Banks to explain six-month loan moratorium to hire purchase customers

                PETALING JAYA: The Association of Banks in Malaysia (AMB) and its member banks will be notifying their respective hire purchase customers on the procedures for the six-month loan moratorium announced by Bank Negara Malaysia Thursday (April 30).

In a statement released by ABM today, it said hire purchase customers who had already notified their banks about continuing payment since March 25 did need not take any further action.

It said those who wished to take up the moratorium were now required to formally confirm this with their respective banks upon receipt of communication from their banks for the moratorium from April 1 to Sept 30 this year.

ABM’s member banks will communicate with impacted customers via email, letters, website information, as well as SMS and push notifications. They will spell out the exact procedures to take up the moratorium, as well as the available options of payments after the six-month moratorium is over.

Those who chose to take the moratorium would have two options for repayment, the statement read.

The first option is to “pay the accumulated six months’ deferred instalments together with their October instalment without being charged any additional interest”.

The second option is for customers to “continue the repayment of these instalments post-October of this year with an extension of six months in repayment period after the original maturity date.”

However, the interest is dependent on the contractual rate and will be charged based on the amount of delayed instalments that are outstanding until they are fully repaid by the end of the extended six-month period.

Customers who do not officially confirm their acceptance of the moratorium when notified by their banks will be considered as not taking up the moratorium and must continue to pay their monthly instalments according to their original schedule.

ABM said they would not impose any additional interest charges or late payment fees for instalments that remained outstanding for April and May this year if customers had deferred their monthly instalment payment, provided that payment for April, May and June were made by June 30.

Late payment charges would only start from July onwards, it explained.

In light of the current movement control order (MCO), ABM said it strongly encouraged customers to use online banking platforms where possible to accept or deny the moratorium and agreement to its terms, and to be cautious of any messages that seemed suspicious.

Customers can also contact their respective banks directly regarding matters relating to the moratorium and for any applications for financing under the stimulus package or Special Relief Facility (SRF) announced by Bank Negara Malaysia.


Covid-19: Ducati extends production closure

                BOLOGNA (Italy): Ducati has extended the shutdown of its production lines until Mar 25.

Since the beginning of the health emergency in Italy, on Feb 24, The Italian bike maker has adopted a series of measures to limit the probability of the virus spreading at its plant in Borgo Panigale, Italy.

The measures taken by the company include temperature-taking of each person entering the plant, limiting unnecessary trips and reducing participants in meetings.

Also implemented were physical distancing, special procedures in the canteen and revision of shifts to reduce close contact between people.

Despite all this, the bike maker decided to suspend its production from Mar 13 to 18 in order to implement a series of adjustments to its production lines.

The company said that it wants to further increase the level of worker safety and introduce a multi-shift work programme to halve the number of people on the assembly line.

It added that the postponement of the reopening to Mar 25 was needed to ensure that full compliance with Italy's new guidelines (shared protocol, issued on Mar 14) was attained and will require a few more days of adaptations.

However, all of its activities related to the development of new products and market support will continue and is in compliance with the rules of conduct against the spread of COVID-19.

First and foremost, all support services for our customers are guaranteed (including) the supply of spare parts", said Ducati Motor Holding CEO Claudio Domenicali.

Domenicali assured the Ducatisti (Ducati fans) and dealers all over the world that they are organising themselves for the restart and will not fail to provide support when asked.


New Mercedes E-Class Coupe struts in, priced at RM495K

                PETALING JAYA: Mercedes-Benz Malaysia today announced the availability of the refreshed E-Class Coupé, two weeks after the E-Class sedan was introduced.

The E-Class Coupé is only available as the E 300 AMG Line Coupe and is the latest introduction to the Mercedes-Benz dream cars portfolio.

The AMG Line package includes the signature AMG styling for front and rear spoiler, diamond radiator grille with pins in chrome, and 19-inch AMG 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels.

The fully imported coupe is priced at RM495,071, nearly RM120,000 more than the locally assembled sedan.

The body is marked by reduced lines and sensuous forms. In addition, the four frameless, retractable side windows and the absence of a visible B-pillar shows off the coupé's sporty intent.

In fact, this E-Class is the only pillarless coupé in its class.

The car is equipped with MULTIBEAM LED that offers brighter and more natural illumination at night. Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus controls the LEDs by switching between low, partial main beam and main beam automatically.

A new highlight of the muscular rear section is the redesigned inner workings of the two-piece taillights.

Like the exterior, Mercedes-Benz has decked out the interior to echo its idea of a modern, sporty and luxurious cabin.

The upper section of the dashboard appears to hover; it rests on well proportioned and high quality trim elements that flow through into the doors.

Other goodies standard in the car are a panoramic sliding sunroof, three-zone ambient lighting with 64 colours and a Burmester surround sound system.

Mercedes-Benz pointed out that the steering wheel is all new. The control surfaces sport a high-gloss black finish, while the trim elements and surrounds have a silver shadow finish.

Dual 12.3-inch displays create a widescreen cockpit with a wide range of personalisation.

The car comes with the latest generation MBUX multimedia System (NTG 6). High-resolution screens and brilliant graphics make for legible readouts.

Like before, the coupé is powered by a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine that's also used in the E 300 sedan.

It produces 258hp and 370Nm of torque, but has a 0.2s slower sprint time from 0 to 100kph of 6.4s. Top speed, however, is the same as the sedan at 250kph. Power to the rear wheels is relayed by a 9G-TRONIC transmission and the AGILITY CONTROL suspension promises optimum ride comfort and driving stability. More so as the wheels are downsized to 19-inch from 20-inch in the pre-facelift coupe.

No mention of a new car would be complete without highlighting its driver assist features.

This coupe, for example, boasts a hands-off detection feature in the steering wheel, which now works on a capacitive basis, and it's supposed to improve user-friendliness when driving in semi-automated mode.

The Driving Assistance package onboard includes Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC, Active Steering Assist, Active Brake Assist, Evasive Steering Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist and PRE-SAFE Plus.

Paint colours available are Polar White, Obsidian Black, Rubellite Red, Graphite Grey, Mojave Silver, Brilliant Blue, High-tech Silver, Emerald Green and Selenite Grey. Also available are the designo diamond white bright and designo patagonia red metallic but they will cost extra.


Police target motorists with customised plates, over 4,000 summonses issued

                KUALA LUMPUR: Over 4,000 summonses within two weeks have been issued by the police over customised number plates.

Federal Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department director Comm Datuk Mat Kasim Karim, in a statement today, said that a special operation had been launched, dubbed Op Khas (Nombor Pendaftaran), targeting number plate non-compliance.

"From Nov 1 to Nov 15, the police have issued 4,617 summonses for 'fancy' number plates, while an additional 1,145 summonses were issued for vehicles without number plates.

"Meanwhile, a total of 8,645 summonses have been issued for number plates that do not meet regulations," he said, adding that an additional 25,732 summonses were issued for other infractions.

In total, 40,139 summonses were issued related to the special operation in that time frame.

"We have also arrested 25 people in the same time frame, for various offences, including under the Dangerous Drugs Act and the Penal Code. A total of 68 vehicles have also been seized," he said.

Comm Kasim urged road users to make sure their vehicle number plates are made according to the designated specifications and that the police would take action against those who refuse to comply.


Travel restrictions lifted

                PUTRAJAYA: The lifting of travel restrictions allows for movement to almost anywhere with the exception of areas that are under the enhanced movement control order (MCO).This means that travelling from areas under conditional MCO to another area under the same order is allowed.

Those in conditional MCO areas can also now go to areas that are under the recovery MCO, according to the latest standard operating procedure (SOP) listed by the National Security Council (NSC).

Police permission is no longer required before travelling to localities under the recovery and conditional MCO.

However, according to the SOP list updated by NSC on Monday, movement into areas placed under enhanced MCO requires police permission, as per existing regulation.

Kuala Lumpur, Sabah and Selangor except for Sabak Bernam, Hulu Selangor and Kuala Selangor remain under conditional MCO until Dec 20.

In Penang, only Mukim 12 and Mukim 13 are under conditional MCO until Dec 20 while Paya Terubong flats in Relau and Desa Bistari flats in Batu Uban are placed under targeted enhanced MCO.

In Perak, the conditional MCO has been lifted except for Kinta, Mukim Teja and Changkat Jong while in Kelantan, the order remains for Kota Baru, Pasir Mas, Machang and Tanah Merah.

Seremban and Port Dickson in Negri Sembilan remain under conditional MCO as with Johor Baru, Batu Pahat, Kulai and Kota Tinggi in Johor.

States that are under recovery MCO until Dec 31 are Sarawak, Terengganu, Kedah, Perlis, Pahang and Melaka.

According to the NSC, still in the negative list are tourism activities in enhanced MCO areas and travelling abroad for tourism purposes for Malaysians, among others.

“Tourism activities in green zones within conditional MCO areas are allowed with SOP drawn by the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry to be complied with, ” it said.

Also still in the negative list are the following activities: picnics, physical and combat sports, organisation or competition/championships, sports or recreational activities involving a large number of people, sports competition or events with the presence of audience.The NSC said that while the number of passengers in private vehicles were now according to its capacity, it continued to discourage high-risk individuals as well as children to be out in public, open and crowded places.

“As for vehicles transporting goods and essential services as well as economic and industry chain activities, the number of passengers in these vehicles will have to be as what is stated under the goods vehicles licence, ” it said.

Public transport services such as stage buses, express bus services, LRT, MRT, ERL, monorail, ferry, flights, taxi/e-hailing as well as other public transportation are allowed to operate with operating hours according to licence conditions and based on capacity of the vehicles.

According to the latest SOP list, wet markets, wholesale markets, pasar tani, pasar malam and uptown and downtown bazaars will be allowed to operate until midnight with SOP in place and monitored by Rela personnel or local authorities.


Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S 4MATIC+: Ownership intensified

                Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s GLC sports utility vehicle line-up is racking up sales numbers since its introduction a few years ago and it would not be too long before an AMG-souped up variant joins the party.

