Don't lend cars to foreigners without driving licences, warn cops

                GEORGE TOWN: The police will take stern action against those who lend their cars to foreigners without a driving licence, especially if it results in a fatal accident.

Penang police chief Datuk T. Narenasagaran said car owners could have their licence suspended or be subjected to heavy penalties if their vehicles were involved in fatal accidents.

"Recently, there have been several cases of accidents involving foreigners driving vehicles borrowed from locals which have caused the deaths of other road users.

"I am giving a stern warning to vehicle owners. You will be held responsible if your car is involved in an accident. Never lend your car to a foreigner without a valid driving licence.

"In the event of an accident, the owner may be charged under the Penal Code with causing death by negligence, ” he told reporters here today.

He was met after witnessing the handing over of duties from outgoing northeast district police chief SAC Che Zaimani Che Awang to ACP Soffian Santong.

Narenasagaran also said that the police will arrest the female Vietnamese driver whose car crashed into a garbage truck driver near the Federal Building on Jalan Anson here on Saturday once she is discharged from the private hospital where she is receiving treatment.

"The initial investigation shows that she has a Vietnam driving licence but we will confirm with the Road Transport Department on the status of her licence. At the time of the accident, she was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, ” he said.

In the 6.40am incident, 62-year-old Mukhtar Bahari was seriously injured after being hit by the car while cleaning his truck on the road shoulder.

Prior to that, 59-year-old Penang Island City Council employee Mohaidin Gani Mohamad was killed when he was knocked down at Datuk Keramat here by a car driven by a woman from China who was suspected to be drunk at the time.


Catch Toyota Gazoo Malaysia at S1K Race with inaugural of Vios Enduro Cup at Sepang this weekend

                SHAH ALAM: Fresh from the finale of Season 4 of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival and Vios Challenge race series, Gazoo Racing Malaysia will mount an assault on the Sepang 1000KM Endurance Race (S1K) with a two-car entry in the MTC Production Class and SP2 production class this weekend.

The prestigious annual race will also see the running of the inaugural Vios Enduro Cup for privateers and dealer teams competing in the SP2 Production Class.

Fighting for outright victory in the MTC Production class will be the trio of three-time Vios Challenge Super Sporting Class champion and also Gazoo Racing Malaysia Ambassador Tengku Djan Ley, newly-minted Vios Challenge Rookie Class champion 20-year-old Naquib Azlan and Gazoo Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer Akio Takeyama.

The S1K race will be the first for Naquib who up until last year, had only been racing online behind the wheel of a simulator.

He was one of six divers recruited into the Gazoo Racing Young Talent Development Program and later provided with the opportunity to compete in the Rookie Class for young drivers.

The SP2 Production Class meanwhile, will see the combination of Vios Challenge Rookie Class drivers Mika Hakimi and Jwan Hii partnering Promotional Class driver, actor and Season 4’s first runner-up Zizan Razak.

Zizan proved to be a worthy contender in this year’s Vios Challenge Promotional Class races clinching podium finishes in all races.

Being the most experienced racer amongst the SP2 Production Class team, Zizan is expected to bring his A-game and winning attitude as well as flair into the race.

Mika and Jwan finished had third and fourth overall respectively in the recently concluded Vios Challenge, and will also be making their debut in the S1K.

Like Naquib, both drivers are also graduates of the Gazoo Racing Young Talent Development Program with 17-year-old Mika too hailing from a background of simulator racing while 18-year-old Jwan’s racing experience had previously raced karts.

“The two entries in S1K are to fulfill several objectives if you look closely at the driver line-up. Yes, we will be gunning for both outright and class victories, it is also the start of expanding Gazoo Racing Malaysia’s presence in Malaysian motorsports, but the participation is also to provide a platform for new, talented and especially young drivers to race in an even more competitive environment beyond the Vios Challenge,” said Takeyama.

 A scene from an earlier edition of the S1K Race in Sepang.

The Vios Enduro Cup meanwhile, will run concurrently with the S1K and is designed to bring the Vios Challenge race cars and its drivers beyond their traditional hunting grounds.

The Cup will offer a first prize of RM10,000, while the second and third place winners stand to win RM8,000 and RM6,000 respectively.

A cash prize of RM4,000 and RM2,000 is also up for grabs for the fourth and fifth place finishers in the race.

The 1000km race is expected to take nine hours covering 181 laps of the Sepang International Circuit.

Takeyama said joining a prestigious national series event like the S1K is the start of growing Gazoo Racing Malaysia’s presence in Malaysian motorsports.

“Up until now, our attention has been devoted to developing and strengthening the Vios Challenge one-make racing series which has just recently concluded its fourth successful season.

“This will be a great way of completing this year’s racing calendar which has been extremely challenging as a result of the global pandemic.

“Of course, winning the event will certainly be the icing on the cake! We will be going for the overall victory but considering this will only be our second outing in S1K, we will be equally happy to finish competitively at the top.” said Takeyama.

Also making its debut in the MTC Production Class of this year’s S1K will be a brand-new Toyota Yaris driven by Season 3’s Vios Challenge Sporting Class champion and 16-year-old Hayden Haikal who will partner another young and talented driver Timothy Yeo, representing Wing Hin Motorsports, a Toyota dealer.

They will be joined in the MTC Production Class by Season 2’s Vios Challenge Super Sporting Class champion Boy Wong and Vios Challenge Sporting Class driver Dannies Ng in a Vios.

The pair had finished third overall in S1K in 2019.

In 11 years that the race has been held since 2009 to 2019, Toyota has won the race twice with private entries behind the wheel of an AE86 in 2010 and a Corolla Altis in 2011.

For details, log on to www.toyota.com.my.


Over RM8.8mil claimed in child car seat rebates, says Miros

                JOHOR BARU: A total of 61,957 recipients from the B40 group have claimed rebates totalling RM8.8mil under the Malaysian Family Child Restraint System Purchase Subsidy programme (MyCRS) since March 1.

Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) in a statement said the rebate programme under Budget 2022 that ended today had received a total of 527,254 applications.

The programme provided a 50% rebate or up to RM150 for the B40 group to buy child seats.

"This initiative is one of the government's efforts to ease the burden of the B40 group to buy and own quality CRS (child car seats) at a reasonable price," read the statement.

According to Miros, one of the efforts to promote MyCRS is through the MyCRS tour, which was held to help eligible members of the public to register and obtain subsidy application approval immediately.

"This programme is a responsibility of the government to members of the Malaysian Family to improve the safety of child passengers in vehicles apart from supporting business continuity and economic recovery in Malaysia," said MIROS director-general Datuk Dr Khairil Anwar Abu Kassim.

He said the implementation of the subsidy programme has received cooperation and strong support from the Transport Ministry and distributors and authorised representatives of child seat sellers, adding that Miros was always committed to the efforts to raise the awareness of the public, especially parents, in the use of seat belts and child seats.

Khairil Anwar said he hoped that the MyCRS initiative will be a catalyst and a new beginning towards cultivating road safety practices among the public.

Earlier, Khairil Anwar officiated at the closing ceremony in conjunction with the last day of the MyCRS programme here where various activities were held including a child seat inspection to provide guidance and advice to parents in ensuring that it is suitable to the prescribed age and height limit.


If you drive and play Pokemon, you will be fined RM300

                KUALA LUMPUR: Those found playing Pokemon Go while driving can be fined up to RM300, said the Road Transport Department.

RTD director general Datuk Nadzri Siron said the penalty was in line with the offence of using a mobile phone while driving.

"Whether a driver is using a mobile phone for communication purposes or to 'catch' a Pokeman character, it is still an offence and a similar action will be taken against the offenders," he told Bernama here Wednesday.

And if the act of using a mobile phone or playing Pokeman Go while driving caused accidents or loss of lives, offenders will be arrested and charged under the Road Transport Act 1986, said Nadzri.

"There is no compromise on the issue of public safety," he said, and advised the public to be constantly vigilant and put their safety and that of other road users first.

According to him, so far no action has been taken against any driver for playing Pokemon Go while driving. Pokemon Go has sparked a new wave in reality games. It is a conventional stealth game whereby the player needs to find and play against virtual characters based on real world locations detected via smartphones.

The app was officially launched on June 6 this year in Australia, New Zealand and the United States before spreading to over 30 countries.


Volkswagen Fest 2018: October 12 to 14 in Setia Alam

                SETIA ALAM: The second edition of the Volkswagen Fest is running from 12th till 14th October, 2018 at Setia City Convention Centre in Setia Alam.

Opening hours are:

- 10am – midnight (12th – 13th October 2018)
- 10am – 10pm (14th October 2018)

Organised by Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM), the three-day festival sees  visitors test driving a variety of Volkswagen models, and enjoying rebates and amazing deals on new and pre-owned cars.

There will also be free petrol vouchers worth RM3,000 on selected pre-owned cars and on “Starbuys” such as the Vento from as low as RM55,888 and the Golf GTI from as low as RM188,888.

Volkswagen buyers can take advantage of the ongoing Price Protection Scheme, which is still applicable for all cars registered before 30 November.

For those who want to sell off their current vehicle for a Volkswagen, there will be a free car evaluation and quick loan checks by a partner bank to assist in their hire purchase applications.

For existing Volkswagen owners, they will enjoy a free vehicle check on their cars at the designated aftersales booth.

Also, Volkswagen is offering a special after-sales membership for the first 200 owners with cars that are four years and older.

Visitors can also expect a congregation of current and classic VWs courtesy of enthusiasts from around the country.

There is also an outdoor movie screening on the 12th October at 8:30pm of the iconic Volkswagen Beetle starring in Herbie Fully Loaded (2005), and a mini concert with popular local bands such as Paperplane Pursuit, Talitha Tan and Bunkface on the 13th of October from 7.45pm.

Other activities include the array of Klang Valley’s best food trucks, busker performances and Instagram-worthy art installations.

For fitness buffs, a sunrise Yoga and HIIT workout session is available on 14th October, Sunday morning from 8am till 10am.


Gaddafi's superluxury Maybach Coupe goes on sale in Netherlands

                BERLIN: A superluxury Maybach Coupe ordered by Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi shortly before he was overthrown and killed has gone on sale for more than a million dollars in the Netherlands.

The 612-horsepower car is number four of only eight double-M coupes produced to special order by the now defunct German coachbuilder Xenatec.

