Workshops see slowdown as car owners are travelling less

                BUKIT MERTAJAM: It’s life in the slow lane these days for mechanics.

Their business has not seen any pick up as most of their customers are either working from home or facing a limited budget to keep up with their maintenance schedule.

Furthermore, motorists are not using their cars as much due to travel restrictions.

“My workshop has been quiet for the past few days, ” said mechanic Teh Wei Ping, 42.

“Some car parts are taking longer to break down due to owners hardly using their cars, ’’ he said, adding that business has dropped by about half compared to last year.

With more Malaysians working from home in the age of Covid-19 and cutting down on travel, he said that motorists were stretching the schedule to service their car.

“Those who come in for monthly service are now doing so every two or three months, ” he said.

For example, it is no longer the case of people getting an ordinary engine oil change every 5,000km.

However, Teh noted that the number of car owners who contacted him for battery-related problems increased during this period.

“There are multiple cars at some houses and not all of them were driven during the movement control order period, so the batteries had to be replaced or recharged.

“But the profit for this is very low. So, it is difficult for us to make ends meet, ” he said.

In Butterworth, tyre shop owner Yong Hee Chern, 33, found that some people were driving around with worn-out tyres as they cannot afford to replace them.

Although an ordinary set of car tyres can last from 40,000 to 50,000km, Yong said they should be replaced within three years regardless of the mileage.

“When tyre tread gets worn out, the tyres lose traction during braking and won’t grip the road well, especially when it rains.

“But because many people are not travelling long distances for holidays or festivals, they feel it is not necessary to get new tyres.”

Car tyres, he said, come with the date of manufacture and he could not hold the stock for too long or the tyres would lose value.

Yong said the profit from other services such as wheel balancing and alignment adjustments had also dropped.

“When the MCO was enforced in March, we were closed for two months.

“After reopening, we tried to clear existing stock and business slowly recovered, ” he said.

For now, his regular customers were mostly on a shoestring budget.


GM tells Bolt EV owners to park away from vehicles in decks

                WASHINGTON: General Motors Co on Wednesday recommended that Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle owners parking in decks do so on the top floor or on an open level, at least 15 metres away from other vehicles, citing potential fire risks.

The precaution would "reduce potential damage to structures and nearby vehicles in the rare event of a potential fire," a company spokesman said in an email.

GM sent a notice to consumers who had asked about parking issues, he added.

GM had previously asked owners to park Bolt vehicles outdoors, away from structures, and to not charge them overnight.

 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV

GM also urged owners to not leave Bolt EVs charging unattended, even if using a charging station in a parking deck. Bloomberg News reported the recommendation earlier.

GM in August widened its Bolt recall to more than 140,000 vehicles to replace battery modules, at a cost now estimated at US$1.8 billion after reports of 10 fires. The automaker said it would seek reimbursement from GM battery supplier LG.

Last week, the largest US automaker said it would extend a shutdown of a Michigan assembly plant by two weeks in the aftermath of the Bolt battery issue recall.

GM said the extension of the production halt at its Orion Assembly plant that will go through at least Sept. 24 was "a result of a battery pack shortage" related to the recall.

GM will not resume Bolt production or sales until it is satisfied that the recall remedy will address the fire risk issue, it added.


Mercedes-Maybach Pullman headed for Geneva

                STUTTGART: It's the 50th anniversary of the highly acclaimed Pullman variant Mercedes-Benz debuted in 1965 and to mark its return, it will debut as a Mercedes-Maybach Pullman S600 in Geneva.

It was announced in 2011 that Maybach would cease to be a brand by 2013 due to poor sales with only 3,000 units sold since Daimler revived the brand in 2002.

However, the brand is back as of last year and is Mercedes-Benz's ultra-luxury range that uses the S600 as its platform and the price for a non-armoured version starts at roughly 500,000 Euros (RM2.2mil) before climbing upwards thanks to a vast range of individualization options.

With a wheelbase of 4,418mm, the range-topping Mercedes-Maybach Pullman S600 stands 6,499mm-long (1,053mm longer than the standard Mercedes-Maybach S-Class) and 1,598mm-tall (100mm taller than a standard S-Class).

The latest Pullman is uses a 5,980cc twin-turbo V12 engine with 519bhp and 830Nm of torque from 1,900rpm.

The 6.5m stretched Pullman will stand above the current Mercedes-Maybach S600 with more than ample legroom.

And much like past Pullmans, a total of four occupants can be seated facing each other in a compartment with an electrically operated partition window or the owner may opt to just have two seats.

The leather-clad seats (and interior) can have special adjustment kinematics that allow the backrest to be adjusted separately while the footwell and seat reference point remain unchanged.

The cushion can be adjusted separately, with inclination and horizontal adjustment combined.

For the executive seats, the maximum backrest angle is 43.5 degrees and the most upright backrest position is 19 degrees.

The reclining seats also feature calf support, which is freely adjustable for length and angle, while the head restraints come with an extra cushion as standard.

Further improvements include larger rear doors and the position of the passengers on the executive seats, which is even further to the rear.

As standard touches of Maybach, there are three analogue instruments in the roof liner that inform rear-seated passengers of the outside temperature, speed and time.

The glass partition wall can be lowered electrically and can change from transparent to opaque at the touch of a button for added privacy and comes in standard-fit 16:9 format with an 18.5-inch monitor.

Two sound systems are available for choice – both from Burmester with the standard system being trumped by the high-end 3D Surround Sound System.

It is currently undecided if this model will be available in the US.

Over the decades, governments, rulers and royal families from around the world have preferred to be ferried by a Mercedes-Benz Pullman that would be considered befitting of their status.

The name Pullman was originally applied to railway carriages with luxurious open-plan compartments manufactured by the American Pullman Palace Car Company.

This name was soon also applied to the motorcars from Mercedes-Benz, which were based on an extremely long wheelbase and offered a very generously sized passenger compartment.


France prepares €100 a month electric-car leasing plan

                PARIS: France is readying a plan to subsidise electric-car leasing as part of President Emmanuel Macron’s campaign pledge to make them more affordable.

The scheme will make EVs available for €100 (RM448) a month, Budget Minister Gabriel Attal said Sunday on LCI television, noting that the cost is less than what many people spend on gasoline.

The government is working on how quickly the measure can be rolled out and the availability of EVs, he said.

Macron promised a state-sponsored leasing program for low-income households to counter criticism that even with subsidies, EVs are still out of reach for many.

The French government offers subsidies of as much as €6,000 (around RM27,000) for the purchase of EVs costing less than €47,000 (RM211,000), with possible additional aid under a cash-for-clunkers program for old combustion-engine vehicles.

EVs represented 12% of new car sales in France in the first seven months of 2022.

"We know that for many French they remain very expensive,” Attal said Sunday.

The leasing measure stands to benefit European carmakers rolling out new electric models including Renault SA, Volkswagen AG and Peugeot and Citroen-maker Stellantis NV.


Lexus UX Partners with John Elliott for bespoke tyres

                NEW YORK: To celebrate the launch of the first-ever 2019 UX, a luxury compact crossover, Lexus partnered with streetwear designer John Elliott to create the “Sole of the UX” — custom tyres inspired by his John Elliott x Nike AF1 shoe.

The UX was designed as a “modern urban explorer”, aimed at those seeking a fresh, contemporary and dynamic take on luxury driving.

The tires reimagine the classic silhouette of Elliott’s sneaker, embodying the spirit of clean, purposeful, and modern design.

Revealed at Elliott’s New York Fashion Week after-party on February 9, 2019, the collaboration features an all-white UX with custom tyre details inspired by Elliott’s design, including white on white layers, double-stitched leather and a stepped metal air valve evocative of his stacked metal lace tip.

“The first-ever Lexus UX was engineered and designed for the city,” said Lisa Materazzo, Lexus vice president of marketing. “We wanted to push that concept even further by creating the ultimate homage to urban style: tires inspired by classic, street-style sneakers.”

“We were excited to merge the streetwear narrative and design cues of our Air Force 1 with a brand like Lexus," said John Elliott.


VW dishes up fitness tips in this video

                PETALING JAYA: Volkswagen wants you to stay fit and has taken the liberty of making this short clip showing a young woman driving a Golf and pulling over to do some exercises.

The clip which was posted on the VW Youtube channel two weeks ago has so far received over 8,800 views. Not a big number for a global brand like VW but it nonetheless offers some useful exercise tips to help the practitioner live healthy a bit longer. Of course, what you eat and your state of mind are other important factors to consider. We won't go into that.

The clip was viewed with mixed reception, with some people praising VW's gesture while the cynics saw it as just another opportunity at product placement.

Well, watch the video and judge for yourself.


Land Rover Discovery Sport pulls train that is 60 times its weight - VIDEO

                ZURICH: Land Rover has served up another marketing stunt to highlight the towing prowess of its cars. This time, it's the Discovery Sport which impressed as it towed three luxury train carriages weighing more than 100 tonnes along a railway track in Switzerland. This is equivalent to the weight of a Boeing-757 airplane.

The 10km journey through the Rhine region of northern Switzerland put the compact Discovery Sport’s pulling power to the ultimate test. Though the Discovery Sport has a certified maximum towing weight of 2,500kg (2.5 tonnes), it was able to pull 60 times its own weight, powered by Jaguar Land Rover’s 178hp Ingenium diesel engine providing 430Nm of torque. In addition, the Discovery Sport benefited from Land Rover’s portfolio of towing and traction technologies such as Terrain Response, Tow Assist, Tow Hitch Assist and All Terrain Progress Control – a semi-autonomous off-road driving system that automatically manages engine output and braking, to complete the tow.

The vehicle’s drivetrain remained unchanged; the only modification being the fitment of rail wheels by specialists Aquarius Railroad Technologies, to act as "stabilisers". Discovery Sport completed the impressive pull without the aid of a low-range gearbox, instead using its state-of-the-art nine-speed automatic gearbox and Terrain Response technology to generate the necessary traction. Land Rover’s All Terrain Progress Control (ATPC) system was also engaged at the press of a button during the tow, to maximise traction at a set speed. Acting much like a ‘low-speed cruise control’, ATPC allows the driver to focus on the road – or in this case the railway – ahead.

