Time for Norway to tax luxury electric cars, say IMF economists

                WASHINGTON: Norway should begin taxing high-end battery-powered cars to lower the overall cost of its generous electric vehicle (EV) incentives, economists at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in a working paper on Thursday.

If implemented, Norway could see taxes levied for the first time on electric cars from luxury automakers such as Porsche, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz, as well as high-end Tesla and Audi models.

Seeking to become the first nation to end the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2025, oil-producing Norway currently exempts all fully electric vehicles from the taxes imposed on internal combustion engines.

As a result, 54% of all new cars sold in Norway last year were powered by batteries only, a global record, up from 42% in 2019 and a mere 1% a decade ago. read more

But the policy comes at a substantial cost, estimated by the ruling centre-right coalition at 19.2 billion Norwegian crowns (RM9.6bil) in lost state revenue last year, or some 250,000 crowns (RM124,502) on average for each new electric car sold.

The more expensive a car is, the bigger the sales tax and other levies foregone by the state, thus giving the biggest implied subsidies to high-income households while also raising the cost per tonne of carbon emissions saved, the paper found.

"Norway could improve the targeting of its tax incentives to increase their environmental impact," the paper by three IMF economists concluded.

One such targeted change could be to offer subsidies to actually scrap petrol and diesel cars when replaced by EVs, the economists said, adding that Norway should also consider raising the taxes imposed on polluting cars.

The proposals could resonate well with Norway's centre-left opposition, which is favoured to win power in national elections due in September.

While supporting the goal of selling only EVs by 2025, Norway's Labour and other centre-left parties all want to start imposing sales taxes on the portion of a car's cost that exceeds 600,000 crowns (RM299,000).

For comparison, the least expensive model of an electric Porsche costs 758,000 crowns (RM378,000), while the top model starts at 1.7 million crowns (RM850,000), according to the automaker's website.


BMW Malaysia in quest for the oldest M models in every model series

                PETALING JAYA: BMW Group Malaysia is celebrating the 50th anniversary of M on May 24 in its own way with a search for the oldest M model in every model series in Malaysia.

If you think you know of the oldest M cars in the country, join in the celebrations by providing your details via link.

Winners will stand a chance to receive exclusive BMW M merchandise and a feature of their prized vehicle by BMW Group Malaysia.

One winner will be selected for every BMW M model series, with special prizes for notable submissions as well.

Submissions will close on June 8.

No stranger to the motorsports scene in the 60s and 70s, BMW Motorsport GmbH was originally founded to facilitate the premium automaker’s foray in the world of performance driving, as well as meet the demands of drivers in competitions where most vehicles were prepared and sold by tuning companies.

The division started out with 35 employees in 1972 and quickly became a core part of the BMW Group, as it exemplified the engineers’ expertise in combining authentic motorsport functionality with exclusive and sporty aesthetics.

The car the team first worked on was the 3.0CSL which was created for the European Touring Car Championship.

The race car went on to dominate the championship every year from 1975 to 1979.

But it is the legendary BMW M1 that became the first-ever official M car, making its debut in 1978.

Boasting a powerful 6-cylinder in-line engine and a striking name, the BMW M1 became a major player in the automotive world from its debut.

With only 456 units produced, the racing sports model was crowned Germany’s fastest road-going sports vehicle (264.7kph).

This was little compared to the racing version that had a top speed well over 300kph.

Although BMW M focused almost entirely on the construction of performance and racing cars, many BMW enthusiasts were also looking for the M power and badging on road cars.

This is how the first BMW 5 Series arrived in the form of the 530, 533i and 535i, paving the way for M Performance upgrades for the future.

Since then, there has been a long list of M cars produced such as the M2, M3, M4, M6, M8, X3 M Competition, X4 M Competition, X5 M and X6 M.


Care to blow RM39,000 on this Rolls-Royce portable seat?

                LONDON: When money is no object, Rolls-Royce would like to direct your attention to its new Pursuit Seat, a leather-wrapped portable seat that would be right at home in one of its cars.

Rolls-Royce said it is "a perfect perch for flying a drone, painting a landscape or simply pausing to take in the view."

The seat's main support is made from carbon fibre and polished aluminium, for an optimal strength-to-weight ratio.

With a fully height-adjustable seat, the accessory is designed with comfort in mind. Should one find oneself at an outdoor performance, or even trackside at a motorsport event, a discrete pocket on the outer leather seat provides a safe repository for tickets.

In case of extra time, encores and curtain-calls, a slim aluminium torch, finished with the double-R Badge of Honour, is stored in the hinge of the seat, ensuring safe passage back to your car.

The seat is made from Rolls-Royce leather and embossed with the Spirit of
Ecstasy. Clients can choose from an array of Bespoke colours to match, or contrast, with their car’s interior.

The gently flared aluminium ferrule on the end of the stick provides a solid grip on hard
surfaces, while the retractable spike, concealed within, offers the same security on grass and other soft ground.

The Pursuit Seat fits within the Cullinan Recreation Module; its compact dimensions and elegant leather case also allow it to be stowed in any Rolls-Royce car.

The Pursuit Seat is available to buy individually or as a pair through the Rolls-Royce Boutique and at dealerships worldwide. Prices for an individual seat start from US$9,367 (RM38,199), excluding local taxes.


New BMW R 18 Classic and S 1000 RR launched

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Motorrad Malaysia has expanded its line-up with two new models - the touring BMW R 18 Classic and the BMW S 1000 RR superbike.

The retail price (on the road, without insurance, and with BMW Motorrad Malaysia’s all-new 3-Year Warranty and 3-Year Roadside Assistance Programmes) for the R 18 Classic is RM154,500.

The S 1000 RR, meanwhile, is priced at RM121,500.

Owners can also enjoy additional benefits with the All-New Industry-Leading Premium Engine Oil Inclusive, Service Inclusive and Warranty Extension Programmes by BMW Motorrad Malaysia.

R 18 Classic

The R 18 Classic arrives with additional LED headlights and electronic cruise control as standard, along with equipment comprising of a windshield, passenger seat, and saddle bags.

The Classic variant echoes the distinctive characteristics of the BMW R 18, now touring-oriented for a more enjoyable long-distance riding experience.

Available in Black Storm Metallic, the variant is fitted with the same iconic tear-shaped fuel tank, chrome-plated header, and the pin-stripe details as seen on the R 18 First Edition.

The new variant illuminates the road ahead with additional LED fog lights and LED headlight, while offering a removable passenger seat.

A large windshield also comes as standard, along with a 16-inch front wheel featuring wire-spoke wheels.

In the rear are the LED taillight and round stainless-steel exhaust pipes.

The newly-developed 1,802cc two-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine with two chain-driven camshafts, biggest displacement boxer engine BMW has ever built, delivers of 91hp and 158Nm of torque for a maximum speed of 180kph.

Also known as the “Big Boxer”, the boxer engine is air/oil-cooled and returns a fuel consumption of 5.6 litres per 100km of travel.

Emission control is offered via a regulated three-way catalytic converter.

The alternator is a 600W permanent magnet generator paired with a maintenance-free 12 V/26 Ah battery.

Power is transmitted via an anti-hopping clutch with a six-speed helical-toothed transmission.

The secondary open, nickel-plated driveshaft, meanwhile, puts focus on the torque.

The centrepiece of the suspension is the double-loop steel tube frame, that is complemented by a telescopic fork with fork sleeves, and a directly mounted central suspension strut with travel-dependent damping and adjustable spring preload.

A steering stabiliser is also available as standard.

A 300mm twin disk brake with four-piston fixed callipers in front is also standard to the variant, with single disk brakes in the rear.

Echoing the R 18 First Edition, the R 18 Classic also features the BMW Motorrad Integral Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and the Automatic Stability Control (ASC), along with three riding modes of Rock, Roll and Rain.

Also standard are engine drag torque control (MSR), Dynamic Brake Control, and the electronic cruise control.

Its on-board computer features a multifunctional display, along with a revolution counter.

Other electronic equipment includes the electronic immobiliser, brake light control, and comfort turn indicator.

As with other BMW Motorrad models, the Keyless Ride system also replaces the conventional ignition in the R 18 Classic.

Also standard the reverse gear, lockable fuel filler cap, adjustable clutch and handbrake levers.

To further personalise the R 18 Classic, owners also have the option to accessorise with a variety of Original BMW Motorrad Accessories.

S 1000 RR

The S 1000 RR now comes equipped with the Riding Mode Pro and Dynamic Damping Control functions as standard, providing a much more thrilling experience on the racetrack.

This superbike was built to go beyond and arrives with a range of new features and a sportier appearance with the BMW M Package – an optional equipment now made standard to the variant, raising the bar for the superbike segment once again.

It comes in three exterior offerings of Hockenheim Silver, Blackstorm Metallic, and a combination of Light White, Racing Blue Metallic and Racing Red (BMW Motorrad Motorsport for M Package).

The S 1000 RR also features LED technology for both the headlight and taillight, along with new LED turn signals as well.

The new variant is powered by the water/oil-cooled 4-cylinder 4-stroke in-line engine with a capacity of 999cc and a maximum output of 152kW/207hp at 13,500rpm, capable of a top speed of over 299kph.

The S 1000 RR also get an increased torque of 113Nm at 11,000rpm, consuming 6.4 litres of fuel per 100km of travel.

The new variant also gets BMW ShiftCam Technology which varies the titanium valve timings and valve strokes on the intake side.

Its four riding modes are Rain, Road, Dynamic and Race, complete with the Riding Mode Pro.

These riding modes also control functions such as the Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) and ABS Pro for increased safety when braking or in banking position, while the BMW Motorrad Integral ABS system provides an even higher degree of safety.

Also standard are Dynamic Damping Control (DDC), Hill Start Control and the HP Shift Assistant Pro.

The instrument panel of the S 1000 RR features a 6.5-inch TFT screen that is linked to the Multi Controller on the left-hand handlebar panel.

The new variant is also equipped with Connectivity for convenient music playback and phone calls.

When used in conjunction with the BMW MotorradConnected App, riders can also easily access the riding statistics after every ride.

Optional equipment offered to the S 1000 RR, that are now standard from the BMW M Package includes the M carbon wheels, M sport seat and the M light weight battery.

Separately, the optional accessories includes a wide range of items – such as the M carbon parts footrests, M brake-clutch lever, a variety of windshield options, the M Datalogger and M Laptrigger, the M seat in a variety of height options, M cover kit, M calibration kit, as well as the tank and rear bags.

