2024 4th-gen Alphard and Vellfire: 2.5-litre petrol, 2.4-litre turbo and hybrid powertrains

                TOKYO: Toyota has started sales of the 2024 fourth-generation Alphard and Vellfire in petrol-powered and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) variants in Japan.

Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) for the Alphard and Vellfire will also be introduced in the future.

The Alphard has prices ranging from 5.4 to 8.72 million yen (RM177,023 to RM285,860) , while the Vellfire is priced from 6.55 to 8.92 million yen (RM214,722 to RM292,416).

Powertrains for the Alphard include a 2.5-litre petrol engine mated to a Super CVT-i, while the Vellfire has a 2.4-litre turbo engine mated to a Direct Shift 8-speed automatic.

Drivelines offered are front and four-wheel drive, as well as E-Four all-wheel drive (hybrids only).

The series parallel hybrid models use a 2.5-litre inline four-cylinder DOHC engine, with a maximum system output of 250ps, mated to a electric CVT (continuously variable transmission).

The Toyota Hybrid System delivers outstanding fuel efficiency, with the Executive Lounge E-Four grade achieving a fuel economy of 16.5km per litre.

A 2WD drivetrain offers even greater fuel efficiency, with the Executive Lounge 2WD grade delivering a fuel economy of 17.5km per litre.

As a recap, Toyota launched the Alphard in 2002 during a wave of minivan popularity; positioned as the ultimate Toyota minivan, it was targeted at customers who appreciated luxury.

When the second-generation Alphard was released in 2008, the company developed the Vellfire as a new model for customers seeking greater individuality.

In 2015, the third-generation Alphard saw the adoption of a new double wishbone rear suspension for exquisite ride comfort, as well as the introduction of a new top-tier Executive Lounge grade.

According to Toyota, the fourth-generation Alphard and Vellfire have been improved in terms of vibration and noise reduction measures, fuel economy, and driving dynamics, while the interior and exterior design, spacious interior and exterior space, and user-friendliness have been enhanced.

For better differentiation between the Alphard and Vellfire, the new Vellfire gets an exclusive new Z Premier grade with primarily black equipment and an aggressive demeanor, and special tuning to its suspension.

The Alphard and Vellfire are the first-ever Toyota vehicles to feature Universal Steps on both right and left-hand-side sliding doors, making it easier for small children and the elderly to enter and exit the vehicles.

As the doors open, a step emerges 220mm above ground, lowering the height of the first step for those entering or exiting the vehicle.

Long assist grips designed for easy use by occupants of all shapes and sizes are also positioned on the C pillars and on both sides of the ceiling to ensure comfortable entry and exit.

The Toyota New Global Architecture or TNGA platform (GA-K) has been optimized for minivan use, thus improving rigidity by 50% over the third-generation models.

The models now pair a TNGA-specific MacPherson strut front suspension with an updated double wishbone rear suspension.

An array of improvements has resulted in 30% reduction in vibrations over previous models.

Also, the Alphard and Vellfire are equipped with Toyota Safety Sense, the latest active safety package:

Proactive Driving Assist - Intra-Lane Steering Assist predicts driver inputs and adjusts the steering counterforce to provide support for smoother driving by limiting unnecessary operations and preventing operational delays.

Proactive Driving Assist - Deceleration Assist when Turning at Intersections is activated when an approaching intersection is detected, and the driver releases the accelerator pedal and turns on a direction indicator light; when activated, it provides assistance for early vehicle deceleration, enabling the driver to turn left or right with greater ease.

Both the vehicles also have Toyota Teammate, a suite of driver-assistance technologies that provide support for parking and in traffic jams.

Advanced Park (with remote function) allows drivers to use the "Remote Park" smartphone app to remotely park the vehicle or exit parking spaces, even while outside the vehicle.

Advanced Drive (support during traffic congestion) is is activated when certain conditions are met: the driver is facing forward, driving on an expressway or other motor-vehicle-only roadway, Radar Cruise Control and Lane Tracing Assist are activated, and the vehicle is in congested traffic and moving at a speed of 0-40 km/h.

It helps reduce driver fatigue in congested traffic and enables the driver to pay closer attention to his or her surroundings.

2024 fourth-generation Toyota Alphard

2024 fourth-generation Toyota Alphard2024 fourth-generation Toyota Alphard2024 fourth-generation Toyota Alphard2024 fourth-generation Toyota Alphard2024 fourth-generation Toyota Alphard2024 fourth-generation Toyota Alphard2024 fourth-generation Toyota Alphard2024 fourth-generation Toyota Alphard2024 fourth-generation Toyota Alphard2024 fourth-generation Toyota Alphard

2024 fourth-generation Toyota Vellfire

2024 fourth-generation Toyota Vellfire2024 fourth-generation Toyota Vellfire2024 fourth-generation Toyota Vellfire2024 fourth-generation Toyota Vellfire2024 fourth-generation Toyota Vellfire2024 fourth-generation Toyota Vellfire2024 fourth-generation Toyota Vellfire2024 fourth-generation Toyota Vellfire2024 fourth-generation Toyota Vellfire2024 fourth-generation Toyota Vellfire


Stay home and enjoy rally videos

                PETALING JAYA: Thanks to the recommendation by US automotive website Jalopnik, auto enthusiasts in Malaysia and around the world can relive the wild, wild world of rallying from the 1980s to 2000s thanks to the YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCesaDWLDQd-rPk3G9SS8A7Q.

There are about 100 video clips for you to pour over as most of us around the world are in some form of lockdown or MCO (Movement Control Order) as it is known in Malaysia, providing hours of excitement while cooped up at home.

For Malaysians, you may want to check out the 1995 Rally of Malaysia vid which features the winning Team Petronas Mitsubishi Ralliart in their Mitsubishi Lancers with such drivers as Tommi Makinen going up against the competition, the late, great Colin McRae in the Subaru team.

And we too agree with Jalopnik's recommendation of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Rough Guide to Rallying which gives you a rough idea of just what goes on in the world of rallying.

So enjoy this great selection of videos which features some amazing cars from the past be it Toyota Celicas, Mitsubishi Lancers, Volkswagen Golfs, BMW M3s, Audis, Subarus and a whole lot more. You're welcome.


BYD reopens two HK showrooms after vandalism

A woman walking past a splattered BYD store while police cordons are visible at the scene in Hong Kong on June 12. — Reuters

HONG KONG: Chinese automaker BYD Co Ltd has restarted operations at two showrooms and a service centre here after they were vandalised earlier this week, BYD's sole agent said in a notice on its website today.

Restoration work on another showroom in the outlying district of Yuen Long in the New Territories was expected to be completed by the end of the week, BYD's Hong Kong sole agent JC Motor Ltd said.

"The incidents have been reported to the police and we will cooperate with the investigation and will await the conclusion from the police," JC Motor said in the notice.

Its showrooms in the districts of Wan Chai on Hong Kong island and Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon, as well as its service centre in Tin Shui Wai in the New Territories, had resumed normal operations, it added.

JC Motor did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment on the cause and impact of the vandalism.

Two BYD showrooms and a service centre here were daubed with red paint, while a car also rammed into the roller shutter at its Yuen Long showroom in the early hours of Monday, causing damage, police said.

The incident was still under investigation, they added.


Volvo urges US to introduce national autonomous vehicle guidelines

                WASHINGTON, DC:  The head of Volvo has warned the United States that it needs to stay at the forefront of autonomous vehicle development and testing.

Speaking in the US capital, Hakan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars called for a single set of nationwide rules and regulations for the development and testing of self-driving cars.

"The US risks losing its leading position due to the lack of Federal guidelines for the testing and certification of autonomous vehicles," said Samuelsson at a special event held at the Swedish embassy here.

"Europe has suffered to some extent by having a patchwork of rules and regulations. It would be a shame if the US took a similar path to Europe in this crucial area."

The US has been ahead of the curve in allowing car and tech companies to test their vehicles on public roads. Google has clocked up over 1 million autonomous miles on the roads around Mountain View, and in March automotive component maker Delphi was allowed to autonomously drive a specially adapted Audi from San Francisco to New York, a record distance of 5471km.

For some perspective, the first sanctioned test of an autonomous vehicle on French public roads took place on October 2, 2015, and the car in question, a Peugeot Citroen-developed prototype, covered a tenth of that distance.

But Europe as a whole is starting to wake up to the technology. In Britain, Germany and Sweden the roads are open to autonomous vehicle testing but in the US, different states still have different regulations.

Volvo, which has emerged as one of the early frontrunners in the race to bring autonomous driving technology to real-world vehicles, believes this will harm car companies' chances of developing compliant vehicles. "The absence of one set of rules means car makers cannot conduct credible tests to develop cars that meet all the different guidelines of all 50 US states," he said. "If we are to ensure a smooth transition to autonomous mobility then together we must create the necessary framework that will support this."

However, even when all of these technological hurdles have been overcome, ethical, philosophical and moral questions remain.

During the Frankfurt motor show in September, a special symposium set out to try and address issues such as who is responsible when an autonomous car crashes and how do self-diving vehicles make emergency decisions.

Samuelsson called on regulators and car makers to work together to resolves these issues but also made it clear that Volvo would be prepared to accept full liability whenever one of its cars is in autonomous driving mode.


Genesis X Speedium Coupe concept car unveiled

                NEW YORK: Genesis has recently premiered the Genesis X Speedium Coupe at Genesis House New York, a cultural space in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District.

The concept car incorporates Genesis’ DNA, while looking ahead to the next wave of EVs and highlighting Genesis’ future as a luxury electric vehicle brand.

The brand also announced plans for US production of its upcoming electrified GV70 SUV at its plant in Montgomery, Alabama. Production is set to start in December.

In a series of electrification-focused announcements, the brand also revealed its GV60 Priority One program for US consumers.

Genesis X Speedium Coupe

The Genesis X Speedium Coupe is a “freestyle” design exercise based on the Genesis X Concept.

Genesis chief creative officer and 2022 World Car Person of the Year Luc Donckerwolke, led the initiative.

The name Speedium was inspired by the Korean racetrack in the city of Inje and the passion for motorsport it inspired in Genesis designers.

The name also encapsulates Genesis’ belief that the emotional value of driving will remain strong in the era of electrification. The addition of the word “coupe” further accentuates the enjoyment of driving through aesthetic designs.

