A-G report finds improper payment of over RM17mil to company handling printing of police summonses

                PUTRAJAYA: Weaknesses were found in the payment for printing and mailing services of police summonses, including an improper payment amounting to RM17.76mil.

The Auditor-General’s Report 2021 Series 2 stated it was found that the police force did not impose a RM1.82mil fine on the company contracted to do the job for a delay in carrying out the job.

A company was engaged to carry out the printing and mailing of police summonses.

An audit on this service was carried out to determine if the payment for this service complied with the law and agreement, financial regulation and was done in an orderly manner.

“It was also found that the company engaged to carry out this service for the police had appointed a subcontractor without approval, with a contract value of RM32.58mil,” said the report which was released today.

The report recommended for the police to ensure that payment made was according to the contract signed and based on the actual number of notices that were printed and mailed by the service company.

It also recommended for the police to enforce existing clauses of the agreement and improve terms of the agreement to safeguard the government’s interest.

Explaining this, Auditor-General Datuk Seri Nik Azman Nik Abdul Majid said that police could not impose fine on the company for delay in work as its contract had expired on Nov 30 last year.

“The government is in possession of a cash guarantee which can be deducted. The amount however is not sufficient to cover the total cost (of fine).

“The relevant ministry and police are in discussion with the company for the fine to be paid,” he added.


Chevrolet offering Merdeka deals

                PETALING JAYA: In conjunction with Independence Day celebrations, Naza Quest Sdn Bhd, the official sole importer and distributor of Chevrolet vehicles, is offering rebates and complimentary accessories on top of a 5-year vehicle manufacturer warranty.
Chevrolet's Malaysia Day Drive-Away Deal nationwide campaign runs from 8th August 2016 to 30th September 2016.
There are money-saving deals worth up to RM20,000 for the Chevrolet Orlando 7-seater family MPV, and Cruze sedan.
All Orlando and Cruze 2016 models now come with a free High-Definition 7-inch display Audio Visual Navigation (AVN) Infotainment system worth RM4,500.
This AVN system features FM/AM, CD, MP3, MPEG4, VCD, DVD, AUX-in, Bluetooth, USB Port and 6 speakers.
There is also a reverse camera and built-in GPS navigation system with Intelligent Voice Guide and Route Plan that covers Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
Meanwhile, the Chevrolet Colorado pick-up truck gets rebates of up to RM4,000 while the Sport Edition gets a rebate of RM10,000.
The Colorado also now comes standard with a reverse camera.
“Apart from the special rebates, we are delighted to reward our customers with a new AVN system which now comes standard in both the Orlando  and Cruze 2016 models,” said Naza Quest vice president Thoo Ai Wuen.


Toyota to display new map-making system for driverless cars

                TOYOTA CITY: Toyota is developing a high-precision map generation system that will use data from on-board cameras and GPS devices installed in production vehicles to make automated driving safe.

The new system will go on display at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2016 in Las Vegas, which will run from Jan 6-9.

Toyota's new system uses camera-equipped production vehicles to gather road images and vehicle positional information. This information is sent to data centres, where it is automatically pieced together, corrected and updated to generate high precision road maps that cover a wide area.

An understanding of road layouts and traffic rules (including speed limits and various road signs) is essential for the successful implementation of automated driving technologies. Additionally, high precision measurement of positional information requires the collection of information on dividing lines, curbs, and other road characteristics.

Until now, map data for automated driving purposes has been generated using specially-built vehicles equipped with three-dimensional laser scanners. The vehicles are driven through urban areas and on highways, and data is collected and manually edited to incorporate information such as dividing lines and road signs. Due to the infrequent nature of data collection, maps generated in this manner are seldom updated, limiting their usefulness. Additionally, this represents a relatively cost-intensive method of gathering data, due to the need to manually input specific types of data.

Toyota's newly developed system uses automated cloud-based spatial information generation technology (developed by Toyota Central R&D Labs., Inc.) to generate high precision road image data from the databanks and GPS devices of designated user vehicles. While a system relying on cameras and GPS in this manner has a higher probability of error than a system using three-dimensional laser scanners, positional errors can be mitigated using image matching technologies that integrate and correct road image data collected from multiple vehicles, as well as high precision trajectory estimation technologies. This restricts the system's margin error to a maximum of 5cm on straight roads. By using production vehicles and existing infrastructure to collect information, this data can be updated in real time. Furthermore, the system can be implemented and scaled up at a relatively low cost.

To support the spread of automated driving technologies, Toyota plans to include this system as a core element in automated driving vehicles that will be made available in production vehicles by around 2020. While initial use of the system is expected to be limited to expressways, future development goals include expanding functionality to cover ordinary roads and assist in hazard avoidance. Toyota will also seek to collaborate with mapmakers, with the goal of encouraging the use of high precision map data in services offered by both the public and private sectors.

In October 2015, Toyota introduced the Mobility Teammate Concept, which is part of the company's approach to embracing automated driving technologies while keeping fun at the centre of the driving experience.


China auto industry cuts 2022 outlook as commercial demand slumps

Vehicles zooming past a traffic policeman on the Second Ring Road in Beijing in this 2014 file pic. — Reuters
SHANGHAI: A slump in commercial-vehicle demand led China's automobile industry association today to downgrade its sales forecast, as anti-pandemic measures weighed on the economy and its car market, the world's largest.

The industry will sell 27 million cars this year, up 3% on 2021, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers forecast, cutting its outlook from the 27.5 million sales and 5.4% growth it predicted in December.

Weak demand for commercial vehicles, such as buses and trucks, drove the downgrade, data from the association showed. It now expects a 16% fall in sales of commercial vehicles to 4 million units.

Overall growth of around 3% compares with the 4.4% achieved in 2021 and the 1.9% fall of 2020.

The auto sector has been hit hard in recent months by efforts to combat Covid-19. The government has at times put many parts of the country, including Shanghai, under stringent lockdown.

Authorities have tried incentives to revive demand, with the central government last month halving purchase tax to 5% for cars priced at less than 300,000 yuan (RM199,000) and with engines no larger than 2.0 litres.

Many policies have been aimed at encouraging sales of new-energy vehicles (NEVs). In May and June, some local governments began offering subsidies for trade-ins of gasoline vehicles for electric cars.

Some cities have also expanded quotas on car ownership.

Such policies helped create an annual rise in sales seen in June, following four months that showed falls. The industry sold 2.5 million vehicles in June, up 23.8% on a year earlier, the association said.

But the incentives had hardly helped commercial-vehicle demand, which was awaiting recovery of activity in logistics and infrastructure, sectors that needed more state support, Xu Haidong, the association's deputy chief engineer, said at Monday's regular press conference.

June sales were also up 34.4% from May, with sales of NEVs - among them electric, plug-in petrol-electric hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles - climbing 129.2% from a year before.

While it cut its annual projection for overall sales, the association revised up its forecast for NEVs, saying 5.5 million units would probably be sold, up more than 56% and compared with last year's 47% growth. Passenger car sales for the year would likely rise about 7%.

Although June sales were buoyant, there are concerns that demand will once again be hit as Covid cases tick up with the arrival of the BA.5 Omicron subvariant in China and cities impose new restrictions.

China's auto industry will also face persistent challenges of chip shortages and rising raw material costs, especially for electric-vehicle batteries, said Chen Shihua, deputy secretary-general of the association.


VW's new Golf GTI launching in September

                FRANKFURT: Just as the VW Golf has shaped the compact format across the industry, its sporty GTI offshoot has set a dynamic tone in this class since 1976.

In September, just a few months after the launch of the eighth generation, the latest GTI model is set to roll into dealerships in Europe.

Starting at around €35,000 (RM173,000), the GTI gets you a two-litre engine with 245hp that can hit a top speed of 250kph and sprint from 0 to 100kph in 6.3 seconds.

VW isn't yet giving efficiency numbers for this sports car, available as a manual and with a double clutch automatic.

So that the GTI's muscles can also help it drive fast, there is a significantly modified chassis, while all electronic functions are networked by a central computer.

This driving dynamics manager is intended to further bridge the gap between an emphatically sporty set-up and high long-distance comfort, VW announces.

As with each of the seven GTIs before it, the new sports car is once again visually very different from the mass production model: for the first time, an LED strip extends across the entire hood, making the GTI unmistakable even at night.

There is also a diamond pattern in the front air intake, somewhat reminiscent of the original honeycomb grille. At the side, striking sill strips catch the eye, while at the rear a diffuser with tailpipes pushed far outwards is the key feature.

The interior's digital setup is strikingly similar to previous generation. For anyone who finds the screens and sensor strips too dull, VW says the new start button will pulsate before starting in a flaming GTI red.


Licence plate way to spot Switzerland's truly rich

Ruppen paid over RM700,000 for the VS 1 license plate. — Image from swissinfo.ch
BASEL: Hanging out in Switzerland before you check out watches at Baselworld and overwhelmed by all the affluence and shiny timepieces? Here’s a way to separate the wheat from the chaff: forget the bling and have a look at the licence plate.

Switzerland doesn’t allow vanity plates, so special or lucky numbers have an added value and sell for thousands of francs. While Swiss auctions of license plate numbers can’t quite compete with those in the United Arab Emirates — where the wealthy pay millions of dollars — they are not far behind.

Just last week, industrialist Otto Ruppen forked out 160,100 francs (RM713,000) for VS 1, with the letters standing for the Canton of Valais in western Switzerland. Even more common three or four-digit numbers are in high demand.

“It’s a question of prestige,” said Stefan Cardinale, who works at a dealership that sells Ferraris and Maseratis in Zug, a canton known for its wealth and low taxes. “People who invest in flashy wheels want the world to see how awesome they are.”

Buyers of luxury vehicles regularly inquire about low-digit numbers and are willing to pay a lot for them, Cardinale said. His boss Pierre Sudan owns Zug’s No. 1 plate.

The Swiss system of the two letters indicating the canton followed by a number has been in place since 1933 and unlike most other European countries, it’s not the car that is assigned a plate, but a person.

As every new car registering to roam Swiss roads just gets the next highest number in line, the ability to pass on license plates to your children has made low-digit numbers synonymous with old money.

