'Giga Texas?' Musk asks Twitter users to vote on new gigafactory

The Tesla battery plant in Shanghai. — Reuters
SAN FRANCISCO: Elon Musk, the billionaire chief executive officer of Tesla Inc, went on Twitter to ask users if the electric carmaker should build a new gigafactory in Texas.

"Giga Texas?" Musk tweeted here giving two options - "hell yeah" and "nope." The poll garnered over 102,000 responses as of 11:15 p.m. PT Tuesday, with about 80% voting in favour of the new gigafactory.

Tesla currently has two battery plants in the United States and one in Shanghai, China. The carmaker in November announced plans to build its first European factory and design centre near Berlin.

During an earnings conference call last week, Musk said that Tesla needs to increase its battery capacity to produce high-capacity models like Cybertruck.

“We’ve got to scale battery production to crazy levels that people cannot even fathom today. That’s the real problem,” he said.

Tesla shares have been on a tear recently, more than doubling the company’s market value since the start of the year as more investors bet on Musk’s vision. The stock, which closed up 14% on Tuesday at US$887.06, has surged nearly 400% since early June.

The latest bump was partly fuelled by a quarterly profit at Japanese battery maker Panasonic Corp’s battery business with the US car maker.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Musk’s Texas gigafactory tweet.


Lamborghini Huracán Coupé makes movie magic with Dr Strange

                LOS ANGELES: The Lamborghini Huracán makes an appearance in Marvel’s latest cinematic feature “Doctor Strange”.

The car is featured at a key turning point in the movie’s plot, driven by the film’s main character, Dr Stephen Strange, played by Benedict Cumberbatch.

Dr Strange is seen driving the Huracán Coupé, which is characterised by its dramatic exterior, iconic design, and powerful performance.

 It's not so strange to see these two stars in this flick. Lee with the Huracan Coupe, which sells for over RM2mil in Malaysia.

Powered by a naturally-aspirated V-10 engine, its distinctive presence marks a dramatic debut. The 5.2l engine produces 602hp and 560Nm, going from 0-100kph in 3.2s, and hits a top speed of 325kph.

Automobili Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali has this to say: “Much like many Lamborghini owners, Dr Strange is a bold, ambitious and pioneering character who reaches beyond the realm of the ordinary and thrives in any situation, despite the challenges ahead.”

Lamborghini is the co-title sponsor at the world premiere of the latest Marvel Studios’ flick. The film set to make its box office debut on Nov 4.

Comics legend Stan Lee also makes a cameo in the film.

While paparazzi crowded to catch a glimpse of the Huracán on display, celebrities walked the red carpet for the movie premiere. Appearances by Emmy-Award winning Cumberbatch, the Oscar winning actress, Tilda Swinton and other actors from the film, including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams and Benedict Wong made for a star-bright evening.


Posh car theft ring smashed

                GEORGE TOWN: A car theft syndicate responsible for at least 15 luxury car theft cases involving RM4mil was busted with the arrest seven people including its mastermind in Penang, Kedah and Pahang.

The syndicate known as Geng Azri usually targeted luxury cars placed at car wash or car service centres in Penang, Kedah, Perak, Selangor and Johor. They would pose as the car owners’ workers who were asked by their “boss” to collect the cars on the their behalf.

Penang CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Zakaria Ahmad said a Volkswagen GTI was stolen from a service centre in Bukit Tengah, a few hours after the owner left it at the centre on Oct 31.

“The 34-year-old mastermind and his girlfriend, 30, went to the service centre and claimed that they were employees of the car owner. The service centre personnel then handed the key over to one of the suspects and they fled in the car.

“They were subsequently picked up at their house in Bukit Tengah on Dec 5 in connection with the theft,” he told a press conference on Wednesday.

SAC Zakaria added that they then led a police team to the arrest of another five men, aged between 28 and 35, in three states.

“A RM600,000 Porsche Cayenne together with a Subaru Impreza 2.0 worth RM200,000 were recovered with their arrest. The vehicles had Singaporean-registered number plates to escape police detection.

“We are working with our counterparts to trace the other stolen cars which we believe were already transported out of Penang but still in Malaysia,” he said.

SAC Zakaria said the gang was also involved in burglaries and theft electrical appliances from shops, adding that the male suspects have previous crime records for car theft, robbery, drugs and attempted murder and the woman was high on the police wanted list for a drug case.

“Our investigations showed that the mastermind from Sungai Petani, Kedah, has 28 previous crime records and he was also high on the police wanted list

“They have all been have been remanded until Friday to assist in investigations under Section 379A(1) of the Penal Code for vehicle theft,” he said.


Foxconn plans to make electric vehicles, says report

                SAN FRANCISCO: Foxconn, Apple's key iPhone assembler with major operations in China, is planning to venture into making of electric vehicles, the BBC reported following an interview with chairman and boss Young Liu.

The Taiwanese firm, which is moving some supply chains out of China amid increased tensions between US and China, considers electric vehicles as the next growth targets.

According to reports, the company is also considering to set up an EV manufacturing plant in India, and is in talks with some states regarding the same. Foxconn also plans car factories in US, Thailand, as well as in Indonesia.

Foxconn hopes to capture about 5% of the global electric vehicle market in the next few years, reports said.In January, Foxconn had partnered with Nvidia to develop automated and autonomous vehicle platforms.

As part of the deal, Foxconn agreed to be a tier-one manufacturer, producing electronic control units based on NVIDIA DRIVE Orin for the global automotive market.

Liu now said Foxconn must prepare for the worst amid the issues between the countries. Foxconn, with an annual revenue of $200 billion, has started undertaking its business continuity planning, with some of its production lines already shifted to Mexico, Vietnam and India.

The company makes more than half of Apple's products, including iPhones to iMacs, as well as products for Microsoft, Sony, Dell and Amazon.

Foxconn operates the world's biggest iPhone factory in the Zhengzhou city, called iPhone City.

The major plant, which was hit hard last year by worker unrest following Covid-19 spread and related restrictions, was running at 90% of planned production capacity at the end of December.


Shell powers Ducati to victory

                SEPANG: Andrea Dovizioso took first place in the Shell Malaysia MotoGP after a thrilling win that saw Ducati and Shell add to the success they have achieved together in partnership in the premier category of the sport since 2003.

After the race, Dovizioso, from Forli, Italy, spoke of the benefit the team has experienced thanks to their close collaboration with Shell across the season, which contributed to the Bologna-based manufacturer having already picked up its first win for six years at the Austrian Grand Prix in August.

“The work Ducati does with Shell is of importance to the success we are able to achieve on track. Our engines could not run without the products they supply the team,” said Dovizioso.

“Shell is continually developing Shell Advance Ultra with PurePlus Technology race lubricant and Shell V-Power race fuel to deliver power and performance to Ducati on track – a fact borne out by this latest triumph. This is proof of the value that can come from close collaboration with our Technical Partners, from which we are also able to develop the road-going products we offer customers in Malaysia and around the world,” said Shell Malaysia managing director Shairan Huzani Husain.

“We place great trust in Shell to develop fuels and lubricants that deliver performance on track. This is built on its exceptional ability to supply product upgrades and performance gains throughout the course of a season, which has helped propel the team to victory again in 2016,” said Ducati Corse general manager Luigi Dall'igna.

Shell’s technical partnership with Ducati Corse began in 1999 when Shell supported Ducati in the Superbike World Championship.

In 2003, the multiple title-winning collaboration began contesting the MotoGP World Championship together.

The partnership has since gone on to become one of the strongest and most successful within the motorcycle world, having collected six World Superbike Riders’ Titles and nine Manufacturers’ Titles, along with a clean sweep of the MotoGP Riders’, Teams’ and Constructors’ World Championship titles in 2007.

Shell’s involvement in premier class motorcycle racing has helped develop the Shell Advance oil and Shell V-Power fuel for the road.

In fact, Ducati also chooses Shell Advance oils and Shell V-Power fuel as the first fill for every Ducati leaving the factory in Bologna, Italy.

This transfer of knowledge gained from the track to Shell’s products for the road, is central to the technical partnership with Ducati, as MotoGP provides the most extreme test bed for Shell’s products.

Scientists from Shell’s Technology Centre in Hamburg, Germany, regularly visit the Ducati factory in Bologna and are closely engaged with Ducati engineers to ensure that the Shell Advance race oils and Shell V-Power race fuels are optimised to power and protect the Ducati engines in MotoGP.

A rigorous testing programme runs all year round, with samples from the races analysed back at the Shell laboratories to ensure constant development and performance.

The fuels and oils developed must not only meet the sporting regulations, but match the exacting requirements of the Ducati MotoGP Team itself.


Daimler AG to rebrand as Mercedes-Benz on Feb 1

                BERLIN: Daimler AG will be formally renamed Mercedes-Benz Group AG on Tuesday - nearly a year after the spin-off of its truck and bus division was announced - in a move its boss hopes will unlock shareholder value for the premium carmaker.

The change is the latest in a string of structural reshuffles for the carmaker that began its life as Daimler-Benz AG in 1926.

The Mercedes brand, named after the daughter of an automobile entrepreneur, was officially adopted by Daimler AG in 1902.

"We have a real chance to raise the multiple," CEO Ola Kaellenius told reporters on Friday, without naming a specific target valuation for the firm now worth just under 77 billion euros (US$85.70 billion).

Shares of Daimler Truck AG, spun off from the newly anointed Mercedes-Benz last December, have risen slightly since their market debut to trade at 32.23 euros on Friday. Mercedes-Benz shares, at their highest levels since 2015 in November 2021, reached 74.25 on the day of the split, but have trended slightly lower since to trade at 71.15 euros.

Still, a premium carmaker battling over the luxury market, by definition small and finite, could only grow so much, analysts said.

"Investors could start viewing Mercedes as a Lucid Motors or Tesla type and start to give it an EV (electric vehicle) multiple," European auto analyst at RBC Capital Markets Tom Narayan said.

