Why electric cars are rarely suited to towing

                BERLIN: Electric cars, for all their advantages with cleaner mobility, come with one major drawback: They're not very good at towing.

In fact, few electric cars are at all suited to towing caravans or trailers, and barely any EV manufacturer will sell you a tow hitch for your electric, while the permissible axle load is rarely stated.

The reason why is because towing a trailer comes with massively increased power consumption in an electric car, meaning your driving range plummets accordingly.

In addition, most EVs simply aren't built, let alone approved, for the extra strain on brakes and motors that towing brings.

As a result, if you've bought a Hyundai Kona Elektro, Kia e-Niro, Nissan LEAF, Mazda MX-30 or VW ID.3, you may have noticed that the manufacturer isn't giving you much details on trailers or drawbar loads.

However, Volkswagen is now offering buyers a trailer coupling for the ID.3 for a low drawbar load, although this isn't suited to anything heavier than a bicycle carrier.

There are only 10 electric models on the European market that can be considered towing vehicles, according to Auto, Motor und Sport, and only four of then could tow a large caravan or horse box.

The Tesla Model X is the strongest electric SUV, and it's followed by the Audi e-tron, Audi e-tron Sportback and Mercedes EQC. The Polestar 2 and the Volvo XC40 are able to tow a medium-sized caravan.

Things are different with hybrids, however, and most of these are better suited to heavier loads as they can still fall back on a traditional combustion engine.


Bermaz sponsors ASEAN Skills Competition 2016

                SHAH ALAM: Bermaz Motor Sdn Bhd will be sponsoring the ASEAN Skills Competition (ASC) 2016 with six Mazda3 cars.

Four Mazda3 cars will be used in ASC’s nationwide awareness campaign road show and two units will be used in the competition to assess the skills and aptitude of the finalists.

Bermaz Motor Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Berjaya Auto Bhd, is the exclusive distributor of Mazda vehicles in Malaysia.

The ASC will be held on September 23 till 28, 2016 in Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang.

Participants come from countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The competition is held every two years and member countries take turns to host.

Bermaz has always been an advocate of youth’s skills development, especially in meeting the growing demands of the motoring industry.

The Mazda Apprenticeship Program (MAP), an automotive skills training program for school leavers with SPM/SPV, was set up in 2010.

Graduates from the MAP are awarded with the Malaysia Skill Certificate (Level 3, K-Worker from Department of Skills Development), Diploma in the Institute of Motor Industry Awards Limited (IMIAL-UK) and Mazda Master Level F.

Selected candidates are entitled to full scholarships by Bermaz Motor.

Graduates are employed by Bermaz as technicians in Mazda’s after-sales service centres.


Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo: A wild wagon

                The Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo is the station wagon version of the all-electric Taycan sports saloon, and with an extended roofline, offers more rear headroom and ample cargo space.

At the same time, it’s a ferocious albeit nearly noiseless athlete with terrifyingly quick sprints, as we discovered during a few hours spent with the base version, namely the Taycan 4 Cross Turismo priced from RM588,000.

Two more powerful all-electric Cross Turismo variants are offered by Sime Darby Auto Performance – the 4S (from RM653,000) and Turbo (from RM845,000).

The Taycan has an 800-volt architecture, instead of the usual 400-volt for electric cars.

With the 93.4 kWh two-deck Performance Battery Plus, the Taycan 4 Cross Turismo outputs 380PS, with overboost power for Launch Control at 476PS, and system torque at 500Nm.

The 0 to 100kph sprint is done in 5.1 seconds.

With those power figures and the typical instant torque of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), stepping hard on the accelerator pedal resulted in our bodies being slammed back into the dark leather sports seats.

There’s no exhaust roar or engine vibration, and all you will hear is a slight electric whine as the car accelerates at an absurd pace.

The quiet confines of the cabin are somewhat eerie, and at times, it almost felt like we were driving a computer, especially with the three touchscreen control panels and a digital instrument cluster dominating the dashboard and centre console.

That is until you start throwing the Taycan 4 Cross Turismo at corners, and the high-performance sports wagon shows how it stays true to the Porsche DNA of outstanding handling and carving tight bends at speed with the precision of a track car.

Running on huge optional 21-inch wheels shod with grippy Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 tyres in sizes of front 265/35 and rear 305/30, there’s little body roll, and corners are dispatched with aplomb while braking power and response was more than reassuring.

Standard features include all-wheel drive and adaptive air suspension.

There is also a Gravel driving mode, for light off-road terrain such as gravel tracks or muddy road surfaces, where the ride height is raised by 30mm compared with the saloon, and power delivery is also adjusted.

The Taycan 4 Cross Turismo produces a refined passenger experience, and the ride comfort level is high, with road irregularities soaked up quite efficiently when we drove on some uneven surfaces in Shah Alam.

Starting the car is made too easy; as you approach, all four door handles swing outwards automatically.

Push the gear selector lever to D mode, step on the accelerator pedal, and start driving.

To shut down the car, long press the power button (just like a smartphone).

On our test drive unit, there are premium package extras such as the passenger side touchscreen with menu options including navigation, media, phone, cockpit, devices, and Sport Chrono.

With the optional Sport Chrono package, there’s a rotary dial on the steering wheel for selecting driving modes (Normal, Sport, Sport Plus, Range, Individual).

Another touchscreen on the centre dashboard offers the same menu option and adds air conditioning functions, Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

Meanwhile, the touchscreen on the centre console allows switching to Gravel drive mode, as well as opening and closing the rear boot lid, and opening both charging ports, in addition to opening the front compartment (an internal combustion engine would be here in a conventional car) where the first aid kit, tyre sealant kit to fix punctures, and hazard warning triangle are kept.

According to Porsche, the Taycan 4 Cross Turismo’s travel range on the WLTP (worldwide harmonised light vehicle test procedure) standard is 389km to 456km.

When we took the fully charged test drive unit, the travel range displayed was 403km.

As we spent much of the brief time we had with the car putting it through its paces, with lots of hard braking and sudden sprints over nearly 100km, the car had a remaining charge of 64% and 248km travel range when it was returned to the showroom in Ara Damansara.

According to Porsche, the charging time from 5% to 80% state of charge takes about 22 minutes at an 800-volt charging station.

The car has two charging ports, with each one on either side of its front wings.

There are high-performance chargers at Porsche Centre Ara Damansara and Penang, and more such chargers will be at Porsche Centres in Sungai Besi and Johor Bahru later in 2023.

This is a four-seater, with two rear seats and a rear armrest with cup holders.

There is ample leg and headroom for 1.7-metre adults, and we found rear air-conditioning vents, and rear reading lights, and coat hooks on the B pillars.

Behind the large tailgate, the luggage space with rear seats folded down, is over 1,200 litres.

Porsche offers a premium package and lots of optional kit, and on our test drive unit, we found a fixed panoramic glass roof, head-up display, 21-inch Cross Turismo wheels, a Bose surround sound system, and ParkAssist including surround view.
SPECIFICATIONSPorsche Taycan 4 Cross TurismoPowerplant: Porsche E-Performance Powertrain with a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor on the front and rear axles
Power output: 380PS; 476PS overboost power for Launch Control
System torque: 500Nm
Battery capacity: 93.4 kWh, two-deck Performance Battery Plus
Range: 389km to 456 km (WLTP)
Charger type: Type 2 (AC) / CCS2 (DC)
DC quick charging: 5% to 80% under 23 mins
Transmission: Single-speed (front axle), 2-speed (rear axle)
Features: All-round thermally insulated glass, 19-inch Taycan Aero wheels, Tyre Pressure Monitoring (TPM), LED headlights, power front seats, Lane Keeping Assist including Traffic Sign Recognition, fabric roof lining, Apple Car Play, on-board AC charger 11kW (AC), on-board DC charger with 150kW, mobile charger Plus (11kW) for charging at household and industrial electrical outlets, 4.5-metre cable
Suspension: Adaptive air suspension including Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and Smart Lift function
Acceleration (0-100kph): 5.1 seconds with Launch Control
Top speed: 220kph
Boot capacity: 446 to 1,212 litres
Frunk capacity: 84 litres
Price: (under Budget 2023 tax incentives) from RM588,000 with 4-year warranty, 4-year free service and maintenance package


Chasing green goals, corporations push car fleet managers towards EVs

                LONDON: Large corporations are jumping on the "green" bandwagon left and right, which in turn is pushing firms that lease and manage car fleets to convert to electric vehicles (EVs) faster than they had ever thought possible.

In late 2020, fleet management company ALD set a to have 30% of its new cars electrified by 2025 - a goal that seemed like a stretch because as recently as 2019 only one in 200 of ALD's new vehicles was an EV or a hybrid.

But corporate clients chasing environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals pushed the leasing giant, a unit of Societe Generale, past that target in 2021.

ALD has set a new goal that around 50% of its new vehicles will be either EVs or hybrid models by 2025 as corporations' hunger for zero-emission options to meet ESG targets keeps growing, said deputy chief executive officer John Saffrett.

Corporate clients are "all sitting there trying to figure out how they're going to meet their sustainability objectives," Saffrett said.

"An obvious part of their footprint today that they're trying to address is their vehicle fleet."

Firms like ALD - which replaces its entire fleet every 42 months - play an important role in the auto industry, buying millions of vehicles globally that also help shape the future of the used car market when they come off lease.

ALD also leases cars to both firms and consumers on behalf of some major carmakers including Tesla Inc and Ford Motor Co.

According to industry data, leasing has grown as retail sales have fallen - the share of cars bought at retail in Europe fell to 45% in 2021 versus 55% in 2020.

Banishing carbon from supply chain

France-based ALD is taking over Dutch rival LeasePlan, giving it a combined global fleet of around 3.5 million vehicles, as it focuses on scaling up its EV business.

Large ALD customers like AstraZeneca Plc have set electrification targets - the drugmaker wants its global fleet of 17,500 vehicles to be fully electric by 2025 - and are pushing carmakers to make those cars greener.

