National Auto Policy 2019 to be carried out in three phases until 2030

                KUALA LUMPUR: National Automotive Policy (NAP) 2019 to be launched soon, will be implemented in three phases till 2030 and it will also include efforts to make Malaysia a hybrid and energy-efficient vehicle (EEV) manufacturer, says Automotive, Robotic and IoT Institute (MARii) chief executive officer Datuk Madani Sahari.

He said the first phase, expected to run until 2023-2024, will ensure the continuity of NAP 2014 and other elements to prepare the country to become EEV producer.

"The first phase of NAP 2019 will emphasise on the improvement of policies to infuse with new technologies, including in terms of human capital and its competency,” he told Bernama.

On EEV, he said the first phase would focus on elements such as batteries production, management system, and the establishment of charging stations while the other two phases would focus on technological advancement, including 5G.

NAP 2019 will also see MARii shifts its EEV focus to the"next-generation vehicle” (NxGV).

EEV to be improved as the NxGV

Madani said among the differences between NxGV and EEV is it will provide "connectivity” that add value to the driving experience.

The NxGV which uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) will enable the creation of the new sector - "mobility as a service”.

The use of AI in the NxGV will push towards a safer, more efficient and high performance driving.

"Mobility as a service is a new sector, therefore, we cannot be left behind. Having said this, it requires a lot of programming, Big Data analytics, the Internet of Things and many others,” he added.

Mobility as a service can be referred to as a shift away from personally-owned modes of transportation and towards mobility solutions that are consumed as a service.

It is enabled by combining transportation services from public and private transportation providers through a unified gateway which creates and manages the trip and allowing users to pay for the service either via cash or online payment.

One of such services is e-hailing.

It was reported that the (full) definition of the NxGV in NAP 2019 would be made ready by early 2022 and the implementation would begin in 2025.

Madani said technologists had stated that automotive industry is the "mother of all industries” as it involves other sectors such as mechanical, electronic, engineering, chemistry and latest technologies.

"That’s why we understand why the Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahahtir Mohamad insists on having a new national car so that we can ensure that the automotive industry will be able to spin off all of these activities,” he added.

National car defined in NAP 2019

Dr Mahathir had last month said that the third national car should be capable of "hybridisation”.

"There is a need for the automobile industry to move away from petrol-based engines to hybrid and electric ones,” he said.

Thus, said Madani NAP 2019 would first define a national car, aims to make technology and engineering as a foundation to develop the country further.

"The definition will encompass six criteria, namely majority owners are Malaysian (majority equity holder), funding is from the public sector, and it uses 75 per cent of the local supply chain.

"It also has to use 98 per cent the local workers, firms involve (in the project) do their research and development in Malaysia and taking steps to follow NxGV as a service as well as the adaption of Industrial Revolution 4.0,” he said.

The criteria are applicable to current national car producers and a new national car that is under development.

Madani said the new national car would further boost businesses among local vendors.

"If we break apart each component in a car, there are more than 30,000 components and 80 per cent of it supplied by vendors. Thus with the new national car, we are not only adding value to our expertise in the field but also open new opportunities for the local firms.

"Besides that, the business plan for both national cars, Proton and Perodua, is to be marketed overseas, which is good for the country,” he said.

NAP 2014 achievement

Based on the achievement of the NAP 2014 that was launched on Jan 21, 2014, for five years until December 2018, Malaysia had recorded 62 per cent of the vehicles in the country had complied to EEV specifications while the export of components and spare parts rose sharply.

"If for 2014 we only recorded around RM4.6 billion, but up to last year our components export was valued at RM12.1 billion, an increase of more than 100 per cent.

"NAP 2014 had targeted the components export to reach RM10 billion and we had achieved that, and this year as at June, we recorded around RM7 billion, and we expect we can meet the target of RM13 billion,” he said.

NAP 2014 also saw Malaysia become a hub for overseas carmakers that have put the country in their business plans. Among them is Volvo that has made Malaysia as its hubs for manufacturing, purchasing, financial, spare parts and training.

The main key and strategy for NAP 2014 were as a prep for local automotive players in the government’s effort to liberalise the industry and it involves green technology, technology development, human capital development, market expansion and the improvement of the local automotive industry.


Fish may show cars how to drive together

                BEIJING: In the not so distant future autonomous vehicles may rule the road. Could the ability of fish to swim together provide insights for engineers to make automated driving safer?

"One thinks about autonomous cars in isolation. But what is also important is the information which is being shared between cars," said Trevor Worthington, Shanghai-based vice president for product development at Ford Asia Pacific.

"For example, I'm a car driver now on the road, I don't know whether it's a dog or a person (in front of me). But that other car has a much better view and knows it's a dog. So, if it was able to share information with me..." that could help avoid an accident, he said.

With China aiming to roll out within four years 5G super-fast mobile networks that will allow for quick communication between vehicles, the nation could be the test bed for the new technology.

Proponents say such communication between vehicles, and between them and road infrastructure, will not only cut the risk of collisions, but also make traffic more fluid with fewer tailbacks, thus making the travelling experience more comfortable and less polluting.

When a connected car brakes, it will be able to communicate data to the vehicle behind to enable the latter to do likewise, explained Guillaume Devauchelle, director of innovation at French automotive supplier Valeo, a leader in auto hi-tech.

"Things will be much safer," Devauchelle predicted.

He said connected autonomous vehicles will also allow for time to be saved when setting off again after lights turn green.

Currently, cars get back into gear one by one when the vehicle in front of them moves, creating a kind of accordion effect.

But connected cars will mean that "they can all set off again simultaneously, like train carriages," said Devauchelle.

Connected lorry convoys

In the United States, tests are being carried out on convoys of lorries wending their way at close quarters along a motorway, the leading vehicle guiding the others.

The benefits are threefold: fuel consumption is reduced owing to the other lorries being in the slipstream of the leading lorry, thereby also reducing pollution. Furthermore, fewer drivers are needed, freeing personnel up for different tasks.

Highway infrastructure could also rein in speed via direct electronic intervention of the kind which the "safe communication" channel that 5G offers will permit, said Devauchelle.

In 2009, studies by Japanese automaker Nissan into the development of anti-collision systems saw the firm look closely at how shoals of fish successfully weave around each other. The company then metaphorically took the fish out of the water to apply their movement to the auto world.

Guillaume Crunelle, head of automotive affairs with Deloitte, said he sees connected cars moving as does a column of ants.

"Inter-connectivity ... means setting off at the right moment, stopping at the right moment, taking the correct route relative to others," he said.

Valeo was also demonstrating a technology dubbed XtraVue which will make it possible to view exactly what the vehicle in front can see thanks to the transmission of a video feed, thus helping to render overtaking a safer manoeuvre.

The firms is also testing an "automatic valet" system which is to come on stream next year and has sparked interest among car rental firms.

The auto-valet allows you to leave your vehicle at the entrance to a parking lot, then parks it automatically once a space becomes available.

In the longer term, apps will be able to map free spaces anywhere in town by centralising information harvested from on-vehicle sensors and guide cars to the nearest spot.

In Paris, noted Devauchelle, "around 30 percent of a journey time is accounted for by looking for a parking space."


No more fines, MCO violators will be arrested and charged in court

                PETALING JAYA: Movement control order (MCO) violators will now be arrested instead of being issued a compound notice, says Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Ismail, who is Defence Minister, said that this was because a section of Malaysians were still not adhering to the MCO.

"The third phase of the MCO will begin on Wednesday (April 15). I believe the public wants the police to be stricter in enforcing it.

"We see that some do not seem to fear the rules we have now.

"Maybe RM1,000 is not high enough to scare potential MCO violators.

"So, from tomorrow, police will arrest those who violate the MCO and charge them in court instead of issuing compound notices.

"Let the courts decide (on the punishment)," he said, adding that under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, offenders who were found guilty can be jailed.

Ismail said this at a press conference after the National Security Council meeting in Putrajaya today.

According to him, 931 compound notices were issued to MCO violators on Monday.


Petron Malaysia expects to invest RM3.7bil

                KUALA LUMPUR: Petron Malaysia Refining and Marketing Bhd, the third largest fuel retailer in Malaysia, is expected to continue investing heavily – close to RM3.7bil (US$1bil) – in the next few years to expand its network and upgrade refinery in the highly competitive domestic market.

This follows the recent completion of its rebranding and upgrading programmes for its extensive retail network of over 550 service stations, formerly Esso and Mobil, which now carry Petron’s distinct red-and-blue colours, improved facilities, premium fuels and innovative services.

The US$1bil has been allocated for network expansion and upgrades to its 88,000-barrel-per-day Port Dickson refinery.

This year, Petron Malaysia is expected to launch more than 20 stations throughout the country.

“Barely three years since we entered the highly competitive Malaysian market, we mark a significant milestone with the completion of our re-imaging programme ahead of schedule. This lays the foundation for our further expansion in the Malaysian market,” Petron Malaysia chairman Ramon S. Ang said in a statement.

“We are entering an exciting phase since our rebranded stations serve as a venue to infuse the Petron experience which ensures customer delight and convenience. Our stations embody what the brand stands for – innovative products, excellent service, strong partnerships and caring for customers,” he said.

Petron Corp – the largest oil refining and marketing company in the Philippines – started its rebranding and upgrading programmes in April 2012 after the acquisition of ExxonMobil’s downstream business.


Toyota Prius 20th Anniversary Special Edition announced

                DALLAS: Twenty years ago, with the Y2K computer glitch reduced to the punchline of the year, technology in another corner took a mammoth leap as a small, unassuming sedan very quietly rolled into US Toyota dealerships: the 2001 Toyota Prius.

The world’s first production hybrid car, had arrived, and it would profoundly change the trajectory of automotive propulsion evolution.

Over the next two decades, Toyota would go on to sell more than 6 million Prius vehicles worldwide and more than 3.6 million total hybrid models (including Lexus) in the US Toyota Prius sales in the US reached 1.9 million through 2019, and the model name became synonymous with hybrid technology.

The original Prius went into production for the Japanese market in 1997.

