Audi builds the e-tron GT in Germany

                INGOLSTADT: The Audi e-tron GT is the brand’s first fully electric car to be built in Germany.

The Gran Turismo will start rolling off the production line at Audi Böllinger Höfe (also where the Audi R8 is built) at the Neckarsulm site at the end of 2020.

The small-series production facility has been expanded, upgraded, and converted for its new role.

The skilled craftsmanship from the previous facility has been retained and is supplemented by digital processes and smart technologies.

During the expansion, production planners made use of new virtual methods. The tests of the work procedures on the assembly line and the logistic processes were conducted in the virtual domain for the first time, with container planning also performed with the help of VR technology.

Production of the e-tron GT was designed without physical prototypes – a first at Audi.

Large areas of the body of the all-electric Gran Turismo are constructed from ultra-high-strength steel and aluminum.

To produce this material mix in the planned quantities, a body shop was established that combines the skilled craftsmanship of the employees with the full potential of automated production technology. It consists of an innovative body assembly line along which each body passes twice.

It is constructed around what is called the two-way framer, in which ten robots are used to attach the inner and outer side panels. It combines all manufacturing steps involved in joining the sides in a single system – thus making production of the Audi e-tron GT possible on the existing floorspace.

The inline measuring procedure for the bodies is also new. It guarantees even greater accuracy and can respond very quickly to minute deviations.

At the end of the body assembly line is where precise craftsmanship comes into play: Experienced workers fit the add-on parts and check the finish of the completed body.

The expressive design of the Audi e-tron GT places unusually high demands on production quality – the side wall frame, for instance, has a remarkably large draw depth of 35cm between its highest and lowest point.

The expanded assembly line includes 36 instead of the previous 16 cycles. The e-tron GT shares it with the R8 – this integration of two technically completely different cars is unique in the Volkswagen Group.

Both models are moved using the same driverless transport vehicles and an electrically powered monorail system. At one station of the line, humans and robots work side by side.

A 3D printer is also on hand to produce customized assembly aids at the employees’ request. Once completed, every car is driven for 40km on public roads, which also includes sections on the highway and in urban traffic.

“With the integration of the Audi R8 and Audi e-tron GT, a unique combination of craftsmanship and smart factory technology is coming to life at Böllinger Höfe,” says Production Head Wolfgang Schanz in summary. “I am especially proud of the passion and spirit of our team.”


China's consumer day show targets Volkswagen, bike sharing

                BEIJING/SHANGHAI: China’s annual consumer day TV show took aim at Volkswagen and the country’s fast-growing bike-sharing market on Thursday in an otherwise subdued outing for the once feared event.

The late evening China Central Television (CCTV) show named and shamed the German carmaker for engine defects with its Touareg SUV, prompting an apology from the company as it looked to salve consumer concerns in the world’s largest auto market.

“We sincerely apologise again for any inconvenience and concern this issue may have caused our customers,” Volkswagen said in a statement, adding it had already filed a recall plan in China related to the issue.

The show, known as “315” in reference to global consumer rights day on March 15, has snagged a number of major names. Last year, it turned its spotlight on US sports brand Nike for misleading advertising.

Volkswagen itself has been targeted before - in 2015 for overselling repairs and spare parts to drivers and in 2013 over a gearbox transmission issue.

China’s bike-sharing industry, which has boomed since 2016 backed by huge venture capital funding, was also criticised on the show after a number of smaller firms went under and failed to pay back deposits to users.

Companies are, however, becoming more savvy at deflecting criticism, with public relations teams set up in advance to respond if they are targeted.

“It’s definitely tougher now to do this show. Many firms start taking precautionary measures half a year in advance,” said a person close to the show, who declined to be identified as he was not permitted to speak to the media.

However, while the two-hour evening show, an eclectic mix of undercover reports and song-and-dance, has lost some of its bite, companies and PR firms were not letting their guard down.

“We have to take precautionary measures in advance and be on high alert,” said Guan Huizhu, Shanghai director of public relations firm Allison & Partners.

And of late, Beijing has grown increasingly bold at grilling firms not just over issues of quality and safety, but also behaviour that it sees as clashing with the ruling party’s socialist values.

In the last few months, Marriott International has been forced to apologise for referring to Taiwan and Tibet as countries, while Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz also landed in hot water for quoting the Dalai Lama in an Instagram post.

“Consumers have the right under the law to be respected,” said Chen Yinjiang, deputy secretary general of China Consumer Protection Law Society.

The person close to the show added CCTV reporting teams would start undercover investigations around October and that the process was secretive to avoid the names of targets being leaked.

“Everybody has to sign a non-disclosure agreement once they join the show,” he said.

CCTV did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Many companies will also roll out goodwill gestures like free giveaways around the day to soften any blow, just in case they are named and shamed

“All eyes are focused on how the companies that are called out, especially the big ones, will respond,” said Guan.


High performance Bridgestone Turanza T005A debuts

                SUBANG JAYA: There's a new Bridgestone tyre in town and it promises high levels of comfort, quietness and safety.

The Turanza T005A is a high performance tyre that is available in 21 different sizes for the Malaysian market.

It features variable pitch that reduces pattern noise and high-angle sipes that are fine-tuned to soften tyre impact on the road leading to less road noise. In addition, the improved tyre contact shape and reinforced sidewall help reduce vibrations.

Through Bridgestone’s research and on-road tests, the Turanza T005A was designed and developed for optimised contact shape that ensures consistent contact pressure on the road to reduce shock and impact noise for better comfort.

At the molecular level, Bridgestone has introduced a Nano Pro-Tech compound for the Turanza T005A. The new compound is engineered to strengthen the bond between silica and polymer to increase the contact area, resulting in reduced heat generation and energy loss, leading to better wet performance and safety.

Lastly, chamfering on the tyre prevents deformation and ensures even contact with the road for improved braking performance.

The Turanza T005A is distributed by Bridgestone Tyre Sales (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, Japan.


Triumph unveils Street Twin, T120 and Thruxton R

                KUA LA LUMPUR: Fast Bikes, the official distributor of Triumph Motorcycles in Malaysia, has pulled the covers off its heritage classic range of bikes to go up against the likes of the BMW R nineT and the Ducati Scrambler - enter the Street Twin, Bonneville T120 and T120 Black as well as the flagship Thruxton R.

The four English bikes sit under the company's Bonneville family of motorcycles, which uses the name to pay tribute to the Bonneville Salt Flats (Utah, United States of America) where Triumph and other motorcycle companies would visit and attempt for a new motorcycle speed record.

The bikes come with a two-year warranty with unlimited mileage and pricing includes GST but not on-the-road costs and insurance, with the Street Twin starting the price climb from RM55,900 while being available in five colour choices of Jet Black, Cranberry Red, Aluminium Silver, Matt Black and Phantom Black.

The T120 gets priced from RM79,900 and has four colour choices of Jet Black, Cinder Red, Cranberry Red, Aluminium Silver and Jet Black Pure White, (T120 Black is available in Matt Graphite and Jet Black) while the flagship Thruxton R is priced from RM91,900 with three colours of Silver Ice, Matt and Diablo Red.

Furthermore, the bikes have access to the optional 'Inspiration Kits' that offers aesthetic upgrades and Fast Bikes has added that it is waiving the additional charge of RM1,000 for premium colours on all bikes till further notice

The company hopes to sell upwards of 100 bikes this year and also added that the price for the bikes are only valid till the end of June with an expected price increase from July onwards.

 Triumph Street Twin

The Street-Twin enters the scene with a 12-litre fuel tank feeding the 900cc liquid-cooled, eight-valve single-overhead-cam parallel-twin engine with a 270-degree crank angle, which produces 54bhp at 5,900rpm and 80Nm of torque at 3,230rpm.

At 2,090mm-long, 785mm-wide and 1,114mm-tall, the 198kg (dry) bike with a wheelbase of 1,439mm (102.4mm trail) has a saddle height of 750mm with its 41mm KYB front forks at a 25.1-degree rake angle providing 120mm of travel and twin KYB shocks with an adjustable pre-load at the rear also giving 120mm of travel.

Stopping power comes from a two-piston Nissin floating calliper (front and rear) biting on a 310mm (front) 255mm (rear) disc, while being equipped with anti-lock braking system for its 100/90 (front) and 150/70 (rear) tyres on 18 and 17-inch wheels respectively.

Other standard equipment include traction control, ride-by-wire, immobiliser, USB socket and LED rear light, while the Inspiration Kits make the Street Twin available as The Scrambler, which includes items such as a brush aluminium sump guard, compact LED indicators (front and rear), brown 'Barrel Style' handlebar grips, brown ribbed bench seat, rear mudguard removal kit with compact rear lights and brushed high-level Vance and Hines exhaust system.

The Brat Tracker is also available and includes a brush aluminium sump guard, Black 'Barrel Style' handlebar grips, black ribbed bench seat, rear mudguard removal kit with compact rear lights, compact LED indicators (front and rear) and Brushed Vance and Hines slip-on silencers.

Lastly, there's also The Urban, and that gets riders a fly-screen mounting kit, short tinted fly-screen, 'Ace Style' handlbars, signature single waxed cotton and leather panier, compact LED indicators (front and rear) and brushed Vance and Hines slip-on silencers.

The same engine is used in the other bikes as well, but gets an additional 300cc of displacement to 1,200cc – allowing it to produce 79bhp at 6,550rpm and 105Nm of torque at 3,100rpm.

 Triumph Bonneville T120

With a wheelbase of 1,445mm for the 224kg (dry) T120 and T120 Black, they measures in at 2,170mm-long, 785mm-wide and 1,125mm-tall, while featuring a pair of pea-shooter style exhaust silencers, a rear grab rail and 17-inch wheels for its 110/70 (front) and 130/80 (rear) series tyres.

It also gets a larger 15 litre fuel tank, a taller saddle height of 785mm and the option to upgrade to the Cafe Racer under the Inspiration Kit that gets a flyscreen mounting kit, short flyscreen, clip-on handlebar, knurled handlebar grips, signature Triumph rubber knee pads, single painted seat cowl, compact LED indicators (front and rear), rear mudguard removal kit with compact rear lights and exhausts from Vance and Hines.

 Triumph Bonneville T120 Black

The 203kg (dry) Thruxton R has a 1,415mm wheelbase for its 2,105mm-long, 754mm-wide and 1,030mm-tall body with a saddle height of 810mm, while its kit includes a 43mm Showa big piston forks at the front and fully adjustable Ohlins twin socks for the rear.

