Nissan shares soar on share buyback

                TOKYO: Nissan shares soared today as investors cheered the automaker’s plans for a share buyback, after the bloodbath on equity markets at the start of the year hammered its stock.

Japan’s number two automaker said after the Tokyo market closed on Friday that it would purchase up to 400 billion yen (US$3.5 billion) worth of its own shares by the end of the year.

In response, the Tokyo-listed shares surged as much as 12 percent in opening trade - the most in seven years, according to Bloomberg News. They finished 5.45 percent higher at 1,024.5 yen.

The buyback, announced after a board meeting, will start on Monday and run until Dec 22, Nissan said. Share buybacks tend to lift the value of existing stock.

Separately, Renault said that it would sell its shares in order to maintain its current 43.4-percent stake in Nissan, which in turn owns 15 percent of the French automaker.

The pair have had a business tie-up since the late nineties and Nissan said its buyback will not lead to any “material change” in their alliance. Combined, they are the world’s fourth-biggest carmaker with 8.53 million unit sales in 2015.

Renault-Nissan alliance chief executive Carlos Ghosn said the decision to return cash to shareholders was prompted by the Japanese automaker’s strong cash flow position.


Perodua appoints new CEO as Aminar completes his term

                PETALING JAYA: Perodua today saw its longest-serving president and chief executive officer, Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh, 58, retire after nine years at the helm.

Aminar is to be succeeded by Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad, previously vice-president of Perodua Auto Corporation Sdn Bhd. He is expected to further efforts on improvements in efficiency and competitiveness, with the aim of expanding Perodua’s export business.

Aminar’s tenure as Perodua president and chief executive officer, ends Dec 31 2018, and Zainal will take the helm from Jan 1  2019.

Under Aminar’s leadership, Perodua not only expanded its market share from 31.2% in 2010 to above 37% as of year-to-date 2018, but also started the much-needed transformation initiative within the Perodua Group.

Perodua said after-sales improved as well as cost efficiency, quality and delivery. Under Aminar's watch, Perodua started a RM1.3bil investment to build Perodua Global Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, Malaysia’s first Energy-Efficient Vehicle (EEV) plant as certified by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.

 Aminar has headed Perodua for nine years.

“The Perodua board of directors wishes to thank Aminar for his contributions to Perodua and to the Malaysian automotive industry as a whole,” said Perodua chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin.

“To this end, the Perodua board of directors looks to Zainal to lead the charge as he has the capability in managing Perodua as well as its vendors, suppliers and dealers to become regional players.

“Zainal has also proven his ability to work well with all shareholders, including Daihatsu Motor Company of Japan in bringing new technology to Perodua and encouraging investment within the country,” he added.

Zainal, 52, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems and Accounting from the Pacific Lutheran University, Washington, USA. He began his career in Perodua in 1995 in the cost control department, and was involved in creating Perodua’s manufacturing cost structure.

Zainal will be the first president and chief executive officer selected from within Perodua. He participated in the formulation of the National Automotive Policy (NAP) and is working with the government through various bodies under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry to further improve the policy.

Perodua said Zainal was a key figure in setting up the Sendayan, Negri Sembilan powertrain hub, which incorporates Daihatsu Perodua Engine Manufacturing Sdn Bhd (opened 2016) and transmission plant Akashi Kikai Sdn Bhd (opened in 2015).


Nikola founder exaggerated capability of hydrogen-powered truck

                SAN FRANCISCO: After half an hour of promotional videos and big promises, Nikola Corp.’s 13-foot-tall prototype parked atop a rotating stage began to spin.

The dramatic music reached a crescendo, lights flicked on and a partially translucent white sheet lifted off the Nikola One. Founder Trevor Milton walked up to applause, put his hands on his side and admired the big rig.

“Oh, that thing is so awesome,” he said. “We’ve been waiting so long to show this to the world, you have no idea. It’s hard to even contain my emotion about this.”

Milton then made several comments to the crowd at the December 2016 event suggesting the Nikola One was driveable.

The statements alarmed people familiar with the truck’s capability, who told Bloomberg News recently that it was inoperable and missing key components to power itself. On Wednesday, Milton said key parts were taken out of the vehicle for safety reasons and that it never drove under its own power.

“I never deceived anyone,” he said in a phone interview. Nikola shares briefly erased gains and traded down as much as 2.4% as of 3:33pm Thursday in New York. The company still has a more than US$22 billion market capitalisation.

At the event 3 1/2 years ago, Milton said the company had put up a chain to keep people from bumping into any of the vehicle controls. “We’re going to try to keep people from driving off,” he said. “This thing fully functions and works.”

Later, he said the truck was not a “pusher,” referring to an inoperable prototype that needed to be nudged onto the stage.

Concerns raised

The people familiar with the truck, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive information, said they were concerned about the statements. Gears and motors were missing, and while the words “H2 Zero Emission Hydrogen Electric” were emblazoned on the vehicle, there was no fuel cell on board.

“There wasn’t a fuel cell in the truck. We never claimed there was,” Milton said. He confirmed the motors and gears weren’t in the vehicle for safety reasons.

Milton’s statements are coming under greater scrutiny following Phoenix-based Nikola’s share listing earlier this month. The stock’s initial surge has turned small investments by manufacturers such as CNH Industrial NV and Jeff Ubben’s ValueAct Capital Management into stakes worth billions.

The gains reflect optimism that Nikola could become a Tesla Inc-like disruptor, though established truck companies are planning their own greener alternatives to diesel-powered big rigs.

“Manufacturing trucks is a highly competitive business, and all the established players- Daimler, Volvo, Scania and others - all have low- and zero-emissions programmes under development,” said Colin McKerracher, head of advanced transport for researcher BloombergNEF. “This is going to be a crowded field.”

It’s taking longer for Nikola to enter the field than Milton hoped. He said at the time of the unveiling of the One that deliveries would start in 2020. Nikola is now less committal about a delivery date 3 1/2 years later. The company is forecasting no revenue for this year.

Production plans for the One will be announced once Nikola has established a “robust” refuelling infrastructure, the company said in its March public-offering filing. Its initial hydrogen stations won’t be operational until 2022 or later.

Nikola is outsourcing much of the work for its debut model, a battery-electric big rig called the Tre, which is based off a truck built by CNH Industrial. Sales are expected to begin next year. Its first fuel-cell truck, the Nikola Two, is due in 2023.

Despite its challenges with starting production, investors briefly valued Nikola higher than Ford Motor Co. earlier this month. Its shares were listed following a reverse merger with a blank-check company and promptly soared in the midst of retail-investor fervour for insolvent companies.

Unlike Elon

At first glance, Milton seems like a clone of Elon Musk, whose better-known company goes after the other half of the name of the famed electrical inventor, Nikola Tesla.

Both charismatic and outspoken leaders have profited from dramatic run-ups in their companies’ share prices this year. But in some respects, the two executives’ businesses are quite different.

Whereas Musk, 48, is notorious for setting stretch goals that Tesla fails to achieve or does so later than its chief executive officer hoped, Nikola’s targets for the coming years are relatively conservative.

The company expects to have its first US$1 billion year of revenue in 2023. The truck factory it plans to build south of Phoenix is projected to reach full production of about 30,000 fuel-cell electric vehicles in 2027 and 15,000 battery-electric vehicles the following year.

Tesla by comparison expects its deliveries to “comfortably” exceed 500,000 vehicles this year. Its total revenue topped US$24.5 billion in 2019.

Matching Musk

In other respects, Milton is following in Musk’s footsteps.

Nikola has succeeded in ginning up consumer and investor interest in a product years before it’s ready to be delivered, much like Tesla’s CEO has done with several products.

Tesla also has raised money off customers by charging deposits for vehicles that take years to get to market.

Nikola took the same approach with the One, though Milton says the company returned deposits to reservation holders because of criticism Tesla fielded over its funding strategy. He is now planning to take deposits for a truck model the company has in development.

Nikola touts the 14,000 reservations it has for its future fuel-cell electric trucks and says they are worth about US$10 billion of sales, but that value is theoretical.

The company told prospective investors in April that it was negotiating with fleet partners to convert pre-orders into binding contracts with deposits.

Musk also has hosted an unveiling with a product that didn’t actually work. In October 2016, he staged a solar roof product demo with shingles that weren’t functional to help clinch shareholder approval for Tesla’s US$2 billion acquisition of SolarCity.

In January, Tesla’s insurer paid out US$60 million to settle investor claims that directors allowed Musk to dupe the electric-car company into overpaying for SolarCity. Musk is the only member of Tesla’s board who didn’t settle.

‘Best decision’

Milton’s path to billionaire status was an unusual one. Before founding Nikola six years ago, he flunked out of high school, then passed the General Educational Development test, according to a Twitter post. He later dropped out of college.

A self-described serial entrepreneur, he founded alarm-system and online-retail startups and ran a natural gas storage-technology company before Nikola.

With the Nikola One, Milton says he called an Audible before the 2016 unveiling. The company had initially tried to build trucks powered by natural gas-powered turbines. Fuel cells and batteries “were not far enough along” to build zero-emission trucks, he said in an interview last week. He went to the board anyway and called for Nikola to make the switch.

“They were like ‘no way, you’ve already got millions of dollars into this turbine, the truck is ready to go, what are you thinking, man?’” Milton said of the board’s response. “I just put my foot down and said you’ve got to trust me and we are doing it. It’s a damn good thing I did it. It’s the best decision we ever did.”

BloombergNEF is less bullish, predicting that global Class 8 heavy-duty fuel cell truck sales won’t reach 10,000 units annually until around 2030. The researcher sees 90% of heavy trucks continuing to be powered by diesel in 2040.

“Fuel cell technology has improved, but there’s still a long way to go on the economics to be fully cost competitive with other options,” McKerracher said in an email. “Scaling up quickly would require a huge push on policy support.”


Lamborghini the first car maker to fit full in-car control by Amazon Alexa

                LAS VEGAS: Automobili Lamborghini has incorporated Alexa in its Huracán EVO range in 2020, enhancing its super sports car driving experience with the cloud-based voice service from Amazon.

The first Huracán EVO equipped with Alexa is on display at the Consumer Electronics Show here.

In the Huracán EVO, Lamborghini introduced a connected infotainment system with digital services for the first time on a super sports car.

It would be the first car maker to deliver in-car control via Alexa, allowing drivers to adjust functions such as climate, interior lighting and seat heating with a simple voice command, leaving the driver to focus on the road ahead.

