Proton organises marketing competition for university students

Most of us feel that some of the best times of our lives were spent during our years in universities, colleges, and other educational institutions around the world. With so many eager minds bursting with inspirations, Proton decided to tap into the pool of creativity by organising a marketing competition in the hopes to lead their marketing campaign for their Proton X70 SUV.

The Proton ‘Intelligence that Inspires Challenge’ competition sets out to not only search for valuable creativity amongst students but also their ability to execute large-scale marketing campaigns. This contest will serve as a platform for them to also experience the fast-changing automotive industry while working with a leading brand such as Proton.

In partnership with the Ministry of Education, the contest period started back in April and ends in July where there will be three different stages of battle; Elimination Round, Semi-Final and Final. 51 teams from 20 tertiary education institutions have registered and only 19 have made it through to the second round.

The finale will take place on 23 July 2019 at the Proton Centre of Excellence (COE) near Shah Alam in front of a panel of esteemed judges and experts in the marketing field. To be crowned as champions, contestants will have to plan and deploy their campaign for the Proton X70 in the city where their university is located in, as well as organise and execute an entire community relations event in their respective cities and/or districts.

According to Dr Li Chunrong, CEO of PROTON, “I strongly believe that leadership is cultivated from a young age, and so through this competition we hope to provide the opportunity to our next generation of leaders from established universities in Malaysia to shine on a national level and equip them with the skillsets to excel in the corporate world. We also hope to instil strong communication skills among our young contestants as this is the foundation to working effectively in a team.”

“It comes as no surprise that we named our competition the Intelligence that Inspires Challenge as we want to empower our contestants to break out of their comfort zone and drive an impactful campaign, one that will provide a lot of relevant experience and lay a good foundation when they enter the workforce,” concluded Dr Li Chunrong.

Proton sold 10,611 cars in May 2019


2019 Ford Ranger Raptor – Now in Absolute Black & Arctic White!

From 3-7 April 2019, the folks from Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC) will be taking part in the Carsifu Auto Show 2019 that will take place at Mid Valley Megamall where they will feature their award-winning Ford Ranger Raptor and Ranger Wildtrak.

Ford Malaysia has something special planned for all attendees to the event as they’ll be among the first in Malaysia to be able to view the 2019 Ford Ranger Raptor in its latest colour offering; Absolute Black!

Starting this April, the Ranger Raptor will not only come in the beautiful Lightning Blue and Conquer Grey but also Absolute Black and possibly another fan favourite; Arctic White.

Visitors to the Carsifu Auto Show 2019 will receive special only offers. Customers who book the Ranger Raptor will each receive a limited edited Ranger Raptor bomber jacket and Car Air Purifier, while up to RM6,000 cash rebate will be offered for the Ranger Wildtrak.

For more information, head over to
www.sdac.com.my
.


The American musclecar will live on in the EV age

Dodge, an American brand in the Stellantis Group, knows that going electric is not an option but something which has to happen. Over its 122 years of existence, Dodge has had a wide variety of vehicles although in the 21
st
 century, its line-up has shrunk and it is better known for its musclecars especially the Dodge Charger, which Torreto (Vin Diesel) used in various
Fast & Furious
 movies.

Moving into the electric age, Dodge wants to maintain its performance image so unlike other manufacturers which have been giving previews of sleek, efficient EVs with a focus on range, the carmaker has been working on an electric musclecar.

The Charger Daytona SRT Concept shows how the company will shape its future musclecar. It retains the sporty styling cues of Dodge musclecars and is said to also go like one, but it runs on electricity instead of high-octane petrol.

The 2-door concept’s exterior styling incorporates subtle Dodge heritage cues that are reminiscent of the iconic 1968 Charger, with the vertical grille details adding texture. The patent-pending R-Wing redefines the typical Dodge front end, maintaining the characteristically blunt Dodge profile while developing a more aerodynamic vehicle.

The R-Wing, which pays homage to the original Charger Daytona, allows air to flow through the front opening, enhancing downforce. Incorporated into this functional performance bonnet, the R-Wing delivers an aerodynamically improved pass-through design. Carbonfibre intakes tucked into both sides of the front and rear lower fascias provide an air curtain to assist in exceeding aerodynamic performance targets.

Giving the concept the ‘Daytona SRT’ name carries with it great performance expectations because it recalls the famed Charger Daytona model that was the first vehicle to break 320 km/h on a NASCAR track in 1970.

This performance will be delivered by a new propulsion system that Dodge calls ‘Banshee’. Its 800V system will give performance levels faster than the Hellcat. Unlike typical EVs, the eRupt multi-speed transmission for the concept car has electro-mechanical shifting with distinctive shift points. All-wheel drive provides stability and grip as well as all-weather capability.

The Charger Daytona SRT Concept also boasts a PowerShot push-to-pass feature. Activated by the push of a button on the steering wheel, this feature creates a boosted output (figures are not given) that quickens acceleration for brief periods.

While quietness is used as a selling point of EVs, Dodge has given this electric musclecar the sort of sound that will be missed in future. It’s 126 dB roar comparable to that of the SRT Hellcat, generated through a new, patent-pending Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust system (yes, an exhaust on an EV).

The industry-first Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust works by generating sound through an amplifier and tuning chamber located at the rear of the vehicle. So far, enthusiasts have had mixed feelings about this special feature, some finding it weird as they know it is artificially created. Torreto would probably not appreciate it, even if the performance is as strong as his Charger.

The interior is modern, lightweight and athletic, providing a driver-centric cockpit with all essentials cohesively packaged. The 12.3-inch centre screen is the largest ever fitted in a Dodge vehicle, complemented by a 16-inch curved instrument. An 8×3-inch H ead-up Display puts additional information ahead of the driver on the windscreen.

The slim, instrument panel (IP) and mid-bolster in Ultraviolet colour with blue and silver accent stitching feature a ‘waterline’ that extends cross-car. The upper IP is a step higher, an elevation change that creates a sculptural surface floating above the cluster. The Ultraviolet colour also touches multiple interior surfaces, such as the console, doors and seats, creating a halo that works with the Attitude Adjustment Lighting to enhance shadows and highlights.

A parametric texture unites the interior and provides a connection to the exterior by continuing the inspiration of the 1968 Charger grille detail on the inside. The parametric pattern adds fluidity and sculpture, spanning from the IP to door appliques, beneath the console and continuing to the rear armrests and rear console.

Circuit-like graphics originate on the carbonfibre floor and are strategically placed to surround occupants, flowing under the seats, moving to the centre console and dashboard,  and coming back to the driver, a subtle detail that acts as a circuit board, connecting one to another The.centre console includes a unique jet-fighter-inspired cap that flips up to allow engagement of the start button and a pistol-grip shifter design inspired by the past,

The concept seats are lightweight, race-inspired and slim in design, with an insert that features an abstract, perforated pattern of the Fratzog logo. The unique pattern fades out as it travels down the seat and reappears as it flows toward the centre of the seatbacks. The upper seatbacks feature openings and seat bolsters that provide an airy, race-oriented feel, while holding occupants.

“The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept exists because performance made us do it,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand CEO – Stellantis. “Dodge is about muscle, attitude and performance, and the brand carries that chip on its shoulder and into the EV segment through a concept loaded with patents, innovations, and performance features that embody the electrified muscle of tomorrow.”

Buick Wildcat EV concept previews brand’s new design language


Fuel Price Updates For March 17 – March 23, 2022


TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Ready To Tackle World Rally-Raid Championship Again, Starting With Dakar Rally

With three weeks remaining until the start of the 2023 Dakar Rally, the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) is making preparations for its 3-vehicle team’s entry in the first round of the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) 2023 season. The team will have reigning masters, Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel, with newly crowned South African Rally-Raid Champion Giniel de Villiers and co-driver Dennis Murphy, as well as Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings.

The 2023 W2RC starts with the Dakar Rally in January, and will be followed by the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge at the end of February; the Sonora Rally in Mexico during April, and the Desafio Ruta 40 in Argentina at the end of August. The season will draw to a close with the Rally of Morocco, again scheduled for mid-October. Al-Attiyah and Baumel will compete in all the rounds.

Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel celebrating their victory in the 2022 Dakar Rally.

Campaign in South Africa as well
The two remaining crews will compete the rest of the season in the South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRV) as part of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa, which also serves as a key component in the ongoing testing and development of the GR DKR Hilux T1+. In 2022, the 7-round series was won by Giniel and the former champions Henk and Brett finished second in the championship considered one of the world’s toughest rally-raid series.

The tough 2022 racing season offered TGR comprehensive opportunities to improve the Dakar-winning GR DKR Hilux T1+. The team capitalised on more than 25,000 kms of racing and testing completed by its crews in both the W2RC and SARRC.

Revised regulations for 2023
For the 2023 season, the FIA has adjusted its criteria aimed at balancing the performance between the Class T1+ vehicles, and their counterparts in Class T1U (ultimate). The primary focus of the updated rules is to tighten the field, making competition even tougher. For example, both the Class T1+ and T1U cars have had their peak power output reduced by 41 hp. The power curves have been adjusted to blend the change proportionately, and the altitude compensation for turbo powered T1+ cars has been removed.

At the same time, TGR has been constantly upgrading the GR DKR Hilux T1+, with the aim of improving its quality, durability and reliability even further, ensuring that the car is fully prepared for the tough conditions of the Dakar Rally, the W2RC and the SARRC.

As such, improvements have been made to the differentials, suspension parts and wishbones, which have been reinforced. The single damper setup has also been optimised, as has the transmission’s shifting characteristics. Finally, the software has been tweaked to accept the latest racing fuel, and to ensure that the car conforms to the Balance of Performance requirements as set out by the FIA.

Private teams
The team’s commitment to the development of the GR DKR Hilux T1+ is reflected by the privateer racing community, with 7 privately entered versions of the vehicle listed for Dakar 2023. These vehicles sport similar set-ups and specifications to the GR DKR Hilux T1+ used by the factory entry.

TGR also supports Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body, a rally team of Toyota Auto Body Co., Ltd. that competes in the Toyota Land Cruiser. In the 2022 Dakar Rally, it took its ninth consecutive victory in the production car category. In the 2023 Dakar Rally, the team will enter a new Land Cruiser 300 GR SPORT and aim for their 10th straight victory in the category.

