MotoPlex Petaling Jaya officially opened

                PETALING JAYA: MotoPlex Petaling Jaya, the first showroom in Malaysia offering the four premium brands under Piaggio Group – Piaggio, Vespa, Aprilia and Moto Guzzi – was launched recently.

It is designed with Italian aesthetics in a total space of 540sq m.

MotoPlex Petaling Jaya offers a comprehensive product range and merchandise as well as providing customer service.

MotoPlex Petaling Jaya is managed by Goh Brothers Motorcycles Sdn Bhd, the official dealer appointed by Didi Group.

Didi Group is the official distributor of Piaggio, Vespa, Aprilia and Moto Guzzi motorcycles in Malaysia.

MotoPlex is divided into the showroom area (285sq m) and service centre (255sq m).

The service centre is equipped with the state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and staffed by well-trained motorcycle technicians and mechanics.

The Motoplex stores provide the full range of the Piaggio, Vespa, Aprilia and Moto Guzzi brands in a single location, together with services, accessories, merchandising and entertainment to give customers a unique experience.


Hyundai names ex-design chief Luc Donckerwolke chief creative officer

                SEOUL: Hyundai Motor Group said today it has appointed Luc Donckerwolke, former head of the group's design centre, as chief creative officer in a move to strengthen its design competitiveness, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Donckerwolke will be in charge of design-related communications for the promotion of the Genesis brand, battery electric vehicle (BEV) lineup brand IONIQ and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, Hyundai said in a statement.

He resumed his career as executive vice president at the Korean automotive group, and his office will be located at the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre, it said.

"In collaboration with design teams, I will communicate diversity and richness of group brands' design, which is not only technologically dynamic but also customer-centric," he said in the statement.

In April, Donckerwolke, a Belgian native, resigned for personal reasons amid growing concerns over the coronavirus impact on the automobile industry.

The former Lamborghini and Bentley designer joined Hyundai Motor Group as head of the Hyundai Motor Design Centre in November 2015.

Donckerwolke had been in charge of vehicle designs of Hyundai Motor Co., its independent Genesis brand and affiliate Kia Motors Corp. since October 2018.

Since his departure, Lee Sang-yup, senior vice president and head of the Hyundai Design Centre, and Karim Habib, head of the Kia Design Centre, have been in charge of the group's design innovation.

Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands' design work will continue to be overseen by existing management. Lee will continue to lead design for the Hyundai and Genesis brands, and Habib will continue to lead design for the Kia brand, it said.


How to be strategic when avoiding highway traffic jams

                BERLIN: Road works ahead: The traffic jam stretches around the corner of the highway. Do you wait and hope things start moving again in a minute or take the next exit for a detour?

Like deciding for a checkout at the supermarket, it's hard make the right call with traffic jams — but there's one rule of thumb that will help you be more strategic.

Generally, it won't be worthwhile taking a highway exit for a speedy detour unless the traffic jam is longer than 10km.

Studies have shown that drivers who stay on the highway usually make progress just as quickly as those who use their navigation device to bypass the traffic jam.

Many navigation systems such as Google Maps now even show display traffic jam messages in real time, highlighting the affected stretches of road in red, meaning you should already know well in advance.

While it might feel clever to use your navigator app to drive around the traffic jam, remember most other drivers behind and ahead of you are probably using similar navigation helpers, meaning there's also going to be a risk of slow-moving traffic on the alternative route.


Tesla cars to have own motor racing competition

                NEW YORK: Tesla electric cars, which have a passionate following around the world, will soon have their own racing competition, a global sports organiser said on Thursday.

Electric GT Holdings said the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), motor sports' governing body, has approved circuit races for the Tesla Model S P100D.

"The Championship is the first all-electric circuit race series in the world and heralds the dawn of a new electric future," Electric GT said on its website.

Last week, the race-prepared model passed its official FIA crash test required for competition, it added.

Tesla founder Elon Musk has billed a model S P100D with "Ludicrous mode" as the third-fastest accelerating production car ever made, capable of going from zero to 100kph in 2.5 seconds. That is slower only than the LaFerrari and Porsche 918 Spyder two-seaters, according to Tesla.

No date for the races has been announced, but they will involve 20 international drivers racing for 10 professional teams, according to Electric GT.

They will be organised in two rounds of 60km each, one in the day and another at dusk, after a three-heat qualifying round.

Competition for 100-percent electric vehicles has grown. Formula E, which bills itself as the world's first fully-electric international single-seater street racing series, brings competition to 10 cities around the world.

Since it began in 2014, the series has drawn an increasing number of automobile manufacturers. The 2018-2019 season will include Mercedes, Porsche and BMW.

Volkswagen on Wednesday said a 100-percent electric prototype, driven by Frenchman Romain Dumas, will join the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in the United States in June.

After winning Pikes Peak three times, Dumas aims to top the best time realised by an electric car in the race, the American Rhys Millen's 8 min 57 sec 118/1000, which is also the third best of all times.

Dorna, which runs the MotoGP World Championship of motorcycle racing, is preparing for an electric motorcycle championship in 2019, when the RallyCross championship prepares to become the "E-WRX" in 2020.

Last week, the race-prepared model passed its official FIA crash test required for competition.


Stellantis to reorganise European dealer network from July 2023

                MILAN: Franco-Italian carmaker Stellantis said on Thursday it would reorganise its European dealers' network in July next year, starting from Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

"The rest of Europe will progressively follow in the implementation of the new distribution scheme", the group born from the merger of Fiat Chrysler and France's PSA said in a statement.

As part of its efforts to cut costs and support investment for electrification, Stellantis last year said it would end all current sales and services contracts with European dealers for all of its 14 brands, from June 2023.

The plan is to move towards an "agency model" in which carmakers take more control of sales transactions and prices while dealers focus on deliveries and servicing, no longer acting as the customer's contractual partner.

Uwe Hochgeschurtz, Stellantis' chief operating officer for the "Enlarged Europe" area, said the group aimed to promote a "sustainable" distribution model and all stakeholders would benefit.

Stellantis said it ran a comparative economic simulation showing that, under the new planned distribution model, dealers would enjoy "at least equivalent profitability" and reduced exposure to risks.

A spokesman for the company said Stellantis' light commercial vehicle brands would enter the new distribution structure from Jan 1, 2024.


Car dealerships and car washes can resume business from Aug 16

                PETALING JAYA: Car dealerships, car accessory sales shops and car wash services are among a new list of allowed activities and businesses permitted to operate from tomorrow in states under Phase One of the National Recovery Plan (NRP).

Under the list released today, those who wish to use the businesses must have completed their vaccination regimen.

Individuals would be considered fully vaccinated 14 days after receiving the second dose of either the Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Sinovac vaccines, and 28 days after being jabbed with the single-dose Johnson & Johnson or CanSino vaccines.

In the announcement, the government said that 11 economic activities would be allowed. Aside from the car-related businesses, the others are electrical and electronic goods sales; sales of home and kitchen appliances; furniture sales; sales of sports equipment; sales centres; morning markets and farmers markets; jewellery stores; and hair salons and beauty centres, limited to basic hair cutting services.

The government also said that additional standard operating procedures for clothing, fashion and accessory stores, jewellery stores and hair salons would be implemented.

In a statement today, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said that these SOPs would include the wearing of gloves, the limiting of time between workers and customers and no usage of fitting rooms.

“Only those with complete digital vaccination certificates are allowed to access these businesses for their services,” said Muhyiddin.

Muhyiddin also said that all parks in Phase One areas would also be allowed to open for jogging, cycling and exercising with SOPs, but no crossing of borders would be allowed.

He added that all non-essential industries such as manufacturing, construction, mining and quarrying would be allowed to operate again from Aug 16 in all phases, in accordance with the vaccination rate of staff.

“The operating capacity, however, will be based on the percentage of employees vaccinated.

“Those with 80% to 100% vaccination rate can operate fully. Those with 60% to 79% vaccination rate can operate at 80% capacity and those with 40% to 59% vaccination rate can operate at 60% capacity.

He said that all the relaxations will be applied with the conditions that the 50% of the adults in these states have completed their vaccination and those who will be accessing the benefits have completed their vaccination.

He said that this decision was due to the reports from the Health Ministry that the recent actions by the government to arrest the surge of cases in the Greater Klang Valley has been fruitful with fewer patients reported at emergency wards of hospitals in the Klang Valley.

Muhyiddin added that there were no cases reported in Labuan on Saturday.

He also said that another 11 economic sectors would be reopened in Phase Two, which are photo services shops; used goods shops; florists and nurseries; crafts and souvenir shops; antique shops; toy shops; carpet shops; creative content and creative industry accessories shops; outdoor gadget shops; cosmetic, skincare and perfume shops; and tobacco shops including those selling vapes and e-cigarettes.


Ford fires up Ranger as truck sales boom beckons return to US

                DETROIT: Big-truck king Ford Motor Co. has been missing out on soaring mid-size pickup sales. It’s now bringing its Ranger model back to make up for lost time.

The American version of the Ranger debuting Sunday at the Detroit auto show and going on sale next year reverses course on Ford’s 2011 decision to depart what was then a declining market for smaller pickups in the first years out of the recession.

A few years later, General Motors Co. launched the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, selling more than half a million units combined in the US and generating about $17.5 billion in revenue.

Since GM’s models arrived in 2014, sales of mid-size pickups in the US have surged about 85 percent, as gas prices fell and trucks mounted a comeback. While Ford once argued it was better off just selling more low-end F-150 trucks, the second-largest US automaker now sees opportunity in filling a void in its lineup.

Ford has “no regrets on exiting back in 2011,” Raj Nair, head of Ford’s North American operations, said in an interview. “For us, it’s been a matter of timing about when to deploy a great truck we’ve had globally. And the timing is now.”

