Dodge's newest Hellcat model to be the Durango SUV, says report

                DETROIT: We're used to seeing Dodge's Challenger and Charger muscle cars - and even the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk- dressed up in Hellcat attire, but Motor Authority is reporting that the brand's Durango SUV will, too, be available in the high-performance trim, as well.

While the variant was first teased in the Fast 9-themed commercial published on Friday, it was difficult to decisively conclude whether the Durango portrayed in the ad was equipped with the iconic Hellcat powertrain.

Motor Authority, however, cleared things up on Monday by stating that the 2021 Durango will, in fact, get the Hellcat treatment and debut at the New York Auto Show this spring.

The SUV is expected to get a Hellcat upgrade similar to that given to the Jeep's Grand Cherokee Trackhawk which is equipped with a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine paired with 2.3-litre supercharger; together, these components generate 707hp of power that's sent to all four wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Top speed measures in at 290kph.

Though the company did not confirm the existence of such a model, if the information from Motor Authority's sources is accurate, we'll be seeing a 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat at the New York Auto Show which runs from April 10-19.


Sabine Schmitz, 'Queen of the Nuerburgring', dies at 51

                LONDON: Former racing driver Sabine Schmitz, the "Queen of the Nuerburgring" who was also a presenter of the popular BBC Top Gear television programme, has died at the age of 51.

The German circuit announced on Wednesday that it had "lost its most famous female racing driver".

"Sabine Schmitz passed away far too early after a long illness. We will miss her and her cheerful nature. Rest in peace Sabine," it said on Twitter.

The German, who grew up near the circuit and won the 24 Hours of Nuerburgring touring car race with BMW in 1996 and 1997, had revealed last year that she was diagnosed with cancer in 2017.

Also known as "the world's fastest taxi driver" for the passenger rides she gave around the 20.8km Nordschleife — the north loop of the old 'Green Hell' circuit — Schmitz estimated she had lapped it more than 20,000 times.

In 2004 she drove a Ford diesel van around the track for a Top Gear episode, lapping in just over 10 minutes — only nine seconds slower than fellow presenter Jeremy Clarkson's best effort in a Jaguar S-type.

"Terrible news about Sabine Schmitz. Such a sunny person and so full of beans," Clarkson said on Twitter.


Road users' attitudes a contributing factor to increasing accidents, says Lam Thye

                PETALING JAYA: The inability of Malaysians to practise road safety culture is the reason why road accidents are on the rise every year, says Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.

The Alliance for Safe Community chairman said the numbers should have been declining as a result of the various measures taken by the government.

"Various campaigns have been conducted, enforcement too has been enhanced especially during the festive season, but it is sad to see that the numbers are still on the rise and road accidents continue to occur.

"One of the major contributing factors to accidents is the attitude of the road users themselves.

"This is because we have yet to inculcate road safety culture, which is the most crucial part if we are to bring down these statistics," said Lee in a statement today.

Besides inculcating the values of road safety in young children so that they become responsible motorists in adulthood, Lee added that there was a need for stringent law enforcement and respect of traffic rules and regulations by all road users.

"If our attitude does not change, the number of accidents will continue to increase every year, regardless of the various safety and enforcement campaigns carried out by the authorities," he said.

Lee was responding to the statement by Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Mazlan Mansor who said that the Chinese New Year Op Selamat 16/2020 recorded a total of 23,208 accidents, an increase of 11% compared to the same festive season last year.

Mazlan had also said that the death rate increased to 230 cases or 6% more this year compared to the 216 deaths recorded last year during the same Chinese New Year period.

Motorcyclists accounted for the highest number of fatalities with 147 cases followed by car users at 52 deaths, said Mazlan.

Lee also urged the local authorities to ensure maintenance works were carried out on city and municipal roads as statistics had shown poor road conditions also caused road accidents.

"Local authorities need to play their role too, to help decrease the number of accidents.

"We find that maintenance culture is still poor in the country and the local authorities must pay attention to this," he said.

He also advised motorists not to speed or drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol.


Singapore push for all-EV future faces a love of crazy, rich combustion

 Goh posing with his McLaren 765LT in Singapore. — Reuters
SINGAPORE: Singaporean chip designer Eu Gene Goh is an electric-vehicle evangelist with two Teslas in the garage.

But the car-tech enthusiast is also not ready to give up his S$1.6-million (RM5.3mil) McLaren 765LT with a V8 engine capable of hitting 100kph in three seconds.

The city-state's bid to stop the purchase of combustion-engine cars from 2030 has bumped up against an entrenched love of supercars, ultra-luxury rides and buyers with enough income to keep them in one of the most expensive places in the world to own a car.

Singapore's target of phasing out combustion car sales by 2030 puts it in a small group of countries with that near-term goal, including Iceland, Sweden and the Netherlands, but sales of electric cars in those markets have picked up faster.

The Singapore government has been pushing electric vehicles (EVs) for two years, offering incentives of up to S$45,000 (RM150,000) and expanding the charging network, but take-up by individual buyers will need to vastly accelerate to hit the target.

EV made up almost 12% of all car sales in Singapore last year, up from almost 4% in 2021, according to the Land Transport Authority.

Still, EVs represented just 1% of cars on the road, a Reuters analysis of ownership data found.

By comparison, combustion sports cars in a city where the Formula 1 Grand Prix is one of the biggest events of the year made up 1.65% of the almost 653,000 registered vehicles.

In Singapore, a small island with an extensive public transport system, only about 12 cars are owned per 100 people. That compares to 9 per 100 in Hong Kong and 82 in the US.

One factor is price: it costs at least S$88,000 (RM294,000) for the right to own a small car for a decade, excluding the vehicle's cost in Singapore, a system that has driven luxury sales.

Over the past decade, the number of Ferraris in Singapore has grown by 67% and Lamborghinis by 38%. The number of McLarens has grown more than five-fold to 180 since 2012, the data shows. There are almost five times more Porsches on the road than Teslas.

"Basically, the entire market has moved upscale," said Singapore-based transport economist Walter Theseira.

Singapore's preference for luxury and performance cars was a function of rising wealth among a cohort of residents while lower-income people were priced out car ownership, he added.

HSBC estimates 13% of Singaporeans may be millionaires by 2030, the highest share in the world.

 The Ten Square car vending machine lights up at dusk in Singapore. — ReutersPerfect showcase for EVs

A charity auction of 100 limited-edition "made in Singapore" Hyundai Ioniq 5s earlier this year managed to sell only half of the special-edition EVs embossed with the city's Merlion mascot.

Hyundai said it was "encouraged to see the result, considering the unfamiliarity and newness" of the EV, but declined to say how much the auction had raised.

Markus Schuster, managing director at Audi Singapore, believes EVs will constitute the majority of new car sales as early as 2025 or 2026 as more premium models like Audi's Q8 e-tron and Q4 e-tron hit the market.

"As a showcase for EVs, the city is perfect," he said.

Singapore drivers average just 30 km a day and do not have the same kind of "range anxiety" as drivers in the US and Europe, Schuster added.

The government plans to build 60,000 charging points by 2030, up from 1,600 now, which Schuster believes will be a tipping point to achieve the 2030 target.

Goh, the McLaren owner, is already an EV convert. He loves that he doesn't have to keep the engine running on school pick-ups and that the cost for charging his Tesla Model 3 last year was under S$700 (RM2,334) for 11,000 km of driving.

"For a daily driver, I wouldn't go back to a normal petrol car," he said.

But Goh is keeping his McLaren for now so he can enjoy the car's performance on a race track he visits in Malaysia.

"I like technology and I find supercars, especially McLarens, it's like taking technology and art and putting it together," he said.

 Goh owns a Tesla Model 3, a Tesla Model Y and a McLaren 765LT. — Reuters


Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV makes world debut

                LONDON: Rolls-Royce has officially entered off-road territory. The BMW-owned brand debuted on Thursday the £230,000 (around RM1.3mil) Cullinan, its first SUV, at its home in Goodwood

Named after the largest diamond discovered to date, the vehicle is the latest in a long line of six-figure big rigs from the world’s most prestigious automakers.

It is also one of the last major luxury automakers to add one: In April, Lamborghini unveiled its US$200,000 (RM790,000) Urus; Bentley showed its US$200,000 Bentayga V8 late in 2017.

“At this point in the history of automotive design, SUVs have become homogenous and ubiquitous,” Giles Taylor, Rolls-Royce’s director of design, told reporters.

“The label SUV is now applied to anything with a two-box silhouette and the least suggestion of going off tarmac. [So] we envisioned an authentic, three-box, all-terrain, high-bodied car with a convention-challenging design and absolute capability that would satisfy the adventurous urges of our clients.”

In a series of YouTube videos created with National Geographic, the BMW Group crown jewel has been “tested to destruction” all over the planet. It has been expected to be among the bigger, more stately, luxury SUVs to arrive, but the automaker has released few details since announcing the vehicle three years ago.

The Cullinan stands six feet off the ground—four inches taller than its closest competitor, the Bentayga. At 2,660kg, it’s more than 226kg heavier than the Bentayga, too. Angular sides and that high, flat top make it look more imposing than the rounded Bentayga or even Lamborghini’s crouching, super-sporty Urus.

Its front grille has the same steel vertical slats and flat, stark form as the one on the new Rolls-Royce Dawn, but it’s elevated to regal height in the new SUV. (The Cullinan can wade in water up to 21 inches high, again beating the Bentley equivalent.) Futuristic LEDs surrounding each headlight give it a slightly new, rectangular shape.

The first thing you notice, though, are the four doors, which close in the traditional coach format. A rear tailgate automatically opens in two sections with the touch of the key fob button. Massive 22-inch rims flank each of its four corners.

Inside, the Cullinan offers space sufficiently broad and open to fit a regent and retinue though officially, it can seat only up to five people.

The rear seat comes in two configurations, with two cockpit-style seats in the rear or a single lounge seat that allows seating for three—or, when folded down, up to 600 litres of storage space, equal to that of the Urus. That’s enough to hold a small dog house or a week’s worth of safari-style luggage.

Rolls-Royce has also made a new, smaller, and thicker steering wheel for the Cullinan, augmented with a high-resolution, heads-up display and all the technology expected in the family: night vision, including daytime and nighttime wildlife and pedestrian warning; an alertness assistant that helps avoid drowsy driving; a four-camera parking system with panoramic view, all-round visibility, and helicopter view; active cruise control; myriad crash-avoidance systems; Wi-Fi; and the standard navigation and entertainment systems.

