China's Camel Group to set up largest battery plant in Malaysia, Proton a customer

                KUALA LUMPUR: Chinese company Camel Group Co Ltd is set to open the largest automobile battery production plant in Malaysia.

The plant in Kuantan would start operations in June, and would be off to a good start, supplying batteries for the X70 and future Proton models.

The plant will also export its batteries regionally and to Australia and New Zealand.

"With the plant, we are looking at an estimated production of 5 million batteries annually," said Camel Group Co. Ltd CEO Liu Changlai, adding that it would also create 600 jobs for the locals.

He was speaking at the official launch of Camel Power Malaysia on Thursday ahead of the Automechanika Kuala Lumpur 2019 trade fair, which will open from March 23-25 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

 Camel Power's plant in Kuantan will start making batteries in June.

“Camel Power is also in discussions with local automobile manufacturers and assembly plants to create strategic collaborations, which will support localisation plans in the near future," said Liu. He also said Camel Power was looking at investing US$150 million (RM608mil) in Malaysia.

Camel Power Malaysia was set up in 2017, initially making and distributing automotive batteries for the local market. Its products cover a full range of batteries for cars, trucks, buses and agricultural equipment.

Camel Group Co.Ltd was set up in China in 1980. Based in Xiangyang, 1,076km west of Shanghai, the company's batteries are distributed in all major cities across China and exported to over 40 countries worldwide. As the largest battery maker in Asia, it commands 46% of the OEM market and 25% aftermarket share in China.

Camel Group describes its batteries as having "a unique structural design and process manufacturing for longer life" and can be customised to OEM customer standards. Its OEM customers include Chery, FIAT, Mazda, Hyundai, Peugeot, Ford and Volkswagen.

Although Camel Group also makes Li-ion batteries such as those found in hybrids and full electric cars, the Kuantan plant will not do so at this time unless there's a viable demand for them.


Germany okays disputed Autobahn toll

                BERLIN: The German parliament passed a law to charge foreign motorists for using the country’s famed Autobahn network, drawing angry reactions from neighbouring states and threats of legal action.

Drivers of German and foreign-registered cars are to pay tolls on highways and country roads from 2016, but Germans are be reimbursed through a cut in their motor vehicle tax.

Sponsors of the law said it will generate around 500 million euros (RM2bil) per year in revenue to invest in German roads and bridges.

The toll badge will cost up to 130 euros (RM521) a year, depending on a car’s age, engine size and emissions, while drivers of foreign-registered cars can buy 10-day or two-month badges.

The measure, launched by the Bavarian sister party of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats, won a majority in the Bundesrat upper house after clearing the Bundestag lower house in March.

The idea plays well with Germans angered by having to pay highway tolls when they visit nearby Austria, Switzerland and other European countries while foreign motorists traverse Germany for free.

“The toll will guarantee the long-term development or our infrastructure,“ Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt said last Friday.

However other countries warned the measure may breach EU non-discrimination rules.

“Austria continues to consider the German move contrary to EU law and has sought legal advice on this,” a spokesman for its transport minister, Alois Stoeger, said.

“Once the toll becomes law in Germany, expected in June or July, we will launch a complaint with the European Commission, which has three months to respond. All else failing, we will take legal action.”

The Netherlands, which noted that Germany was its citizens’ top tourist destination, will work with other affected countries and the European Commission “with the aim of stopping the launch of this toll,” Infrastructure Minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen said in a statement.


First drive of 2017 Audi Q5 in Mexico, coming in Q3 2017

                LOS CABOS (Mexico): The new second-generation Audi Q5 has improved driving dynamics, sharper looks and new driving technologies.

The new mid-sized 5 seater premium SUV is expected to arrive in Malaysia by the third quarter of 2017.

The all-new Q5 also offers improved interior space compared to the previous generation, with more rear legroom and shoulder room, as well as increased cargo capacity with the second row seats folded down.

READ MORE: What Audi models are coming to Malaysia in 2017

It is slightly longer (+34mm) and wheelbase has been extended to 2,820mm. It is also slightly taller and this means more headroom in the cabin. Rear cargo room is a huge 1,550 litres with the rear seats folded down.

Following the “Q-design” of the new Q7, the Q5’s exterior features sportier proportions including sculpted three-dimensional headlights that flow in harmony with the distinctive Singleframe grille.
Compared with its predecessor, the new Q5 is up to 90kg lighter.

Audi recently organised a test-drive of the new Q5 in Los Cabos, Baja California in Mexico - the country of manufacture for the new SUV.

All the test drive cars in Mexico came with adaptive air suspension which in addition to adjusting damper control, is also used to vary the ride height according to five drive modes namely automatic, dynamic, comfort, all-road and off-road.

We drove the 2.0-litre TFSI sport variant in S Line trim and Navarra blue paintwork , shod with 20-inch rims with Michelin Latitude Sport 3 tyres sized 255/45.

It is powered by a inline 4-cylinder turbocharged engine with direct injection delivering 252hp from 5,000 to 6,000rpm and 370Nm from 1,600 to 4,500rpm.

Mated to a 7 speed S tronic dual clutch gearbox, it can do the 0 to 100kph sprint in 6.3 seconds. It also has ACC plus or adaptive cruise control which automatically maintains distance from the vehicle in front, up to speeds of 250kph, with five distance settings.

Using the ACC plus, we let our right foot off the pedals for more than 40km, during which the car accelerated and braked itself. We only steered the car, which simply followed the car in front. This feature works great when you are in a convoy of vehicles heading towards a common destination.

The Q5 also features a new suite of driver assistance systems including standard Audi pre sense city and available Audi side assist and rear cross traffic assist, designed to help drivers navigate the road and traffic with ease.

We also drove the powerful Q5 with a TDI V6 diesel engine with 620Nm of torque and 268hp, mated to a eight speed tiptronic gearbox. However, it is unlikely the diesel-engined Q5 will make it to Malaysia.

The new Q5 also features a new system of quattro all-wheel drive with ultra technology that is optimised for performance and efficiency. This fuel saving quattro system with ultra technology allows for intelligent, proactive control of the all-wheel drive system to help predictively modify the torque application as the driver demands or the road conditions require.

Comfort and convenience features such as three-zone automatic air-conditioning, Nappa leather upholstery, Audi sound system and smartphone interface - Apple Carplay and Android, Audi Matrix LED headlights, will underline its position as among the most popular premium SUVs today.

After driving 320km on mostly highway routes, with a 40km dusty, sand-filled off road stretch thrown in, we can conclude that the new Q5 is better than ever, as a quiet, refined, powerful SUV that's marvellous to drive.

It always felt planted in tight road turns, and even when we hit soft sandy areas where many other cars would have floundered and struggled for traction, the new Q5 was a confident and speedy performer which pulled through tricky road situations with ease.

http://www.carsifu.my/news/what-audi-models-are-coming-to-malaysia-in-2017-videos


BlaBlaCar launches a coach for safer driving

                PARIS: BlaBlaCar is launching a new car insurance offer, the French carpooling company has announced.

Drivers who sign up to the coverage plan will be able to benefit from a dedicated application that analyses their driving habits and behavior during trips, in order to provide advice on safer driving.

This insurance offer was designed in response to driver needs, the company states. Drivers subscribing to "BlaBlaCar Assurance par L'olivier" will have access to an exclusive application - a sort of driving coach that will accompany them throughout their various journeys.

BlaBlaCar Coach, developed by the Swiss Re group, can be activated at the beginning of each trip. It will then analyse driving behaviours during each journey, as well as good and bad habits, before providing personalised advice and recommendations for safer driving.

But carpooling itself could already have a direct impact on road safety, according to BlaBlaCar. In 2015, a study showed that 80% of BlaBlaCar members were more scrupulous in respecting traffic regulations when driving with passengers in their car.

The insurance is available to all drivers in France, whether or not they use the BlaBlaCar carpooling service.


JPJ detects fraud driving licence scam

                KOTA BARU: There is a widespread scam involving forged driving licences which is thriving on social media, says the Road Transport Department (JPJ).

JPJ deputy director-general (management) M. Janagarajan appealed to drivers to exercise more caution when obtaining driving licences and not become victims of forged licences.

“The licence is not a legitimate one. It is an offence committed by scammers whereby this ‘licence’ has no record nor does it exist in the JPJ system.

“If a driver obtains a licence by this means, he or she doesn’t actually own a valid licence and needs to remember that it is fake,” Bernama reported him as saying at a press conference after a ceremony to close a team develop-ment course for drivers of Express Bus Konsortium E-Mutiara Bhd at the Jalan Wilayah Timur Transport Academy here on Sunday.

Also present were Road Transport Academy director Mohd Kifli Ma Hassan, Kelantan JPJ director Mohd Misuari Abdullah and executive chairman of Consortium E-Mutiara Bhd Che Ibrahim Che Ismail.

Janagarajan said his department had identified many victims of licence scammers and action was being taken through the JPJ’s driving licensing integrity department.

“The modus operandi of these scammers is to offer advertisements on social media saying that the document is a valid licence when in fact, it is not valid.

“Some victims make payments and are issued with what is a fake licence. There are also victims who complain that the scammer’s account is closed and cannot be traced once payment is made,” he said.

He said that through cooperation with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and police, court action would be taken against the suspects.

“What the public needs to remember is that any holder of this fake licence can only use it for a short time before this forgery is detected when the driver tries to renew their driving licence the following year,” he said.


More women needed in Malaysian auto industry

                PETALING JAYA: The UK-based Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) urged Malaysian automotive companies to look into providing sponsorships and training programs to encourage women to join the automotive industry.

A survey conducted in the UK by the IMI revealed that 96 percent of women drivers want to see more women in car workshops and according to Forbes, women buy 52 percent of all new cars sold in the US, influence more than 85 percent of all car purchases and are the fastest growing segment of buyers for new and used cars.

“With women influencing the majority of automotive purchasing decisions and a huge number bringing their vehicles to service centers for maintenance and repair, this makes creating career opportunities for women in this industry even more imperative.

" To encourage women to join this primarily male-dominated workplace, companies need to put in place training programs and financial incentives catered to this group,” said Matthew Stuart, Senior Manager of IMI South-East Asia.

A high percentage of the few women who work in this industry operate backroom administrative functions or are relegated to the reception desk.