That intensifies the pressure on the auto industry to squeeze carbon and other harmful materials out of their supply chains. read more

But electrifying large fleets is easier said than done.

A lack of available public charging infrastructure means that for companies with sales representatives who drive long distances, only plug-in hybrids will work for now.

"The challenge you have with electrification as a corporate is you can't just switch drivers on day one," ALD's Saffrett said.

"You'd love to, but it simply doesn't work."

In Africa, some parts of Asia and Europe, companies like AstraZeneca also face a lack of available EV or hybrid models.

In other areas, where a more rugged pickup truck is needed to reach the doctors served by such companies, suitable EVs are in short supply.

AstraZeneca, for instance, has no choice but to buy fossil-fuel models in those regions, said Juliette White, the drugmaker's head of global sustainability.

Around 58% of AstraZeneca's global fleet are EVs, hybrids or plug-in hybrids.

"What we're absolutely clear about is if there is a plug-in hybrid or EV available, you're not getting a combustion engine model," White said at AstraZeneca's manufacturing site in Macclesfield in Northern England.

'Low-hanging fruit'

The rush to electrification is intensifying in Europe, where corporations face regulatory pressure to cut carbon footprints.

The most immediate focus is on so-called Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions - those a company generates itself directly and indirectly. AstraZeneca's fleet, for instance, accounts for just under 17% of its emissions.

At German agriculture and pharmaceuticals company Bayer, its fleet accounts for under 5% of emissions. Bayer is aiming for 30% of its global fleet of 26,000 light-duty trucks, SUVs and sedans to be electric within the next four years.

Going electric ticks both of those boxes.

"It's very low-hanging fruit and it's super easy to focus on your fleet," said Wolf-Dieter Hoppe, a Munich-based partner at consultancy Arthur D. Little.

Passenger cars and commercial vehicles are by far the largest asset class in Europe's leasing market. According to industry lobby group Leaseurope, in 2020 new vehicle leases totaled 244 billion euros (RM1.1bil), or 69% of all equipment leases.

AstraZeneca's White said large companies are also "pushing for greener and more sustainable EVs ... because otherwise what's the point?"

In Europe, EVs can also serve as a marketing tool for companies battling for qualified employees.

"Company cars can be a determining factor in the war for talent," said Piet Briers, Bayer's head of benefits.

"As the availability of zero-emission car models as well as charging infrastructure continue to positively evolve, we see that employees are getting more engaged to opt for sustainable solutions."

But North America is catching up.

By 2030, around 40% to 60% of the 1.5 million vehicles Toronto-based Element Fleet Management Corp manages - 75% of which are in the United States and Canada - will be fully electric as businesses pursue ESG goals, said chief executive Jay Forbes.

Again, though, the availability of suitable models and charging infrastructure will slow the adoption of EVs by corporate customers, he said.

"In 2019, I couldn't get anyone talking about this," Forbes said.

"In 2022, all my clients want to talk about this evolution."


Infiniti electric and retro concept car to be shown at Pebble Beach

                HONG KONG: Japanese car-manufacturer Infiniti, the top-end branch of the Renault-Nissan alliance, has just released the first picture of a postwar sports single-seater-like concept car, to be shown in advance of the famous Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance car show in California, late in August.

The style of this prototype — the name of which is still unknown — is retro, but its engine is actually a modern and electrical one.

Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan's vice-president in charge of design, said that the project originated in "a simple thought": what an old race car, hidden deep inside a Japanese barn for decaces, might look like. Engineers then added technology which is currently developed by the manufacturer. This prototype aims at combining tradition and modernity, craftwork and cutting-edge electronics.

The first images shared by Infiniti are reminiscent of Mercedes' famous Silver Arrows, which dominated the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit back in the 1950s.

At any rate, Infiniti will not be the only car manufacturer to present a concept car during Pebble Beach. BMW and Mercedes are also expected to introduce a roadster and a saloon car, respectively.

The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance begins Aug 20.


China considers limited support for petrol-electric hybrids in boon for Toyota, Honda

                BEIJING: China is considering re-classifying petrol-electric hybrid vehicles so they get more favorable treatment than all-petrol or diesel counterparts under clean car rules, making it easier for automakers to meet environment quotas and offer more choice.

Global hybrid leaders Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co Ltd would be among the biggest beneficiaries of such change, which could allow them to make more hybrids and less of the more costly all-electric vehicles, experts said, after reviewing the draft policy proposal published on Tuesday by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

China has some of the world’s strictest rules regarding the production of greenhouse gas-emitting vehicles, as it battles unhealthy levels of air pollution in its crowded cities.

Those rules have pushed both domestic and international automakers to spend billions of dollars on the development and production of so-called new-energy vehicles (NEVs), such as those powered solely by electricity and hydrogen fuel cells, as well as plug-in hybrids.

Under a system that kicked in this year, automakers in China are obliged to make up for a portion of the “negative” points they incur when they produce internal combustion engine vehicles with points won for producing NEVs.

Though more fuel-efficient than petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles, hybrids, introduced in 1997 with Toyota’s Prius, are currently classed alongside those powered by fossil fuels.

In the draft proposal, hybrids would still be considered fossil-fuelled but re-classified as “low fuel consumption passenger vehicles”. Significantly, the number of negative points incurred for making hybrids will be less than for traditional vehicles.

That could see more of those traditional vehicles replaced with hybrids, experts said, because when automakers produce hybrids, they would have to make up for fewer negative points.

The proposed change came as a surprise, some experts and industry officials said, because the government has never given any preferential treatment for hybrid technology. Previously, the government offered subsidies for, for instance, the purchase of all-electric cars.

“The new proposed policy is a roundabout way to promote hybrid cars,” Cui Dongshu, secretary general of China Passenger Car Association, wrote in a social media post.

Hybrid cars sold in China include versions of Toyota’s Corolla, Levin and Camry sedans, and versions of Honda’s Accord and CR-V. Beijing-based spokesmen for both Japanese automakers declined to comment.

Local automaker GAC Motor, which makes hybrids in partnership with Toyota and Honda, said it “keeps close attention to national policies and will actively respond to the promotion and development of relevant policies and standards.”


How an increase in self-driving cars could harm the environment

                PARIS: Self-driving vehicles are expected to go mainstream in the near future, but mass numbers of such vehicles could result in a significant increase in CO2 emissions, mainly due to the energy needed for the computers managing all the hardware and software on board.

By 2050, they could be comparable to the total emissions of all the data centres currently in operation throughout the world, according to a study by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

This research determined that, in absolute terms, if a billion autonomous vehicles were to be on the road one day, each driving for just one hour a day with an on-board computer consuming the equivalent of 840 watts, the entire activity could generate as much CO2 emissions as all the data centres operating in the world.

Currently data centres contribute about 0.3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, or as much as a country like Argentina, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The researchers envisioned a model based on a scenario where 95% of the world's vehicle fleet has become fully autonomous by 2050.

This scenario also takes into account advances in computing and the ongoing decarbonisation of industry.

Nevertheless, the authors behind this study agree that there are still many grey areas, as most of these variables still contain a lot of uncertainty, especially in the long term.

For example, it is difficult to predict whether the average time spent within a vehicle will increase because people will be busy with different tasks (other than driving) or whether it will decrease because the algorithms will optimise the duration of trips. Not to mention that the researchers had to envision the energy consumption of advanced computer software that doesn't even exist yet.

In their work, they indicate that an autonomous vehicle equipped with 10 deep neural networks processing images from 10 cameras makes some 21.6 million different inferences in one hour. If we were to consider one billion vehicles worldwide, this would be equivalent to 21.6 quadrillion operations! To put that in perspective, all of Facebook's data centers around the world 'only' make a few trillion different inferences each day.

In conclusion, the researchers determined that to prevent emissions from "spiraling out of control," each autonomous vehicle will need to consume less than 1.2 kW of energy for computing by 2050 and that hardware must become more efficient "at a faster pace."

While it's important to keep in mind that all these figures are hypothetical, the risk of overconsumption related to the widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles should not be ignored.


Foxconn to make electric SUVs with Byton

                BEIJING: Cash-strapped Chinese startup Byton, Apple assembler Foxconn and the Nanjing Economic and Technological Development Zone have agreed to start building electric sport-utility vehicles in 2022, according to a statement on Monday.

Young Liu, chairman of Foxconn said in the statement that the partnership with Byton will be a key part in Foxconn’s strategy in electric vehicle (EV) industry.

The company last year announced plans to set up a joint venture with Fiat Chrysler to build electric cars and develop internet-connected vehicles in China. It has not made major announcement on the partnership since then.

Foxconn said in October it aimed to provide components or services to 10% of the world’s EVs by between 2025 and 2027.

Byton, which is backed by state-owned automaker FAW Group and battery supplier Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd, was building a car factory in the eastern city of Nanjing before it suspended production from July to conduct a reorganisation of the firm.

Byton was launched in September 2017 by Future Mobility Corp, a company co-founded by former BMW and Nissan Motor executives, and also has software and design facilities in the United States and Germany.

Bloomberg reported earlier on Monday that Foxconn’s listed company Hon Hai Precision Industry Co plans to invest $200 million in Byton, citing an unidentified person familiar with the matter. Byton declined to comment on the investment.


New Toyota RAV4 heads for NY debut

                TOKYO: The all-new, fifth-generation Toyota RAV4 will make its world debut on March 28 at the 2018 New York International Auto Show.

The Japanese car maker today released a teaser image of the RAV4, showing a silhouette of the compact crossover. It did not reveal further details on the vehicle, preferring to save it all for the big day.

The RAV4 is a bankable model for Toyota, and the upcoming model is likely to use the new TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) modular platform that is shared with the C-HR, Camry and Prius.

To heighten the appeal, the new RAV4 would likely feature a more aggressive styling just as what Toyota did with the Camry to move the brand away from being perceived as reliable but with ho-hum looks. The new RAV4 takes some design cues from the FT-AC concept, which was introduced at the 2017 LA Auto Show.

Whether the new RAV4 will opt for turbocharging or remain naturally aspirated remains to be seen but one thing’s for sure. Improved fuel efficiency will be on the cards and a hybrid will form part of the model line-up.

