Alcantara is for more than just your supercar

                NEW YORK: If you’re into cars, you’ve heard about Alcantara.

The suede-like fabric covers the steering wheels of Lamborghini Huracáns and Porsche 911s, as well as the seats of BMW i8s and Bugatti Chirons.

The new Ferrari Purosangue SUV offers a special interior trim option that includes Alcantara made from recycled materials.

But the company that makes it, founded in 1972, comes from a background far more varied than just four wheels.

A book out today, Alcantara, The Material of Art (Skira, US$52/RM232), explores the material’s colourful history.

Created by Toray Industries Inc. scientist Miyoshi Okamoto in the late 1960s, Alcantara is composed of 68% polyester and 32% polyurethane.

It takes its name for the Arabic word for bridge, al-quantarah. Okamoto had described his creation as “islands in the sea” when viewed under a high-powered microscope, so naming the tiny clusters after a bridge seemed a fitting way to unite them.

At the time, the Japanese scientist thought his material, which resembled chamois leather, could be used for shoe uppers, because it was soft to the touch while remaining flexible and—best of all—waterproof.

He filed the first patent for it in 1970, and in 1972 Alcantara SpA began as a joint venture between Italian chemical company Eni Group and Toray. (Toray invented another mass commercial hit, rayon, and today is the world’s largest producer of carbon fibre, supplying it for big items such as the exterior components of Boeing 787 airplanes.) Toray held 49% of the shares, while Eni held the majority 51%.

By 1978, Okamoto’s high-tech fabric was appearing in car seats, and the company’s manufacturing plant in Nera Montoro, Italy, had earned a reputation as a tailor of cars. (Its corporate offices are in Milan.)

The Alcantara’s beauty as an industrial material is that it’s durable and washable, and, unlike leather, breathable.

That made it the go-to option for sports- and luxury-car brands; whereas leather-covered steering wheels can get slippery when hands get sweaty, as they invariably do, Alcantara’s velvety outer makes for a tight, slip-free grip on the wheel.

The material absorbs ink very well, too, making it dyeable to virtually any hue. Fiat was the first major auto-related customer. Collaborations with Audi and Lancia followed, then Alfa Romeo, Subaru, Maserati and McLaren.

Applications for its use soon reached far beyond cars. In the 1980s and 1990s, apparel designers and interior decorators used Alcantara to denote how refined and exclusive their collections were. It helped that the material was especially resistant to twisting and tearing, which made it great for jackets, hats and gloves.

In 1995, Toray bought out its Italian partners and remains a 70% shareholder in Alcantara; Mitsui & Co. Ltd. owns the rest. (Fashion still loves Alcantara—in 2018, Dutch designer Iris van Herpen created an exhibit at the Palazzo Reale centered around a sculptural dress of slender strips of white Alcantara.)

Then, in 2004, a new managing director called Andrea Boragno said he wanted to involve the company in the art world.

After all, it was easy to print and paint on Alcantara; it held up to those mediums as a canvas, too. Being lightweight, it lends itself to a multitude of forms: 10,000 metres of fibers weigh just 1 gram; when woven into its leather approximate, say for upholstery use, it’s about 50% the weight.

Early projects included collaborations with the MAXXI Museum in the Flaminio district of Rome.

Set in a building designed by Zaha Hadid, the museum held exhibits underscoring the properties of technology and how they influence design. The artist Massimilian Adami superimposed layers of Alcantara into a stalagmite-type figure; Francois Azambourg created a panel wall of Alcantara folded like origami.

Later artistic works supported by the company included tapestry-like wall-hangings in the Palazzo Reale in Milan and calligraphy done on Alcantara as a way to bridge—there’s that word again—ancient traditions with modern invention.

Today, Alcantara counts hundreds of patents associated with its novel microfibre fabric. And Okamoto is esteemed for his invention: Toray named a research lab after him. In 2001, he received the Leonardo Prize for his contribution to world-renowned products made in Italy.


Mercedes-Benz turns out more polished E-Class

                Mercedes-Benz’s E-Class, its default brawler in the mid-size premium segment, ups the ante in the quest for greater market share.

It used to feature an imposing and stately styling, making it a favourite luxury car for the “uncle” businessmen.

But with changing times, Mercedes-Benz’s E-Class have evolved to take on a more youthful and sporty persona, thus broadening its appeal to a wider reach and younger crowd.

While the previous E-Class model (W212) was already considered the sportiest of its lineage, especially when dressed up with Avantgarde and AMG bodykits,” the latest generation nameplate (W213) has not only raised the styling bar but also cranks up the luxury and smart features factor phenomenally.

Our test vehicle was the E 250 Avantgarde with 211hp/350Nm, the mid-level variant of the three-engine option line-up offered by Mercedes-Benz Malaysia.

Its large three-pointed star badge on the radiator grille, short trunk in a coupe-like rear, long bonnet and short overhangs inject a sporty proportion into the executive car.

The other two engine choices were the E 200 Exclusive with 184bhp/300Nm and the E300 AMG Line with 245hp/370Nm.

There is also the E 250 Exclusive variant with the traditional radiator grille design and free-standing three-pointed star bonnet ornament.

The new generation E-Class is longer and roomier compared with the previous model.

Wheelbase has also been increased by 65mm so all-round legroom is not an issue.

To keep the weight of this large car down, Mercedes-Benz has increased the amount of aluminium and ultra-high-strength steel components while adding body rigidity.

Inside, the dashboard is styled to flow onto the front doors in a continuous fashion and create a feel of cosiness and “oneness.”

The full leather seats are well contoured and supportive, and do not tire out passengers during long distance drives.

The panoramic sliding sunroof allows more light to enter the cabin and increase the airy feel of the vehicle.

With generous helpings of leather and open-pore black ashwood trimming, circular air vents, an analogue clock and a “Widescreen Cockpit” featuring two 12.3-inch high resolution displays, the luxury level of the E 250 Avantgarde is arguably at par with the flagship S-Class.

The “Widescreen Cockpit,” which are controlled through the touch-sensitive Touch Controls on the steering wheel, is easily the centrepiece of the E 250 Avantgarde.

All infotainment and satellite navigation data as well as view from the 360° camera are a joy to watch as they are delivered supersharp, like in expensive HD televisions.

 In addition, the instrument panel can be customised with three layout choices of Classic, Sport and Progressive.

Classic reprises the original analogue look of E-Class speedometer dial with white numbering against a black background while Sport allows a bolder dial styling with yellow numbering.

Set Progressive and the speedometer moves to the centre and the readout becomes digital with a bluish tinge.

The E 250 Avantgarde also has wireless connectivity and charging for mobile devices.

Each headlamp comes with 84 individually activated high-performance LEDs which will shut down automatically if their light beams hit other road users.

At the same time, other LEDs will continue to lit up dark portions of the road.

The headlights also have a “bending” feature to lit up dark winding roads and intersections.

It’s also at night driving that the ambient lighting feature could be fully experienced.

The ambient lighting strips which run around the car along the dashboard and door trims has a 64-colour option.

We chose purple as this colour was easy on the eyes when in the dark.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged direct injection engine 211hp and 350Nm of torque which powers the E 250 Avantgarde, has also been used in other Mercedes-Benz models such as the A, C, and GLC to name a few.

This engine, which is known for its punchy performance in smaller Mercedes-Benz models, still has more than enough oomph to deliver a satisfying driving experience for the relatively plus-sized E-Class in comparison.

Power comes in smoothly without noticeable lag and the exhaust emits a muffled roar when the throttle is floored hard.

Its 0-100kph acceleration time of 6.9 seconds means that the E 250 Avantgarde can outrun a whole lot of passenger cars.

Drive too close to the vehicle ahead and a red triangle will light up on the instrument panel along with warning beeps to alert you to slow down and keep a safe distance.

While the engine emits a mild diesel-like clatter especially at idle or low speeds, the interior of the E 250 is easily as quiet as any high-end luxury car once the windows are rolled up.

The new nine-speed 9G-Tronic transmission delivers silky smooth gear changes and there is also the Dynamic Select driving modes where the driver can choose programmes to deliver best fuel efficiency or performance or a blend of both.

During a high speed drive to Putrajaya for a photoshoot, the E 250 Avantgarde’s class leading low drag co-efficient of 0.23 along with generous amount of noise insulating materials managed to keep wind and tyre noises to a minimum.

Steering is responsive and sharp, but while the suspension of the E 250 Avantgarde is set with a slight bias towards sporty driving, the ride on 19-inch low profile tyres is still comfortable even when driven over rough stretches and broken tarmac in Petaling Jaya’s old town.

With an on-the-road without insurance price of RM420,888, the E 250 Avantgrade, fully imported from Sindelfingen, Germany, seems to be a compelling choice with just the right amount of features and performance thrown in.

The E 200 Exclusive which costs RM395,888 may save buyers RM25,888 but loses the 12.3-inch HD digital instrument panel and has a less powerful engine.

The E 300 AMG Line, though will have the most powerful engine of the line-up, lowered sports suspension, flat bottom steering wheel and even a head-up display, and costs RM30,000 over the E 250 Avantgarde.

Regardless of the variant, an E-Class always hits the right notes.

SPECIFICATIONS - Mercedes-Benz E 250 (W213) Avantgarde

Engine: 1,991cc, four in-line, direct injection, turbocharged
Maximum power: 211hp at 5,500rpm
Maximum torque: 350Nm from 1,200 to 4,000rpm
Transmission: 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive

Acceleration (0-100kph): 6.9 seconds
Top speed: 250kph (electronically controlled)

Fuel consumption (combined cycle): 5.9-6.3 litres per 100km

Features: Airbags, anti-lock braking system, active brake assist, electronic stability programme, Keyless-Go package, dual 12.3-inch high resolution display, Multibeam LED headlamps, Parking Pilot + 360 degree camera, Pre-safe, Dynamic Select, paddle shifters, panoramic sliding sunroof, sat-nav, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, tyre pressure monitoring system, 19-inch wheels

Price: RM420,888 (on-the-road plus GST without insurance)


Tesla loses another Europe chief in midst of Berlin factory push

                AMSTERDAM: Another head of Tesla Inc.’s European operations has left the job in the midst of the electric-car maker’s efforts to build its first assembly plant on the continent.

Sascha Zahnd, who had been vice president of Tesla Europe for less than a year, has vacated the position, according to two people who worked with him previously.

