Chinese startup claims breakthrough with all-weather EV battery

                HONG KONG: A Chinese battery startup claims to have overcome one of the key sticking points for electric car owners - the loss of power capability and range in cold climates.

Greater Bay Technology says its new Phoenix cell is made with superconducting materials and contains thermal management technology that can heat the battery back from -20 degree Celsius to 25 degrees in five minutes.

That allows the lithium ion battery to operate as normal and charge within six minutes in all weather conditions, according to Huang Xiangdong, Greater Bay’s co-founder and chairman.

"We all know the range of EVs is greatly affected in cold regions, making it a terrible user experience,” said Huang.

"The Phoenix battery not only addresses the long charging time for EVs, but other pain points. It doesn’t matter if it’s a hot day or a cold day, the Phoenix battery’s range won’t be affected.”

Spun out of state-owned automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. in 2020, the startup is a new entrant to China’s battery-making industry which includes major players such as Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., BYD Co. and Gotion High-tech Co. - who are all working on new batteries to make EVs safer, faster to charge and drive longer distances.

Greater Bay has already become a unicorn - a startup valued at over US$1 billion - within two years of its founding.

Its first generation battery is an extreme fast charge cell, which aims to recharge an EV in the same amount of time it takes to refill a fuel tank.

It’s said to fully charge within 15 minutes for an average range of 500km on a charger with sufficient output. This battery is fitted in the V Plus electric SUV from GAC’s Aion, the third-most popular EV brand in China behind BYD and Tesla Inc.

Huang studied automotive engineering in Italy during the 1980s and did postdoctoral work at Fiat’s research center for five years before returning to China in 1991 to teach.

He headed GAC’s R&D Centre for 10 years from 2006, during which time many of the company’s popular models such as the GS4 SUV were developed.

Huang retired in 2016 but later co-founded Greater Bay in 2020 with fellow GAC veteran Pei Feng, who serves as the startup’s chief executive officer.

While the journey from development and lab testing to mass production will take some time, the Phoenix battery will be powering some of Aion’s EVs next year and the startup is also in talks with other carmakers to use the cell, which has a range of 1,000km in a single charge according to Huang.

"Once EVs can be driven and maintained like gasoline cars, then there’s a greater chance for mass adoption,” he said.


Ferrari 812 Superfast: Most high-performance Ferrari ever

                MARANELLO: The Ferrari 812 Superfast clothe Prancing Horse power at its rawest, as an entirely new 12-cylinder engine unleashes a massive 800 CV, making the 812 Superfast the most powerful and fastest road-going Ferrari ever built (with the exception, of course, of the mid-rear-engined, special limited-series 12-cylinders).

The 812 Superfast, in fact, is aimed at clients that demand the most powerful and exclusive Ferrari in the range.

The engine produces 800 cv at 8,500 rpm (an impressive 60 cv more than the F12berlinetta) and maximum torque of 718 Nm @ 7,000 rpm - a completely unprecedented achievement for a naturally-aspirated Ferrari production engine.

A significant 80% of maximum torque is available at just 3,500 rpm, improving both flexibility and pick-up at lower revs.

The new 812 Superfast is fitted with Ferrari’s F1 dual-clutch transmission which has been further evolved to cope with the boost in maximum revs to 8,900 rpm.

The 812 Superfast is the first Ferrari to introduce Electric Power Steering (EPS).

The car also sees the introduction of the Virtual Short Wheelbase 2.0 system (PCV) which, starting from the experience gained with the F12tdf, combines electric front-wheel steering assistance with the mechanical concept built around tyre dimensions and the rear-wheel steering.

The integration of the EPS enabled Ferrari’s engineers to introduce functionalities to support the driver's performance experience by means of the primary interface with the road: the steering wheel.

Ferrari Peak Performance (FPP): when cornering, the steering wheel torque will provide the driver with an indication that the car is getting closer to its limit of grip, helping the control of that dynamic state.

Ferrari Power Oversteer (FPO): in case of oversteer, most frequently induced while powering out of corners, the steering wheel torque will give the driver feedback to give steering wheel inputs that are coherent with realigning the car correctly.

The mechanical set-up sees the adoption of tyres developed specifically for Ferrari by Michelin and Pirelli and retain the same sizes front and rear (275/315) introduced on the F12tdf to optimize the Passo Corto Virtuale concept.

The Brembo Extreme Design brakes, which previously equipped the LaFerrari, are the most efficient ever developed by Ferrari.

Combined with the Hi-Performance ABS of the 9.1 Premium ESP, the braking performance from 100 km/h is improved by 5.8% compare to the F12berlinetta.

Designed by Ferrari Design, the new 812 Superfast has a fastback sleekness: a two-box design with a high tail reminiscent of the glorious 365 GTB4 (Daytona) of 1969, visually lowering an aggressive rear spoiler designed to guarantee downforce.


Petron alliance lets you use your ATM card at fuel pumps

                KUALA LUMPUR: Fuel up at Petron with your MyDebit ATM card and be rewarded as Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) announced a collaboration with Tourism Malaysia and Petron which launched the "Fuel Penuh Gaya MyDebit Je with your ATM Card!" campaign.

The campaign is open to any MyDebit ATM cardholder who has made a fuel purchase of RM5 or more in a single receipt at any of Petron’s outdoor petrol pumps using MyDebit ATM cards issued by banks in Malaysia from Oct 1 until Dec 31, 2020.

Petron is the first petrol chain in the country to offer customers the ability to make MyDebit ATM card payments at petrol pumps without the RM200 pre-authorisation hold for 3 days.

There will be a total of 169 prizes, which includes the Kawasaki Z250 ABS, Modenas Pulsar NS200 ABS, Go Pro Hero8 Black, Petron Miles Points worth RM500 each and 1-year supply of Petron Rider 4T Synthetic Blend.

There are also 36 hotel stay vouchers at Lexis Hotels & Resorts, Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa, Langkawi, Gloria Residences Ion Delemen Genting Highland, Federal International Group and Iconic Hotel Penang, courtesy of Tourism Malaysia.

The launch of “Fuel Penuh Gaya MyDebit Je with your ATM Card!” at Petron NKVE KL-Bound, was officiated by Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri.

Also present were Datuk Musa Yusof, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, Peter Schiesser, Group Chief Executive Officer of PayNet and Faridah Ali, General Manager of Petron Malaysia.

“We are pleased to launch another fascinating campaign with PayNet, this time in partnership with Tourism Malaysia to help promote domestic travel through the MyDebit ATM card.

"This mode of payment at our stations has proven to be faster, more secure, and more convenient, and we hope more of our customers could try it out as well. Despite the pandemic, we want to still be able to fuel the best customer experiences while contributing to our country’s continued recovery,” said Faridah.


Hyundai, GM serious about 'flying car' efforts

                DETROIT: Hyundai Motor Co and General Motors Co said today they are pushing ahead with developing flying cars, with the South Korean company expressing optimism it could have an air-taxi service in operation as soon as 2025.

A GM executive said it could take until 2030 for air-taxi services to overcome technical and regulatory hurdles and reach commercialisation.

The zero-emissions aircraft, which take off and land like helicopters and carry passengers and cargo, are being developed by a number of startups as well as aircraft makers and automakers, but they face a long road to profitability.

Hyundai is ahead of its previously stated timetable for rolling out air-mobility vehicles, Jose Munoz, the company's global chief operating officer, said in an interview broadcast today at the Reuters Events Car of the Future conference.

Munoz, who is also CEO of Hyundai North America, previously said urban air taxis would be in operation at major U.S. airports by 2028 and perhaps earlier. He said it could possibly happen before 2025.

"We see this market as a significant growth opportunity," Munoz said, adding he was "very confident" of the technology's development.
Hyundai is developing air taxis powered by electric batteries that can transport five to six people from highly congested urban centres to airports.

Other automakers developing flying cars either alone or with startups include Toyota Motor Corp, Daimler AG and China's Geely automobile Holdings.

"I think that there's a long pathway here," Pamela Fletcher, vice president of GM's Global Innovation team, said at the Reuters event. "2030 is probably a real commercial inflection point."

She added: "It's a very nascent space. There's a lot of work to be done on the regulatory side, as well as the actual technology side."

In January, GM unveiled a flying Cadillac concept.

Morgan Stanley has estimated the total addressable market for urban air mobility could hit $1 trillion by 2040 and $9 trillion by 2050.

In 2019, Hyundai, which has a dedicated Urban Air Mobility Division led by Jaiwon Shin, a former NASA engineer, pledged to invest about US$1.5 billion in urban air mobility by 2025.

Munoz said Hyundai sees its flying cars serving not only residential customers but also transporting commercial cargo.

Hyundai does not want to sell flying cars as a simple transaction, but believes it can develop services around the vehicles, Munoz said.


Honda's R&D chief Mibe to take over as CEO from April

Mibe’s appointment is aimed at fast-tracking Honda in the field of all-electric cars. — Bloomberg
TOKYO: Honda Motor Co said today chief executive officer Takahiro Hachigo would step down, handing over the reins to the head of the automaker’s research and development arm, Toshihiro Mibe, on April 1.

Hachigo will remain on the company board, Japan’s second-biggest automaker by sales said in a statement.

Mibe, 59, joined Honda in 1987, with stints in engine development and the drivetrain business. He became the president of Honda’s R&D unit in 2019, working with Hachigo to push through structural reforms.

Mibe’s appointment, first reported by Reuters this week, comes as Honda races to catch up in the field of all-electric cars and faces competition from new entrants and tech giants such as Tesla, Apple and Amazon.

Traditionally known for its fuel-efficient internal-combustion engines, Honda launched its first mass-produced all-battery vehicle last August. It has said it wants new-energy vehicles such as plug-in hybrids and fuel-cell cars to make up two-thirds of its sales by 2030.

During his six years as CEO, Hachigo sought to simplify the vehicle development process by combining some operations for cars and motorcycles. He also slashed costs by streamlining Honda’s model line-up and consolidating factories at home and overseas.

Hachigo also expanded a partnership with General Motors Co to include cooperation in developing electric and autonomous vehicles.

To focus on zero-emission technology, Honda last year said it would stop participating as an engine supplier in the FIA Formula One World Championship at the end of the 2021 season.


