European parliament calls for robot law, rejects robot tax

BRUSSELS: European lawmakers called on Thursday for EU-wide legislation to regulate the rise of robots, including an ethical framework for their development and deployment and the establishment of liability for the actions of robots including self-driving cars.
But they rejected a proposal to impose a so-called robot tax on owners to fund support for or retraining of workers put out of a job by robots.

The resolution is a recommendation to the bloc's executive, the European Commission, which the Commission is not obliged to follow but must give reasons if it chooses not to.

"The EU needs to take the lead on setting these standards, so as not to be forced to follow those set by third countries," the parliament said in a statement.

The decision to reject the robot tax was hailed by the robotics industry, which says it would stunt innovation.

"The IFR believes that the idea to introduce a robot tax would have had a very negative impact on competitiveness and employment," said the Frankfurt-based International Federation of Robotics.

The IFR and others argue that automation and the use of robots create new jobs by increasing productivity, and point to a correlation between robot density and employment in advanced industrial nations, for example in the German car industry.

Global shipments of industrial robots rose 15 percent in 2015, according to the latest statistics from the IFR, and were worth a total of about $46 billion. Demand for service robots for medical, domestic and personal use is also on the rise.

The parliamentary resolution on the amended report was passed by 396 votes to 123, with 85 abstentions.

The report's author, MEP Mady Delvaux, said she was disappointed that lawmakers "refused to take account of possible negative consequences on the job market".

"They rejected an open-minded and forward-looking debate and thus disregarded the concerns of our citizens," she said.


BMW starts interactive campaign

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Group Malaysia has introduced a video that aims to drive home the point about road safety ahead of the coming Raya holiday.

“Change: Is In Your Hands” highlights the importance of using child car seats as well as being aware of your surroundings when on the road.

The YouTube video campaign is part of the BMW Safety 360º Program.

By using YouTube interactive features, the video promotes, educates and entertains viewers as they are given the opportunity to choose how the story develops to its end.

Viewers would experience the story of the interactive video campaign from the point of view of a parent and make decisions on the appropriate use of a child’s safety restraint as well as simple actions such as using a mobile phone while driving; all of which will lead to different outcomes and eventually conveying the message of prioritising responsible child safety practices to keep their children protected.

“Safety on the road is very much dependent on choices. We choose the technologies that makes us safe in our vehicles and we choose how we behave on the road to ensure we are safe. This is the reason that the element of choice is key in this Public Service Announcement video.” said BMW Group Malaysia managing director and CEO Alan Harris.

“Change: Is In Your Hands” is a production of True Legend Pictures and VFilms Pictures. Directed by BMW Shorties 2014 finalist, Leroy Low Tiong Lim, who co-directed the short film “Adunan” for the competition last year, the interactive video is now live on the BMW Shorties YouTube page.


GoCar partners Green EV Charge for easier EV charging

                PETALING JAYA: GoCar Malaysia, a leading on-demand mobility-as-a-service platform, has entered a collaboration with Green EV Charge to enhance electric vehicle (EV) charging for users.

Green EV Charge is a joint venture company between Yinson Green Technologies (M) Sdn Bhd and GreenTech Malaysia Alliances Sdn Bhd.

Under the collaboration, users will get convenient EV charging across the country through the integration of chargEV mobile platform with GoCar’s mobile app.

The partnership will enable GoCar members and other EV users to gain easier access and better connectivity to all chargEV stations directly from the GoCar app without having to switch platforms.

chargEV is Malaysia’s largest EV charging network comprising more than 400 charging stations nationwide.

The first phase of integration will allow GoCar app users to view locations, availability and the types of chargers on the chargEV network.

Future capabilities in the next phase of integration include pre-booking an EV charger, scheduling a recharge, making payments and monitoring the charging progress.

This collaboration with Green EV Charge is the latest in GoCar’s ongoing efforts to expand the accessibility of EV experiences to more Malaysians. Leaf.

The company recently teamed up with EV Connection to provide users of the GoCar app access to more EV charging stations on the JomCharge network.

The company has also expanded its GoEV sharing and subscription line-up, which now includes the Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Kona E-Max and E-Lite.

 Kona EV.

It is targeting an increase to more than 100 EVs in its fleet by the end of 2022.

Through GoEV, GoCar members can experience driving an EV for an hour, a day or a month and even from one to three years.

Based on data collected to date, of the 1,000 GoEV users who have clocked an excess of 500,000km, 90% were first-time EV users.

 Wong (left) and Ruslin.

GoCar Malaysia CEO Wong Hoe Mun said the partnership would enhance connectivity to chargEV and improve the user experience of EV charging throughout Malaysia.

“The integration with JomCharge and now chargEV will offer even more accessibility. Through our GoCar mobile app, any EV user, not just GoCar members will be able to seamlessly connect to both networks for their EV charging needs,” he said.

Yinson GreenTech senior vice-president electromobility, Ruslin Tamsir said: “As the leading EV charging infrastructure provider in Malaysia, chargEV is excited to partner with GoCar, which is one of the country’s fastest growing on-demand vehicle sharing platforms.

“We believe that chargEV’s new back-end system and mobile app, together with our rapidly expanding charging infrastructure network will be able to support the growth of GoCar’s network and user base,.

“Working together, we believe we can position EVs an attractive and sustainable transport option in Malaysia,” he added.

To sign-up for a GoCar membership and experience the quiet, clean yet powerful drive of an EV, download the GoCar mobile app here.

For more information about GoCar Malaysia, visit https://hi.gocar.my or follow the GoCar Malaysia Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter channels.


Erbenol Lubricants launched

                KUALA LUMPUR: Erbenol Lubricants, a new automotive lubricants brand in Malaysia, recently unveiled its range of products on Merdeka Day itself.

The launch was held at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur Shopping Centre where it was attended by the company's group director and team principal (Legacy Racing Team) Kelvin Liang.

“We are extremely proud to have adopted and developed such superior technology and products, as well as bringing it back to Malaysia,” said Liang.

 Liang (centre) flanked by Djan (left) and Chin.

Also in attendance were Legacy Racing Team drivers Leona Chin and Tengku Djan Ley as well as dealers and other participants.

The products are touted to have been developed with the best formulation that can suit all ranges of vehicles from consumer to race cars after having conducted several months of research and development together with its partners.

Liang said that he is looking forward to working hand-in-hand with current dealers to serve the Malaysian market, as well as potential dealers who are interested in leading the brand overseas.

In conjunction with the launch and Merdeka Day Celebration, the company took the opportunity to showcase its latest sponsored Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO race car worth RM2.5mil that's finished in a special Malaysia flag-themed livery for the upcoming 2020 GT World Challenge Asia race series.

The race series will kick off at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) from Sept 11 to 13 before heading to the China Shanghai International Circuit (Oct 17 to 18), another location in China to be confirmed (Oct 31 to Nov 1) and finally back to SIC (Dec 5 to 6).

The first and only Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO race car in Malaysia will be displayed at the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur Shopping Centre from now until Sept 13.


BMW i high-voltage batteries: Modular design, modular swap

                KUALA LUMPUR: A key concern for electrified vehicle ownership is the repair and replacement of the battery cells.

The BMW high-voltage battery presents solutions to concerns around repair and maintenance by developing their batteries where single modules are replaceable.

Sitting at the heart of every electrified BMW vehicle is a lithium-ion battery pack that houses multiple modules (depending on the model of the vehicle) and within each module, multiple cells as well – all intricately connected yet easily replaceable.

The high-voltage battery pack in the BMW 530e M Sport, for example, is made up of six cell modules.

As a result, if only one of the modules is needed to be replaced, owners need not replace the entire battery pack.

Instead, they can simply change that one cell module at a cost of RM5,000 per cell.

While there is a cost involved for the maintenance of the battery cells, BMW Group Malaysia offers a comprehensive warranty coverage of 6 years / 100,000km for the batteries in its vehicles.

The battery pack is also built to be lightweight for efficient power usage while still capable of housing a great deal of power.

The 530e M Sport offers a maximum output of 83kW – the highest in its segment, enabling a maximum speed of 120km/h in full electric driving.

Moreover, these high-voltage batteries can be quickly recharged, powering the 530e M Sport in under three hours with the BMW i Wallbox for an all-electric range of 40km.

The BMW i belief of systemic sustainability also means accounting for the end of the high-voltage battery’s life cycle.

When the lithium-ion batteries are no longer suitable for use in a vehicle due to wear and tear from high performance requirements, they can still be useful in stationary operations such as those in second life projects such as the energy storage facilities.

The batteries can be combined to form a storage unit that is used as a buffer or backup storage for power from local energy sources such as solar and wind installations.

In Malaysia, the high-voltage battery technology is featured in the plug-in hybrid variants of the 5 Series, 7 Series, the full electric  i3s as well as the MINI Plug-In Hybrid.

From now until June 30, customers who pre-book the 530e Sport or 530e M Sport online at http://www.shop.bmw.com.my/ will be offered a range of exclusive deals.

They include a 0.00% interest rate and complimentary ChargeNow cards for both models.

Those who pre-book the 530e Sport will also receive a cash rebate of RM10,000, along with a complimentary BMW i Wallbox.

The 530e M Sport, on the other hand, grants a cash rebate of RM20,000 and a complimentary BMW i AC Fast Charging Cable.

Additionally, new owners of the 530e M Sport,  530e Sport and 740Le will stand a chance to also bring home the i8 Coupe with any purchase of the three models during the campaign period.

Customers can also apply for financial pre-approval online via the BMW Engage, a first-of-its-kind financing tool introduced by BMW Financial Services.

The platform allows customers to conveniently apply for pre-approved financing online at https://www.bmwfs.my/ or via the free mobile application available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.


Ducati has revamped the Borgo Panigale Experience in Bologna

                BOLOGNA: Ducati has revamped the Borgo Panigale Experience with new activities, methods of visit and collaborations to offer all enthusiasts ever more engaging and unforgettable experiences.

Visitors can relive more than 90 years of history and passion inside the Ducati Museum.

