Aston Martin applies design chops on its first Asian luxury home project in Japan

                TOKYO: Aston Martin has stamped its mark with the Aston Martin Residences in Miami and a limited-edition collection of five one-of-a-kind luxury homes in New York City.

Now it has set its sights on Japan, teaming up with Japanese concierge leader VIBROA to design its first luxury home in Asia.

It's all part of a trend called "carchitecture", which takes car ownership to the next level.

The design and construction of No. 001 Minami Aoyama, a private home in the highly desirable Omotesando area of Minami Aoyama, renowned as one of Tokyo’s foremost architectural and style centres.

Impressions of the home, which features an automotive gallery, wine cellar, home cinema, gym, and private spa, have been unveiled, with Aston Martin’s design principles reflected throughout the property.

Working with a local architect, the exterior design of the home is led by Aston Martin’s designers, who are also responsible for the interior styling of the property and carefully selected furniture.

The four-storey home, complete with roof terrace and stunning views of Tokyo, is already sold to a private buyer and is scheduled for completion in November 2023.

With regards to the Miami project, it's now 97% sold out ahead of the luxury waterfront tower’s scheduled opening in summer 2023.


Borneo Safari 2016: CarSifu plays rough and dirty

Welcome to the jungle, we got fun ‘n’ gamesWe got everything you want, honey we know the namesWe are the people that you find, whatever you may need

Guns N’ Roses lead vocalist Axl Rose wasn’t referring to the rainforest when he was howling away the band’s hit song Welcome to The Jungle.

The song, which appeared in the band’s Appetite for Destruction debut album in 1987, was about the seedy and dark side of Los Angeles. It had a catchy metallic tune and was even featured in the 1988 Dirty Harry movie - The Dead Pool. Guns N’ Roses band members also played extras in that movie.

Nevertheless, Borneo Safari 2016 had some similarities with the urban jungle theme of the almost three decade-old song - the real jungle is just as dangerous but can be fun enough to keep the adventurous coming back for more.

This year’s event, held from Oct 30 to Nov 6, drew a record crowd - 983 participants and 364 vehicles, according to Borneo Safari 2016 organising committee chairman Faez Nordin. It also claimed to feature the most difficult course in the event’s history.

The entire 500km route, which starts and ends in Kota Kinabalu, runs along the foot of Mount Kinabalu and across the districts of Ranau and Kota Marudu, and also includes nearly 40km of hardcore stretch comprising abandoned logging trails and river crossings.

Foreign participation included those from Portugal, China, Japan, Ireland, Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei and Russia.
The Borneo Safari also came with Special Stage series where competitors in their modified vehicles pit against others in slope climbing, river crossing and other offroad challenges.

Isuzu Malaysia, the Diamond sponsor of the event, also prepared a special unit of its seven-seater mu-X sports utility vehicle for the drive. No modification was done to the mu-X’s 2.5-litre variable geometry turbo system (VGS) with 136PS and 320Nm of torque and its five-speed automatic transmission to ensure the vehicle ran as stock as possible.

However, the vehicle’s body was raised by some 120mm and other modifications included the installation of heavy duty 16-inch offroad wheels with 35-inch Maxxis Trepador extreme offroad tyres, front and rear bull-bars with winch, heavy-duty side steps, snorkel, LED front, side and rear light bars, roof rack, fuel tank and radiator protectors and steering rod reinforcers.

Accompanying the mu-X “Monster” were three D-Max pick-up trucks - a 3.0-litre and two 2.5-litre variants - which had been similarly modified and had completed previous editions of Borneo Safari.

As the mu-X was based on the rugged D-Max platform, Isuzu Malaysia was confident the mu-X, though marketed as a lifestyle vehicle, had the required DNA and robustness to pass the Borneo Safari acid test.

Flagging off from Sabah Tourism Board office in Kota Kinabalu, the convoy headed towards Kampung Garung campsite in the interior, passing by Tampurali and Ranau.

Even though the D-Max units had been fitted with larger extreme offroad tyres and carrying a full load of four persons with cargo area filled to the brim with food and other provisions, they drove almost like any standard vehicle straight out from showrooms.

Aside from the noisier extreme offroad tyres, stopping distances were also a bit longer as tyres with chunky tread blocks were not as quiet and grippy on tarmac as road tyres.

Ride comfort was not compromised even as we drove the D-Max fast on gravel roads towards Kampung Garung where we set up camp. The campsite was so deep in the interior that mobile phone coverage was not available and unspoilt greenery (except the parts where the vehicles used) was all as far as the eyes could see.

Even the two streams that ran by the campsite had crystal clear water.

Accommodation was a large canvass tent held in place by ropes and poles, with camp beds and Coleman sleeping bags providing the bare necessities for nightfall.

City slickers will find the first night in the jungle very unsettling without their usual fix of air conditioner comfort, flushing toilets and social media.

The hardcore section of the event starts a few kilometres from Kampung Garung campsite and daily rain had made the already muddy trails more slippery and treacherous to man and machine. This punishing terrain had held back the expedition’s scheduled progress by two days.

Even with hiking boots, there are still risks of slipping and you feel like you are walking on a messy patch of mashed banana peels. Mud easily caked up our boots and tyres, so grip was almost non-existent.

The first obstacle was a muddy trench at least 1.5m deep that grew bigger as more vehicles went over it.

A 4X4 pick-up truck whose front-wheel system had failed, had to be winched out to gravel roads as it could no longer complete the hardcore section using rear wheel-drive alone. Next was a steep quicksand-like slope which required 4X4s to drive up at full-speed and take advantage of momentum to reach the top.

Another eye-popping challenge was a long downhill slippery slope where drivers had to avoid obstacles from damaging their vehicles.

In these difficult times, participants who were complete strangers would band together in dirt and mud to help each other overcome obstacles and complete their mission.

Even on the non-hardcore section, the untarred road from Kampung Garung to Sorinsim campsite can be dangerous after rain. One of the 4X4 chuck wagons skidded on a wet patch and rolled over, injuring the four persons inside. They were then rushed to Kota Marudu hospital for treatment.

In the end, the mu-X completed the challenge without any breakdowns, won the event’s Vehicle of the Year’ award and earned the “proven-at-Borneo Safari” badge.

As to the talk that Malaysians were not willing to do dirty and dangerous jobs, the participants of Borneo Safari would disagree.

It’s these sort of unexpected and thrilling adventures along the way that keep the outdoor and 4X4 adrenaline junkies returning to Borneo Safari year after year.


As real as it gets: Grown-up kids playing real life cops and robbers

                LONDON: Grown-up kids are playing real life cops and robbers by driving in simulated "police pursuits" that are as real as possible to those seen on popular police chase TV shows and computer games.

The unique driving experience from TrackDays.co.uk is as immersive as it gets, and lets adults take on the role of a fugitive while being pursued by a Dodge Charger V8 Police Interceptor – all in the safe surroundings of the large Bovingdon Airfield in Hertfordshire, about 50km north-west of here.

"Our Police Pursuit Driving Experience is the ultimate fantasy roleplay for adults," said TrackDays.co.uk operations manager Dan Jones.

"Participants take on the role of a fugitive wanted for multiple felonies. Their mission is to try to escape from the long arm of the law behind the wheel of either a Porsche Boxster or a Mazda MX5."

The experience provides a unique challenge to those wishing to take part, including 10 minutes of track paced sighting laps followed by 15 minutes of "police pursuit" action.

"My advice is to remember that it's not all about speed. To stand any chance of outrunning the police car in hot pursuit you'll also need clever decision making, first class driving skills and lightning fast reactions," said Jones.

Before the chase begins, fugitives are given tuition on basic racing lines and procedures for the arrest.

Since 2004, TrackDays.co.uk has been thrilling thousands of customers with driving experiences, bike and car track days and experience gifts. It also organises such event in other parts of Europe.


Car saleswoman absconds with deposit, customer loses RM90,000

                KUALA LUMPUR: A car saleswoman absconded with money meant to pay for a new car, leaving a customer with RM90,000 in losses.

The incident was brought to light after a report was lodged with Brickfields police on May 12 by the 36-year-old victim.

"The complainant had dealt with the suspect who worked as a sales agent of a car showroom in Jalan Damansara on Jan 9 and at that time he made a RM500 payment to the suspect that was then handed over to the car company," said Brickfields OCPD Asst Comm Amihizam Abdul Shukor.

ACP Abdul Shukor added that the victim made payments between April 29 and May 4 online and with cash to a bank account that was provided by the suspect.

"However, on May 11, the complainant was informed via a telephone call that the management of the showroom had yet to receive his deposit. He was then told that the suspect was no longer employed by the company," he said in a statement today.

The case is being investigated for cheating.

ACP Amihizam said that the suspect has been identified and investigations are ongoing.


Ford's found a way for iPhone users to project Waze on their dashboard screen.

                DETROIT: Apple CarPlay hasn't yet put Waze into vehicle dashboard screens but iPhone users driving a car with Ford's SYNC 3 system will be able to use the live traffic and navigation app.

Most recent cars come equipped with their own built-in navigation app in the dashboard, however they don't always have a live connection and therefore are unable to provide those crucial real-time traffic updates.

That's why many drivers prefer Waze, which claims to be “the world's largest community-based traffic and navigation app” and encourages people on the road to communicate issues such as an accident or roadworks by clicking icons on the screen.

As might be expected, the mobile app has become very popular in major cities with heavy traffic and is often favoured over a car manufacturer's own option, even if it means buying and mounting a smartphone holder.

Now Ford has teamed up with Waze to provide iOS users a way to project their route onto the dashboard screen, eliminating the need for a mount and providing easier access to the in-app features that will assist with finding efficient routes, locating cheap fuel prices and reporting any traffic accidents.

This is essentially already available to Android users through Android Auto, however Apple's CarPlay doesn't support Waze as of yet.

This new integration will put Waze on a bigger screen and allow the driver to control it through voice command, keeping both hands on the steering wheel and off of the smartphone.

Available to Ford SYNC 3-equipped vehicles through the AppLink, the only thing the iPhone user will need to ensure is that they use iOS 11.3 and have the Waze app downloaded.

“Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for people to access the smartphone features, apps and services they care about most in the car, without having to pick up their device,” said Don Butler, executive director, connected vehicle platform and product, Ford Motor Company.


Petrol stations: running out of road?

