Bentley's 2021 profits already exceed those in any full year

                LONDON: Bentley Motors Ltd evaded semiconductor chip shortages, overcame factory closures, and streamlined production inefficiencies during the coronavirus pandemic so well that in the first six months of 2021, the company has already outperformed any full-year period in its 102-year history.

Profit levels for the first six months reached €178 million ($211 million), beating Bentley's previous record for a full-year profit of €170 million, set in 2014.

Bentley's revenue for the first six months of 2021 was €1.32 billion, up from a pre-pandemic half-year figure of €834.8 million in 2019, reports the U.K.-based auto manufacturer.

"We are benefitting from a sector growth that we thought would be about 25%, but it's actually closer to 40% year on year," said Bentley chairman and chief executive officer Adrian Hallmark.

"Each month, we end up with more orders than we started with, despite the fact that we are up so much in sales rate. And it's even getting stronger as we go through the year, so we are in a pretty good position."

The news comes amid other wild successes for Bentley. Global retail sales for the first six months of 2021 increased by 50% over pre-Covid levels, up to 7,199 vehicles sold, compared with 4,785 sold in 2019.

The brand will debut nine models this year, including two hybrids, the Bentayga Hybrid and Flying Spur Hybrid. Sales of pre-owned Bentleys are up 150% from January to May.

In an April report that noted extensive growth in sales at Bentley, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Michael Dean called Bentley "the standout" among its luxury peers, including Porsche, Rolls-Royce, and Lamborghini.

The UK marque enjoyed "a record 2020 buoyed by a new Bentayga and Flying Spur, with both having four doors which are favoured by wealthy Chinese buyers who often prefer being chauffeured," Dean said.

In addition to the massive boom in the global luxury sector, Hallmark attributed the growth to intense internal restructuring within the brand.

In June 2020, Bentley cut nearly 25% of its workforce.

"We made some tough decisions," said Hallmark. "We cut our costs and our workforce-which we probably would have done over two or three years, because we knew we were top-heavy-but we had to do it decisively."

Each of Bentley's three model lines contributed to the massive surge.

The Bentayga SUV sold 2,767; the two-door Continental GT sold 2,318; and the Flying Spur sedan sold 2,063. According to Hallmark, the market launch of the Flying Spur and its new V8 engine in China, Bentley's biggest sales region, contributed to the model line's share of 29% of global sales.

"The majority of [the success] is because of the product strength, the brand strength, the order bank, and the ability to deliver quality, quantity new cars on time," said Hallmark.

The hybrids, in particular, will be critical to the brand's continued success. They form the backbone of Bentley's "Beyond100" plan to offer plug-in hybrid or electric vehicles by 2026 and exclusively electric vehicles by 2030.

Bentley parent company Volkswagen AG is betting big on electric power, allocating €73 billion — half its overall spending — for electrification and digital offerings from now to 2025.

VW Group is currently the top EV maker in Europe after pooling resources and standardising an EV platform that can work for multiple models across its dozen brands, including Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Porsche.

Bentley is the golden child among them at the moment.

"We are lucky that the group is huge," said Hallmark. "They buy them in bulk and because we are profitable, and we have a huge order bank. We get prioritised first, together with Lamborghini."

Of the Bentayga SUVs sold last year — a group making up nearly half of all the Bentley vehicles sold worldwide — 25% were hybrids, according to Bentley. Hallmark describes the demand for hybrids as an "unprecedented" opportunity.


China's LeEco, Tesla wannabe, to sell Silicon Valley site amid cash crunch

Jia. - Reuters
HONG KONG: Chinese technology conglomerate LeEco is looking to sell a 49-acre US Silicon Valley property less than a year after buying it from Yahoo Inc, sources said, in what is the latest effort by the firm to ride out a cash crunch.

LeEco, one of China's most ambitious companies that grew from a Netflix-like video website to a business empire spanning consumer electronics to cars within 13 years, is struggling to support its goals that include beating Elon Musk's Tesla Motors in premium electric vehicle making.

LeEco's billionaire founder and CEO Jia Yueting admitted in a letter to staff in November that the firm was facing a "big company disease" and battling a cash crunch after expanding at an unprecedented rate.

But less than a month prior to the letter, amid much fanfare at LeEco's official US launch at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, Jia had outlined plans to build its North America headquarters at the Silicon Valley site.

"This property will be an EcoCity that houses 12,000 employees," Jia said at the time.

Now cash-strapped and struggling to repay a pile of debts to suppliers and business partners, LeEco plans to sell the US site to little-known Chinese developer Genzon Group for US$260mil (RM1.1bil), US$10mil (RM44.4mil) more than what the firm paid for it in June, said a source with direct knowledge of the deal who did not want to be named due to rules on talking to media.

 Faraday Future's FF 91 prototype electric crossover was unveiled on Jan 3 at CES in Las Vegas. - AFP

Genzon confirmed it was in talks to buy the site, but declined to comment on the deal size or whether it was teaming up with any partners as the discussions were still ongoing.

Genzon also declined to elaborate on why it was interested in the property, but according to its website, the Shenzhen-based firm founded in 2003 is erecting a 140,000 sq m office building in Silicon Valley in a project called Burlingame Point – its first in the United States.

LeEco, in an e-mailed response to Reuters on the sale talks, said it was "working on securing a development partner" but that it was unable to share any further details.

"We are not yet ready to share plans for the land as we are still in the initial planning phase."

According to sources in and outside the company, workforce has been downsized across LeEco US, with some estimating numbers had at least halved in its current Silicon Valley office alone. Jia, in October, said LeEco US employs "more than 500".

LeEco was cited by Chinese media as saying in May last year that the company had 1,000 employees in the United States, including research personnel for its "super car".

The firm on Friday declined to comment on these reports or its current employee number. It is company policy not to quote numbers upon request as "headcount changes routinely due to additions and/or departures", LeEco said.

LeEco has seen headcount reduction in various units of its business in China since its financial problems deepened. The company said earlier this month that it had also cut almost 80 percent of its workforce in India.

Jia in January said LeEco's financing problems would be solved in three to four months, before the firm got a much-needed capital injection of US$2.2bil (RM9.77bil) from property developer Sunac China Holdings.

But the Sunac investment was for LeEco's entertainment units and not its car-making business, which analysts say is very expensive to sustain.

LeEco is developing luxury electric vehicles with Faraday Future in the United States, a startup Jia funds and controls.

However, the outlook remains unclear after Faraday said it was scaling back production plan at a factory it has yet to build in Nevada.


Finland to back increase in fossil fuel taxes

                OSLO: Finland’s new government will propose a tax increase later this year on fossil fuel used for transport, as well as measures to help expand electric-vehicle-charging networks, the country’s environment ministry said on Monday.

The government, in office since June, wants to make Finland carbon-neutral by 2035. It emitted 8.48 tons of carbon dioxide per capita in 2017, according to the European Commission’s EDGAR, the emissions database for global atmospheric research. By comparison, Norway emitted 8.85 tons per capita and Sweden just 5.13 tons.

Finland has fallen behind both Norway and Sweden in adopting electric cars — at the end of 2018, Finland’s fleet of electric cars barely exceeded 2,400 units. In Norway, by contrast, more than 46,000 were sold last year alone, thanks to generous tax incentives

A ministers’ working group on climate and energy policy hopes to change that, said Riikka Yliluoma, a special adviser to Finland’s environment minister.

“Already this autumn the goal is to finalise acts on electric-car-charging stations, increase tax on fossil fuels in transportation,” she said in an emailed statement.

There are also plans to set new subsidies for energy- efficiency measures in residential buildings, she said.

The size of the fuel tax and of the electricity subsidy will be determined as part of Finland’s 2020 fiscal budget, said Outi Honkatukia, the country’s chief climate change negotiator.

The working group will also commission new studies to identify the best measures to reach carbon neutrality by 2035, Yliluoma said.

These will include studies on cutting emissions across all sectors and increasing the use of carbon capture and storage sinks for the country’s heavy industries such as forestry.

Industry accounts for more than half of Finland’s annual carbon emissions, followed by electricity production and transport, which are responsible for just over 10% each, according to OECD data.


All-new Perodua Axia open for booking, prices from RM38,600

                KUALA LUMPUR: Perodua has started taking bookings for its all-new Axia hatchback expected to be launched in the middle of next month with prices ranging from RM38,600 and RM49,500.

The new generation model comes with the most advanced digital and safety features in its price class and promises a higher level of fuel efficiency of 27.4km per litre of fuel under the new Malaysian driving cycle mode.

The new model delivers an efficiency of 23.3km per litre if measured under the New European Driving Cycle while the older Axia model returns 21.6km per litre.

Powering the hatchback is a 1.0-litre engine with dual mode continuously variable transmission.

The new Axia is also equipped with Perodua's Smart Drive Assist which is the first for an entry level car.

It will be available in four variants of G, X, SE and AV, and five colours of Granite Grey, Lava Red, Glittering Silver, Ivory White and Coral Blue (new introduction).

Fitted across all variants are Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and traction control, ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Hill Start Assist and traction control.

For the SE and AV variants, they get power-mode, LED day light running lamp (DRL), solar and security film and semi-bucket type with detachable
headrest.

The top-of-the-line AV variant comes with its exclusive features such as a 7-inch TFT (Thin-Film transistor) multi info display, a 9-inch display audio and two-tone semi-leather seats and six airbags.

Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad said the all-new Axia is the latest model under the Perodua Smart Build (PSB) that means the vehicle is part of a global production and component chain.

“The end result is a model that offers a wide range of selection for entry level car buyers and we believe that the All-New Perodua Axia offers the best value in its segment,” he said.

He also said the production of the previous generation Axia has ended this month and those who booked the older model could switch to the new generation vehicle.

Zainal said Perodua had worked hard to maintain the prices of its vehicles despite rising costs and inflation.

"The new Axia was priced higher as the vehicle has a larger body and higher levels of features and safety enhancements than previously," he said.


Hyundai, Kia sued by St. Louis and US cities over car thefts

                WASHINGTON: The city of St. Louis, Missouri, said on Monday it was joining a number of major U.S. cities that are suing Korean automakers Hyundai Motor and Kia Corp for failing to install anti-theft technology in millions of their vehicles.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Missouri follows similar actions taken by several U.S. cities to address increasing Hyundai and Kia thefts that use a method popularized on TikTok and other social media channels.