With Americans snapping up pickups and SUVs, Ford is likely to find a receptive audience for the revived Ranger, according to Jeff Schuster, an LMC Automotive analyst. But by the time the new truck arrives next year, most of the growth in the mid-size pickup market will have already happened, meaning Ford will likely have to pick off customers from rivals including GM and Toyota Motor Corp.

“It will be more challenging for the Ranger than it was for GM,” Schuster said. “Instead of growing the segment, the Ranger is going to be taking sales from within the segment or from within Ford.”

Ford isn’t expecting the new truck to steal sales from the F-Series, the franchise player that generates most company profits. The automaker anticipates the truck will capture customers coming out of cars and SUVs, as the new Ranger is more aimed at weekend warriors who live in cities and spend free time off-roading and camping.

“This isn’t necessarily for an F-Series customer,” said Todd Eckert, Ford’s truck marketing manager. “We see this as an opportunity to bring back some of our former Ranger customers and also to attract new customers.”

Some analysts question what’s taken Ford so long to bring back the Ranger since it has continued selling the truck in other parts of the world and updated its design a couple years ago. The automaker will begin producing the truck at a factory in Michigan later this year before it goes on sale in the first quarter of 2019.

“To walk away and then take so long to finally figure out that they should jump back in -- they are definitely way late,” said Karl Brauer, executive publisher of Cox Automotive.

Ford rejects the idea that the Ranger is arriving late to the mid-size pickup party. LMC predicts segment sales will shrink to about 428,000 units this year before resuming growth in 2019.

“The market is still significantly smaller than is used to be in its heyday,” Nair said. More than 1 million mid-size trucks were sold in 2000, according to researcher Autodata.

Ford also needed time to Americanise the Ranger it sells overseas. The US model has distinctive styling in the front and rear, with a doubled-domed aluminum hood and a tailgate stamped with the Ranger name.

Under the hood, Ford removed the diesel engine it sells internationally, replacing it with a 2.3-litre turbo-charged V-6 also found in the Mustang sports car. It’s also outfitted the truck with a rugged steel bumper mounted to the frame.

Designer Max Wolff crafted the pickup’s tough-mudder looks in Ford’s Australian styling studio. “We definitely didn’t want it to look like a small F-150,” he said.


DS 4 hybrid teased ahead of going on sale

                PARIS: DS Automobiles, the once premium arm of Citroen, has revealed more details of its new upcoming DS 4 that's been earmarked to go on sale in 2021.

Touted to be a vehicle that combines French luxury expertise and augmented technology - all encapsulated within a new design, the DS 4 is being built on a new version of the EMP2 platform.

This is in line with the company's directive for all its vehicles to become either fully electric or hybrid by 2025.

The platform is said to support a variety of powertrains and gives the DS 4 an optimised interior space for improved driving comfort while also meeting the latest impact standards.

It sees the use of composites, hot-pressed structural parts and more compact elements - including the air conditioning unit to help free up more storage space elsewhere.

The platform is able to use the latest technological solutions including an entirely new suspension and steering components.

For propulsion, it will use a 180hp four-cylinder combustion engine paired with a 110hp electric motor for a combined system output of 225hp and the ability to travel up to 48km in zero-emissions mode.

Comfort and convenience of the DS 4 will be taken care of by a heads-up display, new DS Iris System infotainment system with voice and gesture housed within an 8.0-inch touch

For safety, DS Automobiles promises of Level-2 semi-autonomous driving technology - DS Drive Assist 2.0, which is the highest level that’s allowed on the road at the moment.

DS Drive Assist 2.0 is based around the extensive use of sensor technology, including front radar technology and sensors placed at each corner of the car, while a camera is positioned at the top of the windscreen.

This helps the vehicle position itself between lanes, conduct semi-autonomous overtakes and use artificial intelligence to slow the vehicle down when cornering and even adjust to speed limit changes by reading road signs.

Another innovative feature is a camera positioned that scans the road surface ahead to allow the car to automatically adjust the suspension and damping accordingly - all in the name of comfort and dynamism.

Bolstering safety is an infrared camera located in the grille that helps to spot pedestrians and animals up to 200m beyond the headlight scope at night and in poor light conditions and an image of what the camera sees is displayed to driver via a digital instrument display.

Lighting the way ahead will be a slim pair of automatic LED headlights with Dynamic Bending Light technology and daytime running lights that use up to 98 LEDs.

The headlights will be able to "look" to where the driver turns to and adapt to traffic conditions via its five pre-sets of  Town, Country, Motorway, Poor Weather and Fog.


Volkswagen plans to change management structure, says report

                BERLIN: Volkswagen plans to change its management structure and install two new chief operating officers to oversee its premium brands and volume brands, German trade publication Automobilwoche reported today without naming its sources.

The move is aimed at ensuring better cooperation among the brands and at resolving conflicts of interest, the weekly said.

Two long-serving managers should take over the new roles, said Automobilwoche.

Volkswagen did not immediately reply to a request for comment.


Perodua Ativa SUV launched at last, 3 variants priced from RM61,500 to RM72,000

PETALING JAYA: The long-awaited Perodua SUV has finally arrived with the virtual launch of the Ativa this evening.

Perodua's first turbocharged vehicle is available in three variants: X, H and AV. They are priced respectively from RM61,500, RM66,100 and RM71,200.

The final prices superseded the estimated RM62,500 to RM73,400 announced previously, and are valid until the government’s sales tax exemption expires on June 30.

The Ativa’s competitive pricing was possible because of its 95% localisation rate – the highest initial local content rate for any Perodua model, said Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad.

"Even the engine and transmission are locally made."

Perodua has so far received around 5,000 booking for the Ativa since order-taking began on Feb 19. It would start deliveries tomorrow and aims to deliver an average of 3,000 units a month.

The name Ativa is Portuguese for "active".

The Ativa is notable for a number of firsts. Aside from being Perodua’s first turbocharged vehicle, its first model to use a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and its first to satisfy Level 2 autonomous driving standards. The Ativa is also the most affordable vehicle in Malaysia to do so.

These technologies contribute to a class-leading rated fuel efficiency of 18.9 km/l, making it Perodua’s fifth Energy-Efficient Vehicle (EEV).

The 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine mated to a D-CVT (dual mode continuously variable transmission) makes 97hp and 140Nm of torque. As comparison, the new  Nissan Almera sedan, which also uses a 1.0-litre turbo engine, makes 99hp and 152Nm of torque.

Debuting on the Ativa is Advanced Safety Assist (ASA) 3.0, which is standard across the range for the first time. ASA 3.0 works at higher speeds (up to 120kph for vehicles, up to 60kph for pedestrians) versus the current ASA 2.0, and can now detect two-wheeled vehicles as well as function at night.

Also on all variants are six airbags, automatic LED headlamps with Auto High Beam, plus Lane Departure Warning and Prevention. H and AV variants get Adaptive Driving Beam, a seven-inch TFT multi-info display and a nine-inch touch-screen infotainment system with voice recognition, while the top AV exclusively gets Lane Keep Control, Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Adaptive Cruise Control.

The Ativa was officially unveiled by Perodua chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin.

The Ativa is the result of the first smart partnership between Perodua and its technical and technology partner Daihatsu.

Zainal said the Ativa was developed on a global platform as Perodua and Daihatsu pooled resources to offer the most competitive model they could produce.

“This was all done without sacrificing our unique Malaysian design, features and tastes,” he added.

Perodua's involvement with the Ativa began from the drawing board – 54 of its designers and engineers had worked with Daihatsu on the model since 2018.

With the Ativa joining the Perodua line-up, the carmaker expects to buy a total of RM6.5 billion worth of components from Malaysian suppliers this year.

Those interested to test-drive or buy the Ativa can visit any Perodua dealerships nationwide.

It gave an assurance that all its outlets follow strict guidelines to ward against the Covid-19 virus.

READ MORE:First drive of Perodua Ativa
Perodua Ativa brochure (variant comparison, specifications, colours, etc - external site)

Ativa X


Honda to sell limited batch of level 3 self-driving Legend

                TOKYO: Honda Motor Co Ltd said today it will sell a limited batch of its flagship Legend sedan equipped with level 3 autonomous driving technology that enables vehicles to navigate congested highways.

When the level 3 “Traffic Jam Pilot” is activated, a driver can watch movies or use the navigation on the screen, helping to mitigate fatigue and stress when driving in a traffic jam, Honda said in a statement.

The Japanese automaker’s plan to sell 100 of the vehicles with the advanced technology would represent a significant step towards its goal of being the first company to mass produce a car with level 3 technology.

The Legend’s “Traffic Jam Pilot” system can control acceleration, braking and steering under certain conditions.

It can also alert the driver to respond when handing over the control, such as vibration on the driver’s seatbelt, Honda said. And if the driver continues to be unresponsive, the system will assist with an emergency stop by decelerating and stopping the vehicle while alerting surrounding cars with hazard lights and the horn, it added.

The announcement comes after the Japanese government awarded a safety certification to Honda’s “Traffic Jam Pilot” in November.

Global automakers and tech companies, including Google parent Alphabet Inc’s Waymo and Tesla Inc, have been investing heavily in autonomous driving.

Yet even as the technology advances, regulations on autonomous driving differ from country to country. Audi unveiled an A8 sedan with level 3 technology in 2017 but regulatory hurdles have prevented it from being widely introduced.

The limited edition Legend will be sold from Friday in Japan at a retail price of 11 million yen (RM418,000), Honda said.

The automaker has no plans to increase production or sales of a level 3-equipped Legend for now, its operating officer told reporters today.

The Honda video below is in Japanese but you get the gist of what the level 3 autonomous driving tech can do.


This golf ball could help you cheat by finding hole every time

                TOKYO: Nissan has developed a golf ball that will help you make a putt with your eyes closed.