Introduced late last year, the current generation GLC 63 S is proof how a muscular 4.0-litre V8 bi-turbo engine with enhancements on suspension and brakes can turn a standard GLC into a fire-breather.

Of course, such motorsports and smart driving technology upgrades are not cheap, with the final tally for the GLC 63 S at RM915,888.

Exterior

While its based on the regular Mercedes-Benz GLC, the high performance GLC 63 S came with more emotive exterior styling.

The immediate giveaway is the imposing Panamericana grille with 15 horizontal slats which are the preserve of the current Mercedes-AMG GT sports cars.

Next are the lower enlarged front side “jet wing” air intakes and rear diffuser along with oversized 21-inch matte black AMG cross-spoke forged wheels.

In addition, wider wheel arch claddings give a muscular-appearance to scream the part of the king of the hill.

Interior

It’s a black and red theme with Nappa leather and Artico-man-made leather to impart a sporty and upmarket look.

The steering wheel is the AMG motorsports-inspired flat-bottom type, and comes with fine Nappa leather and Dinamica microfibre for good grip and tactile feel.

Its carbon-fibre trims on the centre console and instrument panel gauges together with red designo seatbelts further add to the motorsports appearance.

The front AMG performance seats, though not as generously padded as typical Mercedes-Benz comfort seats, come with adjustable side support to grip you in while you undertake sharp high-speed manoeuvres.

Since the GLC 63 S is a two-box vehicle design, front and rear passengers get plenty of head and leg room.

Rear passengers even get their own air-conditioner vents with adjustments for air speed and temperature.

The panoramic sliding sunroof’s large opening lets in plenty of light if you want to brighten up the interior for a breezier feel.

Meanwhile, sound system is the premium Burmester surround-type that has a crisp and clear delivery.

Practicality

Large door pockets allow bottles and other small items to be stored within easy reach.

Bootspace is 550 litres but can be increased to 1,600 litres with rear seats folded down flat.

Rear seats come with 40:20:40 split and can be configurated to provide best comfort for those sitting when long items in the boot intrude into passenger space.

Rear doors also come with sunblinds to block out the sun or provide some privacy.

Powered tailgate is handy so there is no need for pulling or lifting the large back door.

The surround view camera system which gives a overhead view of the GLC 63 S is extremely useful when driving into tight parking bays.

Safety

A long list of safety equipment from the usual airbags, anti-lock braking system, electronic stability programme, active brake assist with cross traffic function, blindspot assist to lane keeping assist is standard for the GLC 63 S.

The Distronic active cruise control comes with semi-autonomous steering pilot which allows the GLC 63 S to steer itself within its lane when taking gentle curves.

Large cross-drilled disc brakes offer good stopping power and can bring the GLC 63 S from high speed to a full stop without drama.

Ride and handling

If you are hoping for ride comfort, the GLC 63 S has traded some of the typical Mercedes-Benz cushiony ride for one that is firm and more suited for high-speed driving.

The air suspension system can be set for comfort but this only reduces the ride firmness slightly.

The plus point is that body roll is well-controlled for a tall vehicle during fast cornering or on twisty roads.

With 510hp and 700Nm of torque available at your beck and call, the GLC 63 S is extremely fast and agile even for a vehicle weighing 1,935kg.

The 0-100kph dash is achieved in 3.8 seconds and top speed is electronically capped at 270kph.

Flooring the accelerator will get the GLC 63 S up and running instantly with the throaty exhaust roar filling up the cabin and heightening the driving excitement, even when you are just a passenger.

Automatic gear shifting via the nine-speed AMG Speedshift MCT is fast, allowing the GLC 63 S to continue its rapid acceleration.

Its AMG Dynamic Select of Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Individual and Race tweaks the settings of the engine, transmission, suspension, steering, electronic stability programme, exhaust and all-wheel drive system according to the chosen drive mode.

The AMG performance exhaust system using flap technology, if fully deployed, creates a track car-like burble that announces your arrival.

Steering is pin sharp as well as being very responsive and natural to your steering inputs.

Meanwhile, the 4MATIC+ drive system ensures a grippy hold even during fast driving on wet roads.

Fuel consumption

Mercedes-AMG claims the GLC 63 S can return a combined fuel consumption of 11.9 litres per 100km but our best efforts with gentle and light-footed driving were still off the mark.

With the GLC 63 S possessing sports car-like performance, the primal urge to drive fast is difficult to keep in check.

Well-heeled owners can easily afford the hefty fuel bill but have to make frequent trips to the petrol stations if they are heavy-footed drivers.

Warranty

Warranty is four years with unlimited mileage, whichever comes first.

Summary

Approaching a RM1mil, the GLC 63 S will likely find its way to a small group of wealthy hardcore AMG rather than Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts.

Though the GLC 63 S has the performance of a two-seater sports car, it can still carry five persons in luxury and be a daily drive.

SPECIFICATIONSMercedes-AMG GLC 63 S 4MATIC+Engine: 3,982cc, V8, bi-turbo
Maximum power: 510hp from 5,500 to 6,250rpm
Maximum torque: 700Nm from 1,750 to 4,500rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT with 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive
Features: Airbags, AMG sports suspension based on Air Body Control, AMG Dynamic Select, anti-lock braking system, electronic stabilty programme, head-up display, 21-inch AMG cross-spoke forged wheels, AMG high-performance composite braking system, aluminium-look running boards with rubber studs, adaptive highbeam assist plus, Multibeam LED headlamps, AMG Performance exhaust system, Burmester surround sound system, surround view camera, Driving Assistance package plus, Distance Pilot Distronic with Steering Pilot, Active Lane-keeping Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Brake Assist with cross traffic function, Active Parking Assist, panoramic sliding sunroof, AMG performance steering wheel in Dinamica, Nappa leather upholstery, dashboard and beltlines in Artico man-made leather and black nappa-look, AMG front door sill panels with LED illumination, sat-nav
Acceleration (0-100kph): 3.8 seconds
Top speed: 270kph (electronically limited)
Price: RM915,888 (OTR without insurance):


Ducati Superleggera V4 unveiled

Nazir astride his new superbike. With him are (left) Naza Corp Holdings group CEO (Automotive Group) Datuk Nik Hamdam Nik Hassan and Next Bike head of company Dennis Micheal.
PETALING JAYA: Ducati in Malaysia has introduced the Italian motorcycle brand's finest sports machine, the Ducati Superleggera V4, recently.

The Superleggera V4 is priced at RM888,000 and is the most powerful and technologically advanced production Ducati ever built.

"Superleggera" means super light in Italian.

Thanks to an extensive use of carbon fibre, titanium and parts machined from solid aluminum, the Superleggera V4 has a dry weight of only 159kg.

There are only 500 units of this limited-edition machines in the world and every Superleggera V4 comes with a certificate of authenticity.

The first Malaysian owner is Datuk Nazir Hussin Akhtar Husin and his Superleggera V4 ID number 210/500 is found on the frame, fork yoke and ignition key.

The Superleggera V4 is the world’s only street-legal motorcycle with the entire load-bearing structure of the chassis made from composite materials.

To ensure the highest quality and safety standards, these components are 100% tested using the most sophisticated techniques which is available in the aerospace industry, such as thermography, ultrasound inspections and tomography.

Its 998cc engine churns out 224hp at 15,250rpm and peak torque of 116.05Nm at 11,750rpm to deliver an estimated top speed of 306kph.


Honda's US dealers want to be part of Sony Honda venture's EV launch plans

Sony Vision-S 01 and Vision-S 02 electric vehicles are displayed during CES 2022 in Las Vegas, on Jan 5. — Reuters
TOKYO/DETROIT: A new joint venture formed by Japan's Sony Group Corp and Honda Motor plans to introduce a premium electric vehicle later this decade, and the automaker's US dealers are anxious to be part of the sales process.

Sony Honda Mobility said on Thursday it was aiming to deliver the first of the unnamed EV by 2026, starting in the United States, and will sell them online.

The success of Tesla at selling EVs without franchised dealers is putting pressure on all established automakers to overhaul their retail networks. That leaves dealers across most brands concerned about their place in the changing world and whether profits will be squeezed.

The online aspect of the Sony Honda plan, as well as the lack of details around how the vehicle will be sold and serviced, has raised questions with the Honda and Acura brand dealers. Many nonetheless expect Honda to work through the existing retail network.

"These issues are certainly a concern," said Brian Benstock, general manager and vice president of Paragon Honda and Paragon Acura in Queens, New York. "The best path forward is with the dealers."

"We have a role (automakers) can't replicate," said Benstock, who also is on the Acura national dealer advisory board and has spoken with Honda officials about the new vehicle. "There's no way that Honda wants to hurt their existing dealer body."

Some dealers questioned why Honda would even consider trying to work outside the current US sales network given its national reach. Honda has about 1,100 Honda dealers and 270 Acura dealers.

A Honda spokesman referred questions about the joint venture to the new company. Sony Honda spokesman Mai Nagadome said there are still a lot of details to finalise, but selling through the dealers has not been ruled out and customers would feel uneasy without some kind of after-sales service process.

"The cost of continuing to develop (internal combustion engine) products along with EVs and autonomous tech and software for the next generation vehicles is proving to be quite the challenge," said Peter Hennessy, dealer principal of Atlanta-based Hennessy Automobile Companies, which includes a Honda store.

"I get teaming up with Sony, but it should be done in conjunction with the dealer network, not outside it," he added.

Sony Honda officials promised the vehicle - to be built at one of Honda's Ohio plants - will include advanced driver-assist features and a new software system developed by Sony that offers cloud-connected services that generate recurring revenue. They were the first details on the venture's efforts since the project was launched in June.

A concept of the vehicle will be shown at the CES technology show in Las Vegas in January.

Honda has been very secretive about the Sony joint venture, according to some dealers, but others suggest that is simply because the timeline is so far out.

Privately, some dealers warn a move to circumvent the dealer network could potentially violate their franchise agreements, but also acknowledged the use of a different brand could be a way to avoid that risk for Honda.

Sony Honda officials declined to say under what brand the vehicle will be sold.

