All-electric Volvo C40 Recharge spearheads the future of the Swedish brand

Electrically-powered cars are not new to Volvo but the new C40 Recharge will be the first such vehicle that the public can buy. It’s the first Volvo model in history designed as pure electric only, spearheading the future of the Swedish brand. Its SUV elements and benefits combined with a lower profile means that Volvo Cars also enters a new segment – and it does so with cutting-edge design and features not previously seen on Volvo cars.

“The C40 is a car that symbolises electrification and delivers on it,” said Robin Page, head of design at Volvo Cars. “It has the personality of the XC40, which proved to be attractive to many, but it’s dialled up even more through its dynamic expression and sleek profile. It’s a really attractive product for people who are looking for the easy-to-live-with aspects of an SUV with more of a modern statement.”

Though it seems like a variation of the XC40, it is actually much more that than (apart from the fact that it has an electric powertrain), adopting only the fundamental building blocks of the XC40. Similar to the birth of the XC40, the C40 started as a spontaneous sketch by one of the designers in the team. It was Yury Zamkavenka’s sketch which ‘hit the ground running from the initial idea’, according to T. Jon Mayer, Head of Exterior Design.

“That doesn’t happen very frequently. When it does, it’s always some of the more characterful ideas that flourish, because it’s such a pure statement from that first sketch,” Mayer explained, adding that the uniqueness of the car – its commanding seating position combined with a streamlined form – becomes very clear when it’s on the road next to other cars.

“One of my favourite views of the car is the rear seven-eighths, which gives you a view of the side and the coupé line profile,” he said. “You see the SUV elements as it sits on these really big wheels, and it’s this tough little character but with a very sleek approach to the roof. It’s built upon the solidity of the XC40, but in a more dynamic way. These combinations give it a totally different expression, while still carrying on our DNA.”

Breaking new ground

The idea of breaking new ground with something familiar is mirrored in individual details. For example, the signature Thor’s Hammer headlights are augmented with new pixel LEDs, which automatically adjust to light conditions and switch on and off independently to optimise the light pattern. The equally emblematic vertical rear lights are segmented, providing a testament to the engineering challenge of extending one big lamp along the roofline, while also creating a modern take on a classic design.

The DNA is distinguished by a Scandinavian approach in the form language: sections are shaved and carved out of the solid form, creating a sense of purity and refinement; an understated confidence. “It communicates a solidity, which can also link to a feeling of safety,” Mayer said. “Subconsciously, this is a powerful beast that’s protective, yet we sculpt it in a way to make it as lightweight and efficient as possible.”

Rear ends of C40 Recharge (blue car) and XC40 (silver car).

Nature and light

Using these design principles – as well as inspiration from the Scandinavian landscapes with their quiet atmospheres, light and freedom of space – the confidence of the exterior design is tied together with an interior design characterised by the calming effects of nature. There’s the large, panoramic glass roof that enhances the airiness of the cabin, making the most out of short winter days, while blurring the line between outside and inside during bright summer nights.

“In Sweden, it’s dark and grey most of the year – but when the sun shines, the colours come to life much more vibrantly than anywhere else,” said Lisa Reeves, Head of Interior Design. “The grass looks greener, the sea looks bluer. You see this reflected in the architecture here: houses have a lot of glass, designed to really let in the light and the open floor plans spread the light within the house. Light and nature are strong parts of the culture and are important themes for the C40 interior.”

The Fjord Blue colour, inspired by the deep inlets on the Scandinavian west coast, flows from the exterior and creates a continuation inside by colouring the large swathes of carpet that extends up from the floor to the sides of the tunnel console and the front doors. This provides a foundation for the backlit translucent graphics on the dashboard and front door panels, which are a nod to the dramatic, yet serene mountain sceneries in Sweden’s Abisko national park.

“We traced the topography of the park and used the contours to create an abstract digitalised design with a layered pattern,” explained Rekha Meena, Senior Design Manager, colour and material. “When the light from LED lamps comes through across the surface, it creates this really nice, atmospheric three-dimensional effect.”

Sustainable materials

Hand-in-hand with nature as a source of inspiration is the high amount of sustainable materials used for the interior. The topography trim panels are partly made of recycled plastic, while the carpet is made of 100 per cent recycled PET plastic bottles. The C40 offers Volvo Cars’ first leather-free interior, with one upholstery option containing naturally renewable wool fibres, and a second option using a combination of suede textile (also made of recycled plastic) and micro-tech material.

The layout of the interior gives a sense of organisation and thoughtfulness, where functionality is key. The C40 repeats the XC40’s ‘uncluttering’ approach, providing smart and thoughtful ways to store all important belongings within arm’s length. Minimalism is an overarching theme, which becomes even more evident when looking at the instrument panel.

Symbolism and function

Using renewable and recycled material is one part of the sustainability equation, and the car being fully electric is another. But to really get the message of electrification across, the C40 needs to look the part as well, and it does so with features that blend symbolism and function together.

The new wheel design, influenced by the Volvo 360c concept car from 2018, helps with aerodynamics while creating a dynamic look fitting the driveline; the rear spoiler both characterises and supports downforce on the car; and the roofline boosts aerodynamic efficiency, giving it a functional as well as a visual relationship to range. And then there are the elements where messaging slightly takes the upper hand, like the closed grill and the contrast roof.

“To symbolise the electric car, the face is really important,” said Page. “Part of our design language is about honesty, and the reality is that we don’t need a large air intake for an electric car. This car originates from the XC40 – which does have a grill – so it’s not a case where we can just ignore that and do a super low, fully moulded front. And we wouldn’t want to do that on this car anyway, because the C40 has a characterful face. We achieved a good solution, with strong, pure graphical lines. Together with the contrast roof, which we’ll use to distinguish our 40 cluster electric cars, it’s one of the ingredients that communicates our journey towards full electrification.”

LOOKING BACK: The car that saved Volvo in the 1980s


High-tech Li Auto L9 EV SUV goes on sale in China

China’s car market is so huge and so diverse that keeping track of all the manufacturers can be difficult. Every so often, a new name pops up and has already progressed into production with new models. The impetus brought on by the country’s focus on New Energy Vehicles brought forth a number of new players, and among them is Li Auto Inc. which came into existence in 2015 and is already listed on NASDAQ (the stock exchange in New York City).

Li Auto has so far completed development of two models – the Auto ONE and L9. The L9 is the flagship model and made its online debut last month, appearing in showrooms in China last week. Online pre-orders are said to number more than 30,000 customers and the first units are expected to be delivered from the end of August 2022. Pricing starts from RMB459,800 (about RM303,310).

More than 30,000 orders within 72 hours of making debut online.

The L9 is a large full-size SUV with space for 6 within. Its 5218 mm long body with a clean and simple design sits on an in-house developed platform which supports a dual-motor 300 kW/620 Nm powertrain with all-wheel drive. Fitted with a new-generation NCM lithium battery storing 44.5 kilowatt-hour, a range of between 180 – 215 kms is claimed.

There is also a range-extender system powered by a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder, turbocharged engine with maximum thermal efficiency of 40.5%. Coupled with a low drag coefficient and high motor efficiency, the L9’s with range-extender in use is said to be able to reach between 1,100 – 1,315 kms. It can also supply up to 3.5 kW of electricity for external use if needed.

Proprietary autonomous technology

The L9 also has the company’s self-developed autonomous driving system called Li AD Max with enhanced functionality bolstered by upgraded perception capability and data processing power. The perception hardware includes one forward 128-line LiDAR, six 8-megapixel cameras, five 2-megapixel cameras, one forward millimetre wave radar, and 12 ultrasonic sensors. Together, the coverage is 360 degrees for detection of both vehicle surroundings and distant objects. In addition, there is a ‘sentry’ mode that monitors both the inside and outside of the vehicle through interior 3D ToF transmitters and exterior cameras.

To handle the increased processing needs resulting from the large number of sensors, the Li AD Max is powered by dual Orin-X chips with 508 TOPS of computing power and real-time, efficient processing of fusion signals. The dual processors provide fallback redundancies for each other, ensuring more stable operation of the autonomous driving system. In addition, the system is optimized to recognize and react to common accident scenarios, with features designed to identify and evade risks in advance and help prevent accidents.

Domain-based vehicle architecture

This SUV is one the first production models that deploys NXP’s S32G automotive network processors on its chassis system. The family of NXP S32G vehicle network processors marks a significant turning point in how vehicle architectures are designed and implemented, transforming the automotive industry to a high-performance domain-based vehicle architecture and providing software with minimal complexities and enhanced security and safety.

Adopting the S32G processors, there is an extra layer to the performance experience. The S32G processors not only provide ASIL D MCU and MPU performance with application-specific network hardware acceleration but also offloads processors to provide services with deterministic network performance necessary for the car to respond to the sophisticated real-time driving circumstances.

The S32G processors also embed high-performance hardware security acceleration, along with Public Key Infrastructure support for trusted key management enabled by its Hardware Security Engine (HSE). The firewalled HSE is the root of trust supporting secure boot, providing system security, and protecting against side-channel attacks, a crucial element in autonomous vehicles.

Smart cockpit

Within the SUV is a pioneering 5-screen 3-dimensional interactive mode which works with a head-up display (HUD) and interactive safe driving screen to present key driving information to the driver. The interactive screen, which is located above the steering wheel, adopts mini-LED and multi-touch technology, enabling easier interactions. The other 3 screens are large 15.7-inch 3K automotive-grade OLED screens that can be used for entertainment.

The L9’s smart cockpit is supported by a computing platform composed of two Qualcomm Snapdragon automotive-grade 8155 chips, which ensures the smoothness and responsiveness of its 5-screen 3-dimensional interactions.