The IMI believes that more needs to be done for women to be aware that they can pursue career opportunities from technical, customer service to management positions in this sector.

Prasanna Vanugopal, General Manager of Tekat Automotive Academy (also known as Auto Terminal Training Sdn Bhd) started her career in the academy in 2009 at the age of 19 as a Business Development Officer.

Two years ago, she was appointed as Tekat’s General Manager and IMI Coordinator. Tekat is an IMI approved center and since 2005, has certified 787 candidates with IMI’s international automotive qualifications.

“Historically it has not been easy for women to step into this industry and stand out. But we have the communication and problem solving skills that can add value in this industry. Women can definitely excel and play a strong role in driving the future of this industry”, she said.

Vanugopal believes women should be made aware that a career in the automotive industry goes beyond the technical positions as they can also take up management and business roles.

Her advice to women is not to be afraid to venture into this industry as new technologies introduced in this sector in the past years have resulted in more career and growth opportunities.


Ferrari does not need to buy other supercar makers, says CEO

Vigna pointed out that Ferrari's strategy focuses on partnerships rather than acquisitions. — Reuters
MILAN: Ferrari has no plans to buy other sports car makers, the company's chief executive Benedetto Vigna said on Monday.

"I don't think it makes sense for us to buy other supercar makers," Vigna said during a conference organised by Bloomberg, replying to a question about possible M&A operations by the Italian company.

"Ferrari is a high luxury (company) with technology playing an important role," he added, reiterating that its strategy relied more on partnerships and stressing the importance for luxury companies to maintain their "DNA".

Vigna said Ferrari would finish building a new assembly facility, its so called "e-building", in its Maranello hometown in June next year.

"It will be ready exactly two years after our capital market day, when the site construction was started," he said.

The CEO said that Ferrari would not only be making fully-electric cars on the new assembly-line.

"We want to retain great flexibility," he said.


Daimler to become Mercedes-Benz, split trucks unit from cars

                FRANKFURT: Daimler AG will split up into the world’s largest makers of luxury cars and commercial vehicles, renaming itself Mercedes-Benz and listing its truck unit separately by year-end.

The plan to distribute a majority of Daimler Truck to shareholders is the German manufacturer’s most significant shake-up since the sale of Chrysler almost 14 years ago.

Bloomberg News reported earlier that Daimler was considering the listing.

The spinoff appeased investors who have advocated the move for years, citing a stubbornly low valuation for the group company. While Daimler recently tweaked its corporate structure to give more independence to its main divisions, the change did little to boost sentiment.

The Mercedes-Benz cars and Daimler truck divisions “are different businesses with specific customer groups, technology paths and capital needs,” chief executive officer Ola Kallenius said in a statement. “We believe they will be able to operate most effectively as independent entities, equipped with strong net liquidity and free from the constraints of a conglomerate structure.”

Daimler’s truck unit could be worth about €29 billion (RM141bil) if valued at multiples similar to Volvo AB, although it would need to substantially improve returns to justify that valuation, Deutsche Bank analysts said last month. Sanford C. Bernstein’s estimate is even higher, at €35 billion (RM171bil).

“The outcome is extremely positive for all shareholders and we’re convinced that this is also in the best interest of all employees at Daimler,” Bernstein’s analyst Arndt Ellinghorst said in an email. “It’s also a strong positive statement for the German corporate landscape and financial market.”

Making his mark

Kallenius is making his mark on Daimler since becoming chief executive officer in May 2019. The company’s earnings and stock price started to languish late in the 13-year rein of his predecessor, Dieter Zetsche, forcing the new CEO to issue several profit warnings early in his tenure.

The 51-year-old Swede plans to revive returns by focusing more on bigger cars such as the flagship S-Class sedan and cutting thousands of jobs. He has forged a deeper partnership with Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings Plc and teamed up with technology firms to boost the company’s software operations. By the end of the decade, more than half of Mercedes’s global sales will be electrified.

The terms of the truck deal are better than hoped for, Philippe Houchois, a Jefferies analyst who rates Daimler a buy, said in a note. A spinoff is more attractive than an initial public offering, as shareholders won’t be asked to buy stock in a business they already own.

The move also looks fortuitously timed because of a strong truck market.

Volvo issued a bullish outlook earlier Wednesday within its report of better-than-expected quarterly earnings, saying transport and construction activity had fully recovered in most markets and improved customer confidence. It raised its forecast for heavy-duty vehicle sales in Europe and North America this year by a combined 90,000 units.

Higher bar

Volvo’s results raise the bar for Daimler Truck, which has long trailed its Swedish rival in terms of profitability. Volvo’s operating margin of almost 13% is “the highest the company has ever reached in recent memory,” RBC analyst Tom Narayan said in a note. Daimler Truck’s third-quarter margin was just 5.9%.

Daimler officials previously balked at selling individual divisions in the past but had kept the door open to a partial listing of the truck unit.

German rival Volkswagen AG pushed through an IPO of its truck operation Traton SE in 2019, and the business now has a market value of almost €12 billion (RM59bil). Traton agreed last year to acquire Navistar International Corp to challenge Daimler and Volvo in North America, the industry’s biggest source of profits.

The truck division contributed €40.2 billion (RM196bil) of revenue in 2019, according to Daimler’s annual report.

It sold 488,521 vehicles worldwide and generated €2.46 billion (RM12bil) in earnings before interest and taxes that year. While the North American Freightliner brand posts robust profits, the European operations have gone through multiple rounds of restructuring.


Shenzhen accelerates China's driverless car dreams

A safety driver sitting on the passenger seat as the car with autonomous driving system by DeepRoute.ai, drives itself on a street in Shenzhen last month. — Reuters
SHENZHEN: On a busy downtown street three delivery bikes suddenly dart over the pedestrian crossing ahead of the car. On the car's dashboard they look like small 3D blue blocks from a 1990s video game.

The steering wheel turns itself a notch and the vehicle slows to a gentle halt, while the safety driver looks on from the passenger seat.

The vehicle is one of a hundred sensor-laden robotaxis belonging to start up DeepRoute.ai cruising the dense central Futian business district in China's southern tech hub Shenzhen, giving 50,000 trial rides to passengers in the last year.

While the United States is regarded as taking an early lead in testing autonomous vehicle (AV) technology, in Shenzhen the industry appears to be changing gears, with trial robotaxis fast becoming a common sight.

Baidu Inc's Apollo unit, Toyota Motor Corp-backed Pony, Nissan-backed Weride, Alibaba-backed Auto X and Deeproute have all been running trials navigating the city's difficult environment, with frequent jaywalkers and ubiquitous e-scooters.

Shenzhen, a city of 18 million, has now brought in China's clearest AV regulations. From Monday registered AVs will be allowed to operate without a driver in the driving seat across a broad swath of the city, but a driver must still be present in the vehicle.

So far, Chinese cities have allowed robotaxis to operate on a more limited basis with permission of local authorities, but Shenzhen's regulations for the first time provide a crucial framework for liability in the event of an accident.

If the AV has a driver behind the wheel, the driver will be liable in an accident. If the car is completely driverless, the owner of the vehicle will be responsible. If a defect causes an accident, the car owner can seek compensation from the manufacturer.

"If you want more cars, eventually there will be accidents, so these regulations are very important for mass deployment," said Maxwell Zhou, DeepRoute's CEO, speaking at the company's offices in a tech park near the Hong Kong border.

"This is not true driverless but it's a big milestone."

Gear shift

So far the United States has raced ahead in AV trials, with California greenlighting public-road tests from 2014, allowing Alphabet Inc's Waymo LLC, Cruise and Tesla to rack up millions of miles in road testing.

But China has its foot on the accelerator, with Beijing making AV a key area in its latest five year plan. Shenzhen wants its smart vehicle industry to reach revenues of 200 billion yuan (RM132bil) by 2025.

In May last year Cruise Chief Executive Dan Amann warned President Joe Biden that US safety regulations risked the country's AV industry falling behind China, with the latter's "top down, centrally directed approach".

Deeproute aims to have 1,000 robotaxis with safety drivers on Shenzhen's roads in the next few years, when more detailed regulations are expected.

But in a city with a state-owned fleet of 22,000 electric taxis from Shenzhen-based BYD, where a 20-km trip costs about 60 yuan (RM40), production costs for AVs will need to come down before robotaxis are commercially viable, Zhou said.

Deeproute and other robotaxi companies are banking on mass production to lower costs and gather data. Deeproute sells its driving solutions to carmarkers for around US$3,000 (RM13,359).

Zhou looks to Shenzhen's DJI Technology Co as a role model, with the company using lower hardware costs and integrated supply chains to make it the dominant player in the commercial drone space worldwide.

On July 21 Baidu announced a new AV with a detachable steering wheel it will use for robotaxis next year, at 250,000 yuan a unit, almost half the price of its previous generation.

"We are moving towards a future where taking a robotaxi will be half the cost of taking a taxi today," Baidu's chief executive Robin Li said at the Baidu World conference.

Frogs in a well

Shenzhen's supply chain and lower costs give it a major production advantage over Silicon Valley, but AV solution maker David Chang does not want to be constrained to one market.

"In Shenzhen the capital cost is one third to California, because we have the battery suppliers, we have the sensors, we have most of the integration," said the CEO and founder of Shenzhen-based Whale Dynamic.

"But the revenue is one twelfth to California, so it might not be a fancy business to do," he said.

Deeproute, Weride and Pony.ai also have offices in Silicon Valley, with R&D teams and testing in both locations.

"We don't want to shrink ourselves into a well and fight with other frogs. We want to jump out of that well," said Chang.


Malaysia Commercial Vehicle Expo 2022 opens in Malaysia International Exhibition and Convention Centre

                KUALA LUMPUR: The fifth instalment of the Malaysia Commercial Vehicle Expo (MCVE) took off today at the Malaysia International Exhibition and Convention Centre (MIECC).

The event runs until March 12.

 Henry (left) with MAN Truck & Bus managing director Andrew O'Brooks at the company's booth.

With a strong showcase of local and international exhibitors, MCVE is the first and biggest commercial vehicle expo series ever held in Malaysia focusing on future transport solutions in the commercial vehicle industry.

