Blow whistle on foreign vehicles filling up with RON95 petrol

                JOHOR BARU: When you see someone with a foreign-registered car filling up with RON95 petrol, snap a photograph and send it to the complaints hotline of the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Department.

Johor executive councillor Dr S. Ramakrishnan does not discount the possibility that some drivers of foreign-registered cars swipe credit cards at the pump to buy RON95 instead of dealing with the cashier.

“Maybe some petrol stations do not have enough workers and are targeted for such activities,” he said.

Under the law, no foreign-registered car, even driven by Malaysians, is allowed to buy RON95 fuel, which is subsidised.

“They must purchase RON97 fuel and others," said Ramakrishnan.

“I urge petrol station owners and even motorists who notice this to immediately alert the department,” said Ramakrishnan, the state Unity, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman when asked to comment on a viral video clip of someone with a foreign-registered car pumping RON95 fuel in Johor on Jan 2.

“We have received a complaint about this and we view this seriously. Action may be taken against the petrol station owner for allowing this to happen,” he said, adding that such cases were rare as the department received only one complaint last year.

Ramakrishnan stressed that foreign car owners might have now changed their tactics and would use credit cards at the pump to avoid going to the cashier counter.

“However, this is not an excuse. Last year, a petrol station owner was fined for a similar offence,” he said, adding that he told the department to step up enforcement around the city to check such cases.

As for the latest case, he said the petrol station had been identified and the owner was told to give a statement.

Under the Control of Supplies Act 1961, individuals face a fine of not more than RM1mil, or a maximum of three years’ imprisonment, or both, while companies face a fine of not more than RM2mil.

Public complaints can be made to 03-8000 8000, email e-aduan@kpdnhep.gov.my or via WhatsApp at 019-279 4317.

There are about 400 petrol stations around Johor Baru, Kulai and Pasir Gudang.


Kia teases Seltos SUV before June 20 world premiere

                SEOUL: Earlier this year, Kia began teasing a compact SUV with nothing but design sketches and badge images. On Friday, however — just a week before the vehicle's world premiere — the company published a 23-second sneak peek video of the model revealing nearly the entire exterior.

As compact SUVs and crossovers gain traction in the automotive industry, new models are being launched left and right as demand for vehicles in the segment continues to rise worldwide.

Already this year, Mercedes-Benz, Lincoln, Ford, Lamborghini, Audi, Hyundai, and Genesis announced compact SUV models and, this week, Kia will launch its own as well.

Images of the Seltos in sketch form were published weeks ago, but on Friday, Kia unveiled nearly the entire exterior of the model in a 23-second video. The SUV is expected to slide in the lineup beside the Soul — the headlights and grille take obvious design cues from the model.

As for the rest of the exterior, the Seltos has sleeker contours than the Soul, which likely improve the model's aerodynamics as with the Sorento. In fact, it's allegedly the production version of the SP Signature concept that was unveiled in Seoul in March, a model that was designed for tech-oriented millennials.

Based on previous teasers provided by Kia, the inside will feature a panoramic dash with a 10.25-inch touchscreen.

The world premiere of the Kia Seltos will take place this week on June 20.


Geely and Volvo in joint ventures, LYNK & CO cars to be sold in Malaysia

                HANGZHOU: Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely Holding) has completed the formation of two new joint ventures with Volvo Cars to co-operate on automotive technologies, purchasing and the future development of the newly-launched LYNK & CO brand.

The two joint ventures represent a deepening of the collaboration between Geely and Volvo, which was acquired by the Chinese group in 2010. They represent the first time a Chinese domestic manufacturer has signed a deal for full-technology-sharing and purchasing co-operation with a leading western brand.

Geely Auto Group CEO and president An Cong Hui said as Lynk & Co is a global brand, the marque will eventually be launched in Malaysia.

READ MORE:
First Proton-Geely car to roll out by end 2018
All about the Geely Boyue
LYNK & CO previews SUV and sedan
Why the Lynk & Co 01 may be the most important new car of 2016
China to become global manufacturing and export hub for Volvo
Why Li Shufu agreed to buy Proton
DRB-Hicom and Zhejiang Geely ink RM1bil contract for Proton, Lotus

As an example of the synergies between Volvo Cars and Lynk & Co, both the Volvo XC40 and Lynk & Co 01 will be produced at the Luqiao plant in China.

Lynk & Co 01 will be launched in China in the fourth quarter of 2017. Prices have yet to be announced. The SUV will have 1.5 and 2.0-litre turbocharged engined options, with both mated to a seven-speed dual clutch transmission.

An said Lynk & Co, a marque aimed at high-end and young consumers, has plans to produce SUVs, MPVs and sedans.

On whether Proton would benefit from the latest developments, he said it would. "These joint ventures have a global outlook so certainly developments there will find their way to Malaysia in due course."

Geely Holding bought a 49.9% stake in Proton for RM460.30mil, of which RM170mil is cash and the remaining RM290m will be in form of a transfer of the former's sports utility vehicle (SUV) platform Boyue.

 The Lynk & Co 01 will have a seven-speed dual clutch transmission.

Geely Holding, China’s leading privately-owned automotive group, and Volvo, its wholly-owned Swedish subsidiary, signed the wide-ranging agreement today to formalise the joint ventures, covering the strategic priorities, management teams and targeted synergies for the collaboration projects.

“These joint ventures will create significant value for our automotive brands," said Geely Holding chairman Li Shufu.

"We aim to deliver global economies of scale by facilitating closer cooperation between our brands on shared vehicle architectures, powertrain development and electrification, while offering synergies that will enable LYNK & CO to achieve its full potential.”

Under the agreements announced today, a new technology joint venture company will be formed called GV Technology (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., which will be 50-50 owned by Volvo Cars and Geely Holding and based in China with a subsidiary in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Lars Danielson, former SVP of Volvo Cars and CEO of Volvo Cars Asia Pacific, will become the chairman of GV Technology. The joint venture will seek synergy benefits for Volvo, Geely Auto and LYNK & CO through two divisions in technology and purchasing.

GV Technology, operated by Geely Auto and Volvo, will make available all current vehicle architectures and powertrains from the respective companies to their partners. The partnership will cooperate on next-generation automotive technologies.

“The JV will also generate significant synergies, shared development costs and procurement cost savings for Geely and Volvo,” said Danielson. All future architecture and technologies developed will also be made available to the joint venture under licence for brands across the Geely Holding group.

 The Boyue made its first appearance in Malaysia following a signing ceremony between DRB-Hicom Bhd and Geely in Kuala Lumpur on June 23. — Bloomberg

The separate LYNK & CO joint venture, also formally signed today, will be jointly owned by Geely Auto, Geely Holding and Volvo cars under a 50-20-30 percent share structure.

Under the LYNK & CO joint venture, the recently launched global brand will gain access to technology and business support from Volvo, including the Swedish company’s Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), its advanced modular architecture and the latest powertrain products and technologies.

“We look forward to expanding our cooperation with LYNK & CO. It will be beneficial for both companies”, said Volvo Cars president and chief executive Håkan Samuelsson.


Chery's investment direction attracts Malaysia

                KUALA LUMPUR: Chinese automotive maker Chery was invited to discuss its investment plan and development direction during Prime Minister Anwar's visit to China last week.

Chery executives met with International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz who was part of Anwar's entourage.

Chery, whose plans attracted the interest of Zafrul, was invited to participate in the round table conference with Prime Minister Anwar and the Malaysia-China Business Forum held on April 1.

Chery Group is an international company that has diversified business development.

In 2023, the sales volume of Chery's new vehicles exceeded 1.23 million units, representing a year-on-year growth of 42%.

The company also exported 450,000 units overseas, ranking No.1 among Chinese passenger car exporters for 20 consecutive years.

It is reported that Chery has set up a wholly-owned subsidiary in Malaysia, which is scheduled to be unveiled in the second quarter of this year.


Extreme fast charging company Storedot hits milestone with shipment of '100in5' battery samples for testing

                TEL AVIV: Israeli startup StoreDot has started shipping EV cell samples of its "100in5" battery technology to strategic electric vehicle OEM partners and potential customers around the world.

StoreDot electric vehicle OEM investors include Daimler, VinFast, Volvo, Polestar, and Ola Electric

It represents another significant step on StoreDot’s roadmap to begin mass-producing its "100in5" battery cells during 2024, and to deliver a step-change in global EV adoption.

The extreme fast charging technology provides 100 miles or 160km of range in just 5 minutes consistently and without compromising battery’s health, according to Storedot.

The 30Ah silicon-dominant anode, lithium-ion pouch cells are shipped in EV form factor and ready to be tested by partners.

The "100in5" battery technology is the result of 10 years of research and development, said StoreDot chief business officer Amir Tirosh.

StoreDot said it expects to begin mass production of the new battery in 2024 in collaboration with China's EVE Energy.

In the long run, Storedot said it aims to shorten the time to get 100 miles of range from 5 minutes to 3 minutes in 2028 and in 2 minutes within a decade.

Amir Tirosh, StoreDot Chief Business Officer “Shipping the large form factor samples of our advanced


Ranger drives Ford’s Malaysia sales in July

                KUALA LUMPUR: Ford today announced July retail sales of 975 units in Malaysia, driven by continued strong demand for the Ranger, Fiesta and EcoSport nameplates.

The versatile Ranger pickup – Ford’s best-selling nameplate in Malaysia – continued to enjoy strong demand in July, with retail sales of 699 units, marking three consecutive months of sales gains. Year-to-date sales of the Ranger have jumped 22 percent to 5,520 units.

Offering high level of safety package in Malaysia, the full Ranger line-up comes equipped with a range of active and passive safety features, including Ford’s Electronic Stability Control (ESC) across all variants, and ISOFIX mounts for child seats in the Wildtrak, XLT and XL Double Cab variants. All variants offer frontal impact airbags for the driver and passenger, while the Wildtrak also includes side and rear curtain airbags for enhanced protection.

“The Ranger combines the safety and security systems of a passenger car with the ruggedness and dependability of a pickup truck, delivering a combination of features and performance that is unmatched in the market,” said Ford managing director for Malaysia and Asia Pacific Emerging Markets David Westerman.

To meet demand as the year progresses, Ford has increased dealer stock nationwide across the entire Ranger line-up.