All of that is worth commemorating. And so, Toyota is marking the special anniversary of the groundbreaking Prius, the foundational car of its global hybrid leadership, by offering the Prius 2020 Edition for model year 2021.

Toyota will offer 2,020 of these special models, based on the well-equipped XLE FWD grade. Available in a choice of Supersonic Red or the new Wind Chill Pearl, the 2020 Edition features striking black exterior trim and unique features, including a color-keyed rear spoiler.

The 2020 Edition model includes black inserts for the 17-inch alloy wheels, blackout headlight components and trim, B-pillars and mirror housings.

Unique to the Prius 2020 Edition are a “2020” insignia key glove/fob and floor mats, as well as black shift knob and interior A-pillar trim and smoked HVAC vents.

The Prius XLE grade on which the 2020 Edition model is based comes standard with 17-in. alloy wheels, Safety Connect; heated, SofTex-trimmed 8-way power driver’s seat; SofTex-trimmed heated tilt/telescopic steering wheel; 3-door Smart Key system with Push Button Start; remote illuminated entry, rear wiper, and Qi wireless phone charging tray that accommodates larger phones.

The standard Toyota Audio system includes a 7-in. touch-screen display; AM/FM CD player; 6 speakers; Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa compatibility; auxiliary audio jack, one USB 2.0 port with iPod connectivity and two 2.1-amp USB charge ports; advanced voice recognition; Bluetooth hands-free phone capability, phone book access and music streaming; Siri Eyes Free, and an integrated backup camera display.


Valentine's Day take: Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400 gives the most 'arousing' drive

                HONG KONG: According to Infiniti's research carried out in the run-up to Valentine's Day saw the Q50 Red Sport 400 sedan providing greater levels of mental excitement, focus and engagement when compared to a generic simulated driving experience.

In a collaboration with Emotiv – a bioinformatics company specialising in electroencephalogram (EEG) technology - the two companies gathered neural reaction data measured in real-time from 100 drivers while helming the 400hp 3.0-litre V6 sedan to measure their emotional responses.

It was then evaluated against the scientifically-validated Hebbian-Yerkes-Dodson behavioral performance model, to which Emotiv independently interpreted the brainwave activity to have mirrored the shape of the model's curve.

According to the model, participants in the test drive reached the optimal "excitement" zone during their actual drive with a mean of 0.582, compared to a mean of 0.507 with the simulator.

However, the EEG data from the Q50 drive showed a peak in mental "arousal" of around four times of that experienced by drivers on the simulator.

Conversely, brainwave activity captured during the time on the simulator showed that relative excitement levels remained flat throughout.

"A car is more than just a machine, and the best of them – the ones which drivers love the most – should provoke an emotional response," said said Infiniti executive design director Alfonso Albaisa who oversaw the design of the Q50 Red Sport 400.

"In an era when emotionless, autonomous appliances dominate the headlines, this test backs up a long-held belief of ours – that Infiniti cars invoke a true passion for driving," he added.


London considers new fee for all car journeys

                LONDON: Motorists in London may one day pay a new fee for all car journeys in the city.

When it was introduced in 2003, London’s congestion charge made history: The UK capital was the first major city after Singapore to introduce road pricing for vehicles entering the urban core.

Despite political pushback and predictions of dire economic consequences, the charge succeeded in tamping down London traffic, proving that vehicle fees could be an effective means of reducing congestion and pollution — and providing a model that other major cities still seek to emulate.

Eighteen years on, however, many are arguing that the charge in its current form is obsolete.

London’s mayor Sadiq Khan recently announced that the city is exploring scrapping the charge for motor vehicles driving in Central London, replacing it instead with a fee for all car journeys across the entire city.

Although the exact form that the congestion charge’s replacement will take has yet to be decided, it seems very likely that its days in its current form are numbered.

For many experts, the change is already overdue.

Some more comprehensive form of traffic control is badly needed if London is to have any chance of meeting the mayor’s goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

The city’s own research estimates that a 27% drop in kilometres driven will be needed to reach this goal. So far, measures introduced in addition to the congestion charge — notably the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) that charges more heavily polluting vehicles an additional 12.50 pound (about $17) daily fee to drive across an area that is larger than the congestion charge zone — have failed to curb pollution levels.

What’s more, the city is facing an urgent funding catastrophe related to the pandemic.

Because passenger numbers have still not recovered from almost two years of Covid-driven lockdowns and remote work habits, Transport for London (TfL), the city’s transit body, is running out of money, with its current bailout provisions ending Feb 4.

Stiffer limits on driving across all of London could help incentivise Londoners to get back on buses and trains, thereby easing the funding crisis.

An old tool for new problems

The push for an alternative doesn’t mean that the congestion charge was a failure: in the charge’s first 12 months, traffic on Central London’s streets during charging hours dropped 18%, and traffic delays fell by 30%; after some initial resistance, the charge gained the approval of most area businesses.

The problem is that conditions have changed since the early 2000s.

Private vehicle numbers may have fallen in Central London, but they have been replaced by a growth in private hire cabs and delivery vans, powered by the rise of ride-hailing apps and online shopping.

By 2016, Central London congestion had risen again to levels worse than before the charge’s introduction.

The zone’s geographical scope has also proved too narrow to power a dramatic shift away from cars — though again, it has had some successes.

London’s modal share for private transportation (mainly cars) fell by 11.8 percentage points between 2000 in 2019.

That’s a positive step, but it masks the fact that the overall number of journeys in private vehicles held steady between 2011 and 2019, at around 10 million journeys daily.

Instead, that change reflects an increase in the number of journeys on foot, bike or public transit as London’s population has grown.

That’s a good thing: London is not paying for population growth with more cars on the road. It nonetheless means that the number of vehicle producing heavy carbon emissions and other pollution has remained stubbornly stable.

London’s public transit dilemma

Getting more people to give up regular driving could also help to ease another looming crisis: how to maintain good public transit service in an era where ridership revenues may only slowly recover from their Covid-era slump.

In Q3 of 2021 (the last quarter with data available) train and bus trips accounted for just 25% of London’s total, a fall from 35.8% in 2019.

Not all of these journeys have transferred to private vehicles — walking and cycling trips have risen as well as ones by car — but it has left a hole in TfL’s finances.

The agency was already hit by the delayed opening of Crossrail, a new crosstown heavy rail service set to begin in June 2022 after three years of delay.

In November, mayor Khan warned that substantial subway and bus service cuts would be necessary without an infusion of new funding; the state stepped in to keep the network afloat, contributing 4 billion pounds ($5.4 billion) in extra subsidies as of December 2021.

This situation is hardly unique to London — transit agencies in Paris and Berlin also needed government bailouts after ridership falls.

The slump might nonetheless bite deeper in London due to the network’s lower subsidies — it gains 47% of its funding from ticket sales compared to 38% for Ile-de-France Mobilités, the Paris region’s public transit system.

With London’s mayor Khan the most high-profile elected official for Britain’s opposition Labour Party, the city cannot necessarily expect ongoing or enthusiastic help from the Conservative national government.

What might help, however, are new measures that discourage driving, urging people back onto public transit and helping to narrow the funding gap.

The road to a 'journey charge'

A citywide “journey charge” that levies a fee on motorists according to how much they drive could be a powerful lever for prying drivers out of their vehicles.

But the route to introducing such a charge in London is still undefined beyond an aspiration to do so between 2025 and 2030.

As a Jan 18 report from the city clarifies, it would take time to put in place the technology necessary to run such a pay-as-you-drive pricing scheme.

In the interim, therefore, the city may adopt other anti-congestion and pollution measures, such as extending the current Ultra Low Emissions Zone out to the city’s borders, so heavily polluting vehicles would have to pay to drive anywhere within the city.

Another option would be extending the scope of the ULEZ by requiring all but the lowest-emissions vehicles to pay this charge.

Drivers across the capital might be charged a low blanket daily fee for any driving — presumably with exceptions for people with disabilities and on low incomes. Another option: charge all non-London registered vehicles a fee to enter the city.

Exactly how the public will receive these plans remains to be seen.

A major shift towards road pricing might spark resentment, and the city could run into trouble if it failed to provide sufficient aid to help drivers on lower incomes to upgrade to clean vehicles.

When the ULEZ was first expanded beyond London’s centre in 2021, the 56 million pounds allocated by the city for grants to help people buy a cleaner vehicle ran out before all demand was met.

In the absence of concrete plans, the response to the suggestions from the mayor has so far been muted — possibly because the most contentious car-related issue in the city seems less to be how much driving costs as where driving is allowed.

The city’s Low Traffic Neighbourhoods — areas where car access is heavily restricted — remain widely disliked by drivers for their inconvenience and by some residents for displacing cars onto arterial roads.

Support for road pricing, by contrast seems to be growing, with a national study from October 2021 finding a plurality in favour of the measure if it replaced current road and fuel taxes, widely seen as unfair.

Meanwhile, as London prepares to replace its congestion charge, New York City is poised to belatedly introduce its own.

The message from the UK, however, is not necessarily that the policy doesn’t work.

It’s more that it’s just one tool in ongoing drive to reduce traffic and pollution — a tool that can ultimately outlive its usefulness.


You will be fine if lightning hits your car while you are inside

                PETALING JAYA: The scary reality is that your car can attract lightning, especially when you are driving through a thunderstorm in a flat, open space, such as padi fields or areas without trees or buildings nearby.

The good news is that being inside your car in such a scenario is safer than being outside of it - where you are exposed to the elements - as the car can offer you some measure of protection.

The metal shell of your car channels the 300 million-odd volt lightning bolt around the exterior of the car and into the ground, says the US Insurance Information Institute.

Hide in the car with the windows up during a thunderstorm and do not touch the outside or any metal parts of the car, advised Airborne Research Australia.

You will notice that in modern cars, no part of the interior that you can touch is made of metal and for good reason.

The seeming miracle of having millions of volts flow down harmlessly within centimetres of you while you are in the car is a phenomenon called the Faraday Cage, tested repeatedly by British scientist William Faraday between the 1700s and 1800s.