China to end subsidies for New Energy Vehicles after 2022


Haru Oni plant In Chile Begins Producing eFuel For Porsches

When a huge asteroid smashed into our planet millions of years ago, it caused such great climate change that life on earth almost ended, particularly the dinosaurs. Climate change is also the reason why there is this urgency to switch to electric power for cars and stop using internal combustion (IC) engines which generate carbon dioxide (CO
2
), the culprit in global warming.

Unlike the death of the dinosaurs, the IC engines cannot just ‘die’ so fast, much as environmentalists would like them to. There are still more than 1.3 billion vehicles with IC engines on the planet, providing mobility to millions who won’t or can’t easily switch to electric vehicles (EVs). And all these vehicles require fuel to run… coincidentally derived from those dinosaurs which died. The combustion process that generates power for an engine also sends out CO
2
, so the solution has been to stop that process which should reduce the gas levels.

EV benefits not immediate
The auto industry is willing to move towards electric power but it still requires a lot of investment and R&D, as well as getting up to volumes that enable economies of scale to bring costs down. So  the benefits of zero emissions from motor vehicles may not be realized so fast and the volume of EVs being put on roads is still insignificant compared to the existing IC vehicles that continue to be sold and are still accumulating.

A number of manufacturers are not convinced that the large-scale switch to EVs is viable or practical. Instead, they believe that emissions from IC engines can still be reduced further and the benefits can be realized faster than waiting for the benefits from EVs. Besides developing new engine technologies that make engines run cleaner, there is also a focus on fuels and the big thing now is sustainable fuels which don’t require extracting the fluids of dead dinosaurs and vegetation from underground (which is not unlimited).

Since 2021, eFuel developed by ExxonMobil has been used in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup series and testing has shown that this sustainable fuel has much potential.

Testing in motorsport extremes
In 2021, ExxonMobil developed a blend of primarily advanced biofuels which have the potential to significantly reduce CO2 emissions. The energy company teamed up with Porsche to test the fuel in the extreme conditions of racing during the 2021 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup series. The testing has shown that the renewable fuels – or eFuels – can reduce CO2  emissions from IC engines by up to 90%, compared to when they run on conventional liquid fossil fuels.

Pilot plant in Chile
In the second phase of the project, a pilot plant has been constructed in Chile to produce eFuel. Located in Southern Chile, the Haru Oni plant (pictured below) is the world’s first integrated, commercial, industrial-scale plant for making synthetic climate-neutral eFuels.

The plant generates hydrogen using wind power and the gas is then combined with captured CO
2
 drawn from the atmosphere to produce ethanol. ExxonMobil is providing a license and support for the proprietary technology to convert the liquid into a lower-carbon eFuel.

Initially, around 130,000 litres of eFuels will be produced, increasing about 55 million litres a year by 2024, and around 10 times more by 2026. Porsche will be the primary customer for the green fuel which it will use in ‘lighthouse projects’ such as the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and at Porsche Experience Centres.

In time, the eFuel might be sold commercially to Porsche owners. Who knows… it might even become the only fuel allowed for use in IC engines decades in the future when fossil fuels are banned or stop production.

Barbara Frenkel (left), Member of the Executive Board for Procurement at Porsche AG, and Michael Steiner, Member of the Executive Board for Development and Research at Porsche AG, fuel a Porsche 911 with eFuel at the pilot plant in Chile

recently
.

Two more eFuel plants
The sportscar maker has already invested over US$100 million (about RM442.4 million) in the development and production of eFuels. 75% of this investment has gone into HIF Global LLC which will plan, build and operate eFuel plants in the USA and Australia (Tasmania), besides Chile.

“Porsche is committed to a double-e path: e-mobility and eFuels as a complementary technology. Using eFuels reduces CO
2
 emissions. Looking at the entire traffic sector, the industrial production of synthetic fuels should keep being pushed forward worldwide. With the eFuels pilot plant, Porsche is playing a leading role in this development,” says Barbara Frenkel, Member of the Executive Board for Procurement at Porsche AG.

eFuel to be used in Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup

Click here
 for more Porsche videos at The Piston Show.


New Honda Civic Type-R uncovered! (w/VIDEO)

It’s the 50
th
 anniversary of the Honda Civic and to celebrate this milestone, a brand new Type R has made its global debut. Based on the 11
th
 generation of the Civic, the latest Type R will be the most powerful version ever to come from the factory.

Full technical information is not released yet but Honda says that the familiar 2-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged engine has been retuned for more power and responsiveness, so it should be higher than 300 ps/400 Nm. It’s paired with an improved 6-speed manual transmission with a rev-matching system for smoother and more precise shifts.

The new Type R is longer, lower and wider, with more integrated advanced aerodynamic features to achieve well-balanced downforce as well as drag-reduction. Look carefully and you’ll notice the wider rear doors which are exclusive to this version, while there’s a redesigned rear spoiler. The new rear bumper incorporates the signature three round exhaust outlets and new rear diffuser.

The cockpit is performance-themed and driver-focussed, with the Type R’s iconic red seats, carpet and trim, and a serialized Type R plate now placed on the dashboard. The suede-like material which covers the body-hugging seats has a high friction coefficient to reduce body slippage when cornering in high-g driving situations.

The revised instrument panel has a new +R driving mode which allows the driver to quickly view vital information, with a graphic engine rpm display, rev indicator lights, and gear position indicator placed at the top.

For those who want to improve their performance, the Honda LogR data logger provides real-time information on the mechanical movements of the vehicle and vehicle behaviour. Other useful features include a stopwatch to record lap times and the ability to share driving videos.

Full details will only be released in the fourth quarter of the year when the new model has its official market launch.

All-new Honda Civic Type R sets new lap record at Suzuka before launch (w/VIDEOS)


‘Perodua Smart Build’ launched as carmaker’s first sustainable blueprint

‘Perodua Smart Build’ is officially launched today as the Malaysian carmaker’s first sustainable blueprint. It encompasses nearly the entire Malaysian automotive supplier and dealer ecosystem, with the aim of moving the industry towards greater globalisation in the future.

Explaining the blueprint, Perodua President & CEO, Dato’ Zainal Abidin, said, “Perodua Smart Build is an evolution of what Perodua and the Malaysian automotive industry were originally set up to do: to create a sustainable and robust automotive ecosystem.”

He said that Perodua Smart Build is also Perodua’s ‘Transformation 3.0’. It builds upon its previous milestones which began with the first transformation phase in 2011. At that time, the company worked towards building the Energy-Efficient Vehicle (EEV) ecosystem, stop defect outflow, set up Perodua Global Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, and change Perodua’s mindset to be quality conscious.

Transformation 2.0, which followed, was focussed on customer satisfaction, organisational development and the fostering of unity within the entire Perodua Group of Companies.

“Now, we are at the third phase of transformation to ‘build’ a sustainable future for both Perodua and its partners to a point where we will be able to find our own niche in the automotive industry,” Dato’ Zainal said.

He said that under ‘Transformation 3.0’, Perodua is working together with its business partners to rationalise the gap in quality, cost and delivery within the automotive ecosystem and get the industry to be in ‘the right size’.

Dato’ Zainal also said that Perodua is also working with all its partners to see where existing expertise can be utilised beyond Malaysia. He gave the example of how Perodua staff are now working to design Daihatsu models in Japan as part of Perodua’s effort to export local expertise abroad.

Malaysian designers from Perodua are working with Daihatsu on the designs of future models.

Dato’ Zainal said Perodua will continue to leverage on its close partnership with Daihatsu to realise Perodua Smart Build’s objective. “Perodua Smart Build will be accomplished with the help of our shareholder, technology and technical partner Daihatsu Motor Company of Japan; and the Malaysian government who had the foresight to create this ecosystem for the benefit of the country,” he said.

According to Dato’ Zainal, Perodua Smart Build is designed to help Perodua and the automotive ecosystem reap the benefits of the National Automotive Policy by making the industry more competitive and progressive.

Chief among the components of Perodua Smart Build are full product development by Perodua and its suppliers, the establishment of a first-class working culture and first-class thinking that will be able to contribute to the nation.

“Perodua Smart Build’s launch does not mean that we have reached the full potential of these components; rather, it marks the start of Perodua and its partners’ journey towards a higher level of competitiveness. We are grateful to Daihatsu for this opportunity and for their continuous support of Perodua since the very beginning. It is now time for us to fully extend this cooperation to our Malaysian business partners,” Dato’ Zainal said.

Perodua has been committed to supporting Malaysian suppliers and keeps increasing the value of local sourcing each year.

He added that a number of Malaysian suppliers are already part of Daihatsu’s global supply chain, and Perodua is working with the Ministry of International Trade and Industry to prepare more local suppliers to follow suit. “We are also focusing more on developing our dealers, including strengthening their operations and guiding them towards the adoption of global best practices to further improve customer satisfaction,” he added.

He explained that Perodua’s goal is to ensure its dealers’ business sustainability by providing guidance of best practices and the latest technology for growth. “We consider our dealers business partners in the same way Daihatsu is our business partner, and we are committed towards their prosperity as long as they, too, are committed to our goals.”

“Where products are concerned, our future offerings will better reflect contemporary trends without compromising our fundamentals – space, practicality, quality, dependability, fuel efficiency and unparalleled value,” said Dato’ Zainal.

Perodua aims for 9% increase in sales volume to 240,000 units in 2021


5porty Package With Limited Edition BMW 5-Series With M Performance Parts, Only From Auto Bavaria

During the course of a model cycle, updates are made to keep the model fresh as new competitors enter the market. Occasionally, there may also be special editions with enhanced value to draw customers.

Auto Bavaria, a leading authorised BMW dealership, has 30 units of the Limited Edition BMW 5 Series with M Performance Parts to offer, available in two versions – 530i M Sport and 530e M Sport, the latter a PHEV.

Both units are priced from RM347,000, with the usual unlimited mileage warranty and free scheduled servicing, as well as other benefits for being a BMW owner.

