Going the limit with Toyo Tires Putrajaya 100 Miles marathon

                PETALING JAYA: Toyo Tyre Sales and Marketing Malaysia recently organised the two-day marathon event, the Toyo Tires Putrajaya 100 Miles, as part of its initiative of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports in Malaysia.

The event attracted around 360 participants from Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore and Germany with running routes in Putrajaya and Cyberjaya who competed in four categories - 52km, 78km, 100km and the 100 miles.

The race kicked off at Taman Tasik Empangan Putrajaya  and proved to be intense and gruelling, as the competitors braved the elements and challenged not only their fellow runners but also their resolve.

The winner of the flagship 100 mile event was Jeff Ooi Joo Wan from Taiping, who turned in a blistering time of 25 hours and 11 minutes. Yim Heng Fatt came in second with a commendable time of 27 hours 15 minutes, while Fedoh Ompiduk was third in 27 hours 20 minutes.

The prizes were given away by Sr. Manager, Branding, Toyo Tyre Sales and Marketing Malaysia,William Tan.

"The response to the event was very encouraging, and Toyo Tyre Sales and Marketing Malaysia thanked and expressed their appreciation to the competitors, supporters and the organising team for their support. We look forward to meeting all the competitors again in future events," said Tan.


New Subaru Forester launched

PETALING JAYA: The new Subaru Forester for 2016 has arrived and is now more competitively priced as two variants are locally assembled or completely knocked down (CKD): the 2.0i at RM144,948 and 2.0i-P RM154,488.

Motor Image Malaysia, the official distributor of Subaru vehicles in Malaysia, is now offering an introductory price of RM139,800 (2.0i) and RM151,800 (2.0i-P) for a limited time only.

There is also a third variant, the turbocharged and fully imported from Japan 2.0XT at RM211,729. All prices are on-the-road inclusive of GST and road tax without insurance.

The new Forester features a unique hexagon front grille, new C-shape taillights to match the headlights and a fan-style wheel design with 17in rims.

The 2.0i-P and 2.0XT variants have LED headlamps and C-shaped daytime running lights while the base variant comes with halogen reflectors and a new bumper design.

The cabin has been refreshed for a more upmarket look and feel. The 2.0i-P and 2.0XT variants include such features as automatic wipers and headlamps, power rear gate, power adjustable front and passenger seats, smart entry and push start, dual zone automatic climate control, SI Drive, high grade multifunction display and a unique Personal Identification Number (PIN) code access.

The new PIN-code access is convenient and offers more protection against misplaced or damaged key fobs.

Standard across all variants is the X-MODE which includes such functions as Hill Descent Control (HDC), Enhanced All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System and Enhanced Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC).

The 2.0i and 2.0i-P variants comes with a 2.0 litre four cylinder 16-valve, horizontally opposed Boxer engine which produces 150PS at 6,200rpm and a maximum torque of 198Nm at 4,200rpm.

The turbocharged XT produces 241PS at 5,600rpm and 350Nm of torque at 2,400rpm - 3,600rpm as a result of the Direct-Injection Turbocharged Boxer Engine.

Safety-wise, all variants come with seven airbags, anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), brake assist and ISOFIX child seat anchors.

“We are looking at a sales figure of around 500-600 units of the Forester a month. Our overall sales is 7,000 units a year and the Forester is now the key driving force for 2016 in Malaysia,” said Tan Chong International Ltd, executive director, Glenn Tan.

The new Forester comes in five colour options - Pure White, Silver Metallic, Dark Grey Metallic, Sepia Bronze Metallic and Obsidian Black Metallic.

 Tan (left) and a model poses with the new Forester.


Perfect deals for Toyota this Raya

                PETALING JAYA: For this Hari Raya festive season, UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd has some great offers which will save money when buying selected Toyota models.

Customers who buy one of the Toyota models below will enjoy the following offers:

- Toyota Vios – RM6,500 cash rebate or 5 years free servicing + cash rebate of RM4,000

- Toyota Corolla Altis – RM5,500 cash rebate or 5 years free servicing + cash rebate of RM3,000

- Toyota Camry 2.5 Hybrid – RM4,500 cash rebate or 5 years of free servicing + cash rebate of RM2,000

- Toyota Innova – RM2,000 cash rebate

- Toyota Avanza – RM1,000 cash rebate

On top of these exciting offers, customers also enjoy Duit Raya of up to RM3,500 if booking is made by July 5, 2016. Duit Raya is applicable for selected Vios, Altis, Camry, Innova and Avanza.

Customers who purchase selected variants of the all-new Hilux will also enjoy a Duit Raya of RM2, 000 if booking is placed within the same period.

“Many people may like to have a brand new vehicle to celebrate Hari Raya and to give them even better value for their purchase, UMW Toyota Motor is pleased to offer cash rebates and free servicing for up to 5 years with selected models during this promotion period. They can save up to RM8,000 on their purchase and also enjoy free servicing for 5 years as well as peace of mind with a warranty of 5 years and no limit on mileage,” said President of UMW Toyota Motor, Datuk Ismet Suki.

All offers are subject to Terms and Conditions and while stocks last.

Additionally, for owners of Toyota vehicles, special offers are available on selected Toyota Genuine Parts and Accessories from all UMW Toyota Motor service centres nationwide.

These offers are available until Aug 31, 2016.


BMW Group Malaysia starts plastic waste recycling drive

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Group Malaysia has announced a year-long campaign to recycle and reuse plastic waste from its activities.

It aims to achieve this goal through partner Precious Plastic Malaysia, the local unit of a global movement that focuses on converting and upcycling plastic waste into useable everyday items as a means to fight plastic pollution.

By breaking down used common plastics into chips, they can be melted down and moulded into something new and usable.

The plastic waste recycling action plan was announced at the respective launch and unveiling of the BMW X3 sDrive20i and 330Li M Sport on Friday.

Worldwide, the BMW Group has set a target to lower carbon emissions from all the production plants and sites by 80%, targeting the biggest reductions industry-wide in this area by 2030.

Besides calling on its employees in BMW, BMW Motorrad and MINI to participate, BMW Group Malaysia is also urging its dealers, customers, and members of the media to recycle their plastic waste and cut down on plastic pollution.

BMW Group Malaysia is installing plastic collection bins at its premises to kick off the campaign. The plastic waste would then be sent to Precious Plastic Malaysia for recycling.

There are many types of plastics used from day to day, with Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Polypropylene (PP) being the most common. They can be easily identified by the number label that is typically available along the sides or the bottom of the item.

Plastics labelled 2 (HDPE) and 5 (PP) are most commonly used and recycled in Malaysia, followed by 1 (PET). With the Precious Plastic machines, plastics labelled 2 and 5 can also be recycled into everyday items.

BMW Group Malaysia said it would also train its workers to create precious items out of plastic waste for upcoming community projects.


China to support hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles to go green

                BEIJING: China will push ahead with the development of China’s hydrogen energy and fuel cell vehicle industry, a government official said on Tuesday, as part of wider efforts to promote green energy in the world’s largest auto market.

“Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and pure electric vehicles with lithium batteries are important technical routes for new energy vehicles,” said Huang Libin, a spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Pure electric vehicles are more suitable for urban and short-distance passenger travel, while hydrogen fuel cells are more suitable for long-distance and large commercial vehicles, Huang said.

“We believe that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and pure electric vehicles will coexist and complement each other for a long time to meet the needs of transportation and people’s travel,” Huang said.

Senior industry executives and academics in China have urged the government to support hydrogen fuel cell technology due to its suitability for commercial vehicles.

Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp plans to supply fuel cell components to China’s commercial vehicle makers after launching a joint research institute with Tsinghua University last week.


TNB and Gamuda Land ink EV charging station deal

An artist's illustration of an Electron Station.
PETALING JAYA: Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) has tied up with Gamuda Land to build two charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) at the latter’s property development projects in Selangor.

The companies had inked a memorandum of understanding to develop Malaysia’s first "Electron Stations" at Gamuda Cove in southern Klang Valley and Gamuda Gardens in northern Klang Valley for communities in the projects and visitors to the water theme park at Gamuda Cove.

The stations, slated to serve motorists by 2025, will accelerate the development of the ecosystem and infrastructure for EVs in the country. They will be powered by rooftop solar panels that will help offset electricity from the grid and support a greener environment.

They will be compatible with all vehicles ranging from hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully EVs including fast chargers.

Just like conventional petrol stations, they will include a host of services such as food and beverage outlets, convenience stores and more to serve motorists.

TNB chief strategy and ventures officer Datuk Megat Jalaluddin Megat Hassan said the MoU is set to pave the way for TNB and Gamuda Land to work towards increasing the usage of EVs.


China's biggest auto show opens amid growth slowdown

                SHANGHAI: Global car makers showed off hundreds of vehicles in China's commercial hub Shanghai today, as the world's biggest auto market continues to attract despite a sharp deceleration in sales growth.

At China's premier auto show, foreign car makers admitted an economic slowdown in the world's second largest economy had taken its toll, but said the market was simply too big - and important - to ignore.

China's economy expanded 7.4 percent last year, the slowest in nearly a quarter of a century.

"The market will increase less than in former years, but still much higher than in any other relevant automotive market in the world," President and CEO of Volkswagen Group China, Jochem Heizmann, told reporters on the eve of the show.

"It's still a tremendous market," he said.

Vehicle sales in China reached 23.49 million last year, well ahead of the United States, which it overtook in 2009.

But annual sales growth halved to 6.9 percent last year from 13.9 percent in 2013, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

The slowdown continued in the first three months of this year, when sales rose just 3.9 percent.

At the show, a rumoured ban on scantily clad models appeared to be in effect, as car makers used demurely dressed attendants and dance shows to draw attention to their stands at a sprawling new venue.

Among the bright spots in China is the market for SUVs (sport utility vehicles), one of the country's fastest growing segments.

"By 2018, China is expected to be the biggest market in the world for SUVs," John Lawler, Chairman and CEO of Ford Motor China, told a news conference today.

Ford is introducing seven new vehicles in Shanghai, including two SUVs and the Taurus, intended to be its flagship sedan for the China market.

But the "premier" car segment -- which sells for US$33,000 to US$197,000 - and the even more pricey luxury market have been slammed by the economic slowdown as well as a more than two-year campaign to crack down on corruption and government waste.

"There's an impact from a cultural standpoint about showing off your wealth in China right now," said Luca de Meo, member of the board of management for sales and marketing at Germany's Audi.

"It could have an impact on the automotive business and we're seeing it already in the high-end segment. There are less goverment-related purchases as well," he told AFP.