As expected, from hints the company dropped in recent months, the Cullinan comes with a 6.75 litre, twin-turbo V12 engine that gets 563bhp at 5,000rpm and 850Nm of torque at 1,600rpm. This is the same engine Rolls-Royce put in the Phantom, which also shares the SUV’s aluminum-intensive platform.

Combined fuel consumption is rated at 15 l/100km, with CO2 emissions at 341 g/km.

The famous “magic air ride” feel that rendered the Phantom peerless is present here, too. It’s been re-engineered by adding larger air struts with greater air volume and by strengthening the drive and prop shafts to cushion blows from the toughest terrain—though it’s most of the buyers of this epic SUV probably won’t be taking it to Moab.

All-new, all-wheel drive and an all-wheel steering system—the first in Rolls-Royce history—come standard. Top speed is 250kph.

If you’ve got the funds, you might have a chance at getting your hands on the Cullinan—unlike the Lamborghini Urus, which has already sold out its first two years of production.

Early sales are expected to include 20 percent to 30 percent bespoke orders, which push up the price immensely. Deliveries begin early next year.


Mazda MX-5

                Focused – this was Mazda’s approach when the Japanese carmaker developed its latest fourth generation low-slung, fun-to-drive, two-seater roadster that’s known as the MX-5.

With an estimated price of RM220,000, the new MX-5 gets the “Kodo - Soul of Motion” styling and a slew of efficient SkyActiv technologies.

READ ALSO: New cars coming in second half of 2015The more potent and fuel-efficient 2.0-litre direct-injection engine produces 155bhp at 6,000rpm and 200Nm of torque at 4,600rpm.

The two-seater roadster now weighs about 100kg less at 1,000kg, while having a wheelbase of 2,315mm - 105mm-shorter than its predecessor, and comes in measuring 3,915mm-long, 1,730mm-wide and 1,235mm tall.

Transmission could either be an automatic or manual six-speed type.

With power sent to the rear, the MX-5 could be wearing a set of 17-inch aluminium alloy wheels with 205/45 series tyres for grip, while the four partially hidden 11-inch discs take charge of braking.

The MX-5’s counterpart in America gets a nine-speaker BOSE sound system that includes passenger headrest speakers, Audiopilot, AUX input, two USB ports, Bluetooth connectivity, speed sensing automatic volume control, voice command and a seven-inch full-colour touchscreen display with a multi-function commander control.

The front bucket seats should retain its powered adjustability – six-ways for the driver and four for the passenger, while the list of conveniences ought to include keyless entry with push-start button as well as automatic headlights and wipers to name a few.

The list of safety equipment should include six airbags, anti-lock braking system, traction control, blind spot sensor, rear collision warning, lane departure warning and low tyre pressure warning.

For more information about Mazda models, log on to the local Mazda website.


Tesla says robotaxis coming to US roads next year, slams rivals’ use of Lidar

File pic of Musk. — AFP
SAN FRANCISCO: Chief executive Elon Musk said Tesla Inc robotaxis with no human drivers would be available in some US markets next year, continuing a habit of bold pronouncements that have excited many investors while often missing deadlines.

“Probably two years from now we’ll make a car with no steering wheels or pedals,” Musk predicted, while acknowledging he is often late to meet aggressive targets.

Central to this promise is a new microchip for self-driving vehicles unveiled by Musk on Monday during a webcast presentation. Made by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd in Texas, the chip now in all vehicles is hoped to give Tesla an edge over rivals and show its massive investment in autonomous driving - described by Musk as ”basically our entire expense structure” - will pay off.

The webcast presentation came two days before Tesla is expected to announce a quarterly loss on fewer deliveries of its Model 3 sedan, which represents Tesla’s attempt to become a volume car maker.

After launching the event with detailed technical descriptions of Tesla’s progress on hardware and software by top executives, Musk began hawking the Model 3 and its potential.

“The fundamental message consumers should be taking away today is it’s financially insane to buy something other than a Tesla. It’s like buying a horse,” saying Tesla was the only company to have a full self-driving suite of hardware.

Tesla’s use of the term ”full self-driving” garners criticism, as it sells such an option today that is not yet
“Level 4,” or fully autonomous by industry standards, in which the car can handle all aspects of driving in most circumstances with no human intervention. Musk has said that with the hardware complete, improvements in software will allow vehicles to fully drive themselves in future.

The technology faces many regulatory hurdles both in Washington and from local governments.

Global carmakers, large technology companies and startups are developing self-driving - including Alphabet Inc’s Waymo and Uber Technologies Inc - but experts say it will be years before the systems are ready for prime time.

“A year from now we’ll have over a million cars with full self-driving, software, everything,” Musk predicted.
Tesla has been working on a self-driving chip since 2016 and Musk had previously forecast that cars would be fully self-driving by 2018, a target Tesla has missed.

Investors appeared unmoved by the chip announcement but shares rose slightly in after-hour trading following the announcement of the robotaxis.

Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives said Tesla’s robotaxi ambition was ”impressive,” but added that investors will be concerned by “the practicality and financial implications of this endeavor especially with Waymo miles ahead of the autonomous competition.” More pressing for analysts, he said, were concerns about demand for the Model 3 and whether Tesla may seek new financing.

'Doomed' rivals

Musk took a swipe at competitors relying on Lidar, light-based sensors that are a key element in most other self-driving systems.

“Lidar is a fools’ errand. And anyone relying on Lidar is doomed,” said Musk, who has been vocal about the technology’s limitations. Tesla vehicles rely on cameras and radars as their vision system for self-driving.

Competitors will eventually ”dump” Lidar, he said: ”It’s expensive and unnecessary and once you solved vision it’s worthless.” More than US$1 billion in corporate and private investment has been plowed into some 50 Lidar startups over the past three years, including a record US$420 million in 2018, according to a Reuters analysis of publicly available investment data in March.

Musk called Tesla’s new chip the industry’s best because it was dedicated for autonomous driving, while others, like Nvidia Corp, developed chips for multiple uses.

Tesla’s chip was capable of seven times as many frames as Nvidia’s Xavier system, said Pete Bannon, Tesla’s head of Autopilot hardware. Nvidia said the comparison was inaccurate.

US magazine Consumer Reports cautioned against Tesla’s “bold claims about self-driving capabilities that overpromise and underdeliver.”

“Claims about (Tesla’s) driving automation systems and safety are not backed up by the data, and it seems today’s presentations had more to do with investors than consumers’ safety,” wrote the publication.


GM to begin Hummer electric pickup deliveries in December

                DETROIT: General Motors Co will begin deliveries of its GMC Hummer electric pickup truck in December, the brand's chief said on Tuesday.

The top-of-the-line "Edition 1" of the Hummer will have an electric driving range of 329 miles, Duncan Aldred told reporters on a conference call.

GM is launching the vehicle with that model, with a starting price above US$100,000, and subsequent models, with higher EV driving ranges and lower starting prices, will be added in 2023, he said.

Aldred said more than 80% of the reservations for the Hummer pickup were for the Edition 1 model and nearly half of the more than 125,000 people who have expressed interest in the Hummer have put down US$100 to reserve the truck.

The Hummer EV will join the electric pickup made by Rivian Automotive Inc in the market. Ford Motor Co will introduce its electric F150 Lightning next year. Tesla is building a plant in Austin, Texas, to assemble the Cybertruck pickup.

Last week, GM showed off the Hummer, which was developed in 18 months, when US President Joe Biden visited the Detroit-Hamtramck plant, dubbed "Factory Zero."

GM officials have said the No. 1 US automaker has sold out the first year's worth of the pickups.

The GMC Hummer SUV, which will be introduced in 2023, will ultimately become the predominant seller among the Hummer vehicles, accounting for about 60% of sales, Aldred said.


Lister teases 'world's fastest SUV' based on Jaguar F-Pace SVR

                LONDON: Lister Cars has just released the very first images of its upcoming new model set to be based on Jaguar's F-Pace SVR, which Lister is promising will be "the world's fastest SUV."

That's quite a claim considering existing performance SUVs such as the Lamborghini Urus and the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, but the British company is confident it can deliver.

In a similar way to how the likes of Hennessey takes American muscle cars and ratchets up their production form performance, Lister is doing a similar thing by working its way through the Jaguar Land Rover portfolio. The company recently showcased the Lister Thunder, which is a substantially reworked version of the Jaguar F-Type R and the first of what will be a series of JLR-based models.

 The F-Pace SVR.

The ultimate aim of the company is to produce a new bespoke Lister Storm, but in the meantime it's pressing ahead with the Lister Lightning based on the Jaguar F-Pace SVR SUV that was unveiled a year ago at the New York International Auto Show.

A teaser shot of the Lightning was released yesterday to unveil a new front fascia with huge air intakes flanked by aerodynamic curtains and joined by a lip spoiler. The teaser image also shows the substantial cross-drilled brake discs that will be fitted to the performance SUV to help it stop as well as it goes.

Under the bonnet will still be JLR's familiar 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine, but the 550hp of the F-Pace SVR is going to be increased to somewhere in the region of the 660hp of the Lister Thunder.

Those with a keen eye for such matters will soon realise that's still some distance short of the 707hp produced by the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, but Lister is claiming the Lightning will be the fastest and not the most powerful SUV in the world.

The Jaguar F-Pace is already a more lightweight, performance-orientated SUV than the Jeep Grand Cherokee, so it shouldn't take too much engineering genius to make the Lightning faster than the Trackhawk, despite the Lister having slightly less power. But one thing is for sure, the Lister Lightning will cost more than the Jeep when it finally goes on sale.


Britain announces new post-Brexit global tariff regime

                LONDON: Britain announced a new post-Brexit tariff regime today to replace the European Union’s external tariff, maintaining a 10% tariff on cars but cutting levies on tens of billions of dollars of supply chain imports.

After decades outsourcing its trade policy to the EU, Britain is seeking free trade agreements with countries around the world and aims to have deals in place covering 80% of British trade by 2022.

The new tariff regime, in place from January 2021, marks a departure from what some UK officials call an overly complex EU system, setting out Britain’s stall as it negotiates trade deals with both the United States and the Brussels-based bloc.

Britain said the regime, known as UK Global Tariff, would be simpler and cheaper than the EU’s Common External Tariff. It will apply to countries with which it has no agreement and removes all tariffs below 2%.

