and Business include:

Diploma in Motorsport Technology
Diploma in Motorcycle Technology
Diploma in Automotive Business Management
Diploma in Automotive Technology (Light Vehicles)

The college will soon be introducing several new courses including Diploma in Information Technology, Diploma in Accounting, Diploma in Business, Certificate in Business Studies, Certificate in Automotive Technology and Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (SKM) Automotive Technology by this May.

For those who are unable to visit the campus, Naza College will also be participating in several education fairs:

- Education & Further Studies Fair  at Midvalley Exhibition Center (23 & 24 March);

- Star Education Fair at Sunway Convention Centre (6 & 7 April);

- Elite Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Expo at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (11 & 12 May)

To find out more on the Naza College of Technology and Business Open Day, call 03-5569 6292, or 017-366 5543 (Azura), 011-11326386 (Elly) and 017-2773964 (Rasyid)


Auto sales boost expected in Q3

                PETALING JAYA: Automotive companies could see a boost in sales in the third quarter of this year, spurred by the government’s tax exemption and introduction of new models.

MIDF Research in a report said it sees an inflection point in the third quarter of 2020.

“We now expect 2020 total industry volume (TIV) to contract by a narrower 8.3% year-on-year (y-o-y) compared with the previously expected 16.5% y-o-y contraction.”

Sector earnings, meanwhile, are expected to contract 31% y-o-y in 2020, narrower than the previously projected 50% contraction, said the research house.

“As a yardstick, when the three-monthtax-holiday was implemented in 2018, monthly TIV during the period rose by an average 32% y-o-y, or in absolute terms, a 21,000-unit per month increase against the pre-tax-holiday monthly TIV.

“In comparison, our revised 2020 projections imply a relatively conservative 7,800 units per month incremental TIV over the tax holiday period.”

Under the Short-Term Economic Recovery Plan announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in June, locally-assembled cars will be fully-exempted from sales tax while for imported cars, the sales tax will be cut from 10% to 5%, beginning next Monday to Dec 31.

MIDF Research said preliminary June sales volume is showing positive signs of improvement. Perodua’s June TIV almost tripled compared to the 7,886 units registered in May 2020, which had already marked a strong sequential rebound versus a weak April TIV (impacted by the movement control order).

“As a bellwether of the auto industry, we expect Perodua’s strong June performance to signal the trend for sector-wide June TIV to be announced later this month.”

Mirroring Perodua’s June performance, MIDF Research said channel checks with other industry players also indicated early signs of sales improvement after the tax-holiday announcement.

Kenanga Research in a report also said it expects a pick-up in vehicle sales during the third quarter of 2020.

“Some relief could arise from the tax exemption on passenger vehicles starting June 15, which could also improve third-quarter results to meet our expected 2020 TIV target units of 420,000 units.

“Another push could be from the upcoming new launches, including the Proton X50, Perodua D55L/Raizen, all-new Honda City 1.0 Turbo and all-new Nissan Almera 1.0 turbo. There are also streams of unannounced all-new launches pending pricing approvals which could lean towards completely-built-up models.”

According to the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA), TIV fell 62% y-o-y in May from 60,760 units in the previous corresponding period, as generally people were still fearful of coming out and consumer sentiment remained cautious.

The MAA has also revised downwards its 2020 TIV forecast to 400,000 units from 607,000 previously. The 400,000 units forecast would represent a 34% contraction from 2019’s 604,287 units. It also marks the first time in 13 years since the TIV failed to surpass the 500,000-unit mark.


New Golf Alltrack on sale in Germany

                BERLIN: The Golf Alltrack is a cross between the Golf and an SUV and is the latest iteration of the all-wheel-drive all-rounder.

It is based on the eighth, completely new Golf generation and the turbocharged diesel engine (TDI) produces 200PS and 400Nm of torque.

The rugged all-terrain equipment includes unique bumpers, wheel arch extensions and side sills, engine skid plate as well as increased ground clearance including navigation.

The Golf Alltrack is designed to master all roads and tracks under all conditions with its 4MOTION all-wheel drive, 15 mm higher ground clearance and the all-round body protection.

It has a top speed of up to 229kph while offering a high level of comfort and space for five persons plus luggage (611 litres).

As standard, the lifestyle all-rounder features a driving profile selection with an additional off-road mode that makes driving on off-road terrain even easier.

The other standard equipment of the Golf Alltrack includes interior background lighting (adjustable in 30 colours), high-quality interior accents (Nature Cross Brushed), the Discover Media navigation system including App-Connect Wireless (smartphone integration) and DAB+ (digital radio reception), heated comfort seats at the front, a multifunction steering wheel in leather and stainless steel pedals.

In addition, all Golf Variant models feature details such as the lane keeping system Lane Assist, Autonomous Emergency Braking Front Assist with City Emergency Braking System and Pedestrian Monitoring, an oncoming vehicle braking when turning function, Driver Alert System, the electronic differential lock XDS and the Car2X local warning system.

It also has the Digital Cockpit Pro, the We Connect and We Connect Plus online services and functions, the Air Care Climatronic automatic air conditioner, the keyless comfort start function Keyless Start, a Bluetooth mobile phone interface, LED headlights and LED tail light clusters including automatic headlight control.

Prices in Germany start from 39,337,64 euros (RM190,728).


All-electric Polestar 2 gets top safety tech

                GOTHENBURG: The Polestar 2 is Volvo Cars' first fully electric vehicle to be crash tested, the first to feature new Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS) technology, and the first to be fitted with new front-inner-side airbags.

The Polestar 2 is a fully electric five-door fastback powered by two electric motors, a battery capacity of 78kWh and Google.