As a proof of concept, the carmaker unveiled a video on Tuesday, whereby a toddler taps a ball with his club and makes a putt that would make Tiger Woods’ jaw drop.

Here’s how it works: Nissan placed an overhead camera to detect the position of the ball and cup. When the ball moves, a monitoring system calculates the correct route and adjusts its trajectory.

Coupled with an internal electric motor, the golf ball stays on course until dropping into the cup, according to the carmaker.

The technology is part of Nissan’s upgraded ProPilot driver assistance system, which will debut in the new Skyline next month in Japan.

Nissan has marketed its autonomous-driving technologies previously by showing self-moving chairs and self-parking slippers.


Maserati reveals exclusive Edizione Nobile packs for Levante, Ghibli, and Quattroporte

GranLusso edition of Maserati Ghibli dressed in the Edizione Nobile package.
BOLOGNA: Maserati has unveiled the Edizione Nobile package for select models, bringing deep blue paint, luxurious upholstery, and new tires to already extravagant vehicles.

Those who are interested in being owners of a GranLusso version of the Maserati Ghibli, Levante, or Quattroporte were this week given the option to further enhance their luxurious rides with an Edizione Nobile pack — but only 50 units of each model will be produced.

With the pack, all vehicles will be refreshed with a glistening midnight blue tri-coat paint job and outfitted with a new set of silver brake calipers and 20-inch wheels, each model with a different exterior spoke design.

The interior seating would be replaced with sport seats newly trimmed in two tones of Pieno Fiore natural leather; the rear set will feature heating while those in the front seats will enjoy heating as well as ventilation.

Each model's centre console will display an Edizione Nobile dedicated badge set in a new glossy trim: the Quattroporte and the Ghibli cabins will don a wood veneer finish and the Levante gets a smooth, metal net weave.

Every model will be outfitted with an Alcantara headliner, a Bowers & Wilkins audio system, and the company's Level II Autonomy Driver Assistance Package which includes adaptive cruise control, a 360° surround view camera, and pedestrian recognition among other features.

Models furnished in the Edizione Nobile package are scheduled to arrive at American and Canadian Maserati showrooms in December. The package adds US$7,500 (RM31,208) to Ghibli, Levante, or Quattroporte models already fitted with the GranLusso trim.


Mercedes-Benz at Geneva Motor Show

                STUTTGART:  Mercedes-Benz Cars is presenting its Dream Car Collection at the 86th Geneva Motor Show and starting the 2016 open-air season by unveiling new roadster and cabriolet models.

One highlight is the world premiere of the new C-Class Cabriolet. With its classic soft top it is an attractive entry-level model in the range of Mercedes dream cars, with all-season open-air driving enjoyment included as standard.

Further harbingers of spring include the new SL and the SLC, both celebrating their European premieres, as well as the Mercedes-AMG S 63 Cabriolet Edition 130 to commemorate the invention of the automobile 130 years ago.

And the smart fortwo cabrio has now become even more exclusive: in the shape of the new limited-edition smart fortwo cabrio BRABUS edition, which is likewise celebrating its world premiere in Geneva.

The new Mercedes-AMG C 43 4MATIC Coupé is the latest sporty model to join the C-Class family. Also being exhibited for the first time in Europe is the new E-Class. The tenth generation sets standards in terms of design, safety, efficiency and automotive intelligence. The V-Class range is introducing the EXCLUSIVE line, which enables the MPV to impress with a particularly high level of equipment.

Visitors will experience the "Mercedes-Benz Dream Car Collection" in a fascinating "Silver Flow" ambience: a dynamically shaped, free-floating, large-scale sculpture consisting of silver slats creates the perfect setting for the new Mercedes models.

The technically sculptural Silver Flow appears to float weightlessly above the large show stand covering 3120sq metres and combines with the central media space to form the stage area for the presentation of the numerous premieres. Mercedes-Benz is exhibiting a total of 37 vehicles on the public days.

The Geneva Motor Show is open to the public from Mar 3 to 13, 2016.


Brexit Britain wants to become a mecca for driverless vehicles

                LONDON: Britain is stepping up its plans to be a leader in self-driving cars.

The government is awarding 25 million pounds (RM131mil) this week to as many as six projects that will research and test autonomous vehicles on highways and on trials of remote-control parking. It’s the second competition in a program that Richard Harrington, the British automotive minister, predicts will lead to driverless cars in production within the next decade.

Britain’s post-Brexit industrial strategy has a heavy focus on technology, with artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles being two areas at the heart of it. The nation is going up against the United States, which is further advanced in both technologies. Some policy makers expect that leaving the European Union will allow it to offer subsidies and tax breaks that are currently restricted under common market rules.

“It’s a very exciting thing, we want to provide the right environment for people to come to this country and invest,” Harrington said in an interview in London.

In the U.S., technology giants such as Alphabet Inc. and Uber Technologies Inc. already have autonomous-car projects up and running across several states. General Motors Co., with a 2.25 billion investment from Softbank’s Vision Fund, intends to be the first automaker to bring an autonomous taxi service to public roads in 2019. China also is experimenting with the technology, with government supporting industry on a number of projects.

Britain forecasts the global driverless vehicle market will be worth 907 billion pounds (RM4.8 trillion) by 2035 and it wants a piece of the pie. Last year, it set aside 250 million pounds (RM1.3bil) to be allocated before 2020 for companies to analyze self-driving vehicles in environments from city streets to highways and to fund prototype demonstration projects.

Harrington is undaunted. Autonomous vehicles are an area “where we feel we’ve got a competitive advantage,” he said. “One thing that I think I would go with for this country is the strength of the universities.”

The freedom to set its own regulatory environment separately from the EU may also help, according to Nigel Parker, a partner at Allen & Overy LLP.

“This could end up being one of those areas where the government spots an opportunity to make a successful Brexit,” Parker said. “There’s an advantage to being able to set your own laws, but equally there’s a disadvantage in not being aligned with the rest of Europe.”

Oxbotica Ltd., one of the companies that has received government funding, is leading a 13 million-pound project to program fleets of autonomous vehicles to drive together between London and Oxford.

“Not everything happens in California,” said Paul Newman, Oxbotica’s founder. “The U.K. government gets that robotics and autonomous systems is a long play. It isn’t just self driving cars, it’s all the vehicles -- from mines to airports to cars to warehouses.”

In a related development, Land Rover is working on self-driving technology capable of handling all types of terrain and weather as part of a 3.7 million-pound (RM19.5mil) project, Jaguar Land Rover Automotive Plc said Wednesday. The goal is to combine acoustic sensors, cameras, radar and LiDAR technology to enable a car to assess and react to its surroundings, according to the unit of India’s Tata Motors Ltd.

“The expectation is that from the middle of the next decade onwards, we’ll see some features rolling out” that would enable autonomous driving in off-road conditions, Nigel Clarke, a JLR research manager, said in an interview. That could pave the way for fully autonomous vehicles capable of handling dirt, ice and fog after 2030.

The project is a unique challenge for autonomous-driving technology, which is generally focused on relieving the chores of daily driving such as stop-and-go traffic. JLR has already moved to establish itself in the race to develop street-ready systems by teaming up with Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo. The cooperation will add as many as 20,000 Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs to the Google parent’s ride-hailing service beginning in 2020.

The goal of the off-road research is to make the technology more robust as drivers in markets such as Russia, Brazil and the Middle East face conditions that are “less than ideal,” straining systems with dirt tracks, snowy roads or sandstorms, Clarke said. JLR said its plan is to make self-driving cars available in “the widest range of real-life, on- and off-road driving environments and weather.”


Asian heavweights throwing weight behind hydrogen fuel cell cars. Why is that?

                TOKYO: China, Japan and South Korea have set ambitious targets to put millions of hydrogen-powered vehicles on their roads by the end of the next decade at a cost of billions of dollars.

But to date, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) have been upstaged by electric vehicles, which are increasingly becoming a mainstream option due to the success of Tesla Inc's luxury cars as well as sales and production quotas set by China.

Critics argue FCVs may never amount to more than a niche technology. But proponents counter hydrogen is the cleanest energy source for autos available and that with time and more refuelling infrastructure, it will gain acceptance.

Ambitious targets

China, far and away the world's biggest auto market with some 28 million vehicles sold annually, is aiming for more than 1 million FCVs in service by 2030. That compares with just 1,500 or so now, most of which are buses.

Japan, a market of more than 5 million vehicles annually, wants to have 800,000 FCVs sold by that time from around 3,400 currently.

South Korea, which has a car market just one third the size of Japan, has set a target of 850,000 vehicles on the road by 2030. But as of end-2018, fewer than 900 have been sold.

Why hydrogen?

Hydrogen's proponents point to how clean it is as an energy source as water and heat are the only byproducts and how it can be made from a number of sources, including methane, coal, water, even garbage. Resource-poor Japan sees hydrogen as a way to greater energy security.

They also argue that driving ranges and refuelling times for FCVs are comparable to gasoline cars, whereas EVs require hours to recharge and provide only a few hundred kilometres of range.

Many backers in China and Japan see FCVs as complementing EVs rather than replacing them. In general, hydrogen is seen as the more efficient choice for heavier vehicles that drive longer distances, hence the current emphasis on city buses.

The main players

Only a handful of automakers have made fuel cell passenger cars commercially available.

Toyota Motor Corp launched the Mirai sedan at the end of 2014, but has sold fewer than 10,000 globally. Hyundai Motor Co has offered the Nexo crossover since March last year and has sold just under 2,900 worldwide. It had sales of around 900 for its previous FCV model, the Tucson.

Honda Motor Co Ltd's Clarity Fuel Cell is available for lease, while Daimler AG's GLC F-CELL has been delivered to a handful of corporate and public sector clients.

Buses are seeing more demand. Both Toyota and Hyundai have offerings and have begun selling fuel cell components to bus makers, particularly in China.