From March 25 and until May 7, enthusiasts can join the "Ducati Museum and Automobili Lamborghini Museum Experience".

The new experience features a collaboration with Lamborghini, which allows visits to both museums in a single day, taking advantage of a reduced rate for the two tickets and a free shuttle bus service, which offers a direct and rapid transfer between the Borgo Panigale and Sant'Agata Bolognese museum complexes.

The modality will be usable only on Saturdays and Sundays for a group of maximum 15 people, with a guided tour conducted by qualified operators for both museums, in Italian and English on alternate weekends.

To access the museums at a reduced rate and use the shuttle bus service, reservations are required and can be made either on the Lamborghini website or on the dedicated page of the Ducati website.

Among the other new features are the Discovery Tours with Livio Lodi, curator of the Ducati Museum, expert and history buff.

Enthusiasts can explore the Ducati Museum by walking in the company of its own curator, discovering stories, anecdotes, and untold moments through exciting storytelling, having an even more immersive experience in the rooms that retrace the iconic models, sporting feats, legendary riders, and technological milestones.

Visits to the Ducati Museum in the company of the curator will be held from April 1 to October 7, one Saturday every month, for groups of up to 12 people.

For each date, there is a tour in Italian and one in English.

Also, thanks to a partnership between Fondazione Ducati and Trenitalia Tper, train travellers of the Emilia-Romagna regional railway company can visit the Ducati Museum at a special rate.

Details on how to visit and book are available in the section dedicated to the Borgo Panigale Experience on the Ducati website.


Toll hike: Give us a break, public and firms tell Govt

                PUTRAJAYA: Please, don’t burden us further with a hike in toll rates, say the public and transport companies.

Some members of the public said they already found it hard to cope with rising food costs and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and could not afford another setback.

Lorry and bus operators said an increase in toll rates would come on top of the high operating costs that they were already struggling with.

A Cabinet meeting discussed the raising of toll charges this year – and by as much as 30%.

The North-South Expressway (PLUS) will not be affected.

Against the hike: Motorists using the North-South Expressway. The public has expressed objections to any rise in toll rates, saying they are already burdened by the high cost of living.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said there was no final decision on the toll increase.

Details will be released in the coming weeks, he said after chairing a Barisan Nasional supreme council meeting last night.

Several ministers at the Cabinet meeting were against allowing the increase.

“They felt that it was not a good time to increase toll charges when the prices of other things had gone up recently,” said a source.

No decision was made and Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof issued a statement later, saying the ministry would be having “further discussions” with the toll operators.

He said that the Cabinet members have given their feedback and “I will consider every one of them”.

A planned increase in 2011 was staved off when the Government compensated the toll operators instead.

The amount paid was confidential but it was reported last year that it was about RM400mil.

It was now time to decide whether to allow the operators to raise the toll this year or pay compensation again.

The compensation this time would be RM558.9mil, according to a report quoting Deputy Works Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid, who spoke at the Dewan Rakyat last year.

She had said that this would have to be paid if the Government did not want the tolls raised at 20 highways.

The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association said now was not the time to increase toll charges.

Its CEO Datuk Paul Selvaraj said Malaysians were already under a lot of pressure from other rising costs.

“There’s also economic instability. Graduates are struggling to get jobs and there is a lot of unemployment,” he said.

Selvaraj said the Government should look towards reducing toll, not increasing it.

“Focus on public transportation,” he added.

National Consumer Complaints Centre director Datuk Marimuthu Nadason warned that any toll increase would have a chain reaction.

He said the cost of goods and services would go up, with providers blaming the increased cost of transportation.

“Also, the ringgit is weakening and people will suffer more if rates were to go up. The Government must do what’s right for the people,” he said.

Pan-Malaysia Lorry Owners’ Association president Jong Foh Jit said an increase would not only affect the transporters but all road users.

He said the GST had already caused prices to increase.

“Even makan (food is) also more costly. Please, no more increases,” he said.

Express bus operators, in particular, would be badly affected by any hike in toll charges, said Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali.

“If it happens, this is sure to affect us and eventually, our passengers,” he said, adding that they were suffering due to high operating costs and low ticketing charges.

A Universiti Sains Malaysia transportation expert said the Government might not be able to keep compensating the concessionaires.

“According to their contracts, they are supposed to increase the toll every year because of inflation,” said Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Sadullah.

He said the Government had been trying to absorb the cost.

“I’m wondering if it has become too much to bear,” he added.

Transport planner Goh Bok Yen said instead of paying compensation, the Government should buy over the highways.

Meanwhile, the major highway concessionaire companies have claimed they are not aware of any impending increase in toll rates.

Representatives of the companies said there had been no official instruction or letter on any increase although there were news reports that an increase was imminent.

According to a spokesman of Lingkaran Trans Kota Sdn Bhd (Litrak), which maintains the Damansara-Puchong (LDP) and Sprint highways, usually an official instruction on a toll increase would be sent to the authorities such as the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) before the company could implement the increase.

“We have not received any instruction from the MHA or PWD on any toll increase.

“The toll rates remain the same,” he said.

A spokesman of Ekovest Berhad, which maintains the Duta-Ulu Klang Highway (Duke), said the company was still waiting for official instruction from the Government before implementing any increase in toll charges.

A spokesman of Besraya (M) Sdn Bhd, which operates the Sungai Besi Highway, also said there had been no information on an increase in toll rates.


Tesla readies export of Model Y to Canada from China

                SHANGHAI: Tesla has begun producing in Shanghai a version of the Model Y to be sold in Canada this year, the first time it will ship cars to North America from China, according to a person with direct knowledge of the plan and a production memo seen by Reuters.

The move would connect Tesla's biggest and most cost-efficient factory in the world to North America, its largest market. The Model Y is the electric vehicle (EV) maker's best-selling model globally.

Over the weekend, Tesla posted on its website that it would offer a new, cheaper version of its Model Y in Canada, a rear-wheel drive variant of the SUV-styled crossover priced C$10,000 (around RM33,000) lower than the long-range version of the vehicle available in that market.

Tesla's website showed that customers in Canada could take delivery of the new version of the Model Y between May and July.

The Canadian government's website was updated on Friday to show that the new version of the Model Y and the more expensive long-range variant both qualify for incentives of C$5,000 (RM16,369) on purchase or a four-year lease.

Tesla Shanghai began production of the Canada-bound version of Model Y earlier this month, the person with knowledge of the development said.

The production memo reviewed by Reuters showed that vehicles had been designed and tested for export to North America, with a target of producing nearly 9,000 this quarter.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Reuters reported in November that Tesla had considered plans for exporting made-in-China vehicles to North America. After the Reuters report was published, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in a Twitter post, had said "False," without elaborating.

Musk told analysts last week that Tesla's Shanghai plant had the "lowest cost structure" of any of its factories.

Subsidies

Canada's transport agency's EV incentive program mandates that a base model for an SUV has to be under C$60,000 (RM196,426) to qualify for the subsidy of up to C$5,000. Higher cost variants are then also eligible at a price of up to C$70,000 (RM229,143).

The introduction of the cheaper Model Y for Canada qualified both it and Tesla's C$69,900 long-range Model Y for the incentive as of Friday, Transport Canada said on its website.

Tesla’s Shanghai plant uses lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for the Model Y version produced there for sale in China and for export to Europe and other markets.

At its factories in Texas and California, Tesla has been rolling out a more powerful battery configuration known as 4680.

Tesla’s website shows the new, Canada-specific version of the Model Y has an EPA-rated range equivalent to 394km on a charge. The US version of the entry-level Model Y, which has all-wheel drive, has an EPA-rated range of 449km.

The new Model Y for Canada is also cheaper than the entry-level US model - US$44,275 (RM196,470) versus the current price of $46,990 (RM208,518) for the US.

Tesla has cut US prices on Model Y variants three times since the start of the year, part of a discounting strategy to drive volume that sliced into its first quarter margin and touched off a price war on EVs.

It shipped more than 271,000 Model Y and Model 3 sedans from its Shanghai factory last year to Europe and other markets, roughly a fifth of its global sales.

Tesla is not alone in exporting EVs from China. Renault exports the Spring, an entry-level hatchback EV to Europe under its Dacia brand. BMW exports the iX3 from China to South-East Asia and Europe.

China’s overall car exports grew four-fold between 2020 and 2022 to top two million vehicles and are on track to top three million this year if the first-quarter pace is sustained.


Stellantis CEO says EV cost burden is 'beyond the limits' for automakers

                DETROIT: Stellantis NV chief executive Carlos Tavares said external pressure on automakers to accelerate the shift to electric vehicles potentially threatens jobs and vehicle quality as producers struggle to manage the higher costs of building EVs.

Governments and investors want car manufacturers to speed up the transition to electric vehicles, but the costs are "beyond the limits" of what the auto industry can sustain, Tavares said in an interview at the Reuters Next conference released today.

"What has been decided is to impose on the automotive industry electrification that brings 50% additional costs against a conventional vehicle," he said.

"There is no way we can transfer 50% of additional costs to the final consumer because most parts of the middle class will not be able to pay."

Automakers could charge higher prices and sell fewer cars, or accept lower profit margins, Tavares said. Those paths both lead to cutbacks. Union leaders in Europe and North America have warned tens of thousands of jobs could be lost.

Automakers need time for testing and ensuring that new technology will work, Tavares said. Pushing to speed that process up "is just going to be counter productive. It will lead to quality problems. It will lead to all sorts of problems," he said.

Tavares said Stellantis is aiming to avoid cuts by boosting productivity at a pace far faster than industry norm.

"Over the next five years we have to digest 10% productivity a year ... in an industry which is used to delivering 2 to 3% productivity" improvement, he said.

"The future will tell us who is going to be able to digest this, and who will fail," Tavares said. "We are putting the industry on the limits."

Electric vehicle costs are expected to fall, and analysts project that battery electric vehicles and combustion vehicles could reach cost parity during the second half of this decade.

Like other automakers that earn profits from combustion vehicles, Stellantis is under pressure from electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc and other pure electric vehicle startups such as Rivian.