They asked not to be identified because they are no longer at Tesla.

 Zahnd.
Zahnd didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Tesla tasked him with the Europe role last year as an addition to his duties as vice president of global supply chain.

German publication Manager Magazin reported earlier Friday that Zahnd was leaving the company following disputes with chief executive officer Elon Musk. Representatives for Tesla didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Musk, 48, has been pushing to start construction of a factory near Berlin with the aim of producing Model Y crossovers there as soon as the middle of 2021. Work at the site has been making progress despite minor coronavirus-related disruptions.

Zahnd took over the Tesla Europe job from Jan Oehmicke, who was vice president of the region from July 2018 through October 2019, according to his LinkedIn page.


July 6-12: As usual, only RON97 petrol price fluctuates


Toyota Veloz MPV scores a 5-Star Asean NCAP rating

                KAJANG: The New Car Assessment Programme for Southeast Asian Countries (Asean NCAP) kicked off this year with the assessment of Toyota’s latest Veloz multi-purpose vehicle (MPV).

The Veloz, the first Toyota model that was assessed under the current 2021-2025 protocol, achieved a 5-Star Asean NCAP rating with a total score of 79.99 points.

The seven-seater MPV is the enhanced and evolved version of the Toyota Avanza, and both models are sold alongside each other in Indonesia.

There are four assessment categories under the new protocol in which the Veloz’s scored 34.88 points for Adult Occupant Protection (AOP), 17.17 points for the Child Occupant Protection (COP), 16.03 points for Safety Assist (SAT) and 11.92 points under the Motorcyclist Safety (MS) category.

The AOP accounts up to 40 points to the overall score, while COP, SAT and MS each make up to 20 points.

The vehicle is equipped with six airbags as standard fitment in all available countries with the exception of the ones sold in Indonesia which offers variants with two airbags.

The Veloz comes standard with anti-lock braking system (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), seatbelt reminder system (SBR) for both frontal and rear seat occupants and Pedestrian Protection technology across all variants.

Several safety assist technologies are available in the MPV as standard or optional across all variants namely Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) City, AEB Inter-Urban and Blind Spot Detection that are fitted on both the driver and passenger side of the vehicle.

In addition, the Veloz is also gets Forward Collision Warning, (FCW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Lane Keep Assist (LKA) technologies as optional equipment in all its variants.

MIROS director-general who is also Asean NCAP secretary-general and acting chairman Datuk Dr Khairil Anwar Abu Kassim said many manufacturers are in the midst of preparing their vehicles according to the protocol.

“The development will take a certain amount of time to ensure the safety items that have been set in the protocol are adhered. I’m confident their effort will definitely benefit the Asean road users,” he said.

Khairil Anwar also praised Toyota for equipping the Veloz with safety technologies that protected the occupants as well as other vulnerable road users.


Compact VW Taigo heads for European debut

                WOLFSBURG: The compact VW Taigo SUV coupe, targeted at a younger customer base, is set to make its European debut today.

The front-wheel drive Taigo is a crowd-pleaser with its trendy crossover body style, raised seating positions, pioneering connectivity and unrestricted suitability for everyday use.

The rear of the five-seater car slopes backwards in the style of a coupe, without restricting headroom in the back seat. This sees Volkswagen expand the portfolio of the compact Polo (hatchback) and T-Cross (SUV) models built on the MQB platform with a third chassis variant, which has previously been reserved for high-end models.

Numerous latest-generation assistance systems ensure optimum comfort and a high level of safety for all passengers.

With full LED head-lights, an all-digital cockpit and the latest generation of infotainment systems (MIB3) as standard, the SUV coupé measuring in at just under 4.26 metres sets high technology standards in its class. The expressive body shape is the first of its kind in the Volkswagen brand’s model portfolio.

With a crossover body style and a silhouette like that of a coupe. the new Taigo — just like its Brazilian counterpart the Nivus — is equipped for winning over new, predominantly young and young-at-heart groups of buyers for Volkswagen. The technical basis of the Taigo is Volkswagen's MQB.

Depending on the options selected, the Taigo also comes with the new IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights and an illuminated radiator grill crossbar.

The Taigo's design is characterised by strong proportions, with the silhouette like that of a coupe being striking with the C pillar slanting forward. Inspired by SUV coupe's in higher vehicle classes, this makes the Taigo unique in its sector.

On the inside, the Taigo scores with an elaborately designed multifunctional steering wheel and modern control elements as standard.

The infotainment systems are based on the third generation of MIB3, including an online control unit (eSIM) and "App Connect Wireless" (depending on the configuration). Features such as access to streaming services, natural voice control and cloud-based personalisation using "Volkswagen ID" allow the use of the latest MIB3.1 services, depending on the configuration.

And when it comes to driver assistance for more comfort and safety, the new SUV coupe is similar to Volkswagen models from higher sectors.

Every Taigo comes with assistance systems such as the surroundings monitoring system "Front Assist", including city emergency brake function, and the lane departure warning system "Lane Assist" as standard.

"IQ.DRIVE Travel Assist" is available as an optional extra, enabling semi-automated driving up to a system-determined top speed of 210kph.

More information will follow when the new Taigo makes its virtual European debut today at 08:00 a.m. CEST.


Diesel's disgrace brings hybrids-for-all in race to electrify

                FRANKFURT: Carmakers squeezed between carbon emissions cuts and falling sales of fuel-efficient diesels have used the Frankfurt auto show to spotlight a future generation of electric cars that will largely come too late to help them out of their bind.

But elsewhere at the show, suppliers like Valeo and Delphi are lifting the lid on a quicker fix: affordable 48-volt hybrids.

These “mild” hybrids, which add some electric power to existing petrol models without a costly redesign, are now being deployed without fanfare by brands from VW to Volvo.

It is diesel’s disgrace and decline, executives and analysts say, that has finally set the stage for mass electrification.

While diesel pollution problems became notorious with the Volkswagen test-cheating scandal, the subsequent shift to petrol is bloating carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, making the next round of European Union goals harder to meet.

“Our view is that 48 volts on a gasoline engine is an alternative to diesel,” said Karin Thorn, vice president for vehicle propulsion at Volvo. “If and when the diesel market is dropping, something else needs to take its place.”

Diesels are stalling already, in fact - and weaker second-hand values suggest the slump can only accelerate.

An attention-grabbing pledge by the Swedish carmaker to “electrify” its entire range by 2019, initially hailed as a bold step, now looks more like an industry-wide reality.

PSA Group, which had previously seen no need for 48V hybrids, now plans to introduce them “across the board” in response to diesel’s faster-than-expected decline, said thePeugeot maker’s programs chief Patrice Lucas.

By quadrupling the 12-volt standard in conventional car electrics and allowing a beefed up starter motor to feed extra power to the drivetrain, complementing the combustion engine, carmakers can transform petrol cars into mild hybrids without redesigning the vehicle’s architecture and factory tooling.

The motor delivers a noticeable torque boost and recovers braking energy to recharge a battery - smaller and cheaper than those required by electric cars or “full” hybrids such as Toyota’s Prius, which typically run at 100-300 volts. Total manufacturing cost comes in 500 euros-1,000 euros (RM2,497 to RM4,994) below an equivalent diesel.

“It’s the most interesting enabling technology and will comfortably replace diesel,” said Evercore ISI analyst Arndt Ellinghorst. “It can do the job and it’s already cheaper - you don’t have to be an early adopter to buy one.”

By 2020, the brokerage expects 48V cars to outpace European sales of full hybrids, including plug-ins that can be recharged with a cable and driven in electric-only mode. By 2025, it predicts, they will equip 55 percent of all cars sold.

The technology is surfacing first in luxury cars such as the Mercedes S-Class on show at the Frankfurt event - which closed yesterday - before trickling down to the mass market, chiefly in Europe and China.

Volkswagen’s next Golf, a benchmark in compact cars, will arrive with 48V electrics in 2019, and other models will follow, said development chief Frank Welsch.

“The technology has a lot of potential and will make hybrids more affordable for the masses,” Welsch said. Renault, Japanese affiliate Nissan and Hyundai are among other mass car manufacturers with 48V in the pipeline.

In 2021, the key EU emissions goal drops to 95 grammes of CO2 per kilometre from its current 130 grammes - a challenge exacerbated by the replacement of standard lab tests with on-the-road “real driving emissions” measurements.

Despite incentives, neither battery technology nor charging infrastructure is ready for the mass electric-car uptake required to put a dent in average emissions by then.

The headache is compounded by the decline of diesels, which emit 15-20 percent less CO2 than petrol alternatives. Fortunately, 48V hybrids deliver savings in the same bracket.

Their simplicity also lets carmakers adjust their fleet emissions on shorter lead times than typically required to redevelop a drivetrain, which may help to avoid stiff EU fines of 95 euros per excess gramme of CO2, per vehicle sold.

Among suppliers, Valeo stands to benefit most with a 40 percent share of mild-hybrid orders, Citi analysts predict. Continental and Delphi are also well positioned.

Paris-based Valeo expects some carmakers to effect more abrupt U-turns than PSA’s - in some cases installing 48V systems without waiting for model facelifts. Innovation director Guillaume Devauchelle declined to name names.

“These solutions will become market standards,” Devauchelle said, adding that tougher rules on nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution from diesels would deepen their cost disadvantage.

Later 48V hybrids will squeeze out more efficiency by shifting the electric motor lower down the transmission, below the engine. Valeo has electrified Magna’s Getrag gearboxes and GKN differentials.

“What automakers are finding is they need more than just advanced combustion engines to reach the fleet average reductions,” said Mary Gustanski, Delphi’s engineering boss.

The supplier is combining 48V hybrids with cylinder deactivation that cuts engine capacity when less power is required, for additional savings. The system is in development with one European and one Chinese carmaker, Gustanstki said.

The coming profusion of 48V cars should outsell pricier, higher-voltage hybrid incumbents such as the Prius, as market projections show - a prospect Toyota takes in its stride.

Thanks to a quarter-century of hybrid investments, the Japanese carmaker can meet future CO2 targets with ease, global planning chief Didier Leroy said in Frankfurt.

“We’re in a different position,” Leroy said. “We don’t have to rush to find a temporary solution - we don’t need to develop 48V to be competitive.”