Genesis followed the principle of reductive design, or “less is more,” for the concept car.

The Genesis X Speedium Coupe stands out for its restrained elegance, clean lines, and subtle curves.

“This car is an open-door moment in Genesis’ journey towards our future EV design,” said Donckerwolke.

“This isn’t a show car — it’s a look into our design processes as we explore ideas for the next wave of EVs."

On the front of the vehicle, Genesis’ signature Two Lines lamps have evolved into a full-width element that encompasses the shape of the crest resembling the Genesis Crest Grille.

It was designed to carry the brand signature of the wing face for the electrification era by integrating the daytime running lamps with the low beam and high beam together.

It carries an EV face that symbolises Genesis’ transformation towards becoming an all-electric car brand with a six-model lineup by 2030.

From an overhead perspective, the hourglass silhouette highlights the car’s passion and character. The curvaceous and sensuous form accentuates the wheel arches creating muscular presence.

Viewed from the side, the Parabolic Line extending from the front to the rear of the car maintains a certain tension in the design as a classic car would. The deliberate “anti-wedge” design culminates in a streamlined look that exudes understated elegance.

An elliptical tail balances out the look for a visually engaging tension between convex and concave surfaces in the rear. The V-shaped brake lights interrupt the circular shape tom produce a striking contrast.

“We are giving each design element space to breathe,” said Donckerwolke.

The concept’s metallic emerald green shade is referred to as “Inje Green.” As expected of a car that was inspired by a Korean racetrack, the colour encompasses the mountainous landscape where the track is located.

Genesis Priority One

Genesis has shown significant growth in the U.S. market, setting monthly sales records for the past 16 months. The brand recorded 11,723 sales in Q1 2022, the largest quarterly sales achievement since its foray into the US market in 2016.

Starting today, clients in select US markets may enroll in Priority One, a program designed to curate a personalised purchase experience for GV60, the brand’s first dedicated electric vehicle.

By visiting www.genesis.com and providing their contact information and US$500 refundable deposit, a Genesis concierge will simplify the process and match clients with a qualified retailer.

“We are pleased to bring the highly-anticipated first Genesis EV to market in the US with GV60,” said Claudia Marquez, chief operating officer of Genesis Motor North America.

“With Genesis Priority One, we are renewing our promise to our clients to provide a purchase experience tailored to them.”

Genesis Priority One will be available at launch in California, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York for a limited time while quantities last.

 The combustion-engine version of the GV70.Electrified Genesis GV70

Genesis announced that the electrified Genesis GV70 will be its first vehicle produced in the US.

Production is expected to begin in December 2022 with the goal of strengthening Genesis’ EV market position in the region and continuing its commitment to electrification.


Bentley trials concierge fuel service with Filld - VIDEO

                LONDON: Bentley has announced a trial with an US technology start-up, Filld – a mobile app-based fuel-delivery service. The new collaboration is part of the luxury British brand’s on-going Connected Car strategy.

The convenient app-based "Filld for Bentley" service will initially be available to customers in California, affording owners the ultimate time-saving luxury of never having to search for or stop at a fuel station again.

In a first for Bentley customers, all owners need do is simply open the innovative Filld for Bentley app, choose a delivery time, and their fuel will be delivered wherever and whenever they require. This first-ever Connected Car integration means that customers don’t even need to unlock the fuel cap themselves, or identify the car’s exact location as this is done for them securely through the Filld for Bentley service.

The two companies foresee additional benefits in the future, including predictive fuel ordering where the car places an order for itself based on fuel level, location and customer preferences.


Here's a look at armoured and stretched Mercedes-AMG G63

                TORONTO: The Mercedes-Benz G-Class, which feels like it's been crafted out of a single massive block of steel, is a pretty indestructible vehicle. Even so, a standard G-Class probably doesn't stop bullets, which is where a Canadian company called Inkas comes in.

The Canadian upfitter has created a stretched and armoured version of the 2018 G-Class G63, listed on its website as a limousine. So if a "regular" armoured G-Class or S-Class Merc isn't spacious enough for your needs, this could be just the vehicle you're looking for. But with a starting price of US$1.2 million (RM4.9mil) it doesn't come cheap.

At 437.4cm, the wheelbase of Inkas's G63 limo is a full 152.4cm longer than that of a standard G-Class. That's only the start of the impressive numbers associated with this opulent vehicle: its armour is capable of withstanding the impact of 7.62mm bullets or the blast from a grenade.

Of course, that doesn't come without compromises. The longer wheelbase is likely to have a detrimental effect on the off-road capability of the G-Wagen because of the breakover angle. But it will still be pretty capable off-road, thanks to its ground clearance and advanced four-wheel drive system, just not as good as a G-Class with a standard wheelbase.

The engine will still be the incredible factory-issue 5.5-litre V-8 twin-turbo. The huge amount of power the unit generates will certainly be well used in this model, as the extra size and weight would require a considerable powertrain upgrade in any lesser vehicle than the over-engineered G-Wagen.

For the US$1.2million asking price, this enhanced G63 comes with a lot more than just a longer wheelbase and armour-plating. With a 4K Ultra HD television and Apple TV inside, the interior resembles a high-end movie theater. The reclining seats are clad in Alcantara, and the bar under the TV even has a fridge. The lights fitted into the headliner are adjustable, and are designed to simulate real sunlight for an open feel without the vulnerability of a glass sunroof. And if customers want to pay for more add-ons like an even better sound system, Inkas will be more than happy to oblige.


It's now Toyota TopMark

                SHAH ALAM: TopMark, UMW Toyota Motor’s division selling pre-owned vehicles, will be rebranded as Toyota TopMark from this month.

The move reflects the new focus on offering quality Toyota certified pre-owned cars and hybrid cars since the division was formed in 2000.

As it is affiliated with UMW Toyota Motor’s service and technical divisions, Toyota TopMark has access to information on every Toyota vehicle for inspection purposes.
According to a UMW Toyota Motor statement today, Toyota TopMark guarantees that the cumulative mileage shown on the odometer is genuine and have not been tampered with.
It also said every vehicle under Toyota TopMark undergoes an inspection process covering over 200 points before it is readied for display. These include safety checks to ensure that all safety systems are in working order and that the tyres have sufficient tread (if not, they will be replaced). The standard battery is also replaced with a new one and genuine Toyota parts are used if replacements are needed. All the work is done at an authorised Toyota service centre.

To give the vehicle a fresh look, it also undergoes CompleteCleaning, a 3-step cleaning process to give it a new look. The cabin is also deodorised.

Each used car comes with a 2-year warranty or 40,000km travelled (whichever occurs first after purchase) on the engine and transmission. Labour charges for the first and second scheduled services are waived by arrangement with authorised Toyota service centres.

Customers can also enjoy a higher margin of financing and fast approval of loans (terms and conditions apply) from Toyota TopMark’s affiliate, Toyota Capital.

In tandem with the rebranding move, Toyota TopMark’s website (www.toyotatopmark.com.my) has also been refreshed to provide visitors with a more user-friendly interface.

Toyota TopMark has outlets in Petaling Jaya, Butterworth, Johor Baru, Kulai and Kuantan. Pre-owned Lexus cars are also available at the five locations.


Pininfarina to become full-blown auto brand

Pininfarina H2 Speed hypercar concept.
TURIN: Only quite recently, it was being reported that the automotive design house ItalDesign was launching a new supercar under its own branding. Now it turns out that the legendary Pininfarina design house is doing something similar, but on what looks to be a bigger scale.

While ItalDesign's plans so far revolve solely around its impressive Zeouno supercar, Pininfarina seems to have a well thought-out plan that goes beyond the first model under its own name. The first Pininfarina-branded model is set to be an all-electric hypercar that looks to be the perfect platform to gain attention and generate publicity, but following on from there will be SUVs as well as the flagship vehicle that will then bring in the much-needed profitability.

An initial investment of US$100mil (RM392mil) from Pininfarina's Indian parent company Mahindra will get things underway for the new auto brand that will be headed by former Audi India boss Michael Perschke, and already plans to produce four vehicles over the first five years.

Despite the fact Pininfarina has worked with a number of mainstream brands over the years to produce some reasonably priced, but still beautiful cars, don't expect the first car it will produce to be affordable.

The electric hypercar, which is codenamed PF-Zero, will be built using a modular platform that has been developed together with Croatian manufacturer Rimac and Mahindra's Formula E outfit.

The finished car will compete directly with the Bugatti Chiron, so that tells us the price will be stratospheric, although it is expected the Pininfarina will boast even more power than the Chiron's 1,479hp. To get an idea of what the Pininfarina might look like we only have to think back a few weeks to the H2 Speed hyrogen fuel cell concept the company had on display at the Geneva Motor Show.

The SUVs that are to follow should be considerably more affordable though. The biggest is said to be a high-performance rival to the Lamborghini Urus that's codenamed PF-One, but the other two SUVs that are planned will be designed to compete against the likes of the Porsche Cayenne and Macan.

Pininfarina is expected to announce its plans in public at the first Formula E race to be held in Rome on April 14.


Geely's Zeekr plans electric vehicle sales in Europe in 2023

                SHANGHAI: Zhejiang Geely Holding Group's premium electric car business plans to sell the first electric vehicle produced under the Zeekr brand in Europe next year, Zeekr's CEO said.

Zeekr joins a growing list of Chinese automakers looking to launch or expand sales of electric vehicles in Europe next year, including BYD, Xpeng and Great Wall Motors.

Geely, owner of Volvo, Polestar and an investor in Mercedes-Benz, launched Zeekr in 2021 as a premium brand aimed at younger customers.

Geely Automobile, the listed unit of Geely, said earlier this week it plans to spin off Zeekr and float the business.

An Conghui, CEO of Zeekr and Geely president, told reporters at a roundtable on Tuesday in Wuzhen in Zhejiang province that Geely had created Zeekr with the aim of meeting standards in Europe and the United States from the outset.

An said Geely would market its 001 electric crossover in Europe next year. He did not give a sales target or discuss whether Zeekr would consider overseas production.

Geely provided a transcript of An's remarks today.

Zeekr launched the 001 in China late 2021. Its sales hit 39,474 units in the first nine months, while Tesla sold 219,112 Model Y crossovers in China over the same period, according to China Passenger Car Association.