Several Chinese manufacturers have developed their own buses, notably state-owned SAIC Motor, the nation's biggest automaker, and Geely Auto Group, which also owns the Volvo Cars and Lotus brands.

Why haven't fuel cell cars caught on yet?

A lack of refuelling stations, which are costly to build, is usually cited as the biggest obstacle to widespread adoption of FCVs. At the same time, the main reason cited for the lack of refuelling infrastructure is that there are not enough FCVs to make them profitable.

Consumer worries about the risk of explosions are also a big hurdle and residents in Japan and South Korea have protested against the construction of hydrogen stations. This year, a hydrogen tank explosion in South Korea killed two people, which was followed by a blast at a Norway hydrogen station.

Then there's the cost. Heavy subsidies are needed to bring prices down to levels of gasoline-powered cars. Toyota's Mirai costs consumers just over 5 million yen (US$46,200) after subsidies of 2.25 million yen. That's still about 50% more than a Camry.

Automakers contend that once sales volumes increase, economies of scale will make subsidies unnecessary.


Audi R8 V10 about to make US landfall

                VIRGINIA: More powerful, dynamic, faster and efficient - this is how Audi is touting its upcoming re-incarnation of its R8 supercar that develops 604bhp from its V10 engine.

The German carmaker says that everything in the R8 is practically new from the engine to the quattro all-wheel drive (AWD) system and dual-clutch gearbox that shifts gears in 120ms.

Two variants will be making the line-up - the entry-level R8 V10 and the range-topping R8 V10 Plus that are getting priced from US$162,900 (RM720,000) and US$189,900 (RM840,000) respectively.

Dimensionally, the R8 looks similar to its predecessor, only now it's 13mm shorter in both height and length, but 13mm wider.

Both variants will be utilising the same engine that's mid-mounted (between the cockpit and rear wheels) in the R8 LMS racecar - due to make its racing debut at the upcoming Rolex 24 at Daytona on Jan 30.

The new R8 uses a high-revving 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 FSI engine to churn out 535bhp from 7,800 to 8,700rpm and 540Nm of torque at 6,500rpm.

The engine is managed by a seven-speed S tronic gearbox that delivers all that twist to the quattro AWD system and with launch control, it will reach 100kph from standstill in 3.6 seconds and a top speed of over 320kph.

On the other hand, the 35kg-lighter R8 V10 Plus has 604bhp from 8,250 to 8,700rpm and 560Nm of torque at 6,500rpm - allowing it reach 100kph frm standstill in 3.2 seconds (with launch control) and possess a top speed of over 330kph.

It also gets decked out with a carbon fibre rear diffuser, front lip spoiler, exterior mirror housings, fixed rear wing spoiler and racing shell seats for the first time in the US, while stopping power comes from a set of carbon-ceramic brakes.

The US-bound R8 will receive the Audi drive select, which offers four modes of comfort, auto, dynamic, and individual, but the Plus model gets an additional “performance mode” with options of dry, wet and snow.

The engine sports a new fuel injection system that combines the benefits of indirect and direct injection and uses an intelligent engine management control unit to help optimise fuel injection and distribution based on engine load.

As for the new transmission, the R8 V10's gear ratio configuration is referred to as 6+overdrive, with the top track speed being reached in sixth gear, but the Plus model gets there in seventh instead.

Beneath the car, the underbody features drag reduction panels, which allow additional air to be channelled through the engine bay or to other critical drivetrain components and has a drag-coefficient rating of 0.34Cd with a retracted adaptive rear spoiler or 0.35 when it's extended, and 0.36 with the fixed rear wing.

Suspension duties are taken care of by front and rear double-wishbone light-weight forged aluminium control arms that are bolted directly onto the Audi Space Frame (ASF) body.

The quattro AWD system has most of its torque sent to the rear wheels but in certain driving conditions, the R8 has the ability to send up to 100% to the front axle thanks to the electronically controlled hydraulic multi-plate clutch on the front axle, torque vectoring, and quattro integration within the Audi drive select system.

The ASF lightweight chassis has 13% of carbon fibre materials that weigh 40kg less compared to the previous generation and the V10 weighing 65kg-less, but also allows for improved chassis performance with 40% more rigidity.

The new R8 models also features an exhaust system with integrated twin-trapezoidal exhaust outlets and variable exhaust flaps that changes the exhaust note. As for the V10 Plus model, it gets a sports exhaust system with black exhaust outlets.

Externally, the R8 will have a single frame grille with three dimensional honeycomb design and Anthracite Gray finish, which gets flanked by full-LED headlights and daytime-running lights and LED tail lights with dynamic turn signals.

Furthermore, it uses a two-piece side blade design (side air intakes), while rolling on 19-inch silver five-V-spoke cast aluminium wheels, whereas the Plus uses a five-double-spoke design for its forged aluminium wheels in matte titanium finish.

The rear sees an adaptive rear spoiler installed for the R8, but the Plus gets a carbon fibre fixed rear wing.

Inside, the familiar monoposto arc that pays homage to the shape of a racecar’s cockpit greets drivers before they realise the classic instrument panel is no more – replaced by the 12.3-inch Audi Virtual cockpit where Google Earth satellite maps can appear across the entire virtual cockpit.

Also included is the Audi connect infotainment system that features 4G LTE connectivity, destination entry via myAudi, travel information, Internet radio and Wi-Fi hotspot.

The cabin gets two 18-way powered seats upholstered in Fine Nappa leather, while the driver gets a three-spoke multifunction flat-bottom sport steering wheel with paddle-shifters and two steering wheel-mounted satellite buttons for engine Start/Stop and Audi drive select.

A 13-speaker 550W Bang & Olufsen sound system takes care of audio entertainment and is standard in the V10, but optional in the V10 plus.

Lastly, inside the R8 V10 Plus, racing shell seats replace the Fine Nappa-wrapped power-adjustable ones and the steering wheel adds two more additional satellite buttons for the Performance mode selector and Sport exhaust system.


Terzo Millennio: Lamborghini's electrifying new concept car

BOLOGNA: The Terzo Millennio is Lamborghini's vision of the electric supercar of the future and was developed in partnership with MIT.

Terzo Millennio is Italian for third millennium but let's hope that we won't have to wait another 983 years for this particular car to become a production model. However, one or two innovations the car boasts — or at least aims to boast — could be a generation away from becoming a reality.

We've already seen what a purely electric supercar is capable of achieving — the NextEV Nio EP9 is currently the fastest car of any description to lap the Nurburgring — but what Lamborghini has in mind for its first car to jettison a 12-cylinder engine block takes things to a whole new level.

Batteries are heavy and weight is the enemy of performance, and Lamborghini wants to create composite structural materials that double as energy storage, so that the driver is essentially sitting inside the battery. Work is already under way on this with MIT but a breakthrough in nanotechnology will be needed for it to come to fruition sooner rather than later.

The external panels of this phenomenal looking concept that aren't doubling up as batteries are made from a special composite carbon fibre that Lamborghini claims is self-healing. It won't magically reform itself after a head-on collision but dents and scratches will disappear thanks to a clever coating. This isn't science fiction and we've already seen a similar technology being employed by LG on its smartphones as far back as 2013.

Lamborghinis are all-wheel drive to cope with the immense power on tap and this one is no exception. However, because each wheel has its own integrated electric motor, there's no transmission tunnel or other physical parts making physical connections within the car's frame. This has enabled the company to make the car shorter, lower and crucially, has given it carte blanche in terms of aerodynamics. And because each wheel has an independent motor, its ability to find grip or to stop spins and skids is greater than that of any current-generation mechanical all-wheel drive system.

The company also wants to take full advantage of opportunities to capture and reuse potentially lost energy — whether via regenerative braking or heat exchange — to provide huge boosts in power and performance when needed while keeping the batteries fully charged for longer so that range becomes closer to, or even exceeds that of a traditional gasoline-gulping Aventador.

However, this too is where the technology is not quite up to speed. Energy capture and redistribution is usually achieved with a supercapacitor, which then pushes the energy to the battery. Lamborghini's goal is to develop a supercapacitor that can offer the same levels of power density as a battery and is working in partnership with MIT's Dinca Research Lab on this solution.


New Jaguar XJ could debut this year with all-electric platform

                LONDON: Despite it still looking pretty impressive and full of presence, the current Jaguar XJ is starting to get a little bit on in age. In fact, it's currently one of the oldest designs in its class after the flagship sedan was launched by the British manufacturer as long ago as 2009.

A couple of facelifts have kept it reasonably fresh, but Autocar is now reporting an all-new Jaguar XJ is in the pipeline, possibly for later this year. And it appears it could even go as far as being built on a new all-electric platform.

If the reports are to come to fruition, it would place the XJ into an entirely new segment of the market for the luxury brand as it would then be going head-to-head with the likes of the Tesla Model S, and the upcoming Porsche Mission E. Of course, it wouldn't be Jaguar's first all-electric model as the I-Pace crossover will have that particular honour when it finally goes on sale later this year.

Even though the current XJ still looks good, it's being left behind by its main rivals the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the BMW 7 Series and the Audi A8, all of which have undergone total redesigns since the XJ was last all-new. It's actually not really the looks that are the problem though, it's more the fact the Jaguar has been left behind in terms of the latest active safety features, driver-assist technology, and advanced powertrains.

Moving the XJ to an all-electric platform would be a bold move for Jaguar, but the British manufacturer has already stated its intention to move to electrify all new vehicles by as soon as 2020.

It's thought the new XJ is being developed along with an entirely new model for the brand, the Road Rover, which is supposed to be some sort of high-riding electrified sedan or estate along similar lines to the likes of the Audi Allroad and the Volvo V90 Cross Country.


