London Fire Brigade swaps Vauxhall Astras for BMW i3s

                LONDON: London wins and BMW makes a tidy sum. The London Fire Brigade has taken the first step in becoming the “greenest” fire brigade by replacing its fleet of 60 Vauxhall Astras with BMW i3 cars.

The firemen will use a fleet of 52 ultra low emission i3 ranger-extender model cars and a further 5 hybrid cars to attend emergency incidents and other Brigade business across the capital.

The hybrid cars have an electric motor and petrol-powered engine. However, officers using the cars have reported hardly ever having to use petrol. The i3s can be charged at 73 fire stations across the capital. The cars also charge as they drive and the battery of the range extender cars can be topped up via a petrol-powered generator.

The brigade is also exploring the potential for electric and hydrogen vehicles with a view to trialling low-emission hybrid vans in early 2017. Its move to go green is also to encourage the public and other authorities to do the same.

The i3 cars are fitted with blue lights and sirens. They can reach top speeds of 145kph. The 150-year-old London brigade said it is committed to operate low emission vehicles on at least 5% of its fleet by 2020.

The i3s will remain part of the fleet for five years, covering an average of 11,265km a year. It estimated that there are 80,000 electric cars on Britain’s roads.

"Officers often travel at speed across London, so it was essential the cars could stand up to the rigours of being a blue light vehicle, as well as having green credentials,” said London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson.

“The brigade is leading the move from diesel to electric, which will make a big difference to the air quality for Londoners.”

London mayor Sadiq Khan said around 10,000 Londoners are dying early every year because of air pollution. He lauded the brigade for “improving the quality of life for millions of Londoners."


Talk time with Geometry EV boss

Conghui presenting Geometry A.
Geely believes in keeping to its word, notably when it said in 2015 that more than 90% of the vehicles it would sell by 2020 would be ‘electric’ cars, either in purely electric powered or in hybrid or plug-in hybrid versions.

Having enjoyed success with the Emgrand electric vehicles and other "new energy" hybrid range, it is looking to build on that base with a new entity.

This is a new brand called Geometry, which saw its "global" launch in Singapore recently, is solely dedicated to promoting electric cars and its first product called Geometry A was part of the launch.

Singapore was picked for the event as the country is acknowledged as a garden city and whose government is ready to invest in environmentally friendly mobile solutions such as electric cars.

The "global" perspective to the Geometry introduction appears to be a case of the event being carried outside of China as the only two other countries involved, whose media representatives were invited, were Malaysia and Singapore.

Although the initial target market was China, Geely Auto Group president and CEO An Conghui said Geometry was already looking beyond its domestic market.

At the launch, he said Geometry had already received more than 9,300 orders in China and similarly, Geometry also signed a distribution deal with four countries – Singapore, France, Norway and Argentina – and orders had blossomed to 18,000 cars.

However, delivery of the Geometry A to these four countries would vary, especially for Singapore as a right-hand drive variant has to be produced.

According to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group vice-president of public relations Victor Yang, this is where Proton could lend a hand in developing a right-hand drive electric car for the region and beyond.

As to the question of whether the Geometry A would be sold in Malaysia, he said it was up to Proton to study the market and the ways with which it could promote electric cars in this country.

However, he added that it would be a lot better if the Malaysian government could lay the groundwork for the entry of electric cars by setting up an extensive electric car charging network and providing subsidies either in the manufacture or purchase of such vehicles.

Geometry is promoting electric cars at a premium level with the focus on general mobility through an EV with a high level of features.

Although it is not directly taking on Tesla, which promotes its electric range on a sporty level, Yang said Geometry was aimed at buyers who wanted a premium electric car with good performance and mileage per charge.

The long-range Geometry A is said to provide a mileage of 500km on a single charge or the equivalent of five laps around Beijing on the 5th Ring Road or 10 laps around Singapore on the Pan Island Expressway; the short range variant covers 410km.

An said the car could be charged in 30 minutes and based on the mileage it could provide, it would suffice for two weeks’ use under normal motoring, thus dispelling range anxiety.

He added that this made the Geometry A super economical as it required only 7 cents for a kilometre with its combined energy consumption of 13.5kWh per 100km.

Although an electric vehicle comprises about 3,000 or so parts, unlike a car with an engine that requires more than 12,000 parts, the huge battery platform evens the score on vehicle weight.

With the rapid progress in battery development, this weighty factor is expected to go in the favour of EVs as the battery becomes lighter while offering better performance.

Geely is not a newbie to making electric vehicles as it sold almost 68,500 vehicles in this category in 2018, comprising BEV (Battery Electric), MHEV (Mild Electric) and PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid) vehicles.

Over the last three years, it collaborated with CaoCao, an environmentally friendly ride hailing service, which uses Geely’s Emgrand EV450 electric cars (we enjoyed the experience of being taken to the airport in one during our recent Hangzhou visit).

This CaoCao electric ride-hailing service is currently being run in 30 cities across China with more than 32,000 ‘new energy’ cars.

With the Geometry brand now introduced, Geely’s ‘new energy’ vehicles would come under this fresh brand although they would retain their existing names; only new models would carry the Geometry name in alphabetical order.

Geely says Geometry is developed by the auto group’s new energy R&D (research and development) and manufacturing systems that include five global R&D centres, five global design centres and more than 3,000 R&D design personnel.

It involved an investment of above 30 billion RMB in new energy R&D and industrial layout, with more than 300 core technology patents developed.

With this impressive background, Geometry expects to launch more than 10 pure electric vehicles by 2025 based on a modular platform strategy.

As it were, Geometry A has quite a lot to offer; by the way, its name ‘A’ is likened to being the first letter of the name Archimedes, the father of mathematical physics, and the first letter of the English alphabet.

This model "A" is said to personify the true spirit of Geometry in being multi-dimensional, focused and pure.

The first theme sees a 2.6-metre panoramic roof and ‘class-leading’ aerodynamic design with hidden door handles, leading to a low aerodynamic co-efficient of 0.237.

With the key fob in hand, Geometry A senses the driver approaching and the door handle flips out for it to be opened; likewise, it flips back to its flushed positon when the driver walks away.

Geometry A is said to set a new benchmark for safety in pure electric sedans with its ‘L2 Plus’ intelligent drive system, complete with 3mm wave radars, six cameras and 12 ultrasonic radars.

Safety highlights include Rear Collision Warning, Door Opening Warning (of cyclists or motorcyclists coming alongside), a world-leading W-HUD Digital Projection Heads-up Display that is China’s first and being the first Chinese pure electric model with RML Driver Smart Pre-Tensioning Seatbelt.

Geely says environmentally-friendly materials that meet the most stringent EU standards are used in the interior and its ‘world leading’ roof weight compression capacity exceeds Euro NCAP and US IIHS standards.

In China, the Geometry A sells from RMB150,000 (RM90,000) to RMB190,000 (RM115,000), depending on specifications, after subsidies are deducted.


Daimler sees continued China growth momentum for Mercedes

                DETROIT: Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz luxury brand will continue to enjoy growth in China, the world's largest auto market, Daimler board member Hubertus Troska said on Sunday.

The introduction of the new E-Class sedan in the second half of 2016 will add further growth momentum to sales which have already jumped in the past year due to demand for the GLC sports utility vehicle and new C-Class.

Troska declined to provide a sales forecast for 2016 but said recent market volatility was not a huge concern.

"We are not overly worried with what we have seen in the past days," Troska said at a Mercedes-Benz evening event held in Detroit before the city's auto show.

Last year Mercedes sold 373,459 vehicles in China, an increase of 33 percent compared with 2014, far outpacing the overall market, which is expected to grow by 3 percent when final 2015 sales results are tallied.

Daimler is still selling 500 Mercedes Maybach versions of the S-Class cars a month in China, Troska said.


Volkswagen board to review internal probe into racist car ad

                HAMBURG: Volkswagen has completed an internal report into how it came to publish a racist advert, the German carmaker said on Friday, adding that its findings will be released once its management board has reviewed the matter.

Volkswagen’s management board, headed by chief executive Herbert Diess meets regularly on Tuesdays.

In the clip, a black man is depicted next to a new VW Golf, being pushed around by an oversized white hand, which then flicks him into a building adorned with the sign “Petit Colon”.

Petit Colon is a real cafe in Buenos Aires, Argentina, located near the Teatro Colon. In French the term translates into “small settler,” which has colonial undertones.

Criticism of the advert went viral last month and the company apologised and pulled the clip, prompting VW’s labour leaders to accuse Volkswagen’s management of damaging the company.

“The clip is disgusting and inexcusable,” Volkswagen works council member Bernd Osterloh said at the time.

Volkswagen itself admitted that the advert was racist and insulting. It said that agencies usually produce its advertising campaigns and it was investigating where the mistake happened and would make its findings public.


Ford to kill off sedans for N. America

                DETROIT: There have been some big, bold announcements by motor manufacturers over the last few months, and most of them have been to do with electrification and the general demise of the diesel engine.

Although the way the industry is changing is very much behind Ford's latest big announcement, it's not harmful emissions that have led to the decision to stop selling Ford branded sedan cars in North America. In fact, it's being driven by a cost-cutting agenda and the fact that sales of sedans are nosediving, as crossovers, pickups and SUVs continue to dominate the auto landscape.

In its latest quarterly financial report published yesterday, Ford confirmed what many have suspected for a while now — that it will not be investing in a next generation of sedans for its North American market.

Although other markets such as Europe are not shunning cars to the same extent as North America, it's hard to believe that elements of a cost-cutting plan, which has just had its target almost doubled for the period leading to 2022, won't be copied to some extent elsewhere.

A key part of the statement from Ford reads: "Over the next few years, the Ford car portfolio in North America will transition to two vehicles – the best-selling Mustang and the all-new Focus Active crossover coming out next year." It goes on: "The company is also exploring new 'white space' vehicle silhouettes that combine the best attributes of cars and utilities, such as higher ride height, space and versatility."

The company anticipates that by the year 2020, some 90 percent of its North American portfolio will be made up of pickup trucks, SUVs and commercial vehicles. This is being driven mostly by consumer demand, but also by the profitability of such vehicles.