The Maybach 57 S Cruisero Coupe has covered just 2,300km and is effectively brand-new, says dealer Auto Leitner in Alkmaar. The car carries a price tag of €961,950 (RM4.7mil) including purchase tax.

Gaddafi paid for the car in 2010 and arranged for it to be shipped to Libya but it is believed the Maybach never left Germany. It was later bought by a collector.

Gaddafi was ousted in 2011 after more than four decades in power. On October 20, 2011, Libyan officials announced that Gaddafi had died near his home town of Sirte, possibly in a gun battle following a Nato aerial attack.

The impressive two-door Maybach is 11cm longer than its arch-rival, the Rolls-Royce Phantom, and features a lower roof than the standard 57 limousine on which it is based. It is finished in desert-style two-tone light brown metallic with white flanks

Along with fancy leather and deep-pile brown carpets, the interior boasts several extras, including heated seats with massage functions, a stereo system, a television and a DVD player. A box between the rear seats is reserved for bottles of champagne.

After poor sales, the Maybach badge was taken over by Daimler and ceased to exist as a separate brand from 2013. British car gazette CAR said Maybach lost around €330,000 (RM1.6mil) on every car it produced.


VIDEO Shootout: Honda City vs VW Vento vs Mazda2 vs Renault Clio GT Line

                Small cars are popular with Malaysians and form the bulk of vehicular traffic today. They are in demand because they represent a good mix of value, space, comfort, safety and fuel economy.

In this round of CarSifu shootouts, we have rustled up three sedans for examination - the Mazda2 sedan, Volkswagen Vento and Honda City. We have also tossed in the Renault Clio GT Line hatchback into the ring to give a twist to the competition and make it more intriguing.

The Vento and Clio share a common thread in that both have a downsized 1.2-litre turbocharged engines with torquey servings. In contrast, the Mazda2 and City are sedans with 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engines.

The Vento and City are locally assembled, while the Mazda2 and Clio GT Line are imported from Thailand and Europe respectively.

Volkswagen Vento 1.2L TSI Highline

This locally-assembled 1.2-litre turbocharged Vento TSI sedan in Highline trim will set you back RM94,461 (excluding insurance).

A five-year warranty with unlimited mileage and mobility guarantee is offered, and it is the most powerful car in its class with 175Nm of torque. Power is transferred via the lightning-quick 7-speed direct shift gearbox (DSG), and it runs on wide, low profile tyres sized 215/45 R16.

What this means is a very rewarding driver’s car, and you get to have lots of thrills on twisty roads and high-speed cruising on open highways. The kit level here is more than decent although there are no leather seats, touchscreen display or reverse camera.

You get a big 454-litre boot, four airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), hill hold control, one-touch powered side windows, and rear air-conditioning vents. The roomy cabin has more than enough rear leg and head room for 1.7-m adults.

For those who want a car that combines family practicality and lots of driving fun, the Vento TSI sedan is tough to beat in the sub-RM100,000 car segment.

Mazda2 sedan

The Mazda2 model featured in this shootout has been in the Malaysian market for almost two years, having been launched in early 2015.

This B-segment vehicle, available in either a sedan or hatchback, proves that when you get the design right, it does not get marred by time and it still looks good today as it did when it was launched. Mazda’s Kodo design language combined with its SkyActiv technology - the Japanese marque’s hollistic approach to making its vehicles more efficient - makes the Mazda2 a stand out compared to its competitors.

It has a naturally aspirated 1.5litre SkyActiv-G four-cylinder petrol engine with direct injection which outputs 114hp at 6,000rpm and 148Nm of torque at 4,000rpm mated to a slick 6-speed SkyaActiv-Drive automatic transmission. It also features the idling stop system, i-stop.

The interior is decked leather seats and is feature packed with automatic climate control, paddle shifters and heads-up display, Mazda Connect system with seven-inch touchscreen and Commander Control system, six speakers, reverse camera, keyless entry with push-start button, tilt and telescopic steering. The minimalist and compact design of the dashboard finishes it off with a touch of elegance.

Safety-wise it comes with two airbags, anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, traction control, dynamic stability control, and all-round disc brakes.

This year, the Mazda2 gets LED headlights with signature LED DRLs to make it even more stunning to look at.
The review unit however, comes with the halogen headlights. While the difference between the LED headlights and halogen is significant, you forget about aesthetics once you are behind the wheel.

The Mazda2 was obviously made for those who enjoy driving. The acceleration is smooth and punchy. The handling is impressive especially around corners. The steering is sharp and responsive and, eventhough it comes with electric power steering (EPS), there is more feedback compared to the other cars. The Mazda 2 is just a fun car to drive and you will want to drive it more once you had the taste of it.

Price starts from RM85,000 and comes with a three year manufacture warranty or 100,000km whichever comes first and three years free maintenance or 60,000km whichever comes first.

Honda City 1.5L V Grade

This is the top-grade Honda City which costs RM92,000 on-the-road, and has a five-year warranty with unlimited mileage. It’s not hard to see why it is such a popular buy, with its high equipment level.

You get a class-leading six airbags, vehicle stability assist (VSA), hill start assist, rear air-conditioning vents, smart entry with push-start ignition, touch panel automatic air-conditioning, two USB sockets and three power sockets for your gadgets, and eight cup holders.

There is also a seven-inch display audio system with MirrorLink function, mated to eight speakers (the most in its segment). The City also has a class-leading 536-litre boot, which can fit three large suitcases or four small ones, golf bags and a baby pram.

It’s also a very nippy car, with a 1.5-litre SOHC i-VTEC engine that punches out 120PS and 145Nm of torque.
Power delivery from the continuous variable transmission (CVT) is smooth and responsive, and the City is also easy on the driver with an electric power steering.

Regarding maintenance over 60 months (5 years) or 100,000km, according to the Honda Malaysia website, it will come close to RM3,600.

Renault Clio GT Line

The Clio GT Line was a last-minute entry into the shootout.

Although a hatchback, it shares a similar trait with the Vento. Both sport a 1.2-litre turbocharged engine, but the Clio spews more horses and more torque, producing 120hp at 4,900rpm and 190Nm at 2,000rpm. In addition, the French hatch gets a 6-speed dual clutch automatic transmission while the German sedan has a 7-speed dual clutch.

Launched in Malaysia last October, the Clio GT Line shares platform with the Renault Captur compact SUV.

Its looks appeal, appearing almost as sassy as the Clio R.S. 200, with a decent-sized boot space and plenty of cubby holes. The cabin is a pleasant place to be in especially from the driving position. The interior offers high comfort levels, more so in front.

At the back, you sit higher and headroom is limiting if you are tall but legroom and elbow room are fine if only two persons are in the back bench. The dash doesn’t have too many buttons to deal with, which is a good thing – so that you can focus on the business of driving.

But with a less powerful engine, the driving fun is also knocked down a few pegs. It’s not the hot hatch you envision but certainly the looks is there plus a fair bit of driving fun once you plant the car in its power band. The drivetrain is not as responsive in standard auto mode but is more lively when placed in manual sequential mode.

Being fully imported, the Clio is the priciest of the lot at RM118,000 while the rest are sub-RM100K. Renault tries to soften the impact with a generous amount of kit such as a keyless system, cruise control and speed limiter, a 7-inch touchscreen with navigation, automatic wipers and headlights, automatic climate control as well as electronic stability control with anti-slip control, anti-lock braking and emergency brake assist.

This Clio also gets the Renault Bass Reflex stereo system, which to our less than audiophilic ears, sounded normal without being particularly a standout feature.

The Clio is backed by a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty with unlimited mileage. It is available in blue, white or black; red is a RM5,000 option.

VERDICT

While both the 1.2-litre turbocharged German and French cars deliver high levels of driving joy, we liked the Vento more as it has a more ferocious nature despite being outclassed in the power department by the Clio GT Line.

This is due to the Vento’s DSG having a Sport mode, which translates into quicker acceleration and powertrain
response.

The Clio GT Line’s 6-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox lacks a Sport mode, although you can manually control gear shifts via a Tiptronic mode.

However, the naturally aspirated 1.5-litre Japanese cars here are no slouches in performance either. — GEORGE WONG, THOMAS HUONG and RIZAL JOHAN


H2 Mobility gets US$121mil from investors to build hydrogen network

                FRANKFURT: Germany's H2 Mobility fuelling station network said today it will get an extra €110 million (RM511mil/US$121mil) over the next five years to roll out more infrastructure for fuel cell vehicles powered by hydrogen.

Of the total sum, hydrogen investment platform Hy24 will inject €70 million (RM325mil) through the Clean H2 Infra Fund, which it manages, and H2 Mobility's seven other existing shareholders will stump up €40 million (RM186mil).

Green hydrogen is in the spotlight in Europe, where European Union environment ministers want truck CO2 emissions cut by a third by 2030 from 2019 levels.

While battery powered vehicles have established a lead in the truck sector, fuel cell driven ones are expected in greater numbers in the long-haul segment in a fierce technology battle.

H2 Mobility's existing investors are industrial gases makers Air Liquide and Linde, Daimler Truck and Hyundai Motor Co, utility OMV and oil companies Total and Shell.

H2 Mobility's managing director Nikolas Iwan said the money being raised will go into expanding the fuelling station network and gradually help it become profitable.

"We operate 92 stations, some can serve trucks already today, all can serve light commercial vehicles and passenger cars," he said.

"The next step is to create stations with more refuelling capacity to be ready for the expected ramp-up of intensive use vehicles, in particular trucks and buses, due to come from the auto manufacturers," he said.

Iwan said H2 Mobility aspired to break-even in 2026, once anchor customers bring more volume.

Hy24 is a joint venture between private equity firm Ardian and big energy, chemical and financial firms grouped in the FiveT Hydrogen investment platform.


ADVERTORIAL: Mazda3 stays evergreen

                The Mazda3 may have arrived on our shores two years ago, but it still hasn’t lost its good looks, thanks to the combination of flowing lines and bold curves of this sporty C-segment vehicle that’s available in three exciting variants and equipped with a very capable 2.0-litre SkyActiv-G engine that literally comes to life at the push of a button.

The Mazda3’s form follows function, starting with the Japanese carmaker’s signature low-hanging five-point grille that leads the defining body lines and powerful stance that’s in line with the brand’s ‘KODO - Soul of Motion’ design cue, which aims to capture the muscular beauty of an animal or person leaping into motion.

