MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW is the new Formula E Safety Car

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www.bhpetrol.com.my
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After providing a BMW i8 as the Official Safety Car for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship since 2014, the BMW Group is now providing a new car as the
i8 is no longer in production
. The i8 was an appropriate car for the all-electric single-seater series as it was world’s bestselling plug-in electric sportscar, with over 20,000 units sold worldwide.

BMW i8 Safety Car leading Formula E cars during a race.

For the new Safety Car, the MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW will be used. The car was created out of the new MINI Cooper SE as part of an unprecedented collaboration between MINI Design, BMW Motorsport, the FIA and the Formula E. It connects the brand’s electrified future with the rich racing history of John Cooper Works.

The new Safety Car will see action for the first time in Rome on April 10 at the second event (Race 3) of Formula E’s 2021 season.

“We have already shown how well driving fun and electric mobility go together with the MINI Electric,” says Bernd Korber, Head of MINI. “However, the MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW goes at least a step further and blends the performance character of the John Cooper Works brand with electric mobility.”

He added that this extreme version of the MINI Electric has been developed as the Safety Car for Formula E, and is clearly not intended for use on public roads. “But it does reveal one of the directions we could take with the electrification of the JCW brand. For me, the message is clear: electrification and John Cooper Works are a good fit,” said Korber.

Dynamism maximised

The exterior of the MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW has been purpose-built for life on the racetrack and represents the most dynamic interpretation yet of a MINI with all-electric power. “The design is an exciting symbiosis of technical precision and emotion,” explained Oliver Heilmer, Head of MINI Design. “Here, function dictates form, and many design elements have been shaped by technical considerations. For example, we worked closely with our colleagues at BMW Motorsport to develop the form of the wheel arches and front and rear aprons, and the optimisation programme for them included weight-saving measures. This visually striking, technically precise design language gives the car its pervasive sense of emotional engagement and excitement.”

Signature JCW elements, such as wheelarches adapted to the car’s track width and the deep front apron with additional front splitters to the left and right enhance the sporting visuals of the front end. The blanked off ‘radiator grille’ and MINI Electric logo point to the electric ‘heart’ of the Safety Car.

As virtually no drive system cooling is required through the upper area of the grille, the front end is largely enclosed to aid aerodynamics. The only exceptions are the area below the grille and the eye-catching, almost squared-off apertures for brake cooling. The Safety Car’s white flashing lights are integrated harmoniously into the bonnet. Characteristic MINI bonnet stripes extend over the roof to the rear end.

Showcasing MINI’s racing genes

The interplay of geometrically accentuated spats (with carefully placed aero edges) and sporty side skirts gives the car the appearance of powering forward. Together with the increased-diameter wheels, which almost fill the wheelarches, these elements strengthen the time-honoured MINI ‘stance on the wheels’.

The spats and spoilers are made – or more precisely 3D-printed from recycled. Yellow accent lines and surfaces on the aero elements (eg the spats, skirts and rear wing) provide a nod to the airflow optimisation taking place in these areas and add a visual flourish to the air deflectors and aero edges. The lightweight 18-inch forged wheels in bi-colour black-neon/orange design bring significant visual depth and added intricacy to the 4-spoke items from the MINI John Cooper Works GP.

The respective colour worlds of the MINI Electric and John Cooper Works brand merge into a single statement. The main body colour is a matt silver which extends back beyond the centrepoint of the car. A high-gloss wrap with a 2-stage colour gradient – from Highspeed Orange to Curbside Red – then covers the rest of the body to the rear. The contrast between matt and gloss surfaces brings extra smoothness to the silhouette, while the clear, diagonal separation lines between the different colours injects further dynamism.

On the flanks, a chequered flag-inspired pattern shares the stage with a large MINI Electric logo, which can also be found in the radiator grille, on the roof and at the rear end. The Safety Car brief also brings regulations-specific and sponsor-related graphics, which add further visual intensity to the car’s racing character.

Broad eye-catching rear

The rear end in black and Curbside Red met. uses yellow accent surfaces to extend the eye-catching design language from the front end and flanks. The prominent roof-mounted rear wing with air through-flow and yellow accent lines also integrates the signal light unit and was 3D-printed at the MINI factory in England. The rear apron has cut-outs around the wheels, clearing the view to the higher-grip racing tyres. Between the wheels sits an unadorned diffuser. When the car is viewed from this angle, the accents in Energetic Yellow and lack of exhaust tailpipes identify this as a car powered by an electric drive system.

Maximum reduction inside

As with racing cars, the interior is stripped to the absolute essentials and only the front seats remain. The driver’s area consists of a certified seat with 6-point belt approved for both racing and road use, a steering wheel with minimalist-design carbonfibre impact absorber and a digital instrument cluster. The central information display makes way for a carbonfibre cover here to further reduce weight. The centre console houses the gearshift lever, handbrake and controls for the necessary signal lights – all in exposed carbonfibre. The minimally trimmed carbonfibre door panels with window and door openers contain cloth straps to make closing the doors easier.

Another central feature of the interior is the welded-in roll cage, which maximises safety. And the remainder of the almost bare interior structure is also painted in typical racing white (for functional reasons).

Light and very powerful

Rigorous adherence to lightweight design principles gives the Safety Car a kerb weight of approximately 1,230 kgs – which makes it about 130 kgs lighter than the standard Cooper SE. The drive system – also based on that found in the Cooper SE – produces 135 kW (equivalent to about 185 ps) and 280 Nm, which enables the car to sprint go from standstill to 100 km/h in a claimed 6.7 seconds. As with the Safety Car in Formula 1, the MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW will have to be capable of a high speed if it is leading the racing cars around the track.

Season 7 of Formula E opens in Saudi Arabia with first-ever night races


New record for Perodua with over 240,000 units sold in 2019

2019 was a great year for Perodua as it surpassed all previous sales volumes with a total number of 240,341 vehicles delivered. The volume was 5.8% higher than the figure for 2018 which had been the prior record. The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) will be releasing the full year’s sales data tomorrow but by Perodua’s own estimates that the Total Industry Volume (TIV) for 2019 was 604,775 units, the Malaysian carmaker’s share would have been 40%, an increase of 2% from 2018.

Announcing the achievement, Perodua’s President & CEO, Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad, said that all five models in its range – the Alza, Aruz, Bezza, Axia and Myvi – were segment leaders, with the Aruz notable for being Malaysia’s best-selling SUV with 30,115 units sold.

Export growth to get more attention

Continuing with its efforts on exports, the total volume sold in other countries last year was around 2,825 units, of which 1,800 units of the Myvi were purchased by Daihatsu and sold under its brand in Indonesia. To date, Perodua exports to 7 countries and Sri Lanka is its second largest overseas market where the Bezza was the bestselling sedan in the sub-1.0 litre segment.

The latest Myvi introduced in Mauritius attracted a lot of attention.

“While our exports remained modest, we are making good progress in establishing our brand overseas and are looking at further improving the numbers this year,” said Dato’ Zainal. He said that the government has urged Perodua to export more of its vehicles. However, there needs to be proper market studies to ensure that the products are the right ones (at the right price levels) and the marketing done properly. Since 2018, Perodua has stepped up its attention to exports after having been busy on its transformation and cost-competitiveness activities earlier.

Healthy aftersales business continues

Given the position at the lowest end of the market with the most affordable vehicles, it would seem that Perodua customers are probably going to buy one or two and then move upwards to other brands as their personal financial circumstances improve. They would also be less likely to continue using the aftersales services available from Perodua, believing that it’s cheaper to go to the smaller independent workshops.

However, Perodua’s figures show that there is a fairly high rate of retention in the aftersales business. Since 2015, service intake has grown by some 20% and while this would also be in tandem with the rising annual sales volume, there are still many owners who continue to return to Perodua’s service centres even after many years. Last year, the service centres nationwide handled over 2.35 million vehicles.

“We have the largest vehicle sales and service network in Malaysia. Our intention is not so much to expand further but to enhance the facilities we already have by working closely with our dealers for the benefit of our valued customers,” said Dato’ Zainal. “In this respect, the company is working with its dealers, which currently make up 75% of its sales and service network, to invest and upgrade facilities.”

Supporting local suppliers

Both Perodua and Proton have had the obligation of helping to develop the domestic automotive industry, particularly the suppliers so that parts and systems can be obtained locally. Perodua has been diligent at this and has consistently helped its suppliers to grow and remain ‘healthy’. Even in difficult market conditions when sales have slowed down, Perodua has stepped in to assist in various ways so that the vendors do not have serious financial problems that impact their ability to deliver on time and maintain quality.

Transmission production at a factory in Negeri Sembilan.

Last year, Perodua purchased around RM5.4 billion worth of parts from suppliers and at least 90% of the parts in its vehicles are local content. The suppliers themselves not only enjoy steady business from Perodua but a few are also supplying to Daihatsu factories overseas, an indication that Malaysian suppliers can also produce world-class products that meet the stringent quality demands of Japanese manufacturers.

Dato’ Zainal said he welcomed the healthy competition from Proton as it will only serve to motivate and strengthen Perodua. Furthermore, as Proton’s volumes rise, the suppliers will also prosper and be able to achieve better economies of scale with bigger orders from both carmakers. This will also help them lower their prices, a win-win situation for manufacturer and supplier.

Looking ahead

While the government expects GDP growth to be 4.8% in 2020, Perodua is cautious about its sales performance at this time until some issues – like the new National Automotive Policy – are clearer. So for now, the forecast for numbers remains at 240,000 with a market share target of 40%. Production volume is planned to rise by 4.1% or 10,000 units in anticipation of increased exports as well as fulfilling the backlog of orders for certain models.

Providing affordable cars for Malaysians has been one of Perodua’s constant objectives from the time it started.

With regard to price increases predicted in the near future (due to a revision of taxation for vehicles), Dato’ Zainal gave assurance that this won’t happen for Perodua products right away. “Our mission has always been to provide affordable vehicles and we would not just pass on any increases to customers. We will address the situation by ‘counter-measures’ to try to keep prices stable for as long as possible,” he explained.