Using himself, he proved that while inside a metal cage, he was utterly safe no matter how the cage was blasted with electricity because the blasts could never get into the interior of the cage.

However, it's important to note that if your car is a convertible with the top down or has a plastic or non-metallic shell like some sports cars, it'll offer you no protection at all.

Also, the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warns that your car may not survive being struck by lightning.

The electronic components will likely fry and even catch fire.

Depending on where the bolt hits, the sheer heat of the bolt can make your windshield or window shatter.

One or more of your tyres will melt because although it looks like rubber to you, car tyres are actually thickly lined with steel belts inside and a few centimetres of rubber will not stop a lightning bolt from passing through to reach the ground.


Aston Martin mulls site for for new plant, says source

                LONDON: Luxury British carmaker Aston Martin, due to decide in the next few weeks where it will build a new plant, is choosing from four sites in Britain, the United States and the Middle East, said a source familiar with the firm's thinking.

The loss-making company is planning a major expansion program in a bid to return to profitability which will see volumes of its existing product lineup of sports cars boosted as well as a new crossover utility vehicle known as the DBX.

A source said on Tuesday that two British sites, one in the US state of Alabama and one in the Middle East were being considered by the board of the mainly Italian and Kuwaiti private equity-owned firm.

"The board is reviewing the options and will make a decision by the end of the year or the first few weeks of January," the source said.

Aston Martin declined to comment.

The firm said in October it had narrowed a list of 19 possible locations to six to build up to 5,000 DBX models. It is also planning to widen the niche range of Lagonda cars it builds.

The carmaker has an existing plant in Gaydon, central England, where it builds conventional sports cars.

Lawmaker Andrew Mitchell said late last month that a roughly 80-acre site in his central England constituency of Sutton Coldfield was in "pole position" to be picked by the automaker, if the right terms were agreed, creating up to 1,000 jobs.

"I think we have an excellent chance and it would be very, very welcome," he told Reuters.

When asked, the source said Sutton Coldfield "was presumed to be one of the UK sites."

Aston Martin, which has been loss making in each of the last four years, secured 100 million pounds (RM644mil) from its owners in 2015 with a further 100 million to be drawn over the next few months to help fund its expansion.

The firm has said that any financial support from the government and whether it decides to use a complete car platform from 5 percent shareholder Daimler to build the DBX were important factors in the final decision.

Famous for making the DB5 sports car driven by James Bond, the firm, which is not part of a wider automotive group, has struggled since sales nosedived following the 2007/8 financial crisis and due to a recall in 2014.

Last year the firm sold 3,661 models, down from a 2007 peak of nearly 7,300 cars, but is aiming to sell around 15,000 models by the turn of the decade thanks to the new and refreshed range.


Bugatti boss leads company from Strasbourg home

                MOLSHEIM (France): Bugatti has suspended production of its vehicles such as the Chiron and Divo in Molsheim. Nevertheless, a large number of employees are still working – from home.

Bugatti president Stephan Winkelmann is managing the French ultra luxury hyper sports automaker from his home in Strasbourg, France.

"Thanks to digital processes and communication channels, we are still able to work and keep on developing our extraordinary hyper sports cars,” explains Winkelmann.

His morning is typically spent with catching up on emails, a Skype meeting with Bugatti’s senior management team, and conference calls with various departments such as development, sales, design and marketing.

The afternoon is usually spent with more checking of emails, and phone conferences with Bugatti’s product committee, regarding the development of current and future products.

In the evening, Winkelmann, a fitness enthusiast, would sweat it out with a run.

"Since I currently cannot train at the gym or in the pool, I go running for an hour in the early evening and break up my run with a few exercises. This improves my endurance and health, I enjoy it and it gives me time to review the day without my smartphone or computer. This period of meditation also recharges my batteries.”


Proton reclaims second spot in car sales

                SUBANG JAYA: After 40 months, Proton has returned to second in total sales for Malaysia’s automotive market.

Proton’s overall market share for the year is now estimated to be 15%.

As of end-July, total sales now stand at 52,269 units compared to 35,561 for 2018, which equates to a 47% growth in overall year-on-year sales.

Fuelling Proton’s sales growth are models like the X70, Persona, Iriz and Saga.

The Proton X70 Premium and Executive variants continue to be the leader in their respective SUV segments with 17,023 units delivered for 2019.

The Proton Saga managed deliveries of 2,381 units in July for a year-to-date (as of end-July) total of 17,722 units.

Overall sales for the Saga are up by 14%, a remarkable achievement for a model due to be updated in August.

The updated Proton Persona was launched in April this year, and 2,720 units were delivered in July - making the model the best-selling vehicle in the B-segment sedan market, overtaking Japanese rivals that traditionally dominate the segment.

With 10,034 units delivered so far, Persona sales are up 3% year-on-year.

The updated Proton Iriz was also launched in April this year, and 974 units were delivered in July.

As of end-July, the Iriz has seen deliveries of 3,035 units.

“While the Proton X70 continues its trajectory, Proton’s other models are the staple of our performance. The Proton Persona is now the sales leader in a segment that is ruled by Japanese products while the Proton Saga is still a popular choice amongst first time car buyers looking for a safe, reliable and economical vehicle. Even the Proton Iriz has seen a surge in demand, with sales growing by over 50%,” said Dr Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton.


Toyota launches 'JPN Taxi'

                TOYOTA CITY: Toyota launched a new taxi vehicle, the "JPN Taxi." The new model became available today at Toyota and Toyopet dealers nationwide.

The JPN Taxi is designed to cater to passengers from all walks of life including children, seniors, wheelchair users, and visitors to Japan from abroad especially during the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The front-wheel drive taxi is available in Premium and Standard grades, priced at 3,499,200 yen (RM131,000) and 3,277,800 yen (RM123,000) respectively.

Toyota aims to change Japan's landscape, develop barrier-free cities, and transform Japan into a tourist-oriented country by promoting the widespread use of its JPN Taxis.

The taxi showcases a people-friendly, universal design that provides usability and comfort to a wide range of people, from grab handles to the overall vehicle structure. Design features include a low, flat floor, making it easy for customers to enter and exit from the taxi, a wide-opening, power rear sliding door (left side only, right side is swing-out type) and space to accommodate wheelchair users.

In addition, the taxi is designed to complement the cityscape while at the same time being easily recognisable as a taxi. This is achieved in part due to the car's styling, which aims to transcend trends and serve as a timeless classic model, as well as the body's deep indigo (koiai) tone, a traditional colour that has long been a symbol of Japan.

Furthermore, this model offers the driver an optimal range of vision, in part through innovations to the position and shape of the pillars and the use of fender mirrors. As a design priority for this taxi model, functionality was improved by positioning the dashboard instruments and other devices in the taxi to allow easy access, including the placement of the GPS system and taxi meter in a spot that is easy for customers to see.

By employing a newly developed liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) hybrid system with a 1.5-litre engine, the new model offers 19.4km/L fuel economy and helps reduced CO2 emissions. Enhancements were made to safety equipment, including the addition of the Toyota Safety Sense C package and six airbags as standard features.

As the taxi is based on the Sienta, it is not as spacious as the London Taxi. Its chief engineer, Hiroshi Kayukawa, was also responsible for the Sienta's development, and was in fact in Malaysia for the Sienta launch in August last year.

Toyota began its venture into the taxi industry in Japan in 1936 with the introduction of the Toyota Model AA. In 1953, Toyota released the Toyopet Super RH model and other vehicles, which have become fixtures helping transport many people over the years.

The JPN Taxi will be on display at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show, which starts this week.


Grab to stay focused on South-East Asian markets

                SINGAPORE: Singapore’s tech unicorn Grab will remain focused on South-East Asian markets even after it goes public in the United States, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) quoted the co-founder and chief executive officer Anthony Tan as saying to Asia Nikkei Review.

Noting that investors describe South-East Asia’s most valuable unlisted company as a combination of tech names like Uber Technologies and Ant Financial, Tan stressed Grab will scale up its existing core businesses such as food delivery and digital finance.

On April 13, Grab announced that it would go public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).

Tan added the company will use the capital “to build the lowest cost and the most efficient delivery network” by investing in maps and other technology as well as “to revolutionise mobile payments, financial services and digital banking”.

Through the SPAC, Grab will merge with Nasdaq-listed Altimeter Growth Corp, which was set up under the US-based Altimeter Capital, in coming months. The listing is expected to value Grab at US$39.6bil (RM163.52bil) and will provide as much as US$4.5bil (RM18.58bil) for the company.

Grab’s main competitor Sea, Singapore-headquartered and New York-listed online gaming and e-commerce giant, is already beginning to expand into Latin American markets such as Brazil. This led to speculation that Grab may also expand out of the region.

Tan said that South-East Asia has nearly double the population of the US, with 670 million people, and its adoption of online services, from mobility to delivery to e-payment, is still low.


Renault sets up recycling unit with US$2.2bil revenue target

                PARIS: Renault SA is joining a growing field of carmakers with a push to boost recycling of used car parts and materials in a bid to meet tightening regulation and reduce reliance on increasingly scarce commodities.

The French automaker is setting up a separate entity, dubbed Future of Neutral that’s targeting sales of more than €2.3 billion and an operating margin exceeding 10% by 2030, Renault said Thursday.

Renault is also seeking external investors to co-finance spending plans of around €500 million.

"Faced with the climate challenge, new regulatory requirements and increasing pressure on resources” the unit’s mission is to offer closed-loop recycling solutions to the industry, chief executive officer Luca de Meo said in a statement.

"Our ambition is to bring recycling into a new era and become the European leader in the automotive circular economy.”

Carmakers are under pressure to make better use of existing resources as they navigate supply-chain constraints, sky-rocketing energy prices and geopolitical tensions that are starting to limit access to raw-material supplies, such as from Russia.

The industry’s transition to EVs, with vast requirement of cobalt, lithium and nickel to make batteries, is fueling concerns about price spikes as demand surges.

Renault rival Stellantis NV, the maker of Jeep SUVs and Peugeot cars, outlined its own recycling plans earlier this week with a revenue target of €2 billion annually by 2030.