Supported by Chinese government backing, auto makers are making a renewed push for new energy vehicles, displaying the latest fully-electric models and hybrids at the show.

Volkwagen announced plans to locally produce more than 15 new energy vehicles in China in the next four years, while General Motors will launch a plug-in hybrid version of its Cadillac brand CT6 sedan.

But the Chinese market for electric cars remains small with consumers reluctant owing to perceived problems with reliability and access to charging facilities.

Electric and hybrid vehicle sales in the country reached 26,581 in the first quarter of this year, three times the same period in 2014 but still accounting for less than one percent of total sales, according to the CAAM.


Tesla's Musk qualifies for US$2.1 billion payday

Musk has already achieved targets related to Tesla’s financial growth that are also required in order to vest the latest options tranche. — AFP
SAN FRANCISCO: Tesla chief executive Elon Musk qualified on Tuesday for a payout worth an unprecedented US$2.1 billion (RM8.9bil), his second jackpot since May from the electric car maker following its massive stock surge.

Tesla’s stock was down 3% in afternoon trading, eroding a recent rally that has elevated the company’s market capitalisation to almost US$300 billion (RM1.3bil), larger than any other carmaker.

Despite Tuesday’s stock dip, and importantly for Musk’s personal finances, Tesla’s six-month average market capitalisation for the first time has reached US$150 billion (RM639bil).

That triggers the vesting of the second of 12 tranches of options granted to the billionaire in his 2018 pay package to buy Tesla stock at a discount. Musk, who is also majority owner and CEO of the SpaceX rocket maker, receives no salary.

Even with Tuesday’s decline in Tesla’s stock, its six-month average market capitalisation rose, thanks to the stock’s strong rally in recent months.

In early May, Musk’s first tranche vested after Tesla’s six-month average stock market value reached US$100 billion.

Musk has already achieved targets related to Tesla’s financial growth that are also required in order to vest the latest options tranche.

Each tranche gives Musk the option to buy 1.69 million Tesla shares at US$350.02 (RM1,492) each, less than a quarter of their current price.

At Tesla’s current stock price of US$1,594 (RM6,793), Musk would theoretically be able to sell the shares related to the tranche that vested in May and the current tranche for a combined profit of US$4.2 billion (RM17.9bil), or almost US$2.1 billion per tranche.

Musk’s first tranche was worth about US$700 million (RM3bil) in May, when it vested, but its value has since increased along with Tesla’s stock price.

The median compensation for Tesla employees last year was about US$58,000 (RM247,167), according to a company filing.

Tesla’s stock has surged more than 500% over the past year as the company increased sales of its Model 3 sedan.

Following higher-than-expected second-quarter vehicle deliveries, some investors believe Tesla might report a profit in its second-quarter report today after the bell.

That would mark four consecutive profitable quarters, a first for Tesla and a key hurdle for it to be added to the S&P 500 index.

Analysts on average expect a US$240 million (RM1bil) loss for the quarter, according to Refinitiv. A month ago, analysts expected a loss of almost US$340 million (RM1.5bil).


PLUS and TNB team up to cut highway carbon emissions

                KUALA LUMPUR: PLUS Malaysia Bhd (PLUS) and Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) are working together to reduce carbon emissions on PLUS highways through sustainability initiatives.

In a joint statement today, both parties said the initiatives involve the development of a network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and the installation of energy efficiency monitoring and solar photovoltaic systems at selected rest and relaxation (R&R) areas along the PLUS highway network.

The collaboration would enable energy efficiency monitoring and solar photovoltaic systems to be fitted on the roofs of Northbound Ayer Keroh and Tapah R&Rs, with a combined total capacity of over 360-kilowatt peak (kWp).

TNB president and chief executive officer, Datuk Baharin Din said TNB would provide reliable and stable electricity supply for the EV charging ecosystem.

"Additionally, TNB also offers solutions to PLUS to optimise electricity costs and support green and sustainable energy sources towards reducing carbon emissions,” he said.

PLUS managing director Datuk Azman Ismail said the initiatives would further increase the network of EV charging stations to provide customers with a smoother, safer and more comfortable journey on PLUS highway.

"These initiatives reaffirm PLUS’s environmental, social and governance commitment to lead the highway industry towards transforming itself into a smart highway that is environmentally sustainable."


Lister opens order book for LFP, set to be 'world's fastest SUV'

                LONDON: SUVs used to be all about off-road capability and ruggedness, but today manufacturers are increasingly turning to the sport part of sports utility vehicles as off-road credentials are watered down in favour of better road manners and increasingly impressive performance.

Now the British Lister Motor Company is taking orders for its tuned-up version of the Jaguar F-Pace, the LFP, which the manufacturer claims will be the fastest SUV in the world.

At the heart of the beast will be the same engine that normally powers the F-Pace, Jaguar's excellent 5.0-litre supercharged V8. In the regular F-Pace the engine develops 380 horsepower, and in the performance-focused SVR version it gets ramped up to a healthy 550hp.

However, Lister is raising the bar considerably higher than that as the LFP will boast an impressive 670hp.

The company itself is going from strength to strength at the moment, and the LFP is the perfect model to launch as the manufacturer moves to a new dedicated head office to accommodate its current level of growth.

The company's CEO, Lawrence Whittaker, says of the car: "The imminent release of our new monster killer LFP promises to see Lister's healthy situation continue for the remainder of this year, and beyond."

Currently, the Lamborghini Urus is the fastest accelerating combustion engined production SUV of them all with a 0-100kph time of 3.6 seconds, but the Lister just beats it with a time of 3.5 seconds.

Of course, both are eclipsed by the Tesla Model X in its "Ludicrous Mode" which manages a time of just 2.9 seconds, but that's an all-electric model.

However, even the mighty Model X can't compete with the Lister in terms of top speed as the best the Tesla can offer is 250kph, while the LFP sails way past with its own ludicrous top speed of some 320kph.

Lister says that amazing top speed is achieved partly due to an extensive use of carbon fibre to lower the vehicle's weight and improve handling, but there is a caveat. Lister is saying the LFP will "potentially" be the world's fastest SUV, and even that claim is yet to be verified.

Even so, it's still a pretty special SUV by any standard, and that's reflected in the price as it costs £140,000 (RM757,000) if you'd like to place an order.


Out of touch: how the relentless rise of the touchscreen is undermining the user experience

                LONDON: The automotive industry’s rush to replace conventional controls with touchscreen interfaces is at risk of alienating customers, compromising safety, and drawing the ire of regulatory bodies, says software company VNC Automotive.

“Car manufacturers are locked in a race,” said VNC Automotive CEO Tom Blackie. “Not the kind that demands ever-increasing power outputs or shrinking zero-to-sixty times, however. Instead, the results of this contest are measured in inches.”

With each new model launch, vehicle manufacturers push the boundaries a little further. At first, in-car satnav was controlled by a TV-style remote control that was just as likely to get lost in a dusty crevice.

Then the multimedia controller took over, a twisty-turny wheel that wore many monikers, from iDrive to Commander. As the touchscreen arrived, it appeared the industry had finally settled on a winner, even if the user interface at first seemed to have been modelled on an ATM.

Since then, the race has been on to expand the digital real estate, and make it more prominent. Tablet-sized screens perched atop the dashboard became de rigueur, and were soon joined by digital instrument clusters.

But in 2012, a Californian newcomer launched an electric vehicle and usability seemed to take a back seat. Gone was the physical switchgear – apart from the window switches, there were only two buttons in the whole car – with everything controlled by a giant screen in the middle of the dashboard.

That meant that even the most basic interaction required delving into a menu, from changing the radio station to turning on the headlights.

Soon everyone was at it. Even Volvo, bastions of safety and Swedish minimalism, launched a new Sensus infotainment system based around a central 9-inch portrait display that incorporated almost everything into its touchscreen interface.

Now, even a modest family sedan eschews physical temperature controls in favour of jabbing a finger at a screen.

However, connectivity pioneer VNC Automotive, a company with its technology installed in more than 35 million vehicles worldwide, questions whether today’s touch-based interfaces are really the best solution.

“Having a giant touchscreen interface is really about saving hardware costs by implementing everything in software,” said Blackie.

“Recently, though, there’s been growing disquiet as years of ergonomic study and usability experience are abandoned in the rush to cram everything onto a single screen.”

A recent study by the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory and road safety charity IAM Roadsmart found that drivers took their eyes off the road for as long as 20 seconds when asked to play a track from Spotify using a touchscreen interface, long enough to travel a distance of 630 metres at 70mph – more than a third of a mile.

During that time, many drivers struggled to maintain their lane position, while some failed to respond to a simulated emergency event. Overall, reaction times increased by up to 57% when interacting with these devices; driving while over the alcohol limit by comparison only increases reaction times by 12%.

Dissatisfaction with the proliferation of these interfaces is growing among drivers, and with the European Commission estimating that driver distraction is a factor in up to 30% of all accidents in Europe, it seems likely legislators will soon feel compelled to step in.

But what might the answer be?

BMW gave the world Gesture Control, allowing us to live out our Harry Potter wizarding dreams by waving a hand in the air to adjust the volume or skip a track.

Voice control systems have become more widespread, although they remain some way behind the likes of Siri and Google Assistant, the latter often cited by OEMs as a key factor in their adoption of Android Automotive.

Head-up displays have progressed from a simple speed read-out reflected in a tiny transparent panel that unfurls itself into the driver’s eyeline to a fully-fledged augmented reality display projected on to the windscreen.

For everything else, it’s likely the omnipresent touchscreen will continue, although it’s clear manufacturers will have to rethink their approach to usability.

“The sluggishness that plagued early systems has now largely been addressed, but the lack of physical feedback on activating a touchpoint still demands that drivers glance at the screen for visual confirmation,” said Blackie.

“With many cars lacking a convenient surface to brace against, the task of aiming at a small control with an extended arm in a car that’s bouncing around can quickly become a repetitive one, prolonging the time spent diverting focus from the road.”

Haptic feedback systems have improved from early electromagnetic actuators mounted behind a sprung display to clever electrostatic technologies that can even replicate different textures. However, there remains the challenge of muscle-memory: in the old days, drivers could feel their way to their favourite radio station. Now, the function of a touchpoint varies depending on context.

Not only that, but the design of the interface itself is critical to reducing the demands for a driver’s attention. Frequently-used controls should be styled to stand out from their surroundings; icons should be easily discernible; the status of a function should be readily apparent at a glance; colours should be chosen to avoid wash-out in sunlight. These are considerations that should be given precedence over all others.

Some OEMs believe the answer is more screens. The Honda e and Mercedes EQS, for example, both feature a swath of screens across the dashboard, offering a digital landscape almost as wide as the car itself.