Sales of the Fiesta rose 12 percent over the previous month to 119 units. Demand for the Fiesta is being driven by both its 1.5L Ti-VCT and 1.0L EcoBoost variants.

The EcoSport compact urban SUV also delivered sales of 101 units. EcoSport combines the agility of a compact passenger car with the flexibility, water-wading capability, superior fuel economy and an array of smart features including Ford’s in-car connectivity system SYNC.

Ford said it plans to continue strengthening the appeal of its Malaysia showrooms, as the company refreshes its current lineup with the new Ranger and Everest, and adds the iconic Mustang to its growing range of cars, trucks and SUVs.


Ford delays launch of plug-in Escape SUV after European fires

                DETROIT: Ford Motor Co. is delaying the launch of its plug-in hybrid Escape sport-utility vehicle to 2021 after thousands of similar SUVs in Europe were recalled for problems involving fires while recharging.

The Escape plug-in hybrid originally was scheduled to go into production this past spring but Ford changed it to summer after the coronavirus pandemic shut factories for two months. Now Ford is pushing it into 2021 as it reviews issues with the European-market Kuga model, which shares parts with the Escape plug-in — including the battery and engine.

"We’re moving production to next year while we investigate what happened to the Kuga in Europe,” said Mike Levine, a company spokesman. "None have been sold in the US.”

Ford’s Louisville, Kentucky, plant began building a redesigned version late last year. The factory has been turning out conventional gasoline-powered models as well as hybrids that don’t plug in.

The delay in the plug-in Escape’s debut comes amid soft US demand for the small SUV. US sales plunged almost 23% in the third quarter and are down 32% this year.

"We have some availability problems” with low inventory on certain models, Mark LaNeve, Ford’s US marketing chief, said in an Oct 2 interview.

"We’re managing those vehicles for long-term health from a residual-value standpoint and not highly discounting them compared to the previous generation.”

Ford of Europe is working to fix a problem with its Kuga plug-in related to venting heat from the batteries, Jay Ward, another company spokesman, said Tuesday. There have been seven vehicle fires in Europe, triggering the recall of 20,500 Kuga models sold there, spotlighting an issue that could take months to resolve, Ward said.

Electrification strategy

Plug-in hybrids are a key part of Ford’s strategy to spend US$11.5 billion to electrify its lineup as it transitions to battery-powered vehicles. The automaker is scheduled begin building its electric Mustang Mach-E in Mexico later this year.

Ford is allowing European customers to continue driving their plug-in Kugas but has instructed them not to plug their cars into a charger, Ward said.

The vehicles can operate in conventional hybrid mode without charging. The company extended vehicle warranties and issued €500 gasoline cards to reimburse customers for a loss in fuel economy, Ward said.

The recall could cause Ford to fall short of European emission regulations limiting carbon-dioxide output from its vehicles, Matthias Schmidt, an automotive analyst and publisher of the European Electric Car Report, wrote in a tweet Tuesday.

"We are committed to meeting our C02 obligations this year and in future years, as we always have,” Ward said.


China’s No.3 battery maker says auto recovery needed by May

                HONG KONG: China’s electric carmakers need to return production to normal levels in the next few months to prevent a bigger hit to supply chains already pressured by an unprecedented plunge in auto sales, according to the country’s third-biggest producer of batteries for the sector.

Guoxuan High-Tech Co.’s operations have been negatively affected by the coronavirus crisis, chairman Li Zhen said in a phone interview, as the outbreak paralysed swathes of Asia’s top economy and triggered a record fall in auto sales.

The firm makes rechargeable batteries for Chinese carmakers including SAIC Motor Corp. and Chery Automobile Co.

"It’s still manageable at the moment, and will be OK if customers such as car companies can quickly resume production this month,” he said. "But if that is not improved between March and May, it will bring relatively greater challenges to our sales goals.”

China’s purchases of new energy vehicles collapsed 78% in February, in line with the drop in the wider auto market, as customers stayed away from showrooms. Coronavirus-related disruptions added to earlier stresses in the sector, including a reduction in government subsidies.

Li said he’s optimistic given the health emergency in China appears to be easing and there’s prospects for government stimulus. But Guoxuan, like many of manufacturers across the country, is waiting for demand to return amid a slow resumption of activity.

New energy transport is a strategic priority for Beijing and may get support as President Xi Jinping tries to reboot the economy. BloombergNEF expects battery demand to grow somewhere between 6% and 15% this year, down from an earlier forecast for a 19% expansion, it said last month.

More challenges

Guoxuan is a modest rival to Chinese battery giants Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. and BYD Co. Those two have a combined 68% market share, compared with 5% for Guoxuan, according to BloombergNEF.

Aside from the recent crisis, challenges for the industry include reduced subsidies for EVs and keeping up with advances in battery technology, Li said March 6. "The industry also requires higher capital expenditure, which further spurs consolidation and intensifies concentration among the top players.”

Li’s firm can become a top 5 global battery supplier, he said, and aims to expand capacity nearly fivefold to 100 gigawatt hours to feed expansion both within China and overseas. CATL has 55 GWh of capacity.

The battery maker is in talks with four to five international carmakers for potential cooperation on batteries, Steven Cai, head of Gotion High Tech Engineering R&D, a department of Guoxuan, said in the same interview.

Guoxuan held wide-ranging discussions with Volkswagen AG as the German car giant looks to expand its EV fleet, it said in January.

There’s "a lot of room” for cheaper batteries known as LFP to grow, Li said. Carmakers are shifting back to LFP against a backdrop of easing subsidies and fierce competition in the market. Guoxuan says it is the second-biggest supplier of LFP units, which contain no cobalt or nickel, in China.


Global automaker supplies threatened by China coronavirus crisis

                DETROIT: The threat from the coronavirus crisis closed in on the global auto industry on Thursday, as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV warned that a European plant could shut down within two to four weeks if Chinese parts suppliers cannot get back to work.

The next several weeks will be critical for automakers. Parts made in China are used in millions of vehicles assembled elsewhere, and China’s Hubei province, epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, is a major hub for vehicle parts production and shipments.

Industry experts said auto suppliers had built up a cushion of parts in inventory and in-transit ahead of the long Chinese New Year holiday in late January. Those will start to run out if Chinese parts factories cannot get back to work next week, or if flights to and from China remain limited.

Chinese auto parts and assembly plants have extended previously planned New Year’s shutdowns through Feb 9. But some have pushed the shutdowns out further.

“Almost everybody has some product where they are in trouble,” said Dan Hearsch, a managing director for the auto and industrial practice of consulting firm AlixPartners.

Fiat Chrysler chief executive officer Mike Manley said Thursday the automaker could be forced to suspend production at a European assembly plant if parts don’t begin to flow within two to four weeks. He did not identify the plant or vehicles at risk.

South Korea’s Hyundai said shortages of parts from China would force it to suspend production at its South Korean plants.

Other global automakers have not disclosed details about potential disruptions outside China, but have said they are monitoring the risks. Toyota operating officer Masayoshi Shirayanagi said the automaker is “looking very closely at inventories of components” outside China.

GM has teams working around the clock to head off trouble, the automaker’s chief financial officer said.

AlixPartners consultant Hearsch said automakers are more likely than in the past to have backup sources of critical parts. They and their major suppliers took steps after the deadly 2011 tsunami that crippled key auto parts makers in Japan to reduce the risk that a catastrophe at a single factory could shut down assembly lines.

Flexible manufacturing equipment can also be reprogrammed or relocated to produce parts. When a fire at a Michigan supplier plant threatened production of Ford Motor Co’s high-profit pickup trucks, Ford moved rapidly to relocate production tools to a plant in Ontario.

Still, not all the production from China’s Hubei province can be easily replaced or moved. Hubei is one of 11 Chinese provinces that are responsible for more than two-thirds of vehicle production in China, IHS Markit said in a study last week.

If plants remain idled into March, the production losses within China would become significant, amounting to more than 1.7 million vehicles of lost production during the first quarter, IHS projected.


Lexus LM 350 arrives at RM1.148mil

                KUALA LUMPUR: Lexus Malaysia has introduced the flagship Lexus LM 350 that is arguably peerless in providing luxurious pampering, privacy and convenience features for rear passengers.

Priced at RM1,148,000 on-the-road without insurance (Peninsular Malaysia), the new genre "Luxury Mover" comes in Black and White Pearl Crystal Shine, and is available at all six Lexus Centres throughout the country.

The LM 350 is fully-imported and built at the Inabe plant in Japan.

Drawing on the rich heritage and the skills of Japanese craftsmen, Lexus has imbued the chauffeur-driven LM 350 with qualities that are both cutting-edge and time-honoured.

While featuring the body of a large multi-purpose vehicle with rear power sliding doors, the LM 350 comes with only two rear seats in semi-aniline leather to offer maximum personal space.

Offering the premium feel and VIP seating similar to that in a private jet, the rear passengers are also treated to Lexus renowned 'omotenashi' hospitality as well as voluminous legroom unmatched even by long wheelbase luxury sedans.

These plush with full recline lounge seats also feature the Adaptipedic cushioning that intuitively forms according to individual body shapes to provide extra comfort.

They are also equipped with Ottoman massage function together with individual cooling and heating functions.

Other features include intricate Gin-Sui-Boku ornamentation, a 19-speaker Mark Levinson reference sound system, a 26-inch HD display panel for rear passengers, a fold-out magazine rack, large cubicles and a built-in mini fridge.

The LM 350 is also the first Lexus model to be equipped with a retractable glass partition between the front and second row seats which can be "frosted" with the touch of a button for the added privacy of rear passengers.

For the chauffeur and front passenger, there are also plush seats, a large dashboard with a 12.3-inch touchscreen with controls that be activated through a touch pad, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

This luxury MPV comes with an oversized familiar Lexus "spindle" radiator grille with a metallic frame, flowing accents, chrome highlights and slim 3-beam LED projector headlights with the distinctive arrowhead Daytime Running Lamps.

Wheels are the striking and elegant 18-inch noise-reducing alloy-type finished in hyper chrome metallic.

Powering the LM 350 is a 3.5-litre quad cam V6 engine delivering 296hp with 361Nm of torque paired to a direct-shift eight-speed automatic transmission.

While promising an effortless glide, passengers can also expect a smooth ride with cutting edge Lexus-engineered suspension system that employs swing valve shock absorber technology.

Through ultra-low velocity valves within the shock absorbers, the oil flows are well controlled, thereby allowing the LM 350 to quickly respond to road imperfections.