Mike Law, who runs eight import brand stores for LaFontaine Automotive Group, including a Honda store in Dearborn, Michigan, feels the heavy investments required around EVs favor using existing dealers.

"As much as maybe some people want to push the dealers out, I believe the consumers still enjoy the process of the purchase," he said.


Tesla expects global shortage of electric vehicle battery minerals, say sources

A miner excavating copper ore in an underground tunnel in Chingola, Zambia. — Bloomberg
WASHINGTON: Tesla Inc expects global shortages of nickel, copper and other electric-vehicle battery minerals down the road due to under-investment in the mining sector, the company’s global supply manager for battery metals told an industry conference on Thursday, according to two sources.

The company, a major minerals consumer, has rarely talked publicly about its views on the metals industry. Copper, nickel, lithium and related minerals are key components used to make electric-vehicle batteries and other parts.

Sarah Maryssael, Tesla’s global supply manager for battery metals, told a closed-door Washington conference of miners, regulators and lawmakers that the automaker sees a shortage of key EV minerals coming, according to the sources.

According to a Tesla spokesman, the comments were industry-specific and referring to the long-term supply challenges that may occur with regards to these metals.

The copper industry has suffered from years of under-investment, and it is now working feverishly to develop new mines and bring fresh supply online as the electrification trend envelops the global economy. Freeport-McMoRan Inc, the world’s largest publicly traded copper producer, is expanding in the United States and Indonesia.

 A worker monitoring the nickel melting process at a nickel smelter near Sorowako, Indonesia. — Reuters

Electric cars use twice as much copper as internal combustion engines. So-called smart-home systems - such as Alphabet Inc’s Nest thermostat and Amazon.com Inc’s Alexa personal assistant - will consume about 1.5 million tonnes of copper by 2030, up from 38,000 tonnes today, according to data from consultancy BSRIA.

All that will make the red metal - and other minerals - scarcer commodities, which worries Tesla.

Maryssael added, according to the sources, that Tesla will continue to focus more on nickel, part of a plan by chief executive Elon Musk to use less cobalt in battery cathodes. Cobalt is primarily mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and some extraction techniques - especially those using child labour - have made its use deeply unpopular across the battery industry, especially with Musk.

Maryssael told the conference, hosted by commodity pricing tracker Benchmark Minerals Intelligence, that there is “huge potential” to partner with mines in Australia or the United States, according to the sources.

Australia late last year signed a preliminary deal with the United States to support joint research and development of minerals deemed critical to the US economy.

The conference, attended by more than 100 people, featured speakers from the US Department of State and Department of Energy, as well as Standard Lithium Ltd, ioneer Ltd and other companies working to develop US lithium mines.


Carmakers dream of clean, green, mean electric machines

An employee at Advanced Electric Machines works on test models of a motor for an electric vehicle that does not include either rare earth magnets or copper and uses electrical steel and aluminium instead. — Reuters
LONDON: An electric car is a clean car, right? If only it were so simple.

From motor magnets with toxic histories to batteries made using copious fossil-fuel power, many challenges face carmakers seeking to purge dirtier materials from their supply chains to satisfy regulators and investors.

These obstacles represent opportunities for a growing group of companies in the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem that bet they can capitalise on that demand.

They include Advanced Electric Machines (AEM) in northern England, which is working with Volkswagen luxury brand Bentley and others in the auto industry to develop recyclable electric motors free of rare earth metals, which are often produced using polluting chemicals.

"Our customers need ways to ditch internal combustion engines that are cost-effective and sustainable without putting tons of this nasty rare earth stuff into their cars," CEO James Widmer said.

The increasing scrutiny of supply chains comes as the European Union, which announced draft laws last year to enforce net-zero emissions targets, considers charging for excess carbon on imports, as well as legislation requiring ethical sourcing and a recycling plan for EV batteries.

Globally, the prospect looms of national carbon taxes that could cost lagging automakers dearly, while investors and financiers increasingly favour companies with strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) credentials.

"The focus on ESG has become more intense," said Moshiel Biton, CEO of Israeli battery technology company Addionics, which makes three-dimensional electrodes that Biton says are more efficient, making cleaner but less energy-dense battery chemistries commercially viable.

"But it's nothing compared to what's coming."

Yet it remains to be seen how many of the companies looking to tap the market for cleaning up electric cars will succeed in a rapidly evolving EV technology arena; what's cutting edge today could be obsolete tomorrow.

Given fierce competition, any projects not advanced enough at the right time will risk missing their chance, according to MacMurray Whale, environmental sustainability strategist at Cormark Securities in Toronto.

"You won't be able to attract the investor interest because there's a lot of them and they're all trying to argue they're the best," he said.

'Road map to net zero'

The demand is real, though, from carmakers who face a daunting task to navigate the challenges of making everything from steel to aluminium using cleaner processes, to finding less environmentally damaging battery chemistries.

"We only source new business with suppliers with a road map to net zero," said Andy Palmer, an electric vehicle pioneer who is CEO of Switch Mobility, a British-based EV maker owned by Indian commercial vehicle maker Ashok Leyland.

Switch buys credits to offset the carbon used to make metal components and factors in that cost when assessing new parts, he added.

Squeezing carbon out of the supply chain is a "vital part" of BMW's carbon-reduction strategy, sustainability vice president Thomas Becker said.

The German carmaker has negotiated with all its battery suppliers and many of its steel and aluminium suppliers that their materials are made using renewable energy, Becker told a conference in London in March.

The problem with EVs is they are so carbon intensive to make, they have to drive thousands of miles before they do less harm to the environment than a gas-guzzling saloon.

BMW has measured the CO2 footprint throughout its supply chain. If it took no action, its footprint per vehicle would be 18 tonnes of CO2 in 2030, versus 12 tonnes per vehicle in 2019, according to the carmaker. But its carbon reduction plans should cut that number to nine tonnes by 2030, it says.

The need for greener EVs has sent some carmakers back to the drawing board.

Pennsylvania-based engineering company Ansys, which develops modelling software for various industries, has seen surging demand from carmakers seeking to simulate cars and components with greener or lighter materials, such as aluminium instead of steel, said Pepi Maksimovic, director of application engineering.

"There's an intensification of the effort to address these issues in terms of ... bringing better cleaner, greener, meaner technology to the market faster, earlier," she added.

'Carbon tax is coming'

Previous corporate sustainability efforts have often been derided as vague and as "greenwashing".

Costa Caldis, chief operating officer of supply chain tracing company SAFE, said carmakers were moving in the right direction, but not fast enough.

"Stakeholders are demanding supply chain visibility and not just statements."

Douglas Johnson-Poensgen, CEO of Circulor, which maps supply chains for the likes of BMW and Volvo, said financing from investors was increasingly tied to ESG targets.

"Everybody recognises they need to know where they're sourcing things from and what they're inheriting from their supply chain."

Makram Azar, CEO of London-based investment group Full Circle Capital, said companies in the auto sector that "tick all the right ESG boxes" should find raising capital easier.

"Big asset managers who have allocated huge sums of money to invest in ESG compliant companies have found there aren't enough of them," said Azar.

More carbon levies could help to change that.

Full Circle has invested in Britishvolt, a British startup that's building an EV battery plant that will run only using renewable energy.

Peter Rolton, Britishvolt's executive chairman, said national governments would need alternatives to fuel taxes that raise vast sums, and taxing carbon would help to squeeze it out of supply chains.

"Carbon taxation is an inevitable part of a 2050 net-zero vision," he added. "You can see that one coming."

Mining in Madagascar

AEM, based in Washington, a city with roots in northeast England's industrial history, has developed a recyclable motor for EVs using electrical steel and aluminium instead of copper and magnets, thus removing rare earth metals.

CEO Widmer said AEM's motors would be cheaper than conventional ones and in carmakers' tests have been up to 15% more efficient.

As well as the environmental considerations, many carmakers and suppliers want to reduce reliance on China, which controls 90% of global rare earths metals supply.

China's dominance extends to graphite, crucial for anodes for EV batteries, which is typically produced using electricity from coal.

Canadian-listed mine developer NextSource plans to start commercial production of graphite in Madagascar from 2023 to capitalise on demand from companies looking to diversify supplies.

Executive vice president Brent Nykoliation said contracts with carmakers should be lucrative and long as they seek to lock in supplies tailor-made to their requirements.

"The conversation has changed dramatically in the last 12 months," Nykoliation said, referring to carmakers' engagement with mineral production.


Hino 700 series heavy duty trucks with 16-speed AMT launched in Malaysia

                SUBANG JAYA: Hino Motors Sales (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (HMSM), a subsidiary of Hino Motors Ltd, has launched its new Hino 700 series heavy-duty trucks with 16-speed Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) technology.

The official launch was held at EX8 Venue Subang Jaya, and featured the Hino 700 series models such as the 4x2, 6x2 and 6x4 prime mover.

HMSM managing director Atsushi Uchiyama said, "Hino is proud to have a long-standing number 1 position in the market in various segments, including light and medium-heavy commercial vehicles, as well as buses."

The Total Industry Volume (TIV) of heavy-duty prime mover trucks in the Malaysian market is 1,200 to 1,700 units yearly.

The demand for heavy-duty trucks with automated-manual transmission is up to 50% more than manual transmission as AMTs offer more advantages in terms of reduction of fuel consumption, improvement of driving comfort, and shifting quality.

“We are the only brand that produces a full line-up of commercial vehicles, and our flagship HINO 700 Series is now better than ever before with AMT technology, making them smarter, safer trucks for our customers," said Uchiyama.

 Hino Motors Sales (M) Sdn Bhd managing director Atsushi Uchiyama (left) and executive director Dato' Johnny Chan launching the new HINO 700 Series heavy-duty trucks with 16-speed Automated-Manual Transmission (AMT) technology.

The three new Hino 700 Series AMT heavy-duty trucks are imported from Japan, and fitted with the 16-speed mechanical auto synchromesh ZF16 transmission with power assistance, making it easier to shift gears at higher speeds.

It also helps to reduce driver fatigue from constant gear and clutch shifting, allowing for a more comfortable drive.