Hino team used a vehicle equipped with a racing hybrid system for the first time,

HINO TEAM SUGAWARA entered the 2022 Dakar Rally with a vehicle equipped with a racing hybrid system for the first time, and finished 22nd overall in the truck category. In the 2023 Dakar Rally, they will participate in a truck equipped with an improved hybrid system.

Starting on a Sea Camp on the shores of the Red Sea and ending on the opposite side of the Arabian Peninsula, where the competitors will discover the coast of the Arabian Gulf after a 4-day adventure through the Empty Quarter, including the marathon stage, the 45th edition of the Dakar Rally is the toughest one since the rally came to Saudi Arabia. The route will have 14 stages over almost 5,000 kms.

Clean Sweep Of WEC Titles In Bahrain For TOYOTA GAZOO Racing

Click here
 for more videos at The Piston Show.


Fuel Price Updates For January 19 – January 25, 2023

With global crude oil prices having been fairly stable over the past month (and economists are forecasting that this will continue in 2023), fuel prices have likewise been stable. The Automatic Pricing Mechanism used by the Finance Ministry determines retail prices based on various factors and for the coming 7 days, no change is needed for RON97 petrol. It also probably means that the subsidies for RON95 petrol and biodiesel can be less to maintain them at capped levels.

Even though our petrol prices (except for RON97) are controlled and lower than neighbouring countries, it’s good to try to use less as fossil fuels will eventually be finished on the planet. Here are some ways to reduce the fuel consumption in your vehicle:

Don’t carry unnecessary weight:
 The less weight your car has to move, the less hard the engine has to work. So whatever you do not need to keep in the boot should be taken out. This includes those golfbags and camping gear.

Plan trips:
 If you have different places to go on a single journey, spend a few minutes to think about the route so that you avoid congested areas. You may have to travel a few extra kilometres using a less congested route but you will actually use less fuel because the car won’t be stuck in a jam burning fuel going nowhere. Plus you will probably be less stressed out when you reach your destination.

Right tyre pressures:
 Under-inflated tyres will cause more rolling resistance (not to mention faster wear) which will worsen fuel consumption. Be sure they are inflated to the minimum recommended by the manufacturer and a bit more might also be better.

Service the engine regularly:
 Engine parts wear out or get dirty over time and reduce the operating efficiency of the engine. Regular servicing ensures that adjustments are set correctly and periodically, parts like filters or sparkplugs need to be replaced.

Switch off the engine more:
 Many motorists do not fully realize that the engine is burning fuel every second it is running. They will keep the engine running for long periods while waiting for someone to buy things or waiting for their children to come out from school. This is very wasteful and running the air-conditioner at the same time wastes more fuel. Switch off the engine when you are going to be stationary for more than 5 minutes and you’ll find your fuel consumption improving.

Slow and steady:
 You don’t have to drive at a crawl to save fuel but if you just drive more frequently at 80/90 km/h instead of 100/110 km/h, you could save 10 to 15% in fuel. Keeping a steady speed rather than ‘pumping‘ the pedal will also save on fuel. On the highway, you can use cruise control, if available.

Click here
 for more videos at The Piston Show.


PSA: Alert! Scammers Are Masquerading As Perodua Sales & Pre-Owned Vehicle Advisors!

Following the recent arrest of a suspect in connection with a scam involving the sale of Perodua vehicles, Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd wishes to urge the public to be extra cautious when making vehicle purchase transactions.

According to a media report recently, the police have arrested a man who,
posing as a Perodua sales representative
 to sell Perodua vehicles on a popular online marketplace portal, caused
 losses of tens of thousands of ringgit to victims.

“This scam involved the sale of new Perodua vehicles as well as Perodua Pre-Owned Vehicles (POV),”
 said
 Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd Managing Director Dato’ Dr Zahari Husin.

“Perodua and the affected parties lodged a police report on the matter and are extending our full cooperation to the relevant authorities. Perodua urges the public to be cautious in order to avoid becoming victims of such scams,”
 he added.

He also advises the public to not make payments to individual accounts as the standard operating procedure is to make payments to Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd or its authorised dealers. Dato’ Dr Zahari also asks all customers to insist on original receipts when making any payments.

“We would like to inform the public that at present, genuine Perodua Certified POV cars are only available for sale at our Perodua Kuala Lumpur outlet located along Jalan Pahang,”
 said Dato’ Dr Zahari.

Perodua POV officially opened for business in October 2017, offering affordable pre-loved Perodua vehicles up to seven years old that have been 165-point-checked and refurbished by Perodua themselves.

For added peace of mind, the cars come with up to 18 months’ extended warranty for the engine and transmission.
“Perodua is a car company with people always in mind. We have brought affordable and reliable motoring to the masses for a quarter of a century.
With POV, we are now extending this affordability to even more Malaysians, without compromising for a moment on the safety and roadworthiness of our vehicles,”
 Dato’ Dr Zahari said.

POV currently operates solely through the newly-opened Perodua Kuala Lumpur showroom, which also sells new Perodua cars. Pay a visit today at
 Lot 18, Seksyen 86, Jalan Pahang, 53200 Kuala Lumpur.


Petron Malaysia kicks off Rainforest Challenge 2019 Grand Finale

In conjunction with the Rainforest Challenge 2019 which is currently happening in the state of Kelantan, Petron Malaysia decided to organise the Petron TriAction Advantage Performance Run Media Road Trip for media members to experience one of the world’s top 10 toughest motor races.

Powered by Petron Malaysia (RFC’s official diesel sponsor and engine oil partner) and its impressive
Petron Turbo Diesel Euro 5
, 4×4 trucks of all nature, makes, and sizes from around the globe are now gathered at Bukit Panau, Kelantan to showcase what their super modified trucks and driving skills are made off.

A total of 450 participants from 20 different countries are taking part in the 4×4 competition where the flag-off ceremony was held yesterday at the Hotel Grand Riverview Kota Bharu. It was a sight to behold as over 50 different powerful-looking trucks rolled off in a massive convoy to the qualifying sessions and ‘Special Stages’ area near Bukit Panau.

Bear in mind that it has been raining quite heavily in the state and to these folks, battling the off-road terrains with nature against them is what they love about the super-tough Rainforest Challenge (RFC). Judging by the hundreds of people who were there to witness the whole show despite the heavy rain said it all. We’re talking hill climbs, super muddy terrains, waist-deep waters, and more.

According to Choong Kum Choy, Head of Retail and Commercial Business Petron Malaysia, “In this unique Performance Run Media Road Trip event, we are thrilled to showcase the performance of TriAction Advantage in Petron Turbo Diesel Euro 5 during the tough 4×4 off-roading competition. This is our fourth collaboration with RFC, fuelling the globally recognized race and underscoring the capability of our technologically-advanced Petron Turbo Diesel Euro 5, which delivers better power, excellent engine protection, and better mileage.”

To witness what the Rainforest Challenge has become in the last four years since Petron Malaysia fuelled its first competition back in 2016 showcases not only the power of their Petron Turbo Diesel Euro 5 but also the amount of passion that has grown for the sport both locally and internationally.

Contestants from China, Mongolia, Russia, Colombia, and more driving their impressive machines through extremely difficult terrains here in Malaysia definitely says a lot about RFC’s magnitude in the world of off-road motorsports.

Luis J.A. Wee, the founder and creator of RFC, stated “The focus on full racing aspects this year will be tough as teams will try to overcome 50 Special Stages (SS). Only the best combination of man and machine, plus the right fuel and engine oil will propel the teams for a podium finish.”

RFC 2019 will be going through Kota Bharu, Pasir Mas, Tanah Merah, Kuala Krai, and ends in Gua Musang for a massive two-day carnival on 8-9 December 2019. If you happen to be near the contest area (and have access), do check out their many challenging-named stages; Predator, Terminator, and Twilight Zone. It’s definitely something a petrolhead should not miss. Many thanks to Petron Malaysia for giving us a taste of this very tough yet exciting off-road competition.

4×4: Petron Fuels The Rainforest Challenge 2018!


Ford Ranger wins 2019 Malaysia Pick-up of the Year award

During the recent Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards held in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, Sime Darby Auto ConneXion, the sole distributor of Ford here in Malaysia, picked up one of the most prestigious awards for their
Ford Ranger
; the 2019 Malaysia Pick-up of the Year award.

The award was given as it surpassed all of its competitors based on several criteria set by Frost & Sullivan which were growth, market share, marketing strategy, selling points and key competitive advantages.

According to Syed Ahmad Muzri Syed Faiz, Managing Director, Sime Darby Auto ConneXion, “We are honoured to receive this prestigious endorsement from Frost & Sullivan. The award showcases the result of many individuals, including our employees, customers and investors who have made daily choices to believe in the organisation, and contribute in a meaningful way to its future.”

“The Ranger has proven in many ways to be the industry benchmark in the pickup truck segment. Improved efficiency, refinement and a range of smart new technologies have really helped to further widen the Ranger’s appeal in Malaysia,” added Muzri.

This is not the first award that the very popular Ford Ranger has picked up since its debut. The latest generation pick-up has received several key awards so far which includes:

‘Best Pickup Trucks of Malaysia’ 2019 at the Cars of Malaysia Awards

‘Pickup Truck of the Year’ at the 2019 DSF.my Allianz Vehicle of the Year Awards (VOTY)

‘Pickup Truck of the Year’ at the 2018 Malaysia Car of the Year (COTY) awards

Gold for ‘Pickup Truck of the Year’ at the Carlist.my People’s Choice Awards & Editors’ Choice Award 2018

Top Gear Chinese Editor’s Choice Pick-up Truck of the Year Awards 2018

For more information, head over to
www.sdacford.com.my/ford-stories/new-ford-ranger-stories
.

2019 Ford Ranger Raptor – Now in Absolute Black & Arctic White!


Ferrari Portofino M launched in Malaysia, priced from RM998,000

It was in September 2017 that Ferrari launched the Portofino and by May 2018, the first units arrived in the showrooms of Naza Italia in Malaysia. 39 months later comes the evolution version – the Portofino M. The car was unveiled in September last year and like many new models during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ferrari unveiled it to the world online. It was the first Ferrari to be launched following the carmaker’s temporary closure due to the pandemic.

