Low-Cost Volkswagen EV To Go On Sale in 2025, Priced Under 25,000 Euros (RM120,000)

While there is a push to get people to switch to electric vehicles (EVs), apart from issues like the recharging infrastructure, the cost of purchasing such vehicle remains higher than similarly sized models with combustion engines. Much of it has to do with the cost of the technologies which are still fairly young, and the huge costs of R&D spent at this time.

For this reason, the auto industry needs the help of governments to also offer incentives that can offset the high purchase prices in the short-term. Various incentives are being given and in Malaysia, the government is exempting EVs from all import duties and even roadtax for a few years.

But the fact remains that for a properly engineered EV of a practical size (we’re not talking about the tiny 2-seater mini EVs), the price still cannot be level with similarly-sized combustion vehicles. There is a downward trend though as economies of scale are slowly kicking in with volumes rising quickly. Some carmakers believe that they will be able to produce EVs at around similar costs as combustion vehicles by the second half of this decade.

One of them is Volkswagen which will have a model costing less than 25,000 euros, which is equivalent to around RM120,000 at today’s exchange rates. This will be ‘full-value’ EV with many high-tech features and is part of the carmaker’s electric offensive which will see 10 new EVs by 2026.

The ID.2all concept previews this low-cost model and provides a glimpse of the future design language as well as some of the features which will be offered. It’s a compact model and the ‘2’ indicates its position in the all-electric ID family which began in 2019.

The Volkswagen Group developed the modular electric drive (MEB) platform for its EV models and its variability allows it to be used for models in various segments. The ID.2all uses a new MEB Entry platform which, presumably, has been optimised to be cheaper to produce.

For now, Volkswagen is giving limited information about the MEB Entry platform, saying only that it will have ‘a particularly efficient drive, battery and charging technology’. The electric motor will generate up to 226 ps of power and, powering the front wheels, take the ID.2all from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 7 seconds.

The battery pack, which can give a range claimed to be up to 450 kilometres, will be able to be recharged from 10% to 80% within 20 minutes. That’s with a DC quick-charger but the on-board charger will be able to handle up to 11 kW AC current as well.

The production version of the ID. 2all will have numerous high-value technologies and features from larger ID. models, rather than be a basic model which has usually be the case with low-cost cars. For example, It will include the latest version of
Travel Assist
 – a system for partly automated driving. A large panoramic sunroof will also be available.

Other features that will be offered will be IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights, 3D LED tail light clusters with horizontal LED strip between them, Park Assist Plus with memory function, ID.Light (intuitive light signals for the driver) and electric seats with massage function.

With the ID.2all, Volkswagen is placing great focus on a design strategy based on the ‘three pillars of stability, likeability and excitement’. The new strategy was developed by Andreas Mindt, who took over as the new Head of Volkswagen Design last month. The ID.2all is his first project although Volkswagen is very much in his blood as he joined the Volkswagen Group in 1996 and his father too was a designer in the company earlier.

“We are transferring the DNA of our icons into the future. The ID. 2all is therefore also an homage to the Beetle, Golf and Polo,” he explained. “One element of this new design language is the C-pillar design developed for the first Golf. The ID. 2all is the first Volkswagen with a new interpretation of this signature. Other design features of the concept include a body with a clear and powerful stance on the wheels, a friendly face, a good portion of dynamics and timeless elegance.”

The interior benefits from a long wheelbase of 2600 mm and very short overhangs, with spaciousness comparable to a Golf within a body length of 4050 mm. The storage volume is a generous 490 to 1,330 litres, more than that found in model of higher classes. It has a clear design and is characterised by a high-quality appearance, again a departure from what low-cost products are like.

“We are transferring the typical Volkswagen virtues to the new world of mobility: top quality and workmanship, outstanding software and digital services with genuine added value. The focus here is always on the needs and requirements of our customers,” said Imelda Labbe, Member of the Brand Board of Management for Sales, Marketing and Aftersales.

“The ID. 2all shows where we want to take the brand: close to the customer, top technologies and a fantastic design. We are implementing the transformation at pace to bring electric mobility to the masses,” added Thomas Schafer, CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars.

The ID.2all would be the right product for Malaysia with its lower cost. Perhaps Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia is already giving it serious consideration? By 2025, the chip shortage will hopefully have become history and vehicle supplies will be stable enough that Malaysia can get an allocation.

Volkswagen Group To Introduce MEB+ EV Platform With Improved Range And Charging Speeds

Click here
 for more videos at The Piston Show.


New sales records in 2019 make BMW M GmbH most successful manufacturer in its segment

BMW’s high-performance unit, BMW M GmbH, concluded its 2019 financial year with a new sales record of 135,829 performance/high-performance automobiles sold. Compared with the previous year, the number of newly registered M automobiles increased by 32.2%. With this result, the BMW Group subsidiary, which has the status of an independent automobile manufacturer, claims the leading position as the most successful company in its competitive environment.

“We are very proud of the fact that we have been able to acquire market leadership in the performance/high-performance automobile segment for the first time in the almost 50 years of the company’s history,” said Markus Flasch, CEO of BMW M GmbH. “This success is the result of a continuous growth strategy and shows how much BMW M, the authentic character of our products and the unique driving experience inspire performance-oriented customers all over the globe.”

The most M automobiles introduced in 1 year

The company’s record year was characterised by an unparalleled model offensive. Never before were as many new M automobiles introduced within a single year. With the X3 M, X4 M, and each respective Competition model, high-performance automobiles became available in the midrange Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) and Sports Activity Coupe (SAC) segment for the very first time.

Furthermore, with the introduction of the M8 Coupe, M8 Convertible and the corresponding Competition models, a new generation of luxury sportscars designed for the high-performance segment was launched.

M8 MotoGP Safety Car

The US market took the most M automobiles, followed by Germany and the UK. The share of M automobiles in BMW’s total sales volume has steadily increased over the past years. In parallel with the continuously rising demand, the dealership network for M automobiles has expanded by more than 90% during the past 5 years with around 1,200 certified companies worldwide.

World premieres in 2020

During 2020, the M8 Gran Coupe and the corresponding Competition model will be available from dealers. Moreover, the new editions of the X5 M and X6 M (including Competition models), as well as the M2 CS are scheduled to be launched during the coming months. 2020 will also see the world premiere of the new M3 Sedan and the new M4 Coupe.

“With the latest product offensive, we have managed to attract new target groups to experience that unmistakable M feeling,” said Thomas Felbermair, Head of Sales and Marketing at the BMW M GmbH. “We are confident that through the market launch of numerous further attractive models, we will continue to forge ahead on our path to success in 2020.”

Almost a million vehicles sold with M Sport Package

Sales of the M Sport Packages, now available for all BMW Model series, also achieved a new record high in the 2019 financial year. Almost a million vehicles were delivered with model-specific components in the areas of aerodynamics, suspension, exterior and interior set attractive accents. This unprecedented number equals an increase of more than 25% compared to the previous year.

Very rare BMW M3 Lightweight owned by Paul Walker sold for RM1.57 million


July new vehicle sales higher but nowhere near normal levels

As expected, new vehicle sales in July 2021 were way down, though not as rock-bottom as June when the Total Industry Volume (TIV) was under 2,000 units. As in June, the continued closure of showrooms meant that no sales could be conducted and even if they could, registering the vehicles would not be possible. However, July’s TIV was 270% or 5,465 units higher as showrooms could operate in Sabah and Sarawak so sales were possible there and accounted for the higher numbers.

Minimal bookings from online channels

According to the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA), which has been compiling data since the 1960s, members reported that bookings via online channels were minimal. These ‘virtual showrooms’ started to appear over the past year as stricter SOPs were in force and there was also concern that customers might not be comfortable coming to showrooms. Customers can make bookings and make payments via online transfers to at least start the process. However, there are still the other things like loan applications which still need some personal interaction.

The cumulative TIV after 7 months reached 256,215 units this year, which was about 10% higher than for the same period in 2020 – and this has been with 2 months of virtually no sales. With
sales resuming from mid-August
, there will be a backlog to clear plus new orders so the TIV by year-end might still be higher than for 2020.

3-digit production figures

On the production side, the assembly plants have had to suspend operations too and the output fell to three digits in June but rose again in July. The disruption has been challenging for the plants which very much prefer consistent assembly. The shortage of microchips is also slowing output and as the end of the year nears, pressure will be on to deliver as many vehicles as possible because car companies are using the sales tax exemption as a selling point. It expires at the end of this year so many will want to make sure they can enjoy those savings.

Will sales pick up again?

Looking ahead, the MAA expects August sales to be better although there are only two weeks to the end of the month for sales. Furthermore, given the current situation in the country, not only with the pandemic but also the political situation, consumer sentiment may be cautious, and people will be reluctant to spend a lot.

According to MAA President, Datuk Aishah Ahmad, t
otal losses for the local auto industry for the months of June and July have been estimated to be more than RM14 billion. “This is just only from sales of vehicles in the domestic market. Our members also lost much in terms of revenue from exports of vehicles and components, and sales of spare parts locally. All in all, these losses had been very substantial and unprecedented”, she said.

Car showrooms, accessory stores and carwash centres can resume operations from August 16


Volkswagen’s Office Chair For The Fast-Moving Executive (w/VIDEO)

Sporty office chairs, some adapted from racing seats, are available these days and for gamers, there are some sophisticated designs with ideal ergonomics for long hours at the desk. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in Norway has also come up with another idea for office chairs which uses many of the features from their cars.

It’s doesn’t have a name as yet and is still described as ‘one-of-a-kind’, so it’s probably a prototype. However, ‘test-drives’ will be offered at selected locations in Norway, so there might be a possibility of it being produced if demand is evident.

The chair can actually be driven although that’s not really unique since motorised wheelchairs have been available for a long time. But unlike wheelchairs which have very basic capabilities, this chair can travel at up to 20 km/h (they’ll have to put speed limit signs in offices!) and if the user lives within 12 kms of the office, he or she could even use it to travel home!

For safety, a horn is included to alert others ahead. There’s also a simplified form of the Advanced Driver Assistance (ADAS) systems found in Volkswagen vehicles. It makes use of sensors that cover all round the chair to pick up objects or people and alert the user, and there’s also a reverse camera to prevent accident when backing out of the conference room in a hurry after losing an argument.

