Wheel-clamping in KL halted

                KUALA LUMPUR: All clamping operations here will be suspended indefinitely from next month.

This is following a directive from Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan.

DBKL sources told StarMetro that a meeting on the matter was held between DBKL executive director (planning) Datuk Mahadi Che Ngah and senior officers from the legal and finance departments as well as the parking operator.

This is the second time that DBKL wants to suspend clamping operations; the first instance was in May right after the general election this year following requests by Kuala Lumpur MPs. However, the suspension was lifted in non-hotspot areas in the city.

According to the source, the mayor made the decision after witnessing an altercation between a motorist and DBKL officers in Taman Tun Dr Ismail recently.

Apparently, the motorist, whose car was clamped, was seen berating the officer incessantly and the mayor, who witnessed the incident, was embarrassed by it.

“The mayor said he felt he was the one being scolded by the resident, and the incident made DBKL look bad, so he decided to suspend clamping,” the source said.

When contacted, Mahadi did not deny or confirm the news, merely saying there was talk about it and it was not confirmed yet.

DBKL clamps an average of 915 vehicles per day and issues about 3,600 compound notices daily.

DBKL had outsourced its parking contract to Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan (YWP), which was then headed by Federal Territories Minister and Umno politician Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

YWP then privatised the enforcement of parking rules and wheel clamping to contractor Vista Summerose.

StarMetro contacted Vista Summerose managing director Datuk Nik Haidi Nik Mohamad, who confirmed that he had been notified of the mayor’s decision to suspend clamping via a meeting with Mahadi last week.

“Unfortunately, it is true and we are disappointed because we have a contract that clearly spells out that DBKL authorised us to clamp illegally parked vehicles,’’ he said.

“It is going to cost DBKL a lot (in compensation). I estimate it to be not less than RM80mil as we were given the authorisation to manage parking and clamping.

“We have invested a lot of money on the logistics alone,’’ Nik Haidi said.

He also expressed concern over the livelihood of his staff as it would mean at least 100 employees would be out of a job by next month.

Nik Haidi also predicted that traffic offences will increase in November once clamping is suspended. He feared the situation would be chaotic.

“Clamping was the most effective enforcement method in easing congestion in Kuala Lumpur and we have proven it countless times in the past,’’ he said.

Nik Haidi elaborated that every time his enforcement team went to a congested area, traffic cleared almost immediately.

“Honestly, clamping is the best enforcement method, better than issuing compound notices for traffic offences,’’ he said.

Nik Haidi added that DBKL has given out yearly traffic summonses discounts in the past with the longest being this year when the discount period was extended from Feb 1 in conjunction with Federal Territories Day up until June 30.

Despite the huge discounts offered in September (up to 70%), motorists still owed a staggering RM4mil in outstanding summonses to DBKL as of Sept 25.

After the offer was announced, DBKL managed to collect RM3.2mil between Sept 1 and Sept 25, from 104,646 summonses that were settled.

“Usually, there is a rush to pay in the first month but it will taper off and after that no one takes it seriously,’’ he said.

Nik Haidi added that up until last month, only RM8mil out of more than RM1bil worth of compound notices have been paid since 2010.

Star Metro had also reported that businessmen in some busy areas had complained about "rampant" wheel clamping in areas which sorely lacked parking.

Businessman Daniel Foo in the Old Klang Road area had complained, “I have seen officers waiting around just to clamp the cars of those who park to run a quick errand, even though the vehicles were not blocking anyone.”


Racing gamers driving up auction prices of Japanese classic cars

                LONDON: There was a time when enthusiasts used to laugh at the notion of a Japanese pocket rocket car becoming collectable, but now fans of racing video games are pushing up the prices.

"For a generation who grew up watching 'Fast and Furious', playing 'Gran Turismo' and 'Need for Speed', these JDM halo cars have fond memories and becoming increasingly desirable," said Gary Dunne of Britain's Classic Car Auctions company.

The turbocharged, sporty Subaru Imprezas and Mitsubishi Lancer Evo models are just two Japanese cars creating growing interest at classic car auctions after a period in the doldrums.

During that time many cars were wrecked, scrapped, left to rust or broken up for parts. Good surviving or restored examples now command a premium.

The Impreza appeared in more than 60 different video games and in law-enforcement trim was one of the stars of the UK reality show Police Interceptor. A virtual version of the Mitsubishi cropped up in 18 video race games.

Good Subara Impreza models now fetch between €46,000 (RM213,000) and €58,000 (RM268,000) at auction while the most expensive Evo went for more than €116,000 (RM536,000).

In its heyday, the range-topping WRX Subaru Impreza was one of the fastest compact saloons on the road. It can storm to a top speed of 255kph, with the rarer Evo topping out just a few kms behind.


One of 50 Rolls-Royce Wraith Eagle VIII lands in Malaysia

                PETALING JAYA: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ Bespoke Collective has created a unique collection of just 50 Wraith Eagle VIII motor cars in the world and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Kuala Lumpur, the authorised Rolls-Royce dealer in Malaysia, has received one of these very special cars.

And if you're thinking of snapping it up, it's already sold. The Wraith Eagle VIII is estimated at RM3.3mil.

What makes the car special from other Wraiths you ask? The Eagle VIII is aviation inspired and tells the story of Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Brown who braved uncharted skies to make the first non-stop transatlantic flight in June, 1919.

Alcock and Brown flew non-stop from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Clifden, Ireland in a modified First World War Vickers Vimy bomber aircraft. The bi-plane was powered by twin 20.3 litre, 350bhp, Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engines.

The exterior of the Wraith Eagle VIII Collection Car is evocative of Alcock and Brown’s compelling night time adventure. Swathed in Gunmetal with a Selby Grey upper two-tone, the colours are separated by a brass feature line, a hint at the detailing that lies within.

The black grille vanes draw immediate reference to the Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engine cowling on the Vickers Vimy aircraft, the wheels are part polished with a translucent shadow finish.

Selby Grey and black leather are accented by brass, redolent of the brass sextant so integral to the success of the transatlantic journey.

Brass speaker covers depict the estimated flight distance of 1,880 miles and ‘RR’ monograms are embroidered in brass coloured thread onto headrests.

A flash of brass complements the navigator door paniers, while the door of the driver includes a brass plaque with Sir Winston Churchill’s quote commending the duo’s remarkable achievements.

The most alluring feature of the Collection is the extraordinary unique starlight headliner which features 1,183 starlight fibres show the celestial arrangement at the time of the flight in 1919, the flight path and constellations are embroidered in brass thread, whilst the exact moment the pair left the cloud to navigate by the stars is indicated by a red fibre optic light.

Clouds are embroidered and a plaque reading, “The celestial arrangement at the halfway point 00:17am June 15th 1919, 50” 07’ Latitude North – 31” Longitude West” shows the half-way point of the momentous journey.

“Wraith Eagle VIII is at once an object of desire; an homage to heroes and a protagonist to today’s visionaries. This Rolls-Royce Collection demonstrates the extraordinary skill of our Bespoke Collective at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex.

"Bespoke remains the jewel in the crown of the marque, creating luxury items that defy the trend of mass luxury manufacturers using ‘tick-box’ options to answer customer demand,” Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Torsten Müller-Ötvös.


RM14.7bil investments approved in EV ecosystem from 2018 to Sept 2022, says Zafrul

                KUALA LUMPUR: Investments totalling RM14.7 billion have been approved in the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem from 2018 to September 2022, covering the assembly of vehicles, EV components and charging components, said Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

He said among the approved investments was the RM7 billion investment by Samsung SDI Energy Malaysia Sdn Bhd to set up an EV battery cell manufacturing facility, making Malaysia its first production location in Southeast Asia.

"The National EV Task Force (NEVTF) is responsible for evaluating the current policies, monitoring programme and initiative implementation, and drafting new policies and initiatives for the country’s overall EV industry development.

"The results of NEVTF’s initiatives can be seen through the significant rise in EV demand, with demand for EV in the full electric battery category surging to over 3,400 units in 2022 from an average of 300 units in the preceding years,” he said during his winding-up speech for his ministry in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He stressed that efforts to attract investors to install charging infrastructure have been effective as well, with the number of charging stations increasing 69 per cent to 900 units in 2022 compared with the preceding year, as the country moves towards realising the target of 10,000 charging points by 2025 as set in the Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint.

Replying to a query by Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (PH-Muar) on renewable energy exports, Tengku Zafrul said the matter is still being discussed with the parties involved, including the Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry.

However, further deliberation is needed to ensure it would not impede the national objective of becoming a carbon-neutral nation by 2050, he added.


Indonesia targets starting up EV battery plants in 2023

                JAKARTA: Indonesia is aiming to start making lithium batteries for use in electric vehicles in 2023, alongside plants that are already slated to produce chemicals used in the batteries, according to the minister who oversees the energy and mining ministry.

Co-ordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan said he wants investors to start putting money into plants to make batteries alongside the plants that will soon be producing battery chemicals extracted from nickel ore.

“We are in coordination with GEM and CATL to build lithium battery plants in Indonesia,” Pandjaitan told reporters, referring to Chinese battery firm GEM Co Ltd and Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd.

The companies and their partners, which include stainless steel maker Tsingshan Holding Group, are building Indonesia’s first plant to produce battery chemicals.

Pandjaitan said the government is looking at Patimban in West Java as a potential location for building battery plants.

“I asked them to work on this at the same time (with the battery chemical plants),” he said.

“In 2023, everything must be finished.”

GEM expects to start trial production at its Indonesian battery chemicals plant in August 2020, with the first phase of operations up and running by the end of next year, its president said in November.

GEM and its partners are currently waiting for environmental approval to proceed further with the development of the plant. Pandjaitan said the government hopes the environmental impact studies can be completed by the end of the year.

The government moved forward a ban on nickel ore exports by two years to January 2020 to process more of the country’s mining output domestically.


Useful or useless? GM trials 'in-dashboard fuel payment system'

                DETROIT: It's hard to decide if the idea of being able to pay for fuel without having to get out of your vehicle sounds pretty cool or pretty pointless.

