Will MIT tie-in lead to super intelligent Lamborghini supercars?

Lamborghini is the only supercar company that doesn't use turbochargers or hybrid technology in its range.

BOLOGNA: Lamborghini has signed an agreement with the Italian branch of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with the ultimate aim of defining the sportscar of the future.

People that know their automotive history will know how much the comparatively tiny Sant'Agate Bolognese company has already shaped the development of the car.

Its first creation, the 350GT (unveiled in 1963) proved that a car could be both a genuine sportscar and a genuine GT and the Miura, which came three years later, became the blueprint for the supercar that is still followed today - stunning low-slung looks, two seats, a V12 engine in the middle and power to the rear wheels.

And through this new partnership, Lamborghini wants to continue to have the same impact as the concept of the car itself begins to change at its fastest rate since Karl Benz submitted his first patent back in 1886.

 The Lamborghini Team in front of MIT, Italy.

"We want people to think of us more and more as a trendsetter in the super luxury and sports car segment," said Stefano Domenicali, chairman/chief executive officer of Automobili Lamborghini. "MIT has always been a pioneer in innovation and we are proud to have signed this general agreement with such an illustrious institution, which will lead to the study of issues of mutual interest relating to the super sports car for the third millennium."

Such an agreement might seem to go against the philosophy of a company that has a reputation for doing things its own way, often regardless of prevailing trends. For example, it is the only established super sports car company in the world without some form of hybrid powertrain in its range. It won't even consider turbocharging as a means of upping power while reducing the amount of fuel burned for fear of diluting the driving experience.

But one of the secrets of Lamborghini's endurance (despite several near business death experiences) is that its best cars have been produced by its youngest employees. The team that developed the Miura were all in their 20s.

When seen in those terms, the reasoning behind tapping the resources, intelligence and youthful vigour of MIT becomes clear.

"MIT-Italy is a two-way bridge linking MIT and Outstanding Names in Italian Industry. It is hard for us to imagine a better partner than Lamborghini, and we are looking forward to the projects that this partnership will help us develop," said Serenella Sferza, co-director of MIT-Italy Programme.


Ares Design reveals 6 new cars at opening of new factory

ARES Design factory and Bentley Mulsanne.
ZURICH: The former Lotus CEO Dany Bahar's ARES Design coachbuilding company has just opened a an 18,000 square-metre plant in Modena, Italy, which will be a new home where its bespoke, coach-built cars will be designed, developed and built for customers all over the world.

To mark the auspicious occasion, Ares Design also released details of the first six cars to come out of its new Italian home.

These first six cars to be announced as part of this significant growth phase for the company that has been trading for three years were presented to groups including the global media, investors and clients of the ARES brand.

 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.

In what is now ARES's fourth year of trading, the first six cars released were all developed, designed and constructed through a network of expert suppliers working under ARES Design. But in January they all returned to base for the final quality sign-off of the vehicles, and where necessary, production was completed at the ARES Design Technical Centre.

One of the cars was a tweaked Bentley Mulsanne, two of which have been produced for two customers. The official name for the car is the ARES Design Coupe for the Bentley Mulsanne, and this car is an interpretation of the second-generation Brooklands.

Another car is a 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, which has been converted under the bodywork to modern mechanical standards. This one is a one-off creation and the result of 3,500 hours of work, according to ARES, and under the bonnet is a modern Chevy LS7 V-8.

 Porsche 964 Targa.

"Presenting our amazing new facility and 10 ARES projects either on the road, in-build or at concept phase and due for release later in 2018, was an incredibly proud moment for me and our shareholders," said Bahar at the launch of the new factory.

"We believe we have found a sweet spot for bespoke automotive production: both in our location in Italy at the heart of the world of luxury cars, and in the market place for coach-building."

Among the other vehicles produced so far were ARES interpretations of a Mercedes-Benz G-Class, a classic Porsche 964 Targa, and a Land Rover Defender that will see ARES build 53 examples in supercharged and naturally aspirated form.

 Land Rover Defender.


Ford wires its electric trucks for business customers

                DETROIT: Ford Motor Co's newly revealed electric version of its best-selling F-150 pickup doubles down on a bet that the company can beat Tesla Inc and other rivals by giving new technology a familiar face and convincing long-time fleet and business customers that going electric saves money.

Ford officially unveiled the battery electric F-150 Lightning model on Wednesday evening, after giving it a cameo appearance during US president Joe Biden's visit on Tuesday to the Rouge manufacturing complex in Dearborn, Michigan, where the trucks will be assembled beginning next year.

Based on customer response, Ford has already moved to increase planned manufacturing capacity for the electric F-150 by "tens of thousands" of vehicles a year, Ford's head of Americas and International Markets, Kumar Galhotra, said ahead of Wednesday's official debut. He did not disclose the new production targets.

Ford expects to boost annual production of the electric F-150 to 40,000 vehicles or more, starting in 2023, according to Sam Fiorani, head of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions.

Ford executives said ahead of Wednesday's debut they have a different strategy for selling electric trucks and vans in volume from Tesla or General Motors Co.

Where Tesla and GM are positioning their initial electric pickups as lifestyle vehicles for the affluent, Ford executives said they are focused on convincing commercial fleet operators - a market Ford dominates - that the F-150 Lightning and electric Transit are cost-effective, rational choices.

"That's the only way you can build up the volume," said Ted Cannis, Ford's general manager for commercial vehicles.

Competition

The electric F-150 and an electric version of Ford's Transit van due out late this year look like, and share many components with, the gasoline versions that are top-selling profit machines for the No. 2 US automaker.

A "commercial base" version of Ford's F-150 Lightning will start at US$39,974 before tax credits, including a US$7,500 federal tax credit Ford buyers can still get and Tesla and General Motors buyers cannot. That price is about US$10,000 more than the cheapest gasoline-fuelled F-150.

Besides an estimated 370km of range, the base F-150 Lightning comes with a 15.5-inch, Tesla-style dashboard screen, a roomy "frunk" storage space where the gas engine would be, and enough plugs and juice to power a construction site for up to three days, Ford officials said.

A Lightning XLT model, which aligns with the best-selling version of the gasoline F-150, will start at US$52,974, Ford said. That is 51% higher than the gasoline XLT's base price.

Ford plans more expensive versions of the F-150 Lightning, including a "Platinum" model with an extended-range battery likely to be priced at around US$90,000.

Tesla's electric Cybertruck, which looks like it rolled off the set of a science-fiction movie, is due to begin high-volume production in 2022, and its price will start at US$39,900.

GM's first electric pickup is an "electric supertruck," the GMC Hummer EV, priced from US$79,995 to nearly US$100,000. High-volume production will begin in fall 2022, after a small initial run of trucks this autumn.

GM plans to introduce a Lightning competitor, the Chevrolet Silverado EV, in late 2022, Fiorani said. It will be built on a dedicated electric vehicle platform that it shares with the upcoming Hummer EV, GM has said.

GM is also moving into the electric delivery van segment with a new unit, BrightDrop, and a new purpose-built electric van. read more

Ford is using a heavier-gauge steel for the frame of the F-150 Lightning, but did not undertake a complete redesign to integrate the battery pack into the chassis.

By staying close to the current model, Ford can offer the electric truck sooner, at a competitive price "and make money on it," said Darren Palmer, general manager for Ford's electric vehicles.

Ford plans to offer software-enabled services to fleet and business customers, such as tracking driver behavior, predicting maintenance and planning delivery routes, said Ford's Cannis.

Once Ford starts charging for these services, "then you're in the subscription game," Cannis said.


Toyota Camry Hybrid price remains unchanged

                SHAH ALAM: The price of the Toyota Camry Hybrid is unchanged for 2016, according to UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd.

This is because it continues to qualify for the Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV) incentive provided under the National Automotive Policy (NAP), said UMW Toyota Motor.

“We are very glad the Toyota Camry Hybrid – which is the first Toyota hybrid model assembled in Malaysia - can continue to receive the Hybrid incentive until the end of 2016. We are grateful to the Malaysian Government for giving this support to our Hybrid local assembly effort, which demonstrates its commitment in developing Malaysia as the EEV hub of ASEAN,” said UMW Toyota Motor president Datuk Ismet Suki.

“At this point, however, we can only confirm the continuation of the same price for the whole of 2016. For 2017, we will need to have discussion with the relevant government ministries again,” he said.

The Camry Hybrid has safety features that include seven SRS airbags, Vehicle Stability Control, Hillstart Assist Control, Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

The battery pack in the Camry Hybrid has a warranty of up to 8 years.

This extended warranty period is also available for other hybrid models (the Prius and Prius c) sold by authorised Toyota outlets in Malaysia from 2009 onwards.


Chinese company launches a mobile recharging robot for electric vehicles

                SHANGHAI: A new device with a name that sounds a little bit like a Japanese pastry, Mochi, may prove to be a game-changer for mobility in China.

In a market that has massively adopted EVs in line with the environmental ambitions of the People's Republic, the mobile recharging robot will facilitate and accelerate a green revolution. According to its manufacturer, Envision, Mochi is compatible with most of the EVs that are now on the country's roads.

Unveiled on the occasion of Envision's Net-Zero Day in Shanghai, the device will be the first mass-produced charging robot powered by 100% green electricity. The Chinese company has pledged that the first units will be available in June, which is also when drivers will be able to book charging services via the dedicated Mochi application.

Mochi is compatible with most of the mainstream EVs on the Chinese market. Powered by Envision batteries, the robot has a capacity of 70 kWh and a 42 kW power output, which enables it to recharge an EV in only two hours with sufficient electricity for a cruising range of up to 600km.

Mochi will benefit from Envision Group's EnOSTM intelligent operating system, which connects and manages over 200 gigawatts of renewable energy assets worldwide. The system will provide the device with 100% access to green electricity, allowing EVs, charged by Mochi, to offer passengers a truly green ride (1 gigawatt is the equivalent of one billion watts).

