Audi e-tron all-electric luxury SUV set to hit US showrooms in May

                The 2019 Audi e-tron – the first fully electric model from the German brand, is set to arrive in the US next month (May).

Audi's mid-size luxury electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) - e-Tron, is said to have a range of up to 330km, which has been estimated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The cabin is touted to be spacious for five and have enough space left over for items of luggage too as occupants enjoy the large panoramic sunroof above.

With the rear seats folded down, cargo space gets expanded to 1,614 litres, while the front trunk houses the standard-equipped Level 2 charging system.

Similar in size to the Audi Q8, the e-tron is capable of towing up to 1,814kg when equipped with an available towing package and features standard air suspension and roof rails.

For the US market, the EV SUV features standard heated/cooled seats, 360-degree camera view, distinctive badging and all-new ergonomically designed shifter, in addition to the optional massaging seats, night vision assistant and a full suite of standard and available driver assistance systems.

New standard-equipped electric quattro all-wheel-drive system will help provide that signature Audi-like control and confidence in a variety of driving conditions.

With an electric motor placed on both axles, power is uniquely distributed to provide instant torque, power and probably gratification too.

The German carmaker says that buyers of premium vehicles drive a daily average of about 50km and with the EPA's estimated range of 330km – it will be well and truly usable.

The EV SUV can charge at a class-leading 150kW at high-speed public chargers – resulting in the fastest charging speed of any electric SUV.

Charging at this rate for 10 minutes results in an estimated range of up to 87km while extending the charge time to 30 minutes means an estimated range of up to 264km can be achieved.

A 95kWh lithium-ion battery is used power the vehicle and is positioned low in the vehicle while being encased within a protective honeycomb structure.

It has been specifically designed and engineered to utilize 88% of the battery's capacity to ensure longevity, repeatable performance and peak charging power for longer amounts of time during the charge cycle.

A revolutionary cooling system separates the battery modules from cooling fluid to maintain optimal efficiency and enhance performance for the long-term.

The e-tron provides 355hp, and with Boost Mode engaged which unlocks the full output of the vehicle, power is increased 402hp to allow it to go from 0 to 100kpbh in 5.7 seconds.

Unique to the e-tron is its Multi-Media Interface (MMI) touch response system that features a detailed map displaying where drivers can travel on the vehicle’s current charge.

For longer trips, the MMI system can suggest charging stations along the route, noting the anticipated charge level upon arrival, resulting in increased range tranquillity.

Drivers can select the e-tron-specific virtual cockpit display, providing detailed charging, battery, route and infotainment information in the driver’s line of sight directly behind the steering wheel.

Amazon's Alexa has been fully integrated into the e-tron, and, when combined with an active Audi connect PRIME subscription, this enables for a virtually seamless access to news, information, music, audiobooks and control of Alexa-enabled devices directly from the steering wheel.

The e-tron enables pioneering vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology including Traffic Light Information (TLI) and Green Light Optimized Speed Advisory (GLOSA) where available and is the first Audi model to feature standard Toll Module Integration, eliminating the need for state-specifics transponders.

With an EPA-estimated range of 204 miles and a robust network of support, the e-tron makes going electric easy

With an understanding that more than 80% of charging takes place at home, Audi and Amazon Home Services collaborated to provide in-home installation of a Level 2 charging system, comprised of a 240 volt, NEMA 14-50 outlet to enable the e-tron to be completely charged in approximately nine hours.

By the end of 2019, the Electrify America network is expected to deploy nearly 2,000 chargers across 500 fast-charging sites throughout 42 states and within 17 metropolitan areas.

Offering advanced charging, Electrify America’s chargers can deliver up to 350kW to capable vehicles.

Audi e-tron owners receive 1,000kWh of charging – the equivalent of approximately 3,240km of range – from Audi at no additional cost for use at Electrify America fast-charging stations within the first four years of ownership.

A complimentary suite of e-tron support services ensures confidence in going electric – including dedicated Audi electric vehicle customer service, robust roadside assistance and the all-new myAudi app for vehicle and charging station information.


Rivian CEO eyes smaller electric vehicles for China and Europe

                DETROIT: Electric vehicle startup Rivian, which is backed by Amazon and Ford Motor Co, on Wednesday said it plans to follow up its first two products, a full-size pickup and SUV, with smaller models targeted at China and Europe where it may eventually build some vehicles.

While Rivian plans to begin selling the SUV in Europe in 2022 and China soon after, “what will really drive volume in those markets is the follow-on products” that are smaller and tailored for overseas customers, said Rivian founder and chief executive R.J. Scaringe.

The smaller models, which are expected to share key components with the pickup and SUV, will “fit some of those other markets really well, in particular China,” Scaringe said.

“To really scale in those markets as we bring on follow-on products, having a production footprint outside the US is going to be important,” he said. “That’s a ways off.”

Scaringe added: “We wouldn’t be serious about building a car company if we weren’t thinking about China and Europe as important markets long term.”

The company’s first plant in Normal, Illinois, has begun pilot production ahead of next year’s launch of three models - the R1T pickup and R1S SUV, which Scaringe described as “halo products” for Rivian, and a large electric delivery van for Amazon.

Speaking from a room overlooking the assembly line, Scaringe said the former Mitsubishi Motors plant reflects an unusual degree of vertical integration, with room for building motors and battery packs for the vehicles and for further expansion.

The Amazon delivery van is built on a version of the same platform, or basic underpinnings, used by the R1T and R1S.

Rivian has said deliveries of the pickup would start in June 2021, while those of the SUV would begin in August. Launch editions of the vehicles are priced at US$75,000 and US$77,500, respectively, with a 480km driving range for both.

The electric pickup market will soon be crowded as Ford, General Motors Co and Tesla Inc, as well as several other startups, are developing similar models. Numerous automakers also are rolling out electric SUVs.

In July, Rivian, founded in 2009, boosted its war chest with a US$2.5-billion investment round led by T. Rowe Price, raising total investment in the startup to US$6 billion.

Investors include Soros Fund Management, Fidelity and BlackRock, as well as Saudi auto distributor Abdul Latif Jameel Co.

Amazon, which has relationships and deals across the auto industry, led a US$700 million investment round in Rivian last year.

The e-commerce company also ordered 100,000 electric vans from Rivian. The first Amazon vehicles go into production in Normal in late 2021, with all deliveries to be completed by 2024.

Scaringe said Rivian has begun setting up service centres and will deploy mobile units to handle maintenance and repair work on Amazon’s vans, as well as Rivian vehicles for retail customers.


Proton gunning for profit in 2019

                PETALING JAYA: Soon after Dr Li Chunrong (pic) took up the challenging job as chief executive officer of Proton Holdings Bhd in October 2017 to rescue the then ailing car company, about 90% of car dealers were up in arms against him.

Dr Li was sent by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group to Kuala Lumpur after the latter purchased a 49.9% stake in Malaysia’s national car company, which was looking for a foreign strategic partner after incurring huge losses and piling up debts for years.

“I did not realise the scope of the challenges facing me. But after accepting the appointment, I tackled one issue after another systematically,” Dr Li, 56, recalls in an exclusive interview with Sunday Star.

There was hue and cry over his directive to car dealers to upgrade their sales-only centres to bigger 3S and 4S centres to provide sales, service and repair services under one roof. Some even brought their complaints to the authorities.

But now, in the words of Dr Li, “95% of the dealers agree with me now” after they saw business improving and profitability.

The auto veteran, with over 30 years of industry experience behind him, also faced protests from Proton car parts suppliers when he set the target for them to cut prices by 30% to reflect international market levels.

“I was a controversial figure when I first came. I told our dealers: ‘If your showroom is small and dirty and you don’t provide service, value customers won’t go to you.’ Now we have finished almost all the upgrades and our dealers are getting more sales,” says Dr Li, who is known to call a spade a spade.

Dealers were convinced after visiting Geely and Volvo’s posh showrooms in China.

In his first-ever interview granted to a local mainstream media organisation, Dr Li claims that people in Proton are now “happy” with him.

These people include the key investors (Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary of DRB-Hicom and Geely chairman Li Shufu), managers, dealers, suppliers and the union leaders.

Under Dr Li’s no-nonsense and fast-paced leadership, Proton has seen bold management revamp, major cost cutting, launch of new products, stringent quality, as well as entry of foreign talents with special expertise.

The bottom line speaks loudly. Sales are up following the launch of sports utility vehicle Proton SUV X70 in December. In the first two months of this year, sales rose 42% year on year to 12,300 units (which includes exports). Market share has also risen.

The market is full of praise and excitement for the X70, a new product jointly developed by engineers of Proton and Geely.

The personal target of the neat-looking leader is to sell 90,000 units this year, up 39% from 64,744 last year. Car enthusiasts have reported seeing updated car models and even a new smaller SUV model being tested on the road.

Financially, Proton is expected to break-even this year. Dr Li declares with confidence in Mandarin before repeating in English: “We are working hard to turn around Proton this year at the earliest. It must see profits in 2020.”

Before coming to Malaysia, he had rescued an ailing auto firm and established an auto company from scratch in China. In addition, Geely is known to have turned around Volvo after taking over the Swedish company.

Under the 10-year plan crafted by Dr Li in late 2017, Proton is to achieve profitability within the first three years. It aims to produce 400,000 cars in 2027 and command the biggest market share in Malaysia.

Dr Li says Proton is “on track” to achieve all the internal targets he set up.

In the lively 75-minute interview at Proton’s showroom in Shah Alam, the auto expert shares with Sunday Star the plan for Proton and the strategies he has deployed to restore confidence in Proton.

> In late 2017, Proton came out with a 10-year Master Plan and set various targets. Is it still on?

The plan you have seen may be one of the old versions of our early draft plan. We update our plan from time to time.

What we have not changed in the plan is that we want to be profitable as soon as possible. In 10 years, we want to command the largest market share in Malaysia and become the third biggest car manufacturer in Asean in terms of sales volume.

> What have you achieved so far?

Over the past months, we have focused on seven strategic thrusts to restore confidence and trust in Proton.