After all, we have to get out to actually operate the fuel pump, so how much of an inconvenience is it to pay at the same time? But if you're in a sketchy area of town or somewhere very late at night, it could possibly offer a little extra security. Either way, General Motors is experimenting with such a system in partnership with Shell as an expansion of its in-vehicle Marketplace app.

The system will allow drivers to pay without having to swipe a card or use a smartphone by pressing the Shell icon on their vehicle dashboard to select their preferred fuel station location.

After tapping a few buttons, entering the pump number and a pre-selected PIN number associated with their preferred payment method, a code will be generated to enter at the pump and fueling can begin. Once fuelling is completed, a confirmation receipt will be sent to the Marketplace interface.

At the moment, the system is going to be piloted in something like one million Chevrolet vehicles at select Shell fuel stations in the metropolitan areas of Detroit, Seattle and Houston. Assuming all goes well the system will then be further rolled out to an additional 14,000 stations across the US in the summer.

By the end of this year, GM intends to expand the feature to somewhere in excess of four million vehicles across its various brands through a remote update to the vehicle infotainment system, just like updating a smartphone app.

Marketplace was launched by GM last year as an in-vehicle e-commerce app for drivers to order and pay for goods from the likes of Dunkin' Donuts or for doing things such as booking a table at TGI Fridays, for example. The system is also designed to offer deals at local restaurants and merchants such as 7-Eleven.

To use this system to pay for fuel will mean three different numbers or codes will have to be entered just to spare you from the "hassle" of going into a wallet or using a smartphone. Whether that saves time is debatable but expect to start seeing similar systems in most vehicles before too long.


Jaguar XE starts production

                BIRMINGHAM: Jaguar Land Rover’s Solihull plant near here has begun production of the all-new Jaguar XE.

The XE, built on 165,000m2 state-of-the-art facilities, includes Europe’s largest aluminium body shop.

The opening of its  body shop and trim and final facilities – which represent the largest single investment in the Solihull plant in its 70-year history, was commemorated on Monday by employees who took part in a celebration of the company’s motoring brands.

Solihull operations director Alan Volkaerts was joined by British motor racing driver Sir Stirling Moss OBE, Jaguar’s highly-regarded test driver, Norman Dewis OBE, who developed 25 significant Jaguar cars and Land Rover aficionado Quentin Willson.

The Jaguar XE, which represents the culmination of more than £2bil of product, infrastructure and technology investment, has been heralded as vitally important for the British automotive supply chain thanks to an additional £4bil worth of contracts committed to 55 British-based tier one suppliers. Together these suppliers, which cover the length and breadth of the country, have provided 55% of the components to this all-new model in the Jaguar line-up.

The start of XE production at the Solihull plant is the first step in making the site a dual-branded manufacturing operation. Earlier this year, the company confirmed its Jaguar performance crossover, the F-PACE is to be built at the site.


Land Rover Defender flies into action in new Bond film

                LONDON: The new 2020 Land Rover Defender is seen in thrilling action in this new behind-the-scenes commercial from the upcoming James Bond film "No Time To Die".

The commercial features an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at what to expect from the new Defender in "No Time To Die".

10 Defenders were used in the making of No Time To Die including the seventh Defender built VIN 007.

Land Rover’s pioneering off-road tech, wading ability and extreme durability made the new Defender the natural choice for the chase sequence in the new movie.

The rehearsal footage included in the advert shows the new Defender launching into the air. The Defenders are put to further extreme tests as the vehicle is driven at top speeds through swamps and rivers.

The chase sequence in No Time To Die was led by stunt coordinator Lee Morrison, working alongside Oscar-winner Chris Corbould, the special effects and action vehicles supervisor.

Putting these vehicles through their paces was the inspirational Jessica Hawkins, who Morrison handpicked from the Formula 3 W Series after spotting her potential and he wasted no time in giving her the opportunity to feature in No Time To Die, her first ever motion picture.

"It doesn’t get any more exhilarating than being a stunt driver in a James Bond movie and it’s an honour to be a part of this incredible movie driving the new Defender," said Hawkins.

Land Rover Defender vehicle line director Nick Collins said, "We developed a new test standard for Defender, the most challenging we’ve ever had and unique to this vehicle. Physical strength and durability is measured by a number of different tests including a bridge jump test which gave us confidence to deliver what the stunt team needed to create for "No Time To Die", with no modifications to the body structure except the installation of a roll cage."

Land Rover’s design team have worked closely with Special Effects and Action Vehicles Supervisor, Chris Corbould, on the specification of the Defenders used in the film.

The Defender vehicles used in the film were the first cars off the production line at Land Rover’s Nitra factory in Slovakia, and are based on the Defender 110 X model in Santorini Black, with darkened skid pans, 20in dark finish wheels and professional off-road tyres.

Land Rover has enjoyed a long-standing partnership with EON Productions on the Bond films, which began in 1983 when a Range Rover Convertible appeared in Octopussy.

Besides the 10 Defenders, this year’s film also features the Range Rover Sport SVR, the Series III Land Rover and the Range Rover Classic.

No Time To Die is in cinemas globally from 2 April 2020 in the U.K.


New Toyota tech stops driver from smashing up car

                TOYOTA CITY: Toyota says it has developed a new "Acceleration Suppression System" help avoid serious accidents and reduce damage caused by accidental stepping on the accelerator pedal.

The Toyota "Plus Support" system launched today for new cars and added the function in the "Pedal Misapplication Acceleration Control System II" retrofit device for use with existing cars.

The system is being included in Prius and Prius PHEV models from today, and will gradually be rolled out to other models.

In 2012, Toyota introduced Intelligent Clearance Sonar (ICS) for new vehicles and since 2018, had rolled out a retrofit "Pedal Misapplication Acceleration Control System" for existing vehicles.

These existing systems help prevent accidents caused by accelerator pedal misapplication when sensors detect obstacles such as a wall or glass.

Plus Support starts automatically when the vehicle doors are unlocked using an optional Plus Support Smart Key for customers with concerns about driving. Even if obstacles are absent from the vehicle's course, this system detects accelerator pedal misapplication and retards acceleration.

When the vehicle's doors are unlocked using a conventional key, Plus Support is not activated, and driving can be performed as usual.

Toyota statistics showed ICS helped prevent roughly 70 percent of all potential accidents that could occur due to accelerator pedal misapplication. However, new technologies needed to be developed to reduce the remaining number of accidents, including accidents in situations where obstacles are absent.


Rolls-Royce Tokyo is Asia-Pacific Dealer of the Year

                SINGAPORE/TOKYO: Rolls-Royce Tokyo has clinched the British luxury car maker's 2020 Asia-Pacific Dealer of the Year award.

The awards were presented at a virtual Regional Dealer Conference recently.

The Asia-Pacific Awards included:

Asia-Pacific Dealer of the Year  - Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Tokyo

Phantom Dealer of the Year - Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Singapore

Black Badge Dealer of the Year - Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Yokohama

Ownership Services Dealer of the Year - Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Sydney

Bespoke Dealer of the Year - Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Tokyo

Provenance Dealer of the Year - Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Tokyo

Best New Ghost Results - Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Seoul

CRM & Digital Dealer of the Year - Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Seoul

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Asia-Pacific regional director Paul Harris said the regional dealers were agile, resilient and adapted to many changing conditions while maintaining Rolls-Royce’s high attention to detail and customer service standards.

"This dedication has continued and resulted in our most successful first quarter in the history of the company,” he said.

Rolls-Royce cars are sold in 12 countries throughout the Asia-Pacific, outside of Greater China through a network of 22 dealerships.

Recently, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars delivered the highest-ever first quarter sales results in the marques 116-year history in the first three months of 2021.

Between Jan 1 and March 31, the company delivered 1,380 cars to customers, up 62% on the same period in 2020 and surpassing the previous first quarter record set in 2019.

Sales growth was seen in all markets, with the strongest in the Asia-Pacific, China and US regions.


Racing suspended at Nurburgring after fatality

                BERLIN: Racing for certain classes has been suspended at the Nurburgring circuit until further notice following the death of a spectator during an endurance event, it was announced on Sunday.

A spectator was killed and several others were injured after being struck by a car racing in the first event of the VLN Endurance Championship on Nurburgring’s notorious Nordschleife circuit on Saturday.

The Nissan GTR car being driven by Britain’s Jann Mardenborough, 23, who escaped unhurt, came off the track and flew over the security barrier before landing upside down in an area reserved for spectators. Several fans were hurt with one later dying at the track’s medical centre and an unspecified number of injured were taken to hospital.

On Sunday, the German Motorsports Association (DMSB) announced they had suspended the circuit’s racing licence for a number of categories, including endurance events like Saturday’s, until an investigation has been completed and safety improvements have been made.

“The safety of the participants, and especially the spectators, must be of top priority,” said DMSB general secretary Christian Schacht.

“Therefore we must analyse the details of what happened, advise on necessary consequences and then implement them.

“Only then will vehicles of a similar spec to those involved in the accident be allowed back on the Nordschleife.”
Investigators have confiscated Mardenborough’s car, which will be examined by an expert in the coming days.

“Our aim is to allow safe motor sports to continue on the Nordschleife for participants and spectators,” added Schacht.


Polestar 3 to debut in October, set to be its first electric performance SUV

                GOTHENBURG: The world premiere of the Polestar 3 electric performance SUV is set for October this year.

The launch of the company’s first SUV marks its entrance into one of the highest margin and growth segments in the automotive industry, particularly in the United States.

Polestar 3 will, over time, offer autonomous highway piloting powered by the best-in-class LiDAR sensor from Luminar and centralized NVIDIA computing power. At launch, Polestar 3 will feature a dual-motor drivetrain and a large battery, with a range target of over 600km (WLTP).

The confirmation of the world premiere comes with a new film and a first undisguised image of the car.

Customers can expect to order Polestar 3 in initial launch markets from the day of the premiere. Production is expected to begin in early 2023, and Polestar 3 will be manufactured in the United States and China.

Polestar plans to launch a new car every year for the next three years, starting with Polestar 3, and aims to increase its presence to at least 30 global markets by the end of 2023.

