2020 Honda Accord launched in Bangkok

                BANGKOK: Honda Automobile (Thailand) Co Ltd has introduced the all-new Honda Accord premium sport sedan, with the Honda Sensing premium advanced safety technology.

The 10th-generation Honda Accord comes with two powertrain options:

- a 1.5-litre Di VTEC turbocharged engine producing 190ps and maximum torque of 243Nm featuring direct injection, and a CVT (continuously variable transmission). This 1.5-litre turbocharged engine offers better performance than the 2.4-litre engine in the previous generation and impressive fuel efficiency of 16.4km per litre which is better than the previous 2.0-litre engine.

- Sport Hybrid Intelligent Multi Mode Drive (i-MMD) system which has a 2.0-litre Atkinson Cycle, DOHC i-VTEC engine, 4-cylinders 16-valves with two electric motors, E-CVT and Lithium-Ion battery that produces 215ps. Fuel efficiency is claimed to be 24.4km per litre.

Meanwhile, the Honda Sensing safety technology with a millimeter-wave radar and monocular camera work together to sense obstacles in front of the vehicle while warning and assisting drivers in critical driving situations to help minimise collision severity.

Honda Sensing comprises:

- Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
- Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow (ACC with LSF)
- Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)
- Road Departure Mitigation System with Lane Departure Warning (RDM with LDW)
- Auto High-Beam (AHB)

Other advanced safety features include Cross Traffic Monitor (CTM) that alerts driver with sound and arrows on display when another vehicle comes on the left rear or right side of the rear; Multi-View Camera System (MVCS) which shows image from all directions including bird’s eye view using the four cameras (front, left, right and rear), and Honda Smart Parking Assist System which automatically controls the steering wheel and the driver only moves forward or backward as advised and shown on the display, making reverse and parallel parking easily.

There's a new chrome front grille, LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) and LED taillights, 17-inch alloy wheels on the turbocharged engine model and 18-inch wheels on the Hybrid model.

The cabin is more spacious, offers more leg room, and has premium functions such as the Head-Up Display (HUD), the 7-inch TFT driver’s meter, the 8-inch Advanced Touch instrument panel that supports Apple CarPlay, SIRI voice command support, wireless charger, and Engine Remote Start.

In Thailand, the new Accord will have three variants:

- Hybrid Tech: price not over 1,800,000 baht (RM230,683)
- Hybrid: price not over 1,650,000 baht (RM211,459)
- Turbo EL: price not over 1,500,000 baht (RM192,235)

Official prices of the new Honda Accord in Thailand will be announced in May 2019.


Naza to reward Paralympians with Kia Sportage and condo unit

Update: Malaysian gold medalists at the Rio Paralympics 2016 will now receive a residential suite from Naza Corporation Holdings on top of the Sportage. The RM350,000 Trion 888 at Equine Park, Seri Kembangan, will be completed by the end of 2017.

PETALING JAYA: Naza Corporation Holdings will reward the Malaysian gold medallist with a Kia Sportage for creating history at the Rio Paralympics in Brazil.

"I am very proud of our Malaysian Paralympians who will be bringing their gold medals home.

"Being a homegrown company, Naza will be rewarding our homegrown Malaysian athletes who win gold at the Rio Paralympics 2016 with an all-new Kia Sportage each," said its chairman and chief executive officer Nasarudin Nasimuddin in a statement today.

Nasarudin, who is also the president of the Paralympics Council of Malaysia, said the athletes' achievements in Rio had not only inspired other athletes, but all Malaysians as well.

"Our Malaysian Paralympians have showed their mettle despite their odds. This is how we show that Malaysia Boleh!" he said.

The first gold medal was won by Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi in the 100m T36 (celebral palsy) event, while Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli won the gold medal with a new world record in the men's shot put F20 (intellectual disability) final.


Water bottle trick: Are thieves about to steal your car? Probably not

                BERLIN: Car-jackers are using plastic bottles to jam tyres in a ploy to steal cars, social media posts and car websites repeatedly warn. And yet this is more likely a popular urban legend that refuses to go away.

Despite being repeatedly debunked on the Internet and no police actively warning about any such risk, the would-be trick continues to cause alarm.

The first report to have received signification attention came from South Africa in 2018 in a now deleted Facebook post that said "if you find a plastic bottle near your car, you may be in danger."

Warnings about a the water bottle trick thieves use to steal cars spread to media in other countries such as Mexico, India and, now, Germany, despite fact checks in several countries showing that no police force has reported of this form of carjacking.

"There are no known cases in Germany (yet). But car thieves like to be inspired by colleagues," the mass-circulation Autobild motoring gazette recently said, calling on drivers to be on guard.

The trick, as described on social media and on various car news websites, is simple. A potential car thief wedges a plastic bottle between the tyre, mudguard and bumper on the passenger side of the car, either at the front or rear.

The driver then hears odd, crunching noises, jumps out to investigate and walks around the car, usually leaving the key in the ignition or even the engine still running. This is the cue for the thief to get in the car and drive off or else pilfer belongings.

Whether it's myth or real, experts advise motorists to get into the habit of briefly checking their car's road-worthiness before getting in. Briefly walk around the car and look at the tyres to see if there's any reason - water bottle or other - to be suspicious.

While there does not appear to be a clear carjacking risk from hidden water bottles, if you do notice a crunching sound after setting off, stop as quickly as you can and ensure the car is locked once you get out and take a closer look.

It is worth noting that in most cases the plastic bottle will not cause real damage to the vehicle.


Volvo to remove single-use plastics by 2019, and that includes its Malaysian ops

                GOTHENBURG: Apart from declaring that no one will die in a Volvo car by 2020, the Swedish car maker has also just announced its latest ambition to minimise its global environmental footprint.

It said it will remove single-use plastics from all its offices, canteens and events across the globe by the end of 2019. The decision reflects the company’s support of the UN Environment Clean Seas campaign.

The car maker will replace more than 20 million single-use plastic items such as cups, food containers and cutlery with more sustainable alternatives, including biodegradable products made of paper, pulp and wood. This equates to the removal of more than 500 plastic items per employee per year.

The switch will be implemented incrementally. By the end of 2018, single-use plastics will be removed from global events such as car launches, as well as from all offices and restaurants in Volvo Cars facilities in Malaysia, China, Belgium, the United States and Sweden.

During 2019, all national sales companies will eradicate single-use plastics from their operations, including local events.

Volvo estimates that the 2018 roll-out alone will result in the replacement of more than 140 tonnes of single-use plastic items with plastic-free alternatives.

“Plastics pollution is one of the great environmental challenges of our time,” said Stuart Templar, Director for Sustainability at Volvo Cars. “We take our responsibility seriously. We must play our part in helping tackle this global problem.”

 The V90 Cross Country.


Lexus to show off first electric car in Guangzhou on Nov 22

                TOKYO: Lexus today sent out a teaser image indicating that its first fully electric car will make its world premiere at the Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition.

The fact it chose China to roll out its first EV shows it's banking on the biggest auto market in the world to recoup its investment in the project.

Lexus was sparse with its words, saying that the car had been designed with the Chinese and the European markets in mind.

Although Lexus had recently shown the electric LF-30 concept with gullwing doors in Tokyo, this is unlikely to the car that would be officially revealed in Guangzhou, come Nov 22. It's too niche where Lexus needs to come out with a mainstream model that sells in numbers.

Some auto observers are speculating that the car that's coming could be the electric version of the UX crossover or even the final version of the 2015 LF-SA compact hatchback concept, a 2+2 city car.


Honda has enough cash...for now

                TOKYO: Honda Motor Co posted its lowest operating profit in four years as the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic continues to batter global car demand.

The Japanese carmaker's operating profit for the year ended in March fell 13% to 634 billion yen ($5.9 billion) - off its estimated 669 billion yen profit.

The Japanese brand, as well as other global automakers, have begun to gradually resume operations at their vehicle plants, but face weak demand as job losses and concern about a global economic downturn weigh on consumer spending.

Carmakers are also trying to cope with supply chain disruptions and social distancing measures that are expected to limit output in the coming months.

Whispers on the interweb indicate that global vehicle sales could drop by as much as 33% with Honda having just declared an 8.5% decline already.

However, the Japanese carmaker said that it has enough cash that's equivalent to almost two months of sales to weather the downturn caused by the Covid-19 virus.

Beyond that, if a second or third wave of infections were to come about, the company may resort to issuing bonds to raise funds.


All-new Land Rover Defender to launch locally on Oct 21

                PETALING JAYA: The latest model of the iconic Land Rover Defender 110 is set for launch locally at 11am on Oct 21.

Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia (JLRM) will live stream of the digital launch on Land Rover Malaysia’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/landrovermalaysia.

The Defender will be offered in two options of powertrains – 2.0L 300PS and 3.0L 400PS mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV).

It also a permanent all-wheel drive, a twin-speed automatic gearbox, a maximum towing capability of 3,500kg and a maximum static roof load of 300kg.

Completely redesigned and reengineered, the new Defender remains the toughest and the ultimate 4X4 vehicle for overland adventures.

It combines off-road ability with toughness to create the ultimate dual-purpose vehicle through delivery of a practical technology and a functional design for everyday city driving.

The Defender’s new purpose-engineered architecture is based on a lightweight aluminium monocoque construction of the new D7x architecture to create the stiffest body structure that the brand has ever produced – three times stiffer than the best body-on-frame designs in the market.

Named the 2021 World Car Design of the Year, the new Defender features a distinctive silhouette that makes it instantly recognisable, with minimal front and rear overhangs providing class-leading ground clearance, breakover, approach and departure angles.

It also gets other familiar Defender styling trademarks like a purposeful upright stance and Alpine light windows in the roof, the side-hinged rear tailgate and externally mounted spare wheel.

Among the new features of the Defender include:

· 3D Surround Camera coupled with new 3D exterior perspectives alongside a 360° overhead view which makes manoeuvring easier, while off-road views including the innovative ClearSight Ground View provides the driver with more confidence when scaling various terrains. This feature displays a camera view of the front underside of the vehicle on the large central Touchscreen – which under normal circumstances, would not be visible to the driver

· Adaptive Dynamics with Electronic Air Suspension, allowing the driver to fine-tune the driving characteristics. The system’s adaptive dampers monitor body movements up to 500 times per second and respond almost instantaneously to optimise control and comfort in ensuring a composed flat ride.