The bottom line here is that cars are not profitable enough for Ford anymore and that means the end of the Fiesta, the Fusion and the Taurus in North America. All three will be discontinued over the next few years, and the production capacity that it frees up in factories in Mexico and Chicago will be used for other models.

A new-generation of the Fiesta has recently gone on sale around the world and it's little more than a week since an all-new Focus was unveiled. There's no suggestion that either of those models are under any sort of threat in markets outside North America, although the Fusion's European cousin the Mondeo might not want to be making too many long-term plans for its future.


Fuel price caps to manage inflation

                PETALING JAYA: The cap on RON95 petrol and diesel prices in Malaysia is expected to control inflationary pressure from a bigger surge, considering that global crude oil prices are expected to stay high this year.

The government has committed to keep the ceiling price of RON95 at RM2.05 per litre and diesel at RM2.15 per litre, even if world oil prices head higher. The government would be covering the difference between retail fuel prices and crude oil prices through subsidies.

In February 2021, the ceiling prices of RON95 and diesel were reduced by three sen a litre as Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said it was intended to reduce people’s cost of living.

Nevertheless, experts have said that higher crude oil prices would still have a major impact on the country’s inflation this year.

According to TA Securities Research, the average fuel price in May 2021 is already 83 sen or 57.8% higher as compared to a year ago.

“We predict the inflation rate will continue to increase in May 2021 by 5.2% year-on-year (y-o-y) on expectation of greater transportation cost and low base effect, ” it said in a note yesterday.

However, the research house said this will be transitory as the headline inflation is expected to return to below 5% in June and to moderate thereafter as the base effect dissipates.

In April, the headline inflation rate, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI), hit the highest level in four years at 4.7% y-o-y.

The higher inflation was due to several factors, including the strong rebound in global oil prices and the low base effect.

TA Securities Research said CPI, excluding fuel, increased by 1.7% y-o-y in April. Meanwhile, core CPI remained muted at 0.7% y-o-y, the same rate as observed since November last year.

Core CPI excludes prices of goods and services such as fresh food that are subject to fluctuations, which are considered transitory in nature, and do not have a lasting impact on the underlying trend of inflation.

For the full-year 2021, TA Securities Research expects the headline inflation to average at 3%. Bank Negara, on the other hand, expects inflation to range between 2.5% to 4.5%.

Meanwhile, Kenanga Research projects 2021 headline inflation lower at 1.8%, despite the current inflationary environment.

The current spike in the inflation rate would ease, going into the second half of 2021, it said.

“Moving forward, rising global oil and commodity prices are expected to continue to drive inflation higher.

“However, the rapid rise in both domestic and global Covid-19 cases, coupled with the nationwide movement control order (MCO) 3.0, may exert downward pressure on prices, ” it said.


BMW heightens M3 and M4's sporty appeal with Competition Package

MUNICH: BMW has decided to freshen things up quite a bit for the M3 Sedan, M4 Coupe and M4 Convertible.

All three body styles will be available with a special Competition Package from spring 2016 that combines added sporty personality with enhanced dynamics.

As well as extensive handling upgrades, the Competition Package also comes with exclusive equipment features and a 19hp hike in power that takes output to 450hp.

The extra power also means improved performance.

The M3 Sedan and M4 Coupe with optional 7-speed M Double Clutch transmission sprint from rest to 100kph  in just 4.0 seconds (without Competition Package: 4.1 s), while the M4 Convertible reaches the same speed in 4.3 seconds (without Competition Package: 4.4 s). The sprint time for models with the standard 6-speed manual transmission is likewise 0.1 seconds faster in all cases than without the package.

The Competition Package also includes Adaptive M Suspension, which has been extensively tuned to the enhanced performance and handling, and which features new springs, dampers and anti-roll bars, along with reconfigured driving modes (Comfort, Sport and Sport+). The standard Active M Differential on the rear axle and DSC Dynamic Stability Control have likewise been configured to match the upgraded dynamics.

Exclusive forged, machine-polished, weight- and rigidity-optimised 20-inch M alloy wheels – front 9J × 20; rear 10 J × 20 – with exclusive multi-spoke 666 M styling and mixed tyres (front: 265/30 R20, rear: 285/30 R20) complete the list of chassis upgrades.

For the M3 and M4 Coupe, the Competition Package includes special lightweight M sports seats that combine support under hard driving with high comfort on long journeys. Seatbelts with woven-in  M stripes cap off an extremely sporty interior ambience.

Eye-catching exterior highlights of the Competition Package include the M sports exhaust system with black chrome tailpipes. The most distinctive feature of the M sports exhaust system is its potent sound, which begins with the starting rumble and the distinctive burble on overrun.

The Competition Package for the M3 and M4 is topped off by extended BMW Individual high-gloss Shadow Line exterior trim. The high-gloss Black finish has been applied not only to the side window trim, window recess finishers and exterior mirror frames and bases, but also to the kidney grille, the side gills and the model badge on the tail.


VW and Ford in talks to develop second electric car in Europe, says daily

                FRANKFURT: Ford could build more than one model of electric car based on Volkswagen’s electric vehicle platform, Ford’s Europe chief Stuart Rowley told German daily Handelsblatt.

To make only one model made no sense financially, and a decision about whether to build a second model could happen soon, Rowley is quoted telling Handelsblatt.

“Yes, we are in talks about this,” Rowley told the paper.

Volkswagen had announced in March that it was opening its Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB) developed in recent years to other manufacturers. The goal is to achieve a significant reduction in the cost of e-mobility through the widest possible deployment of the MEB and the associated economies of scale, thus enabling broad access to individual mobility to continue in future.

Volkswagen is projecting a first wave of some 15 million pure electric vehicles based on the MEB. e.GO Mobile AG based in Aachen, Germany, was the world’s first external partner to use the electric platform to launch further electric vehicles in addition to Volkswagen’s model range.


Maserati goes dark with Nerissimo package

                LOS ANGELES: Maserati is ofering add-on kits for the Levante SUV, Ghibli sedan and flagship Quattroporte at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show.

The Nerissimo “black” option offers an edgy and dark palette in both sedans and SUV.

The Nerissimo package comprise Nero paint with Black Chrome finishing on the grille upper bezel trim, rear trunk accent, side air vents, trident logo on the front grille, Maserati badges on the c-pillars and the Maserati logo, model, engine and vehicle version name on the rear of car.

Also getting clothed in black are the window surrounds, exhaust tips and vertical grille bars. Two additional paints, Nero Ribelle and Grigio Maratea, are offered on Ghibli and Quattroporte in combination with the Exterior Carbon Package.

Also on show here are the full 2018 Maserati model year lineup. Maserati’s range now includes the Ghibli sport sedan, flagship Quattroporte executive sedan and Levante SUV, along with the new GranTurismo and GranTurismo Convertible sports cars.

READ MORE: RM789K Maserati Levante S arrives in Malaysia The Quattroporte is kitted up with the dark Nerissimo-package like the Levante shown above.

All four model lines have received upgrades for 2018. Significant updates to the Ghibli and Levante MY18 include the addition of GranLusso and GranSport trims, previously introduced in the Quattroporte range.

With the new Maserati range strategy, customers can now choose one of two distinct trims for the Levante and the Ghibli: GranSport or GranLusso. GranSport was conceived to meet the demands of a sportier expression of the high-end lifestyle, while the sophisticated and luxurious GranLusso cabin combines a choice of Ermenegildo Zegna silk or full premium Italian leather upholstery, and includes upgrades such as wood trim and wooden/leather steering wheel.

For 2018, the Ghibli and Quattroporte now also feature Adaptive full LED headlights with glare-free high-beam, based on Matrix technology for Ghibli, developed with Magneti Marelli Automotive Lighting, and L-shape technology for Quattroporte. In addition, both Maserati sedans can be fitted with power-upgraded 3.0L V6 424hp engine with the new, performance-enhancing Integrated Vehicle Control system (IVC), developed by Bosch in collaboration with Maserati.

For the GranTurismo and GranTurismo Convertible, 2018 sees a restyling for improved aerodynamic performance, and an upgraded interior with a new driver interface and state-of-the art infotainment system.

Other notable announcements for the Los Angeles Auto Show include, for the first time, the introduction of Electric Power Steering (EPS) by Maserati, enabling new Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS) with active functions. EPS has replaced hydraulic power steering on both Maserati sedans, as well as on the Levante, providing better handling and comfort, while retaining a sharp steering feel.


Special edition Mustang makes world debut at Goodwood

                LONDON: The annual Goodwood Festival of Speed is a very British event, but this year there will be an exciting car making an appearance that's definitely all-American.

The car in question is the one-off Ford Mustang Eagle Squadron GT, which has been created by Ford Performance and world drifting champion Vaughn Gittin Jr's RTR Vehicles tuning company.

There is a British element to the car though as it's been built as an homage to the American fighter pilots who served and flew for Britain's Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

To begin with, the Eagle Squadron GT started off life as a standard Ford Mustang GT. But then it was given a special carbon fiber wide-body kit finished in a very striking paint finish.

The paint job includes the serial number EN 783, which is a designation given to a Spitfire flown by, among others, pilots from the US Air Force's 334th Fighter Squadron during WWII.

Powering the car is the Mustang GT's formidable 5.0-litre V8 engine, but in this case it's been boosted by a supercharger that takes the standard 444 bhp up to a phenomenal 700 bhp.

The world debut of the Eagle Squadron GT will be at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it will be shown to the public for the first time on Thursday, July 12 as Gittin drives it up the Duke of Richmond's 1.8km-long driveway. Those attending the weekend festival will also be able to get a good look at the car as a static display.

Goodwood is a particularly appropriate venue for the car to be shown to the world as a number of US Air Force squadrons were based at RAF Westhampnett, which was an airfield during the war that's located today inside the grounds of the Goodwood Motor Circuit where the event is held.

After its appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Eagle Squadron GT will be moved to the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture event in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where it will then be auctioned off with the proceeds going to charity.


Top 10 songs streamed by Wazers on Spotify in 2019

                KUALA LUMPUR: Music is a balm that calms the soul and chases the blues away, more so when you are stuck in traffic.