“Our new Global Tariff will benefit UK consumers and households by cutting red tape and reducing the cost of thousands of everyday products,” International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said.

The government said tariffs would be eliminated on a wide range of products, with 60% of trade coming into the UK tariff-free on WTO terms or through existing preferential access.

The UK will maintain tariffs on products competing with industries such as agriculture, automotive and fishing, and remove levies on £30 billion (RM159bil) worth of imports entering UK supply chains.

The UK will also remove tariffs on products which support energy efficiency and will introduce a temporary zero tariff on goods being used to fight Covid-19 such as personal protective equipment.


Fire and ice for the Jaguar F-Pace

LONDON: From the searing heat and dust of Dubai to the ice and snow of Northern Sweden, the new F-Pace has been tested to the limit in some of the most inhospitable environments on earth.

Jaguar’s performance crossover offers an unrivalled blend of performance, design and practicality. To ensure that every system functions perfectly even under the most extreme conditions, the new F-Pace has been subjected to one of the most demanding test programmes the company has ever devised.

“We developed the F-Pace to offer the ride, handling and refinement demanded from a Jaguar, together with exceptional levels of ability and composure on all surfaces and in all weathers.

“Just as we paid obsessive attention to detail over the engineering of every single component, we’ve exhaustively tested the F-Pace in the most challenging conditions to ensure that it will exceed the expectations of our customers around the world,” said Andrew Whyman, Vehicle Programme Director, Jaguar F-Pace.

At Jaguar Land Rover’s test facility in Arjeplog, Northern Sweden, average winter temperatures rarely exceed -15°C and often plummet to -40°C. The 60km of purpose-built handling tracks, mountain climbs, inclines, split-friction straights and off-road areas are ideal for optimising the calibration of the all-wheel drive system, Dynamic Stability Control and technologies such as Jaguar’s revolutionary All-Surface Progress Control. The work done here makes sure that, whether on asphalt, snow or ice, the F-Pace delivers the connected steering feel and agility fundamental to Jaguar dynamics DNA.

In Dubai, ambient temperatures can exceed 50°C in the shade. When vehicles are left out in direct sunlight, cabin temperatures can soar to 70°C – exactly what’s needed to ensure that everything from climate control systems to infotainment touchscreens function perfectly in extremes of heat and humidity.

And while the test engineers can relax in air-conditioned comfort as they drive in city traffic, this part of the test cycle is designed to place the cooling systems under very high load through a combination of high ambient temperatures and low airflow.

The F-Pace has also been driven over gravelled mountain passes. This is the first time that a Jaguar test programme has included this uniquely challenging environment, and it is this attention to detail that will help to make Jaguar’s first performance crossover the benchmark in its segment.


Nearly 170,000 Awas summonses issued since Sept 2018

                KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 169,315 summonses have been issued through the automatic Awareness Safety System (Awas) since the Road Transport Department took over the system’s operations from a private company.

Deputy Transport Minister Hasbi Habibollah said from Sept 1, 2018 to December last year, compound payments of RM6.9 million were collected.

Awas, previously known as the automatic Enforcement System (AES), has proven effective. A study conducted by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) found that it was able to reduce 95% of accident risks at traffic intersections or roads installed with cameras, he told the Dewan Negara on Thursday.

He said this in reply to a question from Senator Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Ibrahim Shah Abu Shah on the amount of summonses and compounds collected during the period.

In reply to a question from Senator Datuk Kesavadas A. Achayuthan Nair on measures carried out to reduce the rate of death involving motorcyclists in road crashes, Hasbi said the ministry was working through its agencies to organise various public safety campaigns that involved social media, radio and TV stations, talk shows, advertisements and crawlers.

Hasbi said last year's statistics showed that 64% of the 6,167 fatal road crashes involved motorcyclists and pillion riders.


China’s electric car startups put a dent in legacy automaker market share

                LONDON: For many years, China’s electric vehicle market was primarily driven by policy.

The combination of fuel economy regulations, a new-energy vehicle quota system, government fleet mandates and direct purchase subsidies all added regulatory pressure and incentives for both automakers and consumers to go electric.

The policies still matter, but recent BloombergNEF analysis shows EV adoption is now running well ahead of what’s required purely from national regulations and policy targets.

City-level policies are still playing an important role because they make it difficult to get a new licence plate for internal combustion vehicles in China’s major cities, but even that isn’t enough to explain why adoption is rising so quickly.

There are many factors at play when a consumer technology starts to take off.

Technology maturity, cost competitiveness and word of mouth all play a role.

In China’s EV market, there’s another factor at play, namely that homegrown EV startups have helped transform perceptions of the vehicles there.

There was talk a few years ago about how many of these startups risked being wiped out by stricter technology standards.

Lo and behold, some not only survived but are growing sales quite quickly.

Xpeng, Hozon New Energy Automobile, Li Auto, Nio, Leap Motor and WM Motor are now selling almost 150,000 EVs a quarter, about 7% of the global total and up more than 10-fold from the beginning of 2020.

These startups are less likely to be designing vehicles strictly to comply with regulations, as some Western, Japanese and Chinese automakers with legacy businesses have done.

They have no legacy business to protect, know subsidies won’t last forever and that their products need to stand on their own feet quickly.

China’s EV startups also have made a combined push on digital services, in-car connectivity and customer-service experience concurrently with their electrification efforts, which has helped shift the perception of EVs from one of compliance and regulation to one where you access the coolest tech, and get treated well in the process.

They’re not alone, of course. Other dynamic auto companies are pursuing a similar strategy, and the startups’ share of sales is still relatively small compared to the likes of Tesla and BYD, which sold 255,000 and 354,000 plug-in vehicles globally last quarter, respectively. But the startup numbers are still significant.

They’re ramping up quickly and will probably top 250,000 a quarter next year.

The group getting squeezed by all this is established global automakers, many of which deliberately slow-rolled their EV programs and are now scrambling to catch up with respect to their model lineups and battery supply.

As recently as 2020, international automakers had 61% of the total auto market in China. That’s declined to 49% so far in 2022.

Setbacks on software and disputes with local partners are not helping, and with China’s EV sales rising fast, it’s getting harder to see this market share trend reversing.

While Western automakers are seeing their share of the Chinese market shrink, China’s EV startups are quickly expanding in Europe.

MG Motor, owned by SAIC, sold 40,000 EVs in Europe last year, while groups like Nio, Xpeng, BYD and others have been testing the waters with smaller numbers in countries such as Norway.

All of China’s startup automakers plan to significantly increase their international presence in the next few years and some of them are launching very cost-competitive EV models to further that goal.

There’s a window open for them in Europe right now, because the region’s vehicle CO2 regulations don’t tighten again until 2025.

Many established automakers have slowed down their EV rollout accordingly. With Tesla, BYD and these EV startups all at the gate, this may not be a wise strategy.

There are probably still some bumps in the road ahead.

Making cars is still difficult. But it’s remarkable how fast perceptions of what’s possible can shift.

In 2019, China proposed what was then widely viewed as a stretch target of having new-energy vehicles represent 25% of passenger vehicle sales by 2025.

That number now looks like it will be achieved this year, a full three years ahead of schedule.

China’s EV startups have played an important role in making that happen.


Red Crescent gifted three Mitsubishi Tritons

                KUALA LUMPUR: Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia recently contributed three Triton 4x4 pick-up trucks to the Malaysian Red Crescent Society.

The Triton 4x4 pick-up truck will be used to reach out and provide logistical support such as food, medical supplies, and humanitarian help to the needy during flood disasters.

Red Crescent expects the upcoming northeast monsoon would trigger heavy rainfall from this month until March.

The non-profit organisation has been involved in disaster response for more than six decades.

Services offered include early assistance in disaster preparedness, disaster relief during and after a tragedy, as well as disaster recovery.


VW's new Golf 8 off to a bad start

                WOLFSBURG: As far as car launches go, they don't get much worse.

Volkswagen's highly anticipated Golf 8 was supposed to set the new standard in the compact class. But the German car giant is now putting out fires on three fronts after a launch plagued by technical flaws, production delays and a marketing blunder.

Even Volkswagen's own car dealerships in its home market have had to express their fears about the Golf's highly anticipated eighth generation.

"The sheer amount of defects is regrettable," the head of the German Volkswagen and Audi dealer association, Dirk Weddigen von Knapp, told the Handelsblatt business daily, saying no Golf before this had ever seen so many problems at launch.

Not only did a whole series of technical deficiencies become apparent, but dealers had even found spare parts were missing from what has traditionally been one of the world's most popular cars.

Individuals close to the manufacturer say at least 30,000 units of the new Golf may have to be taken to the workshop due to technical problems in software and electronics, including a flaw with eCall, VW's emergency call assistant.

And that's not all: Volkswagen, still facing the legal consequences of cheating on diesel emissions, had already been facing delays before the pandemic slowed down VW production, and the Golf 8 was beset with problems as soon as it first started rolling off the production line in 2019.

The company was far behind on its original target of building 100,000 vehicles in the first year, managing less than 10 per cent of that. Bernd Osterloh, head of Volkswagen's influential works council, had accused top management of a lack of involvement in finding solutions.

After six weeks of a standstill by the coronavirus, dealerships are now worried the 8 will be entirely recalled after VW pulled the delivery of new models due to the flaws.

To make matters worse, Volkswagen was forced to apologise in mid-May for a short social media ad promoting the Golf where users pointed to several elements that could be interpreted as being racist.

The clip showed a black man being pushed around on the street by an oversized white hand.

Volkswagen chief executive Herbert Diess has now had to explain what's been going wrong with the carmaker's flagship Golf 8 model in a meeting with the supervisory board.

In his report to the board, Diess was expected to address criticism of the racist video advert posted recently on the company's social media, as well as addressing the company's standing in China and potentially further cooperation with US auto giant Ford.

Despite being a best-selling car at home in Germany and in many countries abroad, the Golf had already been finding it increasingly difficult to hold its own against SUVs and the up-and-coming electric car.

VW had hoped to compete by selling its new "smartphone on wheels" at a largely unchanged price with features like virtual instruments, a freely configurable touch screen, sensors for lights and other controls, touch-sensitive sliders and voice and gesture controls.


BMW announces latest software upgrade for over 4 million cars

                MUNICH: The BMW Group is once again updating the software in its vehicles with BMW iDrive Operating System 7 and 8.