Other cities suing Kia and Hyundai include Cleveland, Ohio; San Diego, California; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Columbus, Ohio; and Seattle.

Immobilizers were standard on 96% of U.S vehicles by 2015 but were standard on only 26% of 2015 model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) Highway Loss Data Institute.

"Big corporations like Kia and Hyundai must be held accountable for endangering our residents and putting profit over people,” said St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones.

Kia and Hyundai vehicles represent a large share of stolen cars in multiple U.S. cities, according to data from police and state officials. Many Hyundai and Kia vehicles have no electronic immobilizers, which prevent break-ins and bypassing the ignition.

Last month, the Korean automakers controlled by the same conglomerate said they would offer software upgrades to 8.3 million U.S. vehicles to help curb thefts.

TikTok videos that show how to steal Kia and Hyundai cars without push-button ignitions and immobilizing anti-theft devices have spread nationwide.

This had led to car thefts that resulted in at least 14 reported crashes and eight fatalities in the Korean automakers' vehicles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in February.

Last week, a group of 22 U.S. state attorneys general criticized the automakers, saying they need do more to address problems with millions of U.S. vehicles that are prone to theft.

Kia said on Monday that lawsuits by U.S. cities over the thefts "are without merit."

It said it was "willing to work cooperatively with law enforcement agencies in St. Louis to combat car theft and the role social media has played in encouraging it." Its vehicles comply with U.S. theft protection regulations, it said.

Hyundai said it has taken a number of actions "in response to increasing and persistent thefts targeting our vehicles without push-button ignitions and immobilizing anti-theft devices in the United States."

The attorneys general urged the automakers to accelerate software upgrades and provide free alternative protective measures for owners whose cars cannot support the software upgrade.

Since May 2022, St. Louis police received more than 4,500 reports of thefts of Kia or Hyundai vehicles. Sixty-one percent of vehicles stolen in St. Louis have been Kias and Hyundais, St. Louis said.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison launched a civil investigation into Kia and Hyundai vehicles that lacked industry-standard, anti-theft technology.

He said this month that last year, thefts of Kias and Hyundais in Minneapolis were tied to five homicides and 265 motor vehicle accidents.

All Hyundai vehicles produced since November 2021 are equipped with an engine immobilizer as standard equipment.


2017 Tokyo Motor Show: Nissan unveils IMx zero-emission EV concept

TOKYO: The Nissan IMx, an all-electric crossover concept vehicle offering fully autonomous operation and a driving range of more than 600km, was unveiled today at the Tokyo Motor Show.

It also announced Canto, the signature tune of  future electric cars.

The concept car provides a glimpse into the future of Nissan Intelligent Mobility, Nissan's approach to changing how cars are powered, driven and integrated with society. It's designed to strengthen the link between car and driver as a close, reliable partner that delivers a safer, more convenient and more enjoyable drive.

The Nissan IMx zero-emission concept vehicle adopts Nissan's new EV platform, designed for maximum efficiency. It allows the floor to be completely flat, resulting in a cavernous cabin and enhanced driving dynamics. With a low center of gravity, the chassis delivers sharp handling that promises to redefine the crossover segment.

The IMx is propelled by a pair of high-output electric motors at the front and rear, giving it all-wheel-drive capability. They combine to produce 320 kW of power and 700Nm of torque, sourced from a high-capacity battery which has been redesigned and re-engineered for increased energy density.

At the core of the IMx's technological features is a future version of ProPILOT that offers fully autonomous operation. When ProPILOT drive mode is selected, the system stows the steering wheel inside the dashboard and reclines all seats, giving the driver more space and allowing the vehicle's occupants to relax and enjoy their commute. When Manual drive mode is selected, the vehicle returns the steering wheel and seats to their original position, seamlessly transferring control back to the driver.

The IMx's styling conveys its clean and sporty electric-vehicle attributes by incorporating Nissan's signature design features. From the familiar V-motion grille, the supple character line rises and flows to the hood and rear end. The broad surfaces of the distinctively shaped front fenders start from the grille and expand seamlessly onto the body sides, creating a sense of layers.

The vermillion accent color, contrasting vividly with the pearl white-coloured body, is inspired by uramasari, which describes the beauty and extravagance found on the inside of traditional Japanese kimonos.

The IMx concept vehicle's interior adheres to the basic concept of space that can be found in a traditional Japanese house, suggesting a sense of openness.

The car's panoramic OLED instrument panel displays a view of the external environment in the background. A separate, wood grain-patterned display, positioned below the instrument panel and wrapping around the interior door trims, gives occupants a subtle sense of the outside, similar to a shoji, a traditional Japanese paper screen.

The katanagare diagonal pattern on the seats has been delicately etched with a laser cutter. The head rest – patterned like kumiki, a Japanese interlocking wood puzzle – is made from silicon-material cushioning and a frame produced by a 3D printer.

Artificial intelligence enables the driver to control the instrument panel with eye movements and hand gestures. This intuitive interface results in fewer physical controls and switches, making the cabin of the IMx simple yet highly efficient and adding to its supreme comfort.


Car of the Year 2016: Big reveal tonight!

                PETALING JAYA: After months of car testing, the results will be announced at the gala dinner of CarSifu Editors’ Choice Awards 2016.

The first such awards from CarSifu is set to stir up excitement among car enthusiasts and automotive industry executives, as the outcome would be revealed tonight at The Royale Chulan Damansara hotel here.

The awards, organised by Star Media Group, will peak with the announcement of the “Car of the Year,” which will be selected from one of the winners of 22 categories up for grabs.

The 22 categories include Best Compact Car, Best Mid-sized Car, Best Luxury Executive Car, Best Compact SUV/Crossover and Best Pick-Up Truck. Other categories include Business Car of the Year, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle of the Year and Best Local Design.

The awards will honour outstanding cars for advancements and innovations in areas such as design, features and green technology. Some 50 vehicles are nominated for the awards of which these cars in the running are those launched locally from Oct 1 last year to Sept 30.

Expect top picks from brands such as Audi, BMW, Citroen, Ford, Haval, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Jaguar-Land Rover, Kia, Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Perodua, Peugeot, Proton, Renault, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo to battle it out for the grand title.

These cars were evaluated in key areas such as safety, performance, comfort, fuel economy, handling, styling as well as their individual “wow” factor. Some of these winning cars, along with several recently launched vehicles, will be presented at the Carsifu Auto Show 2016, to be held the new wing of 1Utama Shopping Centre from Oct 26 till 30.

The auto show will be on a display area of 12,188 sq ft around the Highstreet concourse area of the shopping mall. Among the brands are Proton, Perodua, Peugeot, Citroen, Renault, Kia, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Honda, Mazda, Isuzu and Volvo.

Visitors can enjoy test drives on a route around Bandar Utama, and expect attractive deals and sales promotions.


First pair of Tata Super Ace presented to Lazada's driver contractors

                KUALA LUMPUR: DRB-HICOM Commercial Vehicles (DHCV), the exclusive distributor of Tata Motors commercial vehicles, presented its first two Tata Super Ace to LEL Express' driver contractors of Reza Sadon Enterprise and CFD 74 Enterprise.

LEL Express is the logistics arm of leading South-east Asian e-commerce platform Lazada Malaysia, which decided to introduce the Super Ace in order to further expand its last mile delivery capabilities.

DHCV chief operating officer Mohd Syahrul Yusuf presented the mock keys to the new owners and was witnessed by DRB-HICOM Berhad automotive distribution (Manufacturing and Engineering) head Rohime Shafie, Tata Motors Limited head of international business (Commercial Vehicles) Rudrarup Maitra and LEL Express vice president head of strategic partnership Arpit Srivastava.

The one-tonne mini-trucks, with its fabricated customised box body to cater for the needs of e-commerce delivery services, were handed over to Reza Sadon Enterprise and CFD 74 Enterprise.

 From left: Tata Motors Ltd regional head ASEAN and Russia CIS Rustom Nagporewalla, Rohime, CFD 74 Enterprise Mohd Radzi Nayan, Srivastava, Mohamad Reza Sadon of Reza Sadon Enterprise, Maitra and Syahrul.

LEL Express is currently gearing up towards Lazada’s biggest online event of the year - the 11.11 sale on Nov 11.

The 2017 edition of the 11.11 shopping extravaganza saw more than 10mil visits on Lazada Malaysia’s mobile application and website within 24 hours.

The local e-commerce platform said that it experienced 1,400 transactions per minute with merchants selling over 50 times their daily volume. This year, the numbers are expected to increase considerably.

The Super ACe is a one-tonne mini-truck fitted with a 1,405cc turbo diesel engine and is meant for intra and inter-city transportation solutions.


Lexus UX Concept crossover heading to Paris Motor Show

                TOKYO: Lexus has announced its latest concept vehicle, the Lexus UX Concept, which will make its world debut on Sept 29 at the Paris Motor Show.

Created at Lexus' European Design Centre, ED2, the UX Concept looks edgy, taking Lexus' bold design language to the next level. Its strongly differentiated identity is meant to appeal to a progressive, urban audience living in a connected environment.

It comes with huge wheels as concepts are wont to do but what's mighty interesting is that this wide-body car will be promoting the use of wing cams instead of the traditional mirrors. Japan has already approved the use of cameras to replace mirrors and more countries will follow. Not only do cameras offer a wider field of view, they can be made smaller and sleeker to reduce drag on the car.

READ MORE: Japan going 'mirrorless'

The single teaser photo Lexus released also show a joint door handle that suggest the concept car could have suicide doors. As is the trend, it won't be surprising if the UX also sports a hybrid powertrain.

In a terse statement, Lexus said the UX Concept showcases imaginative technologies for an immersive driver experience, while the interior marries traditional craftsmanship with high-tech manufacturing techniques. We will just have to wait until end September to find out what that means exactly.

Other highlights of Lexus at the 2016 Paris Motor Show will include the refreshed Lexus IS in European premiere, as well as the new Lexus NX Sport Edition and the brand's new flagship coupe, the LC.


WATCH: Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost in essence

                PETALING JAYA: The Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost finally made its way to Malaysia with an official debut in early March.