“This might add to some people’s attachment to their licence plate,” said Peter Kyburz, head of the Zurich traffic office. “It’s also connected to prestige, as the lower the number, the longer a person or his or her family has been able to drive a car.”

READ MORE:The Malaysian perspective

St. Gallen raised almost 1.7 million francs (RM7.6mil) in 2014 by auctioning special numbers that were previously attached to fire trucks, police cars and ambulance vehicles. Kyburz says that Zurich’s auctioning of license plates earns the canton an annual revenue stream of 2.5 million francs to 3 million francs (RM13.3mil). Just before Christmas, ZH 888 888 yielded a price of 50,280 francs (RM224,000).

Zug is the only canton that lets its citizens trade their plates privately without paying a fee to the authorities. Some smaller cantons with fewer registered cars have fixed prices for attractive numbers whereas most of the country’s 26 cantonal traffic offices host websites regularly auctioning new numbers. In Zurich, the country’s most populous region, the bidding for a four-digit plate starts at 2,000 francs (RM8,900).

“After the two licence plates LU 100 were stolen from my son’s car — despite being more securely bolted-on than required — we attached our own LU 40 plate even more elaborately,” says Vreni Haeberli, who lives in Aesch in the canton of Lucerne. “We would never sell them, they’re now part of our family heritage.”

Not to forget the publicity factor in the country that hosts one of the world’s biggest watch fairs in Basel March 23-30.

“Having the number 1 on our car is mainly a marketing tool,” says Marcel Kunz, whose taxi company Nova Taxi got lucky when the canton of Bern re-issued the number over 50 years ago.

It’s now gracing one of the company’s Tesla X cars and people regularly photograph it. “The long-term publicity effect far exceeds the monetary gains from selling it. Who else can say that not only are they number one, but also own the number 1?”


New Ford headlights are ahead of the curve in making night driving easier

                LONDON: Driving at night, especially on winding unfamiliar roads, can be stressful, with many people choosing to avoid the experience altogether.

However, Ford is looking into new ways of making driving in the dark easier and more comfortable.

The company first pioneered using road signs and lane markings as cues to adjust headlight beams to better illuminate the road ahead, especially around junctions.

Now, engineers from Ford Research and Advanced Engineering Europe are testing technology that uses real-time location data to effectively show the car the way to go. The predictive smart headlight system directs beams into upcoming corners even before drivers may have seen them, illuminating hazards and other road users more quickly and effectively.

The prototype advanced lighting system uses GPS location data, advanced technologies and highly accurate street geometry information to accurately identify turns in the road ahead.

An algorithm calculates the trajectory and speed of the vehicle to proactively adjust the direction of its headlights, providing optimal light coverage of bends, junctions – and even hazards lurking around the corner.

If the vehicle encounters a stretch of road where location data is not available, the system will work alongside camera- and steering-based dynamic headlight bending technologies to continue to intelligently light the road until the location data improves.

Researchers have made extensive use of “digital twin” simulation that recreates the physical world in a virtual environment. The simulator accurately calculates how light falls and reflects in the real world, enabling researchers to better visualise and optimise the technology for drivers.

Michael Koherr, Ford European lighting research engineer, said: “The predictive lighting technology we are developing now means that one day driving in the dark could be as simple as just following your headlights. This new map- and location-based system is the next step on our quest to make driving at night no more difficult or stressful as during the day.”


Automakers, tech companies decide to make deals, not war

                DETROIT: A flurry of deals between big automakers and ride hailing and transportation startups is rewriting the playbook in the contest to control the future of personal transportation.

Automakers now recognise they may turn ride-hailing services and car sharing companies into steady customers for all sorts of vehicles, particularly hybrid and electric cars, industry executives and analysts say.

Tie-ups with carpooling services or short-term rental companies help automakers expose consumers to brands they might otherwise ignore. Technology companies offer access to troves of consumer data, and sophisticated ways to analyze them.

From the automakers, the Silicon Valley mobility companies obtain fresh capital, access to auto industry engineers who know how cars work and discounts on vehicles for their drivers.

In the latest tie-up between an automaker and a transportation technology startup, German luxury car maker BMW AG said on Wednesday its BMW iVentures venture capital arm has invested an undisclosed amount in California-based Scoop Technologies, which offers a smartphone-powered carpooling service called Scoop.

On Tuesday, Toyota Motor Corp, the world's No. 1 automaker by vehicle sales, said it was investing an undisclosed amount of money in Uber. Germany's Volkswagen AG said on the same day it would invest US$300 million in Gett, a smaller ride-hailing company.

Automakers "want to make sure they are in the game," as more consumers use ride sharing or carpooling, said Mark Short, an Ernst and Young partner who advises automakers on transactions. "To be in the game, you have to make investments in these companies."

In the case of Uber and Toyota, both could benefit from an alliance.

Uber "actually knows very little from its own experience about cars - how they're made, how they work," said Jan Dawson, technology analyst with Jackdaw Research. Uber has said it wants to develop self-driving cars - as does Toyota - and the two indicated they will collaborate on research.

Toyota said it expects to offer new ways for Uber drivers to buy Toyota cars, and could market Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles to Uber in bulk fleet sales. Details of these programs have yet to be decided, a Toyota spokesman said on Wednesday.

Toyota and some rival automakers currently offer discounts to drivers for Uber and its ride-hailing rival, Lyft. An Uber driver who wants to buy a Toyota Prius, for example, could receive a US$750 discount. The Uber discount for a Ford Focus is US$2,100, according to information on Uber's website.

Uber said on Wednesday discounts from various automakers have saved its drivers more than US$20 million on vehicle purchases globally as of the end of last year. As of last December, more than 50,000 people around the world had used its car discount programme, Uber Vehicle Solutions, to buy or lease vehicles worth over US$1 billion.

Ride hailing and car sharing companies could become outlets for automakers trying to sell more electric vehicles, or hybrid cars, to earn credits under US federal and state environmental rules. The high costs of an electric car battery are more rapidly offset by ferrying passengers around a city all day than by a routine round-trip commute.

GM executives say Lyft will be an important customer for the automaker's Chevrolet Bolt electric car, due to launch late this year.

BMW's investment in Scoop is also aimed at selling vehicles, Ulrich Quay, managing director of BMW iVentures, said on Wednesday. Ride sharing can help the automaker get to know customers who have never driven a BMW, he said.

The Scoop application connects people who live in the same neighbourhoods and work near each other to arrange carpools. The company currently operates in the San Francisco Bay area.


Lamborghini sold over 7,400 cars in 2020

The Huracan STO.
BOLOGNA: Lamborghini delivered 7,430 cars worldwide in 2020 despite a surging pandemic.

It reported an all-time six-month sales record in the second half of the year

Overall, the 2020 sales was only a decrease of 9% over the preceding year, attributed to a 70-day production shutdown in the spring, in compliance with Italian government directives amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Six new products were launched on the market in 2020 namely the Huracán EVO RWD coupé and Spyder, Sián Roadster, Essenza SCV12, Huracán STO and SC20.

 Lamborghini president and CEO Stephan Winkelmann.

The United States was confirmed as the top market with 2,224 cars, followed by Germany (607), mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau (604), Japan (600), the United Kingdom (517) and Italy (347).

The two countries with the highest growth were South Korea (303 units, + 75%) and Germany (607 units, +8%).

The Urus SUV, which last year set a production record of 10,000 units, was the most successful model with 4,391 cars delivered. Both the super sports car lines made a significant contribution to global volumes: the V10 Huracán recorded growing numbers with 2,193 cars sold (+3%), alongside 846 V12 Aventador units delivered worldwide.

The supercar company said it is starting 2021 on a strong footing as over half of the year's planned production have already found buyers.


Two JPJ staff held over illegal car registrations

                SEREMBAN: Two Road Transport Department (JPJ) officers have been detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission for allegedly being involved in the illegal registration of smuggled vehicles.

They were among three men and a woman, aged between their early 20s and 30s, who were detained by the commission in separate raids here last week.

A source said based on preliminary investigations, some 10,000 road tax discs and 1,500 vehicle registration cards were believed to have been taken out of the state JPJ office here since last November.

“We have reasons to believe that these discs could have been used on vehicles smuggled into the country,” he said.

State MACC chief Shaharom Nizam Abd Manap confirmed the arrests.

He also advised those who had reasons to believe that their cars were illegally registered to voluntarily surrender them.


BMW engine development expert Duesmann set to become Audi chief in April, says paper

                BERLIN: BMW’s engine development and purchasing expert, Markus Duesmann, is set to become the CEO of Volkswagen’s Audi premium brand, after BMW dropped its opposition to his early departure, a German newspaper reported on Saturday.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung cited a person with knowledge of the appointment as saying Duesmann will start as Audi chief on April 1.

It said BMW’s board would discuss Duesmann’s planned departure to Audi in the near future.

Wolfsburg-based VW is on the lookout for clean-engine expertise as it struggles to overcome an emissions scandal that originated in Audi’s engine development department.

Audi’s current CEO and VW board member Rupert Stadler was forced to step down temporarily after his arrest in June as part of an ongoing emissions investigation. VW is seeking to replenish its senior leadership while Stadler remains in custody.

VW had said in July that Duesmann will take up his new position as soon as he is able to do so. He will be the second high-profile defection from rival German carmaker BMW after the poaching of Herbert Diess in July 2015.

Duesmann’s BMW contract runs until Sept 30, 2019, and it would also have a non-compete clause that BMW board members are required to sign.

BMW had said that Duesmann had informed its chairman that he would not make himself available for an extension of his contract for personal reasons.


Apple iOS 11 gets even more relevant for drivers

                PETALING JAYA: The latest update to the Apple iPhone operating system has a safety feature called “Do Not Disturb While Driving”.

This means that your iPhone can now detect when you are driving and automatically silence incoming notifications and alerts.

Users will also be able to send an auto reply to their favourite contacts to let them know that they are behind the wheel at the moment and cannot respond.

iOS 11 will roll out to developers today while the full version will be available in September.

Thanks to Star's resident tech guy Lee Kah Leng for this alert, which was featured as part of an article on seven highlights of iOS 11. The updated iOS was revealed at the June 5-9 Apple WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) in San Jose, California.


First drive of new BMW 7 Series

                Driving gets you from point A to point B. Being driven also achieves the same result.