Under Renault’s plans, a number of existing assets such as the Gaia unit, which repairs batteries, and the Flins factory that retrofits vehicles, will be folded into the new entity.


Nio ES6 electric SUV to debut in China this year, to go international in 2020

                SHANGHAI: Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio has announced the release of its second model, the ES6 SUV, set for launch in China in summer 2019.

Coming after the release of Nio's other off-road vehicle, the ES8, the Shanghai-based car maker aims to bring its latest model to international markets by 2020.

In contrast to the ES8, the 4.90 metre long ES6 offers five instead of seven seats, while still making use of its predecessor's futuristic cockpit.

The car has a free-standing touchscreen in the centre console and a digital assistant for voice control.

The ES6 is powered by two engines with a maximum power of 320kW/435hp and acceleration from 0 to 100kph in 4.7 seconds. Nio has not yet confirmed a top speed.

For the batteries, the ES6 offers two options: 70 and 84kWh versions that provide driving ranges of either 410 or 510km. When power is depleted, you do not necessarily have to wait at a charging station, with Nio using an exchangeable battery system.

Empty batteries can be swapped out for fully charged ones at special stations along Chinese highways in under 10 minutes.


Rolls-Royce Spectre spotted out testing

                LONDON: Rolls-Royce is currently testing its electric coupe called Spectre, and it should be unveiled in late 2023.

The Spectre is built on the Architecture of Luxury platform that underpins the new Ghost and Phantom.

It is believed to use the electric drivetrain of the BMW iX M60 that comes with two electric motors producing up to 610hp and 1,100Nm of torque.

The iX M60 has a 111.5kWh battery pack with an EPA-estimated range of 450km.

Unlike most cars under testing, Rolls-Royce is not shy to declare the name of the electric coupe on the latest camouflaged wrap.

The images you see here are of the Spectre in the old wrap. The new one has the name "Spectre" on the side of the car in the area highlighted.

Rolls-Royce had announced the name of its first electric coupe in September last year.

Viewed sideways, it looks like the Wraith but the Spectre's bonnet has a more distinct slope and the roofline has a more pronounced arc at the rear.

The electric coupe will also have split headlights and vertical slats in the grille that look like they can open or close like in BMW models.

So far, the spy shots of Spectre are only of the exterior of the car. The interior will certainly be as posh as Rolls-Royce can make it with tech features that will either be a world first or competitive with what's available in the market.


Mercedes E-Class range refreshed, prices start from RM330K

                PETALING JAYA: The Mercedes-Benz E-Class was due for a refresh and the local distributor obliged today with a trio of the latest model variants.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia rolled out the new E-Class with updates in looks, performance and safety features.

The E 350 AMG Line is going for RM399,888 (OTR with SST, without insurance). while prices for the other two are estimated for now. The E 300 Exclusive Line is expected to be priced at RM379,888 while the E 200 Sportstyle Avantgarde would be RM329,888.

Note that the E 350 is now a mild hybrid with a new 2.0-litre twin-scroll turbo in-line 4 mill working in tandem with a belt-driven starter generator. The E 300 and E 200 also use the same engine — albeit in lower states of tune — but omit the starter generator, which forms the EQ Boost 48V mild hybrid system. All use a nine-speed torque converter automatic transmission.

As a mild hybrid, the E 350’s starter generator gives a helping hand with a transient boost of 14hp and 150Nm at low revs up to 2,500rpm. The car is motivated by an engine that offers up a punchy 299hp and 400Nm of twist, enabling it to sprint from 0-100kph in a spritely 5.9s. The E 350 transmission comes with paddle shifters.

In contrast, the E 200 cranks out 197hp/320Nm with 0-100kph achieved 7.5s; the E 300 makes 258hp/370Nm with 0-100kph taking 6.2s. With a 250kph top speed, the E 300 also has a higher top speed than the E 200

The current E-Class range has Mercedes’ signature widescreen cockpit.

Agility Control suspension and Dynamic Select are standard on the E 200 and E 300. New in the E 200 and the E 300 is the Blind Spot Assist and the Lane Tracking Package respectively.

Only the E 350 was displayed at today's launch. All three variants are locally assembled.

 The E 350 is now a mild hybrid with a 2-litre engine paired with a starter generator.E 350 AMG Line

The new E 350 with AMG line is distinguished by its brawny AMG bodystyling that enhances its sportiness and sophistication.

New in the car is the Driving Assistance Package, a safety package of several safety technologies, which help to avoid collision while enhancing the car’s standard safety features.

The car is also equipped with the DYNAMIC BODY CONTROL suspension with adjustable damping between maximum agility or high damping comfort suited to the route profile and personal driving style.

E 300 Exclusive Line

The E 300 replaces the previous E 250 Exclusive Line.

It has an elegant look emphasising status with the classic Mercedes radiator grille, and the iconic star on the bonnet, unlike the E 200 SPORTSTYLE Avantgarde and E 350 AMG Line.

The E 300 Exclusive is complemented by the Lane Tracking package which includes the Blind Spot Assist and Lane Keeping Assist to ensure the driver does not drift into other traffic.

It’s kitted up with COMAND Online with touchpad controller, Nappa leather upholstery, glossy brown wood trim, panoramic sunroof, powered tailgate, a 360-degree camera, a Burmester sound system, and Multibeam LED headlamps with Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus, with lining in Artico leather, brown high gloss glossy brown wood trim and high gloss brown ash trim for the centre console.

While it wears 19-inch wheels as the E 350, the latter is comes with AMG 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels as opposed to the E 300’s 10-spoke alloys.

E 200 Sportstyle Avantgarde

While de-specced compared to the other two variants, the E 200 still manages to reflect class and luxury.

The E 200 is decked out with the AVANTGARDE exterior with additional chrome trim and 18-inch 5-spoke light-alloy wheels.

Together with the standard exterior and interior specifications, the SPORTSTYLE package comprises a chrome louvre below the front bumper, a badge on the front wing, a chrome trim element in the rear bumper in high-gloss black, as well as visible tailpipe embellishers, on the outside.

On the inside, the SPORTSTYLE package consists of the headliner in black fabric, centre console in light carbon grain aluminium trim, sport pedals in brushed stainless steel with black rubber stuffs and the SPORTSTYLE package floor mats.

As stated earlier, the Blind Spot Assist is new in the variant as part of the safety and assistance package.

Included for the E 200 are LED High Performance headlamps with Adaptive Highbeam Assist, reverse camera, multifunction sports steering wheel in Nappa leather, powered front seats, climate control, ambient lighting, wireless charging and Audio 20 infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support

> Refer to the full specifications (pdf format) on the three cars at the bottom of this page.E 350 photo belowSPECIFICATIONSSmartphone-friendly version Desktop version belowMercedes-Benz-E-Class-Range-Specifications.pdf


Volvo Cars goes for blockchain tech to avoid unethical cobalt

                STOCKHOLM: Volvo Cars will use blockchain technology to trace the origin of cobalt used in its batteries in an effort to avoid supplies produced by children and under unethical conditions.

The commodity, an important ingredient in lithium-ion batteries, is mainly extracted in Congo, which last year produced more than two-thirds of the world’s cobalt.

While the mineral is mainly taken out of the ground by large industrial mines, about 17% is dug by hand by thousands of miners operating in the south-eastern Katanga region before being sold on to intermediaries, according to trading house Darton Commodities.

 Volvo full car range.

At that point, it’s difficult to distinguish from ethically mined cobalt.

"We have always been committed to an ethical supply chain for our raw materials,” said Martina Buchhauser, head of procurement at Volvo.

"With blockchain technology we can take the next step towards ensuring full traceability of our supply chain and minimising any related risks, in close collaboration with our suppliers.”

The Swedish carmaker, owned by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, last month launched its first fully electric car, the XC40 Recharge.

It has promised to roll out a new battery-electric model every year until 2025, joining other carmakers that are pushing the technology to meet customer demand and keep up with tightening emission regulations. Volvo buys batteries from China’s CATL and LG Chem of South Korea, and has signed a deal with the suppliers to start tracing cobalt this year.

 The XC40 Recharge battery package

The blockchain technology stores transaction data that can’t be changed, and it is increasingly used to provide provenance for commodities, including tungsten and diamonds, whose extraction has been linked to human-rights violations and dangerous working conditions.

The initiative is the latest by an auto industry that is being forced to grapple with new ethical challenges amid a massive shift away from fossil fuels.

BMW AG said earlier this year it will buy cobalt directly from mines in Australia and Morocco to ensure the metal for its next generation of electric vehicles is sourced responsibly.

The agreements between Volvo, CATL and LG Chem cover the supply of batteries over the coming decade for Volvo models as well as electric cars made by its 50%-owned Polestar brand, the company said.

Circulor and Oracle Corp. will operate the blockchain technology across CATL’s supply chain, and Volvo has joined a Ford Motor Co.-backed initiative with RCS Global and International Business Machines Corp. to monitor LG Chem’s cobalt supply.

 Buchhauser says blockchain enables full traceability of the supply chain.


Volvo reduces emissions by using trains to transport cars

                LONDON: Volvo Cars is significantly cutting CO2 emissions in its logistics operations by switching transports between its plants and new car depots from trucks to trains.

Especially in Europe, where trucks are still commonplace in transporting new cars to distribution depots and retailers in individual markets, the company is in the process of reducing emissions by replacing more and more transports by trucks with rail transport.

For example, by choosing rail transport, Volvo Cars reduced CO2 emissions by almost 75% on the route between its Ghent, Belgium-based manufacturing plant and a purpose-built depot in northern Italy. On another route, from Ghent to a second depot in Austria, emissions were cut by almost half since switching to rail transports.

Both initiatives form part of the climate action plan that Volvo Cars has revealed this year. Under the plan, the company aims to reduce its lifecycle carbon footprint per car by 40% between 2018 and 2025, which will require a 25% reduction in operational emissions, including logistics. The 2025 plan is one tangible step towards Volvo Cars’ ambition of becoming a climate-neutral company by 2040.