The electric vehicle companies are far smaller in terms of vehicle sales and employment. But investors have given Tesla and Rivian higher market valuations than the owner of the Jeep SUV brand or the highly profitable Ram pickup truck franchise.

That investor pressure is compounded by government policies aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The European Union, California and other jurisdictions have set goals to end sales of combustion vehicles by 2035. The United Kingdom has set 2030 as the deadline for going all-electric.

Tavares said governments should shift the focus of climate policy towards cleaning up the energy sector and developing electric-vehicle charging infrastructure.

Stellantis, created in 2021 with the merger of French automaker Peugeot SA and Italian-American automaker Fiat Chrysler NV, is on track to deliver €5 billion in cost reduction through streamlining its operations, Tavares said.

Tavares has accelerated Stellantis' electric vehicle development, committing €30 billion through 2025 to developing new electric vehicle architectures, building battery plants and investing in raw materials and new technology.

On Tuesday, Stellantis said it had invested in solid-state battery startup Factorial alongside German automaker Daimler AG.

"We can invest more and go deeper in the value chain," Tavares said. "There may be other (investments) in the near future."


Long wheelbase BMW 330Li unveiled in CKD form, estimated price at around RM300K

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Group Malaysia has unveiled the 330Li M Sport, the first-ever long wheelbase variant in its mid-sized premium executive sedan portfolio for the Malaysian market.

It's locally assembled but pricing has yet to be government-approved.  The estimated retail price is RM300,800 (on the road, without insurance, with SST).  The inclusion of SST hints that the car would only start selling after the SST exemption period expires at end-June.

The G28 3 Series variant was announced alongside the launch of the X3 sDrive20i on Friday.

The kidney grille has black struts in chrome surrounds. Flanking the grille are adaptive LED headlights.

From the sides, an increased overall length of 4,819mm (+110) and an increased wheelbase length of 2,961mm (+110mm) form the main visual differentiator from the current 330i M Sport, accompanied also by an increased height of 1,441mm (+6mm).

The sedan is enhanced with a new silhouette design, framed with the BMW Individual High-Gloss Shadow Line, and a slight coupé-like roofline.

Other exterior highlights are the M Aerodynamics and M Sport Packages, a set of 18” M light alloy wheels in Double-Spoke style 848 M bicolour with mixed tyres and run-flat tyres, double-sided exhaust tailpipe finishers with a trapezoidal design in the rear, as well as the panorama glass roof, and welcome light carpet on both sides.

Under the bonnet is a four-cylinder TwinPower Turbo petrol engine producing 258hp at 5,000rpm–6,500rpm and peak torque of 400Nm from 1,550rpm–4,400rpm. Power is relayed to the rear axle via a Steptronic Sport transmission.

The sprint from 0-100kph is completed in 6.2 seconds, and the car can reach a top speed of 250kph. Its fuel consumption is rated at 6.4l/100km; carbon emission is 147 g/km.

The interior aims to project a modern, luxurious design. It comes with Leather Vernasca upholstery in Mocha with black stitching and trim finishers in Aluminium Tetragon with highlight trim finishers in Pearl Chrome. The bigger cabin offers 4mm extra headroom and 42mm more legroom for rear passengers compared to the standard 3 Series. Boot space us 480l.

An M leather steering wheel and M-specific pedals are standard in the 330Li as well as automatic anti-dazzle function for rear-view mirror and exterior mirrors plus electric seat adjustment with memory function for the driver.

Other cabin features are BMW Live Cockpit Professional with 12.3-inch instrument display, BMW Navigation System Professional with 10.25-inch touchscreen, 3-zone automatic air-conditioning, Comfort Access, a 10-speaker hi-fi stereo system, cruise control with braking function, Parking Assistant and ambient lighting.

Safety-wise, the 330Li is equipped with Driving Assistant suite and BMW Active Pedestrian Safety. The suite comprises lane departure warning, lane change warning, front collision warning, cross traffic warning and rear collision prevention. Live assistance is provided via the Intelligent Emergency Call service.

Like for the X3, BMW encourages the 330Li owner to use the My BMW App that provides easy access to a wide range of remote services, on-the-go navigation, and e-mobility features.

The application will replace the BMW Connected App come July, and is now available for download on both Android and iOS-enabled smartphones.

Only two exterior colours are offered – Mineral White and Carbon Black.

Customers may now register interest for the 330Li via the BMW Shop Online platform at https://shop.bmw.com.my/.


Porsche announces latest electric concept car, the Cross Turismo

                STUTTGART: We're still waiting for Porsche's first electric car to be released on the market. But the German manufacturers have already announced the production of their second electric model.

Around a year before the launch of the eagerly anticipated Taycan, Porsche has now given the green light to begin the production of the Mission E Cross Turismo this coming spring.

While the Taycan is a sleek four-door sports car, the Cross Turismo is a family car aimed for leisure pursuits, combining a steeper tailgate and increased ground clearance with a more rustic design.

However, looking beyond the aesthetic differences in the two cars, and the technology under both bonnets remains the same.

Both models having two engines with a combined power of 441kW/600hp, reaching speeds of around 250kph and a driving range of over 500km.

The Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo is scheduled for release in 2020.


No decision yet on extending PLUS concession period to 2058, says Deputy Works Minister

                KUALA LUMPUR: The decision to extend PLUS’s toll concession period until 2058 has yet to be made, the Parliament was told today.

Deputy Works Minister Datuk Eddin Syazlee said that a lot of “sensitive” matters are still being considered, including price, concession period, the government and rakyat's debt, as well as the total responsibility of the concession.

“So, for PLUS, among the matters being considered and being looked into are the revenue projection terms between the company and the government.

“For this agreement with PLUS, it is still under discussion and has yet to be decided as of today, @ he said in reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid (BN-Padang Terap) during question time.

Mahdzir had asked the ministry about the status of discussions with PLUS on whether to extend its concession period until 2058 as agreed under the Pakatan Harapan government.

Under the previous administration, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had said that PLUS would be given a 20-year extension of the toll concession.

PLUS is the largest highway concessionaire in Malaysia.

To the initial question, Eddin said the government was still studying and reviewing all options to acquire highway concessionaires in order to reduce its financial burden and to balance it with the needs of users.

He said the financial burden on the government relating to all the options was currently being looked into, taking into consideration the impact on the economy, investor confidence within and outside of the country, as well as the government's financial capabilities as a whole.

Mahdzir asked the government whether it has any intention of renegotiating with concessionaires in order to take over highways in the country since the Pakatan government had estimated that the cost of such an exercise would be about RM29bil.

Meanwhile, Eddin said that the Cabinet memorandum on the future direction of toll roads in the country between the Works Ministry, Finance Ministry, and public-private partnerships under the Prime Minister's Office, is expected to be tabled to the Cabinet for consideration and approval mid-December.


Britain's sole hydrogen car maker Riversimple bets on green revolution

Spowers is keen to take on the big boys with the Rasa. — AFP
LONDON: While conventional battery-powered electric cars may be a few miles ahead in the zero-emission vehicle race, hydrogen-powered car manufacturer Riversimple is betting that nascent hydrogen technology will fuel the cars of the future.

South Korea's Hyundai claims to be the current world leader, selling 5,000 units of its Nexo model in 2019, followed by the Toyota Mirai.

Their sales are dwarfed by those of battery powered cars, of which there are now around five million on the world's roads.

Riversimple is only an ambitious upstart compared with the Asian automotive giants, but is currently the only British manufacturer in the sector with its flagship model, the Rasa.

Founder Hugo Spowers is keen to take on the big boys with his self-designed model, whose name derives from the Latin 'tabula rasa', or clean slate.

Starting from scratch will give him an advantage, he hopes, over manufacturing giants that are focused on adapting petrol-driven models to run on hydrogen fuel.

He also believes hydrogen has a clear advantage over electric batteries because it offers a much greater range.

"A short-range car can be brilliant running on batteries, and we need them and there's a role for them," he said.

"But if you want the sort of range to which we've become accustomed, of 480km or more, hydrogen is head and shoulders ahead in terms of the overall efficiency," he added.

Rasa will begin advanced testing over the next few months, with paying customers including Monmouthshire District Council in south Wales, which has approved a hydrogen refuelling station in the town of Abergavenny.

It is the only such site in the region, but recharging takes only a few minutes, compared with several hours for an electric battery.

Hire-purchase

The cars turn hydrogen and oxygen into electricity and water, offering the advantages of electric cars - sharp acceleration, torque and quiet operation - with no pollutants emitted.

Their environmental footprint is still a problem however, with the hydrogen mainly sourced from CO2-emitting natural gas.

As electricity is increasingly made from renewable sources, there is hope this could be used to create hydrogen from water via electrolysis.

Another problem is the vehicle's cost.

Riversimple is trying to resolve that via a hire-purchase scheme that includes maintenance and fuel costs.

The vehicle would still belong to Riversimple, giving it a stake in sustainability.

"You pay for it monthly by direct debit and everything's all under one umbrella, which I think is fantastic," Jane Pratt, a member of Monmouthshire County Council, told AFP.

"This is a much more sustainable method of having a car," she added.

Spowers said he expected the total outlay to be competitive with that of a Volkswagen Golf.

"Even though the car costs us more to build, because of these long revenue streams, and because our operating costs will be lower," the cost should even out, said Spowers, who plans to launch the Rasa in three years.

The company looks set to benefit from the British government's goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, and specifically the goal announced a few days ago of a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030.

British chemical giant Ineos and market leader Hyundai last week announced a partnership to develop hydrogen-fuelled vehicles and capitalise on the expected boom.

Hyundai suggested it could supply its hydrogen fuel cell technology to equip the Ineos all-terrain model Grenadier.


Hey mister, no drive-in banking service here

                PETALING JAYA: A senior citizen accidentally drove his car into a CIMB bank in Damansara Uptown, Sunday evening, after mistaking the forward gear for reverse.

However, CIMB took the accident with some light-hearted jest, with group chairman Datuk Seri Nazir Razak posting a picture of the crashed car on his Instagram account with the caption:

“Err.... Sorry but we have not launched CIMB Drive-in service.”