A flexible solution

Having subscribed to the service using the Mochi App, EV drivers can leave their cars and count on Mochi to find them. Once it has received an order to recharge an EV, Mochi will locate it using its precise navigation system, and connect to the vehicle automatically. While charging is ongoing, Envision's EnOSTM system will monitor the EV battery in real time, and conduct a comprehensive health examination to ensure that it is fully safe.

Mochi will provide a flexible solution in response to the growing demand for EV charging in Asia. At the same time, the continent's drivers can look forward to parking in a wider range of locations and will no longer have to endure the time-consuming hassle of searching for charging points that are very often occupied.

"The smart device is also a link that brings green power to people's day-to-day lives and allows everyone to embrace a net-zero life in advance," points out Envision CEO Zhang Lei. Envision mainly designs and operates smart wind turbines. The company, which has R&D and engineering centers in Asia, Europe and North America, has installed more than 2,400 wind turbines worldwide, and provided software that is in use in more than 6,000.

In 2020, some 1.37 million EVs were sold in China, accounting for a 9% share in the country's automobile market which is the largest in the world.


Lexus LX 570: A journey told

                The young bespectacled man in the green Perodua Myvi pulled up alongside at the traffic stop and proceeded to gawk at the vehicle. It’s not something he could have missed on the road even with one hand clasping a phone and half a mind on the driving.

His gaze lingered awhile before he took a turn and disappeared into the distance.

The LX 570 has that effect on car spotters. Its size give pause then one quickly comes to terms with it. It’s massive in the way you could say of the Audi Q7 or the Infiniti QX80.

Each differ from the other dimensionally by millimetres but there’s no denying their hugeness make them stand out.

Based off the Land Cruiser 200 Series, the LX 570 is the luxo-version of the legendary Toyota 4X4 barge. Its claim to off-road fame is supported by a ladder frame chassis that has been the platform of choice for genuine off-roading coupled with an advanced terrain-response system allowing it to tackle almost any obstacle.

While the LX 570 is eager to boast of its off-tarmac credentials, it’s far more likely to spend time on the highways and shopping mall traipsing or even playing escort duty for VIPs than truly bashing itself up in the wilderness.

It’s simply overkill to take this big boy through such hostile environment when diesel pick-up trucks will do the job for far less penny. But it could if you want to. …

From a competitive viewpoint, the LX helps Lexus complete its SUV line-up that includes the NX and RX lower liners.

It also helps showcase its technical prowess to deliver a product that’s adept off-tarmac, never mind the reality it will see serious off-road duty as often as elephants crossing the Causeway.

We can’t help but wonder if Range Rover was part of the impetus to bring about the LX.

Exterior
Available locally since last December, the version you see here has undergone a substantial update.

One of the key changes is the adoption of a massive spindle grille. Its in-your-face design is striking and some deem it intimidating. Lexus says all the bodywork except door panels have been redesigned.

At over 5 metres in length and nearly 2 metres in width, a 4WD this big would easily appear bloated but aggressive lines and an edgy design temper the effect. What it turns out to be is tall and chunky, conveying space, power and presence. The sheen of the paintwork is quality stuff and adds to the premium factor.

We can imagine a squad of takumis aka master craftsmen poring over every detail to ensure no blemishes get past them.

LED lighting are everywhere from headlights, foglamps to tail lights. The 3-eye LED headlamps project a front end that’s decidedly futuristic and big running boards make the LX look the part of a 4X4.

To facilitate entry and exit from the vehicle, it is complemented by an air suspension that can be adjusted to lower the vehicle. Large tail lamps smarten up the rear which gets a split tailgate, the upper one of which is powered.

The LX rolls on 21-inch wheels which fill out the wheel wells nicely while leaving sufficient gap to allow for dynamic suspension travel when tackling major undulations in the rough.

Inside
It’s inside the cabin that you realise where the indulgence applies.

No expense is spared to “lux” it up especially when RM924,000 is changing hands (or RM525,000 in Langkawi/Labuan). Build quality is top notch and Lexus-style, showcasing luxurious comfort and refinements in a lounge-like space.

There are acres of supple leather for the upholstery. Glossy wood inlays on the dash and steering wheel plus a dash top and doors trimmed in cow hide offer plenty of soft touchpoints from front to back, reinforcing the premium effect.

The dash is a picture of conservative modernity headlined by a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with a remote-touch interface.

Playing supporting roles are a head-up display and 4.2-inch TFT colour display in between the speedo and rev meters. Ambient LED lighting introduced in this facelift adds elegance come sunset. The analogue clock below the central display is classic Lexus.

One of the advantages of an SUV is the high seating position so that you can see over most cars. In a full-size SUV like the LX, that seating position is even more imperious, as if the driver is lording over the realm of motorised citizenry.

Seats are well padded to support occupants for the long trips. Legroom is fine in second row. Available third row seats in most vehicles are meant only for children.

But, in the 8-seat LX, the last row is still comfortable and has enough wriggle room per person to minimise claustrophobia.

The four-zone climate control is adjustable in second row via an armrest control panel, which allows control of the ventilated seats and fully-automatic air conditioning.

The system maintains an ideal temperature throughout the cabin with different temperatures that are adjustable individually. Also, a rear-seat entertainment system keeps mid-row passengers occupied when the LX is on the move.

Stepping up the conveniences, second and third-row seats are motorised, and the second-row can be manually reclined for added comfort.

All rows have ventilation vents and the air-conditioner is strong, streaming cold air effectively from front to rear.

One of our favourite amenities is a powered cooler box between the front seats, which is brilliant and keeps our cans of ginger ale nicely chilled to be quaffed on hot days.

Lending sonic bliss is the high-end Mark Levinson sound system with 19 speakers that deliver a theatre-like experience.

Unless the LX is carrying more than five people, the last-row seats should be stashed away because the headrests in the second and third rows severely impede rearward vision.

Lexus chose to store the last row seats to the sides rather than into the floor, and this takes away some storage space. Also note the minuscule boot space left when the third row seats have been opened up.

Safety is also emphasised with plenty on the checklist to keep occupants alive and well with features such as a whopping 10 airbags, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, tyre pressure monitoring system, hill start assist and multi-terrain monitoring as well as the usual traction, stability controls and anti-lock braking.

Drive
At over 2.7-tonnes, the LX is a heavy haul, and requires a brawny mill to move it along quickly.

It struts out with a 5.7-litre V8 engine, the largest from Lexus, producing 362hp and 530Nm of torque. It’s now mated to a new eight-speed automatic transmission instead of the previous six-speeder, offering better towing and off-road performance.

The LX has paddle shifters though you are not going to drive it like a sports car even with six drive modes (Eco, Comfort, Normal, Custom, Sport S, Sport S+) to choose from.

The bulky body and high centre of gravity relegates the paddle shifters to more relevant tasks such as quick-shifting for towing purposes, tackling difficult offroad situations or engine braking on descents.

Even with a truck-based chassis, the LX is a cultured beast aided by air suspension and other advanced technologies baked in. The V8 provides more than sufficient thrust to glide along. And quietly too with road, wind noises and exhaust note suitably muffled. The gearbox is an exercise in fluidity, changing gear ratios smoothly.

Think of the LX as offering the luxuriant Lexus experience, only from a higher vantage point.

The official 0-100kph sprint time of 7.7 seconds is meant to impress, but in day-to-day driving, the weight penalty means the LX is going to feel somewhat ponderous initially. It perks up on picking up speed.

The vehicle isn’t floaty as it hurries along and body movements are generally reined in, more so in the two Sport settings when cornering at a brisk pace. Steering is light yet accurate and brakes do a commendable job of shaving off speed quite quickly.

Off-road
The test unit never did any serious off-roading. Rolling it through a construction site and an oil palm estate was about the extent of its travails beyond the tarmac.

We reckoned Lexus Malaysia wouldn’t be amused to see dents, a busted headlight and gunk all over the nice carpeting of their priciest product. And neither would 99% of LX owners.

But if you are the odd one out who think nothing of abusing such pricey hardware, the LX is, on paper, up to the task.

It bristles with an arsenal that’s adapted for the rough outdoors namely full-time four-wheel drive with low-range gearing and a number of electronic off-road aids such as hill start assist, an advanced traction management and active height control that works in tandem with an adaptive variable suspension to improve ride comfort and handling.

To clamber over rocks and ruts, for example, a five-speed Crawl Control adjusts the torque and brakes on each wheel independently, enabling the driver to focus on steering.

Crawl Control is supported by turn assist, which enables tighter turns when there is limited space to move, and an advanced power steering feature called variable flow control allows for better steering precision at low speeds.

Additionally, four cameras and an underfloor view provide surround vision for the driver to steer clear of trouble.
The LX comes with a five-year warranty with unlimited mileage and is available in a choice of six colours.

Summary
The LX will appeal to a minority who are looking for an all-rounder in a swanky package.

Petrol bills will be high, but that’s an afterthought for owners who accept it as the price to pay for going large and lux.

The pricing lobs the LX into contention with European rivals and they will no doubt be cross-shopped to the hilt.

Ultimately, those who pick the LX will be swayed by Lexus reliability, its mix of old school and modern styling and the raft of luxurious accoutrements within a spacious land-yacht that can go anywhere.


Born-again Land Rover Defender goes on sale soon

                LONDON: The Land Rover Defender is returning as a mainstream model for the global market and deliveries are set to begin in the European summer, the British manufacturer has announced.

The chunky, go-anywhere new car takes many design and capability cues from the sturdy original which was withdrawn from sale in 2016 after a production run of nearly 70 years. Among its famous owners is Britain's Queen.

The styling of the permanent four-wheel-drive Defender has been evolved from the car's utilitarian roots with the goal of generating more sophisticated but still rugged appeal.