Drivers are also given the option to select a sequential manual transmission for on-demand shifting conditions.

Fleet operators also benefit from lower operational costs through lower fuel consumption and clutch replacement cost.

Also, the Hino 700 Series AMT has a powerful Euro 3 common-rail engine with turbo-charged intercooler and features a full-air brake system that improves braking responsiveness.

Although fully developed and manufactured in Japan, Hino vehicles can run on B10 Biodiesel without any changes to components or service intervals.

Safety and comfort features on the Hino 700 Series include an optimised cab space for better visibility and operability; improved cab accessibility with the first step now connected directly to the chassis; antilock braking system (ABS) which controls the braking force of each individual wheel to prevent the wheels from locking; high rigidity door impact beams; new large reflector headlamps to enhance night-time visibility; and front under-run prevention (FUP).

The trucks are also fitted with air suspension seats for superior seating comfort.

The three-dimensional (3D) seat with a body-cradling form can support the driver’s back and reduce fatigue on long road trips.

Also, the new Hino 700 Series AMT also promises longer maintenance lifecycle and better fuel consumption when its drivers are properly trained and certified at the Hino Total Support Customer Center (HTSCC).

This is part of the company’s total support concept, which aims to provide total support in after-sales for customers, maximise vehicle uptime, and minimise vehicle lifetime cost.

Hino’s design philosophy of quality, durability, and reliability permeates every Hino 700 Series AMT model, making them the best-in-class in the prime mover category.

Hino has a wide service network across the country, allowing customers to quickly send their vehicles for repairs and maintenance when required.

Since the establishment of HMSM in 1977, the company has manufactured and provided the best-fit trucks and buses for local industries.


Want your supercar in carbon fibre? Check out Vitesse | AuDessus

                WASHINGTON, D.C.:  A US outfit near here that specialises in making bespoke automotive pieces from carbon fibre has begun to offer its services globally.

Vitesse | AuDessus said it handcrafts bespoke carbon fibre exteriors, interiors, components and monocoques for supercars such as Bugatti Veyron, McLaren P1, Ferrari LaFerrari, Porsche 918, Lamborghini Aventador.

Carbon fibre offers huge weight savings over aluminium and steel and increased structural rigidity.

 Ferrari 458 Italia.

There are few full carbon fibre exotics and supercars on the market today. Thus, each full carbon fibre automotive machine delivered may become more valuable than its standard version.

Carbon fibre exteriors typically range in price from US$100k-US$200k; bespoke pieces for Bugatti Veyron, Mclaren P1, Ferrari LaFerrari and Ferrari Enzo may carry a premium over that.

Products are 100% carbon fibre, pre-impregnated with activated resin. After laying the fabric by hand, the part is autoclave-cured, then finished, again by hand. Creating a full carbon fibre exterior to OEM specs typically takes 6-8 weeks.

Vitesse | AuDessus offers onsite installation in the United States, Singapore, Britain, Europe and  the Middle East. The installation process typically takes 1-2 weeks.

“We provide our clients with the opportunity to tell a better story,” said Vitesse | AuDessus CEO Stefany Sanchez.


Mini driverless city gives Singapore edge in race to robot vehicles

The real lesson from the Singapore test park is the need for a sophisticated infrastructure outside the vehicles. — All pix by Bloomberg
SINGAPORE: In the race to deploy driverless public transport, Singapore has built a mini town that could vault it into pole position.

The 2-hectare complex, unveiled in November, has intersections, traffic lights, bus stops and pedestrian crossings, all built to the specifications that Singapore uses for its public roads. There’s a mini hill to check how vehicle sensors perform when they can’t see directly ahead, mock skyscrapers to mimic the radio interference from tall buildings and a rain machine to simulate the island’s frequent tropical downpours.

The advantage for the city-state is that the test circuit, and the information provided by companies vying to put driverless buses on Singapore’s streets, is helping it build an unrivaled database of information on the challenges and solutions that would allow the government to introduce the technology safely.

“We’re probably the only country that’s looking at this in such a pro-active and systematic way,” said Lee Chuan Teck, former deputy secretary at the Ministry of Transport. “What we’re looking at is actually deploying regulations.”

Lee said the data being gathered should allow the government to draft regulations for autonomous vehicles by the second half of this year. The nation’s small size, advanced road infrastructure and highly regulated traffic system make it an ideal petri dish for companies that are developing driverless systems.

There are now more than 10 companies testing vehicles at the facility at Nanyang Technological University in the west of Singapore, said Niels de Boer, program director for Future Mobility Solutions at the university. Two buses from Volvo AB will join them early next year and more are coming, he said.

With so many hazards and intersections on the route, the speed limit at the site is about 20 to 25 kilometers an hour. De Boer said that they want to see what happens under a “controlled environment.”

Seven 360-degree cameras stream live video to the Land Transport Authority’s Intelligent Transport Systems Centre downtown. Together with information collected from the vehicles, the government is building a database that will allow it to evaluate whether EVs are ready for public roads and how they should be deployed.

Nanyang Technological University is testing a 15-passenger driverless minibus built by French company Navya SAS, which researchers can operate using the autonomous software, or manually via a video-game style handset.

On a recent, hot morning, it trundled round the course with air-conditioning on full, cutting its seven-hour battery life in half. The bus navigated lanes, halted in front of a wayward pedestrian in the road and stopped at bus shelters to collect and deliver passengers, though some functions, such as moving off at traffic lights, still had to be manually initiated. On one occasion, it made an emergency stop for some unseen obstacle, throwing passengers onto the floor.

The only place the bus didn’t go was the rain simulator, which de Boer said wasn’t working after being damaged in a recent thunderstorm. So far, vehicles that had been tested in the rain machine hadn’t performed well, according to staff at the site. In about 70 percent of cases, the sensors on the vehicles were unable to operate successfully in heavy rain.

The university’s test bus may not be the most sophisticated experimental autonomous vehicle in use, but it did demonstrate that driverless vehicles still have many obstacles to overcome. While the use of AI means that the machines will learn rapidly from their errors, the real lesson from the test park is the need for a sophisticated infrastructure outside the vehicles.

“Infrastructure will become more important,” said de Boer. “It’s not enough to know where the vehicle is.”

Operators and traffic officials must also monitor many other possible events — an elderly passenger falling down inside a bus, an unusually large queue at a bus stop, breakdowns and other events.

Singapore “has a unique advantage of the progressive government machinery, which is proactively pushing for new initiatives in its AV efforts,” said Sharad Mohan Mishra, executive director and automotive consulting leader at Deloitte Southeast Asia. That will “very much help Singapore in achieving a car-lite future,” he said.

Still, the country’s rule-heavy approach to transport and its high taxes on vehicles have brought criticism from some entrepreneurs. Elon Musk’s Tesla electric-vehicle company exited from the country after six months in 2011, and Musk recently tweeted that Singapore wasn’t supportive of EVs after a customer who imported a Tesla Model S into Singapore was asked to pay an additional S$15,000 (RM45,000)  in taxes.

The nation, home to one of the biggest oil-refining hubs in the region, expects to earn about S$2.8 billion (RM8.3bil) in motor vehicle taxes this fiscal year, 4 percent of total tax revenue. The Land Transport Authority said there were 25,496 electric or hybrid vehicles on the island in 2017, about double the number from the previous year.

While the nation may be a laggard in electric cars, its efforts to certify driverless public transport could put it in the lead for autonomous buses as more companies bring vehicles to NTU’s test track.

“It’s getting harder to find a time slot,” said de Boer, adding that as many as four vehicles have been on the circuit at the same time for testing.

Volvo will be resring an autonomous electric bus at the site using a system developed with NTU. The centre, which opens five days a week, will begin night trials soon.

The university in April announced plans to start driverless routes on its campus by 2019. Singapore aims to operate scheduled services using autonomous buses during the off-peak periods in three residential areas away from the city center by 2022.

Last week was the deadline for Singapore’s request for information from companies pitching to operate the services. The 122-page document called for a huge amount of information, adding to the vast dataset that Singapore is building on autonomous technology.

“Nobody else is putting all three pieces — the trials, the regulations, and the town planning — together,” said Lee, who this month moved to a job at the Ministry of Trade and Industry.


Foil wrap your car for a head-turning fancy finish

                BERLIN: Drivers who want to update the appearance of their cars do not have a whole load of options. The choice is between a respray, which is usually expensive, or getting the car wrapped using vinyl which can be cheaper and more versatile.

The wrap method allows almost any colour or design to be applied to your vehicle, simply by having it printed onto vinyl or wrapping film and then affixed to the contours of the car.

It also takes much less time to have your car wrapped than to have it professionally repainted. The wrap keeps the original paint intact so you can even change your mind once you get tired of the look.

Wrapped cars tend to be head-turners even if the glances are not always admiring. This is hardly surprising since car colours have got a lot duller over the years.

Although the RAL catalogue of car colours, a standard work in industry, contains 213 basic hues, most private cars on the roads are finished in boring shades of black, mid-grey and off-white.

Figures in car-mad Germany show that three-quarters of all cars registered in the land in 2019 were painted white, black or grey. Exotic shades like yellow and green accounted for a mere 1.2 per cent.

It seems that 50 shades of greys and blacks satisfy most customers and since a full respray in a vibrant colour is so expensive and more or less irreversible, individualists are turning to wraps.

Drivers who choose wild designs or matt shades familiar from the military would normally find it hard to sell on the car.

But a wrap is just like a second skin which can be shuffled off when the time comes to part, leaving the original paint finish beneath in pristine condition.

A wrap can even enhance the resale value since the buyer knows that the colour underneath has not been exposed to the elements or bombarded by stones and road grit. This makes the original paint more durable.

So what does it cost? A good, all-over wrap will cost between around US$2,500 and US$4,000 (RM10,300 to RM16,500) for the average car. Labour accounts for most of the cost since applying the foil can take two workers up to 24 hours to complete.

Doing the job yourself is possible but not recommended. Experts warn of the need to work with great care in order to avoid leaving ugly blisters and warpage on the bodywork surface.