Grab begins testing new delivery service GrabMart in Klang Valley today

                PETALING JAYA: Grab announced that a new service called GrabMart has entered pilot testing phase in the Klang Valley starting today.

The company described GrabMart as an "on-demand everyday goods delivery service" for users to buy items or services from selected grocery stores, pharmacy outlets, convenience stores and even florists. Grab has listed stores like Guardian, MyNews, Caring Pharmacy, and MPH Bookstores as some of the options available for GrabMart.

At present, GrabMart delivery is applicable to stores located in Damansara Uptown, Bandar Utama, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kota Damansara, Mutiara Damansara, Mont Kiara and Hartamas.

GrabMart delivery fees range from RM5 to RM9, depending on travel distance. Users can access GrabMart delivery on the Grab app by clicking on the Food icon and then search for the Mart (beta) icon. The app also allows users to perform payment with GrabPay and track the delivery.

According to a Grab spokesman, delivery hours depend on area and stores' hours which can start as early as 9am and go on until 10pm. If a particular store is not available for delivery, it will be marked as "Closed" on the app. GrabMart deliveries will be performed by both GrabExpress and GrabFood riders.

The spokesman added that the pilot testing phase is for the company to study demand and availability for GrabMart.


Smartphone support is now driving new car sales

                LOS ANGELES: Forget car-to-car communication or even cutting-edge infotainment systems with voice activation. According to a new report from JD Power, when it comes to connected car technology, the thing consumers want the most is a perfect representation of their smartphone's best features integrated into the dashboard.

"Owners want their vehicle systems to become an extension of their smartphone experience, with the same speed, responsiveness and functionality," said Kathy Rizk, director of automotive consulting at J.D. Power.

However, The Smartphone Automotive Mirroring Report, published this week and based on the results of J.D. Power's extensive consumer satisfaction and automotive quality studies, finds that car companies are struggling to meet this expectation. "Consumer demand is increasing for more advanced in-vehicle connectivity, and the technology is there, but the integration is far from seamless," said Rizk. "J.D. Power consultants have independently uncovered significant concerns with some of the current market executions."

Since 2013, the most cited problems have been around Bluetooth pairing and voice commands. In the 2016 JD Power Initial Quality Study those two problems alone achieved an average 14 problems per 100 vehicles score.

"When this technology does not function as well as expected - and, in fact, creates new and unique problems --owners are understandably frustrated," notes Rizk.

The bond between consumers and their handsets is now so strong that how well a new car can mirror a smartphone's apps and functions, either via Mirror Link, Android Auto or Apple CarPlay has already become a factor in the purchase decision. It's also telling that when mirroring doesn't work as expected, consumers are more likely to blame a car company than their handset.

But while smartphones and their functionality improve constantly via software updates, new handsets and apps, cars take years to arrive and therefore automakers are in some cases struggling to get the functionality right.

Only 10 vehicle brands in the US offered Android Auto and/or Apple CarPlay connectivity on their 2016 models. However, that number is expected to increase dramatically over the 2017 model-year period.

"The likely result of increased smartphone mirroring presence is that the impact on vehicle quality is expected to increase as well," said Rizk. "Automakers that can get smartphone mirroring right have the potential to reduce problems and improve satisfaction."


2017 Gaikindo Int'l Auto Show: Honda Civic Type R unveiled

JAKARTA: The venerable Honda Civic Type R was unveiled at the 2017 Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show priced at IDR995 million (RM320,000).The car is being made available in four colours for the Indonesian market, which includes Rallye Red, Brilliant Sporty Blue Metallic, Championship White and Sonic Grey Pearl, while 2018 will have added more colours such as Crystal Black Pearl and Polished Metal Metallic.While featuring three driving modes of Comfort, Sport and +R and is powered by a 2.0 liter VTEC Turbo engine, mated to a manual six-speed manual transmission, producing 310PS at 6,500rpm and 400Nm of torque from 2,500 to 4,500rpm.The car's body panels have a muscular body styling - inspired by racing cars, and claims to be the world's fastest front-wheel drive production car after lapping the infamous Nurburgring track in 7 minutes 43.80 seconds.As such, it comes with 20.0-inch aluminum alloy wheels, triple exhaust with finishers as well as LEDs for the headlights and foglights among others."The Honda Civic Type R is a true sports car with great performance and recently set a new lap time record for a front-wheel drive car at the Nurburgring circuit in Germany. The Type R is the best choice for drivers who are 'Born to Race'," said Honda Prospect Motor president and director Takehiro Watanabe.Honda Prospect Motor is the official distributor of Honda in Indonesia.


New Mercedes A-Class: Driven in Croatia

                WITH a land size around 57,000 sq km or roughly the size of Pahang and Johor combined, Croatia is a small country of 4.5 million people in East Europe’s Balkan region.

As some of its cities like Dubrovnik and Sibenik still have their rustic and idyllic charms, they have become tourist magnets and location sites for some outdoor scenes in the Game of Thrones fantasy series.

Croatia gained world attention in the 1990s as among the early and daring states that broke away and declared their independence from the socialist Yugoslavian federation.

 The A 250 AM G Line brings out the best of the new A-Class’ avantgarde styling. A scenic view of Sibenik from the hilltop Barone Fortress.

Not too long ago, Croatia was in the global limelight again as an unfancied but spunky upstart whose football team overcame traditional soccer giants to reach the final of FIFA World Cup 2018.

Set amidst such momentous events, Croatia was made the backdrop for Mercedes-Benz’s international media drive of its new A-Class hatchback.

Like Croatia, the A-Class is a spunky little car that punches above its weight.

Compared with the previous generation, the new A-Class is now 120mm longer, 16mm wider and 6mm taller which translates to a more spacious vehicle. Wheelbase is now longer by 30mm and this improves rear legroom.

The slightly stretched rear portion, aside from increasing the boot space by 29 litres to 370 litres, also enabled the rear windscreen to be more gently sloped for an elegant appearance.

 The A 250 Edition 1 interior comes with Edition green top stitching on dashboard, armrests and seats. Red and black leather interior and seat trimming adorn the inside of the A 250 AMG Line.

Bonnet is now lower and the A-Class gets stretched LED headlights with daytime running lights and Diamond radiator grille with a large Mercedes-Benz star.

Co-efficient of drag has also been reduced to 0.25 from 0.26 previously for better fuel economy and reduced wind noise.

The Progressive Line model made available for us already looked good and sporty with its 18-inch twin 5-spoke alloy wheels featuring high sheen black finish and its beige and black leather interior.

 The A 200 Progressive Line still looks good without the bodykit.

However, the AMG Line model impresses more with its dazzling Diamond radiator grille with chrome pins, chromed lower lip, side and rear aprons, 19-inch multi-spoke AMG wheels and red and black leather interior.

The “Edition 1” variant, meanwhile, will get additional enhancements, among them 19-inch AMG wheels with Edition green on the rim flange, Artico man-made leather and Dinamica microfibre upholstered sports seats, and upper dashboard and centre door panels with Edition green top stitching.

Like in larger Mercedes-Benz models such as the S- and E-Class, the instrument panel and centre display of the A-Class are now in a full-digital Widescreen Cockpit-style.

 The augmented reality feature superimposes a blue arrow in the front camera video to show the correct turn-off.

Instead of having the touchscreen-capable widescreen set in the dashboard, the A-Class gets a free-standing design that stretches half the width of the dashboard for a youthful look.

With two 10.25-inch crystal clear displays, viewing the instrument panel, video images and satellite navigation are easy.

The instrument panel can also be configured into Classic, Sport or Understated modes to suit the fancy of the driver.

Together with generous helpings of leather trimmings, glossy piano black and metallic inserts, turbine-styled air vents and 64-colour ambient lighting, the A-Class has by far the most cutting-edge and premium looking interior of any compact car.

The ground-breaking feature of the A-Class is the voice-controlled Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system.

Mercedes-Benz says the artificial intelligence in MBUX is able to learn from the driver’s habits and subsequently makes personalised suggestions.

You get MBUX to work by saying “Hey Mercedes,” in which a female voice responds by saying “How can I help you?”

We asked the car to adjust the air conditioner setting to 20 degree Celsius and it carried out the task dutifully.

The car could even tell us the distance we could travel with the current level of fuel in the tank when we asked it.

The most useful task we found for MBUX was setting navigation destinations as manual setting was quite fiddly as we had to type in the name of the place we wanted to go to.

MBUX was able set up the route to Split airport in seconds after we asked it to do so, much to our amazement, as it would have probably taken a human to complete the task in a minute or so.

Another innovation is the use of augmented reality in the navigation system where a blue guidance arrow is overlaid on the forward camera display to tell the driver the correct turn-off.

Among the S-Class features that were equipped in our A-Class test cars were Active Distance Assist Distronic with Active Steering Assist that provide semi-autonomous driving, Active Lane Change Assist that helps the driver change lanes safely with a flick of the turn indicator and an Active Blind Spot Assist that works even when the vehicle is stationary and warns of bicycles passing from behind.

Powering the A-Class are three new engines - a 1.33-litre turbo with 163hp/250Nm for the A 200, a 1.5-litre turbodiesel with 116hp/260Nm for the A 180 d and a 2.0-litre turbo with 224hp/350Nm for the A 250.

The 1.33-litre, also Mercedes-Benz’s first four-cylinder unit with cylinder-shut off capability for better fuel economy, delivers a punchy performance and can bring the A 200 from 0 to 100kph in 8 seconds.

The turbodiesel unit in the A 180 d, has plenty of torque at low-end range, making our drive up Trogir’s narrow uphill seaside roads effortlessly and easy.

The most powerful of the trio, the 2.0-litre turbo in the A 250, unleashes a true hothatch performance especially when you are on the highway.

A gentle prod on the accelerator can send the car charging from 0-100kph in 6.2 seconds to its top speed of 250kph.

With the 7G-DCT dual clutch transmission equipped in all variants, gearshifting is smooth, fast and seamless.

The A-Class’ electro-mechanical steering system has been tuned for direct response so a steady line can be confidently maintained even at high speed.

The ride, although more comfortable than that of the previous A-Class’, still provides a planted handling at all speeds.

 Boot space is increased by 29 litres to 370 litres.

While front MacPherson struts are used on all variants, the A 200 and A 180 d get rear torsion beam suspension.
To cater to higher power output, the A 250 comes with a rear multi-link type for greater stability without compromising comfort.