First delivery of Honda City Sport Hybrid

                PETALING JAYA: Malaysian Wilson Wong became the very first customer in Southeast Asia (ASEAN) to receive the new Honda City Sport Hybrid i-DCD at  a cermony held at Tenaga Setia Resources Sdn Bhd.

The official delivery came less than a month after the New City Hybrid was introduced in Malaysia.

Together with the New Jazz Hybrid, Malaysia is the only country outside Japan to introduce the Sport Hybrid i-DCD system, supporting Honda Malaysia’s strategy to focus on Next Generation Advanced Technology.

 (From left) Akkbar and Wong at the delivery ceremony.

Honda Malaysia Group Vice President Akkbar Danial said, “The new City and new City Sport Hybrid have been well received by Malaysians alongside other Honda models. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our customers who have supported and placed their confidence in the Honda brand.”

Tenaga Setia Resources Sdn Bhd managing director and owner, Yeap Swee Chuan said, “The New City Sport Hybrid i-DCD has received much attention and admiration from visitors to our showroom. We are very glad that we were the one who sealed the deal with Mr. Wilson Wong, who turned out to be the very first customer of the New City Sport Hybrid."

“I have been searching for a car that is family-friendly yet still offers sporty driving performance. I was very excited when I heard that Honda Malaysia is introducing the new City Hybrid as this model fits my requirements of a spacious model with good safety features, and is fuel efficient and suitable for daily use," said Wong.

Wong, who purchased the new City Hybrid in Modern Steel Metallic colour, was also presented tickets to the 2017 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix in October and Modulo accessories package worth a total of RM5,070.

To celebrate the successful launch of the new CR-V and deliveries of the first new City Hybrid and new Jazz Hybrid recently, Honda Malaysia is organizing a T3ST DRIV3 R3WARDS campaign on Aug 18th – 31st 2017.

Any test drive of the new CR-V 1.5L Turbocharged Premium, new Jazz Sport Hybrid i-DCD and new City Sport Hybrid i-DCD at 91 Honda dealers will automatically put the potential customer in the running campaign.

300 lucky draw winners from this campaign will win cash vouchers worth RM300 each.

For more information, customers can visit any of the 91 Honda authorised dealers nationwide or call Honda’s Toll Free number at 1-800-88-2020, or log onto www.honda.com.my.


Pavilion KL shopper wins Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain

                KUALA LUMPUR: Shopping at the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur shopping mall can be a rewarding experience as Zhang Ying Xuan recently learned after she won a brand-new Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain in the mall’s Tokyo Street 11th Anniversary celebrations "Shop & Win" contest.

Due to the proximity of her workplace that is just within walking-distance to the mall, Zhang has become a regular shopper there and by submitting just five contest entries together with receipts worth over RM300 during the month-long contest, she was drawn as the winner of a brand-new Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain worth over RM150,000.

“I was so thrilled when they told me I had won the grand prize. I have only previously won small prizes and never anything this big and valuable. It is a very rugged and handsome-looking truck and I thank Pavilion and Isuzu for this,” said Zhang when receiving her Silky Pearl White truck.

The handover of the D-Max keys was performed by the Pavilion REIT Malls’ marketing director Kung Suan Ai together with Isuzu Malaysia’s chief operating officer Kenkichi Sogo here recently.

 Sogo (right) and Kung presenting the pick-up truck to Zhang.


How powdered hydrogen could be the energy source of the future

                PARIS: Researchers at Deakin University in Australia have succeeded in storing hydrogen in powder form, making it both easier and safer to transport.

The hydrogen can be returned to its gaseous state at any time, by simply heating the powder. This discovery could revolutionise the entire industry and open up new development perspectives for so-called clean energies.

This new process is outlined in the journal, Materials Today. And since it involves separating, storing and transporting huge quantities of gas safely and without waste, this technique could be particularly interesting for the hydrogen industry.

The researchers have succeeded in developing an original and novel technique for separating and storing gases.

To achieve this, they used boron nitride powder, which has a very high absorption capacity.

During the process, this powder is placed in a mill containing small stainless-steel balls. The collision of these balls with the powder and the wall of the chamber then triggers a mechanochemical reaction that gradually leads to the absorption of the gas by the powder. This method does not require harsh chemicals and does not create any by-products.

Once absorbed in this material, the gas can then be transported easily and safely. The powder can then be heated in a vacuum to release the gas in a perfectly unaltered form.

In theory, such a process makes it possible to store hydrogen (or other gases) anywhere, and to use it as and when necessary. For the moment, the success of this method has only been demonstrated in laboratory conditions. The next step will be to validate it with industry in order to develop practical applications.

The current method of storing hydrogen involves using high-pressure tanks or cooling the gas to its liquid form. However, these methods involve relatively dangerous processes and chemicals.


From e-bikes to flying cars: India's Ola plots mobility future

                NEW DELHI: India's Ola plans to produce kick scooters, e-bikes, drones and even flying cars under its future mobility scheme to help meet the country's transport needs, the company's founder Bhavish Agarwal said in a blogpost on Thursday.

Ola, backed by Japan's Softbank Group, is building what it calls a "New Mobility" ecosystem which will include mobility services, new energy vehicles and digital forms of auto retail, Agarwal said in his post.

The company's electric unit will soon begin production of its first electric scooter at a plant in the southern state of Tamil Nadu which it says is the biggest in the world. The Indian start-up also has plans to expand into electric bikes and cars.

The future of accessible and affordable transport in India is electric, and internal combustion engines, automobiles and the related ecosystem is "a remnant of the past", Argawal said in his post, adding that consumers have been downgraded to being just "a cog in this giant wheel".

"Our EVs (electric vehicles) are smart, connected AI machines and will leapfrog current personal vehicles that are dumb mechanical devices. They will serve diverse needs through a variety of form factors including kick scooters, e-bikes and yes even drones and flying cars," he wrote.

Agarwal estimates that with EVs costing 80% less to run compared with gasoline vehicles, the company's mobility push could raise vehicle ownership in India to 40% of the population from about 15% at present, and also reduce air pollution.

EVs currently make up a fraction of the 23 million cars, scooters and motorcycles sold in India in a year - with electric scooters leading the pack. This is mainly due to the high cost of EVs compared with gasoline variants and insufficient charging infrastructure.

To give the sector a boost, India plans to give about US$7.5 billion in total incentives to companies to set up battery and vehicle manufacturing, as well as to buyers to switch to EVs.

Tesla Inc, the world's biggest electric carmaker, is also gearing up to begin selling cars in India and has been lobbying the government to reduce taxes on imported EVs.


Michelin offers Agilis 3 for commercial light truck tyre market

                KUALA LUMPUR: Michelin has rolled out the Agilis 3 into the commercial light truck tyre market, targeting conventional load customers involved in people and goods transportation activities.

Key technologies and features incorporated in Agilis 3 include: stone ejectors; horizontal bars in the tread groove, sidewall shields and full depth sipes.

The Agilis 3 has a reinforced casing and Michelin claims Agilis 3 promises shorter wet braking distance, superior mileage and lower fuel consumption than average competitors.

The new tyre is now available at Michelin’s authorised commercial light truck tyre dealers nationwide. All size ranges (including four new sizes), from 14- to 16-inch diameter, cover the entire light 1-to-3-ton load segment of Malaysia’s commercial light truck tyre market.


Germany's Continental bans WhatsApp from work phones

                HANOVER: German car parts supplier Continental on Tuesday said it was banning the use of WhatsApp and Snapchat on work-issued mobile phones "with immediate effect" because of data protection concerns.

The company said such social media apps had "deficiencies" that made it difficult to comply with tough new EU data protection legislation, especially their insistence on having access to a user's contact list.

"Continental is prohibiting its employees from using social media apps like WhatsApp and Snapchat in its global company network, effective immediately," the firm said in a statement.

Some 36,000 employees would be affected by the move, said a Continental spokesman. The company, one of the world's leading makers of car parts, has over 240,000 employees globally.

A key principle of the European Union's new general data protection regulation (GDPR), which came into force on May 25, is that individuals must explicitly grant permission for their data to be used.

But Continental said that by demanding full access to address books, WhatsApp for example had shifted the burden onto the user, essentially expecting them to contact everyone in their phone to let them know their data was being shared.

"We think it is unacceptable to transfer to users the responsibility of complying with data protection laws," said Continental's CEO Elmar Degenhart.

The Hanover-based firm said it stood ready to reverse its decision once the service providers "change the basic settings to ensure that their apps comply with data-protection regulations by default".

Snapchat owner Snap Inc responded to the announcement by saying that Continental "is wrong to suggest our compliance with GDPR shifts the burden to the user".

It is up to Snapchat users to decide whether they want to allow access to their contacts and they can delete them at any time, the company said in a statement. "We also do not store non-user contacts," it added.

The issue of how personal information is used and shared online was given fresh urgency after Facebook earlier this year admitted to a massive privacy breach that allowed a political consultancy linked to US President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign to harvest the data of up to 87 million users.


BMW design chief Karim Habib quitting?

                MUNICH: As BMW frets over Donald Trump's threat of imposing a 35% border tax, here's a rumour saying that BMW design chief is leaving the company.

The information comes from leading German car magazine Auto, Motor und Sport. BMW hasn't said anything yet but if true, then BMW has the onerous task of looking for a replacement for Karim Habib. There's no word yet where Karim is going but details are bound to surface sooner or later.

Karim, a Canadian Lebanese, has been in charge of exterior and interior design at BMW since 2012.

As a key cog in the BMW machinery, Karim favours a pared-down design style. He is an admirer of the work of Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec and Patricia Urquiola, as well as the architectural designs of Rem Koolhaas, Herzog & DeMeuron and Zaha Hadid, according to a March 2016 BMW article which offered an insight into the man.

A designer who grew up in five countries, he is an advocate of evolving design where cars are crafted with emotional appeal and authenticity as well as extensive customer connectivity.