As 2020 heads closer, Waze has compiled information on what its users were listening to on Spotify this year.

Specifically, it revealed the top 10 songs that Wazers around the world listened to most as they navigated to their destinations in 2019.

Some of the chart toppers come as no surprise as they have been played to death by local radio stations.

For instance, has anyone NOT heard the infectious beat of "Senorita", "I don't care" or "Bad Guy"?


Future Mercedes-Benz S-Class will park itself for you

                STUTTGART: Driverless vehicles will soon be a common sight sooner than you think with Apcoa, Bosch and Mercedes-Benz working to provide the world’s first commercial automated valet parking (AVP) service.

In the future, a command from a smartphone will tell cars where to park in Stuttgart Airport’s P6 parking garage in Germany.

The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class is equipped with the technology to enable driverless and highly automated parking with SAE Level 4.

SAE-Level 4 refers to the car's ability to autonomously handle all traffic situations under certain conditions such as on selected roads but not in all types of weather and no driver is required.

For AVP system - co-developed by Bosch and Mercedes-Benz, is currently being made ready for commercial operation and this time Bosch is using a camera-based infrastructure for the first time to detect lanes and obstacles.

The parking garage operator, Apcoa, is testing barrier and payment functions as the basis for automated valet parking via its APCOA FLOW digital mobility platform.

At present, customers of the tree-pointed star are able to equip their S-Class with zee German carmaker's Intelligent Park Pilot which - after receiving a smartphone command, will proceed all by itself to a designated parking spot.

“With the new S-Class, it’s not just driving that’s a luxury, but parking as well,” said Mercedes-Benz AG automated driving head Dr Michael Hafner.

The P6 parking garage at Stuttgart airport will serve as the pilot for the planned commercial automated parking service.

The companies will test how the vehicle technology onboard the S-Class interacts with the intelligent Bosch infrastructure and APCOA FLOW - making the whole parking process ticketless, cashless, smooth and highly optimised for the customer.

The pilot parking garage at Stuttgart airport will be a premiere for new Bosch video cameras that can identify vacant parking spaces, monitor the driving aisle and its surroundings, and detect obstacles or people in the aisle.

Until now, lidar sensors have been used for this purpose. A dedicated control centre in the parking garage then calculates the route the vehicles need to take to reach an available space.

With the information provided by the cameras, it allows the cars to drive themselves around the parking garage – even on narrow ramps, enabling them to move between different stories.

The in-vehicle technology autonomously converts the information from the infrastructure into driving maneuvers and if the cameras detect an unexpected obstacle, the vehicle safely performs an emergency stop.

APCOA FLOW, the parking garage operator Apcoa’s digital platform, will also play a key role in driverless parking at Stuttgart airport. Drivers are already using the platform to help lighten the burden of parking.

This ranges from making firm reservations for a parking space to contactless entry into the parking garage, and to fully automated payment, invoicing, and contactless exit.

The system recognizes the customer’s vehicle and the barriers open automatically, making a ticket and trip to the ticket machine redundant.

Once parking garages are equipped with the appropriate infrastructure and national laws permit AVP, customers will be able to enjoy driverless parking services.

Bosch and Mercedes-Benz are paving the way for this with the world’s first infrastructure-based solution for SAE Level 4 automated valet parking in real-life, mixed parking garage traffic.


From Keith Urban to EDM, drive-in concerts are your future now

German Rapper Sido performing at the Georg Schutz drive-in cinema on April 26 in Dusseldorf. — Getty Images Europe/Bloomberg
LOS ANGELES: One of the first drive-in concerts of the current pandemic era took place in mid-March, in the parking lot of a Los Angeles supermarket.

The event was co-organised by online radio station Dublab, and local musicians took turns occupying a white van, fiddling with synthesisers and using an FM radio transmitter to broadcast ghostly synth tones into the stereos of around 50 cars in attendance.

The night air was quiet and still, attendees reduced to shadowy silhouettes lounging in the safety of their vehicles. At the end of the show, a chorus of car horns and flashing lights served as applause.

Musician and event co-organiser Celia Hollander later told a circle of admirers: “I had this idea (before Covid-19), but felt the social isolation went against what I valued about live shows, so I never did it.” She chuckled. “Now, this was the most social thing I’ll do all week.”

Few could have predicted the current resurgence of drive-in entertainment, which has taken off as a global phenomenon in recent weeks.

Everything from strip clubs in Portland, Ore., to church services in Seoul have adopted the format, while drive-in movie theatres have evolved from quaint relics of a bygone era to some of the hottest tickets in town.

It’s little surprise the battered live music industry, facing a year without concerts or festivals, is also seizing on drive-ins as a potential lifeline.

Country star Keith Urban performed a surprise show Thursday night for some 125 cars at a drive-in outside Nashville.

Industry leader Live Nation Entertainment Inc — which saw a 25% drop in concert revenue in the first quarter of 2020 — recently announced a series of car-centric concerts called “Drive-In Live,” a multi-artist tour through four Danish cities this summer that will even turn the parking lot of the Copenhagen Airport into a drive-in venue.

Each drive-in concert will accommodate 600 cars, with tickets charged per car and up to five people welcome per vehicle. Live Nation’s President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Rapino compared this to more intimate music venues. “There are a lot of great artists that can sell out an arena, but they’ll do 10 higher-end, smaller theatres or clubs,” Rapino told his investors on an earnings call last week. “We can make the math work.”

Reduced-capacity is, after all, the new reality, from theme parks to restaurants to genuine concert venues. Whether drive-in concerts can become a new norm structure for live music, the way paid Zoom clubs and livestreams have for nightlife, remains to be seen.

For big stadium artists, or upbeat genres that spark irresistible urges to dance, the fit can be especially awkward.

Marketing agency Seerendipity provided Bloomberg with results of a social media poll of over 1,000 past attendees of Made Events, the New York-based organiser behind the Electric Zoo festival and hundreds of other concerts: Some 38% of respondents said they would not attend a drive-in show. The music fans also voiced concerns around environmental impact, the availability of bathrooms, and drunk driving.

Alcohol revenue is an open question. Both live music venues and promoters have been traditionally dependent on liquor sales, sometimes with artist fees adjusted according to bar guarantees.

But with most drive-in theatres prohibiting booze, concert organisers will have to find alternative revenue to become a sustainable model for live music in the age of social distancing—or remain just a test-drive that never leaves the lot.

Electronic musician Marc Rebillet is hoping, like Live Nation, that fans will see this as a premium experience. Tickets to his shows usually go for US$15 to US$25, but this June he will embark on America’s first drive-in music tour, charging around US$50 per person in required batches of at least two.

“The margins are very thin,” adds Rebillet, noting that alcohol will not be sold, but he hopes to incorporate food delivery to cars by workers in masks and gloves for later stops on the tour, following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The five-city tour includes stops in Houston, Kansas City, Mo., and Charlotte, N.C. “We’re hoping people are willing to pay a premium to be around each other, and are banking on them buying merch and concessions,” Rebillet says. “Still, it’s not my most profitable tour.”

“The overhead is higher due to the fact that many drive-through theatres are exclusively equipped for films,” explains Rebillet’s music agent Adam Ogushwitz. “We are building these events from the ground up, including staging, cameras, and video production.”

In the absence of liquor sales, brand sponsors could offer a boon. At one of Live Nation’s recent drive-in concerts with Danish singer-songwriter Mads Langer, large screens flashed the logo of the event’s sponsor, Skousen, a Danish home appliance chain.

“Millions of dollars have already been earmarked in budgets for festivals, and if those events don’t take place, big money guys like T-Mobile and Mastercard will put the money elsewhere,” noted Seerendipity founder Michael Julian.

“Sponsors are definitely thinking about how to put that money into livestreams, virtual festivals, and drive-in shows.”

Promoters and artists also need to rethink how to recapture the electricity of a live concert experience when artist-audience interactions are severely limited by the constraints of vehicles. Is it enough to simply just put a performer on stage and pipe in music through car stereos? For some fans, maybe.

Curiosity and novelty may drive initial sales. For less-ardent concertgoers, though, if the experience isn’t fun—if it doesn’t offer the social connection or catharsis that live events usually provide—they might not come back to see a second event. Rebillet considers it an exciting challenge: “I’m having a blast thinking of ways to creatively engage the crowd in different ways—through car horns, lights, and windshield wipers,” he says.

At a 250-car drive-in rave held earlier this month in the parking lot of German nightspot Club Index, lasers and fire cannons accompanied a pounding set by DJ Devin Wild, who produced a track called Smash Your Horn just for the occasion.

“People were smashing their horns, and sometimes you’d see fists pumping through the windows,” Wild says, noting that “some people had trouble staying in their cars.”

“I kept hearing from people about how bad they needed this,” says Ben Ballinger, a folk singer-songwriter who threw a 25-car drive-in show in an open field in Austin, Tex., on May 7. The pandemic had allowed him to see drive-ins in a new light: What once seemed strange is now seductive.

“People have different expectations now,” says Ballinger, echoing the musicians at the Los Angeles supermarket drive-in. “Before, I would have never wanted to attend something like this myself, but now it’s the best show in town.”


Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) here to stay - VIDEO

 The Honda HR-V SUV uses a CVT.
PETALING JAYA: Among the key attributes in buying a car is deciding whether to get one with a manual or automatic transmission.

Manual transmission cars still have their place in the sun but most people prefer the advantages of automatics and the market has responded with most cars sold today with that type of transmission.

The automatic gearbox, invented in the early 1920s, has since split into a few flavours from the traditional torque converter variety. There are now also semi-automatic, dual clutch automatic and Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

Look at Proton, Honda, Nissan and Toyota and you will find more than a handful of their cars sold with CVTs.

The CVT, often found in compact cars but also in a number of higher-end models, uses two pulleys instead of fixed gears to operate. They are linked by a steel band, and the system can change seamlessly through a continuous range of effective gear ratios to relay power to the tyres. The diameters of the two main pulleys are varied for the CVT to pull off its role effectively.