                PARIS: A vintage pump in the Vietnamese hills; a Madrid petrol station topped with a giant sombrero; a multi-coloured futuristic fuel outlet in Dubai — whatever its form the humble filling stop, emblem of our modern societies, would appear to be running out of road.

Faced with the drive away from hydrocarbons as governments seek to fight global warming, compounded by fuel shortages due to the Ukraine conflict and consequent soaring prices, there is little doubt that the internal combustion engine’s days will likely soon be numbered.

That may well sound the death knell — or at least trigger a deep reconfiguration — for petrol stations, whose history was closely tied to the rise of the automobile at the start of the 20th century.

In Moscow, the oldest filling station in the city centre was established in the 1930s. Nine decades later, this sober cream and red building is still there, in the shadow of golden-domed Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

Some filling outlets have become landmarks in themselves, such as Blackwell's Corner, in the California desert. A giant billboard with James Dean's face reminds motorists that it was here the "Rebel Without a Cause" star made his last stop before the accident, which killed him 40km further down the highway.

The common element of most service stations is the canopy above the fuel pumps which, as well as sheltering users from the weather, often serves for marketing.

Some have earned listing as historical monuments, such as Red Hill service station 170 kms north of London, whose futuristic "Pegasus" design from the 1960s comprises six circular canopies.

Back to the land

At night the Union 76 petrol station in Beverly Hills looks like a space ship which has landed next to the palm trees of Little Santa Monica Boulevard.

It is recognised as a prime example of Googie architecture, and was chosen by British rocker Noel Gallagher in 2011 for the cover of his first album with the High Flying Birds.

But the canopies are not always as flashy.

In many places it's just corrugated sheeting. In a typical fuel outlet in Nimba county, Liberia, fuel is sold using jerrycans and people fill their vehicles using funnels.

In Europe, many small village filling stations have closed down.

In France there were just over 11,000 service stations in 2021, compared to 41,000 at the start of the 1980s. A key reason is competition from supermarkets which can afford to earn smaller margins.

"In the 2000s, we branched out into garage work, then vehicle washing," said Francis Pousse, in charge of service stations at auto industry body Mobilians.

"But the margins kept going down, and faced with the investments needed to modernise, lots of managers threw in the towel. And young people who buy garage/fuel stations close down the fuel part," he added.

How many still remember that long-ago era of small village petrol stations? In Roaix, north of Marseille, a sign for petrol company Antar and an old red pump are reminders that a second-hand store by the road wasn't always here.

Elsewhere, for example near Gjilan in Kosovo, some abandoned filling stations are simply disappearing under overgrown vegetation — possibly presaging the fate of others as humanity switches from hydrocarbons.

In the meantime, some are being recycled, like one former petrol station in Phnom Penh, which has taken the concept of ecological transition to a logical conclusion: instead of fuel, its main product on sale now is plants.


Infiniti QX70S enters at RM470K

                PETALING JAYA: The Infiniti QX70S is now available in Malaysia.

The new design builds on the provocative, design-led ethos of the standard QX70, the original performance crossover to embody the athletic dynamism of a sports car.

The QX70S new design maintains everything that made the QX70 such a global hit - including long-bonnet proportions, flowing lines and a powerful stance - but with a twist for a bespoke new look.

Dark chrome is liberally used - for the grille, fog lights surrounds, side air vents, lower side sills and tailgate garnish - endowing the shapely body with a technical finish that  complements the car’s seductive character.

The headlights have a new smoked finish while the wheels are 21-inch six-spoke alloys finished in black, to match the black roof rails and black mirrors.

The QX70S design theme continues in the cabin with black lacquer finish on the centre console and purple stitching for seats, steering wheel, armrest and door trims. With the lavish equipment included as standard in the new QX70S version, the cabin’s luxury character is enhanced while retaining all the driver focus and intuitive control for which the Infiniti QX70 is known.

It comes with a 3.7-litre  V6 engine and it features Continuous Damping Control and precise steering and gear control.

The QX70S 3.7L is priced at RM470,000.


Hotel and theme park may be in the works for Sepang circuit

                KUALA LUMPUR: Motorsports promoter, Sepang International Circuit Sdn Bhd (SIC) has a five-year plan in place to optimise Sepang circuit.

SIC chief executive officer Datuk Razlan Razali said the proposed plan was being updated before submission to the Finance Ministry.

He said the plan was not just about organising motorsports activities post-Formula One (F1) for inclusion in the national motorsports calendar from next year but developing the circuit in the long run.

"SIC has a comprehensive plan to transform the circuit into a multi-purpose facility, that is, as an education and entertainment hub in the next five years.

"Other than thinking about the types of international competitions to fill the activity slots at Sepang Circuit, we are also thinking about ways to sustain it," he told a media conference here.

Citing the Suzuka Circuit in Japan, he said a hotel and theme park would potentially be built on the Sepang circuit grounds.

Meanwhile, Razlan said SIC might bring back international motorsports events such as Japan Super GT, Australian V8 and FIM World Endurance Championship.

"We have not finalised anything yet. We want to gauge public response to the proposal," he said.

After 19 years since 1999, the Malaysian Grand Prix drew its curtain after its last race on Sunday.

In an interview with Bernama recently, Razlan said SIC had no problem filling up the calendar of activities for Sepang Circuit without F1.

Over the last five years, he said, the activity rate at Sepang Circuit was more than 90 per cent, which showed that it had the capacity to be used not only for motorsports but other activities as well.

On whether the F1 race would return to Malaysia, he said it could but depended on various factors. The factors included whether the race was still relevant to be held in Malaysia and its capacity to draw the crowd by then.


Chip maker NVIDIA signs in-car entertainment system deal with Hyundai

                SAN FRANCISCO: Chip maker NVIDIA Corp on Monday announced that Hyundai Motor Group will use the NVIDIA DRIVE in-vehicle information and entertainment system for all its Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis models from 2022.

NVIDIA said the luxury vehicle division of Hyundai, Genesis, already uses NVIDIA DRIVE for its GV80 and G80 models.

NVIDIA declined to say how many vehicles NVIDIA DRIVE would be installed in, but said it is a large number and pointed to the fact that in 2019 Hyundai Motor Group shipped over 7 million vehicles.

Hyundai Motor Co is the flagship company of Hyundai Motor Group and Kia Motors Corp is its sister company.

NVIDIA DRIVE includes hardware and software components and uses artificial intelligence to improve the user’s experience. The software can be “perpetually” updated, giving vehicles the latest AI cockpit features, said NVIDIA.

NVIDIA said it has also been working with Mercedes-Benz, Audi AG  and Honda Motor Co on in-car entertainment and information systems.


Hello, Toyota boss Akio Toyoda seeking friends in China

                TOKYO: Akio Toyoda opened an account on Weibo seeking to win over friends in China, an uncommon social-media presence for the Toyota Motor Corp boss.

Toyoda, 61, the president and chief executive officer Asia’s biggest automaker, got more than 16,000 followers within hours of his post. China is Toyota’s third-largest market in terms of volume sales, behind the US and Japan.

“Hello everyone, I’m Akio Toyoda and I’ve started using Sina Weibo,” read the solo entry on his account, written in Chinese. “Starting today, I hope to become friends with everyone here.” He ended the message with a smiley face.

For Toyoda, who doesn’t have a presence on Twitter but has an Instagram account, opening an account on the Chinese micro-blogging service is a departure from the norm for the heads of Japanese automakers including Honda and Nissan.

Just as in Japan, the bosses of German carmakers – Dieter Zetsche at Daimler AG and his Volkswagen AG counterpart Matthias Mueller – also haven’t embraced the 140-character tweet revolution. In the US, while Mary Barra of GM has a Twitter account, Jim Hackett at Ford doesn’t.

A Toyota China spokesman said Toyoda chose to open the Weibo account to communicate with consumers in the country. Weibo is China’s biggest micro-blogging service with 340 million monthly active users as of March.

Toyota’s sales in China rose 6.2% to 732,900 units in the first seven months of this year, the company said Wednesday, on track to beat last year’s full-year tally of 1.21 million vehicles.


VW to offer diesel owners 5,000 euros to buy new Golf, says paper

                FRANKFURT: Volkswagen will knock 5,000 euros (RM25,311) off the price of new Golf model cars for buyers trading in an older diesel model, German daily Bild reported on its website, citing no sources.

It said the offer applied to any brand, as long as the new car being bought was a VW.

Volkswagen had said last week it would offer incentives to drivers of older diesel models, but it had not yet said how much it would offer for trade-ins.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen's sportscar maker Porsche is offering trade-in incentives of 5,000 euros for older diesels

Its other brand, Audi, will offer trade-in incentives of 3,000 euros to 10,000 euros (RM50,633) when buying new Euro6 diesel vehicles.

Audi said trade-in incentives would be higher for buyers of plug-in hybrid models or natural gas vehicles.


VW board to discuss brand overhaul on Friday, say sources

                WOLFSBURG: Volkswagen's supervisory board will hold an extraordinary meeting on Friday to consult on a wide-ranging restructuring of the carmaker, two sources close to the board said on Wednesday.

Management and labour leaders are seeking to agree on cost cuts and investments that will form part of the German carmaker's efforts to revive its fortunes more than a year after the diesel emissions scandal broke.

Two weeks before the supervisory board is scheduled to ratify spending plans for the multi-brand group through 2021, the sheer number of issues facing the 20-member panel on Nov 18 made the extraordinary meeting necessary, the sources said, adding no decisions were expected to be made.

VW and the group's works council declined to comment.

Europe's largest carmaker is under pressure to make cuts at high-cost operations in Germany to help to pay for a shift to electric cars and autonomous driving while still dealing with billions of euros in costs for the emissions scandal.

Herbert Diess, head of Volkswagen's (VW) namesake brand, wants to cut annual costs at the troubled division by 3.7 billion euros (US$4.11 billion) through 2021 in a so-called future pact with workers, sources familiar with the negotiations told Reuters last month.

But VW's powerful works council, whose members occupy almost half the seats on the supervisory board, have said they will not back retrenchments without a commitment from management to fixed targets and quotas for products, output and investment.

When announcing VW's post-dieselgate transformation plan in June, chief executive Matthias Mueller said the overhaul would require a double-digit billion amount of investment, funded by an efficiency drive aimed at delivering around 8 billion euros in annual savings.

German business daily Handelsblatt, which was first to report the extraordinary meeting, said VW's two profit engines Audi and Porsche will be under particular pressure to cut costs.