The first is on product. An enterprise can only do well if its product is excellent. Our customer survey shows that our image has gone up after the launch of Proton X70. It represents a Proton/Geely product.

This month, we are going to launch updated models of Iriz and Persona at competitive pricing. The improvement is on the exterior and interior, as well as quality.

Improvements are made to more than 300 items. This year, we will also see the production of CKD (completely knocked down) vehicles.

The second thrust of our strategy is on quality. After 12 months of operation, the quality of Proton cars improved by four times based on the Volvo standard.

Five or six years ago, Huawei was not famous. But today, it is famous due to its special and excellent products. Proton will be the same.

Our third thrust is on cost reduction. I set a target for our suppliers to reduce their costs by 30%. If Proton can reduce cost by 30%, why can’t they?

For Proton, we started with logistics. We reduced our regional car parts warehouses to four from 16, to bring down costs by 31%. In terms of savings, it is RM33mil per year.

When I was working in China, there was only one stockyard for Geely. China is bigger than Malaysia. Why do you need 16 here?

For components, we have brought down the cost of buying steel coils and resin by teaming up with Geely in bulk purchase.

As for other components, it is more difficult to cut cost. My target is 30%, but I only managed to cut 10% last year. So for this year, we have to work harder to cut another 20%.

The key problem in Malaysia is: there are not many vendors. Maybe only one for one car component. In China, there are many.

Hence, we need to give our vendors more business to help them make money. This is why we sped up rolling out the X70. We have to speed up product launches to help vendors.

Our fourth strategic thrust is on sales network: we have upgraded most of the sales centres to 3S and 4S sales/service centres. Proton now has 75 upgraded outlets. We aim to have 100 centres this year.

The fifth thrust is to optimise plant capacity. We are working towards moving all our manufacturing operations (scattered in various places) to our factory in Tanjung Malim.

The sixth thrust is on progressive localisation. We will invite our 17 foreign vendors to set up plants in Tanjung Malim via collaborative arrangements. This will bring in investments totalling RM217mil for Malaysia.

The seventh thrust is on talent. Behind every product is people and behind people is culture (team work, work ethics, integrity and attitude towards learning and achievement).

Now we have talents from 13 countries, compared to only one (Malaysia) previously.

On the board of directors (BOD), there are experts from China, the United States, Malaysia and Germany. In the seven-member top management team, we have local talents as well as those from China, Japan and Canada.

Without these talents, we could not have rolled out the X70 and updated the Iriz and Persona models.

READ MORE: Li Chunrong is a man on a mission> Did you encounter unexpected challenges when you first helmed Proton?

Yes, I did. There were different voices within and outside the company, especially outside.

Initially, dealers were totally against the idea to invest in 3S/4S centres. The board asked me: ‘Why are you hiring so many talents from outside and not within?’

As a matter of fact, we did find talents within Proton. We have promoted many staff from within. We have also brought back some previous employees.

But for certain positions that demand specific expertise or capabilities, we need to hire talents from elsewhere.

I think everyone (BOD and management) can understand now. We need talents from outside to get jobs done.

> Your 10-year plan was drafted in 2017. After 17 months, are you changing your plan and strategy?

There is no significant change in the local economy and external environment, so I think there will be no change in our strategy.

The new government is very supportive of carmakers.

> The Prime Minister and Sultan of Johor have test driven the X70. What are their views?

Tun Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) has given the X70 a good rating. He is satisfied with it and posted a photo of it on his social media.

(In his speech during the launch of the X70 on Dec 12, Dr Mahathir said he was impressed with the level of sophistication and technological advances that went into the car)

Dr Mahathir is an expert and a professional. He understands cars. When he did test drives in Geely in China, the way he drove and his speed showed that he is a pro.

We presented him with our improved version of Iriz to get his feedback. He liked it. He particularly likes the rear of the car as it looks more sporty now.

The Sultan of Johor test drove the X70 too. He bought two units from us.

> What is your sales target for 2019?

The more, the merrier. This year, my personal target is to sell 90,000 units. Last year, we sold 64,744 cars.

For the first two months of 2019, sales improved 42% year on year. I think our performance is decent.

Our exports in 2018 totalled 1,388 units. Hopefully, the export number can hit 3,000 this year. We exported mainly to the Middle East last year.

We hope the Malaysian government can lend support to us to export more. There are many ways the government can help. In Thailand, about 50% of its cars produced are exported. For Malaysia, car exports account for only 3% to 5% of total production.

Dr Mahathir has said in several meetings that we should increase exports.

For the benefit of the economy, the government should support us to export more. This will benefit not only Proton, but also car-related industries.

In Malaysia, one in every six persons is involved in the automotive industry. It’s the same for China. If car exports can be increased, this will boost the Malaysian economy.Dr Mahathir was being far-sighted when he said he wanted to increase car exports.

People often ask: can we export to China? China is a big market. I think we should start with neighbouring countries first. Don’t go so far. Go slow and steady. Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh are our potential markets.

> Is there any plan to develop electric cars?

From the experience of China, developing electric cars is very difficult. It needs great support from the government. It is the same for the United States. If only private companies are doing it, it will be very difficult for electric car projects to be successful.

In the current Proton JV, we have the technology for electric vehicles. If Malaysia needs it and we have the support from the government, there would be no problem for us. We have the technology, technical know-how and the products. We can go ahead when there is greenlight and support.

(On July 5, 2017, Volvo announced that all new models would have electric motor from 2019 for future needs).

> Will Geely pump in more money to invest in Proton?

There are two major shareholders in Proton. They have invested RM1.2bil so far.

Further investment will depend on the needs and demands of the market.

> Are you confident that Proton will become a success story under your leadership?

Frankly speaking, I underestimated the situation at Proton. I might have changed my mind about coming here if I had known it would be so difficult. But I am happy now. I enjoy a lot of support from the two shareholders and management.

After 17 months, it is safe to say: things are on track. We are on a better footing now. There has been a smooth transition from a company owned by one boss to a JV with two bosses.

Now, we have a good BOD. The top management is very experienced. The atmosphere in the company is good and harmonious. We have good employees and we have the support of the union too.

Looking at our ability, capacity and performance, we are confident that Proton will be successful. It is best for Proton to turn around this year. If not, it will be next year. We are challenging ourselves for Proton to turn profitable this year. — HO WAH FOON and YIMIE YONG


One minute is all it takes to buy a Model 3 on a smartphone, claims Tesla

                WASHINGTON: Tesla recently said it would close most of its physical stores and switch to selling its cars online. The aim is to achieve a lower Model 3 price of US$35,000 in the US, a measure that will also largely eliminate the possibility of test drives.

The big advantage, said Tesla boss Elon Musk, is that a customer can buy a car in a minute on his smartphone.

"You can now buy a Tesla in North America via your phone in about 1 minute, and that capability will soon be extended worldwide," Musk said in a blog entry, touting the convenience of being able to purchase a car over the Internet.

Musk said it will be easier to return a freshly purchased Tesla. Within a week and with up to 1,600 km on the clock, you can still get the full price back.

Tesla had started deliveries of the Model 3 in 2017 - initially with upgraded, more expensive versions, the price of which could reach around US$70,000. The cheapest version in the US previously cost around US$43,000 dollars (excluding taxes).

In Germany, meanwhile, drivers have for several weeks been able to order Model 3 variants with long-distance battery and all-wheel drive starting at €55,400 and a sportier performance version starting at €66,100.

After Europe and Asia, the cheapest version of the Model 3 will be available in three to six months.

The carmaker said the change to online sales means over the next few months it will close many of its stores. The company has more than 100 across the United States and dozens more in other countries.

Only a small number will remain open in high-traffic locations and will serve as "showcases and Tesla information centres," Tesla said in a blog post by Musk.

Tesla has been promising the price, which is about US$10,000 less than the current price, since it unveiled the mid-size sedan in 2016.


Ssslow down! Sleeping snakes stall Tesla's German gigafactory

The site outside Berlin where the Tesla plant will be built. — dpa
FRANKFURT/BERLIN: Hibernating snakes are complicating Elon Musk’s plans for a gigafactory near Berlin.

A German court has told the US billionaire’s electric vehicle company Tesla to suspend clearing of a forest at the site of the proposed factory after environmentalists said that cutting down more trees could endanger hibernating snakes.

“The Landesumweltamt (state environmental authority) and Tesla will now be consulted, they need to make submissions by this afternoon and then we assess the situation,” a spokesman for the administrative court in Frankfurt an der Oder in eastern Germany said today.

Tesla declined to comment. The Landesumweltamt declined to comment further.

The carmaker announced plans late last year to build its first European factory and design centre in Gruenheide, outside Berlin, with plans to have it up and running by July 1, 2021 to start building its electric crossover, the Model Y sports utility vehicle.

Musk, who has transformed Tesla from start-up to the world’s most valuable automaker in the space of 16 years, is used to moving fast. The company’s Shanghai Gigafactory went from greenfield site to building cars in just 11 months.

The decision to locate the company’s first European factory near Berlin gives the U.S. electric car pioneer the coveted “Made in Germany” label but it also means navigating local planning rules.

Tesla’s permission to start construction hinges on a conditional approval by local authorities, who are obliged to consult environmental groups and the community.

The company has been engaged in an environmental audit, a time-consuming process in a country where attention to detail is prized.

Environmental activists from a local group, NABU, are concerned that the smooth snake, also known as Coronella austriaca, may be hibernating in the ground at the site, and that tree-cutting activity may disturb its winter slumber.

Local authorities are also reviewing claims by NABU that Lacerta agilis, also known as sand lizards, could be put at risk by Tesla’s expansion, NABU said.

At the beginning of October, Tesla set aside three days to sound out locals and potential critics of the factory, but the consultation process lasted eight days and 414 complaints and observations were lodged.

Locals were concerned that the Gigafactory, especially once it started building battery cells, would be a drain on local water resources and wanted assurances from Tesla that consumption would be limited.

In response, Tesla agreed to cut water consumption to 1.4 million cubic metres, down from 3.3 million cubic metres.