Protecting the battery pack in the event of a collision is crucial.

Enclosed in an aluminium case for both protection and rigidity, the battery pack is fully housed within the floor structure of the CMA platform.

In the event of a crash, the battery pack is automatically disconnected from the rest of the vehicle to ensure there is no live connection.

To improve safety at slow speeds, Polestar 2 features unique and specially developed external sounds as part of its acoustic warning system.

“We deliberately did not want Polestar 2 to sound like a robot or symphonic spaceship,” comments Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar.

“We wanted very natural, subtle sounds that simply let pedestrians know the car is moving.”

Polestar 2 also features inner-side airbags fitted to the front seats.

These new airbags, which are standard fitment in all markets, add an extra layer of protection for the inner limbs of the front occupants who are now individually protected from both sides, as well as from the front.

Polestar 2 debuts a new generation of Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) technology.

Pilot Assist is an advanced driver assistance system which provides acceleration, braking and steering assistance up to 130 km/h.

In its latest guise, Pilot Assist features location-based enhancements which adjust the amount of assistance in acceleration based on the car’s actual position.

Detection systems for other vehicles in front, behind and in the blind spots of the car, as well as pedestrians and cyclists ahead of the car, are all coupled to steering assistance and autonomous emergency braking (AEB).


Two women win Toyota cars

                SHAH ALAM: Winners of two contests run by UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd recently received their prizes which included a new Altis 1.8G and Vios TRD Sportivo.

The duo received their prizes at a presentation ceremony held at UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd showroom in Subang Jaya on Friday.

The Toyota Buy & Win Contest was offered to customers who had bought and registered (for private use) any Toyota vehicle between Feb 1 and May 31. It was also offered during the third Toyota WOW Road Tour and Roadshows

The winner of the new Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8G (with sporty decals) was Puan

Businesswoman Noraini Shafii said this was the first time she had won a lucky draw. "I feel so rewarded for buying a Toyota Hilux and win a Corolla Altis!” she said.

Nikon sales coordinator Sum Choo Sin won the Vios TRD Sportivo and, like Noraini, was equally expressed to have won a car.

For current Toyota promotions, go to www.toyota.com.my/highlights.


Petron signs on as first partner in new Waze service

                KUALA LUMPUR: Waze and Petron have teamed up to offer a service that helps drivers navigate their way out of a jam and into the nearest Petron stations to refuel their cars and refresh themselves.

Petron is the first company in Malaysia to use Waze's Favourite Brands function for users to select "Petron" as their preferred brand.

All users have to do is search for the closest Petron station, tap into its location page and tap on the heart icon placed at the centre of the page. And then they are on the way to their destination.


AIA Malaysia buys minority stake in TNG Digital

                KUALA LUMPUR: AIA Malaysia is taking up a minority equity investment in TNG Digital Sdn Bhd, which owns Touch ‘n Go eWallet under a long-term strategic partnership.

In a joint statement today, they said AIA will provide innovative and personalised digital insurance solutions to meet the protection needs of over 16 million Touch ‘n Go eWallet customers nationwide.

They said this move reinforced the insurer’s commitment to digital innovation and the Malaysian market via TNG Digital, Malaysia’s largest eWallet company.

“Through the powerful and highly efficient digital insurance technology that it will bring to the partnership, AIA will offer Touch ‘n Go eWallet customers a seamless, convenient and frictionless experience, making it easy to buy, claim and renew policies,” it said.

AIA CEO Ben Ng said: “Today’s announcement marks the continuation of our digital transformation journey and ambition to reach new customer segments using online platforms.

“More importantly, it reinforces our commitment to bringing new and innovative products to market in this increasingly digital world.”

Ng said the pandemic saw the rising need for insurance and AIA “must constantly look to expand and give Malaysian consumers greater choices, enabling them to obtain the right coverage they need across different stages of their lives, in any way that they prefer, and at the right time”.

The collaboration allows AIA to offer Touch ‘n Go eWallet customers insurance solutions that they can purchase both directly online as well as through consultative selling provided by AIA’s existing distribution channels – including its 19,000-strong agency force – who are capable of advising on more comprehensive insurance and takaful coverage.

Group CEO of Touch ‘n Go Group, Effendy Shahul Hamid, said AIA sees building customer value propositions in the same way as the company by using technology and innovation effectively, to bring higher value, bespoke offerings to the end user.

“Insurance is a key pillar for us as we continue to expand into financial services, and we look forward to collaborating with AIA to disrupt the segment and bring better and more relevant products and services to Touch ‘n Go eWallet users,” Effendy added.


Mercedes-Benz Malaysia launches replacement car service

                KUALA LUMPUR: Mercedes-Benz Financial, a brand under Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd, today, introduced MobilityPlus, a car replacement program that complements customers who have chosen to finance or lease with Mercedes-Benz Financial.

The MobilityPlus feature will be the first of its kind in the auto financing industry.

MobilityPlus allows Mercedes-Benz passenger car owners to enjoy a replacement car when their vehicles are sent for routine servicing (including warranty claims) that require 48-hours or more.

Through MobilityPlus, customers will be provided with a Mercedes-Benz car as a temporary replacement while their vehicle is in the service centre.

Customers can select their preferred pick-up and drop off points.

The replacement vehicle will be made available to eligible customers within 24-hours of notification by the authorized Mercedes-Benz service centre.

A 20-day per year entitlement period is offered for the replacement car at no extra cost to the customer.

MobilityPlus will also have an extensive nationwide coverage, including Langkawi and Labuan.