To Karim, the past is important to the future in the design of a brand. He singled out the 3.0 CSL Hommage concept car as a case in point. The concept car uses lightweight construction and modern materials to bring the character of the 3.0 CSL - a classic and iconic BMW coupe from the 1970s – into the 21st century.


Bentley's Birkin Blower goes digital

                CREWE: Bentley’s Blower Continuation Series project has this week reached an important milestone, with the completion of the digital CAD (Computer Aided Design) model that will serve as the master design and engineering reference for the new cars.

Announced last year, the Blower Continuation Series is a run of twelve new Bentley Blowers, each of which will be an exact mechanical copy of the 1929 Team Blower built and raced by Sir Tim Birkin, and now likely the most valuable Bentley in the world.

The Continuation cars are being produced by a dedicated team in Bentley Mulliner’s Classic division, who cut their teeth on the recently restored 1939 Bentley Corniche and who are now working with a team of vintage specialists to re-engineer and build the suite of parts needed to bring the new series of cars to life.

All twelve of the new cars are already sold to keen collectors around the world, and the first stages of build for the Bentley’s own engineering prototype – Car Zero – will begin in earnest soon.

Bentley’s Team Blower has been carefully dismantled and then re-created in the digital world through a combination of precision laser-scanning and intricate hand measurement.

The finished CAD model is comprised of 630 components across 70 assemblies, and is more than 2GB in size.

From start to finish it’s taken 1200 man-hours for two dedicated CAD engineers to complete the model from the scan data and measurements, and the result is that an accurate and complete digital model for a 1920s Bentley now exists for the very first time.

The engineers have been able to complete the model while working remotely during the COVID-19 crisis.


Fewer vehicles sold in November

                KUALA LUMPUR: Vehicle sales volume fell 2.4% to 52,584 units in November from 53,870 units in October and the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) expects sales to be flat in December.

The MAA said on Thursday the November sales were however higher by 8.9% from 48,282 units a year ago “due to year-end promotional campaigns”.

Of the 52,584 units sold in November, the MAA said 47,754 were passenger cars and the remaining 4,830 were commercial vehicles.

Production for November declined to 46,517 units compared with 50,304 units a year ago.

The MAA said total industry vehicles (TIV) for January-November this year was flattish at 549,445 units compared with 550,410 unit in the previous corresponding period.

As for production for vehicles in January-November, it rose to 528,333 units from 522,571 units in the previous corresponding period.

On the sales outlook for December, it expected the volume to be maintained at the November level.

“Continuation of aggressive year-end promotional campaigns especially by a number of players which have their financial year ending Dec 31, ” the MAA said.


VW to lay out new software roadmap on Dec 15, says paper

                BERLIN: Volkswagen chief executive Oliver Blume will present a long-delayed new software strategy for the carmaker at a supervisory board meeting on Dec 15, Handelsblatt newspaper reported today, citing company sources.

The strategy will lay out how Blume aims to make the carmaker's proprietary software competitive and market-ready by the end of the decade, an ambition that will cost the company 1 billion euros (RM4.6bil), Handelsblatt reported.

The Audi brand will hand over leadership on autonomous driving software to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, the report added.

Volkswagen declined to comment to Handelsblatt and was not immediately available to comment to Reuters.

The supervisory board called in May for management to present a roadmap for the carmakers' software unit Cariad, after multiple years of delays to planned new software iterations and overspending.

The board expected a new roadmap by the summer break, Reuters reported, but former chief executive Herbert Diess' departure from the company delayed plans.

New chief Blume wants to first determine what the software will look like, and then the car models will follow, Handelsblatt reported.

Cariad chief executive Dirk Hilgenberg said in a letter to employees in November that the company was giving itself more time to build its new software 2.0 platform, without providing a specific timeframe.


Hennessey does its thing with 1,035hp Dodge Demon

                HOUSTON: First there was the Dodge Challenger Hellcat, which set new standards for power and performance in the American muscle car segment with its now-legendary 707hp and 884Nm of torque.

Then Dodge decided to up the power ante even further with a new, more powerful track-focused version called the Challenger Demon, boasting an outrageous 840hp.

But if even that isn't enough power to quench your muscle car power thirst, Hennessey has now gone and done what it does so well by launching the HPE1000, which takes the Demon and tunes it to a simply staggering 1,035hp.

The production version of the Demon was already so fast and powerful that the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), which regulates American motor sport, went and banned the Dodge from sanctioned competition. It wasn't because it was too fast, but because any car that can complete the quarter-mile in less than 10 seconds has to have special safety equipment to be allowed to compete, which the road-legal Demon simply doesn't have.

It takes the production Demon 9.65 seconds to complete the quarter-mile, but the Hennessey-tuned HPE1000 manages it in just 9.14 seconds. The Hennessey achieved that time at the Lonestar Motorsports Park on May 8, where it became the world's fastest Dodge Demon. Hennessey's president and founder, John Hennessey, said of the car: "The 2018 Demon is a street-legal rocket from Dodge, but we wanted to take the car's impressive track times to an industry leading level."

The modifications include replacing the standard 2.7-litre supercharger with a staggering 4.5-litre unit, and adding stainless steel long tube headers, a high-flow air induction system, upgraded throttle body, upgraded fuel pump and fuel injectors, and custom calibration of the engine management system.

All of that adds up to a total of 1,035hp at 6,500 rpm and 1,289Nm of torque at 4,200 rpm. An "ordinary" Dodge Demon can get from 0 to 100kph in 2.4 seconds, but the HPE1000 has got that down to a ridiculous 1.9 seconds.

To put things into perspective, that's fast enough to cause embarrassment to a Bugatti Chiron. And although Hennessey hasn't put a price on the HPE1000 yet, it's safe to assume you'll be able to buy several of them for the amount of money Bugatti asks for the Chiron.


Mitsubishi Triton - Phantom Plus Edition introduced from RM139,000

                KUALA LUMPUR: Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM) has expanded the Triton pick-up truck line-up with the limited-run Triton - Phantom Plus Edition.

Restricted to 1,000 units and available only in Jet Black Mica, the new variant 4X4 is designed to enhance customers’ urban lifestyle and passion for the remote outdoor settings.

The vehicle comes with on-the-road without insurance prices (private registration) of RM139,700 in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah (RM141,700), Sarawak (RM141,750), Langkawi (RM131,902) and Labuan (RM134,353).

Included are body kits and accessories to match its rugged presence.

The Triton - Phantom Plus Edition comes with a decorative roof with LED lighting, a front and rear bumper garnish with red accent, side door moulding, tailgate assist, sporty ‘PHANTOM PLUS’ body decals, ‘PHANTOM’ tailgate moulding with rear spoiler, sports bar with matte finishing, and a rugged wheel arch with 18-inch gloss black alloy wheels with Yokohama Geolander all-terrain tyres.

Inside, the new Triton - Phantom Plus Edition gets sporty leatherette seats, red accent carpet mat, a 9-inch touchscreen audio display with Apple Carplay and Android Ready as standard.

All these accessories upgrade is by Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia authorised dealers.

Offerred with a five-year/200,000km whichever comes first warranty, the Triton – Phantom Plus Edition is powered by a 2.4-litre MIVEC variable valve timing technology turbodiesel engine, which produces 181PS and 430Nm of torque.

Standard items include Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Active Stability Control (ASC), Traction Control (TC), Rest Reminder, Hill Start Assist (HSA), and Trailer Stability Assist (TSA).

Also included are Easy Select 4WD with off-road mode for optimum handling, Hill Descent Control and a tight turning radius of 5.9m.

The Triton - Phantom Plus Edition is also equipped with a Driving Video Recorder (DVR) offered by MMM authorised dealers as standard at all Mitsubishi Motors showrooms nationwide.

Aside from the Triton - Phantom Plus Edition, other Triton variants are:

Triton Athlete - RM146,600
Triton AT Premium - RM126,900
Triton MT Premium - RM116,200
Triton AT - RM107,990
Triton MT - RM103,200
Triton Quest - RM81,390

MMM CEO Shinya Ikeda said the rugged Triton family is gaining popularity as one of Malaysia’s favourite pick-up truck.

For Financial Year 2021 (April 2021- March 2022), the company sold 9,420 units of Triton which is a 24% increase compared to the same period in the previous year.

Customers can visit the new Mitsubishi Online Showroom https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com.my/onlineshowroom/ for a virtual view and book the new Triton -Phantom Plus Edition.


RM851,000 Aston Martin Vantage with vaned grille unveiled — sold already

                KUALA LUMPUR: Aston Martin Kuala Lumpur today announced the introduction of a new vaned grille option for Vantage that adds a classic tone to the car.

It is the first Vantage with the new optional front grille in Malaysia.

In 2020, Aston Martin announced the new grille style to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Vantage nameplate. The vaned grille, seen on many legendary Aston Martins, has become a design feature of the marque and is now available for Vantage.

This customised unit in Liquid Crimson paintwork was sold to Datuk Idrus Mohd Satha, the founder of several local educational institutions.

It's priced from RM851,000, a RM173,000 premium over the regular Vantage (prices exclude duties and taxes).

Aston Martin Kuala Lumpur said two units of Vantage with the vaned grille would be arriving soon. Subsequently, there will be a minimum waiting period of eight months.

The vaned front grille offers a softer and more refined front-end choice in comparison to the standard aggressive and muscular Vantage design that Aston Martin Kuala Lumpur launched in 2018.

Featuring five horizontal vanes, it also includes a more subtle bumper and splitter design to work in harmony with the new vaned front grille.

The vaned front grille can be specified in either of the two colour options; silver or black, to complement the aesthetic and match the other trim choices available on the exterior of the Vantage models.

Aside from the new front grille, the Vantage Liquid Crimson also features the newly introduced options by Aston Martin Lagonda this year – with the Black Wings Badges and the 20” Snowflake Wheel.

