Electric supercars need to lose weight, power up and cool down

                OXFORD: Speed has always been paramount for supercar makers, and now they're in the race of their lives to go electric before climate policy cuts their combustion engines.

That's why the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz are turning to startups such as Oxford-based electric motor company YASA for expertise and technology to solve the unique challenges of electrifying the highest-performance vehicles.

Batteries are immensely heavy and electric motors overheat if driven too hard - big problems for a niche industry that charges hundreds of thousands of dollars for lightweight cars capable of screaming round 10 laps of a track at full throttle.

This year Daimler bought YASA, which has developed an "axial flux" high-performance electric motor that weighs 23kg, a fraction of a near-300kg V12 engine in a Ferrari, and is about the size and shape of a steering wheel.

YASA already makes motors for Ferrari, Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg, plus an unnamed British supercar company. It will now supply the high-performance AMG brand at Daimler, which will soon assume the name of its car business Mercedes-Benz.

Based just a few miles from YASA, Saietta has developed a range of water-cooled axial flux motors. The company is gearing up to produce motors for the vast Asian motorcycle market, but told Reuters it had created a larger prototype and was in talks with one hypercar maker, and that two others had expressed interest.

"These manufacturers know combustion engines forwards, backwards and inside out," said Saietta chief commercial officer Graham Lenden. "But they don't know electric powertrains and what they're looking for is someone to hold their hand."

Yet this is uncharted territory, with no clear road map to electric for high-performance vehicles yet. Supercar makers will have to invest billions of dollars to survive the disappearance of combustion engines, with no guarantee that the technologies they adopt will pay off in the long term.

Weight is the enemy

Supercars and the highest-end hypercars - both sportscars that verge on professional racing level performance - are a highly profitable, capital intensive niche market for automakers.

Consultancy AlixPartners and data firm IHS Markit estimate more than 152,000 "luxury" and "super luxury" sportscars ranging in price from £100,000 to £10 million (RM574,000-RM57.3mil) will be sold globally in 2021, with the market expected to rise nearly 50% to 223,000 cars in 2026.

YASA founder Tim Woolmer said, though, that his company's long-term brief from Daimler was to bring the costs down in future iterations of its motor so the German carmaker can use them across its entire car range as it shifts to electric.

"Automotive technology doesn't scale to volume overnight, you tend to start with the premium niche sectors," Woolmer says.

Makers of high-performance electric cars will ultimately have to find ways to develop lighter, more powerful batteries. But as today's battery technology cannot compete with the sustained power of a petrol engine, they are also rethinking everything from electric motors to car body materials.

Axial flux electric motors are flat, round devices - dubbed "pancakes" - that are lighter and more efficient than conventional cylindrical "radial flux" motors, or "sausages."

YASA's motor is oil cooled, so will never overheat and is far more efficient than a conventional motor, said Woolmer, who developed the device as part of his doctorate at the University of Oxford and then founded the company in 2009.

Because the motor is more efficient, it can extend the range of an electric vehicle up to 7%, or because it uses less power it allows carmakers to take out some of the heavy batteries and reduce their vehicle's weight by up to 10%, he added.

YASA has a small facility at its Oxford headquarters where it makes motors for Ferrari's SF90 Stradale hybrid and 296 GTB hybrid models, and test motors for AMG. Daimler is studying how to scale up that production at its own factories.

YASA's CEO Chris Harris said its acquisition by the German giant had not ended its work with clients like Ferrari.

"They want us to continue working with our supercar customers because that's the leading edge," he added. "That technology when it matures cascades down."

Ferrari's chief technology officer Michael Leiters described the YASA motor in its hybrid models as an "automotive first", adding that the Italian sportscar maker would lean on the technical expertise of suppliers in its quest to go electric.

Wanted: Battery revolution

Car companies are also looking beyond motors in their weight-loss plans.

Mate Rimac, CEO of Croatian electric hypercar maker Rimac, said the chassis and the body of its C-Two model were both made of carbon fibre, and that batteries formed part of the car's structure to save weight.

The company, which is forming a joint venture with Volkswagen's luxury sportscar unit Porsche that will include VW's Bugatti brand, also uses "torque vectoring" to boost performance - motors in the wheels to help take corners.

British sportscar maker Lotus has developed a new electric platform using light aluminium alloys that cuts the vehicle's structural weight 37% and will start producing its first fully-electric sports car in 2026.

Owned by China's Geely and Malaysia's Etika Automotive, Lotus also operates as an auto supplier and engineer to other carmakers. The company is in advanced talks to supply the platform to another carmaker and has received expressions of interest from several others, managing director Matt Windle said.

"With the cost and speed of electrification, collaboration is the way to go," Windle said.

Chinese automaker FAW has teamed up with US-based engineering and design firm Silk EV to form the Silk-FAW venture, which plans to build electric sportscars in Italy.

It is using carbon-fibre components for the vehicle chassis and looking to a high-revolution motor using copper-wiring technology from the aerospace sector to cut the motor's weight by 20%, though it is also exploring other options.

"Weight saving is even more important than a higher level of power," said Roberto Fedeli, Silk-FAW vice president for innovation and technology.

Cutting weight and using more efficient motors may be enough for most wealthy sportscar buyers who use their vehicles for recreation or to commute, and are unlikely to want to execute multiple high-speed laps around a race track.

Those who do could be in for a long wait.

"Unless batteries go through a massive revolution, you're never going to carry the amount of energy that a fuel tank will carry," said YASA founder Woolmer.

"For longer-form racing, it's going to be a while."


Nissan eyes return to annual profit after strong Q1 results

                TOKYO: Crisis-hit Japanese carmaker Nissan upgraded its annual outlook today, projecting a return to the black, after a strong first quarter performance fuelled by a recovery from the impact of the coronavirus crisis.

However, the firm warned that while it was upbeat, there were still headwinds while analysts warned a chip shortage could also pose problems and it faced "a crucial year".

The firm has faced a series of trials in recent years, from weak demand during the pandemic to the fallout from the arrest of former boss Carlos Ghosn, now an international fugitive in Lebanon.

But CEO Makoto Uchida hailed a "strong performance in the first three months of our new fiscal year" as the company pursues a restructuring programme.

For the three months to June, Nissan logged a 114.5 billion yen net profit, compared with a 285.6 billion yen net loss in the same period last year.

It also tipped stronger annual sales after its quarterly sales surged 71 percent to 2.0 trillion yen, but Uchida warned uncertainty would persist for the rest of the year.

Nissan now forecasts a 60 billion yen ($546 million) net profit for the year to March 2022, compared with its earlier estimate of a 60 billion yen net loss. It last made a profit in 2018-19.

"We will carefully monitor and manage potential risks as we continue to improve quality of sales and maintain financial discipline," he said, predicting a recovery in the second half, driven by the release of new models in core markets.

In the year to March 2021, Nissan trimmed its annual loss after weathering the impact of virus lockdowns but stopped short of turning a profit.

Uchida told shareholders in June: "Our businesses are on a recovery path. We are working to avoid a net loss."

But while Nissan could still return to the black in the current fiscal year, analysts say the global chip shortage could cloud its outlook.

Supply disruptions have compounded the mismatch between demand for and availability of chips, a key component in modern cars.

A year of reckoning

"If Nissan can steadily reduce costs, sell new models well and subdue the impact of the semiconductor shortage, profitability could be in sight," said Satoru Takada, an auto analyst at Tokyo-based research and consulting firm TIW.

"Nissan is facing a crucial year," he added.

Analysts are also focusing on the recent shift to electric vehicles among leading automakers owing to growing concerns over emissions.

In early July, Nissan unveiled plans to build a massive battery factory in north-eastern England, where it will also manufacture a new electric vehicle.

Rival Toyota, which pioneered hybrid cars, has announced plans for its first global line-up of battery electric vehicles, as other carmakers have pulled ahead in electrification.

Nissan has recovered from the effects of the pandemic more slowly than its rivals.

Even before the global crisis, the firm was struggling with increasing sales costs and the ongoing saga surrounding its former chief Ghosn.

The one-time auto tycoon was detained in Japan in 2018, accused of financial misconduct charges that he denies, but jumped bail and fled to Lebanon the following year.

He remains at large, but his one-time associate Greg Kelly and Nissan itself are facing court proceedings in Japan.

Earlier this month, an American father-son duo who helped Ghosn flee Japan were jailed by a Tokyo court, the first verdict handed down in Japan in the saga.

Shares of Nissan have jumped more than 40 percent over the past 12 months and closed up 3.88 percent on Wednesday ahead of the earnings announcement.

Toyota, which overtook Volkswagen last year as the world's biggest-selling automaker, releases its earnings next Wednesday.
si/kaf/dan


Toyota launches pilot project for flex fuel vehicle in India

                NEW DELHI: Toyota Motor Corp today unveiled its flex fuel hybrid sedan in India, kicking off a pilot project in a market where the government is pushing automakers to switch to clean fuels.

The sedan, imported from Toyota Brazil, is powered by flex fuel technology, which allows the engine to run on fuel blended with a higher percentage of ethanol, reducing the consumption of gasoline, along with a hybrid powertrain.

Although adoption of electric vehicles is picking up at a slow pace in India, the road transport minister wants carmakers to develop flex fuel engines that will use locally made ethanol as the dominant fuel and reduce the country's dependence on petrol which it imports.

Toyota's pilot project will increase India's energy independence, in line with the government's target for self sufficiency in energy by 2047, Toyota Kirloskar's vice chairman Vikram Kirloskar said at the launch here.

India, which is a major producer of sugar, is keen to boost its usage of ethanol, like bigger producer Brazil where sale of flex fuel vehicles is already popular.

The objective of the pilot is to see how the car operates in India and increase awareness of the technology.


BMW M2 Coupe Edition Black Shadow issued

MUNICH: BMW has announced that the M2 Coupe Edition Black Shadow will be available from April.

With its keen handling and huge forward thrust, the M2 has become a bestseller, whilst also capturing new target groups. With more than 12,000 units sold worldwide during its first full production year, the M2 has advanced to become M’s most successful model in 2017.