The price of this Ghost starts from RM1.8mil (before tax and options), so a well-heeled customer can easily splashed out north of RM2mil for a bespoke car that aligns with his or her whims and fancies.

Targeted at a younger clientele, the Black Badge Ghost — based on a standard wheelbase Ghost — has been crafted to cater to the taste of those who are "bold and non-conformist".

The Asia Pacific region now has one of the highest proportions of Black Badge in the world.

The colour black has long been associated with power, strength and authority. But as with any Rolls-Royce, you can pick any colour other than black.

With serious money on the table, bespoke is the inevitable route to stand out from the rest.


Volvo XC40 stars in new 'Tomb Raider' film

                NEW YORK: In another case of prodtc placement, the new Volvo XC40 compact SUV will be seen in the Tomb Raider film. It hits cinemas this Friday – just ahead of the US launch of the vehicle.

The car featured in Tomb Raider is a British specification XC40 White R-Design. For Tomb Raider fans looking to get behind the wheel of the car that is seen in the film, Volvo have created a Lara Croft configuration of the Volvo XC40 online, albeit with the steering wheel on the other side of the car:
https://www.volvocars.com/us/build/suv/xc40/r-design/t5-awd/personalize/color?s=urXJr

Named the 2018 European Car of the Year earlier this year, the XC40 is focused on a new expression of Scandinavian design with style, innovative technologies and fun-to-drive characteristics.

The XC40 comes in a choice of a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol and diesel engine. It completes the SUV line-up for Volvo, which includes the bigger XC60 and XC90.

The compact SUV is the first model on Volvo Cars’ new compact modular-vehicle architecture (CMA), which will underpin all upcoming cars in the 40 Series, including fully electrified vehicles. Co-developed within Geely, CMA provides the company with the necessary economies of scale for this segment.

The XC40 is also the first Volvo to come with a car-sharing feature, enabled via Volvo’s digital key technology and its connected services platform Volvo On Call.

The Tomb Raider action-adventure flick by Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures stars Academy Award winner Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft.

“We’re very excited for the Volvo XC40 to have its film debut with Tomb Raider,” said Bob Jacobs of Volvo Car USA. “One of the things we love about the film is Lara Croft’s character: bold, surprising and always ready for adventure, just like the XC40.”


Volvo XC90 awarded top IIHS safety rating

                ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA: Volvo Cars’ XC90 has been awarded the highest possible safety rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

IIHS is an independent, non-profit scientific and educational organisation dedicated to reducing the losses – deaths, injuries and property damage – from crashes on the roads of the United States.

The seven seat SUV was awarded a Top Safety Pick+ rating, which is only given to cars that achieve full scores in all crashworthiness and front crash prevention tests and which excel in both preventive and protective safety performance.

“Every Volvo currently rated by IIHS has earned a Top Safety Pick+, we are the only automaker that can claim that proud distinction,” said Lex Kerssemakers, President and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America, “the XC90 is the next step in our Vision 2020, which states that no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car by the year 2020.”

The IIHS award follows a decision last week by Euro NCAP, the European safety regulator, to award the XC90 five stars in its 2015 Euro NCAP tests.

The XC90 was the first car from any manufacturer to score full points in the Autonomous Emergency Braking Car to Car rear-end tests (AEB City & AEB Interurban).

This means that the XC90 has now received the best possible ratings for safety from the most respected independent assessors of car safety in both Europe and the US.


BMW Group Malaysia's engine plant officially opens

                KULIM: BMW Group Malaysia and Sime Darby Auto Engineering (SDAE) - a division of Sime Darby Motors, today opened the new SDAE Engine Assembly Facility in Kulim, Kedah.

The RM132mil facility has been established upon a land site of over six acres with a built-up area of 8,500 square metres and can currently produce 1,200 engines per month per shift. There will be a second shift added soon.

“The new engine assembly facility will not only boost the local capabilities and regional competitiveness of the country but will also create employment opportunities and raise technical competency skills for Malaysians,” said Ministry of International Trade and Industry Malaysia deputy secretary general (Industry) Datin K. Talagavathi.

The German premium carmaker's locally assembled cars, for domestic and export markets (Philippines and Vietnam), will be supplied with petrol (three and four-cylinder) and diesel (four-cylinder) engines that will also be included for use in its plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

The facility is manned by 60 employees who will make use of the latest innovation for engine assembly such as EST tightening equipment, Dosing and Bonding Technology (DoboTech) equipment and engine engraving.

Also included are engine oil filling and test machines for hydraulic valve play compensation, leak tests as well as hot and cold testing.

“Malaysia has long played the role of a strategic partner to the BMW Group in South East Asia and has already successfully achieved a 15% increase in the deliveries of BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad vehicles in the country, delivering 3,000 vehicles in the first quarter of 2018,” said BMW Group Malaysia managing director and CEO Harald Hoelzl.

The facility ensures quality control is maintained by implementing the same checks as those found in Munich, Germany.

Other simillar engine assembling facilities within the region include Thailand and India, which are operated by their partners - not by BMW personnel as in Malaysia's case.


Perodua car prices to be maintained for time being

                RAWANG: Perodua has given an assurance that the prices of its vehicles will not be raised in the forseable future.

“For this to come true, we hope material prices and fuel prices remain manageable; at the same time, we also hope that foreign exchange and interest rates would be favourable to industry growth,” Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Ahmad said in a statement.

He said that for now, if these factors remain within acceptable levels, Perodua would maintain its vehicle prices.

“For now, our priority is to deliver to those who booked their Perodua within the sales tax exemption period as the price for these vehicles will remain as per agreed until March 31, 2023 deadline,” Zainal said.

He said the Malaysian automotive industry was able to maximise its potential through shared responsibility in meeting customers’ expectations in many aspects last year, resulting in Perodua’s best performance on record so far.

“The industry did a lot soul searching and from the learning points obtained during the pandemic and we realised that we needed to take active steps to recover in 2021 – which saw its fair share of challenges and from there to maximise the ecosystem’s potential in 2022,” Zainal said.

 Zainal.

Perodua's production rose by 49.5% to 289,054 units in 2022 when compared with 193,400 units in 2021; while sales saw an increase of 48.2% to 282,019 units against 190,291 vehicles registered in 2021.

Aftersales saw intakes grew to 2.6 million, which is a 30% increase from 2.0 million service intakes in 2021.

He said that as a result, 2022 proved to be the best year, so far, for the Malaysian automotive industry in general and Perodua in particular.

“This can be seen with our December 2022 production and sales performance, which averaged 1,000 vehicles made and registered per day,” Zainal said.

He also said 2022 also had its obstacles which included the ecosystem’s recovery from the massive flood, the shortage of workers due to spikes in Covid-19 cases at the supplier level, the shortage of semiconductor chip supply and the sudden increase in raw material prices.

He said that with proper planning, Perodua and its partners were not only able to overcome these challenges but find much needed growth for the industry.

“Our goal was to meet customers’ expectations of us– not just in terms of delivery of products and services but also in introducing greater value offerings to all Malaysians,” Zainal said.

For 2023, he said Perodua and its partners are going to focus on leveraging on the growth achieved so far and to further expand capacity.

Moving forward, he said that Perodua would continue to introduce new technologies in its future products and services as well as to continue to invest in innovations in its operations.

“In addition, we will also encourage our partners, namely our suppliers and dealers to continue to invest in new technologies so that they can be more competitive and productive," he said.

Zainal said the company would announce the full list of its targets later this month.

“But I wish to take this opportunity to thank the government for their continued support, our partners for their dedication, Perodua staff for their sacrifice and hard work, and especially to our valued customers for their loyal support,” he added.


Nissan's new electric Note doesn't need a charging cable

                YOKOHAMA: An electric car that does not need to be plugged into the mains in order to replenish its batteries? Is that a good idea?

Nissan seems to think so and a new version of the popular Note minicar comes with the e-Power hybrid system, made up of a normal petrol engine and an electric motor.

This time engineers have turned the normal hybrid concept on its head. The electric motor spins the wheels and the three-cylinder combustion engine is used solely to recharge the car batteries.

"The e-Power system allows you to enjoy all the benefits of an EV without having to worry about recharging the battery," says Nissan.

The electrified Note may seem similar to the BMW i3 with its range-extender, but the German car's petrol engine is an expensive fossil-fuel comfort blanket. It only kicks in when the battery charge has dwindled to 6.5 per cent.

The Note e-Power uses a smaller lithium-ion battery pack and an auxiliary engine as the recharger. Since it is not connected to the wheels, that unit is tuned to run at its most efficient: 2,500 revolutions per minute.

Nissan says the Note e-Power has all the main advantages of electric propulsion, since it offers instant and seamless acceleration from the outset.

Fuel consumption figures have not been released, but the set-up sounds pretty frugal since the engine does not have the tough task of moving the machine away from a standstill.

Nissan has been tight-lipped about the battery capacity, engine output and motor output, but indicates similarities to the best-selling Leaf which turns out around 80 kilowatts.

The company said the e-Power Note is currently only being built for Japan, but did not rule out it entering coming to other markets in the future.


Rings smuggling cars via Thailand to Asean countries

                BANGKOK: Malaysian car-jacking syndicates have been using Thailand as a transit point to smuggle stolen vehicles into other regional countries such as Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

According to Bukit Aman CID director Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd, the Thai police had since 2015 recovered more than 100 stolen Malaysian vehicles in the kingdom and handed them over to their Malaysian counterparts.

“Thailand is a transit country for Malaysia's car-jacking syndicates,” he told reporters after receiving 20 stolen cars, mostly luxury vehicles, from Thai police adviser Gen Witaya Prayongpan during a ceremony here on Tuesday.

 Wan Ahmad Najmuddin and Gen Witaya looking at the vehicles which were handed over to the Malaysian police. - All pix by Bernama

He said police forces from both nations would step up their cooperation to bust vehicle theft syndicates operating in both countries.

Wan Ahmad Najmuddin said efforts were under way to track down the Malaysian leader of the syndicate.

Meanwhile, Thai police said stolen vehicles had been a long-standing issue and had undermined the economies of both countries.