This marks a clear departure from the days of infotainment systems optimised for use by the driver alone; now, passengers are afforded equal access.

As our lives become ever more connected with the growing prevalence of online streaming, perhaps this new digital democracy will lead to delegation to others in the vehicle.

VNC Automotive said its Cobalt Share technology enables access to content across networks and devices, while its compatibility with the full gamut of vehicle hardware and platforms means it’s possible for anyone in the car to start sharing their Spotify playlist with just a few taps of their smartphone.

“Shifting the focus to the passengers in the vehicle allows each occupant to enjoy an individual experience," said Blackie.

"Once you make it easier for people to select their own entertainment, it frees the driver-focused interfaces of the burden of being both a control surface and a point of content consumption. At that point, we can redesign the UI and UX to regain the ease of usability that’s been lost.”


Stuck in car for 18 hours due to floods, actor recalls kindness of strangers

The actor says he was on his way home in Ampang from Shah Alam when he got trapped on the road. — Hariz Hamdan/Instagram
PETALING JAYA: Actor Hariz Hamdan was on his way back home to Ampang after a gig in Shah Alam on Saturday when he got trapped on the road due to flooding.

He was stuck in his car for more than 18 hours.

Hariz, 19, recalled to mStar – The Star’s Malay-language portal – that he was determined to drive back home even though it was raining and the water on the road had risen as he had filming scheduled the next day.

“I left Aeon Shah Alam at 6pm Saturday and only reached Ampang at around noon, Sunday.

“It was challenging to be in that situation as it was raining, and I was hungry and thirsty ...” he said.

“It was tough for a young person like me. I can’t imagine how much harder it must have been for the elderly, pregnant ladies and kids to be in that same situation. It must have taken a huge toll on them.

“But I couldn’t do anything to help them either because I myself was stranded there. It was a sad situation because you want to help but you can’t do anything.

“Everyone there was basically on survival mode,” said the Single Terlalu Lama actor.

But at the same time, the harrowing experience turned into something memorable for Hariz when he witnessed how everyone helped other out through the ordeal.

“An uncle knocked on my window the next morning and offered me food.”

He further saw people not only sharing food, but also fuel.

“Some stepped up to direct traffic to ensure the jam is eventually eased.

“I feel that even though it was a difficult time, but that was exactly the moment when we all could come together to find a solution.

“That was the rainbow at the end of the storm for me,” said the Hero Remaja 2020 contestant. - mStar


Tesla cars banned by China’s military on concerns about cameras

                BEIJING: Tesla Inc. cars have been banned from Chinese military complexes and housing compounds because of concerns about sensitive data being collected by cameras built into the vehicles.

The order, issued by the military, advises Tesla owners to park their cars outside of military property, according to people familiar with the directive who asked not to be identified because the information is private.

The ban, relayed to residents of military housing this week, was triggered by concerns that the world’s biggest maker of electric vehicles is collecting sensitive data via the cars’ in-built cameras in a way the Chinese government can’t see or control, one of the people said.

Images of what was purported to be a notice about the ban were also circulating on Chinese social media. Multi-direction cameras and ultrasonic sensors in Tesla cars may “expose locations” and the vehicles are being barred from military residences to ensure the safety of confidential military information, the notice said.

A representative for Tesla in China declined to comment on the military’s move. China’s Defence Ministry didn’t immediately respond to a fax sent after after business hours.

Tesla, like many other automakers including General Motors Co., uses several small cameras, mainly located on the outside of the vehicle, to help guide parking, autopilot and self-driving functions.

Most Tesla models also have an interior camera mounted above the rear view mirror that can be used to detect whether a driver is looking at the road, looking down at their lap, wearing sunglasses, or looking at something else entirely.

Internal camera

The California-based company - which produces Model 3s and Model Y SUV crossovers at a Gigafactory near Shanghai - hasn’t shied away from that fact, with chief executive officer Elon Musk tweeting in April 2019 that the internal camera is there “for when we start competing with Uber/Lyft and people allow their car to earn money for them as part of the Tesla shared autonomy fleet.”

“In case someone messes up your car, you can check the video,” Musk explained.

Since then, Tesla has started using cars’ internal cameras to monitor what it calls FSD (full self driving) beta testers, or Tesla owners who have volunteered to test out the company’s driver-assist capabilities.

Earlier this month, Musk tweeted that the company’s FSD beta trial had been expanded to around 2,000 owners but Tesla had also “revoked beta where drivers did not pay sufficient attention to the road.” Musk said the next significant release of FSD beta would be in April.

Concern over this program contributed to the ban by the military, one of the people said.

None of the in-car cameras in Teslas sold in China are turned on or part of the FSD beta trial, the Tesla representative said. Tesla’s privacy policies comply with national laws and local regulations in China, the person said.

China apology

China, the world’s biggest market for EVs, is key to Musk’s global growth ambitions.

The carmaker received significant support from the state to build the factory near Shanghai, its first outside of the US, and Musk’s strategy has been one of deference to the government, in contrast to his more combative approach in the US.

Recently, though, the tone seems to have shifted. Tesla was called in by Chinese regulators over quality and safety issues with its cars, including battery fires and abnormal acceleration.

The automaker was also forced into issuing a public apology to China’s state grid in early February after a video purportedly showed staff blaming an overload in the national electricity network for damage to a customer’s vehicle.

This isn’t the first time Tesla has found itself at the centre of controversy over the use of cameras.

Last week, a group of hackers said they breached a trove of security-camera data collected by Silicon Valley startup Verkada Inc., gaining access to many different types of footage, including some from inside a Tesla warehouse in Shanghai.

The hackers said they obtained access to 222 cameras in Tesla factories and warehouses and that the data breach was carried out to show the pervasiveness of video surveillance and the ease with which systems could be broken into.

Tesla China told Bloomberg it was one of its suppliers that had been hacked, and that data from the Chinese Gigafactory is stored in secure local servers.


Indonesia inks US$1.1b deal with Korean firms to build EV battery cell factory

                JAKARTA: Indonesia has signed a US$1.1 billion (Rp15.9 trillion) deal with a consortium of South Korean companies to build an electric vehicle (EV) battery cell factory that will employ around 1,000 workers.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in an online event on Wednesday by Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia as well as representatives of state-owned Indonesia Battery Corporation (IBC) and South Korean companies Hyundai Motor Company and LG Energy Solution.

The Korean consortium, held in equal parts by the two Korean firms, will establish a joint venture with IBC to build a battery cell facility in Karawang, West Java, with a production capacity of 10 gigawatt hours (GWh) for Hyundai's electric vehicles.

The two parties aim to start construction in the fourth quarter of this year and complete it in the first half of 2023, with a view to commencing mass production in the first half of 2024.

A cell is a key element of a battery that converts chemical energy into electrical energy.

As reported earlier, Hyundai began work on a $1.55 billion EV car factory in West Java in 2019 with the target of eventually reaching a production capacity of 250,000 vehicles.

Hyundai and LG are not the only foreign companies eying Indonesia’s EV battery industry. The government inked an agreement with Chinese battery maker CATL last year for $5.1 billion to be invested in Indonesia.

“We will oversee the investment for this battery cell [plant] from beginning to end,” Bahlil said in a statement on Thursday, adding that local businesses as well as micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) should be involved in the project.

The deal brings Indonesia closer to its goal of becoming a key player in the global battery industry, as the country holds around 24 per cent of the worldwide reserves of nickel, a crucial raw material for batteries.

The deal is part of a US$9.8 billion investment plan outlined in an MoU signed between Bahlil and LG Energy Solution representatives in Seoul on Dec 18, 202, following a series of negotiations between the presidents of the two countries in November 2019.

The MoU envisions an integrated project encompassing key supply chain elements, from mining, smelting and refining to precursor materials and cathode industries.

IBC was established on March 27 as a state-owned holding company for the battery industry. It brings together state-owned oil giant Pertamina, electricity distributor PLN, mining holding company MIND ID and nickel and gold miner PT Aneka Tambang (Antam).

In the first phase, IBC and its partners aim for a production capacity of 10 to 30 GWh, which is to be expanded to 140 GWh by 2030.

“[We are] closer to achieving our target, and now the two countries will partner to develop electric cars and ecosystems going forward,” Sung Hwan-cho, CEO at Hyundai Mobis Co. Ltd, said in the joint statement with Bahlil.

IBC president director Toto Nugroho emphasised the company’s commitment to ensuring Indonesia’s future in the industry, saying in the same statement: “We will produce batteries competitively to meet the needs of Indonesia and also for export.” — The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network


Wayne Rooney's BMW i8 up for sale

                LONDON: It’s safe to say Wayne Rooney is staying put at Everton this January transfer window, having only completed his move from Manchester United last year.

However, the same cannot be said for the ex-England captain’s beloved BMW i8, which went for sale this week.

The hybrid sports car, which comes in metallic ionic silver, is listed on the UK’s largest automotive marketplace Auto Trader with less than 12,874km on the clock, boasting a top speed of 250kph and a 0-100kph time of 4.4 seconds; not bad a for a car that can also do 2.1l/100km.

Listed for £64,995 (RM358,000), football fans interested in signing the plug-in premiership star are invited to put in a transfer offer of their own, with a part-exchange service advertised on the Auto Trader advert.

“It’s refreshing to see a footballer driving a hybrid, rather than a Chelsea tractor or gas-guzzling super car, and even more so to see a footballer’s car in a sober colour,” said Auto Trader editorial director Erin Baker.

“The trend with more premiership stars plugging-in also reflects the UK car market. Our data for December 2017 shows that searches for electric vehicles were up 56% year-on-year – with hybrid vehicles also showing a substantial 50% rise in searches. .

Leicester City F.C. made news headlines in 2016 when the club’s chairman bought the 2015/16 championship team their own fleet of i8s. However, the registration of Wayne Rooney’s model indicates he was ahead of the curve, first buying his i8 back in 2014.


Petrol prices up again, diesel price drop for next 7 days

                PETALING JAYA: Petrol prices will be higher, while diesel price drops slightly from Thursday.

RON95 petrol will increase by three sen and priced at RM2.15 per litre (from RM2.12 per litre), while RON97 will be priced at RM2.43 per litre (from RM2.39 per litre).

Meanwhile, the price of diesel will drop by two sen to RM2.04 per litre (from RM2.06 per litre).

The new prices, announced by Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism via twitter, will be in effect from 12.01am on August 17 until August 23.

The weekly fuel pricing mechanism came into effect in April this year.

The prices of petrol and diesel had been placed on a managed monthly float system since Dec 1, 2014, following the removal of fuel subsidies.


