2021 Nissan Magnite

The Indian auto industry produces about 3.5 million to 4 million passenger vehicles (4-wheelers) a year, of which around 20% is exported. The number looks set to increase to 40% with the ‘Make in India, make for the world’ agenda that is a key element in the country’s Automotive Mission Plan 2026.

As always, global automakers will look for regions where they can make their products at low cost and export from there. India has much potential with its mature industry and over the years, some automakers have steadily increased their use of the country as a production hub.

Nissan will also use India as a production hub for its all-new Nissan Magnite SUV, launched recently, that is aimed at the Indian, Middle East and African markets. Designed in Japan, the Magnite is Nissan’s first SUV in the sub-4-metre Indian market category and one of the 12 new models the automaker will introduce before the end of 2021.

Datsun styling elements

The Magnite’s exterior follows the same styling ideas as found in Nissan’s recent SUVs. The grille, however, does not follow the ‘V-motion’ front design signature on many of today’s Nissan products. It adopts the design that was used by the short-lived Datsun brand and the reason is probably because this model was originally developed for sales as a Datsun.

As Nissan decided to terminate the brand (again) last year, the time may have been too short to redesign the front end, so it has remained. This could make the facelift a rather radical change if there is a move to unify the Magnite with the rest of the Nissan family by changing to the V-motion grille. For now, the Magnite has the new brand logo.

The slim front lights are LEDs, with L-shaped daytime running lights that sit at the lower section of the headlamp housings. Skid plates under the front and rear provide protection to the underbody while 205 mm of ground clearance will enable to Magnite to traverse flooded roads and rough tracks.

Compact outside, spacious inside

On the inside, the cabin appears pretty spacious in spite of the compact exterior dimensions. Typical of SUVs, there is a high seating position and maximum use has been made of the available width to provide as much shoulder space as possible between the occupants. Nissan says that rear passengers will enjoy a level of knee room usually found in vehicles one class above.

The dashboard design has some interesting new ideas, with a slightly ‘advanced’ look. The infotainment system has an 8-inch display and is equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It is also the first-in-class with a 7-inch TFT (thin-film-transistor) display for the instrument screen to provide clearer and sharper images.

Nissan has also made sure that the driver gets assistance for motoring safety. The Magnite comes with safety features such as Hill Start Assist and a 360-degree monitor, along with stability control, ABS, EBD, etc. ISOFIX mounts are also provided for parents to install compatible childseats at the back.

1-litre turbo engine

For the Indian market, Nissan is providing a 1.0-litre turbocharged engine in two outputs, paired with a manual gearbox or CVT. This is the
HR10DET
 which is found in the
latest Almera for the Malaysian market
. Given the size of the Magnite, it should provide more than enough power for spirited performance.

The prices are not available yet as the model will only go on sale in early 2021. But it will have to be attractive in a segment that is already crowded with models like the Ford Ecosport, Toyota Urban Cruiser, Kia Sonet, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV and Hyundai Venue.

Whether it comes to Malaysia remains to be seen although pitching a compact model like this means going against the two Malaysian brands and that makes pricing very challenging. Edaran Tan Chong Motor would probably prefer to focus on pushing its new Almera Turbo as its entry-level offering. Anyway, whatever Malaysia gets usually follows the Thai market and if you don’t see the Magnite there, chances are we won’t get it either.

FEATURE: A closer look at the Nissan Almera Turbo engine


Takata airbag module recall – 2,784 units of Honda CR-V and Accord also affected

The Takata airbag matter may have quietened down after many years of frantic efforts by many car companies to get owners of affected vehicles to have the dangerously flawed airbag inflator replaced. Nevertheless, with millions of vehicles affected – the largest ever recall exercise in history – there are still vehicles out there which have not had the crucial replacement done.

Honda Malaysia was among the companies which was very pro-active and should be commended for its strong commitment and efforts. And it has not stopped trying to make sure that every single affected vehicle has its airbag inflator replaced. Of course, a 100% score is probably impossible but it should be close to that achievement.

The company now has identified another 2,784 units of Honda vehicles which also need to be recalled as a preventive measure to carry out the replacement of the driver’s side airbag inflator. These vehicles are the 1999 model year Accord and 2000 model year CR-V. All currently sold models are not affected.

1999 Honda Accord

Warranty ended but replacement free

Yes, they are pretty old models, which goes to show how far back the problem went. Fortunately, the manufacturers have not dismissed the matter as being something ’beyond the warranty period’ and have taken the necessary action even over 20 years after the vehicle was sold. This is, after all, literally a matter of life and death.

In case you have forgotten what the fatal flaw was, it was related to the inflator module for the airbag system. In certain cases where inflation was triggered, the internal pressure – already very high – would become critically high and break the module. This would send sharp metal pieces shooting at the driver or front passenger, some cases causing serious injuries that led to death.

So it’s a very, very serious problem that needed to be fixed. While there were incidents, some fatal, all over the world, Honda Malaysia says that it has no report in Malaysia of any incidence or injury caused by the Takata driver front airbag for these two particular models.

2000 Honda CR-V

As before, the owners of the affected will be informed via notification letters. They will be asked to contact any authorized Honda dealer to make an appointment to make the replacement (subject to parts availability).

Current owners may not be known

However, one problem that could be faced is whether the current owners of the vehicles get the recall letters. As the vehicles are already 20 years old, ownership is likely to have changed and Honda Malaysia may not have the contact details of the current owner. And the original owner who receives the letter may also not know who has the vehicle now, so the latter can’t be forwarded.

Honda Malaysia hopes that members of the public who have relatives or friends owning these two models can help to make them aware so they can contact Honda Malaysia for assistance in getting the replacement inflator module. All parts and labour related to this recall will be borne by the company.

Owners of who are unsure if their vehicle is affected can obtain information by calling Honda Toll Free number at 1-800-88-2020 or visit the
Honda Malaysia Product Recall page
 to check their vehicle status.

Honda Malaysia also wishes to remind the public that there are Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) introduced during the Movement Control Order (MCO) which are still in force nationwide. To protect the well-being of customers and Honda personnel, the company requests customers to make an appointment in advance  and adhere to the SOPs when they are at the service centre.

Recalled vehicles being recalled again.
Click here to read more
.


Proton’s export offensive underway with updated models launched in Brunei

With domestic market sales on the upswing, Proton is now giving attention to exports, which will be crucial for its future. Its products have been well accepted in neighbouring countries and can be exported duty-free under the provision of the AFTA agreement.

Following the launch of the Proton X70 in July last year, Pad Motors Sdn Bhd, the distributor for Proton in Brunei has received its first shipment of the updated Iriz, Saga and Persona models. Brunei is the first market outside Malaysia to begin selling these models and the distributor will be introducing them more actively with a roadshow starting on January 28.

Focus on growing export volume

After a successful 2019 saw the total sales volume grow by 55.7% – which Proton expects will place it in second overall position – the Malaysian carmaker is now looking to improve its performance in 2020 in export volumes.

“The export market will play an increasingly important role in growing Proton’s annual sales. When we updated the Proton Iriz, Persona, Exora and Saga last year, we did so while taking in to account the needs of markets outside of Malaysia and today, three of those cars are now available in Brunei. It’s a good start to 2020 but as the year progresses, we will be looking to export our cars to more countries,” said Dr. Li Chunrong, Proton’s CEO.

The Middle East is one of the regions where Proton is already exporting to.

Aiming for No.3 in ASEAN

Dr. Li added that Proton’s long-term intention is to be the best-selling brand in Malaysia and Number 3 in ASEAN by 2027. In order to meet the ASEAN target, export volumes will need to be boosted in coming years.

Aside from its updated models, Proton will also be looking to grow sales of the X70. With 2020 versions already leaving the production line at the Tanjung Malim (which has a new RM1.2 billion extension), the carmaker now has the option of expanding the footprint for its SUV which recently won the
18
th
 Malaysia Cars of the Year overall award
.

With an additional investment of RM1.2 billion for an extension at the Tg. Malim factory in Perak, Proton can now plan for bigger export volumes in coming years.

“Exporting the Proton X70 will be critical for Proton’s future sales growth, especially in neighbouring ASEAN countries. It will spearhead the introduction of the next generation of Proton models currently being jointly developed with Geely and will lay the groundwork for the brand with customers in these markets,” added Dr Li Chunrong.

Visit
www.proton.com.my
 to know more about the X70 and other models in the Proton range.

Introduction of new brand logo marks start of Proton’s next chapter


Toyota vehicle assembly in Malaysia resumes, starting with Vios and Yaris models

Virtually all industries and businesses in Malaysia suspended operations on May 18 as the Movement Control Order (MCO) started, a measure to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.With the situation improving, the government is allowing resumption of operations of most industries.

Assembly Services Sdn Bhd (ASSB), UMW Toyota Motor’s subsidiary involved in manufacturing Toyota vehicles, is among those that has resumed its assembly operations. It has two assembly plants in Selangor and the newer one at the Bukit Raja Industrial Park commences today. This plant assembles the popular Vios and Yaris models and has been in operation since January 2019. The second plant in Shah Alam, among the oldest in Malaysia, will commence operations on June 9, 2020.

The ASSB plant in Bukit Raja, Selangor which assembles the Yaris and Vios models.

“We are grateful to the Selangor State Government for its decision to implement the CMCO with customised details and understand that it is in the best interest of the state and people,” said Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor. “With the resumption of operations, we hope to help in boosting the economy and add momentum to the automotive industry and business moving forward.”

As with all companies allowed to resume their operations at full capacity, there are strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which must be followed. ASSB will fully adhere to these SOPs for the protection and health of the approximately 2,000 employees working at its facilities.

The SOPs include establishing distances of 1 metre or more between workers; regular temperature checks; provision and use of hand sanitizers and face masks; and sanitization of various areas around the plant three times daily. Where necessary, working hours and work flows are adjusted to create a safe environment.

“Toyota Motor Corporation is also very serious about providing safe and healthy conditions for all employees. As a member of the global Toyota family, ASSB can therefore draw on healthcare advice and best practices from TMC regarding additional measures that can be taken here in Selangor,” added Akio Takeyama, Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota Motor.