Alexa will even be integrated into the LDVI dynamic set-up (Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Integrata) on the four-wheel drive EVO, taking the Huracán EVO to a new level of voice-activation capabilities: place calls, get directions, play music and audiobooks, check news and weather, among others.

The Alexa integration also connects Lamborghini owners to the growing number of connected devices that work with Alexa.

With a simple voice interaction, drivers in the Huracán EVO can control everything from entry gates to thermostats and lights, directly from the vehicle. The first step in a strategic collaboration with Amazon, the specially enhanced Human Machine Interface (HMI) system will allow continuous updating of Alexa’s functionality within Lamborghini models, and paves the way for future cooperation between the two companies: both companies are working to develop further connectivity innovations and integration with Amazon Web Services (AWS).

“The Huracán EVO is an outstanding driver’s car, and connectivity enables our customers to focus on the driving, thus enhancing their Lamborghini experience,” said Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali.

“Lamborghini is a future shaper, and this is the first time an automaker will deliver in-cabin car control through Amazon Alexa to bring together car controls as well as smart commands and Alexa’s standard capabilities.”

The V10 Huracán EVO Coupé and Spyder, launched in 2019, is Lamborghini’s latest generation of the four-wheel drive super sports car model.

With a new design for improved aerodynamics it is the first Lamborghini with predictive logic on vehicle dynamics control and features a fully-integrated Lamborghini Vehicle Dynamics Control System combined with all-wheel drive, and all-wheel steering, for redefined parameters of responsiveness, agility and easiness to drive.

The 5.2 litre V10 naturally aspirated engine from the Huracán EVO delivers 640hp at 8,000 rpm with 600Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm. With a dry weight of 1,422kg the Huracán EVO reaches a weight-to-power ratio of 2.22 kg/hp, accelerates from 0-100kph in 2.9 seconds and from 0-200kph in 9.0 seconds. Braking from 100kph to 0 is achieved in just 31.9 m, with a top speed of more than 325kph.

A rear-wheel drive (RWD) Huracán EVO Coupé was announced earlier this month. First deliveries of the Huracán EVO RWD will start in spring 2020. The Alexa option will be available during the course of 2020 on the whole Huracán EVO family, including the RWD variant.


GM working on expanding Corvette line to include crossover

                DETROIT: Corvette may be going plural. General Motors Co. is working on a strategy to build at least one new electric vehicle inspired by its Corvette sports car, potentially expanding the brand from a single performance model into a family of vehicles, people familiar with the matter said.

If the plan is approved, the most likely model to emerge later this decade would be a marriage of a crossover SUV and a sports car.

The automaker has toyed with the idea of building different types of vehicles with Corvette styling and performance in the past but never took the plunge. Purists worried about muddying the image of a vehicle with legions of die-hard fans and owners.

GM has designers working on several Corvette-brand concept vehicles that target a wider range of buyers, said the people, who asked not to be named because the plan has not been publicly unveiled. These seek to blend Corvette’s reputation for high-performance driving and rakish styling with creature comforts such as more interior room and storage, the people said. They added that the program is referred to internally as Project R or Brand R.

A GM spokesman declined to comment.

A Corvette SUV could go on sale as soon as 2025 but probably after that, one of the people said. That would follow similar efforts to cash in on renowned nameplates by several other automakers who’ve expanded their niche brands beyond core vehicles.

Ford Motor Co. recently launched an electric crossover called the Mustang Mach-E sporting its iconic pony-car name.

Lamborghini debuted an ultra-luxury sport-utility vehicle called the Urus in 2018, and sibling Volkswagen AG sports-car brand Porsche has sold more SUVs than sports cars for years. The Corvette model GM is most likely to build has a similar profile to the Mach-E and Urus, the people said.

GM plans to sell an electric pickup under the Hummer brand once known for SUVs. Ferrari has expanded its lineup and now has a market value of about US$42 billion.

Any addition to the Corvette line would be a pure battery-electric vehicle, one of the people said.
GM chief executive officer Mary Barra has taken a series of steps recently to make electrification a hallmark of her tenure. Barra pledged in November to boost investment in EVs by 35% to US$27 billion over the next five years.

And she previewed a slew of luxury and commercial EV models at CES, the former Consumer Electronics Show, this week, sending GM’s stock to record highs.

Developing a family of Corvette vehicles — even a small one — would be a big departure for the Detroit-based automaker and possibly create a valuable franchise within the company. GM designers have mulled broadening Corvette beyond one car on and off for about 20 years, the people said, but none of the conceptual models were built.

Corvette debuted its eighth-generation sports car to much fanfare in 2019 and sales rose 20% last year. It marked a big departure from its heritage because GM shifted to a mid-engine configuration, which sports-car enthusiasts prefer because of its better balance.

GM has hinted that a hybrid-electric version is in the works, with added low-end torque and improved fuel economy.

During a CES presentation on Jan 12, Mike Simcoe, GM’s vice president of design, said GM’s Ultium battery pack enables the company to make a wide range of models, especially for a broad brand like Chevrolet.

"The Ultium platform will allow Chevrolet to further expand its range of electric vehicles to full-size pickup trucks, compact crossovers and even high-performance vehicles,” he said.


UMW appoints Ahmad Fuaad as president/CEO

                PETALING JAYA: UMW Holdings Bhd has appointed Datuk Ahmad Fuaad Mohd Kenali (pic) as its president and group chief executive officer (CEO) effective Nov 1, the automotive conglomerate said.

Ahmad Fuaad, 50, will leave his post as CEO of Malakoff Corp Bhd by the end of the month.

UMW said its current acting president and group CEO, Azmin Che Yusoff, will return to his post as chief operating officer – corporate.

Azmin was appointed as acting CEO in June after the post was vacated following the passing of Badrul Feisal Abdul Rahim.

Ahmad Fuaad has more than 26 years experience in corporate Malaysia, especially in the automotive industry.

He was the chief financial officer (CFO) of Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd from 2010 to 2013, before he joined DRB-Hicom Bhd as CFO until 2016.

Ahmad Fuaad was subsequently seconded to national car company Proton Holdings Bhd as CEO and executive director from 2016 to 2017.

His varied career in DRB-Hicom included his stint as a board member of key subsidiaries such as Pos Malaysia Bhd, Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd, Edaran Otomobil Nasional Bhd, Horsedale Development Bhd, Glenmarie Properties Sdn Bhd and Alam Flora Sdn Bhd.

In 2017, Ahmad Fuaad joined Malakoff as CEO. In Malakoff, he sat on the board of a majority of its local and overseas subsidiaries and associate companies.

UMW is one of the leading industrial, engineering and automotive groups. It is the exclusive distributor of Toyota vehicles in Malaysia.

For the second-half ended June 30, UMW slipped into the red after posting RM34.12mil in losses compared with a net profit of RM143.69mil a year ago due to declining sales during the movement control order that started on March 18 to reduce the number of coronavirus (Covid-19) infections.

Its revenue for the period was down 36.6% year-on-year to RM3.65bil.

UMW earlier said the group was optimistic of a healthy business recovery in the second-half of 2020, with the gradual opening of businesses.

It noted consumer sentiment was improving following the economic stimulus measures implemented by the government, including sales tax exemptions on vehicles till year-end and lower interest rates to spur the growth of the local automotive market.

Recently, UMW launched a new sport-utility vehicle model and enhancements to the current product offering are expected to improve sales.

The group said its heavy equipment sub-segment continued to face sluggish domestic demand.


VW draws up plans to carve out Lamborghini, say sources

                FRANKFURT: Volkswagen is drawing up plans to carve out Lamborghini and has sounded out bankers and potential investors about listing the Italian sports car maker on the stock market, say two sources familiar with the matter.

They said the German carmaker is looking to make Lamborghini a more independent unit within its stable of car brands and is discussing long-term supply deals, both steps which would make it easier to carry out an initial public offering (IPO).

“This is a first step which gives VW the option to list the unit further down the line,” said one of the sources familiar with the discussions about the future of Lamborghini.

The source said there was no formal decision to divest Lamborghini and the timetable of any deal remained unclear.

A second source familiar with the talks about Lamborghini, which is currently part of Audi, said Volkswagen would retain a controlling stake in the supercar brand if it were to list.

Volkswagen declined to comment.

Reuters reported on Tuesday that Volkswagen was reviewing the future of its high-performance brands Lamborghini, Bugatti and Ducati as part of broader quest for more economies of scale as it shifts to mass producing electric cars.

Two company executives said the review could lead to technology partnerships for the sports car and superbike brands, restructuring, or other options including a listing or sale.

The value of Italian supercar manufacturer Ferrari has more than trebled since Fiat Chrysler listed it in 2016 though shares in rival Aston Martin have slumped since its IPO in 2018.

Volkswagen’s management and supervisory board will host a five-year planning round in mid-November and preparations to carve out Lamborghini could help executives make a decision on a sale or partial listing at short notice.

A third source familiar with the discussions said the future of all three brands was discussed at a supervisory board meeting last Friday, including how to electrify the Lamborghini and Bugatti brands through partnerships and investors.

Lamborghini’s chief executive Stefano Domenicali announced this week his departure from the sports car maker to take on a new job as president of Formula One.

‘Important steps’

Volkswagen Group’s chief executive Herbert Diess said on Wednesday the carmaker would announce “important steps” about the company’s future before the end of the year.

A global clampdown on vehicles powered by combustion engines to curb carbon emissions has forced carmakers to accelerate the development of low-emission technology for their mainstream models.

California, for example, which accounts for 11% of U.S. car sales, plans to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger cars and trucks from 2035, the State’s Governor Gavin Newsom said last week.

Volkswagen managers, however, are struggling to find the resources needed to electrify low volume sports car models such as Lamborghini and Bugatti, which sold 4,554 and 82 cars respectively last year.

By reviewing VW’s portfolio, Diess is slowly unwinding an empire built by his mentor, Ferdinand Piech, Volkswagen’s former chairman and chief executive who died in 2019.

Piech, who hired Diess in 2015, turned Volkswagen around by betting on modular construction techniques which allowed Audi, Seat, Skoda, VW and to use common parts for up to 65% of their construction.

Diess is taking a similar approach with electrification to boost economies of scale, developing a modular electric vehicle platform known as MEB, which will fit its mainstream compact and medium-sized vehicles - but not supercars.