"But Lucid and Tesla get to start at 100% EV. For Mercedes you have to convert your existing ICE (internal combustion engine) business to EVs. That may be a limitation on how far the multiple could go near-term."

Daniel Schwarz, management director at Stifel, said valuations reflected the view that German brands were on the defensive, forced to protect their market share.

"Tesla's valuation is based on the assumption that Tesla will win market share from German manufacturers, who don't have a comparable revenue growth potential."


KLIMS'18: Isuzu ups ante with D-Max and mu-X

                KUALA LUMPUR: Carrying on its tradition of tough vehicles and diesel efficiency, Isuzu unveiled a street rugged D-Max pick-up truck, an off-road going mu-X and a new 1.9-litre Ddi BluePower turbodiesel at its booth at Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2018.

The "urban warrior" D-Max is re-inforced with steel bumpers, street-styled alloy wheels and a roll bar for the tough apperance.

Its red body colour with army electric blue geometrics heightens the appeal while the interior gets a "blue metal armour" design which resembles a suit of a soldier.

The mu-X, meanwhile, has returned from the recent Borneo Safari, is fully off-road capable with winch, roof tray, mud tyres and steel bumpers.

Its body has been raised by three inches for better ground clearance as well as improved angle of approach and departure on difficult terrain.

Meanwhile, the new RZ4E-TC 1.9-litre Ddi BluePower turbo Diesel engine, delivers 150hp and has a flat torque of 350Nm from 1,800rpm to 2,600rpm. Its emission level is at a low of 161g/km.

Taking four years to develop, the BluePower has clothoid curve combustion chambers and diamond-like coating materials to reduce internal friction.

Its new common rail injectors produce 200Mpa of pressure to improve fuel atomization for a more complete burn.

The new Variable Geometry Turbocharger now features an exhaust gas recirculation system yo reduce Nox emissions.

While being 60kg or 20% lighter than the larger 2.5-litre Ddi VGS, BluePower is 10% more powerful and has 9.4% more torque, resulting in 8.2% faster acceleration and 19% improvement in fuel economy.

The engine has been installed in D-Max and mu-X models in Thailand although there is no indication of its introduction in Malaysia.

Isuzu Malaysia has also launched two genuine accessories packages - Titanium and Robust for urban D-Max pick-up truck enthusiasts.

The Titanium package is offered with chrome head lamp garnish, rear lamp guard, door handle cover with garnish, tail gate cover and garnish, rocker plates and door visors.

The Robust package comes with matt head lamp garnish, rear lamp guard, door handle cover and garnish, tail gate cover and garnish, door visors wnd hood protector.

Retailing at RM1,180 for both packages, owners can further accessorise their vehicles with front bumper guard at RM1,390 and over fender at RM1,090.


Teen girl training to start own car workshop

                KLANG: It gets pretty lonely in class at times for Nurmaizatulhana Mohd Ramli, who is the only female training to be a mechanic at a college here.

“I hope more girls will now be able to join the training programme as it looks like the Government may increase the budget for skills training,” said the 17-year-old who is studying automation at WIT College.

Under the 11th Malaysia Plan, technical and vocational education and training is targeted to focus on programmes to produce skilled talent to meet industry needs.

Nurmaizatulhana, who is from Kampung Delek near here, said she decided to study to become a mechanic after completing her PMR (Lower Secondary Assessment) two years ago.

“I didn’t like school and wanted to really challenge myself by venturing into an area dominated by men,” said the petite girl who will study up to diploma level at the college.

“I will work for a few years after that to gain experience before starting my own workshop.”

Nurmaizatulhana is thankful for the opportunity to undergo the training programme.

“I can now see a bright future ahead. Otherwise, with just a PMR qualification, I could only get jobs with low salaries,” she added.

WIT College chairman Tan Sri Zainal Rampak said skills training turned lives around.

“Two years in a skills training college after PMR or SPM, a 19-year-old can earn a starting basic salary of between RM1,200 and RM1,800.

“With overtime, his monthly salary is between RM2,300 and RM2,500,” Zainal said.

He also hoped the Government would increase the budget for skills training.

“This will train youths from rural areas and help better their lives as well as meet the country’s need for skilled workers,” he added.


Proton adds finance ministry as X70 customer

Present at the handover ceremony are (from left) Fazli Hisham, Hazrin, Shahrol and Shaheeran.
SUBANG JAYA: Proton has delivered a unit of its award-winning X70 to a finance ministry official, paving the way for more government fleet orders from 2020.

The SUV is to be used by the statutory bodies division secretary for the strategic management division Datuk Shahrol Anuwar Sarman.

At present, Proton has over 500 confirmed orders for the X70 and over 400 having already been delivered. The popular SUV is also set to become one of the official vehicles for government officers at the super scale grade.

Earlier in December, it was announced that a fleet of X70s would be used to support the year-long Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 2020 forum.

Proton CEO Dr Li Chunrong said he expects more government departments would order the X70 from 2020.

“Proton will continue to work closely with service providers such as Spanco to ensure we can support the need for official vehicles by public sector agencies and government departments. As a Malaysian automotive brand, we want to continue to show our support for the country and play a role in nation-building,” said Dr Li.

Present at the handover ceremony were Spanco operations head Shaheeran Jalalludin, Proton group engineering director Hazrin Fazail Haroon and Proton corporate sales director Fazli Hisham Shukor.


Honda City airbags ruptured in fatal accident

                PETALING JAYA: Honda has confirmed that a Takata driver airbag had ruptured in a May 27 crash incident where the driver had died.

No official cause of death has been determined.

The 2004 City was involved in an airbag recall but the current owner did not send it in for inspection despite numerous attempts by Honda Malaysia to reach the person.

Honda Malaysia said the passenger side airbag was also suspected to be faulty and had also ruptured in the incident.

The company said it is liaising with the authorities on the matter and would not provide details of the deceased out of respect for the family.

As at May 29, Honda Malaysia has fixed more than 224,000 units of Takata driver front airbag inflator which translates to 85% completion ratio. The total number of Takata driver and passenger front airbag inflator replacements completed is at more than 445,000 units or 75% completion ratio.


Could the new Vantage be the best Aston Martin ever?

                LONDON: The all-new 2018 Vantage is a list of mind-blowing performance figures and technical specifications wrapped up in an aggressively styled aluminum skin.

Revealed at the company's Warwickshire, England HQ via a Facebook livestream, the 2018 Vantage is thoroughly deserving of the hype that has been building up around it since a prototype version appeared in the last James Bond film, albeit with a DB10 badge.

Even when Aston Martin has been in dire financial straits, it has always somehow managed to build cars of such form-follows-function beauty that owners were more than willing to turn a blind eye to shortcomings in many other areas.

However, with the Vantage, even more than the recently launched DB11, everything beneath the skin is essentially a cherry-picked selection of everything that's cutting-edge in terms of sportscar capability, starting with the engine.

It's the same twin turbo 4-litre V8 that powers the Mercedes-AMG GT from standstill to 100kph in 4 seconds flat and on to a 314kph top speed.

However, in the Vantage, where the block is positioned so far back from the front axle that the weight distribution is a perfect 50:50 split, that powerplant, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, is half a second quicker off the mark, serves up over 510hp and 685Nm of torque and a top speed of 314kph.

And to ensure that drivers can make the most of that power, the car comes with an electronic rear differential (something that only Ferrari and Mercedes had in their arsenals as recently as two years ago), torque vectoring to push power to the wheel that needs it most every millisecond, and a dynamic stability control system with adaptive damping.

Even two years ago, it would have been hard to imagine Aston being able to offer this level of technical capability in its cars, but thanks to a partnership with Mercedes Benz it has access to a host of best in class systems and features. And that goes for creature comforts too, with a park assist system and an excellent infotainment system among its standard equipment.

READ MORE: Aston Martin's turnaround plan moves up a gear with Vantage model

"I'm enormously excited by what we've created: a new Vantage that's more explicit in looks and intent," said Aston Martin's CEO, Dr Andy Palmer. "A true sports car with a sharper look and a keener dynamic edge, the new Vantage is the Aston Martin pure driving machine enthusiasts have been waiting for."

The Vantage is available to order now and will cost from £120,900 (RM661,000) in Britain, €154,000 (RM746,000) in Germany and US$149,995 (RM619,000) in the United States. But if you want one, you'll have to wait until mid-2018 for the first deliveries.


Proton increases Persona production

                TANJUNG MALIM: Production of the Proton Persona is on the rise to meet an increase in bookings.

"We are ramping up our production to meet the growing numbers after assembly of Persona was halted due to refurbishment activities," said Proton CEO Datuk Abdul Harith Abdullah.

"As we see a steady demand in numbers for locally made cars due to the drop in the ringgit, we are pleased that more Malaysians choose Persona as their preferred car due to its spacious size, moderate fuel consumption and low maintenance cost,” continued Abdul Harith.

Waiting period for the Persona, at present, stands at one month.

The 1.6-litre Persona is available in two variants – Super Value (SV) and Executive, priced from RM44,658.

Proton is also running its 30th anniversary promotion campaign in conjunction with the Merdeka Day and Hari Malaysia celebration.

Low down payments for selected Proton cars of up to RM3,000 for trade-ins, attractive financing rates of as low as 1.99% and 7-year extended warranty await new buyers, among other interesting promotions.


Volkswagen's Diess gets contract extension ahead of strategy presentation

                FRANKFURT: Volkswagen has handed chief executive Herbert Diess a contract extension under which he will lead the carmaker until October 2025, the group said, a victory made possible by the recent departure of works council head Bernd Osterloh.

Reuters reported on Thursday that Volkswagen's supervisory board was discussing a two-year extension to Diess' contract, which would have expired in 2023, after two attempts last year failed over ongoing resistance by labour representatives.

By staying on until 2025 Diess will be able to see through an ambitious goal Europe's largest carmaker has set itself by the middle of the decade, namely becoming the world's leading electric vehicle player and overtaking key rival Tesla.