War on COVID-19: Toyota Boshoku UMW makes PPE for frontliners


Aston Martin Introduces The DB12: Call It The World’s First Super Tourer

Aston Martin has unveiled the new DB12. This new generation of the storied
DB
 bloodline defines its own unique category by bringing about a fundamental shift in sports character and dynamic potential. The DB12 combines a thrilling driving experience with great refinement, cutting-edge technology, and elegant luxury. Aston Martin says this is the first Super Tourer in the world as being grand is insufficient.

Aston Martin will commemorate two major anniversaries in 2023 with the introduction of the DB12: its momentous 110th birthday and the legendary DB model line’s 75th anniversary.

Exterior

The exterior of the DB12 has a strong, aggressive representation of power and potency. It commands attention. It is presented with the flair for which Aston Martin is known, blending 75 years of DB heritage with segment-defining proportions worthy of the world’s first super tourer.

The all-new front end has a wider, reshaped radiator aperture and a reshaped splitter, and it has a track increase of 6mm up front and 22m rear. New Light Emitting Diode (LED) headlamps with a distinctive new Daytime Running Lamp (DRL) signature and elaborate surface accents.

The latest iteration of the classic Aston Martin wings badge sits on the nose. The DB12 is the first sports car to receive the new wings, symbolising the beginning of an exciting new era. Smaller, frameless wing mirrors complement the new look while also boosting the car’s aerodynamic profile. To aid entry, presenting door handles welcome occupants into the new cabin.

The DB12 comes standard with 21-inch forged alloy wheels, 9.5J front and 10.5J rear. There are three different designs to choose from: regular, classic, and modern. Optional five-spoke wheels Multi-Spoke and Y-Spoke are available in a variety of colours and finishes: Y-Spoke in Satin Bronze, Satin Black, and Satin Black Diamond Turned; Five-Spoke in Gloss Silver; Multi-Spoke in Satin Platinum, Satin Black, and Satin Black Diamond Turned.

Interior

The cabin features Aston Martin’s next-generation custom infotainment system and a formidable package of connected technology, as well as a Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system.

The design character is centred on the driver, blending daily technologies with luxury craftsmanship and materials. Occupants sit below the shoulder line, with a high centre console that allows full contact with the cockpit and its combination of modern display panels and interactive analogue switches. Driver-centric controls are ergonomically located along the interior centerline, guaranteeing optimum driver engagement, while cabin ornamentation and distinctive trim features soften the bold, horizontal lines.

This cosseting haven, swathed in scented, hand-stitched Bridge of Weir hides, reflects true Super Tourer principles; soothing comfort to excel at all-day, long-distance excursions, while yet providing the support and connection needed to give maximum driving enjoyment. DB12 introduces new quilts with distinctive detailing and personality. The new quilting pattern is used in high-end full leather or Alcantara interior environments.

The debut of Aston Martin’s next-generation infotainment system represents a significant DB12 milestone. It is Aston Martin’s first in-house system, conceived and built entirely by the company.

The new system is a fully integrated multi-screen system that supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and is presented on 10.25-inch Pure Black, 1970×720 high-resolution panels, and according to Aston Martin, it has an ultra-responsive capacitive touch control (30ms reaction time).

The DB12 retains buttons for critical mechanical tasks such as gear selection, drive selection, heating and ventilation, providing the ideal balance of digital and analogue controls. There are additional override switches for the chassis, ESP, and exhaust, as well as Lane Assist and Park Distance Control, ensuring that the most frequently used functions are always easily accessible. In our books, having physical buttons is a big yes.

The DB12’s new infotainment system is built around online connectivity and an all-new companion Aston Martin App. DB12 owners will be able to communicate, connect, and engage with their vehicle, which is a first for the brand.

The DB12, the Aston Martin App, and Aston Martin’s secure data servers form the foundation of this all-new connected automobile ecosystem. These three aspects are linked by the implanted e-SIM in the DB12, which is given and sponsored by Aston Martin, to internationally roaming 4G LTE / GSM cellular networks.

The app also provides a selection of connected car subscription packages that are free for the first three years and are designed to enhance the Aston Martin ownership experience. There are three subscription options for connected cars:

Convenience
Vehicle Management
Vehicle Services

When a customer’s new DB12 warranty is activated, these are activated for free. The subscription is attached to the car for the first three years as an added advantage to future owners, even if the DB12 is repurchased through Aston Martin’s Timeless authorised pre-owned selling programme.

An Advantage subscription, which is optional, provides further personalization, interactivity, and functional benefits. Advantage, which began with a Stolen Vehicle Tracker, now allows DB12 owners to build a portfolio of extra features and subscription services to expand and enrich their ownership experience.

Powertrain and Performance

In typical DB form, a 4.0 Twin-Turbo V8 engine, powers the new Aston Martin. It delivers 671bhp at 6000rpm and 800Nm between 2750-6000rpm; an increase of 34% compared with the outgoing DB11. It does 0-97km/h in 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of 325km/h. Perfect for a James Bond car-chase scene!

According to Aston Martin, the handling and dynamics make this the sharpest DB ever. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox and, for the first time on an Aston Martin DB vehicle, an Electronic Rear Differential (E-Diff). This differential is related to the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system of the vehicle. Unlike a traditional Limited Slip Differential, it may go from fully open to fully locked in milliseconds, providing the driver with maximum reaction for more precise and consistent driving.

The DB12 has a revised (3.083:1) Final Drive Ratio, as well as a unique transmission shift calibration. The bonded aluminium structure of the DB12 has gained 7% more global torsional stiffness as a result of improvements to a variety of underbody components, including the engine cross brace, front and rear undertray, front cross member, and rear bulkhead. The combined consequence is a targeted increase in torsional rigidity and lateral stiffness, particularly between the front and back strut towers, providing a stronger and more stable attachment point for the dampers and rear axle.

Careful damper calibration allows for the gradual introduction of more response and tighter body control as you scroll through the dynamic modes, with suspension bushing adjustment giving exceptional refinement and isolation. When combined with the E-Diff and ESC system, this results in luxurious ride quality for sublime yet agile cruising in GT mode, while Sport and Sport+ modes increase responsiveness and tighten body control, shrinking the car around the driver and making it truly come alive on challenging roads like never before.

For greater thermal capacity, the DB12 comes equipped with cast-iron 400mm front discs and 360mm rear discs with grooved and drilled faces. The brake booster has also been retuned to improve the pedal feel, giving the driver more confidence thanks to a solid pedal that provides an immediate sense of stopping power while still providing a progressive reaction.

The new Michelin Pilot Sport 5s tyres – 275/35 R21 103Y front and 315/30 R21 108Y rear – are being used for the first time by Aston Martin.

This is no ordinary GT. The DB12 is the world’s first Super Tourer and initial deliveries are slated to commence in Q3 2023. Malaysian sales are expected to start soon after.


MID-WEEK FEATURE: Porsche 911 Carrera T – It’s The Only Porsche You’ll Ever Need, But Can’t Have!

It’s been around looking largely the same for 50 years. Yes,
fifty
! Five zero. I guess when something is made right the first time out, there’s little need to improve on perfection is there? Even changing the shape of the headlights for the 996 line brought on the wrath of Porsche purists everywhere, some of whom were prepared to go to war with Porsche AG I’m sure. Ask anyone what’s the epitome of a true driver’s car and 9 times out of 10, the
‘nine eleven’
 would be the answer.

It’s every boy-racers dream, it’s been hanging on bedroom walls in poster form for as long as bedroom walls have been around, and it’s likely to be the stuff of dreams to many, for many, many more years to come… and before we get into the nitty-gritty, have a look at our first video introduction to the
Porsche 911 Carrera T
. Exiting the lobby of the
Andaz Hotel
 in Singapore recently, there she was…

Lovely isn’t it?
 Thus the saddest five words I’ve heard recently after having sampled the delectable new
Porsche 911 Carrera T
 in Singapore were
“it’s not coming to Malaysia”
… Yes folks, what you see here will likely only remain here in the digital world for the immediate future because
Sime Darby Auto Performance
, the official importers of this iconic brand in Malaysia, has no plans to bring the 911 Carrera T into the country. However, if for some reason you feel the desperate need to have one (who wouldn’t) you could head over to the Porsche Centres in Glenmarie, Sg.Besi and Penang to inquire; something tells me they could bring one in for you.

Built to celebrate 70 Years of the Porsche brand and 50 years of the iconic 911 itself, the Carrera T – the ‘T’ stands for
Touring
 – is holding steadfast to the
‘Race on Sunday, drive to work on Monday’
 credo that’s been the hallmark of the 911 lineage for as long as I can remember. Indeed while its performance figures of
370bhp
 and
450Nm
 are not to be trifled with, it’s the way in which the twin-turbocharged
‘flat-six’
 engine puts the power down on asphalt through the rear wheels via its 7-speed PDK gearbox, that will bring a grin so wide to anyone who drives this car; a grin so massive that only plastic surgery will be able to remove it. Wanna grin even
wider?
 Get the 7-speed MANUAL transmission Carrera T. Yes, there is one…
three
 pedals yo.

Boasting a top-speed of
291km/h
 and a century sprint time of
4.2 sec
, the Carrera T may be a heritage model, but it is by no means a slouch, and as with every 911, there’s no shortage of
active
 safety systems to keep you on the intended path, despite whatever nefarious intentions you may have. A host of
passive
 safety systems are also at hand to prevent you from becoming a crimson stain on the road. For the full specifications list, click to download this:
Porsche 911 Carrera T Specs & Features

Singapore is a curious choice for any carmaker to have a test drive in, what more a Porsche 911. I’ll be honest, my first reaction upon getting this invite and finding out it was taking place in S’pore was somewhere along the lines of
“Seriously??”
 It’s a known fact that supercar owners in Singapore – and there are many of them – often jump the border over to Malaysia if they want to stretch their cars’ legs a bit, the Sepang Circuit being a fave haunt of theirs, but here we were, doing the exact
opposite
. Let’s put it this way, from a standstill, the 911 Carrera T will get you a speeding ticket in 4 seconds….