This supports Polestar’s plans to grow 10-fold from global sales of 29,000 in 2021 to 290,000 by the end of 2025.

“Polestar 3 is the SUV for the electric age. Our design identity evolves with this high-end large luxury EV, with a strong, individual brand character,” said Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath.

“With this car, we bring the ‘sport’ back to the SUV, staying true to our performance roots.”

Polestar intends to list on the Nasdaq in a proposed business combination with Gores Guggenheim, Inc., which is expected to close in the first half of 2022.


Public assured enough supply of petrol and diesel next year

                PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs has given an assurance that there is an adequate supply of petrol and diesel for sale daily throughout the country.

Its secretary-general, Datuk Seri Jamil Salleh, said both petrol and diesel were available, denying claims that consumers might face difficulties in getting both products by Jan 1.

He said both fuels were scheduled control items under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 since June 1975.

"Therefore, the Government will ensure the supply of scheduled goods is always on the market and easily accessible to consumers at all times," he said in a statement today.

He was reported to have said this was because of the reluctance of petrol station operators to increase storage in their tanks by the end of this month.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng had previously said in a statement that the Government would adjust and reduce the retail price of petroleum products, including RON95 petrol from January.

Jamil said that as retail licensees of petrol and diesel under the Control of Supply Regulations 1974, petrol station operators must comply with the terms of licensing and ensure enough daily supply of petrol and diesel.

“Among the other conditions, the licensee is also not allowed to close the station, or discontinue the sale of petrol/diesel fuel without permission," he said.

"The failure of the station operator to comply with any of the conditions is an offence under Regulation 21 of the Supply Control Regulations 1974 and punishable under Section 22 of the Control of Supplies Act 1974.

"If convicted, a fine of up to RM1 million or three years' jail or both can be imposed for the first offence, or a fine of RM3 million for the second offence and an imprisonment of up to five years or both," he added.

Jamil said enforcement officers from the ministry would monitor and inspect the stations from time to time to ensure enough fuel supply to the public.

Complaints can be made to the ministry through the ministry's website https://eaduan.kpdnkk.gov.my; or e-mail e-aduan@kpdnkk.gov.my; or via Ez ADD KPDNHEP (smartphone app) or via Whatsapp to 019-279 4317.


Sarawak to finance Northern Coastal Highway

                KUCHING: The Sarawak government is to finance the construction of the Pan Borneo Highway phase two project linking Miri, Limbang and Lawas in Sarawak’s northern tip that will connect up to Sabah.

On the drawing board is a new second road system called Sarawak link road to connect the three northern districts (Miri, Lawas and Limbang).

The proposed link road will be integrated with the Pan Borneo Highway phase two, now renamed Northern Coastal Highway, which spans a distance of 86km.

Construction work for the Northern Coastal Highway project will start next year for completion in 48 months, according to Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

The project will be undertaken by the Regional Corridor Development Authority (Recoda) via Northern Region Development Agency (NRDA) which Awang Tengah chairs.

The details of the project were ironed out during the Northern Coastal Highway value assessment lab participated by some 200 representative from consultancy firms, government agencies, and other stakeholders late last month.

The development cost of the new highway project, which was cancelled by the previous federal government, has yet to be determined.

Phase one of Sarawak Pan Borneo Highway project, which stretches some 1,060km from Sematan in southern Sarawak to Miri in the north is divided into 11 work packages.

One of the packages – Telok Melano-Sematan – was completed and open to traffic early last year while the other packages are in various stages of implementation. The project’s original development cost was RM16.48mil and targeted completion date is mid-2021.

Lebuhraya Borneo Utara Sdn Bhd was the project delivery partner until February 2020 when its agreement was terminated prematurely by the federal government.

READ MORE: Gang caught for allegedly stealing building materials for Pan Borneo Highway project

The project, which has since been taken over by the Public Works Department of the Works Ministry, is about 52% completed overall.

Awang Tengah said the Northern Coastal Highway is vital to provide connectivity to Lawas and Limbang (bordering oil-rich Brunei), which hold great potential in the development of oil and gas sector.

Under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the Sarawak authorities last year, China-based Bejing Beca Sci-Tech Co Ltd plans to invest US$5bil in an integrated petrochemical complex in Lawas.

The investor has completed the feasibility study and will proceed with the hydrology study on the billion-ringgit project, according to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg last week.

Johari sees bright prospects for the development of the oil and gas industry in Lawas and Limbang due to their locations within the hydrocarbon reserves belt in the region.

State-owned Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (Petros) is reported to be looking to conduct oil and gas exploration activities in northern Sarawak to tap into the potential of unexplored oil and gas reserves there.

On the proposed Sarawak Link Road, Awang Tengah, who is also state International Trade and Industry, Industrial Terminal and Entrepreneur Development Minister, said it will be shorter in distance as compared with the proposed Sarawak-Sabah Link Road (SSLR) which is funded by the federal government.

He has not revealed the length of the proposed Sarawak Link Road and its development cost to be financed by the Sarawak government, which is funding two other mega infrastructure projects – Sarawak Coastal Highway and Sarawak Second Trunk Road system, which are estimated to cost a combined RM11bil.

The Sarawak Coastal Highway project, which involves the construction of seven bridges across major river crossings, is in various stages of implementation.

Construction works for the 225km Sarawak Second Trunk Road project is expected to kick off the ground in the current quarter.

The second trunk road will connect the coastal road system at major bridge crossings and it will significantly reduce the traveling time between Kuching and Sibu upon commissioning.

The 415km SSLR project, which is expected to take six and 10 years to complete, is expected to commence works soon.

According to Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, the letter of intent had been issued to the contractor on July 7,2020.

Once the contractor fulfilled the terms and conditions set in the tender documents, the letter of acceptance on the project will be issued.

The SSLR project will be carried out in phases, with phase one from Lawas to Kampung Pa’ Berunut and phase two from Kampung Pa’ Berunit to Long Lama.

In Lawas last week, Johari said Sarawak could afford to fund mega infrastructure projects with the revenue from the state sales tax (SST) imposed on petroleum products.

Sarawak recently settled the 2019 SST arrears of about RM3.1bil with Petroliam Nasional Bhd. Other oil majors are also paying the SST.

Based on SST collection of RM3bil a year, the Chief Minister said Sarawak could get RM15bil over the next five years to finance its development projects.


BMW to reward MotoGP's fastest qualifier with M3 CS

JEREZ (Spain): The best qualifier in the MotoGP can look forward to an exclusive BMW M3 CS in Frozen Dark Blue at the end of the season.

This year’s winner’s car is particularly special since the M3 CS is a special edition limited to 1,200 units worldwide. The BMW M Award winner’s car for 2018 was officially unveiled at the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez de la Frontera this Saturday.

The BMW M Award has long been an integral part of the BMW M GmbH commitment to the MotoGP, and it will be presented for the 16th time in 2018. Since 2003, the MotoGP rider with the best results in qualifying has been rewarded with an exclusive, individually designed BMW M car at the end of the season. As with the scoring system for the race, the riders receive points for their positions in qualifying at each Grand Prix weekend. The rider who has picked up the most points at the end of the season wins the M Award.

The M3 CS prize was also to mark the 20th season of BMW M as the “Official Car of MotoGP” this year.

The M3 CS, unveiled at the 2017 LA Auto Show last November, is the most powerful production vehicle ever in the M3 series. It takes 3.9 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100kph. Its M TwinPower turbo inline-six-cylinder engine delivers 460hp and a torque of 600Nm. Top speed is electronically limited to 280kph.

A 7-speed M dual clutch transmission with Drivelogic takes care of the power transmission in the BMW M Award winner’s car.

The adaptive M suspension of the M3 CS promises the highest dynamic handling in every situation. The sporty appearance of the car is highlighted by the paintwork in Frozen Dark Blue, the full leather, fine-grain Merino bicolour upholstery, as well as further fittings highlights such as the M steering wheel in Alcantara.

The BMW M Award is one of the many BMW M activities as the “Official Car of MotoGP”. The record holder is Marc Márquez, who has already claimed the BMW M Award five times in a row. Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner each have three wins to their name. Jorge Lorenzo has been honoured as the best qualifier twice to date while Sete Gibernau and Nicky Hayden have each won the award once.

M3_CS_Technical_Data_E.pdf
Reading from a smartphone? Click this BMW M3 CS link for full specs instead.


More Proton service centres adopt 7-day operations

                SUBANG JAYA: Proton has expanded the 7-day operations of selected service centres consisting of 3S and 2S outlets, effective tomorrow as part of efforts to improve aftersales.

The 7-day operations is aimed at reducing customers' waiting time to service their vehicle.

“When we started the 7 days operations at selected service outlets prior to this, it was to accommodate normal service and opening hours were only until noon on Sunday. Now, for selected service centres we have extended the opening hours for Sunday up to 5pm. More importantly, we have also enabled warranty claims to be processed during weekends as opposed to only weekdays previously.” said Proton CEO Datuk Ahmad Fuaad Kenali.

Nine service centres that will be providing the 7-full-day services inclusive of repairs and warranty claims are in Plentong, Johor Baru; Peringgit, Malacca; Senawang, Seremban; Temerloh, Pahang; Alor Star, Kedah; Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Ipoh; Juru, Seberang Prai; Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya and the Proton Centre of Excellence here.

From Oct 1, 14 more service centres would follow suit and four more service centres would do so from Dec 1. The business hours for all these outles are from 8am to 5pm, Mondays to Sundays. To ensure availability of service slots, customers are advised to make an appointment at these outlets although walk-ins customers would also be catered to.

Proton has also cut prices of selected replacement parts by 12% to 30% from this month. The reduction in prices of parts such as the turbocharger, electronic control unit and transmission assemblies, is to encourage customers to use genuine parts, said Proton.


Synthetic fuel seen as lifeline to support classic and collector car industry

                LONDON: Combustion engine cars will live on decades after electric cars go mainstream — provided their owners can source synthetic fuels easily.

In a recent poll by UK insurer Footman James, synthetic fuels were the favoured zero-emission alternative for over three quarters of classic and collector car owners.