The supervisory board, which approved the contract extension at a meeting on Friday, also received a presentation from management on the company's new "Strategy 2030" to be made public next week.

"The Supervisory Board believes that under the leadership of Dr Diess conditions will be optimal for the continued successful development of the entire company in the coming years as well, especially in view of Strategy 2030," said VW chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch.

VW said the new strategy was focused on an "automotive industry shaped by e-mobility and software". The board said it saw the strategy as "the basis for future growth".

Since becoming CEO in April 2018, Diess has accelerated the pace of reform to raise margins, cut costs and get serious about software and battery cells - two major areas of future vehicle production where German carmakers lack expertise.

Osterloh, once Germany's most powerful labour boss, had been Diess' fiercest opponent and was at loggerheads with the 62-year old over his aggressive management style.

He left Volkswagen's supervisory board earlier this year to join the management board of Volkswagen's trucks unit Traton.


'Carchitecture' takes car ownership to the next level

                PARIS: Architecture and automobiles have much more in common than one might first think.

They are connected by a love of lines, fluidity, optimisation of spaces and, sometimes, spectacular design. So it's not surprising that they have converged to give rise to "carchitecture."

This trend, spotted by trade magazine Penta, consists of integrating the car into the home like any other beautiful object.

Owners of Porsches, Maseratis, Aston Martins and other exceptional vehicles can admire them without having to go to their garage.

"Clients are choosing to have their cars in their homes or apartments, even at penthouse level, as a celebration of the car as a design object," architect Etienne Borgos, co-director of Borgos Pieper, told the trade magazine.

"It's taking car ownership to the next level."

This desire to reinvent the car garage is giving rise to all sorts of extravagances.

Chinese agency O-office Architects has transformed a former textile factory in Shenzhen into a modern home with an Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale in the middle.

In the Netherlands, Studio OXL transformed a carpenter's workshop into a spacious loft.

The owner wanted to be able to display their 2008 Tesla Roadster in their living room, so the architectural firm decided to keep the former entryway of the factory intact.

Other architects choose to incorporate ramps or even elevators into the property designs, so that car enthusiasts can park their finest models wherever they please — whether that means in the living room or even on a mezzanine, as is the case in a 2019 three-storey home, designed by Sam Burch Architect.

The home, which has a garage for up to 15 vehicles, is equipped with an elevator so the owner can display his Porsches and BMWs on any floor.

However, the owners did note on the Texas studio's website that they have to "make sure to not crash any vehicles through any of the large glass walls."

 A design by Sam Burch Architect.An obsession

While the term 'carchitecture' is relatively recent, the concept on which it is based is not new.

It even fascinated famous 20th century architects such as Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright, who owned more than 80 cars during his lifetime.

This enthusiast even declared that "a car is not a horse, and it doesn't need a barn."

So it's not surprising that some elements of the New York car showroom he built in 1954 are reminiscent of the Guggenheim Museum, his most famous building.

"The word ‘carchitecture’ is about the obsession of architects about cars, but also about car design that has a link to architecture,” Thijs Demeulemeester, journalist and co-author of the book "Carchitecture: Houses with horsepower," told Penta.

Some car manufacturers have grasped this and offer top customers a service that entails designing exceptional, customised spaces for storing their vehicles.

This is the case with Aston Martin. Since 2019, the British group has been offering the "Automotive Galleries and Lairs" service in order to take "the Aston Martin experience" even further, in the words of Marek Reichman, executive vice president and chief creative director.

"For the car enthusiast, the garage is as important as the rest of the house. We want to take Aston Martin ownership to the next level, and a bespoke auto gallery ... can help our customers do that," he said in a statement at the time of the service's launch.

More recently, the Aston Martin Design team has taken the concept of "carchitecture" to the extreme by designing an 800-square-metre property in the heart of the New York countryside with the help of S3 Architecture.

The main entrance of this house with multiple windows is through a gallery-garage, which allows the owner of the place to expose their DB11, V12 Vanquish and Valkyrie like any work of art.


Mazda explores algae as biofuel

                HIROSHIMA: Mazda is currently involved in joint research projects and studies as part of an ongoing industry-academia-government collaboration to promote the wide-spread adoption of biofuels from microalgae growth.

Because, when burnt, algae biofuel only releases CO2 recently removed from the atmosphere via photosynthesis as the algae grew, Mazda considers its development to be critical to achieving the carbon-neutrality of cars powered by the internal combustion engine.

Microalgae biofuel has numerous positive attributes as a renewable liquid fuel. Algae fuels can be farmed on land unsuitable for agriculture, can be grown with minimal impact on freshwater resources, can be produced using saline and wastewater, have a high flash point, and are biodegradable and relatively harmless to the environment if spilled.

Improving productivity and reducing costs are fundamental to the widespread future availability of algae biofuels.

To that end, Mazda is lending research-accelerating technical support to the combination of research into genome editing by Hiroshima University and plant physiology by the Tokyo Institute of Technology which is intended to lead to a breakthrough in these areas.

As part of its 'Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030' long-term technology development programme, the company is committed to reducing its average 'Well-to-Wheel' CO2 emissions to 50% of 2010 levels by 2030, and to 90% by 2050.

Expecting that internal combustion engines combined with some form of electrification will still account for some 95% of the vehicles it produces in 2030, and that liquid fuel will remain dominant in the automotive industry until at least 2040, Mazda considers a renewable liquid fuel essential to drastic CO2 reduction.

As part of the ‘Well-to-Wheel’ initiative, Mazda has developed a multi-solution approach to reduce overall carbon dioxide emissions without any compromise to driving pleasure and performance to its vehicles.


US faces hurdles in push to build electric vehicle supply chain

                WASHINGTON: The United States faces stiff challenges as it moves to create its own electric vehicle supply chain, industry analysts say, with the extent of the country’s metal reserves largely unknown and only a few facilities to process minerals and produce batteries.

Legislation making its way through the US Congress aims to help offset those gaps, but China remains the global EV sector leader, a dominance seen by some as difficult to supplant.

“China has a huge headstart,” said Gavin Montgomery, a battery and mining analyst at the Wood Mackenzie consultancy. “They’ve just been at this a lot longer than the rest of the world.”

US senator Lisa Murkowski, chair of the Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee, earlier this month introduced the American Mineral Security Act to help streamline regulation and permitting requirements for the development of mines for lithium, graphite and other EV minerals.

The bipartisan legislation, which seeks in part to codify a late 2017 executive order on US mineral development by president Donald Trump, gets its first hearing before Murkowski’s committee on Tuesday.

“We have an opportunity here to move ourselves from this position of vulnerability in terms of reliance on others for our minerals, our EV supply chain,” said Murkowski, an Alaska Republican.

But just how much cobalt and other minerals used to make EVs are actually in the United States is anyone’s guess, as the nation has conducted little by way of a national survey.

Current estimates from the US Geological Survey rely on corporate annual reports, historical data from the US Bureau of Mines and other sources, according to USGS spokesman Alex Demas.

Finding out the mineral composition of a particular region requires sending staff into the field to take rock samples, a timely and expensive endeavor. Murkowski’s legislation would require a nationwide reserve analysis for all minerals used to make EVs.

USGS data show, for example, that the United States has 35,000 tonnes of lithium in reserve, a figure that the agency and industry executives see as conservative.

Albemarle Corp operates the only US lithium mine, a facility with the capacity to produce about 6,000 tonnes annually. According to current USGS data, that means that one mine could deplete US reserves within six years.

Several lithium projects are under development across the nation, including those from ioneer Ltd, Lithium Americas Corp and Piedmont Lithium Ltd. Each aims to produce at least 20,000 tonnes of lithium per year, according to corporate presentations.

Beyond physical reserves, concerns about the lack of US processing facilities are also cause for worry.

China controls about 85 percent of the globe’s cobalt sulfate processing, according to WoodMac data. Cobalt sulfate is the version of the metal used in lithium ion batteries.

eCobalt Solutions Inc aims to produce 1,500 tonnes per year of cobalt once its Idaho project opens, though that is only enough of the metal to make about 300,000 EVs.

The United States does have some processing capability. Albemarle and rival Livent Corp process some lithium domestically. Syrah Resources Ltd mines graphite in Mozambique and ships it to Louisiana for processing for use in making battery parts.

But those facilities tend to be the exception and investors so far have been wary of funding new US projects in part due to China’s dominance, with concerns that any investment would be difficult to recoup.

“Ultimately, these projects have to stack up economically, even if US politicians make it easier to get permitting,” said WoodMac’s Montgomery.


Shanghai GM to spend US$16 billion developing new vehicles

                SHANGHAI:  Shanghai GM, a joint venture between General Motors and China's SAIC Motor Corp, plans to spend 100 billion yuan (US$16 billion) over the next five years developing new vehicles, Shanghai GM president Wang Yongqing said on Sunday.

The automaker will use that money for 10 new or upgraded models a year until it has roughly 40 product lines as it tries to corner at least 10 percent of the Chinese market, Wang told reporters before the Shanghai autoshow, which starts on Monday.

Both Buick and Chevrolet brands will surpass 1 million in annual sales by 2020, Wang said at a news conference.

Shanghai GM will spend 26.5 billion yuan on environmentally friendly products, including 10 "new-energy models" - traditional and plug-in hybrids - by 2020, he said.

Wang said the company will cut fuel consumption in its vehicles by 25-30 percent in the process.

"In terms of new energy, we are keen on power efficiency and emission control and are ardent to go electrical throughout our portfolio," he said.

Shanghai GM has 13 new engines and nine new transmissions "in the pipeline" and plans to expand use of small-displacement, direct-injection and turbo engines, introducing diesel engines "when the time is ripe", he said.


Youth involved in Penang Bridge crash death charged

Vaitheswaran being escorted by police outside the magistrate's court today.
BUKIT MERTAJAM: The car driver who was involved in an accident with a sports utility vehicle (SUV) driven by a student that plunged into the sea at Penang Bridge last month has been charged at the magistrate's court here today.