The powertrain would draw on Volkswagen’s experience in developing powertrains for its ID. electric cars and at night, along with the smartphone, the battery pack of the chair can be recharged at home.

The chair has LED lights to give the recognizable Volkswagen look. Headlights were put in to brighten it and for the occasional office festivities, the chair is equipped with multi-coloured Office Party Lights. If the meeting gets boring, the user has an infotainment system with stereo audio to pass the time.

The chair has thick, quality fabric upholstery made from recycled fibres and is equipped with adjustable heating for comfort if it is taken out into the streets. And, of course, it must have a 3-point seatbelt in case of a sudden stop.

The busy executive who is lucky to have such a chair would probably have documents to carry. Rather than use a briefcase, the designers have added a storage compartment for these documents. And if there are larger items – like a printer – to transport, there’s also a trailer hitch attached.

As we said earlier, this is a one-off unit and whether it will be a novelty at trade fairs and motorshows remains to be seen. If there is a strong response and many people asking for it, perhaps Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will work with a specialist in office chairs to product it in small numbers.


PSA: Mercedes-Benz M’sia Issues Statement On Mercedes-Benz E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid & S 400 h Battery Issue

Following the photo of a
Mercedes-Benz
 Hybrid battery bill that was widely circulated on social-media, MBM has issued this statement and offer, reproduced here in its entirety with no editing…

“Providing the Best Customer Experience is always a top priority with Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM).  Our goal is to meet the customer’s needs at any point of their journey with the Mercedes-Benz brand in Malaysia, whether it is their first contact through consultation, the test drive or their purchasing experience and even their after-sales services.

In our pursuit towards providing the best ownership experience for our customers in 2018, we have introduced the
Hybrid Battery Extended Warranty
 programme. At an extremely affordable price of
MYR2,688
, customers are able to extend the battery warranty for the Mercedes-Benz E 300 BlueTEC hybrid and S 400 h for an additional
4 years
. The Hybrid Battery Extended Warranty provides
100% coverage
 for the repair or replacement of the hybrid battery for up to
8 years or 180,000 kilometers
 whichever comes first*.

At Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, we continuously seek to ensure that all our valued customers have the optimal cost of ownership through the provision of market adequate pricing for our older vehicles. We are pleased to announce that the
new recommended retail price is MYR50,000 for the E 300 BlueTEC hybrid battery and MYR65,000 for the S 400 h hybrid battery
.

Rest assured the satisfaction of our customers throughout the ownership experience is a priority at MBM and our Authorized Retailers. We have the best interest of our customers at all times and remain committed to delivering the absolute Best Customer Experience.” –
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia.

Should customers have any queries, kindly contact our Customer Care Centre at Tel:
1-800-88-1133
 (Operation Hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm) or email:
customercare_my@daimler.com
 or visit the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia website at
https://www.mercedes-benz.com.my

*Terms & conditions apply


F1/Round 14: Highlights & Provisional Results For 2021 Italian Grand Prix

Although Valtteri Bottas had won the Sprint Qualifying race – which determines the starting order for the main race – he had to start from the back as he had a Power Unit replaced and regulations require that penalty. So starting from pole position was Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen who got a good start at first, but was then overtaken by McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo at Turn 1 who took the lead.

Lewis Hamilton, after the fumble at the start of the Sprint race, was determined not to make mistakes again and started off from fourth place very aggressively, He jostled with McLaren’s Lando Norris going into the first turn and was forced onto the grass. However, it was Alfa Romeo ORLEN’s Antononio GiovInazzi who provided the first incident of the race to bring out the Virtual Safety Car when he spun, hot another car and left some pieces of his front wing on the track.

It was a very bad day for the Scuderia AlphaTauri team. Not only was Yuki Tsunoda’s car taken off the grid before the start and pushed back to the pits but his team mate, Pierre Gasly also had to retire after lap 5,a disappointment for the winner of the 2020 race.

It was bad enough that Giovinazzi had spun at the start and had to rush back to the pits and in his haste to get back into the race, he was seen  by the officials to rejoin the track in an unsafe manner and incurred a 5-second penalty.

Bottas had been working hard moving up the field and by the 10th lap, he was around 12th and tangling with Alpine F1’s Esteban Ocon. But it was still some way to go for the Mercedes-AMG driver as he was some 25 seconds behind Ricciardo, the leader. 3 laps later, he was up to 10th where he could start collecting points.

On lap 16, a duel between Aston Martin COGNIZANT’s Sebastian Vettel and Ocon resulting in wheel contact that forced the German driver off the track. The incident was investigated by the officials and would get a 5-second penalty for the incident.

Ricciardo didn’t make it to the halfway mark when he came in for new tyres on lap 23, stopping for 2.4 seconds and rejoining behind Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in 6th place.

Verstappen came in on lap 24 and it was a disastrous stop which took an agonising 11 seconds, resulting in him rejoining down in 10th place. Meanwhile, Hamilton had managed to get past Norris and take the lead. But Hamilton also needed to change tyres and he had to give up the lead on lap 25.

And then a crazy thing happened – Hamilton and Verstappen crashed at Turn 1! It appeared that while the Mercedes-AMG had rejoined ahead of the Red Bull, Verstappen attempted to get past at Turn 2 and bumped into Hamilton’s car and took off. When the dust settled, the Red Bull was on top of Hamilton’s car. The Safety Car raced out and the other drivers took the chance to come into the pits. The incredible incident meant that Ricciardo got to lead the race. 27 laps had been completed.

When the Safety Car withdrew, Ricciardo raced off as quickly as possible with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Norris on his tail. Then it was two McLarens in the lead as Norris managed to get past Leclerc. Meanwhile, Bottas was up to 4th on lap 34 so the Mercedes-AMG team still had a chance of a victory. Then again, another Red Bull too was positioned just ahead and also hoping for the same ending.

12 laps from the end, word from the McLaren team to the drivers was to play it safe and not have something sill happening like Norris knocking out his own team mate and losing the chance for a 1-2. Norris’ job would be to defend Ricciardo from Sergio Perez.

Haas F1’s Nikita Mazepin got a 5-second penalty for the spin he caused team mate Mick Schumacher, and then his own car came to a standstill on lap 44, bringing out the Virtual Safety Car to disrupt the race for short while as marshals for the car off the track.

With 5 laps remaining, the two McLarens had just a slight edge but both Perez and Bottas were still too close for them to feel confident of taking a 1-2. Until Ricciardo passed under the chequered flag, anything could happen. But nothing happened and the two orange cars raced across the finish line. Bottas put in a great effort, having started from the back to finish in third as Perez, though finishing in that position, had a 5-second penalty to drop him down.


Volvo Car M’sia Launches All-New XC60! [+Videos]

It’s here! Volvo Car Malaysia has finally unveiled the long-awaited successor to its Premium Mid-Sized SUV with the introduction of the new
Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine
, fully imported from Sweden.

(L-R) Lennart Stegland, Managing Director of Volvo Car Malaysia, Ziran Zhang, Chief Designer of Volvo Cars China, and Akhtar Sulaiman, Network & Product Director of Volvo Car Malaysia with the new Volvo XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus, fully-imported from Sweden. Local assembly of the new XC60 has begun and will make its debut within the second-quarter of this year…

The new model will replace the original XC60 which has sold nearly a million units globally and represents 30 per cent of Volvo’s total global sales. Here’s the official launch earlier today…

“We have a strong heritage in crafting stylish and dynamic SUVs that feature the latest in technology – the new XC60 will be no exception,”
 said
Lennart Stegland, Managing Director, Volvo Car Malaysia
(below).

Built on the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform, the new XC60 will maintain the beautiful proportions of its larger sibling but with a more expressive design on both the exterior and interior.

“The exterior has an athletic sculpture with a subtle, timeless quality. The interior is a masterful composition of well-resolved architecture and beautiful materials, all perfectly blended together,”
 added
Stegland
.

Want to see it in action? Check this out!

More on the new Volvo XC60…

Scoring a near perfect score of 98 per cent in the Adult Occupant category and 95 per cent in the Large Off-Road vehicle class, the new XC60 has been awarded Best Overall Performance by the prestigious Euro NCAP 2017.

This score was possible thanks to the new XC60’s ability to benefit and improve on the safety technologies of Volvo’s 90s Range – the first range of cars built on the SPA platform. Volvo calls its safety technologies which includes its driver support and active safety systems, IntelliSafe.

“Volvo has a vision that by the year 2020, no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car – this recent award underlines our leadership in safety technologies and makes the new XC60 one of the safest cars that we have ever made,”
 said
Stegland
.

IntelliSafe, which comes standard in the new XC60, will include the usual staple of active, preventive and protective safety systems such as City Safety (Autonomous Emergency Braking), BLIS (Blind Spot Information System), and Rear Collision Warning and Mitigation, just to name a few.

Both City Safety and BLIS now features Steer Assist, a system that provides automatic steering assistance that will – when required – avoid potential collisions. City Safety detects and helps avoid collisions with other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and large animals.

Oncoming Lane Mitigation is a new system included in the new XC60; it helps drivers avoid collisions with vehicles in an oncoming lane by alerting, and if necessary, provide automatic steering assistance to guide the car out of the path of the oncoming vehicle.

Another defining feature included in the new XC60 is Volvo’s Pilot Assist – an advanced semi-autonomous driver assistance system which takes care of steering, acceleration and braking on well-marked roads up to 130 km/h, will also be available in the new XC60.

Here’s a quick 360-deg walk-around video, plus a look at the inside…

In terms of performance, the T8 Twin Engine, combines a turbocharged and supercharged petrol engine with an electric motor that independently drives the rear axle to produce an impressive combined output of
407 hp
 (320 hp internal combustion engine + 87 hp electric motor) and
640 Nm
 (400 Nm internal combustion engine + 240 Nm electric motor) of torque.

But it’s really quiet in Electric mode, have a look & listen…

The performance figures translates to a century sprint of only
5.3 seconds
 and a very efficient
2.1 litres
 of fuel consumed for every
100 km
 travelled and a pure electric range of 45 km (NEDC Hybrid Combined Cycle) from a 10.4 kWh hybrid battery which is centrally located in the tunnel of the car.