Karl Richards, Lead Engineer for Stability Control Systems at Jaguar Land Rover, said: “Towing is in Land Rover’s DNA, and despite Discovery Sport being the smallest model in the range, it has proved its exceptional towing capabilities.

“Over the years, we have introduced game-changing towing technologies to take the stress out of towing for our customers. I’ve spent most of my career travelling to the most punishing parts of the world to test Land Rovers in gruelling conditions, yet this is the most extreme towing test I’ve ever done.”

The train-pulling feat was undertaken on 10km of track at the Museumsbahn Stein am Rhein in Switzerland, crossing the River Rhine on the dramatic Hemishofen bridge – a historic steel span measuring 935 feet long and soaring 85 feet above the valley floor.

Land Rover has a history of rail conversions, from the days of the Series II and IIA Land Rover to the various Defender models that have been modified to run on rails for maintenance, and the notable launch of Discovery I in 1989. The latter saw a converted Discovery towing a series of carriages in Plymouth to demonstrate the capability of the new 200Tdi diesel engine.

British road-to-rail 4x4 conversion specialists Aquarius Railroad Technologies fitted the rail wheels to the otherwise standard Discovery Sport. Managing director James Platt, said: “For a vehicle of this size to pull a combined weight of more than 100 tonnes demonstrates real engineering integrity. No modifications were necessary to the drivetrain whatsoever and in tests the Discovery Sport generated more pull than our road-rail Defender, which is remarkable.”

The Discovery Sport is the first member of Land Rover’s new Discovery family and was awarded a Five Star Euro NCAP rating at launch. Since going on sale in December 2014, the Discovery Sport has retailed over 123,300 vehicles and was Land Rover’s best-seller for May retailing an impressive 10,075 vehicles. Discovery Sport UK pricing starts from £31,095 (RM180,000) on the road for the 2.0 Litre TD4 Diesel E-Capability (150hp) Manual.


Hyundai has tech to optimise light duty commercial EVs

                SEOUL: Hyundai Motor Group has revealed a system that estimates the gross vehicle weight of a light duty commercial electric vehicle and optimises performance accordingly.

The development of the system is a first-ever for the industry, utilizing acceleration sensors to optimize the vehicle’s settings based on current gross weight estimate. This technology is being considered by Hyundai Motor Group for use on future light duty electric commercial vehicles.

The ability to calculate the gross weight of a vehicle on the move means that an electric vehicle’s torque output can be optimized to maximize estimated remaining range.

This reduces potential wheel spin and reduced traction when a vehicle is carrying less payload, increasing commercial efficiency.

The new technology also allows for changes in torque output based on topography, altering the amount of torque needed to propel a vehicle uphill based on its gross weight and allowing small business owners to effectively reduce unnecessary vehicle-related costs.

“Hyundai developed this technology because we realize that we need to take a different approach when it comes to developing electric vehicles for commercial use,” said Chae Mo Yang, Group Leader of Eco-Technology Performance Development Group.

“We are preparing for a future where we will be able to offer commercial EVs that operate at its optimum specifications under any given road condition and regardless of how much payload it is carrying. These vehicles will be very economical to operate.”

Price competitiveness is key to the success of future electric light duty commercial vehicles for small business owners.

Using acceleration sensors, gross weight is estimated through Newton’s law of acceleration. In short, the less mass and more energy put on matter, the faster speed it moves. So, when pushing an object at a constant speed, the weight of the object can be calculated depending on its acceleration rate.

For example, when the vehicle is carrying a heavy load, the vehicle automatically informs the driver of the estimated drive range to secure sufficient battery life to reach the destination safely.


App-based rides to be regulated

                KUALA LUMPUR: Taxi-like services that operate through smartphone apps may find themselves regulated.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) was looking at amending the neccesary laws.

While the services offered by such applications were not illegal, Shahidan said the usage of vehicles without permits was illegal and a breach of the law.

He acknowledged that such services made it more convenient for consumers to book their taxi rides.

“However, bookings through the apps to match taxi drivers that are not registered or licensed by SPAD and using private or rented cars are offences,” he said.

“In the long run, SPAD is weighing out amending the Land Public Transportation Commission Act and to draft a new policy to regulate taxi services based on the smart apps to ensure that Malaysia offers safe and satisfactory service to consumers,” he said when replying a question by Dr Lee Boon Chye, the DAP MP of Gopeng, in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday.

Shahidan said SPAD has held several meetings with the apps operators and stakeholders and issued written notices to remind the operators that only permitted vehicles were allowed for their services.

He said they included Uber, MyTeksi, EasyTeksi and MongerTeksi.

SPAD, in a statement issued on Wednesday, reiterated its commitment to the taxi industry.

The statement follows fierce protests by the industry against Uber, a vehicle-for-hire service.

“In reality, the taxi industry in Malaysia is far from being anywhere near perfect. It remains the most fragmented segment of our public transport and is riddled with legacy issues which have been around for the past few decades,” the statement said.

SPAD has promised to address this by implementing the Centralised Taxi Service System (CTSS) which will serve as a central platform to monitor taxi supply distribution and performance.

“It will also integrate with existing booking and dispatch systems to enhance travel experience,” it said.

It said it was undertaking a comprehensive regulatory review of the taxi industry.

SPAD said that a key issue was the “decades old” legacy taxi operation/leasing model, commonly known as pajak system.

“This system must be improved, so that it is transparent and equitable for the benefit of both the drivers and the operators.”

There are currently 65,292 taxis in peninsular Malaysia of which 44,012 are metered taxis which are largely company owned (62%).


Subaru suspends shipment of some models over engine sensor fault

                TOKYO: Subaru Corp has suspended shipment of some of its three main automobile models over an engine sensor malfunction and also plans to temporarily halt production of the models, the company said today.

The automaker discovered the problem with the sensor in the CB18 engine used in its Forester, Outback and Levorg models, a spokesman said, adding that production of models with that engine would be halted in due course, without giving further details.

About 54,000 cars with the engine have been sold in Japan since October 2020 and are for the market only, the spokesman said, declining to comment on the number of cars affected by the shipment suspension.

Subaru has not decided whether to recall the cars and it would likely take 2-1/2 months before shipment is resumed, the spokesman said. The company will continue to produce and ship models that do not use the CB18 engine, the spokesman said.

The sensor fault causes the engine to fail to start and a warning sign to flash on the dashboard, the spokesman said.


Guangdong has more EV chargers than all of the US

                SINGAPORE: Range anxiety is a thing of the past for electric vehicle owners in the Chinese province of Guangdong.

The coastal region, which borders Hong Kong, has built hundreds of thousands of public charging points - the EV equivalent of gas pumps - over the past few years.

With 345,126 public chargers and 19,116 charging stations as of the end of September, Guangdong has the largest EV charging network in China, one that has more than doubled from a year ago, according to the China Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Promotion Alliance.

That’s around three times as many public chargers in the whole of the US, according to BloombergNEF data.

In a push to electrify their nations’ car fleets, governments around the world are trying to roll out and scale their public charging infrastructure swiftly enough to service new battery-powered cars.

US President Joe Biden’s infrastructure law devotes US$5 billion to building a nationwide network of EV charging ports along major travel corridors in the US, while Germany has spent or pledged US$6.4 billion to support the charging industry.

But both the US and Europe have fallen well behind China in building out their networks.

A BloombergNEF analysis counted 112,900 public chargers deployed across the US and 442,000 in Europe by the end of 2021, compared with 1.15 million in China.

That gap is only growing. In just the past 12 months, China added 592,000 public chargers - more than the total number the Biden administration wants by 2030.

The government plans to build enough charging stations for 20 million electric vehicles by 2025, according to a January document by the National Development and Reform Commission and nine other ministries.

These charging pylons are installed by third-party utility operators, state-owned electric companies - the two biggest of which are State Grid Corp. of China and China Southern Power Grid - as well as EV automakers like Tesla Inc. and China’s Nio Inc. and Xpeng Inc.

Tesla operates more than 8,700 Supercharger stalls across 370 cities in China - roughly a quarter of its global Supercharger network.

China’s efforts to forge a green infrastructure are paying off: domestic demand for cleaner cars now dramatically dwarfs that of Europe and the US.

A quarter of all new cars bought in China are new-energy vehicles, and NEV sales are forecast to hit a record 6 million this year.

In Guangdong, ubiquitous charging is also boosting electric car ownership.

EV sales jumped 151% in the first half of the year, according to the Guangdong Bureau of Statistics.

The province now has over 1.4 million electric vehicles, the highest share in the country, according to the National Monitoring and Management platform for New-Energy Vehicles.

"With more chargers, there’s less range anxiety. EV sales therefore go up,” said David Zhang, an automotive analyst who is also dean of the Jiangxi New Energy Technology Institute.

"Having so many chargers is definitely a breakthrough, but we’ve got to remember that charging still takes a lot longer than refilling the gas tank. That’s now the real obstacle.”

Guangdong’s provincial government is also doubling down on EV manufacturing.

One-in-eight electric cars sold in China is now made in Guangdong. From January to July, local EV production jumped more than two-fold from a year before. Strong production capabilities can have a spillover effect, improving customer experience and aftersales service and even lowering pricing within the province, said Zhang.

Yoyo Gu, a 40-year-old housewife from Guangdong, traded in her Dongfeng Citroen C4 internal-combustion sedan for a GAC AION V Plus electric SUV earlier this year as part of a provincial subsidy program to bolster EV adoption.

"I got around 8,000 yuan off the bill,” said Gu. That’s on top of the EV purchase-tax exemption, which the government has extended until the end of 2023.

For the first few months, she recharged her SUV overnight at public charging stations in her neighbourhood, before finally installing a private charging outlet in the parking lot of her residential complex.

"When my friends talk about buying an electric car, no one worries about charging anymore,” said Gu.

"The car park below our apartment added five new chargers in the past couple of months and we can easily find one on the road.”


Lotus gets Nio funding in EV push

                WUHAN: Lotus Technology, which develops electric cars for the Lotus brand globally, has signed an investment pact with a unit of EV upstart Nio Inc, as the iconic British sports and racing-car maker’s Chinese owners seek to transform it into an all-electric brand.