Most of the foil wraps are available from after-market suppliers but several car firms are jumping on this bandwagon. Porsche has set up an online configurator which allows customers to virtually drape a model with a foil-wrap of their choice.

Porsche calls the new service Second Skin and prices start at around US$4,500 (RM18,500). Porsche promises that its experts will wrap a Porsche with the utmost skill and the range includes some notable racing colours along with arty designs for those fed up with looking at a standard 911 in whatever colour they ordered it. The service is aimed at Porsche owners, but other cars can be so treated at the request of a customer.

Whether an owner opts for a risky do-it-yourself job or a professional foil application, it is worth noting that even in this flamboyant world there are limits.

Shiny foil in gold or silver is not usually tolerated by local police for road safety reasons and owners of such shiny, blinged-out cars may find them being impounded for road safety reasons.

A man who drove around the German city of Hamburg in a Porsche Panamera wrapped with reflective gold foil, was recently told to remove the finish since it might blind other drivers and cause a traffic hazard.


Season's greeting to readers

                Yes, the graphic and headline say it all from all of us at CarSifu.

Cast aside any concerns for a few days and indulge in the spirit of the festivity.

Enjoy yourselves.


Perodua Alza: Holding its own

                Despite being around for almost a decade, the Perodua alza's spacious interior and affordability has given it a strong following.

Practicality and fuel economy are usually associated with national carmaker Perodua, but more so about the former when it comes to its Alza multi-purpose vehicle (MPV).

This MPV has been around since 2009 and it's become a popular budget people mover with its 1.5- litre naturally-aspirated engine and even with up to seven individuals inside, it's still capable of getting the job done.

Yes, 10 years on, but thankfully the local carmaker has given it the latest refresher.

Our particular variant was the mid-range Alza SE 1.5, costing RM56,890 (on-the-road without insurance), and coated in a newly minted Granite Grey colour that's exclusive only to the SE and range-topping Advance (AV) variants.

As standard, since September, the Alza now comes with fog lamps, rear spoiler, leather-wrapped steering wheel, solar and security window tint, reverse sensors, 15-inch silver alloys fitted with 185/55 series tyres and an audio system with USB and Bluetooth connectivity.

Being the SE variant, this means that it gets larger front lower air intakes, new twin-bar front grille, side skirts, tailgate garnish, corner sensors, titanium-coloured wheels and leather seats on top of the standard bells and whistles.

The only difference is it doesn't have a roof-mounted monitor or the Android-based touch-screen multimedia system with Smart Link, Bluetooth, navigation and reverse camera functions. All that will set the buyer back an additional RM5,800 at RM62,690.

Exterior

At first glance, the Alza is tall - readily identifiable with its raked front-end and box-like rear, all of which seems to overwhelm the wheels that obscure the front disc and rear drum brakes. The only consolation is that it looks more 'en vogue' now with more bells and whistles as standard.

There's still those bulbous headlights (now with projectors), but the Alza somehow looks leaner than before thanks to the combination of the redesigned front end that has given it less bare surface area due to the enlarged larger lower vent.

The same could be said about the rear which now sports a rear spoiler and slimmer rear LED light clusters - again helping it to tone down the excess bare areas.

There's also powered side mirrors with integrated turn signals that are not retractable and are only available Alza AV variant.

Interior

The front doors swing open rather widely to provide a gaping entrance that'll allow anyone ease of entry and there's nothing clunky to be had when shutting the door.

Inside, the Alza's overall 1,695mm width provides for a cabin that echoes of ample head and shoulder room.

The fabric upholstered seats feel soft in the hands and have also been firmly imbued with comfort. The steering wheel does feel relatively girthy in the hands with quite a bit of heft to it when turning.

The climate and audio controls on the dash are relatively in easy reach with highly visible knobs that engage with authority and buttons that feel sturdy enough for the long-run.

Although the sofa-like front seats are inviting and undoubtedly comfortable, having an extra-wide driver's seat due to the integration of a centre armrest with a generously sized storage compartment made it seem a little...odd.

The audio system has decent playback quality and comes with modern day capabilities such as a USB-port and Bluetooth connectivity.

There is a forward accessible storage compartment beyond the steering wheel, which could use with some felt applied inside to dampen the noise of its items bashing against bare plastic.

It did seem convenient at first thought, but accessing it when on the move made the senses tingle with caution with too many unsafe scenarios playing in the head.

With the local car maker trying to make the cluster highly visible and legible, it's been colourised with amber, white, blue, purple and green that puts it slightly on the messy side with too much illumination.

During low-light conditions, before activating the lights, it can have the ability to make anyone squint their eyes.

Also, being centrally-mounted suggests a rather dated design that manufacturers have all but departed from and have instead gone back to convention - right in front of the driver (where it belongs).

Although second row seat occupants will also be happy about spaciousness, the same cannot be said for those in the third row where it can be crammed for an average adult.

Also, being situated right above the rear axle means third row passengers will be feeling the direct brunt of bumps.

Practicality

Still, it is impressive that the Alza has found a way to take on board seven occupants in total and that means boot space is extremely limited.

As long as there's five inside, coupled with the tall roofline, the boot becomes very accommodating and even more so with the second row seats folded seamlessly down to provide a flatbed from a vehicle that's just 4,220mm-long.

Furthermore, with all seven onboard, everybody gets access to one of the eight cup holders that litter the cabin.

There's one in each lower door insert (four), one in each rear door armrest (two) and one in each boot section arm rest for third row passengers (two).

Airflow to the rear section of the cabin was decent as was the overall comfort thanks to the 50:50-split rear bench.

Safety

For the SE variant, it comes with two airbags up front along with anti-lock braking system combined with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Reverse sensors.

Only the Alza 1.5 AV comes with a reverse camera for its touchscreen Multimedia System with Navigation & 'Smart Link' (for Android).

Ride and handling

At first notice, the Alza's steering feels hefty in the hands, even more so when navigating tight parking spaces.

But get this 1,125kg (kerb) MPV moving and surprisingly, it's got a sporty ride to it that feels both nimble and responsive.

The suspension offers a firm ride with a good amount of compliance and both pitch and roll are surprisingly well taken care of considering it's 1,620mm height.

The four-speed transmission may be buttery smooth, but often times the engine wants to be in the high rev ranges where the power resides - 104hp at 6,000rpm and 136Nm of torque at 4,400rpm.

This makes for a noisy cabin due to the lack of sound insulation and with a full load of seven occupants, which makes it struggle to get off the line, it'd be best to turn up the volume of your favourite tunes instead.

stem is only slightly affected, but there's doubt if it'll handle continuous abuse for long.

Fuel consumption

With a the 42-litre fuel tank filled up to about 75%, we managed to cover roughly 300km over the course of three days.

Considering the circumstances, the Alza's fuel economy of about 10.8km per litre definitely impressed.

Warranty

The Alza, as well as all vehicles bearing the Perodua badge, comes with a five-year or 150,000km warranty (whichever comes first).

Summary

The mid-range Alza SE has a good balance of necessities, convenience and comfort dialed in, and while it's not going to break any sprint or speed records, it can fulfil the needs and roles required by a small to mid-sized family.

The cabin offers a good amount of spaciousness, with the ability to take on more bulky items on top of the fact that it surprisingly has a sporty handling characteristics to it.

Sure, it's got a few issues to resolve, but then again, which vehicle doesn't?

With all that the Alza is capable of, it just makes the earlier nit-pickings melt away. It was just that easy to fit in to anyone's daily lives.

And at under RM57,000 for an MPV that's been decently put together, there's really not much to think about at the end of the day.


Automakers reveal new models at the Detroit auto show

The Terrain Denali compact SUV being unveiled in Detroit on Sunday. - Bloomberg
DETROIT: Global automakers will kick off 2017 by displaying a wide array of future vehicles at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. This year, luxury sedans and small sport utility vehicles will jostle for the spotlight along with electric cars and diesel-powered pickup trucks. When it comes to industry profits, the trucks and SUVs will be at center stage.

At the same time, the industry is bracing for more confrontational tweets from President-elect Donald Trump.  As he prepares to take office later this month, Trump has used his Twitter account to take aim at auto makers, warning that they may face stiff import tariffs for selling cars made with foreign labour on the US market.

As recently as Thursday, Trump trained his sights on Toyota for building cars in Mexico, after having similarly spotlighted Ford and General Motors.

Meanwhile, here are some of the notable vehicle debuts expected at the Detroit show, which opens to the public on Jan 14.

Lexus LS: Toyota Motor Corp debuted the first Lexus LS 400 sedan in Detroit at the 1989 auto show. On Monday, the brand will unveil the fifth generation of its big sedan to a market that is turning away from the traditional concept that a luxury brand's "flagship" model must be a sedan, instead of a sport utility vehicle.

BMW 5 Series: BMW AG has already taken the wraps off the look of the new 5-series, which competes with the Mercedes E-class and Audi A6. The German luxury automaker plans to display a plug-in hybrid version of the car for the first time in Detroit. Like its competitors, the 5-series is losing ground to SUVs - and the Tesla Model S electric sedan - among affluent U.S. buyers.

Fiat Chrysler and Waymo: Fiat Chrysler and Waymo, the self driving car unit of Silicon Valley's Alphabet Inc unveiled one of the self-driving Chrysler Pacifica minivans developed under an alliance.

 Waymo showing off a customised Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid that will be used for Google's autonomous vehicle programme. - AFP

I.D. Buzz.

Volkswagen: Volkswagen will display a prototype for an eight-passenger, electric microbus, called the I.D. Buzz. It is the latest in a series of show cars designed to kindle consumer interest in a 21st Century version of the classic microbus that helped to propel the VW brand's growth in the United States during the 1960s.

Honda Odyssey: Just in time for millennials starting to have the baby boom generation's grandchildren, Honda Motor Co is expected to debut in Detroit a new generation of its Odyssey minivan. The minivan segment has shrunk since the former Chrysler Corp pioneered the concept of a boxy family hauler in the 1980s, but sales in the segment rose 8 percent last year.