“Thai Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and his deputy Gen Prawit Wongsuwan have always stressed the importance of tackling the issue as it has the potential to lead to other criminal activities.

“This is not merely about stolen motor vehicles but could potentially finance other activities of criminal nature such as terrorism,” it said.


187-year-old Jardine struggling in Indonesia

                HONG KONG: After political protests and the coronavirus crisis walloped its businesses in Greater China, Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd., one of Hong Kong’s last remaining British trading houses, is facing a new challenge - in Indonesia.

The pandemic has hobbled the Southeast Asian nation’s US$1 trillion economy, weighing on Jardine’s local automotive distribution unit and the second-biggest profit contributor, PT Astra International.

The conglomerate, whose operations span property, retail, hotels and motor vehicles, has warned investors of “increasingly difficult conditions” in Indonesia, where the fatality rate from Covid-19 is the highest in the region.

Indonesia’s auto industry association almost halved its 2020 vehicle sales forecast, dimming the outlook for Astra, which sells cars and trucks from Toyota Motor Corp. to Isuzu Motors Ltd.

With Indonesia’s economic growth set to cool to the slowest in almost two decades this year, Astra’s other businesses including heavy machineries and palm oil are also feeling the hardship.

“The weakness has really been a result of Covid-19 heavily impacting Southeast Asia, where Jardine has fairly meaningful exposure, most notably in Indonesia,” said Jonathan Galligan, group deputy head of research at CLSA Ltd.

For the 187-year-old “hong,” as foreign trading houses are known in Hong Kong, Indonesia marks a new front in its battle to revive growth at businesses ranging from its Mandarin Oriental hotels to Dairy Farm supermarkets.

While the pandemic has also pummelled Jardine’s Hong Kong-based peers such as Swire Pacific Ltd., the continuing surge in infections in Indonesia points to unforeseeable risks in Southeast Asia, a region that accounts for about 42% of Jardine’s underlying profit.

Representatives for Jardine didn’t respond to requests for comments.

Founded in July 1832 in Canton (now Guangzhou) as a tea and opium trader, Jardine’s fortunes have been closely linked to China’s. In 1994, Jardine moved its Hong Kong listing to Singapore, three years before Britain returned the city to China.

The group’s unit Jardine Cycle & Carriage Ltd. gradually took control of Astra starting 2000, after the firm’s owners faced headwinds during the Asian financial crisis. Jardine has continued to diversify across Southeast Asia from Vietnam to Malaysia and Thailand ever since.

The group now includes engineering and construction company Jardine Pacific Ltd., automotive businesses Jardine International Motors Group and Astra, retail group Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd., investment holding company Cycle & Carriage, property firm Hongkong Land Holdings Ltd. and hotel chain Mandarin Oriental International Ltd.

Astra took a minority stake in Indonesia’s ride-hailing giant Gojek in 2018 and invested further in the company last year.

In Indonesia, infected cases have grown almost 10-fold since end-March to 14,749 as of Tuesday, with deaths topping 1,000, the most after China and India in Asia. President Joko Widodo has extended a partial lockdown in capital Jakarta and several cities nearby to contain the disease. The government has said the economy could contract this year in a worst-case scenario.

Last month, Jakarta-listed Astra, which brings 29% of Jardine’s underlying profit, said the pandemic has adversely impacted its April performance and warned the difficult conditions are likely to persist “for some time.” The company reported an 8% drop in net income for the first quarter from a year earlier.

The group’s underlying profit is estimated to drop an average 12% this year, according to five analysts’ forecasts compiled by Bloomberg. A weakening rupiah is another challenge the group is facing, CLSA’s Galligan said. The local currency has depreciated about 7% against the dollar this year.

Despite the headwinds, Jardine has a strong balance sheet, giving it financial power to reinvest when opportunities arise, Galligan said. The group had US$7.2 billion in cash and equivalents as of end-December, compared with US$6.6 billion in short-term debt.

“They have survived the World Wars and opium wars,” said Nicolas Van Broekhoven, a Singapore-based analyst at researcher Smartkarma. “You name it, they’ve come through it. They will survive this one.”


Malaysian vehicle sales set to rise

                PETALING JAYA: Total vehicle sales are expected to start picking up from this month, as the government’s economic relaxation measures have allowed automotive players to resume operations.

RHB Investment Bank in a report said the outlook for the remainder of the year is looking positive for the sector.

“With easing lockdown measures and key states moving into National Recovery Plan phase two, we expect to see a bump in September’s total industry volume (TIV).

“Test drives of vehicles are now allowed for states under phase two as per the latest standard operating procedures.”

The research house said automakers are already ramping up production to cater for order backlogs.

“However, we continue to expect supply chain issues to plague recovery in the second half of 2021, especially for volume models, which could directly impact sales volumes.

“Conversations with automakers suggest their supply chains are likely to be intact, at least for the next one-to-two months.”

At the moment, more than half of the TIV is dominated by national car manufacturers, Proton and Perodua. In terms of potential risks to the industry’s outlook,

RHB said this may include the potential tightening of bank approvals for car financing; sharp weakening of the ringgit; slower-than-expected normalisation in demand post the ongoing tax holiday; and sustained disruptions in semiconductor chip supplies.

The research house said further Covid-19 spikes and subsequent rolling lockdowns could also potentially hamper the outlook for the local automotive industry.

The Covid-19 pandemic saw a surge in demand for personal electronic items such as cell phones and laptops, which eventually led to a shortage of chips worldwide, as production could not keep up with demand.

Some cars need more than 3,000 chips per vehicle.

Even if one of the chips is unavailable, the production of that vehicle cannot be completed.

Meanwhile, the vehicle sales tax exemption was announced in June last year under the short-term economic recovery plan or Penjana.

Under the exemption, locally-assembled cars are fully exempted from the sales tax, while for imported cars, the sales tax has been reduced from 10% to 5%.

The tax holiday was initially supposed to last until the end of last year. However, it was extended to June 30, 2021; and then again until the end of the year.

According to the latest Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) statistics, TIV plunged to 17,500 units last month, compared with 53,838 units in the previous corresponding period, as operations were disrupted by the nationwide lockdown.

Year-to-date August, total vehicle sales stood at 273,757 units, compared with 286,261 units in the previous corresponding period.

In a statement on Tuesday, the MAA said showrooms in many states including Selangor and Kuala Lumpur were only allowed to operate from Aug 13.

It is expecting sales to recover further this month as the lockdowns are eased.

“September sales will be higher than the August level as businesses for most industries, including the automotive sector had resumed albeit at certain levels.”

There are also continuous efforts by car companies to boost sales to generate revenue, it noted.


March 21-27: Fuel prices drop further

                PETALING JAYA: Fuel prices will be down across the board from tomorrow, with RON95 petrol registering the biggest drop.

Here are the latest prices with effect from March 21-27:

RON95 petrol: RM1.44 per litre (down 38 sen)
RON97 petrol: RM1.74 per litre (down 36 sen)
Diesel: RM1.75 per litre (down 12 sen)


Israel's Upstream wins funding to expand in automotive cybersecurity

                DETROIT: Israel’s Upstream Security has secured US$30 million funding from a wide range of global automakers and venture capital firms as it looks to tap into the increasingly competitive market for software to protect vehicles from hackers.

The automotive cybersecurity market is forecast to see exponential growth, from around US$16 million in 2017 to an expected US$2.3 billion in 2025 according to IHS Markit.

“This ... is a testament to the severity of the problem the industry is tackling,” Upstream chief executive Yoav Levy said in a statement announcing it had secured US$30 million from Alliance Ventures, the venture capital fund of French automaker Renault and Japan’s Nissan Motor Co Ltd and Mitsubishi Motors Corp.

Swedish truckmaker Volvo, South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Co, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co and early — Charles River Ventures, Glilot Capital and Maniv Mobility — also took part, Upstream said.

Cyber carjacking received attention when a 2015 article by technology magazine Wired showed researchers hacking a Jeep Cherokee SUV while it was driving.

“The problem on the mind in some boardrooms of the (automakers) is really what are the consequences and the risks that we now have in our cars once we introduce connectivity to them,” Upstream Vice President Dan Sahar told Reuters. “No company wants to be the next one that happens to.”

Hackers affecting the safety of cars would be the “doomsday scenario” for the industry, but recalls or damage to a company’s brand can be costly as well, he said.

Upstream will use the funds to double staff numbers, Sahar said, particularly in sales as well as research and development.

“Security is the core element of the connected vehicle which we cannot compromise,” Yunseong Hwang, vice president of Hyundai’s Open Innovation Investment Group, said in the statement. “Upstream has demonstrated how its optimised security technology can strengthen vehicle security.”


VW teases ID. 4 in Frankfurt wrapped in vapourwave camouflage

Volkswagen is teasing the next ID, suspected to be the newest iteration of the ID Crozz (pictured 2018 Crozz concept).
FRANKFURT: Just a day after Volkswagen officially took the psychedelic wraps off the all-electric ID.3 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the company teased "The next ID," covered in kaleidoscopic camouflage and further obscured by a frosted panel.

On Monday, Volkswagen finally unveiled the fully electric ID.3 after months of teasing and years of presenting concept versions of the model. On Tuesday, just one day after revealing the compact hatch, the company officially began teasing the next ID.

The tentatively named ID.4 is on display at the Frankfurt show wrapped in vapourware-style camouflage and stationed behind a frosty glass panel skewing the view of the concept SUV.

Back in 2017, VW debuted the ID Crozz crossover concept at Auto Shanghai announcing that the model is part of a "new fleet of electric vehicles that will start full production in 2020." There's a good chance that this foreshadowed ID.4 will be the latest version - possibly the production version - of the Crozz.

According to the 2017 press release, the SUV, built on the same MEB platform as the ID.3, generates 302hp, has a top speed of 180kph and can travel over 480km on a single charge.

Over the next few months VW is sure to be teasing the ID.4 more and more until its (probable) late 2020 production launch.


Opinion: Carlos Ghosn jailbreak is all-purpose face saver

Reporters waiting outside an entrance to the offices of the Japanese lawyers for Ghosn in Tokyo today. — AFP
HONG KONG: It’s a face-saving escape. Carlos Ghosn’s Tokyo jailbreak will spare many embarrassments.