Berlin’s Tagesspiegel was first to report that Tesla has been ordered to suspend clearing of the forest.


Russian superhighway could connect London to New York

                MOSCOW: Russia has unveiled ambitious plans to build a superhighway that, in theory, could make it possible to drive from London on one end to New York on the other.

According to a report by The Siberian Times, the head of Russian Railways is asking the government to seriously consider his project dubbed the Trans-Eurasian Belt Development, the first modern transportation corridor that would link up the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean.

Plans call for the construction of a new high-speed railway and the development of major roads that would span the length of Russia, link up with existing transportation networks in Europe and Asia - and cross the Bering Strait, a network that would run about 20,000 km in length.

The proposal was presented at a meeting of the Russian Academy of Science and was touted, not only as a major transportation route, but as a means to create new cities and jobs in parts of Russia and Siberia that are woefully underdeveloped, and experience the hemorrhaging of young talent who leave the region for better opportunities abroad.

The new network could also be used to build pipelines for oil and gas as well as infrastructure for electricity and water supplies, said Russian Railways head Vladimir Yakunin.

The lofty proposal, however, comes with an equally sky-high price tag that could be trillions of dollars.

Currently, the longest international route operated by Russian Railways is Moscow to Pyongyang, North Korea, a 10,267-km journey that takes about nine days.


Champions League thrills for Nissan car buyers

                KUALA LUMPUR: Buyers of Nissan cars in March stand a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to watch the UEFA Champions League semi-finals match in Europe.

This is part of the Nissan UEFA Champions League campaign by Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd (ETCM).

ETCM is also offering attractive deals and promotions on selected Nissan models ranging from Teana, Serena S-Hybrid, Navara, Sylphy, Grand Livina to the Almera Nismo.

ETCM marketing and product planning director Tan Keng Meng said the campaign showcases the Nissan line-up in a fresh perspective, by tying it with the global excitement of the UEFA Champions League.

“The Champions League is an important global platform for Nissan, and as the sole distributor for Nissan in Malaysia, it is our mission to deliver the excitement of both football and Nissan cars to local fans of the sport,” he said.

Nissan has also signed on four world-class footballers to support its global Champions League initiatives.

Barcelona star Andres Iniesta, Paris Saint-Germain captain Thiago Silva, Manchester City’s Yaya Toure and Shalke’s Max Meyer were recently introduced as Nissan’s Global Brand Ambassadors, or ‘Engineers of Excitement’.

Members of the public are invited to visit Nissan Showrooms and Roadshows to experience the Champions League excitement and the great Nissan deals on offer.


Qualcomm and Ericsson join program to license patents to automakers

                DALLAS: Some of the biggest holders of telecommunications patents are joining together to license their technology to automakers, creators of smart meters and others.

Qualcomm Inc., Ericsson AB, ZTE Corp. and Royal KPN NV will license the patents through a newly formed company called Avanci, headed by a former Ericsson executive. It aims to provide a one-stop licensing shop for some of the largest patent portfolios in 2G, 3G and 4G technology.

The group said it will offer flat-rate licenses that vary “based on the value the technology brings to the device,” according to an announcement being released last Wednesday.

Cars are learning to talk to each other, drive themselves and connect to the Internet. The lowly household thermostat can now monitor a home’s water and energy use or turn on the heat just before you get home.

Reduce headaches

The Internet of Things is piggybacking on the same technology that turned the brick-like mobile phone into a sleek device that can be used to watch movies, make calls, play videogames and send instant messages. It required industry-wide meetings to standardise the technology so the phone devices could work smoothly, and resulted in thousands of patents, a dizzying array of cross-licensing deals and dozens of lawsuit.

By bringing together some of the largest owners of patents for telecommunications and offering a single license for standard-essential patents they own, Avanci is trying to help automakers and meter companies wade through that thicket with fewer headaches, said Kasim Alfalahi, who left Ericsson to found the new group.

“Something that would require time and resources to negotiate with many technology holders can now be done in one place, with one license, allowing IoT manufacturing companies access to the most advanced wireless technology in the world while they focus on bringing new products to the market,” he said, using an acronym for “Internet of things.”

Smartphone split

For the telecommunications companies, it opens new licensing opportunities beyond smartphones and tablets, and helps them dodge debates over the licensing rates for patents essential to industry standards such as Wi-Fi.

The smartphone industry has been split over how to value and license patents that relate to standardized technology.

Some of the businesses that make up Avanci - Qualcomm, Ericsson and InterDigital Inc. - have been fighting off efforts by companies like Microsoft Corp., Apple Inc. and Intel Corp. to alter how standard-essential technology is licensed, and have been the subject of regulatory scrutiny. One goal is to increase licensing profit without all that hassle.

“We’ve created something where we can help new industries get the benefit of new connectivity and at the same time ensure that innovators like Ericsson get fair credit,” said Gustav Brismark, chief intellectual property officer at Ericsson.

Businesses such as automaker Ford Motor Co. and thermostat maker Honeywell International Inc. don’t have the experience of dealing with the hundreds of thousands of patents that come with modern telecommunications, the Avanci companies said.

“This platform makes the process of licensing easier for people who are not familiar with that process,” said Alex Rogers, president of Qualcomm Technology Licensing.


Carsome Group appoints CMO

                KUALA LUMPUR: Carsome has appointed Ravi Shankar Mallavarapu as its chief marketing officer (CMO) to head multi-disciplinary functions and continue driving the Southeast Asia’s largest car e-commerce platform’s leadership in all marketing-related aspects.

In his new role, Mallavarapu will oversee brand, marketing, digital, social media, public relations, growth, market research and customer experience.

He will also work closely with Carsome chief brand officer Derek Tan on brand, creative, production and sponsorships.

Carsome co-founder and Group CEO Eric Cheng said that the would continue strengthening Carsome’s leadership team to achieve greater heights.

“Ravi is a data-driven marketer who balances creativity with excellent execution. We are very excited to have him onboard to accelerate our business growth and help establish Carsome’s mission in the market, which is to create a new standard of buying and selling cars,” Cheng added.

 Mallavarapu.

Mallavarapu brings with him close to 15 years of experience in digital, brand and growth marketing.

He spent six years across multiple firms in India, before moving to Malaysia, where his last role was AirAsia’s chief growth officer.

At AirAsia, Mallavarapu successfully built an in-house digital marketing team and transformed it into a growth team, which runs ads to develop marketing products, in line with the company’s business direction of pivoting from an airline to a super-app.

“I am thrilled to be a part of Carsome’s journey of building a trusted car ownership ecosystem using data and technology. Being the industry leader, Carsome is in a good position to bring change to user behaviour in the Southeast Asian region, where most car transactions are done offline,” he said.


Under fire for ethics scandals, EPA chief Pruitt resigns

Pruitt taking questions from the press at a White House recently. — Reuters
WASHINGTON: Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt, who had been lauded by President Donald Trump for his aggressive efforts to roll back environmental regulations, resigned on Thursday under heavy fire for a series of ethics-related controversies.

Pruitt was one of Trump’s most polarizing Cabinet members, slashing regulations on the energy and manufacturing industries, including a move to repeal President Barack Obama’s signature programme to cut carbon emissions from power plants, dubbed the Clean Power Plan.

He was also instrumental last year in lobbying Trump to withdraw the United States from the global 2015 Paris climate accord to combat global warming.

But Pruitt lost favour with Trump’s inner circle after a string of controversies including first-class travel at taxpayer expense, lavish spending on security, the installation of a US$43,000 soundproof phone booth in his office and accusations that he used his position to receive favors, such as a discounted rental on a high-end condo from an energy lobbyist’s wife.

“The unrelenting attacks on me personally, my family, are unprecedented and have taken a sizable toll on all of us,” Pruitt said in his resignation letter.

Trump announced the resignation on Twitter and said EPA deputy administrator Andrew Wheeler, a former mining industry lobbyist, will become the regulatory agency’s acting chief on Monday. Wheeler is widely expected to continue Pruitt’s efforts to roll back and streamline regulation, something that Trump had promised in his presidential campaign.

“Scott has done an outstanding job, and I will always be thankful to him for this,” Trump wrote. Trump told reporters later that Pruitt had approached him and offered to resign as opposed to being pushed out.

Wheeler said in a message to EPA employees that he was “both humbled and honored” to lead the agency. “I look forward to working hard alongside all of you to continue our collective goal of protecting public health and the environment on behalf of the American people,” he said.

Democrats and environmental advocacy groups cheered the departure of Pruitt, a close ally of the fossil fuel industry who has often questioned mainstream climate change science.

“Scott Pruitt’s reign of venality is finally over. He made swamp creatures blush with his shameless excesses. All tolerated because Trump liked his zealotry. Shame,” Democratic Representative Gerry Connolly said.

The Environmental Working Group, a public health and environment watchdog, called Pruitt “unquestionably the worst head of the agency in its 48-year history.”

Pruitt, as Oklahoma’s attorney-general before heading up the EPA, had sued the federal agency more than a dozen times on behalf of his oil-drilling state.

Pruitt also rankled some Republican lawmakers, including in Midwest corn-producing states, with his efforts to overhaul a US policy requiring biofuels like corn-based ethanol in gasoline.

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa said Trump made the “right decision.”

Other Republicans, as well as coal and oil industry groups, said in statements on Thursday that Pruitt had been a good friend to industry.

“Scott Pruitt did great work to reduce the regulatory burdens facing our nation while leading the Environmental Protection Agency,” said Republican Senator Jim Inhofe, from Pruitt’s home state of Oklahoma.

'Policy will remain'

Pruitt’s interim replacement, Wheeler, was formerly a lobbyist for Murray Energy, the country’s largest underground coal mining company, and also worked for Inhofe – a self-described climate sceptic - on efforts to combat climate legislation.

Matt Dempsey, an energy lobbyist at consultancy FTI, said Wheeler will be less controversial than Pruitt but without altering the agenda.

“He will be less political and more straightforward in his approach to the job, which is better for the Trump administration agenda in the long run. The politics will pass but the policy will remain,” Dempsey said.