The bank now has to close a portion of its ATM section, after the 70-year-old’s Perodua Kelisa ploughed through the glass panels before hitting a wall in the bank.

Petaling Jaya traffic police chief Deputy Supt Mohamad Roy Suhaimi Sarif said the incident occurred when the retired army officer had just finished making a transaction at the bank here at about 7.30pm and went to pick up his car in front of the premises.

“As he was about to drive out, he didn’t realise that he had put the car into drive, and thought he was pressing the brake when he had actually hit the accelerator,” DSP Mohamad Roy said.

The mistake sent the car zooming up the sidewalk and through the glass panels. The car came to a stop after hitting a wall at the back of the bank. Fortunately, no one was in the bank at the time and the retiree escaped without injury.

“There was no damage to the ATMs,” said DSP Mohamad Roy. “He only hit a wooden booth that was next to the glass panels.

“The bank management lodged a report and we have decided to just issue a summons against the man,” he said. “It was a sincere mistake.”


Continental AG transforms, to spin off powertrain unit

CEO Degenhart.
HANOVER: Continental AG has become the latest in a line of companies to announce sweeping changes to keep pace with the auto industry’s transformation to an electric, self-driving future.

The world’s second-largest car-parts maker has been discussing possible steps for months on how to best move forward, and is set to follow competitors like Delphi Automotive and Autoliv AB that have split themselves up.

In Continental’s case, the company plans to spin off the powertrain unit and is contemplating a move into battery-cell making and selling part of the rubber division.

“There are huge question marks around the timing of the transformation from combustion engines to electric cars, or fuel cells, or synthetic fuels,” chief executive officer Elmar Degenhart said Wednesday on a call with reporters. “That’s why it’s prudent to make ourselves more flexible now.”

The German company plans to carve out the powertrain division, whose products include parts for combustion engines, early next year into a separate entity. It’ll keep majority control in any share sale that could happen as soon as mid-2019, Hanover-based Continental said. The supervisory board must still sign off on the plan at a meeting later this month.

Companies are responding to new pressures and record investment demands to develop new technologies, particularly for electric cars.

Daimler AG, the world’s biggest producer of luxury cars and commercial vehicles, is also pursuing a plan that would hand greater autonomy to its individual units, to help speed up decision-making and keep new competitors like Uber Technologies Inc. at bay.

Listing part of the powertrain division would generate cash to invest in growth areas such as electric vehicles and self-driving features. The unit generated 7.7 billion euros in sales last year and employed more than 40,000 people.

The overhaul will also reorganise some of the company’s other units. Bloomberg first broke news of the carve-out in January.

Any decision on a plan to make battery cells would come after 2020, and would target future solid-state technology that’s not currently still in development.

Separately, Degenhart said a partial share sale of a minority stake in the rubber division - Continental also makes tyres - could help fund potential acquisitions that exceed the company’s financial firepower.

Continental’s last acquisition exceeding 1 billion euros was the purchases of Veyance Technologies Inc. for 1.4 billion euros announced in 2014.

Brokering the company’s split is another achievement for chairman Wolfgang Reitzle, who’s separately arranging a merger for industrial-gas maker Linde AG, where he also leads the supervisory board. He was brought in to Continental in 2009 after an aggressive stake purchase by the billionaire Schaeffler family triggered departures of top management.

Continental has been looking at changes to its corporate structure since late last year. Degenhart outlined a potential project in April to separate a portion of the business that makes engines and transmissions to give it “more free space.” The powertrain division needs to be especially flexible as more than half of its revenue is affected by the auto industry’s looming shift toward electric cars, he said at the time.

The family holding in Continental is controlled by Maria Elisabeth Schaeffler and her son Georg Schaeffler, who own industrial-bearings manufacturer Schaeffler AG. While Reitzle and Degenhart advocated for an IPO for the powertrain operation, the Schaefflers initially favoured a spin-off. That option would have given the clan the ability to generate funds from selling stock in the unit once it’s listed, while keeping their Continental stake at 46 percent.

The Schaeffler family’s strategy at Continental is being closely watched. Maria Elisabeth, the widow of Schaeffler AG’s co-founder failed to attend at least 75 percent of Continental’s supervisory board meetings last year, which Advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. in April criticised.

She also didn’t show up at the April annual meeting, where other investors demanded more clarity on the reorganisation plans.


New GKN eAxle simplifies building of plug-in hybrids

                FRANKFURT: Driveline maker GKN Automotive has developed a new eAxle system that makes it simpler to build plug-in hybrid models on global vehicle platforms. This system will be on display at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The technology is launching on the all-new Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid SUV and is the world’s first disconnecting eAxle on a premium SUV. GKN has also worked with Volvo Cars as the development partner on the front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive drivelines of the XC90, one of the cleanest and most powerful seven-seater SUVs on the market.

GKN’s systems integration capabilities resulted in an eAxle that minimised packaging, and maximised performance. Designed to fit in the same space as the Rear Drive Module on the XC90 AWD driveline, the eAxle solution provided by GKN gives Volvo the flexibility to meet the customer demand mix between all versions of the XC90 driveline.

The system debuting on the Volvo XC90 delivers new levels of torque in a significantly smaller package. The XC90’s eAxle delivers nominal output torque of 2,400Nm in a package that measures 263mm x 310mm x 293mm and weighs just 15kg. The small footprint of this higher output new eAxle saves space, making integration into global vehicle platforms simpler while also enhancing driveability.

By using the electric motor’s output as the transmission input shaft, the result is a smaller, lighter and higher performance electric drivetrain. GKN’s eAxle system incorporates an intelligent disconnect clutch technology that not only provides a more efficient eDrive mode, but also gives the vehicle a powerful all-wheel drive function.

“While many expected electrification to happen first in small city cars, eAxle systems are enabling larger vehicles and luxury models to electrify much faster," said GKN Driveline managing director of eDrive Systems Rainer Link.

"GKN’s pioneering work in eAxle technologies is delivering the torque density that automakers need. Our expertise means that more and more automakers are using GKN as a systems integration partner on hybrid programmes.”

The compact design and low weight is possible due to a semi-integrated-layout where the electric motor and the gearbox share one common housing. GKN’s unique e-Axle is based on a two-stage single-speed coaxial design with an Electronic Disconnect Device (EDD) integrated into the differential.

When e-Axle operation is not required, the electric motor can be decoupled from the drivetrain to minimize losses in combustion engine mode. The system is actuated by a solenoid and includes contactless indication of clutch status.

GKN realised the eAxle’s high internal efficiency of around 95% by using a layshaft gearbox layout. The company is also developing a version that uses a planetary gear set.

GKN has pioneered the introduction of eAxle technology in the automotive industry. The company was awarded Official Porsche Technology Partner status for its contribution to the plug-in hybrid Porsche 918 Spyder programme. It launched the world’s first two-speed eAxle in the plug-in hybrid BMW i8 and the industry’s first eAxle applications with PSA Peugeot Citroen.


Ferrari Roma wins Car Design Award

MARANELLO: The Ferrari Roma, produced from 1984 to 1997 and then relaunched in 2016, has been awarded the Production Cars category of the prestigious Car Design Award.The prize-giving ceremony was held virtually on the Car Design Award’s YouTube channel.Launched in 1984 by Auto&Design magazine, the Car Design Award is aimed at projects that have contributed to the evolution of car design.

This year's winners were selected by an expert jury of 12 journalists from leading international car publications, including Auto&Design.

In assigning the Production Cars to the Ferrari Roma, the jury declared that: “The Ferrari design team, led by Flavio Manzoni, did an incredible job with the Roma. This car reinterprets the classical lines of a Gran Turismo car and projects them into the 21st century thanks to sensual, evocative and cutting-edge design”.
The Roma is the Italian carmaker's new 2+ coupé, a model that's been sublimely refined with a timeless design and all the power and agility required to guarantee a unique driving experience.The signature Italian styling is a contemporary reinterpretation of the carefree lifestyle of 1950s and ‘60s Rome, from which it takes its evocative name, Roma.Stylistically, the Ferrari Roma is characterised by clean, symbiotic forms.Its beautifully harmonious proportions and elegantly pure, balanced volumes are very much in line with the brand's mid-mounted front-engined grand touring (GT) tradition of which the 250 GT Berlinetta lusso (Italian: luxury)  is the most iconic example, and from which the car takes its inspiration.The Roma embodies an extremely modern design language, which underlines its authentic, refined styling. Equally, however, its sleek lines retain the sporty vocation shared by all Ferraris.


After COP26, Glasgow leads by example with a new car-free zone in the city centre

                GLASGOW: After hosting COP26, Glasgow is leading by example and reorganising its city centre to make it healthier and less polluted.

This includes the implementation of a car-free zone, covering the heart of the historic centre, from George Square to Hope Street, passing by Argyle Street and Cathedral Street.

In this area, traffic is particularly dense and pollution is very high. This area will be progressively closed to cars over the next five years, with exceptions for disabled access.

The area will also remain open to public transport and to many professionals.

With this plan, Glasgow is joining other major European cities, where clean air initiatives are springing up across the continent.

Barcelona in Spain, Bristol in England and Leuven in Belgium have already adopted these kinds of schemes.

By 2022, Paris will follow suit with reduced traffic in the city's inner core.

In Berlin, a collective is campaigning for the German capital's entire centre to be closed to cars and become a space reserved only for pedestrians, public transport, bicycles, scooters and the like.

A petition collecting more than 50,000 signatures calls for a referendum, for scheduled implementation by 2027.

This decision taken by the Glasgow City Council is part of a long-term strategy. Indeed, the city's objective is to reach carbon neutrality by 2030 and to become a circular city by 2045.


Toyota commits to electrification with US plant investments

                TOKYO: Toyota said it will invest US$383 million (RM1.6bil) in four of its plants in the US that build the heart of new Toyota and Lexus vehicles, advancing its commitment to vehicle electrification.

The new investment supports the production of four-cylinder engines, including options for hybrid electric vehicles, at its Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee plants.

