Stuck on a flooded road? 5 things you should do next

                PETALING JAYA: It's monsoon season, and the rain will be coming down hard and furious almost every day.

With that comes the expectation that many places will get flooded especially near areas where there's heavy construction works going on and where drainage is poor (a norm rather than the exception in Malaysia).

Expect flash floods as well. As a motorist, you have to stay vigilant. But if you "accidentally" drive into a flooded stretch of road and the engine dies on you, knowing what to do will save your car from further damage and keep your sanity intact.

Assume the water has risen to bonnet level, and you are in the car and starting to panic.

Here's what you need to do.

1. Stay calm. Don’t try to start the engine. By now, any efforts to resuscitate the car is too late.

2. Turn on your car's emergency signals.

3. Call for help. Calmly explain to your rescuer what has happened and your location.

4. You either need to stay in the car and wait it out or abandon it. This depends on whether your car is stuck by the roadside or in the middle of the road. If the car is  not in the way of passing vehicles such as pick-up trucks or buses, sit it out inside.

But if the car is blocking the road, abandon it when it is safe to do so and wade to safety.

In both cases, wait for the water to subside below the car's doors. Get help from fellow motorists or a road assist service team to push the car to higher ground. If you open the door in the flood, you will end up damaging more things inside the car such as seats, door panels and electronics.

5. Get the car straight into a workshop. Make sure the technician drains the engine and gearbox immediately, and not attempt to start the car again, or the engine will suffer further damage. Overhaul the engine and gearbox, and also check for possible scratches or damage from hard debris that may have entered them during the flood.

 It's a lot of work cleaning up a water-damaged car.

Inside your car, the carpets would need to be removed and dried and the car floor (including the spare tyre compartment in the trunk) cleaned as well to ensure rust does not form. Also dry and disinfect the upholstery.

At the end of it all, the best way to avoid all the drama, hassle and costs is to think first and avoid crossing a flooded road if you assess it as too risky.

Living in the tropics where it pours when it rains, it might not be a bad idea to get insurance cover for natural disasters. Think about that.

> This article is brought to you by TOC Automotive College


Vios Challenge - teams prepare for battle in Penang

                SHAH ALAM: The inaugural Vios Challenge race is headed to Penang on Aug 12 and 13, and promises to be the most thrilling and frenzied race event.

The key racers to look out for are Keifli Othman, Boy Wong, Kenny Lee, James Veerapan, Syafiq Ali, Mark Darwin, Mitchel Cheah, Rocky Seow, Akina Teo and Tengku Djan Ley - all of which will be gunning for the top step.

All the race cars are identical and it will not be possible for any driver to rely on mechanical advantage in order to develop a significant lead and pull away from the pack, as demonstrated during the shakedown with some of the racers having clocked lap times within a second off of each other.

The 40 units of Vios Challenge racing cars have been built to identical specification using racing parts sourced mainly from Toyota Racing Development (TRD) including its exhaust system, suspension and most of the aerodynamic kits.

The rims, tyres and fuel are controlled items supplied by the organizers during the race, which further restricts the variables that drivers can exploit.

Some drivers may think that bulldozing their way in the race may be the only way to get ahead, owner of Dream Chaser Team CY Ong who is fielding three cars in the Vios Challenge feels that a disciplined driver will be needed to perform well in a race of this nature.

“Having driven the Vios, I believe that this car will reward the gentle and smooth driver. If you’re too aggressive, you may lose too much momentum and actually fall behind. The way to drive it is by being smooth through the corners. I think that the driver who realizes this quickly will do very well,” said Ong.

The drivers agree that the qualifying session in the Vios Challenge will be crucial as there would be limited opportunities to pass other cars on the street circuit if you qualify badly. The consensus of the drivers too was that the race would be one of the most exciting in recent memory.

The Vios Challenge will be the headlining event at the Toyota GAZOO Racing (TGR) Racing Festival that kicks off with the first event on Aug 12 and 13 at the Batu Kawan Stadium in Penang.

The Festival will host a number of activities including drift shows, celebrity performances, food trucks, test drives, and a showcase of the upcoming Toyota C-HR. Entrance to the event is free.

Race fans can follow the developments and the latest information about the Vios Challenge by visiting the homepage Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia or liking the Facebook page.

Fans should also check out the latest promotions for Toyota models at any Toyota showroom throughout the country. For the month of July, there’s even a buy and win promotion where the lucky winner can stand a chance to win a trip to the Tokyo Motorshow.

“It is going to be a very close race,” said Keifli, a veteran of saloon and open wheel racing and an early favourite in the Vios Challenge. “The Vios is very responsive and easy to handle so newcomers and seasoned racers will have a lot of fun driving this car in the race,” said Keifli.

Echoing Keifli’s statement, rally ace Kenneth Koh who cut his teeth on international rally circuits but making his debut on a race track in the Vios Challenge was quick to praise the ease of settling into a quick rhythm with the Vios.

“The car is so easy to drive, I got used to it after just a few laps. It is very balanced with the right amount of power, handling, braking and acceleration so I think it is equal for beginners and expert drivers to handle the car,” said Kenneth.

According to another early race favourite Boy Wong who will be racing under Team ST Wangan’s banner, the nature of a one-make race negates the need for any racing strategy.

“This is going to be a pure pedal-to-metal race from lights to flag. You won’t have any opportunity to think of strategies in the race. Everyone will be jostling to get ahead of the pack so you either keep up or defend,” said Wong.


2023 Toyota Supra GRMN rumoured to get 513hp engine

                TOKYO: A limited edition Toyota Supra GRMN, with a production run of 200 units, will likely be released in 2023 with a an inline 6-cylinder 3.0-litre turbocharged BMW powertrain producing 520 PS/513hp, according to Japanese car portal bestcarweb.jp.

The Japanese car portal also said the Supra will have its final production run in 2025, with no plans for another model.

If bestcarweb.jp is to be believed, the Supra GRMN will be the final edition of the sports car.

The Toyota Supra was co-developed with the latest BMW Z4, and they both share platforms and powertrains.

However, beyond some of the mechanical underpinnings, both cars are very different, and this is also underlined by the fact that the Supra is a hardtop while the Z4 uses only a soft-top, unlike its predecessor.

BMW and Toyota began co-developing their respective roadsters in 2013 to share costs and shorten time to market.

The Supra mechanicals are based off the Z4 and in many ways they are similar inside out.

Both are rear-wheel driven and use BMW engines and even share the same ZF 8-speed automatic transmission.

The Supra and Z4 use the in-line six cylinder engine and 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engines in their base variants.

For 2021, Toyota has boosted output of the GR Supra’s turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six from 335hp at 5,000-6,500 rpm to 382hp at 5,800-6,500 rpm, a 14 percent increase.

The 2021 GR Supra also gets a retuned chassis for increased roll resistance and enhanced cornering stability,

Toyota added lightweight aluminum braces that tie the strut towers to the radiator support to increase lateral rigidity, along with front and rear bump stops and new damper tuning.

Revised programming for the electric power steering (EPS), Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Active Differential works in concert with the hardware changes to make the 2021 Supra more stable through quick transitions, such as compound turns.


Hyundai to debut Genesis brand in China within three years, says exec

                SEOUL: Hyundai Motor will launch its standalone premium auto brand Genesis in China within two to three years, betting on a luxury lane to profit as competition bites at the lower end of the world's biggest auto market.

Genesis brand chief Manfred Fitzgerald told Reuters in a recent interview the company is considering building Genesis models in China "For sure. But there are also other examples of (automakers) who live pretty well off of importing cars," he said, citing Toyota's Lexus.

The plans come as Hyundai tries to reverse out of 10 straight quarters of falling profit, hit in part by weakness in China.

Rolling out Genesis in key markets like China marks a shift for a company better known for making value-for-money cars and lacking the brand cachet and tradition of Germany's BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. That trio dominates the luxury market globally - and in China.

"The luxury customer in China is very brand-conscious," said US national Fitzgerald, 53. The former executive with Audi's Lamborghini brand was speaking at the first, and so far only, standalone Genesis store, in a glitzy mall in Hanam on the outskirts of Seoul featuring cars like G80 sedans that can fetch up to 74 million won (RM276,000).

"If you don't get your brand right, you can have the best product in the world, it won't work," said Fitzgerald. "In two, three years' time we will be entering China," he said, declining to give sales targets for a global rollout that will follow launches in Korea late last year and in the United States last month.

In China, imported cars carry a duty of more than 20 percent, putting pressure on automakers to produce locally.

Genesis will open more standalone outlets, said Fitzgerald, and is exploring unspecified locations for its first US store. The Genesis line-up currently features two models, a range that the company plans to expand to six by 2020, including two sport utility vehicles.

Consultants like Eric Noble, president of California-based consultancy CarLab, say getting the sales channel right for premium cars is as important as the product itself.

 Fitzgerald

For now, over 300 of Hyundai's more than 800 US dealerships will also be selling the Genesis brand, posing an added challenge for differentiating it from Hyundai. By comparison, Toyota's Lexus is sold through separate dealerships.

"From a product standpoint, the prospects of the (Genesis) brand are encouraging," said Noble. "But from a distribution standpoint, at least here in North America, it is much more problematic."

Hyundai Motor Group chairman Chung Mong-koo, now 78, took the helm in 2000 and turned Hyundai and its Kia Motors affiliate into the world's fifth-largest automotive group by making inexpensive but reliable small cars.

But the veteran's 45-year-old son and vice-chairman Chung Eui-sun has sought to move Hyundai up the value chain. He spearheaded the move last November to hive off the Genesis sedan into a standalone brand, tapping a segment growing faster than the mass market to generate higher margins.

Fitzgerald said meeting with the younger Chung was a "tipping point" in his decision to join a company long known for promoting from within.

"He definitely gave me the feeling that no matter how long and how troublesome and how tedious this might be, they are in for it and they want to succeed."


12th edition BMW Shorties calling for entries

                PETALING JAYA: BMW Group Malaysia announced the 12th edition of the BMW Shorties, Malaysia’s most established and longest running short film competition.

“The BMW Shorties prides itself as the platform for the best filmmaking talents in Malaysia to share their creative visions, woven into their Malaysian-made stories. With more than 840 short film entries received since the competition’s inception in 2006, the BMW Shorties welcomes another milestone year of discovering up-and-coming talent in the digital and cinematic arts, underpinned by BMW Group Malaysia’s belief in blending artistic craft with forward-looking innovation, to inspire new ways of thinking and living,” said Sashi Ambi, Head of Corporate Communications, BMW Group Malaysia.