BMW shows 'The Escape' with new 5 Series in starring role - VIDEOS

                MUNICH: A sneak peek and two trailers later, BMW has finally released "The Escape" that marks the return of BMW Films.

The short film, screened at bmwfilms.com on Sunday, tells the story of a young woman named Lily (Dakota Fanning), whose life is put in danger as she is being sent to her final destination amidst an FBI probe of the bio genetics company that had created her. You see, Lily is the last living clone, and the FBI is putting the heat on the cloning company following the disappearance of its chief medical officer.

Just as Audi had The Transporter (played by Jason Statham and later by Ed Skrein on the big screen), the latest BMW film returns with Clive Owen as The Driver who has been hired by the cloning company to deliver Lily to her buyer. The Transporter series was in fact inspired by the BMW Films "The Hire" series.

As typical of BMW short films, there's plenty of extraordinary driving skills, thrills and spills on show as The Driver, together with a band of heavily armed mercernaries, try to evade the authorities in his quest to complete the mission. Other than the two-legged stars, there's the four-wheeled centrepiece played out by the latest G30 5 Series in the nearly 14-minute film, helmed by District 9 director Neill Blomkamp.

The 540i deployed in the aggressive driving action scenes came in stock standard form except for the use of rally brakes so that the car is able to do skids and slides in a precise way. The 540i uses a three-litre straight-six mill producing 340hp and 450Nm of torque.  In all-wheel drive form, the 540i powers from 0 – 100kph in a mere 4.8 seconds.

A BMW spokesman said the "The Escape" was created to pay tribute to the original. And whether more such high-budget short films are coming remains up in the air.

Launched in 2001, BMW Films’ “The Hire” was a series of eight online short films starring Owen as an enigmatic driver for hire. Each film was a unique story, with David Fincher and Ridley and Tony Scott acting as executive producers. The films were helmed by acclaimed directors John Frankenheimer, Ang Lee, Wong Kar Wai, Guy Ritchie, Alejandro González Iñárritu, John Woo, Joe Carnahan and Tony Scott, and featured stars like Madonna, Gary Oldman, Don Cheadle, Mickey Rourke, F. Murray Abraham and James Brown.

Available only online and released four years before the invention of YouTube, the films were critically-acclaimed and 15 years later still have a cult following.


M Performance Parts for the new BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo

                MUNICH: The new BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo is fascinatingly elegant, highly versatile and outstandingly dynamic to drive.

In order to demonstrate the sporty character of the model, the model-specific BMW M Performance Parts will already be available at market launch in November 2017.

The customised and motor racing inspired retrofit parts for drive, suspension, exterior and cockpit enhance dynamic driving even further and give the new BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo an individual and powerfully expressive appearance.

The well-established racing expertise of BMW M GmbH, which was made use of in developing the parts, is reflected in the authentic style of the BMW M Performance Parts range.

All components are fully subject to the high BMW Group standards in terms of material selection, design and quality of workmanship. Retrofitting these items has no impact whatsoever on the warranty terms as applicable to the vehicle in question.

The BMW M Performance exhaust silencer system gives the new BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo a truly impressive acoustic and visual dimension. It gives the rear a striking look and ensures a sporty sound which is, however, also suitable for long-distance travel.

Driving dynamics and visual appeal of the new BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo both profit from the 21 inch BMW M Performance light alloy wheels.

They are manufactured using weight-saving forging methods and feature a two-level double-spoke design in bi-colour composition. The high-gloss paintwork is combined with burnished surfaces for the outer spoke level and the wheel rim. The exclusively designed wheels have mixed tyres in the sizes 245/35 R21 on the front axle and 275/30 R21 on the rear axle, complete with emergency running properties.

The sport braking system, which is also available for the new BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo, optimises both the dynamic driving experience as well as the car’s visual impact.

Even when driven in extremely dynamic fashion, the new BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo achieves constant braking performance by means of inner vented, perforated lightweight construction brake discs with 4-piston fixed caliper brakes made of aluminium on the front axle and single-piston floating caliper brakes on the rear axle.

Red brake calipers serve as a visual indication of the fact that the design of the BMW M Performance sport brake system is derived from motor racing.

The high-gloss black BMW M Performance kidney grille gives the front of the new BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo a specifically dynamic look. In combination with the black trim bars of the air flap control, the BMW kidney grille receives a perfectly colour harmonised appearance.

The BMW M Performance exterior mirror caps in carbon fibre are yet another visual highlight. The components made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) are elaborately crafted by hand especially for the new BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo.

Multi-layer paintwork and high-gloss finishing give the car’s surfaces their striking intensity. The BMW M Performance Frozen Black foil superbly accentuates the sporty-elegant lines and the harmonious proportions of the new BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo. The matt black and grey trim stripes match the car’s geometry perfectly.

The BMW M Performance sports steering wheels gives the new BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo a special motor racing touch inside the cockpit. Its alcantara-covered grip areas, large thumb rests and the slightly flattened lower section make it a pleasure to hold, provide optimum grip and ensure direct steering response.

Soft nappa leather both in the upper and lower section as well as on the steering wheel trim, a silver-grey cross-stitch seam and the red central marking at the 12 o’clock position round off the highly dynamic design of the BMW M Performance sports steering wheel.

It also features shift paddles for manually selecting gears in conjunction with the 8-speed Steptronic sports transmission. BMW M Performance foot mats are also available in the cockpit product range.

The model-specific retrofit options from the BMW M Performance range will be available right from the launch of the new BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo. All products form part of the Original BMW Accessories program, sold and installed through the BMW dealer network, BMW sales subsidiaries and BMW Service Partners.


Singapore Motor Show 2020: Lexus LC Special Edition offered

                SINGAPORE: Lexus in Singapore, represented by Borneo Motors (Singapore) Pte Ltd - the sole distributor of the Japanese brand, unveiled the LC Special Edition during the Singapore Motor Show (2020).

Only available in Singapore, the special edition LC has been draped in specially developed Nori Green Peal paint 'that's been paired with the cabin's combination of Bespoke Saddle Tan and Black Amber for its leather upholstery.

Other than that, the LC remains stock standard with its familiar 5.0-litre (4,969cc) naturally aspirated V8 - producing 470bhp at 7,100rpm and 540Nm of torque at 4,800rpm.

Via a 10-speed automatic, the LC is capable of sprinting from 0 to 100kph in 4.7 seconds before reaching a top speed of 270kph.


BMW i3 car owners can even earn money as they charge in US fleet trail

                SAN FRANCISCO/ MUNICH: BMW Group and power supplier Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) have announced the results of their ChargeForward project in favour of maximising the use of electricity from renewable resources to charge electric cars.

The main findings at the Sept 12-14 Governor’s Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco are:

> Electric vehicles can help stabilizing the public grid and maximizing the portion of renewables.
> Drivers are willing to change their charging habits in order to align with renewables, given the right messaging and incentives.
> Energy companies can help increase daytime charging with renewables by supporting companies in adding workplace charging.
> Sharing data with other drivers is a motivator for many participants.
> Programmes like ChargeForward improve customers’ understanding of how the grid works, which helps them become more educated energy consumers.

The bottom line is that owners of all electrified cars could be able to make their high-voltage batteries available as a flexibility buffer for power generated from renewable sources. At the same time, they could receive bonuses by charging their vehicle at the best possible time of day – and maximising the proportion of solar energy they use – whether they are at home or out and about and using a public charging facility.

"Our target is to offer charging power generated with the lowest possible CO2 emissions at most attractive prices to drivers of our electric cars," said BMW Group Mobility and Energy Services
chief Dr Joachim Kolling.

"As California advances towards a carbon free economy, this collaboration demonstrates how utilities and automakers can partner to more efficiently use the grid through smart and managed charging. Together we are paving the way for the rapid growth of electric cars and achieving a clean and sustainable energy future," said PG&E senior vice president (energy supply and policy) Steve Malnight.

ChargeForward, a project between BMW and PG&E in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, has been running since 2015. At present, 350 owners of electrified vehicles from the BMW and MINI brands who also have a PG&E supply contract are taking part in the pioneering fleet trial.


Smart joins Mercedes-Benz EQ family

                GENEVA: The battery-electric models from smart are the first series-produced vehicles of the Mercedes-Benz Cars EQ family.

The smart EQ fortwo coupe and cabrio will celebrate their World Premiere at the Geneva Motor Show.

The battery-electric versions from smart are the first series-produced models of the EQ product and technology brand.

smart will be presenting the special nightsky edition at the Geneva Motor Show as the first series-produced model in the hallmark blue EQ paint finish.

EQ offers a comprehensive electric mobility eco-system comprising products, services, technologies and innovations.

The spectrum ranges from electric vehicles to wallboxes and charging services to home energy storage units.

The name EQ stands for "Electric Intelligence" and is derived from the brand values "emotion" and "intelligence."

Globally, smart will celebrate the beginning of the EQ era with special nightsky edition models (not available in the US) that feature Brabus Exterior styling.


Renault Zoe EV available locally from RM163,000

                PETALING JAYA: TC Euro Cars (TCEC), the sole franchise holder of Renault vehicles in Malaysia, has announced that the new Renault Zoe electric vehicle (EV) is now available for sale and open for registration of interest.

The compact model is available for viewing at the Renault flagship showroom on Jalan Kemajuan in Section 13, here.

This latest generation Zoe comes with increased power and range, host of engineering and technological enhancements and distinctive French styling.

Available variants are the R110 that delivers 80kW and 225Nm of torque, and the R135 that outputs 100kW and 245Nm of torque.

The R110 comes with on-the-road without insurance price of RM163,000 in Peninsular Malaysia, while the R135's price is estimated from RM175,000.

Both variants are equipped with Renault’s new 52kWh Z.E. 50 battery that provides a driving range up to 395km on the WLTP cycle that is 25% more than the previous generation battery without any increase in size.

The new Zoe can be charged through a DC CCS2 or an AC Type 2 connector.

With DC fast charging, the Zoe gets up to 145km driving range in 30 minutes, while an AC 22kW outlet fully charges the EV from 0-100% in three hours.

An AC 7.4kW charger will fully charge the Zoe from 0-100% in nine hours and 30 minutes.

The Zoe’s redesigned cabin features a wide 10-inch customisable full TFT instrument cluster and the Renault EASY LINK multimedia system with six speaker audio system.

The updated infotainment system also features a seven-inch central touchscreen with smartphone replication that is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Also used are ethical and sustainable materials in the interior featuring tactile textiles on key touch points.