On new models to be launched, he did not elaborate on specific models although the market is buzzing with rumours of a new compact SUV designated the D55L. This is said to be based on the Daihatsu Rocky launched in Japan last year and sits on the DNGA (Daihatsu New Generation Architecture) platform.

New Daihatsu Rocky launched in Japan last year is expected to be the basis of a new compact SUV model. How close will the Perodua version look to this?

However, Dato’ Zainal did share with us the product direction of the company which takes into account industry trends which could give clues to what the future product will have. In the slide, there were four subjects – Connected, Autonomous, Shared Services and Electric. These hint at features like cruise control which is a form of autonomous operation and might even be advanced cruise control with adaptive speeds. As it is, the A.S.A. driver assistance system already has autonomous capability such as automatic braking so Perodua may be able to get more advanced systems at a cost which allows them to be offered without raising the price.

‘Electric’ doesn’t necessarily mean an electric powertrain and Dato’ Zainal mentioned ‘downsizing’, the industry trend of reducing engine sizes but maintaining or improving performance through using direct fuel injection or turbocharging. Well, as it is, Perodua engines started off with an 850 cc engine in the Kancil and its range has had the smallest engines all this while. So they can’t get any smaller but adding an electric motor as a hybrid powertrain or using an electric compressor could be under study now.

Much of the advanced technology development would be done either by Daihatsu, its technical partner, or the suppliers. But where design and upper body development are concerned, Perodua R&D aims to further increase its capabilities. Since the development of the first Myvi, when Perodua was a ‘junior partner’ in the project which also involved Daihatsu and Toyota, the Malaysian carmaker’s capabilities have grown steadily. It reached a point where Malaysians could develop the Bezza sedan which is a model that you will not find in the Daihatsu range. Bear in mind that even adding a boot to the Axia involved engineering competence and it was not just a ‘cut-and-weld’ exercise.

Dato’ Zainal revealed that Daihatsu Indonesia has also called on Perodua R&D to assist in product development for models sold in Indonesia. He said that it is hoped that Perodua can become the ASEAN hub for Daihatsu where R&D is concerned. While Daihatsu’s operations in Indonesia are larger, they are more focused on production whereas Perodua has made bigger investments on R&D facilities.

Aerial view of the Perodua complex

“We have invested RM1.4 billion to date, which is higher than what Indonesia has spent on R&D, and we plan to continue investments in this area. Some of the money will go into extending the test track to 5 kms so that testing can be more comprehensive. Therefore, we hope that Daihatsu will consider making Perodua its R&D hub for ASEAN while Indonesia could be a production hub,” he said.

Perodua has a strong position as market leader, which it certainly deserves. But it is not going to take this dominance for granted and ‘relax’ and even though Proton, its closest rival, is intent on regaining its No.1 position, Perodua will stay focused with its own strategic plans for the coming years.

Perodua centralises production of parts for old models with RM7 million investment


Tested: Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport Suspension – Good Buy or Good Bye?

It is no secret that the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is due for an upgrade very soon. The W205 generation C-Class has been around since 2014 and has been a sales success.

The class leading (till the F30 3-Series arrived) C-Class appealed to just about any age group while the AMG Series (C43 and C63) were in a class of their own, in Malaysia at least.

When wheel-to-wheel against the likes of the BMW F30 and the Audi B8, the C-Class stood out as the almost perfect convergence of all that was needed in an executive sedan. Of course, the BMW did ultimately prove to be the better car, but that’s a different story.

Enter the C300, the top of the line model in the none AMG line up.

Priced at RM291,800, it was perfect for those who did not want to dish out some crazy money for an AMG, and yet didn’t want the savings the Hybrid offered. Because you know, Mercedes hybrids haven’t been too well received despite their incredible specifications and fuel savings they offered.

The C300 sold well, it offered a spirited engine in the form of a 2.0-litre, turbocharged unit that puts out 258 hp and 350 Nm of torque.

Decent enough if you ask me, and it also makes a rather pleasing sound during acceleration. Almost sports car-ish.

It has quite a character and the slick shifting 9-speed gearbox too added to the sporting character of the car.

The interior has always been a decent place to be in though I cannot for the life of me accept the plastic feel of the ash wood trimming. It simply feels too cheap for a Mercedes-Benz, entry level sedan or not.

I do however love the Burmester sound system, not only looks great but sounds fantastic as well, and truly makes the interior a nice place to be in.

The C300 has generally done well and towards the end of 2020, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia introduced an update that took away the adaptive suspensions and replaced it with regular coil overs.

The level headed amongst us wouldn’t mind that as adaptive suspensions can be extremely expensive to maintain over the long run. There are instances where owners simply prefer to have the air suspension replaced with coil overs instead of opting for the original.

But the techies who like every possible feature a car can offer will undoubtedly cry foul.

So this then begs the question, is that really a problem?

The short answer is, no. And the long answer: it is not a problem because it is already good enough to begin with.

The suspension is identical to the one in the C200, which in the past has been criticised for being too stiff and too uncomfortable for an executive sedan.

As such, a sporty nature is already well-ingrained into this C300, it feels steady in corners though there is some hefty body roll when pushed a little further. The powertrain and suspension pairing is great, but not quite as spot on as the previous model.

But that also means there is a compromise on comfort. And there is no place where this is most evident than on uneven roads, badly patched surfaces and of course, speed humps that appear out of no where. And our Malaysian roads are full of such surprises, so in reality, the Mercedes-Benz C300 is not a very comfortable car.

And that is what the adaptive suspension has helped to iron that out at the push of a button to select Comfort mode – which would then do as its namesake and absorb bad roads.

But even then, the previous C300 never really did a phenomenal job at that, it was just marginally more comfortable than now.

So which means, that the tradeoff is worth it, and the omission of that suspension saves you about RM15,000.

Yes, there is no doubt that a new C-Class is just around the corner, but if you are not the type that needs to have the latest, then this C300 is undoubtedly a great buy if you can look past the suspension. It’s saving grace is its engine and all that power it produces – it’s no AMG, but it’s still a lot of fun.


FLUX Offers A Tesla EV Experience For 3 Years

While Teslas, which are all battery electric vehicles, are sold in many countries, they are still not officially sold in Malaysia. PEKEMA, the association of Bumiputera dealers, is however taking orders for Tesla models which it is importing in large numbers this year to be sold through its members’ dealerships. Pricing indicated by some dealers shows the cars (imported from the UK) to cost between RM342,800 and RM418,800.

PEKEMA has indicated that they will offer owners aftersales support, but without an official representative of the brand owner supporting the business, they will still rely on obtaining assistance from other parties.

However, if you are keen to find out what it’s like owning a Tesla – and not having the aftersales worries – FLUX is offering the Model 3 and Model Y on a subscription basis. The company says it will also give subscribers a 4-year warranty for peace of mind. Additionally, a concierge service is also for  maintenance and document renewals along with nationwide roadside assistance and car theft recovery.

For those who are not familiar with subscription services for motor vehicles, this sort of vehicle ‘ownership’ is where you pay a monthly amount for an agreed period. However, at the end of the agreed period of subscription, you don’t own the car unlike hire-purchase (H-P) loan repayment. For those used to becoming owners of the cars after settling the H-P loan, not becoming the owner after paying for years may be difficult to accept.

However, there are advantages to the subscription approach too which are believed to appeal to today’s generation of car-users. For one thing, you don’t get ‘stuck’ with the car as a depreciated asset after the repaying the loan. For many, one of the challenges is to dispose of their car if they want to get a new one and trade-in values might not be in their favour.

A subscription plan also does not require a big downpayment at the start, although some companies may ask for a starting fee or deposit. There’s no interest charged during the subscription term and best of all, the running costs are covered. This means that insurance, roadtax and scheduled maintenance are included in the monthly payments and all the customer has to pay for is fuel – petrol, diesel or electricity.

FLUX, now in its fourth year of operations, has added the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y to its offerings for subscribers. For Tesla models, they are also offering 5% off the entire subscription plan for a 36-month subscription and also provide a free wallbox charger worth RM8,500 so charging can be done conveniently and safely at home.

Using the Model 3 as an example, FLUX shows that there can be 39% savings in the first year by taking its subscription plan instead of a conventional loan. Their monthly subscription fee is RM7,200 whereas a loan at 2.5% per annum over 36 months would be almost RM7,300. While that may seem like small savings, the bigger savings are seen in insurance costs (estimated to be RM11,350) and maintenance (estimated to be RM1,750). There are no roadtax costs for EVs under an incentive provided by the government for the next few years.

It’s a good way to find out if owning an EV suits your lifestyle and usage pattern. It requires a bit of change in your life as you have to regularly connect the cable to recharge, and if you want to go to the seaside on a weekend, you have to think about the battery range. So an EV may not be for everyone and you don’t want to commit to buying one and find it is a hassle to own.

Malaysians understand merits of EVs but misconceptions remain, BMW survey finds


All you need to know about BMW’s first ever all-electric car in Malaysia – the i3S!

BMW Malaysia made a huge leap forward for electric cars in Malaysia with the introduction of the first ever Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) or pure electric vehicle for the Malaysian market.

This is a huge thing for Malaysians because after years of waiting and over 120,000 units of the i3 delivered worldwide, the highly acclaimed i3 is finally here.

The i3S is unique not because it is powered by batteries alone (shown below) with no internal combustion engine, but also because 80% of the car is built with recycled and renewable resources. It produces zero emission, which means your drive near or far will have zero effects on the environment.

Being fully electric, the i3S is capable of a 260km range on full charge in everyday use. Power consumption is rated at 14.3kWh for every 100km.

But the i3S is not about environmental friendliness alone, it is also capable of some impressive performance, though not in the supercar sense.

The i3S and its synchronous electric motor with a single-speed automatic transmission produces 184hp and 270Nm of torque. This is good for a 6.9 second acceleration to 100km/h, and on to a top speed of 160km/h. Impressive figures for a small car designed for comfort and eco-friendliness.

BMW says that the i3S also has the handling to match its performance. The car boasts sports suspension with custom-made springs, dampers and anti-roll bars.

It also comes with driving modes that includes Sports mode, for a more direct connection to the accelerator and tighter steering characteristics.

