New Mitsubishi Triton MIVEC to see Borneo Safari 4X4 action

                SHAH ALAM: Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) is back in the Borneo Safari for the second consecutive year, but this time with the new Triton with Mivec turbodiesel engine, the first pick-up truck in Malaysia to offer an aluminium diesel engine.

The Borneo Safari needs no introduction to the world of adventure, having established a reputation over the past 26 years as one of the world’s toughest 4X4 expeditions.

This year’s edition flags off on Oct 30 at Sabah Tourism Board building at Jalan Gaya, Kota Kinabalu.

The eight-day hard-core adventure over 1,000km will test the capabilities and endurance of 4X4 vehicles in some of the most challenging and varied off-road terrains in the world.

MMM participated in last year’s event with a Triton VGT manual transmission which successfully complete the course.

 Chin will be taking part in the offroad adventure.

This year, the company has entered four vehicles - two new Triton with Mivec turbodiesel VGT automatic transmission and two Triton VGT manual transmission.

MMM chief executive officer Tomoyuki Shinnishi said: “By using lightweight aluminium instead of a traditional cast iron material, the new engine is about 30kg lighter than before, while at the same time retaining the same level of reliability and robustness that all Mitsubishi 4X4s are known for.”

The new Triton will participate as a corporate vehicle and driven by Malaysian motorsport celebrity Leona Chin.

The other Triton units will also be driven by six members of the media who will be accompanied by experience 4X4 instructors.

There will also be an additional five Triton owners joining the convoy, bringing the total of Mitsubishi Triton vehicles participating in the Borneo Safari to nine!

“As a Triton owner, I am excited to take on the Borneo Safari in the new Triton. I have been working with Mitsubishi on several events, and the Triton has proved itself through many tough situations with the new and powerful Mivec turbodiesel engine," said Chin.

“Being a first timer into the Borneo Safari, I am really looking forward to this gruelling event and I am confident that the Triton will be able to conquer the Borneo Safari once again this year!” she added.

The engine performance of the aluminium engine has also been improved to 181PS and 430Nm of torque. With reduced kerb weight and increased power output, overall acceleration and driving performance of the new Triton has also been improved.

The Borneo Safari is an extremely tough event, taking the participants through various terrain challenges over eight days and seven nights. It is a challenge for the vehicles as well as the human participants.

The participating Triton is being outfitted with the compulsory equipment such as winch, protection bars, recovery points, extreme tyres, suspension and snorkel. The tyres for the Triton are sponsored by tyre company, Giti Tire, Singaporean company with global operations.

Last year, the Triton completed the endurance test in one piece. The Triton was sent into the Borneo Safari almost as standard as how it left the showroom floor.
When the “as-stock-as-possible” Triton drove into the parking lot at Kota Kinabalu’s Hakka Hall for the closing dinner, all doubt was removed, as it has done its job.

After the Borneo Safari event last year, the purpose-built Triton has also completed several adventure drives in East Malaysia including the New Year 4X4 Jamboree event in Kuching and Bario, Sarawak as well as Kundasang, and the Tip of Borneo in Sabah with local 4X4 enthusiasts respectively.


Court finds Mazda Australia misled customers on refunds for faulty vehicles

                CANBERRA: An Australian federal court has found that the local unit of Japanese automaker Mazda Motor Corp misled customers over their rights, the country's competition regulator said today.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission started court proceedings against Mazda in October 2019 in a case involving seven different Mazda vehicles and 10 customers.

It said the court found that Mazda made 49 separate false or misleading representations to nine consumers, who sought refund or replacement after facing serious and recurring faults with their vehicles within a year or two of purchase.

Mazda either ignored or rejected the claims of the customers and told them that the only available remedy was another repair, the ACCC said.

"Mazda's conduct towards these consumers was not just appalling customer service as noted by the judge, it was a serious breach of the law," ACCC chair Rod Sims said in a statement.

Mazda Australia said it was carefully considering the federal court finding, but declined to comment further.

The court, however, dismissed the regulator's allegations that Mazda engaged in "unconscionable conduct" in its dealings with these customers.

It will decide on penalties and other orders sought by the ACCC at a later date.


Hyundai and Kia create predictive, connected, automatically shifting gear system

                SEOUL: When a slew of car components like the infotainment system and driver assist tools can be powered by smart tech, why not the gear shift, too?

On Monday, Hyundai Motor Group announced that it has teamed up with Kia Motors Corporation to create the "world's first" ICT (information and communication technology) connected shift system, a tech designed to optimise one's driving experience both by reducing the number of unnecessary shifts and by tailoring the drive to the current road and traffic conditions.

The ICT system uses artificial intelligence to select the "optimal shift scenario for real-time driving situations" thanks to a collection of cameras and radars integrated into the vehicle. When testing the system on a curved road, the frequency of gear shifts was reduced by about 43% compared with cars sans ICT.

Hyundai and Kia intend to develop the system into one that can communicate with traffic signals via LTE and 5G connectivity which would allow the gears to be shifted even more efficiently. As vehicles become more autonomous, the feature will also result in a smoother, more efficient ride.

Though the technology is not yet available, the company's both plan to integrate it into future vehicles where it will complement the already existing Smart Drive Mode, a mode that also automatically shifts the car's gears but does so based on the driver's preferences.


BMW revs up for autonomous driving

                MUNICH: BMW is opening a dedicated centre for the advancement of autonomous driving technology as part of its ambitious plans to deliver a true self-driving car by 2021.

Based in Unterschleissheim near here, the new campus will be home to 2,000 experts working on every aspect from software development to real-world testing. But the decision to create a base of operations in Munich is also an attempt to ensure Europe is firmly on the map as a hotspot for next-generation automotive technology development.

"The road to fully-automated driving is an opportunity for Germany's automobile manufacturing base. The decision to develop and road-test these vehicles in the Munich area illustrates how the BMW Group and the whole region can benefit from this shift in the automotive industry," said Klaus Fröhlich, member of the Board of Management, responsible for Development at the BMW Group.

Detroit and Silicon Valley are also trying to establish themselves as the de facto home of the car of the future so it makes sense that European carmakers, whose legacy stretches back 130 years, would want to court and keep the world's leading experts within their own continental borders.

However, in a fully connected world, it is impossible for any single company to work in isolation. In order for BMW to bring the iNEXT - the name it has given its self-driving car - to fruition on schedule, it has already forged a long-term partnership with US firms Intel and MobilEye.

Intel's role in the alliance is to develop in-car processors and to help crunch through the huge amounts of data the project will create.

"Highly autonomous cars and everything they connect to will require powerful and reliable electronic brains to make them smart enough to navigate traffic and avoid accidents," explained Intel CEO Brian Krzanich.

MobilEye's expertise is in sensing and localisation, and its partnership with BMW is one of several it has announced in recent months.

For instance, at the 2017 CES in January, MobilEye will be demonstrating the fruits of its partnership with autonomous driving tech company Delphi over a specially created real-world course in Las Vegas.

The companies claim the system, called the Centralised Sensing Localisation and Planning (CSLP) automated driving system, is the most advanced autonomous driving system currently in existence.

As for the partnership with BMW, officially announced in July, the companies are already on target to start testing a prototype autonomous vehicle fleet in urban conditions in early 2017.

"[This] future development site for autonomous driving will enable us to launch the BMW iNEXT, the first self-driving BMW, onto the market in 2021," said Fröhlich.


Perodua triples sales in June

                PETALING JAYA: Perodua closed the month of June with 21,250 vehicles sold, its highest monthly sales figure this year and nearly triple that of last month’s.

The carmaker’s year-to-date sales total stands at 74,000 units.

“Perodua managed to sell 8,601 cars in March before the movement control order came into effect on March 18, halting the carmaker’s nationwide operations for two months. Perodua officially restarted nationwide on May 19, managing to sell 7,886 cars before month-end, ” it said in a statement yesterday.

The carmaker added that the government’s sales tax exemption has had many benefits.

“Buyers can enjoy reduced vehicle prices. In Perodua’s case, 3% to 6% less, until end-2020.”

In the same statement, Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad said he was positive on the outlook for the local automotive sector and was hopeful that the momentum would continue to help the industry grow.

“We reiterate our commitment to the government as Malaysia’s biggest carmaker by volume, to help the industry and ecosystem wherever we can, including sustaining employment so that we can all get through this difficult time.”


Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid lined up for Sept 27 debut?

                PETALING JAYA: UMW Toyota Motor today teased the arrival of what is possibly the Corolla Cross Hybrid on Sept 27.

A statement from the company hinted in general terms of what is in store for Toyota in future but we all know what that is already.

Earlier this year, Toyota had declared to the world that it is aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050, and it plans to achieve that with a series of "green" cars that include fuel cell cars, plug-in hybrids and fully electric cars.

And locally we are aware that the Toyota distributor is interested to assemble hybrids as it transitions towards electric mobility that has already been set in motion by other car makers.

This makes the Corolla Cross Hybrid all the more plausible. The combustion-engined Corolla Cross is selling well in Malaysia and it would make sense for UMW Toyota to offer another variant that heralds the future of mobility. Besides, the hybrid variant is already on sale in Thailand and Indonesia. So it's about time, it lands in the country between both.

The video clip below shows the Corolla Cross Hybrid for Indonesia.


Top 20 racers head to finals of Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship

                PETALING JAYA: The Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship reaches its climax on Sept 18-19 with Malaysia’s top 20 simulator racers vying for the honour of winning a total prize pool of RM70,000 and a chance to represent the country in the GR GT Cup Asia qualifiers.

More than 800 participants participated in the championship which began with qualifying rounds from Aug 21-29, before the quarter-finals were held from Sept 4-5 to select the top 20 racers who would move on to compete in this weekend’s semi-finals.

The one-day shootout will reduce the field to the 10 fastest drivers for the finals on Sunday.

First held in 2018, the number of participants in the Toyota GR Velocity Esports Championship has grown from 400 to more than 800 this year.

With just 10,000 online spectators in 2018, last year’s event drew more than 1 million online spectators who watched the two-day event via Facebook and YouTube.

Until today, UMW Toyota Motor remains the first and the only Malaysian car company to be associated with fast-growing E-sports motor-racing activities.

Unlike previous events which were held in public spaces, this year’s finale will be run completely online from each competitor’s home, with the race using Sony PlayStation’s Gran Turismo Sport platform.