For the latter you can take a taxi or limo service but there is another option. Get a chauffeur to take you around. And for that, you need a certain type of car.

The BMW 7 Series already has that reputation of a luxury sedan since it was introduced way back in 1977.

Now in its sixth generation and being the flagship model of BMW’s line-up, it continues to grow and evolve in the most relevant and stylish way.

The new 7 Series immediately made an impression as soon as I laid eyes on it.

A whole fleet of them was on display along the banks of Duoro River by the Alfandega Do Porto convention centre in Porto, the second largest city in Portugal.

READ:Five cool features in the 7 Series

It consisted of the top-of-the-range long wheelbase 750i/Li xDrive and the sedan variant, the 730d.

This was the starting point of the media test drive and key BMW personnel were on hand to explain the new technological features of the car.

It is fitted with enough wizardry and luxurious accoutrements expected of its class and then some.

But before we delve into that, the first thing you are going to see - like I did - is the car’s all-new design.

The overall look of the car is sleek and aerodynamic with its clean, clearly defined lines that communicate a sense of elegance, style and prestige.

Its imposing only in the most subtle way as one can recognise the status that this car brings just by looking at it.

“Designing the new 7 Series was a challenge,” said BMW Automobiles Head of Exterior Design, Domagoj Dukec, in his presentation to the media.

“We sent our designers to seven cities around the world to understand what’s modern. It had to have precision and poetry.”

This resulted in a larger, already iconic kidney grille with generous amounts of chrome trims and the new Adaptive LED with anti-dazzle high beam headlights (known as BMW Laserlight) which extends all the way to the grille at the front fascia.

It gets harmonious as the body lines and the door handles are integrated and a generous piece of chrome trim is spread almost edge-to-edge in the rear. And chrome housings for the quad tailpipes.

Do you see a pattern here? Horizontal lines and chrome. Modern design and luxury.

It is important to note that the new 7 Series has shaved off 130kg of its weight compared with the previous generation reducing fuel consumption.

It heavily relies on carbon fibre for its lightweight hybrid construction known as Carbon Core.

It doesn’t stop there though because the interior is rather spectacular especially on the 750Li.

It’s a sensual interior covered in fine leather, wood trim and Alcantara headliner, already imbuing the hallmark of luxury but there’s more.

The long wheelbase has the Executive Lounge Seating which is behind the front passenger seat.

With a touch of a button the front seat automatically moves forward giving an additional 90mm of space and a foot rest which extends from the back of the front seat giving the occupant the chance to recline and put his/her feet up.

Also integrated in the Executive Lounge is a Samsung tablet neatly housed in the rear console.

The removable 7-inch tablet contains the Touch Command system which allows you to control the infotainment system and comfort functions such as the massage function, climate control and utilising the Bowers and Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System with 16 speakers.

A first for a luxury saloon in its class is the BMW Hand Gesture control which is only available for the driver and whoever’s riding shotgun up front.

You are able to use hand gestures which recognises only six pre-defined hand movements for controlling the volume, accepting or rejecting calls and operating the new Surround View camera system.

This offers a 360 degree view of the car and its surroundings including Top View and Panorama Side View for the front and rear of the car.

Now it was time for us to get moving and we were handed the very large and futuristic-looking key fob to the 750Li.

This is unlike most key fobs which is why it is called the BMW Display Key because it has a display screen which gives you information on your car like whether or not you’ve locked it or you can turn on the A/C beforehand to cool the cabin.

The coolest thing about the new 7 Series though, is that the car can park itself.

This is autonomous parking in action. It only moves forwards and back as it is designed to fit in small spaces like a parking garage.

So all you have to do is use the Remote Control Parking function on the Display Key to control it.

You can watch the video of this function below.

Being driven is the best thing about the 750Li. It’s like being on a business class flight but you’re in a car.

Its quieter than being on a plane and very quiet for a car.

The suspension just soaks every rough and uneven surface that you are left with a very comfortable environment with the reclining options, entertainment system and climate control.

Plus, you have the Sky Lounge panoramic sunroof with six choices of ambient lighting when the sun goes down as well the ambient air package with eight fragrances to choose from.

I got behind the wheel and the new 4.4-litre turbocharged V8 engine mated to the eight-speed Steptronic transmission moved this all-wheel drive car effortlessly.

Afterall, the silky smooth engine produces 450hp at 5,500 to 6,000rpm and a whopping 650Nm of torque from as low as 1,800 to 4,500rpm.

The Head Up Display aids you while you’re driving as it projects all the relevant information about your speed, navigation, who’s calling, what you’re listening to among others clearly on the windscreen.

On top of it, the new 7 Series has a long list of driving aids and safety features that is not uncommon for a car of this class.

While it may spout performance figures, this is not what the 7 Series is about even though it goes from 0-100kph in 4.5 seconds.

It is about comfort, luxury and most importantly, arriving in style.

Here’s a list of things we like about the new 7.

1. BMW Display Key
This is the king of key fobs as it is about the size of a clamshell phone and displays all types of useful information. For example, if you’re not sure whether you’ve locked your doors, the Key will tell you and you can even operate the climate control before you get in the car among other things.

2. BMW LaserlightYou can’t have “sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads” but you can have Laserlight headlamps which, in laser high-beam mode, provides twice the illumination of conventional headlights without blinding oncoming vehicles as it similar to natural daylight.

3. The Executive LoungeIf you need to get away from it all and stretch your legs in comfort and luxury then just get in the back of the new 7 Series. It’s really special being chaffeur-driven in an exquisite space covered in the finest leather, ambient lighting and a host of controls at your fingertips through the BMW Touch Command Tablet.

4. BMW Gesture Control Get behind the wheel and you can control certain pre-defined functions with hand movements such as volume control, accepting and rejecting phone calls as well as manipulating the 360 degree view of the car via the parking aid to clearly check your surroundings.

5. Remote Control ParkingAnother cool function is that this car can park itself remotely without the driver inside. It’s designed especially for getting in and out of very tight spaces. Just use the BMW Display Key to engage this function and the car will take care of the rest.


Škoda VisionS heading to Geneva show

                PRAGUE: Skoda is shaping up to be quite an attractive brand if its SUV design study is any indication.

The Volkswagen-owned marque will be showcasing its new show car – the Škoda VisionS – at the 2016 Geneva International Motor Show, hinting at how Škoda’s future SUV could look.

The design represents a balance of aesthetics, power and function. Over recent years Škoda has completely renewed its model range and the next phase will involve broadening the range of models in the SUV segment.

Škoda unveiled its new design language in 2014 with the VisionC design study. The brand is now transferring this to the SUV segment with the the VisionS (‘S’ stands for SUV) showing how Škoda’s future SUV, which is larger than the Yeti model, could look. With a length of 4,700mm and a width of 1,910mm the 1,680mm high show car creates an instant presence on the road.

Inside traditional brand values are recreated with a large interior, here featuring three rows of seats, offering a generous space for six occupants.

Externally, the Škoda VisionS reflects the brand’s new emotional appeal. All the edges and lines are precise and sharp, while crystalline design elements accentuate the exterior. The interplay of light and shadow creates strong effects on the strikingly chiselled surfaces.

At the front, the bonnet relies on the creative use of plastics, with contours flowing towards the brand logo. The wide grille and four tapered, high-set LED headlights characterise the face of the show car, emphasising the vehicle’s SUV character. Crystalline elements in the vertical struts in the grille and on the logo are Škoda’s tribute to the Czech art of crystal-glass design.

The side view also illustrates the SUV character of Škoda’s VisionS with tornado line spanning the entire length of the body. Angular wheel arches emphasise the off-road character and the upper-shoulder contour forms a deep groove over the sills. The quickly sloping roofline with the long spoiler and tapered rear visually suggest the show car in motion even when stationary.

The rear of Škoda’s VisionS has been sculpturally designed with a strong diffuser insert bordering the large exhaust pipes to confer a powerful stance. The Škoda logo and shallow rear lights with cut crystalline housings sit just beneath the low rear window, while Škoda’s characteristic C-arm, beginning at the rear lights, runs into the flat reflectors in the bumper.


Porsche 718 Boxster and 718 Boxster S previewed at Sepang circuit

                SEPANG: The Porsche 718 Boxster and 718 Boxster S is being previewed at the Porsche World Roadshow 2016 from today to July 21 ahead of their local launch.

The new 718 Boxster models are equipped with newly developed turbo flat-four engines with improved performance and reduced fuel consumption.

The two-seat convertibles are now more powerful yet more fuel-efficient. With them, Porsche continues the tradition of the four-cylinder flat engines that were used in the Porsche 718 mid-engine sports cars that won numerous races back in the 1950s and 1960s. Among them were the legendary Targa Florio and Le Mans.

The centrepiece of the new model series is the newly developed four-cylinder flat engine with turbocharging. The 718 Boxster develops 300hp from two litres of engine displacement, while the 718 Boxster S attains 350hp from 2.5 litres of displacement. In the S-model, Porsche also uses a turbocharger with variable turbine geometry (VTG).

In fact Porsche is now the only manufacturer to offer VTG technology in production cars with petrol-driven engines, both in the 911 Turbo and in the 718 Boxster S. There is a considerable power gain of 35hp compared to the previous Boxster models and the efficiency of the new turbo engines. The new 718 Boxster models have fuel economy improvements of up to 13%.

The 718 Boxster – with PDK and the Sport Chrono Package – sprints from zero to 100kph in 4.7 seconds (0.8 seconds faster). The 718 Boxster S with the same equipment completes this discipline in 4.2 seconds (0.6 seconds faster). The top speed of the 718 Boxster is 275 kph, and the 718 Boxster S has a top speed of 285kph.

Fuel economy is also better. In the 718 Boxster, the four-cylinder flat engine with PDK has a NEDC fuel consumption figure of 6.9 l/100 km (1.0 l/100 km less). In the 718 Boxster S, the 2.5-litre turbo flat engine with PDK consumes just 7.3 l/100 km (0.9 l/100 km less).