Ford F-150:  Ford Motor Co will give the 2018 model of the best-selling vehicle in the United States some modest appearance changes, and more significantly, new technology to reduce fuel consumption. For the first time, Ford will offer a diesel engine option in the F-150. The company is not releasing fuel economy estimates for that engine. A new 3.3 liter six cylinder engine will also be offered and fuel-saving technology that shuts down the engine at a stop light will be available.

 The Traverse.Chevrolet Traverse: General Motors Co is highlighting two redesigned sport utility vehicles in Detroit, including a new generation of the Chevrolet Traverse, a family hauling SUV that will compete with the likes of the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Toyota Camry: The best-selling passenger car in the United States for the past 15 years gets a major makeover. Camry sales fell 9.5 percent in 2016 from the year before, reflecting pressure from the shift to SUVs. Overall, mid-sized sedan sales in the United States fell 10 percent. Toyota has been giving its mainstream models more expressive styling and advanced technology, to counter a long-held image for dull reliability. The 2018 Camry is expected to reflect that direction.

Audi SUV: Analysts expect Audi, the high-volume luxury brand of Volkswagen AG, to show a new, large sport utility vehicle in Detroit. The mainstream Volkswagen brand, meanwhile, is expected to highlight a new generation of its compact Tiguan sport utility.

Nissan: Nissan Motor Co is expected to debut a new small SUV for the US market as well as a redesigned QX50 compact SUV for the Infiniti luxury brand. - AFP/Reuters

 The 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan.


SPONSORED: Isuzu mu-X enhanced with new features

                Isuzu Malaysia has refreshed its mu-X sports utility vehicle that now boasts major exterior, interior and safety upgrades.

Key highlights are a new facade with blue spectrum bi-LED projector headlamps, six SRS airbags, soft touches interior, Hill Descend Control, 18-inch alloy wheels and a new colour of Havana Brown.

Also new to the seven-seater mu-X, is the Hill Descent Control (HDC) which allows a smooth and controlled hill descent on rough terrain.

The driver can adjust vehicle speed to suit slope conditions by depressing the brake pedal or accelerator (to maximum speed of 30kph).

It works for both hill forward and backward descent.

The 4X4 variant of the new mu-X costs RM183,000 on-the-road without insurance while the 4X2 is priced at RM176,640.

It comes in five-speed automatic transmission only, and retains the long proven world class fuel efficient diesel engine in the 2.5L VGS Turbo Intercooler.

The vehicle has been fitted with aggressive front fascia to depict its strong and powerful look.

The vehicle styling concept is inspired by the bald eagle, resulting in sharp and lustrous front fascia.

Both 4X4 and 4X2 variants are equipped with new 18-inch alloy wheels to complement its prestigious look.

To further enhance its exterior look, the mu-X is equipped with Bi-LED projector headlights in blue light spectrum and LED Daytime Running Light (DRL).

This feature improves driver vision when driving at night and reduces driver fatigue due to the blue spectrum light range.

The headlamps also come with an auto-levelling feature that keeps the light shining on the road even as the vehicle is loaded with heavy cargo.

New rear fog lamp is also included for better visibility on barely visible weather conditions.

Inside, the driver and passengers will get to indulge in refined interior.

It is upgraded with soft-touch surfaces and gets wood pattern panel at the door trims and front dashboard.

The centre graphic and new design electroluminescent (e-LUMAX) meter panel with Multi-Information Display (MID) gives the mu-X an upmarket feel.

The other prominent improvement is its new quilt pattern leather seats for more comfort.

Its infotainment system is upgraded with eight speakers surrounding the car delivering clear audio for all occupants.

The 4X4 variant comes with an 8-inch DVD touchscreen and comes with a fold down monitor for back row occupants.

The 4X2 version, meanwhile, has the 7-inch DVD touchscreen.

Aside from six airbags, other safety features include Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA) and Hill Start Assist (HSA) among others.

Isuzu Malaysia is confident that this new mu-X will satisfy those shopping for a sophisticated-looking vehicle that comes with plenty of safety features.

Its CEO, Kenji Matsuoka, said he is confident in the build quality of the mu-X and that its diesel engine has always been known for its paramount durability and reliability.

“Our vehicles have always been designed on our three key principals in fuel efficiency, reliability and durability.

“The thousands of hours spent by our engineers in refining the mu-X has resulted in this pinnacle engine build, and enable us to provide five years unlimited mileage warranty,” he added.

The new mu-X comes in four attractive colours; Havana Brown Mica, Silky White Pearl, Titanium Silver Metallic and Cosmic Black Mica.

The new mu-X was unveiled at the inaugural History Convention which was sponsored by Isuzu Malaysia at Malaysian Agro Exposition Park in Serdang

Among those present at the launch were Deputy Education Minister Datuk P. Kamalanathan, Isuzu executive director Hajime Machimura, A+E Networks Asia deputy managing director Prem Kamath, History Channel’s Counting Cars cast Michael Henry aka Horny Mike Henry and Isuzu brand ambassador, Yuumi.

For details on Isuzu’s range of vehicles, call 1-300- 88-1133 or visit www.isuzu.net.my/pickup/


Porsche reveals Cayman GT4 Clubsport rally car concept

                STUTTGART: Most Porsche cars look fairly similar to a 911, but that's not an accusation that can be levelled at the latest one, as it's a new version of the Cayman GT4 Clubsport.

Perhaps the only complaint anyone could have about the Cayman GT4 Clubsport is that it's not a road-legal model. The existing GT4 is a turnkey racing car designed exclusively for the track.

The new concept, unveiled in a series of tweets from Porsche Motorsport, looks especially cool, thanks to its four pods of additional rally lights on the bonnet, which look a lot like the rocket-launchers on an Apache helicopter gunship.

The fact this concept is equipped with rally lights indicates that it won't be designed exclusively for smooth tarmac track racing, but for the rigours of the various surfaces cars need to handle during the World Rally Championship series.

Unsurprisingly, Porsche doesn't give a great deal away about the car in its tweets. But it did say the car will make an appearance at the WRC's Rallye Deutschland this weekend where feedback will be gathered from the rally community, which would suggest that Porsche is considering getting back into building rally cars and competing in WRC events as a factory team.

But the prospect of Porsche going into rallying again doesn't mean that homologation rules – which mean the automaker has to build a limited number of retail versions – will come into play. Since the adoption of the World Rally Car regulations in 1997, manufacturers no longer need to make a homologation special of a car to be able to compete.

The cars do have to be road-legal, but the interpretation of the term for WRC cars means they're really only road-legal in spirit.


UK insurers face crackdown for undervaluing cars in damage claims

                LONDON: Britain's financial watchdog today warned insurers against undervaluing cars and other items when customers submit a damage claim and said it was taking unspecified action against firms breaking its rules.

The Financial Conduct Authority said it has evidence that some consumers who had their cars written off after an accident are being offered sums lower than the vehicle's fair market value.

Offering a price lower than fair market value is not allowed under the FCA rules.

Increasing business expenses add pressure on insurers to control claims costs and offer cash to settle instead of paying for vehicle repairs - a move that may not be in the best interest of customers, the FCA said.

"Insurance firms should offer settlements at the fair market value," said Sheldon Mills, FCA executive director for consumers and competition.

"This is especially important now as people struggling with the cost of living will be hit in the pocket at precisely the time they can ill-afford it."

ECB must focus on 2% goal after inflation slowdown, says De Guindos
The Association of British Insurers, an industry body, said insurers have processes in place to determine fair market value for all written-off cars.

"We'll discuss this with our members to understand how processes are kept under review, including the information provided to customers to understand the different settlement options available to them, particularly given fluctuations in second-hand car prices," the ABI said in a statement.

Separately, insurance firms are also grappling with a rise in auto insurance application frauds.

Earlier this week, insurer Aviva said it had seen a 16% rise in such malpractices till October this year compared with the same period last year.

Applicants were falsifying information such as their age, how long they have held a licence, how many penalty points they have on their licence and occupation, Aviva said.

It warned motorists to think twice about lying to their insurer in an attempt to save a few pounds on cover during the cost-of-living crisis.


Police need a warrant to search your cellphone. Your car’s data systems? Not so much

                WASHINGTON: Police can pull sensitive personal data from many modern vehicles without a warrant due to gaps in US federal law, according to new research.

Cars are becoming more connected to drivers’ mobile phones, drawing call logs, text messages, location history, contact lists, driving patterns and more into the vehicle's infotainment and navigation systems.

But while the US Supreme Court has determined that police need a warrant to search that information when it’s on a mobile phone, that protection doesn’t extend to the information when stored on a car’s systems, argued the College of William & Mary law professor Adam Gershowitz in a recent paper.

That's because of the “automobile exception” to the Fourth Amendment, which allows police to search cars without a warrant on the basis that drivers could get away in the time it takes law enforcement to get permission to search. The exception was established in a 1925 Supreme Court decision, Carroll v. United States.

It presents a potential issue for personal privacy and civil liberties, experts say, and will only get more complicated as passenger cars become more intertwined with drivers’ smartphones – and as exterior and interior cameras become more ubiquitous in vehicles.

In 2014, the Supreme Court determined police need a warrant to search mobile phones because they contain massive amounts of personal information that represent a deeper invasion than searches of wallets and other items people carry. However, the court’s ruling didn’t mention the automobile exception; at the time, vehicle technology was much more basic than it is today.

Gershowitz says if US state and federal lawmakers want to extend those protections, they should pass legislation now to protect personal data in cars before warrantless searches become widespread.

It could take decades before this issue comes before the Supreme Court, he said. In the meantime, “I think you’re gonna see a whole bunch of these searches and a lot of litigation about whether or not this is acceptable or whether it violates the Fourth Amendment.”

“That kind of lack of clarity is a real problem when there’s hundreds of millions of cars on the road,” Gershowitz said. “And each day, an old car gets replaced with new cars, and those new cars have all this technology. I think you can’t really wait for the Supreme Court to get its act together.”