The manufacturer sees a CVT as simpler and cheaper to make as it has fewer parts than a traditional automatic. It is often smaller and lighter, too. The CVT is known to improve fuel efficiency as it keeps a vehicle's engine operating in its sweet spot at all times. But the "rubber band effect" and the way it sounds doesn't endear it to performance-oriented drivers. However, the Toyota Corolla Altis, has a CVT which has been tweaked to approximate the effect of traditional torque converter, dispelling the notion of a slipping clutch.


Biodiesel exports in 2021 seen falling to four-year low

                KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's exports of palm-based biodiesel are likely to fall this year to their lowest since 2017 due to European Union restrictions and the coronavirus pandemic, the Malaysian Biodiesel Association (MBA) said today.

Exports from Malaysia are estimated to fall to 350,000 tonnes from 378,582 tonnes in 2020, MBA president U.R. Unnithan said at the Virtual Palm and Lauric Oils Price Outlook Conference.

The European Union accounts for nearly 80% of Malaysia and Indonesia's exports of palm methyl ester (PME), the bio component of biodiesel that comes from palm oil.

Exports, however, have slowed since the bloc in 2019 moved to cap the use of palm oil for transport fuel at 2019 levels due to deforestation concerns, with an aim to phase out its use by 2030.

"(Malaysia's) biodiesel exports are unlikely to best the performance seen in 2019 due to the EU Delegated RED II Act," Unnithan told the conference.

MBA estimates the EU's total consumption of palm biofuel in 2019 was 6.2 million tonnes. It said that actual exports this year will start at much lower levels because EU member states pushing for a no palm-biofuel agenda can set a lower limit.

Some member states will also phase out palm biodiesel before the 2030 deadline, Unnithan said.

Exports this year will be the lowest in four years due to the impact of the EU rule, a rising crude palm oil-gas oil spread and reduced usage of vehicles due to coronavirus containment measures, he added.

A recent rally in palm oil prices amid lower crude prices pushed the edible oil to trade $455 above gas oil today, making it a less attractive option for biodiesel feedstock.

Crude prices have declined on concerns that new pandemic curbs and slow vaccine rollouts in Europe will hold back a recovery in fuel demand, which collapsed last year as a result of global lockdowns to curb COVID-19 outbreak.

Malaysia's benchmark crude palm oil prices are trading at an average of RM3,638 per tonne so far this year, up 34% from an average price of RM2,700 throughout 2020.


Mitsubishi pick-ups celebrate 40 successful years

                TOKYO: It's the 40th anniversary celebration for Mitsubishi 4x4 pick-up trucks.

In Malaysia, the first Mitsubishi pick-up truck, Mitsubishi Storm was launched in 2001 by its official distributor at that time, United Straits Fuso Sdn Bhd (USF).

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) was established in January 2005 and the Mitsubishi Triton was launched in 2006.

Today, MMM has sold more than 70,000 units nationwide, with an average sale of 500 units per month.

The Triton is the best-selling model for Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) with the fifth generation of the Triton currently on sale.

Over the years, the Triton have also won numerous awards including Carsifu’s Editors Choice Awards 2017- Best Pick Up Truck of the Year and Diesel Engine of the Year.

Mitsubishi Motors Corp (MMC) in Japan takes a drive down memory lane, and here is a reminder of the previous generations of the Forte, Triton and L200 – and a glimpse at what the near future might hold…

 1978 Mitsubishi Forte.

1st Generation: September 1978

Forte, a 1-ton pickup truck was introduced in Japan and exported with names including the Mitsubishi Truck and L200.
Exports to North America started the following October.
The only body option is a single cab. Power is from a 2.0-litre petrol, with a 2.6-litre option for North America and 1.6-litre engine for Japan and for other regions.
A 2.3-litre diesel engine was available for general exports.

2nd Generation: March 1986

Full model change. Variations now offered included three body types: Single Cab, Club Cab, Double Cab with short and long body styles available with the Single Cab. New 2WD and 4WD drivetrain options were available, with 2.0-litre and 2.6-litre petrol engines and 2.5-litre diesel engine (increased from 2.3-litre).

May 1991
Introduced as Strada into the Japan market (double-cab only)

 1991 Mitsubishi Strada.3rd Generation: November 1995

The new pickup truck model L200 Strada was introduced in Thailand.
Production is concentrated in the Laem Chabang Plant,Thailand from where it is exported worldwide.
Three body variations include Single Cab, Club Cab, and Double Cab for exports. Powered by 2.5-litre or 2.8-litre diesel engines. The 4WD mechanism is equipped with innovative "Easy Select 4WD" system.

 2006 Mitsubishi Triton.4th Generation: August 2005

The new pickup Triton was introduced in Thailand. Sales in other markets started sequentially following the introduction in Thailand.
Three body configurations - Single Cab, Club Cab, Double Cab, and engines include newly-developed 2.5-litre and 3.2-litre common-rail diesel. Drivetrain options are 2WD and a 4WD equipped with "Easy Select 4WD" or "Super Select 4WD" systems.

5th Generation: November 2014

The 5th generation is introduced in Thailand. Sales in other markets follow.
Three body configurations - Single Cab, double door Club Cab, and Double Cab. Powertrains are a newly-developed 2.4-litre MIVEC diesel turbo, 2.5-litre diesel turbo, and 2.4-litre petrol. Drivetrain options are 2WD and 4WD, with the availability of "Super Select 4WD-II" system, which adopted an electronic actuator.

And the future of the pickup will soon be revealed.


Kia set to expand SUV range with sparky Stonic

                SEOUL: The Kia Sorento and Sportage are about to get a little brother. Starting in late September, the Korean manufacturer will be expanding its SUV selection with the Stonic.

The pumped-up compact car will start at about US$18,620 (around RM79,000) and will enter the market as a competitor to models such as the VW T-Roc and the Opel Mokka X, Kia says.

With a focus on the overlap between adventure and the everyday, the Korean carmaker has unveiled the Stonic with a fresh design and in a variety of colours. Components can be combined to make a total of about 20 different finishes.

The Stonic measures 4.14 metres in length, with seating for up to five and cargo space of up to 352 litres in the boot. With the rear bench folded down, cargo space increases to 1,155 litres.

Buyers can choose from three petrol engines and a diesel, all of which use front-wheel drive. Unlike many competitors, Kia has done without a four-wheel drive model due to cost, weight and fuel consumption considerations, as well as low demand.

The 1.6-litre diesel engine will have 110hp and will consume 4.3 litres/100km. Meanwhile, the petrol engines, with either of 1.2-litre or 1.0-litre displacement, will deliver between 84hp and 120hp, with fuel consumption between 5.0 and 5.5 litres/100km. The fastest Stonic can reach a top speed of 185kph.

A large touchscreen as well as smartphone integration for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto also come as standard for all models.

 The Stonic goes up against the VW T-Roc.


Police rescue injured dog wandering across Federal Highway

.A traffic policeman directing traffic away from the injured dog. — Royal Malaysia Police Facebook
PETALING JAYA: Shah Alam traffic police rescued an injured dog on the Federal Highway this morning, garnering praise for their actions.

The dog was injured after being knocked down by a vehicle at KM13.8 of the highway.

According to the official Royal Malaysia Police Facebook page, policemen rescued the dog before further harm befell it.

“Every creature on Earth is precious, we should do good and love one another because every life deserves to live peacefully and comfortably, ” the traffic cops said in the post.

The police’s action was widely praised, with Irfan Mahfuz Yusof, saying that the frontliners did not care only for humans but animals as well.

Zue Raini thanked the police for their help and kindness, saying that God would bless them in return.

Eric Pan said that the picture must be shown all over the world.

"Seeing this picture makes me so touched and want to give the officer a big hug, ” he said.


European carmakers should wean off fossil fuels by 2040, says Audi chief

                BERLIN: Europe's carmakers should wean themselves off fossil fuels from 2040, chief executive of Volkswagen's Audi said on Friday, calling for quicker expansion of renewable energy capacity in Bavaria, where Audi is based, and elsewhere.

Discussions around a possible embargo on Russian gas in light of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine have raised pressure on companies and governments to expand investment into renewable energy, with Mercedes-Benz promising new investments in wind and solar to help power its plants.

"Let's be courageous as Europeans and take it upon ourselves to give up on fossil fuels completely from 2040," Markus Duessmann said at a conference.

"We must put all our energy towards battery-electric vehicles for individual mobility."

Audi will stop selling combustion engine cars from 2033. Its parent Volkswagen will do so from 2035 in Europe and later in China and the United States, it has said.

Still, other carmakers like BMW have warned against focusing exclusively on producing electric vehicles too soon, with demand for combustion engines still high.

Germany's coalition government has said it is targeting a coal phase-out ideally by 2030, and aims to fulfil all its electricity needs with supplies from renewable sources by 2035.


Aston Martin DB5 Goldfinger Continuation: First car completed

                LONDON: The first customer car in the DB5 Goldfinger Continuation programme left the production line last week.

The "Job 1" DB5 is the first new DB5 to be built by Aston Martin in more than half a century as the British luxury sports car maker’s Continuation programme once again makes history.

Dubbed "the most famous car in the world" and renowned as being among the most desirable and sought-after classic Aston Martin models, the DB5 has become a byword for timeless style and sports car desirability.

Fewer than 900 saloon examples were built between 1963 and 1965, with by far the most famous of the original owners being the world’s best-known secret agent – James Bond – who first drove the car that is today inextricably linked with him in the 1964 film, Goldfinger.

Now, 55 years after the last new DB5 rolled elegantly off the production line at Aston Martin’s then global manufacturing base in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, work is ongoing there on a strictly limited number of new DB5 models.

Created in association with Bond filmmaker EON Productions, and featuring a broad suite of working gadgets first seen in the film, the Aston Martin DB5 Goldfinger Continuation cars really are history in the making.

The new cars include an array of functioning devices created by Bond film special effects supervisor Chris Corbould OBE.

The list of Bond-inspired gadgets includes:

Exterior:

> Rear smoke screen delivery system
> Rear simulated oil slick delivery system
> Revolving number plates front and rear (triple plates)
> Simulated twin front machine guns
> Bullet resistant rear shield
> Battering rams front and rear
> Simulated tyre slasher
> Removable passenger seat roof panel (optional equipment)

Interior:

> Simulated radar screen tracker map
> Telephone in driver’s door
> Gear knob actuator button
> Armrest and centre console-mounted switchgear
> Under-seat hidden weapons/storage tray
> Remote control for gadget activation

Each of the 25 new cars are meticulously detailed authentic reproductions of the DB5 seen on screen, with some sympathetic modifications and enhancements to ensure the highest levels of build quality and reliability.