Land Rover is aiming for a larger chunk of the off-road market after sales of the old Defender - mainly to hardcore enthusiasts who admired its spartan robustness - had slipped to around 5,000 units a year before it went out of production.

The new Defender has been reborn as a global car and will be built alongside the Discovery at the company's new Slovakian plant. By rejigging the Land Rover to comply with global car regulations, the company hopes to boost sales in China and the United States where local laws have previously held back sales.

The more expensive longer five-door Defender 110 variant will be offered first, priced from €56,600 (RM268,000). It will be followed later in the summer by the Defender 90 which is half a metre shorter and has three doors. Land Rover said the smaller model can still accommodate six people. Price start at €49,500 (RM234,000).

Power will come initially from two diesel and two petrol engines, including a mild hybrid. Output ranges between 200 and 400 horsepower. A plug-in hybrid version is also in the pipeline.

Land Rover said the new Defender has been subject to a gruelling test regime more severe than that carried out for any previous model. Defenders have covered nearly 2 million kilometres across terrain ranging from desert to the snowy wastes of the Artic.


Spike in road accidents since WFH order lifted, say police

                KUALA LUMPUR: Police are recording an average of 180 cases of road accidents daily in Kuala Lumpur since the work-from-home (WFH) order was lifted on April 1.

Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) chief Asst Comm Zulkefly Yahya (pic) said the total accidents almost tripled compared to 50 to 70 cases daily when the government ordered employees to work from home.

He said about 60% to 70% of the accidents involved four-wheel vehicles while the rest were motorcycles.

"Similarly, on weekends, we received an average of 70 to 80 accident cases daily.

"We believe the matter occurred due to additional traffic with people starting to drive to work as well as the factor of the economy picking up, ” he told reporters after a JSPTKL Bubur Lambuk distribution programme with Pakatan Pemandu at Jalan Duta toll plaza here today.

Also present was Deputy National Unity Minister Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker and Pakatan Pemandu president Nor Aizam Abd Kadir.

Zulkefly said accident cases were usually reported on routes of people driving to work while fatal accidents were reported mostly after 10pm.

According to him, the number of vehicles on the road now has surpassed 90% from WFH days and despite no interstate movements, accident cases are rising.

On March 30, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the WFH order had been lifted for the public and private sectors while the manufacturing sector was allowed to work 100% on-site.


Haphazard parking, so DBKL resumes clamping in 'critical' areas tomorrow

                KUALA LUMPUR: Clamping of haphazardly parked vehicles here will resume in critical areas beginning tomorrow, declares Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) just a few days after it announced that it would temporarily put a halt to it.

Kuala Lumpur mayor Tan Sri Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz said there was a need for strict enforcement in certain areas in the city centre to ensure a smooth traffic flow, as people were flouting traffic rules.

He did not specify where these critical areas were since a final list has yet to be compiled.

“DBKL enforcement officers will decide on the critical areas, and clamping in those area will resume tomorrow,” said Mohd Amin.

On May 28, the mayor had announced its decision to suspend clamping of vehicles in response to a request from several Kuala Lumpur MPs for DBKL to review the parking contract awarded to Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan (YWP), the welfare arm of the Federal Territories Ministry.

The MPs asked for the contract to be suspended on the grounds that the local authority did not call for an open tender.

YWP outsourced its parking contract to Vista Summerose Sdn Bhd at the end of 2016.

On the first day that wheel-clamping was suspended, StarMetro reported that illegal parking had become rampant in Bangsar, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Sri Petaling and Taman Danau Desa between the hours of 10am and 1.30pm.

The mayor was also quoted as saying that city hall anticipated similar problems in hot spots like Solaris Mont Kiara, Bukit Damansara, Sri Petaling, Kepong and Taman Tun Dr Ismail among other commercial areas.


Volkswagen T-Cross set for 2018 reveal

The T-Cross Breeze concept.
WOLFSBURG: The Volkswagen T-Cross has been seen out and about in prototype form undergoing testing covered in the usual black and white camouflage, but it will be fully revealed to the world in all its glory in the second half of this year. It's just one of 19 new SUV models the brand is introducing that will eventually see around 40 percent of all Volkswagen's sales being made up of SUVs.

At last year's Geneva Motor Show we were treated to something of a sneak preview in the shape of the T-Cross Breeze concept, which was something of an open-top little brother to the T-Roc that was launched only quite recently. The new T-Cross will be a rival for the likes of the Nissan Juke, but also to its Seat Arona stablemate, which the VW will be technically very similar to.

It's believed the new model will be in dealerships in the first half of next year, and it will be priced right in between the Seat Arona and the larger VW T-Roc.

This important new model for the brand will be based on the Volkswagen Group's new MQB A0 platform, which also underpins a number of other compact SUVs such as the Seat Arona as well as hatchbacks including the new Polo. As the technical links with the Polo will be so strong, it means the new T-Cross is also likely to share a number of the compact hatch's engines.

The T-Cross Breeze concept certainly gave us an insight into what to expect from the eventual production T-Cross. The concept used a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, which sent 110bhp and 175Nm of torque to the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. That's likely to be the entry-level version of the new crossover, so there will be further models featuring a pair of turbocharged four-cylinder engines.

Production models are expected to deliver similar levels of economy-focused performance as the 4.2 l/100km and CO2 emissions of 115g/km of the T-Cross Breeze concept. There could also be hotter range-topping version to counter the more sensible bulk of the lineup, but that's yet to be confirmed.


Dr M focuses on Proton

                PETALING JAYA: Proton Holdings Bhd chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad speaks candidly about the national automaker’s product quality and the direction ahead for the auto company.

Proton is marking its 30th anniversary this year. Do you feel the marque could have done better?

It has been 30 years. We have made considerable progress. The first Proton car had only 18% local content. But now, we can have practically 100% local content - design, testing, clay models; everything can be done in-house now. Currently, we are not doing so well, for various reasons. Now, we want to change the image of Proton. It is no longer going to be a producer of cheap, sub-standard cars. We want to produce cars that can be sold all over the world, and conform to all standards including European standards. At the moment, we depend a lot on our local market. If the foreign markets have restrictions with regards to technology - then we will have to achieve that technology. We will introduce new models next year, and they will be very different from the old Proton cars.

Proton will be launching new models. How important is it for Proton to get quality issues sorted out before the cars are launched?

Our system has changed. Nowadays, the quality is determined in the plant itself. Previously, you produce in the plant; at the end of it, you check for quality. Now, we have quality stations. After a certain point, stop and check quality. If it is not right, stop the whole line. Previously, we test one car in 40. Now, we test every car. Every car that comes from the line must be driven to see whether there are any defects. If any car reports something wrong, they send back the car. They not only repair the car, but also find out how and where was the mistake made? Where was the part that caused the problem? We go to the line to make sure that kind of thing does not happen again. But sometimes, people will report getting bad cars. I don’t know why. We try to - for some of these - do exchanges or buy back.

How important is the collaboration with Suzuki?

We need technology partners which are suitable for us. We don’t want technology partners who may practically take over the company. This is a very Malaysian company. I think Suzuki will be providing certain technologies that Proton does not have now. We need to have some expertise with regards to smaller cars. We are not thinking just about the Malaysian market or competing with Perodua. We want to produce Malaysian cars which can be exported. It will not be a pure Suzuki car. Components or parts may come from Suzuki, but we will build and design our own car which will be sold in Malaysia and also foreign markets. So, we are not directly competing with Perodua.

What about proposed partnerhsips and the joint venture to build Indonesia’s national car?

People are coming to us - to partner with us - to ask us to set up auto plants in their countries. There are so many suitors - many people want to do joint ventures with us. If Proton is such a bad company, why do they come? On the Indonesian proposal, we have worked out - what we have to do and contribute and vice versa. They have bought a plant and we have to design the car. There will be a joint venture in Indonesia to produce an Indonesian car, but Proton will also enter the market to sell Proton cars.

How about the local input – for example, design and engineering?

The mistake in the past was not to give them (our engineers) the jobs. Because even in the management - they feel sometimes our engineers were not competent. Today, the policy is our engineers must do things themselves, learn about everything. If we have to send them abroad, we send them abroad. Our engineers are very competent. We learn from our mistakes. Our new car - it will be fully tested. Not like the Preve. For one whole year, we could not even sell a single Preve because it was so bad; every thing break down and all that. We had to correct all those things. So, now - people are buying - you see a lot of Preve cars on the road. Believe me, our engineers are very good. I am very proud of them. They work very hard, until late at night. There is a new spirit among them. They want to compete, succeed and produce good cars.

Can you talk about the design of the new car (Perdana)?

The new design - we invited a lot of vendors, and foreign and local visitors. When we take off the cover - wow! That is the reaction we get. Syed Mokhtar (referring to tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary) has acquired an aircraft company - which also has the capacity to design cars. So they are also working with us. So, everything is being brought in to help Proton to produce quality cars. You see, they (Proton engineers) have the capacity and the skills. But they were not asked to. The easy way out is to farm it to somebody else. For example, the car designed by Italdesign Giugiaro - we spent a lot of money. Now, we do ourself.

How about hybrids?

Actually, our hybrid cars still cannot meet our expectations. We are not ready to market or mass produce them. We are still in the process of research and development. But we believe the future is in electric cars. The problem is the battery cost, which is high. For example, an electric Iriz would cost up to twice as much. So, we think that Malaysians would not be so interested. As such, we need to look at foreign markets. I can claim we have the best electric car. We can go as high as 313km per charge. But if we sell here at RM100,000 – people may not accept. In Europe, governments subsidise. In England, they give £5,000 (RM29,333) per electric car. Americans and China also have subsidies. In Malaysia, the government is not willing yet to subsidise. I drove Jokowi in an electric car. (In February 2015, Dr Mahathir had driven Indonesian President Joko Widodo on a three-lap spin in an electric Iriz at Proton’s Centre of Excellence).