The XC60 T8 Twin Engine will be offered in the Inscription and Inscription Plus trim level, with the latter being equipped with the industry-leading sound system, Premium Sound by Bowers & Wilkins; a 15-speaker sound system that supplies an astonishing 1,100 watts through a 10-channel Class-D amplifier.

The fully-imported (CBU), new XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus is priced at
RM373,888
 (on-the-road without insurance, including all applicable taxes) to complement the locally assembled range for the new XC60 that will be introduced at a later date.

The
locally-assembled
 (CKD) XC60 will be offered in two engine variants, namely, the T8 Twin Engine and T5. The T8 Twin Engine will be offered in two trim levels – Inscription and Inscription Plus; while the T5 will be offered in a single trim level.

Here’s the breakdown of the pricing for the locally-assembled XC60 (on-the-road without insurance, including all applicable taxes):

XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription Plus: RM343,888

XC60 T8 Twin Engine Inscription: RM333,888

XC60 T5: RM298,888

Customers are free to choose from five exterior colour options which includes Ice White, Bright Silver, Osmium Grey, Onyx Black and Maple Brown. In response to customer demands, Volvo Car Malaysia has also added a second leather upholstery colour for the locally assembled variant – Maroon Brown – which will complement the usual Charcoal.

Full specifications and features of the locally-assembled XC60 variants will be revealed in the months ahead but interested customers may already place their bookings for their preferred variant, starting today, at all authorised Volvo dealers.

Before we go, do take a look at this amazing Volvo promo video called “Moments”… much feels. –
Chris Wee
.

Till we get our hands on the review unit, we’ll say goodbye for now…

Volvo XC60 Full Specs
:
Technical Specifications – XC60 T8 Twin Engine CBU

Volvo XC60 CKD Price List:

Price List – The New Volvo XC60 CKD

Volvo XC60 CBU Price List:

Price List – The New Volvo XC60 CBU

Volvo XC60 Fact Sheet:
Features List (EN) – XC60 T8 Twin Engine CBU

Volvo XC60 FULL Press Release:

Press Release (EN) – The New Volvo XC60


Lincoln Star Concept – a study of experiences

Over the 100 years that it has been part of the Ford Group, Lincoln has offered luxury models in the same way that Cadillac has done for General Motors. This year, on its 100
th
 anniversary (it was actually founded in 1917), the company is showing how its products will look as it moves ahead in the new era of electric vehicles (EVs).

The new design language which Lincoln cars of the future will use will maintain the core tenets of beauty, human, gliding and sanctuary. “As Lincoln enters the next chapter in our transition to a zero-emissions future, the Lincoln Star Concept will lead the way for our portfolio of fully electric vehicles. It is an excellent example of how we are redefining luxury for the next generation as we work to transform the vehicle into a third space – a true place of sanctuary – for our clients,” said Joy Falotico, President of Lincoln, when introducing the company’s new concept car.

The new design language is applied inside and out, with thoughtful design details, connected experiences and clever solutions to create the ultimate sanctuary for customers who travel in the Star Concept.

A study of experiences

“Electrification is removing many traditional vehicle design constraints, allowing us to reimagine what a vehicle can be,” said Anthony Lo, Chief Design Officer, Ford Motor Company. “The Lincoln Star is a study of experiences and themes that push the boundaries of Lincoln design – and it’s just the start.”

Relating to the evolved design language of Lincoln, the silhouette is sleek and dynamic, expanded to create a striking effect. Whether stationary or in motion, the concept uses design, light, displays, scents and sounds to create an immersive experience for the occupants. Intelligent technology that enhances comfort, productivity and entertainment is deployed throughout to bring the romance of travel back in a uniquely Lincoln way.

Using light in a modern new way

The designers worked to create harmony throughout by using light in a modern new way. Illuminated crystallines, plus backlit doors, seats and exterior features elevate the architectural space to create the ultimate sanctuary. The new Lincoln star on the fascia lights up like a jewel – greeting clients upon approach while giving new meaning to the Lincoln Embrace welcome sequence.

Under the floor, the company’s rear and all-wheel-drive flexible BEV architecture and next-generation Lincoln Intelligence System make possible the new design thinking and connected experiences proposed in the concept. The flexible architecture means engineers and designers will be able to reimagine the additional interior space in new and exciting ways.

Lincoln Intelligence System

The new Lincoln Intelligence System takes the definition of ‘digital assistant’ to a new dimension, enabling experiences such as connected vehicle-to-vehicle and infrastructure capabilities. These would include next-generation driver-assist features such as ‘
Help Me See
’ and ‘
Park for Me
’.

A reimagined sanctuary

Both in design and colour composition, the interior is uniquely partitioned into first and second-row areas. The entire cabin experience in both rows is premium, with extra-spacious wraparound seating, reclined lounge posture, individual lounge legrests and curated storage for devices and slippers. A luxurious glass beverage chiller is neatly integrated between the back seats.

The feeling of spaciousness is enhanced with 3D-printed metal latticework on the A-pillar along the windshield and the D-pillar at the back window of the Lincoln Star Concept – visible from the inside out. These transparent pillars, along with a full skylight with digital shade, invites natural light in to enhance the open, airy feel of the space.

A full-width curved horizontal display creates a digital panorama in which content flows seamlessly into an integrated centre control screen, then into the second-row screen. New materials such as leather and chrome alternatives and several unique finishes work in harmony to create a modern, luxurious experience.

Three rejuvenation moods join a new Lincoln Embrace sequence harmonizing audio, scenting and lighting throughout the cabin. A symphonic orchestration with crisp, high-resolution animations on the displays creates an immersive digital sanctuary. Whether stuck in traffic or just enjoying a few quiet moments after work, the rejuvenation moods provide a true sanctuary in a third space:

The three moods are built around the human body’s natural circadian rhythm of morning, day and evening. With the help of connected technology, the moods will offer content updates and ways for the occupants to personalize their settings into the future.

‘Boot’ at the front

The area no longer occupied by a combustion engine is converted into a front storage compartment, helping to liberate more space in the cabin. With electro-chromatic glass that changes from transparent to opaque, the front compartment is instantly recognizable, allowing light in when the car is in motion and darkening to hide stored valuables when parked. Underneath, illuminated first-row floors flow uninterrupted into the interior, creating an airy, open cabin.

A wing-shaped floating instrument panel, inspired by aircraft ailerons, emphasizes horizontal balance and equilibrium, while the Lincoln one-touch pedal is used for easy driving. The interior also features Lincoln Attache, a digital briefcase concept with a hidden compartment in the rear coach door that not only provides safe storage of tablets and laptops, but does double duty as a charge pad for devices and can seamlessly detect incoming wireless content. Finally, a reimagined rear cargo space features a lounge mode that transforms into a cozy, indulgent outdoor seat to bring the destination closer.

Lincoln plans to deliver three new battery electric vehicles (BEVs) which will account for more than half of its global volume, and it will add a fourth model by the end of 2026.

Audi urbansphere concept shows what the luxury MPV of the future could be like


Sono Motors to start selling Sion solar energy vehicle from 2023, priced from 28,500 euros (about RM132,000)

Most of today’s motor vehicles are powered by engines which run on fossil fuels – petrol, diesel, natural gas – and apart from causing pollution from the exhaust gases that are by-products of combustion, there is also the problem of diminishing fuel supplies. The fuels come from deep underground and were formed millions of years ago from dead plants, dinosaurs and other living creatures. So there is a specific quantity of these fuels underground and while there are varying predictions on how long they will last, the fact is they will eventually be finished.

The auto industry has understood this for a long time and has searched for alternative fuels to use, preferably those which can be renewable. At this time, some approaches using electricity and hydrogen are already in use in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles and while they are not necessarily the answers, they are helping to slow down the rate of consumption of fossil fuels so that new technologies can be developed that do not need such fuels.

Sunshine has energy too and technologies have already been developed to collect sunshine and convert to electricity which can be used for various purposes, like water heaters in the home or
powering machinery at factories
. It used to also be a dream to be able to use solar energy to power cars but the technology has been slow to advance, and it takes a huge amount of conversion to generate enough electricity for such a purpose as propulsion.

Nevertheless, the technology has reached a stage today where it is possible to at least use sunshine for cars though not necessarily directly powering the electric motors. The electricity that is converted from sunshine can go into a storage battery which then provides electricity for the motors to run. There are a number of manufacturers which have already developed prototypes and some are on the verge of commercializing them for sale to the public.

Sono Motors, based in Germany, is one of the companies with a solar energy vehicle (SEV) almost ready to be delivered to customers. In fact, its SEV known as Sion has entered the validation stage this month with over 30 units to undergo real-world testing in Europe and the USA. The company plans to start producing 43,000 cars a year and the total production volume is expected to be 257,000 units over a 7-year period. The former SAAB factory in Sweden will be used as the production facility.

The Sion has been a dream of the Sono Motors founders for at least 10 years, but they only started crowdfunding to implement a project in 2016 and 2017 where they collected over 2 million euros (about RM9.25 million). By January 2021, they presented their first prototype of the Sion with the design that will be used for the production model.

While the design is fairly conventional, key to the technical aspect (as with any electric vehicle) is the battery pack to power the 120 kW electric motor. Sono Motors has opted for a more powerful 54 kWh battery for the Sion which is a lithium iron phosphate type (pictured above) considered to be one of the safest on the market, and also does not use cobalt, nickel and manganese. It is expected to have a lifespan of up to 3,000 cycles, or up to 900,000 kms. The battery can be recharged quickly at outlets of up to 75 kW.

A total range of up to 305 kms is claimed, with additional range provided by the solar panels which is a weekly average of 112 kms (245 kms per week at peak). There are 248 solar cells on the roof which can generate peak power of up to 1.2 kW.

“The growing EV market is generating enormous demand for longer-lasting, more sustainable batteries. This enhanced battery enables Sion drivers to extend the time between charges, whilst reducing the charging time itself. This effectively optimizes the Sion to deliver easy and affordable sustainable mobility for everyone,” said Markus Volmer, Chief Technology Officer at Sono Motors.