“With a clear focus on customer centricity, we continuously aim to go beyond and provide our customers with unparalleled best customer experience through value added services. MobilityPlus exemplifies just this. This innovative solution is available from our leasing and financing product options,” said Mike Ponnaz, managing director, Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

With the introduction of MobilityPlus, Hire Purchase Classic Financing will be rebranded to FinanceCare - which spreads the overall ownership cost over a fixed term with value added features.

A new leasing product Lease@Ease (operating lease + service and maintenance) will also be introduced.

This is an all-in-one solution lease payment plan with value added services such as tyre and tims and comprehensive insurance with service and maintenance.

The MobilityPlus feature will also be included into Agility Financing (for new cars) and Young Star Agility Financing (MB certified cars).

The MobilityPlus coverage is on the first two year period for FinanceCare and Agility solutions and up to four year period for leasing solution depending on the lease tenure.

For more information on MobilityPlus, visit (www.mercedes-benz.com.my/mobilityplus) or call Mercedes-Benz Customer Care line at 1-800-88-1133 from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday - Friday, excluding public holidays.


German 'guardian angel' aims to stop dangerous wrong-way drivers

                BERLIN: German component maker ZF has come up with a "guardian angel" system designed to prevent what is the definitive nightmare scenario for any motorist: a wrong-way driver heading down the wrong side of the motorway.

Because of the relative speeds involved, a driver confronted with this situation has only fractions of a second to react. A collision is almost unavoidable and the outcome is often fatal.

Germans call wrong-way drivers "Geisterfahrer" (ghost drivers) and some motorway entry roads in the southern state of Bavaria have been fitted with large bright yellow warning signs as part of a test project. A nationwide electronic warning system is still in the pipeline.

 ZF's 'Wrong Way Inhibit' is a further development of the X2Safe algorithm. - All images from dpa

The new set-up from Friedrichshafen-based ZF is called "Wrong Way Inhibit" and at the moment it is still at the concept stage. It is a further development of the X2Safe algorithm announced by the firm last year.

ZF will present its "Vision Zero Car" fitted with the system at the Frankfurt Car Show in September, although it may be years before it becomes commercially available. Component maker Bosch is working on a similar system.

"On the road towards this reality, ZF's all-electric Vision Zero Vehicle is reaching important milestones in the transition phase from assisted to autonomous driving," said the company.

Reporters from German motoring magazine Autobild tried out a Volkswagen Touran van fitted with ZF system and they were impressed.

To test the vehicle's reaction, a journalist drove the family van onto the motorway and right past a prominent stop sign. Warning bells and whistles were sounded in the cabin and the car was brought to a halt swiftly and safely.

Around 20 people are killed in Germany by wrong-way motorway drivers every year and transport researchers say such accidents are among the most serious of all. Radio stations broadcast some 1,800 wrong-way driver alerts every year, most of them at the weekend.

Interestingly enough, age has nothing to do with wrong-way driving - only 10 per cent of wrong-way drivers are aged over 65, a survey found.

The safety system is ZF's contribution to the European Union project Vision Zero, which is designed to drastically cut the number of fatal road accidents down to zero by 2050.

So how does the ZF system work? The feature uses detailed navigation maps and is also linked to what the company calls driver distraction assist, a laser-based interior camera with learning capabilities that helps keep the driver's eyes on the road.

The system reacts as soon as there is an indication that the driver is about to enter a road in the wrong direction – whether due to distraction, poor visibility in bad weather or disorientation.

If the driver heads for a motorway exit instead of an entry road - as marked on the car's map - the system kicks in as soon as the person at the wheel activates the indicator stalk and starts a turn.

The false move triggers a battery of warnings. A visual warning light shows up on the central display panel, an audible buzzer goes off and gets louder, and the driver's seatbelt tightens up.

Finally, the steering wheel vibrates and stiffens up the steering, making it hard for the driver to continue travelling the wrong way.

If the driver still fails to respond, the car takes over. It switches on dipped beam headlights and activates the vehicle's hazard warning lights before moving the car at slow speed to a safe stopping position at the side of the road.

If there is suitable evasive space or the driver goes into reverse, the ZF system will allow the driver to operate the vehicle along the roadside in order to get out of the hazard zone.


Audi e-tron GT concept to be in Avengers 4

                LOS ANGELES: The Audi e-tron GT concept will make its film debut in Marvel Studios’ Avengers 4, set to be released in theaters summer 2019.

The fully electric Audi e-tron GT concept, which recently made its global debut at Los Angeles Auto Show, will presumably be seen in some exciting action-packed scenes in the upcoming American superhero film.

The four-door Gran Turismo represents future of electric performance for the brand; volume production starts in late 2020.

It has four doors, four seats with a 2.9-metre wheelbase and the rear with its large tailgate offers up to 450 liters of luggage capacity. Under the hood there is an extra 100 liters of capacity.

There is 434 kilowatts (590 horsepower) system power – that is an impressive figure for the potential of the all-electric drive.

Torque is transmitted to all four driven wheels – naturally the new Audi e-tron GT concept is also a genuine quattro. An electric quattro to be precise, since there is no mechanical link between the front and rear axle.

In future, the vehicle should accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in around 3.5 seconds before going on to 200 km/h in just over 12 seconds. The top speed is regulated at 240 km/h to maximize the range.

The range of the concept car will be over 400 kilometers, determined according to the new WLTP standard.

All-wheel steering translates into sports car-like agility and precision, augmented by superb directional stability.

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Vespa Primavera and GTS 300 HPE launched from RM22,300

                KUALA LUMPUR: Didi Group - the official distributor of Vespa in Malaysia - has launched the 150cc Primavera Color Vibe and 300cc GTS 300 scooters.