The three-day expo was launched by Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Henry Sum Agong.

 Exhibitors presenting their products to Henry (cntre).

Many of the 60 exhibitors which joined the 2019 edition of the event have returned for this year’s instalment.

Among the 45 exhibitors in the expo are MAN Truck & Bus as Gold Sponsor, Hap Seng Trucks Distribution as Sponsor, Caltex being the Official Lubricant, Scania Malaysia, Volvo Trucks Malaysia, Petronas Steelbro, Hammar, CIMC, CAMC, YonMing and Michelin.

 Henry (centre) making a stop at the Scania booth.

Participation of International companies such as Geotab, MCVE’s Telematics Partner, Hengst, Mann+Hummel’s Singapore and Drive Risk from Australia are sending their representatives.

Hengst sponsored a R&R, similar to Malaysia’s reststops along the highways.

Henry said the local infrastructure is geared towards facing challenges brought upon by the economic recovery.

 Pertz (left) presenting a momento Henry.

“In line with the increased demand for transportation services, we require smart solutions. I am therefore, excited to see the latest products offered here at the Malaysia Commercial Vehicle industry as these will be instrumental in facilitating and enhancing our economy,” he said.

MCVE 2022 organiser Stefan Pertz said the pandemic had certainly put everyone to the test.

“A test that we have passed, thanks to the dedication of the transport industry. This year’s Malaysia Commercial Vehicle Exhibition is a celebration of this.

“Not only are we celebrating the innovations and brands that have been brought together here at the show, but also every single driver, supplier to the industry, associations and authorities,” he said.

Meanwhile, chairman of MIROS Board of Directors Professor Dr Wong Shaw Voon, said Malaysia ought to leverage on effective adoption of safer and greener commercial vehicle technologies.

"While gearing for greater economic growth, we are bound to strive for a sustainable, safe and efficient logistics industry in Malaysia and the region," he said.


Picking a Pocket Rocket: Hyundai i30 N, VW Golf R, Renault Megane RS and Honda Civic Type R

                PETALING JAYA: Hyundai has just launched the i30 N Performance hot hatch which is limited to 20 units and sold exclusively online through e-commerce company Lazada.

This marks the debut of the Korean marque's N division offering here in Malaysia and will be going up against  like-minded pocket rockets such as the Volkswagen Golf R, the Renault Megane RS and the Honda Type R.

Since performance is the name of the game, lets looks at some of the figures and options of these models.

HYUNDAI i30 N PERFORMANCE

The new kid on the block is no pushover what with its 2.0L T-GDi turbocharged petrol engine delivering 275PS at 6,000rpm and 353Nm of torque at 1,450rpm to 4,000rpm (with overboost, torque figures go up to 378Nm).

This front-wheel drive reaches a top speed of 250kph and does the century sprint in 6.1 seconds.

It is available only with a six-speed manual transmission and is priced at RM298,888 (on-the-road without insurance).

Fun fact: the i30 N was born in Namyang, South Korea and distilled in the Green Hell otherwise known as Nürburgring, Germany by the head of Hyundai R&D Albert Biermann, a former exec at BMW M.

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R

This little sleeper is sure to surprise the uninitiated but for those in the know, it sends a sparkle to the eye.

Under the hood of this German fire-breather is a 2.0 litre TSI engine producing 290PS at 5,500rpm to 6,500rpm and 380Nm from 2,000rpm to 5,400rpm.

The transmission is a seven-speed automatic, wet dual-clutch DSG which sends power to all four wheels through its 4Motion all-wheel drive system.

It takes only 5.1 seconds to go from 0-100kph and top speed is electronically-limited to 250kph.

It is priced at RM304,390 (on-the-road without insurance).

RENAULT MEGANE RS 280 CUP

The little fury from France was launched recently in August and is the only offering in this small group which gives you the option of driving either a manual or an Efficient Dual Clutch (EDC) automatic six-speed transmission.

It also has the smallest displacement of the lot but don't be fooled. The 1.8 litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine pushes out 280PS and 390Nm of torque.

This front wheel drive does 0-100kph in 5.8 seconds and the top speed varies between 255kph for the manual option and 250kph for the automatic.

It is also the most competitively priced with the manual variant going for RM279,888. The automatic though adds another RM20K at RM299,888. All prices are on-the-road without insurance.

HONDA CIVIC TYPE R

If you wear your heart on your sleeve then you are ready to make a statement to the world with the Honda Civic Type R. This Japanese offering does not attempt to blend in with the rest of the crowd with its aggressive wing and triple tailpipes. Heck, it doesn't even look like a hatch.

It is however, a five-door like the rest of this bunch and the most expensive at RM330,002 (on-the-road without insurance).

If you want one though you'll have to wait till next year as there is no more stock for 2019.

This comes in a 6-speed manual only and this front-wheel drive performance machine is powered by a 2.0 litre turbocharged VTEC engine producing 310PS at 6,500rpm and 400Nm of torque from 2,500rpm to 4,500rpm.

When it comes to top speed it trumps the rest at 272kph. It accelerates from 0-100kph in 5.8 seconds.

Fun fact: we did a shoot-out between the Civic Type R and the Golf R. Check it here.


Fuel prices up for Dec 21-27

PETALING JAYA: Fuel prices are up.

The table tells all there is to say.

As usual, the new prices are valid for one week from Dec 21-27.


Only for the rich: Experience the thrills of F1 from the comfort of your own home

                LONDON: Following several years of development, British specialist Cranfield Simulation has launched the world's first bespoke Formula One simulator for the home market.

More compact than the simulators found in arcades or those used by racing professionals, it nonetheless offers an opportunity to experience some of the sensations felt by Formula One drivers.

The goal of this simulator is to enable you to experience the sensation of Formula One racing like the famous twists and turns of the Eau Rouge and Raidillon combination at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium or rapid deceleration in the Monte Carlo tunnel.

Offering more than a mere visual and auditory experience, this high-end machine has also been designed to enable budding racing drivers feel the famous Gs caused by rapid acceleration and deceleration on Grand Prix circuits.

Given that each unit is custom made, the simulator can be built to accommodate drivers of all shapes and sizes, whereas in the real world anyone who is over 6-feet 2-inches tall is unlikely to fit in a Formula One racing car.

The "Formula Simulator," as it is called, is thus an F1 cockpit without wheels or an engine, but with a faithful reproduction of the pedals and steering wheel. As for the visuals, the racing environment can be displayed on a simple television, an extra-large monitor or, better still, by a virtual-reality headset.

To develop this extremely sophisticated simulator, Cranfield Simulation drew on the same technologies that are used to create military aircraft simulators for future fighter pilots.

The result is a machine that offers an unprecedented immersive experience that really makes you feel that you are driving at 300kph in the confines of your own living room.

And as each simulator is made to order, future buyers of the machine can arrange to have it decorated with the livery of their favorite Formula One stable.

However, before you rush out to buy one of these technological marvels, you might want to consider the cost, which is a hefty €150,000 (RM744,000) per unit. A prohibitive price that will put the Cranfield simulator well beyond the reach of many motor-racing fans.


Proton flood relief mission eases burden

                SUBANG JAYA: Proton has mobilised its Flood Relief Mission to the East Coast comprising 45 volunteers from its employees based at its headquarters in Subang Jaya as well as Kota Bharu and Kuala Terengganu branches.

The support for a two-day flood relief operation which started on 1 January 2015, is to lend a hand in the massive cleanup of public places and houses of the poor and the elderly.

“We are saddened by the hardships caused by the floods in the East Coast area as many were forced to flee from their homes unexpectedly when the floods hit the East Coast region last month in brutal force. We started the initiative in Pasir Mas, Kelantan on our first day (1 January), in a small village called Kg Sakar Sungai which is away from the main road and has not been visited by any NGOs. It is very fortunate that we are here to assist the 61 families who were stranded in their own homes," said Datuk Abdul Harith Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer of Proton.

Abdul Harith added, "Help was extended to 205 other families in Terengganu on our second day, particularly in Kemaman. We hope our assistance will ease the burden of impacted families and communities particularly those who need financial aid for their children who will soon start their new school term."

On 1 January, Proton Flood Relief Mission to the East Coast helped clean up several public places and houses of ailing old folks in Kampung Sakar Sungai, Pasir Mas, Kelantan and several houses of Proton’s staff in Pasir Hor.

Proton also contributed essential items which include canned food supplies, biscuits, toiletries, mineral water, blankets, baby disposable diapers, sanitary pads and disposable underwear.

The items were presented to representatives of the 61 affected families by Abdul Harith and Proton Edar’s Chief Executive Officer, Norzahid Mohd Zahudi.

On the same day, 41 employees of Proton also received similar aid, courtesy of Proton's Kota Bharu branch.

On 2 January, help was extended to Kemaman, Terengganu where Proton contributed essential items to 142 families of PDRM Terengganu.

The contribution was handed over to Kemaman District Deputy Police Chief, DSP Normansah bin Din to representatives of police stations in Terengganu in which 58 of the families affected are from Kemaman district.

Essential items were also distributed to 60 families through the Community Service Centre under the care of Kemaman MP, Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

Proton then visited 3 of its employees in Kemaman and Dungun to assist in the cleanup of their houses and contributed essential items to them.


Musk says Tesla could lower car prices if inflation slows

                AUSTIN: Tesla Inc chief executive officer Elon Musk said today the electric automaker could lower prices for cars if inflation calms down.

Musk, who has over 100 million followers on Twitter, was replying to a tweet today that asked if the company had any plans to lower prices that it had raised to beat the pandemic and supply chain woes.

"If inflation calms down, we can lower prices for cars," Musk tweeted.

Tesla has raised car prices a number of times in the past few months by a few thousand dollars as costs of raw materials for aluminum to lithium used in cars and batteries surge, while automakers struggle to source chips and other supplies due to an industry-wide shortage.

Musk, the world's richest person, in recent weeks warned about the risk of a recession and said he had a "super bad feeling" about the economy.

US consumer prices jumped 9.1% to a nearly 41-year high in June, as gasoline and food costs remained elevated. The surge spells tough times for companies that are now looking to cut costs and alter their hiring plans.

In other Tesla news, a German court has ordered Tesla Inc to reimburse a customer most of the €112,000 (RM503,000) she paid for a Model X SUV because of problems with the Autopilot function, Der Spiegel reported today.