“The ongoing challenges and restrictions our nation has been experiencing made delays of launch plans inevitable, so we are thrilled to now have the opportunity to introduce the Ferrari Portofino M to the local market and have it join Ferrari Malaysia’s stable of Prancing Horses. Our clients have already shown keen interest in this versatile model and have been waiting in anticipation for the perfect evolution of the Portofino, which holds the promise of 2+ GT spider excellence with distinct progressions in character, design, performance and everyday adaptability,” said Dato’ Nik Hamdam Nik Hassan, Group CEO, Automotive Group, Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd.

Evolution of the Portofino

Priced from
RM998,000
 (excluding taxes and insurance), it is around RM50,000 more than the asking price with the original model in 2018. For that extra money, the Portofino M offers that increased levels of performance expected of an evolution version. The ‘M’ refers to ‘Modificata’, which at Ferrari refers to cars that have undergone an evolution that has significantly boosted their performance.

Design-wise, the original styling is maintained with the grille having new aluminium slats with contrasting faceted tips. The new features are aimed at improved aerodynamic performance. At the rear, the new exhaust system has allowed the removal of the silencer assembly, making the Portofino M’s tail more compact. The result is that the rear bumpers are now more streamlined and sculptural. Visually, their forms are lighter too and their styling more in harmony with the front bumpers, creating a much more coherent overall aesthetic. The rear diffuser has been completely redesigned and is now separate to the bumpers. This allows customers to be able to specify it in carbonfibre, if they wish.

Redesigned award-winning engine

In the technical department, the most notable upgrade is the redesigned powertrain. The new 3855 cc engine can be considered an award-winner as it belongs to the same V8 engine family that was voted ‘International Engine of the Year’ in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. The powerplant produces up to about 620 ps at 7,500 rpm, 20 ps more than the Portofino. To achieve this higher output, the cam profiles were revised, increasing valve lift to optimise combustion chamber filling.

At the same time, a speed sensor was added to the turbocharger assembly. This measures the turbine speed accurately which allows the maximum rpm of the turbine to be increased by 5,000 rpm without risk of damage. Variable Boost Management, a control software developed by Ferrari, adjusts torque delivery to suit the gear selected. The result is increasingly powerful pick-up as revs rise, whilst optimising fuel consumption. The amount of torque delivered progressively increases all the way up to 760 Nm in 7th and 8th gears.

New 8-speed gearbox

The 8-speed gearbox is completely new and differs from the 7-speed unit used before, with a dual-clutch oil bath architecture. It also differs from the SF90 Stradale’s 8-speed transmission in gear ratios and uses a mechanical reverse gear. The new layout and integration of its components have revised the gearbox’s size, installation in the car. This has allowed the use of longer gear ratios in the higher gears, which helps keep fuel consumption and emissions down. On the other, adopting a steeper torque curve through the rev range in the lower gears makes for a feeling of smooth and powerful pick-up.

By tradition, every single Ferrari engine has its own particular soundtrack that makes it unique, and the Portofino M is no exception. The two rear silencers have been eliminated (which, in addition to boosting sound, also significantly reduces back-pressure in the tailpipes) and the by-pass valves are now oval in shape to enhance the exhaust sound.

The vehicle dynamics control system that allows the driver to push the car safely to the edge of its performance envelope is known as Side Slip Control (SSC). Now in its sixth generation, the SSC integrates the E-Diff, F1-TCS, SCM-E Frs and the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer (FDE) control systems. The FDE is a lateral dynamics control system that uses Ferrari software to adjust the hydraulic brake pressure at the callipers on all four wheels. On the Portofino M, it is available only when the Manettino is in Race mode. The FDE is designed to make the car’s lateral dynamics more predictable both through and exiting corners by ensuring the steering wheel and throttle are more intuitive for the driver to use. The aim of the five-position Manettino, a first on a Ferrari GT spider, is to make the handling and grip even more accessible by extending the setting ranges still further with the introduction of the Race position.

Inside the Portofino M

With the top down, the Portofino M reveals a multi-level dashboard structure comprising an upper half and then an intermediate gap designed to lighten the perceived mass of the lower half. This approach allowed the designers to organise the technical elements and in-car devices to very rational effect while simultaneously defining a signature full-width architecture. A central horizontal aluminium blade divides the instrument panel, air conditioning vents and passenger display into separate areas in the upper section. The other control functions are located in the scooped section below, with a large 10.25-inch touchscreen at the centre.

Seen from above, the cockpit’s symmetrical arrangement and the generous rear seat space are clear. From a construction perspective, the interior – and the dashboard architecture, in particular – feature two shells incorporating all of the technical components and a bridge that visually connects the instrument panel area with the central tunnel. The ventilated seats are the product of a special research project and have an innovative magnesium structure. Different density padding and an ultra-compact seatback profile have freed up space for rear occupants too.

The Portofino M’s HMI (Human-Machine Interface) centres on a digital cluster with dual TFT displays arranged around the analogue tachometer in a circular, anti-glare binnacle. Located on exactly the same axis as the multifunctional steering wheel, this cluster allows the driver to interact more easily and intuitively, both visually and physically, with the car by delivering optimal driving feedback.

The passenger has an optional dedicated capacitive display on the dashboard too. It is directly linked to the main screen providing all information relating to car speed, rpm and gear engaged. This 7-inch colour full HD and Full Touch display also allows the passenger to interact with the car’s on-board systems. It is thus possible for the passenger to becomes a participative co-driver.

7-year factory-formulated maintenance programme

As the official representative of Ferrari in Malaysia, Naza Italia offers an extended 7-year maintenance programme with the Portofino M. This is an exclusive factory-formulated programme (also available to owners of pre-owned Ferraris) with scheduled intervals of either 20,000 kms or once a year with no mileage restrictions.

2021 Ferrari 488 GT Modificata (w/VIDEO)


Ford denotes Kuga and Mondeo to Monfort Boys Town

Ford and its Malaysian partner, Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC) have presented two Ford vehicles to the Montfort Boys Town in Selangor as part of its Ford Conservation and Environmental Grants Programme.

Montfort Boys Town provides practical vocational training to underprivileged youth. And with the required help, its students will attain the tools and skills they need to live a product life in society. It’s school currently provides Automotive After Sales and Service training which it calls Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (SKM). Currently, the school only offers level one (SKM 1) and two (SKM 2) of the training programme but with the newly acquired vehicles and equipment from Ford, it hopes to introduce a level three programme or SKM 3.

A Ford Kuga Mondeo were handed over Montfort Boys Town as well as training equipment to aid the students in gaining practical knowledge and skills for them to become successful automotive technicians.

“Ford is proud to support the Montfort Boys Town and help further build on the learning opportunities and practical training and experience they can provide to their students,” said Bagus Susanto, managing director, Asia Pacific Emerging Markets, Ford Motor Company.

“Ford Conservation and Environmental Grants Programme is part of our continued investment in the social and economic development of our country. We hope our contribution will help the students gain the necessary skills and knowledge to enter the workforce and propel their future careers,” added Syed Ahmad Muzri Syed Faiz, managing director, Sime Darby Auto Connexion.

Ford’s Conservation and Environmental Grants programme which was launched in 2000, showcases the company’s commitment to support local communities in the country. As part of this effort, Ford conducts a Global Caring Month annually. Last year, volunteers from Ford and SDAC visited the Lovely Bursing Centre in PJ, where they spent time with the elderly, repainted the facility and donated various supplies.


New Honda HRV RS: Geared For Efficiency

At a glance:

The RS model sits at the top of the HRV line up.
Priced at RM140,800, the RS is only RM5,000 more expensive than the model below it, the V-Spec.
Despite that, the RS offers more tech.
But the V-Spec has more power, a higher top speed and better acceleration.
But the RS is more fuel efficient.

First introduced in Malaysia back in 2015, the Honda HRV has been the go-to crossover for those looking for something spacious, comfortable and reliable.

It is undoubtedly a sales phenomenon for Honda Malaysia, and that momentum is set to continue with the recent introduction of the third generation HRV.

Available in four variants with prices starting from just under RM115,000, the top of the line RS model is one that offers all the latest bells and whistles, and comes with a hybrid powertrain designed for fuel efficiency, but is RM26,000 dearer and retails at RM140,800.

Inside, all the variants share the same overall layout and even offer the convenience of Honda’s popular Multi Utility Seats. These seats can be folded and tucked away in three different formats to accommodate tall, long or bulky items for added practicality.

Interestingly, the new HRV also marks the first time that Honda has offered its Honda Sensing safety suite in all variants. Previously, this was only reserved for top-of-the-line models and later trickled down to other variants as a model progresses through its life cycle.

Honda Sensing consists of safety programs such as Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, and others. This is on top of the usual safety systems like Vehicle Stability Assist, ABS, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, and more.

The HRV RS variant’s interior features leather upholstery and generally feels premium and expensive. The RS is the only variant to offer dual-zone air-conditioning which allows the driver and passenger to set their own desired temperature. Perfect for the always dueling husband and wife.

The HRV also offers Honda’s latest aircon vent technology which includes a diffuser mode. Controlled via a rotating dial that looks and feels like it came off a BMW, the diffuser mode channels air around rather than directly at the driver or passenger. This is to help keep the cabin cool without overwhelming the front passengers.

Being a hybrid, the RS is naturally designed for efficiency. At the heart of it all lays a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated engine mated to an e-CVT gearbox. Even though it is a hybrid, there’s no battery onboard that stores power for an all-electric drive.

Instead, the HRV is powered by an Atkinson-cycle engine that is more efficient than regular internal combustion engines because it uses less fuel during the combustion process. But this ultimately sacrifices power – a typical trait of Atkinson-cycle engines. So, to make up for the drop in power, Honda has installed an electric motor to provide a power surge when the driver demands for it.

The power output of the engine is rated at 107PS and 131Nm of torque, while the electric motor produces 131PS and 253Nm of torque. This gives a gentle shove in the back and lets the HRV cruise at about 150kmh without any dramas, though top speed is rated at 170kmh.

Though power is decent for everyday use, accelerating to highway speed and above can be a tedious affair as the powertrain tends to whine. According to Honda’s spec sheet, the RS needs 10.7 seconds to reach 100kmh, and in that process, driver and passengers will notice an audible drone.