Asking its audience ‘How do you think you would power your classic / collectable car if petrol or diesel wasn’t available?’. 76 per cent voted for synthetic fuels, and the other 24 per cent thought they would convert their classic / collectable car to run on electric power. The results show the importance of affordable sustainable fuels being easily available to power classic and collector cars in the future.

While Footman James recognises the classic and collector car industry makes up a small part of the 34.4 million Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cars (including hybrids) on the road today, it is specifically looking at how UK drivers may power their ICE cars at a point some decades away when petrol or diesel is no longer available.

“This is a fascinating question, and one that we are often asked,” said Historic and Classic Vehicles Alliance (HCVA) chief executive Garry Wilson.

“The reality is that if people want to keep running their classics on petrol, there will be plenty available for several decades to come. My main message is don’t panic. Most of us will not have to make this difficult decision.”

“Some classics are deeply impressive converted to electric, but do it because you like how they drive, not because you think you are contributing to saving the planet, which you won’t be unless you drive it enough miles to recover the CO2 spike caused by battery manufacture,” he said.

“Sustainable fuels on the other hand are a drop-in solution that, when they become widely available, we can all use without any modifications to our engines, slashing our carbon emissions immediately to 80 per cent of net-zero. That’s a huge environmental win that also protects the character of our classics.”

(HCVA), a "not for profit" organisation whose mission is to protect and promote the sector and secure its long-term future, agrees e-fuels can be a sustainable method – both manufacturing and infrastructure to deliver the fuel – to power classic cars in the future.

It campaigns on behalf of individuals and companies in the classic vehicle world including specialist restorers, dealers and parts suppliers.

Among the HCVA’s early achievements is its campaign to raise awareness of challenges around the introduction of E10 fuel, and additionally it has a strong belief in sustainable fuels.

It projects that the sector is estimated to have an annual turnover of £18.3 billion (RM99.3bil).


Aston Martin releases more details of Rapide E electric supercar

Aston Martin Rapide E prototype.
LONDON: One of the most exciting electric models currently in development is the upcoming Aston Martin Rapide E, and the British supercar manufacturer has just released new details of what to expect from its first fully-electric luxury sedan.

The Rapide E will be a very limited production run model, so some prospective buyers might find themselves missing out when they finally start being built and delivered next year. But those lucky enough to eventually get their hands on one will have a car powered by two rear-mounted electric motors working together to produce what Aston Martin intriguingly says will be "over 602bhp." This method differs from rivals such as the Tesla Model S, which mount a motor on either axle in dual-motor configuration to deliver four-wheel drive.

On top of the impressive horsepower promised for the Rapide E there will also be an equally generous amount of torque. A 1,000Nm torque figure is projected, which will help this revolutionary addition to the Aston Martin family accelerate between 80 and 112kph in just 1.55 seconds.

The 0-100kph time is expected to mirror the performance of the conventionally powered Rapide S the EV is based upon, so a figure of around four seconds is expected.

The manufacturer is keen to point out the Rapide E is designed to deliver what's referred to as "repeatable performance." This means it should be able to achieve its quoted acceleration figures in quick succession without experiencing the performance degradation that's a characteristic of similar electric vehicles.

The top speed of 250kph should therefore be able to be maintained continuously for as long as 10 minutes. The 250kph top speed is also a significant number in another way because it's also the amount of units that will be produced for global sale of this limited run Aston.

Engineered by Williams Advanced Engineering and assembled at a new facility in Coventry, England, the powertrain of the Rapide S will use cutting-edge 800v electrical architecture to offer a 350-mile-per-hour charge rate so it can use 350kWh DC chargers that are on the way.


Subaru sets the date for BRZ reveal and teases more details

                LOS ANGELES: Rumour has now turned to fact as Subaru reveals the launch date of its highly anticipated BRZ sports car and it's happening on Nov 8.

Thanks to a new teaser video from the Japanese carmaker, we've been given a few close up shots of the car from its spinning wheels, side skirts, exhaust note and an extremely distant shot of the entire car.

Information regarding this little sports car is still kept under lock and key so far with another two more weeks to go.

But what we do know so far is that car won't be departing too far from its original looks although the company says its practically a new car.

There will still be that signature "boxer" engine to be found under the hood which sounds naturally aspirated and should be mated to either a manual or automatic gearbox.

So for now, holding your breath until you pass out won't get any more information, until Nov 18 that is.


Qataris spend millions on car number plates

                DOHA: So far, more than 4.2 million Qatari riyals (RM4mil) has been pledged on just 24 separate and unique car registration numbers being auctioned by the interior ministry of the energy-rich state.

The bidding started on Tuesday afternoon and ends on Thursday night.

By Wednesday, the highest single bid was 460,000 riyals (RM459,000) for the number plate 377773.

Bid prices are expected to increase over the course of Thursday.

As in Dubai, owning a distinct number plate has become a desirable status symbol for Qataris to publicly show off their wealth.

Most in demand are those with fewer numbers - most ordinary Qatari registration plates have six figures -repeated digits, or those in sequence.

A previous auction for "fancy vehicle numbers" at the end of last year saw one driver bid a reported 200-million riyals (RM200mil) for the number plate 333355.


Highways gearing up for Raya rush

                PETALING JAYA: The first batch of balik kampung rush will see some 1.6 million vehicles on the North-South Expressway (NSE) starting today, said PLUS Expressways Sdn Bhd.

Peak days are expected to be July 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 when 20% more cars than the usual 1.3 million are likely to be on the road.

“As part of an effort to disperse traffic, PLUS will be offering a 30% toll rebate on July 4, 8 and 11,” said PLUS managing director Datuk Noorizah Hj Abd Hamid.

Class 1 highway users paying toll electronically via PLUSMiles, Touch ’n Go or SmartTAG as well as motorists clocking in more than 100km on the NSE and ELITE highway are eligible for the rebate which comes in the form of toll reload and can be redeemed starting Aug 15.

PLUS is also increasing its number of working staff on the highways, traffic monitoring centre, PLUSRonda teams and patrolling loops.

Travellers can also expect additional parking areas, portable toilets at major rest areas as well as additional tow trucks and emergency rescue teams stationed at selected locations.

As of yesterday evening, traffic flow on the NSE was smooth with motorists travelling at a speed of more than 80kph, said PLUS.

On the Sprint and Damansara-Puchong highways, motorists of all vehicle classes can save 20 sen and 60 sen starting from midnight to 11.59pm on July 6.

It is estimated that some 492,000 users of these highways will benefit from the toll subsidy worth RM235,000 from Litrak. Balik kampung folk using the East Coast Expressway (ECE) will also enjoy a one-day discount valid throughout the first day of Hari Raya.

All classes of vehicles using Touch ’n Go and SmartTAG are qualified for a 10% discount on the ECE.

“We are expecting an 87% increase of highway users on peak days, or more than 260,000 motorists from July 1-3 and July 8-10,” said concessainare ANIH Bhd’s director En Nik Fauzi Tan Sri Nik Hussein.

Travel advisories were also published on the highways’ websites.


Riding the rocket: Lambo Countach still delivers after 50 years

                BOLOGNA: Seldom was the name of a car more fitting. Countach is an exclamation in the Turin vernacular meaning "Oh my God!" and that was exactly how visitors to the 1971 Geneva show reacted when the same-named Lamborghini was unveiled.

The wraps fell away to reveal the first wedge-shaped supercar from the Italian brand, a sculpture in sheet metal whose form went on to revolutionise the sports car market. The Countach also became the supercar pin-up for fans around the globe.

Marcello Gandini's bold design threw down the gauntlet to rivals Ferrari with dramatic gull-wing-doors and an all-aluminium, quad-cam V12 engine offering seamless power.

Orders for the new car poured in but it was to be several years before the Countach went into production. The finished model graced the company's stand at the Paris Car Show in 1973 and the LP400 version was built in various incarnations from 1974 to 1990.

"The Countach was provocative and it divided opinion strongly," said the marque's current design chief Mitja Borkert. "And in its radical, uncompromising way, it shaped all our cars after that."

The Countach still has an otherwordly aura to it as if it had just touched down from outer space. Driving one is a transcendental experience too.

On paper many modern tuned saloons outgun the 455-horsepower engine of this example form the factory collection but when the glorious 5.2 litre power-plant erupts into life all comparisons go out of the window.

Once the tyres have warmed up, the growling Countach can be thrown at curves with abandon. The supercar roars through the mountains of the Emilia Romagna, accelerating relentlessly.

No sports car is perfect and the Countach cabin is a cramped affair. Access under the guillotine-like doors is tight, the headroom is minimal and forward vision through the windscreen is like looking through the slit of letterbox.

There is little elbow room and the seats are hard but most drivers will forgive all that for the experience of riding this rocket.

The Countach was always an expensive beast to buy and well-kept examples do not come cheap.

Expert Frank Wilke from the price monitoring organisation Classic Analytics ranks the Countach among the all-time sportscar greats. He puts it up there with the Porsche 918, the McLaren P1 and the Bugatti Veyron.

Despite the praise that has been heaped on the car, the Countach as dogged by its sometimes shady image.

Brightly-painted examples could been seen parked in red-light districts around the world and car snobs turned up their noses at the Ferrari rival for allegedly lacking style and finesse.

Some even dubbed it a vulgar "Corvette for the ultra-rich."

Gold-plated examples have reinforced the car's bling image but values have risen steeply.

A good Countach will cost around €800,000 (RM3.8mil) to buy and even a ropey example will not sell for less than a third of that sum.

For fans with more money to spend Lamborghini has revived the nameplate, with a car that boasts many new features but pays hommage to the 1970s design.

The idea is "to imagine how the iconic Countach of the '70s and '80s might have evolved into an elite super sports model of this decade," Lamborghini told the US motoring magazine Car & Driver.

Underneath the retro restyling of the reborn Countach is a Lamborghini Aventador powered by an electric motor which is mated to the naturally-aspirated V12.

This Countach dash from 0 to 100kph in 2.8 seconds and costs at least €2 million (RM9.6mil) to buy.

Perish the thought of buying one as the run of 112 examples slated for production is already sold out.


