Rewarding weekend for Tengku Djan/Mika Hakimi at first GAZOO Racing Vios Sprint Cup

Being at the right place and striking at the right time – that seems to have been the winning formula for the pair of Tengku Djan Ley and Mika Hakimi who drove to almost identical wins in both the races of the inaugural GAZOO Racing Vios Sprint Cup.

The Prima Pearl TD Racing duo finished of their race weekend at the Sepang International Circuit with a win in the second 1-hour race. While it was 18-year old Mika who had taken the chequered flag in the
first race the day before
, Tengku Djan – a 3-time Vios Challenge overall champion and Malaysia’s ‘Drift King’ – was at the wheel for the second win.

Unlike Race 1 on Saturday which was held in blistering heat, Race 2 got underway after being delayed twice to wait for a heavy downpour to subside. So conditions around the 5.543-km circuit were slippery and made things even more challenging.

Race 2’s grid was filled with 19 cars, with each car having two drivers. There was one car and crew more than Race 1 as Laser Motor Racing’s Eddie Liew/Putera Adam had not taken part due to a technical problem with their Vios.

To make the race more interesting, the reverse grid format was adopted and the winning pair started Race 2 in sixth position, plus weight penalties as well. On pole position was the Vios driven by the pair of Ady Rahimy and 16-year old Abdul Miqail, followed by Laser Motor racing’s Mark Darwin/Bradley Benedict Anthony, while in third position was Axle Motorsports’ Hayden Haikal/Naquib Azlan who finished fourth in Race 1. Starting from fourth on the grid was S&D Tama Motorsports’ Tom Goh/Freddie Ang, third placed winners the day before

Abdul Miqail got off to a great start but failed to hang on to his race lead when he spun off the wet track just as the race entered its second lap. That immediately promoted Naquib to race leader with Bradley, Nabil and Mika in close pursuit. Positions remained unchanged for 4 laps until Bradley misjudged his braking point, losing his position to Nabil and Mika.

The biggest gainer in the opening stages was Putera Adam who jumped 17 places from last position and into the lead by lap 7 of the race. The 16-year old drove a blistering pace and was among the last drivers to make the compulsory pit-stop for a driver change, handing the car over to his team mate for the remaining 30 minutes of the race.

With the driver changes completed, Eddie led the race 4.7 seconds ahead of Tengku Djan with Hayden, Boy and Mark rounding up the top 5 frontrunners. His lead however, diminished lap after lap as the pair of Tengku Djan and Boy lapped the circuit almost a second a lap quicker. By lap 14, the three drivers were abreast of each other and fighting for the lead.

The closing 3 laps were thus exciting and Tengku Djan used his experience and skills to move from third to first. It was a similar move as Mika did the previous day; once in front, his lead would grow from 1.3 seconds to 4.5 seconds by the time he took the chequered flag. Boy secured second place, with Hayden finishing third, Eddie in fourth position and fifth place going to the M7 Japan Project Team’s Fariqe Hairuman and Tarmimi Tahang.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about teamwork and both drivers must have similar pace, and only then will you have a fighting chance. Mika has been able to keep his cool throughout the race weekend and on top of that, he has the speed. We have to work as a team, there must be a sharing of knowledge, and you can’t do everything yourself,” said Tengku Djan.

UMW Toyota Motor President Ravindran K. said the GAZOO Racing Vios Sprint Cup and its format of a 1-hour race with a driver change certainly introduced new dynamics to the racing many of the drivers who are already competing in the Vios Challenge used to.

“As you know, UMW Toyota Motors’ foray into Malaysian motorsports began with the introduction of a street racing series. That has since evolved to include races on the half and full track length at the Sepang International Circuit; the organizing of a night race; the introduction of a program to develop young drivers and creating a Rookie Class; and even participation in the Sepang 1000KM Endurance Race last year as well as the running of the Vios Enduro Cup,” he said.

“These elements combined are in line with our efforts to contribute to not only growing interest in motorsports, but to make it even more exciting for both the participating teams and drivers, as well as spectators and enthusiasts,” Mr. Ravindran said.

Tengku Djan/Mika Hakimi duo win first race of GR Vios Sprint Cup


2022 LYRIQ will be first model in Cadillac’s electric-only range moving forward

Cadillac is one of the first automotive brands in the world, with a history that goes back 118 years. While it was already established as a luxury brand from its early years, the name outside America was often associated with ‘gas guzzlers’ – cars with high fuel consumption and with dimensions like an aircraft carrier (an exaggeration, of course). The fact is, Cadillac models were fairly large and their heavy weight as well as big engines consumed fuel at a high rate but thankfully for American motorists, petrol prices were cheap.

