Porsche Carrera Cup Asia: Good show by Malaysian-born driver

                BURIRAM, Thailand: Rounds five and six of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia (PCCA) have been hailed as a “fantastic outing” by Malaysian-born Australian driver Mitchell Gilbert.

Taking place from the 8th till the 10th of July at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand in conjunction with the Thailand Super Series, the PCCA weekend had started off rather uneventfully for Gilbert during qualifying despite topping Friday’s practice sessions.

Race One took place on Saturday 9th of July and Gilbert describes it as the best race of the weekend.

The start was timed to perfection which gave him the momentum needed to leap frog the field ahead.

By lap eight, he was already in third place and dicing with the two cars ahead for first place.

Unfortunately he rubbed cars with the second placed car which gave the fourth place car the opportunity to sneak past into second place.

Gilbert finished the race in fourth.

Speaking after the race, the 22-year old Gilbert said, “Race One was really good. I finished five places ahead of where I qualified which is great. And being in the battle for first place after qualifying ninth was an feeling and gives me the confidence for the rest of the season. A podium finish is not too far away, I can feel it already.”

Gilbert described Race Two as “a bit of an anti-climax” after Race One.

As the lights turned green, he once again executed a perfect start and by the end of the first lap Gilbert was already in fifth place.

However it was a lonely race from there on as he simply did not have the pace to catch the four leading cars, and finished the race in fifth place.

“I did collect precious points though and being fifth on the table with four more race weekends to go, which I believe is a good place to be in at this point of the season,” said Gilbert of his second race.

Gilbert is currently fifth on the Championship table and is just 26 points adrift of the Championship leader.

With five race weekends and 10 more races to go before the season ends, all eyes will be on Gilbert for the next race in Sydney, Australia next month.

Gilbert has been living in Kuala Lumpur for the past 16 years.

Identifying himself more as a Malaysian than an Australian, he is better known as Mitch.

He began racing karts in Malaysia in 2002 before moving to Europe in 2008.

After a successful European karting spell, Mitch went on to compete in single seater racing at the highest level.

Mitch raced in Formula Renault, European and German Formula 3, as well as the GP3 series that supports Formula One.

For 2016, Mitch has moved back to Malaysia to purse his motorsports career.

He is supported by Absolute Racing and is competing in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia 2016 Championship.

Along with his racing commitments, Mitch is raising awareness for breast cancer with the Pink Ribbon (L) Foundation.

You can find out more about Mitch at www.mitch-gilbert.com.


Testing autonomous vehicle corridors with safer roads in mind

                DETROIT: A globally unique trial will soon be getting underway in Michigan, with the creation of a 60-kilometre-long corridor specifically dedicated to autonomous vehicles.

The idea is to provide them with all the infrastructure necessary to ensure optimal interconnectivity, as well as perfectly safe and fluid traffic.

Cavnue is in charge of this first-ever connected corridor project between downtown Detroit and the university town of Ann Arbor.

Cavnue is an entity owned by Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP), itself launched by Alphabet and now owned by Google.

Through its Waymo subsidiary, Google has been involved in the development of fully autonomous vehicles for over a decade.

In collaboration with the Michigan Department of Transportation, Cavnue has set out to develop a dedicated corridor for autonomous vehicles.

The first vehicles to be allowed in this corridor are expected to be smart buses and shuttles. Autonomous cars for private use won't be allowed in just yet.

In any case, the goal is to improve the accessibility and safety of these vehicles while controlling network congestion.

This type of corridor will have to coexist with classic roads, bearing in mind that this section will operate using a part of the Interstate 94 highway.

This is a huge project because it involves setting up the most "advanced" road in the world, combining innovations both in physical infrastructure — with the installation of charging stations and even an induction system placed directly under the road — and in digital infrastructure, to connect all the vehicles.

It will be necessary to have tools for analyzing and sharing traffic data in real time in order to provide proactive advice to all vehicles in the lane.

Then, a digital twin of the system will need to be built. The concept of a digital twin involves recreating, in virtual form, an existing infrastructure system, in this case a road network.

If this project is successfully completed, the creation of other corridors could be envisaged, this time dedicated to goods transport with autonomous trucks.


Mazda3 cars recalled as wheels may fall off

                PETALING JAYA: Mazda North American Operations has recalled some 2019 Model Year Mazda3 cars as a parts defect could make the wheels come off while driving.

That's really scary news, made more so by Mazda Japan confirming the serious defect is also present in Mazda3 cars made in Japan. A total of 25,003 cars are affected by the recall. The recalled cars were assembled either at Mazda's Mexico plant or its plant in Japan.

This Mazda3 model — in its fourth generation and due in Malaysia this month — would be unaffected as the fix is already under way. Incidentally, local Mazda distributor Bermaz Motor has stopped production of the outgoing Mazda3 in preparation for the arrival of the fully imported new Mazda3.

Mazda North American Operations said in a statement last Friday that the wheel lug nuts may loosen and fall off during normal driving. In the worst case, continuous use will lead to a wheel detaching from the vehicle. A wheel separating from the vehicle increases the risk of a crash. A rattling noise would occur prior to a wheel coming off the car.

READ MORE: New Mazda3 previewed in Malaysia

Mazda Japan weighed in and said the problem had also surfaced in units made in Japan. The root cause, it said, was identified as a partial gap created between the hub bolt head and hub flange of the hub bearing assembly, leading to loss of torque and eventual loosening of the wheel nut.

The remedy involved re-tightening the front and rear wheel nuts to the correct specification so as to remove the gap between the wheel hub bolts and hub flanges.

Mazda North American Operations said no field cases of wheel separation have been reported, and there have been no accidents, injuries, or deaths related to this concern.

The recall affects only 1% of total Mazda3 cars in the US market. Mazda said the affected units were made from Sept 25, 2018 to April 19, 2019. Their VIN ranges are from JM1BPACM2K1100042 to JM1BPAMM0K1136438 and from 3MZBPAEM7KM100048 to 3MZBPAEM7KM100048.


Ministry mulls notices at border gates on RON95 petrol sales ban to foreign vehicles

                PADANG BESAR: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry is considering a suggestion to display notices on the ban of RON95 petrol sales to foreign-registered vehicles at the country’s border gates.

Its secretary-general Azman Mohd Yusof said the suggestion put forward by petrol station operators was good and would help in the effort to prevent such vehicles from fuelling up the subsidised petrol reserved for Malaysians.

"We can prepare the notices in Malay, English and Thai languages so that travellers can see the information early before entering the country.

"We will try to look at the effectiveness of its implementation first before making any decision,” he said after a working visit to the Immigration, Customs and Quarantine Complex (ICQ) here.

Also present were deputy director of enforcement (operations) Shamsul Nizam Khalil and the ministry's Perlis chapter director Norazah Jaafar.

Meanwhile, Azman said 94 cases of smuggling controlled and subsidised items at the national border gates were recorded from January to April this year, with seizures amounting to RM7.88mil.

“The ministry is serious about stopping leakages of controlled and subsidised items, especially those taking place at the country’s border gates because they cause huge losses to the nation,” he said.

Azman also said the ministry was pushing for its enforcement personnel to be equipped with border control facilities when carrying out their duties for their safety.

He said there were also plans to provide them with firearms depending on the locations they were stationed.

"However, a study must be conducted first on the number of firearms needed by taking into account the standard operating procedures, licences, allocations and others.

"We also want to seek an allocation to procure vehicles to facilitate our members when conducting their duties, but this matter must be studied first,” he added.


Nissan X-Trail and Serena S-Hybrid now come with RM100K family insurance coverage

KUALA LUMPUR: If you are planning to buy the new X-Trail and Serena S-Hybrid, the deal is now sweetened with a complimentary 1-year insurance protection plan of RM100,000.

Nissan distributor Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd teamed up with FWD Takaful Bhd (formerly known as HSBC Amanah Takaful (Malaysia) Berhad) to offer the FWD Protect Direct family takaful plan.

FWD Protect Direct is an online takaful plan that offers protection for the entire family in one single plan. You may opt for individual, couple, family (up to two children) and single parent (up to two children) plan.

With one certificate, it saves the customer from having to manage multiple takaful certificates for the whole family.

Customers who buy the X-Trail or Serena S-Hybrid from Feb 1 to April 30 will receive a FWD Takaful promo card with a code and details on how to redeem the complimentary plan via FWD Takaful website.

Redemption has to be done before May 30. To find out more about FWD Protect Direct, go to fwd.com.my/direct/protect-direct.

In addition, Edaran Tan Chong Motor is offering promotions on other models. It is touting Nissan attractive monthly instalment plans from as low as RM749 for the Almera, RM958 for Navara, RM1,275 for X-Trail and RM1,295 for Serena S-Hybrid.

On top of that, 10 customers may also stand a chance to win Cuckoo home appliances worth up to RM60,000 when they buy and register any Nissan model this month.

Nissan test-drive sessions will also be organised from Feb 15-16 and Feb 22-23 at selected showrooms nationwide.


Child car seats to be made compulsory by 2019

                SEREMBAN: Car owners travelling with young children will only be compelled to have child seats in their vehicles by 2019 to give car makers enough time to install child-seat locks in new vehicles.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said car makers have already been told that they will have to start installing child-seat locks in their makes from this year.

"We have already told car makers that every vehicle manufactured or imported from this year must come with that gadget so owners will be able to buy child seats and secure it nicely in their vehicles," he said.

Liow was asked to respond to a statement by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim on Tuesday that child car seats should be made compulsory before the proposed implementation in 2019.

Rohani said she would meet with representatives from Liow's ministry and relevant stakeholders on the matter, following the tragic death of a two-year-old boy who was killed in Ulu Tiram, Johor, on Saturday, when he fell out of his father's car and was run over by another vehicle.