With the Financing Plan from BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia, ownership of the R 18 Classic and S 1000 RR start from RM1,878 and RM1,480 per month, respectively.

This is based on balloon financing estimates of an 80% loan on a 4-year tenure.

BMW Group Malaysia managing director Harald Hoelzl said the company was pleased to be introducing two new variants to the local BMW Motorrad portfolio as both models were equally revered and highly-anticipated by motorcycling enthusiasts across Malaysia.


Volkswagen to hold nationwide Raya Open House

                KUALA LUMPUR: In conjunction with the Hari Raya festivities, Volkswagen Malaysia will hold a “Raya Open House” on July 16 and 17, 2016 at all authorised Volkswagen dealerships nationwide.

This “Volkswagen Raya Open House” offers plenty of amazing deals and promotions.

The new Vento 1.2TSI - the only turbocharged sedan in its class, now comes with free instalments till the end of the year.

Volkswagen is also giving away RM2,000 “Duit Raya” pocket money on all Volkswagen models (valid till July 31, 2016), and additional cash rebates on selected models such as the Golf, Cross Touran, Beetle, and CC.

Visitors can also feast on durians and satay, and enjoy many fun-filled activities for the entire family.

For details, visit http://vw.volkswagen.com.my/promotions/vw-raya- 2016/.


Honda Malaysia issues recall of 2013 models

                PETALING JAYA: Honda Malaysia today announced that it is extending its proactive measure to ensure customer safety by continuing to undertake a precautionary recall of 28,399 units of 2013 Year Model vehicles to replace the Takata passenger front airbag inflator.

The models involved in this recall are City (2013 Year Model), Jazz (2013 Year Model), Jazz Hybrid (2013 Year Model) and Insight (2013 Year Model).

Model Year           Model Units Affected
City 2013                  14,944
Jazz 2013                 6,874
Jazz Hybrid 2013   6,211
Insight 2013            370

Honda Malaysia assures customers that safety is the company’s priority. The company regrets the inconvenience caused.

As at March 2018, Honda Malaysia has completed more than 223,000 units of Takata driver front airbag inflator replacement, which translates to a 84% completion ratio.

The total number of Takata driver and passenger front airbag inflator replacements completed is at more than 435,000 units or  7% completion ratio.

Honda Malaysia reiterates that all its current selling models are not affected and will continue to uphold transparency and stringent controls to ensure customer safety.

As of today, there are no crashes or injuries related to this Takata passenger front airbag inflator reported in Malaysia.

Honda Malaysia will be informing all affected customers via notification letters which will include details of the product recall.

Customers who receive these letters are encouraged to send their vehicles to the nearest Honda authorised dealer for inspection and replacement for free.

The company has sustained the activities for airbag inflator replacement including ensuring 100% stock availability for front driver and passenger airbag inflators (excluding front passenger airbag inflator parts availability for this recall) and increased service capacity via Mobile Hubs, Hubs at selected Petronas stations, Hubs at Honda roadshows and prioritising replacement activities at dealerships.

Honda Malaysia is doing its utmost best in ensuring the stock availability for Takata passenger front airbag related to this recall which is currently limited. The replacement works will be carried out once the parts are ready and the cost of parts and labour will be borne by Honda Malaysia.

Honda Malaysia will continue to proactively recall vehicles on the Takata front airbag inflator issue and continue alerting and informing customers of the importance of replacing the affected vehicle’s airbag inflators, via increased frequency of postings on social media and SMS blast.

Owners of Honda vehicles affected by the airbag inflator product recall are advised to immediately get their vehicles checked and parts replaced at any Honda Authorized Service dealers or Mobile Hubs as soon as possible.

Vehicle owners can also check their vehicle’s recall status either by logging on to www.honda.com.my or www.productrecall.honda.com.my or by calling Honda Toll Free number at 1-800-88-2020.


New VW GTX models refined, get more standard equipment

                WOLFSBURG: Volkswagen’s GTX models are getting more comprehensive standard equipment.

As the sporty top-of-the-line models of the electric ID. family, the ID.4 GTX and ID.5 GTX models will now get as standard the previously optional equipment packages known as Design and Comfort.

They include a climate comfort windscreen, darkened side and rear windows, heated front seats, two USB-C interfaces, a variable centre console, the Air Care Climatronic air-conditioning system with active combination filter, stationary air conditioning and two-zone temperature control.

They provide a glimpse of the look of other GTX models with new design accents in black and red. In future, every ID. series will have its own GTX model. The ID.4 GTX from €53,255 (RM247,000) and ID.5 GTX from €56,455 (RM262,000) are already available for order.

The interior is also sporting some new features: The dash panel and door trim are now black. Red decorative seams throughout the interior visually emphasise its sportiness and can be found on the black leather steering wheel, among other places.

The optional premium sports seats are also decorated with red seams, piping and logo, as well as a felled seam all the way around.

But on the outside, black sets the accents: roof frame strip, C-pillar, exterior mirrors and diffuser now shine in glossy black. Glossy 21-inch rims in a black design are available on request.

Together with the standard black roof paint and the darkened windows, this results in a progressive and at the same time elegant appearance.

The sporty GTX brand with its all-electric performance models has been part of Volkswagen’s portfolio for over a year.

“The success of the ID.4 GTX and ID.5 GTX confirms our strategy of positioning the GTX brand independently. Both models in their respective series have installation rates of almost 40 percent,” said Silke Bagschik, Head of Sales and Marketing for the ID. family. “We will continuously expand this brand and offer a GTX variant for every ID. model in future – from the ID.3 to the ID. Buzz."

The GTX models use two electric motors: one on the front axle and one on the rear axle. They have system power of 220 kW (299PS), offer a total torque of 460Nm and work together as an electric drive.

A permanently excited synchronous motor (PSM) with 150 kW (204 PS) of power and a torque of 310 Nm is active on the rear axle. An additional asynchronous motor (ASM) with 80 kW (109 PS) and 162 Nm is installed on the front axle.

This is particularly compact and light, can be overloaded on a temporary basis and only produces minimal drag losses when it runs without being supplied with current.

The vehicle’s top speed is electronically limited to 180kph.

The ID.4 GTX offers a range of up to 500km (WLTP); the ID.5 GTX, on the other hand, 512km (WLTP). The maximum charging capacity of both models is 135 kW. The 77 kWh high-voltage battery can be charged from 5% to 80% in up to 36 minutes and then offers a range of 337km for the ID.4 GTX and 376km for the ID.5 GTX (both WLTP values).

With the next generation of the ID. software the Plug & Charge function will also be available for the new GTX models, making charging on the go even more convenient. The vehicle automatically authenticates itself as soon as the customer plugs the charging cable into a compatible DC rapid-charging point and launches secure encrypted communication between the vehicle and the post.

This authentication process is said to take a few seconds before charging starts. Plug & Charge is already supported in many large charging infrastructures such as Ionity, Aral, BP, Enel, EON, as well as Iberdrola and Eviny. Further large providers will follow.


Toyota shareholders reject climate resolution in win for automaker

                TOYOTA CITY: Toyota shareholders rejected a resolution urging greater disclosure of its climate lobbying today, voting down the first investor proposal to come before the automaker's annual general meeting in almost two decades.

Investors also backed all 10 members of the board, including chairman Akio Toyoda, despite concerns about board independence raised by prominent US proxy advisers. The breakdowns of both votes won't be released until Thursday.

The climate resolution was submitted by Danish pension fund AkademikerPension and two other European asset managers and sought to make Toyota release more details about its lobbying activities related to climate change.

It was widely expected to fail after Toyota's board recommended shareholders vote against it. The automaker's management typically enjoys strong support from shareholders, which include some of its group companies and suppliers.

Still, the proposal sharpened focus on Toyota's electric vehicle (EV) strategy and governance ahead of the meeting, the first under new CEO Koji Sato. Green investors and activists have said Toyota has been too slow to capitalise on the surging popularity of battery electrics.

Some influential US funds, including top public pension CalPERS, had come out in favour of the climate resolution and against the re-election of board members including Toyoda.

Toyoda, the grandson of the company's founder, was re-elected with 96% support last year.

The shareholder meeting came just a day after the world's top-selling automaker unveiled an ambitious roadmap for electric vehicles (EV) involving solid-state batteries and radical production changes, the strongest signal yet of an intention to capture a big slice of EV market share.

"I believe that Toyota today can manage its business with a sense of speed," Sato told shareholders.

Toyota shares rose 6.3% today after adding to another sharp rise a day earlier and logging their best two-day performance in a little over three years.

Different approach

Toyota says EVs are just one element in its multi-pathway approach to carbon neutrality that includes petrol-electric hybrids and hydrogen fuel cells.

It says its approach is more effective to reduce carbon emissions and more practical because consumer needs, EV infrastructure and clean energy supply differ by country.

It says its board meets governance standards set by the Tokyo Stock Exchange and has said Toyoda had been re-nominated because he would push the transformation to a company that provides a range of mobility services.

"Japanese people like Toyota and I think they support Akio," said 61-year-old Tadashi Imai, an individual shareholder who said he has held stock in the company for around a decade.

He said the previous day's share price rise on news of the roadmap was "really impressive".

Proxy adviser Glass Lewis recommended shareholders vote against Toyoda, citing what it said was his responsibility for a lack of sufficient board independence.

Japanese companies face more pressure from investors, especially on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. Shareholders have made a record number of proposals at annual meetings this year.

One shareholder, 67-year-old Hiroshi Ii said he has owned Toyota shares for 14 years and travelled to the meeting in Toyota City central Japan from Tokyo.

He voted against the climate resolution and for the board he said, saying he hoped Toyoda could help new chief executive Sato.

"For the stability of management it would be good if chairman Toyoda can support him in the background."

Toyota has also said it was developing an EV platform to reduce costs including an assembly line that would do away with the conveyor belt system that has defined auto production for over 100 years.


Hyundai and Kia see 2016 sales lagging industry growth

                SEOUL: Hyundai Motor and affiliate Kia Motors expect their vehicle sales to rise 1.5 percent this year, lagging industry growth forecasts, after missing their target in 2015 for the first time since the 2008 global financial crisis.

The South Korean automakers, once out-performers in the global industry, have been losing momentum in recent years, with Japanese and US rivals making a comeback in the United States while demand slows in China and other emerging markets.