All the Goldfinger edition cars are being built to one exterior colour specification – Silver Birch paint – just like the original.

The cars feature original DB5 styled aluminium exterior body panels cloaking an authentic DB5 mild steel chassis structure.

Under the bonnet there’s a 4.0-litre naturally aspirated inline six-cylinder engine with a six-plug head, three SU carburettors and oil cooler, that’s capable of generating in the order of 290 bhp.

This is mated to a five-speed ZF manual transmission in the rear-wheel drive DB5, which also features a mechanical limited slip differential.

Servo-assisted hydraulic Girling-type steel disc brakes, rack and pinion steering – which does not feature assistance – and a suspension set-up comprising coil over spring and damper units with anti-roll bar at the front, and a live axle rear suspension with radius arms and Watt’s linkage, complete the dynamic package.

Scores of world-class Aston Martin craftsmen and women, technicians, development engineers and designers have been involved in the project, working carefully with a suite of handpicked suppliers from across the world and ensuring that each new DB5 matches not only the aspirations of its owner, but also the duty to the brand’s proud 107-year heritage.

Marek Reichman, Chief Creative Officer of Aston Martin Lagonda, said: “To see, the first customer car finished, and realise that this is the first new DB5 we have built in more than half a century, really is quite a moment. I’m absolutely certain that the 25 lucky owners who are beginning to take delivery of these cars will be thrilled with them.”

First deliveries of the DB5 Goldfinger Continuation to customers have started and will continue through the second half of 2020.


Cupra's concept of an entry-level city electric blends cheap and sexy

                BARCELONA: Small car, powerful engine. Cupra says its electric small car plans are bound for mass production and meant to make clean mobility halfway affordable.

As a preview of the successor to the Mii and its cousins VW Up and SEAT CitiGo, the SEAT subsidiary is set to show off the concept at the IAA car show in Munich (Sept 7 to 12). Its production version has been confirmed for 2025.

Sportily overstyled and upgraded to a racing car for the trade fair appearance, it anticipates the electric entry-level model of the VW Group.

With this, the price of an electric car is to drop to around €20,000. The company's modular electric construction kit serves as the basis and the car is set to roll off the factory line in Barcelona.

The UrbanRebell measures 4.09 metres in length, is just under 1.80 metres wide and, at 1.45 metres, unusually low for an electric car.

The concept car is powered by two electric motors that produce a peak output of 435hp and enable acceleration similar to that of a super sports car. According to Cupra, it takes only 3.2 seconds to go from 0 to 100kph.


Reckless, drunk drivers may get 20 years behind bars

UPDATE: On top of the longer jail term, a proposed fine of up to RM100,000 was announced by the Government on Feb 15.

PUTRAJAYA: Reckless and intoxicated drivers could face up to 20 years in jail once amendments are made to the Road Transport Act, says Datuk Liew Vui Keong.

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said this was among the things that the government was looking into, with the Act being reviewed to introduce harsher punishments.

“The Cabinet has in principle agreed that the law related to reckless driving and driving under the influence must be amended to bring heavier punishments.

“Among the considerations is to raise the jail terms to 20 years.

“As the Act is under the Transport Ministry, they are being tasked to formulate the amendments and conduct the necessary studies.

“What the Cabinet wants to see is fewer road deaths caused by drivers who are reckless or intoxicated. The offenders must also be given a fairer punishment, ” said Liew at a press conference here, after his yearly address at the Legal Affairs Division on Thursday.

Under existing laws, those found driving intoxicated beyond the permissible amount can be jailed between three and 10 years and fined up to RM20,000.

The government is looking into reviewing the prescribed limit of alcohol content in the driver’s blood. Currently, the permissible level is up to 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.

The international limit set by the World Health Organisation is 50mg in 100ml of blood.

Under Section 41 of the Road Transport Act, those who found guilty for reckless driving and causing death can be jailed up to 10 years and fined a maximum of RM20,000.

They will also be banned from driving for at least three years.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke recently said the amendments to the Act could be tabled in Parliament as early as the second sitting, which is scheduled to be held in June.


Toyota Vios Challenge 2018 race series (MAEPS) Round 2 - Day 1

                SERDANG: Hot and humid was the day as dark clouds loomed in the distance, prior to the start of the first day of racing for round two of the Toyota Vios Challenge 2018 season held at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) during the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival.

The drivers took to the newly resurfaced 1.99km street circuit that featured 17 corners, incorporating uphill and downhill stretches, for some close-quarters racing for all three categories of Promotional, Sporting and Super Sporting.

To get the action rolling were the semi-professional racers of the Sporting category who lined up on the grid to soak up the midday heat.

Sitting in second place, Kenneth Koh in car 28 for Panglima City Racing Team, managed to get off the line a little more quickly to put Tedco Racing's car 86 of Brendon Lim Boon Yew, between him and Kulim Top Wheel's car 10 of third-place sitter Datuk Ken Foo - turning it into a three-way drag race down to the first right-hander.

The trio pushed hard during the 18-lap race and maintained their positions until the chequered flag came down allowing Koh to take first place, Lim in second and Foo in third.

Unfortunately for beatboxer Shawn Lee of car six, who dominated last season's Promotional category, was nowhere to be seen after having an encounter with the concrete barrier at turn five during the opening lap of Friday's unofficial free practice.

Damage to the 26-year old's car was extensive and was unfortunately irreparable for the race weekend - effectively sidlinging him to the stands.

Lee qualified in pole-position last year and went on to win the first race of MAEPS, but during the second race the next day, he had put himself out of contention by crashing at the very same corner.

However, Lee's rival - Mohd Shukri Yahya in car 24 qualified in eleventh position and managed to pass more experienced drivers on his way up to finish in fourth place.

Shukri finished second overall in last season's Promotional category and was promoted to the Sporting category together with Lee.

The second race of the day brought out the professional drivers of the Super Sporting category and as the red lights went out, ST Wangan Racing Team's car 21 of pole-sitter Boy Wong managed to keep his place, through to the finish line.

Just over half a second later, Kegani Racing's car 38 of William Ho - who practically badgered Wong from start to finish, crossed the line in second, followed by Dream Chaser's car 91 of Brendan Paul Anthony who took third place six seconds later.

As the skies cleared up for the sun to shine through in the late afternoon, it was time for the final race of the day as the Promotional category racers took their positions on the grid.

Television host, presenter and pole-sitter Nabil Ahmad in car 83, took command all the way to his first win of the season to finish almost two seconds ahead of actress car 15 of Diana Danielle in second and was followed closely by 20-year old singer Aiman Tino in car 77 who took third.

Nabil, the host of Astro Gegar Vaganza, was adamant in not letting Diana overtake him even though he somehow cracked a wheel during the race, but thankfully didn't cause of puncture, and was able to pace himself until the chequered flag.

Qualifying second fastest, Diana took up the challenge to vye for the top spot, while fending off pressure from Aiman who managed to muscle his way up from seventh into third by the first corner.

Completing the top five were Akim Ahmad and UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd deputy chairman Akio Takeyama, while Khai Bahar, Janna Nick and Nabila Razali crossed the line in sixth, seventh and eighth position respectively.

Singer and recently-crowned Anugerah Bintang Popular winner Wany Hasrita retired from the race on lap seven  after being pushed into the wall.

The two-day Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival showcases a multitude of activities from the preview and public test drive of the all-new Toyota Rush, a 1.5-litre compact sports utility vehicle (SUV), test drives of existing model line-up, promotions and celebrity performances to thrilling race action on a purpose-built street circuit by competing racers.

The race series concluded its first round of the season against the backdrop of the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Kuala Terengganu (Day 1 and Day 2) in August and following the conclusion of Round 2 at MAEPS, the festival is scheduled to travel to the Batu Kawan Stadium in Penang in February 2019 for Round 3; with the finale being contested at the Sepang International Circuit in April 2019 for Round 4.

Stay tuned for Day 2 of racing!


What will we be driving in 2025? Designers consult the crystal ball

                BERLIN: What will the cars of the future look like? Will they drive together as platoons with robots in charge, use new-fangled hydrogen-driven motors and even be able to fly?

Designers are busy developing future cars in a world where mobility is taken for granted despite the negative fall-out for the environment and the hundreds of thousand of people killed annually in road accidents.

Connected autonomous cars may mean that traffic jams could vanish and occupants will be able to use smartphones and tablets as they are whisked to work. Driving is also set to get safer.

Wilko Stark, who works as product planner at Mercedes-Benz, believes that thousands of autonomous cars will be on the road at the beginning of the next decade.

“They are likely to be used initially by mobility services like MyTaxi or for car-pooling solutions,” says the expert.

This is because the bulky Lidar sensor mounted on the roof of many self-driving cars is expensive to make. It is also unlikely to get cheaper within the next five to ten years.

The light detection and ranging device observes the world around the car by firing off laser beams at up to 20 times a second. It measures how long it takes for the light to return to the Lidar and creates a 360-degree field of vision. This allows the vehicle to navigate on its own.

Robot cars are likely to be used in cities first, where high-resolution maps provide reliable details of streets and roads.

Stark believes autonomous cars will blend into the future street scene alongside public transport.

The robot cars being fettled by Mercedes-Benz have no steering wheel or driver. They offer space for 10 occupants and are powered by an electric motor.

Autonomous cars will share the roads with conventional cars, Stark believes. "Drivers will not have to adjust to a completely different world of motoring," says the Mercedes man. In rural areas self-driven cars will probably remain the norm.

Future cars may also look very similar to those on the roads today, says Cologne-based design professor Paolo Tumminelli. "Manufacturers are committed to a platform strategy which they cannot just abandon," says Tumminelli.

Robot cars will probably look more like the people-carrying capsules familiar from science fiction films.

"A car shaped like a rounded-off box which can negotiate city streets at a steady speed would be much more agile than today's vehicle types," says the designer. He expects SUVs and sports cars to become automotive rarities - at least in cities.