The company will invest about US$222 million (RM944mil) in its Alabama plant, where it will create a new four-cylinder production line with the capacity to produce engines for both combustion and hybrid electric powertrains.

Additionally, the facility will expand its footprint by 114,000 square feet.

The Kentucky plant will receive US$16 million (RM68mil), and is expanding flexibility of the four-cylinder engine line announced last fall, which will better position the plant to meet customer demand.

The plant's powertrain facility can produce up to 600,000 units annually.

Toyota Missouri's US$109 million (RM464mil) investment provides new equipment to build four-cylinder engine heads on three production lines.

The plant has the capacity to build more than 3 million cylinder heads annually and represents a US$564 million (RM2.4bil) investment.

The Tennessee plant, meanwhile, will receive US$36 million (RM153mil) to update equipment to build new four-cylinder engine blocks.

The plant has the capacity to produce more than 2 million engine blocks annually.


Online game unveiled by Rolls-Royce

                GOODWOOD: In honour of the newly unveiled Wraith Kryptos Collection, Rolls-Royce launched an entertaining and interactive online game, for members of the public and enthusiasts around the world to enjoy.

Players can access the game at rolls-roycemotorcars.com, where they can take part in a cryptic challenge, consisting of four levels, each getting progressively harder.

The first ten individuals to complete the game will receive their very own personalised Rolls-Royce treadplate.

The Wraith Kryptos Collection was revealed on July 7, 2020 to worldwide intrigue and acclaim.

Consisting of just 50 examples, these very special motor cars are themselves imbued with cryptography; cryptic messages and code embedded within the very fabric of the motor car.

An online game has been devised to entertain and amuse Rolls-Royce enthusiasts who will not be lucky enough to attempt to solve and decipher the code of Wraith Kryptos Collection for themselves. Inspired by, but not linked to, the Wraith Kryptos Collection, anyone with a penchant for cryptography may enter the challenge.


Sri Damansara-DUKE link opens, toll-free for a month

                PETALING JAYA: Motorists near Kepong, Segambut and Sungai Buloh will be able to access the newly-completed Sri Damansara link (SDL) via Duta Ulu Kelang (Duke 2) from midnight today for free for one month.

The month-long toll free period is applicable at the Segambut Toll Plaza along SDL until Nov 22.

The new link connects the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) at the Bandar Manjalara Interchange and the existing Duke in Jalan Segambut. It will provide an alternative route for those heading towards congested areas like the Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Sri Damansara, Rawang, Kepong and Sungai Buloh.

Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said an estimated 30,000 people will use the new link.

“We believe the ride will reduce travel time by 10 minutes approximately,” he added.

 Works Minister Fadillah  (wearing tie)  looking at a scale model at the launch of the Sri Damansara Link (SDL) of the Duke 2 highway.

Fadillah also commended the concessionaire holder of Duke 2, Konsortium Lebuhraya Utara-Timur (KL) Sdn Bhd (Kesturi) for increasing the existing Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) road, Jalan Taman Bukit Maluri - Jalan Lang Emas from four lanes to six.

They also expanded the Manjalara Interchange on MRR 2 under the Road Works Department.

He said this would ease the bottleneck congestion that is common in Jalan Lang Emas.

The SDL also comes equipped with the Segambut Rest and Services Area (Segar) which features a double-storey, park-and-ride facility that will connect to a KTM Komuter station that is currently under construction.

At present, there are some 300 parking bays but there is a proposal to build more once the operations begin at the KTM station. The space is estimated to be able to accommodate 4,000 parking bays.

The SDL is the final phase for the Duke 2 highway that includes the Tun Razak Link that was opened to public since Sep 28 this year.


Emira First Edition ushers in end of petrol era at Lotus

                LONDON: Lotus has confirmed more details of its Emira sports coupé which is set to be the final non-electrified model from the iconic British marque.

First in the showroom is the range-topping Emira First Edition with 400hp on tap. The crisply-styled two-seater will sell in global markets from the spring and is priced in Europe at 95,995 euros.

Lotus plans to make four new all-electric cars by 2026, including the Evija supercar and an SUV, which means the Emira marks the end of petrol power for the maker founded in 1952.

"The Emira is the most accomplished Lotus we've ever made," said managing director Martin Windle. The car represented a "quantum leap" for the manufacturer, with new levels of comfort, functionality and technology.

At the heart of the mid-engined Emira is the familiar 3.5-litre supercharged engine from Toyota which is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox with visible gearchange mechanism. A six-speed automatic is also offered.

Lotus also confirmed that the manual Emira V6 can dash from a standstill to 100kph in 4.3 seconds and will run on to 290kph. CO2 emissions are given as 243 g/km.

The trusty engine has been carried over from the outgoing Evira and Exige models.

The Emira First Edition rides on bespoke 20-inch ultra-lightweight V-spoke forged alloy wheels and comes in six colours.

The car has been developed on a new lightweight bonded aluminium chassis and will square up against rivals like the Porsche Cayman 718 or Alpine A110s.

Emira production begins early next year, with a junior version using an Mercedes-AMG 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo unit arriving in the autumn. Order books for that open soon.

Unlike some of Lotus earlier spartan offerings, the transformed Emira cabin is crammed with creature comforts and high-tech.

On offer are Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and satellite navigation along with 12-way adjustable heated seats, climate control, cruise control, keyless start and selectable driving modes.

The cockpit also features a 10.25-inch centrally mounted touch-screen, with driver feedback through a 12.3-inch TFT instrument cluster ahead of a multi-function steering wheel.

Lotus Cars based in Norfolk, England, was founded and owned for many years by racing driver Colin Chapman. China's Geely now has a 51 per cent stake in the company and is funding new cars.


BYD building own Europe plant more likely than taking one over

                LOS ANGELES: BYD Co. is exploring setting up its own factory in Europe, a top executive told Bloomberg News, suggesting the Chinese carmaking giant is more likely to establish its own plant than take over one from Ford Motor Co. in Germany.

"We aren’t focusing on certain companies’ facilities,” BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li said in an interview from the company’s new North American headquarters in Pasadena, California. She said the carmaker is more interested in building its own plants rather than acquiring other companies’ factories.

"We’re doing feasibility studies to see our plans for the future,” Li said. "Like if we set up our facility in that region, what’s the best solution out there?”

While there are "no target countries to build facilities yet,” BYD wants to have solid sales and dealer networks in Europe, along with service centers, in order to ensure consumer confidence in the brand, she said.

Ford has been in talks with around 15 potential investors in its plant in Saarlouis, German, including BYD, people familiar with the matter have said. The Wall Street Journal first reported the preliminary discussions last month.

After wild success at home selling affordable electric cars to the masses, BYD is looking beyond China. It’s already announced plans to sell its vehicles across Europe, including in Germany, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, France and the UK.

In Asia, BYD is constructing its first EV production plant in Southeast Asia, in Thailand, and is selling to consumers in Australia, Japan and Singapore. It also has an assembly line in India.

However the company, which counts Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. as its largest shareholder, is facing escalating concerns in Europe and the US regarding China’s increasingly competitive car industry and the nation’s progress becoming an auto-exporting powerhouse.

A new climate and energy law enacted by President Joe Biden last year seeks to limit reliance on minerals from China in the EV supply chain and encourage more companies to make electric cars locally in the US.

Rival automakers are also pondering how to compete on cost: Stellantis NV chief executive officer Carlos Tavares said in December that "to fight the Chinese, we will have to have comparable cost structures.”

Shenzhen-based BYD, which sold 1.86 million pure electric and hybrid cars last year, mostly in China, is mainly concentrating its efforts around Asia, Europe and Latin America in its quest to dominate the clean passenger transport market.

Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act isn’t "helping the US to be competitive in the EV race or helping US consumers enjoy the best, the most innovative technology,” Li said, adding that BYD sees China and Europe leading EV adoption and moving to EV penetration rates of more than 30% in the near term.

In Latin America, BYD plans to be in every major market, taking an aggressive approach to signing up dealerships to sell not just passenger cars, but commercial vans, buses and taxis, Li said.

"BYD wants to move the EV adoption rate in Latin America to 10 to 20% in the next three to five years, from less than 2% now,” Li said. "I think this change will start from corporate, government fleets.”

As well as car manufacturing plants, BYD, which produces its own batteries and semiconductors, is "definitely” looking to build a battery facility outside of China, envisioning a supply chain of its own that’s truly global and capable of serving its plants in the world wherever they may be.

Even though Li sought to water down BYD’s interest in taking over the existing automotive assets of other companies, there have been discussions in the past.

In November, BYD said it was talking to Brazil’s Bahia state to take over some ex-Ford facilities there and in December, the company told Bloomberg it was looking at potentially more than one European plant to produce passenger electric cars.


Don't be brash on a flooded road, motorists urged

                KUALA LUMPUR: The over-confidence of drivers who take the risk of ploughing through a flood in order to continue their journey can result in them being stranded in the middle of a downpour.

According to Bentong GiatMara Skills Training Centre manager Mohd Aizat Abd Aziz, any motor vehicle is at risk of damage if flooded, especially modern vehicles using an electronic fuel injection system.

"The cost of repairing a flood-damaged car can run into thousands of ringgit, especially cars with electronic fuel injection because they have many sensitive sensors.

"If you insist on fording through floodwater, make sure the water does not exceed the level of the air intake suction, namely, it does not pass the bonnet. For motorcycles, the water should not exceed the level of the rider's seat," he said.

However, Mohd Aizat, who has 10 years of experience as an automotive instructor at the Pahang training centre, advised drivers not to take the risk of driving though floodwater.

Mohd Aizat said the centre repairs two to three vehicles a day during the flood season.

"The common damage is water entering the carburetor in older vehicles."

Some of the cars also came in because their electronics system had been short-circuited.

"Drive the vehicle slowly because driving fast can cause the tyres to lose grip. Use low gear and maintain driving momentum.

"Also check the engine and gearbox for water entry."

During a flood season, park vehicles on high ground or areas that are not easily flooded, said Mohd Aizat.


