New Biden EV charger rules stress Made In America, force Tesla changes

                WASHINGTON: The Biden administration on Wednesday issued long-awaited final rules on its national electric vehicle charger network that require the chargers to be built in the United States immediately, and with 55% of their cost coming from U.S.-made components by 2024.

The White House hopes the new rules, issued after nearly eight months of debate, will jump-start the biggest transformation of the US driving landscape in generations. It seeks to give consumers unfettered access to a growing coast-to-coast network of EV charging stations, including Tesla Inc's (TSLA.O) Superchargers.

Companies that hope to tap US$7.5 billion in federal funding for this network must also adopt the dominant US standard for charging connectors, known as "Combined Charging System" or CCS; use standardised payment options; a single method of identification that works across all chargers; and work 97% of the time.

Tesla, the nation's largest EV maker and charging company, plans to incorporate the CCS standard and expand beyond its proprietary connectors, the administration said.

"No matter what EV you drive, we want to make sure that you will be able to plug in, know the price you're going to be paying and charge up in a predictable, user-friendly experience," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told reporters in a preview of the rules.

The first tranche of the billions in federal funds will now be rolled out to states in upcoming weeks, forcing companies like Tesla, EVgo Inc and ChargePoint Holdings Inc to jockey for their share of the funds from state governments.

The network is a central part of President Joe Biden's plan to tackle climate change by converting 50% of all new US vehicle sales to electric by 2030. A dearth of chargers on American roads has slowed the growth of EV sales and the positive environmental impact, advocates say.

Manufacturers warned before the rules were released that imposing a domestic components quota too soon in the program rule would slow the rollout. The new rules extend the Made in America deadlines to help give those companies more time to onshore their supply chain.

EV charger manufacturer Tritium announced on Wednesday that it will add more than 250 jobs to its Tennessee manufacturing facility, bringing the total to more than 750 jobs at the site.

White House National Climate Adviser Ali Zaidi said that under Biden's leadership the number of EV models being offered to consumers has doubled, along with the number of charging stations and EV sales.

"So this is not pie in the sky. It's literally steel in the ground. We are seeing the Biden climate vision on wheels," Zaidi said.

'Build America, buy America'

Under the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, federal infrastructure projects like EV chargers must obtain at least 55% of construction materials, including iron and steel, from domestic sources and have all manufacturing done in the United States starting immediately.

However, the Department of Transportation requested a waiver for EV charging stations and initially proposed that at least 25% of the chargers' overall cost come from American-made components starting in July of this year and then 55% by Jan 1, 2024.

The new rules ditch the two-step process and start imposing the component cost provision in July 2024 at 55%. The chargers must be assembled at a U.S. factory, and any iron or steel charger enclosures or housing must be made in the United States, starting immediately.

The United States and its allies Mexico and the European Union have clashed over protectionist policies implemented by Biden. The United States and the EU set up a task force last year to look at American laws that Europeans fear will discriminate against foreign electric car makers.

EV chargers require iron and steel for some of their most crucial parts, including the internal structural frame, heating and cooling fans and the power transformer. Chargers with cabinets that house the product require even more steel, making up to 50% of the total cost of the chargers in some cases.

Global demand for EV chargers is putting strain on the supply chain that makes it difficult, if not impossible, to meet the made-in-America standards and expedite construction of new chargers, states and companies warned in comments to the Department of Transportation.

The new rules would allow Tesla to keep its unique connectors, but it will have to add a permanently attached CCS connector or adapter that charges a CCS-compliant vehicle, similar to a gas pump that has a separate handle for gas versus diesel.

Tesla told the DOT that the plan was "aggressive" and "could lead to a shortfall in the number of compliant charging stations available given the pace and scale of deployment," records show.

However, labour advocates argue that delaying or skirting the requirements undercuts congressional intent and punishes companies that moved early to comply with the rules.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime shot to get this right," said Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing.

"The challenge with extensions is it becomes habit-forming and the herd will always fight and delay."


Pure electric cars nearly double EU market share in Q1, says ACEA

                FRANKFURT: Battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs) almost doubled their market share in the European Union during the first quarter, industry data showed on Thursday, as the rollout of models across the continent picks up pace.

BEVs accounted for 10% of total passenger car sales in the EU, data from the region's carmaker association (ACEA) showed, surpassing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, which took an 8.9% share.

In total, 224,145 BEVs were sold across the EU in the January-March period, up from 146,125 in the same period last year.

Hybrid electric vehicles accounted for more than a quarter of the market, up from around a fifth in the same period last year.

Cars powered by petrol and diesel lost market share but still accounted for 52.8% of the EU market during the period.


2018 Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar unveiled

                GOTHENBURG: Polestar may not yet have the same level of renown seen with BMW's M Series, AMG Mercedes or even Nissan's Nismo, Honda's Type R or even Ford's ST and RS performance brands, but the performance arm of Volvo is working hard to get there. The latest models from the brand have just been announced as the 2018 Volvo S60 Polestar and the V60 Polestar.

The two models will feature additional aerodynamic components constructed from a lightweight carbon fibre material. The use of the advanced material is designed to increase downforce by 30 percent to deliver notable performance and handling improvements. Only 1,500 vehicles are going to be produced, and each of the cars will have its own unique number on the tread plate.

The aerodynamic enhancements come in the form of a new front splitter, side sills and a rear spoiler extension, all made of lightweight carbon fiber. The new components have a stylish look, but more importantly they also increase the amount of available grip and high-speed stability.

This then provides the cars with the dual personality of being at ease in everyday driving as well as providing the driver with extra control and feedback in more demanding circumstances, such as on an inspiring stretch of road or during an aggressive evasive maneuver for example.

More than 250 individual components are different on the Polestar variants compared to what would be found on the 'standard' Volvo models, which helps to create a car with all the usability and practicality of the regular Volvo S60 and V60 models, but also delivers sports car performance on an all-year round basis. Some of the most notable component enhancements include the adjustable Öhlins shock absorber system and six-piston Brembo brake calipers with 371 millimetre discs.

Both 2018 Polestar models will still use the award-winning 367hp Drive-E engine, which is still one of the most powerful four-cylinder production engines in the world. The fuel consumption and emissions ratings will still be at class-leading levels of 7.8 l/100 km combined and 179 CO2 g/km, and 0-100kph speeds will be 4.8 seconds for the V60 and 4.7 seconds for the S60 with an electronically limited top speed of 250kph.


Toyota Malaysia suspends operations during lockdown

                KUALA LUMPUR: UMW Toyota Motor has temporarily suspended its sales and manufacturing operations since the nationwide enforcement of the Full Movement Control Order on June 1.

UMW Toyota Motor president Ravindran Kurusamy said Toyota and Lexus stand in solidarity with the nation to fight against the pandemic by temporarily shutting down its non-essential services.

"We understand that during this time of uncertainty, we can still be of assistance and support, and this is why we continue to be here for vehicle emergencies and breakdown.

"Also, all vehicles purchased from UMW Toyota Motor or our authorised dealers with existing warranties that are valid and expiring during this period will enjoy a 30-day extension calculated from the last day of the MCO, ” he said in a statement today.

UMW Toyota Motor deputy chairman Akio Takeyama said the company is grateful to the government for safeguarding Malaysians from the threat of the pandemic and introducing financial and industrial policies to ensure economic growth.

"The impact of the pandemic has been both unpredictable and unprecedented, but the introduction of several new models throughout the year, combined with the Sales and Service Tax incentives for consumers, has helped the local automotive industry to navigate the storm in a position of strength, ” he added.

The company recently announced that the sale of Toyota and Lexus vehicles in Malaysia continued to be on an upward trend, registering a combined total of 7,595 units sold in May 2021, equivalent to a 120 per cent increase year-on-year.


Honda acquires Drivemode, developer of smartphone apps for drivers

                TOKYO: Honda R&D Co., Ltd. (Honda R&D), a research and development subsidiary of Honda, announced that it has acquired all of the outstanding shares of the California-based Drivemode, Inc., in order to further strengthen Honda’s new value creation in the areas of digital and connected mobility products.

With the acquisition, on September 26, 2019, Drivemode became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honda R&D.

Drivemode is a startup that develops and operates smartphone-based connected services, excelling in multiple areas such as the development of the user interface and application as well as cloud-based technologies.

Honda R&D and Drivemode have been collaborating and conducting joint development activities since 2015 through the Honda Xcelerator program, an open innovation program Honda has been pursuing on a global basis.

Honda Xcelerator is an open innovation program promoting collaboration between startups and Honda. Silicon Valley-based Honda Innovations, a subsidiary of Honda R&D, has been the main driving force behind this global program.

“As a step toward the realization of value creation for mobility and enhancing people’s daily lives, which is an integral part of Honda’s 2030 Vision, we decided to further enhance our collaborative relationship with Drivemode,” said President and Representative Director of Honda R&D, Toshihiro Mibe.


Toyota rolls out all-new GR 86

                PLANO (Texas, USA): Toyota has revealed the all-new 2022 GR 86 this week, promising enhanced handling and exterior aerodynamics, increased power and an upgraded interior.

With its wide stance and low center of gravity, the 2+2 rear-wheel drive coupe’s handling changes come in the form of front- and rear-frame reinforcements that increase rigidity.

Functional exterior air vents were also added to further support steering stability. Weight shaving details, such as aluminum roof panels and fenders, also kept it at a nimble curb weight of just over 2,800 lbs.

The 2.4L naturally aspirated, horizontally opposed four-cylinder boxer engine, brings the power upgrade – increasing from 205 to 228 hp and from 212Nm to 250Nm of torque on the manual version.

The all-new GR 86 now delivers linear acceleration across a wider band of rpms, delivering a longer surge to drivers.

The power boost comes from tweaks like increased bore size, changes to the intake and exhaust systems, and optimization of the Toyota D-4S dual injection technology. Drivers will have the choice of a 6-speed manual (MT) or automatic transmission (AT).