By the 1970s, Cadillac began to ‘downsize’ and by the 1980s, even started to use front-wheel drive. Technology helped bring fuel consumption down and by the time the 21
st
 century began, the company’s model range was sized more practically. Fuel consumption was certainly much lower than ever before although perhaps high compared to models from Europe and Asia.

No more new combustion engine models

Now the company is making a big leap forward with the decision to stop introducing new models with combustion engines (although it will continue to sell existing models). From next year, it will launch the first of many electrically-powered models to come and it has revealed what the first model will look like with the unveiling of the LYRIQ at Auto Shanghai last week.

Cadillac executives avoided calling it a concept car and said that the production model will look the same. “We are calling the model on display in Shanghai a showcar – not a concept – because it will go into production soon. You may be surprised how similar it is to the showcar,” said Felix Weller, Vice-President of Cadillac in China and General Director of Cadillac Marketing and Sales at SAIC-GM.

GM Ultium batteries and platform

Th LYRIQ is positioned as a midsize all-electric SUV, equipped with GM’s latest Ultium batteries, the industry’s first wireless battery management system which saves up to 90% of the wiring. Also, the battery system can receive new features as they become available, with support for over-the-air (OTA) updates provided by its Vehicle Intelligence Platform.

At launch, the LYRIQ’s dedicated electric architecture will include a 12-module, 100 kWh battery pack and a rear-wheel-drive Ultium Platform. The powertrain is expected to generate up to 340 hp, with 440 Nm of torque, and on a fully-charged battery pack, the estimated range will be over 480 kms.

As the cornerstone of GM’s electrification across the board, the next-generation and highly flexible
Ultium platform
 allows Cadillac to deliver a variety of range and performance options. The modular EV platform on which the LYRIQ is based eliminates significant physical constraints associated with adapting electric propulsion within a conventional vehicle architecture. The result is an optimized design that supports greater driving range, an engaging driving experience and a new interpretation of the passenger space.

High-speed charging

The LYRIQ features an industry-first wireless battery management system and patented thermal protection technology to offer a safe, powerful and reliable luxury EV experience. Recharging time can be short as the LYRIQ can accept high-speed DC fast charging at 190 kW. This means that the owner can add an estimated 122 kms of range in about 10 minutes. For home charging, the LYRIQ will have a a segment-leading 19.2 kW charging module which can add up to 83 kms of range per hour of charging.

Next-generation variable ‘Regen on Demand’ technology, along with the convenience of One-Pedal Driving, will also be available. With Regen on Demand, drivers can control how quickly LYRIQ slows down or comes to a complete stop using a pressure-sensitive paddle located on the steering wheel. Both technologies make use of regenerative braking to help maximize electric driving efficiency.

Name inspired by music and poetry

The name ‘LYRIQ’ was inspired by Cadillac’s rich connection to the arts such as music and poetry. Its exterior styling is true to its intent to blend a sensory artform with intelligent technology, and underscores the brand’s bold aesthetic design philosophy.

The front of the showcar is designed to blur the lines between lighting and the grille. Vertical, slim-line LED headlamps interplay with Cadillac’s signature vertical lamps via the Illuminated Black Crystal grille, which not just follows the brand’s classic elements but presents a charming and futuristic visual effect like never before.

A full, two-tone glass roof stretches straight through to the roof spoiler, defining a low and fast profile while enabling outstanding aerodynamics. The lower centre of gravity and near 50/50 weight distribution between the front and rear axles was enabled by the placement of the battery pack. Large 23-inch wheels in a matte finish enhance the vehicle’s dynamics and visual impact when still.

In order to highlight the purity and lightness of the LYRIQ’s form, Cadillac’s design team straddled the line between white and silver, using an unusual 14-layer painting process. With the change of light angle, the body finish shows a strong sense of flow, reflecting Cadillac’s distinctive luxurious style.

The seamless integration of art and technology is woven through every detail of the interior. Graceful and specific Cadillac knurling is etched on each component, and laser-etched patterns run throughout the metal-based wooden décor. There is detailing inside the vents as well, which emphasizes the idea of high design even in the smallest of areas.

A 33-inch-diagonal advanced LED display artfully integrates a single large screen that spans the viewing area for the driver. This new display has the highest pixel density available in the automotive industry today and can display over one billion colours.

The LYRIQ’s new augmented reality-enhanced Head-Up Display employs two planes – a near plane indicating speed, direction and more, and a far plane displaying transparent navigation signals and other important alerts. The vehicle’s technology also addresses sound in two important ways: blocking unwanted sounds and making the most of the sounds passengers want to hear. For the first time, Cadillac will introduce a new road noise cancellation technology, which takes active noise cancellation to the next level by introducing more microphones and accelerometers.