On Wednesday morning, two brothers aged one and two were killed when they were thrown out of a car driven by their father in a three vehicle pile-up along Jalan Ipoh-Lumut.

Liow said parents and other car drivers should be vigilant when they have young children travelling with them.

"Lock the back doors and use the rear seat belts in your car when travelling.

"You should use these to ensure the safety of the people in your car at all times," he said.

Liow said it would also be difficult to make it mandatory for all car owners with young children to secure them in child seats as older models did not have child seat locks.


Triumph Motorcycles unveils distributorship transition warranty extension programme

                PETALING JAYA: Triumph Motorcycles, a renowned name in the motorcycle industry, has announced a warranty extension programme for customers whose bike's warranty end period was affected during the distributor transition period between January and April.

Understanding the importance of customer satisfaction and after-sales support, Triumph Motorcycles has taken this initiative to ensure that all affected owners receive the warranty coverage they deserve.

The warranty extension program will provide an additional six months of warranty coverage through the remainder of 2023.

Didi Group executive director Juan Chow Wee said the company placed a high value on its customer service and wanted to address any concerns or inconveniences caused during the distributor transition period.

"By extending the warranty for affected customers, we aim to provide them with peace of mind and demonstrate our commitment to their ownership experience," he said.

To get the warranty extension, customers must fill out the dedicated form on the Triumph Motorcycles website.

The form requires customers to provide their bike details and contact information at https://forms.gle/SVpmNVkgPthQRLAn6

The Triumph Motorcycles team will then reach out to customers as soon as possible to confirm the warranty extension and provide further instructions.

Triumph Motorcycles prides itself on delivering high-quality motorcycles and exceptional customer service.

The warranty extension programme reflects the company's dedication to ensuring customer satisfaction and reinforces its commitment to standing behind its products.


Car theft syndicate targeting vehicles left by foreigners at condos busted, six arrested

                SERDANG: Police have arrested six men believed to be part of a car theft syndicate here.

Serdang OCPD Asst Comm AA Anbalagan said CID personnel from the district and Kuala Lumpur initially arrested three men and seized a Mercedes S 320 along with a Toyota Estima at about 2pm on July 25.

"The two cars were reported stolen.

"Based on interrogations, a follow up operation was conducted the next day and three other suspects were arrested including a Nepalese national," he told reporters today.

He said police also seized several mobile phones, a key programmer, six vehicles including a Volkswagen Passat, Audi Q7 and Toyota Fortuner.

"Two of the vehicles seized were reported stolen in Seri Kembangan.

"Our investigations revealed the syndicate would look for vehicles that were left for long periods inside condominium parking lots," he said.

He added they believe the vehicles were owned by foreigners who had left the country for a long time.

He said further investigations revealed two of the suspects arrested were potential buyers.

"One of the suspects, a 40-year-old man, was the owner of a key shop and had experience in making and programming secondary keys.

"The Nepalese man arrested worked as a security guard and gave the syndicate information on vehicles left for long periods at the condominium he was working at," he said.

He noted police had linked the syndicate to seven cases so far.


BMW i7 M70 xDrive debuts at Auto Shanghai 2023

                SHANGHAI: The BMW i7 M70 xDrive is the Munich automaker's most powerful all-electric model, and spearheads the new 7 Series range.

Making its global debut at Auto Shanghai 2023, it will be built at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, together with all other model variants of the luxury sedan.

Equipped with an electric motor at both the front and rear axle generating a maximum system output of 660hp and an M-specific chassis, the range-topping model accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, making it the fastest all-electric BMW model.

Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h.

Producing the highest output ever for an all-electric BMW car, the i7 M70 xDrive is now the company’s third performance model to have an all-electric drive system, following the launch of the i4 M50 – BMW M's best-selling model worldwide in 2022 – and the iX M60.

The i7 M70 xDrive has a 101.7 kWh battery, and an estimated range of 488km to 560km (WLTP cycle).

It is capable of AC charging at up to 22 kW as standard, while DC power can be taken on board at up to 195 kW.

This means the range can be extended by 170km (WLTP) in just 10 minutes at a high-power charging station.

Also, a new feature here is the Max Range mode for the all-electric models in the new 7 Series range.

At the push of a button, drive power and top speed are carefully restricted and comfort functions scaled back, allowing range to be increased by 15% to 25%.

Standard kit includes 21-inch M light-alloy wheels and M‑specific adaptive two-axle air suspension with electronically controlled dampers and automatic self-levelling.

Also standard are Integral Active Steering and the Executive Drive Pro chassis package including active roll stabilisation with Active Roll Comfort.

As well as helping to increase comfort, these two systems – together with the stiffer body – hone the car’s handling dynamics.

The blue M Sport brakes with M logo fitted as standard come with large brake discs for increased stopping power.

Its extravagant appearance is fronted by M-specific design features like the M exterior mirrors with distinctive twin-stalk design, the BMW kidney grille with M badging, bespoke inlays in the rear bumper and M logos on the front side panels.

Among the cabin highlights are the BMW Interaction Bar in the cockpit and the Executive Lounge with optimised reclining function in the rear.

The BMW Theatre Screen and Bowers & Wilkins Surround Sound System with optional in-seat exciters turn the rear compartment into an personal cinema on wheels.

Advanced systems for automated driving and parking, like the Parking Assistant and Manoeuvre Assistant can now also be controlled remotely using the My BMW App.

This allows entering and exiting tight parking spaces with significantly greater ease.

Also, doors can be opened and closed automatically using the My BMW App and BMW Digital Key Plus.

The driver’s door opens automatically when the smartphone on which the BMW Digital Key Plus is installed comes within a certain distance of the car.
After getting into the car, the driver can close the door again by pressing the brake pedal.

Additionally, the BMW Digital Key Plus links up with the integrated collision protection functions for the automatic doors in order to stop the movement of the door if an obstacle is detected.

The extended BMW Digital Key Plus is expected to be available from summer 2023 for all new 7 Series cars fitted with automatic doors.


Daimler stays on course with electric flagship sedan

                STUTTGART: Daimler AG is pushing ahead with plans to produce an all-electric version of its flagship Mercedes S-Class sedan from next year even as it cuts back in other areas to weather a slump in demand across the industry.

The company’s main Mercedes-Benz cars unit aims to make all of its factories CO2-neutral by the end of 2022, chief executive officer Ola Kallenius said Monday in a webcast. The goal was previously restricted to Europe. Daimler also confirmed that it will roll out a fresh version of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in the second half of this year, another key project.

It’s critical for Daimler to stick to its main strategic goals — from eliminating carbon emissions to boosting digital operations — to overcome the crisis sparked by the Covid-19 outbreak, Kallenius said. "We’re not taking our eye off the ball,” he added.

The world’s bestselling luxury-car maker has been looking to accelerate restructuring efforts in the wake of the pandemic, which closed factories and showrooms around the world. Demand in the brand’s largest market, China, has started to recover, while lockdown measures in Europe and the US are gradually easing.

The crisis poses "a big challenge, but step-by-step we’re getting back on track,” Kallenius said. Most dealerships across the globe have reopened and showroom traffic in China is almost back to pre-crisis levels, he said.

"It’s a tad too early to make a final assessment” of the impact of the virus, he said, "but I see reason for cautious optimism.”


Perodua ups 2019 sales target to 235,000 units

                KUALA LUMPUR: Perodua has revised upwards its 2019 sales target to 235,000 units from 231,000 units initially, underpinned by sustained healthy demand for all its models.

The target, if achieved, would be a new record high for the national carmaker.

Perodua sold 227,243 vehicles in 2018, which was its highest annual sales achievement in history.

In the first half of 2019, the company sold 121,800 vehicles, a 4% increase from the 117,100 units it sold in the previous corresponding period.

Perodua president and CEO Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad said total bookings stood at 190,765 units in the first six months of this year, which is more than a 3% increase from the 184,949 units ordered in the same period last year.

He however said the outlook for the second half is expected to remain challenging.

“We believe that the second half of the year will not be as healthy as what was recorded last year. The momentum of the first half is likely to reduce in the second half,” he said at a briefing today on Perodua’s first half sales performance.


An off-road rocket Porsche surprises with Macan GTS Tokyo debut

                TOKYO: The most popular car in Porsche's current lineup is about to become even more in demand, and - for novice drivers - even more demanding.

And that's because the Macan GTS has its roots as much in motor racing as it has in negotiating a ploughed field.

The company doesn't apply those three letters - G-T-S - to a model lightly. Therefore as well as active, permanent four-wheel drive, the new compact SUV has at is heart a 3-liter twin-turbocharged V6 retuned to output 355bhp and an impressive 500Nm of torque.

This powerplant is fed to the wheels via a seven-speed dual clutch paddle-shift gearbox and the result is a 0-100kph time of 5.2 seconds and a top speed of 256kph. And if you plump for the optional Sport Chrono package, a further 0.2 seconds are shaved off that 0-100kph.

To keep the car under control with such performance on tap, ride height is dropped by 15mm and the lower stance, plus the addition of 20-inch RS Spyder design black alloy wheels gives the GTS a truly menacing stance.

To retain this stance no matter how hard it's pushed, the Macan has a firmer active suspension management setup and a traction management system for reducing or increasing power to individual wheels for more grip or tighter road-holding. And, of course, bigger brakes.

Other exterior differences include a mix of gloss and matte black body accents and GTS aerodynamic details that will be familiar to any Porsche aficionado. And although not standard - even on a car that will cost euro;73,400 in Europe and US$67,200 (plus destination charge) in the US - the GTS can be specified with LED headlamps for a stronger optical signature and greater, safer, brighter illumination.