At present, about 4.7 million BMW vehicles are upgradeable thanks to their hardware and BMW iDrive Operating System.

Since 2019, BMW has been offering free remote software upgrades several times a year for infotainment, driving, driver assistance, comfort and safety.

New functions for BMW Digital Key

A recent update to BMW Digital Vehicle Access allows users to share the BMW Digital Key for their vehicle between Apple iPhones and Android smartphones for the first time.

Shared BMW Digital Keys are also easier to activate in the vehicle.

With the BMW software upgrade, a BMW Digital Key shared via smartphone can be activated directly in the vehicle by entering an activation code. Previously, a conventional vehicle key had to be located in the passenger compartment.

Remote control parking

As a further innovation, the upcoming Remote Software Upgrade will introduce the Remote Control Parking function for certain countries and vehicles.

It allows customers to perform remote-controlled parking manoeuvres outside the vehicle using the My BMW App – such as manoeuvres previously recorded in the vehicle with the Manoeuvring Assistant.

Customers can also park their vehicle forwards or backwards within a radius of six metres, both lengthways and crossways.

New mobile operator AT&T for the Personal eSIM

The BMW Remote Software Upgrade enables customers of the mobile network operator AT&T in the USA to use the Personal eSIM. The Personal eSIM integrates BMW vehicles with Operating System 8 into the customer's existing mobile phone contract and enables the vehicle for the 5G cellular standard.

This allows customers to make phone calls without their smartphone in the vehicle, stream data via the Wi-Fi hotspot and use video-services directly in the vehicle.

Additional features and enhancements for selected models

For the BMW iX, customers can stop charging and unlock the charging cable lock via the My BMW App.

BMW iX, BMW Active Tourer and BMW X1 with the optional Parking Assistant (SA 5DM) will receive active steering assistance when reversing with a coupled trailer.

Some vehicles, such as the BMW 7 Series (2022) or the new BMW X1 (2022), feature the new My Mode “Digital Art” after the remote software upgrade.

Customers of the BMW X7 in the USA and Canada can look forward to a modern light graphic of the direction indicator.

The Remote Software Upgrade is currently available for more than 30 BMW models and therefore almost all BMW models with BMW Operating System 7 and 8.

Customers can see the software status in the settings menu of their vehicle under Remote Software Upgrade and can search for available upgrades. Only the next possible upgrade is ever offered for installation, the user can never install the wrong version.


Kawasaki Z1000 and Ninja 1000 - First rides

It was quite hard to digest the fact that the organic looking motorcycle which stood before me at Kawasaki’s 2014 Z1000 press introduction had roots that could be traced back all the way to 1972.

The original Z1 – which actually had a capacity of 900cc – was introduced in that year to challenge the iconic CB750.

It was a beautiful bike in those days. It still is.

But the only resemblance it has to the apparition that now stood squat before me is the fact that both have a pair of wheels.

The 2014 Z1000 looks simply evil in the metal.
The Kawasaki Z1000.
All hunkered down, with a headlamp cowling that looks like it belongs on a robot from a Japanese manga rather than a bike, the Z1000 uses the Kawasaki “Sugomi” design philosophy.

In their presentation, done at a posh resort on Langkawi Island where the bike was introduced to the press, a caption in the Powerpoint presentation explains:

“The Japanese word Sugomi describes the intense aura or energy given off by a person or object of greatness and felt by the viewer. Someone or something possessing Sugomi inspires awe, leaves an indelible impression, is imposing in stature or ability and commands respect.”

After riding some loops around the island, I am happy to report: the Z1000 and it’s sibling the Ninja 1000 do indeed fit the Sugomi definitions.

We tested two bikes at the launch, both based on the same underpinnings, but with tremendously different characters.

First off, the Z1000 has an extremely minimalist design concept.

The dash combo consists of a digital tachometer bar and digital speedometer.

The tachometer has a split display. It starts off on the main panel where the digital speedometer is located, then continues into a series of coloured LEDs that line the top of the panel.

There is a bare minimum of fuss on the digital dash screen, yet all vital information including the fuel gauge is incorporated in it.

When you climb aboard the new bike, you assume a slight forward cant.

The handlebars are quite low, and you get an open, unobstructed view of the road ahead.

The lowly positioned headlamps are small, but powerful since they house LEDs.

The rear end is raked upwards and stubby. There isn’t much room for a passenger.

Even the rider’s seat is quite small.

However, the ergonomics on the bike is still comfortable. The controls and pegs are well positioned – with enough space for even a six-footer to feel comfortable.

But getting comfortable isn’t what the Z1000 is all about.

You can get a GTR 1400 for that. The Z1000 is a bare-knuckle street hoodlum – and on my first outing in Langkawi – with sirens from outriders clearing the route up ahead – we got a chance to test the street credentials of this brawler.

Langkawi doesn’t have much highway surface.

However, it has some really tight turns, which start from Jalan Kuala Muda near the airport.

The Z1000 handled a pair of almost 90-degree turns easily – leaning predictably into the corners.

The new bike is set up for sports riding. Massive Tokico monobloc 310mm front brake calipers with four pistons per caliper shed off speed quickly, setting the bike up to attack the corner.

The 41mm inverted “separate function fork, big piston”, or SFF-BP with preload adjustability in the left tube and damping in the right tube do a good job of keeping the bike’s composure even under heavy braking.

At 220kg, the bike isn’t exceptionally light.

However, you barely feel the heft. With the new suspension setup and horizontal rear suspension, Kawasaki has moved the weight even lower in the frame.

On the straights, the bike accelerates quickly, emitting a snarl from the newly designed airbox.

The engine has gone through some extensive reworking.

A new bore and stroke dimension of 77x56mm gives a better balance between peak power and low and mid-range flexibility.

There is a new cylinder connecting passageway that reduces pumping losses and improves mid to high engine ranges, with a new cam profile that further improves low to mid-range torque.

The bike also has a taller sixth gear to improve its highway capability.

The overall strategy of the redesign appears to be to bring the power down lower in the rev range, which is where most people who ride these types of bikes would like it to be.

An in-line four, of course, would naturally need revs to produce it’s peak power range.

This iteration of the Z1000 however, produces noticeably more power in the lower rev ranges – making even lazy gear-shifting possible.

Just leave it in top gear, and the big bore engine lugs the bike along even at pedestrian pace.

Despite it’s raucous character and agile handling, at high speed, the Z1000 is predictable and stable.

For sustained high speed runs, and long distance touring, Kawasaki has provided an alternative in the form of the Ninja 1000.

The Ninja 1000 at first glance is the plainer looking of the two.

It has a more conventional layout – with top fairings that bear a resemblance to the Ninja 250s which are becoming common on Malaysian roads.

This model has a pair of optional panniers that meld perfectly into the bodywork.

When removed, they leave a streamlined tail – with no obvious racks where they attach to the body of the bike.

In terms of equipment, the Ninja has a more traditional meter cluster.

Instead a of a digital bar – you get analogue tachometer – but still have a digital readout for speed.

The numbers are clear, legible and very easy to read.

Getting on the Ninja 1000 after the Z1000 reveals a much more comfortable bike with adjustable suspension.

The rear end has a remote rear spring preload adjuster to allow quick tuning for passenger and luggage weight adjustments.

In Malaysia, anti-lock braking system (ABS) also comes standard with the Ninja.

The engines are similar – but the KTRC Traction Control system which offers three different modes for varying conditions comes standard on the Ninja, along with ABS.

On the road, the Ninja performs similarly to the Z1000. Acceleration is brisk, but the motorcycle feels more refined – thanks to the adequate-sized fairing on the bike. The front windscreen is manually adjustable, and provides good protection when on the go.

Putting the bike through its paces on a loop around the island, the bike felt just as fast as the Z1000 – but at the same time, gave a more relaxed and comfortable riding experience.

Of the two, this bike is obviously the more versatile, although judging by previous sales trends – I suspect the radical and attention grabbing Z1000 will sell more units in Malaysia.

The Ninja 1000 is priced at RM82,900 without panniers and RM87,900 with panniers.

The Z1000 on the other hand is slightly cheaper, with a tag of RM76,900.

Both bikes are exciting new options for riders moving into the litre class.

The Z1000 with its agile handling and rowdy looks is perfect for the occasional weekend warrior and urban commuter.

The Ninja 1000 on the other hand – with its full fairing and panniers would be a perfect option for those who want to use their motorcycle to travel long distances.


Continental launches digital tyre monitoring; Global debut in Malaysia

                SETIA ALAM: Continental has launched a ContiConnect digital tyre monitoring platform, allowing commercial vehicle fleet managers to see tyre pressure and temperature data for the entire fleet in a single web portal, every time trucks return to the fleet yard.

It is the first digital tire monitoring platform of its kind in Asia Pacific.

With ContiConnect, commercial vehicle fleets are able to lower driving costs, maximise efficiency with routine tyre maintenance and improve up-time of their vehicles.

"The return on investment is within a year," said Continental head of sales and marketing (Business Region APAC Truck Tires) Philippe Barabinot.

Other benefits include saving maintenance time, protecting tyres from long-term damage, reducing tyre-related breakdowns and tyre wear, and improving fuel efficiency and improving safety for all road users.

Identifying and resolving tyre issues immediately upon return to the fleet yard helps protect the tyre from long-term damage, ensuring maximum removal miles and improved casing retreadability.

Continental’s tyre sensors can identify creeping air loss, one of the major causes of tire failure, before it would typically be noticed in a pre- or post-trip inspection, helping to reduce tire-related breakdowns on the road.

In addition, verifying proper tyre inflation guarantees the highest possible fuel efficiency to save fuel costs, reduces tyre wear for long tyre life, and helps to prevent tyre blowouts for optimal safety.

ContiConnect is a remote tyre monitoring platform that does not depend on a telematics or over-the-road connection.

Tyre data is collected via sensors, which are mounted on the inner liner of the tire to prevent damage from kerbing, eliminate theft, and ensure the sensor can accurately detect the tyre temperature and pressure without being influenced by heat from braking systems.

As trucks enter the fleet yard, the yard reader station picks up data from the sensors and transmits it to the ContiConnect web portal via a cellular network.

In the web portal, the fleet manager can immediately access low pressure alerts, track data over time, and view reports and analytics for all tyres equipped with sensors.