Seven airbags including two side curtain airbags, along with the Lexus Safety System + (LSS+) which incorporates Pre-Collision System (PCS), Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) with stop and go function, Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Lane Departure Alert (LDA) and Adaptive High-Beam System (AHS), raises the safety level.

Lexus Malaysia president Ravindran K said: “With its outstanding comfort, sophisticated beauty and exceptional functionality, the Lexus LM 350 has single-handedly redefined the luxury MPV segment by taking fine automobile experiences where no luxury automobile has been.”

Lexus Malaysia deputy chairman Akio Takeyama said: “The LM 350 undoubtedly evolves the concept of the luxury chauffeured vehicle.

“By infusing the Lexus’ innovative approach in vehicular manufacturing, cutting-edge technology and Takumi craftsmanship, the model exudes a fresh expression of model luxury that is second to none," he said.

The first customers of the LM 350 will receive their brand new luxury movers as early as the end of July.

The LM 350 also enjoys a comprehensive 5-year unlimited mileage warranty like all other Lexus models.


Thai Motor Expo 2020 closes with 38,699 vehicles sold

                BANGKOK: The 37th Thailand International Motor Expo 2020, held here from Dec 2 to Dec 13, locked in bookings of 33,753 cars – led by small sedans followed by SUVs – and 4,946 motorcycles.

The 1.2 million visitors spent over 49bil Baht (RM6.62bil) into the Thai economy.

Meanwhile response to Motor Expo Online Platform, a parallel event in digital media, was more well-received than expected.

Motor Expo 2020 organising chairman Kwanchai Paphatphong (pix) said the event was a success with participation of industry stakeholders as well as credit to the government sector which had done well in keeping the spread of Covid-19 under control.

“Despite the pandemic crisis that has played havoc with the global economy, vehicle sales volume at the event has been satisfactory as a result of several new model launches with special promotions.

"Total bookings of the 31 car brands fell only 9.9% from last year while the motorcycle bookings dropped 31.7%," he said.

Information provided by participants in “Buy a Car … Win a Car” contest revealed that the top five car brands were Honda, Toyota, MG, Mazda and BMW.

Sales volume of sedans were 40.9% (45.5% last year) classified into 23.9% sedans, 15.6% hatchbacks and 1.4% others.

Sports utility vehicles (SUVs) accounted for 40.4% share – an increase from 33.4% of the previous year.

The top five SUVs were MG ZS, Isuzu MU-X, Toyota Corolla Cross, Mazda CX-30 and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.

Pick-up trucks took 12.2% share – slightly down from last year (14.5%).

The top five were Isuzu D-Max, Ford Ranger, Toyota Revo, Mitsubishi Triton and Nissan Navara.

Luxury cars had a total bookings of 3,783 units and the five brands drawing the most interest were BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Porsche and Audi.

The 21 brands of motorcycles had a total of 4,946 bookings, 31.7% down from last year.

Based on information obtained from participants in “Buy a Motorbike…Win a Big Bike”,the top five motorcycles that buyers participated in the activity were Honda, GPX, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Triumph.

The average price of cars sold at the event was 1.4mil Baht (RM190,000) and the average price of motorcycles sold was 230,140 Baht (RM31,000).

The event had 1,186,387 visitors who spent altogether around 49bil Baht (RM6.62bil).

Motor Expo Online Platform, introduced for the first time this year, welcomed 165,078 visitors and had 314,515 clip viewings.

Along with Motor Expo Exclusive Vistor service, also introduced for the first time, for visiting the event as VIPs with special services.

The Join Boat Platform attracted much interest as water tourism had been gaining popularity among car lovers due to its privacy and new travel experiences.


Taxi, ehailing connections could help boost take-up of rail services, says minister

                SUNGAI BULOH: Talks are being held with ehailing and taxi companies to improve first- and last-mile connectivity with the public rail system within the Klang Valley, says Anthony Loke.

The Transport Minister's statement comes as ridership on mass transit systems remains low, with the MRT2 Sungai Buloh and Putrajaya line expected to be fully operational by mid-March.

"The feeder bus system has yet to (address) the problem as not all areas have feeder routes.

"So we are looking at other approaches, which includes talking to ehailing and taxi companies to solve this problem," he told a press conference after taking a ride on the MRT2 from Putrajaya Sentral to Kwasa Damansara during a trial run today.

He said the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) is looking at implementing a pilot ride sharing project involving taxis and ehailing rides to offer trips to and from stations at a lower fare.

Asked what could be done to increase the use of public transportation in the Klang Valley, he acknowledged that this could happen if first- and last-mile issues were resolved.

He noted that the goal of getting at least 40% of commuters to use public transportation had yet to be achieved as the figure was estimated to be below 20%.

Loke said the ministry was also open to other suggestions including allowing the use of electric scooters, which is currently prohibited, to and from stations.


US senators press auto agency on safety rules as traffic crash deaths soar

                WASHINGTON: A group of 10 Democratic senators Tuesday urged US auto safety regulators to move quickly to issue new regulations after traffic crash deaths hit a 16-year-high in 2021.

Senators Ed Markey, Richard Blumenthal, Sherrod Brown, Dick Durbin, Jack Reed, Ron Wyden and others wrote the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) asking the agency to explain its lack of progress in writing new regulations mandated by Congress.

A 2021 $1 trillion infrastructure law signed into law in 2021 includes 10 new auto safety provisions including "modernizing standards" for crash avoidance technologies, automatic engine shutoff devices and headlights, the letter said.

"When issuing new safety measures, regulators have too often crawled through yellow lights or stalled at red lights," the letter said. "Congress gave NHTSA the green light to put its pedal to the metal to reduce motor vehicle fatalities."

The 2021 law also directs NHTSA to set rules requiring new vehicles include technology to prevent alcohol impaired drivers from starting vehicles and mandate systems in to alert drivers to check rear seats after turning off vehicles.

The Transportation Department said in April NHTSA "is committed to ensuring its underlying processes improve the timely completion of congressional mandates."

NHTSA's slow pace of writing new auto safety regulations has come under fire before and it is often been years behind deadlines set by Congress to write new safety rules.

An April report by the Government Accountability Office said NHTSA had failed to complete 16 of 22 rules mandated by Congress in legislation passed in 2012 and 2015.

The senators letter noted the November 2021 infrastructure law directed NHTSA to submit a report within six months on the status of prior rules sought by Congress and expected completion dates.

"Unfortunately, NHTSA has already missed that deadline by six months," the letter said.

NHTSA was without a Senate-confirmed administrator for more than five years until Steven Cliff was confirmed in May.

Cliff stepped down in September. President Joe Biden has not nominated a replacement.

Cliff said in July NHTSA was moving aggressively to get new regulations completed. Since January 2021, the agency finalised 16 rules and begun work on 25 new rules, Cliff said.


Govt yet to decide on highway takeover

                KUALA LUMPUR: The government has yet to decide on the proposed takeover of four highway concessionaires in the Klang Valley, says Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

"There has been no decision at the Cabinet level. We will discuss it, that is for sure," he said on Tuesday (Aug 11).

Asked about the status of the proposed takeover, Fadillah said there was no timeframe for this, and said that a decision will be announced when it is made.

In December last year, former Finance minister Lim Guan Eng said a decision needed to be made quickly, as the government had to pay compensation to toll operators for freezing toll hikes.

In June of last year, the Ministry of Finance Inc (MOF Inc) announced a planned takeover of the four highways for RM6.2bil.

The four highway concessionaires are Lingkaran Trans Kota Holdings Bhd (Litrak), Kesas Sdn Bhd, Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat Holdings Sdn Bhd (Sprint) and Syarikat Mengurus Air Banjir Dan Terowong Sdn Bhd (Smart).

Gamuda has stakes in all four companies.

Fadillah spoke to reporters after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Social Security Organisation (Socso)and the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) on Tuesday (Aug 11).

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan was also present at the event.

To another question, Fadillah said that the decision to lower the price of tolls at the PLUS highway by 18% and not other highways would change the policy of highway privatisation that was introduced before.

"When Pakatan Harapan decided on the 18%, we had to review it's impact on the overall policy in relation to tolled highways. It will have an impact on other highways, which will keep on increasing. PLUS is permanent at one price.

"What is the impact on the tolls of new highways that are being constructed? What is its impact on the proposals of new highways? "What is the direction we want to take? This is something that has to be discussed and this is a question of policy," he said.

When asked if there was a possibility of the PLUS toll prices being increased, Fadillah said that he could not say anything until the matter was discussed bty Cabinet.

Pakatan had lowered the price of PLUS tolls in February by 18%. The concession on all its highways were extended by 20 years from 2038 to 2058.


Wipe sticky tree sap off of your car's finish right away

                BERLIN: If you leave your car parked under a tree during the spring months, you may well return to find it coated in a sticky and resinous layer.

Drivers should wash these sticky layers off as quickly and thoroughly as possible, Germany's largest automobile club, the ADAC, warns.

These substances, such as the honeydew secreted by aphids feeding on tree blossoms, can damage a car's paint in much the same way as bird droppings. The best option here is a thorough car wash routine including pre-wash.

However, while the yellow, dusty film from pollen may be annoying, it is usually safe for a car's finish, says the ADAC. From time to time, drivers can wash off the dust with water.


Over 8 million summonses paid during discount period

                DUNGUN: A total of 8.6 million outstanding traffic summonses were settled during the discount period launched in conjunction with the 100-Day Keluarga Malaysia Aspirasi Programme.

The programme was held from Dec 9 until Friday. Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah said this proved that the traffic summons discount offer was well received by the public, considering that 12.2 million summonses were settled throughout 2021.

“The public took advantage of the discount offer to settle their outstanding summonses,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama after visiting the Kampung Jongok Batu on-site control post here today.

Asked if there were plans to extend the discount, Acryl Sani said no.

He said this was because the number of people paying their summonses at the traffic payment counters nationwide had reduced by the end of last month.


Jaguar's Ian Callum calls it a day, new design director named

Callum has transformed Jaguar design in the past 20 years. — Reuters
LONDON: Jaguar announced on Tuesday that its legendary design director Ian Callum is to leave his position at the company after 20 years heading up Jaguar Design.

Creative design director Julian Thomson will replace Callum from July 1.