The company has also developed its own wall charging station or Wallbox which will be affordably priced. Being bi-directional, it can be used for home charging of the Sion as well as for supplying electricity from the car for use in the home or even to transfer to the local power grid. The Sion is thus a mobile powerplant that can not only reduce costs for home-owners but can also provide power during emergencies when supply is cut.

Older motorists will recall the days when they used to carry out simple maintenance tasks themselves. Today, however, there is less to do and most of the time, maintenance is done at service centres. Sono Motors intends to bring back the ‘DIY culture’ with the Sion to keep running and repair costs as low as possible. Standard replacement parts can be changed by the owner but for work involving high-voltage parts (which can have some risk), owners will be advised to send their car to authorized service centres.

The interior has a simple functional layout like any of today’s hatchbacks. Two tablet-style displays provide information on the car’s operation as well as the infotainment system. A unique design feature on the dashboard is the insertion of Icelandic moss, said to offer certain health benefits. The owner can connect to the car via Apple Carplay or Android Auto, and the Sono app allows remote control of the air-conditioning system or to check the battery status.

If everything goes according to plan, the first customers will get their cars sometime in 2023. To date, the company says over 15,000 orders have been received (along with downpayments) for the car which is to be priced from 28,500 euros (about RM132,000).

Free sunshine helps Proton save up to RM5.85 million on electricity costs


BIMS 2018: Launched! Bangkok International Motorshow 2018 Begins! [+Videos & Photo Gallery]

The 2018
Bangkok International Motorshow
 is a GO! Here’s the video of the launch gambit that happened earlier today…

As you can see, it’s been a tradition of sorts for BIMS to have all heads of the various car companies taking part to be up on stage for the official opening ceremony, which is something quite unique to BIMS; can’t think of another motorshow that does this.

So let’s get on with it shall we? Here’s the first official photos from BIMS 2018! More to come so stay tuned!

FORD…

Undoubtedly, the star of BIMS 2018 is the all-new Ford Ranger Raptor. Here’s the launch video taken moments ago…

Boasting 500Nm of torque, it’s one of the most striking vehicles at BIMS this year, and garnering the lion’s share of shutterbug action, not to mention selfies with the thing…

It costs B1.69 million here, which works out to about RM170,000, and is slated to be launched in Malaysia by the middle of 2018. We can’t wait!

PORSCHE…

Needless to say, the new GT2RS is getting the most attention at the Porsche pavilion! And it’s easy to see why…

MERCEDES-BENZ…

Achingly gorgeous is the new GTc AMG, crews were constantly wiping drool off the car, I kid you not…

And of course this mean green machine parked next to it wasn’t short of attention either…

KIA…

Ah, the Kia Stinger! Seen it in the metal at the MAI Malaysia Autishow last year, but it still takes my breath away…

AUDI…

Check out how much the new R8 Coupe costs!

Yes, that’s just shy of
Baht 19 million!

Well, no one wants to read about a motorshow, so enjoy the photos below cos I’m heading back into the show! Stay tuned for lots more to come! –
Chris Wee.

BIMS 2018 First Day Photo Gallery…


Polestar To Use Google HD Maps And Offer Remote Functions With Google Assistant

Besides the
Smart Eye occupant monitoring system
 that Polestar will be installing in its
Polestar 3 SUV
 model, the carmaker will also have enhancements and developments in its other models soon. These new features are being showcased by Google at CES 2023 in Las Vegas this weekend.

The developments include Google’s new HD map, and the roll-out of remote actions for Polestar 2. “These developments are the direct result of our strong relationship with Google and show the advantages of integrating the innovative Android Automotive OS in our cars,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar’s CEO.

First car to use HD map
The Polestar 3 will be the first car in the world to have Google’s new HD map – a comprehensive map that provides highly detailed and up-to-date road information. With the HD map, Polestar will be able to combine its advanced vehicle sensor technology and Google’s precise lane-level and localisation data to facilitate driver assistance features like Pilot Assist, as well as future autonomous driving functionality.

The HD map is a very precise map that contains details not normally available in traditional maps. The enhanced level of detail is critical for assisted driving computation, improving recognition of details like lane markings and localisation objects, including road signs.

“Building on our long history of mapping the world, Google’s new HD map is designed specifically for automakers and we’re excited to continue partnering with leading car manufacturers like Polestar to improve the safety and comfort of drivers everywhere,” says Jorgen Behrens, Vice-President and General Manager of Geo Automotive at Google.

Remote functions
With the introduction of remote actions,
Polestar 2
 owners can now control their car remotely (eg from inside the home) using a compatible Google Assistant-enabled device. Besides the Google Nest device, there are also devices from other companies which are compatible with Google Assistant.

Triggered by saying ‘
Hey Google
’, the assistant will connect to the car and check vehicle status as well as control certain functions. These include starting climate preconditioning, checking battery status and unlocking doors, amongst other functions.

Remote actions will be initially available to owners in the USA, and be offered in more markets over time.

O2 roadster concept to go into production as Polestar 6


Evolution of the feature that has saved hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide

passive safety

It is well known that a Swedish engineer, Nils Ivar Bohlin, who joined Volvo from the aircraft industry developed the 3-point safety belt that is common in every car today. And, though patented, Volvo generously allowed everyone else to follow the same design without any charge. It was a ‘gift to the world’ as Volvo hoped such a move would get the seatbelt adopted widely and quickly. And it was, saving hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide. Bohlin’s invention appeared in the late 1950s and of course, Volvo led the way by installing it in its cars as standard.

An idea from aircraft

However, the seatbelt was around for some time before Bohlin’s invention. The idea came from aircraft and early automotive inventors considered it to provide a form of restraint in the event the driver was thrown forward. In France, for example, Gustave-Desire Leveau registered a concept in 1903, which  was for a complex 4-point seatbelt for the driver as well as the passengers.

Before the 1960s, seatbelts that were provided were the 2-point lap type that went only around the waist (left). Nils Bohlin’s invention added a third strap coming down from the top across the chest (right).

In Germany, Daimler Benz introduced a seatbelt in its Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (W 198) in 1957. The 2-point seatbelt, essentially like what was found in commercial aircraft, was an option in the open-top supersports car and the owner could have it installed on one or both seats.

Racing cars get seatbelts

From the 1950s onwards, an increasing number of cars racing in motorsport were also fitted with a seatbelt. It was a logical thing to do as speeds rose, and drivers could be flung out or hit the steering wheel in a crash. Over time, safety systems in racing cars have advanced and those used by drivers in Formula 1 cars are extremely sophisticated, providing head-and-neck support to reduce the dangerous acceleration of the head during a collision.

The most advanced seatbelt systems are probably the ones in F1 racing cars which must restrain the drivers who can crash at very high speeds.

In 1958, Mercedes-Benz started to offer the 2-point seatbelt as optional equipment for the entire range of passenger cars with individual seats in the front. By the end of the same year, lap belts in the rear seats were also optionally available. Konrad Adenauer, the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, was convinced by the system and his official car was equipped with a lap belt in the rear.

Enhanced operation for convenience

As mentioned earlier, Volvo made the 3-point seatbelt concept freely available to the industry and Mercedes-Benz adopted the idea in the 1960s. It combined the benefits of a lap belt and shoulder belt – just like Bohlin had described it in 1958 – and included a reeling mechanism, which was initially like a ‘luxury’ feature. Mercedes-Benz introduced the seatbelt with the automatic reeling mechanism as standard equipment in front seats in 1973, and later as standard equipment in rear seats.

The W 126 Mercedes-Benz S-Class came with a seatbelt and tensioner for more effective restraint, as well as an airbag for the driver.

It is not just the way the seatbelt wraps around the body which is critical, but also how it is attached. The company delivered the R 107 model series SL (in 1971) with a seatbelt anchored to the bottom of the seat as standard equipment.

Seatbelt becomes compulsory

The value of seatbelts was very quickly noted by safety authorities, supported by accident research data. Manufacturers were asked to provide them as standard, at least for the front occupants, but not everyone wanted to use them. So laws were introduced to make usage compulsory, at least for the front occupants. Later on, the laws would be revised to include rear passengers as well.

Such laws initially met with plenty of resistance as they seemed to cause inconvenience and imagined discomfort. In Switzerland, for example, the protests were strong enough that the requirement was suspended some time and a referendum carried out before the law was accepted in 1981.

Mercedes-Benz continuously did R&D on all types of passive safety systems, which included seatbelts. As part of the Experimental Safety Vehicle (ESV) programme, automatically engaging seatbelts for the front seats were tested back in 1972 in the ESV 13 experimental safety vehicle. ESV 22, developed in 1973, served as a platform to test 3-point seatbelts featuring 3 seatbelt force-limiters and seatbelt tensioners as well as the driver airbag. By 1981, the driver airbag in conjunction with a seatbelt with a tensioner system was ready for introduction in the S-Class (W 126), providing the driver with even better protection during frontal collisions.

The quest to give better protection to the occupants of a motor vehicle continues, with various systems working together to provide the best protection when a car is involved in an accident. Advances are being made in the structure and new types of restraint systems are being developed although the primary one will still be the seatbelt.

How first aid kits came to be standard in German cars


Boost e-wallet now accepted at Shell stations

Boost aka “Malaysia’s largest e-wallet” together with Shell Malaysia has announced that their e-wallet payment service is now accepted at Shell fuel stations across Malaysia. As of now, 800 Shell stations accept Boost as an alternative payment method to further enhance the overall retail experience, whether for fuel or other amenities available at Shell Select.

The collaboration between Boost and Shell Malaysia already started since last month and in a time span of just a few weeks, more than 80% of Shell stations here in Malaysia have adopted Boost as another cashless method of payment. This number will grow to 100% by the end of May 2019.

According to Mr. Mohd Khairil Abdullah, CEO of Axiata Digital Services Sdn Bhd (who happens to be the parent company of Boost), “Boost was first launched for mobile prepaid users to reload their mobile credit but since getting our e-Money license from Bank Negara Malaysia, our e-wallet features have gained a lot of traction. We are excited to play a leading role in turning Malaysia into a cashless society, in-line with the Government’s ambitions.”