“When we said we planned to significantly reduce emissions across all our operations, we meant it,” said Javier Varela, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing and Logistics at Volvo Cars. “Our logistics network is just one piece of that puzzle, but an important one nevertheless. This is one example of our commitment to reducing our impact on the environment through meaningful, concrete steps.”

Volvo Cars is also looking to use rail transport at a wider scale in China and the United States. Already now, cars are transported from its China-based plants to the Ghent port in Belgium by train two times a week. Other train connections deliver new Volvo cars to regional depots within China and in Russia.

In the US, the company’s Charleston, South Carolina-based plant has tapped into a well-established rail cargo network taking new cars to depots in cities across North America. Already now, these trains replace the equivalent of dozens of trucks per week, a number likely to increase once the next-generation XC90 goes into production.


Auto start-stop engines will damage car batteries. Yes or no?

                BERLIN: Cars with start-stop transmissions are outfitted with technology that makes the engine switch off automatically when the wheels are stationary, such as at a red light. The vehicle then starts up again immediately when the driver steps on the clutch, explains TÜV, Germany's leading technical inspection association.

The vehicle's components, including the batteries, are specifically designed for this technology, which is fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly. The batteries are specially made to handle the required higher load well, without sustaining damage.

These special batteries are more durable than conventional batteries, but they should be replaced only by a specialist. That's because in vehicles with an automatic start-stop system, for example, a new battery must be programmed into the electronic control unit so that all the car’s electrical components continue to work properly.


NW Motors announces ‘Return of the Legends’ campaign

                PETALING JAYA: NW Motors (Naza Motor Trading Sdn Bhd), Malaysia's largest and most prominent importer of luxury and high end vehicles, announced the ‘Return of the Legends’ campaign offering a wide range of new arrivals by premium luxury car brands available at Naza Automall.

“The entire Naza Group’s legacy is all rooted to this company which started its operations at a single shoplot in Taman Maluri, Cheras. It has grown to become the nation’s largest and most prominent importer of luxury and high end vehicles,” said Naza World Group of Companies Group Executive Chairman, Datuk Wira SM Faisal Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin.

The ‘Return of the Legends’ campaign, which will take place at Naza Automall this Saturday, Dec 9, 2017 from 10am to 6pm, boasts the best MPV deals, best vehicle condition in town, a variety of stocks and free gifts.

Great deals await on a wide range of Toyota Vellfire, Alphard, Estima, Wish and Honda Odyssey, Stream and many more models.

“This campaign aims to serve our customers better by offering a wide range of latest arrivals from premium luxury brands to suit every taste and, as always, our selection is of the highest quality, all imported from the best and trusted suppliers in Japan”, said Faisal.


Honda Malaysia adds Passion Red Pearl for Jazz, City and CR-V

                PETALING JAYA: Honda Malaysia has announced that three of its locally assembled (Completely Knocked Down) models can be had in Passion Red Pearl.

Namely the Jazz (non-hybrid variants only), City (July) and CR-V will be available for the new colour which replaces Carnival Red for Jazz, Dark Ruby Red for the City and Obsidian Blue Pearl for the CR-V.

According to the company, 30% of new HR-V compact sport utility vehicles were sold with the new colour since introducing the model was re-introduced in January.

“With the new colour introduction, the Jazz will exude a young personality feel while the City with a vibrant outlook and the CR-V appears more stylish," said Honda Malaysia managing director and chief executive officer Toichi Ishiyama.

"We believe all three popular models will look well-suited with vibrant colour for the versatile lifestyles of their owners," he added.

In terms of sales performance, Jazz, City and CR-V have managed to contribute 62% of total sales for the company between January and April.

The City recorded the highest contribution with 34% of the overall sales while the Jazz was recorded at 12% and the CR-V at 15% of total sales.

The company also announced that it has sold more than 28,000 units between January and April to record a 15% market share to maintain the top spot in the Non-National segment and second overall in terms of  Total Industry Volume (TIV).

The fourth-generation City - powered by a 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine that is mated to a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is so far the company's best-selling model.

As of March, the company also claims that it is the market leader within the B-segment category with its ‘Man Maximum, Machine Minimum’ interior concept design.

This helps to maximize interior space and improve practicality with a 536-litre boot - the largest in its class.

Additionally, the range-topping City V comes with six airbags, anti-lock braking system, brake assist, vehicle stability assist, hill start assist and emergency stop signal.


Evergrande electric vehicle unit to start taking pre-orders

                HONG KONG: China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group Ltd said today it would start taking pre-orders for its first model, a key milestone for the unit of embattled property developer China Evergrande group.

The start of pre-orders for the sport-utility vehicle comes after Evergrande chairman Hui Ka Yan vowed within 10 years to shift the group's primary business from real estate to the automobile venture, which has itself struggled for capital.

The all-electric model is the Hengchi 5. Pre-orders, which are not binding, will begin on Wednesday.

Mass production of the Hengchi 5 has been delayed to the third quarter from June, according to company executives' recent statements. Evergrande has been reeling under more than US$300 billion worth of liabilities.

Evergrande New Energy Vehicle says it aims at making 1 million vehicles a year by 2025.

Evergrande is working on a debt restructuring plan. Its electric vehicle arm has struggled to secure external investment and has negotiated with potential buyers for some of its assets.

Shares of the unit have been suspended from trading since April, pending publication of audited annual results for the 2021 financial year.


KTM 1290 Super Duke GT launched

                KUALA LUMPUR: KTM looks set to rewrite the expectations of the Sports Touring motorcycle class with the launch of the new 1290 Super Duke GT priced at RM125,080 (basic price with GST).

The GT is based on the KTM 1290 Super Duke R supernaked and KTM claims it is one of the fastest V-twin-powered sport touring machines in the market.

At the heart of it lies the LC8 1,301cc DOHC 75-degree V-twin engine which is managed by a six-speed transmission with a quickshifter and chain final drive setup. The GT outputs 173hp @ 9,500rpm and peak torque of 144Nm @ 6,750rpm.

The KTM 1290 Super Duke GT is also sport a pair of Brembo 320mm floating disc brakes in the front with quad-piston calipers. The rear gets a 240mm single disc paired with dual-piston calipers.

The new touring bike features LED Cornering Lights and self-cancelling turn signals, a multi-mode traction control along with Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC), multi-mode combined anti-lock braking system (ABS) and three riding modes: Sport, Street and Rain.

You also have the choice of adding options such as hill hold control (HHC) and engine drag torque control systems (MSR).


DIME Racing GT special edition Mercedes going fast

                LOS ANGELES: The American racing, research and automotive development company's latest turnkey car promises nearly twice as much horsepower as a standard Mercedes-AMG GT and 10 times the exclusivity of even the upcoming range-topping 319kph GT R model.

The DIME Racing Edition AMG GT promises an output of 745hp, that's 283hp up on the standard GT's 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 and 168 more than even the 2017 GT-R will be able to deliver.

What's more, the GT-R will be limited to 2,000, which will make it comparatively common compared with the DIME. Just 100 are planned over the next 12 months, and each will have a special VIN number for future collectability.

The final touch will be a complementary Stefan Johansson Växjö watch (the Swiss watch company founded by the renowned Swedish racing driver) complete with a serial number matching that of the finished car.

Unlike a number of companies in the hot-rodding and customisation community, Huntington Beach, California-based DIME's upgrades and improvements aren't simply exercises in carbon-fibre excess or taking a screwdriver to a car's supercharger or turbos and plugging a PC into its on-board computer.

Instead, any adjustments or improvements it offers customers for their road cars or individual race cars were honed on the track - particularly in the GT3 class, where DIME competes with cars developed in-house based on AMG-powered Mercedes.

So, when the company announces it can do something special to the already special Mercedes-AMG GT, it should generate a ripple of excitement among those that know. It's also why, as well as boosting horsepower and engine breathing, each car will get a completely revised suspension set-up, a new cooling package, unique wheels and reworked aerodynamics, the most prominent of which is a huge, adjustable GT3 class rear spoiler.

Best of all, all of the refinements will not alter the car's classification. It will still be a road-legal ride.

Prices for the DIME Racing Edition AMG GT will start at US$150,000 (RM630,000) plus the cost of a donor Mercedes-AMG GT, but for that outlay, each car will come with what the company describes as a "bumper-to-bumper" warranty.

NOTE: DIME Racing hasn't got a video of their masterpiece, so here's the next best thing - the original GT R video below.


All-new Mazda CX-30 open for booking

                PETALING JAYA: The new Mazda CX-30  is officially open for booking.

The fully imported model from Japan is available in three variants: CX-30 2.0L at RM143,119.20; CX-30 2.0L High at RM164,119.20 and  CX-30 1.8L Diesel High at RM173,027.70. All prices are on-the-road without insurance.

The CX-30 is a new compact crossover SUV that combines the bold proportions of an SUV with elegant styling that embodies Mazda’s Kodo design language. The CX-30 sits between the CX-3 and CX-5 on the sizing scale.

Its cabin comfortably seats four adults and was designed to be easy to drive. The increased height over a passenger car provides excellent visibility and makes getting in and out a breeze while the body size makes it easy to manoeuvre.

There are up to eight colours to choose from: Soul Red Crystal, Machine Gray, Titanium Flash, Jet Black, Deep Crystal Blue, Sonic Silver, Snowflake White Pearl and Polymetal Gray Metallic.

You may be wondering why the CX-30 is not named CX-4 instead. This is because the CX-4 was introduced in 2016 as a China-only model.

The CX-30 is smaller than the CX-4 and arrived only this year. In short, the CX-4 and CX-30 are two different crossovers. Mazda decided to name the CX-30 as such to avoid confusion with the CX-4.

All new Mazda vehicles registered from Jan 1, 2019 onwards will be entitled to a five-year warranty with five-year free maintenance (except BT-50 pick-up truck) according to manufacturer’s standards and includes labour, parts and lubricants.

The warranty and free maintenance have a coverage period of five years and a mileage limit of 100,000km, whichever comes first.