Since its mass production launch in 2012, almost 380,000 units of the Zoe have been sold by the end of May.

Those who wish to register their interest in the new Zoe can sign up here to receive ongoing updates.


Apple and Google tech rolling out to mainstream brands

                LOS ANGELES: A year after both Apple's Car Play and Google's Android Auto in-car smartphone connectivity systems were announced, the technologies are finally arriving in mass-market cars. So, if you're looking for a new set of wheels, Hyundai, Honda, Volkswagen and General Motors already offer support for your handset.

In June, Hyundai became the first car company to start rolling out Android Auto on its production vehicles, starting with the current generation Sonata but promising to bring the system to the rest of its model range in the near future.

However, this week it went one better by offering existing Sonata owners the chance to download and install Android Auto themselves, via its myhyundai web portal.

"This is the first time we've made a software upgrade available using the MyHyundai portal," said Michael Deitz, senior group manager of Connected Care, Hyundai Motor America. "Sonata owners can add more value with Android Auto in an easy-to-do upgrade that takes less than an hour. Hyundai is continuing to offer the best user experience possible by leveraging its MyHyundai platform, so customers have the option to update their car -- their way."

To work, the Sonata will need to have the 8-inch touchscreen display as an option and the company has even posted a 'how to' video to YouTube .

When the 2016 Honda Accord goes on sale in the US in the coming months, it will offer owners both Android Auto and Apple Car Play so that they don't have to worry about which smartphone ecosystem they prefer when choosing which car to buy.

"Customers want their vehicles to be more intelligently integrated with their smartphone-powered lives, and we are committed to delivering that experience starting with Accord," said John Mendel, executive vice president of the Automobile Division, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

On Wednesday, VW confirmed that its 2016 model year cars will support Android Auto, Apple Car Play thanks to a heavily upgraded infotainment platform -- MIB II. The system uses something the company calls App Connect which means that as well as Apple's and Google's systems, new VWs will also be able to connect to a Bluetooth enabled smartphone via Mirror Link, an agonistic system that works across brands and ecosystems.

"As the people's car brand, we knew that it was important to democratize these technologies across the Volkswagen line-up, with features like App-Connect ensuring that more consumers can integrate their smart devices in a wide range of trims on virtually every model the company sells," said Michael Horn, president and CEO Volkswagen of America, Inc.

From this summer, new Cadillacs specified with the CUE infotainment system will support Apple Car Play and the company has pledged to integrate Android Auto into the system before the end of the 2016 model year.

GMC's Canyon, Yukon and Sierra support Apple Play from this summer too and some Sierra models will also offer Android Auto support but the feature won't be rolled out beyond the model until the end of the year.


BMW X7: Market launch in March 2019

                MUNICH: The latest and largest model in the BMW X line-up, the X7 will be built at BMW Plant Spartanburg in the United States, and its market launch will begin in March 2019.

At 5,151 millimetres in length, 2,000 millimetres wide and 1,805 millimetres tall, and with a wheelbase of 3,105 millimetres, the BMW X7 is the new head of the BMW X model family.

The BMW X7 comes as standard with LED headlights, while the optional BMW Laserlight has a high-beam range of up to 600 metres and can be easily identified by the blue x-shaped elements inside the headlights.

The car is fitted as standard with 20-inch light-alloy wheels, and there are three rows of seats (for seven people in total) in the X7.

The two passengers in the third row settle into full-size seats complete with armrests, cupholders and USB ports.

The middle row can be composed of two individual comfort seats as an option. All seats are adjusted electrically at the push of a button.

The boot capacity can be increased from 326 to a maximum of 2,120 litres, as required.

The X7 comes as standard with Vernasca leather trim, four-zone automatic climate control, a three-section panoramic glass roof, and ambient lighting including the Welcome Light Carpet and Dynamic Interior Light.

Among the highlights on the options list are five-zone automatic climate control, the Ambient Air package, the Panorama glass roof Sky Lounge, controls with glass applications, the Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System and the Rear-seat entertainment Professional system.

The line-up of engines available at launch are:

- 462hp petrol V8 in the BMW X7 xDrive50i (not available in Europe)
- six-cylinder in-line petrol with 340hp in the BMW X7 xDrive40i
- six-cylinder in-line diesel with 265hp in the BMW X7 xDrive30d
- six-cylinder in-line diesel with 400hp in the BMW X7 M50d.

All the engines are mated to an eight-speed Steptronic transmission, while the task of transferring their power onto either asphalt or loose terrain falls to the BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system.

Ensuring even more dynamic handling is the M Sport differential at the rear axle, which brings electronically controlled locking.

It is fitted as standard on the BMW X7 M50d and as an option on the BMW X7 xDrive50i and BMW X7 xDrive40i.

Standard kit includes Adaptive suspension with electronically controlled dampers, and air springs at both axles.

The vehicle’s ground clearance can be varied by up to 80 millimetres to suit the situation at hand – by either pressing a button or using the BMW Display Key.

Integral Active Steering and the Executive Drive Pro system with active roll stabilisation deliver even more nimble handling and greater poise.

An Off-Road package is also available for all model variants aside from the BMW X7 M50d. This package includes an extra button for choosing between four driving modes – xSand, xGravel, xRocks and xSnow.

These modes prepare the car for the surface in question by activating the ideal settings for ride height, the xDrive system, accelerator and transmission responses, and DSC inputs.

The BMW Live Cockpit Professional fitted as standard in the BMW X7 comprises a fully digital instrument cluster and a Control Display, each of which have a screen diagonal of 12.3 inches.

The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant is included in the operating system from March 2019 - once activated with the spoken prompt “Hey BMW”, the digital companion helps the driver to utilise the car’s functions.

And the system will continue to acquire new capabilities all the time thanks to updates transmitted seamlessly via Remote Software Upgrade.


Aston Martin plans production surge as SUV brightens outlook

                LONDON: Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings Plc will almost double production this year after working through inventory issues that have plagued the luxury-car maker since its 2018 initial public offering.

The British manufacturer plans to make 6,000 vehicles this year, up from just 3,394 in 2020, according to a statement today. Aston Martin’s quarterly revenue and adjusted earnings beat estimates on strong demand for its DBX sport utility vehicle. The shares rose as much as 9.5%.

Roaring back

Aston Martin spent last year restructuring itself after a rescue by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll. The 61-year-old fashion mogul has injected much-needed cash and forged closer ties with Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz to ensure the company survives tumultuous times for the auto industry.

After not having turned a profit since it went public in 2018, Stroll has set targets for Aston to earn £500 million (RM2.8bil) on £2 billion of revenue by 2025. Stroll also has returned the company to Formula 1 racing.

Aston recorded a £70.1 million adjusted loss before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation for last year, though earnings on that basis were positive in the fourth quarter. Revenue in the last three months of the year rose 3.4% to £341.8 million.

SUV expansion

Aston plans to expand its portfolio of SUVs over the next two years, chief executive officer Tobias Moers said in an interview.

The company will begin to see the fruits of its partnership with Mercedes-Benz in the third quarter, the former head of AMG said.

In October, Aston reached an agreement for Mercedes to supply hybrid and electric powertrains to the UK company, building on an engine tie-up that started in 2013. In exchange, Aston will issue new shares to Mercedes, which will boost its stake from 2.6% to as much as 20% over three years.

The carmaker is counting on sales of the DBX to pace its recovery. Deliveries of the model began last year in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdowns.

The carmaker also will begin shipping its Valkyrie hypercar in the second half of 2021 as planned.

Aston plans to refresh its entire portfolio of cars and introduce electric and plug-in hybrids, Moers said. The DBX, which accounted for almost two-thirds of production in the fourth quarter, has orders booked through the summer and is seeing strong demand in China.

In a significant change in strategy, the carmaker will introduce electric variants for all its launches from 2024, according to an investor presentation.

Aston doesn’t plan on investing in battery production, which Moers said is a “far too intense” capital expenditure for the company to make.


No road tax renewal for vehicles yet to replace faulty Takata airbags

 What a recalled Takata airbag inflator looks like. — Reuters
KUALA LUMPUR: Vehicle owners affected by the recall of faulty Takata airbags will not be able to renew their road tax until a replacement has been made, said Anthony Loke Siew Fook (pic).

The Transport Minister said the new directive will take effect next Monday (June 4), adding that all affected vehicle owners must obtain a certificate from their respective car dealership to prove that they have changed their airbags.

Loke said that car companies involved in the global mandatory recall of Takata airbags must submit a list of vehicles which haven't replace their airbags to the Road Transport Department (JPJ).

"We will input the list of all vehicles that have not changed their airbags into our system. I have also directed JPJ not to renew the road tax of these vehicles unless they replaced their airbags.

In Malaysia, some 71,315 out of 332,458 affected Honda vehicles have yet to replace their airbags, he said.

"This figure is alarming as it accounts for about 20% of the total recall. I think that many people still haven't realise that they should change their airbags," he added.

Loke was visiting the family of Pong Hou Tien, 23, who was killed after he was hit by a 2cm metal shrapnel in the neck caused by a ruptured airbag inflator in his 2004 Honda City model following an accident on Sunday (May 27).

This brings the total death toll due to defective Takata airbags to seven in Malaysia.


Cher, Iggy Pop and Jennifer Hudson will star in the upcoming Pirelli Calendar

                MILAN: Some of the world's most famous singer-songwriters are hitting the road for this new edition of the Pirelli Calendar.

While the pandemic put paid to the "Cal 2021," a new edition is on its way for 2022, featuring a highly diverse, international cast with artists spanning several generations and various musical styles, and from the four corners of the globe.

Cher, Iggy Pop, St. Vincent, Normani, Saweetie, Kali Uchis, Grimes, Jennifer Hudson, Bohan Phoenix and Rita Ora will all star in the upcoming edition of the tire group's iconic calendar.

This five-star cast will be photographed by Bryan Adams, as announced by Pirelli last June. The Canadian singer follows a host of renowned photographers, such as Peter Lindbergh, Steven Meisel, Helmut Newton, Mario Sorrenti, Karl Lagerfeld and Patrick Demarchelier.

This year's theme, "On the Road," will focus on the life of musical artists on the road, between bus tours, hotel stays and backstage moments.

In the first behind-the-scenes photos of the shoot shared by Pirelli, we can see Normani in an evening gown posing against a bus, St. Vincent playing guitar in a hotel room, or Rita Ora sitting on car seats in the middle of a street.

