Ssangyong's Rexton facelift to bring more power, more smarts

                FRANKFURT: Four years after its launch, the Rexton is getting an update and South Korean manufacturer Ssangyong is now selling its flagship with a more powerful diesel engine, a new automatic transmission and more assistance systems.

To make sure that everyone recognises the changes right away, the SUV has a new, shiny chrome front end and more finesse in the cockpit. Prices, however, are going up a little and now start at €42,990  (RM216,000) in Europe, the manufacturer says.

The 4.85-metre SUV, which is available with a choice of five or seven seats, is powered by a 2.2-litre diesel, which the maker says has 10 per cent more power with 202hp.

Coupled as standard with a new eight-speed automatic and an all-wheel drive option, the Rexton can reach up to 185kph and, according to Ssangyong, achieves a standard consumption of 8.2 litres/100km.

There's also a modernised cockpit with the option of digital instruments and an expanded range of assistance systems. The Rexton now automatically keeps its distance from other cars and stays in lane.

It can also recognise traffic signs, warn of dangers in your blind spot and will show you your car from different perspectives when manoeuvring.


Stellantis to leave ACEA auto manufacturers association by year-end

                MILAN: Stellantis said on Monday it would leave the European carmaker association ACEA by the end of 2022 as part of a new approach to addressing issues and challenges of future mobility, including a shift away from traditional lobbying activity.

The world's No.4 carmaker said in a statement it had launched the so-called "Freedom of Mobility Forum", a more direct, public space for various actors related to the issue "to share and confront their thoughts on a 360-degree and fact-based approach".

The forum is initially planned for early 2023, Stellantis added.

The European Automobile Manufacturers Association, widely known by its French acronym ACEA, has been the industry's main lobbying group since its creation in 1991, uniting Europe's 16 major car, truck, van and bus makers.


Carmakers forced back to bigger engines in new emissions era

                PARIS: Tougher European car emissions tests being introduced in the wake of the Volkswagen scandal are about to bring surprising consequences: bigger engines.

Carmakers that have spent a decade shrinking engine capacities to meet emissions goals are now being forced into a costly U-turn, industry sources said, as more realistic on-the-road testing exposes deep flaws in their smallest motors.

Renault, General Motors and VW are preparing to enlarge or scrap some of their best-selling small car engines over the next three years, the people said. Other manufacturers are expected to follow, with both diesels and gasolines affected.

The reversal makes it even harder to meet carbon dioxide (CO2) targets and will challenge development budgets already stretched by a rush into electric cars and hybrids.

"The techniques we've used to reduce engine capacities will no longer allow us to meet emissions standards," said Alain Raposo, head of powertrain at the Renault-Nissan alliance.

"We're reaching the limits of downsizing," he said at the Paris auto show, which ended on Saturday. Renault, VW and GM's Opel all declined to comment on specific engine plans.

For years, carmakers kept pace with European Union CO2 goals by shrinking engine capacities, while adding turbo chargers to make up lost power. Three-cylinder motors below one liter have become common in cars up to VW Golf-sized compacts; some Fiat models run on twin-cylinders.

These mini-motors sailed through official lab tests conducted - until now - on rollers at unrealistically moderate temperatures and speeds. Carmakers, regulators and green groups knew that real-world CO2 and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions were much higher, but the discrepancy remained unresolved.

All that is about to change. Starting next year, new models will be subjected to realistic on-the-road testing for NOx, with all cars required to comply by 2019. Fuel consumption and CO2 will follow two years later under a new global test standard.

Independent testing in the wake of VW's exposure last year as a US diesel emissions cheat has shed more light on the scale of the problem facing automakers.

Carmakers' smallest European engines, when driven at higher loads than current tests allow, far exceed legal emissions levels. Heat from the souped-up turbos generates diesel NOx up to 15 times over the limit; gasoline equivalents lose fuel-efficiency and spew fine particles and carbon monoxide.

"They might be doing OK in the current European test cycle, but in the real world they are not performing," said Pavan Potluri, an analyst with influential forecaster IHS Automotive.

"So there's actually a bit of 'upsizing' going on, particularly in diesel."

Carmakers have kept understandably quiet about the scale of the problem or how they plan to address it. But industry sources shared details of a retreat already under way.

GM will not replace its current 1.2-litre diesel when the engines are updated on a new architecture arriving in 2019, people with knowledge of the matter said. The smallest engine in the range will be 25-30 percent bigger.

VW is replacing its 1.4 litre three-cylinder diesel with a four-cylinder 1.6 for cars like the Polo, they said, while Renault is planning a near-10 percent enlargement to its 1.6 litre R9M diesel, which had replaced a 1.9-litre model in 2011.

In real-driving conditions, the French carmaker's 0.9-litre gasoline H4Bt injects excess fuel to prevent overheating, resulting in high emissions of unburned hydrocarbons, fine particles and carbon monoxide.

Cleaning that up with exhaust technology would be too expensive, sources say, so the three-cylinder will be dropped for a larger successor developing more torque at lower regimes to stay cool.

The turnaround on size is a European phenomenon, coinciding with diesel's sharp decline in smaller cars. Larger engines prevalent in North America, China and emerging markets still have room to improve real emissions by shrinking.

Fiat, Renault and Opel have the worst real NOx emissions among the newest "Euro 6" diesels, according to test data from several countries. They now "face the biggest burden" of compliance costs, brokerage Evercore ISI warned last month.

Such reckonings are the inevitable result of on-the-road testing, said Thomas Weber, head of research and development at Mercedes DAIGn_.DE, which has nothing below four cylinders.

"It becomes apparent that a small engine is not an advantage," Weber said. "That's why we didn't jump on the three-cylinder engine trend."

The tougher tests may kill diesel engines smaller than 1.5 litres and gasolines below about 1.2, analysts predict. That in turn increases the challenge of meeting CO2 goals, adding urgency to the scramble for electric cars and hybrids.

VW has been far more vocal about ambitious plans announced in June to sell 2-3 million electric cars annually by 2025 - about a quarter of its current vehicle production.

"You can't downsize beyond a certain point, so the focus is shifting to a combination of solutions," said Sudeep Kaippalli, a Frost & Sullivan analyst who predicts a hybrids surge.

In future, he said, "downsizing will mean you take a smaller engine and add an electric motor to it".


BMW 2002 Hommage celebrates birth of turbocharged car

                SAN FRANCISCO: BMW is rolling out the BMW 2002 Hommage at Pebble Beach to pay tribute to turbocharged engines.

The sporting silhouette of the BMW 2002 Hommage lies low against the road. It features compact proportions; complete with long wheelbase, short overhangs and prominent “shark nose”. Aerodynamic details like the large spoilers at the front and rear team up with the numerous air intakes and exits to optimise airflow around the car and maximise downforce.

A particularly striking feature of the car’s flanks are the pronounced wheel arches, which frame the body like four brackets and add stature. In the process, they recall the homologated version of the BMW 2002 turbo, which needed broad extensions bolted onto its body to accommodate a significantly wider track. Sleek surfacing and chiselled lines envelop the wheel arches and hand them a starring role.

In perhaps the most literal reference of the original 2002, the 2002 Hommage features a unifying “waterline” to connect many of the car’s formal elements. This unbroken carbon fibre line physically wraps around the car from front to rear, while also creating a horizontal distinction between upper and lower body surfaces. 20-inch light-alloy wheels in bi-colour design round off the styling as the car meets the road. The modern looks of these milled, multi-spoke items recall the racing rims of bygone eras, while gold-coloured brake callipers bearing the M logo add an extra stamp of class.

The front end of the BMW 2002 Hommage combines the horizontal grill graphic of the 02 series with modern elements of BMW design. In its lines and form, the bonnet references the “spear” contour stretching down the centre of the 02 models that swells slightly into a surround for the BMW logo as it approaches the kidney grille. Further lines lend structure and definition to the matt surface.

The rear-end design of the BMW 2002 Hommage also calls on elements of the 2002 turbo. For example, the horizontal sub-division of the car’s generous surfaces and its clear lines make a width-emphasising and thus suitably dynamic statement, laced with modern feel. The almost rectangular lights provide a stylistic border for the rear end. The glass covers have a contemporary black-panel look and only offer a view of the inner workings when the lights illuminate. All you can see when they are dormant is an unbroken black surface. As at the front of the car, this strengthens the impression of a strip wrapped around the car.

“The BMW 2002 Hommage celebrates the extraordinary feats of engineering on which BMW turbo technology is based and re-interprets them in the form of a design study,” said Karim Habib, Head of Design BMW Automobiles. “With its iconic orange/black paintwork, the car has a colour scheme and livery synonymous in the minds of many motor sport fans with the triumphs of the 1970s.”

In 1973 the BMW 2002 turbo became the first series-produced vehicle in Europe to feature turbo technology. In so doing, it turned the BMW 02 into a sports car. Looking back, the advent of BMW turbo engine technology pointed the way for both the development of the sportiest BMW sedans and milestones such as the first Formula One World Championship title for a turbocharged car – won by Nelson Piquet in 1983.


All-new Honda City Hatchback open for booking

                PETALING JAYA: Honda Malaysia has started order-taking for the highly anticipated all-new City Hatchback at Honda dealerships nationwide.

The City Hatchback is expected to be launched in the fourth quarter of the year.

It will be offered in two powertrains: e:HEV hybrid and 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol.

The e:HEV features Honda’s unique hybrid system, that function seamlessly by combining the benefits of petrol and electric power to provide fuel efficiency and power.

The intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) powertrain of the e:HEV delivers powerful and immediate response through two electric motors for effortless drivability and efficiency.

This advanced powertrain delivers 109PS and segment revolutionary 253Nm torque equivalent to a D-segment engine torque performance.

Meanwhile, the petrol-powered version uses a 1.5L DOHC i-VTEC powertrain producing highest in its class with 121PS, and a maximum torque of 145Nm, offering an ideal balance of exciting performance and fuel efficiency for a hatchback body type.

The popular 4-Modes ULTRA Seats feature synonymous with the Honda Jazz, now makes it way into the City Hatchback.

This practical and versatile first in its class feature allows the rear seats to be folded flat or flipped up in four configuration modes; Utility, Long, Tall and Refresh, to suit different needs of storage space by maximizing the rear space creatively when transporting items.