Kimi Raikkonen to retire from F1 at end of season

                PARIS: Former world champion Kimi Raikkonen announced on Wednesday that he will retire from Formula One at the end of the season, 20 years after making his debut in the sport.

The 41-year-old Finn has won just two points this year for the struggling Alfa Romeo team.

He won the world championship in 2007 while driving for Ferrari, pipping then-McLaren pair Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton to the title by a single point.

"This is it. This will be my last season in Formula One," Raikkonen said in a statement on Instagram.

"This is a decision I did during last winter. It was not an easy decision but after this season it is time for new things."

He holds the record for most Formula One race entries with 344 and has 21 Grand Prix wins to his name, as well as 18 pole positions and 103 podium finishes.

Raikkonen made his F1 debut with Sauber in 2001 before enjoying success during a five-year spell with McLaren, winning nine races, seven of which came in 2005 when he finished second in the drivers' standings behind Alonso.

His finest moment came two years later when he capped his debut season for Ferrari with a dramatic world championship triumph.

Raikkonen left the sport for two years in 2010 and 2011 and raced in NASCAR and the world rally championship.

But he returned with Lotus in 2012 before rejoining Ferrari two years later.

His last race win came at the 2018 United States Grand Prix but he left Ferrari for Alfa Romeo at the end of that season.

The Italian manufacturer have found themselves regularly at the back of the grid in the last two campaigns, with Raikkonen posting just six points since the start of last year.

"Even though the season is still on, I want to thank my family, all my teams, everyone involved in my racing career and especially all of you great fans that have been rooting for me all this time," added Raikkonen, nicknamed 'The Iceman'.

Media reports have linked his compatriot Valtteri Bottas with a move to replace him, which would free up a seat alongside Hamilton at Mercedes for promising Williams driver George Russell.


Beware of flash flood danger

                PETALING JAYA: Drivers, beware of the danger of flash floods during the rainy spell. As soon as you realise that you are heading into a pool of water and your car is becoming submerged, get out of the vehicle and move to a safe location.

If there is no time, break open the window and immediately climb up onto the roof of the vehicle. When you are safe, call the emergency hotline at 999.

These are among the life-saving tips offered by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) on escaping a sinking car.

Its senior principal assistant director Farhan Sufyan Borhan said the Public Works Department or local authorities normally marked flood-prone roads with signs.

“Water can be much deeper than it appears and can hide major road hazards.

“The markers should be used by motorists to know the water level and to assess whether their vehicles can safely go through it,” said Farhan.

He cautioned that motorists must be aware of the distance and water level that might rise suddenly.

“Gushing waters can cause your vehicle to float and be swept away,” added Farhan.

“If the water current is strong despite the water being shallow, motorists should stop their vehicle at a safe spot by the roadside rather than risk it by passing through,” he noted.

On Sunday, an alert driver quickly climbed out of his car’s window when he saw water suddenly gushing into a road tunnel near Jalan Tun Razak, KL, during heavy rain that evening.

The 26-year-old man, identified as Teh, said he was really scared and decided to stay put by sitting on his Honda Civic roof before rescuers came. Four other vehicles were also stranded in the tunnel.

Farhan said that although there were “water resistant” vehicles which could stop floodwaters from entering, it was still risky to drive through.

According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department, the north-east monsoon, which has just started, is expected to last until March.

Heavy rainfall will occur across the country, especially in east coast states and in the west of Sarawak.

“Damp weather conditions with rainfall exceeding 500mm is expected in most places in Kelantan and Terengganu,” the department stated in a report uploaded on its website. “Rainfall in the north of the peninsula is expected to be less than 300mm. Other places in the peninsula are expected to receive between 200mm and 250mm of rainfall,” the report stated.

On Sunday, department director-general Alui Bahari said the first three months of the monsoon would be the worst.

“If heavy rainfall, high tides and strong winds occur, it could cause rivers to overflow,” he was quoted as saying. The situation could be worsened by spring tides that take place during the new and full moons.


Porsche Taycan 4S: A spirited force

                While Porsche is synonymous with motorsports and high-performance turbocharged road cars, it has a history of dabbling in electric-powered cars in the early 20th century.

Unable to compete with petrol-powered cars due to their short range and modest performance, the electrified vehicle ideas of Porsche’s founder, Ferdinand Porsche, never caught on then.

With advances made to battery and electric motor systems over the past 100 years, Porsche’s electric car dream is now a reality.

Porsche’s production all-electric vehicle, the Taycan, is now available in Malaysian in four guises - the basic Taycan rear-wheel drive, and the all-wheel drive 4S, Turbo and Turbo S variants.

Pronounced as “thai-kahn” which means a lively young horse in Turkish, the Taycan line-up promises a new era of electromobility with the motorsports excitement and pedigree of the Porsche brand.

Our recent test unit was a 4S variant in Frozen Blue Metallic and leather interior.

From the outside, the Porsche sports car design language is evident with a hunkered down appearance and low bonnet with muscular front wings that bear likeness to the 911 series.

The LED headlights each comes with quad rectangular LED daytime running lights for a distinctive appearance.

Despite being a long four-door car, the 4S still manages to get a roofline that slopes elegantly rearward for a coupe-like design.

Meanwhile, the rear comes with a long LED light strip that links the right and left tail lights for a wider and classy look.

The door handles of the 4S stay flush with the body panels to create a clean appearance similar to that in the current 911 sports car.

Approach the 4S with the key and the door handles will pop out and return to their recessed position once you have gotten inside the car and drive off.

Luggage space, with 84 litres at the front and 407 litres at the trunk, ensures the 4S is functional as a family vehicle.

Inside, the futuristic-looking instrument cluster is a 16.8-inch curved screen-type with a configurable electronic display that can also replicate a three-dial feel of classic Porsche sports cars.

The centre infotainment display is a 10.9-inch touchscreen-type that can also be accessed from a 8.4-inch touch panel with haptic feedback at the centre console.

A front passenger side infotainment display is also available as an extra cost option.

The drive modes of Range, Normal, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual can be controlled by a dial on the steering wheel or the infotainment screen.

Sitting position is a bit lower compared with regular large sedans for a sports car feel but overall head and leg room are enough for all inside.

To start the 4S, press the black button with the power symbol.

Unlike cars with conventional engines which would fire up with a cranking sound of a starter motor followed a brief exhaust rumble, the motors of the 4S remain silent throughout.

Engage the 4S into drive by pushing down the Zippo lighter-size drive selector at the left-side of the dashboard.

Incidentally, the current 911 also uses a similar-shaped drive selector but it’s positioned at the centre console instead.

Featuring two drive motors, one each at the front and rear axles, the all-wheel drive 4S takes off smoothly and quietly except for a faint motor whirl.

At Sport Plus mode, a science fiction-like whine fills the interior for a more upbeat driving feel.

This electric “sport” sound is unlike the usual throaty exhaust note delivered by typical turbocharged Porsche models and fans may take some time to get used to it.

READ MORE: Porsche Taycan's trackside foray

Driving hard will increase the intensity of the tempo but the artificial tune can be switched off.

On the North-South Expressway heading towards Rawang, we could push the 4S over the legal speed limit effortlessly.

Stomp on the accelerator and the 4S reels out a continuous stream of acceleration without any respite to change gears like in conventional petrol-powered sports cars.

At high speeds, the adaptive air suspension provided a rock steady and even ride along with a high level of driving pleasure and confidence.

Its aerodynamically smooth body of 0.22cD also resulted in a quiet cabin at high speeds by reducing air turbulence.

Steering is sharp and precise with plenty of feel like in Porsche’s other models.

The 4S comes with a standard 79.2kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion Performance Battery that allows a driving range of 407km and an output of 530PS and 640Nm of torque.

The battery weighs some 630kg and has an eight-year warranty.

The 4S has a top speed of 250kph and a 0-100kph sprint is done in 4.0 seconds under launch control.

If the optional Performance Battery Plus with 93.4kWh is used, output and range are increased to 571PS and 463km respectively.

The Taycan line-up is the first production electric sports vehicle to use an 800-volt system instead of a 400-volt system for faster recharging.

The 4S also comes with two charging ports, one each at the front wings for AC and DC.

High performance DC chargers can top up the battery from 5% to 80% in around half an hour while the AC-type may take up to eight hours.

Despite a claimed practical range of 407km, it is affected by driving style, traffic conditions and the usage of air-conditioner among others.

To allay range anxiety, Porsche Asia-Pacific had recently teamed up with Shell to roll out high performance DC chargers capable of delivering 180kW at six of its stations along the North-South Expressway in stages by next year.

Offered with a four-year maintenance and warranty programme, the 4S’ price of RM699,986 (on-the-road without insurance and without SST) is still a princely sum and will put it only within the reach of the well-heeled.
SPECIFICATIONSPorsche Taycan 4SMotors: Permanent-magnet synchronous, front single-speed, rear with two-speed transmission
Maximum power: 435PS
Overboost power: 530PS
System torque: 640Nm
Battery capacity: 79.2 kWh
Acceleration (0-100kph): 4.0 seconds (with Launch Control)
Top speed: 250kph
Range: 407km
Luggage compartment: 84 litres (front), 407 litres (rear)
Features: Airbags, ParkAssist including Reversing Camera, Power Steering Plus, Adaptive Air Suspension including PASM, 19-Inch Taycan S Aero Wheels, Auto deploying Door Handles, LED Headlights including in Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus (PDLS Plus), Comfort Seats in Front (8-way, electric), Lane Keeping Assist, Cruise Control including adaptive Speed Limiter, ParkAssist (front and rear), Keyless Drive, Porsche Connect with Apple Car Play, Sound Package Plus with 10 speakers and a total output of 150 watts
Price: RM699,986 (on-the-road without insurance and without SST)


Daimler's new Swede CEO exudes informal leadership style

                FRANKFURT: Daimler’s appointment of company veteran Ola Kaellenius (pic) to become chief executive from next year signals a cultural shift by the world’s oldest carmaker as it takes on new rivals from the tech sector.