Ride-hailing boom will mean decades of slow growth for carmakers

                LONDON: Ride-hailing companies like Uber Technologies Inc will see demand boom between now and 2040, hobbling global auto sales growth, according to a new study from IHS Markit.

As a growing number of consumers turn to ride-hailing in shared cars that rack up more miles than personal ones, new light-vehicle sales growth will slow to a crawl.

The mobility-as-a-service industry will itself buy more than 10 million cars in 2040 in the four markets examined in the study – China, Europe, India and the US – compared to about 300,000 in 2017, but it won’t be enough to prevent new car sales growth from slowing “substantially,” IHS Markit said.

“A great 'automotive paradox’ – where more travel via car than ever, but fewer cars will be needed by individuals – will be a defining quality of the new automotive future,” said Daniel Yergin, IHS Markit vice chairman. “The shift is just beginning.”

Consumers will take a bigger interest in electric cars as their costs drop, driven by cheaper battery packs. Right now, battery packs costs about US$200 (RM838) per kilowatt hour, said Tom De Vleesschauwer, transport and mobility practice leader at IHS Markit. Carmakers need to get costs down to about US$100 (RM419) per kilowatt hour to be competitive with a petrol-powered car, IHS Markit said, forecasting price parity in the 2030s.

But just because electrification is on the rise doesn’t mean oil’s going away. Although oil will no longer have a “monopoly” as a transportation fuel, cars powered by petrol or diesel will still make up about 62% of new car sales in 2040 in the study’s four key markets, down from 98% last year.

Cars with an internal combustion engine will still comprise a majority of new car sales in 2040, especially as hybrids gain in popularity, IHS Markit said.

“The automotive future will be defined by transformation unlike anything we’ve seen since the dawn of the automotive age,” De Vleesschauwer said. “Still our analysis shows that there will be much that looks familiar, even in 2040.”


Volvo Cars appoints Jeremy Offer as design chief

                GOTHENBURG: Volvo Cars has appointed Jeremy Offer as Global Head of Design, bringing with him 35 years of design experience across multiple industries.

Offer will report to chief executive Jim Rowan and be part of the group management team.

He takes over the position as Global Head of Design on May 1, succeeding Robin Page who will remain with Volvo Cars as a senior advisor.

Rowan said Offer would bring strong leadership and a wealth of design experience ranging from electric vehicles and industrial design to digital products and services – all key as Volvo Cars transitions into a future with safe, fully electric cars, defined by their software.

Offer most recently led Arrival’s design team as Senior Vice President and Chief Design Officer working across vehicle programmes, components, brand and user experience.

Before joining Arrival, Offer was Head of Industrial Design and part of the senior management team at global consulting firm EPAM where he helped bring service and industrial design to their wider consulting practice. Jeremy has received numerous design awards throughout his career.

Offer said it is a great honour to take up the new position at Volvo Cars, a company with a fantastic heritage at the forefront of a new era.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to define Volvo Cars’ design language and principles, together with all the great talents across the company, as it soon enters its second century of providing customers with innovative and new products,” he said.


BMW to help make child car seat ownership more affordable via subsidy scheme

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Group Malaysia has teamed up with Childline Foundation to offer a child car seat subsidy programme. The partnership also includes promoting the use of child car seats especially for newborns.

The subsidy programme would first be introduced to five government hospitals across the Klang Valley. BMW Malaysia will be working with the foundation and child car seat distributor Safe ‘n Sound to subsidise 150 snskidz Ace infant carrier car seats at RM100 each.

The rear-facing infant carrier car seat, which retails at RM199, can be used from birth to 13kg and carries the ECE R44-04 certification.

Earlier, the "From Day One" campaign kickstarted with the support of Chicco Malaysia where the first six babies born on Father’s Day at Hospital Putrajaya received a Chicco KeyFit 30 infant car seat. The new parents also learned about the best child safety practices from Childline Foundation’s passenger safety consultants. These include the right criteria for choosing a child car seat, proper methods for installation, as well as the lifecycle of a child car seat.

The foundation is a non-profit organisation focused on the awareness and education of child safety and protection.

“The best time and place for parents to start practising the right child safety values is before childbirth and at the hospital," said Childline Foundation honorary project director Datin Wong Poai Hong.

"This is an important touchpoint for us – by educating hospital personnel, we are able to build a sustainable way to educate and ensure parents leave hospitals with the right child car seat.”

BMW Malaysia's participation is part of its BMW Safety 360° Programme, now in its fifth edition.

"We want to make the use of child car seats instinctive; a basic practice when it comes to parenthood. This is why we are constantly partnering with experts from the industry to provide critical child safety education to parents and to make child car seats more accessible,” said BMW Group Malaysia managing director Harald Hoelzl.


Perodua holds contest to sharpen employee skills

                RAWANG: Perodua has successfully held its first-ever Body & Paint (B&P) Skill Contest in a move to step up its human capital development efforts and provide higher standards of B&P service to its customers.

Established in 2009, Perodua’s B&P business deals with the repair and restoration of vehicles that have been involved in collisions. It accepts cash payments as well as assists customers with insurance claims.

“Our B&P business aims to take much of the hassle away from the repair of collision-involved vehicles, with work carried out to the highest possible standards of quality and safety. The use of only genuine parts also gives customers total peace of mind,” said Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Dr Zahari Husin.

Although the carmaker has been holding its National Technical Skill Contest since 1997, involving service advisors, foremen and mechanics from all over Malaysia, this is the first time it has held such a contest for its B&P staff.

As with the National Technical Skill Contest, participants are put through tough customer-related scenarios and are judged not only on their technical expertise and problem-solving skills, but on their emphasis on customer satisfaction.

The inaugural Perodua B&P Skill Contest saw 140 B&P service advisors, body technicians and paint technicians from 35 B&P hubs and 4S outlets nationwide join the initial rounds throughout February and March.

The semi-finals in April narrowed it down to 12 finalists – equally split between the B&P service advisor, body technician and paint technician categories – and last week’s finals saw Norhizam Zainal Abidin (Puchong B&P Hub), Hazinin Rosli (Kota Kinabalu 2) and Fazwan Mazlan (Kota Baru 1) winning the said categories respectively.

“The Perodua B&P Skill Contest is one of our initiatives to strengthen the Perodua Experience, which strives to delight our customers with a complete all-round mobility package that includes high-quality products, parts, services and solutions geared directly towards their needs and wants,” said Dr Zahari.


BMW iDrive 6 Android users lose Spotify

                MUNICH: BMW has announced that Spotify would no longer support Android users using the car maker's older infotainment software.

Spotify has abandoned support for the Apps 4 Automotive (A4A) technology which allowed an Android device to talk to the iDrive 6 system.

"Vehicles with infotainment software older than BMW Operating System 7 are affected. Apple devices are excluded from this," BMW said in a statement.

BMW clarified that it is still possible to play audio directly from a mobile device in the vehicle via the Bluetooth interface.

Some Android users were caught off guard by the latest Spotify update.


Global tech show CES to be only online in 2021 due to Covid-19

                LAS VEGAS: CES, the biggest global tech and gadget show, held every January here, will be only online in 2021 due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, organiser Consumer Technology Association said on Tuesday.

While big tech companies like Apple, Alphabet’s Google and Samsung have separate product launch events and companies launching electronic gadgets at CES have generally been smaller, the event has been an important venue for technology companies and buyers to meet to conduct business.

CES is also becoming an important venue for auto companies to showcase their cars and the newest technology built into them.

CES is the biggest annual event here and cancellation will be a blow to the city, where hotel prices soar and roads clog with traffic during the event. According to the CTA, CES 2020 had an estimated 170,000 attendees, including 60,000 international attendees.

CTA chief executive Gary Shapiro said the decision was made now to give companies and partners here time to plan ahead.

“We don’t think there’s a vaccine that will be available and safe and tested that people are comfortable with by January,” he said.

Pricing for the online CES hasn’t been decided yet, Shapiro said. Tickets for CES this year ranged from US$300 to US$1,700.

The digital CES event is scheduled for Jan 6-9.


First batch of Ora Good Cat arrives

                PETALING JAYA: The first batch of the Ora Good Cat electric vehicle has arrived in Malaysia.

In a statement, Great Wall Motor (GWM) Malaysia said the Good Cat has thrilled Malaysian customers since its launch last month.

The company said it has received positive feedback from the customers on the vehicle's futuristic design and smart advanced features.

The China-made vehicle comes with an attractive retail price of RM139,800 for the 400 Pro variant and
RM169,800 for the 500 Ultra.

The car is also offered with an attractive 4-in-1 Purr-fect package where buyers can enjoy a complimentary portable and home charger, a 5-year or up to 150,000km warranty, an 8-year or up to 180,000km battery warranty, and five times free service labour maintenance.

Customers can now view and test-drive the Good Cat at GWM’s designated authorised dealers in
Glenmarie, Puchong and Penang.

For more information, visit GWM Malaysia website https://www.gwm.com.my or contact GWM’s call centre at 1800-18-2882.

Alternatively, enquiries can be sent to the official customer service support team at support@gwm.com.my.


Road tax renewal period poised to be extended until May

                YONG PENG: The Transport Minister has proposed that the road tax renewal period for private vehicles be extended for another two months from March 31.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said he has discussed with the Road Transport Department (JPJ) director-general for an extension and for necessary preparations to be carried out.

“I have asked JPJ to come up with a detailed proposal outlining the technicalities and mechanism before we can announce it by next week (this week) because it also involves post offices, logistics and resources.

“We estimated about 1.3 million vehicle owners with expired road tax from the previous renewal extension and we do not want to add on another 1.3 million expired road taxes from the following extension.

“That would just be merely delaying the problem. This is why it is vital to have an effective plan, for example to allow the renewals to be carried out in phases in the following month to address the backlogged outstanding road tax payments first.

“We also do not want to cause difficulties and health hazards when people throng JPJ and post offices to renew their road tax when the extension period ends.

“Give us a few days to work out the details, ” he told a press conference after visiting the Covid-19 vaccination awareness programme in Taman Kota here today.

He said the proposed extension was in view of the high number of Covid-19 cases in states such as Johor, Selangor, Penang and Kuala Lumpur.

He however, added that vehicle owners would need to ensure that the vehicle’s insurance is still valid to prepare for any accidents or damage.

The ministry had earlier granted all private vehicle owners an extension of renewal for Motor Vehicle Licences (LKM) and Competent driving Licences (CDL) from Feb 1 to March 31.

This was to alleviate public concerns regarding the expiration of their licences and to comply with the health standard operating procedures to prevent crowding in public places.

On another matter, Dr Wee welcomed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to conduct investigations on his ministry including the JPJ for any violation of integrity.