The base model Zeekr 001 sells for the equivalent of US$41,000 (RM195,000) in China compared with US$40,000 (RM190,000) for the Tesla Model Y after a recent price cut. Zeekr has not announced pricing for overseas markets.


TikTok challenge possibly linked to teens' deadly car crash

                NEW YORK: : A car crash that left four teenagers dead may have been linked to a TikTok challenge, a police commissioner said.

A total of six teenagers were in a speeding Kia that crashed about 6.30am Monday, Buffalo police said. The car had been reported stolen Sunday night.

All five of the passengers were ejected from the vehicle, police said. Four of them, ranging in age from 14 to 17, were killed. The fifth passenger was hospitalised in intensive care, and the 16-year-old driver was treated at a hospital and released.

The driver was ticketed for criminal possession of stolen property and unauthorised use of a motor vehicle. The Erie County district attorney's office is investigating the crash and expects to file additional charges, spokesperson Kait Munro said. It wasn't clear if the driver had an attorney who could speak for him.

Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia told reporters Monday that the teens may have been participating in a TikTok challenge that encourages people to break into Kia cars using cellphone chargers.

The so-called Kia challenge, first posted over the summer, shows how to hot-wire Kia and Hyundai cars with a USB cord and a screwdriver. Many police departments around the country have reported increases in Kia and Hyundai thefts since the video was posted.

A class-action lawsuit filed in September in Orange County, California, alleges that Kias built between 2011 and 2021 as well as Hyundais built from 2015 to 2021 lack anti-theft parts called engine immobilisers, making the cars easier to steal than other models.

The lawsuit seeks monetary damages from the automakers and a nationwide recall.

Representatives for Kia and Hyundai did not respond to emails seeking comment.


Hari Raya deals from Volkswagen Malaysia

                KUALA LUMPUR: Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has launched its Raya-Raya Campaign, in time for the Aidilfitri festivities.

The celebrations are extended to new updates to the Tiguan Allspace Highline, Aftersales Raya Campaign and Volkswagen Insurance Plan (VIP).

From now until May 31, Volkswagen customers will enjoy a RM1,000 duit raya rebate off selected models.

The Passat Elegance comes with free one-year insurance while the Passat R-Line comes with one-year free petrol.

Both Passat variants come with additional RM3,500 online savings when customers book via the Volkswagen eShowroom.

Meanwhile, the 2021 Tiguan Allspace Highline is now offered with new 18-inch Nizza alloy wheels, USB-C charging sockets, a new radio update with voice control and new LED taillights with 3D effect.

The Allspace Highline combines a 1.4TSI turbocharged direct injection engine, delivering an impressive 150PS and 250Nm of torque, with a six-speed wet clutch direct shift gearbox (DSG).

This SUV also provides fuel consumption reading of approximately 7.3l per 100km.

Customers of the Tiguan Allspace Highline will also enjoy a RM1,000 duit raya rebate along with RM3,500 online savings.

On the other hand, the 2021 Tiguan Allspace R-Line comes fitted with USB-C data and charging ports, and a radio update that now offers wireless App-Connect for both Android Auto and Apple Car Play.

The Aftersales Raya campaign is ongoing until June 13, and as part of the Hari Raya celebrations, Volkswagen owners who send in their cars for service will enjoy 20% off Volkswagen genuine engine oil.

Those who spend a minimum of RM1,200 will receive a complimentary car care kit that consists of wax polish, wax shampoo, glass polish, plastic care, and leather care solutions in 50ml bottles.

Owners will also receive complimentary Volkswagen Raya packets.

A new addition to the Aftersales Raya campaign is the promotion on wiper blades where owners will receive 20% discount on all wiper blade, from now till June 30 and is available at service centres nationwide.

VPCM has also appointed AXA Affin General Insurance Bhd as a new insurance partner under the Volkswagen Insurance Plan (VIP).

Affin joins existing partners Allianz General Insurance Bhd, Etiqa General Takaful Bhd and Zurich Takaful General Insurance Bhd.

As a privileged VIP policy holder, benefits include prioritised claim approval, roadside assistance with 24-hour emergency towing, and assurance that repair work is conducted at authorised Volkswagen body and paint centres in accordance to Volkswagen repair standards with only genuine parts used.

Additionally, there are no excess fees, no betterment costs and an agreed insured value for vehicles up to 10 years old.

This is applicable to all Volkswagen models regardless of vehicle age.

For details, visit www.volkswagen.com.my.


Ford takes aim at German sports sedans with muscled-up Fusion

                DETROIT: Ford is adding serious EcoBoost muscle to its Fusion sedan in an all-out assault on more expensive German sport sedans.

Following on the success of Explorer Sport, which has seen one in five buyers come over from recent Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz experiences, Ford has its eyes not only on owners of V6-equipped Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords, but some other distinguished German models that command a five-figure premium over the 2017 Fusion Sport.

Since the newest-generation Fusion launched in 2012, midsize car buyers have been asking for a performance version, said Ford Fusion marketing manager Wade Jackson.

“It’s not just Fusion buyers who want something hotter,” said Jackson. “Owners of other midsize sedans, along with our own dealers, ask repeatedly. So buyers get a 2.7-litre EcoBoost that makes 325hp and a more impressive 515Nm of torque.”

These consumers also crave a car that’s much more distinctive inside and out, said Jackson. “Cross-shoppers will be shocked by the bang for the buck our new Fusion Sport delivers,” he said.

Peak torque of 515Nm from a 2.7-litre twin-turbocharged EcoBoost engine makes Fusion Sport stouter than established performance sedans like BMW 535i, Audi A6 3.0T and Mercedes-Benz E400. Ford Fusion Sport torque rating is achieved with 93-octane fuel.

Ford has reason to be confident with its newest sport-minded offering. While Explorer sales rose 24 percent from 2013 to 2015, Explorer Sport jumped 103 percent. Edge sales were close to flat over that same period – mostly due to model changeover – but Edge Sport jumped 62 percent.

The 2017 Fusion Sport starts at a very un-German sports sedan price of US$33,475 (RM137,000), and that’s with all-wheel drive as a standard feature.


China's Evergrande in talks with Xiaomi consortium to sell EV unit stake, say sources

                HONG KONG/SHANGHAI: Embattled Chinese property developer Evergrande Group is in talks with smartphone maker Xiaomi and Shenzhen state-backed investment firms as it looks to sell part of a 65% stake in its electric vehicle (EV) unit, three sources said.

The Evergrande New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Group had a market capitalisation of US$12.5 billion today and one of the sources said the consortium is looking to buy a significant minority stake.

Evergrande, Xiaomi and Shenzhen's state asset regulator did not respond to requests for comment.

The talks were said by the sources to be at an early stage and subject to changes.

The developer said last week that it was in discussions with several independent third-party investors on the proposed sale of certain assets, including stakes in Evergrande NEV, as part of its efforts to reduce its debt.

Smartphone maker Xiaomi has been ramping up investments in EV suppliers after it unveiled its EV ambition with an investment of US$10 billion in March, following its peers from Apple Inc to Huawei Technologies Co as they bet on more cars becoming battery-powered and smart.

The potential deal would give Xiaomi EV production facilities to push forward its auto business, the sources said.

Debt warning

Evergrande has been struggling to raise funds to pay its debts after Beijing stepped up curbs on the real estate sector to contain the risks of a bubble.

China's central bank, banking and insurance regulator said they had summoned executives of Evergrande to a meeting today and issued a rare warning that the company ought to reduce its debt risks and prioritise stability.

Investors have been worried about Evergrande's financial health and the potential systemic financial risk it poses.

Concerns about Evergrande intensified after it failed in June to pay some commercial paper on time. A Chinese court froze a US$20 million bank deposit held by the firm on the request of China Guangfa Bank last month.

In May, the developer put a 2.66% stake in Evergrande NEV on sale at a 20% discount to raise about US$1.36 billion.

Evergrande NEV warned of a 4.8 billion yuan (US$739.67 million) net loss for the first half of 2021, according to its filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, nearly double the loss a year ago.

The company unveiled nine EV models under the brand Hengchi at the Shanghai Auto Show earlier this year, vowing to start mass production and delivery from next year.

It has built three manufacturing bases located in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Tianjin, and acquired a production permit for electric passenger vehicles by taking the controlling stake in NEVS AB in 2019.

Sales of new energy vehicles, including pure battery electric vehicles as well as plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, are expected to make up 20% of China's overall annual auto sales by 2025.


China may adopt some of Germany’s law on self-driving cars, says expert

                BERLIN: The Chinese government is evaluating a German law that lays the groundwork for use of self-driving cars, and will likely adopt some of the German rules, a legal expert said.

Eric Hilgendorf, who teaches law at the University of Wuerzburg and served on the German government’s ethics commission on automated driving, said he had been invited to China in the coming weeks to present information about the law.

Hilgendorf, who will give three lectures at the Renmin University of China Law School and hold high-level meetings about the new legislation, said China had adopted a great deal of German criminal and civil law, albeit with some tweaks, and he expected similar action in this case.

“Especially when it comes to technical issues, they’re often ready to adopt large sections of our law,” he said after a speech at an Aspen Institute conference on artificial intelligence.

German carmakers could benefit if China adopted similar laws and guidelines on the issue, Hilgendorf said, noting it would mean fewer modifications for exports to China.

Carmakers around the world are teaming up with technology companies in areas such as machine learning and mapping as they race against Silicon Valley companies such as Google, Tesla and Apple to develop autonomous vehicles.

Both industries see huge potential revenues in the market for autonomous vehicles, which could be available for wide use in just two years. But it remains unclear how many drivers will be ready to give up control, and many countries must still put laws in place to allow self-driving cars to hit the road.

Germany last year paved the way for testing self-driving cars with a law that requires a driver to be sitting behind the wheel at all times ready to take back control if prompted to do so by the vehicle.

German carmakers, Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW, have all invested heavily in the technology.

The new legislation allows them to road-test vehicles in which drivers will be allowed to take their hands off the wheel and their eyes off the road to browse the web or check e-mails while the vehicle handles steering or braking autonomously.

Hilgendorf was part of the government-appointed committee that drew up the world’s first ethics guidelines for the field of autonomous cars, including a requirement for the software that controls them to be programmed to avoid injury or death of people at all cost.


Safety vehicles on PLUS causing a jam — for good reason

                PETALING JAYA: Motorists using the expressways of Malaysia will have at some time or other come across stray objects on the road that are as innocuous as plastic bags or as big as an overturned trailer.