Police in multiple US states already use the data stored in a vehicle’s “black box” – which records basic information on speed, braking, seat belts and air bags – to investigate crimes without a warrant. Such devices have been in common use for the past two decades.

Now a relatively new device from Maryland-based Berla Corp can withdraw much more from vehicles, including detailed call history, contacts, music preferences, social media data, text messages and more. In a podcast interview reported by the Intercept, Berla founder Ben LeMere said the company recovered such data from 70 phones after connecting to a single Ford Explorer rental car at Baltimore’s airport.

The devices can cost tens of thousands of dollars, according to Gershowitz, and require training to use, which means they’re used mostly by large police agencies that have enough resources to afford them.

But it’s likely that those searches will become more frequent given the amount of data that could be helpful for investigations: Chris Prevette, a detective sergeant with the Michigan State Police Computer Crimes Unit, told NBC News in December 2020 that four of the agency’s troopers pull data from cars for “smaller, everyday felonies” two to three times a week.

Police “still need probable cause, but they don’t need a warrant”, said Michael Bullotta, a criminal defense attorney at Bullotta Law in Detroit and a former federal prosecutor. “What’s different about this is with technology you see that there’s much more data available than normally, not just what you threw in your trunk.”

That is a red flag for civil liberties organisations that have raised concerns about invasive police searches.

“Police collection of the type of comprehensive and deeply personal data that is stored in cellphones and sometimes transmitted to automobiles through Bluetooth systems raises grave privacy and constitutional concerns,” said Phil Mayor, senior staff attorney for the ACLU of Michigan.

Mayor said the ACLU supports legislation to clarify the rules, but “in the meantime, courts can and should find that the extraction and search of such data requires a warrant – just as courts have held that searches of cellphones generally require warrants”.

Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, said most consumers “have very low expectations about privacy” already, but he added the information could “make or break” cases, heightening the need for constitutional clarity.

Bullotta said police having the ability to search personal data on cars without a warrant wouldn't make a significant difference: “We already have the two most powerful things in the world: DNA and cellphones. So will this be revolutionary? I don’t think so.”

He said he believes it’s likely the Supreme Court would extend the mobile phone warrant requirement to sensitive data stored on cars, but that it is unlikely lawmakers will do it before the court does.

“I don’t think it’s very common that that happens,” he said.

The question has already been raised in some states and in Congress. In 2019, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled that law enforcement must obtain warrants before pulling data from car computer systems. And in November, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, introduced a bill that would make a warrant requirement federal law, though it has not yet come up in committee.

While automakers may have a vested interest in keeping user data secure from outside forces, they’re also looking to mine that data for their own uses, including selling it to third parties such as insurance companies or other services – though members of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents most major automakers selling vehicles in the US, have agreed to obtain consent from users before sharing information.

The Alliance and Ford Motor Co did not respond to requests for comment on whether they’re aware data can be collected from vehicles without a warrant and what the industry might do to protect against it. General Motors Co and Stellantis NV declined to comment.

“The big takeaway from all of this is that with smart vehicles, privacy is a concern and it's going to be a growing concern,” said Richard Forno, a cybersecurity professional and assistant director of the Center for Cybersecurity at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

“Like practically every other Internet technology we’ve seen in recent years or decades, people are going to rush in because it’s convenient and cool and shiny. And they’re not going to think too much about the consequences about what they’re trading for it.”

In the meantime, Forno has simple advice for consumers who don’t want their information to be vulnerable to such a search: “Don’t buy a Tesla” or another vehicle that draws data from your phone.

“In the technology world, regulation usually comes after the fact after there’s been a series of accidents or a major accident makes headlines. That’s the problem,” he said.

“The technology advances so quickly, and the law and regulation is years, if not decades, behind.” – The Detroit News/Tribune News Service


GM confirms plans to build new EV, invest US$300mil in Michigan plant

                DETROIT: General Motors Co confirmed today it will invest US$300 million in a suburban Detroit assembly plant, adding 400 jobs to build a new Chevrolet electric vehicle.

The largest US automaker has come under heavy criticism from President Donald Trump in recent days over its decision to end production at its Lordstown, Ohio, assembly plant earlier this month.

GM officials said the announcement was planned well before Trump’s series of angry GM tweets that started on Saturday. Trump called GM CEO Mary Barra on Sunday to urge her to reverse the decision to end production at the Ohio plant, which is in a crucial state for the 2020 presidential election. He again ripped the company in a speech in Ohio on Wednesday.

Barra, speaking to reporters after an event at the plant in Orion Township, outside Detroit, with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announcing the investment, said GM is focused on ensuring that all of the hourly workers at Lordstown find new jobs at other plants. But she has shown no indication it will reverse course and reopen the Lordstown plant.

She declined to say if she thought there was more tension between GM and Trump.

“We want to create jobs, good paying jobs,” Barra said, saying her talks with Trump had a “business focus.” She said GM needs to remain “strong” in order to continue to add jobs.

Reuters reported on Thursday on GM’s investment plans for the plant.

Last year, GM said it would end production at five North American assembly plants and eliminate about 15,000 jobs, prompting outrage and a two-day visit by Barra to Capitol Hill to answer questions about the job cuts.

GM did not disclose the name or timing of the new GM EV but said it would be built on the same platform as the existing Chevrolet Bolt EV. GM did not disclose the name of the new EV or the timing of production.

The automaker said in total it is investing US$1.8 billion in its US manufacturing operations this year, creating 700 new jobs and supporting 28,000 jobs across six states.

Additional product information and timing for the new Chevrolet EV will be released closer to production.

Barra said after event that GM “supports” the proposed United States, Mexico and Canada Agreement “and we are making adjustments because we will comply” with new rules requiring additional North American content.

Reuters reported Thursday that GM was initially considering building the new EV in China.

In February, GM disclosed that it had hired Ballard Partners, a lobbying firm run by Brian Ballard, a fundraiser for Trump’s presidential campaign. The company has been eager to try to smooth over relations with the White House after Trump first began harshly attacking GM last year.


Infiniti Q30 coming soon

                LONDON: The Infiniti Q30 compact concept first debuted at the 2013 Frankfurt International Motor Show and the car is now due to return to the show once more in its full production dress-up.

Infiniti, the luxury vehicle division of Japanese carmaker Nissan that’s headquartered in Hong Kong, is keen on the Q30’s official debut that’s due in less than 90 days (Sept 17-27).

The Q30 will go on sale in Europe towards the end of 2015 with other world markets to follow.

Development on Infiniti’s first-ever compact car started in 2014 at its Engineering Centre in Cranefield, UK and is currently undergoing validation and dynamic tuning in Europe was well as across the UK.

More news on the Infiniti Q30 active compact will be released closer to the Frankfurt show in September.


Huawei partners with more automakers to produce Aito EVs

                SHANGHAI: China's Huawei Technologies 7 is partnering with more legacy automakers to produce Aito-branded electric cars, the company's senior executive said on Saturday, in a move to expand its presence in the auto industry.

Huawei will team up with Chery Automobile, BAIC Motor and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group in jointly developing and manufacturing Aito-branded vehicles, Richard Yu, Huawei's Smart Car CEO, said at the China EV 100 forum in Beijing.

Huawei, which has already a partnership with Seres Group to make Aito cars, plans a series of models including SUVs, sedans and multipurpose vehicles under the Aito brand, Yu added.

"We'd like to fully use the automakers' resources of production capacity," Yu said.

 Aito M5.

Seres sold a total of 80,000 Aito cars featuring Huawei's HarmonyOS system - developed by the company as an alternative to Android - in 2022, up more than six times from a year ago, according to company filings.

Huawei's chairman Eric Xu reiterated at a press conference on Friday that the company doesn't make cars on its own but only helps other automakers make better vehicles.

Huawei has been hit by a series of export controls by Washington which says it is a security risk, which the company denies. The sanctions have blocked Huawei from buying key components as well as from using Google's Android operating system.

The sanctions have also affected Huawei's partnerships with global automakers, who have given up using Huawei's vehicle connectivity technologies in the past two years, Yu said on Saturday.

Tension with the US saw Meng detained for three years in Canada over alleged efforts to cover up attempts by Huawei-linked companies to sell equipment to Iran in breach of US sanctions.

 The 6-seat Aito M7 SUV.


Simply amazing: 'FF' number plate generates staggering RM34mil in revenue

Loke (right) showing some of the top price bids in the FF series plate number. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: The special "FF" number plate series has raked in up to RM34,296,327 worth of revenue, says Anthony Loke.

The Transport Minister said this was the highest revenue generated since the JPJeBid system was opened to the public on April 15, 2019.

The "FF8" number plate had the highest price bids at RM950,000 with "FF9" coming in second at RM911,999.

Then "FF3" and "FF2" number plates came in third and fourth with bids up to RM639,000 and RM638,000 respectively.

"There was an incredible response to this series, with up to 34,032 bidders.

"Of the 9,999 numbers up for grabs, 8,348 bidders appeared during the five-day period.

"This means there are only slightly more than 1,000 running left for the plates," he told a press conference at Parliament today.

He added that the numbers with the most interest were "FF199" with 34 bidders and "FF51" (32), whereas "FF155", "FF555" and "FF1688" had 29 bidders each.

He said the initial last day of bidding (May 18) also saw many wanting to up their bids in the closing hours.

"Since there were so many people accessing the system at one time, our system crashed and we decided to extend the bid by another 24 hours.

"This is something we have to work on to make sure our system can run smoothly," he said.

On May 14, Loke announced the launch of a special "FF" number plate series to mark the 77th anniversary of the Road Transport Department (JPJ), with those interested able to bid online until May 18.

On May 19, Loke said JPJ would be extending the bidding period for the "FF" number plate series through the JPJeBid system to 10pm the same day.

This was after public complaints about the unstable JPJeBid system which was experiencing high traffic, Loke said.


Honda halts Japan car plant after WannaCry virus hits computer network

                TOKYO: Honda Motor Co said today it halted production at a domestic vehicle plant for a day this week after finding the WannaCry ransomware that struck globally last month in its computer network.