Spectators can follow the race action which will be broadcasted on the Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia Facebook and YouTube pages and also over Astro’s eGG Channel.

The finals will also see several racers currently competing in the Vios Challenge Promotional, Sporting, Super Sporting and Rookie classes, taking to simulators for an exhibition race.

Spicing up the action in the exhibition race will be Promotional Class drivers Zizan Razak, Shukri Yahaya and Nabil Ahmad, as well as guest racer and actor Sharnaaz Ahmad; Sporting Class driver Clement Yeo; Super Sporting drivers Tengku Djan Ley and Hayden Haikal; and Rookie Class racers Naquib Azlan, Putera Adam and Amer Harris.

The two-day semi-finals and grand-finals will see four previous GR Velocity Esports Championship winners returning. They include defending champion Taj Aiman, and last year’s runner-up and third place winner Iqbal Suji and Mior Hafiz, as well as 2018 winner Muhammad Uzair.

The top three winners will go on to represent Malaysia in the GR GT Cup Asia qualifiers organised by Toyota Motor Asia Pacific, bringing together the best drivers from the region.


GM thinks bigger in China with plan to import full-size SUVs

                SHANGHAI: General Motors Co plans to sell full-size sport-utility vehicle (SUV) models in China for the first time, and will import a range of models to beef up its product lineup into the world's biggest car market, its China chief told Reuters.

The plan would mark a change of tack for GM, which currently produces all of the vehicles it sells in China within the country, which is set to be the only major economy to grow this year amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

GM, China’s second-biggest foreign automaker, is aiming to offer four models as it looks to improve its brand image and support a sales recovery: Chevrolet’s Tahoe and Suburban, Cadillac’s Escalade and the GMC Yukon Denali.

The Detroit-based company is showcasing those models at the China International Import Expo, or CIIE, an annual import show in Shanghai which started on Wednesday and runs into next week.

“Our intention is to get customer reaction and find a way to sell these cars in China,” said GM’s China chief Julian Blissett.

The automaker sees opportunities for such vehicles, partly because Chinese families are expanding, he added.

“We are looking into a variety of market sales plans for these vehicles, including online sales, leasing and others,” he said, declining to give a detailed timeframe for the plan.

GM’s Buick and Cadillac mid-size SUVs helped the group’s Chinese sales grow 12% in the third quarter this year, the first quarterly growth in the past two years.

But it does not have full-size SUV models, which usually have a third row of seats and has room for six or seven people.

Battleground

China, where over 25 million vehicles were sold last year, is a crucial battleground for global automakers including Volkswagen AG, the biggest foreign player by sales volumes, GM and Toyota as well as local leaders Geely and Great Wall.

The country has seen an auto sales pick up in recent months following a Covid-19-induced slump, and authorities say they have largely brought the epidemic under control following its emergence in the central city of Wuhan at the end of last year.

The expansion plan would also mark GM’s first official sales in China of GMC vehicles, a premium brand in the group. Previously GMC vehicles were only sold in the country via unofficial grey importers.

The imports will, however, not change GM’s basic production strategy in China. It will still mostly sell vehicles made in China — for now, at least.

“Depending on however we go we might make other decisions,” Blissett said.

GM has a Shanghai-based joint venture with SAIC Motor Corp Ltd making Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac vehicles. It has another venture, SGMW, with SAIC and Guangxi Automobile Group, producing no-frills mini-vans, which has started manufacturing higher-end cars.

Blissett said GM expected “a strong November and December” in China after positive October sales. The carmaker is also considering exporting China-made electric vehicles globally, he said.

The company's rivals, from Tesla Inc to BMW are among a growing number of automakers using China as an export hub for electric vehicles.


Ministry pushes for clout to impose heavier punishment on serious traffic offenders

                PETALING JAYA: The Transport Ministry seeks to speed up the amendment of the Road Transport Act or Act 333 to impose heavier punishment for offenders involved in drugs, alcohol or reckless driving.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, said road safety is a serious and important matter as the roads in the country needed to be safe for all drivers.

Apart from seeking heavier punishment, another prong of road safety is advocacy, a process to encourage road users to be mindful about driving safely for themselves as well as other road users, he said.

"Various efforts were made in streamlining advocacy programmes throughout the country, especially involving commercial vehicles, including lorries, buses and trailers.

"Among them is the Safety Awareness and Focused Advocacy for Road Users (Safer) programme," he said in a Facebook post today.

He said that so far, a total of 75 programmes have been conducted under Safer.

Earlier, Dr Wee attended a road safety awareness campaign programme organised by the Johor Rock Materials Truck Operators Association.

He said road safety has been his priority since he took over as minister.


Studio FA Porsche designs hybrid superyacht

                The Dynamiq GTT (Gran Turismo Transatlantic) 115 hybrid yacht designed by Studio F. A. Porsche has made its formal debut at the Monaco Yacht Show (Sept 27–30).

“Today is the fantastic conclusion to a long design and development phase with our cooperation partner. Our aim was to launch a new type of superyacht onto the market,” said Dynamiq chief executive officer Sergei Dobroserdov .

With only seven units to be built, the Gran Turismo for the seas has a top speed of over 21 knots (39kph) and a range of 3,400 nautical miles (6,297km).

“We have designed a yacht to appeal to future-oriented owners who appreciate the advantages of speed, high-quality design and our philosophy for perfect performance”, explained Studio F. A. Porsche managing director Roland Heiler .

According to Sergei, the yacht has three variable-speed generators and at 35m-long, it has good amounts of manoeuvrability, while being finished in rhodium silver metallic paint.

The international audience to the Monaco Yacht Show can be the first to view the GTT 115 at berth H01 on Quai Louis II, in front of the Monaco Yacht Club which hosts the Dynamiq showroom.


Last Benelli Leoncino 500 units in three new colours

                BUKIT MERTAJAM: The retro-styled Benelli Leoncino 500 motorcycle is being given a send-off with the latest batch getting a choice of three new colours.

The RM29,288 Leoncino 500 is offered in Matt Red, Matt Green and Matt Grey.

It comes with a retro classic design combined with modern technology.

The motorcycle was redesigned by Centirostile Benelli in Italy, producing its own element of Leoncino's personality, inspired by its original design more than a century ago.

The Leoncino 500 is powered by a liquid-cooled 499.6cc four stroke, inline two-cylinder engine, coupled to a six-speed transmission producing 47hp at 8,500rpm and 45Nm of torque.

Modern features on the model include LED headlights, digital meter panels, upside down forks and adjustable monoshock rear suspension. The front twin disc of 320mm with four pistons and the rear single disc of 260 mm with single piston are also equipped with the Anti-Lock Brake System.

It weighs 196kg and has a 12.7-litre petrol tank.

The Leoncino 500 is fitted with Pirelli Angel tyres (120/70 in front and 160/60 on the rear) to provide performance and comfort.

According to MForce Bike Holdings Sdn Bhd operations general manager Asri Ahmad, the Leoncino 500 will end production by mid-July and will be available to classic retro motorcycle lovers at all authorised Benelli dealers nationwide.

The Leoncino 500 is offered with a product warranty of two years or 20,000km, whichever comes first.


Ferrari, Lamborghini say no plans yet to develop all-electric cars

                FRANKFURT: Ferrari and Volkswagen-owned Lamborghini are working on hybrid versions of their sportscars but have no plans for now to develop wholly electric models, executives at the two companies said at the Frankfurt car show today.

Michael Leiters, chief technology offer at Ferrari, said he could not imagine a fully electric Ferrari sportscar given the current limitations of the technology.

“There is a need for more time, more innovation to get the same performance, and, what’s even more challenging, to get the same driving pleasure that we have today,” he told reporters. “Just think of the sound and things like that which are essential for us. For us the first step is hybridisation.”

The comments were echoed by Stefano Domenicali, the chief executive at rival Lamborghini, who said his company would put energy into developing hybrids, but also seek to fully exploit the potential of its V10 and V12 naturally aspirated engines.

“I don’t see electric to be an immediate development in the super sportscar segment, but hybridisation for sure will come, in the next five years for sure,” he told Reuters.

 The Portofino unveiled in Frankfurt today.

Lamborghini is preparing for the official launch of its first SUV, the Urus, on Dec 4. Shipments of the new model are expected to start during the summer of next year.

The sports utility vehicle is not only expected to double Lamborghini’s overall annual volumes, which stood at 3,457 last year, but will also give Lamborghini access to new markets such as Russia and India, Domenicali said.

“There are these and other markets where we will enter with this product and believe to be strong,” he said, adding the vehicle would be priced at around 200,000 euros.

Lamborghini sold a record 2,091 vehicles in the first half of this year. While deliveries in the second half are expected to be slightly lower due to seasonal factors, Domenicali said he expects year-on-year growth for the entire 12 months would be a single-digit percentage, “close to double digits”.

Ferrari today launched the Portofino, its new entry level model that will replace the California, and will be sold in Italy at a price of 196,000 euros.

Named after a picturesque village on the Italian coastline, the convertible Portofino is powered by an eight-cylinder GT engine and can reach maximum speeds of over 320 km per hour.

Ferrari plans to start deliveries of the car in Europe at the end of the first quarter and in other markets by the summer, said Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer Enrico Galliera.

The initial reaction boded well for sales, he added.

“The reception to the car even before its official launch exceeded our expectations. Almost all the dealers have strong order books for the car already,” he added.

Galliera reiterated Ferrari would never make an SUV like the one developed by Porsche or Maserati “because these aren’t vehicles that represent the sportiness of our cars”. The company also ruled out a self-driving Ferrari.

But Galliera also referred to comments made recently by Ferrari’s chief executive and chairman, Sergio Marchionne, who said the company was working on an entirely novel vehicle.

“It won’t be like anything that’s on the market today so it would be wrong to give it a label,” Galliera said.


Bill on Road Transport Act amendments to be tabled next month

                PUTRAJAYA: A Bill to amend the Road Transport Act for the implementation of the Awareness Automated Safety System (Awas) will be tabled in Parliament next month, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.

“We are currently dealing with the legal implications.

“(In order to implement Awas), we need to amend the Road Transport Act,” he told reporters after presenting certificates to driving institutions which obtained a 5-star rating at his ministry here yesterday.