Returning for its 12th year, the theme for this year’s BMW Shorties is 'DRIVE'.

To have drive is to be relentlessly compelled to achieve a goal. This urge is innate and motivated by more than passion. It takes ambition.

“Drive is the quality that elevates artists to craftsmen, making it the hallmark of all true innovators. Ever since the BMW Group was founded, innovation has been one of the main success factors for the company. We spearhead innovations that move people, much like the many filmmakers we have had the pleasure of elevating for the past 11 years,” added Ambi.

This year's line-up of judges consists of top names in the local filmmaking industry, namely BMW Shorties veteran and commercial filmmaker, Lina Tan; multiple award-winning filmmaker, Isazaly Mohd Isa; filmmaker and screenwriter, Nadira Ilana; award- winning filmmaker Tan Chui Mui; and rising storyteller and filmmaker, Quek Shio Chuan.

“We’re looking forward to see how participants will interpret this year’s theme. The industry needs brave new talents who would take storytelling to another level,” Chui Mui said. Isazaly added, “it is especially great when a short film can bring me to the filmmaker’s world – one which extends life and not just about every day life.”

“Short films can be a window to Malaysia, and it would be interesting to see the different ways people experience being Malaysians. The important thing about film is that it makes you more emphatic and it is also a way for you to learn about others,” Nadira shared.

Similarly, BMW Shorties’ alumni – Quek – views film as a message, and the key is in ensuring the message gets across to audiences. While filmmaking isn’t always an easy task, Lina notes that “learning the craft takes time, patience and sacrifice if you are serious in becoming a filmmaker.”

The first step can be taken now.

This year, the production grant has been increased to RM 80,000 for the grand prize winner of the BMW Shorties short film competition. Recognition for film making talent will also be awarded in an extensive range of supporting categories, including Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Editing and Best Sound Design as well as the ever-popular People’s Choice Award.

The BMW Shorties is open for entries from 30 th August 2018 and aspiring short filmmakers will have until Friday, 26th of October 2018 to submit their short film entries.

For further information on the BMW Shorties and how to participate, visit the official BMW Shorties website at www.bmwshorties.com.my or the official BMW Shorties Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bmwshorties and Instagram page at www.instagram.com/bmwshorties.


MAA expects stronger vehicles sales in November

                KUALA LUMPUR: Vehicle sales rose 14.9% to 47,041 units in October 2017 from September and the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) expects the sales to be stronger in November 2017.

“Sales volume for November 2017 is expected to be higher than October 2017 due to new model launches and aggressive year-end promotional campaigns,” MAA said.

The trade body said on Thursday sales volume in October rose by 6,085 units from September, boosted by longer working month. Of the 47,041 units, passenger cars accounted for 41,668 units and the rest were commercial vehicles.

The sales volume in October 2017, however, was 1.8%. or 839 units lower than similar corresponding month in 2016.

Year-to-date, total industry volume was 1% higher than similar corresponding period in 2016.

Production was lower at 40,464 units compared with 53,084 units a year ago. Year-to-date, vehicle production dipped 4% to 421,635 units from 440,049.


New Mazda CX-90 will arrive as performance-oriented plug-in hybrid

                LOS ANGELES: Ahead of its world premiere in January 2023, Mazda North American Operations has announced the first-ever CX-90 will be available in the United States as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

While this is Mazda's first plug-in hybrid in the US, the three-row CX-90 PHEV is expected to maintain the responsiveness, performance, and driving dynamics that define Mazda vehicles.

This all-new e-Skyactiv powertrain, tuned specifically for the North American market, will provide customers with the best of both worlds in terms of performance and efficiency, said Mazda.

The announcement was accompanied by a teaser image showing the slim rear taillights of the CX-90 and the suggestion that the charging port is on the right side of the large SUV.

The CX-90 will use the same rear-wheel drive platform as the European CX-60 and will be engineered to accommodate the same powertrain architecture.

It could rely on the CX-60's 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine producing 323hp/500Nm or a 3.3-litre inline six with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system in some markets making 280hp/450Nm.


Proton doubles sales in November 2019

                KUALA LUMPUR: Proton car sales in November 2019 grew by 100% year-on-year with 9,643 units sold.

The cumulative volume for the year stands at 89,476 units, which marks a 50.1% growth in total year-on-year numbers.

Market share has also grown and is estimated to now be at 16.2% for the whole of 2019.

The Proton Saga posted a third consecutive month of sales breaking the 4,000 unit barrier as 4,091 cars were delivered in November.

The Saga has returned to the top of the A-segment sedan sales table and with 34,422 sold so far in 2019, its volume growth now stands at an impressive 32%, by far the best for any model in the segment.

READ MORE: Proton on a winning streak

“The Saga has been a big success for Proton since its launch in August. In just four months, we have already achieved more than 35,000 bookings and currently, every unit our factory can deliver has been spoken for. Our challenge therefore is to increase our production capacity for the Saga and we have had intensive discussions with our vendors to work towards a volume increase next year,” said Dr Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton.

The Saga also caught the attention of buyers by its performance in the recent Sepang 1000km (S1K) race.

Team Proton R3 brought its three-car team home in first, second and seventh positions with the latter two being 2019 Proton Saga racing cars.

Li also said the X70 has been Proton's biggest success story for 2019.

"As the first anniversary of its market introduction approaches, sales have picked up in volume and in November more than 2,000 units were sold," said Li.


Launching climate summit, Britain plans to fast-track ban on new petrol and diesel cars

                LONDON: Britain will ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035, five years earlier than previously planned, Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce today as he launches a major UN climate summit due to take place in Glasgow in November.

Johnson will launch COP26, a two-week conference seen as a moment of truth for the 2015 Paris Agreement to combat global warming, at an event alongside Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and broadcaster and naturalist David Attenborough.

“Hosting COP26 is an important opportunity for the UK and nations across the globe to step up in the fight against climate change,” Johnson said in a statement released by his office ahead of a speech here today.

“As we set out our plans to hit our ambitious 2050 net zero target across this year, so we shall urge others to join us in pledging net zero emissions.”

Johnson will call for international efforts to reach net zero as early as possible, including through investment in cleaner technology, preservation of natural habitats and measures to improve resilience to the impact of climate change.

The government said that, subject to consultation, it planned to bring forward an end to the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans to 2035, or earlier if a faster transition was possible. It also said it would include hybrids.

Cities and countries around the world have announced plans to crack down on diesel vehicles in the wake of the 2015 Volkswagen emissions scandal and the EU is introducing tougher carbon dioxide rules.

France plans to ban the sale of fossil fuel-powered cars by 2040 whilst Norway’s parliament has set a non-binding goal that by 2025 all cars should be zero emissions.

But diesel and petrol models still account for 90% of sales in Britain, and some prospective buyers of greener models are worried about the limited availability of charging points, the range of certain models and the cost.


China’s BYD Jumps to No. 2 in global electric-car battery market

                SEOUL: BYD Co. jumped to second place in global electric-car battery rankings in July, overtaking LG Energy Solution Ltd. as China’s demand for clean cars surges.

The Chinese car and battery maker supplied 6.4 gigawatt-hours of batteries in July, behind only giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. with 13.3 GWh.

LG Energy slipped to third with 4.4 GWh, followed by Japan’s Panasonic Holdings Corp. at 2.9 GWh, according to data released by Seoul-based SNE Research on Monday.

Global battery sales rose to 39.7 gigawatt-hours in July, up 80% from a year earlier, the report showed.

The year-to-date market share rankings were unchanged, with CATL top with 34.7% of the market, followed by LG Energy at 14.2% and BYD third with 12.6%.

Demand for EVs continues to soar as high gasoline prices spur drivers to switch to hybrids and battery-powered cars, and automakers electrify their fleets.

Still, EV makers face challenges, with the UK and Germany slashing subsidies, the US pushing to reduce reliance on Chinese minerals and components and surging materials prices pushing up the cost of batteries.

Another Chinese company, China Aviation Lithium Battery Co., or CALB, ranked sixth by sales in July, overtaking South Korea’s Samsung SDI Co.
Chinese firms led overall growth in the EV battery industry in July, while the total market share of South Korea’s three battery makers — LG, Samsung and SK — declined to 25.9% from 34.2% a year ago, SNE said.

Chinese battery makers appear to be sustaining their pricing power amid tight supply, while China’s battery usage is expected to almost double this year on surging sales of new-energy vehicles, according to Bloomberg Intelligence.

South Korean battery makers, meanwhile, need a new strategy to counter subsidies for EVs like new US rules that favour American-made electric vehicles and batteries, and rising "scepticism” over EVs in Europe, SNE said.


Perodua engine plant in Negri opens for business

Miyake (left) explaining some details to Mohamad (middle) as he takes a closer look at an engine block made by Daihatsu Perodua Engine Manufacturing after the launch ceremony.
SEREMBAN: Perodua's joint engine production plant with Daihatsu was officially opened on Tuesday in Sendayan, six months after it began operations.

The RM500mil Daihatsu Perodua Engine Manufacturing, located on the outskirts of the state capital, is the second most important investment made by Daihatsu in Sendayan following the opening of a transmission facility Akashi Kikai Industry (M) Sdn Bhd nearby in July last year.

Both plants would allow the partners to create a powertrain production hub in the country.

Daihatsu Perodua Engine Manufacturing chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin said the plant has secured two original equipment manufacturers and is looking for more local and regional customers to supply engine parts to.

 Mohamad signing a plaque to mark the opening of the engine plant, witnessed by Asmat (left) and Yokoyama.

Akashi Kikai was opened in July last year and provides Perodua with automatic and manual transmissions for the Axia and Bezza. Daihatsu Perodua Engine Manufacturing, which began operations in May this year, supplies engine parts for the Bezza.

Asmat said Daihatsu Perodua Engine Manufacturing and Akashi Kikai were set up to take advantage of a fully liberalised automotive market by offering high quality engine components at competitive prices.

“With full liberalisation of the automotive industry imminent, it makes sense to tap into the potential for growth within Asean, where most of the economies are looking to flourish over the next decades."

The new plant occupies 2ha of a 14ha plot of land. It is manned by 202 workers and is equipped with amenities such as hostels, canteen, locker rooms and prayer room.