Pruitt was facing around a dozen investigations into his tenure, including his frequent use of first-class flights and his spending on security – which the agency has defended as necessary to defend him against unprecedented threats.

Travel records showed the US government spent US$17,000 in taxpayer money on a December trip to Morocco to promote US exports of liquefied natural gas, which is not part of the EPA’s jurisdiction. The Washington Post reported that a longtime Pruitt friend and lobbyist helped arrange the trip and later registered as a foreign agent representing Morocco.

In one of the investigations, the US Government Accountability Office concluded that the EPA violated two laws by installing the US$43,000 phone booth for Pruitt’s office without telling lawmakers first. Pruitt said his staff never told him the cost.

Some of the ethics accusations against Pruitt also involved jobs for his wife. E-mails obtained by the Sierra Club environmental group showed Pruitt had an aide contact the chief executive of a fast-food chain about his wife becoming a franchise owner.

The Washington Post reported Pruitt had aides also try to get his wife a job at the Republican Attorneys-General Association with a salary topping US$200,000.

Pruitt also had an employee carry out his personal errands, including researching the purchase of an old mattress from the Trump International Hotel, according to an interview transcript released by congressional Democrats last month.

A source close to Trump said the controversy over the search for a used Trump International Hotel mattress was the last straw for Trump with Pruitt because it involved the Trump Organization.

During congressional testimony in April, Pruitt was unapologetic for the controversies, often blaming his staff for any agency missteps.


Cars that sniff pollution to map air quality in California

                SAN FRANCISCO: It’s like Google Street View, but for mapping greenhouse gases and smog.

A fleet of sensor-loaded cars, deployed by California company Aclima Inc, will try to measure air pollution on every public street across the sprawling San Francisco Bay Area, an effort likely to take two years.

Local air quality regulators are paying Aclima US$6mil (RM24.46mil) for the project, which was announced Jan 14. They hope to see how levels of smog-forming pollutants, soot and greenhouse gases vary not just from city to city, but block by block.

The results could help the Bay Area Air Quality Management District spot businesses violating their pollution permits, as well as set emission limits for new businesses.

"It’s designed to give a new level of visibility,” Davida Herzl, Aclima’s chief executive officer and co-founder, said in an interview. "This supports diagnosis – they literally could not see this before – and then intervention, so they can do something about the pollution.”

If the idea of gathering data at street level sounds Google-like, there’s good reason. The tech giant helped test and validate Aclima’s mobile sensors and has deployed them in some of its Street View cars.


DUKE to implement open toll payment system

                KUALA LUMPUR: The Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE) has become the latest highway to take part in the implementation of the open toll payment system that is expected to begin in September.

Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said this brings the total number of highways involved to 12.

The other highways are Sungai Besi Expressway, New Pantai Expressway, Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway, Guthrie Corridor Expressway, Penang Bridge, Butterworth-Kulim Expressway, Damansara-Puchong Expressway, SPRINT Highway, Shah Alam Expressway, SMART Tunnel and the Kuala Lumpur-Putrajaya Expressway.

Nanta also said that DUKE had been chosen as the second location for the implementation of the Proof of Concept (POC) after the Sungai Besi Expressway to evaluate the Multi Lane Fast Flow (MLFF) system before it is implemented on all highways in the country.

"As we all know, the implementation of the open toll payment system is an initial preparation for the transition towards MLFF before it is fully implemented in phases by the third quarter of 2024.

"This effort is hoped to provide an opportunity for the government, concession companies and the parties involved to identify and resolve all issues that may hinder the smooth implementation of the MLFF in the future,” he said in a statement today.

Nanta said the implementation of the open payment system, POC and MLFF is currently on schedule, and the ministry is working hard to ensure that all plans can be successfully implemented.

"I am asking for the cooperation of all parties to be patient and give some time to the team in this ministry who are committed to implementing the open payment system to ensure that the MLFF transition can be realised,” he said.


GM and union inching closer to deal to end month-long UAW strike, say sources

A member of the United Auto Workers walking the picket line at the General Motors Romulus Powertrain plant in Romulus, Michigan on Oct 9. — AP
WASHINGTON: General Motors Co and the United Auto Workers union were near a deal on Tuesday to end a 30-day strike that has cost the automaker about US$2 billion after chief executive Mary Barra and president Mark Reuss took part in contract talks, according to two people briefed on the matter.

While a final agreement has not been announced, the No. 1 U.S. automaker and the union have agreed to terms on most issues but were finalizing the wording on some matters, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the talks were ongoing. A deal will likely be announced on Wednesday.

GM declined to comment on the involvement of its top two executives in the negotiations. A UAW spokesman declined to comment.

On Monday, the UAW scheduled a meeting for Thursday morning to update local union representatives on the status of the talks, sources previously said.

 Barra took part in the negotiations. — AFP

Barra had met with UAW president Gary Jones and the union’s lead GM negotiator, Terry Dittes, on Oct 9 to push for a swift resolution to the strike. Prior to that, UAW officials had been urging Barra to get involved in the negotiations.

The strike began on Sept 16, with about 48,000 hourly workers of the UAW union at GM seeking higher pay, greater job security, a bigger share of profit and protection of healthcare benefits. Other issues on the table included the fate of plants GM has indicated it may close, and the use of temporary workers.

After GM angered UAW negotiators last week by appealing directly to workers and revealing details of the Detroit automaker’s latest offer, the sides have continued talking. The UAW made a counter offer to GM on Friday.

Details of GM’s revised offer emerged over the weekend and included an increase of its proposed ratification bonus by US$1,000 to $9,000. GM also proposed 3% pay raises in the second and fourth year of the four-year-contract and 3% and 4% lump sum payments in the first and fourth year respectively. It agreed to make temporary workers with three years of service permanent and give those workers a US$3,000 ratification bonus.

The Center for Automotive Research in Michigan has estimated the strike’s weekly costs to GM and the UAW strike fund at US$450 million and US$12 million, respectively.

President Donald Trump and many lawmakers have weighed in on the talks between the UAW and GM, urging the automaker to build more vehicles in the United States and shift work from Mexico.

The UAW’s membership is largely in the Midwest, in states that could be critical to both sides in the 2020 presidential election.


CarSifu Editors’ Choice Awards coming up

                PETALING JAYA: Star Media Group will hold its first CarSifu Editors’ Choice Awards for outstanding vehicles at a gala dinner at The Royale Chulan Damansara hotel here on Oct 6, culminating with the announcement of the “Car of the Year”.

The winning cars will also enjoy more mileage when some of them, along with several latest models in the local market, go on an autoshow at the new wing of 1Utama Shopping Centre here from Oct 26 to 30.

The awards see some 50 vehicles being shortlisted for competition across 22 categories, which include Best Compact Car, Best Mid-Sized Car, Best Luxury Executive Car, Best Compact SUV/Crossover and Best Pick-Up Truck.

Other categories up for grabs include Business Car of the Year, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle of the Year and Best Local Design.

The “Car of the Year” winner will be selected from among the winners of the 22 categories.

Cars shortlisted by the judging panel are those launched locally from Oct 1 last year to Sept 30.

Cars in the running are from well-known brands such as Audi, BMW, Citroen, Ford, Haval, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Jaguar-Land Rover, Kia, Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Perodua, Peugeot, Proton, Renault, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo.

These cars are scrutinised by our experienced judging panel in key areas, among them, are safety, performance, comfort, fuel economy, handling, styling as well as their individual “wow” factor.

For gala dinner bookings and further details, call Star Media Group's general line tel: 03 7967 1388 ext 1432, 1529 or 1243 during office hours from 9.30am to 5pm.


Fancy a 7-speed manual Aston Martin V12 Vantage S?

LONDON: Aston Martin is now offering the V12 Vantage S with manual transmission.

The seven-speed manual transmission features a classic dog-leg first gear position; an echo from the past that will be welcomed by driving enthusiasts. This dog-leg configuration also ensures the gears used most frequently are located in a double ‘H‘ pattern like that of a conventional 6-speed manual.

The new manual transmission also features AMSHIFT. The system, which is driver selectable uses clutch, gear position and propshaft sensors, together with finely-tuned programming of the engine management, to mimic the technique of heel-and-toe downshifts; the act of blipping the throttle while braking and changing gear. AMSHIFT also offers the capability of full-throttle upshifts for maximum smoothness and minimal interruption in acceleration.

AMSHIFT can be used in all driving modes, but is especially effective in Sport, with the sharper throttle response and louder exhaust note really emphasising the downshift throttle blip for maximum excitement.

Offered as a no-cost option in Britain and Europe, the manual V12 Vantage S is a series production model. However, in the US market, a manual V12 Vantage S will be offered as a special edition model with production limited to 100 cars.

Customers have a choice between manual and Sportshift III automatic transmission when ordering their car. Both versions are otherwise mechanically identical, sharing the same chassis and brake packages and powered by the same 6.0-litre V12 engine.

The engine produces 563bhp at 6,750 rpm and 620Nm of torque at 5,750 rpm. The car accelerates from standstill to 100kph in 3.9sec and both can reach 330kph.

"Broadening the scope of the V12 Vantage S with a manual transmission option is an indication of our desire to offer the keenest drivers a more analogue and immersive machine to enjoy. I'd like to take this opportunity to reiterate that the manual gearbox remains an integral part of our product plans and will do for many years to come," said Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer.

A new Sport-Plus Pack option includes exterior and interior changes. Foremost amongst these is a choice of five body colours, which can be combined with no-cost optional accent colours applied to the front grille lipstick, side sills, mirror caps and rear diffuser blades. Ten-spoke graphite finish lightweight alloy wheels complete the Sport-Plus Pack’s exterior changes, while a choice of black or grey upholstery with stripes and contrast stitching offered in a range of accent colours create a  dramatic interior theme.

Aston Martin also said the V8 models are now consolidated into Coupe and Roadster versions of the V8 Vantage S. Mechanically unchanged, the V8 Vantage S receives small detail changes to the exterior and interior.