As an ode to the classic first launched in 1968, the Primavera has been priced at RM22,300 (including road tax and insurance) and is offered up with two two-tone liveries of Orange Tramonto Blue Audace.

The Primavera takes aim at those who are young and young at heart with a fun-loving attitude and view on life with its latest lifestyle scooter which also includes the Pic Nic (RM19,900).

With a 1,334mm wheelbase, the Primavera stands at 1,852mm-long and 680mm-wide and gets powered by a 154.8cc mono-cylinder engine with an electronically-managed port-fuel injection (PFI) system and an electric starter.

 Primavera.

A continuously variable transmission (CVT) takes care of power delivery while providing that "twist and go" convenience.

The engine sips from a 7.0-litre fuel tank to produce 12.7hp at 7,750rpm and 12.8Nm of torque at 6,500rpm.

Equipped with a single-channel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) as standard, the Primavera uses a single 200mm stainless hydraulically actuated steel disc while the rear uses a mechanically operated 140mm drum instead for stopping power.

While rolling on 12-inch die-cast aluminium wheels with 110/70 (front) and 120/70 (rear) tyres, a single-arm helical spring with a single double-acting hydraulic shock absorber takes care of shocks up front. The rear uses a double-acting shock absorber with four pre-load positions.

The GTS 300 range is now re-introduced with the GTS 300 HPE (High-Performance Engine) range that's offered in two model ranges of the entry-level SuperSport (RM32,900) and range-topping SuperTech (RM36,900).

 GTS.

The more refined GTS now sport a new keyless system as standard for all model variants and allows for steering lock activation, keyless start and keyless seat opening.

Unlike the Primavera, the engine (also with PFI and an electric motor) gets its displacement increased to 278cc to produce 23.8hp at 8,250rpm and 26Nm of torque while getting its fuel from an 8.5-litre fuel tank and mated to a CVT.

Size-wise, the bigger GTS poses with its larger 1,380mm footprint for its wheelbase while measuring 1,980mm-long and 765mm-wide.

The SuperSport range comes in four colour options Orange Tramonto, White Innocenza, Green Olive and Black Opaco while the Supertech comes in either Blue Deep or Grey Quarzo.

The new GTS range comes with a new front suspension that's touted to provide greater high-speed stability as well as comfort and handling.

Slight differences with the previous generation are found on the handlebar, instrument cluster (SuperTechgets a TFT colour display instead), front shield, new storage compartment, front headlights, front signal lights and rear combination lights.


China legalises ridesharing services

                BEIJING: China on Thursday announced new rules governing ridesharing services, making clear for the first time that they are now legal in a giant market where US-based Uber is at loggerheads with local rival Didi Chuxing.

China has become the world's largest online car-hailing market, vice transport minister Liu Xiaoming told a briefing.

"The legitimacy of internet ride-booking services are clarified" in new regulations on taxi industry reforms and regulations on car-hailing apps, Liu said.

Didi Chuxing said it was "the first time" any government had legalised online car-booking services at the national level, hailing the move as a "milestone".

Beijing's stance on the sector had been ambivalent because while the apps have won public support, they threaten old-style taxis — which often generates income for local authorities — and have been met with protests by cab drivers. The services have been banned in some cities.

Liu said the new rules will support the development of online car-booking platforms, adding that private cars were encouraged to provide ridesharing services to "promote the sharing economy" and "ease traffic jams in cities and reduce air pollution".

Under the rules, the provinces where ridesharing apps are registered can issue them with a licence valid nationwide. Unlike traditional taxis, ridesharing cars are not subject to an eight-year service limit but can operate until they have accumulated 600,000km apparently addressing concerns of part-time drivers.

"Didi will make an earnest effort to comply with the new rules and adopt its corresponding standards," Didi Chuxing said in a statement, adding it will apply for the licences "soon".

US giant Uber, which says it operates in more than 60 Chinese cities, also welcomed the regulations. They "send a clear message of support for ridesharing and the benefits that it offers riders, drivers, and cities," it said in a statement.

"Uber China is regulation-ready, and we look forward to working with policy makers around the country to put these regulations into practice."

Both firms have spent vast sums on subsidies for both drivers and passengers as they battle for market share in the country.


Audi sees Q7 as its only sellable diesel model in US

                LOS ANGELES: Audi envisions the potential of just one diesel model in its US product mix in the wake of the diesel emissions scandal that has embroiled its parent company Volkswagen AG , Audi's US head said on Wednesday.

"Once we hopefully get past everything, I see an opportunity for potentially, probably to offer it on one model, and that model would probably be the Q7 SUV," Audi of America president Scott Keogh said at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

"It's the one model that makes the most sense."

At its height, diesel made up seven percent of Audi's US mix, said Keogh, who added it was "always a bridge technology" before emissions standards were to get progressively tighter.

Keogh said the future for Audi was electric, with battery electric vehicles projected to make up 25 percent to 30 percent of its mix in by 2025. The brand plans to launch its first electric SUV in 2018.

Chief executive officer of Volkswagen of America Hinrich Woebcken told the AutoMobilityLA auto dealers conference on Tuesday that diesel would never reach the 25 percent of Volkswagen sales it once enjoyed in the United States.

"Our prediction is that we will not come back with diesel in the same magnitude we had before," said Woebcken.


Bookings open for upgraded Toyota Camry and Corolla Altis, no price hike

                SHAH ALAM: The Toyota Camry and Corolla Altis have been upgraded and are now available for booking.