Well, thankfully the organisers must have also realised this, because they managed to find a few deserted places (I saw lots of shipping containers go by in a kaleidoscope-ish blur) on which we were able to ‘let loose’ a few of those 370 horses and 450Nm’s of torques, which by the way is available from as low as 1,700rpm. As I mentioned earlier, the Carrera T is quite possibly the most ‘liveable’ 911 to come along in a while. I reckon of all the 911 models available, insofar as a 911 being used as a daily-runner is concerned, the Carrera T is definitely it.

In normal driving conditions like in the video above, it will even return a respectable combined fuel-consumption of 8.5L per 100km, as you cruise along sedately in normal mode, with the ‘enhanced’ exhaust sound turned off. Make no mistake though, once the traffic clears and you find yourself in an area full of shipping containers like we did, just plant your right foot, hold on and watch the unholy transformation unfold before your eyes.

Any gear, any speed, any driving mode
, Normal, Sport, Sport+, it doesn’t matter, just hit the accelerator pedal the Carrera T goes from docile to
delinquent
 in a shorter time than it took you to read the last six words of this sentence. This is not an exaggeration, there is zero lag in this car. But as aforementioned, it’s the
way
 the Carrera T puts this power down that really impresses. Sure-footed doesn’t even begin to describe it, as the Carrera T seems to relish whatever you can possibly throw at it. It’s actually quite amazing just how far you can push this car before the active driver assist systems kick in. While the ‘T’ does indeed stand for
Touring
, never forget it could also stand for
turbo
, two of them in fact…

Here’s my final-say, wrap-up and 360 walk-about of the Porsche 911 Carrera T, hope you enjoyed this journey as much as I did filming and driving this amazing car! –
Chris Wee.

Porsche 911 Carrera T Photo Gallery…

This is a video of me at the wheel of the Carrera T in Singapore, unfortunately there’s no audio whatsoever. – CW.


Global debut of all-new Toyota Land Cruiser 300-series

SUVs are the most active and growing segment in the market these days but most of the focus has been on the medium and compact segment although new larger models have also been drawing new customers.

What of the older models… the original SUVs? Their evolution slowed down but there has still been demand due to their proven reputation for toughness and reliability. The Land Cruiser is one of them and over the 70 years it has been around, approximately 10.4 million units have been sold in 170 countries and regions all over the world.

First generation of the Land Cruiser went on sale in 1951.

In this 70th anniversary year of the model, Toyota has completely redesigned it by merging technologies accumulated over many years with the latest technologies. The redesigned SUV is designated the 300 Series, replacing the 200 Series that has been in production since 2007. First shipments will start from next month.

It sits on the new lighter GA-F platform based on TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) while keeping the chassis frame structure. The vehicle size is the same as the previous model but there is a kerb weight reduction across the range of more than 100 kgs.

New twin-turbo engines

Newly developed powertrains include a V6 twin-turbo engine (3.5-litres petrol, 3.3-litres diesel). The turbodiesel has V8-beating performance and flexibility, lifting power output by 13.5% (to 309 ps)and torque by 7.7% (to 700 Nm). The petrol engine has an output of 415 ps/650 Nm. Some markets may a non-turbo V6 petrol engine.

A Multi Terrain Select 4×4 system automatically judges the road surface and selects the best driving mode. The twin-turbo engines will have a Direct Shift 10-speed automatic transmission but the non-turbo V6 engine will have a 6-speed automatic transmission.

The suspension layout is essentially the same as before but with Improvements that increase wheel articulation. A world first is the new electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (e-KDSS) that increases off-capability with a larger suspension stroke achieved by effectively disabling the front and rear stabiliser bars.

Toyota Safety Sense

Like all the latest Toyota models, the new Land Cruiser has the Toyota Safety Sense active safety package. The latest version is installed with additional advanced functions. Two functions have been added to the pre-collision system that helps avoid a collision or reduce damage by detecting pedestrians (daytime and nighttime) and cyclists (daytime).

The first is a function that detects oncoming vehicles at intersections and oncoming pedestrians crossing the street when the vehicle is turning in either direction. The second is an emergency steering and crash avoidance function, which assists with steering and lane-keeping and is triggered when the driver performs a steering manoeuvre to avoid a collision.

There is also a new Parking Support Brake which helps prevent accidents by recognizing obstacles in front and back of the vehicle in a parking lot, approaching vehicles when the vehicle is backing, and pedestrians.

Also helping drivers over rough ground is the Multi-Terrain Monitor (shown below) that displays obstacles as viewed from the driver’s viewpoint. It is available when driving at low speeds and enables the driver to check the vehicle surroundings while moving along.

Coming to Malaysia?

The Land Cruiser was the first Toyota model sold in Malaysia, although some may argue that in 1957 when it was delivered to a customer in Tawau, the state of Sabah was not yet part of Malaysia. It impressed with its toughness and reliability and the Land Cruiser, like the Hilux, became synonymous with 4×4 vehicles in East Malaysia.

The Land Cruiser was first assembled locally in Sarawak in the 1970s. Later on, in the 1980s when UMW Toyota Motor took over the franchise, it transferred assembly to ASSB in Shah Alam, Selangor. The Land Cruiser was a popular 4×4 model but as it evolved, it gained more advanced technological features and became more expensive, just like the Mitsubishi Pajero, another popular large 4×4 SUV.

Land Cruiser Prado was the last generation of the SUV model assembled in Malaysia. Its role in the market was taken over from 2005 by the Fortuner, a product of the IMV program.

The Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s impacted sales of large 4x4s, especially with increased taxes and after the Land Cruiser Prado, local assembly ended. Though SUVs became increasingly popular, the trend was with the smaller models and with its big engines, the Land Cruiser remained popular in markets like America and the Middle East. However, the IMV (Innovative International Multi-purpose Vehicle) program gave birth to the Fortuner which took over the role of the Land Cruiser in many markets, including Malaysia.

As UMW Toyota Motor is bringing in more CBU models from Japan these days, perhaps they might consider importing the new Land Cruiser as well (otherwise the grey importers will). After all, they do offer the Lexus LX, which is adapted from the Land Cruiser.

Sales of Toyota Land Cruiser cross 10 million mark


50 years of ‘CSI’ work to make cars safer

No matter how many crash tests are done and how many thousands of hours of simulations are done on computers, motor vehicle accidents can still be unique due to many variable factors. While the engineers may design the vehicle to cope with various accident conditions and protect the occupants, but there will be times when a situation is so unique that the effects are severe.

This is where Volvo’s in-house ‘detectives’ come in; officially known as the Volvo Car Accident Research Team, they investigate actual accidents to obtain information and data so that Volvo can improve the safety of its cars.

Full-time work on investigations

While some other carmakers may have similar investigators or take an interest in some accident cases, Volvo Cars has had its team for the past 50 years as a full-time department, and all round the clock too.

“The Accident Research Team’s hard work and research allows Volvo Cars to make sure that a tragic traffic accident can lead to something good: ever safer cars,” said Malin Ekholm, Head of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre. “By closely analysing what has happened during each phase of an accident, the team provides crucial information on what can be improved on our cars.”

The team has been in operation since 1970 and whenever an accident involving a Volvo car occurs around Gothenburg, Volvo’s home city in Sweden, they quickly get to the scene when notified. As soon as they arrive, they start an investigation and document the sequence of events in as much detail as possible.

Understanding an accident

That means asking questions like how forceful the impact was; how quickly did the active safety systems intervene; how were the passengers; and so on. Other questions may determine weather conditions and  even the condition of the road markings and signs. The team requests publicly accessible police reports, contacts the driver and examines the car when possible.

The data is brought back to the office where work continues. The team also tries to understand how the driver experienced the accident, a process that involves the Volvo Cars Safety Centre’s behavioural scientists.

Volvo Cars Safety Centre

Finally, the team will ask the people involved in the accident to share their medical records, which allows them to take note of any injuries sustained. These are analysed by biomechanics experts, in cooperation with physicists, to understand the exact causes of the injury.

Data is analysed and shared

All the data and knowledge collected is coded and ‘depersonalised’, becoming objective information for analysis and future reference. Conclusions from this research are shared with Volvo’s product development teams, who use it to develop and implement new technologies in upcoming cars. The team also identifies things that can’t be solved today, but can be addressed as new technology develops.

Every year, the team investigates around 30-50 accidents in person, but accidents happen all over the world and the scene can be hard to reach. In those cases, and to the degree possible, the detectives work to map out accidents with the support of Volvo personnel and emergency services closer to the site.

“The Accident Research Team is far from the only source of research data for our safety experts, but it plays an important role for us to really understand the details,” adds Malin Ekholm. “Accidents do still happen, but nowadays the consequences are much milder and serious injuries are much rarer than they used to be.”

Soon, you will be able to go only up to 180 km/h in any Volvo


What to consider when buying a new car by Piston.my

Most car buyers prefer to opt for a new car purchase rather than a used one. There are various reasons why many make that choice, which include, warranty, reliability, availability of spare parts and of course, that new car smell.

However, there are certain things to consider when buying a new car and today, we will try to provide some tips to help you choose the right vehicle for your needs.

Tip 1: Identify your budget

Before attempting to step into any dealership, a car buyer needs to assess his or her budget to gauge how much he or she has to invest in a new vehicle. Once you have a clearer picture of how much you have to spend, then you should be able to make a shortlist of the vehicles that are within your reach.

Tip 2: Maintenance Costs

Many new car buyers make the mistake of assuming that monthly payments is all they need worry about when it comes to vehicle ownership. This isn’t true, you need to consider maintenance and running costs as well. Granted, many automakers do take care of most of your new vehicle’s maintenance requirements for a number of years. But eventually, when the warranty expires, you will be on your own.

Tip 3: Insurance and road tax

It’s an inescapable fact that all vehicle owners will need to renew their insurance and road tax annually. The costs depend on vehicle price and engine capacity. The more expensive a vehicle is, the higher the insurance costs. And the larger the engine displacement, the more you will need to pay for road tax, anything above 2.0-litres starts to become quite pricey.

Tip 4: Fuel Consumption

More powerful cars are fun to drive but that too comes at a cost. Larger engines or turbocharged ones, when pushed hard, tend to consume a lot of petrol. That means the more fun you have, the more often you will need to visit petrol stations. As such, the general rule of thumb is, get a vehicle with modest displacement and power if all you want is a general purpose one to lug the family around. In the long term, rising fuel prices will be less of an issue for you than those who opted for ones with more power.