Braking power at the front comes from Brembo - a pair of 310mm floating discs with a four-piston calliper as standard, while a single 220mm disc with Nissin two-piston calliper residing at the rear as it rolls on 17-inch wheels with 120/70 (front) and 160/60 tyres.

Other than the larger brakes, engine output has also taken a step up with the parallel-twin now dishing out a more potent 96bhp at 6,750rpm and 112Nm of torque at 4,950rpm – although fuel tank capacity has dropped to 14.5 litres.

Last but not least, the Thruxton R is also available as the Track Tracker, which gets items such as a sculpted cockpit fairing with lower clip-on handlesbars, compact LED indicators (front and rear), knurled handlebar grips, leather tank strap, single-painted seat cowl, rear mudguard removal kit with compact rear lights and a Vance and Hines slip-on silencers.

Triumph Street Twin

Triumph Bonneville T120
 Triumph Bonneville T120 Black
 Triumph Thruxton R


Carmakers eye sub-brands as key to open up new markets

                MUNICH: Dacia, Infiniti and Lexus: All three marques are sub-brands owned by hard-charging carmakers eager to open up new markets among either value-conscious or well-heeled customers.

Time was when sub-brands were associated with a value message, but virtue is now entering the mix too.

BMW uses its "i" badge as a tag of environmental responsibility.

The Bavarian manufacturer established the "i" subbrand in 2010 to herald a new driving philosophy. It stands in contrast to the firm's time-honoured motto of "Sheer Driving Pleasure."

The green sub-brand i signifies "urbanization, environmental protection, along with a change in values and consumer behaviour", says BMW. That is a lot of weight for one letter to carry. "This shift calls for a revolution in urban mobility," said Alexander Kotouc, who is in charge of product management at the BMW spin-off marque.

The thinking behind "i" has spawned BMW subsidiary companies like ChargeNow, ParkNow and the car-sharing enterprise DriveNow.

"We founded our new in-house brand in order to document the move away from traditional business models," says the executive. Products so far include the all-electric BMW i3 runabout and the exclusive i8 sports-car. Both remain niche products.

Mercedes-Benz's new sub-brand EQ (electric intelligence) denotes much more than just cars, according to the German maker.

The initials symbolise a vision of electromobility products, services, technology and general innovation. Mercedes-Benz's car marketing chief Jens Thiemer said the company aimed to supply electric infrastructure ranging from wall-mounted charger boxes through to home energy storage devices.

Lined up for the future is an EQ-branded off-roader, although the Stuttgart maker says it will not break cover until the end of the decade. By then Mercedes-Benz may well find itself overtaken by the competition.

Nissan launched its luxury Infiniti spin-off in 1989 and it was initially limited to the US market. William Bruce, one of the execs behind the idea, said back then prophetically: "Infiniti's pledge is to establish a new relationship between the car and its owner." The person was to be the focus and not the car.

The Japanese firm was able to gain new customers and get a firmer foothold at the top end of the market. The brand expanded to Germany and other European markets from 2008.

Toyota did much the same with Lexus.

Renault entered the marketplace with its bargain brand Dacia - the name comes from the cheap and cheerful Dacia models once popular in communist Romania. They were knock-offs of Renault cars, so the French bought the factories and the brand.

German car giant Volkswagen, which owns 10 full marques from Bugatti to Seat, has so far shied away from sub-brands. Its divisions are all run as separate companies using shared components, but working with completely different images and marketing.

One tentative step for VW is its new car-sharing subsidiary Moia, which is an attempt to cash in on the trend towards urban mobility using on-demand taxis and robot shuttle fleets.

In marketing terms sub-brands are ofen used in a psychological way, says Stefan Bratzel, professor at the Center of Automotive Management at Bergisch Gladbach University. "Customers often identify with such messages," he says.

There is no need for the manufacturer to invent a whole new range.

"The sub-brand of a well-known badge can actually enhance the higher-profile brand and still open up a new market," said Bratzel.

For carmakers, establishing a sub-brand is a lot cheaper than creating a completely new marque. There is no need for new marketing channels and the main brand gives the fledgling outfit more credibility.

When it comes to new technology, existing car brands may need to find a new way of reaching tech-savvy, eco-conscious and younger buyers in general. "People interested in buying an electric car will probably need to be addressed in a different way," said Bratzel.

A rub-off effect is that "the values such as ecology and sustainability which apply to electric vehicles can be used to boost the image of the main marque."


UMW Holdings moves to take control of Perodua

                KUALA LUMPUR: UMW Holdings Bhd is planning to take over MBM Resources Bhd in a deal that will ultimately give it a controlling stake in carmaker Perodua.

UMW Holdings currently owns a 38% stake in Perodua.

“The proposals will allow UMW Holdings to increase its strategic stake in Perodua, which continues to be the leading marque in Malaysia with successful recent launches,” it said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia.

Under the first part of the deal, UMW Holdings will acquire a 50.07% stake in MBM Resources from Med-Bumikar Mara Sdn Bhd for RM501mil, or RM2.56 per share.

Shares in MBM Resources were last traded at RM2.20 on Friday.

READ MORE:
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The purchase will trigger a mandatory offer for the rest of the shares in MBM Resources.

“UMW Holdings does not intend to maintain the listing status of MBM Resources,” it said.

MBM Resources is involved in the distribution and dealership of major international and local vehicle brands in Malaysia such as Perodua, Daihatsu, Hino, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen and Volvo, as well as the manufacturing of automotive parts.

After the completion of the MBM Resources’ takeover, UMW Holdings said it would offer to buy PNB Equity Resources Sdn Bhd’s 10% stake in Perodua for RM417.5mil.

This deal values Perodua at RM4.175bil.

Assuming full acceptance of UMW Holdings’ proposed mandatory offer for MBM Resources, the company’s effective interest in Perodua will increase from 38% to 60.6%.

The completion of the deal with PNB Equity Resources will increase its stake in Perodua to 70.6%.

“The proposed acquisitions are consistent with the company’s strategy to enhance its core businesses in the automotive, equipment and manufacturing and engineering segments” it said.

“It will allow the company to further improve its prospects in the automotive segment via leveraging on Perodua’s strength in the national car segment, coupled with the company’s existing presence in the non-national car segment via the Toyota marque,” it added.

Maybank Investment Bank Bhd is advising UMW Holdings on the deal.


Locally assembled Tucson 2.0L introduced

                SHAH ALAM: Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) has rolled-out the locally assembled version of the Tucson 2.0L, Hyundai’s mid-size SUV from Inokom’s plant in Kulim.

The locally assembled Tucson incorporates several upgraded features such as the LED Daytime Running Lights, and leather seats across all variants.

With no changes under the bonnet, the Tucson 2.0L maintains the 2.0 NU engine that delivers 156hp at 6,200rpm.

Colour options for the Tucson include Pure White, Titanium Grey, Hyper Metallic, Pepper Grey, and exclusive colours for the Sport variant are Remington Red, Phantom Black Sleek Silver and Platinum Silver.

The locally assembled Tucson is available in two variants: NU 2.0 Elegance at RM115, 888   and NU 2.0 Sport at RM132, 888 (prices exclude insurance premium, road tax, registration fees and hire-purchase ownership and applicable to Peninsular Malaysia only).

HSDM offers a 5-year or 300,000km (whichever comes first) extended warranty on all its new passenger vehicles. A 24-hour road assist service is also now available to new and existing Hyundai vehicles.

The Tucson, which made its worldwide debut in 2004, has chalked up global sales of more than 2 million units.

“The Tucson has been one of Hyundai’s more popular models and we have introduced this locally-assembled model to make it more accessible to Malaysians,” said Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors managing director Lau Yit Mun.


Buy an electrified BMW or MINI, and help the needy at same time

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia is chipping in to help the needy who have been especially hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It has started raising funds for two non-government organisations helping the needy namely Refuge for the Refugees and Empire Project.

BMW Group Malaysia is also adding its weight to the project by providing the logistics and meeting the delivery needs.

The campaign will see contributions of RM100, made on behalf of BMW and MINI customers, for every funded contract of the following models: the BMW 330e, 530e, 740Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, MINI Cooper SE as well as the Cooper SE Countryman.

The charity campaign runs from Sept 1 to Dec 31.

Funded contracts are approved online car loan applications submitted to BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia.

The contributions would support the Refuge for the Refugees food aid programme that serves
over 700 families in the B40, migrant and refugee communities on a weekly basis. They would also meet the food and essential relief needs of Empire Project, which serves marginalised Malaysians nationwide.


Ritzy collectors follow Bieber, LeBron into brash car wrapping fad

Tony King's Porsche 964 in Martini Racing theme.
NEW YORK: Tony King, known to some as Champagne Tony, was planning to join a family road trip from Denver to the West Coast, and he wanted to make a splash.

The Englishman, who owns Manhattan marketing firm King & Partners, took his slate-gray Porsche 964 from 1990 and wrapped it in the bold blue and red stripes of Martini Racing from the 1970s.

In addition to instantly turning the car into an eye-catcher, the wrap would protect the factory paint while it crossed the Rockies.

All the fun, less of the worry.

“I had always wanted a Martini car,” King says. The caravan was cancelled because of coronavirus concerns, but “we had so much fun driving around and seeing people’s reactions,” he says.

“Then one day I woke up and thought, ‘I want it gray again,’ and had it all taken off. Easy.”

Car wraps get a bad rap thanks to the chameleon BMWs that peacocked through South Beach and on Rodeo Drive in the early 2000s, as well as the questionable taste of celebrities such as Justin Bieber and his new matte-salmon-pink-wrapped Lamborghini Urus SUV and his chrome-all-over Fisker Karma. Then there’s the Nissan 240SX that rapper T-Pain covered to look like a pickle from the cartoon Rick and Morty.

 Justin Bieber's Urus.

But these days, temporary customised car coverings—painstakingly applied through sprays, or panel by panel by technicians who might spend four months on a single vehicle—are also being embraced by serious car enthusiasts and can be difficult to tell from a factory paint job.

Goodrich Corp invented vinyl chloride in 1926, a flexible material that could be made adhesive, in any colour; the US Air Force quickly adopted it for putting graphics on airplanes.

Expensive at the time, it wasn’t commonly seen on cars until the 1990s, when German taxi drivers started using it to cover their vehicles in a state-mandated beige hue.