A technical report showed the vehicle did not reliably recognise obstacles like the narrowing of a construction site and would at times activate the brakes unnecessarily.

This could cause a "massive hazard" in city centres and lead to collisions, the court ruled.

Tesla lawyers argued Autopilot was not designed for city traffic, according to Der Spiegel, to which the court said it was not feasible for drivers to switch the feature on and off manually in different settings as it would distract from driving.

Tesla was not immediately available for comment and declined to comment to Der Spiegel. The court was not immediately available for comment.

US safety regulators are investigating Tesla's Autopilot function after reports of 16 crashes, including seven injury incidents and one death, involving Tesla vehicles in Autopilot that had struck stationary first-responder and road maintenance vehicles.

Tesla says Autopilot allows vehicles to brake and steer automatically within their lanes but does not make them capable of driving themselves.

Musk said in March that Tesla is likely to launch a test version of its new "Full Self-Driving" software in Europe later this year, depending on regulatory approval.

"It's quite difficult to do full self-driving in Europe," he told workers at Berlin factory at the time, saying much work needs to be done to handle tricky driving situations in Europe where roads vary a lot by country.


This is a completely carbon-fibred Godzilla Nissan GT-R!

                PETALING JAYA: Meet the Nissan GT-R that has almost all its parts replaced with carbon fibre.

The exterior is purely carbon fibre, including the bonnet, doors, fenders, side mirror caps, and bumpers. And then there's the exhaust manifold too, among other things.

You can't buy one though as it's a private owner's passion project. And it isn't a cheap mod either as the total cost it is about US$76,430 (RM317,000).

The good thing about this mod though is that the car now weighs 140kg less than a stock GT-R and weight-loss is always a plus for a performance vehicle. Of course, it's no lightweight when it comes to the sound of the exhaust note which can be heard after the 7.50 mark.


Electric cars will be cheaper than combustion models within 5 to 6 years

                PARIS: The main obstacle for drivers interested in getting on board with this new generation of cars is the fact that the price of electric vehicles is expected to drop considerably in the years to come.

The tipping point should come, at the latest, in 2027. At that time, these cars are set to become, on average, less expensive than equivalent gasoline and diesel models.

According to a report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) for the NGO Transport and Environment (T&E), within 5 to 7 years the trends in prices should shift depending on the type of vehicle.

Specifically, electric-engine light commercial vehicles such as vans should be as inexpensive to produce as combustion vehicles in this segment by 2025.

The same phenomenon should be seen for sedans and SUVs in 2026 and small, city cars in 2027. An electric sedan will cost an average of nearly €40,000 (nearly RM200,000) excluding taxes in 2020, twice as much as a gasoline or diesel model.

From 2026 onwards, these same sedans should cost less than €20,000 euros, with a further downward trend, albeit much less pronounced, in the following years. By 2030, an electric SUV and compact car should cost on average around €20,000 (around RM100,000) and €10,000 (RM50,000) respectively, i.e., two to three times less than at present.

This spectacular drop in prices (on the order of more than 50% in only 6 or 7 years) can be explained above all by a continuous drop in the production costs of lithium-ion batteries, but also by the establishment of production lines specially dedicated to electric vehicles and increasingly large production volumes.

According to the study, if the transition to electric vehicles is supported politically, electrically powered vehicles could account for almost 100% of new vehicle sales in Europe by 2035.

In any case, this is in line with other timeframes, as all car manufacturers have already announced that they want to exclusively produce vehicles with zero CO2 emissions by 2050 at the latest.


Uber and Lyft join airlines in ending US mask mandate

                SAN FRANCISCO: Ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft removed mask requirements on riders and drivers on Tuesday following a federal ruling striking down the mandate.

"You can now ride without a mask and use the front seat if you need to," Uber announced on Twitter.

"While mask usage is still recommended, we've updated our Covid safety policies. Let's move forward, safely together."

Uber's rival, Lyft, also said it was making masks optional.

The company will also remove a restriction on riders in the front seat, and will no longer include health safety reasons — such as not wearing a mask —as a reason to cancel a ride, Lyft said.

"We know that everyone has different comfort levels, and anyone who wants to continue wearing a mask is encouraged to do so," Lyft said in a blog post.

On Monday, US federal judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle said the mask mandate exceeds the statutory authority of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Several major carriers, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, dropped mask mandates on domestic flights and some international flights following the ruling.


Tesla's Musk urges staff to 'go super hardcore' to meet quota

                SAN FRANCISCO: Tesla Inc chief executive Elon Musk has asked employees to "go super hardcore" to make up for production challenges early in the third quarter and "ensure a decent Q3 delivery number," according to an internal email seen by Reuters.

"The end of quarter delivery wave is unusually high this time, as we suffered (like the whole industry) from extremely severe parts shortages earlier this quarter," he said in the email sent on Wednesday.

He said Tesla built "a lot of cars with missing parts that needed to be added later."

"This is the biggest wave in Tesla history," he said, referring to its end of quarter delivery push.

Tesla posted record quarterly vehicle deliveries for the April-June quarter, but Musk said in July that its output growth for the rest of this year would be determined by the global chip shortage situation, which "remained quite serious."

Musk has traditionally sent out emails to employees near the end of almost every quarter urging employees to boost deliveries, and sometimes hinting at its delivery targets.

LFP battery

Tesla has recently started US sales of a Model 3 version with different, lithium iron phosphate batteries, which it said will help bring forward vehicle deliveries.

The LFP battery is currently used in Tesla's China-made Model 3 and Model Ys that are sold there and exported to Europe and other countries.

Tesla said customers who switch to Model 3 with an LFP battery would be able to receive the model sooner than the original delivery date of year-end.

"Due to limited supply and strong customer demand, we are introducing the Model 3 Standard Range Plus battery pack, which we already released in Europe and Asia, to North America," it said in an email to some customers.


Clarkson will 'start again' after leaving 'Top Gear'

                LONDON: Jeremy Clarkson, the former star of television show "Top Gear", said Sunday that he would work on another motoring programme after being dropped by the BBC for hitting a producer.

He revealed his pain at leaving "Top Gear", a hugely successful show which draws more than 250 million viewers around the world, but said he would "pick up the pieces and start again".

The BBC last month announced it was not renewing Clarkson's contract after 12 years on the show, after the 55-year-old launched an unprovoked attack on producer Oisin Tymon.

"I have lost my baby but I shall create another," the presenter wrote in his column for the Sunday Times newspaper, where he revealed his shock at losing his job.

"I don't know who the other parent will be or what the baby will look like, but I cannot sit around any more organising my photograph albums."

Clarkson revealed that two days before the incident he had been told that a lump on his tongue was "probably cancer".

He has since received the all-clear, but told the newspaper "It was beyond-belief stressful, everything was going wrong, and then you know... there you go.

"But everybody has stressful days, and they manage to cope better than I did."

He said he had considered giving up television, but decided "Let's stop being silly and pick up the pieces and start again... I just know I'm going to do another car show."

The remaining episodes of the latest "Top Gear" series were cancelled after Clarkson's suspension and a string of live auto shows around the world were dropped.

However, the BBC's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, has agreed to allow Clarkson and co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May to tour without the BBC and "Top Gear" labels.


5 more Toyota TopMark outlets spring up

                PETALING JAYA: The Toyota TopMark network is being expanded to offer the latest Toyota and Toyota Hybrid Certified Pre-Owned Cars to customers in more areas in Malaysia.

This is achieved through collaboration with four authorised Toyota dealers of UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd (UMWT).

The four dealers are:

1. UMW Toyotsu Motors Sdn Bhd (Shah Alam and Rawang, Selangor)
2. Panglima City Motor Sdn Bhd (Klang, Selangor)
3. ES Yang Motor Sdn Bhd (Muar, Johor)
4. Telagamas Motors Sdn Bhd (Kulim, Kedah)

The four dealers signed agreements with UMWT which make them fully-fledged Toyota TopMark dealerships. In total, five additional Toyota TopMark dealerships will be available from January 2018 (UMW Toyotsu Motors will have two dealerships at its Shah Alam and Rawang branches).

As Toyota TopMark dealerships, the authorised Toyota dealers can now accept vehicles of any make on a trade-in basis for the purchase of a new Toyota vehicle (terms and conditions apply).

Toyota TopMark practises a fair and transparent trading process which includes documented settling of any outstanding loan amount and immediate transfer of ownership. This means that the customer can have a hassle-free exchange to ownership of a new Toyota model.

As with all other Toyota TopMark outlets, the new dealerships will also offer high quality Certified Pre-Owned Toyota and Toyota Hybrid models. The quality and reliability of vehicles offered are assured as they have undergone the same stringent and comprehensive 201-point inspection. These include safety checks to ensure that all safety systems are in proper working order and that the tyres have sufficient tread (if not, they will be replaced). The standard battery is also replaced with a new one and Toyota Genuine Parts are used if replacements are needed. All the work is done at an authorised Toyota service centre.

Through such a process, there is the assurance that there will be no potential problems that may arise in the next ownership of the car. Furthermore, for peace of mind to the new owner, each vehicle comes with a 2-year warranty or 40,000 kms travelled (whichever occurs first after purchase) on the engine and transmission.

The same high standards of service are available at the new authorised Toyota TopMark Certified Pre-Owned dealerships so buying a vehicle from them is the same as from any Toyota TopMark branch. The addition of Toyota TopMark services makes these dealerships a one-stop centre for virtually all aspects of buying and owning a Toyota vehicle.

The five new locations join Toyota TopMark’s 5 outlets located in Petaling Jaya, Butterworth Johor Baru and Kuantan.

Lexus Certified Pre-Owned vehicles are also available at selected locations. The wholly-owned subsidiary of UMWT has been providing quality pre-owned vehicles to the public for the past 17 years.


Toyota GR Supra GT4 race car gets the nod, sales to start in 2020

                COLOGNE: Toyota Gazoo Racing confirmed today that it will launch the GR Supra GT4, a race car for customer teams in 2020.

The announcement comes in response to growing customer expectations worldwide following the unveiling of the GR Supra GT4 Concept at the Geneva International Motor Show in March, and the participation of the GR Supra at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in June.