Note that you'll have to wait until November 2021 to discover this 48th edition of the legendary Pirelli calendar.


Bookings open for refreshed Hyundai Tucson, priced from RM123,888

                SHAH ALAM: Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) has opened their order books for the facelifted Tucson, which is slated to be launched by end-October.

Updated with a new cascading grille flanked by reshaped headlights, this version has exterior updates that are mainly on the front of the vehicle, leaving the side profile largely unchanged while the rear is updated with a new bumper and refined tailgate lines.

Other exterior upgrades include new 17-inch rims as well as LED front lamp and rear lamp (applicable for the Turbo variant).

Customers can also expect major upgrades in the interior.

“The Tucson is more appealing than before with the new makeover and it remains one of the popular Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) in Malaysia. We expect good response for this version as it fulfills every aspect of customers’ expectations of an SUV. It’s visually appealing, safe, powerful, packed with advanced features and offers comfort to both the driver and passengers,” said Dennis Ho, managing director of Sime Darby Motors (Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan).

HSDM will be launching two variants for this facelifted model namely the 1.6L Turbo and the 2.0L Elegance.

The 1.6L T-GDI produces 177PS of horsepower and delivers a maximum torque of 265Nm from 1,500 to 4,500 rpm while the Nu 2.0L MPi produces 155PS of horsepower at 6,200 rpm and a maximum torque of 192Nm at 4,000 rpm.

The selling price is expected to be from RM123,888 (Price indicated is only applicable to Peninsular Malaysia and excludes insurance).

The facelifted Tucson is entitled to 50,000km free service with 3 years’ validity and a five-year or 300,000km (whichever comes first) warranty.


Tyre retreaders cite high cost of certification as deterrence

Seized illegal retreaded tyres at a plant in Selangor.
PETALING JAYA: High cost and lax enforcement in the past have deterred many tyre retreaders from getting the proper certification, said the Tyre Retreading Manufacturers Association of Malaysia.

“It costs between RM20,000 and RM30,000 to get the Sirim certification. Following that, you still need to incur costs to get your tyres tested by Sirim twice every year, as well as hire a quality-assurance officer to maintain your standard,” said association president Chin Hong Meng.

He said he supported the initiative of government agencies in ensuring that retreaded tyres on the road are safe.

The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry held an operation to bust illegal tyre retreading operations in February.

Two factories in Selangor and Negri Sembilan were busted for producing retreaded tyres with fake Sirim certification.

The ministry, along with the Road Transport Department, the Malaysian Rubber Board and Sirim agreed recently that retreaded tyres must be labelled with its date of manufacture and must not be retreaded more than three times.

READ MORE:
Use of illegal retreaded tyres posing serious danger to motorists

Last Thursday, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the ministry would carry out a review of the production standards of retreaded tyres for heavy vehicles.

“Even European countries have raised their production standards for retreaded tyres despite being in a cool climate zone. With the hot weather we have here, we also need to ensure that all our retreaded tyres are of high quality and compatible with the weather,” he was quoted as saying in Bernama.

The ministry will also carry out an operation this month to identify licensed and unlicensed companies producing retreaded tyres.

“For licensed manufacturers found to have committed the offence, their licences will be suspended, while for unlicensed companies, they will be closed down,” he said.

At present, there are 97 licensed companies producing retreaded tyres.

Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) said illegally retreaded tyres were dangerous because of their unpredictability.

“The MS244 (Sirim) standard is based on a number of other established ones such as the European Union standard. For tyres not in compliance with Sirim, the safety aspect and quality are questionable.

“There is no one who can say how the tyres were manufactured or whether they have been tested before being put in the market.

“Manufacturers can just ‘tipu sini, tipu sana’ (cheat here and there) to save cost,” said Miros’ Crash Reconstruction Unit head Ahmad Noor Syukri Zainal Abidin.

Sirim-certified retreaded tyres would be put through vigorous stress testing and a monitoring process, to the point the tyres are declared as good as new ones.

In fact, manufacturers complying with the MS224-2005 Sirim standard are expected to give the same warranty as new tyres.

According to the Tyre Retreading Manufacturers Association of Malaysia, retreaded tyres must also meet the MS1394 standard, which is the same criteria used for new tyres.

“There will be two audits each year by both Sirim and the Malaysian Rubber Board (LGM) which will pick a random sample for testing.

“The tyres’ endurance and performance must be equal to that of new tyres,” said association president Chin Hong Meng.

He said the Sirim-compliant factories retread around two million tyres per year but he estimated there were twice as many illegally retreaded tyres in the market.

Sirim-approved retreaded tyres are labelled with a yellow sticker.

The process of retreading a tyre, through hot curing or precuring, can take two to three days.

The hot curing method is akin to making a new tyre, where several compounds are applied onto a tyre casing before it is placed in a curing mould.

Precuring, on the other hand, is done via gluing a layer of precured tread onto the tyre casing.

The second method, according to association president Chin, is more complex but it allows the tyres to last longer.

“Ideally, a retreaded tyre using the precuring method should be even better than a new tyre. However, the process is more complex and more expensive,” he said.

Chin said that retreaded tyres cost around 70% of the price of a new tyre.

“Of course, if they provide us with their tyre casings, the price will only be 30% to 50% that of a new tyre,” he said.


Volkswagen Selayang 4S Centre launched

                KUALA LUMPUR: Volkswagen owners now have the choice of taking their cars to the new Volkswagen Selayang 4S (sales, service, spare parts and spray paint) Centre which was launched recently.

Located in the industrial park in Selayang, Batu Caves, and operated by Goh Brothers Motors Sdn Bhd boasts 55,000 sq ft spanning five floors and features a mezzanine level customer reception and lounge area.

More importantly, it has 20 workshop bays with the latest equipment, fully equiped with diagnostic and special tools from Volkswagen Germany as well as the body and paint workshop.

An estimated RM1.5mil has been spent on the body and paint workshop while a total of RM1mil for tools from Germany and workshop equipment.

 From left, Keller and Goh at the official launch opening of Volkswagen Selayang 4S Centre.

“Our customers are our top priority and investing on infrastructure is one of the ways we can strive to improve our offerings and the overall ownership experience,” said Volkswagen Group Malaysia managing director Armin Keller who officiated the event.

Also present was Goh Brothers chairman, Goh Kian Sin.

The Selayang Centre is the third Volkswagen Technical Centre which also serves as a training centre for the Volkswagen staff.

The Volkswagen Selayang 4S Centre will cater for customers in Selayang, Batu Caves, Jalan Ipoh, Kepong, Sg Buloh, Jinjang and Rawang areas.

As for improving its aftersales service, the Volkswagen Group Malaysia general manager-head of group technical service, Deenan Nadar, said in a seperate interview that Volkswagen recognises the problems customers face with its aftersales service and are tackling the problems head on.

“Volkswagen Malaysia are aware of the challenges and are very serious in tackling the problems. Which is why we are increasing the number of service centres to cater for our customers.

“We also have technical support direct from (Volkswagen headquarters) Wolfsburg and we are continuing the Volkswagen German Expert programme for 2016. Our dealer technicians are also being qualified to Master Technician level. We currently have 16 qualified master technicians (12 within Klang Valley area)."

Taking the new Volkswagen Selayang 4S Centre as an example, Deenan said the new centre prioritises aftersales more than showroom space.

“The showroom area in Selayang is much smaller while the aftersales area is bigger with a ratio of 70:30 (aftersales:showroom). Service appoinments time have also been improved to not more than two days wait. And we are also reducing the time it takes to get our spare-parts which come from Singapore and Germany,” said Deenan.

The Volkswagen Selayang 4S Centre showroom opens seven days a week while its service center operates from Monday to Saturday, 8.30am to 5.30pm.


Hino Malaysia opens new 3S center in Klang

                KLANG: Hino Motors Sales (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (Hino Malaysia) upgraded one of its authorized dealers - Eng Kee Commercial Vehicles Sdn Bhd - from a 1S (Sales) centre to 3S (Sales, Services & Spare Parts) centre.

The new 3S centre operates in the Klang District and is located within the same radius of Port Klang, the largest port in Malaysia, it is a strategic area as Port Klang is the main trade route and commercial and industrial hub of the country.

The 24,000 square-feet area facilitates three service bays at the rear of the building and the front of the new centre offers a lounge with refreshments and free Wi-Fi for customers.

The opening of the new Hino 3S centre was officiated by the Board of Directors from both companies, Hino Malaysia and Eng Kee Commercial Vehicles, witnessed by all guests that present to enliven the ceremony.

“We provide Malaysian customers with products optimally suited to their needs, and we help our valued customers make the most of their Hino trucks and buses by providing comprehensive follow-up service in the spirit of Total Support,” said Managing Director of Hino Malaysia, Atsushi Uchiyama.

Hino Malaysia to-date has 37 3S centres throughout the country conforming to the company’s new standard and corporate image.

Eng Kee Commercial Vehicles' address is at No. Lot 230, Persiaran Raja Muda Musa /KS 01. Telok Gadong Kecil, Klang.


2015 LA Auto Show: Jaguar XE

                LOS ANGELES: Jaguar recently launched The Art of Performance Tour that invites all visitors to test drive its new XE sport sedan – months in advance before it goes on sales next year, in both on road and on a slalom course.

Visitors on the tour will also appear in a personalized action-packed short film – The Audition, while behind the wheel of the new Jaguar XE.

 Jaguar XE (left) and F-PACE

The British coachbuilder will also put on display its full model line-up, which includes the new F-PACE performance SUV and Jaguar C-X75 concept car from the new James Bond movie, Spectre.

The new Jaguar XE is to go on-sale in the United States in early 2016, priced from US$34,900 (RM155,000) and has a wheelbase of 2,835mm, while measuring 4,672mm-long, 2,075mm-wide and 1,416mm tall.

With its kerb weight starting from 1,475kg, the XE gets heavier as the outputs of the two diesel and two petrol turbocharged 2.0-litre engines increases from 160bhp to the range-topping supercharged 3.0-litre V6 engine with 335bhp.

The entry-level Jaguar XE 2.0 turbo-diesel gets mated to a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic gearbox (both from ZF) for its rear-wheel drive system and produces 160bhp at 4,000rpm and 380Nm of torque from 1,750 to 2,500rpm.

The XE Prestige gets 17bhp and 50Nm-more and adds an all-wheel drive system for the automatic transmission.