As the Parliament session is nearing its end, Liow said he hoped to table the Bill in the next session in May.

Awas is a new system which unifies the Kejara demerit points system and the current system Automated Enforcement System.

On another issue, Liow said unlicensed motorcyclists could now get a licence at a discounted price from Wednesday.

“This is to ensure all motorists possess a valid licence,” he said, adding that the public only had to pay RM299 to undergo a test for B2-class licence to ride a motorcycle under 250cc instead of the usual RM350.

The move was taken as many motorcyclists were found to be riding without licences and motorcyclists made up of some 60% of the road fatalities.

Among the 6,706 lives lost in traffic accidents last year, more than one quarter were below 25 years old.

Liow said the first phase of the programme, launched last year, received an overwhelming response from the people.

It was reported that more than 20,000 unlicensed motorcyclists had signed up for the MyLesen programme, which enable them to obtain a motorcycle licence at RM299, instead of the usual RM350 fee.

“We are relaunching it on April 6,” Liow said.

He also urged unlicensed motorcyclists, who were 45-year-old and above, to get a B2-class licence at RM170 under the Satu Komuniti Satu JPJ programme.

Of the 200 institutions nationwide being assessed, only nine achieved almost all the assessment criteria to receive the recognition and were granted a four-year permit.


Rome set to host Formula E until 2025

                ROME: Rome has signed a new agreement to host a Formula E race until at least 2025.

This year’s street race in the Italian capital was postponed from April 4 due to the Covid-19 pandemic with no new date scheduled.

Formula E said members of the Rome city council had signed an agreement to host a race for the next five seasons, subject to approval of the sport’s governing body.

“Rome is once again a key reference for Formula E and remains a key attraction for big events. When we exit the health emergency, we will need to come back much stronger than ever before,” said Rome mayor Virginia Raggi last Friday.

“Our city is ready for this challenge and the Italian capital will be the symbol of the series until 2025.”


Jaguar teams up with singer Dua Lipa

                NEW JERSEY: Jaguar and Dua Lipa, the global superstar singer-songwriter, have announced a music and technology partnership.

The British/Kosovan music artiste will launch a ground-breaking collaboration with Jaguar at an exclusive gig in Amsterdam on Sept 3.

The event kicks-off a series of Jaguar events across Europe, called The Pace: Season 1, which celebrates the brand’s popular SUV models, the E-PACE, F-PACE and I-PACE.

Dua Lipa, currently the most streamed female music artist in the world, will perform not with another artist but with the new Jaguar I-PACE – an electric performance SUV that has zero tailpipe emissions and can accelerate from 0-100kph in 4.5 seconds.

On the collaboration, Dua Lipa said: “I love to push boundaries with my music and my performances and this partnership is going to take things to an exciting new level. It’s a hi-tech project combining music and Jaguar technology, and I know my fans are going to love what we are creating together. All will be revealed on Sept 3 in Amsterdam.

“I’m so excited that my first car is going to be the I-PACE and to be trailblazing for the new electric generation.”

The ‘Dua Lipa x Jaguar’ collaboration launches on Sept 3 on Jaguar USA social channels and websites across Europe.


New Perodua Myvi in top 10 Google searches

                KUALA LUMPUR: The third-generation Perodua Myvi is the only car to make it into the top 10 list of Malaysia's trending searches in 2017, according to Google’s annual “Year in Search” findings.

The 2018 Myvi was 10th on the list, after the massive hit song Despacito (8th on the list) and Bigg Boss Vote (9th on the list) - the voting process in the popular Tamil Television show.

It's no surprise when you consider that 2018 Myvi's predecessors were Malaysia’s top-selling car models until the Perodua Axia was launched in late 2014.

More than a million Myvi units have been produced since its launch in May 2005, making it the top manufactured Perodua car.

As at December 8, Perodua had received over 20,000 bookings for the 2018 Myvi - just within a month from the day the car was made available for bookings.

To date, Perodua has delivered over 4,500 units of the 2018 Myvi.

The 2018 Perodua Myvi is priced as follows, on-the-road without insurance (Peninsular Malaysia):

- 1.3 Standard G (MT): RM44,300
- 1.3 Standard G (AT): RM46,300
- 1.3 Premium X (AT): RM48,300
- 1.5 High (AT): RM51,800
- 1.5 Advance (AT): RM55,300

READ MORE:
2017 Perodua Myvi Advance tested
2017 Perodua Myvi launched: All you need to know
2017 Perodua Myvi: fuel efficient Dual VVT-i engines
2017 Perodua Myvi: Full in-house design for upper body
Automatic braking & Advanced Safety Assist included in Perodua Myvi


Catch the pretty faces at 2018 Singapore Motorshow

SINGAPORE: With the 2018 Singapore Motorshow about to open their doors to the general public from 5.00pm to 10.00pm today, here's a few pretty faces that can be seen welcoming visitors.


PNB to install 59 EV chargers by year-end

                KOTA BARU: Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), in collaboration with Gentari Sdn Bhd (Gentari), will be installing 59 electric vehicle (EV) charging units involving 18 properties under the PNB group by year-end.

PNB's chief investment officer (private and strategic investments) Rick Ramli said the EV chargers would be located in various locations, including offices, hotels and resorts, golf clubs and shopping centres.

"This initiative is in line with the commitment to PNB’s Sustainability Framework in driving our decarbonisation efforts in our portfolio, as well as to support the EV ecosystem under the government’s Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint 2021-2030,” he told reporters after the launch of the EV chargers here on Sunday.

READ MORE: Gentari rolls out S-E Asia’s first 350kW public EV charger

Meanwhile, Gentari Green Mobility chief operating officer, Haikal Zubir, said the company and PNB share the same vision in the journey towards green mobility.

"Through this collaboration, Gentari will provide the necessary infrastructure at PNB’s properties to support the needs of EV drivers, at the same time marking the expansion of our EV charging infrastructure footprint to the East Coast states which will increase interstate driving confidence," he said.

PNB launched its Sustainability Framework on April 21, 2022, outlining 10 commitments for its own operations as well as its investments under the environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) thrusts.

The framework will help PNB to maintain its focus in the changing global investment landscape, in addition to its achieving its target to become a net zero enterprise by 2025 together with its investment arms.


Yamaha aims to launch 2-seater car in Europe, says source

                TOKYO: Japanese motorcycle maker Yamaha Motor Co Ltd aims to start making and selling two-seater cars in Europe as early as 2019, targeting environmentally-conscious drivers, a person familiar with the plan told Reuters on Friday.

Yamaha will spend "tens of billions of yen" to build a manufacturing plant in Europe, though the location and scale of the investment amount remain undecided. The cars will come in both 1-litre petrol and electric versions, the person said.

The person wasn't authorised to discuss the plan publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The news was first reported by the Nikkei business daily.

Yamaha unveiled its Motiv concept microcar at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show and said it wanted to bring the car to the mass market by 2020, but has not announced any launches since then.

The person familiar with the company's plans said on Friday Yamaha would begin with the two-seater cars in Europe, and is also considering sales in Japan and other Asian countries, particularly emerging markets.

The vehicle will be the first car made by Yamaha since the late 1960s, when it manufactured the 2000GT for Toyota Motor Corp.

A spokesman for Shizuoka-based Yamaha declined to comment.


White House announces US electric car recharging network

                WASHINGTON, D.C.: The White House announced plans to create a 40,000km recharging network for electric cars that it hopes will encourage drivers to switch from gasoline-powered vehicles.

The Department of Transportation will designate 48 official electric vehicle routes on highways that cover 35 of the 50 states, with the aim of eventually building out further as demand grows.

With the new power network, electric car drivers will be able to find a recharging station every 80km, with regular signage indicating the locations.

The government will work with the states, private businesses, and public groups to establish the recharging stations "to enable coast-to-coast zero emission mobility on our nation's highways," the White House said in a statement.

Electric car makers Nissan, BMW, General Motors and a number of major power companies are among the companies participating in the initiative.

The move also will better support companies, states and cities building their own fleets of electric cars, trucks and buses, the White House said.

"The Obama Administration is committed to taking responsible steps to combat climate change, increase access to clean energy technologies, and reduce our dependence on oil."

Currently, there are more than 16,000 charging stations around the country, up from 500 in 2008, but still dwarfed by the number of gasoline stations, around 150,000 according to industry figures, the statement said.

Despite significant tax incentives Americans have been slow to buy plug-in electric cars, in part because of high costs and the low range of the batteries of most models, which limits trips to short distances.


Michelin advocates road safety

                KUALA LUMPUR: In a bid to promote road safety awareness for the Malaysian petrochemical logistics community, French tyre-maker Michelin has become the exclusive tyre partner for the Petronas FMDrive 2015 competition.

The competition, now in its fourth year, pits tanker-drivers and their driving skills against each in a series of obstacle courses held at the Shaziman Transport in Durian Tunggal, Malacca recently.

During the event, Michelin showcased its latest X Multi tyre range that the tyre-maker is touting to offer high levels of safety and durability when travelling over different road conditions, while providing less rolling resistance to help improve fuel economy.

The tyre-maker also presented RECAMIC, Michelin’s retread brand that provides re-treading solutions for radial tyres to help transporters reduce operational costs, while maintaining safety and performance.

Other than just showcasing Michelin products during the competition, Michelin Malaysia managing director Beltran Yturriaga said that the competition was in line with the tyre-maker’s goal in strengthening the widespread road safety consciousness in Malaysia.

“We hope this partnership will make a significant contribution to reduce road accidents and fatalities, especially those involving large commercial vehicles, and with its numbers increasing on roads, fleet operators are searching for solutions to improve safety,” he added.

Michelin advocates the importance of tyres being the only point of contact between a vehicle and the road, but acknowledges that the vehicle’s safety and fuel economy is oftentimes overlooked.

“Therefore, the Petronas FMDrive 2015 serves as a platform for us to educate people about the importance of choosing the right tyres, to ensure the highest standards of safety and fuel efficiency in fleet operations,” said Yturriaga.


Chery plans to launch EQ1 micro BEV in Malaysia in 2022

                PETALING JAYA: Chinese automaker Chery has plans to launch its EQ1 micro battery electric vehicle (BEV) in Malaysia in 2022.