The 718 model line can be made out at first glance. The front end of the new roadster has a more sculpted look. The front has a wider and more masculine appearance. The much larger cooling air intakes at the front are a distinct exterior expression of the new turbo engine concept. The front end of the 718 Boxster is rounded out by the new design of the bi-xenon headlights with integrated LED day-time running lights. LED headlights with four-point daytime running lights are available as a new option.

From a side view, identifying features of the new model line include new, independently styled wings and side sills. Larger air inlet panels with two fins emphasis the car's dynamic look. The doors are now designed without door handle recess covers.

The redesigned rear body of the 718 Boxster has a much wider look – especially due to the accent strip with integrated Porsche badge between the tail lights. The entirely redeveloped tail lights are distinguished by their three-dimensional LED technology and four-point brake lights.

Over 280 participants across Asia will be at the roadshow held at the Sepang International Circuit and hosted by Porsche importer Sime Darby Auto Performance.

The roadshow is a long established professional driving event that has been held in over 45 countries around the world. Attracting more than 42,000 potential customers and car enthusiasts, it provides a platform to experience the complete Porsche model range.

The program is led by professional Porsche certified instructors. Under their guidance, participants are not only able to enjoy the thrill of driving a Porsche at the Sepang circuit; they also get the opportunity to enhance their driving skills. The programme includes braking, slalom, vehicle handling and an off-road experience, all in just one day.

The roadshow offers a wide range of Porsche models for participants to experience in different sections. These include 22 of the latest Porsche cars ranging from the latest 911 models, the new mid-engine 718 Boxster models and Cayman; the Panamera, Macan and Cayenne.


New Perodua Myvi attracts over 4,000 bookings in just 9 days

                PETALING JAYA: Perodua launched the new Myvi this evening with a total of 4,303 bookings collected within a 9-day period with deliveries made immediately the next day.

The latest Myvi, which cost RM50 million to develop, has advance technology, enhanced intelligent safety features, improved fuel economy, sporty new looks and a new colour.

Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad said Perodua is expecting to register 6,000 units monthly, which would enable the compact car company to maintain sales interest in the Myvi.

The new Myvi variants comprised the 1.5 litre AV (Advance Variant), 1.5 litre H variant, a 1.5 litre X variant, a1.3 litre G and 1.3L G Basic.

The model is priced from RM45,700 to RM58,800.

The launch of the new Myvi was within the same week as the launch of the third-generation Myvi on Nov 16, 2017.

The Myvi, which was first introduced in May 2005 have sold some 1.3 million units so far and of that number, the third-generation Myvi sold 277,329 units.

On the overall industry outlook this year, Zainal said the challenges brought upon by the Covid-19 pandemic is still present and is impacting vehicle production with intermittent stops to halt the spread of the virus.

The semiconductor chip supply shortage is still an issue for manufacturers worldwide as chip makers struggle to keep up with demand, he added.

“These challenges have taken a toll on our production volume, while we are unable to reveal how much of an impact at the moment, suffice to say that Perodua will not be able to meet its 214,000 vehicles sales target set earlier.

“That being said, demand for our vehicles are still healthy with a sizeable order book and well as an expected sustained demand moving forward due to the continued sales tax exemption. Because of this we expect both production and sales to have a strong recovery next year.”


Eagle F1 SuperSport RS tyre marks return of Goodyear to the supercar segment

                KUALA LUMPUR: The Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport RS tyre has been homologated for the Porsche 911 GT2 RS and Porsche 911 GT3 RS for the sizes 265/35 ZR 20 (99Y) XL and 325/30 ZR 21 (108Y) XL.

“The new Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport RS has proven to provide the very high-performance level which we from Porsche require. Goodyear has designed a great tyre for us which perfectly fits into the extreme requirements of our Porsche 911 GT2 RS,” said Porsche Motorsport lead engineer Jan Frank.

Setting lap times at the Nardò Porsche Test circuit at Nardò in Italy was the final stage of development for the new Eagle F1 SuperSport RS, which marks Goodyear’s return to the Ultra Ultra High Performance (UUHP) market segment.

Fitted with 265/35ZR20 (99Y) XL (front) and 325/30ZR21 (108Y) XL (rear), the GT2 RS usage scenario was particularly challenging.

Porsche Motorsport required tyres capable of predictably and exploitably transmitting 700 hp and 750 nm through the rear wheels, a challenge compounded by peak torque arriving from just 2500 rpm, transferring power into straight-line and cornering performance resulting in superior lap times.

“The list of tyres truly competitive in these conditions is short,” said Nick Harley, managing director of Goodyear OE in the EMEA region.

The homologation entails that Porsche will be retailing N0-marked Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport RS tyres through its dealer network to owners seeking performance and steering precision in dry conditions.

Goodyear developed the Eagle F1 SuperSport RS specially for Porsche Motorsport, with a brief to facilitate record performance on track.

Pure racing compound maximizes dry grip by combining very stiff tread elements with a reduced tread depth.

The combined benefit helps maximizing the g- forces while minimizing movement of tread pattern in extreme cornering conditions, this providing the driver with both maximum grip level and extremely precise steering behaviour.

The adapted tyre construction utilizes further lessons from motorsport and bestows the Eagle F1 SuperSport RS with an optimized tyre profile to increase size of contact in combination to strong Aramid winding to keep the pressure distribution constant in different driving conditions and at different speeds.

Finally, the tread design features a massive outer shoulder which has been designed to optimize transmission of all lateral forces and facilitate extreme cornering stability.


Tesla EVs ranked worst in annual reliability survey by Consumer Reports

                NEW YORK: Electric vehicles (EVs) from Tesla Inc and other brands were among the least reliable vehicles in the United States, Consumer Reports magazine's annual reliability survey showed on Tuesday.

Although EVs and full-size pick up trucks enjoy the hottest demand in the market, they are the "most problematic", the nonprofit organisation that evaluates products and services said.

The report flagged a growing interest in hybrid vehicles, with 36% of prospective buyers considering one for their next car or truck purchase.

Tesla, the world's most valuable automaker, climbed by four spots and was ranked 19th out of the 24 brands. The EV leader continues to have issues with body hardware, steering/suspension, paint and trim, and climate system on its models, the report said.

In October, the Elon Musk-helmed company said it expected to miss its vehicle delivery target this year and cited logistics challenges.

The top-ranked brand overall in the survey was Lexus, and seven of the 10 best-scoring brands were Japanese and Korean.

Among brands owned by Detroit automakers, Lincoln was the only one in the top 10, securing the tenth place.

The magazine's annual survey of new vehicle reliability predicts which cars will give owners fewer or more problems than their competitors, based on data collected. Its scorecard is influential among consumers and industry executives.


Pushing the limit with Proton 1-Tank Adventure

                One of the frequent activities of the Malaysian motoring media is undertaking outstation drives. In most cases, whenever there is an imminent launch of a new model or an update of the current model, a “drive” event will be held so that the media can discover its new features, handling capabilities, the level of comfortness and fuel efficiency among other things.

Recently, Proton held a drive event which was more of an adventure/challenge than “trying out a new car.”

Media members are of course eagerly awaiting the arrival of the upcoming Proton SUV to try out. However, one tends to easily overlook the stable of existing cars from Proton when one is on the lookout for something new over the horizon.

 The participants of the Proton 1-Tank Adventure in the central region. 5th from left is Deputy CEO of Proton, Datuk Radzaif Mohamed and 4th from left is CEO of Proton Dr Li Chunrong.

It’s line-up of cars such as the Saga, Persona and Iriz remain the popular choice of Malaysians and these three models were the vehicles used for this drive.

The Proton 1-Tank Adventure however is much more than an efficiency drive as Proton has undertaken a nationwide roadtrip and broken it into five regions: Central, East Coast, East Malaysia, Southern and Northern.

They have also invited, besides members of the media, celebrities, social media influencers, Proton club members and the public to take part.

There were 12 members of the media who participated and were paired two to a car. The cars consisted of a pair of Saga, Iriz and Persona.

I ended up spending the next two days in a Proton Saga 1.3 Premium CVT variant which is the top-of-the-range specced Saga.

This sedan comes equipped with a host of safety features compared to the other variants such as reverse camera, electronic stability control (ESC), traction control and hill hold assist. It also comes with 15in wheels, 2 DIN head unit with four speakers, and steering switches for the audio.

The 1.3L engine produces 94hp at 5,750rpm and 120Nm of torque at 4,000rpm, mated to a continuosly variable transmission (CVT).

The Premium CVT Saga is priced at RM41,847.59 which makes it the most affordable high specced sedan in the country.

The first Proton 1-Tank Adventure began in the Central region and the drive consisted of a trip starting from Proton headquarters in Shah Alam, Selangor, to Ipoh, Perak and back within two days.

The route was not as straightforwad as it sounds though because the route had been mapped out for us to visit various places of interest along the way and enjoy the local cuisine as well.

The route took us to Bukit Malawati in Kuala Selangor (the first destination and check point) followed by the Leaning Tower in Teluk Intan, Perak and on to Bukit Gantang rest area in Taiping before making our way back to Ipoh.

We were informed that our daily journey would cover over 300km. The length of the trip was not so much of a concern for myself and my co-driver but driving efficiently meant taking it slower than the approved speed limit.

In order to be efficient with fuel, one has to be gentle with the throttle, get the car up to speed and pay attention to the rpm meter to make sure the needle is below 2,000rpm. I managed to keep it around 1,800rpm which resulted in travelling at an average of 70kph.

My co-driver was even more frugal and kept the speed at 60kph.

We kept the same pace the next day which involved Kellie’s Castle in Batu Gajah then all the way to MAEPS, Serdang where we stopped for lunch and to test the handling of the cars in a slalom course.

We sighed with relief at this point as we had achieved our target of travelling 640km with a single tank of fuel. After that we refilled the car with petrol and headed to the Proton Dealer Setia Gemilang in Sg Buloh for the de-briefing.

I learnt that the most difficult thing about the drive was having the patience to maintain the abovementioned speed although there were times when I did pick up the pace and went to about 80kph.

We later learnt that everyone made it back with a single tank. We had averaged around 5.0L/100km. We were happy with the results but more importantly, the Saga proved to be a very comfortable and quiet car for long, outstation drives which I think played a huge part of being able to be drive at such speeds and achieve the 1-Tank challenge.