The plant was launched by Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

Also present were Perodua president/CEO, Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh, Daihatsu executive vice-president Hiroyuki Yokoyama and Daihatsu Perodua Engine Manufacturing managing director Koji Miyake.


Mercedes-Benz Malaysia confident S 560 e plug-in hybrid will be well-received

The S 560 e (right) was launched on the same day the EQC and C 300 e were previewed.
PETALING JAYA: Mercedes-Benz Malaysia is optimistic that its new-generation plug-in hybrid, the S-Class, S 560 e, will be well received as more discerning customers embrace high-performance, clean energy vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia president and chief executive officer Dr Claus Weidner said the newly-launched S 560 e is part of the company’s EQ Power range, which signifies a new era of mobility that does not compromise on luxury, comfort, quality, design and driving dynamics.

“This is the first time that we are launching the EQ series in Malaysia and we’re happy to have the car out at such an early stage,” he told StarBiz at the launch of the S 560 e earlier this month.

“The car was just launched in Europe and it is the first to be introduced within South-East Asia,” Weidner added.

The name EQ stands for “Electric Intelligence.” The vehicles under this brand boast comprehensive electric mobility ecosystems of products, services, technologies and innovations.

 The S 560 e interior.

Weidner said there were already bookings for the newly launched S 560 e.

“As there are more launches around the world, we’re confident there will be more take-ups.

“In terms of plug in hybrids, we’re the first ones to bring in these kind of cars, starting from 2015. It’s a logical consequence of what we’ve been doing and looking at other manufacturers, they are also introducing similar vehicles,” he said.

The estimated price of the S 560 e is RM658,888. During the launch, Mercedes-Benze Malaysia also showcased its C 300 e plug-in hybrid and the all-electric vehicle, the EQC 400 4Matic.

Last year marked the fifth consecutive record year for Mercedes-Benz Malaysia with a total of 13,079 vehicles sold.

The German marque saw a 9% overall growth and a market share of 2.5%, making Mercedes-Benz the best-selling luxury car brand in Malaysia.

In 2018, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s performance was spearheaded by the locally produced sedans, which recorded 7,910 units sold followed by the Mercedes-Benz sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) with 2,613 units sold, especially by the Pekan, Pahang-built Mercedes-Benz GLC 200 and GLC 250.

 The EQC.

The demand for SUVs is expected to keep growing in this segment.

Meanwhile, the Mercedes-Benz compact cars recorded a total of 1,875 units sold and lastly, the Mercedes-Benz Dream Cars recorded a total of 662 units sold, which saw a spectacular growth of 77%.

There were 20 vehicle launches throughout 2018 which sustained a healthy momentum of demand for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

 The C 300 e plug-in hybrid.


BMW to release colourful limited edition coupé designed by Jeff Koons

                BERLIN: BMW has announced the release of 99 limited edition M850i Gran Coupés, featuring artwork by US pop artist Jeff Koons.

The 8 X Jeff Koons will first be unveiled at the Frieze art fair in Los Angeles.

Blue, yellow and silver are the dominant colours in the vehicle's comic-style paintjob.

Lines and geometric shapes adorn the body, interspersed with elements such a cartoon "POP!" symbol, drawn wind vortices or a stylized explosion at the rear.

Implementing the artist's vision in 11 colours on sheet metal requires more than 200 hours of manual work, BMW says, meaning only four cars can be produced each week.

The Gran Coupé will be made in Bavaria, with worldwide deliveries starting in May, according to the company.

For BMW head Oliver Zipse, the 8 X Jeff Koons is the brand's most extensive design project yet.

The comic style continues in the car's multi-coloured interior, with seats in striking red and blue, resembling Spiderman's costume.

Each individual vehicle comes with a certificate signed by Jeff Koons and Oliver Zipse. The bezel of the cup holder is also adorned with the artist's signature.

Sound like a good investment? Maybe.

After all, Jeff Koons is one of the most expensive artists alive.

Two years ago, his "Balloon Rabbit" sculpture was sold at auction in New York for just under US$91.1 million (RM381mil). Compared to that, the BMW coupe's price tag, of €350,000 (RM1.7mil), seems like a bargain.


Goodyear Malaysia unveils Lazada, Shopee online stores

                KUALA LUMPUR: Goodyear Malaysia recently launched its official online store on Lazada and Shopee, widening its reach through two of Malaysia’s most popular e-commerce platforms.

Both Goodyear official online stores offer customers a variety of major tyre patterns and sizes to choose from, ranging from Goodyear’s Assurance to the Eagle families.

Purchases from Goodyear Lazada Flagship Store and Shopee Mall can be redeemed in Goodyear Auto Care Centre within Peninsular Malaysia with plans to expand to East Malaysia in the near future.

From Feb 14 to March 15, Goodyear Malaysia is having its store launch promotion on its Goodyear Shopee Mall.

Customers will receive a RM8 voucher when they follow the store and exclusive gifts including a Temperature Retention Flask for the purchase of two tyres and a set of stylish toolkit box for the purchase of any four tyres.

As for Goodyear Lazada Flagship Mall, customers will be entitled to an online exclusive Goodyear Gift set worth RM150 for any purchase of four tyres.

Customers will also receive a Goodyear umbrella for purchases of any two tyres. The online exclusive gifts are available while stock lasts.

Goodyear Malaysia managing director Alex Ng said the online purchasing trend among Malaysians had been rising, even to other major industries, since the start of the pandemic.

“People are also looking for a one-stop solution for all their needs online. With our e-commerce official stores, we can deliver quality purchasing experience and tyres to our customers.

“Not only that, all tyres purchased online are entitled with a 5-Year Limited Warranty while some selected tyre patterns come with Goodyear’s Worry Free Assurance (WFA) coverage,” he said.

To aid Goodyear customers, the company has also implemented a detailed step-by-step on understanding how to choose a tyre as well as help to determine the best fit for their car.

“We understand that usually the purchase tyres is usually done in store, however in line with constant evolution, we hope to provide as much information as possible for a more informed choice,” Ng said.

For details, visit Goodyear Official E-Commerce Store on Lazada and Shopee, and Goodyear Malaysia’s page at https://www.goodyear.com.my.


Renault Kadjar captivates Geneva auto show

                GENEVA: The all-new Renault Kadjar – which makes its public debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show – is set to take the world of mid-sized crossovers by storm.

The Kadjar, which is the Renault Captur’s big brother, is the French automaker's first C-segment crossover.

Available with either four- or two-wheel-drive transmission, the Renault Kadjar delivers easy manoeuvrability in town thanks to its compact footprint (4.45 metres long x 1.84 metres wide).

For Europe and other markets, the Kadjar will be manufactured in Palencia, Spain.

It will also be the first Renault vehicle to be manufactured in China, at the new Dongfeng Renault Automotive Company (DRAC) factory in Wuhan which is due to start vehicle production in early 2016.

Courtesy handles in the boot release the ‘Easy Break’ 60:40 split rear seats, and the front passenger seat tips forward to form a small table or make space for longer items to be carried.

Two boot configurations are possible, giving either a flat floor or a capacity of 472 litres (seats upright), and the boot can be divided into three areas to prevent items from moving during transit.

The Kadjar is also available with the 1.6-litre dCi 130 engine, with power and torque figures of 130hp and 320Nm, and the 1.2-litre TCe petrol unit which, with power and torque outputs of 130hp and 205Nm, produces similar performance to a normally aspirated 2.0-litre unit.

It features direct fuel injection and an integrated manifold for outstanding torque at low revs.

All engines are allied to Renault’s Start & Stop technology to ensure that they use no fuel when the car is stationary in traffic, and are equipped with energy recovery systems which become effective when decelerating or braking.

Other fuel-saving, emissions-reducing technologies include latest-generation high-pressure fuel injection systems, low inertia turbochargers, friction reduction and the Renault Driving eco2 functions to help the driver adopt a more efficient driving style.


New FCEV shows Hyundai isn't giving up on hydrogen

                SEOUL: There have been no big proclamations from any manufacturers recently about hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEV) as the eventual replacements for today's petrol and diesel combustion engine powered models. But Hyundai certainly isn't giving up on hydrogen as an alternative fuel source, as it's just unveiled a new generation FCEV it's planning to offer for sale next year.

Hyundai already has one FCEV available in the shape of the Tucson Fuel Cell (ix35), although its availability is extremely limited both in terms of numbers and geographically. Now the South Korean manufacturer has given us an advance look at its next-generation fuel cell vehicle, well in advance of the new SUV's official launch early in 2018.

Through a specially-arranged preview event held here, the close-to-production-ready model showed off its impressive capabilities as well as its futuristic design. The new model doesn't have a name yet, but it embodies Hyundai's ongoing commitment to a new era for advanced eco-friendly vehicle technology and development.

Four key areas of FCEV technology are addressed by this fourth-generation Hyundai fuel cell — fuel cell system efficiency, performance (maximum output), durability, and tank storage density.

The new model has a fuel efficiency level of 60 percent, which is a 9 percent increase over the Hyundai Tucson's 55.3 percent, and the maximum output has been increased by 20 percent over and above its predecessor to an impressive 163PS.

Thanks to new highly durable catalyst technology, the new generation FCEV also has greater durability than the current generation. And instead of two differently-sized fuel tanks as in the current Hyundai FCEVs, the new version utilizes three tanks, all similarly-sized and made of more advanced plastics to reduce thickness.

Hyundai's new hydrogen-powered SUV will be fully revealed next year in Korea, with European and North American markets following shortly afterwards. As well as the advanced fuel cell technology, the new model will also feature a number of driver assistance technologies, details of which will be disclosed in January at the 2018 CES, along with the official name for the new model.


McLaren P1 Driver Programme begins

                LONDON: The world’s most exclusive McLaren owner experience has taken to the track for the first time at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain, as the debut McLaren P1 Driver Programme event saw seven examples of the track-only model let loose. Each owner got behind the wheel of the most powerful model ever produced by McLaren, supported by a dedicated pit crew, around the home of Formula 1 in Spain.

The McLaren P1 GTR Driver Programme is the ultra-exclusive ownership programme, offering specialist driver training, human performance and access to the McLaren racing simulator ahead of on track activity.

This programme has been designed to prepare each driver mentally and physically to allow them to fully exploit the abilities of the McLaren P1 GTR, which produces 1,000PS (986bhp) and runs on race-proven Pirelli slick tyres.