The exclusive limited edition package, referred to as
5porty
, comes with accessories such as the BMW Advanced Car Eye 2.0 (a high-definition wide-angle camera), Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, a Sttoke Ceramic Reusable Cup as well as complimentary tinting.

The M Performance Parts installed on each car include BMW M Performance High Gloss Black Kidney Grille, BMW M 50 Years Wheel Caps, BMW M Performance Carbonfibre Mirror Covers and BMW M 50 Years Emblem (Front and Rear).

Inside, there is a BMW M Performance Carbonfibre Steering Cover, LED Door Lights Projector, Gloss Black Air Duct Trims, as well as BMW M Performance Paddle Shifters and floormats.

“The BMW 5 Series is widely acclaimed for its athletic flair and innovation. With the M Performance Parts, this stylish yet sporty vehicle offers impressive driving dynamics and state-of-the-art technologies. We are pleased to introduce the Limited Edition BMW 5 Series as the ideal sporty executive sedan for an optimal driving experience,” said Sime Darby Auto Bavaria’s Managing Director, Vi Thim Juan.

BMW M850i xDrive Coupe MY Edition Updated


Mercedes-EQ team moves to top position in Formula E championship after Berlin round

It may be the final year for the Mercedes-EQ team in Formula E (after which they will be
taken over by McLaren Racing
) but there’s just as much determination to retain their championship title one more time. This was shown by the double podium finish in the Berlin E-Prix held at the Tempelhof Airport grounds, with Nyck de Vries delivering a supremely controlled drive to win the race.

Reigning champion de Vries powered to victory at the same venue where he had claimed his title for the previous season, with ROKiT Venturi Racing’s Edoardo Mortara following 2.5s back. Chasing Mortara across the finish line was de Vries’ team mate, Stoffel Vandoorne. Incidentally, the ROKIT car also used a powertrain similar to that of the two Mercedes-EQ Silver Arrow 02 cars.

Robin Frijns (Envision Racing) wound up a battling fifth after a race-long back-and-forth between the Dutchman, António Felix da Costa (DS TECHEETAH), who finished in sixth and a gaggle of cars behind all fighting to maximise their points haul as Season 8 passed its half-way stage.

Oliver Rowland (Mahindra Racing) made good progress from 10th at the outset to an eventual seventh – the Yorkshireman running as high as fifth at one stage. TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team’s Andre Lotterer took the chequered flag in eighth position, not quite able to capitalise on practice and qualifying pace. Jean-Eric Vergne crossed the line in ninth, just ahead of fellow title challenger Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) who took the final point in 10th.

De Vries had set the second-fastest time in his qualifying group and went through to the semi-finals in the knock-out stages but was eliminated by Mortara and qualified third on the grid as a result. But he was still able to make a quick start, taking the lead going into the first corner from third on the grid. He then activated Attack Mode at an early stage in the race, which temporarily dropped him back down the field to P3. He was subsequently able to quickly fight his way back up into P1 which is where he stayed until the finish line.

The win for de Vries is his fourth Formula E win and his second of the season. In his 34th E-Prix start, he also notched up more than 200 points in total in the all-electric racing series. For the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team, this was their seventh victory in Formula E and third of the season.

After the eighth race of the season, the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team  leads the Team Championship with 176 points, 28 points ahead of Venturi Racing. For the Drivers Championship Vandoorne is now on top with 111 points, as Mortara has moved into second with an increase to 99 points, while Vergne is third, 4 points back.

The next round of the 2022 Formula E championship will be held in Jakarta on June 4. It will be the first time that the event is being held in Indonesia. Malaysia also hosted one round (at Putrajaya) in the first and second seasons.

Porsche Taycan plays important role in Formula E as Official Safety Car


Honda Jazz ‘1 Million Dreams’ Special Edition

When the Honda Fit – the name for the Jazz in Japan – was launched in 2001, it arrived at a time when consumer tastes were changing. Traditional sedans were no longer appealing and motorists in Japan wanted compact and eco-friendly cars. The Fit proved to be just the sort of car they preferred and not surprisingly, the model outsold the Corolla which had been the bestselling car in Japan year after year since it was launched in 1966. It even became ‘Japan Car of the Year’ for 2001, strong validation of the product concept being right for the times.

The Fit was also right for other markets where small was increasingly  preferred as urban conditions became more and more congested. Honda exported the car to many countries, including the big US market. In Malaysia, where it was introduced as the Jazz, its entry was modest as it was an imported CBU model but it still attracted interest due to its practical and innovative features.

Eventually, Honda Malaysia began assembling the model as strong demand was evident, and it has remained a popular hatchback in the local line-up. The current generation in the Malaysian market is the third generation which was launched in 2017. From the line-up of four  variants, Honda Malaysia has chosen the Jazz 1.5V for the ‘
1 Million Dreams
’ Special Edition that will be given away at the end of this month.

Specially for frontliners

In the past year, the heroes in the fight against COVID-19 have been the frontliners, especially those in the healthcare areas. As a way of saying
‘Thank You
‘ to these Malaysians for their dedication to protect us and save lives, the Jazz ‘
1 Million Dreams’
 Special Edition is reserved for a winner from this group that includes those in the Health, Defence, Public Service and Education sectors. They are invited to submit entries and select the ‘FRONTLINERS’ category to identify themselves when filling out their details.

Like the other six Special Edition models, this exclusive Jazz comes in a dual-tone finish with a white body and black roof. At the front, the black grille has a red highlight line running across it and there are also similar red lines on each door mirror. At the rear end too, a red highlight has been added below the bumper. The alloy wheels, finished in black, also have the red highlights.

The Jazz has a spacious platform which provides a roomy interior. Exclusive features within are the ‘
1 Million Dreams
’ wording embossed on the half-leather front seats, while the leather-wrapped steering wheel has red stitching and a centre mark to indicate to the driver where the front wheels are pointed (which may not always be where the nose is pointed!).

Innovative ULTRA Seats

Right from the start, the Jazz has had ULTRA Seats in the rear and the concept for these seats came about after the leader of the development team and his members spent long hours observing how people use their cars, especially when out shopping. And by simply making it possible to fold the rear seats upwards against the backrests, a taller space was created which would be useful when carrying tall items like plants.

At the same time, the seating layout was also made more versatile with additional variations, including one that allowed stretching out to relax. The interior designers also thoughtfully added grocery hooks to the underside of the ULTRA Seats.

Premium features

With the Jazz 1.5V variant, there are a number of premium features such as paddle shifters, touch controls for the air-conditioning system, engine pushstart button and keyless entry, and cruise control.

The occupants are well protected not just by the tough G-CON structure but also airbags on the front and sides. Active safety systems such as ABS, Vehicle Stability Assist, Brake Assist and Hillstart Assist are provided to ensure that the driver can avoid accidents or maintain control in slippery conditions.

The engine is the familiar SOHC i-VTEC 4-cylinder unit which produces 120 ps/145 Nm, output that will enable spirited performance as the Jazz has a kerb weight of 1,099 kgs. The Jazz was the first Honda model to introduce the CVT in the Malaysian market and this transmission type remains in use as it promotes fuel efficiency.

While you can’t buy the Jazz Special Edition, there are three variants of the model that you can choose from, with prices starting from RM72,511 (excluding insurance). A MUGEN package is also available, along with optional packages to enhance functionality or looks.

Additional giveaways

Additionally, as part of the ‘
1 Million Dreams
’ campaign, there is the Shopee Coins Giveaway for those who participate in any of the ‘1 Million Dreams’ activities on
honda.com.my
 or at an authorised Honda dealer! Up to 1,000,000 Shopee Coins are being given out to 150 weekly winners.

The lucky winners will be announced at a Grand Finale scheduled to be held by the end of this month.

Visit any authorised Honda dealership nationwide to participate. Locations of dealerships can be found at
www.honda.com.my
.

The Jazz, also known as the Fit in Japan, was marketed in its home market with the theme of ‘Small is the New Big’, and appealed to a new generation of consumers. It was Japan Car of the Year for 2001 and its successor again won the title in 2007. It appeared in Malaysia in April 2003 as a CBU model imported from Thailand.

ULTRA Seat concept in the Jazz was one of the clever ideas it had which created more room for carrying tall items like plants.

The Jazz grew in popularity after the second generation was launched in 2008, offering the nippiness of the hatchback and versatility for many usage requirements. In 2012, local assembly of the Jazz Hybrid (shown above) began at Honda Malaysia’s plant in Melaka and it was the first hybrid model ever assembled in the country. The sporty side of the Jazz was also demonstrated when it was used by the Honda Malaysia team in local races.

The current Jazz, when launched in 2017, came with Honda’s new advanced Sport Hybrid i-DCD system and Malaysia was the only country outside Japan to introduce this powertrain.


EON Appointed As Official Dealer For smart Malaysia

Edaran Otomobil Nasional Berhad (EON), the automotive retail division of DRB-HICOM, has been named an official smart Malaysia dealer by Proton New Energy Technology Sdn Bhd (PRO-NET).

Following a signing ceremony with Hap Seng Smart earlier this month and the addition of EON to the smart Malaysia stable, PRO-NET has now hired five additional dealerships. Five more dealership appointments will be made public in the near future.

In the run-up to the award-winning smart #1 release in Q4 of 2023, their inclusion into the smart family further improves the EV brand’s visibility and awareness among Malaysian automobile consumers.

EON’s appointment underscores PRO NET’s desire to break into Malaysia’s thriving EV industry. EON is one of the country’s leading multi-brand dealerships, representing numerous noteworthy automakers, including Proton, Audi, Mitsubishi, and Volkswagen.