· Wading depth of 900mm, which makes it the first Land Rover to feature a Wade programme within the Terrain Response menu. The Wade Program in Terrain Response raises the vehicle using Electronic Air Suspension, while Wade Sensing uses ultrasonic sensors in the door mirrors to alert the driver visually and audibly if water approaches the vehicle’s maximum wading depth.

· State-of-the-art new Pivi Pro infotainment system that is supported by British-based Meridian Sound System.

All Land Rover vehicles come with the Land Rover Care programme, which includes a five-year warranty, five years of free service and three years of roadside assistance.

Interested parties can visit Jaguar Land Rover showrooms nationwide to place their booking. For details, visit www.landrover.com.my.


Shift up to the RM2.7mil Porsche 911 Speedster

                KUALA LUMPUR. The Porsche 911 Speedster gets a virtual launch in Malaysia today, set against a pandemic backdrop.

Distributor Sime Darby Auto Performance said the model is limited to only 1,948 units worldwide and it is selling in Malaysia from RM2.7mil.

In line with its puristic driving dynamics, it is only equipped with a manual six-speed sports transmission.

Forming an elegant bridge from the 356 to the 911, the two-seater Speedster is reminiscent of its famous predecessor and nods to the vehicle’s history in its exterior and interior design.

The first GT-based Speedster, the new 911 Speedster features a 4-litre six-cylinder flat engine delivering 510hp and 470Nm to complement the soundtrack of the high-performance naturally aspirated engine.

The heart of the new Speedster is borrowed from the 911 GT3. The naturally aspirated six-cylinder boxer engine with four-litre displacement is a pure GT engine.

It boasts an emotional high-speed concept with engine speeds of up to 9,000 rpm that delivers the peak power of 510hp. The engine delivers a maximum torque of 470Nm at 6,250 rpm.

The car accelerates from zero to 100kph in 4.0 seconds and reaches a top speed of 310kph.

Compared with the previous 911 GT3, the engine in the Speedster is fitted with two petrol particulate filters and still manages 10hp more.

This is due to improvements to the high-pressure fuel injectors with optimised spray pattern as well as a modified intake system with individual throttle valves, which enables a more spontaneous response to throttle commands.

The newly developed lightweight stainless steel sports exhaust system weighs 10kg less, despite the addition of the two particulate filters.

The gearbox has an auto-blip function which compensates differences in engine speed between the gears when downshifting through automatic throttle blips.

Auto-blip can be activated at any time, in other words also independently from the chosen PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) variable damping system setting.

A mechanical rear differential lock with asymmetric locking action rounds off sporty power transmission.

With its sporty rear-axle steering and dynamic engine mounts, the chassis is based on the technology of the 911 GT3.

Control systems such as Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV), Porsche Stability Management (PSM) and PASM with sports tuning and lowering by 25 millimetres have been adapted to the new requirements.

The open-top two-seater runs on 20-inch forged Speedster alloy wheels with central locks.

The standard equipment includes PCCB brakes (Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake) with internally vented and perforated ceramic composite disc brakes.

Taking centre stage is the aesthetically shaped convertible top compartment lid with its double-bubble streamliners – a quintessential feature of this sports car type ever since the 911 Speedster from over 30 years ago.

It is the largest and most complex component to date that Porsche has used in a road model made of a single piece of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic.

Two trim elements in the double bubbles make room for the roll-over protection system as need, included in the two-seater as a standard feature just like in the 911 Carrera Cabriolet.

A weight-saving roof structure replaces the basic tonneau cover of the concept vehicle. Despite its puristic design, the fabric convertible top is suitable for everyday use.

The carbon-fibre composite bonnet weighs 2kg lighter than on the 911 GT3. The front apron was borrowed from the GT3, but the front spoiler lip is a completely new development.

Instead of the Talbot mirrors used on the concept vehicle, the production version of the new Speedster features electrically adjustable Sport Design exterior mirrors.

The extending, aerodynamically tuned rear spoiler and rear apron have been adopted from the 911 GT3 Touring for the Speedster.

The interior is characterised by black leather elements for the side bolsters and head restraints of the carbon-fibre composite full-bucket seats, the armrests in the door trims and the shortened gear lever. The centre panels of the seats are upholstered in perforated leather, while the lightweight door panels with black "door pulls" and stowage nets reduce the overall weight.

“Speedster” logos adorn the head restraints and the visible carbon door sills as well as the central rev counter.

Like the other instruments, it has black dials with white needles as well as green digits and scales – features reminiscent of its famous forebear, the Porsche 356 Speedster.

A limited-edition badge on the cross structure behind the front seats shows the serial number of the 911 Speedster, which is limited to just 1,948 units.

Porsche also optionally offers the new 911 Speedster with a Heritage Design package.

This exclusive exterior and interior detailed package re-interprets classic elements from the 1950s and 1960s - this includes the interior colour scheme in Black and Cognac with golden details.

Special “spears” paintwork in White for the front fascia and front wings is applied to the basic vehicle paintwork in GT Silver Metallic.

Historic looking motorsports decals for the doors and front lid complete the package. The Porsche crests, the gold-coloured logos and historic “PORSCHE” lettering on the sides of the vehicle correspond to the designs used in the 50s and 60s.

The new 911 Speedster will be on display at Porsche Centre Sungai Besi from June 13 for a limited time only. Showroom visits are by appointment.

Meanwhile, watch the Malaysia digital premiere of the sports car at 8.00pm tonight via the Porsche Malaysia Facebook page or from the Sime Darby Auto Performance YouTube channel as shown above.


Ni Hsin to partner Sirim in setting up lithium-ion battery recycling plant

From left: Sirim industrial research senior vice-president Mohd Azanuddin Salleh, Sirim president and group CEO Datuk Indera Ahamad Sabirin Arshad, Ni Hsin chairman Sofiyan Yahya, Ni Hsin EV tech managing director Steven Khoo Chee Kong and executive director Rizvi Abdul Halim
KUALA LUMPUR: Ni Hsin Group Bhd's subsidiary Ni Hsin EV Tech Sdn Bhd has entered into a collaboration with Sirim Bhd for the setting up of a lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycling plant in Malaysia through a public-private partnership funding model.

It said the partnership will also explore the provision of an eco-system for a circular economy model in mitigating the impact on the environment as a result of LIB being processed illegally in Malaysia, the potential for setting up a lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant in Malaysia and introducing a lithium-ion battery recycling policy working with the Malaysian government.

“The setting up of an LIB Recycling Plant is the right step in furthering Ni Hsin’s green mission in support of the government’s commitment towards a more sustainable, resilient and inclusive development in line with the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)," said Ni Hsin EV tech managing director Khoo Chee Kong in a statement.

He said the current LIB recycling market is estimated to be worth around US$1.7bil and is expected to increase significantly over the next 10 years.

According to the statement, the Sirim-Ni Hsin LIB recycling pilot plant will be fully operational in 2023 with an annual recycling capacity of 550 tonnes of LIBs.

For a start, the output will be sold to lithium-ion batteries manufacturers in the form of black mass.

"In the Asean region, there is only one such recycling facility in Singapore with a recycling capacity of 14 tonnes of LIB per day.

"Being one of the first movers in this region makes Ni Hsin more attractive to investors who are beginning to consider sustainability factors in their investment decision-making process,” said Khoo.

Sirim president and group CEO Datuk Indera Ahmad Sabirin Arshad added that Sirim is ready to work with any parties that are keen to explore any form of recycling business where it can contribute in terms of the latest technologies towards building the local recycling capabilities for e-waste.

“Under this collaboration both companies will focus on the recovery of precious metals such as lithium and cobalt in 2024 and embark on lithium-ion battery manufacturing 2025, when the volume by processing more lithium-ion batteries from other nations,” he added.


UMW group records healthy automotive sales in January

                KUALA LUMPUR: UMW Holdings Bhd’s automotive business kicked off 2021 on an encouraging note with healthy sales recorded in January by both its subsidiary UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) and associate company Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua).

In a statement today, the conglomerate said UMWT sold 3,845 units last month, up 4.1 per cent from 3,692 units in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, Perodua, in which UMW Holdings is single largest shareholder, registered sales of 16,894 units in the month under review. No comparison figure was given in the statement.

"The sustained demand was due to the sales tax exemption incentive, which has now been extended to June 30, 2021,” UMW Holdings said.

Toyota Vios, Yaris and Hilux continued to be UMWT’s best-selling models in January.

"The improved Vios and Yaris were launched on Dec 17, 2020. To further enhance its products offering for 2021, UMWT introduced the updated Toyota Fortuner and Innova on Feb 2, 2021,” it said.

On Perodua, UMW Holdings noted that it targeted to sell 240,000 units this year, a nine per cent increase over the 220,163 units sold in 2020.

"Perodua also plans to increase its stock by targeting to increase production to 272,000 vehicles this year, the highest in its history, and, in the process, will purchase a record RM6.5 billion worth of locally-sourced components in 2021 which will bode well for the local automotive industry,” it said.

UMW Holdings president and group chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Fuaad Kenali said both UMWT and Perodua would continue to focus on introducing new and improved models and offer superior after-sales services to satisfy customers’ requirements and expectations in order to achieve the group’s targets in 2021.

"Moving forward, the Malaysian automotive Association has forecast that the total industry volume will grow by nearly eight per cent to 570,000 units in 2021, underpinned by the projected Gross Domestic Product growth of between 6.5 and 7.5 per cent in 2021 and continued support from the government,” he added.


CIMB offers more toll payment options

                PETALING JAYA: CIMB Group Holdings Berhad (CIMB) and PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) announced on Monday that they have recently come to an agreement to provide additional payment options to road users at PLUS expressways across the country.

These enhanced toll payment services will be facilitated by Touch n’ Go Sdn Bhd (TnG) through the TnG RFID tag. TnG is a subsidiary of CIMB Group.

Starting with PLUS expressways, this initiative promises a seamless experience with more options for toll payment anchored on the concept of Open Payments and will give highway customers the choice to link their TnG RFID tags to any of their bank accounts, credit cards, debit cards or the TnG e-wallet.