Sometimes, such objects could be nails, oil slick, sand or detached retreads from heavy vehicles.

In most cases, the highway maintenance crew will have to remove them to ensure there are no obstacles that could hamper the journey for road users.

What is more important, however, is that most obstacles, no matter their size, could potentially caused accidents and fatalities especially when cars are travelling at speeds.

UEM Group, which owns PLUS Malaysia Bhd and Edgenta Infrastructure Services, posted on Sunday a public educational video, highlighting the importance of using safety vehicles to clear its highways of objects to minimise accidents and to ensure a smooth journey.

The video details how the safety vehicles, operated by Edgenta Infrastructure Services, carve out a safe zone for the response team to remove stray objects.

It usually takes 15 mins to 30 mins for the clearing exercise to be completed.

So the next time, you see these safety vehicles cutting off traffic and moving slowly in formation, know that they are doing it in the interest of your safety. Follow instructions displayed on the safety vehicles and all will be right as rain.


Thai industry-wide auto sales may slide as much as 15% this year

                BANGKOK: Thailand's industry-wide auto sales could fall as much 15% in 2015 and mark a third consecutive year of sales declines, according to Toyota Motor Corp's Thai unit.

Toyota had initially forecast auto sales would rise 4.3% this year to around 920,000 vehicles but lowered that estimate to 800,000 in July before cutting it again today to between 750,000 and 760,000 vehicles.

"The domestic economy has been (a problem) for us for a while. However, the global economy has been worse than expected and has had an impact on this market," Kyoichi Tanada, president of the Toyota Thai unit, told reporters.

In 2014, industry-wide domestic auto sales tumbled 33.7% to 881,832 vehicles, hit by political unrest including a May coup by the army that year. In 2013, sales fell after a government subsidy scheme for first-time car buyers ended.

Toyota, which commands about a third of the Thai market, cut its own sales target to 265,000 units in 2015 from 280,000 vehicles projected in July and 330,000 projected in January.

Last month, Thailand's central bank cut its 2015 economic growth forecast to 2.7% from 3.0% due to weakness in exports.


Three ways you can save fuel and reduce your car's carbon footprint

                BERLIN: Whether you're motivated by the prospect of saving some extra cash or your nagging carbon-footprint conscience, saving on fuel expenses is easy if you remember three things that are driving up your consumption.

Lose all that dead weight: Removing any heavy objects you might unnecessarily be lugging around in the boot of your car is an easy way to save petrol costs.

At the same time, an unused roof rack will be increasing drag and your fuel expenses with it - take it down when you're not using it!

Easy on the A/C : Another money-saving effect, which is often overlooked, is that the right approach to air conditioning. Tests show that running an AC in a car can increase fuel usage by up to 10 per cent since the compressor is driven by the petrol or diesel-consuming engine.

The alternative is to drive with the windows down except that at speeds above 60kph the drag produced by the windows also pushes up fuel usage. Experts recommend opening the windows to keep cool in city traffic and switching on the car's AC when driving at higher speeds.

Stop driving aggressively: Repeated, speedy acceleration and abrupt braking will drive up your fuel cost and also stress out people around you with unnecessary noise.

If you switch up to the next gear at a medium rpm of around 2,500, you'll be doing so more efficiently. As such, it pays to drive smoothly and with a degree of foresight.

Road safety experts say it's generally not a good idea to try and save fuel by disengaging the clutch on a downhill road, as the car will handle differently and can lose stability.


Big win for automakers as Trump orders fuel economy standards review

Trump speaking to auto workers at the American Center for Mobility on Wednesday in Ypsilanti, Michigan. — AFP
DETROIT/WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered a review of tough US vehicle fuel-efficiency standards put in place by the Obama administration, handing a victory to auto industry executives and provoking criticism from Democrats and environmental groups.

In a move widely seen as a preamble to loosening fuel standards, Trump told an audience of cheering union workers, he would "ensure that any regulations we have protect and defend your jobs, your factories," and promised he would encourage growth in the US auto sector.

"The assault on the American auto industry is over," Trump said, standing in front of a banner that read "Buy American-Hire American." Trump added that the White House is "setting up a task force in every federal agency to identify and remove any regulation that undermines American auto production."

The backdrop and message underscored Trump's efforts to lock down support in industrial states such as Michigan that put him in the White House. Trump spoke at the site of the former Willow Run bomber factory in Ypsilanti, Michigan, which won fame for building an operational B-24 heavy bomber every 59 minutes during World War Two. Now, the site is being redeveloped as a testing ground for autonomous vehicles.

At a roundtable with industry leaders Trump made clear he expected automakers to hire more Americans in return, a theme that dominated his election campaign.

"We're going to do some wonderful work with you, but you're going to have to help us with jobs," he said.

Trump's event was attended by around 1,000 people, including automotive executives, United Auto Workers union president Dennis Williams - who sat next to Trump - and workers from Detroit's "Big Three" automakers: General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCA) . Automakers lined up examples of vehicles they build in the United States for the president to see.

Auto industry executives have said they are hopeful the Trump administration will pursue tax and regulatory policies that would benefit US manufacturers.

Reopening the fuel efficiency rules put in place by Democratic President Barack Obama days before he left office is one of the top items on the industry's agenda. Automakers, through their lobbying groups, have said the Obama rules were too expensive and could cost American jobs.

"These standards are costly for automakers and the American people," said Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt.

After one participant in Wednesday's meetings mentioned environmental concerns, Trump said he agreed but did not want an "extra thimbleful of fuel" to get in the way of growth.

In a meeting with top auto executives from US and foreign automakers, Trump said the government needs to get out of the way of the auto industry building vehicles, a person who attended the meeting said.

Automakers are wary of being seen as out of touch with environmental concerns, or unwilling to invest in new technology. Ford, for example, used its Twitter account on Wednesday to highlight previously announced commitments to develop electric vehicles.

It could take a year for the review process to play out, and Wednesday's event was effectively a starting gun for intense lobbying efforts over how government policy will drive technology investment decisions in the auto sector.

Critics like Democratic US Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts said Trump's move could hurt consumers.

"Filling up their cars and trucks is the energy bill Americans pay most often, but President Trump's roll-back of fuel economy emissions standards means families will end up paying more at the pump," Markey added.

The president is not seeking to revoke California's authority to set vehicle efficiency rules even stricter than federal rules, including mandated sales of electric vehicles, as part of this move, a White House official said.

The official did not rule out seeking to withdraw California's authority in the future. Pruitt, an ally of the fossil fuel industry, would not commit during his Senate confirmation hearing to allowing California to continue its own clean vehicle rules.

A group of 10 state attorneys general led by California and New York said on Wednesday they would fight attempts to weaken the rules.

California's attorney general late Tuesday filed legal papers in a federal court defending the Obama administration's decision to finalise the determination in January.

Barclays auto analyst Brian Johnson said in a research note that he expects the Trump administration review will lead to reductions in planned hikes in fuel efficiency standards after 2021.

The Obama administration's rules, negotiated with automakers in 2012, were aimed at doubling average fleetwide fuel efficiency to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, although the real-world mileage figures would be lower.

Automotive industry executives and lobbying groups were quick to praise the administration's announcement.
"The Trump administration has created an opportunity for decision-makers to reach a thoughtful and coordinated outcome predicated on the best and most current data," said Mitch Bainwol, chief executive of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, an industry lobbying group.

Automakers have signaled they want the government to give manufacturers more credit towards achieving fuel efficiency targets for technologies such as "stop-start" systems that shut down a car's engine at a traffic light.

Regulators should also look at whether ride hailing and vehicle-to-vehicle communications systems designed to prevent accidents and alleviate road congestion could be counted towards the industry's greenhouse gas emissions goals, the automaker group proposed in comments to the EPA last year. The group represents a dozen automakers, including GM, Ford and FCA.


KLIMS'18: Getting rid of Monday blues with a motor show

From left - Eydzuan with friends Afiq and Ho in  front of the Lexus showcase.

KUALA LUMPUR: The curse of the 'Monday Blues' have been swept aside for those attending the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2018 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC).

Each individual booth at the show had nothing short of inquisitive and curious people coming to view their latest offerings.

One such attraction for Muhammad Eydzuan was the Lexus LC 500.

"I saw the LC 500 pass by one day and it struck me as a beautiful grand tourer with a 'lethal' engine sound. It's too bad we can't go inside," said the 21 year-old who just finished his internship.

Next to the Japanese luxury carmaker's showcase is the Toyota exhibit where Muhammad Afiq bin Amom, a 24 year old graduate, was amazed by the Toyota FT12 concept car.

"This is one cool concept car and I just hope something real comes out of this one day soon," he quipped.

From left - Afiq with friends Ho and Eydzuan at the Lexus showcase.

At the Peugeot stand, just opposite from Toyota and Lexus, Ho Jin Kim found the 3008 sport utility vehicle (SUV) more of an appeal, thanks to its practicality.

"This French SUV is quite interesting and stylish in its design. I think the interior is very well laid out, ergonomic and intuitive," said the 24 year-old who works in the public relations department of a company.

KLIMS'18 features more than 74 brands of vehicles and automotive products spanning over six exhibition halls, which covers two levels at MITEC.

Participating automotive brands include CAM, Citroen, Daihatsu, DS, Ford, Grand Max, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Lexus, Petronas Motorsports, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Perodua, Peugeot, Proton, Tata, Toyota and UD Trucks.

Opening hours of the show are from 11am to 10pm on weekdays and 10am to 10pm on weekends.

Every entrance ticket purchased stands a chance to win either a Toyota C-HR, a Honda City or a Perodua Myvi through a lucky draw.

Entrance tickets secured via online at AirAsia Red Tix are also entitled to win a fortnightly draw with AirAsia return flights to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Bali, Taipei, Jakarta and Shanghai as well as the grand draw to Tokyo.

To purchase tickets online, log on to https://airasiaredtix.com or the KLIMS'18 website www.klims.com.my. Entrance fees are RM20 on weekdays and RM25 on weekends.

For children aged three to 12 years old, entrance tickets are RM5 and students/senior citizens are charged RM5 (weekdays only).

There is also a family package where parents and up to five children aged 12 years old and below are charged RM40 (weekdays) and RM50 (weekends).

Those with special needs (with handicapped card/physically handicapped) get free entry together with one accompanying person.