Callum will continue to work with Jaguar as a consultant

Since joining Jaguar in 1999, Callum has built a world-class creative design team, established a new design philosophy and revived the range with award-winning designs.

These include F-TYPE – Jaguar’s first two-seater sports car since the iconic E-type – the XE, XF and XJ saloons, and the marque’s first SUVs – F-PACE, E-PACE and most recently the all-electric I-PACE, which in April was crowned 2019 World Car of the Year, World Car Design of the Year and World Green Car.

 Thomson will take over from July 1.

"I came into this role with a mission to take Jaguar design back to where it deserved to be. It has taken 20 years, but I believe I have achieved what I set out to do," said Callum.

"One of my biggest highlights was creating XF because it represented the beginning of a new era moving Jaguar from tradition to contemporary design – it was a significant turning point in our story."

Since joining Jaguar in 2000, Thomson has overseen the development of the design concepts for the entire current product range. He began his career at Ford in Dunton, England, before moving to Lotus, where he became head of design, then chief of exteriors at Volkswagen Group's Concept Design Centre.


New Ford Ranger Raptor racing Baja 1000 on Shell biofuel

                DETROIT: Ford has announced that a next-generation Ranger Raptor will be its latest off-roading vehicle to tackle the SCORE International Baja 1000 – one of the toughest off-road races in the world.

The Ranger Raptor will be racing on a low-carbon biofuel, demonstrating the potential of these fuels in the most demanding environments.

Ford Performance partnered with Australia’s Kelly Racing to build the Baja-ready Ranger Raptor and US-based Lovell Racing to develop and race the truck at Baja, which begins on Nov 18.

Lovell Racing, led by multi-time off-road champion and Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Famer Brad Lovell, is one of Ford Performance’s key off-road teams.

Ranger has long been a global icon for Ford and this right-hand drive version of the vehicle was built and tested in Australia before being brought over to the US for final development and testing before the endurance race.

“By entering this event, we’re building on the hundreds of thousands of kilometres of development testing and pushing the Ranger Raptor to new extremes,” said Brian Novak, Off-Road Motorsports Supervisor, Ford Performance.

“The Baja 1000 is a demanding event and a well-known proving ground for off-road vehicles,” he added. “We are excited to compete in this extreme event with Ranger Raptor.”

The Baja 1000, held on the Baja California Peninsula, is considered one of the world’s most prestigious off-road races, attracting competitors from around the globe eager to take on its miles of treacherous desert terrain, steep drops and tough climbs.

In the past, both the F-150 Raptor and Ford Bronco have successfully raced at Baja. Whether it was a stock 2017 F-150 Raptor finishing on the podium before driving an additional 643km home, the Bronco R race prototype’s development & verification of the current production Bronco or even hailing all the way back to the legendary 1969 overall win, there’s hearty history at play for Ford trucks.

Ford Performance believes the Ranger Raptor is up for the challenge. It is built to the rules of SCORE’s stock class, which are meant to show off the capability of the stock street trucks.

The Ranger Raptor will be powered and protected by Shell’s low carbon biofuel blend which consists of more than 30% sustainably sourced bio components.

“Demonstrating low-carbon fuels in performance settings like the Baja 1000 can help bring biofuels and other clean energy technologies to scale more quickly, and help to make them more available and affordable for everyone,” said Cynthia Williams, Global Director of Sustainability, Compliance and Homologation at Ford.

Ford is working to achieve carbon neutrality globally across its vehicles, operations and supply chain no later than 2050 and to reach science-based interim targets by 2035.

As Ford launches electrified versions of its most popular nameplates, the company continues to research and develop alternative fuel options across all of its vehicles, including performance racing, to provide customers with efficient, low-carbon alternatives.


Toyota turns to Chinese tech to reach its electric holy grail

                BEIJING: Toyota Motor Corp will launch an all-electric small sedan in China late next year, having turned to local partner BYD for key technology to finally make an affordable yet roomy runaround, say four sources.

Two of the four people with knowledge of the matter described the car as an electric holy grail for Toyota which has struggled for years to come up with a small EV that is both competitive on cost in China and doesn't compromise on comfort.

The sources said the breakthrough was chiefly down to BYD's less bulky lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) Blade batteries and its lower-cost engineering know-how - a turning of the tables for a Chinese company whose popular F3 saloon was inspired by Toyota's Corolla back in 2005.

Little known outside China at the time, BYD, or "Build Your Dreams", hit the headlines in 2008 when Warren Buffett bought a 10% stake and it has since become one of the biggest manufacturers of so-called new energy vehicles in the world.

Toyota's new EV will be slightly bigger than its compact Corolla, the world's best-selling car of all time. One source said think of it as "a Corolla with bigger back-seat section".

It will be unveiled as a concept car at the Beijing auto show in April and will then most likely be launched as the second model in Toyota's new bZ series of all-electric cars, even though it will only be on sale in China for now.

"The car was enabled by BYD battery technology," one of the sources told Reuters. "It has more or less helped us resolve challenges we had faced in coming up with an affordable small electric sedan with a roomy interior."

It will be pitched below premium EVs such as Tesla's Model Y or the Nio ES6 but above the ultra-cheap Hong Guang Mini EV, which starts at just $4,500 and is now China's best-selling electric vehicle.

Two of the four sources, all of whom declined to be named because they are not authorised to speak to the media, said the new Toyota would be priced competitively.

One said it would likely sell for under 200,000 yuan (RM127,000), aiming for a segment of the Chinese market Tesla is expected to target with a small car within the next two years.

"We don't comment on future products," a Toyota spokesperson said. "Toyota considers battery electric vehicles as one path to help us get to carbon neutrality and is engaged in the development of all types of electrified vehicle solutions."

A BYD spokesman declined to comment.

'All kinda floored'

The fact Toyota has been compelled to turn to BYD to solve its low-cost EV conundrum shows how far the competitive balance of the global auto industry has tipped in the past decade.

When the quality of Chinese vehicles was considered below par, global automakers were not too concerned that they couldn't compete on price and left Chinese companies to control the domestic market for cheap, no-frills cars.

But times have changed.

Toyota executives started to worry back in 2015 when BYD launched its Tang plug-in hybrid, with significant improvements in styling, quality and performance. Most worrying was that fact it was still about 30% cheaper than comparable Toyota models.

There was a critical turn of events in 2017 when Toyota's top engineering leaders, including then-executive vice president Shigeki Terashi, drove several BYD cars such as the Tang at its proving ground in Toyota City near its headquarters in Japan.

Terashi subsequently visited BYD's headquarters in Shenzhen and drove a prototype of its Han electric car.

"Their long-term quality is still a question mark, but the design and quality of these cars showed levels of maturity, yet they were much cheaper than comparable Toyota models," said one of the four sources, who participated in the test drives.

"We were all kinda floored by that."

Two of the sources said the BYD evaluations pushed Toyota to create its research and development (R&D) joint venture with BYD last year. Toyota now has two dozen engineers in Shenzhen working side-by-side with about 100 BYD counterparts.

Blade winner

Toyota's new EV comes at a time it is under fire from environmental groups that maintain it is not committed to zero emissions. They say Toyota is more interested in prolonging the commercial usefulness of its successful hybrid technology.

Toyota executives say they're not against battery electric vehicles (BEVs) but argue that until renewable energy becomes more widely available, they won't be a silver bullet for slashing carbon emissions.

Nevertheless, Toyota has set up division in Japan dedicated to zero-emissions cars called ZEV Factory and it is developing safer and lower-cost battery technologies, including solid-state lithium-ion cells which would significantly boost an EV's range.

While Toyota has long advocated a runaround that doesn't compromise on comfort as the best way to popularise BEVs, it has struggled to produce such a car.

One problem stems from need to stack bulky, heavy batteries under the floor, as they eat up the interior unless the roof is raised too - which is why many smaller EVs are SUVs.

In 2018, Toyota briefly explored the idea of a battery venture with BYD. That and subsequent interactions led Toyota's engineers to come across BYD's LFP Blade battery. They described it as a game-changer as it was both cheaper and freed up space.

 The Han electric car.

"It's a 'scales fell from my eyes' kind of technology we initially dismissed because its design is so radically simple," one of the four sources said.

BYD officially launched its Blade battery in 2020.

LFP batteries have a lower energy density than most other lithium-ion cells but are cheaper, have a longer shelf-life, are less prone to overheating and don't use cobalt or nickel. Tesla already uses LFP batteries in its Model 3 and Model Y in China.

One of the sources said a typical Blade pack is about 10cm thick when the modules are laid flat on the floor, roughly 5cm to 10cm thinner than other lithium-ion packs.

A BYD spokesman said that was possible, depending on how an automaker packages the Blade pack in a car.

Cutting corners?

While Toyota has not fully solved the puzzle as to how BYD keeps coming in low on costs, two of the sources said one factor may be its abbreviated and flexible design and quality assurance process - which some Toyota engineers see as cutting corners.

Toyota's planning process is much more rigid and thorough, the sources said. Once it has decided on the technologies, components and systems at the outset of a car's three-to-four-year development process, it rarely changes designs.

During the process, Toyota typically does three design prototypes and three manufacturing prototypes. Some are driven about 150,000km to bullet-proof quality and reliability when testing for emissions or bad-road durability.

At BYD, engineers do far less prototyping - there are typically just two - and designs can be changed as late as two years into the process, which is a definite no-no at Toyota, one source said. A BYD spokesman declined to comment.

But as a result of those last-minute changes, the technology in a BYD car is much more up to date than in a Toyota when it hits the market, and is often cheaper.

The four sources believe that further advances in simulation and virtual engineering know-how, as well as the fact that BYD produces a wide array of its own components, have helped it close potential gaps in quality and reliability that could stem from such last-minute design changes.

"Our challenge at Toyota is whether we dismiss BYD's way of engineering as being loosey-goosey and too risky, or whether we can learn from it," one of the sources said.


10km travel limit within district removed for fully-vaccinated

                PETALING JAYA: The 10km travel limit imposed previously for states and territories under Phase One of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) has been removed, according to the National Security Council (NSC).

In its latest standard operating procedure (SOP) dated Aug 20, individuals who have been fully vaccinated were now allowed to travel beyond 10km from their homes, but are still confined to interstate and inter-district travel restrictions.

“The movement of individuals who have been fully vaccinated is allowed, subject to the capacity of the vehicles,” it said.