M. Vaitheswaran, 21, is accused of driving recklessly and causing the death of Moey Yun Peng, 20, at KM4.0 on the bridge towards Prai direction at about 3am on Jan 20.

The charge under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 carries a maximum of 10 years' jail and a maximum fine of RM20,000 or both upon conviction.

Vaitheswaran pleaded not guilty to the charge.

During mitigation, DPP Yusaini Amir Abd Karim proposed for RM10,000 bail but Vaitheswaran's lawyer S. Parameswaran asked for RM5,000 bail instead as his client was no longer working as a hairdresser and his father is an electrician with a monthly income of RM2,500 to support the family.

Magistrate Jamaliah Abd Manap then set RM7,000 bail with one surety and ordered for Vaitheswaran's driving licence to be suspended until the case is over.

She also ordered for Vaitheswaran to report to the nearest police station monthly and fixed March 18 for mention of the case.

In the incident, a Mazda CX-5 driven by Moey, a private college student, plunged into the sea after a Toyota Vios collided with it at Penang Bridge.

Moey's body was found strapped to the driver's seat after the vehicle was retrieved from the sea three days later.


GM and Nikola announce reworked deal

                DETROIT: General Motors Co and Nikola Corp on Monday announced a reworked agreement on a fuel-cell partnership that eliminates an equity stake in the startup for the Detroit automaker as well as plans for building Nikola’s electric pickup truck, sending Nikola shares tumbling more than 24%.

In September, the companies announced a deal under which GM would supply batteries, a chassis architecture, fuel cell systems and a factory to build Nikola’s proposed Badger electric pickup in return for an 11% stake and US$700 million.

But the deal came into question after a short seller criticised Nikola as a fraud, something Nikola has denied.

The new agreement, a non-binding memorandum of understanding that doesn’t expire until the end of 2021, is subject to negotiation and a definitive deal, Nikola and GM said in separate statements.

Under the new deal, GM will supply its fuel-cell system for Nikola’s Class 7 and Class 8 commercial semi-trucks, Nikola said. The companies are also discussing Nikola’s potential use of GM’s Ultium electric battery system in its commercial trailers.

Nikola officials said the new deal focuses on the fuel-cell side of the business, where they see the greatest potential. They also said they remain confident of signing a deal by year end with an energy partner to build hydrogen-refueling stations.

Nikola’s shares sank more than 24% in morning trading, while GM’s fell 2.1%.

J.P. Morgan analyst Paul Coster in a research note said the decision by GM not to take a stake in Nikola as originally planned would weigh on Nikola’s shares, but longer term, the new agreement was positive for the startup as it can now focus on its commercial truck business.

Nikola said it would refund all previously submitted order deposits for the Badger as that rollout was dependant on a manufacturer partnership.

Nikola officials said the Badger was “paused indefinitely” as the company focuses on its core business.

“Heavy trucks remain our core business and we are 100% focused on hitting our development milestones to bring clean hydrogen and battery-electric commercial trucks to market,” Nikola chief executive Mark Russell said in a statement.

GM said Nikola will pay upfront for the capital investment necessary for the fuel-cell capacity. The fuel-cell system will be engineered at GM’s technical facilities in Pontiac and Warren, Michigan, and built at its Brownstown Charter Township battery plant in Michigan.

“Providing our Hydrotec fuel cell systems to the heavy-duty class of commercial vehicles is an important part of our growth strategy,” GM global product development chief Doug Parks said in a separate statement.


Route 77, the biggest local Harley-Davidson aftermarket store

                PETALING JAYA: Occupying a 6,000sq ft space in Petaling Jaya’s Seksyen 51, lies Route 77 - the store that offers the largest selection of Harley-Davidson aftermarket parts and accessories in Malaysia.

When I stepped inside, I was impressed with the range of goods that the store could offer to the Harley-Davidson community.

These aftermarket parts and accessories are imported from America.

Besides parts and accessories, Route 77 also boasts a large collection of cool helmets and riders’ apparels for all kinds of weather.

Not only that, they have a spacious service area which allows Route 77’s well-trained motorbike specialists to work on the Harleys that needs the tender loving care.

Co-founder Ronny Khoo was quick to add that the bike specialists in Route 77’s set-up.

These specialists are also able to work on other motorcycle brands aside from Harleys.

The workshop can accommodate five motorcycles at any one time.

It is very common for owners to customise their Harley-Davidson bikes as this would reflect their personality.

Route 77 promises to help owners with their customisation requests with high-quality aftermarket parts at affordable prices.

The company takes pride in the Harley-Davidson parallel imports which comes mostly from Japan.

Route 77 store manager Wong Zoey stressed that the outfit only imports well-maintained and high quality Harley-Davidson bikes and offers them to local buyers at reasonable prices.

Whether you are buying or repairing a motorcycle or shopping for parts and accessories. Route 77 has it all covered with professional after sales service.

Route 77 is opened from Monday to Saturday. Business hours are from 9.30am-6.00pm.

For details, contact Route 77 at 03-7772 7712.


                SINGAPORE: Singapore aims to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040, making a bigger bet on electric cars as part of its efforts to cut greenhouse gases and fight climate change, the finance minister said on Tuesday.

The wealthy city-state of 5.7 million, which is hiking investment in flood defences, joins Norway, Britain and others in setting a target to cut the use of vehicles with combustion engines.

“Our vision is to phase out ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles and have all vehicles run on cleaner energy by 2040,” Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat said in his budget speech.

Singapore, which has been criticised by Tesla CEO Elon Musk as not being supportive of electric vehicles, is one of the most expensive places in the world to buy a car and there are few electric vehicles on the roads.

In Tuesday’s budget, Heng said measures to encourage electric vehicle adoption included a registration fee rebate on purchases of fully electric car and taxis.

The country, an oil-refining hub, will also expand public charging infrastructure to 28,000 points by 2030 from 1,600 now.

“As a low-lying island nation, rising sea levels threatens our very existence,” Heng said, adding that he was setting aside a coastal and flood protection fund with an initial injection of S$5 billion (RM15bil).

Last year, the prime minister said protecting Singapore against rising sea levels could cost S$100 billion (RM299bil) or more over 100 years.


Proton sales breaches 100,000 unit mark for three years in a row

                SUBANG JAYA: Proton has broken through the 100,000 sales barrier for a third year in succession.

Overall sales of 14,187 units (domestic + export) in November have pushed its year-to-date (YTD) number to 100,566 units, raising expectations the company will be able to end the year with positive sales growth.

Sales improved by 6.2% in November over October, marking the third consecutive month of growth.

Compared with November 2020, sales have increased by 24.3%, which is also reflected in the growth of YTD sales by 4.3%.

Domestic market share for the month is estimated to stand at 24.5% while YTD market share has grown by 1.9% and currently sits at 22.8%.

November was an active month for the Malaysian automotive industry as new model launches and the news about the extension of tax-free incentive period brought a sense of excitement to car buyers.

Component supply issues continue to be an area of concern for all manufacturers but overall, brands with sufficient units did well.

 Saga.

The evergreen Proton Saga, that combines performance with an attractive design and value, had its best sales month since December 2020 with 5,666 units were sold, allowing it to reclaim the best-selling model in Malaysia crown it last held in September this year.

It also remains as the champion of the A-segment sedan class, a position the company is hopeful it will retain to the end of the year.

Not to be outdone, the Proton X50 had a record month with 4,010 units delivered.

That is significantly better than its previous high of 3,839 units set in October, making the B-segment intelligent SUV the best-seller not just for its class but for the SUV segment too.

 X50.

The Proton X70 also continued its run of success with 1,901 units delivered this month, keeping it far ahead in the C-segment SUV class.

The rest of Proton’s model range performed according to expectations.

The Proton Exora enjoyed a fourth consecutive month of growth and continued to dominate the C-segment MPV market with 434 units sold.

Component supply issues continue to plague the 2022 Proton Iriz and Persona limiting their production volumes, but both achieved 642 and 1,534 units respectively.

 Persona.

Proton Edar chief executive officer Roslan Abdullah said November was a good sales month for Proton although overall industry numbers continue to be limited by supply and not demand.

“Crossing over the 100,000-unit threshold with a month to go is a highpoint for us after another year disrupted by Covid-19.

“We are humbled by the achievement and are now confident of ending the year with an increase in total sales. This will make Proton the sole national brand to grow sales and market share this year and give us a strong base heading into 2022 as we look to consolidate and improve our ranking both domestically and overseas,” he said.


Police and JPJ asked to target federal, town and rural roads, too

                NILAI: The police and Road Transport Department have been asked to increase enforcement activities on federal, town and rural roads during this Hari Raya festive period.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said this was necessary as most accidents are reported along these stretches rather than the country's expressways.

"It is my hope that this will be done with more focus given to motorcyclists as they are involved in 63% of all fatal accidents.

"This is also important as many motorcyclists do not wear helmets, especially in smaller towns," he said when launching a road safety campaign in conjunction with the coming Hari Raya celebration.

Loke said an estimated 35% of all motorcyclists do not wear helmets on the road.

Also present was Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador.

Loke said the road safety campaign, which starts today, will end on June 12.

"Our target is to reduce road fatalities. If possible, we should try and achieve zero road fatalities," he said.

Loke said JPJ teams would also be stationed at selected R&R's along the highways to carry out enforcement work.

He said the number of accidents during this year's Chinese New Year celebration also fell from 21,041 registered last year to 20,829.

"Although the number of road fatalities during the two week period also fell from 208 to 197, the numbers are still very high.

"We need to work harder to bring this down," he said.

Abdul Hamid, in his speech earlier, said police personnel would do their best to help reduce road fatalities.

"It is also my hope that this noble effort to create awareness on road safety will bear more positive results this time around," he added.


PSA to assemble batteries for hybrid, electric cars in Slovakia

                PARIS: PSA, owner of the Peugeot, Citroen and DS brands, will start assembling batteries for its hybrid and electric cars at its plant in Trnava, Slovakia, and later at its plant in Vigo, Spain.