Inside, Alcantara is the material of choice, adorning the dashboard, door cards and GTS-badged seats. Meanwhile infotainment comes courtesy of Porsche's new communication management touchscreen system that made its debut in the latest 911.

As well as online navigation and live traffic updates, it offers full support for Apple's CarPlay iPhone integration system. Other standard technological features include parking sensors and park assist, front and rear and electronic tailgate release.


Amazon pushes security products with car alarm and indoor drone

                SEATTLE: Amazon.com Inc on Thursday announced car products for alerting vehicle owners about attempted break-ins and a drone for recording security video inside homes.

The news reflects Amazon’s growing security business since its acquisition of smart doorbell maker Ring in 2018, an effort that’s drawn scrutinty from civil liberties advocates.

The company announced a car device that sounds an alarm when a break-in or bump is detected. It unveiled a vehicle security camera, and the Ring Car Connect software that works with other vehicle cameras for video play back and alerting.

Tesla Inc is the first automaker whose models are compatible.

Ring devices have garnered criticism from civil liberties advocates such as the San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which has said the company should end partnerships with police.

“Amazon and other companies offer a high-speed digital mechanism by which people can make snap judgments about who does, and who does not, belong in their neighbourhood, and summon police to confront them,” EFF staff wrote in a June blog post.

It also represents Amazon’s latest push into shoppers’ homes, which evolved from package delivery years ago to gadgets that let consumers turn off the lights or stream media by voice command.

Amazon’s indoor drone, the Ring Always Home Cam available next year, aims to capture video where customers otherwise lack static cameras. It can show users video where an alarm has gone off, said Amazon Vice President Daniel Rausch.

“It’s super reassuring to be able to get a view inside your home,” he said in an interview. The device only records while flying, Ring said.

Ring President Leila Rouhi said in an interview the company will never proactively share videos with law enforcement; users control what to share. Ring’s aim is to give peace of mind, she said.

Amazon also announced a cloud-based gaming service called Luna, spherical Echo speakers and features for its voice assistant Alexa, like the ability to delete all prior recordings. Various subscriptions help Amazon monetise the products.

The new devices come as Amazon is working to maintain US market share in smart speakers over rivals Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google.


BMW joins car peers with warning of coronavirus profit slump

                MUNICH: BMW AG lowered its profit outlook for the year as the German carmaker said the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, which continues to disrupt production and sales in markets from Europe to North America, is lasting longer than expected.

BMW now sees an earnings before interest and taxes margin for the automotive segment of between 0% and 3%, from 2% to 4% earlier, the company said late Tuesday.

The new outlook is a sign that BMW is bracing for tough times after carmakers from Ford Motor Co. to Daimler AG forecast falling profit in the past days because of the pandemic.

The crisis is hitting BMW and its peers at a sensitive time - manufacturers are ramping up spending on electric vehicles to meet tougher emissions regulations and need profits from conventional cars to fund those investments.

 Zipse.

“The situation remains serious,” chief executive officer Oliver Zipse said. “We are keeping a tight rein on inventory levels because liquidity has absolute priority in this situation.”

BMW is the last European carmaker to report, and on Wednesday provided more detailed earnings figures. Group sales and operating profit climbed in the first quarter because of several negative one-time effects in the previous-year period. BMW’s automotive sales, a key metric watched closely by analysts, fell 6.4% amid showroom closures in March.

Car sales won’t return to normal in the coming weeks and the second quarter will be worse than the first three months of the year, BMW said.

Both Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and Volkswagen AG expect to lose money in the period from April through June. In the US, General Motors Co. is expected to release earnings later today.

While the first quarter looks “fairly good,” the current period will mark the trough, said Bankhaus Metzler analyst Juergen Pieper. “A loss is very likely, revenues could be down as much as 25-30%,” he said by email.

The carmaker still expects group profit before tax to be “significantly lower” than in 2019, after Chancellor Angela Merkel this week dashed the company’s hopes for immediate auto purchasing subsidies, with the German government deferring a decision until June.

BMW is also slashing investments this year, to less than 4 billion euros from 5.7 billion euros previously, chief financial officer Nicolas Peter said today.

The carmaker’s new guidance doesn’t reflect a longer recession in major markets, a more severe slowdown in China, tougher competition because of the virus and “possible implications caused by a second wave of infections and associated containment measures,” BMW said.


By George! Aston Martin is actually making money now

                LONDON: British luxury carmaker Aston Martin today reported its first Q1 profit in a decade, marking a turnaround in its performance which could propel the company towards a market flotation.

The 104-year old firm, made famous for making the sports car driven by secret agent James Bond, has made an annual loss in each of the last six years.

Pre-tax profit reached 5.9 million pounds (RM32.8mil) in the first three months of the year, while revenues more than doubled to 188 million pounds (RM1bil) thanks to strong demand for its new luxury DB11 model, which went on sale at the end of last year.

The firm, owned mainly by Kuwaiti and Italian investors, anticipates full-year sales will grow by more than 30 percent from 3,687 cars in 2016 as the company - which has gone bankrupt seven times in its history - sees the strongest signs yet of recovery.

"The amount of customers who are buying these cars... has doubled year on year," said chief financial officer Mark Wilson. "We're now in an area and an environment where we are generating demand in excess of supply," he said.

In 2016, Aston's sales were at a low as the firm was still selling its range of older models ahead of the release of several new cars designed to boost volumes and its appeal.

With the turnaround underway, plus a debt refinancing that has cut annual interest payments by more than 10 million pounds, there has been media speculation about whether the company's shareholders are looking at plans for an initial public offering next year.

"As far as I'm aware at the moment those discussions are not happening," Wilson said. "At some point those private equity businesses will want to realize value but the timing and manner of them doing that is entirely within their gift," he said.

The firm has said for years that its future could lie in a market flotation, but a lack of sufficient investment and a dearth of new models have thwarted its development since it was sold by Ford in 2007.

A key part of the firm's expansion includes building its first electric car, a version of its Rapide S model, which will help it to meet more stringent emissions criteria and widen its reach to new customers. It has raised capital for the move into electric cars and also sports utility vehicles.

It signed an agreement last year with Chinese consumer electronics group LeEco to jointly develop the electric version of its Rapide S vehicle.

But the Chinese conglomerate has since announced job cuts and reduced its global operations in response to a cash shortage.

Asked about the partnership, Wilson said: "We are in dialogue with them, we're working with them. They've undertaken their funding commitments so far so we'll keep them at their word.

"They've absolutely contributed money into the partnership."


A gift of excess: Aston Martin DB5 Junior No Time To Die Edition

                LONDON: The Little Car Company, Aston Martin and EON Productions today announced the launch of a No Time To Die special edition Aston Martin DB5 Junior.

Inspired by the 25th James Bond film, No Time To Die, released in cinemas from Sept 30, the film sees the return of the iconic DB5.

This unique collaboration with The Little Car Company has created a gadget-laden collector’s item. The two-thirds scale version of the original comes with a fully electric powertrain but is not road-legal.

Pricing for the car has been set at £90,000 (RM515,000), plus local taxes. Existing Aston Martin DB5 Junior clients will be given first refusal on upgrading to a No Time To Die edition, and remaining build slots will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Only 125 vehicles will be built.

The No Time To Die edition pays homage to the rich shared history of the brands, with Silver Birch paintwork, Smiths instruments, individually numbered chassis plates and completed with Aston Martin badging.

In true Bond style, this special edition boasts even greater power and range over the standard DB5 Vantage Junior, giving it a higher level of performance.

The original DB5 was 3D-scanned for reference, allowing an accurate reproduction. Whilst some elements of the car have been replicated, such as the Smiths instruments on the dashboard, some elements have been reimagined for the modern era.

The fuel gauge has been converted into a battery meter, while the oil temperature now monitors the motor temperature.

The No Time To Die Special Edition has been designed as a convertible, and not the fixed head coupe driven by 007. This is to offer seating for an adult and child side by side, allowing all generations of Bond fans to share the love of driving.

With multiple driving modes and a range of up to 128km, aspiring secret agents should be able to escape any situation. There are also some secret "Easter Eggs" hidden within the car for the lucky owners to find.

A quick-release steering wheel allows for a speedy entry and exit for the driver, and when they need to stop in a hurry, they can rely on both regenerative braking and high-performance Brembo disc brakes.

Bilstein dampers and coilover springs make sure the suspension can handle the performance squeezed into this two-thirds scale marvel.


France to uphold ban on sale of fossil fuel cars by 2040

France would help its car makers switch to electricity, hydrogen and possibly biogas. It has a large car manufacturing industry led by PSA and Renault. — AFP

PARIS: The French government’s new law on mobility will uphold a planned ban on fossil fuel-powered cars by 2040, Transport Minister Elizabeth Borne said on Tuesday.

Former environment minister Nicolas Hulot said in July 2017 - at the beginning of President Emmanuel Macron’s term - that France aimed to end the sale of gasoline and diesel vehicles by 2040 in a bid to become carbon neutral by 2050.

Hulot resigned in September 2018 in protest over Macron’s lack of commitment to environmental causes and the government has since rarely mentioned the planned ban, partly because of the “yellow vest” protest movement against carbon taxes on fuel prices and the high cost of living.

Borne, who is a deputy to Hulot’s successor Francois de Rugy, confirmed in an interview with BFM television that the objective set out by Hulot would be met.

“We have target for carbon neutrality by 2050 and we need a credible trajectory towards that, which includes a ban on the sale of vehicles that consume fossil fuels by 2040,” she said.

She said France - which has a large car manufacturing industry led by PSA and Renault - would help its car makers switch to electricity, hydrogen and possibly biogas.