With prices starting from just a tickle over RM105,000, there are three variants (GL, Sedan High and Hatchback) to choose from, along with four refined colours of Arctic White, Meteor Grey Mica, Aluminium Metallic and Blue Reflex Mica to accentuate its lean appearance and crouching stance.

Adding to the Mazda3’s swagger are the auto-levelling automatic Bi-Xenon headlamps with LEDs for the daytime running lights and tail-light design, while it rolls on sporty 18-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels with 215/45 series tyres (16-inch with 205/60 tyres for the entry-level GL).

The Mazda3 has the ability to put all of its 162hp and 210Nm of torque effectively onto the road, thanks to the SkyActiv-Drive six-speed automatic gearbox managing power delivery to the front wheels and to help it go the distance, i-Stop (idling Start-Stop function) has been included so that efficiency may reside deep within its heart.

Inside, the upright-sitting 7.0-inch display becomes the mantle-piece at the centre of the dash board and is the access point for the MZD Connect infotainment system, navigation and Bluetooth connectivity via the Commander Control knob.

Getting in is made convenient with the addition of keyless entry that opens the doors to the driver-centric cockpit that features ergonomically-designed leather-wrapped steering wheel to enhance the level of driving pleasure with the inclusion of paddle shifters at the fingertips and additional controls within thumb’s reach.

At the driver’s whim, driving skills can be further honed with the combined use of the sharp and precise electric power assisted steering system and the firm yet comfortable suspension to help deliver a sporty and dynamic drive.

Driving confidence is taken to a new level with a host of standard safety equipment found in all variants, which  includes six airbags, anti-lock braking system, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, dynamic stability control and traction control.

In essence, the Mazda3 is a solid car that combines convenience, style, efficiency, safety and power into one solid package.


Toyota unveils new Yaris GR Sport and Y20 models

Toyota Yaris GR Sport.
BRUSSELS: Toyota is set to launch two new versions of its Yaris supermini at the 2018 Paris Motor Show next month, and the Japanese auto giant has released images and details of both the GR Sport and the limited edition Y20 ahead of the event.

There's no hiding the fact the Yaris GR Sport has the likes of the Ford Fiesta ST Line in its crosshairs, but this is perhaps a little more contemporary than its Ford rival.

That's because the GR Sport, which is unashamedly inspired by the hot Yaris GRMN, will be powered exclusively by Toyota's 1.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid powertrain.

Along with that excellent powerplant there are a number of GRMN-inspired upgrades to turn this Yaris into something a little bit special, including Sachs Performance shock absorbers, a solid anti-roll bar and a stance 11mm lower than the standard car.

 Yaris Y20 Launch Edition.

Other features of note include a unique set of 17-inch alloys, unique headlights, a bi-tone black roof with matching rear spoiler, black mirrors, a black grille, and black fog light surrounds. The dark privacy glass that looks really good with the white body in the images is also part of the car's standard equipment.

If something even more special in the Yaris world is what you're looking for, the second new version Toyota is bringing to Paris might be the answer.

The model in question is the Yaris Y20, which is a limited edition version of the supermini that's been produced to celebrate 20 years of Yaris being in production.

Paying homage to the launch of the original Yaris at the Paris Motor Show back in 1998, just 1,998 units of the Y20 will be produced. The car's gold paint mirrors the original, but this one adds more contemporary touches such as a bi-tone dark grey roof, grey side moldings, a grey front grille, grey door mirror casings and grey fog light surrounds.

On the inside there's a new checker pattern fabric upholstery, which is complemented by grey highlights and Y20 badging for the instrument panel and front seatbacks.

No details of the engine have been revealed just yet, but after the 1,998 Launch Edition models there will be a non-limited Y20 production car to continue the celebrations.


Audi e-tron GT planned straight through without physical prototypes. But how?

                INGOLSTADT: The Audi e-tron GT is the first Audi model for which production was planned entirely without physical prototypes.

Multiple technical innovations made this possible, including three-dimensional building scans, machine learning processes and the use of virtual reality.

All assembly processes, such as procedures and employee actions were tested and optimized in virtual spaces that model their real-world counterparts down to the finest detail.

Virtual planning is now used across site boundaries, enabling digital, connected working without business trips or foreign assignments – and not just during the coronavirus pandemic. 3D scans and the planning in virtual spaces make processes more efficient and sustainable.

Key to the virtual planning is a 3D scanner for generating the corresponding data.

It is roughly two metres tall and is mounted on four wheels so that an employee can move it around the spaces.

At the top is a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) unit and three additional laser scanners as well as a camera. Two processes are conducted simultaneously while scanning a space: the wide-angle camera takes a picture of the space while the lasers precisely measure it and generate a three-dimensional point cloud of the surroundings.

A total of 250,000 square metres of production hall space at the Neckarsulm site alone has already been scanned using this technology.

But it is the interaction between the hardware and software that takes the points, images and data sets generated and turns them into a usable overall image that can be used with the existing planning systems.

The software used is an in-house Audi development based on artificial intelligence and machine learning. The point cloud and the photographs are combined to produce a three-dimensional, photo-realistic space similar to what is seen in Google Street View.

Proportions and sizes are true to scale and correspond to reality. The software also automatically recognises all objects, such as machines, shelves and systems in the space.

Virtual planning is not restricted to just processes and work procedures.

Objects such as containers for the transport and storage of sensitive parts, called special load containers, can also be planned using this technology.

These containers for individual, particularly sensitive parts of the Audi e-tron GT, such as electric modules or interior parts – were planned using Audi’s cross-site and cross-division virtually reality application rather than using multiple physical prototypes of iron and steel.


Perodua to adopt new strategy to boost market share

                RAWANG: Perodua says it will adopt a new approach soon to strengthen its product offerings while further improving the compact car company’s operational capabilities.

Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad said the approach called "Perodua Smart Build" would enable the company to "further win our customers’ support".

“More information and impact of the Perodua Smart Build initiative on Perodua, our partners, the automotive ecosystem and our customers will be announced in the near future."

On sales target, Perodua is bullish, saying it aims to sell 240,000 vehicles in 2021 – a 9% increase from the 220,163 units sold in 2020 – on the back of sustained strong demand for its existing models and the extension of the sales tax exemption announced by the government recently.

Of the 220,163 units sold in 2020, Perodua registered 66,330 Myvis, 59,651 Axias, 56,996 Bezzas, 22,494 Aruz, 14,691 Alzas and one other model against a total industry volume (TIV) of 529,434 units, netting a 41.6% market share.

Perodua’s 2021 production target represents a 23% increase over the 220,968 units manufactured in 2020, and with all its models having over 90% local parts content, the carmaker remains the biggest buyer of automotive components in Malaysia.

The compact car maker is expected to buy a record RM6.5 billion worth of locally-sourced components in 2021.

It is expecting its service intakes to grow 20% from 2 million units in 2020 to 2.4 million units in 2021, comprising current and new customers.

“In addition, with 2020 ending better than expected for Perodua and the industry, we are looking to increase our stock by boosting our production target to 272,000 vehicles this year – the highest in our history. This increase will replenish our stock to ensure brisk delivery this year,” said Zainal.


Honda advancing with Prachinburi plant

                BANGKOK: "No cameras, no phones and no video!" That was the explicit instruction from Honda as we began a tour of its Thai assembly plant in Prachinburi on Sept 4.

The visit was held a day before a Malaysian media preview drive of the refreshed Civic. The new Civic will launch in Malaysia later this year and Honda Malaysia has already opened bookings since Sept 10.

Making cars is a complex process involving thousands of parts coming together in an assembly line manned by humans and robots working in concert to build the final product.

 The ARC line.

Occasionally, car makers like to highlight that some factories are better than others in terms of tooling, workflow or eco-friendliness. Such is the case with the Honda plant in Prachinburi, 140km north-east of here.

We were shown some of the key production stages such as stamping, welding and frame assembly as well as how workers work with robots safely in a zoned environment.

The plant, opened in 2016, occupies 214,000 sq m of floor space and employs 1,400 workers. It is 40% automated with robots doing the heavy lifting, painting and welding works.

It's the newer of two plants Honda operates in Thailand, with the more established one located in Ayutthaya, north of here.

The Prachinburi plant is, however, three times bigger than the one in Ayutthaya. It is where the Civic sedan and hatchback are exclusively built as well as subcompact models like the City and Jazz. The Ayutthaya plant, which opened in 1996, handles the bulk of production models such as Mobilio, HR-V, CR-V, Accord, Amaze and Brio.

Honda cars assembled in Thailand are not only for local sales but also export. A Honda spokesman said the Thai-built Civic is exported to Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, and some African countries such as Kenya. However, the Civic and most other models for Malaysia, are locally assembled at Honda's Pegoh plant in Malacca.

READ MORE: First drive of refreshed Honda Civic

Total Thai production capacity is 420,000 units a year, with Prachinburi contributing 120,000. The newer plant has yet to hit peak capacity, with initial production set at 60,000.

The combined capacity of both plants makes Thailand the fourth biggest production base for Honda after Japan, China and the United States.

The Ayutthaya plant was badly hit by floods in October 2011 and had to close for nearly six months. To cope with future growth and avoid flood damage, the Prachinburi plant was conceived and is located on higher ground.

Honda's Prachinburi plant is one of the most technically advanced and uses the world's first moving cell assembly line called Assembly Revolution Cell (ARC) Line.

It's a hybrid of a conventional line and assembly cells in which workers multi-task at their cell instead of doing just a single task, making them more versatile and productive.

Honda says this workflow is 10% more efficient than a traditional line. Under the ARC system, workers work in teams of four on a disc-shaped platform to follow a car down the assembly line, accompanied by the correct parts that are pre-sent to each assembly location. After each car is fitted with the required parts in the ARC line, each team hops off and walks back to the starting point of the platform to repeat the same set of tasks on the next car.

Another innovation at the plant is recycling water for multiple uses. A hydro-powered conveyor belt re-uses water from the welding line to transport welded bodies and parts instead of a conventional electric-powered conveyer, which saves energy.

In addition, volatile organic compounds and CO2 emissions are reduced through a 3-coat/2-bake painting process instead of the commonly-used 4-coat/3-bake method. Honda also says it uses water-based paints to reduce environmental impact.

Other highlights include the use of compact and lightweight welding jigs and designing the plant with a skylight roof to maximise natural lighting and minimise electricity use.