Volkswagen honours its best dealers

                KUALA LUMPUR: Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) celebrated its dealer accomplishments at the recent 2018 Volkswagen Dealer Awards Night at Hilton Kuala Lumpur.

The Volkswagen Dealer Awards recognizes and celebrates top performing dealers and dealer employees for their achievements in supporting the Volkswagen brand in Malaysia in 2018. The event was attended by 25 dealers from the Volkswagen network nationwide.

Four awards were presented under the dealership category, which comprised of dealers with 3S and 4S centres. The judging and scoring criteria were based on the dealer’s efforts in sales and marketing, aftersales, customer satisfaction, dealer standards compliance and manpower qualification. The dealers were monitored from January till December 2018.

The title of Best Overall Dealer for 2018 went to MHV Autohaus (Volkswagen Gombak). MHV Autohaus had also won Best Overall Dealer in 2017.

The other recipients for Best Dealers in their respective categories (by location and region) were:

Category A - 4S centres: Wearnes Automotive
Category B - dealers within Klang Valley: MHV Autohaus
Category C – dealers out of Klang Valley: Lee Motors Autohaus

Individual talents within the network were also acknowledged and awarded for their exceptional performances in their roles as Sales Manager, Sales Consultant, Aftersales Manager, Parts Manager, Service Advisor and Technician.

Individuals from the respective categories were tested on both qualitative and quantitative KPI achievements for the different levels and positions. The criteria include sales and aftersales targets, customer satisfaction, adherence to processes and procedures and attaining required training and qualifications.

The six individual Overall Top Achievers were:

James Leong from MHV Autohaus for Best Sales Manager
Yan Mun Ee from Goh Brothers, Ipoh for Best Sales Consultant
William Loh from MHV Autohaus for Best Aftersales Manager
John Leow from MHV Autohaus for Best Parts Manager
Azrul Muzakhair from Wearnes Sg Besi for Best Service Advisor
Husni Thamrin from Lee Motors, Alor Setar for Best Techinician

Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM said that the awards were held to recognise all the hard work of Volkswagen dealers, but was designed to raise the benchmark of dealer standards across the network.

“Year after year, we continue to encourage and steer our dealer partners to strive on continuous improvements. It is through our partners that we build trust and confidence amongst our owners to enhance their overall ownership experience, and we are pleased to be able to honour our high-achievers in recognising all the hard work they have put into their business for the Volkswagen brand.”

The awards were presented by Winter and Florian Steiner, Managing Directors of VPCM, and Deenan Nadar, Aftersales Director of VPCM.


March 9-15: RON97 up three sen, rest unchanged


Battery makers warn EU that lithium proposal may hurt EV sector

                LONDON: Lithium and battery producers warned the European Union that a proposal to classify the metal as a reproductive toxin could severely hurt Europe’s burgeoning electric-vehicle industry.

The material is a key part of EV batteries and widely used in pharmaceuticals, industrial lubricants and specialty glasses.

A proposal being considered by the European Commission this month would put some lithium chemicals in the highest category of reproductive and developmental toxins, based partly on human studies carried out in the 1980s and 1990s.

That may stigmatise use of the materials and cut investment in the EV sector, lobby groups including Eurobat, the International Lithium Association and Eurometaux said in an open letter to politicians.

EVs play a crucial role in green efforts and automakers such as Elon Musk’s Tesla Inc. have warned that soaring materials prices and supply-chain bottlenecks threaten their rollout.

In the letter, the lobby groups raised concerns about the scientific rationale for the classification, which could lead to the chemicals being established as a "substance of very high concern” alongside severely carcinogenic and mutagenic toxins that the EU wants to gradually phase out by restricting usage.

That could undermine separate efforts to boost domestic production of lithium, which the commission designated as a critical raw material in 2020.

The proposals refer to lithium carbonate, hydroxide and chloride.

"If the three lithium salts go down this path it could have significant unintended consequences in the EU, putting in question the long-term viability of lithium being produced, refined, used, and recycled” in the EU, International Lithium Association Secretary General Roland Chavasse said by email.

Categorising the chemicals as reproductive and developmental toxins could impose higher costs on buyers and crimp producers’ margins, hindering the rationale for further investment in the industry, according to Francesco Gattiglio, director of external affairs for the EU at Albemarle Corp.

The company is the world’s top lithium miner and operates a lithium chemicals plant in Langelsheim, Germany.

"While the impact to our specialty customers is unclear at this point, we do not anticipate closure of our Langelsheim plant,” Gattiglio said by email.

"For sure, the classification would have a negative impact on the possibility to establish lithium conversion plants in Europe.”


Harley-Davidson re-opens in Penang

                PENANG: American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson Motor Company announced the official re-opening of its authorized dealership in Penang today.

Together with Harley-Davidson of Melaka and Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya, Harley-Davidson of Penang reinforces the brand’s commitment to expanding its footprint and strengthening its dealership network in this growing market.

Harley-Davidson of Penang is now operated by new appointed GB Motorcycles, which is a partnership between Goh Brothers Group (an automotive retail group) and Kheoh Hock
Seng (a specialist in premium motorcycles in Penang).

Owners and riders from around the country together with company directors Goh Kian Sin and Kheoh Hock Seng as well as Harley-Davidson Asia Emerging Markets District Manager Koh Jyh Woei graced the grand opening.

“With a strong commitment to the Malaysian market since 2008, Harley-Davidson is devoted to building up a trusted community for local biking enthusiasts and establishing a
robust dealership network across the country. Our dealerships are important to us as they lie at the core of delivering the full premium Harley-Davidson motorcycling experience to
customers," said Harley-Davidson Asia Emerging Markets managing director Johan Kleinsteuber.

In conjunction with the opening, the dealership is proud to hand over Malaysia’s first unit of MY19 Tri Glide Ultra in Malaysia to a customer in Penang priced at RM291,200 (without
insurance and registration).

For more information log on to www.harleypenang.com or call +604-506 2200.


Panasonic to exit solar production at Tesla's New York plant as partnership frays

                TOKYO/LOS ANGELES: Panasonic Corp said it would exit solar cell production at Tesla Inc’s New York plant, the latest sign of strain in a partnership where Panasonic’s status as the US electric vehicle (EV) maker’s exclusive battery supplier is ending.

The move increases uncertainty over Tesla’s solar business which is already under scrutiny, having been drastically scaled back since the US firm bought it for US$2.6 billion in 2016.

Tesla has informed New York that Panasonic’s withdrawal “has no bearing on Tesla’s current operations”, the state said in a statement. The company employs over 1,500 jobs in the city of Buffalo, clearing its 1,460 commitment before April - and thereby avoiding a US$41 million penalty - the state said.

Panasonic said in a statement on Wednesday that it would cease production by the end of May and exit the factory by the end of September.

The withdrawal comes as Panasonic scrambles to divest of unprofitable businesses as its strategic shift to components from consumer electronics struggles to drive profit growth.

It is also another sign of a fraying partnership with the US EV maker, which is set to diversify its battery supplies to include South Korea’s LG Chem Ltd and China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL).

Panasonic said it would continue its automotive battery joint venture with Tesla in the US state of Nevada, which just reported its first quarterly profit after years of production problems and delays.

In the solar business, low demand from Tesla has left Panasonic sending most of the cells it makes in Buffalo to overseas clients, instead of selling them to Tesla for its trademark Solar Roof - cells designed to resemble regular roof tiles - as initially intended.

When announcing the solar partnership in 2016, Panasonic said it would invest over 30 billion yen (RM1.15bil) in the Buffalo plant. Tesla’s long-term purchase commitment was part of the deal.

Panasonic, which employs about 380 workers at the plant, said that the US partner “hopes to hire as many qualified Panasonic applicants as possible to help fill job openings for its growing operations in Buffalo.”
The latest decision will have no significant impact on Panasonic’s annual profit forecasts, according to a company spokesman.

Panasonic has already shrunk its own solar business elsewhere as it contends with competition from cheaper Asian rivals, selling its solar panel plant in Malaysia and research arm to China’s GS-Solar for an undisclosed amount last year.


Maserati's new Nettuno engine is infused with F1 tech

                MODENA: Maserati has unveiled its latest engine that it has developed all on its own after moving away from adopting Ferrari powerplants.

The Italian luxury performance carmaker's new engine has been entirely developed inhouse and will become the "beating heart" of the upcoming MC20 super sportscar that will make its debut in September.

Designed and developed at its Maserati Innovation Lab, the engine boasts of a 3.0-litre displacement fitted with two turbochargers with an electronically actuated waste gate for the six-cylinders oriented in a 90-degree V-angle.

The 220kg engine measures in at 600mm-long, 1,000mm-wide and 650mm-tall while having its rev limits capped at 8,000rpm.

To produce power, it uses a compression ratio of 11:1 for the over-square cylinders of 88mm-bore and 82mm-stroke that fires in the order of 1-6-3-4-2-5.

Not to mention, it has been equipped with a pre-chamber combustion system that utilises twin-spark plugs that act as a support to ensure constant combustion is achieved when the engine is operating at low revs and do not require the pre-chamber to be used.

Additionally, it also sports both a direct (350bar) and an indirect injection system (6bar) that helps to reduce engine noise while lowering emissions and improving consumption when at low engine speeds.

Furthermore, it's also been fitted with a fully variable oil pump, a dry-sump with scavenging pumps and an external oil tank as well as double overhead cams with variable valve timing.

With everything coming together, the engine is now able to produce 630PS at 7,500rpm and 730Nm of torque from 3,000rpm - giving it a 210PS per litre of performance.

With such a creation utilising Formula 1 (F1) technology, the Italian luxury carmaker has effectively developed the first road-going F1 engine for the world.


Ferrari CEO search list said to include luxury-brand leaders

                BOLOGNA: Ferrari NV Chairman and Agnelli family scion John Elkann may shed some light Tuesday on the type of person he thinks should lead the maker of limited-production Italian supercars.

Elkann — who as interim chief executive officer will unveil Ferrari’s full-year results — is likely to provide details on the ideal profile for the permanent CEO and discuss timing of when the job will be filled, people familiar with the matter said.

Headhunters have started to assemble a preliminary list of luxury-industry heavyweights including Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri, although no one is excluding auto-industry entries, said the people, who asked not to be named since the process is not public. The company hasn’t started interviewing candidates yet, the people said.