“Since the start of Emmanuel Macron’s term, our target is the climate plan that Nicolas Hulot announced in the summer of 2017. We will now inscribe this target into law,” Borne said.

The mobility law will also facilitate the rollout of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, notably by giving the residents of apartment buildings the right to ask for the installation of EV plugs in their parking lots.

The much-delayed law, which is currently being debated in parliament, is expected to be approved after the summer and will update a 1982 law on transportation.

The reform wants to favor alternatives to individual automobile usage, upgrade railway networks and create a legal framework for new mobility solutions such as free-floating bicycles, electric scooters and car-sharing.

It will also give companies the option to offer employees a tax-free 400 euro (RM,889) subsidy to come to work on bicycles or with car-sharing. Borne said companies would be obliged to discuss this subsidy in wage negotiations with unions, but the subsidy would not be mandatory for all companies.


Govt clarifies flying car not for sale to public

                ALOR GAJAH: The flying car to be developed by Malaysia is targeted at transport services companies or related services and is not for sale to the general public.

Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof said the ministry had received positive response on the car, especially from international companies, including those involved in development and prototyping.

“Currently, there are many parties showing interest in the development of the flying car, including Grab, which is proposing to use the car for taxi services,” he told reporters after opening the 2019 Durian Tunggal Entrepreneur Carnival here today.

Asked to comment on the negative reaction over the initial announcement of the flying car, Mohd Redzuan said the flying car was never intended for sale to the public.

Last Tuesday, Bernama reported Mohd Redzuan as saying Malaysia’s first flying car was being developed using local technology and the prototype would be unveiled this year.

He added that the development of the car would attract foreign investment and create more job opportunities, particularly in the engineering sector.


US and major automakers to announce safety accord Friday, say sources

                DETROIT:  The US government and a group of global automakers are set to unveil a voluntary agreement at the Detroit auto show on Friday aimed at improving auto industry safety and spurring culture changes, according to company and government officials.

The accord could set the framework for further discussions on safety reforms and mark a new era of cooperation between automakers and regulators after a record-setting year of safety fines, recalls and investigations into malfunctioning vehicles made by General Motors Co, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, Honda Motor Co and others.

But it stops short of what many safety advocates have urged Congress and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to adopt: new binding legal requirements to toughen safety rules. And automakers may be able to raise the voluntary agreement to argue against future proposed regulations, saying the accord makes legally binding rules unnecessary.

The agreement, under discussion for several weeks, would also attempt to improve vehicle cyber security and the use of early warning data to detect potential defects that might lead to safety problems or large-scale recalls, sources said. It would also create new government-industry task forces to work to improve auto safety.

Despite the voluntary agreement, NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind said the agency will not hesitate to fine automakers that fail to follow the rules and will not give up its aggressive enforcement of auto safety rules.

Automakers recalled a record-setting 63.95 million vehicles in the United States in 2014, incurring large fines from NHTSA.

Companies in the talks leading up to the agreement include GM, Toyota, Ford, Daimler AG, Fiat Chrysler, BMW AG, Honda, Nissan and Hyundai.

The agreement is to be announced at the auto show in the US auto capital of Detroit by US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and top auto executives, sources told Reuters.

In a letter last week to the NHTSA seen by Reuters, the group of 16 automakers said industry support of an agreement "reaffirms our shared commitment to safety, and signals to the public the areas in which government and industry intend to collaborate to further improve automotive safety."

Automakers met with the NHTSA in Chicago on Dec 16 and since then exchanged proposed "Principles for Working Collaboratively to Enhance Motor Vehicle and Traffic Safety."

In recent days, NHTSA and automakers have continued to propose revisions, including discussions about government-industry working groups, according to auto industry officials who spoke to Reuters at the Detroit show.

The talks come after NHTSA came under intense criticism in 2014 for failing to detect ignition switch defects in 2.6 million older GM cars linked to at least 124 deaths. Since then, NHTSA has been more aggressive in handing out fines and demanding outside monitors oversee automaker safety compliance.

NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind said on Monday in an interview on the sidelines of the Detroit show that the agency cannot make vehicles safe simply by imposing new regulations and handing down fines. He said he hoped a deal would be announced Friday.

"We're going to have to find new tools - that means new collaborations, new partnerships," Rosekind said.

But the voluntary agreement will not be enforceable - and is not as tough as what some safety advocates have called for. With only a year remaining in the Obama administration, there is a shrinking window to complete new legally binding auto safety rules.

Sean Kane, president of Massachusetts-based Safety Research & Strategies Inc and an auto safety advocate, praised NHTSA "for having a dialogue" with automakers and prodding them to do more on safety "and be strong on enforcement."

Kane raised concerns about a voluntary agreement that is not legally enforceable. "It also eliminates input from outside parties" like safety advocates and consumers, Kane said, "and that is a little troubling."

Foxx met with top executives from major automakers on Dec. 1 in Washington. A spokeswoman for Foxx said there have since then been "productive discussions with auto manufacturers toward agreement on steps to bolster safety."

Foxx "is hopeful that they will soon result in concrete commitments that lead to significant safety improvements that will strengthen public confidence," said his spokeswoman.

Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said on Monday he agreed with the NHTSA that the auto industry needs more collaboration with regulators. He said he wanted the industry to "get to a stage where safety is no longer a competitive edge used by one automaker against another."


At CES 2018, Microsoft stakes out its future role in car safety

                LAS VEGAS: Microsoft believes its artificial intelligence can be used to improve driver safety in future cars.

That's why at the CES trade fair in Las Vegas this week, the software company has been signalling that it wants to play a part in mapping out the future of car safety.

Microsoft’s car-oriented system, based on the cloud platform Azure, is designed to record and analyse current traffic situations and pedestrian movements.

Partner company NXP meanwhile is showing how vehicles can communicate both with each other and with existing infrastructure, helping warn drivers about dangerous situations before they occur.

"The collaboration that took place at CES 2017 was a great example of how we can together test and identify which functionality really has a future," said Microsoft manager Kevin Dallas.

For its part, the Dutch semiconductor manufacturer NXP wants to contribute sensors and a system capable of image recognition and evaluating the sensor data.

The CES is traditionally the tech industry’s first trade show of the calendar year. In recent years, increasingly networked and self-driving cars have been in the spotlight.


AK-47 maker aims at Tesla with retro CV-1 electric car

                MOSCOW: Russian arms maker Kalashnikov on Thursday presented its new electric car inspired by a rare 1970s model, saying the new technology will rival Elon Musk's Tesla.

The brand, best known for the AK-47 machine gun, presented the decidedly retro-looking pale blue prototype, the CV-1, at a defence expo outside here.

The look was inspired by a Soviet hatchback model developed in the 1970s called "Izh-Kombi," a statement on the Kalashnikov website said.

Holding company Kalashnikov Concern said it has developed some cutting-edge elements for the "electric supercar", including a "revolutionary" inverter. The vehicle can travel 350km on one charge.

"We are developing our own concept of an electric supercar, which is based on several original systems developed by the concern," the firm said.

(Video source: Ruptly, Russian news agency)

"This technology will let us stand in the ranks of global electric car producers such as Tesla and be their competitor," RIA-Novosti further quoted the Kalashnikov press-service as saying.

"We were inspired by the experience of global market leaders in developing our concept."

Kalashnikov Concern has long been trying to expand its brand, recently launching lines of clothing and other civilian merchandise ranging from umbrellas to mobile phone covers.

Its foray into electric vehicles however was met with mixed reactions from Russians. Comments to the news on the company's official Facebook page ranged from "cyberpunk" to "Izh-Zombie".

"Your tanks are great, but it would be better if you stayed away from cars," one user wrote.

Earlier this week, online users ridiculed Kalashnikov's new bipedal combat robot. The golden-colour machine, reportedly named "Igorek" in production stages, immediately became a subject of social media memes.

"Somebody had watched too much 'Robocop'," tweeted user happy__keanu, referring to the 1987 action film about a cyborg law enforcer.


Apple's electric and autonomous car prepares to hit the road in total secrecy

                SAN FRANCISCO: The rumour mill just keeps on turning Apple is frantically working on an electric, 100% autonomous car.

The Guardian has offered a look at the latest progress of the so-called "Titan" project, notably the fact that Apple is apparently already looking for a test rack for its first car.

An old military base in California, GoMentum Station in Concord, could be the staging ground for Apple's project. The base has already been used by the likes of Honda and Mercedes for practice runs with their own autonomous vehicles. The complex features about 30km of road that simulate real-life driving conditions such as intersections, bridges and tunnels.

The site is also ideally located just a few miles from Silicon Valley, and apparently Apple has been in contact with management since spring. The goal is to conduct all tests in total secrecy, away from the prying eyes of not only journalists, but also other car manufacturers.

Very few details have leaked on the mysterious "Apple Car," a first version of which could already be ready to hit the road. Word is that the Cupertino-based giant, though staying mum on the subject, might even have succeeded in recently hiring engineers away from Mercedes and Tesla.

Apple's efforts are in line with those of Google, whose cars have already logged more than 1 million kilometres of autonomous driving. Unlike Apple though, Google is testing its fleet in urban areas across four states (California, Florida, Michigan and Nevada).

There are many manufacturers working on autonomous vehicle projects today, namely Audi, Ford, Mercedes, Nissan and Volvo. But it'll be at least 2020 before we see the first 100% autonomous vehicles on the road, ahead of a progressive rollout.


Sunway iLabs and Carsome unveils Malaysia's first auto ecosystem accelerator

                KUALA LUMPUR: Sunway Innovation Labs (iLabs), the innovation arm of Sunway Group announced a joint partnership with Carsome, Southeast Asia’s largest integrated car e-commerce platform to launch an accelerator programme – Carsome Mobility Lab.