Typically of BMW, the i3S features the usual armada of electronic safety nets such as Dynamic Stability Control and Dynamic Traction Control, Cornering Brake Control, Dynamic Brake Control and Antilock Braking System with Brake Assist.

The shell of the car, or rather the passenger cell of the car is made of ultra-strong carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) which not only makes the car safer, but also makes it incredibly lightweight.

The interior too is a grand place to be in, with a sharp focus on comfort, innovation and spaciousness. As mentioned earlier, 80% of the visible surface of the car is made of recycled materials that includes recycled plastics, natural fibres and open-pored, unbleached eucalyptus wood.

The interior of the i3S features the BMW i Interior Design Suite with a sophisticated instrument panel and exquisite upholstery in Dark Truffle Leather Vernasca. This is complemented by a Carum Spice Grey headliner and a premium leather steering-wheel.

The biggest question when it comes to electric cars though – is the amount of time it takes to reach full charge. The i3S reaches an electric range of 180km in under three hours, but this is done by the BMW i Wallbox that provides 11kW of charging power.

The i Wallbox is equipped with Wifi access and can be operated seamlessly via a smartphone, smartwatch, PC or tablet, and can access all features of the BMW Digital Charging Service.

The i3S also comes with BMW’s ConnectedDrive system that offers services including Intelligent Emergency Call, Concierge Services and Remote Services.

The BMW i3S is priced at RM279,000 and with BMW’s Dynamic Financial Program, you will be looking at a monthly payment of RM3,188 (based on 80% loan on a five-year tenure).


REVIEWED: Volkswagen Beetle Sport 1.2 TSI

You know the hard part about this job is not doing it, because with practice it becomes almost second nature. We’re not born to do this job though, nobody is, it all stems from passion for anything and everything automotive, short of a ride-on lawnmower. But I’d have a go at that too if given the chance…

No, the hard part of this job is
returning
 the review cars that we
reeeeeally
 liked. In fact some of us motoring scribes have even gone as far as to
buy
 the cars we liked reviewing so much; yes, it happens more often than you’d imagine. The Mazda3 hatch was one such car, I think there were at least 4 who bought this car after reviewing it for their respective publications / websites. For me it’s only happened once in my career, with the Proton Satria GTI.

Well in that respect then, so is this, the VW Beetle Sport 1.2 TSI. Now anyone who knows me, knows very well that I’m more into retro, classic and old-school type cars as a personal choice, seeing as how my daily-runner is a car that’s older than 80% of you reading this, and comes from a time when this laptop I’m hacking away on didn’t even exist yet. Heck, websites didn’t exist yet. And the thing is, I’ve never been into Beetles. Ever.
The Beatles
 yes, but Beetles, no.

I won’t deny though, that the allure and appeal of the Beetle, now spanning 80 years (yes,
eighty!
) has never really waned. From the early models (above) to this latest one, there have always been followers for this most iconic of cars.

So iconic that in the span of eight decades, its external design (above) hasn’t really evolved that much, except maybe to become more streamlined, sophisticated, sporty and pedestrian friendly. Oh, and metallic paint of course. Also, I doubt this new one floats…

It still sports ’round-eyes’ and almost comically exaggerated wheel-arches, just like the original, and even pays homage to the latter on the inside, where the whole dashboard is colour coded to the exterior. Even the additional glove-box (below) is a direct copy of the one found in the classic Beetle. Epic.

It’s kinda hard to not like something as cool as this. But the similarities with its forefather pretty much end there, because under this new Beetle’s hood is an engine, and the boot this time is conventionally at the back. Speaking of engines, the Beetle Sport is powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged (TSI) 4-cyl engine capable of
105Ps
 and
175Nm
 of torque, mated to a
7-speed
 DSG with paddle-shifts.

Earth-shattering figures these aren’t, and well, maybe they’re not supposed to be, since this isn’t a Beetle
RSI
, remember that? Let’s sidetrack: Behold the
maddest
 production Beetle ever….

The
VW Beetle RSI
 was limited to only 250 units, and since it was a special edition of the vehicle, the Beetle RSI came with a
3.2 liter, 24-valve V6 engine
 which could produce
220bhp
 at 6200 rpm. (
Photo & Text from
AutoEvolution
)

This Beetle Sport though has nowhere near that kind of oomph, but in all fairness, it shouldn’t anyway. There’s a bit of turbo-lag during initial acceleration, but once that turbine spools up, this little fella becomes pretty sprightly. It cruises into triple-digit speeds fairly quickly if given the beans, and of course being a VW, chassis-rigidity and NVH are right up there with the best of them.

There isn’t much room in the back for passengers, especially with me at the wheel, but surprisingly, the boot is huge for a car in this class (see gallery). One big gripe I had though is the position of the seat-belt anchors. Because this car is a 2-door, you’ll notice that the B-pillars (below) are much further back than they would be in a 4-door car, so even at 6’2″ and my driving position, I was having a hard time reaching back for the seat belt, located on the aforementioned B-pillar. I can only imagine how difficult it would be for more petite drivers.

I use the word ‘petite’ because throughout my time with the Beetle Sport, it only seemed to be the fairer-sex who were taking an active interest in checking out the car. Unless of course it was
me
 they were checking out… no, I don’t think so. Really.

Another issue I had with the Beetle was the ridiculously large rear blind-spot created by the huge C-pillar (above & below). It looks great styling-wise, affording the Beetle a chunky swept-back
coupe-ish
 look, but from the inside, I nearly reversed into a fork-lift which managed to hide perfectly in the said gargantuan blind-spot. So yeah, craning your neck to have a look-around before reversing is a must, and thankfully the Beetle Sport does have parking/proximity sensors to assist.

(
For the full spec & price list, click this:
vw-modelspecsheet-beetle-wm

or click this

link
)

These are minor gripes though, because when it comes to actual driving, the Beetle Sport is every bit as fun as the original promised to be so many decades ago. It feels light and agile, spirited even. It feels like it wants to take the longer route, and because it’s so much fun to pootle around in, you will find yourself indeed taking that longer route to get somewhere, just so you can drive this thing more.

The Beetle Sport warrants me to use a term I coined a while ago, when it came to describing the Mazda MX-5. I called it a
 ‘happy car’
. Weird right? But that’s what it was. It was the kind of car that makes you happy to drive, the kind of car that makes you want to drive it just for the hell of it. That’s exactly what this Beetle Sport does too. It even makes you feel happy just walking up to it…

Priced at
RM147,888
 (NSP) it’s by no means cheap, but then again, what price can you
really
 put on something that makes you happy just seeing it parked in your porch? Heck, if this thing was a convertible, it would be
perfect
. –
Chris Wee.

VW Beetle Sport 1.2 TSI Photo Gallery…


Fuel Prices For August 31 to September 6 2019


War on  COVID-19: Geely donates RM5.5 million of medical supplies to Malaysia

From the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, the Geely Holding Group was already actively working on ways to join in the fight against the virus. Apart from making donations and providing support vehicles for frontliners, the company also used its R&D capabilities to quickly develop an
in-car ventilation system that can keep the cabin air virus-free
.

Now that the critical situation in China has diminished and the country is progressing towards normalcy, Geely Holding is helping other countries that are having the pandemic. In the case of Malaysia, where Geely and its local partner DRB-HICOM own and operate Proton, assistance is being given in the form of medical supplies.

The donation, consisting of disposable 3-ply surgical masks, protective medical clothing, medical goggles and PL 700 ADV ventilators, all of which are constantly required as they are replaced frequently. These items will be distributed to 55 hospitals located throughout the country through the Ministry of Health.

The donation, worth approximately RM5.5 million, is part of a larger initiative by Geely Holding to supply medical equipment via the Li Shufu Charity Foundation to affected areas in China and to countries where it has significant international operations. It aims to help local healthcare providers and communities at large in their battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The foundation was established in 2006 by Geely Holding’s founder, Li Shufu, with a focus on poverty alleviation and helping with national disasters. In January 2020, it set aside RMB200 million (about RM120.33 million) to support the fight against COVID-19 on a global basis.

“As a socially responsible company, we have a duty to support the well-being of every market in which we operate. I am proud that we have the resources and logistics capability to ship vital supplies to areas hard-hit by this global pandemic. We will play our part, whenever possible, to lend support to communities and medical authorities to overcome this global challenge”, said Geely Holding’s Chairman, Li Shufu.

Some of the X70 SUVs loaned by Proton to the Health Ministry.

In addition to medical supplies received from China, Proton has loaned
50 units of its X70 to the Ministry of Health
 for their logistical operations. The carmaker has also produced 60,000 units of face shields at its factory.

Meanwhile, DRB-HICOM has been an active supporter of COVID-19 relief efforts in Malaysia. Along with other subsidiaries under its parent company, the Albukhary Group, the Malaysian conglomerate has contributed cash donations, medical equipment, meals for government hospitals, media frontliners and university students, as well as long-range drones for monitoring and surveillance purposes.

“As a key contributor to the nation’s economy, we felt compelled to assist the government in its battle against the spread of COVID-19. The frontliners form the country’s backbone in this fight, and it is essential for us to assist them in any way possible. We are especially fortunate to have a partner like Geely who has been extremely generous in leveraging their resources to make this happen,” said Dato’ Sri Syed Faisal Albar, Chairman of Proton.

Geely sends medical equipment and supplies to Malaysia and other countries


Nissan ‘Drive To Prosperity’ campaign launched

ETCM initiates new Nissan ‘Drive To Prosperity’ sales campaign ahead of upcoming Chinese New Year festivities.

Malaysian Nissan cars assemblers and distributors
Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM)
 has kicked off its latest sales campaign in light of the upcoming Chinese New Year festivities. Called the Nissan ‘Drive To Prosperity’ Chinese New Year campaign, it will run throughout the month January to reward customers with scores of prizes.

During this campaign, customers who purchase and register a Nissan car during the promotional campaign period to have the opportunity to participate and win prizes from campaign partners, SHARP-Roxy Sales & Service Company (M) Sdn Bhd (SRSSC).