The M2 Coupe Edition Black Shadow boasts selected design features that highlight the base car's athletic appearance. The edition model is exclusively available in the exterior colour Sapphire Black metallic. To underline the compact coupe’s looks, it comes with 19-inch, black matt forged light alloys with a Y-spoke design and mixed tyres.

Exterior mirrors feature a carbon finish, a decorative grille with M kidney and trim bars for the side panels in high-gloss black. With a rear diffuser in a carbon finish and black-chrome trims for the typical M double tailpipes, which are likewise integrated on both sides into the rear apron, the M2 Coupe Edition Black Shadow sets additional race-inspired accents.

Under the bonnet is a 370hp straight six-cylinder engine with classic rear-wheel drive and suspension technology developed and tuned on the basis of many years of motor racing expertise.

With the optional 7-speed M dual clutch transmission with Drivelogic, the M2 sprints from standstill to 100kph in just 4.3 seconds. Combined fuel consumption is 8.5 l/100 km while combined CO2 emissions is rated at 199 g/km.


Infiniti to introduce QX55 sport utility coupe in 2020

                SAN FRANCISCO: Infiniti today announced that a new luxury sport utility coupe will soon join its line of luxury vehicles. The new addition will carry the name QX55.

The company also released an image of the brushstroke of the QX55 showing a roofline inspired by its first-generation FX performance crossover.

"The Infiniti QX55 is a new SUV coupe in the heart of one of the industry's fastest growing segments, globally," said Infiniti Motor Company deputy chairman Mike Colleran at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance outside here.

"Customers will appreciate the distinctive design of the QX55, which features a sporty coupe-like roofline. We know customers and retailers are eagerly looking forward to the QX55, which will be available next year."

The QX55 will arrive at retailers in the summer of 2020.

 The 2004 FX crossover in its first generation. The FX was renamed QX70 in 2013. 2004 Infiniti FX


Didi to deliver first BYD electric cars to drivers within months

Didi Chuxing's CEO Will Cheng and president Jean Liu attending a launch event for D1 in Beijing on Monday. — Reuters
BEIJING: Didi Chuxing will begin rolling out an electric vehicle developed with BYD Co. to its drivers in coming months, aiming to reduce costs throughout the world’s largest ride-hailing network.

The D1, the first model to have been built with ride-hailing in mind, will ship to the startup’s leasing partners across several Chinese cities, according to Didi.

Made by BYD, in which Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is the largest shareholder, the vehicle has power sliding doors and a driver-assistance system.

Didi flagged as early as 2018 its intention to team up with car manufacturers to produce customised EVs for its ride-hailing service.

The Chinese company that defeated Uber Technologies Inc. in China is hoping the EVs present a more efficient option than traditional fuel-guzzlers. It already hosts about a million electric vehicles, which can take advantage of a growing nationwide charging network, and operates as many as 60 million rides every day.

Didi’s expanded use of electric vehicles is also likely to be viewed favorably by the Chinese government. Beijing has made adoption of EVs a top national priority, in part to cut pollution, setting a vision for passenger EVs, electric buses and commercial EVs to represent 20% of new vehicle sales by 2025.

The company, valued at US$62 billion according to CB Insights, is still recovering from a 2018 regulatory crackdown on its car-pooling service, and the coronavirus outbreak that has curtailed most transportation.

And rival Internet platforms like Meituan are now challenging Didi’s leadership in ride-hailing. To compete, Didi is expanding into adjacent businesses from bike sharing to grocery delivery to attract and keep users. Monthly active users across Didi’s platforms in China have surpassed 400 million, it said in November.

Longer term, it’s making a bet on autonomous driving — a hived-off unit that scored US$500 million in funding from SoftBank Group Corp.’s Vision Fund. Its shares traded privately at a discount of as much as 40% to its peak valuation, Bloomberg reported this year.

In addition, Uber’s performance proved disappointing after its initial public offering last year, damping investors’ interest in the ride-hailing business.


Turn your car into a WiFi hotspot

One way to network the car is with a mobile LTE hotspot via the cigarette lighter port. — spa
HAMBURG: There are plenty of reasons to be connected to the Internet while in the car, even if it's just to stream movies and music while on the go. But what's the best way to make it happen?

When it comes to getting your car online, "the Internet connection usually works best with the manufacturers' on-board solutions," says Holger Ippen, a specialist who writes for Auto Zeitung magazine.

In that case, a SIM card is integrated into the car and the vehicle's own antenna is used, something which significantly improves reception.

“Today, all newer vehicles are factory-fitted with a SIM card for emergency e-calls. So it's no great expenditure for the manufacturer to make this mobile data connection usable for entertainment offers,” Ippen says.

Generally, car owners are free to then use services such as real-time traffic data, weather forecasts or petrol station searches for a certain number of years. If you want more, you have to pay, Ippen says.

A wireless network for the car can also be possible via an additional integrated SIM, depending on the car manufacturer.

"The disadvantage of these offers is often that the customer can't choose the mobile operator themselves and the tariff selection is limited," says telecommunications specialist Markus Weidner.

That's because few manufacturers rely on roaming SIMs that can log into different cellular networks. And with most systems it's not possible to use your own SIM card.

Another way to network the car is with a mobile LTE hotspot. "You can connect them to the cigarette lighter, for example, and they work like a small router," Ippen says.

Equipped with a SIM card, these mini-routers can manage up to 150 Mbps and deliver Internet to up to 10 devices.

However, one disadvantage is that you have to live with cables inside the car. Another is that it's not really possible to improve the reception.

The same applies if you use your own smartphone as a hotspot. “As a rule, there is no access to the antenna built into the car, and hardly any smartphone still offers the option of connecting an external antenna,” Weidner says.

Anyone who uses their smartphone as a hotspot should therefore position it as optimally as possible inside the car.

“Smartphones have the best reception when they are placed on the front of the dashboard, directly under the windshield,” says Peter Richert, professor of communications technology at the Muenster University of Applied Sciences in Germany.

Overall, the signal inside a car is dampened a bit compared to outside the vehicle, but not as much as is often assumed, the expert says.


Now automakers can monitor the state of their fleet remotely

                SEATTLE: Amazon's Web Services division has announced the upcoming availability of a brand new service for car manufacturers, allowing them to easily transfer and store all data from their vehicles to the cloud.

This could notably allow them to perform remote diagnostics of their vehicles, in order to ensure the safety of motorists by offering assistance or patches.

AWS IoT FleetWise is billed as a service that allows automakers to collect and transfer all of their vehicle sensor and range data to the cloud.

Automakers can use this data for tasks such as remote diagnostics to prevent potential problems or recalls on certain types of vehicles. It will also be an opportunity to collect data for simulation work, in the aim of improving driver assistance and autonomous driving systems.

The service will also offer an intelligent filtering mode to limit the amount of unnecessary data transferred to the cloud, the idea being to use only the specific data that manufacturers really need.

It is up to automakers to define "rules" to filter the data they want to collect and analyse, such as technical data relating to sudden braking incidents in a specific model.

The aim is to be able to anticipate potential problems, either with all or part of a fleet.

To operate, the AWS IoT FleetWise application must evidently be installed on the vehicle gateway, which will decode and transmit all necessary information to the cloud.

The new service is currently only available in a preview version in Virginia, USA, and in the Frankfurt area, Germany. The first production vehicles equipped with this technology could be released by 2024.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the most widely adopted cloud platform in the world today.

The news comes at a time when all the world's carmakers are exploring ways of using their connected data.

Porsche has recently decided to bring the concept of the "digital twin" to the automotive world.

Here, it applies only to the chassis of its Taycan model, monitoring the state of the components remotely through a virtual copy of the chassis with real-time diagnostics based on data captured remotely by the manufacturer.


Aston Martin soars after Geely to double stake

                LONDON: Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings Plc’s shares surged after it said China’s Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd will double its stake and become the UK sportscar maker’s third biggest shareholder.

The transaction will unlock £95 million (RM536mil) for the British sportscar maker, whose shares rose as much as 25% in early London trading.

As part of a £234 million (RM1.3bil) deal, Geely will acquire a 17% stake in the company, buying 42 million shares from chairman Lawrence Stroll’s Yew Tree consortium along with 28 million new shares, Aston Martin said in a stock exchange filing. Geely will also get the right to appoint one director on Aston Martin’s board.

Aston Martin has perennially struggled with cash and roped in Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund as a shareholder last year as Stroll looks to turn the carmaker around and pivot to battery-powered sports cars.

Analysts have in the past said that Aston Martin’s lack of scale and precarious cash balance made it vulnerable.

As part of the agreement with Aston Martin, Geely agreed to a standstill until August 2024 to not acquire shares that will take its stake in the company to more than 22%, the filing said.

Bloomberg first reported in October 2022 that Billionaire Li Shifu, who controls Geely, was looking to boost his stake in the carmaker to increase collaboration with the carmaker.

The investment in Aston Martin deepens Geely’s vast footprint in Europe, where it controls Volvo Car AB and recently inked a deal with Renault SA to pool combustion-engine assets as the industry moves into the electric era.


Tesla finally debuts US$35,000 Model 3, to switch to online sales

                SAN FRANCISCO: Tesla Inc said on Thursday it would not be profitable in the first quarter, as it offered for the first time a US$35,000 (RM143,000) version of its Model 3 sedan and said its global sales would now be online-only, steps designed to increase demand and cut overhead costs for the electric vehicle maker.

Chief executive Elon Musk’s warning on profit during a conference call with members of the media, which did not include Reuters, contrasted with Tesla’s statements last month that it was expecting a ”very small” net profit in the first quarter.

Shares of Tesla fell 3.4 percent after hours. Investors have voiced concerns about whether Tesla would be able to maintain profit margins through cost cutting - such as recent layoffs - as it reduces prices of its newest vehicle.

Still, the price drop could quell concerns from some analysts that demand for the higher-priced versions of the Model 3 was beginning to dry up in the United States, especially after a federal tax credit was cut in half this year.

“Tesla wants to drum up demand,” said Elazar Advisors’ Chaim Siegel. ”There was a slowdown in the US as the tax credits dropped. (There are) more tax credit hits later in the year too so they are trying to be proactive.”