The platform also features customisable text and email notifications, so the fleet manager, maintenance supervisor, or other personnel can receive immediate alerts when low tire pressure or high tyre temperature is recorded.

This allows fleets to act proactively to fix issues rather than spending valuable time performing manual pressure checks.

“The pilot test we ran on ContiConnect in Malaysia and Thailand showed promising results,” added Barabinot.

Continental offers a range of digital tyre monitoring systems to fit a fleet’s individual business needs.

The ContiPressureCheck tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is simple to install and constantly displays real-time tyre pressure and temperature to the driver via an in-cab display, along with alerts if issues are identified.

This helps protect drivers from top tyre-related safety concerns.

Fleet managers who are interested in seeing real-time tyre data via a telematics solution can also benefit from ContiPressureCheck.

The tyre pressure monitoring system offers data integration with multiple telematics providers.

Integration allows tyre data to be seen in both the providers’ in-cab displays and back-end portals.


Toyota quality hub opens in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: UMW Toyota Motor has set up a quality hub in Sabah to speed up delivery of cars to customers.

Located at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park, the 3.5-hectare Sabah Integrated Quality Hub  started operations in November and conducts quality checks on all vehicles before they reach the customers.

UMW Toyota Motor said it has invested RM36 million to develop the Sabah hub. o stock up to 1,000 vehicles at one time.

Among the activities at the facility are; Pre Delivery Inspection (PDI), Centralised Stockyard, Pre-Delivery Service (PDS) and strict Final Quality Check (FQC) that enable UMW Toyota Motor to enhance delivery quality to meet customers’ expectations.

UMW Toyota Motor president Datuk Ismet Suki said Sabah was an important market for Toyota, with the state registering sales of over 10 per cent since 2011.

"With the new facility, we will be able to assure delivery of quality vehicles for our customers in Sabah, at the shortest possible time.”


Toyota plans to develop fuel cell truck with Hino unit

                TOKYO: Toyota today said it would develop a heavy-duty fuel-cell truck with its subsidiary, Hino Motor Co, as it sees hydrogen technology as a zero-emissions alternative to battery power for large commercial vehicles.

In a statement, Toyota said the truck, based on Hino’s Profia model, would be equipped with two fuel cell stacks developed for the next model of its Mirai fuel cell sedan. It would have a travelling range of 600km. The Profia is marketed as the Hino 700 overseas.

Toyota has long touted fuel cell vehicles as the ultimate “green car”, and sees the technology as more efficient than battery electric cars, embraced by many rivals as a zero-emissions alternative to gasoline vehicles.


Citizens band radio from trucks may have a future in autonomous cars

                PARIS: Citizens band radio, the beloved means of communication for truckers all over North America, Europe and elsewhere, is nowadays rarely used by motorists.

And yet the old technology is still highly valued by professional tractor-trailer drivers, who not only want information, but a little company too.

Nowadays, truckers mainly use the technology to share information about routes, police checkpoints, parking spaces, rest areas or restaurants, says Helmuth Bormann, who manages a CB radio brand in Germany.

But fans of CB radio say the technology could become popular again in future, and perhaps even become a means of chat among bored long-distance travellers in autonomous cars.

In the coming decade, self-driving cars are expected to free up passengers to amuse themselves. This could allow us to chat with others on the road, Bormann says.

Talking may also be a welcome change from listening to the radio or watching Netflix, especially if autonomous driving establishes itself as a means of long-distance travel.

But wouldn't people just keep using WhatsApp or some other digital chat service? One advantage over smartphones is that CB radio allows users to talk to several people at once, if not simultaneously, says Bormann.

Depending on the device, weather and sunspot activity, users of CB short-range radio can chat with one another over distances of up to several thousand kilometres.

While internet-based services may transmit information faster and more reliably, there are gaps in signal coverage, whereas CB radio can be used anywhere.

While most people use smartphones these days, CB is still useful for some communities, particularly professional tractor-trailer drivers.

In the United States, a 2019 survey found that out of 3.5 million professional drivers, 90 per cent say the technology is essential.

RoadPro, a site selling equipment for truckers, says that "in many instances, truck drivers have been saved from hours of sitting in traffic because a fellow driver was able to warn them of an accident on their route" through the use of their CB radio.

The technology has also enabled a driver to contact another about a potential issue with their truck that they may be unaware of.

CBs open the line of communication, providing safer and smoother travels for drivers, the site concluded.

In the US, use exploded in the 1970s, during the oil crisis.

The oil embargo led to fuel shortages and rationing, and drivers started using CB radio to locate fuel sources. They could also share information about speed traps. Then, in the early 1980s, drivers could use it for free, fast and up-to-date information about traffic.

In Europe, long-distance drivers use the system to contact others in different countries and languages. Most German truckers use channel 9 AM, while Czechs use 10 FM, Polish use 28 AM, Romanian 22 FM, Dutch and Danish drivers use 19 FM and Turkish drivers use channel 21 FM.

That's become established over the past few decades, although no one really knows why, says Hofmann. Little equipment is needed to use the system, which is also inexpensive.

What many in Germany like about CB radio is that users are independent of other providers, whether they're a mobile phone network, an electricity provider or a satellite operator, says Juergen Schoenberger of Josefs Funkladen in Passau, Germany. Users can communicate for miles without paying extra fees.


DRB-Hicom, Geely, Perak govt in talks on automotive city project

                KUALA LUMPUR: DRB-Hicom Bhd (DRB-Hicom) and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co Ltd (Geely) are in discussion to extend the duration of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on developing and promoting the Automotive HiTech Valley in Tanjong Malim, Perak.

DRB-Hicom said this in a filing with Bursa Malaysia today, updating on the status of the MoU which was inked on April 11, 2022, and expires after six months.

It said the strategic collaboration will add value to the company as it will become a strategic platform for both parties to explore avenues of collaboration towards the establishment of this automotive city, the development of which is intended to bring extended multiplier effects.

Among other things, the setting up of an automotive industry cluster in Tanjong Malim would attract investors and vendors from China and other parts of the world.

"The MoU is to pave the way for further discussions and negotiations between the parties prior to the signing of any definitive agreement to effectuate the proposed strategic collaboration,” DRB-Hicom said.

In a separate filing, DRB-Hicom stated that it is also in the midst of discussions with the Perak state government to finalise the definitive collaboration agreement.

On April 12, 2022, the company inked an MoU with the Perak state government for the development of the integrated automotive city.

"Any material and significant development will be updated accordingly.

"Save as disclosed above, all provisions contained in the MoU shall remain in full force and effect," it said.


VW Passat: Engaging appeal

                The updated Volkswagen Passat Elegance 2.0TSI comes with some subtle changes to the exterior and interior, as well as improved features and lots of creature comforts that befit its status as a premium D-segment executive sedan.

This is a facelift for the eighth-generation Passat and Volkswagen Malaysia now offers it in one variant only, unlike the past.

Priced at RM189,012 (on-the-road excluding insurance), the updated Passat also gets a new powertrain with a 190PS/320Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged engine mated to a 7-speed wet clutch direct shift gearbox (DSG).
The after-sales package includes a five-year unlimited mileage warranty, three-year free maintenance, five-year roadside assistance and 15,000km service schedule.

It is the first front-wheel drive Volkswagen car in Malaysia to have the new 7-speed wet clutch DSG.

Looks and features

Besides the revised front grille, there are new IQ LED headlights with LED daytime running lights, which display moving light effects when you unlock the doors.

Rear tail lights are also LED, with the same light effects when doors are unlocked.
The exterior visual updates are subtle, although now you have the “Passat” lettering stretched loudly in the rear across the powered boot lid.

We think the Passat still retains its classy and timeless elegant look.

In the cabin, you get a new 9.2-inch touchscreen, which comes with both voice and gesture control.

This gives you control over vehicle data, air conditioning, navigation, driver assistance features, media and sound.

We found the navigation system to be quite user-friendly (compared with many other cars with navigation functions), with navigation graphic guidance also displayed directly in front of the driver via the new 11.7-inch Digital Cockpit instrument cluster.

It doesn’t take long to key in the names of destinations and search for them.

Those with newer mobile phones and devices will enjoy the convenience of three USB Type-C ports (one located in the centre console storage box together with a 12V port.

It’s also worth noting that Wireless AppConnect with Apple Car Play is offered here.

The Passat is an upmarket D-segment sedan, and is renowned for a roomy cabin filled with nice stuff like supple leather seats, and powered front seats with 12-way adjustment with powered lumbar support and driver’s seat memory with massage function.

Other highlights here include a 3-zone Climatronic air-conditioning system, rear air-conditioning vents, and a powered sunshade for the rear window.

There are plenty of storage options such as front seat-back pockets, and four door bins, and a centre console storage box.

Like before, boot space is still an impressive 586 litres and this can also be accessed by a rear passenger pulling down a load-through hatch (behind the rear centre armrest).

If you need more storage room, an option is to pull down the 60:40 split-folding rear seat backrests.

Safety

There are ample safety features here including Anti-skid Regulator (ASR), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and a Driver Alert System (Rest Assist) that alerts sleepy drivers with a visual display on the dashboard and a warning sound.

There are also front and rear parking sensors, with Manoeuvre Braking which can reduce the severity of a collision when reversing or driving forward at speeds below 10kph.

The LED headlights have dynamic cornering light tech, which means the headlight beam will swivel as you turn the steering wheel.

Meanwhile, Side Assist gives a flashing warning light to the driver when changing lanes and Rear Traffic Alert warns you if there is danger when reversing the car.

A Tyre Pressure Monitoring System also comes in handy here.

The Drive

The Passat has provided us with refined and smooth motoring over the years, and it’s no different with the latest facelift.

The new powertrain provides plenty of muscle and the new dual-clutch DSG is buttery smooth and instantaneously responsive when you want extra power and speed.

Power delivery is linear, and the car feels very planted when we took highway curves at some speed.

While the cabin is a nice and premium place to be, there is some tyre noise seeping in.

Running on ContiMaxContact MC5 tyres sized 235/45 wrapped around 18-inch alloy wheels, the suspension is a bit firm and the ride feels somewhat bumpy on uneven and poorly maintained roads.

The cabin is nicely decked in high quality leather and plastic surfaces, and we found lots of leg and head room in the rear for 1.7-metre adults. We also liked the crisp sound quality of the eight-speaker audio system.

Verdict

The facelifted Passat is more engaging and smoother to drive than ever.