How about government assistance for Proton?

I don’t want to comment about the Government’s role. But I think we will have to fight our own battles. For example, Europe sets high emission standards and we have not achieved that. So, we will do everything possible to meet the conditions in those countries. Previously, the emission standard was not so high. We exported about 400,000 cars. Our total production and sales is about four million cars - so, we were able to export 10%. Development costs is a problem. to develop new engines can cost RM1.8bil. We are not like the giant multinationals – RM1.8bil is nothing to them. They can spend US$5bil (RM6.76bil) to develop an electric vehicle (EV). Here, we spent RM400mil. But we also achieved (produce EV), although they spent more money. We know how to keep costs low. For example, reducing the cost of development by 50%. That is not easy to do. The cost of development for a new car is very high.

Normally, it is from RM650mil to RM1.8bil. But we have reduced this to less than half. We find ways. For example, in the past, they project they will 300,000 units per model. So, they ordered dies meant for 500,000 cars. that is expensive. Today, we see our cars may sell 150,000 units at the end of it life. We use a different method of forming. Instead of stamping fast (very hard) - but we don’t need to be fast because we are not producing that much. So, we use a new system which use compressor and hydraulics, etc. Same product, but using slower way of production, at a much lower price. There are many things we studied, and we decided the old ways of doing things are not suitable for us.

The National Automotive Policy (NAP) – has it hurt or benefited Proton?

It has not benefited us at all. It actually supports imports rather than local industry. Recently, Madani (referring to Malaysia Automotive Institute CEO Mohamad Madani Sahari) said competition is good. Well, competition is good between people of the same size. When you ask a midget to compete with a giant, it is not going to work. You ask us to compete with Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, BMW or even Korean cars – we cannot compete. Our base is mainly here. So, we lose out in foreign markets and also, the local market.

Proton has always been close to your heart. Why?

It is a very big step forward in terms of our industrialisation. At one time, Proton was very profitable. It had cash reserves of RM4bil. It could build Tanjung Malim without asking for any help. People may not say it is a success. To me, it is a success and I am very proud of it. That is why, when I was retiring as prime minister, I asked to be advisor to Proton.

Were you always closely or directly involved in the decision-making in Proton, even when you were prime minister?

Not as much as I wanted to. But today, every Tuesday, I sit with the management – I am directly involved. Even to the point of test driving all the cars. Every car that is produced and new models, modifications – I test myself. I drive on the track, and also in town, to see whether the cars meet my expectations.

Your experiences – as prime minister and running a country – is different from running a company like this?

I think I approach things the same way as when I was prime minister. As a doctor, I used to cure people. You must know what the disease is, and the cause. So, I go through the same process. If there is any breakdown or the car catches fire, I want to know why and can it be corrected. We must produce cars not because the engineers think it is good but also because marketing people say we can sell the car.

How long do you plan to continue to work?

As long as I am able. As long as I can still walk, talk, give ideas. Unless the owner (DRB-Hicom Bhd) sack me... I don’t know lah. I enjoy it (test driving cars). Even 90-year-old people can test drive cars. It is fun for me. I look forward to them. I come here, usually on Tuesday. I sit down with all the managers, and have long discussions and briefings on every aspect of the business – quality, production, design, engineering, new models. Some of the work - before, they like to farm it out to other companies. But now, I insist we do it ourselves.

Where do you see Proton in the next five to 10 years?

We think in two to three years, we will have a turn-around. Our expectation is that these new Proton models will be very well accepted. For high end cars – Nissan has Infiniti, Toyota has Lexus. The Perdana will be our high end car. In terms of volume, we want to produce up to 200,000 units per year. We are concentrating also on export markets. For example, in Indonesia, they like seven-seaters.

In Europe, they like manual transmission cars. We will produce cars to fit the market. At the same time, we are going to produce reconditioned Proton cars – not for this market; for exports - so there will be second-hand value. We already have the capacity to produce left-hand drive (LHD) units for the Preve, Persona and Suprima. The LHD market is bigger than the right-hand drive market. We also bought the Petronas engine, which we are installing in our cars.


New Toyota Camry to go racing at 2017 Nascar

                DETROIT: What does the new Toyota Camry look like as a race car? It would look like this Nascar entry, which Toyota is using to defend its Nascar Premier Series manufacturer’s championship.

It was unveiled at the Detroit show where the new Camry also debuted. This is not the first time the Camry went into a competition as Toyota has been competing in the Nascar Premier Series competition with the Camry since 2007, and the manufacturer won its first driver’s championship in 2015, followed by its first manufacturer’s championship in 2016.

Camry drivers have won 95 Nascar Premier Series races over 10 seasons.

"Re-imagining both the Camry race car and its production counterpart has been a tremendous undertaking and our goal has been to maintain parallel design characteristics so our fans can enjoy driving a Camry that closely resembles the one their favorite Nascar driver races each weekend,” said Toyota Motor Sales USA marketing vice-president Ed Laukes.

READ MORE: Toyota rallies into the hot hatch market

Spearheaded by Camry chief designer Masato Katsumata, the production Camry received a radical redesign for 2018 and engineers from Calty Design Research, Inc., Toyota’s North American design studio, and TRD, USA (Toyota Racing Development) worked together to ensure the Nascar Camry showcased the same aggressive attributes as its updated production sibling. TRD and Calty worked together with Nascar throughout the process.

Calty previously worked with Toyota and TRD to update the Nascar Camry when Nascar introduced its Gen-6 models in 2013, and again when Toyota updated the Camry race car in 2015. The design group also worked with TRD on the 2015 Nascar XFINITY Series Camry, the 2014 Toyota Tundra for the Nascar Camping World Truck Series and the current NHRA Funny Car Camry.

The Nascar Camry will make its debut on-track in 2017 prior to the 2018 production Camry hitting showroom floors at Toyota dealerships later this year. The Nascar Camry will first compete at Daytona International Speedway on Feb 18 in The Clash at Daytona before defending its Daytona 500 title on Feb 26.


Indonesia lowers VAT on EVs to just 1% in big push for electric vehicles usage

                JAKARTA : Indonesia has lowered its value-add tax on battery-based electric vehicle (EV) sales to 1% from 11% to encourage the adoption of EVs, a government ministry said today, amid efforts to attract investment into domestic production,

The incentive came into effect this month and will remain in place until the end of the year, the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime and Investment Affairs said in a statement.

A VAT cut was also applied to some electric buses, it said.

Indonesia is stepping up efforts to lure investment into domestic production of EV batteries and EVs to utilise its rich reserves of nickel, which is processed for battery production.

Officials have been trying to attract investment from electric car makers such as Tesla and China's BYD Auto.

South Korea's LG and Hyundai have already started building plants to assemble batteries and EVs in the Southeast Asian country.

Indonesia said last month it would allocate 7 trillion rupiah (RM2bil) in state funds to subsidise electric motorcycle sales through 2024.


KTM 1290 Super Duke GT and KTM 790 Adventure launched

                PETALING JAYA: KTM Malaysia announced the arrival of the 2019 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT and the all-new 2019 KTM 790 Adventure priced RM124,800 and RM78,800 respectively.

The 2019 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT features the latest-generation 1,301cc LC8 V-Twin engine revised further for higher power and  a smoother ride.

KTM engineers endowed it with revised resonator chambers, titanium inlet valves and a new mapping. While the revisions result in the same 173hp and 141Nm of torque, it provides the rider with smoother low RPM performance and power everywhere in the engine range.

 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT.

The biggest change is the new and improved 6.5-inch TFT screen. The award-winning full-colour screen is visible even in direct sunlight.

Another new feature is KTM RACE ON remote key system, which eliminates the need of a physical key to start the motorcycle. Along with the new TFT are the usual ride modes.

The IMU-assisted lean-angle motorcycle stability control (MSC) with combined ABS have been refined further to provide full riding and braking confidence in all situations. The rider can add the optional “Track” mode to unlock the full capabilities of the LC8 engine and chassis.

The chassis now features the latest generation WP semi-active suspension – the most sophisticated on a KTM so far.

 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT.

The new sensors analyze more parameters than previously to adapt to changing surface conditions to provide the most precise handling. The suspension’s preload (ride height and chassis balance) to suit rider, passenger and cargo can be adjusted via the push of a button.

The rider can also choose the preferred damping rate: Comfort, Street and Sport.

Last but not least, the optional KTM MY RIDE smartphone connectivity suite adds a navigation feature for on-screen turn-by-turn directions and audio prompts in 5 languages via a separate app.

Meanwhile, the 2019 KTM 790 Adventure combines all-day road touring comfort and performance while being the most off-road capable dual-purpose bike in its category.

 KTM 790 Adventure.

At its heart is the 799cc LC8c DOHC parallel-Twin which features a 75o crankpin offset, to mimic the bigger 1,290 cc V-Twins.

The LC8c name means, “Liquid-cooled, 8-valve, compact” – KTM engineers chose the format for its compactness, allowing for optimal engine placement. Hence it results in superb motorcycle weight distribution, besides a longer swingarm.

The 2019 KTM 790 Adevnture’s LC8c engine is tuned for low RPM tractability, smoothness and higher load capability. It produces 94hp and 88Nm of torque.

 KTM 790 Adventure.

The six-speed gearbox also has KTM’s trademarked PASC (Power Assist Slipper Clutch) installed. The PASC increases clutch pressure while acceleration, allowing the cable actuated clutch lever to be operated with a single finger.

On deceleration or hard braking, the clutch pressure is relieved slightly to avoid rear wheel chatter for smoother and confident cornering.