Launching in the third quarter of 2022, Carsome Mobility Lab will be the first auto ecosystem focused accelerator in Malaysia looking to support global tech startups to deliver sustainable solutions in Carsome’s existing markets.

The programme will provide a holistic platform for startups in the auto ecosystem to scale by providing mentorship, opportunities for funding and access to partnership opportunities through Sunway and Carsome’s network of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, corporates and industry experts.

Selected startups will be offered the unique opportunity to connect with Sunway’s 13 business divisions and Sunway City Kuala Lumpur’s thriving ecosystem as well as the Group’s extensive funding funnel and ecosystem comprising Orbit Malaysia, SunSEA Capital, Gobi Partners and The HIVE SEA for further funding and investment opportunities.

This is in line with Sunway’s vision to position Sunway City Kuala Lumpur as a living laboratory bringing in experts to generate sustainable, real-world solutions for the future urban spaces towards the betterment of environment and humankind.

Carsome co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Eric Cheng said: “We are truly excited over this partnership with Sunway iLabs, as this is the first-of-its-kind accelerator in the Southeast Asian region to identify, partner and scale innovative start-ups.

“It is an honour for us to be supporting and boosting the entrepreneur and automotive communities through this unique programme. This is another huge step towards Carsome’s vision of creating the most trusted vehicle ownership ecosystem, powered by technology and data,” he said.

Sunway Group Chief Innovation Officer and Director of Sunway iLabs Matt van Leeuwen said, “We believe that this first-of-its-kind auto ecosystem accelerator in Malaysia will help elevate startups to the next level by tapping the networks, market, mentors and funding offered by Carsome and Sunway.”

Sunway Group Chief Executive Officer of Digital and Strategic Investment Evan Cheah said, “Sunway Group has invested over RM200mil in startups and venture building over the last few years and we remain committed to equipping and enabling businesses in developing greater local innovations as part of our commitment to nation-building and advancing the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”

Carsome Group Head of Merger & Acquisition and Ecosystem Strategy Digbijoy Shukla said, “The auto ecosystem is ripe for further innovation and disruption. We look forward to teaming up with Sunway to work with startups across Southeast Asia to bring cutting edge innovation that will benefit the entire auto ecosystem and ultimately add value to the vehicle ownership journey of all consumers.”

For startups interested in the Carsome Mobility Lab, visit https://sunway.my/CarsomeMobilityLab.


Japan's lunar rover nicknamed 'Lunar Cruiser'

                TOKYO: The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Toyota have named their jointly-developed manned pressurised lunar rover the "Lunar Cruiser" in a nod to the car maker's Land Cruiser.

It's just a nickname and is not official, going by the press statement from Toyota.

The name Lunar Cruiser was chosen because of the familiar feeling it offers the people involved in the development and manufacture of the vehicle prototype as part of the joint research project as well as the familiarity it provides the public.

The name, which references the Toyota Land Cruiser SUV, was decided upon based on the quality, durability, and reliability expected of the rover, and the concept that Toyota has long held to for the Land Cruiser, which was for people to "come back alive," especially true for the lunar rover as it will be traversing the harsh environment of the moon's surface.

JAXA and Toyota signed a joint research agreement to work on the lunar rover on June 13, 2019, with an expected launch date in the latter half of the 2020s.

Together, they are working to manufacture test parts for each technological element, and the prototype rover itself, during this fiscal year (FY2020).

The work involves the use of simulations to confirm power and heat dissipation performance while driving, the manufacture and assessment of prototype tires, and the use of virtual reality and full-scale models to consider the layout of equipment in the cabin of the rover.


Proton: No big deal, we give corporate deals all the time

                SUBANG JAYA: Proton said the discounted rates offered to a Chinese association was nothing out of the ordinary but was part of the special corporate sales based on bulk purchase and fleet sales.

The national car maker issued the clarification following a Nanyang Siang Pau report on the promotional offer to the Federation of Hokkien Association of Malaysia.

Any co-operatives, organisations and associations that buy a certain volume of cars are also entitled to this corporate sales discount, said Proton in a statement.

"We have similar arrangements with various Malaysian cooperatives, associations, as well as major corporate organisations," it said.


Perodua sticks to projected sales target of 240,000 vehicles for 2021

                KUALA LUMPUR: Perodua is retaining its sales target of 240, 000 units for the year despite the ongoing pandemic and the semiconductor shortage.

It sold 96,281 vehicles from January to May but it expects sales to pick up as demand remains strong for all of its models, Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad said in a statement.

“While Perodua’s year-to-date May sales of 96, 281 units is 82% more than the 52, 920 units sold in the same period last year, this achievement is distorted as the first Movement Control Order was in place from March to May last year,” he said

Zainal said a fairer comparison would be against 2019, when Perodua sold 105, 745 units in the first five months, which was 8.9% more than it did in the same period this year.

“The impact of the pandemic and the semiconductor shortage can be seen in the 12% sales reduction from April’s 20, 399 units to May’s 17, 973 units.

“Despite these challenges and barring further uncertainties moving forward, we believe we will be able to meet our 240, 000-unit sales target for 2021 as demand remains strong for all of our models, ” he said.

Zainal also thanked the government for extending the sales tax exemption to end-2021, which will bolster its strong demand, encourage economic activity and help sustain the Malaysian automotive ecosystem.

“We understand that the measures taken by the government to contain the pandemic are necessary to ensure the people’s health and safety, and we, along with our suppliers and dealers, will cooperate fully with the government to flatten the curve, ” he added.

Perodua manufactured 18, 283 cars in May, boosting its year-to-date production to 98, 944 units.


Ready Proton and Perodua to make electric cars, Govt urged

                PETALING JAYA: Electric vehicles (EVs) will eventually get cheaper worldwide and the government should start preparing the two national car makers, namely, Proton Holdings Bhd and Perodua, for this change soon, said EV Connection Sdn Bhd’s director Lee Yuen How.

“I believe Proton and Perodua would eventually need to transition to hybrid, plug-in hybrids or EVs. As global trends are moving towards this direction, the government would need to set the tone where policies would need to support EV, as otherwise they would (start) to lose market share,” Lee said yesterday at the Invest Asean – The Rise of Asean EV organised by Maybank Investment Bank.

“In the other countries, EVs that are being produced would get cheaper – in the price range of the current Proton and Perodua models, which are in the mass market range in Malaysia.

“The automotive industry’s transition to EV would be inevitable, they would need to work towards that direction,” he added.

EV Connection, a company distributing EV charging stations, also said the potentially increased EV volume in Malaysia could lead to additional business opportunities within the automotive supply chain.

“There is huge opportunity for battery recycling in Asean.

“In Europe there are a lot of plants there where startups actually address the recycling of lithium ion batteries. In the industry, up to 98% of lithium ion batteries can actually be recycled,” Lee said.

“Before the battery is discarded for recycling, it can also be reused as a ‘second life’ battery; for example, in the solar energy industry where energy can be stored into these batteries. These batteries can still be used as a static energy storage,” he added.

Lee said there is such an industry in Europe and while it is absent for now in this part of the world, there would be many highly skilled job opportunities that can be created in this area.

Meanwhile, Yinson Holdings Bhd’s group executive vice president for new ventures and technology Eirik Barclay said that there were many countries that were investing resources into the battery materials recycling industry.

“This is increasing from both the private and government side. Singapore has some great initiatives in this area, especially in the metals that go into the battery.

“More regulations could make EV owners be responsible for recycling their batteries eventually too,” Barclay said.

Barclay also said that EV batteries would improve and get better eventually until the point where the internal combustion engine (ICE) would phase out of existence.

“All carmakers around the world are basically stopping the development of ICE as of today.
 Lee and Barclay.
“They will still keep selling ICE but will stop any new technological development,” Barclay said.

“I believe every car maker is more focused on developing EVs while plug-in hybrids are actually great but it won’t work,” he added.

He said the quicker countries in this region recognise the shift, it would lead to less fuel subsidies especially with the advent of EVs.

Barclay also noted that the oil and gas (O&G) industry would still remain relevant even with the mass adoption of EVs around the world, as the O&G industry was crucial for many other sectors.


Isuzu marks record year with improved ranking in Malaysia

                KUALA LUMPUR: Isuzu celebrates another milestone as it marks a record year of clinching 6th placing in overall sales as the most popular vehicle brand in Malaysia, from 7th last year.

According to the overall sales figures released by the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA), Isuzu Malaysia remains the best selling ELF light-duty truck for seventh consecutive years, and Forward medium-duty truck for the third time.

Isuzu also continued its domination of the Malaysian truck market, taking a commanding 38.9 per cent share of the market.

Sales volume for the Isuzu D-Max in the pick-up segment increased by 10 per cent despite the decline in total industry volume (TIV) in this segment by 19 per cent, which directly improved its market share from 11 per cent to 15 per cent.

Both D-Max and mu-X are now the top truck brands in the market.

Last year, Isuzu remained the No. 1 commercial vehicle (CV) operator in Malaysia, although sales for the overall automotive industry performance plunged by 13 per cent.

CEO Kenji Matsuoka said, “We are very pleased with our achievement as the preferred commercial vehicle brand in Malaysia again despite a less than positive outlook in the industry in 2016.”

“We place high emphasis in training and are proud that the first batch of graduates from our own Isuzu Technical School (ITS) has been stationed at different authorized Isuzu service centers nationwide to elevate the level of customer satisfaction for that ‘Isuzu experience’,” said Matsuoka.

He added that the company’s broad initiative to reach out to its customers resulted in them setting up an office in Kuching in November last year.