The spacious cabin is very comfortable, and there’s plenty of power on tap and sporty drive dynamics when you are in the mood for some speed.

Despite its understated looks, the Passat comes packed with premium features and continues to set high standards for high-quality motoring.
SPECIFICATIONS2020 Volkswagen Passat 2.0TSI EleganceEngine: 1,984cc, four-cylinder petrol direct injection, turbocharged
Maximum power: 190ps at 4,180 to 6,000rpm
Maximum torque: 320Nm at 1,500 to 4,180rpm
Transmission: DSG 7-speed direct shift gearbox
Features: Engine start-stop system with regenerative braking, Auto-dimming rear view mirror, ‘Climatronic’ air conditioning system with 3-zone temperature control, Combination leather seat upholstery, Cruise
control system with speed limiter, 9.2-inch touchscreen, Navigation infotainment system, Bluetooth, Gesture Control, Voice Control, and 8 speakers, Electric sunshade for rear window, electric parking brake
with Auto Hold, Front seats with electric 12-way adjustment with powered lumbar support and driver side memory with massage function, keyless access and engine starting system, Rear air conditioning vents,
3 USB Type C slots, 60:40 split-folding rear seat backrest with load-through hatch, 586 litre boot, Automatic LED headlights, LED taillights, automatic electric boot power closing/opening, 235/45 R18 tyres,
Park Distance Control (Front & Rear) with Maneuver Braking, automatic rain sensing wipers, Rear view camera with multi-angle view and dynamic guidance line
Safety features: 6 airbags, Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with Brake Assist (BA) and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD),Anti-skid Regulator (ASR), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Driver Alert System
(Rest Assist), Engine Drag Torque Control (EDTC), Engine Drag Torque Control (EDTC), Hill Hold Control (HHC), Intelligent Crash Response System (ICRS), ISOFIX child seat anchoring system with top
tether, Proactive passenger protection system, Rear Traffic Alert, Safety-optimised front head restraints, Side Assist lane change system, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
Price (OTR without insurance): RM189,012
Aftersales support: 5 years unlimited mileage warranty, 3 years free maintenance, 5 years roadside assist; 15,000km service schedule


MINI is giving its top sellers a fresh look and new tech

                FRANKFURT: The next big innovation is still a long time coming for MINIs, but the retro runabouts are trying to keep their look fresh with a facelift for the three- and five-door models, as well as the convertible.

The modern take on a cult classic won't be getting any new horsepower options, and engines are staying the same. Instead, the BMW subsidiary says it's focusing on updating the design, while expanding equipment and modernising the displays and assistance systems.

According to MINI, the new models can be recognised by a retouched front, a modified rear apron and LED lights all around that will be standard in future. The trademark British flag on the rear lights is now also standard.

For the non-convertible models, a so-called multitone roof can now be ordered, in which different colours blend into each other.

Inside, according to MINI, there are new steering wheels, which can now also be heated, and a modernised cockpit with a large digital display from the electric version. For the first time there's also the option of an electric parking brake and fancy ambient lighting.

MINI has also improved the assistance systems and are now offering automatic stop-and-go traffic and lane warning assistants.

Under the bonnet, choices remain unchanged with the three- and four-cylinder petrol engines still bringing a range of 75 to 231 horsepower. There's also an electric MINI, which is only available as a three-door model with 184hp and a range of up to 234km.


John Cena’s wild ride: All the secrets of the insane cars of 'F9'

Vin Diesel returns as Dom Toretto. — All photos by Universal Pictures
LOS ANGELES: Imagine ordering a limousine pickup at the airport and John Cena shows up as your driver. It’s something a number of real people got to experience before Cena was famous, when he worked as a limo driver. But a lift from the man who would become the most decorated professional wrestler of all time was … not as thrilling as it sounds.

“I was not a good limo driver—on my first pickup, I was three hours late,” the WWE superstar said recently on a video call in Los Angeles. Just out of high school and living in Massachusetts at the time, Cena had “never travelled” and was unfamiliar with the routes wanted by the client waiting at Boston Logan International Airport.

“I was just taking the wrong road over and over and over again,” he said. “This was 1995, so there were no mobile phones, so I couldn’t call anybody and go, ‘Yo, I’m lost.’ I was just late.”

His stint at the limo company ended in four months. But Cena has improved his lot rather considerably since.

When Fast and Furious 9 debuts in theaters nationwide on June 25, the 44-year-old actor and entertainer will join the US$5 billion franchise as Jakob Toretto, the long-lost brother and current arch-rival of Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel). Where wrestling fans are used to Cena being the good guy, Jakob Toretto holds a grudge … and then some.

“Sometimes we are estranged from our family for such a long time over the smallest and insignificant things, just because we have a different perspective,” Cena says, hinting at the potentially lethal antics of his petulant character.

 Cena with Lin.

The series, known for its wild car chases, video game-style fight scenes, and over-the-top stunts, sees the return of director Justin Lin, who oversaw chapters three through six of the series and effectively translated it into a global blockbuster.

This time, the story finds Diesel and his team—Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Tej (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges), Mia (Jordana Brewster), and Han (Sung Kang)—hurtle around the globe from London to Tokyo and from Central America to Edinburgh, Azerbaijan, and even outer space.

The chase begins after they discover that the plane carrying a Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell) has gone down in the Central American jungle with the villain Cipher (Charlize Theron). Cipher, fans will recall, first appeared in 2017’s The Fate of the Furious, while Mr. Nobody first appeared in 2015’s Furious 7. Then Jakob gets involved, hunting an object that Diesel and his team must ensure he never obtains.

As usual, the hijinks commence in explosive, vehicular style. There’s Dom Toretto’s US$1 million custom-built Dodge Charger and the modified blue 2016 Ford Mustang GT350 V8 that Jakob Toretto drives through the streets of Downtown L.A. like an escaping convict.

According to F9 vehicle supervisor and longtime Fast and Furious visionary Dennis McCarthy, the Dodge vs. Ford tension was meant to mirror the brothers’ own family rift.

“Over the years, the cast cars have developed along with each character and have become extensions of who they are,” McCarthy says. “With each new chapter, my objective is to sync the cars with the cast. The goal is always for the audience to instantly know which car is for which character.”

When the gang decamps to Europe, Letty drives a 1969 Chevrolet Nova. (She’s even better on the Yamaha YZ250F and Harley-Davidson Iron motorcycles.) Han (yes, he’s back) drives an orange-and-black Toyota Supra reminiscent of his Mazda RX-7 from Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift.

Meanwhile, Tej drives a modified Jeep Gladiator and Roman drives Honda NSX and Marauder military vehicle—and they both get inside a humbler car, too: a 1984 Pontiac Fiero. It just so happens that the American-made rustbucket has rocket engines tied on top, which come in handy for that segment in outer space.

 The Pontiac Fiero is a mid-engine, two-seater sports car that was built by General Motors from 1983 to 1988. This one also happens to have a rocket attached.

The scenes in that car proved to be the most challenging ones to shoot, Bridges says during a video interview on June 11.

“Man, shooting that space scene was extremely uncomfortable,” Bridges says. “We had layers of clothes on. We were hot as hell. We were suspended by these harnesses we had on, just suspended in air.”

(Bridges, by the way, is an avowed believer in extraterrestrials, especially after the latest declassified government reports: “I definitely believe in aliens,” he says with a laugh. “There are more galaxies than there are pieces of sand on a beach, so you have to believe in other life forms out there, you know. It’s just dependent on when we are able to encounter them, for sure.”)

The best eye candy for car lovers comes midway through the film, just outside an exclusive party that the elusive Queenie Shaw (Helen Mirren) haunts.

They’re all parked, as if in real life, along the streets of London’s posh Mayfair neighbourhood near the high-end jeweler Boodles: a Bugatti Veyron, a Bentley Continental GT, a Rolls-Royce Wraith, an Aston Martin Rapide, a Morgan Aero 8, and a Mercedes SLR McLaren.

All told, those cars alone—plus the extremely rare and built-by-hand British supercar Noble M600 that Queenie cops for a getaway joy ride—are worth more than US$3.8 million.

Queenie drives Dom to a party was which the Mayfair group is improbably upstaged.

Heaving with beautiful women, the event is thrown by billionaire enfant terrible Otto (Thue Ersted Rasmussen) at his home on the manicured and sprawling grounds of Hatfield House, a Jacobean estate located outside London.

Here, McCarthy’s genius reaches new heights as he invited more than a dozen private car collectors to show off their own prizes in the scene.

On display are a TVR Sagaris, a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, a Lexus LFA, a Lotus Evora, a Mercedes AMG GT R, a Lamborghini Countach Anniversary Edition, a McLaren 720S, a Ferrari La Ferrari, and an Apollo Intensa Emozione.

For Bridges, who has purchased a car from every Fast and Furious film set for his own collection—starting with the Louis Vuitton-wrapped Dodge Ram pickup in 2003—this was a drool-inducing smorgasbord of automotive excellence.

“Being able to see such a plethora and so many different cars all within one setting, as opposed to me having to search for these cars myself, is a blessing within itself,” he says.

The Apollo alone would stop traffic if seen on a California highway. With a starting price of US$2.7 million and a top speed of 335kph, only 10 were built. Such pricing wouldn’t pose a problem for the Atlanta-based artist—but something far more mundane and considerably more practical made him hesitate to snag that, or anything else, from the F9 installment.

“We shot all those cars in Scotland and England,” he says with a chuckle. “I didn’t want to have any issues driving with the steering wheel on the other side in the States.”


China's CATL aims for 800km range with battery built into EV chassis

                WUHAN: China’s CATL, a Tesla supplier, said today it is working on a new technology that will allow battery cells to be integrated with an electric car’s chassis, shedding traditional casings that make battery systems bulky.

Integrating cells directly into an electric vehicle’s (EV) frame will allow more cells to be loaded into a car and extend its range — a key concern for customers.

With the new technology, EVs could have a driving range of over 800km, CATL chairman Zeng Yuqun said at an industry conference here today. The Ningde-based company aims to launch the technology before 2030.

Zeng did not say whether CATL was already working with any automaker to implement this new design.

China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) supplies lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries to Tesla Inc and recently signed a partnership with Japan’s Honda Motor. It also supplies Volkswagen AG and Daimler AG.