Nearly 40 years after the business and EON helped shape the development of Malaysia’s automotive sector by appointing the latter as the first and sole dealer for Proton automobiles, this relationship represents another significant historical turning point for PROTON and its subsidiary group. PRO-NET believes that producing the best cars is only one aspect of automotive greatness. Additionally, it entails offering a seamless and complete shopping experience for retail customers.

From left to right, Mahmood Razak Bahman, Baevinraj Thiagarajah, Akkbar Danial, Zhang Qiang, Roslan Abdullah, Salawati Mohd Yusoff and Sua Chek Hoong

As part of its effort to position its new premium, intelligent, and all-electric auto brand as the appropriate urban companion for Malaysian EV consumers, smart Malaysia has appointed new dealerships. Therefore, smart is creating an ecosystem that supports full e-mobility in order to guarantee the provision of top-notch service to its clients.

Additionally, it offers simple access to DC charging stations and an EV charging map, enabling owners of smart cars to keep powered while on the go and optimise their daily driving habits. Smart dealers are also outfitted with full sales and service support for the consumer’s peace of mind. They will also provide a premium customer experience and other extra services like quick charging, quick repair services, and a delivery centre.

PRO-NET is poised to provide an outlook of what this future will look like with its powerful combination of technologically advanced goods, solid partners, and dedication to bringing a new level of customer service. The journey is scheduled to start in 2023.


F1 (Round 18) – 2019 Mexican Grand Prix Results and Highlights

♦ Lewis Hamilton’s win in Mexico still does not confirm his sixth world title, and he will have to wait till the next round in Texas. His closest rival is his team mate, Valtteri Bottas who is now 74 points behind.

♦ Ferrari started off with an unexpected advantage of pole position for Charles Leclerc when Max Verstappen lost his pole position because he ignored warning flags. However, the Italian team again lost that advantage although Sebastian Vettel’s tyre strategy worked out well in the end.

♦ Daniil Kvyat finished 9th overall but was dropped to 11th when the official results came out. The Toro Rosso driver was given a 10-second post-race time penalty for his last lap incident with Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg. The change in position also lost him and his team 2 points.

♦ Alexander Albon put in a good performance in Mexico, rising as high as third in the running, but the 2-stop strategy he had to use prevented him from pursuing the Mercedes-AMG drivers.

♦ The chances of Hamilton winning in Texas are pretty good as he has won 5 races there over the past 7 years. After collecting another world title, he can decide if he wants to move to Ferrari, Formula E, become an actor (he revealed that he was approached to star in Top Gun 2), or try to save the world in other ways.

100 F1 victories for the Mercedes Silver Arrows team

Next race in Texas on November 3


Hyundai turns the Veloster into a go-everywhere vehicle with the Grappler Concept

Hyundai Motor’s latest Veloster Grappler concept for the 2019 SEMA show in Las Vegas is another of those ideas which take accessorizing to extremes. While it’s not intended to resist zombies like the Santa Fe Zombie Survival Machine of 2013, it nevertheless would be worth having when things get really bad on the planet.

The Grappler concept takes a Veloster and raises the ground clearance, immediately giving it off-road capability especially with sharper approach and departure angles. To protect the underside against rocks and other hard stuff, there are custom front and rear brush guards.

Oversized all-terrain tyres and rally-themed Method Racing wheels yield a menacing demeanour and functional capability, while Borla cat-back exhaust components add a visceral audible resonance. A custom vinyl exterior body wrap features a ghosted Hyundai-themed livery. Finally, a Seibon carbon-fibre bonnet effectively vents excess engine bay heat when things heat up out on the road.

Goal Zero portable power station with solar recharging

For extra cargo capabilities, a roof-mounted Thule utility basket includes a high-output lighting system from Baja Designs. The utility basket serves as a base mount for the removable solar panel from Goal Zero, powering an all-electric portable power station mounted inside the cabin for remote journeys.

A full host of roof-mounted utility lights – from high-speed desert off-roading high beams to basecamp work lights – provide the right illumination at any time.

Inside the cabin (Hyundai has not released pictures yet), the functional ruggedness theme continues. An integrated roll bar provides occupant protection and facilitates mounting for a full-size spare wheel and tyre. Further outfitting the interior are traction mats, an oversized utility shovel, a Goal Zero portable power station, roadside assistance kit, first aid kit, Napier outdoor dome tent, Scosche Mounts, Goal Zero crush lights and premium Recaro seats finished in a vintage houndstooth check pattern.

6 years ago, Hyundai got Galpin Auto Sports to build this machine based on a creation by Anson Kuo for the 2013 Comic-Con event in New York.


Perodua sales up 29% in the first quarter of 2021

Although sales in the first month of this year began on a low note with the Total Industry Volume (TIV) of new vehicles registered being 51% lower than the TIV in December, the market gradually improved and most companies had increasing sales in the two months that followed.

Perodua sold an estimated 57,911 vehicles in the first quarter of 2021 (Q1) which was 29% greater than the 44,977 units it sold in the same period last year. Of course, it must also be remembered that March last year was a short business month as the Movement Control Order (MCO) began and no sales activities could be carried out at all.

Month-on-month, Perodua’s registrations jumped by 47.3% to 24,433 units in March 2021 compared to February 2021’s 16,583 units. A big contributor was the
new Ativa SUV
 (below) which was launched in early March, with 4,345 units delivered during the month.

14,574 bookings for Ativa

“March saw a jump in our sales numbers to an estimated 24,433 units, underpinned by strong demand, particularly for the Ativa, which has collected 14,574 bookings since we began order-taking on 19 February,” said Perodua President & CEO, Dato’ Zainal Abidin Ahmad.

“This makes the Perodua Ativa the best-selling compact SUV in the country in the month of March. We are glad that the Perodua Ativa has gotten off to such a strong start, and that we well surpassed our 3,000-unit monthly delivery target in the first month,” he said.

“We thank Malaysians for their support and trust. On our end, we are committed towards timely deliveries of every order made,” Dato’ Zainal said, adding that production has increased not just for this new model but also for all of Perodua’s models.

A shipment of newly built Perodua vehicles on the way to dealers.

Shortage of semiconductor chips

During Q1 2021, Perodua manufactured 60,383 vehicles – 23% more than the 49,280 units produced in the same period in 2020. However, like other carmakers, the company has been facing the challenge of shortage of the semiconductor chips needed for the many electronic systems.

“We are working with our partners to find alternative supply while at the same time monitoring the situation on a daily basis to ensure continued operation of our production lines,” Dato’ Zainal Abidin said. He is confident that, despite the semiconductor issue, Perodua will still be able to meet its initial
2021 sales target of 240,000 units
.

The 2021 sales target represents a 9% increase from the 220,163 units sold in 2020, and is expected to lead to a record purchase of RM6.5 billion worth of locally-sourced components this year.

Perodua aims for 9% increase in sales volume to 240,000 units in 2021


No more barriers from 2025 but not paying toll will become an offence

Without the barriers at toll plazas, traffic flow can be faster and smoother. However, toll concessionaires have to put the barriers to make sure that motorists do not just drive through without paying toll. Won’t they be committing an offence, you may ask? Well, apparently, there is actually no law concerning non-payment of toll and whenever someone does not pay, the toll concessionaire has to go after them and if necessary, take legal action to recover the money.

The barrier at the end of each lane at toll plazas is there to ensure motorists pay their toll as there is no legal framework at this time making non-payment an offence.

In one publicised case, PLUS had filed a suit against a logistic company named Berjasa Logistics Sdn Bhd (formerly known as Sin Kung Logistics (KL) Sdn Bhd) to recover unpaid toll fares involving 19 vehicles found to be  registered to the company and driven by its employees for a number of years. The unpaid amounts totalled RM518,369.27 and in July 2017, the logistic company was considered by the High Court as well as Court of Appeal to be liable for its employees’ failure to pay toll charges. An additional RM100,000 in costs was also included in the judgement.

But it’s a tedious process and due to certain limitations and data privacy laws, getting information on motorists is not easy. In some cases now, it is possible to get the information which is recorded by toll payment companies like Touch’nGo when motorists register their details for an e-wallet account.

So before the dream of having Multi Lane Free Flow (MLFF) at toll plazas can be realised in future, something needs to be done to protect the interests of the toll concessionaires otherwise motorists will just drive through. This is understood by the Ministry of Works which is looking into the matter and will explore ways to enact laws or amend existing ones to make non-payment of toll an offence.

This means that with the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras that will be installed at every toll plaza, the toll concessionaire can have a record of the vehicle which did not pay toll, and notify the relevant authorities to take action, just like a speeding offence.

Cameras with Automatic Number Plate Recognition software will record every vehicle passing through so that those who don’t pay toll can be identified.

It’s strange that after so many years of having tolled highways (the very first was at Slim River in 1966), there has never been a law covering this matter. In other countries, it is certainly an offence so people make sure they pay their toll.

In fact, it is so strict in Singapore (where they have had MLFF for years) that there was one case where the owner of a car on top of a trailer received a summons for not paying the road-pricing charge when it passed under the gantry into a zone with Electronic Road Pricing. The car had problems and was being sent to the workshop and the owner had removed the tollcard from the unit (like our SmartTAG). So as the trailer passed underneath, it was detected that the car did not ‘pay’ toll and so an offence was committed!

But here’s something which should also be considered: how will it be determined that the motorist was deliberately not paying toll? What if the system is faulty – and we have seen how flawed it can be over the past month – and the car goes through but the RFID signal is not detected? Is the motorist expected to check that toll has been paid – which can be dangerous while driving – and if that is the case, then there is no point removing the barrier.

The authorities will therefore also have to make provisions in the law for such situations otherwise innocent motorists will be charged for offences they did not deliberately commit. Given the inconsistency of the RFID system in detecting the tags on vehicles (at least the SmartTAG is not as problematic any longer), the toll concessionaires will have to ensure that they can have 100% functionality. If there is a failure, it is their loss (of toll) so they would need to work hard to keep their system operating properly.