Ferrari was tossed into its second leadership crisis in just a few years after Louis Camilleri abruptly resigned in December.

The maker of cars including the Monza, with a price tag starting at €1.5 million (RM7.3mil), is going through a complicated process of transitioning towardS electric mobility.

"Balancing Ferrari’s automotive culture with a changing landscape” including stricter environmental regulations "will be a challenge for the permanent successor,” Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Joel Levington wrote in a report last week.

Camilleri oversaw a revamping of Ferrari’s lineup, introducing seven new road models in the last two years that helped boost annual sales to more than 10,000 cars for the first time.

While Ferrari has said 60% of sales will have hybrid powertrains by 2022, the timeline for going fully electric remains unclear.

It may be months before a new CEO takes over, people familiar with the search said. A Ferrari spokesman declined to comment on the recruitment process or potential candidates. Below are some of the names on headhunters’ list:

 Bizzarri is one of several candidates being considered for the Ferrari top post. — Image from kering.com

> Bizzarri, CEO of luxury group Kering SA’s Italian label Gucci, is the architect of the brand’s stellar turnaround in the last five years. The 58-year-old was born in Rubiera, a small town just 12 miles from Maranello, Italy, where Ferrari has its headquarters. After a degree in economics and business, he started his career in the 1980s as a consultant for Accenture before being hired by Kering in 2005. A spokesman for Gucci declined to comment.

> Stefano Sassi, 60, headed the fashion group Valentino for about 15 years before leaving the company in May. On his watch, Valentino’s revenue rose to 1 billion euros. He also oversaw the July 2012 acquisition of the brand’s managing company by Mayhoola, an investment vehicle backed by a private Qatari group. Sassi knows Ferrari. Working at Bain & Co. between 1990 and 1996, he managed strategic projects for companies including Elkann’s Fiat and Ferrari. Sassi declined to comment.

> Hans GS Hoegstedt, CEO of Tom Dixon, headed Miroglio Fashion from late 2016 through early 2020. He also spent almost 11 years at Italy’s Prysmian SpA, the world’s largest maker of industrial cables, supervising business in countries including Italy, Switzerland and Turkey. Representatives for Tom Dixon didn’t respond to requests for comment.


'Fast & Furious' spin-off set for 2019 debut

Johnson will star in the 2019 spin-off. - AFP
LOS ANGELES: A "Fast & Furious" is indeed coming in 2019, only it's not "Fast & Furious 9" but a spin-off featuring recurring characters Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Deckhard Shaw (Jason Statham.)

A day after postponing "Fast & Furious 9" from April 2019 to April 2020, Universal Pictures has confirmed that the gap will be filled by the franchise's first non-numbered, feature-length spin-off.

Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham are slated to return, with Johnson's security agent Hobbs and Statham's lethal assassin Shaw as the movie's leads.

Over the course of 2015's "Furious 7" and 2017's "The Fate of the Furious," Shaw's arc has been in line with the franchise's tendency to see what happens when core characters are given a change in motivation or circumstance.

By the end of "Fate of the Furious," he and Hobbs had come to an understanding, with their pressurized relationship one of the movie's major themes.

Though Universal has not yet closed deals with either Johnson or Statham, per The Hollywood Reporter, series scriptwriter Chris Morgan has been assigned to the spin-off.

An early draft has the pair on the trail of "Fate of the Furious" evil mastermind Cypher (Charlize Theron), though Variety cautions that "it's currently unknown whether or not she's involved"; the publication also has "Iron Man 3" and "The Nice Guys" director Shane Black on the studio's shortlist.

Instead of the April 19, 2019 date that "Fast & Furious 9" vacated, the Statham and Johnson movie is set for July 26 instead.

That moves it away from April's DC comics superhero entry "Shazam!" and May's "Avengers" movie, but places it day and date with "Terminator 6," directed by "Deadpool" man Tim Miller with original leads Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton returning.

Meanwhile, "Fast & Furious 9" could see Justin Lin helming, after taking on movies 3 to 6, also according to THR.


'What if it rains?': KL drive-in cinema operator answers your FAQs

Following the pandemic, drive-in cinemas have popped up all around the world including in Luton, Britain. — Reuters
KUALA LUMPUR: After the launch of Malaysia's first drive-in cinema in Perak less than two weeks ago, the country's capital will be getting its first drive-in cinema experience on July 30.

M-Junction Drive-In Cinema - operated by TwoSpicy Entertainment Live and MD Events Asia - is situated at Matic, Jalan Ampang here

StarLifestyle spoke to TwoSpicy Entertainment Live chief executive officer Arvin Singh Randhawa on what to expect when choosing a drive-in cinema experience.

Q: Will I need to get out of my car at any point during the drive-in cinema experience?
Before the event, you book your tickets and food online. On the day of the event, you have to go through a screening process. We will check your temperature and you have to provide us with your contact details while seated in your car.

Then you will proceed to park your car. The parking spots are on a first-come, first-serve basis. The food that you've ordered will be delivered to you by our ground crew.

The only time you need to get down from your car is if you need to use the toilet. But even at the toilet, social distancing rules will be followed.

Q: The earliest time slot is 6pm. Will it be dark enough for us to see the screen?
There are two screening sessions a night, and the first slot is around 6pm. We are using an LED screen instead of a projector. So the visuals are still clear.

Q: Audio-wise, what if my car is parked far away from the LED screen. Will I be able to hear anything?
Each car is given a speaker and an AUX cable, placed inside a sealed bag. After the screening, simply return them. They are sanitised after each use.

 Kuala Lumpur's first drive-in cinema is located at Matic, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.Q: How many cars are in one screening session and how closely is each car parked?
There are 50 cars, with a maximum of two people in a car. Each car is parked 1.2m to 1.8m apart.

Q: Will I need to wear a face mask during the screening?
You need to wear a face mask anytime you are outside the car (E.g., to go to the toilet).

Q: Can I wind down the window during the screening?
You can wind down the window but smoking is strictly not allowed.

Q: Can I leave a screening midway?
Yes, we have provided enough space for each car to leave when they want to. But our SOP requires you to turn on your double signal first. Then our ground crew will come to the car and collect the AUX cable and speaker before you drive off.

Q: What if it rains?
Just like every outdoor experience in Malaysia, we will first try to delay the experience. A light drizzle won't be much of a problem.

But if there's heavy rain, we will delay the experience. And it persists for 20 to 25 minutes, then you can reschedule the screening at another date.

> Tickets are priced at RM99 (includes food and movie passes for two) and RM159 (includes food, popcorn, movie passes for two and priority front row parking). Available for purchase at mjunction.my.


Performance electric MINI gets the go-ahead

                LONDON: MINI is apparently dabbling in a sporty version of its all-electric MINI that will have a GP badge.

With a drivetrain from the BMW i3 powering the front wheels of this two-door hatchback and bits for the chassis, aero and suspension from John Cooper Works (JCW) - along with a healthy dose of power gains, it could be a winning combination for heaps of fun.

Although there isn't any word on specifications regarding range and power, there's "word" that this electrified MINI has been given the go-ahead and is currently under development.

But with added power to help "up" the fun factor, it is unlikely that this MINI's electric range could be anywhere near its more conservative stablemates...unless there's a bigger battery pack to make it more comparable.


Russians switch to used cars as sanctions pummel auto sector

                MOSCOW: Spending on new cars in Russia more than halved last year as the auto industry felt the full force of Western sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine, with production plunging, prices soaring and buyers switching to cheaper used models.

While analysts continue to debate the overall effectiveness of economic curbs on Russia, there can be no doubt they have hit hard in its car industry, which was heavily reliant on foreign manufacturers and imported parts.

Spending on new cars slumped 52% to 1.5 trillion roubles (RM90bil) last year, while the number of new cars sold tumbled by 58.8%. Car production also slumped to its lowest since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union as Western automakers halted production and sold factories.

Overall spending on new and used passenger cars dropped over 15% in 2022, as inflation pushed up prices and drove living standards down, data from analytical agency Autostat shows, despite a 14% rise in spending on used cars.

That left used cars accounting for almost three quarters of all cars sold, up from 55% in 2021, the data shows.

"Money flowed into the used cars market as prices for second-hand cars held up, while at the same time the structure of the new cars market changed significantly," Autostat CEO Sergei Udalov told Reuters.

"Budget Ladas and Chinese cars with prices of 2 million roubles and more remain in it, while premium brands have almost completely left," he said.

Annual inflation at 11.9% last year contributed to an estimated 1% drop in Russians' real disposable incomes, according to the Rosstat statistics agency. Retailers have invested heavily in discount store formats, a trend that is being mirrored in the automotive sector.

Anton, an employee at a major Russian company who declined to give his last name, bought a used Skoda in December, preferring a Western-made car to a domestic or Chinese-made alternative.

At 2.5 million roubles, his Skoda was around 1 million roubles more expensive than it would have been a year earlier, but still 1 million roubles cheaper than a brand new version.

Anton said he felt lucky to have snapped up a used foreign-made car with low mileage, as stocks are running low.

"A new car is now just a perk for rich people, unless it's a Lada or a Chinese car," he said.

According to Autostat, the average price of new cars sold last year increased by 17% to 2.33 million roubles, and used ones by 32% to 890,000 roubles.

Czech carmaker Skoda Auto, a unit of Volkswagen, said deliveries to Russia fell 80% in 2022. Volkswagen has closed its Russian factories and stopped imports, but has not yet agreed to a sale like some of its peers.

France's Renault sold its majority stake in Russia's Avtovaz to the Russian state for reportedly just one rouble, but with a six-year option to buy it back. The same state buyer then snapped up Nissan's assets for one euro.

Imports of used cars jumped last year, with those from Japan leading the way. Japan has curbed exports of high-value cars to Russia, but used cars imported by individuals fall outside the restrictions.

The Western exodus has allowed Chinese brands to gobble up market share. In one high-profile case, engine parts from China's JAC are being used to revive the Soviet-era Moskvich.

Market analysts expect new car sales to climb to around 800,000 this year, from 687,370 in 2022, but still far below the more than 1.6 million sold in 2021.