625hp BMW M8 Competition Coupé and Convertible coming soon

                MUNICH: BMW has unveiled two new sporty high-performance models in its 8 Series.

The M8 Competition Coupé and M8 Competition Cabriolet both have a 625-horsepower V8 engine, the brand's most powerful production-model engine, already seen in the M5 Competition.

The engine comes with M TwinPower Turbo technology, as well as an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic and the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system.

With this kind of power under the hood, top-end performance is evidently on the cards, with 0-100kph acceleration in 3.2 seconds for the M8 Competition Coupé (3.3 seconds for the Convertible version) and a top speed of 250kph (305kph with the M Driver's Package). Note that these models were developed in parallel with the M8 GTE racing car.

The two vehicles have an M-specific chassis with extremely rigid mounting and a new braking system.

They also feature a "Track" setting specially designed for use on race circuits. The M8 Competition Coupé has a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic roof, while the Convertible has an electronically controlled soft-top.

The M8 Competition Coupé and Convertible will make their world premiere at BMW's #NextGen event in Munich on June 25-27, and are scheduled to launch from September.


Will Korea bank rescue SsangYong Motor?

                SEOUL: After another failed attempt by SsangYong Motor to find a new owner, all eyes are on whether the state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB) will change its mind and bail out the ailing carmaker under the incoming Yoon Suk-yeol administration.

SsangYong Motor, the South Korean unit of Indian auto giant Mahindra & Mahindra, on Monday called off its merger and acquisition (M&A) talks with Edison Motors, a local electric bus maker, after Edison missed a March 25 deadline to pay for the deal price worth 304.8 billion won (US$249.1mil or RM1.05bil).

Behind the failed deal is SsangYong Motor’s key creditor KDB, which has repeatedly refused to extend its loans to Edison citing a lack of concrete plans for sustainable growth of the carmaker.

KDB chairman Lee Dong-gull in January also criticised the then-planned acquisition of the carmaker, calling it the “worst” form of M&A due to its characteristic as a leveraged buyout.

A leveraged buyout, more widely known as an LBO, is the acquisition of another firm using a significant amount of borrowed money in forms of bonds or loans.

Industry watchers say that it is up to the Yoon administration to decide what is best for SsangYong. The new administration faces a choice of whether to keep a major South Korean carmaker afloat or consider fairness in funding a business.

“While the incoming administration will be unable to leave SsangYong alone with the issue working as a key task, but it will also have to consider the fairness and balance of funding with other businesses,” Lee Hang-goo, a researcher at Korea Automotive Technology Institute said.

“It needs a clear reason to fund the M&A. In the end, what matters is how important the Yoon administration views the issue,” he added.

Another industry source said the KDB has a lot on its plate, including Yoon’s reaffirmation last week to carry out its election pledge of relocating the state-run lender’s headquarters to the southern port city of Busan from Seoul.

“The headquarter relocation is a big issue for them at the moment, but with the recent failure of a merger between Hyundai Heavy Industries Group and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, KDB is expected to receive further flak for two consecutive failures if they refuse to bail out SsangYong,” the source explained.

In January, the European Commission – the European Union’s antitrust regulator – decided to veto the merger between the two South Korean shipbuilders, saying such a move could create a monopoly in the liquefied natural gas carrier market.

KDB, which is the main creditor of the heavily indebted Daewoo Shipbuilding, has expressed strong regret over the European Commission’s choice. — The Korea Herald


Indonesia puts off Formula E race over coronavirus fears

                JAKARTA: Indonesia has postponed its debut Formula E race here over concerns about the spread of coronavirus, organisers said.

Citing orders from Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, Formula E said the electric car race would be pushed back from June 6 to an unspecified later date.

"The decision has been taken as the most responsible course of action, to protect the health and safety of championship participants, staff and spectators," it said in a statement on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Indonesia said its confirmed virus cases had jumped to 27 from 19, with most in the Jakarta region.

 The Jakarta race is pushed to a later date to be announced. It would take place near a national monument in the city centre.

"We are evaluating contingency plans to lessen the potential impact of coronavirus and maintain the highest possible number of races on the calendar for season six," Formula E said.

"It is a fluid situation, developing on a daily basis and we remain realistic and flexible in our approach to alternative options."

The delay comes a month after Indonesia vetoed Jakarta's plans to hold the race at its national monument in the centre of the sprawling city.

Officials said the race posed a risk to the cultural site which features a road that rings a 123 metre tower symbolising the former Dutch colony's independence struggle. They later reversed that decision.
hrl/pb/th


Lamborghini unveils the Huracán Perfomante

                GENEVA: Lamborghini has unveiled the Huracán Perfomante at the Geneva Motor Show.

The suggested retail price (taxes excluded) in Europe is EUR 195,040 (RM918,159).

On 5 October 2016, the Huracán Performante set a new production car lap record of 6:52.01 min on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany.

“The Huracán Performante is the convergence of technological developments to produce a car delivering perfect performance,” says Automobili Lamborghini chairman and CEO Stefano Domenicali. “It illustrates the pinnacle of Lamborghini V10 production car performance to date, on both track and road, and is perfectly exemplified by its name: Lamborghini Huracán Performante.”

The enhanced naturally aspirated Huracán engine is the most powerful V10 produced to date by Lamborghini.

Outputting 640hp (470 kW) at 8,000rpm and producing 600Nm of torque at 6,500rpm, it produces an optimized torque curve, with more than 70% of torque already available at 1,000 rpm.

Reflecting this, Lamborghini’s seven-speed dual clutch transmission has been also optimised.

The Performante’s dry weight is just 1,382kg, giving a weight to power ratio of 2.16kg.

Weight distribution front and rear is 43/57 percent.

Accelerating from 0-100 km/h in 2.9 seconds, the Huracán Performante is propelled from 0 to 200 km/h in 8.9 seconds, and brakes from 100-0 km/h in 31 m.

The suspension has been vertically stiffened by 10% over the Huracán coupé, via both springs and bars, and roll stiffness improved by 15%.

The double wishbone system, front and rear, features passive dampers with optional magneto rheological suspension.

Electromechanical power steering is offered as standard with optional variable ratio Lamborghini Dynamic Steering (LDS).

Both the Huracán Performante’s electronic power steering and LDS have been significantly recalibrated to provide highly responsive steering in all three driver modes: Strada, Sport and Corsa.

The Huracán Performante uses Lamborghini’s permanent four-wheel drive Haldex fifth generation system, fully electronically controlled, with rear mechanical self-locking differential.

The Huracán Performante sits on specifically designed bronze 20-inch Narvi forged rims.


Thailand's booming autos exports help plug gaping tourism hole

                BANGKOK: As tourism-reliant Thailand struggles with a collapse in foreign visitors, the country's auto sector is picking up some of the slack with the value of car exports tipped to surge to a record this year as the global economy reopens.

The South-East Asian nation is Asia's second-most popular tourist destination but its famous beaches, street markets and pagodas have been starved of business over the past year due to pandemic restrictions that have crippled global travel.

While Thailand's central bank has downgraded its projections for this year's economic growth due to the hit to consumption and tourism, it last week raised its 2021 export growth forecast to an 11-year high of 17.1%, up from the 10.0% rise forecast in March.

Much of that is thanks to exports of cars, parts and accessories, Thailand's biggest shipment, which surged 170% year-on-year in May, the fastest pace in more than eight years, customs data showed.

"Exports are now a main engine driving the economy," Thai Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit told reporters this month. "We have to admit that our tourism still can't get going."

Thailand is Asia's fourth-largest autos assembly and export hub for some of the world’s largest carmakers such as Toyota and Honda. The industry accounts for about 10% of Thailand's GDP and manufacturing jobs.

The sector has been able to shake off the disruptive impact of Covid-19 much faster than the tourism industry.

Auto parts maker AAPICO Hitech, which has 4,500 workers, is running at full capacity 24 hours a day, company president Yeap Swee Chuan told Reuters, a stark contrast to last year's factory slump when the pandemic hit.

"Last year was not good at all, but this year should be sunshine," he said, targeting sales growth of 20% and much higher profits this year.

"So far we haven't seen much impact from whatever situation in Thailand as the export market is still strong, and the local market, the demand seems to be still there up to this moment."

Export-led auto boom

Thailand's latest and biggest coronavirus outbreak so far, which started in April, has slowed domestic activity, dealing a deeper blow to the country's already fragile economic recovery.

But the fallout on auto car sales has been limited, while the auto sector boom has been driven by overseas demand.

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) said the country's exports of completely built cars could reach 800,000 to 850,000 units this year, beating its target of 750,000 and versus about 736,000 in 2020.

Surapong Paisitpattanapong, a spokesperson for FTI's automotive industry division, expects overall car shipments to reach a record 1 trillion baht (US$31.4 billion) this year versus 786 billion baht in 2019 before the pandemic hit.

Thailand's auto exports hit $12.4 billion in January-May, more than half the $21.4 billion shipped for all of 2020, according to the commerce ministry.

In contrast, only half a million foreign tourists are expected this year, the state planning agency forecast, compared with a record of nearly 40 million in 2019.

Market leader Toyota Motor Thailand forecast an 18% rise in the company's completely built car exports to 254,000 units this year due to increased demand in Asia and Oceania.

So far, issues around the global supply of microchips have not yet disrupted Thai auto production significantly, although FTI warns it remains a risk.

Spokespeople for Toyota and Mazda said they had been able to secure enough chips for production. A Honda Thailand spokesperson told Reuters it had shut a plant in May because of chip shortages but has managed to limit the impact on clients.

Key markets

Nuntawat Srivaratachkul, acting vice president of the corporate planning division at Toyota Motor Thailand, told Reuters vaccination rollouts and government stimulus had helped demand in key markets.

Thai autos exports to top buyer Australia more than tripled in May while those to Vietnam soared almost tenfold and those to Japan rose 76% that month.

In Australia, where local car production ended in 2017, a return to pre-pandemic economic prosperity and government stimulus have underpinned business and consumer demand, helping business purchases of pickup trucks.

Vietnam's reduction of red tape around vehicle imports, meanwhile, has also facilitated trade flows.

Isao Sekiguchi, the head of Nissan in Thailand, told Reuters its exports were driven by demand for its recently launched electric vehicle, especially from Japan, and its new pickup truck.