Car dashboards that act like smart phones raise safety issues

                SAN FRANCISCO: When it comes to dashboard displays that are more like smart phones, two things are clear: Customers want them, and automakers are intent on supplying them.

But are they really a good idea?

Car companies answer with an emphatic yes. They say outsized dashboard displays that behave more like smart phones will boost revenue and attract buyers. And they also insist the new screens will make driving less dangerous, because of well-integrated voice controls and large touch screens that will keep drivers from fumbling with more dangerous mobile phones.

But the increasingly elaborate screens have also sparked a broad debate about how much technology is appropriate in a car.

"I think they (the screens) raise serious public safety questions," said Joe Simitian, the former California lawmaker who spearheaded the state's laws on phone use while driving. "From a legislative standpoint, this is going to be something legislators struggle with for years to come."

“You can’t be looking at a screen and be looking at the road at the same time,” said David Strayer, a professor of cognition and neural science at the University of Utah, who has written several studies on distracted driving. The screens “are enabling activities that take your eyes off the road for longer than most safety advocates would say is safe.”

His research shows that reading the average text message—a function some of the screens support—takes four seconds, far longer than what he considers safe.

But for automakers and their customers, the souped-up screens are proving irresistible.

In an Audi A3, for example, drivers who sync their phones with their cars can check for mentions of themselves on Twitter and see those tweets on their dashboards—although not their full Twitter streams. They can upload photos taken on smart phones and request mapping to the place the photo was taken. Text messages pop up on the dashboard, in addition to being read out loud.

“If you don’t provide something that is useful, people will just use their smartphones, and we all know that’s the biggest driver distraction there is,” said Mark Dahncke, a spokesman for Audi.

Up to now, dashboard technology hasn’t factored highly into most car buying decisions, but carmakers expect it to become increasingly important over the next 3-5 years.

A recent study by the market research company J.D. Power found that about 15 percent of consumers rule out buying a car if it lacks the latest technology, compared with just 4 percent a year ago.

Currently, dashboard displays are only lightly regulated. Many states forbid the airing of non-navigational videos by drivers while cars are in motion, except for safety video systems designed to help with backing up and other tasks.

Federal motor vehicle standards stipulate only a few rules, including that the brightness on displays be adjustable.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued driver-distraction guidelines for dashboard displays in moving cars. They advise against displays that include photographs or moving images unrelated to driving, and suggest that drivers shouldn’t need to tap a button or key more than six times to complete a task. But so far, the guidelines are voluntary, with automakers under no obligation to comply.

The auto industry has issued voluntary guidelines of its own. But in many cases, industry standards fall short of the government's. For example, the industry guidelines say that drivers should be able to complete tasks on the displays in a series of single glances that generally take no more than 2 seconds each, for a total of 20 seconds. But the government guidelines advise that drivers should be able to complete tasks in a series of 1.5 or 2 second glances, for a total of no more than 12 seconds.

Some critics find even that standard too lax.

"It should be set up so people can do it in just four glances," says Henry Jasny, vice president of the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a Washington, D.C.-based group funded by insurers and others. His group has asked for the government guidelines to become law, figuring that even imperfect mandatory rules would be better than no requirements, and that during the rulemaking process, the organization can fight for more stringent regulation.

Auto manufacturers are incorporating popular smartphone features into displays in different ways.

Some, such as Hyundai, are simply making their displays compatible with Android and iOS, the smartphone software from Google and Apple, so drivers can see a bare-bones version of their phone on the screen. Other companies, including Tesla, are creating elaborate systems that don’t rely on syncing with phones, but replicate many of the things consumers might use their phones to do, such as checking for nearby restaurants.

Making the in-dash displays as responsive as possible with minimal glances away from the road is a major goal, says Danny Shapiro, senior director of automotive for Nvidia, a company that makes hardware and software for displays featured in Audis and Teslas.

“What we’re doing is developing graphics that are intuitive, so you can gesture or swipe or zoom,” he said. “Something that responds like that, and is big, is much safer than a smartphone.”

So far, insurers haven’t taken a stand on the new souped-up displays. A large, interactive display on the dashboard would neither increase nor decrease policy rates, said a spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute, unless it was considered valuable enough to increase the risk of theft.


MACC arrests nine in connection with RM85mil automotive-related project

                PUTRAJAYA: A Datuk and a woman were among nine individuals remanded in connection with an investigation into a RM85mil project involving an automotive-related agency.

It is learnt that the nine were arrested at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters here on Wednesday evening when they were summoned for questioning.

Sources said four of the suspects were company owners, a medical advisor, an accountant, a company director, a chief executive and a chief operations officer.

Sources said that graft investigators had obtained a remand order between three and six days which was issued by magistrate Shah Wira Abdul Halim today.

The suspects are said to be aged between 34 and 58.

It is learnt that two of the suspects had asked for bribes of more than RM14mil from three other suspects.

Sources said the monies were meant as a reward for assisting companies owned by the trio to be awarded grants between 2018 and 2020.

When contacted, MACC special ops division senior director Datuk Tan Kang Sai confirmed the arrests.


SK Innovation says may pull its battery business out of US

                SEOUL: South Korea’s SK Innovation Co Ltd said today it is considering all options including pulling its battery business out of the United States if President Joe Biden does not overturn a trade panel’s decision against it by April 11.

“The company has been consulting with experts to discuss ways to withdraw our battery business from the United States,” a spokesman at SK Innovation said.

“We are reviewing options to move our US battery production to Europe or China, which would cost us tens of billions of won,” she added.

SK Innovation and LG Chem’s wholly owned battery division, LG Energy Solution, have been locked in a dispute over claims SK misappropriated trade secrets related to electric vehicle battery technology.

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) last month sided with LG, issuing a limited 10-year exclusion order prohibiting imports into the United States of SK’s lithium-ion batteries. That ruling would become invalid if the two companies agree a settlement.

The ITC ruling against SK, which supplies electric car batteries to Volkswagen, Ford Motor Co and Hyundai Motor Co among others, can also be overturned by Biden.

SK has warned it would be forced to halt construction of a US$2.6 billion battery plant in the state of Georgia if Biden does not use a 60-day presidential review period to overturn the decision.

Last week, SK filed a motion to the ITC requesting it not enforce its February ruling, calling the orders “catastrophic”.

“The commission’s orders destroy the economic viability of SK’s investment in battery production in Georgia and will rationally and inevitably lead to its abandonment,” SK said in a filing.

The ITC ruling allowed some exemptions, permitting SK to import components for domestic production of batteries for Ford’s EV F-150 program for four years, and for Volkswagen America’s MEB electric vehicle line for two years.


France's Stephane Peterhansel wins Dakar Rally for 14th time

                JEDDAH: France's Stephane Peterhansel today won the Dakar Rally for the 14th time, 30 years after his initial success in the most gruelling event on motorsport's calendar.

Peterhansel, nicknamed "Mr Dakar", has now won the car category eight times, having also won the motorcycle category six times.

The 55-year-old MINI driver, aided by co-pilot Edouard Boulanger, finished ahead of Qatari Nasser al-Attiyah (Toyota), with Spain's Carlos Sainz rounding out the podium in another MINI.

Peterhansel's victory came shortly after news that French motorcyclist Pierre Cherpin had died from his injuries after a fall, becoming the race's first fatality this year.

Argentina's Kevin Benavides won the motorbike category, leading home defending champion Ricky Brabec of the United States in a first Honda 1-2 since 1987.

Briton Sam Sunderland, the 2017 champion, finished third.

Benavides, who broke his nose in a crash on the fifth stage that saw his helmet shattered, became the first South American to win the category, calling it "absolutely crazy".

"I went at 110 percent, but now it's true: I've won the Dakar - I'm so, so happy! I did some mistakes, for sure. I think it's impossible to do a perfect Dakar," he said.

"The important thing is to always continue, to stay calm and focused day by day and to work hard day by day."

Brabec admitted to feeling "pretty bummed" at not defending his title, but added that "number two will work".

"I didn't even know that Honda had already won a one and two finish. I wasn't even born in 1987! It's cool to go one and two again."


Toyota eyes mass EV output in China as early as 2019, says Japan daily

                TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp is likely to begin mass production of electric vehicles (EVs) in China as early as 2019, the Asahi daily reported.

The model will be based on the C-HR sport utility vehicle and manufactured for Chinese market only, the report said on Saturday without citing sources.

The pace of production is to be decided after taking into account the regulations and the subsidies, the report said, adding that annual output could start with more than several thousand units.

Toyota spokesman Ryo Sakai said: "We are going to introduce EVs in China with a few years. However, we don't talk about any future product plans."

Keen to combat air pollution, China is planning to set goals for electric and plug-in hybrid cars to make up at least a fifth of Chinese auto sales by 2025, with a staggered system of quotas beginning in 2018.


ADVERTORIAL: Citroen C4 Picasso - the classy family ride

                The Citroen C4 Picasso could be your answer if you are looking for a spacious and comfortable family ride like no other.

The C4 Picasso was honoured with the “Best Family Ride of the Year (RM100,000 – RM200,000)” award at the recent inaugural CarSifu Editors’ Choice Awards.

Award judges took into account the C4 Picasso’s range of innovative driving conveniences, comprehensive safety features, and powerful 1.6-litre turbocharged 4-inline engine with 165PS and 240Nm of torque, which is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

This beauty is priced at RM148,888 on-the-road with insurance, and has a five-year unlimited mileage warranty.

Features include automatic dual zone air-conditioning, push-start ignition with keyless entry, active cruise control, rear view camera, electric tailgate, driver’s seat with electric massage function and adjustable lumbar support, and front passenger’s seat with massage function, and 17-inch Anaconda alloy wheels.

The uncluttered dashboard has two central screens - a 7-inch touchpad and a 12-inch panoramic HD screen.

The 7-inch touchpad controls all the in-car functions: dual zone air conditioning, navigation, audio, telephone, and driving aids.

The C4 Picasso also has lots of convenient stowage compartments and is cleverly designed with storage nets, aircraft-style trays on the front seat-backs (with LED lighting), and the under-floor storage in the second row.