The outgoing RAV4 uses a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 176hp.

The RAV4 could also be sold with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

Expect the new RAV4 to be priced from around US$25,000 (RM98,000) in the United States.


Stellantis agrees to build first plant in South Africa

Cherfan (standing, right) with other signatories to the deal.
PARIS: Stellantis said on Wednesday it had reached a preliminary agreement with South African authorities to build a production site, its first in the country, by the end of 2025.

Under the deal, the new plant will be set up in one of South Africa's special economic zones, the Franco-Italian carmaker and local authorities said in a joint statement.

"The manufacturing site in South Africa will be a new building block in our industrialisation strategy that includes the plan to sell one million vehicles in the region by 2030 with 70% regional production autonomy and will bring us closer to our customers' needs in the region," Stellantis Middle East and Africa (MEA) chief operating officer Samir Cherfan said in the statement.

Stellantis, the world's third largest auto manufacturer by sales and the owner of brands including Fiat, Peugeot, Citroen and Jeep, currently has nine plants in its MEA region, which groups 80 countries including Turkey and Pakistan.

The new plant is expected to produce vehicles for both the local market and for export, a spokesperson for the carmaker told Reuters.

Stellantis earlier this month announced an agreement with its Turkish partner Koc Holding aimed at further expanding their local joint venture Tofas.


Storm chasers face host of dangers beyond severe weather

                MADISON (Wisconsin, USA): The deaths of four storm chasers in car crashes over the last two weeks have underscored the dangers of pursuing severe weather events as more people clog back roads and highways searching for a glimpse of a lightning bolt or tornado, meteorologists and chasers say.

Martha Llanos Rodriguez of Mexico City died Wednesday when a semitrailer plowed into her vehicle from behind on Interstate 90 in southwestern Minnesota.

The car's driver, Diego Campos, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he and Rodriguez and two other weather experts had been chasing violent weather and were hit after he stopped for downed power lines on the road.

More people are hopping into their cars and racing off after storms, jamming up roads, running stop signs and paying more attention to the sky than traffic, said Marshall Shepherd, director of the atmospheric sciences program at the University of Georgia.

"There is such a volume of chasers out there on some storms sometimes that it creates potential traffic and other hazards,” Shepherd said.

"Seeing storms within their natural context has scientific and broader value so I am not anti-chasing, however, there are elements that have become a little wild, wild West-ish.”

Popularised in the 1996 movie Twister, storm chasing involves pursuing severe weather events such as electrical storms and tornadoes, often in cars or on foot.

Some are researchers looking to gather data, such as verifying computer models predicting storm behavior. Some are looking to get in touch with nature.

Others are photographers. And still others are just looking for a rush, said Greg Tripoli, an atmospheric and oceanic sciences professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who taught a class on storm chasing.

"Seeing a tornado is a life-changing experience," Tripoli said.

"You want to see one instead of just talking about them. It’s really just one of the excitements of life. You’ve got to take chances and go out there and go after your passions. It’s no different from rock-climbing or deep-sea diving.”

The storms themselves present dangers to inexperienced chasers who get too close.

They can get hit by debris, struck by lightning or worse. Tripoli said he decided to stop teaching his storm chaser class and taking students into the field in the early 1990s after university officials stopped insuring the trips.

Nature isn't the only threat. Storm chasers spend long hours on the road travelling from state to state like long-haul truckers, inviting fatigue.

When they catch up to the storms, they can often keep their eyes on the skies instead of the road, sometimes with deadly consequences.

Tripoli said he would warn students in his storm chaser class that the most likely way they would get hurt is in a car crash.

Three University of Oklahoma students were killed on April 30 after travelling to Kansas to chase a tornado.

According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the students' car hydroplaned on the interstate in Tonkawa, about 137km north of Oklahoma City.

They slid off and back onto the interstate before a semitrailer hit them.

The University of Oklahoma has a policy stating that anyone who chases storms does so at their own risk and that storm chasing isn’t part of the school’s meteorology curriculum.

The mother of one of the students, 19-year-old Gavin Short of Grayslake, Illinois, told WMAQ-TV that her son loved to chase storms.

"He loved it, and we were so happy for him,” Beth Short said. "And it just, this is just the worst nightmare for us and two other sets of parents.”

Chaser traffic jams are becoming more common, said Kelton Halbert, a University of Wisconsin atmospheric and oceanic sciences doctoral student.

He said he's been chasing storms since he was 16 because he wants to feel closer to nature's beauty and verify his forecast modelling, mostly by taking video of storms' behaviour.

"Unless you’re with one of these research institutions, storm chasers don’t have the ability to collect a lot of hard data," he said.

"For most ... it's the beauty, it's the photography and then obviously the thrill seekers and adrenaline seekers. You can have people tailgating you, people in the middle of the road. If you're in Texas, Oklahoma or Kansas on a high-risk day, yeah, you can see hundreds of them. Given the recent couple weeks, I’ve definitely felt more apprehensive. It brings back to the forefront that every time you do this you’re taking a risk.”


Proton's October sales surge 13%; Saga leads in popularity

                SUBANG JAYA: Proton announced that it recorded a 13% jump in sales in October with 5,083 units sold compared to 4,498 units in September.

Its sales performance saw a rebound for the January – October period after registering 61,380 units sold compared to 57,734 units in the same period last year, marking a 6% increase.

Both the Saga and Persona continue to dominate the trend, both contributing 70% to the company's sales figures, with 26,343 units of the Saga and 16,833 units of the Persona sold.

The Persona received the Best Compact Car at the Carsifu Editor’s Choice Award 2016 after it was launched and subsequently saw a 57.5% increase year-to-date with 16,833 units sold compared to 10,687 units during the same period last year.

According to Proton vice president (Sales & Marketing) Abdul Rashid Musa, car buyers should take advantage of the current RM0 maintenance fees to help them save up to RM8,000 on a Proton car.

"The RM0 maintenance includes parts, engine oil and labour charges for a hassle-free maintenance and peace of mind to our customers. From just
RM398 a month (installment), you can bring home a champion,” added Rashid.

Proton vehicles come with a five year or 150,000km warranty, whichever comes first and the MyProton mobile app can be downloaded via Google Play or Apple App Store.

For more information, log on to www.proton.com, call Proton Customer Care at 1800 888 398, email customercare@proton.com, or visit its official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ProtonCarsOfficial.


Car thief runs out of luck

                KUALA LUMPUR: Lady Luck was just not on the side of a car thief, who only got to drive his stolen prize for a few seconds, before being hit by another car.

With the owner of the car that he had stolen in hot pursuit behind him after the crash, the 23-year-old thief ran as fast as he could only to break his right leg after he fell into a 3m drain along Jalan Mewah Utara.

Ampang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Khairuldin Saad said the car owner and his wife had parked at the Pandan Mewah McDonald’s at about 10.20am on Sunday and went in for breakfast.

About half an hour later, the 35-year-old IT technician came out to get his car but found it missing from the parking spot.

“The victim then saw the suspect, a salesman, driving his Daihatsu Charade away towards Jalan Pandan Utama. He didn’t make it far though.

“The suspect drove for about 50m before he was hit by a Toyota. The victim said he saw the suspect getting out of the wrecked car and he gave chase,” said ACP Khairuldin.

The suspect was later arrested by a Mobile Patrol Vehicle unit and taken to the Ampang Hospital for treatment.

He is expected to be remanded today and is being investigated under Section 379A of the Penal Code for vehicle theft.


Stellantis warns of car market collapse if EVs don’t get cheaper

                PARIS: One of Europe’s biggest automakers warned after a landmark deal to phase out combustion engines that the industry is doomed unless electric vehicles get less expensive.

Stellantis NV is aiming to cut the cost of making electric vehicles 40% by 2030, chief manufacturing officer Arnaud Deboeuf said Wednesday.

The producer of Fiats and Peugeots plans to make some parts in-house and also pressure suppliers to cut the price of their products.

If EVs don’t get cheaper, "the market will collapse,” Deboeuf said at the company’s Tremery factory in France. "It’s a big challenge.”

Stellantis is planning to introduce more than 75 fully electric models this decade and transform at least some of its French car plants to make EVs.

While the company is spending big on the rollout, it’s pledging to maintain strong returns, relying on extra revenue from software and services as well as some premium vehicles.

EV prices are going up at a dizzying pace these days. Tesla Inc. raised prices by as much as US$6,000 per car this month, following similar hikes earlier this year from Rivian automotive Inc. and Ford Motor Co.

Rising raw-materials costs are rendering some battery-powered models unprofitable, Ford chief financial officer John Lawler said at an investor conference earlier this month.

European Union countries this week endorsed a push to eliminate carbon emissions from new cars by 2035.

With EU lawmakers in favour of giving up fossil fuels in the auto industry, it’s highly likely that most manufacturers will have to shift to producing EVs in little more than a decade.

Materials crunch

While Stellantis will comply with the decision, policy makers appear to "not care” whether automakers have enough raw materials to underpin the shift, chief executive officer Carlos Tavares said Wednesday.

Greater demand for EV batteries between 2024 and 2027 - a period before more European capacity is due to come online - will benefit Asian producers and "put at risk” cell output in the West, Tavares said during a factory visit in Metz in north-eastern France.

Stellantis is developing five large battery factories across North America and Europe to produce 400 gigawatt-hours of cells by 2030. He added the company won’t rule out buying a mine to secure raw-material supplies.

Stellantis is also considering to what extent it may produce its own energy to buffer rising prices in case of supply disruptions as a result of Russian’s invasion of Ukraine.

"We have significant areas where we could put solar panels,” Tavares said.

The executives were speaking during a trip aimed at showcasing how the automaker is transforming some of its French combustion-engine and gearbox plants to make EV parts.

Tavares offered no guarantees that all European factories will make the transition, saying that depends on whether the overall auto market holds up.


New man heads BMW's Designworks

                MUNICH/LOS ANGELES: Oliver Heilmer is heading Designworks, a wholly owned subsidiary of the BMW Group, from this month.