Yukontorn Wisadkosin, Ford Asean president, said the company was benefiting from demand from Australians, who are looking to travel domestically amid coronavirus restrictions.

"The Ford Ranger and Ford Everest continue to enjoy strong momentum in Australia thanks to being vehicles of choice for Aussies across the nation, as they look to their own backyard for adventure," she added.


What's the big deal about a small turning circle?

                HAMBURG: Just how agile a car is can be determined by looking at its turning circle - the smallest circular turn the vehicle can make.

The less space a car needs for a U-turn, the more straightforward the car's handling will be. This makes things easier when parking in difficult conditions, maneuvering in a garage or slipping through narrow exits.

As such, the advantages of a small turning circle are especially obvious in city traffic, says a major German safety inspection agency. A small turning circle implies a large steering range made possible by the axles and wheels.

For technical reasons, larger vehicles with a longer wheelbase, such as a mid-size saloon, tend to have a larger turning circle than small cars. The construction of the drive unit also plays an important role. A large five-cylinder transverse engine will give the front wheels and the steering much less turning room than a four-cylinder engine.

Front-wheel-drive vehicles usually have a slightly larger turning circle than rear-wheel drive cars, since the latter usually have more space for the front wheels to turn freely.


Govt removes ceiling prices for RON95 petrol and diesel

                PETALING JAYA: The Government has revoked a clause for the ceiling price of RON 95 and diesel.

The Federal Gazette published on June 3 no longer contains a clause for setting the ceiling price for petrol and diesel.

"The Price Control and Anti-Profiteering (Determination of Maximum Retail Price for Petrol and Diesel) (No 8) Order 2020 is revoked," stated the gazette.

The gazette was approved by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi on April 10 this year.

The ceiling price for petrol and diesel was introduced by the then-Pakatan Harapan regime.

The then-Pakatan government had capped the price of RON95 and diesel prices at RM2.08 and RM2.18 respectively.


New hydrogen truck from Scotland promises better range for long hauls

                LONDON: A Scotland-based company has developed a heavy-duty hydrogen-electric truck that promises a longer range and load-carrying capacity, both essential to rival the performance of combustion engines in long-distance hauls.

The stylish tractor unit from Hydrogen Vehicle Systems (HVS) will be built on an all-new chassis, designed in-house around the hydrogen power-train. It consists of pressurised hydrogen cylinders, fuel cells, an energy storage system and electrified rear axle.

The fuel cell permits longer range, higher load-carrying capacity, and faster refuelling than would be possible using battery-electric technology alone.

Typical refuelling time is comparable to diesel, around 20 minutes to replenish the hydrogen tanks. It is in the long-distance heavy goods vehicle (HGV) segment that hydrogen fuel cells offer the most advantages.

Hydrogen-powered vehicles don't need charging like a battery-powered Electric Vehicle. They are refuelled with hydrogen gas, stored at pressure in hydrogen cylinders.

The only emission from the vehicle is water vapour, meaning there are no harmful greenhouse gas emissions of any kind.

Other variants of the hydrogen-fuelled HGV tractor unit, including a left-hand drive variant, are also in the pipeline.


BlackBerry flaw could impact cars, medical devices, say US agencies

                WASHINGTON: A cybersecurity flaw in a software designed by BlackBerry Ltd could put at risk cars and medical equipment that use it and expose highly sensitive systems to attackers, the US drugs regulator and a federal agency said on Tuesday.

The warning came after the Canadian company disclosed that its QNX Real Time Operating System (QNX RTOS) has a vulnerability that could allow an attacker to execute an arbitrary code or flood a server with traffic until it crashes or gets paralysed.

The software is used by automakers including Volkswagen, BMW and Ford motor in many critical functions including the Advanced Driver Assistance System.

The issue does not impact current or recent versions of the QNX RTOS, but rather versions dating from 2012 and earlier, BlackBerry said, adding that, at this time, no customers have indicated that they have been impacted.

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said the software is used in a wide range of products and its compromise "could result in a malicious actor gaining control of highly sensitive systems, increasing risk to the Nation's critical functions", the CISA said.

The federal agency that comes under the Department of Homeland Security and the company said they were not yet aware of any case of active exploitation of the flaw.

The US Food and Drug Administration said it was not aware of any adverse events even as medical equipment manufacturers assess which systems could be affected.

The company also said it has notified potential customers that have been affected and has made software patches available to resolve the matter.

BlackBerry had initially denied that the vulnerability, dubbed as BadAlloc, impacted its products and later resisted making a public announcement, Politico reported, citing two people familiar with talks between the company and federal cybersecurity officials, including a government employee.


Updated Renault Captur to be shown at Geneva Motor Show

                GENEVA: The new 2017 Renault Captur will be revealed at the Geneva International Motor Show on 7th March.

The top-selling B-segment crossover in Europe (215,670 units in 2016) keeps the essentials responsible for its success, including its two-tone body colour option.

However, the new Captur steps up the differentiation game with seven interior personalisation packs including a variety of colours – Ivory, Blue, Caramel, Red, Satin Chrome and Smoked Chrome – and five exterior packs: Ivory, Blue, Cappuccino, Red, and Orange (for the hub caps and side sill protector).

It will have full LED “Pure Vision” headlights, an updated front grille with a chrome strip, and front and rear bumpers that include new skid plates.

LED daytime running lights are built into the lower bumper in a C shape, forming Renault’s light signature.

The new Captur can be fitted with a fixed glass roof.

Available only in two-tone configuration, the new feature improves ambient light in the cabin.


‘Fast and Furious 8’ set for 2017 release

                LOS ANGELES: The “Fast and Furious” franchise is set to roar into its next phase with an eighth installment due in 2017, the first without Paul Walker, the late actor’s co-star Vin Diesel said Thursday.

“Furious 7” has only just raced to the top of the global box office, taking over US$1 billion worldwide in the last appearance for Walker, who died in a tragic unrelated car crash mid-way through filming.

“We’re going to make the best movie you’ve ever seen,” Diesel told the CinemaCon movie confab in Las Vegas, cited by industry journal the Hollywood Reporter, which said the eighth movie will come out on April 14, 2017.

Diesel recalled announcing the seventh movie with Walker at the same event.

“The last time I was on this stage I was with my brother Pablo,” he said.

“It’s hard for me to even watch that clip and then come out here without being emotional.”

Walker died in a high-speed car crash north of Los Angeles when the last movie was only half completed. The film was finished using computer-generated visual effects and body doubles.

Diesel did not reveal details about the new movie. He also did not confirm whether co-stars Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster and Kurt Russell will return to make the franchise’s next installment.


Your dream car has arrived: the new Porsche 911 GT2 RS

                ATLANTA: The fastest and most powerful street-legal 911 model ever is ready for launch: The new 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS is celebrating its official world premiere at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK from June 30 to July 2.

At the heart of this high-performance sports car is a 700-horsepower twin-turbo flat-six engine. Weighing in at 3,241 pounds with a full tank of fuel, the lightweight two-seater accelerates from zero to 60 miles per hour in 2.7 seconds.

The new 911 GT2 RS can reach a top track speed of 211 miles per hour, and it surpasses the 2011 911 GT2 RS by 80 horsepower. The 2018 911 GT2 RS delivers 553 lb.-ft. of torque, an increase of 37 lb.-ft. compared to the previous 911 GT2 RS.

The 3.8-liter engine in the GT2 RS is based on the power plant found in the current 911 Turbo S model. In order to increase performance further, larger turbochargers push an increased volume of air into the combustion chambers.

A new additional cooling system delivers optimum cooling at peak loads by spraying water on the intercoolers when the intake air temperature reaches a determined threshold. This reduces the inlet temperature under boost and allows for optimum power output, even under extreme conditions.

The customized GT seven-speed double-clutch Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) transmission in the new GT2 RS enables maximum efficiency with uninterrupted torque transfer. The specially developed lightweight titanium exhaust system weighs around 15 pounds less than the system used in the 911 Turbo and delivers a particularly emotional sound.

The 2018 911 GT2 RS has exceptional dry grip thanks to its race-bred chassis with rear axle steering and Ultra High Performance (UHP) tires.

The stability management system is tuned for spirited driving in the new 911 GT2 RS. The PSM can be deactivated in two stages using the ESC OFF and ESC+TC OFF functions.

Large air intakes and outlets and the striking rear wing underscore the emphasis on aerodynamics and down-force. The large, wide wheels with 265/35 ZR 20 tires at the front and 325/30 ZR 21 tires at the rear help ensure outstanding braking and cornering potential. The 911 GT2 RS features Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) as standard.

The front fenders, wheel housing vents, outer shells on the Sport Design exterior mirrors, air intakes on the rear quarter panels, and parts of the rear are made from carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), as are many of the interior components.

The front luggage compartment lid is also made from carbon fiber to make the vehicle as light as possible, while the standard roof panel is made from magnesium. Both of these body panels feature a visible recess in the center, a design element previously used on the 2016 911 GT3 RS.

The interior of the 911 GT2 RS is dominated by red Alcantara, black leather, and carbon fiber trim pieces as standard. The GT2 RS Sport steering wheel with shift paddles is also included as standard.

Drivers and passengers can experience the driving dynamics of the high-performance sports car in Full Bucket Seats with carbon fiber reinforced backrests, which offer a high level of comfort and lateral support.

As in every 911 model, Porsche Communication Management (PCM) serves as the central control unit for audio, navigation, and communication. Porsche Connect Plus and the Porsche Track Precision app are also included as standard, enabling detailed recording, display, and analysis of driving data on a smartphone.


Maserati MC20 convertible coming

                MODENA: An early prototype of the new MC20 convertible has exited the gates of the historic Modena plant.

This time, Maserati has selected a new look for its camouflage, featuring a play of clouds; after all, it is a convertible.

And it's all set for a 2022 debut.

Like the MC20 coupe, the new model is said to be one of a kind.

The body is made of carbon fibre and composite materials in its entirety, an identical solution studied for all the configurations to come: coupé, convertible and, in the future, electric.

There should not be any surprise under the bonnet as it would share the same engine as the MC20 coupe. This means it would have a mid-mounted 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 matched with an 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox and power would be relayed to the hind wheels.


Tesla teams to visit Indonesia to check on investment in EV parts

File pic of a worker monitoring the nickel melting process at a nickel smelter near Sorowako, Indonesia. — Reuters

JAKARTA: Tesla will send delegations to Indonesia next month to discuss potential investment in a supply chain for its electric vehicles, the government said today in a statement.