A 49-year old Swede, Kaellenius is the first non German CEO to head up the 132-year-old Stuttgart-based inventor of the modern automobile. He also lacks an educational background in mechanical engineering.

With his international experience he embodies a more informal leadership style as Daimler seeks to embrace Silicon Valley management tactics to compete with tech rivals like Waymo and Byton in a race to put self-driving cars on the road.

“The hearts of our vehicles used to be drivetrains, in the future it will be their hard drives,” Kaellenius said in a speech at the Consumer Eletronics Show in Las Vegas this year, an appearance which appeared to signal that he represented the new face of high-tech Mercedes-Benz.

Like Dieter Zetsche, who is set to take over as Daimler’s chairman in 2021, Kaellenius excels at impressing international audiences. His polished but casual approach - with no suit or tie - echoes a management style more at home in California than Germany.

Kaellenius joined Daimler as a trainee in 1993 and moved to work in corporate controlling at Mercedes-Benz in Tuscaloosa, Alabama before further postings at performance division Mercedes-AMG. He became a management board member for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing and Sales in 2015.

Critics say his emergence as Zetsche’s heir apparent in the past two years has happened when Mercedes-Benz has enjoyed record sales and profits, sparing Kaellenius and Daimler’s management board fights with labor representatives.

Mercedes-Benz overtook BMW to become the world’s biggest selling luxury car brand in 2016.

Kaellenius did restructure the Mercedes dealership network, but critics say this happened when vehicle deliveries reached record levels, reducing the need for painful cuts.

“Until now cooperation with Ola Kaellenius and labor representatives has remained constructive and we therefore expect it to remain that way in this new constellation,” Daimler’s works council chief Michael Brecht said.

Kaellenius does have his work cut out for him. Daimler issued a profit warning earlier this year, hit by the rising cost of trade tariffs and problems getting the Mercedes vehicle fleet to conform to stricter anti-pollution standards.

Global auto sales are starting to wane and industry profits are being crimped by heavy investments into electric cars.

Daimler now faces scrutiny from regulators and prosecutors about diesel pollution as part of a broader clampdown on toxic fumes which has seen customers shun diesel cars, leaving German workers worried about jobs tied to engine assembly.

In 2013, labour leaders, who command half the seats on the company’s board of directors, opposed deeper restructuring measures and forced Zetsche to reassign cost-cutting specialist Wolfgang Bernhard as a condition for extending his contract as CEO.

Zetsche did push through several restructurings in the last decade to try to restore the premium status of the Mercedes-Benz brand in the wake of an expensive merger with mass market manufacturer Chrysler.

Kaellenius, who has a qualification in international management from the Stockholm School of Economics, and experience in the United States, has introduced Silicon Valley management techniques at the carmaker to speed up the pace of innovation to keep up with the software industry.

Currently Head of Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, Kaellenius has helped Zetsche to sweep away layers of bureaucracy and encourage a more experimental approach to new products, changing a culture of strict hierarchies and meticulous planning.

“Kaellenius has been crown prince for a while, and he represents change. He is young, intelligent, has a good management style and is simply a different kind of animal from many other top managers in the auto industry,” Juergen Pieper, an analyst with Bankhaus Metzler said.


From Poland, with love: Tom Hanks to get communist-era car

                WARSAW: Spurred by tweets Tom Hanks posted showing himself admiring an iconic communist-era car, Poles have raised the cash to buy a tiny Fiat 126 p for the Hollywood star, organisers said Tuesday.

The Oscar-winner posed next to several of the cars affectionately dubbed "Maluch", or "little guy" in Polish, during a shoot late last year in the Hungarian capital Budapest.

"I got a new car! Hanx," reads a caption on one of the tweets that caught the attention of Poles after going viral.

Monika Jaskolska, a 42-year-old mother who lives in Bielsko-Biala — the southern Polish town where Italian carmaker Fiat produced over three million "Maluchs" between 1971 to 2000 — dreamt up the idea to send Hanks one of them as a gift.

Although cramped and clunky, the ultra-compact cars were prized during the communist era in Poland and other socialist bloc countries where consumer goods were in short supply.

Jaskolska, who said on Tuesday she wanted to show Hanks "how fond Poles are of this car", raised 2,000 euros (RM9,531) via a Facebook page to buy a 1970 model.


Chevrolet brags about new Cruze's fuel efficiency

DETROIT: Chevrolet has unveiled its new Cruze, highlighting that it has a class-leading fuel consumption of 5.6l/100km.

Chevrolet claimed the latest Cruze has more horsepower and torque, and is lighter than the previous generation making it more fun to drive.

In a best-case scenario, the Cruze is able to offer up to 917km per tank in highway driving.

The Cruze’s EPA-estimated 5.6l/100km highway rating for L, LS and LT models rivals its competition. It tops competitors such as Focus with a four-cylinder (5.9l/100km), Nissan Sentra FE (5.9l/100km), Mazda3 (5.7l/100km), Hyundai Elantra (6.3l/100km) and Volkswagen Jetta (5.9l/100km – non-hybrid). All are highway rating figures.

The Cruze’s efficiency is rooted in a new, direct-injected 1.4l Ecotec turbo and a leaner architecture, which contributes to a nearly 113kg weight reduction on L, LS and LT trims over previous models. Stop/start technology bolsters efficiency in stop-and-go traffic, helping the Cruze offer an EPA-estimated 7.8l/100km in city driving – a 7-percent increase over previous models.

The Cruze differentiates itself further in the compact car segment with built-in 4G LTE WiFi and connectivity features, including offering new technologies such as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, a more comfortable ride and an athletic, aerodynamically optimised design.

It also offers 10 standard air bags, as well as an expanded range of available adaptive crash-avoidance technologies, including Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist and Forward Collision Alert.

The Cruze range expands in the fall with an all-new hatchback model and the Cruze diesel returns in early 2017.

The Cruze is Chevrolet’s best-selling car around the world, with more than 4 million sold since it went on sale in 2008.


Automakers race to double driving range of affordable electric cars

 The Tesla Model S battery is located in the floor of the car.

Global automakers are readying a new generation of mass-market electric cars with more than double the driving range of today's Nissan LEAF, betting that technical breakthroughs by big battery suppliers such as LG Chem Ltd will jump-start demand and pull them abreast of Tesla Motors Inc.

At least four major automakers - General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co, Nissan Motor Co Ltd and Volkswagen AG plan to race Tesla to be first to field affordable electric vehicles that will travel up to 322km between charges.

That is more than twice as far as current lower-priced models such as the Nissan LEAF, which starts at US$29,010. The new generation of electric cars is expected to be on the market within two to three years.

To get a Tesla Model S that delivers 427km on a charge requires buying a version that starts at US$81,000 before tax incentives.

Most electric cars offered at more affordable prices can travel only about 75 to 85 miles (121km to 137 km) on a charge - less in cold weather or when drivers have the air conditioning on. Consumers who travel longer distances fear getting stranded, a sales-killing concern automakers call "range anxiety."

Range anxiety is one reason only about 67,700 electric vehicles were sold in the United States last year. That was about 0.4 percent of the 16.5 million new cars and trucks sold.

Automakers need to pump up electric vehicle demand significantly by 2018. This is when California and eight other states will begin to require the companies to meet much higher sales targets for so-called zero emission vehicles - in other words, electric cars - and federal rules on reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gases become much stricter.

None of the four automakers contacted by Reuters for this story - Ford, GM, Nissan and Volkswagen - wished to comment on future products or other related matters.

Tesla chief executive officer Elon Musk said last week that "200 miles (322km) is the minimum threshold" to alleviate consumer concerns over EV range. There is "a sweet spot around 250-350 miles (402km-563km) that's really ideal," he said.

Musk has promised a more affordable Tesla, the Model 3, which will sell for around US$35,000 and provide a driving range of 322km or more. That car is slated to begin production in mid-to-late 2017.

However, GM says it plans to field a 322km electric car, the Chevrolet Bolt, by late 2016.

The Bolt will use an advanced lithium-ion battery pack developed by Korea's LG Chem, which also supplies batteries for the Chevrolet Volt hybrid.

The newer batteries are said to have much higher energy density and provide much longer range between charges, thanks to breakthroughs in battery materials, design and chemistry, according to a source familiar with LG Chem's technology.

 The VW e-Golf.

"Several factors are at play that are landing at this 200-mile range" for a vehicle priced between US$30,000 and US$35,000, LG Chem chief executive Prabhakar Patil said in an interview.

"We've been talking to several OEMs (automakers) regarding where our battery technology is and where it's going."

LG Chem also supplies standard lithium-ion batteries to the Ford Focus Electric and may supply the longer-range batteries to a new compact EV that Ford is tentatively planning to introduce in late 2018 or early 2019, according to three suppliers familiar with the program.

Compared with the 2015 Focus Electric, which has a range between charges of 122km, the new compact electric model would have a range of at least 322km, the suppliers said.

Nissan and VW both have battery supply deals with LG Chem, and both are working on longer-range EVs for 2018 and beyond.

Nissan is planning to introduce a successor to the LEAF in early 2018, according to a source familiar with the program, and that model is expected to offer significantly greater range than the current LEAF, the best-selling electric car in the United States, which can go 135km between charges.

The 2015 LEAF uses batteries made by a joint venture between Nissan and supplier NEC. It is not clear if the future model will shift to LG Chem, although Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has identified LG Chem as a potential battery supplier.

VW plans to expand its current range of electrified vehicles, including a successor to the battery-powered e-Golf in 2018 with much longer range, according to two sources familiar with the program.

The current e-Golf uses batteries made by Panasonic and has a range between charges of 134km.

 Source: LG Chem


Meet the Aviar R67, an electric Ford Mustang clone from Russia

                BERLIN: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, which may explain why virtually unknown Russian carmaker Aviar has chosen to make an electric version of the iconic Ford Mustang sports coupe.

While the project will certainly raise the profile of this Russian start-up, the cryptic model badge "R67" could have been a tad more imaginative, and a lot of questions remain unanswered.

The name might be a reference to the 1967 edition of the car, first unveiled as the world's pony car three years earlier, but Aviar isn't saying.