MLFF is targeted to be introduced in 2025, by which time the government expects that RFID will fully replace the current manual Touch’nGo card and SmartTAG systems. The Works Ministry has also told toll concessionaires that there needs to be various payment options available to highway users although the focus would be on linking e-wallets to RFID tags.

However, we feel that there should remain at least one lane for cash payments for ‘emergencies’ where motorists who are not regular highway users may not have RFID tags on their vehicles. With only one lane, there might be a long queue but so be it; those who do not want to wait a long time will then have to get a RFID tag for the convenience of zooming through to continue their journey.

Government directs toll concessionaires not to force motorists to use only RFID


BMW Malaysia to launch Child Car Seat Subsidy Program

BMW Malaysia
 together with Childline Foundation has partnered up in the fifth edition of the BMW Safety 360° Programme with the goal to raise awareness and education on the use of child car seats, starting from as young as newborns.

The ‘From Day One’ campaign got off to a great start with the support from Chicco Malaysia where the first six babies born on Father’s Day (yesterday) at Hospital Putrajaya were gifted with brand new Chicco KeyFit 30 infant car seat.

The proud parents were also educated on the best child safety practises courtesy of Childline Foundation and their passenger safety consultants. These include the right criteria for choosing a child car seat, proper methods for installation, as well as the lifecycle of a child car seat.

According to Harald Hoelzl, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia, “As we near the enforcement of mandatory use of child car seats in 2020, we believe it is important to continue advocating the importance of child car seats, especially for newborns. The focus of ‘From Day One’ is to ensure parents know how to keep their children safe from the moment they leave the hospital.”

“We want to make the use of child car seats instinctive; a basic practice when it comes to parenthood. This is why we are constantly partnering with experts from the industry to provide critical child safety education to parents and to make child car seats more accessible.”

The next phase of the ‘From Day One’ campaign will see BMW Malaysia and Childline Foundation continuing their partnership with the introduction of a child car seat subsidy programme alongside Safe ‘n Sound, a distributor of child car seats and baby gear.

The first phases of the new subsidy program will be introduced at five different government hospitals located across the Klang Valley. A total of 150 infant carriers will be subsidised at RM100 a pop (RM199 retail price). Carrying the ECE R44-04 certification, the seats can be used from birth all the way up to 13kg.

Hoelzl added, “We will continue promoting the need for child car seats by offering subsidies alongside Safe ‘n Sound to help make child car seats more accessible. However, it is not enough that parents use child car seats. It is equally important that they understand the proper ways of choosing and installing the child car seats to ensure the utmost safety of their children.”

“As such, we will also work with Childline Foundation to speak directly to hospitals to implement a child passenger safety training programme. This programme will also be customised to parents who attend antenatal classes so that the education of child car seats begins even before the baby arrives.”

The child passenger safety training programme will be introduced to the selected five government hospitals where hospital personnel will learn the best child safety practices from Childline Foundation’s passenger safety consultants. Child passenger safety talks and consultations will also be offered to parents who attend antenatal classes at these hospitals.

Datin Wong Poai Hong, Childline Foundation said, “The best time and place for parents to start practicing the right child safety values is before childbirth and at the hospital. This is an important touchpoint for us – by educating hospital personnel, we are able to build a sustainable way to educate and ensure parents leave hospitals with the right child car seat.”

Sashi Ambi, Head of Corporate Communications, BMW Group Malaysia said, “As we continue to advocate child safety values with the BMW Safety 360° Programme, we would like to urge other partners to take part in this movement to make child car seats a norm – whether by raising greater awareness on the topic through education, making child car seats more accessible, or reaching out to Childline to be a part of the programme. We hope to see an increase in its usage as enforcement comes into effect. After all, the safety of our children on the road begins with the correct use of child car seats.”

BMW Malaysia wants you to use child car seat ‘From Day One’


2020 smart EQ returns to brand’s origins

“The car of the future must question existing notions and inspire with radical and ground-breaking technology ideas”, was how Mercedes-Benz studio engineer and visionary Johann Tomforde saw the evolution of the automobile back in 1972. Since then, the carmaker which is associated with the world’s first car has worked on a concept of a purely urban vehicle whose powertrain needs to be not only electric, but also a solution for future urban mobility challenges.

Its smart brand, in combination with progressive design and intelligent connectivity, offers a sustainable and comprehensive concept for urban mobility today. In 2007, the brand returned to its origins with the systematic switch to emission-free, battery-electric powertrains. Since then, smart has offered an all-electric option in every generation.

2020 smart fortwo and fortwo cabrio

2020 smart EQ forfour

With the new fortwo and forfour models, the time has finally come where the brand is switching to emission-free, battery-electric powertrain technology across the board. “As a pioneer of urban mobility, it has always been part of smart’s credo to rethink things. The switching of the entire product range to all-electric powertrains marks the start of a new chapter in the story of the smart brand. In concert with innovative sharing concepts and digital services, we are the first manufacturer to switch completely and systematically from combustion engines to solely electric powertrains,” said Daniel Lescow, Head of Brand and Product Management smart.

Already appealing for its fun-to-drive character, the all-electric driving experience offers a new dimension in driving enjoyment to smart owners. With 160 Nm of torque available instantly, the new electric models accelerate far better than the 60 kW (82 bhp) of the synchronous motor in the rear might suggest.

As the traffic lights turn green, the smart EQ fortwo coupe will certainly surprise as it zips off the line, reaching 60 km/h in just 4.8 seconds – and almost noiselessly too. Energy comes from a compact high-voltage lithium-ion battery pack which encloses three HV modules and a total of 96 HV cells. It has a capacity of 17.6 kWh when fully charged, sufficient for a range claimed to be up to 159 kms.

For daily driving, this corresponds not only to several times the average daily kilometres driven in Germany but above all, to a generous range in the metropolitan environment where energy can be recovered through recuperation. Radar-based recuperation in the city is a particularly convenient feature. It allows the smart to slow down automatically behind a vehicle ahead. Coasting and braking phases are perfectly coordinated to enable the maximum amount of kinetic energy to be returned to the battery.

Powertrain and battery pack temperatures are crucial in electric vehicle. Staying cool is important for optimum performance and the engineers gave special attention to temperature management. While generously sized air cooling is enough for the electric motor, its flange-mounted power electronics are liquid-cooled.

The battery pack also gets cooling. When needed, it is integrated into the cooling circuit of the powertrain to remain in the optimal temperature range under high permanent load or during fast charging, for example. The same is true when temperatures are extremely low, which is just as bad as high temperatures. A battery heater enables warming up the battery for optimal performance and efficiency.

To make recharging as easy as possible for drivers, smart offers comprehensive charging options. With the optional 22 kW on-board charger with rapid-charging function, the battery pack can be charged from the 10% to 80% range in under 40 minutes and without having to rely on rare DC charging stations if 3-phase charging is possible (depending on local conditions). Should charging be done from a conventional household socket at home, recharging for 6 hours would provide enough energy for average daily driving.

3 clicks instead of 45 pages

Simplicity was a key concept in the smart when it was conceived. With the new generation, that continues not just in the design and engineering but also the equipment level structure. With just a few clicks, instead of 45 pages of specs, the car can be easily configured. There are three equipment lines, and each line can be combined with one of three equipment packages. Once that is done, all the customer has to do is pick a colour and his or her new smart is complete.

Mercedes-Benz and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group establish new joint-venture to handle smart brand globally


Rolls-Royce creates Ghost Zenith Collection to celebrate end of 10-year production tenure

As the Rolls-Royce Ghost nears the end of its 10-year tenure, the carmaker has prepared an exclusive collection as a fitting farewell to the model line. This is a very rare occasion – once in 10 years at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars – that gives collectors of luxury the chance to obtain an item that is truly at its apex.

Highest levels of Bespoke

Known as the Ghost Zenith Collection, there will be just 50 Zeniths that celebrate the timeless elegance of a nameplate which has become the cornerstone of contemporary Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. In true keeping with its name, the Ghost Zenith Collection will feature the highest levels of Bespoke ever seen on a Ghost Collection car.

The only previous occasion when collectors around the world were afforded this privilege was in 2016 when an equally limited number of Phantom VII Zeniths celebrated the end of its extraordinarily long and successful reign. The cars immediately became highly collectable and sought after, re-setting the bar of luxury and, in doing so, creating a modern legend.

Model with a rich and extraordinary past

The Ghost is a luxury icon that carries with it a rich and extraordinary past. From the Silver Ghost, the car that established the moniker of ‘
The Best Car in the World
’ over 100 years ago, to the 200EX (pictured below), the experimental car that introduced the concept of a contemporary expression of this nameplate at the Geneva Motor Show in 2009, this model has offered patrons of the marque a modern, lithe and driver-focused Rolls-Royce.

When the Ghost went on sale in 2009, its elegant lines and dynamic offering quickly made it the most successful Rolls-Royce car ever to be built. Notably, it attracted a new group of young entrepreneurs to the marque. Indeed, the reduction in average age of a Rolls-Royce customer to around 43 is in part testament to Ghost’s global success.

“The Ghost Zenith Collection presents an entirely forward-looking study of the unique characteristics that have seen Ghost ascend to the status of the most progressive super-luxury saloon ever conceived. This unique Collection provides customers with a rare opportunity to own a car truly evocative of our time. Ghost is the most successful Rolls-Royce ever created and the Zenith Collection marks an important milestone in our modern history,” commented Torsten Muller-Otvos, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

References from the 200EX

The Ghost Zenith Collection draws many references from the 200EX (pictured above), with perhaps the most significant being the inclusion of a commemorative ingot. This came from the original 200EX Spirit of Ecstasy, melted down and set into the centre console of each of the 50 Zeniths. Engraved with the three key design lines of Ghost, the plaque details its significant origins. The Collection’s own Spirit of Ecstasy and clock are engraved with the name of this highly anticipated collection.