The City Hatchback RS e:HEV also comes with Rear Air Conditioning Ventilation.

Another advanced and first-in-segment feature in the City Hatchback is the Remote Engine Start for RS e:HEV and V variants, which provides added convenience, enabling the driver to remotely activate the engine and air-conditioning before entering the car.

An additional segment-first feature for RS e:HEV and V variants is Honda LaneWatch, a camera-based advanced safety technology which reduces blind spots by providing real-time visual in the infotainment system when left turn signal is activated or LaneWatch button is pressed.

The exterior of RS e:HEV and V variants come with LED Headlights with LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL), LED Front Fog Lights, LED Rear Combi Lights and is fitted with attractive 16-inch alloy wheels that complement the appearance of the car.

The RS e: HEV also gets an exclusive appearance such as a High-Gloss Piano Black Front Grille, Black Solid Wing and Gloss Black Door Mirrors for a two-toned colour expression and RS exclusive styling for the Lower Grille, Fog Garnish and Rear Bumper.

The Rear Bumper is specifically designed for hatchback and equipped with a sophisticated diffusor, making the rear look more active with a younger impression.

In addition to Electric Parking Brake (EPB), another exclusive feature for the RS e:HEV is Honda SENSING driver assistance safety systems that includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Auto High Beam (AHB).

Honda Malaysia managing director and chief executive officer Madoka Chujo said the introduction of the City Hatchback is a key milestone for company as it is the first time the City model is offered in a hatchback bodytype.

“Hatchbacks are well-known for the sporty and cool design in a compact size, which also gives an impression of a car that is easy to be driven everywhere.

“Additionally, new age hatchback cars are also developed to deliver optimum performance that is comparable with sedans and SUVs.

“Honda Malaysia now offers customers with best in class torque performance as well as advanced technological features, all housed in the stylish and sporty All-New City Hatchback.”

Chujo also said Honda was not new to the hatchback segment in Malaysia as the popular Jazz which was introduced back in 2003 has sold more than 122,000 units to-date.

“The Jazz is well-known for its practicality and versatility, and is highly popular as one of Malaysians’ favourite urban car. We believe with the introduction of the City Hatchback, this model will raise the benchmark to be another game-changer in the market and soon to be Malaysians’ most favourite hatchback car,” she said.


Gombak LRT car park under construction collapses, 3 workers injured

The collapsed section of the car park project.— Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: Three construction workers escaped death after they were saved when a car park still under construction at the Gombak Terminal LRT Putra station here collapsed early Thursday morning.

Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department director Nordin Pauzi said two of the victims, who were Indonesians, were saved early this morning while a third, a Bangladeshi, whose hand was trapped in the rubble, was rescued six hours later.

“He was found at 7.16am with his hand trapped in the rubble; we had to cut part of it in order to rescue him and take him to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital for treatment.

“The collapse was believed to have been caused by a weak structure but investigations are still being conducted.

Nordin said the department was still patrolling the area with tracker dogs (K9) for victims who may still be trapped under the rubble.

Meanwhile, Fire Department Operations Commander M. Murugiah said an emergency call was received through the MERS 999 line at about 1.13am, and a vehicle and 46 fire and rescue personnel from the Wangsa Maju and Gombak Selatan fire stations were rushed to the scene.


Perodua sold 20,100 units in January, registered 1,025 Aruz in a single day

                KUALA LUMPUR: Perodua sold over 20,100 vehicles sold in January 2019, including 1,025 units of its recently launched Aruz SUV (sport utility vehicle).

"We estimate our market share for January 2019 to be around 41.7%, and 9.2% growth from 18,400 Perodua vehicles sold in December 2018,” said Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Zahari Husin.

Perodua sold 20,100 units or 13.6% more in January this year against 17,700 units done in January 2018.

"The Aruz has been received well with 8,000 bookings so far,” said Zahari.

He added 85% of Aruz bookings are for the Advanced version (priced at RM77,900 without insurance) and balance is for the X variant (priced at RM72,900 without insurance).

"Regarding speculation that the Aruz’s price will increase, I wish to clarify that we are maintaining the prices," said Zahari.

The new Perodua Myvi is still the sales leader with over 8,400 units sold in January.

The Axia, Bezza and Alza sold more than 5,500 units, 3,400 units and 1,600 units in January respectively.


Electric Mercedes V-Class set to hit the road in Q4

                STUTTGART: If you're someone who often needs a little more space than an SUV can offer, you might have considered resorting to a people carrier like the Mercedes V-Class MPV.

After generations of diesel and petrol powertrains since the 90s, the V-Class is now turning onto electric avenue, with an EQV set for release in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Powering the MPV will be a 204-horsepower engine sipping electrons from a 100-kWh battery that can keep the van driving over a range of up to 418lm, Mercedes says.

The EQV sprints from 0 to 100kph in about 10 seconds and reaches a maximum of 140kph. Pay extra, and Mercedes will let you drive the V-Class at speeds of up to 160kph.

Mercedes says that despite the addition of a large battery in the floor of the car, the full flexibility of the V-Class is retained: The loading space of the V-Class, which is offered in two lengths, remains unchanged, and the seats can still be moved and turned flexibly.

A further innovation is the MBUX operating system with a large touch screen and new EQ software that helps you plan routes and search for charging stations. If you're recharging with 110kW, you can go from 10 to 80 per cent in 45 minutes.


Jeep's new 2020 Gladiator Mojave gets the desert-travel stamp of approval

CHICAGO: Jeep's 2020 Gladiator Mojave is the first vehicle by the company to earn the brand's Desert Rated badge of honour.

Jeep announced at the Chicago Auto Show last week that its first vehicle to don the Desert Rated badge — a designation which it created to give the model a desert-ready stamp of approval.

More specifically, the rating signals that the truck is "the ultimate in high-speed off-road capability and performance while traversing grueling desert and sand environments." All Desert Rated vehicles need to satisfy tests in five categories — Ride Control and Stability, Traction, Ground Clearance, Maneuverability, and Desert Prowess — to earn the badge.

To accomplish this level of durability and off-road capability, the model has received upgrades to the suspension — including a one-inch lift — and special tuning to the internal bypass shocks. Hydraulic jounce front bumpers, a reinforced frame and stronger axles have also been added to keep the driver and passengers safer in rough and sandy terrains.

All these components and additional elements like 33-inch all-terrain tires and "aggressive" front seats come standard with the Mojave trim for the 2020 Gladiator; therefore, the model will come with a 3.6-litre V6 engine, which can put out 285hp of power, and a six-speed manual transmission.

The new Gladiator models outfitted in the Mojave trim will arrive in Jeep showrooms during the second quarter of this year.


British High Commissioner is first Discovery Sport owner

                KUALA LUMPUR: British High Commissioner to Malaysia, Victoria Treadell, is the proud owner of the first Land Rover Discovery Sport in Malaysia.

She received the keys to Firenze Red Land Rover Discovery Sport 2.0L Si4 from Jaguar Land Rover (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd managing director Tuan Syed Mudzhar Syed Ali at an exclusive customer event held in conjunction with the vehicle’s Malaysian debut recently.

 Treadell.

“I am thrilled to be amongst the first to own a Discovery Sport, part of the exciting new generation Land Rovers.  It is British engineering and design at its best. Its capability and versatility makes it a vehicle for all occasions, perfect for my needs. As Britain’s senior representative, it’s important that I personally drive a great British car,” she said.

The Land Rover Discovery Sport is the first member of the new Discovery family and is a 5+2 in the latest iteration.

The public can test-drive the new Land Rover at the Sime Darby Auto ConneXion Petaling Jaya and SISMA Auto Glenmarie roadshows, which would be held at the following Jaguar Land Rover showrooms from 10am till 6pm:

> Sept 5 and 6 at SISMA Auto Menara Worldwide, Kuala Lumpur and Sime Darby Auto ConneXion, Petaling Jaya
> Sept 19 and 20 at SISMA Auto Glenmarie.

The public are also invited to try out the Land Rover Terrapod which highlights the all-terrain ability of the Discovery Sport.


Festive promotions from Ford

                PETALING JAYA: Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC), the sole distributor of Ford in Malaysia, announced a number of promotions for Ford owners in the upcoming Thaipusam and Chinese New Year festivities.

“We know that there will be a lot of long-distance travel during this festive season as many Malaysians return to their hometowns to spend time with their families. We are pleased to offer these promotions and service discounts, as part of our commitment to ensuring Ford owners get home safely,” said Managing Director, Sime Darby Auto Connexion, Syed Ahmad Muzri Syed Faiz.

Valid from now until Feb 5 2019, the Ford Festive campaign includes a free 27-point vehicle inspection by Ford-certified technicians who are on hand to ensure that vehicles are in roadworthy condition before customers head back to their hometowns for the celebrations or embark on road trips during the holiday.

Customers can also enjoy discounts of 20% on selected parts and selected packages. Only original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts are used, providing greater assurance of quality and peace of mind.

Additionally, further savings of 10%  on labour fees for lubricant, brake and timing belt packages are offered.

During this period, any customer who spends a minimum of RM350 in a single receipt at any authorised Ford dealer will receive an exclusive Ford gift. All walk-in customers will also receive free CNY packets, while stocks last.

“I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our Hindu customers a blessed Thaipusam and our Chinese customers ‘Gong Xi Fa Cai’,” added Muzri.


Jaguar XE could be Europe's next Car of the Year

                LONDON: As one of the 35 candidates for the 2016 European Car of the Year award, the Jaguar XE is one of just seven to have been short-listed.

The 58 jurors representing 22 European countries will announce the winner on Feb 29, 2016 with the focus on technical innovation and value for money as the award’s key criteria.

With a lightweight aluminium-architecture, the XE is currently the most fuel-efficient offering the lowest total cost of ownership over any Jaguar models, boasting of class-leading residual values and CO2 emissions from just 99g/km.

The inherent strength and stiffness of the body structure, together with cutting-edge driver assistance systems including stereo camera-based Autonomous Emergency Braking, which helped the XE to achieve the maximum five-star safety rating from the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP).

While it is equipped with a double wishbone and Integral Link suspension system, it is also the first Jaguar to feature the all-new Ingenium range of diesel engines.