A technology such as this will allow EV battery makers to participate in vehicle design from an earlier stage. Automakers currently tend to source battery modules from battery makers and equip them to fit a car’s mechanical design.

Zeng, who expects Europe’s EV market to surpass China’s this year because China cut subsidies, said CATL is exploring new businesses including the recycling of batteries and energy storage.

On Tuesday, CATL said in a filing that it plans to invest around 19 billion yuan (RM11.5bil) to secure key resources and accelerate global expansion. It did not disclose details of the investments.


VW boss expects tight race with Tesla for e-car crown by 2025

                FRANKFURT: Volkswagen faces a tough road ahead to reach its self-imposed target of becoming the world's largest seller of electric vehicles by 2025, its chief executive said today, admitting rival Tesla was stronger than expected.

"It will be a tight race but we won't give up on it," Herbert Diess said at the FT Future of the Car 2022 conference.

"I have to say we didn't expect our main US competitor to be so fast and well-prepared," he added.

Diess was heavily criticised last year for regularly benchmarking Volkswagen against Tesla and singling out the company's agility and speed to put pressure on the German carmaker's established structures.

Tesla this year opened its first European gigafactory near Berlin, challenging Volkswagen as well as peers BMW and Mercedes-Benz on their home turf, while Diess said he expected Tesla's ramp-up to be challenging.

Diess said he still saw a chance that Volkswagen could manage to overtake Tesla and become the world's No.1 by 2025, pointing to its bigger product offering covering luxury and premium cars as well as volume brands.

Turning to the US market, where Volkswagen aims to more than double its market share to 10%, Diess said this would require an additional plant as well as local battery production, but dismissed the move was due to being over-exposed to China.


2018 Geneva Motor Show: Top cars to watch out for

                GENEVA: The Geneva International Motor Show in Switzerland — which opens to the public March 8-18, 2018 — will once again see a host of global premieres, from sedans and SUVs to supercars and all kinds of concepts.

The show's most eagerly awaited global premieres include the Jaguar I-Pace, the brand's first fully electric SUV, promising a range of almost 500km per charge. Lamborghini will also make a splash in Geneva, presenting its Urus SUV to the public for the first time. Lexus will unveil the UX, and Hyundai won't go unnoticed with its Kona Electric SUV and Nexo hydrogen crossover.

 Lexus UX.

BMW will be presenting its new BMW X4 at the Swiss show, as well as the restyled i8 and its Roadster version. Other new-gen versions of star models heading to the show include the new Audi A6, Jeep Wrangler, Kia Ceed, Mercedes A Class, Toyota Auris and Volvo V60. Honda will reveal its European version of the CR-V hybrid SUV and Bentley will showcase a hybrid rechargeable version of its Bentayga.

As for French manufacturers, the main attraction will be Renault's new EZ-GO concept-car, representing its vision of shared urban mobility, as well as the Alpine A110 Pure and Legende versions of the sports car. PSA will reveal its new Peugeot 508, as well as the Peugeot Rifter leisure activity vehicle and its cousin the Citroen Berlingo.

Over the years, the Geneva Motor Show has become an unmissable event for supercar fans. This year will be no exception, with various models expected, such as the Ferrari 488 Pista with its 720hp V8 biturbo engine.

Revealed at the end of 2017, the McLaren Senna (paying homage to the Brazilian driver, triple F1 world champion with McLaren) is expected to go on public display with an exceptional visual carbon fiber exterior. Lamborghini could unveil a Spyder version of its Huracan Performante and Porsche may present a restyled 911 GT3 RS.

Curiosities include Croatian car-maker Rimac's new supercar, and the mysterious "Missile" by Corbellati, billed as the world's fastest hypercar with its 1,800HP V8 biturbo engine and a top speed of almost 500km/h!

Finally, manufacturers will also be showcasing their visions of the future with various concept cars, including the Skoda Vision X, a compact urban hybrid SUV powered by a combination of compressed natural gas (CNG), petrol and electric.

Toyota is expected show off a sporty concept as a forerunner to the Supra's comeback, while BMW may well bring its M8 Gran Coupe concept. Finally, Volkswagen will unveil the I.D. Vizzion, a high-end electric sedan with self-driving technology and voice controls, as part of its range of futuristic "zero-emission" cars.

 Alpine A110 Pure (left) and Legende. VW I.D. Vizzion. BMW X4.


Perodua introduces Bezza GXtra 1.0 variant

                SERDANG: Perodua has launched the 1.0 litre Bezza GXtra sedan, priced at RM35,500 (manual transmission) and RM37,500 (automatic transmission), which replaces the 1.0 Standard G in the Bezza sedan range.

The Bezza GXtra features side skirts and chrome outside door handles. It also comes in a new colour, Ocean Blue, which was previously reserved for the 1.3 litre Bezza. It also features Bluetooth connectivity in its audio system.

“The Bezza GXtra represents the next step in the model’s lifespan. By providing a trim specification comparable to the 1.3 Premium X Bezza, we are offering more value for money within the Bezza range than ever,” said Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh.

The Bezza GXtra is powered by a 1.0-litre engine with VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing - Intelligent) with either a five speed manual or four speed automatic transmission. The headlining fuel efficiency carries over – 22.8 km/l for the manual and 21.3 km/l for the automatic.

The Bezza GXtra is now open for booking.

The launch of the Bezza GXtra by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak took place at the April 26-29 Malaysia Autoshow 2018 at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang.


Shanghai to help Tesla resume production amid coronavirus spread

Tesla production in Shanghai would restart on Feb 10 and that but car deliveries would be temporarily delayed. — AFP
SHANGHAI: Tesla’s factory in China’s financial hub of Shanghai will resume production on Feb 10 with assistance to help it cope with a spreading epidemic of coronavirus, a Shanghai government official said on Saturday.

Many factories across China shut in late January for the Lunar New Year holiday that was originally due to end on Jan 30 but which was extended in a bid to contain the spread of the new flu-like virus that has killed more than 700 people.

Tesla warned on Jan 30 that it would see a 1-1.5 week delay in the ramp-up of Shanghai-built Model 3 cars as a result of the epidemic, which has severely disrupted communications and supply chains across China.

Tesla Vice President Tao Lin said this week that production would restart on Feb 10 and that car deliveries from the plant would be temporarily delayed.

“In view of the practical difficulties key manufacturing firms including Tesla have faced in resuming production, we will coordinate to make all efforts to help companies resume production as soon as possible,” Shanghai municipal government spokesman Xu Wei said.

The US$2 billion Shanghai factory is Tesla’s first outside the United States and was built with support from local authorities. It started production in October and began deliveries last month.

The Shanghai government also said on Saturday it would ask banks to extend loans with preferential rates to small companies and exempt firms in hard-hit sectors like hospitality from value-added tax, among other measures to prop up businesses during the epidemic.

Such aid would also apply to foreign companies.


First drive impressions of new S-Class in Canada

Completed in 1976, the CN Tower in downtown Toronto held the record as the world’s tallest free standing structure for 34 years before losing the title to Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.

Nevertheless, the 553m tower is a recognisable part of the city skyline, and gets lit up by superbright LED lights where the colours can be changed to liven the mood at night.

While replacing the tower’s conventional bulbs with LEDs did result in a more colourful nightscene, the original intention was to make CN Tower more energy efficient.

Incidentally, the iconic landmark also became the backdrop for our test drive of the latest Mercedes-Benz S-Class which shares a similar affinity for LEDs.

In fact, the new S-Class, also known as the W222, is the world’s first car that is fully lit by LEDs - some 500 of them.

From headlights to room lights and tail lights, illumination is all by LEDs, an energy saving feature that Mercedes-Benz is proud of.

The German car maker says the LED low-beam headlamps of the S-Class only require 34 watts to produce the same light output compared against 120 watts by the halogen bulb type, and this translates into savings of 0.05-litre of fuel per 100km.

Though the savings might not be significant for a S-Class owner, it underscores the seriousness of Mercedes-Benz in making their vehicles as efficient as possible.

That’s just the start of things anew with the W222.

From a look, you will know this is a S-Class as it shares a similar large sedan styling and silhouette with the outgoing S-Class model W221.

The new model is sleeker and refined in appearance, getting a steeply raked windscreen and more upright radiator grille.

It also loses the flared wheel arches of its predecessor for a leaner look.

Aside from being larger and more spacious, the long wheelbase W222 does not get heavier, weighing in around two-tonnes like the W221, thanks to increased usage of aluminium.

Extensive wind tunnel testing has enabled the W222 to get a segment-leading low drag co-efficient of 0.24, a figure that can put many supposedly “aerodynamic” hybrid cars to shame.

Inside, the W222 easily impressed with its lavish offering of Nappa leather and polished wood trimming.

Its dashboard is even more hi-tech now, featuring two 12.3-inch TFT displays, with the one in front of the driver acting as the instrument panel with virtual dials and gauges, while the other centrally located unit provides viewing on infotainment, satellite navigation and other vehicle set ups.

The second display can also give an all-round 360-degree view of the S-Class.
The CN Tower.
Rear leg room is abundant and the Executive Seat (the one behind the front passenger) can be reclined by up to 43.5 degrees for maximum comfort.

Before driving off from the Four Seasons Hotel to Muskoka Airport, Mercedes-Benz officials had made it clear that the speed limit for motorways was 100kph and there were reported speed traps along our 180km route.

Keeping the car within the 100kph limit, the S 500’s planted and quiet ride made us feel like the car was running at half the actual speed.

Other Canadian road users whom we suspect were more knowledgable with the whereabouts of speed trap locations were much harder on the accelerator pedal and easily zoomed past us.

The glimpse of a Canadian Ford Crown Victoria patrol car stopped on the roadside as its enforcement officer summoned a speedster made us postpone our intention to go harder on the accelerator until we were much further away.

It was only much later on clear trunk roads that we decided to unleash the turbocharged 4.7-litre V8 engine with 455bhp.

Power surged strongly but smoothly with hardly any lag.

Accompanying the speed build-up was a pleasant engine purr which does not seem to disrupt the cabin serenity.

A 0-100kph sprint can be done in 4.8 seconds (vs 5.4 seconds in the S 500 W221), a rare feat for a large vehicle and is edging into high performance sports car territory.

It even promises 20% lower fuel consumption despite the increased oomph.

Mercedes-Benz touts the “Intelligent Drive” package, that uses a combination of cameras, radar and ultrasonic sensors to detect obstacles and hazards, as making the S-Class more pleasurable and safer to drive.