Zero to 60 times have dropped from 7 to 6.1 seconds for the MT and from 8 to 6.6 seconds for the AT.

Available in two grades, GR 86 and GR 86 Premium, it will come in seven exterior colour choices, including the aptly named Track bRED. The premium grade comes equipped with a rear duckbill spoiler, adding dynamic contours to the car’s sporty feel.

The cabin gets upgraded front seats with a deep bucket design and side bolsters that keep driver and passenger supported during serious cornering. GR 86 Premium grade seats are upholstered in Alcantara with leather accents. Leather-trimmed driver touchpoints and silver-colored accents also add a race-inspired touch to the cabin.

Additional interior upgrades include a three-mode digital display, offering different information layouts for Normal, Sport or Track driving modes. An 8-inch Multimedia Touchscreen with six speakers comes on the standard grade, while an eight-speaker system comes standard on the Premium grade, and available Connected Services, Apple CarPlay® & Android Auto™ compatibility with NFC pairing, and a Sirius-XM® three-Month All Access trial brings drivers their tech fix.

The new generation GR 86 takes cues from its “hachi-roku” forefather.

Its low overall height and hip point give it an athletic look. The fender tops extend horizontally to the beltline and give it a stance distinctive of front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sportscars. Its low, horizontal underbody and narrowed rear cabin combine to create a launch-ready appearance.

The move from a 2.0L to a 2.4L engine has increased displacement nearly 20%, from 1,998cc to 2,387cc. Thanks to that increase, GR 86 now has 228hp and 250Nm of peak torque, which it now hits at 3,700 rpm, the previous generation hit max torque at 6,600 rpm.


KLIMS'18: Ford Ranger Raptor launched at under RM200K, new Mustang presented

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ranger Raptor was launched today by Ford distributor Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC) at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) 2018.

The Ranger Raptor - Asia Pacific's first and only factory-built high-speed off-road performance truck, is priced at RM199,888 with two colours that include Lightning Blue and Conquer Grey.

The Ranger Raptor features a Terrain Management System (TMS) that offers six modes that includes Baja (baha) Mode.

Power comes from a 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine mated to a 10-speed autimatic transmission with standard front and rear Position Sensitive Damping (PSD) shock absorbers (exclusively made by FOX), and an all-new Watt's linkage rear suspension with coilover rear springs.

The Ranger Raptor engine produces 210hp at 3,750rpm and 500Nm of torque from 1,750rpm to 2,000rpm. It has a 283mm ground clearance and 850mm wading depth.

CLICK: Ranger Raptor Specifications (.pdf)

Alongside the Ranger Raptor, SDAC also unveiled the new Mustang, which has been confirmed to arrive in Malaysia next year.

The Mustang is the only unit air-flown into Malaysia for the 10-day motor show. The Mustang is a cultural icon and the world’s best-selling sports car for three years straight with
more than one-third of its sales in global markets.

Since global exports began in 2015 through December 2017, Ford has sold 418,000 Mustangs in 146 countries.

Exclusive deals

For KLIMS'18, SDAC is offering exclusive promotions for its vehicles.

They are:

> Visitors to the show who make a vehicle booking of the Ranger and Mustang will stand a chance to grab cash vouchers in the bi-turbo wind tunnel machine.

> Customers who buy any Ranger variant will also be in the running to win a Ranger Raptor under the "Buy A New Ford Ranger, Win A Ranger Raptor" contest.

> The first 888 customers who register their new Ranger will each receive an electrical goods voucher worth RM1,000.

> Up to 2 years free maintenance or up to 40,000km for customers who register a Ranger or Ranger Raptor before Jan 31, 2019, whichever comes first.

Ranger RaptorMustang


Carro drives into Japan through partnership with Softbank

                SINGAPORE: Used car marketplace Carro has announced its expansion into Japan through a joint venture with SoftBank Corporation.

As part of its entry, Carro Japan Co, Ltd aims to introduce its full range of services, such as subscription-based services and car leasing.

Through this partnership, Singapore-based Carro said its technology will digitally match traditional car leasing with corporate users in Japan. The partnership will also involve multiple leasing companies, with plans to expand the marketplace for individual users in the coming years.

Carro CEO and co-founder Aaron Tan said the company decided to enter Japan because it is one of the leading automotive markets and most digitally-savvy countries in Asia.

"Our entry into Japan is the next natural step in growing our regional presence and helping traditional dealers expand their market reach across the country using our AI-technology-backed capabilities."

In recent years, Japan has seen an increase in demand for used cars and subscription-based services, resulting from the backdrop of rising prices of new vehicles and a growing need for car ownership.

However, the difficulty of accurately assessing a used car's valuation due to the inconsistent and lack of credible evaluation criteria has led to several barriers to entry within the used car marketplace in the country.

Carro Japan will support existing car dealers with leasing services and provide a competitive subscription-based service. In addition, Carro said its AI technology would be used to accurately predict the valuation of used cars based on their history and data.

SoftBank's role in Carro Japan will be to tailor services for the Japanese market, including marketing, sales, and collaboration with partner companies.


Global auto output could fall by nearly 20 million in 2020

                LONDON: Global vehicle production is now expected to fall more than 20% to around 71 million in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuing recession, a top automotive forecaster said Monday.

That steep decline, far greater than anticipated earlier this year, likely will cost global automakers 19 million units in lost production in 2020, according to LMC Automotive, which warned those projections could slip further, depending on how quickly major regions recover.

In North America, where most vehicle production remains shut down in April, automakers have been forced to delay introductions or planned ramp-ups of several new vehicles, including the Tesla Model Y, the Ford Mustang Mach E, and redesigned versions of Fiat Chrysler’s Jeep Grand Cherokee and General Motors’full-size SUVs, LMC said.

The analyst said it expects vehicle sales will bottom out in April in North America and Europe, with post-pandemic recovery “unlikely to be rapid” in the coming months.

China, which was among the first countries hit by the novel coronavirus, already has restarted most of its auto plants and now expects to see a sales decline of just 12% this year, LMC said.

Expectations for a swift economic recovery have plummeted as the virus has swept most of the globe, plunging all major regions into recession, according to researcher IHS Markit.

While the company expects to see the beginnings of an upturn by the end of the year, current projections “are likely to be revised down” as the pandemic plays out.


Toyota-supported flying car hopes to light the Tokyo 2020 Olympic flame

                TOYOTA CITY: Engineers, supported by Toyota Motor Corp, have demonstrated their flying car, which they hope will be able to light up the Olympic flame for the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games.

"Cartivator", a start-up group of about 30 engineers including some young Toyota employees, started to develop a flying car "SkyDrive" in 2014 with the help of crowdfunding.

Head of Cartivator, Tsubasa Nakamura, said on Saturday that while the car was still at an early stage of development, the group expects to conduct the first manned-flight by the end of 2018.

 A Cartivator employee checking the flying car during a demonstration in Toyota City, Japan, on Friday. - All images by Reuters

During their demonstration, the current test model was able to get off and float on the ground for a few seconds. Nakamura said the design needed more stability so the prototype would be able to fly long and high enough to reach the Olympic flame.

Engineers of Cartivator are aiming to make their flying car the world's smallest electric vehicle, which can be used in small urban areas, and hopes to commercialise the car in 2025.

Last month, Toyota Motor and its group of companies agreed to invest 42.5 million yen (RM1.7mil) in the project for the next three years. Nakamura said the group is working hard to improve the design, hoping to receive further investment from the company.

Companies in the world have been competing to develop the first flying car or vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicles. Uber Technologies Inc announced its plan to deploy its flying taxi service by 2020 in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, and Dubai. Airbus Group is also working on developing its flying car under its division called Urban Air Mobility.

But makers of "flying cars" still face hurdles, including convincing regulators and the public that their products can be used safely. Governments are still grappling with regulations for drones and driverless cars.


Five ways to buy the Toyota Vios

                SHAH ALAM: UMW Toyota Motor is offering five ways to make buying a Vios easier.

The company has devised five options that focus on affordability and ease of ownership that will run till the end of May.

The first option is a straighforward low interest rate of 0.88% on loans taken from selected financial institutions for the B-segment car.

The second option offers free insurance coverage and road tax for a year as well as free maintenance for five years.

The third option allows for low monthly instalments from RM628 through the company’s Toyota Capital 2-Tier Plan

The fourth choice provides new customers with cash rebates of up to RM6,000, while the fifth way allows those looking to trade in their vehicle for the new Vios, where used car dealer Topmark will perform the evaluation and even include a free gift.

Other than the Vios promotion, UMW Toyota Motor is also offering deals on the Hilux, Altis, Avanza and the Alphard at all showrooms nationwide.

The Vios was recently awarded the Car of the Year title at the 2015 Frost and Sullivan Malaysia Excellence Awards.

From May 16 till 17 and 23 till 24, Toyota Showrooms across the country will be holding a satay party for all its patrons – lady visitors will receive some flowers, while activities have been lined-up for children and other family members too.

Test-drive a Toyota this month to become one of 100 lucky winners to walk away with an iPad mini, which will be drawn every 2 weeks.

There is also a Buy and Win contest for buyers of any Toyota models from now till the end of June.

Winners will stand a chance to be one of 20 lucky winners of a pair of tickets to the this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, or be one of 200 lucky winners of a new Apple iPhone 6 + (plus), which will also be drawn every 2 weeks.

For more information log on to www.toyota.com.my.


Volvo Cars aims to be climate neutral by 2040

                STOCKHOLM: Volvo Cars, owned by China’s Geely Holding, is targeting a 40% reduction in the carbon footprint of each car it manufactures by 2025 as it bids to become fully climate neutral by 2040, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

The company aims to reach the 2025 targets through a string of measures, including generating 50% of global sales from fully electric cars and having a 25% share of recycled plastics in new vehicles by that time, both of which have been previously announced.

It is also aiming for a 25% cut in carbon dioxide emissions related to its global supply chain and its overall operations, including manufacturing and logistics, by 2025.