The 18-inch Continental tyres too tend to be loud and do not help to keep the cabin isolated from the road. Perhaps softer compound tyres could do the trick.

As for consumption, Honda claims the HRV RS needs just 4.1 litres of fuel to travel 100km, which based on Ron 95 pricing, will cost you about RM8. This means that you could do a 200km drive from KL to Ipoh for under RM20, without factoring toll charges of course. Well, theoretically at least.

Efficiency is quite surely the name of the game for the RS. It is what it does best. But being the flagship model for the new HRV range, it does come with certain features that differentiate it from its lesser siblings.

The exterior for one offers gloss black finishing around the front and rear bumpers, while the grille is finished in distinctive dark chrome.

The LED tail lights too are nestled in a clear housing as compared to the other HRV models that offer red housings. Also, the tail lights at either end are connected via a LED light strip that stretches across the tail gate for a design that curiously mimics the Porsche Macan, but that’s not a bad thing because it undoubtedly looks great.

The RS model has one final party trick, and it just so happens to be a first for any Honda brand – the hands free power tail gate with walk away function. This feature shuts the tail gate when you walk away from the car, as long as the key is in your pocket. Perfect for when you have your hands full.

The new Honda HRV RS offers the perfect balance of good looks, comfort and convenience, and as far as sales goes, over 7,000 HRVs have been delivered though the car was only launched back in June, and that is the ultimate testament to its appeal.


Rolls-Royce invites you to design the luxury car of the future

Parents who have run out of ideas to keep their children occupied in this #stayathome time may like to consider encouraging them to enter the ‘Young Designer Competition’ that is being run by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The competition is an extension of an event which is run annually at the Rolls-Royce employees’ Family Day Celebration in England and is now open to a worldwide audience.

For this competition, Rolls-Royce is calling on aspiring designers up to the age of 16 to design their dream Rolls-Royce of the future. The competition enables designers of the future to let their imaginations and creativity run free, even while they remain bound to their homes.

The carmaker hopes to ‘stimulate design talent, inspire greatness and provide a welcome distraction from self-isolation and social-distancing measures being adopted by many countries around the globe.

The marque’s Design team will judge all entries and select an overall winner, who will receive a rendered illustration of their design – a true once-in-a-lifetime, money-can’t-buy prize – as well as a chauffeur-driven journey in a Rolls-Royce Phantom for their first day back to school, with their best friend. Runners-up will receive a hand-signed certificate from Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

Electric cars which can be assembled from kits supplied by Greenpower.

Two additional prizes will be awarded to one lucky UK entrant: Travel to school in style in a chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce once the UK’s own coronavirus countermeasures draw to an end. A new Greenpower electric car kit will also be donated to the recipients’ school, thereby enabling participation in the Greenpower Challenge – the UK’s number-one motorsport competition for schools across Britain.

Let’s see our young Malaysians take on the challenge! Entries need to be submitted by May 18, 2020  and for more information on the competition, go to
rolls-royceyoungdesignercompetition.com
.

The Starlight Headliner – Bringing the starry sky inside a Rolls-Royce


Czinger 21C hybrid hypercar – 1,233 bhp and 0 to 100 km/h in 1.9 seconds! (w/VIDEOS)

Hypercars are the supercars of the 21
st
 century and breaking away from the traditional big internal combustion engines of the 20
th
 century, they are propelled by electric motors or hybrid powertrains. And where it was only car manufacturers that had the resources to develop powerful cars, the availability of modern technologies like 3D printing has made it possible for anyone with enough money to start a small company to develop and make a few.

Kevin Czinger (pronounced ‘zinger’) is one such entrepreneur who has developed and built a hypercar with proprietary hybrid powertrain and additively manufactured chassis that is claimed to be an evolutionary leap in performance vehicle creation.

Though he went to law school, Czinger has been involved in advanced car development for more than 10 years, employing advanced production technologies. The Czinger 21C hypercar is designed, manufactured and assembled at his base in Los Angeles, California. It incorporates vehicle architecture that is centered around driver-focused, 2-person in-line seating configuration within what would almost certainly be a carbonfibre shell.

Details of the powertrain are not revealed at this time, but it is said to have been tested and generated 1,233 bhp. This can get the 21C from standstill to 100 km/h in 1.9 seconds, it is claimed.

The brand launch and 21C’s debut will be at the Geneva International Motor Show next month. In the meantime, Czinger has released two videos which show the car moving very fast across a naval base in San Francisco and on the Pacific Coast Highway in California.


Russian F1 GP cancelled permanently; FIA also announces decisions preventing Russians from taking part in motorsports

The actions of Russia in the conflict in Ukraine have been condemned by much of the world community and where, in the past, military actions by other countries would have been initiated – making the conflict even worse – the approach today is to use other non-military means to ‘persuade’ Russia to stop. Economic sanctions are one powerful approach which has had an effect on Russia and various organisations have also taken actions to alienate the country.

The motorsports community has also taken a stand, which started with many of the drivers in Formula 1 expressing an unwillingness to take part in the Russian Grand Prix scheduled as Round 17 in September. The Formula 1 organisation has gone further and terminated the contract with the organisers of the Russian Grand Prix – and not just for this year. The official position is that there will no longer be a F1 event held in Russia although that can well change in future.

The Russian Grand Prix was first run in 2014 and held for 8 years until 2021. The races have been run on a street circuit in Sochi, the host city of the 2014 Winter Olympics. The Mercedes-AMG team has won every year, with Lewis Hamilton winning 5 times, Valtteri Bottas twice and Nico Rosberg once.

Will there be a replacement?

The slot for the cancelled Russian Grand Prix could either be left empty, which means a 2-week gap betwee the Italian GP in Monza and the Singapore Grand Prix. If the organisers must have their 23 rounds, then they would either look for another venue in Europe or even consider one in Asia. Vietnam was preparing for its first-ever F1 race but the COVID-19 pandemic prevented it and it may well try again to be a host. And don’t forget Malaysia also has a F1-ready track…

FIA’s decisions

The FIA – the governing body of international motorsport – has also announced a number of decisions made in relation to the Ukraine conflict. In accordance with the International Olympic Committee recommendations, motorsport events will not be allowed (until further notice) to take place in Russia and Belarus, and no flag/symbol or anthem of Russia/Belarus is to be used in international/zone competitions.

Drivers, competitors and officials are also affected by the same decisions as no Russian/Belarusian national teams can participate in international/zone competitions (eg FIA Motorsport Games). However, Russian/Belarusian drivers, individual competitors and officials are still allowed to participate in international/zone competitions only in their neutral capacity and under the ‘FIA flag’, subject to specific commitment and adherence to the FIA’s principles of peace and political neutrality. The FIA also forbids any display of Russian/Belarusian national symbols, colours, flags (uniform, equipment and car) or the playing of associated anthems at events.

Additionally, representatives from Russian/Belarusian FIA Members are to step aside temporarily from their roles and responsibilities of elected officers/commissions’ members. No FIA grant will be awarded to the Russian/Belarusian FIA Members, and no existing FIA grant funding will be paid to them as well.

“I want to thank the Council members for their prompt action in deciding these measures in the interests of sport and peace. We stand in solidarity with Leonid Kostyuchenko, the President of the Federation Automobile d’Ukraine (FAU) and the wider FIA family in the country. The measures taken today recognise the authority of the FAU in Ukraine and are also aligned with the recommendations recently made by the International Olympic Committee. We are in active discussions with our members as we continue to extend our compassion and support in their time of need. We sincerely hope for a peaceful resolution to their intolerable hardship,” said the new FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, after chairing an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council.

URAKALI and Nikita Mazepin

Among the current teams taking part in Formula 1, there is one Russian driver and one major sponsor – Nikita Mazepin and Urakali, which is a major sponsor of his American-owned team, Haas F1. Understanding the sensitivity of association with anything Russian, Haas removed Urakali’s name from its racing cars before the final day of testing in Spain. Incidentally, Urakali, a fertilizer company in Russia, is owned by Mazepin’s father.

The URAKALI name disappeared (below) from the Haas F1 racing car on the final day of testing in Spain. URAKALI is a Russian fertilizer company owned by Nikita Mazepin’s father.

Nikita Mazein, 23, may not get a chance to continue racing in F1 after having started last year.

Mazepin’s future with the team has also been uncertain. There are rumours that the 23-year old driver who began driving in F1 last year will likely be dropped by the team although the FIA has stated that it is possible for him to race as a ‘neutral’ party. If he is removed, his place alongside Mick Schumacher could be taken by Pietro Fittipaldi, the team’s reserve driver.


All-electric Extreme E off-road championship will include Himalayas in first season

Off-road races have been held all over the world as organisers have searched for new and tougher challenges for participants. One region which has not seen such events has been the Himalayas, although there have been rallies in the foothills of the area.

In 2021, a round of the Extreme E series for all-electric SUVs will be held in the Himalayas. It will be the fourth round of the pioneering off-road race series. The Mountain Round, as it will be known, will take place in Nepal’s Mustang District in the mountain range.

Google Earth view of a section of the Himalayas

“Once again, we’re breaking the mold in motorsport as Extreme E will become the first race to ever be staged in the Himalayas…[it] will provide the sternest of tests to the world’s leading drivers, engineers and teams, supporting our aim to promote electric vehicles in the fight against climate change,” said Alejandro Agag, Founder & CEO of Extreme E.

The championship will be held in the deepest gorge in the world in the Kali Gandaki Valley. Located 2,750 metres above sea level, the Mustang District will challenge drivers with elevation changes, course gravel, rocky obstacles and turbulent rivers.

The Himalayas are what is often referred to as the ‘pulse of the planet’ and in need of protection. According to the UN, Nepal ranks as the fourth most vulnerable country to climate change. With the largest concentration of glaciers outside the polar caps, Nepal risks losing 66% of its ice due to climate variability and with it, the lifeline of river basins and ecosystems across Asia.