CIMB said both parties aim to roll-out the open payments facility to all toll highway concessionaires across Malaysia in the future.

Over time, this RFID driven payment mode is expected to replace the TnG card that has been the defacto mode of payment for toll transactions across the country.

For starters, TnG RFID services will be available in 10 open system toll plazas at PLUS expressways from Jan 1, 2020. TnG RFID services for all 83 closed system toll plazas will be available on the PLUS expressways by April 1 in the same year.

Open system toll plazas are defined as a system where the toll fare is a fixed rate based on vehicle class.

Closed system toll plazas are defined as a system that based the toll rate on the vehicle class and distance travelled upon entry and exit out of the highway.

“RFID transactions will be real time, as our highway customers will receive immediate notification of their balance and CIMB/TnG have given their commitment to this high standard of service delivery,” said Azman.

“We’re extremely pleased to have been able to work with PLUS to lead this landmark initiative. The democratisation in toll payments is something we fully champion and the CIMB teams, together with the teams at our subsidiary TnG, are committed to collaborating with PLUS and, in time, other highway concessionaires  to make open payments an accessible reality for all Malaysians,” said CIMB Group chief executive officer Tengku Datuk Sri Zafrul Aziz.

"We are delighted that CIMB is aligned on this ambition to partner with us to lead in making it a seamless journey on our highways with the democratisation of toll payments where over time, other mode of payment can be considered, thus ensuring the toll industry is always relevant with market practices,” said PLUS managing director Datuk Azman Ismail.

TnG RFID services have been available in pilot-mode at selected expressways nationwide since the beginning of 2019.

The TnG RFID initiative is the first step of a masterplan aimed at reducing congestion on Malaysian expressways.

The scheme is being coordinated and devised in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Works and Malaysian Highway Authority.

CIMB said there would be no disruption to the current card, SmartTAG or PayDirect services during this transition.


Jaguar drives into the record books, again

                LONDON: The British luxury automotive brand's obsession with the Guinness Book of World Records clearly shows no signs of abating with its latest publicity stunt — setting the fastest speed ever for towing a skier through snow.

The skier in question is former British Olympian Graham Bell and the car that pulled him at speeds of up to 188kph is the new Jaguar XF Sportbreak with all-wheel drive.

The new record, a whole 75kph faster than the current best, was set at the Arctic Revi Test Centre in Aejeplog, Sweden, where the temperature was a decidedly chilly -28°C — great for strong, compacted snow, but potentially problematic for a car's powertrain and of course for a skier's ability to maintain his body temperature and mobility.

Yet after just two practice runs Jaguar was able to set a new record, thanks mostly to the car's special traction control system that enables smooth acceleration off the line on potentially any surface plus continuous adjustments to power channelled to the axles to counteract wheel spin and loss of grip.

"The XF Sportbrake's superb traction, handling and high speed stability made it the perfect choice for this speed record attempt. We're extremely proud to have supported Graham in this incredible world-beating achievement," said Jaguar Land Rover UK managing director Jeremy Hicks.

As well as its latest record, Jaguar also holds the record for completing the largest loop-the-loop — 19.08 metres in the F-Pace SUV; the biggest barrel roll, turning through 270° over 15.3 metres, set in London in the E-Pace SUV in July; and in March 2015 the XF sedan completed the furthest ever high-wire water crossing undertaken by a car — 240 metres travelling at a height of 18 metres above the River Thames.

Meanwhile, its sister firm, Land Rover is the first car company to drive one of its multi-tonne SUVs over a bridge constructed solely of paper and to tow a 100-tonne train for 10km along a stretch of railway track in Switzerland.

And while these feats are brilliant at attracting publicity, according to Hicks they also help the company ensure that their cars really are fit for purpose. "It's this kind of trail-blazing activity that really tests our cars to their limits," he said.


Musk promises Tesla design overhaul, 'ravecave' at Berlin plant

Tesla plans to build a new version of its Model Y crossover vehicle, and possibly even battery cells at the German site. — Reuters
FRANKFURT: Tesla’s will use its plant in Brandenburg, Germany to demonstrate a radical overhaul of how its cars are built, as well as making electric car battery cells and battery packs, chief executive Elon Musk said on Thursday.

Musk made the comments to bystanders at Gruenheide, on the outskirts of Berlin, where the US carmaker is building its new European factory, a video on the Teslarati website showed.

Tesla plans to manufacture a new version of its Model Y crossover vehicle, and possibly even battery cells at the site.

“It will be the first time that there will be a transformation in the core structural design of the vehicle. It’s quite a big thing. Both manufacturing, engineering and design as well,” Musk said in the video.

Tesla wanted to help accelerate a transition to sustainable energy, not just build cars, Musk said.

“The three elements needed for a sustainable energy future are sustainable energy generation, energy storage, and sustainable transport, electric cars.”

Musk’s comments come after Tesla acquired a licence that will enable it to trade electricity across western Europe and started surveying customers in Germany about potentially using Tesla electricity in their cars.

“I think we will be building some batteries and cells and other things here. That will be good for stationary storage of wind and solar,” Musk stated.

Musk, who said he was pleased with the progress being made on the plant, told the bystanders that “Deutschland Rocks” and praised the availability of local engineering talent, saying that Tesla would need to make lots of hires.

“We will start off with the factory but we will also do some original engineering and design work. It is going to be, actually to be totally frank, better than the one in the U.S.”

As well as having the most advanced vehicle paintshops in the world at its Brandenburg factory, Tesla wants to have a colour laboratory in Germany.

Musk, while signing autographs for fans, said he also has plans for a “ravecave” on the roof of the new factory, which would be a “real fun place to work”.

“I think a ravecave is culturally necessary.”


Audi e-tron to replace wing mirrors with screens

                INGOLSTADT: There have been a number of concepts at motor shows in recent years that have replaced traditional wing mirrors with cameras and screens, but none have made it into production so far.

While Cadillac in the US has replaced the rearview mirror with a screen showing what's going on behind the car using a camera, now Audi is set to go the whole way with the production version of its  e-tron electric crossover.

This feature will be an available option when the  e-tron comes to market, so instead of wing mirrors there will be cameras mounted into small winglets placed where the mirrors would normally have been located on the Audi.

When it comes to the driver seeing the images from the camera, it appears there will be an additional screen located on the driver's side between the instrument cluster and where the door meets the dashboard.

A feature like this could easily be dismissed as something of a gimmick, especially if all it did was replace mirrors that already work pretty well with something more complex and potentially less reliable.

However, the cameras that are much smaller than wing mirrors also have to work in conjunction with the air suspension that can lower the  e-tron to its most aerodynamic position. This reduces the claimed drag coefficient of the  e-tron so it cuts through the air more easily than the smaller Q2 crossover SUV.

On a normal vehicle this would make a difference to acceleration, top speed and fuel efficiency, which would all be very welcome. But it's even more important for a vehicle like this because it helps to increase the available driving range on a full charge of the battery.

Audi is claiming that without the drag-reduction technology employed by the  e-tron, the sizable electric SUV would have a range 21 miles shorter than it is with the tech. With the full complement of aerodynamic technology the  e-tron has a range of 248 miles.

And that's according to new WLTP standard which is a new procedure that measures fuel consumption, CO₂, NOx, particulates by mass and number, and carbon dioxide. The new system covers a greater range of vehicle and engine speeds, engine load, gear changes and temperatures than the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) it replaces.

The  e-tron is to get its official launch in August, and it will be the first of a trio of battery electric vehicles the German luxury brand will be introducing by 2021.


New Hino 3S centre opens in Ipoh

                IPOH: Daihatsu (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (DMSB), one of Hino Motors Sales (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (HMSM) authorized dealers, has announced the opening of the new 3S Center (Sales, Service and Spare parts) here.

DMSB collaborates as dealerships for the sale and after-sales service of Hino trucks and buses since 2010 and starts expanding their branches into eight outlets and six authorised service centres nationwide.

The Executive Director of DMSB, Makoto Ogawa, said in his opening speech, “This new showroom is to further help not just on improving the sales numbers but also to enhance our overall customer experience. As some of you may have known, we have come a long way in establishing our partnership with Hino Malaysia.

“One of the main considerations of this new outlet is to unify sales and aftersales service under one roof to form a comprehensive 3S centre. This further solidifies DMSB commitment to strengthen better customer service with not just by offering reliable product, but with quality service as well.”

Previously, the sales and services department were located at two different locations, and the DMSB team has upgraded the new branch with 3S facilities.

The new infrastructure acts as a one stop centre with a built-up area of 84,942 sq ft while the service centre is equipped with 11 bays and three hoists.

“I am proud to share that our monthly service intakes have doubled up in numbers and there’s been increased in revenue following the implementation of Kaizen practices here in Ipoh since August 2018,” said Makoto.


First drive of BMW 5 Series (G30) in Portugal

Update: The latest BMW 5 Series launches in Malaysia today.

Slightly over-roasted peanuts, a dash of evaporated milk and ice that’s shaved just right, keeping it’s snowy texture. All that little things that make a simple ice kacang, a great one.

Likewise, the new BMW 5 Series sedan is just like that. The engineers refined the already great sixth generation F10 5 Series and made it safer, smarter, faster and way cooler.

So, when I was given the chance to test drive the G30 BMW 5 Series sedan in Lisbon, Portugal, I was curious to find out how far the improvements go.

The exterior
The new BMW sedan on the outside looks super sleek with its new design. It’s new Adaptive LED headlights connect seamlessly with the kidney grille while the rear end is lower and wider and boasts a symmetrical arranged exhaust tailpipes.

“For the first time, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan brings together two traditional BMW design elements which are normally separate from one another,” said BMW design chief Karim Habib (he has since left BMW to join Infiniti).

The swage line turns up as it heads rearwards, moving from shadow to light and sweeping up the Hofmeister kink in its path rather than continuing into the rear.

This upwards motion lends the car a forward-surging character, and the expressive, swooping surface imbues it with an undeniable muscularity.”

The interior
As I got into the car, I was warmly greeted with illuminated aluminium door sill strips with the BMW logo.

With luxurious leather seats for both front and back, the interior is very comfortable, and it feels, looks somewhat futuristic with its stylish and elegant interior design which also includes an option to change the colour of the lighting panel according to your mood.