READ MORE: All-electric Volvo XC40 launched

“At Volvo Cars, we will address what we control, which is both our operations and the tailpipe emissions of our cars,” chief executive Hakan Samuelsson said in a statement.

“And we will address what we can influence, by calling on our suppliers and the energy sector to join us in aiming for a climate neutral future.”

Volvo also said it aims for its global manufacturing network to be fully climate neutral by 2025.

Germany’s Daimler said earlier this year it aimed to have a carbon neutral new car fleet by 2039, while Volkswagen targets carbon neutrality by 2050.

 Samuelsson.


Carsome teams up with Aspirasi to offer data-driven dealer financing solutions

                KUALA LUMPUR: Carsome has entered a partnership with Aspirasi, the micro-financing and micro-insurance provider under Axiata Digital, to offer data-backed digital financing solutions to used car dealers in Malaysia.

The collaboration aims to elevate the used car industry by providing hassle-free and seamless financing solutions to used car dealers.

The underwriting process, based on Carsome’s data in credit scoring, pricing and structured financing, requires minimal documentation which shortens approval and disbursement turnaround time.

This reduces the hassles of conventional underwriting processes such as cumbersome documentation and slower approval process.

Carsome co-founder and group CEO Eric Cheng said the financing solution empowered used car dealers through financial inclusion and is estimated to benefit at least 2,500 used car dealers on Carsome’s platform.

“Aspirasi’s financing scheme, coupled with our data capabilities, will see the enhancement of used car dealers’ financing needs in a viable manner.

“We are confident that this will be the most convenient solution for dealers who want to expand their business with ease and speed through Carsome’s platform,” he said.

 Cheng.

Since 2019, Aspirasi has been providing digital financial support to micro-enterprises, as well as small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the region.

The collaboration with Carsome is an expansion of quick and easy digital financing solutions in the country.

Dealers on Carsome’s platform are now eligible for financing of up to 80% of the used car transaction value, with financing rates as low as 1% per month.

This partnership is expected to enhance used car dealers’ growth potential and extend both Carsome’s and Aspirasi’s reach.

Aspirasi joins Carsome’s other financing partners such as Funding Societies and CIMB Bank in offering various financing solutions to Carsome dealers, in line with Carsome’s efforts in creating an end-to-end integrated online used car ecosystem.

Besides financing solutions, Southeast Asia’s largest integrated car e-commerce platform has also invested more than RM10mil in Malaysia to help used car dealers through a variety of programmes, including the Dealer Alliance Support Programme, Dealer Car Selling Programme and Dealer VIP Programme.


Lexus tops Mercedes, BMW as production squeeze hits luxury sales

                DETROIT: Toyota’s Lexus brand outsold luxury rivals Mercedes and BMW in the latest quarter as inventory shortages triggered by the pandemic hampered the German brands.

Lexus, which hasn’t won the annual US luxury sales race in a decade, grew 2% on the year to 75,285 vehicles in the third quarter.

Deliveries at Daimler AG’s premium line declined 9.4% to 69,631 units, and BMW AG suffered a 16% decline to 69,570. Mercedes is still leading the other two carmakers year-to-date by a wide margin.

Lexus has weathered the pandemic better than its German rivals, with the brand’s best-selling RX SUV seeing strong demand in the quarter.

Both Mercedes and BMW have been hamstrung by tight inventory as the pandemic idled plants in Europe and the US for weeks. Lexus saw a 31% jump in September alone, led by its RX, NX crossover and ES sedan. That pared declines this year to 13%.

"BMW used sales have been very strong — I think it’s eating the new car demand because of the inventory shortage,” said Marc Cohen, vice president at Priority 1 automotive Group in Maryland, which operates two BMW stores.

BMW dealers adapted by selling customers on vehicles that hadn’t yet arrived on the lot and with soaring sales of off-lease cars. After making do with tight inventory in July and August, BMW had a record month in September as its supply of vehicles was replenished, said Bernhard Kuhnt, president of BMW’s North America business.

"In September, we had for the first time what I’d call better inventory levels,”’ Kuhnt said by phone. "For the rest of the year, I’m cautiously optimistic, but definitely much more optimistic than I was in March.”

Lexus has edged out BMW for the number two spot in year-to-date sales by 2,105 units, but Mercedes has sold a total of 196,838, a lead of nearly 15,000 vehicles over Lexus.

While BMW’s ratio of sports utility vehicles to sedans climbed to 62.5% in the third quarter, led by the X3 crossover, Mercedes has a new compact SUV, the GLB, and other refreshed SUVs to tap Americans’ shift away from sedans to light trucks.

BMW has had to contend with other headwinds as well. Last month, the compnay agreed to pay the Securities and Exchange Commission US$18 million to settle allegations it gave investors misleading information about retail sales.

In August, the automaker trimmed its white-collar workforce in the US to align costs with the plunge in sales.

The collapse of the rental-car market has also hurt results this year, so BMW has turned its focus to growing retail sales, Kuhnt said. "You will see in Q4, whatever that result will be, we grew our customer business,” he said.

Volkswagen AG unit Audi’s US deliveries are down 22% in 2020, following a 16% drop from July to September. Its top-selling Q5 SUV suffered a 34% decline in the quarter.


Almost 2 million vehicles expected on Hari Raya Aidiladha weekend

                KUALA LUMPUR: PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) expects about 1.9 million vehicles to use the highway every day from July 7 to 12 in conjunction with the coming Hari Raya Aidiladha celebration which falls this Sunday.

Its chief operating officer, Datuk Zakaria Ahmad Zabidi, said with the expected increase in the volume of vehicles, from 1.8 million vehicles daily on normal days, some congestion and prolonged travel time would be expected.

As such, he advised highway users to follow the Travel Time Advisory (TTA) issued by PLUS to reduce traffic congestion, as well as plan out their journey beforehand, and make the necessary preparations for a long journey.

He said motorists from the Klang Valley heading towards Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak (North), and Johor are advised to enter the highway before 10am on July 7 to 10.

"Highway users heading towards closer destinations or to other states are advised to enter the highway after 1pm,” he said in a statement today.

He said the TTA was designed based on historical traffic data to guide and enable highway users to experience a manageable journey during the festive period.

Its purpose is to distribute traffic and circumvent the convergence of traffic as vehicles enter the highway at the same time on major highway stretches, toll plazas, and rest areas, thus reducing congestion, he said.

For the journey back to Klang Valley (from July 10 to 12), he said those in Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak (North), Johor, and other states are advised to enter the highway before 9am.

"Based on our studies of the return journey to Klang Valley, highway users can expect an extension of up to twice as long as the average travel time on the highway if they choose not to adhere to the TTA schedule,” he said.

He said regular traffic updates could be obtained through the @PLUSTrafik Twitter service, the PLUS Application, the toll-free PLUSLine at 1800-88-0000, PUTRI Chatbot, on electronic message signs (VMS) along the highway mainline, and also announcements via major radio stations.

Using Waze or Google Maps is also highly recommended to help highway users better plan their journeys, he said, adding that highway users should ensure they have sufficient balance in their Touch ‘n Go cards or e-Wallets to make payments at toll plazas.

Highway users are also advised to ensure that their vehicles are in a good and safe condition for long-distance travel and to adhere to the speed limit along the highway, avoid driving too closely behind other vehicles, and take breaks at rest and service areas (R&R) along the highway.


'Top Gear' to get an American makeover featuring William Fichtner as host

Fichtner — AFP
LOS ANGELES: Actor William Fichtner will join drag racer Antron Brown and car journalist Tom Ford on an upcoming, US-based version of the popular car series, it was announced on March 20.

The new series of Top Gear America will premiere in 2017 with new hosts: actor and car enthusiast (and racer) William Fichtner, champion drag racer Antron Brown and Tom "Wookie" Ford, who was previously the co-host of the Fifth Gear TV show and now writes for Top Gear Magazine.

The series will consist of eight hour-long episodes, featuring "not just the best new cars in the world, but also the cars that have defined America's past" according to the Top Gear website. Each episode, like the original British format, the show will feature a celebrity guest as well as appearances by Top Gear's team racing driver The Stig.


All-new Hyundai Palisade open for booking and arriving this month

                PETALING JAYA: Hyundai’s flagship large sports utility vehicle (SUV) with three-row seating - the Palisade - will be available this month.

The full-size Palisade comes with an all-new SUV chassis with exceptional second and third row spaciousness coupled with generous cargo area and reconfiguration flexibility.

Available in a seven and eight-seater configuration, the Palisade is fully imported from Ulsan, South Korea.

Palisade is a new-generation SUV emboding Hyundai’s Sensuous Sportiness design concept by combining the fundamental design elements of proportion, architecture, styling, and technology to create synergy between aesthetics and performance.

It comes with a dominant, bold and wide cascading grille clearly that projects a premium SUV appearance.

Separated composite headlamps and a vertically connected forward lighting signature create a strong and distinctive front demeanour, with available LED headlights, LED daytime running lights and LED turn-signal mirrors.

A powerful, extended hood profile creates an impressive road presence while bold C-pillars and a panoramic glass side graphic conveys generous third-row spaciousness.

Full volume over-fenders and body sides offer muscular detailing while the rear view emphasises a wide and stable stance via sinuous detailing and a vertical LED rear taillamp design.

Panoramic rear glass coupled with a cutaway roof provides a generous sense of spaciousness to rear passengers.

Seats are wrapped with premium, quilted Nappa leather, while on the instrument panel is a smooth woodgrain trim in a wraparound interior design that creates a spacious, comfortable ambience.

The One-Touch second row seat allows for single-touch operation of the seat forward for easy access into and out of the third row seat.

Second row captain’s chairs, which are only available with the seven-seater version, offer ventilated seating surfaces.

Every seating row offers USB outlets for convenience for all passengers.

The large SUV also features an industry-first, innovative new ceiling vent diffuser design that can provide a focused, partially-diffused or fully-diffused stream of air to rear passengers.