“We wanted customers to be able to pay for their goods and services in a convenient and safe manner. As such, we see this partnership as providing more convenience to our users, because now they can use our e-wallet at Shell stations nationwide,” he added.

Mr. Shairan Huzani Husain, Managing Director of Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd and Shell Timur Sdn Bhd, added, “Our customers are digitally savvy, and technology plays an important role in their day-to-day lives. Hence, partnering with the nation’s leading e-wallet enables us to offer them the additional option to pay with their Boost e-wallet when fuelling up with Shell fuels and grabbing their favourite treats at Shell Select. We are constantly looking to offer Malaysians a more convenient and enhanced retail experience, to help make their life’s journeys better.”

To celebrate this momentous occasion, Boost and Shell Malaysia will be rewarding fellow Malaysians with an exclusive promotion. From 14 May until 14 June 2019, customers to enjoy a two (2) times RM5 cashback if they spend RM40 with their Boost e-wallet at the selected Shell stations. Not bad, Shell and Boost. Not bad at all.


Phuket Bike Week 2018! [+Video & First Photo Gallery]

Piston.my is attending Phuket Bike Week 2018! We’re with Petronas who are going to launch their new Sprinta motorcycle engine oil right here at PBW @ Patong Beach! We’re rolling out!

Stay tuned for more to come!


Malaysian winners of 2022 Toyota Dream Car Art Contest to go to Japan for World Contest in August

Toyota’s
Dream Car Art Contest
 has been ongoing since 2004 and has seen participation from over 6.2 million children from some 100 countries and regions. It’s an event that invites children to show what their dream car looks like and their idea of the future of mobility through drawings. The best and most creative entries are recognized with awards from the carmaker.

Malaysian children have participated in the contest for over 10 years and in some years, their submissions have won awards. In fact, one of them even won the President Akio Toyoda Award, a special award from the President of Toyota Motor Corporation, in the seventh edition of the contest in 2013.

A chance to attend the World Contest

Each year, national contests are held first to pick winners who will represent their country and these winners will have a chance to attend the World Contest in Japan. For the 2022 Toyota Dream Car Art Contest, the Malaysian winners are Chong Xia Juan in Category 1 (7 years old and under), Choo Yi Zhe in Category 2 (8 – 11 years old) and Liew Jia Xin in Category 3 (12 – 15 years old).

For their efforts, the winners also received special category prizes such as an Apple iPad, Apple Watch and Electric Scooter, as well as vouchers worth RM400 for the other winners.

Future of mobility through children’s perspective

“Despite the pandemic, I am pleased to announce that we received over 2,280 entries. I would like to thank the participants, their parents and everyone involved for making this year’s Toyota Dream Car Art Contest a success! We are very inspired by the imagination and ideas of these children, and I enjoyed looking at the future of mobility through their perspectives. As a leader in mobility, we will continue innovating with a focus on sustainability to pave the pathway to our future of Electrification in Malaysia,” said President of UMW Toyota Motor, Ravindran. K.

At the virtual Toyota Dream Car Art Contest Closing Ceremony, Mohd Shamsor Mohd Zain, UMW Toyota Motor’s Executive Director of Sales, noted that every submission was invigorating and stimulating, brimming with the passion and dreams of the young artists, with those of the three winners having stood out the most. He also applauded the creativity of the participants and hopes that the next generation of great inventors, thinkers and dreamers can be nurtured from this contest.

Leng Yi Shun, who was a Bronze Award winner, won the President Akio Toyoda Award in the 7th Toyota Dream Car Art Contest in 2013.

The three winners, together with the two runners-up of each category, will be accompanied by a parent or guardian to attend the World Contest and Awards Ceremony in August this year.

Click here
 to know more about the Toyota Dream Car Art Contest (Malaysian event).

Toyota Mobility Foundation’s CATCH offers two solutions to address Kuala Lumpur’s mobility and city planning challenges


Three BMW dealerships to host BMW Year-End Expo 2019

Quill Automobiles, Ingress Auto and Wheelcorp Premium, which represent the BMW and MINI brands in the Klang Valley, will transform The Marquee at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre into the largest BMW and MINI dealership in the city centre this weekend
(December 6 – 8
).
Billed as ‘a one-of-a-kind event’, the BMW Year-End Expo 2019 will have over 90 vehicles on display from both brands from 10 am to 7 pm each day.

As would be expected, the dealers will have special offers for those who want to shop for a new car to have in the porch or garage this Christmas or for the new year. The offers will include a special 6 Years and 5 Years Unlimited Mileage Warranty programme; special financing rates from 0.33% (terms and conditions apply); and complimentary one-year BMW Comprehensive Motor Insurance.

They will also be able to find out about BMW M Performance Parts which enhance the sportiness of a BMW and of course, check out the lifestyle items from BMW and MINI.


The 2019 Maserati Ghibli Arrives In Malaysia With Further Refinements, Prices Start At RM 618,800!

Maserati’s best-selling luxury sedan, the
Ghibli
, now comes with discreet refinements to the ultimate detail in a MY19 (Model Year 2019) version, which
Naza Italia
, the official importer and distributor for Maserati, has announced is available for booking in Malaysia.

The Ghibli makes a bold statement and elegantly delivers a smooth, lavish ride with razor-sharp coupé-like handling. A symbol of high-powered luxury that’s imbued with Maserati’s racing DNA, the Ghibli embodies the marque’s competitive spirit and maintains the tradition of empowering performance.

The latest incarnation of this model presents subtle style enhancements, new colour options, alloy wheels, full-grain Pieno Fiore natural leather with new veneers and a redesigned gearshift lever with shorter travel and improved operation. Adaptive Full LED Matrix headlights are standard for all model range. Maserati’s eye-catching Nerissimo styling package has been updated and made available for the MY19 Ghibli.

Dato’ Samson Anand George, Group CEO, Automotive Group, Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd
, said,
“The Malaysian market will see the complete range for this model, which includes the Ghibli, Ghibli GranSport, Ghibli GranLusso, Ghibli S, Ghibli S GranSport and Ghibli S GranLusso. The highly popular Ghibli range offers gorgeous looks, top-quality performance, a comfortable driving experience and even greater refinement.”

The Ghibli enters the Malaysian market at the starting price of
RM 618,800.00
 (inclusive of local taxes and duties) for the standard model, whilst the
Ghibli GranSport
and
 GrandLusso
 are priced at
RM 668,800.00
. The
Ghibli S
 is priced at
RM 718,800
 and the
Ghibi S GranSport
and
 GranLusso
at
 RM 768,800.00
. All models include
5 years Standard Warranty
 coverage with no mileage restriction plus a Free maintenance program of 5 years/ 100,000 km whichever comes first (Inclusive of *Maserati Premium Service Plus of 3 Years /60,000KM).

For the
FULL
 press release and more details of the 2019 Maserati Ghibli. click to download this:
Maserati Ghibli MY19

2019 Maserati Ghibli Photo Gallery…


Porsche may lead development of Lamborghini Urus

According to recent reports, Lamborghini is looking to ‘one up’ Ferrari at its own game by certain restructuring strategies. But out of the lot, we are most interested in the plans of launching its first ever SUV.

Based on an article published by
automobilemag.com
, there has been some talk of the production of the automaker’s upcoming hyper-SUV, the Urus, which is slated for launch next year. It is said to be based on the third generation Cayenne, and will sport a number of engine options including a 458bhp plug-in hybrid V6 and a 660bhp 4.0-litre V8.

That isn’t breaking news, but what is however, is the idea that Porsche instead of Lamborghini might be running the show. Audi, acquired Lamborghini in 1999 and the former, is owned by Volkswagen who also owns Porsche. (It’s complicated family tree)

Perhaps the powers that be, hope that with Porsche at the helm of the project, things would progress smoothly as opposed to having the Italian automaker calling the shots. Mind you, this isn’t the first time that the Germans have abruptly stepped in.

The Gallardo, Lamborghini’s most popular vehicle, and which has accounted for a significant portion of the brands sales growth over the yers, shared the same platform as the Audi R8. This had many purists up in arms because they feared that the move had diluted the appeal.

However, they were sadly mistaken and the Gallardo went on to sell like hot cakes in the 10 years that the model was kept in production. And this same strategy could work for the Urus as well.

As a side note, Lamborghini are also working on a Huracan that can do some mild adventure-like activities. Unlike the regular car, this one will have an increased ride height to allow for improved ground clearance. This Huracan will probably be fitted with bigger tyres as well as wider fenders to compensate for them.

Based on this, we can surmise that no automotive manufacture, regardless of heritage, can resist the allure of the SUV. It’s a product line that is in constant demand, especially when they are made by luxury brands.

Source:
automobilemag.com


Location Of Non-Subsidised Petrol Stations To Be Determined

According to domestic commerce and cost of living minister Salahuddin Ayub, the government is looking for a place in the capital of Johor that would be appropriate for a non-subsidised
petrol station
.

He said that the domestic commerce and cost of living ministry is conducting a study because Johor borders Singapore and many vehicles from the republic fill up there.

Two (such) petrol stations were opened as part of a pilot initiative in Padang Besar and Wang Kelian, Perlis, which helped the government save over RM6 million on fuel subsidies.

In Johor Bahru, a thorough investigation is being conducted to see whether an appropriate location may be opened in order to avoid or reduce the purchase of discounted petrol (by owners of foreign-registered vehicles).

After the trial project in Perlis was launched, the domestic commerce and cost of living ministry announced on May 18 that it was nearing completion of implementing non-subsidized petrol stations in a number of additional states.

Furthermore, Salahuddin reminded the public that only Malaysians are eligible for the subsidy on petrol, and that foreign-registered vehicles are not permitted to fill up with RON95.

Closed-circuit TV (CCTV) footage revealed the intended buyer was prevented from buying subsidised petrol in response to a video that went viral featuring a Singaporean who wanted to do so.

The Singaporean claimed that the fuel would power a go-kart. There will be a report on this from the Johor office of my ministry. If the petrol station owner violated the law, the owner may face legal action.

RON95 fuel was purchased by two foreign men on June 16 at a petrol station in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, based on a report made to police by a food delivery rider. According to Iskandar Puteri district police commander Rahmat Ariffin, police have initiated an investigation into the incident.