The programme is completely bespoke, with each individual having a fully-tailored experience, working closely with a support team from McLaren Special Operations (MSO) comprising authentic professionals that have operated within the rarefied world of professional motor sport.

Paul Mackenzie, Executive Director of McLaren Special Operations explained: ‘The McLaren P1 GTR has been a unique project, where the design and engineering teams were not limited to the restrictions of a roadcar or a set of race regulations. As a result, the car is a no compromise racer, focused on track performance.

‘The McLaren P1 GTR Driver Programme takes this offering to another level, providing owners with a unique experience, designed around each individual. No two drivers are the same, and this programme is bespoke to each skill set, with our team of professional driver coaches, engineers and technicians working closely with the drivers, as they would in a top flight motorsport team. This ensures the programme is adjusted accordingly to allow for the best to be seen of each driver and each car.’

A dedicated team of driver coaches supported the activities on track, led by McLaren Automotive Chief Test Driver, Chris Goodwin. The highly experienced team, each boasting a strong racing career, worked closely with each driver to achieve the best results.

The effectiveness of the coaching and team support for the drivers was highlighted with two owners proving extremely competitive after recently announced Driver Mentor, Bruno Senna, set a benchmark laptime to work towards.

Other locations on the debut McLaren P1 GTR Driver Programme calendar include Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia), Circuit of the Americas (North America), Silverstone (UK), Autodromo Nazionale Monza (Italy), Red Bull Ring (Austria), Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), Bahrain International Circuit (Bahrain) and Yas Marina (Abu Dhabi).


VPCM introduces Volkswagen Assurance Package for IQ.DRIVE models

                KUALA LUMPUR: Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) today introduced the Volkswagen Assurance Package (VAP), to provide owners with the flexibility and protection they need.

VAP is applicable to all models equipped with IQ.DRIVE, which currently consists of the new Golf GTI, and the updated Arteon R-Line 4MOTION.

VAP provides owners with an additional 3 years extended unlimited mileage warranty and 3 years maintenance.

Customers are now able to enjoy greater long-term savings with the extended warranty programme.

Depending on the selected model, VAP is valued from RM8,000 to RM10,000. Customers who do not opt for the assurance package will
receive 2 years unlimited mileage warranty and 5 years roadside maintenance.

Newly appointed VPCM managing director Denyu Bostandzhiev said that ultimately car owners are looking for an added value through purchase of its vehicles and with the announcement of VAP, it will ensure customers receive a worry-free ownership experience.

“With VAP, customers can be rest assured that we have them covered.”


BMW reveals 600hp M5 and 625hp M5 Competition

                MUNICH: BMW has released details about its refreshed M5 and M5 Competition

BMW M GmbH has made its M5 high-performance sedans better than ever with some stylistic fine-tuning and a skilfully honed operating concept.

The 4.4-litre V8 engine with BMW M TwinPower Turbo technology generates 441 kW/600hp in the M5 and 460 kW/625hp in the M5 Competition.

The eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic comes as standard, as does M xDrive all-wheel drive, which also includes a 2WD setting for pure rear-wheel drive.

Featuring new shock absorbers from the M8 Gran Coupé and a retuned chassis, the M5 Competition offers even better driveability and handling at the limit, combined with superior comfort levels.

The M5 Competition sits 7mm lower than the M5 and includes other tweaks to the suspension and springs. This setup makes allowance for the car’s extra power which comes into its own on the race track.

The M5 sprints from 0 – 100kph in 3.4 seconds and passes 200kph with 11.1 seconds on the clock. The M5 Competition reaches both marks a fraction more quickly: 100kph is up in 3.3 seconds, 200kph in 10.8 seconds.

As on the 5 Series range, the updated BMW kidney grille drops down further into the front apron; its chrome surround now has a one-piece design framing both kidney elements, which sport M-specific double bars and an M badge.

READ MORE: How the BMW M5 went from executive saloon to muscle car

The restyled front apron has bolder contouring and larger air intakes at the sides, while the large central air intake is hexagonal in shape and incorporates the oil cooler along with the radar sensor for the Active Cruise Control (ACC) system.

New L-shaped light tubes searing in narrow streaks towards the kidney grille add a dynamic flourish to the newly designed LED headlights. The new option of BMW Individual lights Shadowline adds a dark-tinted accent to the Adaptive LED Headlights and BMW Laserlight.

The LED rear lights now have a three-dimensional feel to them and provide a fresh take on the familiar BMW L shape with their precise light graphic.

The larger central display with a diagonal of 12.3 inches makes it easier than ever to keep a clear eye on the myriad functions of the driving dynamics systems and M xDrive.

The new two-button operating concept in the centre console originates from the M8. The M Mode button lets the driver toggle swiftly between the ROAD and SPORT settings.

The Setup button takes them straight to the central display’s menu, where they can select an individual configuration for the powertrain and chassis options.

The M5 Competition also offers TRACK mode, for a keener M feeling on race circuits.

Several new colours are available. The Brands Hatch Grey and Motegi Red metallic colours are both new, as are the BMW Individual finishes Tanzanite Blue II metallic, Aventurine Red II metallic and matt Frozen Bluestone metallic. Champagne Quartz metallic has been renamed Alvit Grey metallic.

The 20-inch M double-spoke wheels in polished Orbit Grey familiar from the M8 are now available as an option.

The standard M Compound brakes can now be specified with callipers painted in High-gloss Black or High-gloss Red as an alternative to the existing blue finish.

Prices in Germany will start at €120,900 (RM582,000) for the M5 and €129,900 (RM626,000) for the M5 Competition.


New Haval dealership opens in Bangi

                PETALING JAYA: Go Auto Sales Sdn Bhd, the exclusive distributor for Haval SUV in Malaysia together with authorised dealer, Wan Auto Car Wheels Sdn Bhd, officially opened its brand-new premise in Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor.

The authorised dealership located at Seksyen 7, Bandar Baru Bangi is a 3S dealer and aims to provide more convenience to Haval’s customers staying around Bangi or Kajang area.

The launch, which was attended by Executive Director of Go Auto Group, Datuk SM Azli SM Nasimuddin Kamal, said, "We are glad to expand the growing Haval family and this new dealership adds to a total of 27 showrooms nationwide. In addition, we aim to have a total of 35 dealerships nationwide by 2019."

Haval Malaysia is now offering new customers and current Haval owners who are interested to purchase new SUVs with its Merdeka ‘Freedom from GST’ promotion with savings up to RM6,600 for Haval H1 and RM7,300 for Haval H2.

For more information of reimagine campaign visit Haval’s microsite http://reimagine.haval.my


New Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is brand's most powerful car

                DETROIT: Ford has announced that the 2020 Mustang Shelby will be equipped with the most powerful V8 engine "in the world," making it the company's highest performing street-legal car to date.

Though Ford earlier promised that the upcoming Mustang Shelby GT500 would be the most powerful car on the market when it launches in 2020, the company did not reveal exactly what that statement entailed.

This week, however, Ford revealed the model's engine specs: the supercharged V8 will be able to produce 760hp and 850Nm of torque.

According to the company, these numbers make the engine "the most power- and torque-dense supercharged production V8 engine in the world" as well as making the 2020 GT500 "the most powerful street-legal Ford ever."

The power that the model can put out exceeds that of Dodge's Challenger SRT Hellcat and Porsche's 918 Spyder. On the other hand, 760hp is only about half the power produced by the Bugatti Chiron, a street-legal supercar powered by a W12.

The 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 is slated to launch this fall for an undisclosed price. With the 2019 version starting at US$59,150 with a lower grade engine, the price tag of the 2020 edition is expected to be higher.


McLaren reveals more about 570LT

                LONDON: When last week McLaren released an early teaser image of what we assumed was the upcoming 570LT, it showed a car that didn't have an exhaust pipe of any sort where one would normally expect it.

And now another image has been issued confirming what most observers thought, which is that the exhaust for the 570LT will be of the top-exit variety.

The 570S, which the 570LT is based on, is what passes for an entry-level model in the McLaren range, and this hardcore version's top-exit exhaust will contribute to an overall package delivering more power, less weight and better aerodynamics than the 570S.

This latest image doesn't show much other than the exhaust, but we won't have to wait too long for a full reveal as the company has confirmed that will take place on June 28 at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed in Britain. The car won't just be on display though, as it will also be taking part in the famous Hill Climb that's always a much-anticipated part of the weekend event.

Last week's initial tease showed the familiar rear of the 570S but with more aggressive tyres than the standard variant and styling changes that included side blades for improved aerodynamics as well as that major omission of an exhaust pipe in the expected position.

McLaren has confirmed that the 570LT will be made in strictly limited numbers. That would suggest a similar amount to the earlier 675LT Super Series model where just 500 of the coupe were produced.

Although the headline figure associated with the 570LT will be its 600+ horsepower, like the 675LT, the real focus will be on weight reduction and optimising the aerodynamic performance of the car.

The 570LT is part of McLaren's Sport Series, so it won't have quite the obsessive attention to performance detail as the 675LT, but it won't come with the same price tag either.

The 675LT added more than £65,000 (about RM345,000) to the £195,250 (over RM1mil) price of the 650S it was based upon, but the 570LT is still likely to start at around the £200,000 (about RM1.06mil) mark.

sc/cm - Relaxnews


2016 Paris Motor Show: Car makers cooperate as way to rival tech firms

                PARIS/FRANKFURT: Alarmed by the threat posed by Silicon Valley firms developing autonomous driving systems, carmakers at this week's Paris Motor Show showed signs they are ready to hit back by cooperating in areas where they might have been expected to compete.

"This is how the automotive industry may be able to fight off the threat that Apple and particularly Google represent to their brands as digital services become more and more important," technology investment analyst Richard Windsor said.

BMW, Daimler and VW's Audi announced this week they would launch new traffic monitoring services next year which give drivers a view of road conditions miles ahead. They are based on video data collected from sensors in other cars and fed to the three carmakers' jointly-owned navigation mapping services firm HERE.

Separately HERE's Dutch rival TomTom NV on Thursday announced traffic data deals with truckmaker Volvo and carmaker Skoda, a VW subsidiary.

Also General Motors, Nissan and VW are experimenting with a plan to pull video data captured by their customers' vehicles using Israeli firm Mobileye's camera-based sensor systems, that may soon give automakers an edge over the likes of Google in the precision-mapping required for driverless cars.