“We leave it to MACC to investigate the allegations and stern actions will need to be taken against the culprits."


Stellar Landcraft motorcycle concept comes with solar panel

                JAKARTA: A brighter future could be in store for electric charging thanks to various projects - at different stages of development - relating to solar energy.

The idea is to take advantage of the sun to recharge batteries throughout the day, rather than having to find a charging station to recharge a car or use a domestic socket for a bike or scooter battery.

The latest concept in this field comes from Indonesia, where designer Fajar Ismail has come up with a curious little electric motorcycle incorporating a solar panel.

Called Stellar Landcraft, this project is heavily inspired by the Atom Alpha, made by Indonesian manufacturer Quest Motors, to which the designer added an Ohlins suspension system, a new seat, and a screen on which the rider will find all the useful information concerning the battery charge level.

Installed just in front of the seat, right where the fuel cap is usually located on a "classic" motorcycle, a small solar panel allows the bike to charge continuously while parked outside. Even while riding, it continues to store energy.

For the moment, this is only a graphic designer's fantasy, but the idea of solar energy as a power source for electric vehicles is gaining ground.

It is, for example, already happening at Hyundai, which has installed a solar roof on its Sonata, but also in the city of Munich, which is currently experimenting with buses equipped with a solar roof.

Meanwhile, a Canadian startup has developed small autonomous boats equipped with solar panels.


Mercedes-Benz E-Class now CKD over RM40K cheaper

                SUBANG JAYA: The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is now locally assembled from Pekan, Pahang and prospective owners will be paying much less for it and still be able to enjoy all the luxury, safety and technological features of the premium limousine.

Three variants were launched today consisting of the Mercedes-Benz E 200 Avantgarde Line, E 250 Avantgarde Line and E 250 Exclusive Line priced RM348,888, RM378,888 and RM383,888 respectively. All prices are on-the-road without insurance but with GST.

 Raine posing with the E 250 Avantgarde (left) and E 250 Exclusive.

The previous fully-imported E-Class E 200 Avantgarde costs RM47,000 more while the E 250 Avantgarde and E 250 Exclusive was RM42,000 more.

"The state-of-the-art E-Class sets benchmarks and in the past has repeatedly redefined the standards for the premium segment and the automotive market as a whole. Since its introduction last year, the E-Class has received overwhelming response, making it the best-selling CBU introduction to date.

"With the new locally assembled E-Class, we mark a new era in locally produced cars and firmly cement our position as the leading premium luxury brand in Malaysia, always pursuing our claim to be the best or nothing," said Mercedes-Benz Malaysia vice-president (sales and marketing, passenger cars), Mark Raine at the launch event.

The E-Class oozes sophistication, style and dynamism which is expressed through its elongated bonnet, coupe-like roof flowing down to its broad shouldered tail.

Its interior is wrapped in high quality materials such as nappa leather and open pore wood. It includes two high-resolution displays with each wide screen measuring at 12.3in for the instrument cluster and central display. And the multifunction steering wheel has touch control buttons to operate the instrument cluster and multimedia system.

The ambient lighting in the cockpit has up to 64 colour choices for even more personalisation.

The E-Class is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo engine producing 184hp and 300Nm of torque for the E 200 while the E 250 is tuned higher to produce 211hp and 350Nm of torque. All variants include the nine-speed automatic transmission, LED headlights and an automatic braking system that prevents the car from rear-ending vehicles ahead.

The E 250 has more kit such as the Burmester Surround Sound System, panoramic sliding sunroof and 19in wheels among others.

“The reduction in E-Class prices will certainly attract more buyers, even perhaps those who had never owned a Mercedes-Benz before,” said Raine.


Audi freshens up and discounts the A5 for 2020 model year

                WASHINGTON: Despite their new look and fresh tech, the entry prices of several models in Audi's 2020 A5 line have dropped by over US$1,000 compared with 2019 renditions.

Audi USA announced last week that the A5 lineup and its pricing have been refreshed for 2020.

Along with updated design elements and the integration of some of the brand's latest technology, the line got revised price tags — unexpectedly, the cost of some models dropped by over $1,000.

Compared to the first generation, the exterior of the new A5 collection — which consists of A5 Coupe, Sportback and Cabriolet, and the S5 Coupe, Sportback and Cabriolet — has been made bolder; the honeycomb grille has been widened, the size of the air inlets has increased and the side sills have been made sharper.

Inside, the dash is equipped with a 10.1-inch touch display featuring Audi's newest generation of the MIB connected infotainment system. The company claims that the MIB 3 system functions 10 times faster than its predecessor.

The powertrains remain unchanged.

More surprising than the spec sheet for the line, however, are the price tags.

While the starting prices of the 2019 A5 Coupe, Sportback, and Cabriolet were US$44,200, US$44,200, and US$51,200, the starting MSRP of the 2020 editions are US$42,900, US$42,900, and US$49,900.

Likewise, the S5 Coupe, Sportback, and Cabriolet of last year cost US$52,400, US$52,400, and US$63,600, this year's models will put owners back US$51,900, US$51,900, and US$60,200. In all cases, a 2020 edition model is more affordable than a 2019.

All models are expected to hit the US market early this year.


SPONSORED: Mitsubishi Outlander gets more accessible

                Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia has localised the assembling of the Outlander sport utility vehicle, making the vehicle more affordable for consumers.

The seven-seater SUV with a 2.0-litre engine takes its place as an entry-level variant to the Japanese-imported 2.4-litre Outlander that made its debut in Malaysia in April last year.

The Outlander 2.0 is currently being priced on-the-road with GST without insurance at RM139,988 until the end of the year and comes with a five-year unlimited mileage factory warranty.

For the moment, orders are being taken for the 2.0-litre Outlander which comes in three colour options of Red Metallic, Solar White and a new and exclusively available colour for Malaysia - Ruby Black.

The Outlander 2.0’s engine which delivers 145PS and 196NM of torque, is mated to an INVECS-III continuously variable transmission featuring a Multi-Select four-wheel drive (4WD) system with three modes of 4WD Eco, 4WD Auto and 4WD Lock.

In terms of features, LEDs are used for the daytime running lights as well as the front and rear lights.

For convenience, there are a reverse camera with guide lines, automatic wipers, keyless entry with push-start button, front and rear parking sensors, digital video recorder (dashcam) and security/solar film for all windows.

Entertainment comes from a 7.0-inch HD touchscreen infotainment system infused with Apple CarPlay and Air Gesture Control.

Safety options include seven airbags, anti-lock braking system, electronic brakeforce distribution, electronic stability programme, brake assist, active stability and traction control, hill-start assist, rest reminder and lSOFIX child seat mounts as standard within its Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE) body construction.

Opting for the fully-imported 2.4-litre Outlander will cost an additional RM31,000 at RM171,000 and that means there is also additional goodies such as an electric parking brake, auto hold function, large floor console, auto levelling LED headlamps, paddle-shifters, auto dimming rear view mirror, powered leather seats, sunroof and a powered tailgate.

“The Outlander SUV boasts outstanding safety and space for the family, and the move to locally assemble a new 2.0L variant makes the SUV even more affordable for Malaysians.

“We assure that there is no difference in quality between locally-assembled and imported units,” said MMM chief executive officer Tomoyuki Shinnishi.

The Outlander 2.0 is being contract-assembled at Tan Chong Motors Assemblies’ (TCMA) Segambut plant in Kuala Lumpur – the same plant the ASX rolls out from since 2014.

Mitsubishi Motors Corp (Japan) has personnel stationed at the production line to oversee processes and quality control.

For more information, go to www.mitsubishi-motors.com.my or call the Mitsubishi Motors Customer Careline at 1800 18 6611 (9am – 5pm, Mondays to Fridays excluding public holidays).


Saving power: EVs of the future will be streamlined lightweights

                BERLIN: Faster, more powerful, more comfortable — competition is tough in the electric car market.

The race for customer satisfaction has been leading to ever greater power consumption. But car makers are now fighting that trend by making their cars more energy efficient.

As Mercedes demonstrated earlier this year with its EQXX Vision study, consumption of less than 10 kWh per 100km is possible. During a long-distance test drive, the concept car used 8.7 kWh/100km.

In comparison, a compact VW ID.3 consumes an average of at least 14.9 kWh/100km, according to the WLTP measurement method, while a BMW i3 burns through 15.3 kWh/100km.

When the air conditioning or the heating system is running, consumption even soars above 20 kWh.

The strength of the Mercedes EQXX lies in its particularly aerodynamic body. Some 62% of a vehicle's energy is used to overcome air resistance while 20% is used by rolling resistance and only 18% is accounted for by the vehicle's weight.

"When it comes to power consumption, it's important to improve the car's aerodynamics first, then weight and finally the tyres. Only then come the electric motor and battery," says Malte Sievers, development engineer at Mercedes.

Teardrop-shaped bodywork

The EQXX engineers perfected the concept car's aerodynamics in the wind tunnel. The result is a teardrop-shaped vehicle with a drag coefficient of just 0.17. However, some of the car's advanced features can't be implemented in a production vehicle.

A smaller frontal area and a body shape that slips through the air smoothly means a low drag coefficient and thus lower fuel consumption.

"Teardrop-shaped bodies, with the roof dropping off at the rear as in the Tesla Model Y or the Mercedes EQXX, are very efficient," says Haydar Mecit, professor for urban energy and mobility systems at Bochum University of Applied Sciences in Germany.

Flowing shapes are therefore becoming a trend. However, aero efficiency is not just about the body, the design of the wheel rims also plays a role, for example.

"Visually closed wheels minimise turbulence and thus consumption," Mecit says.

Manufacturers are also relying on special tyre compounds to reduce rolling resistance.

Lightweights need less juice

"The lighter a vehicle, the less kinetic energy it has to use when starting up," Mecit says.

Besides using lighter steel or aluminium in the bodywork and chassis, most of the potential for weight reduction lies in the battery. Modern electric batteries weigh an average of 700 kilograms.

"In the next five years, the energy density will continue to increase and the weight of the battery is expected to drop by 20 to 30%," Mecit says.

Whereas in previous e-cars 90% of the car's energy reached the wheels, in the Mercedes EQXX that's improved to 95%. And 5% more efficiency means a larger range or a smaller, lighter battery.

Tightening the screws

Jens Obernolte, head of energy and weight management at Volkswagen, is responsible for power consumption in the VW ID series.

For the successor to the current ID.3, the company is aiming to reduce the weight by some 5% and lower energy consumption by up to 20%.