The Toyota motorsport team said it plans to strengthen its focus on customer motorsports in order to enable motorsports-lovers around the world to freely participate in races, and to develop ever-better cars using the feedback gained through race participation.

The GR Supra GT4 is based on the GR Supra, Toyota Gazoo Racing's first-ever global model released earlier this year?and it is developed and produced by Toyota Motorsport GmbH based here.

The GT4 category is popular with private race teams around the world due to its low cost and ease of entry. GT4 cars are eligible to participate in a variety of races across the globe, including the Super Taikyu Series in Japan, the GT4 European Series and the VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring in Europe, and the Michelin Pilot Challenge Series in the United States.

The GR Supra already participates in the Nascar Xfinity Series in North America and, from 2020, is scheduled to compete in the Super GT GT500 Class in Japan. The arrival of the GR Supra GT4 would allow motorsports fans to watcg the GR Supra compete in circuits around the world.

In order to develop the GR Supra GT4, Toyota Gazoo Racing has joined forces with three technical partners: Ravenol, Pirelli and Akrapovic. Ravenol will provide lubricants, while Pirelli will collaborate on tyre development and Akrapovic will cooperate on developing motorsport-specific exhaust systems.

Specifications of the GR Supra GT4, including its selling price, sales area and release date, are scheduled to be announced later this year.


Toyota's Yaris Cross makes world debut

                TOKYO: Toyota today announced that its new compact SUV, the Yaris Cross, originally planned to be revealed at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show, has made its world debut.

As a new SUV that inherits the qualities of the brand's flagship compact car, Yaris, Yaris Cross will be launched in Japan in autumn this year, and in Europe mid-2021.

Behind the new Yaris Cross was a goal to develop a vehicle that could help redefine what an urban-type compact SUV should be, sharing the same driving pleasure and feeling beyond its class as the Yaris brand.

By adopting the all-new hybrid system and the TNGA platform (GA-B) for compact cars, the "Yaris Cross" offers a higher dimension of basic and environmental performance.

Also, the vehicle achieves an easy-to-handle body size while providing SUV-like interior comfort and luggage room. The exterior design, though simple, expresses the robustness of an SUV. Toyota said the interior design was shaped to give it a feeling of higher quality and comfort.

The car will be sold either with a 1.5-litre inline 3-cylinder petrol engine or as a hybrid. Front-wheel drive and electric 4-wheel drive choices will be made available in the market.

The new vehicle follows the debut of the all-new Yaris, unveiled in October 2019 as the next-generation compact car, which promised improved driving pleasure, the world's highest level of fuel effifciency for its class as a result of using the latest hybrid system, as well as advanced safety and security technologies.

Yaris emerged in 1999 as a global compact car. Since then, 8.71 million units (as of March 2020) have been sold around the world as the flagship model of Toyota's compact car business.

Yaris Cross will be built at Toyota Motor East Japan Co., Ltd. for the Japan market, and at Toyota Motor Manufacturing France for the European market.


Britain should be 'proud' of knighted Hamilton, says Mercedes boss

Hamilton and Wolff rejoicing after winning the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul last November. — Reuters
LONDON: Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says Britain should feel proud to have a "ambassador of the calibre of Lewis Hamilton" after the Formula One world champion was awarded a knighthood in the New Year Honours list.

Hamilton has been recognised following a record-breaking year in which he eclipsed Michael Schumacher's all-time victory tally and emulated the German by winning a seventh world title.

Austrian Wolff, 48, has overseen Hamilton's success at Mercedes following the Briton's move from McLaren in 2013. Hamilton has won six of his seven titles with the sport's all-conquering team.

Wolff hailed the 35-year-old British driver for his sporting success and his efforts to battle discrimination.

"The news that he is to receive a knighthood shows that he is now receiving the recognition he has earned during a career of unparalleled success in motorsport," said Wolff.

"The UK can be very proud to have a champion and ambassador of the calibre of Sir Lewis Hamilton."

Monaco-based Hamilton has faced scrutiny in the past over his tax arrangements but has said he pays a substantial amount of tax in Britain.

He clinched his record-equalling title against the backdrop of his personal fight against injustices.

Hamilton took a knee before all his races to protest against racial injustice and Mercedes changed their livery from silver to black to highlight the issue of discrimination.

Britain's Damon Hill, world champion in 1996, told Sky News: "Lewis has stood up for issues that are close to his heart and affect everyone.

"In our sport, it is very rare for a driver to get involved in anything that is outside of Formula One. But Lewis has said this affects every black person and he stood up at a time when it could have destabilised his career and destabilised his concentration on the championship."


Geely Jia Ji MPV photos released: future Proton Exora replacement?

                HANGZHOU (China): Geely Auto has released the first official images of its strategic global MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) named “Jia Ji (嘉际)” in Chinese.

Geely Auto says the launch of the new global MPV in early 2019 will be a step towards pushing the Chinese auto marque into international markets.

Also, there's a good chance that the Jia Ji seven-seater MPV might be re-skinned as a Proton car in the future, as the Geely Group has a 49.9 per cent stake in Malaysian automaker Proton Holdings Bhd.

Proton's first SUV (sport utility vehicle) is a re-skinned right-hand drive version of the popular Geely Boyue.

The Geely Jia Ji MPV will have three powertrain choices:

- 48V BSG mild hybrid (MHEV) with a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine

- plug-in hybrid (PHEV) with a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT)

- 1.8-litre turbocharged engine paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

The MHEV version has 188hp, maximum torque of 300Nm and a combined city/highway fuel consumption of 5.9 litres per 100km.

The PHEV version with a 11.3kWh ultra-high capacity lithium battery has 255hp, maximum torque of 385Nm, and combined city/highway fuel consumption of just 1.6 litres per 100km.

The 1.8-litre turbocharged engine variant has 181hp and maximum torque of 300Nm.

The Geely Jia Ji MPV was designed at Geely’s Shanghai design studio, one of five global design studios that employ over 600 people across the world.

The Jia Ji adopts the Chinese auto marque's new “racing through space and time” design language shown across Geely’s latest products, the Bo Rui GE and Bin Rui.

Design elements include meteor head lamps, expanding cosmos grille, wide lower grille, streamlined coupe-style body, sculpted waistline, and floating roof.

ALSO READ:

Geely launches Bo Rui GE - potential future Proton flagship sedan?

Geely Bin Rui — a potential Proton C-segment model — debuts

In the middle of the full-vision dashboard is a 12.3 inch floating widescreen infotainment panel with black piano key buttons below.

The roof control console on the driver's upper right side comes with a motion activated ceiling light which improves safety by removing the need to search around for the light switch in the dark.

In addition to an electric shift lever, the central control panel also has a cup-holder which can heat or cool drinks.


Johor Sultan gets prized F1 number plate

                PETALING JAYA: Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar (pic) has added one of the most sought-after registration number plates to his collection – F1.

He bid for it for RM836,660. This was the highest amount the Sultan of Johor has paid for a number plate, having won W1N for RM748,000 in 2014 and WWW1 for RM520,000 in 2012.

The W1N and WWW1 plates were used on Sultan Ibrahim’s Proton Suprima S and Proton Satria Neo respectively.

The other winning bidders for the “F” prefix were Sultan of Kelantan Sultan Muhammad V for F12 at RM110,000, Goh Fong Yee for F2 at RM514,800, Trans Penang Inns Sdn Bhd for F9 at RM404,800, PLI Trading Sdn Bhd for F7 at RM396,000, TSE Modul Inisiatif Sdn Bhd at RM385,000 for F8, Wee Ka Keng for F5 at RM366,520 and Herald Accord Sdn Bhd for F3 at RM344,300.

Other interesting bids were F333 which went to Lee Chan Char for RM355,000 and F888 which went to Wan Hazreek Putra Hussain Yusuf for RM188,000.

The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has received 11,683 registration forms bidding for the new Putrajaya “F” prefix, which is the second highest after the “WWW” series issued by JPJ in 2012.

On May 19, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi said vehicles registered in Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur will have a new prefix of registration number beginning with “F” and “V” respectively.


Aston Martin not actively pursuing new investors as opens SUV plant

                LONDON: Aston Martin, which was reported last week to be the target of Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, said it was not actively pursuing new investors as it opened a new factory to build its first sport utility vehicle.

As some in the global car industry turn to partnerships, alliances or mergers to handle the challenge of electrification, new technology and tighter margins, Autocar magazine reported last Thursday that Stroll, the owner of Formula One team Racing Point, is preparing to buy a major stake in Aston.

“You know what we would have to do if there was an official approach. Beyond that, I can’t comment,” Aston’s chief executive Andy Palmer said at the factory opening, referring to rules governing listed companies.

“We’re certainly not actively soliciting any other participation. That’s not to say it doesn’t come,” he said when asked whether Aston needed a new investor.

The British automaker’s new factory in south Wales holds the key to ending a poor performance this year from Aston, whose shares have tumbled 75% this year on weaker-than-expected sales.

In August, Aston’s biggest investor, Strategic European Investment Group, bought an extra 3% stake in the 106-year-old company, whose second largest shareholder is a Kuwaiti investor.

Last month Aston, which floated in October 2018, launched its DBX model, hoping that more female buyers will help boost sales after posting a pre-tax loss of £92.3 million for the first nine months.

It hopes its new factory, in St Athan, near Cardiff, will help turn around its fortunes. The plant is its second alongside its historic one in Gaydon, central England.

As the autos sector consolidates through deals such as the merge of Peugeot and Fiat, Aston has said it does not need to belong to a bigger automotive group, pointing to the success of stand-alone rival Ferrari.

Palmer said the small stake held by Germany’s Daimler allows Aston to have access to technology and benefit from the speed at which it can operate independently.

“There is a perfectly rational route to success in our current state,” he said.


PLUS planning gantry toll system as early as 2018

                SEREMBAN: Toll concessionaire PLUS will introduce the gantry system to collect toll electronically along all its closed highways as early as 2018.

PLUS chief operating officer Muhammad Fuad Khusairi said the move was to check traffic congestion at toll plazas.

The concessionaire was looking at several systems which had been implemented in other countries.

“Under the system, a gadget or sticker will have to be installed on the windscreen of vehicles. The toll will be calculated using the Radio Frequency Identification or RFID system.