The former boss of the Nissan-Renault automotive alliance, awaiting trial on charges of financial misconduct, skipped a US$9 million bail bond and popped up in Lebanon.

How he evaded his minders is a story still to be told, but his exit lets Tokyo, Paris, and his former employers end a mutually embarrassing diplomatic affair.

Japanese prosecutors will be furious, at least in public. They sought to deny Ghosn’s bail requests, arguing that he posed a flight risk.

And yet Ghosn had some success positioning himself as a victim of a legal system with a 99% conviction rate, one which had him locked in an unheated cell for months hoping to extract a confession. If he had been found guilty, Ghosn – who turns 66 in March – might have died in prison, proclaiming his innocence.

For Nissan Motor, a trial would have cast an ugly light on weak corporate governance that let Ghosn get away with alleged infractions. The $25 billion carmaker, still struggling to execute a business turnaround, would have seen its image damaged no matter the trial outcome.

For its alliance partner Renault, the ruckus has upended negotiations over mooted mergers with Nissan and with Fiat Chrysler.

The case also stung diplomatic relations: Japan and France both see the respective car companies as important components of industrial strategy.

And yet Emmanuel Macron’s government, which prefers closer ties between Nissan and Renault, had to allow for the possibility that Japanese prosecutors had a strong case against Ghosn.

His lacklustre management of Nissan in recent years made him a dubious advocate for French interests anyway.

Now the man, easily the most recognisable gaijin executive in Japan, has managed to dodge police surveillance and end up in a country without an extradition treaty with Japan.

Prosecutors can claim his flight admits guilt. He says he “escaped injustice and political persecution” from a system that denies basic human rights. So long as Ghosn stays out of France, corporate and diplomatic scars can start healing, and everyone can get back to work. — Reuters Breakingviews


New Mercedes S-Class to lead stellar cast of Shanghai reveals

                SHANGHAI: After the New York International Auto Show, the automotive industry is already looking to the next big vehicular event, the biennial Auto Shanghai, which gets under way on April 21.

Another roster of new models is preparing to launch, with Volkswagen, Mercedes, and Audi getting ready to make huge announcements alongside Chinese carmakers like Qoros, Nio and Lynk & Co.

Volkswagen has confirmed that Shanghai will see the unveiling of the third in its line of electric I.D. concept cars. Following a futuristic Kombi van-cum-MPV and a reimagining of the Beetle for 2030, this model will be a crossover complete with all-wheel drive and technological aids that will help it autonomously negotiate all types of terrain, not just the urban jungle.

Lynk & Co will be taking things one further with the official launch of an entire electric car company. The new brand, owned by Geely, Volvo's parent firm, will be unveiling its first plug-in production model. With it comes an open digital platform that will let owners turn their vehicles into a potential revenue source through on-demand car hire or ride-sharing.

Qoros will be showing off its latest creation, developed in partnership with Swedish hypercar maker Koenigsegg.

The two firms have already worked together to integrate Koenigsegg's ingenious camshaft-free engine into a mass-production car, and for their latest trick the firms are going to the other extreme of the market with The Super EV concept. It is described as a four-seat electrically-powered super GT, and could well be one of the show's stars.

 A teaser image for the Qoros Super EV Concept.

And the Super EV won't be alone. Audi has chosen Shanghai to debut its e-tron concept which is also expected to be an all-electric or plug-in hybrid performance car.

Meanwhile 10 years after its takeover by Chinese firm, SAIC Motor, MG will be debuting its first new sportscar concept since the ownership change. The MG E-Motion is expected to be a plug-in electric super GT car.

Nio, a firm that has raced into the automotive world with its phenomenal EP9 battery-powered hypercar (the fastest electric car ever to lap the Nürburgring) will show its first series production car, which promises to be a much more sedate electric SUV. However, all that's currently known about the car is that for now at least, it will be exclusive to China.

As exciting as all of these cars might be, the biggest single reveal at this year's event will be the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

The executive luxury sedan will come with a raft of new six- and eight-cylinder and hybrid powertrains, and promises to reset all existing benchmarks in terms of active safety systems and real-world semi-autonomous driving capabilities.

"The development of the new S-Class was extremely extensive. With a whole series of new features and functions the S-Class remains the technological pioneer", said Ola Källenius, Daimler's head of Research and Development.


GM says will be first to profit from electric cars

The Cadillac CT6 will be electrified.
DETROIT: US auto giant General Motors is poised to become the first manufacturer to make a profit from electric vehicles, a GM executive predicted on Monday.

The company leads the pack in reducing the cost of electric vehicles and ultimately offering an affordable version, said Mark Reuss, GM's executive vice president for product development.

Engineers have been working to reduce mass and improve battery efficiency since it does not take as much power to move a lighter-weight vehicle, he said.

"That's the mantra inside product development. That's what all our engineers are all working toward," Reuss told reporters.

And as GM increases production of electric vehicles, particularly in China, where GM has plans to introduce 10 different electric models by 2020, it will help drive down the cost of battery cells.

"We know the customers would like to drive electric but are unwilling to pay, and that's why we're going to be the first company to (produce) electric vehicles that people can afford at a profit," Reuss said.

GM will soon introduce a plug-in, all-electric vehicle based on the Cadillac CT6 luxury sedan, and a Buick extended range electric vehicle similar to the Chevrolet Volt.

Other carmakers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, PSA, Volkswagen, Ford and Tesla are promising to bring out additional electric vehicles, including Tesla's Model 3 due out in July aimed at the middle market.

GM's electric vehicles also will serve as a platform for the company's efforts to launch autonomous vehicles, Reuss said. GM has already begun testing self-driving tests in Detroit, Phoenix and San Francisco.

Reuss noted that deploying a fleet of all-electric autonomous vehicles would help lower battery costs.


Bosch cable simplifies EV charging

                MUNICH: Bosch has introduced the world’s first electric-car charging cable with integrated technology for flexible recharging without a control box.

At under 3kg, the Bosch cable is lightweight, weighing a good 40 percent less than conventional charging cables.

Bosch expects to start selling the cable to vehicle manufacturers and drivers in mid-2022 following its premiere at IAA Munich.

The “charging brick” is the bulky in-cable control box when charging at a 230-volt power socket.

The high-tech cable saves not only weight but also space in the boot. Because it comes with adapters for Type 2 and household plugs, drivers who want to be free to choose whether to recharge from a power socket at home or from a charging station on the road no longer need a second cable.

In effect, recharging electric cars has been simplified.

“With this universal charging cable, Bosch is making electromobility even more customer-friendly,” said Dr Uwe Gackstatter, president of the Bosch Powertrain Solutions division.

“We want to make the new cable standard equipment for electric vehicles.”


London cab firm to keep partition screens until at least summer 2022

                LONDON: In a sign that pandemic may leave a lasting impact on taxis, British cab company Addison Lee has announced it will keep partition screens between drivers and passengers until at least next summer.

The minicab firm began installing the screens to its fleet of 4,000 vehicles in May 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Partitions are already an everyday sight in London's black cabs, where a large rear is separated off from the front by a sheet of hard plastic.

And yet they are less familiar for everyday cab drivers in London and many other parts of the planet, where passengers traditionally share the same interior.

In an effort to protect driver and passengers, taxi drivers from Beijing to New York separated the front and back into two separate bubbles with a layer of soft plastic taped around the driver's seat, from the roof to the console. Others have had their cabs fitted with Plexiglas partitions.

Now, after parts of Britain have relaxed coronavirus restrictions, Addison Lee chief executive Liam Griffin has said safety is the company's "number one priority" and that the company "will continue to lead the industry in hygiene and safety and do all we can to ensure that Londoners have access to clean and safe transport options."

"Our partition screens have protected thousands of passengers and drivers over the course of the pandemic," Griffin said.

Addison Lee said it expects drivers and passengers to continue to wear face coverings, after the government lifted the legal requirement to wear them in certain settings in England last week.


Nissan Navara is Rainforest Challenge official car - again

Tan (left) and Wee at the handover ceremony.
KUALA LUMPUR: Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd (ETCM) has once again returned to the off-roading race scene with its participation in the gruelling Rainforest Challenge (RFC) 2016 with the Nissan Navara as the official car.

ETCM is providing three Navara unitrs with YD25DDTi engine that produces a maximum power output of 163PS and torque of 403Nm. Two of the three units are the 2.5L SE with seven-speed automatic transmission and one 2.5L SE with six-speed manual transmission.

The vehicles are kept standard as possible and only fitted with additional equipment as bull bars, halogen spot lights, winch, protection bars, recovery kit, extreme tyres, suspension and snorkel.

“The Navara is highly rated for its toughness, off-road capabilities and engine performance across the world that requires the ability to weather the drenching rain, mud, slippery slopes, deep ruts, gullies, flooded rivers, and landslides," said ETCM executive director Tan Keng Meng at the handover ceremony of the vehicles to the Rainforest Challenge team.

The special 20th edition RFC 2016 will be held from Nov 24 to Dec 5, starting with contestants’ registration on Nov 24, and a media event on Nov 25 in Publika Shopping Gallery, Kuala Lumpur.

This will then be followed by technical checks and flag off session at Dataran Merdeka on the Nov 26.  RFC 2016 will proceed to Pahang, starting off in Kuantan for the opening Prologue Special Stages on the Nov 27 which furthers into a nine-day hard-core adventure.

Rated among the top 10 toughest motor races in the world, Malaysia hosts the 4X4 off-road racing finale event of RFC Global Series with participation from over 30 nations.

“With the collaboration of ETCM, this event aims to live the passion of 4X4 around the world as well as to bring out the spirit of adventure and teamwork,” said RFC founder and event director Luis J.A. Wee.

“This is also in line to promote the tourism industry, where we will highlight on Visit Pahang Year 2017.

Launched in November last year, the 12th-generation Navara comes from a long line of Nissan pickup heritage spanning over 80 years, with 4 million pick-up owners in 180 countries around the world.

In addition, the Navara had recently won in the Best Pick-Up Truck category at the inaugural CarSifu Editors’ Choice Awards organised by Star Media Group.


KL parking fees up 150%

                KUALA LUMPUR: Effective today, parking charges at Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL)-owned parking bays within the central business district (CBD) are increasing by 150%.