The changes are likely to become evident from around 2020, say the experts. Also likely are closed transport systems, with synchronised journeys operated by connected cars.

As technology gets cheaper, cars powered by hydrogen fuel-cells are likely to replace current petrol and diesel-driven variants.

Volkswagen has meanwhile been showing the possible way ahead with its ID family of futuristic concept vehicles. All are electrically powered, offer loads of comfy seating space inside and have cockpits packed with new technology.

Among them is the ID Vizzion, a sleek limousine that drives itself and communicates with passengers via voice and gesture control.

“By the second half of the 2020s we expect driver assistant systems to take over more tasks and relieve the driver,” says Sonja Tyczka from VW.

Electrification alone will not change the appearance of cars much but when robot cars come on stream “digital chauffeurs” without steering wheel or pedals will not just navigate and steer but recognize both occupants and obstacles.

The automative avatars will automatically adjust climate control inside the car and playlists of music to suit passenger preferences.

It is likely to be some time before autonomous cars can cope with all kinds of weather and traffic situations and in the meantime humans will have to learn how to interact with the new machinery.

"By that time things like top speed or acceleration will play no part in selling cars to people,” said Matthias Kempf of the Berylls Strategy Advisors in Munich. He sees vehicles "whirring through the streets silently and safely."


Audi races back to its roots for Geneva

                INGOLSTADT: Proving that the best things come in small packages, Audi has chosen the upcoming Geneva Motor Show to take the wraps off its supercar-baiting hot hatch - the RS 3 Sportback.

Rather than presenting it as simply a vehicle, Audi is taking a bold approach with the new model, suggesting ownership will provide access to an exclusive club. "[It] offers our customers an attractive introduction to the RS world," said Stephan Winkelmann, CEO of Audi Sport GmbH.

However, the car's performance figures — 394bhp, 480Nm torque and a 0-100kph time of just 4.1 seconds — will be more than enough to convince most keen drivers that the RS 3 is something they need in their automotive lives.

The new model has 33bhp more than the outgoing RS and is faster off the mark, yet at its heart there still beats what is essentially the same five-cylinder 2.5-litre turbocharged engine. Even if it has been seriously overhauled. But as well as eking out even more power, Audi's engineers have managed to make the new car 26kg lighter.

As standard, the car will come with an electronically limited top speed of 250kph. However, as it sports the RS badge, clients will be able to request the limiter's removal. That will take the top speed up to 280kph.

With those sorts of numbers involved, it's a good thing that the car comes with Quattro intelligent all-wheel drive as standard so that drivers run out of road before they run out of grip. Continuing the sporty feel is a seven-speed dual-clutch paddle shift transmission, multi-link suspension, a 25mm lower ride height and a suite of telematics and lap timing systems integrated into the infotainment system for those that really want to stretch the car's capabilities on the track.

While for those that are going to spend most of their time behind the wheel negotiating a daily commute, the car comes with traffic jam assist, and a cross traffic assist for the rear that monitors for cars and other obstacles that could be in the way when pulling out of a parking space.

All of which puts it ahead of its closest direct rivals — the BMW 140i and the Mercedes A45 4Matic — by a redesigned grille's length.

The 2017 Audi RS 3 Sportback will make its global debut at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show which opens to the public on March 9. The car will be available to order from the summer when prices will also be announced.


Businessman regrets buying second-hand MPV

                JOHOR BARU: Businessman Md Yazid Saidi will never buy a used vehicle again after having to fork out more money to repair it.

He paid RM80,000 for the second-hand multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) registered in 2011, as the family needed a bigger vehicle.

Md Yazid said the vehicle’s ownership was transferred to his wife’s name Suharnizan Md Sidek, 45, on August 17,2018.

The couple was overjoyed when the vehicle was delivered to them four days later.

They first used the vehicle to visit their hometown in Besut, Terengganu to celebrate Hari Raya Aidiladha.

“The vehicle started giving us problems on the second day after it was handed over to us, ’’ Md Yazid said when met at the Johor Baru Consumer Claims Tribunal in Menara Ansar here.

He said the family left Johor Baru at around 6.30am for Batu Pahat on August 22,2018, to pick up relatives before heading to Terengganu.

Md Yazid said there were no problems with the vehicle while they were travelling to Batu Pahat, about 130km from Johor Baru.

The 55-year-old said he felt something was wrong with the vehicle on the way to Bandar Muadzam Shah, Pahang, about 175km from Batu Pahat.

“I saw engine oil leaking along the way but did not think much of it as the vehicle was still moving, ’’ he said, adding that it suddenly stalled along the road in Bandar Muadzam Shah and had to be towed to Md Yazid’s friend’s workshop in Kuantan.

He said the vehicle was left behind at the workshop and the eight members of his family, including him, rented a van for RM450 for three days to continue their journey to Besut.

The vehicle was towed back to Johor Baru from Kuantan on August 23, and the cost was borne by the insurance company as the vehicle was still under a six-month warranty period.

Md Yazid said the second-hand car dealer had promised that the company would take responsibility for the repairs and handed it back to him on Sept 22,2018.

“However, the MPV started giving problems again after two months and I spent RM15,000 to repair the engine, ’’ he said.

He said apart from the engine problems, he found out that the vehicle’s previous owner had four outstanding traffic summonses in Singapore, amounting to RM1,728.90.

Md Yazid, who attended the hearing on behalf of his wife Suharnizan, said he had claimed RM9,000 from the respondent.

Consumer Claims Tribunal president R. Nadarajan rejected the sum claimed as the vehicle’s six-month warranty period, starting on August 20,2028, had ended on Feb 19,2019.

He ordered the respondent to pay the claimant RM1,728.90 within 14 days.


Biden to sign bill to boost chipmakers, compete with China

                WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden will sign a bill next Tuesday to subsidise the US semiconductor industry and boost efforts to make the United States more competitive with China, the White House said.

The legislation aims to alleviate a persistent shortage that has affected everything from cars, weapons, washing machines and video games.

Thousands of cars and trucks remain parked in south-east Michigan awaiting chips as the shortage continues to hit automakers.

A rare major foray into US industrial policy, the bill provides about US$52 billion (RM232bil) in government subsidies for research and US production of semiconductors. It also includes an investment tax credit for chip plants estimated to be worth US$24 billion.

"The bill will supercharge our efforts to make semiconductors here in America," Biden said Tuesday.

The legislation authorises US$200 billion over 10 years to boost US scientific research to better compete with China. Congress would still need to pass separate appropriations legislation to fund those investments.

China had lobbied against the semiconductor bill. The Chinese Embassy here said China "firmly opposed" it, calling it reminiscent of a "Cold War mentality."

Many US lawmakers had said they normally would not support hefty subsidies for private businesses but noted that China and the European Union have been awarding billions in incentives to their chip companies.

They also cited national security risks and huge global supply chain problems that have hampered global manufacturing.

Some progressive lawmakers had raised concerns about the size of government grants to profitable chip companies.

The Commerce Department said Friday it will limit the size of government subsidies for semiconductor manufacturing and will not let firms use funding to "pad their bottom line."

Congressional Progressive Caucus chair Pramila Jayapal said the group backed the legislation following lengthy negotiations with Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo after the group expressed concerns chips companies would use funding for stock buybacks or pay dividends.


Audi launches new A3 sedan

                INGOLSTADT: The second-generation Audi A3 compact four-door sedan is slightly longer, wider and taller while its wheelbase remains unchanged.

This has yielded an increase in headroom – a good 2cm in front and extra elbow room.

Rear boot space is unchanged at 425 litres.

The front is dominated by a large Singleframe with honeycomb grille that is flanked by striking headlights.

It is offered with a choice of two TFSI engines and one TDI engine at launch.

The 35 TFSI, a 1.5-litre direct injection engine, produces 150ps and is available with a newly developed six-speed manual transmission or a quick-shifting seven-speed S tronic.

Besides the cylinder on demand technology, the powertrain in conjunction with the S tronic dual-clutch transmission uses a 48-volt mild hybrid system.

It recovers energy during deceleration, supports the engine with up to 50Nm of torque when driving off and accelerating from low engine speeds and allows the A3 Sedan to coast with the engine switched off.

In everyday driving, it reduces consumption by up to 0.4 liters.

The 2.0 TDI with 150ps also has a seven-speed S tronic.

The suspension of the new A3 Sedan has been tuned to be more sporty – a touch more precise than in the predecessor model.

The cockpit of the A3 Sedan has a central MMI touch display and includes handwriting detection as well as natural language control.

The 10.25-inch instrument cluster behind the steering wheel is digital even in the basic model.

It has the new A3 Sedan has the new MMI Navigation plus infotainment system, which uses the third-generation modular infotainment platform (MIB 3).

The MIB 3 boasts computing power ten times higher than in the predecessor model, connects the car via LTE Advanced speed, and connects the smartphones of the passengers to the Internet via Wi-Fi hotspot.


Mechanism on fuel prices to be announced Jan 4

                KUALA LUMPUR: The Cabinet has reached a decision on the mechanism on fuel prices and it will be announced tomorrow.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who said this today, however, remained tight-lipped on the form of mechanism that was decided by the Cabinet.

"As mentioned by the Prime Minister (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) and Finance Minister (Lim Guan Eng) that a decision on the price of RON95 and diesel will be decided by the Cabinet.

"The Cabinet met yesterday (Jan 2) to discuss the matter, and it reached a decision.

"It will be announced tomorrow (Jan 4)," said Saifuddin in a press conference at the launch of Tesco Malaysia's Chinese New Year "Ong Mali" campaign.

Saifuddin said the announcement will be done through the official government channel.

The minister also assured that the decision by the Cabinet has taken into account the interests of all stakeholders.

The weekly float system was initially supposed to start from Jan 1 but has been put on hold.

Lim said a weekly float system would be used to determine RON95 fuel price from Jan 1 due to the falling prices of crude oil, which will allow consumers to enjoy lower prices.

However on Monday, the government announced that the retail prices of fuel would remain unchanged for the first week of 2019.