One change to be implemented across all current model lines is the new AMi III infotainment system. This includes a new integrated Satellite Navigation system that offers significant improvements over the outgoing AMi II technology. Key areas of improvement are the integrated graphics, quicker and easier address input, reduced loading times, updatable maps, graphical itinerary planning, advanced traffic information, enhanced map graphics and a greater range of voice guidance options. AMi III also incorporates Apple CarPlay to enable the integration of iPhone functions into the built-in display.

Both the Rapide S and Vanquish model lines are offered with a range of new option packs that offer added value and a range of exterior and interior colour, trim and detailing combinations.

First deliveries of the manual V12 Vantage S are scheduled to begin during the third quarter of 2016.


Mitsubishi offering attractive discounts on accessories

                KUALA LUMPUR: Mitsubishi car owners looking to dress up their rides can take advantage of discounts of up to 80% for genuine accessories.

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) is giving discounts for items such as bodykit, daytime running light (DRL) and interior protection fixtures.

Prices for the items, for models such as the Mirage, Attrage, Triton, Pajero Sport and ASX (current and 2012 model year) start from as low as RM68 after discount.

They are available at all authorised Mitsubishi showroom and service centres.

To date, Mitsubishi Motors is represented by 57 showrooms (out of which 43 are 3S - sales, service and spare parts centres) and 47 service outlets throughout Malaysia.


Tesla ordered to pay over US$130mil to Black former worker over racism, says WSJ

Owen Diaz and his son Demetric in Oakland, California, in 2018. — Bloomberg
SAN FRANCISCO: A federal jury here on Monday has ordered Tesla Inc to pay more than US$130 million (RM543mil) in damages to a Black former worker, finding he was subjected to a racially hostile work environment, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The jury determined that the company failed to take reasonable steps to prevent Owen Diaz, a contract worker who was employed as an elevator operator at Tesla's Fremont factory in 2015 and 2016, from being racially harassed, the newspaper said.

In a message to employees that Tesla posted on its website, the automaker noted the trial concerned racial slurs heard on the factory floor and racist graffiti in the bathrooms.

It also said the three times that Diaz complained about harassment, Tesla stepped in and made sure action was taken by staffing agencies.

The jury awarded Diaz US$6.9 million in compensatory damages and US$130 million in punitive damages, according to the newspaper.

"While we strongly believe that these facts don't justify the verdict reached by the jury in San Francisco, we do recognise that in 2015 and 2016 we were not perfect," Tesla said.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a Reuters query asking if it would be appealing the verdict. Diaz's lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Before the trial began, presiding judge William Orrick rejected efforts by Tesla to exclude one juror from the jury, saying he believed the attempt was based on race and "purposefully discriminatory."

Tesla said in its blog post that since Diaz worked at the Fremont factory it had made changes including the establishment of teams dedicated to investigating employee complaints and to ensuring employees had equal opportunities at the company.

Last year, the electric carmaker disclosed in its first US diversity report that Black employees make up just 4% of Tesla's American leadership roles and 10% of its total workforce in the country.


Hyundai arm develops world's first airbags for sunroofs

                SEOUL: Hyundai Mobis Co, South Korea's largest auto parts maker by sales, has developed an airbag system for a sunroof for the first time in the automobile industry, the company said Wednesday, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.

"In the past two and a half years, the company has developed the airbag system mainly for panoramic sunroofs in sport-utility vehicles to minimise impacts in case of a rollover crash," a company spokesman said by phone.

The advanced technology development will help Hyundai Mobis win airbag orders particularly for panoramic sunroofs in SUVs in the world's 6 trillion won (RM22.4bil) airbag market, he said.

The airbag market is expected to grow by an average of 11 per cent a year by 2022 as global demand for SUVs is on the rise, Hyundai Mobis said in a statement.

It takes 0.08 second for the airbag system for a sunroof to go off and prevent serious neck and head injuries in a rollover accident, it said.

Hyundai Mobis is an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Group, the world's fifth-largest carmaker by sales.


Carsifu closing in

                PETALING JAYA: Automania is changing.

There's a perfectly good reason if you can't access the site from 9am to 11am today. We are integrating a car classifieds system with the auto site, which will then be rebranded as Carsifu.

Improvements to the Star Media Group's auto site will be ongoing as we aspire to make it your go-to place to buy and sell cars backed by reviews of the day.

So stick around and make use of carsifu.my.


BMW M4 CSL unveiled

                MUNICH: BMW has introduced the limited edition M4 CSL, which is more potent than the M4 Competition and is touted as the fastest M car ever.

The CSL was rolled out along with the M 1000 RR 50 Years M motorcycle to mark the 50th anniversary celebrations of the company's motorsports arm.

Only 1,000 units of the car would be made at BMW's Dingolfing plant from July. It made its world premiere at the Villa d'Este concourse in Italy on May 20.

CSL stands for "Competition, Sport, Lightweight". It references the role of weight-minimised design in achieving success in motorsport.

The 3.0 CSL developed by BMW Motorsport GmbH according to this same principle won the European Touring Car Championship at the first attempt in 1973.

And the M4 CSL is also following in the tyre tracks of special-edition models from earlier generations of the M3/M4, most notably the M3 CSL from 2003 and the M4 GTS of 2016.

The car will have it world premiere at to mark the 50th anniversary celebrations of company's motorsports arm.

It weighs 1,625kg and boasts a standout power-to-weight ratio of 2.95 kilograms per hp.

Fitting M Carbon full bucket seats reduced weight by around 24kg on its own compared with the standard seats installed in the M4 Competition Coupe.

Removing the rear seats and seat belts, integrating a partition and making the associated modifications to the luggage compartment saved 21kg.

Other changes to lighten the car further includes use of carbon fibre roof, special alloy wheels, M Carbon ceramic brakes, titanium rear silencer and reducing the soundproofing materials.

The body of the BMW M4 CSL is painted in the exclusive Frozen Brooklyn Grey metallic as standard. This exterior shade teams up with exposed carbon-fibre surfaces and red accents to create a visually expressive appearance of sporting purity.

Alternatively, customers can specify their new M4 CSL in Alpine White solid or Sapphire Black metallic.

The carbon-fibre structure of the body components is visible in various areas, including the two chiselled indents in the bonnet.

The optionally available BMW Laserlight headlights bring another head-turning accent to the front end of the M4 CSL. Both in the

When the low and high beam are switched on, these headlights illuminate in yellow rather than white, bringing to mind the look of successful GT racing cars.

The LED rear lights of the new BMW M4 CSL are equipped as standard with technology making its debut in a series-produced car.

Their glass covers have intricate light threads woven into them which are illuminated using laser technology, bringing a vibrant structure to the surface of the lights.

This creates a highly distinctive light signature that is recognisable from a long distance at night.

The M4 CSL comes with the same high-revving, six-cylinder in-line engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology found in the M4 GT3 racing car.

The M4 CSL's engine develops peak torque of 650Nm between 2,750 and 5,950 rpm. Its maximum output of 405 kW/550 hp is produced at 6,250 rpm.

The M4 CSL goes from 0-100kph in 3.7s and from 0-200kph in 10.7s. Top speed is 307kph.

The race-derived design of the 3.0-litre engine is focused squarely on high revs and maximum power development.

The crankcase's sleeve-free, closed-deck construction helps to make it extremely rigid, while the forged lightweight crankshaft allows it to handle extremely high levels of torque.

Another special M-specific feature is the cylinder head core made using 3D printing techniques.

Both the cooling and oil supply systems are designed to handle the particular challenges presented by track driving.

The twin-tailpipe exhaust system with electrically controlled flaps and lightweight titanium rear silencer additionally generates a racing-car-inspired, emotionally engaging engine note.

The drive torque produced by the engine is relayed to the rear wheels of the car via an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic.

BMW said model-specific mountings for the engine and transmission ensure the engine's power is translated into dynamic performance in rapid and direct fashion.

BMW said the firmer connection of the engine and transmission to the car's structure is perceptible, especially under hard driving.

Standard equipment list for the special-edition model are adaptive M suspension with electronically controlled dampers, electromechanical M Servotronic steering with variable ratio and M Carbon ceramic brakes.

An M-specific version of the integrated braking system is said to offer the driver excellent pedal feel even when pushing the dynamic limits and in adverse road conditions.

The standard-fitted M Traction Control function with model-specific track tuning lets the driver set individual intervention thresholds for wheel slip limitation.

On dry surfaces, stages 1 to 5 of M Traction Control help the driver to execute controlled drifts. Stages 6 to 10 are based on the application developed for touring car racers and make allowance for both surface conditions and tyre temperature to maximise traction and directional stability.

Also specified as standard are forged M light-alloy wheels in an exclusive cross-spoke design (19 inches at the front axle and 20 inches at the rear).

These are fitted with high-performance tyres specially developed for the special-edition model in size 275/35 ZR19 (front) and 285/30 ZR20 (rear).

> BMW M4 CSL SPECIFICATIONS (pdf)


Tesla's Nuerburgring run revs up debate over speed records

A driver steering a Model S at the Nuerburgring race track on Tuesday. — Reuters
FRANKFURT: Tesla Inc’s attempts to humble Porsche with a new lap record on Germany’s legendary Nordschleife racetrack have re-ignited a controversy about the value of lap times, as the circuit steps in to quash claims of cheating.

Porsche and US-based Tesla are battling to establish supremacy in lap times for four-door electric sportscars, but comparisons are not exact, as conditions, ranging from car modifications to tyre types, vary with each test.

“We want to have circumstances that can be understood and replicated,” said Nuerburgring spokesman Alexander Gerhard, adding that the racing circuit operator had moved to tighten rules by which a car maker can claim a certified lap time.

Setting a new record time for four-door electric cars would give Tesla’s ageing Model S a boost just as German rivals Audi, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Porsche prepare to launch their own electric cars.

Automakers use the Nordschleife, one of the world’s most treacherous courses with 40 right-hand and 33 left-hand turns, to hone a vehicle’s sporting characteristics and burnish a car’s image for marketing purposes.