However, it remains to be seen whether carmakers can charge premium prices for connected car services as technology companies like Google look to develop similar offerings for free, supported by advertising or other business models.

A deal by traffic data start-up Inrix to supply data to Google-owned crowd-sourced traffic and navigation service Waze will help drivers find parking spots on smartphones using the free app. And Renault said on Thursday it was showing a prototype of a Waze system built into its car dashboards which run Android Auto, Google's operating system for carmakers.

Graphic depicts the range of sensor information feeding a new set of live traffic services digital mapping company HERE is introducing ahead of the Paris Motor Show in conjunction with automakers Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and other, yet-to-be-named automotive partners. September 25, 2016.

Meanwhile connecting cars on the move with the Internet also needs more reliable mobile telecoms networks. With that aim, Germany's top automakers said this week they were teaming up with telecoms network equipment makers Ericsson, Huawei, Nokia, Qualcomm and Intel to help with developing the next-generation 5G networks set to debut around 2020.

At the same time carmakers are now racing to plot their courses to building self-driving vehicles over the next five years, a dramatic acceleration in pace from the 10- to 15-year timeframes many had charted until pushed to speed up the process by the advances made by Google and Tesla.

"We see the car transforming from a product into the ultimate platform," Daimler Chairman Dieter Zetsche told reporters in Paris.

Among the car companies there have been two camps, those who are trying to develop their autonomous driving technology in-house, and those who are outsourcing it, but that division is looking set to become less clear-cut due to the need for cooperation in some areas at least.

"Gradually all of the car manufacturers will have to get more and more involved in managing data. It's natural. We're going to have to work much more collaboratively," Stewart Callegari, a Nissan product planning executive for driverless cars told reporters at the Paris show.

Fiat's recent partnership to build self-driving vans with Google is seen by analysts as an example of outsourcing, given the Italian auto maker's weak finances, limiting its ability to invest in its own software expertise.

Daimler, on the other hand, is firmly in the camp of vehicle makers who want to go it alone but still sees some need for collaboration.

"We need to think whether we work together analysing the data or whether we do this on our own. This depends on the use case," Zetsche said, adding that it made sense to work together in areas where potential cost savings resulted but did not blur the distinctions between brands.

Some partnerships like the deal between Chinese carmaker Geely's Swedish subsidiary Volvo Car Group to develop autonomous cars with Uber Technologies, and General Motor's partnership with Uber's rival Lyft, are also seen as hybrid approaches.

"The automotive industry has and will continue to become a software business in many ways," Audi of America President Scott Keogh said.


The Ox is ready for work

                LONDON: From the designer who penned the McLaren F1 supercar comes...the Global Vehicle Trust OX - a revolutionary flat-pack truck designed specifically to provide all-terrain mobility for the developing world and aims to help communities undertake a range of crucial daily tasks.

The Ox, envisioned by entrepreneur and philanthropist Sir Torquil Norman and designed by renowned automotive engineer Professor Gordon Murray, is a low-cost all-terrain vehicle meant for remote parts of Africa and the developing world.

Its host of everyday or emergency duties include the tackling of transportation challenges such as the collection of drinking water, transportation of grain, fertilizer or even building materials to name a few.

Thus the OX not only addresses the problems with the roads; it also addresses the specific need to transport large volumes of goods and people at a low cost.

Inside, the cabin features a three-seater layout with the driver centrally positioned (just like the F1), which allows it to be accepted in both left and right-hand drive markets.

The vehicle is capable of being flat-packed within itself, enabling it to be transported more easily around the world.

It takes three people less than six hours to create the flat pack in the UK prior to shipping, and six of these flat packs can be shipped within a 40ft high-cube container.

Assembly labour is transferred to the importing country, where local professional companies will be employed to assemble and maintain the finished vehicles. Three skilled people can put an OX together in approximately 12 hours.

Additionally, the tailgate can be completely detached, rotated lengthways and double as a loading ramp.

The rear bench seat bases also have a dual purpose, with its long ‘egg crate’ frames which can be removed from the vehicle and used as ‘sand ladders’ under the wheels to help the OX traverse challenging soft ground.

With a dry weight of 1,600kg, the Ox has a wheelbase of 2,560mm while measuring 4,229mm-long, 2,070mm-wide and 2,302mm-tall - while having a payload capacity of up to 1,900kg or 7,000 litres of space (allowing 13 people to be seated or fit eight 44-gallon drums or three Euro pallets).

For power, it's been fitted with a 2.2-litre (2,198cc) turbo diesel mill with a compression ratio of 17.5:1 and gets fed by an 80-litre fuel tank to produce 100PS at 3,500rpm and 310Nm at 2,100rpm, while being managed by a 5-speed manual transmission.

The Ox rolls on 16-inch wheels with tall 205/80 series tyres that allow the 300mm (front) and 280mm (rear) disc brakes to peep out and makes use of telescopic dampers and coil springs all-round with OXGlide leading arms for the front and trailing arms for the rear suspension.

“My inspiration for the OX goes back to seeing the ‘Africar’ project of the 1980s. This project shares some of the aims of that vehicle, but its execution is radically different. OX was just a dream six years ago, but it is now a realistic prospect for production with working prototypes that have completed a comprehensive testing programme,” said Norman.


Gordon Murray kicks off T.50 supercar assembly, 5 global service centres set up

                LONDON: Less than two-and-a-half years after the Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) T.50 supercar was revealed, Gordon Murray has signed the carbon-fibre monocoque of the very first customer car to mark the beginning of assembly.

Limited to 100 examples, T.50 will be hand-assembled at GMA’s Dunsfold facility with every car being unique to its owner with no two even having the same exterior paint colour.

The carbon fibre monocoque of the T.50 weighs only 107 kg, with the V12 Cosworth GMA engine – delivering 665PS and capable of 12,100rpm – weighing just 178 kg.

GMA sought to lighten every component from the titanium throttle pedal to the 400mm carbon fibre fan at the rear of the car that helps increase downforce by 50%.

As T.50 assembly begins, GMA also announced a global service centre network.

Headed by a global aftersales team, there are five global service centres in select locations around the world: USA (East and West coasts), UK, Japan and Abu Dhabi.

The five global service centres are supplemented by a network of 14 service support centres located in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, Germany, Spain, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain with a further six in key states of America.


Hyundai raises Southeast Asia bet with second investment in Grab

                SEOUL/SINGAPORE: Hyundai Motor Co has raised its stakes in growing Southeast Asian markets with a $250 million investment in Singapore’s Grab, its second in the ride-hailing firm, as it chases rivals in the race for new-age transportation.

The investment is Hyundai’s biggest-ever in an auto-tech firm, yet is smaller than those made by others including Toyota Motor Corp. Nevertheless, it underscores a shift in strategy at a South Korean conglomerate that has typically shunned partnerships in favour of developing its own technologies.

Hyundai and affiliate Kia Motors Corp will launch pilot electric vehicle (EV) projects in Southeast Asia next year, starting with Singapore, where 200 EVs will be leased to Grab drivers, Hyundai said in a statement.

It said the project will later be expanded to countries including Malaysia and Vietnam, where markets for traditionally powered cars are dominated by Japanese rivals.

The move comes as Hyundai battles sluggish sales in its two biggest markets, China and the United States, while its stock price has fallen nearly a third this year.

Hyundai has joined the global race to invest in mobility firms as individual car ownership is widely expected to fall due to in part to increasing car-sharing options in big cities.

“Not only Hyundai, but all global auto manufacturers have realized that generating revenue solely from selling vehicles is not a sustainable, viable option,” Hyundai’s chief innovation officer, Chi Young-cho, told reporters in Seoul.

“It is better to disrupt than being disrupted,” he said.

Earlier this year, Hyundai said it invested US$25 million for a 0.45 percent stake in Grab, joining investors such as Chinese ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing, Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp and Toyota Motor Corp.

Grab said it has so far raised US$2.7 billion in funding, including Hyundai’s latest investment, and is on track to attract over US$3 billion by the end of this year. Grab president Ming Maa said the company does not yet have plans to go public.

The partnership will help Grab lower car ownership and operating costs for its drivers, Maa said. Lower costs help ride-hailing firms attract and retain drivers.

Hyundai expects to launch its own ride-sharing service in select markets next year, said Chi, who oversees Hyundai’s new businesses such as those involving ride-sharing, artificial intelligence and robotics. He also said the automaker is looking at acquisition opportunities, without giving details.

The automaker aims to collect data such as on battery charging from cars it leases to Grab to develop vehicles better tailored for Southeast Asia. It also hopes to explore the possibility of building a factory in the region in the longer term.

Southeast Asia’s EV market is very small. Only 142 battery-powered cars are likely to be sold in the market this year, versus six last year, showed data from market researcher LMC Automotive.

EV sales this year are likely to reach 693,894 units in China and 172,744 units in the United States, LMC data showed.


DRB-HICOM University gets new Isuzu truck for education enhancement

                KUALA LUMPUR: Isuzu Malaysia recently contributed one unit of its ELF NPR 6-wheeler truck to DRB-HICOM University - the country’s leading automotive university.

The unit is equipped with the latest Common Rail Engine for the academic use of the automotive students attending Diploma and Degree courses at the university.

During the handover ceremony, Isuzu Malaysia chief operating officer Mikio Tsukui, presented a symbolic mock key to DRB-HICOM University dean (Post Graduate Faculty) Prof. Dr. Abd Rahni bin Mat Piah.

Tsukui believes that the contribution will help to further enhance students’ academic experience at the university.

“The contribution will provide students a greater opportunity to understand Isuzu’s latest engine technology, which will in turn be impactful for the automotive after-sales sector in the long run,” said Tsukui.

The Isuzu ELF NPR 6-wheeler truck is equipped with a 5.2-litre engine, with a six-speed
transmission supported by an Electronic Control Unit (ECU), in addition to a 5.125 final gear ratio.


Long-awaited Hyundai pick-up truck set to enter US market soon

                LOS ANGELES: Hyundai Motor Co. expects to enter the US pickup market soon with what’s likely to be an American-made vehicle aimed at luring buyers who aren’t traditional truck owners, an executive said Monday.

"It’ll be a very versatile vehicle,” Michael O’Brien, vice president of product, corporate and digital planning for Hyundai’s US unit, said in an interview. "That has the promise of creating a whole new class of buyers.”