The Palisade is offered with an option of a 3.8-litre V6, dual CVVT, direct-injected engine with 295PS at 6,000 rpm and an estimated 355Nm of torque at 5,200rpm, or a R2.2 CRDi inline-4 turbodiesel engine that produces an estimated 200PS at 3,800rpm and 440Nm of torque from 1,750-2,750rpm.

Transmission is an eight-speed automatic transmission with a multi-plate torque converter and available in both two-wheel and HTRAC four-wheel-drive configurations.

HSDM managing director Low Yuan Lung said the Palisade is equipped with cutting-edge technology, a host of advanced safety features including Hyundai’s Smartsense, ample space and an elegant design, would be a new contender in the E-segment SUV market.

“It is Hyundai’s largest SUV with a long wheelbase. Its practical all-purpose built is great for off-roading, road trips and even for daily use,” said Low.

The Palisade is now open for booking at all Hyundai authorised showrooms.

Interested parties can also book online via Hyundai’s new online shopping platform, Cl!ck to Buy
(www.hyundai.com.my/clicktobuy/)


Cuba a thriving hang-out for Soviet-era motorcycle sidecars

Enrique Oropesa, a motorcycle riding instructor, posing in the sidecar of an old motorcycle in Havana. — AFP
HAVANA: Cuba's love affair with 1950s-era American cars is still intact, but the communist-run island also has a lingering attachment to a stalwart of Soviet-era leftovers, the motorcycle sidecar.

Ranging from rusting relics to the pampered and the pristine, hundreds of old motorcycle sidecars rattle through the streets of Havana.

The retro appeal gets a lot of attention from tourists "but here it's common, normal," says Enrique Oropesa Valdez.

Valdez should know. The 59-year old makes a living as an instructor teaching people how to handle the sidecar in Havana's traffic, where riders seem able to squeeze the machines through the narrowest of gaps.

And they've built up an intense loyalty among the mend-and-make do Cubans.

"They're very practical," according to Alejandro Prohenza Hernandez, a restaurateur who says his pampered red 30-year-old Jawa 350 is like a second child.

Cheaper and more practical than the gas-guzzling, shark-finned US behemoths, the bikes are used for anything from the family runabout to trucking goods and workers' materials.

"A lot of foreigners really like to take photos of it," says Hernandez. "I don't know, I think they see it as something from another time."

Different world

Cuba lags several decades behind the rest of the world due to a crippling US embargo, so the makers' badges on the ubiquitous sidecars speak of a bygone world.

Names like Jawa from the former Czechoslovakia and MZ from the former East Germany, as well as antiquated Russian Urals, Dniepers and Jupiters.

Havana's military acquired them from big brother Moscow at the height of the Cold War in the 1960s and 70s, for use by state factories and farms. Over the years, they gradually filtered down to the general public.

That's how Jose Antonio Ceoane Nunez, 46, found his bright red Jupiter 3.

"When the Cuban government bought sidecars from the Russians in 1981, it was for state-owned companies," he told AFP.

Later, the companies "sold them on to the most deserving employees," he said. His father, who worked for a state body, passed the bike on to him.

"Even if the sidecar gets old. I'll never sell it because it's what I use to move around. It's my means of transport in Cuba, and there aren't many other options," said Nunez.

Valdez himself has a cherished green 1977 Ural.

"I like it a lot, firstly because it's the means of transport for my family, and secondly because it's a source of income."

And it costs less than a car, still out of reach of many Cubans.

Settled on the island with his Cuban wife, 38-year-old Frenchman Philippe Ruiz didn't realise at first how ubiquitous the motorcycle sidecar was.
˘
"When I began to be interested, I suddenly realised that I was seeing 50 to 100 a day!"

Renovating a house at the time, he saw that many sidecars were being used to transport building equipment.

Through an advert on the internet, he bought a blue 1979 Ural a few months ago for 6,500 euros.

"It's a year older than me and in worse shape," he said. "Soon he had to strip the bike down and "start repairing everything."

With few spare parts available in Cuba, "people have to bring them in from abroad," which slows down repairs.

But he has no regrets. An experienced motorcyclist, he's discovered a whole new side to his passion by riding the Russian machine.

"It's very funny, it's a big change from the bike because we cannot turn the same way, we can't lean, so you have to relearn everything but it's nice."

"It's especially nice with the family because you can put a child in the sidecar, my wife behind, and suitcases," he said.

In future he hopes to take advantage of the interest in the old bikes to rent it out.

"I think it will be a bit of a change from all the convertibles here."


Targeting US automaker signals possible China retaliation over Trump talk

Image source: Reuters
WASHINGTON/BEIJING: China's plan to punish a US automaker accused of price-fixing is a sign of how Beijing could retaliate if President-elect Donald Trump upends decades of relations between the two nations.

Trump's assertion that the United States need not be bound by the policy that Taiwan is part of "one China" would erode a bedrock of US-China ties that has underpinned the vast increase in trade and cooperation between what are now the world's two largest economies.

Few expect the disagreement will lead to outright military confrontation, nor even the kind of economic war that many feared could be launched by Trump's threat during the US presidential campaign to slap tariffs of up to 45 percent on Chinese imports.

However, a rising China has plenty of other ways to push back hard if Trump presses on the Taiwan question, which most analysts see as the most sensitive part of the US-China relationship.

In what might be a shot across the bow of the Trump administration, due to take office on Jan 20, the official China Daily newspaper quoted a state planning official saying China will soon penalise an unnamed US automaker for monopolistic behaviour. While the official said no one should read "anything improper" into this, shares of General Motors Co and Ford Motor Co skidded.

Auto industry sources said this specific investigation was already under way before Trump's recent comments.

However, the manner in which it was announced, by saying only that it was a US automaker before a formal announcement of fines, has raised questions around whether officials might be seizing on the case to send a shot across the bow of the incoming Trump administration.

Pressure on other US companies, such as Boeing Co and General Electric Co, with large interests in China could be one of the most tangible tools of retaliation, together with new limits on access to the country's huge markets. US business interests in China are estimated at more than US$500 billion.

Wider economic steps - such as China, America's biggest creditor, selling a significant part of its US$1.16 trillion of US Treasuries, or weakening its currency - seem unlikely, the first because it would slash the value of China's US bond portfolio and the second because it could accelerate capital flight, experts said.

Beijing could speed up a military build-up that had begun to slow along with Chinese economic growth, carry out naval exercises close to Taiwan - which it regards as a renegade province - and withhold diplomatic cooperation on issues such as Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs.

"Taiwan policy is what China considers a core interest ... and it's prepared to go to great lengths to defend it," said Eric Altbach, senior vice president at the Albright Stonebridge Group consultancy in Washington and a former deputy assistant US trade representative for China affairs.

The consensus within the Obama administration is that Trump, who irked China by taking a phone call from Taiwan's president, was not fully aware of the potential backlash from Beijing over his questioning of the "one China" policy, a US official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The hope is that by the time Trump takes over from President Barack Obama, he will recognise that China has advanced so far economically, diplomatically and militarily that it is unwise to pick fights with Beijing over such a bedrock principle, he added.

A former senior US official took a more pessimistic view.

"Trump has basically guaranteed that the first year in the China relationship will be a combative, competitive one, and the question is how bad it will get," he said. "The Chinese now are basically putting together their list on how to retaliate."

There are at least three ways in which the matter could play out, US China experts said. Trump could backtrack over time, much as former US President George W. Bush did.

A second track would be if Trump goes on questioning the "one China" policy without taking concrete action. The third, considered unlikely by US officials past and present, would be a drift towards military confrontation.


Founder of South Korea's Daewoo, a symbol of its rise and fall, dies

Kim leaves behind a mixed legacy. His aggressive leveraged expansion helped push South Korea to the brink of national default during the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s. — Reuters
SEOUL: The founder of the defunct Daewoo Group, Kim Woo-choong, has died after watching the conglomerate he built into a symbol of South Korea’s manufacturing prowess become one of its biggest corporate failures, crushed by debt.

Kim, who died on Monday at 83 after battling chronic illness, had led what was once the nation’s second-largest conglomerate, symbolising South Korea’s meteoric rise from the ashes of the 1950-1953 Korean War.

“We have never forgotten his expansive vision that if we get out of this small land, there is hope in the world,” said Huh Chang-soo, chairman of conglomerate GS Group and the head of a lobby group, the Federation of Korean Industries.

But Kim leaves a mixed legacy that underscores the activities of the conglomerates or chaebol dominating the economy, said Park Sang-in, a specialist in corporate governance at Seoul National University.

“The late Kim epitomises the good and bad sides of South Korean chaebols,” said Park.

The country’s conglomerates grew through cosy relationships with authoritarian governments, focused on growth over profitability, and made excessive investments that resulted in the Asian financial crisis, he added.

Kim began as a fabric salesman who invested about US$5,000 in a textiles company to start Daewoo in 1967.

Pouring in enormous energy and exploiting close ties to South Korea’s leaders, he parlayed it into a behemoth that employed more than 300,000 people in 110 countries at its peak, with interests ranging from automobiles to construction, shipbuilding, trading and securities.

In 1989, Kim published a book that galvanised a new generation of South Koreans with bright dreams for the future. Titled “The World is Wide and There is a Lot to Do,” its English version was called “Every Street is Paved With Gold”.

But Kim’s aggressive leveraged expansion, which swelled the group to 41 affiliate companies, helped push South Korea to the brink of national default during the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s.

Once admired as a hero, Kim fled South Korea in 1999 when Daewoo collapsed with debts of more than US$75 billion, forcing the government to step in and take control, leaving taxpayers holding the bag.

Daewoo Motor, part of Daewoo Group, was acquired by US automaker General Motors in the early 2000s.

In 2005, Kim returned home from years in exile, only to be arrested and sentenced to 10 years in jail for embezzlement and fraud for covering up the debt.

But in 2007, an appeals court cut 1-1/2 years off the term, saying Kim had done South Korea a service by forming the group. That year he also received a presidential pardon.

Business groups regretted Kim’s death.