The car also feels much more spacious with more than enough room for my elbows and my legs to stretch.

For the test drive, I drove from Lisbon to Setubal in the south and up North to Penha Longa for a total of 157km.

This route would lead me through small towns, hilly and coastal areas, highways, and of course, Lisbon’s famous landmark, Ponte 25 de Abril suspension bridge.

Driving assistance systems
The one thing that I never had any practice before this test, was driving on the right side of the road. But thanks to my co-driver, I would know when I accidentally drove on the wrong side of the road; when his voice pitch rises a notch.

However, driving through these unfamiliar places was a breeze and safer, thanks to BMW’s driving assistance systems which really help keep me safe in my lane.

The driving assistance systems here include the Steering and lane control assistant, Lane change assistant, the Lane Departure warning system, the Side collision warning system and the Wrong-way warning, which obviously was very useful for me.

These driving assistance systems is supported by cameras, radar, and ultrasound sensors installed around the car.

These sensors and multi-cams even allows you to see a 3D view of the area around the car in real-time too and gives colour-coded proximity warnings to help in your manuevering or parking.

The improved projection surface Heads Up Display (HUD) is now 70% bigger and in high-resolution. The new HUD doesn’t feel cluttered despite projecting all the relevant info.

With its bigger display, it is easy on the eyes and the navigation clearly displayed, allowing me to fully keep my eyes on the road.

One of the interesting upgrades is the improved 10.25-inch touchscreen, which not only allows you to control key functions through the iDrive Controller, but now also allows you to control it using hand gestures and voice controls, which was only previously available in the 7 Series.

With gesture controls, you can adjust your car volume by moving your fingers in circular movements, zoom in and out by the pinching or pulling of your fingers, swipping your fingers to change menu and even using just two fingers to navigate home. Pretty cool and convenient.

Its Intelligent Voice Assistant is considered the most advanced level of natural voice control currently available. Instead of having to use set spoken commands, the driver can custom make their request in everyday language.

It also understands other various languages like Chinese, French, Portuguese and Japanese, depending on where the vehicle is being delivered to. Hopefully, it can understand our Manglish one day.

BMW Connected
BMW also prides itself in connecting people while on the go through technology. Its BMW ConnectedDrive technology allows drivers to sync emails, calender entries and contacts and edit them while inside the car for Microsoft 365 users.

Drivers can also transfer relevant driving information into their smartphones. If you hate getting tied up in knots over charging wires, the new sedan also supports wireless charging.

Another interesting to note is that, with its Remote 3D view, you can check on your car anytime in three-dimensional view of your car right in your smartphone.

The driving experience
As I slowly cruise along the road, it began to rain. This is where I found the sound absorbers here is excellent.

I can have a decent conversation with my passenger and co- driver without raisng my voice, even while driving through heavy rain. Driving the new sedan was quite an enjoyable experience. BMW’s Integral Active steering and xDrive intelligent all-wheel feature really gave it more stability and control, especially when negotiating tight bends.

A little push to the throttle is enough to feel the engine’s burst of power as I overtook another vehicle.

Suspension is great with almost smooth comfortable ride even while on uneven roads while the steering is very responsive to the touch without feeling clunky.

Little of everything for everyone
For the car enthusiasts, the new sedan comes in both petrol and diesel engines variant and features BMW’s TwinPower Turbo technology and its lightweight all-aluminium construction.

The turbocharged direct injection engine delivers peak output of 252hp (up 7hp over its predecessor) between 5,200 and 6,500rpm, and has a maximum torque of 350Nm on tap from 1,450rpm all the way up to 4,800 rpm.

Eco-friendly drivers would be happy to find that with the new engine, it also lowers fuel consumption and CO2 emissions while still delivering a powerful drive.

BMW’s SYNTAK (Synergy Thermoacoustic Capsule) technology also help reduce powertrain noise and improves the heat retention, which in turn leads to further reduced fuel consumption.

Parents with babies or toddlers or people who like to do lots of shopping, would be happy to find it comes with a much bigger boot space of 530 litres.

Not only that, you can open and close the boot with just a flick of your foot at the rear end of the car. No more fumbling for keys when your hands are full.

Final thoughts
Car enthusiasts will love its powerful engine and stylish designs. Its safety features and high quality finishing will wow the casual drivers.

For me, the one that draw me off the fence is the integrated technology that gives the sedan the added edge and make the drive more fun and more gratifying. — PATRICK CHIN


Japanese grabs last five units of Fenyr SuperSport Launch Edition supercar

                DUBAI: Arabian supercar maker W Motors has announced that all 10 of its ultra-exclusive Fenyr SuperSport Launch Edition have been sold.

The last remaining five models were snapped up by avid supercar collector Tetsumi Shinchi, chairman and CEO of Japan’s Shibaura Group Holdings Inc.

The Fenyr SuperSport is reportedly priced at a starting price of US$1.4 million (RM5.87 million) - so five units would mean a figure upwards of US$7 million (RM29.35 million).

Earlier in July, W Motors founder and CEO Ralph R. Debbas was a guest at Shinchi's showcase of his supercar collection comprising 30 of the rarest motors in the world at his private ‘Mega Supercar Motor Show’ in Fukuoka, Japan.

The five Fenyr SuperSport Launch Editions will join Shinchi’s line up at the 2021 edition of the event.

“I am thrilled that the last Launch Editions have found their new home amongst the best hypercars in the world, with a collector who truly appreciates them. On delivery of the cars, and at Mr. Shinchi’s 2021 exhibition, will be the first time in history that we will be able to admire five specially commissioned Fenyr SuperSport Launch Editions at the same time, in the same place, owned by the same owner!” said Debbas.

Founded in 2012, W Motors S.A.L. is the first manufacturer of high-performance luxury sports cars in the Middle East.

Based in Dubai, the company has also established a strategic alliance with sister-company ICONIQ Motors in China in 2016.

This year, W Motors will start phase one of the development of its automotive facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with the project set to be completed by 2020.

While all hypercars are supercars, only a few supercars qualify as hypercars that can produce close to or in excess of 1,000hp with a rarefied price to match.

The first hypercar created by W Motors was the iconic Lykan HyperSport, which took centre stage as the hero car in Universal Studios' Furious 7.

The Fenyr SuperSport is the company's second supercar and was unveiled in November 2015 at the Dubai International Motor Show.

The Fenyr SuperSport has a production run of only 100 cars in addition to 10 “Fenyr SuperSport Launch Editions”.

Named after ‘Fenrir’, a monstrous wolf in Norse mythology, the Fenyr SuperSport is fully hand-crafted with a carbon-fibre body and features a Triptych Active Spoiler.

It is powered by a mid-rear mounted 3.8-litre flat six twin-turbo engine mated to Porsche's 7-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission.

The engine was developed for W Motors by German auto specialist Ruf Automobile, and produces 800hp and 980Nm of torque, thus enabling the Fenyr SuperSport to do the 0-100kph sprint in 2.8 seconds onwards to a top speed of 400kph.


Over 20 new cars already confirmed for the LA Auto Show

                LOS ANGELES: With a little over two months to go until the LA Auto Show, carmakers are already starting to tease fans as to what to expect.

Although this year's show doesn't open its doors to the press until Nov 14 and despite the fact that this year's Paris Motor Show is still three weeks away from its opening night, a host of marques are already looking ahead.

Over 50 new cars have been confirmed for this year's show including 20 global debuts from the likes of Alfa Romeo, Mazda, MINI, Subaru and Volkswagen. Jeep has already confirmed that it will be taking the wraps off a new compact SUV.

The 2016 LA Auto Show opens its doors to the press on Nov 14 and to the public from Nov 18-27.


Owners of damaged vehicles can redeem discount vouchers at service centres, says ministry

                KUALA LUMPUR: Nearly 20 automotive companies with a network of more than 1,000 registered service centres nationwide have agreed to participate in the Keluarga Malaysia Automotive Discount Voucher initiative so far, says the Ministry of Finance.

Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said vehicle owners do not need to make any application to benefit from the discount voucher.

"Owners of vehicles damaged by floods can redeem the vouchers at service centres or authorised dealers for the automotive companies involved.

"The reduction in repair costs will be enjoyed by direct deduction from the total cost of repairs or the cost of replacing new vehicles through invoices that will be issued by service centres and authorised distributors," he said in a statement today.

Tengku Zafrul said the deadline for claiming the "Keluarga Malaysia Automotive Discount Vouchers" is March 31 and consumers are advised to immediately make a claim from a registered service centre or authorised distributor to avoid any inconvenience.

"The government welcomes the move by Perodua and Proton to offer a 50% discount on the cost of spare parts. Perodua has also offered free labour.

"The government encourages other automotive companies to also offer better incentives to its customers," he said.

The ministry said the government had made provisions and additional measures to deal with the flood disaster, including raising the funding amount from RM500,000 to RM700,000 for small and medium enterprises.

For micro enterprises, the maximum financing amount was increased from RM75,000 to RM150,000, said Tengku Zafrul.

"The maximum funding period has also been extended from five years to seven years," he said.


Chevron Malaysia aims to grow ShopeePay tie-up

                KUALA LUMPUR: Chevron Malaysia Limited says it will continue to partner ShopeePay after it saw average daily ShopeePay transactions grew by five times within a month during its RM1 million cashback campaign.

The campaign, launched on March 1, also resulted in attracting new and returning customers to Caltex, Chevron's retail brand.

With the pandemic proven to be the main impetus for cashless transactions, Chevron and ShopeePay tapped into the readiness by consumers to go cashless.

Through the campaign, consumers willing to shift towards cashless transactions at Caltex stations had the opportunity to enjoy an RM8 cashback when they spent a minimum of RM30 and paid with ShopeePay e-wallet.

Chevron Malaysia country chairman Jay Gomez said the campaign had exceeded the company's expectations.

"The campaign saw an overwhelming (public) response that it ended ahead of time, and we even topped up our investment to make it RM1 million!”

While the campaign has ended, ShopeePay mobile wallet users at Caltex will continue to receive a RM3 cashback with a minimum spend of RM15. Each user is entitled to one RM3 cashback a day from ShopeePay. Terms and conditions apply.