He has moved from the Interior Design team at BMW Automobiles in Munich, which he has headed up since 2013, to Designworks’ Los Angeles headquarter. Designworks is a creative consultancy working across multiple industries and focusing on mobility, product and user experience design, as well as on strategic brand and design consulting.

One result of the work created by Designworks is the BMW X-CAT DISC, a sneaker created in partnership with Puma.

Heilmer will be responsible for the company’s strategy, oversee the studios in North America, Europe and Asia, and therefore spearhead the management of all the design teams. Heilmer takes the baton from Laurenz Schaffer, who has been President of Designworks since 2009 and is now switching to a management role at BMW Group Design.

Designworks was established in 1972 in Malibu, California. It is a creative agency synonymous with innovations created through cross-industry and interdisciplinary knowledge sharing. With its diversified service portfolio, it is a source of inspiration not just for the BMW Group’s brands, but also for companies from a whole variety of industries, ranging from IT and consumer electronics through aircraft technology and the medical and environmental sectors to lifestyle and sport.

Besides the headquarters in California, two more studios in Munich and Shanghai also serve the global market under the umbrella of Designworks. The Designworks team is made up of 130 employees. They come from 25 nations and include designers, modellers, engineers, design strategists, interface, colour and material specialists, and experts and consultants in the field of sustainability.


Police firm on not reducing fines for serious traffic offences

                KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Aman fully supports the Transport Ministry’s proposal to reduce the fines for certain traffic offences but insists that for serious ones, the fines must remain as they are.

“Examples of serious offences are speeding, beating the red light and cutting queue,” said its Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department director Senior Asst Comm Mahamad Akhir Darus when contacted yesterday.

He said police have been issuing lesser fines for minor traffic offences such as haphazard parking since 2011.

“However, the current maximum rate of RM300 for serious offences, especially those that resulted in accidents, must remain,” SAC Mahamad Akhir said when commenting on a proposal by the ministry to reduce the fines for certain traffic offences from RM300 to RM150.

If approved, offenders must pay their fines within two weeks. Any delay in paying up will result in the fines being increased.

SAC Mahamad Akhir said for minor parking-related offences, a fine of RM100 would be issued.

“We also fully support the move to streamline the rates of the police and Road Transport Department (JPJ). It is timely and for the convenience of all motorists,” he added.

On Tuesday, Deputy Minister Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi said the proposal was still subject to Cabinet’s approval and amendments to the Road Transport Act.

He also said the rate for the summonses must be streamlined.

Abdul Aziz said the proposal was to coordinate inter-agency summonses for similar offences.


Mercedes-Maybach GLS to feature camera-influenced suspension system

                STUTTGART: Mercedes has a reputation for introducing some of the most innovative and advanced technology systems into its high-end vehicles before the tech begins to trickle down into more affordable models, so its Maybach super-luxury sub-brand has to go even further.

And the upcoming Maybach models, including the GLS, look set to deliver as according to Maybach chief engineer Jürgen Weissinger, they will feature "next-level" suspension systems that will be an advanced version of current Mercedes Magic Body Control technology.

It's now been revealed that a key element of this new advanced suspension set-up will have the incorporation of a camera into the system. Weissinger told the UK's Autocar publication that the camera is being used "so we have better information from rough roads so that drivers can slide over the road."

There's also going to be a new drive program introduced to the next generation of Maybach models - aimed at chauffeurs, of course.

Weissinger explained: "We're making a special drive programme, which means the gear changes don't happen too often so that the chauffeur can drive in a very comfortable, luxury way. This works without gearshifts and with maximum torque."

These and other advanced features will debut on the upcoming GLS, which is set to be unveiled to the world at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. There's also the possibility the Vision Ultimate Luxury concept that was on display in Beijing recently could go into production, but Weissinger insists that depends on it getting a good response from potential buyers.

The concept featured an electric motor system Maybach is considering as a way of bringing electrification to its models in the next five to ten years. While rivals such as Aston Martin's Lagonda are already focusing on electric models, Weissinger imagines hybrids to be something of a "long bridge" technology for Maybach.

"We have to look at electric-powered cars," said Weissinger. "You could have a 12-cylinder with a special gearbox with an electric motor on it. There's lots of possibilities to make the right combination between a big engine and [electric] motor."


Car buyers have many special year-end deals to choose from

                PETALING JAYA: Car buyers are spoilt for choice with the many special year-end deals “on the road”.

Marketing executive Sumathi Narayanasamy, 40, said she was offered a RM9,000 rebate for the 2017 Honda Jazz Hybrid.

“I wanted to trade in my five-year-old Ford Fiesta urgently because its value will drop if I wait till next year,” she said.

Iskandar Johari, 29, has been visiting car showrooms with his wife to make a personal survey of what’s on offer.

“We started checking early in the year but we knew that December will be the best time to buy with the higher rebate and car firms wanting to clear their 2017 stock,’’ he added.

READ MORE:
Big discounts offered on cars

Iskandar, who works at a consulting firm, said the other option was to wait for next year’s Chinese New Year deals.

Project manager Ramesh Subaschandram, 41, said he has decided to trade in his car for a new set of wheels.

Others, like Raden Khatijah Raden Jamian, 53, are still holding out hope for bigger discounts next year. She said she planned to buy a Perodua Myvi for her son in January and was expecting a RM3,000 rebate.

Software engineer Edward Low, 31, said he was waiting to buy a car at the start of 2018, as he could not get a discount for the particular car he was eyeing.

“Since the value of a car is determined by the year of make, it is not worth it if I buy the car towards the year end,’’ he added.


Fuel prices up again for next 7 days

                PETALING JAYA: Fuel prices will be higher across the board from Thursday.

RON95 petrol will be increased by five sen and priced at RM2.12 per litre (from RM2.07 per litre), while RON97 is up by 7 sen to RM2.39 per litre (from RM2.32 per litre).

Meanwhile, the price of diesel will be up by a sen to RM2.06 per litre (from RM2.05 per litre).

The new prices, announced by Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism via twitter, will be in effect from 12.01am on August 10 until August 16.

The weekly fuel pricing mechanism came into effect in April this year.

The prices of petrol and diesel had been placed on a managed monthly float system since Dec 1, 2014, following the removal of fuel subsidies.


2020 Audi A6 allroad named 2020 IIHS Top Safety Pick+

                WASHINGTON: The 2020 Audi A6 allroad has been named an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) 2020 Top Safety Pick+, the highest rating awarded by the nonprofit organization.

Through IIHS’s evaluations, the A6 allroad body and structure exceled, earning the top “Good” rating in six areas of crashworthiness performance: small front overlap collision evaluations on both the driver and passenger sides, moderate front overlap, side impact, roof strength and head restraints and seat performance.

The A6 allroad also earned a “Good” headlight rating with its standard Matrix-design LED headlights with high beam assist and LED taillights with dynamic rear turn signals.

Standard forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking systems earned the A6 allroad a “Superior” rating on both front crash prevention tests.

In the case of an impending collision, Audi pre sense basic can intervene to help prepare the vehicle for impact.

This process includes beginning to close the side windows and panoramic sunroof and tightening the front safety belts.

Audi Pre sense front can help detect pedestrians and cyclists in the vehicle’s path at speeds of up to 52mph and can detect vehicles at speeds of up to 155mph, and can initiate braking when a potential collision is detected.

Additional driver assistance systems include standard lane departure warning and a virtual top view camera system, which provides a 360-degree surround view of the outside of the vehicle and can assist with maneuvering tight spaces.

The A6 allroad joins the A6 sedan in the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ category. The A7 and Audi Q8 were also previously named as 2020 "Top Safety Picks" when equipped with available LED Matrix-design headlights with high-beam assist.


Can scented sprays help drivers keep their cool?

                LONDON: The British vehicle dealership company Pentagon Motor Group is currently testing three new "automotive atomisers" for drivers to spray in their car interiors to help take some of the stress out of the on-road experience. These sample spritzes are available to win via a competition on the company website.

An in-car revolution or catchy marketing? Either way, these three sprays aim to help drivers relax and to help them stay calmer and safer on the roads.

These air fresheners use specially formulated blends of essential oils, such as orange oil to help alleviate feelings of anxiety, neroli to help boost concentration, and lemongrass to help soothe tension.

The trio of "automotive atomisers" includes "The Learner," specially developed to help learner drivers ace their tests while keeping their cool. Next up, "The Daily Driver" seeks to boost concentration despite the stress of urban driving. Finally, "The Road Tripper" aims to keep drivers relaxed during long journeys.

Although not yet available to buy, the three sprays are currently being road-tested in the UK. However, a limited number of the spritzes are up for grabs via a competition on the Pentagon Motor Group website.


Big bang! When Honda smashes up the Jazz and CR-V - VIDEOS

                PETALING JAYA: CarSifu's Thomas Huong, who recently covered the Tokyo Motor Show, was given the rare opportunity to witness Honda crash-testing its cars at its test site in Tochigi.

The event took place ahead of the motor show and following a brief media drive of the Honda BR-V, S660 and Jade RS at the Twin Ring Motegi motorsport race track outside Tokyo. And then it was off to Tochigi, 58km south-west of Motegi, to check out Honda's advanced research and test facilities.

Honda's  Automobile R&D Centre, where the crash test was performed on Oct 27, is located next to its proving ground, which enables the rapid feedback of test drive results to be used in research and development. The proving ground is able to accommodate motorcycle, automobile, and power product testing simultaneously. It boasts over 60km of courses, and includes a high-performance control tower and monitoring system for close surveillance of all the test areas.

In the off-centre crash test arranged for the media, a Jazz (or Fit in some markets) went head to head against a CR-V at 60kph.

The result is best shown in the videos below and you can judge for yourself how safe the cars are.


These AI-controlled traffic lights could help save lives

                PARIS: What if artificial intelligence allowed first responders to arrive at the scene of an accident more quickly?

This is the challenge that the municipality of Bad Hersfeld, in Germany, is seeking to address by launching a system that automatically regulates traffic by taking direct control of the town's traffic lights.