Jaguar touts its engines as clean, quiet and responsive due to the low-pressure exhaust gas re-circulation, variable exhaust cam timing and selective catalytic reduction to help provide better fuel efficiency and low emissions (diesel variants will also meet North American emission regulations).

The XE will offer all-wheel drive with torque on-demand system that will not only provide agility, but also a rear-wheel drive character.

Within the cabin, new owners will be able to experience the new InControl Touch Pro infotainment system that’s been designed around a tablet-style 10.2-inch touchscreen.

“We are delighted that the Jaguar XE has made it onto the short list for European Car of the Year. The votes from the jury are testament to the absolute dedication and hard work of every single member of the team that has helped to develop this truly outstanding sports saloon.

“Our no-compromise approach is why the XE is the only car in its class with an aluminium-intensive monocoque. It’s also why the XE is the first car in the world to feature the revolutionary All Surface Progress Control system.

“The hard work continues as we introduce technologies including all-wheel drive and our state-of-the art InControl Touch Pro infotainment system, but just like every other member of the team, I’m looking forward to hearing the winner announced in February next year,” said Jaguar XE, XF and F-PACE vehicle line director Kevin Stride.


Could Jaguar car be crowned 2016 World Car of the Year?

                TORONTO: The finalists for the 2016 World Car of the Year award have been announced ahead of the official ceremony at the New York Auto Show on March 24.

Split into five categories, honours are also bestowed on the best luxury car, best performance car, and the greenest car of the year alongside a special award for design as judged by a global panel of 73 motoring journalists.

And this year, Jaguar Land Rover has managed to scoop more nominations - six - than any other company and has at least one vehicle competing in every category other than for Green Car of the Year. The Jaguar XE and Land Rover Discovery Sport are both finalists in the World Car of the Year category, where they will do battle with the Audi A4, BMW X1, Hyundai Tucson, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Toyota Prius, Skoda Superb and two Mazdas - the CX-3 and MX-5.

The Jaguar XF is one of five finalists in the Luxury category but as good as the new sedan is, it faces huge competition. The Audi Q7, BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe and the formidable Volvo XC90 are also nominees.

 The Range Rover Sport SVR.

In an unusual twist, the Range Rover Sport SVR, a supercharged V8 SUV has made the Performance Car of the Year shortlist, a category usually dominated by Italian marques. However, for 2016 Ferrari and Lamborghini are conspicuous by their absence and have instead made room for the Audi R8 Coupé, Honda Civic Type R, the Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupé and the new Chevrolet Camaro. As such, the category is going to be very difficult to judge as each car is outstanding in very different ways. However, the all-round package of performance, practically and affordability offered by the Camaro could make it the winner.

In the Green Car category there is a genuine mix of drivetrain technologies in competition. The Chevrolet Volt is the early favourite but the BMW 330e and Volkswagen Passat GTE are both impressive plug-in hybrids that balance performance and efficiency very well. The latest-generation Toyota Prius has also made the list, as has the company's first commercially available hydrogen fuel cell car, the Mirai.

 Toyota Mirai.

Unlike the other categories, the design award shortlist has been drawn up by a panel of six design experts. The five finalists are the Cadillac CT6, Mazda CX-3, Mazda MX-5, Jaguar XF and the Land Rover Discovery Sport.

At the Geneva Motor Show on March 1, each of the categories will be cut down to three finalists and the winner of the European Car of the Year Awards will be announced.


Debut season for BHPetrol Dash Tabuan Racing Team

                KLANG: BHPetrol has partnered with motorcycle club Tabuan Racing to form a racing team that will debut in this season's National Cub Prix Championship.

"This collaboration is in line with our objectives, to enhance the image of BHPetrol to motorcycle owners. Apart from promoting the BHPetrol Dash range of motorcycle lubricants, we want to create a platform to allow local talents to thrive in the motorcycle racing arena," said BHPetrol general manager of commercial industry and lubricants business Azizul Azily Ahmad.

The racing series will kick off on March 12 and 13 at Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang, Selangor.

This will be followed by eight more rounds in states including Penang, Kelantan, Perak and Terengganu before the final round on Nov 19 and 20 in Taiping, Perak.

"I was told that each race would have 35,000 to 40,000 spectators," said Azizul.

BHPetrol's sponsorship is in the form of BHPetrol Dash 800 fully synthetic engine oil, fuel and cash for races.

Azizul said the BHPetrol Dash range of motorcycle lubricants were rapidly growing in popularity.

"In 2015, sales of Dash motorcycle lubricants grew 23% year-on-year," he said.

BHPetrol deputy general manager of lubricants Soh Lip Peng said BHPetrol Dash motorcycle lubricants provided value and quality, and featured additives sourced from United States.

BHPetrol Dash Tabuan Racing Team riders include Norafizah Siti Muhamad Rafiq, 21, who is also known as Fifie.

The Johorean lass has an impressive resume that includes MSS Overall Champion 2014 and 2015, for the 250cc open category.

Fifie also won Pro Am 2015, a race for private teams.

Another rider is Izzat Rafiq, 18, who is from Cheras, Selangor and had raced in the Wira category for two seasons.

For the 2016 season, in the Wira category, BHPetrol Dash Tabuan Racing Team's rider is Muhamad Arash Firdaus, 16, from Sekolah Menengah Meru, Klang.

Meanwhile, BHPetrol Dash Tabuan Racing Team advisor Datuk Zolkapli Sulong said despite being a new team, he believes it deserves respect from rivals.

"I expect nothing but the best from our riders. We are also the only racing team with a lady racer," said Zolkapli.


Subaru Forester GT Lite Edition introduced at RM163,788

                KUALA LUMPUR: TC Subaru, the exclusive distributor of Subaru vehicles in Malaysia, has introduced the Subaru Forester GT Lite Edition.

The Forester 2.0i-L GT Lite Edition comes with on-the-road price without insurance of RM163,788 for private registration in Peninsular Malaysia.

Aimed at drivers who want a sportier and more rugged look and the thrill of driving a stylish extraordinary SUV, the Forester GT Lite Edition offers add-ons such as the GT Full Body Kit and the GT Exhaust cutter.

Completing the equipment package of the Forester GT Lite Edition is an 8-inch Display Audio System and a 360° Around View Monitor System, which enables drivers to park and manoeuvre with ease.

TC Subaru introduced the Forester GT Edition for its EyeSight variant last year.

It was tailored specifically with Motor Image’s in-depth understanding of the market, designer Jack Kobayashi’s expertise, as well as engineering company Giken Co Ltd’s experience.

The Forester GT Edition was a hit among Subaru buyers.

TC Subaru country manager Eugene Tay said the company decided to introduce the new Forester GT Lite Edition following the success of the Forester GT Edition in Malaysia last year.

The Forester GT Lite Edition is dynamically designed for customers looking to purchase a large SUV, with a great track record for safety and reliability, with more cabin space and with a sporty, stylish façade.

"The GT Lite Edition comes equipped with Subaru’s top-of-the-line safety features, and is competitively priced below the popular GT edition. It is an example of how we are constantly offering more choice for our customers,” Tay said.

The Forester GT Lite Edition comes with three Subaru Core Technologies – Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, Boxer Engine and the Subaru Global Platform.

It also has more than 100 safety features including seven airbags, ring-shaped reinforcement frame, X-Mode, ground clearance of 220mm and auto-retracting safety pedals.

Available colours are Crystal White Pearl, Ice Silver Metallic, Jasper Green Metallic, Horizon Blue Pearl, Sepia Bronze Metallic, Dark Grey Metallic and Crystal Black Silica.


Stop feeling bad about driving a SUV — there are some upsides

                BERLIN: In these climate-conscious times, many drivers feel a twinge of guilt about owning and driving a sports utility vehicle.

At the same time, car manufacturers keep boosting the wide range of SUVs on offer, including the bulky, full-size models that have plenty of power under the bonnet. The makers like to emphasise the practical side of the roomy vehicles.

Well, it is a dilemma, but there is a way out. Cleaner electric SUVs are coming on stream, and frugal hybrid versions with an electric motor mated to a petrol or diesel engine are also available.

There are other aspects to keep in mind too. SUVs are some of the safest cars on the road, they offer loads of space to take other people along — which in turn saves fuel — and they can cope with whatever road conditions are thrown at them.

In Germany alone, more than a million SUVs and off-road vehicles were put on the road this year, which means that every third new car in Germany is in the off-road category.

So does that mean we are steering full-throttle into climate disaster, or even the end of the world as we know it?

Experts like Arthur Kipferler from the strategy consultancy Berylls in Munich try to put things into perspective. "There are now many vehicle models on the market that are SUVs in name only," he says.

"The only difference between them and their technically similar siblings is their more robust design, with all-round plastic protection panels and slightly more ground clearance. In many cases they don't even have four-wheel drive."

So why are people buying these cars at all? The raised seating position, which gives drivers a commanding view of the road, is often cited by buyers as a reason for investing in an SUV.

In general, SUVs appeal across the generations. Seniors appreciate the comfortable access and the increased seating position, while younger people like the sporting looks and strong motors.

SUVs tend to have more generous space for passengers and luggage, says Kipferler, and they are also great for carrying awkward-sized loads like furniture. This ability gives them an edge on old-school estate cars or utilitarian vans.

Naturally more space inside means a bigger car on the outside. This fact, combined with the perception that SUVs are all gas-guzzlers, is what upsets environmentalists.

Oddly enough, the SUV craze was preceded by the popularity of people-carrying vans, which also take up a lot of road space and use more fuel. They provoked nowhere near as much hostility as sports utilities.

Experts point out that the fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions of a regular SUV are only slightly higher than that of a typical estate car.

"Calling the SUV a climate-killing monster is just fake news," automotive expert Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer from Duisburg-Essen University tell Germany's largest regional newspaper, the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung WAZ.

Manufacturers are also aware of the needs of buyers who want to drive an SUV but otherwise regard themselves as being environmentally conscious. It may sound like a paradox, but such owners will drive a SUV to the supermarket for the weekly big shop where they load up on natural foods.

Brands leading the way in cleaning up the SUV's image include some of the top German names. In the luxury class, even brasher models like the Audi Q5 and Q7, and the Mercedes-Benz GLE and GLA are getting greener.

Along with the BMW X3, X5 or Porsche Cayenne, these luxury high-riders can drive locally on electric power — more or less emission-free. Standard overall fuel consumption for these cars is often below two litres per 100 kilometres.