Brands from Ferrari to Nike rush towards 'metaverse' future

                PARIS: The metaverse vision for the Internet is far from reality, but brands from Ferrari to Nike are already rushing in to experiment and build an audience, in part for fear of missing out.

The clamour over virtual goods comes amid feverish predictions that the metaverse - a virtual reality version of the Internet - will eventually replace the web of today.

But some virtual worlds, for example the Fortnite and Minecraft games or the Roblox platform, are already open for business.

"I think a lot of it is experimentation," said Ryan Mullins, founder of virtual sneaker app Aglet.

"If it turns out that we make a couple of grand or something like that... great, but I think a lot of (companies) are thinking 'innovate, disrupt or die,'" he added, echoing a Silicon Valley ethos of sometimes brutal evolution.

Fashion has been at the forefront, with a line of digital clothing from Uniqlo on Minecraft or Balenciaga outfits and sneakers available in Fortnite.

Designers are also entering the new field of NFTs - non-fungible tokens that are unique digital objects such as drawings or animations.

"This represents a massive opportunity for brands, who will get in early and will be able to build persistent presence... on a truly global scale," said Christina Wootton, vice president of partnerships at Roblox.

During the Halloween holiday, Mexican fast-food chain Chipotle opened a virtual and ephemeral restaurant on Roblox, the first of its kind.

The brand offered coupons to get a free burrito in a real-life restaurant, but also virtual costumes to dress up one's avatar and a treasure hunt.

In July, Ferrari launched a replica of its new 296 GTB model with Fortnite, which will not be available in the real world until 2022 but could be driven in the game.

Nike had already opened "Nikeland," a virtual showroom on Roblox, and announced it has bought digital sneaker company RTFKT - pronounced "artifact."

For companies that exist primarily in the physical world, the metaverse concept is first and foremost a giant laboratory with direct avenues to the young demographic prized by advertisers.

"Revenues will come if this thing sticks around, but we want to make sure that our brand is in these early environments," said Mullins from Aglet.

As the first restaurant in Roblox, Chipotle said it sees future "opportunities to directly drive sales."

The metaverse is also a wealth of data, offering valuable insights into the perception of a product, even if it doesn't yet exist in the real world.

To fully control the environment in which the brand is introduced, some companies like Louis Vuitton have created their own version of the metaverse.

To celebrate its 200th anniversary, the brand launched in August "Louis the Game," which includes a hunt for NFTs by digital art pioneer Beeple.

However, since there is still no unified platform yet, users cannot carry a Gucci bag bought on Roblox over to other games like Sandbox or Animal Crossing.

This is one of the priorities for Mark Zuckerberg, who leads Facebook's parent company that was renamed Meta in October to signal the platform's metaverse shift.

Since the world's leading social network unveiled its ambitions, "things have accelerated even further," said consultant Cathy Hackl, who has been contacted by many brands seeking metaverse advice.

"Not every brand needs to jump in to the metaverse," she said, noting though that firms have to be at least familiar with it.

Unless companies build their own virtual world, they will need to follow the codes of each platform on which they appear.

"It's about showing up and trying to be authentic in the space," said Mullins.


Limited edition Black Speed showcased at new Bentley Kuala Lumpur showroom

                KUALA LUMPUR: Wearnes Quest Sdn Bhd, Bentley Motors' official retail partner in Malaysia, celebrated the grand opening of Bentley Kuala Lumpur’s new flagship showroom at Etiqa Twins.

The new flagship retail space boasts a 6,400 sq ft, furnished with carefully selected, high quality materials and furniture that portends Bentley’s signature experience.

“When we took on the franchise in 2008, our vision was to strengthen the brand presence with the establishment of Bentley Kuala Lumpur as a city centre landmark.

"We did that with the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur Gallery eight years ago, and this marks another milestone for us,” said Managing Director of Wearnes Quest, Jerry Lee.

The grand opening also premiered the Limited Edition Continental GT Speed: Black Speed by Mulliner, one of the most exclusive Bentleys ever produced.

Limited to 20 examples, the Black Speed is exclusively available only to customers in South East Asia and Australasia with a starting price of RM1.93mil.

The GT Speed represents the pinnacle GT in the Bentley Continental Range. Powered by a W12 engine the GT Speed delivers the ultimate in performance.

The Black Speed Limited Edition by Mulliner brings to life the powerful dynamic character of the GT Speed with unique styling additions.

It features a striking gloss red body kit and matrix surround as well as dark tint headlamps and tail lamps. The attention to detail is the epitome of modern British luxury, as seen with the hand painted red fine line on the door and rear haunch. The
new Sports Directional Alloy wheel is treated to a gloss black finish.

True to Bentley’s history in craftsmanship, the interior of the car features the first ever red finish for the ‘Engine Spin’ aluminium fascia panels.

Other unique attributes of the Black Speed are the 12 o’clock stitch on the steering wheel, inspired by the Continental GT3-R and the red bezel around the Breitling clock, set into the red aluminium dashboard.

The GT Design Seats by Mulliner are finished in Beluga and Hotspur, with "BLACK SPEED" stitched into the headrests, highlighting the fact that this is one of only 20 cars ever to be made. The words “BLACK SPEED” are inscribed on the exterior badge.

The luxury SUV, Bentayga was also featured and has a starting price of RM1.79mil.


70% drop in road accidents during MCO

                KUALA LUMPUR: It’s not just the reduction in air and river pollution; the movement control order (MCO) has also brought about fewer road accidents.

The number of road accidents has dropped by almost 70% nationwide since the implementation of the first phase of the MCO, which came into force on March 18.

Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department director Azisman Alias said there were 10,382 accidents recorded between March 18 and April 14, with 130 of these involving 145 deaths.

“An average of 370 accidents were recorded daily during the first and second phase of the MCO. The trend shows a decline of almost 70%.

“Before the MCO, police recorded 1,500 cases daily with 16 to 17 deaths. With the enforcement of MCO, the current trend of road fatalities has dropped to between four and five cases daily, ” he said in a press conference here yesterday.


To avoid damaging your engine, check the oil level every 1,000km

                BERLIN: Many drivers put off checking their vehicle's oil level, but that can cause serious damage to the engine, experts warn.

A lack of oil wears out the engine and can cause thermal problems and malfunction or even capital damage, according to Dekra, a German vehicle testing organisation.

To avoid this, you should check your car's oil level regularly, every 1,000km and before longer journeys, the experts recommend.

Park your car on level ground and make sure the engine is still warm, but let it cool down for a minute or two before checking the oil with the dipstick.

If the level is low, don't pour in an entire litre of oil all at once as exceeding the maximum oil level indicated can also damage your engine, Dekra says. Instead, add a quarter litre and check the level again.

When not sure what kind of oil to use, check the manufacturer's specifications or ask for help at a local repair shop.

If the little red oil light comes on on your dashboard, that means there's a problem with the oil pressure and the best thing to do in that case is to immediately stop the car, turn off the engine and call a repair shop for help, according to Dekra.

READ MORE:Steps for 'balik kampung' peace of mind


Autobots Roll Out! — transforming robot unveiled in Japan

The 'J-deite RIDE' robot can transform itself into a passenger vehicle and was demonstrated at a factory near Tokyo. — All pix by Reuters
TOKYO: A Transformers-style, humanoid robot that can shape shift into a sports car in about 60 seconds was unveiled in Japan on Wednesday.

The “J-deite RIDE” robot is the brainchild of Kenji Ishida, CEO of Brave Robotics and a fan of anime movies featuring robots that could transform or combine with each other.

“I grew up believing that robots had to be capable of such things, which became my motivation to develop this robot,” Ishida told Reuters Television.

The blue and white robot is 3.7-metres tall and can carry two passengers as it transforms into a car or humanoid form.

Some people may view the robot as an “expensive toy”, but it was intended to inspire others, Ishida said.

The RIDE was co-developed with Asratec, a robot consulting firm, and amusement ride manufacturer Sansei Technologies.


Brits picked Mini chase in 'Italian Job' as best car movie scene of all time

                LONDON: A study of 2,000 film fans by a major British car dealership has revealed the Mini chase in the original Italian Job is the best car movie scene of all time. The memorable six-minute-long scene, with the three iconic Mini models being pursued by police, rolling down stairs and even scaling buildings, topped the poll.

Harry Potter and Ron Weasley dashing after the Hogwarts Express in a flying Ford Anglia in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; is also considered to be one of the most memorable and exciting car scenes in movie history, according to the survey by Jardine Motors Group.

This was closely followed by the T-Birds and John Travolta singing Greased Lightning while dancing on top of the Ford De Luxe in Grease.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang taking off for the first time, the T-rex attacking the jeeps in Jurassic Park and Letrell singing "A Thousand Miles" in White Chicks all featured in the top 20 greatest movie car scenes.

“There are so many memorable moments featured in classic films where cars are the true stars – although not forgetting the stunt drivers who sat behind the wheel," said Jardine Motors Group digital marketing and transformation head Alex Brown.

“It’s these scenes which have made certain movies so unforgettable. Even those who haven’t seen the films in question, tend to have some recollection or knowledge of these extraordinary screen moments,” said Brown, whose company comissioned the research.

The study also found 28 per cent of adults are more likely to enjoy films featuring cars in whatever form.

More than two-thirds agreed motor vehicles are an integral part of cinema history, 68 per cent said cars feature in some of their fondest memories of movies.

Movies enthusiasts even believe one in five of the movies they watch feature cars in a primary role.

It also emerged that James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 was voted the most iconic movie car of all time.

This was followed by Doc Brown’s DeLorean from Back to the Future and the customised Paragon Panther featured in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

More than six in 10 even said they would like to see a movie car in-person and 39 per cent have even fantasised about driving a car from a movie they loved as a child.

More than a third said car chases and driving scenes can be the best thing about movies, saying they should last up to five minutes - although nearly one in 10 said the perfect movie car chase should be as long as 10 minutes or more.