A Chery International spokesperson told Carsifu.my that the Chinese automaker headquartered in Wuhu, Anhui province, is interested in benefitting from the tax incentives for EVs under Budget 2022.

"The eQ1 (known as the Chery small ant in China) is the sales champion in the micro BEV segment. We will do our best to bring this model into Malaysia," he said.

According to the spokesperson, the EQ1 sells for 60,000 to 70,000 yuan (39,839 to 46,479 ringgit) in China, after taking into account government subsidies for new energy vehicles.

Chery is presently in discussions with a potential business partner for completely-knocked-down (CKD) operations in Malaysia.

"We definitely want CKD operations in Malaysia which will be the base for exports to Asean and other right hand drive markets," said the spokesperson.

He added that Chery is also looking at launching its Tiggo4 Pro sport utlity vehicle (SUV) in Malaysia, and "and perhaps the Tiggo 7 and 8 Pro."

The EQ1 is billed as the best-selling micro BEV in China, with a “full-aluminum pure electric vehicle” integrating fashion, safety and intelligence, and sets new benchmarks in Chinese new energy vehicles market.

READ MORE: Chery Tiggo 4 Pro may launch in Malaysia in 2022

It is a nimble two-door four-seater with a full-aluminum body, 55kw electric motor, which can sprint to 50kph in 5 seconds, onwards to a top speed of 120kph.

It is fitted with a 10-inch high-definition LCD screen and AI voice interaction.

The EQ1 is offered in two travelling range options namely 301km and 408km, based on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC).

Chery sources from the battery suppliers like CATL, and its self-developed battery pack is said to be most efficient in energy consumption.

Regarding the resilience and safety of the battery, Chery has integrated technologies like battery initiative balance and constant voltage and current charging for the battery system.

The motors are sourced from the Chery Yaskawa Electric Drive System Co Ltd joint venture, where products are said to be more efficient and 22% lighter than the peers.

In terms of electronic control, Chery has its independently developed vehicle control unit (VCU) which can monitor the running state of vehicle batteries and motors more accurately, ensuring better performance of the vehicle in power, safety and energy recycle.

Since its launch in 2017, the EQ1 has gone through four editions and won several "first" recognition in China: the first self-developed pure electric model, the first pure electric model built with lightweight all-aluminum body, the first two-door four-seat pure electric model with a driving range of over 300km, the first pure electric model with automatic parking function, and the pure electric model with the highest
penetration rate of shared travel.

Under Malaysia's Budget 2022, the tax incentives include individual tax relief of up to RM2,500 for the purchase, installation, rental and subscription fees for EV charging facilities for two years (2022 and 2023).

EVs will also get road tax exemption of up to 100%.

Imported or completely-built-up (CBU) EVs will get full import and excise duty exemptions for two years (2022 and 2023).

Locally assembled or completely-knocked-down (CKD) EVs will get full import and excise duty as well as sales tax exemptions for four years (2022 till end-2025).

In a statement, the Chery said it has five research and development (R&D) centres in the world, with more than 5,000 R&D personnel.

Under its "Chery Lion" strategy, the group plans to optimise its full-life-cycle intelligent layout of R&D, manufacturing, marketing and service and the mass production and launching of Level 2.5 autonomous driving technology.

The group's products are available in more than 80 countries and regions.

Chery has set up 10 overseas factories and more than 1,500 overseas distributors and service outlets, with accumulated 9.8 million global users, including 1.9 million overseas users.

It has also been the top China passenger car exporter in terms of volume for 18 consecutive years.

Further updates can be seen at Chery Malaysia's Facebook page.

To contact Chery Malaysia, email cherymalaysia@mychery.com


Tan Chong's Vietnam unit appointed distributor of MG cars

                KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Chong Motor Holdings Bhd's Vietnam unit, TC Services Vietnam Co Ltd, has been appointed as the sole and exclusive importer and distributor of completely-built-up (CBU) MG brand vehicles in the country.

In a filing to Bursa Malaysia, Tan Chong said TC Services was appointed by SAIC Motor International Co Ltd, and both parties had entered into an Overseas Distribution Agreement (ODA).

"The five-year ODA will provide Tan Chong with an opportunity to expand its foothold in the automotive industry in Vietnam,” it said.

Among others, the agreement also allows TC Services to provide after-sales spare parts and after-sales services for the CBU MG Brand Vehicles in Vietnam, including the appointment of dealers to perform these obligations and activities.

TC Services is authorised to engage in retail distribution of various kinds of automobiles, provision of automotive maintenance and repair and spare parts services.

SAIC Motor is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China’s largest automobile group, SAIC Motor Corporation Ltd, and is engaged in the automotive business, including but not limited to the sale of automobiles and relevant components.

SAIC Motor businesses include research and development, manufacturing, sales and after-sales of vehicles, auto components, auto-related services and trade, auto finance, international manufacturing and global international operations which include the United States of America, Britain, Thailand, as well as some Asia-Pacific and European countries.


BMW M-performance parts available for the new X-comers

                MUNICH: For BMW's X2, X3 and X4 sport utility vehicle's, there's now an option to help further personalise the extensive range of M Performance Parts that's found under the Original BMW Accessories list.

For one, the M Performance in frozen black lettering on the side adds to the sporty character of the vehicle to help emphasise the dynamic proportions of the body.

Furthermore, the appearance of the BMW X3 and BMW X4 can be further refined with the front lettering in high-gloss black to match the other front attachment parts for these two models, which also features a high-gloss finish.

Also, M Performance front radiator grilles in high-gloss black are available for the BMW X2, which have the same geometry as the standard grilles, but are more visually striking.

The M Performance exterior mirror caps in carbon fibre are another eye-catcher available for all three models and have been hand-crafted from carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP), they've been given several coating layers and finished with a high-gloss polish.

Inside, the interior of the BMW X2, BMW X3 and BMW X4 can be furnished with M Performance floor mats made of velour velvet with a leather-look surround and contrasting decorative seams - making them especially gentle on shoe heels.

There's also the M Performance steering wheel wrapped in a combination of Alcantara and leather with a red marking on the 12-o'clock position and silver-grey, hand-sewn cross-stitch seams.

The steering wheel trim panels are also optionally available for the X3 and X4 in carbon fibre/leather, with central clasp in either open-pore or high-gloss carbon fibre.

For the X3 and X4, the paddle shifters with plus and minus symbols in anodised red can be had in high-gloss carbon fibre that's covered in an extremely fine carbon mesh and enhanced with a PUR finish and high-gloss polish.

In the summer, the X2 can roll on 20-inch Styling 717 M light alloy wheels with matt black finish that's been weight-optimised by flowforming technology (rolled rim well), while the X3 and X4 get 19-inch M Performance Double Spoke 698 M light alloy wheels in Orbit Grey.

But if those aren't enough, there's always the 21-inch forged Y Spoke 701 M Bicolor wheels - currently the largest wheel within Original BMW Accessories for the X3 and X4.

The wheels also utilise rolled rim well technology and weighs almost 2kg-less than a similarly designed cast wheel in the same format because of the special manufacturing process used.

In the lights department, there's the option of equipping the doors with LED projectors that replace the standard entry light and projects a selection of motifs that include the M-logo onto the ground when the door is opened.


Supercar makers experiment with F1 input

                PARIS: Aston Martin has taken the wraps off the AM-RB 001, Mercedes will be launching the Mercedes-AMG Project One at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, and in March at the Geneva Motor Show Vanda Electronics will be launching the Dendrobium.

And while each of these hypercars is coming from a very different automotive company, all three have one thing very much in common - they've each been co-developed with a Formula 1 racing team and each one will feature F1 technology.

Aston Martin
The Aston Martin-RB 001 (top pic), revealed in concept form in July (deliveries won't begin until 2018) was created in partnership with Red Bull Racing. Forming the alliance was the only way of ensuring the delivery of a road-legal car with a 1:1 power to weight ratio of 1bhp per kilo that will stay planted on the ground rather than take flight like a fighter jet at high speed.

The car will be built from carbon fiber, and composite materials use cutting-edge underfloor aerodynamics systems so that the body can maintain some traditional Aston Martin style. Exact performance figures won't be revealed until later in the year but power will come from a naturally aspirated V12 engine mounted dead in the middle of the two-seat car.

Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes is also going with a mid-mounted engine for its hypercar and is working on the venture with AMG. The car is currently dubbed the Project One and is a celebration of AMG's 50th anniversary and of the two companies' phenomenal success in the world of F1.

Mercedes AMG Petronas has won the driver's and constructor's championships for the past three years running. And much of the technological excellence that goes into the track cars will be present in this road-going vehicle, including the hybrid V6 engine that thanks to energy recuperation systems will put out in excess of 1,000hp. All will be revealed in September.

Vanda Electronics
Vanda Electronics has been talking about its hypercar plans for almost a year and of how it aims to build a plug-in electric vehicle that can match or better a Bugatti in terms of acceleration, torque and horsepower.

However, now that the Singaporean company has revealed it's developing the Dendrobium in collaboration with British-based Formula 1 team and engineering company Williams, people are paying attention. Williams has been involved with the aerodynamics, materials and electric powertrain and although there are no confirmed figures, the car is expected to offer upwards of 1500hp and a 0-100kph time of 2.6 seconds when it is unveiled in Geneva.

As for the car's name, the Dendrobium is an orchid native to Singapore and the way the new car's roof and doors open put the designers in mind of the flower as it moves from bud to full bloom.


More Acura NSX details unsheathed

                TOKYO: Acura, the luxury division of Honda, has announced that the highly anticipated NSX supercar will cost between US$156,000 and $205,700 (RM700,000 to RM900,000) when fully equipped and is due to arrive during the second quarter of 2016.

As Acura’s first build-to-order vehicle, customers will be able to design their NSX by selecting one of eight exterior colours and four interior colour schemes available in three different seating surface options.

The customers may further customize their NSX through several exterior and interior features including three wheel designs with painted or polished finish, carbon-ceramic brake options, a carbon fibre interior sport package and a carbon fibre roof, to name a few.

Order taking will begin on Feb 25, 2016, at authorized NSX retailers and will be in concert with the launch of the company’s web-based vehicle configurator at www.Acura.com.

The new website will be the first engagement point for customers interested in exploring the process of ordering a vehicle as well as for enthusiasts who want access to more customisation options.