The South Korean automaker won’t say when it will roll out a pickup or provide details on its specifications. But Hyundai first provided clues of what it will look like 4 1/2 years ago, when it debuted a truck concept called Santa Cruz at the Detroit auto show.

The snug five-seater was a crossover-type vehicle featuring a 2-litre turbo diesel engine and a tailgate with a sliding extension. The model will target city-dwelling millennials who can’t fit full-size pickups in tighter parking spots.

Hyundai would need to manufacture the truck in North America to avoid the 25% tariff on imported trucks. O’Brien strongly suggested the company will opt to produce the new pickup in the US - where the majority of the vehicles will be sold - to avoid political controversy.

"It would have to be made in North America,” he said, while also noting that automakers who have chosen to produce new vehicles in Mexico have drawn the wrath of US President Donald Trump.
Hyundai already produces the Elantra and Sonata sedans and the Santa Fe crossover at its factory in Montgomery, Alabama, which has the capacity to make about 400,000 vehicles a year. Its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. assembles the Telluride, Sorento and Optima models at a factory in West Point, Georgia, and manufactures 340,000 vehicles a year.


Hyundai, Kia urge US owners of recalled vehicles to park outside

A 2017 Kia K900.
WASHINGTON: Hyundai and Kia on Tuesday advised the owners of 484,000 US vehicles to park outside and away from other vehicles because of fire risks until they get new recall repairs completed.

Hyundai Motor Co and its affiliate Kia Corp announced separate US recalls because a Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire.

Dealers will install a new fuse for the circuit board to address the fire risks.

The new recalls cover some 2014-2016 Kia Sportage, 2016-2018 Kia K900 and 2016-2018 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles. Owners should park vehicles outdoors and away from other vehicles or structures, even if vehicles are turned off.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urged owners to follow the automakers advice, saying "the manufacturers believe an electrical component in the anti-lock brake system may experience an internal electrical short circuit that could increase the risk of fire both while the vehicle is being driven or parked."

The recalls covers 126,747 Kia vehicles and 357,830 Hyundai vehicles. There are no reports of injuries but 11 total reports of fires, the automakers said.

The Korean automakers have issued and expanded several recalls in recent years for fire risks.

In November, NHTSA issued first-ever reward to a whistleblower, handing out more than US$24 million to a former Hyundai employee who reported to NHTSA in 2016 that Hyundai was failing to address a design flaw linked to its Theta II engines, which were prone to seizing up and catching fire.

In 2020, Hyundai and Kia's US units agreed to a record US$210 million civil penalty after NHTSA said they failed to recall vehicles for engine issues in a timely fashion.


Performance testing of Aston Martin's first SUV nearly complete

                LONDON: Aston Martin revealed on Wednesday that the DBX's performance testing will soon be coming to a close.

The model, which is the company's first SUV, reportedly has specs aligned with recently launched sportscars in its portfolio.

In fact, Aston Martin specifically likens the DBX's cornering speeds with that of the Vantage sportscar. Braking figures, on the other hand, are said to be greater than that of the DBS Superleggera.

The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 powering the model - the same one found in the Vantage and DB11 - produces 542hp and 700Nm of torque, values that are both higher than its in-house sportscar counterparts.

Though the top speed has not yet been determined, Aston Martin states that it will be over 290kph.

Final testing of the model will continue throughout the next few months while the official unveiling is slated to take place in December.


Hyundai Malaysia service centres resume operations

                PETALING JAYA: Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) has resumed service centre operations in stages starting April 20.

To date, all Sime Darby Auto Hyundai (SDAH) service centres have resumed operations.

During the Movement Control Order (MCO) period, only a minimal number of service personnel and customers are allowed at the service centres.

Thus, SDAH service centres are only accepting customers with service appointments and no walk-in will be allowed.

In adherence to health and safety guidelines, all SDAH service centres will implement social distancing measures, disinfect regularly, run temperature checks for staff and customers upon entry, and provide hand sanitisers at all customer touch points.

To book a service appointment, customers will need to contact a SDAH service outlet of their choice or a service advisor directly.

SDAH service centres are located at Ara Damansara, Petaling Jaya; Old Klang Road, Kuala Lumpur; Ipoh, Perak; Georgetown and Prai, Penang; as well as at Skudai, Johor.

Operational hours will be limited to 9am to 4pm on weekdays and 9am to 12noon on Saturdays for most SDAH service centres except for outlets in Georgetown and Prai, which will operate from 8am to 5pm and 9am to 2pm respectively.

Contact numbers for SDAH Service Centres:

• Ara Damansara, Petaling Jaya (03-7628 2500)
• Old Klang Road, Kuala Lumpur (03-7984 5388)
• Skudai, Johor (07-2340 714)
• Ipoh, Perak (05-2533 399)
• Prai, Penang (04-3997 788)
• Georgetown, Penang (04-2811 210)

HSDM has also launched the Hyundai CARE Warranty Extension Programme, allowing for the extension of original warranties that expired in March and April.

This initiative is in tandem with Hyundai Motor Company’s launch of its warranty extension policy for Hyundai vehicles worldwide.

Hyundai CARE aims to offer peace of mind for Hyundai customers with regards to their warranty eligibility for repairs and other related services, delayed due to the temporary shutdown of all service centres in adherence of the Movement Control Order (MCO) imposed by the government.

“We understand our customers’ predicament of not having access to our service centres during this period, and they are probably worried about their warranty,” said Low Yuan Lung, managing director of HSDM.

“With Hyundai C A R E, we wish to set their minds at ease with regards to their warranty eligibility. Not only do we care about our customers’ health and safety, we care about the ‘health’ and safety of their vehicles as well.”

Hyundai CARE ensures that all Hyundai vehicles with original warranties that expire between 18 March and28 April 2020, will benefit from warranty extensions until May 31.

Nevertheless, should the MCO period is further extend, a 30-day warranty extension will be given from the last day of MCO.

The Hyundai C A R E covers the following:

•	Vehicles which have not fulfilled the service maintenance based on the Periodic Maintenance Service Schedule due to the MCO
•	Warranty for vehicles expiring during the MCO period (18 March until 28 April 2020) will be extended until 31 May 2020.
•	Warranty for vehicles expiring during the MCO period (28 April 2020 onwards) will be extended for 30 days from the last day of MCO.
•	Vehicles with service overdue due to MCO - the vehicle will need to be sent in for service within 30 days from the last day of MCO to ensure the validity of the warranty
•	All approved warranty that are pending part replacement during MCO

For details, contact the Customer Care Line at 1300-13-2000.


Record petrol prices in Australian cities spark boycott call

                MELBOURNE: Australian motorists are being advised to boycott "price-gouging” petrol retailers as fuel prices surge across major cities ahead of the Christmas holidays.

Unleaded petrol in Australia reached A$1.71 a litre (RM4.87) Thursday in Brisbane, a record for the Queensland state capital, and A$1.73 (RM4.92) a litre Friday on the Gold Coast, according to the Royal automobile Club of Queensland, known as RACQ. In Melbourne, prices topped A$1.75 (RM4.98) a litre Saturday, a 2019 high, Victoria state’s car club said.

Wholesale fuel prices have increased because of rising oil charges and the higher cost of refined petroleum products from Singapore, said Lauren Ritchie, an RACQ spokesman, in a phone interview Sunday.

Some Brisbane petrol stations added as much as 34 Australian cents (97 sen) a litre to retail prices last week and should be "boycotted,” she said.

"Any retailer charging over A$1.71 in Brisbane would be taking hefty retail margins,” Ritchie said. "That wouldn’t be fair, it would be price-gouging. Do not fill up there.”

Following lobbying by the motoring group, the Queensland government instigated a requirement a year ago for all petrol stations to publicly release fuel prices to create greater transparency for drivers. The programme has led to a 2.3-cents-a-litre reduction (6.5 sen) in petrol prices in Brisbane, and has saved the state’s motorists A$122.8 million (RM340mil), RACQ estimates.


Drive to Prosperity winners announced

                PETALING JAYA: Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd (ETCM) carried out the prize award ceremony for the ‘Drive to Prosperity’ Chinese New Year campaign at the Nissan roadshow event at 1 Utama Shopping Centre.

12 lucky winners of the campaign consisted of customers who purchased and registered a Nissan vehicle during the period of January and February 2016.

They received Sharp home and electrical appliances worth a total of more than RM128,888.

 Tan (left) and Wakasumi at the prize giving ceremony.

Present at the ceremony was ETCM director of marketing and product planning, Tan Keng Meng who said, “We at ETCM are pleased to be able to put a smile on our customers’ face not only for delivering their preferred cars but also enable these lucky winners a chance to win these electrical appliances made possible with the collaboration of our campaign partner Sharp, a renowned Japanese brand in home and electrical appliances.”

Also present was Sharp-Roxy Sales & Service Company (SRSSC) managing director Takaya Wakasumi.

In related news, ETCM has also extended the UEFA Champions League Campaign to the month of April 2016. Customers who purchase a Nissan vehicle during this period will stand a chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to experience the UEFA Champions League final match in Milan, Italy.

So visit the nearest Nissan showroom near you and attend the roadshows across Peninsular Malaysia:

Tesco Kota Bahru, Kelantan (Apr 17-23)
One Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya (Apr 20-24)
East Coast Mall, Kuantan (Apr 21-24)
Aeon Bandaraya Melaka, Melaka (Apr 25 - May 1)

For more information visit this website or call ETCM’s Nissan Customer Care Centre at 1800-88-383.


Fuel prices down this week

                PETALING JAYA: Fuel prices are down across the board from tomorrow.

Petrol now costs the same back during the week of Sept 28 to Aug 4 after a 3 sen drop with RON95 now costing RM2.16 per litre and RON97 at RM2.46 per litre.Diesel is also more affordable with a 7 sen reduction to RM2.10.

The prices of fuel will take effect from 12.01am onwards from Oct 12 to 18.

The weekly fuel pricing mechanism came into effect in April this year, and the prices of petrol and diesel had been placed on a managed monthly float system since Dec 1, 2014 following the removal of fuel subsidies.


MAN TGM an all-rounder municipal vehicle

                PETALING JAYA: When it comes to municipal tasks such as transporting waste, emptying pits and extracting sludge and waterway or road maintenance, the MAN TGM is the ideal vehicle and an all-rounder to help with all such on-road and off-road operations.

The truck also impresses with its low fuel consumption, made possible by the extremely lightweight frame design with maximum stability and loading capacity.