By then, too, they’d become cheaper than painting and repainting the cab, which can still cost US$10,000 to US$20,000 for the best jobs, including clear coat protection.

The trend grew, pushed by new, less expensive temporary coatings such as AutoFlex and Plasti Dip, paint-like plastics from the ’70s. (Most are made by Avery Dennison Corp. and 3M Co.) Because the vinyl doesn’t bond to the car’s paint (imagine how saran wrap sticks to a bowl’s edge), it can peel off easily with no damage.

Buoyed by publicity stunts such as LeBron James wrapping his Lamborghini Aventador roadster in green floral to match the inside of his new line of Nike shoes in 2013, wrapping entered the culture at large. By 2018 pros like Yianni Charalambous covered vehicles as mundane as the Range Rover Sport in a satin black for Harry Styles.

 LeBron James's Aventador roadster in green floral.

A celebrity in his own right, Charalambous has his own customisation show on Amazon Prime and more than 1.7 million followers on social media.

Business is booming. Seth Rose, who founded Art of Wrap on Long Island, N.Y., in 2011, estimates he’ll transform more than 100 vehicles in 2021.

The work runs from simple US$5,000 jobs to a US$60,000 number on a McLaren 720S to a US$160,000 project on a Lamborghini Huracán.

The last requires three workers and features carbon elements and LED enhancement on the car’s underside so it will glow.

“The business has exploded,” agrees Gino Sepe, who founded Vaderwerks in Los Angeles in 2012. Sepe has seen the number of vehicles that pass through his shop double since early 2020.

The life span of the treatment is roughly three years, and though tempting, it’s not DIY-friendly. Land mines such as bubbling, creasing, warping, and sagging abound.

Says Rose: “You get what you pay for.”


AAM continues to be bogged down in financial troubles

                PETALING JAYA: All is still not well at the Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM), despite plans to resuscitate what was once Malaysia’s premier motoring body.

It is learnt that many of its employees have yet to be paid, some for up to 11 months, as the body continues to struggle with its debt crisis.

A senior staff member said he had been showing up for work despite not receiving his salary for almost a year.

“Things are gloomy. It is hard to keep your spirits up under these circumstances.

A check with the AAM breakdown number 1-300-226-226 at 4pm on Friday confirmed that the breakdown service was not being run by AAM and that it had been outsourced.

A staff member who answered the “distress” call simply said: “Sorry, sir, we have to call a tow truck but you have to pay first. You can claim later from us.”

Asked if there would be a refund, she did not seem clear.

Its members have been posting their frustration at AAM on the 1300 and 1800 toll-free directory website.

The AAM staff member said motorists who bought comprehensive insurance coverage were entitled to free breakdown assistance from the companies concerned.

He said many AAM members were not renewing their memberships, with many also demanding refunds.

“What we did last time was to sell a 2+1 membership, where you paid for two years and got free for one year.

“This was supposed to boost revenue, but there was no money coming from other channels to cover the free one-year part,” he said, adding that a lot of memberships were sold to last till 2018.

Attempts to contact AAM chairman Tunku Mudzaffar Tunku Mustapha and his deputy Wan Zaharuddin Wan Ahmad were unsuccessful.

The issue of unpaid AAM employees was also raised in Parliament by Kuala Langat MP Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid on Nov 23.

AAM, founded in 1932, was most popular for offering a 24-hour vehicle breakdown service. It also helps issue motor insurance cover notes and handles road tax and driving licence renewals.


Teased 2020 Toyota Tacoma debuting at Chicago Auto Show

                DALLAS: Toyota revealed that the 2020 Tacoma is "tacom-ing" to Chicago next week but gave out little more information about the upcoming truck apart for a picture of a shadowy top half.

On Tuesday, Toyota shared a teaser image of the 2020 Tacoma showing only the top part of the truck as seen from the front at dusk.

From what is barely pictured in the image, we can see that not much has changed in terms of exterior design — at least, for the top half — which makes sense considering that this 2020 update will likely just be a mid-cycle refresh.

In any case, the interesting part of the truck is probably what's below the image: maybe a lift, new set of tyres, or a re-imagined grille, bumper, or set of headlights.

The most recent Tacoma, which is on the market right now, is the third-generation model which debuted at the Detroit Auto Show in 2015 with US$25,000. Considering that this model is sporting some 2015 tech, it's likely that we'll see updated infotainment and safety system in the upcoming model.

The latest Tacoma will be unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show on Feb 7, at the Toyota Press Conference.


More convenience at Shell-Porsche EV high performance charging stations

                TANGKAK: Shell and Porsche Asia Pacific's partnership in the upcoming network of electric vehicle (EV) high performance charging (HPC) stations along the North-South Expressway is smart and convenient to use through a handphone app.

Using Shell's ParkEasy app, EV drivers can reserve the HPC bays up to 60 minutes in advance.

The app also comes with a navigation feature to guide EV drivers to the charging stations.

The Shell Recharge Tangkak HPC station located at the Shell Tangkak service station along the south-bound North South Expressway, was officially launched on Jan 13.

The Tangkak HPC is the first of a total of six Shell HPC stations with 12 charging points along Malaysia’s North-South Expressway.

The Tangkak HPC station's two charging bays use the Combined Charging System (CCS) Type 2 connectors to deliver 180kW of direct-current (DC) that is the fastest charging capacity in the country.

If two bays are used simultaneously, the charging output is split to 90kW per EV.

During a demonstration, a Porsche Taycan 4S with state of charge at 23% was replenished to 90% in about 20 minutes, giving the sporty EV a driving range of 359km, easily more than enough power to reach Johor Baru or return to Kuala Lumpur.

 Shell Malaysia Trading general manager (mobility, Malaysia and Singapore) Seow Lee Ming plugging the CCS Type 2 connector onto the Taycan 4S.

While waiting for the car to be charged, the EV driver and passengers will be able to take a break with an array of offering at the service station's one-stop Shell Select convenience outlet.

The Shell-Porsche Asia Pacific partnership aims to enable EVs to travel from Singapore to Malaysia and onwards to Thailand without "range anxiety" as well as offering shorter charging times.

Under the venture, all Porsche Taycan owners are automatically registered as Platinum members, allowing them to value-added benefits from Shell in Malaysia and Singapore.

In Malaysia, Taycan owners are entitled to a 50% discount rate for the first 12 hours per year of stay.

In Singapore, they will get a discount of S$0.10/kWh from the prevailing retail rate beginning Feb 16.

Malaysia EV users are also able to use the facility by registering for Shell Recharge Gold subscription plan which offers a 40% discount rate for the first 10 hours per year at RM12 per five minutes of the first 25 minutes.

The HPC network also comes with a Pay-Per-Use option where users are charged RM20 for every five minutes.

Details of the HPC stations are available at www.shell.com.my/motorists/shell-recharge/shell-recharge-hpc.html


Mercedes-Benz kicks off new CLS production

Site manager of the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant Michael Bauer (left) and Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen Works Council chairman Ergun Lümali meet to start the production of the new CLS.
STUTTGART: Mercedes-Benz has begun production of the new CLS at its Sindelfingen plant.

The third generation CLS runs off the same assembly line together with the E-Class sedan and the E-Class T-model. State-of-the-art digital production technologies are used.

For example, a system locates the screwdrivers which are required by an employee and provides the necessary information on a certain vehicle, such as its order data. That way, only screwdrivers, that are actually required for the operations on the vehicle, were activated.

The latest CLS made its world premiere at the 2017 LA Auto Show last November. Sales will start in March this year.

In 2003, Mercedes-Benz created a new vehicle segment with the CLS, that for the first time combined the elegance and dynamism of a coupé with the comfort and functionality of a sedan.

Besides the CLS the Mercedes-AMG CLS 53 4MATIC+ is also produced in the same hall. The CLS 53 4MATIC+ accelerates from zero to 100kph in just 4.5 seconds, and with the Driver's package achieves a top speed of 270kph. The combined fuel consumption is 8.4 l/100 km, and the combined CO2 emissions 200 g/km.

The Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant is the centre of competence for upper-range and luxury-class vehicles, and also the lead plant for the production of the S- and E-Class model series.

This will also be the location for the prospective production of electric vehicles of the new EQ product and technology brand. Together with the central production organisation of Mercedes-Benz Cars, the plant employs a workforce of more than 25,000. Sindelfeingen is about 20km southwest of here.


MINI Cooper tested

                The new Mini Cooper is one pocket rocket that lives up to its reputation.

It's rather hard to believe that the modern MINI has been around for 13 years.

It feels like only a short while ago that BMW unveiled the successor to Sir Alec Issigonis’ original creation, but already here we are with the all-new third-generation MINI Cooper.

The new Cooper sits on an all-new platform and features a new BMW engine to boot, which is actually debuting in the MINI, instead of the other way around.

And no longer is the turbo-charged engine limited to just the Cooper S, as the bread-and-butter model is now equipped with a three-cylinder 1.5L TwinPower Turbo powerplant.

The new MINI promises to be bigger and more matured, which begs the question – can you refine the MINI, yet maintain its quirky charm?

Externally the size increase is rather obvious and the new design headlamps with ‘eyebrow’ DRLs are particularly distinctive.

Larger LED tail-lamps adorn the rear, and gone is the signature ‘floating lamp’ design, as they’re now flush with the boot line.

The new Cooper is flanked with 16-inch Loop Spoke alloys that look really lovely.

MINI from all angles.

The interior is still rather familiar to MINI enthusiasts, but with a few significant changes, the most obvious is the centre console.

Gone is the ‘Hidden Mickey’ central speedometer, which now resides where the rev counter used to sit – in a more conventional position behind the steering wheel where you can actually read it.

Next to it is the fuel-gauge, which in my opinion is quite possibly the coolest-looking fuel-gauge ever designed.

The oversized central unit now houses the car’s multi-function infotainment system, surrounded by an LED ring.

This indicator ring has multiple uses – adjust the audio volume or air-conditioning and it will display the level accordingly.

Rev the engine, and it doubles as a rev indicator, and it also lights up in colour according to which drive mode (Sport, Mid and Green) is selected. Funky stuff indeed.

The Cooper’s three drive modes are easily selected via a flick of a knob at the base of the gear lever, which changes throttle mapping, transmission behaviour and steering effort on the fly.

The notes that appear on screen are rather amusing, like “Let’s MINImalise” for Green mode which gives you the best mileage, while Mid is the best for day-to-day fun driving.

Sport mode lets you run wild and offers the most exhilarating drive, naturally.