The suite of intuitive electronics package, making the 2019 KTM 790 Adventure a true all-terrain bike. Standard functions include Ride-by-Wire throttle (RbW), lean angle sensitive Motorcycle Traction Control (MTC) and Cornering ABS, Offroad ABS and Offroad Ride Mode.

 KTM 790 Adventure.


Peugeot names Linda Jackson as new CEO

                PARIS: Automotive industry veteran Linda Jackson has been appointed the CEO of Peugeot.

She assumes the role from Jan 20.

Jackson, a Briton, graduated with an MBA from the University of Warwick, and has spent her entire career in the automotive industry.

"I am delighted to be joining the Peugeot brand and to be continuing the work undertaken over the last few years with the current teams. The challenge is all the more exciting as it comes at the same time as the launch of the Stellantis group," said Jackson, 61.

Prior to joining the PSA Group, she had worked in finance roles with Jaguar, Land Rover and Rover Group from the late 1990s.

Linda’s first role within PSA Group was as finance director of Citroën UK in 2005. For the most part, she had spent most of her working life with the Citroen brand. In January 2020, she rose to the group level at PSA and was appointed to head up Mainstream Brand Portfolio development, to clarify and ensure the differentiation of brands with the mainstream product portfolio.

READ MORE: Stellantis says all its brands get a chance, China options open


Rolls-Royce to switch to all electric range by 2030, first EV to be called Spectre

                BERLIN: Rolls-Royce will produce only electric cars by 2030, the luxury carmaker said today, joining other premium brands making the switch such as Volkswagen's Bentley and Jaguar's Land Rover.

The BMW-owned brand said in a statement that its first fully electric powered car, named "Spectre", will be on the market in the fourth quarter of 2023, with testing to begin soon.

"With this new product, we set out our credentials for the full electrification of our entire product portfolio by 2030, said Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO of Rolls-Royce, which is based in the south of England.

"By then, Rolls-Royce will no longer be in the business of producing or selling any internal combustion engine products," Muller-Otvos added.

BMW has not set an end date for producing fossil fuel burning cars, instead setting a goal of 50% electric vehicle production by 2030, but its subsidiary MINI said in March it would go all-electric by the end of the decade.

The Jaguar brand of Tata Motors' Jaguar Land Rover will go all-electric by 2025, Volkswagen AG's luxury unit Bentley Motors by 2030, and Mercedes Benz maker Daimler by the same year, if market conditions allow.


Jan 13-19: RON97 petrol up 4 sen to RM3.07

                KUALA LUMPUR: The retail price of RON97 will increase by four sen to RM3.07 per litre from Jan 13 to Jan 19, according to the Finance Ministry.

In a statement today, it said the retail price of RON95 petrol and diesel would remain unchanged at RM2.05 and RM2.15 per litre respectively over the same period.

"The government has maintained the retail price of RON95 petrol at the ceiling price of RM2.05 per litre and diesel at RM2.15 per litre even though the actual market price for both products has increased above the ceiling price set," it said.


Toyota to produce Lexus NX for North America at Canada plant

                OTTAWA/MONTREAL: Toyota Motor Corp will build its Lexus NX luxury crossover vehicle at a Canadian plant starting in 2022, the company said on Monday, a decision that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said demonstrated the value of the country’s international trade agreements.

The plant will invest hundreds of millions of dollars to produce the Lexus NX and its hybrid version at the factory in Cambridge, Ontario, “supplying the entire North American market”, Trudeau said in a presentation with Fred Volf, president of Toyota’s Canadian unit.

Citing Canada’s trade agreements with Mexico, the United States, Europe and Asia, Trudeau said: “We have preferential trade access to two-thirds of the global economy. In fact, we’re the only G7 country that has free trade deals with every other G7 country.”

Trudeau, who faces a tough re-election contest in October, said the plans by Toyota, one of the world’s largest carmakers, will help guarantee 8,000 jobs and the factory.

This is the first time that the Lexus NX and NX hybrid sport utility vehicles will be produced outside of Japan. The automotive sector is Canada’s largest export industry, supporting over 525,000 jobs, the prime minister’s office said, and Toyota is the country’s largest automotive manufacturer.

The announcement is a “counter narrative” for Canada’s automaking industry following recent bad news from other automakers, said Flavio Volpe, president of the Toronto-based Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, especially in the province of Ontario.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said in March it would cut a shift at its Windsor assembly plant, leading to 1,500 job losses, and General Motors Co said last year it would shut its Oshawa factory by the end of 2019.

Plans to assemble the NX in Canada “means that Toyota’s Canadian manufacturing operations are here to stay,” Volf said, adding that the cars are “the most technologically advanced and the most in-demand cars in Toyota-Lexus global lineup.”

On Sunday, Trudeau hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Ottawa. Both touted the benefits of a Pacific trade deal that US President Donald Trump walked away from.

Trudeau said he had discussed the project to build the Lexus NX in Canada with chief executive Akio Toyoda on April 1.

“When we last chatted just a few weeks ago, we discussed the potential of this new Lexus mandate,” Trudeau said.


Renault considers making mass-market EVs in India, say sources

The Dacia Spring electric SUV.
NEW DELHI/PARIS: Renault is considering building a mass-market electric vehicle in India, says two people with knowledge of the ongoing review, as part of a renewed push into a market where EV adoption is expected to grow quickly from a small base.

The study by Renault underscores how the French automaker is pushing ahead with electrification plans even as it extends unresolved negotiations with its partner Nissan Motor about investing in an EV unit it plans to carve out from its other operations.

It also points to the shifting perception of the auto market in India, which posted the fastest growth of any major market in 2022.

EVs were on track to be less than 1% of car sales last year but the government has set a target of 30% by 2030 and has had recent success in attracting suppliers for international automakers, with a range of subsidies.

Renault is studying launching a made-in-India electric version of its Kwid hatchback, the people told Reuters.

The review will assess potential demand, pricing and the ability to build the EV with local components, said one of the people, adding that any launch would be late in 2024.

The move is part of a broader plan by Renault to rekindle sales in a country where the carmaker remains profitable despite selling fewer cars in 2022 than a year earlier, the person said.

Renault India declined to comment on product plans but said the company has a "strong focus on electrification globally" as part of the strategy outlined by CEO Luca de Meo and that "India is one of the key markets" for the group.

India is set to become the world's third-largest market for passenger and other light vehicles, displacing Japan, according to a forecast by S&P Global Mobility. Industry-wide sales grew an estimated 23% to 4.4 million vehicles in 2022.

That is a contrast to the outlook for the United States, where the market is expected to remain below 2019 levels next year, and China, where demand is weakening.

Renault had been hoping to reach with Nissan in December on the terms of a carve-out for its EV unit, but discussions have been slowed over concerns by the Japanese carmaker on a range of issues, including protection for its intellectual property.

"India will play an important role in future projects of Renault-Nissan but local plans will not be finalised before a global deal on a restructuring of the alliance is reached," said one of the sources.

In India, domestic carmaker Tata Motors, which dominates electric car sales, as well as foreign players like Stellantis, Hyundai Motor and SAIC's MG Motor are lining up EV launches.

Renault already produces a version of the Kwid EV in China which is sold in that market as the City K-ZE and exported to France as the Dacia Spring. The Spring, the second most sold EV in France in 2022, has a range of 230km and a starting price of €20,800 (RM96,343) before government incentives.

To qualify for incentives in India, Renault would have to build the car at its alliance plant in southern India and source components locally, the first person said. The India plant is majority-owned by Nissan.

Nissan declined to comment.

Renault currently produces the Kwid hatchback, Kiger SUV and seven-seater Triber in India. Its sales fell 9% to around 87,000 units in 2022 and its market share dipped to just over 2%.

As a part of the India reboot, Renault also plans to invest in refurbishing and upgrading some of its major dealerships in big cities, the person said. The company said it has 500 sales outlets in India.


Naza Kia Malaysia: More savings with Kia Value 5 Plus

                KUALA LUMPUR: Naza Kia Malaysia, the official distributor of Kia vehicles in Malaysia, has introduced Kia Value 5 Plus, a new smart financing package that comes with more savings for Kia owners.

“Now more than ever, we are making it easier to own a Kia through the Kia Value 5 Plus program. As soon as Kia owners register with this financing package, they will benefit from monthly instalments from as low as RM999 per month over five years. With this latest offering, Kia owners can opt to use this special financial package to lower their monthly instalment payment by up to 40 per cent within the 5 year loan tenure,” said Datuk Samson Anand George, group chief operating officer, automotive group, Naza Corp Holdings Sdn Bhd.

With Kia Value 5 Plus, after five years of Kia ownership, customers will be able to upgrade to a new Kia car with a guaranteed future trade-in value from the remaining balance utilising the KV5 value.

Customers who buy the new Kia Sportage, Sorento and Kia Cerato at all Kia authorised sales outlets will be entitled to Kia Value 5 Plus.

Kia celebrated a stellar year full of accolades in 2016.

Leading global market research company JD Power ranked Kia no. 1 in the JD Power US Initial Quality Study, no.1 in the JD Power Europe Vehicle Dependability Study and in the top 4 in the JD Power Malaysia Customer Service Index.

The Kia Sportage secured first place in the 2016 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study, earning the award for its quality and reliability.

Naza Kia Malaysia’s service centres scored a rating of ‘Among the Best’ in the Study, the only brand in the top ten to achieve that rating.

The brand also achieved a 69th place ranking in Interbrand’s exclusive list of the 100 ‘Best Global Brands’.

In conjunction with the upcoming festive season, Naza Kia Malaysia will be holding a Kia Ang Pow Vaganza Day on 14th and 15th January 2017 where customers have the golden opportunity to own the latest Kia models from only rm999 per month with Kia Value 5 Plus.

Exclusive CNY gifts and special offers will also be up for grabs.

For additional prosperity, 5 years warranty and up to 3 years free service maintenance is available to all cars purchased on Kia Ang Pow Vaganza Day. Terms and conditions apply.