Tesla was spotted this week with a variant of its Model S sedan at the circuit, which is 20.8km long, with slanted cambers and a 300-m altitude difference between its highest and lowest points.

German car magazine Auto Motor und Sport said a Tesla was seen recording an unofficial time of 7 minutes and 23 seconds, which would beat a lap time set by Porsche’s Taycan, which Porsche says achieved a lap time of 7 minutes and 42 seconds.

But Tesla’s challenge has prompted questions about whether the Silicon Valley car maker is playing fair.

“The car was heavily modified,” said Stefan Baldauf, who photographs prototype vehicles being tested on the circuit for a living.

“Aside from a roll cage and the driver’s seat, the interior had been stripped out,” he added. “The windows were blacked out, so it was hard to tell.”

The Tesla also appeared to have semi-slick tyres, used only on racing circuits and unsuited for everyday use, Baldauf said.

A Porsche spokesman told Reuters its Taycan was tested using standard tyres.

“A comparison is hardly fair if this is the vehicle used to demonstrate that Tesla is faster,” Baldauf added.

Notary Jens Boehle, who certified lap times by Porsche, said, “Scope for cheating is as big as you can imagine. Is it a prototype vehicle, a standard road legal vehicle, or is it a specially modified racing version of a standard road car?”

“These are just some of the questions that need to be answered.”

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk responded on Twitter this week.

“The final configuration used at Nürburgring to set the record will go into production around summer 2020, so this is not merely for the track,” Musk said.

Tesla declined to comment on its lap record effort.

Officials are trying to standardise speed record attempts, Gerhard, the Nuerburgring spokesman, said. In some runs for the record, cars were allowed to make a flying start using a 20.6-km stretch of the track.

“We now mandate that the full 20.8km is used,” Gerhard added. “And we employ a notary to measure the time following rumours that another manufacturer had cheated, by speeding up video footage.”

It also mandates where timing devices should be located.

On Twitter, Musk confirmed that Tesla is using the Nordschleife to market its “Plaid” mode on a 7-seater Tesla Model S.

“We expect these track times to be beaten by the actual production 7 seat Model S Plaid variant that goes into production around Oct/Nov next year,” Musk said.

Porsche says its 919 Evo hybrid racecar now holds the overall record for all vehicle categories, with a lap time of 5 minutes and 19 seconds, set in 2018.

Nuerburgring hopes the new rules, introduced this year, will help revive the circuit’s popularity as a venue for competitive benchmarking.

“We want to be a believable benchmark,” Gerhard said.


Hugh Jackman tipped to play Enzo Ferrari in upcoming biopic

                LOS ANGELES: "Logan" star Hugh Jackman is reportedly in talks to play Enzo Ferrari in Michael Mann's biopic on the Italian motor racing driver and entrepreneur.

Swedish actress Noomi Rapace is also said to be set to play Ferrari's estranged wife Linda, from a script penned by Mann himself.

The film, aptly titled "Ferrari", has been in the planning for months, but things are starting to move for a summer 2018 production start, according to Deadline.

The movie takes place in 1957, a year where passion, failure, success and death and life all collided in Ferrari's battle for supremacy against rival Maserati.

 Jackman is tipped to play the part of Enzo in the biopic. - AFP


China's industry ministry issues draft data standards for smart vehicles

                SHANGHAI: China's industry ministry has issued a series of draft technical standards including cybersecurity requirements for vehicles, with the country moving to tighten data regulation as cars become more intelligent.

Among the proposed rules announced on Friday, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology plans to ban smart vehicles in China from transferring data directly abroad, pushing them instead to use domestic cloud services.

It would also require vehicles with autonomous driving capabilities to be equipped with data storage systems for accident liability assessments.


Ford amends bylaws to adopt gender-neutral language

                DETROIT: Ford Motor Co has amended its bylaws to adopt gender-neutral language in an effort to build more inclusive workplace.

The automaker said on Friday it would use the title "chair" in place of "chairman".

This comes amid fierce debates over what it means to be a man or a woman, and how language and institutions need to be more inclusive.

Earlier this year, White House added gender-neutral pronouns that people could select when contacting the US government, while professional networking site LinkedIn announced plans to let users add their preferred gender pronouns to accounts in certain countries.


Bermaz Auto stays focused on sales of CKD vehicles

                PETALING JAYA: Despite the challenging operating environment, Bermaz Auto Bhd (BAuto) is optimistic about its prospects for the financial year (FY) ending April 30,2021.

The automotive distributor’s executive chairman Datuk Seri Ben Yeoh said the group remains cautious but confident that it would be able to sustain its total sales volume in the current year.

“The group will continue to consolidate its dealership network to further strengthen its brand position, while simultaneously continuing to seize timely opportunities to further expand its sales dealership network in order to increase its geographical coverage as well as sales volume for both new and pre-owned cars, ” Yeoh said.

“With an already established sales and service network, the group will explore new range of products from non-conflicting manufacturers to further grow its sales revenue base, ” he noted in the company’s latest annual report.

As in previous years, Yeoh said the group would remain focused on the sales of the Mazda completely knocked down (CKD) vehicles so as to compete effectively in the market with more affordable pricing.

“The group continues to be in a strong position to exert influence on its associated companies namely, Mazda Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Inokom Corp Sdn Bhd, in the production of Mazda vehicles to cater for the demand of Mazda CKD models, ” he said.

Yeoh also noted incentives under the Penjana stimulus package augured well for the automobile industry in Malaysia, and this, in turn, would help improve BAuto’s sales revenue and income.

The Penjana stimulus package announced in June 2020 included a 100% sales tax exemption on CKD models and 50% sales tax exemption on completely built-up (CBU) models from June 15 to Dec 31 this year.

These initiatives were given to help jump-start the automobile industry, which had been impacted by lockdown measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

In addition, Bank Negara in July 2020 had cut its overnight policy rate to a record low of 1.75%.

This resulted in lower hire purchase interest rate to boost consumer spending. This was expected to have a positive impact on the growth of the total industry volume, Yeoh said.

As for the group’s operations in Philippines, Yeoh said, Bermaz Auto Philippines Inc (BAP) would preserve its revenue through introduction of refreshed models and continued strengthening of its brand equity and dealer supports.

In light of the challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, the World Bank projected the Philippines economy would contract 1.9% in 2020 before returning to a growth of 6.2% next year.

BAuto saw its net profit fall 62% to RM100.5mil in FY20 from RM264mil in FY19, with its earnings per share falling to 8.65 sen from 22.75 sen previously.

The group’s revenue fell 30% to RM1.76bil in FY20 from RM2.52bil in the preceding year.

The decline in earnings and revenue was due to lower sales volume from both the domestic and Philippine operations.

BAuto’s shares closed unchanged last Friday at RM1.36. Year-to-date, the counter has lost about 35% in value.


Sept 5-11: Petrol prices drop 1 sen


Why biofuels might not be so green after all

                BERLIN: Replacing diesel fuel with vegetable oils, such as rapeseed oil, or fermented products (beet, sugar, wheat) is an innovative method that has been popular for several years now.

It is increasingly being tested around the world as a way of reducing CO2 emissions. But German researchers are now calling into question the supposedly miraculous aspect of these fossil fuel alternatives.

Conducted by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and published in the journal Nature of Climate Change, a new study points to a major problem: if fossil fuels are completely replaced by biofuels, the effect could prove counterproductive and even increase CO2 emissions.

The large-scale production of biofuels could, in fact, require the use of land for greater agricultural production.

"If cultivation for bioenergy grasses is not strictly limited to marginal or abandoned land, food production could shift, and agricultural land use expand into natural land. This would cause substantial carbon dioxide emissions due to forest clearing in regions with weak or no land regulation," the study's lead author, Leon Merfort, explains.

To reach these conclusions, the scientists based their research on several hypothetical scenarios relating to land use and the quantity of biofuels required to meet global energy demand.

"We find that without additional land-use regulation, land clearing related to the production of modern biofuels results in CO2 emission factors -- averaged over a 30-year period -- that are higher than those from burning fossil diesel," study co-author Florian Humpenöder says in a statement. Moreover, the researchers state that "only reducing the demand for bioenergy will not solve this problem."

In this context, the solution to limiting the potentially harmful and counterproductive impact of biofuels could therefore be to establish international agreements aimed at optimal protection of forests and other natural lands by introducing carbon pricing.

"The state of current global land regulation is inadequate to control land-use-change emissions from modern biofuels," Leon Merfort explains.

In his view, pricing all land-use-change emissions (with only 20% of the CO2 price in the energy system) would be more effective than a protection system covering 90% of all forests worldwide.

"Our results show that bioenergy can be produced with limited emissions under effective land-use regulations.

Yet, if the regulatory gap remains wide open, bioenergy will not be part of the solution to mitigate climate change, but part of the problem," concludes co-author Nico Bauer.


Germany draws up rules of the road for driverless cars

                BERLIN: Protecting people rather than property or animals will be the priority under pioneering new German legal guidelines for the operation of driverless cars, the transport ministry said on Wednesday.

Germany is home to some of the world's largest car companies, including Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW, all of which are investing heavily in self-driving technology.

German regulators have been working on rules for how such vehicles should be programmed to deal with a dilemma, such as choosing between hitting a cyclist or accelerating beyond legal speeds to avoid an accident.

Under new ethical guidelines - drawn up by a government-appointed committee comprising experts in ethics, law and technology - the software that controls such cars must be programmed to avoid injury or death of people at all cost.

That means that when an accident is unavoidable, the software must choose whichever action will hurt people the least, even if that means destroying property or hitting animals in the road, a transport ministry statement showed.

The software may not decide on its course of action based on the age, sex or physical condition of any people involved.

"The interactions of humans and machines is throwing up new ethical questions in the age of digitalization and self-learning systems," German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt said in a statement.

"The ministry's ethics commission has pioneered the cause and drawn up the world's first set of guidelines for automated driving," he added.

Germany earlier this year passed legislation under which a driver must be sitting behind the wheel at all times ready to take back control if prompted to do so by the autonomous vehicle, clearing the way for the development and testing of self-driving cars.