One grand prize winner will take home SHARP home and electrical appliances worth up to RM13,888, whilst the second prize and third prize winners will receive RM10,888 and RM8,888 worth of SHARP home and electrical appliances respectively.

Besides that, the campaign will also reward 10 consolation prize winners with RM3,888 worth of SHARP home and electrical appliances as well. Furthermore, customers who book a Nissan during the campaign duration will each receive a RM200 SHARP voucher for the purchase of the SHARP Cloud SmartHome System as well.

In an effort to boost this further, ETCM will also run the Nissan Test Drive Carnival at key ETCM branches nationwide. A line-up of Nissan models are available for test drive in carnival location, along with attractive Chinese New Year deals such as angpow rebates, special trade-in offers with attractive financing plans, as well as other special gifts.

The Nissan ‘Drive To Prosperity’ Chinese New Year campaign ends on January 31. More information about the campaign, as well as Test Drive Carnival locations can be obtained online by visiting
nissan.com.my
.


Government Gives One More Year Of Full Duty-Exemption For Imported EVs

It’s not often that the auto industry gets what it asks for during Budget time but for Budget 2023, the Finance Ministry has at least given one more year (to the end of 2024) for the full duty exemption on battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Last year, the exemption period announced was only for 2022 and 2023, with an extension until the end of 2025 for those models which are assembled locally.

It’s not as long as what the car companies wish for but it’s probably better than nothing. The point is that while a number of companies are now importing BEVs, the sales numbers are not exactly big even if the vehicles are ‘affordable’. The prices of BEVs are still high, even without any tax imposed, and proper ones (we’re not talking about the cheap 2-seater minis from China) are still in the region of RM150,000.

Even hybrid electric (HEV) technology is only just becoming ‘affordable’ for Malaysians after some 20 years – but still not at national brand price levels. That’s partly because manufacturers like Toyota and Honda have made a big push with HEV technology which they believe is more practical than BEVs, especially for markets like Malaysia where electrification is still in its infancy.

As an added incentive, the government will also exempt fees for APs (Approved Permits) for the import of BEVs until the end of 2023. At present, each AP (Open category) issued has a RM10,000 fee, and this amount will double in future. Therefore, those who bring in models of brands not already restricted due to franchise APs being issued should be able to lower retail prices (hopefully).

Moving towards local assembly
While the incentives are attractive, going further to assemble models locally is a different ball game and requires big volumes. Companies which have begun assembling some HEV/PHEV models (for which there are also incentives to offset production costs) are only just seeing volumes growing slowly. The faster the volumes grow, the faster prices of EVs can start to move down but, in the meantime, companies like Honda Malaysia say they are working on lowering costs of HEVs anyway.

Kia will assemble the Niro BEV in Malaysia by the end of 2023.

Kia Malaysia is one company which has
revealed definite plans for electrification
 all the way to local assembly of a BEV model by the end of 2023. Its plan looks at the ASEAN region as a single market which will be supplied from Malaysia, with a target of 61% of production to be exported. The BEV model it plans to assemble is the Niro EV but before then, locally-assembled models like the Carnival, Sorento and Sportage will also have HEV/PHEV variants.

Kia Malaysia’s 5-year plan for local production of electrified vehicles

Vinfast factory in Vietnam manufacturing BEVs.

Longer period of incentives desirable
Still, the carmakers would like the government to commit to making BEVs duty-free for at least 10 years, or offer some other meaningful incentive for an extended period. Manufacturers typically plan investments for a period of up to 10 years and those investments can be huge, so they want to be sure they do not waste their money and time. The present time-frame for the duty exemption for locally-assembled BEVs is up till the end of 2025 – hardly enough time to build up market interest and demand.

Apart from the complexities of doing business in Malaysia, one of the concerns carmakers have long had  is inconsistency of policies. While it is understandable that economic factors may sometimes force changes to be made, Malaysia has been known to change policies on some occasions just because the government leadership changed.

In Thailand, known for having many changes of governments, policies introduced or announced remain intact even as ministers come and go. That gives investors confidence to plan big investments for the future and know that they will be able to go ahead.

Sales volumes of BEVs have to go up significantly if manufacturers are to assemble locally and one factor is pricing. A low-priced BEV model from Wuling that has gone on sale in Indonesia attracted a lot of interest (above).

Development of charging network important
In order to get people to consider BEVs, there will need to be a sufficiently comprehensive network of recharging stations around the country. Those living in urban areas may not be too concerned but they too will wonder how they are going to charge their vehicles if they go back to their kampungs.

To develop the network as quickly as possible, the Finance Minister today announced that manufacturers of equipment related to EV charging will be given 100% tax exemption on their investments. This provision will be effective from 2023 until 2032, along with a 100% investment tax allowance.

Currently, those who purchase a BEV can claim personal tax exemption of up to RM2,500 for expenditures on hardware such as charging wallboxes as well as fees related to use of EV charging facilities. This provision is given for tax assessment years of 2022 and 2023.

BEV owners can claim income tax deduction (2022 and 2023) of up to RM2,500 for the cost of installing a wallbox at home to recharge their vehicle.

Comment from BMW Group Malaysia
“The announcements from Budget 2023 tabled today signal a brand-new era for Electrified and Sustainable Mobility in Malaysia, where the future for Electric Vehicles is bright. In our efforts to drive more Sustainable and Responsible mobility here, we are also grateful to see the forward mindset shared by Malaysians, who have not only welcomed, but have also shown great interest and enthusiasm in this new movement, new technology and new innovation,” said Hans de Visser, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia.

“As such, we welcome the newly announced allocations in Budget 2023 that underpin the government’s commitment to our shared vision of Electrification and Sustainability. The extension of the import and excise duty exemption for fully-imported (CBU) EVs, alongside incentives for EV charging equipment manufacturers are positive implementations that we strongly believe will further accelerate the adoption of Electrified Mobility in the country,” he added.

BMW Group Malaysia is among the most active companies in promoting electric vehicles.

“As BMW Group Malaysia continues driving forth with our Electrification strategies, we look forward to working in tandem with the government and other key stakeholders in creating a brighter, greener future for all Malaysians,” Mr. de Visser said.

The reality of producing and running electric vehicles


Honda will stop selling models with combustion engines from 2040, range to be fully electric

Visit
www.bhpetrol.com.my
 for more information.

‘Mobility’ is a word that automakers like to use today, some explaining that they are transforming themselves from just being vehicle manufacturers to ‘mobility companies’. Honda too sees itself as a mobility company and indeed, over the 73 years it has been in business, it has developed products that provide mobility for the masses. In fact, it’s the world’s largest power unit manufacturer, making products from power generators used at pasar malams to motorized transport and even jet aircraft.

Honda would like to be regarded as a company that society wants to exist, because of the good things it does and can do. And as a responsible corporate citizen, it also has to consider important global issues concerning the environment and road safety, the latter related to the vehicles it provides.

With reduction of carbon emissions as a priority, Honda has made a firm commitment to achieve carbon neutrality for all its products and corporate activities by 2050. In this way, its business will have zero environmental impact and this will require the use of clean energy and resource recirculation.

In order to achieve this carbon-free goal on a ‘tank-to-wheel’ basis, Honda has decided that by 2040 – just 19 years from now – it will sell only battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCVs). It will no longer sell vehicle with internal combustion engines (ICE) that generate pollution, even if much has been done in past decades to bring pollution from exhaust emissions down (Honda’s CVCC system being one of the ways).

Of course, between now and 2040, the phasing out of ICE vehicles has to be progressive and will start with the more advanced markets where there is already a trend of electrification. In fact, Norway has already reported that sales of fully electric vehicles have overtaken ICE vehicles in that country. The ratio of electrified vehicles will be 40% by 2030 and then doubled to 80% by 2035.

The company has identified North America as one of the regions where it will pursue the targets and has formed an alliance with GM to achieve electrification in North America efficiently. The two companies are jointly developing two large EV models using GM’s Ultium batteries which will enter the market in 2024 under both the Honda and Acura brands.

Starting from the second half of the 2020s, Honda will launch a series of new EV models which adopt e:Architecture, a completely new EV platform developed by the company. These EV models will first be introduced to the North American market, and then to other regions of the world.

China, the world’s largest automobile market, will also see a similar progression to EVs and during the next 5 years, at least 10 Honda-brand models will be introduced. In fact, the first of these will be the SUV e:prototype which is scheduled to go on sale in early 2022.

SUV e:prototype, unveiled in Shanghai this week, will go on sale in 2022 as the symbolic first Honda-brand EV in China.

Japan, Honda’s home market, will see a sales ratio of 20% EVs by 2030, 80% by 2035 and 100% by 2040. However, if including hybrid models, 100% of automobile sales in Japan can be electrified by 2030. There will also be a K-car EV in 2024 as well.

It will be interesting to see how Honda deals with markets which do not have firm policies concerning EVs. Obviously the company won’t want to stop selling altogether but conditions could be difficult if prices of EVs do not come down sufficiently for the masses to afford. Right now, in countries like Malaysia, the fact that EVs have to be imported in CBU form makes them very expensive and low numbers will not be encouraging for companies, even less so to consider local assembly that could help offset the high production costs. Even then, a poor recharging infrastructure will be a discouraging factor to consumers and this would need government support to establish comprehensively and extensively.

Cruise Origin self-driving vehicle.

In the area of mobility services (MaaS), Honda will introduce the
Cruise Origin, an electric self-driving vehicle
. The company is currently developing jointly the vehicle with GM and Cruise, for the Japanese MaaS market in the mid-2020s.  On a broader scale, Honda will continue to work on the concept of Honda eMaaS (mobility services) by connecting electrified mobility products and energy service. Honda eMaaS will have three core areas: Expansion of the utilization of Mobile Power Packs; utilization of large-capacity batteries for electrified vehicles; and application and implementation of fuel cell systems.

Regarding fuel cell systems, hydrogen is expected to be popularized as a renewable energy source and Honda has a long history of R&D in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). It was one of the first carmakers to produce a FCV which was successfully used on a commercial basis and its collaboration with GM will see reduced costs and expansion of its line-up of FCVs and also using FC systems for a wide range of applications.