Furthermore, 200EX is immortalized in a complex engraving on the centre console of Ghost Zenith. A blueprint inspired artwork enlarged to a point of abstraction has been divided into 50 distinct parts, allowing each Ghost Zenith customer their own personal and individual work of art while, at the same time, uniting the collection as a group homage to Ghost.

An interesting feature is the interior of the Collection’s doors, owing to the illuminated door pockets. Ambient light emits through perforated leather enhancing the architectural elegance of Ghost’s interior. One will also encounter a complex piece of marquetry, created by the master craftsmen and women in the marque’s legendary woodshop. Available in either wood, Technical fibre or piano finished veneer, the door marquetry transitions from the driver’s suite to passenger suite, emphasizing the dual nature to Ghost.

Details inspired by original 1907 model

The rear seats feature embroidery that takes its inspiration from the seat details of the original 1907 Silver Ghost. This embroidery elegantly transitions from the rear to the front of the cabin and, in the case of the Extended Wheelbase Zenith, the headliner thrusts purposefully forward into the poised silhouette of the Spirit of Ecstasy. The seats themselves are accentuated in a contrasting leather, accenting Ghost as the ultimate 4-seat limousine.

Occupants of the Ghost Zenith Standard Wheelbase will experience an extraordinary phenomenon. The famed starlight headliner is presented in a unique Shooting Star configuration. Shooting stars fire at random across the cabin roof, adding an extraordinary sense of theatre. This surprise and delight feature consists of over 1,340 individually mapped and hand-woven fibreoptic lights.

Reminiscent of its Phantom counterpart, The Ghost Zenith Collection’s exterior styling takes on a new interpretation of its own: a special two-tone application with a gloss-contrast paint finish. Customers may select three different colour-ways – Iguazu Blue with Andalusian White, Premiere Silver with Arctic White or a daring Bohemian Red with Black Diamond, with multiple variants available highlighting the flexibility of the model. The Silver Satin bonnet was first seen on 200EX.


Toyota Outrun raises RM151,100 for the Paralympic Council of Malaysia

The recent Toyota Outrun fun run event organised by UMW Toyota Motor saw over 3,000 people taking part at Bandar Rimbayu, Kota Kemuning, Selangor yesterday morning. The charity event successfully raised a total of RM151,100 collected from the participants’ registration fees were donated to the Paralympic Council of Malaysia.

The 8-km course saw people from all walks of life getting together for a good cause.  What’s even more inspiring was the fact that even people with multiple disabilities joined in the festivities to prove their determination to “Start Your Impossible”.

Even Abdul Latif Romly, Malaysia’s first Paralympian named as ‘Sportsman of the Year’ in 2016, was also present (who also happens to be UMWT’s “Start Your Impossible” Ambassador). All of the donated funds to the Paralympic Council of Malaysia will be used to train all fellow trainers to ensure that they are well equipped to ‘guide disabled persons who have sports potential’.

According to Akio Takeyama, Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota Motor, “UMW Toyota Motor is very pleased to be able to support physically challenged people who wish to participate in sports. This is in line with Toyota Motor Corporation’s substantial support for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games as its first-ever mobility partner.”

“We thank all the participants for joining us at this Toyota Outrun today and contributing towards a good cause. The fund collected should be useful for the Paralympic Council of Malaysia in its activities and we will certainly be looking at how we can offer more support in future,” said Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor.

Sabah’s SMK Tamparuli is tops in 19th edition of Toyota Eco Youth programme


Team Isuzu raises funds for charity by participating in Kuching Marathon 2019

Although car companies are in the business of selling motor vehicles and being profitable for their shareholders, there are also time when they take time off from their business to do good deeds for society. Isuzu Malaysia, for example, recently formed a team to participate in the Kuching Marathon 2019 and raised funds for charity while doing so.

Team Isuzu, comprising management and staff of Isuzu Malaysia with members of the media, ran various distances in the event as part of their efforts to raise funds for local charity. “It was a tremendous effort by the team to participate in the marathon and to raise funds for charity. I am grateful to everyone who contributed to the success of this, particularly members of the media who have been extremely supportive of the cause,” said Koji Nakamura, CEO of Isuzu Malaysia.

Pledges by Isuzu dealers

The funds were partly raised through pledges by Isuzu dealers in Sarawak including Dai Max Automobile, KM Mobil and Rhino Motors who were also represented at the ceremony by Terry Tiong Ung Hung, Tan Kim Hoon and Amy Lim, respectively. Mr. Nakamura, accompanied by members of Team Isuzu, handed over mock cheques of the funds raised to Hope Place Kuching and Persatuan OKU Kuching.

International event

The Kuching Marathon is an annual road race competition which was inaugurated in August 2014. It consists of full marathon of 42 kms, half marathon of 21 kms, run of 10 kms and 5 kms, respectively. The route takes in Kuching’s picturesque Waterfront, the Fort, Astana, the cat statues, Tua Pek Kong and of course, Kuching’s most iconic building, the DUN. It is now an international road race recognized by Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS).

Click here for other news and articles about Isuzu on PISTON.MY


VinFast Debuts Budget EV To Fight Incoming Rivals

In Vietnam, a country where Chinese rivals are swarming even as motorbikes continue to control the roads, VinFast has unveiled its cheapest electric car yet, a $23,000 (RM102k) VF 5 model for sale.

Vingroup’s electric vehicle division stated late on Friday that it is “targeting the broadest range of consumers” with the VF 5 Plus SUV, which costs around one-third as much as the company’s higher-end EVs. VinFast’s newest SUV delivers 134 hp maximum power and 135 Nm of torque.

Powered by a 37.23 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the VF 5 Plus can drive over 300 km on a full charge according to VinGroup.

This year, VinFast made history by becoming the first Vietnamese automaker to sell vehicles in the United States. Since Tesla made comparable price cuts, there have been rumours of a potential pricing war. Also recently announced by the firm was the state of California’s approval of a rebate programme for its VF 8 electric SUV, which will save purchasers up to $7,500 (RM3.3k).

Vietnam, where the per capita income is $4,100 (RM1.8k), is also seeing the emergence of more affordable Chinese EVs. These include the Hongguang Mini EV, a $4,500 (RM2k) “alternative to walking” that the auto manufacturer Wuling describes. According to the Vietnamese official television VOV, the Hongguang Mini EV is slated to reach the market and “speed its transition from motorbikes to cars.”

In a nation of 99 million people, Vietnam has one of the largest motorbike marketplaces in the world, with estimates placing the number of motorcycles on the road at over 60 million. Critics worry that an influx of four-wheelers will increase traffic and pollution if a clean transition doesn’t take place, which might include using electric bikes and public transportation.

“The VF 5 Plus will provide customers with additional choices that suit the needs of the majority, thereby encouraging consumers to switch to electric vehicles and contributing to a sustainable future for all,” VinFast CEO Le Thi Thu Thuy said.

In 2022, VinFast delivered 7,400 electric vehicles, and it can produce 250,000 vehicles annually. It plans to begin producing EVs in North Carolina in 2025 and just last month introduced electric taxis in its domestic market. According to VinFast, the electric SUV received 3,000 reservations within nine hours of opening orders.


Porsche Malaysia introduces three bespoke 911 GT3’s

The Porsche GT3 does not need an introduction, it is probably the epitome of performance in its segment. Engineered to be raw, wild yet tameable, the 911 GT3 promises unparalleled performance to the discerning few. And it is about to get even better for those interested to buy one in Malaysia.

Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP), the company behind brand Porsche in Malaysia, introduced three unique GT3’s exclusively for the Malaysian market, and these are – Meissen Blue, Signal Green and Riviera Blue.

These new colours were ordered by SDAP through the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, a department within Porsche that specialises in bespoke modifications for their owners. And this means that there is a very good chance that whoever ends up buying these cars, will probably be the only person with such a colour in Malaysia, the region, and though there is a lesser chance of it happening, but maybe even the world.

These unique GT3’s don’t only offer a special colour, but according to a press release sent out by SDAP, also offer a mixture of high-quality materials such as leather interior package featuring extended alcantara detailing. And nothing shouts performance than the colour red, and that is exactly the colour adorning the instrument dials, seat belts and the Sport Chrono stop watch, all of which are painted in a colour Porsche calls Guards Red. The cars also feature illuminated carbon door sill guards and body-guard air vents.

Just to recap, the Porsche 911 GT3 offers a power-to-weight ratio of 2.86 kg/hp with an overall weight of 1,430kg. The car transfers all of its 500hp to the rear wheels via a seven-speed double-clutch transmission (PDK), and even with a full tank of fuel, the GT3 demolishes the 0-100km/h sprint in just 3.4 seconds, on to a top speed of 318km/h. But if you opt for the manual transmission, the GT3 sees off the 0-100km/h run in 3.9 seconds, and reaches a top speed of 320km/h.

And just for your information, the 4.0, flat-six engine is the same engine that powers the 911 GT3 Cup race car.

Full press release:
Sime Darby Auto Performance unveils three exclusive and unique 911 GT3

Riviera Blue

Signal Green

Meissen Blue


F1 (Round 4): Preview and Starting Grid of the 2020 Pirelli Formula 1 British Grand Prix

Race starts at 2:10 pm British time/9:10 pm Malaysian time

Following the first three rounds of the delayed 2020 Formula 1 World Championship, this weekend sees the teams at Silverstone in England. The 2020 Pirelli Formula 1 British Grand Prix will be the first of two that will be held at the 72-year old circuit, the second to be run next weekend as the Emirates Formula 1 70th Anniversary Grand Prix 2020.

After the compact, undulating layout of the Red Bull Ring in Austria and the tight twists and turns of the Hungaroring in Hungary, the wide open spaces of Silverstone – once an airfield – promises a very different kind of challenge.