Lotus Technology and Nio will explore collaboration in areas including high-end intelligent EVs, Lotus said in a statement.

The company, which broke ground for the global headquarters of Lotus Technology in Wuhan today, plans to roll out new EV models over the next five years, according to the statement.

The first model, a sports utility vehicle codenamed Type 132, will debut next year. It will be followed in 2023 by a four-door coupe and another SUV in 2025. An all-new electric sports car, Type 135, will hit the market in 2026.

The models are in addition to the Evija all-electric hypercar and the Emira, the last petrol-powered sports car from Lotus, which will both be built at Hethel in the UK, Lotus said.

A separate factory already under construction in Wuhan, with the capacity to make 150,000 cars a year, will be completed soon, with production set to start later this year.

The deal with Nio Capital, the investment arm of Nio, was part of a funding round that valued Lotus Technology at 15 billion yuan (RM9.6bil), Bloomberg News reported earlier, citing a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified because the matter is private.

Chinese billionaire Li Shufu founded Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co, which also controls Sweden’s Volvo Cars, and has made a number of strategic moves to add momentum to his carmaking empire as the global auto industry transitions toward electrification and other alternative energies.

The Hangzhou-based carmaker has forged tie-ups with companies including Daimler AG and Renault SA.

Geely bought a stake in Group Lotus in 2017. It owns 51% of the company, including Lotus Cars and consultancy Lotus Engineering, while Malaysia’s Etika Automotive Bhd owns the rest.

Geely is weighing an initial public offering of Lotus Cars, or just its EV unit, as soon as next year, Bloomberg News reported in April.

A listing could value the entire business, including its combustion-driven sports and racing cars, at more than US$15 billion, people familiar with the matter said then.


Proton to issue special editions of Iriz, Saga, Persona and Exora on Feb 18

                PETALING JAYA: Proton would be introducing special edition variants of the Iriz, Saga, Persona, and Exora on Feb 18 in an attempt to spark a sales spike in the four models.

Each would feature unique design elements for both the interior and exterior, making them stand out from the crowd.

Malaysians would also be able to place bookings for the special edition models on the same date and time. These special edition models provide the same level of comfort, safety and handling that are offered in their standard models, except they have now been enhanced in the aesthetics department.

Proton is hoping to repeat the achievement of the Saga Anniversary Edition through the four models.

It unveiled the Saga Anniversary Edition on July 9 last year in conjunction with its 35th anniversary. Only 1,100 units were made; all sold out within five days after launch.

Watch the Feb 18 virtual launch on the Proton Facebook page at 11am.


Drive on, people. Rawang Bypass not a sightseeing stop

                RAWANG: Motorists are risking their lives by making impromptu stops at the newly opened Rawang Bypass to admire the tree-top scenery or take photos afforded by the high vantage point.

A number of cars were seen pulling up by the sides of the elevated stretch when CarSifu drove past in opposite directions at dusk recently. The drivers obviously knew they were accidents waiting to happen as all the vehicles had switched on their hazard lights.

A group of motorcyclists was also spotted gathering on one side to look at the picturesque setting while chatting away and taking “selfies”.

The section, where the speed limit is 60kph, becomes especially dangerous when fog rolls in after a downpour or in the early morning hours when visibility could be reduced.

The winding stretch at tree-top level has narrow side lanes that are only wide enough to fit Perodua Myvi-size cars in case they have to stop in an emergency breakdown.

To minimise accidents on the Rawang Bypass, the authorities need to put up signages to ban such unregulated “rest-stops” and to patrol the area at random to ensure the road is clear and safe from human obstruction.

A section of the 9km road is elevated and cuts through the Selangor Heritage Park, providing a stunning vista of the forest and built-up areas in the distant. The 2.7km elevated stretch is an engineering marvel and was designed this way ostensibly to protect rare merawan kanching or giam kanching tree species in the park.

The 58.2m-high pillars required to prop up the elevated road are said to be the highest in Malaysia.

The toll-free Rawang Bypass was opened on Nov 29. The four-lane dual carriageway took 12 years to build at a cost of RM628mil. The road links Serendah in Selangor to Kuala Lumpur, bypassing the congested Rawang town, halving commute time to 30 mins.


2016 Beijing Auto Show: Asian premiere of Volkswagen Phideon

                BEIJING: Volkswagen had the Asian premiere of its new Phideon, a high-end saloon in the premium segment in China.

The Phideon is positioned above the Passat and the Magotan.

The five metre saloon car has a charismatic front end, and paves the way for the future design of Volkswagen’s top-of-the-range saloons.

The new Phideon was developed in Germany with the assistance of VW’s Chinese partner SAIC Volkswagen.

The saloon will be offered with TSI engines (turbocharged petrol engines) and a plug-in hybrid drive is also planned.

In Beijing, Volkswagen unveiled the flagship model in the series: the four-wheel drive Phideon 3.0 TSI 4MOTION with 300PS.

This high-tech Phideon is the first Volkswagen to use a camera-based night vision system.

The Phideon’s luxurious rear passenger compartment also makes it an ideal chauffeur-driven limousine.

It is the first Volkswagen to be based on the Modular Longitudinal Matrix (MLB).

The Phideon is derived almost directly from the C Coupé GTE concept car, which was presented at Auto Shanghai in 2015.

Its name – Phideon – is a construct standing for elegance and reliability, and phonetically and symbolically evokes Fides, the Roman goddess of fidelity.


Curve control: Why your car's differential lock is so important

                BERLIN: You might not have woken up this morning thinking "I want to learn what a differential lock does."

But hear us out, because this key part of your car is what helps your wheels from spinning out on slippery corners, while reducing tyre wear and tear.

To understand what a differential lock is, first we need to take a step back and explain what a differential gear is. You don't know what it is?

Yes, you do, because you can find it in every car. It has nothing to do with changing gears, but is there to help you turn corners comfortably, in a way that is gentle on the tyres.

Basically, a gear mechanism like this serves to split the power: It divides the power from an input shaft, such as a cardan shaft, to two output shafts and compensates for any differences in speed. “Without a differential gear, there would be increased tyre slip on the inside of the wheel and the wheel would spin,” explains Denny Weiser from the Dekra vehicle inspection company.

However, in certain situations the differential gear's properties can get rather disruptive. For example, in cold weather, when one wheel is on a frozen puddle and the other wheel is on rough asphalt. The wheel on the ice has hardly any grip because it's so slippery, and when you step on the accelerator it immediately spins crazily while the other wheel holds still. Power is not transferred, making it impossible to start up.

The same applies when starting up in rough terrain or with a powerful sports car. "In a situation like this, a limited-slip differential can help," says Weiser.

This can temporarily - or if desired permanently - block the distribution, partially or completely. With the example of the ice, this would mean that a certain percentage of the power always gets transferred to the wheel that's on the asphalt. Starting up is then possible again.

According to Denny Weiser from Dekra, there are purely mechanical, pneumatic-mechanical, hydraulic-mechanical and electro-mechanical versions of the limited-slip differential. The blocking can have either variable and load or speed-dependent values, as well as fixed ones.

The simplest type is a fixed value lock triggered manually by the driver. So-called friction clutches distribute the torque at a fixed percentage between the two output shafts.

Load-dependent differential locks, on the other hand, only do their job when there is a difference in torque between the output shafts; speed-dependent locks, like the electronic version, only start doing their job when there is a certain difference in speed.


Mazda Miata and Porsche Boxster: Different yet similar

                LOS ANGELES: There’s more in common between the new 2016 Mazda Miata (also known as MX-5) and the 2015 Porsche Boxster than meets the eye, according to MazdaPartsUSA.com.

The US Mazda parts retailer in Raytown near Kansas City has compared the new 2016 Mazda Miata to a 2015 Porsche Boxster in a side-by-side format.

Comparing everything from horsepower and curb weight to 0-100kph times and prices, the comparison shows a high degree of similarity between the latest Miata and a current Boxster.

"In my opinion, a 2016 Miata offers about 90% of the performance of a new 2015 Porsche Boxster at less than 50% of the cost," said Frank Mitchell, parts manager of MazdaPartsUSA.com.

While the new Miata has a smaller 2.0L 4-cylinder engine than the Boxster's 2.7L flat six, the Miata only trails the Boxster by 0.3 seconds in a race from 0-60mph (100kph).

While the Miata's horsepower to weight ratio is considerably higher than the Boxster (14.9:1 vs 10.9:1), the Miata manages to run the quarter mile (400m) in 14.6 seconds, only 0.6 seconds slower than the Boxster.

The Miata can't match the Boxster's braking distance from 70mph (112kph) to 0 (158 feet/48m vs 145 feet/44m), but the Miata's curb weight is nearly 227kg lower, which keeps the brake distance within 10% of the Porsche's performance.

Price-wise, the Miata is of course much cheaper. In the US, the new Miata goes for US$24,915 (base price) versus US$52,395 of the 2015 Boxster. The Miata also boasts a higher fuel economy rating.

"Obviously, there's a lot to love about a brand new Porsche Boxster," said Mitchell, "but considering you can get 90-95% of the Boxter's performance in the 2016 Miata at less than half the price...let's just say I know where I'd spend my money."


Nissan Malaysia showrooms and service centres open

                KUALA LUMPUR: All Nissan showrooms and service centres in Malaysia are now open with revised operating hours.

In line with the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) standard operating procedures, Nissan showrooms and service centres will practise temperature checking and social distancing for all staff and customers.

Nissan staff will be wearing face mask, while face masks, gloves and hand sanitizers will also be freely available to customers.

Frequent disinfecting will be carried out at the showrooms and service centres throughout the day covering every touch point including display and test drive vehicles, as well as disinfecting all customer vehicles before and after service.

During this period, contactless payments are encouraged.

The revised Nissan showroom and service centre operating hours can be checked at www.nissan.com.my or www.tceas.com respectively.

Also, all vehicle registrations and deliveries will resume progressively as Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) reopens additional services beginning May 13, 2020.

Nissan online showroom

The www.nissan.com.my website is enhanced with the new Nissan Online Showroom which enables consumers to submit an online form for further sales enquiries and request doorstep test drive appointments in just a few simple clicks.

Within 24 hours of submission, a Nissan sales representative will be in contact.