Affected areas are Bukit Bintang, Bukit Damansara, Sri Hartamas, Desa Hartamas, Solaris Mont Kiara, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Bangsar where 75% to 100% parking spaces are taken up during peak hours.

The hourly parking charges in the CBD has been increased from 80sen an hour to RM2 for the first hour.

The rates have been raised to RM3 for the second hour and RM3 for the subsequent hours.

READ MORE:What the public thinks

This means that if you were to park from 7.30 am to 6pm, which is the usual operation hours, you will end up having to pay as much as RM32 a day.

The new parking charges will be enforced in stages from now to Aug 1, which will see an increase of between 100% and 200%, depending on the locality.

Rates will eventually go up by next month in zones outside the city where the parking charges are currently 50sen per hour.

Depending on the zones, motorists will be charged RM1.50 or RM1 per hour, an increase of 100% and 200% respectively.

Areas include Brickfields, Taman Maluri, Cheras, Wangsa Maju and Setapak. The percentage of parking occupancy in these areas are between 55% and 75%.

DBKL owns a total of 46,100 metered parking bays in the city; 22% or 9,914 are located at the CBD area.

There will not be a maximum cap of two hours, as announced earlier by Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan, just yet.

For four decades, parking around the city had been out-sourced to a third party.

 Double and triple parking along Little India in Brickfields causes congestion that backs up to Jalan Syed Putra. — Photos: P. NATHAN/The Star

Last year, DBKL appointed Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan (YWP), the welfare arm of The Federal Territories Ministry, to manage the city’s parking system.

YWP introduced a new and advanced parking system called the City Car Park System (CCP).

Under the agreement, YWP would pay DBKL 35% or RM600,000 of the gross revenue from parking every month.

According to Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Mohd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz, the move to increase the parking rates was not profit driven but was the only way to ease traffic congestion in the city and encourage people to carpool.

“We want to free up as many street parking spaces in the city and encourage people to take public transport or carpool to the city.

“I know I am going to be very unpopular, but it has to be done because traffic in Kuala Lumpur is already bursting at the seams,’’ Amin Nordin said in a StarMetro exclusive.

The mayor shared data obtained from the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) to justify his decision for the high parking charges.

“About 50,000 new cars are registered every month in Kuala Lumpur. These figures are from JPJ,” Amin Nordin said.

“Based on a survey carried out by SPAD, 70% of cars coming into the city centre are single-occupant vehicles (SOV).

“The number of vehicles entering the city, every day, is now at a staggering 3.5 million.

“Just imagine out of that 3.5 million, 70% or 2.4 million are SOV.

“We hope the new parking charges can lead to at least a million SOV drivers to consider taking public transport or carpool to work.

“If you remove one million cars from the city, you will get that Hari Raya sort of car-free roads like what we enjoyed last week.

“That means everyone gets to go home to their families, earlier, to spend quality time with their loved ones and have some time to do things they enjoy,’’ he said.

Amin Nordin added that the current traffic situation had made it increasingly difficult to look for parking space in the city.

“We don’t want to see motorists driving in circles, looking for parking. Some drivers are double- and triple-parking on the roads causing a jam and endangering pedestrians while looking for parking.

“People also have the option to park inside commercial buildings as there are now electronic boards showing the number of parking bays available,’’ he said.

On the two-hour maximum limit for parking at DBKL bays, Amin Nordin said it will not be implemented yet as he wanted to give city folk a chance get used to the new parking charges.

Amin Nordin said in order to solve Kuala Lumpur’s congestion issues, the push and pull factors must be considered.

“On one hand we have the public transport, additional LRT lines, monorail and feeder buses to train stations which are the pull factors, said Amin Nordin.

“The push factors are higher parking fees and reducing parking bays and possible congestion charges.

“Even for new developments in the city, we are asking developers to reduce parking bays.

“This is happening everywhere in the world, even in developed countries that have first-class transportation facilities such as in London and Melbourne. Even with their excellent system, they also have a limit to parking requirements.

“When it comes to parking charges, we are cheapest in the world; with the exception of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

“The last time we increased parking fees was in 1984. Kuala Lumpur is still the cheapest for parking when compared to other states in Malaysia,’’ he added.

Amin Nordin said this was not the first time DBKL had wanted to increase the parking rates; attempts were made several times to revise the rates in 1997 and in 2001.

It is no secret that DBKL is losing money in parking. Previous parking operators did not manage parking well and DBKL had trouble collecting their dues.

Apart from faulty meters and an ageing technology, members of the public also took advantage of the loopholes in the system and did not pay for parking.

Due to the increasing cost to support an outdated parking system that was bleeding away taxpayers monies, it was decided that YWP manage the running of DBKL’s parking.

YWP chief executive officer Datuk Roslan Hassan said the new system, that cost RM23mil, used a Pay-by-Plate system consisting of a carpark software called CALE from Sweden and an enforcement system called Gtechna.

“The system involves real time data transmission whereby all transactions can be observed at the command centre in DBKL,” he said.

He added that parking meters located in the city had already been calibrated in line with the change and now motorists only have to key in their licence plate number and follow simple instructions to pay for their parking fees.

“You can either pay by coins, Touch ‘n Go, or an e-payment method to pay for your parking fee. This can be done via smartphones by downloading the JomParking app,” he said.

Apart from the convenience offered to motorists, enforcement officers can easily monitor to check and verify through their mobile device.

A pilot project was carried out in Taman Tun Dr Ismail last year to test the system. After initial teething problems, the system is working well there.


India's electric vehicles push likely to benefit Chinese car makers

NEW DELHI: India's ambitious plan to push electric vehicles at the expense of other technologies could benefit Chinese car makers seeking to enter the market, but is worrying established automakers in the country who have so far focused on making hybrid models.
India's most influential government think-tank unveiled a policy blueprint this month aimed at electrifying all vehicles in the country by 2032, in a move that is catching the attention of car makers that are already investing in electric technology in China such as BYD and SAIC.

The May 12 report by Niti Aayog, the planning body headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recommends lower taxes and loan interest rates on electric vehicles while capping sales of petrol and diesel cars, seen as a radical shift in policy.

India also plans to impose higher taxes on hybrid vehicles compared with electric, under a new unified tax regime set to come into effect from July 1, upsetting car makers like Maruti Suzuki and Toyota Motor.

The prospect of India aggressively promoting electric vehicles was a "big opportunity", said a source close to SAIC, China's biggest automaker.

 A worker driving a BYD electric truck carrying kitchen waste to a refuse incineration plant in Beijing. — Reuters

"For a newcomer, this is a good chance to establish a modern, innovative brand image," the source said, although they added the company would need more clarity on policy before deciding whether to launch electric vehicles in India.

Earlier this year SAIC set up a local unit called MG Motor which is finalising plans to buy a car plant in western India. A spokesman at SAIC did not comment specifically on the company's India plans.

Warren Buffett-backed BYD already builds electric buses in the country, while rival Chongqing Changan has said it may enter India by 2020.

BYD said in a statement the company would have "a lot more confidence" to engage in the Indian market if the government supported the proposed policy. The company said it would look at increasing its investment in India but did not give details on how it would expand its business and market share.

While the Niti Aayog report has not yet been formally adopted, government sources have said it was likely to form the basis of a new green cars policy.

If so, India would be following similar moves by China, which has been aggressively pushing clean vehicle technologies. But emulating China's success could be tough.

Electric vehicles are expensive due to high battery costs, and car makers say a lack of charging stations in India could make the whole proposition unviable.

The proposed policy focuses on electric vehicles, and is likely to also include plug-in hybrids. But it overlooks conventional hybrid models already sold in India, such as Toyota's Camry sedan, Honda Motor's Accord sedan and so-called mild hybrids built by Maruti Suzuki.

Hybrids combine fossil fuel and electric power, with mild hybrids making less use of the latter.

In doubling down on electric power India would be shifting away from its previous policy, announced in 2015, that supported hybrid and electric technology.

That could delay investments in India, expected to be the world's third-largest passenger car market within the next decade, according to industry executives and analysts.

"All these policy changes will affect future products and investments," said Puneet Gupta, South Asia manager at consultant IHS Markit, adding that most car makers would need to rethink product launches, especially of hybrids.

Mahindra & Mahindra is the only electric car maker in India but has struggled to ramp up sales, blaming low buyer interest and insufficient infrastructure.

Pawan Goenka, managing director at Mahindra said the company was working with the government and other private players to set up charging stations in India. Mahindra was also focusing on developing electric fleet cars and taxis, Goenka said.

The cost of setting up a car charging station in India ranges from US$500 to US$25,000, depending on the charging speed, according to a 2016 report by online journal IOPscience.

While the proposed policy suggests setting up battery swapping stations and using tax revenues from sales of petrol and diesel vehicles to set up charging stations, it does not specify the investment needed or whether the government would contribute.

"For full electric vehicles, the economic gap remains huge and the charging infrastructure needed does not exist," said a spokesman at Tata Motors. The company makes electric buses and is working on developing electric and hybrid cars.

Most automakers have focused on bringing in hybrid models that are seen as a stepping stone to electrification. Toyota recently launched its luxury hybrid brand Prius in India, while Hyundai Motor plans to debut its Ioniq hybrid sedan next year.

"If the government will be aggressive on electric vehicles and not support other technologies, companies will need to rethink investments," said an executive with an Asian carmaker.


Suspended R&D boss at VW's Porsche quits, replacement named

                STUTTGART: Porsche's top engineer has left the sports-car maker, having been suspended since parent company Volkswagen's emissions test-cheating scandal broke last year, Porsche said on Tuesday, adding investigations had found no evidence against him.

Wolfgang Hatz, a former head of group engine development at Volkswagen (VW) and R&D chief at Porsche since 2011, was suspended shortly after VW's manipulations were revealed in September, together with other senior managers.

 Steiner.

Porsche said on Tuesday Hatz had decided to leave because his suspension remained in force more than seven months later.

Porsche's supervisory board has appointed Michael Steiner, head of quality management and a former manager at Daimler, to succeed Hatz immediately, the Stuttgart-based carmaker said.

VW, Europe's largest automaker, said last month an investigation by US law firm Jones Day examining what role if any senior executives played in the scandal was at an advanced stage and due to be completed in the fourth quarter.