Featuring an uncluttered loft-style interior ambience, the C4 Picasso’s long 2,785mm wheelbase provides class-beating cabin space.

There’s a class-best capacity of 537 litres for rear cargo space, and up to 630 litres with the seats in row two pushed forward.

The interior applies business-class travel standards which is reinforced by the panoramic windscreen.

It has an exclusive Lounge Pack, comprising front massage seats, a “Relax” seat enabling the front passenger to stretch out his or her legs, and a Relax headrest on all seats for optimum neck support.

Safety features include six airbags and an Electronic Stability Program (ESP) featuring Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), traction control, and hill-start assist, reverse camera, blind spot monitoring system (with LED alert on door mirrors), Lane Departure Warning System with visual and active seatbelt alert, rear ISOFIX points, automatic headlamps, anti-theft alarm, automatic windscreen wipers, 3-point seatbelts for all occupants, and front and rear parking sensors.

The C4 Picasso is designed with a stylish front end armed with slim LED daytime-running lights that extend the line of the radiator grille, sitting just on top of the slender xenon headlamps.

Its rear LED lights feature a profound, futuristic 3D effect.

The C4 Picasso has a good balance between comfort and road-holding with its electric power steering and running gear optimised for a smooth, lively performance.

The C4 Picasso comes with a 3-year free service.


Audi RS overload in Ingolstadt: RS5 coupé, RS6 Avant and RS7 Sportback

                Audi’s RS models cater to high-performance car buffs.

A recent experience with these pumped-up variants in Germany could be a prelude to their arrival in Malaysia.

IT MIGHT have taken Audi a bit longer to join the bandwagon but after sorting its “power” models under the “S” and “RS” category, this German carmaker decided to give them a more distinct grouping.

The RS is now the chosen range, comprising powerful and sports cars from the respective model lines in much the same way that BMW has done with its M series and Mercedes-Benz with the AMG line.

After all, there is no shortage of exciting-to- drive Audi cars but with the RS models, it sets a benchmark to qualify them to carry that badge.

Actually the RS model is not new as it first saw daylight in 1993 in the Audi RS 2 Avant; over the years Audi gradually expanded the RS range to today’s RS3 to the RS7, although the R8 is still seen as the top honcho.

We were invited to Ingolstadt again recently to get a road feel of a few RS models, these being the RS5 coupé, RS6 Avant and RS7 Sportback.

The drive experience was topped by a stint at Audi Sport with the R8 plus, about 18 months after we first enjoyed a similarly exciting session at the same place.

This time, however, we got to complete the entire routine that we missed out on earlier as the place was booked then for another group of participants leasing to time constraints.

And this was to try and correct an understeering and oversteering moment respectively in the R8 plus, with its electronically controlled dynamic systems (ESP) turned off.

To recap, the Audi R8 plus is the top honcho in the RS group being a dedicated two-seater sports car sharing similar mechanicals with the Lamborghini Huracán.

It is powered by a 5.0-litre V10 engine located midship that punches out 610PS at 8250rpm and 560Nm at 6500rpm; that translates to a 0-100kph in 3.3 seconds and 330kph top speed.

Although it was drizzling constantly, the water pumps were still activated to keep the surface at the huge grounds sufficiently wet.

We started with the ABS braking session (which we had done more than a year ago) and the idea was to see how we could control the R8 and bring it to a complete stop without much drama.

When we could do that consistently, we were asked to brake a little later and see if we could achieve the same car control; that means braking a little later before slamming hard on the brake pedal.

Needless to say, it got harrier trying to tame this beast even though the speed difference was probably about 10kph or higher; we were braking at about 90-100kph.

The fun part was to follow; we started with understeering and that meant going into a turn at about 80kph and lifting off the accelerator pedal before having the steering in full lock (in this case to the left).

On a wet surface where traction was minimal and there was no ESP to activate the brake systems to correct the sudden yaw, the R8 drifted in the direction that we entered the turn (or going straight instead of turning).

That is described as understeering as the car is not turning in the direction according to the steering movement made.

What we were supposed to do was to turn the steering back by half a lock (or half the turn that we made earlier) and ease on the accelerator to power out.

It was easier said than done and the guys and gal in our Malaysian media team had our hands full trying to get the R8 ‘back in line’ consistently.

The same went for the oversteering manoeuvre; we started nearer the turn point (marked by a cone) entering it at about 50-60kph.

We turned the steering at half lock and floored the accelerator; this unleashed most of the 560Nm torque that in turn spun the car in an oversteer.

That is best explained as a situation where the car is turning more than it should according to the steering movement made.

And to correct it? Ease off the accelerator, restore steering direction and power out.

Some got to do it correctly the second or third time but to do it consistently all the time, well that needs lots of practice.

Each of us had six to seven attempts at it but the way that some were going all over the place (us included), we were surprised to see the instructor standing confidently at a point where he could easily be knocked into in an out-of- control situation!

The track drive was different this time; before the full distance drive we covered the 2.2km circuit at the Audi Sport venue in ‘halves’.

Going by the rules enforced, we could do each half of the circuit without wearing a crash helmet but had to do so for the full circuit drive later.

We preferred this routine as we could enjoy the drive better by pushing the R8 accordingly for the respective corner; it was less tiring trying to remember how we should approach each corner over the longer stint (which we opted out of).

Perhaps our ‘training’ stints in the R8 couldn’t have been better demonstrated than in a little road accident through no fault of our media members.

A team in an RS6, waiting for the lights to turn green at a junction in Ingolstadt, had a firsthand experience of being in an accident caused by someone losing his car in a ‘powered’ oversteer.

A relatively young German driver in a Camaro approaching the junction along a road at an angle to the spot decided to gun it as he turned left.

It was about 3-4 degrees Celsius in the morning and the road was mildly damp; with so much torque going to the rear wheels suddenly, the car’s rear broke loose causing it to spin out of control.

The Camaro knocked into an Audi (driven by a German woman with her child in it) waiting alongside the RS6; the force of impact was so great, it pushed that Audi against the RS6, causing bodily damage.

That was a classic example of how hard it is trying to correct a car in a ‘powered’ oversteer without ample practice.

Apart from that little hiccup that retired the RS6, reducing our media fleet to three cars (as it became a police case), the road drive experience was largely in enjoying the cars’ power characteristics on the autobahn and in the city.

The RS5 coupé is powered by a 2.9-litre TFSI bi-turbo V6 that delivers 450hp and 600Nm, and accelerates to 100kph in 3.9 seconds; it represents the new Audi RS design language.

The RS6 Avant and RS7 Sportback are powered by 4.0-litre TFSI V8s that churns out 560hp and 700Nm; its 0-100kph credentials are similar at 3.9 seconds.

Same standing start acceleration aside, the RS6 and RS7 picked up speed quicker than the RS5 on the move on the autobahns.

We barrelled along at above 220kph easily (250kph was reportedly achieved by some), slowing down considerably for the mist shrouded sections of the autobahn.

If such exciting Audis are making their way to Malaysian roads, and our guess is that they would be the RS5 coupe and RS6 Avant models.


Six BMW i chargers available in Bangsar, KL, for plug-in hybrid owners

                KUALA LUMPUR: There are now more BMW electric charging stations in Malaysia with the latest being installed at Bangsar Shopping Centre here.

Six units of i chargers were installed in the basement parking lot of the shopping centre in an affluent neighbourhood and were unveiled to the media on Tuesday. Charging is free.

While the i chargers, also known as i wallboxes, look nice, it would have been better for its 5-m long cable to be retractable within the charger housing.

This follows the introduction ofnew similar chargers at Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Melaka, The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat in Ipoh, the Iconic Hotel in Penang as well as at WEIL Hotel in Ipoh last year.

Sales of plug-in hybrids or electrified cars now form over 57% of total BMW vehicles sold in Malaysia. With BMW set to sell even more of such cars, it is helping to strengthen the local infrastructure by expanding its network of i chargers nationwide.

The emergence of parking bays for electric car charging has, however, given rise to some people hogging the bays after charging their cars, depriving others from using the facilities. A BMW spokesman said it is expected to roll out a campaign soon to educate the public on hybrid charging etiquette.

BMW charted another year of record-breaking business performances for the eighth consecutive year with 14,338 vehicles delivered, a segment-leading growth of 13%.

Over 7,500 plug-in hybrid variants of BMW and MINI vehicles were sold, making up 57% of deliveries. The 330e plug-in hybrid was the most popular BMW sold in 2018, with 2,149 units delivered to customers.

“As the country’s leading provider of premium electrified vehicles, we are constantly driving initiatives for innovation, local assembly capabilities, awareness on new and clean technology for the automotive industry as well as helping develop the infrastructure for electrified premium vehicles in the country," said BMW Group Malaysia managing director Harald Hoelzl.

"We began working on these initiatives with the Malaysian Green Technology Corporation (GreenTech Malaysia) as early as 2015 and we have also developed projects on our own with our network of dealerships across the country.”

BMW's electrified cars or iPerformance vehicles are supported by the ChargEV platform through its partnership with GreenTech Malaysia. The BMW ChargeNow service, which is offered as part of the BMW 360° ELECTRIC programme provides straightforward access to partner charging facilities like ChargEV, where customers can enjoy 24/7 support and access to all charging locations in ChargEV’s network nationwide.


QuantumScape's solid-state battery could power electric planes, says director

                SAN JOSE: A new solid-state lithium-metal battery being developed initially by QuantumScape Corp here for electric cars could be powerful enough for use in electric aircraft, a director of the Silicon Valley firm said on Tuesday.

“Electric aviation starts to look a lot more attractive and viable when you have this kind of energy density and power,” said J.B. Straubel, chief executive of Redwood Materials and co-founder of Tesla Inc.

Backed principally by Volkswagen AG, QuantumScape has spent much of the past 10 years working on a new type of lithium-ion battery that uses a solid-state separator and a lithium-metal anode.

&byline=0&portrait=0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen>What are Solid-State Lithium-Metal Batteries? from Quantumscape on Vimeo.