Besides the Mountain Round, Extreme E’s first championship will have 5 rounds – in the Amazon Rainforest (Para, Brazil), Greenland (Kangerlussuaq), and Saudi Arabia which will be the Desert Round. A fifth round will be an Ocean Round but the location has not been confirmed although it is believed to likely be an island in the Indian Ocean

Of the Desert Round which will take place in the world’s largest single continuous sand desert, Agag said: “One of the major cornerstones of this revolutionary championship is that we will race across terrain and environments that will push the world’s top drivers, teams and engineers to their absolute limits,” said Agag. “The Kingdom’s terrain is stunning and unforgiving, while the heat and conditions will be intense. So there is no question that the winning combination of driver and machine will be a deserving one.”

All Extreme E participants use the same SUV model (design proposal shown), built by Spark Racing Technology. The rules will provide for each team to additionally develop certain areas of the car. The batteries, made for the extreme conditions, will be compatible with Formula E-specification motors and produce a maximum power output of 470 kW (around 630 bhp).

Each Extreme E round will take place over 3 days, within an area no larger than 10 square kms. Routes will be designed to incorporate existing obstacles and features with elevation changes and jumps without the need to adapt the natural setting, thereby avoiding negative impact on the environment.

Continental is a Founding Partner of Extreme E and will be a Premium Partner of the series in 2021. The company will supply all the participating vehicles with extra robust tyres suited for the diverse and extremely demanding conditions that they will encounter.

Promoters Formula E Holdings Ltd. expect at least 10 teams to take part in the first season. Initial tests are currently being conducted for the series which is due to launch in February 2021. “With very exciting and completely different locations, we are looking forward to testing the performance of our tyres on various terrain and surfaces,” said Sandra Roslan, Continental’s Head of Content Marketing and Project Manager for Extreme E.


HSDM Announces 0% GST For Hyundai Vehicles, While Hyundai CRADLE Invests in Metawave to Help Develop Smart Automotive Radar Platforms

Hyundai Sime Darby Motors has announced the new prices of its vehicles, set to take effect on 1st June 2018, when the GST is abolished. You can find the new prices in this downloadable document:

Hyundai New Price List with Zero-Rated GST (Hyundai Sime Darby Motors)

Savings of up to
RM10,000
 are to be had on the
Starex
 soon, and up to
RM6,500
 on the
Ioniq
 (below).

On the global front,
 Hyundai CRADLE
, Hyundai Motor Company’s corporate venturing and open innovation business, has announced it is investing in the
Metawave Corporation
 to build intelligent radars for autonomous vehicles. Metawave is revolutionizing radar sensing by leveraging adaptive metamaterials (conventional materials using engineered structures with unique electromagnetic properties not found in nature) and artificial intelligence (AI) to create smart radars. Hyundai is closely evaluating new technologies, such as Metawave’s high-performance radar capable of 3-D imaging, for future autonomous platforms.

“Next-generation radar technology can use advanced algorithms for object detection and classification,”
 said
John Suh, vice president of Hyundai CRADLE
.
 “A new radar system that can increase resolution and accuracy with an AI engine will be a disruptive technology.”

How it works…

Three sensors are the fundamental components of the perception system for self-driving cars today: camera, LiDAR and radar. The camera is the highest-resolution sensor but cannot see objects beyond 50 meters. LiDAR extends the range to about 150 meters, with a fairly high-resolution imaging capability. Both camera and LiDAR are affected by bad weather and dirty roads. Radar, by its nature, operates at a lower frequency and “sees” objects at long ranges faster and in all weather and driving conditions. Today’s radar cannot cover wide angles at long ranges and lacks the resolution to differentiate between objects.

It needs a large number of antennae and expensive chips to run the complex digital signals. This type of system takes time and energy, making it inefficient. Metawave’s advanced radar platform,
WARLORD
 uses just
one
 antenna and pushes the complexity of the analog space, using ultra-fast and precise responses. With WARLORD, the antenna itself shapes and steers the beam in all directions using pencil beams, deep learning engines and AI algorithms to recognize objects quickly and send 4-D point cloud to the sensor fusion.

“The investment by Hyundai represents another key company milestone and further proof of our rapid momentum as we bring WARLORD long-range radar with imaging and AI capabilities to autonomous vehicles,”
 said
Metawave CEO Maha Achour, PhD
.
“With our talented team of mm-wave and metamaterial experts, we were the first to demonstrate Electronically Scanned Metamaterial Array for Autonomous Driving at 77GHz. This technology will be an enabling factor for Hyundai and other auto leaders who are striving to improve the vehicle experience.”

Hyundai Autonomous Vehicle Development…

In January, Hyundai Motor Company and Aurora, a leader in autonomous vehicle technology, announced a strategic partnership to bring self-driving Hyundai vehicles to market by 2021. This partnership will incorporate Aurora’s self-driving technology into Hyundai vehicles, starting with models custom-developed and launched in test programs and pilot cities.

In February, a fleet of Hyundai NEXO fuel cell electric SUVs successfully completed a self-driven 190-kilometer journey from Seoul to Pyeongchang. The NEXOs were equipped with level 4 self-driving technology, as defined by SAE international standards, and 5G network technology.

These NEXOs featured a number of advanced technologies that enabled them to recognize surrounding vehicles more accurately and make better judgments at junctions and at branching roads, navigate through toll gates by accurately calculating the toll gates’ width and position and precisely pinpoint the vehicle’s position on a map by using external sensors fitted for situations when the GPS signal was interrupted, such as going through long underground tunnels.

What is Metawave Technology?

Metawave is building next-generation wireless technology platforms to address major challenges facing the wireless sensing and communications industries operating at mm-wave frequencies. By using engineered metamaterial structures and AI algorithms, Metawave was able to simplify architectures and improve system performance while lowering cost to both providers and consumers using its electronically beamforming and steering WARLORD and SABER technologies. The company is initially focusing on delivering the WARLORD smart radar platforms for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving. In parallel, Metawave is building the SABER
TM
 (Smart Antenna for Beamforming Electromagnetic Radiation) smart antenna platforms for fixed wireless and the 5G cellular infrastructure to power dense point-to-point, point-to-multipoint and mesh configurations for backhaul and access networks.

The 5G market will benefit from Metawave’s SABER platform by reducing interference and increasing the reach of coverage of their base stations. Instead of the massive numbers of antennae and complex digital processing used in today’s 5G radios, SABER uses one antenna per transceiver port, which is able to focus the signal in narrow beams to extend the reach of base stations and service dense number of users with little interference.


2021 North American Car, Truck & Utility of the Year

To know more, visit
www.bhpetrol.com.my
.

The diverse nature of the huge North American car market means it has many brands present and when it comes to picking winners for the annual
North American Car & Truck of the Year
 awards, the domestic American brands certainly have a lot of challengers from foreign makes. Running since 1994, these awards are the longest-running new-vehicle awards not associated with a single publication, website, radio or television station.

As trucks are an important segment of the North American market, there are three separate awards:
North American Car of the Year, North American Truck of the Year
, and
North American Utility of the Year
 which was introduced in 2017 for the growing SUV segment.

In fact, even in the first year of the awards, it was a German make – Mercedes-Benz which won the title with its C-Class. Foreign makes have won the
North American Car of the Year
 awards 11 times in 27 years, and in the 28
th
 year, Korean carmaker Hyundai (including the Genesis brand) collects the title for the fourth time with its
latest Elantra
.

Second time for Hyundai Elantra in North American Car of the Year awards.

This is the second time the Hyundai model has won
Car of the Year
, the first being in 2012. Only two cars have won the award more than once (the Chevrolet Corvette and Honda Civic). Hyundai also won an overall award for
North American Utility of the Year
 with its Kona SUV in 2019.

For the 2021
North American Utility and Truck of the Year
, Ford has two winners – the
all-electric Mustang Mach-E
 and the new F-150. It seems a bit odd that the Mustang is positioned and presented as a Utility Vehicle as, historically, it has been a sportscar – and a legendary one too. Nevertheless, Ford has not left out the performance for which the model has been known and admired, with a high-performance electric powertrain.

Ford Mustang Mach-E

Ford F-150

“This recognition for Mustang Mach-E and F-150 is validation not only for our brand, but also for our Ford team, which continues to innovate and deliver on its commitment to creating must-have products and services,” said Kumar Galhotra, President, Ford Americas and IMG. “The
North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year
 awards are among the most prestigious in the industry and such an honour serves as a capstone achievement for years of hard work for the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 teams.”

To know more about Ford models available in Malaysia, visit
www.sdacford.com.my
.

For the 2021 event, the jurors tested and evaluated more than 40 new vehicles before voting the top three models of each category to be finalists. The jury is made up of automotive journalists from numerous outlets in the USA  and Canada. They evaluate the finalists based on segment leadership, innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class was the first North American Car of the Year when it started in 1994.


Lexus LX570 introduced in Malaysia

Lexus Malaysia expands range with the introduction of new Lexus LX570 luxury SUV priced at RM923,960.60 (OTR without insurance).

Lexus Malaysia
 has expanded its model range for the Malaysian market this month after announcing the introduction of its latest offering, the Lexus LX570 luxury SUV.

Arriving in our market is the face-lifted third generation model that is fully imported from Japan, making this car a CBU unit.

Powering this behemoth of luxury is a 5.7-litre V8 petrol engine primed with dual variable valve timing (DVVT). Developing 362hp and peak torque of 530Nm, the powerplant is paired along with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a full-time all-wheel-drive (AWD) system.

On board, the luxo-SUV is richly brimmed with plenty of luxurious and high-tech amenities synonymous with the famed Japanese luxury marque. Amongst them are items such as a 12.3-inch central infotainment display unit and automatic quad-zone air conditioning system. Furthermore, the LX570 also boasts a Multi-Terrain Monitor feature to complement the aforementioned AWD system.

Rounding things off are advanced additional safety features on top of the usual array of things such as rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA) and the Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) systems that comes as standard.

Available for bookings in authorised Lexus centres nationwide, the newly introduced Lexus LX570 is priced on-the-road at RM923,960.60 sans insurance. Said price includes a three-year or 100,000km warranty plan plus a five-year or 100,000km Free Schedule Maintenance Service package as well.

You can check out more of the Lexus LX570 in the extensive gallery we’ve prepared below.