Currently, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor and Kedah are states and territories under Phase One of the NRP.

For those who have yet to be fully vaccinated, a maximum of two persons representing a household may travel to obtain food supply, medicine, diet supplements and basic necessities.

At present, a maximum of three persons including a patient are allowed to go out for healthcare services, medicine, screening tests, vaccination or emergency purposes.

Currently, only long-distance married couples who are fully vaccinated are allowed to make inter-district and interstate travel to meet their spouses, while parents who are fully vaccinated can cross-district and state borders to meet their children who are below 18 years old.

Those who have vaccination appointments and required interstate travel were also allowed, with the stipulated requirement to show proof of appointment to authorities.

Separately, the NSC also said children below the age of 17 were not encouraged to be present in public places and facilities after previously disallowing the public appearance of children below age 12 except for emergency, education, exercising or medical purposes.

According to the NSC, complete vaccinations are defined as those who have passed 14 days from the day they received their second dose for vaccines requiring two shots (Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinovac).

As for vaccines requiring only one shot (Johnson & Johnson and CanSino), complete vaccination is defined as passing 28 days upon receiving their shots.


Solid Power aims to ship first solid-state battery cells by year-end to BMW, Ford

                DENVER: Solid Power , a developer of solid-state batteries for electric vehicles, aims to begin shipping pre-production battery cells by year-end for validation testing by partners BMW and Ford Motor, the company said today.

In an interview, Doug Campbell, Solid Power’s chief executive and co-founder, said the Colorado company has set up a pilot production line to provide validation samples to automakers while looking for a manufacturing partner to begin producing its cells as early as 2026.

One prospective partner, he said, is Korea’s SK Innovation, which is building joint-venture battery plants with Ford in Tennessee and Kentucky.

“Long term, we do not endeavour to be a cell producer,” he said.

Campbell said Solid Power has sufficient pilot production capacity to provide prototype battery cells to other vehicle manufacturers, but declined to provide specific detail.

The company, which went public through a reverse merger in 2021, drew early investments from Hyundai and Samsung, in addition to Ford and BMW.

Campbell acknowledges the intense competition in solid-state battery development among the “big boys - groups like Toyota, Panasonic, Samsung, LG Energy Solution, Hyundai and CATL.”

“We’re in a space among a lot of very prominent and credible players,” he said.

Like most of those companies, Solid Power’s battery cell features a sulfide-based solid-state electrolyte, the medium through which lithium ions flow between positive and negative electrodes during charging and discharging.

Battery cells with solid-state electrolytes have a significantly lower risk of catching fire from internal shorts than those with liquid electrolytes.

Campbell said Solid Power’s cells, which currently use silicon-rich anodes and nickel-cobalt-manganese cathodes, have the potential to hold more energy - thus providing electric vehicles with longer range - and cost less than conventional lithium-ion batteries.

Solid Power also has designed its solid-state cells to be compatible with current lithium-ion manufacturing processes.


Digi kicks off road safety programme with telematics

Loke trying out a driving simulator by MIROS with (from left) Rajan, Digi chief executive officer Albern Murty, Miros director-general Dr Siti Zaharah Ishak and Logistics Worldwide Express chief operating officer Ng Shern Yau looking on.
SUBANG JAYA: Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (Digi) today launched the Digi Road Safety Programme 2019 to address rising concerns of road safety in the country.

The programme uses telematics data to help commercial vehicle drivers become better, safer drivers and is open to all SMEs from now until Dec 31. To participate, log on to digi.my/roadsafety

According to the Malaysia Transport Statistics (2017), there was an average of 2,034,893 daily traffic goers in Peninsular Malaysia and an average of 154,015 in East Malaysia. That same year, the Royal Malaysian Police reported 802,523 motor vehicles involved in road incidents.

Also, the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) highlighted that human error contributed to 80% of the crashes in 2017; citing risky driving, speeding and fatigue as concerns.

“Technology can be effective for better enforcement, implementation of interventions and safety compliance on roads; and telematics could help improve road safety and build trust in road users, in this case, commercial vehicle drivers,” said Transport Minister Anthony Loke at the launch.

Vehicle telematics sends, receives and stores information of vehicles and drivers, using devices connected to the internet.

This technology can be used to improve road safety by monitoring driver behaviour, collecting vehicle data in terms of location, speed, acceleration, braking and cornering.

This data can be used to help commercial vehicle owners and drivers make more informed decisions to improve vehicle safety on the road, which is a key component of Digi’s 2019 Road Safety Programme.

Supported by the Ministry of Transport, the Road Safety Department of Malaysia and Miros, the programme includes three comprehensive initiatives to help small and medium enterprise (SME) commercial vehicle owners start, train and sustain safety driving habits among their drivers.

The first is to start with an RM10mil iFleet Transformation Fund, where 1,000 SMEs will receive up to RM10,000 each in discounts to kickstart their road safety journey by transforming their fleet with GPS Tracking, Wi-Fi and Video capabilities.

The second is to train commercial drivers with defensive driving professionals Where drivers are equipped with a variety of techniques to prevent road crashes, and will each receive an official certificate of completion.

Participating SMEs are entitled to a 15% discount off all training workshops, which are also 100% HRDF claimable.

The third initiative will see 10 of the safest drivers from each qualifying SME rewarded with Digi prizes for their excellent driving behaviour, based on their iFleet driving scores for the month.

“We are proactively working to improve road safety with vehicle telematics, and are now using our readily available competencies to start other companies on this journey.

Studies have revealed that telematics can influence reduced accident rates among commercial vehicle drivers.

This is because the data collected enables owners to better plan routes and schedules, recommend driver training and implement disciplinary action where needed.

"We strongly believe telematics is a practical tool that can uniquely address road safety concerns by creating a long-term safety mindset among commercial vehicle drivers, whose trustworthiness on our roads contributes significantly to the safety of other road users,” said Digi chief digital officer Praveen Rajan.

Digi’s Road Safety Programme is powered by iFleet, the company’s fleet management solution which provides real-time vehicle and driver behaviour information.


Michelin releases new car and bike tyres

                KUALA LUMPUR: Michelin has unveiled the latest high performance Pilot Sport 5 and Road 6 range of motorcycle tyres.

Pilot Sport 5

The latest fifth generation of the high-performance Pilot Sport range, the model targets sports car and high-performance sedan enthusiasts.

The new tyre offers maximum control with extremely good grip and braking performance on wet and dry ground – thanks to the Dual Sport Tread Design technology and a dual side functionalised tread design inspired by motorsport experience.

It also features inner side with large grooves and high void ratio for enhanced wet road traction, external side with rigid blocks for better grip on dry roads and Groove Clear that consists of large longitudinal grooves to dump water divert water out of the way efficiently.

 Pilot Sport 5.

It also has Dynamic Response technology that features a hybrid aramid and nylon belt for optimum transmission of steering instructions onto the road; and the MaxTouch Construction that maximises the tyre’s contact with the road and evenly distributes the forces of acceleration, braking, and cornering – delivering longer tread life without sacrificing performance.

Its Premium Touch Sidewall Design creates a sleek, matte-black aesthetic with a velvet-like micro texture for s stylish look while the Wear2Check indicator makes reading of treadwear easy.

Michelin Malaysia managing director Oliver Biggart said the Pilot Sport 5 strengthen Michelin's complete and best overall high-performance Pilot Sport range with ‘Performance Made to Last’ being its key differentiator.

“This new race-born tyre amplifies sport performance made to last while providing throughout its
lifespan both driving dynamics with precision, as well as safety.

“It is a truly ideal tyre for those who need first-class experience, and look for aesthetic exclusivity,” Biggart said.

The first batch of tyres will be available at authorised Michelin tyre dealers nationwide starting April 4.

There will be 26 dimensions from 17 to 19 inches, with 21 more sizes from 17 to 21 inches to be made available by end of 2022.

The recommended retail price of the new Pilot Sport 5 starts from RM700 to RM1,900.

Road 6

The latest Michelin motorcycle tyre gets line-up improved wet grip and longevity compared to the previous Road 5 offering.

It gets improve performance through new tread design, advances in raw materials, and optimised tyre architecture.

The new line-up is designed to offer riders of roadsters, trail bikes, sports bikes and GT motorcycles
optimised performance in terms of wet grip, longevity, comfort and handling.

 Road 6.

It offers a 15% improvement in wet grip and a 10% increase in tyre life compared with its predecessor.

Its optimised void ratio of 14% (the ratio of grooves to rubber) gives high levels of grip performance in wet and dry conditions while the Michelin Water EverGrip sipe technology give high levels of wet grip.

It also features new groove and sipe angles, with longer edges to cut through the film of water and grip the road surface better.

The 100% silica compound featuring Silica Technology improves grip in cooler conditions and on damp and wet roads, without any compromise on tyre life.

The Michelin 2CT+ (2 Compound Technology) front and rear means that different parts of the tread are optimised for different performance characteristics.

Adding to the improved performance are the Radial X Evo technology where the 90-degree plies on the crown of the tyre ensure a wide footprint giving high grip levels and Aramid Shield that allows a highly dense, more rigid tyre casing, which helps give excellent feedback and handling.

Road 6 also comes with Premium Touch Design in the sidewall design that uses micro geometry to create texture, which in-turn allows it to modulate contrast and create shades of grey to highlight the tyre markings and give an attractive finish.

Available at all authorised Michelin tyre dealers nationwide, the Road 6 tyre comes in six front and eight rear sizes, while the Road 6 GT tyre range is available in one front and three rear sizes.

This range provides fitments for everything from small roadsters such as the KTM 390, through sports bikes and trail bikes, up to GT machines such as the BMW K1600 GT/GTL.


Stricter guidelines for Bahasa Malaysia use on road signs, says Zuraida

The Chinese wordings on a road sign in Shah Alam was recently covered with a sticker. — Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: The Housing and Local Government Ministry will issue stricter guidelines on the use of Bahasa Malaysia for road signs nationwide, says its minister, Zuraida Kamaruddin.

"We will review the matter and come out with more strict guidelines.

"We have guidelines over the use of language for advertisement boards, but that is different from road signs," she told reporters at a press conference in Parliament today.

Zuraida cited the recent example in Selangor, where it was a state decision to use a particular language for the road sign.
https://www.thestartv.com/v/zuraida-stricter-guidelines-for-bahasa-malaysia-use-on-road-signs?tp=1&jwsource=cl

She noted that Bahasa Malaysia terms used for road signs are usually specific in names or nouns, which are difficult to translate into other languages.