New Ghibli marks winds of change at Maserati

                MODENA: Italian luxury sportscar maker Maserati has given fans a first glimpse of the overhauled Ghibli sedan ahead of its official unveiling in the coming days and, if it handles as well as it looks, then the company finally has a serious competitor to the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class on its hands.

When Maserati unveiled the second-generation Quattroporte — its full-size luxury sports sedan and the Ghibli's big brother — in 2016 it did so as two distinct cars. One, the GranSport was focused on performance, while the other, the GranLusso — while no slouch either — was all about luxury.

The split-personality approach has clearly paid off for the company as it appears it's now adopting the same nomenclature for the Ghibli — the new model is called the Ghibli GranLusso.

From the outside, it looks leaner and more poised, like it means business. Front and rear bumpers have been heavily redesigned, it has quad tailpipes and the new front and rear lights are reminiscent of those on current-generation Ferraris.

And while Maserati hasn't offered any images of the new cabin, it has confirmed that this new model will be the first ever car with the company's trident badge on its grille to come with any form of autonomous driving tech.

As for what's under the hood, Maserati is expected to limit choice to engines with six cylinders and varying degrees of turbocharging. There's also a good chance that the new twin turbo 2.9 litre, 510hp unit that is making the Alfa Romeo Giulia such a phenomenal car to drive could find its way into the Ghibli, but potentially only the GranSport version.

At the moment, the most potent engine available in the current-generation Ghibli is a 3-litre V6 that outputs 410hp and is good for a 0-100kph time of 5 seconds and a 285kph top speed. That's some way behind the Alfa. It can cover the 0-100kph dash in 3.9 seconds and can hit a remarkable 305kph, making it one of the fastest four-door sedans in the world.

It's shaping up to be a very busy period for Maserati. As well as the facelifted Ghibli, the company is gearing up to launch a new version of its GranTurismo sports coupe and a production model based on its show-stopping Alfieri centenary-year concept car.


Toyota i-Road heading for Tokyo

                TOKYO: The Toyota i-Road is entering service in a new car-sharing programme that's located in central Tokyo in April.

The i-Road is an all-electric ultra-compact three-wheeled vehicle that is already in service as part of a co-ordinated public transport scheme in Grenoble, France, and has also been put through its paces within Toyota City in Nagoya, Japan.

The new trial will see iRoad paired with Park24’s Times Car Plus service, which allows members to ulitise a fleet of share-cars at any time of day.

The scheme will also incorporate elements from Toyota’s Ha:mo urban transport template, which has also been adopted for the Grenoble project.

The Tokyo trial is planned to run until the end of September.

Usage data and user feedback will be gathered to assess ease of use, changes in user activity patterns and public receptiveness to new mobility systems of this type.

The focus is on i-Road being used for one-way trips to businesses, shops and sightseeing locations.

Users will pick up their vehicle from the Times Station at the Yurakucho ITOCiA shopping centre and later return them to any of five central locations.

Park 24 will offer the service to Times Car Plus corporate members and some individual members as well.

A web page will give details of availability and take reservations.

Users will be required to undertake an i-Road training course before driving the vehicle.

The service will cost 412 yen (about RM15) per 15mins and the maximum usage period is 2.5hrs.

Park24, which operates a network of car parks across Japan, created Times Car Plus to make public mobility even more convenient.

The service has around 430,000 members and offers a wide range of cars for rental.

Toyota has been conducting trial operations of Ha:mo in Toyota City since October 2012.

It is a system that is aimed at relieving traffic congestion, reducing air pollution and improving mobility.

It links private and public transportation networks and is being trialled between railway stations and depots at public facilities around the city.

The project was created when Toyota City was designated as a Next-Generation Energy and Social Systems Demonstration Area by Japan’s Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry.


Porsche teases refreshed Macan

Porsche's new Macan in high-altitude training.
STUTTGART: The Porsche Macan only went on sale as recently as 2014, but it's already the German automaker's biggest-selling model with more than 350,000 units sold worldwide.

It's therefore about time the Macan had a bit of a mid-cycle facelift, and Porsche has released some official teasers of the refreshed Macan ahead of a full reveal later this month.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the ongoing sales success of the Macan, the images released by Porsche show not a great deal is going to be changing with how the performance SUV looks.

At the front of the new Macan there's a modestly redesigned front apron and some new headlights. The tail lights at the back have also been revised, and the new units at the rear will be linked to help create a full width LED bar of taillights right across the Porsche's tailgate.

To put the importance of the Macan to the Porsche brand into perspective, the company sold a total of 246,375 vehicles throughout the global market last year, of which 97,202 units were Macans. With stiff competition for Porsche's smallest SUV from the likes of the Jaguar F-Pace and Alfa Romeo Stelvio, now isn't the time for this vital model for the brand to rest on its laurels.

Although Porsche hasn't released any images of the new Macan's interior, spy shots that were circulating last year didn't show much in the way of change there either. The infotainment system will have to be updated with perhaps an improved resolution screen, and increased digitalisation of the instrument panel, in line with other VW Group models, is also likely.

Most change is likely to be found under the hood as there will be no diesel option at all for the new Macan. The most economical option will therefore become the 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which is going to be benefitting from a new particulate filter.

The other engines will be a 351bhp 3.0-litre V6, and the 2.9-litre turbocharged V6 from the Audi RS4 boasting an output of 434bhp.

Any unexpected updates on the model will soon be revealed when the refreshed Macan is launched in China towards the end of the month.


Hydrogen-powered Honda Clarity goes on sale in Japan

TOKYO: The first consumer-focused hydrogen fuel cell powered car capable of covering 750km between refuelling stops went on sale in Japan on Thursday.

As well as an impressive zero-emission range, the Clarity FCV is the first car of its kind that retains the proportions and cabin space of a typical five-seat sedan. That's because Honda has found an ingenious way of packing the hydrogen tank and powertrain without robbing the interior of practicality.

Honda sees the hydrogen fuel cell car as a power source for tomorrow as well as a form of cleaner personal mobility. It believes that the energy stored in its vehicles could be used by owners to power the average Japanese home for up to five days and that is why alongside the car the company will be selling an external power output device - The Power Exporter 9000 - that connects the car to the home for energy transfer.

The Honda Clarity FCV costs ¥7,660,000 (about RM278,000) and the company hopes to sell 200 in its first year. The car will also be going on sale in the US and Europe before the end of 2016.

 A package deal. The external power output device.


Auto Bavaria holds first overseas riding event to Thailand

                PETALING JAYA: Auto Bavaria recently held its first riding event to Thailand, its first abroad.

The Auto Bavaria Ride to Khao Yai was held in conjunction with BMW Motorrad Day in Thailand.

The Nov 7-12 bike expedition for Auto Bavaria customers was limited to 20 participants and was by-invitation only. Participants took their motorcycles on a 3,000km adventure starting from the Auto Bavaria Glenmarie showroom in Shah Alam to Khao Yai in northern Thailand and back.

Riders showed up on different BMW Motorrad model such as the R 1200 GS, R 1250 GSA, S 1000 XR, R 1200 GSA, R 1200 RT and the R 1250 GSA.

“The itinerary was well done and we enjoyed it,” said participant Derek Clyde.  “It is a great effort by Auto Bavaria."

Auto Bavaria said it would organise more such trips locally and abroad.

The bikers were accompanied by support cars, a rescue van and a technical crew to attend to breakdowns.

Pit stop crews were present to provide cold drinks and wet tissues. A photographer and video crew documented the trip for the benefit of Auto Bavaria and the bikers.

Auto Bavaria is the largest BMW dealership in Malaysia. Take note that the Glenmarie outlet has since relocated to Ara Damansara in Petaling Jaya.

BMW Motorrad owners who want to be a part of future riding events can follow the BMW Motorrad Auto Bavaria Facebook or Instagram for updates.


Continental PremiumContact 6 unveiled for 2017

                HANOVER: Continental Tyres has announced that the PremiumContact 6 will be replacing the ContiSportContact 5 and ContiPremiumContact 5 next year.

Continental claims the new product is a sporty yet comfortable tyre.

Its engineers have come up with new compounds, a new tread pattern that borrows from Continental’s high-tech SportContact 6 tyre, and a tyre geometry that offers high ride quality. The outcome is a product that delivers improvements of up to 15 percent in handling performance, rolling resistance, mileage and ride quality compared to its predecessor.

The new tyre boasts high braking performance, particularly on wet roads. On the EU Tyre Label, the new PremiumContact 6 achieves the top “A” rating for wet grip.

The new PremiumContact 6 will be available from tyre dealers from early 2017 in a wide range of sizes for models from mid-range cars to SUVs.

“Around 70 sizes of the new PremiumContact 6 will be available in time for the start of the 2017 summer tyre season,” said Continental product manager (EMEA Region) Catarina Silva.

“With rim diameters from 16 to 21 inches we can cover much of the demand from car drivers, while in terms of width, we’re starting with a 195 mm tyre, and going all the way to 275 mm. Aspect ratios will be from 65 to 40 percent, again covering much of the market, while speed approvals go as high as 186 mph (299kph).”


Watch launch of facelifted Toyota Vios in Thailand - Live

                BANGKOK: The facelifted Toyota Vios was launched in Thailand today.

Here's the live streaming of the launch event, and if you happen to understand Thai, so much the better. At the time of writing, over 1,500 visitors were watching the live event. It has since climbed to over 11,000 visitors as at 3.45pm.

The latest Vios is sold in four grades - J, E, G and S. Sources said the Thai-specced Vios will have a revised instrument cluster and infotainment system as well as a cabin made sportier with a black theme.

Available in a choice of six body colours, the new Vios is priced from 609,000 baht (RM76,677) for the J grade to 789,000 baht (RM99,268) for the top S grade.

As in most model refreshes, the engine and gearbox are left untouched. The Vios retains the 1.5-litre dual VVT-i engine and a 7-speed continuously variable transmission (CVT).