“There will also be a CCTV network installed on the gantries. The system will be able to tell the amount that needed to be deducted electronically from the vehicle owner’s account with us,” he said.

On a separate matter, Muhammad Fuad said all toll transactions at the Mambau and Lukut plazas along the Seremban-Port Dickson Highway (SPDH) would be collected electronically from June 1.

Five other toll plazas will also go fully electronic this year. These are Jitra, Penang Bridge, Bukit Kayu Hitam and Butterworth-Kulim Expressway (two toll plazas).


Ford trials geofencing tech to automatically control vehicle speed

                LONDON: Ford is trialling technology that could end the need for speed limit signs and help drivers avoid inadvertently incurring speeding fines by automatically slowing down vehicles when they enter designated areas.

The scheme is built on geofencing - a type of virtual geographical boundary, where special rules can be set around specific locations.

Ford is using the technology to set speed limits that Internet-connected vehicles automatically adhere to when they enter any of the areas in question.

The speed limit information is set to the vehicle's dashboard display so the driver is aware of the change and can be manually overridden if needed, the company said.

The car giant is currently testing the technology in Cologne, Germany, and says it could reduce the need for speed limit signs and improve the appearance of the roadside by decluttering them while helping drivers avoid picking up speeding fines.

Ford said its trial will run for a year using its all-electric E-Transit van.

"Connected vehicle technology has the proven potential to help make everyday driving easier and safer to benefit everyone, not just the person behind the wheel," said Michael Huynh, Ford of Europe's manager for city engagement in Germany.

"Geofencing can ensure speeds are reduced where - and even when - necessary to help improve safety and create a more pleasant environment."

Ford said that, in the future, the system could also be used dynamically, with speed limits set and altered depending on local hazards, roadworks, or to deal with traffic at different times of day. — PA Media


Perodua Myvi nears its millionth production

                KUALA LUMPUR: The Perodua Myvi, a Malaysian icon for over 12 years, is nearing its one millionth production unit, making it the most produced Malaysian vehicle in history.

The Myvi, introduced in May 2005, has been Malaysia’s No. 1 car model until the end of 2014. The model continues to be among the top bestselling models in the country at present.

“So far, we have produced nearly one million Myvis since 2005 and this milestone will be reached this month,” said Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh.

He said that the Myvi was sold in 7 countries since 2006, which include Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Brunei, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Fiji and Nepal under the Perodua brand.

The Myvi biggest export market is Indonesia under the Daihatsu Sirion brand with nearly 31,000 vehicles sold since the year 2007.

In total, Perodua exported 35,400 Myvi/Sirion models since 2006 in these markets.

Aminar said Perodua would continue with the model as the demand is still strong along with other models under the Perodua brand, which include the Axia, Bezza and Alza.

For the first four months of the year, Perodua sold 64,700 vehicles, an increase of 4.1% compared with 62,100 vehicles between January and April in 2016.

Aminar said that during that period, all Perodua vehicles were the bestselling model in their respective segments with the Axia selling 22,000 units, Bezza with 19,500 units, Myvi 13,900 units and the Alza with 9,300 units.

“We estimate that the total industry volume or TIV for the first 4 months of this year to reach 182,800 vehicles, an increase of 5.4% when compared with 173,400 vehicles in the same period last year.”

“Based on this estimation, we foresee our market share at 35.4% so far this year,” Aminar said, adding that Perodua would focus on improving aftersales and timely delivery to customers.


Ferrari partners with Samsung to develop in-car displays

                ROME: Italian supercar maker Ferrari said today it had signed a deal with Samsung Display to use its organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panels in future car models.

The South Korean company will develop "bespoke OLED technology display solutions" for the next generation of Ferraris, chief executive Benedetto Vigna said in a statement.

The heads of Ferrari and Samsung Display signed a memorandum of understanding in Asan, South Korea, for which no financial details were disclosed.

Vigna has previously said that as Ferrari is focusing investment on electrification, the company would use external suppliers for non-crucial components or software.

Ferrari plans to unveil its first fully electric car in 2025.

Samsung Display, which plans to invest more than US$3 billion (RM13.2bil) on the manufacturing of OLED panels in Asan, is a unit of Samsung Electronics.


Stellantis joins US road safety trial using 5G

                DETROIT: The Stellantis Group is participating in the open-road testing of connected vehicles conducted by the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) in Virginia, USA. These tests aim to demonstrate how the technology can help play a role in road safety.

Stellantis is using the Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid for the tests.

It is equipped with vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication technologies, enabling vehicles to communicate with each other and share information in real time.

This system makes it possible to share a person's position with other users and connected infrastructure. The aim here is to considerably improve the safety of all road users, thanks to this real-time information sharing.

With the 5G connection — offering high speeds and virtually no latency — the car's internal system can quickly make decisions to alert pedestrians and surrounding vehicles to possible collision risks.

In the future, 5G should also enable autonomous cars to communicate with one another so that they can not only drive without any human assistance, but also avoid any risk of collision.

Other interactions could be envisaged, such as a real-time connection between traffic lights and connected cars to facilitate traffic flow.

Another example could be real-time information on parking spaces that become available, helping vehicles park quicker and more easily than today.

Lastly, 5G could provide access to information and entertainment for all passengers, while also offering a means to remotely update the vehicle's onboard system.

In Europe, too, initiatives are moving in a similar direction.

Work being done by 5GCroCo, a European innovation effort that aims to conduct cross-border 5G connectivity tests, is seeking to ensure uninterrupted service delivery when moving from one country to another.

With the help of network operators, it has been demonstrated that this can work seamlessly.


Comprehensive database will allow targeted subsidies, aid to be channelled effectively, says PM

                PUTRAJAYA: A main database that will house socio-economic information of households will be developed so that targeted subsidies and aid can be distributed more effectively, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Prime Minister said the database, to be known as PADU, is also to ensure a more systematic distribution of assistance, to avoid anyone who is eligible from not receiving it.

The Statistics Department will be responsible for collecting all the necessary information for the database.

This includes the number of households, household income, location, number of vehicles, record of assistance received from government departments and other information to determine disposable income of eligible households.

“Whatever data that we have now is not fully complete and is not coordinated. Once the PADU database is up and running, it will be more comprehensive and will use real time data,” said Anwar after chairing the Economic Action Council meeting today.

The database is expected to be fully functional by January next year.

The Prime Minister said the meeting also discussed the issue of subsidy, to further improve the diesel subsidy system, which saw the government having to spend RM13bil in 2022.

He said the use of diesel had increased over the years, noting that last year. 8.4 billion liters were used.

“This is an increase of 37.7% or 6.1 billion litres used in 2019.

“On the other hand, the number of registered vehicles using diesel has only increased 2.4%, from 2.08 million in 2019 to 2.13 million in 2022.

“The surge in diesel usage compared to the number of diesel-usage vehicles indicates that there are leakages that need to be tackled,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the meeting had agreed for several measures to be taken, including to expand the issuance of fleet cards.

“This will help prevent leakages, smuggling and illegal sales of diesel to other parties. The taxes collected are meant to help the people, not for diesel to be sold illegally for small groups to make profit,” he added.


2017 updated Honda Odyssey launched in Indonesia at RM237,563

                JAKARTA: PT Honda Prospect Motor (HPM) has introduced the refreshed fifth-generation Honda Odyssey, with redesigned exterior parts.

The 2017 updated Honda Odyssey in Prestige trim is priced at 713.8 million Rupiah (RM237,563).

The exterior has a new black front grille, combining elegant smoked chrome and black elements, as well as new black fog light garnish and new 17-inch alloy wheels.

The new look is also provided by new black fog light garnish and bolder design of 17” alloy wheels.

"We have refined the New Odyssey to keep the product fresh in the market," said Jonfis Fandy, marketing and after-sales service director of HPM.

Introduced in 2014, the fifth-generation Odyssey has the most advanced features in its class.

These include Projector Headlight, Power Sliding Door with Outer Courtesy Light, Sliding Sunroof with Pinch Free, Active Cornering Light, Side Sill, LED High Mount Stop Lamp, LED Rear Combination Light & LED Daytime Running Light, Auto Leveling Headlight, and Auto On /Off Headlight.

For the interior, it has Tilt & Telescopic Steering Wheel, 8 Way Power Seat Adjuster + Memory Seat, and Arm Rest.

The passenger in the second row can enjoy the Premium Premium Craddle Seat + Manual Ottoman (Longest 2nd Row Slide in Its Class in Indonesia).

For the riding comfort, it also comes with Cruise Control, Paddle Shift, and Steering Wheel Mounted Control.

To add the joy of driving, New Honda Odyssey is also equipped with 3 Zone Auto AC, AV system with 7-inch WVGA Capacitive Touch Screen Monitor, GPS Navigation, Multi View Camera Assist, Cross Traffic Monitor, and also Smart Parking Assist System.

It is powered with 2.4 liter DOHC i-VTEC engine with Earth Dreams Technology, which can produce maximum power 175 PS @ 6,200rpm and maximum torque of 225Nm @ 4,000rpm.

It is supported by CVT with Earth Dreams Technology.

Safety features include G-Force Control Technology (G-CON) + Advanced Compatibility EngineeringTM (ACETM), Dual Front i-SRS Airbag, i-SRS Side Airbags, Side Curtain Airbag, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) + Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) + Brake Assist (BA), Brake Override System, Pretensioner & Load Limiter Seat Belt, ISO-FIX, and Rear Camera.

Moreover, it is also equipped with Pedestrian Protection, Motion Adaptive EPS, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Hill Start Assist (HSA), and Emergency Stop Signal (ESS).


DASH Expressway records first fatality

                KUALA LUMPUR: The first fatality has been recorded on the Damansara-Shah Alam Elevated Expressway (DASH), which opened on Friday (Oct 14), involving a food delivery rider whose motorcycle skidded and hit a road divider early today.

Petaling Jaya district police chief ACP Fhakhrudin Abdul Hamid said police received a report on the incident that happened at KM15.7 from Penchala to Denai Alam at 12.05am on Thursday.

He said the 24-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene and his body was taken to the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre for a post-mortem.

"Further investigations are ongoing and the case is being investigated under Section 41 of the Road Transport Act 1987," he said in a statement today.