As for the XE R-Sport’s turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engines performance starts at 197bhp at 5,500rpm and 320Nm of torque from 1,750 to 4,000rpm, while the higher output XE Portfolio gets 40bhp and 20Nm more at 238bhp and 340Nm.

Both variants get paired to an eight-speed automatic gearbox for a rear-wheel drive set up.

Last but not least is the range-topping XE S with a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine that gets mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox and manages power to the rear wheels.

The V6 punches out 335bhp at 6,500rpm and 450Nm of torque at 4,500rpm, launching the XE to 100kph from standstill in 5.1 seconds before reaching a top speed of 250kph.

In terms of features, the XE gets 455 litres of boot space, while its chassis makes use of an Advanced Aluminium Architecture.

Inside, owners gets a 11-speaker 380W or an optional 17-speaker 825W Meridian sound system with has a quad-core processor, a 60GB solid-state drive (SSD) and ethernet capabilities.

The system gets paired with Jaguar’s next-generation InControl Touch infotainment system with an 8.0-inch capacitive touchscreen or an optional 10.2-inch InControl Touh Pro tablet-style touchscreen.

With the larger touchscreen, the on-board navigation system is capable of providing others with the owner’s estimated time of arrival while the Wi-Fi hotspot is able to connect up to eight devices as well as apps for wearable technology.

The XE has a torque on-demand all-wheel drive system along with Configurable Dynamics taken fro the F-Type (allowing drivers to adjust the throttle response and transmission shifts) as well as Adaptive Dynamics that continuously varies the damping system according to the condition of the road.

Furthermore, there’s Adaptive Surface Response (AdSR) and All Surface Progress Control system that changes both the mapping of the powertrain and the Dynamic Stability Control system according to road-surface conditions.

Lastly, the XE also gets equipped with Lane Keep Assist, Driver Condition Monitor and Adaptive Speed Limiter among others.

Jaguar XE (left) and F-PACE


Tesla considers cutting price of China-built Model 3 next year

                SHANGHAI: Tesla is considering cutting the price of its China-built Model 3 sedans by 20% or more next year, people familiar with the plans said, betting the move will lure buyers as the world’s biggest electric-vehicle market slows.

Tesla aims to bring down costs by using more local components, allowing it to import fewer parts and avoid tariffs, the people said, asking not to be identified as the matter isn’t public.

Prices of the cars, which will be built in Tesla’s new Shanghai factory and start at 355,800 yuan (RM211,000), will probably be lowered from the second half of 2020, they said.

Chief executive officer Elon Musk is counting on the multibillion-dollar Shanghai plant, Tesla’s first factory outside the United States, to give it an edge over the likes of BMW AG and Daimler AG, which are also targeting China with new EV models.

The move would also pressure local incumbents such as NIO Inc. and Xpeng Motors to follow suit with price cuts.

Competition is heating up as EV makers struggle through an unprecedented slump. Sales of electric cars have fallen for months in China after the government scaled back subsidies.

The scale of the price cuts and the timing could change depending on market situations, the people said. A Tesla representative in China declined to comment.

Much of the cost cuts will hinge on batteries, which are typically the most expensive part of an electric car.

Tesla currently relies entirely on Japan’s Panasonic Corp. for batteries but that’s changing as it agreed to buy batteries from an LG Chem Ltd. factory that’s about 320km north-west of Shanghai, sources said in August.

Tesla also struck a pact to use batteries from China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. by as early as next year, the sources said last month.

Meanwhile, Tesla has been making final preparations to begin deliveries from its Shanghai plant. This month, Chinese authorities disclosed that the locally built Model 3 will qualify for state subsidies of as high as 24,750 yuan (RM14,629) per car, though it’s unclear how much of that rebate would go directly to customers.


Mercedes-Benz G-Class on the rise

                STUTTGART: Every G-Class has to conquer the Schöckl, a 1,445m-high local mountain near the Austrian city of Graz that's used as a test track by Mercedes-Benz.

The 5.6km route includes gradients of up to 60% and lateral inclinations of up to 40%.

During the development stage, a "G" has to endure a good 2,000km of strenuous tortures and it's being touted to have done it with noticeably more control and comfort.

The primary goal of development was to make the new G-Class even more effective off-road.

The G thus remains a true G – thanks to its standard ladder-type frame, the three 100% differential locks and 'LOW RANGE' off-road ratio.

Its suspension is the result of collaboration between Mercedes-Benz G GmbH and Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

The result is an independent suspension with double-wishbone front axle in combination with a rigid rear axle.

During development work, the engineers had the task of fighting for every millimetre, because off-road capability also means maximum ground clearance.

The raised axle with independent suspension decisively contributes to this, and additionally increases the stiffness of the body with a strut brace.

The components of the double-wishbone front axle are directly fixed to the ladder-type frame without a suspension subframe.

The attachment points on the frame of the lower wishbone in a Z-direction are positioned as high up as possible.

This arrangement ensures good driveability beyond the asphalt.

Specifically for the G-Class, the new front axle is designed in such a robust way that the off-road performance and off-road capabilities of its predecessor are maintained and partly even surpassed.

The new rigid rear axle is guided with four longitudinal control arms on each side and a Panhard rod.

The off-road vehicle stays on track more robustly, and is agile and effortless in off-road applications.

The exceptional handling characteristics and driving safety on account of the driver's high level of control can only be experienced first hand.

The following figures, however, clearly show that every little detail to improve the off-road characteristics has been checked and optimised where possible.

As before, high ground clearance and long suspension travel form the basis for the further improved off-road characteristics of the G-Class.

The new G-Class has 241mm (+6mm) of ground clearance between the axles, maximum fording depth of 700mm (+100mm) in water and mud passages, driving stability at angles of 35 degrees (+7 degrees), 30-degree (+1-degree) angle of departure, 31-degree (+1-degree) angle of approach and 26-degree (+1-degree) breakover angle.

In terms of suspension travel, the front axle has a spring/rebound travel of 85/100mm, the rear axle has a spring/rebound travel of 82/142mm.

One of the prerequisites for the improved off-road handling characteristics is the new "G-Mode".

The G-Class changes to "G-Mode" independently of the chosen drive program as soon as one of the three differential locks has been activated or LOW RANGE has been engaged.

This off-road mode adapts the adjustable damping of the chassis and the steering as well as the accelerator characteristic, avoids unnecessary gearshifts and ensures maximum off-road capability.

A small "G" icon discreetly lights up in the instrument cluster.

The G simply swallows up major bumps, and even in extreme terrain the driver does not have to frantically hold on to the steering wheel to effortlessly manoeuvre.

For the power transmission, the 9G‑TRONIC automatic transmission with torque converter was specifically adapted to meet the needs of the off-road icon.

The developers have managed to reduce the shift and response times of the 9-speed transmission by means of a dedicated software application.

The wide transmission ratio not only makes driving quieter and more comfortable especially at low engine speeds, it also simultaneously contributes to reducing fuel consumption.

The new transfer case is flange-mounted directly on to the 9G-TRONIC.

It is adjusted in such a way that 40% of the drive torque reaches the front axle and 60% reaches the rear axle.

The permanent all-wheel drive ensures maximum traction.

The low-range ratio can be engaged via the LOW RANGE switch in transmission mode N at speeds of up to 40kph.

The gear ratio of the transfer case is then changed from 1.00 in HIGH RANGE to 2.93.

It is possible to switch from LOW RANGE to HIGH RANGE at speeds of up to 70kph.

The gear ratio of the transfer case is 2.93 and thus is significantly shorter than the predecessors 2.1, which becomes noticeable particularly when pulling away on an extreme gradient.

All-round visibility from a bird's-eye view is possible thanks to the optional 360-degree camera, the reversing camera and three further cameras.

The information is presented clearly in full HD in a choice of different views on the multimedia system's display.

Dynamic guide lines show the road and the width of the G-Class.

In addition, the off-road screen specially designed for the G-Class also displays data such as height, gradient, angle, compass, steering angle and activated differential locks.

Furthermore, for particularly arduous applications, 18-inch all-terrain tyres have been made available.


Updated Proton Saga attracts over 10K bookings

                SUBANG JAYA: Bookings placed for the 2019 Proton Saga, which was launched on 6 August, have now exceeded 10,000 units.

Over 1,000 of bookings came via Proton's online booking platform where customers can book a unit for just RM9.99.

Proton has extended the closing date for online bookings to 17 September.

“Judging from the bookings received, the 2019 Saga is extremely popular with our customers who are attracted to the revised styling, upgraded components and new touchscreen infotainment system," said Dr Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton.

Proton also saw higher sales growth after registering 9,127 units for August 2019.

Total sales as at the end of August now stand at 61,396 units.

This means Proton is on track to beat 2018's sales of 64,744 units.

"Proton has posted the best sales growth for any top five brand this year and although Malaysia’s Total Industry Volume (TIV) has shrunk by 5.8%, our 36% growth in sales shows we are on the right track," said Li.


Lamborghini ready to let loose SCV12 track-only hypercar

                ROME: Lamborghini Squadra Corse’s track-only hypercar - the SCV12, is now ready to hit the track for its world premiere after completing its development programme.

Earmarked for launch in the third quarter of this year, the SCV12 is touted by the company to possess the company's most powerful naturally-aspirated V12 engine to date

 ATTENZIONE: MACCHINA VELOCE (Caution: Fast Car)

The hypercar was designed in-house by Lamborghini Centro Stile and is said to be capable produce more than 830hp through the use of aerodynamic supercharging when at high speed - so the faster the car goes the more power the engine is able to produce.

The SCV12 benefits from Lamborghini Squadra Corse’s GT motorsport expertise, using its racing experience to produce increased aerodynamic efficiency and higher downforce levels than a GT3 car.

The front section has been gifted with a double air intake with a splitter below it and a central rib directing airflow to the ram-air intake scoop located on the roof.

This directs dynamic air pressure created by the car’s movement to increase static air pressure in the engine’s intake manifold, creating greater airflow through the engine and increasing power.

Also, lateral flicks and vertical fins occupy the side sills while the rear has been fitted with a custom-built carbon fibre rear wing.

Hidden below everything is a new carbon fibre chassis developed by the company's Squadra Corse engineers to boost the SCV12's power-to-weight ratio with the intent of providing the best handling and circuit driving experience.

The lightweight chassis with rear-wheel drive incorporates a sequential six-speed gearbox as a structural element within the chassis, reducing weight and enhancing weight distribution.