The sophisticated but intuitive transfer case lock management (VSM) also ensures excellent off-road capability. The driver can use the standard MAN rotary switch to select all switching and locking operations – controlling everything single-handedly.

Another safety feature ensures that it is only possible to switch between on-road and off-road gear ratios when the vehicle is stationary and the gearbox is in neutral.

The integrated hill-climbing brake provides additional assistance, as it enables the driver to make hill starts without the vehicle rolling backwards.

This eases the strain on the driver during difficult maneuvers, reduces the risk of accidents caused by the vehicle rolling backwards, and reduces wear on the clutch and gearbox.

The MAN ABS for off-road operation, the off-road logic for the anti-lock braking system, is particularly useful when driving on unsurfaced roads.

The driver and passengers can also enjoy the benefits of a comfortable workplace in the cab. The driver can settle back into an air-sprung comfort seat with lumbar support, shoulder adjustment and seat heating.

A passenger seat bench with individual seats allows two additional colleagues to travel in comfort.

“When it comes to municipal vehicles, nothing is more important than maximizing efficiency, minimizing operating costs and environmental compatibility.  We are confident that MAN TGM trucks can help provide tried and tested technical solutions for any municipal application”, said Hartmut Muller, Managing Director of MAN Truck and Bus (M) Sdn Bhd.


Customers throng KL JPJ on first day it opens since MCO began

                KUALA LUMPUR: Throngs of people headed to the city Road Transport Department (JPJ) headquarters as it fully opened its counters for the first time today since the movement control order (MCO) began.

A check by The Star showed that all customers were required to follow the standard operating procedures (SOP) during the conditional MCO, including wearing face masks and practising social distancing.

Since 8am, the situation at the KL JPJ headquarters was bustling with people eager to settle various matters.

KL JPJ director Mohd Zaki Ismail said customers were subjected to temperature screenings before they were permitted to enter the headquarters' main entrance.

"The public must follow instructions issued by security personnel as well as those manning the counters.

"They are also required to wear face masks and use hand sanitiser," he said when met at the office on Monday.

Practising social distancing is of utmost important, he added.

"Only healthy customers and those who adhered to the SOPs are allowed to make transactions at the counters," he added.

Zaki reminded the public that they don't have to panic and storm JPJ counters.

"Private vehicles owners are still exempted from renewing their licence or vehicle road tax on the condition that the vehicle insurance is still valid.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong had announced previously that JPJ will operate seven-days-a-week to ensure all pending transactions for commercial or private vehicles, are completed as soon as possible to avoid any backlog.

Dr Wee had announced that the operational hours for JPJ offices are from 8am to 4pm during weekdays and 8am to 1pm on weekends.

Cash payments are permitted at JPJ offices from 8am to 11am while e-payments, through debit or credit cards, are accepted from 8am to 4pm on weekdays.

JPJ counters will be closed from May 23 to May 26 in conjunction with the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.


Thrills and spills in Super GT in Thailand

                Despite suffering a catastrophic collision in Thailand, the Nismo team with the Motul Autech GT-R machine is still in the running to win a GT500 championship for the third consecutive year in November.

The Nismo team had gone into the recent Round 7 of the 2016 Autobacs Super GT, held at the Chang International Circuit in Buri Ram, Thailand with a 100kg weight handicap weight, the heaviest allowed under current regulations.

This is part of what makes the Super GT so thrilling for spectators; to reduce the chances of domination by any single car over the race season, a weight handicap (success ballast) is assigned to cars according to the drivers’ points scored in previous races.

The Nismo team, with drivers Tsugio Matsuda and Ronnie Quintarelli, are the defending champions after winning the series in 2014 and 2015.

Despite the 100kg weight handicap, on the earlier laps in Buri Ram, Quintarelli had done well to push the team into third place before entering the pits.

With Matsuda now in the driver's seat, the Nismo team continued to run strongly in the points sphere.

However, disaster struck on lap 56 when the Motul Autech GT-R car suffered a spin after colliding with a GT300 machine, and this resulted in bad rear damage, following which Matsuda had to nurse the car back to the pits and ended the race in 14th place.

Still, the Nismo team will go into the final rounds at the Twin Ring Motegi race track in Japan as ranking leader, with a 10-point lead over second placed Lexus Team Lemans Wako's.

The final rounds of the 2016 Super GT will be on November 11 till 13.

Super GT in Thailand

Since 2014, a round of the Super GT series has been held at the Chang International Circuit in Buri Ram.

Before that, Malaysians will remember that the Sepang International Circuit had hosted the Super GT series for 13 years running.

It is the season's sole overseas round, and it's understandable that we mostly drew blank looks when mentioning Buri Ram, which is not exactly a major tourist draw here.

It is located in north-east Thailand, about 410km from Bangkok and according to tourismthailand.org, Buri Ram literally means “city of happiness” or “peaceful city”.

While the town has limited attractions, the countryside is filled with ancient ruins including Phanom Rung, known as one of the best preserved Angkorian temples in Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, Chang International Circuit (named after the beer company) was opened in 2014 and is the first FIA Grade 1 circuit in Thailand, which means it can run Formula One races.

Sited on over 1,200 acres, the circuit has a 4.554km track with 12 turns, and can host 50,000 people.

To recap, Super GT is Japan’s premier touring car competition featuring heavily-modified production cars and attracting over 400,000 spectators annually.

The series consists of eight rounds, and is divided into the GT500 and GT300 classes.

Cars in the top GT500 class are from the Japanese “Big Three” automakers (namely Nissan, Lexus and Honda).

In the GT300 class, alongside Japanese automakers such as Nissan, Toyota, Honda, and Subaru, foreign marques like Ferrari, Porsche, Audi, and Mercedes also compete.

Among the thrills of watching Super GT races is its mixed format where GT500 and GT300 cars run the same race as a pack.
Nismo ambassador Michael Krumm said, "Super GT has absolutely fantastic racing. That is why it makes sense to show it outside Japan also."

Nismo and racing

Nismo or Nissan Motorsports International has a long and illustrious presence in the Super GT.

Nissan's performance brand has been taking part in the race series since it started in 1994, and has been the most victorious team.

Nismo has won 11 driver and 11 team championships to date, and in the last five years, the Nissan GT-R Nismo GT500 has won four titles.

Nissan and Nismo has a long and rich history in racing, and the Japanese marque is the only auto manufacturer in the world with factory-backed racing programmes in Japan, Europe, United States and Australia.

Last year, feathers in the cap for Nismo included the Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 winning the GT300 class title of Super GT and Pro Class championship of the Blancpain Endurance Series.

This year is another packed one for Nismo, as its racing calendar includes the European Le Mans Series, Australian Supercars Championship, Pirelli World Challenge, FIA World Endurance and the Blancpain GT Series.

Takao Katagiri, who took over as Nismo president and CEO in April this year, brings over 33 years of Nissan experience to his current role.

"Nismo represents excitement and innovation for Nissan fans. Motorsports is part of our DNA, and we are very strong, and this enchances Nissan's global image," Katagiri told reporters in Buri Ram.

"For the future, the GT-R will of course remain as our flagship. We are also looking at tuning and developing more Nismo packages for SUV or crossovers, and electric vehicles, and even pick-up trucks."


S. Korea's self-driving upstart takes on tech giants

A Rideflux 'self-driving' car in Jeju.  — AFP
SEOUL: In a workshop that blends a corporate office with a tool-packed garage, around 20 South Koreans are looking to take on the multi-billion-dollar giants of Uber, Tesla and Google parent Alphabet with a self-driving car of their own.

The RideFlux start-up brings together engineers who have given up well-paid jobs with some of the South's most prestigious firms to try to build a ride-sharing company for the tech-savvy nation.

Their modified Hyundai Ioniq, festooned with cameras and proximity sensors, is the first autonomous vehicle to go into regular service on public roads in the country.

For two weeks it has been shuttling customers from the airport on the tourist island of Jeju to rental company SoCar's service centre.

The five-kilometre route includes a U-turn, 11 pedestrian crossings and bustling airport traffic, meaning it is "laden with potential variables" and an "optimal environment" to develop and improve AI systems, said founder and CEO Park Jung-hee, who holds a doctorate from MIT in mechanical engineering.

With AFP on board, an irritated taxi driver following behind honked as the all-electric vehicle kept to the speed limit, changed lanes and had the vision to accelerate and overtake another car to ensure it had sufficient space to make a right turn.

A giant monitor in the workshop displayed its progress, relayed in real-time, complete with objects around the car and traffic signs.

For now, under South Korean law a safety driver has to sit behind the wheel, poised to intervene if necessary - they do so at least once a day on average - leaving space for two passengers.

But Park, 35, is looking to accelerate, with plans to offer ride-hailing services using three autonomous cars operating on 400km of Jeju's major roads by the end of the year - albeit still with a safety driver.

"Our aim is to put self-driving cars without safety drivers operating in all parts of Jeju in the next five years," he said.

Despite its trade-dependent economy, South Korea sometimes puts regulatory hurdles in the path of multinational companies.

RideFlux investor SoCar, an app-based car rental firm in one of the few countries where Uber has had to give up offering ride-sharing owing to legal restrictions, believes automated driving will be "at the centre of our future business".

'Truly safe'

But the newcomers have a mountain to climb. Major automakers, technology tycoons and start-ups have already poured US$50 billion into the race to develop autonomous driving technologies over the past five years, according to market observer Research and Markets.

Silicon Valley companies have taken the lead, most notably Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, which has already logged more than 32 million kilometres on public roads across 25 cities in the US.

It has been operating an autonomous rideshare pilot programme in Arizona, with some of the cars now operating without a human backup, after nearly three years of tests with 600 vehicles using safety drivers.

Technology has been a key element of the South's progress to become the world's 12th-largest economy, with Samsung Electronics rising to become the world's biggest smartphone and chip maker, and the government in Seoul is looking to encourage autonomous vehicles as a new driver for growth.

It plans to install intelligent transport systems on all its 5,400km of motorway by 2024 to enable communication between vehicles and infrastructure.

The works have already been completed on 85km of highway south of Seoul, according to the transport ministry, feeding information on vehicle movements to driver-assistance systems in real time.

The South was the first country to launch a nationwide 5G network, which will facilitate development in future.

But so far the RideFlux vehicles have covered just 10,000km in six months.

"We need to collect and accumulate as much data as possible," Park told AFP, adding careless driving causes more than million road deaths a year globally.