Star Media Group is the official media partner of KLIMS’18.


The best engine innovations of 2016

                PARIS: From an engine that says goodbye to cams to a diesel that does away with turbolag, 2016 has produced more than its fair share of engineering innovation and ingenuity; here are three of the most impressive feats.

Easy cam, easy go
The cam and the camshaft have been mainstays of the internal combustion engine since it moved beyond a single cylinder. It's the rod that sits above the cylinder head whose arms (or cams) rotate around opening and closing the valves to let in fuel and air or let out exhaust gases.

However, no matter how much it's enhanced, it's still a rod with cams along it at set intervals. Enter Koenigsegg, or more precisely FreeValve AB, a sister company that takes the Swedish hypercar maker's innovations and runs with them. Its FreeValve engine, which debuted in a Qoros concept car at the Beijing Motor Show in April, ditches cams altogether.

Instead, actuators individually and independently open and close any valve on any cylinder at any time. The resulting boost in efficiency and power is amazing. The difference between this engine and a traditional motor with cams is like the difference between playing table football and "FIFA 17" on the PS4. Instead of spinning a rod back and forward so that one of three fixed players hits a ball, a digital control pad enables you to take full control of the player with or closest to the ball, anywhere on the field at any point during a game.

"We believe that one day in the very near future [it] will represent as big a transition, or bigger, than the move from carburetors to direct injection," said Christian von Koenigsegg.

Audi in a spin
Audi launched the world's first production V8 diesel engine with a third, independent electrically powered turbocharger. The third compressor eliminates any turbo lag, upping responsiveness, acceleration and performance while also boosting efficiency.

And all because the engine doesn't have to be already revving in order for the turbos to start turning and forcing extra air into the cylinders. "[It] is a world first in the competitive environment," said Audi board member Dr Stefan Knirsch. “(The) engine achieves the consumption figures of a six-cylinder." In the Audi SQ7 TDI SUV it offers 7.4l/100km on the combined cycle, yet a 0-100kph of just 4.7 seconds.

BMW makes a splash
BMW's new M4 GTS grabbed everyone's attention when it went on sale this year and not just because of its aggressive styling or performance statistics.

It got noticed because some of the car's 493bhp (from a 3-litre turbocharged straight-six) came from an all-new water injection system.

Water vapour is sprayed into the combustion chamber before fuel to lower the temperature so that when the fuel does arrive, it ignites with a bigger, more powerful bang.

The system, developed with Bosch, can be ‘tuned' to organically boost horsepower or efficiency or a little of both and could soon be showing up on cars from other companies. Bosch intends to license the technology.


Flash floods: Five warning sirens to be installed in KL, says Jalaluddin

                KUALA LUMPUR: Five warning sirens will be installed in the city here in to provide early warning on possible flash floods, says Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias.

He said preliminary work had started for the installation of the sirens at Lorong Kiri Keramat 15, Chan Sow Lin Tunnel, Taman U-Thant, Jalan Sembilan in Kg Cheras Baru and Sg Kayu Ara.

The warning system is one of the initiatives taken by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) in increasing assets for flood disaster management, apart from the installation of an additional 51 closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in flood hotspot areas, he added.

He said 13 CCTVs had been installed, with the remaining in the process of installation.

“We know that the Smart Tunnel can help reduce or prevent flash floods, but that cannot cover all of Kuala Lumpur,” he said.

He said this in response to a supplementary question from Che Abdullah Mat Nawi (PAS-Tumpat) on the effectiveness of the Smart Tunnel in dealing with flash floods in the federal capital.

To a supplementary question from Hannah Yeoh (PH-Segambut) on whether the Civil Engineering and Drainage Department at DBKL team would be enlarged, Jalaludin said his department was looking into the matter to carry out slope and hill monitoring tasks.

He said the department currently had a strength of 300 people.

There are 3,441 hilly and slope areas in Kuala Lumpur that need to be monitored,” he added.

Earlier, to a question from Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (PH-Setiawangsa), Jalaluddin said approval by the Kuala Lumpur Irrigation and Drainage Department is a mandatory condition before a development order can be approved.

This is in addition to a requirement for developers to obtain the Traffic Impact Assessment Report under the DBKL Infrastructure Planning Department and the Environmental Impact Assessment under the Environment Department as well as the Environment and Water Ministry, he added.

Nik Nazmi wanted to know Kuala Lumpur’s preparedness to face the effects of the increasingly extreme climate, including floods and landslides in the next 20 years.


Daimler struggling with European emissions standards

                DETROIT: The chief executive of Daimler said Monday at the Detroit auto show that his company cannot currently guarantee it can meet tougher European CO2 emissions standards taking effect in several years.

Dieter Zetsche, CEO of the maker of Mercedes-Benz luxury vehicles, told reporters he "can't guarantee" to meet tightening emission standards in 2021.

"It's a huge challenge for everyone," he told AFP later in an interview. "We will make it. That's our intention. But I can't guarantee it."

A regulation adopted in 2014 requires vehicle manufacturers selling vehicles in the European Union to reach, with some exceptions, a level of 95 grams of CO2 emitted per kilometer by early 2021, compared to 130 grams in 2015.

Manufacturers that fail will be fined 95 euros per car and gram of excess CO2. This could potentially lead to fines in the tens or hundreds of millions of euros.

Fellow automotive CEO Sergio Marchionne of Fiat Chrysler said he understood Daimler's predicament, and his company was also looking at how to meet the tougher standards -- with non-compliance not an option.

"We've gone through this. It ain't pretty," he said, regarding the cost of fines.

"Having said this, we have no intention of pulling vehicles, because we think we can meet the standards."

German manufacturers, whose large engines emit more CO2 than smaller models, are struggling to achieve the goals, according to experts.

So far, they have relied on diesel to reduce emissions. But diesel engine cars have fallen out of favor with consumers and sales have dropped, exacerbated by the Volkswagen diesel emissions cheating scandal.

"It's dragged all of us into the very uncomfortable state where we are now on the defensive continuously about the utilisation of diesel in the market," Marchionne said.

To help comply with the new standards, manufacturers are developing a range of electric vehicles, with no certainty about the real-world demand from consumers.


Zotye, Ford's China partner, set to sell SUVs in US in 2020

File pic of an employee pushing a car along a Zotye assembly line in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, in April 2013. — Reuters
SHANGHAI: Zotye Automobile, a Ford Motor Co partner in China, said on Tuesday it planned to begin selling SUVs in the United States in 2020.

Ford is not involved in those plans by the Chinese automaker, spokesmen for the companies said.

Ford had tapped Zotye to provide lower-priced electric vehicles to some of its dealers in China.

“There is no current plan for Zotye USA to sell EVs in the US market,” Zotye spokesman Chris Hosford said in an e-mail on Tuesday.

Zotye is setting up a US sales and distribution arm in Lake Forest, California, and plans to sell vehicles in the United States through franchised dealers.

Zotye USA is owned by HAAH Automotive Holdings, headed by president and chief executive Duke Hale, a longtime executive at several automotive import operations.


Musk taps Tesla's China chief to run Texas gigafactory, says Bloomberg News

Zhu, who joined Tesla in 2014 and is heading Tesla's Asia Pacific operations, is in Austin, Texas, this week. — Visual China Group/Bloomberg
AUSTIN: Tesla Inc chief Elon Musk has roped in longtime executive and the company's president in China, Tom Zhu, to help run the carmaker's new plant here, Bloomberg News reported late on Wednesday.

Zhu, who joined Tesla in 2014 and is heading Tesla's Asia Pacific operations, is here this week.

He has brought some of his engineering team from China with him to assist in overseeing the ramp-up of Giga Texas, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Giga Texas, which opened earlier this year, makes the Model Y and will produce Tesla's upcoming Cybertruck.

It is not clear whether Zhu will retain his Asia responsibilities or for how long he will be in Austin, Bloomberg added.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the report.


Lexus Malaysia turbocharges IS line-up

SHAH ALAM: Lexus Malaysia has replaced the IS 250 with a turbocharged 200t variant.

The replacement variant has a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, complemented with the 8-speed Sports Direct Shift automatic transmission.

With today's announcement, the IS model is now available in four versions - IS 200t Premium, IS 200t Luxury, IS 200t F SPORT and IS 300h.READ ALSO:Toyota and Lexus prices to go up in 2016Product details

The IS 300h hybrid now comes with an 8-year hybrid battery assurance programme, on top of the 3 years or 100,000km standard warranty, whichever comes first.

Safety has also been improved. There are now 10 airbags (previously eight) and the addition of a Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert for the Luxury, F SPORT and Hybrid variants.

Prices of the new Lexus IS are; RM298,000 for IS 200t Premium; RM350,000 for Lexus IS 200t Luxury, RM385,000 for Lexus IS 200t F SPORT; and RM452,000for the Hybrid version. The IS comes in a choice of seven colours.

It is now available at Lexus dealerships nationwide.


Forest fires, batteries, air con: Five driving essentials for hot days

                HAMBURG: You won't always be able to park in the shade. And on those days where you have to return to a car that's punishingly hot, there are a few things you have to pay attention to.

Someone's life may depend on it.

1. Open windows first, then use the air conditioning

If you're returning to a car that's been in the sun on a hot day, fight their desire to turn the air conditioning onto the highest setting as soon as you get in.

First, air out the car by opening all the windows. Only then should you turn on the air conditioning.

Try to point the air vents away from your body in order to avoid catching a cold or drying out your eyes. If you want to avoid getting a cold, it also makes sense to keep the car's interior temperature within 8 degrees Celsius of the outside temperature.

2. Be careful where you park when near a forest

When you consider the causes of a forest fire, you probably think of someone flicking a cigarette into the woods, or perhaps of someone lighting a campfire. But did you ever consider the damage a poorly parked car can do during a drought?

If you're driving at a hot, dry time of year when there's been forest fire warnings, you'll need to pay special attention to where you park in the countryside.

That's because the exhaust systems of petrol and diesel cars can get extremely hot, even hitting temperatures of up to 500 degrees Celsius, says safety inspector expert Torsten Hesse from inspection agency TUV.

Although the exhaust system is cooled by the airstream and car manufacturers generally fit special heat protection plates onto modern vehicles, carmakers are still not able to prevent the exhaust system from overheating.