Lastly, a scheduled appointment between the customer and a NSX retailer will help seal the deal.

The company also revealed that it plans to auction off the very first serial production NSX (VIN 001) in the last week of January, 2016, at the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction that’s located in Scottsdale, Arizona in the United States.

All proceeds from the auction sale will go to a pair of children's charities, specifically the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and Camp Southern Ground - a passion project of Grammy Award-winning artist Zac Brown.

The Japanese supercar will be the first all-new Acura vehicle to be auctioned for the benefit of charitable organizations – certified to be the very first serial production NSX and the winner will be able to customize their NSX to their choosing.

“The NSX is the pinnacle expression of Acura precision crafted performance and we're thrilled to take the next step toward bringing it to market and we're creating new space within the supercar realm, pushing the envelope beyond the conventional thinking about supercars – just like the original NSX,” said Acura Division vice president and general manager Jon Ikeda.


Nissan’s new CEO to take closer look at ties with Renault

Uchida speaking during a news conference at Nissan in Yokohama on Monday. — Reuters
TOKYO: Nissan Motor Co.’s new chief executive officer said he is looking at what works and what doesn’t in the alliance with Renault SA and Mitsubishi Motors Corp., stressing that the partnership needs to benefit all parties.

Makoto Uchida, appointed after a year of turmoil following the arrest of Carlos Ghosn, said in his first media conference on Monday that changes are needed in the pact to benefit the companies’ sales and earnings. He said discussions about changes in capital ties haven’t taken place.

"The alliance is critical to reach our goals,” Uchida said at Nissan’s headquarters in Yokohama.

"We need to look at what worked within the alliance, and what didn’t, and decide how to go forward.”

Uchida faces monumental challenges at Nissan, which has seen turmoil at the top since former chairman Ghosn’s arrest while profits plumb decade lows.

The automaker needs to get its business in order fast, with autonomous vehicles and electrification poised to disrupt the industry in a once-in-a-generation shift.

Ghosn led Nissan and Renault for years and held their two-decade partnership together until his arrest in November 2018 on allegations of financial misconduct, which he has denied. His downfall exposed governance shortfalls at Nissan and brought long-standing tensions between the automakers to the fore.

Ownership problem

Uchida said the companies haven’t held discussions on changing the capital structure in the partnership, which has been at the heart of the tensions.

A lopsided arrangement has given Renault more say, even as nissan had outpaced the French partner in earnings in recent years. Renault owns 43% of Nissan with voting rights, while Nissan has a 15% stake in Renault, stripped of votes. Nissan also has a stake in Mitsubishi Motors, which Ghosn brought to the alliance in 2016.

Relations were further strained under Uchida’s predecessor, Hiroto Saikawa, when Nissan’s failure to back Renault’s plan to merge with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV effectively scuttled the transaction. Fiat Chrysler has since agreed to merge with Peugeot maker PSA Group instead.

Nissan overhauled its top management a month ago, adopting a collective-style leadership aimed at moving past the outsized influence that Ghosn was seen to have had over Nissan and its alliance with Renault.

Ashwani Gupta was appointed chief operating officer, and Jun Seki as deputy COO.

The alliance partners also chose Hadi Zablit as the new secretary general of the entity, according to people familiar with the matter. Zablit, currently its head of business development, is an engineer by background and has worked for Renault for years.

Uchida said that one of the first things the new management will look into is how the alliance can immediately benefit the parties, noting that Renault’s profitability is also under pressure.

"We want to move forward with our relationship with Renault, while preserving our independence,” Uchida, wearing a dark grey suit and solid blue necktie, said on stage, flanked by Nissan’s Fairlady 240Z sports car from the 70s and a SUV prototype.

"In order to have an alliance, it needs to be beneficial for all parties. Specifically, this means have a structure that leads to growth in sales and profitability.”


BMW aims to also build new class of EVs in China from 2026

                BERLIN: BMW aims to produce its new class of electric vehicles in China as well as Europe from 2026, requiring an investment of around 1.3 billion euros, BMW production chief Milan Nedeljkovic said on Thursday.

The carmaker, which expects to release its "Neue Klasse" (new class) of EVs in 2025, said that it would also produce the required high-voltage batteries in China.

This will "make a significant contribution to the further electrification of our portfolio", Nedeljkovic said.

In preparation for the rollout of the Neue Klasse, BMW has created an entire electromobility ecosystem in China, spanning research and development, the supply chain and production of batteries and electric vehicles. With facilities in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang and Nanjing, it has built the biggest research and innovation network outside of Germany.


Join the MazdaSports Academy driving experience at Serdang on June 9

                PETALING JAYA: MazdaSports Academy, the latest extension of Bermaz Motor’s MazdaSports Division, is committed to create Mazda-unique driver experience programmes that are in true spirit of Mazda’s brand essence – “Celebrate Driving”.

MazdaSports Academy will first introduce the “Advance Driving” ownership experience programme, to take place from 8am till 4pm on June 9, 2018 (Saturday) at MAEPS (Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang), Serdang.

Limited to 20 participants who will use their own Mazda cars, the event is open to Mazda2, Mazda3 and CX-3 owners.

There is a RM80 commitment fee, and each entry is limited to one pax per car. For details, call 1800228080.

Mazda owners who wish to join can register their interest via Mazda Malaysia’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/mazdamy/)

With the “Advance Driving” programme, participants will learn to experience being one with their Mazda and discover ones driving potential.

They will find their perfect driving position and enhance their driving ability through a dynamic driving practical course.

Bermaz’s MazdaSports Division, formed in 2016, currently encompasses vehicle development, parts and accessories, and experience programmes.

Since its establishment, the MazdaSports Division has developed two models under its vehicle development project; the Mazda3 and Mazda2 with the nameplate MS and M+, respectively, for domestic market consumption.


Polestar 2 pricing and future plans revealed

Polestar 1.
GOTHENBURG: Volvo's performance brand Polestar has now revealed an idea of how much the Polestar 2 will cost, along with other details about its future plans.

The Polestar 2 is a fully electric sedan that's designed to be a rival to the Tesla Model 3, and is set to cost from around €40,000 (RM193,000) when it finally arrives in 2020. Not long after that one arrives we'll then be treated to the Polestar 3, which will be the brand's "low and aerodynamic" SUV offering. And although the majority of the key markets for Polestar will require left-hand drive models, both the Polestar 2 and 3 will also be available in right-hand drive form too for buyers in places such as Britain.

Of course, the first model in the Polestar lineup will be the limited-edition, 600-horsepower Polestar 1 coupe, which is set to be available sometime next year. Both the Polestar 1 and Polestar 3 will be manufactured at a new facility in Chengdu, China.

 Polestar 1.

Although it has been confirmed there will be more than 50,000 Polestar 2 sedans built per year, there is no word yet about where they are going to be built. It hasn't been officially confirmed yet, but earlier reports have suggested the possibility of a Polestar 4 by 2020, with strong indications it will be a convertible model.

Polestar's chief executive officer, Thomas Ingenlath, told the UK's Auto Express, "Polestar 2 will join the competition with Tesla Model 3, so people should have an understanding of the size and the price tag as well. It will start around €40,000."

"We are not saying it's a Tesla killer, we are here to compete with them in the market. We will launch Polestar 2 in the second half of 2019 and production will begin around the start of 2020."

It's not clear about how buyers will be able to buy the Polestar 2 and 3 models though, and that's because the Polestar 2 has been given that €40,000 while the Polestar 1 is being retailed on a purely subscription basis. What we do know is Polestar will be selling direct to buyers through the Internet as well as exclusive Polestar stores that are in the pipeline.


Skoda Kodiaq GT details leaked online

                SHANGHAI: SUVs with sloping coupe-like rooflines are increasingly popular with buyers, which means many manufacturers are rushing to plug the gaps in their SUV lineups. Skoda is the latest to join the party with a coupe-like Kodiaq GT, details of which leaked online ahead of its official reveal in China, scheduled for the Chengdu motor show in September.

This coupe version of Skoda's largest SUV model follows in the footsteps of BMW who started it all off with the X6 and now the X4. Now we also have the likes of the Audi Q8 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC and GLE Coupes. Of course, the big advantage the Skoda should have is a significantly lower asking price than those illustrious luxury predecessors.

As well as the new roofline, other aesthetic changes from the regular Kodiaq include new bumpers and a new tail-light arrangement, wider rear wheel arches, a twin exhaust, and a small spoiler to complement the coupe styling.

Under the bonnet will be a choice of two versions of the VW Group's familiar 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, with outputs of 186bhp and 220bhp. All models will feature a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, and the Kodiaq GT will be available in both two and all-wheel drive formats.

But if you're getting excited about the prospect of a large SUV coupe for much less than what a BMW X6 costs, unfortunately the Kodiaq GT is only intended for the Chinese market.

It's being built by the SAIC-Volkswagen partnership in Shanghai, and reports from China suggest prices starting from 220,000 yuan (RM132,000). That puts it at around €2,700 (RM13,000) more than a regular Kodiaq, which is still cheap compared to the €68,600 (RM325,000) BMW asks for an entry level X6.


All existing AES summonses to be wiped out, says minister

                PUTRAJAYA: All existing summons issued under the Automated Enforcement System (AES) will be wiped out, with offending drivers getting off the hook.

The move follows the Cabinet’s decision to take over the full operations of AES in the country from two private companies, effective Sept 1.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said there were 3.1 million unpaid summonses as of May, which could be worth up to RM430mil. “This is a one-off," he stressed.

After Sept 1, JPJ (Road Transport Department) will fully take over the operations of AES and any summons issued then has to be paid.

"There will not be any more such offers or discounts,” said Loke at a press conference here.

He said the concession agreement with the current operators of AES would expire on Aug 31 and the government had decided not to renew it.

“From Sept 1, all operations of AES will be taken over by JPJ.

"This means that the operations of the speed cameras, the taking of photos, the issuance of summonses and such will be done by JPJ,” clarified Loke.

He said in 2012, the previous government appointed two companies, Beta Tegap Sdn Bhd and ATES Sdn Bhd, to operate the AES.

“Because the payment system to these two companies are lopsided, it received a public backlash. For every summon that was issued, RM16 was paid to the companies.

“In 2015, the government ordered Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT), through its subsidiary Irat Properties, to take over the operations of AES.