Musk has often shared that his strategy for Tesla was to build higher-priced cars - the Model S and X - whose success would ultimately usher in a US$35,000 mass-market car, followed by an SUV, the Model Y, which is currently in development.

But customers who reserved the Model 3 at that lower price have waited nearly three years since Musk first promised it.

An online-only sales strategy, along with other changes, would allow vehicle prices to fall by about 6 percent on average (Lynk and Co is the other company that is selling cars using an online strategy plus city-based and pop-up shops.).

Over the next few months, Tesla will wind down ”many” of its stores, while investing in its service system, it said.
Online-only sales represent a dramatic shift for the company that has prided itself on its boutique retail stores. In June 2017, Musk pledged to increase the number of stores, saying they had ”barely touched the surface” of what was possible.

As of the fourth quarter, Tesla said it recently opened 27 new locations, bringing its total of stores and service centres to 378.

Thursday was the third time this year that Tesla lowered the price on the Model 3, which recently started at US$42,900 (RM175,000).

The new US$35,000 version has a top speed of 209kph and can go from zero to 100kph in 5.6 seconds, Tesla said. For US$2,000 more, Tesla offers a version with a range of 386km and a top speed of 225kph.

Game changer with speed bumps

A US$35,000 Model 3 is a major shot in the arm for Tesla sales during a period of major challenges, including deliveries of the Model 3 to Europe and China and construction of a factory in Shanghai.

“This is a game changer,” said Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives. Since tax credits will continue to decline over 2019, ”this is really exactly what the doctor ordered,” he said.

He warned, however, there could be ”more speed bumps ahead,” if more sales volume exacerbates prior problems with deliveries and service to customers.

Musk declined to answer a question on what the profit margins of the US$35,000 vehicle would be, according to the New York Times. Gross margins on the car were above 20 percent in the fourth quarter.

“The margin on the vehicle obviously is going to be very small if there’s any margin there at all,” said David Kudla, CEO of Mainstay Capital Management, which has a short position in Tesla.

As part of cost-cutting efforts, Tesla last month reduced its full-time headcount by 7 percent, following a similar cut of 9 percent to its workforce in June 2018.

The price cut on the Model 3 comes three days after renewed tensions between Musk and US Securities and Exchange Commission. The agency petitioned a judge this week to have Tesla’s CEO found in contempt of an October settlement between the parties. The SEC accuses Musk of having made material statements about production levels on Twitter without first having them vetted internally.

That settlement between Musk, Tesla and the SEC concerned Musk’s August Twitter post in which he claimed to have ”funding secured” to take Tesla private at US$420 per share.

On Friday, Tesla is due to repay a US$920 million convertible bond. Convertible issues give bondholders the right to trade their debt for equity after shares rise over a certain price.

Tesla shares are currently about US$40 below the US$359.87 conversion price. Tesla had US$3.7 billion in cash and cash equivalents at the end of December.


VW trainees show off eGon, an e-Golf cutaway

                WOLFSBURG/HANOVER: The eGon, a cutaway model of an e-Golf, is one of Volkswagen’s highlight projects that will be showcased at IdeenExpo in Hanover, Germany’s largest youth event for science and technology from June 15 to 23.

eGon is the brainchild of vocational trainees and makes vehicle technology accessible to everyone.

The cutaway exposes the entire electronics complete with all the wiring, giving visitors an insight into the complex technology behind the e-Golf. eGon is mobile and fully functional, apart from a few minor exceptions.

QR codes can be scanned via an iPad to access information on the individual components. And anyone interested in finding out more about technical training at Volkswagen can chat with the vocational trainees.

The trainees themselves are thrilled with the cutaway model. Justin Pausch, who is training as an automotive mechatronics technician, said: “This is the first time I’ve been involved in this kind of project and I’ve learnt so much. The eGon model is very complex and required lots of different skills. Our team was made up of eight vocational trainees from different trades. We’re really looking forward to IdeenExpo and presenting our project to visitors at the event.”

“Projects like this encourage motivation among the vocational trainees and are great fun at the same time," said Christoph Görtz, Head of Vocational Training at Volkswagen in Wolfsburg.

"They not only transfer training content, they also encourage trainees to take a high level of responsibility, to show initiative and to create something tangible of their own that they can be truly proud of.”

Volkswagen e-Golf Specifications


Hyundai seeking cars buyers this weekend with up to RM18,000 rebates

                PETALING JAYA: Hyundai Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) has announced that it is offering special deals this weekend for all new and pre-owned models of the South Korean brand.

“This limited-time offer is an opportunity not to be missed if you are looking to purchase a car. Apart from the huge savings that one can enjoy, it’s also a chance for the public to experience a Hyundai model of their choice, and learn about our best-selling models such as the Grand Starex, Santa Fe and the IONIQ HEV+,” said Hyundai Sime Darby Motors managing director Low Yuan Lung.

The deals will be available from June 12 to 14 at Sime Darby Motors City in Ara Damansara and all other Sime Darby Auto Hyundai outlets nationwide which are open from 9am to 5pm daily.

The three-day special will see car buyers receive RM18,000 in rebates as well as complimentary accessories with the purchase of selected Hyundai models.

HSDM added that there will be a large selection of pre-owned vehicles available for sale to help suit all budgets.

The company assured that all Hyundai pre-owned cars have undergone stringent and rigorous inspection procedures to
ensure they are in mint condition.

Furthermore, all vehicles sold are less than five-years-old or have a mileage that is lower than 100,000km with only genuine parts and original engine fitted and major accident-free.

For peace of mind, Hyundai experts will also be on hand to provide a walkthrough so that customers are better informed before making a purchase.

Visitors are recommended to make an appointment with slots available from 9am to 11am, 11am to 1pm, 1pm to 3pm and 3pm to 5pm.

“Though we are in the Recovery Movement Control Order phase, HSDM remains committed to ensuring the health and safety of all visitors at the showrooms. Standard Operating Procedures are in place to ensure that all test drives are done in a safe environment and all vehicles are sanitised before and after each test drive session while social distancing will be observed at all times,” added Low.

For more information, log on to www.hyundai.com.my or call +603-7628 2500.


F1 to get later start to 2016 season

                MELBOURNE: Formula One's 2016 season will see the latest start to a championship since 1988, with the opening Australian Grand Prix scheduled for April 3.

Melbourne's Albert Park street circuit has usually hosted the opener in March, though it was pushed back to April in 2006 to become the third round on the calendar when Melbourne hosted the Commonwealth Games that year.

"The 2016 Formula One Australian Grand Prix event dates are 31 March–3 April, 2016, with the later start date set to condense the season, which finishes in November," local organisers said on Tuesday.

The 1988 season also started on April 3, in Brazil.

Media have speculated that Formula One Management is aiming to reduce costs for teams and shorten the downtime between races in a bid to maximise interest in the championship.

Pundits have also suggested a condensed season could be a bargaining chip for FOM to pack in more races into the calendar, with Azerbaijan scheduled to make its debut next year on what could be a 20 round championship.

The later date at Albert Park will also mean an earlier start for the race, given it falls after the end of daylight savings in the state of Victoria when clocks are switched back an hour.

The AGPC was unable to provide further comment but confirmed the move was a directive from FOM.

"It's fantastic that Melbourne will again play host to the opening round," said Australian Grand Prix Corporation chief executive Andrew Westacott.

"Over the past 20 years Melbourne has become synonymous with the start of a new Formula One season, and we look forward to again welcoming all the teams and drivers to our great city in 2016,"

A later start to the season in Australia could also see Bahrain, the fourth race of 2015, move up the order next year even if it will be hard to accommodate an earlier date.

Bahrain has never been later than April 26 on the calendar since the race made its debut in 2004 and local organisers said at this year's April 19 grand prix that they were hoping for an earlier slot.

"Maybe the end of April when it gets pretty hot isn't the time, so a few weeks here and there would help if we could change that," Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa told Reuters then.


Miniature AMG G-Class brings on 8 'extreme' colours

                STUTTGART: If you can't afford the real deal, get the scale model to admire. If you are a fan of the Mercedes-AMG G-Class, the German car maker has issued a limited edition of the G 500 4x4² in eight colours.

With portal axles and a full 44cm of ground clearance, the G 500 4x4² has been the highlight in the model programme of the off-road icon since 2015. The extreme G is scaled down to 1:18, and is available in diamond white, electric beam, tektite grey, mauritius blue, sunset beam, alien green, tomato red and galactic beam. In line with the internal model code W 463, there are be exactly 463 copies of every colour - each numbered, i.e., “1 of 463”, “2 of 463”, etc., on the bottom of each car.

The resin-made miniatures were created in collaboration with the model car specialist GT Spirit, to whom Mercedes-Benz gave the original design data for the development of these unique models.

Detail is said to be high. For example, the 4x4² logo on the rim was implemented as true to the original vehicle as the perforated metal under the front apron. The eight miniature extreme G models consist of up to 100 parts and are outfitted with a number of special equipment.

These exclusive limited edition extreme G model cars can be ordered from the Mercedes-Benz dealerships as well as in the online shop http://shop.mercedes-benz.de.


Opinion: A US$21bil wager on who’ll build the Apple Car

                BERLIN: A red-hot trend in the car industry is for new entrants such as Fisker Inc. to hand over the complicated and capital-intensive work of engineering and building vehicles to a contract manufacturer.

Increasingly, cars are judged on their software and electronics so why bother wasting time and money on metal bashing?

If Apple Inc. is indeed seriously considering launching its own vehicle, as press reports suggest, then it will almost certainly decide to outsource, as it does with the iPhone.

Apple designs the phone and its operating system but employs Foxconn to assemble components into a handset.

There’s at least one big contract manufacturer ready to take advantage of these seismic industry changes: Canada’s Magna International Inc.

"If Apple is serious about building a car … Magna Steyr should build it,” says Evercore ISI analyst Chris McNally. Even if Apple doesn’t come knocking, the manufacturer is already advising tech groups and start-ups looking to enter the automotive business, and investors have taken notice. Magna’s shares have almost trebled since March, giving it a US$21 billion market value.