2015 Lexus LX570


Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival for public returns with Vios Challenge Round 2 on June 25/26

The Vios Challenge one-make race originally started as the highlight of The Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival where, besides the racing, there were also other activities for all the family, including an opportunity to experience the latest Toyota models. Unfortunately, the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic meant that the event could not be held with public attendance, and the Vios Challenge was also restricted only to participants.

Now with the restrictions lifted, it is possible for events such as the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival to be held again and ‘The People’s Race’, as UMW Toyota Motor refers to it, will be on during the weekend of
June 25/26
 at the Sepang International Circuit. The 2-day weekend festival (entrance is free) will be bigger than ever before with lots of activities, including concerts, for the family and of course, food and drink when visitors get hungry or hot.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Those who wish to attend must first register at the Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia website to gain access at the Sepang International Circuit.
Click here to go to the website
.

The Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival has lots of activities for all the family and a chance to meet celebrities, as these pictures of past events show.

“We are so excited to be able to welcome back the people to the Festival and Round 2 of the Vios Challenge. There are a myriad of activities lined up suited for everyone, from families looking to spend their weekend to racing fans and enthusiasts. Welcome back!” said UMW Toyota Motor’s  President Ravindran K.

“This is and has always been a ‘Festival for the People’, never mind that they may not be outright racing fans. It’s a platform for Toyota to give back and to celebrate the people, thanking them for their continued support of the brand. This is also a great opportunity to bring back festivities and activities for the people after 2 years of being hunkered down against the pandemic. As for racing, the Vios Challenge continues to provide an affordable entry into competitive and level playing field racing with its one-make format and the many classes for young drivers, amateurs, professionals and even local celebrities,” he added.

Currently into its fifth season/year, the Vios Challenge has become well known for its wheel-to-wheel action because all the Toyota Vios racing cars are prepared identically with the same performance levels. Therefore it is all about driver skill, experience and strategy rather than just who has the more powerful car. It is the most lucrative motorsports event in the country, with more than a half a million ringgit in prize money offered.

Season 5 of the Vios Challenge has 3 rounds with a total of 6 races;
Round 1
 was run recently and Round 3 to be held in September. In 4 seasons of the Vios Challenge so far, more than 8 million spectators and online viewers have followed the races, and social media reach has exceeded 19 million, making it one of the most viewed domestic motor-racing events.

Besides young drivers, amateurs and professionals taking part, there are also local celebrities who have a category of their own to race in. For this season, the Season 4 champion and actor Shukri Yahaya is among them along with last year’s runner-up and actor Zizan Razak. Other celebrities include television host Nabil Ahmad, actress Janna Nick, singers Wany Hasrita, Nabila Razali and Khai Bahar, TV personality Ahirine Ahiruddin, and actress and presenter Ain Edruce who returns to the Vios Challenge from a sabbatical after welcoming her first born child.

The celebrities will also be performing live over the weekend. In addition, there will be a special concert featuring Malaysian rock band Bunkface on Saturday and, for the first time ever, staging an international act, will be Indonesian singer Judika on Sunday. Fans of the celebrities will also have an opportunity to meet their favourites and get autographs.

And for those who have yet to experience the Sepang International Circuit, a special All-Wheel Fest offers those with non-motorized vehicles (bicycles, roller blades, skateboards, long boards, pushbikes, push scooters, etc) to take a spin around the 2.7-km track that has been host to Formula 1 races in the past. There will also be a Zumba session for fitness aficionados.

At the specially built street circuits in various parts of the country, spectators have been able to be close to the racing action.

It has always been Toyota’s objective from the onset to contribute to and bring about greater excitement in Malaysian motorsports. “The Vios Challenge continues to evolve every year since we started the series in 2017. We established and until today, retain the format of a one-make series to make it affordable and accessible for those who want to compete,” said Mr. Ravindran.

“To attract more new and young drivers to drive at a competitive level, we have even invested in the GAZOO Racing
Young Driver Development Program
 to enable those between the ages of 15 and 20 to transition into saloon car racing from karting or simulator racing, and we have even introduced a Rookie Class for young drivers in the Vios Challenge race,” he added.

Toyota GAZOO Racing’s focus on attracting young talent has since paid off handsomely when a 15-year-old became overall champion in the Sporting Class for amateurs in Season 3. An expert in simulator racing a simulator who was a graduate of the Young Driver Development Program and champion in the Rookie Class is becoming one of the most competitive drivers not only in the Vios Challenge as well as other local racing series. Other graduates of the program are also currently among the leading contenders in other local racing series.

Second batch of students at the GR Young Talent Development Program sharpening their skills on simulators.

For those who are unable to race but still want to be intimately involved in the Vios Challenge, there is the GAZOO Racing Dream Team TGR Fantasy Game. This is a racing platform where players sign up and compete against each other by creating their very own TGR Dream Team of racers they think will perform best throughout the season. Participants will have to select 3 drivers from each of the 4 classes of racing, and their team will accumulate or lose points based on the real racing results throughout the 3 rounds in Season 5. The player with the most number of points will be declared the winner at the end of the season for a chance to win attractive prizes.

“This is what we mean by the People’s Race – it is not only intended to change the dynamics in the local motor racing, but it is also a Festival to celebrate the people and hopefully entice them to learn, understand and appreciate motorsports as we do with traditional sporting events such as soccer and badminton,” Mr. Ravindran said.

For those who are too far away or unable to go to the venue, the weekend’s racing action and stage performances will also be streamed live on the
Toyota GAZOO Racing Malaysia website
 at and  the
Toyota Malaysia
 and
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia
 Facebook pages..

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival and Vios Challenge enter Season 5 this year


Mika Häkkinen to drive legendary McLaren M23 around Laguna Seca

Former Formula One champion and arch rival of Micheal Schumacher, Mika Häkkinen has been tasked with belting a McLaren M23 at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, this August. The car belonged to F1 legend, Emerson Fittipaldi and helped him clinch the 1974 championship.

Häkkinen will complete a couple of 15-minute exhibition laps to entertain fans as well as showcase the capabilities of the vintage racer. Back in the 1970s, Formula was still a crude, unsafe and unfiltered sport that offered both the best as well as the worst of Motorsports racing.

Between 1973 to 1978, this McLaren-Ford M23 won 16 of the 80 grand prixs that it competed in. Three world championship titles were won with it, including the 1974 drivers’ and constructors’ title and 1976 drivers’ title.

Häkkinen will be sitting in for Jenson Button who was the original choice of McLaren. Since the latter wasn’t able to fulfill this task, the automaker turned to its most trusted ambassador and icon of Formula One.

Nicknamed ‘The Flying Finn’. Häkkinen drove 130 grand prixs for the McLaren team between 1993 and 2001, and winning 20 of them. This included two Drivers’ World Championship titles in 1998 and 1999 respectively.

The rivalry between the Finn and Schumacher was extremely fierce, which gave rise to exhilarating edge-of-your-seat action that is seriously lacking in the current F1 era.  Their battles were so intense that they have become part of Formula 1 folklore.

“Though we were looking forward to having Jenson Button at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, we are delighted that a driver of Mika’s caliber is able to take his place,” said Gill Campbell, Senior Vice President of Event Operations at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

He later added, “Formula 1 is the pinnacle of racing advancement, and Mika will be able to showcase a car with great racing history during his spirited exhibition laps. Fans will surely enjoy the link between past and present during the exhibitions and throughout the event. Thank you to McLaren for making this happen.”

This year’s Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion will be held at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.  The event will see more than 550 historic cars taking part in the race weekend. Like many shows of this nature, fans will get to see a range of vehicles ranging from the pre-war era cars to more modern ones.


Tips for expectant mothers who must drive

While housewives may be able to limit their driving as their pregnancy progresses, there are many women who will still be driving to work daily. During this journey to parenthood (if it’s the first time), mothers-to-be need to continuously make in-vehicle adjustments to ensure optimal positioning and safety while driving.

To help engineers better understand the needs of expectant mothers, Ford Motor Company designed an ‘empathy belly’ – or pregnancy suit. This maternity suit adds an extra 13.6 kgs of weight (the average weight gained during pregnancy) and simulates the bulkiness and discomfort of the third trimester of pregnancy, helping engineers design vehicles that enable expectant mothers – and a broad range of drivers – to make necessary adjustments that support safe driving.

Based on insights gained from wearing the empathy belly, here are top tips from Ford to further help women drivers on the road to motherhood.

Seatbelt safety

Ensure the seatbelt has a snug fit. Pull the seatbelt over the shoulder, between the breasts and to the side of the belly. The lap portion of the belt should be located at the hip, and below – not across – the abdomen, making sure it lies as flat as possible under the curve of the belly. Never put the shoulder belt behind or under the arm, as this can cause serious injury in the event of an accident.

Make proper vehicle adjustments

Move the seat back to a comfortable distance from the pedals, ideally sitting about 25 cm away from the steering wheel, to protect the abdomen if the airbag deploys in a frontal collision. If the car’s steering wheel is adjustable, point the centre of the steering wheel away from the belly and toward the chest. After changing the seat position, be sure to adjust the rearview and outside mirrors. Should backaches occur, place a small round pillow or rolled towel behind the lower back to improve comfort while driving.

From snack attacks…to nausea

Food cravings (and ‘morning’ sickness) can happen at any time of day. Be sure to pack plenty of water and favourite snacks to satisfy those cravings. Keep extra ‘nausea bags’ in the purse and glovebox. And always avoid distracted driving – pull over to a safe place when hunger or sickness strikes.

Have a rest… or avoid driving

The ‘pregnant brain’ endures more strain than usual, so map out trips in advance (use Waze to see how long the journey might take). Avoid driving long distances if possible, and take frequent breaks to promote blood circulation in the feet, since feet and ankles swell more easily when sitting for extended periods of time. So take a break, and stretch and move the legs, feet and toes.

Better still – avoid driving when possible. For expectant mothers, the middle rear seat is the safest place in a car (as long as it offers a shoulder and lap belt). But if seated in the front passenger seat, push it back as far as possible to protect the abdomen if the airbag deploys.

Shop for a childseat

Once the baby has arrived, a childseat will be necessary and an infant seat will be the type to use during the first 2 years. After that, depending on the speed of growth, a bigger seat will be needed. Unless really necessary, the childseat should be installed at the back instead of the front passenger’s seat. A small wide-angle ‘baby mirror’ can be installed on the ceiling so the driver can watch the back without having to turn around frequently.