A true power circuit

Silverstone is one of F1’s last remaining true power circuits, and one which the drivers like. Its fast and flowing layout with iconic corners such as Copse and the rapid changes of direction through Maggotts, Becketts and Chapel provide both a thrill and a test of nerve and skill.

Drivers experience some of the highest lateral g-forces of the season at Silverstone, with a maximum of 5
g
 – meaning they will feel 5 times their normal weight. Therefore, with the average weight of a human head wearing a helmet being 7 kgs, the driver’s neck is being pulled side-to-side by a force of 35 kgs through some of the corners.

The drivers will experience up to 5 times their weight in some corners due to the high g-forces.

Drivers spend almost 81% of the lap distance at Silverstone driving at full-throttle and the average speed over the course of a lap is one of the highest in F1 at around 220 km/h. But Silverstone is not entirely about high speeds; the ‘Arena’ section introduced a decade ago provides the additional challenge of a sequence of technically demanding low-speed corners.

Resurfaced last year, the track has shed some of its reputation for abrasiveness and Pirelli is added spice to the two races by varying its compound choices for this weekend and the next. It is being cautious by supplying its most durable compound (C1) while the C2 and C3 will be the medium and soft, respectively. Next Sunday, the plan is to move on step softer with the C2 to C4 compounds.

Conditions are notoriously windy at Silverstone and the wind direction changes relatively frequently, too. This has a big impact on the car balance and can completely change the car’s behaviour, forcing drivers to adapt their driving style to suit. Braking points, apex speeds and throttle application can all change due to a shift in wind direction.

Sergio Perez replaced by Nico Hulkenberg

Racing Point’s Sergio Perez will not be racing as he was tested positive for COVID-19, believed to have been due to visiting his mother in Mexico who was hospitalised. So far, he shows no symptoms but the strict rules require him to self-isolate for 10 days. This means he will also miss the next round. Nico Hulkenberg will drive in his place, starting from 13th place on the grid.

Sergio Perez was tested popsitive for COVID-19 so he cannot race tomorrow as well as the following Sunday as he must self-isolate for 10 days.

As with the other rounds earlier, there will be no spectators within the circuit and the number of people allowed inside are kept to a minimum. Those who enter are tested regularly for COVID-19 and team members are required to stay within their ‘bubble’ and not mix with others, even at the hotel or other places outside the track. Things are that strict and the FIA is constantly monitoring because it does not want to have governments in other countries withdrawing permission to hold the forthcoming races because of participants not being disciplined to observe the Standard Operating Procedures.

The championship so far

Mercedes-AMG’s Lewis Hamilton, last year’s winner and the one who has won the most times at Silverstone (6), starts his home race as the leader in the Drivers Championship, 5 points ahead of team mater Valtteri Bottas. Consecutive podium finishes in Austria and Hungary put Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen in third place, 25 points behind Bottas.

Lewis Hamilton set a new lap record again and takes pole position tomorrow, with Valtteri Bottas alongside.

In the Constructors Championship, the top finishing places of its two drivers have built up the points lead which, at 121 points, is 66 ahead of Red Bull Racing with McLaren in third. However, Mercedes-AMG team boss, Toto Wolff, is not complacent. “We enjoyed very good results at the British Grand Prix in recent years, but we all know Babe Ruth’s famous quote: ‘Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games’. There’s no entitlement to a good result because you had a strong showing in the past, on the contrary: a successful race will always be the result of the hard work of every single team member and we will have to bring our A-game to stay ahead of our competitors,” he said yesterday.


2021 Volkswagen Multivan separates from Transporter line

The bestselling van in history, with over 12 million units sold worldwide, is the Volkswagen Transporter. While the earliest version which began in 1950 was on a Beetle platform, the model later gained its own ‘T platform’ from the 1990s for a variety of versions including minibuses, pick-ups and campervans.

From T platform to MQB platform

The current generation is the T6 Transporter with its people-mover variant known as the Caravelle. With the new T7 generation, the Transporter will leave the T platform behind in what will be the creation of a new model line named Multivan, while the current T6 is likely to continue as a commercial van for some time.

A trio of vans

The new Multivan (1941 mm wide, 4973 mm long) will ride on the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform which should give it more versatility. It will be a less commercially-oriented product and is likely to become a significant MPV model range as well. In fact, Volkswagen has already indicated that the Multivan will be one of three members of a multi-purpose vehicle line-up that will include the T6 Transporter and all-electric ID. Buzz.

The exterior looks of the Multivan adopt the latest design language seen on the new Golf and Polo, and also pays homage to its predecessors, dating back to the 1985 Transporter T3. The front air intakes, painted in the same colour as the vehicle, have been reduced, paying tribute to the heritage of the rear air-cooled engines of the first three generations.

The colour scheme in the press photos goes with the cubic theme of the design which has clean surfaces and large glass panels all round. Also available is a panoramic glass roof with LowE laminated safety glass to reduce incoming thermal radiation by 44%.

PHEV for the first time

Volkswagen has a large number of markets and so its powertrain choices for the Multivan will need to take into consideration the less developed countries which will still want combustion engines. At the same time, for the markets where electrification is moving forward, there is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV)variant – the first time in this Volkswagen segment.

The Multivan PHEV will have a 1.4-litre TSI 150 ps petrol engine and an electric motor powered by a 13 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The total system output is 218 ps with instantaneous torque which will provide brisk performance. Volkswagen does not give any numbers yet other that that, with a 6-speed DSG transmission, ‘short, urban trips’ are possible on pure electric power.

The combustion engine powertrains that will be available will be two 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engines – 136 ps 1.5 TSI and 204 ps 2.0 TSI – and a 150 ps 4-cylinder turbodiesel. All the engines will deliver their power through a 7-speed DSG to the front wheels.

Semi-autonomous capability

The Multivan will have a lot of new and advanced tech, with more than 34 driver assist systems. Besides the ones that provide autonomous braking, lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control, there is also
IQ.DRIVE Travel Assist
 which allows semi-autonomous driving by combining the predictive Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Assist to make long-distance journeys safer and easier. It can be used up to 210 km/h.

Other new systems include Car2X – allowing local communication with other vehicles and the highways infrastructure in order to provide warnings of any danger ahead.

More flexible and spacious within

Inside, the new Volkswagen Multivan is more flexible and spacious than ever, with a new modular, lightweight seating system and innovative table. Seating layouts can be for 2 to 7 persons with removable seats and swivelling features.

The innovative multi-function table has been designed specially for the Multivan. Using the central track, it can be moved between any of the seating rows and also used as a centre console between the front seats. The table, which is completely removable, has adjustable height, three cupholders, and a storage bin.

The maximum cargo capacity with all rear seats removed is up to 4053 litres (depending on variant) with the longer 5173 mm version.

The new Multivan will go on sale later this year and while there will be a righthand drive version, it is hard to say whether it will be imported to Malaysia. The last time the model was sold (as the Caravelle) was in the 1990s when a small volume was assembled locally by Auto Dunia, which was then handling the Volkswagen brand.

Special deals for Volkswagen buyers and owners during June


The EX30: Volvo’s First Fully Electric Small SUV

When you hear the name Volvo you may be forgiven for immediately thinking of their big bulky SUVs or sleek sedans. However, Volvo has just introduced its first small premium SUV, the EX30.

It is a small SUV that does big Volvo things. Let us explain to you what that means.

Design-wise, the EX30 follows Volvo’s design language that’s scaled down to a smaller size. It has a long wheelbase, large wheels and equal overhangs that bring balance to the exterior. It also features a digital rendition of Thor’s Hammer headlights, a clamshell bonnet and two-piece taillights.

How small is small? Well, at just 166.7 inches long, the Volvo EX30 is just over a foot shorter than a Honda Civic hatchback! It is, however, impressively wide at 72.3 inches (80 inches with the mirrors) and reasonably tall at 61.1 inches. Despite sharing a model name with the larger
EX90
 electric crossover, the EX30 looks more like a hatchback.

The EX30 is offered with three powertrains. The first is a 268-hp single-motor option, equipped with a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery.

If greater range is required, the Single Motor Extended Range model comes with a nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) extended-range battery powering the same 268-hp motor. The NMC battery, which contains lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt, gives the ER version a range of up to 480 kilometres on a single charge. The capacity of the device is not specified, but reports indicate it to be 69 kWh.

If you enjoy speed, take note of what Volvo calls the Twin Motor model, which promises to be the fastest Volvo ever. It has the same battery pack as the normal car but adds a second motor to the front axle for a total output of 422-hp and 542 Nm of torque. Zero-to-100? A claimed 3.6 seconds, one-tenth the time of a Tesla Model Y Performance.

All-wheel-drive variants can also charge at 153 kW, which is a respectable, if not industry-leading, amount. The EX30’s Google-powered infotainment system should make battery preconditioning easier regardless of powertrain. When the state of charge falls below 20%, the EX30 automatically searches Google Maps for local charging stations.

After selecting a charging station, the automobile begins preconditioning its battery pack to better absorb high-current charging. Furthermore, with a built-in 5G modem, the EX30 should be able to connect to the internet throughout the duration of most cases.

Interestingly, even though the EX30 is designed to be cheap, it doesn’t seem like it on the inside. It comes with a choice of five different ambient lighting themes. Each is inspired by a different Scandinavian landscape and subtly shifts in colour, adding a sense of calm to the interior.

Volvo has also made things more convenient inside the car through cutting-edge tech and considerate Scandinavian interior design. There are also smart storage options throughout the cabin.

It’s also available in four interior colours, none of which are black. An off-white named Breeze, a warm grey called Mist, a green called Pine, and a deep blue called Indigo are all available.