Both models are offered with a wider range of optional accessories this time, which can be specified at the time of ordering the cars. Prices remain unchanged. The Camry and Corolla Altis are retailed from RM148,600 and from RM117,400 (on-the-road without insurance) respectively.

The improvements to the Camry are new trim materials with all four variants having upgraded carbon wood trim with brown stitching on the dashboard.

The Camry 2.5HV Luxury additionally offers new Kogane leather seats ("kogane" means gold in Japanese) with the following optional accessories — USB charging ports and auto-fold wing mirrors, are available for all variants. For selected variants, a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) is available.

In the mid-size segment, the Corolla Altis comes with additional optional accessories that improve convenience.

The available optional accessories are two USB charging ports. Also available are auto-fold door mirrors which automatically fold when the vehicle is locked by remote (optional for Corolla Altis 1.8E only). For all three variants, the illuminated scuff plates on the front and rear doors can be specified.

The Digital Video Recorder (DVR) is an optional item, useful in documenting accidents. PVM is also offered as an option to Corolla Altis buyers.

The upgraded cars will be available for test drives at all Toyota showrooms nationwide from Sept 15.


Nissan shows how LEAF EV can act as emergency power source

                YOKOHAMA: Nissan and 4R Energy have received an award for showing how an electric vehicle like the LEAF can be used as an emergency power source during natural disasters.

The companies received the Best Resilience Award in recognition of Nissan's Blue Switch programme started in May, 2018.

The programme promotes the use of electric vehicles to address issues related to disaster prevention, energy management, climate change, tourism, and population declines.

Over the last two years, more than 8 million households in Japan have experienced power outages due to natural disasters.

By the end of March, Nissan will have concluded 31 agreements with local governments and companies on EV use during and after natural disasters.

The agreements make electric cars available for local communities and citizens to use as power sources at evacuation centres and welfare facilities in the event of outages caused by natural disasters.

This includes vehicles owned by local governments as well as ones used for car-sharing services and for test drives at Nissan dealerships.

As part of the efforts to boost resilience, 4R Energy has developed a stationary battery by repurposing used 40-kilowatt hour batteries from the fully electric Nissan LEAF.

The company, a joint venture between Nissan and Sumitomo Corp, has also developed a new product that allows customers to use electricity stored in EVs through V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) technology.

Trials to test operations using renewable energy stored in stationary batteries have taken place at select 7-Eleven convenience stores in Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture since September.

The new V2X product, jointly developed by 4R Energy and IKS Co Ltd, is said to be made available towards the end of 2020.


Daimler Trucks' next EV will be a garbage truck

                STUTTGART: Daimler Trucks recently announced its development of a fully electric waste-collection truck: the Mercedes-Benz eEconic.

The low-floor eEconic will be based on the all-electric eActros heavy duty truck, a Daimler Trucks unit that started hitting the streets in 2019.

The stop-and-go nature of waste collection as well as the fact that routes are relatively short and highly predictable makes battery-electric powertrains a practical alternative to combustion engines as "electrical energy can be recovered during braking to charge the battery, which further improves range and efficiency."

While producing no local emissions, the eEconic will also protect surrounding road users with a collection of intelligent driver-safety technologies like Sideguard Assist.

This model aligns with Daimler Trucks' vision to offer all new vehicles with CO2-neutral driving operation by 2039, at least in the brand's main sales regions.

"Practical use" of the eActros will begin next year while series production will begin in 2022.


New Toyota Yaris named European Car of the Year for 2021

                GENEVA: Toyota has been awarded the prestigious title of "European Car of the Year" with its 4th generation Yaris, a prize awarded by a jury of 59 European journalists from 22 countries here on Monday.

This is the second time that the Yaris has won this title, after its coronation in 2000.

In the race for the title, the Yaris was up against the Citroën C4, the Cupra Formentor, the new Fiat 500, the Land Rover Defender, the Skoda Octavia and the Volkswagen ID.3.

The Yaris thus succeeds the new Peugeot 208, which won last year's award.

Every year since 1964, the "European Car of the Year" organizing committee has been rewarding the best model marketed in Europe over the past 12 months on the basis of criteria such as value for money, design, comfort, safety, on-board technologies and environmental performance.

Historically, this prize launches the Geneva Motor Show, but the 2021 edition had to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 health crisis.


Peugeot announces new range-topping 508 First Edition in Geneva

                Peugeot has unveiled a new range-topping 508 First Edition with a limited run of just 200 vehicles for the United Kingdom and is now available for orders, both online and in PEUGEOT Dealerships across the country.

The car has been equipped with innovative tech on-board that includes a fully automated parking assistance, 360-degree colour camera system, night vision, Inviolability Pack and a wireless smartphone charging plate.

 For power, there's a choice of either a 180bhp BlueHDi EAT8 diesel or a 225bhp PureTech EAT8 petrol engine and deliveries are expected to begin in October.

“This vehicle is now ready to reserve in advance, offering our customers a unique opportunity to own the most advanced PEUGEOT ever built and to be at the vanguard of our attack on the D-segment with a car that will really turn heads,” said Peugeot UK marketing director Mark Pickles.

Additionally, to entice customers to make an early reservation, a four-year free service and a pair of Focal wireless Headphones will accompany the car.


Enfield: Background and specifications then and now

1975 ENFIELD 8000 ECC (Electric City Car) history

Born during the 1970s oil crisis, British motorcycle company Enfield set up an eco car company on the Isle of Wight headed by design engineer John Ackroyd, who was later involved with the 'Thrust 2' land speed world record car. Seriously.