Note: All factory floor images supplied by Honda Thailand.


Three friends on quest for adventure with Porsche Cayenne

                PETALING JAYA: Porsche in Malaysia has unveiled a video series with three celebrities to promote the Cayenne.

This is the entry-level variant that was locally assembled in Malaysia, and priced from RM575,000. It's the first Porsche to be assembled outside of Europe.

In the three-part series called "Gone Trippin’ with the Porsche Cayenne", it shows Julie Woon, Megan Tan, and Zoraya Vadillo gallivanting from one place to another to sample the attractions of Malaysia. The Cayenne was the ride of choice, of course.

The Cayenne boasts of a sports car like performance and handling with the comfort and versatility of a luxury SUV.

It is motivated by a 3.0 litre turbocharged V6 petrol engine making 335hp and 450Nm of torque. The engine is linked to an eight-speed Tiptronic S automatic transmission that transmits power to both axles in an active AWD setup.

Standard kit includes 21-inch RS Spyder design wheels, Bose surround sound system, 14-way power-adjustable comfort seats with memory function and Park Assist with front, rear and surround views.

The SUV can be personalised with a wide range of lifestyle Tequipment accessories.

Shown here is the first video

Find out more at https://bit.ly/CayenneGoneTrippin.


Kawasaki Ninja H2 Carbon limited to 120 units worldwide

                COLOGNE: Japanese motorcycle maker Kawasaki unveiled four sporty new rides for 2017 at the Intermot bike show here with a limited-edition version of the Ninja H2 leading the charge.

The new Ninja 650 made its European debut at the German event, joining the enhanced Ninja H2 and Ninja H2R, plus a new Carbon edition Ninja H2, limited to 120 units worldwide. The refreshed Ninja 650 gets a new trellis style and a reworked twin-cylinder water-cooled engine.

Like with previous versions of this bike, Kawasaki promises both sporting performances and weekday in-town versatility from the new Ninja 650. Note that the Ninja H2, H2R and H2 Carbon all feature technology that records and displays the angle of lean when riding.

Kawasaki also presented a new 2017 version of the Z1000SX at the Cologne show. The brand's new motorcycle offers smoother acceleration, more rider protection thanks to wider cowling and a higher screen, and increased comfort with improved rider and passenger seating. Revised suspension, LED headlamps and an adjustable gear shift light enhance its sporting prowess.

A special model focused on motorcycle racing - the Ninja ZX-10RR - completes the Kawasaki line-up for Intermot 2016.

Intermot runs Oct 5-9.


BMW's adventure rallye calls female off-road riders

                After Africa, South America and Canada, the BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy will head to Asia in March 2016 and for the first time the adventure rallye is going to feature an all-female international team and registration is now open for the qualifying rounds.

BMW Motorrad has organised the International GS Trophy every two years since 2008, where BMW GS riders from numerous countries can converge to engage in sporting competition with each other not just on a motorcycle, but in a wide range of other disciplines, too.

In 2008, the event started with five teams in Tunisia, growing to 16 teams when the competition reached North America in 2014 and for 2016, there will be 18 national teams representing their countries – with the addition of one special team.

That team calls on ladies who love their GS bikes to come forth and register (deadline June 26) to show their skill and talent as a female off-road rider during the qualifying rounds held from Sept 9 to 16.

From all applications worldwide, a jury will select ten women (based on riding performance, skills and teamwork capacity) to be invited to South Africa.

The top ten will then make up the international female team and battle it out for victory at the upcoming 2016 BMW Motorrad GS Trophy event.


Mercedes-Benz to use energy-dense silicon battery for G-Class

Mercedes-Benz CTO Markus Schäfer (left) with Sila Co-founder and CEO Gene Berdichevsky.
BERLIN: Mercedes-Benz will incorporate a new, highly energy-dense battery in its upcoming electric G-Class from 2025, it said today, a solution to the problem of how to power large electric cars without weighing them down with heavy batteries.

The battery, made by start-up Sila Nanotechnologies, uses silicon-based anodes and is 20-40% more energy dense than comparable cells currently available, Mercedes-Benz said.

Silicon - which Tesla said in 2020 it would build up the use of in its batteries - provides an alternative to the more commonly used graphite, 70% of which comes from China.

Mercedes-Benz is the first publicly announced automotive customer of California-based battery start-up Sila Nanotechnologies, which said in early May it was investing a figure in the low hundreds of millions of dollars in a new plant in Washington state due to open in 2024.

The premium carmaker has a minority equity stake in the unlisted Sila, which is also working with BMW.

Sila, founded by an ex-Tesla engineer, raised an additional US$590 million last year, boosting its valuation to an estimated US$3.3 billion.


30 world debuts  to blitz LA Auto Show

                LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Auto Show has announced that 30 world debuts, totalling 50 vehicle unveilings overall, would be introduced.

Almost every manufacturer will be making news, and while most have yet to announce details, a few manufacturers have begun to share their debut plans.

Specifically, Infiniti will have a global reveal of its all-new QX30 crossover and Hyundai will host the world premiere of its all-new Elantra.  Other debuts include Jaguar’s first luxury SUV, the F-PACE (slated for first showing at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September), and Kia’s next-generation Sportage.

Other automakers officially confirming premieres include Alfa Romeo, BMW, Bentley, Fiat, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Honda, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru and Volkswagen.

This year’s global and North American debuts will deliver production and concept vehicles representing the ever-growing performance, mid-size cross over, electric and high-technology categories.  Debut categories range from luxury SUVs and flagship sedans to new compact sedans.

The show runs from Nov 20-29.


Perodua Bezza priced from RM37,300 to RM50,800

                PETALING JAYA: You already know the specifications of the Perodua Bezza sedan over the last two days when the news broke online. Now the prices have been revealed.

Our reporter who is field-testing the Bezza today has sent in one of the final key details.

The Bezza is priced on-the-road at RM37,300 (1.0L manual): RM39,300 (1.0L auto): RM42,800 (1.3L manual): RM44,800 (1.3L auto Premium) and RM50,800 (1.3L auto Advance).

The photos we are allowed to post are "teaser" images that do not show the car in its entirety but up to 80% only so as to keep the hype going until the July 21 launch.

READ MORE:
More Bezza photos released and the story behind them
Top Bezza variant gets 5-star safety rating
You can book Perodua Bezza from July 16
Bezza name used in 2010 concept car
Perodua Bezza set to boost UMW’s earnings

The Bezza has a 5-year or 150,000km (whichever comes first) warranty. Also, there are four accessories packages with kit like door visors, bumper kits, side skirtings, seat covers and door trim. The accessories packages are priced from RM900 to RM2,600.

Only the top 1.3L auto Advance variant has vehicle stability control (VSC), regenerative braking system, engine Eco Idle system, hill start assist, and a multimedia system with navigation, Smart Link for smartphones, and a reverse camera.

Also, only the top 1.3L auto Advance variant has a maximum 5-star Asean NCAP safety rating.

CarSifu's first drive impressions will be coming soon. Stay tuned.

 The media test drive of the Bezza at the Perodua test track at its Rawang headquarters this morning.


Don't pay into personal bank accounts to avoid being scammed, Perodua urges customers

                RAWANG: Perodua is warning existing and potential customers of scams involving bogus sales advisors asking customers to make payments to personal bank accounts.

Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad said the company had recently discovered at least two scammers posing as Perodua sales advisors, who had told customers to make booking fee or deposit payments to personal bank accounts.

The company is working with the police on the matter, he said.

Payments should only be made to official Perodua accounts or over the counter at Perodua outlets, he said.

To avoid being cheated by scammers, the public are advised by Perodua to follow the guidelines as shown in the table below.


Electric car prices may plummet soon — here's why

                PARIS/WOLFSBURG: The latest figures make it abundantly clear: The average new car in Germany and many other car-loving western European countries now costs a third more than it did a decade ago.

Stats from the Center Automotive Research (CAR) in Germany show that the price tag has gone up by €14,470 (RM66,136/35%) to €41,300 (RM189,000) in just over 10 years, creating a headache for many cash-strapped buyers seeking fresh family transport.

The price spiral includes models with combustion engine as well as full-electrics.

"If we all need to go out and buy an electric car soon, mobility will become much more expensive," said CAR-director Ferdinand Dudenhöffer,

Among the cheaper electric cars is the Volkswagen ID.3, which is listed at €43,995 in its home market. VW markets it as a Golf for the electric age, even though price is on the steep side.

Even the cheapest options of all are still beyond the reach of many, and the bare-bones Dacia Spring still costs €22,550.

"With prices like these, we will exclude many customers from the new car business in the future," said Bertrand Leherrisier, who works for Citroen. His team is struggling to come up with concepts that will enable everyone to turn onto electric avenue. One of the them is the quirky Oli concept.

For Leherrisier, the one-off showcar is just what a sensible family car should look like in the electric era. Standing at 4 metres, it is big enough for four people. It is also designed to cost around €25,000.

Like any concept, the car has fired the imagination of many and the list of those who would buy a production version is long. People appear not to be put off by the innovative materials it uses such as body elements made of cardboard or an interior fashioned from polyurethane foam, which is created using a 3D printer.

Pricing is central to the Oli concept and car strategists realise that a lot of cost-cutting will be needed in order to make cheap electric cars commercially viable.

The idea is to cut weight, which allows for a smaller and thus cheaper battery, without range suffering too much. A lower top speed means reduced engine power, which also keeps the battery size down.

Buyers who can live with a maximum speed of 110 km/h - which was last common in the 1950s - will be happy as long as the range is at least 400 km. The French expert said this combination may add up to an affordable electric car soon.

To get budget electrics off the ground, the industry needs to go into reverse and back off from overblown luxury models. It should rediscover its roots said the Frenchman, with an eye to the simple cars of yore like the Citroen 2CV and original Mini.

The plan depends to an extent on battery prices, warns Renault board member Guido Haak, who heads the French company's advance development unit. "They still account for a good third of the costs of high-volume cars. And instead of becoming cheaper through large quantities, as computer chips used to be, prices are currently rising steeply due to demand and supply bottlenecks."

According to Leherrisier, the French are not alone with the Oli idea, which is intended more as food for thought than as an actual production car. Several volume manufacturers are currently sharpening their pencils and struggling to pen e-cars that are affordable without resorting to a sandwich-cardboard utility body.