Whatever upholstery colour you choose, everything is created from renewable and recycled materials, so the cloth has some feel-good factor. A 12.3-inch touchscreen gives access to all car functions while also displaying essential driving information such as speed, gear selection, and charge levels at the top.

Though many automakers are looking at proprietary entertainment systems, it’s interesting to note that Volvo is still adopting a collaborative strategy with a Google-based OS and Apple CarPlay readily available from day one. This is a terrific package that really seems to understand the needs of this car’s target market. Volvo lists Qualcomm as a significant tech partner for the EX30, thus it seems realistic to anticipate a quick, fluid infotainment UX.

Additionally, it has a Harman Kardon high-end audio system with a cutting-edge soundbar as its speaker component.

Unfortunately, there are certain disadvantages to minimalist interior design. There are no tactile controls for the radio or climate, and Volvo has taken the same route as VW by hiding the operation of the back windows behind a capacitive touchpad. The touchscreen controls the electronic release of the glove box door. At least Volvo kept the physical wiper controls on the left arm of the steering column.

The EX30 is intended to protect you and other people in busy urban situations and is meant to be as safe as you’d expect from a Volvo. For instance, it comes with a unique safety function for motorcycles as standard that warns you before you open your door in front of a cyclist, rider, or runner, helping to minimise incidents known as “dooring.”

Additionally, it has a digital key feature that is practical for you and makes it simple to share the car with others. The technology, which is based on advanced UWB and CCC industry standards, will work with a variety of phone brands and models.

It is also the first Volvo vehicle to come equipped with the newest version of the well-known Park Pilot Assist technology. It makes parking in confined places simple by handling all forms of parking spaces, including parallel, curved, perpendicular, and diagonal fishbone-style.

The EX30 all-electric SUV will also be offered with its Care by Volvo subscription service starting at 599 euro (RM2,950) per month, according to the automaker, with prices in Europe starting at around 36,000 euro (RM177,350).

Volvo EX30 Cross Country Exterior


Fuel Price Updates For March 25 – March 31, 2021

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


Black Badge Ghost by Rolls-Royce for those who refuse to adhere to established conventions

Today, ‘disruptor’ has become the popular label for those who refuse to adhere to established conventions. This attribute has made fortunes, slain great institutions and even challenged the very notion of currency. Had the term existed in the early 20th century, Rolls and Royce would have been among the era’s arch-disruptors. Through their pursuit of perfection, they proved that a car could credibly replace the horse and carriage.

In the new era following the relaunch of the Rolls-Royce brand in 2003, a new generation of customers desired a less formal expression of brand. These clients in this new era were from new industries and geographies. Their success was defined on their own terms and Bespoke allowed them to have cars that countered the expected codes of luxury. Bespoke would come to even subvert Rolls-Royce – respectfully, of course. This was confirmed following a chance meeting between Rolls-Royce Motor Cars CEO, Torsten Muller-Otvos and a customer who had asked an outside tuning house to give his Wraith a finish of black chrome with darkened wheels.

A permanent Bespoke series

‘Darker’ Rolls-Royces were in fashion but those who desired them did not believe Rolls-Royce would agree to their wishes. However, they were misinformed because the brand’s contemporary success is defined by a willingness to listen, participate and define changing cultures and norms. And so Black Badge was born as the marque’s first permanent Bespoke series.

Last year, 27% of new Rolls-Royce cars delivered worldwide were Black Badge editions, the number having grown since the first such edition was introduced for the Wraith and Ghost in 2016. Today, the carmaker introduces the purest and most technologically advanced Black Badge model yet – the  new Black Badge Ghost.

Black is the most favoured colour

Although customers are free to select any of the 44,000 ‘ready-to-wear’ colours or even create their own entirely unique colour, the overwhelming majority of women and men who requested this darker expression of Ghost have selected the signature Black. To create what is the auto industry’s darkest black, 45 kgs of paint is atomised and applied to an electrostatically-charged bare bodyshell before being oven dried. The car then receives two layers of clear coat before being hand-polished to produce the signature high-gloss piano finish.

At between three and five hours in duration, this operation is entirely unknown in mass production, creating an intensity simply unattainable elsewhere in the automotive industry. It is this depth of darkness that customers can also add a high-contrast, hand-painted Coachline, which has done much to create the Black Badge ‘black and neon’ aesthetic that has come to characterise this vivid family of Rolls-Royce cars.

To complement the exterior finish, an entirely customisable process was created that allows Rolls-Royce hallmarks such as the high-polished Spirit of Ecstasy and Pantheon Grille to be ‘subverted’. Instead of simply painting these components, a specific chrome electrolyte is introduced to the traditional chrome plating process that is co-deposited on the stainless-steel substrate, darkening the finish. Its final thickness is just one micrometre – around one hundredth of the width of a human hair. Each of these components is precision-polished by hand to achieve a mirror-black chrome finish before being installed.

Special wheel with carbonfibre

The Bespoke 21-inch composite wheelset is also something special. Designed in the Black Badge house style and reserved for Black Badge Ghost, the barrel of each wheel is made up of 22 layers of carbonfibre laid on three axes, then folded back on themselves at the outer edges of the rim, forming a total of 44 layers of carbonfibre for greater strength.

A 3D-forged aluminium hub is bonded to the rim using aerospace-grade titanium fasteners and finished with the marque’s hallmark Floating Hubcap, ensuring the Double R monogram remains upright at all times. To celebrate the material substance and remarkable surface effect, a lightly tinted lacquer protects the finish but still allows the technical complexity of the unique carbonfibre construction to be visible.

Advanced luxury materials

Advanced luxury materials  created and crafted for a unique ambience within are defined by authenticity and material substance rather than overt statement. In this spirit, a complex but subtle weave that incorporates a deep diamond pattern rendered in carbon and metallic fibres has been created by the craftspeople.

Multiple wood layers are pressed onto the interior component substrates, using black Bolivar veneer for the uppermost base layer. This forms a dark foundation for the Technical Fibre layers that follow. Leaves woven from resin-coated carbon and contrasting metal-coated thread laid in a diamond pattern are applied by hand to the components in perfect alignment, creating a three-dimensional effect. To secure this extraordinary veneer, each component is cured for one hour under pressure at 100°C. This is then sand-blasted to create a keyed surface for 6 layers of lacquer, which is hand-sanded and polished before being incorporated into the car.

If specified, the Technical Fibre ‘Waterfall’ section of the individual rear seats receives the Black Badge family motif: the mathematical symbol that represents potential infinity known as a ‘Lemniscate’. Rendered in aerospace-grade aluminium on the lid of Black Badge Ghost’s Champagne cooler, it is applied between the third and fourth layer of a total of six layers of subtly tinted lacquer, creating the illusion that the symbol is floating above the Technical Fibre veneer.

By its very name, virtually all brightwork is subdued. The air vent surrounds on the dashboard and in the rear cabin are darkened using physical vapour deposition, one of the few methods of colouring metal that ensures parts will not discolour or tarnish over time or through repeated use.

For the Black Badge Ghost timepiece design, only the tips of the hands and the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock markers are picked out, in a subdued chrome finish, creating a remarkably minimal clock. The timepiece is flanked by a world-first Bespoke innovation that debuted with Ghost: the Illuminated Fascia, which displays an ethereal glowing Lemniscate, surrounded by more than 850 stars.

Located on the passenger side of the dashboard, the constellation and motif are completely invisible when the interior lights are not in operation. As in Ghost, the Lemniscate motif is illuminated via 152 LEDs mounted above and beneath the fascia, each colour-matched to the clock and instrument dial lighting. To ensure the Lemniscate is lit evenly, a 2 mm-thick light guide is used, featuring more than 90,000 laser-etched dots across the surface. This not only disperses the light evenly but creates a twinkling effect as the eye moves across the fascia, echoing the subtle sparkle of the Shooting Star Starlight Headliner.

Increased engine output

From the engineering point of view, there is a general similarity to the standard Ghost model and key to its potent character is the Architecture of Luxury. This is Rolls-Royce’s proprietary all-aluminium spaceframe architecture that debuted with Phantom. This sub-structure not only delivers extraordinary body stiffness, but its flexibility and scalability allowed Ghost to be equipped with all-wheel drive, 4-wheel steering and the Planar Suspension system. For Black Badge, these engineering qualities have been comprehensively re-engineered, including the fitting of more voluminous air springs to alleviate body roll under more assertive cornering.

Under the long bonnet, the Rolls-Royce twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 engine has 29 ps more, increasing total output to exactly 600 ps, while the addition of another 50 Nm of torque boost the output to exactly 900 Nm. The powertrain also has Bespoke transmission and throttle treatments to further enhance the engine’s increased power reserves. The ZF 8-speed transmission box and both front and rear-steered axles work collaboratively to adjust the levels of feedback to the driver, depending on throttle and steering inputs.

As with all products in the marque’s Black Badge portfolio, the ‘Low’ button situated on the gear selection stalk unlocks Black Badge Ghost’s full suite of technologies. This is asserted by the amplification of the engine through an entirely new exhaust system, subtly announcing its potency. All 900 Nm of torque is available from just 1,700rpm and, once underway in Low Mode, gearshift speeds are increased by 50% when the throttle is depressed to 90%, delivering the abundant power reserves almost instantly.

“In the 5 years since Black Badge became publicly available, this bold family of motor cars has come to symbolise the pinnacle of a new type of super-luxury product, setting in motion a shift across the wider luxury industry. Subsequently, nearly all luxury makers create products that seek to capture the Black Badge spirit,” said the CEO of Rolls-Royce.

New fully-electric Rolls-Royce will be called ‘Spectre’, to be launched in late 2023

Vaccination does not make you immune to COVID-19 infection. You can still get infected but may not show symptoms and still spread the coronavirus to others. Do not stop taking protective measures such as wearing a facemask, washing hands frequently and social distancing.