Pushrod rear suspension has been installed directly onto the gearbox, while power is delivered on the track courtesy of specially developed slick Pirelli tyres fitted on 19 (front) and 20-inch (rear) magnesium wheels.

The SCV12 will be assembled entirely within the Lamborghini Squadra Corse factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy, as a limited edition.

The Italian supercar builder added that new buyers will be able to participate in advanced driving programmes at some of the world’s most prestigious circuits, with the technical assistance of Squadra Corse engineers and the special tutoring of Emanuele Pirro - five-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Lamborghini Squadra Corse Special Projects Consultant.


Toyota heads to Mitsui Outlet Park, Sepang

                SEPANG: Toyota has opened a “store in a mall” concept as a new initiative to better engage with customers.

By blending into the everyday lives of people, the new store in Mitsui Outlet Park in Sepang, one of the largest outlet malls in Southeast Asia, hopes to promote brand interaction with customers on a more emotional level, in a relaxed, upmarket environment.

Toyota models, such as the Vios and Hilux, can be viewed at the new store.

For a limited period only, shoppers at the outlet have a chance to view a racing Toyota 86 model.

The race-tuned 86 is the same car that competed in last year’s Merdeka Endurance Race and will be competing in the Malaysia Championship Series 2015.

UMW Toyota Motor president Datuk Ismet Suki said the company’s presence in one of Southeast Asia’s largest outlet malls represented a new approach to better engage customers and to maintain the company’s No. 1 position in the JD Power Sales Satisfaction Index.

In keeping with the store’s ‘Garage and Motorsports’ theme, TRD merchandise items are also available.


History revisited at Toyota museums

Unbeknownst to many non-Japanese, the Toyota brand which is world famous for its range of cars, started out developing looms and textile machines in Nagoya around 1911.
Started by the great grandfather of present Toyota Motor Corp president Akio Toyoda, Sakichi Toyoda reached a new high in 1924 when he perfected the non-stop shuttle-change automatic loom Type G, which was considered the most advanced of its type in the world at that time.

Two years later, Sakichi started the mass production of the Type G automatic loom.

In 1935, his son Kiichiro Toyoda, diversified the textile machinery business to include automobile manufacturing which was emerging in Japan.

Being the city where Toyota Motor Corp has its headquarters and many of its key factories, Nagoya is also home to three Toyota automobile museums.

Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology The brick-walled Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology in Nagoya, Japan was formerly a loom making factory.

Established on June 11, 1994 on the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kiichiro, the museum was set up inside the factory complex which used to manufacture Toyoda’s textile machines.

Items exhibited are extensive and divided into the textile machinery and automotive sections.

The textile machinery section comes with an introduction into Sakichi’s history, and items as such early hand-powered spinning to industrial-size fabric making equipment, including the Type G automatic loom.

The automotive section, meanwhile, tells about Kiichiro’s entry into the car industry after gathering information about “horseless carriages” in the US and Europe.

Kiichiro and his team even took apart a 1933 Chevrolet car to study it when they were working to develop a prototype.

At the end, they succeeded in building Toyota’s first prototype called Model A1 which would go into production as the AA sedan.

Other exhibits include tools, equipment and techniques used in Toyota’s early manufacturing years as well as live demonstration of the company’s current production line using robotic technology.

Admission fee: 500 yen (adults), 200-300 yen (children)

The 1936 Toyoda (Toyota) AA car was based on the A1 Prototype.Various types of textile machines.Various types of textile machines.A textile machine.A reproduction of Toyoda's foundry for making engines.A demonstration of robots assembling the body of Toyota Prius.Looms and textile machines take up a portion of the museum.A museum staff showing an image weaved into a piece of textile.Various types of textile machines at the museum.A 1935 Toyoda Model G1 truck.

Toyota Kaikan Museum A cutaway of a Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid at Toyota Kaikan Museum in Toyota City, Japan.

Located in Toyota’s Honsha plant vicinity in Toyota headquarters, this museum comes with many interactive displays to educate children as well as adults on Toyota’s approach to car making.

The exhibits also provide a look into Toyota’s emphasis on efficient production processes, vehicular safety, and eco-friendly and sustainable motoring initiatives.

Making the displays more interesting are the several cutaway models which allow visitors to see the inner workings of vehicles and engines to better understand what made them “tick.”

Admission: Free

A cutaway of a Toyota Prius with different colours to indicate types of steel used.An interactive display to show how the clutch system works.A cutaway of the lithium-ion battery used in the Prius (left) and that of a solid state battery.Current production cars from Toyota and Lexus displayed at the museum.A Toyota Prius hybrid.A Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car.Driving simulators.A robotic arm used in car production.A spot welder.A cutaway of Toyota's 2.0-litre D-4ST turbocharged engine.Collectibles for sale at museum shop.The museum shop.

Toyota Automobile Museum Toyota Automobile Museum, Nagakute near Nagoya.

The name of this museum can be a bit misleading as it has more non-Toyota vehicles on display than Toyota’s.

Showcasing the world’s automotive history and related-culture from 1890s to the late 20th century, the museum even has samples of car brands which are rarely heard of now such as Horch, Morgan, Messerschmitt, Oldsmobile and Packard to name a few.

Besides some 140 vintage and classic cars, the multi-level museum also exhibits around 4,000 historic posters, brochures, badgings, toys and books of cars.

Hardcore car fans should be prepared to spend hours in this museum located in Nagakute near Nagoya.

Admission fee: 1,000 yen (adults), 400-600 yen (children)

A 1995 Bentley Continental.A 1987 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur I.A 1979 Ferrari 512BB.A 1970 Nissan Fairlady Z432.A 1969 Mazda Cosmo Sport Model L10B.A 1969 Mazda Cosmo Sport Model L10B.A 1968 Toyota 2000GT Model MF10 (left) and a 1965 Toyota Sports 800 Model UP15.A 1968 Toyota 2000GT Model MF10 (left) and a 1965 Toyota Sports 800 Model UP15.A 1964 Ford Mustang.A 1964 Ford Mustang.A 1960 Ford Falcon.A 1960 Ford Falcon.A 1948 Cadillac Series 60 Special.A 1948 Cadillac Series 60 Special.A 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Coupe.A 1950 Porsche 356 1100 "Pre-A".A 1951 Jaguar XK120.A 1953 Citroen 2CV Type A.A 1955 Messerschmitt KR200 three-wheeler.A 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz.A 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz.A 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz.A 1948 Tucker '48.A 1948 Tucker '48.A 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III.A 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III.A 1935 Hispano-Suiza K6.A 1922 Morgan Aero three-wheeler.A 1927 Pierce-Arrow Series 36.A 1927 Ford Model T Touring.A 1927 Ford Model T Touring.A 1929 Duesenberg Model J.A 1927 Ford Model T Coupe.A 1914 Ford Model T Depot Hack.A 1914 Ford Model T Depot Hack.A 1914 Ford Model T Touring.A Ford Model T cutaway.A 1914 Stutz Bearcat F Series.A 1914 Stutz Bearcat F Series.A 1912 Cadillac Model Thirty.A 1918 Chevrolet Series 490.A 1911 Delaunay-Belleville Type HB6L.Car poster at Toyota Automobile Museum.Car poster at Toyota Automobile Museum.Car poster at Toyota Automobile Museum.Car brochure at Toyota Automobile Museum.Car brochure at Toyota Automobile Museum.A collection of car advertisements at Toyota Automobile Museum.Scaled-down cars at Toyota Automobile Museum.Car toys at Toyota Automobile Museum.Car toys at Toyota Automobile Museum.Car badges at Toyota Automobile Museum.Car badges at Toyota Automobile Museum.Car badges at Toyota Automobile Museum.Car badges at Toyota Automobile Museum.Car badges at Toyota Automobile Museum.Car model kits at Toyota Automobile Museum.Car licence plates from Malaysia and other countries."Ford Times" Nov 1913 issue.A toy model of 2015 DeLorean Time Machine with Doc Brown.


Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid comes to Malaysia, priced from RM945K

                KUALA LUMPUR: The new Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid has arrived in Malaysia.

Base price is RM945,000 (before duties, taxes and registration).

The introduction of the new Flying Spur Hybrid is the brand’s first electrified sedan and the most environmentally friendly Bentley to date.

The arrival of the Flying Spur Hybrid heralds a new era of electrified Bentley models in Malaysia. Built on the third generation Flying Spur, the hybrid model pairs an engine with an electric motor to deliver the most efficient Bentley ever produced (at an average of just 75g of CO2 emissions per kilometre, according to WLTP cycles).

Combining a powerful 2.9-litre, twin-turbocharged V6 engine with an advanced electric motor produces an impressive total output of 537hp/400kW and 750Nm of torque.

It does the 0-100kph sprint in only 4.3 seconds, easily matching traditional W12 and V8 powertrains. In terms of range, the hybridised powertrain achieves a responsive, engaging, and supremely refined experience of around 800km (when fully fuelled) thanks to an 18kWh lithium-ion battery.

The new Flying Spur is said to incorporate a class-leading range of intelligent and intuitive equipment tailored to the driver and passengers.

Inside the cabin, the automatic Start-Stop switch has been replaced with a control for the three E Modes – EV Drive, Hybrid Mode, and Hold Mode, enabling the driver to manage the battery usage during a journey.

EV Drive mode is engaged as soon as the car is switched on and maximises the electric driving experience. This is ideal for city driving and for shorter journeys.

The driver instruments include information showing when the car is operating solely in EV drive, regenerating whilst decelerating or using the combustion engine.

The flow of energy can also be displayed via the infotainment screen where statistics can be seen and the timers for charging of the vehicle can be set.

Additional e-motion information is available to the driver via the instrument panel, heads-up display and centre screen, including range, battery level and charging information.

Exterior visual differences for the Flying Spur Hybrid include a "Hybrid" front fender badge, quad oval tailpipes, and a covered universal charging point on the left-hand rear fender.

The Flying Spur Hybrid is delivered with market specific cables, facilitating charging of the vehicle at home or via industrial charge points at work or in public car parks. In addition to the standard equipment supplied, customers can also choose a Bentley charging dock available as a cost option, providing an attractive solution housing the charge unit and storing the charge cables neatly.

The interior of the Flying Spur Hybrid showcases Bentley’s expertise in creating a modern and luxurious cabin.

Using the extensive specification offering, customers can choose between a selection of 15 (five standard and ten optional) leather colours and eight different veneers to create an individual specification.

Stitching and emblems can also be specified in blind or contrast colours, as well as the option of contrast piping to the seat covers – reminiscent of the original Flying Spur from the 1950s.