“As fans of all things automotive, it’s great to see that some of the timeless classics from cinema history are still as popular as ever. This is the perfect time of year to get together with friends and family to enjoy a film, and we hope that some of these iconic scenes make your list,” said Brown.
Top 20 movie scenes featuring cars:
The Mini chase in The Italian Job
Harry and Ron chasing after the Hogwarts Express in a flying car in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The T-Birds singing Greased Lightning and dancing around the car in Grease
The moment the DeLorean leaves streams of fire as it travels in time in Back to the Future
Thelma and Louise driving over the edge of the cliff in Thelma and Louise
The final bus-on-the-mountain scene from The Italian Job
Bruce Wayne driving through Gotham in a Lamborghini Murcielago looking for a murder target in The Dark Knight
The moment Chitty Chitty Bang Bang flies for the first time in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
The T-Rex attack on the jeeps in Jurassic Park
The Bohemian Rhapsody singalong in Wayne's World
The car chase scene through a Mall in Blues Brothers
Letrell sings 'A Thousand Miles' by Vanessa Carlton in White Chicks
The ending sequence in the original The Fast and the Furious
John Travolta's 'Royale with Cheese' speech from Pulp Fiction
Jack and Rose get intimate in a car aboard the Titanic in Titanic
The opening car chase scene in Baby Driver
The epic 'Eleanor' car heist from Gone in 60 Seconds
The flame-throwing guitarist atop the truck in Mad Max: Fury Road
Tom Cruise meets Jamie Foxx's taxi driver in Collateral
Marlon Brando and his brother's 'I coulda been a contender' conversation in On The Waterfront


BlackBerry reinvents itself as it targets smart cars

A QNX-powered infotainment system in a Jeep Wrangler.
LAS VEGAS: At this year's CES, Canadian tech company BlackBerry is taking the wraps off the latest generation of its in-car operating system, QNX SDP 7.0, which it claims takes security as well as reliability to another level and will also be debuting an autonomous Lincoln concept car.

BlackBerry may have been pushed to the periphery of the smartphone market in recent years, but when it comes to in-car connectivity and infotainment, its QNX operating system is at the center of the industry with everyone from Aston Martin and BMW to Ford, GM, Porsche and VW using it in their instrument clusters, head units or entertainment displays.

"With the push toward connected and autonomous vehicles, the electronic architecture of cars is evolving -- from a multitude of smaller processors each executing a dedicated function, to a set of high performance domain controllers, powered by 64-bit processors and graphical processing units," said John Wall, senior vice president and head of BlackBerry QNX.

"To develop these new systems, our automotive customers will need a safe and secure 64-bit OS that can run highly complex software, including neural networks and artificial intelligence algorithms."

QNX SDP 7.0 also promises to be the most robust system available when it comes to warding off cyber attacks and meets the toughest current security criteria.

But as well as software, BlackBerry is using CES to show off concepts and during the event will be unveiling a specially developed Jaguar XJ with a digital cockpit, HD in-car communication and active noise control.

It will also be offering demonstrations of an autonomous Lincoln MKZ concept car that uses QNX to help it drive itself.

In December BlackBerry officially opened its first Innovation Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. Based in Ottawa, its mission is to accelerate the development of the company's own vehicular tech and partnering with others.

"Autonomous vehicles require software that is extremely sophisticated and highly secure," said BlackBerry CEO John Chen of the new facility. "Our innovation track record in mobile security and our demonstrated leadership in automotive software make us ideally suited to dominate the market for embedded intelligence in the cars of the future."

The Lincoln demonstrator that will be making its public debut at this year's CES was co-developed with the University of Waterloo, Renesas and Polysync and is a first sneak peek of what the new facility will offer in the future.


Land Rover to restore 25 Series I for sale

LONDON: Old is gold as they say. In the case of the Land Rover Series I, there will be keen buying interest for the vehicle as Land Rover Classic is offering 25 prospective customers the chance to buy a highly collectible Land Rover Series I.

Under the Reborn campaign, Land Rover experts will hand-pick 25 Series I chassis from Land Rover’s global network. Each model will undergo a complete restoration according to the brand’s original 1948 factory specification and using Land Rover Classic parts to preserve authenticity. This includes the choice of five period finishes including Light Green, Bronze Green, RAF Blue, Dove Grey and Poppy Red.

Customers will be able to select their preferred base vehicle, and they will be able to follow the restoration of their Series I from start to finish at Land Rover’s new Classic workshop located within the original Defender production centre at Solihull.

Land Rover Classic did not disclose the price of each vehicle.

The Series 1 was in production from 1948 to 1958. It was originally designed for farm and light industrial use.

It had a steel box-section chassis, and an aluminum body and was originally designed for farm and light industrial use. By today's standards, the 4-wheel drive vehicle had a puny 1.6-litre engine making 50bhp, matched to a four-speed gearbox with a new two-speed transfer box.

"Reborn showcases Land Rover Classic’s expertise in restoring and maintaining our loyal customers’ prized Land Rovers," said Jaguar Land Rover Classic director Tim Hannig.

"It also demonstrates the business’ commitment to supporting customers with original and genuine parts for Land Rover models that have been out for production for longer than 10 years.”

The Reborn campaign was announced at the April 6-10 Techno-Classica in Essen, Germany. Techno-Classica is a different take on an auto show as it displays vintage, classic and prestige automobiles, motorcycles, spare parts and restoration projects. It is also a platform for auto club and interest groups to meet.


Li Auto aims to nearly triple electric model line-up to 11 by 2025

                SHANGHAI: Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Li Auto Inc said on Tuesday it plans to expand its line-up to 11 models by 2025, up from four currently, targeting the market for vehicles priced at 200,000 yuan (RM129,000) and higher.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Shanghai auto show, Li Auto's president and chief engineer Ma Donghui said the line-up by 2025 will include one flagship model, five range-extended electric models and five high-voltage pure electric models.

Li Auto makes the Li One sport utility vehicle (SUV), one of the best-selling cars in China, the world's biggest auto market. The company delivered 257,334 vehicles in total in 2022, its other models being the L7, L8 and L9, also SUVs.

The company also said that it plans to complete the construction of over 300 high-speed supercharging stations across China's four major economic belts, including the Yangtze River Delta and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, by the end of this year.

By 2025, it aims to build more than 3,000 supercharging stations across China, which would cover 90% of the country's major cities and highways.


Tesla flaunts first China-built cars as start of sales nears

                SHANGHAI: Tesla Inc. unveiled its first vehicles built in China, a milestone for Elon Musk’s company as it prepares to start sales of domestically-made electric sedans in the world’s largest auto market.

Assembled in Tesla’s new Shanghai Gigafactory, which only broke ground in January, the first Model 3 sedans came in blue and were emblazoned with the brand name in Chinese characters. Selected local media were invited late last week to test drive the vehicles, which start at about US$50,000.

China’s first plant wholly owned by a foreign carmaker — and Tesla’s first outside the United States — is a crucial test of Musk’s bid to keep his carmaker profitable as he bets on Chinese demand for electric vehicles.

The plant is producing cars in small quantities as part of preparations. Tesla is working with local authorities to obtain manufacturing certification and hopes to get it by year-end, chairman Robyn Denholm said last week here.

In a related development, shares of Chinese electric-car makers fell in the wake of a Bloomberg News report that said regulators may cut subsidies further on the embattled industry.

BYD Co., China’s biggest maker of new energy vehicles, slid 2.8% in Hong Kong. BAIC BluePark New Energy Technology Co., the country’s biggest maker of pure electric cars, retreated 2.9% in Shanghai, while Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., the world’s biggest car-battery maker, dropped 2.5%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 2.6% and the Shanghai Composite Index fell 1.8%, their biggest losses in three and four months, respectively.

China will gauge demand for EVs before making a decision on whether to cut subsidies for the automobiles again, Bloomberg reported Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The government, which began subsidizing EV purchases in 2009 to promote the industry, has been gradually reducing handouts to encourage automakers to compete on their own.

China’s car market is experiencing a prolonged slump that has dragged down the global EV sector as the country accounts for about half of the world’s sales of electrified cars.

Still, regulators continue to face pressure to reduce handouts as state support fueled concerns about a bubble in the industry.

The latest funding cut took effect in June, when the government cut subsidies of as much as 50,000 yuan ($7,165) per EV by half. Chinese NEV sales then began falling in July and have been dropping since. China’s top EV makers have slashed earnings outlooks and analysts have recently questioned whether the likes of Shanghai-based NIO Inc., once regarded by many as China’s Tesla Inc., will survive.

Warren Buffett-backed BYD last month reported an 89% decline in third-quarter earnings and warned profit could fall as much as 43% this year. BAIC BluePark also forecast a 2019 loss in its earnings update.


2 plead guilty in ride-hailing fake driver account scheme

                BOSTON: Two men have pleaded guilty to their roles in what federal prosecutors say was a nationwide scheme that used stolen identities to fool ride-hailing and delivery service companies into hiring unqualified drivers.

Edvaldo Rocha Cabral, 42, of Lowell, Massachusetts, and Julio Vieira Braga, 25, of Daly City, California, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to the US attorney's office here.

They were among 19 Brazilian nationals charged last May.

The scheme involved the use of stolen identities to set up fraudulent driver accounts with multiple ride-hailing and delivery companies, prosecutors said. Those accounts were then sold or rented to drivers who might not otherwise qualify for jobs with those services, including those who could not pass background checks or were ineligible to work in the US.

In some instances, driver's license details were stolen from unsuspecting victims during the exchange of information following intentionally caused car accidents, according to court documents.

The scheme also employed the use of automated bots and GPS spoofing technology to increase the income earned from the fraudulent accounts, prosecutors said.

Cabral used driver’s licences and Social Security numbers obtained from the dark web and other sources to create fraudulent accounts with the ride-hailing and delivery companies, then advertised them for sale or rent via social media to Brazilian nationals living in the US, prosecutors said.

In total, he made more than US$430,000 (RM1.8mil) through the scheme.

Braga obtained photographs from driver’s licenses while making alcohol deliveries for one of the companies, prosecutors said. His involvement netted him about US$220,000 (RM930,000).

Sixteen of those charged in the case have been arrested and three remain at large.

Four have now pleaded guilty. Sentencing for Cabral and Braga is scheduled for June 15, when they face more than 20 years behind bars.


Proton Exora updated for 2019

 Dr. Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton (left) and Datuk Radzaif Mohamed, DCEO of Proton at the launch of the updated Proton Exora 2019.