Piech bought the Bugatti, Bentley and Lamborghini brands as part of an aggressive expansion push in 1998 which eventually turned Volkswagen into the biggest car company in the world by sales ahead of Toyota.

Diess said last month he had abandoned VW’s decades-old obsession with empire building and no-expense-spared engineering to free up resources for the development and mass production of electric cars.

“The product experience needs to be right. But you need to keep an eye on cost. You cannot run the business by focusing only on product,” Diess said.


Volvo opens its tome of safety knowledge to all

                GOTHENBURG: Volvo Cars is for the first time making its safety knowledge easily accessible in a central digital library which it urges the car industry to use, in the interest of safer roads for all.

The announcement signals the company’s philosophy of boosting safety through sharing knowledge that helps saving lives and comes on the 60-year anniversary of what may have been the most important invention in the history of automotive safety, the three-point safety belt.

Introduced by Volvo in 1959, the three-point safety belt is estimated to have saved over one million lives globally, not just in Volvos but in numerous other cars, thanks to its decision to share the invention in the interest of improving traffic safety.

To celebrate this milestone and to underline that its sharing tradition goes beyond patents and physical products, Volvo Cars now launches Project E.V.A. The initiative embodies and celebrates 60 years worth of sharing research into car safety with the world, but also highlights a fundamental issue with inequality in terms of car safety development.

“We have data on tens of thousands of real-life accidents, to help ensure our cars are as safe as they can be for what happens in real traffic,” says Lotta Jakobsson, professor and senior technical specialist at Volvo Cars Safety Centre. “This means our cars are developed with the aim to protect all people, regardless of gender, height, shape or weight, beyond the ‘average person’ represented by crash test dummies.”

Project E.V.A. illustrates, based on Volvo Cars’ own research data as well as several other studies, that women are more at risk for some injuries in a car crash. Differences in for example anatomy and neck strength between the average man and woman mean that women are more likely to suffer from whiplash injuries.

Based on those studies and its own crash data, Volvo Cars created virtual crash test dummies to better understand these accidents and develop safety technologies that helps to protect both men and women in an equal way. The first resulting technology was WHIPS whiplash protection introduced in 1998 that has contributed to the unique look of Volvo’s seats and head restraints.

Over the years, Volvo has done research on side impacts and lower back injuries in accidents. In the latter, Volvo's findings led it to develop an energy absorber in the seats, first seen on the XC90 and now on all SPA-based cars.


Carro and Jardine Cycle & Carriage team up to target Singapore and Malaysia markets

Tan (left) and Foo.
SINGAPORE: Jardine Cycle & Carriage (JC&C) and Carro announced today a strategic partnership that aims to improve the used car and aftersales segments of automotive retailing.

The partnership teams up the capabilities of regional automotive player and a leading tech used car platform – JC&C and Carro – and will combine the best of the analogue and digital ecosystems of the used car and aftersales space.

Valued at over US$60 million, the partnership will see JC&C taking an interest in Carro. Carro will also acquire an interest of equivalent value in JC&C’s used car subsidiary, Republic Auto, one of the largest used car dealers here.

Both companies would also set up an aftersales joint venture to roll out a multi-brand aftermarket workshop business with an initial focus on Singapore and Malaysia.

Present at the partnership announcement were JC&C’s managing director Wilfrid Foo and Carro’s chief executive officer Aaron Tan.


Suzuki Swift Sport unveiled by Naza Eastern Motors

                PETALING JAYA: New Suzuki automobile franchise holder Naza Eastern Motors Sdn Bhd marked the opening of its first Suzuki 3S flagship showroom at Naza Automall here with the launch of the new Swift Sport.

Fully imported from Japan, the Swift Sport comes with a 1.4-litre Boosterjet engine that produces 140hp and 230Nm of torque mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Because of its CBU status, the hatchback is selling for RM139,900. It comes with a three-year factory warranty.

Underpinning the car is the new-generation Heartech platform that ensures enhanced collision safety via its strengthened underbody rigidity while rewarding drivers a nippy and adrenaline pumping drive from its superb torque-to-weight ratio.

The Swift Sport gets a similar hatchback shape from the previous generation but now has a large honeycomb grille with carbon fibre finish skirting around the car.

Other features include paddle shifters, LED projector headlamps with distinctive daytime running lights, stealth rear door handles and hidden pillars to give the car a floating roof and coupe effect.

Front passengers get supportive semi-bucket seats with embossed “Sport” logo while rear passengers still have sufficient head and leg room despite the Swift Sport's compact dimensions.

Steering wheel is a sporty flat-bottom type with multi-function control buttons while the 7-inch touchscreen multimedia system supports Apple CarPlay.

The Swift Sport comes in four colours of Champion Yellow, Pearl Pure White, Speedy Blue Metallic, and Burning Red Pearl Metallic.

“We are ecstatic to kick start Suzuki’s reintroduction in Malaysia with the highly popular hot hatchback that won the hearts of many enthusiasts back in the days.

"We believe that this model can captivate enthusiasts once again from its aggressive styling, all-new drivetrain, and responsive handling,” said Naza Automotive Corp group chief executive officer Datuk Nik Hamdam Nik Hassan.

The 2,702 sq ft flagship Suzuki showroom features a bright and vibrant environment.

To provide convenience to customers, the supporting Suzuki Service Centre is also located within the vicinity of Naza Automall.


GoCar and Shell pitch in for healthcare frontliners

                KUALA LUMPUR: GoCar Malaysia and Shell Malaysia have teamed up to help ease the commute of frontliners in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.

From now until April 28 (updated due to MCO extension), GoCar is providing 200 units of the Nissan Almera, located at 127 Shell stations across Peninsular Malaysia for free while Shell is providing RM30 vouchers to help fuel their journeys during this time.

“At GoCar, we strive to act fast to give back to the community in any way possible, now more than ever. We are excited to work on this with one of our biggest partners, Shell Malaysia who shares and supports the same value too," said  GoCar Malaysia CEO Alan Cheah.

"With our wide network of Shell stations across the country, we are able to make these GoCars easily available to our frontliners at 127 stations nationwide, and at the same time fuel their journeys to where they must go," said Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd and Shell Timur Sdn Bhd managing director Shairan Huzani Husain.

The initiative aims to help healthcare frontliners (including doctors, nurses, physicians, pharmacists, laboratory technicians and administrative staff) commute a little more easily and safely from to and from hospitals, clinics, and quarantine centres.

Registrations can be done via the GoCar’s website upon verification of healthcare personnel status online.

Once successful, registrants will receive a GoCar promo code worth RM483 that can be used to book a Nissan Almera followed by a Shell Fuel e-voucher worth RM30 via email (on a first-come, first-served basis).

Since the outbreak began, GoCar has increased the frequency of its cars being cleaned and disinfected.

“It is our main priority to ensure our cars are continuously cleaned for all GoCar members to use, especially in a time like this. This also means we have to monitor our own frontliners’ well-being closely and make sure they are safe on the job," said Cheah.

Aside from taking body temperatures and monitoring the health of GoCar employees, Cheah added that all on-ground staff have each been provided with a comprehensive cleaning kit consisting of face masks, hand gloves, hand sanitizers, disinfectant sprays, and antibacterial fabric sprays to be used while on duty.

They have also been placing and replenishing anti-bacterial wet tissues in each car for the convenience of all GoCar members to use whenever needed.

Additionally, Shell has also been implementing several safety measures and prevention guidelines such as hourly
sanitisation, social distancing markers as well as tracking and monitoring the health of all its onsite staff at its stations nationwide.

“While Shell continues to show support towards the healthcare frontliners, the well-being of our site staff and customers remain as a priority. Thanks to our own frontliners, Shell is able to give customers a peace of mind when they are at our stations,” added Shairan.

Meanwhile, Shell has contributed care packages to various hospitals and launched a nationwide donation drive with BonusLink.

The Dutch fuel and lubricants producer is currently working on providing face masks to all its Shell Fleet Card customers and their drivers as well as commercial truckers.


Honda's Japan car output to return to normal capacity in December

Workers assembling cars at Honda's Saitama factory in Sayama, north of Tokyo in this 2011 photo. — Reuters
TOKYO: Honda Motor Co said today its Japanese car factories will return to normal operations in December, after working at around 90% capacity this month due to a shortage of chips and supply disruptions from Covid-19 lockdowns overseas.

The two domestic production sites will return to normal capacity in the first half of December, Honda said in a statement.

Earlier this month, the maker of the Fit (or Jazz) and CR-V models cut its full-year profit forecast for the second time, citing production delays and rising materials costs. read more

Top Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp had also said last week it would start making up for lost production in December, with factories at home returning to normal for the first time in seven months.


Ford CEO worries cars may get commoditised like mobile handsets

                BOCHUM (Germany): Ford CEO Mark Fields said carmakers faced the challenge of avoiding becoming dependent on someone else's business model as companies from new industries increasingly enter the auto trade.

"There are others who we never thought five years ago would be competitors for us," Fields said on Wednesday, stopping short of naming which companies were emerging as sector rivals. Software maker Google recently unveiled an autonomous vehicle.

"Guess what, they are looking at our industry, not taking anything for granted, they are questioning tradition and they are knocking down walls. I want to make sure Ford doesn't end up like the handset business," Fields told an automotive conference in Bochum near Essen.

He added that most mobile phone makers had become reliant on the business model of telecom providers.

He did not elaborate on his point. But as cars evolve technologically and become more connected to smartphones and similar devices, opportunities for new business models - such as car sharing - are emerging. These put less emphasis on owning a particular brand of car and opens up the industry to new competitors who rent out fleets of cars in large cities, charging users a fee for time spent in a car.

Ford must stay on top of innovations to remain competitive, Fields emphasized. "There is always that pull to take things for granted. And to say that is the tradition. Our opportunity is to take those blinders off," he said.

Separately, Fields reiterated that Ford was adjusting output to lower demand in Russia. "Russia will continue to be a drag on our earnings," he said. This, combined with higher pension costs, were the main reasons for Ford's losses in Europe.

Ford was working together with its local partners in Russia to mitigate the fallout from the crisis.

"We are making sure production is matched to demand," Fields told Reuters on the sidelines of the conference.

"We are making sure we are making appropriate cuts to overhead costs, but continuing to serve the market."