Child car seat: No summonses for first six months of 2020


Final testing for new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS before world debut in November (w/VIDEO)

What can be more hardcore than the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4? A new big brother – the 718 Cayman GT4 RS. This will become the new top model of the 718 family when it makes its global debut in November. It will be the first 718 to carry the RS badge.

Although the launch is just two months away, the engineers want still more tests to be run and final testing and evaluation drives are being conducted on twisty mountain roads and on the racetrack.

Porsche has released some footage and information from these exercises with brand ambassador and development driver Jorg Bergmeister showing off the car’s dynamic potential on the 20.832-km Nurburgring-Nordschleife circuit. Driving a lightly disguised production car, he clocked a lap in 7:09.300 minutes. On the shorter lap, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS completed the lap, which had previously served as the benchmark, in 7:04.511 minutes – 23.6 seconds faster than its little brother.

To protect the driver, the mid-engined sportscar was equipped with a racing seat. The tyres fitted to the car were Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R, which will be optionally available to customers.

“During development, we gave the 718 Cayman GT4 RS everything that characterizes a genuine RS: lightweight construction, more downforce, more power and, of course, an even higher level of responsiveness and feedback to driver inputs. The fantastic lap time of the Nordschleife is impressive proof of how clearly noticeable these improvements in driving dynamics are,” said  Director GT Model Line, Andreas Preuninger. “Our customers can look forward to a pure driver’s car that makes a thrilling driving experience an absolute priority.”

“The 718 Cayman GT4 RS is an uncompromising driving machine. It feels as nimble as a go-kart on mountain roads, yet is impressively stable and well-balanced on the racetrack. Otherwise, such a lap time wouldn’t even be possible,” said Bergmeister, who has spent more than 500 hours driving the car as part of the development program. “The GT4 RS is one of the sharpest cars Porsche has ever developed. And you really have had to experience the breathtaking noise it makes for yourself,” he said.


FEATURE – When Mercedes-Benz also had a rotary-engined sportscar

Although most people only came to know about the rotary engine in the 1970s, Felix Wankel, who developed it, had received a patent in Germany as far back as 1929 and produced a working prototype at NSU (which would later become part of Audi) in 1957. The rotary engine was uniquely different from the reciprocating internal combustion engine and had besides its compactness and low weight, it also generated a high power output from a smaller displacement.

The engine was of great interest to many carmakers and at least 12 – including even Rolls-Royce – took licences to develop their own versions. However, apart from Mazda, which persevered to make it commercially viable and produced a number of models with rotary engines, the other companies eventually gave up work on it as they could not find solutions to its drawbacks.

Mazda and Suzuki were two of the few companies that managed to commercialise the rotary engine in production models.

Mercedes-Benz was interested

At Mercedes-Benz, the rotary engine certainly generated much interest. The company’s R&D department worked on it during the early 1960s, with a prototype SLX sportscar proposed using the engine. Even though the power and smoothness were attractions, fuel consumption and emissions were high and by 1976, Mercedes-Benz decided to end its rotary engine work.

Mercedes-Benz rotary engines being produced for the C 111 in the early 1970s.

However, during the development period, the company decided to use the rotary engine as a highlight of a futuristic super sportscar – the C 111. The designation had started off as ‘C 101’ but Peugeot was known to be very protective of its model numbering system which had a ‘0’ in the middle of the 3 digits (eg 304, 505, etc) and Mercedes-Benz decided to avoid any issues with the French carmaker by changing to ‘C-111’. In fact, it is believed that Peugeot had even approached Mazda to get it to change the designation of its 808 model in the 1970s but the request was probably not entertained.

Debut of the C 111

It was displayed at the 1969 Frankfurt Motor Show as an experimental vehicle with only 12 units produced. Wealthy customers imagined the C 111 to be a successor to the legendary 300 SL ‘Gullwing’ of 1954 and even sent blank cheques to factory to try to get one!

Debut of the C 111 at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1969.

The C 111 was a fascinating mid-engine sportscar which allowed the engineers to explore the performance of the rotary engine. The first one used in 1969 had a 3-rotor design with a chamber volume of 3 times 600 cc which could produce 280 bhp. After further development, the second version of the C 111 presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 1970 featured a 4-rotor engine with 4 times 600 cc and 350 bhp.

The second version of the C 111 on display at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show.

Running technology platform

Alongside the rotary engine, other technologies were tested in the C 111 like bodywork made of glass-fibre reinforced plastic and joining techniques such as adhesive bonding and riveting. This technological look into the future was underlined by the visionary design of the wedge-shaped super sportscar.

The iconic character of the C 111 was also reinforced by the unusual paint finish in metallic orange. The designation ‘
Weissherbst
’ derived from wine-making referred to the glowing orange/rosé colour of these popular wines. The vehicle displayed in Frankfurt was the first C 111 in this spectacular paint finish. The other vehicles in the first series, which were used as demonstration vehicles during the show, were still in a white paint finish, but were later likewise repainted in ‘
Weissherbst
’.

The rotary engine was not only visionary in concept but also delivered performance that was outstanding in its time. The first version of the C 111 reached a top speed of 260 km/h, and the second one even managed 300 km/h.

‘Second career’ as a record-breaker

In 1976, the C 111 appeared again as a record-breaking car with conventional reciprocating engines. Two versions with 5-cylinder turbodiesel engines were built, as well as the C 111-IV with a V8 petrol engine in 1979. On the high-speed track in Nardo, Italy, the C 111s established numerous new records, one of them the circuit world record with 403.978 km/h by the C 111-IV on May 5, 1979.

Preparing the C 111 at the Nardo circuit in Italy

The C 111-III of 1978 was one of the record-breakers in Italy.

One of the final versions of the C 111 which ran in 1979.

In 2014, the specialists at Mercedes-Benz Classic restored one of these dream sportscars from their collection to drivable condition. To preserve the few still available rotary engines for the future, they installed an M 116 3.5-litre V8 engine. This engine had already been installed in a C 111 for comparative and test purposes in 1970.

Click here for other news and articles about Mercedes-Benz
.


Land Rover reassigns its New Defender media fleet to help in pandemic

With the many decades that Land Rover has been in existence, the name has been associated with many supporting activities during times of crisis. After all, its 4×4 vehicles have the capabilities to go into the roughest terrain, making it possible to bring vital supplies and rescue personnel to areas hit by a crisis like an earthquake or a flood.

Now Land Rover is again providing its vehicles in what is a global crisis – the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic which began sweeping across the world since the beginning of the year. As the world faces an extraordinary challenge, Land Rover is focusing efforts towards supporting global communities in the fight against COVID-19 by providing vehicles and expertise to emergency services and organisations like its partners, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

The fleet of new Defenders which had been meant for use on media drives has been reassigned to a new duty with emergency services and organisations. It is understood that the fleet numbers 105 Defenders with another batch of around 30 to be made available in due course.

Click here to read more about the new Defender.

Priced from around £40,000 (about RM206,000), the new Defender was launched at the Frankfurt Motorshow last September and was rolled out progressively in various markets from January. However, now that the UK is under lockdown due to the pandemic, business activities would have come to a standstill.

Red Cross Experts Push New Land Rover Defender Prototype To The Limits In Desert Testing


Toyota wins at Le Mans for the third time

Toyota continued its winning streak at Le Mans with another victory this weekend, its third successive one in the classic 24-hour endurance race. Kazuki Nakajima was at the wheel of the No. 8 Toyota GAZOO Racing TS050 HYBRID as team mates Sebastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley watched him take the chequered flag after 387 laps.

From No.7 to No.8

The early lead was maintained by Kamui Kobayashi, partnered by Mike Conway and Jose Maria Lopez, in the No. 7 Toyota. However, midway through the race, the car had a turbo problem and the No.8 car quickly moved to take over at the front.

Second overall was Rebellion Racing’s Gibson R-13 driven by the trio of Bruno Senna, Norman Nato and Gustavo Menezes. It was one of two cars from the Swiss team which shadowed the No.8 Toyota, waiting for the car to drop out which, of course, didn’t happen.

LMP1 and GTE winners

While Toyota won the LMP1 category, the LMP2 category was won by the United Autosports Team with an Oreca-Gibson crewed by Paul di Resta, Philip Hanson and Filipe Albuquerque. They finished fifth overall after the No.3 car of Rebellion Racing.

Aston Martin Racing won the FIA GT Manufacturers Championship as the No.97 Aston Martin Vantage AMR finished tops in the GTE Pro class and the #90 TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage AMR collect the trophy for the GTE Am class.

This year’s Le Mans race, the 88th edition since starting in 1923, is the last one before the new Hypercar era starts for the next season. Sadly, the spectator stands were empty as French authorities did not allow large crowds due the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2019-2020 WEC season has one more round remaining which will be held in Bahrain on November 14.

Toyota’s GR Super Sport hypercar returned to its spiritual home this weekend to appear in public for the first time, as part of its ongoing development process, shortly before the start of the Le Mans 24 Hours. Based on the 2-time Le Mans-winning TS050 HYBRID racing car and covered in GR camouflage livery, the car completed a demonstration lap before arriving at a ceremony to return the Le Mans trophy for this year’s race.

Besides the win at Le Mans, Toyota GAZOO Racing also won the Rally Turkey this weekend.


Nissan Almera Turbo officially launched, confirmed prices start from RM79,906

One of the things that has changed about how cars are being launched into the market nowadays is that the period of ‘teasing’ and ‘previewing’ can be quite long. It can be many months from the time the first official pictures are taken and first details released, until the time the car is actually ‘launched’ and deliveries start. In the past, delays were usually due to price approvals being slow and while the cars were already in the stockyards, customs duties could not be paid as the price was not approved by the government (only for locally-assembled models).

Nowadays, companies stretch the ‘preview’ over months to get maximum publicity. In some cases, due to competition, it is necessary to reveal details and the estimated price so as to make some customers who are considering another model pause and hopefully wait. The manufacturers themselves do it too – unveiling a new model at the beginning of the year and then starting production at the end for deliveries the following year!