VW announced a deal with US regulators last month to buy back or potentially fix about half a million diesel cars which sources and analysts said could cost the German group at least US$10 billion.

The outline settlement does not include nearly 90,000 Porsche, Audi and VW models equipped with six-cylinder diesel engines developed by Audi that also do not comply with US clean air standards.


Neuron Mobility introducing e-scooters in KL but DBKL says 'hold it!'

                KUALA LUMPUR: Electric or e-scooters are uncommon here unlike in some other cities around the world.

But this may change as the e-scooter sharing service is now available here, promising to provide last mile connectivity for public transport users.

City folk may have seen people trying out the bright orange electric vehicles, in selected areas, over the past month.

While most find it a good alternative to walking, there are limitations to using an e-scooter.

“It is easy to use the e-scooter. I only needed 10 to 15 minutes to learn how to ride it,” said Tan Ying Thong, 15.

However, he found it difficult to manoeuvre the vehicle in the busy Bukit Bintang area.

Ginny Poh, 15, said e-scooters were ideal for short distances.

“It is convenient and easy to pay for the ride. The only problem is when it rains,” she said.

David Chan, 28, found the service useful, especially in the city.

“However, I am a little concerned about knocking into someone on the pedestrian walkway,” he said. Testing the waters

Neuron Mobility, a Singapore-based company, introduced the service to Kuala Lumpur following a successful trial run in Cyberjaya.

The expansion to Kuala Lumpur is aimed at providing reliable and comfortable short distance mobility in the city, Neuron Mobility chief executive officer Zachary Wang said.

He said there was positive feedback on the service in Cyberjaya where users comprised a mix of students, office workers as well as those using it for leisure. “The Malaysian market is ready for it, especially in dense cities.

“E-scooters are ideal for travel of more than 1km in the city,” he said, adding that the company had expanded its service to Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Thailand.

Neuron Mobility uses real-time telematics, a proprietary supply chain and predictive analytics.

The company has deployed e-scooters in areas like Masjid Jamek, Lot 10, KLCC, Bukit Nanas and Berjaya Times Square.

“The first stage was to see whether the technology worked in Malaysia by first introducing it in Cyberjaya while the second stage is about providing solutions to congestion problems in the city.

“Right now, we are focusing on raising awareness of the e-scooters and educating riders to use them the right way, including parking at designated places.

“Having these scooters available at the right place at the right time will encourage more people to use them,” Wang said.

Although the failed oBike and the present e-scooters are both meant for short distances as well as providing last mile connectivity, Wang said the latter’s technology and approach was different.Ideal for short trips

“We see them as an enabler. There are limits to how fast and far one can walk and e-scooters are an ideal urban transport solution.“E-scooters allow users to access places within the neighbourhood that they may not necessarily go to otherwise.

“For example, most would hesitate if the nearest convenience store is a 20-minute walk but with an e-scooter, they may consider going to the store. “It provides better accessibility to amenities and benefits local businesses.

“We have worked with local businesses in Bangkok to give incentives and discounts to people who ride an e-scooter to their establishment,” he said.

A small fleet of the e-scooter sharing service was introduced in mid-March here.

To date, there are more than 15,000 users and 95% have given it a four-and-five-star rating, said Wang.

The introductory price is RM1 and the rate goes up by 20 sen per minute.

It also comes with a daily, weekly or monthly fee of RM9, RM38 and RM98, respectively.

“For safety purposes, we have a speed limit of 15kph which is similar to running.“Users should preferably be 16 years old and above but there is no age limit.

“We charge the scooters and check on the brakes regularly,” Wang said, adding that the e-scooters were fitted with GPS.

One trend the company has noticed from the data collected is that users in Kuala Lumpur stay up a little later compared to other cities. There is also anecdotal evidence that people have stopped driving short distances, he said.

“We hope to expand the service so that people in other Malaysian cities can benefit,” said Wang.

To locate an e-scooter, customers will need to download the Neuron - Escooter Sharing mobile application to rent an e-scooter.
 Wang.
E-scooters icons shown in the application indicate their location. Payment is by way of debit or credit card.

In a related development, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) wants Neuron to get proper permits before operating in the city.

DBKL executive director (socio-economic development) Datuk Ibrahim Yusoff said no permits were issued to any company to operate e-scooters in the city.

“I am asking the company providing e-scooter rides to stop operating for now and apply for a permit first. We have to see whether e-scooters are a feasible mode of transportation in the city.

“DBKL has to determine suitable areas to park the vehicles, permitted routes, operational aspects as well as the safety of e-scooter users, motorists and pedestrians. We do not want it to be like oBike,” he said.

“Right now, DBKL is advising the company not to leave the e-scooters in public areas but if this persists, we can seize the scooters. “If the service is found to be suitable, DBKL will consider issuing a permit,” he said.

Neuron Mobility said in a statement that it was working closely with the authorities to operate the service.

“We believe that our service provides an affordable and convenient transport option for short distances which will help reduce congestion in the city,” the company said.


Take care of your tyres during MCO

                PETALING JAYA: With the lockdown restricting how much we can use our cars for extended periods, tyre brand Falken suggests six quick tips to prevent damage that can occur during longer lay-ups.

Now’s the perfect time to inspect your tyres. Check for uneven tread wear as well as any cuts, bulges in the sidewall. In the tread surface, check for nails and screws embedded in the tyre and if there are stones lodged in the tread, carefully remove these.

Are all the valve caps present? Valve caps prevent dirt and moisture from getting in the valve and causing issues. Replace any missing ones.

Check tyre pressures and increase them by around 15PSI over the standard recommended pressure whilst the car is laid up. This will prevent damage and potential flat spots. Put a note inside the car to remind you to return the pressures to normal when you start using it again.

If you are planning on laying up your car for an even longer period, consider jacking the car up so the tyres aren’t in contact with the ground. So-called "tyre trainers" that support the tyre to minimise flat spots and premature perishing, are another option.

If you can, put the car in a garage. The darker and cooler conditions will protect the tyres. If your car is outside, tyre covers, made from a reflective aluminium material, are also an option to shield from sunlight and other weather damage.

If you have any queries or questions about tyres, Falken recommends getting them inspected by a tyre dealer once restrictions allow.


Opel's Geneva concept hints at a production sports coupé

FRANKFURT: The Opel GT Concept is an exercise in looking backwards to go forward but that doesn't mean the show car, set to make its debut in Geneva on March 1, is in any way retro.

It is a statement of genuine confidence and of optimism from a marque that's on the rise in Europe whether as Opel or Vauxhall and as various GM-badged models in the US.

"We created the GT Concept to capture the bold, emotional spirit of both the Vauxhall and Opel brands," said Mark Adams, Vice President of Opel and Vauxhall Design Europe. "It is dramatic, sculptural and full of innovations, which is our great tradition that we intend to continue."

Buick is credited with inventing the concept of the concept car, back in 1938, and it's hard to believe that it took a further 24 years before a European manufacturer followed suit. Part of the GT Concept's job is to remind everyone that that company was Vauxhall Opel and that its first concepts were about lightweight performance.

"In the mid-Sixties, Vauxhall and Opel created their own interpretations of a light-weight sports car -- the XVR and the Experimental GT -- both of which were thoroughly modern with dynamic sculptural forms," said Adams.

The Experimental GT became a production car, the Opel GT, and was as radical as it was popular, ditching fripperies in search of driver entertainment and the new GT Concept follows a similar formula.

With rear-wheel drive and a compact turbocharged engine mounted up front, but behind the front axle for better weight distribution, it promises to be a real driver's car. "[It is] absolutely pure, minimalistic, yet bold and uncompromising," explains Adams.

The engine only has three cylinders and 145PS on tap, but the car weighs less than 1000kg, so it goes from 0-100km/h in under 8 seconds and onto a top speed of 134mph.

But as well as handling, the car is not short on style. The panoramic roof offers a sense of open-top motoring, whatever the weather and things such as door handles and wing mirrors have been omitted in order to keep the car's lines as strong and uninterrupted as possible.

Perhaps the most impressive visual touch is a treatment on the side glass that makes the doors appear as solid objects that run right up to the roof.

But best of all, this car clearly points to a possible production model in the future. The marque has been missing a sports coupé in its lineup for far too long, and the GT Concept is clearly testing the market.


2020 World Car Awards jury nails down three finalists

                TORONTO: A jury of 86 international automotive journalists has narrowed down the finalists for the 2020 World Car Awards to two Mazdas and a Kia.

They are the Mazda3, Mazda CX-30 and Kia Telluride.

Each member of the jury picked the finalists by secret ballot based on their evaluation of each eligible vehicle as part of the screening process. KPMG tabulated the vote results.

The Road to the World Car Awards is an annual journey that follows our 86 international jurors as they test-drive, and vote on, the eligible vehicles for the 2020 awards season.

There are several stops along the road. One of the first took place in Los Angeles in November for the sixth annual “L.A. Test Drives” event hosted by ZF.

READ MORE: PSA's Carlos Tavares is 2020 World Car Person of the Year

Then, the Top 10 and Top Five finalists in five World Car Awards categories were announced live during a press conference held at the Delhi auto show on Feb 5.

The Road to the World Car Awards will end with a grande finale awards ceremony at the New York International Auto Show. All winners in all categories will be declared at this time. This year marks the 15th year of the World Car Awards’ partnership with the New York auto show. The show, however, has been put off to August because of the Covid-19 epidemic.

Finalists in subsidiary awards are:

World Urban Car
Kia Soul EV
Mini Electric
Volkswagen T-Cross

World Luxury Car
Mercedes Benz EQC
Porsche 911
Porsche Taycan

World Performance Car
Porsche 718 Spyder/Cayman GT4
Porsche 911
Porsche Taycan

World Car Design of the Year
Mazda3
Peugeot 208
Porsche Taycan


Ford urges other automakers to follow California clean air rules

                DETROIT: Ford Motor Co. is prodding other automakers to embrace more stringent automotive clean air standards set by California in another blow to President Donald Trump’s efforts to limit the state’s ability to set tougher emissions rules as the industry prepares for the Biden administration.

A day before an industry trade group meeting, a top Ford executive encouraged his competitors to unify in supporting the California standards to prepare for more stringent rules expected from President-elect Joe Biden.