For this reason, you should never park your car on dry grass, leaves or forest soil. Once a car has caught fire, it's almost impossible to extinguish it without professional help, which can have devastating consequences. Entire fields or forests can be destroyed by fire in dry conditions.

3. Keep your windows fully closed when parked

Even on a hot and sunny day, it's always best to close your windows when leaving your car unattended.

Leaving even a small opening can be an invitation for thieves to open the vehicle and take any valuables in sight, Europe's largest automobile club, the ADAC, warns.

As such, even if you're keen to have a bit of fresh air flowing through when you return to your car, you're better off opening the doors and airing it out before driving off again.

Convertible drivers should also always close their car's roof when parking. Insurers warn that if you don't, this could lead to a loss of insurance benefits and coverage if the radio or even the whole car is stolen.

4. Never leave kids or pets alone in the car

When it's hot out, "it'll be quick" can be deadly: There's no amount of time that is safe to leave a child or pet inside a car, even if you crack the windows or are away for just a few minutes.

Temperatures inside a car can quickly hit up to 60 degrees Celsius, reports Germany's ADAC automobile association. People who leave their child or dog in a car parked in the sun are risking their lives - it doesn't matter the colour of the vehicle nor if the window's cracked.

An investigation by the ADAC using identical cars with windows opened at differing heights showed that the vehicles could still be dangerous when temperatures outside were at 28 degrees or higher.

If the windows were closed, the thermometer climbed to 38 degrees Celsius within 10 minutes; after 20 minutes, it hit 45 degrees. In a car with two slightly rolled down windows, the temperatures hit 36 and 42 degrees after the same amounts of time. Both cars were a simmering 50 degrees Celsius after one hour in the blazing sun.

No difference was found whether the car was painted white or black.

5. Don't forget any battery-powered devices

Batteries hate extreme temperatures. That's why you should never leave your smartphone or electronics in direct sunlight or inside the car for long periods, as many devices won't be able to withstand high temperatures.

Heat exposure can cause the safety mechanisms of a battery to falter and leak fluids, rendering the battery useless.


Audi readies production line for Q4 e-tron concept

                INGOLSTADT: Audi's Q4 Sportback e-tron concept will be the seventh fully-electrified vehicle to go into series production as the German automaker gears up for its formal introduction.

To be offered as a Sports Utility Vehicle or a Sportback variant (seen here), the concept will be the first of Audi's models to be built on Volkswagen Group’s modular electrification platform (MEB).

The two vehicles almost measure in identically - sharing the same 2,770mm wheelbase and 1,900mm width and although the SUV is 4,600mm-long and 1,600mm-tall, the Sportback variant is longer and lower at 10mm each.

It uses a 125kW battery that can be charged up to 80% in 30 minutes via a rapid charger and weighs 510kg while spanning the length of the vehicle's floor.

For performance, both e-trons are identical having been equipped with two electric motors for a combined system output of 225kW that's handled by the quattro all-wheel-drive system.

This allows them to travel up to 452km (502km with a rear-wheel-drive system) as well as the ability to sprint from 0 to 100kph in 6.3 seconds before reaching a top speed of 180kph - all while rolling on 22-inch wheels.

The Q4 Sportback e-tron concept will be coated in a new kinetic grey colour that basically has combination of a light metallic and pearl effect colour as well as hints of green when viewed from certain angles before getting its lower body sections finished in dark grey.

Inside, the German automaker claims that the cabin offers unrestricted front and rear legroom and occupants will be surrounded by light warm colours of white and beige microfibre textiles for the headliner, window pillars and the upper section of the door rail and dash panel. The lower section will be contrasted with dark carpet for the floor area that's made of recycled materials.

Instead of chrome-plated metal decor frames, the surfaces have been covered with a multi-layer paint finish and the seats will be upholstered with Alcantara that's been tied together by double seam stitches.

As usual, there will be the Audi virtual cockpit - a fully digital instrument cluster, which will provide the driver with data that includes speed, charge level and navigation information while a large-format heads-up display (HUD) with an augmented reality function will be a is a new feature.

The company said that its HUD system is able to superimpose important graphic information, such as directional arrows for turning, directly onto the road.

Above the centre console will be a 12.3-inch touchscreen tilted towards the driver for a driver-centric feel and provides access to the infotainment and vehicle functions and a strip of buttons below it provides access to the climate controls.

Since there won't be gear knob or handbrake lever/button, the cavity has been re-purposed as a storage compartment that includes a mobile phone charging cradle.

And to round off the goodies, the brand with the four rings will be equipping the e-tron SUV and Sportback variants with front MacPherson struts and a rear multi-link suspension with adaptive damping.


Winners of CarSifu Auto Show contest collect their prizes

Lim (middle, wearing black jacket) posing with the 'Book and Win' contest winners.
PETALING JAYA: A sizeable number of people chose to buy the Honda City at the CarSifu Auto Show 2016 last month. At least four people made the same decision and were rewarded with top prizes as part of the "Book and Win" contest held in conjunction with the show.

They were bank manager Aina Habib, IT executive Tan Wei Lee, surveyor Muhamad Faizal Ahmad and IT consultant Ramesh Lalam.

Aina, 50, was handed a 58-inch Sharp HD LED TV, while Faizal, 27, won a 50-inch Sharp UHD LED TV. Tan, 23, took home AirAsia tickets for two to Sapporo, Japan, while Ramesh was presented AirAsia tickets for two to Hong Kong.

 Aina and Ho are the winners of the 58-inch TV sets.

Aina said she went to the 1 Utama shopping centre, where the Oct 26-30 auto show was held, to take part in the contest and ended up booking the City. Aina said the styling and space of the compact sedan appealed to her.

Tan said he would give the plane tickets to his parents as a thank-you gesture for buying him the City at the auto show. He said he had gone to Namba near Osaka last year with his family, and the Sapporo trip would be a treat for his parents.

Saying he was "quite surprised to win" the AirAsia tickets, Tan pointed out that he had researched and compare a few compact cars before settling on the City for its spaciousness and high residual value.

 Tan wants to give the Sapporo trip to his parents.

"Maybe next year, I will take my younger brother to try his luck if CarSifu organises the auto show again," he said.

Rashidah Abdul Aziz, 27, who collected the TV set on behalf of her husband, Faizal, said he was jumping for joy after being informed about the win. “We were already happy with the RM7,000 rebate given by Honda Malaysia when we booked the City at the auto show. This new TV set is a bonus,” she added.

She said they have already planned to replace their 42-inch television in the living room with the new set,” Rashidah said.

Ramesh said winning the plane tickets to Hong Kong would come useful as he liked visiting the city. “I have gone to Hong Kong before and would love going there again,” said the native of Hyderabad, who has been living in Malaysia for four years.

Ramesh said he bought the City as the car was within his budget. “I have never owned a car before and got around using public transportation and ride sharing services,” he added.

 Hong Kong is a familiar place to Ramesh but he's still delighted he is able to go again for free.

Procurement manager Ho Mee Foong, said she booked a Nissan X-Trail because its 4WD capability gave her a sense of reassurance that it would be surefooted in slippery conditions. And the bigger X-Trail will give Ho, 45, more versatile space to load up on things compared to the Perodua Kembara she used to drive.

Star Media Group chief revenue officer Lim Bee Leng presented the prizes to the winners at Menara Star here this morning. The TV sets were sponsored by Sharp and plane tickets by AirAsia.

 Leong Lai Ken gets a 50-inch Sharp TV from Lim of Star Media Group.

The CarSifu Auto Show 2016 saw car brands such as Chevrolet, Citroen, Honda, Isuzu, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Perodua, Proton, Renault, Volvo and Volkswagen parading their latest models at the concourse of the shopping centre.

Those who book a vehicle during the show were automatically eligible for the Book and Win contest and stood a chance to win one of two 58-inch Full HD or one of eight 50-inch UHD television units from Sharp. Also up for grabs were a pair of AirAsia return tickets each to Sapporo, Japan; Hong Kong, China; Bali, Indonesia; Da Nang, Vietnam and Luang Prabang, Laos.


Hyundai develops Soapbox ride

                FRANKFURT: Hyundai Motor has designed the Hyundai Soapbox ride which parents can build together with their children and groups of friends can create.

The soapbox was developed by engineers and designers from the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center (HMETC) using affordable and easily-available materials.

Intended to promote quality time for customers, families and friends, Hyundai has made the instructions available to download so the vehicle can be built at home.

“In recent months, spending time together as a family has become more valuable to people. We wanted to create a fun project that would give families and friends an enjoyable project that brings them together,” said Andreas Christoph-Hofmann, Vice President of Marketing & Product at Hyundai Motor Europe.

“Of course, the Hyundai Soapbox had to stay affordable, so our designers developed it using materials that can be easily found in a local DIY store.”

The Hyundai Soapbox is a motor-less vehicle designed by Hyundai experts that is nonetheless fairly easy to build.

Designers and engineers at HMETC conceived the model in the company’s workshop, and built a prototype to ensure the feasibility of the design. In order to keep it accessible, the HMETC team was careful to only use materials which were readily available at an average hardware store. They also paid attention to the total cost of materials to make sure the design stayed affordable.

According to the responsible team, it was an interesting project for the Hyundai engineers and designers. It gave them a chance to be creative on a different type of development than usual.

“In the car industry we get so used to thinking within certain boxes, but this time, the door was open,” said Thomas Bürkle, Head of Hyundai Europe Design Center. “With this project, we were free to be creative and think outside the box.”

The Hyundai Soapbox was designed just like a regular car. First, a team of engineers built the chassis. Then, a team of designers sketched ideas, first on paper and then as 3D computer models. They came up with different designs, chose one, and started building. Lastly, another team worked on colour and trim.

When looking to other Hyundai models for inspiration, the 45 concept stood out for its straight lines and geometric shapes, as well as the Hyundai design identity “Sensuous Sportiness”.

As a basis, 45 provided the general direction and inspired the final soapbox design. Aspects of 45 can be seen in the surface treatment of the soapbox body, such as the flat panels and wedge-shaped silhouette.

The soapbox is made out of wood, metal rods, and connecting materials such as brackets and screws. The wheels are from a wheelbarrow. It has joysticks for steering and a simple mechanism for braking.

The Hyundai Soapbox is made primarily from environmentally-friendly materials such as wood and metal.

Though the soapbox is built for the size of a child, due to clever engineering, it can also carry an adult’s weight.