VW is working flat out on the smaller ID.2 based on the ID platform. New brand boss Thomas Schäfer has promised that a car costing less than than €25,000 will emerge. The makers have confirmed that their Skoda and Seat Cupra counterparts will also offer a similar model.

Renault also wants to revive the chunky R5 runabout as an affordable electric mobility. According to company boss Luca de Meo, an entry-level price of around 25,000 euros is the target here too.

The current struggle towards affordable electro-mobility is shown by the number of light cars and micro-mobiles entering the market.

Previously seen as rather jokey mobility aids for people without a car driving licence, models such as the Swiss Microlino or the upcoming Opel Rocks-e are now becoming more like grown-up cars.

"After all, a Rocks-e on lease often costs no more than a monthly ticket for the public transport system and is thus affordable for almost everyone," said Opel boss Florian Hüttl, with reference to the snub-nosed two-seater due to retail in Germany later this year for €7990.

It's a good thing owners do not expect too much of this ultra-compact runabout since its 9 kW/12 hp engine power and 5.5 kWh battery capacity are just enough to haul it up to 45 km/h, with 75 kilometres of travel between charges.

Being made in Germany or indeed in Europe is probably not feasible for budget electric cars either.

"Production in a country with lower labour costs" is one way to keep prices down, said Jan Burgard of strategy consultant Berylls. He is thinking primarily of China, but does not mean the cheap imports of no-name e-scooters sold at many DIY stores.

Burgard means current premium projects such as the next MINI or the new Smart, both of which are being built in Asia  with considerable German input. "This is an example that could soon be followed by volume brands in the struggle for lower prices."


Stellantis and Toyota to expand partnership with large commercial van

                PARIS: Stellantis said today it would expand its partnership with Toyota Motor Europe with a new large commercial van, including an electric version.

Stellantis will supply TME, a unit of Japan's Toyota Motor Corp, with the new vehicle for sale in Europe under the Toyota brand, it said. The van will be produced at Stellantis plants in Gliwice, Poland, and Atessa, Italy.

"Planned for mid-2024, the new large-size commercial van marks TME's first entry into the large-size commercial vehicle segment," Stellantis added in a statement.

The deal widens the partnership between the two companies and allows a better optimisation of Stellantis' Atessa plant, which currently makes large vans sold under the Peugeot, Citroen and Fiat marques.

"It represents an important addition and completes our light commercial line-up for Toyota's European customers," Stellantis said.

Carmakers have increasingly been agreeing cross-manufacturing deals to reduce costs in vans, which due to a boom in parcel delivery are seeing large demand - and where electric vehicle versions are also seeing rising sales to carry out "last-mile" deliveries in city centres.


NAZA World Auto-Mania sees RM60mil in sales

                PETALING JAYA: This year's NAZA World Auto-Mania saw roughly RM60mil in sales with thousands of Malaysians flocking to the NAZA World Automall in Petaling Jaya for the automotive exhibition, which was held from Oct 2 to 4.

The exhibition was a joint effort between 12 automotive marques found under the NAZA World Group of Companies, which included Ferrari, Maserati, Brabus and Chevrolet to name a few.

Also on display were international motorcycle brands such as Harley-Davidson, Indian Motorcycle, Victory Motorcycle, Ducati, Aprilia, Vespa and NAZA Bikes.

The event was organised as a gesture of gratitude to NAZA World’s customers for their continuous support and to also commemorate NAZA World’s forty years of being in the Malaysian automotive industry.

The event allowed the public the opportunity to view the new Chevrolet Colorado Sport and Chevrolet Cruze Sport Sonic.

The three-day automotive showcase offered special promotions for those looking to upgrade or purchase a new vehicle and also featured a dedicated kid’s zone and a blood donation drive.

“The success of NAZA World Auto-Mania is down to the support of our customers who have always have been loyal to us for the past 40 years,” said NAZA World Group of Companies group executive chairman & group CEO Datuk Wira Haji SM Faisal Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin.


BMW and Toyota team up to produce hydrogen cars

                TOKYO: BMW and Toyota will join forces to produce hydrogen fuel cell vehicles which could go on sale as early as 2025, according to a report in the Nikkei Asia newspaper.

The two firms will begin producing and selling hydrogen fuel cell vehicles developed jointly, BMW sales chief Pieter Nota told the paper.

Technical details are not available yet and Nota said the cooperation would be mainly relevant for larger SUVs.

BMW conducted tests with the BMW iX5 Hydrogen near the Arctic Circle but the vehicle has not yet come to market, even though it was shown at last year's Munich Motor Show.

The iX5 Hydrogen is said to have an output of 125 kilowatts, but important data such as range are still under wraps. A small series of vehicles is still to be built in 2022.

The automakers have worked together on the iX5 SUV, as well as the BMW Z4 and Toyota Supra sports cars in 2019.

Toyota has plenty of experience with fuel cell technology and its eight-year-old Mirai saloon is available in second-generation form with 20 kW more power than the first version.

Fuel cell cars use hydrogen and oxygen to create electricity which provides drive. They have some advantages over battery-electrics such as faster refuelling, Nota told Nikkei Asia.

The drawback is the lack of refuelling infrastructure which is holding back mass adoption around the world.

Nota said BMW does not want to put all its investments into a single technology and he pointed out that hydrogen models are not as prone to component supply bottlenecks as their electric counterparts.


Renault seeks software architecture on par with Tesla by 2026

                PARIS: Renault on Monday detailed the new software architecture of its future vehicles which it said will be on par by 2026 with that of electric-vehicle industry leader Tesla Inc.

The French carmaker, like most automakers, has been living for months under the threat of regular and drastic price cuts from its US-based competitor. In France, the list price of the Tesla Model 3 now starts at the same level as the Renault Mégane electric, around €42,000 (RM206,000).

Though Renault's CEO, Luca de Meo, acknowledged at a presentation that Tesla remains a "challenge in the short term," he said his company will not engage in a price war on electric vehicles.

"We don't want to do what we did in the past, we want to sell our cars, we don't want to give away our cars," Renault's head of engineering, Gilles Le Borgne, said to journalists and analysts at the same event.

A "software-defined vehicle" design will be at the heart of Renault's future electric-vehicle entity, "Ampere," the French automaker said. Developed with Alphabet Inc's Google and Qualcomm Inc, it will considerably reduce complexity by allowing to have just 20 processors on board to run a car instead of the currently required 100.

This will also allow for updates to be made remotely without touching the hardware.

"This is similar with Tesla, in 2026 they are going to have the same approach, they have the same EV architecture approach," said Renault's chief digital officer, Frédéric Vincent.

"In 2026, we will be at the level of Tesla" in software defined vehicles," le Borgne added.

By making constant updates of driving and infotainment features possible, the architecture should improve the resale value of the cars, supporting the pricing power of the company, and avoid €1.5 billion (RM7.4bil) of research & development (R&D) expenses in a decade.

The total cost balance should nevertheless be neutral after taking into account the investment required for the new architecture and the price of the more advanced processors put aboard, Le Borgne said.

The "Flexevan" electric van programme for last-mile delivery will inaugurate Renault's new architecture around mid-2026, followed by the sporty Alpine brand and then by all models of the Renault brand.


Nismo kit now available to pump up Nissan Teana looks

                KUALA LUMPUR: Nissan distributor Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd today introduced the Nismo upgrade for the Teana, featuring accessories that are tailored to spice up the flagship model.

The upgrade comes in two forms: the RM16,960 Nismo Performance Package and the RM6,201 Nismo Aero Package. It is available for all variants of the Teana in five body colours – Storm Blue, Brilliant White, Diamond Black, Tungsten Silver and Bronze Gold.

Sport springs offer improved grip with a lowering of the car by 30mm.

The upgrade is factory fitted and comes with three years or 100,000km warranty (whichever comes first).

Orders for the upgrade are accepted from today with deliveries in January.

Edaran Tan Chong Motor sells two variants of the Teana in three trims. The Teana 2.5XV has a maximum power output of 173hp with torque of 234Nm while the 2.0XL and 2.0XE delivers a maximum power output of 136hp and 190Nm torque.

The upgrade was unveiled by Nismo racing drivers Tsugio Matsuda and Ronnie Quintarelli at a media preview at the Nissan dealership in Glenmarie, Shah Alam.

Also present at the event were Nissan Motorsports International Co, Ltd sales and marketing general manager Masato Hoshi and Edaran Tan Chong Motor sales and marketing director Christopher Tan.

 Posing with the Nismo-equipped Teanas are (from left) Hoshi, Matsuda, Quintarelli and Tan.


Tesla posts record quarterly deliveries after price cuts, up 4% from Q4

                AUSTIN: Tesla Inc on Sunday posted record quarterly vehicle deliveries, but quarter-on-quarter sales growth was modest despite price cuts as rising competition and a bleak economic outlook weighed.

Tesla delivered 422,875 vehicles for the first three months of this year, up 4% from the previous quarter. This was 36% higher than a year ago. In January, chief executive Elon Musk said Tesla could achieve 2 million vehicle deliveries this year, up 52% from last year.

Investors have been watching Musk's gamble that cutting prices would stimulate sales, although they worry about eroding margins.

In January, Tesla slashed prices globally by as much as 20%, unleashing a price war after missing Wall Street delivery estimates for 2022. The basic Model Y that used to sell for US$65,990 now costs US$54,990.

"If they wouldn't have done the price cut, it would have been ugly. I think what it tells you is the economy is getting tough," Gene Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, said on Sunday.

"They showed an acceleration, but they didn't accelerate to the level that Elon had suggested it would."

Musk, who has missed his own ambitious sales targets for Tesla in recent years, said in January that 2023 deliveries could hit 2 million vehicles, absent external disruption, from 1.3 million in 2022.

The first-quarter deliveries compare with analyst expectations of 430,008 vehicles, according to Refinitiv data based on seven analysts.

According to a mean of estimates compiled by FactSet as of Friday, Wall Street was expecting Tesla to report deliveries of around 432,000 vehicles for the quarter, the Wall Street Journal and CNBC reported.

Tesla missed the figure analysts surveyed by Refinitiv and FactSet were expecting. Other estimates show Tesla beat Wall Street expectations with its 422,875 vehicles delivered.

Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg expected 421,164 vehicles would be shipped.

Tesla said consensus of more than 20 analysts called for 421,500 vehicles delivered, Tesla investor Gary Black said in a tweet. Reuters could not independently confirm that figure.