With the Thai rollout today, it won't be long before Malaysians will be seeing it on local roads as UMW Toyota Motor works in the background to prepare the way for its launch later this year.


Jaguar XE SV Project 8 sets new speed record

                SAN JOSE: Jaguar’s supercar-rivalling XE SV Project 8 has confirmed its status as the world’s fastest four-door car by setting a new track record.

The 592hp, 320kph four-door road-legal sedan lapped the 3.6km WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in 1 min 37.54 sec – almost a second faster than the previous production sedan record – with racing driver Randy Pobst at the wheel.

The most extreme Jaguar yet produced, XE SV Project 8 was fine-tuned by Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations engineers on some of the world’s most demanding test tracks, including Germany’s famed Nürburgring Nordschleife. Late last year XE SV Project 8 lapped the 21km circuit in a record 7 min 21.23 sec.

"This Laguna Seca lap record is another powerful demonstration of the Jaguar XE SV Project 8’s performance credentials," said Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations managing director Michael van der Sande.

“This record-breaking sedan is made for the world’s most demanding driving enthusiasts.”

While based on XE’s lightweight aluminium-intensive monocoque, each of the 300 hand-built Project 8 cars are modified at the SV Technical Centre in Coventry to accommodate the specially tuned, supercharged 5.0-litre V8 engine and a bespoke rear differential.

Unlike most high-performance production sedans, the all-wheel-drive XE SV Project 8 is studded with motor racing technology such as F1-style ceramic wheel bearings, adjustable ride height and adjustable camber.

The front and rear fenders are bespoke to accommodate larger, wider, wheels which are necessitated by the larger brakes.

The V8’s power is routed through all four Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres through an eight-speed Quickshift automatic ZF transmission, helping to propel the car from 0-100kph in 3.3sec and an electronically limited top speed of 320kph.

In order to achieve this performance, the car receives significant aerodynamic and suspension upgrades, including a "Track" mode for maximum downforce and further improvements to the damping, throttle and steering response.

Project 8 is available in two specifications. The standard four-seat model features Jaguar’s latest front Performance seats with magnesium frames, plus a more heavily contoured rear squab to maximise support. The optional two-seat Track Pack includes lightweight front carbon fibre racing seats with four-point harnesses fixed to a harness retention hoop in place of the rear seat.

Project 8 is priced from £149,995 (RM812,000) in Britain.


Toyota Corolla Cross compact SUV launched in Thailand

                BANGKOK: The new Toyota Corolla Cross compact SUV had its global premiere in Thailand today, where sales has started.

The Corolla Cross was developed with the "Corolla Meets SUV" key phrase in mind, and the compact SUV is larger (Length: Width: Height: Wheelbase - 4,460mm / 1,825mm / 1,620mm / 2,640mm) than the Honda Jazz-based HR-V rival (4,334mm / 1,772mm / 1,605mm / 2,610mm).

The Corolla Cross uses the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform (GA-C) which helps to provide a comfortable ride, and outstanding quietness.

The 1.8-litre 5-seater, front wheel drive Corolla Cross is offered in two powertrains.

One is a hybrid petrol powertrain, mated to an electric continuously variable transmission (CVT), which has a total system output of 122ps.

Another is the petrol powertrain, with an Super CVT-i, that produces 140ps and 177Nm of torque.

A new torsion-beam suspension results in a stable, cushioned ride while a class-leading minimum turning radius of 5.2 meters results in responsive handling.

The Corolla Cross also offers a class-leading 487 litres of luggage space when carrying the puncture repair kit, and 440 litres with a temporary spare tyre.

Fuel efficiency is rated at 4.3 litres per 100km (hybrid) and 6.5 litres per 100km (petrol only) under the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle).

The Hybrid High grade variant in Thailand comes with the Toyota Safety Sense suite of driver's assistance systems.

Both the Hybrid High and Mid grade variants also get Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.


Aston spins a custom-spec DBX, wants RM1.1m for it

                KUALA LUMPUR: Aston Martin Kuala Lumpur today introduced a DBX with a new paintjob and a few tweaks.

The customised DBX painted in so-called "Arden Green" is priced from RM1.1mil, RM254,000 more than the regular DBX. Prices quoted are base prices excluding duties and taxes.

Green has always been a signature colour for Aston Martin.

Arden Green is a subtler hue with a grey-green hint that has strong associations to Aston Martin’s classic and racing history. The exterior paintwork is paired with a tan interior.

DBX Arden Green includes a sport exhaust acoustic upgrade. By re-profiling the exhaust gas routing, DBX Arden Green will offer a deeper, more aggressive exhaust note with a sound level increase when compared to the standard exhaust acoustic profile.

This is available at engine start up and throughout the power range.

To enhance the sporty characteristics, DBX Arden Green features dark elements outside and inside.

For example, the luxury features smoked taillights, a gloss black exterior pack, dark satin chrome jewellery pack, and obsidian black leather for the upper interior.

Convenience include a power tailgate with gesture control, park assist, and touchpad control.


2014 marks new record for BMW Malaysia

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Group Malaysia saw its highest performance record in the company’s history in 2014.

Last year, BMW Group Malaysia delivered a record total of 9,046 vehicles comprising of 7,808 BMW, 655 MINI and 583 BMW Motorrad vehicles, an increase of 13.4% as compared to the same period in 2013 (7,974).

BMW Group Malaysia managing director & CEO Alan Harris  said, “We are very pleased with our performance last year which has allowed us at BMW Group Malaysia to once again emerge as the number one premium automaker in the country.”

Harris further added that strong demand for the variants of the BMW 3 Series and the BMW 5 Series as well as the introductions of new BMW, MINI and Motorrad models in 2014 were the key reasons that propelled the premium carmaker towards the company’s record-breaking sales performance in the country.

“While the 3 Series and 5 Series remain strong contenders in the market and are greatly appreciated by our customers, we were able to provide a wider range of models for the Malaysian premium segment with the all-new BMW X4, the New MINI as well as new BMW Motorrad models such as the BMW R nineT and BMW S 1000 R; all of which have gone on to redefine their respective segments. Additionally, our further investment in new locally assembled capabilities for the BMW X5, the MINI Countryman and the BMW F 800 GS and F 800 R motorcycles marked a historical milestone for BMW Group Malaysia not only in the country but also in South East Asia,” said Harris.

Reiterating Alan Harris sentiments, Hendrik von Kuenheim, Senior Vice President Region Asia, Pacific and South Africa, BMW Group said, “2014 was the best year ever for not just BMW Group Malaysia but also for the BMW Group worldwide. The impeccable result of achieving our target and keeping at its top spot in the Malaysian premium automotive segment further demonstrates that Malaysia continues to be a hub and home for the BMW Group in the region."

Globally, the BMW Group successfully reaffirmed its position as the world’s largest premium automobile group. Its delivery of 2,117,965 vehicles worldwide marks a 7.9% surge from previous record year (2013: 1,963,798), more than ever before in the company’s history.

In Asia, the BMW Group also delivered a strong growth in 2014 by delivering a total of 656,395 BMW and MINI vehicles, a 13.8% increase as compared to the same period in 2013 (576,616).


BMW Motorrad to get Active Cruise Control

                MUNICH: Active cruise control, long available in cars, is now coming to motorcycles.

BMW Motorrad will soon offer this type of rider assistance system, thus providing motorcyclists with a new, comfortable riding experience.

The new BMW Motorrad Active Cruise Control (ACC) was developed with Bosch.

The many years of experience with passenger car driver assistance systems of both companies was applied selectively for motorcycle use.

The ACC provides maximum comfort for the demanding touring motorcyclist by automatically regulating the speed set by the rider and the distance to the vehicle in front.

The system automatically regulates the vehicle speed when the distance to the vehicle in front is reduced and keeps the distance defined by the rider. This distance can be varied in three stages. Both the riding speed as well as the distance to the vehicle in front can be set conveniently using a button.

The individual settings are displayed on the TFT instrument cluster. The ACC has two selectable control characteristics: comfortable or dynamic, in which the acceleration and deceleration behaviour is changed accordingly. The distance control can also be deactivated in order to be able to use the Dynamic Cruise Control (DCC).

When cornering, the speed is automatically reduced by the ACC if required and a comfortable lean angle is aimed at. With an increasing lean angle, however, the braking and acceleration dynamics are limited in order to maintain a stable rideability and not to unsettle the rider by abrupt braking or acceleration.

The BMW Motorrad ACC still allows the rider to intervene at all times. That is also because the new ACC only responds to moving vehicles. Stationary vehicles – like at the end of a traffic jam or at traffic lights – are are not considered. In such cases, the rider has to do the braking.


Chevrolet Bolt EV battery production resumes

                WASHINGTON: General Motors Co said on Monday that battery production for its recalled Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle had resumed and that battery replacements will begin next month.

GM said supplier LG battery plants in Holland and Hazel Park, Michigan, have resumed production and LG is adding capacity to provide more battery cells to GM.

Last week, the largest US automaker said it would extend a shutdown of a Michigan assembly plant to mid-October following a new recall of its Bolt electric vehicles over battery issues after 13 reported fires. GM declined Monday to say when it might resume production of the vehicles.

GM shares recovered some of their earlier losses after the announcement, closing down 3.8% at US$49.37.

GM in August widened its recall of the Bolt to more than 140,000 vehicles to replace battery modules, at a cost now estimated at US$1.8 billion. The automaker said it would seek reimbursement from LG.

GM said on Monday "replacement battery modules will begin shipping to dealers as soon as mid-October."

GM says the root cause of the rare circumstances that could cause a battery fire is two manufacturing defects known as a torn anode and a folded separator.

GM said LG has implemented new manufacturing processes and has worked with GM to "review and enhance its quality assurance programs to provide confidence in its batteries moving forward."

Within about 60 days, GM will launch a new "advanced diagnostic software package that will increase the available battery charging parameters over existing guidance," it said.

The software is designed to detect "specific abnormalities that might indicate a damaged battery."

GM said owners should continue to park outside immediately after charging and not leave vehicles charging indoors overnight.