Meanwhile, Toyota is offering its C-HR in two hybrid versions and will soon pitch the RAV4 as a plug-in battery-electric. Kia has a hybrid, plug-in and a pure electric version in its Niro range while its sister model, the Hyundai Kona, is also combatting climate criticism with either hybrid or battery-electric drive.

PSA-owned Peugeot and DS are following a similar strategy and are now launching their DS3 Crossback and 2008 small SUVs with petrol, diesel or e-drive. "We leave the customers the choice and make the right offer to everyone, whether they appreciate traditional technology or want to drive into the new era," says Peugeot boss Steffen Raschig.

The Hyundai Nexo and Mercedes GLC are two of the four fuel cell-powered SUVs available worldwide. Harmless water vapour is the only tailpipe emission here.


15 US states to jointly work to advance electric heavy-duty trucks

                WASHINGTON: A group of 15 US states and the District of Columbia on Tuesday unveiled a joint memorandum of understanding aimed at boosting the market for electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and phasing out diesel-powered trucks by 2050.

The announcement comes weeks after the California Air Resources Board approved a groundbreaking policy to require manufacturers to sell a rising number of zero-emission vehicles, starting in 2024 and to electrify nearly all larger trucks by 2045.

The 14 states said the voluntary initiative is aimed at boosting the number of electric large pickup trucks and vans, delivery trucks, box trucks, school and transit buses, and long-haul delivery trucks, with the goal of ensuring all new medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales be zero emission vehicles (ZEV) by 2050 with a target of 30% ZEV sales by 2030.

The states include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington and Vermont.

The states committed to developing a plan within six months to identify barriers and propose solutions to support widespread electrification, including potential financial incentives and ways to boost EV infrastructure.

Trucks and buses represent 4% of US vehicles, but account for nearly 25% of greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.

California’s mandate will put an estimated 300,000 zero-emission trucks on the road by 2035. California’s planned rules will initially require 5%-9% ZEVs based on class, rising to 30%-50% by 2030 and nearly all by 2045.

The push comes as a rising number of companies - including Rivian, Tesla Inc, Nikola Corp and General Motors - work to introduce zero emission trucks.

Major businesses like Amazon.com, UPS and Walmart have also said they are ramping up purchases of electric delivery trucks.

California later plans to adopt new limits on nitrogen oxide emissions, one of the major precursors of smog, as well as require large fleet owners to buy some ZEVs.


The Road to the 2022 World Car Awards starts

                TORONTO: The 2022 World Car Awards program was officially launched on Thursday, featuring a dual mission of celebrating the best of today while embracing the best of tomorrow.

This is accomplished via two platforms.

The Road to the World Car Awards is an annual journey that follows more than 100 international automotive journalists as they test-drive, and vote on, the 2022 eligible vehicles.

The journey starts with Thursday's launch, then the 7th “L.A. Test Drives” media event in November, followed by the World Car Finals in March when the finalists are declared. The overall grande finale celebration of the winners will take place at the New York International Auto Show when six category winners will be announced on April 13, 2022.

The World Car Awards’ second platform is The Road to Future Mobility. This initiative is focused on the future trends that are changing the global industry right now.

Future trends are brought to life by its panel of journalists who share stories about emerging technologies through their media outlets, video channels and on social media. In addition, the Global Trends Report, co-presented by AITASTIC and the World Car Awards, is produced twice a year and highlights top trends that surface in its research. The first report will be announced on World Car TV in mid-September.

A new highlight of the 2022 awards program is the debut of the World Electric Vehicle of the Year award. This new award is intended to recognise, support and celebrate the global transition to electrically-powered vehicles that is now underway and to acknowledge the efforts of automakers around the world in developing these climate-conscious vehicles.


F1 will still have 'glamour' without models, says Carey

                LONDON: Formula One will have no female models parading on the starting grid this season but will still be a sport of "glamour and mystique", according to chairman and chief executive Chase Carey.

The American, who replaced octogenarian Bernie Ecclestone as supremo last year, told newspaper reporters that he personally would have retained the use of the models to hold up the drivers' numbers before the race.

However, he accepted that others had different views.

Formula One announced last week that it was ending the use of walk-on models because the custom "does not resonate with our brand values and clearly is at odds with modern day societal norms".

"I think the reaction has been what we expected," Britain's Daily Telegraph quoted Carey as saying. "Unsurprisingly, many long-term fans view it as part of the sport they grew up with and I respect that.

"Actually if you just left it up to me, personally, I like the grid girls," he added. "But it's not a decision for me, it's a decision for fans."
Carey said a significant number of people found the use of models to have "an exploitative element", be outdated and inappropriate - even if the models themselves were proud to do the job.

Those in favour generally felt less strongly about it.

"We're going to maintain glamour," said Carey, who was brought in by US-based Liberty Media, the commercial rights holders.

"We're going to continue to have pretty girls at races. I think it's part of life, and it's a part of what makes our sport special.

"It is a sport of glamour and of mystique. But I think you have to continue to evolve. In today's world there are obviously different sensitivities to 10 or 12 years ago. I don't think you can just be stubborn."

Formula One has announced a new “Grid Kids” programme to replace the models when the new season starts in Australia on March 25.


Tesla edges closer to breaking 500km range barrier with 90kWh battery

                SAN FRANCISCO: The new Model S sedan in 90D specification has been given an official US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rating of 488km on a single charge.

The refreshed car has a redesigned nose to reduce air resistance and therefore preserve battery life, but the biggest reason for the jump in range - the outgoing model achieved 476km under EPA conditions - is a bigger 90kWh battery.

To put the figures into some sort of context, the Nissan LEAF, the Model S's closest competitor in terms of sales has also just undergone a serious battery overhaul. However, the heavily revised 30kWh battery car is only capable of travelling 250km on a single charge and that figure is based on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) test.

News of Tesla's new range record arrives as more car companies have started taking electric cars seriously. Volvo has pledged to sell one million electrified cars (hybrid and full EV) before 2025. "It is going to be a challenge, but Volvo wants to be at the forefront of this shift to electrification," said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars.

On Wednesday, the German government announced plans to make electric cars popular and accessible via a €1 billion scheme to subsidize the cost of buying EV cars, plus a €100 million fund for installing the requisite charging infrastructure.

However, as green as electric cars can be, a new study from Carnegie Mellon University shows that the level of environmental friendliness of a plug-in car depends largely on where a driver lives. "Most electric vehicle buyers assume that they're helping the environment by purchasing an electric or hybrid vehicle, but there's more to it than simply making the purchase," said study co-author Jeremy Michalek, a Carnegie Mellon University professor of mechanical engineering, engineering and public policy.

An electric car's "clean" factor will be determined by how a US state generates its electricity.

"Electric vehicles offer the largest benefits for urban drivers in mild-climate regions with a clean electricity grid, such as San Francisco or Los Angeles," says Michalek. "In the rural regions of the colder, coal-heavy Midwest, electric vehicles are often higher emitting than comparable gasoline vehicles today."

In another development, Tesla Hong Kong has announced a roadshow with Swire Properties starting yesterday to showcase the updated Model S. The refreshed model also now gets a HEPA air filtration system, first available in the Model X SUV, that promises to keep cabin clean. The filtration system is said to be able to remove over 99% of particulate  exhaust pollution, allergens, bacteria and other contaminants .


The 'Oxford' rides again

KUALA LUMPUR: In 1955, a team of six Oxford and Cambridge university students armed with two Land Rovers embarked on a 10,000 mile journey on-land from London to Singapore and now, 64 years later, the original Land Rover from that expedition, named the 'Oxford', will make its way back from Singapore to London.The Oxford Land Rover recently arrived on our shores after officially flagging off from Singapore on Aug 25 as well as the team which will be embarking on a 100-day journey or so back to London.Led by filmmaker Alex Bescoby, this expedition will take them from Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, China, Uzbekistan ad Bulgaria among other countries. Bescoby (far right) poses with the crew of The Last Overland expedition.The original expedition was known as The Oxford & Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition (The First Overland) so it is fitting that the trip back is called The Last Overland."I feel unbelievably lucky to be embarking on this adventure of a lifetime. We will be traveling for 100 days along the highest roads in the world, through deserts and jungles aiming to be in London by early December," said 31-year-old Bescoby.The Last Overland expedition also includes original team member Tim Slessor who is now 87 years old. Slessor however fell ill just before the start of this new expedition and is expected to join the team once he recovers.Slessor however, did share his feelings about driving the Oxford Land Rover again."The last time I seriously drove this old thing was a long time ago. So, as you might imagine, to see the old thing again today is quite moving."


From Warhol to Banksy, why do artists keep using cars as a canvas?

                BERLIN: A priceless painting throttles down a racetrack at more than 200kph.

Reckless? Perhaps.

But it's also the idea that some 45 years ago gave the spark for a now well-known series at BMW: Art Cars - cars as mobile works of art.

Yet the idea behind stylising cars into works of art is much older.

As early as 1909, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti dreamed up a racing car with a "bodywork adorned with large tubes resembling snakes with fiery breath," as the founder of Futurism put it in his manifesto.

 The 'Red Pig".

For others, the car was not only a work of art in its own right, but also a canvas. About 100 years ago, the French painter Sonia Delaunay-Terk decorated a 1920 Unic Tourer with geometric abstractions.

Americans later began embellishing their vehicles with flames and other decorations in the 1950s. At the same time, other artists were being paid to create candid works on advertising vehicles and racing cars.

"The idea was to use the large surface of a vehicle as a communication platform and to enhance this surface with content," says Paolo Tumminelli, design professor at the technical university in Cologne.

 Lichtenstein working his art on the BMW 3 Series.Pink pigs, hippies and musicians

In the 1960s, the hippie movement followed with more artistically designed vehicles. Artist collectives painted old school buses, while Janis Joplin had her Porsche 356 reworked in psychedelic colours by a friend.

Eye-catching paint jobs came into fashion in motorsport at the end of the 1960s, such as on the Mercedes 300 SEL AMG "Red Pig" (1971) or the Porsche 917 "Pink Pig" (1971).

By the time sponsorship arrived in motorsport, the cars were turned into moving billboards.