"We have to further expose the use of Bahasa Malaysia among the rakyat, and I am quite sure almost every Malaysian understands Malay," she added.

She was asked to comment on the issue where a road sign in Pekan Subang (New Village), Selangor, was in Chinese characters.

It was reported on Monday that a photo of the road sign had gone viral on social media, sparking heated comments and debates amongst Malaysians.

The Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, in a decree on Monday, ordered that all road signs are to be changed before his 73rd birthday on Dec 11


2019 CarSifu Auto Show: It's shopping time for car buyers!

                KUALA LUMPUR: The five-day CarSifu Auto Show got off to a great start as many came to take a look at the various models on display.

With many auto brands and models placed under one roof at the Mid Valley Megamall here, car enthusiasts who came said they considered it to be among the best “one-stop” centres to make a booking.

“I am looking for a big car for the family. It is very convenient as all the vehicles are placed in one place,” said 34-year-old pilot Ajay Yadav.

Tuition teacher Johnson Lim, who came to check out the Nissan Serena and Proton X70, said he saved a lot of time not having to shop around different showrooms.

Housewife Norhodda Daud, 55, was also eyeing the Proton X70.

“My daughter and I had never found the time to visit the showroom. But here, we can do our shopping and also see the X70 at the same time!” said Norhodda who hails from Seremban.

The participating auto brands are Isuzu, Honda, Volvo, BMW, Proton, Subaru, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Ford.

There are 20 vehicles on display, ranging from the latest budget and premium sedans to sport utility vehicles (SUVs), pick-up trucks, hatchbacks and multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs).

Among them are BMW’s latest G20 3 Series, with a 330i M Sport model also displayed, as well as Volvo’s elegant yet powerful S90 flagship sedan.

The Volvo XC90 full-sized SUV is also available for viewing, alongside the multiple-award winner XC60 plug-in hybrid which won last year’s coveted “Car of the Year” title as well as the “Best Mid-size Luxury SUV/Crossover” and “Best Hybrid Vehicle” titles in the 2018 CarSifu Editors’ Choice Awards.

As for pick-up trucks, Isuzu brought in its line-up of D-Max trucks including a new Z Prestige variant which has the latest design cues as well as two accessory packages.

Ford brought its new “heavyweight” pick-up contenders – the Ranger Wildtrak 2.0-litre Bi-turbo, and the Ranger Raptor which is the only factory-built performance truck across Asia Pacific.

The Ranger Raptor, targeted at off-roaders, in the new Absolute Black colour made its public debut at the auto show.

A cash rebate of up to RM6,000 is being offered for the Ranger Wildtrak while those who book the Raptor will receive an exclusive limited edition Ranger Raptor bomber jacket and car air purifier.

Besides the popular City compact sedan, Honda is showcasing its HR-V RS variant which comes with premium features such as a multi-angle rearview camera, eight-way driver’s power seat, full leather seats, Honda LaneWatch camera, cruise control and paddle shifters.

Proton, besides the popular X70 SUV, is also showcasing the Exora MPV and Saga.

For those with a love for the outdoors should check out the Mitsubishi Triton VGT Adventure X pick-up truck with the award-winning 2.4-litre MIVEC turbodiesel engine and Outlander SUV.

Subaru is displaying the Forester mid-sized five-seater SUV and its popular XV crossover, both of which are known for their powerful Boxer engines.

Nissan is showcasing its latest family-friendly vehicles – the X-Trail Hybrid and the sporty-looking Serena J Impul MPV.

During the weekend, children will be entertained by Cellworm Crax the clown who will create free balloon sculptures.

Visitors who complete a CarSifu survey will be rewarded with Himalaya Pastilles peppermint candy for a throat-soothing fresh breath.

Toyo Tires and Silverstone are the official tyre partners for both the 2019 CarSifu Auto Show as well as the Editors’ Choice Awards.

Organised by Star Media Group Bhd, the show is located on the ground floor concourse of the shopping mall, and is open from 10am to 10pm daily until Sunday.


‘Joe Ferrari’ seized smuggled luxury cars even before they crossed Thai border

                BANGKOK: Investigators looking into the “Joe Ferrari” case have learned that most of the luxury cars the former Nakhon Sawan police station chief had confiscated were stolen overseas.

Records show some of these cars had been “confiscated” even before they crossed the border.

Of the 410 luxury cars seized by ex-police station chief Pol Colonel Thitisan Uthanapol, 270 had been reported stolen overseas, deputy National Police chief Pol General Suchart Theerasawat told the press on Monday.

“Of the 270, 101 had been reported stolen before being seized and 169 were reported after being confiscated,” he said.

“We also have evidence showing that other officers were also involved in this scam.

“We believe Thitisan and his gang have been confiscating smuggled luxury cars and submitting them to the Customs Department for auction after pocketing 5 per cent of the estimated price as finder’s fee,” Suchart said.

“We are investigating to see if the buyers of these cars are also related to the gang. The investigation team should be able to file charges within November.”

Suchart said most of these cars had been smuggled from Singapore and Malaysia.

Thitisan was arrested on Aug 26 for allegedly demanding 2 million baht from two drug suspects on Aug 5 before suffocating the male suspect to death with plastic bags. He then allegedly ordered the doctor to attribute the death to a drug overdose and told the other suspect to remain quiet.

After the station chief’s arrest, the National Anti-Corruption Commission launched a probe into his finances, especially since Thitisan, who is known on social media as “Joe Ferrari” for his lavish lifestyle and collection of sports cars, became unusually wealthy.

Thitisan reportedly owns a mansion, several sports cars and assets worth millions of baht. - The Nation/Asia News Network


Lamborghini to send research materials to space

                BOLOGNA: Lamborghini is working with the International Space Station to study the effects of extreme stress on five different composite materials.

Lamborghini announced last Friday that five carbon fibre samples created in-house will be travelling into space on Nov 2 to be studied by researchers at the International Space Station.

The project that led to this launch was started two years ago by Automobili Lamborghini and the Houston Methodist Research Institute to study "the biocompatibility of the composite materials to determine their possible use in prosthetic implants, but also in subcutaneous devices, taking advantage of their particular properties of lightweight, radio transparency and radio compatibility."

Information about the materials collected during this phase of the project is expected to have applications both within the car making and biomedical fields.

Lamborghini is the first car maker to use the ISS to conduct research on carbon fibre materials.

The composite samples will be onboard the space station for half a year, enduring tests that subject them to temperatures ranging from -40 to over 200 degrees Celsius, as well as extreme amounts of ultraviolet radiation and gamma rays.

When the samples return to Earth, Lamborghini and the Houston Methodist Research Institute will study how the materials have changed over their stay in space.


Peugeot Landtrek pick-up truck to launch end-2020

                PARIS: Peugeot is entering the one tonne pick-up segment with the Landtrek, which will be launched at end-2020 in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa.

Peugeot says the pick-up truck will not be offered in Europe. The surprise announcement comes at a time when Daimler has given up on its pick-up truck, the Mercedes-Benz X-Class, because of poor sales.

The Landtrek was designed to meet pick-up fundamentals such as a 3.5 tonne towing capacity, versatility, different body shapes (chassis cab, single cab or double cab), real off-road and overtaking capabilities with unbeatable robustness and ease of repair.

It will have two powertrain options including a 1.9-litre diesel unit with a variable geometry 16-valve turbocharger, mated to a 6-speed Getrag manual gearbox and producing 150hp and 350Nm of torque.

This engine has a combined fuel consumption of 7.8 litres per 100km.

There's also a 2.4-litre turbocharged petrol unit mated to a 6-speed Getrag manual gearbox or a 6-speed Punch automatic gearbox with sequential, Sport or Eco modes - which produces 210hp and 320Nm of torque.

READ MORE:
Re-badged cars and shared technology: Hits and misses
Daimler kills off X-class just three years after launch

It will be offered in 4x2 rear-wheel drive, and 4x4 variants.

The 4x4 version offers:

 fording: 600mm,
 angle of attack: 29° or 30° (depending on the version),
 leakage angle: 27° or 26° (depending on the version),
 central angle: 25°,
 ground clearance: min. 214mm (16'' wheels) or up to 235mm (17''/18'' wheels).

The dimensions are: length of 5.33m for the double cab version and 5.39m for the single cab versions, all with a width of 1.92m.

Also, the modularity of the rear bench seat is unique in the one tonne pick-up segment, with the possibility of folding the backrest 60/40 or 100%.

When folded down, the backrests can support a load of up to 100kg.

In addition, two isofix attachments ensure the safety and stowage of child seats.

On-board kit can include advanced connectivity (USB / Bluetooth sockets), automatic dual-zone air conditioning, 10-inch HD touch screen compatible Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and 10 GB hard drive, and a 360° camera system.

Safety is ensured by 6 airbags and an ESP with the functions:

 Hill Descent Control, a system that keeps the vehicle at a very low speed and allows you to concentrate solely on steering
 ASR (enhanced traction) for 4x2 and 4x4 versions,
 Trailer Swing Control, to avoid cold sweats when towing a trailer: ESP acts directly as soon as a weave occurs.

Drivers can also rely on Lane Departure Warning, an audible and visual lane departure warning (depending on the versions).


Driverless electric truck starts deliveries on Swedish public road

                JONKOPING (Sweden): Resembling the helmet of a Star Wars stormtrooper, a driverless electric truck began daily freight deliveries on a public road in Sweden on Wednesday, in what developer Einride and logistics customer DB Schenker described as a world first.

Robert Falck, the CEO of Swedish start-up Einride, said the company was in partnership talks with major suppliers to help scale production and deliver orders, and the firm did not rule out future tie-ups with large truckmakers.

“This public road permit is a major milestone ... and it is a step to commercializing autonomous technology on roads,” the former Volvo executive told Reuters.

“Since we’re a software and operational first company, a partnership with a manufacturing company is something that we see as a core moving forward,” he said, adding he hoped to seal a deal by next year.

Falck said Einride, whose investors include ex-Daimler Asia trucks head Marc Llistosella, is also courting investors for an ongoing Series A fundraising, often a company’s first sizable one. It previously raised US$10 million.

Auto alliances are on the rise to share the cost of electric and autonomous technology. Ford has vowed to invest US$500 million in U.S. electric utility truck startup Rivian.