The A 200 Progressive Line and A 250 AMG Line were launched locally last month with prices at RM227,888 and RM263,888 respectively.

SPECIFICATIONSMercedes-Benz A-Class
A 200
Engine: 1.332cc, turbocharged, 4-cylinders in-line
Maximum power: 163hp at 5,500rpm
Maximum torque: 250Nm at 1,620rpm
Transmission: 7G-DCT (dual clutch transmission)
Acceleration (0-100kph): 8.0 seconds
Top speed: 225kph
Fuel consumption (combined): 5.2-5.6/100km

A 250
Engine: 1.991cc, turbocharged, 4-cylinders in-line
Maximum power: 224hp at 5,500rpm
Maximum torque: 350Nm at 1,800rpm
Transmission: 7G-DCT (dual clutch transmission)
Acceleration (0-100kph): 6.2 seconds
Top speed: 250kph
Fuel consumption (combined): 6.2-6.5/100km

A 180 d
Engine: 1.461cc, turbodiesel, 4-cylinders in-line
Maximum power: 116hp at 4,000rpm
Maximum torque: 260Nm from 1,750 to 2,500rpm
Transmission: 7G-DCT (dual clutch transmission)
Acceleration (0-100kph): 10.5 seconds
Top speed: 202kph
Fuel consumption (combined): 4.1-4.5/100km

Features: Airbags, anti-lock braking system, electronic stability control, Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Distance Assist Distronic with Active Steering Assist, Active Lane Change Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Active Emergency Brake Assist, Attention Assist, Mercedes-Benz User Experience, Linguatronic voice control, Widescreen Cockpit, Attention Assist, steering wheel touch control, touchpad, start/stop button


Xpeng says CATL is no longer its largest battery supplier

                SHANGHAI: Xpeng has diversified its battery suppliers and no longer counts industry giant CATL as its primary supplier, the Chinese electric car maker's president said on Wednesday.

The disclosure by one of CATL's biggest clients reflects how Chinese EV automakers are starting to look for alternative suppliers in hope of better controlling costs, after dominant player CATL raised prices this year. read more

Xpeng was CATL's third-largest client after Tesla and Nio in terms of battery volumes installed in 2021, according to Chinese consulting firm Gaogong Industry Institute.

Xpeng now uses several battery makers in addition to CATL, Brian Gu told reporters in an online interview on Wednesday on the sidelines of a launch for its new G9 flagship sports utility vehicle. He did not give a reason for the diversification.

But he said that Xpeng chose to work with Sunwoda, a smaller Chinese battery maker, to develop a fast-charging battery for the G9 that would enable the SUV to achieve 80% charge in 15 minutes.

"We have already diversified our battery supplier arrangement. CATL is no longer our largest material supplier. We actually have worked with several high-quality battery suppliers, for example, EVE, CALB," Gu said.

CATL did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Still, CATL remains far ahead of its competitors with a market share of 47.45% in China, while CALB ranked third and Sunwoda ranked fifth, accounting for 7% and 2.5%, respectively, of the total battery supplies in the first eight months, according to China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance.


First drive of 2014 Honda City in Thailand

The non-national B-segment passenger car market is highly competitive especially with the recent attractive entries from Korean, American, French and German marques.Enter the all-new Honda City.We set off to Phuket, Thailand recently to check out if the latest incarnation of the City has what it takes to battle its rivals. The City that we drove was the Thai-spec model, which has a few differences in terms of equipment when compared with the Malaysian-assembled units.Externally, the new car is similar in dimensions with the outgoing model, albeit with a longer wheelbase. The styling is sleeker, with a sweeping front facia that sees the lights merge with the rather large grille, which has a passing resemblance to the hydrogen-powered Honda FCX Clarity.Our top-grade V-spec City unit had a platinum-effect finish, which we found to be rather sexy.A sweeping character line adorns the side from the front door all the way to the stylish rear tail lamps, which looked like LED units but actually use conventional bulbs – a pretty neat design element.Taking a number of cues from the third-generation Fit (or Jazz as it’s known here) which it is based on, the new City features a rather sophisticated overall design language, especially when compared with some of its Japanese rivals. If we had to nit-pick, it would probably be the rather small-looking wheels, which despite being 16-inches (V-spec), could do with a little upsizing to fill the arches.Stepping inside, one would immediately notice the more spacious interior, thanks to the new platform.The dashboard, which is a mix of piano black and silver, has an upmarket feel and is among the best-looking in its class.Quality is generally decent, with hard plastics here and there, and is expected for a vehicle in this class.In more expensive variants, the area above the glove box is clad in a rather interesting soft-touch leather-like material, with faux-stitching (like the new Toyota Vios).A nice touch are the rings around the meter clusters, which glow from green (most fuel efficient) to blue (least fuel efficient) depending on how you drive.V-spec variants are equipped with six airbags, a first in this segment.The conversation piece would most probably be the large 7-inch touch-screen multimedia unit and touch-panel climate control (range-topper only, other variants get more conventional equipment).The multimedia unit was a joy to use, and was very responsive – sometimes too responsive in fact – we noticed that it even responded when the power cable from our portable GPS unit hit it.Those hoping for connectivity would be in for a treat. In addition to the power socket and Bluetooth, there are two USB ports and a HDMI port to link your iOS device via HondaLink.Furthermore, the rear gets not one, but two power sockets, ensuring that everyone’s mobile devices stay charged throughout the journey .The steering wheel – while moulded in plastic – is nice to hold, and good news is that Malaysian spec City would be getting leather-wrapping for higher variants.Seats are comfortable and supportive. Those sitting in the rear would definitely appreciate the (possibly class-leading) legroom available, which would certainly makes it a snug place to be in on long journeys.The Thai spec cars have a curious storage space on the rear portion of the front center arm rest.This however, will be taken up by rear air-conditioning vents on the Malaysian-spec car (again, on higher variants).Boot space is a generous 536L, and seats can also fold down to offer a ridiculous amount of space.The heart of the City is a re-tuned 1.5L i-VTEC engine from the previous generation, which gives 118hp and 145Nm of torque.Its transmission however, is all-new.Out goes the 5-speed automatic, and in comes the new Earth Dream seven-step CVT (continuously variable automatic tranmission), which is tuned for maximum fuel economy.The new City has easy-to-drive characteristics, as it is meant to be an urban or city runabout (pun intended).Our test drive involved scenic seaside routes, winding roads and congested town streets, thus providing a real-world experience.Power delivery is smooth and should be adequate for its target audience.As long as you’re not planning a one-make race (like some of us media folk did), the City cruises rather effortlessly, and with brisk overtaking capabilties especially when we downshifted using the paddles.However, the paddle shifters are not available for the local model, as Honda Malaysia concluded through studies that the average Malaysian would not use it much.Pity really, as it proved handy during our test drive.Engine note can be a little loud when pushed, but it hums a rather pleasing sporty tune.Honda has done a great job on the CVT, which feels really natural to drive and lacks much of the infamous “rubber band” effect. Some might question the use of drums for the rear brakes, but we think they are more than sufficient for stopping power.Overall, we think the new City certainly raises the stakes, as it has equipment that even rival cars a segment above.The new City offers more space, equipment and style, and has a level of refinement that is rare in this segment, especially among Japanese makes.The City will be launched today and available in four trim levels of S, S+, E and the range-topping V.


From copycat to global player: How China's auto industry transformed itself

                LONDON: They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But not when it is about car design where breaches of intellectual property rights are frowned upon and come with punitive action.

Once upon a time, China's automakers started out copying the designs of Western car makers but have over the decades come into their own. Where once the cars were a laughing stock, the Chinese have learnt fast and some of their latest product line-ups are far from inducing mirth but are to be respected and feared by global rivals.

It's a trend also seen when Japan and South Korea were seeking to find their own identity in the early days of vehicle development.

According to automotive designer Frank Stephenson, China's auto industry could be broken down into three eras beginning from the copycat era of the 2000s; the developing era of the 2010s and the modern era from 2020.

In a recent YouTube video, Stephenson pointed out with some amusement that even the first BMW X5 that he had designed was cloned by a Chinese automaker.

He singled out the budget-friendly Hongguang Mini EV as a car that was right for the Chinese market as it has gone on to become China's bestselling car.

The video also mentioned Geely, whose Binyue/Coolray is also shown briefly. For those who don't know, the Binyue is the Geely model upon which the popular Proton X50 in Malaysia is based on.

As for Chinese consumers, the cloners didn't sit right with them as they were not in favour of copycat designs, and were aspiring to own cars with fresh, original designs.

That era has dawned.

Watch the video for more insight.


2018 Mazda CX-5 gets engine update in US

                IRVINE (California): The Mazda CX-5 compact crossover SUV continues to win the hearts of critics and customers, even more with its cylinder deactivation technology to its Skyactive-G 2.5 engine which helps reduce fuel consumption and make it more efficient.

The engine has the ability to imperceptible shut down the two outside cylinders at cruising speeds to maximize efficiency.

It is designed to assist in improving real-world efficiency rather than simply in catalogued evaluations and comes standard on all trim levels.

Mazda is the only automaker to equip a four-cylinder engine with cylinder deactivation in North America. As such, it is not available in Malaysia yet.

For the 2018 model year, Mazda CX-5 is getting even better, employing safety and refinement updates at all trim levels and carries features rarely seen in vehicles competing in the next class up such as an available head-up display and standard LED headlights and tail lights.

Additional newly standard equipment includes a leather-wrapped steering wheel and leather-wrapped shift knob. On the safety front, Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert comes standard across all models. All features were previously available on mid-level CX-5 Touring models and above.

The entry-level CX-5 Sport features cloth upholstery, standard LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, an electronic parking brake, MAZDA CONNECT infotainment with a 7-inch screen and Bluetooth audio streaming and phone pairing as standard, among a much longer list of features. In its newly available Sport i-ACTIVSENSE Package, CX-5 adds High Beam Control, Lane Departure Warning, Lane-Keep Assist, Mazda Radar Cruise Control, Smart Brake Support, rain-sensing windshield wipers and automatic on/off headlights.