The consensus is "all over the place," Munster said.

Tesla delivered 6% more of its mainstay Model 3/Model Y vehicles in the first three months of this year than in the previous quarter. But the number of deliveries for its higher-priced Model X/Model S vehicles slumped by 38%.

The carmaker produced more cars than it delivered, manufacturing 440,808 vehicles for the first three months of this year.

The automaker ramped up production at new factories in Texas and Berlin, and as China production recovered from a Covid-19 lockdown hit. Tesla tweeted on Sunday that its Texas factory built 4,000 Model Y this week, while the automaker said in late February that its German plant was producing 4,000 cars per week.

More price cuts?

Barclays analyst Dan Levy expected Tesla may be pressured to lower prices further as many automakers have matched the cuts and concerns about a weakening economy persist.

Tesla did not immediately respond to Reuters' questions about whether further cuts are in store.

Further clouding the demand outlook are U.S. electric vehicle subsidies, which may fall on some models starting on April 18.

Tesla's cuts in China ignited a price war, with Chinese rivals including BYD and Xpeng dropping prices to defend market share amid weakening demand.

Market leader BYD accounted for 41% of so-called new energy car sales in the world's biggest auto market for the first two months of the year. Tesla, by contrast, had a share of 8%.

Musk warned that the prospect of recession and higher interest rates meant the EV maker could lower prices to sustain growth at the expense of profit. In January, Musk said the price cuts had stoked demand.

Tesla shares have soared more than 68% this year on hopes the company would win the price war it started, although the stock remains more than 50% below its November 2021 peak.

Shares have fallen since Tesla's investor day on March 1 when Musk said little about how soon the EV maker might launch a more affordable, mass-market vehicle.


KL International Motor Show to make comeback from Nov 23

At the event are (from left) Aishah, Mustapa and Zainal. The ninth edition of KLIMS is expected to see the introduction of new vehicle concepts and models.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian automotive industry will be boosted by the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS), which is making a comeback after a five-year hiatus.

The 10-day motor show is expected to attract over 350,000 visitors.

The motor show will be held from Nov 23 to Dec 2 on more than 50,000 sq m at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre, and participated by over 100 exhibitors.

Car marques exhibiting the latest machines will include Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Isuzu, Kawasaki, Kia, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Perodua, Proton and Toyota.

READ MORE:What were shown at KLIMS 2013

The ninth edition of KLIMS, themed “Beyond Mobility”, is expected to see the rollout of new vehicle concepts and models.

The motor show is organised by the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA).

Trade-Link Exhibition Services Sdn Bhd has been appointed as the show manager for KLIMS 2018.

“KLIMS is the country’s most established and significant automotive event,” said MAA president Datuk Aishah Ahmad. “With the rise in the cost of living affecting consumers, and the rise in the cost of doing business affecting companies, the local automotive sector is expected to face another challenging year.

"KLIMS is set to re-ignite consumers’ sentiment, define brand presence and refuel the industry,” said Aishah.

The motor show’s launch announcement at MITEC on Wednesday was made by International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed. Also present was Trade-Link Exhibition Services chairman Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad.

In the 2013 show, The Star was one of the official media partners.


Vehicle exhaust theft syndicate busted with 8 arrested

                KUALA LUMPUR: Have you lost your car exhaust recently? It could be among the haul recovered from a syndicate that police have crippled with the arrest of eight men in the Klang Valley.

The syndicate specialised in stealing vehicle exhausts for export.

Police said the exhaust parts, along with various other car parts, were worth RM119,310.

Brickfields OCPD Asst Comm Anuar Omar said police had initially arrested six men, aged between 22 and 33, in Taman Desa between noon and 3pm last Friday.

"Two of those arrested had prior criminal records, including for drug-related offences.

"We also seized various items including a lorry used for the thefts, car keys and six electric saws," he told a press conference at Brickfields police headquarters here today.

Further investigations led police to two other men in Batu Caves and Klang, he added.

"We also seized some 30 car exhaust systems and a four-wheel drive vehicle in Klang.

"We learned that the syndicate would steal the car exhausts and export them to Japan and Germany.

"We believe their buyers overseas would extract ceramic materials from the exhausts to produce white gold," ACP Anuar said.

All those arrested have been remanded until Tuesday, he added.

"We believe the syndicate targeted cars parked outside in housing areas.

"They would usually operate between midnight and 4am," he said.

ACP Anuar also urged those with missing car exhausts to come forward to assist in investigations.


July 4-10: Fuel prices drop

                PETALING JAYA: Fuel prices will drop from tomorrow after weeks of increases.

The Finance Ministry said the price of RON95 petrol will drop by 4 sen to RM1.65; RON97 petrol also drop by 4 sen to RM1.95; and diesel to drop by 2 sen to RM1.84.

"The drop in prices is due to the change in the prices of refined fossil fuel products, in line with global crude oil prices at this time," said the ministry in a statement today (July 3).

The weekly fuel pricing mechanism was reintroduced on Jan 5, 2019, under the Automatic Pricing Mechanism (APM) where fuel prices are announced every Friday and remain in force for one week.


MINI Malaysia launches Countryman PHEV Wired and Cooper S Countryman Pure

                KUALA LUMPUR: MINI Malaysia has launched new variants for the ultimate all-rounder Countryman and its first plug-in hybrid model.

The new MINI Cooper S Countryman Pure is priced at RM228,888 while the new Countryman Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) is priced at RM250,888.

For the Wired Package on the Countryman PHEV, buyers need to add another RM18,000.

MINI Countryman PHEV with Wired Package

The Countryman PHEV with the Wired Package sports new 19-inch Edged Spoke rims with run flat tyres, and added style is further accentuated by MINI Bonnet stripes, contrasting roof colours in black or white, as well as its hexagonal grille.

Inside, the new plug-in hybrid variant is decked out in Leather Cross Punch Carbon Black upholstery on electric seats with memory function, and also has MINI Yours Illuminated interior trims as well as a MINI Yours steering wheel.

There's a new 8.8-inch Touch Screen Display in the MINI Centre Instrument, and Head-Up Display as well as a Harman Kardon 12-speaker sound system.

READ MORE: Urban Liberation: The MINI Connected Roadshow in Malaysia

Exterior colour offerings for the MINI Countryman PHEV Wired include Chilli Red, Light White, British Racing Green and Melting Silver; all paired with a Black roof. The Island Blue exterior colour is paired with a White roof.

The Countryman PHEV Wired boasts a TwinPower Turbo petrol engine paired with an electric motor.

With a 6-speed automatic transmission, it produces 224hp and 385Nm of torque. It accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in 6.8 seconds, reaching a maximum speed of 198km/h while consuming only 2.1 litres per 100km of fuel.

 Countryman PHEV Wired.MINI Cooper S Countryman Pure

The Cooper S Countryman Pure sports iconic bonnet stripes and an elegant black roof, LED headlights with cornering lights and new 18-inch Black Pin spoke rims.

In the cabin, there is Carbon Black upholstery in sporty Leather Cross Punch design with electric seats, exquisite Hazy Grey interior trim, and a 6.5-inch Touch Screen Display with Navigation.

Exterior colour offerings for the Cooper S Countryman Pure include Chilli Red, Light White, British Racing Green, Thunder Grey, Melting Silver and Island Blue; all paired with Black roof.

The Cooper S Countryman Pure has a TwinPower Turbo 4-cylinder petrol engine, that delivers 192hp and 280Nm of torque, paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

It can ace the century sprint in 7.4 seconds, and consumes an average of 6.5 litres per 100km of fuel.

 Cooper S Countryman Pure.

“The MINI Countryman is the ultimate all-rounder; the iconic symbol of urban living. Since its first introduction in 2010, the MINI Countryman has consistently evolved through the decade to suit the trendsetters of every generation. In 2018, Malaysia was the first country in South East Asia to locally assemble the MINI Countryman. Following its tremendous success and in line with our strategy for electromobility, we also introduced the first Plug-In Hybrid variant,” said Harald Hoelzl, managing director of BMW Group Malaysia.

He further added that “The versatile premium Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) and its electrified variant have also been a key contributor to our record-breaking performance of over 1,200 vehicles delivered last year. This is a 19% growth as compared to our performance in 2017 (1,011 vehicles). In the first quarter of 2019, meanwhile, our performance grew by 38% with over 300 vehicles delivered; more than half of which are of MINI Countryman variants.”

With Easy Drive, ownership of the new MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid Wired starts from RM 2,998 per month and ownership of the new MINI Cooper S Countryman Pure starts from RM2,548 per month (based on estimates of 80% loan on a three-year tenure, with a mileage capped at 20,000km per year).

Easy Drive is offered courtesy of BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia.

MINI Malaysia offers a 5 Years Roadside Assistance programme, available for all new MINI vehicles with a services that include a 24-Hour, 365-days-a-year Accident and Help on the Phone and On the Spot Hotline, Free Towing Services and when needed (over 200KM from residential home), Replacement Vehicle, Seamless Mobility, Accommodation, Mobility Services Solutions as well as Repatriation services.

The MINI Roadside Assistance programme can be accessed by contacting 1800-88-8808.

MINI Malaysis also has a new online service programme which lets customers schedule their service needs directly at their preferred MINI Authorised Dealerships via www.service.mini.my.


BMW teases electric Concept i4

                MUNICH: BMW will unveil its first pure-electric Gran Coupe on March 3 at the Geneva Motor Show.

The Concept i4 blends a modern, elegantly sporty design with the spaciousness and practicality of a four-door Gran Coupe – all while generating zero local emissions.

“The BMW Concept i4 brings electrification to the core of the BMW brand,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, senior vice president BMW Group Design.

“The design is dynamic, clean and elegant. In short: a perfect BMW that happens to be zero emission.”

Three new all-electric BMW cars are slated for launch by 2022. The iX3 SUV will hit the market towards year-end followed by the i4 sedan and iNEXT crossover.


Aston Martin celebrates latest F1 success with racecar-inspired look for DBX707

                LONDON: Aston Martin is celebrating the success of the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team with the release of an exclusive AMR23 Edition for the DBX707.

Named after the brand’s Formula 1 challenger, the AMR23 Edition creates a DBX707 that shares a racing identity with both the AMR23 F1 car and the Official Medical Car of Formula 1.

The Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team has had a good start to the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship season currently sitting in second place in the 2023 Constructor Standings.

Fernando Alonso set the bar high at the opening round in Bahrain when he finished on the podium and, despite coping with the results of a cycling accident, Lance Stroll was only a few places behind him.

Saudi Arabia followed and so did further podium finishes for Alonso, in Australia and most recently at Miami last weekend.

In celebration of this success, the DBX707 AMR23 Edition raises the intensity and road presence even further for the brand’s ultra-luxury SUV.

A selection of unique colour and trim features by Aston Martin’s bespoke service, Q by Aston Martin, creates a DBX707 that combines the world of F1 with a powerful luxury SUV, to offer a racing look.

The AMR23 Edition brings exclusive content to the exterior of the car, including bespoke Podium Green paint, a unique Q by Aston Martin fender badge and Aston Martin Racing Green brake calipers.

Additional AMR23 highlights elevates the attention levels underlining the F1 connection with lime accents to the sculptured carbon body kit reminiscent of those on both AMR23 F1 car and the Official Medical Car of Formula 1.

Inside, the AMR23 Edition adds striking lime contrast stitching to the Inspire Sport Duotone Onyx Black / Eifel Green interior, carbon fibre veneers and dark satin with carbon fibre jewellery.

The DBX707 AMR23 Edition and additional AMR23 highlights are now available for customers to order.


Nissan's survival plan for Europe: SUVs and sharing with Renault

                LONDON: Nissan Motor Co is working on a plan to scale back its European business, focusing on sport utility and commercial vehicles as well as more effective sharing of products and investments with partner Renault, say three sources.

The strategy, part of a three-year global turnaround plan due to be unveiled on May 28, would see the Japanese carmaker’s plant in Sunderland, northeast England, switch permanently to two daily shifts from three, but become a key hub for SUVs.

It could also see the company’s Barcelona factory in Spain close, putting around 3,000 jobs at risk, said the sources with knowledge of the plan, who declined to be named because they are not authorised to speak to the media.

Central to the proposal is a new way of working with alliance partner Renault (RENA.PA) that would see the two companies divide up areas of responsibility, with one becoming the “leader” and the other the “follower” in each.

Renault and Nissan have long struggled to achieved the full potential of their alliance, due in part to tensions over areas of control.

Relations were then strained to almost breaking point in November 2018 when the alliance’s long-standing boss, Carlos Ghosn, was arrested in Japan on financial misconduct charges, which he denies.

Nissan’s sales and profits have been sliding ever since, and the hammer blow to the global car industry from the coronavirus epidemic has only added to the urgency for the company to come up with a strategy to secure its future. Renault is also working on its own restructuring plan.

The sources said Nissan’s plan for Europe was presented to the company’s board on Thursday by chief operating officer Ashwani Gupta, who they said was the leading advocate and key architect of the new leader-follower model.

They added many on the board, whose 12 members include Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard, showed support for the plan, without giving details.

Nissan declined to comment. Renault did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Difficult market

Europe has long been a difficult market for automakers due to overcapacity, stiff competition and tight regulations. General Motors quit the region in 2017.

Europe accounts for only about one-tenth of Nissan’s global business by volume and has “little prospects for growth and profitability,” as one insider put it.

However, the company is keen to maintain a presence in the region, albeit a reduced one.

“We need to be in Europe to keep up with regulations and keep our technology competitive, even though we cannot go for exponential growth,” one of the sources said.

Under the new working relationship with Renault, Nissan would take the lead in Europe on crossovers, which the sources said would be available in petrol engine, hybrid and all-electric battery versions.

It would operate as a “follower” in commercial vans and small city cars, using versions of vehicles produced by Renault.

The arrangement would allow the two partners to share technologies and manufacturing capacity, while keeping advanced technology and product development separate from each other to “keep our design, engineering and brands distinctive from each other,” one of the sources said.

That is an attempt to resolve a major source of tension under Ghosn, who sought to cut costs equally at the partners as well as merge new technology and product R&D. Many at Nissan viewed the move as an effort by Renault to ride free on what they believe are Nissan’s superior engineering capabilities.

In terms of models, Nissan’s main products in Europe would be narrowed to the Qashqai and the Juke, both locally produced crossover SUVs, plus the X-Trail SUV and the Ariya, a battery electric crossover due to hit the market soon, shipped to Europe from Japan, the sources said.

Likely out would be the sporty Z and GT-R models, as well as the Navara pickup truck made in Barcelona, they said.

The product line would be supplemented by some of Renault-produced commercial vans and micro cars to give the brand scale and provide dealers with enough vehicles.

Nissan’s Sunderland plant would become the hub for the Qashqai and Juke SUVs, and could also produce their Renault counterparts, the Kadjar and Capture respectively, although no decision on that is expected imminently, the sources said.

The Sunderland factory has been operating below capacity and with a cloud over its future due to Britain’s departure from the European Union.

One of the sources said the plan for the plant depended on the new trading relationship agreed between London and Brussels, but that Nissan expected the UK government to adopt supportive policies.

In forging the new relationship with Renault, Nissan’s Gupta is adapting and expanding a business model he began developing when leading the French group’s light commercial vehicles unit.

The Indian-born executive revived the unit and then created a leader/follower arrangement with Nissan’s commercial vehicle business that saw the Japanese group building vans using Renault’s vehicle underpinning technologies and Nissan providing the French group with technologies for pickup trucks.


Mopar to open the Hellcrate at SEMA

                LAS VEGAS: Mopar is ripping the beating heart out of the monstrously powerful Dodge Hellcat and putting it in a box for anyone who wishes to carry out open heart automotive surgery on their classic muscle car.

For the first time in history, Mopar, the tuning and performance equipment arm of Fiat Chrysler is offering a 707hp supercharged engine as a factory-warranty-backed crate motor, rather aptly dubbed the Hellcrate.

It means that the restomod community is going to be in for a hellish treat at this year's SEMA show and as the crème de la crème of custom car shows is officially opening its doors on Halloween, the timing couldn't be more perfect.

The motor in question is a 6.2-litre supercharged HEMI V8 and it will be offered with all of the other elements crucial in making a modern engineering masterpiece backwards compatible with classic muscle cars from the 60s and 70s.

This includes wiring harness, chassis harness, accelerator pedal, fuel pump control and oxygen sensors to ensure the engine is breathing properly.

The goal, according to Mopar, was to make it a "plug and play" object and while installation will be relatively simple, it won't be quite as easy as connecting and disconnecting a USB flash drive to a PC.

"Never before has a supercharged, factory-direct 707-hp crate engine kit been offered, and we are proud to be the first to deliver a solution enthusiasts have demanded," said Pietro Gorlier, Head of Parts and Service (Mopar), FCA. "This ultimate powertrain option fits the needs of owners and fans who demand iconic performance."

Mopar has already released the images of the crate engine but, SEMA being SEMA, the company will also be showing off an old car that's received this hellish transplant — a 1970 Plymouth Superbird built by Mark Worman, the star of US vehicle restoration TV show "Graveyard Carz." And that particular restomod won't be unveiled until the show officially begins Tuesday.

Because SEMA isn't open to the public, the whole thing is being livestreamed and you can watch the reveal here: https://livestream.com/FCALive/MoparSEMA2017


VIDEO: Refreshed Honda Accord headed for Thailand on Feb 25

                BANGKOK: Honda's updated Accord is said to arrive in Thailand's showrooms on Feb 25 and has teased its arrival with a short snippet to entice the imagination.

Although there's no official mention of the car's specifications, what can be seen is that it take after the Accord that was was just recently launched in the US.

And if that's the case, it should have LEDs for the lights (front, rear and DRL) as well as a newly designed front grille, fog lamps and wheels.

The exterior seems a little more sculpted than its predecessor to exude greater elegance than before and also there's mention of an aluminium hood used for weight savings purposes.

Inside, there's expectation that it will be a little more luxurious than before and should come with a new instrument cluster and infotainment system.

If that's the case, then we're hoping that the seven-inch touchscreen infortainment system that works with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay gets retianed too.

Ride and handling should also feel the winds of change with a revised suspension system that now possesses new dampers and a retuned electric power steering system.

As for powerplants, there's the possibility that two engines will find its way under the hood - a 155hp 2.0-litre or 175hp 2.4-litre (or both), but the 278hp 3.5-litre V6 with a six-speed automatic gearbox used in the US-spec Accord might be an unlikely candidate.

The arrival of the Accord precedes the introduction of the all-new Civic in Thailand in March.


Refreshed Mercedes-Benz C Class (W205) arrives, prices start from RM260K

                KUALA LUMPUR: Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) has launched its latest facelifted C Class (W205) sedans and it's being offered in three locally-assembled turbocharged flavours.

The range starts with the entry-level C 200 Avantgarde, priced at RM259,888 (on-the-road without insurance), while the C 300 AMG has been tagged at RM304,888 and the performance oriented Mercedes AMG C 43 4MATIC comes in at RM421,888.

Externally, the C 200 has been slapped with an Avantgarde exterior - meaning there are newly designed bumpers for the front and rear, while sporting a new twin-louvre front grille, LED headlights, newly designed rear LED light cluster and 18-inch wheels.

Under the hood lies the newly developed powerplant in the form of a turbocharged 1.5-litre (1,497cc) M264 engine producing 184hp from 5,800 to 6,100rpm and 280Nm of torque from 3,000 to 4,000rpm. An EQ Boost 48-volt system has been fitted to support the engine's output with an added 13hp when demanded.

Mated to the engine is its 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the rear and allows it to sprint from standstill to 100kph in 7.7 seconds before reaching a top speed of 239kph, while having a combined fuel consumption of 6.0 to 6.3 litres per 100km.

The body is suspended by an Agility Control suspension system with 18-inch multi-spoke alloys fitted with 225/45 (front) and 245/40 (rear) profile run-flat tyres with tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

Inside, the cabin has been accented by open-pore grey oak wood trim that is complemented by leather on the steering wheel and seats (Artico in black or grey) for a natural touch.

Also found in the cabin is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 10.25-inch centre display with Classic, Sport and Progressive designs, LED cabin lights and Audio 20 GPS infotainment system with reverse camera, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Additionally, the C 200 has been equipped with the usual bevy of safety equipment that includes seven airbags, active brake assist, autonomous emergency braking, PRE-SAFE positioning for front seats, active parking assist, cruise control with SPEEDTRONIC speed limiter, adaptive brake lights, and a newly added Blind Spot Assist that functions from 10 to 200kph.