MINI’s aircraft-inspired switches are still present, and now there’s also a neat push-start flap amongst them.

A nice feature would be the secondary visor just above the driver door, which helps to block sunlight glare.

Seats are supportive yet comfortable, and the adjustable thigh support is a definite plus-point. While the Cooper’s interior is now more spacious in almost every dimension, it’s still very much a 2+2.

Despite that, my dad who had a chance to sit at the rear remarked how comfortable he was.

Function-wise, the Cooper performs well as a hatch, with folding rear seats and decent boot space.

Everything looks and feels premium, evidently an influence from the parent company.

Purists might scorn at some of the new changes, but the pros truly outweigh the cons. And if you love novelty, this car has probably more than you’ll ever want.

Performance-wise, the new 136bhp 3-cylinder turbo powers the Cooper from 0-100 in a mere 7.8 seconds, with a top-speed of 210kph.

The car truly comes alive when you floor the throttle, where the car would emit a rather sporty purr.

The six-speed automatic (no manual option, folks) is a joy to use, with smooth, precise gear changes, so you won’t be missing much.

Despite its new levels of refinement, the MINI stays true to its signature go-kart-like handling, with its rigid structure and stiff suspension providing maximum driving pleasure.

Just point it where you want to go and the Cooper will get the job done.

The suspension can get rather harsh on really poor surfaces, but I guess it’s a small price to pay for such wonderful handling.

Numerous little touches make all the difference, like a cute illustration of the car having a thought bubble imagining it’s a rocket.

These add plenty of character to the car, making it more than just a form of transport.

Although the new Cooper has a more mature look, driving this neo-classic was serious fun.

Sure it may be a little juvenile and overly playful, but it certainly wouldn’t be called a MINI otherwise.


Take a virtual drive at CES 2019 with BMW Vision iNEXT

                MUNICH: The BMW Group will showcase the future of driving pleasure and the potential of digital connectivity in a variety of different ways at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas from Jan 8-11, 2019.

Visitors will have their first chance to take a virtual drive in the BMW Vision iNEXT, accompanied by the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant.

The BMW Group is underlining its innovative capabilities in the fields of design, automated driving, connectivity, electrification, and services (D+ACES).

The vision vehicle will be displayed alongside a sophisticated mixed-reality installation that, for the first time, provides a virtual and immersive impression of what it is like to drive autonomously, emission-free, and fully connected in the BMW Vision iNEXT.

To begin the simulation, the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant suggests an agenda for the day and plans the activities for the trip perfectly. With virtual reality goggles and a specially-designed spatial concept, visitors are able to immerse themselves in this virtual world: Initially, they drive the BMW Vision iNEXT themselves, but the vehicle soon takes over the driving function.

In autonomous “Ease” mode, the driver interacts with the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, which makes suggestions and controls various digital services for the driver – from videoconferencing, to shopping, to smart home functions.

Finally, the interior of the BMW Vision iNEXT is designed as a mobile environment that enhances quality of life.


Lancia to mimic Mercedes in pursuit of a future inside Stellantis

                MILAN: Italy's Lancia will pursue profitability over volume to secure a long-term home in the 14 brand Stellantis stable and try to emulate German carmaker Mercedes to do so, says its boss, Luca Napolitano.

Lancia has in recent years retreated from a past littered with world rally titles and iconic cars such as the Delta to a single model, the Ypsilon, in just one market, Italy.

Some analysts have regarded Lancia as one of the least strategic brands within Stellantis, the world's fourth largest carmaker, which was formed this year by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and France's PSA.

However, Napolitano has presented a 10-year plan to Stellantis chief executive Carlos Tavares to relaunch Lancia, based on three new models: the new Ypsilon in 2024, both hybrid and battery electric, and a compact crossover expected in 2026 followed by a compact hatchback in 2028, both fully electric.

"Clearly volumes are important, but our targets are about profitability," Napolitano said in an interview on Friday.

Lancia, which alongside Alfa Romeo and DS was grouped in the pool of Stellantis brands cooperating in the premium market, needed to continue on this high-end path, he added.

"We still need to work and need to look at a benchmark... which for us is Mercedes," Napolitano said. "I don't mean we want to fight against Mercedes, that would be naive, but that is an example of what we look at".

While Alfa Romeo and DS are global brands, Lancia's target is to move to Europe, initially targeting Germany and France, where electrification is moving faster, then adding countries including Spain, Belgium, Austria and the Nordics, he said.

"We initially target to make 25-30% of our sales abroad, to reach 50-50," he said. "Our aggressive electrification strategy and our focus on market segments which are very strong in Europe will help us".

'Just three clicks'

Napolitano said that Lancia aimed to be the brand within Stellantis with the highest share of recycled materials.

"We would like to build cars with a significant portion of recycled materials," he said.

Lancia's 10-year plan does not include going back to motor races and expanding outside Europe, as it needs credibility in the premium segment and to focus on priorities, Napolitano said.

"However, in the coming year, if things go well, why not try to bring (Lancia models with) right-hand drive also in Japan, South Africa or Australia?" he said.

Lancia's expansion plan in Europe will be based on a light network of dealers, only in the largest urban areas, helping it to keep costs down and boost profitability.

Napolitano said the target was to have around 100 Lancia selling points in Europe in around 60 cities, which would be shared with other Stellantis brands, while pushing online to reduce the amount of time potential buyers spend at dealers.

"My target is to make it possible to buy a car with just three clicks," Napolitano said.


Get your Jaguar driving shoes

                LONDON: The latest sartorial collaboration between Jaguar and Oliver Sweeney could well be a shoe in for the best holiday season gift for the fast-driving fashionista in your life.

Luxury sportscar maker Jaguar has unveiled two new styles of formal driving shoe - the Weslake and the Sayer - both created in partnership with high-profile cobbler, Sweeney.

"Collaborating with another great British brand has been really inspiring, and we've truly worked together on these shoes to create something that reflects what both of our brands represent," said Oliver Sweeney Cobbler-in-Chief, Tim Cooper. "As a result, the shoes are not only beautiful objects, but ideal for driving in too."

Using the same approach to car design development, the shoes were sculpted from clay and a prototype was 3D printed before reverting to the time-honoured cobbler's craftsmanship.

The new collection will go on sale in Oliver Sweeney virtual and physical stores from Oct 1.


Join the largest Beetle gathering in Malaysia as a fitting send-off

                KUALA LUMPUR: For the first time ever, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) will be organising the Beetle, An Iconic Gathering on July 13 as a way to say farewell to the model, which will end production in July.

The event, which welcomes Beetle owners from all walks of life in celebration of the cult classic, will be held at the open-air carpark at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya.

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

The celebration will kick-off with a 150-strong Beetle Sunshine Tour convoy that will be flagged off in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

The convoy will be making its way through the streets of the Golden Triangle before proceeding to Putrajaya where it will join the other Beetle cars at the Palace of Justice.

Beetle: An Iconic Gathering is open to all Beetle owners in Malaysia and interested participants can register and their cars on the Volkswagen website.

Participation is free, and details of the event are provided during the online registration. All participants will also receive a certificate of participation from Volkswagen.

Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM said, “Volkswagen ends production of the much-loved Beetle this year, and we want to give this global bestseller the send-off it deserves by celebrating its legacy. We would like to invite owners and Beetle enthusiasts to the gathering to help us break the record and celebrate the world’s favourite Bug.”


Chinese Porsche driver loses licence after listening to fortune-teller

                HONG KONG: A superstitious motorist in eastern China who waited for “an auspicious day” to put number plates on his new Porsche has temporarily lost his driving licence and been fined 200 yuan (US$30).

The driver, surnamed Zhu, was stopped by traffic police officers on a highway in Lishui, Zhejiang province, on Monday night after they noticed his temporary plates had expired on April 26, the Qianjiang Evening News reported.

Zhu told the police he had the new plates in the car, but a fortune-teller had advised him not to put them on straight away

“It is a new car and a fortune-teller told me the plates must not be put up in April,” he was quoted as saying. “I need to wait for an auspicious day, which has not been decided yet, to do that for road safety and a prosperous business.”

Zhu, a businessman, said he was convinced the delay was important.

He then drove the car during the Labour Day public holidays last week, forgetting that the temporary licence had expired.

He was fined and 12 points deducted from his driving licence. He will have to retake a test on China’s traffic rules to get it back. — South China Morning Post


Acura Precision Concept headed to Detroit show

LOS ANGELES: Honda's luxury mark Acura will unveil its Precision Concept design at the 2016 Detroit motor show in January.

The Precision name recalls a 1986 slogan that welcomed Acura's launch 30 years beforehand.

Since then the brand has expanded to offer five distinct models its luxury flagship, the RLX sedan, as well as the TLF performance sedan, RDX crossover SUV, and seven-seater MDX, with a new NSX supercar set for Spring 2016.

The Precision Concept's role in all this is to "serve as the inspiration for the styling and proportion of the next-generation of Acura vehicles, especially for our sedans," said global creative director Dave Marek.

A Jan 12 event will see the Precision Concept unveiled at the North American International Motor Show in Detroit.

Acura offers a full line of performance-luxury vehicles through a network of 270 US dealers. The Acura lineup features five models – the RLX luxury flagship sedan, the TLX performance luxury sedan, the ILX sport sedan, the 5-passenger RDX luxury crossover SUV, and the seven-passenger Acura MDX.


Britain to hike levy on most polluting diesel cars

                LONDON: Britain will increase the amount of taxation paid by those driving diesel cars that do not meet more stringent emissions standards, finance minister Philip Hammond said on Wednesday.

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is paid by British drivers with one rate applying in the first year dependent on emissions levels and a flat rate taking effect from the second year onwards.

“From April 2018, the first-year VED rate for diesel cars that don’t meet the latest standards will go up by one band,” Hammond said on Wednesday in his annual budget statement.

He said the money would fund a 220-million pound (RM1.2bil) Clean Air Fund to support local plans to improve air quality.


New BMW 430i Coupé arrives in Malaysia, priced at RM455K

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Group Malaysia today announced a slew of new vehicles covering its BMW mainstay as well as BMW Motorrad and MINI.

It launched the new 430i Coupé M Sport and two facelifted variants of the MINI Countryman. Two motorcycle models also debuted namely the R 18 Classic and the S 1000 RR. It previewed the locally assembled X7, which will be coming soon.

The coupé is priced at RM454,800 (on the road, without insurance).