The idea is to enable the relevant services to get around as quickly as possible and to get to the scene of an accident within 10 minutes.

Initially, the idea is that the artificial intelligence can both calculate and recommend the fastest route, but also intervene directly on the town's traffic by controlling its traffic lights, in order to give priority to emergency vehicles.

To do this, a multitude of traffic data must be analysed, in real time, in order to help the emergency services reach their destination as quickly as possible, all by playing on the management of traffic lights present on their route.

This, however, risks creating traffic jams, which the algorithms will obviously avoid, if possible.

To accomplish this, a central traffic signal control system had to be installed. The city is launching a trial period with the fire department this summer to measure the effectiveness of this project before possibly extending it to other services.

The initiative is supported by the Hessian state government, which hopes that the project will be replicated, as other municipalities are convinced to follow suit.

This is a new step for a town that's already relatively involved in new technologies. For example, the inhabitants of Bad Hersfeld already have the possibility to control the lighting of certain streets via a mobile application.

In France, the idea of controlling traffic via artificial intelligence has already been raised by the mathematician Cédric Villani, a one-time candidate for mayor of Paris.

The idea, according to him, was to improve the flow of traffic in the capital by using artificial intelligence to manage traffic lights in real time. It's an ambitious project, which unfortunately is not yet on the agenda.


Peugeot to showcase future of electric vehicles in Milan

                PARIS: Peugeot will be giving visitors to the April 8-14 Milan Design Week a glimpse into the brand’s electric future, with features including a spectacular light display, a pride of Peugeot lion ambassadors, and a selection of innovative new models that have started Peugeot’s electric transition.

An impressive five metre tall electrified Lion sculpture will come covered in flowing green and blue dichroic graphics, standing among a collection of 40 one metre tall lion models.

The immersive Lion sculpture was created by the Peugeot Design Lab to mark the 160th anniversary of the Peugeot emblem in 2018, and now stands as a showcase for the styling cues of the upcoming electric vehicle (EV) range.

The e-LEGEND CONCEPT will be one of the EVs on display in Milan. Unveiled at the 2018 Paris Motor Show the e-LEGEND Concept was the first look at Peugeot’s ambitions for an electric future.

With a design inspired by the retro 504 coupé, the e-LEGEND taps into the brand’s sporting heritage while presenting a sleek and stylish vision of the future of electric vehicles.

Powered by a full electric powertrain, with 100kWh batteries providing 800Nm torque and 340Kw power, allowing a range of up to 600km, the e-LEGEND Concept is capable of reaching 0-100kph in less than 4s and a maximum speed of 219kph.

The e-LEGEND Concept is designed to provide drivers with an immersive experience with top of the range tech at their fingers tips, through the aid of the Peugeot i-Cockpit, AI technology voice activated personal assistant through SOUNDHOUND Inc. and premium FOCAL Sound system.

Joining the e-LEGEND Concept will be the all-new 208 and e-208, the first model from Peugeot’s new generation of fully electric vehicles.

The e-208 comes with a 100kW electric motor and 50kWh battery, producing a range of up to 340km, according to WLTP procedures.

The all-new Peugeot e-208 and 208 provide motorists with the latest intelligent driver aids and "jump in" next generation technology including the new 3D i-Cockpit and a 7 or 10” capacitive colour touchscreen.

Peugeot will also be presenting its latest electric designs for two-wheeled transport at Milan, with a range of new Peugeot Cycles. The range includes the electric folding eF01 bike, retro-inspired LU01 and eLC01 ‘e-LEGEND’.


Perodua trims car prices by 3% to 6% from today

                KUALA LUMPUR: Perodua will reduce its model prices (on-the-road excluding insurance) by between 3% and 6% via cash rebates until Sunday despite the fact car makers need only lower their prices from next Monday.

Perodua said today it would incorporate the new prices throughout the tax reduction period as recently announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyddin Yassin.

Perodua president and CEO Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad said despite the tax reduction only becoming effective next Monday, the company will “offer cash rebates between 3% and 6% for the purchase of our vehicles beginning today”.

“We want everyone to take this opportunity to own a Perodua without worrying about being left out. Please visit any Perodua sales outlet and speak to our authorised sales advisors for the total cash rebate amounts and the full price list that will be effective 15 June, ” he added.

Muhyiddin had on June 5 announced various measures and incentives to stimulate the economy amidst the ongoing Covid-19 crisis that has gripped the nation.

Among the incentives to help the automotive industry were a 100% sales tax exemption on new completely-knocked-down (CKD) vehicles and a 50% exemption for completely-built-up (CBU) vehicles until the end of the year.

READ MORE: A drop in car prices expected

“Perodua fully supports the government’s move to fully exempt sales tax for the purchase of CKD cars until the end of the year to shore up the domestic economy,” Zainal said. Perodua’s current model range comprises the Myvi, Axia, Bezza, Aruz and Alza.

“This move to fully exempt CKD cars from sales tax is a confidence boost for the automotive industry – not just for car buyers but the entire ecosystem of manufacturers, suppliers and dealers. Along with low financing rates at this difficult time, we are cautiously optimistic that this will spur new car sales, ” he added.

Perodua has sold 52,920 vehicles from January to May, or a 41% market share against an estimated year-to-date total industry volume of 129,401 units.

All current Perodua models have over 90% local content, and the carmaker had bought RM5.4bil worth of components from Malaysian suppliers last year.


Japan's 'cringeworthy' cartoon cars make image U-turn

Some 'itasha' cars on parade. — Screengrab from YouTube/Sammit
TOKYO: Yosuke Takahata doesn't care what people think of his "itasha" car, which has his favourite anime character — a sexy, red-eyed horse-woman — emblazoned across both sides.

For him and other owners around Japan, plastering cartoon pictures all over their vehicles is just another way of paying homage to their two-dimensional true loves.

"Itasha" means "cringeworthy car", reflecting the misfit image the vehicles had when they first started appearing on roads around 20 years ago.

But perceptions have begun to change, with anime and other hobby subcultures gaining a new mainstream acceptance in Japan.

It's all the same for Takahata, a 31-year-old car shop employee, for whom looking cool is not the point.

"It's the character that I like, and that's all that matters," he said, holding an umbrella to keep the rain off his defiantly unfashionable mullet.

Driving around with the buxom Daiwa Scarlet from the manga and anime series "Uma Musume Pretty Derby" on show means he can "always be with the character", he said.

After all, if he worried about others judging his fully customised Jaguar XJ sedan, he "wouldn't be able to drive anywhere".

Itasha owners can spend thousands of dollars pimping their rides with huge vinyl stickers, turning their cars, motorcycles or even caravans into a canvas.

Shota Sato, who works at another car shop, describes owning an itasha as "an extension of having a character's picture on your phone".

The 26-year-old and his friends have all decorated their cars with different cute characters from the anime "Lucky Star", and they often go for drives together.

'No two are the same'

Owners also get together for events such as Itasha Tengoku, an annual show held in Tokyo that features up to 1,000 vehicles.

The cars on display are a riot of colour and imagination, upstaging even the neon wigs and outlandish costumes of the visitors who come dressed in cosplay.

Many of the vehicles also have customised frames, wheels, engines and interiors that cost eye-watering sums even before adding the artwork.

The culture grew naturally among young people interested in cars and anime, said event organiser Kenichi Kawahara, who also publishes a magazine for itasha enthusiasts.

"More than 99 percent" of owners are men, who use itasha to "express their feelings for the things they like", he said.

"There are 1,000 itasha here today, and no two are the same."

Having an itasha can be hard on the wallet though, and a full car wrap can cost up to 1 million yen (around RM33,000).

Some owners save money by sending their designs to a printing company and applying the stickers themselves, but most take their cars to a specialist shop.

Looking 'cool' to strangers

Naoya Imai runs a car-wrapping business in Tokyo that gets plenty of business from itasha owners.

He draws up a design in consultation with the owner and checks if they are happy with it, then prints it onto vinyl stickers that he applies to the car.

Lining up the lettering and other intricate details makes it a painstaking process that can take up to 10 days.

Imai said that simply slapping a character's picture on a car "doesn't look cool", and he uses his design sense to create something that exudes a particular ambience.

More owners nowadays are drawn to itasha because they "want to stand out", he said.

"In the past, itasha owners put stickers on their cars just because they liked it," he added.

"Now they want strangers to think their cars look cool."

Seeing the finished product can be an emotional moment for owners such as Ryosuke Nakano, who took his customised Nissan Skyline to Imai's shop for a full body wrap.

Nakano had dabbled in small window stickers before, but nothing approaching the scale of Imai's design, which splashes massive gun-toting "Lycoris Recoil" characters on the front and sides of the car.

"When I had window stickers, it would only be the people behind me who could see it, so I'm a bit scared of how people will react when they see this from the front," said the 29-year-old.

"But I don't care. This is what I like."


Football legend Didier Drogba is Yokohama global ambassador

                TOKYO: Yokohama has picked ex-Chelsea footballer Didier Drogba to front a new global sales campaign.

The "Drive for More" campaign will run across the Japanese tyre company’s five key overseas markets - India, Malaysia, Vietnam, France and Iberia - to help deliver existing and new retail partner sales as well as engaging international fans of the club. The campaign is organised by Pitch Marketing Group.

Yokohama has been a Chelsea Football Club sponsor since 2015.

Drogba will take part in a series of VIP events in each territory which will offer its customers the chance to meet with the superstar striker.

The campaign will also be delivered through a series of point-of-sale initiatives including premium club-focused marketing materials and rewards. These assets will be available for tyre-dealers in each local market to spur sales.

Drogba made his Chelsea FC debut in August 2004 following what was a record signing for the club at the time. His tenure included four Premier League titles, a penalty in the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final and a ranking as the fourth highest Chelsea goal-scorer of all time.

"Chelsea has been such a huge part of my life and career, and I am so proud of the continued popularity of the club across the world," said Drogba. "I am looking forward to working with Chelsea FC and Yokohama on this campaign, and meeting the Yokohama community and fans of the club in each of these regions."