At 100, BMW sees radical new future in world of driverless cars

                GENEVA: After a century building what it calls the "ultimate driving machine", BMW is preparing for a world in which its customers will be mere passengers, and the cars will do the driving themselves.

Days before BMW's 100th birthday, its board member for research and development described plans for a completely overhauled company, where half the R&D staff will be computer programmers, competing with the likes of Google parent Alphabet to build the brains for self-driving cars.

"For me it is a core competence to have the most intelligent car," Klaus Froehlich told Reuters in an interview at the Geneva auto show.

As a high tech world opens new business opportunities, BMW sees its competitors as including firms like internet taxi service Uber and sales website Truecar, which Froehlich described as "new intermediaries".

"Our task is to preserve our business model without surrendering it to an internet player. Otherwise we will end up as the Foxconn for a company like Apple, delivering only the metal bodies for them," Froehlich said.

BMW will have to ramp up quickly, striking deals with a new network of suppliers, many from outside the traditional automotive industry.

"We have some catching up to do in the area of machine learning and artificial intelligence," Froehlich said.

Today, software engineers make up just 20 percent of the 30,000 employees, contractors and supplier staff that work on research and development for BMW.

(Watch live stream below of BMW's event 'The Next 100 Years' on March 7, 10pm Malaysian time)

"If I need to get to a ratio of 50:50 within five years, I need to get manpower equivalent to another 15,000 to 20,000 people from partnerships with suppliers and elsewhere," Froehlich said, adding that German schools are not producing enough tech engineers for BMW to hire them all in house.

As software becomes as important as hardware, another cultural shift could see BMW free up resources by licensing out technology produced by its own engineers, such as drivetrains for electric and hybrid vehicles.
"Going forward we will sell electric drivetrains," Froehlich said. "We see many smaller manufacturers who cannot afford to develop a plug-in hybrid."

Germany's premium auto makers are at the centre of the country's global reputation for meticulous engineering. Chancellor Angela Merkel will attend BMW's birthday bash at its Munich headquarters on Monday.

But with the expected shift in focus from a car's body to its brains, the risk is that the expertise will accumulate in silicon valley or in China, rather than Germany's carmaking regions of Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemburg.

"In the auto industry the battle will be not for horsepower but bragging rights will be 'my car is more autonomous than your car'," said Manuela Papadopol, director, global marketing automotive for Elektrobit, a software company now owned by Continental.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen's Audi  are each making an effort to build a hub for automotive software and services. They clubbed together to buy digital map maker HERE from Nokia last year to create a neutral platform where smart cars can share data on road and traffic conditions.

BMW's own recent hiring included a 200-strong digital innovation team in Chicago, most of whom had worked for Nokia, the Finnish mobile phone pioneer.

Among the areas Froehlich identified where BMW will still need partners is in cloud computing, the technology of storing data and software remotely and accessing it over the internet.

Data gathered from a car's onboard sensors will be combined with remote information, for example about weather and traffic, using next generation mobile networks, also known as 5G.

The ultimate aim would be to build as much expertise in-house as possible, although there could be mutual benefits from working with new outside suppliers.

"The thinking here is: they too have weaknesses and there may be some win win situations," Froehlich said of potential new suppliers. "Nonetheless I need to build our own in-house competence in the next 5 to 6 years."


BMW Malaysia gets new partners for Child Safety Seat subsidy programme

                KUALA LUMPUR: BMW Malaysia, Safe ‘n Sound and Childline Foundation today announced the second phase of the child safety seat subsidy programme for parents in the B40 income group.

The programme will be supported by Shopee as its exclusive E-Commerce Partner alongside baby and children goods brands - KU.KU Duckbill and Otomo, educational toys and games distributor - Mideer, food storage sealing solutions provider - Ankou, and car performance parts and accessories provider–Kakimotor.

As part of the BMW Safety 360 degree initiative, the subsidy programme was first introduced in December 2019 with Safe ‘n Sound and Childline Foundation where 150 units of infant carrier car seats were made available at a subsidised price of RM100 each.

The initiative garnered over 25,000 registrations from parents in the B40 income group.

Sashi Ambi, head of corporate communications at BMW Group Malaysia said, “Our aim with this initiative has always been to make the use of child safety car seats instinctively mandatory; a basic practice as parents to ensure that children are always safe in cars. We are very pleased that these brands have come in to help us to not only advocate the importance of child safety seats but also to make more child safety seats accessible to those in the B40 income group. We hope more partners will continue to join us in taking ownership of this shared responsibility as we move towards collectively affecting change.”

The second phase of the subsidy programme will focus on equipping the remaining registrants from the first phase with a range of child safety seatsfor newborns to children of up to 36 kg.

This includes the snskidz Ace infant carrier car seat (for newborn to 13kg), the snskidz Sport car seat (for newborn to 18kg) and the snskidz Proto (for 2 year-olds to 36kg).

All snskidz child safety seats carry the ECE R44-04 certification.

Each of the snskidz child safety seats will be made available with the RM50 in subsidy amount, on top of a discounted price from Safe ‘n Sound that isexclusive for recipients of the subsidy programme.

The snskidz Ace will be available at a subsidised price of RM99 (RRP: RM199) while the snskidz Sport and snskidz Proto will be priced at RM169 (RRP: RM269) and RM249 (RM349) respectively.

Recipients of the subsidy programme will receive a unique Shopee voucher worth RM113which can be applied upon checkout at this dedicated microsite: https://shopee.com.my/m/bmw-child-safety-seat-subsidy-programme.

In hopes of accelerating the delivery of child safety seats amongst the first 25,000 registrants, BMW Malaysia, Safe ‘n Sound and Childline Foundation are also initiating a public fundraiser on the aforementioned microsite.

There is no minimum amount of contributions required from individuals.

All funds raised will be channeled to Childline Foundation to subsidise as many child safety seats as possible for the remaining registrants.

“The new partners coming in to help us with this programme could not arrive at a better time, especially in light of the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.We want to continue to urge individuals,

partners and companies who have the means to help subsidise these child safety seats to come together and take part in this movement to make child safety seats the first thing parents think about when they have their children in vehicles – whether by raising greater awareness on the topic through education, making child safety seats more accessible, or reaching out to us to be a part of the subsidy programme. We do hope to further accelerate delivery with the help and support from all Malaysians nationwide,” said Ambi.

Ambi added, “With the festive celebrations taking place over the weekend, BMW Group Malaysia would like to wish all Malaysians a Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri and to stay safe when visiting family and loved ones on the first day of Hari Raya.”


2020 New York auto show now cancelled for same reason as everything else

                NEW YORK: Organisers said they were cancelling the 2020 New York auto show that had previously been pushed back until August, citing the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the venue’s use as a field hospital.

The show, which was initially set for early April and is typically used to unveil new vehicles, was set to take place at the Javits Convention Center. However, the centre is now being used as an active hospital and is in standby mode for the foreseeable future, organisers said on Friday.

The next New York show will take place April 2-11, 2021. A string of auto shows have been cancelled this year and some automakers — like Toyota Motor Corp — are opting to hold virtual unveilings of new vehicles.

Mark Schienberg, president of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, the organisation that owns and operates the 120-year-old New York Auto Show, noted that automakers and their exhibit partners needed “immense planning” to construct a show. “Because of the uncertainty caused by the virus, we feel it would not be prudent to continue with the 2020 Show,” he said.

Large gatherings in New York have been cancelled through at least Labor Day, including Broadway shows.

Detroit’s auto show that had been set for June was cancelled in March. The Paris Motor show scheduled for late September/early October in March was cancelled as were auto shows in Geneva.

A major event for luxury car unveilings, the Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach, California, was also dropped. Beijing’s 2020 auto show was postponed until September.

Auto shows are often visited by potential new car buyers but cost tens of millions of dollars to put on. Many automakers have rethought whether they still make economic sense amid the pandemic and have scaled back the number of shows they take part in.


VW's Dresden plant to be EV hub as ID.3 starts series production

                DRESDEN: Dresden will become the hub for Volkswagen electric cars in future.

It has just recently begun series production of the all-electric ID. 3 at its so-called Transparent Factory here.

The Dresden site would also serve as a research and innovation centre that tests out projects for later use in large capacity sites at Volkswagen.

This makes it the second production site for the electric hatchback and already the fourth site in the world producing Volkswagen models based on the Modular Electric Drive Toolkit (MEB).

The Transparent Factory is already the fourth site in the world producing Volkswagen electric cars based on the Modular Electric Drive Toolkit.

The first site, the Zwickau plant, kicked off MEB production. At the end of 2020, the Chinese sites in Anting and Foshan also started production of MEB vehicles. Together, these four plants have a maximum production capacity of more than 900,000 vehicles a year. The next sites in Emden, Hanover and Chattanooga (USA) are also preparing for MEB production.

In future, significantly more vehicles will be handed over to customers in the Transparent Factory. To that end, a second delivery point was recently set up in the factory – which is unique in the automobile industry.

The number of vehicle handovers to customers is expected to increase from 1,301 in 2019 and 3,296 in 2020 to more than 5,000 vehicles in 2021. The goal is around 9,700 deliveries a year by 2022.

Since opening in 2001, the luxury sedan Phaeton (84,235 units, 2001-2016), the Bentley Flying Spur (2,186 units, 2005/2006 and 2013/2014) and, since 2017, the e-Golf (50,401 units) have rolled off the production line at the Dresden plant.


Penang launches traffic warden unit to check road offences

                GEORGE TOWN: Traffic wardens have been introduced on the island in hopes of reducing traffic congestion as well as road violations.

"The council has appointed 70 traffic wardens who have the authority to issue summonses between RM40 and RM300 for 44 offences under the Road Transport Act 1987," said Penang Island City Council (MBPP) Mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang.

He said MBPP wanted to address the number of traffic and road offences committed on the island.

He said there was a rise in such cases in 2019.

“Traffic problems in the city are a main concern for many. We cannot avoid traffic congestion especially during festive seasons and school holidays, ” he said in his speech at the launch of the unit at City Hall here on Thursday (Jan 16).

According to Yew, in 2018, MBPP issued a total of 195,670 compounds for various traffic offences, and 4,020 cars were towed while 22,346 cars were clamped.