Magna is one of the world’s biggest car-parts suppliers, having generated nearly US$40 billion of revenue in 2019 from products such as transmissions, vehicle cameras, mirrors and seating.

The contract manufacturing subsidiary, Magna Steyr, is the really interesting piece. It builds niche premium vehicles at a factory in Graz, Austria, including the Mercedes G-Class 4x4, the electric Jaguar I-Pace and the BMW Z4 sportscar.

Typically those companies choose to outsource the work, rather than retool or build a new production line, because the sales volumes are relatively small.

In 2019, Magna assembled almost 160,000 vehicles - more than many carmakers produce - and generated US$6.7 billion of revenue from these activities. Together with joint venture partner Beijing automotive Group Co. (BAIC) it recently added another facility in China, which is capable of producing 180,000 vehicles yearly.

A North American plant might be next.

Magna’s client roster already extends well beyond the traditional automakers.

Henrik Fisker’s eponymous car venture, for one, went public in October after merging with a special purpose acquisition company.

A manufacturing and vehicle engineering partnership with Magna is key to Fisker’s asset-light approach. The latter often compares this to the Apple-Foxconn relationship and hopes that will avoid the production nightmares that bedeviled Tesla Inc.

The Austrian Magna subsidiary is reportedly in talks about producing vehicles for Canoo Inc., another SPAC-backed car start-up, while in China it’s started producing the Arcfox for BAIC’s electric vehicle offshoot.

Other projects include helping Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo subsidiary integrate self-driving technology into vehicles and working with Sony Corp. to produce the futuristic Vision S prototype car.

"It’s not a secret that almost every non-OEM interested in realising its own complete vehicles is contacting us,” Frank Klein, Magna Steyr’s boss, told investors last year.

You can see why new entrants may chose to work with a neutral party like Magna rather than partnering and sharing plans with an existing carmaker that might be a potential rival.

As well as providing production capacity, Magna says it can handle the entire vehicle development process. The company was hired to turn chemicals billionaire Jim Ratcliffe’s Grenadier 4x4 into reality.

The vehicles Magna builds in its factories usually include more of its own components and systems than is the case for cars it doesn’t make. It can also take a financial interest in the companies with which it works. If it does what it promises, Magna could end up owning 6% of Fisker. Last year, it invested $100 million in Waymo.

These are welcome sweeteners because contract manufacturing’s economics are tough. The vehicle-building subsidiary produced a 2% operating return on sales last year - much lower than the average in other parts of Magna’s business.

And there are risks in adding manufacturing capacity for start-ups who may fail or decide to insource the work themselves. If Apple were to become a Magna customer it would drive the same hard bargain as it does with Foxconn, whose operating margins have shrunk to about 2%. Apple’s is 24%.

Still, Magna’s shares look less dauntingly overvalued than many companies with one foot in the electric-vehicle future.

Even after its blistering recent run, the stock is priced at less than 12 times forward earnings. The Canadian manufacturer has its attractions even without a Tim Cook order. — CHRIS BRYANT


Musk says Tesla likely to launch humanoid robot prototype next year

                SAN FRANCISCO: Tesla Inc chief executive Elon Musk on Thursday said the electric automaker will probably launch a "Tesla Bot" humanoid robot prototype next year, designed for dangerous, repetitive, or boring work that people don't like to do.

Speaking at Tesla's AI Day event, the billionaire entrepreneur said the robot, which stands around five foot eight inches tall, would be able to handle jobs from attaching bolts to cars with a wrench, or picking up groceries at stores.

The robot would have "profound implications for the economy," Musk said, addressing a labour shortage. He said it was important to make the machine not "super-expensive."

The AI Day event came amid growing scrutiny over the safety and capability of Tesla's "Full Self-Driving" advanced driver assistant system.

Musk didn't comment on that scrutiny over the safety of Tesla technology but said that he was confident of achieving full self-driving with higher safety than humans using current in-car cameras and computers.

US safety regulators earlier this week opened an investigation into Tesla's driver assistant system because of accidents where Tesla cars crashed into stationary police cars and fire trucks. read more

Two US senators have also called on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Tesla's claims for its "Full Self-Driving" system. read more

At the event on Thursday Tesla also unveiled chips it designed in-house for its high-speed computer, Dojo, to help develop its automated driving system. Musk said Dojo would be operational next year. read more

He said Tesla will also introduce new hardware for its self-driving computer for its Cybertruck electric pick-up truck in "about a year or so."

Tesla in July pushed back the launch of its much-anticipated Cybertruck from this year, without giving a timeframe for its arrival on the market.

On Thursday some questioned whether Musk, who has frequently touted technology advances at showpiece events only to scale plans down later on, would be able to come good on his aims for the robot.

"Is the 'Tesla Bot' the next dream shot to pump up the hype machine?" said Raj Rajkumar, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University.

"I can safely say that it will be much longer than 10 years before a humanoid bot from any company on the planet can go to the store and get groceries for you."


Tesla cars can now handle intersections thanks to Autopilot update

                SAN FRANCISCO: In addition to Tesla's Autopilot being able to handle highway driving — which includes merging onto multilane roads and passing other cars — a new update gives vehicles equipped with this intelligent technology the ability to manage intersections as well.

Elektrek said on Friday that this ability has been released to the public. It first reported about a month ago on the new Autopilot feature undergoing testing that would allow Tesla's to handle stop lights and traffic signals.

Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control is rolling out as part of the 2020.12.6 software update, allowing drivers to let their Teslas semi-autonomously handle intersections.

When the technology detects a stop sign or traffic lights, whether they're illuminated by a colour or are off, the vehicle will slow down to a stop unless the driver gives the car a signal to continue through the intersection: either pushing down on the gear selector or accelerator pedal.

Tesla has plans to allow cars to drive through more naturally when appropriate which would get the company one step closer to creating a software that can drive a vehicle fully autonomously.

Like Autopilot has needed since its creation, this new feature requires the driver to be focused on the road and paying attention to the movements the technology prompts in case there is a need for them to intervene.


Mercedes-AMG E 53 gets 'tech-ed up'

                AFFALTERBACH (Germany): From the home of Mercedes-AMG comes the mighty E 53 in a coupe and a drop-top cabriolet body styles.

To mark its membership into the "AMG family", the AMG-specific radiator grille with 12 vertical slats have been fitted.

In addition, the E 53 has been slapped with a pair of flattened A-shaped LED headlights, redesigned front bumper with an A-wing design, enlarged inlet vents for cooling purposes, new front splitter and on top of all that (literally) are the twin power-domes on the hood.

At the back, round twin tailpipe trim elements (in silver chrome or a high gloss black that's part of the optional AMG Night Package) that have been integrated into the bumper.

The boys at AMG have also redesigned the rear wheel-arches to clean up the air before it reaches the rear end, thus improving aerodynamics there while the boot lip that can be had in matching body colour or carbon fibre as an option provides some stabilising downforce.

The wheel arches are filled in with new 19-inch alloys that have also been aerodynamically optimised with a five-spoke design while a 20-inch lightweight option is also available on the table.

For the exterior colour palette, Graphite Grey Metallic and designo Brilliant Blue Magno are available along with a matte finish which was previously reserved for the AMG GT family.

With the optional AMG Night Package, the Coupe and Cabriolet body styles get their outside mirror housings, window frames, plus trim elements in the front and rear bumper are styled in high-gloss black while the tailpipes get a black chrome application.

Enter the AMG Carbon Fiber Package II and that adds individual highlights with mirror caps and a spoiler lip on the trunk lid in carbon fibre.

Inside, the cabin has been fitted with large displays, a new AMG Performance steering wheel and the MBUX infotainment system with AMG-specific functions and displays to emphasise that AMG Performance Luxury ambience.

The standard seats are upholstered in MB-Tex with Dinamica microfiber in an AMG-specific design with red contrasting topstitching and AMG badging

Further interior options include red seat belts and trim elements in carbon fibre with other upholstery options that include Nappa leather in black or titanium grey pearl with red contrast stitching.

Two displays for the instrument cluster and multimedia screen blend together beneath a shared glass cover to form the Widescreen Cockpit and allows the owner to choose between three AMG display styles for the instrument cluster, including a "Supersport" mode that features a central round rev counter.

Additional information is presented with bars to the left and right of the rev counter and via the AMG menu, the driver can select various special displays such as Engine Data, gear speed indicator, Warm-up, Set-up, G- Meter and Racetimer.

The new flat-bottomed twin-spoke AMG Performance steering wheel is wrapped in either leather and Dinamica microfiber or as a combination of the two materials which partially hide the galvanised and enlarged paddle-shifters that positioned lower.

The steering wheel buttons are now rounded with new icons before integrating a new sensor mat to recognize "hands-on" the wheel and if the driver does not have their hands on the steering wheel for a certain time, a warning sequence is started which finally activates Emergency Brake Assist if the driver continues to be inactive.

The new switches integrated into the surfaces of the steering wheel possesses Haptic sensing aids in the area of the symbols to aid ease of control and the lower spokes houses the cruise control or Distronic (left) and telephone/hands-free system/volume control (right).

Under the hood lies an enhanced 3.0-litre (2,999cc) inline-six turbocharged engine with an electric auxiliary compressor to help generate 429hp and 520Nm of torque with an additional 21hp and 250Nm ready to serve thanks to its EQ Boost starter-generator while also feeding the 48V onboard electrical system.

The company says that its start/stop function is now virtually imperceptible when the engine restarts.

Managing power delivery to the variable 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system is a nine-speed 9G-Tronic transmission that allows the E 53 to zip from 0 to 100kph in 4.5 seconds before reaching a top speed of 250kph.

The AMG brake system is made up of 14.6-inch cross-drilled ventilated discs with fixed four-piston callipers at the front while the rears use of 14.2-inch solid discs with floating single-piston callipers.

Through the Dynamic Select driving programs, it offers five modes of Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and "Individual".

The AMG Dynamics vehicle dynamics control (accessible via the steering wheel buttons) is integrated into the AMG Dynamic Select drive programs in that the Basic, Advanced and Pro levels influence the control strategies of the electronic stability programme or the all-wheel-drive system for instance.