The company also expects to assemble batteries at some of its other factories as sales of electric cars pick up, Peugeot’s industrial director Yann Vincent said on Friday at a plant in the town of Tremery in eastern France.

The carmaker currently buys batteries from South Korean company LG and China’s CATL.

Vincent added the company expected rising demand for electric and hybrid cars, as well as for vehicles with automatic gearboxes, to offset falling demand for diesel and manual gearbox cars.

Peugeot expects output of engines at Tremery will fall to 1.7 million this year, down from 1.8 million last year due to falling demand for diesel cars.


Naza Group zeroes in on niche and premium automotive business

A 2018 file pic of Nasarudin opening a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Klang under a Naza-owned company.
PETALING JAYA: The Naza Group, now in the midst of a corporate overhaul, will continue to stay invested in the auto business even after giving up the Kia and Peugeot brands last year.

However, the automotive business will no longer be a core business after the revamp as the 45-year-old group is banking on property development and asset management to lead the way.

Under the overhaul plan dubbed Naza2.0, the highly diversified group will have a “centralised-focus” structure across four verticals – property and construction; asset management; niche & premium automotive; and other businesses.

In the automotive space, Naza will focus on niche, luxury and exclusive brands, group executive chairman SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin told StarBiz.

READ MORE:Berjaya Auto Alliance takes over Peugeot in Malaysia
Naza dropping Kia and Peugeot brands

"Moving forward, our auto business may not necessarily continue to be in sales and distribution.

"Part of Naza2.0 is potentially exiting mid-market segments in the automotive sector, with the aim of maximising value of niche segments," he said.

The overarching goal is to change and become lean and streamlined for long term sustainability, he said, adding that the overhaul would cut across the group's more than 40 active businesses.

“We hope to reduce low margin businesses, focus on recurring income and on businesses where the company would have more control, with potentials to bring in higher yield and better profit margins.”


Porsche 718 Cayman GT4: Track day fun

                BY far, the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 has the best "smile per mile" ratio compared to the rest of its stablemates.

Its got all the necessary accoutrements that will have its driver feeling like a real racer in no time thanks to the "spartan-ish" setup.

The chassis feels "uber" stiff and the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) will take all sorts of abuse - all day long, and keep on smiling.

This chance opportunity allowed for a real experience for what this little Porsche has to offer in its preferred eco-system - the track, specifically the Sepang International Circuit.

The 4.0-litre (3,995cc) naturally aspirated flat-six is able to punch out 420PS at 7,600rpm and 420Nm of torque from 5,000 to 6,800rpm.

All that grunt gets managed by a crispy shifting six-speed manual.

That's right, the GT4 demands its drivers to return to the operational roots of using all three pedals.

With the Clubsport package which includes a roll cage inside the two-seater cabin, expect all the track's surface nuances to reach the driver.

Straight out of the pits, it's pedal to the metal for this mid-mounted engine and listening to it wail as the needle bolts towards its 8,000rpm red-line put the senses on high alert.

This Cayman simply wants to be constantly pushed.

Everything simply feels exceptionally well put together to have it ready for track duties while also being road-legal.

The revs build quickly and power on tap is always readily available without any lag.

By the time the GT4 reached our hands, it'd been abused since morning and the tyres were pretty much tired.

Yet, it was still willing to be belted around the shortened circuit that practically revolves around the South Paddock of the Sepang International Circuit.

Standing on the PCCB to slow the GT4 before the first tight right-hander still had a significant bite with nary a hint of brake fade.

Steer into the corner and it still maintained its razor-sharp attitude with plenty of tyre feedback coming back to the driver.

The GT4 provides its driver with the option to engage the auto-blip function for more novice drivers.

Handling the GT4 at its limits is forgiving and getting it won't spring any surprises upon its driver.

Instead, it'll allow its driver to quickly undertake corrective measures to get it back in line and save any embarrassment.

Owners will constantly want to keep the GT4 at the limits and this will, of course, be at the detriment of the tyres.

The way the engine wails all the way up to 8,000rpm is simultaneously evocative and absolutely addictive while manhandling it and for that, it'll have its owner grinning all the way to the back of their heads.

For the Cayman GT4, budding owners need to forget about everyday useability for this particular Stuttgarter, because this is all about all-day race-ability.

This particular Porsche isn't for the faint of hearts and neither is it for those looking for some paddle-shifting fun out on the track.

Rather, think of it as a Porsche that'll help its driver hone their skills while infusing the experience with heaps of fun.


Chevrolet distributor kicks off festive CNY promo

                KUALA LUMPUR: Four Chevrolet models are offered at attractive deals from Jan 15 until Feb 28.

Naza Quest Sdn Bhd, official distributor of the Chevrolet brand in Malaysia, has a Chinese New Year sales campaign which includes a RM8,888 Ang Pow for the Chevrolet Malibu, Orlando and Colorado.

The campaign also offers a free sporty body kit with rims or a RM8,888 Ang Pow for the Chevrolet Cruze.

Buyers of the Chevrolet Malibu, Orlando and Cruze get a five-year manufacturer’s warranty or 200,000km (whichever comes first).

Also, Colorado buyers get a three-year manufacturer’s warranty or 100,000km (whichever comes first).

“The brand has earned a well-deserved reputation for safety and reliability. Chevrolet reaffirmed this with one of its most popular models, the Colorado, awarded a 5-star rating in Phase III of the New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian countries (ASEAN NCAP) last year," said Naza Quest associate vice president Thoo Ai Wuen.

She also pointed out that various other Chevrolet models have been awarded 5 star and 4 star Euro NCAP ratings over the years, thus proving that the brand has a keen focus on the well-being of its car occupants.

"Safety should always be prioritised and we are proud to say that this quality is featured in all our models," said Thoo.


Build fast, fix later: speed hurts quality at Tesla, some workers say

                SAN FRANCISCO: After Tesla’s Model S sedans and Model X SUVs roll off the company’s Fremont, California assembly line, the electric vehicles usually make another stop - for repairs, nine current and former employees have told Reuters.

The luxury cars regularly require fixes before they can leave the factory, according to the workers. Quality checks have routinely revealed defects in more than 90 percent of Model S and Model X vehicles inspected after assembly, these individuals said, citing figures from Tesla’s internal tracking system as recently as October. Some of these people told Reuters of seeing problems as far back as 2012.

Tesla Inc said its quality control process is unusually rigorous, designed to flag and correct the tiniest imperfections. It declined to provide post-assembly defect rates to Reuters or comment on those cited by employees.

The world’s most efficient automakers, such as Toyota, average post-manufacturing fixes on fewer than 10 percent of their cars, according to industry experts. Getting quality right during initial assembly is crucial, they said, because repairs waste time and money.

 The flagship Model S.

At Tesla “so much goes into rework after the car is done ... that’s where their money is being spent,” a former Tesla supervisor said.

The Silicon Valley automaker said the majority of its post-assembly defects are minor and resolved in a matter of minutes.

Tesla has enthralled consumers with sleek designs, clean technology and legendary acceleration on its pricey cars. A Consumer Reports survey found 91 percent of Tesla owners would buy again.

Still, the magazine and market researcher J.D. Power have dinged the company on quality, citing troubles such as faulty door handles and body panel gaps. Bernstein analyst A.M. (Toni) Sacconaghi, Jr. test-drove one of the company’s new Model 3 sedans earlier this month, writing that the fit and finish were “relatively poor.” Tesla owners have complained on web forums of annoying rattles, buggy software and poor seals that allow rainwater to seep into the interior or trunk.

Auto industry experts say the company’s survival now depends on its ability to crank out high-quality cars in volume as it begins to build its first mass-market car, the Model 3, which starts at US$35,000.

Tesla has never turned an annual profit and is burning through US$1 billion a quarter. That is unsustainable without fresh cash or a big increase in sales to mainstream customers who may prove less forgiving of potential defects.

“We’ve never doubted Tesla’s ability to make exciting products with top specifications, but there’s a difference between unveiling something and then actually making it perfectly in large volume. Tesla has not perfected the latter yet,” Morningstar analyst David Whiston wrote earlier this month.

Musk has vowed Tesla would become “the best manufacturer on Earth,” helped by a new, highly automated assembly line and a simpler design for the Model 3. However, production woes have slowed deliveries of the much-anticipated sedan.

Snags are normal with any new launch. But chronic defects with Tesla’s established Models S and X show a company still struggling to master basic manufacturing, workers said.

Known as “kickbacks” within Tesla, these vehicles have glitches as minor as dents and scratches to more complex troubles such as malfunctioning seats. Easy fixes are made swiftly on the factory floor, workers said.

Trickier cases head to one of Tesla’s outdoor parking lots to await repair. The backlog in one of those two lots, dubbed the “yard,” has exceeded 2,000 vehicles at times, workers said.

Tesla denied to Reuters that such “repair lots” exist.

Reuters interviewed nine current and former Tesla employees, including a former senior manager, with experience in assembly, quality control and repairs on Model S and Model X. All requested anonymity because the company required them to sign non-disclosure agreements. Four of the people were fired for cause, including two last month as part of a mass dismissal of hundreds of workers for what Tesla said was poor performance. Sacked workers who spoke with Reuters denied they were poor performers.

People with knowledge of Tesla’s internal quality data shared those figures with Reuters. The news agency was unable to confirm the information independently.

Defects included “doors not closing, material trim, missing parts, all kinds of stuff. Loose objects, water leaks, you name it,” another former supervisor said. “We’ve been building a Model S since 2012. How do we still have water leaks?”

Tesla disputed workers’ portrayal of the automaker as struggling to produce defect-free vehicles. A spokesperson described a rigorous process that requires all cars to pass more than 500 inspections and tests. Any reworking of cars after assembly reflects the company’s commitment to quality, the spokesperson said.

“Our goal is to produce perfect cars for every customer,” Tesla said in a statement. “Therefore, we review every vehicle for even the smallest refinement. Most customers would never notice the work that is done post production, but we care about even a fraction of a millimetre body gap difference or a slight paint gloss texture. We then feed these improvements back to production in a pursuit of perfection.”