Final seven 2020 Car of the Year candidates announced

The Taycan is among seven finalists vying for the prestigious award.
TORONTO: The shortlist of 2020 Car of the Year finalists has been revealed. Among the candidates are Tesla's Model 3, Porsche's electric Taycan and Toyota's enduring Corolla.

Every year since 1964, the Car of the Year organisation brings together dozens of car experts hailing from over 20 countries to name one vehicle the "Car of the Year."

Last year's winner was the Jaguar I-Pace. The vehicle was given the award primarily for its "value for money" and innovation. Kia's Ceed had lost the title by only three points.

Today, the number of candidates for the next prize dropped from 35 to seven. The list of the finalists is as follows: BMW 1 Series; Ford Puma; Peugeot 208; Porsche Taycan; Renault Clio; Tesla Model 3; and Toyota Corolla

The award winner will be announced at the Geneva Motor Show on March 2 next year.


Four models power Proton to 8-year sales high

                SUBANG JAYA: Proton has good reason to cheer over its July sales with four models leading in their respective segments.

The four are the Saga, X70, Persona and Exora.

With 13,216 units sold, July was Proton’s best sales month in 2020 thus far and is also its highest monthly sales volume since June 2012, thanks to tax free incentives and consumer demand.

Overall sales grew by 37.3% (13,216 vs 9,623) over June 2020 and increased by 45.7% (13,216 vs 9,072) over the same month in 2019.

Proton’s year-to-date market share figure as at July stands at a forecast 21.8%, a growth of 6.7% over the same time period last year.

With this growth in sales, the volume gap compared to 2019 for Proton has shrunk to just 4.2% (50,294 vs 52,499), which is significantly less than the forecasted gap for TIV at 33% (230,929 vs 347,177).

The Saga once again posted the highest sales numbers and led the A-segment sedan market. A total of 5,421 units were sold in July, a figure that was helped by all 1,100 units of the Saga Anniversary Edition being booked within five days of launch on July 9. It was also the highest number achieved by the model since April 2014.

The company’s other segment leader, the X70, also performed well. With 3,087 units sold, Proton’s C-segment SUV not only had its best-ever sales month, it continued to be the best-selling SUV in Malaysia, increasing market share to 25.6%, 4.3% higher than 2019.
 Roslan.

The other two Proton segment leaders were the Persona and Exora. The company sold 3,043 units of the Persona in July, as the model cemented its position at the top of the B-segment sedan sales table. The Exora meanwhile saw sales of 792 units, its best sales month since August 2016, which ensures its reign atop the C-segment MPV market remains unchallenged.

“Proton’s performance in July 2020 was our best in over eight years. We are especially happy with how our models are faring within their segments," said Proton Edar CEO Roslan Abdullah.

"We also note that there has been a positive effect on other areas of the business as a result of the encouraging sales. For instance, tax free incentives and consumer demand Proton Commerce, our in-house vehicle financing provider, saw an increase of 100% in the number of loans it disbursed compared to the previous month."

“For August, Proton will look to continue to excite the market and stimulate sales in preparation for more model introductions later in the year. Our production, quality, sales and aftersales divisions are all working hard to ensure we are able to meet consumer demand as well as deliver a level of customer service befitting the brand promise that we have set out.”


Toyota-backed Paris venture targets 10,000 hydrogen taxis by 2024

                PARIS: A French company plans to persuade 10,000 Paris taxi drivers to switch to hydrogen-powered cars by the time the Olympic Games come to town in three years.

HysetCo., a venture part-owned by Toyota Motor Corp. and Air Liquide SA, has raised 80 million euros (RM393mil) to help hasten the shift, it said Tuesday.

When Paris hosts the world’s top sporting showcase in summer 2024, the city will already be rid of diesel cars, ahead of a ban on gasoline cars from 2030.

HysetCo., whose other owners include the Societe du Taxi Electrique Parisien, has used the money raised - mostly through convertible debt - to buy Paris taxi operator Slota Group, it said in a statement.

It will replace most or all of Slota’s 600 diesel taxis by the end of the year with Mirai hydrogen-powered cars made by Toyota, according to Societe’s chairman, Mathieu Gardies.

Societe already operates about 100 hydrogen fuel-cell taxis under the Hype brand in Paris. Such models appeal to taxi and ride-hail drivers because they travel as far as gasoline cars and take only three minutes to fill, just a fraction of the time needed to charge battery vehicles, Gardies said in an interview.

While many carmakers are now spending vast sums to develop battery vehicles, Toyota is one of just a few to invest heavily in hydrogen-powered cars, which remain more costly to produce. Taxi-fleet deals such as this are one way for manufacturers to add sales and raise consumer awareness of the cars, which emit only water vapour.

HysetCo.’s target to shift 10,000 taxi drivers - a fifth of the total in the greater Paris region - to hydrogen cars by the end of 2024 is built on incentives including ready access to vehicles, hydrogen and customers, Gardies said. Running costs for these drivers would be similar to those of gasoline or diesel cars, he said.

To support a growing fleet of hydrogen vehicles, HysetCo. plans to build two refuelling stations in the Paris area in 2021, adding to the three already operating, and targets about 20 stations by the end of 2024. It also intends to replicate the hydrogen push in other cities as an increasing number adopt stricter pollution curbs.

Transport in urban centres emits “a lot of carbon dioxide and particulates,” said Pierre-Etienne Franc, head of hydrogen at Air Liquide, the world’s No. 2 maker of industrial gases.

Various cities from California to the UK “want to get rid of diesel transport,” and “we’re preparing the must-have solution.”


How painting car roofs white could cut CO2 emissions

                PARIS: It is widely known that painting the roof of a house white can considerably reduce the effects of heat in the home and therefore help save energy.

And the same practice could be applied in the automotive sector. If all cars had white roofs, this could allow drivers to emit less CO2 into the air, while also saving money.

In his recent column in the French newspaper Le Monde, Raphaël Ménard, the president of the architecture agency AREP (Architecture Recherche Engagement Post-carbone) — a subsidiary of France's national railway company, SNCF — recommends that in the long term, the roofs of cars should systematically be painted white.

This solution is based on the notion of albedo, or the ability of a surface to reflect the sun's rays according to its colour. The principle is already used in housing, by means of "cool roofs," for example.

This change for the automotive sector is, in fact, a proposal of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

This kind of modification could be imposed at the time of mandatory roadworthiness testing, for example.

According to Raphaël Ménard, in France alone, painting the entire fleet of cars white could represent a saving of up to 500 million litres of petrol per year, or nearly one billion euros in purchasing power.

Above all, this would correspond to the equivalent of one million fewer tonnes of CO2 emitted into the air, i.e., nearly 1% of road transport emissions.

And if this could be effective for cars, it should also be true for trucks, buses and even trains.

Note that the same technique could be applied to other infrastructure features, notably floors, in order to reduce heating needs.


Oil majors and car makers to push hydrogen technology to help cut emissions

                DAVOS: The heads of some of the world's biggest oil firms and automakers agreed on Tuesday to push for broader global use and bigger investments in using hydrogen to help reduce emissions and arrest global warming.

The oil firms' and car makers' chiefs said the plan was part of global efforts to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius, an ambitious goal agreed by 195 countries in Paris in 2015.

"In this context, we are convinced that the unique contribution that hydrogen solutions offer needs to be strongly reaffirmed now," the participants, including the chiefs of oil firms Total and Royal Dutch Shell, Patrick Pouyanne and Ben van Beurden, said in a statement.

The declaration was also signed by the CEOs of car makers BMW, Daimler, Honda, Hyundai, Kawasaki and Toyota as well as miner Anglo American and energy and engineering firms Engie, Linde and Air Liquide.

Hydrogen does not release any CO2 at the point of use and its technologies and products have progressed significantly, the firms said in a statement.

READ MORE: CarSifu drives Toyota Mirai in Japan

They aim to accelerate investment in developing and commercialising the hydrogen sector, currently amounting to just 1.4 billion euros a year - compared with the hundreds of billions of dollars invested annually by the oil sector.

"We need governments to back hydrogen with actions of their own - for example through large scale infrastructure investment schemes," the statement quoted the head of Air Liquide Benoit Potier as saying.

"We are not trying to bring hydrogen only to cars or trains. We are trying to bring a systemic approach. Hydrogen can generate power, produce heat and it is close to the chemical industry. And it is the most abundant element in the universe," Potier told a news conference.

The head of oil major Shell Ben van Beurden said that despite starting a hydrogen business 20 years ago, his firm today had only had five hydrogen refuelling stations in Germany and three in California.

"You need a coordinated approach to make it work. Hopefully, we can have hundreds (of stations)," he said.

The head of Total Pouyanne said hydrogen was also the best way to store energy and Total was studying those opportunities.


Do touchscreens make driving more dangerous?

                MUNICH: The familiar lever-operated handbrake has been replaced by an electronic version in many cars and the same thing is happening to a host of cockpit controls which have been around for almost as long as the automobile itself.

Touchscreens are common in everyday cars and the swathes of switches and buttons that once crowded the dashboard are giving way to electronic interfaces.

Consumers demand these gadgets, but road safety experts have their misgivings.

They argue that touchscreens can distract the driver from concentrating on the road. And what about computer bugs and viruses? Could these paralyse cars or even cause accidents? The long-term reliability of smart control systems is another grey area which needs to be examined.

The electric parking brake is a classic example of how electronic devices are relieving drivers of driving chores.

"On many new cars the handbrake is operated by so-called actuators," says Heiklo Wolframm from Germany's high-profile car club, the ADAC.

"A mere flick of a lightweight switch lever is all that is needed to apply maximum brake power at all four wheels and make the car immoveable on steep slopes," says the ADAC man.

The electronic park brake (EPB) is reliable and it does away with the need to yank up a lever and push a button to retain it. It uses electronic modules rather than an old-fashioned steel cable to press the press calipers onto the brake discs and lock the brakes.