He urged the public with information on the incident to contact Traffic Investigation Officer Insp Muhammad Hisyam Azih at 017-737 8704 to assist with the investigation.

The 20.1km highway with 13 interchanges opened last Friday.

DASH connects three major highways, namely the Guthrie Corridor Highway (GCE), the Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP) and the Western Kuala Lumpur Traffic Distribution Scheme Highway (SPRINT).


Lamborghini reveals details of LB744 hybrid super sports cars

                BOLOGNA: Lamborghini has unveiled the first details of the first HPEV (High Performance Electrified Vehicle) hybrid super sports car, codenamed LB744, which will make its debut shortly in the year that Lamborghini celebrates its 60th anniversary.

With the LB744, Lamborghini has established a new benchmark in terms of performance and driving pleasure: an all-new architecture with new powertrain delivers more than 1000 CV in total, combining the power of a brand new 12-cylinder internal combustion engine with three electric motors and a ground-breaking double clutch gearbox that makes its debut on the 12-cylinder Lamborghini.

The car showcases an unprecedented layout: the naturally-aspirated 6.5-litre V12 mid-mounted engine is complemented by three electric motors, one of which is integrated into the new double-clutch eight-speed gearbox.

This is mounted transversely and placed for the first time behind the combustion engine. In what has been the transmission tunnel since the days of the Countach, there is a lithium-ion battery instead, which powers the electric motors.

The electric motors boost power delivery at low revs and can also turn the new LB744 into a purely electric car, reducing overall CO2 emissions by 30% compared to the Aventador Ultimae.

Lamborghini has been synonymous with V12 engines since the company was founded.

The first Lamborghini model to sport this characteristic engine was the iconic 350GT launched in 1963. The first time that an electric motor was matched to a 12-cylinder internal combustion engine in a Lamborghini was in 2019 with the Sián, which used a 25 kW electric engine to support the previous generation of V12, storing the electrical energy in a supercapacitor.

The LB744 introduces an unprecedented hybrid architecture and a new generation of V12. The car is launched as the very first High Performance Electrified Vehicle - HPEV: a plug-in hybrid super sports car equipped with a lightweight high-power lithium ion battery, housed within the transmission tunnel in the central section of the chassis. It’s an innovative solution, designed to reduce emissions compared to the previous V12 while maximizing performance.

The new L545 engine is the lightest and most powerful 12-cylinder engine ever made by Lamborghini. In total it weighs just 218kg: 17kg less than the Aventador unit.

The LB744 features the engine rotated through 180 degrees compared to the Aventador layout. The superquadro V12 puts out 825 CV at 9250 revs per minute thanks to the redesigned distribution system that supports a maximum rev range of 9500 rpm. Specific power is 128 CV per litre, the highest output in the history of Lamborghini’s 12-cylinder engines, while maximum torque is 725 Nm at 6750 rpm.

The air intake ducts to the cylinders have been re-engineered to increase the supply of air and guarantee optimal airflow in the combustion chamber.

Particular attention has been lavished on the "soundtrack" of the new L545 to emphasize the tone of the engine, already melodious at low revs and then rising to a natural harmonious crescendo.

The LB744 retains one of Lamborghini’s strongest traditions: four-wheel drive.

As well as the internal combustion engine that provides power to the rear wheels, a pair of electric motors now make their debut on the front axle, each supplying traction to one of the front wheels. There’s also a third electric motor positioned above the eight-speed double-clutch gearbox that can supply power to the rear wheels, depending on the selected driving mode and the conditions.

The combined torque from the combustion engine and three electric motors offers performance levels that are unique even within the domain of super sports cars, with 725 Nm produced by the internal combustion engine and 350 Nm from each of the front electric motors. In total, the power unit delivers a combined maximum output of 1015 CV.

The two electric motors at the front are oil-cooled axial flux units and offer an exceptional weight-to-power ratio: 18.5 kilograms from each of the 110 kW units.

As well as providing power to the front wheels, they also have a torque vectoring function, optimising driving dynamics, and recuperating the energy produced under braking.

When in electric mode, the LB744 is front-wheel drive only to optimize energy consumption, while electric drive to the rear axle is activated on demand when needed.

The Lamborghini LB744 is equipped with a lithium-ion high specific power (4500 W/kg) battery pack situated within the central tunnel, keeping the centre of gravity as low as possible and ensuring optimal weight distribution. The battery is protected by a lower structural layer and is connected to the front electric motors, the rear electric motor, and an integrated recharging unit.

The battery is 1550mm long, 301mm high, and 240mm wide, containing pouch cells with an overall capacity of 3.8 kWh. When the charge drops down to zero it can be recharged using both ordinary domestic alternating and charging column current up to 7 kW in power, and completely recharges in just 30 minutes.

It can also be recharged under regenerative braking from the front wheels or directly from the V12 engine in just six minutes.

The new compact transmission unit was developed and designed by Lamborghini entirely in-house, and after the LB744 it will go on to equip the next generation of super sports cars.

Lamborghini developed a wet double clutch as the most efficient and performance-oriented solution, best capable of managing the 725 Nm of torque at 6750 rpm from the internal combustion engine.

The new eight-speed gearbox is positioned transversally behind the longitudinal V12 engine, to leave space in the tunnel for the lithium-ion battery that feeds the electric motors.

It’s a technical solution that’s unique in the world of high-performance cars. The layout helps to keep the car’s wheelbase contained and supports effective weight distribution for the best driving dynamics.

In the 60-year history of Lamborghini, only two other V12 cars have been equipped with a transverse rear gearbox: the Miura launched in 1966, which also adopted a mid-rear transverse engine layout; and the Essenza SCV12, a track-focused hypercar with a longitudinal engine and load-bearing transverse gearbox.

The development of an eight-speed Double Clutch Transmission (DCT) comes from the desire to create a unit that provides everything needed for sporty driving such as fast gear shifts, while the inclusion of an eighth ratio helps optimise fuel consumption and drivability while cruising.

A particular feature is the "continuous downshifting", which drops down multiple gears under braking simply by holding down the left paddle, giving the driver the feeling of total control.

Leaving aside the electrical components, the new DCT gearbox is lighter and faster in terms of shifting speed compared to the seven-speed double clutch unit that is used in the Huracán range.

The transverse layout has also allowed for a more spacious cabin interior, creating more room behind the driver and passenger to improve comfort.

The double-clutch gearbox is extremely compact; just 560mm long, 750mm wide and 580mm high. Total weight is just 193 kg, which includes a new component fundamental to the car’s hybrid architecture: the rear electric motor, with maximum power of 110kW and peak torque of 150Nm.

Located above the gearbox, this electric motor doubles as the starter motor and generator, as well as supplying energy to the front electric motors via the battery in the transmission tunnel.

In full electric mode it can also provide power to the rear wheels that, in addition to the e-motors driving the front wheels, allows zero-emission four-wheel drive.

How the system functions depends on which driving mode is engaged, thanks to an uncoupling mechanism with a dedicated synchroniser allowing the connection to the double-clutch gearbox.

When it is providing additional power to the V12 internal combustion engine, the electric motor is in P3 position, separated from the gearbox, while it moves into the P2 position to recharge the battery at low speeds and when parked, also serving a starter motor.

In the P3 position, the LB744 can become an electric four-wheel drive car, depending on the drive mode selected, continuing Lamborghini’s four-wheel drive tradition even with zero emissions.

Reverse gear is provided by the two front electric motors, although if extra momentum is needed the rear electric motor can also kick in, which activates the rear axle and wheels.

As a result, the new LB744 can drive all four wheels in zero emission mode even when reversing in low grip conditions.


Rounding up the Porsche Taycan teasers

                STUTTGART: For over a year, Porsche has been teasing the production version of the Mission E concept via spec reveals, shadowed videos, and obscure photographs of the Taycan in camouflage. To add to the list, the company on Tuesday published several sketches of the model — the company's first all-electric vehicle — showing off every angle of the exterior.

Though Porsche's very first all-electric production model isn't expected to launch until late 2020, the marketing campaign surrounding the vehicle has been ongoing for four years.

Since the company debuted the Mission E concept EV in 2015, rumours have been pointing towards the development of a production version of the model and, sure enough, that model was announced two years later in June 2018. Since the Taycan was officially reported, Porsche has been releasing teasers every couple months about the car's development progress.

June 2019: Exterior sketches

On Tuesday, Porsche published three design sketches of the exterior of the Taycan. While two show the entire body viewed from the front and back, the third is a close-up of a headlight and the fully functional air intake.

March 2019: Prospective buyer list, testing update

During the second week of March, Porsche revealed that 20,000 people have joined a prospective buyer list by making a down payment of €2,500.

A few weeks later, the company stated that the model has entered the final stage of testing before it enters production.

January 2019: Test drive review

Early this year, the "legendary" rally driver Walter Röhrl test drove the Taycan to testify to its speed and high-performance.

December 2018: Name pronunciation videoJune 2018: "Mission E become Taycan"

In June of 2018, Porsche announced that the Mission E concept study would, in fact, become a production model. The name was revealed to be Taycan which can be loosely translated to "lively young horse."

September 2015: Debut of Mission E concept

The concept vehicle that the Taycan was inspired by, the fully electric Mission E concept, was first unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September of 2015. It was Porsche's first ever electric vehicle — concept or production — and was said to be launched as a production car by the end of the decade.

The public world premiere of the Porsche Taycan has been scheduled for September this year, but the model isn't expected to hit the market until late 2020.


Ford Motor nominates two younger Ford family members for board

Alexandra is flanked by Edsel (left) and Henry.
DETROIT: Ford Motor Co on Friday nominated two younger Ford family members to its board of directors, continuing a presence among the directors for the family that founded the US automaker.

Ford said it nominated Alexandra Ford English, the 33-year-old daughter of executive chairman Bill Ford, and Henry Ford III, the 40-year-old son of Edsel Ford, Bill’s cousin who is retiring from the board in May.

Both the younger Fords are great-great grandchildren of Henry Ford, who founded the Dearborn, Michigan-based company in 1903.

Both will stand for election to the board at the annual shareholders’ meeting on May 13.