Inside Tesla's drive to keep Musk's battery promise

Panasonic's Energy Company  CEO Kazuo Tadanobu holding a prototype of the 4680 format battery cell (left) next to the current 2170 battery supplied to Tesla Inc during a news conference in Tokyo on Oct 25, 2021. — Reuters

BEIJING: The secret behind Elon Musk's goal of selling 20 million Tesla's a year by 2030 lies in its pioneering battery technology.

The good news is that by using bigger cells and a new process to dry-coat electrodes, Tesla could halve the cost of a Model Y battery, saving more than 8% of the car's US starting price, battery experts with ties to the company said.

The bad news is that it's only halfway there, according to 12 experts close to Tesla or familiar with its new technology.

That's because the dry-coating technique used to produce the bigger cells in Tesla's 4680 battery is so new and unproven the company is having trouble scaling up manufacturing to the point where the big cost savings kick in, said the experts.

"They just aren't ready for mass production," said one of the experts close to Tesla.

Still, the gains Tesla has already made in cutting battery production costs in the past two years could help boost profits and extend its lead over most electric vehicle (EV) rivals.

Musk's promised improvements in battery cost and performance are seen by investors as critical to Tesla's quest to usher in an era where it can sell a US$25,000 EV for a profit — and stand a better chance of hitting its 2030 targets.

Battery systems are the most expensive single element in most EVs, so making lower-cost, high-performance packs is key to producing affordable electric cars that can go toe to toe with combustion-engine rivals on sticker prices.

Tesla is one of only a handful of major automakers that produce their own EV batteries and by manufacturing Model Y cells at US plants, the SUV will remain eligible for US tax credits when many rival EVs may no longer qualify.

Among the 12 battery experts Reuters spoke with, nine have close ties to Tesla and three of the nine have examined Tesla's new and old battery technology inside and out through teardowns.

Tesla did not respond to requests for comment.

'He will solve it'

The sources predict that Tesla will find it difficult to fully implement the new dry-coating manufacturing process before the end of this year, and perhaps not until 2023.

Stan Whittingham, a co-inventor of lithium-ion batteries and a 2019 Nobel laureate, believes Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk has been overly optimistic on the time frame for commercializing the new technique.

"I think he will solve it, but it won't be as quick as he likes. It's going to take some time to really test it," he said.

In August, Musk told shareholders Tesla would be producing high volumes of 4680 batteries by the end of 2022.

According to the experts, Tesla has only been able to cut the Model Y's battery cost by between US$2,000 and US$3,000 so far, about half the savings Tesla had planned for the 4680 battery, which it unveiled two years ago.

But those savings have come mainly from the design of the new 4680 cells, which are bigger than those in Tesla's current 2170 battery, they said.

But the heart of the drive to push down costs is the dry-coating technology, which Musk has described as revolutionary but difficult to execute.

According to the sources, it should deliver as much as half of the US$5,500 cost savings Tesla hopes to achieve, by slashing manufacturing costs and one-time capital spending.

Tesla acquired the know-how in 2019 when it paid over US$200 million for Maxwell Technologies, a company in San Diego making ultracapacitors, which store energy for devices that need quick bursts of electricity, such as camera flashes.

Building on Maxwell's technology, Tesla began making 4680 dry cells this year, first in a pilot near its Fremont, California plant and more recently at its new global headquarters in Austin, Texas.

'Best in class'

The technology allows Tesla to ditch the older, more complex and costly wet-coating process. It's expensive because it needs a substantial amount of electricity, machinery, factory space, time, and a large labour force.

To coat electrodes in the wet process, battery producers mix the materials with toxic binder solvents. Once coated, the electrodes are dried in massive ovens, with the toxic solvents that evaporate in the process being recovered, treated and recycled — all adding to the cost.

With the new technology, electrodes are coated using different binders with little use of liquids, so they don't need to be dried. That means it's cheaper, faster and also less environmentally damaging.

Because of its simplicity, the process allows Tesla to cut capital spending by a third and slash both the footprint of a factory and its energy consumption to a 10th of what would be needed for the wet process, Tesla has said.

But the company has had trouble commercializing the process, the sources said.

Maxwell developed its dry-coat process for ultracapacitors, but the challenge with coating electrodes for EV batteries is that they are much larger and thicker, which makes it hard to coat them with consistent quality at mass-production speeds.

"They can produce in small volume, but when they started big volume production, Tesla ended up with many rejects, too many," one of the sources with ties to Tesla told Reuters.

Production yields were so low that all the anticipated cost savings from the new process were lost, the source said.

If all the potential efficiencies from dry-coating and the bigger cells are realised, the manufacturing cost for the Model Y’s 4680 battery pack should fall to US$5,000 to US$5,500 - roughly half the cost of the 2170 pack, according to the sources.

The rising cost of battery materials and energy pose a risk to those forecasts, however, and Tesla has not yet been able to significantly improve the new battery's energy density or the amount of power it packs, as Musk has promised.

Still, despite those factors, the savings Tesla is expected to achieve will end up making the 4680 battery the industry's "best in class" for the foreseeable future, one source said.

Bulking up

Much of the US$2,000 to US$3,000 cost savings achieved with the 4680 battery so far has come from other improvements, and using bigger cells has proven particularly potent, the experts said.

The 4680 cells are 5.5 times the size of the 2170 cells by volume. The older cylindrical cells measure 21mm in diameter and 70mm in height, hence the name. The 4680 cells have a 46mm diameter and are 80mm high.

With the older technology, Tesla needs about 4,400 cells to power the Model Y and there are 17,600 points that need to be welded — four per cell — to create a pack that can be integrated into the car, the sources said.

The 4680 battery pack only needs 830 cells and Tesla has changed the design so that there are only two weld points per cell, slashing the welding to 1,660 points and leading to significant cost savings.

The simpler design also means there are fewer connectors and other components, which has allowed Tesla to save further on labour costs and machine time.

Another source of efficiency has been the larger cell's far sturdier outer case. Tesla can now bond the cells together with adhesive into a rigid honeycomb-like pack which is then connected directly to the inner body structure of the Model Y.

This eliminates the intermediate step of bundling cells into larger modules which are then installed in a traditional battery pack, the sources said.

By shifting to this "cell to vehicle" design, Tesla can reduce the weight of a traditional 544kg battery pack by 25kg or more - saving about US$500 to US$600 per pack, one of the sources said.

But mastering the dry-coating technique remains the holy grail.

"Bulking up the battery cell helped a lot in boosting efficiency, but pushing for 50% cost savings for the cell as a whole is another matter," one source said.

"That will depend on whether Tesla can deploy the dry-coating process successfully in a factory."


New Hyundai Tucson becomes first SUV with N Line treatment

                LONDON: With the new Tucson N Line, Hyundai Motor offers European customers a growing range of attractive N Line choices – and its first SUV with the sporty N Line look and feel. The new model combines the iconic strength, safety and comfort of Tucson with the dynamic styling and attitude of N Line.

After successfully launching N Line in 2018 with i30, Hyundai is expanding its dynamic trim level: “With the New Tucson N Line, Hyundai now provides the sporty feeling to customers who also want the versatility and comfort of an SUV,” said Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, Vice President Marketing and Product at Hyundai Motor Europe.

“Tucson is our best-selling model in Europe and it is positioned right at the heart of our brand, so we are excited to introduce the N Line character to our customers in this segment.”

Available in three powertrain variants and in both 2WD and 4WD, the New Tucson N Line provides consumers with a family-friendly vehicle that suits their daily driving needs.

In addition to the 2.0-litre CRDi 48V diesel engine introduced in the New Tucson in 2018, Hyundai has now combined its efficient and responsive 48V mild hybrid technology with the 100 kW/136PS 1.6-litre CRDi diesel engine, offering reduced fuel consumption up to 11% (NEDC 2.0).

The mild hybrid powertrain contributes to Hyundai’s global efforts to improve fuel efficiency. The technology comprises a 0.44 kW/h 48-Volt lithium-ion polymer battery, a Mild Hybrid Starter Generator (MHSG), an LDC converter (Low Voltage DC/DC) and an inverter.

Offering an output of 185PS, the 2.0-litre CRDi 48V mild hybrid engine is the most powerful in the New Tucson’s powertrain line-up. Another well-balanced option is the 177PS 1.6l T-GDI petrol powertrain. All engines meet the new Euro 6d Temp emission standards.

Redesigned bumpers and a dark mesh-pattern grille framed by dark chrome provide a strong first impression. Furthermore, dark 19” alloy wheels as well as side mirror housings and a rear spoiler in glossy black emphasize the car’s sporting attitude.

Black-bezel headlamps, unique daytime running lights and LED design and darkened window frames in combination with body-coloured door handles also create a more dynamic look for the Tucson N Line.

Inside the car, consumers can enjoy N-branded leather-suede sport seats and red accent stitching on the steering wheel and seats. Alloy pedals and the leather-wrapped, red-accented N gear shift lever are also part of the N Line enhancements.

The New Tucson N Line is designed, tested and built in Europe and it is available across Europe in nine different body paint options.


Mercedes‑AMG GLS 63 4MATIC+ updated

                STUTTGART, Germany: The 2024 updated GLS 63 4MATIC+ gets improved on-road driving dynamics, a newly designed LED rear light signature, and the front section now bears the AMG emblem instead of the Mercedes star.

Red brake callipers emphasise sportiness.

When the front doors are opened, the vehicle plays an AMG-specific light animation with the help of a new logo projector.

In the interior, the AMG seats and features such as the instrument panel are upholstered in Exclusive nappa leather.

The standard equipment is even more extensive, and includes the electric panoramic sliding sunroof, heated and climatised front seats, Adaptive High Beam Assist and Smartphone Integration.

Also included are the engageable AMG Performance exhaust system, the Burmester sound system, the Memory package, the 360-degree Parking Pilot, the Keyless-Go package and Blind Spot Assist.

There are also special equipment features such as the MBUX Augmented Reality function, MULTIBEAM LED headlamps and the AMG Driver's package.

The list continues with the AIR BALANCE package, the multicontour front seats and the head-up display.

The MBUX Interior Assistant and temperature-controlled cup holders are also provided as standard.

In the GLS 63, the proven AMG 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine which outputs 612hp, is electrified with an integrated starter alternator (ISG) and a 48-volt on-board electrical system.