The second-generation 4 Series Coupe features the controversial giant kidney grille. Angled forward, the tall meshed kidney grille extends down almost to the lower edge of the front apron, and together with the large air intake curtains, accentuates the width of the front.

 Left-hand driver 4 Series shown in press photo provided by BMW. Don't worry, Malaysia will get the right-hand drive version.

Compared to its F32 predecessor, the G22 coupe is slightly larger at 4,768 mm in length (+130), 1,852 mm in width (+27), 1,383 mm in height (+6), and 2,851 mm in wheelbase (+41).

From the side, it shows off short overhangs and the longest coupé doors to be found on any BMW. The car comes with 19" M light alloy wheels in Double-spoke style 797 M Bicolour with mixed tyres and runflat tyres, and M Sport brakes with blue painted brake callipers and ‘M’ designation. The exhaust tailpipes are finished in high-glass chrome.

The coupé is fitted with M Aerodynamics Package, BMW Laserlights with High-beam Assistant, LED fog lights, the BMW Individual high-gloss Shadow Line.

Under the bonnet is the BMW TwinTurbo 4-cylinder 2.0-litre petrol engine, which combines a twin-scroll turbocharger with Valvetronic, Double VANOS and High-Precision Injection. The famous B48 engine makes 258hp and 400Nm of torque, completing a 0 – 100 km/h sprint in 5.8 seconds. The top speed of is 250kph.

Power to the wheels is transmitted via an upgraded 8-speed Steptronic Sport Transmission with improved efficiency resulting in a fuel consumption of 6.6 litre per 100 km, and CO2 emissions of 151 g per kilometre of travel. Optimised dynamics is achieved through enhanced ride and shift comfort, along with shorter shift times.

Agile handling is aided by advanced control systems such as ARB technology (actuator contiguous wheel slip limitation), which enables significantly faster and more sensitive wheel slip control. M Sport suspension, M Sport brakes and Variable Sport Steering are standard.

Also on board are Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), including Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Dynamic Brake Control (DBC) and Antilock Braking System (ABS) with Brake Assist.

IN the cabin, standard equipment includes sport seats for the driver and passenger, M leather steering wheel, M-specific pedals, Leather Vernasca upholstery, and BMW Individual headliner Anthracite, complete with interior trim finisher Aluminium Tetragon with highlight trim finisher in Pearl Chrome. M-specific stripes adorn the safety belts for both front and rear seats.

A high centre console delimits separate zones for the driver and front passenger. Integration of the instrument cluster and Control Display helps form a large workspace, displaying essential information in an easily accessible manner. The instrument panel is complete in Sensatec.

Multi-function buttons for the steering wheel, additional storage compartment with the front armrest, and electric seat adjustment with memory function for the driver provide functional touches.

The exterior mirror on the driver’s side come equipped with automatic anti-dazzle function and include fold-in functionality. The interior rear-view mirror is also fitted with an automatic anti-dazzle function. Visibility in the rain is aided by a rain sensor, with automatic activation control for windscreen wipers and driving lights.

The controls are arranged in clearly defined functional clusters, allowing for ample room to showcase lavish surfaces and exclusive materials. Visually enhancing the interior ambience are the welcome light carpet and ambient light with 11 predefined lighting designs, while floor mats in velour and automatic air conditioning with 3-zone control denote the luxury-focus of the car.

The coupé features BMW Live Cockpit Professional with fully digital 12.3” instrument display along with BMW Navigation System Professional with 10.25” touch sensitive display. In-car entertainment comes from a 16-speaker Harman Kardon surround sound system and extended functionality for Bluetooth and USB devices with wireless charging.

The coupé is equipped with Connected Package Professional and this includes Intelligent Emergency Call, Teleservices, and Intelligent Personal Assistant. Customisable widgets for the control display are featured in the latest BMW Operating System 7, with real-time display of desired information. Remote Software Upgrade ensures timely software updates, enabling drivers to access new vehicle functions that can be retrofitted seamlessly via an over-the-air upgrade.

The rear seats provide passengers with the sporty seating experience of a coupé, while still providing ample headspace. 40/20/40-split folding function for the rear backrests allow for a through-loading system, further expanding and providing access to the 440-litre luggage compartment.

In addition to Speed Limit Assist, Cross-traffic Warning, Rear Collision Prevention, and Approach Control Warning, the car has Driving Assistant Package which includes features such as Lane Departure Warning, Lane Change Warning, and front collision warning with brake intervention.

The also has Parking Assistant with rear-view camera and Reversing Assistant, which continuously records the last 50 metres of driving (when driven slowly, at speeds of up to 35kph) and automatically reverses back the exact same way if requested, allowing for effortless navigation out of parking spots or tight spaces.

Four colours are available: Arctic Race Blue Metallic, Portimao Blue, Alpine White, and Black Sapphire. Leather Vernasca upholstery with black décor stitching decorates the interior and comes in Black, Tacora Red or Cognac.

Customers can also book the coupé online with RM1,000.

 The first generation 4 Series Coupe (F32) sports a smaller and more conventional BMW grille.

Fast Facts - BMW Group Malaysia Drives Momentum in Year 2021 with New Vehicles


Armani's future in focus as group denies any interest in Ferrari tie-up

Succession plans at the firm founded by 86-year-old designer Giorgio Armani, known as King Giorgio in the fashion world, have long been the subject of speculation. — Reuters
MILAN: Speculation over the future of Italian fashion group Armani came to the fore today after the Milanese brand said it had no interest in a tie-up with luxury sports car maker Ferrari, as proposed in a plan by investment banks.

Succession plans at the firm founded by 86-year-old designer Giorgio Armani, known as King Giorgio in the fashion world, have long been the subject of speculation.

In an interview with Vogue magazine in April Armani opened itself up to the possibility of joining forces with an Italian partner, having previously insisted the group should remain independent. read more

On Wednesday, Italy's Il Sole 24 Ore newspaper said investments banks, which it did not name, had pitched a plan envisaging a merger of Armani and Ferrari to Exor, the holding company of Italy's Agnelli family and the main investor in Ferrari.

Under the scheme Armani, by merging his company into Ferrari, would become the second-largest investor in the Formula 1 car maker. The paper said both Armani and Exor had ruled out such a plan.

A spokesperson for Armani contacted by Reuters said that project had not been presented to the fashion group which anyway had no interest in it.

Armani's comments to Vogue fuelled speculation about possible interest from Exor, which recently took stakes in shoe maker Christian Louboutin and Chinese luxury group Shang Xia, which was co-founded by France's Hermes.

Analysts dismiss the possibility of a merger between Ferrari and Armani but they do not rule out interest from Exor in the fashion brand.

A Milan-based analyst said a valuation of between 5 and 6 billion euros for Armani would entail a 1.0-1.8 billion euro investment by Exor for a stake of 20-30%.

Armani and Exor declined to comment on the market speculation.


Volkswagen rocked by full-blown crisis as CEO vows to fight, say sources

                BERLIN:  Volkswagen has plunged into a full-blown leadership crisis after chief executive Martin Winterkorn let it be known earlier today he will fight for his job even though the carmaker's chairman has reportedly withdrawn confidence in the CEO.

Ferdinand Piech, who has spent almost 22 years at the helm of VW, nine as CEO, said he has "distanced" himself from Winterkorn, Der Spiegel reported on Friday, exposing unusual dissent between VW's two top leaders.

Piech's remark is viewed by analysts as undermining the CEO's prospects of renewing his contract, due to expire in December 2016 and to become chairman himself when Piech retires.

It comes as VW is seeking to cut billions of euros of costs to boost profitability at its troubled core division while struggling to forge a long-planned alliance of truck brands and to revive operations in the United States.

Winterkorn, who in his eight-year reign has overseen VW's transformation from a struggling German group saddled with high labour costs into one of the world's most successful automotive companies, will not run away from his job and feels emboldened by support from strong allies, two sources at Wolfsburg-based VW told Reuters today.

A spokesman for Volkswagen declined to comment on the report. Piech's office in Salzburg, Austria, didn't return calls seeking comment.

Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung reported earlier today that Winterkorn would not allow himself to be edged out of VW, citing unnamed sources at the carmaker who referred to his successful track record as CEO.

Under Winterkorn's watch, VW has expanded from eight to twelve brands, more than doubled the number of production plants to over 100 and boosted sales 64 percent to a record 10.1 million vehicles last year.

The state of Lower Saxony, where VW is based and which owns a fifth of VW's voting shares, as well as the carmaker's labour leaders who represent half the 20 members on VW's supervisory board on Friday came out backing Winterkorn.

Together they have majority control of the panel which appoints and dismisses executives. Important decisions such as the building and shuttering of plants need a two-thirds majority.

Still, VW's chairman has a track record of undermining his own executives. In a Wall St Journal interview published in March 2006, Piech, already chairman of the supervisory board at the time, said it was an "open issue" whether the contract of then-CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder would be extended because of opposition from labour representatives.

In November 2006, VW announced that Pischetsrieder had agreed to resign, and in 2007 it installed Winterkorn, then a close ally of Piech and head of VW's Audi division.

In 2009, Piech publicly damaged the reputation of Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking and chief financial officer Holger Haerter. Both executives quit within two months.


Agnelli and Peugeot families agree to consult on Stellantis

                MILAN: Italy’s Agnelli and France’s Peugeot, the largest shareholders in Stellantis, have signed a consultation agreement, holding companies representing the two families said on Wednesday, on the eve of the carmakers’ first annual general meeting.

Exor and Peugeot 1810 said in a joint statement they had entered an understanding “aimed at strengthening the relations between the Agnelli and Peugeot families and to provide support for Stellantis in its long-term success”.

The accord will allow the two companies to exchange views, while leaving them free to vote as they choose and not carrying any obligation to coordinate their actions as Stellantis shareholders, they said.

With a 14.4% stake, Exor is the single largest shareholder in Stellantis, the world’s fourth largest carmaker, which was formed in January through the merger of Italian-American Fiat Chrysler and France’s PSA. Peugeot 1810 has a 7.2% stake.


Renault Kaptur unveiled in Moscow

                MOSCOW: Renault is making headway into Russia with the unveiling of the four-wheel drive Kaptur.

The Kaptur is one of the 10 new models that Group Renault president and CEO Carlos Ghosn announced this year as Renault continues to expand outside of Europe, notably Russia, by trying to appeal to motorists who lead busy life-styles, appreciate a modern atmosphere and value comfort.