The pair are expected to see China sales bounce back thanks to tax cuts on small cars this year, but demand in Russia, Brazil and other key emerging markets will remain depressed, analysts said. Hyundai and Kia, together the world's fifth-largest automaker by sales, are also bracing for a weaker recovery in South Korea and the United States.

"Business uncertainty has grown," Chung Mong-koo, chief of the family-run Hyundai Motor Group, said in a statement today.

"The world economy is expected to continue its low growth because of China's economic slowdown, low oil prices and jitters in emerging markets stemming from US interest rate hikes," he said.

The two automakers forecast their global sales would rise to 8.13 million vehicles in 2016, or 1.5 percent, compared with the 2.9 percent rise in overall global vehicle sales projected by their think-tank.

The South Korean duo posted flat 2015 sales of 8.01 million vehicles, falling short of their 8.2 million target. Hyundai Motor expects 2016 sales of 5.01 million vehicles, while Kia Motors set its 2016 goal at 3.12 million vehicles.

They did not immediately give a breakdown of their 2015 sales by company.

The 2016 sales target fell short of the 8.2 million that Samsung Securities analyst Esther Yim had expected. "I expect the global market to be tough except for China," she said.

Kia plans to open its first Mexico factory in the first half of 2016, while Hyundai Motor is set to start production at its fourth China factory in the second half.


VW's Skoda says Ukraine partner making wire harnesses again

                PRAGUE: Skoda Auto, part of the Volkswagen Group, said on Tuesday its supply partner in Ukraine had decided to restart production of wire harnesses which should allow the Czech carmaker to resume production of its electric ENYAQ iV model.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has added to supply chain problems for global automakers — which were already struggling with semiconductor shortages that have cut production — with a break in deliveries of wire harnesses from the war-torn country.

While Skoda, the Czech Republic's biggest exporter, said it expects the supply of semiconductors to improve in the second half of 2022, it said the war in Ukraine and supply bottlenecks will put a significant burden on its operating business.

Skoda's 2021 deliveries fell 12.6% year-on-year and earlier this month it stopped production of the ENYAQ because of harness shortages, saying that two other models were at risk because of the lack of availability of the component. read more

"Our partner...in Ukraine decided to restart production of wire harnesses this week, with full service and full security for workers there," Karsten Schnake, Skoda's board member for purchasing, said during its online 2021 earnings presentation.

Wire harnesses form a key part of a car's electrical system, which group and guide cables inside the vehicle.

"We decided to double the production in case something is going wrong, and this production will be ramped up in an alternative factory," Schnake said, adding that work there would start in three or four weeks.

"Hopefully, we can restart production of ENYAQ one or two weeks later when we have wire harnesses," Schnake said.

Skoda delivered 878,200 cars worldwide in 2021, the first time that this had fallen below the 1 million mark since 2013.

Nevertheless, the VW group brand's sales revenue rose 3.9% to 17.7 billion euros in 2021 and operating profit rose 43.2% to 1.1 billion euros as it took cost measures.

Skoda did not give a financial or production outlook, saying there were still considerable uncertainties as a result of the conflict in Ukraine and the impact on its Russian operations.

Skoda, like VW, has suspended production and other business activities in Russia, which was its second-largest market last year, with 90,400 vehicles delivered.


Honda owners recall fond memories

                PETALING  JAYA: In conjunction with its 1 Million Dreams campaign, Honda Malaysia invited four owners to tell their tale about how they got attached to the Japanese automotive brand.

The Honda car owners, are among the one million in Malaysia, held fond memories from the early days when they got impressed by the car that wore the Honda badge.

Lim Qi Hong, 31, pilot

For Lim, it was on one fine day in 1990, cradled in his mother’s arms going back home from the hospital as a newborn in his uncle’s City Turbo!

This is a story that Lim always hears from his parents and this memory has been staying with the family until today!

It appears the passion for Honda is deep-rooted in the Lim family.

His attraction to the iconic Honda S2000’s timeless and eye-catching design was intensified by his family members, who has or had a Honda car at one point in time.

Such enthusiasm in the family caused the 31-year-old pilot to have high expectations when looking for his first car.

He eventually fell in love with “her” in 2016 – the tenth-generation Civic.

So in love was Lim with his Civic that he even nicknamed her ‘Victoria’, after the wife of a famed football player, his idol – David Beckham.

Coincidentally, the first car that his father owned was also a Civic – the first-generation Civic back in the 1980s.

The Civic is more than just a means of transport to his family, it is a symbol of heritage that has a special meaning between him and his father.

Achu Naidu, 74, mechanical and electrical consultant;  Khaviraj Naidu, 47, programme management officer (both are father and son)

Father-son duo, Achu and Khaviraj also have a similar sentiment of the Honda brand being a shared interest.

Achu, has been an ardent Honda fan since his 30s, when he used to work in the port industry.

His job required him to travel to various countries, where he would rent cars to ease his commute.

It was a “love at first drive” when he rented an Accord in one of those trips.

The car’s comfort and performance impressed him so much that he began to set his heart on buying an Accord for the family.

“It was a real treat when we bought our first Honda car, the Accord in 2008,” Khaviraj said.

For Achu, his little grandchildren chatting and laughing in the rear seats were among his most treasured memories with their Accord.

Like father like son as the saying goes.

The close relationship between father and son also included the passing down of a love for Honda cars!

As the family grew across generations, the CR-V with its unrivalled interior spaciousness became the choice for Khaviraj.

The family parted with their first Honda, the Accord but now also has a HR-V in their porch.

Khaviraj’s busy work schedule renders him to cherish every moment with his family even more.

He said, “I like to take my wife and daughter for a little spin in the CR-V. I love the CR-V’s spaciousness, and for me, it is top of its class. You will know how amazing the car is especially when you are picking up relatives from the airport with excess baggage.”

Mohamad Badrul Munir Mohd Nadzri, 58, system administrator

His first Honda was a City that he bought for his late wife in 2015, before adding on a Civic in 2018.

Last year, the family’s Honda line-up expanded when one of his sons bought the HR-V.

Now, his dream is to own an Accord!

He adores the well-built and stylish design and of course, the spaciousness that provides great comfort for him and his family.

However, it is the City that will always have a special place in his heart.

Working in the Information Technology (IT) industry required him to travel extensively, and the City was his best travel mate back in those days.

He was impressed by the fuel efficiency and durability of the car when he had to travel all over Malaysia and hit more than 5,000km in a month, hassle-free!

Sentimentally, it was the City that he chauffeured his late wife around in and he still cherishes those memories.

“Owning a Honda car has been my dream since a long time ago. It is really a dream come true that we own three Honda cars, each with their unique features.

It gives me joy each time I see the three cars with the “H” emblem parked in front of my house,” Badrul said.


Touch ‘N Go and Singapore’s EZ-Link to make a dual currency toll card

                PETALING JAYA: Touch ‘N Go Sdn Bhd (TNG) is working with its Singaporean counterpart EZ-Link Pte Ltd to create a public transport card that will work in both countries.

The two companies have announced that they will co-develop the dual currency Combi Card, which is targeted to launch in the fourth quarter of this year.

The Combi Card will securely host electronic wallets from both EZ-Link and Touch ‘N Go, and enable users to pay for their public transportation trips on both sides of the causeway without having to switch cards, according to a statement issued by both companies.

EZ-Link CEO Nicholas Lee says the card will also allow users to conveniently pay for the contactless toll gates known as electronic road pricing in Singapore, highway tolls in Malaysia, plus parking or shopping at participating retail outlets in both countries.

The two parties had been working on the card for quite a while, signing a Memorandum of Understanding back in July 2017.

Currently Touch ‘N Go has more than 23 million active cards in circulation, while EZ-Link has issued about 30 million cards.

For more information, visit www.ezlink.com.sg or www.touchngo.com.my.


Chery Omoda 5 SUV rolls out, Malaysia among markets

                WUHU (CHINA): Chery has rolled out the first unit of its new generation sports utility vehicle (SUV) called Omoda 5 at its manufacturing headquarters here on Tuesday.

Omoda 5, powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, is a B-segment SUV with a large grille and coupe-like rear.

The vehicle is among the company's new global product series and the first development under the Chery 4.0 era.

Chery said Omoda 5 is an important model and its first global model developed based on international demand, and a key product for entry into the European Union (EU) and right-hand drive markets.

Omoda 5’s first international destination will be Russia, followed by the EU, Australia, Malaysia and other markets around the globe.

At the roll-out Chery chairman Yin Tongyue said he hoped that Omoda 5 would set new standards for Chery in terms of customer satisfaction, competitiveness, digital mindsets, manufacturing and quality, while further innovating business models and yielding good results from domestic and global markets.

Since its global debut at the 2021 Guangzhou Auto Show, Omoda 5 has received good feedback in China and overseas.


All-electric Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric price announced from RM262,000

                PETALING JAYA: Volvo Car Malaysia has unveiled the price of its XC40 Recharge Pure Electric at RM262,459.

The electric sports utility vehicle (SUV)'s on-the-road without insurance price also comes with sales and road tax exemptions.

The electric XC40's pricing makes it about RM20,000 more expensive than the XC40 Recharge T5 plug-in-hybrid variant.

However, the XC40 delivers a more powerful performance as well as smoother and quieter ride in comparison.

Included in Volvo Car Malaysia's "Hassle-free Price" are a charging cable, standard warranty of five years with unlimited mileage, a battery warranty of eight years with a mileage cap of 160,000km, and five years service package an roadside assistance.

The electric XC40 is the country's first locally-assembled electric vehicle (EV) and was launched on March 15.

 Frump at the launch of the electric XC40 on March 15.

The EV is made at Volvo's facilities in Shah Alam where the site will also be Volvo's hub for its Asean EV operations.

The SUV's two electric motors, one each at the front and rear axles, deliver a combined output of 408hp (300kW) and 660Nm of torque with an all-wheel drive capability.

The electric XC40 can sprint from 0-100kph in 4.9 seconds and towards a top speed of 180kph, making it the quickest EV of its segment.

Tyres are the 19-inch Pirelli P Zero Elect that are specially made for EVs.

Designed with a 400V system, the electric XC40 promises a driving range of 418km from its 78kWh lithium-ion battery of which 75kWh is usable.

The battery can be charged up from 0 to 100% using 11kW AC in around seven hours, while a 150kW DC will power up from 10% to 80% in 33 minutes.