"Last year, the total compounds issued increased to 299,322, with 4,175 cars towed and another 22,338 cars clamped.


Swipe right on Volkswagen this Valentine’s

                PETALING JAYA: This Valentine’s Day, Volkswagen Malaysia is playing Cupid with an exciting new social media campaign, 'Score a Fling'.

The campaign will run from Feb 9 to 29, 2020, and offers participants the chance to win a 3D/2N weekend fling at the luxurious W Hotel Kuala Lumpur and a Volkswagen model to drive around during their stay.

“Score a Fling“ is inspired by the dating app Tinder, where users swipe left or right to like or dislike. Participants only need to select their favourite Volkswagen model and once matched, a flirtatious chatbot takes over.

The chatbot will then invite users to ‘impress‘ it with a pick-up line and to select a preferred Volkswagen dealer to test drive their selected model.

Providing a catchy pick-up line and completing the test drive will place the participant in the running for the ultimate weekend fling.

The lucky winner will be announced in March via Volkswagen’s social platforms and will also enjoy an indulgent couples massage - compliment of AWAY Spa by W Kuala Lumpur.

Additionally, as part of the “Score a Fling“ campaign, Volkswagen is also offering overnight test drives for those interested during the campaign period.

To Score A Fling, click here to start swiping.


2019 Bangkok Motor Show expected to attract at least 1.6 million visitors

                BANGKOK: The 40th Bangkok International Motor Show 2019 (40th BIMS) will open its doors from 27 March to 7 April 2019 at Impact Challenger, Muang Thong Thani.

"This is the top motor show in Asean," said Dr Prachin Eamlumnow, CEO of motor show organiser Grand Prix International Public Company Limited and the chairman of the 40th BIMS.

The show will feature 33 automotive brands and 14 motorcycle brands. This year also marks the inaugural participation of supercar brand McLaren.

Japanese participating brands include Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Mazda, Subaru, and Suzuki.

Besides Kia and Hyundai, the motor show will see European and American automotive marques like Audi, Aston Martin, BMW, Bentley, Chevrolet, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Maserati, McLaren, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, and Volvo.

Electric vehicle (EV) brands FOMM and MIND will also be participating.

The motorbike zone will see brand such as Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Harley-Davidson, Triumph, Vespiario, and GPX.

To celebrate the 40th edition of the motor show, there will be nostalgic special setups that will bring everyone back four decades ago to when BIMS was held for the first time at Lumpini Park in 1979.

The exhibition will feature the history of BIMS along with the development, growth and how BIMS helped to boost the automotive industry in Thailand.

Jaturont Komolmis, chief operating officer of Grand Prix International and the Vice Chairman of the 40th BIMS said, “The 40th BIMS is held under the theme of “Enjoyment of Automobiles”, conveying the craftmanship of modern-day automobiles that blend well with cutting-edge technologies to bring out the best experience between man and machine. Despite the current trend where consumer behavior has shifted to online purchases, our study found that consumers still need to see, test, touch and feel the actual vehicle before buying."

This year, the 12-day motor show expects to welcome at least as many visitors (1,620,000 people in 2018) as last year.

The motor show will also feature a specially designed SUV (sport utility vehicle) test drive area, as well as various special promotions and campaigns.

The admission fee is maintained at 100 THB and in a "Lucky Draw" campaign, every ticket purchased will have a chance to win cars and motorcycles worth more than 3.5 million Baht.

All lucky draw participants are required to complete the registration and fill in the questionnaire via www.bangkok-motorshow.com.

For complementary ticket holders, an e-Ticket is required to enter the show.

To get an e-Ticket, the ‘Car Buddy by GPI’ application must be downloaded onto the smartphone and the e-Ticket Code (shown on the back of the complementary ticket) must be registered into the system.

Upon completion, an e-Ticket is then ready to be presented to enter the show.

The complementary tickets can be used to enter the show from 27 March to 7 April 2019.

Downloading the app and registering the e-Ticket is highly recommended before coming to the show.

Each e-Ticket is also eligible for the ‘Lucky Draw’ campaign.


Oct 7-13: RON97 petrol price up 1 sen

                KUALA LUMPUR: The retail prices of RON95 petrol and diesel will remain unchanged at RM2.05 and RM2.15 per litre respectively until Oct 13, the Finance Ministry said today.

In a statement, it said, however, the retail price of RON97 petrol will increase by one sen per litre to RM2.77 from Oct 7 until Oct 13.

Prices are based on the weekly retail prices of petroleum products using the Automatic Pricing Mechanism.


Tired of waiting for cars, Japan’s consumers turn to motorcycles

                TOKYO: Japan’s motorcycle manufacturers, which cast their gaze abroad long ago to make up for shrinking domestic sales, are seeing a jump in demand from an unexpected place: their home market.

Sales of bikes with engines larger than 251cc rose 32% to 51,035 units in the first half, according to data released by the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association this week.

“I never thought I would see anything like this,” said Hideaki Iwami, head of sales at Honda Motorcycle Japan.

For the past few decades, Honda Motor Co., Yamaha Motor Co. and Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. have operated under the assumption that local sales would shrink, in line with the aging population.

But that trend has reversed, at least for now, thanks to changing consumer habits.

The pandemic has left people with more disposable income and a desire to spend more time outdoors, while a persistent parts shortage is forcing people to wait months, or even years, for a new car.

That’s making motorcycles an attractive option for potential buyers such as Yurika Kakiuchi, a 40-year-old office worker who lives in Urayasu City, next to Tokyo.

She recently obtained a driving license for motorcycles with a displacement of as much as 400cc, and plans to step up to the next level for bigger bikes. “I wanted to learn something new,” Kakiuchi said.

In terms of sales this year, Honda ranked No. 1 with 15,142 units, up 54%.

Kawasaki came in second with a 69% jump, while Suzuki Motor Corp. saw a gain of 19%. Yamaha Motor, however, saw unit sales decline by 6.8%.

Iwami said people are taking a fresh look at motorcycles. They have more money saved up from eating out less and taking fewer trips, and bikes are also seen as a way to get around and avoided crowded public transport.

If robust demand continues, domestic unit sales “may exceed” 100,000 units this year for the first time since 1998, he said.

Motorcycles sales in Japan peaked in the 1980s when they were widely used for local shopping and commuting. In addition to changing demographics, a crackdown on illegal parking and the rising popularity of electrified bicycles have contributed to a steady decline.

The market is seeing the return of elderly riders, who are buying motorcycles to enjoy in retirement.

Also, younger buyers are attracted to the relative affordability of bikes compared with cars, according to Iwami, who said that 70% of the buyers of Honda’s popular CBR400R model and 65% of the Rebel 250 are in their 30s or younger.

Iwami remains cautiously optimistic, noting that the pandemic is easing and that consumer tastes may change again.

But for now, “there are huge backorders and production can’t keep up.”


Dodge muscle cars top list of most stolen vehicles in US

A Dodge Charger seen at an auto show. — AFP
WASHINGTON: The Highway Loss Data Institute has published lists of the top 20 most stolen vehicles and the top 20 least stolen vehicles in the US from 2016 to 2018.

Turns out, if you're a Dodge sportscar owner, you should keep an extra close eye on your car.

According to the report published by the Highway Loss Data Institute listing which vehicles over 2016, 2017, and 2018 were stolen most often, Dodge's Charger HEMI and Challenger SRT Hellcat were the most vulnerable with vehicles stolen five times more frequently than average.

On the other hand, BMW's 3 Series sedan was stolen the least over those years, followed by 4WD versions of the Tesla Model S and Model X.

The HLDI attributes the high-frequency of electric models topping the least stolen list to the fact that they're usually parked in garages or close to houses and buildings so that they can have access to a power supply.

The following are the top 5 vehicles on each list:
Most stolen vehicles reported in the US over 2016 - 2018:
Dodge Charger HEMI (HEMI V8)
Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat (HEMI V8)
Infiniti Q50 sedan (V6)
Infiniti QX80 sedan (V8)
GMC Sierra 150 crew cab (V8)
Least stolen vehicles reported in the US over 2016 - 2018:
BMW 3 Series sedan
Tesla Model S 4WD
Tesla Model X 4WD
Chevrolet Equinox 4WD
Buick Encore 4WD

Based on these results, thieves most often target high-performance engines - almost all the chart toppers are equipped with a heavy V8 - and bypass EVs.


Harman wants to make your EV sound like it's powered by a V8

                DETROIT: Harman's research and development centre in Novi, Michigan is working on a Tesla Model S to soup it up with speakers under the bodywork.

The company, which specialises in connected product and premium audio technology, is developing a system to make electric vehicles sound like they're powered by combustion engines so that owners don't have to choose between being safe, being environmentally friendly, and, of course, sounding cool.

When given a demonstration of the sound system, Krok confirmed that it sounded "pretty spot on." As the Tesla picked up speed, both inside and outside "it sound(ed) like there's a gas engine under the hood making its way up the tachometer." A second demonstration offered Krok a sound profile that sounded "futuristic" and "more appropriate for an electric car."

Because EVs are so quiet, adding this type of varying sound to a vehicle provides information to pedestrians and nearby cars about where other vehicles are, how far away they're located, and how fast they're approaching.

The US, in particular, has required that all EVs come equipped with external sound signatures by September 2020, and other countries across the globe are developing similar requirements; in response, Harman is targeting this sound development at automakers, though individuals could potentially request customized sounds.

Perhaps thanks to Harman, the electric Aston Martin that James Bond will be seated behind in the next film will still sport that iconic V12 roar that 007 is known for. Otherwise, this technology could potentially make your Nissan LEAF sound like a Ferrari.


Geely unveils Icon concept at 2018 Beijing Auto Show

                Geely Auto held the global debut of its new futuristic concept car, the Concept Icon, at the 2018 Beijing International Auto Show.

The car represents a new exploration into how far the Chinese automotive giant could stretch its DNA to provide a unique offering for future customers.

The Concept Icon’s was designed using a simple and refined design language that primarily focuses on two key words, namely ‘high tech’ and ‘inspiring’.