Furthermore, to heighten the Kaptur's appeal, the French carmaker has also developed a unique set of customisation options for the car that's manufactured at Renault's Moscow plant and is due to go on sale in the third quarter of this year.

The new model is the latest addition to Renault’s range in Russia, joinging the likes of the marque's crossover and SUV line-up such as the Sandero Stepway, Duster and Koleos.

Design-wise, the Kaptur is based on the company's six-petal flower strategy, symbolising the human life cycle, and is the brand's new approach to styling in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) - formed after the Soviet Union was disolved in 1991.

The front end features Renault’s bold new logo set against a gloss black background and a new honeycomb mesh grille, while the tail lights feature C-shaped LED lighting with 3D-effect.

With a wheelbase of 2,674mm, it measures 4,333mm-long, 1,813mm-wide (not inlcuding wing mirrors) and 1,613mm-tall while having 204mm of ground clearance - gifting it with approach and departure angles of 20 and 31 degrees respectively.

It also gets a wide tailgate aperture of 1,002mm for the the 387-litre boot volume that's expandable to 1,200 litres with the 60/40-split bench fully-folded.

Other equipements in the Kaptur includes keyless entry with push-start button, navigation, seven-inch (18cm) touchscreen display with Bluetooth connectivity and Remote Engine Start system as well as heated front seats and windscreen.

“To design Renault KAPTUR, we have mixed the best of Renault’s eye-catching design with a specific attention to Russian needs for off-road abilities, travelling comfort and versatility. It is a genuine crossover, with a robust, expressive design,” said Groupe Renault corporate design vice president Laurens van den Acker.


Ford taps masses of vehicle data to stay ahead in commercial van market

                LONDON: Ford Motor Co's push to use reams of data generated by its vans and trucks - from engines to oil filters or brake pads - to attract more customers in the European and US commercial vehicle market plays out on a 9-metre-long screen at its UK headquarters in Dunton east of London.

During a recent visit by Reuters, that screen showed real-time data from 114,000 vans in Britain so far covered by Ford's FORDLIive monthly subscription service.

Ford employees were focused on the 98.3% of the vans that were in service - and of those, roughly 8% in need of repairs fairly soon or urgently - but concentrated even more so on the 1.7% vehicles out of action.

The US automaker tracks 4,000 data points via modems it has installed in all commercial vehicles since 2019 – and can warn paying customers of engine problems and basics such as brake pad wear, low oil or diesel additives that are cheap to maintain proactively but expensive to fix if not addressed.

The automaker has connected all of its UK dealers to its system, so it can arrange repairs and have parts ready for vans before they arrive at a dealership.

Ford, which leads the commercial vehicle market in both Europe and the United States, launched the system in 2021. Hans Schep, European head of Ford Pro, the company's commercial vehicle business, said it is already close to hitting long-term targets of increasing vehicle "up time" by up to 60%.

Ford estimates that downtime, when a van is out of action, costs an average of £600 (RM3,230) daily per van.

"This has already been a major game-changer," Schep said.

After a successful test run in Britain, Ford is also rolling out the FORDLiive service in mainland Europe and the United States. The automaker has focused more on its profitable Ford Pro business in Europe than lower-margin mass-market passenger cars.

Ford recently announced engineering job cuts in Europe, but is still hiring software experts for its data services.

Data is a huge battleground for commercial vehicle makers and competition will only intensify with electric models, which are essentially computers on wheels.

Using data to show where vans are, how they consume fuel, how drivers use or misuse them, whether they can skip an oil change, but above all avoiding downtime is becoming as important as the vehicles themselves.

There is also an ongoing fight pitting insurers, leasing companies and car repair shops against carmakers in the European Union over access to connected car data and the vast potential revenue it could generate.

"We plan to grow our leadership position," said Ted Cannis, chief executive of Ford Pro. "We are going to have many, many more markets that we were not even previously in."

Easing the electric journey

Electric vans provide far more data points for Ford and its rivals to work with - including tracking how much range they have left and providing easy, comprehensive charging solutions.

Ford's Schep said providing that data is crucial for van fleets because according to the automaker's research, 60% of its corporate customers "are really worried about the journey to electric."

The UK operations of DHL Express, part of the Deutsche Post DHL Group, has 270 electric Ford E Transit vans with firm orders for 120 more, and is signing up for FORDLiive.

Fleet director Richard Crook said aside from monitoring those vans' batteries, he wants to tap Ford's predictive maintenance capabilities.

"We need to get ahead of things and plan maintenance schedules because the vehicle is actually telling you 'I have a problem,'" Crook said.

Ford rival General Motors Co has also rolled out telematics services including "in-vehicle coaching," where a voice nicknamed "Karen in the vehicle" coaches drivers against excessive braking, speeding or other bad habits.

Michelle Calloway, director of OnStar Business Solutions at GM, said "Karen" cut fuel use by 30% in 30 days in one customer's fleet.

"Those are impactful savings scaled across a large fleet," Calloway said.

Starting with 2024 models, GM will provide a range of OnStar data services free for fleet vehicles. Ed Peper, who heads GM's fleet sales, said once customers try those services, they are likely to pay for more.

Italian truck, van and bus maker Iveco Group NV has around 150,000 connected vehicles using telematics services and has seen a 30% increase in uptime, plus a "single-digit percent" drop in warranty costs so far, said chief technology officer Marco Liccardo.

Liccardo estimates subscription services will generate 40% to 50% of commercial vehicle makers' profits by 2030 and help franchise dealers survive the shift to electric with fewer parts to service.

"Data will be the oxygen to do that," Liccardo said.


Volkswagen Tayron X launched in China

                SHANGHAI: The Volkswagen Tayron X sport utility vehicle (SUV) has been launched in China, with a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to a 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox.

Two engine variants are offered, namely an entry level model with 186bhp and 320Nm of torque and a sportier model with 220bhp and 350Nm of torque.

The new Tayron X is the production version of the Volkswagen SUV coupe concept which debuted at the 2019 Shanghai Motor Show.

The Tayron X is the coupe version of the standard Tayron SUV which has been sold in China since late 2018.


Revitalised Ferrari Petaling Jaya showroom opens

                PETALING JAYA: Naza Italia, the official importer and distributor for Ferrari in Malaysia, has unveiled the fresh-faced Ferrari Petaling Jaya showroom.

The double-storey showroom, which was revitalised in accordance with Ferrari’s new Corporate Identity design, was launched in conjunction with the official arrival of the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, the brand’s first plug-in hybrid vehicle.

Present to mark the occasion were Naza Corp Holdings Group CEO, Automotive Group, Datuk Nik Hamdam Nik Hassan and Naza Italia National Brand Head (Ferrari) Damien Woo.

Due to restrictions on international travel, Ferrari Far East and Middle East president Dieter Knechtel, was unable to be present and instead connected with the guests via pre-recorded video.

A total of RM3.5mil was invested in the renovation and refurbishment of the showroom which features a chic style that reflects Ferrari’s new Corporate Identity.

READ MORE: Ferrari SF90 Stradale roars in at RM1.9mil

Ferrari Petaling Jaya is among the first few dealers in South East Asia to implement the new design.

The showroom is built over two floors, covering a total of 11,900 sq ft, and can accommodate seven cars at any given time.

The ground floor is the main display area which showcases the latest Ferrari models available to the local market and includes a stylish community table.

Alongside it is a dedicated customer lounge which is finely furnished and equipped with a coffee bar to provide clients a luxurious space with a community feel.

The configuration room is decked out with a broad selection of materials and options as well as the exclusive “atelier” panels, which rotate and allow for the room to be closed off when discerning customers would prefer to design their Ferrari with peace and privacy.

This experience provided to Ferrari clientele is akin to that offered at the factory in Maranello, with an array of the most exquisite samples of fabric, paint, leather and livery available for their choosing.

The first floor is partially dedicated to Ferrari Approved, the brand’s pre-owned certification programme.

All pre-owned models on display here have undergone a meticulous 190-step check and prepared to ensure that their new owners receive a Ferrari in world-class condition.

Nik Hamdam said the company had actively invested in a commitment to developing and nurturing relationships with customers throughout the years.

"This elegantly renovated showroom enables us to build upon those customer connections while also offering them a sense of community in a space where they may gather with others who share their passion for the Prancing Horse.”


Renault introduces new variant Koleos Signature SUV

                PETALING JAYA: TC Euro Cars (TCEC), the sole franchise holder of Renault vehicles in Malaysia, announced that the Koleos Signature – a new two-wheel drive (2WD) variant of Renault’s flagship D-segment SUV – is now available and open for booking at all Renault branch showrooms nationwide.

The new Renault Koleos Signature variant is available at RM198,800 (on-the- road inclusive of GST, without insurance, for Peninsular Malaysia and private registration).

The new Koleos Signature variant presents an intermediate offering within Renault’s high-end large SUV line-up in Malaysia, which currently includes the Koleos 2WD and 4WD.

The Koleos Signature is powered by a 2.5-litre petrol engine that is mated to an X-Tronic CVT automatic transmission for enhanced performance and driving enjoyment.

This efficient engine is capable of delivering maximum power of 171PS and peak torque of 226Nm. It is also responsive at low and mid-range engine speeds.

Offering enhanced connectivity, Koleos Signature incorporates a new smartphone replication feature through the R-LINK 2 multimedia system that is compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

For added convenience, the Koleos Signature comes with a hands-free power tailgate, which is also available in the 4WD variant.

Koleos Signature also features additional refinement and styling, with a new electric panoramic sunroof that adds a premium touch while enhancing in-cabin ambience, as well as premium brown leather seat upholstery that portrays understated elegance.

Colour options available include Marron Red, Universal White, Meissen Blue, Grey Metallic and Black Metallic.

“Koleos continues to be a success globally and it’s been well received here in Malaysia as well. With this introduction of the new Koleos Signature variant, we believe that we are bringing in even more desirable functions and features that add value to our customers’ lives such as the Electric Panaromic Sunroof, the Hands-free Power Tailgate and compatability with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, on top of an already impressive kit of existing features,” said Kuan Kim Luen, CEO, TC Euro Cars Sdn Bhd.

For more information about the Koleos, Koleos Signature variant and Renault, please visit www.renault.com.my or www.facebook.com/RenaultMalaysia.