The suspension uses the AMG Ride Control+ system that controls the air suspension system developed in-house in Affalterbach.

It uses a multi-chamber air suspension system coupled with a sporty spring/damper set-up and continuously adjustable damping ADS+ (Adaptive Damping System) to provide for high driving dynamics as well as ride comfort.

Finally, damping at each wheel is adjusted to suit the current driving situation and the condition of the road while the damping characteristics can also be preselected in three modes of Comfort, Sport and Sport+.


More Audi models Black-Ed in UK

                LONDON: Audi's Black Edition versions are becoming more popular among its UK customers, prompting the German carmaker to apply the "darker" specifications to models, which now includes the A3, S3, TT, TT Roadster, S6 and S7 Sportback models.

These new variants are available only in the UK and will now join the first ever Black Edition version of the Q3 compact SUV, which has also just come on stream.

In the A3 three-door, five-door Sportback and Saloon ranges, the Black Edition specification is offered as a step up from the top S-line trim.

It comes with unique 18-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels with a matt titanium finish and darkened privacy glass that extends from the B-pillar rearwards.

This includes a distinctive black finish for the Single Frame grille surround, air inlets, window cappings and door mirrors.

Within the cabin, the ambiance is enriched by a 10-speaker Audi Sound System with 180 watts of music power.

The S3 three-door and Sportback Black Edition models combine the new colour-coding with 18-inch five-arm Turbine design wheels, while the S3 Saloon Black Edition models are upgraded to a 19-inch five-arm Wing design corresponding in size with the 19-inch wheel used by the ‘standard’ S3 Saloon models.

Internally, all three variants benefit from a Bang & Olufsen audio system in place of the standard Audi Sound System as part of the S3's original specification.

The Black Edition formula is applied in a similar concentration for the TT and TTS Coupe as well as the Roadster models, but these versions receive 19-inch five-spoke Blade design alloy wheels and Bang & Olufsen audio system as well as an additional powered wind deflector for the Roadster.

The Q3 range adopts the Black Edition specification for the first time in its production lifespan as part of a package of upgrades which become applicable across the UK range from this month.

Replacing the S line plus model, it builds on that version’s already extensive specification - not only with its black styling package and 19-inch 10-Y-spoke design alloy wheels with their black diamond cut finish, but also with standard metallic paint, privacy glass and a BOSE sound system upgrade.

The visually arresting S6 Saloon / Avant and S7 Sportback Black Edition models also derive their more brooding stance from similar styling revisions.

Both the S6 and S6 Avant Black Edition models receive 20-inch five twin spoke alloy wheels, while the S7 Sportback Black Edition models' wheels are upsized to 21-inch five-arm Rotor design.

Inside, in addition to piano black inlays, both models gain a BOSE sound system and a flat-bottomed multi-function steering wheel.


Toyota rolls out electric bZ4X in cautious debut as rivals go full-throttle

                TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp rolls out its first mass-produced battery electric car in Japan today for lease only, a strategy the automaker says will help ease driver concerns about battery life and resale value but has raised analysts' eyebrows.

Gasoline-electric hybrid models remain far more popular in Toyota's home market than electric vehicles (EVs), which accounted for just 1% of the passenger cars sold in Japan last year, according to industry data. Still, the market is growing fast and foreign automakers including Tesla Inc are making visible inroads on the streets of cities such as Tokyo.

Bundling insurance, repair costs and a battery warranty into the deal, Toyota will lease the bZ4X sport utility vehicles (SUV) at the equivalent of US$39,000 (RM172,000) for the first four years. Cancelling in the first 48 months will mean an additional fee.

While EV acceptance has been slow in Japan, that will change, and Toyota could risk losing market share by focusing on a model of leasing rather than purchasing, said CLSA analyst Christopher Richter.

"Anything you are doing that's making it harder to buy is maybe not a good thing," he said.

"It's a strategy I am not that fond of. It does signal that Toyota is taking the home market a little bit for granted."

Toyota said in December it would commit 8 trillion yen (RM273bil) to electrify its cars by 2030.

Toyota aims to lease 5,000 of the SUVs in the current financial year - around the same amount of EVs that analysts estimate Tesla sold in Japan last year.

The automaker plans to start selling the bZ4X in other markets later this year, and pre-orders have already started in some European countries.

Toyota has not decided when it will start selling the cars in Japan, a spokesman said.

READ MORE: Subaru to build its first electric vehicle factory'Dispel anxiety'

EVs became popular in Europe through lease programmes offered by employers and Toyota may be trying a similar tack to popularise electric cars, said Seiji Sugiura, a senior analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Institute.

First-time customers are concerned about battery life and the potential fall in the trade-in value over time, said Shinya Kotera, president of Kinto, the Toyota unit offering the leases.

"It's our role to dispel anxiety" towards EVs, he said.

Imports of battery EVs jumped almost three times to a record 8,610 vehicles in 2021, according to industry data. Analysts estimate roughly 60% of those were Teslas.

Still, Japanese automakers remain cautious about switching into the all-electric lane.

Toyota pioneered the hybrid more than two decades ago and retains big ambitions for both hybrids and hydrogen-powered vehicles, even as it is investing more to boost its battery EV line-up.

Rival Nissan Motor Co pioneered mass-market EVs with the LEAF in 2010 but will launch only its second battery EV model, the Ariya SUV, also today. The Ariya will be sold for the equivalent of US$41,500 (RM183,000), not including a government subsidy.

Honda Motor Co in April laid out a target to roll out 30 electric vehicle models globally by 2030.


Study: SUVs, pickups more likely to hit walkers than cars in US

The US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety questioned whether wider pillars holding up roofs of the larger vehicles make it harder for drivers to spot people walking near the corners of vehicles. — Image from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
DETROIT: Drivers of bigger vehicles such as pickup trucks and SUVs are more likely to hit pedestrians while making turns than drivers of cars, according to a new study.

The research released last Thursday by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety points to the increasing popularity of larger vehicles as a possible factor in rising pedestrian deaths on US roads.

The authors also questioned whether wider pillars holding up roofs of the larger vehicles make it harder for drivers to spot people walking near the corners of vehicles.

"The link between these vehicle types and certain common pedestrian crashes points to another way that the increase in SUVs on the roads might be changing the crash picture,” said Jessica Cicchino, a study author and vice president of research for the institute.

Although the study mentioned previous research showing blind spots caused by the "A-pillars” between the windshield and the cabin, the authors said more study is needed to link the blind spots to the increased deaths.

In 2020, the last year for which complete statistics are available, 6,519 pedestrians were killed in the US, according to government data. That's up 59% since 2009, and a 4% increase from 2019, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

Over the same time period, SUV and pickup truck sales have skyrocketed. In 2009, pickup trucks, SUVs and vans accounted for 47% of all US new vehicle sales, according to Motorintelligence.com. Last year, light trucks were more than three-quarters of new vehicle sales.

Not all SUVs and pickup trucks have the blind spots, though. Compact SUVs, for instance, are now the largest part of the US market.

The study also found that the larger vehicles were more likely than cars to be involved in crashes where pedestrians were standing, walking or running near the edge of the road and away from intersections.

Researchers studied federal crash statistics in which pedestrians were killed, as well as all pedestrian crashes reported to police in North Carolina from 2010 through 2018.

The North Carolina statistics showed that pickups were 42% more likely than cars to hit pedestrians while making left turns. SUVs were 23% more likely to hit people than cars. There was no significant difference in the odds of a right turn crash for the different types of vehicles, the study showed.

Outside of intersections, pickups were 80% more likely than cars to hit a pedestrian along the road. SUVs were 61% more likely, and minivans were 45% more likely to hit people than cars, IIHS said.

Trucks, SUVs and vans typically have thicker "A-Pillars” than cars because of federal roof-strength standards to prevent collapse in rollover crashes, the IIHS said. The pillars typically are wider because they have to withstand the higher weights of the bigger vehicles.

And the pillars aren't the only things creating blind spots in the bigger vehicles. Consumer Reports found last year that high hoods also obstructed driver views of pedestrians crossing in front of the vehicles.

"To see over that high hood, you're going to be looking further down the road," said Jennifer Stockburger, director of operations at Consumer Reports' auto test centre.

The magazine and website found that pickup truck hood heights have risen 11% since 2000.

The hood of a 2017 Ford F-250 heavy-duty pickup was 55 inches off the ground, as tall as the roofs of some cars, Stockburger said.

Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, which sell the bulk of the large SUVs and pickups in the US, all declined comment on the study. Messages were left seeking comment from Auto Innovators, an industry trade group.

Automakers could use stronger metals to make the A-pillars smaller and increase visibility, said Wen Hu, an IIHS senior transportation engineer and another study author.

"These larger vehicles, they need stronger pillars, we all understand that,” she said. "Increasing the size of the A-pillar is not the only way to increase the strength.”

IIHS, which is funded by auto insurance companies, studies vehicle safety.
Stockburger said the industry could also examine sight lines on the bigger vehicles, as well as add automatic emergency braking systems that detect pedestrians.

Most automakers have promised to make automatic emergency braking standard equipment on nearly all of their new models by September of this year.

In addition, federal safety regulators are proposing to make the systems mandatory on all new vehicles.


VW Malaysia promises quick turnaround time with first technical service centre

                KUALA LUMPUR: Volkswagen Group Malaysia has introduced the Volkswagen Technical Service Centre as part of its efforts to improve its aftersales service.

The centre, the first of its kind in Malaysia, will operate as a specialist care centre for repair and aftersales service, employing modern diagnostics equipment and a team of trained mechanics operating under the guidance of Volkswagen-certified master engineers.

The centre, based in Jalan Sungai Penchala in Taman Tun Dr Ismail here, is equipped to deal with repairs and after-sales service for all non-commercial Volkswagen vehicles, regardless of age or model.

Featuring 10 work bays and additional space for 20 more vehicles, the centre has an estimated service capacity of 7,000 vehicles a year.  With 17 employees on hand, Volkswagen said the centre has a targeted turnaround time of 24 hours for the vast majority of vehicles.