President Joko Widodo has touted Indonesia's nickel reserves on a number of occasions, telling Reuters last month that "it’s very important because we have a great plan to make Indonesia the biggest producer of lithium batteries and we have the biggest nickel (reserves)."

The president and Luhut Pandjaitan, the co-ordinating minister for maritime and investment, were on a call with Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Friday to discuss "investment opportunities from electric vehicles company Tesla in Indonesia," the ministry said.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Luhut said last month that "there is a really good chance" that companies will want to invest in Indonesian nickel processing to cut costs.

Musk has said he is planning to offer a 'giant contract for a long period of time" so long as the nickel is mined “efficiently and in an environmentally sensitive way".

Indonesia is keen to develop a full supply chain for nickel at home, especially for extracting battery chemicals, making batteries and eventually building EVs.


CEO Mary Barra bets GM can grow beyond cars and trucks

                DETROIT: Pam Fletcher wants to change the way General Motors Co makes money.

The veteran GM engineer’s Global Innovation team is looking for new enterprises to expand the automaker’s sources of revenue well beyond vehicle sales and is incubating ventures from commercial delivery services to vehicle insurance, to address future markets worth an estimated US$1.3 trillion.

That doesn’t include flying cars, a market sector that alone could be worth US$1.3 trillion, said Fletcher.

On a recent video chat, Fletcher counted silently before answering how many ventures her team is shepherding. “Just under 20,” she said.

The fact that GM is now incubating its own startups — with its corporate venture arm investing in dozens more — underscores chief executive Mary Barra’s sweeping effort to remake the largest US carmaker.

The goal is to become a diversified purveyor of mobility services - the automotive equivalent of Apple, with revenue that rolls in monthly or quarterly from software and services long after the initial product is sold.

For legacy automakers such as GM, Volkswagen and others attempting to overhaul and transform their businesses, that task is daunting, according to Evangelos Simoudis, author and adviser on corporate innovation strategy.

“The technologies incorporated in the software-defined vehicle will require areas of expertise that one routinely finds in technology companies rather than in automakers,” he said.

Barra’s push to transform GM’s century-old business model is already having a significant impact - even though the first of a new generation of electric vehicles she has promised is still months from launch.

GM returned US$24 billion to shareholders in dividends and stock buybacks between 2014, when Barra took over, and early 2020. But those buybacks were suspended indefinitely when the pandemic hit last spring.

Now, Barra said, the company has more productive uses for its money: Investing in electric vehicles and expansion of business lines that promise recurring revenue streams.

GM’s new ventures could add tens of billions to the future revenue, Barra said, and push operating profit margins above the current 8% it achieved in 2020, and the 10% it has targeted long term.

“We have very significant growth opportunities and different margin opportunity initiatives to invest in,” she said in a video interview.

Barra’s shift from stock buybacks to investing in recurring revenue services, coupled with a drive to make GM an all-EV company by 2035, has achieved in one year what a decade of cost cuts and cash returns to shareholders could not.

Still, GM’s US$90 billion market cap lags Tesla Inc’s US$600 billion valuation by a wide margin, reflecting doubts among investors that a 113-year-old Detroit manufacturer can keep up with an 18-year-old Silicon Valley company that has no technology or workforce legacy burdens to slog through.

“I understand why people may be sceptical (of GM) because this is a company where we have seen revolutions being announced over the last half century and for some reasons it wasn’t authentic,” says Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a dean of leadership programs at the Yale School of Management.

Barra, he said, “has the authenticity and legitimacy to pull it off in a way that a lot of other people wouldn’t.”

Barra’s effort to remake GM’s business relies on an executive corps that mixes long-time GM managers like herself - Barra has worked at the company for 40 years - and recent recruits from outside the auto industry.

“We’re marrying people who really understand the auto business with people who understand these other businesses that we think are growth opportunities,” Barra said.

A new venture that combines several aspects of GM’s approach is BrightDrop, a unit that will provide electric vans and related hardware to commercial delivery firms, starting with FedEx, along with support services from fleet management to predictive analytics.

GM rival Ford Motor Co is introducing its own electric delivery van and expanding support services to defend its leading share of the US commercial vehicle market of more than 40%.

BrightDrop, one of the first “graduates” of Fletcher’s innovation incubator, started life less than two years ago as an idea initially dubbed Smart Cargo.

Fletcher’s team started incubating Smart Cargo in September 2019, about the same time another GM group was working on the company’s future electric vehicle portfolio.

The “big idea” - marrying an electric van with the software- and data-driven delivery services business - was hatched in February 2020.

The enterprise gained additional traction in late 2020, when GM recruited longtime tech entrepreneur Travis Katz to become BrightDrop’s president and CEO.

Ultimately, GM’s leadership wants BrightDrop to operate independently and cultivate “outside ideas and new ways of thinking,” Katz told Reuters.

“We expect BrightDrop to be a very big and very profitable business,” he added. Eventually, “there will be a lot of learnings from the BrightDrop experience that will flow back into GM.”

Barra also is building GM’s long-standing OnStar telematics business into a platform for selling insurance and other services that can be delivered over the air.

Santiago Chamorro, head of global connected services, has expanded OnStar’s safety and security portfolio with new products and services incubated in-house, including OnStar Insurance, mobile safety app Guardian and Vehicle Insights, a data analytics platform for commercial fleet managers.

Insurance, a new arena for GM, is led by outside hire Andrew Rose, who previously worked for auto insurance powers Progressive and Britain’s Admiral Group.

Rose says GM dealers could offer policies to owners when they buy or lease a vehicle. OnStar could offer discounts to better drivers, as well as quicker claims service after an accident, and eventually could offer home insurance as part of the package.

GM has never broken out OnStar’s financial results, and Barra won’t say if or when the company will do so.

“OnStar is already a very significant business,” she said. “We think there are opportunities to grow it even out beyond our vehicles.”


Toyota and Honda place a premium on practicality for NY show

                NEW YORK: At this year's New York International Auto Show, which officially gets under way on April 14, Toyota will be unveiling the latest iteration of its Sienna minivan while Honda will be using the event to showcase not one, but two new plug-in Clarity cars.

Protection for the people
Despite endless talk of all-conquering crossovers and SUVs, the latest US sales figures show that the MPV or minivan is far from dead. In fact, with total sales of 553,913 over the course of 2016, the segment is actually growing again (up 8.1%) and it looks as if people who would have been weighing up the pros and cons of a subcompact are deciding a genuinely all-round family and activity car might be a better bet.

 The new Sienna.

At the moment, the Toyota Sienna is America's most popular minivan (127,791 sold in 2016). So to ensure it keeps the top spot, the company has given the eight-seater a stylish external makeover and a high-tech interior boost.

And while the sharper front grille and sporty side sills make the car look more individual, the biggest upgrade is the addition of Toyota's Safety Sense (TSS-P) suite of active driver safety systems as standard equipment across the model range. This means that whatever the trim level, owners will get a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, radar-guided cruise control and lane departure warning with steering assist.

Honda goes electric
Honda meanwhile will be using this year's show to launch its first-ever proper plug-in electric car. The Clarity Electric promises to be a genuinely affordable mid-size five-passenger car and one that will be trimmed in environmentally responsible materials. Also making its debut will be the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, which will offer a 40 mile+ battery-only range before the gasoline engine kicks in to extend its range.

Demand for electric cars is growing in the US — 144,455 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and full battery electric (BEV) cars were sold over 2016 (a 30% jump). Analysts believe that the biggest obstacle to further growth is a lack of choice. There are currently just 30 PHEV and BEV models on sale in the US.

Honda's new cars will bring the choice up to 32 distinct vehicles while also extending its nascent Clarity range to three models — a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and a battery electric vehicle.

Yet despite the choice, Honda itself expects the plug-in hybrid to prove the biggest initial seller until issues surrounding infrastructure for electric and fuel cell cars have been addressed.


'Top Gear' season premiere falls short of expectations

                LONDON: The season premiere of "Top Gear" hosted by Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc among others experienced a dip in viewership at 4.3 million viewers in Britain.

According to ratings by overnight.tv, the 23rd season of the series which premiered Sunday in Britain drew a slightly smaller audience compared to the first episode of the previous season which averaged 4.7 million overnight viewers, points out The Hollywood Reporter.

The show's peak audience, meanwhile, was recorded with the final episode helmed by former hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May last June, which drew 5.3 million viewers in overnight ratings, and a 5.8 million peak audience.


Subang Jaya's new traffic dispersal system causes congestion on Kesas

                PETALING JAYA: Motorists on Persiaran Kewajipan in Subang Jaya were unprepared for the traffic congestion that occurred there after the second phase road closure at the interchange to Shah Alam Expressway (Kesas).

There was a massive jam where some motorists were stuck for two hours on the short stretch to get to the Kewajipan interchange.

They braved the long crawl only to find the right turning into Kesas heading towards Klang was closed off, resulting in them having to proceed further to the next traffic lights to make an illegal U-turn.

In Subang Jaya Municipal Council’s (MPSJ) proposed plan, those heading towards Klang from Subang Jaya were advised to turn left into Kesas (KL-bound) and make a U-turn just before the Sunway toll.

Kota Kemuning resident Ong Jian Jie said at midnight on Aug 18, traffic was crawling from the Kewajipan roundabout all the way to the interchange junction.

“It is very dangerous for road users coming from the Persiaran Kewajipan interchange to move right from the extreme left to make a U-turn in front of the Sunway toll,” said Ong.

 The new traffic dispersal plan along Persiaran Kewajipan stops cars from USJ turning into Kesas (KL bound) for the first phase and from Subang Jaya into Kesas (Klang bound) for the second phase.

MPSJ’s Facebook page was also flooded with comments from angry motorists calling for a cancellation of the traffic dispersal plan.

Tan Yeng Yap said people needed to get used to the new traffic dispersal plan.

“Traffic is smooth during non-peak hours so maybe we should give it some time before deciding if it works,” he said.

USJ 6 resident Juan Lee said he used Persiaran Kewajipan every morning and that the congestion was a short-term inconvenience.

“Motorists coming from Subang are not aware that they can’t turn right into Kesas, so they have to make a U-turn at Da Men Mall (in USJ 1),” he said.