Drivers to Switzerland's scenic south stopped by police in virus crackdown

Police personnel of the Canton of Uri  at a checkpoint on the motorway A2 near the northern entrance of the St. Gotthard road tunnel in Goeschenen today. — Reuters
GOESCHENEN (Switzerland): A road under the Alps to the sunny south of Switzerland normally jammed with holiday-makers was deserted today as police warned drivers against travelling to the region worst hit by the new coronavirus pandemic.

Officers stopped all vehicles heading towards the Gotthard Tunnel after the government appealed for people not to travel over the Easter weekend to stem transmissions of Covid-19.

Ticino, bordering Italy, is beloved by the Swiss for its lakes and Mediterranean climate, with many having second homes in the southern canton. But Ticino has been hard hit by the outbreak, suffering 18% of the country's Covid-19 deaths, and its businesses, restaurants, bars and hotels have closed.

Although the Gotthard tunnel has not been closed and driving to Ticino is not illegal, every car heading there has been stopped, with officers from the cantons of Uri and Ticino speaking to the occupants.

All have been handed notices saying: "It is not the right time to visit Ticino," and "You are a burden for the infrastructure and are endangering yourself and others including health workers."

Normally 18,000 cars per day travel south on the motorway, causing tailbacks of up to 15 kilometres. This has been reduced to a trickle, police said, with the number of drivers down by 90%.

"We are very pleased with the operation so far," said Reto Pfister, commander of Uri Police, told Reuters. "The main success has been people not deciding to travel at all.

"Around 98% of the people travelling south have a good reason to go to Ticino - because they live there or have family there or very important business. Only a very few people are travelling south for holidays in Ticino or to have fun."

Around 300 cars were stopped on Friday, with police telling the occupants about the dangers of going to Ticino and how going there made it harder to contain the virus, Pfister said.

"Everyone understands why we are stopping them," said Pfister. "One car even decided to turn around and go back after we spoke to them today so the message is getting through."

Police will publish details on Monday on how many cars they stopped during the operation.


Volkswagen trains more master technicians

                PETALING JAYA: Volkswagen Malaysia recently wrapped up its aftersales training where a total of 15 technicians were awarded the certification of master technicians along with 22 other diagnostic competence technicians.

Volkswagen Malaysia has an extensive internal Service Qualification Training which is divided into three categories - non-technical, technical and parts.

The syllabus which is obtained from Germany is used to ensure global training standards for all under the Volkswagen networks to ensure consistency of quality in maintenance and repair.

This Technical Service qualification training covers several levels of practical and theoretical assessments, whereby the Master Technician Qualification can take up to two and a half years to complete.

There is also the Diagnostic Competence Qualification which is just as important as the Master Technician Qualification. The diagnostic technician troubleshoots and resolves electrical problems and other faults that may be found in the vehicles to ensure correct repairs are made. This qualification also takes two years to complete.

Volkswagen Group Malaysia managing director Armin Keller said: “Investing in the right people, training and infrastructure are some ways we can strive to improve our services and elevate the overall ownership experience."

The company aims to train and deploy at least one master technician per dealership.


Toyota partners with China's Momenta on high definition maps for autonomous cars

                BEIJING/SHANGHAI: Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp has partnered with Chinese autonomous driving startup Momenta to develop a high definition (HD) mapping platform in China for autonomous driving vehicles, Momenta said in a statement.

Maps are key to allowing autonomous vehicles to locate themselves. Toyota’s research arm is developing its so-called Automated Mapping Platform (AMP) to generate data for accurate and updated maps, which it said will also be accessible to industry developers.

Momenta was established three years ago and is backed by German’s Daimler. It is testing autonomous cars in Beijing and Suzhou and will provide its camera-based HD mapping technologies to help commercialize Toyota’s AMP in China, according to the statement.

Toyota autonomous vehicle partnerships also include a venture with SoftBank Corp and an investment in robotaxi developer Uber ATG.

It has invested US$400 million in Pony.ai, another autonomous company with a Chinese background, and US$600 million in Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing and a new joint venture to develop mobility services.


Latest VW Golf and Golf GTI coming to Malaysia soon

                PETALING JAYA: Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia will finally bring in the latest Golf and its sportier sibling the Golf GTI.

The car company has begun inviting prospective customers to register their interest for the cars, which will be launched soon.

What we know so far is that the standard Golf will be available in R-Line specs and that both are likely to be locally assembled at VW's plant in Pekan, Pahang.

For VW fans, it has been a long wait for the eight-gen Golf, which made its world premiere in 2019. The Golf GTI showed up in late 2020.

The cabin has been overhauled with practically all displays and controls being digital.

New instruments and online infotainment systems have been melded together into a display landscape featuring touch buttons and touch sliders while a heads-up display is also available as an optional extra.

The Golf model line-up will feature the new IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights for improved visibility and safety.

Using a matrix of numerous LEDs in each headlight module, various and partly also interactive functions such as Dynamic Light Assist make driving in twilight or darkness even more convenient.

Alongside the Golf, this system is also used in the Touareg, Passat, Polo, Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace, the new Taigo, as well as the ID.3 and ID.4.

READ MORE:VW Golf Mk8VW Golf GTI Mk8


Big Bike Warehouse sale in Petaling Jaya from March 6

                PETALING JAYA: Big Bike Warehouse is holding Malaysia's first-of-its-kind "garage sale" at Warehouse 15 (behind The Gasket Alley), Section 13, Petaling Jaya, from March 6 to 8.

The three-day sale, brings together motorcycle brands like Harley-Davidson, Ducati, Kawasaki, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, Vespa and Modenas all under one roof with great offers and packages plus financing from Aeon Credit.

Aside from motorcycles, there are also accessories galore from the likes of Givi, Hypergear, Alpinestar, Akrapovic, Petronas & Riders Garage, as well as helmet brands such as HJC, KYT, Simpson, Bell and Ruby.

There will also be a complementary suspension check for motorcycles by by K-Tech to ensure your bike is properly set up.

Opening hours are 3pm to 10pm on March 6 and 10am to 7pm on March 7 and 8.


Daimler to cut fixed costs and take Mercedes more upmarket

                FRANKFURT: German automaker Daimler will cut fixed costs, capex and R&D spending at Mercedes-Benz by more than 20% by 2025 as part of a strategy overhaul to take the brand further upmarket.

The move will see Mercedes-Benz, currently the world’s top selling premium car brand, turn its back on a decades-old strategy of chasing sales volume to focus on the industry’s most profitable segments: limousines and sport-utility vehicles.

Chief executive Ola Kaellenius told investors that compact vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz A and B-Class had helped rejuvenate the brand, but this would not be where Daimler would prioritise resources going forward.

“This is not where the main thrust should go, we should not become a competitor of the volume makers,” Kaellenius said during a virtual strategy presentation on Tuesday. “The premium luxury segment usually has above average growth.”

Instead of chasing volume for its own sake, Mercedes-Benz will aim to double sales of high-end Maybach branded cars, which retail for €150,000 (RM732,000) or more, and ramp up sales of AMG and G-Wagon derivatives, including electric variants.

Thanks to more efficient manufacturing techniques and lower fixed costs, Mercedes-Benz will aim for a double-digit return on sales margin by 2025 in good market conditions, or a mid to high single-digit margin when markets are weak, Daimler said.

Cost cutting and efficiency measures include eliminating manual gearboxes, and slashing the variety of combustion engines on offer by 70% by 2030. Around 5,000 employees have agreed to accept buyouts or early retirement, the company added.

New vehicle platforms, including a second electric vehicle architecture known as MMA, will take less time to build, just like the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which takes 25% less time to assemble than its predecessor.

For its electric cars, Daimler is seeking to cut the cost of battery systems to below €100 (RM488) per kilowatt hour by mid decade and an electric limousine, the EQS, is on track to hit showrooms next year.

Daimler also aims to release a new software vehicle operating system, known as MB.OS, by 2024 and to use over-the-air updates to generate an operating profit of €1 billion (RM4.9bil) by 2025 from digital services, including parking and charging.

The Covid-19 pandemic led to a slump in sales, pushing the company to operating losses in the first and second quarters.

To counter losses, Mercedes-Benz has stopped building sedans in the United States to focus on more profitable SUVs, combined its fuel cell development with Volvo Trucks, and halted an automated development alliance with BMW.


Mercedes-Maybach GLS set for April reveal in Beijing, say reports

The standard GLS.
STUTTGART: Mercedes-Benz is finally about to extend its Maybach super-luxury sub-brand beyond the S-Class. And, perhaps unsurprisingly in the current market, the first Maybach that isn't a sedan looks set to be an SUV.

According to media reports, this new addition to the Maybach family will be an incredibly upmarket version of the upcoming third-generation GLS, which was previously the GL.

With Land Rover continuing to set the standard in the luxury SUV market, and now Bentley making a huge impression with its Bentayga, Mercedes sees an opportunity to take advantage of the increasing demand for luxury models, especially in the SUV segment, by expanding the Maybach brand.

The German luxury manufacturer has been having significant success with its continuing expansion of its AMG performance arm, so it's hoping to achieve similar success with Maybach on a smaller, but still extremely profitable scale.

 The interior of the Maybach GLS will be streets ahead of the luxurious appointments seen in the GLS cabin as shown here.

A Maybach SUV has actually been the subject of rumours since as long ago as 2016, but it's now set to make a public debut in lightly veiled concept car form at the upcoming Beijing Motor Show next month. A final production version is then expected to be unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, with prices expected to be in excess of 135,000 euros (RM652,000).

According to Britain's Autocar publication, this new addition to the Maybach family will use the same basic aluminum and steel body and advanced four-wheel drive system seen on less opulent, heavily specified versions of the third-generation GLS. However, as we would expect with something carrying a Maybach badge, the interior will be more luxurious and have a number of subtle design enhancements, compared to standard versions of the American-built SUV.

Autocar quotes what it describes as a "high-level official" stating: "We have been quietly surprised by the sales success of the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, which is proving extremely popular in many key markets. The plan now is to extend the exclusivity surrounding the Maybach name into the upper end of the SUV segment. We're confident this new model will leave little to be desired in terms of luxury."

Although the Maybach GLS is likely to be offered initially with the Mercedes-AMG-developed M177 V-8 petrol engine, a version featuring the plug-in petrol-electric hybrid system recently unveiled in the S560e is also said to be under consideration.


Venezuela's biker Ratgirls ride against sexism

A member of female motorcycle club 'Ratgirls' taking a break outside a bar in Caracas. — AFP

CARACAS: When she rides alone around the streets of Caracas astride a Suzuki GS500, Ana Julia Mosquera tucks her long hair inside her helmet and wears baggy clothes.