The mid-trim CX-5 Touring adds standard 19-inch allow wheels for 2018 and the full i-ACTIVSENSE suite of safety features. Mazda CX-5 Touring upgrades to leatherette-upholstered seats and Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry. Additional features in CX-5 Touring include heated front seats, 6-way power adjustable driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, rear air condition vents and two rear USB ports for charging smartphones or tablets.

The available Touring Preferred Package includes auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink, BOSE 10-speaker audio sound system with Centerpoint 2 and AudioPilot 2, navigation, a power glass moonroof and a power liftgate.

Further building on the Touring Preferred Package, the top-trim CX-5 Grand Touring receives new 2-position memory driver’s seat and 6-way power adjustable passenger seat.

CX-5 Grand Touring comes standard with leather-trimmed seats, LED fog lights and tail lights, Adaptive Front-lighting System and SiriusXM satellite radio with 4-month trial subscription.

The available Grand Touring Premium Package includes windshield-projected Active Driving Display head-up unit with Traffic Sign Recognition, heated steering wheel, heated second-row outboard seats and windshield wiper de-icer.

All CX-5 models sold in the U.S. come with a standard 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G engine that delivers 187 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque, paired to an efficient, quick-shifting Skyactiv-Drive 6-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift mode and Sport mode.

Front-wheel drive is standard; Mazda’s predictive i-ACTIV all-wheel drive is available on every trim level, feeding information from 27 sensors found in CX-5 to predict road conditions and send power wherever it’s needed without the unnerving drivetrain reactions or slipping that can be felt in some competitors during inclement conditions.


Nissan’s Rogue draws richer buyers, boosting turnaround plan

                NASHVILLE: Sales of Nissan Motor Co.’s new Rogue are charting higher in the U.S. since the compact SUV debuted in October by attracting higher-income customers, a sign that the Japanese automaker is making progress in shedding its incentive-led expansion strategy.

Buyers of the new Rogue have an average household income that is about US$10,000 (RM41,000) higher than the previous model’s buyers’, according to Mike Colleran, Nissan North America’s senior vice president in charge of US marketing and sales.

Colleran declined to comment on specifics of the sales incentives provided for the new Rogue, but said the carmaker expects the SUV’s overall transaction price to rise. "That’s a powerful statement,” he said.

Nissan’s profits have deteriorated sharply since former chairman Carlos Ghosn was arrested in 2018 over alleged financial misconduct, which he has denied. Factoring in the impact of the pandemic which is projected to carve off a fifth of global car sales this year, Nissan is forecasting a loss of 340 billion yen (RM13bil) for the 12 months ending March.

The Yokohama-based automaker is seven months into an aggressive turnaround plan that involves breaking away from the Ghosn-era strategy of selling vehicles at steep discounts to increase market share, which cut deeply into profits. The company plans to launch 12 new models in the 18 months through November 2021, of which the new Rogue was among the first models announced.

"The overwhelming view is that Nissan’s performance will recover as it launches new models,” said Takeshi Miyao, an analyst at automotive consultancy firm Carnorama. Future performance depends on how well the slew of new vehicles sell, but the first cars of the 12-model push have "exceeded sales expectations,” he said.

Rogue retail sales rose 20% in November from the previous month, Nissan’s Colleran said, adding that he is "very happy” with the increase given that November was a short sales month in the U.S. Nissan’s new models are attracting a different buyer that is looking less at a car’s price and more at its technology and overall looks, he says.

Other models set to go on sale in the US in the coming months include Nissan’s new Ariya electric vehicle.

"The fact that cars couldn’t be sold without incentives in the past means that the models themselves were less attractive,” Miyao said. If the Rogue keeps being bought by higher-income customers, this shows that "without incentives, the car is being recognised highly for its value.”


VW shows off I.D. electric car concept

                PARIS: Volkswagen presented the I.D. concept, the first Volkswagen of a new fleet of electric cars as part of the group’s "TOGETHER – Strategy 2025” to place itself on even broader footing for the automobile future.

The concept car has a range of 400 to 600km and demonstrates a fully automated mode for the year 2025. Volkswagen aims to sell a million electric cars a year by then. The  I.D.will be launched as a compact electric car in 2020 alongside the new Golf.

The concept car shows off a fully automated mode for the year 2025 and forms part of the new VW game plan to harness e-mobility, digitalisation and mobility services to move forward.

It is the first compact Volkswagen based on the Modular Electric Drive Kit (MEB).

It is driven by an electric motor with an output of 125 kW and has a spacious interior that offers a new experience labelled as Open Space.

I.D. retracts its multifunction steering wheel into the dashpad when in fully automated mode ("I.D. Pilot"). It is even smart enough to receive parcels using a new delivery service, if its owner isn't at home.

Volkswagen Group CEO Matthias Müller and group design chief Michael Mauer attended the Volkswagen Group Media Night here on Wednesday on the eve of the media preview of the 2016 Paris Motor Show to push home the message that the group and its brands are looking to becoming a globally leading provider of sustainable mobility.

As a group, it plans to develop and build more than 30 new additional electric vehicles by 2025.

"A great deal has changed at Volkswagen over the last 12 months. We want to harness this momentum. We are therefore making mobility services business field our 13th group brand. That underscores just how essential we believe this business is,” said Mueller.

Mauer took to the stage at the Louis Vuitton Foundation, an artistic landmark in the French capital, to highlight that design, innovation and emotion would be the driving force in the production of new VW cars.

"I am convinced that design will be a key factor in deciding which car brands are to survive in the future,” said Mauer.

"The mobility world of tomorrow gives us designers entirely new creative possibilities. Electric drives and autonomous driving remove many obstacles and change design more radically than has been the case in recent decades.

"Moreover, key distinctive characteristics such as the sound of an engine are no longer relevant, so design becomes all the more important as a unique selling proposition."

 Mueller.

Mauer went on to say that design creates character, distinctiveness and an emotional bond to the product and the brand. "In future, it is not fitness for purpose but beauty that decides whether a car commands a top price at auctions."

Some 1,300 designers from 45 nations in the Volkswagen Group are working on the streetscape of the future.

Taking lessons from the Dieselgate debacle, the Volkswagen Group is also strengthening its sustainability management and has appointed an international Sustainability Council.

 Mauer showing the different interior layout of a future VW electric car.

The council members will advise the Group Board of Management on the topics of sustainable mobility, environmental protection, and social responsibility as well as integrity, the future of work, and digitisation. They will be independent and not obliged to follow instructions. The inaugural meeting will take place at the end of October in Berlin.

Meanwhile, CarSifu is in Paris today to check out Volkswagen's offerings at the auto show, and among the highlights will be the debut of the Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, which was also previewed at the media night. We will bring you more details soon.

 Bugatti Chiron at the media night.


Take the Ford Safety Tour

PETALING JAYA: Ford in Malaysia is promoting greater awareness to members of the public with tips for drivers, a showcase of safety and driver assistance technologies and a particular focus on child safety on Aug 6 and 7 at the ground floor of 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya.

Admission is free and Ford experts will be on hand to share advice on a range of safety topics.

“Road safety relies on good driving habits as well as safer vehicles, and Ford is committed to addressing both,” said managing director, Malaysia and Asia Pacific emerging markets, Ford Motor Company, David Westerman.

The tour comprises a 40-minute safety briefings every half hour through a series of exhibits and interactive displays.

Among them include the specifically designed suits that Ford engineers use in developing vehicles to address the needs of drivers with specific mobility issues such as the Empathy Belly for simulating pregnant women and the Third Age Suit for the effects age has on the senses.

Visitors will also be introduced to demonstrations of the Ford Sync 2, the in-vehicle communications and entertainment system which allows drivers to stay connected while keeping their hands on the wheel. Other Ford innovations include the first-ever production inflatable seatbelts for rear occupants.

Also featured is the MyKey, which allows Ford owners to program a key for themselves and younger drivers that limits top speed, reduces maximum radio volume, disables the radio until the seatbelts are fastened among others.

As for future improvements of safety with Ford is the development of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I).

“In coming years, we may see more services based on two-way V2V communication systems, allowing cars to communicate with each other about driving and traffic conditions, even when they are out of sight,” said director of sustainability, environment & safety engineering, Ford Asia Pacific, Pete Hardigan.


A special Ford Mustang Bullitt to be raffled off

                DETROIT: Ford is turning its iconic Dark Highland Green Mustang Bullitt Kona Blue to help benefit Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and one lucky raffle participant will drive home in this one-of-a-kind Mustang.

The Mustang Bullitt is a fabulous car, of course, and this one is a very special one-of-a-kind Bullitt in Kona Blue.

There's a catch, of course: for US$10 participants will get a raffle ticket to win the car. There will be 60,000 tickets sold in total.

This special car was unveiled to the public at the weekend at the annual Woodward Dream Cruise event held here. As well as its one-off paint job in Kona Blue (all the others will be produced in either Highland Green or Shadow Black), the Mustang Bullitt also features some unique alloy wheels and blue stitching throughout the interior.

Like the other Bullitt models Ford is producing, under the bonnet there's a spectacularly powerful 480hp 5.0-litre V8 engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, which also has a retro gear knob made to look like a cue ball.

The new Bullitt Mustang pays homage to Steve McQueen's iconic car in the 1968 movie "Bullitt." This is generally thought to be the first movie where an action car chase had a starring role: McQueen's 1968 Highland Green Mustang fastback does battle with a sinister-looking Dodge Charger on the hilly streets of San Francisco.

This is the third time Ford is offering a production version of the Bullitt Mustang, and this year it's to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the classic movie. Raffle tickets to win the one-off Kona Blue version will be made available until Nov 9. The winner will be announced on Nov 13.


Entry permit fees for Singaporeans soar to RM105

                JOHOR BARU: Singaporeans and foreigners who are applying for the Malaysia Automated Clearance System (MACS) stickers to enter Johor have to fork out RM105 or S$35 per year – three times more than the RM30 they used to pay for each sticker.

Since Sept 15, applications for the MACS stickers can only be made through a company in Singapore known as the Malaysian Electronic Visa Application Centre (MEVAS).

The stickers can no longer be applied or renewed at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex and Sultan Abu Bakar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex at the Second Link.

All applications will go through the immigration attache at the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore, but foreigners with long term Malaysian passes can still apply at the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) office in Danga Bay.

But, they will still be charged RM30.