“What he started bore fruit,” said Huh of the business lobby group. “We now stand as a nation with global trade that makes its way through oceans and continents.”


Polestar begins building China plant

                CHENGDU: Polestar has announced that construction of its new plant has started here, where its first model, the Polestar 1, will be produced.

The plant is due for completion by mid-2018 to be ready to start tooling installation and pre-production testing.

This follows the announcement of the new Polestar brand on Oct 17, and continues the momentum built from the launch.

Polestar said the factory, designed by architect Snöhetta from Norway, will be the most environmentally-responsible car factory in China, and one of the most efficient in the world, with a target of Gold status in the globally-recognised LEED ratings (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

The Polestar 1, a grand touring coupé with a 600-hp hybrid powertrain, offers 150km of pure electric range - the longest pure electric distance of any hybrid car in the world. Polestar is targeting to build a maximum of 500 units per year.

The plant will also include a customer experience centre, staffed by product experts, as well as a customer test track constructed within the premises to enable potential customers to evaluate the car to the extremes not possible on public roads.


Before you lend your Mazda MX-5 to a friend, read this story

                PETALING JAYA: If you own a Mazda MX-5, and a friend asks to borrow it, here's a tongue-in-cheek infographic to help you frame your answer.

Provided by RealMazdaParts.com, a US-based Mazda parts supplier, the diagram basically helps MX-5 owners make an educated decision about whether or not to loan their car to a friend.

The step-by-step chart guides MX-5 owners through the important questions that must be asked before handing over the keys.

READ MORE:  CarSifu drives new Mazda MX-5

“We know the MX-5 is more affordable than a Porsche or BMW,” said Bob Cockerham, director of RealMazdaParts.com. “But does the low sticker price make it any easier to loan your car to a friend? For instance, if your friend used to be a professional BMX racer, that's probably not someone you want to hand the keys to."

Some live by the adage "only loan what you can afford to lose." That's sound advice before handing over the keys to an MX-5, which is often described as one of the best cars ever made. Renowned for their extraordinary handling and visceral qualities, each generation of Miata since 1990 has been critically acclaimed.

"According to our decision tree, there's never a good reason to lend your Miata. To anyone. Ever," said Cockerham.

The MX-5 is sold as the MX-5 Miata  in North America and as the Eunos Roadster in Japan.


Infiniti QX30 for the Americas to come in three variants

                NASHVILLE: Infiniti has announced the line-up of its new QX30 premium active crossover for the United States and Canada.

While sharing basic exterior and interior designs, the QX30 line will be offered in three versions, each with its own front and rear fascia, wheel design and interior themes.

They are:

> QX30: The crossover’s sculpted exterior, unique stance and asymmetric cabin design exemplify Infiniti’s design-led approach to product development. This version is sold in Europe and other regions outside of the Americas under the Q30 name. In the Americas, this model will be front-wheel drive.

> QX30S: With a lower stance, aggressive front and rear fascia, cross-drilled front brake rotors, 19-inch wheels and performance tyres, the QX30S is the sports version of Infiniti’s new premium compact line. It was shown at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show and is sold in other markets as the Q30S.

 QX30 AWD.

> QX30 AWD: With an intelligent all-wheel drive system, slightly higher ride height and off-road inspired front and rear valence panels, the vehicle is able to take on urban, suburban and winding rural roads in all driving conditions. The QX30 AWD debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show as the QX30.

The QX30 line for North America is powered by a 208-hp, 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder mated to a 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, and it is scheduled to go on sale at Infiniti retailers in the United States and Canada in mid-2016 and in Mexico and Latin America in the second half of 2016.

Infiniti has revealed an aggressive new product portfolio expansion based on a series of concept cars that had been introduced in the last two years, including the Q60 Concept. The production version of the 2017 Q60 sport coupe makes its world debut Jan 11 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.


JPJ to summon luxury car owner with number plate discrepancy

                KUALA LUMPUR: The Road Transport Department (JPJ) will call up the owner of a luxury car which had discrepancies in its registration number.

The issue involving the luxury car went viral recently on social media.

Kuala Lumpur JPJ deputy director Erick Jusiang said the number plate of the car did not match the data on JPJ's MySikap system

"We will issue a notice to summon the vehicle's owner to come forward.

"We will investigate before taking any action," he told a press conference at the JPJ headquarters here today.

It was reported that the husband of an actress was criticised after a video of him insulting non-supercar vehicles during an exhibition recently went viral.

The same man also uploaded a video saying that the vehicle with the registration number was not used on the road but only meant for use in photo shoots.


Tesla India policy executive quits after company puts entry plan on hold

                NEW DELHI: A key executive who was leading Tesla's lobbying effort in India has resigned, weeks after the US carmaker put on hold plans to sell electric cars in the South Asian nation, say two sources.

Manuj Khurana, policy and business development executive at Tesla in India, was hired in March 2021 and played a key role in forming a domestic market-entry plan for the US carmaker in the country.

He lobbied the Indian government for more than a year to slash the import tax on electric cars to 40% from as high as 100%, a move Tesla said would allow it to test the market with imports from its production hubs like China before investing in a factory. read more

But Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government insisted Tesla must first commit to manufacturing cars locally before it can offer any concessions. With talks deadlocked, Tesla put its plans to sell cars in India on hold, reassigned some of the domestic team and abandoned its search for showroom space.

Neither Khurana, the company's first employee in India, nor Tesla responded to requests for comment. An email sent to Khurana generated an automated reply saying the address was no longer valid and future emails would not be received.

"Tesla's plans to launch in India right now are as good as dead," said one of the sources.

The sources wished to remain anonymous because the resignation had not yet been made public.

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk said on Twitter last month that the company would not set up manufacturing in any location where it was not allowed first to sell and service cars.

The carmaker has also shifted its focus to other markets in Southeast Asia, like nickel-rich Indonesia, where it is looking at a potential battery-related investment, as well as Thailand, where it recently registered a local unit to sell cars


Police focus on Covid-19 SOP compliance on first day of Raya

                KUALA LUMPUR: Police personnel were hard at work on the first day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri as they focused on Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance.

Federal Internal Security and Public Order Department chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mastor Mohd Ariff, who visited a roadblock in front of EkoCheras Mall today, said a number of senior police officers were making visits to these roadblocks to give moral support to their personnel who were hard at work during the festive season.

"Our personnel will make sure that no one is making any interstate or inter-district travel without approval.

"They will also ensure that motorists who pass through these roadblocks have a valid reason to be out," he told reporters when met at the roadblock.

Cheras OCPD Asst Comm Mohamed Mokhsein Mohamed Zon, who was also present, said a total of 583 compounds were issued between April 13 and May 12.

"The most common offence committed was failure to scan the MySejahtera QR code followed by failure to wear face masks and entertainment outlet related offences.

"Our personnel in Cheras, including those in Mobile Patrol Vehicles, Motorcycle Patrol Units and compliance task force teams, were deployed to all the mosques here that were having Hari Raya prayers.

 Police officers making their rounds to ensure smooth operations. — Bernama

"After that, they also patrolled neighbourhoods to ensure visits or open houses were not being organised," he said, adding that his personnel would also patrol areas frequented by foreigners during public holidays to ensure there were no large gatherings.

On roadblocks, ACP Mokhsein said all the OCPDs in Kuala Lumpur have received a directive from Kuala Lumpur police chief Comm Datuk Azmi Abu Kassim to ensure personnel were organised and knew their roles when on duty at roadblocks.

"Our roadblocks here will have four personnel manning two lanes at all times to ensure smooth flowing traffic.

"We will also have one staff member manning the lane for frontliners and emergencies," he said, adding that vehicles which were flagged to pull over would then be checked by others on duty as well as Armed Forces personnel.

He said this would be the SOP at roadblocks to ensure everything was run in an organised manner.


Virus-hit auto parts firm tells staff: welcome back and wash your hands

A picture taken on Jan 29 in Stockdorf, southern Germany, showing a view of the headquarters of Webasto. — AFP
MUNICH: After two weeks stuck at home as their company endured Germany’s largest outbreak of the new coronavirus, hundreds of Webasto SE employees returned to headquarters Wednesday and were greeted with two signs.

“Welcome back!” said one, while the other offered hygiene tips.

The family-owned car-parts supplier, located a half hour south of Munich, has been thrust onto the world stage after nine employees in Germany and some of their family members contracted the virus.

Webasto’s disruption shows what other employers are trying to avoid. Many have stopped workers from traveling to and from China, where an outbreak that has infected about 45,000 people worldwide began, while others cancel visits to trade shows or order employees to telecommute.

“This has been a big burden on our workers and their families,” chief executive officer Holger Engelmann told reporters and employees as he stood in the entryway of the headquarters, a US$44 million facility that opened in 2018. “Now we have to look forward and slowly get back to the day-to-day business.”

That’ll take time. Since Webasto entered China in 2001, the Asian country has grown into the largest single market for the 120-year-old business.

The company, which specialises in automotive roof and heating systems as well as electric-car batteries and chargers, generated more than one-third of its €3.4 billion (RM15.3bil) of global sales for 2018 in China. It employed 3,500 of its 13,000 workers there that year.

Webasto customers include Ford Motor Co., Daimler AG and Volkswagen AG. Last year, Engelmann told Automotive News that he hoped to reach €5 billion (RM22.5bil) in global sales by 2020.

While fallout from the temporary headquarters closure may be manageable, the lost business in China may be hard to recoup. It’s too early to tell how much sales will suffer there, because it’s unclear how long quarantined regions will stay cut off, Engelmann said.

“That’ll have a big influence not just on Webasto, but the whole German industry,” he said.

Webasto’s crisis started in January, only days after it celebrated opening its 11th factory in China, a 36,000 square-metre site south of Shanghai.

On Jan 20, a Chinese employee from Shanghai visited the headquarters in Stockdorf, Germany, without realising she was sick. After attending several meetings, she woke up around midnight feeling slightly warm, but not feverish, according to medical researchers who interviewed her. She experienced minor pain and fatigue on Jan 21, which she attributed to jet lag.