Mitsubishi Ralliart to return to competition with entry in Asia Cross-Country Rally

Ralliart is a name that motorsports enthusiasts, especially fans of off-road events, will know well. It was the competition division of Mitsubishi Motors and associated with the Dakar Rally as well as the World Rally Championship. Unfortunately, MMC went through difficult times and had to reorganize itself, which led to the Ralliart division having to cease its operations in 2010.

However, in 2021, the company indicated that it would
revive the Ralliart brand
 although it did not give details of what could be expected. It showed some
Ralliart-themed models
  in Bangkok but enthusiasts are hoping for some performance-oriented products.

Perhaps they are still formulating plans on what they want to do with the brand, which is still strong in people’s minds. Soon, we’ll see Team Mitsubishi Ralliart in action again when it competes in the Asia Cross-Country Rally (AXCR) 2022. Prior to the event, the team conducted endurance tests with a
Triton
 on an off-road course in Thailand on June 27 and 28.

The endurance tests subjected the car to high loads comparable to those expected in the rally and focused mainly on the reliability and durability of the chassis and engine. To test the performance of the truck in an environment similar to that of the actual course, the team used a 10-kms course that combines a high-speed range, rough gravel road and a narrow, winding forest course.

“Since the Triton has a robust chassis frame and an excellent handling performance, we decided to reduce the vehicle weight at a minimum for the rally modification while leveraging its original strength as much as possible,” said Hiroshi Masuoka, team director of Team Mitsubishi Ralliart. “Having covered more than 800 kms in two days, the vehicle showed its great performance throughout the tough endurance tests as we expected, and now we are confident that our preparation is on the right track.”

Hiroshi Masuoka is a very experienced off-road driver, having participated in the Dakar Rally since 1987 and winning it in 2002 and 2003 – with the Mitsubishi Ralliart team, of course. He has also visited Malaysia to assist Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia in introducing models such as the Triton and Pajero Sport.

AXCR is a gruelling, week-long, 2,000-km cross-country rally that races through the natural terrain of Southeast Asia. Normally held in August of each year, the rally was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the dates for the rally were pushed back to November 21 to 26, and the course will be about 1,700 kms long. It will start in Buriram in the northeast of Thailand (where there is a racetrack) before crossing into Cambodia and ending at the World Heritage site of Angkor Wat.

Team Mitsubishi Ralliart’s Triton

The Triton is classified by the FIA as a Group T1 rally car (prototype cross-country vehicle). Based on the Thailand-specification double-cab model, the car’s bonnet, front and rear doors, interior and other parts have been lightened, while the body has been strengthened with a roll-cage and under guards.

The dedicated suspension provides superb handling characteristics, while the front and rear limited-slip differential, large-diameter off-road tyres and lightweight alloy wheels greatly improve handling on rough road surfaces. Tuning of the 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine has focused on reducing friction loss and weight, and improving responsiveness in the mid-speed ranges frequently used in rallies.

Some AXCR stages include river crossings, so water-proofing modifications have also been added, such as stronger sealing and an air-intake snorkel.

Mitsubishi Motors to revive Ralliart


Renault Megane eVision concept previews new Megane for 2022 (w/VIDEO)

Having been among the early carmakers to start electrifying their product line and since 2010, it has sold more than 300,000 electric vehicles in Europe. Renault continues to look ahead to the future of electric vehicles and mobility.

Revealing the next step in the brand’s broadening electrified vision is the Megane eVision, an innovative concept car based on the new modular CMF-EV (Common Module Family – Electric Vehicle) platform. The production version of the  Megane eVision, to go on sale in 2020, will be the first Renault vehicle to make use of the new  platform.

Highly variable platform

This new platform was specifically designed by the Alliance and has been rigorously tested over 3 million kilometres in France and Japan. It can accommodate a variety of vehicle bodies – from low saloons to larger SUVs – with different modular batteries can be fitted vertically and horizontally.

What will be consistent across all vehicles sitting on the CMF-EV platform is a flat floor, boosting interior practicality and modularity thanks to the lack of an exhaust system or standard transmission, making room for a more versatile cabin.

It is also modular in length with a wheelbase up to 2.77 metres available, offering engineers a vast scope for vehicles with more powerful batteries and longer driving range. The flexibility of the platform is further demonstrated by the ability to accommodate a second rear engine to provide 4-wheel drive capability.

The engine compartment is also more compact when compared with traditional combustion-engined vehicles, enabling an extended wheelbase with wheels pushed further to the edges of the vehicle. This allows a much roomier cabin environment as well as more design opportunities.

Powertrain and battery

The electric motor is one of the most powerful in the Renault range of any fuel type, delivering 160 kW of power (equivalent to 217 bhp) and 300 Nm of torque, to give a claimed acceleration time from 0 – 100 km/h in under 8 seconds.

Slimline battery packs located beneath the floor of the vehicle give a low centre of gravity. An innovative feature is that they are structural and form an integral part of the car, helping to absorb energy in the event of a side collision. They also have a higher energy density, enabling longer driving range and reduced charging times.

The 60 kWh battery pack thickness can be altered in order to best suit the car, meaning particular models can be designed to be perfectly fit for purpose. For example, a compact vehicle can be truly compact, while remaining highly efficient with increased driving range and improved energy efficiency.

Besides an advanced system for managing battery temperature and one of the thinnest batteries on the market, the Megane eVision also has a new ultra-compact powertrain. An optimised water-cooling Energy Recovery System captures the heat of the engine and battery to heat the passenger compartment without using energy from the battery. This ensures the driving range is not impacted by cold weather, maximising all available energy.

LIVINGTECH technological ecosystem

The interior showcases Renault’s LIVINGTECH technological ecosystem, an intuitive and smart interior environment that focuses on interacting with the passengers and catering to their needs and usage. The space within is comparable to a much larger vehicle in spite of the compact hatchback exterior. A slim and sleek LIVINGSCREEN instrument panel forms part of the interior design that combines design and practicality, with striking touches such as illuminated edges.

The 4.21-metre long Megane eVision has a hatchback design which is a modern interpretation and reinvention of the Megane name. It takes inspiration and details from the
MORPHOZ concept car
 with the large wheels, body height and robust design reminiscent of an SUV.

The floating roof is finished in a unique gold colour gradient that starts from the front windscreen pillar, giving an impression of lightness, accentuating the car’s sleek profile. The highly sculpted bonnet features two air inlets, enhancing the illuminated Renault logo, while the 20-inch alloy wheels are finished in the shape of propeller blades.

Renault MORPHOZ – the car that changes shape according to needs! (w/VIDEO)


Manufacturers must make their electric cars noisy

As the era of the electric car dawns and more such cars will be on the roads, safety issues are beginning to get increasing attention. The fact that cars with only electric motors run almost silently may be good for the environment but can be a danger to pedestrians. It’s already bad enough that there are pedestrians who are walk around with earphones blocking out ambient noises that they do not realise a car is approaching them. With electric cars, even pedestrians who can hear may not know a car is coming up behind them.

For the past few years, safety authorities in some countries have begun to introduce new regulations that require electric vehicles to ‘make noise’ as a safety measure. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), for example, added such a requirement for all new hybrid and electric light-duty vehicles sold in the USA. The new federal safety standard is intended to help pedestrians who are blind, have low vision, and other pedestrians detect the presence, direction and location of these vehicles when they are traveling at low speeds.

Special acoustic chambers are used to conduct tests on noise generated by vehicles.

Under the new rule, to come into effect in September this year, all hybrid and electric light vehicles with 4 wheels and a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds (4,545 kgs) or less will be required to make audible noise when traveling in reverse or forward at speeds up to 30 km/h. At higher speeds, the sound alert is not required because other factors, such as tyre and wind noise, provide adequate audible warning to pedestrians.

New EU directive to make noise

Since the beginning of July 2019, a new EU directive has made it mandatory to install a warning sound generator in electric cars in Europe. This stipulates that initially in newly certificated hybrid, electric and fuel cell vehicles – also trucks and buses – an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) must be installed for the protection of other road users.

The warning is mandatory up to a speed of 20 km/h and the Directive formulates the parameters for how an AVAS warning may and may not sound in great detail. This applies for example to the minimum and maximum sound volume, and to certain sound components.

How manufacturers are meeting the requirement

It is subject to these and many other regulations that the sound experts of the acoustic test facility at the Mercedes-Benz Technology Centre in Germany are working on giving a ‘voice’ to the electrified Mercedes-Benz models. Special microphones in the exterior sound testing facilities are used to develop an individually configured e-sound for each electric model.

Simulations, measurements, evaluations and detailed improvements continue until the result is perfect. During the subsequent test drives, there is a particularly sensitive passenger on board – the artificial head. This registers the tiniest noises, and comes impressively close to human hearing.

The Mercedes-Benz AVAS sound differs only slightly for the EU, Japan and China. There are other requirements for the USA, for example concerning the sound volume. Furthermore, the stationary vehicle must already generate a sound when a gear is engaged, becoming louder up to 30 km/h. Switching off the AVAS by the customer is prohibited in almost all countries.

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Audi goes further with its digital OLED technology (w/VIDEO)

Last month, a new generation of lighting technology made its debut in the Audi Q5: digital OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) technology. The use of OLEDs is not new to the German carmaker and in fact, Audi was a pioneer as far back as in 2016.

What are OLEDs?

OLED light sources are panel radiators, unlike point light sources such as LEDs using semiconductor crystals. The benefits of OLEDs are that their light is extremely homogeneous, infinitely dimmable and has very high contrast. The light can be split into segments which are individually controllable and can develop diverse levels of brightness, with minimal gaps between the segments.

The lighting unit does not require any reflectors, optical fibres or similar optics. This makes OLED units very efficient, lightweight and flat, which considerably increases design freedom. An OLED lighting element is just one mm thin, while conventional LED solutions require much greater installed depths of 20 to 30 mm.

The energy requirement of an OLED is also significantly lower than that of LED optics if the latter are to achieve similar homogeneity. Audi’s OLED technology made its production debut in the taillight of the TT RS1 in 2016. Up to now, Audi models using OLED lighting technology have had up to 4  individually controllable, complex lighting segments that could be used for an individual, defined lighting design.