Aston Martin's finance boss to leave as losses deepen

Aston Martin said Wilson would step down from his role no later than April 30 but that he had not been fired.
LONDON: Aston Martin’s chief finance officer will leave the company following a tumultuous 2019 in which the luxury carmaker’s losses ballooned after sales dropped and it drafted in a new investor to help turn around the firm.

The firm, famed for being fictional agent James Bond’s car of choice, posted a £104.3 million (RM565mil) pretax loss in 2019 after a 7% decline in core wholesale demand.

Aston said last month that Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll would buy up to 20% of the company and existing shareholders would also inject more cash to stabilise the automaker.

“The big difference between last year and this year is the strength of the balance year,” said chief executive Andy Palmer.

“We’re in a very different place and have therefore an ability to properly... destock and that means get the balance right between supply and demand.”

The company said chief finance officer Mark Wilson will step down from his role no later than April 30 but that he had not been fired.

China was a bright spot in its performance last year with sales rising 28% but the company, like the rest of the industry, has seen demand drop due to the coronavirus outbreak.

There has also been some disruption to the supply of certain components but the company said it had not seen an impact on production, with components secured until at least the end of March.

The firm has also delayed plans to electrify its line-up until “no earlier than 2025”, and Palmer said the firm would focus on hybrid vehicles in the meantime, starting with the Valhalla model in 2022.

“We’ve enhanced the deployment of our V6 plug-in hybrid so there is a lot of work going into that technology and it will go across a greater range of cars,” said Palmer.


Ex-Ferrari executive Leiters on McLaren shortlist for CEO job

                LONDON: McLaren Automotive Ltd. is considering hiring former Ferrari NV’s technology head as the next chief executive officer for the closely-held company, according to people familiar with the matter.

Michael Leiters stepped down from Ferrari in December, and is one of the main candidates being evaluated for the top job at McLaren, the people said asking not be identified as the discussions are confidential.

A spokesman for McLaren declined to comment on the potential appointment. Leiters didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Sky News earlier reported that he was a possible candidate for the role.

The Woking, England-based supercar maker controlled by Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat has been repairing its finances after the pandemic halted production and scuppered the Formula 1 racing franchise.

The company has been looking for a CEO after Mike Flewitt, who led the company for eight years, abruptly stepped down in October 2021.

McLaren’s shareholders have been in discussions with Audi since late last year, about a potential acquisition of McLaren as a way to enter Formula 1 racing and promote its electric-car technology.


Lack of electric vans opens door for Chinese, other EV makers

Thomas demonstrating charging an electric van made by Chinese brand Maxus at the fully-electric package delivery firm's headquarters in London. — Reuters

LONDON: Legacy automakers got off to a late start with their commercial electric vans, opening the door for other electric commercial vehicle (ECV) makers to gain a foothold, as the Maxus brand from China's SAIC Motor Corp has done in Europe.

Fleet customers complain they simply cannot obtain enough electric vans from the likes of Ford Motor Co, Stellantis NV brand Peugeot, Renault or Mercedes, and so they are casting about for alternatives.

The established automakers were slow to embrace electric vehicles, allowing Tesla Inc to race ahead on passenger cars. With commercial vans, however, they also have dealt with supply-chain challenges.

UK last-mile delivery startup Packfleet uses only ECVs to deliver packages in London for large and small corporate customers seeking a zero-emission experience for consumers.

Packfleet grew tenfold in 2022 and CEO Tristan Thomas said most of the company's 53-vehicle fleet are Maxus vans. The company aims to double its fleet this year.

When the company sought its first ECVs in late 2021, "we basically got laughed out of town by most dealers," with most legacy brand vans on a 12-month back order, he said.

Recently Packfleet has been able to obtain more Peugeot, Ford and Citroen ECVs, but has to move quickly to get them.

"As soon as vans arrive dealers call us and we have to move quickly," Thomas said. "If we don't, they're gone in days."

As fleets shift to zero-emission vehicles, newer brands have a chance to grab market share. Maxus has an advantage while legacy automakers struggle to electrify entire model lineups.

SAIC said it sold 18,000 mostly electric Maxus brand vehicles in Western Europe and Scandinavia last year, including buses and pickup trucks.

"We plan to expand further into Central Europe areas," it added.

Electric van market data is scarce, but according to statistics provided to Reuters by the International Council on Clean Transportation, in 2022 Maxus had around 6% of Europe's new ECV market, including the UK, selling nearly 5,000 ECVs. That total is more than Ford, Nissan or Fiat, and up 28% versus 2021.

Others looking to gain share include Geely's van brand, Farizon, which will start delivering vans in Europe in 2024.

B-ON, which bought the StreetScooter ECV brand from Deutsche Post unit DHL, is boosting production in Germany and the United States, while US automaker General Motors Co's BrightDrop van brand is doing the same at its plant in Ontario, Canada.

"There is no magic wand to fix this, we just need to get the manufacturers up to speed," said Tim Albertsen, CEO of ALD, one of Europe's largest vehicle leasing firms. "For the next couple of years there will not be enough supply of ECVs."

'Existential questions'

Seven of UK supermarket chain Asda's eight ECVs are Maxus models, the other is a Ford. Fleet manager Sean Clifton has 50 additional Ford vans and 20 Maxus vans on order, but will need more soon as Asda electrifies its 1,300 delivery vans.

Clifton wants electric Mercedes chassis cab vans, but he said while those were initially slated for 2022, they will not arrive until 2024.

A Mercedes-Benz spokesman said the automaker deliberately focused on ECVs for package delivery first and the chassis cab version will launch on time in 2024.

A spokesman for Italian truck, van and bus maker Iveco Group said it should produce several thousand of its new eDAILY ECV model this year, adding that van production has been hit by component shortages and high raw material costs.

There is no difference in delays for conventional and electric vans at Renault, said commercial vehicle marketing director John Cleworth.

Steven Merkt, head of transportation solutions at major supplier TE Connectivity, said as well as being late with ECV models, legacy automakers are prioritizing big-volume passenger models over vans amid tight EV battery material supply.

"The Chevy Silverado, the Mercedes EQS, the Ford F-150 Lightning, are existential questions for these companies, the vans are not," Merkt says. "If Ford loses that (F-150 Lightning) fight, Ford doesn't exist. That's the reality."

Ford's UK head, Tim Slatter, said the carmaker had underestimated demand for its E Transit and is racing to catch up. Slatter said boosting EV production across an entire model lineup is difficult, which is why, for instance, the carmaker will discontinue its Ford Fiesta hatchback in Europe this year.

"It's a major challenge and you have to take some tough decisions," Slatter said. "Otherwise you're just spread too thin."

Last week Ford unveiled a new, smaller electric Courier van aimed at winning business customers in Europe, and boxing out startups.

Some electric startups such as Arrival or Canoo, which showed early promise, have burned through mountains of cash and fallen behind.

But Maxus, Farizon and BrightDrop have deep-pocketed backers.

BrightDrop CEO Travis Katz said scaling production is an "incredibly challenging and expensive process," but with GM's backing the company is on track to hit an annual capacity target of 50,000 vehicles by 2025.

After buying StreetScooter, B-ON has retained DHL as an anchor customer. Last year, B-ON produced around 2,500 ECVs and is ramping up production in Germany via contract manufacturer Neapco and in California with EV maker Karma Automotive.

The company is raising US$100 million in working capital and within two to three years B-ON expects annual capacity of 60,000 ECVs split evenly between Europe and the United States, said CEO Stefan Krause.

"This will be a supply-driven market for a very long time," Krause said. "There will be a lot of room for many competitors."


Volvo Car Malaysia's online sales platform to offer all-electric models

                KUALA LUMPUR: Volvo Car Malaysia is expanding its proven "Online Sales" platform that sells cars directly to its customers to include the Swedish luxury automaker's full pure electric model line-up.

With the Online Sales platform, customers’ Volvo buying experience will be seamless with several key features:

> Customers are now able to deal directly with Volvo Car Malaysia through this ‘Online Sales’ platform;

> The platform allows customers to buy their desired Volvo cars through secure payment methods;

> Through the platform, interested customers will also have visibility on the available stock and price visibility for better clarity; and

> The platform provides customers with a secure and hassle-free experience when ordering a Volvo car.

Volvo Car Malaysia managing director Charles Frump said its customers’ journey to owning a Volvo has dramatically improved through transparency and the stock availability of its cars since the introduction of the Online Sales platform.

“As of today, we are offering our full pure electric line-up on the platform and will look to integrate a broader range of Volvo car models into the platform soon,” he said.

The platform’s update also signifies Volvo Car Malaysia’s intent of solidifying its position as the leading mover in the e-luxury segment and further provide its customers with the outstanding Swedish luxury experience from the comfort of their own homes.

 C40.

The Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric and the Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric are now available via the e-commerce platform that enables customers to make bookings and payments directly to Volvo Car Malaysia on the company’s official website www.volvocars.com/my.

From May 1 to June 30, Volvo Car Malaysia is also offering a series of promotions for all car models.

Customers who register their XC40 Recharge Pure Electric and C40 Recharge Pure Electric during this period will be entitled to receive a complimentary RM7,000 wallbox voucher and a complimentary first-year Volvo Car Insurance.

For more information, please visit www.volvocars.com/my or follow Volvo Car Malaysia on Facebook http://bit.ly/VolvoMY-FB and Instagram at http://bit.ly/VolvoMY-IG.


173 RFID lanes go live on highways from April 1

                PETALING JAYA: A total of 173 RFID lanes will be opened at 83 toll plazas on PLUS highways from April 1. These include the LPT2 highway along the East Coast.

PLUS Malaysia Bhd said in a statement RFID offers users the ease of cashless toll payment and the convenience of instant reload via online banking and e-wallets.

Toll payments using the Touch 'n Go card and SmartTAG will still be accepted at all toll plazas.

“We expect an increase in RFID demand from our highway customers, which number around 1.7 million drivers," said PLUS Malaysia managing director Datuk Azman Ismail.

With PLUS now offering RFID, the customer journey, which used to be from Juru to Damansara toll, has now been extended into urban areas like Kuala Lumpur and suburban areas like Wangsa Maju or Kajang.

“With RFID, highway customers will no longer have to deal with Touch ‘n Go card reload as topping up can be done online through mobile phones and the Touch ‘n Go eWallet application, which are linked to RFID tags stickered on vehicles,” said Azman.

The full list of the RFID Fitment Centres is available via the link at: https://rfidregister.touchngo.com.my/fitment-centres.