Raya Promotions

Enjoy attractive monthly instalment and bonus from as low as RM800, and free 2-year Periodic Maintenance Service package on selected Nissan models.

Customers who also bought the Nissan X-Trail or Serena S-Hybrid from May 1 to June 30, 2020 will receive a free 1-year FWD Protect Direct Family Takaful protection plan (up to a family of 4; parents and 2 children) with a sum insured of RM100,000.

Redemption has to be done before July 31, 2020.

To find out more about FWD Protect Direct, please visit fwd.com.my/direct/protect-direct.

Also, 20 lucky winners will stand a chance to win CUCKOO Healthy Home Appliances worth up to RM128,888 in the Nissan Buy & Win contest when they purchase and register any Nissan model from May 1 to June 30, 2020.


Bermaz Auto roars ahead with new launches

                KUALA LUMPUR: There is earnings excitement ahead for Bermaz Auto Bhd as the auto distributor launches more high-margin vehicles, especially for the SUV market and electric vehicles (EV).

"Both 30%-owned Mazda Malaysia Sdn Bhd and 29%-owned Inokom Corporation Bhd are expected to boost capacity, capitalising on exciting new CKD launches including the CX-8 for the export market.

"We expect both plant utilisation rates to jump above 50% over the next three quarters (vs 30% in FY2021) especially with the expected arrival of automotive parts from the recent re-opening of Shanghai Port," said Kenanga Research in a report.

The launch of the CX-8 - amid the rising demand for SUVs - is expected to intensify the current backlog of orders at a RM3,000-higher price point.

This would help to to safeguard Bermaz Auto's margin due to the increase in operations cost, said Kenanga.

"CX-8 accounted for as high as 15% and 30% of BAUTO total unit sales and revenue, respectively.

"Mazda’s current back-log orders is at 10k units, to be fulfilled by 1QCY23, further cementing its high profit margin position without the need to fork additional cost to absorb SST for orders before 30th June 2022," it added.

Meanwhile, Bermaz Auto also launched the fully imported MX-30 EV and Kia EV-6 GT-Line.

According to Kenanga, there will be limited unit allocation for the first batch to test the response to a larger CBU volume or a shift towards CKD production, which entails better margin.

Kenanga, which has an "outperform" recommendation on Bermaz Auto, said there is a growing awareness of EVs with sales volume in the latter jumping 120% in 2021.

The research firm has an unchanged target price of RM2.30 on Bermaz Auto based on 15 times 2023 earnings per share.


Nissan LEAF powers Christmas lights as UK plant marks production of 250,000 electric vehicles

                LONDON: A Nissan LEAF is providing the sparkle for Nissan Sunderland Plant’s Christmas display to celebrate production of 250,000 of the pioneering electric vehicle in the UK.

Demonstrating the ability of the LEAF to act as a mobile power plant, the lights on the 32-foot Christmas tree and its shimmering reindeer are being powered by the vehicle’s battery, using V2X technology.

The LEAF’s vehicle-to-grid capability (sometimes called vehicle-to-building or vehicle-to-everything - V2X) puts energy management back in the hands of the owner by turning their vehicle into a mobile energy hub.

Drivers can store electricity in their vehicle’s battery and feed it to the grid, their building, or their Christmas Tree, when needed.

The technology allows electric vehicles to be fully integrated into the electricity grid and help improve grid capability to handle renewable power as well as managing energy more efficiently.

The LEAF, built in Sunderland for more than a decade, was the world’s first mass-market electric vehicle.


New Mercedes-Benz Concept EQT to be unveiled on May 10

                STUTTGART: Mercedes-Benz Vans is unveiling the new Concept EQT in an extensive Media Special on the Mercedes me media platform at 5pm Malaysian time on May 10.

This concept vehicle is the forerunner to the new T-Class in the small-van segment.

In keeping with the "Electric first" strategy, the battery-electric version is first out of the starting blocks in the concept vehicle.

A video clip featuring legendary professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, which will go online on several social media channels simultaneously, provides surprising insights into the forthcoming family and leisure vehicle.

Daimler Group chief design officer Gorden Wagener and Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans Marcus Breitschwerdt will be presenting the highlights of the Concept EQT – with a look ahead to the electric future in the small-van segment.

The near-production Concept EQT offers a clear glimpse of the electric version of the forthcoming T-Class.

With the completely newly developed city van, Mercedes-Benz Vans is transferring the winning formula of the V-Class people carrier to a compact format and bringing a new level of quality to the small-van segment.

The Concept EQT combines a spacious and variable interior with attractive design and Mercedes’ hallmark high standards of comfort, connectivity, value and safety.

Emotion and intelligence are the key elements of the Mercedes-Benz Design philosophy “Sensual Purity”.


Honda Malaysia recalls City and Jazz

                PETALING JAYA: Honda Malaysia is the latest car maker to recall its cars.

It announced today that the fourth-generation City (2014 model year) and third-generation Jazz (2015 model year) are being recalled for a "product update."

The recall involves 12,232 units of the City and 97 units of the Jazz. The defect is in the hydraulic pressure control software of the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

The recall would enable technicians to rectify the Powertrain Control Module through a CVT software update.

In describing the problem, Honda Malaysia said that the quick stepping in and releasing of the accelerator pedal at high speed will lead to high hydraulic pressure that will stress the drive pulley shaft and may cause the shaft to be broken, resulting in power loss during driving.

As of today, there were no crashes or injuries related to this issue reported in Malaysia.

Other current selling models are not affected by this product update.

Honda Malaysia will notify all affected customers by letter. Customers who receive the letter should send their vehicles to the nearest authorised Honda dealer for inspection. Any charges related to the product update will be borne by Honda Malaysia.

Honda owners can also check their vehicle’s product update status by calling Honda’s toll-free number 1-800-88-2020.


New Honda Civic Coupe and Project 2+4 revealed

                LOS ANGELES: The newest member of the completely re-engineered and re-imagined 10th-generation Honda Civic lineup – the 2016 Civic Coupe – will make its first public appearance at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Launching in March, the 2016 Civic Coupe delivers an even sportier and emotional take on the new Civic design while benefitting from the multitude of upgrades to the 10th-generation Civic lineup, including a sophisticated and sporty new chassis, a more spacious and quieter cabin, class-leading fuel-economy ratings and targeted top-in-class crash safety ratings.

The new 2016 Civic Coupe, like its sedan counterpart, will feature two advanced new engines, including the first-ever turbo engine for the Coupe, delivering more power, performance and fuel efficiency.

All new Civic Coupes, from the well-equipped LX to the new, line-topping Touring trim, also receive significant upgrades to interior style, with soft-touch materials and high-grade finishes, along with a bevy of new standard and available features, including the Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies as well as both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

“We continue on our epic 10th-generation Civic journey with the sportiest, most sophisticated and tech-savvy Civic Coupe yet,” said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and general manager of the Honda Division. “I think our customers are going to be utterly surprised by what this new Coupe delivers in terms of refinement, safety, efficiency and fun-to-drive performance.”

The 2016 Civic Coupe will launch with two more powerful and fuel-efficient powertrains. Lower trims receive a new 2.0-liter DOHC i-VTEC engine turning out 158hp and 138 lb.-ft. of torque.

This engine can also be equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission on the lowest trim. Civic Coupe mid to highest trims are powered by a new 1.5-liter DOHC direct-injected Turbo – the first-ever turbocharged engine for Civic Coupe – putting out a peak 174hp and 162 lb.-ft. of torque.

Meanwhile, showcasing the racing spirit of Honda and its unique place in the world of high-performance, high-tech mobility, the Honda Project 2&4 made its North American debut today at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show.

The Honda 2&4 represents collaboration between Honda's motorcycle and automobile divisions on a new performance vehicle concept, combining the open and engaging feel of a motorcycle and the dynamic handling capabilities of an automobile.

The Honda Project 2&4 is powered by the RC213V competition motorcycle engine, a 999 cc V-4 unit, originally developed for the world-class MotoGP motorcycle racing series and specially tuned for use on public roads.

The engine expresses Honda's global slogan “The Power of Dreams" representing inspiring innovation and originality. With a 14,000 rpm red line, the powerplant is mated to a six-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT) and delivers peak power of 212hp at 13,000 rpm, and peak torque of 87 lb-ft. at 10,500 rpm.

Drawing upon Honda's racing heritage, the body design and engine position were inspired by the legendary Honda RA272 Formula One racecar of 1965. With minimal bodywork and an open cockpit, the Honda Project 2&4 shows off its core frame and functional components, much like a motorcycle, and is similarly compact.


Beijing offers cash subsidies to spur demand for new energy cars

                BEIJING: China’s capital city is offering subsidies for purchases of new-energy vehicles to replace old cars, the latest attempt by local authorities to boost consumption in a slowing economy.

The financial aid provided by the city of Beijing ranges from 8,000 yuan to 10,000 yuan (up to RM6,578) for qualified buyers who scrap or resell cars owned for more than a year, among other conditions, the local commerce bureau said in a statement Sunday.

The capital city’s move follows similar measures announced by Shanghai late last month that also involved raising a cap on car ownership and cutting a purchase tax for some passenger vehicles.

Passenger vehicle sales in China slid 17% in May from a year earlier, and not a single new car was sold in Shanghai in April as the virus gripped the city.

China’s central government is considering extending tax exemptions on new-energy car purchases in a bid to boost an auto sector battered by strict Covid lockdowns, state television reported Wednesday, citing a Cabinet meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang.


New BMW 330e M Sport arrives at RM265K

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Group Malaysia has launched its latest 330e M Sport plug-in hybrid that promises a sportier and more efficient driving experience.

Priced at RM264,613 (on the road with sales tax exemption, without insurance), the latest 330e is powered by a 2.0-litre (1,998cc) turbocharged engine producing 184hp from 5,000 to 6,500rpm and 300Nm of torque from 1,350 to 4,000rpm.

From now until Dec 31, new owners will receive an extended hybrid battery warranty of up to eight years or 160,000km (whichever comes first).