Made with an aluminium bodyshell and steel space frame (the same as Aston Martins of that time!), the rear wheel drive 8000 had its own on-board charger, run-flat tyres and even a heated windscreen.

Although it nicked a lot of bits from existing cars of its time like the headlights (Allegro), front suspension and steering (Hillman Imp), the Enfield cost two and a half times more than a Mini. Oh dear.

Its 1.72-metre wheelbase was 31cm shorter than the original Mini. Titchy dimensions and a 8hp 48-volt 6kW electric motor with 8 lead acid batteries made it the perfect city car. The Enfield could do up to 55 miles and max out at 40mph.

120 Enfield 8000s were made, 60 of which were purchased by the British Electricity Council as pool cars. My car is chassis number 003 and was supplied new to SEEBOARD (South East Electricity) in the Brighton area. Around 30 exist worldwide now.

ORIGINAL ENFIELD 8000 TECH SPEC

BODYSHELL: Handbuilt aluminium two-seater
CHASSIS: Square-section tubular steel space frame
SUSPENSION: Coil-over McPherson strut front, four-link Reliant rear axle
MOTOR: 8hp / 6kw / 150amps
WHEELS: 10-inch Mini wheels
BRAKES: Mini front, Reliant rear drums
BATTERIES: 8 x 12v 55-amp hour lead acid batteries
TOP SPEED: 40mph
PERFORMANCE: Erm. Well, 0-30mph in 12.5 seconds
RANGE: 35-55 miles, depending on climate and quantity of hills
WEIGHT: 975kg (a lot for such a midget - 308kg was batteries)
LENGTH: 2.84m / 112" (a Mini was 3.05m / 120")
WHEELBASE: 1.725m / 68" (a Mini was 2.04m / 80.3")
FUEL: 240v mains Economy Seven

The Flux Capacitor (e)mission statement was to resurrect a forgotten British electric relic and drag (race) it into the 21st century using modern leccy technology.

Why? To be Europe's fastest street legal electric vehicle. It was never going to be the prettiest.
It took 18 months to find this flood damaged car and three years to transform from 6kW city car into 600kW silent-but-violent midget.

Hyperdrive Innovation built the lithium-ion battery pack and battery management system to fit under the bonnet. The latter keeps the cells balanced and safe during charge/discharge. A drive-by-wire controller (like an ECU) is mounted under the passenger seat which is tuned via laptop, where you can adjust volts (top speed) and amps (torque).

There's no gearbox. Just squirt and go, as elec motors produce maximum torque from 0 rpm. Perfect for drag racing.

It will get from 0-100mph in about 7 seconds. It's as fast as many supercars on the quarter mile, despite being stupidly short.

Jonny's Flux Capacitor is tax exempt, immune from London's CC and (hopefully) proof that eco cars can charismatically kick some amps.

FLUX CAPACITOR ENFIELD 8000 TECH SPEC

BODYSHELL: Aluminium, painted by Roadhouseretro.com in Lambretta GP ‘Yellow Ochre’, Plastics4Performance.com Lexan windows, glassfibre moulded bumpers
CHASSIS: Custom roll cage, trans tunnel altered to house twin motors & 'mini-tubbed' rear.
SUSPENSION: AVO shocks on Hillman Imp A-arms, rose-jointed four-link rear suspension with narrowed Ford 9-inch LSD axle with 6-inch long (!) prop shaft, removable wheelie bars.
MOTORS: 2 x 9-inch DC Current Racing motors rated for 2000 amps @ 170v, 5500rpm max. No gearbox. Direct drive.
WHEELS: British Wolfrace slot mags refurbished by Wicked Wheels, 12x5" front, 14x7" rear
BRAKES: Bespoke front disc conversion with AP Racing calipers by BG Developments.
BATTERIES: 144 x 4.2v military grade lithium-ion Kokam 'pouch' cells (connected in 2 parallel and 72 series) split into into 3 battery packs. Originally used as engine starter and mini-gun batteries for a Bell SuperCobra attack helicopter. Discharge 378v/1600amps in a 10 second pulse. Battery packs and BMS (Battery Management System) by Hyperdrive Innovation.
PERFORMANCE: 530kW, 1100lb ft+, 700+bhp. 0-60 in 3 seconds. Quarter mile in 11 secs. Top speed 120mph (est), battery range approximately 30 miles (still testing).
WEIGHT: 882kg (minus driver)
FUEL Electricity supplied by npower (240v, 32-amp)


It's status quo: Retail prices of RON95, diesel remain unchanged, RON97 to be floated

                PETALING JAYA: The retail prices of RON95 and diesel will remain unchanged, while RON97 will be floated on a weekly basis, said the Finance Ministry.

In a statement today, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said that the Government decided to fix the price of RON95 at RM2.20 while diesel will retail at RM2.18.

Lim added that RON97 will be priced at RM2.66 from today until June 13.

"The Federal Government will subsidise 33 sen per litre for all retail purchases of RON95 and diesel for this week. Without the subsidy, the price of RON95 and diesel would rise to RM2.53 and 2.51 per litre respectively," Lim said.

He added that global crude oil prices have reached US$76 (RM302) per barrel while refined petrol and diesel products were currently priced between US$87 (RM346) and US$88 (RM350) per barrel.

Lim also said that the Government has allocated RM3bil until the end of the year to finance the subsidy and to maintain the RON95 and diesel retail prices.


Qatar Petroleum changes name to Qatar Energy signalling new strategy

Qatar Petroleum's name change is to better reflect the company's focus on supplying natural gas to the world. — Reuters
DOHA: Qatar Petroleum changed its name to Qatar Energy to better signal a new strategy that focuses on energy efficiency and environmentally-friendly technology such as capturing and storing carbon dioxide, its chief executive said today.