Inside, the electric XC40 features a digital instrument panel with an Android-powered infotainment system with 9-inch touchscreen.

The infotainment system also allows users to access Google Maps, Google Assistant and Google Play Store.

Safety features include the upgraded Advanced Driver Assistance System, active cruise control, City Safety, blind spot information system, lane keeping aid and cross traffic alert among others.

Other features are airbags, anti-lock braking system and electronic stability control.

The electric XC40 also comes with a wireless charging pad for smartphones, Harman Kardon sound system, rear air conditioner vents and handsfree rear power tailgate.

Volvo Car Malaysia managing director Charles Frump said the electric XC40 laid the foundation for the Swedish car maker  to become the leading electric luxury car brand in the country.

“To support this, we are committed to launching a new electric vehicle every year for next five years. In addition, we have the capabilities to assemble our own pure EVs for the local and other Asean markets,” he said.

The move is in line with the Volvo Cars global ambitions – 50% contribution from its pure electric line-up by 2025; a fully electric car company by 2030; and becoming a climate-neutral company by 2040.

Available colour options for the electric XC40 are Black Stone, Crystal White Pearl, Denim Blue, Glacier Silver and Sage Green.

Starting tonight, customers can submit an order request online on the company’s official website www.volvocars.com/my.

Customers who start their order online will expect deliveries from the end of this month onwards, for all locations throughout Malaysia.


VW to end sales of combustion engines in Europe by 2035

                BERLIN: German carmaker Volkswagen will stop selling combustion engines cars in Europe by 2035 as it shifts to electric vehicles, but later in the United States and China, a board member was quoted as saying today.

"In Europe, we will exit the business with internal combustion vehicles between 2033 and 2035, in the United States and China somewhat later," Klaus Zellmer, Volkswagen board member for sales, told the Muenchner Merkur newspaper.

"In South America and Africa, it will take a good deal longer due to the fact that the political and infrastructure framework conditions are still missing."

By 2050 at the latest, the entire Volkswagen fleet should be CO2-neutral, Zellmer told the newspaper.

In Europe, he is aiming for electric cars to account for 70% of total sales by 2030. This would prepare the company for a possible tightening of the European Union's climate targets and even go beyond them.

EU policymakers have clamped down on exhaust emissions, forcing carmakers to spur development of low-emission technology or face penalties if they exceed limits on CO2 emissions.


Volvo S90 T8 Twin Engine launched

                KUALA LUMPUR: Volvo Car Malaysia launched the locally assembled S90 T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) which comes in two variants - Inscription and Inscription Plus - priced at RM368,888 and RM388,888 respectively.

However, if you book the sedan by Oct 31 2017, you will enjoy an introductory offer which slashes RM20k off for both variants.

The difference between the two trim levels is the added Bowers & Wilkins 19-speaker sound system and air suspension for the Inscription Plus.

Volvo’s new design language is personified by the now iconic Thor’s Hammer LED headlight and new grille design which pays homage to the brand’s classic styling cues and is further finessed with modern Scandinavian sensibilities.

The turbocharged and supercharged petrol engine powers the front wheels while the electric motor drives the rear axles.

The combined output of combustion engine and electric motor produces 407hp and 640Nm of torque.

“Our unique approach to engine design stems from the need to deliver uncompromising performance, efficiency, and space by having the hybrid components cleverly integrated into the design, differentiating us from the other hybrids in the market,” said managing director of Volvo Car Malaysia, Lennart Stegland.

Stegland was referring to the placement of the battery in the tunnel which frees up cargo space in the boot.

The S90 T8 is no slouch as it takes only 4.8 seconds to go from 0-100kph.

In pure electric mode has a range of 50km.

Safety wise, both variants come with IntelliSafe, Volvo’s City Safety Technology which automatic breaking functionality and collision avoidance systems.

Other standard features include Park Assist with Park Assist Pilot, 360 degree surround view camera, blind spot information system with cross traffic alert, and lane keeping aid.

In other news, the locally-assembled Volvos will also be exported to selected markets in the region such as Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Volvo Car Malaysia is projecting an export volume of 5,000 units per annum.


Ford reaches tentative labour deal with union

                DETROIT: Ford and the United Auto Workers union on Wednesday announced a tentative agreement for a new labour deal, allowing the No. 2 US automaker to avoid a strike like the one that cost its larger rival General Motors about US$3 billion (RM12.5bil).

The union turned to Ford to negotiate a new four-year agreement after ratifying a contract last week with GM following a 40-day US strike that shut down almost all of GM’s North American operations.

Detailed terms of the deal were not released, but they are expected to echo those agreed to with GM, as the union typically uses the first deal as a pattern for those that follow.

“The pattern bargaining strategy has been a very effective approach for UAW and its members to secure economic gains around salary, benefits and secured over US$6 billion in major product investments in American facilities, creating and retaining over 8,500 jobs for our communities,” UAW Vice President Rory Gamble, head of the union’s Ford department, said in a statement.

Ford confirmed the deal in a statement, but declined further comment.

UAW leaders from the various US plants will meet on Friday to approve the deal, which will then be sent to the 55,000 members at Ford for final approval, a union spokesman said.

Ratification is not a sure thing, as union members at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV in 2015 rejected the first version of a contract.

Ford and the UAW began talks on Monday covering larger issues such as pay raises, the use of temporary workers and healthcare insurance coverage, but the union previously said the sides had made “significant progress” addressing smaller issues.

Ford historically has had an easier relationship with the union than its Detroit rivals. Ford executive chairman Bill Ford has described the UAW as “family” in the past and in September 2018 hailed the Dearborn, Michigan, company’s relationship with its hourly workers.

“The UAW doesn’t just make our workers better, it makes Ford better and stronger,” Bill Ford told UAW workers last year.

Under the deal with GM, that automaker agreed to invest US$9 billion in the United States, including US$7.7 billion directly in its plants, with the rest going to joint ventures. It also said it would create or retain 9,000 UAW jobs. The GM contract also will provide US$11,000 signing bonuses to members, and pay raises.

Under its deal, GM also will close three plants, but it left the UAW members’ healthcare insurance coverage unchanged.

Once the Ford deal is ratified, the UAW will turn to Fiat Chrysler to complete its quadrennial talks with the Detroit automakers.


Inspiring designs: Komuniti Tukang Jahit, Changgih Designs, INKAA and Kanoe

                PETALING JAYA: Four Malaysian businesses, volunteer groups and NGOs are working with BMW Group Malaysia to create unique designs to be used to camouflage new BMW cars that would take to the streets of Kuala Lumpur in the coming weeks.

The groups are Komuniti Tukang Jahit, Changgih Designs, INKAA, and Kanoe.

Below are background  information on each organisation and their contributing design to the BMW Camouglage artworks.

Komuniti Tukang Jahit.
Empowering the B40 Women Community.

Komuniti Tukang Jahit (KTJ) is a social enterprise that empowers the B40 women community consisting of single women, single mothers, the OKU group, and stay-at-home mothers. They provide certified upskill training and job opportunities for home-based tailors to earn a sustainable income through sewing orders.

During the Movement Control Order (MCO), KTJ joined forces with several local non-profit organisations to help overcome the shortage of face masks for front-liners, the marginalised and underprivileged communities. KTJ taught its community of home-based tailors to sew washable, reusable, and practical face masks through online training and tutorials.

The Design
The exclusive art piece designed for BMW Malaysia is inspired by Kak Azie, a founding member and seamstress with KTJ for almost two years. KTJ celebrates her commitment and determination as a woman of the household through the design, which also reflects the hearts of all the strong women and mothers fighting for a better life, especially in these challenging times. The woman with the face mask represents empowerment, while the tigress and her cub are the embodiment of a mother’s love - which prevails even through the greatest dangers. Meanwhile, the batik design which intertwines with the hibiscus serve to remind us of what a beauty Malaysia is.

Changgih Designs.
Modern Fashion meets Borneon Heritage.

Joanna Moss and Bethany Dawson founded Changgih Designs as two new, passionate mothers from Sabah who wanted to create crafts for their children. They were then inspired to help mothers from villages with vocational training and job opportunities. Today, the social enterprise blends the heritage of Borneo with contemporary fashion in a collection of hand-stitched handbags, wallets, scarves, accessories, masks, and wearable art made by artisans in villages across Sabah.

During the pandemic, Changgih Designs also rallied other local Sabahan businesses to start a fundraiser to help the community. They dedicated funds from their Give10toSabah programme – where 10% of proceeds from sales are set aside, to purchase food bundles for families in need.

The Design
The Binonduk design, featured for BMW Malaysia combines two motifs from the Rungus people of Sabah. As incredible storytellers, the Rungus people have been using traditional motifs to educate and remind their future generations of the wisdom and character traits they desire to impart on them.

There are two traditional designs in the featured Binonduk artwork. The first is the small strip running down the back of the car– ‘Binonduk Peningkuku’, which shape resembles a wilting tree that easily sways following the wind. This traditional motif speaks to ‘pendirian’. It teaches the next generation to be anything but the tree. Instead, one should do the right thing, be willing to fight for what one believes in, and to not be swayed by popular opinion.

The second traditional design is a combination of two – the ‘Vinusak’ and ‘Binonduk Pindahamad’. It describes a bird flying sideways on a hillside, not following any direction or rules but does what it desires instead. These two designs make for a perfect combination to nurture confident leaders, as they are the artisans and sculptors of the new tomorrow.

INKAA.
Celebrating People & Appreciating the Power of Storytelling.

INKAA is a collaborative effort with grassroots organisations and artisans in Malaysia. They create beautiful products, while promoting more understanding and communication between individuals and the people they work with. It is a brand that honours artisans and preserves heritage. INKAA sources traditional 'batik cop' (block batik) textiles hand-made by three artisans in Terengganu, creating unique fabric designs where no two pieces are the same.

INKAA is also committed to creating new opportunities for the communities by promoting sustainable income, and reinvesting proceeds into empowerment projects. INKAA believes that diversity and craftsmanship should be celebrated as does every contribution deserves appreciation. Hence, every product is hand-signed by the person who made it, so as to connect the product to their makers.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, INKAA continues to strive in creating not just beautiful products but creating income opportunities for the community of Mang Tha, a women-led refugee empowerment group in Kuala Lumpur. The income generated through each product sale benefited 30 to 45 women in supporting their families.