The ISG combines a starter and alternator in one powerful electric motor. It is installed between the engine and transmission.

The ISG also performs hybrid functions. These include boosting, recuperation, load point shifting, gliding and almost imperceptible engine restarting with the start/stop function.

The AMG Ride Control+ suspension with adaptive adjustable damping is also standard equipment.

As part of the facelift, the roll stabilisation and air suspension also benefit from a software update and a new setup. These measures increase the spread between dynamic handling and comfort.

Fine-tuning of the software for the configuration of ESP (electronic stability programme), the electronically controlled rear-axle locking differential, the fully variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive and the suspension control system delivers a dynamic and superior driving experience.

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img class="size-full wp-image-293676" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/dsc.carsifu.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Carsifu-2024-updated-Mercedes%E2%80%91AMG-GLS-63-4MATIC-11.jpg" alt="Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 4MATIC+ | 2023 |


Volvo offers glimpse of all-electric EX90 ahead of Nov 9 debut

                GOTHENBURG: Volvo Cars is beating the drum roll for its flagship electric SUV, which is to be called the EX90.

It will make its world premier on Nov 9.

Volvo said the EX90 would mark the start of a new era for safety and for the company. Featuring a Volvo Cars unique combination of core computing and software, it will introduce safety technologies that will help it deliver towards our vision: that no one should be seriously injured or killed in a new Volvo car.

In a special keynote address, Volvo Cars CEO Jim Rowan presented this week his vision for the future of safety.

He said the EX90 would come with a highly developed LiDAR that can sense in daylight or complete darkness at highway speeds. The cutting-edge remote-sensing method would be standard on the SUV and would help reduce accidents with severe outcomes by up to 20 per cent.

A new safety tech called "driver understanding system" would make its debut in the EX90.

The real-time interior sensing system is built on the premise that if a Volvo car can understand when the driver is in a state that isn’t optimal for driving, the car can make sure to take action to help avoid accidents.

Using two cameras to pick up early signals that indicate that the driver is not at their best, the system observes the driver’s eye-gaze patterns.

By measuring how much of the time the driver looks at the road ahead, allowing for natural variations, it understands when the driver’s eyes, and perhaps therefore mind, are focused somewhere other than on driving.

If the driver is looking at the road too little, it can be a sign that they are visually distracted, perhaps from looking at their phone.

On the other hand if he is looking at the road too much, it can be a sign of cognitive distraction, which could mean that the driver is occupied by his thoughts to the point where he no longer register what he is looking at.

The car’s capacitive steering wheel also plays a role. It senses if the driver lets go of the wheel, thus monitoring the stability of their steering input.

Volvo said through the use of its patented technology for real time sensing of gaze patterns and steering behavior, the car will be able to take appropriate action to help the driver when needed.

The assistance can start with a simple warning signal that grows in volume with the severity of the situation. If the driver doesn’t respond to increasingly clear warnings, the car can even safely stop by the side of the road, sending a warning to other road users with its hazard lights.

Volvo said it would unveil more of the safety innovations and technologies coming to the EX90 in the coming weeks.


Turnover tops RM4bil at Chengdu Motor Show

                CHENGDU: A total of 38,907 orders worth 6.8 billion yuan (RM4.1bil) were placed during the 23rd Chengdu Motor Show that ended Sunday in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The 10-day auto show, spanning over an area of 160,000 square metres, attracted over 120 auto brands globally.

"The auto market is picking up steadily," said Wang Xia, chairman of Automotive Sub-Council under China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, at a forum during the expo.

"China experienced an unprecedented V-shaped recovery in auto sales in the first half, and now auto companies in China should put more effort into cultivating the big domestic market," said Wang.

"We are very confident of market recovery and hope to bring about a rebound in delivery through this offline exhibition," said Deng Zhenyu with Polestar, an electric car brand.

The auto market was sluggish due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has also forced the industry to innovate its traditional sales pattern by moving online, according to Jin Wenhui, executive vice president of Jiangling Motors Co. Ltd, a light-duty truck manufacturer.

Videos bearing the hashtag "Chengdu Motor Show" were viewed more than 900 million times on video-sharing platform Douyin, also known as TikTok.

Besides, more than 10 million watched livestreaming programs of the expo. — Xinhua


VW faces inquiry call over diesel fume tests on monkeys

                FRANKFURT: Volkswagen’s supervisory board called for an immediate inquiry into who commissioned tests in which monkeys were exposed to toxic diesel fumes, while the German government said such studies were unjustifiable.

“I will do everything possible to ensure that this matter is investigated in detail,” Volkswagen supervisory board chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch said in a statement on Monday.

“Whoever is responsible for this must, of course, be held accountable,” Poetsch said in response to a New York Times report on Friday that German carmakers had used an organisation called European Research Group on Environment and Health in the Transport Sector (EUGT) to commission the tests.

The study, conducted in 2014, was designed to defend diesel following revelations that the fuel’s exhaust fumes were carcinogenic, the newspaper reported.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the details and purpose of the study and EUGT, which was dissolved last year, could not be reached for comment.

EUGT received all of its funding from VW and fellow German carmakers Daimler and BMW, the New York Times said.

The European Commission is aware of reports of third-party testing and “we hope that the Minister of the respective country will be able to explain what has happened” at a ministerial air-quality summit that will take place in Brussels on Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the European Commission said.

 File pic of monkeys in the wild.

Representatives of automakers General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said on Monday they do not test the effects of emissions on humans or animals.

Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW on Saturday denounced the study, the revelation of which is the latest aftershock from the VW emissions-rigging scandal, which continues to rock the auto industry.

Volkswagen has pledged never to test with animals again, Thomas Steg, VW’s chief lobbyist, told German daily Bild in an interview to be published on Tuesday. “We want to absolutely rule out testing on animals for the future so that this doesn’t happen again,” Bild quoted Steg as saying.

On Monday, Volkswagen said that some staff members, whom it did not identify, including some in its legal department, at the VW brand’s technical development division and at Volkswagen of America, were aware of the tests at the time.

Volkswagen said the study was never discussed in any management board meetings, after Bild earlier reported that an internal e-mail showed that at least some senior managers were informed about the design of the research.

In a related development, German daily Stuttgarter Zeitung reported on Sunday that EUGT also sponsored scientific experiments testing nitrogen dioxide, a gas found in exhaust fumes, on people.

Aachen University’s research hospital confirmed on Monday that EUGT had sponsored a study in 2013 and 2014 but said it was related to workplace safety, not diesel emissions.

As part of the study, 25 people were exposed to varying levels of nitrogen dioxide for three hours to investigate the possible health effects of the chemical compound in concentrations below the limit for workplaces, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen said in a statement.

The German government said on Monday that any auto emissions testing on monkeys or people was unjustifiable.

“These tests on monkeys or even people are in no ethical way justifiable and raise many critical questions about those who are behind the tests,” government spokesman Steffen Seibert told a regular government news conference in Berlin.

Stephan Weil, who represents the German state of Lower Saxony, a VW shareholder on the carmaker’s supervisory board, said the board was pressing the carmaker to urgently provide information about the aim of the studies.

“After the matter has been cleared up there will also be the question of who was personally responsible,” he said at a news conference on Monday.


Shock court order threatens legacy of Tata’s legendary dealmaker

Tata has four weeks to appeal the court decision before Mistry can technically resume his old job. — Reuters
MUMBAI: For more than 150 years, the Tata Group has been synonymous with India’s nation-building project, venturing into everything from autos to airlines when the country needed them.

And no executive better personified India’s emergence on the world stage than Ratan Tata, whose string of dazzling takeovers took a largely domestic firm global.

Now at 81, Tata’s legacy is under threat. An internecine war over the conglomerate’s future took a crippling turn Wednesday, showing that even the famed Tatas aren’t immune to the corporate governance troubles that often plague the family businesses that still dominate India’s economy.

In a surprise ruling, an appeals court said Tata’s erstwhile successor, Cyrus Mistry, was improperly ousted as chairman of the group’s holding company three years ago, paving the way for his reinstatement.

In a further blow to the elderly tycoon, the court found the group’s move to restrict Mistry’s family from selling out of the holding was unlawful and must be reversed.

Tata can appeal the ruling to India’s Supreme Court. But the turmoil couldn’t have hit at a worse time for the US$110 billion (RM456bil) conglomerate, whose products range from salt to software.

It comes just as the group contends with a crisis at its British unit, Jaguar Land Rover automotive Plc — one of the crown jewels of Ratan Tata’s buying spree — and a crushing economic slowdown at home that’s damped demand for wares from steel to Tetley teas.

"It is a battle for honour and prestige,” said Shriram Subramanian, founder of proxy advisory firm InGovern Research Services Pvt. Ltd. "This ruling is a vindication of the position taken by Cyrus Mistry that his removal was illegal.”

The court found the manner of Mistry’s ouster "oppressive” and restrained Ratan Tata from taking any action that would require a majority decision by the board of holding company Tata Sons Ltd.

(He also heads Tata Trusts, a group of philanthropic organizations that own about 66% of the equity in Tata Sons.)

The ruling leaves Tata rudderless as it faces a string of urgent decisions, including an attempt to find a partner to turn around Jaguar Land Rover and job cuts at its European steel operations.

With a question mark over leadership at the group, Tata has four weeks to appeal the decision before Mistry can technically resume his old job.

The group is putting on a brave face. Natarajan Chandrasekaran, who was named chairman of Tata Sons in 2017 told employees to stay focused on their work to restore the company’s financial position.

The ruling will be appealed, he said in a letter to workers obtained by Bloomberg News, and confirmed by a Tata spokesman. The court order appears to have gone beyond even Mistry’s demands, Tata Sons said in a statement late Wednesday.

When Tata handpicked Mistry to succeed him in 2012, it seemed like a perfect fit.

Mistry is the son of billionaire Pallonji Mistry, the largest shareholder of the Tata Group outside the family itself. Both hail from the same tiny Parsi religious community.

However, the two soon started to clash as Mistry’s efforts to turn around unprofitable businesses — which he claimed would otherwise face 1.18 trillion rupees (RM66bil) in writedowns — threatened to roll back some of the empire-building Ratan had engineered.