For the first Art Car in 1975, BMW engaged an already well-known artist to work on metal canvas. Jochen Neerpasch, then head of motorsport, was informed in 1975 that art dealer and amateur racing driver Herve Poulain was looking for a vehicle as the subject for a new work of art.

"When I learned that the American artist Alexander Calder wanted to design the car, I was immediately excited," says Neerpasch.

Although BMW Motorsport shifted their involvement to the US after the first oil price crisis, they continued to compete in the 24-hour race at Le Mans.

"This gave rise to the idea of using a car as an art object. It was no longer the race result of the vehicle that was decisive for us, but participation alone as a presentation of the work of art," says Jochen Neerpasch.

The only condition was that the artist had to deal thematically with the car and the 24-hour race.

BMW set aside a 3.0 CSL (E9), which was transformed into a rolling work of art for a race. BMW and Calder presented the car at the Louvre, and shortly afterwards it started at the Le Mans race.

"The connection between Calder, who was on site at the race, and the racing car was fascinating. That's why we decided to turn this chance project into a series," explains Jochen Neerpasch.

Lichtenstein, Banksy, Holzer

Although the term Art Cars is not protected, it has been associated with BMW ever since. Within the past few decades, 19 vehicles have been created that artists have freely designed.

These included: Roy Lichtenstein (1977, 320i), Andy Warhol (1979, M1) and Robert Rauschenberg (1986, 635 CSi), Esther Mahlangu (1991, 525i), David Hockney (1995, 850 CSi), Jenny Holzer (1999, V12 LMR), Jeff Koons (2010, M3GT2) and Olafur Eliasson (2007, H2R), John Baldessari (2016, M6 GTLM), Cao Fei (2017, M6 GT3) - all world-renowned artists.

Experts estimate the M1 designed by Andy Warhol alone to be worth over €30 million (RM150.2mil) - if it were sold.

 South African artist Esther Mahlangu created her art based on traditional geometric patterns on the BMW 525i.

However, the individual pieces are in the BMW Museum and are only lent out for special exhibitions worldwide. Lately, BMW has allowed fans to see the Art Cars from all sides using the augmented reality app Acute Art.

Even today, the car maintains its image as an artist's canvas. The French artist Bernar Venet designed a Bugatti Veyron in 2012, Sir Peter Blake a Bentley Continental GT V8S in 2015.

Banksy, British street artist, spray-painted a Volvo truck in 2000, adding untold sums to the value of the truck at a 2019 auction.

And yet not every extravagantly painted car is a valuable work of art or a collector's item. Its important to distinguish between cars as a works of art from famous artist and cars with unusual paint jobs.

"Art Cars created by famous artists with an artistic claim are very valuable," says the managing director of the market analyst Classic Analytics, Frank Wilke.

"The prices of Art Cars are measured by how the artists' other works are traded. Therefore, it is almost irrelevant which model it is."

The car ceases to be a car and becomes a sculpture.


Fuel smugglers earn 20 sen a litre

                PETALING JAYA: A price difference of just 20 sen per litre is all it takes to encourage smuggling of fuel to neighbouring countries.

Sources familiar with the scourge said this would be done in a few ways.

One said that by land, smugglers would use modified vehicles, pick-up trucks or tankers.

“These are modified vehicles with extra tanks, ” he told The Star yesterday.

“They go across the border multiple times a day. Smugglers also smuggle fuel through tankers and transfer the fuel across the border to another tanker.”

According to GlobalPetrolPrices.com, as of yesterday, petrol costs RM4.78 a litre in Thailand while in Indonesia it costs RM2.94.

For diesel, Thailand charges RM3.52 a litre while in Indonesia it costs RM3.60.

In Malaysia, the fuel price for RON95 and diesel cost RM2.08 a litre and RM2.18 per litre respectively for the week beginning today until Oct 25.

Sources said there were also cases where fuel depots were configured wrongly, which resulted in more of the pricey liquid being dispensed.

“What happens is that you’ll have people who take up the excess fuel. So, on a daily basis they’ll accumulate enough fuel and then sell it, ” sources said.

Some of the middlemen who help manage petrol stations are the culprits who smuggle fuel out of the country.

“They manage the station on behalf of the petrol station companies. They have their own trucks and they do the ordering on behalf of the stations under them, ” said a source.

“What happens is that these people under-declare their sales. They put in a higher order but the petrol stations do not get the order and the additional fuel is smuggled elsewhere.”

Sources said fuel smuggled through international waters on ships constitutes the most rampant smuggling method.

For Sabah and Sarawak, fuel is sent to rural areas in drums due to accessibility problems for fuel tankers. These drums are sometimes lost to smugglers.

“The bigger the price difference between the world and our pump price, the more will be smuggled, ” said a source there.

“Even with a 20 sen to 50 sen difference, it is already a good margin for all involved.”

To combat the smuggling of petrol, they said the stock management system at stations and fuel depots have to be digitalised.

“There is a need to reconcile the fuel going in and out. Right now, Malaysia does not even have automatic tank gauging.

“We are still using a World War II dip stick method to see the quantity – and this is not accurate, ” said a source, adding that Malaysia should emulate Turkey’s system of fuel regulation to combat smuggling.


Audi RS e-tron GT prototype proves its mettle

                INGOLSTADT: Audi presents the production-based RS e-tron GT as the sporty and technological spearhead of its electric offensive and the first all-electric RS model launched by Audi Sport GmbH.

Powerful performance also distinguishes the RS e-tron GT prototype. It is a superior Gran Turismo, with exceptional road performance in the RS version.

The RS e-tron GT prototype is an example of the brand’s premium mobility and meets customers’ demands for high performance. Its dynamics, precision and high efficiency make it a pioneer with a strong character that shapes the future of the brand.

The suspension of the Audi RS e-tron GT prototype combines controlled damping, air suspension, and all-wheel steering.

Large brakes provide powerful deceleration. Four heating and coolant circuits regulate the temperature in the interior and the high-voltage components.

The result is high power output on the road and high performance with fast charging.

Formula E Champion and Audi driver Lucas di Grassi extensively tested the Gran Turismo sports car and said,"The car is fun! Obviously, such a Gran Turismo is totally different to a race car. Even so, there are plenty of parallels, especially the powerful acceleration which, just like in our case, is fully available for a long time. From zero to a hundred kilometers per hour in clearly less than four seconds."

“For us at Audi Sport, the production-based Audi RS e-tron GT is the first step into the fully electric RS world. With it, we’re also delivering on our promise of launching future RS models soon after the base models. This is high-performance in the team and in the product!” Julius Seebach, Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH.


PLUS voluntary sustainability report open for public access now

                PETALING JAYA: PLUS Malaysia Bhd’s (PLUS) launched its first voluntary Sustainability Report at its virtual townhall recently, which was attended by over 1,700 employees.

“As Malaysia’s largest highway operator, we are conscious of the role we play as well as our responsibilities towards the environment and society.

"We have implemented initiatives to ensure that we provide a safe and comfortable commute, while preserving the environment, being socially responsible and upholding good governance,” said PLUS managing director Datuk Azman Ismail.

“Our report illustrates the measures we undertook to minimize the impacts of climate change to protect the safety of our highway users.

The report highlights that in 2020, 170 processes were digitalised resulting in a reduction in process cycle time as well as saving three million sheets of papers.

Through digitalisation, the company recorded a 25% savings in energy consumption and achieved a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

"The report shares our aspirations in accelerating environmental efforts, including water and waste management,” added PLUS chief operations officer Zakaria Ahmad Zabidi.

The report also stated PLUS conducted 27,000 virtual training hours for over 2,300 employees.

"Through the various movement control orders, PLUS spared no effort to ensure seamless delivery of essential goods and services while in strict adherence to SOPs," said PLUS chief governance and risk officer Satpal Singh, who also oversees sustainability activities at the company.

"We also supported our highway frontliners and local communities through financial assistance and CSR programmes, touching more than 10,000 lives.”

The report can be downloaded from its website, www.plus.com.my and on all its social media platforms.


Ghosn used Nissan-Mitsubishi venture to inflate pay, say lawyers

Ghosn has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, including concerning the way he was compensated..— Reuters
AMSTERDAM: Carlos Ghosn, the fugitive former auto executive, used a joint venture between Nissan and Mitsubishi to inflate his pay, effectively clawing back a cut to his declared wages, and to cover a personal tax debt, lawyers for the companies said on Monday.

Ghosn, the former chairman of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, was arrested in Japan in 2018 on financial misconduct charges but fled to Lebanon last December.

He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, including concerning the way he was compensated.

Nissan and Mitsubishi have been poring over payments made to Ghosn from their Dutch-based joint venture, and had already challenged a salary and bonus worth €7.3 million (RM33mil) which they claim he granted himself without the knowledge of their respective boards.

In new arguments submitted to a Dutch court on Monday, lawyers for the firms alleged Ghosn awarded himself that compensation to offset a cut in his declared earnings at Nissan.

Ghosn — who was under public scrutiny in Japan and France over his wages during his tenure, though he has argued since that other auto industry bosses were paid far more — had agreed to cut his pay when stepping down as Nissan CEO in April 2017.

He stayed on as chairman, and also had the top job at Renault.

Representatives of Ghosn’s legal team said the allegations of unknown or unjust payments were unfounded.

“We don’t dispute that Mr Ghosn received a good salary”, attorney Roeland de Mol said. “But he had the heavy task of getting French and Japanese companies to cooperate. He didn’t retire to go play golf after he stepped down as Nissan CEO.”

The new details about Ghosn’s compensation emerged during a court hearing in Amsterdam centered on an unlawful dismissal suit brought by the former auto executive against the Japanese carmakers.

Ghosn is seeking 15 million euros in damages from the Nissan and Mitsubishi, who, he alleges, violated Dutch labor laws.

Tax bill

Nissan-Mitsubishi lawyer Eelco Meerdink said there was evidence that Ghosn made the alliance pay a personal French tax debt of €498,000 (RM2.2mil) in 2018.

France’s Renault covered the cost of the bill in a first instance, and was refunded by Ghosn, who had received a payment from the Nissan-Mitsubishi joint venture for the same amount, Meerdink said. Renault declined to comment.

The lawyer also alleged that Ghosn had arranged a “pre-payment” of his 2019 salary in 2018 to avoid a scheduled increase in Dutch income tax rates.