Employees who worked on Model S and Model X described pressure to keep the assembly line moving, even when problems emerged. Some told of batches of cars being sent through with parts missing - windshields in one case, bumpers in another - because there were none on hand. The understanding, they said, was that these and other flaws would be fixed later.

Quality inspectors would sometimes find more defects than those reported by workers in the internal tracking system when a car came off the line. “We’d see two issues, that’s pretty good. But then we’d dig in and there would be like 15 or 20,” one person said.

One persistently tricky area was alignment, where body parts had to be “muscled,” in the words of the senior manager, to a certain degree of flushness. Not every team follows the same rule book, workers said, resulting in gaps of different size.

Tesla denied that its quality control is inconsistent and said its “extensive” process for locating and fixing errors was “very successful.”

Some workers traced the challenges to Musk’s determination to launch vehicles faster than the industry norm by shortening the design process, skipping some pre-production testing, then making improvements on the fly. Such improvisation leads to high repair rates, employees said.

For a March report called “Beyond the Hype,” J.D. Power found creaks, scratches and poor door alignment on new Model S and Model X vehicles, issues it blamed on the company’s lack of manufacturing experience. The overall quality of Tesla vehicles, it concluded, was “not competitive” within the luxury segment, lacking “precision and attention to detail.”

Such sloppiness is a rarity in luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW, said Kathleen Rizk, director of global automotive consulting at J.D. Power.

“Those companies have been manufacturing forever,” she said. “They have stopgaps.”

Tesla said its high customer satisfaction proves it is building the “safest and best-performing cars available today.”


Triumph Tiger 900 GT: Adventure and speed

                AT a glance the new Triumph Tiger 900 looks similar to the popular Triumph Tiger 800.

The new Tiger 900 comes in five different variants which are Tiger 900, GT and GT Pro are for the serious adventure touring folks.

Meanwhile, the Rally and Rally Pro variants are specially designed for the off-road purist and of course these variants can do tarmac riding too.

The minute I sat on the bike and rode for a good one hour on the highway, I realised the bike felt lighter and more nimble than the Tiger 800.

From the front view, the bike is definitely slimmer compared with the Tiger 800.

However, the Tiger 900 GT is taller and has a longer wheelbase but it does not feel that way.

The weight distribution of this bike is simply amazing.

The switch controls are placed on the leftside of the handlebar and are simple and easy to use.

The joystick allows one to navigate through the menus and at the same time allowed me to choose the different rider modes.

The cluster of switches can be easily reached by the thumb and I did not have to struggle.

A must mention here is the 7-inch TFT full colour screen which does not have any reflective layer underneath and thus giving a clearer view in any weather conditions.

At night riding, the ambient-light sensor would automatically shift from daytime screen to night-friendly screen featuring a black background while keeping all information visible.

All basic information that a rider needs is here such as speed, tachometer reading, gear position, clock, fuel level and trip meters plus various screen background to choose from.

Also available are menus to set riding modes, suspension, multimedia and GoPro connectivity.

It did take me a good 15 minutes to understand and familiarise myself with what was available.

It was complicated for me in the beginning but became easy later on.

The Tiger 900 GT is equipped with four riding modes which are rain, sports, road and off-road.

Every time I twist the throttle on the highway, the bike accelerates effortless.

The bike felt more alive as soon as its engine went above 2,900rpm.

This bike is fun to ride and its torquey engine allowed me to "taunt" my two riding mates who were on the Vespa 300 and BMW GS 800.

I was able to slow down to accompany the Vespa and the next minute catching up with the BMW.

The bike handled great on the road and has cruise control which I liked very much.

On the open road, I could feel the power coming in fast without lag.

Its 888cc engine deliver more power across the entire rev range, with a high-peak power of 94hp at 8,750 rpm which is 9% more than the previous generation in the mid-range.

Torque is also significantly increased, peaking at 87Nm at 7,250 rpm, which is 10% more.

I also liked the windshield which is adjustable in five different height settings.

One of my biggest problems is facing wind blast whenever I am going very fast.

My neck muscles are not strong enough to take the wind blast unless the windshield is tall enough to deflect most of it.

The windshield on the Tiger 900 GT is perfect.

However, sliding the windshield up and down while riding can be bit tricky.

It is best to adjust the windshield when the bike is stationary.

On the backroads of Kuala Selangor, I rode some 30km on gravel, loose sand plus mud and water-logged potholes.

The advanced suspension setup was able to handle all the rough surfaces that I had encountered.

The Tiger 900 GT is equipped with a Marzocchi suspension featuring 45mm upside down cartridge forks that have manually adjustable compression and rebound damping with 180mm travel at the front.

At the rear uses a manual preload and rebound damping adjustment with 170mm wheel travel.

The suspension system performed very well and exceeded my expectation.

Even though I did not ride the bike off-road very much, my brief mini off-road adventures in Kuala Selangor made me understood that this bike thrives well in an off-road environment.

The extra bumpy roads made me stood up while riding.

The standing position was comfortable, and I was able to reach the handlebar without any difficulty.

The Tiger 900 GT, priced at RM72,900, was able to tackle any technical corners easily.

While going through the twisties in Sports mode, the bike held the riding line perfectly.

The agility and the nimbleness of the bike allowed me to dig deep into the corners without any hesitation.

The gearshift was smooth and coupled with the clutch, which was light on the fingers, made the riding experience around the corners and twisties very memorable.

SPECIFICATIONSTriumph Tiger 900 GTEngine: 888cc, liquid-cooled DOHC inline-three
Maximum power: 93.9hp at 8,750rpm
Maximum torque: 87Nm at 7,250 rpm
Transmission: Six-speed
Front suspension: Marzocchi 45mm inverted fork, rebound and compression damping adjustable with 18cm travel
Rear suspension: Marzocchi Preload adjustable with 17cm travel
Front braking system: Twin 32cm floating discs, Brembo Stylema 4-piston callipers, cornering ABS
Rear braking system: Single 25cm disc, Brembo single-piston calliper, cornering ABS
Features: Four riding modes, full colour TFT screen, cruise control, cornering ABS, traction control
Fuel capacity: 20 litres
Weight: 194 kg
Price: RM72,900 (without insurance, road tax and registration)


Suzuki Malaysia expands network

                KUALA LUMPUR: A new Suzuki 3S (sales, services, spare parts) centre was recently opened by Regal Motors Holdings Sdn Bhd in Jalan Awan Makmur, off Jalan Klang Lama, Kuala Lumpur.

Regal Motors Holdings had invested over half a million ringgit in the 6,500 sq ft facility which has six service bays, and a showroom that features the latest Suzuki models including the new S-Cross.

"By expanding our network, we are better able to cater to the needs of our increasingly large customer base; providing greater accessibility, a reliable support system and dedicated after-sales care,” said Suzuki Malaysia Automobile Sdn Bhd managing director Keiichi Suzuki.

Suzuki Malaysia Automobile's brand expansion plans for 2015 include opening another two Suzuki showrooms, and introducing exciting new cars.

 Suzuki Malaysia Automobile Sdn Bhd managing director Keiichi Suzuki (left) and Test, Drive and Win contest winner Ahmad Shahrim Abdul Rashid from Kajang, who won a new Suzuki Swift RS.

During the launch of the new 3S centre, the winner of the a Test, Drive and Win contest held late last year was announced.

The winner was 49-year-old Ahmad Shahrim Abdul Rashid from Kajang, who won a new Suzuki Swift RS.

Meanwhile, Suzuki Malaysia Automobile's promotions include RM6,000 or a low 1.68% financing rate and RM2,000 deal (applies to 2014 Swift GL and GLX) which is valid till end-March 2015.

Also, buyers of the Suzuki Swift between Feb 2 to March 31, 2015 can get a free Blaupunkt digital video recorder.

Regal Motors Holdings also offers a free 23-point inspection and discount on selected parts, until end-April.


Roofless Renault 4 revived from 1960s as electric Plein Air

                PARIS: Renault is reviving its cult Plein Air, a doorless and roofless take on the Renault 4, from the 1960s — only this time, instead of the old 845cc petrol engine, the new edition of this no-frills runabout is powered by an electric motor from the Twizy.

The maker says its R4 e-Plein Air is a one-of-a-kind, built on a shortened version of the original platform. While the front panel imitates the look of the original radiator grille, a battery is now hidden where the rear seat was.

The manufacturer built the original car from 1968 to 1971 in a limited run of just 563 models that did away with the Renault 4's doors, windows and roof, offering just a rudimentary cover.

Among other things, the Plein Air 1968 was used for shuttle services at the World Exhibition in Montreal.


China can be rich, climate-neutral by 2050, says group

Rushhour traffic in Beijing last week. The move by the second-biggest economy towards zero emissions is critical for the world to counter climate change. — AFP
BEIJING: China can become a fully developed economy that doesn’t produce any carbon emissions by mid-century.

The nation’s high savings and investment rate allow for the spending required to meet the twin goals, according to a report by The Energy Transitions Commission, a global coalition of executives from across the energy landscape committed to the Paris climate agreement.

The move by the second-biggest economy towards zero emissions is critical for the world to counter climate change.

While China has spent more money than any other country on clean energy, it’s still the biggest consumer of coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, and is estimated to have as much coal power capacity in the pipeline as the current total in the 28-nation European Union.

The nation could triple its per-capita economic growth and standard of living while cutting final energy demand by 27% in 2050, said the ETC, which published the report in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Institute.

That would require reductions in steel and cement use, a more circular use of materials such as plastics, and energy efficiency measures including the electrification of transport.

"China has the institutional, financial and technological advantages of ‘concentrating resources to accomplish large undertakings,’ which makes it well placed to stimulate long-term and large-scale investment once setting up strategic goals,” said Jules Kortenhorst, chief executive officer of RMI.

"This helps lay a solid foundation for China to pursue zero-carbon objectives by 2050 and gain the economic and environmental advantages which would result.”