The choice of optional wheels includes the 22” Mulliner Driving Specification wheel in three different finishes, a 21” wheel in Polished or Grey Painted and Bright machined or the standard 20” wheel.

The interior of the Flying Spur Hybrid showcases Bentley’s expertise. According to Bentley, the interior features highly comfortable seats in five hide colours, with Bentley’s "Wing" theme across the lower console and fascia. For additional choice, the Colour Specification option adds 10 further hide colours and two duo-tone interior configurations.

Building on the company’s heritage, Bentley’s craftsmanship also continues to evolve, delivering contemporary features such as 3D leather door panels and lofted diamond quilting to the seats (included in the Mulliner Driving Specification).

Customers can also specify their vehicle from the additional extended paint range of over 60 exterior colours, including Mulliner and personal commission. The blackline specification offers a contemporary alternative to exterior brightware including a dark version of the optional illuminated electric Flying B.

The Flying Spur Hybrid is also available in the Azure and S variants.

The Flying Spur Hybrid is part of Bentley's Beyond100 strategy. This strategy has Bentley set on becoming a fully end-to-end carbon neutral brand by 2030. On its journey, it will see the entire Bentley range having an electrified drivetrain option by 2024 and the brands first all-electric vehicle in 2025.

So far, Bentley Kuala Lumpur said it has sold one unit of the hybrid. It expects to sell 2 to 3 units a year.

The model, a left-hand drive version, is on a tour. It will be in Malaysia for a month before heading to Indonesia on its next stop. Keeping it company at the launch at a hotel here today were the Bentayga V8 and the Continental GT V8.

Bentley Kuala Lumpur said the launch of the Flying Spur Hybrid in Malaysia signals it has the charging infrastructure in place to support electrified cars. The local Bentley distributor has embarked on its carbon neutrality journey with the aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2023.

Bentley's presence in Malaysia spans 25 years.

Tracing its entry into Malaysia in 1997, the Bentley brand has strengthened over the years, bringing unique Bentley experiences to the country – from flying in the legendary Bentley 3 Litre Speed for the viewing pleasure of loyal customers, to hosting the "World of Bentley" exhibition featuring the record-breaking Continental Supersports Convertible.

SPECIFICATIONS


Bentley faces 24 hours of The Green Hell

                LONDON: A trio of Bentley Continental GT3 cars will contest in this weekend’s upcoming ADAC Zurich 24-Hour Race, held on Germany’s infamous Nürburgring Nordschleife.

A pair of Works Bentleys will contest the race along with a third car entered by Bentley’s European Works-Supported operation - Bentley Team HTP.

The two Works cars may be from the same team, but will feature different liveries.

The number 85 car will use a green livery based on the Bentley Speed 8 that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2003 and will be piloted by three British Bentley Boys – Guy Smith, Andy Meyrick and Steven Kane.

The second Works car, number 84, will take on Bentley’s standard Works livery and will be helmed by Nordschleife specialists Jeroen Bleekemolen and former Nürburgring 24-hour victors Christian Menzel and Lance David Arnold

Arnold will be made available to drive for number 85 with Christopher Brück available to stand-in for number 84, depending on race conditions and progress.

“Competing in this famous race was one of the key targets when we started our racing programme two years ago. The challenge is not to be underestimated – we’re the newcomers amongst some very established teams here.

“However, our cars are well prepared and the team is well-drilled, we’ve gained great experience through VLN races, and we’re ready. The Nordschleife is the toughest racetrack in the world, and the 24-Hours is full of exceptional competitors.

“We already know that the Continental GT3 performs well over a full day and night of racing from the Spa 24-hour last year – but this is our hardest test yet. I’m hoping that we can keep both cars out of trouble and finish strongly,” said Bentley director of motorsport Brian Gush.

Bentley’s progress throughout the race can be followed via the @BentleyComms Twitter feed.


Formentor: SEAT's Cupra subsidiary gets its own car

                BARCELONA: Until now, Spanish automaker SEAT only gave its Cupra subsidiary enough leash to make souped-up versions of existing SEAT models. But now, for the first time, Cupra is now getting its first original car.

The Formentor SUV coupe — originally planned to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show before it was cancelled due to coronavirus fears — is set to go on sale in the last quarter of 2020, Cupra has announced.

While it does have a completely individual silhouette, the crossover is still a close relative of the VW-SEAT family, bearing strong technical similarities to the SEAT Ateca and the Tiguan from SEAT parent company Volkswagen.

Measuring 4.45 metres in length, the Formentor slots into the compact class of SUV. Despite a sloping rear end and a somewhat flatter roof, the car promises enough space to comfortably fit five adults with an additional 450 litres of storage space, SEAT says.

In terms of drive, Cupra is based on the recently debuted Leon and gives customers the choice between a 2.0-litre TSI engine with 310 horsepower and four-wheel drive or a plug-in hybrid.

According to the manufacturer, the plug-in version has a 1.4-litre petrol engine with 150hp supported by a 115-hp electric motor and a battery with 13 kW/h, which should enable a purely electric driving range of around 50km.

Cupra puts total system output at 245hp, but has not yet provided any further performance or efficiency figures for either engine.


Car emissions campaigners turn sights on Renault

                BERLIN/LONDON: Renault's flagship Espace minivan released toxic diesel emissions 25 times over legal limits in a Swiss study, despite complying with EU tests carried out at unrealistically low engine temperatures, a German environmental group said on Tuesday.

The tests commissioned by the DUH group, which have not been independently verified, follows Volkswagen's admission that it used illegal "defeat devices" to cheat diesel emission regulations.

In a statement, Renault said it contested the findings of the DUH lobby group.

Environmental and consumer groups are leading calls for improved European Union tests to bring soaring car emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon dioxide into line with legal limits.

The DUH, which had earlier singled out General Motors' Opel brand in tests which suggested NOx emissions on the road were higher than those measured in official testing, has turned its fire on France's Renault in a report commissioned from the University of Applied Sciences in Bern.

When run with a warm or hot engine, a 1.6-litre Espace of the latest Euro 6 diesel generation emitted up to 2.06 grams of NOx per kilometre, the campaign group said, more than 25 times the EU limit. The vehicle met the statutory 80 milligram cap only with a cold engine after "specific pre-conditioning".

GM last month rejected similar DUH findings on its Opel Zafira model, after running its own tests monitored by Germany's TUV certification body.

The VW diesel scandal has drawn attention to a wider pattern of legal test manipulation that stops short of outright cheating. The EU rules themselves are now acknowledged to be inadequate even by carmakers such as PSA Peugeot Citroen.

Carmakers routinely strip out standard equipment to reduce test vehicles' mass, tape up door joints and fit bald tyres that would be illegal on the road.

Tuesday's DUH findings may shed light on the real-world impact of optimising engines to pass tests only when cold - which would be another tactic allowed by the current regime.

"It's unbelievable that so-called modern diesel vehicles that damage the air we breathe in this way are on the road today," campaigner Axel Friedrich said in the DUH statement.

Friedrich is a co-founder and council member of the Washington-based International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), which commissioned the original investigation that led eventually to the exposure of VW's test-rigging.

Europe needs a "comprehensive reorganization of the system in which mandatory regular controls on the street are integrated", he said.

EU moves to phase in real-world emissions measurements were watered down in committee last month under sustained German-led lobbying.

Meanwhile, German prosecutors have launched an investigation into suspected tax evasion in connection with cheating on emissions tests by Volkswagen, adding to the intense scrutiny of Europe's biggest carmaker.

The investigation focuses on five Volkswagen employees, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office in the northern German city of Braunschweig, near Volkswagen's Wolfsburg headquarters, said on Tuesday, confirming an earlier media report.

As is customary in Germany he did not name any of the suspects.

Volkswagen admitted in September that it installed software in up to 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide that vastly understated their actual emissions of smog-causing nitrogen oxides, causing the biggest business scandal in Volkswagen's 78-year history.

As Germany's car tax is rated according to a vehicle's fuel consumption, the prosecution is now looking into whether owners of the affected Volkswagen vehicles underpaid on taxes, a matter which the prosecution's spokesman said was "not small".

The main focus of the investigation is tax evasion, but it could also involve fraud, he said.


Rolls-Royce carbon fibre program introduced

                MADRID: European design house Bengala Automotive and US-based Vitesse AuDessus have announced the launch of a bespoke carbon fibre program for current Rolls-Royce models.

The program offers carbon fibre options for the Phantom, Phantom Coupé, Phantom Drophead Coupé, Wraith, Dawn, and Ghost. The featured material is a compressed carbon matrix that is similar to the Forged Carbon Fibre developed by Lamborghini and Callaway. The use of this material as an aesthetic offering is a first in the automotive industry.

The program is also offering another first in the industry: forged carbon fibre wheels. Lighter and denser than titanium, forged, carbon fibre wheels offer a clear engineering advantage over their metal alloy counterparts. Forged wheels are also a marked improvement in manufacturing lead-time compared to traditional carbon fibre layup. The availability of fast-curing resins makes it possible to produce a set in minutes, as opposed to days.

Each wheel design is tested to meet or exceed manufacturer standards and includes a proprietary coating to protect against heat.

"Forged carbon fibre is an extraordinary development for the automotive industry," said Bengala owner and design chief Shoghi Saeidnia.

"To the casual observer the material serves a purely utilitarian purpose. As a designer I was inspired by the mosaic-like motifs and felt that the aesthetic could be elevated. I visualised a material with the look of honed granite that would communicate the antithesis of the current perception: opulent luxury as opposed to ascetic utilitarianism. The product that Vitesse AuDessus was able to develop exceeded my highest expectations; and, when thinking of the appropriate application for the material's debut as a luxury finish, no pairing was better suited than the handmade rolling masterpieces by Rolls-Royce.“

"Carbon fibre wheels are the clearest and best performance choice as they dramatically lower unsprung weight. The only failing is in the complicated production process and long manufacturing lead-times. Forged carbon wheels solve this problem and open the doors to a wide range of future applications," said Vitesse AuDessus CEO Stefany Sanchez. It ships worldwide.

Aside from the forged offering, every removable body panel is available in bare carbon replacements in the weave, tint and finish specified by the client. For those parts attached to the chassis, Vitesse AuDessus offers lightweight veneers.

The parts come with a five-year warranty against defect or yellowing. OEM quality fit and finish are also guaranteed. Parts are priced from US$3,000+.