To achieve this Volkswagen is planning to increase the efficiency of the powertrain, aerodynamics, thermal management, braking system and energy recovery, making small changes to the overall vehicle and not just one component, according to Obernolte.

Meanwhile, thermal management doesn't affect the range, but drivers notice it in everyday life when they use the air conditioning or heating.

Volkswagen is planning to increase the energy density of the battery in the next generation.

According to Obernolte, reducing power consumption to less than 10 kWh/100km could be achieved over the next 10 years, but only for cars with lower frontal profiles. Unlike SUVs, these can be optimised aerodynamically.


Geely banks on Horbury formula

Horbury was instrumental in shaping Geely's brand identity.
Sales success is dependent on well-designed products that do not look like cheap knock-offs, and this applies particularly for passenger cars as consumers want their ride to look appealing.

This is where Geely design chief Peter Horbury’s work and genius have been invaluable in the meteoric rise of the Chinese automotive marque.

In 2017, Hong Kong-listed Geely Auto reported phenomenal sales of 1.25 million vehicles, which was an increase of 63% from the previous year.

Compare that to Geely Auto’s sales of close to half a million vehicles in 2012, and it’s obvious the marque has done some serious work in improving quality, after-sales services, brand image and vehicle design over the past five years.

 Geely logo surrounded by expanding cosmos rings.

Horbury, who was design head at Volvo Cars when the Swedish premium marque was acquired by Geely Auto’s parent Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in August 2010, recalled that when he took charge at Geely Auto in late 2011, the Chinese marque did not have a recognisable vehicle design.

“Back then, there was no brand identity for Geely. The cars had many different designs,” said Horbury, who spoke to a group of Malaysian press on the sidelines of the recent 2018 Beijing Auto Show.

Horbury used the animal kingdom to illustrate his point.

“Let us look at the cat family. Whether it’s a leopard, lion or cheetah - they are part of the same family or brand. So, while there is creative freedom - each car has a design of its own, it must be instantly recognisable as a Geely,” he said, while emphasising the importance of the signature Geely “expanding cosmos” grille.

 2018 Geely Icon concept.

“The grille is very important because it is the face of the car, and the Geely logo surrounded by expanding cosmos rings is a great idea. Nobody else has it, and I have been told it is akin to “ripples moving away when a leaf drops into a peaceful lake,” said the British car designer who has headed design work at Ford’s Premier Automotive Group which comprised Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, and Volvo in the past.

The Geely Design division has also grown by leaps and bounds over the years.

“We started with five people in Gothenburg, then 10 people in a rented room in Shanghai. That was six years ago. Now, we have 700 design staff in Sweden, Shanghai, Barcelona, Pasadena (in California, United States) and soon, Coventry,” he said.

Geely Design creates unique design languages for Geely’s brands; Geely, Lynk & Co and London Taxi.
Lynk & Co is a new car marque brewed by Volvo Cars and the Geely Group, with a 5-door compact crossover or SUV (sport utility vehicle) simply named 01 as its first car.

 Lynk & Co 01.

The new Chinese brand which touts connectivity as its core value, is aimed at young and trendy consumers.
Last November, a pre-sale of the Lynk & Co 01 saw a record 6,000 units sold out in under three minutes, leading the company to declare that it was the “fastest-selling car in the world.”

Horbury recalled that creating a design language for Lynk & Co vehicles was a daunting challenge.

“We had to create something that is not Volvo, but it should look Swedish or North European,” he said.
In an ingenious move, rather than trying to emulate Volvo Cars, the Geely Design teams took a contrarian approach.

“We did something that was the opposite of Volvo Cars. With Volvo, it’s always daylight - the family, the blonde kids. With Lynk & Co, we used the dark instead - think about it, in Sweden, you have a snow covered landscape; a roaring fire at night. And look at the Bund of Shanghai - at night, it is another world. The lights are stunning.

 Lynk & Co 01.

So, there is method in our madness. With Lynk & Co, we created something that looks a little edgy and dangerous.”

Meanwhile, regarding Geely’s futuristic concept car - the Icon, which debuted at the recent 2018 Beijing Auto Show, Horbury said it was about “Geely getting confident.”

Meanwhile, regarding the design direction for Proton cars, Horbury said it would be tricky.

To recap, in June 2017, Zhejiang Geely took a 49.9% stake in national automaker Proton Holdings Bhd for RM460.3mil.

“I believe in looking at local culture. It would be a shame if you can’t bring the culture to life and put them in the car. I find it disappointing if designers can’t tap into the local culture,” said Horbury in answering a question on the future of Proton design.

 Lynk & Co 01. Lynk & Co 01.


Why electro-mobility is killing off niche models

                BERLIN: In today's car world dropheads, coupes and vans are endangered species.

The quest for electro-mobility and the parallel boom in the sale of sports utilities is squeezing these variants out of the market - as a glance at a typical car catalogue reveals. It seems now that many more niche models must die.

Most manufacturers can muster up a saloon, a hatchback, an estate and sometimes a convertible but in this age of shared platforms the choice of cars on sale is shrinking rather than expanding.

It is hard to say which models will vanish and when but experts point to the current absence of once popular sporty variants from makers like Opel and Ford.

The current Mercedes-Benz S-Class limousine range is due to be pruned when the next generation appears soon. Insiders say the convertible and coupe variants will fall by the wayside.

Volkswagen has already axed the open-top version of its best-selling Golf hatchback and the Golf Sportsvan will die on the vine too. A successor is not planned.

Sister brand Audi is poised to kill off driver's cars like the two-door TT and other non-mainstream products are set to be culled.

The platforms are to blame, with abbreviations almost as well known as the cars themselves. MQB, MFA or EMP2 - they all stand for basic construction sets which can be used to produce a wide variety of vehicles.

Once seen as a blessing in a notoriously cost-conscious industry, this common basis is gradually becoming a curse.

Many model variants like vans are just not getting produced, says Germany's car guru Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer from Duisburg-Essen University.

Perhaps model ranges did need a little pruning but the trend is a response to tight profit margins which dictate that low demand spells the end of diversity.

Daimler boss Ola Kaellenius said the full extent of this development has not yet been reached.

In the short-term, the commitment to electro-mobility and rapid ramping-up of corresponding product programs will see ranges continuing to grow.

But model line-ups will be streamlined and car-buyers will soon see the effect in showrooms.

This seems odd when Volkswagen boss Herbert Diess has just announced that the Modular E-Drive Kit (MEB) developed for battery-powered cars will soon spawn a suite of models.

Mercedes-Benz has meanwhile announced two electric cars for the compact class alone. These slot in below the EQC while a family of electric luxury class models based on the EQS is in the pipeline. Petrol and diesel variants will then vanish.

"This is a level of diversity that cannot be maintained in the long term," said Kaellenius.

According to Arthur Kipferler, who work for the strategy consultancy Berylls, there are several reasons why niche models are on the way out.

"Profit pressure is forcing manufacturers to count every euro they earn," he said. "In many cases, the high expenditure for maintaining ranges and the ongoing development these require can no longer be justified."

All this is being made worse by the high cost of upgrading to meet ever-higher emissions standards.

"If you take into account the threat of fines for failing to meet CO2 targets, the less energy-efficient models and variants quickly become loss-makers - that means they end up on the hit-list."

"For many customers, a crossover is simply better than a compact van, which was considered the ideal solution 10 years ago," said Kipferler.

"That is why we have the Ford Kuga and Puma instead of the old C-Max and B-Max."

Kipferler sees a gloomy future for compact coupes too now that the funky T-Roc has eclipsed the Scirocco.

Of course, it is not all bad news for punters. Niche models nearing the end of their production cycle are often offered by dealers at a huge discount.

In the long-run these shunned variants could even be become collectors' models but do not bet on it, say experts. By then most of these cars will be worn-out.


Renault's 2020 vision clouded as 'tough' year leads to first loss in a decade

                PARIS: Renault reported its first loss in a decade and cut its 2020 margin target today, as it attempts to draw a line under the Carlos Ghosn affair and reboot its Nissan alliance.

The French carmaker is trying to move on from the internal turmoil sparked by the scandal involving its former boss Ghosn with a management shake-up. Meanwhile, it is also grappling like other automakers, including Japan’s Nissan, with tumbling auto demand in some key markets like China.

“It has been a tough year for Groupe Renault and the alliance,” acting chief executive Clotilde Delbos told a conference call, adding that the broader autos downturn had hit the company “right when we were facing internal difficulties.”

Renault posted a loss of €141 million for the group share of net income, in part as a result of charges linked to some of its Chinese joint ventures.

The contribution from Nissan, in which Renault has a 43% stake, also fell and it was hit by a French deferred tax charge.

Nissan this week had its first quarterly loss in nearly ten years and cut its operating profit forecast.

Renault set a 2020 operating margin target of between 3% and 4%, down from 4.8% in 2019, and sliced its proposed dividend against 2019 by almost 70% from a year earlier.

Luca de Meo, who used to run Volkswagen’s SEAT brand, is set to join as CEO in July, taking over from Delbos, who is also Renault’s financial chief.

She stepped into the CEO role on an interim basis after Thierry Bollore, a long-standing Ghosn ally, was ousted in October.

Ghosn, who ran Renault and oversaw its alliance with Nissan, was arrested in Japan in late 2018 on financial misconduct charges, but fled to Lebanon in December.

He has denied wrongdoing and hit out at his past employers, saying the Renault-Nissan alliance was all but dead without him.

Alliance sceptics

Renault executives repeated assurances that the Nissan alliance was on track. Delbos acknowledged that investors were still sceptical, but said that the firms would provide meatier joint goals by May.

Carmakers have posted contrasting performances in an industry hobbled by falling global demand, squeezed by high investment costs for cleaner models, and now facing supply chain problems due to China’s coronavirus outbreak.

However, Italy’s Fiat Chrysler posted higher fourth-quarter profit due to a strong North American business.

Renault forecast that the global auto market would fall in 2020, with sales in Europe and Russia down around 3%.

It stumbled in several countries, including Argentina, and said it needed to fix its operations in China, where it has a partnership with Dongfeng on electric vehicles and with Brilliance China Automotive Holdings on commercial cars.

Renault said its goals did not take into account possible impacts from the coronavirus crisis in China, where it has a factory in Wuhan, the epicenter of the epidemic, which has been in lockdown to contain the spread of the virus.

It has also suspended operations for at least four days at its South Korean subsidiary due to supply chain hiccups.

Renault’s group sales fell 3.3% to 55.53 billion euros in 2019, beating an average 55.24 billion-euro forecast expected by 20 analysts polled by Refinitiv. Sales were down 2.7% at constant exchange rates.