"It's more of a reflection of what we're actually doing that wasn't reflected by the name that we had," said Saad al-Kaabi, who is also the Qatari minister of state for energy.

He said natural gas would remain part of the energy transition and would be needed for at least a few decades.

Qatar is the world's largest supplier of liquefied natural gas and aims to expand production to 127 million tonnes annually by 2027 from 77 million tonnes.

Kaabi said the state-owned firm wanted to be more efficient in its own energy use.


WATCH: When a petrol station's underground fuel tank blows up

                PETALING JAYA: We have been alerted to this "explosive" video which basically sums up what happens when an undergound fuel tank holding tonnes of volatile fuel goes Ka-boom!

The incident happened in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, and the timestamp on the video that went viral indicated it took place during lunchtime on May 12, 2019.

Several customers were fuelling up their cars nearby when the undergound fuel tank blew up without warning in a fiery blast that caused the concrete floor to cave in.

The terrified customers ran for their lives. The driver of the car nearest the blast site still had the petrol nozzle in his car as he sped off.

Despite the huge explosion, there were no reported casualties. The cause of the explosion was being investigated at the time.

Well, it's not just a picture but a video that's worth more than a thousand words these days.

Watch what happened as the petrol station's undergound storage tank went Vesuvius.


All-new black interior for Honda HR-V RS

                PETALING JAYA: Honda Malaysia has introduced a new stylish black interior to the new HR-V RS variant to level up its overall sporty look.

The introduction of the black interior was the Company’s response to customers’ feedback for an enhanced touch of sophistication in the interior styling while enhancing the Joy of Owning a Honda car for its customers.

Replacing the Ivory colour interior, the new black interior is fitted out in the centre console, front panel, driver and passenger seat (front and rear) as well as door panel lining.

With the sleek new interior colour, the new HR-V now exudes an even more sophisticated personality to go with its practical and functional features such as the Multi-Utility Cargo Space which offers class leading cabin space.

The new HR-V also sets a new benchmark in the compact SUV segment by introducing value added features such as Multi-Angle Rearview Camera, 8-Way Driver Power Seat (V & RS), full leather seats (V & RS), Honda LaneWatch camera (V & RS), Cruise Control and Paddle Shift.

Standard safety features in the new HR-V include 6 Airbags, Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Hill Start Assist (HSA) and ISO Fix.

The new HR-V is available in 5 colour options namely Passion Red Pearl, Modern Steel Metallic, Lunar Silver Metallic, Ruse Black Metallic, and White Orchid Pearl.

Honda Malaysia has received more than 12,200 bookings for the New HR-V of which more than 7,000 units have been delivered to customers since its official launch in January 2019.


Three-row roundup: America's massive new SUV models planned for 2020

The Lincoln Aviator.
CHICAGO: First, it was the wagon. Then the minivan (MPV). Now the three-row crossover is America's family hauler of choice.

No news there. But what is noteworthy is that this three-row segment, which also includes full-size SUVs such as the Lincoln Navigator and Chevy Suburban, accounted for nearly one in every four new vehicle purchases in 2018. And it's only getting larger for 2020. Take that, minivan.

"It's an expanding segment that is highly profitable," says Jeremy Acevedo, manager of industry analysis at Edmunds.com. "They've gotten massive buy-ins from automakers."

Hyundai, Kia, Lincoln, Cadillac and BMW all are rolling out new three-rows for 2020. Ford and Toyota are redesigning the Explorer and Highlander, respectively. There are so many crossovers it almost feels as if automakers are throwing noodles at the wall to see what sticks.

"Except the whole wall is the target, and you can't miss," Acevedo says, half-joking.

When crossovers became the dominant choice for Americans in 2016, it was fuelled by huge growth in small crossovers, which now claim 22.4 per cent market share, up 2 per cent from 2017, according to data from Edmunds.com.

Yet it is the family haulers - midsize crossovers and full-size SUVs, accounting for 24.2 percent of the market - that are hauling in big profits for automakers. (We're using the term crossover interchangeably with SUV, even though crossover is more accurate, despite marketing to the contrary. Only truck-based vehicles are SUVs.)

"SUVs come with a higher price tag, and buyers aren't as price-conscious as the compact crossover segment," Acevedo says. "These are priced well over industry average."

The average transaction price for the segment is US$43,131, which is over US$7,000 more than the average car price in the US (US$35,972), and over US$12,000 more than the average cost of the small crossover (US$30,844).

But it was the compact crossovers that kindled the craze in the first place, and that are driving buyers into the next model up. Together, the crossover segment is expected to comprise 50 percent of all new vehicle sales in 2019.

"The same shoppers are growing in income or life stages to dictate that jump to the next size," Acevedo says. "There are also more compelling offerings as automakers cover all their bases for that loyalty play, like Subaru."

Subaru's enviable growth has come on the back of its small crossovers Crosstrek, Outback and Forester. Since the cramped Tribeca was discontinued after 2014, Subaru didn't have a proper three-row to keep customers in love with the brand.

Until the luxury-leaning 2019 Subaru Ascent. Such was also the case with Volkswagen, which launched the excellent 2018 Atlas. Both models benefited from the faults of their predecessors and learned from the competition, earning best-of accolades from most outlets. More importantly, those models attracted shoppers from other brands.

This is a lesson Lincoln and Cadillac might be learning too late. "Domestic automakers got caught flat-footed," Acevedo adds. "Europeans have trotted out a ton of SUVs, and Lincoln and Caddy had been pioneers in the segment, so they're finally coming into the game."