The fees for the application in Singapore is now S$35 (RM105) per year compared with the RM30 charged per year when the applications were made at two Johor CIQs in Malaysia.

It is learnt that a circular from the Home Ministry has directed the Johor immigration department to reassign the manpower used at the two CIQs for other border control activities.

Johor immigration director Rohaizi Bahari only confirmed that since Sept 15, the MACS applications were no longer allowed at the CIQs.

The Star has in the past highlighted that the system was not foolproof as there were no biometric thumb-scanners placed at the MACS autogates at both the border crossings.

Since the MACS project was introduced five years ago, some 553,530 Singaporeans and foreign nationals with long-term employment in the island republic had applied for the MACS stickers, which allowed them quick access via autogates at two Malaysian checkpoints along the Johor Causeway and Second Link.


F1: Alonso 'lucky' to be alive after huge crash

                MELBOURNE: Fernando Alonso felt lucky to be alive after walking away from a spectacular crash that left his obliterated McLaren scattered across the Albert Park circuit and brought a halt to the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Alonso's right wheel clipped Esteban Gutierrez's Haas at high speed going into turn three of the 18th lap and the impact sent the Spaniard's McLaren careening into a barrier, smashing it to pieces, before it flipped, rolled and flew end-over-end into another barrier.

The two-time Formula One world champion emerged from the wreckage and walked gingerly over to Mexican Gutierrez, where the pair embraced.

"I'm okay, I'm trying to put everything in place again," the 34-year-old told Sky Sports in the paddock after Nico Rosberg won the race for Mercedes.

"It was a scary crash. Lucky to be here and happy to be here, and thankful to be here -- especially to the (governing body) FIA and all the safety, thanks to that probably I'm alive.

"We lost the power unit and the car because there was a lot of damage, but I'm super happy to be talking."
Race control said Alonso's contact with Gutierrez would be investigated but the Spaniard said neither driver was to blame.

"We were racing, I kept in the slip-stream as late as I could and at the last moment I tried to move.

"It's tough, you can only see the rear wing, you don't have the full view of the track. And same for him, he's defending and can't see what the other guy is doing. So we are both happy."

 Alonso (left) and Gutierrez after the crash. - AFP

It was a disappointing day all round for McLaren, with Alonso's team mate Jenson Button finishing 14th out of the 16 finishers.

Nico Rosberg won the dramatic race for Mercedes after Ferrari's challenge was squandered by a bungled tyre strategy and Alonso walked away from the crash.

Rosberg's 15th career victory was also his fourth in succession after the German won the final three races of last season.

His team mate and pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton finished second, some eight seconds behind after recovering from a chaotic start that pushed the defending world champion back to sixth at the first turn.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel led for much of the race but his advantage was eroded by poor tyre management, especially after Alonso's crash brought out a red flag, as his compatriot Rosberg coasted home.

"Yeah! awesome, guys, awesome. Great start to the season," Rosberg yelled down the team radio.
New team, the US-backed Haas, celebrated points on debut, with Frenchman Romain Grosjean finishing sixth behind Red Bull's Daniel.


Mitsubishi Triton joins Borneo Safari

                KOTA KINABALU: The new Mitsubishi Triton will be taking part in the Oct 25-Nov 1 Borneo Safari.

Distributor Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia will be entering the top Triton Adventure version as a corporate vehicle with minimal modifications.

The pick-up truck is sold in a choice of five variants that are priced from around RM69,000 to the top of the line Triton Adventure variant that’s priced at RM108,274 (prices in Peninsula Malaysia).

The Triton is outfitted with compulsory equipment, including a strong bullbar in front, reinforced rear bumpers, a Warn winch with 9,000-pound pulling capacity and GT Radial Komodo 35” tyres.

 The Triton being prepared for the off road expedition. Minimal modifications are being done to the truck.

“Other than that, we want to show that the standard Triton, as it left the showroom floor, is capable of handling tough terrain. If it looks kind of ordinary compared to the other monsters at the flag-off ... well, looking ordinary is actually the whole point,” said Borneo Safari veteran Paul Si.

The Triton will be piloted by Si and Lionel Yew from Selangor.

The Triton, a fully imported model from Thailand, boasts new features that include 4WD selector, Dual Zone Climate Control, Touch Screen Audio System with Reverse Camera, Auto Headlamps and Wipers. Feature availability varies according to variant.

An improved 2.5-litre 4-cylinder diesel engine with an intercooled Variable Geometry Turbo (VGT) promises high performance with high fuel economy. It produces 178 PS of power at 4,000rpm and 400Nm of torque at 2,000rpm - 50Nm more than before.

The Borneo Safari will flag off at 9.30am from the Sabah Tourism Board building in Jalan Gaya here with 300 participants. The convoy will then proceed to Penampang for the opening Prologue Special Stages.

Over the next few days, the participants will split into several groups and proceed to various camp sites, including Kampung Sungi and Kampung Tingkolod before tackling the hardcore stretches in the Rundum and Lagud Seberang area in the southwest region of Sabah.

The convoys will then regroup in Tenom town before returning to Kota Kinabalu after eight days on the trails.

Borneo Safari is one of the world's toughest 4X4 expeditions and is now in its 25th year of existence.


VEP required for foreign cars entering Johor from today

                JOHOR BARU: All foreign-registered cars entering Johor from today will be subject to the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) but there will be no charges until July 15 when the test run ends.

Public Works, Rural and Regional Development Committee chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad said more than 120,000 owners of Singapore vehicles have registered.

He added that each vehicle lane at the checkpoints was equipped with cameras and sensors to read number plates and RFID tags.

Anyone driving a vehicle with Singapore plates, including Malaysians, will be charged VEP on the Malaysian side.

“We also do not offer special discounts, like Singapore does,” he said.

In Singapore, each foreign car is given 10 free days. There are also no charges during the weekends.

VEP is exempt between 5pm and 2am from Monday to Friday while motorcyclists are charged S$4 (RM12).

Also taking effect today is a new directive that requires Immigration officers to personally check vehicles with multiple passengers, to ensure the number tallies.

Johor Immigration director Rohaizi Ibrahim, confirmed the additional measure was to beef up security and make sure the number of people entering and exiting the country tallied with the number of passports presented to Immigration officers.

Rohaizi warned motorcyclists to stop and present their passports for verification and has directed his men to arrest those who do not scan their passport.


US gives automakers at least six more months to meet 'quiet car' rules

                WASHINGTON: US automakers will have another six months to meet “quiet car” regulations requiring electric and hybrid vehicles to emit alert sounds to warn pedestrians when they approach, a federal regulator said, citing the coronavirus pandemic.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it was seeking public comment on whether to extend the deadline by a full year, as requested in April by a group representing major automakers, including General Motors Co, Volkswagen AG and Toyota Motor Corp.

The carmakers asked NHTSA to extend the Sept 1 deadline for full compliance by another year.

The agency on Friday decided to extend the date for full compliance to March 1, saying it believes the six-month delay “strikes a reasonable balance between providing necessary regulatory relief and implementing” the requirements as quickly as possible.

The long-delayed rules, first demanded by Congress in 2010, require automakers to add sounds to vehicles when they are moving at speeds of up to 30kph to help prevent injuries among pedestrians, cyclists and the blind.

The National Federation of the Blind praised NHTSA’s decision in a joint statement with the auto trade group Auto Innovators, which had sought the delay.

READ MORE: EU to enforce audio alert system on hybrids and EVs from July 2019

Automakers noted the earlier shutdown of North American auto production “impacted the ability of manufacturers to fully implement the quiet car rule.”

NHTSA in September 2019 gave automakers an additional year to comply beyond the schedule proposed by the Obama administration.

Automakers are selling more electrically powered vehicles to meet emissions rules, and those are often harder to hear at lower speeds than gasoline-powered engines.

At higher speeds, tire noise, wind resistance, and other factors eliminate the need for alert sounds, regulators say.

NHTSA estimated the rules would cost the auto industry about $40 million annually because automakers will need to add an external waterproof speaker to comply; benefits of reduced injuries are estimated at US$250 million to US$320 million annually.

NHTSA estimates the odds of a hybrid vehicle being involved in a pedestrian crash are 19% higher than with a traditional gasoline-powered vehicle. About 125,000 pedestrians and cyclists are injured annually on US roads.


Vector thought to be Malaysia's flying car, steals show at LIMA'19

                LANGKAWI: Was it built with KDK fans? This was the general cheeky response of Malaysians to the unveiling of a scale model of a flying vehicle, dubbed Vector, at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace 2019 (Lima’19) exhibition.

The vehicle’s debut at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre (MIEC) has been stealing the limelight at this year’s edition as many participants were eager to see it - thinking that it was touted to be the much-talked-about “flying car”, but it is nowhere near that.

In fact, Aerodyne senior group business development and consulting director Imtyaz Mohd Azzat refuted the idea that the company was developing a flying car because the Vector, to be exact, was designed to be a “point-to-point air transportation system”.

Many playfully asked if the model was made from the famous KDK fans.

"It looks like the stand fan in my house. It can be bought at Giant Supermarket for RM69,” said Facebook user Lee Sii Wong.

“They must have done joint research with Panasonic fans,” quipped Adillah Joni.

“So they attached four KDK fans onto some Recaro seats and it attracted MITI (Ministry of International Trade and Industry)'s attention,” suggested Alex Hoh Desu.

User Sam Chuah chimed in with, “Looks like they installed it with four units of National standing fans. Awesome!”

Some users also criticised the lack of innovation in the project, saying that it was not a brand new idea and that it had been done before.

“It is merely a drone. Nowadays, there are plenty of drones that can carry up to a 500kg load. We were misled to believe that it is a vehicle,” said Daniel Wang.

Shaggy Chang said, “We’ve had this for decades. It’s called a helicopter”.

User Mohd Kamal added that it was a “quadcopter”.

There were also several people who complained about the design of the model, saying that the Vector “looks like a mere toy”.

“Well, you can find it in Toys R Us,” said user Izwan MJ.

“Unbelievably awesome. Good for primary school projects,” added Manal Ismail Al-Masry.

Asked when the vehicle was expected to cruise the skies, Aerodyne’s Imtyaz said the Vector prototype was slated to be ready to fly as early as June.

He also said that his four-year-old company, with experience in drone technology, had yet to determine the price of the Vector should the vehicle be ready to enter the market soon.