Whether the Ford Motor Company endorses the copycat project is also unclear.

Images from Aviar show off the handsome looks of the born-again Mustang which also offers scorching performance, thanks to a electric motor. It turns out an incredible 850bhp. Extensive use of lightweight composites means the car is light and responsive.

On paper, the R67 can bound from zero to 100kph in 2.2 seconds, which would make it one of the fastest cars in the world. Top speed is governed down to 250kph and the car can cover 500km before the batteries need recharging.

High-tech fans will love the high level of connectivity inside along with dual-zone climate control, 12-way power adjustable seats, a rear-view camera, panoramic sunroof and keyless entry.

Electrics offer near silent running, some might find disappointing in a hairy-chested sports car like the R67.

Aviar gets around this drawback by using a sound system to energise the interior with the menacing growl of a V8-powered Shelby GT500.

It adds up to attractive package but Aviar does not say when the R67 will appear or what it will cost to buy.


New level for Toyota Eco Youth 2015

                SHAH ALAM: The Toyota Eco Youth (TEY) 2015 programme has a theme of waste management, which serves to raise the eco-contest to new levels.

The eco-contest is in its 15th year, and 16 schools are participating in this edition.

Winning schools will receive RM10,000 for the grand prize, and RM7,000 for second prize, and RM5,000 for the third prize.

Apart from working on projects that can impress the judges, participating students also need to conduct proper documentation of their progress through their blogs, as well as prepare a presentation during the closing ceremony in October 2015.

Marks are given for project management, blog content, final presentation and impact on stakeholders.

The TEY programme was launched recently at the Concorde Hotel Shah Alam, and officiated by Deputy Education Minister Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching, UMW Toyota Motor president Datuk Ismet Suki and deputy chairman Akio Takeyama.

"The waste management theme was chosen because of the massive problems caused by waste. In UMW Toyota, we believe that taking care of the environment is a continuous process," said Ismet.

Ismet also pointed out that this was in line with the Toyota philosophy of Kaizen, a Japanese word meaning "continuous improvement".

In Toyota, Kaizen is achieved by adopting a proprietary eight-step problem-solving methodology.

“The methodology can be used in any situation, and some teachers have shared that they have used it in their teaching as well to improve students’ grades. To date, close to 200 schools of more than 1,500 students and teachers have benefited from it directly, and many continue to practise it in their daily lives today”, explained Ismet.


Euro NCAP premieres first rating with pedestrian detection

                BRUSSELS: The Toyota Prius is the first car to have undergone Euro NCAP’s newest test of autonomous emergency braking (AEB) technology for pedestrians. By including this test as part of the safety rating, Euro NCAP takes the lead world-wide in encouraging advanced crash avoidance technology for all cars. Also released today is the Suzuki Baleno with the first dual rating.

The latest generation Autonomous Emergency Braking systems are not only able to detect vehicles ahead but also in more challenging situations where pedestrians are at risk of being run over. By braking the car automatically, the system helps to avoid or mitigate a crash. In the Prius tests, the standard fitted “Toyota Safety Sense” effectively recognised potential crashes with pedestrians and cars and has helped the Prius achieve the first 5 star rating in 2016.

The Suzuki Baleno received 3 stars based on the standard safety equipment. Suzuki offers the optional safety pack 'Radar Brake Support' which includes an AEB City and AEB Inter-Urban system. With the pack included, the Baleno achieves 4 stars and is the first vehicle to be assessed under the new dual rating.

From this year, Euro NCAP allows two star ratings for the same vehicle: by default, a base rating is generated for a car equipped with safety equipment which is standard on the model range throughout EU28. If the manufacturer wishes, a second rating may be published for the car fitted with a ‘safety pack’ which is available on all variants but may be sold as option or standard in some markets. This dual rating allows consumers to easily understand the safety benefit which can be achieved by the additional crash avoidance equipment offered.

“The inclusion of AEB Pedestrian in the rating is a key milestone in the development of automotive safety that will help the proliferation of the crash avoidance technology into all segments of the market. At the same time, to provide accurate and clear information to consumers about the latest systems and what benefit they might bring, is becoming more challenging. The dual rating will simplify the choice for the safest car”, says Dr Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP Secretary General.


Cupra Tavascan revealed as new electric SUV

                LONDON: Cupra has unveiled its long-awaited Tavascan SUV as a new electric SUV that will serve as its flagship model.

First shown in concept form almost four years ago at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, the model carries over many styling cues, including the bold LED rear lighting and coupe-styled profile.

Described by the firm as a "major step," it is built around the Volkswagen Group's MEB platform, and follows on from the electric Born. Its bold styling language, including a three-triangle signature and patterned grille, will also be used on future electric models from the firm.

Cupra wants this to be seen as a sportier model, as shown by the fact bucket seats are included as standard, with these made from various recycled materials.

The cabin is focused around a large 15-inch touchscreen, which is the largest to be used in a Cupra to date. The firm also says it is built around a new infotainment system that is more intuitive to use, while a digital dial display is also used.

Various powertrains will be available on the Tavascan, including both rear- and four-wheel-drive models. At the top of the range will sit the 'VZ', which gets twin electric motors developing 250kW/340hp, meaning it will arrive as the most powerful EV sitting on the MEB platform to date. Cupra claims 0-100kph can be achieved in 5.6 seconds.

A single-motor, rear-wheel-drive option will also be available, with this developing 210kW/286hp, though both use a 77kWh battery, which deliver a claimed range of up to 549km. It can also be charged at up to 135kW, allowing for a 10 to 80% charge to be achieved in around 30 minutes.

Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) will be offered, allowing drivers to configure sportier or more comfortable settings, depending on preference, while sports suspension and progressive steering can be included.

Wayne Griffiths, Cupra CEO, said: "In 2019, we had the vision to reinvent electrification: we wanted to show with Tavascan that it's not a vehicle responding to change, but a car that creates it. Back then maybe it was only a dream. Now with the CUPRA Tavascan, our dream comes true."

The Cupra Tavascan will be produced at a new Volkswagen Group factory in Anhui, China, and will be launched in 2024. Pricing and full specifications will be detailed at a later date.

Cupra's new hybrid Terramar SUV will also launch as the brand's last non-EV in 2024, while a new compact electric city car, currently known as the UrbanRebel, will follow in 2025. — PA Media


Caltex stations first out the door to use Visa payWave

                KUALA LUMPUR: Visa payWave has come to Caltex stations.

Chevron Malaysia Ltd unveiled its partnership with Visa to become the first fuel provider in the country to introduce Visa payWave.

Visa payWave is a contactless payment technology aimed at saving users time. Visa cardholder scan or wave their cards in front of readers for a hassle-free transaction to pay for fuel. No swiping, signing or PIN is needed for transactions below RM250.

Malaysians conduct over two million Visa payWave transactions a month, said Visa country manager K.B. Ng.

"We are confident the introduction of Visa payWave at Caltex service stations will fuel the growth of electronic payments and propel Malaysia to become a cashless society."

To kick off the partnership, Chevron and Visa announced the “Wave & Win” promotion which will run from Nov 20 to March 19 next year.

Visa cardholders who buy any Caltex fuel or convenience store items using Visa payWave will stand a chance to win the grand prize of a Mercedes-Benz C200 and RM10,000 StarCash. A total of 32 customers will also walk away with monthly prizes of RM5,000 StarCash.

For more information on the Caltex "Wave & Win" promotion, visit www.caltex.com.my.


Toyota Mirai banks on Teonex sealant for its fuel cells

                OSAKA: Toyobo Film Solutions Ltd has developed a sealant that will be used in the fuel cells of the Toyota Mirai.

The latest Mirai, which began selling last month, will use Toyobo's Teonex, a high-durability and heat-resistant polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) film, for which the company has virtually the entire global market share.

The product is increasingly being adopted for vehicle parts. The new sealant is made by coating a unique adhesive to Teonex, along with precision processing. The product can provide various functions, such as the protection of power generation surfaces of fuel cells, insulation and shape retention for gas intake and exhaust components, in addition to joining components to make fuel cells.

Toyota has evaluated the new sealant for realizing high durability in demanding environments, a key factor contributing to the long-term integrity of the fuel cells, and decided to use the sealant for the new Mirai model.

Thanks to the newly developed adhesive and other factors, the new sealant makes it possible to join components at higher speeds, resulting in a drastically shorter per-cell production time.


Car sales to jump with big savings from zero GST

                PETALING JAYA: Car sales are expected to jump in the next two or three months, as the country enjoys a “tax holiday” following the zero rating of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from June 1 onwards.

On Friday, Tun Daim Zainuddin, who is part of the Council of Eminent Persons, said the Sales and Services Tax (SST) is only expected to be reintroduced in the next two to three months.

Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) president Datuk Aishah Ahmad said she foresees a surge in car sales as this would be the best time for people to buy cars.

“Car companies that have stocks in hand will benefit the most, as bear in mind that building cars will take time,” said Aishah.

She also highlighted that car prices had dropped following the implementation of GST three years ago, as “SST was 10% versus GST of 6%”.

 Perodua is offering GST rebate of RM3,114 for the best-selling 1.5-litre Myvi Advance.

Many automobile companies such as Proton, Perodua and Mazda have announced zero-rated GST prices, and the savings for car buyers are substantial.

For example, Perodua is offering GST rebates of RM2,172 for a 1.0-litre Axia SE (auto) and RM3,114 for the best-selling 1.5-litre Myvi Advance.

Also, Perodua will fully reimburse the GST amount in cash to those who buy a new Perodua car, service their cars or buy parts between May 18 and 31, 2018.

Meanwhile, Proton customers can choose to get either service vouchers or a cash rebate that are equivalent in value to the difference between the pre- and post-GST prices for cars bought and registered from May 16 to 31.

“There is now no reason to wait until June 1 to buy a new Proton as we have delivered the savings ahead of time,” said Proton vice-president of sales and marketing Abdul Rashid Musa.

 Attractive offers include savings of up to RM10,628 for a top-grade HR-V.

Honda Malaysia has also announced a GST Bonus scheme and “Welcome Ramadan Rewards” bonus for selected cars from May 18 till 31.