The Design
With a contemporary touch, the featured design from INKAA on the new vehicle from BMW Malaysia merges traditional floral and geometrical-based motifs inspired by the Malaysian batik. The repetitive motifs reflect the terap (stamping) technique commonly used in Terenganu and Kelantan, while the arrangement of the design is largely inspired by the 'batik sarong' that has been worn across generations. It consists of kepala kain (the central panel), apit kain (the vertical frame), and badan kain (the main body). Subtly incorporated into the design is INKAA's logo, which is based on the pilcrow symbol signifying 'the beginning of a new train of thought'.

Kanoe.
Beautiful Garments from Natural Fibre.

Kanoe is a homegrown brand that sets out to promote better living throughout their design and production process, ensuring that everyone involved from the beginning to the end of the process benefits from it. Kanoe’s garments are made from natural fibre and are designed in-house.

The business also works with local businesses, artisans, and communities in need to promote handmade work, a healthy working environment, and fair wage.

Kanoe continues to be advocates of zero waste ethical wear as they stay driven in creating more uniquely designed wearables, parallel with the times, such as batik face masks.

The Design
The hand-stamped batik print featured on the new vehicle from BMW Malaysia represents a starry night, and hope in darkness. This is a reminder for us to look for the light that shines brightest in the darkest hour – a reminder during these unprecedented times to always keep hope in our hearts.


2019 Lexus LC 500 Inspiration Series debuts in Chicago

                CHICAGO: Lexus is bringing some heat to the 2019 Chicago Auto Show with the first public appearance of the 2019 LC 500 Inspiration Edition.

The third vehicle in the Lexus Inspiration Series, this LC 500 is a limited-edition model.

A total of 100 of these LC 500 Inspiration Series cars will be produced.

All 2019 LC 500 Inspiration Series coupes feature vibrant Flare Yellow paint, a rich, metallic shade of yellow that’s eye catching from a distance.

It comes standard with 21-inch wheels, as well as a carbon fibre roof and lower grille insert.

Bespoke Yellow door inserts made of Alcantara connect the exterior to the cabin while the standard touring seats feature semi-aniline leather with yellow stitching.

That same stitching is also used on the instrument panel, console and glovebox to give the entire cabin a one-of-a-kind look.

Each car will come with a matching leather Lexus garment bag that folds into a spacious travel bag.

Flare Yellow lining highlights the inside panels, and double yellow stitching adorns the top hem.

The LC Inspiration Series is powered by the same 5.0-litre, normally aspirated V8 found in every LC 500 coupe.

It sends 471hp to the rear wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission.


Skoda turns 125 - announces arrival of all-electric Enyaq SUV

Skoda Vision iV concept starts the styling cues for the upcoming all-electric Enyaq SUV

LONDON: Skoda is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year and 115 years since the company launched its first car with several of the brand’s historically important models also celebrating jubilees this year.

After 125 years, the Czech carmaker is currently active in more than 100 markets and has delivered more than 1.24mil vehicles to customers worldwide.

Hailing from modest beginnings, the brand has produced a vast range of products over the decades, - from bicycles to racing cars, with the original factory in Mladá Boleslav, the Czech Republic.

The 125th anniversary of the company’s founding also marks the beginning of a new era for the manufacturer: the all-electric sport utility vehicle (SUV), Enyaq,

The Enyaq will join the brand's current family of SUV that includes the Kodiaq, Karoq, and Kamiq.

This is the brand’s first vehicle to be based on the Volkswagen Group’s Modular Electric Platform (MEB) and will go into series production in the first half of 2020.

As part of its ongoing product campaign, the company will be launching 30 new models - of which more than 10 will be partially or fully electric cars, from 2019 to the end of 2022.

Under the Volkswagen Group ownership, the brand’s production is said to have grown sixfold over the last three decades with models such as the Superb, Octavia and Fabia having built a loyal fan base.

The arrival of the all-electric Enyaq SUV – the brand’s first vehicle to be based on the Volkswagen Group’s Modular Electric Platform (MEB). As part of its ongoing product campaign, ŠKODA will be launching more than ten partially or fully electric cars.

1930s and 1940s
During the early 1930s were challenging for ŠKODA as it wrestled with a large range and a market greatly affected by the Great Depression.

Luckily, the brand made a breakthrough with the new and modern Škoda 420 Popular which managed to quickly gain popularity in the second half of the decade.

Weighing only 650kg, the Popular could achieve a top speed of 80kph and was offered at a highly affordable price while being adaptable enough to be converted into a range of utility vehicles including ambulances and delivery vans.

During its hey-days, four factory-prepared Popular models embarked on a four-month trip to India, while the roadster version raced in the 1936 Monte Carlo rally.

In the mid-1940s the company brought about the Tudor which was successfully exported to as far away as Australia and later heralded the introduction of the 1200.

1950s – 1970s
During this period, the company marks its 70th anniversary with its participation during the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1950 in a Skoda Sport - commemorating the carmaker's long tradition in motorsport.

The 1950s also saw the launch of the 440 which, in 1959, evolved into the first Octavia, named because it was the eighth model to be produced after the end of World War II.

In September 1960, Škoda presented the first Octavia estate at the International Engineering Fair in Brno.

In the spring of 1964, the 1000 MB replaced the popular Octavia while featuring a 1.0-litre four-cylinder engine housed in the rear.

In May 1965, more than 1,000 vehicles rolled off its assembly line each month. By the end of the year, the company had been able to ramp up its daily production to at least 150 units, making the 1000 MB the first Czech vehicle to be truly mass-produced.

Škoda continued to make new and improved cars – in the form of the Octavia, the 2+2 coupé 110 R, the Felicia roadster, and the 1000 MB range – but production grew again with the arrival of the Favorit model range in 1987.

1980s – 1990s
The political landscape of Eastern Europe shifted again in 1989, when the Berlin Wall fell, the communist government was defeated in Czechoslovakia, and the new free-market economy arrived.

On Jan 1, 1993, the Czech Republic was formed. During this time, the new government began to search for a strong foreign partner in an effort to secure the company’s long term international competitiveness.

In December 1990, they decided to go with Volkswagen and a joint venture began the following year allowing Škoda to become the fourth brand in the Volkswagen Group, alongside Volkswagen, Audi and SEAT.


Mazda MX-5 R-Sport special edition launched in UK

                ONDON: Limited to just 150 examples, the Mazda MX-5 R-Sport special edition will feature Polymetal Grey metallic paint and a grey soft-top hood, and is fitted with 16-inch RAYS gunmetal alloy wheels.

It is based on the 1.5-litre 132ps Skyactiv-G Sport trim MX-5.

The Polymetal Grey colour is a new edition to the 2020 Mazda MX-5 line up and on the R-Sport it is matched to piano black wing mirrors, while inside the R-Sport features burgundy Nappa leather seats with silver stitching, ensuring the interior has the same bespoke feel as the exterior.

The R-Sport’s standard equipment tally includes navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cruise control, heated seats and climate control.

In addition to the R-Sport, the updated 2020 Mazda MX-5 range features a 10-model line-up - four Convertibles and six RFs - the 132ps 1.5-litre Convertible is offered in SE-L and Sport trim, while the 184ps 2.0-litre Skyactiv-G engine is matched to Sport Tech and the new range-topping GT Sport Tech trim.

As with the Convertible, SE-L and Sport trim RF’s are powered by the 1.5-litre engine, while Sport Tech and GT Sport Tech come with the more powerful 2.0-litre engine.

In addition, 2.0-litre RFs in both trim levels come with the option to choose an automatic gearbox.


Supervolcanoes could be a new source of lithium for electric vehicle batteries

Indonesia's Mount Sinabung volcano spewing thick volcanic ash. — AFP
SAN FRANCISCO: Scientists appear to have found that supervolcanoes could be a new source of lithium, a breakthrough for the electric vehicle industry as one of the most vital components of electric cars is their lithium batteries.

It's easy to get carried away by the environmental advantages of electric vehicles (EVs) over models using internal combustion engines, but like most things, there's more to it than meets the eye.

Evidently, an EV with zero emissions from its exhaust pipe is more environmentally-friendly than a petrol or diesel vehicle pumping out CO2, carbon monoxide and other nasty substances.

However, there are some uncomfortable truths about the manufacturing of EVs that bring into question just how environmentally-friendly the whole concept is. And one of the biggest issues concerns the most important component of an EV: the lithium-ion batteries.

The vast majority of the world's lithium comes from mines in Chile and Australia. But the mineral is becoming increasingly rare and sometimes requires environmentally unsound mining practices to extract it from the ground.

 Lava erupting from the Piton de la Fournaise, a volcano on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion. — AFP

Greater access to lithium, therefore, is crucial for meeting the growing demand for new green technologies to reduce global carbon emissions.

Now Stanford University has just published a study on how lithium can be sourced from supervolcano craters.

Thomas Benson, the study's lead author, states: "The demand for lithium has outpaced the scientific understanding of the resource, so it's essential for the fundamental science behind these resources to catch up. Now we have a way to easily find more of these lithium deposits."

Supervolcanoes, as the name implies, are much bigger than regular volcanoes and throw out at least 1,000 cubic kilometres of material in a single eruption.

Scientists have been studying the contents of craters left by supervolcanoes that erupted millions of years ago in Oregon, Nevada and other parts of the United States. After slicing through and analysing tiny samples of volcanic magma that were trapped in crystals in the craters, researchers found the valuable silvery-white metal in evidence.

The new method can be used to locate and quantify lithium in supervolcano magmas, and scientists said that supervolcanic sediments have the potential to host large lithium clay deposits.

It's not clear whether extraction of the lithium from this source would be any cleaner than from current sources, but at least a shortage of lithium won't hamper the advancement of EV technology in the future.

The study was published in Nature Communications.


European climate group says EU needs far tougher van CO2 targets

                BRUSSELS: The European Union needs to dramatically toughen weak CO2 targets for commercial vans to spur a shift to electric models and phase out fossil-fuel sales entirely by 2035, European campaign group Transport and Environment (T&E) said today.

T&E said an analysis of van sales in 2020 showed no change in CO2 emissions from 2017 and found the EU's CO2 targets are so weak that most manufacturers can meet them without selling a single zero-emission van.

"Standards which entered into force at the beginning of 2020 were supposed to make vans cleaner, but van makers have had to do almost nothing to reach them," T&E freight manager James Nix said in a statement. "With pathetic CO2 targets, the boom in e-commerce is becoming a nightmare for our planet."