RON97 is now priced at RM2.50 while RON95 is RM2.20 and diesel is RM2.18 per litre until new retail prices are set.

On Wednesday, petrol dealers met with Dr Mahathir to highlight their concerns over the weekly float system.

The petrol dealers also presented their proposal for consideration to ensure they would not suffer losses should the government continue with its plan.


Honda HR-V still top in compact SUV segment in Malaysia

                PETALING JAYA: The latest Honda HR-V variants have received bookings of more than 8,500 units to date.

Since the official launch in January 2019, Honda Malaysia has delivered more than 3,000 units of the latest HR-V variants.

The HR-V also dominated 87% of market share in the compact SUV segment as of January 2019 and remains as the segment leader.

Regarding sales by region, Klang Valley contributed the highest sales at 47% .

The Southern region recorded 18% of total sales while the Northern region also contributed 18%.

The latest HR-V is also the first Honda model to feature a new Passion Red Pearl option, which appears to be the favourite among customers, representing 28% of sales.

The latest HR-V is offered in four variants, namely the Hybrid, RS, V and E.

The non-hybrid variants have a 1.8L SOHC i-VTEC engine combined with Honda's Earth Dreams Technology Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) that delivers a fun-to-drive experience.

As the first marque to introduce a hybrid in the compact SUV segment, Honda's HR-V Sport Hybrid with intelligent Dual-Clutch Drive (i-DCD) system appeals to those looking for performance and fuel efficiency.

Its 1.5L DOHC i-VTEC engine with Direct Injection combined with 7-Speed Dual-Clutch Transmission and Integrated High Power Motor provides quick and engaging vehicle performance.

The combined output of the engine and motor assisted by the High-Power Lithium-Ion Battery provides hybrid power that is equal to a 2.0L engine performance.

The HR-V is renowned for its practical and functional features including the Multi-Utility Cargo Space which offers class leading cabin space.

Standard safety features in the latest HR-V are six airbags, Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Hill Start Assist (HSA) and ISO Fix points.

The latest HR-V also sets new benchmarks in the compact SUV segment by introducing value added features such as Multi-Angle Rearview Camera, 8-Way Driver Power Seat (V & RS), full leather seats (V & RS), Honda LaneWatch camera (V & RS), Cruise Control and Paddle Shift.

Honda Malaysia managing director and CEO Toichi Ishiyama said, “The HR-V has grown in popularity since it was first launched back in 2015. Honda Malaysia will continue to uphold our commitment to offer quality products which are user-friendly, practical and promotes the ‘Joy of Buying’ for our customers.”

He added, “The top of range variant RS variant with its stylish features such as 18-inch Dual-Tone Alloy Wheels, Sporty Design Front Grille, black front and rear bumper on top of the new driving feature Variable Gear Ratio (VGR) steering system has been well received.

The HR-V remains the best in its class, with its compact yet spacious interiors which is comparable to a C-segment vehicle.”


China's autonomous vehicle company WeRide starts driverless testing

                BEIJING: WeRide, a Chinese autonomous vehicle startup, said on Friday it has become the first autonomous company to start fully driverless vehicle testing in China, as the world’s biggest auto market accelerates development of autonomous technologies.

Three-year-old WeRide, backed by Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi, said in a statement that it started tests on Wednesday on open roads in a designated area of Guangzhou after the southern Chinese city granted permission.

In China, companies such as Toyota-backed Pony.ai, Baidu Inc, and Didi Chuxing are also testing autonomous cars, but all with one or two safety staff onboard. The people onboard take control in unexpected situations.

WeRide said it will use a remote centre to take control of their vehicles if needed.

In the United States, Alphabet Inc Waymo is testing passenger vehicles without a safety driver. Nuro, another startup, is allowed to test driverless delivery vehicles on a small scale in California.

WeRide is pursuing a level 4 autonomous standard, in which the car can handle all aspects of driving in most circumstances with no human intervention. It said its driverless testing fleet comprises 10 Lincoln MKZ sedans.

The company, led by former Baidu executive Tony Han, also operates a fleet of more than 40 autonomous taxis and 60 test cars.

Automakers and tech companies including Waymo, Tesla Inc and Uber Technologies are investing billions in the autonomous driving industry.

But industry insiders have said it would take years for the technology to mature and for the public to trust autonomous vehicles.


Johor Sultan revealed to be owner of 'FF1' number plate

The Johor Sultan and Loke showing the 'FF1' number plate. — Photo from Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar's Facebook page
JOHOR BARU: The owner of the special “FF1” number plate has been revealed. It is none other than the Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar.

The information was revealed on His Majesty's official Facebook page today.

His Majesty had earlier granted an audience to Transport Minister Anthony Loke who handed over the “FF1” number plate.

The Johor Sultan, who is an avid collector of exotic, classic and highly collectible automobiles, is no stranger to paying for unique licence plates.

In July 2016, the Ruler bought the "F1" number plate for RM836,660 before splashing another RM990,000 for the "V1" plate just a month later. He paid RM1.2mil for "FF1".

“For the record, a payment of RM1.2mil is the highest amount that has ever been collected by the government for the registration of a single vehicle plate number,” Loke said on his Facebook page.

Last month, Loke said that the special “FF” number plate series has raked in more than RM34mil in revenue.

This was the highest revenue generated since the JPJeBid system was opened to the public on April 15, 2019, he said.

The “FF8” number plate had the next highest bid at RM950,000, with “FF9” coming in third at RM911,999.

The “FF3” and “FF2” number plates were the next ones up with bids of up to RM639,000 and RM638,000, respectively.

“There was an incredible response to this series, with up to 34,032 bidders,” said Loke.

He added that 8,348 bids had also been placed over five days for the 9,999 running numbers that are up for grabs.

The “FF” number plate series was launched to mark the 77th anniversary of the Road Transport Department.


Proton upbeat on ending 2021 on high note

                SUBANG JAYA: Proton is aiming to end 2021 on a strong footing following the resumption in production, sales, and export activities, which are expected to contribute towards increased sales volume beginning September.

The auto industry faced difficult market conditions with lockdown implemented to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

From June to August, Proton managed to achieve a total volume of 5,354 units, comprising a mix of online registrations and exports.

Limited production was undertaken at the company’s plant in Tanjung Malim after Perak was declared a Phase 2 state on July 5, but this was for a limited time due to a shortage of parts from vendors located in Selangor.

Up to the end of August, total volume was 62,637 units, an increase of 1.6% over the same period in 2020.

Proton Edar chief executive officer Roslan Abdullah said the company's total sales volume up to August reflected Proton’s strong performance over the first five months of the year.

“2021 has been challenging for the automotive industry as lockdowns, chip shortages and a number of other issues have stunted sales growth, but we are confident of an industry-wide surge in numbers over the final four months of the year,” said Roslan.

Proton is also able to resume export activities to export markets with production at both its plants now restored.

Pakistan will receive three shipments of the Proton X70 amounting to about 108 units in September along with CKD packs of the Proton Saga ahead of its roll-out, now estimated to take place at the end of October.

 Proton staff at the Tanjung Malim plant registering for vaccination.

One of the keys to the company being able to reopen its factories and outlets has been the success of its PIKAS vaccination plan.

About 93% of Proton staff are fully vaccinated while over 75% of employees at vendors and dealers are also similarly classified, allowing the entire Proton ecosystem to operate close to 100% of capacity based on the current SOPs for reopening of plants and business premises.

Roslan said: “Aside from Malaysian market customers, Proton’s export markets have also benefitted from the resumption of production activities. It’s still too early to tell how quickly we can fulfil our outstanding orders, but we are closing the gap every day.

“Additionally, the success of our vaccination programme will be vital to our performance for the rest of year.

“By having a fully vaccinated workforce, we can reassure the market that Proton has taken every conceivable step to make it safe for fully vaccinated customers to visit our showrooms and service centres,” he said.


Daimler expands European battery network with 33% stake in ACC venture

                BERLIN: Daimler's Mercedes-Benz said today it will take a 33% stake in battery cell manufacturer Automotive Cells Company (ACC), expanding its European sourcing of battery cells key to its EV ambitions and currently produced primarily in Asia.

ACC, founded in 2020 by France's Stellantis and TotalEnergies, will begin supplying Mercedes-Benz with batteries from its production locations in France and Germany from the middle of the decade.

"Our focus is on Europe," Daimler chief executive Ola Kallenius told a press conference. "That is where ACC wants to grow, expand, and develop technologies with us."

Daimler, which plans on making exclusively electric vehicles in 2030 if market conditions allow, will invest up to a €1 billion (RM4.9bil) in the battery venture starting with a mid-three-digit-million cash investment next year, the company said.

ACC, which had previously planned for 48 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of capacity at its two plants, now aims to reach at least 120 GWh by 2030, it said today, a goal which will require €7 billion (RM35bil) in equity, debt and subsidies.

Daimler board member Markus Schaefer declined to specify what proportion of ACC's desired capacity would be allocated to Daimler, stating only that it was "absolutely significant".

The luxury carmaker, whose previous CEO deemed producing battery cells in-house too costly, has taken a strategic turn under Kallenius towards aiming for more control over its battery supply chain, announcing its goal in July of building eight gigafactories with 200 GWh of capacity.

ACC already has ties to Germany: a €2 billion (RM9.8bil) investment in a battery cell plant in Kaiserslautern, due to start production in 2025.

The company plans on expanding its European network, but specific locations have not yet been determined, ACC told Reuters.

Daimler, which said in July that four of the eight gigafactories would be in Europe and one in the United States, is in discussion with potential partners in both regions about further investments.

"Everyone talked to us, everyone wants to do business with us," Kallenius said, adding that the company planned on building all its cell factories through joint ventures.

"There are no concrete plans to make our own 'Daimler-only' factories," Kallenius said.

Daimler currently relies on Asian partners such as CATL, SK Innovation and LG Chem for its battery supply, and took a 3% stake in Chinese-American supplier Farasis last year.

CATL and Farasis are building battery factories in Germany, but production is not due to start until 2022 and 2024 respectively.

Daimler added that the battery cells produced by ACC would be 95% recyclable as per its goal of a CO2-neutral supply chain by 2039.