"We need to show people accident-free records accumulated over a long period of time.

"It is the only way people will truly feel safe riding a self-driving car," he added. "Magic doesn't just happen."


Oct 31-Nov 6: Fuel prices unchanged

                PETALING JAYA: Fuel prices remain the same as last week, according to the Ministry of Finance.

To recap, the retail price of RON97 petrol is RM1.94 per litre and RON95 petrol is RM1.64.

Diesel continues to be retailed at RM1.74 per litre.


Fuel prices drop

                PETALING JAYA: Fuel prices are set to fall as both petrol and diesel will halt their three-week gains starting tomorrow.

As of Sept 21, the price of RON95 will be priced 2 sen cheaper at RM2.19 from RM2.21 per litre, while RON97 gets priced 3 sen lesser at RM2.49 from RM2.52 per litre from the previous week.

Diesel, on the other hand, almost halved last week's 9 sen gain by taking a 4 sen reduction to RM2.10 from RM2.14 per litre previously.

The prices of fuel will take effect from 12.01am onwards from Sept 21 to 27.

The weekly fuel pricing mechanism came into effect in April this year, and the prices of petrol and diesel had been placed on a managed monthly float system since Dec 1, 2014 following the removal of fuel subsidies.

Fuel Prices From Sept 14 to 20
RON95 - RM2.19 (-2 sen)
RON97 - RM2.49 (-3 sen)
Diesel - RM2.10 (-4 sen)


MINI Hatch gets big makeover

                MUNICH: The MINI 3-door, the MINI 5-door and the MINI Convertible is getting a massive makeover in March.

The line-up will get clear exterior design accents, giving it a purist appearance that emphasises MINI's hallmark design features.

In addition, the innovative world's first Multitone Roof, where three colour shades are applied one after the other in a wet-on-wet painting process, creates unique individualisation opportunities.

In the interior, the extensively redesigned cockpit underlines the premium character of the 3-door, the 5-door and the Convertible.

Additions to the range of standard and optional equipment are new exterior paint finishes, light-alloy wheels, interior and seating surfaces as well as innovative technology in the areas of chassis, driver assistance systems, operation and connectivity round off the latest update for the British brand's small car models.

Among the updates are:

• Purist look thanks to new front design.
• LED headlights now as standard equipment.
• Characteristic side scuttles in a new design.
• Redesigned rear apron, LED rear lights in Union Jack design now standard.
• World innovation: The Multitone Roof.
• New body colours and light alloy wheels.
• Newly-designed interior surfaces and air outlets.
• Redesigned steering wheels, optionally heated for the first time.
• Multifunctional instrument display with 5-inch colour display.
• Central instrument cluster with new Piano Black high-gloss surround, 8.8-inch display and modern graphics display as standard.
• Sports seats in new Light Chequered colour.
• New Ambient Light option with extended features.
• Adaptive chassis now features frequency-selective damping.
• Electric parking brake available for the first time.
• Active Cruise Control now with Stop & Go function.
• Greater safety thanks to new lane departure warning and bad weather light.
• Piano Black exterior with extended features.
• New equipment packages allow for targeted individualisation.
Head of the MINI brand Bernd Körber said the current model revision would enable MINI to reached a level of maturity that makes it more exceptional in the small car segment with regard to design, product substance and premium quality, than ever before.

"The MINI is the original that stands out from the crowd and it continues to reinvent itself again and again," he said.


Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya wins 'Best After Sales' award for Asia emerging markets

                PETALING JAYA: Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya took the "Best 1st Quarter 2021 After Sales" award, beating its fellow counterparts in Malaysia and across Asia.

Rivals from the Asia emerging markets included dealers from Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, Myanmar Cambodia, South Korea, Hong Kong and Macau.

Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya centre is located at The Gasket Alley in Section 13 here and is operated by Goh Brothers Motorcycles Sdn Bhd.

"Goh Brothers, being a retail specialist, has always put aftersales service as the priority and business fundamental for our all automotive businesses," said Goh Brothers Group chairman Goh Kian Sin.

"The recognition further motivates us to do even better for Harley-Davidson."


Cadillac Lyriq EV draws strong response ahead of spring launch

                DETROIT: The 2023 Cadillac Lyriq appears to be an early winner some two months before the first of the new electric crossovers begin arriving at US dealers, General Motors officials said on Tuesday.

GM's premium brand already has received 233,000 expressions of interest from consumers, Rory Harvey, Cadillac's global vice president, said.

"We can't tell yet how many of those will translate into orders," Harvey told a media briefing.

"Typically, 10% of hard raisers turn into orders - we anticipate a higher order rate" than usual.

GM told suppliers earlier this year to gear up for production of 25,000 Lyriqs in 2022, up from the previous 3,200 planned, sources told Reuters in February.

Harvey said GM brought forward the production launch of the Lyriq by nine months, reflecting higher-than-expected initial demand.

The Lyriq is the first of an all-new portfolio of electric vehicles that Cadillac plans to roll out by 2030.

The mid-size crossover goes into limited production March 21 in Spring Hill, Tennessee, with the first rear-wheel-drive models heading to dealers in late May, Cadillac sales boss Eric Cunningham said.

Cadillac will formally open the Lyriq order bank on May 19 and will also take orders for the all-wheel-drive variant, which won't go into production until late 2022.

"We're still working through how many Lyriqs we can build this year and next," said Harvey, citing the supply of semiconductors and batteries as potential short-term constraints.

Cunningham said customers will be able to order the Lyriq online through the brand's new digital retail platform, then select a local dealer from which to take delivery.


Perodua confident of achieving 202,000 sales this year, Axia still bestseller

                KUALA LUMPUR: Perodua sold 99,700 vehicles in the first six months of 2017, an increase of 2.4% compared to the same period last year of 97,400 units, with the Axia as the number one model sold for the year so far.

“Based on our internal estimation, the total industry volume (TIV) from January to June this year would reach 284,200 vehicles, which means that Perodua’s market share will be around 35.1% so far this year,” said Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh.

He said that during the first six months of the year, all Perodua models were number one in their respective segments with the Axia selling 32,600 units, followed by the Bezza at 28,300 units, Myvi 24,000 units and Alza with 14,700 units.

“Also based on our internal observation, the total industry volume has improved by 2.3% to 284,200 for the first half of 2017 compared to 275,500 vehicles in the same period of 2016,” he said.

Aminar said that the increase in sales for the first half of the year was due to aggressive sales campaigns initiated by almost all automotive players as well as new models introduced in the market during the time period. In addition most auto players were also clearing the carry over 2016 stocks with attractive discounts and over trade.

Perodua sold 32,600 units of the Axia in the first six months of 2017.

“Despite the improvement in sales, we foresee that the tighter lending guideline is still by far our greatest challenge to overcome as most of our customers are first time buyers,” he said.

Aminar said that for this year, Perodua will focus on its current model line-up by offering attractive promotions for the consumers.

He added the plans to improve on Perodua’s aftersales will be hasten with the focus to further improve on its customer satisfaction and to deliver the best Perodua experience at every touch point.

“This include our on-going Raya Celebrations ‘Salam Syawal’, which offers amazing offers on selected models as well as Perodua’s celebration of the Myvi’s 12th anniversary,” said Aminar.

He said Perodua is also holding a Myvi campaign, which sees cash givebacks of up to RM7,500 in celebration of the model’s popularity with Malaysian drivers.

On the full year sales outlook, Aminar said: “we are cautiously optimistic of achieving our initial sales target of 202,000 this year.”

Perodua sold 207,100 vehicles last year.

On aftersales, Perodua saw 1.02 million vehicles coming into its service centre for the first six months of 2017, an increase of 1.2% from 1.01 million intakes for the same period of 2016.

On exports, Perodua shipped 1,854 vehicles to six countries for the first six months of 2017.

“The recent introduction of the Bezza in Mauritius and Sri Lanka has been well received with the model selling 8unitsand 79 units respectively,” said Aminar.

On production, Perodua produced 96,600 vehicles for the first half of the year and expect to produce 197,000 by year-end.


VW and Ford in talks on self-driving and electric vehicles: source

                FRANKFURT/DETROIT: Volkswagen AG and Ford Motor Co are in “exploratory talks” to jointly develop self-driving and electric vehicles in a far-reaching strategic alliance meant to save the companies billions of dollars, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The German and US automakers are expected to provide an update on the progress of the talks before year end, said the person, who asked not to be identified.

Spokesmen for both automakers would only reiterate what they have said before about the companies collaborating on the development of commercial vehicles.

“Our (memorandum of understanding) with VW covers conversations about potential collaborations across a number of areas. It is premature to share additional details at this time,” Ford spokesman Alan Hall said in an email.

Automakers globally are discussing teaming up to share the cost of developing autonomous and electric vehicles. Partnerships on autonomous driving technology differ by region.

Honda Motor Co this month said it would invest US$2.75 billion and take a stake in General Motors Co’s Cruise Automation self-driving vehicle unit to jointly develop autonomous vehicles for deployment in ride service fleets globally.

VW and Ford are under pressure to roll out more EVs in Europe, where emissions rules are being tightened in the wake of Volkswagen’s diesel emissions pollution scandal.

Volkswagen chief financial officer Frank Witter on Tuesday said the carmaker was open to deeper alliances with outside companies, particularly in the area of autonomous driving.

Witter said sharing the carmaker’s electric cars platform MEB with Ford was theoretically possible, although VW is currently focused on rolling out the electric vehicle technologies among its own brands.

VW officials have repeatedly emphasised that the only way to make electric cars a mass market product is through economies of scale to make them as cheap or cheaper than diesel vehicles.

VW Group is investing 34 billion euros into e-mobility and autonomous driving by 2022 and plans to make 2 million to 3 million full-battery electric cars by 2025. VW’s MEB project already includes 50 billion euros in battery cell procurement by 2025.

Ford executives and other sources previously said the two automakers were in talks about expanding product and technology alliances.

VW and Ford are already part of a joint venture, dubbed IONITY, with BMW AG and Daimler AG to develop an ultrafast EV charging station network across Europe.

In July, Ford created a separate US$4 billion unit to house its self-driving vehicle operations and was seeking outside investors in a move similar to one made by GM with Cruise.

Ford said then it would invest US$4 billion through 2023 in its newly formed Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC, including the US$1 billion it previously had earmarked for Argo AI, the Pittsburgh-based self-driving startup that Ford acquired in 2017.