The following is the list of RFID Fitment Centres along PLUS highway, with effect from March 13


Tesla's head of battery engineering quits

                SAN FRANCISCO: Tesla Inc’s director of battery engineering, Jon Wagner, has left the electric car manufacturer, according to his LinkedIn profile.

According to Wagner’s LinkedIn page, he is launching a battery and powertrain startup in California. The timeline of his departure is not known.
 Wagner.
Wagner, who joined the company in January 2013, was involved in developing technology for all of Tesla's cars, as well as the Powerwall, according to his profile.

Last week, Tesla pushed back its target for volume production on its new Model 3 sedan by about three months, saying it was difficult to predict how long it would take to fix production bottlenecks.

Tesla had also said the main constraint was its battery module assembly line at its Nevada Gigafactory, where the company had to redesign part of the production process.

Tesla and Wagner did not respond to requests for comment.


Amid scandals, Japan carmakers look to future at Tokyo Motor Show

                TOKYO: Japan’s flagship automakers will present their futuristic visions for the post-fossil fuel era at the Tokyo Motor Show that kicks off today. If only the industry, reeling from a run of scandals, could forget about the here and now.

Japan’s once-impregnable reputation for quality vehicles has taken a battering. Nissan Motor Co. has just announced plans to suspend local car production and is under regulatory scrutiny after admitting it has used unauthorised safety inspectors.

Auto industry supplier Kobe Steel Inc. has fessed up to forging data on aluminum and other materials going back decades. Takata Corp., whose exploding air bags were the subject of the industry’s biggest ever recall, filed for bankruptcy in June.

Even the auto show has had its dramas. Nissan president Hiroto Saikawa ceded chairmanship of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association two weeks ago to deal with the deepening crisis at his company, forcing Toyota Motor Corp. president Akio Toyoda to step in suddenly as overseer of the biennial event.

Japanese automakers are aiming to use the show as a showcase for their latest technologies, everything from concept hydrogen-fueled cars to their latest redesigned electric vehicles boasting longer driving ranges.

“Recent scandals are pouring cold water on this year’s show and the impact is very negative,” said auto analyst Ken Miyao at consultancy Carnorama. “Tokyo’s show is a big consumer-oriented event and I won’t be surprised if some domestic consumers shy away from it this year.”

Tesla killer

Nissan — which holds the title as the global sales leader in electric vehicles — is keeping its marquee product for the show under wraps, other than to say the vehicle “embodies the future of Nissan Intelligent Mobility.” That’s Nissan-speak for technologies including electrification, autonomous driving and beyond.

Nissan’s motor sport division, NISMO, is also souping up the all-electric 2018 LEAF for the show, providing improved aerodynamics and suspension and adding racing-red flourishes both inside and out. It keeps the 400-km range of the base model, which was launched just last month to compete with Tesla Inc.’s mass-market Model 3. Elon Musk’s car has almost 50 percent more range than the LEAF, but comes with a higher sticker price.

Toyota, a long-time champion of hydrogen power, will introduce a fuel cell-driven concept that boasts 50% more driving range than its current hydrogen-powered Mirai sedan in a technology push that defies a rising wave of battery-driven vehicles.

Putting motors into the wheels, and pushing those wheels out to the extreme corners of the vehicle, Toyota has maximised the size of the cabin so that it seats six people in three rows, despite being the same length as the new Camry. The concept car is dubbed the Fine-Comfort Ride, and in automated driving mode the seats can swivel to all face each other making it like a rolling meeting room.

Segway-like device

Japan’s biggest automaker is also showcasing its in-car driving assistant, nicknamed Yui. Based on deep-learning artificial intelligence technology, Yui will serve as a co-pilot and navigator that over time will read a driver’s emotions and anticipate one’s wants. That’s whether you’re driving a car or zipping along the sidewalk on the Segway-like device Toyota is debuting at the show.

Honda Motor Co. is being nearly as mysterious as Nissan about its headline product to be unveiled at the show.

 Toyota Concept-i WALK.

The Honda Sports EV Concept set to debut this week is a battery-powered sportscar, built on the same dedicated EV platform as the Honda Urban EV Concept unveiled at last month’s Frankfurt motor show, which is slated for sale in Europe in 2019. Like Toyota’s concept cars, Honda is including an AI-powered concierge in its models.

Honda doesn’t want visitors to forget it makes motorbikes either, with the world premiere of the Honda Riding Assist-e. The name suggests that it will be the EV brother of the Honda Riding Assist shown at CES this year, which can autonomously come when the driver calls. That bike is actually a cousin of the Asimo humanoid robot, using the same self-balancing technology.

China threat

Some analysts see such innovations as confirmation that Japanese automakers are still trend-setters when it comes to automotive technology. “If you look at some of the core technologies in EVs such as battery materials, Japan still has a remarkable presence,” said Mitsuo Shimizu, a strategist at Japan Asia Securities Group. “I don’t think Japan’s car industry is lost. It remains very competitive.”

That said, there’s no denying that Japanese automakers are facing stepped-up competition from China in the EV market. Under the Made in China 2025 initiative and other mid-term plans, Beijing wants the country to become a dominant player in artificial intelligence and self-driving cars by 2030, and aims to lead the world in manufacturing quality by 2049.

“Compared with the Shanghai or Frankfurt shows this year, where Chinese and German carmakers showed a wide range of EV exhibits, I do think Japan is lagging in EV competitiveness,” said Miyao. “I’m concerned Japan’s auto sector will fall behind overseas rivals in the long run.”


Win the BMW G 310 R motorcycle at the SDM Dreamride roadshow

                PETALING JAYA: Sime Darby Motors (SDM) is offering car buyers at the SDM DreamRide roadshow a chance to win their dream motorcycle, the BMW G 310 R.

The roadshow will be held at 1 Utama’s Highstreet and Oval concourses from 22 to 26 July 2020.

It will feature brands such as BMW, MINI, Motorrad, Ford, Hyundai, Jaguar, Land Rover, and Volvo.

The event will feature the latest models, including BMW 330i, BMW 530e M Sport, BMW M5, BMW X3, and BMW 740Le, MINI Cooper Countryman plug-in hybrid, MINI 5 door, and MINI 3 door, BMW C400x, BMW R1250GSA, S1000XR, and BMW Rnine T / BMW F900R; Ford Ranger Raptor and Ranger WildTrak; Hyundai Santa Fe, Grand Starex, and IONIQ Hybrid; Jaguar F-Pace, Land Rover’ Evoque and Velar as well as Volvo XC60 and XC40.

Visitors to the roadshow will be able to test drive the BMW 320i, BMW 530e M Sport, BMW X3, and BMW 320i; MINI Countryman Sports, MINI Countryman Pure, and MINI Clubman S.

There will be exclusive deals with fleet sale promotions for corporate customers as well as trade-in deals for individual car buyers.

“This is the first automobile roadshow by Sime Darby Motors featuring multiple brands. We hope to create a unique shopping experience by bringing all our brands together as well as incorporating lifestyle elements to the shopping experience,” said Jeffrey Gan, the managing director of Sime Darby Motors’ retail and distribution arm.

“The sales tax exemption for the next six months, provides admirers of our various brands the perfect opportunity to own their dream cars at a bargain, with the knowledge that their sales and after-sales service needs will be well taken care of by our team of passionate and dedicated professionals”, added Gan.

Sime Darby Motors will collaborate with Braun Büffel, a premium German designer and maker of quality leather bags and accessories for the roadshow.

Customers will be able to take home a Braun Büffel mystery gift and a Braun Büffel membership when they register at Sime Darby Motors’ booth.

Customers who purchase any Braun Büffel product at its 1 Utama retail store during the roadshow period will be entitled to a RM500 cash voucher, which can be used for the purchase of any vehicle from participating Sime Darby Motors’ automobile companies at the roadshow.

Hong Leong Bank, Sime Darby Motors’ bank partner will also be on hand to answer questions on installment plans and the latest interest rates.

Participating automobile companies under Sime Darby Motors at the roadshow include Auto Bavaria, Auto Connexion, Auto Hyundai, Swedish Auto, and Auto Selection.


New sporty trim coming for Bentley Continental GT and GTC

                LONDON: Bentley Motors says it will unveil a new range of Grand Tourers on June 6, featuring a sporty trim.

Following the recent launch of the “wellbeing behind the wheel” concept with the new Azure range, Bentley will show the breadth of choice available to customers with a new family of Continental GT and GTC models that are focused on driving performance and striking visual cues.

A teaser image and video it released yesterday highlighted a black-painted wheel with five double spokes and red brake calipers, accompanied by an engine roar and an S emblem.

So we could be looking at a Continental GT S and GTC S, where the sporty feel is amplified. That could manifest itself most likely in the bumper appearance, grille, wheels and tailpipes. The cabin could see the use of darker leather shades along with sporty features in the form of alumnium or carbon fibre.

The V8 and W12 engines may not see any upgrades but the suspension and brakes may, as alluded by the teaser image.


BMW's hybrid cars to switch to electric only mode in polluted cities

                FRANKFURT: BMW’s new hybrid cars will automatically switch off their combustion engines in heavily polluted inner city areas and use pure electric driving mode as a way to cut vehicle emissions, the carmaker said today.

BMW’s efforts to optimise the environmental impact of hybrid cars with engine cut off functions, comes as the auto industry struggles to sell purely electric vehicles, which accounted for only 1.5% of total car sales globally last year.

People have shied away from buying purely electric cars because of a lack of charging stations, and because they have a limited operating range and longer recharging times than combustion-engined variants.

Scaling up adoption of electric cars has proven difficult because cities are struggling to make costly investments into their electric infrastructure to ensure that new charging stations can handle powering up vehicle batteries at scale.

Even Germany’s Ruesselsheim, home to carmaker Opel, needed to apply for state aid to build 1,300 charging stations.

Hybrid vehicles have the ability to recharge the electric battery while operating in combustion-engine mode, a function which eases customer anxiety about limited operating range, and takes pressure off cities to expand charging infrastructure.

BMW’s new hybrids will have the cut off function from 2020 onwards and cities, including Rotterdam in the Netherlands, say the function has proven to be an effective way to cut pollution.


Ford may make new electric Mustang Mach-E in China

Hackett says Ford may build the Mach-E in China depending on how the trade war plays out.
DETROIT: Ford Motor Co. is considering making its new electric Mustang Mach-E in China, depending on how the trade war between Washington and Beijing plays out, chief executive officer Jim Hackett said.