On government support, Imtyaz said he was grateful that the Entrepreneur Development Ministry had been supportive and very open so far by helping the company develop the ecosystem that would make this idea work.

“Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was also pleased with this idea when he visited our booth (at Lima’19),” he said.


Toyota GR Supra: Brief thrills at Sungai Besi airport

                KUALA LUMPUR: The new Toyota GR Supra sports car got the adrenaline flowing on the vast, open tarmac of the Sungai Besi airport, Kuala Kumpur today - a few hours before its official launch at the same venue by UMW Toyota Motor.

Three test drive units of the GR Supra, which marks the triumphant return of Toyota's iconic sports car, were provided for the motoring media to sample briefly.

This GR Supra variant has a powertrain shared with the BMW Z4 M40i armed with a 3.0-litre, in-line six-cylinder, twin-scroll turbocharged engine producing 340hp and 500Nm of torque.

Both cars also have the same eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Fans of the GR Supra would be familiar with the background behind Toyota's collaboration with BMW a few years ago, where the partnership aimed to lower investment costs and speed up development time for the GR Supra.

Traffic cones were laid out on the tarmac for driving exercises, and each participant was accompanied by a driving instructor.

After getting into the deep bucket seats, we were told to do a short high-speed sprint before performing a brake-steer-avoid manoeuvre without "killing" any cones.

Next, it was a slalom exercise where we zigzag between the traffic cones and this was followed by a straight line high-speed sprint to around 200kph before hitting the brakes, and ending our session with another slalom exercise.

Although it was an all too-brief session, we did enjoy the loud, throaty roar of the 340hp engine as we sprinted towards the 200kph mark as well as the powerful brakes, sharp steering and precise handling of the GR Supra.

We didn't get much time behind the wheel, but it was enough to make us salivate for more and wish we can go all out with it on a track like the SIC (Sepang International Circuit).


McLaren Elva roadster now available with windshield

                LONDON: First the McLaren Elva came without a windshield. Now a windshield version has been announced.

Luxury supercar manufacturer McLaren Automotive will shortly commence production of the windshield version of its Elva roadster.

Designed for customers who prefer to have a physical screen rather than the barrier of air provided by the Active Air Management System (AAMS), as well as to meet local legal requirements in some states in the USA, the windshield variant – which will be among the rarest of McLarens – was revealed Thursday in full for the first time, with images of the prototype car.

While having had its own engineering programme to optimise aerodynamic and dynamic performance, the windshield Elva shares a lot in commn with the original car: neither has a roof, side windows or rear screen, which when combined with a dry lightest weight of less than 1,300kg and a mid-mounted, 804bhp, twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine, delivers the ultimate in driver exhilaration.

The screenless Elva is McLaren Automotive’s lightest-ever road car and the target for the windshield version is only 44lbs* heavier, even with the inclusion of electronically synchronised rain-sensing wipers, washer jets and sun visors, as well of course as the heated glass windshield within a carbon fibre surround.

The Active Air Management System (AAMS) is deleted as it has no role to play in the windshield car.

The acceleration of both versions is comparable with that of a McLaren Senna, the screenless model reaching 100kph from standstill in 2.8 seconds* and covering 0 – 200kph in 6.8 seconds.

Dynamic performance and vehicle stiffness also remain unchanged from the screenless car, as does the scintillating driving experience. The windshield, which is a permanent fixture, affords greater protection from the elements but it does not in any way reduce the levels of excitement.

The Elva links McLaren’s heritage to its present and future with a name and style that recalls the McLaren-Elva race cars of the 1960’s. These were amongst the first sportscars designed and raced by Bruce McLaren and the company that he founded.

Created as a homage to Bruce McLaren’s legendary race cars, heritage liveries like that of the Satin Casa Blue windscreen model prototype pictured have captured the imagination of Elva owners.

Demand for bespoke customisation of this kind by McLaren Special Operations (MSO) has produced a series of dramatic and unique cars that stand out even among one of the rarest of McLarens – no more than 149 examples of the Elva will be specified and built to customer order.

The first examples of the windshield Elva will be delivered to customers towards the end of this year, following personalisation by McLaren Special Operations.


BMW 530i (G30) M Sport launched from RM400k

                SHAH ALAM: BMW Group Malaysia has launched the much anticipated seventh generation (G30) 5 Series - meet the new 530i M Sport executive sedan.

The 530i, with four colour options of Black Sapphire, Sophisto Grey Brilliant Effect, Alpine White and Mediterranean Blue, is priced on-the-road with GST without insurance at RM398,800 and is covered by a five-year unlimited mileage warranty with a five-year free scheduled service program and two-year BMW tyre warranty programme.

READ MORE: First drive of BMW 5 Series (G30) in Portugal"Since its first introduction in 1972, the BMW 5 Series sedan has created a lasting legacy in the automotive premium segment, embodying unrivalled performance, elegance and combining cutting-edge engineering with sophisticated innovation," said BMW Group Malaysia managing director and CEO Han Sang Yun.

Against its outgoing 5 Series (F10) predecessor, the new 5 Series gets a 2,975mm wheelbase (+7mm), while measuring in at 4,936mm-long (+29mm), 2,126mm-wide (+8mm) and 1,466mm-tall (+2mm).

Under the hood lies the B48 2.0-litre (1,998cc) turbocharged engine producing 252hp from 5,200 to 6,500rpm and 350Nm of torque from 1,450 to 4,800rpm - while mated to an 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission with paddle-shifters.

The 530i rolls on 19-inch M light-alloy double spoke style 664M wheels - the front fitted with 245/40 run-flat tyres and the rear gets a wider and slimmer 275/35 set to take on the power - allowing it to sprint from 0-100kph in 6.2 seconds before reaching an electronically-limited top speed of 250kph.But, it's still able to remain frugal with the ability to consume just 5.8 litres per 100km on the combined cycle and emit 132g of CO2 per km.

Although larger than before, its performance and fuel efficiency are attributable in part to its 100kg weight savings due to the extensive use of aluminium, high-tensile steel and magnesium in its body, as well as the Active air stream kidney grille, the front wheels' Air Curtain intakes and Air Breathers also contribute to its class-leading drag coefficient of just 0.22Cd.

The new 530i comes packaged with Adaptive LED headlights with automatic high beam and LED fog lights as well as the M Sport package bodykit consisting of a more aggressive front bumper, side skirts, rear diffuser and integrated rear-bumper trapezoidal exhaust tips

There's also the BMW Individual satin aluminium accents, M Sport performance brakes with blue callipers and other 'M' goodies such as the illuminated door sill finishers, pedals and steering wheel.

Ride and handling are taken care of by the front aluminium double track control arm axle with separate lower track arm level and the rear's light-weight aluminium five-link axle.

With the BMW Display Key with LCD colour display (including touch control panel) in hand, it will gain access to the spacious cabin with ease thanks to the inclusion of the Comfort Access keyless-entry system that includes a push-start button and hands-free operation for the 530-litre (+10 litres) boot.

Inside, the cabin gets 11-colour options for the interior's ambient lighting, Aluminium Rhombicle and Pearl Chrome finishers combination accents and Dakota leather upholstery for the rear bench and front powered sports seats with driver’s side memory as well as heat and sun protection glazing.

Also, there's quad-zone automatic climate controls, a fully retractable glass sunroof, manual rear-door sun-blinds, powered rear windscreen blind, reverse camera and Park Assistant to handle parallel and perpendicular parking duties.

There's also the 10.25-inch touchscreen Professional navigation system with Gesture Control from the latest 7 Series (G12) that's perched prominently at the centre of the dashboard featuring a new six-tile interface with real-time information and a 12.3-inch multi-function instrument display with Black Panel technology,

For entertainment, a Harman Kardon 16-speaker 600W surround sound system with a digital amplifier has been included as standard along with Bluetooth and USB  connectivity as well as a 20GB hard-drive.

Other than the usual modes of Comfort, Sport and Eco Pro driving modes of the Driving Experience Control system, the new 530i now comes with Adaptive mode, which works alongside the Dynamic Damper Control (DDC) and navigation system Professional.

This is where the DDC and Steptronic systems automatically adapts to the current driving style while taking into consideration the route ahead - based on the navigation system.

For safety, the 530i is equipped with six airbags, anti-lock braking system, brake assist, dynamic stability control, traction control, dynamic brake control, cornering brake control, dynamic brake force display with flash function, approach control warning, person warning with city brake function, lane departure warning, lane change warning, rear collision prevention and rear crossing traffic warning and active cruise control system with stop and go function from speeds of 0 to 210kph.

"Now, the seventh generation all-new BMW 5 Series is destined to continue this remarkable success and ambition of the most successful premium business sedan in the world," said Han.


New Subaru Impreza unveiled in Singapore

                SINGAPORE: Subaru's exclusive distributor, Motor Image, has launched the new fifth-generation Impreza during the 2017 Singapore Motorshow and comes in either hatchback or sedan with a choice of either a 1.6 or 2.0-litre naturally aspirated boxer-four engines.

Built atop the Japanese carmaker's new Global Platform, the new Impreza from Fuji Heavy Industries uses significantly more high-tensile steel that improves impact energy absorption by 40% and helps reduce body roll by 50% thanks to a rear stabiliser that's been mounted directly to the platform.

The new car is also being touted to have significantly less vibrations than before for a more comfortable drive as well as a highly responsive and precise steering thanks to its highly rigid body and improved suspension system.

Currently, there are three variants being offered - 1.6i, 1.6i-S and 2.0i-S, and each variant is available in either a five-door hatchback or four-door sedan.

With a ground clearance of 130mm as standard, the new Impreza's wheelbase has been stretched by an additional 26mm to 2,670mm over its predecessor. Dimensionally, the hatchback now stands at 4,460mm-long (+46mm), 1,775mm-wide (+35mm) and 1,455mm-tall (-10mm), while the sedan's length is now at 4,625mm-long (+45mm).

As standard, both entry-level 1.6i sedan and hatchback comes fitted with a 50-litre fuel tank and mates a Lineartronic continuously variable transmission to the 1.6-litre (1,600cc) boxer-four engine that produces 114PS at 6,200rpm and 150Nm of torque at 3,600rpm.