The advantage of digital OLEDs

But now it’s the age of digitalization and this technology promises to improve road safety and is the first to allow for personalization of the taillight signature. Audi’s new digital OLEDs have a larger number of individually controllable segments that can now be randomly activated, with continuous variability of brightness.

In the Q5, three tiles of 6 units each (18 segments per lamp) are currently used. The high precision and great variability offer light designers a wealth of opportunities, using just one type of hardware. Q5 customers opting for digital OLED technology have a choice of three signatures in the taillights when purchasing their car. In the ‘dynamic’ Audi drive select mode, the lamps additionally switch to another signature.

More dynamic signalling

Moreover, animation effects such as coming-home/leaving-home lighting scenarios can be implemented, plus the dynamic flashing light has been integrated in the new lamp units as well.

In the new Q5, Audi has implemented a proximity detection feature for the versions using digital OLED taillights. When another road user approaches a stationary Q5 from the rear within less than 2 metres, all the OLED segments light up. When the Q5 starts to move, it returns to the original light signature. This is just an initial example of the automobile’s car-to-x communication with its surroundings.

Further advancements

Further down the road, there will be clearly more segments per taillight, allowing for even greater personalization of signature lighting. For instance, predefined symbols might be displayed to provide other road-users with early warnings of hazards such as slippery roads or the tail ends of traffic jams.

“Up to now, we have been using OLED segmentation with the Audi TT RS1 and A8 for designing signature lighting. This has changed with the Q5,” said OLED technology project manager Dr. Werner Thomas. “Here the taillights turn into a kind of display on the outer shell, which will provide us with ample opportunities and prospects in terms of design, personalization, communication and safety going forward.”

Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback Concept


How serious is Hyundai in going ‘green’ with hydrogen?

The world is entering the future world of motoring and most folks around the globe are already seriously considering embedding green tech into their growing line-up of exciting models.

Hyundai Motor Company is well on their way to this as they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with local energy firms Korea East-West Power (EWP) and Deokyang to generate electricity from hydrogen.

This pilot project between the giant companies promises to deliver 1 megawatt (MW) hydrogen fuel cell power facility where it’ll be used by Hyundai Motor to build their fuel cell system while EWP and Deokyang handling facility management and hydrogen supply respectively.

Scheduled to break ground later this year in Ulsan, the facility will consist of two container-type 500 kW generator modules, each loaded with multiple power modules from Hyundai’s flagship fuel cell vehicle NEXO.

This is seen as a monumental move by Hyundai and this pilot project as they will working with locally-sourced technology in the entire production phase of the fuel cell power facility in Korea.

Not bad at considering that they will be able to supply a grand total of 8,000MWh annually which is enough to power around 2,200 homes with 300KWh of power every month! This is all done with no greenhouse gases or pollution thanks to the use of hydrogen.

The pilot project presents an opportunity for Hyundai Motor to take its fuel cell technology beyond the automotive industry to achieve economy of scale, which will subsequently lead to cost competitiveness, job creation, and growth of other related industries.

Hyundai hopes to foster the fuel cell industry and other related sectors in the future, and will continue its commitment to leverage its fuel cell technology to build a Hydrogen Society in accordance with the FCEV Vision 2030 announced earlier this year.


BIKES: Didi Resources Launches New 2019 Aprilia Shiver 900! [+Video]

The new
Aprilia Shiver 900
 has arrived in Malaysia! It represents the first model introduced by
Didi Resources Sdn. Bhd.
, following their acquisition of the import and distributorship rights in 2018. The Shiver 900 is most recent evolution of the original project of a motorcycle that, from its first appearance on the scene in 2007, marked a turning point as the first factory bike fitted with Ride-by-wire technology to manage engine throttle valve electronics. An Aprilia technological first derived directly from the racing world: In fact, Aprilia Cube was the first MotoGP bike to use this technology in 2002 and since then all of the other manufacturers have followed suit.

The beating heart of the Aprilia Shiver, the
900 V-twin engine
, is capable of increasing not only the power, but more importantly, the maximum torque delivered at any rpm at top levels for its category. Power and character that translate into great riding satisfaction without sacrificing the ease and comfort that have always been characteristics of the Aprilia Shiver. A bike that has made fledgling and expert riders alike fall in love, thanks to its chassis architecture that, in the best Aprilia tradition, draws on the know-how of a manufacturer that has won 54 world titles in its brief history and that currently has bikes in premier competitions like MotoGP and Superbike.

Here’s the launch video!

The easy to ride, powerful and technologically advanced Aprilia Shiver 900 is equipped with an
advanced traction control system
 that increases safety while taking riding pleasure to maximum levels. From city riding to more flowing routes, from mountain passes to touring itineraries, even long range, Shiver 900 invites you to fasten your helmet and set off in search of the best sensations on two wheels.

Speaking at the introduction,
Mr Goh Kian Sin, Director, Didi Resources Sdn Bhd
. “The previous Shiver was positively received by Malaysians and we believe the latest incarnation in the form 900 would be well received and our commitment since taking over the distributorship is to deliver more value in terms of lifestyle activation, after sales and parts centres nationwide in order for us to retail more Aprilia bikes in Malaysia”.

The design: a non-conventional sport naked…

A non-conformist sport naked, Aprilia Shiver 900 emphasises a distinctive design: from the lateral air intake ducts that embrace the front end to the characteristic compact rear end with the exhaust pipes positioned under the saddle, the superstructure – fuel tank side covers, side panels, tail, front mudguard – form an original and non-conformist look.

The twin cylinder from Noale also stands out for its aggressive features that highlight its distinctly sporty character: the frame, the shock absorber spring and the cylinder head covers are painted red. Adrenaline-charged details that blend with the three available colour schemes –
Hi Tech Silver
 and the new
Challenging Red
 and
Innovation Dark
 -, creating an original contrast.

Another characterizing element of Aprilia Shiver is the exhaust: the position under the saddle contributes to an extremely clean side view of the bike, with the terminal part of the silencer short and aimed upward. A
brand new exhaust bottom made up of concentric rings
 ends in a concave disc: a further bold stylistic element that makes the Shiver immediately recognizable even from the rear, as well as being a practical way to send the exhaust fumes downward, thereby avoiding interference with the passenger and ensuring greater comfort.

Aprilia Shiver 900 is priced at
RM 72,000
 and can be viewed at The Gasket Alley, Petaling Jaya, Welly World Cycle Sg. Buloh and Sheng Fatt Sdn. Bhd, Penang. For more info, please visit
http://aprilia.com/en_EN/ /
 and Facebook
apriliaofficialmalaysia.

More info & tech specs after the photo gallery!

2019 Aprilia Shiver 900 Photo Gallery…

More on the new Aprilia Shiver 900…

Engine: we write torque, you read fun…

The engine,
grown to 900 cc from the 750 cc of the first version, is characterised above all by its generous
mid-range torque
, all to the advantage of quick acceleration and exiting turns. The
90 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm
 guarantee pure fun in the saddle: this goal was a priority for the Aprilia engineers in designing the twin cylinder with more than 95 HP, also available in the version with power limited to 35 kW, that can be ridden with an A2 class driver’s license. Aprilia Shiver 900 is therefore an easy bike to ride even for new bikers, accompanying them in their personal evolution of experience in the saddle.

The powerplant, with a 90 degree angle between the two cylinders, four-valve timing per cylinder, dual overhead cam and liquid cooling, underwent various changes, including a significant operation aimed at
reducing friction on the pistons
 characterised by a special anti-friction feature on the mantle, whereas the pins contribute to lightening the alternated parts in motion.

On the other hand, an
efficient semi-dry carter internal lubrication circuit
 helps to reduce losses of power due to shaking and to keep consumption and temperature of the lubricant to a limit, thereby eliminating the need for an oil radiator. High levels of efficiency have also been reached in terms of combustion, thanks to the implementation of injectors that allow better spraying of the air/fuel mixture, with benefits to consumption and emissions. The Aprilia Shiver 900 engine is also fitted with an
automatic decompresser
 which makes it easier to start in low temperature conditions.

The unit fitted on the Aprilia Shiver 900 is controlled by the
Marelli 7SM ECU
: a substantial evolution that, on one hand, has allowed a refined traction control system to be introduced and that, on the other hand, has led to a significant simplification of the electrical system; in fact, the engine control and management systems, functions that were previously carried out by two separate electronic control units, are now integrated in a single hardware components, the same one fitted on the V4 models from Noale.

All of the clutch components have been redesigned in correspondence to the switch to the 900 cc engine capacity: The load on the clutch lever has decreased by 15%, whereas the primary drive reduction ratio has been changed to optimize exploitation of the available power.

Refined electronics to reiterate its supremacy

The Shiver 900 receives the full benefits of Aprilia’s extensive experience in electronic control systems and riding support for which the Aprilia RSV4 – the supersport bike that has won seven World SBK titles (three rider and four manufacturer) in its racing version and that is consistently at the top of its category in the street version – is an unrivalled example.

Out of this experience and from this Aprilia technological first, the Shiver 900 features an
advanced traction control system
 that can be set to three different levels or disabled, designed to guarantee maximum safety, but also pure brilliant riding enjoyment thanks to the dual control that acts on both ignition and on the motorized throttle valves, making its intervention smooth and easy to manage. The Aprilia Traction Control system is combined with a
Continental two-channel ABS
 system with developed calibration in order not to take anything away from the sporty ride. The ABS feature can also be disabled.

The
full

Ride-by-wire electronic throttle system
, which made its début on a factory bike precisely on the first version of the Shiver, is now entirely integrated in the throttle grip, all to the benefit of light weight. This system also allows even more accurate management of the fuel/air mixture and the injection throttle valve opening based on numerous parameters including engine speed, gearbox position, air flow, throttle grip opening (in quantity and speed) and temperature, with great benefits in terms of smooth riding without opening/closing jerks, containment of harmful emissions and fuel consumption.

The sophisticated electronic management also provides the possibility of changing the engine mapping, radically changing the character of how the power it is capable of developing is unloaded onto the ground. The
Sport
 setting provides an immediate and aggressive throttle response; the
Touring
 logic provides a smoother response, ideal for touring and daily use, whereas the
Rain
 map reduces available power to about 70 HP and is therefore ideal in the event of difficult weather conditions or on slippery road surfaces. Mapping can also be changed at any time, even on the fly, by simply pressing the engine start button.