Here's what they're bringing:

2020 Lincoln Aviator

Following the path of the flagship full-size Navigator, which was redesigned for 2018 and quickly became the best full-size SUV on the market, the all-new Aviator will come in six- or seven-seat configurations.

Based on the Chicago-built Ford Explorer, this luxury liner with available 30-way power-adjustable seats and a new 12.3 inch touch screen will be powered by either a 400 horsepower turbocharged V6 with 10-speed transmission or a 450-horsepower plug-in hybrid capable of 816Nm of torque.

It is rumoured to have 50km of electric range, but we won't know until closer to the summer delivery date. The real charm is on the inside. Lincoln is back as a maker of luxury vehicles, as reflected by the price range: US$51,100 to US$87,800.

2020 Cadillac XT6

The recent executive shakeup at Cadillac should act as a wakeup for General Motor's flagging luxury brand. The six- to seven-seat crossover with available AWD is powered by a familiar 310-horsepower 3.6-litre V6 engine with newer nine-speed transmission, same as in the 2019 Chevy Blazer.

More dramatic upgrades are on the inside, with a rotary multimedia controller like the ones used in German luxury makes. Six USBs come standard, a pair for each row of seats. Pricing closer to spring delivery date.

2019 BMW X7

Anyone who has been crammed into the third row of the X5 can finally emerge and try a proper three-row Bimmer. Available in six- or seven-seat configurations, the largest BMW activity vehicle (crossover) is powered by either a 335-horsepower 3-litre turbo inline six-cylinder (xDrive40i) or a new 456-horsepower 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 engine (xDrive50i), good enough to hit 100kph in 5.2 seconds, according to BMW. Eight-speed automatic on both engines. All-wheel drive, air suspension, 21-inch wheels and giant kidney grille come standard. It will be priced from US$73,900 to US$$92,600 and is due to arrive in March.

2020 Kia Telluride

The largest Kia ever outdoes the Sorento for three-row supremacy. While both offer eight-seat configurations, Telluride is longer with more interior room. The rugged design, with boxy ends, a steep square face and plenty of cladding reminds us of the Mitsubishi Montero for a new age; that should set it apart from the more minivan-ish Sorento. It's powered by a 291-horsepower 3.8-litre V-6 engine and eight-speed automatic with available all-wheel drive. Price announced closer to May delivery date.

2020 Hyundai Palisade

Palisade will replace the Santa Fe XL as the Korean brand's three-row crossover, and since it's longer with a longer wheelbase, the interior should be able to compete with the more American-sized midsize crossovers. Eight passengers fit with a second-row bench seat standard, though captain's chairs are available. Powertrain is the same as Telluride, but Palisade is not as rugged-looking. Price announced closer to summer delivery.

2020 Ford Explorer redesign

The best-selling three-row crossover, built in Chicago, has more power, more space and better technology, and returns to its roots with rear-wheel-drive architecture. It also advances into the future with the 318-horsepower Explorer Hybrid.

Ford says engine improvements and rear-wheel drive basis will improve towing capability from 1,360kg to 2,400kg in the 300-horsepower 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and a 12 percent increase to 5,600 pounds in the 365-horsepower twin-turbo V-6.

A 400-horsepower ST performance variant is offered as well. A new 10.1-inch touchscreen should make Sync3 better. Seven seats standard with improved third-row access, according to Ford. Starting at 32,765 dollars, expected in summer 2019.

2020 Toyota Highlander redesign

Last redesigned for 2014, the three-row hauler is expected to be redesigned for 2020. All we have so far are Internet spy shots with some ridiculous camo flaps. — Chicago Tribune/dpa


New official parts for original Mazda MX-5 in UK

                LONDON: Mazda Corporation is introducing an expanded range of official reproduction parts that will allow owners to enjoy and enhance their Mazda MX-5 Mk1s for many years to come with factory approved parts and components.

In total there are now 117 left hand drive and 156 right hand drive vehicle parts available to support first-generation MX-5 restoration projects.

To ensure Mazda introduced the most needed parts, the company consulted specialist retailers and MX-5 fan clubs across Europe.

All the parts will be manufactured in Japan using modern methods and highest quality materials, while maintaining the look and feel of the original components.

Mazda Motors UK Parts and Accessories Marketing Manager, Steve Rose said: “Right from its launch here in 1990, the MX-5 has always been hugely popular in the UK, so we are delighted to be able to offer Mazda Genuine Parts through our Authorised Repairer Network allowing our customers to keep their MX-5 100% Mazda”.

A total of 20,132 first-generation MX-5s were official imported to the UK and now there’s an even bigger range of official parts for the original MX-5 owners in the UK, while the current Mazda MX-5 range has recently been updated with the 2.0-litre 100th Anniversary Special Edition and the 1.5-litre R-Sport.


SpareXHub to hold sale on BMW, MINI and Motorrad parts on June 16-18

                PETALING JAYA: e-commerce platform SpareXHub is organising a warehouse sale on genuine BMW, MINI and Motorrad spare parts and merchandise from June 16-18.

The sale will be held at DPF Global Logistics Warehouse at Lot 562-(Sublot 2), Jalan Subang 3, Taman Perindustrian Sg Penaga, Subang Jaya daily from 9.30am-4pm.

Among the items offered are brakes, lights, bumpers, accessories and many more with discounts of up to 80%.

Buyers can click on https://forms.gle/ZdhaoBgjTHKP5S196 and fill up the form with their details and also their preferred time slot.

They can also send SpareXHub a Facebook or Whatsapp message or call hp: 018 205 0120 if there are questions.