Mercedes CEO sees semiconductor shortage dragging on into 2023

                MUNICH: The global shortage of semiconductor chips will last throughout this year and into 2023, the chief executive at Mercedes-Benz said today.

"The semiconductor situation is very present and will be a challenge for the industry throughout this year and into next year," CEO Ola Kaellenius said at the Reuters Automotive Europe conference here.

He said that despite market volatility, the carmaker still has a strong order backlog.

"We have not seen any signs yet that demand is going south," Kaellenius said.

He said that as the auto industry makes the transition to electric vehicles (EVs), Mercedes-Benz will play a "more active role" throughout its supply chain all the way to where raw materials are mined.

"We don't stop at battery cell factories... we have to go through the whole value chain here because there so much is in motion," Kaellenius said.

He added that it will take a decade to transition the carmaker's engine plants to making only fully electric cars, but added that he was confident it could be managed in an orderly fashion.


Maserati MC20 supercar launched from RM1mil

                PETALING JAYA: June has been a busy month for Maserati in Malaysia. Shortly after unveiling the Grecale SUV earlier this month, it tops it off with the MC20. Now Maserati can crow that it has a supercar in its line-up.

Local distributor Naza Italia-Maserati today gave the local media a look at the first MC20 to reach Malaysia, marking its launch.

The yellow car on display has already found a customer who took delivery of the car on Monday. As this is the only unit available in Malaysia right now, the customer, said to be a businessman, has agreed to let the local distributor have the car for a few days to promote the model.

The MC20's base price is RM1.08mil (before taxes, insurance and options). Waiting period for the Maserati halo car is one year.

The  MC20 also comes in a convertible version that was revealed just last month, less than two years after the world debut of the MC20 coupe. An electric version will arrive in future.

The car has a sleek line, with nothing sticking out of the body except for the side mirrors and a discreet rear spoiler that improves downforce.

The drag coefficient is 0.38, which is higher than many mainstream cars, as the MC20 creates lots of downforce, which tends to cause greater drag as a result.

The MC20 is fitted with butterfly doors and succeeded the MC12 supercar, which was produced in limited number from 2004 to 2010.

The doors, made of carbon fibre, are not only light and striking but are also functional, as they improve the car’s ergonomics and enable optimal access to and from the cabin.

In fact, carbon fibre is generously used for the body of the car to keep it lightweight. With a kerb weight of under 1,500kg, the MC20 is rated as best in class in weight/power ratio, at just 2.33kg/hp.

The MC20 (MC for Maserati Corse and 20 for 2020, the year of its world première and the start of the brand’s new era) is powered by the much-hyped Nettuno engine, a 630hp twin turbo V6 mill making torque of 730Nm.

It sprints from 0-100kph in under 2.9 seconds and has a top speed of over 325kph.

Power to the rear wheels is relayed by an 8-speed dual wet clutch transmission.

Maserati has traditionally used engines supplied by Ferrari. With the MC20, Maserati has for the first time use its in-house Nettuno engine.

In the cabin, the dash is driver-oriented, and comprised components with very few sharp edges and minimal distractions.

The dash comes with two 10-inch screens: one for the cockpit and the other for the infotainment.

The MC20 is the first new-generation Maserati to have the ignition button on the steering wheel (launch control is there, too); each of the five drive modes (Wet, GT, Sport, Corse, ESC Off) are identified by colour.

Simplicity is also the keynote of the carbon fibre-clad central console, with just a few features: the wireless smartphone charger, the driving mode selector, two speed selection buttons, the power window controls, the Multimedia System controls, and a storage compartment underneath the armrest.

A single button controls the adaptable suspension, which can raise the typically low supercar 50mm.

Keeping it Italian, the hifi audio system comes from Sonus Faber.

Maserati has for a start offer six exterior colours for the MC20 but customers should be able to choose their own for an extra charge if the standard ones don't appeal.

The factory colours Maserati offers are Bianco Audace (white), Giallo Genio (yellow), Rosso Vincente (red), Blu Infinito (blue), Nero Enigma (black) and Grigio Mistero (gray).

The MC20 supercar was developed by Maserati Innovation Lab and is produced at the historic plant on Viale Ciro Menotti.

It is covered by a 3-year warranty with unlimited mileage plus a free maintenance program of 3 years/60,000km, whichever comes first.

Apart from the MC20 and Grecale, Maserati also sells the Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans, GranTurismo coupe, GT convertible, and Levante SUV.


Audi makes synthetic diesel from water and carbon dioxide

                BERLIN: A pilot plant in Dresden has started production of the synthetic Audi e-diesel.

The plant which began operating in November, 2014, is set to produce over 3,000 litres of Audi e-diesel over the coming months.

The plant, run by Audi partner sunfire, operates according to the power-to-liquid (PtL) principle and uses green power to produce a liquid fuel. The only raw materials needed are water and carbon dioxide. The CO2 used is currently supplied by a biogas facility. In addition, initially a portion of the CO2 needed is extracted from the ambient air by means of direct air capturing, a technology of Audi’s Zurich-based partner Climeworks.

Production of Audi e-diesel involves various steps: first, water heated up to form steam is broken down into hydrogen and oxygen by means of high-temperature electrolysis. This process, involving a temperature in excess of 800 degrees Celsius, is more efficient than conventional techniques because of heat recovery, for example. Another special feature of high-temperature electrolysis is that it can be used dynamically, to stabilise the grid when production of green power peaks.

In two further steps, the hydrogen reacts with the CO2 in synthesis reactors, again under pressure and at high temperature. The reaction product is a liquid made from long-chain hydrocarbon compounds, known as blue crude. The efficiency of the overall process – from renewable power to liquid hydrocarbon – is very high at around 70 percent. Similarly to a fossil crude oil, blue crude can be refined to yield the end product Audi e-diesel. This synthetic fuel is free from sulphur and aromatic hydrocarbons, and its high cetane number means it is readily ignitable. It is suitable for admixing with fossil diesel or as a fuel in its own right.

Audi has also teamed up with various other companies to research synthetic fuels.

It has been active in the development of CO2-neutral fuels – Audi e-fuels – since 2009. The Audi e-gas plant in Werlte, Lower Saxony, already produces Audi e-gas (synthetic methane) in a comparable manner to power the Audi A3 Sportback g-tron, which is available in countries in which a suitable fuelling infrastructure exists.

Audi is also conducting joint research into the synthetic manufacture of Audi e-gasoline with Global Bioenergies, of France. In a further project, Audi has joined forces with the US company Joule, which uses microorganisms to produce the synthetic fuels Audi e-diesel and Audi e-ethanol.


Lexus unveils new GS F in Detroit

                DETROIT: The all-new 2016 Lexus GS F performance sedan rolled into the Detroit Auto Show with a growl, four doors and enough cabin space to comfortably accommodate five adults.

Lexus says it is not a standard luxury sedan or track car.

The GS F sports sedan, which combines a luxury cruiser with the handling of a sports car, is the latest vehicle to join Lexus’ high-performance “F” lineage that began in 2008 with the IS F sedan, then the fabulously exotic LFA in 2012, and just last year, the RC F coupe.

Based on the mid-size GS luxury sedan, the GS F should not be confused with the GS 350 F SPORT.

The GS F builds upon the GS 350 F SPORT with a comprehensive set of upgrades that re-engineer the car.

From its engine, to its driveline, suspension and overall tuning that optimizes its reflexes, the GS F is an entirely new animal to the Lexus showroom.

“The cars with the ‘F’ designation are meant to generate a very positive feeling when you’re behind its steering wheel, to be something that’s fun to drive no matter who is driving or where it’s being driven,” said Yukihiko Yaguchi, GS F chief engineer.

Under the hood will be a naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter V8 that produces a sonorous 467 hp  and peak torque of 527 Nm with a 7,300 rpm redline.

The powerplant will be mated to a quick-acting eight-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shifters for manual-shifting capabilities.

The GS F also has four different driving modes: Normal, Eco, Sport and Sport S+, the latter designed specifically for the racetrack or your favorite challenging road.

As sweet-sounding and powerful as the engine is, the DOHC 32-valve powerplant can offer a measure of fuel efficiency, incorporating the Atkinson cycle in certain driving conditions.

The  GS F’s impressive track and twisty road manners are the result of a custom firm suspension, along with wider forged wheels shod with staggered Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires (255/35-19 front, and 275/35-19 rear).

The suspension combined with an enhanced braking system relying on 15-inch front rotors that are available with bright orange 6-piston calipers help give the GS F remarkable high-speed handling and braking capability.

Along with all the sporty touches, the GS F retains a luxurious feel, thanks partly to the high-grade Alcantara trim on the doors, on the center console and above the instrument panel.

An analog clock adds a touch of class to the already elegant dashboard that features a 12.3-inch central video monitor controlled by the Remote Touch Interface on the center console.

The GS F offers the optional 17-speaker Mark Levinson Premium Audio system that will satisfy the most demanding of audiophiles, but when drivers want to listen to the music provided by the engine, they can simply change the drive mode to “Sport” or “Sport S+” to engage the Active Sound Control.

The Active Sound Control system is similar to the one found in the RC F but is enhanced with rear speakers. All occupants can enjoy the driving experience complete with robust exhaust note.


Porsche remakes exclusive 911s which were lost at sea

                STUTTGART: Porsche is restarting production of the exclusive 911 GT2 after four cars bound for Brazil sank to a watery grave when a cargo ship caught fire, Germany's Autobild motoring gazette reports.

The GT2s worth a total of 1.2 million euros (RM5.5mil) went down with around 2,000 cars when the blazing Italian freighter Grande America foundered and sank off Brest in France on March 12.

Another 33 Porsches along with luxury RS 4 and Q7 models from Audi were also lost.

Customers would normally get their money back when a cargo vessel sinks before cars can be delivered.

Porsche said the unusual decision to remake the GT2s with the all the ordered features was a gesture to "uphold its commitment to its valued Brazilian customers".

Regular production of the limited edition GT2 stopped in February this year. The legendary high-performance model boasts 700 horsepower and a top speed of 340kph.

Salvaging the lost cars is not an option since the cargo ship came to rest on the sea bed at a depth of 4,500 metres and can only be reached by specialist diving robots.