Electric rails could offer a way of charging a vehicle while driving

                PARIS: Imagine vehicles connected to electric rails embedded in the midst of traffic lanes, so that they can be charged effortlessly, simply by driving.

This is precisely the concept of the eRoadArlanda, a two-kilometre stretch of specially built track in Sweden.

In order to be able to charge one's vehicle while driving, it must be equipped with a kind of skid placed at the end of a mobile arm attached to the bottom of the chassis, which automatically attaches itself to the rails laid out along their route.

Initially, this system is being tested on trucks, but the idea is to adapt it to buses and electric cars.

Technically the arm detects when the vehicle is over the rail and then is stowed automatically. Similarly, if the vehicle changes course, it disconnects without any action of the driver.

The project is part of the Swedish government's plan to have a completely fossil fuel-free transportation system by 2030.

More examples of this type of road are expected to be seen throughout the country, with the goal of reaching up to 2,000km of electrified road by 2030.

The system could inspire other players in the sector, although, until now, ground-based charging systems being tested have been mainly induction-based.

Earlier this year, the Stellantis Group announced that it was testing an advanced wireless and inductive energy transfer technology for electric cars in Italy, on a circuit specially created for this type of pilot program.

This is a forerunner of the type of infrastructure that could be installed on certain roads in the future, allowing for considerable gains in range.

It is in fact a technology based on a succession of loops placed under the asphalt that transmit energy directly to the vehicles that drive on them. However, each vehicle must be equipped with a dedicated "receiver" that conducts and transfers the energy from the road infrastructure directly to the electric motor.

A project based on the same principle, in Karlsruhe, Germany, entails a whole stretch of road being fitted out, over a few hundred meters, to supply energy to the city's electric buses while they are driving.

Meanwhile Spanish company Premium PSU has unveiled a brand new system designed to charge a car by positioning it directly on a dedicated station, with this system working equally well on both moving and stationary vehicles.

BMW also released its own wireless charging solution for stationary vehicles, aimed at the brand's plug-in hybrid models.

By induction or with the help of a skid, the solution to boost the range of electric cars will perhaps one day be found in the road itself.


Boustead denies it is seeking to sell BHPetrol

                KUALA LUMPUR: Boustead Holdings Bhd (BHB) has clarified that it has not had any material discussions with any parties pertaining to the alleged sale of Boustead Petroleum Marketing Sdn Bhd (BHPetrol).

In a statement, the company said this was in response to a news wire story that it is proposing to divest its petrol stations in Malaysia for RM2bil.

“We wish to provide clarifications on the speculation based on unnamed sources in the article.

“It must be stressed that we have not had any material discussion to date on this matter and have not appointed any adviser for the reported potential corporate transaction as alleged.”

BHB also clarified that it had not made any share purchase from the other shareholders of BHPetrol nor has it made any prior announcements on the matter.

“We are fully focused on the group-wide reset following the completion of the take-over by Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera and the delisting of BHB.

“We will announce in due course the transformation plans of the group in line with our commitment for transparency.”

BHB said its priority is to realign strategically, optimise its portfolio and allocate resources to areas that offer higher potential returns, driving sustainable growth while maximising returns for our shareholders in a timely manner.


Bid 'Auf Wiedersehen' to Mercedes-Benz G 500 4x4²

                STUTTGART: October is your last chance to buy a piece of automotive history. Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that its limited-edition Mercedes-Benz G 500 4x4² is only set to stay in production until the end of this month and then the 422hp, V8-propelled US$300,000 (RM1.3mil) luxury off-roader and its ingenious portal axles will be no more.

When it was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2015 as little more than an engineering concept, demand for the car was so overwhelming that Mercedes put the SUV, which stands over 2.2 metres tall, into very limited production the following year. But demand continued to grow and so 12 months later the vehicle was homologated for the US market, too.

And even though the entire western motoring world seems to be gravitating towards the SUV, thanks to the car's outrageous proportions and ride height — it has 450mm ground clearance and a wading depth of 1 metre — the G 500 4x4² is still guaranteed to stand out in any vehicular crowd.

Key to this individuality are its aforementioned portal axles which enable the car to have a monster ride height without monster truck wheels at each corner.

Rather than a traditional axle that runs parallel with the centers of the wheels to provide forward or backwards drive, a set of gears in a diagonal downwards formation connect the wheels to the axle heads of the engine above.

It's like putting a car on a set of stilts — but the resulting behavior is the opposite. Rather than wobbling all over the place, the car's off-road prowess is squared (hence the name) as is its maneuverability.

Because the wheel centers aren't connected directly at a right-angle to the engine, the suspension system allows each individual wheel to travel further in any given direction. While for those that are never going to take the car off the beaten track, there is also a sports mode that tightens up the shocks, cuts body roll and keeps everything flat in the corners.


New Lexus concept car set for world debut on March 30

                TOKYO: Lexus will unveil its new concept car that will herald its brand transformation on March 30.

Ahead of the digital world premiere, Lexus has released an additional preview image of the concept car.

From the looks of it, the concept car has a coupe roof line and its elevated stance suggests it could be a crossover. It won't be a surprise as this body type is still selling well across the globe.

We won't have long to wait as the world debut is just around the corner.


Meet the Porsche Holding Salzburg team who will distribute VW cars in Malaysia

Tapalaga (left) and Steiner are heading Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia.
KUALA LUMPUR: European automotive retail specialist Porsche Holding Salzburg (PHS) today announced its entry into the local automotive market as the official distributor of Volkswagen cars, under the new company name of Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM).

Heading VPCM are its two managing directors Alin Tapalaga, who oversees the brand and human resource operations, and Florian Steiner who is responsible for aftersales, information technology and finance.

The announcement came after a series of consolidation exercises within Volkswagen operations in Malaysia over the past six months.

Volkswagen Group Malaysia would continue as a going concern and would re-focus on the Audi brand as well as its vehicle assembly operations in Pekan, Pahang. It would also have a new managing director Jeffrey Dehate with effect from Oct 1. Dehate replaces Armin Keller.

VPCM’s focus will be on sales strategies through future products, strengthening the Volkswagen dealer network and service and parts availability.

To further improve the ownership experience of Volkswagen products, VPCM is introducing a 5-year manufacturer's warranty for all Volkswagen cars bought from today. It will be launching the new Jetta and all-new Passat within the next few months.

“VPCM is fully committed to the future growth of the Volkswagen brand amidst the highly competitive automotive landscape in Malaysia. With a strong management team already in place, we endeavour to provide our customers with a complete ownership experience. Customers can also rest assured that we will be increasing the CKD model lineup, and will continue to import CBU models into the country,” said Tapalaga.

"Customer satisfaction remains a priority to us, and we recognize the importance of a strong relationship with our dealer partners in order to achieve this. Together, we will continue to explore new ways to further enhance our customers’ experience,” said Steiner.

Porsche Holding Salzburg is the largest and most successful automotive distributor in Europe. The Salzburg-based company was founded in 1947, and operates today in 26 markets in western- and south-eastern Europe, China, and in Colombia and Chile.


Renault exploring Nissan stake sale for EV shift, say sources

                PARIS: Renault SA is considering selling part of its Nissan Motor Co. stake, a move that could raise billions of euros for its shift to electric vehicles and ease long-standing tensions with its alliance partner, people familiar with the matter said.

Nissan itself may be willing to buy some of the 1.83 billion shares in the Japanese automaker that Renault owns, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the discussions aren’t public.

Renault may also seek other acquirers for a portion of its 43% stake in Nissan, the people said.

Spokesmen for Renault and Nissan declined to comment.

By paring a stake worth 983.5 billion yen (RM33bil), Renault would be walking a fine line: trying to rebalance a 23-year-old alliance without unraveling it.

A lopsided cross-shareholding structure - Nissan owns just 15% of Renault and lacks voting rights - has been a pain point for factions of Nissan executives going back years.

A sale could help finance major structural change Renault chief executive officer Luca de Meo began to sketch out in February.

The company is considering a breakup and separate listing of its EV business. Its legacy business could then join forces with a partner.

One option would be China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., which controls Volvo Car AB, the people said.

Renault reached a joint production deal with Geely earlier this year for a South Korean plant, and the two have said they may also cooperate in China.

A representative for Geely declined to comment.

Russia factor

De Meo, 54, was making strides turning Renault around before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine all but forced the company to begin exiting its second-largest market.

The pullout will be costly: the carmaker said it will take a non-cash charge amounting to the €2.2 billion-euro (RM10bil) value of its assets in Russia, which include a manufacturing plant in Moscow.

It’s also assessing options for its stake in Lada maker AvtoVaz and may try to transfer ownership to a local investor.

Negotiations to reshape the Renault-Nissan alliance - which haven’t been discussed publicly - could take months, the people said.

Renault’s EV carve-out could include Nissan assets, the people said. Nissan also would be a partner in the French carmaker’s legacy hybrid and combustion-engine operations, they said.

The two companies are working with one another on Renault’s structural overhaul, chief financial officer Thierry Pieton told analysts Friday.

“Nissan is in the loop,” Pieton said. “This is obviously something that we want to discuss with them.”

Nissan’s fortunes

Nissan would be in a better position than a year ago to buy back its shares, should Renault decide to sell. The Yokohama, Japan-based company has 2 trillion yen (RM68bil) in cash and equivalents on hand, and fiscal year operating profit is on track to be positive for the first time since 2019.

Ashwani Gupta, Nissan’s chief operating officer, will travel to Paris next week for discussions with Renault’s CEO de Meo ahead of a broader meeting between Renault and Nissan’s executives in Tokyo next month.

Tension surrounding the asymmetrical nature of the companies’ ties almost destroyed the alliance following the 2018 arrest in Japan of former Chairman Carlos Ghosn.