The plea comes a week after General Motors Co. dropped its support for Trump’s efforts to strip California of its authority on auto emissions.

"During the last year and a half of the Trump Administration, we essentially split into two camps,” Kumar Galhotra, Ford’s president of the Americas and international markets, wrote in a Monday letter seen by Bloomberg News.

"The Biden Administration will not let the Trump standards stand, and either by way of litigation and/or a regulatory reboot, the new team will move in a different, more stringent direction.”

Ford last year supported the California regulations, along with Honda Motor Co., Volkswagen AG, and BMW, which earned them the wrath of Trump, who tweeted they were "foolish executives.”

Ford also backed California governor Gavin Newsom’s order banning gasoline-powered cars in his state by 2035, which he signed on the hood of an electric Mustang Mach-E.

GM, Toyota Motor Corp. and Fiat Chrysler automobiles NV sided with Trump in a lawsuit aimed at stripping California of it regulatory power over autos.

Rachel McCleery, a Ford spokesman, declined to comment on the letter but reiterated the company’s support for basing national standards on the California model.

"From the beginning we’ve said that our agreement with California is the best path forward for the environment, our customers and the short and long-term health of the auto industry,” she said in an email.

On a visit to a Ford factory last May, Trump expressed his displeasure to executive chairman Bill Ford that the automaker was not standing with him.

"He wasn’t very happy,” Bill Ford recalled to Automotive News in an article published Monday.

"I explained to him that it’s the right business decision and that frankly, if we have to engineer things twice - Product A for certain states, Product B for the rest of the states - it’s not a great position to be in.”

Galhotra made a similar argument in his letter to rivals, which was reported earlier by Reuters.

"The process to get to new standards is disjointed and complicated and that means the predictability we all crave will be hard to find,” Galhotra wrote.

"Given the outcome of the election, and the pressing issues that extend beyond fuel economy and the scope of these standards, it would be an enormous value for the industry to be able to pivot quickly and move forward with a single standard.”


Toyota pumps US$400mil into Pony.ai to deepen driverless pact

                SHANGHAI: Toyota Motor Corp. invested US$400 million in Pony.ai to strengthen its ties with the Chinese provider of driverless-car systems.

The investment extends the companies’ partnership formed last year and pushes Pony.ai’s valuation to more than US$3 billion, the startup said in a statement. The pact enables a "deeper integration” of Pony.ai’s technology with Toyota’s vehicles.

"It will enable us to make the commercialisation of autonomous-driving vehicles faster,” Pony.ai chief executive officer James Peng said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. "We will put more money into building up the fleet.”

Automakers are striking pacts with driverless-system providers to gain expertise and fend off competition from technology companies seeking to enter the transport business.

For Pony.ai, a relationship with Toyota is a vote of confidence as it seeks to take on US rivals such as Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo.

Pony.ai has two testing sites in California and it runs a pilot service with Hyundai Motor Co. in Irvine, Orange County, that provides rides to members of the public. On Wednesday, the company announced a service to City of Fremont employees, offering last-mile rides in its autonomous vehicles between a local transport hub and some of Fremont’s public buildings.

Toyota required no exclusive access to the technology and is open to Pony.ai partnering with other automakers, Peng said.

Last year, Toyota and Pony.ai announced a pilot project on public roads in Beijing and Shanghai, using Lexus RX vehicles and Pony.ai’s autonomous driving system. The companies now plan to explore further cooperation in mobility services.

The coronavirus outbreak has had a "limited” impact on Pony.ai, which has resumed some testing and business operations in China, Peng said.

Founded in 2016, Pony.ai’s investors also include Sequoia Capital China and IDG Capital. The total size of the newest funding round was US$462 million, with existing investors putting in US$62 million.


Opel brings back Manta as an electric sports car

                FRANKFURT: German carmaker Opel is reviving the Manta coupe as an electric car several decades after the cult model was dropped from the range.

Opel said the new Opel Manta GSe ElektroMOD harks back to the legendary Manta of 1970. It joins a growing number of restoration mods, old-school designs that blend original features with new technologies.

The Manta electric is based on the range-topping GSr model of yore and gets a digital cockpit and LED headlights, which are a nod to the company's latest Vizor front-end design language.

The clean look has already been applied to the Mokka and Crossland. The the next-generation Astra will get the corporate facelift in due course.

"What was sculptural and straightforward half a century ago still fits perfectly with the Opel design philosophy today. The Opel Manta GSe ElektroMOD stands there boldly and clear," said Opel. The maker has pledged to electrify all its models between now and 2024.

Technical specifications are sketchy but expect an electric motor powering the rear wheels.

Opel said zero-emission Manta was inspired by the brand’s Elektro-GT of 50 years ago. That prototype offered nimble performance but a modest range of only 44km between charges using a nickel cadmium battery,

The original petrol-powered Manta was a working man’s sports coupe and fierce rival of the contemporary Ford Capri. It was the butt of many jokes but went on to enjoy a cult following and star in the spoof "Manta, Manta" film.

In the old days, enthusiastic Manta owners loved to kit out their cars with flared arches, wide wheels and and go-faster stripes. The new electric version will probably be spared that fate.


Porsche CEO eyes cooperation with Chinese technology giants

                SHANGHAI: Porsche AG is exploring joint projects with Chinese technology giants including Tencent Holdings Ltd, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Baidu Inc to expand digital offerings in its largest market and bolster sales.

Country-specific features for voice recognition, navigation and integration of the ubiquitous WeChat messaging service will be developed locally, Porsche chief executive officer Oliver Blume said in an interview here this week. The sports car maker also signed an agreement to expand its research cooperation with Tongji University on Wednesday.

“We want to have the right partnerships in place in each individual region,” Blume said. “It’s a misconception to believe all this can be developed in Germany.”

The move builds on efforts by Volkswagen AG’s most profitable brand to cater to the Chinese, who overwhelmingly use Alibaba-backed AutoNavi and Tencent’s WeChat instead of Google Maps and WhatsApp.

China’s emergence as the world’s largest electric-car market also gives it a key role for Porsche’s plan to boost its lineup of fully and partly battery-powered vehicles. The company’s first all-electric model, the Taycan, is due to come out later this year and will be followed by a more spacious Cross Turismo version.

Local tastes

Other China-specific features in the works include interior illumination or softer suspension to meet local tastes. But despite the country’s growing importance, Porsche seeks to maintain a balanced global sales footprint to avoid becoming too dependent on one market, Blume said. North America, China and Europe currently each account for roughly a third of global deliveries.

The Stuttgart, Germany-based manufacturer faced a bumpy start to the year as worldwide sales fell 12% in the first quarter, triggered by production bottlenecks in the wake of more complex emissions tests in Europe, the brand’s decision to cull diesel engines and model changeovers.

Still, Porsche expects full-year sales to rise to a record this year, even as the economic outlook weakens in some key markets. The luxury brand is particularly exposed to trade tariffs as it produces all its vehicles in Europe. But it has more leeway to adjust prices for its well-heeled buyers than mass-market manufacturers.

Porsche predicts a slight rise in revenue this year, helped by the introduction of the latest iteration of its iconic 911 sportscar. The 911 shaped the brand’s cachet for decades and has a loyal fan base in the US and Europe.

Customers in China have mainly opted for its Macan and Cayenne SUVs, but Porsche’s efforts to promote its sports cars in China, including building a race track outside Shanghai, are making “steady progress”, Blume said. The country has become the biggest sales region for the two-seater 718 Boxster and Cayman, he said, which are less expensive than the 911.


Refreshed Mercedes-AMG GLA and GLB boast more features and improved technology

                AFFALTERBACH (Germany): With many innovations and an expanded range of standard features, Mercedes-AMG compact SUVs are undergoing the next model cycle.

The newly styled front apron with AMG logo and the light signatures at the front and rear make a strong visual statement. LED technology is now the standard lighting package, with MULTIBEAM LED headlights optionally available.

Standout features of the model updates: The GLA wheel arch extensions are now painted in the same colour as the vehicle.

AMG engine electrified

On the engine side, the GLA 35 4MATIC will now be fitted with the belt-driven starter generator (RSG) and an additional 48 volt on-board power supply as standard.

The second-generation RSG functions as a mild hybrid.

In addition to the temporary power boost of 10 kW (14 PS), it permits such functions as coasting and recuperation for greater efficiency.

The 48 volt technology also improves comfort, with the transitions of the start/stop and coasting function barely noticeable.

The 225 kW (306hp) output of the high-torque 2.0 litre 4-cylinder turbo engine is distributed to all four wheels via the AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 8G transmission and the AMG Performance 4MATIC all-wheel drive. The sporty driving performance is combined with a wide range of driving experience modes, from highly dynamic to smooth touring.

Latest MBUX generation

The latest generation of the AMG Performance steering wheel is standard.

Through the AMG steering wheel buttons, drivers can access important functions and all driving programs without taking their hands off the wheel.

The MBUX infotainment system is also state-of-the-art, with an AMG-specific screen design and expanded functions.

Mini-games will help to fill in the waiting time when parking.

Apple Car Play and Android Auto can be connected wirelessly to the vehicle. Connectivity is improved with higher USB charging performance and an additional USB-C port.

The models are also provided with several driver assistance systems such as the Active Lane Keeping Assist that improves comfort by intervening with a gentle nudge instead of activating the ESP system.

The next generation of the Parking Package supports parallel parking and offers 360° visualisation in camera-assisted parking using 3D images.

 GLB 35 4MATIC .New options for all models

New light-alloy wheels are available for all Mercedes AMG GLA and GLB models: in the 19-inch range, a 10-spoke AMG wheel in bicolour matt black with turned surface finish.

Two 20-inch AMG wheels in a 5 double spoke design are also available in bicolour matt black with turned surface or wheel flange.

New protective covers for the standard sports seats or the AMG performance seats optionally available for the GLA give the SUV interior a contemporary feel.

The combination of ARTICO man-made leather and MICROCUT microfibre can now also be ordered in bahia brown.

The latest colour for ARTICO man-made leather is sage grey / black. Red pepper/black is now available for the leather seat covers for the first time.

In the trim elements, the options now include open-pore brown lime wood.