"Sometimes I prefer to ride looking like a man, for safety," she says.

Not just for safety, but also to avoid comments she and her fellow members of the Venezuelan all-female Ratgirls biker group have to put up with on a regular basis.

Mosquera has become immune to sexist quips like: "That's a lot of bike for you."

The 23 members of the Ratgirls aren't looking to start a fight between the sexes, but they want respect from the biker world dominated by men.

"Crazy things always happen to us in the street," said Mosquera, a 32-year-old audiovisual producer and Ratgirls president.

The Ratgirls, who were formed in 2014 after the mixed Rats biker club banned women, are identified by a black leather jacket with orange stripes and embroidered with the words: "Long life."

Safety in numbers is crucial in a city like Caracas, one of the most violent in the world.

Three times someone has tried to steal Mosquera's bike. She even keeps its battery locked inside a cage.

According to government statistics, Venezuela's murder rate in 2019 was 21 per 100,000 inhabitants.

But the Venezuelan Observatory NGO says the figure was actually 60: 10 times the global average.

The Ratgirls ride in groups to reduce the chance of being the victims of crime.

Several times they've been mistaken for the notorious "colectivos" - civilians armed by President Nicolas Maduro's regime who also ride around on bikes.

 Mosquera. — AFP'Family'

Oil-rich but cash-strapped Venezuela is in the grip of five years of recession and a chronic economic crisis that has left millions in poverty and shortfalls in basic necessities such as food and medicine.

But Maduro's socialist regime has maintained price controls on fuel - a great advantage for the Ratgirls, according to Mosquera.

The Ratgirls aren't just trying to show off, though, theirs is the kind of passion that leaves hands dirty.

Some, like Jennifer Rodriguez, are learning to fix their bikes themselves.

She thinks nothing of tackling her Keeway Superlight 200 to mend a problem.

Half Spanish and half Venezuelan, Rodriguez joined the club just over a year ago.

"I started riding around with them and I stayed, now they're my family," said the single mother with a 10-year-old daughter.

Although the Ratas barred women from its club, the two groups still take part in events together, said Jose Gonzalez, the vice-president of the men's club.

The 47-year-old, a professional photographer, acknowledges there's a "macho culture" in Venezuela that opposes women bikers.

"The Ratgirls have done better than other (male clubs), they ride more and have more activities than many (male) clubs," said Gonzalez.

Mosquera says the Ratgirls "have a motto: no-one is more than anyone if they don't work harder than the other."

'I feel powerful'

Maryelitza Sanchez, a 48-year-old mother-of-two, learnt to ride a motorcycle out of necessity to get around town.

"The only thing I'd ridden before in my life was a bicycle," the personal trainer told AFP.

She'd always been attracted to motorcycles but her parents prevented her from riding one out of fear.

After she got married, her husband was also against the idea.

"We went around in a car," she remembers.

Everything changed two years ago when she got divorced and needed to use the collapsed metro system in Caracas.

"Every day I went through a different issue in the metro: there was always a problem, I arrived late or not at all," she said.

After falling twice from her US$300 Bera 150, she overcame her initial fears.

"It's a unique feeling of freedom, of dominion, of control, of power. I feel powerful when I'm on the motorbike," she said.


E-hailing drivers sue Grab, Transport Ministry over workers' rights

                KUALA LUMPUR: An e-hailing drivers' group has issued a letter of demand to the Transport Ministry and e-hailing operator Grab, claiming they lack workers' rights.

Campaign to Protect the Rights of E-hailing Drivers in Malaysia spokesman Ng Kian Nam said they had several demands.

Among these, said Ng, were for the government to recognise the rights of e-hailing drivers under the Employment Act; for the government to prohibit unfair dismissal of their drivers by e-hailing operators in the country; and for the government to prohibit any discrimination in terms of employing under-privileged people, such as persons with disabilities and senior citizens.

Ng, who is also MCA Civil Society Movement Bureau chief, said the letter of demand was issued on behalf of former e-hailing driver Yip Lai Ching who, he claimed, was unfairly dismissed as a driver for Grab (MyTeksi Sdn Bhd).

Ng said Yip, who took her PSV licence in June this year, was dismissed on July 23.

According to him, Grab said her dismissal was because she had argued with passengers.

Ng added that Yip was disputing this as there had been instances when male passengers – who hailed her using the Grab app from another person's account – harassed her.

He said the letter of demand also asked for a special e-hailing services tribunal to deal with matters such as this.

Ng said at the moment there appeared to be a power imbalance between drivers and riders as Grab took riders' words more seriously than drivers'.

This, he added, made drivers' job and safety more insecure.

The group also launched a fundraising campaign for their legal proceedings against the ministry and Grab, using the theme "Each person RM10, fight for our justice and dignity".

For more information, the public can call Vincy (012-331 0140) or Dominic (018-386 0768).


BMW Group Malaysia gets new managing director/CEO

                CYBERJAYA: BMW Group AG has appointed Hans de Visser as the new managing director and chief executive officer of BMW Group Malaysia effective May 1.

De Visser takes over from Harald Hoelzl who will assume a new role at BMW Group AG.

De Visser brings with him over 29 years of experience in various functions at the BMW Group, having started as a manager in marketing communications at BMW Motorrad, Munich.

Before his current role in BMW Russia as the marketing director, de Visser served in various sales and marketing roles across several markets globally, including the Middle East, Central Eastern Europe, Spain as well as in the BMW Group headquarter in Munich.

BMW senior vice-president region Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa, Hendrik von Kuenheim, said: “Hans’ broad experience in various roles in marketing and sales, as well as his international background will be extremely valuable in his new position,” he said.

Hoelzl will accompany de Visser in his first two months in Malaysia before taking on a new role for the BMW Group in Vienna, Austria.


Honda starts 4-year probe into what causes accidents in Asia

                BANGKOK: Honda announced it has begun a four-year investigation into factors that cause road accidents in Asia and Oceania, starting with Thailand.

The investigation is conducted by the Thailand Accident Research Centre, which specialises in road accident research and analysis, from 2016 to 2020, covering a total of 1,000 cases.

The results obtained through these investigations will be used to improve safety technologies and contents for safe riding and driving education with an aim to provide enhanced on-road protection for motorcycles and automobiles.

Honda said Thailand has been ranked highest in Asia for death toll in road accidents, and the findings would be roll out to other countries in the region at a later stage.

The investigations will be conducted in four major provinces with high accident toll, namely Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Songkhla.

The research centre will deliver its first report to Honda at the end of 2017.


Renault Captur and local celebrities #CAPTURADVENTUR

                KUALA LUMPUR: TC Euro Cars, the official distributor of Renault vehicles in Malaysia, has launched the #CapturAdventur campaign, which aims to showcase everyday people living their lives with the Renault Captur.

In conjunction with this year’s Hari Raya celebrations, fans of artists Erwin Dawson Shah, Linda Rafar and online personalities Jazel Lim and Karen Kho can watch their #CapturAdventur road trips.

From now to July, the four personalities will be sharing their excursions on Renault Malaysia's Instagram and Facebook pages while inviting the public to like their posts and join in on the #CapturAdventur contest to win prizes.

To catch Erwin, Jazel, Karen and Linda on their #CapturAdventur trips, log on to www.instagram.com/RenaultMalaysia or www.facebook.com/RenaultMalaysia.

In addition, the four personalities shared their tips for those planning to 'balik kampung'.

Erwin Dawson Shah:Planning ahead and making preparations is the key to a smooth and stress-free road trip.

- Make sure your vehicle is in a roadworthy condition. At the very least, take it for a 21-point safety inspection and ensure all recommended repairs are completed

- Plan the route to your destination and give yourself enough time to reach it, especially in anticipation of delays due to heavy traffic

- Schedule regular rest stops along the way, especially if travelling with young children who can be restless during long car rides

- Make sure your valuables and home are secured and you have all the necessary documents or items before heading out on your trip

Jazel Lim:While on the road, remain vigilant and practice safe driving habits at all times.

- Front and rear passengers should have seat belts fastened in addition to the driver

- Don’t drive on the emergency lane and observe speed limits at all times

- Be aware of your own blind spots and always use your indicator lights before switching lanes or making a turn

- If it rains, slow down and turn on your headlights. And in downpours, do not turn on your hazard lights while driving as that indicates a stopped vehicle and can cause confusion for other drivers leading to accidents

Karen Kho:
Aside from speeding, driver fatigue is another common cause of accidents on the road, especially on highways during long trips.

- If you are the primary driver, make sure you get plenty of rest the night before

- Take safety breaks periodically to ensure you can continue to stay alert and focused on the road and surroundings

- Don’t overload on junk food – the carbohydrates can make you sleepy

- Minimise distractions. Travelling with young children, for example, can be challenging as they get bored and irritable on long trips. So, make sure you’re ready to keep them entertained!

Linda Rafar:
No matter how safely you drive, always be mindful that other drivers and road users may not be as cautious as you are.

- Always be aware of blind spots as well as observe and anticipate other vehicles on the road, using your rear and side mirrors regularly

- Always maintain a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front. This distance should increase to at least five seconds or more at night and depending on visibility due to weather conditions like heavy rain

- Only overtake when it is absolutely safe to do so

- Be courteous towards fellow road users, keep your temper and do not retaliate

- When driving through towns, slow down and be especially alert when approaching traffic lights, turnings and cross junctions

- If travelling with young children, always use the child seats (anchored using the ISOFIX attachment points if the vehicle comes with them) for added protection


Bugatti Residences coming up

                DUBAI: Bentley and Aston Martin have their share of self-branded luxury residences.

It's now Bugatti's turn.

It has teamed up with UAE real estate developer Binghatti to create its first Bugatti Residences in Dubai.

The Bugatti Residences will attempt to recreate the serenity of the French Riviera in the heart of Dubai.

Binghatti CEO Muhammad Binghatti said: “When you open the door of a Bugatti and sit inside, you know instantly that it’s very special; something truly incomparable.

 Binghatti (left) and Rimac.

"Only a select few will have the opportunity to experience this, and with Bugatti Residences, we wanted to translate this feeling into a highly exclusive retreat in the heart of the metropolis."

Bugatti Rimac CEO Mate Rimac said: “It almost seems like fate for our two companies to have come together. We share a vision of what a Bugatti branded residence should be."

Further details will be revealed at the launch of the Bugatti Residences by Binghatti where the two brands will host an event at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on May 24.