The centre, set up with dealer Cergaz Autohaus,  will incorporate a 24/7 towing service to handle vehicle breakdowns, in addition to handling regular appointments scheduled through the dealer.

“The new Volkswagen Technical Service Centre is part of Volkswagen Malaysia’s continuing commitment to world-class after-sales service here in Malaysia, and underlines our promise of being ‘Always by your Side’," said Volkswagen Group Malaysia managing director of Armin Keller at a media luncheon at a hotel here today.

Two more such centres are expected to be opened this year in Batu Caves and Puchong in the Klang Valley.

Other aftersales initiatives included boosting service capacity nationwide, introduction of a concierge service and enhancement of its roadside assist service known as Volkswagen Mobility Guarantee Programme.

Volkswagen said there are now 44 extra work bays at its service centres nationwide and more technicians have been trained and deployed to cut  waiting times for service appointments, from 10 days down to an average of only two days.

In addition, the new concierge service is now in operation at 10 aftersales service centres across the country. The concierges are frontline staff trained as first point of contact when customers enter the service centre, and enhance the quality of the customer experience.

The roadside assist service had also been enhanced with over 200 vehicles in the fleet now.

On current promotions, Volkswagen Malaysia said its Polo promotion was encouraging with over 50% more units bought since the campaign started in March. In the "Polo Goes Zero" campaign, the Polo and Polo Sedan are available for RM999 a month for seven years, with no downpayment and 0% interest.


Ian Callum named UK Designer of the Year

                LONDON: The man who has led Jaguar's visual metamorphosis over the past decade is the 2015 recipient of the Designer of the Year award, an honor bestowed on the individual deemed to be the most influential currently operating in UK design.

Presented by The Drum, by the UK's biggest marketing publication, the award is based equally on overall career success, a person's influence within their professional sphere and their output over the last year.

And in scooping the top honor and being named at the head of The Drum's annual "Designerati" list of the 100 most important people in UK design, Callum pushed Burberry's Christopher Bailey into third place and Maggie Hodgetts, head of graphic design at the upmarket Waitrose supermarket chain, into second place.

Stephen Lepitak, editor of The Drum, said "Ian Callum is a visionary of British design. From his roots at Ford in the 1970s, to his craftsmanship on Aston Martin, his influence on car design is legendary. Ian's dedication to innovation, his eye for detail and his strong vision for what Jaguar cars should look like truly represent the best of design in the UK."

Born in Dumfries, Scotland, in 1954, Callum took up his current position at Jaguar in 1999 but his career has seen him design concept cars for Ghia, and production models for Mazda, Volvo and Nissan as well as the aforementioned Ford and Aston Martin since he took his first steps in the industry back in 1979.

Callum has always had a strong love and respect for Jaguar. In 1968, aged just 14, he wrote to the company looking for advice and employment and even sent in a set of concept car drawings.

And while it took a further 31 years to land a job at the firm, since arriving in 1999, he has taken Jaguar away from retro-influenced curves and twin headlamps to a visual signature that is much more purposeful, modern and edgy without crossing the line into full-on aggression or diluting the company's heritage or brand values.

Collecting the award, Callum thanked his design team at Jaguar for making it possible and said "It is an honour to reach the number one position in the Designerati list. For an automotive designer to claim this award is very special indeed -- especially considering the depth and array of talented UK designers across the disciplines of architecture, fashion and graphic design."


PM unveils facelifted Proton Iriz and Persona ahead of April 23 launch

                SERDANG: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad officially unveiled the 2019 updated Proton Iriz and Persona at the Malaysia Autoshow.

He was accompanied by Proton chairman Datuk Seri Syed Faisal Albar and Proton CEO Dr Li Chunrong.

Both the facelifted models were making their public debuts at the motor show.

According to Proton, the updated Iriz received 367 improvements while the Persona has 303 improvements made to various parts by the national automaker's vehicle development engineers.

Both cars received styling changes and new intelligent features, as well as an exterior redesign thanks to a collaboration between Proton Design and its counterparts from other Geely Auto design studios around the world.

New features include the ethereal bow as well as infinite weave pattern on the front grille, new front and rear bumpers and wheel designs.

An intelligent head unit is fitted in the Premium 1.6AT variants, a first-in-class feature that uses an embedded eSIM card for Internet connection.

Apps for music streaming, navigation and voice recognition can be accessed via a 7-inch touchscreen featuring a full colour display and 16GB of internal memory.

Android smartphone users will also be able to enjoy a full mirroring function via the easy connect application.

“Our engineers and designers have worked very hard over the past 18 months to improve both cars. To date, over 8,000 bookings have been made,” said Dr Li Chunrong.

He also said the first quarter of 2019 had been a successful one for Proton, especially with the more than 25,000 bookings received to date for the X70 SUV.

Proton Iriz (facelift)

Proton Persona (facelift)


Audi in the era of electric mobility

                SINGAPORE: Audi is transforming into a provider of electric mobility—a process that involves all areas of the company. After all, the brand with the four rings intends to put more than 30 electrified models on the market by 2025, which constitutes a 40% share in sales.

In doing so, Audi is consistently pursuing the path of sustainable mobility. Accordingly, the areas of Procurement and Production are also aligning themselves more strongly with sustainability-related criteria.

The skills and experiences from the development and production of the Audi e-tron will be incorporated into the upcoming projects for the all-electric models. The activities are flanked by comprehensive training and development concepts.

Audi is becoming a provider of integrated, carbon-neutral premium mobility with the goal of taking the leadership role in the competition. To this end, the manufacturer is accelerating its electrification road map and company-wide decarbonization.

By 2025, the carbon footprint of the vehicle fleet across the entire life cycle is to be reduced by 30% as compared to 2015. In the future, the return on investment as the central financial control parameter will also show the CO 2 performance of the four rings, with sustainable management helping to increase it to more than 21%.

Modern premium customers are increasingly placing their focus on sustainable mobility. It is therefore a consistent step to make electric mobility one of the central cornerstones of the new brand strategy.

Audi will reserve 50% of its marketing budget for topics relating to electric mobility in the future. The company aims to provide its customers with a stronger emotional experience with the new drive type, dispel any reservations and spark enthusiasm.

The company podcast “The Future Is Electric,” which is now already on its second season and recently won the “World Media Award” in the “Automotive” category, is a successful example of this approach.

Audi also started a new chapter for the market launch of the e-tron at the beginning of 2019 with a walk-on meteorite at Munich Airport.

Visitors had the opportunity to spontaneously experience the new model and the Audi brand on more than 20,000 test drives.

With its company-wide sustainability road map, Audi has set itself the goal to successively decarbonize the entire vehicle life cycle, from the supply chain and production to the use and utilization of the Audi models.

Furthermore, Audi has a clear mission to achieve company-wide carbon neutrality on balance by 2050.


CKL Group now distributor for Autobacs fully synthetic engine oils

                KUALA LUMPUR: CKL Group (M) Sdn Bhd has started selling Autobacs fully synthetic engine oils through its Lim Tayar service centre chain.

It had recently signed on to be the sole Malaysian distributor for the product range with Tokyo-based Autobacs Seven Co, Ltd, a retailer of automotive parts and accessories.

The engine oil is available nationwide at Lim Tayar and Autobacs Malaysia retail outlets, as well as from various spare part dealers. The variants available are 5W-30, 5W-40, 0W-20 and 0W-30. They are suitable for use by petrol and diesel engines as well as eco-friendly cars.

Interested automotive retailers and sub-distributors in Malaysia may buy stock directly from CKL Group, which also plans to bring in Autobacs semi-synthetic engine oil in the third quarter of 2019.

CKL and Autobacs recently took part in the 2019 edition of Automechanika Kuala Lumpur trade fair in March. The Autobacs fully synthetic engine oil was well received by trade and consumer visitors. CKL will launch a nationwide Hari Raya campaign next month.

Autobacs Seven was founded in 1948 as a wholesaler and retailer of automotive parts in Osaka and is presently headquartered in Tokyo. Autobacs is Japan's largest nationwide chain with over 600 stores nationwide. As part of the brand’s global expansion, it has set up 47 stores in Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, France, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

CKL has a diversified business base that spans car servicing, distribution and vocational education. Its With 20 outlets, Lim Tayar is the largest wholly-owned independent automotive retail servicing chain in Malaysia. More outlets are set to be opened soon.


BMW not leaving lower segment for electric cars, says Zipse

                BERLIN: BMW chief executive Oliver Zipse said the premium carmaker would not abandon its lower-priced segment in the transition to electrification.

"We are not leaving the lower market segment. Even if you consider yourself a premium manufacturer, it is wrong to leave the lower market segment — that will be the core of your business in the future," Zipse said, speaking at an event organised by autos supplier Robert Bosch GmbH here.

His comments contrast with the strategy of rival Mercedes-Benz, which said in July it was dedicating 75% of its investments to top-end vehicles and its highest-selling segment of "core luxury" C-Class and E-Class models while cutting the number of entry-level models.

BMW's chief financial officer warned last week that although sales of fully electric vehicles were expected to double this year from 2021 levels, the company expected rising inflation and interest rates to weigh on incoming orders, particularly in Europe.


Does DeltaWing's concept point to the future of automotive design?

                It might not be a household name when it comes to mass-market motoring, but DeltaWing has been building a reputation within racing where its very unusual looking car has been proving that optimised aerodynamics are just as important as horsepower when it come to going fast.

And now it's looking to move from the raceway to the driveway with a road-legal sportscar.

The DeltaWing racecar looks like an arrow tip or a triangle - incredibly narrow at the nose and very wide at the rear.

But as strange as it looks, it can keep up with all of the conventionally styled competition despite running a much, much smaller engine thanks to how it cuts through the air.

The company is planning to take this aerodynamic trickery to the highway and is developing a DeltaWing road car.

 The Nissan BladeGlider Concept (alos pix below).

The concept is yet to be officially unveiled but the company claims the results of an independent engineering analysis of the four-passenger car design show that it would be capable of getting almost 3.2l/100km from its 1.4-litre engine, theoretically making it the most efficient American-built petrol-powered road car in history.