Fix autonomous drive tech in all cars, says Miros researcher

                KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) has proposed that the autonomous driving system be installed in all vehicles in the country by 2030 to minimise fatal accidents.

Its senior researcher, Khairil Anwar Abu Kassim, said installing the system in all vehicles was expected to help drivers to be more careful on the road.

"Based on a study conducted, almost 80% of accidents that occur in the country are caused by the driver's negligence, including not obeying the speed limit, nodding off while driving, being inconsiderate and being drunk,” he told reporters after participating as a dialogue session panelist on the role of trucks and buses in contributing towards safe driving on the road today.

He said previously various parties had contributed towards raising awareness on safe driving but numerous external factors continued to be blamed for road accident cases.

"The increased number of vehicles, rapid development and technology are also among the causes that can result in accidents and deaths,” he said.

In efforts to address the issue, Khairil Anwar said technology such as the autonomous driving system could assist drivers when they were tired or negligent and, thus, prevented accidents.

He said this technology was now available in Sweden and Germany and enabled the vehicle to be driven automatically when the driver lost focus besides assisting in giving signals in the event of traffic violation.

He said such technological advances were welcomed, and that they should be used to minimise human weaknesses.


Car tint shops see roaring business

Cheng (right) and his employee installing a tint film on a car.
PETALING JAYA: With the latest window tinting rules in place, car services shops are already seeing booming business.

Willie Cheng, the proprietor of GLS Auto in USJ7, said his phone had been ringing non-stop since the new ruling was announced last week.

“My customers have been calling me. I was discussing with other tinting service business owners recently about how the new ruling would be good for business,” he said.

Tinted rear windows, he added, were a hot item with car owners to ward off the heat and add a “luxury” feel to their vehicles.

VLT refers to the amount of light that can pass through a lens or glass. The lower the VLT rate, the more light is blocked.

He said the cost of tinting windows depended on the brand of the tint films and ranged from RM800 to RM4,500.

Cheng added that high-quality films would last longer, enable the driver to see clearly and block heat from the sun effectively.

The latest ruling, he said, was a good one as certain imported cars have tinted rear windows below the previous threshold of 30% VLT.

The previous limit, he added, made it hard for the cars to pass Puspakom inspections, with some car owners resorting to having their rear windows replaced just to meet the approved standards.

After the inspection, he said the car owners would then change the rear windows back to the original dark-tinted ones.

“The shops offering these services call it 'renting' windows for inspection and charge about RM650 for it,” he said.

On Wednesday, the Transport Ministry announced that vehicle owners could tint their rear windshield and rear passenger windows as dark as they wanted.

Another tinting shop proprietor in Damansara, Wan Jenn Lin, said motorists could still see clearly out of darkly-tinted windows from inside the car, but said this depended on the quality of the tint films.

“Even at night, a driver can still see clearly through tinted windows with high-quality films unless the car is on a secluded road without lights,’’ he said.

About 40 of his regular customers have already called him up since the ruling was announced.

“We already have stock because we have had customers in the past who wanted darkly-tinted windows, but I will definitely be ordering more now that the ruling has changed,” he added.

Another tinting shop owner, Soon Seng Song, said some customers still had reservations about tinting their rear windows.

“They are worried that the ruling may be overturned in the future, so they are making enquiries first,” he said.

On the safety aspect, Soon suggested that customers driving cars without rear cameras should have rear windows that are not too darkly tinted.


Get to know China's most spectacular roads

A stretch of the Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway.  — Image source from CGTN
BEIJING: China's explosive growth in the past few decades has also seen it having some of the most modern highway networks.

At present, it has the most highways in the world with total mileage reaching over 160,000km, says a report by China Global Television Network (CGTN).

In October 1988, the Shanghai-Jiading Expressway, the first in the Chinese mainland, officially opened to traffic. With this milestone, the development of China's highway network got on the fast track.

Here are some of the most amazing highways in the country.

The first in Chinese mainland – Shanghai-Jiading Expressway

The high-speed section of the Shanghai-Jiading Expressway starts from the south of Shanghai's downtown area to Jiading District, with a total length of 15.9 km. The construction of this expressway accounts for 56 percent of the passenger and freight traffic on the Huyi Highway between the urban area and Jiading. It provides a good template for the construction of highways in other cities in China.

The busiest – Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway

The Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway starts from the Chinese capital and extends to the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, stretching over 2,285 km.

Called the "Golden Channel," it is the busiest artery of north-south traffic in China running between some of China's most economically developed areas.

The longest – Lianyungang-Khorgos Expressway

The Lianyungang-Khorgos Expressway opened to traffic on Dec 31, 2014 with a total length of 4,395 km extending from the eastern coast of Jiangsu Province to the western border of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It boasts the title of the "longest expressway in China" and is an important traffic artery along the Belt and Road.

Thanks to this highway, a freight truck setting out from Lianyungang now takes 10 days to reach Europe, crossing plains, mountains, plateaus and deserts. By sea, the trip from the same starting point to the same destination would have taken 45 days.

The Lianyungang-Khorgos Expressway is rich in cultural treasures. There are 24 national 5A scenic spots along the way, including the Terracotta Warriors, Longmen Grottoes and Shaolin Temple, making it a good choice for a road trip.

The longest expressway passing through desert – Beijing-Urumqi Expressway

The Beijing-Urumqi Expressway has a total length of 2,540 km and passes through five provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions. It opened up the fastest route from northwest China's Khorgos in Xinjiang to the northern port city of Tianjin.

The 930-km section of the Beijing-Urumqi Expressway in Inner Mongolia is a desert zone, which makes this expressway the longest highway in the world passing through the desert.

The most difficult construction – Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway

The Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway is 1,768 km long and opened to traffic in 2010. It is China's first expressway that runs through the Yangtze River Delta area.

The section passes through the central province of Hubei and has an average altitude of 1,100 meters. The complicated geological conditions made this expressway extremely difficult to construct.

The Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway shortened the transport of hotpot ingredients from Chongqing Municipality in the country's southwest to Shanghai on China's eastern coast from three days to just 17 hours.

Highest honour award – Jing-Wu-Huang (Chang) Expressway

The Jing-Wu-Huang (Chang) Expressway has a total length of about 152km. This Y-shaped expressway connects the three eastern provinces of Jiangxi, Anhui and Zhejiang.

Although the road is not long, natural landscapes and cultural assets are in abundance along the way.

Engineers steered clear from ancient villages, rivers, and rare bird habitats and none of the hundreds of century-old camphor trees along the route were damaged. For this it won the highest award in China's civil engineering – the Zhan Tianyou Award.


BMW ups the ante with iX xDrive50 Sport for 2023

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Group Malaysia has announced the arrival of the new BMW iX xDrive50 Sport along with a price increase for all models including the MINIs.

The electric SUV/SAV is equipped with 22-inch BMW Individual aerodynamic wheels 1021 multi-colour with a 3D polished buff and 17-inch brake calipers in Blue.

The BMW Iconic Sounds Electric that creates a premium immersive atmosphere is standard and it comes with an expanded exterior mirror package.

The so-called Interior Design Atelier scheme is standard for the cabin, complemented by the central console and central armrest in Sensatec.

Inside, the BMW Live Cockpit Professional welcomes its driver, along with a curved 12.3-inch instrument display and 14.9-inch central display.

Comfort and convenience come in the form of multifunctional seats for the driver and storage for wireless charging and automatic air
conditioning with 4-zone control. The Harman Kardon surround sound system provides onboard entertainment.

The iX has an output of 385kW/523hp, accelerating from 0 to 100kph in 4.6 seconds.

With a maximum torque of 765Nm and an electronically limited top speed of 200kph, the all-electric SUV is powered by a 111.5kWh battery, allowing for a range of up to 630km (WLTP).

The SUV comes with a Mode 2 charging cable and Mode 3 fast charging cable. It can be charged from 0 to 80% in 35 minutes with the use of a DC fast charger, and 0 to 100% in 10 hours and 45 minutes with an 11kW AC Wallbox charger.

Owners of the car will also have access to over 610 charging facilities nationwide, powered by major local EV charging providers who are in partnership with BMW Group Malaysia.

Other standard features in the iX are Intelligent Emergency Call, Teleservices, ConnectedDrive Services, Connected Package Professional, BMW Natural Interaction and Active Protection via the high-resolution BMW Live Cockpit Professional, Driving Assistant Professional, Parking Assistant and cruise control with braking function.

Exterior colour options are Mineral White, Alpine White Metallic, Black Sapphire Metallic, Sophisto Grey Metallic with Brilliant Effect, Phytonic Blue Metallic, and Blue Ridge Mountain Metallic.

Two new colours are available at an additional charge of RM6,200 - Individual Storm Bay Metallic and Aventurine Red Metallic.

Inside, owners may choose between Interior Design Atelier in Mocha or Black, or opt for the Interior Design Suite in Amido or Castanea for an additional RM17,300.

The fully imported iX is also offered in iX xDrive40 and iX xDrive40 Sport specifications with dual electric motors but with lower output and torque (240 kW/322hp and 630Nm, 0-100kph in 6.1s). Both variants were launched in August, 2021.

The iX xDrive50 Sport is priced at RM546,800 (OTR excluding insurance), while the lower-spec iX starts from RM403,800.