Anyway, you would have read about the
new Nissan Almera Turbo
 over the past few months and we even wrote about it in some detail, as well as provided some initial driving impressions. Today, the model is officially launched with confirmed prices.

There are three variants – VL, VLP and VLT – with prices shown on the chart below.

3-cylinder turbo engine

Only one engine is available, this being the
HR10DET
 that is a compact powerplant with a 1-litre displacement and 3 cylinders. It’s another example of downsizing that has taken place over the past decade. With advanced technology as well as turbocharging, it can generate up to 100 ps/152 Nm – comparable to a 1.5-litre engine. It’s a bold move by ETCM to introduce this small engine in what is its mainstream model. Malaysians still see a need for at least 1.3 litres or more to have ‘enough performance’ and are not convinced that today’s smaller engines are actually much more powerful than the old 1-litre units that usually had a carburettor only.

The engineers have made the engines smaller to save weight and reduce fuel consumption, while boosting performance at the same time. And for Malaysian motorists, a smaller engine size also means paying lower roadtax each year.

Related article:
The Nissan Almera Turbo Engine

Generous equipment list

The standard equipment and features are fairly generous, even with the lowest-priced Almera Turbo VL variant. For instance, across the range, there is pushbutton engine starting, and the Active Safety system includes Intelligent Forward Collision Warning & Emergency Braking, besides the usual ABS, EBD, Stability Control, etc.

The extra money charged for the upper two variants gets you a colour touchscreen, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, digital display instrument panel, automatic air-conditioning and 6 airbags,

The top VLT variant has LEDs for the headlamps, foglamps, and daytime running lights, along with cruise control, around-view monitor, blind spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert.

Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) provides a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty and to lower running costs, there 5 scheduled maintenance services will be free (parts and labour included) during the first 5 years (terms and conditions apply).

Special financing schemes

For those who require financing for their purchases, ETCM is offering a special hire-purchase Flexi Financing Promotion with monthly instalments ranging from RM688 to RM788, depending on the variant.

Additionally, customers who purchase their insurance for the Almera Turbo from Tan Chong Insurance Business Stream will get free Personal Accident Insurance coverage with a sum insured up to RM75,000, Key Care cover reimbursement up to RM 1,500, and Flood Relief allowance up to RM 1,500. Terms and conditions applicable.

Those who test-drive the new Almera Turbo at any Nissan showroom nationwide  stand a chance to win an Apple iPhone SE worth RM2,199. And for those who buy one, there are also prizes worth up to RM88,888 to be won in the ‘
Buy & Win
’ Contest. They must register their new car before the end of 2020 to qualify for the contest.

For more information or to locate a showroom, visit
www.almeraturbo.com.my
 or call the Nissan Customer Care Centre hotline at
1800-88-3838
.

Click here to view a Nissan Almera Turbo brochure

First Look at the all-new Nissan Almera Turbo (N18), with brief driving impressions


ID.4 – first all-electric SUV from Volkswagen

Volkswagen’s ID. family, which consists of only all-electric models, releases its second which is a SUV. The first of the ID. models was the
ID.3
, a hatchback launched in 2019, and this new model is designated ID.4. There are known to be at least 7 models in total, with the others currently planned to go into production within the next 3 years.

“As the first global electric car, this model will roll out our modular electric drive matrix platform that has been developed specifically for electric mobility the world over. Volkswagen is thus once again demonstrating its leading role in innovation, technology and quality on the high-volume market,” said Ralf Brandstatter, CEO for the Volkswagen brand.

The ID.4 is Volkswagen’s first fully electrically-driven SUV and has dimensions which put it within the compact SUV class. This is now a highly competitive segment, especially in Europe where SUVs were once disliked as they were considered to be not environment-friendly due to their higher consumption.

No environmental issues

The ID.4, of course, has no such issue and is a zero emissions vehicle with the space and comfort that any buyer will appreciate. Its 77 kWh battery pack powers a 150 kW (equivalent to 204 ps) electric motor that gives a claimed 0 to 100 km/h time of 8.5 seconds and a top speed of 160 km/h.

The battery pack is installed below the passenger compartment for a low centre of gravity, while the electric drive motor is positioned at the rear axle, which also helps with grip. In the event that the driver wants to wander off the highway, there’s 21 cm of ground clearance with 21-inch wheels.

We Charge anywhere

Volkswagen is launching on the European market a complete package for convenient, connected and sustainable charging of electric cars under the name ‘We Charge’. This provides recharging at home, around town or on a long journey. The ID.4 can be recharged within 30 minutes with at a DC (direct current) quick-charging station to provide a claimed 320 kms of range. On a full battery pack, the range is claimed to be up to 520 kms.

Sleek exterior

The ID.4’s exterior has a clear, flowing design inspired by nature. Aerodynamic efficiency has been tuned to a low 0.28 Cd, which will reduce the wind resistance that needs to be overcome by the electric motor.

The front and rear lighting units use LEDs (partial at the front) and for the most expensive ID.4 version, there are interactive IQ.Light LED matrix headlights. These feature swivelling lens modules and generate an intelligently controlled main beam for optimised spread. At the rear are new 3D LED taillight clusters with a homogeneous appearance that fully illuminates in an intensive red.

MEB for more space

The 4.58-metre long ID.4 sits on Volkswagen’s modular electric drive matrix (MEB) architecture. It divides the space for occupants and technology in a completely new way in favour of passengers. The space available in the cabin is said to be comparable to conventional SUVs in the next category up. Depending on the rear seat backrest’s position, the luggage compartment can have a volume from 543 to 1,575 litres.

The operating concept on the dashboard of this E-SUV, as Volkswagen refers to it, does not depend on physical buttons and switches. There are two displays, one of which diagonally measures up to 12 inches and features touch functionality, as well as a ‘Hello ID’ natural voice control assistant. The new ID.Light – a narrow light strip under the windscreen – intuitively supports drivers.

An augmented reality (AR) head-up display is optionally available to blend a host of displays with reality. Navigation arrows telling drivers to turn off are projected onto the road surface in exactly the right lane. IQ.Drive assist systems help the driver to enjoy safer and more relaxed motoring, while software is part of a completely new architecture and updates can be downloaded ‘over the air’.

Plans for global sale

The ID.4 will be gradually turned into a global model; Volkswagen has plans to produce and sell the E-SUV not only in Europe but also in China and later, in the USA.

Will we see it in Malaysia? Probably not so soon as there are a number of issues which would prevent it from being sold in sufficient numbers. It would be a CBU model and that would push its price up – and it would already be high as it has brand new technology. Malaysians are still not entirely sold on fully electric cars and the recharging network is also limited. While neighbouring countries’ governments are starting to promote EVs, our government is only ‘talking’ about being a hub for ‘energy efficient vehicles’ in the region, but is not doing much to make it attractive for manufacturers to set up here.

2020 Volkswagen ID.3 makes global debut


Behind The Curved Wings Of The Boeing 787 Dreamliner

One of the Boeing 787’s most appealing features to its operators is its extremely expandable operational range.

The Dreamliner’s range varies slightly across its three models. The figures, according to Boeing, are as follows:

787-8 – 7,305 NM (13,530 km)
787-9 – 7,530 NM (13,950 km) (Dreamliner)
787-10 – 6,345 NM (11,750 km)

These figures are the product of significant research and development by the American manufacturer, which resulted in an array of fuel-saving features. One of these fuel-saving features is the aircraft’s eye-catching, and arguably beautiful – curving wing shape.

Wing flex is an obvious feature on the Boeing 787 due to its curving wings. While so much vertical wing movement may appear strange or even frightening, there is a solid explanation for this.

According to Boeing, it optimises the shape (or ‘camber’) of the wing automatically to save the most fuel. During the cruise, the wing trailing edge automatically adjusts upward and downward to continually optimise the camber for maximum efficiency.

The system also reduces the effects of turbulence, which could otherwise disrupt passengers. The 787’s performance is optimised not just by the wings’ shape but also by the materials used to make them. To that goal, Boeing claims that the use of composite materials in the wing structure allows the 787 wings to have a higher aspect ratio than previous aircrafts.

As a result of these diverse features, Dreamliner’s operators have something of a perfect combo. It can fly faster than its predecessors while using less fuel due to its wide range of technology.

Due to the swept-back form of the Boeing 787’s curving wings, the aircraft has what is known as ‘raked wingtips.’ This also serves as an alternative to winglets. Once again, this feature leads to increased fuel efficiency and, as a result, increased operational range. This is due to the following decrease in aerodynamic drag induced by vortices formed as the wingtips cut through the air.

As manufacturers strive for optimal fuel efficiency, the future of wing design appears likely to continue in an innovative manner.

So there you have it. Now you know that the curved wings are not just for show! Look at it as a symbol of human achievement and the limitless possibilities of technology.


2019 Mazda6 wins top safety pick award

The 2019 Mazda6 has been announced as the recipient of the Top Safety Pick Award earlier today, presented by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the United States. The honours were given to the Mazda6 not only for its top safety ratings but also a list of passive and active safety features from their latest Advanced Smart City Brake Support with Pedestrian Detection to the design of the headlights.

To even qualify for the IIHS Top Safety Pick Award 2019, the vehicle must have good ratings from all sides of the vehicles as well as superior ratings for front crash prevention and good headlights rating. The 2019 Mazda6 have done so by receiving good ratings in all six IIHS crash-worthiness evaluations.

The 2019 Mazda6 i-Activsense safety features are now standard on every Mazda6 sold. These features include Advanced Smart City Brake Support with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning with Lane-Keep Assist, Smart Brake Support and Mazda Radar Cruise Control with stop and go function.

According to Mazda President Jeff Guyton, President of Mazda North American Operations, “Mazda designs its vehicles with the driver in mind. Taking an active approach to safety gives the driver more peace of mind, which makes driving more fun. Confident driving is better driving, and the updates to the 2019 Mazda6 show Mazda’s commitment to providing our customers with advanced safety technologies.”

This achievement has now placed the Mazda6 alongside the latest Mazda3, CX-3, CX-9, and CX-5 as the winners of the Top Safety Pick awards held annually by IIHS. Top of the props to ya, Mazda!

Mazda Celebrates 30-Years Of The Iconic MX-5 With Special Edition, Malaysia To Get All-New CX-8 Soon!