“We are pleased to announce Didier Drogba as the global ambassador for this campaign given his legendary status at Chelsea FC and his true global appeal," said Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd managing officer and overseas sales & marketing division chief Takaharu Fushimi.


Nissan distributor goes online to woo car buyers

                KUALA LUMPUR: With all its showrooms closed as a result of the movement control order (MCO), Edaran Tan Chong Motor has introduced a stop-gap measure to sell cars.

It announced today its Nissan Online Showroom on its official website www.nissan.com.my.

The online showroom basically allows a prospective customer to submit an online form for further sales enquiries or request for vehicle booking in a few clicks. Edaran Tan Chong Motor said a Nissan salesman would contact the person within 24 hours.

In addition, door-to-door test-drive appointments can be made post-MCO. All vehicle registrations and deliveries will resume progressively after the MCO is lifted.

The MCO period is from March 18 to April 28.


Subaru Malaysia re-opens some showrooms/service centres

                KUALA LUMPUR:  Subaru distributor TC Subaru Sdn Bhd has resumed showroom operations at selected locations.

For the list of re-opened showrooms and service centres, visit here.

Several Subaru dealers have resumed partial service centre operations since April 27, providing service maintenance, minor repairs, and vehicle breakdown services for the MCO (movement control order) period.

As part of the requirements set by the authorities, customers are not allow to wait at the service centres.

They are to send in their vehicles and pick them up after the service job is completed. They are also discouraged from bringing their children. Their vehicles will be thoroughly sanitised before and after each job.

At the same time, safety measures, such as thorough sanitising of work areas, temperature-taking and use of surgical masks, hand sanitisers and disinfectant sprays, have been implemented at Subaru showrooms and service centres nationwide to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Visitors must provide their details upon entry to facilitate contact tracing. Those with body temperatures of 37.5 degree Celsius and above will not be allowed to enter.

To ensure the safety of its customers, TC Subaru is also introducing a "test drive at home" initiative. Upon request, its sales staff can now bring the customer’s Subaru of choice to his or her home.

This lets the customers experience the vehicle, while practising social distancing. All vehicles are thoroughly sanitised before and after each test drive, and sales staff are equipped with hand sanitisers and face masks.


All-new Honda Civic Type R prototype to make US debut at track event

                LOS ANGELES: Honda’s all-new 2023 Civic Type R prototype will make its US public debut during the July 1-3 Honda Indy 200 NTT Indycar Series weekend at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

The highly anticipated Civic Type R will be wearing a special camouflage designed exclusively for Type R.

In addition, the Civic Type R will serve as the presenting sponsor of the Honda Indy 200 race. The car will make several demonstration hot laps during the weekend, and serve as the lead vehicle as the start of the NTT Indycar Series                                      race on July 3.

The all-new 2023 Civic Type R is already showcasing its trackworthy credentials, having recently set a new track record for a front-wheel drive car at the legendary Suzuka Circuit, home to the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix.

During final performance testing and evaluation, the new Civic Type R lapped the Suzuka’s 3.6-mile figure-8 configuration in 2 minutes 23.120 seconds.

The historic performance broke the previous track record set by the 2021 Civic Type R Limited Edition – a lightweight, specially-tuned, track-focused version of the outgoing car – by nearly one second.

American Honda has a long history of involvement in central Ohio and at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Honda was the first Japanese company to establish auto manufacturing operations in the United States, opening Honda of America Manufacturing in Marysville, Ohio, in 1982. The company has had an Official Vehicle relationship with Mid-Ohio since 1994.

Today, Honda operates multiple manufacturing facilities and a major Research & Development centre in Ohio.

Combined, they employ more than 13,000 workers and have the capacity to produce more than 650,000 vehicles and 1.18 million engines annually.

In all, Honda drivers have won 11 of the 16 Indy car races since the series returned to Mid-Ohio under the Honda Indy 200 banner in 2007.


Garage find: Tun M's Proton Perdana gathering dust in UK

                PETALING JAYA: It's official. The Proton Perdana found among other luxury cars in a lot in Surrey, UK belongs to former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as confirmed by his Facebook account, Kelab Che Det.

The black Perdana with the number plate VK 5231 is registered under Mahathir Bin Mohamad according to the post which also revealed that the building the car was found in belongs to Bristol Cars.

The post goes on to explain how Tun and the car ended up there in late 2016 as part of an R&D initiative for hybrid technology conducted by Frazer-Nash Research Ltd, a company which made components for electric vehicles.

The post went on to say that if this endeavour was successful, Proton would have been able to produce its own hybrid car and compete with other automotive brands.

Now, according to the post, it is not known whether the Perdana went through the R&D process or not. If it did, that Perdana sitting there in Surrey would have an interesting powertrain under the hood.

Check out the video where the Proton Perdana was found.


Waze squeezes into Uber’s lane with carpool feature

                SAN FRANCISCO: Google-owned navigation application Waze has begun testing a carpool feature that rolls near the home turf of Uber and Lyft.

Waze Carpool stressed that it intended only to help commuters get to or from their jobs, chipping in to cover trip costs, and was not getting involved with the types of on-demand rides that Uber and Lyft offer.

Still, Waze Carpool would serve as an alternative to ride-sharing services such as Uber or Lyft – at least for people dealing with daily commutes.

“Waze Carpool makes it easy to help a neighbour or colleague in your area,” the company said at a website page explaining the service being tested in the San Francisco Bay area.

“Detours are minimal so your drive to work is almost the same, you get to ride in the carpool lane, and the rider you pick up helps cover your commute costs – so why not?”

Waze Carpool is in a pilot mode and available to Bay Area employers and their workers by invitation only, according to the website.

If a person’s employer is in the pilot program, the worker can use a carpool feature in free Waze smartphone applications.

“Schedule a ride and Waze Rider will look for the closest driver already planning a drive on your route,” the company explained.

Drivers opting in using Waze Carpool will have the option of accepting or declining requests from riders, who help pay for fuel in pre-arranged transactions handled automatically in applications.

“Waze Carpool connects riders and drivers with nearly identical commutes based on their home and work addresses,” the company said.

“Riders and drivers share the cost of gas for the trip.”

Ride payment is set in advance and money is transferred from riders to drivers automatically.

Waze stressed that the carpool feature is focused on letting people share the costs of commuting, and not as a way for drivers to make extra income.

Waze last year began testing a similar carpool feature in Israel, where it got its start.

Waze navigation goes beyond using satellite positioning data to incorporating real-time traffic information from its community of drivers.

Google bought Waze three years ago in a deal valued at slightly more than a billion dollars. — AFP


Mercedes-Benz launches C 350 e plug-in hybrid from RM290k

                KUALA LUMPUR: Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has expanded its range of C-Class (W205) offerings to five with the introduction of the range-topping C 350 e Avantgarde plug-in hybrid.

The locally assembled C-Class plug-in hybrid now competes directly against the Bavarian-born but locally-assembled BMW 330e with a 252hp / 420Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, which made its local debut in August, but now plays second fiddle to the Mercedes in terms of output and equipment.

Firstly, the C 350 e is currently priced on-the-road with GST without insurance at RM289,888 - some RM40,000 more expensive than the Bavarian, and uses a seven-speed 7G-Tronic Plus automatic transmission to manage the familiar 2.0-litre (1,991cc) M274 aluminium engine - producing 211hp at 5,500rpm and 350Nm of torque from 1,200 to 4,000rpm as per the C 250.

Two more variants are due to make the scene in the near future - one after another, starting with the Avantgarde receiving an upgraded AMG interior that will be similarly priced at RM294,888, and then followed by the range-topping AMG at RM299,888 later on.

Also, there's a 6.2kWh lithium-ion battery mounted under the boot's floor board (reducing the 475-litre boot to 335 litres - expandable to 1,370 litres with the seats folded down) to provide the necessary 'juice' for its electric motor to generate 80hp and 340Nm - bringing the car's combined output to 279hp and 600Nm.

With the charge socket located at the rear-right of the car's bumper,  the battery can be fully charged from 10% to 100% in about one hour 45 minutes with the 230V 16A 3.7kW single-phase wallbox (RM7,000) or about two hours with a 230V 13A 3.0kW wall socket.

The combined output allows the C 350 e to reach 100kph from standstill in 5.9 seconds before reaching an electronically limited top speed of 250kph. Meanwhile it has the ability to sip on 2.1 litres of petrol per 100km and emit just 48g of CO2 per kilometre. On pure electric mode, it has a top speed of 130kph and a range of 31km.

The car may come with the usual driving modes of Economy, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual, it now adds four operating modes that include Charge (uses combustion engine to help recharge battery while driving), E-save (uses combustion engine when driving), E-mode (uses electric motor when driving), and Hybrid (uses combustion and electric motor when driving).

To make it stand out from it's non plug-in hybrid siblings, splashes of blue have been applied and can be found in places such as the brake callipers that bite down on the cross-drilled discs and are partially obscured by the 19-inch wheels with 225/40 series Continental ContiSportContact 5 SSR tyres.

The blue is also found in the front badges and the decals streaked on the lower portions of the doors as well as uniquely applied to the front LED Intelligent Light System headlights that comes with Adaptive Highbeam Assist and LED daytime running lights.

Inside, it's leather upholstery for the four-way powered seats with memory while a combination of black piano-lacquer-look and aluminium trim accents the cabin.

Manual roller sunblinds have been integrated into the rear doors with a powered sunblind for the rear window as the list of goodies get extended with a sunroof, comfort-oriented Airmatic air suspension, 360-degree view camera system, active parking assist, keyless entry and a tri-zone Thermotronic automatic climate controls with pre-conditioning - allowing owners to preset the climate controls to activate at a desired time and bring the cabin to a preferred temperature prior to departure.

Additionally, it gets fitted with an 8.4-inch dash-mounted display, an Audio 20 CD multimedia system with 7.0-inch screen controls the 13 speaker 590-Watt Burmester surround sound system while providing radio/CD/MP3 playback, a SD-card slot, two USB ports and Bluetooth connectivity.