Kesas operations and engineering division deputy general manager Mazlan Muridan said many motorists were still unaware of the change in traffic flow.

He said they usually needed at least two weeks to educate drivers on new traffic management plans.

Mazlan said they were monitoring the issue 24 hours a day and working together with MPSJ, the police and Subang Jaya assemblyman Michelle Ng's office to identify problems and possible action plans.

Ng said the congestion on Aug 18 was not only because of the closure as there were other contributing factors which resulted in the unusual traffic jam, including the Seri Setia by-election nominaton day.

“It will take at least two weeks to a month for motorists to learn the new route. Congestion at the beginning is expected,” she added.

Ng said they also received positive feedback from road users.

“The system will be a constant work in progress. The authorities are working round the clock and we hope road users can cooperate with us and be patient,” she added.


India may slash import tax on EVs after Tesla lobbying, say sources

                NEW DELHI: India is considering slashing import duties on electric cars to as low as 40%, two senior government officials told Reuters, days after Tesla Inc's appeals for a cut polarised the country's auto industry.

For imported electric vehicles (EVs) with a value of less than US$40,000 - including the car's cost, insurance and freight - the government is discussing slashing the tax rate to 40% from 60% presently, the officials told Reuters.

For EVs valued at more than US$40,000, it is looking at cutting the rate to 60% from 100%, they said.

"We haven't firmed up the reduction in duties yet, but there are discussions that are ongoing," one of the officials said.

India is the world's fifth-largest car market with annual sales of about 3 million vehicles but the majority of cars sold are priced below US$20,000. EVs make up a fraction of the total and luxury EV sales are negligible, according to industry estimates.

Tesla, in its pitch to the government - first reported by Reuters in July, argued that lowering import duties on EVs to 40% would make them more affordable and boost sales. This triggered a rare public debate among automakers over whether such a move would contradict India's push to increase domestic manufacturing.

Even so, the government is in favour of a cut if it can see companies such as Tesla providing some benefit to the domestic economy - manufacture locally, for example, or give a firm timeline on when it would be able to, one of the officials said.

"Reducing import duties is not a problem as not many EVs are imported in the country. But we need some economic gain out of that. We also have to balance the concerns of the domestic players," the official said.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter last month that a local factory in India was "quite likely" if the company was successful with vehicle imports but taxes on them are high.

The second official said that since the duty cut is being considered only for EVs and not other categories of imported cars, it should not be a concern for domestic automakers - that mainly make affordable gasoline-powered cars.

India's finance and commerce ministries, as well as its federal think tank Niti Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are discussing the proposal and all stakeholders will be consulted, the person added.

Both sources did not want to be identified as the discussions are still private.

India's commerce and finance ministries as well as Niti Aayog did not immediately provide comment.

Automakers including Daimler's Mercedes-Benz and Audi have for years lobbied for lower import duties on luxury cars but faced strong resistance mainly from domestic companies. As a result, India's luxury car market has remained small with average sales of around 35,000 vehicles a year.

Tesla's cars would fall into the high-end EV category, which are mainly imported into India and account for a much smaller percentage of sales. Mercedes, Jaguar Land Rover and Audi sell imported luxury EVs in the country.

This time Tesla's demands have found support from Mercedes as well as South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor, which has around an 18% share of India's car market.

Opposing the proposed cut are Tata Motors, which produces affordable electric cars in the country, and Softbank Group-backed Ola, which is making electric scooters in India.

A third source familiar with the government's thinking said there was awareness that a brand such as Tesla can make electric cars more penetrable in India, which is lagging other major auto markets in EV sales.

The government is thinking about the best way to approach this and they want to see some benefit even if that only means Tesla pledges to source parts domestically, the person said.


Hispano Suiza to auction 12 Carmen electric hypercars as NFTs in world first

                BARCELONA: Hispano Suiza says it would create 12 units of the electric hypercar Carmen, which will be auctioned as Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs) through the Trillion Collection platform on June 24.

The move is believed to be a first by any automaker.

NFTs are unique and indivisible digital tokens, which serve as virtual property and authenticity for a digital good.

The NFT market has grown exponentially in recent times, especially in the art and collecting sector, attracting the attention of Hispano Suiza, whose models are considered high performance pieces of art on wheels.

The Spanish car maker has partnered with Trillion Distributed Ledger Technologies and its NFT arm Trillion Collection for the development of an unprecedented use case in the industry.

Together with Trillion Collection, Hispano Suiza will create an NFT Collection by Hispano Suiza, a collection of 12 customisable designs of its Carmen model.

The Carmen delivers more than 1,000hp and accelerates from 0 to 100 kph in just 2.6 seconds. The 12 aesthetic settings will be preset, but the final design and specs can be adapted to the tastes of their new owners.

Hispano Suiza CEO Sergio Martinez Campos said “Hispano Suiza has always been a brand ahead of its time, and always at the forefront of the latest technology."

The Hispano Suiza NFTs would be dropped through the platform https://trillioncollection.com/ and a dedicated event on the Clubhouse App, an audio chat social network on June 24.

Hispano Suiza said the virtual event would be moderated by established investors, technology entrepreneurs and sustainability leaders.


VW investors split on whether Porsche IPO should go ahead, says poll

                BERLIN: Volkswagen investors polled by Bernstein Research were split on whether an IPO of sportscar brand Porsche should go ahead after Friday's announcement of a leadership change at the helm of Europe's top carmaker, results showed today.

In the poll of 58 investors conducted Sunday to Monday, 42% were in favour of a listing of Porsche AG and 41% against.

Nearly three quarters of investors polled viewed soon-to-be chief executive Oliver Blume's dual role leading the Group and Porsche as negative for the prospects of the listing, echoing comments by multiple investors to Reuters on Monday who highlighted that the IPO was pegged as a means to secure more independence and freedom for the sportscar brand.

Volkswagen's supervisory board voted on Friday to oust chief executive Herbert Diess, to be replaced by Porsche chief Oliver Blume from Sept 1, after a tumultuous tenure marked by the carmaker's transition to electrification and multiple clashes between Diess and the works council and board.

Some 63% of investors polled by Bernstein voiced concerns that Diess' surprise departure would weigh on stock performance, while 22% thought it could improve it.


Ferrari Roma launched from RM968K

                KUALA LUMPUR: Naza Italia, the official importer and distributor of the Ferrari in Malaysia, has officially launched the Roma (Type F169) that's touted by the company to represent a contemporary reinterpretation of a carefree lifestyle in mid-twentieth century Rome.

This high-powered Italian 2+2 grand tourer comes priced before duties, customisation options, taxes and insurance at RM968,000 and is accompanied by a seven-year maintenance programme which covers all regular maintenance intervals of 20,000km or once a year with no mileage restrictions.

The 1,570kg (kerb) Roma has a wheelbase of 2,670mm while measuring in at 4,656mm-long, 1,974mm-wide and 1,301mm-tall.

Power comes from a 3.9-litre (3,855cc) front mid-mounted (behind the front axle) turbocharged 90-degree V8 engine with a flat-plane crankshaft and a 9.45:1 compression ratio for the oversquare cylinders that have an 86.5mm bore and an 82mm stroke.

The engine drinks from a large 80-litre fuel tank (filled with only RON98 petrol or higher) to produce 620PS from 5,750 to 7,500rpm (red-line) and 760Nm of torque from 3,000 to 5,750rpm which is then managed by an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) that's been trimmed down to weigh 6kg lighter than its seven-speed DCT predecessor.

Ferrari says that the engine exhaust note and flow have been optimised to a point where they've dropped two rear silencers, given it a new geometry for the by-pass valves and made it oval in shape to relive back-pressure in the pipes that would rob the engine of power.

This allows the Roma to launch from 0 to 100kph in 3.4 seconds and reach 200kph in 9.3 seconds before reaching a top speed that's in excess of 320kph while rolling on 20-inch forged wheels wrapped by 245/35 (front) and 285/35 (rear) Pirelli P Zero tyres.

The partially obscured brakes use 390mm (front) and 360mm (rear) cross-drilled carbon-ceramic discs that get abused by the front six-piston and rear four-piston Brembo "Ferrari" callipers.

To further help it stick to the road, the Roma gets fitted with the Italian sports car builder's latest evolution of its Side Slip Control 6.0 system which incorporates an algorithm that's touted to deliver a precise estimate of side slip to the beefed-up Electronics Control Unit.

To do this, data is collected from the electronic differential, F1- Trac traction control system, SCM-E Frs magnetorheological suspension dampers and the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer which regulates the braking pressure of the callipers to help it feel even more effortless, intuitive and predictable when powering out of corners.

Further managing power delivery, the Roma gets gifted with five driving modes of Wet, Comfort, Sport, Race and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Off.

Being a Gran Tourer, there has to be the element of convenience which is why it also comes with a 275-litre boot (expandable to 345 litres) as well as Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) that include adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning with traffic sign recognition, blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert and a 360-degree camera view.

Not to mention, the Roma can also be fitted with optional automatic LED headlights with anti-dazzle high-beam function to prevent blinding on-coming motorists. Likewise, the low-beam's light intensity can be automatically varied when the vehicle detects road signs so as not to dazzle the driver itself.

When travelling at high speeds, the Roma will make use of its integrated rear spoiler that can be deployed in three stages of Low Drag (LD), Medium Downforce (MD) or High Downforce with the latter creating a 135-degree angle to the rear screen and generating up to a maximum of 95kg of downforce while only increasing drag by 4%.

In MD mode, the spoiler only generates 30% of maximum downforce with a less-than 1% impact on aerodynamic efficiency and while puttering about at speeds less than the 100kph the spoiler remains in LD mode. Hitting speeds above 300kph and the spoiler automatically reverts to MD mode for maximum stability and aerodynamic efficiency.

However, the system is intelligent enough to recognise that should the Roma get thrown around corners, the spoiler will automatically be raised to HD mode to ensure the car's 50:50 weight balance can be fully exploited.

Inside, the cockpit is nothing short of being driver-centric with the use of the Prancing Horse brand's, Dual Cockpit concept which separates the driver and front passenger which being upholstered in a combination of full-grain Frau leather and Alcantara before getting accented by chromed aluminium as well as carbon fibre.

Furthermore, high-tech elements have been incorporated into the cockpit which sees it getting fitted with a completely redesigned Human-Machine Interface (HMI) philosophy that wants to keep "Eyes on the road and hands on the wheel".