“RM555mil was paid to both companies by the previous government to take over its assets, which are merely 40 speed cameras along all the highways,” said Loke.

He also “apologised” to road users who had paid for their AES summons, adding that no refunds would be given.

“I know those who have paid will feel it is unfair that we are cancelling unpaid summons.

"Since 2012, only 690,000 AES summons that were issued have been paid, which is about 18% of the total.

“To those who have paid, I would like to say thank you and sorry at the same time,” said Loke.

In another development, Loke said the Cabinet has agreed to postpone the implementation of the e-call system, which was supposed to be installed in new cars by July 2019.

“This is because a lot of car-makers were not ready, and we do not want the cost to be transferred to car buyers,” he said.

The e-call system automatically notifies the Malaysian Emergency Response Services or MERS999, when a vehicle is involved in a traffic accident.


China summons manufacturers after prices of rare earths surge

Soaring rare-earth prices are boosting costs at manufacturers including automakers as China grapples with the fastest inflation in over two decades.— Bloomberg
BEIJING: China has summoned automakers along with producers of electronics and magnet materials in a bid to bring surging rare earths prices under control, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

Delegates from the China Electronics Material Industry Association and maunfacturers including BYD Co., SAIC Motor Corp., Jing-Jin Electric Technologies Co. attended a meeting arranged by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Wednesday, the association’s magnet branch said in a statement, without elaborating.

The people with knowledge of the meeting’s discussions declined to be named because the information isn’t public.

The ministry didn’t immediately respond to a fax seeking comments.

The meeting was ordered after prices of rare earths, a complex containing 17 elements that are used in everything from electric vehicles to smartphones, surged as demand outpaced supply.

A power shortage exacerbated disruptions and a broad commodity rally has increased production costs.

Soaring rare-earth prices are boosting costs at manufacturers including automakers as the country grapples with the fastest inflation in over two decades.

Neodymium and praseodymium - two elements used in permanent magnets for cars and electric motors - have jumped to the highest in more than a decade.

In another meeting earlier this month, the industry regulator and association officials urged raw-material companies in the electric vehicle supply chain to absorb some of the cost increases instead of passing them on to avoid undermining EV development.

China is a dominant producer of rare earths, accounting for 70% of global production, and exports rose to a record last year.

The country is consolidating the sector by merging key producers to strengthen its control over a global industry it has dominated for decades.


MINI Countryman turns camper van

                MUNICH: Lake Iseo in Italy is a camping lovers’ paradise and the MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 is the ideal vehicle what with its MINI Design-inspired sleeping area mounted on the roof of the 5-door all-rounder.

The sheer abundance of camping pitches located right on the lake makes it the perfect place to spend the night.

This is why tourists, wishing to explore the picturesque and the scenic villages with tiny ports, pretty promenades and quaint restaurants, tour around in a camper van.

The new MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 offers more on the narrow lakeside roads which is agile even on rough terrain and offers two comfortable places to sleep in locations which are out of reach for the traditional camping vehicles.

This is made possible by a roof tent specially designed for the MINI Countryman by the Italian manufacturer AUTOHOME.

The advantages of the roof tent literally unfolds in a few easy moves. Once the safety clasps on the housing are released, the tent is automatically raised by means of gas pressure springs.

The equipment range of the roof tent includes a foldable aluminium ladder to climb up onto the top floor of the MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4.

Inside, the space measuring 2.10 meters in length and 1.30 metres in width, provides a spacious sleeping area for two on a high-density mattress with cotton cover.

Coupled with the LED interior light, doors and windows with zips and mosquito nets, storage nets and pockets make it ideal for camping enthusiasts.

Its special attachment system makes it easy to secure on the roof while the solid fibre-glass housing of the tent resembles a roof box when closed, with its flat shape which reduces drag and wind noise.

Thus, the new MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 effortlessly assumes the role of a camper van.

Folding down the rear seat with its standard 40 : 20 : 40 split increases its luggage compartment capacity from 450 to up to 1,390 litres.

This means that, besides the holiday luggage and sleeping bags, one or the other indispensable piece of equipment for stylish alfresco holidays can still be packed: whether it’s the camping barbecue for preparing a freshly-caught char from the lake or the espresso machine with connection to the 12-volt socket in the luggage compartment.

Its 178hp 4-cylinder engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology, standard 8-speed Steptronic transmission and optional adaptive suspension guarantee a blend of camping anticipation and driving pleasure.


Shell services 500 cars for free

                KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 500 lucky motorists enjoyed the ultimate engine rejuvenating experience for their cars at the first-ever “#LoveMyRide” Festival organised by Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd over the weekend.

On the first day (June 13) of the admissions-free festival, a total of 378 cars received a free engine oil change to successfully create a new entry in the Malaysia Book of Records for the ‘most number of cars in a lubricant changing event.’

The overall target of 500 cars was achieved at 3.17pm on June 14, when another 122 cars underwent the free oil change.

 An estimated 6,000 litres of Shell Helix Ultra with PurePlus Technology 5W-40 fully synthetic engine oil was used

This first-of-its-kind festival for car lovers, featuring Shell Helix Ultra 5W-40 with PurePlus Technology made from natural gas and Shell V-Power Racing, was held at MARTRADE Exhibition and Convention Centre (MECC) in Kuala Lumpur, from June 13 to 14 from 10.00am till 7.00 pm.

The lucky cars were selected from applications received online at www.lovemyride.com.my to enjoy an engine rejuvenation package worth up to RM600 for free.

The massive oil change event, which targeted a total of 500 cars over two days, involved 100 student mechanics from Despark College and Shell Helix branded workshops.

 Shell Mobile Fuel Dispenser with free Shell V-Power Racing fuel

An estimated 6,000 litres of engine oil and 15,000 litres of fuel was used with each motorist receiving up to a maximum of 31 litres.

During the event, car enthusiasts were able to test-drive the latest BMW and Mazda cars, participate in an F1 race car simulator challenge and learn more about Shell lubricants at the PurePlus Mocktail Mixology sessions.

Foodies were able to take their pick from over 50 of KL’s top food trucks and gastronomic cafes, while family and friends were able to enjoy the weekend flea market and capture memories with 3D optical illusions or street art on display.

 Shell Malaysia team celebrating with mechanics from Despark College.

Live performances by local artists such as Reza Salleh, IamNEETA, Diandra Arjunaidi and Talitha Tan, entertained the audience from the main stage.

“This powerful combination of Shell Helix Ultra with PurePlus Technology engine oil and Shell V-Power Racing fuel was developed through a technical partnership with Scuderia Ferrari,” explained Shell Malaysia Trading managing director Azman Ismail.


JPJ has issued over 16,000 summonses as of May 8

                TUMPAT: The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has issued 16,377 summonses for various traffic offences to motorists nationwide under the 2022 Hari Raya Aidilfitri Operation since last April 29 until yesterday.

Its director-general, Datuk Zailani Hashim, said a total of 89,490 vehicles were inspected during the period.

"The department has also issued a total of 776 Notice P22 summons, which is an order for inspection involving five main offences, namely failing to comply with traffic lights, driving on emergency lanes, using mobile phone while driving, over-taking at double lines and speeding.

"For these five offences, the errant motorists will face court action as the offences cannot be compounded," he told a press conference during the operation conducted at Jalan Kota Baru-Pasir Pekan, here last night.

He said a total of 58,182 speeding offences were also detected through the 45 automatic Awareness Security System (Awas) cameras installed at various locations nationwide over the same period.


BMW emerges from 'MI-Fallout' looking pretty good

                PETALING JAYA: The Mission: Impossible - Fallout flick is still showing but if you haven't watched it yet, here's a BMW vid to whet the appetite.

Call it an appetiser - along with the official trailer.

In this short clip, BMW shows us the behind-the-scenes action involving its cars and bikes strategically placed in the movie. The BMW assets deployed in the flick were the current M5 and the first generation M5. BMW also toss in the R nineT Scrambler as a package.

The stunt work makes for fascinating viewing especially in the case of the classic M5, which takes quite a beating in defence of the brand from Munich..


Multi-storey car parks are evolving into mobility hubs

                STUTTGART: Urban multi-storey car parks are the same all over the world: When you need a space in the daytime they are usually full, and at night they are just as often deserted.

Owners have been unhappy about this state of affairs for decades and they have finally come up with an answer which is being trialled here. The project is called Park_Up.

Turning residential and office parking facilities into local logistical hubs is a great way of ensuring that valuable space in city centres gets used properly.

Parking company Apcoa has teamed up with the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering (IAO) to show that publicly accessible parking spaces can be flexibly used and financed for logistics purposes.

The aim is to revolutionise what experts calls the "last mile," namely the local delivery of wares and services that have arrived from afar.

What makes the project special and particularly green is that the car parks are used at night and in the early morning to house delivery pushbikes.

Trucks drop off the goods at the multi-storeys, leaving the zero-emissions bikes to bring things to customers. During the day, the car parks revert to storing cars.

"The aim of the Park_Up project is to make optimum use of additional capacities within multi-storey car parks for logistics purposes," says Steffen Bilger, parliamentary state secretary in the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure.

"This benefits everyone. Parcel handling on cargo bikes is potentially very interesting from a business perspective, as well as being low in emissions and making a sustainable contribution to the supply chain of the future."

Projects like this usually fail at the outset since space in inner cities is rare and expensive.

"For logistics companies, renting space in the centre of cities is not viable," says IAO project head Bernd Bienzeisler - especially since the areas are used for only a few hours a day.

The three Apcoa multi-storey car parks here have areas zoned off-limits for cars. Container shipments arrive at the parking bays on larger vehicles in the early morning. The goods are transferred to the pushbike delivery vehicles and delivered within a radius of a few hundred metres. Once the deliveries are completed, the parking bays can be used by motorists.

Logistics expert Michael Muenter sees the project as a move towards solving Stuttgart's chronic traffic problems.

"We are not talking here about large amounts but we need to just try it out and not just talk about it," says Muenter.

A similar project in Berlin consisted of setting up a micro-depot to handle containers and involved major German delivery companies DHL, DPD and the US company UPS.

A 12-month test using cargo bikes showed that the scheme was viable in densely populated areas and the depot in the city's harbour area will remain open.