Nissan told the Dutch court on Monday that it would request that Ghosn repay all of the compensation received from the joint venture with Mitsubishi, as there was no evidence that it had been properly authorised, said a source close to Nissan.

‘Ready for a fight’

As part of Ghosn’s unlawful dismissal case against the Japanese carmakers, his lawyers are now pushing for the release of internal documents which the carmakers used to substantiate his removal on allegations of financial misconduct.

Ghosn’s legal team claims he was unfairly dismissed as chairman of Nissan-Mitsubishi BV, a Dutch-registered entity, because the details of the allegations were not shared with him.

His lawyers say the documents will show the companies were aware of his activities.

De Mol, the attorney, said he was pushing for “a full debate on the reasons of Ghosn’s dismissal... Mr. Ghosn is ready for a fight.”

Nissan-Mitsubishi lawyer Meerdink dismissed the demands, saying the reasons for the executive’s dismissal were clear, and that his lawyers were “going on a fishing expedition”.

The Amsterdam court said it would postpone any decision on documents until Nissan and Mitsubishi file their full case on the reasons for Ghosn’s dismissal, expected on March 26.


Nissan Sentra refreshed for US market

LOS ANGELES: The Nissan Sentra is still going on strong after 30 years and seven generations later.

For the 2016 model year, the Sentra (what South-East Asia would refer to as the Sylphy) has undergone a major makeover  – starting with a revised exterior and the addition of an expanded range of available safety and driving aid technologies.

The new Sentra exterior redesign brings its appearance closer in look and feel to its more upscale showroom siblings. All three Nissan sedans – Maxima, Altima and now Sentra – reflect Nissan's new design language first introduced on the dramatic Nissan Murano crossover.

Key features of the new Sentra  exterior include a new front fascia, grille, fenders, hood and signature boomerang-shaped headlights. New LED low-beam headlights with LED signature accents are offered on Sentra SR and Sentra SL grades. In the rear, a new fascia with redesigned boomerang-shaped taillights adds a more premium appearance. There are also two new 17-inch wheel designs for SR and SL grades, as well as a new SV 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheel design.

The Sentra SR offers a sportier appearance, with unique design 17-inch forked 5-spoke aluminum-alloy wheels, lower body side sill extensions, rear spoiler with integrated LED brake light, fog lights and chrome exhaust tip finisher.

The roomy Sentra interior has also been revised for the 2016 model year, with a new steering wheel similar to the Nissan 370Z design, a new available 6-way power driver's seat with power lumbar (standard on Sentra SL and optional on Sentra SR), a new center cluster design, a new console and shifter knob, and refined seat fabrics.

The instrument panel offers a new TFT-type (Thin Film Transistor) LCD flat panel display with higher resolution than previous LCD screens. Sentra SV, SR and SL grades include a 5.0-inch Advanced Drive-Assist Display located between the tachometer and speedometer.

For 2016, Sentra again offers ample roominess in a compact-size exterior – featuring one of the largest interiors in class, with 3143l of total interior volume. Helping make this possible is the long wheelbase (2.7m), which helps provide both ample rear seat legroom of 95cm and large trunk capacity of 428l. The rear seat is a standard 60/40-split fold-down design, adding versatility to the large trunk space.

The high-quality interior design includes soft-touch instrument panel and door armrests and available leather-appointed seating. Other available features range from Dual Zone Automatic Temperature Control and a Bose® Premium audio system with eight speakers, to Nissan Intelligent Key® keyless entry and push button ignition system and RearView Monitor.

A number of Nissan's advanced Safety Shield Technologies are now available on Sentra for the first time for the 2016 model year – Forward Emergency Braking (FEB), Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC), Blind Spot Warning (BSW) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA).

Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) and Forward Emergency Braking (FEB) are combined as part of the new Technology Package offered for Sentra SR and SL grades. ICC uses radar to maintain a set speed and distance between Sentra and the vehicle ahead, even braking to maintain that distance.

All 2016 Sentraversions use a fuel-efficient 1.8-litre 4-cylinder engine mated to an advanced Xtronic transmission with sub-planetary gear. A 6-speed manual transmission is also available with the Sentra S grade.

The advanced 1.8-litre DOHC 4-cyinder engine offers a longer stroke than typical engines in its class, resulting in improved combustion speed and efficiency. The engine is equipped with a twin Continuously Variable Timing Control (CVTC) system which modulates both the intake and exhaust valve opening time (similar to that used on the flagship Nissan Maxima).

The engine is rated at 130hp and 174Nm.

The Xtronic transmission offers a wide gear ratio range of 7.3:1 through use of a sub-planetary gear and smaller pulleys, resulting in high-speed fuel efficiency and responsive acceleration.

The Xtronic's acceleration feel is enhanced with a D-mode step shift program that simulates shifts, giving a more natural acceleration feeling without holding a high rpm constant, letting rpms build as speed builds. For 2016, the D-Step Logic Control has been revised to help provide enhanced drivability with a more stable, natural and crisper shift feel (versus the previous design).

New for 2016 is one exterior colour, Blue Pearl. Nine other colours are available – Red Alert (SR grade only), Brilliant Silver, Super Black, Aspen White (premium charge), Gun Metallic, Graphite Blue, Titanium, Cayenne Red and Fresh Powder.

Nissan unveiled the new Sentra at the Los Angeles Auto Show last week. The model, assembled in Mexico, is scheduled to go on sale at US dealerships in late December.


Man goes viral after putting up durian that smashed into car for sale at RM500, finds unexpected buyer

                PETALING JAYA: A man in Shah Alam, Selangor, has gone viral after uploading a video in which he jokingly offered a durian for sale for RM500, claiming that it was special because the fruit never hit the ground.

Instead, the durian landed a devastating blow when it fell on his car and smashed the rear windshield.

“The durian was from a tree that we have in front of my house and we usually have a netting to catch it before it hits the ground. However, this durian may have fallen through a small gap and landed on my car instead,” Wan Mahussin Wan Zain, 27, said when contacted by The Star's LifestyleTech.

When the incident occurred on July 11 in the morning, Wan Mahussin said he was upset, especially when he found out that the cost to fix the rear windshield on his three-year-old car was around RM500.

“I decided to make a video where I offered the durian for RM500 just for fun, as a way to make myself feel better. I uploaded the video onto a Facebook group where local small farmers usually gather to talk about produce,” he said.

Wan Mahussin’s video was then shared by other users on social media where it has garnered over 400,000 views after it was uploaded onto one Twitter account.

“I got a lot of different reactions. Some said it was good that I never lost my cool, while some people got upset with me as well because they didn’t watch the full video. Later they apologised and said the video made them laugh,” he said.

It also caught the attention of Human Resources Minister Datuk Sri M. Saravanan, who reached out to Wan Mahussin to purchase the durian on Sunday (July 18).

“I got a call from the minister who said he really wanted to purchase the durian to try it. But I told him that I’ve already eaten it with my family and never intended to sell it,” he said.

Wan Mahussin added that the minister offered to send him money anyway to help bear the cost of his car repairs.

“Yes, he sent more than what I needed. I used the rest of the money to help people through my Dapur Lockdown initiative to feed the needy in my area,” he said.

A check with the Ministry of Human Resources confirmed that Saravanan did indeed reach out to Wan Mahussin personally to purchase his durian.

Wan Mahussin said he is happy to be able to make people laugh during the pandemic through his spontaneous video.

“I’ve even had people congratulating me cause I’ve made durian kampung more desirable than the usual expensive types. Luckily, the durian that hit my car was tasty or else I’ll be crying again,” he said.


Toyota to unveil new-gen Prius at the Frankfurt show

                TOKYO: The next Frankfurt Motor Show will be the occasion to check out the fourth-generation Prius, set to go on sale in early 2016. Lexus, the luxury division of the brand, will also present its new revisited GS model.

The latest Prius is set to be introduced in Las Vegas on Sept 8 before its public unveiling a few days later in Frankfurt. In the last few months, rumours have abounded suggesting two types of batteries for the vehicle, depending on the models, as well as a purported 50-km autonomy in electric mode for the 2016 Prius plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

Several leaked images of the next-generation Prius have surfaced on the Internet and suggest a design similar to the Mirai model, Toyota's first car propelled by a hydrogen-powered fuel cell. The Mirai itself may also be showcased in Frankfurt, in time for the car's market release in Germany, Denmark and Britain.

 The Mirai.

Toyota may also decide to take advantage of the Frankfurt Motor Show to premiere a new compact crossover vehicle, inspired by its C-HR Concept car revealed in the Paris Motor show of 2014. Set to occupy a position below the RAV4 model, the car will nevertheless compete with the Nissan Qashqai.

Meanwhile, Lexus, the car manufacturer's luxury division, will reveal its newly redesigned GS car. The sedan has a redesigned hood and is equipped with a new active security program, the Lexus Safety System +. Both hybrid models, the GS 450h and the GS 300h will hit stores in Europe early 2016.

The latest generation of the Lexus RX SUV will make its European premiere in Frankfurt following its US debut this past spring in New York.

Finally, it remains to be seen whether or not Lexus will decide to show off its own hoverboard prototype, similar to the famed skateboard in "Back to the Future II" that has been making headlines online all summer. The brand has partnered with experts in the field of superconductor technology to build their current prototype. There are no plans as of yet for the product to be produced in a retail version.

The 66th Frankfurt International Motor Show runs Sept 17-27, with press days scheduled for Sept 15-16.


Bologna: The city where you can earn free beer and ice cream in exchange for ditching your car

                BOLOGNA: In the city of Bologna, locals and visitors alike can trade in acts of green kindness for a free pint of beer, gelato or night at the movies.

It's a green scheme aimed at incentivising people to ditch their cars and walk, cycle or take public transit instead.

Set up by urban planner Marco Amadori last year, the program is powered by the app BetterPoints, which allows users to log their sustainable journeys and earn points, reported BBC News. The GPS tracker makes sure that people can't cheat.

In exchange for helping the environment, users can redeem their points at partner shops, restaurants and cafés for things like free beer, ice cream, or cinema tickets. More than 100 local businesses signed up for the program.

Dubbed "Bella Mossa" which means "good job" in Italian, the program was funded by the EU and the city of Bologna and recently ended its six-month run which began April 1.

Users earn points based on the number of trips taken - the maximum is four a day - not the distance traveled.