EU sales of electric and plug-in hybrid passenger cars almost trebled to over 1 million vehicles last year, accounting for more than 10% of overall sales, thanks to stringent CO2 targets and government subsidies.

But electric van sales have languished at about 2% of the market.

T&E said the EU needs to bring forward its current CO2 reduction target of 31% forward to 2027 from 2030 and aim for a far more ambitious target of at least a 60% reduction by 2030.

The group said the EU should set a 100% CO2 reduction target by 2035, effectively banning combustion engine vans.

T&E said the EU should prevent van makers from building plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vans.

Groups like T&E are pushing for PHEV passenger car models to be phased out in the next few years, arguing that owners do not charge them properly and rely too much on the fossil-fuel engine.

Few automakers have developed PHEV commercial vans, but Ford Motor Co said in March that the next iteration of its Transit van will include a plug-in hybrid version.


New Volvo V60 to be revealed at Geneva

The current Volvo V60.
GOTHENBURG (Sweden): Station wagons, also known as estate cars, are certainly not as popular as they once were, but some manufacturers appear reluctant to abandon the format and go all-in with SUVs instead.

One such manufacturer is Volvo, and a new second-generation of its V60 Estate has been seen undergoing testing in cold weather conditions ahead of a potential reveal at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The new model takes a number of styling cues from the recently launched XC60, and when it eventually goes on sale it will be a direct rival to the likes of the BMW 3 Series Touring.

At the moment, the car has only been spotted wearing the usual camouflage test mules are almost always wrapped in, but an official unveiling is expected later this year in Geneva, probably alongside a new S60 sedan.

But even though the prototype has the usual camouflage and several layers of black material to further hide the new model's lines, there is a panel on the left front quarter that's been left uncovered and confirms the new V60 will include at least a plug-in hybrid powertrain in its line-up.

Of course, that's hardly a revelation as Volvo has a plan in place for electrifying its entire range by as soon as 2019. But despite the modern powertrains, this is still a car that's easily identifiable with boxy Volvo station wagons going back many years.

Both the new V60 and the as-yet unseen new S60 will share the same SPA platform as the latest XC60, which is also the foundation for the XC90, S90 and V90 models. In conjunction with the spy shots, this suggests a lot of design cues of those larger models will find their way into the V60 and S60 too.

There certainly won't be a lack of choice when it comes to powertrains available for the new V60. As well as the four-cylinder petrol and diesel D4 and D5 engines from the S90 and V90, a T8 plug-in-hybrid and possibly a T5 petrol, it's also thought an ultra-efficient three-cylinder option could be made available.


Japan automakers cling to Indonesia targets as sales speed downhill

                JAKARTA: Honda Motor Co Ltd, Nissan Motor Co Ltd and Mazda Motor Corp aim to sell more cars this year than last, though overall sales to distributors have fallen each month since September and are down 17 percent in 2015.

"The decline is pretty drastic," said dealership salesman Jonatan, whose monthly average sales of Toyota Motor Corp cars was four versus eight last year. "We certainly have to work extra hard to sell cars these days."

Auto sales are a key indicator of consumption in Indonesia, where the economy is growing at its slowest since 2009, and where 7 percent inflation is eroding purchasing power. Consumers are consequently reserving more money for primary needs, the central bank said last month.

In response, automotive industry association Gaikindo in June lowered its sales forecast for this year to a range of 1 million to 1.1 million vehicles from 1.2 million.

"We are struggling with the market slowdown," said PT Honda Prospect Motor director Jonfis Fandy.

The firm has been trying to boost sales since early in the year via promotions usually reserved for Indonesia's annual automotive exhibition in August, to meet Honda's target sales increase of 10 percent.

Promotions include discounts on down payments, low-interest loans, and extending installment periods to seven years from around four. Honda has sold 1.4 percent more cars as of end-May.

At Mazda, which aims to sell 9 percent more cars, one customer said he was offered 11 percent off a 450 million rupiah (US$33,860.05) sports utility vehicle. But the mid-30s communication manager still delayed purchase for six months as economic conditions made him worry about finances.

Astrid Ariani Wijaya, senior marketing manager at PT Mazda Motor Indonesia - for whom year-to-date sales figures are unavailable - said the slowdown is affecting all industries, not just auto.

"What we are doing is maintaining advertising consistency in mass media," she said. "Discounts would depend on the model, and each dealer has different stocks."

Inflation and a weak rupiah are keeping the benchmark interest rate high at 7.5 percent, so the central bank is trying to boost demand by easing the passenger car down payment requirement to 25 percent from 30 percent.

"Willingness to spend money on big purchases is not there," said BNI Securities analyst Thendra Crisnanda. "So I doubt the down payment easing will be a significant help."

Auto demand usually peaks before Indonesia's Lebaran holiday in mid-July as consumers buy cars to visit home towns, but this year it is far less than expected, Crisnanda said.

At Toyota, one dealership salesman said supplies had fallen for its most popular multi-purpose vehicle, the Avanza.

Rahmat Samulo, a director at PT Toyota Astra Motor, said the company is making supply-demand adjustments and that, "if the stock is enough, we are not going to add excessively."

Toyota has sold 25 percent fewer cars as of end-May. It declined to disclose its 2015 target, but said it aims to maintain its market share of around 33 percent.

Japan's top automaker opened its second local plant in 2013, will open an engine factory next year, and plans to invest further in the country. Despite the slowdown, investment plans are "still on track", an official at PT Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia told Reuters.

At Nissan, where sales are down 22 percent, its two local factories are running at 40 percent capacity, and have inventory turnover of about two months versus less than one month "during good days", Trimegah Securities said in a June report.

PT Nissan Motor Indonesia president director Steve Ardianto did not comment on production. But he said the firm is offering variants of current models, adding dealerships and improving service to lift its 2015 share to 6 percent from 4.7 percent.


Toyota to invest US$1bil on new Mexico plant, say sources

                MEXICO CITY: Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, will spend US$1 billion to build a car factory in Mexico and plans to announce the investment on Wednesday, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The 200,000-cars-a-year factory in the central state of Guanajuato will create about 2,400 direct jobs, one of the people told Reuters, declining to be identified because the plan was not yet public.

Reuters reported earlier that the factory – Toyota's first to build passenger cars in Mexico - would produce the Corolla compact car from the summer of 2019, ending a self-imposed three-year freeze on new investments.

President Enrique Pena Nieto will attend the announcement in Mexico on Wednesday, the people said.

 Toyoda

A Toyota spokesman in Tokyo said nothing had been decided.

Toyota president Akio Toyoda had declared a pause on expansion to ensure growth did not come at the expense of quality, after the automaker was burned by a recall crisis in 2010.

Toyota is vying with Volkswagen AG and General Motors Co to claim the title of top-selling global automaker, with each selling about 10 million vehicles a year.

Sources have said Toyota also plans to announce a new car factory in Guangzhou, China, this week.

The planned factories in Guanajuato and Guangzhou will add up to 300,000 cars a year to Toyota's annual production capacity, though not for a few years.

The Guanajuato factory would serve as a benchmark for other plants in the region to improve efficiency, boost productivity, and reduce costs, one of the sources said.

Under a new framework dubbed Toyota New Global Architecture, Toyota is overhauling the way it develops and builds cars, and has said it would reduce new factory investments by about 40 percent compared with pre-financial crisis levels by making production lines simpler and leaner.


Wrong drive-in: Woman rams car into convenience store at petrol station

                KUALA LUMPUR: A woman rammed her car by mistake into the convenience store at a petrol station in Bandar Baru Baru Bangi yesterday.

Kajang District Police chief ACP Mohd Zaid Hassan said in the incident at about 2.20 pm, the 33-year-old foreigner got into the Proton Saga car with manual transmission before starting up the engine.

"However, she did not realise that the car was still in gear, resulting in the car lurching forward and slamming into the shop," he said when contacted.

Fortunately, no one was hurt in the incident.

ACP Mohd Zaid advised drivers to be careful, especially in high-risk areas such as petrol stations, adding that station operators should also consider setting up safety features to avoid such occurrences.


Modern driver-assistance technology 'far from reliable', says AAA study

                ORLANDO (USA): Advanced driver assistance technology automating steering and braking in a growing number of vehicles is not providing reliable safety benefits, a new study by the American Automobile Association showed on Thursday.

Researchers at AAA, a federation of North American motor clubs, found the systems recorded disruptions and disengaged roughly every 12km, encountering situations they were not equipped to handle.

That creates dangerous situations if drivers rely too much on the technology and stop paying attention to the road, the AAA researchers said, adding that the systems are “far from 100% reliable.”

“AAA has repeatedly found that active driving assistance systems do not perform consistently, especially in real-word scenarios,” Greg Brannon, AAA’s director of automotive engineering and industry relations, said in a statement.

Automakers are accelerating the automation of routine driving tasks including cruising on a highway and stop-and-go traffic. The options offer a new source of profit for automakers as more consumers buy or lease vehicles with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

Some of the systems, such as automatic emergency braking, have proven safety benefits, while others, including pedestrian detection, are still in their infancy.

The AAA study evaluated a 2019 BMW X7 with “Active Driving Assistant Professional,” a 2019 Cadillac CT6 with “Super Cruise,” a 2019 Ford Edge with “Co-Pilot360,” a 2020 Kia Telluride with “Highway Driving Assist” and a 2020 Subaru Outback with “EyeSight” technology.

While lane-centering and changing technology worked better on a test course with clear lane markings, the systems accounted for 73% of all disengagements in real-world driving.

AAA, which said it had met with industry leaders, called on automakers to improve the systems or risk alienating consumers likely to mistrust increasing vehicle automation.

GM said in a statement that it remained confident that its system could alert drivers whenever the situation warranted and allow them to safely retake control of the vehicle.


UK taxi, private hire vehicle drivers to undergo criminal record checks every 6 months

                LONDON: Taxi and private hire vehicle drivers in the United Kingdom will have to undergo criminal record checks every six months and cabs could be fitted with CCTV under fresh regulations to improve the licencing system, the country’s transport ministry said.

A recommendation for licensing authorities that CCTVs would be "beneficial or proportionate" in their areas has also been included, the ministry said in a statement today.

The new government standards were recommended after a raft of abuse cases in UK cities.

“We know the majority of drivers provide an important and safe service for communities, but in light of appalling incidents in places such as Rochdale, Oxford, Newcastle and Rotherham, more must be done to protect passengers from those who abuse their position of trust,” Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said in the statement.