Tip 5: Spare parts availability

Parts for cars that are currently on sale are easily accessible and are available in large numbers. However, over the course of a few years, accessibility to parts and quantities will dwindle depending on how popular a vehicle is. Spare parts facilities are more inclined to stock parts for vehicles that were sold in large numbers than those enjoyed by a select few.

Keep these tips in mind and you should have a good idea of what to expect when purchasing a new car and hopefully, will allow you to enjoy years of trouble-free motoring.


Review: 5 Reasons You Should Get The VW Tiguan Allspace R-Line

Nowadays, size matters.

Well, at least for customers who need All that Space not just for a comfortable drive but also able to flash that made in Germany pride while carrying your family of seven along.

However, it is no secret that one need to splash the cash to be able to afford a full-blown German-made SUV, a seven-seater nonetheless.

Mercedes, BMW, Audi, and Porsche will definitely burn a hole in your pocket (unless your pants are made out of kevlar that is) hence you have no choice but to turn to other options that might just get you there without having to sacrifice too much.

Meet, the All-New Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace R-Line (which we were given a chance to test out recently).

For those who seek that straight edge, high-tech, no-nonsense, proper, and made in Germany SUV that will cost you just RM200,000.

Here are five (5) things you need to know about one of the latest offerings by Volkswagen Malaysia.

1. Design

The overall look of the Tiguan Allspace R-Line is ravishing, especially those aggressive front bumpers and side skirts with a touch of black trims.

Those 19 inches sporty wheels just extend how good it looks on the road along with the unique design front and rear LED and Daytime Running Lights (DRL).

Compare to the standard Tiguan, the Allspace is 200mm longer and 100mm longer wheelbase which resulted in  230L of boot space that can be increased up to 1,775L with the 2nd and 3rd row folded.

2. Performance

Although a full-fledged 7-seater, the Allspace R-Line comes with a 2.0L turbocharged engine that generates 220hp and 350Nm of torque which is paired to a 7-speed transmission 4Motion All-Wheel Drive.

The gearbox also offers four driving modes to match your needs in.

3. Interior

It looks good on the outside but also makes you feel good on the inside.

Especially the 9.2″ full colour touch-screen that combines your entertainment systems, navigation, and connectivity.

The display also shows selected smartphone apps that can be easily access using MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay, or Android Auto.

The 2nd row is just filled with space with a lot of legroom that will assure a lot of comfort for every family members however, the 3rd row (as with other SUV’s) is a bit tight and cramped for adults.

4. Top-notch safety features

The Tiguan Allspace R-Line comes pack with the best safety features you can think of from Hill Descent Control, Automatic Post Collision Brake System (stops you from subsequent impact after involved in a crash), Drive Alert System, 6 Airbags, ISOFIX, Electronic Stability Control, and a Rearview Camera.

Even the seat grabs you in its place to make you feel as if you are driving in a safety net, especially for someone who is 1.75m and 88 kg, the seating ergonomics is on point.

5. The price

The Tiguan Allspace R-Line will only cost you
RM209,575
 and if you compare it to other carmakers that also reside in the Land of Ideas, the Allspace is much more value for money.

Not to mention, a cheaper option, the Tiguan Allspace Highline is price only at
RM165,000
.

The Allspace R-Line fulfills your every need not just as a family-friendly 7-seater SUV but also able to deliver 220hp when you need them.

Volkswagen Malaysia also offers 3-years free maintenance with 5-years unlimited mileage warranty and roadside assistance, hence you can enjoy the car without any worry, and I personally think the Tiguan Allspace R-Line is an excellent deal.


Oxford to ban non-electric vehicles from its streets by 2020

It looks like cities around the world are taking turns to drop bombshells in terms EV regulations, in the recent weeks. Now, Oxford has decided to jump in and propose its own heavy-handed regulatory policy, which effectively bans all non-electric vehicles from its roads by 2020.

As absurd as that may sound, it gets a whole lot worse because the ban doesn’t just encompass the sale of new cars, rather it involves all vehicles, including taxis, buses and HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicles) used to transport shipments and cargo into the city.

Skeptics believe that the rushed effort reflects the lack of consideration given by the city council to the current infrastructure. Based on an article by
Car Throttle
, it is estimated that Oxford is home to about 160,000 residents but the current EV infrastructure isn’t able to match their EV demands.

The city plans on investing in this area by creating 100 more charging outlets, which wouldn’t be able to do much good considering the influx of electric cars by 2020. That said, the ban will only be fully enforced by 2035. Oxford only plans to banish fossil fuel burning vehicles from its busy city streets in the next couple of years, the complete ban, will only take place 15 years later.

This news can serve as an indication of things to come in terms of environmental regulations. Governments around the world are beginning to realize that the use of electric vehicles will help reduce our carbon footprint, improve air quality and lessen the effects of global warming.

Source:
Car Throttle


Shinya Ikeda appointed new CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia

Shinya Ikeda has been appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM), taking over from Tomoyuki Shinnishi who returns to a new role at the Mitsubishi Corporation headquarters in Japan. Prior to this new role, Mr. Ikeda was General Manager in Mitsubishi Corporation’s automotive business field since 2019. He is, however, no stranger to Malaysia as he served as its Chief Financial Officer and General Manager of MMM between 2009 and 2012.

Mr. Ikeda  started his career in Japan in 1995 and joined Mitsubishi Corporation in 2008. His first assignment was to manage the automotive business investment in Malaysia. He has since held various leadership roles and has been involved in automotive and finance businesses within Mitsubishi Corporation and other markets such as Japan, Indonesia, Russia, and Germany.

With Mitsubishi Motors having a focus on the ASEAN region, Mr. Ikeda will be guiding MMM in growing the brand’s presence further in Malaysia.

“I am excited to join Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia’s team. The company has grown from strength to strength and has now become one of the nation’s leading automotive brands. As announced in the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation Mid-Term Business Plan last year, MMC will continue to focus on the ASEAN market and particularly Malaysia as the country is one of the most important markets in the world to expand the Mitsubishi brand presence. I look forward to working with the team to contribute with the knowledge and experience that I’ve had. I am also happy to be back in Malaysia as the country is home to various diversified food and culture and also people with enormous talent and potential,” said Mr. Ikeda.

Mr. Shinnishi, who joined MMM in 2016, has taken the company further during his 5-year tenure. In that time, the company introduced new models such as the new Triton and XPANDER 7-seater MPV, the latter being assembled locally in Pahang. Though its range is not large, MMM has the best-selling non-national MPV and the Mitsubishi Motors is also among the country’s top three non-national brands.

During Mr. Shinnishi’s tenure leading Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia, the company launched the new Triton (that’s him in the picture) which has been among the more popular pick-ups in the market. It also began local assembly of the XPANDER MPV (below) which is presently the bestselling non-national MPV.

To know more about Mitsubishi Motors products and services in Malaysia, visit
www.mitsubishi-motors.com.my
.

Mitsubishi Triton sales surge to historic high in Malaysia


Fuel Price Updates For October 10 – 16, 2020


BMW Malaysia launches new BMW 330i M Sport – RM288,800

The folks from BMW Malaysia has unveiled their latest addition into the locally assembled premium selection in the form of the new BMW 330i M Sport. Priced at RM288,800 (OTR without insurance), the new seventh-generation model is assembled at their facility located in Kulim, Kedah. Simply put, the new 330i is lighter, faster, and designed with better aerodynamics than ever before.

According to Harald Hoelzl, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia, “We introduced the seventh generation of the world’s best-selling premium sports sedan earlier this year, raising the bar yet again in its segment. While the fully imported variant has seen over 350 new owners in merely six months, the locally assembled BMW 330i M Sport introduced today is set to continue writing the success story of the ultimate sports sedan.”

“Beyond providing our customers a wider mix of products in addition to our offering of fully imported models, we are pleased to once again deliver on our promise to growing our investments in the country as Malaysia continues to grow as a hub for the BMW Group in South East Asia,” added Hoelzl.

Designed with athletic features and dynamic performance, the new BMW 330i M Sport offers high levels of driving dynamics which is iconic amongst BMW enthusiasts around the globe. Sporting features like 18-inch M light alloy wheels, blue callipers with the M logo, there’s no mistaking that this beauty is loaded with parts from the most powerful letter in the world.

The front end is now garnished with a larger kidney grille with adaptive headlights and Bi-LED technology. Moving towards the rear, the new BMW 330i M Sport comes with three-dimensional taillights with a set of huge 90mm tailpipes to further enhance its sporty appeal.

This bad boy is equipped with a 2.0-litre TwinPower Turbo petrol engine which produces 258hp and 400Nm of maximum torque from as low as 1,550rpm. Top speed comes in at 250km/h and hitting 100km/h from a standstill is achievable in only 5.8 seconds. All of this performance is handled using an updated eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission.

The new BMW 330i M Sport is now 25kg lighter (kerb weight 1,545kg) and has best-in-class aerodynamics with a drag coefficient rate of only 0.23. The M Sport suspension will highlight BMW’s first-ever lift-related dampers that exemplify an innovative damping system.

Its interior comes with features such as:

M Sport leather steering wheel with multifunction and shift paddles

Ambient interior lighting

Intelligent Personal Assistant and Digital Key

Park Assist and Reverse Assist

BMW Live Cockpit Professional

3-inch instrument cluster

25-inch touch sensitive Control Display

BMW Operating System 7.0

Interested in getting one? BMW Malaysia has priced the new BMW 330i M Sport at RM288,800 (OTR without insurance + BMW Group Malaysia’s latest 5 Years Unlimited Mileage Warranty, Free Scheduled Service Programme and BMW Tyre Warranty Programme). Colour options are Alpine White, Black Sapphire, and Mineral Grey.