"We need to determine whether the tariffs are settled. And it would be great” if they were settled, Hackett told Bloomberg after a launch event for the car in Los Angeles. "We have a plan to build there if we have to.”

In an earlier interview with Bloomberg TV, Hackett said he believed there would be good demand for the car in China. "I’m smiling because China has got a mandate for electrification, so the Mach-E has a role in that,” he said.

While Ford is building the Mach-E in Mexico, Hackett said the company employs more workers in the US than its competitors. President Donald Trump, who has criticised American firms for manufacturing overseas, said in August that US companies should look for alternatives to China.

But many continue to expand operations there, including Tesla Inc., which has built a Gigafactory on the outskirts of Shanghai in a matter of months.

The electric Mustang will take on Tesla models when it goes on sale in the US and Europe next fall, the first Ford model to be launched simultaneously in both region.

Meanwhile, China’s enormous auto market is in a slump as the economy has slowed. Electric-vehicles sales have also suffered after the government pared back subsidies.

Chinese EV makers, of which there are hundreds, have ambitions to break into overseas markets.

Just last week, property giant China Evergrande Group restated its aim of being the world’s biggest maker of EVs in three to five years. The company, founded by China’s third-richest man Hui Ka Yan, plans to debut its Hengchi EV by next June.

Hackett said Ford is waiting to launch in China because "we’ve got to make sure that we’re flawless” in introducing the model in the US and Europe.


Hyundai partners quantum computer firm IonQ for battery development

                WASHINGTON: Quantum computer maker IonQ Inc said on Wednesday that it is partnering with Hyundai Motor Co to use quantum computers to develop more effective batteries.

The partnership will create a battery chemistry model to simulate the structure and energy of lithium oxide, to help improve the performance, costs, and safety of lithium batteries, IonQ said.

Better battery technology is key to advancing the use of electric cars.

Researchers believe quantum computers could operate millions of times faster than today's advanced supercomputers, potentially making tasks such as mapping complex molecular structures and chemical reactions much faster.

For that to happen, the quantum computers still need to scale up further, say experts.

Still companies, from banks to pharmaceutical firms, are testing out different ways to start using the quantum computers to be ready for the day when they become more reliable.


Premium motorhome Benimar Mileo 282 handed over to first customer

                KLANG: Luxe Motorhomes and Caravans, the sole importer and distributor of motorhomes and caravans in Malaysia, delivered the premium Benimar Mileo 282 motorhome to its new owner, Albert Chew, recently. Chew is also the first customer of the motorhome.

The Benimar Mileo 282, priced at RM644,111.71 (on-the-road without insurance),  is the longest version of the motorhome with an overall length of 6,950mm and features a Fiat Multijet diesel engine which produces 150bhp and 380Nm of torque.

 From left, Arne presenting the keys of the Benimar Mileo 282 to Chew.

"The Benimar Mileo 282 motorhome has additional features such as a kitchen extractor, reading lights and additional power sockets. The motorhome comes with the Fiat chassis with a 150bhp engine mated to a fully automatic and sequential manual mode six-speed gearbox.

"The new layout of the 282 offers two spacious living areas at the front and rear with two double drop down beds for 4 persons," said Luxe Motorhomes and Caravans chief executive officer, Mohd Arne Haffnee.

The new owner of the Mileo 282, Chew, who is also an ex-pilot said,"I am an outdoor person and have always wanted to own one. I cannot wait to explore my motorhome and share my experience with my friends and family."

For more information, visit www.luxemotorhomes.com.my or call 019-515 4769 to book a test drive.


Ducati Monster: Getting better every time

                The first Ducati Monster was created in 1993.

Over the years, the Monster has gone through many changes from having an engine capacity from 600cc to 1,200cc.

Fast forward to the present, the new Monster is powered by a liquid-cooled V-twin 937cc engine delivering 111hp at 9,250 rpm and 93Nm of torque at 6,500rpm.

The highlight of the new Monster is its decreased weight.

The new Monster weighs 166kg which is 14.5kg lighter than its Monster 821 predecessor.

Despite the larger displacement, the Monster’s new engine is 2.5kg lighter than before.

Now that is what I call, engineering advancement.

Besides this new change, the ergonomics of the new Monster has also improved.

The new Monster’s sitting position is less aggressive compared to Monster 821.

The sitting position is much more upright thus less pressure on the shoulders.

This sort of sitting position is achieved with lower foot pegs and a taller handlebar that is nearer to the rider.

This bike is also designed with Asian riders in mind, thus allowing riders to flat-foot at traffic stops rather than standing on the ball of their feet.

Design wise, there is not much difference except for the headlamp and the tank which is relevant to the younger generation.

The new Monster is fitted with a host of electronics that are useful to every rider.

The 4.3-inch TFT display comes with an anti-glare screen, legible text and numbers.

The display also allowed me to choose from three riding modes of Sport, Touring, and Urban.

Besides the riding modes, the Monster's eight-stage traction controls can be personalised are available.

The naked bike also came with IMU-based cornering ABS, cornering traction control, as well as wheelie and launch control.

I tried the Urban mode on the highways and it was a wrong move for me.

It reduced the engine output to 75hp but this mode worked well in traffic jams and city rides.

Once on a clear road, the Urban mode does not do justice to this Monster.

Touring and Sport modes are what riders should engage with when on long distance rides.

If you are bored of Touring mode, the Sport can deliver a burst of power.

Also available is the Ducati Quick Shift (DQS), a race-derived electronic system which allows upshifting and downshifting without using the clutch.

In my opinion, this feature is useful when you are on Sport mode and wanted to enjoy bike's power and the torque without thinking of anything else.

The Ducati has also ensured that the Monster's suspension is able to soak up any bumps and humps.

The ride was smooth be it on the highways and backroads with patched roads.

The front suspension is fitted with KYB non-adjustable 43mm USD fork with 5.1 inches of travel and a preload-adjustable rear shock with 5.5 inches of travel.

The factory setting was already good enough for a smooth ride.

I entered a few corners fast and the mid corner stability will give confidence to any rider,to push the bike harder and faster.

One of the main reasons for the Monster's stability during high-speed cornering was the use of a lighter cast-aluminium spar frame in place of the classic steel trellis frame.

This frame change has resulted in a reduced weight of 4.5kg.

Furthermore, its glass fibre-reinforced polymer rear subframe also made the bike lighter by 1.2kg.

All these reductions in weight together with the new materials gave birth to a lighter and agile Monster that delivers unforgettable cornering adventures.

On the highways, the Monster still maintained the old characteristics every time I unleashed the throttle.

The bike is ever ready to slice through the air, eat up every bit of the tarmac and give every rider an enjoyable time.

The sixth gear is very useful when you want to go beyond the highway speed limit.

The Monster stayed rock solid without any vibrations at high-speeds with the engine clocking 5,600rpm.

Good biting Brembo brakes are standard with the front wheel featuring 320mm discs mounted on four-piston calipers, while the rear wheel gets a single 245mm disc with two-piston calipers.

This new generation of Monster costing RM69,900 (without insurance, road tax and number plate) has all the boxes ticked that will appeal to naked bike enthusiasts.

Its styling, performance and array of electronic goodies are hard to resist.

The evolution of the Monster gets better with every new generation.

SPECIFICATIONSDucati MonsterEngine: 937cc, liquid-cooled, V2
Maximum power: 111hp at 9,250rpm
Maximum torque: 93Nm at 6,500 rpm
Transmission: Six-speed
Suspension: Front 43mm USD, non-adjustable; rear monoshock, adjustable for pre-load
Braking system: Front 2X320mm discs, four-piston calipers; rear single 245mm disc, twin-piston caliper
Features: Ducati Quick Shift, Ducati Power Launch, 4.3-inch TFT colour display, Full LED headlight and lighting system, Dynamic
turn indicators, USB power socket
Fuel capacity: 14 litres
Weight: 166kg
Price: RM69,900 (without insurance, road tax and number plate)


Taiwan says asking chip firms to help ease auto chip shortage

                TAIPEI: Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs said today it has received requests through diplomatic channels to help ease a shortage of chips for the auto sector and that it has asked local tech firms to provide “full assistance”.

Automakers around the world are shutting assembly lines because of a global shortage of semiconductors that in some cases has been exacerbated by the former Trump administration’s actions against key Chinese chip factories, according to industry officials.

The shortage has affected Ford Motor Co, Subaru Corp, Toyota Motor Corp, Volkswagen, Nissan Motor Co Ltd, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and other car makers.

The government in Taiwan, home to the world’s largest contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC), said it has been contacted by foreign governments about the problem.

“Since the end of last year, diplomatic channels have indeed received requests from relevant countries due to the shortage of automotive chips,” the Ministry of Economic Affairs said, after media reports that German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier had written to Taiwan’s government about the problem.

The ministry said it had not yet received the letter from Germany and couldn’t comment on its contents.

The ministry said major international automakers are not direct customers of Taiwanese semiconductor chip makers, but that other automotive chip makers place orders with Taiwan manufacturers and sell them to car makers.

“The relevant supply and demand situation is also closely related to the plans of automotive chip factories to reduce inventory during the off-season,” the ministry said.

It said it had begun talks with domestic chip suppliers in response to requests from other countries and “asked the chip manufacturers to provide full assistance”.

TSMC, in a statement, said the issue of chips shortages for auto companies was very important to them.

“It is our top priority, and TSMC is working closely with our automotive customers to resolve the capacity support issues,” it said.


Today's navigation systems do far more than get you from point A to B

                BERLIN: Always thinking ahead is an important skill for drivers. But human capability can only go so far - you can't always see around a curve or anticipate construction. But your navigation system can.

More and more cars are being equipped with these systems, which help drivers become aware of problems earlier than they would with only their normal senses, and thus help them stay safe on the road.

It also helps that cars themselves are becoming more intelligent. Their systems are increasingly able to communicate with one another, meaning they can automatically regulate the distance between each other and adjust speed before the driver can even see the sign.

This same technology also helps drivers reduce fuel consumption by alerting them to upcoming junctions, roundabouts or motorway exits where braking or deceleration will be necessary in the cockpit, the head-up display or even the accelerator pedal, says Rene Olma, a Mercedes spokesman. In many makes and models, the cruise control setting also now automatically adjusts its speed to the route.

Because developers put an emphasis on range, the systems can usually not only plan the shortest route, but also the most efficient one or one with the best charging points, if you have a plug-in or electric. Many of them also use extended horizon for optimum energy management.