 Employees working at a Webasto plant in Wuhan last September. — ReutersChina return

The following day, the woman felt slightly cold before flying out of Munich that night. The first time she realised she was sick was the evening of Jan 23 when she was back in China, the researchers wrote. Webasto said another Chinese employee who visited Germany also tested positive.

Within days, workers at the company in Germany started getting sick, too, in what remains one of the largest reported clusters of cases caused by human-to-human spread outside China — as well as a flashpoint in the debate about how early people can pass on the disease.

Faced with the news, Engelmann told his German staff on Jan. 28 that they were free to work from home before later that day closing the headquarters for five days. He later extended the shutdown to a full two weeks — which experts believe is the incubation period of the disease — until it reopened Wednesday.

So far, more than 200 Webasto employees have been tested for the virus, Engelmann said. Several family members of the infected workers have caught the illness. A small number of other employees are still being quarantined at their homes.

Webasto staffers have faced some backlash in their communities. Some of their spouses have been sent home from their own jobs, while a few of their children haven’t been allowed to go to school, a Webasto spokesman said. One worker couldn’t even get his car fixed, because a local repair shop was too nervous that he works for the company, the spokesman said.

Back to work

On Feb 4, a small team of 20 Webasto workers were allowed to return to the headquarters on a voluntary basis, after consultation with employee representatives and local health authorities, the company said. Their work includes testing car-roof systems, which couldn’t be done from home.

At the entrance to Webasto’s headquarters, a half-dozen products are on display, including a shiny retractable roof for the Mercedes-Benz GLE, a soft top for the Audi R8 Spyder and a new system for charging electric cars.

Some of the products are made in China, including the virus epicentre of Wuhan, where Webasto in September opened a €50 million (RM225mil) location. On hand for the ribbon-cutting was Chancellor Angela Merkel. The facility is located in the heart of China’s quarantine efforts and Engelmann isn’t sure when it’ll get back up to speed.

On Wednesday, as the CEO dwelled on the economic fallout, he was confident of one thing, though. In recent days, Webasto hired a team of 50 cleaning specialists to disinfect the headquarters in Germany.

“I would say you’re in Webasto’s most germ-free location in the world,” he said.


London race plans put British Grand Prix in doubt

                LONDON: The future of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone has been thrown into doubt by plans to hold an alternative race in London's Docklands, according to the track owners.

Silverstone's owners revealed Saturday that Formula One's commercial rights owners Liberty Media have confirmed to them that they want to race in the capital.

Silverstone's current contract with Formula One is due to end after the British round of the championship next month (July 14).

"F1 have admitted to us for the first time that they want to have a race in London," Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle told the BBC.

"That's a material change because it's different to previous arrangements."

He added that "Britain is not a very big island and it's a commercial concern".

Silverstone, one of the most popular circuits and with a well-supported weekend event, hosted the first world championship event in 1950 and is regarded as a home race by most teams.

The Formula E electric car series is set to race in the Docklands area of East London, close to where much of the London 2012 Olympic Games took place, next year.

Formula One motorsport boss Ross Brawn has suggested that the British Grand Prix could continue alongside a new race to be known as the London Grand Prix.

"I think the question is open," he said.

"I don't see that London would necessarily replace the British race."


Continental shows off smart tyre tech for driverless and electrified cars

ContiSense and ContiAdapt are integrated into the concept tyre showcased at the Frankfurt show. The tyre design features three different tread zones and variable rim width.
FRANKFURT: Tyres are constantly evolving and Continental proves the point with its ContiSense and ContiAdapt technologies that offer a first look at what future tyres may look like.

The overall goal is to achieve even greater road safety and comfort, said Continental.

The two systems enable continuous monitoring of the tyre’s condition, as well as situation-matched adaptation of tyre performance characteristics to prevailing road conditions.

ContiSense is based on the development of electrically conductive rubber compounds that enable electric signals to be sent from a sensor in the tyre to a receiver in the car. Rubber-based sensors continuously monitor both tread depth and temperature. If the measured values are above or below predefined limits, the system at once alerts the driver.

If anything penetrates the tread, a circuit in the tyre is closed, also triggering an immediate warning for the driver – faster than the systems used to date, which only warn the driver when the tyre pressure has already begun to fall. In the future, the ContiSense system will feature additional sensors that can also be used individually.

Thus, information about the road surface, such as its temperature or the presence of snow, can be “felt” by the tyre and passed on to the driver. The data can be transmitted to the vehicle electronics or via Bluetooth to a smartphone.

ContiAdapt combines micro-compressors integrated into the wheel to adjust the tyre pressure with a variable-width rim. The system can thus modify the size of the contact patch, which under different road conditions is a decisive factor for both safety and comfort.

Four different combinations allow perfect adaptation to wet, uneven, slippery and normal conditions. For example, a smaller contact patch combined with high tyre pressure make for low rolling resistance and energy-efficient driving on smooth, dry roads.

By contrast, the combination of a larger contact patch with lower tyre pressure delivers ideal grip on slippery roads. The system also permits very low tyre pressures of below 1 bar to be set, to help ease the vehicle out of a parking space in deep snow, for example, or traverse a dangerous stretch of black ice.

ContiSense and ContiAdapt are joined by a concept tyre that enables the benefits of both systems to be fully leveraged. The tyre design features three different tread zones for driving on wet, slippery or dry surfaces. Depending on the tyre pressure and rim width, different tread zones are activated and the concept tyre adopts the required “footprint” in each case. In this way, the tyre characteristics adapt to the prevailing road conditions or driver preferences.

Continental considers both these tyre technology concepts promising solutions for the mobility of the future as tyres are adapted to meet the needs of automated driving and electrification. Low rolling resistance, for example, makes it possible for electric cars to cover greater distances on a single charge.

At the same time, the tyres can be adapted to suit the driver’s personal preferences or in response to sudden changes in the weather. These concepts are the logical next step in the future-oriented development of the REDI sensor, brought to market by Continental in 2014, which was instrumental in establishing smart communication between vehicle and tyre.

The new tyre technology concepts follow on from the two established mobility technologies ContiSeal, for the automatic sealing of punctures, and ContiSilent, for a tangible reduction in tyre/road noise.

The ContiSense and ContiAdapt technologies made their public debut at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, which ended yesterday.


Hybrids are quietly selling faster than fully electric cars

                DETROIT: Hybrid cars are seeing a quiet resurgence as the boom in electric vehicles spurs automakers to give the older, cheaper technology a second look.

This year has been an extraordinary one for electric-car manufacturers. Investors have embraced makers of pure-electric vehicles, driving the share prices of Tesla Inc. and Chinese competitor Nio Inc. to stratospheric levels.

Drivers are also coming on board, with EV sales from China to Europe rising despite the pandemic.

But the market risks becoming a crowded one, with more than 500 EV models expected to be available globally by 2022.

Many conventional automakers are mulling their options, trying to decide which technologies will reign in the decades between now and a full transition away from combustion engines. The investment decisions they make today could determine whether they sink or swim.

While hybrids, which blend the power of a gasoline engine with electric motors and batteries, are now more than two decades old — the first Prius debuted in Japan in 1997 — they’re still seeing demand even as EVs loom large.

Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. are among those releasing fresh hybrid versions of their flagship marques and investing anew in their hybrid component supply chains.

While non plug-in hybrids aren’t subject to the same sort of generous subsidies meted out to electric vehicles in China, Europe and California, their appeal has been rising after a multi-year slump.

Hybrid sales in the US rose 17% last year from 2018; in the European Union they rose 22% over the same period as the region braces for tightening emissions regulations.

In China, Japanese brands — which claim the biggest share of the hybrid market globally — sold about 30% more hybrids, making the segment one of the market’s fastest growing. Electric-car sales by contrast increased 6% in 2019 from 2018, well down on previous years’ double-digit growth.

Why hybrids are thriving

The reasons are several-fold.

Hybrids offer savings at the pump, while not sparking the same range anxiety as EVs. And because hybrid cars are supported by a gasoline engine, therefore requiring smaller and less expensive battery packs, their overall costs are lower — an attractive prospect for a consumer wanting a car that’s better for the environment but who’s not able to shell out top dollar for a Tesla.

That’s the dilemma facing car buyers such as John Briggs, a mechanical engineer living in Massachusetts who values fuel efficiency but isn’t ready to make a complete transition to EVs. He’s keeping his trusty hybrid Prius even though he bought Nissan Motor Co.’s popular electric LEAF five years ago.

"The nice thing about our Prius, it’s an efficient car and its range isn’t limiting like our EV’s is,” said Briggs, whose wife uses the LEAF for a short commute to and from work. They take the Prius for longer trips to go hiking on weekends. "It’s just not practical to have to stop and the charging time takes too long.”

Ford’s 2021 inaugural F-150 truck, part of the 43-year-best-selling F-series, is set to be the first full-hybrid, full-size truck available on the market.

Toyota’s 2021 iteration of its bestselling crossover RAV4 is a plug-in hybrid called the RAV4 Prime that’s the automaker’s most powerful model of the car yet.

In fact, hybrid sales are projected to keep growing until they peak in 2027 with a market value of US$792 billion, according to IDTechEx.

Capital question

Hybrid RAV4s outsold their gas-only counterparts in the US in June, a rare occurrence that lends credence to Toyota’s theory that there’s demand for new hybrid versions of its existing models that come with added fuel-economy, torque and power.

In April, a Toyota and Panasonic Corp.-led battery venture called Prime Planet Energy & Solutions Inc. began operations. It aims to produce batteries for 500,000 hybrid vehicles a year, starting in 2022.

"For now, we’re going to firmly move forward with making batteries for hybrid vehicles as they are today’s standard,” Prime Planet chief executive officer Hiroaki Koda said, acknowledging that an industry shift to full-electric or fuel-cell vehicles will require flexibility and some change in direction.

That’s a question mark in some analysts’ minds, too. Will tying up too much capital in the hybrid-vehicle pipeline inhibit carmakers’ ability to invest in electric vehicles down the track?