Trials in other German cities are producing similarly encouraging results, and more and more city planners are realizing that car parks are far too valuable to be used for just parking or washing motor cars. The next level is to deliver a shopper's purchases to his or her parked car. The Daimler start-up platform Lab1886 has been trying this out since mid-June.

The Stuttgart car park initiative is backed by €1.7 million (RM7.9mil) from the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure’s Modernity Fund programme.

A key financial aspect is that cargo bike firms involved in Stuttgart, like Velocarrier, can use as many bays as they need. Pricing can be flexible, depending on demand, air pollution levels and prevailing weather conditions. Ideally, the data matrix could be used to control delivery flow. Many car parks already use similar dynamic management systems.

Apcoa chief Philippe Op de Beeck is convinced that Park_Up is ready to be rolled out in many other cities. With 200,000 parking bays in 80 cities, the company is not short of space.

But the concept will only work if other car park users cooperate, says Bienzeisler. It is hard to physically block off parking spaces designated for delivery transfers. The idea is to install displays to show whether bays are free or in use by Velocarrier.

It seems motorists may well have to get used to their multi-storeys morphing into mobility hubs.


Ferrari mixes sport with power in new Spider and GTS models

                MARANELLO: Italy’s Ferrari RACE.M showed off two new cars on Monday as it pursues an aggressive roll-out of new premium models to sustain turbo-charged core earnings and share price growth.

A day after its Formula One team won the Italian Grand Prix for the first time since 2010, Ferrari took the covers off the F8 Spider and 812 GTS for customers and fans gathered at its historic base here in northern Italy.

The high-performance sports car and an easier-driving grand tourer (GT) are part of Ferrari chief executive Louis Camilleri’s plan to launch 15 new models between 2019 and 2022, and achieve a significant increase in average retail price.

 The 812 GTS.

“It is less extreme than the 488 Pista Spider, but sportier than the 488 Spider which it replaces in the range,” Ferrari said of the F8 Spider, with a 720-horse power 3.9 litre eight-cylinder mid-rear mounted engine and retractable hard top.

Ferrari said the 812 GTS would be the most powerful production convertible on the market and mark the “return for a model type that has played a pivotal role in the marque’s history since its foundation”.

The GTS has a massive 800-horse power front-mounted 12-cylinder engine and will cost 336,000 euros ($370,742), while the F8 will be priced at 262,000 euros. The first deliveries are expected before summer 2020.

The average sales price for a Ferrari stood at around 274,000 euros last year, including spare parts, a calculation based on financial data from the company shows.

Grand touring

One more launch is expected by the end of the year to take the total to five in 2019, including the F90 Stradale, Ferrari’s first hybrid car to be widely produced.

“We want to grow, not by increasing the volumes of existing models but by adding new members to the Ferrari family,” said chief marketing and commercial officer Enrico Galliera, adding it was the highest number of releases for Ferrari in a single year and marked one of its healthiest periods.

Ferrari has also promised several special edition hybrid cars and a utility vehicle, the Purosangue, which is expected by late 2022 as it seeks to almost double core earnings and boost margins to above 38% without sacrificing exclusivity.

Chairman John Elkann hinted last month that the last release of 2019 could be another GT, more comfortable to drive on long journeys.

GTs from the 1960s, some seating four people, are among the most popular at auctions and enthusiast events and Ferrari has said previously that about 40% of its total sales could come from them by 2022, up from 32% now.

 F8 Spider.

Elkann said that Ferrari, which shipped fewer than 10,000 cars last year, would not try to chase German rival Porsche which makes more than 250,000 sports cars and SUVs annually.

“We’ll remain consistent with our original philosophy, to always deliver one car less than the market demands,” Galliera said on Monday.

The ‘Cavallino Rampante’, or ‘Prancing Horse’, known for its racing pedigree and roaring combustion engines, wants 60% of its cars sold by 2022 to be hybrids. Ferrari is also considering a full-electric model, but that will not hit the road before 2023.

Pricing

Ferrari is set to slow down the roll-out of new vehicles in the coming years and Mediobanca analyst Andrea Balloni predicts more moderate growth in deliveries after a 10.2% increase in 2018 with a high single-digit figure expected in 2019.

“We’ll see more sustained growth in Ferrari average selling price,” the Milan-based analyst said.

“The real challenge for Ferrari is how far it will be able to push price increases in the coming years”.

Ferrari does not change the selling price during a model’s life-cycle, normally four to five years. Prices increase only through the introduction of new models, which, in Ferrari’s philosophy, always mean better performance than previous ones.

Waiting lists for a Ferrari may be up to 2-1/2 years.

Analysts at Morgan Stanley said last week that they saw Ferrari showing sustainable growth, especially in China, with strong pricing power driving higher average sales prices “and in turn support an increase in margins across its model launches”.

Ferrari would continue to return capital to shareholders, Morgan Stanley said, adding his might provide further support to its shares, which have more than tripled in value since they were listed in Milan in January 2016.


Indonesia reinstates temporary tax break for small-car sales

                JAKARTA: Indonesia has reinstated a temporary luxury-tax break on sales of smaller cars as the concession helped boost demand for vehicles, the finance ministry said.

The tax break, which had expired in August, will now be available till the end of the year, the ministry said in a statement on Friday.

Japanese brands such as Toyota, Daihatsu, Mitsubishi and Honda dominate Indonesia's domestic car market, Southeast Asia's biggest.

Indonesia's biggest listed car distributors are Astra International and Indomobil Sukses Internasional .
Sedans and two-wheel drive cars with engine capacity under 1,500 cc will now be exempt from luxury tax until the year-end.

The ministry did not provide an estimate of revenue loss from the tax break.

The government introduced the tax break in March to incentivise car purchases, which had been hit by an economic slowdown due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

It was initially due to expire in June, but was extended until end-August.

Auto production rose 49% in January-July on a yearly basis, not just for domestic market but also exports, the ministry said.

Monthly domestic sales have also recovered, with more than 83,000 units sold in August, close to pre-pandemic levels.


All about the T-Cross, Volkswagen's latest urban SUV

Cara Delevingne poses with the T-Cross.
SHANGHAI: Volkswagen has just presented its all-new SUV, and the most compact so far, the T-Cross. The subcompact crossover, which is set to launch in the spring of 2019, resembles a downsized T-Roc, in much the same vein as the Renault Captur.

Better adapted to urban driving than the T-Roc and even more compact than the Tiguan, the T-Cross aims to offer elegant looks, versatility and cutting-edge connective technology. Under the hood, there is a choice of four turbocharged engines, three gasoline and one diesel, which range from 94hp to 148hp.

The T-Cross is packed with features to enhance the safety of drivers and passengers alike, notably the Front Assist collision warning system, City Emergency Braking, Lane Assist, Hill Start Assist and two systems to facilitate changing lanes, Blind Spot Detection and Rear Traffic Alert, which is also helpful for pulling out of parking spaces.

The smartphone applications accessible via the T-Cross's 8-inch touch screen (which are compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay) can also be controlled with voice commands. Also on the dashboard, there is a fully customisable 10.25-inch digital instrument console.

British supermodel and actress Cara Delevingne, who will act as ambassador for the T-Cross, announced her enthusiasm for Volkswagen and the new crossover: "I travel all the time, so working with Volkswagen, the largest automaker in the world, is a perfect partnership for me. The T-Cross is more than just a City-SUV – it has multiple facets (like me!), and I love how stylish it is!"

Prices for the T-Cross will start at €19,200 (RM92,000). There will also be a limited First Edition, which will soon be available for order at €26,300 (RM125,000).

The next big event for Volkswagen, will be the 2020 launch of its fully electric SUV, the I.D. CROZZ.

 Can be turned into a compact transporter in no time. Storage volume of up to 1,281 litres. The rear seat armrest is divided on a 60:40 basis, and can be folded up and down partially or fully.


Happy CNY 2018

                From the CarSifu team and the Star Media Group, here's wishing everyone joy and great prosperity.

May 2018 bring us closer together as Malaysians in these trying times.

In keeping with the Year of the Dog, the Star Media Group has produced this video below to mark the special occasion. Watch and enjoy.


Toyota Innova 2.0X: Upping the refinement

                The Toyota Innova has been around for more than a decade now, and has earned a solid reputation as a reliable people carrier using a tough body-on-frame chassis and platform shared with the popular Hilux pick-up truck and Fortuner SUV (sport utility vehicle).

Compared with the Innova 2.0G variant which is RM9,000 cheaper, this top-of-the-range Innova 2.0X variant gets premium features like two captain seats in the second row, combination leather upholstery, automatic bi-LED projector headlamps, an 8-way powered driver's seat and larger 17-inch wheels.

You also get LED daytime running lights and LED front fog lamps on the 7-seater Innova 2.0X variant for the extra money.

So, you lose a seating spot in the second row (compared with the second-row bench other Innova variants) but gain a lot more premium comfort in this MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) with the two captain seats and extra kit.

Exterior

The current Innova's exterior has a crossover style, in an attempt to depart from the mundane boxy MPV look.

Add in some chrome trim on the exterior, and you do get an MPV with sporty looks especially with the larger 17-inch alloy rims that are finished in black.

We like the automatic bi-LED projector headlamps that provides bright illumination on the road, and also the puddle lamps under the wing mirrors - which light up automatically when you unlock the doors.

The headlamps also have a Follow-Me-Home function which keeps them on for 30 seconds after the engine is shut down and the door is closed.

Interior

Second row occupants here would love the comfort of the two captain seats, while the third row also comfortably seats two adults although there are three headrests here.

Air ventilation for rear occupants is good, with rear air-conditioning vents and controls mounted in the ceiling.

Second row passengers also get the benefit of front seat-back airline-style tray tables (each with a cup holder, and able to hold a maximum weight of 10kg).

The Innova 2.0X variant comes with push-start engine ignition, automatic conditioning as well as nice black leather seats.

The faux wood trim on the dashboard looks nice, and the black plastic panels don't look cheap.

We also like the convenience of the bird's eye view parking camera and the extra peace-of-mind offered by the recording camera mounted behind the rear view mirror. The driver also gets the convenience of a powered seat.

The 2.0X continues to use the traditional hand brake and the gated-type automatic gear shifter; so there's no auto brake hold here.

Practicality

To provide more comfort and legroom for third row passengers, you can recline the third row seats and slide forward the second row seats.