The automaker shut production on Monday at its Sayama plant, northwest of Tokyo, which produces models including the Accord sedan, Odyssey Minivan and Step Wagon compact multipurpose vehicle and has a daily output of around 1,000 vehicles.

Honda discovered on Sunday that the virus had affected networks across Japan, North America, Europe, China and other regions, a spokesman said, despite efforts to secure its systems in mid-May when the virus caused widespread disruption at plants, hospitals and shops worldwide.

Production at other plants operated by the automaker had not been affected, and regular operations had resumed at the Sayama plant on Tuesday, she said.

The spread of the WannaCry ransomware which locked up more than 200,000 computers in more than 150 countries has slowed since last month, but security experts have warned that new versions of the worm may strike.

Rival automakers Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co were also affected by the virus last month, when the auto-making alliance companies stopped production at plants in Japan, Britain, France, Romania and India.


Porsche Macan arrives from RM455K

                KUALA LUMPUR: Porsche Sime Darby Auto Performance has launched the latest Macan at its Porsche Centre Sungai Besi.

The next appearance of the new Macan will take place at Porsche Centre Penang (June 28 to 30) and at Publika Shopping Gallery in Kuala Lumpur (July 5 to 7).

The new Macan will carry a price tag of RM455,000 including all applicable duties (except registration, road tax and insurance) and will be accompanied by a four-year warranty with free maintenance package (including parts and labour).

Additionally, it is available under the 360 Finance calculator with repayments starting from RM5,700.

Also, this mid-sized German luxury sport utility vehicle can be had in four colour choices of Mamba Green Metallic, Dolomite Silver Metallic, Miami Blue and Crayon Red.

To further enhance the Macan is a newly designed front end to make it appear wider while a Premium Package adds on the luxury look and feel with the standard 14-way powered front seats (memory function).

It also adds on the Comfort Lighting package (full-LED bulbs), Power Steering Plus (speed-sensitive electromechanical power steering system), Park Assist (auto-parking function) with reverse camera, electrochromic mirrors and a Bose Surround sound system.

Powering the Macan is a 2.0-litre (1,984cc) turbocharged engine with 252hp from 5,000 to 6,800rpm and 370Nm of torque from 1,500 to 4,500rpm.

All that twist is managed by a seven-speed Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (Porsche dual-clutch gearbox) that allows it to sprint from 0 to 100kph in 6.7 seconds and onwards to a top speed of 225kph.

Equipping the new Macan is its newly designed three-dimension rear LED light panel, LED headlights, and fully interconnected Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system with a 10.9-inch (+3.7-inches) touchscreen. A Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus that distributes light adaptively is available as an added cost option.

As in the Panamera and Cayenne, the PCM's user interface can be adapted to suit personal requirements via predefined tiles that are fully interconnected as standard with mobile phone preparation, dual-audio interfaces and intelligent voice control.

Porsche says that the Macan's chassis has been overhauled to increase comfort while rolling on staggered tyres with wheel options ranging from 18 to 21-inches (with 265/40 front and 295/35 rear tyres).

Expanding the range of equipment for the new Macan (as an added cost option) are the GT sports steering wheel (much like in the 911), mode switch integrated into the steering wheel with sport response button (part of the optional Sports Chrono package), heated windshield and an air ioniser (with standard fine particle air filter) to name a few.


Honda reveals 2015 Civic Type R

                GENEVA: At a special event, Honda has revealed the all-new Civic Type R ahead of its official global premiere on March 3.

Revealed in an extraordinary animation and lighting sequence, projected high above the heads of the audience, complete with the raw sound of the engine revving, the ‘race car for the road‘ is the most extreme Type R ever built.

A world-first application of Honda’s new 2.0 litre VTEC TURBO engine, aggressive function-led styling and pioneering new chassis technologies combine in the new Civic Type R to deliver one of the most immersive and rewarding driving experiences.

Billed as a ‘race car for the road’, the all-new Civic Type R will set new standards in the high-performance front-wheel drive hatchback segment.

The new 2015 Civic Type R will be powered by the most extreme and high-performing engine in the 22-year history of the red ‘H’ badge, signalling the start of a new performance era for the Honda brand.

The all-new, direct-injected turbocharged 2.0 litre VTEC TURBO petrol engine delivers power, torque and performance figures unmatched in the front-wheel drive hot hatch segment.

Peak power output is 310ps at 6,500 rpm, and peak torque is 400Nm at 2,500 rpm – both higher than for any previous Honda Type R model.

Red-lining at 7,000 rpm, the engine – part of Honda’s next-generation Earth Dreams Technology series – features an advanced new turbocharger with VTEC technology that boosts low-end torque and delivers sustained acceleration.

The Civic Type R’s blistering performance is unmatched in the front-wheel drive hot hatch segment: the 0-to-100kph sprint is covered in just 5.7 seconds – making it the fastest accelerating performance front-wheel drive hatchback – and top speed, where permitted, is a class-leading 270kph.

The new engine is mated to a slick-shifting six-speed manual transmission, safeguarding an intimate, rewarding connection with the drivetrain, and power is directed through the front wheels.

New lightweight, high rigidity 19-inch alloy wheels, unique to the Type R, complement the visual changes.

They fill the enlarged wheel arches with 235/35R19 tyres that were developed specially for the Type R.

To help the driver manage the Type R’s prodigious power, the car is equipped with a high performance Brembo brake package, developed specifically for the car.

At the front, four-piston calipers apply braking force to 350 mm drilled discs.

A new four-point Adaptive Damper System, developed specifically for the Type R, enables continuous independent control of each wheel to deliver exceptional road holding performance, limit wheel-load transfer during sharp acceleration and deceleration, and to maintain a stable, flat ride.

It also has Dual Pinion Electric Power Steering, which helps to deliver rapid yet linear steering response and abundant feel.

The new Civic Type R will mark the debut of the new ‘+R’ button that increases the response of various chassis and drivetrain systems.

When +R mode is activated, engine responsiveness is heightened, with torque-mapping changed to a more aggressive and performance-focused setting.

Steering receives reduced power assistance and is therefore more responsive to driver inputs, and basic damping force from the new four-point Adaptive Damper System is increased by 30%.

This means the behaviour of the car is firmer and more agile for high-performance handling.

Honda’s City-Brake Active system will be fitted as standard on the Civic Type R.


How to make sure your e-car's battery has a long and healthy life

                BERLIN: While many gained a sense of security, even satisfaction, through filling up the tank of a vehicle with a combustion engine, things are a little different when it comes to electric cars.

You shouldn't charge your EVs battery to 100% of its capacity, according to experts at TÜV Thüringen, a German technical inspection association.

Some modern charging systems limit charging to 80%, which is usually sufficient for everyday use. If you are taking a longer trip, on the other hand, you should enable full charging, as this is the only way to cover a long distance.

That will keep your battery healthy as long as it doesn't become a habit. Generally, try to prevent the charge from dropping below 10%, to avoid accelerating the reduction in capacity.

Another no-go: frequent fast-charging. Instead, try to charge your car's battery at a gentle pace at home or at public charging stations with 11 to 22 kW.

The battery, which is after all your e-car's most vital organ, also doesn't like long periods of just sitting around or excessive cold or heat. If your car is parked for a longer period of time, make sure your battery is charged to between 30% and 70%, with the vehicle ideally kept in a garage.

Not only does every charging cycle put a strain on the battery, but according to TÜV Thüringen, the capacity also inevitably decreases over time due to age.

However, most manufacturers provide a guarantee for the battery, for example that after 160,000km or eight years of use, at least 70% of the original capacity is still usable.


NY to ban cars from Manhattan's Central Park

                NEW YORK: New York will soon ban cars from its beloved Central Park, the city's mayor announced, citing a commitment to reducing pollution and "prioritising people over cars."

Automobile traffic was already prohibited in the north of Manhattan's iconic green space, which will celebrate its 160th birthday next year. Vehicles could still circulate, however, on three concrete lanes in the south: West Drive, Terrace Drive and Center Drive.

The traffic ban on those thruways will go into effect June 27, the day after the city's public schools close for the summer.

The measure does not concern, however, four dedicated below-grade roads that cross the park's width and are separated from the rest of the park by walls.

"Our parks are for people, not cars. For more than a century, cars have turned parts of the world's most iconic park into a highway," mayor Bill de Blasio said in announcing the move last Friday. "Today, we take it back."

"We are prioritising the safety and the health of the millions of parents, children and visitors who flock to Central Park."

The mayor's decision follows his January decision to designate the loop drive in Brooklyn's sprawling Prospect Park car-free.

"Central Park is one of New York City's most iconic open spaces and is used by millions of New Yorkers and visitors," said Daniel Zarrilli, the city's Senior Director of Climate Policy and Programs.

"Making Central Park car-free will ensure that everyone who enjoys the park will enjoy cleaner air and improved safety in support of the City's sustainability and climate goals."


DS sets up motorsport division

                PARIS: DS Automobiles  has set up a division named DS Performance as it marks its first foray into motorsport.

The new arm would be contributing its expertise in Formula E research and development to the DS Virgin Racing team. Based at the future PSA Excellence Centre in Satory just outside the French capital, DS Performance is headed by Yves Matton.

The engineers at DS Performance have developed the entire drivetrain of the DSV-01, including the electric motor and gearbox. DS Performance has also designed its cooling system, rear suspension and transmission. The motor management system was designed in partnership with Magneti Marelli.

DS Performance will support DS Virgin Racing throughout the upcoming Formula E season, enabling Sam Bird and Jean-Eric Vergne to maximise the performance of the race cars.

The new division will step up R&D in new technologies such as plug-in hybrids and all-electric power that the PSA Group is already working on and that will benefit the DS brand in the long term.

DS was founded here in June last year.  Its stated ambition is to revive the tradition of premium vehicles in the French automotive industry. Drawing on French know-how, DS aims to carry on the "values of innovation and distinction" inherited from the first DS, launched in 1955.

The DS range now comprises DS 3, DS 3 Cabrio, DS 4, DS 5, DS 5LS and DS 6. The DS 5LS and DS 6 are only available in China.