In doing so, a fully-digital and full-colour 16.0-inch curved instrument cluster display now stares back at the driver which can be personalised to include information such as navigation, audio and large circular rev-counter to name a few.

The steering wheel for the Roma is also new which introduces a series of multi-touch controls that allow the driver to keep their hands from wandering too far away and includes controls such as the five-position manettino, headlight controls, wipers, voice control, cruise control and signal indicators as well as an integrated haptic touchpad control on the right-hand spoke.

An 8.4-inch high-definition central display resides on the centre console to divide the driver and front passenger which acts at the infotainment system, satellite navigation and climate controls.

As an optional extra, the passenger can have their own personal 8.8-inch full-colour high-definition touchscreen which not only allows to display the vehicle's performance figures and status but also access to the audio, navigation and climate controls.

"The Ferrari Romas evokes a sense of nostalgia and this stunning coupe presents a timeless elegance and urban sophistication while also emerging as the pinnacle of performance in its category. We are delighted to introduce this graceful addition to the local market," said Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd group CEO (Automotive Group) Datuk Nik Hamdam Nik Hassan.

Those interested in the Roma can make an appointment with Ferrari Malaysia for a private viewing session from now until June 29.


Indonesia sets aside US$455mil to subsidise electric motorcycle sales

An employee working at the assembly line of an electric motorcycle at the United E-Motor factory in Bogor, near Jakarta, last August. — Reuters
JAKARTA: Indonesia will allocate 7 trillion rupiah (RM2bil/US$455mil) in state funds to subsidise electric motorcycle sales through 2024, officials said on Monday, as it pushes mass adoption of EVs with the aim of attracting investment in the domestic industry.

The government will also announce incentives for electric cars on April 1, said senior cabinet minister Luhut Pandjaitan said.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the subsidies will cover sales of 800,000 new electric motorcycles and the conversion of 200,000 combustion engine motorcycles.

"We are launching this programme so that massive adoption of battery electric vehicle can be achieved soon, and the Indonesian transportation industry can be transformed to a greener industry," Luhut said at a news conference.

Vehicles eligible for the subsidy have to meet minimum local content requirements, he said.

There were nearly 32,000 electric motorcycles on Indonesia's roads as of October last year, according to media reports citing data from the Association of the Indonesian Motorcycle Industry.

The government hopes that adding another 1 million by 2024 will help reduce fossil fuel consumption and develop EV production facilities to take advantage of the country's rich nickel reserves, an important material to produce batteries.


Mercedes-Benz and 360 Group work together to strengthen car IT security

                STUTTGART: Mercedes-Benz has teamed up with security researchers and white-hat hackers to strengthen and ensure trustful protection of its customer data and safety, information security.

Sky-Go Team and Mercedes-Benz researchers have been working together to fix 19 detected possible vulnerabilities within the Mercedes-Benz connected vehicle.

Sky-Go Team is a car security research team from 360 Group and part of 360 Cyber Security Brain.

"We hope to work with (more) car manufacturers to improve the security capabilities of connected cars, protect the interests of users and manufacturers from attacker," said Minrui Yan, Head of Security Research from Sky-Go Team.

To attract more security experts to help it improve its connected services, Mercedes-Benz plans to introduce a Bug Bounty programme like those offered by Facebook and Apple, which offer cash rewards that run into millions of dollars.


2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Class: Better than ever

                STUTTGART: The 2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Class gets new features such as LED headlamps, driving assistance systems, a high-quality interior with leather seats, and a new suspension.

The new suspension, the DYNAMIC SELECT driving modes, the "G-Mode" and the three 100-percent differential locks promise to enhance not only ride comfort but also agility – on any surface.

The new G-Class, the luxury off-road vehicle from Mercedes-Benz,  remains true to the character of the original.

The door hinges positioned on the outside and the surface-mounted bonnet are carried over to the new generation.

The new G-Class is 53 mm longer and 64 mm wider, and the revised dimensions of the now larger G-Class benefit all occupants.

The rear seats can be folded down to 60, 40 or 100 percent.

Features include the Memory function for the driver's seat, seat heating front and rear, as well as luxury head restraints in the front.

Ride comfort can be boosted with the Active Multicontour Seat package, which also offers various massage functions, climate-controlled seats, and fast seat heating, powered front seats.

The active multicontour seats include integrated air chambers that fill or empty continuously depending on the driving dynamics, thus providing better support for the seating positions of driver and front passenger and, for example, offering more lateral support during cornering.

The front seats of the Active Multicontour Seat Package are recommended by experts from the German spinal health organisation "Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V.".

As in the new E-Class and S-Class, an instrument cluster in the form of a large display showing virtual instruments in the driver's direct field of vision and a central display above the centre console is available as an option.

In this case, the two 12.3-inch displays blend visually into a Widescreen Cockpit beneath a shared glass cover.

Thanks to haptic impulses and audible feedback from the on-board speakers, drivers can use the touchpad with controller in the centre console without taking their eyes off the road.

The input options are rounded off by shortcut keys in front of the controller for frequently used operating tasks, and by the optional control panel for the driving assistance systems above the rotary light switch.

The new G-Class performs even better off-road, and remains a true G – thanks to its standard ladder-type frame, the three 100-percent differential locks and LOW RANGE off-road gear reduction.

The new suspension is an independent type with double-wishbone front axle in combination with a rigid rear axle.

With a ground clearance of 270 mm to the front axle gear, the G-Class provides plenty of potential for maximum assertiveness in off-road terrain.

The figures speak for themselves:

- Slope climbing ability of up to 100% on suitable surfaces
- Ground clearance between axles, plus 6 mm, now 24.1 cm
- Maximum fording depth now 70 cm when driving through water and mud, no less than an additional 10 cm
- Stable at tilt angles of 35°, plus 7°
- Angle of departure: 30°, angle of approach: 31°, plus 1°
- Break-over angle: 26°, plus 1°

DYNAMIC SELECT is now available with several driving modes for the G-Class.

At the touch of a button, the system modifies the characteristics of the engine, transmission, suspension, steering and assistance systems.

The driving modes "Comfort", "Sport", "Eco" and "Individual" can be set conveniently via the DYNAMIC SELECT rocker switch.

In "ECO" mode, a particularly fuel-optimised driving style is possible, for example.

In "Sport" mode, on the other hand, the shift points of the automatic transmission, the throttle response of the engine, and the parameters of the electric steering system and the exhaust flap are changed.

"Individual" allows drivers to configure their own preferred vehicle settings.

For improved off-road handling characteristics, the new "G-Mode" is activated independently of the chosen driving mode as soon as one of the three differential locks has been activated or the LOW RANGE off-road reduction gear has been engaged.

This off-road mode adapts the adjustable damping of the chassis and the steering as well as the accelerator characteristic, and avoids unnecessary gear shifts.

A small "G" icon discreetly lights up in the instrument cluster.

The new G-Class has shed around 170kg thanks to a new mix of materials comprising strong, high-strength, ultra-high-strength steels and aluminium, as well as improved production processes at the Magna Steyr plant in Austria.

The rigid bodyshell is now made of a variety of steel grades, while the wings, bonnet and doors are made of aluminium.

As standard the G-Class is now fitted with electromechanical rack-and-pinion steering, which now allows driving assistance systems such as Parking Assist to be implemented.

In addition, the electromechanical steering uses less energy than a hydraulically assisted steering system.

In the new G 500, a high-performance 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine ensures powerful propulsion.

The new biturbo produces 310 kW (422 hp) and a maximum torque of 610Nm at 2,000 to 4,750 rpm.

For the transfer of power, the 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission with torque converter was specifically adapted to meet the needs of the off-road icon.

The shift and response times of the 9-speed transmission were reduced via a dedicated software application.

The wide transmission ratio not only makes driving quieter and more comfortable especially at low engine speeds, it simultaneously also contributes to reducing fuel consumption.


Brabham returns with 700hp supercar

 David Brabham.

LONDON: Australian racing driver David Brabham has relaunched the brand founded by his father Jack in 1948 with a first show-stopping supercar called the BT62, set to sell for £1 million (RM5.3mil), excluding taxes.

Unveiled here, this car has the same legendary "BT" initials — for Jack Brabham and his faithful engineer Ron Tauranac — used to name all of the brand's previous models. The BT62 debuts in green and gold livery, paying homage to the colours of the single-seater race car driven by Jack Brabham at the French Grand Prix in 1966 — his first Formula One victory in one of his own cars.

This new supercar weighs in at 972kg and has a 5.4-litre 700hp V8 engine. As yet, the carmaker has given no indication of performance for the BT62, but this car will no doubt be able to hold its own on the track. In fact, it could soon be adapted for motor racing, competing in endurance races or even the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Production is limited to 70 models and the first 35 models will pay homage to the brand's 35 Formula One victories. Shipments aren't expected before the end of 2018.

Sir Jack Brabham, who died in 2014, is the only driver to win the Formula One world championship in a car of his own construction (in 1966). The race team and the Brabham brand disappeared from the automotive scene in 1992, before being revived by Jack's son David Brabham, himself a former F1 driver. David Brabham aims to honour his father's sporting heritage with this model and others to come.


2019 Nissan LEAF coming to Malaysia: What you need to know

                KUALA LUMPUR: The 2019 Nissan LEAF is expected to be launched in Malaysia soon.

Local Nissan distributor Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd (ETCM) claims the new LEAF with its new 40kWh lithium-ion battery, can travel an average 311km on a full-charge based on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) test mode.

South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia and Singapore have already launched the electric car.

The LEAF is a five-seater hatchback that offers 435 litres (seats up) and 1,176 litres (seats folded) of boot capacity.

Sales of the new LEAF have surpassed 400,000 units worldwide.

In the run-up to the Malaysian launch of the new LEAF, ETCM is stoking the buzz by highlighting the benefits of being a LEAF owner.

Charging the LEAF

There are three charging options for EVs; the Standard Outlet Charging that requires more than 13 hours charging time, Wall Box Charger that is faster than the standard socket charging, and the CHAdeMO Quick Chargers.

The LEAF comes with a 6.6kW Wall Box Charger that takes approximately 7 hours to fully charge the vehicle. This is the best option for EV owners as they can easily plug-in and charge overnight when they return home. About 80-90% of LEAF owners prefer overnight charging.