Portimao Blue is coming in January 2020 while the Sunset Orange will be available from March 2020. Owners of the New BMW 330i M Sport will experience the complete BMW Group Malaysia Premium Ownership experience which includes:

BMW 5-Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty with Free Scheduled Service Programme

BMW 2-Year/ 24 Month Tyre Warranty Programme for its Run Flat Tyre offering and services

BMW Roadside Assistance and Accident Hotline

The BMW Group Loyalty+ Mobile App – BMW White Card

BMW Service Online

BMW Malaysia introduces BMW Elite M Card


First looks at new Hyundai MPV to be launched soon

The Hyundai Motor Group (which includes Kia Motors) continues its new model onslaught with yet another model being previewed. This one’s a high-end MPV called the Staria which will be offered in selected markets and likely to be launched during this quarter.

The name comes from a combination of ‘
star
’ and ‘
ria
’ which is ‘a long narrow area of water formed when a river valley floods’ and is said to refer to ‘the vehicle’s future-oriented product values and streamlined design characteristics defined by one curve gesture silhouettes as well as clean and pure body volume’.

Smaller than the Starex

Dimensions are not given yet but the Staria is not a large MPV like the Starex and is a smaller model. The exterior is certainly futuristic and Hyundai suggests it resembles a spaceship. The front is highlighted by a long, horizontal daytime running light and headlamps positioned underneath.

The spaceship vibe is echoed by its expansive panoramic windows and lower beltlines, underscoring the openness of the interior. The height of the cabin is also optimized for premium comfort and convenience, making it ideal for both business and family use.

“STARIA is Hyundai’s new MPV line-up that opens up a new mobility era,” said SangYup Lee, Senior Vice-President and Head of Global Hyundai Design. “STARIA will provide a completely new experience and value proposition for customers through its unprecedented design features.”

All-new Hyundai BAYON for European market unveiled


Caltex Kicks-Off 2019 With Strategic Partnership With Dato’ Hans Isaac

Chevron Malaysia Limited
, which markets the brand
Caltex
®, is ushering in 2019 with a strategic partnership with Malaysian celebrity,
Dato’ Hans Isaac
. The announcement was made in the presence of Chevron stakeholders and was met with enthusiastic response.

The strategic partnership is a natural one, given that Dato’ Hans Isaac represented Malaysia – and won – in
Celebrity Car Wars Season 3
, an award-winning automotive reality series which recently concluded its airing on History channel in November.  The show brought together six (6) celebrities across the region to test their skills, endurance, and smarts against each other.

Caltex® believes that just like the celebrities in Celebrity Car Wars who have pushed beyond their limits to complete the given obstacles in the show, the need to always provide high quality products for consumers is a top priority for the brand.
“Here at Caltex®, we are built on the foundation of three pillars: people, partnership and performance”
 said
Shahid Ahmed, Chevron Malaysia Country Chairman
.
“People means the people that we serve, our beloved consumers. Partnership, indicating the people we choose to partner with to deliver the ultimate performance, our third pillar. And we believe Dato’ Hans Isaac embodies these three pillars perfectly.”

Excited at the prospect of partnering up with Caltex®,
Dato’ Hans Isaac
 said,
“I’m a big fan of the automotive world, and have always been impressed with Caltex for taking one step further and its efforts to be the best in supporting its consumers to have a smooth, safe journey. I’m excited for this and can’t wait to be part of the concrete, high-performing ecosystem that strives for excellence.”

“This is a new chapter for Caltex®, and with Dato’ Hans Isaac on board, we are certain fans can look forward to an exciting 2019,”
 added Shahid. As Caltex’s celebrity partner, Dato’ Hans Isaac will collaborate closely with the Caltex brand on its 2019 fuels marketing initiatives.

For more information on Caltex® and its products, please visit
www.caltex.com/my
 or follow their official Facebook Page at
https://www.facebook.com/Caltex.Malaysia/

for the latest updates.


Mercedes-Benz battery pack production facility in Thailand begins operations

With increasing emphasis on electrification of vehicles in the industry, demand for battery packs has also been accelerating. It is crucial that higher volumes be achieved in order to get economies of scale and push production costs down. Different manufacturers have different strategies to address this demand and for Mercedes-Benz, the approach taken is to establish a global battery production network.

Daimler is investing more than one billion euros in this global battery production network which will consist of 9 factories at 7 locations on 3 continents. Four factories have already started operations, with the most recent one being in Thailand.

100 million euros invested

The Thai production facility in the Bangkok region is a joint effort with local partners Thonburi Automotive Assembly Plant (TAAP) and Thonburi Energy Storage Systems (TESM). Mercedes-Benz AG has invested a total of more than 100 million euros in the battery production and a plant expansion of the existing vehicle production plant. In doing so, the partners are responding to the high demand for electric mobility and, in particular, for plug-in hybrid vehicles in Thailand. At the same time, they are driving the shift towards sustainable mobility as well as a carbon neutral and resource-efficient production.

The production facilities for plug-in hybrid battery packs are highly standardised and flexible. As a result, they can be adapted to local market conditions in a short time. “We have been successfully producing Mercedes-Benz vehicles for the local market at our Thai plant for more than 40 years. With the start of production of our battery factory in Bangkok, we are taking another important step in the expansion of our global battery production network at Mercedes-Benz Cars with nine factories worldwide. The local production of batteries enables us to make the best possible use of the potential for e-mobility in Thailand. As in the case of vehicle manufacturing, we have optimized all processes in terms of efficiency, flexibility and sustainability in the battery factory. We show how sustainable products can be produced sustainably,” said Jorg Burzer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz AG, Production and Supply Chain Management.

The battery packs are used for plug-in hybrid variants for the current Mercedes-Benz C-Class, E-Class, S-Class as well as for the Mercedes-Benz GLC and GLC Coupe. The high variety of product variants of the local market require very flexible and efficient production and facility concepts. Central assembly stations were set up in the same way as in the battery factory in Germany and were further developed for site-specific requirements. In this way, all battery types can be manufactured in the new line for all current and future plug-in hybrids.

Mercedes-Benz C300e – one of the models which will use Thai-made battery packs

Decision to locate in Thailand

The decision for a local battery production in Thailand supports Mercedes-Benz’s overall sustainability goals under the heading ‘
Ambition2039
’ as well. The aim is a carbon neutral new car fleet until 2039. By 2030, at least every second vehicle sold should have an electric drive – this includes full-electric vehicles and Plug-In hybrids.

On the way to sustainable mobility, apart from products production plays a central role: All European Mercedes-Benz plants are to produce completely carbon neutral from 2022. The battery factory in Bangkok will meet this requirement by using large solar systems on the roofs of the production buildings. Excess solar power, for example, is temporarily stored in so-called 2nd-life battery storage systems from recycled electric vehicle batteries. The plant works closely with the Mercedes-Benz Energy GmbH. The stationary storage systems, which can compensate for local energy fluctuations and contribute significantly to grid stabilization, enable economical and resource-saving reuse for disused batteries of electric and hybrid vehicles. This is an important contribution to the economic efficiency and environmental balance of electric vehicles.

Besides Mercedes-Benz, the
BMW Group has also chosen Thailand to produce battery packs
. Its facility is a joint investment with the DRAXLMAIER Group worth 500 million baht (about RM69 million).

Mercedes-Benz is the world’s most valuable luxury car brand of 2019


Audi will offer virtual reality entertainment into the car from mid-2022

Since the introduction of a radio in the car about 100 years ago, in-car entertainment or ICE has been evolving as new technologies were developed and then miniaturised and ruggedised for use in cars. Tape-players and CD-players allowed motorists to bring their own favourite music with them, and then with connectivity to portable devices, the capability expanded.

And then came digital displays that meant movies could also be viewed, and before long, being able to connect to the internet meant that a whole new world of entertainment became available inside the car. Whatever you can enjoy in your home can now also be enjoyed while travelling.

Moving into virtual reality

The next step in ICE is virtual-reality (VR) entertainment and Audi is the first carmaker in the world to enable passengers to immerse themselves in games, films and interactive content using holoride. They will enjoy this by using VR glasses which will make a car ride a multimodal gaming event.

The immersive experiences

The holoride technology adapts virtual content to the car’s driving movements in real-time. For example, if the car is taking a right turn, the spaceship in the imaginary world will also fly to the right. If the car accelerates, the spaceship speeds up too. Initiated by Audi, development of this innovative VR or XR (extended reality) technology is being advanced and commercialized for different manufacturers by the tech entertainment start-up.

With this approach, the 4-year old German start-up has established a completely new media category that they call ‘Elastic Content’ – content that adapts to driving movements, journey time and driving route. The result is immersive experiences with a previously unknown level of quality.

Holoride-capable Audi models

The models that will be holoride-capable with the third-generation modular infotainment toolkit (MIB 3) and the latest software cluster will be the A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, Audi Q5, Q7, Q8, e-tron and e-tron GT quattro. They will initially be available for the European and North American markets as well as Japan and China.

holoride was first presented at CES 2019 (the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas), in cooperation with Disney Games and Interactive Experiences. It implemented a VR game experience from the Marvel Universe for cars. In addition to other activities and showcases, during a roadshow through California from Los Angeles to San Francisco in 2021, holoride visited other production and game studios to demonstrate the technology’s possibilities to potential partners.

In the future, the progressive automation of travel by car will not only make new forms of entertainment possible while driving but will also open up increased opportunities to learn and work on the road. When drivers also no longer have to concentrate on driving in the future, they can turn their attention to other things – work, reading, watching films, or gaming. The motion-synchronized voyage through virtual worlds with holoride also reduces the common phenomenon of motion sickness often experienced by passengers reading a book or enjoying audio-visual media on electronic devices such as tablets.

For users, the interior will become their personal free space, and for designers, it will become the new design centre. After all, the design process begins with the question: who will be sitting in a new model and what will people want to do there? In the future, designers will no longer design cars from the outside in, but from the inside out – and therefore customers will literally become the centre of attention.

VR technology enhances vehicle development processes for Hyundai and Kia


MINI Convertible Sidewalk Edition returns, priced from RM285,899.47

MINI Malaysia celebrates the original 2007 Sidewalk Edition of the first generation of the MINI Convertible with a 2020 version, with only 20 units available for the Malaysian market. With sales tax exemption, the price of the new MINI Convertible Sidewalk Edition is
RM285,899.47
 (excluding insurance premium).