This resulted in the creation of a technical product with distinctive features but retains its Geely’s character.

The entirely new concept car was developed at the Geely Design’s studio in Shanghai under the lead of the centre’s design chief, Guy Burgoyne.

The project was undertaken as a way of expanding Geely’s DNA into new territories by taking into account the need of a new generation of consumer.

“What is an icon?”, asks Burgoyne, who also holds the position of Vice President, Geely Design China. “To some, an icon represents their generation and embodies the spirit of an era. Today, in the 21st century, the term icon has taken on a new meaning. It is where an application starts on a digital journey. We took all these meanings together and applied them into our mobility solutions,”

Burgoyne further added, “The car has to visually look like an icon and hence why the blocky upright contour pushes it slightly away from the traditional crossover shape and brings the car’s design back to a flatter, 8-bit inspired design. Both surfaces and graphics have been distilled down to their minimalist form that is much in-line with present day gadgets, where it’s simple on the outside but hides a more complicated and technology focused interior.

Geely Design made the Concept Icon into a simple canvas on which intricate design pieces were placed, creating wonderful contrast and delight as one gets closer. For instance, the use of infinity loops that are featured on the front and rear lamps of the car can also be seen throughout the vehicle, notably through the glass roof.

Geely’s expanding cosmos grill, which has appeared on all Geely Cars to date, has also followed the simplification process and was flattened down into a functional linear format but is still recognizable as a Geely vehicle.

The double clam shell doors of the Concept Icon open to reveal an interior that is coupled with subtle hints of technology.

The team at Geely Design Shanghai gave special consideration to the information and telematics received by the driver.

The central binnacle is seamlessly subdued behind the woven decoration and dissolves away when not in use, shifting focus to the central infotainment area. Other occupants of the vehicle on the other hand have the central and rear screens on which they may share information.

“A simplified interior also provided us with greater amounts of storage space, which proves to be useful as users today carry multiple devices on a daily basis.

The Energy Hub floating console that was introduced in the Geely Bo Rui GE can be seen here, allowing users to wirelessly charge their devices on the go and exchange information via the in-car screens”, explained Burgoyne.

He then concluded, “The Concept Icon embodies the essential characteristics of Geely Auto and is an expression of the global confidence that we have in our design and engineering capabilities. This enables us to set new trends and benchmarks within the wider automotive industry. The Concept Icon is the true play”.


BMW reveals first teaser images of new X5

                MUNICH: After countless spy shots of it have been appearing all over the internet for a while now, BMW has finally revealed the first teaser images of its new fourth-generation X5. It's the start of the countdown to the full reveal of the new version of the Mercedes GLE and Audi Q7 rival that's expected to happen at this year's Paris Motor Show in October.

At the recent 98th annual general meeting, BMW boss Harald Krüger confirmed the new X5 will be the company's fourth X model to be unveiled this year, following on from the X2, new X3 and X4. That means buyers won't have too long to wait for the new X5.

As well as being an important model in the brand's portfolio, the new X5 will also be a big deal due to being the first BMW to feature the company's latest iDrive infotainment system. The current iDrive is already regarded as being one of the best in the industry, and this updated version called BMW Operating System 7.0 will also be featuring in the upcoming new 3 Series saloon and the new flagship X7 SUV.

It remains to be seen how revolutionary the new incarnation of the infotainment system turns out to be, but the first official images of the new X5 confirm an evolutionary, rather than revolutionary design that takes few risks.

That said, the current X5 that's been around since 2013 still uses the same architecture as the second-gen model that was introduced as long ago as 2006, so the biggest change with this fourth-generation will be the use of a new platform.

As well as a new weight-saving platform shared with the 5 Series sedan, the 2019 X5 will also incorporate the sedan's digital dials, wireless Apple CarPlay, semi-autonomous driving features and a number of styling cues.

The X5 may not be the biggest-selling SUV in the company's range as that title inevitably belongs to the entry-level X1. But the X5 is still a very important model with global sales up by 8.8 percent in 2017 over the previous year, which means it now represents 8.7 percent of the company's total sales.


Mercedes A-Class to bow out nearly 30 years after famed 'moose test'

                STUTTGART: Time has caught up with the Mercedes-Benz A-Class which was dropped in North America last year and is slated to be retired from the European market next year or in 2025.

It was back in 1997 that a moose in Sweden caused the original A-Class to swerve violently and roll over during tests designed to simulate a driver avoiding such errant elks.

The road test in Sweden on Oct 21, 1997 was a black day for the brand and the repercussions plunged the German carmaker into a PR crisis.

The current A-Class is a compact saloon that bears no resemblance to its boxy, upright baby Benz of yore. It is the most affordable Mercedes, but saloons have generally fallen out of favour with buyers who prefer SUVs or crossovers.

The car is also a victim of a new strategy at the three-pointed star. Back in the 90s, the model was pitched as the entry into the compact segment and generated volume sales.

Today, company boss Ola Källenius is pursuing a luxury strategy. The entry-level segment is to be thinned out from seven to four body variants and the focus will be on increasing profit margins and not mass-production.

The German car maker is not abandoning the compact car segment altogether, though.

In the future, it will to focus on successors to the CLA saloon (and CLA Shooting Brake), Mercedes-Benz GLA and Mercedes-Benz GLB, according to a report in Handelsblatt business paper.

With the axe hovering over the A-Class, car expert Stefan Reindl vividly recalls the moose test: "That was a blow that no one had expected at the time". The damage to the company's image was "enormous". "Mercedes has been shaken in its fundamental values," said industry expert Ferdinand Dudenhöffer. "It was an earthquake."

At the time, Mercedes stood for safety and quality. With the moose test, that safety confidence was shattered overnight. But the automotive giant reacted well to the incident. "I thought that was excellent because Mercedes explained exactly what the problem was and what the countermeasure was," said Reindl. Mercedes went on to regain trust with new technology.

The company stopped deliveries of the A-Class and retrofitted the vehicles already delivered with the Electronic Stability Program (ESP).

The ESP system, developed by the supplier Bosch together with Daimler-Benz - as the group was still called at the time - was intended to prevent skidding and had until then been reserved in series production only for the wealthy customers of the range-topping S-Class limousine.

Daimler spent a lot of money and equipped the A-Class with ESP as standard in order to regain trust. It was the breakthrough for ESP, and Bosch has since delivered well over 300 million ESP systems.

So the A-Class overcame its problems and went on to become a steady seller which "made a major contribution to changing and rejuvenating the brand image of Mercedes-Benz," as a company spokesman put it.

The car remained the odd one out however, and as forerunner of the minivans too come, the A-Class was "simply not dynamic, but rather conservative." It appealed more to an older clientele, although the target group was supposed to be much younger.

"If you passed an A-Class back then, it often had people over 60 sitting in it," said Reindl. The real success with a younger clientele came with the later model series.

The luxury strategy that Mercedes-Benz is pursuing today is viewed critically by car expert Dudenhöffer. "This is a new moose test," he said. The risks are great. The car business of the future is strongly driven by economies of scale. In the case of software, it is worthwhile to develop it for a large number of cars, as the costs allocated to the individual cars are lower that way. The secret of the cars' success is technology and software, Dudenhöffer believes.

Mercedes-Benz has promised to "significantly upgrade" its product range and ironically it is not a loose moose but Swedish-born company boss Källenius, who is sounding the death knell for the A-Class.


Lexus spices up the IS

                LOS ANGELES: Be warned. This article about the Lexus IS and Sriracha sauce is to be read tongue-in-cheek.

Lexus has brought a playful spin to the its IS sedan by partnering with Huy Fong Foods’ signature sauce.

To celebrate the launch of the 2017 Lexus IS sports sedan, Lexus created a bolder, spicier customized version of the original: the Lexus Sriracha IS.

By joining forces with the authentic, beloved sauce made by Huy Fong Foods, Lexus turns up the heat with custom auto detailing, foodie finishes and an arsenal of Sriracha within easy reach for emergency situations.

The specially modified vehicle will be on display at the Los Angeles Auto Show from Nov 18–27.


Honda to start selling new CBR600RR Super Sports bike in Japan on Sept 25

                TOKYO: Honda today announced that the all-new CBR600RR Super Sports bike will go on sale on Sept 25 through Honda Dream locations across Japan.

Equipped with a high-performance, 599cc, liquid-cooled, four-stroke DOHC inline four-cylinder engine, this newly-developed CBR600RR features the latest electronic control and aerodynamic technologies to realise enhanced overall performance.

CBR600RR was developed as a right-sized Super Sports model which enables riders to enjoy high potential of a base production race model in their everyday lives.

With this all-new model, the development team further pursued the “pleasure of maneuvering” by further refining the distinctive features of previous CBR600RR models. This includes high-power yet controllable output characteristics and agile handling, while simultaneously achieving excellence in on-track performance and rider-friendliness on public roads, including winding roads at a high level.

The power unit of the all-new CBR600RR achieves the maximum power output of 89kW. To achieve this higher maximum power, the engine speed at which maximum power is attained was increased by changing materials used for key components such as the camshaft and crankshaft.

Both intake and exhaust efficiency also were increased through various measures including reshaping of the inlet port, enlargement of the throttle bore diameter, optimization of the size of various parts of the exhaust pipes, as well as changes in valve timing.

To support a fun riding experience, the all-new CBR600RR features the latest electronic control technologies. Made possible by the throttle-by-wire system (TBW) in which the throttle valve is controlled with extreme precision based on the rider's throttle grip operations, the all-new CBR600RR features the riding mode system which enables riders to select from different riding mode options depending on riding conditions and their preferences.

The all-new CBR600RR also features exterior styling which realises both outstanding aerodynamic performance and functional beauty in the pursuit of outstanding on-track dynamic performance.

Optimization of projected front and lateral areas and the lowest drag coefficient in the class contributed to the improvement of wind-resistant performance and the realization of agile handling.

Moreover, winglets which effectively generate downforce are positioned on the left and right sides of the leading edge of the front cowl to further increase stability while entering corners or turning while accelerating.