Honda has many years of experience in developing fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). In 2008, it introduced the FCX Clarity which had a hydrogen fuel cell to generate electrical power.

Honda will strive for zero traffic collision fatalities involving Honda motorcycles and automobiles globally by 2050. The major challenge we will face as we work toward this goal is how to eliminate motorcycle collision fatalities, especially in emerging countries. As a company that has both motorcycle and automobile businesses, we will continue to strengthen our research on safety technologies that enable motorcycles and automobiles to safely coexist and lead the way in realizing a collision-free society from the standpoint of both hardware and software.

As for road safety and the 2050 objective of zero traffic collision fatalities involving motorcycles and cars, Honda will apply omnidirectional ADAS (advanced driver-assistance system) to all new automobile models on sales in developed countries by 2030. However, the high accident rates occur in less developed or emerging markets where there are very high numbers of motorcycles. In such areas, particularly in emerging markets, there are many collisions that can be prevented through traffic safety education activities and by approaching the issue from the perspective of infrastructure and government policies. Therefore, Honda will focus also on such areas including strengthening of educational programs and government/industry relations activities.

Future Honda models will have sensors that can scan all round the vehicle to reduce collisions with other road-users, especially motorcyclists.

In order for Honda to keep making progress in its environmental and safety initiatives, it will be necessary for the company to invest in the R&D. This investment will not be influenced by fluctuations in sales revenues and Honda declares that it will invest a total of approximately 5 trillion yen as R&D expenses over the next 6 years.

Honda has been actively developing EV models since the 1990s, some of which have gone on sale in selected markets. By 2040, its range will consist entirely of EVs.

“As of last fiscal year, we enabled Honda R&D to focus on the research of advanced technologies, and we are conducting research on leading-edge environmental and safety technologies for the realization of a society that aims for zero environmental impact and a collision-free society. Also, we are making progress with research on technologies which will expand mobility into the 3rd and 4th dimensions, into the skies, the ocean, outer space and the area of robotics. We will strengthen our original research of technologies by ensuring optimal allocation of resources into the area of advanced and cutting-edge technologies,” said Toshihiro Mibe, Honda Motor’s new President and Representative Director who took over the position from Takahiro Hachigo at the beginning of this month.

“My hope is to hear people saying, ‘We are glad Honda exists’ or ‘Honda will definitely do it’. Honda wants to continue to be a company that people want to exist. That is what we want to achieve,” Mr. Mibe said during his inaugural speech as new President.


Mercedes-Benz’s finest to star alongside Justice League superheros

Mercedes-Benz’s cars will be well represented in the soon to be released Warner Bros. movie, Justice League. The highly anticipated release, which is based on DC comics’ comic book characters is slated to hit theaters around the world starting on the 17th of November.

It will feature many beloved characters from the DC universe that include Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash as they race to save the planet from an alien assault of catastrophic proportions.

Three Merc vehicles will enjoy the limelight in the Justice League film and serve as the primary mode of transportation of the movie’s protagonists. The new E-Class Cabriolet will be driven by the character, Wonder Woman played by Gal Gadot. The car is featured in a scene where Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman, drives on a mission to speak with Victor Stone, aka Cyborg.

Apart from this, a G-Class 4×4^2 will also make an appearance alongside Diana’s E-Class, but the star of the show will undoubtedly be the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo. This futuristic masterpiece oozes class and sophistication like no other vehicle. This is why, fittingly, it will be the vehicle of choice for Bruce Wayne aka Batman.

During the movie, the car can be seen piloted by Bruce Wayne, played by Ben Affleck, when he drops in on Barry Allen, aka The Flash, to recruit him into the League. Revealed to the world in 2013, the AMG Vision Gran Turismo was Mercedes-Benz’s ultimate creation for the PlayStation virtual world.

The car was specially modified for this movie by Merc’s own design team by developing a fully fleshed-out interior with illuminated elements, racing seats and a virtual dashboard section. Compared to the original concept car, the one featured in Justice League was scaled to 110% in order to accommodate seating the film’s rather tall, 6ft. 3 ½ inch tall Ben Affleck.

“With Justice League, we found the perfect partner to highlight our current vehicles as well as communicate the fascination of our brand. The E-Class Cabriolet is a natural fit for Wonder Woman,” says Dr. Jens Thiemer, Vice President Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars.

We are therefore very excited to partner with Warner Bros. Pictures on this much-anticipated movie as we reach out to as many people as possible with a creative and innovative campaign,” he added.

Mercedes-Benz will be setting up an impressive marketing campaign to build more interest for the film’s release by introducing a 30-second TV commercial, print, online and OOH advertising. It will also launch six exclusive digital comic stories for Mercedes-Benz’ Instagram channels, developed in cooperation with DC’s Custom Creative Studio.

Check out the image galley below and let us know what you think of these vehicles and whether they truly fit the personality of the characters in the movie.


New PEUGEOT SPORT ENGINEERED division starts off with two high-performance models

Mercedes-Benz has Mercedes-AMG, BMW has BMW M and now Peugeot has also created its own high-performance division known as PEUGEOT SPORT ENGINEERED. Coinciding with the launch of this new division, the carmaker is announcing its
return to the World Endurance Championship
 in the Le Mans Hypercar category from 2022, although that has already been known earlier.

Roots in Peugeot Sport

PEUGEOT SPORT ENGINEERED is probably an evolution of the Peugeot Sport division within the original Peugeot PSA Citroen group. It was established in 1981 as a motorsports division and gained fame when it developed and ran the Group B Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 in the 1984 World Rally Championship. Since then, Peugeot Sport has been involved in F1 and WEC as well.

The Group B 205 Turbo 16 was one of the legendary rallycars developed by Peugeot Sport in the 1980s.

Two new models

Now, as PEUGEOT SPORT ENGINEERED, the division appears to also be given an additional role in developing high-performance versions of Peugeot models for a more business-orientated approach. The first of these is the latest 508 with AWD and plug-in hybrid electric technology to enter the new era in which the kilowatt is king.

The new 508 PEUGEOT SPORT ENGINEERED will be available in Fastback and Stationwagon bodystyles. The signature of this new family, with three Kryptonite claws, refers to the new identity for Peugeot Sport, to the light signatures of the production models, and draws inspiration from the brand’s heritage with rear lights inspired by the 504 Coupe.

The new 508 PEUGEOT SPORT ENGINEERED is the most powerful production car ever built by Peugeot for sale. The powertrain produces 360 bhp/520 Nm, thanks to the combination of internal combustion engine and two electrical motors (one at the front and the other at the rear). Claimed 0 to 100 km/h acceleration is 5.2 seconds, with a top speed beyond 250 km/h but electronically  limited to that speed.

The driver can select from 5 driving modes to suit conditions and preference: 100% electric driving; Comfort; Hybrid; Sport and 4WD. Recharging can be done within 7 hours at home or within 2 hours using a dedicated 7 kW wallbox charging point.

Optimised for high performance

The engineers have made changes to the 508 to optimise the high-performance version for sportier dynamics. The adjustments to its chassis include a specially-tuned steering set-up. The front and rear tracks are wider and there’s variable 3-mode shock absorption.  380 mm diameter front brake discs and fixed 4-piston calipers are installed behind 20-inch alloy wheels running on Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres. The driving position has also been lowered.

PEUGEOT SPORT ENGINEERED has drawn on expertise gained during the development of the 3008 SUV HYBRID/HYBRID4 and 508 HYBRID, as well as experience from competing with hybrid powertrains.

Peugeot to return to endurance racing in 2022 with hypercar (w/VIDEO)


12,997 units of Toyota Hilux and Fortuner recalled for brake booster issue

A certain batch of Toyota Hilux or Fortuner vehicles have an issue with their brake system which requires rectification at an authorised Toyota service centre. The vehicles affected were produced and distributed by UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT)
between July 2018 and January 2019
 and number 11,571 units for the Hilux and 1,425 units for the Fortuner. Vehicles produced and sold at other periods are not affected.

The Special Service Campaign that UMWT has initiated to recall the vehicles requires the condition of the resin pistons in the brake booster to be inspected. Where necessary, they will be replaced at no charge to owners. UMWT says that the issue can caused compromised braking performance.

Toyota Hilux

Toyota Fortuner

Do not ignore

UMWT will send notification letters to owners of the affected vehicles requesting them to bring their vehicles to an authorised Toyota service centre. As this concerns the brake system, it is a critical safety issue so don’t ignore the notification and act promptly.

In the event that you have a Hilux or Fortuner which you bought from someone else (the original owner) and it was produced during the period mentioned, you might not receive a letter if UMWT does not have your contact details. In this case, you can still get assistance at any authorised Toyota service centre or call the Toyota Freephone
 1800-8-TOYOTA
 (869682). To locate a service centre in Malaysia, visit
www.toyota.com.my
.

Click here for other news and articles about Toyota.


‘Journey into the Vast’ gives Lamborghini owners in China a chance to enjoy motoring again

In spite of the ongoing global pandemic and many countries having restrictions on movements, it appears that Lamborghini owners in China can still enjoy motoring in their supercars. The carmaker’s subsidiary in China recently held the Esperienza China Giro ‘
Journey into the Vast’
 which saw 42 of the supercars travelling over 800 kms in the northwestern region of the country.

An iconic annual event since 2015

This is the seventh time since 2015 that the Lamborghini Esperienza Giro China has been run. It has become an iconic annual event of the brand, bringing Chinese customers an exclusive and extraordinary driving experience in an exploration of China’s spectacular landscapes.

This year, the 5-day journey started from Yinchuan and passed through the colossal Helan mountain range with its distinct peaks and valleys, experiencing local culture and beliefs with blessings at the Fuyin Temple. The fleet then came to the expansive desert as the tranquil red light of the setting sun fell on the Yellow River and the stars started to shine in the darkening skies, and drove along the stunning Route 66 of Zhongwei to reach the quaint ancient villages of Beichangtan.

Finally, the fleet came to the Tonghu Grassland with its unique beauty of desert, lake and oasis; and then visited the Lanzhou Danxia Geological Park to enjoy the precious sight of the red bed of Danxia against the blue skies and steep cliffs.