To earn a free ice cream, for instance, requires earning 3,000 points, or about 8 single journeys.

Last year, the program registered the equivalent of 3.7 million km of sustainable journeys, and 16,000 reward vouchers were claimed.


Swatch CEO says car battery certification 2-3 years away

Swatch Group CEO Hayek. - Reuters
BERN: A Swatch-backed car battery developed by research firm Belenos will take another two to three years to certify, Swatch chief executive Nick Hayek said in an interview with broadcaster SRF today.

"We're in the process of putting a prototype into operation in Itingen, Basel, where we'll test the first batteries with our Chinese partner Geely [GEELY.UL] for the mobility of their cars," Hayek said in a television interview released the day after the Swiss watchmaker's full-year results.

"But it will take another two to three years until we receive the necessary certification."

Hayek in recent years had announced he was taking Swatch in a new direction, launching a battery for electric vehicles with the goal of reaching sales of US$10-15 billion by 2020. But investors have called the plan expensive and unrealistic.

Hayek said the research firm, established by his late father in 2008 as Belenos Clean Power Holding, in which Swatch holds a 51 percent stake, was using the same technology to engineer batteries for small devices such as e-bikes, drones and watches.

"It will proceed a lot faster there," he said. "We have partners, including ones in Switzerland, with whom we're already testing the (smaller device) batteries in some cases."

On Thursday, Swatch cut its dividend after weak sales and high fixed costs at the world's biggest watchmaker drove annual profit sharply lower, although it held out the prospect of a return to "healthy growth" this year.

Hayek in the interview said opportunities - including the possibility that more US industrial jobs might lead to higher middle-class income - this year outweighed risks.

The watchmaker hasn't cut jobs in its factories or moved production facilities abroad despite years of pressure on the Swiss watch industry, he said.

"We're keeping our people," Hayek sad. "We accept a little bit less profit. But then we've got our people on board, and they're motivated. That's our philosophy."


Renault's Agneta Dahlgren is 'Woman of the Year 2016'

                PARIS: Renault's design chief for C-segment cars Agneta Dahlgren has been named "Woman of the Year 2016" by the independent organisation WAVE (Women and Vehicles in Europe).

The award was designed to highlight the career of a woman who can serve as a role model for young women seeking work in the male-dominated automobile industry, and whose position is key to her company and to the industry as a whole.

Dahlgren is responsible for the new Mégane and the new Scénic.

“The new Scénic’s ideal proportions and highly emotional styling have reinvented the MPV segment,” notes a member of the WAVE panel. “Agneta Dahlgren has worked on the design of models that have allowed Renault to express its new identity in a very natural manner. Along with the new Mégane, it is certainly a model that will help to drive the brand’s growth.”

After studying design engineering in her native Sweden, Dahlgren moved to France in 1990 to round off her Industrial Design studies at Compiègne’s University of Technology. She has lived in France since, working for Renault.

She went on to join the Corporate Design’s concept car department where she gained a more prospective overview which she was able apply from 2000 as Project Leader working on the design of several vehicles, from trucks (within the framework of a partnership between Renault and Volvo Trucks) to small city cars. She held this position for almost 10 years.

It wasn’t long before her cross-functional vision, her ability to take technical constraints into account, her aptitude for negotiation and her work on the all-electric Renault ZOE were noticed. She was appointed the design chief in 2009 and is also charged with the design of electric cars.

The annual "Woman of the Year" award is based on a vote by automobile industry journalists of both genders


Audi cars to become holoride-capable. What's that? Read on

                INGOLSTADT: Audi is the first auto maker in the world to bring virtual-reality entertainment from holoride into series production.

Beginning this summer, back seat passengers can put on virtual reality glasses (VR glasses) and immerse themselves in various media formats such as games, films and interactive content.

The main attraction: The virtual content adapts to the driving movements of the car in real-time.

From June 2022, Audi models with the latest upgrade of the modular infotainment toolkit (MIB 3) will be holoride-capable.

The new technology is being introduced at the March 11-20 South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in the United States. Visitors there will be able to experience holoride in a moving vehicle.

In the future, passengers will be able to use the time on the way from point A to point B for a thrilling game experience.

Passengers in the back seat of an Audi will experience films, video games and interactive content much more realistically using VR glasses. A car ride will become a multimodal gaming event.

Behind holoride there is a technology that adapts virtual content to the car’s driving movements in real-time: For example, if the car is taking a right turn, the spaceship in the imaginary world will also fly to the right.

If the car accelerates, the spaceship speeds up too. Initiated by Audi, the development of this innovative VR or XR (extended reality) technology is being advanced and commercialised for different manufacturers by the tech entertainment startup holoride.

To use holoride, a virtual reality headset that has been enabled for it must be connected with the vehicle. The connection is created wirelessly via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).

With this approach, the Munich-based startup has established a completely new media category that they call “Elastic Content” – content that adapts to driving movements, journey time and driving route. The result is immersive experiences with a previously unknown level of quality.

From June, select Audi models that roll off the line with the third generation modular infotainment toolkit (MIB 3) and the latest software cluster will be holoride-capable in Europe, China, Canada, the United States and Japan.

It would include the Audi A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, Audi Q5, Q7, Q8, Audi e-tron and Audi e-tron GT quattro.


Porsche pummelled, Corvettes crushed as Philippines’ Duterte shows he’s tough on tax-dodging

The luxury cars being destroyed. — All pix by AFP
MANILA: Bulldozers and backhoes pounded more than two dozen seized luxury cars in the Philippines on Tuesday, including Porsches, Mercedes, Jaguars and Corvettes, in a dramatic demolition showcasing the no-nonsense leader’s crackdown on crime and corruption.

President Rodrigo Duterte watched as the second-hand vehicles, some valued as high as US$115,000, were reduced to piles of scrap in a little over three minutes.

“Give it to the buyer of steel,” Duterte said, recalling his instruction to officials.

“They cannot have cars like that. But they can get something, make toys out of it.” The Bureau of Customs seized US$2.93 million worth of smuggled vehicles last year, part of the US$866 million in seized goods, government data showed.

“It does not pay to evade taxes in the Philippines so might as well stop trying, because you will never succeed,” Duterte’s finance minister, Carlos Dominguez, told reporters before letting diggers loose on 20 slick-looking vehicles at a Manila port. A further 10 were simultaneously destroyed in ports in the southern cities of Davao and Cebu.

The government last year destroyed more than US$2.5 million worth of cigarettes bearing fake tax stamps.

Duterte, known for his bloody war on drugs and disdain for criminals, has promised to usher in a ”golden age of infrastructure” over six years, worth US$180 billion. He has launched a comprehensive tax reform programme to help fund it.


Hyundai to ship China-made cars to Southeast Asia amid erratic sales recovery

                SEOUL/BEIJING: Hyundai Motor Co plans to ship China-made cars to Southeast Asia, its China joint venture and two people familiar with the matter said, as a plunge in Chinese sales has left much of its massive local manufacturing capacity idled.

Hyundai once ranked third by China sales alongside affiliate Kia Motors Corp. But just as it opened its fifth factory in the country last year, a diplomatic dispute saw Chinese consumers turn against South Korean goods, damaging Hyundai’s sales and brand image.

Diplomatic ties have since normalised but Hyundai’s recovery has been erratic. The automaker booked China sales of 30,018 cars in July, down 40 percent from July last year and its lowest monthly total since the 2008 global financial crisis. Yet sales for January-July are up 17 percent.

“A China recovery will take time. Hyundai needs a survival plan,” said one of the people with direct knowledge of Hyundai’s China operations, who were not authorized to speak to the media and so declined to be identified.

The experience exposed South Korean companies’ reliance on the Chinese market, pushing the Seoul government to court counterparts in Southeast Asia where the number of Korean cars is paltry compared with those of neighbouring Japan.

“Hyundai is considering (exporting China-made vehicles) to emerging markets such as Southeast Asia,” the person said. “Europe may also be a consideration.”

Most vehicles foreign automakers build in China with local joint-venture partners are destined for the domestic market. Among those that export China-made vehicles, General Motors Co ships to the United States and Volkswagen AG plans to export to Southeast Asia.

A spokesman at Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co - Hyundai’s Chinese joint venture with Beijing Automotive Group Co Ltd - confirmed the export plan.

“Yes, we plan to export cars to Southeast Asia. The earliest could be the end of this year,” he said. The automaker will decide on models depending on local demand, he said.

Hyundai in a statement said the plans are not yet finalised.

“Our main focus is on further developing our businesses in China, but we are also considering different options which may include exports of China factory-specific models,” Hyundai said.

China was once the biggest market for Hyundai-Kia, whose local production was exceeded only by VW and GM. Yet their data showed a market share of 4.4 percent compared with 8.1 percent before the diplomatic spat, and as high as 10.5 percent in 2012.

Exacerbating Hyundai’s plight is the increasing popularity of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) - a segment in which the automaker has relatively few models - as well as heightened price competitiveness of domestic rivals.

Hyundai recently replaced the head of its China venture and gave its research-and-development vice chairman the added responsibility of overseeing China product development. It aims to sell 900,000 cars in China this year versus 785,000 last year, however the target is almost half of its 1.65 million vehicle capacity.

Should it export from China to Southeast Asia, it may avoid tariffs of up to 78 percent in Vietnam, for instance, on cars built in South Korea versus 50 percent for those made in China.

It was unclear what impact any export plans would have on Hyundai’s current Southeast Asia strategy, under which it is considering building a factory in Vietnam or Indonesia.

South Korea’s trade minister said, to help reduce dependence on China as well as the United States, the government would support firms expanding in Indonesia, where Korean automakers’ market share is 0.1 percent versus Japan’s 98.6 percent.

Across Asean, sales of South Korean cars are growing, with those of Hyundai-Kia rising 26 percent on year to 71,847 cars in January-June in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, showed data from LMC Automotive.

The data provider forecast overall vehicle sales in those five countries to grow 5 percent to 3.29 million vehicles this year from 2017, reaching 3.41 million vehicles in 2019.

“Given Japanese firms’ dominance in Southeast Asia, it will be difficult for Hyundai to fully offset China’s excess capacity with exports,” said analyst Kang Dong-wook at Hi Investment & Securities. “It needs to improve product competitiveness in China.”