It is after all a segment that’s expected to skyrocket to 64 million units from about 2 million units in annual sales over the next two decades as battery costs fall and consumer tastes shift.

Similarly, while elevated oil prices and strict fuel-economy regulations can drive up hybrid sales, if either of those factors gets too strong, the market will be pushed towards full EVs, according to Colin McKerracher, head of advanced transport at Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

Stepping stone

Indeed, Honda Motor Co. is set to stop selling gas and diesel-only cars in Europe by 2022, Honda Europe Senior Vice President Ian Howells told Autocar in an interview published last week, suggesting a more decisive shift to hybrids.

Toyota sees hybrids making up a quarter of sales, Bob Carter, Toyota’s executive vice president for North America sales, told reporters last week.

That’s up from about 16% currently and capacity constraints are the only reason the company isn’t selling more hybrids now, he said.

Toyota, which hasn’t released a mass-market all-electric car in any major market except China, will have to "quickly change its tune” on plug-in vehicles and EVs and sell more of them or risk falling short of the European Union’s regulations on fleet emissions by 2025, McKerracher said.

"Eventually you reach a place where you’re at 70, 80, 90% hybrids and then you’re out of room to keep hitting those tightening regulations just by hybridizing vehicles.”

Toyota however sees hybrids as a necessary stepping stone to other next-generation technologies.

The world’s second-largest automaker is investing heavily in fuel-cell vehicles and battery EVs, chief competitive officer Shigeki Terashi said at a briefing last month, but until those technologies mature, "hybrid vehicles are most practical.”

Toyota is expected to invest about US$13.5 billion through the end of the decade in electrifying its vehicles, as it targets sales of 4.5 million hybrids and one million full-EVs and fuel cell vehicles a year by 2030 or sooner.


UMW's auto sales up 4% in May with 26,480 units

                KUALA LUMPUR: The UMW Group’s automotive sales grew four per cent year-on-year in May 2022 as both UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) and Perodua registered healthy sales of 26,480 units compared with 25,568 units sold in May 2021 despite the shorter working month due to the Hari Raya holiday.

In a statement, the group said UMWT and its associate company Perodua continue to fulfil their encouraging outstanding order book, which sees UMWT registered 7,579 units, while its associate company Perodua registered 18,901 units in May 2022.

"Toyota Vios, Yaris, Corolla Cross and Hilux were among its best-selling models in May. Year-to-date May 2022, UMWT sold 36,972 units, nine per cent higher than the 34,026 units sold in the corresponding period of 2021.

"UMWT aims to sell 73,000 units in 2022 and as of May, has achieved 51 per cent of its sales target for the year. To further strengthen its order book, UMWT is offering special promotions for the purchase of the Vios and Yaris as part of its mid-year sales campaign," it said.

Meanwhile, for the first five months of 2022, Perodua sold 106,179 units, 10 per cent higher than the 96,281 units sold in the corresponding period of 2021.

To date, Perodua has achieved 43 per cent of its target of 247,800 units for 2022, it said.

"We are pleased with the healthy sales registered by both UMWT and Perodua in May 2022. Both companies will continue to ramp up production.

"The introduction of all-new and facelift models are expected to drive sales in the second half of the year,” said UMW Holdings Bhd president and group chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Fuaad Kenali.

He said the company would strive to offer exciting and great value models as well as superior after-sales services to meet our customers’ requirements and expectations.

"We are hopeful that the government will further extend the sales tax exemption in view of the high outstanding orders which could not be delivered by June 2022 due to the disruptions caused by Covid-19 as well as shortage of semiconductor chips," he said.


Steps for balik kampung peace of mind

                PETALING JAYA: With the lifting of restrictions on outstation travelling, many Malaysians are resuming their pre-lockdown activities such as going out with family and friends including the long overdue “balik kampung” trip during the upcoming holidays and festivities.

But before setting out on road trips, the vehicle can be kept in tip-top condition by following the ABCs of car checks:

A is for Air

Always ensure that tyres are properly inflated before beginning any journey.

Also make sure that tyres are still in good condition and have good amount of thread depth for safe driving and stopping.

B is for Battery health check

It's time to replace the battery once starting up the car become sluggish.

Most car batteries have a lifespan of 1.5 – 3 years, depending on the type used.

Bosch recommends that vehicle owners perform a battery check from time to time, and keep a record of battery replacements and other maintenances.

Alternatively, they could invest in a charging device like the Bosch C7 Battery Charger to keep the battery permanently charged to an optimum level.

C is for Cabin Filters

A clean cabin filter helps prevent the spread of viruses.

Cabin filter also should be changed every 15,000km or as instructed by the car manual.

Bosch’s Aeristo Premium cabin filter comes with anti-bacteria and anti-virus properties that help minimise exposure to pollutants, bacteria, and viruses.

D is for Downpours

Wipers are one of the easier parts that wear out quickly due the harsh Malaysian weather.

Wipers should be checked once every six months or more frequently if the vehicle is parked outdoors.

Bosch’s budget-friendly wiper range promises a good level of performance in keeping your windscreen clear and clean during all adverse weather conditions.

E is for Engine oil

The color of your oil will indicate whether an oil change is required or if a top up would do.

Using the oil dipstick, check if the oil on it is brownish in color, and if it falls below the full or high line; it may indicate a simple top up.

However if the oil on the dipstick appears to be black, it may need to be changed.

F is for Final check

Check on other items such as liquid levels in the coolant tank and wiper water compartments.

Remember to take the vehicle for a short drive before the long journey, to ensure the vehicle is running well.

Drivers should take care to have adequate rest to endure the long drive. When possible, have another family member or friend take over the wheel.

To find out more about Bosch products and services, Bosch Car Service or Bosch Preferred Workshops (https://bit.ly/MYDealers).

For more information, log on to Bosch Autoparts Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BoschAA.MY/).


No Cabinet decision yet on takeover date of Gamuda highways, says PM

                PUTRAJAYA: The Cabinet has not decided on the date for the takeover of Gamuda Bhd’s four urban highways, says the Prime Minister.

While the Ministry of Finance (MoF) seems to be convinced that the takeover can be done, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the government did not have the financial ability to do so.

“MoF says that by charging during the peak hours, they can raise enough funds to pay for the acquisition of the highways. We have to see whether that will be enough or not, ” he said in response to a report that the proposal to acquire the highway toll concessions for RM6.2bil had been suspended for a re-examination.

Asked if the takeover had been put on hold, the Prime Minister said the Cabinet was told about the plan by the MoF but had not said “no” to the proposal.

“It is the date of implementation that is going to be decided by the Cabinet, ” he said.

On June 22, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said the Federal Government had made a conditional offer, subject to Cabinet approval, to acquire four highways, which would be funded by a bond issuance that would be fully financed and paid for from the collection of congestion charges.

For Gamuda, the offer translates to an effective equity value of RM2.36bil for the four highways, while for its 44%-owned Litrak Holdings, it works out to RM2.75bil or RM5.51 per share.

The four highways are Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong (LDP), Sistem Penyuraisan Trafik KL Barat (Sprint), Lebuhraya Shah Alam (Kesas) and Smart Tunnel.


Chevrolet Colorado tamed

Like its namesake, the Chevrolet Colorado is truly a mighty beast and its latest iteration, the aptly named Muscle Power, exemplifies that point.

I first came across the Colorado a couple of years back when the American car company held a media drive to launch the current generation of its truck in Thailand.

Back then, the Colorado was the mightiest of all the next generation pick-ups as nothing in our regional market matched the Duramax engine’s brute strength.

Three years later, there are contenders for the most powerful engine, but Chevy’s Muscle Power edition beats its closest rival by just 30Nm of torque and still holds on to its title.

I distinctly remember just how much of a beast the first flavour of Colorado was.

It took awhile for even us salty pressmen to learn the ropes of reining in this bucking bronco of a truck.

Let me just say that it was the first time I ever experienced a wheel-spin because I stepped on the accelerator a wee bit too hard when in fourth gear.

That being said, I was curious to see what Chevrolet had put on the table with the introduction of the latest version of its pick-up.

Seeing that they had upped the ante and squeezed even more juice out of its 2.8L diesel, I was keen to see if they had ironed out the pick-up’s skittishness.

When I picked up the truck from Chevrolet’s 3S Centre over in Glenmarie, Shah Alam, I was happy to see that the truck was pretty much as how I remembered it.

I always liked the pickup’s broad facia with its massive bi-sected grille and little gold bow-tie.

To me it has a memorable, masculine look to it, maybe not iconic, but definitely appealing.

From the side, you see the wide wheel-arches hovering over the 17-inch wheels with 255/65 tyres since this is the automatic variant of the pick-up truck.

The tyres you get are simple road tyres, not AT or MT.

I do wish manufacturers would give buyers the choice of tyre types.

If you plan to use the truck on any other surface than tarmac, you are forced to get a new set.

As for the cargo area at the back, you get quite a bit of space to work with.

I do feel that the trend in the industry nowadays seems to be for high truck bins that are slightly shorter than from what they used to be and this can be seen in the Colorado.

Interior-wise, Chevy gave the Colorado ample storage bays and cubby holes and arranged all of the necessary gizmo and doodad controls on a column that divides the dash.

Now on to the drive.

To get a good sense of what the new Muscle Power was on both tarmac and mud, I plotted a route that took me up to a farm I knew in Janda Baik, Pahang.

The first thing I noticed pulling out of the showroom was that this new Colorado was a gentler beast than its progenitor.

Like I mentioned earlier, the original flavour of next-gen Colorado was aggressive and perhaps a bit too sensitive, whereas the Muscle Power was not.

It was well-behaved when I switched gears and there was none of that wheel-spin-on-the-fly malarkey.

As for drive comfort, you get nice wide seats with more than ample room in the cabin.

Cabin sound insulation is not too bad, you can barely hear the engine on the highway and there’s not much road noise or wind for a pick-up.