Founder Jagdeep Singh on Tuesday released test data to support his claim that QuantumScape’s battery cell will provide a driving range of 483km or more, can be charged to 80% capacity in 15 minutes, will last for 240,000km or more and will be safer and cost less to produce than conventional lithium-ion battery cells with flammable liquid electrolyte.

QuantumScape went public in late November after a reverse merger with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Kensington Capital Acquisition Corp.

In mid-afternoon trade, shares were up 10.6% to US$48.83, giving QuantumScape a market value of US$18.4 billion.

QuantumScape’s battery is still four to five years from production.

A joint venture with VW aims to begin manufacturing in 2024-2025, Singh said, and plans eventually to ramp up production to 20 gigawatt-hours a year, about two-thirds the capacity of a new General Motors-LG Chem battery plant in Lordstown, Ohio.

GM and other automakers and suppliers are backing potential competitors, including Colorado-based Solid Power (investors include Ford, Hyundai, Samsung), Massachusetts-based Ionic Materials (Hyundai, Samsung, Renault, Nissan) and SolidEnergy (GM, SAIC, SK), also based in Massachusetts.


Nissan's Ghosn to be arrested in Japan for alleged financial violations, says daily

Ghosn at the 2014 Paris Motor Show. He is alleged to have under-declared his income to Japanese authorities.
TOKYO: Nissan Motor Co Ltd chairman Carlos Ghosn is to be arrested by Tokyo prosecutors for alleged financial violations in Japan, the Asahi newspaper reported today.

The newspaper reported on its website that Ghosn, who is also chairman and chief executive of France’s Renault, was suspected of having understated his own income on financial statements and had agreed to voluntarily speak to prosecutors.

A Nissan spokesman said the company was making checks on the report. Spokesmen for Renault and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance did not immediately return calls and messages seeking comment.

Public broadcaster NHK reported that Ghosn was being questioned for suspected financial violations. The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office declined to comment.

Ghosn, a rare foreign top executive in Japan, is well regarded for having turned Nissan around from near bankruptcy.

Brazilian-born, of Lebanese descent and a French citizen, he began his career at Michelin in France, moving on to Renault. He joined Nissan in 1999 after Renault bought a controlling stake and became its CEO in 2001.


Bentley unveils Mulliner Batur

                LONDON: Bentley Motors has unveiled the Bentley Mulliner Batur – a new two-door grand touring coupé limited to 18 series pieces that heralds the start of a design revolution at Bentley.

Created by design chief Andreas Mindt and his team, the Batur is a showcase of a new design DNA that will ultimately guide the design of Bentley’s future range of fully electric cars, with the first one due in 2025.

The Batur is the most powerful Bentley in history, and will continue to use
a 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 engine to produce over 730hp and 1,000 Nm of torque.

The collection of just 18 series examples of the Batur is the latest project by Bentley’s in-house bespoke and coachbuilding division, Mulliner, and succeeds the Bacalar – a run of 12 individually specified, designed and handcrafted Barchettas that relaunched coachbuilding at Bentley.

Like its predecessor – the Bacalar – the Batur is named after a lake in Bali, Indonesia.

As the engine enters its twilight years as part of Bentley’s Beyond100 transformation journey to being fully electrified, the Batur forms the first part of a celebration of the W12’s power, torque and refinement.

This development of the engine is in celebration of its achievements over 20 years, over which time it has been developed to produce nearly 40% more power while fuel economy has improved by 25%. For the Batur, the W12 is paired with Bentley’s eight-speed double-clutch transmission, and a sports exhaust made of titanium.

Engine performance will be matched to the most advanced Bentley chassis ever, with Speed-tuned air suspension, electric active anti-roll control, eLSD, four-wheel steering and torque vectoring.

All 18 examples of the Batur have already been reserved.

Each one will be designed collaboratively with each customer, guided by Mulliner’s in-house design team. Customers will be able to specify the colour and finish of practically every surface of the Batur.

Each one will then be handcrafted over the course of several months in Mulliner’s workshop at Bentley’s carbon neutral factory in Crewe, England, with first deliveries expected in mid-2023.

The Batur was unveiled at Bentley’s Signature Party at Monterey Car Week, in front of almost 500 VIP guests, by Bentley’s chairman and chief executive Adrian Hallmark.

The two-seat interior space of the Batur is designed for ultimate personalisation and long-distance grand touring. Inspired by the success of the interior design of the Bacalar, the Batur builds on the core elements of the Bacalar’s cabin design and adds new sustainable luxury features.

Every element of the cabin is tailored to the customer’s specifications. Clients can choose from a variety of sustainable interior materials.

The range of veneers available for the fascias include a new material for Bentley – Natural Fibre composite, which is a sustainable alternative to carbon fibre. Available as a 2x2 twill weave and finished in satin lacquer, the Natural Fibre composite brings a new sustainable texture to the cabin.

Regardless of the veneer chosen, the passenger fascia panel is finished with a unique etching of the audio signature of the W12 engine – and bespoke etching is also available.

The final sustainable elements are the carpets, which are matched to the leather and made from recycled yarn, in a first for Bentley.

Clients will choose between bright or dark treatments to the interior brightware and titanium options are also available. Certain controls – like the organ stops for ventilation – are even available in 3D-printed 18K gold.

The interior of the launch Batur has been trimmed by hand in a combination of black, red and orange.

The fascia is completed with a unique piece of art – a laser-etched sound wave, which represents the unique sound generated by the W12 engine.

The car revealed in Monterey has been specified to showcase the Batur’s form language. The exterior paintwork is a bespoke colour – Bonneville Pearlescent Silver – that provides flowing contrast across the curvaceous surfaces.

The bodywork is underscored by carbon fibre front splitters, side skirts and rear diffuser painted in Black Crystal.

The front of the car features a grille of exceptional art – with the main matrix finished in Gloss Dark Titanium, accented with contrast chevrons in a horizontal ombre pattern that flows from Hyperactive Orange in the centre and gradually darken to the sides to Black Crystal.

The “endless bonnet” line is finished in Satin Titanium paint, as are the 22” wheels – with the spokes in Satin Dark Titanium to match the grille.

The Batur sits on unique 22” wheels, with the ‘standard’ option being painted in Black Crystal and then surface bright machined and polished.

A darker option combines dark gloss faces with satin spokes, while customers can also choose to paint-match the wheels to the body with or without contrast finish, or to choose a totally different contrast colour.

Tyres are supplied by Pirelli.

Braking is via Bentley’s CSiC (Carbon-Silicon-Carbide) braking system, with 440 mm front and 410 mm rear discs, matched with 10-piston front and four-piston rear calipers.

“Overall, the (Batur) form is cleaner and simplified, and we rely more on curvaceous surfaces bisected in the right places to reflect light and dark and bring more muscle to the design,” said Mindt.


2017 CarSifu Editors’ Choice Awards in pictures

The Proton team in a jubilant mood. Of course, the fact the Iriz was picked as the Best Compact Hatch was reason enough.
PETALING JAYA: It was a glitzy night here on Thursday when captains of the automotive industry gathered for the annual CarSifu Editors’ Choice Awards.

The awards event is in its second year and has expanded in scope to recognise more models in other categories. The 23 categories in 2016 has grown to 31 this year.

CarSifu has also added in engines into the mix, and there's nothing to say hybrid and all-electric powertrains would not join the bandwagon as electrification of the automobile gains traction. We are living in exciting times, automotively speaking, and the awards are curated to reflect such change.

Here is the awards night in pictures and video.

READ MORE: CarSifu Editors’ Choice Awards: Honda CR-V is ‘Car of the Year’


Isuzu Malaysia's 2022 first half sales jump by 143%

                PETALING JAYA: Isuzu Malaysia's 4,237 units sold in the first half of 2022 (1H22) jumped 143% over the corresponding period of 2021.

Significantly, the volume in 1H22 almost matches the 4,601-unit total achieved throughout 2021 and moves the brand up to the third spot in the pick-up truck segment.

The Japanese truck giant triggered a global phenomenon with the all-new Isuzu D-Max redefining the way pick-up trucks look, feel and perform when the third-generation model was introduced recently.

From its hard working Single Cab model to the impressively sophisticated and feature-packed top-of-the-line X-Terrain variant, Isuzu has been able to engineer greater capabilities into these trucks while refining its comfort, safety and driving pleasure.

Isuzu Malaysia chief executive officer Shunsuke Okazoe said the company had seen a growing interest in pick-up truck usage since the introduction of the new D-Max.

He said many first-time buyers and upgraders have been impressed by the way the new D-Max had blurred the lines between a tough and capable pick-up truck with the comfort and sophistication of a family saloon.

 Okazoe.

The 1.9-litre Blue Power variants have undoubtedly been the most popular choice among Malaysians, making up close to 80% of the total due to its remarkably-flexible engine performance, exemplary fuel efficiency, clockwork reliability and the commanding the lowest road tax in the market.

The flagship X-Terrain variant has also made tremendous inroads as well, making up 10% of the total volume.

This is a significant achievement for Isuzu considering that it has never had a strong offering in the lifestyle segment before, concentrating on dependable workhorses in its earlier iterations.

The X-Terrain comes with a host of top-notch safety features, premium comfort, refinement and style that has given customers a tremendously desirable vehicle that ticks all the right boxes.

Isuzu Malaysia chief operating officer Kenkichi Sogo said the X-Terrain has gained a strong following particularly among urban users.

“Many have found the X-Terrain to be the ideal extension of their lifestyle activities offering the ideal balance of space, capability, comfort and safety.

“With the recent updates made to the X-Terrain including the new colours, welcome light, scuff plates, wireless Qi charger and Around View Monitor, it is even more desirable vehicle that allows owners to do more without boundaries,” he said.

The D-Max range is available in eight variants, mostly featuring 4X4 capability.

The sole 4X2 automatic variant available to provide long-distance travellers and urban users the flexibility and versatility while enjoying lower running costs.

For details, visit pickuptruck.isuzu.net.my or https://www.facebook.com/ISUZU.DMax.Malaysia/.