Get ready for a flood of sugar as Brazilians buy electric cars

                SAO PAOLO: Brazil is set to flood the world market with sugar as the transition to electric vehicles slashes demand for crop-based biofuels, according to a study led by an influential industry executive.

Demand for ethanol, made mostly from sugar cane in Brazil, will likely start to decline in 2030 as EVs become more widespread, said Soren Jensen, the former chief operating officer of top sugar trader Alvean, who authored the study together with Mariana Perina Jirousek.

That will leave millers in the world's top sugar exporter with no option but to make more of the sweetener.

The shift in Latin America's biggest economy is a blow for the world sugar market, with the pain of global surpluses and lower prices set to be felt in places like Thailand and India, which have a higher cost of production. It's also a setback for producers including Raizen Energia SA and BP Plc, which have recently expanded their capacity to produce ethanol.

"It is clear that an adaption of the new technologies will pose a significant threat to the Brazilian sugar milling sector," said Jensen, who has had a three-decade career in agribusiness.

"Players in this industry should start to take it into consideration when making investments decision gradually from now on."

Demand for ethanol, which in some years account for more than 50% of all the sugar cane crushed in Brazil, could start declining in 2025 and fall about 40% through 2035, according to the study's worse scenario.

From 2035 to 2040 a further 20% would be lost, leaving demand at merely 40% of current levels.

Brazilians have used ethanol as a fuel since at least the 1970s. Demand skyrocketed after the 2000s, when the auto industry started making flex-fuel cars, which can run solely on the biofuel or on a blend of ethanol and gasoline. Brazilian usually choose one fuel or the other depending on price.

Brazilian millers can quickly switch from sugar to ethanol production, allowing them to respond to changes in the world sugar market. In times of surpluses, companies made more ethanol, in many cases erasing the global sugar oversupply.

The adoption of EVs means Brazil will lose its ability to balance the sugar market, hurting other producing countries already contending with declining demand as health-conscious consumers shun the sweetener.

Over the last 15 years, this flexibility has been as a major shock absorber in years of oversupply of sugar, Jensen said. Without it, prices will become more volatile, he said.

The severity of the impact of the adoption of electric cars will depend on the speed of change, according to the study.

In the worst case, the authors consider that plug-in hybrid cars will prevail in Brazil's EV landscape as ride-sharing apps become more widespread.

Hybrid cars

"This is because intensive-use cars consume six times more and have a stronger economic incentive to change to a lower variable cost provided by hybrid and electrical cars," according to the study.

"Furthermore, it is probable that at least the car sharing apps will impose clean technologies on their drivers early," Jensen said.

Brazilian auto-makers have already started to look for a role for ethanol. Japan's Nissan Motor Co. has partnered with Sao Paulo's Energy and Nuclear Research Institute to develop a technology that uses the biofuel to produce hydrogen to feed EVs.

Germany's Volkswagen AG and Robert Bosch GmbH are starting to assess the scenarios for an ethanol fuel cell.

Electrification will take place no later than five years after it has happened abroad, said Antonio Filosa, chief operating officer of mobility provider Stellantis in South America.

The delay will "allow us to experiment," said Filosa, who believes there will still be a future for ethanol.


Mercedes and Ferrari’s edge in the electric age: High-end motors

                FRANKFURT: When drivers of future Mercedes-AMG models stomp the accelerator of their electric performance cars, they’ll get extra oomph out of the batteries from something that sounds straight out of Back to the Future.

No, not flux capacitors, but axial flux motors.

Mercedes-Benz AG and Ferrari NV are turning to this type of electric motor to generate headrest-hitting torque.

Axial flux motors are much smaller than predominantly used radial motors, yet pack a more powerful punch.

High-end motors like these will be crucial to brands like AMG and Ferrari as they race to electrify the high-performance vehicles that earn prestige and bumper profits.

All EVs offer the sensation of instant acceleration, from Nissan’s LEAF to Tesla’s Model S Plaid.

Whereas in the combustion age, quicker times off the line and higher top speeds were achieved with more engine cylinders, manufacturers will differentiate performance EVs by getting the most out of batteries with lighter and more efficient motors.

"The power-to-weight ratio is really a record number, and much better than conventional motors,” Markus Schaefer, Mercedes’s chief technology officer, said of the automaker’s upcoming AMG electric vehicle platform.

"It will make use of the small size of the motor.”

With each press of the accelerator, EV drivers push hundreds - and in some cases thousands - of amps of electric current to copper coils.

When these coils are energised, they become electromagnets with attractive and repulsive forces.

The magnetic force created by a stationary stator surrounding a rotating rotor produces the torque that turns the wheels of the vehicle.

In axial motors, rather than have a rotor spin inside a stator, disc-shaped rotors spin alongside a central stator. This leads the flow of current - the flux - to travel axially through the machine, rather than radially out from the center.

Since the motor generates torque at a bigger diameter, less material is needed. Yasa, an Oxford, England-based manufacturer of motors used in Ferrari’s SF90 and 296 GTB plug-in hybrids, uses just a few kilograms of iron for its stators, reducing the mass of the machines by as much as 85%.

Yasa’s motors are the brainchild of Tim Woolmer, whose work on them were the focus of his electrical engineering PhD at the University of Oxford.

Within a few years of earning his doctorate, Jaguar Land Rover made plans to use Yasa’s motors in the C-X75, a hybrid-electric two-seater with enough horsepower to rival the Porsche 918 Spyder, McLaren P1 and Ferrari LaFerrari.

While JLR ended up canceling the project due to financial constraints, Yasa’s motors found their way into the Koenigsegg Regera hybrid hypercar, followed by the Ferrari SF90.

In July last year, Mercedes announced it had acquired Yasa for an undisclosed sum and would put its motors in AMG models slated to launch starting in 2025.

"If you look at the history of automotive generally, the auto companies have wanted to have the engine, their core technology, in-house,” Woolmer said in an interview.

"The batteries, the motors, this is their core technology now. They recognise the importance of having long-term differentiation in these spaces, so they have to bring it in-house.”

The most important aspect of axial motors is form-factor potential, according to Malte Jaensch, professor of sustainable mobile drivetrains at the TUM School of Engineering and Design in Munich.

Their smaller size could allow carmakers to put one motor on each wheel, which isn’t feasible with radial motors.

Putting a motor on each wheel - or at least one on each axle - could translate into hair-raising EV driving performance.

The innovation allows for torque vectoring that better controls how much power the motors send to each individual wheel for improved agility.

High-speed cornering may help AMG and Ferrari drivers get over the lost roar of their eight-, 10- or 12-cylinder engines.

Yasa’s motors also could completely remove the need for a powertrain on the so-called skateboard underneath the middle of an EV, Woolmer said.

That would open up more space for engineers to package batteries, make more room for bigger front and rear trunk spaces, or allow designers to experiment with new aerodynamic ideas.

The small size and light weight of axial motors won’t just benefit high-performance cars.

They’re also finding a home in aerospace, leading Yasa to spin out its electric aviation division Evolito last year.

The world’s fastest electric vehicle, Rolls-Royce Plc’s electric aircraft called the Spirit of Innovation, uses three axial flux motors to drive its propeller.

The aircraft can travel around 612kph, making it faster than the Spitfire fighter aircraft that was powered by a Rolls-Royce V12 engine.

"The critical thing is their efficiency,” said Matheu Parr, the Spirit of Innovation project leader at Rolls-Royce. "This allows you to keep the weight of the aircraft low.”

Axial motors won’t necessarily be the death knell of radial motors, which deliver higher top speeds.

This led Ferrari to use two radial motors on the front axle of the SF90, along with an axial motor on the rear axle.

For the 296 GTB, handling was deemed more important, so only a lighter axial motor was used between the engine and transmission.

"It’s just a matter of what kind of driving experience you want to design for your customers with a specific engine,” said Davide Ferrara, Ferrari’s electric motors manager.

"Different voices make sweet notes.”


One for the road: Alcohol can fix your car's window wipers

                BERLIN: While it is common knowledge that alcohol and automobiles are almost always a regrettable combination, there is at least one instance where the hard stuff can actually improve your driving.

Drivers are advised to clean their window wipers with alcohol to prolong their usage and ensure that their line of vision remains clear when driving, according to technical inspection agency TÜV SÜD.

When wipers start leaving streak marks on the windshield, many motorists purchase replacements immediately when a simple cleaning routine could preserve the dirty wipers instead.

After washing the window thoroughly, drivers are advised to clean both it and the wiper rubbers with an alcohol-based solution, clearing any wax or fat from the wipers.

"Simply put a few drops on a soft cloth and gently wipe the wiper blades lengthways," says Vincenzo Luca from TÜV SÜD.

As the basis here is mostly ethanol, methylated spirits and antifreeze concentrates are suitable options for drivers performing the clean. "These definitely do not attack the wiper blades," assures Luca.

If the wipers still streak after performing the clean, then new ones are due. For good visibility, clean rearview mirrors are also important.


Toyota and Hyundai see more downside in 2016

                TOKYO: Toyota said it expected group-wide global vehicle sales to stay flat in 2016 at 10.11 million vehicles, likely keeping it ahead of rivals Volkswagen AG and General Motors Co as the world's top-selling automaker.

Global sales at the group, which includes mini-vehicle maker Daihatsu Motor Co and truck maker Hino Motors Ltd, would likely total 10.10 million vehicles this year, it said in a statement today.

Group-wide production is likely to rise about 1 percent to 10.20 million vehicles, Toyota said.

Meanwhile, Hyundai was also downbeat, saying that the outlook for the global auto market is "not bright" next year, indicating 2016 will be another challenging year for the world's fifth-largest automaker.

Speaking to the heads of the automaker's overseas units, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo said on Tuesday that growth this year was constrained by a weak global economy, the economic slowdown in the world's second-largest auto market China and a decline in emerging market demand.

"Considering many leading indicators, the outlook for next year's auto market is also not bright," he said. His remarks were first reported by Yonhap news agency and later confirmed by a company spokesman.

Hyundai Motor Co, which combined with sister firm Kia Motors Corp is the world's fifth-largest car-maker, posted its seventh-straight decline in quarterly profit in October.

Chung told the gathering that the company must build on the launch of new eco-friendly vehicles and the rollout of its high-end Genesis brand, Yonhap said.