Painted in the youthful Deep Laguna metallic colour, the exclusive version provides a fresh interpretation of rgw MINI’s charm and style with a nod to its rich heritage. Individual side scuttles in the design further enhance the variant’s extroverted appearance as well.

Topless in 18 seconds

The MINI Yours Soft-top offers protection against rain and sun when in closed position. At the touch of a button, it opens electrically within 18 seconds even with the car moving at up to 30 km/h. The black soft-top roof features an interwoven ‘Sidewalk’ pattern in Titanium Grey.

The sporty bonnet stripes, embellished with a geometric pattern, put an individual spin while the 17-inch light-alloy Scissor Spoke 2-tone wheels are also a specific design feature of this exclusive edition.

Brisk performance, frugal consumption

The powerful 2-litre 4-cylinder MINI TwinPower Turbo engine, paired with a 7-speed Steptronic automatic transmission, produces up to 192 bhp/280 Nm to allow the driver to fully enjoy the kart-like dynamics which the Mini is famous for. The 0 to 100 km/h time is claimed to be 7.1 seconds while the maximum speed is 230 km/h. And in spite of this brisk performance character, fuel consumption is as good as 17.5 kms/litre.

Sung cabin for four

Inside, the snug cabin has exclusive MINI Yours Leather Lounge Sidewalk seats in anthracite, combined with contrasting seams in Petrol and Energetic Yellow. The Petrol paint effect also embellishes the door trims, with doormats in matching dark Petrol surrounds contrasted by Energetic Yellow seams.

The sports steering wheel bearing the Sidewalk logo and contract seams in Petrol further accentuate the sportiness of the New MINI Convertible Sidewalk Edition, along with the stylishly decorative cockpit trim in Petrol finish.

Feature-rich environment

Standard features include LED headlamps, LED front and rear foglamps, an interior lighting package with 12-colour ambient lighting, as well as the MINI Driving Modes, automatic air conditioning, a height-adjustable front passenger seat, wireless charger and a storage compartment package.

To add to its exclusivity, there is the range-topping Wired Package that consists of the 8.8-inch MINI Visual Boost with Navigation System. This can be operated via the intuitive touchscreen, the MINI controller or even via Voice Control.

Additionally, with Apple CarPlay, owners can connect their iPhone to the infotainment system and use the MINI Visual Boost to access apps on the phone. Music selections from the phone can be heard through the Harman Kardon 12-speaker sound system tuned to deliver high-quality reproduction even with the top down.

Connected with 4G SIM technology

With MINI Connected, there’s built-in 4G SIM technology, allowing Intelligent Emergency Call with automatic detection of the car’s location and accident severity. This will help rescue teams to locate the car faster in the event of an accident.

MINI Online and MINI TeleServices can also be accessed and the current update of the MINI Connected App offers an exceptionally wide range of digital services such as sending navigation destinations from smartphone to vehicle and receiving information regarding the ideal departure time, as well as Remote Services.

As with all cars purchased from authorised MINI dealerships in Malaysia, the MINI Convertible Sidewalk Edition is covered by a 5-year Roadside Assistance programme. This has a comprehensive list of services that include a 24-hour/365 days-a-year Accident and Help on the Phone and On the Spot Hotline, free towing services when needed (over 200 kms from residential home), replacement vehicle, seamless mobility, accommodation, mobility services solutions as well as repatriation services.

Purchasers can choose Balloon Financing from BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia. Based on a 5-year tenure with 80% financing, ownership of the MINI Convertible Sidewalk Edition starts from RM 3,266.00 per month (terms and conditions apply).

Bookings for the limited number of units can be made at selected authorised MINI dealerships as well as the
MINI Online Shop
 from today.

Visit
MINI.MY
 to know more about other models available in Malaysia.

Auto Bavaria takes over BMW/Mini dealership in Tebrau, Johor; to start operations on July 15


Royal Malaysian Navy gets UAVs from America

Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly becoming vital tools for armed forces and law enforcement agencies. While there are those which have offensive capabilities, many are used for observation purposes to give authorities a real-time view of the situation in a certain area.

For instance, during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period in Malaysia, the police and army have been using drones – which are also UAVs- not only to detect people not following
#stayathome
 regulations but also to broadcast the regulations in housing areas.

For military purposes, the drones are certainly much larger and more capable than those from DJI (the most popular commercial brand in the world) and are equipped with sensors and other high-tech equipment to enable detailed observation and patrolling.

First batch of UAVs delivered to Malaysia

UAVs help defend territorial integrity

Recently, the Royal Malaysian Navy took receipt of the first batch of 6 Scan Eagle UAVs from the USA via the US Embassy in Malaysia. According to a statement from the embassy, ‘the USA and Malaysia have shared a productive, mutually beneficial security cooperation partnership. We continue to do so now during these challenging times and we look forward to working together in the future.’

The UAVs will enhance the Royal Malaysian Navy’s ability to defend the country’s territorial integrity, providing valuable reconnaissance capability in areas like the South China Sea and Straits of Melaka. Navy personnel will receive training to operate the UAVs.

Some details about the Scan Eagle

Certainly very much larger than a DJI Mavic drone, the Scan Eagle UAV is built by Insitu Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Boeing aircraft company. The UAV is based on Insitu’s SeaScan miniature robotic aircraft developed for the commercial fishing industry. Military forces of at least 8 countries use the Scan Eagle for day/night intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and there are also numerous civilian and commercial operators around the world.

With a fuselage length of 1.55 – 1.71 metres and a wingspan of 3.11 metres, the 18-kg Scan Eagle is said to be able to reach an altitude of 5,950 metres and fly around for 24+ hours. Using petrol or JP5/JP8 fuel, the Scan Eagle can fly at speeds of up to about 110 km/h. It can carry all sorts of equipment, depending on the mission, and cameras available include electro-optic and infra-red types.

It is launched autonomously by a catapult launcher and the route it follows can be pre-programmed or managed by an operator. A patented SkyHook recovery system is used for retrieval which catches the UAV’s wingtip with a rope that hangs from a 15-metre high boom.


SunAgata Supercars opens Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur sales and service facility in Glenmarie, Selangor

SunAgata Supercars Sdn Bhd
 today officially opened Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur, its showroom and service centre to provide sales and aftersales services for the Italian brand in Malaysia. SunAgata Supercars was appointed as Lamborghini’s sole authorized dealer and aftersales provider in January last year and has been operating from the Audi Centre in Glenmarie, Selangor.

Its new facility is also in the same area but located along the main road through the district. The styling of the premises follows Lamborghini themes which are characterized by polygons, clean lines and modern architecture.

A special area of the showroom has been set up as an
Ad Personam
 room where customers can personalize their car with the wide range of options. There are samples of various materials for them to feel so they can decide exactly what they want. From the colours and materials to the seat’s logo and embroidered initials inside the cabin, virtually every wish can be given form by choosing from infinite combinations, and fitment will be to the high standards of quality Lamborghini prides itself in.

Lamborghini is a strong and highly acclaimed brand worldwide and our new dealership environment is a tangible demonstration of this. We believe that the strong partnership between Lamborghini and SunAgata Supercars will effectively communicate our brand values as well as deliver an unparalleled customer ownership experience,” said Francesco Scardaoni, Region Director of Automobile Lamborghini Asia Pacific, at the opening ceremony this morning.

To celebrate the occasion, the first
Aventador LP780-4 Ultimae
 in Malaysia was unveiled. The Ultimae edition is the final production model of the V12 supercar. 600 cars will be available – 350 in coupe form and 250 roadsters, with pricing starting from around RM1.9 million. There are a few orders from Malaysians, but all 600 units have already been sold and there are customers hoping that some of the orders will be cancelled and the cars re-allocated.

Lamborghini Kuala Lumpur also displayed a selection of iconic models owned by Malaysians. The red Countach on the left was originally owned by the Bee Gees Sir Barry Gibb who purchased it in 1983.

It’s not known how many new Lamborghinis were sold in Malaysia last year but for the Asia-Pacific area, the carmaker reported that 2,249 units were sold in 2021. The 14% increase from the year before contributed to
Lamborghini’s best sales results ever
, with 8,405 cars delivered worldwide.

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Rosberg X Racing team wins first round of the new Extreme E electric off-road series (w/VIDEO)

There had been feverish anticipation in the build-up to the weekend’s first Extreme E round – the Desert X Prix held in the remote Al-‘Ula region of Saudi Arabia. The new series, for electrically-powered SUVs, has the off-road challenges of the Dakar Rally but also uses the event to create awareness of environment issues at locations where it will be run.

Following the Qualifying time trials on Saturday, the teams – consisting of one male and one female driver – went wheel-to-wheel for the first time, generating some of the most spectacular images ever seen in the sport and drawing widespread acclaim from competitors and fans alike.

Rosberg X Racing duo Johan Kristoffersson and Molly Taylor were the pace-setters from the outset in, but the pair still had to dig deep in the desert to battle their way to victory and carve themselves out a piece of motorsport history.

Former F1 driver Nico Rosberg (left) with his winning drivers Molly Taylor and Johan Kristoffersson.

But, ultimately, nothing could stop the duo from storming to the top step of the podium – not a 60-second penalty for exceeding the 30 km/h limit in the driver switch zone yesterday, nor less favourable grid slots in both the Semi-Final and Final today. It was a virtuoso display of speed, skill and superhuman car control in the most challenging of conditions.

“This is insane. I’m so thankful to the whole team for the effort put in this weekend, which has been intense and really on-the-edge. Everything has come together so well and everybody has worked together so well,” said Nico Rosberg, Rosberg X Racing’s Founder and CEO, who is the son of Keke Rosberg, former F1 driver. Their car had No.6 on it, which pays homage to the senior’s racing number when he was in Formula 1.

“We have a fantastic team of engineers and mechanics, who prepared perfectly for this first weekend with so many unknowns, and Molly and Johan produced some phenomenal driving. Neither of them put a foot wrong in really tough conditions, and they both showed unbelievable speed out there – their performance was really inspiring and I felt really proud watching them. To come back to claim victory after a 60-second penalty caused by a technical problem is just awesome, and they are definitely deserving winners. For the championship as a whole, it’s really been a good start,” he said.