“That’s why we’re looking to licensing authorities to enforce these rigorous new standards, ensuring drivers are fit to transport passengers in a safe environment and to stop those who aren’t.”

Local authorities are expected to implement these tough standards that could help improve consistency in the licensing system and reduce the risk of harm posed to children and vulnerable passengers.

Taxi and private hire vehicle drivers are required to be trained to help them identify and respond to passengers that may have been abused, the ministry added.

Uber Technologies Inc was stripped of its licence to carry paying passengers in London for the second time last November in just over two years over a “pattern of failures” on safety and security.

The Silicon Valley ride-hailing firm has roughly 45,000 drivers in London, one of its most important markets, and is now trying to win back its licence.


Win RM5,000 daily is now back at BHPetrol stations

From left: En Aziz Majid, BHPetrol’s Retail Operations Manager, Ir. Azizul Azily Ahmad, BHPetrol’s General Manager (Supply, Retail and Govt Affairs) presented the prize to the 1st day winner, Mr Pang Kam Seng  (black shirt). Standing next to Mr Pang is Mr Ng Pak Thong, dealer for BHPetrol TTDI, Kuala Lumpur.

PETALING JAYA: Boustead Petroleum Marketing Sdn Bhd (BHPetrol) is giving away RM5,000 cash every day in a “eCard Pump & Swipe” contest.

This is the second year the company is rewarding daily cash prizes specially for their eCard loyalty cardholders, following the strong response received last year.

Today, BHPetrol general manager of supply, retail and government public affairs Azizul Azily Ahmad presented the contest prize of RM5,000 cash to Pang Kam Seng, from Shah Alam Selangor, who is the first day winner of the contest.

Pang has been an eCard member since 2016 and is a regular customer for BHPetrol Lebuhraya KL-Klang, and pumps Infiniti RON95, RON97 and EURO2 diesel.

He plans to treat his family and would like to buy something valuable for his wife with the money.

Also present were BHPetrol retail operations manager Aziz Majid and Ng Pak Thong, service station dealer for BHPetrol Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

The promotion runs from 15th April to 15th May 2019 at BHPetrol service stations with eCard acceptance, and offers RM5,000 cash to one lucky winner every day.

To participate, BHPetrol eCard members just need to make a minimum purchase of RM40 of fuel products (Infiniti 95, Infiniti 97, Infiniti Diesel and Infiniti Euro5 diesel) in a single receipt and swipe their eCard.

BHPetrol eCard is a loyalty programme which offers great privileges and rewards to its members.

Members get 1 ePoint for every RM1 spent at BHPetrol service stations and their participating merchant outlets.

Members can instantly redeem their points for an extensive range of items and gifts, including RM10 worth of fuel with only 950 ePoints.

Besides, members can also redeem exciting gifts featured in BHPetrol Rewards Catalogue or via online at ecardrewards.bhpetrol.com.my for more variety of gifts.

To be a member, the application can be downloaded via ecard.bhpetrol.com.my

For full info on the contest, please log on to www.bhpetrol.com.my.


Cuba's Harley-Davidsons a labour of love for island's super-fans

                HAVANA: Cuban Carlos Pupo Sablon spared no effort to join up with his fellow Harley-Davidson enthusiasts.

He got up at 4am to ride his electric blue Harley 660 km over 13 hours —despite fuel shortages — to be there.

Cuba's Harley-Davidsons are not as well known as the island nation's collection of vintage American cars, but they also contribute to a palpable feeling of stepping back in time.

There are only around 200 on the island — compared to 60,000 classic cars — but their owners tenderly care for and repair them to keep the hum of their engines audible on the island.

For the past 12 years, Harley enthusiasts have met up annually in Varadero -- the seaside resort 145-km east of Havana to "share the passion" over a long weekend, explained Raul Brito, 60.

He is one of the event's founders and the proud owner of a 1960s Harley, "the last model to enter the island" after the 1959 communist revolution.

Until then, there were several thousands of the iconic motorcycles in Cuba, with even police riding them.

But they lost popularity following the communist revolution that created a stigma against anything associated with the capitalist United States.

Antonio Ramirez, 60, is a former taxi driver who has reinvented himself as a bike mechanic.

He owns four Harleys, including a custom-made orange tricycle.

His first bike previously belonged to his grandfather and then his father "who used it to go to work."

Now, restoring Harleys has become a business for Ramirez.

"I buy them in parts and then restore them," he said.

But that has only really become possible over the last decade with the loosening of trade restrictions with the US, and helped by the development of Cuba's tourism industry.

Ramirez has been able to source original parts thanks to "family, friends and foreigners" traveling in Cuba.

"It was more difficult before, you had to improvise to create everything. Now it's easier to import parts, but we still make a lot by hand," said Sergio Sanchez, a mechanic from Pinar del Rio, 300km away.

Consequently, "there are few original Harleys, almost none, due to the lack of parts."

As a teenager, Sanchez used to borrow his father's Harley, but "it is impossible to find a 1947 piston nowadays."

'More difficult, more expensive'

As is the case with many products in a country that suffers severe shortages due to 60 years of US sanctions, word of mouth and WhatsApp groups are the keys to finding a good deal.

This year, Sanchez turned up to the bikers' weekend with a white 1947 Harley that used to belong to the police.

Thanks to the 2014 restoration of diplomatic ties between Washington and Havana that sparked an explosion in tourism, it was possible once more to source parts that used to be out of reach, said Sandy Leon, 46, who helped restore the white Harley in 2019.

But the good times did not last as Donald Trump succeeded Barack Obama in 2017 and gradually ramped up sanctions that hit tourism.

In the first four months of 2019, 250,000 Americans visited Cuba, almost double the corresponding period in 2018.

But Trump barred US cruise ships from landing in Cuba and the flow of American tourists dried up.

"Now it's more difficult and more expensive" to source parts, said Leon.

Cuba's economic crisis that has seen the peso depreciate has also complicated matters.

Pupo Sablon was recognized for his efforts, winning the prize for having traveled the furthest distance to attend the event.

He managed to buy his striking blue Harley after making a deal with a Canadian enthusiast who produced the US$15,000 needed in return for the right to ride the Harley when visiting the island of 11 million people.

Before then, the Harley had "remained in the same family since it left the factory in 1951."

Pupo Sablon restored it with "parts from that era" in order to maintain its "original aesthetic."

Just like its colourful vintage cars, Cuba's motorbikes made before 1960 cannot be exported because they are considered part of its "national heritage."


German carmakers left reliant on others for battery cells

                MUNICH: Plans by a Chinese company to build a battery cell factory in Germany should serve as a wakeup call for the national car industry, whose lack of its own production capacity risks leaving it exposed in a dawning era of electric mobility.

Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang is expected to take part in a signing ceremony at a summit in Berlin on Monday for Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL)  to build the plant in the eastern state of Thuringia.

BMW has awarded a contract worth just over 1 billion euros (RM4.8bil) for CATL to make cells for electric cars, while Volkswagen has picked CATL and South Korea’s Samsung and LG Chem to deliver US$25 billion (RM101bil) worth of batteries.

Tesla founder Elon Musk has also talked about locating a battery ‘Gigafactory’ near the Franco-German border, in the vicinity of its Grohman Engineering division that has built a production line for Tesla’s Nevada plant.

“If we want to have a German battery cell industry, then this is a warning shot,” said auto industry expert Joern Neuhausen of PwC consulting arm Strategy&.

German car makers have championed a switch to greener forms of motoring following the "Dieselgate" scandal of 2015 that exposed the dark side of their long and lucrative reliance on the internal combustion engine.

Volkswagen called last year for the German and European industry, which employs 12.6 million workers, to team up on battery production. Industry experts expect the mobility revolution to boost Europe’s battery market to 250 billion euros (RM1.2tril) by 2025.

Semiconductor parallels

Analysts draw parallels with the semiconductor industry, where European players lost out as memory chips used in computers and mobile phones become a mass-produced commodity and low-cost Asian producers came to dominate the market.

Europe’s chip makers were not wiped out completely, however, maintaining - with the help of state aid - a lead in high-performance chips used in industrial and power-management applications such as electric cars, trains, wind turbines or computer server farms.

“When you talk about silicon chips for cars, it’s not about standard products but specialised applications,” said Elmar Kades of management consultants AlixPartners. “That’s a good business.”

Robert Bosch is building a new plant in ‘Silicon Saxony’ in eastern Germany that will make chips for the car industry and the industrial ‘Internet of Things’.

The privately held company, a leading auto industry supplier, has opted out of making lithium-ion battery cells, saying it would take an investment of 20 billion euros to catch a fifth of the European market by 2030.

The real value, say industry insiders, is in battery packaging - or combining cells so that they operate efficiently - maximizing the distance an electric vehicle can travel and the speed at which its batteries can be recharged.

“There is absolutely no point in chasing after today’s technology,” said Peter Cammerer, a member of the works council at BMW.

Cammerer urged the auto industry to prepare for the “post-Lithium era” by focusing its joint efforts on promising sodium- or magnesium-ion battery technologies. Battery-grade sodium salts are more abundant than lithium, while magnesium has the potential to be used in solid-state batteries — potentially more efficient.

“The right time is now,” said Cammerer.


Winners drive home more Nissan cars from ETCM

                PETALING JAYA: Winners at Edaran Tan Chong Motor’s (ETCM) Great Nissan Buy 1 Win 1 Campaign were all smiles as they walked away with an additional Nissan vehicle.

The campaign, which is now in its second round, offered Malaysians a chance to win a brand new vehicle on top of their purchase of a Nissan car.

The Nissan models up for grabs were the Grand Livina 1.8, X-Trail 2.0, Navara 2.5LE and Slyphy 1.8E worth a total of more than RM600,000.

The winners of this round are Tan Song Ping who won the Grand Livina 1.8; Lee Ai Lee won the X-Trail 2.0 (2013 model); Uzairah Abdul Majid who won the Navara 2.5LE; Zainudin Ahmad won the Sylphy 1.8E and Pang Poon King who walked away with the Grand Livina 1.8.

The prize-winners were presented with their mock-keys during the ceremony by ETCM senior sales and marketing director Datuk Dr Ang Bon Beng.

“I would like to thank our customers for their amazing support for this incredibly successful campaign. We wouldn’t be where we are now without our customers, and it is a pleasure to be able to give something extra to our valued customers,” said Dr Ang.