READ MORE: BMW M340i xDrive - Malaysia's first CKD M Sport performance model

The locally-assembled (CKD) 330e will be available at all authorised BMW dealerships nationwide starting Oct 24 and comes in five colour options including Alpine White, Black Sapphire, Portimao Blue, Mineral Grey and Sunset Orange. These can be complemented by either Black or Cognac Leather Vernasca upholstery with Black decor stitching.

Alternatively, customers can book the 330e on BMW Malaysia's online site for RM1,000.

Power is managed by an eight-speed Steptronic sports transmission and is further supplemented by an electric motor providing instant access to 83kW and 265Nm of torque from 0 to 3,170rpm.

Combining the efforts of both motors, system output is rated at 292hp and 420Nm of torque.

This is all thanks to the newly added XtraBoost feature which temporarily increases the standard system output of 252hp with an additional 41hp. A first for the 330e.

The XtraBoost feature can be activated via the Driving Experience Control switch in Sport mode and is also available during kickdown manoeuvres or after shifting the gear selector switch to the M (Manual) or S (Sport) position.

Thanks to the electric motor, it is capable of sipping just 2.2-litres per 100km and emit 50g/km of carbon dioxide.

Within the included M Sport package, the 330e comes fitted with an adaptive sports suspension, variable sports steering system and an M Aerodynamics package.

As standard, it will be fitted with Bicolour Double-Spoke Style 790 M 18-inch lightweight alloys in staggered formation (7.5JJ - front and 8.5JJ - rear) and are fitted with run-flat 225/45 (front) and  255/40 (rear) tyres. The wheels partially obscure the blue-painted "M"-designated sport brakes.

Parts from BMW Individual include high-gloss Shadow Line, two-sided high-gloss chrome exhaust tailpipe finishers, front ornamental grille in high-gloss chrome, M Aerodynamics package and side exterior "M" designation badges.

Also included are automatic adaptive LED headlights, 11 predefined ambient lighting designs, exterior mirrors with automatic anti-dazzle function with fold-in function, automatic anti-dazzle rearview mirror, LED fog lights, automatic wipers and the Welcome Light Carpet.

Inside, the cabin features the 12.3-inch BMW Live Cockpit instrument display as well as M fixtures and fittings including the powered front sports seats with driver memory function, front door sill finishers, leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel and M-specific metal pedals.

For trim, the roof is lined with Anthracite from BMW Individual while the rest of the interior is accented by a combination of Aluminium Tetragon and Pearl Chrome while the seats are wrapped in Vernasca leather upholstery.

Comfort and convenience are enhanced with tri-zone automatic climate controls, keyless entry with push-start button, hands-free tailgate operation, heat and sun protection glazing, storage compartment package and a through-loading system.

Entertainment comes from 10.25-inch BMW Navigation system Professional touchscreen display that's powered by a 205W 10-speaker  HiFi system featuring a hard drive-supported system allowing for audio file storage, Bluetooth connectivity, wireless charging and USB port.

The BMW ConnectedDrive services is also included here that provides Intelligent Emergency Call, Teleservices, BMW Digital Key and Intelligent Personal Assistant.

For safety, the 330e M Sport comes equipped with six airbags, seat-occupancy detection, crash sensor (closes windows and folds exterior mirrors), dynamic braking lights with flashing function, flat tyre indicator and ISOFIX child seat mounting points.

To help keep the car controllable are antilock braking system, dynamic stability control, dynamic traction control, cornering brake control, dynamic brake control and brake assist.

“As a pioneer in the field of electromobility, our success story for the electrified sports sedan in Malaysia began in 2016 and we have delivered over 6,200 units nationwide since
then. Today, we are pleased to present the locally assembled, newest generation BMW 3 Series equipped with the latest BMW eDrive technology," said BMW Group Malaysia managing director Harald Hoelzl.

With BMW Malaysia's Dynamic financial programme, budding owners can opt for the Balloon Financing Plan from BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia with a monthly instalment plan starting from RM2,938.00 (based on estimates of an 80% loan on a five-year tenure).


Drivers see red when others wait more than 3 seconds at a green light

                LONDON: Taking longer than three seconds to move off when traffic lights turn green is likely to frustrate drivers waiting behind, a new survey suggests.

A new poll of 2,498 drivers in the UK carried out by British breakdown service RAC indicated that 46% think it should take no longer than that to get going when the lights change.

The motoring organisation expressed concern over the impact on road safety, traffic jams and air pollution from drivers being too slow to react.

Some 17% of respondents to the survey said they regularly fail to get through lights due to the inaction of drivers in front. Nearly two-thirds (64%) claim to have been left waiting on green for more than 10 seconds.

Men are generally more likely than women to be irritated by drivers who are slow to start moving (50% compared with 41%), the survey suggested.

Around a third (35%) of respondents said between four and six seconds to move off is reasonable, while a relaxed 7% are prepared for other drivers to take as long as they like.

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said anything longer than three seconds "can start to seem like an eternity when you desperately want to get through a set of traffic lights," particularly as some only stay green for 15 seconds.

"This severely limits the number of vehicles that can get through before red comes up again, and in turn makes jams - and potentially even air pollution - worse," he went on.

"Too many drivers - for whatever reasons - clearly aren't paying enough attention to what's going around them when they're stationary at traffic lights," Williams added.

"As well as increasing journey times, this could have a road safety implication, particularly when people suddenly realise the lights have changed and then hurriedly pull away without properly checking their mirrors and making sure everything is clear around them.

"More drivers need to pay attention to the lights and not use the time to daydream or worse to check their handheld phones illegally." — PA Media


Ford's new Mustang keeps old-fashioned horsepower alive

                DETROIT: Detroit's automakers say they are ready to go all-electric, but at the Motor City's auto show this week they are adding a caveat: not just yet.

Ford Motor Co will unveil today the seventh-generation of its Mustang sports car in downtown Detroit, underscoring the challenges Motor City automakers face as they straddle the gap between their combustion glory days and an uncertain electric future.

The newly redesigned Mustang, heir to an icon of the 1960s and the Baby Boomer generation of those born after World War II, will still burn gasoline, just like the original. In contrast, rival Stellantis NV's Dodge is phasing out its V-8 powered, gas-burning, high-performance sports cars next year.

The Mustang will be one of the few new vehicles revealed at this week's North American International Auto Show in Detroit — the first since 2019 after the Covid-19 pandemic halted the annual tradition.

US President Joe Biden visited the show today ahead of its public opening on Friday, and used the backdrop of gleaming cars to promote his administration's efforts to accelerate production of electric cars.

All around the president, however, were vehicles powered by petroleum - trucks, SUVs and a few cars, such as the Mustang, that Detroit automakers are counting on to keep profits flowing.

A collection of life-like model dinosaurs across a hall from the automaker displays amplified the fossil fuel imagery at the Huntington Place venue for the auto show.

Others showcasing combustion engines include General Motors Co's Chevrolet Division, which today took the wraps off a new version of its big Chevrolet Tahoe SUV with a 433-horsepower 6.2 litre V-8 stuffed under the hood.

Chevy said the plus-sized motor will give the Tahoe RST "pursuit-rated performance" with a top speed of 200kph.

The Tahoe RST will share space on GM's auto show displays with electric vehicles such as the Cadillac Lyriq, electric Chevy Equinox and a sleek prototype for a Buick electric sedan.

Stellantis, owner of the former Chrysler Corp's stable of Detroit brands, is also giving plenty of show floor space to its profitable combustion Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs.

The company has built a mini-test track for Jeep SUV rides, and visitors can check out the nearly 18-foot long Jeep Grand Wagoneer, which has an American flag decal on the door, and a price tag that tops US$100,000.

Last week, Jeep revealed two future electric models for North America and promised more to come.


Ducati Malaysia offers rebates of up to RM15K in new promo

                PETALING JAYA: Ducati Malaysia’s latest sales campaign, Passion Returns, offers tempting incentives to new Ducati owners and fans.

From now until April 30, every new Ducati bike (selected models) comes with:

> Up to RM15,000 in rebate,
> Free road tax and insurance,
> Merchandise and riding gear, and
> Ceramic coating.

Interested to find out more?

Visit Ducati showrooms at Ducati Petaling Jaya (Flagship Showroom), Ducati Welly Sungai Buloh or Ducati Penang.

For further information, call Ducati Petaling Jaya at tel: 03-79567799.


Toyota raises full-year profit forecast to record US$18b

                TOKYO: Toyota today raised its earnings forecast for the year to March, saying it expects to book a record US$18.1bil annual net profit thanks to a weak yen and cost cuts.

The revision marked the second upgrade for the fiscal year to March as the world’s biggest automaker lifted its net profit estimate to 2.13 trillion yen from an earlier 2.0 trillion yen forecast.

The Corolla and Camry maker also said sales would come in at 27 trillion yen, up from an earlier 26.5 trillion yen forecast.

Operating profit would be 2.7 trillion yen, against a previous 2.5 trillion yen estimate, it added.

“While we expect a reduction in vehicle sales, we are raising our operating income forecast ... factoring in the change in our foreign exchange rate assumption and the progress in our profit improvement activities, such as cost reduction efforts,” Toyota’s managing officer Takuo Sasaki said in a statement.

Also Wednesday Toyota said it booked a 1.7 trillion yen net profit for the nine months through December, up from 1.5 trillion yen a year earlier.

Revenue rose 5.2 percent to 20.1 trillion yen in the period.

Japanese car companies have been big winners over the past year as a sharp drop in the yen inflated their repatriated profits, while sales demand has also picked up in the key North American market.

“We expect Toyota to benefit from both developed market recoveries and emerging market growth,” Barclays said in report before the earnings were published.

“(The company) is building a highly lucrative operating structure while continuing long-term development/investment,” it added.

In Japan, nine-month sales declined to 1.53 million units from 1.64 million vehicles, as consumer demand continued to be hit by a sales tax rise last April - Japan’s first in 17 years.

In North America, however, sales rose 7.4 percent to 2.11 million units.

“In the US, we expect a new-model offensive to support volume growth reining in sales costs amid a firm overall demand recovery,” Barclay’s said.

Toyota also enjoyed sales gains in Europe, but results in Asia slowed.

Last month, Toyota retained the crown of world’s biggest automaker after saying it sold a record 10.23 million vehicles in 2014, outpacing General Motors and Volkswagen.