Shoot Out

The duel for seventh place in the overall classification was fought out between Segi TV Chip Ganassi Racing (Kyle LeDuc/Sara Price) and ABT CUPRA XE (Mattias Ekstrom/Claudia Hurtgen), both of whom endured difficult Qualifying runs. Price initially pulled ahead by using her Hyperdrive power boost, before Ekstrom repaid the favour on the exit of Turn One to snatch the lead.

Once the driver switch was complete, LeDuc set about chasing down Hurtgen, but almost within sight of the finish line, the American – unsighted by the dust – made contact with his German rival and the pair both ended their weekend beached in the desert.

Crazy Race

With just one spot up for grabs in the Final, the stakes were high for the three Crazy Race competitors – Andretti United’s Timmy Hansen/Catie Munnings, Hispano Suiza XITE Energy Team pairing Oliver Bennett/Christine Giampaoli Zonca and JBXE duo Jenson Button/Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky.

A wild start by 2019 FIA World Rallycross Champion Hansen saw the Swede already clear of his adversaries before the trio arrived at the first gate, with Bennett narrowly sneaking in front of former F1 World Champion Button to snatch second.

Hansen opened up a 30-second margin before Munnings took over; after which, the 2016 European Rally Championship Ladies’ Trophy winner artfully managed the gap to safely bring the Andretti United car home. Giampaoli Zonca did a good job to peg her British rival throughout, with Ahlin-Kottulinsky similarly showing a strong turn-of-speed on her way to the finish line in third.

Semi-Final

As top qualifiers yesterday, the X44 crew of Sebastien Loeb and Cristina Gutierrez opted to start from the right-hand side of the grid for the Semi-Final – giving them the theoretical inside line for ‘Turn One’. ACCIONA | Sainz XE Team duo Carlos Sainz and Laia Sanz chose the middle slot, with Rosberg X Racing (Kristoffersson/Taylor) taking up position on the left.

When the action got underway, Sainz got the best launch to edge fellow multiple FIA World Rally Champion Loeb away from the line, with the pole-sitter briefly slipping back to third. Loeb then regained the advantage as the battling Sainz and Kristoffersson both drifted wide, but the Swede was not done yet and neatly undercut both of his adversaries on the exit of the first gate to seize the initiative.

Kicking up a sandstorm in his wake, Kristoffersson rapidly made his escape as his pursuers found themselves driving blindly through the dust – and by the time he arrived at the switch zone to hand over to team-mate Taylor, the Rosberg X Racing car was almost 13 seconds to the good.

Thereafter, the former Australian Rally Champion continued to extend the gap, crossing the finish line just under half-a-minute ahead of Gutiérrez, as both teams successfully booked their places in the all-important Final. Another 38 seconds in arrears, ACCIONA | Sainz XE Team wound up third to slip out of contention.

The Final Duel

As winners of the fan-led GridPlay vote, Andretti United had the luxury of choosing their starting spot for the Final. Hansen duly plumped for pole position on the right, with Kristoffersson lining up in the middle for Rosberg X Racing and X44’s Loeb taking up the third grid slot on the left.

Hansen replicated his lightning launch from the Crazy Race as Kristoffersson focussed his efforts on fending off Loeb for second, before employing the same tactic that had served him so well in the Semi-Final to sweep wide going into Turn One and undercut compatriot Hansen on the exit in a sensational switchback move.

The 3-time FIA World Rallycross Champion then wasted no time at all in stretching his lead, as Hansen settled into second and Loeb – grappling with power steering problems – trailed behind the pair in third. Kristoffersson handed the car over to Taylor with a half-minute advantage, and whilst Munnings would go on to narrow the deficit slightly over the course of the second lap, the Australian always had the situation under control and wound up just over 23 seconds clear at the finish.

Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO of Extreme E, said: “We’ve worked so hard on this for many years, and finally everything has come together this weekend. It really has been beyond my wildest expectations. If I had written a script for the perfect weekend, I could not have come up with anything better than what we have witnessed these past two days – I’ve never seen such extreme racing in my life!”

About Extreme E

Extreme E is a totally new racing series which will see electric SUVs competing in extreme environments around the world which have already been damaged or affected by climate and environmental issues. During the 5 races at different locations, the impact of climate change and human interference in some of the world’s most remote locations will be highlighted. Extreme E also aims to promote the adoption of electric vehicles in the quest for a lower carbon future for the planet.

The first round was held in Saudi Arabia where desertification and water resources are serious environmental issues.

To minimize local impact, Extreme E races will not be open to spectators, with fans instead invited to follow the action through live TV broadcast, and on social media. Additionally, to minimize carbon emissions, a cargo ship – the St. Helena – transports the freight and infrastructure, including vehicles, to the nearest port for the round. Besides serving as Extreme E’s operations hub, the ship will used to facilitate scientific research through its on-board laboratory.

All the 9 teams use the same specially-developed SUV, including the powertrain.

Extreme E is also pioneering hydrogen fuel cell technology which will enable its race fleet to be charged using zero emission energy. This innovative solution from AFC Energy uses water and sun to generate hydrogen power. Not only will this process emit no greenhouse emissions, but its only by-product will be water, which will be utilized elsewhere on-site.


Three platforms for BMW SIM Cups in 2021

In 2020, people were unable to enjoy actual racing on the tracks and many turned to simulator racing at home, giving eSports or what the FIA calls ‘digital motorsports’ a boost in popularity. Some manufacturers got involved in it, among them BMW with its SIM Cups.

After their successful debut in the 2020 season, this year’s BMW SIM Cups will offer an even wider range of race formats, cars and sim platforms on which they take place.

The BMW SIM GT Cup, BMW SIM M2 CS Racing Cup and BMW SIM Time Attack offer the world’s best sim racers the opportunity to qualify on the iRacing, rFactor 2 and Assetto Corsa Competizione platforms for the Grand Finals at BMW SIM Live 2021, and to win attractive prize money. The races will be streamed live on the BMW Motorsport social media channels.

“Having introduced our new BMW SIM Cup formats at BMW SIM Live last December, it is now time to get down to the serious business, as the first races are just around the corner,” said Rudolf Dittrich, Head of BMW Motorsport SIM Racing. “We are understandably excited to see how our new race formats and the wider range of BMW race cars will be received by the sim racing community.”

“We are now active on three major platforms: iRacing, rFactor 2 and Assetto Corsa Competizione. This allows us to reach a far larger group of sim racers and their fans than last year. We are obviously hoping to attract a lot of top-class competitors, as well as to receive expert feedback on our race formats and cars, which helps us to keep improving all the time,” he said.

BMW SIM GT Cup – iRacing

The BMW SIM GT Cup is the successor to the BMW SIM 120 Cup. Divided into two seasons, a total of 10 races will take place in 2021. In the five rounds that comprise Season 1, sim racers go head to head in teams of two in the BMW M8 GTE. In Season 2, the new BMW M4 GT3 will be the car of choice for the teams. A total prize purse of US$4,200 (about RM16,870) is offered for the top 3 teams in the first 4 races of each season.

BMW SIM M2 CS Racing Cup – rFactor 2

Same car, same simulation platform, but new format. This year’s BMW SIM M2 CS Racing Cup features as a support series for the popular and top-class rFactor 2 GT Pro Series. As a result, the BMW one-make cup will take place at different racetracks, whereas it was previously held exclusively at the Nurburgring and on the Nordschleife. The top three at each event will share a total prize purse of €1,850, and the winners of each race will qualify for the final at BMW SIM Live.

BMW SIM Time Attack by Assetto Corsa Competizione

New simulation platform, new race format, new car. BMW SIM Time Attack by Assetto Corsa Competizione takes the form of a lap time competition on circuits that change monthly. Each month, the competitor who sets the fastest lap time, at the wheel of the virtualM4 GT4, qualifies for BMW SIM Live 2021.

How iRacing developed the BMW M4 GT4 for sim racing

To know about other promotions, visit
www.bhpetrol.com.my
.


TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Malaysia doing battle in Sepang 1000KM Race this weekend

Even before the excitement of the last round of
Season 4 of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival/Vios Challenge
 has faded away, GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Vios racing cars are going into battle again. This  time, it is not a one-make races and the team will be up against other models in the Sepang 1000KM Endurance Race (S1K) this weekend.

The annual race will also see the running of the inaugural Vios Enduro Cup for privateers and dealer teams competing in the SP2 Production Class.

GAZOO Racing Malaysia will field a two-car entry in the MTC Production Class and SP2 production class. Fighting for outright victory in the MTC Production class will be the trio of 3-time Vios Challenge Super Sporting Class champion and also GAZOO Racing Malaysia Ambassador, Tengku Djan Ley. He will be teamed up with newly-crowned Vios Challenge Rookie Class champion, 20-year old Naquib Azlan, and GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s Chief Motorsports Officer, Akio Takeyama.

The S1K race will be the first for Naquib who, up until last year, had only been racing online behind the wheel of a simulator. He was one of six drivers recruited into the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program and later provided with the opportunity to compete in the Rookie Class for young drivers.

20-year old Naquib Azlan has shown that simulator racing provides some skills that can be used in real racing, and in the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program, those skills were developed further.

The SP2 Production Class, meanwhile, will see the combination of Vios Challenge Rookie Class drivers Mika Hakimi and Jwan Hii partnering Promotional Class driver, actor and Season 4’s first runner-up Zizan Razak. Zizan proved to be a worthy contender in this year’s Vios Challenge Promotional Class races by clinching podium finishes in all races. Being the most experienced racer amongst the SP2 Production Class team, Zizan is expected to bring his A-game and winning attitude as well as flair into the race.

The recent finale round of Season 4 of the Vios Challenge/TGR Festival was run at night, a first for the series.

Mika and Jwan finished had third and fourth overall respectively in the recently concluded Vios Challenge, and will also be making their debut in the S1K. Like Naquib, both drivers are also graduates of the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program. Mika, 17, also has a background of simulator racing while 18-year-old Jwan’s racing experience had been karting before having a chance at cars.

“The two entries in S1K are to fulfill several objectives if you look closely at the driver line-up. Yes, we will be gunning for both outright and class victories; it is also the start of expanding GAZOO Racing Malaysia’s presence in Malaysian motorsports, but the participation is also to provide a  platform for new, talented and especially young drivers to race in an even more competitive environment beyond the Vios Challenge,” said Mr. Takeyama, who has also been racing in the Vio Challenge for all 4 seasons.