Fun in the sand for Urus owners

In the Tengger Desert, owners of the Urus got to try its off-road capabilities, especially with the Sabbia (sand) mode. With its active torque vectoring, the Super SUV still offers the agility and precision on sand dunes even though there is reduced grip. Of course, for owners of other models, this fun exercise was not available.

The event also included a ‘Lamborghini night’ in the depths of the desert. The owners stayed in the Desert Star Hotel that beautifully integrates regional and modern design elements, immersing themselves in the natural beauty of the desert’s green oasis, starry skies, and rustling sand.

In Japan too, Lamborghini has kept the spirt of motoring alive with its cross-Japan project known as UNLOCK ANY ROAD JAPAN. Using only the Urus SUV, the event had media as participants and the route was more than 6,500 kms. It started at the end of April and ran for around one month. Starting from Fukuoka in the south, the route passed through cities such as Hiroshima, Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya, and Kanazawa and then travelled north along the Sea of Japan to reach Tokyo.

Lamborghini Essenza SCV12 makes first public appearance at Auto Shanghai 2021


Save lots of money by building your own Lamborghini Huracan EVO!

Not everyone will be able to own a Lamborghini as it requires a lot of money to acquire one (an understatement, of course). But many should be able to afford €34.99 (about RM170) for the Lamborghini Huracan EVO created through a collaboration between Automobili Lamborghini and Ravensburger.

108 pieces in faithful detail

This supercar comes in the form of a 3D jigsaw puzzle which Lamborghini enthusiasts can assemble into the Huracan EVO car in a 1:18 scale. Ravensburger, a leading games and recreation brand from Germany, has replicated its dynamic lines and sophisticated aerodynamic styling,

Workers at the Lamborghini factory have to assemble thousands of parts to make a Huracan EVO but you just need to put together 108 plastic pieces which are numbered for easier identification.

Every detail is faithful to the real car, from the Y-style front bumper and Y-shape in the headlights, to the hexagonal details found throughout the car and the original Arancio Xanto orange colour of Lamborghini cars. The completed car can be mounted onto a replica chassis.

The finished model, with the distinctive Lamborghini design DNA evident in its low-slung profile, measures 26 cm in length. Distinctive finishing touches are realized by the 32 high-quality feature accessories, such as the axles and four rotating wheels that faithfully replicate the Aesir rims found on the real car, along with front splitter and rear diffuser.

A full-sized Huracan EVO costs around RM1.15 million.

Most successful V10 Lambo

The Huracan line began in 2014 and then became the Huracan EVO from 2019. It is the evolution of the most successful V10-powered Lamborghini ever. Its 5.2-litre naturally-aspirated engine, with titanium intake valves, produces 640 bhp/600 Nm and with a dry weight of 1,422 kgs, the Huracan EVO has a weight‑to‑power ratio of 2.22 kgs/bhp. It is claimed to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds and can reach a top speed of 325 km/h.

Ninebot GoKart Pro Lamborghini Edition


Original Mini gets second life with new zero emissions ‘heart’

If Sir Alec Issigonis was designing the original Mini today, chances are it would have an electric motor. When it was launched in 1959, it was not just a little car but one which saved fuel at a time when there was an oil shortage caused by the Suez Crisis. Within its small footprint, creative use was made of the available space to accommodate four persons with their luggage.

The original Mini showed creative use of space in a small car.

Living on in a sustainable way

Although the original Mini was retired and its succeeding generations have charted a new course for the model, many units still exist around the world. With the MINI Recharged project which converts classic Minis to electric drive, the Mini legacy continues in the 21
st
 century in a sustainable way.

The conversion of classic Minis to an electric drive combines traditional values with future-oriented technology. The idea was born even before the carmaker had a fully electric car. As a one-off, a classic Mini Electric was built in 2018 and presented at the New York Auto Show. The reactions were so positive that a dedicated team from MINI Plant Oxford set to work and developed the plan to offer a conversion to those who had the original Mini.

Changes are ‘reversible’ later on

To experience traditional go-kart handling with an emission-free drivetrain, the original petrol engine of the classic Mini is replaced by a modern electric drive. Only reversible changes are made to the substance of the car during the conversion as part of MINI Recharged. Careful handling of the historical heritage is an important part of the concept.

This makes it possible to restore the classic Mini to its original condition at a later date. During the conversion, the original engine of each vehicle is marked and stored so it can be reused in the event of a future retrofit of the classic Mini.

The MINI Recharged project means a vehicle’s life can be extended in a sustainable way. A classic Mini can now be given a new lease of life, accompanying its owner into the future, whilst maintaining its much-loved heritage. The drive is a modern electric motor that generates a continuous output of up to 90 kW and accelerates the electrified classic Mini from 0 to 100 km/h in approximately 9 seconds.

Classic Mini dashboard with meters positioned in the middle but look closely at the meters (below) and you’ll see that they show drive temperature, the selected gear, range and of course, speed.

The energy is supplied by a high-voltage battery pack, which can be charged with an output of up to 6.6 kW for a range estimated to be around 160 kms. In addition, every electrified classic Mini from MINI Recharged receives the characteristic central instrument cluster, familiar since the early days of the model, but with displays showing the drive temperature, the selected gear, range and speed.

A whole new driving experience

The Mini has been well known as loved for its go-kart character and with the MINI Recharged, that zippiness will still be available with instant acceleration and an almost silent drivetrain. And while original Minis with combustion engines cannot enter the electric or low-emission driving zones of many large cities in Europe, this electrified Mini will be allowed to do so. Thus its owners will be able to drive along the streets of London just like the original owners in the Swinging Sixties and once again be part of the cityscape, without the driver having to pay an environmental tax (congestion charge) beforehand.

The original fuel filler point for petrol (inset) is replaced by a charging port on the Mini Recharged.

In addition, the converted car does not need a new registration (such a conversion is not allowed in Malaysia, which the JPJ has made clear). This, in a way, fits in the aspect of circular economy which the BMW Group promotes. For this project, no new vehicles are being produced and are created from much-loved, existing cars. It allows an original Mini to carry on in a second, more sustainable life.

Today, one in five new MINI models has an electrified drive and now the MINI Recharged project will allow the love of the brand’s classic vehicles to become an experience combining the past and the future.

The modern MINI Electric has been available in Malaysia since 2020 and can be purchased tax-free for the next few years.

All-electric MINI makes its debut in Malaysia, priced from RM218,380


Hyundai Earns Four Top Spots in AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards

Hyundai has been named
2018’s Most Satisfying Popular Brand
 in
AutoPacific’s annual Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSAs)
. In addition to winning this overall title, Hyundai has three cars—the Sonata, Elantra and Accent—that earned top spots in the mid-size car, compact car and economy car categories, respectively.

“With so many different brands for customers to choose from, Hyundai is proud to stand out as a leader in the mid-size car, compact car and economy car categories and as the overall winner of the VSA’s Most Satisfying Popular Brand award,”
 said
Omar Rivera, Director, Quality & Service Engineering, Hyundai Motor America
.
 “Hyundai is committed to satisfying consumers’ needs—whether that be through cutting-edge technology or award-winning safety features—and we are extremely excited by the results of this year’s VSAs.”

The AutoPacific VSAs serve as a benchmark for new-car satisfaction in the automotive industry. The results of the VSAs are determined through a survey in which respondents rate
40 different attributes
 reflecting what was important to them when choosing a new car, and their satisfaction with the vehicle following their purchase. This year, the VSAs drew survey results from
58,000
 new-car owners of 2017 and 2018 automobiles to make their decision.

“Hyundai has consistently improved their lineup across the board,”
 said
George Peterson, President, AutoPacific
.
“This year’s VSAs were competitive, but Hyundai’s products resonate top to bottom with their customers. From reliability and quality to exceptional exterior and interior design, Hyundai cars leave consumers satisfied.”

The 2018 Sonata is Hyundai’s best Sonata yet, with award-winning safety features, innovative technology, and a beautifully redesigned exterior. The Sonata, designed with the rider in mind, seeks to elevate the interior experience, combining comfortable seating with convenience and safety.

In 2018, Hyundai’s Elantra model grew to have six different trims, to fit every consumer. This year’s host of Elantras comes with a variety of improvements. Improvements now available include; four-wheel disc brakes, heated outside mirrors, auto headlamp control and blind spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert and lane change assist.

The new 2018 Hyundai Accent features a cascading grille and expressive and upscale design while boasting a contemporary and intuitive interior. With improved audio capabilities, premium comfort and convenience technology and exceptional safety features, the new Accent continues to offer customers a better riding experience.


Water Buffalo Lands On Car After Collision, Causes Serious Injury To One Passenger

Image: Oriental Daily

A family travelling home after attending a wedding event had a serious accident when their car hit a water buffalo which then landed on the car. The accident, reported in
Oriental Daily
, occurred in Semerak, Kelantan.

According to the news report, the family in the car consisted of the father, mother and three children. The father who was driving, had difficulty seeing the road ahead probably due to the poorly lit conditions at 11 pm at night. He therefore did not notice the water buffalo standing in the middle of the road until it was too late and hit it.

Image: Oriental Daily

The collision caused the heavy animal to be lifted up and amazingly, it landed on the rear section of the car, a Volkswagen. The impact caused the glass to break and although the children in the back seat escaped serious injuries, their mother was not as lucky and fell unconscious. She was admitted to the hospital in Kupang Kerang where she was placed in the Intensive Care Unit.

The condition of the water buffalo was not known although a picture shows that it was still on top of the car when it was taken away. The police say that they are investigating the case under Section 43(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless driving and causing accidents.

Similar accidents in 60 years ago
This type of accident used to occur in the 1960s along the Slim River highway when it was the country’s first tolled highway. 20 years later, in the 1980s, when the first sections of the North-South Expressway opened, there was also reports of collisions with animals. Cows would wander onto the highway to sleep as the surface of the road was warm at night. They were obviously a dangerous hazard and motorists sometimes hit them, sending them onto the bonnet.