Toyota’s upbeat announcement today comes despite the firm struggling to recover its reputation for safety after the recall of millions of cars around the world for various problems, including an exploding air bag crisis at embattled supplier Takata.

Rival Honda last week cut its full-year profit forecast as it grapples with soaring recall costs, including from the exploding airbag crisis linked to at least five deaths.

Toyota has also put on hold the building of new factories until early 2016, as it focuses more attention on the quality of sales rather than volume.

Among the moves, Toyota is pushing further into the fast-growing market for environmentally friendly cars, especially in China where the government is struggling to contain an air pollution crisis.

Toyota was swamped by domestic orders for its first mass-market hydrogen Mirai fuel-cell car, with demand in the first month nearly four times higher than expected for the whole year.

It has also announced plans to develop components for hybrid vehicles with two Chinese automakers in an unprecedented technology-sharing deal aimed at increasing green car sales in the world’s biggest vehicle market.

The deal marked a shift away from Japanese carmakers’ traditional reluctance over such deals for fear of losing their competitive edge.

Previously, Toyota would make key components such as batteries and motors in high-cost Japan and then ship them to joint ventures overseas. But that drove up the price of models such as its Prius, which has seen sluggish sales in China.


Hyundai to build hydrogen fuel cell plant in China, say sources

                SEOUL: Hyundai Motor Co, South Korea's biggest carmaker, will build its first overseas hydrogen fuel cell systems plant in China as it seeks to enter the local hydrogen market, reported Yonhap News Agency quoting industry sources.

Hyundai aims to build the hydrogen fuel cell systems plant in Guangzhou within this year as it has recently obtained government approval for the investment plan, a person familiar with the matter said over the phone.

"Hyundai Motor is in talks with a Chinese company to form a joint company for the construction of the plant. Hyundai is expected to announce the plant as early as this month," he said.

Hyundai didn't confirm the investment plan.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy reviewed the impact of hydrogen fuel cell systems' exports as the hydrogen technologies are regarded as one of the country's core technologies, government sources said.

The ministry approved the plan as it judged building a hydrogen fuel cell systems plant will pave the way for Korean auto parts suppliers to increase their exports to the world's biggest automobile market, they said.

Hyundai recently launched a brand dedicated to its fuel cell system, called HTWO, which stands for the hydrogen molecule H2, and aims to sell 700,000 hydrogen fuel cells in global markets in 2030.


BMW under probe by SEC over US sales reporting practices

                NEW YORK:  BMW AG is being scrutinised by the US Securities and Exchange Commission over its sales reporting practices, months after the regulator extracted a penalty from Fiat Chrysler automobiles NV over similar issues.

The German automaker has been contacted by the SEC and will cooperate fully with its investigation, Phil DiIanni, a spokesman, said by phone. The agency doesn’t comment on the existence of any probes, SEC spokesman Kevin Callahan said.

BMW has been in a tight race with Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz for leadership of the US luxury auto market. While Mercedes has owned bragging rights the last three years, BMW leads by less than 3,300 units this year through November.

Bernhard Kuhnt, who took over as president of the latter automaker’s North America business in early 2017, has reinvigorated sales by rolling out an onslaught of new sport utility vehicles.

Dealers have criticised BMW in the past for pressuring them to buy vehicles from the manufacturer to stock their fleet of vehicles loaned out to customers who are having their cars serviced.

Bloomberg News reported on bonuses or allowances the company paid to dealers in late 2015 and mid 2012 that helped inflate sales results.

Dealers are required to mark the cars as sold. To re-sell them to consumers as used models, they typically have to do so at depressed prices. In the meantime, the retailers also have to foot the costs of carrying the cars in inventory.

Fiat Chrysler agreed in September to pay a US$40 million penalty related to years of sales reports the SEC said were fraudulent. The Italian-American automaker misled investors by wrongly claiming a years-long streak of monthly gains and inflated results by paying dealers to report fake sales, according to the agency.

The practices came to light following a dealer lawsuit filed in January 2016.

The Wall Street Journal reported on the SEC’s investigation of BMW earlier on Monday.


Mercedes-Benz gives luxury coupe a spin ahead of California show

Update: Mercedes-Benz has updated its Twitter post to say the car is named Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6, with the "6" referring to the car's length. The concept car is expected to become a production car by next year and will be ranked above the S-Class Coupe, according to Auto Express.

STUTTGART: Mercedes-Benz gave a sneak preview of a new ultra luxury coupe on Thursday in a sign that Daimler is continuing its push upmarket to turn up the heat on BMW, which owns the Rolls-Royce car brand.

A tweet from the @MercedesBenz account teased a photograph showing the outline of a sleek red sports car with the words: "Hot & Cool - Almost 6 meters of ultimate luxury".

Mercedes declined to say whether this was a prototype vehicle or destined for production, but a spokesman said it will reveal more at the Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance, a classic car show held in California, later this month.

The concours shows 200 of the most prized cars in the world, attracting the world's top car collectors.

Mercedes wants to overtake rival BMW to claim the title of biggest selling luxury carmaker. As a result, Mercedes has been on a product offensive to give its cars a more upmarket appeal, including the revival of the Maybach and Pullman brands.

Last year, BMW retained the title of largest premium automaker, posting sales of 1.91 million BMW branded passenger cars while Mercedes sold 1.87 million cars, compared with a 3.6 percent jump to 1.8 million sold by Audi.

BMW has held the annual sales crown since 2005, but has already surrendered the top spot when measured by first half sales. It sold 986,557 of its own brand cars in the period against Mercedes-Benz's 1,006,619.


Billionaire Lawrence Stroll buys a stake in ailing Aston Martin

                LONDON: Following a board meeting to raise funds, billionaire Lawrence Stroll has decided to take a stake in ailing carmaker Aston Martin.

The British car brand that's famed for being fictional secret agent James Bond's car of choice, the 107-year old company's share price has plummeted since floating in October 2018.

Although it was reported that Chinese carmaker Geely and Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll were each offering to invest 200 million Sterling pounds (RM1.1bil) in return for 20% of the firm and a place on the board - the British carmaker ultimately opted to go with Stroll instead.

Chief Executive Andy Palmer said that Stroll and the consortium he will lead brings several benefits to the automaker which includes his experience and access to his Formula One team.

Stroll, made his money through investing in fashion brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Michael Kors, and has been involved in Formula One and motor racing for years and also owns Canada’s Mont Tremblant circuit in Quebec.

Under Friday’s agreement, Aston Martin said Stroll’s Racing Point will become the Aston Martin F1 works team from the 2021 season.

Stroll will join the board as executive chairman, replacing Penny Hughes, who will step down.


Dubai police to employ self-driving cars

                DUBAI: Most people have probably come around to the idea that the Dubai police's use of exotic cars such as Lamborghinis, Ferraris and the like is real and not some sort of convoluted April fool prank. They really do drive around in cars like that liveried up in the green and white police garb, so it may not be too surprising to learn of the latest innovative move by the Dubai force, which is to deploy a fleet of self-driving police cars.

It was already announced earlier this year that passenger taxi drones are to begin flying around Dubai this summer, but now it has been revealed that autonomous cars will be assisting the police by the end of this year.

But not only will these driverless cars negotiate the roads without a human driver being necessary, they will also be equipped to scan people to identify criminals and "undesirables."

While patrolling the city on their own, the cars will employ biometric software to scan and identify any individuals they come across. In reality, the authorities are hoping the very presence of these vehicles will in itself serve to deter crime. But if anyone doubts the commitment of the Dubai police for these vehicles to really identify people, they will also come equipped with their own onboard drone linked to the command center to relay back aerial surveillance footage.

The correct name for the vehicle is the O-R3 security robot, which is built by the Singapore-based company OTSAW Digital. Each unit is equipped with a laser scanner, a thermal camera, HD cameras, GPS and LIDAR for navigation, but the cameras can also be used for facial and license-plate recognition. Although they are designed to be fully autonomous, the systems can be overridden and controlled by a human, if required.

Replacing up to 25 percent of its police force with robots has already been stated as an intention by the Dubai police department, and the first robotic police officer was introduced to duty just last month. The ultimate goal is apparently to have a fully robotic police station, free of humans by 2030, and the Dubai force appears to be well on the way.


New VW Golf and Golf GTI crop up in Sekinchan media preview

                PETALING JAYA: The backdrop was agricultural, the dining was refreshingly different and the cars were all new.

VW in Malaysia organised on Nov 25 a get-together between the management and members of the media. It wasn't your typical media event held in a hotel or fancy restaurant in the city.

Instead, we had to travel to an out-of-the-way spot, some 100km away and a good 90-min drive.

Making the journey fast and smooth was the Arteon R-Line.

We picked up the Arteon in Puchong, Selangor and drove all the way to Sekinchan for the dining do.

Sekinchan, a coastal fishing village also in Selangor, is also known for its padi fields and migratory birds such as egrets, herons, harriers and storks.

At the start of this month, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia announced it would be bringing in the Golf Mk8 and its sportier sibling the Golf GTI.

The car company had begun inviting prospective customers to register their interest for the cars.

The standard Golf would be offered in R-Line specs.

Adding icing to the cake is the likelihood both model variants would be locally assembled, offering prospects potential five-digit ringgit savings.

Just so you know, the previous  Golf Mk7.5 was retailing for around RM167,000 and the asking price for the Golf GTI was nearly RM240,000.

With Golf in the CKD programme, this would be a major milestone for VW's Pekan plant, as it gears up for series production of the hatches alongside the Passat, Arteon and Tiguan Allspace.

For VW fans, it has been a long wait for the eight-gen Golf, which made its world premiere in 2019. The Golf GTI showed up in late 2020.

The Golf cabin has been overhauled with practically all displays and controls being digital.

The dash and centre console are cleanly designed in both hatches with the infotainment screen angled towards the driver.

New instruments and online infotainment systems have been melded together into a display landscape featuring touch buttons and touch sliders while a heads-up display is also available as an optional extra.

Hopefully, the screen controls have been calibrated to be highly responsive to touch, as there's still advantages to having physical knobs and buttons in the interest of user-friendliness.

The Golf model line-up will feature the new IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights for improved visibility and safety.