Einride’s T-Pod is 26 tonnes when full and does not have a driver cabin, which it estimates reduces road freight operating costs by around 60 percent versus a diesel truck with a driver.

Besides Schenker, Einride has orders from German grocer Lidl, Swedish delivery company Svenska Retursystem and five Fortune 500 retail companies, underpinning its ambition to have 200 vehicles in operation by the end of 2020.

Freight operators are under pressure to reduce delivery times, cut emissions and face a growing shortage of drivers.

Schenker picked Einride over established truckmakers as the T-Pod straddles the two biggest sector  transformations: digitization and electrification, CEO Jochen Thewes said.

“We believe that Einride is the best concept out there for now,” he said.

The T-Pod is level 4 autonomous, the second highest category, and uses a Nvidia Drive platform to process visual data in real time. An operator, sitting miles away, can supervise and control up to 10 vehicles at once.

Thewes said the rollout of 5G technology, vital for electrification, was lagging. For Schenker’s pilot with Einride, Ericsson and Telia had to construct two new towers.

The T-Pod has permission to make short trips - between a warehouse and a terminal - on a public road in an industrial area in Jonkoping, central Sweden, at up to 5kph, documents from the transport authority show.

Falck said Einride would apply next year for more public route permits and was planning to expand in the United States.

“Ground zero for autonomous vehicles is the United States. I think it will be the first market to scale when it comes to autonomous vehicles,” he said.


Honda looks to revamped Acura NSX to fire up brand

                TOKYO: With its aggressive design and six-figure price tag, Honda Motor Co's revamped NSX is a far cry from its "cheap and cheerful" Civic sedans, but the automaker is betting the sports car launched in Japan on Thursday will turbo-charge its brand image.

The new NSX, jointly developed by Honda's US and Japanese engineers and produced in the United States, marks the revival of the model after the automaker stopped production of the "Asian Ferrari" in 2005. First launched in the 1990s, the model redefined the supercar genre by marrying a high-performance sports car with everyday driveability.

Starting at 23.7 million yen (US$236,621.41), the bespoke hybrid model becomes available to order in Japan on Thursday, having launched in the United States earlier this year. It will also be sold in Canada, China, Europe and other regions.

"Generating profit from the NSX may be a struggle, but by focusing on both functional cars and also advanced performance we will raise the Honda brand," Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo said at the launch.

Marketed under the Acura badge, Honda's stalled premium brand in the United States, China and other regions, the NSX marks the latest effort by the Japanese automaker to reclaim its reputation as a leader in innovation and engineering after a spell of sluggish sales due in part to "play-it-safe" designs.

Honda beefed up the model with a hybrid power train consisting of three electric motors and a twin-turbo V-6 engine approaching the power of a Ferrari.

Encased in an aluminum body and a space frame consisting of aluminum, ultra-high strength steel and other lightweight materials, executive engineer and NSX project co-leader Ted Klaus said the NSX marked a turnaround in the company's engineering direction, which had begun to "narrow".

"We've really woken up and realized that Honda has to make a Honda product. A Honda product ... can't just be a mental or physical thing, it has to be emotional," he said.

Analysts said its advanced engineering and technology would help to change Honda's image.

"Once upon a time 'Honda' was synonymous with 'performance'. Now Honda is known for reliability, for sensibility," CLSA analyst Chris Richter said.

"(The new NSX) is an attempt to redefine Honda and regain some of the excitement about driving."

Just five of the sports cars are produced each day at a specialised plant in Ohio.

Honda has initial plans to produce only about 800 of the cars for North America in the first year of production, and about 100 for Japan.

The automaker has been revamping its existing line-up to win back combined market share for Honda and Acura in North America, which has slipped below 10 percent in the past few years. North America is a key market for the automaker, accounting for more than one-third of global vehicle sales.

Early signs suggest promise, with a new version of the Civic sedan selling briskly in North America.


Touch ‘n Go ewallet down for maintenance on Oct 15

                PETALING JAYA: Touch ‘n Go (TNG) has announced that its customers will not be able to use its ewallet app between 2am and 6am this coming Saturday (Oct 15), due to a “scheduled upgrade maintenance”.

According to the announcement on their app and website, all services within the TNG ewallet app will be temporarily unavailable during the maintenance period. This includes reloads, payment functions, and the merchant dashboard (for merchants).

The company also mentioned that while all the in-app services may be down, both the PayDirect and RFID features will still be functioning as usual so long as there is sufficient balance in the ewallet.

So those planning a midnight drive to start off the weekend will want to reload their TNG ewallet in advance to avoid any issues at tolls and parking lots after a night out.


2017's top vehicles, according to experts and consumers

PARIS: When it comes to the cars lauded as the best by industry professionals and those the public actually go out and buy, there's often quite a disconnect. So here's a look at both the models that won 2017 World Car of the Year Awards (WCOTY) and the ones consumers voted for in 2017 with their buying decisions.

The 2017 award in the luxury car segment went to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, which wasn't a bad pick — the best-selling luxury car until the end of October 2017 was actually the Mercedes-Benz C-Class with 304,193 units sold. However, if the E-Class was priced the same as its smaller sibling it would probably have been the bigger seller.

One segment gaining increasing importance globally at the moment is the green car segment, which the WCOTY judges gave to the Toyota Prius Prime in 2017. It's difficult to dispute that as many green cars are currently versions of existing models, which means sales of the hybrid, EV and combustion models are often lumped together.

 The Ford F150.

When it came to the really big prize — World Car of the Year 2017 — the judges handed it to the Jaguar F-Pace, which was also named World Car Design of the Year. Good as it is, the F-Pace obviously wasn't the biggest-selling vehicle in the world this year, and it wasn't even the best-selling SUV, luxury or otherwise.

The best-selling car in the world was once again the Toyota Corolla. The highest-selling SUV was the Toyota RAV, and the luxury SUV that sold best was the Mercedes-Benz GLC with an impressive 247,454 sales worldwide.

But if a true car of the year award was to be given out based on sales it would have to go to the Ford F-series pickup truck. Despite sales being largely limited to North America, the F-Series had sold 886,584 units until the end of October. And it's now on course to become only the fourth nameplate in history to sell more than one million units worldwide in a calendar year, joining the Toyota Corolla, Ford Focus and the Volkswagen Golf.

There's an extensive list of nominees for the 2018 WCOTY Award, but perhaps predictably, the Toyota Corolla and Ford F-Series are not among them.


Ferrari recalls 185 California T vehicles due to fuel leak risk

UPDATE: Ferrari distributor Naza Italia has said in response that none of the California T units sold in Malaysia are affected by the recall.

NEW YORK: Ferrari North America Inc., a division of Ferrari NV, is recalling some 2016 California T vehicles due to the risk of a fuel leak in the engine compartment, according to a US Department of Transportation (DOT) notice.

The recall, which began on Dec 14, affects up to 185 vehicles manufactured between Sept 8 and Nov 11, 2015.

The higher risk of a leak, which increases the chances of fire, was the result of a manufacturing defect in a part provided by a supplier, according to a filing with the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, a division of the DOT.

The move comes after Ferrari, owned by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, recalled upwards of 800 cars in the United States to fix a problem with its Takata airbags over the summer.

Ferrari issued a stop sale notice to dealers of the 2016 model California T, which has a list price of just over US$167,000 according to The Car Guide, on Nov 23, filings show. Dealers will replace the line free of charge, the notice read.


Europeans abandoning diesel while SUVs continue to boom

                LONDON: In light of the emissions scandal, and various governments and local authorities now changing their mind on the environmentally friendly credentials of the fossil fuel, it's probably not a shock that it turns out diesel car registrations in Europe fell by 7.9 percent in 2017, according to Jato Dyanmics Ltd.

There were still 6.76 million diesels sold across Europe last year, but the 43.7 percent market share that represents is the lowest for diesels in the last decade. Petrol registration grew as a result, and SUVs continue to be an ongoing success story for the industry.

Jato is a company founded in 1984 that provides up-to-date information on vehicle specifications, pricing, sales, registrations, news and incentives. Its data regarding 2017 vehicles sales and registrations in Europe is extensive to say the least, and plenty of it makes for very interesting reading.

On the whole, the European motor industry had a pretty good year in 2017 with new registrations coming in at an impressive 15.57 million, which is an increase of 3.1 percent on the 2016 result. As a result of our love affair with diesel waning, an extra 760,000 petrol models were sold, but SUVs led the growth with a 19.5 percent increase on the previous year to a new record of 4.56 million registrations.

 The Qashqai.

When we dig deeper into the data, it appears the strong overall result is largely down to Eastern and Southern Europe, where sales grew over the previous year by 12.7 and 6.2 percent respectively.

There were only five countries that didn't see overall vehicle registration increase in 2017. Denmark, Finland and Switzerland all saw a drop of around half a percent each, but things were much worse in the UK where sales fell by 5.7 percent, and Ireland where sales were down by as much as 10.4 percent.

Felipe Munoz, the Global Automotive Analyst at Jato Dynamics commented: "The vast majority of market growth in 2017 was driven by SUVs, which posted a record 4.56 million registrations in 2017. The monumental growth of SUVs impacted the MPV segment, as MPV registrations decreased by 15.1 percent in 2017 -- the lowest market share of the century."

Of all the SUVs sold, the Nissan Qashqai was the big winner with 248,000 units sold throughout 2017 across the continent. The biggest-selling sports car was the Audi TT, the most popular midsize sedan was the Volkswagen Passat, and Volkswagen also took the honours in the important compact C-segment with the Golf moving 483,000 units.


Thailand to legalise ride-hailing services by early 2020

As part of the approval, ride-hailing firms in Thailand must verify the identities of drivers and operate a 24-hour complaint centre. — Reuters
BANGKOK: Thailand has drafted guidelines to regulate ride-hailing companies and aims to legalise the services by March 2020, the transport ministry said on Friday.

Ride-sharing services exist in a legal gray area in Thailand, with police routinely stopping and fining drivers because they are not properly registered.

The guidelines require private vehicles to be registered and equipped with a GPS system, the transport ministry said in a statement. Drivers will need a public driver’s license.

Ride-hailing firms must verify the identities of drivers and operate a 24-hour complaint centre, the ministry said.

“We have to look at what is possible within the law to give choice to the public - not increase competition with taxis in the system,” said deputy permanent secretary Jirut Wisansitr.