However, the toll concessionaires took more precautions and put up proper fencing along the sides so that animals would not wander onto the highway. This ended the dangers although it can still happen on some rural roads which are poorly lit so always be alert and use headlight high beams when possible.

However, you should also be considerate to drivers in vehicles coming towards you. The high beam would dazzle them and could also be dangerous as they may be blinded and not see properly ahead. More and more of the newer models, including those from Perodua, come with an Auto High Beam which will automatically switch to low beam if an approaching vehicle is detected.

Accident scam in Kapar, Selangor – but dashcam saves motorist from being tricked (w/VIDEO)


BMW opens biggest warehouse and parts centre in Asia Pacific region

BMW Group Malaysia has officially opened its state-of-the-art logistics warehouse and parts distribution centre in Senai, Johor. This facility will function as the parts distribution hub for 23 countries in the region.

The 775,000 square feet facility is located at the Free Industrial Zone of the Senai International Airport in Johor Bharu. More than RM130 million was invested in the facility which is considered one of its kind and the first in the Asia Pacific region. It will not only function as the logistics warehouse and parts distribution centre for vehicle parts but for lifestyle merchandise of brands under the BMW umbrella, which include BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad.

Regarding the launch, Mr. Hendrik von Kuenheim, Senior Vice President Region Asia, Pacific and South Africa, BMW Group, meanwhile, said, “The record sales performance we achieved in Asia last year and in the first quarter of 2017 is a testament to the strength of the BMW Group in the region. In that, we believe Malaysia to be a key market that supports our strategic business direction in expanding our footprint in the region. The opening of the new BMW Group Regional Parts Distribution Centre here will help the BMW Group to continue driving our vision to deliver the best in automotive innovation and value to customers in the region.”

According to the German automaker, the launching of this facility proves its commitment to serving customers in the region and ensuring that the parts supply chain is in check with BMW standards and to ensure customer satisfaction.

It was completed at the end of last year and marks the first phase of the construction of the entire facility. Situated in a strategic area with good access to the sea port and airport in the Free Industrial Zone, BMW’s new centre should improve parts supply even further. Besides Malaysia, other countries that will benefit from the launching of this facility include Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Philippines, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Guam.

The opening of this new centre is expected to create 120 new job opportunities in the country, which is good news for us Malaysians.


Vios Challenge: Season 5 starts with youngsters dominating two classes

Season 5 of the Vios Challenge, the one-make series that is part of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival (TGR Festival), got off to a hot and exciting start with the younger drivers firing an early warning salvo by dominating the top two classes – the Super Sporting Class and Sporting Class.

In the Super Sporting Class for veteran and professional drivers, 17-year old Hayden Haikal catapulted  himself from being fastest in qualifying to winning the race while, in the Sporting Class for amateurs, 22-year old Naquib Azlan shot to victory in only his second year of competitive racing  after making a transition from simulator racing.

Incidentally, Naquib’s younger brother, 20-year old Nabil, who is  also making his debut in the Rookie Class (competing in a real saloon car race for the very first time) also won his class for new drivers under GAZOO Racing’s Young Driver Development Program.

Super Sporting Class

In the Super Sporting Class, Hayden won a closely-fought race, finishing just half a second ahead of  Telagamas Toyota’s Freddie Ang with Laser Motor Racing’s Eddie Liew coming in third. The teenager had led an Axle Motorsports 1-2 in the opening lap of the race with team mate and  senior driver Boy Wong in tow before being passed in the second lap by both Wong and Prima Pearl Auto’s Mitchell Cheah to drop into third place.

The battle that ensued at the front between Wong and Cheah, however, got the better of the two  drivers who took one another out of contention in Lap 6 after a miscalculated overtaking manoeuvre. That allowed Hayden to regain the lead, with Ang and Liew also becoming the beneficiaries of the misfortunes up front. The race was tight between Hayden and Ang right to the chequered flag, with both drivers trying their best to get to it first.

Sporting Class

In the Sporting Class, Naquib won his class with a comfortable 15-second margin ahead of S&D  Tama Motorsports’ Tom Goh, while another youngster 19–year old Bradley Benedict Anthony of  Crestmax Motorsport followed them home in third place. Moving up to the Sporting Class after winning last year’s Rookie Class, Naquib had clocked the fastest time in qualifying but both he and Bradley were penalized for a technical infringement which dropped them to fifth and sixth on the starting grid. That however, proved not to  be a big enough setback as they were able to make their way up the leaderboard.

“I was certainly looking forward to come back to race this season. I really enjoyed racing last year in the Rookie Class  and I am now looking forward to competing against much more experienced drivers. Thankfully, Axle Motorsports decided to field a team this season and to move from virtual racing into the real world. Therefore I am very thankful to them for this opportunity and I want to make  the most of it,” said Naquib.

On why he feels younger drivers in the series are beginning to propel themselves to the front of  the field, he said: “We, the younger generation of drivers, are very lucky and fortunate that we have  facilities that the senior or veteran drivers did not have back in their days. In my view, they had to  work much harder to get to where they are now. We have the benefit of things like simulator racing because it helps us to prepare better and to accelerate our learning curve. We also have the benefit of having guidance from these more experienced drivers in the sport because they have spent many more years on track.

“To be honest, I never expected anything making the transition from simulator to real world racing.  I do have a lot of self-belief and self-confidence, but I never knew I could do it until I got onto the  track last season,”  he added.

That sentiment is shared by Bradley adding that investing in training has been one of the  important elements of his growth. “Being young, I am very passionate about racing and I would like to believe that we young drivers put in the extra time and effort into practice and training. For instance, my preparation for Season 5 involved a lot of training to prepare myself physically and mentally before coming to the track’” he said.

“My goal when I first joined the series was to finish the race or to get into the top 10. I did not set  high expectations because it was my first time racing a saloon car, but the learning curve has just  been phenomenal and really valuable,” added Bradley.Rookie Class

Rookie Class

In the Rookie Class, Nabil drove to his first ever saloon car race victory after making a transition  from simulator racing. Finishing second and third were karters Sharique Zulqarinain and  Muhammad Hamdany Abdul Hamid, respectively. Finishing fourth was 20-year old and the only  female in the group, Adele Liew, while in fifth was another karter Muizz Musyaffa.

“I’m surprised how a lot of the things I’ve done in simulator racing can be applied to real world  racing and I was very happy with my racecraft in this first race. I wanted to pace myself and try to  get as close as I could to the other drivers in the Super Sporting Class (both the Super Sporting and  Rookie Classes start together) but just enough to steer clear of any incidents,” said Nabil. “The most difficult part with real racing is dealing with the high temperature in car and this is something I will need to focus more on moving forward.”

Promotional Class

In the popular Promotional Class for celebrities, actor Zizan Razak did not leave anything to chance this year as he shot off from pole position to finish more than 15 seconds clear of defending Promotional Class champion and fellow actor, Shukri Yahaya. In third place was presenter Ahirine Ahirudin who is also an accomplished motorcycle rider.

Singer Nabila Razali had been in contention for fourth place until a mistake sent her into the gravel  at the very last lap. That promoted presenter/comedian Nabil Ahmad into fourth, with singer Wany  Hasrita, actress Janna Nick, presenter Ain Edruce in fifth, sixth and seventh positions, respectively.

Today’s racing is just half of the first round of Season 5 and the second series of races will run tomorrow (Sunday, March 20) at the Sepang International  Circuit. Racing fans and enthusiasts can catch all the action and stage performances by local celebrities streamed live on the UMW Toyota Motor website at
www.toyota.com.my
 and on the
Toyota Malaysia
 and
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia
 Facebook pages..

The Father and Daughter racers in the Vios Challenge


Fuel price updates for July 18 to July 24, 2020


Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN Team’s Formula 1 racing cars unveiled in Poland

Visit
www.bhpetrol.com.my
 to find out more about other promotions at BHPetromart.

The Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN Team, partnered with Sauber, has unveiled their new racing cars for the 2021 Formula 1 championship. The event, broadcast live around the world,  was held at the Grand Theatre in Warsaw, Poland. It was done without an audience in accordance with measure necessary to combat COVID-19.

Presenting the C41 racing cars were drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi along with substitute driver Robert Kubica. The cars are a further development of the C39 which the team used in the 2020 season.

Many components from C39

The distinctive colouring of the C41 was created in the Alfa Romeo Centro Stile. The design is dominated by red and white, which are the traditional colours of the brand. Due to the restrictions imposed by the Formula 1 regulations, the C41 retains many of the components of its predecessor. However, there are improvements in some areas, such as the optimized nose section and the engine provided by Ferrari is also a new development.

Testing still crucial

“ The C41 is the result of a very unusual situation in Formula 1. The regulations didn’t allow us to develop a completely new car for 2021. That means we know the 2021 car a lot better than usual when we get to the first test. Even so, it will be crucial to make the most of the three days of testing ahead. We have to check that the reality corresponds to the simulations and also get to know the new tyres,” said Jan Monchaux, Technical Director of Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN.

On the body of the C41, the Alfa Romeo logo is flanked by two traditional symbols: the Quadrifoglio, the 4-leaf clover that has accompanied Alfa Romeo’s racing activities since 1924, and the symbol of Autodelta, the brand’s legendary racing team.

https://www.piston.my/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021-Alfa-Romeo-Racing-ORLEN-F.mp4

Transfer of technology

The partnership between Alfa Romeo and the Sauber Group goes beyond racing. Applicable technologies developed by the partnership will be transferred to production Alfa Romeo models. An example which has already taken place is the Giulia GTA project. This uses the know-how from the engineering and aerodynamics departments of Sauber AG.  For the Giulia GTA and Giulia GTAm, Sauber Engineering produces a number of the carbonfibre components for the body.

The C39 racing car in last year’s Formula 1 championship.

“The presentation of a new car is always an emotional moment, the culmination of months of efforts by everyone in the factory and the beginning of a new adventure. I think the team’s philosophy remains the same: we have to do a better job tomorrow than we do today,” said Frederic Vasseur, Team Director of Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN and CEO of Sauber Motorsport AG.