There was nothing wrong with the old system, which goes back to the early days of driving, yet manufacturers are always looking for innovations which declutter the cabin and save weight at the same time

Digital displays have ousted analogue instruments like the analogue speedometer while air-conditioning can be operated via the car's entertainment system, making the rotating plastic switches or levers redundant. The ignition key is also on the way out. In an increasing number of cars a button starts the engine.

"Generally speaking the electronic elements in a car cockpit enhance driver comfort and safety," says Alexander Klotz of German automotive component and systems maker Continental.

Electronic aids and the possibilities they offer help to create a logical structure for the driver who can often let apps handle all the entertaining, navigation and climate control duties.

"If you wanted switches and knobs for all these functions you would need hundreds of them," says the expert. That is why modern cars often have a central touch screen which combines and carries out all the necessary functions.

This is where potential risks come in: "Operating these displays can cause the driver to take his or her eyes off the road for too long," says the ADAC's Nina Wahn.

"Drivers process around 90 per cent of road traffic information visually and it is very important that the displays are in what is called our peripheral field of vision," says Wahn.

Peripheal vision is the part of seeing that is beyond the centre of our gaze, and is the largest portion of the human visual field.

The revolution in car controls has been fuelled by the smartphone boom of recent years. "Of course carmakers want to get the kind of controls into cars which customers already know from their mobile devices," says Markus Schaffrin of the eco Association of the eco Internet Industry.

This can also pose risks: "As long as the technical standards for these devices used in cars continue to converge and wireless connections are not secure it is only a question of time before cars are subject to the first hacking attacks," says Schaffrin.

These cyber assaults can immobilize a car completely. The expert meanwhile warns against mobile key applications using Google's Android software. Android is plagued by bugs, says the IT man. "On average a new one crops up every nine seconds."

Eckehart Rotter of Germany's powerful VDA carmakers federation has been lobbying for the industry to adopt a modular approach to car electronics which would separate entertainment from security functions.

At the same time, Rotter lauds the safety and comfort of navigation systems compared to drivers who were used to getting around by peering at an atlas perched on their knees. "Using a navigator is a lot less distracting than that," he says.

Meanwhile research is being carried out into the reliability of automotive electronic systems by scientists like Roland Jancke of the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits.

"Many electronic elements were originally developed for domestic use and for smartphones," says Jancke. "The automotive context is completely different. The components have to last 20 years and are subject to strong temperature variations."


Putrajaya's cashless parking system troubles some motorists

Dorahaisa took more than 15 minutes to figure out how to use the app though she had to deliver an urgent document to the Health Ministry building in Putrajaya.
PETALING JAYA: Motorists wanting to park in Putrajaya’s gated and closed parking lots are finding the cashless parking system a hassle.

While those who have Touch ‘n Go (TNG) cards can breeze in, those without have only two choices – an about turn or download the Parkbyphone parking app.

Putrajaya Hospital nurse Dorahaisa Abdullah, a first-time visitor to the gated parking lot at the Putrajaya Corporation complex, was one of those seen backing out of the parking lot after she found the machine unable to issue tickets.

Dorahaisa did not have enough credit in her TNG card so she tried to download the parking app on the spot. It took her more than 18 minutes to figure out how the app works.

She gave up upon encountering problems at the payment stage due to an intermittent lack of response in the app’s buttons which stopped her from selecting a bank and mode of payment.

Contractor Foo Chee Siong who parks in Putrajaya regularly said older people who are not savvy with smartphone applications will find it hard to use the phone app.

Foo prefers to use his TNG card because it is more convenient to tap in and out.

Senior citizen Salmah Mohd Syed who resides in Putrajaya feels the cashless parking system is troublesome for people who do not have smartphones with a data plan or a TNG card.

“Sometimes I park by the side of the road, praying that nothing will happen. But enforcement in Putrajaya is strict and cars are clamped frequently,” said Salmah.

Khairul Hassreey, account manager at Digital Tempo, the company subcontracted by Pengangkutan Awam Putrajaya Travel and Tours (PAPTT) to come up with the parking app, said the system was implemented last August in line with Putrajaya’s vision of being a cashless smart city.

“The system was fully activated this February. We have 2,000 users, most of them in government service who opt to pay for monthly season parking via the app,” said Khairul.

 A quick response code (QR) makes it easy for entry and exit in Putrajaya's gated parking lots.

He added that the app is not exclusive to one spot but is also in nine other areas in the administrative capital, namely Putrajaya Central, Kompleks Kerajaan Parcel B, C and E, Putrajaya Corporation parking lot A and B, Customs Department and Laman Perdana.

Parkbyphone app developer Tengku Amir Firdaus Tengku Ahmad said the first council to use the app was Kuala Langat District Council in 2016.

Addressing issues connected to user friendliness, Tengku Amir said a tutorial is available.

“The app has a global positioning system which can auto locate, freeing the user from the need to fill up information columns. Upon touching the gated or closed parking function, a quick response code will pop up. Just scan it upon entry and exit,” said Tengku Amir.


When will we refer to EVs simply as ‘cars'?

                LONDON: As mobile phones became necessities rather than novelties, the devices were no longer specified as revolutionary "cell" phones or "mobile" phones: instead, the handsets became standard phones.

So, when can we expect the same transition to happen with electric cars? Research conducted by Go Ultra Low in Britain suggests the shift will happen in just over 10 years.

According to a survey conducted with 2,000 Britons by Go Ultra Low, a joint government and car industry campaign, "two thirds of consumers expect ‘electric cars' to be referred to as ‘cars' by 2030."

In fact, this shift could come sooner as the people surveyed on average believed only 15 electric-power vehicles are on the market when there are 51 options — Go Ultra Low stated that that number is expected to double over the next year.


Finland's battery plans spark environmental fears

A truck loaded with minerals on the move at the Terrafame extraction nickel and cobalt mine operation in Sotkamo, Finland. — AFP
SOTKAMO (Finland): Lines of trucks carrying piles of rock crisscross Finland's rugged Terrafame mine, which sits 300km below the Arctic Circle and is Europe's largest source of nickel for electric car batteries.

At the immense, 60 square kilometre site, the extracted stone is crushed, heaped into vast mounds and fed with oxygen and water through red hoses, allowing the nickel, along with some cobalt, to gradually leach out.

"Even today more than 50 percent of our turnover is coming from the electric vehicle value chain," said Terrafame CEO Joni Lukkaroinen.

Finland is the only EU country whose bedrock is known to contain all the major battery minerals — including cobalt and lithium — and the Nordic nation is drawing up plans to exploit these resources in order to become a major industry player.

Yet the prospect of increasing mining is controversial in sparsely populated Finland, whose vast forests, diverse wildlife and pristine lakes are prized national assets.

As Europe looks to counter Asia's dominance in the fast-growing sector, Finland is one of the most active member states vying for a share of the lucrative battery business, but competition between EU countries is fierce.

 The various steps to extract the minerals are on display at Terrafame, Finland. — AFPEnvironmental minefield

Finland's government has promised €300 million (RM1.46bil) in stimulus for battery industry this year, and seven new excavation sites are among the commercial projects now under way to try and create a "battery cluster".

Mika Nykanen, charged with drawing up the government's "battery strategy", said the Nordic country's approach "will be strongly grounded in sustainability and Finland's climate policy goals."

But campaigners are worried that expanding mining in Finland will destroy sensitive ecosystems.

"You simply cannot produce these minerals in an environmentally friendly way," campaigner Antti Lankinen told AFP, standing in front of a towering pile of waste rock on the perimeter of the Terrafame site in Sotkamo, central Finland.

 The first stage of the extraction process of the mined minerals is seen at the Terrafame extraction nickel and cobalt mine operation in Sotkamo, Finland. - AFP

Lankinen has worked with the Finnish Association of Nature Conservation to try and force Terrafame to change how it stores the waste rock, which it argues can cause acid runoff into the adjacent landscape if exposed to rainwater.

The mine's previous owners, Talvivaara, were prosecuted after an ecological catastrophe in 2012 when uranium and other toxic metals leaked into local waterways.

However Joni Lukkaroinen, CEO of new owner Terrafame, said there have been no environmental issues since his firm took over the mine five years ago.

"We do have environmental impacts, but those impacts are in line with our permits," Lukkaroinen said.

Elsewhere in Finland, campaigns have sprung up against new extraction in Lapland and in the Saimaa lake district, a tourism hotspot known for its unique wildlife.

"Lake Saimaa is Europe's fourth largest freshwater system and is not a suitable area," campaigner Miisa Mink told AFP, adding that four new prospecting permits have been granted in the area since May.

"If we're not careful, sure we'll have electric cars but we won't have fresh water."

A sustainable advantage

Yet battery industry leaders insist that Finland is a global pioneer in sustainable practices, and believe this will give it an advantage over its competitors.

Terrafame's mining methods, for instance, create a 60 percent smaller carbon footprint than traditional practices, the firm says.

Meanwhile Finnish mines are bound by much tougher standards than in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where more than half the world's cobalt is produced in conditions rife with child labour and human rights abuses, according to NGOs.

"There is no point buying an electric vehicle produced from raw materials that aren't sustainable," Finnish Minerals Group CEO Matti Hietanen said.

Despite Finland recently losing out to Sweden to host Northvolt with its US$1 billion (RM4.1bil) battery plant that is part-funded by Volkswagen, other foreign firms are choosing to locate to Finland, including Germany's BASF and Belgium's Umicore.

Terrafame will also open a €240-million (RM1.17bil) refinery next year, producing enough nickel sulphate for 1 million electric vehicles, and cobalt sulphate for 300,000.