Attractive offers include savings of up to RM9,042 for a 1.5-litre Honda City V grade, and up to RM10,628 for a top-grade HR-V.

Toyota car buyers would also enjoy significant savings with zero-rated GST prices, with savings of around RM6,500 for a 2.4-litre Hilux double cab pick-up truck (auto) and close to RM5,000 for a 1.5-litre Vios G grade.

UMW Toyota Motor president Ravindran K said that any relief and benefit from the new tax structure will be fully passed on to its customers.

 The price of the 1.4-litre turbocharged Volkswagen Jetta (Highline grade) has dropped by around RM7,500 to RM121,488.

Buyers of premium European cars such as Volkswagen and BMW would enjoy even higher savings, with pre- and post-GST price differences as high as RM69,882 for a BMW X6 M that costs RM1.238mil with GST included.

The price of the 1.4-litre turbocharged Volkswagen Jetta (Highline grade) has dropped by around RM7,500 to RM121,488 while a BMW 118i Sport has dipped by RM9,991 to RM166,808.

Nissan and Subaru vehicle distributors have also announced price protection schemes for their customers.

TC Subaru Sdn Bhd has stated that unregistered as well as new bookings of all Subaru vehicle models will be price-protected from May 11 till Aug 18, 2018.

If there are price hikes before registration of any booked Subaru cars due to changes in the tax regime, TC Subaru will honour the original, lower price.

Conversely, if prices drop, TC Subaru customers will get service vouchers equal in value to the price difference (up to a limit of RM3,000).

Edaran Tan Chong Motor sales and marketing director Christopher Tan had said that beginning this month, Nissan car buyers will get a refund for the differences in prices, if prices for their new vehicles drop after GST is abolished.


Feb 2-8: Fuel prices unchanged

                KUALA LUMPUR: The retail prices of RON97 and RON95 petrol and diesel will remain unchanged for the period from Feb 2 to 8.

The Finance Ministry, in a statement today, said that RON97 petrol remains at RM3.35 per litre, RON95 (RM2.05) and diesel (RM2.15).

"To protect consumers from the effects of a rise in global oil prices, the government has maintained the ceiling price of RON95 at RM2.05 per litre and diesel at RM2.15 per litre, although the retail prices of the two products have increased beyond the current ceiling price," it said.

The weekly retail prices of the products were set based on the Automatic Pricing Mechanism (APM) formula.

"The government will continue to monitor the trends of global crude oil prices and take appropriate measures to ensure the continued welfare and well-being of the people," it said.


VW and Bosch team up to boost Europe's battery ambitions

                BERLIN: Volkswagen and Bosch have agreed to set up a joint venture by the end of this year to equip battery cell factories and help make Europe self-sufficient in battery production.

The venture will deliver battery production systems and assist battery cell manufacturers in scaling up and maintaining production sites, Volkswagen said on Tuesday, adding it would serve its own factories and others across Europe.

"Europe has a one-time chance to become the global powerhouse for batteries in coming years," Volkswagen board member Thomas Schmall, who is responsible for VW's battery plans, said.

"We are working to build a complete, localised, European supply chain for 'made in Europe' e-mobility."

The companies did not say how much they would invest in the venture.

So far, battery cell plants capable of generating just under 900 gigawatt hours (GWh) of capacity have been announced in Europe, according to data from the European Battery Alliance (EBA) - set to make up about 16% of global production by 2029.

But the EBA has said a third of global batteries should be produced in Europe by 2030 to cut dependence on suppliers that dominate the market, mostly from South Korea and China.

The largest planned battery plant in Europe is Tesla's, located in Berlin next to its electric vehicle factory and set to produce over 100 GWh of capacity at its peak.

Both the plant and the factory are still awaiting approval from regional authorities to begin production.

Volkswagen, intent on outdoing Tesla as the top electric vehicle (EV) seller, has announced plans to build six so-called gigafactories in Europe by the end of the decade with a joint capacity of 240 GWh, in an attempt to control as much of the supply chain as possible.

Volkswagen's CEO Herbert Diess, who clashed at the end of last year with the company's powerful workers council over his electrification strategy, said the battery division was expected to generate sales of20 billion euros by the end of the decade and was being readied for a partial sale.

The carmaker, which last December upped its spending on electrification in the next five years to 52 billion euros, has committed to exclusively selling EVs in Europe from 2035.

For Bosch, the move will strengthen its role in the transition towards EVs, which for many suppliers represents an existential threat as building a EV requires fewer steps and less labour than building an internal combustion engine car.

The supplier, the world's largest, has in the past decided against investing in battery cell production itself, deeming the upfront capital investment too costly.

German newspaper Handelsblatt reported in December the two companies were also nearing an agreement to cooperate on automotive software, with Volkswagen planning to invest a triple-digit million euro amount. The companies declined to comment.


Mercedes-Benz Malaysia outlines plans for 2021

                KUALA LUMPUR: Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has set a comprehensive strategy to further enhance its position in current luxury and performance segment.

Amidst a challenging year ahead, the company intends to build a strong momentum by offering desirable and innovative products by leveraging its strength as a luxury brand and grow local economic value.

The premium automaker also reinforces its local digital footprint with the launch of its e-commerce platform, a virtual showroom that allows customers to browse their dream cars online.

Now available for both new and Mercedes-Benz Certified pre-owned cars, customers can use this feature to instantly search for stock availability, calculate financing option and directly request a quote from their preferred dealer.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia president and CEO Dr Claus Weidner said 2020 placed great demands on everyone as a society.

"Despite the challenges, the situation also presented us with an opportunity to be more resilient and agile in this new technology-led environment.

"While the safety and of our customers is our top priority, we explore innovative ways to optimize our offerings. The virtual showroom is an example of our pursuit in continuous digitalisation effort to bring the best experiences for our customers,” he said.

Dr Weidner also said: "We are cautiously optimistic about the auto industry’s recovery in 2021. Geared with our comprehensive customer-centric strategy, we are confident it will be an interesting journey as we innovate new ways we communicate and conduct businesses in the future together with our partners.”

 Dr Claus (left) and Jopp.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia vice-president of sales and marketing Michael Jopp said the company wanted its new and existing customers that it would be with them throughout their ownership.

"We have accelerated most of our efforts to combine physical and digital touchpoints for a seamless customer journey. From dealerships with luxurious brand presence to digital launches and virtual showroom– it is all now easily accessible from anywhere," he said.

Despite the major challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Mercedes-Benz has globally delivered more than two million cars for the fifth consecutive year.

Through advanced digitisation in sales and service, Mercedes-Benz was able to respond to the rapidly changing situation and during the pandemic.

As the leader in the premium luxury segment, Mercedes-Benz continues to redefine mobility with a holistic brand showcase of future mobility, innovative technology and a stellar product line up to meet customer’s preferences in Malaysia.

Last year, In 2020, Mercedes-Benz hosted its first ever digital premiere car launch, featuring the latest Mercedes-AMG compact cars. 2020 also saw the digital debut of the new Mercedes-AMG Compact car family, with the all-new A 35 hatchback, A 45 S and the CLA 45 S.

The company also hosted its first regional digital premiere of an all-new compact SUV model, the Mercedes-Benz GLB for Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, which is locally available in three variants – GLB 200 Progressive Line, GLB 250 4MATIC AMG Line and Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4MATIC.

Last year ended with another virtual launch of the new Mercedes-Benz GLA in the form of GLA 200 Progressive Line and GLA 250 AMG Line.

Its impressive CKD production line-up still stands at 13 variants from five model lines; C-Class, E-Class and S-Class sedans, GLC and GLC Coupe SUVs, as well as two Mercedes-AMG models, the C 43 and the GLC 43 Coupe.

The company aims to expand its CKD footprint with plans to localise additional models in the compact car and SUV segment this year.

In the continuous pursuit of the Best Customer Experience initiative, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia also unveiled newly-renovated luxury dealerships in Alor Setar and Kuala Lumpur, which features the first of its kind, Mercedes-Benz Lifestyle Accessories and Collection Boutique.

This saw the transformation of a conventional point of sale to an immense point of experience, a place where a customer can encounter the Mercedes-Benz Cars brand family and immerse themselves in a fascinating car purchasing and ownership journey.

Despite the pandemic, Customer Services saw a throughput of over 140,000 vehicles in 2020.

This achievement was supported by various service differentiation offerings including extended service and warranty grace period, Express Service, Drop&Go, Door-to-Door, Star Mobile, and the implementation of Mercedes-Benz Star Shield Programme, covering comprehensive safety measures across dealerships nationwide.

Other key highlights include the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz Original Tyre Programme, which makes its dealer network now a one-stop service provider and the implementation ofvarious contactless convenience include the Mercedes me Adapter and Online Appointment
booking.

On the talent front, 2020 witnessed the graduation of an additional 54 apprentices as they transformed into globally certified technicians through the Advance Modern Apprenticeship Programme at the state of the art and purpose-built Training Academy in Klang Valley.

The company’s commitment to accelerate talent growth in the country has benefitted over 940 graduates through this initiative, making it one of the nation’s most sought-after engineering training programmes in Malaysia.

The Advanced Modern Apprenticeship provides the best-in-class training module in developing the best automotive talents, unlike any other similar programmes in the country.

During the course, students go through the latest technical knowledge and diagnostic skills in line with the advanced technology of Mercedes-Benz products.

Upon completion, students will receive three certifications; Mercedes-Benz Automotive Mechatronic Training Certificate, Mercedes-Benz Qualified Maintenance Technician Certificate, and National Dual Training System Certificate, equivalent to the Malaysian Skills Certificate Level 3 (SKM 3), guaranteed with a four-year employment.

The Advance Modern Apprenticeship programme goes digital in 2020 with a new programme on Qualified Body & Paint Specialist.

Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia financed more than 50% of all Mercedes-Benz vehicles sold by authorised dealers in Malaysia and reached a concrete servicing portfolio of RM2.27bil.

It also recorded new contracts worth over RM717mil and introduced new financing and insurance solutions, the Star Protect and Star Protect Plus programme.