Using a matrix of numerous LEDs in each headlight module, various and partly also interactive functions such as Dynamic Light Assist make driving in twilight or darkness even more convenient.

Alongside the Golf, this system is also used in the Touareg, Passat, Polo, Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace, the new Taigo, as well as the ID.3 and ID.4.

When pressed yesterday for a launch date, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia managing director Erik Winter would only say "soon" - which can be taken to mean next month or early 2022.

As for the unique setting for the get-together, it was hosted by the affable host of Ninja Private Kitchen, Zung Heng, a professional photographer who had decided to venture into offering "a dining experience" in the place where he grew up.

Guests tucked into a variety of local fish, squid and crabs in a small open-air area next to acres of padi fields as far as the eye could see.

As the sun began to set, the juxtaposition of two Golfs amid verdant fields of a cash crop and bales of hay made for a surreal impression.

READ MORE:
VW Golf Mk8
VW Golf GTI Mk8
VW Malaysia embraces digitalisation Winter speaking to members of the media. Zung Heng presenting a smorgasbord of seafood.


Are you game for the Ford challenge?

DETROIT: The Ford Smart Mobility Game Challenge, announced at Gamescom, one of the world's largest computer and video games events, offers a top prize of €10,000 (RM43,000) to the developer with the best gamification take on public transport.

(It's a worldwide contest, so Malaysians can take part in it as well).

Gamification is proving to be a powerful tool for solving problems and for accelerating research, be it in filtering cancer data, helping people lead healthier, more active lifestyles, or educating drivers as to how best to use their cars to save on fuel and protect the planet.

And now Ford wants to harness it in a bid to turn integrated urban transport - everything from commuter trains to bus routes and walking - into an engaging online game.

"The Smart Mobility Game Challenge is designed to harness the creativity of the gaming community and empower gamers to take a fresh approach to tackling today's global mobility issues," said Ken Washington, vice president, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering.

"Applying the fun, engaging and rewarding aspects of games to journey planning can allow people to improve their commutes, track their success and become aware of how their behaviour impacts the transport infrastructure as a whole."

The competition was developed in partnership with the Cologne Game Lab, which is part of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences at the University of Cologne, and its co-director, professor Bjoern Bartholdy, will be one of six judges who decide on five finalists as well as the overall winning entry.

"Games are designed to entertain, but for the developers it's a serious business that requires astute problem-solving abilities as well as creativity - exactly the qualities needed to tackle the challenge of integrating existing transport systems," Bartholdy said.

Developers have until Oct 1 to submit their entries at (a href="http//www.ford-smart-mobility-game-challenge.com/" target="_blank")www.ford-smart-mobility-game-challenge.com . As well as a prize money, the winner will get the chance to present his or her work at the 2016 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

"Gaming offers a degree of user engagement and empowerment that you don't get from other mediums," Washington said. "By using these qualities the Smart Mobility Game Challenge can help develop solutions that enable travellers to take control of their journeys."


Twins who built US$1.3b Marshmallow app take on insurers

Alexander (left) and Oliver are disrupting the staid insurance business. — Bloomberg
LONDON: For three centuries, a handful of insurers have dominated the market from the City of London.

The upstart intent on challenging them rents two floors just outside the district in an area known as Silicon Roundabout, where its employees work while lounging on cushioned windowsills.

Marshmallow, a car insurance app which recently became the UK’s second black-founded firm to reach a billion-dollar valuation, won’t be working from its current Old Street digs for much longer.

It’s moving to a nearby office with triple the space after headcount grew more than threefold during the pandemic and as it plows ahead with expansion plans into Europe.

Founded by identical twins Oliver and Alexander Kent-Braham, the startup is the latest insurtech firm targeting a sector ripe for disruption.

Investors have taken notice in the wake of Investec Plc’s early backing after Oliver met the bank’s co-founder Bernard Kantor during an internship there. Since launching four years ago, Marshmallow’s valuation has leaped to US$1.25 billion.

"It was really clear again and again that insurers play this hugely pivotal role in society, yet they probably weren’t digitising fast enough,” Oliver Kent-Braham said in an interview.

"We found that we were able to use data that other insurers aren’t using.”

READ MORE: Carrot is Korean insurtech shaking things up in Asia

Watching the ascent of app-based financial services like Monzo Bank, the brothers wondered if the insurance sector’s comparatively archaic underwriting methods was an opportunity waiting to happen.

When a South African told them of the eye-watering amount he was forced to pay for motor insurance in the UK, they asked around and found that was a common complaint from recently arrived foreign residents - regardless of their driving ability.

Initially working from the lounge of a Virgin Active gymnasium for nine months, the twins devised an algorithm aimed at lowering premiums for immigrants and expats.

The startup attracted backers such as Investec and tech investor Passion Capital and has since sold more than 100,000 policies.

Those figures are of course nothing like the millions of drivers served by established rivals such as Admiral Group and Direct Line Group, but it’s early days.

Indeed, much of Marshmallow’s recent growth was achieved amid the pandemic’s reduced traffic levels, and the end of UK lockdowns potentially poses another challenge for the firm.

"Insurers are spending big on tech so this won’t be the death of insurance,” said Bloomberg Intelligence insurance analyst Kevin Ryan.

"The advantage insurtechs have is a lack of baggage - they don’t have legacy systems to digitise and they can be quick and agile.”

Marshmallow achieved its so-called unicorn status last month following a fresh round of fund-raising.

The second of just two black-owned firms out of 48 UK startups that have become unicorns, it narrowly missed out on being the first when Zepz, a money transfer service that also targets immigrants, surpassed that valuation just weeks earlier.

Those mark important milestones for what has been an under-represented group of companies.


Here's what Alpina did to the latest BMW 7 Series

MUNICH: Boutique German car company Alpina has taken the wraps off its flagship superfast luxury sedan.

Based on the current generation BMW 7 Series, the B7 keeps the standard car's high tech features but jettisons the powerplant in favour of its own twin-turbo V8. This engine gives the B7 a 0-100kph time of just 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 310kph.

COMPARE:The BMW M760Li xDrive

To help use more of this phenomenal turn of speed more of the time, the B7 has an eight-speed sports automatic transmission, four-wheel drive and a completely re-worked suspension system.

The car will make its real-world debut at the Geneva Motorshow in March and will be available to order from September when pricing and further specifications will be announced.

Alpina is based in Buchloe, a Bavarian city located 72km west of here.


Honda planning EV platform for US-destined sedans and crossovers

                TOKYO: Later this year, Honda's compact and fully electric modular Honda E will go on sale - but, only in Europe.

Markets where larger vehicles like sedans and SUVs reign supreme will be left out.

But a report by Automotive News published Thursday claimed "something bigger and better may be on the way."

Honda said it would introduce a modular electric vehicle platform designed for larger vehicles, those that the company will sell to the US and Chinese markets.

Honda outlined its intention to make this platform "truly global;" in theory, it will work for a wide range of vehicle segments despite varying body sizes, shapes, and powertrain architectures.

While the cute and compact urban Honda E won't make it stateside, its limited range would likely not prove useful in a country with such large distances between cities. EV models using the upcoming EV platform will likely start hitting the American market around 2025.


Bermaz Auto 3Q net profit up 23%

                KUALA LUMPUR: Bermaz Auto Bhd’s (BAuto) net profit jumped 23.1% to RM40.71mil in the third quarter ended Jan 31, 2022 (3Q22) from RM33.01mil a year ago largely due to positive contribution from the Kia operations.

Its revenue for the quarter stood at RM623.13mil, up 4.2% from RM597.9mil a year prior.

BAuto said higher revenue was mainly due to the change in sales mix from the group’s Mazda, Peugeot and Kia operations.

The group has also accounted for the expense relating to the group’s employees’ share scheme of RM400,000 in the current quarter under review as compared to RM600,000 in the corresponding quarter of the preceding year.

The board has approved and declared a third interim dividend of 2.25 sen single-tier dividend per share in respect of the financial year ending April 30 (FY22) to be payable on May 5. The entitlement date has been fixed on April 15.

For the first nine months to Jan 31, BAuto posted a net profit of RM77.02mil, up 14.7% from RM67.11mil last year. Revenue, however, dipped 13.3% to RM1.43bil against RM1.45bil a year ago.

In a statement, BAuto said the group’s current quarter financial results have been encouraging due to, inter-alia, the current sales tax exemptions on vehicles, the easing of the movement control orders and the re-opening of the various economic sectors in the country, which helped to improve consumer confidence and increased traffic to showrooms to secure better sales.

“The unpredictable outbreak of the new Omicron variant globally and/or domestically such as the recent surge in the number of Covid-19 infections will certainly have an impact on the overall recovery of the country’s economy.

“Hence, the group is cautious and expects the automotive sector to remain challenging in 2022,” it said.

It added that the launches of new and/or new facelift models of the group’s existing marques - Mazda, Peugeot and Kia - are still dependent on the market sentiments and economic conditions then.

“Premised on the foregoing and that the current sales tax exemptions will continue till June 2022, the directors anticipate the performance of the group to remain encouraging for the final quarter of the financial year ending April 30,” BAuto said.


Emissions crunch drives VW to overhaul its supercar strategy

                WOLFSBURG: Volkswagen is reviewing the future of its high-performance brands Lamborghini, Bugatti and Ducati as part of broader quest for more economies of scale as it shifts to mass producing electric cars, say senior executives.

Volkswagen’s management board and directors will look at the carmaker’s strategy at a meeting in November and are working on a new “to do list” as the company tries to more than double its value to €200 billion (RM976bil), one executive said.

The review could result in technology partnerships for the high-performance sports car and superbike brands, restructuring, or other options up to and including a listing or sale, two executives, who declined to be named, said.

They said Volkswagen, which also owns VW, Audi, Porsche, Seat and Skoda, is looking at whether it has the resources to develop electric platforms for its smaller brands at a time it is investing billions to transform its more mainstream cars.

The stark choice faced by Volkswagen comes as chief executive Herbert Diess seeks new ways to free up cash to fund its move away from combustion engines after powerful labour leaders blocked a cost-cutting drive in Germany.