Going off-highway

Car technology maker Valmet Automotive is one of the few Finnish manufacturers at the top end of the battery chain, and last year opened a plant to expand its production of finished battery packs for use in cars and industrial vehicles around the globe.

On its shiny factory floor, lines of robots controlled by technicians in blue overalls assemble and screw components with intricate precision into large black casings.

"Pretty much every car and every model has a unique battery," said Jyrki Nurmi, senior VP for electric vehicle systems.

Nurmi believes one area the company can make its mark is in its "off highway" production — batteries for the heavy duty vehicles used in construction, agriculture or logistics.

Some industry watchers say that global supplies of cobalt, the most expensive of the battery minerals, are already running low and won't stretch to meet future demand.

"We need materials out of the ground, but in the future I think a lot of our materials will come via recycling," Nurmi said, adding that he is optimistic that his industry will become increasingly sustainable.

"It will take time," he said, but "it will change in the future".


Vespa S125 up for grabs at Sunway Pyramid

                PETALING JAYA: Naza Group of Companies has partnered with Sunway Pyramid to gift a lucky shopper with a Limited Edition Vespa S125.

The S125 is decorated by a special artwork done by famous doodle artist Fritilldea.

Located at the Orange Concourse (LG2) of the shopping mall, it is decorated with floral arrangements so that visitors can enjoy a unique indoor garden with five different activities - each representing a petal of a Bunga Raya flower, to stand a chance to win the one-of-a-kind iconic scooter from now until June 9.

At the concourse, shoppers will need to complete three activities, scan a unique QR code to download the new Sunway Pyramid mobile app and register for the giveaway contest.

The first activity requires shoppers to snap and share a creative photo on Instagram or Facebook at the Bunga-Bunga Swing before completing another four actions at the Hopscotch Play Area.

The second activity requires visitors to venture through the Blooming Floral Walk with blooming flowers to earn a petal as well as experience a unique interactive blooming garden and get creative by creating a personal flower show.

The final petal is earned by taking a photo at the Floral Memory Lane photobooth.

For those who would like to bring home floral gifts and décor for the season, visitors can visit the Flower Market by Fleurs or try their hand at fun arts and crafts workshops taking place at the concourse on selected dates.

To further sweeten the festivities, shoppers can treat themselves to some Royce chocolate and those who spend RM500 in a maximum of two receipts (RM400 for HSBC credit cardholders) can redeem a jar of Yankee Candle at the concourse.

Lastly, visitors can tend to their very own mini garden by attending a flower decorative workshop on weekends.


Hyundai and Kia aim to sell one million EVs in 2025

                SEOUL: Hyundai Motor Group leader Euisun Chung said today flagship Hyundai Motor and sister company Kia Motors aim to sell 1 million electric vehicles (EVs) in 2025, together targeting over 10% of global market share of EVs.

Hyundai Motor plans to launch a next-generation electric vehicle with a driving range of 450km per charge and charging time of 20 minutes or less, Chung said in a televised video message.

In March, Hyundai unveiled a new EV concept called Prophecy. The autonomous concept expresses Hyundai’s latest design philosophy, Sensuous Sportiness, expanding on the era-defining example set by last year’s “45” concept EV that stripped away complexity in favour of clean lines and minimalistic structures.

The Prophecy interior is carved out as a lifestyle space. Two joysticks replace the steering wheel.


Ultima Evolution ready to race

NOTTINGHAM: The Ultima Evolution offers 1,020bhp on tap and a racing pedigree, yet is lighter than a Bugatti Veyron and 10 times cheaper.

Revealed this week, the Evolution is the newest model from British sportscar manufacturer Ultima, a firm that my not have the highest profile but nevertheless has been building highly competitive, serious road-legal and FIA-compliant race cars for nearly two decades.

Tipping the scales at just 950kg, the car is not just half the weight of a Bugatti Veyron; it's lighter than pretty much any car out there that can claim membership to the 200mph club.

Propelling the car into that very special club is a Chevrolet-sourced, 6.8-litre V8 engine to which the company has attached a supercharger to boost power to 1,020bhp. And, because it weighs so little the Ultima boasts a power-to-weight ratio of 1,050bph per ton.

In comparison, the original Bugatti Veyron's ratio worked out at 523bhp per ton thanks to a 1,888kg kerb weight and a 987bhp 16-cylinder engine.

The Ultima's power-to-weight ratio translates into a road-legal 0-100kph time of 2.3 seconds, a 0-160kph time of 4.9 seconds, a 0-240kph time of 8.9 seconds and flat out the car can hit 386kph.

The Veyron needs 2.46 seconds to go from 0-100kph and even the updated Super Sport model, which has a bigger, 1,148bhp engine, only shaves 0.26 seconds off that time. However, with a top speed of 431kph the Bugatti comprehensively beats not just the Ultima but every road-legal production car ever made.

However, the Ultima still has one trick left up its sleeve. Its makers claim that it can cover the standing quarter mile (402m) in 9.2 seconds, hitting a top speed of 251kph in the process. If those figures can be independently verified, then that would be a new world record for a road-legal production car.

The Ultima is available as both a hard-top coupe and as an open-top roadster. And, despite being a very track-focused car there are several surprisingly practical features.

The Ultima, priced from 95,000 pounds (RM513,000), can be specified with parking sensors, a reversing camera, Bluetooth connection, sat-nav, an Alpine stereo and heated rear windscreen.

However, don't expect to be able to pick from 22 different graduated shades of leather or a host of exotic wood veneers when ordering one - this is a vehicle for adrenaline junkies rather than those obsessed with creature comforts.

And for the ultimate sense of adventure, the Ultima can be ordered as a kit that you can complete yourself, as well as a factory-built model.


Fisker unveils Emotion Electric sedan with butterfly doors

                LOS ANGELES: Fisker Inc. might sound like a familiar name, but it's actually a new company that has just released a few details of its first new vehicle, the EMotion electric sedan.

Although the official image doesn't give away much about some of the really revolutionary engineering behind the EMotion, it does show in some style the feature most people will inevitably talk about with this car: its pretty crazy butterfly doors.

The company is run by Henrik Fisker, who was also the man behind Fisker Automotive, which produced the Karma electric sedan before the company withered and car went to China, resurrected by a company called Karma as the Revero. Of course, the new company, Fisker Inc., needs a product, and that product is the EMotion.

Unsurprisingly, Fisker Inc. is bringing the EMotion to CES in Las Vegas this week, which, as well as the fabulously unusual doors, will also showcase the car's "revolutionary" battery that helps the EMotion to a claimed driving range on a single charge of 643km.

Although the makers are being a little cautious with details at the moment, we do know a big part of the reason for the car's outstanding range is a massive 143kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which can be charged enough for a 201km range in as little as nine minutes.

The company was part of a joint venture with Nanotech working on graphene batteries, but that project fell apart and the lithium-ion batteries now being used have been sourced from LG Chem. Even though the batteries themselves are not out of the ordinary, a proprietary module packaging has been employed that means these could be the most dense battery packs in the world at the moment.

Don't expect all the secrets behind the EMotion and its battery pack to be revealed at CES, because the company isn't ready to tell all yet. However, representatives will be on-hand with a version of the battery pack the size of a smartphone to demonstrate the possibilities of the technology.

The all-wheel drive EMotion is said to have more rear legroom than many full-size sedans, every seat gets viewing screens, the top speed is expected to be 259kph, and production is scheduled to start in 2019 with the base price for one being US$129,000 (RM518,000).


Vios Challenge race heads to Johor

                PETALING JAYA: The exciting Vios Challenge heads to Johor as the season enters its second half with many battles brewing in the championship.

With plenty of points still up for grabs and no runaway leader in sight, the challenge is going to be epic when the flag drops on Jan 19 and 20, 2018 at the new urban township circuit provided by venue partner Medini City, Iskandar Puteri.

By nature of its street racing format where each circuit layout is completely new to every driver and the fact that each Toyota Vios racing car is built equal, drivers have only their skills and derring-do to depend on as they try to out pace their fellow competitors.

This formula has been an overwhelming success as witnessed in two opening rounds held in Batu Kawan and MAEPS Serdang where there were plenty of heart-stopping moments and nail-biting finishes.

“When we created the Vios Challenge, we expected to develop the level of competition gradually but as we’ve witnessed from the very first race in Batu Kawan, spectators and drivers have been treated to a very high level of competition in all the three classes of the Vios Challenge.

It has been spectacular to say the least and it is a must-attend for every motor racing fan who wants to watch high quality motor racing,” said President of UMW Toyota Motor, Ravindran K.

While the early races in the Promotional Class were dominated by beatboxer Shawn Lee, a rare mistake in the last race in MAEPS Serdang saw him spin out on the opening lap. Shukri Yahaya pounced on the opportunity to seize a popular victory.

The brilliant win moved Shukri just five points behind Lee while heartthrob Danny Koo holds third.

In the Sporting Class, Brandon Lim of Tedco Racing now leads the series with 57 points and holds a ten-point advantage over Ken Foo.

In the premier Super Sporting Category, Tengku Djan still enjoys the lead in the championship despite claiming just nine points from the Serdang race but the pack made up of Mitchell Cheah, William Ho, Mark Darwin, Shafiq Ali, Boy Wong and Ser Ming Hui have a mathematical chance of dethroning the Prince of Drift particularly on the faster and wider circuit in Medini City.

As rainy conditions is expected, the race will remain tricky and challenging but promises to bring even more excitement to the event.

As always, entry is free to the Toyota GAZOO Racing (TGR) Racing Festival which begins from 9am daily till 6.30pm.

For the latest schedules, venue information and everything about the Vios Challenge, visit the homepage Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia, follow the Insta page or like the Facebook page.