The control instrumentation is made up of an ultra modern
TFT technology display
 that ensures perfect legibility of the information provided. The large, 4.3” screen (the same one used on the Aprilia RSV4 and Aprilia Tuono 1100 V4) allows all the on board information to be clear and highly legible at all times, thanks in part to its capacity of adapting the background and font colours based on the conditions detected by the light sensor. The information displayed includes: rev counter, speedometer, selected gear indicator, coolant temperature, air temperature, selected engine map and clock.

Using the practice MODE joystick on the new left hand electrical block, you can navigate through the menu and scroll/adjust the following parameters: odometer, traction control level, ABS ON (only when not in movement), MENU (only when not in movement), Trip A, Trip A time, Trip A maximum speed, Trip A average speed, Trip A average consumption, Trip B, Trip B time, Trip B maximum speed, Trip B average speed, Trip B average consumption, instantaneous consumption, Km ridden in reserve.

Aprilia Shiver 900 is also fitted from the factory with the APRILIA MIA system, which ensure connectivity with your smartphone
 to allow all call information to be displayed directly on the display, as well as intercom information and any music tracks that may be playing. By connecting to the smartphone using the dedicated App, the display also becomes a
navigation tool, displaying the instructions for the selected route through pictograms
.

Last but not least, the App lets you share travel information, from the info on the sportiest riding style, to the info on touring, with indication on consumption, routes and speeds, grip conditions and Aprilia service centre locations.

A chassis architecture worthy of the Aprilia tradition

The performance provided by the powerplant is perfectly matched to an ultra-fine chassis architecture, easy to ride and intuitive, but at the same time incredibly high performance that, in the best Aprilia tradition, is simply unrivalled in the category. In fact, the mixed steel trellis/aluminium plates frame provides standard-setting stiffness, defines an extremely compact bike and ensures that it is capable of catering to fledgling riders with no problem, as well as enhancing the riding skills of more expert and discerning bikers. This makes flowing routes a favourite playground for the Shiver 900.

The structure of Shiver 900 draws from all the proverbial Aprilia chassis architecture know-how, as well as their experience on tracks all over the world. The trellis upper part in steel tubing is connected to wide spread aluminium lateral plates using special, high-resistance bolts. The combination formed by these elements forms an extremely stiff and lightweight frame, an rational and excellent solution for reining in all the horses of the Aprilia V90.

The contained longitudinal development of the engine has led to obtaining an agile bike, a feature that also benefits from the choice to position the shock absorber laterally. Thanks to this solution, space was created for the exhaust manifolds that have a shape and volume calibrated to perfection in order to get the best performance from the engine. This has allowed for an optimum exhaust manifold layout, without having a significant impact on the length of the bike and without thermally stressing a fundamental riding element like the shock absorber.

The aluminium alloy swingarm with stiffening truss boasts stiffness values at the top of its category and it is sized to withstand the asymmetrical stress due to the lateral positioning of the shock absorber.

Aprilia Shiver 900 adopts a
 Kayaba fork

with hydraulics adjustable in extension and spring preload
 and with 41 mm stanchions with chill cast feet to support the radial callipers. The 130 mm travel lets you smoothly tackle urban and mountain routes. The two steering yoke plates are made of forged aluminium.

The rear shock absorber, mounted on the side, is pivoted directly to the swingarm, following the cantilever layout and it is adjustable in spring preload and hydraulic rebound. Rear wheel travel is 130 mm.

The sporty three-spoke wheels
 are taken from the Aprilia Tuono V4 equipment and contribute to keeping weight down. This leads to a drastic reduction of the gyroscopic effect and therefore greater agility for the bike, improved suspension functionality thanks to the reduction of unsprung masses and quicker acceleration. The rims are shod with a 120/70 tyre on the front and 180/55 on the rear.

The braking system, equipped with two-channel ABS, implements radial callipers to highlight the sportiness of the project and 320 mm discs on the front. On the rear, a 240 mm disc is gripped by a single-piston calliper.

Both the front and rear systems have metal braided brake lines derived from the aeronautic sector, which eliminate the annoying buffering effect of conventional lines and guarantee maximum braking precision.

Original Aprilia accessories range: for sport and touring

A wide range of accessories dedicated to
sport and touring
 is available for the Shiver 900 as well. The former highlight the sport soul and the unmistakable Aprilia racing character: parts in precious carbon, billet aluminium components, such as brake and clutch fluid reservoir covers, brake and clutch levers and mirrors, as well as the must-have frame guard and fork bumpers. It also has LED turn signals with a highly characteristic design. The tourism accessories contribute to increasing the comfort of the Shiver 900, such as the comfort saddle, the side panniers and the tank bag.

Aprilia Shiver 900 – Technical Specifications

Engine type

Aprilia
 V90
Longitudinal 90° V-twin engine, 4-stroke, liquid cooled, double overhead camshaft with mixed gear/chain timing system, four valves per cylinder

Fuel

Unleaded petrol

Bore and stroke

92 x 67.4 mm

Total engine capacity

896.1 cc

Compression ratio

11.5:1

Max Power

95.2 HP (70 kW) at 8,750 rpm

Maximum torque at crankshaft

90 Nm at 6,500 rpm

Fuel system

Integrated engine management system. Injection with 3-map Ride-by-wire throttle valve opening management (Sport, Touring, Rain)

Ignition

Digital electronic, integrated with the injection.

Starter

Electric

Exhaust

100% stainless steel 2-in-1 exhaust system with three-way catalytic converter and lambda probe

Alternator

450 W at 6,000 rpm

Lubrication

Wet sump

Transmission

6 speed, drive ratio:

1st 14/36 (2.57)

2nd 17/32 (1.88)

3rd 20/30 (1.5)

4th 22/28 (1.27)

5th 23/26 (1.13)

6th 24/25 (1.04)

Clutch

Multiplate wet clutch, hydraulically operated

Primary drive

Straight cut gears, drive ratio: 40/69 (1:1.73)

Secondary drive

Chain. Drive ratio: 16/44 (1:2.75)

Frame

Modular tubular steel frame fastened to aluminium side plates by high strength bolts. Dismountable rear frame.

Front suspension

Upside-down fork, stanchionsÆ 41. Adjustable hydraulic rebound damping and spring preload. Wheel travel 130 mm.

Rear suspension

Aluminium alloy swingarm with stiffening truss.

Hydraulic shock absorber with adjustable extension and spring preload Wheel travel 130 mm.

Brakes

Front
: Dual Æ320 mm stainless steel floating discs. Radial, four-piston callipers. Metal braided brake hose.

Rear
: Æ240 mm stainless steel disc. Single piston calliper. Metal braided brake hose.

Continental two-channel ABS system.

Wheel rims

Aluminium alloy

Front
: 3.50 X 17″
Rear
: 6.00 x 17″

Tyres

Radial tubeless tyres;

Front
: 120/70 ZR 17

Rear
: 180/55 ZR 17

Dimensions

Max. length: 2130 mm

Max. width: 810 mm

Wheelbase: 1465 mm

Max. height: 1110 mm

Saddle height: 810 mm

Trail: 109 mm

Headstock angle: 25.9°

Dry weight

199 kg

Kerb weight

218 kg (with full fuel tank)

Consumption

5,313 l/100 km (WMTC cycle)

CO2 emissions

123 g/km (WMTC cycle)

Fuel tank capacity

15 litres

Price (Suggest Retail Price w/o insurance and roadtax)

RM72,000


Perodua sets a monthly sales record again with 26,852 units sold in October

In spite of what is a very bad year for virtually all industries, Perodua reported that its total vehicles sales last month were its highest-ever. 26,852 vehicles were delivered in October 2020, and this came after the all-time monthly sales record of 25,035 units just a month earlier.

“In September, we sold more vehicles in a month than in our entire 27-year history and now, we have gone even further,” said a delighted Perodua President & CEO, Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad.

“This milestone is important to us in many ways; it underscores our commitment towards delivering our vehicles to their rightful owners as fast as possible while at the same time doing our part to rejuvenate the automotive eco-system,” he added.

Supporting automotive eco-system

He also mentioned that, in October alone, the carmaker purchased some RM600 million worth of parts from local suppliers, creating an enormous economic multiplier effect on the local auto eco-system which has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The automotive eco-system includes direct and indirect sectors, such as automotive component suppliers, authorised dealers, stockists, agencies and contractors. Indirect, yet crucial partners include financial institutions such as banks and insurance companies.

“In terms of production capacity, we are on average at 98% in October 2020 with 26,362 vehicles – which is also our highest-ever monthly production figure,” Dato’ Zainal revealed. “These achievements were accomplished under the new standard operating procedures (SOPs) followed by Perodua and our partners. These include working from home and mandatory testing for those in red zones – on top of the original SOPs introduced in May.

“With the commitment of the suppliers, our authorised dealers were able to sell more vehicles and more importantly, ensure our customers’ happiness as their Perodua vehicles were delivered in the best possible time,” he added.

The Myvi is still the most popular car in the country.

Three bestsellers

During October, Perodua sold 8,052 Myvis, 6,738 Axias, 6,895 Bezzas, 3,193 Aruz and 1,974 Alzas. The top three models remain Malaysia’s best-selling cars so far this year, according to Perodua.

Dato’ Zainal also gave assurance to owners that they need not worry about replacement parts for their vehicles. “We have sufficient parts to every need as most of them were made locally,” he said.

Perodua Aruz

November promotions

For this month, Perodua has a promotion whereby customers can receive a cash redemption of up to RM1,500 for the Aruz on top of the current tax exemption amount (terms and conditions apply). In addition, Perodua is also offering cash rebates of up to RM2,000 for its pre-owned vehicles until 31 December 2020 (only available at the Perodua KL sales outlet located on Jalan Pahang in Kuala Lumpur).

Perodua Pre Owned Vehicle (POV) outlet in KL

Visit
www.perodua.com.my
 to know more about the models available and ongoing promotions as well as the locations of showrooms nationwide.

Malaysia’s three bestselling models help Perodua achieve 42% market share