Furthermore, there's also a powered tailgate, comfort-direct steer system, cruise control, adaptive brake lights, tyre pressure monitoring system, touchpad with controller, Garmin-based navigation, collision prevention assist plus (with autonomous braking at speeds up to 200kph), pre-safe system (prepares occupants for impact) and attention assist.

According to Mercedes-Benz Malaysia sales and marketing passenger cars vice president Mark Raine, the company is very confident about the car's acceptance by the Malaysian public.

He also mentioned that since the C 350 e had its August preview, response has been more than positive with an undisclosed number of bookings having already been received.

READ MORE:
Rendezvous with Mercedes-Benz C 350 e in San Francisco
Carsifu drives the BMW 330e plug-in hybrid


Eric Cantona kicks off Carsome Autofair in Malaysia

                PETALING JAYA: It was a day to remember for football fans who scored a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend their Saturday with Carsome’s brand ambassador and football legend Eric Cantona, who was in town making a special guest appearance at the Carsome Autofair event.

Hailed as "King Eric", the 56-year old’s charismatic presence drew a massive crowd to the Autofair event, and several lucky winners managed to bring home exclusive merchandise signed by the football legend himself.

In addition, the recently appointed Carsome brand ambassador also hosted various car bidding sessions with Carsome dealers and customers.

Some Malaysians also drove home their dream cars from the fair here.

Held from Sept 10-11 at the Carsome PJ Automall, customers were able to browse from a large selection of up to 200 used cars while enjoying discounts of up to RM10,000.

Marking its seventh anniversary, Carsome is also giving away up to RM7,000 cashback to seven car buyers throughout this month.

To qualify for the cashback, customers must complete their car purchase within the promotion period, fill in a form, and correctly answer a quiz that will be sent to them via text or e-mail.


Japan court extends Ghosn detention by 10 days

                TOKYO: A Japanese court on Sunday extended for 10 days the detention of ousted Nissan Motor Co chairman Carlos Ghosn, who is facing new allegations of making the car maker shoulder US$16.6 million (around RM70mil) in personal investment losses.

The extension announced by the Tokyo District Court means Ghosn will remain in Tokyo’s main detention centre, where he has been confined since his arrest last month on initial allegations of financial misconduct.

Ghosn was re-arrested on Friday based on suspicions that around October 2008 he shifted personal trades to Nissan to make it responsible for 1.85 billion yen (RM70mil) in appraisal losses, prosecutors said.

They said the move inflicted damage on Nissan by having it deposit a total of US$14.7 million (RM61.5mil) on four occasions between June 2009 and March 2012 into a related bank account.


BMW 740Le xDrive (G12) makes a splash at RM595K

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW's refreshed 740Le xDrive plug-in hybrid (PHEV) has finally arrived.

At RM594,800 on-the-road without insurance, the long-wheelbase Bavarian flagship which will be locally-assembled will go on sale from July 19 in Peninsular Malaysia and from July 26 in Sabah and Sarawak at all authorised BMW dealerships. This is the same price as the pre-facelift model variant.

The new 7 Series is offered in four colour choices of Mineral White, Black Saphire, Bernina Grey and Imperial Blue and can be paired with either Black Nappa or Cognac Nappa leather upholstery.

With a five-year unlimited mileage warranty that includes free scheduled service programme and tyre warranty programme, the new 7 Series is powered by an uprated hybrid system over its predecessor.

Primary power comes from a 3.0-litre (2,998cc) turbocharged inline-six engine - producing 286hp from 5,000 to 6,000rpm and 450Nm of torque from 1,500 to 3,500rpm, and is managed by an eight-speed Steptronic Transmission.

A lithium-ion battery under the rear bench sends power to its electric motor to produce 113hp at 3,170rpm and an instantaneous 265Nm of torque from 0 to 2,700rpm which allows it to travel up to 46km at a top speed of 140kph.

Malaysia is the only country that is maintaining the 740Le badging in order to keep the government tax incentives the previous 4-cylinder PHEV was enjoying without having to go through the hoopla of securing the perks and pricing the six-cylinder engine would entail. In other countries, the latest 7 Series PHEV is marketed as the 745Le by virtue of the increased cylinder count.

Cumulative output stands at 394hp and 600Nm of torque - allowing it to sprint from 0 to 100kph in 5.1 seconds and reach an electronically-limited top speed of 250kph.

The new 7 Series gets adaptive dual-axle air suspension system and has a much bigger kidney-grille design with active shutters, accompanied by an enlarged BMW-roundel that's 95mm (+13mm) in diameter.

Versus the outgoing model, its done away with the lower fogs and uses new laser-light headlights with a light range of up to 600m along with its newly designed front bumper.

For the first time, the lower part of the new front apron also has large air guides running across the outer air inlets, whereby incoming air is directly guided to the brake air channels and the Air Curtain. A new aspect of the side view is the almost-vertical Air Breather just behind the front wheel arches.

The air vents integrated into the side panel now extends further up to help optimise the air stream through the wheel arches that are filled by the front 19x8.5 and rear 19x9.5 lightweight alloy wheels in Double-spoke style 630 Bicolour with staggered front 245/45 and rear 275/40 series run-flat tyres.

At the rear, it uses a wider and more distinctive chrome trim and the new LED taillights are now 35mm slimmer than before and are now joined by a 6mm-wide light strip that illuminates the rear of the vehicle. For added character, a special taillight animation sequence is performed whenever the car is locked or unlocked.

Due to modifications made to the front and rear total length has been increased by 23mm to 5,268mm while keeping the wheelbase (3,210mm), width (1,902mm) and height (1,479mm) the same.

Inside, the cabin's seats, instrument panel as well as the front and rear upper section of the door rails are wrapped in Nappa leather while fine grey Poplar Grain wood inserts provide contrast for the modified cockpit with redesigned displays and controls.

Among the list of improvements are the acoustics which benefits from better noise insulation in the rear wheel arches and B-pillar to further reduce the intrusion of tyre and wind noise into the cabin.

There is now a repositioned mobile phone tray with wireless charging for better visibility, while seated in the comforts of the automatic quad-zone air conditioning and rear powered seat with massage function.

Passengers can also enjoy the colourful Sky Lounge panoramic glass roof and increase privacy via the powered roller sunblinds while soaking in the audio ambience of the 16-speaker 460-watt Harman Kardon surround sound system.

There is also the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant as standard in the infotainment set-up - an adaptable digital personal assistant that is voice-activated and can be woken with a personalised activation word.

The assistant can deliver information about the functions and status of the vehicle and provide support for navigation and entertainment - even control the new Caring Car functions of Vitalize and Relax programmes as well as the two Experience Modes of Executive and Expressive that adapts the interior ambience to the driver’s mood.

The new BMW Live Cockpit Professional with BMW Operating System 7.0, includes a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and a central 10.25-inch Control Display with touchscreen functionality.

Drivers have five possible input methods to control vehicle functions: the steering wheel buttons, iDrive Controller, Touch Display, Voice Control and Gesture Control.

With the integration of navigation to the Info Display, the central Control Display can now focus solely on infotainment and advanced vehicle functions.

The innovative Gesture Control has been updated to register individual finger movements and can distinguish up to seven hand movements.

Of course, this flagship isn't complete without the inclusion of Connected Package Professional, which offers services such as Remote Services, Concierge Services, Apple CarPlay and Intelligent Functions.

To bolster safety, this 7 Series comes replete with a wealth of driver assistance systems that include BMW Personal CoPilot driver assistance systems is now complemented with standard equipment such as the camera and radar-based approach and pedestrian warning system that can now detect cyclists.

There is also the Evasion Aid which uses steering interventions to support the driver in sudden evasive manoeuvres as well as Crossroads Warning with City Brake Activation to warn the driver of a potential collision with crossing traffic and preconditions the brakes for increased power during emergency braking.

While the Steering and Lane Control Assistant provides support for narrow road sections, parking is also made easier thanks to the Parking Assistant and Reversing Assistant. The BMW Digital Key is also available for selected Android mobile devices to provide ease of accessibility.

"The new BMW 7 Series is set to raise the bar once again with prestige, elegance, comfort, exceptional sporty performance and most importantly, an understanding of premium that is strongly defined by sustainability," said BMW Group Malaysia head of corporate communications Sashi Ambi.


Audi prologue allroad concept revealed ahead of Shanghai

                INGOLSTADT: This is the Audi prologue allroad plug-in hybrid - the German carmaker’s third member in the Prologue family with a new design language and 724bhp.

First the world caught a glimpse of the Audi prologue, which was followed by the Audi prologue Avant and soon we will see the Audi prologue allroad making its world premier at Auto Shanghai.

Powerful and efficient is how Audi is describing its latest all terrain five-door concept that measures 5,130mm-long with its raised body, while possessing an operating concept that enables digital interaction between driver and passengers.

Additionally, the Audi prologue allroad is 77mm higher than that of the Audi prologue Avant.

Under the hood, an eight-speed tiptronic gearbox has been integrated with an eight-speed tiptronic gearbox and has been mated to a 4.0-litre twin-turbo TFSI V8 engine with an electric motor.

A lithium-ion battery mounted at the rear has a capacity of 14.1kWh for a pure electric range of 54km and can be charged via the plug or wirelessly via the Audi wireless charging (AWC).

With the two motors combined, power output has been rated at 724bhp and 900Nm of torque for its quattro all-wheel drive system that catapults the car to 100kph from standstill in 3.5sec – while producing just 56 grams of CO2 per kilometre.

The show car has a long front-end, a roofline that quickly melts away and extremely flat D-pillars for an athletic yet elegant profile as it rolls on a set of five-spoke 22-inch wheels which partially hides its 20-inch carbon-ceramic brakes.

Damping is handled by an adaptive air suspension that offers occupants exceptional comfort levels to sportscar-like driving dynamics.

The dynamic all-wheel steering combines a variable-ratio, dynamic steering unit with an additional steering unit for the rear wheels for added stability during dynamic driving situations.