Ride-booking services are popular in the nation of 67 million for being sometimes cheaper and less likely to refuse to take passengers to their destinations than regular taxis, but they have irked traditional taxi drivers.

The proposed changes come after the Bhumjaithai Party campaigned in this year’s election on a promise to legalise ride-hailing services. The party won enough seats to join a coalition government and was given responsibility for the transport ministry.

Some ride-hailing companies have been operating in Thailand’s unregulated market for a few years now.

Singapore-based Grab offers rides in cars and on motorcycles, while its rival Get, a unit of Indonesia’s Go-Jek, only offers motorcycle rides.

Thai companies have also invested in ride-sharing startups..


Incredible: Hyundai Elantra owner clocks 1.6 million km in just five years

                LOS ANGELES: A US delivery driver racked up one million miles (1.6 million km) within 5 years in her 2013 Elantra and was rewarded with the latest model for the achievement.

Farrah Haines from Olathe, Kansas, drives about 200,000 miles (around 322,000km) a year delivering auto parts and products, far outpacing the 14,000 miles (23,000km) of the average American driver.

Since most digital odometers stop before one million, Hyundai joined her as she hit her epic milestone and presented her with the first-ever 1 Million Mile Emblem and added it to her odometer. The emblem is a genuine Hyundai part and is now available for the odometers of all million mile drivers.

“This is not only a milestone for Farrah, but also for Hyundai and the quality of our vehicles,” said Dean Evans, CMO, Hyundai Motor America. “Reaching one million miles with the original powertrain in just five years is an extremely rare and incredible achievement. We created the 1 Million Mile Emblem because we believe in making things better for our loyal customers and look forward to other Hyundai drivers joining Farrah in the one million mile club.”

To recognise the achievement, Hyundai and its agency of record, INNOCEAN Worldwide Americas, created a digital video that was released on Dec 5 that tells Haines’ story.

Taking things one step further, Hyundai wanted to thank Haines for being such a dedicated owner by surprising her with a new 2019 Elantra. Since she delivers auto parts and other products seven days a week, day and night, Hyundai decided to order her a surprise delivery.

Haines stopped by a local auto shop to drop off what she thought was an auto part but she was instead greeted by her friends, family, and her all-new Elantra.

While Haines' achievement might seem impossible, Hyundai ran multiple tests to validate her odometer reading. Product engineers inspected her engine casting numbers, service records, wire harness, and motor mounts. Hyundai service and system engineers also reviewed Haines' mileage records for her two jobs, as well as a VIN report, and Carfax.


New variants of Innova and Fortuner introduced, Hilux gets upgrades

                SHAH ALAM: UMW Toyota Motor has started taking orders for the new variants of Toyota Innova - the 2.0X - and new variants of Fortuner - 2.4 VRZ 4X4 and 2.4 VRZ 4X2, as well as the upgraded Toyota Hilux.

The models are assembled at the company’s assembly plant in Shah Alam, Selangor.

Innova – from RM107,800

The new Innova 2.0X is an additional variant which is the flagship of the Innova range.

The MPV has more crossover styling but retains the spacious and flexible cabin space.

With the Innova 2.0X, UMWT is upgrading the MPV to an even more premium image with advanced features.

Generally, the equipment and features of the Innova 2.0X are comparable to those of the Innova 2.0G but there are also additional exclusive items to distinguish it as the top variant.

The exclusive items include LED lights, premium combination leather package, 6-way power adjustment for the driver’s seat, Captain’s seats for the second row, and larger alloy rims.

The entire Innova range now qualifies for the maximum 5-star Asean NCAP rating as all variants – including the new Innova 2.0X – are fitted with seven SRS airbags, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and an Emergency Stop Signal (ESS).

Additionally, all variants have anti-lock braking system (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist.

Fortuner – from RM169,800

The Fortuner range has been expanded with the addition of two new diesel variants – the Fortuner 2.4 VRZ 4X4 and Fortuner 2.4 VRZ 4X2 – offering customers more choices and to cater to a wider customer group.

The two new variants are positioned between the top-of- the-line Fortuner 2.7 SRZ 4X4 and the Fortuner 2.4 4X4.

The carried over 2.4L turbodiesel engines for the two new variants continue to deliver a strong driving experience.

The new variants maintain the design theme of ‘Luxury and Prestigious’ which combines a tough image with refined and sophisticated styling that offers comfortable accommodation in the 3-row, 7-seater cabin.

Like the Fortuner 2.7 SRZ 4X4, the two new Fortuner VRZ variants come with additional equipment among which include Bi-LED projector headlamps, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), seven SRS airbags, automatic air-conditioning, leather seats, and a Power Back Door which can be opened and closed at the touch of a button – a feature that is usually found only on more expensive SUVs.

Also newly available are front LED-type fog lamps, and cruise control.

As for new 4X4 features, the Fortuner 2.7 SRZ 4X4 and Fortuner 2.4 VRZ 4X4 variants now come with Downhill Assist Control (DAC).

All variants are now updated with rear disc brakes.

Hilux – from RM87,200

The Hilux, which has been the best selling pick-up truck in Malaysia for 12 years, gets major upgrades and improvements enhance off-road performance, convenience and safety.

As before, there are six variants to suit different budgets and requirements, whether they are just for work or for personal use or a combination of both.

The major enhancements relate to convenience and comfort features which have been added following customer feedback and demand.

These include cruise control, automatic air-conditioning, USB charging ports, and an additional vent to bring cool air to the rear passengers for a more comfortable journey.

Using the immense power of electronics, new systems have been developed which can make driving easier, safer and more enjoyable.

In the Hilux 2.8G and 2.4G AT variants, besides Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) which can prevent the vehicle from spinning out of control on a slippery corner, there is also Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and Active Traction Control (A-TRC). VSC has now also been added to the Hilux 2.4G with manual transmission, along with HAC and A-TRC.

The Hilux 2.8G also comes with Downhill Assist Control (DAC) to make driving down a steep slope easier and safer.

Safety has been stepped up further by expanding the availability of seven airbags to the 2.4G AT variant as well.

As with all the latest models offered by UMW Toyota Motor, there is a 5-year warranty with unlimited mileage, subject to terms and conditions (Hilux warranty is 5-year warranty with 150,000km mileage).

Bookings can be made at all Toyota showrooms nationwide with locations available at www.toyota.com.my.

For enquiries call Toyota Freephone at 1800-8- TOYOTA (869682).


TC Subaru to hold Subaru Advanced Technology Drive at Plaza Akadia from July 8-10

                KUALA LUMPUR: TC Subaru Sdn Bhd, the exclusive distributor of Subaru vehicles in Malaysia, will be holding its first Subaru Advanced Technology Drive (SATD) event at Plaza Arkadia, Desa ParkCity from July 8 to 10.

The SATD event will showcase how Malaysia’s favourite Subaru cars keep drivers and passengers even safer and more comfortable.

Visitors can experience Subaru’s award-winning EyeSight Advanced Driver Assist Technology and its Autonomous Stop & Go functions that include:

> Autonomous Stop (Pre-Collision Braking): Alert and stop when encountering the risk of obstacles ahead

> Autonomous Alert (Pre-Collision Throttle Management): Alert to keep you focused and reduce the risk of road accidents

> Autonomous Go (Adaptive Cruise Control): Stop and Go, follow the vehicle in front of you, while keeping a safe distance, making driving in heavy traffic easier and safer

The event at Courtyard Fountain, Plaza Arkadia will be from 10am–9pm.

Those who book their test-drive slot will get an exclusive free Subaru Merchandise.

For more information on SATD event details, visit https://subaru.asia/my/en/promotions/sales/447/satd-kl-july/

Find out more about the EyeSight Advanced Driver Assist Technology at https://www.subaru.asia/my/en/why-subaru/eyesight.php


Crosstrek Hybrid is Subaru's first PHEV

                NEW YORK: Subaru has announced its first-ever plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV), the Crosstrek Hybrid.

Subaru said in a statement that the new Crosstrek Hybrid maintains all the capability of the traditional Subaru Crosstrek with increased fuel efficiency. It can be driven as a normal hybrid, using both petrol and electric power and eliminating range anxiety, or driven on pure electric drive for local commuting.

The Crosstrek Hybrid is an advanced, eco-friendly version of the compact SUV that has become the brand’s third best-selling model in the United States.

It integrates the Toyota Hybrid System (THS) with Subaru’s four-cylinder direct-injection Boxer engine, Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and an all-new transmission. The Crosstrek Hybrid combines the wide-ranging off-road capability of the petrol-powered Crosstrek with hybrid efficiency.

Like the petrol-powered Crosstrek models, the new Crosstrek Hybrid is built around the Subaru Global Platform that was designed to accommodate hybrid and electric powertrains.

The hybrid is expected to go on sale towards the end of the year. Subaru did not reveal specifications and pricing at this time.


Creator of ZeroLight car configurator in spotlight again

                LONDON: ZeroLight, the creator of the world’s most advanced digital 3D car configurator, has been ranked as one of the top two technology companies of the year by the Tech Business of The Year 2015 awards, run by Startups.

The judging panel of business experts recognised ZeroLight’s potential to revolutionise the automotive retail experience, the efficiency of its product commercialisation and the impact it is already having upon the automotive industry.

In 2015, ZeroLight was announced as a visualisation partner to Audi AG, and the creator of the bespoke digital car configurator for Italian supercar manufacturer, Pagani. The company has also signed deals with three other major automotive manufacturers to be announced in 2016.

 ZeroLight CEO Darren Jobling.

The Tech Business of The Year Award is administered by Startups, Britian’s leading service for starting a business, and identifies companies with the potential to become leaders in their sector, challenge the status quo and make a significant contribution to Britain’s ability to become a global technology leader.

ZeroLight’s real-time 3D car configuration technology has also been shortlisted for the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’s 2015 Automotive Award for Innovation, which recognises the best UK-developed technologies with the potential to transform the automotive industry.

“All of the team here at ZeroLight are delighted to receive this very significant accolade. Being recognised as one of the best technology startups in the UK is a fantastic reward at the end of an exciting, ground-breaking year of partnership announcements and awards recognition,” says ZeroLight CEO, Darren Jobling.

“We are expecting 2016 to be another ground breaking year as we power forward with more deals and the launch of our revolutionary new [3D] Web technology.”