The automakers have since been focused on separate turnaround plans to get them past damage wrought by Ghosn’s ouster and the pandemic.

Negotiations aimed at rebalancing the Franco-Japanese alliance, which also includes Mitsubishi Motors Corp., were held in 2019 but took a back seat to more urgent operational and management issues. They have been kept off the table until now.

‘Unbreakable’ ties

Reducing Renault’s stake to 15%, the same level as Nissan’s ownership of Renault, could yield about €4.65 billion (RM22bil) at current prices.

It’s unlikely the Paris suburb-based automaker would sell the entire holding, as that would weaken the alliance.

The operating agreement governing the partnership, known as RAMA, may also have to be amended with a change in shareholding, some of the people said.

The accord has long been a source of friction between the partners, as has the French state’s 15% holding in Renault, which comes with double voting rights.

The alliance outlined plans in January to strengthen operational ties and invest in electrification, potentially complicating any separation of Renault and Nissan’s EV businesses.

Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard said then the companies’ closer links would be “totally unbreakable.”


Hyundai truck completes Level 3 autonomous journey

                SEOUL: Hyundai said today it has completed South Korea's first domestic highway journey with an autonomously navigated semi-trailer truck.

Hyundai's Xcient truck drove 40km on the highway between Uiwang and Incheon, carrying a large semi-trailer simulating cargo transportation, showcasing Hyundai's innovative technological advancement in future mobility.

The demonstration took place on Tuesday and was conducted using the Xcient model truck, which has a maximum load capacity of 40 tons.

This was semi-equipped with a Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standard Level 3 autonomous driving system, enabling it to steer, accelerate or decelerate, and manoeuvre through traffic, all without human input. A human driver was on-board to take over manual control when required.

The vehicle was equipped with features, which enabled it to maintain and change lanes during the natural flow of traffic, detect lane changes made by vehicles in front of it, navigate through tunnels, and perform a complete halt or accelerate according to road traffic.

READ MORE: Driving automation: The six levels of autonomy

Ten sensors, including three front and side-rear cameras, two frontal and rear radars, three Lidars in the front and sides, and a hitch angle sensor in the trailer coupler which computes the change in angle between the truck and trailer in real-time, allowing the truck to be safely stabilised upon sharp turns.

The data collected by each sensor collaborates with the HD map and sends information to the electronic control module for localisation. The module then decides on each situation, controlling the speed, steering, and breaking accordingly.

A new steering control system (MAHS : Motor Assist Hydraulic Steering) developed by Hyundai Mobis was also implemented, providing a precise steering mechanism that controls the steering angle depending on the decision made by the electronic control unit. This minimises the effort required to steer the vehicle, reducing driver fatigue.

Hyundai said the autonomous navigation of heavy duty trucks would transform the trade logistics industry and also reduce the number of road accidents caused by human error.

"At this stage, a human driver is still used to control the vehicle manually in certain situations, but I think we will achieve level 4 automation soon as we are constantly upgrading our technological capability," said Hyundai Commercial Vehicle R&D Strategy Group director Dr Maik Ziegler.

For the demonstration the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport issued a temporary autonomous driving licence for the first time to a heavy-duty truck.


Honda recalling 1.79 million vehicles worldwide for safety issues

                WASHINGTON: Honda Motor Co said on Tuesday it was recalling 1.79 million vehicles worldwide in four separate campaigns, including some linked to reported fires.

The recalls cover 1.4 million vehicles in the United States.

The Japanese automaker said one recall covers 268,000 2002-2006 model year CR-V vehicles in the United States to replace power window master switches. Honda said there had been no reported injuries, but 16 fires reported related to the issue.

Honda conducted a prior recall of the power window master switches in 2012. The new recall is in response to moisture-related failures of switches repaired under the previous campaign.

Honda is also recalling about 735,000 US 2018-2020 Accord, Accord Hybrid and 2019-2020 Insight vehicles to update the Body Control Module software. A programming flaw could disrupt communication causing illumination of several warning lights and malfunction of electronic components, it said, including “the rear view camera display, turn signals and windshield wipers.”

Honda is also issuing two recalls covering 430,000 US vehicles in 22 US. states and the District of Columbia with significant road salt use to inspect and potentially replace front drive shafts. Both are in response to possible breakage of the drive shafts due to corrosion. No injuries have been reported in relation any of the recalls, the company said.Honda said repair parts are not available for all vehicles involved in the drive shaft recalls.

The recalls cover some 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2007-2014 Honda Fit, 2013-2015 Acura ILX, 2013 Acura ILX Hybrid and 2013-2015 Honda Accord vehicles. No crashes have been reported in the drive shaft or software recalls.


Which? award goes to Volkswagen UK

                LONDON: The largest independent consumer organisation in Europe, Which?, has awarded this year’s prestigious ‘Best Car Manufacturer’ title to Volkswagen UK.

The trophy was presented to the German brand, after being short-listed for it earlier this year.

The award recognises the brand as a ‘stand-out choice’ in the final judging.

According to the organisation, Volkswagen cars are considered ‘Best Buys’ after having tested three new vehicles over the past year.

And it noted that the German brand has become a popular one with owners, scoring well in an annual customer satisfaction survey.

The vehicles available from Volkswagen UK include the up! city car, Polo, Beetle, Golf, Scirocco, Jetta, Passat, Volkswagen CC, Touran, Sharan, Tiguan as well as station wagons, cabriolets, coupes and plug-in hybrids.

Volkswagen says that their staff and current network of almost 200 Retailers are committed to providing the highest levels of service, from the moment a potential customer visits their website, through to their retail and ownership journeys to repurchase and beyond.

“We are fortunate at Volkswagen to have a great range of products which win a large number of awards, but this stands out for me as one of the best,” said Volkswagen UK
director Alex Smith.


Winkelmann returns to Lamborghini, retains spot at Bugatti

                BOLOGNA: Automobili Lamborghini has just confirmed that Stephan Winkelmann will be back as its boss.

He will report for duty at the Italian supercar maker from Dec 1.

He succeeds Stefano Domenicali, who will take over as CEO of Formula 1 starting from 2021. Winkelmann will also remain president of Bugatti.

Winkelmann was president and CEO of Lamborghini from 2005 to 2016, during which time he transformed Lamborghini into a global leader in the manufacture of super sports cars.

Prior to joining Lamborghini Winkelmann held a variety of senior positions in the Fiat Group.

Lamborghini models introduced under Winkelmann started with derivatives of the Gallardo and ranged through introductions of the V10 Huracán and V12 Aventador as well as limited editions and one-offs, setting numerous new sales records. In 2015 the third model line was announced, the Super SUV Urus, to be constructed in Sant'Agata Bolognese, and marking the beginning of a new era for the company.

In March 2016, Winkelmann became CEO of Quattro GmbH (today Audi Sport GmbH) before joining Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. as president at the beginning of 2018.

“Stephan Winkelmann has decisively shaped the history of Lamborghini,” said Markus Duesmann, chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG. “No one else stands more clearly for the Lamborghini brand, and he is exactly the right person to lead this unique brand into a successful future.”


Happy Chinese New Year 2017!

                PETALING JAYA: It's that time of the year to re-connect and celebrate a tradition that brings people together.

To our readers and followers, we wish you all a happy year ahead in the Year of the Rooster.

Enjoy your weekend.


Proton sales nears 80K units for first 10 months in 2019

                SUBANG JAYA: Proton has kicked off the final quarter of 2019 with 9,503 sales in October. The cumulative total for the first 10 months of the year now stands at 79,833 (domestic + export) units, a growth rate of 46% and a remarkable achievement given that Total-Industry-Volume (TIV) has shrunk by 1.3%.

Market share for the year is estimated at 16%, which is a healthy 5.2% increase over the previous year.

Proton is also in second place in the overall sales table, a position it is confident of maintaining to the end of 2019.

The Proton X70 is still the best-selling premium and executive SUV and over 24,000 units have been delivered thus far, making it Malaysia’s fastest-selling C-segment SUV.

Meanwhile, launched on 6 August 2019, the 2019 updated Proton Saga has received over 28,000 bookings.

In October, the Saga posted its highest sales figure for over four years with 4,273 units sold.

For the first 10 months of the year, the cumulative total is 30,331 Saga units sold, which is a 26% increase over the previous year.

Similarly, the Exora, Iriz and Persona have also shown an increase in sales and as a whole, sales for the trio along with the Saga have increased by 21% thus far this year.

They also accounted for 78% of Proton’s total sales in October and for the whole year, the figure now stands at 68%.

“We are now confident of being able to sell 100,000 units this year, providing us with a solid base to move forward in 2020 and beyond,” said Dr Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton.


Jack Ma says Alibaba ‘doing a lot of research’ on driverless cars

Thai official giving a durian to Ma as Thailand start selling durians on TMALL, during the MoU's signing ceremony of 'Smart Digital Hub and Digital Transformation Strategic Partnership' at a Bangkok hotel on Thursday. — Reuters

BANGKOK: E-commerce giant Alibaba is steering resources towards driverless car technology, its CEO Jack Ma confirmed on Thursday, joining a global race to shape the future of driving.

Despite fresh safety fears after a woman was hit and killed by a self-driving Uber vehicle in the US last month, many tech giants like Google as well as automakers are accelerating plans in an industry attracting billions of dollars.

The competition is heating up in China, the world’s largest car market, with internet firm and Alibaba rival Baidu recently predicting that self-driving vehicles will hit the road in the country within three to five years.

Both Baidu and Chinese tech giant Tencent are pursuing the technology, stirring speculation about Alibaba’s plans.

 Ma speaking at the Bangkok event. — Reuters

”We’ve been doing a lot of research on driverless things,” Ma told reporters on Thursday while on a business trip here.