There are a host of small diesel and gasoline engine European cars already on the market that can match or better  3.2l/100km without resorting to aerodynamic trickery.

However, DeltaWing's plan is to prove the design works and then enable the platform on which it's built to support different types of powertrain - traditional petrol, diesel, fuel cell or full electric.

The engine used for the engineering analysis is an off-the-shelf powertrain rather than something built specifically for the car or for efficiency.

"I'm very pleased to see how this objective testing validates and even exceeds our initial estimates," said Don Panoz, DeltaWing Technology Group chairman and CEO.

"This key milestone allows us to immediately move forward with our plans to build prototype two- and four-seat DeltaWing vehicles and begin real-world testing."

DeltaWing is by no means the only company studying the benefits of a narrow, lightweight front end for cutting drag and air resistance.

In 2013 at the Tokyo motor show, Nissan unveiled something called the BladeGlider, an unconventional three-seat electric sportscar which bears a striking likeness to the DeltaWing.

When it was first announced as a concept, the indication was that it would be a road-going production model within four years.

A year and a half after the Tokyo show, Nissan says that it is still discussing whether or not to go ahead and make the BladeGlider a reality.


Extend tax breaks for EVs, says MAA

                KUALA LUMPUR: Automotive players are hoping for an extension of tax breaks for electric vehicles (EVs) in the upcoming Budget 2023.

Malaysia Automotive Association (MAA) president Datuk Aishah Ahmad said the association is appreciative of the government’s effort to support the EV market but to end some the current incentives in 2023 is too early.

“We seek extension of full import and excise tax exemption for completely built-up units (CBU) EVs while the market is preparing for the growth of EVs in Malaysia.

“We hope there will be incentives for up to 10 years,” she told Bernama.

She said while efforts for locally assembled completely knocked-down EVs may be in progress, EVs sales figure from CBU units have started to climb this year as Budget 2022 incentives kicked in.

Only 274 units of new EVs were registered in 2021, from total industry volume (TIV) of 508,911 units.

Budget 2022 offered 100% exemption of import and excise duties as well as zero road tax for CBU EVs up to Dec 31, 2023, and 100% duty exemption for CKD EVs up to Dec 31, 2025.


Perodua gives away 100 child seats

                PETALING JAYA: Perodua distributed 100 GearUp child seats to motorists at three highway rest areas in Peninsular Malaysia, as part of its on-going five-year Road Safety Campaign which was launched last October.

The Toddler seats were gifted to lucky Perodua drivers travelling with children aged roughly between two and six, at Petronas stations at Rawang (PLUS), Bentong (Karak Highway) and Seremban (KL-Seremban Highway) rest areas.

“This is the first time Perodua is organising such an event in collaboration with our partner Petronas and our panel of insurers,” said Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd Managing Director Datuk Dr Zahari Husin.

“We took this special initiative because we care for the well-being of our customers and their families. We hope Malaysians will come to realise how important it is to keep children properly secured in child seats while on the move,” he added.

Introduced concurrently with the Road Safety Campaign in October, Perodua’s GearUp child seats are available in two models.

Both are ISOFIX compatible and satisfy ECE R44 safety standards.

The Infant seat, priced at RM622.50 (RM640 in East Malaysia), is suitable for infants weighing up to 13 kg, while the Toddler seat, priced at RM736 (RM754.50 in East Malaysia), is designed for children weighing 9-36 kg. All prices are introductory with 0% Goods and Services Tax (GST), valid until June 30.

“Over two million vehicles are expected to hit the roads this Raya. That’s a lot of vehicles, and naturally, there is a higher risk of collisions and accidents,” said Dr Zahari.

“Seat belts are designed to restrain adults and not children. Please secure your young ones in child seats, ideally in the back seat, and do not place them on your laps when the vehicle is in motion.

“Always buckle up in the front and in the back, use your turn signals and do not operate your mobile devices on the move. Above all, drive carefully and have a safe journey back to your hometown.”


Hyundai Ioniq is the 2016 Good Design winner

                PETALING JAYA: Hyundai Ioniq has won the 2016 Good Design awards, in recognition of successful application of its design philosophy.

The company received the design award for the Ioniq, two consecutive years in 2015 and this year, which is the first in the world to offer three distinct electrified powertrains on a single, dedicated vehicle platform – the Ioniq Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid and Electric.

The Ioniq will attract an entirely new group of eco-oriented buyers in the US market as the world’s first dedicated vehicle platform with three electrified eco-friendly powertrain choices.

Ioniq meets the needs of a large and growing group of buyers needing a highly efficient, low-emissions vehicle without compromise to their demand on aerodynamic design as well as vehicle performance.

The annual awards program has been developed by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design in recognition of the most innovative and cutting-edge industrial, product, and graphic designs from around the world.

The oldest and the most prestigious architecture and design awards program organized worldwide, the Good Design award brought together an international jury of design professionals, architects, experts and cultural leaders to select their favourite designs and graphics.

Among the thousands of world-leading industrial and graphic design firms and manufacturers being evaluated, Hyundai Motor stood out for its product, highlighting the competitiveness of the brand’s design strategy and output.


Ferrari Enzo designer Okuyama shows off kode57

SAN FRANCISCO: Japanʼs sole coach builder Ken Okuyama Cars has unveiled a 611hp coupe at Pebble Beach, California.

Sitting on a highly rigid aluminium chassis, the limited edition kode57 is propelled by one of the worldʼs most powerful V12 engines mounted directly behind the front axle in a front mid-ship configuration.

As part of its stand-out features, the kode57 comes with a rear-hinged scissor-type doors to give the car a sporty look. It has a driver-oriented cockpit with bespoke individual colour themes defining each seat. The handmade leather and suede interior combination exudes an air of elegance and style.

Electrically-adjustable seats, air-conditioning and an adjustable steering wheel add comfort and enable the driver to find his ideal driving position.

The 6.0-litre V12 engine and suspension settings can be tuned to suit the ownerʼs tastes thanks to a collaboration with German specialist Novitec Rosso. The Novitec tuning raises output from 611hp to 692hp and 609Nm to 639Nm. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed semi-automatic transmission.

The partnership with Novitec allows the front ride height to be adjusted by up to 45mm using a switch to assist during parking and other driving situations.

The name kode57 pays homage to the year 1957, a year in which many legendary cars were born and motor racing gained a strong worldwide following.

kode57 has classic proportions of long-nose-short-deck, Front air intakes, fins positioned behind each tyre and a large rear diffuser improves internal airflow and cooling, while wind resistance is minimised thanks to the integration of design techniques that reduce frontal projection surfaces.

Designed with aerodynamics in mind, the two-seater takes on a Formula car-like appearance through its bold “see-through” fenders and sleek silhouette.

 Okuyama with the kode57.

As part of its weight-saving efforts, the kode57 incorporates an aluminum space frame and carbon fibre body panels, believed to be derived from the Ferrari 599 GTB. With its low-cut windscreen and long side proportions, the roofless coupe achieves an open-air feeling.

The car rides on staggered wheels using Pirelli P-Zero tyres (295/25ZR21 in front and 335/25ZR22 in the rear).

The Japan-made car is available to order but founder Okuyama did not say how much it is priced or how many units would be made.

Other than creating sports cars, Okuyama is also involved in interior and furniture design as well as eyewear design. The Tokyo-based entrepreneur was responsible for the looks of the Ferrari Enzo, Maserati Quattoporte and Ferrari P4/5.


Obama to visit Detroit auto show

                WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama is planning to visit the Detroit auto show this month so he can personally see how the industry has recovered since he took office.

In his weekly radio and online address, Obama focused on how his policies helped the US car industry recover. In 2009, as the global financial crisis peaked, “the American auto industry was on the brink of collapse,” Obama said.

“Plants were closing. Hundreds of thousands of workers were getting laid off ... another one million Americans would have lost their jobs,” he said. In a controversial move taken early in his presidency, Obama bailed out two major US auto companies to the tune of US$80 billion. The plan was initiated under president George W. Bush, but Obama largely oversaw the bailout.

The money helped General Motors and the Chrysler Group, now Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Ford did not take any bailout funds.

“In exchange for help, we demanded responsibility,” Obama said. “We said the auto industry would have to truly change, not just pretend that it did.”

While critics derided the plan as a “road to socialism” or a “disaster“ waiting to happen, Obama said, “I’d make that bet again any day of the week. “Because today, the American auto industry is back. Since our plan went into effect, our automakers have added more than 640,000 new jobs. We’ve cut the Detroit-area unemployment rate by more than half. The Big Three automakers are raising wages.”

Auto sales hit a 27-year low in 2009, but last year “they hit an all-time high,” he said.

“Later this month, I’ll visit the Detroit Auto Show to see this progress first-hand. Because I believe that every American should be proud of what our most iconic industry has done.”

The White House said that Obama will visit the annual vehicle extravaganza on Jan 20.

In the address Obama, who is in his last year in office, crowed about economic growth and progress during his presidency, including “more than 14 million new jobs” as well as slashing the federal deficit and a major expansion of health care coverage.

“The point is,” Obama said, “America can do anything. Even in times of great challenge and change, our future is entirely up to us.”


Ford's ‘emoji jacket' improves cyclist safety

                DETROIT: As part of the brand's Share The Road campaign, an initiative designed to promote the safe travel of cyclists on the same streets aså≈ cars, Ford has revealed a jacket designed to signal cyclists' intentions.

This coat was created so that those on a bicycle can better communicate with drivers without having to remove their hands from the handlebars or dangerously turn their head away from traffic.

A screen-like digital display has been integrated into the back panel which can show one of six emojis to convey cyclists' plans of action and emotions - a smiley face, a frowny face, a straight face, left and right arrows, and a hazard signal - which can be selected via a wireless remote on the bike's handlebars.

The Emoji Jacket prototype is currently one-of-a-kind; it hasn't been designed to go into production, but rather to demonstrate "how tensions could be eased by enabling riders to more easily and more clearly show drivers what their intentions are - and how they are feeling."


Ministry meeting car makers to discuss concerns on B10 biodiesel

                KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities is meeting car manufacturers today to discuss the implementation of B10 biodiesel, said its minister Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong.