For a faster charging mode, 50kW quick charger CHAdeMO is able to fully charge up the LEAF within 60 minutes. It is often provided in easily accessible areas such as office centres and highway rest stops. CHAdeMO quick charges are available free-of-charge at ABB in Subang, Nichicon in Bangi and Ayer Keroh Rest Area (southbound).

Additionally, electric vehicle chargers are weatherproof and are specifically designed to protect both the vehicle and humans from electrical shock, which also means that charging the LEAF  can be safely performed even in the rain.

LEAF driving experience

So how does it feel to drive an EV?

The LEAF generates maximum power of 150PS and instant torque of 320Nm (compare this to a normal 2.0L vehicle that produces 150PS and 200Nm).

As such, the LEAF can hit 0-100kph in 7.9 seconds and a top speed in excess of 150kph.

Additionally, the LEAF ’s battery pack are placed in the centre of the body for a lower centre of gravity that allows better road-hugging handling and stability at greater cornering speeds.

For a more exciting and sporty driving experience on winding roads, the LEAF  also has the world’s first e-Pedal technology, allowing drivers to intuitively accelerate, slow down and stop using one pedal driving.

The e-Pedal helps reduce the need to move from one pedal to the other, making driving simpler and more engaging.

The LEAF  is significantly quieter compared to conventional vehicles providing driver and passengers the experience of gliding around in virtual silence, making rides more enjoyable.

The LEAF has zero-tailpipe emissions and inspires drivers to consider the potential benefits EVs can bring to our roads, especially in reducing air and noise pollution.

As for safety, the new LEAF has:

 6 SRS Airbags
 Intelligent Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
 Intelligent Forward Emergency Braking (FEB)
 Intelligent Around View Monitor (I-AVM) with Moving Object Detection (I-MOD)
 Intelligent Driver Alertness (I-DA)
 Intelligent Ride Control
 Intelligent Trace Control
 Hill Start Assist
 Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Brake Assist (BA)
 Vehicle Dynamic Control
 Electronic Braking Distribution

Owning the LEAF : Maintenance costs

With fewer moving parts in an EV, owners can save on maintenance costs as well as fuel.

Most drivers in South-East Asia travel less than 80km a day, and by driving the LEAF  with a 40kWh battery, it costs Malaysians only RM 20.647 to fully charge it and the cost per kilometre is low at RM0.078.

Maintenance and service costs are also considerably lower for EVs as the LEAF only requires service maintenance every 20,000km.


Geely's Volvo sees new models taking edge off China slowdown

                GOTHENBURG: Geely's Volvo Car Group expects the Chinese roll-out of its new XC90 and, next year, the S90, to drive sales through a slowdown in demand in the world's biggest auto market, its top executive said.

Chief executive Hakan Samuelsson said Volvo would not join in any price war to prop up volumes as the company tries to make inroads into a high-end car market dominated by German rivals, although some analysts said he may be tempted to cut prices.

Samuelsson said Volvo's second model on its new platform, the S90 sedan, which targets a bigger segment of the Chinese market than the XC90 sports utility vehicle, would be launched at the Detroit auto show early 2016.

Car sales in China have tumbled in recent months, hit by a slowing economy and slumping equities, highlighting the need among automakers of a fresh model line-up to remain winners in a market unaccustomed to decline.

Samuelsson said sales in China would grow in line with a market he expected to be flat or grow only a couple of percent this year. But he said the Swedish carmaker would not participate in increasingly aggressive price competition.

"There is a lot of capacity and there will be a lot of people who are tempted to use that capacity and keep their volumes growing," said Samuelsson, who also said he had extended his contract as CEO by three years.

"We don't want to take market share just using the price as a weapon ... That will of course also influence exactly what growth rate we will see."

Chinese sales of Volvos fell 4.1 percent in the year through August. But the XC90 has only now begun reaching dealers there, leaving the carmaker anticipating a boost in its biggest market.

"I think you will still see them grow volumes there significantly, but just at a lower price point," Exane-BNP Paribas analyst Stuart Pearson said. "There are still healthy margins on offer in China, especially relative to what Volvo has been making."

Volvo expects its global sales to hit a fresh record of close to 500,000 cars this year and reach 800,000 in 2020 in a premium market dominated by Daimler's, Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

But Volvo needs to balance growing sales with boosting profitability. Its operating margin in the first half of 2015 was 2.2 percent versus roughly four times that at its chief German competitors.

"If one lays claim to being a premium manufacturer, they need to boost that profit margin. Look at BMW, that in the 1980s was roughly the size of Volvo but which has expanded hugely since then," said Patrik Strom, associate professor at the University of Gothenburg.

Samuelsson said he expected profitability at Volvo, bought by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co from Ford Motor Co. in 2010, to reach the level of its German rivals in the medium term as up to nine new higher-margin models, of which XC90 was the first, are launched by 2020.


February 2023 vehicle sales up 39% to 62,649 units

                KUALA LUMPUR: Vehicle sales in Malaysia jumped 39 per cent to 62,649 units in February this year against 45,062 units during the same month last year due to delivery of backlog orders, according to the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA).

In a statement today, the association said the total industry volume for February 2023 was 27 per cent higher than January 2023’s 49,479 units.

Year-to-date February sales volume was higher at 112,128 units versus 86,595 units during the corresponding period in 2022.

Sales of passenger vehicles rose to 55,555 units in February 2023 versus 40,119 units in February 2022, and sales of commercial vehicles increased to 7,094 units during the month under review from 4,943 units previously, MAA said.

A total of 63,798 vehicles were produced in Feburary 2023 compared to 51,291 units in the same month last year. Passenger vehicles production stood at 59,843 units versus 47,445 units a year ago. Commercial vehicle production amounted to 3,955 units versus 3,846 units previously.

On the outlook for March 2023, MAA expects the sales volume to be higher than February 2023, driven by a delivery rush by companies with their financial year ending on March 31, 2023, Hari Raya festive season promotional campaigns and fulfilment of bookings made during the sales exemption period.


Thai car production should bounce back after 2014 slump, says FTI

                BANGKOK: Thai car production should bounce back this year, rising an estimated 17 percent after a 23.5 percent drop in 2014 as the economy improves after a coup in May ended political unrest, the Federation of Thai Industries said.

Production is expected at 2.2 million vehicles this year, up from about 1.88 million in 2014, Surapong Paisitpattanapong, spokesman of the Federation of Thai Industries' (FTI) Auto Industry Club, said.

Thailand is a regional vehicle production and export base for the world's top carmakers.

Surapong said overall domestic car sales might be around 950,000 to 1 million this year, up from about 882,000 last year.

Projections will be reviewed next month, he added.

On Wednesday, Toyota Motor Corp's Thai unit predicted overall sales in Thailand's auto industry would rise only 4.3 percent this year.

The military government is trying to revive the economy.

Although the coup returned some stability, domestic consumption is still subdued, curbed by record-high household debt levels and shaky consumer confidence.

The central bank expects 2015 economic growth of 4 percent after 0.8 percent growth projected for 2014, the weakest since devastating flooding in 2011.

Domestic auto sales tumbled 21.4 percent in December from a year earlier and were down 33.7 percent for the whole of 2014, hit by the slowing domestic economy and delays in government investment, the FTI said in a statement.

Auto sales have declined since May 2013 on a yearly basis, following the fading effect of a government first-car subsidy scheme, which ended in 2012, when sales surged 81 percent.

In comparison, Malaysia's car industry recorded total sales of 666,465 units for 2014, with the  Malaysian Automotive Association forecasting the 2015 sales at 680,000 units. The 2014 sales was an all-time high, surpassing 2013's 655,793 units.


Mitsubishi records historical high sales

                KUALA LUMPUR: Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM), the official distributor of Mitsubishi Motors vehicles in Malaysia, recorded a historical high sales performance of 4,156 units for the fourth quarter of the financial year ended March 31, 2021, a 135 per cent jump from the same period last year.

In a statement today, it said during the same period, Mitsubishi Motors was also the top three non-national brand for three consecutive months.

It said for FY20, the company posted a 51 per cent increased in sales with 11,554 vehicles sold compared to the previous financial year.

"The sales achievement is attributed by the strong reception of the new Mitsubishi Xpander, which have received more than 9,300 bookings since its launch in November 2020,” it said.

It said the company has since delivered 2,742 units to new owners.

MMM said the company’s volume seller, Mitsubishi Triton, was also exceptionally well received by Malaysians and recorded an incremental sales performance of 32 per cent with 7,568 units sold in FY20 as compared to FY19.

Chief executive officer Tomoyuki Shinnishi said the company closed FY20 on a high with the main drivers for volume growth - the Triton pick-up truck and the new Xpander seven-seater crossover, despite the challenging market situation He said due to the overwhelmingly positive response for the new Xpander, the company is progressing to increase production volume to cater for higher production capacity to fulfil all booking demands.

"Back by our committed dealers, we have expanded our sales outlets to Temerloh, Kuala Selangor and Petaling Jaya last financial year and more than 60 per cent of our dealers have upgraded their outlets for a better customer experience,” he said.

He said for FY21, MMM would continue to expand its dealer network to better serve customers.

"In return for this strong support, we prioritise all our customers’ needs by introducing a seamless digitalisation sale and after-sales experience with the introduction of Test Drive 2U, Mitsubishi Connect mobile application as well as the newly launched Mitsubishi Online Showroom,” he added.


Lamborghini embracing hybrid technology

Domenicali, seen here with the Urus, is embracing hybrid technology.
BOLOGNA: Lamborghini plans to roll out hybrid technology across its range of models, according to CEO Stefano Domenicali, quoted on the British website, Auto Express.

With a plug-in hybrid version of the Urus, the brand's first SUV, already on the cards for 2019, Lamborghini's other models are now set to follow suit. "The next step is that not only the Urus but Aventador and Huracan will be hybrid, that's for sure. Then we need to see how the solution will evolve," said Stefano Domenicali.

In fact, the Aventador replacement is in line for a V12 hybrid engine, while the next Huracan could get a V10 hybrid. The Urus currently comes with a 650hp twin-turbo V8 engine.

Note that an additional model is also apparently under consideration, and could see the light of day by 2020. However, no all-electric vehicle is scheduled to roll off the Lamborghini production line in the immediate future.