The Vios Enduro Cup will run concurrently with the S1K and is designed to bring the Vios Challenge race cars and its drivers beyond their traditional hunting grounds. The Cup will offer a first prize of RM10,000.00, while the second and third place winners stand to win RM8,000.00 and RM6,000.00 respectively. A cash prize of RM4,000.00 and RM2,000.00 is also up for grabs for the fourth and fifth place finishers in the race.

Unlike the short races of the Vios Challenge, the S1K is a 1,000-km race which can cover up to 181 laps and take around 9 hours. It is also held at the Sepang International Circuit. In the 11 years that the race has been held (2009 to 2019), Toyota cars have won the race twice with private entries behind the wheel of an AE86 in 2010 and a Corolla Altis in 2011.

Highlights Of The Season 4 Vios Challenge Night Races (Second Night)


Will the 2020 Formula 1 championship ever get to start?

It’s beginning to look like the 2020 Formula 1 World Championship might never run. Following the sudden cancellation of the Australian GP, the opening round, the rounds in Bahrain and Vietnam were postponed. The fourth round in China had already been cancelled earlier as the COVID-19 worsened.

The FIA, which governs motorsport, had discussions with event organisers and the Formula 1 organisation as well as Liberty Media (which holds commercial rights) and decided that the championship would start in May with the European rounds. For the postponed events, there were proposals to run then sometime in the third quarter of the year.

Now, however, with the continued global spread of COVID-19 and many countries imposing strict regulations on movements as well as entry, it would be very difficult to run races. Any event which will have large crowds would not be permitted as that would enable the virus to spread.

The FIA has therefore announced that the Dutch GP, Spanish GP and Monaco GP will be postponed. The three rounds were scheduled to be run in May.

“The FIA and Formula 1 continue to work closely with affected promoters and local authorities to monitor the situation and take the appropriate amount of time to study the viability of potential alternative dates for each Grand Prix later in the year should the situation improve. The 2020 Championship season will begin as soon as it is safe to do so after May,” a statement from the AFIA said.

Related:

2020 F1 Chinese Grand Prix cancelled due to COVID-19 situation

Bahrain F1 Grand Prix to be ‘closed-door event’ – no spectators!

Australian F1 Grand Prix cancelled!

COVID-19 pandemic disrupts motorsports around the world

This week, the FIA has also announced that implementation of the Technical Regulations due to take effect from the 2021 season will be postponed until 2022. Due to the currently volatile financial situation this has created for the teams, it has been agreed that they will use their 2020 chassis for 2021, with the potential freezing of further components to be discussed in due course.

“The introduction and implementation of the Financial Regulations will go ahead as planned in 2021, and discussions remain ongoing between the FIA, Formula 1 and all teams regarding further ways to make significant cost savings,” the FIA said.


Land Rover among the supporting partners of Virgin Galactic – the world’s first commercial ‘spaceline’

By now, you would already have read news that Virgin Galactic – the world’s first commercial ‘spaceline’ – has completed its first ever fully crewed space flight yesterday. And on board the craft called the SpaceShipTwo Unity was founder Sir Richard Branson, who also established Virgin Airlines (as Virgin Atlantic) 37 years ago. The craft, launched from the uniquely designed WhiteKnightTwo aircraft, travelled with four Mission Specialists and two pilots on board, as well as Branson as passenger.

Special Astronaut Edition of Range Rover

Two years ago, Land Rover was already preparing for this historic flight with the Range Rover Astronaut Edition created by the Land Rover SV Bespoke division. It is a special model that will be offered exclusively to Virgin Galactic’s Future Astronaut customers, which already number some 600 people who are said to have signed up.

The special edition of the Range Rover has exterior elements which include unique Zero Gravity Blue paint inspired by the beautiful effects of the night sky, plus a bespoke Virgin Galactic puddle lamp design. The aluminium door handles have the Future Astronaut community constellation design. Astronaut Edition badging also features on the tailgate and side profile finishers.

Exclusive features

One-off interior design features include a custom cupholder crafted from the spaceship’s front landing skid (from the first mission in 2018), ‘DNA of Flight’ logo graphic veneer, with additional personalisation options that include stitching the Future Astronaut’s initials onto the headrests.

Customers who buy the Astronaut Edition can choose either a P400e plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) powertrain or a high-performance 5-litre V8 supercharged petrol engine.

Automotive partner since 2014

Land Rover has been the Automotive Partner of the Virgin Galactic team since 2014, providing vehicles for various roles before and after each mission. At Spaceport America in New Mexico yesterday, a Defender towed SpaceShipTwo Unity back to its hangar after the craft mission that took it about 80 kms up.

Even after you recover from COVID-19 infection, your quality of life may be affected and cause you to suffer for a long period after that. To avoid being infected, take the necessary measures to protect yourself as well as others – and get vaccinated.


Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and S8+ are flagships that are worth the steep asking price

Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and S8+ might very well be the best smartphones that were launched this year. The Android based devices feature a slew of new and innovative features that make them two of the more superior phones in the market right now.

They feature an Octa core 64 bit processor(10nm), 4GB of RAM, 5.8 inch (S8) and 6.2 inch (S8+) quad HD displays (2960×1440), 12 MP rear and 8MP front cameras, 3,000mAh or 3,500mAh batteries as well as the latest WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC and fast wireless charging technologies.

Some how, Samsung managed to keep the dimensions of the phones similar to that of their predecessors yet fit 18% larger screens with a 18:5:9 aspect ratio. This, along with the High Dynamic Range (HDR) capabilities give videos and pictures vibrant and more accurate colour images. This Infinity display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and is optimized for multi-tasking use allowing users to pin recent apps at the top of the screen while using the area below for other work.

Love it or hate it, but the finger print reader is now located next to the rear camera. The physical home button on the front is no more and is instead, part of the GUI, this is also true for the back and menu buttons, which are now programmable to offer different functions.

Samsung says that through the use of its Knox security platform and other biometric technologies such as an iris scanner, the phones are far more secure than their predecessors, allowing for faster and better user authentication payments and unlocking.

This is all well and good, but the S8 and S8+’s main party piece is their ability to function as a PC. Through the use of the Samsung DeX system, users can connect their phones to a monitor, keyboard and mouse, then take advantage of the optimized interface and use the phone as a PC. Until now, smartphones lacked the performance to drive a full-fledged monitor and peripherals, but thanks to Samsung’s flagship specifications, the S8 and S8+ are able to tackle these tasks with relative ease.

The phones are IP68 dust and water resistance, support microSD cards of up to 256GB and have cameras that takes multiple shots in rapid succession instead of a single shot, picks the clearest one and uses the rest to reduce unclear sections of the picture.

Available in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray and Maple Gold, the new S8 and S8+ are available for purchase at Samsung authorized dealers for a price of RM3,299 and RM3,699 respectively.


Tata Motors reveals AVINYA concept to preview new EV model for 2025

Following the presentation of the
CURVV concept
 early in April, Tata Motors recently unveiled a second concept car which will be the basis of a new battery-electric vehicle (BEV) that will enter the market in 2025. The new concept car is called the AVINYA, the name being derived from the Sanskrit language to stand for ‘Innovation’.

“While making the AVINYA Concept a reality, the central idea was to offer a mobility solution like no other – a state of the art software on wheels that is well designed, sustainable and reduces the planet’s carbon footprint,” said N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons and Tata Motors. “Green Mobility is at the nucleus of Tata Passenger Electric Mobility (TPEM), and the AVINYA Concept is the perfect reflection of what the company stands for – a creation that will not only accelerate the adoption of EVs but also lead this movement.”

Expanding on Mr. Chandrasekaran’s statement, Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd., and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd., said: “It is indeed a matter of pride for us at TPEM to present the AVINYA Concept to the world, a vision pivotal in signalling a ‘New Paradigm’. Holding on to its values of Simplicity, Timelessness, Effortlessness and Grace, the AVINYA is not only a concept but is our new identity, an identity which is here to challenge the status quo. It gives me an intense sense of optimism to present a new typology of vehicles that will introduce the automobile industry to options beyond mobility – a tranquil space which will offer you a complete sensory experience while on the move.”

The AVINYA Concept is the first model built on the GEN 3 architecture developed for BEVs. This global platform offers high structural safety and has the next level of waterproofing and dust protection which may be a necessity in India and some other markets.

This architecture is built with the use of next-gen lightweight materials, efficient electronic componentry and proprietary energy management strategies and algorithms for efficiency management.

With this architecture, Tata Motors plans to produce a range of globally competitive EVs. These will have new age technology, software and Artificial Intelligence working in the background. To help in widening adoption of BEVs, Tata Motors aims to make the model fairly accessible to a majority of customers of fast-growing, high-volume segments of today.

The catamaran design served as inspiration for the AVINYA Concept, conceived as a premium hatchback with the versatility of an SUV and the roominess and functionality of an MPV. A significant highlight on the front and the rear of the vehicle is the new identity. Each side has ‘Butterfly’ doors, hinged at the front and at the rear. When both are open, a wide opening is available for entry and exit.

Such a concept is usually shown in concept cars but does not always continue in the production models. There are some models that do have it, like those from Rolls-Royce and as we have seen recently, the new Mazda MX-30.

The AVINYA Concept also has a skydome to further enhance the overall sense of space by letting in natural light from above. Sustainable materials are used, communicating the ethos of the product and as a finishing touch, there is an aroma diffuser.

Tata Motors’ designers have made an interesting departure from the trend of having more display screens (and larger ones too) around the cabin. They believe that less screen time is the way to go, and have minimised this aspect. This will eliminate distractions inside the car and create a stress-free environment for the mind and soul, they feel.

Tata Motors does not say much about the powertrain but intends to provide a battery pack with ultra fast-charge capability that will give a 500-km range in under 30 minutes. Other subsidiaries in the Tata Group will develop the batteries and EV technologies, giving the company an advantage in what will become a competitive segment of the global auto market.

Tata CURVV concept SUV previews next-generation electric model from carmaker