The commissioners of the ETC include executives from Royal Dutch Shell Plc, HSBC Holdings Plc, ArcelorMittal, Rio Tinto Group, China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. and China Huaneng Group.

Other findings include:

> The industry sector would see the most significant cut in final energy demand of 30% but would continue to contribute to 60% of final energy demand.
> China’s total primary energy demand could fall by 45% from today to 2050 as a result of less energy being lost in electricity generation.
> Fossil fuel demand could tumble more than 90% as non-fossil fuels would jump 3.4 times.
> Zero-emission target will require total decarbonisation of power generation and expansion of power use of about 15,000 terawatt-hours in 2050. That compares with 7,000 terawatt-hour increase last year.
> Almost 70% of power generation will be met by wind and solar with the support of grid flexibility and storage.
> This will also need a more than threefold increase in production and use of hydrogen to more 80 million tons in 2050, along with important roles from increased bioenergy and carbon capture.

The report also highlighted key sectoral actions and public policies needed to meet the goal, such as a national carbon price system.


Toyota develops fuel cell system for maritime applications

                TOYOTA CITY: Toyota, official partner of Energy Observer and an avid supporter of their project from the start, announces that it has developed a fuel cell system for maritime applications, with its first delivery destined for Energy Observer.

Former racing catamaran turned ship of the future, Energy Observer has made waves as it has been navigating its six-year odyssey around the world as the first energy-autonomous hydrogen vessel.

Embarking in June 2017 from Saint- Malo Port in France, Energy Observer is an electrically propelled vessel of the future that is operated using a mix of renewable energies and an on-board system that produces carbon-free hydrogen from seawater.

The operators of the vessel are on a mission to go and meet people in 50 countries and 101 ports during their voyage who are designing the future, with an aim to prove that a cleaner world is not only possible, but that the innovations can open some doors to a new economic expansion.

Their activities also demonstrate and share potential solutions to champion an ecological and energy transition, as well as support tomorrow's energy networks as they encourage providers to make the networks more efficient and applicable on a large scale.

Previously, Toyota's fuel cell system, which was first introduced in the Toyota Mirai, the world's first mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle, proved its value as a propulsion system for automobiles. However, the company has more recently been exploring the use of its fuel cell system in other applications such as buses and trucks.

Toyota, a company aiming to develop a hydrogen society based on its challenge to "Establish a future society in Harmony with Nature" as stated in its Environmental Challenge 2050, was able to align with Energy Observer's mission and activities.

From that common ground, the two have worked closely together on how a hydrogen fuel cell system could be adapted to martime applications, which eventually led to the introduction of Toyota's maritime fuel cell technology and system.

The maritime-specific fuel cell system was developed by Toyota Technical Center Europe in a mere seven months. It required a re-design of the system, followed by the build and installation of the compact fuel cell module.

This was accomplished using components first introduced in the Toyota Mirai which were fitted into a more compact module suitable for marine applications. The project successfully demonstrates the adaptability of the Toyota fuel cell technology to a variety of applications, including those outside of land-based vehicles.


MINI announces new details about Cooper Electric

                LONDON: MINI has announced new details about its upcoming Cooper – the new name for its iconic "3-Door Hatch".

While it will also be sold with petrol engines, with these models being built at MINI’s factory in Oxford, the highlight will be the new Cooper Electric.

It will replace the current MINI Electric, now the firm’s most popular model and will be available in two guises, helping offer more power and, importantly, range than the current car.

Kicking off the range will be the Cooper E, which uses a 40.7kWh battery (the current MINI EV’s is 32.6kWh) and allows for a predicted range of around 300km. In comparison, the current MINI Electric only has a claimed range of up to 230km.

Above this will be a Cooper SE model, which uses a large 54.2kWh battery, which MINI says will give it a "predicted range of 400km."

The firm says this will "noticeably extend the radius for excursions within the urban and beyond." The Cooper SE will also boast a powerful 214 bhp electric motor, though MINI is yet to confirm further powertrain details.

While MINI has yet to reveal the new Cooper without camouflage, recent spy shots show the model will lose its trademark plastic-clad arches and retain the small dimensions that make it suitable for towns and cities.

The new MINI Cooper will arrive in 2024 as part of a revived line-up from the British firm. This will also include a next-generation Countryman SUV, which will grow in size and be available as an EV for the first time, while a smaller crossover called the Aceman is also set to arrive in 2024. - PA Media


Polestar HQ coming up on Volvo ground

                TORSLANDA (Sweden): Polestar has started building its new headquarters here on the same campus as the main Volvo Cars head offices and factory.

Construction of the new headquarters will be completed this September.

The design of the interior and exterior has been completed by the renowned Swedish architects, Bornstein & Lyckefors, in close co-operation with Polestar. The new Polestar head office building consists of three levels and offers 3,800 square metres of office space and development area for up to 200 employees, up from 110 Polestar employees today in Sweden, as well as exhibition and display areas for a number of cars.

”The new Polestar headquarters will be the heart and home of our growing team,” said Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath.

“The open layout will serve as an inspiring and creative workspace for our rapidly-developing team of skilled co-workers. Moving to the Volvo Cars’ campus in Torslanda, in close proximity to our parent company, is also a key part of our close cooperation with them.

“We have created an uncompromising and minimalistic ‘cube’ as the main feature of the building that, with its technical solutions and details, creates a clear link between architecture and modern product design,” said Per Bornstein of Bornstein & Lyckefors. “One of its unique design features is a white facade made entirely in glass that lets around 60% of the light through, a first in Sweden and a challenge both in terms of design and engineering, but completely in line with Polestar’s progressive approach.”


June 3-9: RON97 petrol up 2 sen, rest unchanged

                PETALING JAYA: The price of RON97 petrol will increase by two sen from June 3 to 9, says the Finance Ministry.

The price for RON97 petrol will increase from RM2.61 to RM2.63 per litre.

The price of RON95 petrol and diesel will remain unchanged at RM2.05 and RM2.15 per litre, respectively.

The weekly fuel pricing mechanism was reintroduced on Jan 5,2019, under the Automatic Pricing Mechanism.


More places to get Euro5 diesel

                PETALING JAYA: Euro5 diesel will be more accessible when nine BHPetrol stations start selling them across the Klang Valley from tomorrow.

BHPetrol started with one during the launch of the higher grade fuel last Thursday and has subsequently rolled it out to more stations in its network.  It's expected to raise that number to 20 by the end of September.

BHPetrol said tests showed that usage of Euro5 instead of Euro2M diesel resulted in improved vehicle performance. Euro2M diesel will continue to be sold alongside the Euro5 fuel. Both grades are B7 blends, meaning it's a mix of 7% palm oil (palm methyl ester) and 93% diesel.

BHPetrol managing director Tan Kim Thiam had said last week that Negri Sembilan and Malacca could be next to receive the Euro5 diesel supplies.

BHPetrol charted history as the first to introduce Euro5 grade diesel in Malaysia.

The company would also launch a new Euro 4M grade petrol on Sept 1.


Electric MINI Cooper SE tows a Boeing 777

                MUNICH: MINI's first electric car, the Cooper SE, may still be in its prototype phase but during a recent "testing programme", it demonstrated that it was capable of setting in motion a stationary Boeing 777.

The Cooper SE took the role of an aircraft tug at Frankfurt airport, Germany and went straight for a Boeing 777F freight aircraft with an unladen weight of some 150 tonnes.

The 45-second commercial shows the Cooper SE in close-to-production concept as a “muscle car” pulling the significantly larger and heavier transport aircraft across the airfield.

The Cooper SE, based on the MINI 3 door, will go into serial production at the British plant in Oxford from November onwards.

Once it goes into production, the Cooper SE will become the second pure electric powered model within BMW Group's automobile portfolio after the BMW i3.


Is zero-emission truck maker Nikola the new Tesla, or just hot air?

                NEW YORK: With its electric and hydrogen-fuelled trucks, the firm Nikola aims to revolutionise the future of the transportation sector. But with one investor claiming the group is running on empty, it has been having a rollercoaster ride on the stock exchange for the past week.

Founded in 2015 by Trevor Milton, the company is mainly working on the development of trucks and pick-ups powered by electric batteries or hydrogen fuel cells, as well as building out hydrogen recharging stations.

Although it has not yet built anything, it has forged strategic partnerships with several renowned industrial groups including the German engineering giant Bosch, the Italians CNH Industrial and, most recently, US car-maker General Motors.

The announcement of the latter partnership on Sept 8 caused shares to leap 41 percent on the New York Stock Exchange, where the group was floated in June via a merger with a company called VectoIQ, founded by a former senior executive at GM.

Like Tesla, Nikola has benefited on Wall Street from investor infatuation with electric vehicles, considered to be the future of the automobile.

But the investment company Hindenburg Research published a report on Sept 10 accusing the start-up of "intricate fraud" based on multiple lies by the company's founder Milton, who it said "misled partners into signing agreements by falsely claiming to have extensive proprietary technology."

That announcement triggered a plummet in share value, with stock diving 36 percent in three days.

Nikola immediately rejected the charges before issuing a more weighty statement of denial on Monday.

The group said it had been in touch with the Securities and Exchange Commission about the report, which it said was aimed at manipulating its share value, which climbed back 11 percent on Wall Street Monday.

Staged video

Nikola does not however deny one of the more astounding charges levelled against it by the investment company, which was about the staging of a 2017 video showing one of its prototypes in action.

According to Hindenburg, "Nikola had the truck towed to the top of a hill on a remote stretch of road and simply… filmed it rolling down the hill."

Nikola responded that it had "never stated its truck was driving under its own propulsion in the video" but had simply said that it had been "in motion."

Hindenburg shot back Monday that the company's explanation was "completely inadequate."

The start-up's financial director Kim Brady called the report "offensive" to the company's partners.

Before teaming up with Nikola, he said, Bosch had had its engineers study the project for several months, while GM had taken advice from the major banks and consultancies before buying its 11-percent stake in the company.