Edsel Ford, 72, who joined the board with Bill Ford in January 1988, and John Lechleiter, 67, who joined the board in 2013, will not stand for re-election to the board. Edsel Ford had reached retirement age.

Bill Ford said the board expects to take additional steps to diversify its makeup going forward.

In other Ford news, Ford said it will begin notifying owners April 1 in its new recall of 2.9 million vehicles in North America with potentially defective driver-side Takata air bags after US regulators demanded the fix in January.

It said in January it would comply with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration request and that the recall would cost US$610 million.

The defect, which leads in rare instances to air bag inflators rupturing and sending potentially deadly metal fragments flying, prompted the largest automotive recall in US history of more than 67 million inflators.


Euro NCAP overhauls safety ratings

                BRUSSELS: Every two years, the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) updates and toughens its test protocols.

This year new tests are introduced to address some long-standing needs in occupant protection, improve post-crash protection and promote the latest advanced driver assistance technology.

A key change is the implementation of a new moving barrier to moving car frontal crash test, replacing the regulation-based moderate offset-deformable barrier test, used by Euro NCAP for the last 23 years.

This new crash test not only evaluates the protection of occupants inside the car, but also assesses how the cars’ front-end structurers contribute to injuries in the collision partner.

Important innovations are the Mobile Progressive Deformable Barrier and the unique method to rate vehicle compatibility, as well as the first adoption of the world’s most advanced “THOR” mid-sized male crash test dummy.

Side impacts account for the second highest frequency of death or serious injuries. The latest updates to this area of the safety assessment include adjustments to the near-side barrier test speed and mass, increasing the severity of the test.

More significantly, Euro NCAP will for the first time evaluate far-side impact protection, focussing on driver protection and the potential interaction between driver and front seat passenger.

With the latter test, the protection offered by new-to-market countermeasures such as centre airbags can be adequately verified.

Euro NCAP continues to test the latest generation of crash prevention and driver assistance systems.

New, challenging test scenarios are added to rate AEB technology for cars and vulnerable road users, including back over situations and turning at a crossing.

In addition, the first step is taken to evaluate Driver Status Monitoring systems, designed to detect driver fatigue and distraction, as part of the Safety Assist assessment.

Improving your car’s safety isn't just about more airbags or better driver assistance systems.

Post-crash safety too plays a vital role in crash survival. In partnership with CTIF, the International Association of Fire & Rescue Services, Euro NCAP developed new rating rules to promote better post-crash safety.

Manufacturers will be rewarded when rescue information is accurate and easily available. Euro NCAP also checks ease of extrication, electric door handles, etc. and endorses advanced eCall functions.

These changes are the main pillars of Euro NCAP’s new 2020 protocols. The impact of these updates, as well some other minor changes, will be significant.

Therefore, consumers must be careful when directly comparing the latest results with ratings from previous years.

What stays the same is that only vehicles that perform excellently in crash protection, post-crash and crash avoidance - and the ones that car buyers should look out for - will achieve the top “five star” rating.


Heico Sportiv helps diesel Volvo S90 and V90 gain peak potential

                FRANKFURT: German tuner Heico Sportiv is offering an e.motion performance enhancement for the new Volvo S90 and V90 D5 that promises a boost of 23hp and 40Nm.

After its power regimen, the Drive-E diesel engine generates 258hp and 520Nm of torque.

Heico Sportiv’s engineers also tinker with the engine to ensure a harmonious and perceptible power development at medium and high engine speeds. This characteristic augments Volvo’s recently developed PowerPulse technology which provides for better acceleration from standstill at lower engine speeds.

The effort results supreme road performance at all engine speeds, significantly improved acceleration from standstill and in-gear, and a higher top speed.

The Heico Sportiv’s e.motion upgrade will be installed at authorised contracted Volvo
dealerships and is said to have no impact on the emission classifications or prescribed service and maintenance intervals. Straightforward “Plug & Ride” assembly allows quick installation of e.motion, which also supports online programming, diagnostics and updates.

The D5 e.motion engine tuning program for the new Volvo models will be available at 2,425 euros (RM10,700) from September for the S90, and, to coincide with the market launch, from October for the V90. Further performance enhancements for the D4, T5, T6 and T8 will follow shortly.


Lamborghini buyers rushing to own 1,000hp Revuelto plug-in hybrid

                HAMBURG: Lamborghini drivers are just as keen on owning a sports car with a plug as they are for a combustion-only vehicle.

The 1,015-horsepower Revuelto has sold out until the end of 2025, chief executive officer Stephan Winkelmann said in an interview, as the Volkswagen AG unit embarks on replacing conventional combustion engines.

The V-12 coupe, able to drive 9.6km on battery power, will replace the track-focused Aventador with deliveries starting at the end of this year. As with Lamborghini’s earlier US$3 million-plus (RM14mil) Sián, the hybrid technology is about maximising power and performance rather than driving far without using gasoline.

By the end of 2025, Lamborghini will only sell cars with hybrid powertrains, halving CO2 emissions compared with the current lineup.

Sports-car makers like Ferrari NV are treading carefully on how they tackle the electric-vehicle transition after building their lineups around top-level combustion-engine technology.

It’ll take Lamborghini until 2028 to introduce its first fully electric model, while Ferrari is targeting 2025, years later than more conventional automakers.

Germany successfully challenged the European Union’s planned combustion-engine ban from 2035 and pushed to allow synthetic fuels, in a bid to protect the likes of Porsche AG and Lamborghini.

While the Revuelto is in demand, orders for the last conventionally powered models are strong, Winkelmann said. The carmaker is sold out for two years across its entire lineup.

In the first six months of 2023, sales rose 5% to 5,341 cars. For the full year, the sports-car maker is targeting returns of at least 25%, following a record 36% during the first three months of the year.

After earmarking €1.8 billion (RM9.1bil) for the shift to plug-in hybrids, Lamborghini may hike investments with the introduction of its first battery-only model, Winkelmann said.

The car will be a four seater suitable for everyday use, he added.


Carmakers to tech partners: Keep your hands off our data

                SAN FRANCISCO/DETROIT: Carmakers are limiting the data they share with technology partners Apple Inc  and Google Inc through new systems that link smartphones to vehicle infotainment systems, defending access to information about what drivers do in their cars.

Auto companies hope that the vehicle data will one day generate billions of dollars in e-commerce, though they are just beginning to form strategies for monetising the information.

Apple and Google already make money from smartphone owners by providing a variety of products and services, from digital music to targeted advertising, and connecting phones to car systems will almost certainly extend their reach.

But as infotainment systems such as Apple's CarPlay and Google's Android Auto become more widespread, auto companies hope to keep tech providers from gaining access to a wealth of potentially profitable information collected by computer systems in cars.

Some auto companies have specifically said they will not provide Apple and Google with data from the vehicle's functional systems - steering, brakes and throttle, for instance - as well as information about range, a measure of how far the car can travel before it runs out of gas.

"We need to control access to that data," said Don Butler, Ford Motor Co's executive director of connected vehicle and services. "We need to protect our ability to create value" from new digital services built on vehicle data.

The stakes are potentially huge: General Motors Co told investors earlier this year that it expects to realize an additional US$350 million in revenue over three years from the high-speed data connections it is building into its cars.

Consultant AlixPartners estimates global revenues from digitally connected cars will grow in value to US$40 billion a year worldwide by 2018, from US$16 billion in 2013, and auto companies would like to hold on to as much of that money as possible.

"The risk is, if you give up control and somebody else figures out that business model, then you lose the future revenue stream," said Friedmar Rumpel, vice president in AlixPartners' automotive practice.

Auto companies hope to profit from in-vehicle data in a variety of ways, including the provision of travel planning services and auto repair and service information they hope will bring drivers to dealerships. They also expect to work with insurance companies, providing information that would allow insurers to base their rates on a driver's behaviour behind the wheel.

While many automakers have signed up to use CarPlay and Android Auto, systems designed to make it easier and safer for drivers to use the apps and features on their smartphones while driving, some car companies also have designed their own systems.

Ford is installing a proprietary system, Sync 3, in its cars that is designed to work with and supplement CarPlay and Android Auto.

Volkswagen AG's Audi subsidiary is hoping to develop and license its own brand-specific apps, while attracting third-party programmers to create and customise car-specific apps, according to Mathias Halliger, Audi's senior systems architect for connected vehicle technologies.

"This enables a business model that completely belongs to the carmaker," Halliger said.

Still to be answered, however, are questions concerning how comfortable consumers will be with sharing their personal information from the vehicle. In addition, state and federal regulators could impose limits on data-gathering and sharing.

In the meantime, policies on data access and sharing differ from company to company.

Several automakers said they are sharing minimal vehicle information that directly affects the performance of third-party infotainment systems - for example, GPS coordinates to enable navigation; information about whether the dashboard screen is in day or night mode; and notification of when vehicles are in reverse gear, so rear-view video displays can be activated.

GM is integrating Apple's and Google's infotainment systems into its vehicles without "any outgoing data or shared revenue," a spokesperson said.

VW says it is treating the tech companies more as strategic partners and is being more open in terms of data access - a different stance from its sister brand Audi, which makes such decisions on its own and has restricted access to vehicle data.

A VW spokesperson said Apple and Google had "asked for more data than we were willing to share," but that the automaker is providing access to "data points that are important to providing the best apps performance and user experience."

The car companies recognize that Apple and Google can glean a wealth of information from the mobile devices that users bring into the car, said Thilo Koslowski, vice president and automotive practice leader at consultant Gartner.

As for Apple's and Google's interest in connecting with drivers, he added, "it's all about tying you into their ecosystems." Apple says it is collecting only limited data to enhance the in-car services offered through CarPlay, such as GPS information from the vehicle to make Apple Maps as accurate as possible.

"As with all of our products, CarPlay is built from the ground up to protect your privacy using the same industry-leading safeguards already at work on iPhone," Apple said in a statement. "All of the data is anonymized, not connected with other Apple services, and is not stored by Apple, so no one can build a profile about the driver or their travels."

Google says its aim is to integrate data from the car with features on Android Auto "for an improved driving experience." With Google's Android Auto, the driver is asked whether he or she agrees to share user-generated data with Google and third-party app providers, a Google spokesperson said.

Vehicle owners who bring their mobile devices with them can elect whether or not to connect those devices inside the car.