Aston Martin DBX707 details

DBX707 SPECIFICATIONS
Body & Design
Five-door SUV body style
Bonded aluminium bodyshell
Aluminium & composite body panels
Clamshell bonnet with twin vents
Signature double vein DB front grille
Signature horizontal DRL light
Signature rear light blade
Rear aero wing
Dark chrome trim - window surround & side strakes
Aston Martin wings & wordmark
Frameless doors with flush glazing and hidden seals
Panoramic glass sunroof
Dark chrome roof rails
Soft-close doors
Sport bumper,
Double layer side sills,
Multi-piece winged rear diffuser
Black quad exhausts

Engine

4.0-litre V8 Twin Turbo
Engine capacity: 3,982cm³
Bore: 83mm
Stroke: 92mm
Compression ratio 8.6:1
All-alloy construction
32-valve, quad overhead camshaft
Dual variable camshaft timing
Variable electronic turbo wastegate control
Water-to-air charge cooling
Cylinder deactivation system
Front mid-mounted engine position
Active valve exhaust system

Performance

Engine power: 707PS (697bhp / 520kW) @ 4500rpm
Engine torque: 900Nm (663 lb ft) @ 6000 rpm
Specific output: 138PS/litre (136bhp/litre)
Acceleration: 0-60mph in 3.1 seconds
Acceleration: 0-62mph (0-100 km/h) in 3.3 seconds
Acceleration: 0-160kmh – 7.4 seconds
Maximum Speed: 193mph / 310km/h

Fuel economy & Emissions:WLTP
UK Combined (mpg): 19.9mpg
EU Combined (l/100km): 14.2 l/100km
EU Combined (km/l): 7.0 km/l
Transmission & Drivetrain
9-speed automatic gearbox with multi-plate wet clutch
Engine mounted gearbox
Electronic shift-by-wire control system
Lightweight, one-piece carbon fibre propeller shaft
Electronic active centre transfer case
Electronic rear limited-slip differential
Adaptive drive modes: x4 on-road, 1 off-road (Terrain+ characteristics and parameters now on
Terrain)

Steering
Electric power-assisted, rack & pinion steering system (EPAS)
Speed-dependent steering with 14.4:1 ratio
2.6 turns lock-to-lock

Suspension
Cast aluminium suspension & subframe technology
Front: Wide spaced double wishbone, split lower link
Rear: Multi-link
Adaptive triple chamber air suspension
Variable ride height (raised by up to 45mm or lowered by 30mm)
Electronic active anti-roll control system (48-volt eARC)

Wheels & Tyres
22”
Wheel size: Front 10J x 22”, Rear 11.5J x 22”
Tyres: Summer - Pirelli P Zero, Front 285/40 YR22, Rear 325/35 YR22
Tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS)

Braking
Front: Carbon Ceramic (CCB) brake discs, Ø420mm with 6-piston aluminium calipers
Rear: Carbon Ceramic (CCB) brake discs, Ø390mm with sliding-piston aluminium calipers
High performance brake pad
Electric Parking Brake (EPB)
Auto Vehicle Hold
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Traction Control (TC)
Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)
Roll-over Stability Control (RSC)
Hill Start Assist (HSA)

Safety
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
Speed limiter
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
Lane Change Warning (LCW)
Rear Cross Traffic warning (RCT)
Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR)
Blind Spot Warning (BSW)
Door Opening Warning (DOW)
Emergency call (market specific)
Airbags (front, side & curtain)
Seatbelt pre-tensioners & status indicator
ISOFIX child seat attachments (rear outer seats)

Dimensions
Length: 5,039mm
Width (body): 1,998mm
Width (folded mirrors): 2,050mm
Width (including mirrors): 2,220 mm
Height: 1,680mm
Wheelbase: 3,060mm
Fuel tank capacity: 87 litres
Luggage capacity: 638 litres (plus up to 81 litres underfloor storage)
Weight: 2,245kg (4,940lb) kerb weight (DIN)
Weight Distribution: 52%/48% (front/rear)
Towing weight: 2,700kg (5,940lb)
Approach angle: 22.2° (25.7 ° max ride height)
Departure angle: 24.3 ° (27.1 ° max ride height)
Breakover angle: 15.1° (18.8° max ride height)
Wading depth: 500mm
Ground clearance: 175mm (220mm max ride height)
Turning circle: 12.4 metres (kerb-to-kerb)

Standard Specification
Front seats & door mirrors - 3-position memory function
Rear seats - 3 seat, 40:20:40 split-folding
Power folding door mirrors
Auto-dimming & heated exterior mirrors
Keyless entry
Keyless start/stop button
Automatic 3-zone climate control
Auto-dimming interior rear view mirror
Electric windows
Acoustic laminated side glass
Double sunvisors (windscreen & side windows)
Illuminated vanity mirrors
Cabin courtesy lighting (64 colourways for ambient lighting)
Rain sensing windscreen wipers
Heated rear window
Park assist
Front and rear parking sensors with visual indicator
360° camera system with deploying rear camera
Carpet & carpet mats
Sports pedals - satin chrome
Premium Audio
Infotainment Touchpad and Dial
Door sill plaques - anodised with 'Aston Martin' wings
Electric steering column tilt & reach adjustment
Front centre armrests - twin adjustable
Bi-LED headlights
Automatic headlights with Auto High Beam (AHB)
LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL)
LED taillights - red
LED centre high mounted stop light
LED rear foglights
Active rear brake lights
Approach illumination
Exterior paint – Solid
Front grille finish – Bright
Badging – Enamel AML Wings Badging and Script
22” Sport Wheel – Gloss Black Diamond Turned
Summer Tyres
Carbon ceramic brakes
Black painted brake calipers
Trim Inlay – Piano Black
Steering Wheel – Sport Wheel 1
Jewellery Pack – Dark Satin Chrome
Sports Exhaust System
Power Tailgate
Tyre Repair Kit
Aston Martin Designer Key
Wireless Charging
1 Only available with Accelerate
Standard Exterior Package
Upper – Gloss Black
- Gloss Black side strakes
- Gloss Black window surrounds (DLO)
- Gloss Black roof rails
- Gloss Black bonnet blades
- Gloss Black door mirror caps
Lower – Gloss Black
- Body Colour Sport Front Bumper
- Gloss Black Sport Front Splitter
- Gloss Black Front Aero Winglets
- Gloss Black Sport Door Sill Extensions
- Gloss Black Rear Diffuser with Gloss Black Diffuser Wing
- Gloss Black Rear Aero Winglets
- Body Colour Vented Rear Wheel Arches

Standard Interior Environment

Accelerate
- Alcantara® and Leather environment
- 16-way Sport electric front seats with memory
- Heated seats - front and rear
- Embroidery - Aston Martin wings
- Interior jewellery - Dark satin chrome
- Micro-perforation
- Headlining - Alcantara®

Technology & Audio
12.3” TFT driver information display
10.25” TFT central display
Aston Martin Premium Audio System (800 watts, 14 speakers)
AM/FM/DAB radio
SiriusXM Satellite radio (US/CA only)
USB ports (x4)
12v charging sockets (x3)
SD Card port
Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity with audio streaming
Mobile phone operating system connectivity via Apple CarPlay
Voice control
Satellite navigation system (HDD)
Rotary infotainment system interface and touchpad
Battery conditioning connection
Ambient lighting (64 colours, dual zone)

OPTIONAL SPECIFICATIONExterior
Paint colours – Metallic, Signature Metallic, Racing Line, Q Satin, Q Heritage, Q Special
Front Grille Finish – Dark
Black Chrome AML Wings Badging and Script
22” Sport Wheel – Silver
22” Sport Wheel – Satin Black
22” Ribbon Wheel – Gloss Black Diamond Turned
22” Ribbon Wheel – Satin Black Diamond Turned
22” Ribbon Wheel – Satin Black Bronze Diamond Turned
23" Forged Wheel - Satin Black Diamond Turned
23" Forged Wheel - Satin Black Halo Diamond Turned
23" Forged Wheel - Textured black
Brake Calipers
- Red painted
- Grey painted
- Yellow painted
- Bronze painted
- Orange painted

Exterior Packages
Lower – Gloss 2x2 Twill Carbon Fibre Body Package 1
- Body Colour Sport Front Bumper
- Carbon Fibre Sport Front Splitter
- Gloss Black Front Aero Winglets
- Carbon Fibre and Gloss Black Sport Door Sill Extensions
- Carbon Fibre and Gloss Black Rear Diffuser with Gloss Black Diffuser Wing
- Carbon Fibre Rear Aero Winglets
- Body Colour Vented Rear Wheel Arches
Upper – Gloss 2x2 Twill Carbon Fibre Body Package
- Carbon fibre side strakes
- Gloss Black window surrounds (DLO)
- Gloss Black roof rails
- Carbon fibre bonnet blades
- Carbon Fibre door mirror caps
- Black exhaust tailpipe finisher
- Carbon fibre spoiler extension

Interior Environments
Inspire – Comfort
- Semi Aniline leather Environment
- 16-way Comfort electric front seats with memory
- Heated and ventilated seats - front and rear
- Embroidery - Aston Martin wings
- Interior jewellery - Satin chrome
- Headlining – leather (matched)
- Comfort Heated Duotone Steering Wheel
(matched)
Inspire – Sport
- Semi Aniline leather Environment
- 16-way Sport electric front seats with memory
- Heated and ventilated seats - front and rear
- Embroidery - Aston Martin wings
- Wings Quilt and Perforation with central leather stripe
- Interior jewellery – Dark satin chrome
- Headlining – leather (matched)
- Comfort Heated Duotone Steering Wheel (matched)
- 720gsm Carpet - Black
Seat Ventilation 2
Steering Wheel
- Heated Sport Wheel 3
- Alcantara Wheel 4
Trim inlay
- Gloss 2x2 Twill Carbon Fibre
- Q - Gloss Bronze Mesh
Jewellery Pack
- Satin Chrome
- Gloss 2x2 Twill Carbon Fibre with Dark Chrome 5
Smoked Taillights
Rear Privacy Glass 6
Rear Acoustic Privacy Glass
Power Tailgate with Gesture Control 7
Space Saver Spare Wheel
Electric Deploying Tow Bar 8
Remote Park Heat 9
Heavy Pile Floor Mats 10
HomeLink® Wireless Control (GDO) 11
Umbrella and Holder

1 Not available with Power Tailgate with Gesture Control
2 Only available on Create or Accelerate
3 Only available with Create or Accelerate

4 Not available with Inspire – Comfort
5 Includes carbon fibre paddle shifters
6 Standard in select markets
7 Not available with Exterior Carbon Fibre Lower package
8 Not available in in North America / China / South Korea / Australia / New Zealand
9 Only available in UK and EU markets
10 Only available with Inspire
11 Standard in select markets


Volvo Cars rolls out Valet maintenance pick-up services in Europe

                LONDON: Volvo Cars has launched its new Volvo Valet maintenance pick-up and delivery service across selected European markets, including the UK, following its successful introduction in the United States.

The premium Volvo Valet service offers customers a safe and contact-free option to have their car serviced or repaired, from the safety and comfort of their own home.

After customers contact their retailer for an appointment, the car is picked up from their home on the agreed date, serviced and returned.

The Volvo Valet service also includes a special app, developed by Volvo Cars' software engineers at its Silicon Valley office, in which customers can track the whereabouts of their car in real time and are kept up to date with notifications about the progress of the servicing process.

The first market in Europe to introduce Volvo Valet is the UK, where the service has been trialled for a number of weeks.

Other major markets to offer the service include Germany, Belgium, France, Spain and Switzerland.

“With the Volvo Valet service, we give customers the flexibility and convenience that they need in these challenging times,” said Björn Annwall, head of EMEA at Volvo Cars.

The Volvo Valet service was first introduced in the United States earlier this year, and has been a resounding success among participating retailers as Volvo Cars seeks to help customers navigate the effects of the ongoing pandemic.

In China, a similar premium valet service for car maintenance is offered to Volvo customers via WeChat, the popular mobile platform used for a range of different services by Chinese consumers.