As for the mid-range C 300 AMG, it gets powered by a 2.0-litre (1,99acc) turbocharged engine instead that provides 258hp from 5,800 to 6,100rpm and 370Nm of torque from 1,800 to 4,000rpm.

This drops the C Class' 0-100kph sprint time down to 5.9 seconds and gets its top speed electronically limited to 250kph.

Externally, the front end is differentiated with a diamond pin grille and changes out the headlights to a more capable Multibeam LED type and adding a faux rear diffuser.

The wheels here have been up-sized to larger 19-inch five twin-spoke AMG wheels with 225/40 (front) and 253/35 run-flat tyres with TPMS.

Inside, the cabin accented instead by black open pore ash wood trim to go together with the AMG sports steering wheel wrapped in Nappa leather, while the same infotainment system adds on a Burmester sound system and a 360-degree view. Other added equipment includes a tinted sunroof, active lane keeping assist which operates from 60 and 200kph.

Moving into performance territory is the very potent Mercedes-AMG C 43 4MATIC, which takes on the C200's front grille and gets a slight boost in power for its 3.0-litre (2,996cc) M276 twin-turbo V6 engine. From the engine's initial provisions of 367hp, it now produces 390hp (+23hp) at 6,100rpm.

Torque figures, however, remains the same but has been shifted higher into the rev range and was initially available from 2,000 to 4,000rpm. The 'twist' now predominantly resides between 2,500 and 5,000rpm.

With the engine being managed by a nine-speed AMG Speedshift TCT 9G automatic transmission, power is sent to the AMG Performance 4MATIC all-wheel drive system.

Now, 0 to 100kph sprints takes 4.7 seconds to achieve and getas its top speed electronically limited to 250kph as with the C 300 AMG.

Other than those previously mentioned, the C 43 is pretty much status quo, until an additional Slippery driving mode got added to the AMG Dynamic Select system's Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual modes.

Externally, the C 43 adds on an adaptive high beam assist plus to its Multibeam LED headlights, while featuring some AMG parts that include a front lip, sport exhaust system and 19-inch twin-spoke alloys with 225/40 (front) and 255/35 (rear) run-flats.

Other changes include a more sportier black leather interior, matt silver fiberglass accent and Artico leather combination for the cabin, AMG-specific themes for the displays, COMAND Online system paired to the Burmester sound system, Dinamica microfibre for the flat-bottom sports steering wheel and bright red seat belts

MBM currently has its Flex-C financing options for the C Class trio and based on a three-year tenure and downpayment of 22% for the C 200 Avantgarde, monthly installments start from RM2,688. From now until Dec 31, a complimentary first year tyre and wheels insurance package will be included. For more details call 1-800-88-1133.


EU court backs broader definition of tools to rig vehicle emissions tests

                BRUSSELS: Technologies used by Volkswagen to rig vehicle emissions tests should be considered illegal, the European Union’s highest court ruled today, even if they contribute to preventing ageing or clogging up of the engine.

The Court of Justice of the European Union was asked to rule in a French prosecution against the carmaker for allegedly deceiving purchasers of diesel vehicles.

Volkswagen had argued in favour of a restrictive definition of devices used to rig emissions tests, limited to technologies and strategies operating only “downstream”, or after potential emissions are produced.

However, the court found that the term should also apply to “upstream” technology.

Use of so-called defeat devices to help a vehicle pass emissions tests is illegal under EU law.

The French case concerned an exhaust gas recirculation (ERG) valve, which can redirect some exhaust gases back into the air supply for the engine to reduce final NOx emissions.

The ERG was adjusted in tests using a device to allow emissions to remain below the regulatory ceiling, but according to an expert’s report the device would in normal conditions lead to the partial deactivation of the ERG and higher NOx emissions.

Operation of the ERG would have made maintenance more frequent and expensive because, for example, the engine would clog up more quickly.

Volkswagen announced recalls of almost 950,000 vehicles in France following the “dieselgate” scandal in which it admitted in 2015 to using illegal software to cheat US diesel engine tests.

The scandal has cost Volkswagen more than US$30 billion in vehicle refits, fines and provisions.


Stinger Tribute Edition is farewell to Kia sports car

                SEOUL: Kia is retiring the Stinger with a tribute edition.

Limited to just 1,000 examples worldwide, the Stinger Tribute Edition pays homage to Kia’s high-performance vision, and celebrates the Stinger sedan’s significant contribution to the brand since its introduction in 2017.

Building on the Stinger 3.3-litre twin-turbocharged V6 GT specification, the Stinger Tribute Edition elevates the striking sedan’s aesthetic appeal and sporting nature to a new level.

In addition to the existing Ascot Green paint finish, customers are offered the choice of a new Moonscape matte gray paint hue.

Further sophistication is provided by the black finish that adorns the sleek housing of the exterior mirrors, the arresting black Brembo brake calipers and the evocative 19-inch gloss black design wheels.

“The Stinger Tribute Edition denotes an important chapter in the story of Kia’s high-performance ethos. Featuring an exclusive colour and interior trim never before seen on the sedan, it also serves as a fitting celebration of the Stinger’s contribution to the Kia brand," said Chang Sung Ryu, Senior Vice President and Head of Purchase CX Design Sub-division.

Inside, a collection of design and material upgrades further enhance the sporting ambience of the Stinger’s spacious, technology-infused cabin. Bespoke Terracotta brown leather enriches the sports seat, and the material’s timeless appeal extends to features such as the steering wheel, door side trim and door handles.

Kia’s designers have applied a carbon-effect finish to the console upper cover and the door panels to complement the new Terracotta leather trim.

A newly introduced wasp-shaped emblem is embedded into the headrest of the seats.

This subtle embellishment denotes the car’s name and signifies the quick response of its V6 petrol engine. The car comes with a numbered door sill plate on the driver’s side.


Apple dispatches fleet of cars to get map service data

                SAN FRANCISCO: Apple said Wednesday that it is cruising streets in specially equipped cars to gather pictures and other data for its free online mapping service.

For years, a Street View team has been ranging the world for Google Maps. Following in its tracks, Apple promised to safeguard privacy while gathering mapping data on the road.

“For example, we will blur faces and licence plates on collected images prior to publication,” Apple said in an online post.

Google took to blurring faces and car licence plate numbers in Street View imagery at its mapping service due to privacy concerns.

The Street View team has collected pictures in cities around the world as well as in remote locales such as the Canadian Arctic and Brazilian rain forests.

Apple’s move comes as people increasingly use smartphones, and now smartwatches, for navigation as well as to find nearby offerings such as shops, restaurants or tourist attractions.

Referring customers to businesses provides money-making opportunities for mapping services.

Senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi said at the company’s annual gathering of software developers this week that Apple is investing heavily in maps and that usage is soaring.

He also showed off a version of Apple Maps devoted to getting around using public transit and enhanced with Siri virtual assistant technology so people can get directions by simply asking.

“We taught Siri all about transit,” Federighi said while highlighting map service improvements that will be included in the coming version of software powering Apple mobile devices.

Apple Maps will also locate nearby merchants, and display whether they handle transactions using the Apple Pay digital wallet.

Apple has been improving its map service since it launched in 2012 with so many glitches that chief executive Tim Cook apologised publicly.


MForce gets Moto Morini bike distributorship

                PENANG: MForce Bike Holdings Sdn Bhd, a local motorcycle manufacturer, has been appointed as the exclusive distributor of Moto Morini-branded motorcycles in Malaysia.

Moto Morini is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer started by Alfonso Morini in Bologna in 1937.

Moto Morini is recognised as one of Europe's top 10 brands and its line-up consists of mainly of the high-powered Corsaro ZT, Corsaro ZZ, Milano and Super Scrambler, which all use a large 1,200cc V-twin engine.

In November last year, Moto Morini also launched the the X-Cape 650 middle-weight adventure motorcycle.

Motorcycle enthusiasts will be able to witness and to own X-Cape 650 motorcycle in the second quarter of this year at MForce authorised dealers nationwide.

Before entering the local market, models from Moto Morini will go through durability testing first to ensure overall quality.

 X-Cape 650.

MForce's Chief Operating Officer, Asri Ahmad said the appointment would enhance MForce's position as one of the leading motorcycle distributors in Malaysia.

Moto Morini has also won several Italian championships from 1951 to 1967 and the Grand Prix.


Mazda to keep prioritising driving performance over fuel economy, says CEO

                HIROSHIMA: Mazda Motor Corp will continue focusing on driving performance over fuel economy, its chief executive said, even as the Japanese automaker follows bigger rivals in bringing more electric vehicles (EVs) to the market over the coming decade.

As bigger rivals such as Nissan Motor Co plan to roll out more all-battery EVs in coming years, Mazda is betting more on mild hybrids which preserve the feel of gasoline-powered cars while improving fuel economy and reducing emissions.

“We have to be careful in how we say this, but our first priority is on driving performance,” Mazda CEO Akira Marumoto told reporters last week.

“We want to improve fuel economy, but above that we want to use (our) new engine to improve driving performance.”

A key feature of Mazda’s mild hybrids will be its new Skyactiv X engine, unveiled last year after a decade of development. It will be used in the revamped Mazda3 sedan and hatchback models, which will be introduced later this month before going on sale in the United States next year.

The new engine will deliver as much as 30 percent fuel efficiency over its existing Skyactiv G engine, already one of the most fuel-efficient gasoline engines in the market.

READ MORE: New Mazda3 to make world premiere at 2018 LA Auto Show

In October, the automaker said all of the vehicles it produces by 2030 will incorporate electrification. While 5 percent of its cars will be battery EVs by then, Marumoto said he expected the remainder would mainly be mild hybrids which use its Skyactiv engines.

Mazda has been struggling to keep up with its rivals in developing new vehicle technologies including self-driving cars and EVs as its R&D budget is a fraction of industry leaders Volkswagen AG and Toyota Motor Corp.

The company, known for its unique rotary engine and its MX-5 roadster, has tried to differentiate itself by promising a smoother ride which characterises many of its existing vehicles.

Mazda has partnered with Toyota to pool resources and jointly develop EVs and other new car technologies, but Marumoto said that it had no plans to offer the new engine technology to the company’s bigger partner.

“In the end, we are competitors,” Marumoto said.