Opening F1 round in Australia postponed, Chinese GP date to be rescheduled


New locally-assembled Volkswagen Arteon R-Line 4MOTION available for pre-booking

The new Volkswagen Arteon R-Line 4MOTION will soon be leaving the assembly plant in Pekan, Pahang. It is expected to be priced between RM245,000 and RM255,000 and Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) is now accepting pre-bookings.

Introduced to the Malaysian market last year, the Arteon is Volkswagen’s flagship with the latest enhancements, including an updated interior and exterior, new technology and a new 2-litre engine.

The redesigned front grille and bumper are more prominent and complement the full LED headlights. At the rear, new LED 3D lights with sequential indicators add character to the Arteon’s sloping fastback design. It is also the first model to carry the new Volkswagen and R logos.

The Arteon is powered by a 2.0-litre TSI turbocharged petrol engine which produces up to 280 ps, with 350 Nm of torque. A 7-speed wet-clutch DSG is used to deliver the power which goes to all four wheels, thanks to the Volkswagen4MOTION all-wheel drive system.

Inside the Arteon R-Line 4MOTION, the cockpit area has a new steering wheel with haptic touch controls, and ErgoComfort sports seats in Nappa Carbon leather and 14-way adjustment. For the driver, a high-resolution Digital Cockpit offers convenience and the views can be easily customised.

The Discover Pro infotainment system, with a 9.2-inch colour display, comes with voice and gesture control for safer handsfree management of various functions. The system now supports both wireless App-Connect for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, allowing favourite apps to be brought to the dashboard. Also standard is a premium Harman Kardon 700W audio system with 12 speakers strategically positioned around the cabin.

Like many modern cars, the Arteon R-Line has driver assistance systems which include Lane Assist, Side Assist, and an Automatic Post-Collision Brake System. It even reminds the driver to take a break on long journeys. A Surround View camera provides all-round coverage with a simulated image integrated to real imagery from small cameras around the bodywork.

The Surround View display shows all sides of the Arteon, while the Rear Cross Traffic Alert system (below) detects vehicles approaching from either side as the car is reversing out of a parking bay.

As with all Volkswagens sold by authorised dealers in Malaysia, the Arteon R-Line 4MOTION comes with 3 years of free scheduled maintenance, 5 years warranty coverage with no mileage limit, and Roadside Assistance for the first 5 years of ownership.

Visit
www.volkswagen.com.my
 to know more and to make a booking, you can use the
eShowroom
.

What is 4MOTION?

4Motion is Volkswagen’s all-wheel drive (AWD) system which delivers power to the front wheels as well as the rear wheels. While many people may think that AWD is only good for off-road driving, it is actually useful on the road too.

With all 4 wheels powered, traction is improved and this will be appreciated on wet or slippery roads. Acceleration can also be improved and grip during cornering is also better. Of course, the Laws of Physics still apply so having 4MOTION doesn’t mean that you can drive around a corner faster than the capability of the tyres to grip the road.

AWD systems like 4MOTION have ‘intelligence’, sending power to whichever wheel needs it at any given moment. If it senses a wheel starting to spin, the system cuts the power going to that wheel and sends more power to whichever of the other wheels can best use it. Because it all happens automatically, the driver can focus on driving.

The 4MOTION system in the Arteon R-Line is one of two versions which Volkswagen developed. In Arteon application, because the engine is mounted transversely, an electro-hydraulic Haldex coupling is used whereas the other version for models like the Touareg SUV employ a mechanical Torsen centre differential to distribute power to the front and rear wheels. This is because of the engine being installed in a longitudinal orientation.

Power delivery is on an infinitely variable basis by a multi-plate clutch. Normally, power is mainly transmitted to the front axle, which saves energy. However, in the event of an impending loss of traction, the rear axle is activated in a fraction of a second. The distribution of power to all four wheels becomes active before wheelspin occurs, rather than being reactive. A loss of traction is therefore virtually excluded. However, should any wheel slip occur, power is immediately transmitted to the wheels where it is needed.

Volkswagen Arteon: How Does It Feel & Drive After 10,000KM?


Hyundai IONIQ 5 Among Best 11 Cars For 2022-2023 Japan Car Of The Year Awards

Although Korean cars are becoming increasingly popular in major markets, including China, around the world, they have not penetrated the Japanese market and it is only this year that Hyundai Motor is returning to Japan. The company tried in 2001 and stayed for 8 years, pulling out after selling only 15,000 units.

It’s not a big market for imported makes as the total share for all foreign brands is only around 8%. With electrification growing, the Korean carmaker believes it now has products that will appeal more to Japanese consumers. Earlier this year, it launched the
IONIQ 5
 and hydrogen-fuelled NEXO EV. The latter model can be offered as Japan is steadily building a hydrogen refuelling network around the country.

Hyundai’s return seems to have been met more positively this time as the IONIQ 5 has been picked to be among the Best 11 Cars in the 2022-2023 Japan Car of The Year (JCOTY) program. There are 11 instead of the usual 10 because there was a tie. These are essentially the finalists from a list of nominees that had 48 models this year (the NEXO was included as well). It is probably the first time that Korean model is appearing in a JCOTY list as we can’t remember any other occasion in previous years.

Hyundai IONIQ 5

Hyundai NEXO Hydrogen EV

Of the 48 models, 30 were foreign brands and for some years now, the foreign brands also have a chance to win the overall title. Before, there was a separate award for ‘Best Import Car of the Year’ and the JCOTY title was only for Japanese brands. The first foreign model to win the overall award was the Volkswagen Golf 7 in the 2013-2014 JCOTY.

This year, among the Best 11 Cars, 4 models are from foreign brands – the BMW iX, Hyundai IONIQ5, Range Rover and Renault Arkana. The Japanese models are the Suzuki Alto, Nissan X-Trail, Nissan Fairlady Z, Mazda CX-60 e-SKYACTIV-D, Toyota Crown, Nissan Mitsubishi Sakura/eK, and Honda Civic e:HEV/Civic Type R.

Honda Civic e:HEV and Civic Type R are among the finalists this year.

Now in its 43rd year, JCOTY is organized and managed by the Japan Car of the Year Executive Committee. Models which qualify for judging are those officially released in the Japanese domestic car market from November 1 of the previous year to October 31 of the current year.

Final assessment of the 11 models will be done by the 60 jury members at the Sodegaura Forest Raceway in the Chiba Prefecture on November 24. The winner will be announced during the afternoon of December 8, 2022.

PAST WINNERS
1980-1981: Mazda Familia (323)
1981-1982: Toyota Soarer
1982-1983: Mazda Capella (626)
1983-1984: Honda Civic
1984-1985: Toyota MR2
1985-1986: Honda Accord
1986-1987: Nissan Pulsar
1987-1988: Mitsubishi Galant
1988-1989: Nissan Silvia SX
1989-1990: Toyota Celsior (Lexus LS)
1990-1991: Mitsubishi Galant
1991-1992: Honda Civic
1992-1993: Nissan March
1993-1994: Honda Accord
1994-1995: Mitsubishi FTO
1995-1996: Honda Civic
1996-1997: Mitsubishi Galant
1997-1998: Toyota Prius
1998-1999: Toyota Altezza (Lexus IS250)
1999-2000: Toyota Vitz (Yaris)
2000-2001: Honda Civic
2001-2002: Honda Fit (Jazz)
2002-2003: Honda Accord
2003-2004: Subaru Legacy
2004-2005: Honda Legend
2005-2006: Mazda MX-5
2006-2007: Lexus LS460
2007-2008: Honda Fit (Jazz)
2008-2009: Toyota iQ
2009-2010: Toyota Prius
2010-2011: Honda CR-Z
2011-2012: Nissan LEAF
2012-2013: Mazda CX-5
2013-2014: Volkswagen Golf 7
2014-2015: Mazda2/Demio
2015-2016: Mazda MX5
2016-2017: Subaru Impreza
2017-2018: Volvo XC60
2018-2019: Volvo XC40
2019-2020: Toyota RAV4
2020-2021: Subaru Levorg
2021-2022: Nissan Note e-POWER

Nissan Note e-Power wins 2021-2022 Japan Car of the Year title


F1 driver Valtteri Bottas visits RM$66.76 billion PETRONAS megaproject at Pengerang Integrated Complex in Johor.

Ahead of the F1 Singapore Grand Prix this weekend, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Motorsport driver, Valtteri Bottas dropped by at PETRONAS’ US$16 billion (about RM66.76 billion) megaproject at the Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC) in Johor.

Due to start commercial operations by the fourth quarter of this year, Valtteri visited the ‘brain’” of the 6,239-acre complex, the Main Control Building, which provides critical communication connections for the Refinery, Steam Cracker Complex, Petrochemical plants and its 6 major associated facilities. He also visited the Centralised Laboratory to learn about PIC’s research and development.

Petroleum products to Euro 5 specs

With a refining capacity of 300,000 barrels of crude per day, it will produce a range of refined petroleum products, including petrol and diesel that meet Euro 5 fuel specifications. The refinery will provide feedstock for the integrated petrochemical complex, which has the nameplate capacity to produce 3.3 million tonnes per annum of petrochemical products, including differentiated and specialty chemicals.

The refinery and selected petrochemical plants are owned and operated by Pengerang Refining and Petrochemical (PRefChem), a strategic alliance between PETRONAS and Saudi Aramco through an equal partnership in two joint-venture companies.

The F1 driver with PETRONAS employees at the Pengerang Integrated Complex

While at the facility, he met some members of the 28,000-strong workforce and treated a lucky few to a driving experience. 30 students from local schools also presented the F1 driver, currently running second in the 2019 championship, with their F1 car designs.

“It’s a sight to behold – the scale and scope of the facility is incredible! It’s great to learn more about PETRONAS’ technology and business whilst we’re in the region and also to see everyone working together with such a great team spirit and passion for their work. It is similar to the team back at the factories in Brackley and Brixworth [in England],” said Valtteri.

“We aspire to be at the forefront of technology and innovation across the energy value chain and PIC brings us closer to prime position in achieving that goal. We are proud of our new facility and have enjoyed giving Valtteri a preview of our extensive operations here,” said Dr. Colin Wong, CEO of PRefChem.