Externally, it sports front and rear fogs, halogen headlamps, shark-fin antenna, disc brakes all-round, front MacPherson struts with rear double wishbone suspension setup and rolls on 16-inch wheels with 205-55 series tyres. All hatchback variants get a roof-mounted spoiler.

All variants also receive the full salvo of safety features such as seven airbags, four-channel ABS system, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, vehicle dynamics control system, brake override, engine immobiliser, ISOFIX anchor points and safety pedal system.

Inside, the cabin features 60-40 split folding rear seat with arm rest, automatic climate controls, electronic parking brake, hill holder function, idling stop system, multi-function display, multifunction steering wheel, one-touch signal, 6.5-inch audio system display with Bluetooth connectivity, Apple Carplay, USB port, AUX-jack and voice recognition.

The mid-range 1.6i-S sedan and hatchback now comes with headlamp washers, power-folding door mirrors with LED turn signals, power sliding glass roof, aluminium pedals, auto-dimming rear view mirror, blind-spot detection, high-grade multi-info display, lane change assist and cruise control and keyless entry with push-start button.

Other additional kit includes an 8.0-inch display for the sound system, dual-zone climate controls,  PIN code access, power adjustable driver's seat, automatic wipers, rear cross-traffic alert and reverse camera before changing out the headlights to a set of automatic steering responsive auto-levelling LEDs with high beam assist.

As for the range-topping 2.0i-S, it now uses a 1,995cc boxer-four engine with direct fuel-injection that "punches" out 156PS at 6,000rpm and 196Nm of torque at 4,000rpm and has the same kit as the 1.6i-S, only it adds on paddle shifters for a more engaging drive.

With regards to the Impreza's arrival, it's currently a pipe-dream fearing that it may cannibalize its XV's sales. Lets hope Motor Image changes their perspective over the coming months.


China drafts antitrust guideline for auto sector

                BEIJING: The first draft of an antitrust guideline for the automobile sector is expected to be completed at the end of this month, according to the National Development and Reform Commission, state-run media reported.

In addition to policy guidelines on monopoly violations, the draft, to be reviewed by the Anti-Monopoly Commission under the State Council by June next year, would also cover price-fixing violations by car makers selling products online, Xinhua News Agency said Monday.

It said with the rise of online retailers such as Alibaba and JD.com, consumers are looking for better deals online and cars are no exception. This has caused controversy as it is unclear what is classed as fair play.

The news agency said concerns abound over the possibility that websites would facilitate price fixing, and, thus, impede market fairness.

It reported that one of General Motors' brands intended to promote car sales during the upcoming Nov 11 shopping festival through an e-commerce site.

However, the company is hesitant as it is not clear whether the discounted online price will violate regulations.

The new guideline will look into online promotional pricing activities, helping to define what is and is not covered by the Anti-Monopoly Law, Xinhua quoted Su Hua, an associate researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and member of the drafting team, as saying.

The news agency said China's antitrust law enforcement has been actively restricting price fixing in the automobile industry this year.

Dongfeng Nissan was fined 123.3 million yuan last month on price fixing charges, while Mercedes-Benz was fined 350 million yuan in April on similar issues.

It reported that in total, two billion yuan of monopoly-related fines were issued in the auto sector this year.


Infiniti certified pre-owned sales this weekend

The Q60.
KUALA LUMPUR: Head on over to Infiniti Center Kuala Lumpur at The Icon, Jalan Tun Razak this weekend to enjoy exclusive offers on certified pre-owned vehicles.

Varieties of the certified pre-owned Infiniti Q50 Sport Sedan and QX70 Crossover are available.

They have been meticulously examined by skilled Infiniti technicians, and have full service records.

The vehicles also come with manufacturer’s warranty for the remaining portion of the 3-year / 100,000km warranty (whichever comes first).

Prices inclusive of GST, without insurance are from RM179,000 (Q50 Sport Sedan) and RM285,000 (QX70 Crossover).

Refreshments will be served and a mystery gift provided for every test drive.


Ford eyes first-year sales of 100,000 vehicles with hands-free driving system

                DETROIT: Ford Motor Co said today it expects to sell 100,000 cars and trucks equipped with the company's new hands-free driving system in the first full year of availability.

The catch is, only the system hardware will be installed. The software will not be ready for nearly another year, Ford said.

The automaker’s Active Drive Assist will be offered first on the redesigned F-150 pickup and the new Mustang Mach-E electric SUV, both of which go on sale later this year.

However, the feature will not be activated until the third quarter of 2021, the company said.

Customers can order a Mach-E or an F-150 with the Co-Pilot360 advanced driver assistance package, which includes the hardware for Active Drive Assist. That feature will be switched on via a wireless over-the-air update when the software is finalised next year, Ford said.

Active Drive Assist will be standard on selected high-end models and available as an option on others, priced from around US$1,500.

Consumer Reports earlier this week released results of its test of 17 vehicles equipped with active driving assistance systems, including a Tesla Model Y — a head-to-head competitor to the Mustang Mach-E — with Autopilot.

The Model Y finished "a distant second" in the testing to a Cadillac CT6 fitted with General Motors Co's Super Cruise system.


MAN committed to deliver efficient transportation solutions up north

PETALING JAYA: MAN Truck and Bus Malaysia (MTBM) has reinforced its commitment to continue to deliver efficient transportation solutions to its customers in northern Malaysia, by supplying fuel-efficient trucks that significantly lower total cost of ownership and offering quality after-sales services.Speaking at the recent Association of Malaysian Hauliers’ gala dinner at Seberang Jaya, MTBM sales general manager Dinesh Nair said, “The haulage industry plays an important role in the growth of the nation's economy. With the northern region being an important gateway for cross-border logistics for many haulier and transportation companies, we will continue to support our customers here with technologically efficient trucks and good service.”MTBM currently supports 16 transportation customers in the northern region, including the Lee Ting San Group of Companies (LTS Group), Syarikat Jasa Selamat Sdn Bhd (Jasa Selamat) and Pro-Star Transport Sdn Bhd. The LTS Group is the largest container haulier in Malaysia and has a fleet of close to 1,000 vehicles to support its nationwide and cross-border transportation services and Jasa Selamat is one of the largest cement haulers in the northern region.“In light of the present economy and the rising cost of doing business, it is important for haulier companies to be able to maximize efficiency and minimize operating costs. Our trucks strikes the perfect balance between performance, payload and decent fuel consumption, to help them achieve lower total cost of ownership,” said MTBM managing director Hartmut Mueller.He added that with the company's 26,600 square foot service centre strategically located at Prai, hauliers will have more convenient access to schedule upcoming maintenance. The service center's swift response time will also help ensure the trucks are back on the road as soon as possible.“We recognize that convenient access to after sales service and ease of obtaining genuine spare parts is crucial in keeping vehicles operational and maintenance costs low in the long run. We believe we are able to offer customers the highest level of service standards and care in the transport industry,” added Mueller.


Bentley hires jets to fly car parts to Britain during Brexit

                FRANKFURT: Bentley, the luxury carmaker owned by Volkswagen has booked five Antonov cargo jets to help overcome potential supply bottlenecks in the event of a disorderly exit of Britain from the European Union, the carmaker said on Wednesday.

Car manufacturers are securing additional supply routes as policymakers in Brussels and Westminster seek to strike a deal to determine the future trading relationship with continental Europe after Britain exits the European Union.

Bentley, which makes high end sports cars, buys 90% of its components from continental Europe, and sells around 24% of its cars into Europe, Chief Executive Adrian Hallmark told the Financial Times’ Future of the Car summit.

“We have spent two years planning. We have five Antonovs that we have on reserve to fly bodies to Manchester,” Hallmark said, adding that in addition to shifting car bodies by air, Bentley has hiked the level of spare parts stored for production.

“We used to run just-in-time with two days stock. Now we have 14 days stock. That’s 14 working days, so that’s three weeks of stock,” he said.

The company has booked additional warehouses and planned new logistics routes in case traditional supply methods are hampered by bottlenecks.

If Britain fails to secure a negotiated trade agreement with European policymakers, Bentley would be able to absorb 10% import tariffs by raising prices and cutting costs. This would be less damaging than supply disruptions.

“It is not existential as long as everything flows. Stopping flows is far more dangerous than Brexit tariffs,” Hallmark said, referring to supply bottlenecks.

This year Bentley expects to sell more than 10,000 luxury cars and to reach breakeven, mainly thanks to a rebound in demand in China, Hallmark said.

China sales are up 35% when compared with before the COVID-19 crisis. Sales in Europe and the United States up 15% Hallmark said.

“Overall, we are in a position where we will do well over 10,000 sales this year,” he said via webcast. “We are on the cusp of going beyond breakeven.”


Hennessey marks 30 years of making fast cars faster

                SEALY (Texas, USA): Building a world-renowned tuning business on the foundation of strong family support, John Hennessey’s company has created more than 12,000 customer cars since it was founded 30 years ago and has now evolved into a global brand manufacturing its own hypercar.

In 1991, John Hennessey modified his 3000GT VR4 daily driver and competed in the Pike’s Peak Hill Climb and Nevada Open Road Challenge races.

The year continued with Hennessey setting a class record at the Bonneville Salt Flats and winning the Unlimited Class at the Silver State Classic open road race in Nevada. Alongside modifying his car and racing, 1991 also saw Hennessey marry Hope who founded the business with John that same year after returning from their honeymoon.

With his wife, Hope, his five children and a team of 50+ skilled colleagues, the Texas-based king of speed has stuck to a simple principle that too much horsepower is never enough in his mission to create cars that make people smile.

From building cars for international rock stars and world-famous athletes to claiming countless speed records, including the ‘World’s Fastest Car’ title, the business ethos has always been to seek out the next challenge.

John Hennessey: “Hennessey Performance is like one big family to me, and our fantastic customers are a big part of that. As we celebrate 30 years of business, I’m thankful for every customer and my whole team who’ve all contributed to us becoming a hypercar manufacturer and world-renowned high-performance vehicle tuning business.”

Shortly after founding the company, John Hennessey turned his attention to boosting the performance of the now-iconic Dodge Viper. By 1997 he achieved an important accolade with his 650hp Hennessey Viper Venom GTS being the first to break 320kph.