One point I liked about the Colorado is that you get a clear sense of where the corners are on the truck, making parking and driving trough highway traffic a breeze.

Once I turned off the highway and hit the little old trunk roads near Janda Baik, I found the truck to be agile enough to take the corners at a decent clip.

You do however, have to be conscious of the fact that the pick-up is rather wide.

Keeping to your lane as much as you can is a must, especially around the corners.

Once I hit the farm, I decided to “explore” a bit and found a nice stretch that led up into the hills that even had a river crossing.

Now reviewing a 4WD with an eye on testing it out in the bush is a bit of a gamble.

You rarely get a vehicle that’s fitted with the correct tyres, namely ones meant for mud, so even if you think the trail looks simple, all it takes is a little bit of rain to turn it into hardcore off-road Special Stage (SS) named after some movie monster.

That did not happen to me, thankfully. What did happen to me was that it had rained earlier in the day a little bit up the track from where I started.

So, instead of reaching, say the Godzilla SS, I got Pulp Fiction.

As it was a single track road up the side of a hill, I was committed to proceed as it was simply too dangerous to reverse all the way down.

Climbing up hill on the mushy bits would have been daunting had it not been for oodles of power I had on hand.

The truck’s 500Nm of flat torque meant that I could practically bulldoze my way up the slope.

Hardly as elegant as I’d prefer, but effective nonetheless.

When I finally did manage a point on the track that was wide enough (and level enough) to U-turn, I found that the Colorado does have quite a decent turning radius for a beast its size.

Going back down that hill was a whole different kettle of fish of which the Colorado fried quite nicely.

The Colorado boasts an interesting bit of tech called the Hill Descent Control System (HDCS).

Basically you turn it on and let the computer decide which wheel needs more traction and when.

You can take control by simply tapping on the brake, especially on the fiddly bits that needs a more manual approach.

The HDCS performed spectacularly and kept the truck nicely on the track where it belonged.

After a hairy hour-and-a-half of “fun”, I finally made it back down again.

To conclude, I think the Colorado Muscle Power AT is a fair improvement on its predecessor.

Its got a fair bit of decent kit and tech to offer any pickup aficionado.

Furthermore, its competitive price tag which starts at RM106,000 is sweetened by the fact that its parts are manufactured in Thailand, making spares affordable.

On top of that, Chevy has tuned its engine to be more in control of its urges and making the truck a joy to drive both on road and off.

Truly the Colorado has been tamed, but it has not lost any of its spirit.


Ukraine crisis will send UK fuel prices even higher, warns RAC

                LONDON: UK gasoline and diesel prices that have hit record highs will likely keep climbing on the back of escalating tensions over Ukraine, automotive services group RAC said.

The average price of gasoline reached 149.12 pence (RM3.51) a litre on Sunday, while diesel fetched 152.58 pence (RM3.60), the motoring organisation said.

Fuel costs have jumped as crude oil closes in on US$100 a barrel on mounting concerns over Ukraine, at a time when consumers are facing rising energy and food bills.

The crisis over Ukraine "is already causing oil prices to rise and will undoubtedly send fuel prices inexorably higher towards the grim milestone of £1.50 (RM8.50) a litre,” RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said in a statement.

"The price of oil is likely to go above US$100 and stay there on the back of traders fearing future disruptions in supply.”

With retailers likely to pass on the costs, that spells "bad news” for British drivers struggling to afford fuel for cars, he said.

Russian president Vladimir Putin recognised two self-proclaimed separatist republics in eastern Ukraine and ordered the Defence Ministry to send what he called "peacekeeping forces” to the breakaway regions.

He has repeatedly denied there are plans for Russia to attack its neighbour.


BMW Malaysia kicks off new round of child seat giveaways for B40 group

                CYBERJAYA: BMW Group Malaysia has announced the NEXTStep Subsidy Programme in collaboration with long-term partner Safe ‘n Sound, to provide fully subsidised child car seats to parents in the B40 income group.

The NEXTStep Subsidy Programme by BMW Group Malaysia and Safe ‘n Sound is introduced as part of the BMW Safety 360° initiative, on the back of a subsidy programme that saw over 300 subsidised child car seats delivered to parents across Malaysia since the end of 2019.

The new subsidy programme will provide parents with child car seats for children of up to 36kg with donations previously made by BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia.

The NEXTStep Subsidy Programme by BMW Group Malaysia and Safe ‘n Sound is applicable for families expecting a newborn or with a child up to 36kg, and with a monthly household income below RM3,500.

Parents can register for the child car seat at Safe ‘n Sound’s website from now until May 22.

Eligible parents will be notified by Safe ‘n Sound via WhatsApp.

Selected parents from outside the Klang Valley will be notified on the delivery status, while parents within the Klang Valley will be informed of a date, time and place to pick-up their new child car seat.

BMW Group Malaysia and Safe ‘n Sound will be fully subsidising the seats (see table), including shipping fees to recipients outside the Klang Valley.

A suitable seat will be selected for the recipient according to the child’s weight and height, as well as vehicle requirement.


Mercedes-AMG Project ONE hypercar undergo prototype testing

                AFFALTERBACH (Germany): The Mercedes-AMG Project ONE hypercar is being put through its paces at closed-off test grounds and racetracks.

As it has proven to be difficult to keep such testing confidential, the motorsports arm of Mercedes-Benz had decided to issue a press statement plus a few images to keep the info-hungry horde at bay.

The development of the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE show car, presented at IAA 2017, had been intensively worked on behind closed doors for several months. In a highly complex, digital development process, the transnational project team worked towards its common goal: putting Formula 1 hybrid technology on the road.

Hundreds of testing hours have already been spent to master the immense challenge of making the high-performance drive unit ready for series production: the whole powertrain including all hybrid components underwent the toughest race track tests on the high-performance dyno tests of HPP's engine specialists in Brixworth.

The successful completion of the dyno tests was followed by the installation of the highly complex powertrain into the first prototypes, which since then have been driving around unnoticed on a secret test ground in England.

The Project One is a 1,000hp hybrid capable of going from 0 to 200kph in just six seconds, has a top speed of more than 350kph, and can operate on electric-only emitting zero emissions for up to 25km.

All 275 units of the the US$2.6 million (RM10.6mil) car have been sold. To stop new owners from flipping the car for a quick profit, Mercedes-AMG has reportedly inserted a contract clause that prevent them selling their cars for at least 24 months.

Deliveries start early next year.


Toyota eyes 'flying car' future

                TOKYO: Toyota has its sights set on a Blade Runner future as the Japanese automaker backs a move to launch a flying car in time for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The company is giving about 42.5 million yen (RM1.6mil) to the Cartivator project, which is developing the three-wheeled sci-fi car that relies on drone technology to take flight.

The manned vehicle, dubbed SkyDrive, will have four sets of propellors and — at 2.9 metres long and 1.3 metres wide — is aiming to be the world's smallest flying car, according to the project.

A promotional video graphic shows the little car lowering its retractable wings before zipping off for a flight around Tokyo and then lighting the flame at the Olympic stadium.

The car is expected to have a top flight speed of around 100kph, hovering some 10 metres off the ground. It will have a top land speed around 150kph.

A group of young engineers from the auto and aerospace industries are working on the project, which is being funded by a number of investors including Toyota subsidiaries.

The group is hoping to launch a manned prototype by the end of next year so it can be used to light the Olympic flame when Japan's capital hosts the Games.

Other firms, including ride-sharing service Uber and a Silicon Valley startup reportedly backed by Google co-founder Larry Page, are moving to put in place a system of flying cars to move people around cities.


Kabul police tackle car theft — by deflating tyres

                KABUL: Police patrol the Afghan capital on a warm Sunday, but not to hunt extremists. Instead, they are deflating the tyres of parked cars - a theft prevention tactic that is raising eyebrows as the country struggles to contain the growing menace of petty crime.

Kabul and its estimated five million inhabitants are at war, a prime target for Taliban-led insurgent attacks as well as assaults by a nascent Islamic State. The capital’s fledgling police force are under pressure to prevent atrocities, so - short on time and resources - they have taken a scorched earth approach when it comes to tackling more routine petty crime.

The logic is indisputable: if the car cannot be moved, it cannot be stolen. ”Police politely ask the residents to not park their cars in the open... but when they prefer to pay no heed, then police may mo

ve in to remove the air nozzles as a last measure,” says Feraidoon Obaidi, chief of Kabul police’s criminal investigation department.

 A young Afghan repairing a tyre and wheel on a roadside in Kabul. —  AFP

”We can protect people from both the thieves and the terrorists,” he says. ”But they should know how much energy we have to put in to stop terrorists in the city. By leaving their cars in the open, they are inviting thieves.”

Official data shows up to 300 cars were stolen in Kabul’s streets from March to July -- slightly down from last year, but still frustrating for police. ”In some cases they work in gangs, while others work individually snatching cars, especially (the ones) that can easily be unlocked,” says Kabir Ahmad Barmak, chief of Kabul’s eleventh district police.

Officers used to simply slash the tyres, but now take the slightly more considerate route of removing the air nozzles instead.

But the tactic is angering a public frustrated with the inconvenience and financial burden of repeated repairs.

”It is not fair to puncture a car to avert theft... You park your car here for few minutes, it is either stolen by a thief, or damaged by police,” he says. ”That is vandalism, not service.”

”Should one expect the police to serve or to hurt?” says Akbar, a customer at a tyre repairing unit on the roadside outside central Kabul’s “Bush Bazaar”, a black market named after US President George W. Bush.

Others pointed out they had little option but to leave their cars in the open. ”When you go to the city, there are not many places to park your car except the streets, and then it is gone without much hope for its recovery,” says Ahmad Shoaib, whose car was stolen last month.

But there is one merry, busy segment of the capital that appears to appreciate the situation. ”Police are doing a service,” says handyman Abdul Shukoor at the roadside mobile tyre repairing unit, sipping from his steaming tea with a smile. ”They prevent the cars from being stolen and help me make more money. The world is fair.”