In an interview with Reuters, Diess declined to comment on the high-performance brands individually but acknowledged that Volkswagen, which also has a stable of trucks, needed to reinvent itself for an era of electric and autonomous cars.

“We are constantly looking at our brand portfolio, this is particularly true during the phase of fundamental change in our industry. In view of the market disruption, we must focus and ask ourselves what the transformation means for the individual parts of the group,” said Diess.

“Brands must be measured against new requirements. By electrification, by reach, by digitalisation and connectivity of the vehicle. There is new room for manoeuvre and every brand must find its new place,” he said.

‘Aspirational target’

Besides building the common electric vehicle architecture that will underpin many of its bigger brands, Volkswagen needs to free up cash to develop connected and autonomous vehicle technology and new forms of mobility services.

Last year, Volkswagen sold 4,554 Lamborghinis, which start at about US$200,000 (RM832,000) and cost millions for special editions. It sold 82 Bugattis, which have seven-digit price tags, and just over 53,000 Ducati motorbikes.

But some company insiders question whether it’s worth investing scarce resources to produce silent electric versions if they don’t appeal to fans of the noisy, high-octane brands.

 Diess says Volkswagen is severely undervalued but is technologically more advanced than the competition.

Unlike many US firms which can tap more liquid and deeper capital markets to raise money for investment, Volkswagen relies more on cash flow from sales of combustion-engine cars to fund its shift to battery-powered vehicles.

“We are a large conglomerate and have to struggle with a low multiple and a conglomerate discount. But we are doing something about it,” Diess said, pointing to the sale of engine drive maker Renk and the restructuring of truck brand MAN.

Diess believes the company’s valuation will rise once the market understands how profitable its electric vehicles are, but it faces a short-term investment crunch after EU lawmakers proposed a 50% cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2030.

He said the goal of raising Volkswagen’s market value to €200 billion by 2025, was still valid.

“We formulated the €200 billion company valuation as an aspirational target,” Diess said.

“Volkswagen is severely undervalued when you look at its technological competence, its global positioning and perhaps also when you see that, compared with the competition, we have the best prerequisites in terms of technology.”

Intelligent vehicles

Now, Volkswagen is worth €78 billion (RM381bil), far below rival Toyota's US$187 billion (RM776bil) valuation, even though it sold more vehicles than the Japanese company last year. Volkswagen sold 10.96 million - the most by any carmaker in the world - while Toyota came in second with 10.74 million.

Analysts said that’s because Volkswagen has more brands, is less efficient and has higher costs. Volkswagen Group had 671,205 employees at the end of 2019, well above the 359,542 Toyota staff at the end of its last financial year.

Bankers are pinning their hopes on investor enthusiasm for companies pushing sustainable transportation and on support from labour leaders for financial transactions which may help Volkswagen raise cash for investment.

“The crucial thing now is to manage the transition to electromobility. That is by far the greatest lever for us in this phase,” Diess said.

“Individual mobility will change dramatically. Electrification only accounts for 10% to 20% of this change. The big push will come from the increasing intelligence of vehicles.”

A new software stack for the company’s 10 million vehicles won’t hit the market until 2023 or 2024, Diess said, making it harder for investors to recognise VW’s potential now.

Tesla's value has surged this year to above US$400 billion (RM1.6tril) as investors backed the US pioneer to cash in on an electric vehicle revolution.

‘The right path’

Although analysts say radical surgery is needed to boost Volkswagens’ stock price, winning over its supervisory board, where workers control half the seats, may be the hardest part.

“The company’s strategy is good. It has already foreseen that there will be adjustments here and there,” Volkswagen Group’s supervisory board chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch told Reuters, referring to some divestments already announced.

Volkswagen has no plans to list Porsche or Audi, and other plans will only get a hearing if they protect jobs in the long run, according to IG Metall, Germany’s biggest union.

Its leader, Joerg Hofmann, told Reuters he was not fundamentally opposed to listing, or spinning off divisions.

“We have never opposed plans by a company to fund growth on the stock market,” he said. “But if the goal is to break up a company for the sake of getting a higher valuation, or to separate off ‘Bad Industry’, then we say No,” Hofmann said.

Rather than walking away from underperforming assets, the company has a responsibility to invest in the future of its employees and locations, he said.

“I think Diess is taking the right path,” Hofmann said.

After several clashes with VW’s powerful labour chief Bernd Osterloh, Diess said he had changed his approach.

“In the last five years I have learned a lot here. In Wolfsburg we have our own culture and also special power structures. This requires a very integrative management style. With my sometimes confrontational approach, I have reached my limits. I have to recognise that and adjust to it.”

READ MORE:VW to sell Bugatti to Rimac?
VW burning through €2 billion a week, says CEO


Renault veteran Fabrice Cambolive picked as new CEO in EV offensive

                PARIS: Renault has appointed Fabrice Cambolive as its CEO of the Renault brand.

He starts work from Feb 1 and reports to Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo, who was also the CEO until Cambolive's promotion.

In his new role, Cambolive has been tasked with the transformation of the brand with the launch of 14 new vehicles by 2025 and through its expansion in Europe and internationally.

Cambolive, 54, graduated from TBS Education Business School in Toulouse, France. He joined Renault Group in 1992 and has held various international sales & marketing positions for 20 years in Spain, Switzerland, France, Germany & Romania.

Cambolive's last post was as Renault chief operating officer.


2017 New York Auto Show: 707hp Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk the most potent and fastest SUV ever

                NEW YORK: Injected with an unmatched 707hp courtesy of a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine, the new 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk has been transformed into the most powerful and quickest SUV ever.

The new benchmark 707hp supercharged engine combines with an upgraded high-torque capacity TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission, world-class on-road driving dynamics and new Brembo brakes to deliver a new level of performance: 0-60 miles per hour (mph) in 3.5 seconds.

“Long recognized as the full-size SUV capability leader, Jeep Grand Cherokee is now the most powerful and quickest SUV as well, with the introduction of our new 707-horsepower Trackhawk,” said Mike Manley, Head of Jeep Brand – FCA Global.

Built in Detroit at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant, the 2018 Grand Cherokee Trackhawk will arrive in Jeep showrooms in the fourth quarter of 2017.

Powering the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine delivering 707hp and 875Nm of torque.

Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is equipped with the Jeep Quadra-Trac on-demand four-wheel-drive system, which includes an electronic limited-slip rear differential and a single-speed active transfer case.

Standard Launch Control optimizes the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk’s performance by coordinating the engine, transmission, driveline and suspension for a textbook launch and consistent straight-line acceleration.

A new standard Torque Reserve system provides improved engine torque response and quicker vehicle acceleration in Launch Control.

The Selec-Track system on the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk uses performance-tuned software to pre-configure and distinguish the five dynamic modes, including: Auto, Sport, Track, Snow and Tow.

New high-performance Brembo brakes include the largest standard front brakes ever offered on a Jeep vehicle.

Up front are 15.75-inch (400 mm) two-piece vented rotors with six-piston calipers painted with a new distinctive yellow finish, and 13.78-inch (350 mm) vented rotors with four-piston yellow calipers in the rear for outstanding stopping performance, heat management and durability.

New standard 20 x 10-inch Titanium wheels with a Satin Chrome center cap showcase the distinctive yellow calipers underneath.

Grand Cherokee Trackhawk also features all-new Pirelli 295/45ZR20 Scorpion Verde All-Season and new Pirelli P Zero three-season tires with an increased speed rating.

 2018 Jeep® Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

The driver-focused interior features premium soft-touch materials, unique Light Black Chrome finishes and carbon fiber spears, and a 7-inch driver information display (DID) instrument cluster, which features the tachometer in the middle.

The 200-mph speedometer is on the left side of the cluster.

The instrument panel center stack with new 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen features Trackhawk-exclusive Performance Pages that showcase an array of performance timers and gauge readouts, including a new engine dynamometer screen that measures instantaneous horsepower, torque and current transmission gear.

 2018 Jeep® Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

The Trackhawk features standard Nappa leather and suede seats with an embroidered “Trackhawk” logo.

Additional premium interior features include: standard Active Noise Cancellation; premium headliner; leather stitched instrument panel, doors, center console and armrest; Berber floormats with Trackhawk badge and available dual-screen rear-seat entertainment center with Blu-ray.

There is a choice of two audio systems, including an 825-watt Harman Kardon high-performance audio system with 19-speakers and two subwoofers.


Disabled drivers want discrimination to end in e-hailing services

                PUTRAJAYA: A group of disabled drivers have submitted a memorandum to the Ministry of Transport, asking for equal opportunity to provide e-hailing services.

The group representative, Mohd Azahar Mohd Nordin, said many drivers complained about having to go through additional medical check-ups at the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital, when they already owned OKU cards.

"We understand the government allowed us to obtain the PSV license, but we have to get a second and third medical and hearing test.

"All of us already have the OKU card, legally certifying us as OKU, in line with the Persons with Disabilities Act," he said when submitting the memorandum at the Ministry here on Thursday (June 27).

It has been reported that disabled drivers could start applying for a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) license free of charge from today.

"Those registered with e-hailing operators (EHO) such as Grab, MyCar, Dacsee and EZcab don’t have to pay the RM320 licence fee, as the operators have agreed to bear the cost as part of their corporate social responsibility," said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

Loke urged disabled drivers to register for their PSV licence immediately to ensure that they could complete their six-hour online driving training before June 30, since it was a prerequisite to sit for the PSV examination on July 1 or July 2.

On a related note, Mohd Azahar questioned the need for drivers to buy new hearing aids, as such devices would not be useful for those who born with full hearing disabilities.

"They ask us to buy new hearing aids for us to use when we drive. However, some of us have full hearing disabilities. "What is the point of us buying the device?" he asked.

He also noted that the OKU drivers were informed that they could only do their medical check-ups at the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital.

"What will happen to the rest of us who are staying in other states?

"That will financially burden us, especially those staying outside Kuala Lumpur. Why can't we do it at other government hospitals?" he said.

He also said it was unfair for the ministry to hold driving exams for OKU only on July 1.

"What happens if any of us have family emergencies? We have been very patient for years, but we are still not treated like our peers.

"It is bad enough that we cannot hear, but now even the regulators refused to hear us," he added.