"I think it's offensive to our strategic partners that you have a short seller who's doing a hack job and essentially pointing fingers at our strategic partners that they don't know what they're doing," Brady said at an industry conference. "I would suggest it's ridiculous to think they haven't done a deep dive."

For Daniel Ives, an analyst at Wedbush, Nikola's future depends on how the group executes its strategy between now and 2023.

"If Trevor and the team can successfully build out its Arizona factory, morph prototypes into models... lay the groundwork for its charging network, and catalyze delivery trucking orders with an attractive gross margin structure then the opportunity for NKLA is massive and the stock will reflect this dynamic," he said in an advisory note Monday.

"However, clearly there is much wood to chop to get there over the next 12 to 18 months and this remains a 'prove me' stock in the eyes of investors."

Can the group become the new Tesla, the electric car company built up by Elon Musk, which is now worth more on the stock exchange than traditional carmakers even though it sells far fewer vehicles?

Probably not, said Ives. Just as Apple and Amazon dominate their respective sectors "there's one Tesla."

"But if successful in their visions, Nikola has a huge opportunity," he said. "In the electric vehicle market, you're talking about hundreds of billions that's going to be spent over the next decade. There's going to be many winners."


BMW readying Leipzig plant for fully electric MINI and X3

Update: BMW has confirmed that the electric MINI would be built at the Oxford plant in Britain and not in the Leipzig plant. The announcement came shortly after we ran this story.

LEIPZIG: BMW is upgrading its Leipzig plant in eastern Germany, signalling that more electrified models will be rolling off from that factory.

The group is investing a further €200 million (RM998mil) in the plant. The building work will begin in early 2018 and include an extension of the paint shop and alternations in the bodyshop and assembly areas. The work is scheduled to finish in 2020, with the facilities being put to use immediately.

“This further development of the plant is an important move and means we will have the necessary competitive structures in place to continue building vehicles here in the future,” said plant director Hans-Peter Kemser.

READ MORE:
CarSifu visited Plant Leipzig in 2015 - VIDEO
BMW favours British plant to build electric MINI, say sources
MINI starts with plug-in hybrid on road to full electrification BMW workers assembling an i3.

BMW had announced in May that the electric MINI would be built at the plant in 2019 and a fully electric X3 there in 2020. However, the “fully electric BMW iNEXT” will be produced at the Dingolfing plant in 2021. Dingolfing is where the 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 Series are being produced.

The central element of the Leipzig building works is the extension of the paint shop including the integration of the newest paint technologies, which BMW said will set new standards in efficiency and sustainability.

BMW cars for customers all over the world have been produced in Leipzig since 2005. More than 980 vehicles per day roll off the production lines. It produces the 1 and 2 Series, M2 Coupe, 2 Series Active Tourer, i3 and i8.

Green energy for the production of these cars is provided by four wind turbines on site.


Volkswagen reveals radical electric flagship for 2026

                WOLFSBURG: Volkswagen has announced details of its upcoming state-of-the-art Trinity electric saloon primed for a 2026 launch with a one-size-fits-all approach set to enable a lower price.

VW says robot driving capability is being built in from the outset and Project Trinity will be launched in 2026 with advanced driver assistance systems of Level 2 and above. It will be upgraded to Level 4 by 2030, enabling fully autonomous driving on certain roads.

As part of the German automotive giant's effort to make electric mobility the default, VW says this runabout will pare back the notoriously long recharging times of electric cars and enable "charging as fast as refuelling."

Although the name evokes Christianity and a female character in the Matrix science fiction films, VW says the moniker actually comes from the Latin word "trinitas" for threefold and describes the three key elements of the flagship car.

The company lists these as the new electronic platform on which the car is built, a pared-down model range and intelligent production at VW’s main car plant here.

Details are still sketchy but insiders said the Trinity will be able to cover at least 600km between charges. Teaser images show a chunky, SUV-coupe-style car with large wheels.

"Trinity is the crystallisation of our 'Accelerate' strategy, a lighthouse project and our software dream car," said Volkswagen brand chief Ralf Brandstaetter.

Using the new Modular Electric Drive Matrix (MEB) platform, the car will introduce a whole new business model, with a much smaller number of different models on offer than at present.

Buyers will be able to choose only the battery size, paint colour, and wheel specifications. This streamlining will slash production costs, said Brandstaetter.


F1 teams banned from developing 2022 cars this year

                PARIS: Formula One teams have been barred from developing this year the new cars they will line up in the 2022 championship following a World Motor Sport Council ruling, the FIA announced on Tuesday.

The move follows the decision to push back by a year new technical regulations originally set for 2021 which will provide F1 vehicles with completely redesigned aerodynamics, as teams face significantly lower revenues thanks to a season ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic.

The first eight Grands Prix of the current season have all been cancelled or postponed and F1 is considering cutting the number of races from 22 to 15.

In a statement, the FIA said that the WMSC also announced that the shutdown period usually imposed on the 10 teams — already moved from August to March and April and extended from two to three weeks — will also be extended to manufacturers Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda.

The shutdown can be extended with the approval of drivers and manufacturers "in the event that public health concerns or government restrictions continue beyond the initial scheduled shutdown period".


New Toyota facility in Pandan Indah

                KUALA LUMPUR: The new Toyota after-sales centre in Pandan Indah, Selangor provides more convenience to Toyota car owners.

Operated by Wing Hin Motor Sdn Bhd, the new 2S centre offers service and spare parts in a facility with a built-up area of over 38,800 sq ft.

It delivers the Toyota ownership experience for customers in Pandan Indah and Ampang.

There are more than 20 work bays that can service more than 100 vehicles per day.

The service centre also has over 30 personnel serve Toyota customers, and a waiting lounge with free wifi.


MINI prepares for summer by announcing the drop-top Convertible Sidewalk

                MUNICH: Just over a week after the world kicked off the new year and many people wrapped up their winter holidays, MINI announced on Wednesday the "extroverted" and warm weather-ready open-top Convertible Sidewalk.

Though the northern hemisphere is in the midst of winter, MINI is already turning towards spring. The brand's parent company BMW revealed the MINI Convertible Sidewalk, a version of the marque's iconic small car with a dropped top and freshened-up design.

In addition to a paint job whose colours and designs were created especially for the model, the Convertible Sidewalk's soft-top roof, which can be electronically opened and closed in 18 seconds, has been developed to enhance the car's aura of exclusivity.

The blue of the body finds its way to the interior, accenting both the dash and the leather seats. Under the hood, customers can choose between one of three available engine options with power outputs ranging from 102hp to 192hp. All are paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox. Additional equipment is available to further customise the vehicle and soup up its performance.

The MINI Convertible Sidewalk will be available worldwide starting in March 2020.


Well-travelled Bugatti Chiron 4-005 prototype calls it a day

                MOLSHEIM (France): After eight years and mileage of more than 74,000km, notably in tough conditions, Bugatti's Chiron 4-005 prototype is now headed towards a deserving retirement.

In automotive engineering, prototypes generally serve development purposes and are usually then disposed of after a few years.

However, by sending the Chiron 4-005 into "well-earned" retirement, Bugatti is hinting that the prototype could be spared a brutal fate and may appear in public again.

For the Chiron 4-005, the 4 stands for “prototype” and the 5 stands for the fifth prototype of the Chiron.

In all, eight prototypes were created, each built by hand and featuring many custom-made parts.

The Chiron 4-005 is also the first Chiron to be driven in the US, performed drifts in the snow in Scandinavia, completed laps on the high-speed ring in Nardò, passed heat tests in South Africa, and is even subjected to the afterburner of a Eurofighter Typhoon.

The matte surface, adhesive strips, scratches, and minor grazes bear witness to a tough life despite the vehicle electronics are still essentially wear-free.

Starting in 2013, all of the Chiron hypercar’s software is developed and tested in the Chiron 4-005.

This involves some 30 vehicle control units undergoing a specific test procedure following a modification, first on the test bench and subsequently in the vehicle.

When modifications are made, the engineers also monitor the condition and therefore the quality.

Rüdiger Warda has been developing Bugatti vehicles for almost 20 years and is responsible for the Chiron’s infotainment and audio system.

“In the case of the 4-005, we performed all the tests and were on the road for many weeks, and this brings you together.

“The prototype shaped our work and with the prototype we shaped the Chiron,” he said.

Some 13 engineers, computer scientists, and physicists work with the vehicle and take care of it as if it were their own – even though it is “just” a work tool.

The Chiron also undergoes all the updates before it goes into series production.

These include new navigation system functions and conference calling as well as HMI menu navigation based on a strict design specification – a minimalist interior without large displays should provide all the information, all of which can be controlled from the steering wheel.

“Developing a combination of a purely driving machine and comfortable, intuitive operation was challenging. With Bugatti, driving is part of the experience – the menu navigation should only support it,” Warda said.

For map presentation, the team selected a black background with blue symbols and white writing.

When the speed key is activated, the infotainment system closes down completely.

The driver doesn’t need any distractions when driving at 400kph, and needs to be able to concentrate fully on driving.

Mark Schröder has been developing the Chiron’s human-machine interface (HMI) since 2011, which includes the menu navigation.

“We want to provide the driver with a lot of information and present this information logically and elegantly. It also needs to be intuitive to operate,” Schröder said.

When Schröder had difficulty reading the menu navigation writing during a test-drive in Arizona, he came up with a solution right away.

Like the electronic paper display of an e-book reader, the display background now changes from black to white and the writing from white to black when signaled to do so by a sun sensor.

Even though it is a piece of work equipment, every drive in the Chiron is special.

“In spite of it being an immense feat, we drove for up to ten hours at a time – and got out of the car feeling fit in the evenings,” said Norbert Uffmann, who is responsible for telemetry and connectivity at Bugatti.

They have positive memories of the many wonderful moments with the vehicle as well as the reactions of other road users – regardless of whether they were car drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians, the Chiron triggers joy and excitement.

Even stern US police officers took interest in the hyper sports car, asked questions, and posed for photos.