SUBANG JAYA: Proton officially launched the updated Exora MPV for 2019 which comes in two variants -Executive and Premium - priced at RM59,800 and RM66,800 respectively.

All prices are on-the-road without insurance.

The launch event was held at the Proton Crystal Showroom at the Centre of Excellence (COE) facility.

The Exora for 2019 has some minor exterior styling tweaks such as a new shark fin antenna paired with the black exterior roof panel for a sportier look. Also available is a new colour, Rosewood Maroon.

Inside, it has a new interior upholstery and a new meter combination delivers a clear view of important information at a single glance.

It now features the intelligent infotainment system with voice recognition which can be accessed with the now familiar 'Hi Proton' catchphrase.

Also, an embedded eSIM card ensures mobile Internet connectivity available on the Premium variant.

READ MORE: Driving the new Proton Exora

Apps for music streaming, online navigation and weather updates are also offered and can be accessed via the 7-inch touchscreen with full colour display. The system also has smartphone connectivity and a mirror function for Android devices.

The 2019 Exora features a 1.6 litre turbocharged mill mated to a CVT transmission and produces 140PS at 5,000rpm and 203Nm of torque from 2,000rpm - 4,000rpm.

Safety-wise, the 2019 Exora comes with twin front airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), disc brakes, anti-lock brakes (ABS), electronic brake distribution (EBD) and front seatbelts with pretensioners, rear parking sensors and a reverse camera.

The 2019 Exora is offered with Extra Value packages of which there are four standard Extra Value packages beginning with the service package that offers three free labour services.

Next is the Internet data package with free data (1GB per month) for five years.

The final two packages are the interest rate package with financing rates as low as 2.76% and the insurance package that offers a number of benefits to buyers who insure their 2019 Exora with Proton's panel on insurers.

On top of the standard Extra Value packages, Proton is also offering special Value Added packages.

Customers who buy the 2019 Exora this year will be given a five-year or 11 times free labour service package while the first 1,000 buyers will also be given free road tax for two years for private buyers and free road tax for one year for corporate customers.

Combined with the price reduction and the value of the new features introduced in each variant, the 2019 Exora 1.6T Executive delivers RM4,233 worth of additional benefits compared to its predecessor while the Premium variant has the additional benefits amounting to RM5,652.


Price war squeezes Chinese carmakers

                HONG KONG: China’s increasingly heated car price war is exacting a heavy toll on automakers. Steep discounts have failed to reverse a slide in sales for most manufacturers, and earnings have taken a hit.

A Bloomberg analysis of first-quarter results from more than a dozen Chinese automakers showed revenue and profit margins are under pressure.

Save for a few exceptions such as BYD Co and Changan Automobile Group Co, most top listed Chinese automakers suffered a decline in profits – the worst showing since the beginning of 2020, when the industry was crunched by the start of the pandemic.

“It turned out the price cuts didn’t stimulate too much extra demand,” said Minghsun Lee, head of greater China auto research at Bank of America Corp. “Consumers have the perception that car companies will continue to cut prices, so they’ll wait.”

Of the 17 Chinese carmakers that have published March deliveries, 10 saw sales rise from a year earlier, suggesting the impact of price cuts has been mixed.

While March sales rose for Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd, Changan Auto and Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group Co, their first-quarter profits still declined between 1% and 11% compared to a year earlier.

Electric-vehicle (EV) upstarts Xpeng Inc and Zhejiang Leapmotor Technologies Ltd fared even worse, with first-quarter sales plunging around 50% from a year earlier.

BYD led the pack of eight companies that posted an increase in first-quarter sales year-on-year, with 89% growth. That helped the Warren Buffett-backed automaker dethrone Volkswagen AG (VW) as China’s top-selling car brand.

Another bright spot: Dongfeng Automobile Co. After offering discounts of up to 40% on the Citroen C6 (produced in a joint venture with Peugeot SA), it managed to ship 4,086 of the model in March, having sold just 126 in February.

Overall sales for Dongfeng, however, fell 2% in March and 28% in the quarter from a year earlier. The joint ventures it operates with Honda Motor Co and Nissan Motor Co have seen sales tumble for at least two years in China.

Quarterly revenue declined at seven of the 15 companies to report so far. Last year, six automakers saw first-quarter revenue drop, while all but two posted growth in the first quarter of 2021.

The three companies suffering the biggest fall in revenue were EV upstart Leapmotor, with a 28% drop, and legacy carmakers Dongfeng (down 27%) and SAIC Motor Corp (down 20%).

Dongfeng and SAIC have long relied on sales and profits from joint ventures with global automakers including General Motors Co, Honda and VW, which are losing market share to EV juggernauts like Tesla Inc and BYD.

Sales from the Honda and Nissan joint ventures made up 64% of Dongfeng’s deliveries in 2022, while the GM and VW joint ventures accounted for 47% of SAIC’s sales last year.

“There’s a structural change that’s happening in China,” Bank of America’s Lee said.

“Local brands have been taking market share from foreign brands. Initially, the South Korean and French brands started to lose market share, then the German and American cars and the trend has gradually spread to Japanese brands, once the strongest in China.”

The price war and ballooning investment in the transition to EVs ate into growth. Of the 10 companies that turned a profit in the quarter, only three posted an increase.

That’s down from four in 2022, and all of them in 2021. Again, BYD was an outlier, posting a 410% surge in earnings, while Changan Automobile’s profit rose 54%.

The dilemma facing all legacy carmakers, not just Chinese ones, is that petrol cars currently generate more profit and better margins. By selling a increasing number of electric cars, they’re actually making less money, according to Lee.

“But if they want to survive, they have to embrace EVs otherwise they’ll disappear,” he said. “So they have to choose. Worldwide, traditional car companies want to have more EV sales, but profitability will be worse.”

Changan’s profits rose 54%, largely due to a five billion yuan (US$722mil or RM3.2bil) windfall from a merger with partially owned EV brand Shenlan.

Not counting that and other extraordinary gains, the company’s net income last quarter declined 35% compared to 2022.

Despite the hit, the Chongqing-headquartered company may show a way forward for legacy carmakers. It’s gaining market share steadily, rising to the third best-selling car brand in China for April, according to data from country’s Passenger Car Association.

It’s also the first Chinese legacy auto company to set a deadline for phasing out petrol cars by 2025.

The firm has focused on developing its own models and launched popular EVs such as the Lumin, the seventh-best selling electric sedan in the first quarter, and the SL03, which came in ninth.

Its gross margin was 18.6%, close to Tesla’s 19%. Unlike Dongfeng and SAIC, 85% of Changan’s sales and profits come from proprietary brands.

BAIC Motor Corp’s industry-leading 26% margin comes from selling luxury Mercedes-Benz Group AG cars, which accounted for 96% of revenue in 2022.

Retail passenger vehicle sales increased 2.5% in April from March, data from China’s Passenger Car Association released showed.

Year-on-year, they jumped 56%, but that’s off an artificially low April 2022 when lockdowns across the country due to Covid meant people weren’t buying cars.

Still, the widespread and deep price cuts show no sign of abating.

A total of 695 passenger car models, or around 23% of all vehicle types on the market, were subject to price drops of more than 10,000 yuan in the three months through April, according to data from research provider China Auto Market.

Even so, Lee expects passenger car wholesales to stay flat for 2023, with a slight decline in domestic demand offset by growing exports, where Chinese carmakers will be looking for growth.

The market is too crowded with dozens of traditional and EV makers, and no major player has exited yet, he said.

“There are too many companies and everyone wants to survive,” he said.


Mono super car for super yacht

LIVERPOOL: Built on a passion for luxury and exclusivity, BAC has created a Mono that is at home aboard any super-yacht  – The Marine Edition.

Weighing in at only 580kg, the Mono is ideally suited to the super-yacht environment where lean mass, performance and design are paramount.

Based on the Model Year 2016 Mono, the 305bhp 2.5-litre Mountune-powered single-seater car has been custom-made by the top tier luxury British carmaker, BAC.

The car, which is completely customisable inside and out, has been created with a focus on luxury marine lifestyle.

Costing £500,000 (RM3.33mil), the Marine Edition is completely bespoke and built to order, reflecting a wider momentum within the BAC brand. With a new dedicated factory in Liverpool, BAC are able to produce four cars per month to compete with strong demand from customers in the US, Europe, South America and Asia at its current capacity.

Andrew Whitney, Director of Strategy & Corporate Development at BAC says, “Today’s super-yachts are paragons of exquisite taste, exceptional design, and the ultimate experience possible. It is only fitting that owners should be able to extend that experience beyond the vessel upon arrival.

"The Marine Edition Mono is uniquely qualified, with unparalleled design, performance and driving sensation, while its low mass of only 580kg allows vessels to carry even a brace of Monos for a little over a ton. What better way for friends to arrive?”

The Marine Edition comes complete with a carbon-fibre crane arm designed to transport the Mono on top of any super-yacht, the crane arm can be universally used with all yacht crane systems.


Sturgis Motorcyle Rally linked to more than 265,000 cases of Covid-19

                NEW YORK: The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally might be rolling into the record books as the largest known coronavirus super-spreader event in the US to date.

A new study that analysed cell phone pings for rally attendees and the Covid-19 case numbers in the communities they returned to estimates that more than 265,000 infections confirmed trace back to the massive gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts in South Dakota.

"We found that for counties that had a lot of people going to , after the rally, their case numbers starting taking off relative to similar places that did not have a lot of people going to ,"  Andrew Friedson, an economics professor at the University of Colorado Denver and one of the study’s authors, told the New York Daily News on Tuesday.

He said the 266,796 cases of Covid-19 linked to represent 19 per cent of the 1.4 million new coronavirus cases confirmed in the US during the study time frame.

"To my knowledge, this is the largest single super-spreading event. I don't know of anything larger," he said. "The only thing that would come close might be a study done after spring break. But that was not a single event."

The rally that drew hundreds of thousands of attendees from all over the country has officially been linked to hundreds of coronavirus cases in several states and at least one death.

The new research report from the and affiliated with the at said the 10-day rally that started drew more than 460,000 people to a city with a population of only 7,000.

"We find that counties that contributed the highest inflows of attendees saw Covid-19 cases rise by 10.7 per cent following the event relative to counties without any detected attendees," the 63-page report said.