The new wheels are 6.23kg lighter than the standard cast wheels. Added with the exterior black package (black painted front grille, mirror caps, roof panel, window surround finisher, rear diffuser Insert and blades), it injects an extra boost of energy to its sportiness.

The exterior paint colour, Liquid Crimson, is deep and luxurious, emphasising the passion behind the Aston Martin brand.

The liquid-like quality of this lustrous colour highlights every body feature, and accentuates every line and flatters every curve.

Aston Martin is renowned for its leather and Vantage Liquid Crimson’s interior features the Caithness leather.

Caithness leather is a high-end, soft and natural product choice to create a luxury interior.

The key to this luxury feel is milling which is a softening process when manufacturing leather – the longer the leather is milled, the softer and more luxurious the leather will feel.

The leathers are available in either monotone or duotone split pattern. Vantage Liquid Crimson’s interior features duotone environment, with the combination of Obsidian Black and Lords Red.

It highlights the beautiful curves of Vantage’s interior environment.


New VW Amarok boasts standard Matrix headlights

                HANNOVER: Lights on and curtain up for the new Amarok. When Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ premium pick-up celebrates its premiere, the LED lights fitted as standard will be one of the ‘highlights’.

A premium vehicle, including in terms of light output, the new Amarok will as standard have LED headlights up front.

As an option and on the higher specification versions of the pick-up there is also the so-called ‘IQ.Light’. Its LED matrix headlights also show a high-impact light graphic.

While they don’t turn night into day, driving at night is made more relaxed.

Features also include an active (i.e., automatically) dipping full beam whenever there is oncoming traffic, street lighting or traffic lights, and the static cornering lights, which light corners up better in the direction of travel. This ensures greater comfort and safety.

“With its high-tech lights, the new Amarok will already be recognisable as a genuine VW a long way off and at the same time will display a unique light signature,” said Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles design team head
Albert Kirzinger.

IQ.Light is only one of many "highlights" in the new Amarok-up from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. More highlights will be presented in the coming weeks.

Over 830,000 units of the Amarok have been sold to date in Europe, South America, South Africa and Oceania.

The new Amarok will launch at the end of 2022 in the first few countries with double cab and four doors and in some individual markets with a two- door single cab.


Airspeeder: World’s first electric flying racing car is ready to race

                LONDON: Airspeeder has revealed the world’s first fully functioning electric flying racing car.

The Airspeeder Mk3, is a full-sized remotely-operated electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle (eVTOL). It will compete in an upcoming remotely-piloted Airspeeder racing series that will stand as a technical test-bed and feeder series to a manned racing series in 2022.

The unveiling of the vehicle represents the realisation of more than three years development work to create a sport that will accelerate a new clean-air aerial mobility revolution.

A full grid of Mk3 electric flying race-craft is currently being manufactured at Airspeeder and Alauda’s technical HQ in Adelaide, South Australia.

More than 10 identical racing vehicles will be produced and supplied to teams in 2021.

The craft is being developed and manufactured by a team drawn from leading names in aerospace, automotive and motorsport technology including; Mclaren, Babcock Aviation, Boeing, Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls-Royce and Brabham.

The Airspeeder Mk3 racing series will be announced in the coming months. These remotely-piloted races will present to the world for the first time close-quarter flying circuit racing at speeds of more than 120kph.

Pre-season tests will happen in Australia before the start of an international racing calendar.

The initial Mk3 races will provide vital information on vehicle dynamics, performance, safety and powertrain technology that will inform the final development of the manned Mk4 Airspeeder vehicle.

Racing will play a vital role in hastening the arrival of eVTOL technologies which promise to revolutionise urban passenger mobility, logistics and even remote medical transport.

Both the remotely piloted Mk3 programme and manned Airspeeder Mk4 flying cars will provide a safe environment from where key innovations around safety, noise and batteries can be refined and fed into the wider development of an industry predicted by Morgan Stanley to be worth US$1.5 trillion by 2050.

The MK3 powertrain represents a significant upgrade on the Mk2 proof of concept vehicle, with power increased by 95% with only a 50% increase in weight. A 96 kW electric powertrain already sees the Mk3 operating with a thrust to weight ratio above two, on a craft that weighs 100kg unmanned.

The Mk3 speeders are laid-out in an ‘octocopter X formation’. This provides significant advantages to pilots in terms of maneuverability and stability.

When racing the pilot will be able to make the same sharp hairpin style turns as a Formula 1 car but with the added third dimension of being able to move vertically.

The octocopter configuration also adds an important measure of vehicle redundancy and will ensure the craft can safely land and remain in control should a rotor or battery system fail.

The craft, which will be operated by an expert remote operator from the ground, features a suite of technologies and engineering elements never before seen on an eVTOL craft.

These innovations will be validated in this key unmanned proving phase and include LiDAR and Radar collision avoidance systems that create a ‘virtual forcefield’ around the craft to ensure close but ultimately safe racing.

The Mk3 features a carbon fibre frame and fuselage chosen for its strength, stiffness and lightweight properties, which ensures maneuverability, performance and efficiency.

The carbon fibre frame and fuselage adds a vital mechanical layer of safety, which will be further enhanced by a full carbon fibre monocoque body to be introduced on the Mk4 vehicle.


What it's like to ride the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide

                The 2020 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard is the latest edition to the Harley-Davidson touring family. What is Electra Glide Standard? Electra Glide Standard is the basic model where many extras are not available thus making it much cheaper than the other touring bikes from the Harley Davidson stable.

Electra Glide Standard also offers its customers to upgrade the machine with a long list of accessories designed especially for Electra Glide Standard. Thus, making the bike not “Standard” anymore.

For a start this is a single seater priced at RM132,400It has been designed with a solo touring seat. The saddle is firm and wide. I can assure you no rear end sore on this machine regardless how far you ride.

When I did few hundred kilometres on this two wheel, my rear end was happy with zero complaints. This American machine does not come with any stereo or fancy TFT screen.

However, the folks at Harley-Davidson (HD) has prepared a space for the stereo if the owner decides to fix one later.

The dedicated open space for the stereo can be used as glove compartment or even a place to place your small box drink. I wished the HD folks could have fixed a flap to close the open space making it look neater.

The Electra Glide comes with the iconic Batwing which is synonymous with Harley-Davidson. The Batwing besides making the bike look irresistible, it delivers smooth air flow and eliminates the wind buffeting. This wide wind shield with decent height did a perfect job in reflecting the wind away from my body and head when I was clocking 140kph.

Electra Glide Standard comes only in black colour called as Vivid Black. In my opinion, this machine looks great in black. Don’t worry, there is enough chrome on the machine that will get any bystander excited. I can’t imagine any other colour that will give you that rugged look which defines Harley Davidson. But again, that is my opinion.

This 1,746cc machine comes with two side panniers that is big enough to pack for two pax for few days ride. The panniers (hard box) is a one touch design that allows quick open and close which is very useful when you are caught in a heavy rain trying to get your rain gears out.

This pannier is waterproof. On the highways this bike is at its best. The minute I passed the 100kph, the bike was so happy. The machine was beckoning me to squeeze the throttle. So, I did without any hesitation. Whoa! It was an awesome experience.

On the straight road and less technical corners this bike was effortless. The bike is so planted on the road, it feels like it is glued to the tarmac. This six-speed machine has all the power you need. Sweet!

The ergonomics are spot on. My reach to the handlebars and the upright sitting position is comfortable. Meanwhile there is abundance of legroom. All these details make long distance riding on this machine a pleasant experience.

Every time I upshift the gear and squeeze the handle, the power is delivered immediately without any lag. The foot gear is smooth but, not light on the foot. The first gear comes with a loud clunk sound (character of a Harley). Meanwhile the hydraulic hand clutch, needs a bit of getting used to.

Unlike other brand touring machines, HDs hand clutch is always hard. You need all the five fingers grabbing hard on to the clutch. I am still puzzled why the HD engineers prefer hard hand clutch compared to other motorcycle brands where the clutch is easy on the fingers.

The weight of this machine is 372kg and a wheelbase of 1,625mm. This is, not a light machine and not advisable for any novice to ride this especially if this is going to be the first bike. Even for the experienced, riding this machine for the first time in tight corners can pose a challenge.

I rode this bike few times in the morning and evening rush hour and I found this bike was manageable. The clutch was something I got used to it plus the low centre of gravity and the wide handlebar allowed me to manoeuvre through the traffic at ease.

The only thing that was a challenge in the traffic was the side panniers which I had to be mindful at all time, not to graze any cars. Meanwhile in the technical twisties and corners, this machine was planted and gave me all the confidence I needed to enter and exit any type of corners.

There was enough power and torque from the engine to move this machine effortlessly. However, in these corners I had to work harder to manage the bike as it was heavy. Flipping the bike was no easy task as I was taking wide and tight corners. It took me a good one hour to understand the dynamic of this machine.

From then onwards, it was natural. During a heavy down pour, I decided to do a sudden brake and the 320mm disc did a brilliant job in slowing down this machine while keeping me safe. No unwanted skids or uneventful event. The ABS did the job. Simply brilliant.

I encountered few potholes while doing above 100kph and the suspension absorbed the impact well. I felt very little of the impact. The suspensions were, not the best neither the worst, it was decent. The front suspension did a better job than the rear. I must state here there that the suspension setting was straight out from the factory.

The rear suspension comes with a pre-load adjuster and meanwhile the 49mm front forks comes with dual bending valve suspension.

In layman's term, when both the front and rear suspension have been adjusted accordingly to my weight and the roads I intend to ride on; I am promised of a smooth and plush ride. I am hoping to experience this soon.

The big power plant on the Electra Glide is much more advanced and refined than before. The end results of this new engineering are improved performance with smoother, powerful and engaging machine.