"It doesn't really make sense after all for a plug-in hybrid with a full battery to arrive at the top of the pass and then have no capacity to recuperate braking energy on the descent," says Heiko Sprenger of BMW, where he is head of vehicle energy management.

Depending on how the driver has programmed the vehicle, plug-in hybrids will also adjust its different operating modes to the situation at hand, for example electric mode through city centres.

Pure electrics can even optimize recuperation with the use of electronics, says Frank Bekemeier, who is responsible for the MEB electric platform at Volkswagen. Instead of varying the degree of energy recovery, and with it, at the push of a button, the electric motor's braking force, drivers can let the onboard computer decide instead. The computer uses the distance radar and information from the navigation system to find the best balance for the battery.

Modern cars also are starting to collect data from the outside as well. "Car-to-X" communication, as its known, connects vehicles to the surrounding infrastructure and helps them figure out the current speed limit, for example, long before there are any such signs.

In a similar vein, Audi also offers a kind of traffic light assistant in many models, especially in the United States, as well as in a few German cities. The car knowns when the lights are red and green, and thus calculate the optimal speed for driving through a city without stopping - reducing fuel consumption by up to 15 per cent, according to some initial results from pilot projects out of southern Germany.


Update: Touch ‘n Go introduces new mobile app - and drops it like a hot potato

Update:  Touch 'n Go has suspended the new app following numerous public complaints it was badly implemented and wasn't hassle-free.

Below is the gist of the statement from  Touch 'n Go.

"We have since received much feedback, positive and negative. We thank you for taking the time to share your views with us. We have received the most feedback on the introduction of an additional reload channel for your Touch ‘n Go cards through the Pick Up Device (PUD). Your feedback indicates that the PUD method could cause inconveniences, and we are addressing those. We have discontinued this for now and will reintroduce this additional reload channel when refinements are made to it."

PETALING JAYA: The Touch 'n Go (TNG) app is the latest player in the Malaysian e-wallet scene, promising to provide an easy, cashless lifestyle to its users.

But first, this app is different from the existing MYTouchnGo Portal, so even if you are a certified user there, you will still need to download the new app and register for an account.

The official TNG app website states that "MYTouchnGo Portal only manages your TNG cards while the TNG app account lets you reload your TNG cards, make payments and more via the mobile app."

The registration requires for you to enter your full name, telephone number, e-mail address, nationality and MyKad number. Then you're asked to set a six-digit pin, which is used for all transactions made via the TNG app.

So, what does this app do for you? The most exciting thing in the line up is that you're able to top up your physical TNG cards, but the bad news is that it isn't exactly as convenient as it should be.

You can transfer an amount from the app to the physical cards, but the catch is that you need to go to a designated Pick-Up-Device (according to the website, these machines are placed at strategic locations like convenience stores and petrol stations) within 24 hours to complete the process.

Additionally, you can also use the app to do other things like pay for products and services at participating TNG app merchants, top up your prepaid mobile, pay utility bills, and purchase movie or even plane tickets. There is also a loyalty reward programme for its users.

You can reload your TNG app account via online banking, debit/credit card, and TNG Reload PIN, with more options to be made available soon. The minimum reload amount is RM10 and the maximum is RM500.

The TNG app is available for Android and iOS devices. For more information, visit touchngo.com.my.


Renault Zoe goes from hero to zero in Euro NCAP rating

                LONDON: Renault received a blow today for its popular Zoe electric model, as the European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) gave it a zero-star safety rating in tests that are standards for Europe.

The carmaker, which is cutting costs and working to turn around its performance after overstretching itself over years of ambitious global expansion, also received a one-star rating for its lower-cost electric Dacia Spring model.

"Renault was once synonymous with safety," Euro NCAP secretary-general Michiel van Ratingen said in a statement.

"But these disappointing results for the ZOE and the Dacia Spring show that safety has now become collateral damage in the group's transition to electric cars."

Renault said in a statement the Zoe was a safe vehicle, which met all regulatory safety standards.

"These standards are constantly evolving and are becoming more and more strict in all areas, especially in terms of security," the company added.

"Renault is therefore continually improving its offer in order to comply with the regulations applicable where its vehicles are sold."

The Euro NCAP ratings are not binding as it does not certify vehicles for road use. But European consumers do pay attention to Euro NCAP's tests and carmakers aggressively market good ratings.

This is only the third time Euro NCAP has given a car a zero-star rating and if it hurts sales of the Zoe it could pressure Renault into a swift upgrade or accelerate the launch of the next version of the car.

Euro NCAP said the latest Zoe had a worse seat-mounted side airbag than earlier versions. Euro NCAP noted the Renault Laguna had been the first car ever to receive a five-star rating in 2001.

Renault did not address the airbag issue in its statement.

In the year through October, the Zoe was the third top-selling fully-electric car in Europe, behind Tesla's Model 3 in top place and Volkswagen's ID.3.

The Dacia brand said the Spring goes above and beyond European safety regulations, but does not add advanced features that customers will not pay for.

In a press release titled "Hero to Zero," UK insurance group Thatcham Research noted the Zoe had initially received a five-star rating back in 2013.

"It's a shame to see Renault threaten a safety pedigree built from the inception of the rating," said Matthew Avery, Thatcham's chief research strategy officer and a Euro NCAP board member.

Eleven cars received ratings in Euro NCAP's final round of tests for 2021, which did not include Tesla models.

A number of other vehicles received five-star ratings, including BMW's electric iX, Daimler's electric Mercedes-Benz EQS, Nissan's Qashqai and Volkswagen's VW Caddy.


Sime Darby enters Indonesian automotive market with Galeon Group

                JAKARTA: Sime Darby Bhd has entered the Indonesian automotive market via PT Performance Motors Indonesia – a joint venture between its subsidiary Sime Singapore Ltd and Galeon Group.

PT Performance Motors Indonesia, which marks Sime Darby Motors’ first venture in Indonesia, gives the automotive arm of Sime Darby Bhd an immediate presence in Jakarta and Medan, via two dealerships representing BMW and MINI.

It will also serve as a springboard for the joint venture’s expansion into other provinces in Java and Sumatra with the BMW Group seeking to grow its network in Indonesia.

Sime Darby Bhd group chief executive officer Datuk Jeffri Salim Davidson said the new joint venture is part of Sime Darby’s strategy to grow its motors operations in Asia Pacific.

“Indonesia, being a country with one of the largest automotive markets in the region, and with a large and fast-growing middle and upper middle class – is a very important market for us.

Jeffri said Galeon Group which has been in the automotive business since 1989, had the critical expertise and understanding of the local automotive scene.

“We appreciate BMW Group’s trust in Sime Darby Motors, and we look forward to continue growing with BMW Group Indonesia as a strategic partner, and to work closely to grow the BMW and MINI brands in Indonesia,” added Jeffri.

BMW Group Indonesia president director Ramesh Divyanathan said the German carmaker welcomed the entry of Sime Darby Motors into BMW Group Indonesia's dealer network and its partnership with Galeon Group.

“This is a clear sign of confidence in BMW Group Indonesia's presence here and the strong sales performance of BMW and MINI brands in this market, both of which set new records in 2022,” he said.

Meanwhile, Galeon Group principal Leonel Gozali said that together with Sime Darby has valuable experience in the automotive sector across the value chain and would make great partners to grow together.

“With Sime Darby’s strong automotive and BMW experience, solid back-end systems, and strong financial capacity to support growth, we are confident that this partnership would bring success,” said Leonel.


Brabus G700 6X6 struts out - VIDEO

                PETALING JAYA: It's not often that we hear from Naza-Brabus Motor Sdn Bhd but today it dropped us a line to say it has completed a video of the mighty Brabus G700 6X6 RHD.

The action-packed video was shot in Malacca and Putrajaya.

The vehicle is based on the Mercedes-Benz G63 6x6, featuring a 5.5l bi-turbo V8 engine that has been boosted to deliver 690hp and 960Nm of torque. The engine is mated to an AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic automatic transmission. The 0-100kph sprint is done in 7.4s, with top speed at 160kph. Combined fuel consumption is rated at 17l/100km.

It's big, heavy and powerful yet not exactly fast for a Brabus, and you got to have wads of cash for fuel to feed the monster vehicle. Naza-Brabus Motor indicated the base price is an eye-watering RM3.7mil, and that's before taxes and insurance are factored in. Of the 15 units in right-hand drive mode Naza-Brabus Motor has brought in, a few units have been sold in right-hand drive markets abroad.

According to a spokesman, a Naza-Brabus Motor executive is now in Dubai to close a deal on the Brabus.

He also disclosed that a local sale is due to be made soon, adding that the affluent buy it as a toy or as a collectible item. The Brabus G700 6X6 is certainly set up as a collectible as Mercedes-Benz has stopped production of the G63 6x6.

Meanwhile, enjoy the video.


Posaidon E63 RS850+ is a demon on wheels

                BERLIN: German tuner Posaidon has tweaked a Mercedes-AMG 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 engine to push out a massive amount of power - try 1,020hp and 1,400Nm of torque for its E63 RS850+, with the company saying that it's the most powerful street-legal Mercedes...ever.

Based on a Mercedes-AMG E63 4Matic sedan, the company's engineers threw out almost everything and dumped in a stronger gearbox, larger turbos, more efficient intercoolers, a custom carbon-fibre encased intake system with a large free-flow conical air filter and colder competition spark plugs.

Lastly, a handmade turbo-back exhaust system with valve control, specially calibrated limited slip differentials for the front and rear axles and a remapped ECU round off the list of upgrades.

But, the company's engineers went further and got rid of the rear bench, rear door trims, replaced the front seats with race-style lightweight ones from the C63 AMG Black Series model for the cabin.

Externally, the factory grille gets replaced with wire mesh before getting slapped with carbon-fibre parts for the bonnet, front bumper, rear diffuser, spoiler, mirror caps and tailpipe trims for a total weight savings of 40kg.

Last but not least, the company also applied their Blitzer update to the Comand system.

While sitting on an uprated fully-adjustable coil-over suspension system, this two-seater with four doors gets to 100kph from standstill in 2.8 seconds before reaching a theoretical top speed of 368kph that's been electronically-limited to 350kph.

This is to prevent the 255/30 (front) and 295/25 (rear) Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres from disintegrating off the exclusive 20-inch ADV.1 alloy wheels.