It was reported that various manufacturers - BMW Malaysia, Isuzu, Toyota and Volkswagen - had raised concerns in relation to the implementation of B10 biodiesel.

The implementation of B10 biodiesel (blending of 10 per cent palm methyl ester with 90 per cent petroleum diesel) in Malaysia was delayed until further notice due to inadequate data.

However, in a news report last month, the Malaysian Automotive Association claimed that the usage of biodiesel in grades higher than B7 may result in fatty-acid methyl ester mixing with the motor oil, causing the oil to thin and possibly leading to sludging in the engine.

Mah said the palm oil council has also carried numerous research and tests that showed B10 was safe to use in any vehicle. He said the implementation of B10 was also significant as it would help reduce the palm oil stockpile in the country, hence help increase the crude palm oil price. The current blending mandate is at seven per cent.


MINI shows off very loud and expensive special edition

                NEW YORK: MINI has brought out a new special edition for the American market based on the John Cooper Works Hardtop which stands out for three very good reasons — its colour, its price and its name.

Firstly, the paint the car is finished in is actually unique to this model, which may or may not be a good thing, depending on your personal opinion. Without skirting around the issue, it's orange. And it has to be said it's very, very orange indeed.

The head of MINI's product planning and aftersales department says the paint "is a bold colour historically used to make great feats of engineering and aerospace design stand out." You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to work out that the feat of engineering being referred to there is the San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge because the colour is called International Orange, which is the name of the paint used on the bridge.

How the Golden Gate Bridge relates to the MINI is anyone's guess, but there's no getting away from the fact it's a very striking colour for a car.

The colour also plays a large part in the second thing that's so noticeable about this special edition MINI, which is the length of its name. The car in question is called the 2019 MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop International Orange Edition, and that's quite a mouthful.

Something else that makes this car such a standout model is the amount of standard kit included, and that unfortunately means it doesn't come cheap. At a starting price of US$40,750 (RM165,000), this is a very pricy MINI. However, a quick glance at the list of standard equipment and features shows the price actually represents really good value.

Aesthetic features include black-accented graphics, door handles, fuel door and rear spoiler, and the mirror caps are carbon fiber. On the inside the MINI comes with heated seats, a premium Harmon Kardon sound system, a head-up display, satellite navigation, and a number of advanced driver aids. There's even a really cool-sounding John Cooper Works Pro Exhaust system that actually has a Bluetooth remote to open flaps which make it louder.

So, the 2019 MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop International Orange Edition may be a very loud and quite expensive little car, but it's also pretty good value and a lot of fun.


Designers reveal how they developed the Volkswagen T-Cross

WOLFSBURG: The countdown for the launch of the new T-Cross has begun. The world premiere of the most compact Volkswagen SUV ever will be celebrated in autumn.

The slogan "I am more" will accompany the launch in spring 2019. It stands for the four property fields "I am practical", "I am cool", "I am intuitive" and "I am safe".

With a trailer for "I am cool", Volkswagen is now showing how the T-Cross designers have surveyed the world again and developed a new, urban generation of the Sport Utility Vehicle.

The T-Cross has a deliberately charismatic and masculine design. The front end, with its bonnet and headlights integrated outside the wide radiator grille, is a dominant design feature.

At the side, a sharply cut character line divides the areas. It forms a powerful shoulder section and merges into a new design element.

At the rear: the horizontal reflector strip bordered by black trim.

Colour and trim example: two-colour dash pads link the fresh, sporty style of the interior and the 12 colours of the exterior. The new T-Cross will also be available in different bi-colour paintwork versions as an option when it is launched next year.


2017 Detroit auto show: all-new Honda Odyssey

DETROIT: Honda today took the wraps off a sleek, sophisticated and innovative new 2018 Odyssey MPV, launching at dealerships nationwide this spring.

Already the most popular MPVwith individual American car buyers for seven years running, the next-generation Odyssey brings a host of new features and technologies for 2018, including a uniquely versatile new Magic Slide second-row seat; new CabinWatch and CabinTalk technologies; new Display Audio touchscreen with Honda-developed OS; 4G LTE Wi-Fi connectivity; new Rear Entertainment System with streaming video; and Honda Sensing safety and driver-assistive technologies, now offered standard on EX and above trims.

“This new Odyssey raises the stakes for family-friendly packaging, performance and technology in the MPV segment,” said John Mendel, Executive Vice President of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “In all aspects of its design, the new Odyssey is made to keep every member of the family happy, no matter the seating position, no matter the destination.”

The Odyssey’s sophisticated and modern new styling adopts Honda’s signature flying wing front grille flanked by available LED front headlights.

The bold and sporty front fascia also conceals a new Active Shutter Grille for improved fuel efficiency when cruising. The Odyssey’s signature lightning bolt beltline now provides an even more elegant design element with the sliding door tracks hidden in the lower portion of the rear quarter windows.

At the rear there are LED taillights and an available new hands-free power tailgate with foot activation.

Inside, the new Odyssey features high-grade materials including a soft-touch instrument panel. The driver’s meter features a new 7-inch, full-color TFT display, and in the center of the dash there is an available 8-inch high-resolution Display Audio touchscreen interface (EX and above).

In upper grades, stain-resistant leather first- and second-row seating surfaces and door trim and black carpeting and black seatbelts are designed to conceal stains, while a new grooveless tambour lid on the spacious and versatile center console resists the accumulation of crumbs and debris.

In-vehicle connectivity is taken to a whole new “family connectivity” concept.  Old-fashioned family connectivity – sometimes called a conversation – is made easier than ever with the quietest cabin in the class, and is augmented with a multitude of new connected-vehicle features and technologies, including:

New Display Audio – featuring a new Honda-developed operating system, more intuitive menus and customizable app tiles, this 8-inch high-resolution (720P) touchscreen interface serves as the nerve center for a multitude of new audio and telematics options, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and adds a physical volume knob for improved usability.

System updates – users can download available updates to the Display Audio operating system and rear entertainment system at their convenience via 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, or USB.

CabinWatch – using a camera, CabinWatch lets the driver and front passenger keep tabs on passengers both day and night via the 8-inch Display Audio screen.

CabinTalk– enables the driver to talk to second - and third-row passengers though the second-and third-row speakers and rear entertainment system headphones.

Connected Rear Entertainment System – second- and third-row passengers can enjoy streaming video on the ceiling-mounted, 10.2-inch WSVGA Rear Entertainment System, including PBS Kids, iHeart Radio, Spotify and more, through the available in-vehicle 4G LTE Wi-Fi, public Wi-Fi or user’s cellphone data plan. A new “How Much Farther?” app lets passengers track the family’s trip progress.

CabinControl– using a downloadable app, users can use a smart phone to control the rear entertainment system, rear cabin heat and air conditioning, and send destinations to the embedded Honda navigation system.

Social Play List – part of CabinControl, Social Playlist operates like a virtual jukebox, allowing up to eight family members to upload their music choices to the audio system via their smartphones.

Cabin quietness is enabled by new features and technologies including triple door seals, available acoustic front and side glass, and increased use of sound deadening materials under the floor, in the engine compartment and under the fenders, along with standard Active Sound Control technology.

A major innovation to family-friendly cabin seating flexibility is the Odyssey’s new Magic Slide second-row seat, easily reconfigurable for optimal passenger comfort, people- and cargo-hauling flexibility, and easy access to third-row seating – even when one or two rear-facing child seats are placed in the second row.

All 2018 Odysseys in EX and above trims, expected to comprise about 95 percent of all Odyssey sales, will feature the Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies as standard equipment, including Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC).

Combined with the Odyssey’s next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure and advanced airbags, including new driver and front passenger knee airbags, the Odyssey targets the highest available safety ratings – an NCAP 5-star Overall Vehicle Score and an IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating.

Additional new standard and available features include LED headlights, heated and ventilated front seats, heated side mirrors and steering wheel, auto high-beam headlights, rain-sensing wipers, blind spot information (on all models with Honda Sensing), front and rear parking sensors, Rear Cross Traffic Monitor, Electric Parking Brake with Brake Hold, three-zone automatic climate control, wireless device charging, multi-zone audio, Sirius 2.0, Pandora compatibility, HD Radio, and HondaVac in-vehicle vacuum.

The 2018 Honda Odyssey will be powered by a 3.5-litre, direct-injected i-VTEC V-6 engine with Variable Cylinder Management (VCM).

Peak engine output is 280 SAE net horsepower (+32 HP) and benefits from the advanced capabilities of its two available new transmissions – a 9-speed automatic and, for upper grades an all-new, Honda-developed 10-speed automatic, the first of its kind in a MPV, providing more confident and refined performance.

These advanced new powertrains, together with a more rigid and lightweight body, new chassis technology, and Odyssey’s sleek and aerodynamic new design are expected to result in class-leading performance and top-in-class EPA fuel economy ratings.

Honda’s Intelligent Traction Management system adds normal and snow modes and combines with Agile Handling Assist and a more powerful braking system for improved all-weather traction and control.

An all-new body and chassis design underpins the new Odyssey’s incredibly quiet cabin and class-leading steering precision, handling prowess and ride comfort.

The Odyssey body utilizes advanced materials, including ultra-high-strength steel, aluminum and magnesium to simultaneously minimize weight and improve body rigidity.

New chassis features include a highly-responsive new Dual-Pinion Electric Power Steering (EPS) with .44 fewer turns lock-to-lock for increased response and easy maneuverability; and a compact new trailing arm rear suspension with stabilizer bar that not only enables improved handling and ride comfort, but also provides for the most spacious rear cargo area in the class.

The all-new 2018 Honda Odyssey was designed and developed by Honda R&D in North America. The Odyssey and its 3.5-liter i-VTEC V6 engine will be manufactured exclusively at the company’s Lincoln, Alabama plant using domestic and globally sourced parts.

The new 10-speed transmission will be produced at the company’s transmission plant in Tallapoosa, Georgia. The 2018 Odyssey is the second generation Odyssey to be designed and developed in North America and the fourth generation to be manufactured exclusively in North America.