ETCM is also offering attractive deals and promotions on selected Nissan models such as the Teana, Serena S-Hybrid, Navara, Sylphy, Grand Livina and X-Gear through its Joy of Abundance campaign which ends on Feb 28.

ETCM is also holding a Test Drive and Win a Fortune contest where Malaysians stand a chance to win a brand new Nissan Sylphy.

All you have to do is test drive a Nissan car and complete a slogan in the contest entry form.

The contest ends on Feb 28.


New Audi A4 plays to win

                Ingolstadt’s answer to the BMW 3 Series has moved up the grade over the years and the latest evolution sees it ready to do battle in 2016 and beyond.

The Audi A4 is a serious contender to the BMW 3 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class in Europe and China, and Audi is taking the fight to them on aesthetics, engineering and equipment with the latest model.

It is considered the ninth generation of its model line that started as the A80 in 1972; to be technically correct.

The A80 saw four generations spanning more than 20 years till 1995, following which the A4 was introduced to toe the change in model designation.

Audi has produced more than 12 million units of the A80 and A4, with the latter numbering more than seven million cars and counting, to reflect its strong standing in the B-segment car market.

The latest A4 may not have sharp angular lines that would help it cheat the wing in terms of body profile, but Audi lauds this new model as having a drag co-efficient of 0.23, the lowest in its class.

There are many ways to reduce the car’s resistance to the wind without assuming a triangular shape; moulding all aspects of the body to direct airflow efficiently is the key approach.

This can take into account strategically located air vents in the front apron to direct airflow over the front tyres, smooth flowing body lines that start from the front grille area, an almost flat floorpan, and sufficient spoiler effect at the rear for good downforce to maintain stability.

The A4 is very clearly an Audi with the large yet somewhat tall trapezoidal grille that reflects its current generation status in family body styling.

In taking the fight to its German rivals, the development focus appears to be making the A4 a more comfortable sedan without losing the dynamic driving aspects.

At a glance, the A4 does not come across as a compact car and with a body length of more than 4,730mm, a width of more than 1,840mm, and a wheelbase of 2,820mm, it is clearly positioned close to the mid-executive car range in dimensions.

It reminded us clearly of the Audi 100 that we had a drive impression of in mid-1976 and the successor of that model is the Audi A6; and our memory was jogged even further when we got into the car.

While the slew of equipment and interior styling was different with a lot more information provided today, we could relate to the spacious quality of the car, from the driver’s seat to the rear passenger’s accommodation.

We chose to sit in the rear for part of the drive sessions and we were not disappointed; legroom was more than adequate even with a tall driver or front passenger and the thigh support was good for travelling in comfort.

Audi, understandably, is proud of the fact that the latest A4 comes with the longest interior and greatest shoulder width in front among its peers for its class.

The best part was that Audi made the new A4 lighter despite it being bigger, by up to 120kg, depending on the engine model, although body for body, the decrease in weight is said to be up to 15kg.

This is achieved without the use of aluminium; instead, there is far greater use of lightweight high strength steel in the body while the weight reduction in other areas, including the ‘lightweight seats’, is achieved through higher use of light but strong materials.

Audi has introduced the new A4 with seven engine options; three petrol and four diesel variants, reportedly with improved fuel consumption figures for all.

Of interest perhaps is the new 2.0 TFSI ultra with a newly developed combustion system to provide good combined fuel economy of 4.8 l/100km or 20.8km/l.

However, we were told that when the new A4 is introduced here in the first quarter of next year, the focus is on the 1.4 TFSI and 2.0 TFSI quattro (this is the 2.0-litre engine with standard combustion system).

The differences between the two 2.0-litre engines are significant as each engine is designed for a different buyer profile; the ultra engine delivers 190hp and 320Nm while the standard engine punches out 252hp and 370Nm.

Although the quattro variant would be heavier with the additional drive mechanicals, it is still faster in 0-100kph sprints at 5.8 seconds and has a higher top speed of 250kph versus the ultra’s 7.3 seconds and 210kph.

During the international media drive in Venice, we started with the 2.0 TFSI quattro with a seven-speed S tronic automatic and there was no shortage of grunt to get going as the engine revved up smoothly to free up the charging horses.

We also pushed it through the winding stretches, exploring the limits of the Hankook Ventus S1 evo (225/50 R17) – all the A4 models were equipped with Hankook tyres as standard – through to the tighter stretches that require more dynamic grip and traction.

The wheel-selective torque control of the dynamic driving system helped in keeping engine revs at the right point for the winding impression while the adjustable shock absorbers are available as an option.

Our experience as a rear passenger for sections of the drive was just as good; wind noise was nicely muted as expected with the body’s low wind cheating profile and the only intrusion was the mild road rumble.

The redesigned five-link suspension front and rear with ride comfort well factored in seemed to have achieved its goal; we couldn’t pick much on the ride and for the corners, the suspension geometry and sturdy anti-roll bars made for a fairly good level poise.

We also had a go at the 2.0TFSI ultra just for the sake of comparison; while the lack of oomph was obvious, there were enough horses on the reins to attack the winding stretches at good speeds.

Although it was only front-wheel drive, we found its dynamic strengths to be pretty good, encouraging us to enter a corner quick enough with mild understeer and good directional feedback from the newly developed electromechanical power steering (yup, no fully electric steering yet).

For the third drive impression, we decided on the 1.4 TFSI that was only made available with a six-speed manual transmission.

It may be a small displacement engine, but in its turbocharged form, it packs quite a wallop with 150bhp and 250Nm, and is marginally thirstier at 5.3l/100km versus the 2.0 TFSI ultra’s 4.9l/100km.

The six-speed manual transmission provided smooth selection of gears with positive engagement and easy fluid flow in the shift travel to make driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road easier.

Most of all, the ride comfort factor stayed consistent for everyone on board with a quiet and appreciable journey, and we believe it would be just as enjoyable to drive through the windies as well.

The new A4 comes with a good range of driving aids, the widest in its class according to Audi; parking assist, rear cross-traffic assist, exit warning, collision avoidance resistance, turn assist, traffic jam assist, and the Audi pre-sense system.

Naturally, the 1.4 TFSI has lower trim and equipment specifications such as fabric upholstery against Nappa leather, no head-up display and 360-degree cameras, among others, but it should still turn heads for what it can offer.


Jaguar E-PACE stars in artist’s 'warped reality'

                LONDON: Jaguar's new E-PACE performance SUV plays in the city in a series of 'warped reality' pictures by digital artist Chris Labrooy. The artwork celebrates the North American launch of Jaguar’s new compact performance SUV.

Inspired by the car’s playful character and its record-breaking barrel-roll reveal, Labrooy puts the E-PACE into a series of unlikely locations and scenarios. The “Transposition” series of images revealed today features Detroit, famed for its automotive heritage and the location of the E-PACE’s US debut today.

The UK-based Labrooy worked with the Jaguar Design team, led by Design Director Ian Callum, to create a series of images showing the new vehicle in its natural habitat – with a twist.

During the development of the Jaguar E-PACE, Callum and his colleagues worked closely with the engineering team to give the car a character and a sense of fun.

The Transposition series is about reordering the material culture that surrounds us in new and unexpected ways.

The E-PACE is juxtaposed with different objects and transposed into unforeseen scenarios where they wouldn’t normally belong. Robots appear on sidewalks and cars dance with glitter balls in surreal situations that exhibit the E-PACE sense of playfulness.

Jaguar has also released a short film describing some of the inspiration and detail behind the design of the new Jaguar E-PACE.

Narrated by Ian Callum, Jaguar’s Director of Design, it tells how the design team created the brand’s first compact performance SUV. Two of the key themes in developing their ideas were that the car has to have “character” and a “sense of fun”. Callum explains how these were brought to life and inspired by Jaguar’s racing heritage.

The E-PACE was revealed to the world at London’s ExCeL on July 13. Jaguar leapt into Guinness world records history with its new performance SUV for the furthest barrel roll in a production vehicle.


Order-taking for Mazda MX-5 RF roadster starts: RM266K (manual), RM268K (auto)

                SHAH ALAM: Bermaz Motor is taking orders for the 2020 Mazda MX-5 RF roadster which is priced at RM266,154 (manual) and RM268,154 (automatic) on-the-road without insurance..

The iconic two-seater sports car with a front mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout is renowned for being a driver’s car: lightweight, nimble and most importantly, fun-to-drive.

The Mazda MX-5 RF is imported (CBU) from Japan and has a Skyactiv-G 2.0-liter engine, producing 181hp at 7,000rpm and 205Nm of torque at 4,000rpm.

Transmission options include either a Skyactiv-MT six-speed manual transmission or six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

The MX-5’s engine paired with its lightweight physique and agile driving dynamics, provides an outstanding power-to-weight ratio.

This roadster has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto accessible via the Mazda Connect Infotainment display, and ISOFIX mounts on the passenger side with airbag cut-off function.

The 2020 MX-5 RF receives an updated Mazda badging and fonts design, and adds more i-Activsense safety features including Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Smart City Brake Support and Driver Attention Alert as standard.

Standard features are:

- 2.0L DOHC 16-Valve 4 Cylinder With VVT engine
- all-round disc brakes
- Double Wishbone front, and Multi-Link rear suspension
- Electronic Power Assisted Steering (EPAS)
- 205/45/R17 tyres
- LED headlights with auto levelling and auto On/Off Function
- LED tail lights
- Rain sensing wipers
- Mazda Advance Keyless Entry
- rear Parking Sensors
- retractable roof
- Engine Start / Stop Button
- MZD Connect Infotainment System With Voice Command
- Apple CarPlay & Android Auto Function
- 7-inch Colour Touch Screen Display
- Bluetooth Hands-Free
- 9 Bose audio speakers
- GPS Navigation System
- 2 USB ports
- Mazda i-Stop Idling Technology
- Mazda i-Eloop Technology
- 4 Airbags
- Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
- Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
- Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD)
- Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)
- Traction Control System (TCS)
- Emergency Stop Signal (ESS)
- Hill Launch Assist (HLA)
- Walk Away Lock
- ISOFIX Child Restraint Anchor Points and Top Tethers
- Engine-Immobilizer Anti-Theft System
- Seat Belts With Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR)
- Adaptive LED Headlights (ALH)
- Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM)
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
- Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS)
- Driver Attention Alert (DAA)
- Smart City Brake Support (SCBS)