Since 2006, the company’s recently extended 51,000 sq-ft HQ has been next to its own test track enabling the acceleration of its R&D, engineering and tuning business with cars like the 376kph, twin turbo 1000hp Ford GT and 320kph HPE 600 Corvette C7 produced by the Hennessey engineers.

By 2010, the business had built its own hypercar, the Hennessey Venom GT. Based on the chassis of a Lotus Exige, the 1,244hp monster weighed just 1,244kg and was powered by a turbocharged Hennessey V8 that enabled 0-320kph in just 14.51 seconds.

The Venom GT set a production car Guinness World Record for the fastest 0-300kph time (13.63 seconds) in 2013, then followed that in 2014 with another world record, becoming the fastest production car in the world with a 435.31kph top speed.

Truck tuning emerged as a new customer-led trend in 2012 with the 600hp Hennessey Velociraptor beginning a generation of ‘hypertrucks’ from 1000hp supercar slayers to 6x6 conversions. Alongside these monsters of the road, the Hennessey team continued its muscle car work with models like its 1000hp ZL1 Camaro – named The Exorcist – raising the profile of the business further still.

Today, alongside producing upwards of 500 customer cars a year, the Hennessey team is focused on the all-new 100% bespoke Hennessey Venom F5 hypercar. This car boasts 1,817hp from its Hennessey-built 6.6-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine and targets a top speed exceeding 500kph.

In its 30th year, Hennessey sees the launch of the F5 as a rebirth for the brand and the beginning of an exciting new future. Looking ahead, Hennessey plans a series of exciting models, built on the same 100% bespoke basis as the F5.


Second-gen Porsche Panamera coming - VIDEOS

                STUTTGART: The second-generation Porsche Panamera will be unveiled in Berlin on June 28.

For now, Porsche has begun to drum up the buzz with a teaser video and a heavy dose of marketing-speak that says a lot without giving too much away.

The German car maker said its engineers and designers have come up with a sports car that could be driven every day and integrates the comfort of a luxury sedan. Its body would be reshaped in such a way that it would be “like a sprinter in the starting blocks… waiting to show exactly what it is capable of”. It’s going to look sportier and will have sleeker tail lights.

Typical of a generational change is an engine that will offer more power yet is more fuel efficient than before.

Porsche also declared that the new Panamera would have racing features such as Launch Control, rear axle steering and a sport exhaust system.

To keep up with the competition, the new 4-seater will include Porsche Connect Plus featuring intelligent, digital functions and are networked to the digital world.

More details will follow at the Berlin debut.


Ora Grand Cat pops up in Thailand

                PETALING JAYA: Thais have been getting first dibs at Ora products before Malaysians do.

The Ora Good Cat electric hatchback debuted in Thailand a year ago before making its way to Malaysia on Nov 30 this year.

Now we hear of another model called Ora Grand Cat. It's actually the Lightning Cat but is being marketed in the Asean region as the Grand Cat.

This is the first-ever showcase in Thailand of the new car, pitched as Ora's first premium electric coupe.

The four-door five-seat coupe was unveiled at the 39th Thailand International Motor Expo 2022, which runs from Dec 1-12.

At over 4.8m long, 1.8m wide and 1.5m tall, it's a bigger and more powerful car than the Good Cat and would be priced higher.

In China where it was launched two months ago, it's offered in four versions priced from around 190,000 yuan to 276,000 yuan (RM119,000 to RM172,000).

The Grand Cat's exterior design features a glass roof, active air inlet grille, an electric rear spoiler and a exhaust synthetic noise for a sporty driving experience.

Like the Good Cat, it is built on Great Wall Motor's modular Lemon platform for electric cars.

It also comes with Ora Autopilot 3.0 intelligent navigation system to offer a smarter driving experience.

The interior is fitted with a 12.3-inch multimedia touch screen, 10.25-inch driving information display, 11 speakers with independent amplifier, and electric driver and passenger seats with massage and cooling systems, providing improved comfort.

The Grand Cat is powered by two electric motors meaning it's a four-wheel drive car. The motors provide a total output of 402hp and 680Nm of torque, giving it a 0-100kph acceleration time of 4.3 seconds. For comparison, the front-wheel drive Good Cat has only a single electric motor making 141hp and 210Nm of torque.

The low-slung streamlined car has a drag coefficient of 0.22.

Range is 550km on a full charge (NEDC), which does not represent real-world range as in the new WLTP standard. Great Wall Motor doesn't cite WLTP range - yet. So expect the Grand Cat to actually offer a realistic range of 450km or thereabout.

CarSifu has been informed by a Great Wall Motor spokesman in Malaysia that the Grand Cat would also be coming in. Perhaps later in 2023.

Ora is a sub-brand focusing on electric vehicles (EVs) under the Great Wall Motor multi-brand portfolio.

At the Thai auto show, Great Wall Motor also displayed the new Haval H6 Hybrid SUV and the TANK500 HEV.  The Good Cat 500 Pro was unveiled with a new colour – Pistachio Green.  Other vehicles on display at the Great Wall Motor booth were Haval H6 Plug-in Hybrid SUV, Haval Jolion Hybrid SUV and Good Cat GT.


2017 Geneva Motor Show: Bentley EXP 12 Speed 6e concept seeks to electrify

                GENEVA: The launch of the Bentley Continental Supersports in January signalled the start of the end of the current generation Bentley coupe, and at this year's Geneva motor show the luxury brand's latest concept car - the EXP 12 Speed 6e - is hinting at what might be replacing it in terms of style and propulsion and garnering feedback as to whether it's on the right track with its well-heled clients' aesthetic tastes and sentiments regarding hybrid and plug-in electric cars.

But don't be mistaken for thinking that the drop-top concept car built for Geneva is simply a focus group with a battery in the middle and a wheel at each corner. "[It] is a concept to show that Bentley is defining electric motoring in the luxury sector, with the appropriate technology, high quality materials and refinement levels you'd expect from a true Bentley. This concept enables us to engage with luxury customers and gather feedback on our approach," said Bentley CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer.

The new car is very similar externally to the hard-top EXP 10 Speed 6 concept that wowed the Geneva crowds in 2015. And that's a good thing. It has the same sharp, clinical proportions, front grille treatment and three-dimensional front and rear lights. There is little if any overhang beyond either the front or rear wheels and the car's aerodynamics functions are integrated into the body so as not to rumple even a single exterior line.

Inside, the steering wheel's multimedia controls are made from cut glass, and the full center console has been formed from a single piece of glass that houses the OLED infotainment screen. However, because these high-tech 21st century elements are wrapped in quilted leather and wood, it still feels very much like a Bentley.

As for powertrain, the company says that for the car to be considered a grand tourer in the true Bentley mold then it would have to be able to travel from London to Paris or Milan on a single charge and that when the batteries were depleted would be able to charge up as quickly and as effortlessly as possible.

"Bentley is committed to offering an electric model in its future portfolio and we are interested in receiving feedback on this concept," said Dürheimer.

An electric powertrain capable of cross-continental travel may still be some years away but there is a good possibility that a production car looking very much like this concept will be a reality within the next two-to-three years.


Karma Automotive launches self driving van

                LOS ANGELES: Karma Automotive has launched its all-electric SAE Level 4 autonomous van.

To enable autonomous last mile transportation, the company is working with technology leaders like WeRide and NVIDIA.

Karma’s new L4 E-Flex Van is powered by the NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Pegasus autonomous vehicle computing platform - built on a scalable architecture, with two NVIDIA Xavier processors and two Tensor Core GPUs.

This energy-efficient, high-performance AI computer runs an array of deep neural networks simultaneously for safe, highly automated and fully autonomous driving.

The L4 van’s software platform and sensors suite are supported by WeRide, which covers full 360-degree FoV (Field of View) and provides precise, real-time localizations powered by multiple sensors including LiDar, radar, camera, GNSS and INS.

The Karma L4 van is the latest in a series of platform development projects featuring the Karma E-Flex Platform.

“Using the E-Flex Platform, our goal was to create collaborative partnerships that address a wide array of applications,” said Srini Gowda, Karma Automotive’s VP of Autonomous Driving/ADAS.


Catch the final day of CarSifu Auto Show 2022 in KL

                KUALA LUMPUR: After four days of attracting scores of prospective customers including a number who placed bookings for brand-new cars, CarSifu Auto Show 2022 is wrapping up on the fifth and final day today at Mid Valley Megamall here.

So come and check out the various types of vehicles on display, which run the gamut from combustion-engined cars, plug-in hybrids to battery electric vehicle.

Volvo, Toyota, Subaru, Proton, Honda, Perodua and Nissan are participating in the five-day auto show organised by Star Media Group that started on Wednesday.

Volvo is displaying its XC40 Recharged Pure Electric which is Malaysia's first locally assembled electric vehicle along with an ensemble of four plug-in hybrid variants of the XC90, XC60, V60 and S60.

At Toyota's showcase is its Corolla Cross Hybrid, Vios and Yaris compact models.

Subaru is showing off the GT Edition of its all-wheel drive XV and Forester sports utility vehicles (SUVs).

Meanwhile, Proton is displaying its facelifted X70 SUV that comes with a new locally assembled 1.5-litre TGDI engine along with the sporty X50 SUV and Saga compact sedan.

At Perodua's booth, the newly launched Alza seven-seater multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) and the popular Myvi hatchback in AV specification take pride of place.

Honda is featuring a foursome comprising the latest HR-V SUV, City V-Sensing sedan, City Hatchback RS and Civic RS sports sedan.

At Nissan's display, there is the facelifted Serena S-Hybrid Premium Highway Star MPV that comes with higher levels of safety and refinement compared with earlier models.

Individual car companies are also providing their special deals at the auto show, ranging from freebies to discounts up to RM15,000.

Also participating at the auto show is local anti-bacterial car mat maker Trapo which is offering a 12% discount on its car mats and 20% on its Oxtra accessories line.

As part of its programme, the company is holding a Time Attack Challenge racing simulator game where the fastest time set as at Oct 8 was 2.05 minutes.

A Trapo spokesman said the time set by a participant identified only as Kenny was "insanely quick". The ultimate winner at the end of the auto show will be rewarded with a product on display at the booth, which comprised car mats, dashcams, air purifiers and vacuum cleaner.

The second leg of the auto show will be held at The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey, Johor Baru from Oct 26-30.