”What we want to do is (figure out) how we can make the cars more automatic, more friendly, more like a partner of human beings rather than just a driving tool,” he said.

Ma was speaking at a press conference here after signing agreements with the Thai government, including a more than US$300mil (RM1.2bil) investment in a ”digital hub” in eastern Thailand aimed at connecting regional markets.

”I believe our children will only work four hours a day and four days a week or maybe three days a week, but they still will tell us they are very busy. Why are they busy They are in cars,” he added.

Ma did not elaborate on the company’s plans but said the purpose was not to commercially compete with rivals Tencent and Baidu.

Chinese authorities approved regulations this month to allow for local driverless road tests, according to state-backed media, which reported on Wednesday that Alibaba was adding staff to work on the technology.

Self-driving cars hold the promise of being more attentive and quicker to react than humans at the wheels, while also allowing people to use travel time more productively or pleasantly.


BMW E30 M3 'Redux'-ed with turbocharger, ceramic brakes and roll cage

                LONDON: The legend returns and by that, we mean the BMW E30 M3, thanks to the efforts of UK-based company Redux, which has resurrected the giant-killer in neo-classic form.

The company is all about restoring and modifying existing BMW E30 M3 road cars, with its endeavours focused on further enhancing and evolving this particular vehicular generation.

It all starts with the company's "concierge service" for sourcing a donor E30 M3 through its network of contacts in Britain and mainland Europe, but if the customer already owns one, then they'll offer to manage the logistics for its collection and return.

Such services are also available for those in North America with Enthusiast Auto Group (based in Cincinnati, Ohio) being the company's distributor, donor supplier and logistics partner.

Upon receiving the car, Redux will inspected it before stripping it down to its bare chassis for cleaning with a combination of media blasting and pyrolysis (heat treatment). The chassis is then jigged to ensure it's straight as an arrow.

The parts are then scrutineered to see how they can be better improved on as imperfections on the body and chassis are corrected.

After such, everything is dry fitted to ensure perfect fitments and the parts removed once more for the shell the receive a thorough cleaning to prepare for paint.

Here, the customer will decide interior will be fitted with re-trimmed Recaro front seats with a and rear bench as standard while a six-point harnesses and integrated fire extinguisher system is available as an optional extra.

Once the road/track configuration has been decided, the customer will need to decipher the rest of the cabin's accoutrements that include the steering wheel, gear shifter, carpets, door pull handles, headliner/door card/A/B/C pillar trim fabric(s), audio system, and colour scheme begins.

Before more parts get added to the final specifications list,  the parts that were initially pulled from the car would have by now undergone scrutineering for performance, durability and reliability by this time.

Meanwhile, body and chassis undergo corrective measures for any detected imperfections before any unique features or bespoke components crafted by the company are added to the vehicle.

Upon completion of fabrication, the car's shell is dry built to ensure all components are able to fit perfectly and here's where the customer gets the opportunity to visit and finalise their driving position while the vehicle is on its wheels.

The parts are then removed again and the shell is thoroughly cleaned in preparation for paint.

For the engine, the standard 2.3-litre S14 four-cylinder engine gets rebuilt and the new 2.5-litre engine receives new custom components and it's here that the customer gets to choose whether it will remain as a naturally-aspirated engine or enter the turbocharged era.

Either way, the engine receives a bespoke Raychem engine loom with Autosport connectors, BMW Motorsport crank, lightweight battery and Motec engine control unit (ECU).

The components from Redux include a carbon airbox (naturally aspirated engine), conrods and pistons, custom large capacity radiator (and intercooler with the turbocharged engine) and the hand-crafted stainless steel exhaust system with catalytic converters.

The transmission will use a bespoke lightweight flywheel and single/twin plate clutch (dependent on engine torque rating), bespoke steel prop-shaft and heavy-duty driveshafts, BMW Motorsport 3.91 crown and pinion, Limited Slip Differential (LSD), quick-shift gear lever assembly and a five-speed manual gearbox with close ratio gears.

UK-based EXE-TC's provides the suspension in the form of a three-way adjustable coil over dampers with adjustable top-mounts with the option of swapping them to the new and more costly four-way adjustable coil-overs.

Other custom suspension parts from Redux include adjustable front control arms, front and rear blade anti-roll bars, front and rear cross members, front uprights and rear trailing arms as well as upgraded bushings, revised geometry, drive flanges, differential mount and hubs.

Braking power comes from AP Racing and the car will use a set of front 355mm and rear 330mm discs for the front six-piston and rear four-piston callipers to bite down on. As an added option, the discs can be swapped out for SICOM's larger 380mm (front) and 360mm (rear) carbon ceramic with four-piston callipers, adapters and ceramic brake pads.

The braking system will be partially obscured by the monobloc Cinel DTM design wheels made out of forged T-6061 aluminium with a pitch circle diameter (PCD) of 5×120 (or with a centrelock), and fitted with aluminium valve stems before wrapping it in a choice of Michelin Pilot Super Sport/Sport 4 road tyres (slick/semi-slick track tyres also available).


Knaus Tabbert gets VTA for its recreational vehicle

                KUALA LUMPUR: The East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) achieved another milestone in spearheading the development of recreational vehicle (RV) industry in Malaysia with the award of the first Vehicle Type Approval (VTA) to Knaus Tabbert AG, Europe’s leading manufacturer for RVs.

The VTA certificate was handed over by Road Transport Department (JPJ) director-general Datuk Zailani Hashim to Knaus Tabbert AG chief executive officer Wolfgang Speck.

ECERDC has been spearheading the RV industry development since 2021 and had facilitated the visit by delegation from Caravaning Verband e.V. (CIVD), which represents German RV players when they visited the East Coast Economic Region in February to explore investment and business opportunities in the RV Industry as well as to identify potential locations to develop RV parks in the ECER.

ECERDC chief executive officer Datuk Baidzawi Che Mat said the VTA approval would attract more investments into this sector and spur the RV industry in Malaysia.

“This will eventually bring in the supply chain for the production of RV parts in the future and create employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for the locals especially in the ECER region,” said YBhg. Dato’ Baidzawi Che Mat, the Chief Executive Officer of ECERDC.

CIVD managing director Daniel Onggowinarso commented that the VTA approval would aid the initiatives to establish ECER as the RV hub and put Malaysia on the map for RV enthusiasts.

“This is part of our collaboration initiative with ECERDC in bringing German RV players to Malaysia to grow the RV industry and expand opportunities in the Asia Pacific market,” he said.

Speck expressed his optimism on the growth potential of the RV industry in Malaysia and looked forward to working together with ECERDC to set up RV manufacturing facility in the ECER region.

“The demand for RV industry has shown a significant increase globally and this market is projected to grow into a potential multibillion-dollar industry in Malaysia in the next five to ten years.

“Malaysia, which has FTAs with China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand has a huge potential to become a caravan hub for the Asia Pacific region. The RV industry is still in its infancy in Malaysia compared to Australia, where the industry is Estimated to worth USD11bil for a country with 26 million people.

“We also look forward to work with Malaysian companies for dealership opportunities and opening more caravan parks in the country to encourage Malaysians to embrace this new lifestyle and take full advantage of the country’s beautiful landscape,” said Speck.

The emerging RV lifestyle as mobile hotels generally used for short-term outdoor camping and tourism activities for travel enthusiasts is currently trending.

RVs are largely self-sufficient as they are equipped with sleeping, cooking and sanitary facilities which allow for family-bonding, offering a unique travel experience amidst nature.


BMW M Bike limited edition - only 500 worldwide

                MUNICH: BMW is producing a limited special edition M Bike and it's getting coated in Marina Bay Blue Metallic - the same as the venerable M5.

Aside from it looking pretty, it is being limited to only 500 units worldwide.

The chassis is a hydroformed aluminium frame, while the fork, seat posts and spacers are made out of carbon fibre and braking power comes from the Shimano BR-M315 disc brakes.

For traction, it uses 28 x 2.0 Continental CruiseCONTACT tyres with 'SafetySystem' - a Kevlar-reinforced, high-strength nylon fabric that's puncture and cut-resistant while providing less rolling resistance to help contribute to a longer lifespan.

The bicycle will cost €1,400 (RM7,100) and will only be made available at selected BMW dealers in Germany, whereas all other bicycle models and related equipment can be had at shop.bmw.com.


Mercedes-Benz Actros truck replaces rearview mirrors with cameras

                STUTTGART: Mercedes-Benz Trucks replaces the conventional rearview mirrors with the MirrorCam camera system such as the new Mercedes-Benz Actros heavy duty truck which is easy to recognise at first glance due to the missing rearview and wide-angle mirrors.

The advantages of the new system are obvious – lower consumption due to improved aerodynamics and increased traffic safety thanks to better visibility.

Thanks to the MirrorCam, the driver now has an unobstructed view where rearview and wide-angle mirrors previously covered large areas to the right and left of the A-pillar. An advantage above all at junctions, when manoeuvring and in tight bends.

The optimised aerodynamics can reduce consumption: the optimised wind resistance thanks to MirrorCam can result in up to 1.5 percent less fuel.

Thanks to the position of the cameras high up on the vehicle, the small roof above the camera lens, a special coating and the digital transmission of the image to a display in the cab, misting and dirt hardly affect the system at all.

In low-light conditions, the MirrorCam has an advantage as the light transmission of the cameras is high. Thus the displays show an image that is much brighter. So drivers receive better information about their surroundings than with a mirror.

The sustainably improved aerodynamics and safety provided by the introduction of the MirrorCam in the new Actros is one of the reasons why the vehicle won the title "International Truck of the Year 2020".

New features in the Actros include Active Drive Assist which enables semi-automated driving in all speed ranges, the improved Active Brake Assist 5 emergency brake assistance system, the fully networked Multimedia Cockpit, and the Predictive Powertrain Control intelligent cruise control and transmission management system.