Rolls-Royce breaks record for luxury car sales

                LONDON: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars sold a record-high number of its luxury vehicles last year, with purchases soaring worldwide, the German-owned company announced Thursday.

Run by BMW since 1998, the prestigious brand whose models include the Ghost and Phantom, sold 4,107 cars across more than 50 countries in 2018, the highest annual figure in Rolls-Royce's 115-year history.

Sales jumped more than 22 percent compared with 2017, when 3,362 Rolls-Royces were bought.

The UK-made vehicles were most popular in the Americas, Rolls said in a statement, adding that its workforce surpassed 2,000 for the first time.

"2018 was a most successful, record-breaking year for Rolls-Royce," said its chief executive Torsten Muller-Otvos.

"We have seen growth in all our regions around the world (...) We set a formidable mark in 2018: I am confident it will prove the spur to even greater success in 2019."


Nissan to recall 150,000 more vehicles in Japan after improper inspections

                TOKYO: Nissan Motor Co said today it will recall 150,000 more vehicles in Japan due to improper final inspections before they were shipped from two Japanese plants.

“Nissan has newly found several non-conformities that may have caused inaccurate pass/fail judgments,” the carmaker said in a press release.

The latest “non-conformities” involved inspections of brakes, steering wheels, speed measurements and vehicle stability, said the company.

Nissan has already revealed several other cases of improper inspections over the past year. The automaker had said in July that sample testing for emissions and fuel economy in final inspections at most of its factories in Japan did not meet domestic standards.

Since October last year, Nissan has recalled more than 1 million vehicles in Japan because of improper inspections.


Ford touts big savings with year-end and Chinese New Year service promo

                KUALA LUMPUR: Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC) has introduced its year-end and Chinese New Year service promotion running from Dec 1 to Feb 15.

Customers who book a service during the campaign period from the Ford distributor will enjoy savings of up to 20% on parts and 10% on labour fees for lubricant, brake and timing belt packages in addition to selected parts.

For more rewards, customers who top-up on lubricant packages with an additional RM40 spend on any parts or service will receive a free exclusive Ford-branded face mask.

For brake and timing belt package customers who spend an extra RM500 on parts or service, will get an exclusive denim woven bag in addition to a Ford face mask.

Furthermore, customers can take advantage of a 27-point vehicle inspection conducted by Ford-certified technicians to ensure their vehicles are in tip-top condition at no additional charge.

Customers can rest assured that only Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts are used when servicing at any Ford Authorised Service Centres nationwide.

With Genuine Ford Parts, customers can be certain of the highest standards of quality, fit and finish as the parts are specifically designed for Ford vehicles to ensure superior performance.

They also come with a warranty of 12 months or 20,000km, whichever occurs first, excluding wear and tear parts.

For added peace of mind, all Ford Authorised Service Centres are staffed and equipped only with Ford-certified technicians and diagnostic tools.

SDAC managing director Turse Zuhair said the company's service promotion is timely for this upcoming festivities and Ford customers can take advantage of this service and maintenance promotion to stay safe on the roads while enjoying more savings.

“With travel restrictions now eased, people are looking forward to travelling back to their hometowns or taking weekend trips this holiday season,” he said.

Customers can easily book a service appointment online via the Ford website at their convenience, anytime and anywhere at their desired or closest Ford Authorised Service Centre located nationwide.

Real-time e-Service appointment booking option is available at five authorised service centres nationwide - Ford Ara Damansara, Ford Petaling Jaya, Ford Juru, Ford Butterworth and Ford Kuching.

This allows customers to immediately know available time slots as well as select and confirm their preferred schedule (up to one month in advance).

To make a service appointment booking online, click here.

Alternatively, customers can make an appointment at a Ford Authorised Service Centre where they can be located here.

For more information regarding the promotion, visit www.sdacford.com.my.


WMoto introduces ES250i scooter from RM13,888

                GEORGETOWN: WMoto has unveiled the ES250i scooter that is priced from RM13,888 excluding road tax and registration.

The ES250i comes with a single-cylinder four-stroke 244.3cc engine that delivers 21hp and 21Nm of torque.

The 4-valve engine also features electronic fuel injection, liquid cooling system and meets Euro 4 emissions standard.

The ES250i has a speed of 100kph and a 12-litre fuel tank for a riding range of 280km.

Adding to safety are 240mm disc brake with front and rear anti-lock braking system in addition to KYB shock absorbers.

Other features include projector and DRL lights that use LED technology, emergency lights, instrument panel with digital and analogue display, and smart alarm key system with scooter locating feature.

Seats are made of anti-slip texture for a more comfortable rider, and there is also a 19-litre underseat storage space and a USB port.

Owners can also install YH Pro brand storage box accessories which are also provided by WMoto at its authorised dealers.

MForce Bike Holdings chief operating officer Asri Ahmad said the ES or Economic Scooter is offered with a competitive pricing.

Available colours are Fiery Red, Midnight Blue and Slate Gray.

Warranty is two years or 20,000km whichever comes first.


What you need to know about graphene batteries for electric cars

                PARIS: The traditional lithium-ion battery could soon be replaced in electric cars by a new generation made from graphene. This material has many qualities. In particular, it should allow the battery to be recharged much more rapidly than today.

Graphene is extracted from graphite, itself derived from carbon. This material has been studied for its potential use in the composition of new batteries for several years.

The main advantage of graphene is that it is faster to recharge than lithium-ion. Graphene is also more resistant and less subject to wear. In fact, its lifespan should be longer and therefore require fewer battery changes. Finally, graphene-based batteries are safer than lithium-ion batteries, which in extreme cases have already ignited and even exploded.

The main disadvantage of using graphene today is its cost, which is so high that it is often referred to as "black gold". If, however, the production of graphene batteries begins on a large scale, these costs would drop dramatically.

Chinese automaker GAC will be the first to market a model equipped with this new type of battery, integrated into its new all-electric SUV, the Aion V, which is scheduled to go into production in September 2021. GAC has announced that this new battery will be able to recharge to 80% in only 8 minutes!

This type of battery could also soon be present in our smartphones, whose complete recharges could then guaranteed in less than 5 minutes. Xiaomi and Huawei are already working on it.


Feb 23-March 1: Petrol prices up 20 sen


Tesla faces investor test after big jury award over racism

The Tesla plant in Fremont, California, where Diaz used to work. — AFP
SAN FRANCISCO/BOSTON: A contract worker has won a US$137 million jury award over workplace racism against Tesla Inc, raising pressure on the electric vehicle maker whose shareholders will vote on Thursday on a proposal to review how it addresses similar complaints for full-time employees.

The nonbinding shareholder resolution asks Tesla's board to study the impact of the company's current use of mandatory arbitration to resolve complaints of harassment and discrimination in its workplace. Tesla opposes the plan.

On Monday, a San Francisco federal jury made the award to former Tesla worker Owen Diaz. “The verdict sends a message to corporate America that you need to make sure that racist conduct is not occurring,” Lawrence Organ, his attorney told Reuters.

Diaz was able to face a public trial because contract workers were not subject to Tesla's mandatory arbitration, which forces employees to resolve disputes outside judiciary courts.

Tesla advised against the resolution because, it said, arbitration "benefits both parties with a fair resolution and a speedier return to their respective priorities without miring them in lengthy litigation."

Some technology companies have scaled back or eliminated mandatory arbitration. Uber and Lyft no longer require mandatory arbitration in cases over sexual harassment.

Google ended mandatory arbitration in 2019. In April, nearly half of Goldman Sachs Group Inc shareholders voted in favour of examining the bank's use of mandatory arbitration.

Imre Szalai, a law professor at Loyola University New Orleans, said such a verdict against Tesla would create "shaming and awareness" of problems at the company.

"The public becomes aware that Tesla needs to change and increases more pressure for the company, as opposed to confidential arbitration award that doesn't get that much publicity," he said.

Tesla arbitration agreements with employees and customers effectively bars them from publicly fighting in court disputes about pay, sexual harassment, race, disability and other kinds of discrimination, as well as product defects.

There are around 100 cases in US federal and state courts where Tesla sought to compel arbitration including lawsuits against the company over employment, personal-injury, and contract matters, according to Reuters' review of Westlaw case data.

Kristin Hull, CEO of Nia Impact Capital who filed the resolution, said Monday’s jury verdict could help boost support. A similar measure last year garnered a 27% share of votes cast. Musk has 23.1% of Tesla shares.

"This will be alarming," she told Reuters after the verdict. "That's a huge brand risk for Tesla to have these cases."

Tesla's clean-transportation credentials have made it a popular investment for Environmental, Social and Governance investors. "This has taken a lot of environmental investors by surprise and they're not happy," she said.

Nia Impact Capital has tried to sway major shareholder BlackRock Inc, whose funds voted against the resolution last year. BlackRock declined to comment.

Tesla said that in the years since Diaz worked at the company it has added employees to investigate complaints and to promote equal opportunity.

In a blog post after the jury verdict Tesla Vice President Valerie Capers Workman wrote that "we will continue to remind everyone who enters the Tesla workplace that any discriminatory slurs – no matter the intent or who is using them – will not be tolerated."

Still proxy advisory firms Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis both have recommended investors support the proposal, as they did the similar proposal last year.


Mitsubishi 3S centre opens in Kluang, Johor

                KUALA LUMPUR: A new Mitsubishi Motors 3S Centre has opened in Kluang.

This latest expansion increases the Mitsubishi Motors dealer network to seven showrooms in Johor.

The dealership is operated by K.M. Lim Auto Sdn Bhd, a company that has been involved in the automotive business 1986.

Occupying a two-storey shoplot and with a built-up area of 10,000 square feet, the 3S centre presents Mitsubishi Motors’ modern brand identity and global brand message "Drive Your Ambition".

 Ikeda (left) with K.M. Lim Auto dealer-principal Albert Lim marking the opening of the Kluang 3S centre.

The outlet comes with a fully-equipped service centre and a customer lounge with WiFi and a kid’s corner.

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia chief executive officer Shinya Ikeda said the opening of the Kluang dealership was part of its move to cover untapped locations and extend sales and services to meet the growing demands for the brand.

The new dealership is located at 39, Jalan Tasik Indah 1/1, Taman Tasik Indah, 86000 Kluang, Johor.

It is open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 7pm, Saturday from 9am to 6 pm, and on Sunday from 10am to 5pm.