Auto industry rethinks cost-cutting playbook

                DETROIT: After a year of getting hammered by the pandemic, a semiconductor shortage and storms that snarled Dana Inc’s global supply chain, the auto parts maker is reaching for a new playbook.

Many automakers and suppliers like the Ohio maker of axles, driveshafts and other auto parts, are deciding that securing their supply lines is the most pressing order of business.

Dana’s Craig Price, senior vice president of purchasing and supplier development, is pushing companies in his supply network to change the way they do business, stepping away at times from the just-in-time, lean production practices that have guided automotive manufacturers for nearly 40 years.

Dana is sourcing such key commodities as resin, castings, forgings and some electrical components from multiple suppliers, asking suppliers to hold in warehouses a backlog of critical inventory, and building out its software network to better track suppliers, a process Dana hopes to complete this year, Price said.

That cuts against the just-in-time inventory and production approach manufacturers have adopted from Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp since the 1980s.

The new catchword in manufacturing is “resiliency,” underscored by Toyota’s February revelation it had built a four-month chip stockpile.

Dana has also moved to help its smaller suppliers recruit workers and secure shipping space on containers to avoid any impact on its operations, Price said.

And in the company’s headquarters outside Toledo, Price is working on suppliers to join a data sharing network that will give Dana a detailed look at how suppliers two or three steps removed are doing – rather than just counting on shipments to show up as provided in a contract.

“We are working towards complete supply-chain transparency, which is not typically available at the moment,” he said of the plans at the US$7 billion company. “It’s a journey that we’re on to get as much data as we can, not for any other reason than just security of supply.”

Brittle supply chain

Efforts like Dana’s are under way throughout an industry buffeted by a series of unexpected events. The chip shortage is a high-profile problem, but not the only one.

“The whole issue is exposing the brittleness, the fragility of the automotive supply chain,” said Richard Barnett, chief marketing officer of Supplyframe, which provides market intelligence to companies across the global electronics sectors.

BorgWarner chief executive Frederic Lissalde told Reuters companies are looking at the total cost of any approach instead of simply its upfront price tag.

“We’re trying to dual-source whenever possible critical components,” he said.

David Simchi-Levi, a professor of engineering systems at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who has worked with companies like Ford Motor Co on strengthening supply chains, said interest has exploded in the last year.

“Resiliency is here to stay.” The math is simple. Such approaches may cost more upfront, but they are likely to pay for themselves if they help companies avoid the charges of up to US$2 billion and US$2.5 billion faced by General Motors Co and Ford, respectively, for the chip shortage.

Ford’s chief product platform and operations officer, Hau Thai-Tang, said the No. 2 US automaker previously altered its approach, but the past year has accelerated the change further. Stockpiling key parts or materials, and using multiple sources are back on the table.

“If you’re down for 30 days at the F-150 plant, what’s the cost to the Ford Motor Co versus paying this insurance to stockpile these chips?” he said, referring to the company’s highly profitable full-size pickup truck. “That’s the way we would think through it.”

Even so, Ford has had to halt F-150 production temporarily at times, and is stockpiling trucks that are missing parts.

Ford is looking at what other parts or materials could face the same pressures in the future, and has already started buying some specialised microchips directly from chipmakers rather than going through its largest suppliers, Thai-Tang said.

Ford also is providing a six-month vehicle mix and volume forecast to suppliers instead of just two weeks, and looking at extending that visibility out to a year.

Just-in-time here to stay

Automakers cannot afford to abandon the just-in-time system’s down-to-the-penny cost consciousness in a business where profit margins are often less than 10 cents on a dollar of revenue.

“The solution cannot be more waste,” said Ramzi Hermiz, a former supplier CEO who advises companies.

“The objective needs to be how do we build more simplicity, flexibility and speed in the supply chain.”

Answers could include the establishment of more suppliers closer to their final customers, including bringing back work from China and other parts of Asia, and greater use of standardised parts and systems where possible to allow for more supplier options, industry executives said.

Bob Roth, co-owner of RoMan Manufacturing, which makes transformers and glass molding equipment in Grand Rapids, Michigan, said the resiliency conversations have accelerated over the past year.

However, the answer cannot be simply to shift the burden to smaller suppliers like his US$40 million company.

“We’re not going to tie up our working capital just because you think building inventory or stockpiling stuff is a great idea,” he said.

The answer for many companies will be stress-testing their supply chains to find weaknesses much as banks did after the 2008 subprime crisis, said Tim Thoppil, a partner and head of consulting for the Americas at engineering firm umlaut.

Raw materials and parts for electric batteries and motors could be the next crisis spot.

Unexpected events like the pandemic and chip shortage are just a sign of the times, said Steven Merkt, president of transportation solutions at TE Connectivity, which makes sensors, connectors and electrical components for automakers.

“This isn’t a series of black-swan events,” Merkt said. “This is a precursor of what life is going to be like.”


Mazda claims Skyactiv-3 petrol engine could be as clean as an EV

                HIROSHIMA: Although it remains committed to the hybrid and plug-in hybrid technology it's currently working on in conjunction with Toyota, Mazda is also sticking to its belief that internal combustion engines will continue to play a big part in its range until at least 2035.

And this is because the company is developing a petrol engine that it claims will be as clean as an EV, well, at least when the supply chain of energy is factored into the equation.

At an automotive technical conference in Tokyo recently, Mazda's powertrain boss unveiled the company's plans for its future engine technology, which it is calling Skyactiv-3.

The new tech will follow on from the first-generation Skyactiv-G that was brought to us in 2011, and the new second-generation Skyactiv-X that will finally come to market before the end of March 2019. And although it had been assumed Skyactiv-X petrol engines would see the end of diesels in the Mazda range, it appears that's not the case either.

 Mazda Skyactive-X engine.

Mazda is now planning a second-generation of Skyactiv-D diesel engines, which will adopt some of the new technology being developed for the petrol engines to make them cleaner and more efficient. And the company is still intending to offer these new diesels in the United States at some point, too.

Once the Skyactiv-X engines have been successfully launched, the developers' attention will then turn to prioritising boosting the thermal efficiency of its engines. By doing this, it's believed it will reduce the amount of combustion energy that is lost to heat, but while also increasing the amount that is being harnessed to power the wheels.

And to explain how this is all going to work, Mazda has even released a useful video of its new Spark Controlled Compression Ignition technology.

The bottom line here is that if Mazda is able to increase the thermal efficiency of its third-generation Skyactiv engines by somewhere between 27 and 56 percent, it believes they will then achieve the same low level of emissions put out by an EV.

Once again though, we're not talking here purely about what comes out of the exhaust. The claim takes into consideration the total amount of emissions put out while building the power units, which is a weak point of EVs at the moment.


Here's why Volvo smashes up new cars by dropping them from a crane

                LONDON: Beyond what can be simulated with ordinary crash testing, Volvo Cars recently took equally extreme measures by dropping several new Volvos multiple times from a crane, from a height of 30 metres.

This approach helped create enough damage to adequately simulate the damage found in the most extreme crash scenarios: think of single-car accidents at very high speed, accidents whereby a car hits a truck at high speed, or accidents whereby a car takes a severe hit from the side.

In such situations, people inside the car are likely to be in a critical condition. Therefore, the priority is to get people out of the car and to a hospital as quickly as possible, using hydraulic rescue tools known in the industry as the ‘jaws of life’. Extrication specialists often talk about the golden hour: they need to release and get a patient to the hospital within one hour after the accident has happened.

“We have been working closely together with the Swedish rescue services for many years,” says Håkan Gustafson, a senior investigator with the Volvo Cars Traffic Accident Research Team. “That is because we have the same goal: to have safer roads for all. We hope no one ever needs to experience the most severe accidents, but not all accidents can be avoided. So it is vital there are methods to help save lives when the most severe accidents do happen.”

All findings from the crashes and the resulting extrication work will be collected in an extensive research report. This report will be made available free of use to rescue workers elsewhere, allowing them to benefit from the findings and further develop their life-saving capabilities.

Usually, rescue workers get their training vehicles from scrapyards. But these cars are often up to two decades old. And in terms of steel strength, safety cage construction and overall durability, there is a vast difference between modern cars and those built 15 to 20 years ago. And new Volvos are made of some of the hardest steel found in modern cars.

This makes it crucial for rescue workers to constantly update their familiarity with newer car models and review their processes in order to develop new extrication techniques. In other words, these training sessions can mean the difference between life and death. So at the request of the rescue services, Volvo Cars decided to step things up a notch.

“Normally we only crash cars in the laboratory, but this was the first time we dropped them from a crane,” says Håkan Gustafson. “We knew we would see extreme deformations after the test, and we did this to give the rescue team a real challenge to work with.”

A total of 10 Volvos, of different models, were dropped from the crane several times. Before the drop, Volvo Cars safety engineers made exact calculations about how much pressure and force each car needed to be exposed to in order to reach the desired level of damage.


Proton sales up for third consecutive month

                PETALING JAYA: Proton Holdings Bhd continued its sales momentum for 2021 by posting a third consecutive month of growth in April, spurred mainly by strong demand for its Saga model.

In a statement, the carmaker said sales last month at 15,017 units was an increase of 0.18% from March, giving Proton an estimated market share of 26.7%.

“Overall, Proton continued to strengthen its hold on second position in the sales rankings table with market share for the year estimated at 24.4% while overall volume now stands at 47,843 units after the first four months of the year.”

Proton said the Saga returned to the top of the national sales chart with 5,472 units sold in April.

“Although the number is a slight reduction compared with the previous month, demand for Proton’s best-seller remains healthy and ahead of the number of units supplied.”

Proton added that its sport-utility vehicle (SUV) models also continued to set strong sales numbers.

“The Proton X50 set yet another new high for deliveries with 3,583 units delivered in April, while the Proton X70 extended its dominance in the C-segment SUV category with 2,101 units delivered. The combined figure of 5,684 units is the second best SUV sales month for the company and only slightly behind the record set in March.”

The carmaker said its remaining three models also performed well and registered their best sales months for 2021 in April.

“Despite strong competition in the B-segment sedan market, the Persona achieved 2,266 units, enough to earn it second spot in its segment.

“The Exora meanwhile continued to rule the C-segment multipurpose-vehicle class while Iriz sales received a boost from strong demand for the R3 Limited Edition model that allowed it to have its best sales month since 2019, ” the group said.