The front is dominated by a wide single frame grille that’s flushly integrated into the bodywork and almost hides away the wedge-shaped headlights with the carmaker’s Matrix laser technology

Meanwhile, LED light guides sketch a new e-tron-like light signature at the upper and outer edges of the air inlets that are bisected by the bumper blade, while the rear light clusters also makes use of LEDs and its housings are made of 3D glass.

The rear apron includes flat, horizontally split openings on both sides and nicely integrates the exhaust system into the rear-end design.

Merely touching the window’s capping strips opens the doors and such touch sensors are used for both the charging port and fuel tank covers.

Audi associates its cabin with a luxurious lounge with a continuous centre console and the seemingly floating front seats.

The instrument panel features a strictly horizontal orientation with an upper level that’s part of the wraparound effect, much like an arc, which encircles the cabin and the luggage compartment.

A perforated trim panel covers the broad air vent, which retracts as soon as the air-conditioning is set higher.

The instrument panel is made up of three touchscreen displays, while additional aluminium-framed displays, located on the left and right of the steering wheel flank the driver.

The front passenger is able to configure infotainment options via the widescreen display that’s been fully integrated into the instrument panel and a mere swipe simply sends the information to the right driver display or to the Audi virtual cockpit feature behind the steering wheel.

There are also additional OLED driver displays housed on the centre console tunnel, which includes the climate control system, infotainment and text input and starts in a flat retracted position, before moving up at an angle when the car is switched on.

Audi’s virtual cockpit feature also possesses high-resolution displays and three semi-transparent mirrors that lie in the driver’s field of view, generating a virtual stage with three levels for a staggered multi-information display.

This strictly four-seater has passengers adjusting their seats via an additional OLED display on the centre console and this includes the climate control system and the infotainment for their area or to exchange data with the driver.

When the audio system is switched on, a sound spoiler moves out of the rear wheelhouse panels, which help to homogeneously distribute music to the interior.

Furthermore, there are two slightly curved Audi tablets with OLED screens, which can be mounted in the backs of the front seats.

Most unique is Audi’s intelligent “butler” software programme that identifies passengers based on their smartphones and adjusts the seats and climate control system accordingly.

The system also makes suggestions for music and route planning according to the owner’s preferences and the Easy Slot system in the centre console connects the phones with the onboard infotainment system and charges them wirelessly.

In terms of materials used for the cabin, open-pored dark fine-grain ash veneer is used for the wraparound-effect, the doors and the centre tunnel console, while being accented by aluminium.

In finishing, large sections of the instrument panel has been covered by natural-looking Unicum leather, as has the centre console tunnel and on the seats, and a band of Alcantara runs from the door inserts over the arm rests to the luggage compartment.


More Proton dealers to upgrade to 3S and 4S centres

                SHAH ALAM: Proton will adopt more initiatives in its quest to build cars that match the quality of premium automakers.

In a statement, the national automaker said issues had been identified and audit scores across all models had been strengthened by using Geely Auto’s product quality audit scoring system, which is adapted from the system used by Volvo Cars.

Proton also said it is intensifying efforts to have 109 3S (sales, service and spare parts) and 4S (sales, service, spare parts, shop for body and paint) centres as part of a 180-degree approach in fulfilling customer satisfaction and ownership experience.

Proton wants its upcoming SUV (sport utility vehicle),  a premium segment offering,  to be sold from outlets delivering a premium experience.

The upcoming Proton SUV, to be launched in the fourth quarter, will have premium features like automatic emergency brake assist, besides lane keeping assist, voice command, adaptive cruise control and 360-degree 3D view.

Within three months of Proton announcing a one-of-its-kind scheme for dealers to upgrade or new investors to build 3S or 4S centres, Proton received 170 applications, with 82 of them, potentially approved for the upgrading exercise.

To-date, 66 applications have been duly evaluated and approved, with the rest being reviewed to ensure adherence to set requirements and criteria.

As such, Proton is optimistic of achieving its target for the dealers’ network upgrading exercise for 2018 in time for the launch of the new SUV.

April campaign

For April, Proton is offering 0 per cent financing for the first year to buyers of the Proton Iriz (Executive and Premium variant), Proton Ertiga (all variants) and Proton Exora (all variants) who sign up for 5-year loan tenures with Hong Leong Bank.

As for the Proton Saga and Persona (Premium CVT only) offers for April comprise of a free body kit for bookings made throughout the month.

Additionally, rebates are also available for other models in the Proton range including generous incentives for remaining stocks of 2017 cars.

READ MORE:
Proton SUV to get lane keep assist; ACC; voice control; bird's eye view
2017 Geely Boyue: Quick test drive in Ningbo
Geely Auto: Carsifu visits Geely's Shanghai facilties
Geely group's remarkable rise via tech takeovers
New Perodua SUV coming this year, says research house
2017 Perodua Myvi: Automatic braking, Advanced Safety Assist


Turning the smartphone into a smart car key

                STUTTGART: When the Frankfurt International auto show opens its doors to the public on Sept 14, leading automotive equipment and tech provider Bosch will be demonstrating a new digital feature called Perfectly Keyless, that can turn any driver's smartphone into a hands-free car key for opening and closing doors.

"Perfectly Keyless, our digital vehicle access system, means that drivers will be able to do without traditional car keys. It's a great example of stress-free connected mobility," explained Harald Kröger, president of the Bosch Automotive Electronics division.

The system is simple and secure, requiring a sensor fitted to the car that can wirelessly connect to an individual phone for identification. The user doesn't even need to take the phone out of his or her pocket. "Once this identification has happened, the vehicle is unlocked without any need for a physical key. Similarly, no key is needed to start the engine or to lock the car again at the end of a journey," said Kröger.

In recent years, carmakers have been embracing the possibilities of the smartphone, whether as a tool for programming a vehicle's navigation system, or for remotely checking its location, its fuel reserves or, in the case of electric cars, the amount of charge remaining in the battery packs. In the case of Mercedes, BMW and Audi, your handset can even be used to remotely park or summon the car.

 Jaguar's Activity Key is wrist band device available as an option for the F-PACE.

However, as Bosch is an industry-wide global supplier, its system can be adopted by any car company in the world and all a driver will need to take advantage of it is to install the supporting app.

And, if a car has several drivers, when the smartphone connection is made, the car can also automatically adjust settings, such as seat and mirror positions and radio stations, in line with that driver's preferences.

The system is also future-facing. With the growing popularity of peer-to-peer car rental services, Perfectly Keyless can be used to enable other people to access a person's car (with their permission) without having to use car keys. What's more, the app allows drivers to set a time limit and geographical boundaries for another user's key — something that could be just as effective for parents worried about their teenage children's driving habits.

And as innovative as Perfectly Keyless sounds, so far, the best alternative digital key system is Jaguar Land Rover's Activity Key. It's a slim waterproof wristband that doesn't require a battery and which will automatically lock and unlock a car.

The idea behind the device is that many drivers, especially those of proper SUVs want to head out on adventures and leave their valuables securely locked in the car — including the car keys and their smartphone. As long as they're wearing the band, the traditional key fob and any access apps on their phones are automatically disabled.

The 2017 Frankfurt auto show opens to the press on Sept 12 and to the public from Sept 14-24.


What will Ring's first connected car alarm look like?

                LOS ANGELES: Specialising in surveillance cameras and connected video doorbells, Amazon subsidiary Ring is poised to launch its first ever car alarm.

Two years after announcing its plans in this field, Ring has filed an application with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which is necessary to market its new alarm.

The device is expected to take the form of a brick-like box that plugs into the car's OBD-II diagnostic connector.

At the slightest attempt to break into the car, or an impact from another vehicle, notifications will automatically be sent to the driver's phone. The driver will then be able to remotely activate an audible alarm, if desired.

Although it is not yet available, the upcoming car alarm does have an information page on the Ring website. This states that the device will be compatible with almost all the cars on the road (some 99% according to the manufacturer).

The system will be able to detect pulling on door handles, rim theft, towing and any suspicious movements inside the vehicle. The accompanying application will allow users to locate the alarm, and therefore the car, the device featuring a built-in GPS.

This alarm should not require a subscription to be effective all year round. Finally, note that it does not act as a tracking device and does not record the speed of the vehicle.

The alarm is expected to be marketed in the US for around US$60 (RM285) in 2023. By then, it must receive authorisation from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Later, Ring could release a surveillance camera specifically dedicated to cars, with the ability to record footage related to theft or accidents.


April 20-26: Fuel prices unchanged

                KUALA LUMPUR: The retail prices of RON97 and RON95 petrol and diesel will remain unchanged for the period from April 20-26.

The Finance Ministry, in a statement today, said that RON97 petrol remains at RM3.35 per litre, RON95 (RM2.05) and diesel (RM2.15).

The weekly retail prices of the products were set based on the Automatic Pricing Mechanism formula.


BMW shows i8 Roadster being built in new tease

                MUNICH: It has always been expected that the BMW i8 Coupe will sooner or later spin off an open-top variant.

BMW on Tuesday issued another set of photos and a video clip showing the roadster under construction at the company's plant in Leipzig.

The car is set for a reveal at the Dec 1-10 LA Auto Show, three years after the introduction of the original coupe, which opened the door to creating the i sub-brand under the BMW Group.

BMW is not releasing the full specifications of the roadster just yet but has announced preliminary energy consumption figures for the car, which it described as a plug-in hybrid BMW with an eDrive powertrain. The combined energy consumption is listed as 15.4 kWh/100 km; combined fuel consumption at 2.0l/100 km, combined CO2 emissions at 46 g/km.

The roadster is likely to get a new more powerful battery pack, which should give it a longer range. Rumours of a fully electric i8 has been floating around for some time but it will likely happen only after 2018.

BMW started the i8 Roadster tease in July, showing the car undergoing aerodynamic testing. The following month, it showed a series of the roadsters in camouflage being driven on a mountain road.

Lightweight carbon fibre is heavily used in the i8 body and structure and the technology has filtered across to the 7 Series through its Carbon Core framework.