When seated in the third row, we found decent enough leg and head room for two 1.7-metre adults. The second row seats can also be reclined.

We found two front seat-back pockets to keep small items as well as a deep centre storage box (between the front seats), lots of door bins, cup holders and recesses.

The second and third row seats can be folded for more storage room, and we love the variable cabin layout and numerous interior storage areas to keep luggage and small items.

Safety

- 7 Airbags
- Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
- Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD)
- Brake Assist (BA)
- Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)
- Traction Control (TRC)
- Hill-start Assist Control (HAC)
- Parking sensors (front and rear)
- ISOFIX child seat points

Equipment

- Automatic Bi-LED Projector headlamps
- Headlamps with Follow Me Home Function and Automatic Levelling
- LED Daytime Running Lights
- LED Front Fog Lamps
- Powered and retractable wing mirrors
- Wing mirrors with Turn Signal Lamp and Puddle Lamp
- 4.2-inch colour TFT meter panel (Multi Information Display)
- DVD Player with 8-inch Touch Screen
- Smartphone Connectivity
- Wi-Fi, Internet Browser
- Voice Recognition
- 6 Speakers
- MP3, HDMI, USB, Bluetooth
- Reverse Camera
- Automatic Air conditioning
- Smart Entry and Start System
- Auto up/down with jam protection for all windows
- Combination Leather (black) seats
- 8-way power adjustable driver's seat
- 2nd row Captain Seats (One Touch Tumble)
- 3rd row seats (50:50 Split Fold, One Touch Easy Space Up)

Performance

The Innova 2.0X doesn't feel underpowered although it is no lightweight with a 1,740kg kerb weight.

There's plenty of grunt from the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder in-line DOHC engine with dual VVT-i that produces 139ps at 5,600rpm and 183Nm at 4,000rpm. This is mated to a responsive and smooth 6-speed automatic transmission.

We noted that on the highway, the tachometer needle hovered around 1,500 to 1,600rpm when we drove at 80kph. At 90kph, the tachometer needle was at 1,800 to 1,900rpm.

At 100kph, needle hovered at the 2,000rpm mark and at 110kph, the needle was at around 2,100rpm to 2,200rpm.

Ride and Handling

Running on Bridgestone Turanza ER33 215/55 R17 tyres, the Innova 2.0X provides a comfortable ride experience especially on long highway journeys.

Road and wind noise intrusion was quite minimal on the highway, and according to UMW Toyota Motor, this second-generation MPV uses more sound insulating materials and extensive efforts had been made to reduce noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels.

With a double wishbone front suspension and 4-link rear suspension, the ride comfort is also enhanced and there is less discomfort on badly-maintained roads.

On winding roads, the Innova 2.0X feels quite composed although to be honest, we were quite light-footed with the car and never drove it in an aggressively.

Fuel Consumption

We had travelled 488km over five days and average fuel consumption according to the on-board trip meter was 9.3 litres per 100km.

It has a 55-litre fuel tank, and an ECO Indicator will light up whenever your driving style is deemed to be fuel-efficient by the car. Besides the default Normal driving mode, you can also choose Eco and Power modes.

In Eco mode, the car feels less responsive and the air-conditioning won't operate at energy-sapping levels. While the Power mode makes the car feels more responsive, the novelty quickly wore thin and we preferred just sticking to the default Normal driving mode.

Warranty

- Five years warranty with unlimited mileage

Price

- RM132,400 on-the-road without insurance

Summary

The Innova 2.0X has a lot of premium comforts, and offers a very pleasant drive.

It doesn't feel as mundane as a less feature-packed model, and with the second-row captain seats, it provides a luxury aspect to ferrying around a group of people.

There are a lot of storage options, and a considerable amount of creature comforts which is to be expected when forking out this much money for an MPV.

The Innova is well designed as a people carrier, and this 2.0X brings up the comfort feel to a new level.


Ex-JPJ deputy D-G slapped with maximum RM2,000 fine for driving offence

                PUTRAJAYA: A case of setting a bad example. A former Road Transport Department (JPJ) deputy director-general has been slapped with the maximum fine of RM2,000 for illegally using the emergency lane during a traffic jam.

Magistrate Muhammad Zaki Abd Kudos found Datuk Yusoff Ayob (pic above) guilty of the offence, after considering the testimony and submissions heard in court throughout the trial.

He handed down a RM2,000 fine, in default four months prison.

Yusoff, 58, was charged on July 18 with driving a vehicle with the plate number BLY 68 on the emergency lane in Lingkaran Putrajaya here at 6.27pm on Oct 7 last year.

 File pic of three car drivers breaking the law by driving on the emergency lane.

The offence under Rule 53(1) of the Road Traffic Rules 1959 carries a fine of not more than RM2,000 or up to six months' jail.

In mitigation, his lawyer Datuk Baljit Singh Sidhu asked for an adequate sentence.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Izzat Fauzan urged the court for an exemplary sentence, with a fine and prison time. He said that Yusoff needed to be held to a higher standard as he was a high-ranking civil servant within the JPJ.

"He has a duty to uphold the law, yet he himself broke it," said Muhammad Izzat.

Yusoff was transferred to the Public Service Department on July 21.


'Car guy' Biden plans to attend Detroit auto show

                WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden said on Friday he plans to attend the Detroit auto show later this month as his administration touts a rising number of investments in electric vehicles and battery manufacturing.

"I'll be there. I'm a car guy - as you kind of noticed," Biden said at an event. The Commerce Department on Friday awarded US$52.2 million to a Detroit regional program called the "Global Epicenter of Mobility" to help Michigan’s automotive sector transition to EVs and autonomous vehicles.

The Commerce Department said despite more than US$5 billion in private investment the Detroit region’s "prospects are threatened by rising global competition in the electric and autonomous vehicle market, by the rapid pace of innovation in new mobility solutions and by an aging workforce that needs continuous reskilling to keep up with new products and technologies."

The White House has heralded a string of recent major investment announcements from US and foreign automakers to build new battery plants and electric vehicles.

This month's Detroit auto show will be the first time the event has been held since 2019. The show, open to the public from Sept 17 to Sept 25, is expected to focus on the shift to EVs.

Biden wants at least 50% of new vehicles sold by 2030 to be electric or plug-in hybrids.

When he served as vice president in the Obama administration, Biden attended the Detroit auto show and was a strong advocate of the 2008-09 bailouts of GM and Chrysler, which is now part of Stellantis NV.

EV battery makers are looking to increase US production as the country implements stricter regulation and tightens tax credit eligibility.

Japan's Honda Motor Co Ltd said on Monday it will build a new US$4.4 billion lithium-ion battery plant for electric vehicles in the United States with Korean battery supplier LG Energy Solution Ltd.

Also this week, Toyota Motor Corp said it will boost its planned investment in a new US battery plant from US$1.29 billion to US$3.8 billion, partly in response to rising consumer demand for electric vehicles.

General Motors Co and LG Energy Solution said this week production had begun at their US$2.3 billion joint-venture battery production plant in Ohio.

The companies said last month they were considering a site in New Carlisle, Indiana, for a fourth US battery cell plant expected to cost around US$2.4 billion.


2024 Toyota C-HR SUV unveiled: Hybrids only in Australia

                SYDNEY, Australia: The all-new 2024 C-HR sport utility vehicle (SUV) is the first Toyota in Australia to be offered with hybrid-only powertrains, in 1.8-litre (two-wheel drive) and 2.0-litre (all-wheel drive) variants.

The new C-HR will be offered, at its Australian launch in the first half of 2024, in three grades - GXL, Koba and new top-of-the-range GR Sport.

The GR Sport will be offered exclusively with all-wheel drive (AWD), making it the first time Toyota has had a hybrid AWD variant in the C-HR lineup.

As the range-leader, its 2.0-litre hybrid powertrain - with front and rear electric motors - generates a combined maximum power of 145kW.

The 2WD GXL and Koba models will have a 1.8-litre hybrid powertrain with a combined maximum power output of 103kW, and offers almost 15% more power than the current version.

Both these latest fifth-generation hybrid powertrains benefit from redesigned key components to reduce size and weight.

These include a new transaxle and power control unit (PCU) and a more powerful high-voltage battery to provide an optimal balance of performance and fuel economy.

In a statement, Toyota Australia says the all-new model is set to broaden its appeal as it builds on the original 1st generation C-HR with its bold, sophisticated styling, new generation hybrid powertrains, high levels of safety, connected services and convenience features, and improved driving characteristics.

The new C-HR is marginally shorter and wider than the current model giving it a striking, sporty and planted stance on the road, that is further enhanced by its coupe-like profile, short overhangs and up to 19-inch alloy wheels.

Remaining true to the styling cues seen on the C-HR Prologue Concept, the bold front end presents a new face for Toyota SUVs designed to deliver a strong emotive appeal.

A "concealed tech" approach - including flush door handles, a first for Toyota - provides optimum aerodynamics.

Compared to its predecessor, the new generation C-HR has double the content of recycled plastics - used in more than 100 different parts - including a new fabric for the seat upholstery made from recycled PET bottles.

A new panoramic roof design featuring infra-red reducing coatings to help maintain the interior at more even temperatures means there is no need for a conventional sunshade, saving 5kg in weight and improving headroom by 30mm.

Inside, there's a fully digital instrument cluster (depending on the grade), Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay via a 12.3-inch multimedia unit.

2024 Toyota C-HR powertrains in Australia


Bentley dishes up luxury set in stone

LONDON: Bentley Motors’ bespoke coach-building division, Mulliner, is pushing the boundaries of cabin luxury with new and rare materials set in stone.

The stone veneer finish uses state-of-the-art stone veneer technology to make a luxurious, contemporary feature of a natural product formed over 200 million years.

According to Bentley, the slate and quartzite stone is sustainably sourced from hand-selected quarries in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, India. The sections of stone are split from larger pieces and cured using glass fibre and a bespoke resin. Finally, they are shaped and hand finished by Mulliner in Crewe, England.

The stone surfaces of the veneers are just 0.1 mm thick, meaning that they are both extremely light and translucent, allowing the elegant grain and pattern in the stone to be visible to occupants.

The stone veneers are available in four colours on Continental and Flying Spur: Galaxy, Autumn White, Terra Red and Copper. But the latest finish can also be applied to other models upon request.