"We conclude that the Sturgis motorcycle Rally generated substantial public health costs, which we calculate to reach at least 12.2 billion dollars," it said.

"The estimates in this paper, if confirmed, would place as the largest studied super spreading event in US," Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former Food and Drug Administration commissioner now at the American Enterprise Institute, said in a Twitter post last Tuesday.

According to the report, more than 90 per cent of attendees this year came from outside , with 18.6 per cent driving in from border states and 72.1 per cent traveling from the remainder of the country.
Media reports and photographs showed scenes with minimal mask-wearing and social-distancing.

South Dakota governor Kristi Noem blasted the research report in a series of Twitter posts Tuesday.

“This report isn’t science. It’s fiction. Under the guise of academic research, it’s nothing short of an attack on those who exercised their personal freedom to attend Sturgis,” she tweeted.

“At one point, academic modeling also told us that South Dakota would have 10,000 covid patients in the hospital at our peak. Today, we have less than 70,” she said.

“Her criticism is that we are doing models, and that’s not what this is,” Friedson told the Daily News.

“We’re looking at actuals — and we’re making some assumptions if a place sent a lot of people to Sturgis,” he said.

“If there’s a break from the common trend, we’re assigning it to Sturgis,” he explained. “You can say you don’t believe it, but calling this a model-based fantasy is a lack of understanding science.” — New York Daily News via Tribune Content Agency


RM20mil for national car, not for 'flying car',  says ministry

                KUALA LUMPUR: The issue over a RM20mil government funding took a new twist when the Entrepreneur Development Ministry said the money from the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) was not for the "flying car” or "super drone" project being developed by Aerodyne Group.

The ministry, in a statement issued last night, said the funding was for innovation and research and development of the third national car project, with Dreamedge Sdn Bhd chosen as its anchor company and MIGHT leading it.

The ministry also said it has no allocation nor the authority to approve funding for investment in any drone projects.

"This (super drone) project is a private initiative and fully funded by local companies. The project does not involve any allocation from the government and as such, was not brought to the National Development Council or the Cabinet as it does require government approval,” the statement said.

There was thus no need to conduct a financial and intellectual property audit on Aerodyne as it was not a government venture, it said.

"The project does not involve any allocation from the ministry and the ministry will not suffer any losses if the project fails to take off.

READ MORE:
PAC finds faults with 'flying car' project, including funding
Aviation authority confirms application to test passenger drone
Third national car project may use govt funds after all. Here's what Dr M says

"The ministry has been aware of Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) findings and suggestions with regard to air mobility. The ministry is preparing comprehensive feedback on the matter. The information provided by the ministry is based on what (information) the ministry has.

"Information on action by the other agencies will be reviewed by the ministry,” the statement read.

The PAC, in its report on the super drone project tabled in the Dewan Rakyat earlier on Thursday, and which was also uploaded on the PAC website today, said Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Yusof had made a premature announcement on the project.

The report said PAC also found that MIGHT, through VentureTech Sdn Bhd, had approved an investment in Aerodyne to the tune of RM20mil that was sent on Nov 1.

The PAC also called for the Auditor-General's Department to audit the RM20mil investment.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who first mooted the controversial third national car project in June last year had initially said the government would not be funding it.

But he later said that it may get government funds because some government agencies may want to have a stake in the project.


Land Rover keeps new Discovery under wraps designed by children

                LONDON: In order to create the world’s most capable family SUV Land Rover looked to the needs of the world’s most capable families.

That’s why Land Rover’s designers and engineers took their work home with them.

Throughout the thousands of hours of development that go into making an all-new Land Rover, there’s a team of children testing, challenging and representing the needs of the modern family every day.

And the toughest thing of all? Keeping everything their mums and dads do a secret right up until the new car is revealed.

So who better to create the final camouflage design for the new Land Rover Discovery than the junior brains who already know the new vehicle inside out?

Tasked with hiding the new Land Rover Discovery’s design details, the children, aged between five and nine, set to work on drawing their favourite days out and, of course, signing their names against their work.

The finishing touch? The thick coat of mud applied as the New Discovery proves its world-class capability to seven happy family members inside.

“Being able to get the children involved in our final camouflage design brought a smile to all our faces. They don’t always realise it, but these kids have played a major role in developing the New Discovery.

“There is no better insight into the needs of the modern family than the first-hand experience we glean at home. That’s why we have up to nine USB ports to charge everyone’s devices, why we’ve got space to hide four iPads away securely and why every seat has been designed to be the best seat in the house,” said Land Rover Discovery chief engineer Alex Heslop

The New Discovery embodies Land Rover’s drive to go Above and Beyond, combining British desirability with an unstoppable spirit of adventure.

Packed with technology for the family, the digital Discovery features a system that allows owners to configure their vehicle seating through the InControl Remote app on their smartphone from anywhere. The world-first Intelligent Seat Fold technology enables the two rear rows of seats to be fully reconfigured in as little as 14 seconds via the InControl Remote app downloaded on any iOS or Android operating system.


Range Rovers for £750 a month aimed at commitment-wary Brits

                LONDON: A startup backed by Jaguar Land Rover is introducing a vehicle-subscription program to attract affluent millennials who don’t want to buy or lease a car.

Pivotal, supported by JLR’s InMotion venture-capital unit, will offer a six-month subscription for drivers in UK, starting at £750 (RM4,005) a month for a Land Rover Discovery Sport or Range Rover Evoque, according to the company’s website. The top-of-the-line Range Rover will cost £1,600 (RM8,543) a month.

The payment will cover tax, maintenance and insurance, and customers can cancel their subscriptions after three months, Pivotal said.

Other companies have announced similar programs: Volvo Car AB is introducing a subscription service, Care by Volvo, in September. London-based startup Drover Ltd. has partnered with BMW AG to offer an alternative to car ownership.

And in the United States, Volkswagen AG’s Audi unit offers subscriptions for its cars, starting at US$1,495 (RM6,409) a month.

Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz brand introduced a US subscription service in 2018, but pulled the plug on the two-year-old pilot, Automotive News reported last month.

With new-car sales plunging amid the coronavirus pandemic and people reluctant to return to public transportation, carmakers are looking for ways to spur demand.

Jaguar Land Rover, owned by Tata Motors Ltd., said in a statement that it expects subscription services to account for almost 10% of all car sales in the United States and Europe by 2025.


Kia teases Concept EV9

                SEOUL: Kia today revealed the first official images of the Kia Concept EV9, an all-electric SUV concept that embodies the company's commitment to become a sustainable mobility solutions provider.

Following the launch of EV6 SUV, the Concept EV9 is a glimpse into the future direction of the all-electric SUV, combining progressive design, state-of-the-art tech, and an advanced all-electric powertrain in one package.

The first visuals of the concept SUV show an ultramodern exterior design, the schematics of which hint at a contemporary recreational treatment that's brought to the fore by an upright and capable stylistic stance.

The renderings illustrate a highly conceptual cabin that has been honed to give the driver and passengers a light, flexible and adaptive interior space as the experience of the journey evolves.

An interactive ultra-wide display and a radical new take on the traditional steering wheel are just two of the standout interior features.

The Concept EV9 preview images have been revealed ahead of AutoMobility LA, which starts next week. Kia will unveil its all-new take on the SUV form on Nov 17 at the LA Convention Centre.


BMW gets role in new Mission Impossible movie

                MUNICH: It’s confirmed, BMW is now the exclusive worldwide automotive partner of the next instalment of Paramount Pictures’ legendary action film franchise, “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”.

The movie is set to have its theatrical release from July 31 and this is the second time BMW has “accepted the mission” to lend its support to the film’s production crew to deliver some breathtaking automotive stunt scenes shot around the globe.

BMW previously partnered with Paramount on the 2011 successful release of “Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol”.

The film’s official trailer was released worldwide yesterday, offering fans a first glimpse of the high-adrenaline action that only Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his Impossible Mission Force (IMF) team can deliver.

The scenes include the new fifth generation BMW M3 (F80) being put through its paces as well as the BMW Motorrad S 1000 RR (K46).

“Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” reunites Tom Cruise with “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” stars Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames.

The film also stars Alec Baldwin, Rebecca Ferguson and Sean Harris.

The film is directed by Christopher McQuarrie and produced by Tom Cruise, J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk, with executive producers David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger of Skydance Productions and Jake Myers.

Drew Pearce, Christopher McQuarrie, Will Staples, Laeta Kalogridis & Patrick Lussier and Dylan Kussman wrote the screenplay, based on the television series created by Bruce Geller.


Driverless taxi hits lorry in Singapore trial

The same type of driverless taxi that was involved in the Singapore accident. - Bloomberg
SINGAPORE: A car taking part in the world’s first public trial of driverless taxis was slightly damaged today when it collided with a lorry here, its operator said.

No one was hurt in the accident in One North, a suburban research campus where the vehicle has been on a limited run since August, US software firm nuTonomy said in a statement.

”None of the people involved was injured. The nuTonomy car, which was operating with two engineers onboard, was travelling at a low speed at the time of the incident,” it said.

A company spokesman said the damage to the car was “minimal” and the trial has not been suspended. The cause of the accident is not yet known. The company, police and Singapore’s Land Transport Authority are investigating.

The authority said in a statement the taxi was changing lanes when it collided with the lorry.

NuTonomy became the world’s first company to launch driverless taxi trials in public, beating rival Uber by weeks.

During the trial period, two nuTonomy staff will be in the car at all times - an engineer to monitor performance, and a safety driver who takes over in emergencies, or when trips extend beyond the demarcated test area.

NuTonomy currently has six driverless cars in its fleet but is looking to expand to 12 by year-end. Uber started a trial on public roads in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Sept 15.

Other countries are also launching trials of autonomous vehicles. Driverless two-passenger cars carrying passengers took to the streets of the British town of Milton Keynes on Oct 11 in a trial run.


Car prices from Sept 1, 2018

                This list shows the latest car prices following the implementation of the SST from Sept 1, 2018. It will be updated as and when car brands announce their new prices. Information is provided as is from the car brands. Prices shown below are for Peninsula Malaysia.

KiaNissan

Peugeot

Mercedes-Benz

Volvo

BMW

Honda

Volkswagen