SPECIFICATIONS Harley-Davidson Electra Glide StandardEngine: 1,746cc, Milwaukee-Eight 107 V-twin
Maximum power: N/A
Maximum torque: 315Nm at 3,250rpm
Transmission: Six-speed
Front suspension: Showa 49mm Dual Bending Valve fork, 11.7cm travel
Rear suspension: Spring-preload adjustable shock, 5.6cm travel
Front braking system: 320mm floating discs with 4-piston callipers, ABS
Rear braking system: 320mm fixed disc with 4-piston calliper, ABS
Fuel capacity: 22.7 litres
Weight: 372kg
Price: RM132,400 (without insurance, road tax and number plate)


Venezuelans revamp cars to run on cooking gas amid fuel shortages

Alfredo Gonzalez checking a cooking gas canister beneath his car, which is used to run his vehicle instead of fuel, as Venezuelans are struggling to cope with chronic fuel shortage, in Maracaibo. — Reuters
MARACAIBO: Venezuelans struggling to cope with chronic fuel shortages are jury-rigging vehicles to run on cooking gas cylinders, a practice industrial safety experts describe as dangerous and which has led to at least one explosion.

Venezuela, an Opec member that sits atop the world’s largest crude reserves, is suffering the worst gasoline shortages in its modern history due to a near-complete collapse of its refineries combined with US sanctions that make it difficult to import fuel.

Mechanics and in some cases drivers themselves revamp vehicle fuel systems with a propane cylinder of the sort used for kitchen stoves, to avoid service station lines that sometimes leave people waiting for days to buy gasoline.

“There’s no fuel in Venezuela and I had to set my car up like this to be able to work and bring home my daily bread,” said Senen Aguirre, 25, in the city of Maracaibo.

Aguirre says the system is safe, but says the car smells strongly of the liquefied gas. He worries more about having to pay off the police not to impound his car, because the arrangement is illegal.

But the practice is not without risks. In the eastern city of Puerto La Cruz, one car running on cooking gas suffered an explosion earlier this month, said a municipal official.

The situation is a stark contrast to Venezuela’s oil boom era when fuel was abundant and heavily subsidised. Fuel officially remains nearly free for those who can wait in lines or have connections, but gasoline now fetches US$3 (RM13) per litre on the black market.

Following a request for information by Reuters, Maracaibo’s citizen security division chief, Cesar Garrido, said in a statement that running cars on cooking gas “represents a high level of risk and is prohibited.”

Venezuela’s information ministry did not reply to a request for comment.

Alfredo Gonzalez used basic equipment including kitchen faucets to convert a pickup truck to run on cooking gas so that he could continue providing public transportation in Maracaibo - but he spends most of his time ducking the law.

“We’re working like smugglers,” he said. “The police persecution is really heavy. They say it’s dangerous.”

Experts recommend against the practice due to the potential for explosions and health risks associated with prolonged exposure to propane gas.

“Over time, these vehicles are going to have (gas) leaks because people are not careful,” said oil engineer Jorge Leon.


Four men in viral road rage video arrested, test positive for drugs

                KLANG: The four men who destroyed the windscreen and windows of a car as well as assaulted the vehicle’s driver on Sunday have been arrested by the South Klang police.

South Klang OCPD ACP Shamsul Amar Ramli said that the police acted on a report made relating to videos of the incident that had gone viral on social media.

According to ACP Shamsul Amar, the incident happened on April 18 at about 4.30pm when the vehicle with the four alleged aggressors rear-ended another vehicle driven by the male victim in Taman Sentosa here.

The victim, an 25-year-old employment agency employee, was travelling from Taman Sentosa to Port Klang to drop off his cousin, who was with him in the car at the time of the incident.

“The suspects broke the car windows and pulled the victim out of the vehicle and hit him with a piece of wood as well as snatched a cell phone belonging to the cousin.

“The South Klang police managed to detain all four individuals between 7pm and 11pm on the same day. The suspects tested positive for methamphetamine," said ACP Shamsul Amar.

He added that all four suspects are aged from 23 to 35, are jobless and are drug addicts and said that the matter is being investigated under Section 394/427 of the Penal Code.


2022 Bangkok Motor Show: Volvo C40 Recharge, Toyota bz4x and Honda hybrids charge in

                BANGKOK: The Volvo C40 Recharge and Toyota bz4x were among electric cars vying for attention at the 2022 Bangkok International Motor Show, which runs from March 23 to April 3.

A total of 37 car and motorcycle brands are taking part in the 43rd round of the motor show themed "Keep Moving Forward Together".

Electric cars made their presence felt at this year's show in line with Thailand's move to incentivise EV use and preserve its status as a major regional automaker.

The government is targeting production of 725,000 EV units a year, or 30% of output by 2030.

This year's show is the year of electric vehicles, said Grand Prix International chief operating officer of sales and marketing Jaturont Komolmis, who is also the vice chairman of the motor show.

Volvo

Volvo unveiled the C40 Recharge at the show, making it the first fully electric Volvo for Thailand. The C40 Recharge offers the benefits of an SUV but with a lower and sleeker design.

The car features twin electric motors, one on the front and one on the rear axle, powered by a 78kWh battery that can be fast-charged to 80 percent in about 40 minutes 2 . It offers an anticipated range of around 420km, which is expected to improve over time via over-the-air software
updates.

Earlier this month, Volvo also announced a single electric motor variant is also available.

In the dual motor variant on display, the 71.4 kWh Li-ion battery under the floor can be juiced up to 80% in around 30 mins via a 150kW DC fast charger.

For comparison, the single-motor C40 Recharge comes with a 69 kWh battery and an anticipated range of up to 434 km on a single charge under the WLTP drive cycle. The battery can charge from 10 to 80 per cent of capacity in about 32 minutes on a fast-charging system.

Like the XC40 Recharge, the C40 Recharge comes with one of the best infotainment systems on the market, jointly developed with Google and based on the Android operating system. It provides consumers with Google apps and services built-in, such as Google Maps, Google Assistant, and the Google Play Store.

Toyota

The bZ4x comes in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations with a range of 500km and 460km respectively.

Like the Subaru Solterra EV, the bZ4x is built upon the new e-TNGA platform for EVs.

Toyota had previously claimed its BEV series' batteries, starting with the ones in bZ4x, would retain more than 90% of their capacity after a decade.

Its batteries, developed with Panasonic Corp, contain a special coolant that does not conduct electricity easily. Battery packs are also structured to keep the cells and coolant separated in case of a leak.

The bZ4x is expected to go on sale in Thailand later this year before making its way to Malaysia in early 2023.

Honda

Over at the Honda booth, the Japanese car maker is taking a more restrained approach with a focus on hybrids led by the all-new HR-V e:HEV plus other full-hybrid e:HEV vehicles in various segments at this year’s motor show.

Aside from the City e:HEV, there's also the City Hatchback e:HEV, and Accord e:HEV on show.

The highlight model in the lineup is the HR-V e:HEV, which Honda described as a premium sports SUV with a full-hybrid e:HEV system and Honda SENSING intelligent safety technology in all variants.

The sleek look is enhanced in the RS variant with a sporty exclusive design.

It comes with an e:HEV full-hybrid system with a combination of two electric motors and a 1.5-litre Atkinson cycle DOHC i-VTEC 4-cylinder, 16-valve engine coupled to an Electrical Continuously Variable Transmission (E-CVT) and an Intelligent Power Unit equipped with a lithium-ion battery.

It offers maximum torque of 253Nm and boast fuel efficiency of up to 25.6 km/litre and is also equipped with a Drive Mode switch for easy switching to one of three drive modes.

The cabin is touted as spacious, comfortable and versatile because of the signature multi-utility rear seats.

The HR-V e:HEV is also equipped with a hands-free power tailgate with Walk Away Close, together with safety and advanced driving technology.

Honda is giving a 10-year hybrid battery life warranty and a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty for the entire hybrid system.

Variety show

Other exhibitors included Audi, BMW, MINI, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Ford, Lexus,  Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Bentley, Porsche, Suzuki cars and motorcycles as well as Kawasaki and Royal Enfield.

Attesting to the green theme were a raft of EVs such as Audi e-tron, Audi e-tron Sportback, Audi e-tron GT, BMW iX,  iX3, i4, Lexus UX 300e, Mercedes-Benz EQS, MINI Cooper SE, Nissan LEAF, Porsche Taycan and Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo.

The Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost - albeit a combustion engine car - stood out as the most expensive exhibit with a price tag of 43.9 million baht (RM5.5mil).

Chinese car makers Great Wall Motors and SAIC Motor also took part in the show with their respective Ora Cat GT and MG ZS EV .


Ahmad Fuaad to be Proton's new CEO

                SHAH ALAM: Proton Holdings Bhd will have a new chief executive officer and executive director, Datuk Ahmad Fuaad Mohd Kenali effective April 1.

Ahmad Fuaad, who is currently chief operating officer (finance and corporate) of DRB-Hicom Holdings Bhd,  is seconded to helm the national car-maker company.

He has been on the board of Proton as non-executive director since 2013.  Prior to joining the DRB-Hicom, he was the chief financial officer of Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd.

 Ahmad Fuaad

This secondment was one of several internal reorganisation of several key management positions within companies under DRH-Hicom that were announced yesterday.

Meanwhile, Proton current chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Harith Abdullah, shall lead  DRB-Hicom as chief operating officer of the group in the areas of automotive distribution and defence effective April 1.

Harith has led several companies under the group, namely DRB-Hicom Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd , Motosikal Dan Enjin Nasional Sdn Bhd and Automotive Corporation Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

DRB-Hicom also seconded  its chief operating officer –  automotive distribution manufacturing Datuk Md Radzaif Mohamed to be Proton’s deputy chief executive officer effective Apr 1. Radzaif has been on the board of Proton as non-executive director since 2013.