New is the automatic braking system that detects pedestrians and vehicles in front and applies the brakes should the driver fails to do his bit.

Even if the driver had not applied enough brake pressure to bring the car to a full halt, the S-Class can complete the job for him.

Other systems include the Distronic Plus with Stop&Go Pilot smart cruise control that allows the S 500 to be driven at a safe distance from the vehicle ahead during automatic cruise mode and the Steering Assist which keeps the car moving at the centre of the lane.

Steering Assist can even turn the electromechanical steering wheel for the driver on gentle curves.

Also equally sophisticated are the Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus that does not dazzle oncoming vehicles by blocking a portion of the high beam towards them, and the Night View Assist Plus night vision camera which allows the driver quickly to spot pedestrians and animals on unlit roads.

The rear seats get enhanced safety through the innovative “belt airbags” that expands during a vehicle collision to reduce stress on the wearers’ chests.

But the highlight of the S 500 has to be its optional “Magic Body Control” hydraulic suspension system that scans the road ahead for bumps and adjusts the suspension to respond accordingly.

The W222 comes with an enhanced version of the Airmatic air suspension system as standard.

Testing out the Magic Body Control over a series of speed bumps at the Muskoka Airport, we felt slight thuds with the system switched off.

With the system turned on, we went over the same bumps again and were impressed that the impacts felt were reduced to almost non-existent.

Other luxury features in our car included Burmester Surround Sound, on-board perfuming system, ventilated seats with massagers, Linguatronic voice control and automatic parking.

At the end of the drive, we seemed to have spent all our time with the S 500, leaving little time for the other variants - the S 400 Hybrid and the S 350 BlueTec diesel.

As the flagship of Mercedes-Benz, every new S-Class generation has to make technological leaps over the previous in order to stay ahead in the ruthless luxury car game.

Not everyone can afford an S-Class but no worries. Expect some of these innovations to make their way into entry-level Mercedes-Benz models.

The new S-Class will arrive here soon with prices and specifications to be announced by Mercedes-Benz Malaysia.


Auto makers seeking to design the motion-sickness-proof car

                COLOGNE: It hits some people the moment the car pulls out of the driveway. Others feel it only when they start to read in the car.

Travel sickness can affect one to two thirds of all people with children between the ages of six and twelve being more susceptible than adults.

Car engineers say the solution lies somewhere between the design of the car's underbody and the ideal driving style.

According to chassis specialist Ludger Dragon at Mercedes-Benz, travel sickness often occurs when the chassis creates low frequencies of around 0.3 hertz.

"We therefore set the natural frequency of all our suspensions between 1 and 1.5 Hertz, which prevents motion sickness in advance," the expert says.

At a natural frequency of 1 hertz, the car cushions very comfortably, whereas at 1.5 hertz it feels more taut.

"The suspension needs to be adjusted to prevent the car from shaking too much, which is unpleasant for passengers," Dragon says. Even after driving over a big bump, the car should shake just once.

Meanwhile at auto supplier ZF, engineer Florian Dauth and his colleagues are researching prevention as well as automated countermeasurements.

Programming a smooth autonomous ride

Thinking ahead to a time when autonomous driving will give passengers more time for reading, working and watching TV during the ride, Dauth says the need to counteract car sickness will become even more important for self-driving cars.

"New systems using artificial intelligence will analyse driving maneuvers that cause symptoms of motion sickness in the passenger in order to adjust the subsequent driving technique," he says.

In order for a car to be able to drive on its own in a way that prevents motion sickness, the car needs to learn a certain driving style.

This means the car needs to be able to adjust things like steering and braking style, as well as springs and dampers during the ride, to improve the passenger's well-being.

What you feel vs what you see

Travel sickness occurs when the information coming from the equilibrium organ, located in the inner ear, does not match the visual information received by the eye. In the car, this often happens when passengers are reading during the ride.

"The body senses something different from what the eye sees," says Professor Daniel Strauss a neuropsychologist reasearching how brains work during car rides.

"It cannot classify the information it receives and reacts similar to when the body is poisoned: nausea, cold sweat and a rapid pulse can occur."

Motion sickness only slightly depends on speed, according to neurologist Hubertus Axer. Abrupt changes in direction, such as those that occur on mountain routes, have a greater impact.

If you don't want to wait for autonomous driving to be perfected, which analysts say could take until 2040, Axer recommends looking straight ahead - never a bad idea in a car.


Perodua's 1H22 sales leaps by 30% to 127,000 units year-on-year

                RAWANG: For the first six months of this year, Perodua sold 127,343 vehicles which is a 30% jump from 97,290 units sold from January to June 2021 on the back of strong demand for vehicles in the first half of 2022 due to the sales tax exemption deadline.

Of the 127,343 units registered, the Perodua Myvi is still the most popular model with 38,039 units registered followed by the Axia with 29,183 units and the Bezza at 28,719 units.

Despite this, the Bezza has been gaining popularity as it is the most sought after model at the moment.

Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad said the there was significant rush in vehicle booking especially when the government extended the registration period to March 31.

“Speaking of the sales tax exemption; on the last day of the initiative, Perodua saw the highest single booking day on June 30 with 25,100 vehicles orders taken.

“This is unprecedented and a testament to the growth potential of Malaysia’s automotive industry given the right incentive.

“We sincerely thank the government for extending the delivery deadline to March 31 next year as we needed that grace period to meet the demand so far,” he said.

Aside from the sales tax exemption initiative that ended on June 30, the other key factor contributing to this performance was the low registration of vehicles in June last year due to the second lockdown to reduce Covid-19 infection cases.

As comparison, Perodua only registered 1,009 units in June last year, while the company sold 21,164 units in June this year.

On a month-to-month comparison, Perodua’s sales performance increased by 10.7% from 18,901 units registered in May.

Zainal Abidin said that the increase in registration in June was also due to better parts supply comparatively to the month of May.

However, he also said issues such as skilled labour and parts shortages are still present and ask for understanding from customers in terms of delivery.

“We sincerely apologise for the long wait and are doing everything in our power to further improve production for the benefit of our customers,” he said.

Zainal Abidin said these steps include working closely with our suppliers and in some cases provide Perodua staff to work at their premises to ensure that parts supply continue to flow.

“That being said, we hope that the manpower issue can be resolved quickly as the impact to the industry and to some extent the country is significant,” he said.

He also said continuous communication with its suppliers and partners are ongoing to find alternative components to ease parts shortage.

He added that despite these issues, Perodua is still maintaining its full year sales target of 247,800 units.


Grab a Volkswagen Beetle while you can

                KUALA LUMPUR: As the world bids farewell to the Volkswagen Beetle this year, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has unveiled an homage to the Bug with the Collector’s Edition Beetle priced at RM164,390 (on-the-road without insurance).

With only 75 units available, the Collector’s Edition Beetle is  available in Blue Silk, Pure White, Habanero Orange and Tornado Red.

The Collector’s Edition comes decked out with a list of accessories worth up to RM12,000, including a rear spoiler, decorative film, chrome exhaust tips, aluminium sports pedals, scuff plates, VW Tint and an emblem marking its production run.

All 75 owners will additionally receive an official Collector’s Edition certificate of ownership. Owning a Collector’s Edition Beetle is akin to owning a piece of history, as it is the last special edition Beetle to be offered in Malaysia.

READ MORE: Bye, bye Beetle Winter with the Collector’s Edition Beetle.

VPCM managing director Erik Winter said that the Collector’s Edition Beetle is a celebration of the amazing run the Beetle has had.

“All good things must come to an end, and it is the same with this global bestseller. The Beetle has enjoyed a rich history - in Malaysia it is one that dates to when it was assembled in Shah Alam in 1968. In fact, most Malaysians grew up with a connection to the much-loved car.

“No other car has sparked such a cult following and defined generations the way the Beetle has. This is the end of an era, so it is only right that we celebrate the life and times of the Beetle with something truly special that is the Collector’s Edition.”

Cult object and design icon, the award-winning Beetle has captured the hearts and minds of the people in its 80 years of production. Designed by Ferdinand Porsche in 1938, over 21.5 million units have been sold globally, making it one of the best-selling cars of the 20th century.

After three generations, Volkswagen announced that it will cease production of the Beetle. With the original Beetle, the lifespan of this iconic model stretched to 80 years to the time of the infamous Adolf Hitler.

The launch of the Collector’s Edition Beetle is part of Volkswagen’s Bye Bye Beetle campaign, which culminates with The Iconic Gathering happening on the July 13, 2019 in Putrajaya.

Here, Volkswagen will be attempting to break the current Malaysia record of the largest Beetle gathered at one location during the event and is calling out to all owners of the classic and current Beetle to join in the effort.

All Volkswagen models, including the Beetle, come with 3 years free maintenance, 5 years unlimited mileage warranty and 5 years roadside assistance.


More BMW models priced lower as Malaysian ops gear up as regional export hub

                CYBERJAYA: BMW Group Malaysia plans to increase its annual production capacity by 2,000 to 3,000 units by 2018 from the existing 8,000 units.

BMW head of corporate communications, Sashi Ambi, said the move was designed to cater to the group’s export expansion to Vietnam and the Philippines via Malaysia in the next two years.

“This is still very early. It will depend on market conditions but we will definitely have to increase our production if we want to export,” he told reporters when announcing the group’s initiatives in Cyberjaya today.

Sashi said as part of the initiatives, BMW would reduce prices of exisiting models and introduce new models.

Earlier today, the locally assembled X1 and X4 were unveiled.

Both models, which will be produced at the Kulim Hi-Tech Park, are expected to be in the market in the second half of 2016.

Meanwhile, BMW Group Malaysia managing director and chief executive officer Han Sang Yun said Malaysia would become an export hub for the BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series and BMW 7 Series variants to Vietnam and the Philippines.

“We are pleased to be able to raise our competency here to assemble and export these premium vehicles to emerging markets in the region and grow our capabilities in the Asean region,” he said.

The group will also be lowering the prices of the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, BMW X3 and BMW 5 Series variants by up to nine per cent with immediate effect as the variants have received customised Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV) status incentives.

Earlier this year, BMW lowered prices for the BMW 1 series and BMW 3 series by up to 8.0 per cent after the vehicles received customised EEV status incentives.

The group is also optimistic of surpassing last year’s sales of 9,350 units across its BMW, MINI and motorcycle variants.