For deceleration purposes, the tuner has fitted 420mm (front) and 360mm (rear) carbon-ceramic disc brakes with six-piston (front) and four-piston (rear) callipers to do the biting.

There's no mention of cost for this ruffian of a Mercedes, but we'd dare bet a very pretty penny that it'll require an atrocious amount of money to own one.


VW's Bentley considers making more Bentayga SUV

                GENEVA: Volkswagen luxury division Bentley is considering an increase in production of its Bentayga sport-utility vehicle (SUV), the world's most expensive SUV, chief executive Wolfgang Duerheimer said.

Bentley in December raised its production capacity for the Bentayga, which costs around 200,000 euros (RM899,000) to 5,500 models this year from 3,600 but has pre-orders from 10,000 people, Duerheimer said in an interview on Wednesday.

"We are evaluating whether we can do a little bit more" next year, Duerheimer said at the Geneva auto show.

Operations at Bentley's factory in Crewe, England, are "full steam ahead", he said.

Suppliers are still geared towards the original target of 3,600 models, so changes there and more shifts at the plant would be needed to enable Bentley to raise output, the CEO said.

"This is a step-by-step process but it's a nice problem to have," Duerheimer said, adding the British carmaker aims to keep the waiting list which currently stands at one year as short as possible.

Deliveries of cars priced between 125,000 euros and 250,000 euros (between RM562,000 and  RM1.1mil) could jump almost a fifth to more than 111,000 vehicles by 2020 from 93,554 last year as wealth in the United States and China keeps growing, according to research firm IHS Automotive.


Exclusive Ferrari 488 GT Modificata introduced

MARANELLO: Ferrari presents the new 488 GT Modificata, a limited edition car exclusively for use during track days and at Ferrari Club Competizioni GT events.The car’s name includes the word “Modificata”, which in Ferrari jargon means designs that have been evolved for better performance.It maximises the already outstanding performance of the 488 GT3 and the 488 GTE by combining their most effective and innovative solutions, as well as developing new technologies linked mainly to a powertrain no longer limited by the FIA Balance of Performance.The legendary twin-turbo V8 was subject to advanced research, which resulted in specific components and the carry-over of materials from the racing engine.The maximum power delivered by the engine is now around 700cv, due to the use of innovative solutions and more extreme and high-performance mapping. The gearbox, available with different transmission ratios, and the carbon-fibre clutch, help to manage the increased power and torque delivered by the engine.Like all Ferraris, the 488 GT Modificata offers customers a wide range of customisation options for both the exterior and interior.The car, produced in a very limited series, will initially only be for drivers who, in recent years, have participated in Competizioni GT with Ferrari or Club Competizioni GT.


Dacia pokes fun at car firms with subscription-free hot water bottles

                LONDON: Dacia UK is showing its opposition to other manufacturers offering subscription-based optional extras by handing out free hot water bottles to customers in the UK as "Heated Seat Saviours."

Manufacturers such as Volkswagen and BMW have begun offering various optional extras on a car that can be unlocked with a subscription, including heated seats and additional safety equipment.

Dacia says it is looking to "highlight its opposition to the growing wider industry trend of charging consumers a subscription to access in-car features," through its "Heated Seat Saviour" hot water bottles, which are being handed out for free at selected Dacia dealers at the start of February.

A release issued by the Renault-owned budget brand also pointed out that its "top-specification Sandero Stepwway, Duster and Jogger are fitted with heated seats as standard… and you don’t have to pay to turn them on."

"Our ‘Heated Seat Saviours’ are a bit of fun, but they do highlight the direction the wider industry is going regarding subscription-based access to features," Luke Broad, Dacia brand director for the UK, said.

"Whether consumers view heated seats as essential or not, our commitment to value and a fuss-free ownership experience means that we will only ever ask them to push a button to enjoy them." - PA Media


Range of BMW i models up 30% to 260km

                MUNICH: The further development of the BMW eDrive technology once again ensures enhanced driving pleasure in the purely electrically powered models of the BMW i brand.

With cell capacity increased to 120 ampere hours (Ah) and a gross energy content of 42.2 kilowatt hours (kWh), a new generation of high-voltage batteries enables the BMW i3 (120 Ah) and the BMW i3s (120 Ah) to achieve a significantly further enhanced range as of November 2018.

In everyday use, the two models are now able to cover a distance of 260km – an increase of almost 30%.

In this way, BMW i is consolidating its position as an innovation leader and trendsetter in the field of pioneering electromobility with hallmark brand driving pleasure and excellent everyday practicality.

Since the market launch of the BMW i3, the storage capacity of its high-voltage battery has been doubled, thereby increasing the car's range as well.

At the same time as the introduction of the new battery, a new body finish, a new colour for the optional interior design Loft and adaptive LED headlights with matrix function for the high beam are also available for the BMW i3 and BMW i3s.

In future, a sports package will be available for the BMW i3 that includes black wheel arch surrounds and a sports suspension with specific dampers, springs and stabilisers, lowered suspension, a widened track and 20-inch light alloy wheels.

The optimised guidance system in the tile design of the iDrive operating system is now available in conjunction with the optional navigation system Business.

In future, the options telephony with wireless charging and wireless LAN hotspot will also be available for the BMW i3 and BMW i3s.


Mitsubish Xpander hits showrooms nationwide at RM92K

                KUALA LUMPUR: Official distributor, Mitsubishi Motor Malaysia (MMM), has begun deliveries of the Xpander to early adopters which incidentally can be viewed at all authorised showrooms nationwide today onwards.

For this reason, we at CarSifu.my decided to head over to one of the Japanese carmaker's authorised showrooms (Sing Kwung Jidosha Sdn Bhd) to check out this seven-seater multi-purpose vehicle (MPV).

With only one variant available, the Xpander is priced on-the-road with 0% SST and without insurance at RM91,359. After Dec 31, the Xpander will cost RM94,800 instead.

The locally-assembled (Completely Knocked Down - CKD) Xpander is covered by a standard five-year unlimited mileage warranty.

For colour option, there are four to choose from including Quartz White Pearl, Diamond Black, Titanium Grey and Red Metallic.

The Xpander has a 2,775mm wheelbase and comes in measuring 4,475mm-long, 1,750mm-wide and 1,730mm-tall.

At 1,275kg (kerb), this seven-seater multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) uses a 1.5-litre (1,499cc) 16-valve DOHC Mivec engine with multi-point injection.

The engine sips from a 45-litre fuel tank and produces 105PS at 6,000rpm and 141Nm of torque at 4,000rpm.

Managing power for this MPV is a four-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the front wheels.

Externally, the Xpander is fitted with slim and slanted LED headlights with daytime runners, powered external mirrors with integrated turn signals and chrome accents for the door handles and belt-line mouldings.

There's also a rear spoiler, shark fin antenna, automatic wipers, a rear wiper, Dynamic Shield grille design with dark chrome, L-shaped semi-LED taillights and 16-inch dual-tone alloys wrapped with 205/55 series tyres.

Suspending this MPV are front MacPherson struts with coil springs, stabilizer bar and built-in strut bar while the rear uses a torsion beam setup.

Stopping power comes from front ventilated discs and rear drum brakes.

Inside, the cabin features leatherette for the seats, keyless entry (front doors only) with push-start button, a 4.2-inch TFT colour LCD within the high-contrast instrument cluster.

A Meter Panel for the Eco Drive Assist helps to provide an economy score indicator for the driver.

Comfort and convenience come from the inclusion of a smartphone storage compartment at the front and a slide-open centre console storage compartment between the seats.

Front and rear climate controls help to keep occupant comfortable while the driver gets a leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel with tilt and telescopic adjustments.

Cruise control is also a standard feature here, as well as an auto up/down powered window with anti-pinch function for the driver.

Entertainment is provided by a six-speaker sound system with a 9.0-inch touchscreen that provides a USB port, Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as a 360-degree monitor and reverse camera.

The second-row seats feature a one-touch forward tumble and sliding function to aid access to the third-row seats.

Both second and third-row seats can be folded down to provide a flatbed thereby expanding its 170-litre boot with an under-tray compartment to 495 litres (second-row seats up) or a maximum of 1,630 litres (all seats down). MMM says that 170 and 495 litres of boot space is only halfway to the ceiling.

For safety, the Xpander is equipped with two airbags, anti-lock braking system and electronic brake-force distribution with brake assist.

Active stability control, traction control, brake override system, rest reminder and hill-start assist round off the safety equipment.

For optional extras, the Xpander can be further equipped with a Telematics System (RM2,000) and Llumar security tints (Premium - RM2,300 or Premium Plus - RM3,000).

Also available are Raytech body coating options that include Rhadium Q3 Ceramic Coating (RM2,200) and Rhadium Q6 Self-Healing Coating (RM3,000).

Lastly, Llumar paint protection film options are also available for the door cups (RM500) and side mirrors (RM550).


A wasp flies into your car — what do you do?

Safety experts say the best thing to do is to stay calm and keep your eyes on the traffic — not the wasp. — dpa
BERLIN: Picture this: You're driving down the highway when, out of nowhere, a wasp flies into your face.

Your instinct might send your arms flailing, but of course this can be extremely dangerous. Your first thought is typically about not getting stung, but your priority now needs to be not crashing the car.

Safety experts say the best thing you can do is try and stay calm and keep your eyes on the traffic — not the wasp. Then turn on the hazard lights, slow down and try and find a place to stop on side of the road.

If the windows are open, the problem will usually solve itself pretty soon. If you're feeling panicky and want to get out of the car while the wasp is still in there, keep an eye on oncoming traffic as well as what's happening behind you.

If you're allergic to certain insects, it's best to do a quick check before you drive off and keep the windows closed.

Meanwhile, motorcyclists face the even more unpleasant possibility of a wasp could get stuck in the helmet while driving.

If this happens, it's essential to keep calm and slow down gradually, advises Matthias Haasper from the German Institute for Motorcycle Safety (IFZ). If you brake too quickly, you risk danger from – and for – traffic behind you.

Instead of trying to rip off the helmet as quickly as possible, you should simply accept that you are going to be stung by the wasp, Haasper says.

Even reaching into the helmet while you are riding is not a good idea – a rider's full concentration should be on safely coming to a stop.

Even at slow speeds, foreign objects can temporary blind riders if they are hit in the eye. The IFZ therefore advises always riding with your visor closed, or at least with goggles, even if it is tempting to enjoy the breeze.