“Throughout the next decade, Cadillac will define the future of luxury transportation through a series of exciting new electric vehicles, and it all begins with LYRIQ,” said Rory Harvey, Vice-President, Global Cadillac.

GM looking forward to all-electric future with Ultium batteries

The National Vaccination Program in Malaysia is free of charge.


Race-ready Civic Type R TC from Honda Performance Development

Honda Performance Development (HPD), a wholly owned subsidiary of American Honda Motor which acts as the technical operations centre for the brand’s high-performance racing programs, has revealed its latest development of the Civic Type R – the race-ready Civic Type R TC racing car.

Priced at US$89,900 (about RM372,000), The Type R TC is designed as a turn-key solution for professional racers, and for skilled Type R enthusiasts who wish to transition from track time in a stock Type R to a fully-built racing car. The specially outfitted Type R joins the TCA-class Civic Si and TCR-class Type R in HPD’s portfolio of Civic-based, turn-key racing machines.

“The successes of Honda Racing Development’s TCA Civic Si and TCR Type R in North American touring car championship series have generated a strong interest in more ready-to-race Honda Touring Cars for North America,” said Ted Klaus, President of Honda Performance Development. “With the introduction of the new Type R TC-class race car, we now offer a complete lineup of turn-key, Civic-based race cars for registered racing customers in North America.”

Specifically for TC-class competition

Designed specifically for TC-class competition, the Civic Type R TC was developed and tested in-house by HPD engineers as a modified version of the production Civic Type R designed exclusively for track use. HPD engineers drew on experience gained from production car and race vehicle engineering, including development of the HPD Civic Si TCA racing car.

Major modifications to the production Type R include a high-flow front grille, a J’s Racing FRP vented bonnet, CSF-designed radiator and oil cooler; an HPD/Borla downpipe and turbo back exhaust; a 6-speed manual transmission with high-strength 3rd and 4th gears; an HPD/Cusco limited slip differential; HPD Girodisk 2-piece front brake rotors and HPD brake inlet ducts; an HPD/Pyrotect bolt-in FIA 16-gallon fuel cell; a welded multi-point racing cage; and an OMP racing seat with 6-point harness.

The HPD-developed Civic Type R race car begins life as a body-in-white from Honda’s UK plant and uses the proven 2.0-litre VTEC Turbo engine which produces between 270 and 330 bhp, depending on the series application.

The Type R TC retains the standard model’s exterior sheet metal, but adds racing components developed in-house and in partnership with select suppliers to build a ready-to-race machine that saves racers the time and money of doing it themselves.

Honda Civic Type R – Rally version?


Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica arrives in Malaysia 3 months after global debut

Malaysia must be one of the important markets for Lamborghini if a model launched in April this year makes its debut here just three months after the world came to know about it. This is the Huracan Tecnica, a versatile super sportscar for road as well as track use.

Officially imported, the price of the Tecnica starts from RM1.05 million, which is less than the RM1.48 million pricetag of the
Huracan STO
 which was introduced in Malaysia a month back. Of course, how much a customer actually pays will depend on the level of customisation. To help customers select options, Lamborghini has its
Ad Personam
 department which can personalise each car in almost any way a customer wants.

While recognisably a member of the Huracan family, the Tecnica sports its own sophisticated design with a stronger, predatory stance. The frontal area is inward-facing, with muscular shoulders flanking the lightweight carbonfibre bonnet.  A new bumper, featuring the Terzo Millennio’s black Ypsilon design, incorporates an air curtain for the first time in a Huracan.

The profile of the car also sets it apart in the Huracan family. It has an extra 6.1 cm more length than the
Huracan EVO
 and is the same height and width but appears lower and broader, with a silhouette inspired by the daylight opening line from the
Essenza SCV12
.

The reshaped rear end has a new vertical rear glass window for improved visibility as well as a new bumper with an optimized air inlet and new hexagonal exhaust pipes. The fixed wing completes the lines of the Tecnica, its aero design essentially contributing to 35% increase in rear downforce (compared to the Huracan EVO RWD). The added downforce does not create more drag: in fact, drag is reduced by 20%. The Tecnica’s underbody is also optimized with new aero deflectors for improved aerodynamic efficiency.

The Huracan Tecnica uses the next-generation rear-wheel drive 5.2-litre V10, taken from the Huracan STO. This has increase output of 30 ps over the Huracan EVO rear-wheel drive (RWD) and generates 565 Nm at 6,500 rpm. With a dry weight of 1,379 kgs, the Tecnica has a weight-to-power ratio of 2.15 kg/ps which enables it to go from 0-100 km/h in a claimed 3.2 seconds.

At the heart of the Tecnica is the LDVI (Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Integrata) system, which controls every aspect of the car’s dynamic behaviour by integrating vehicle systems and set-up to deliver feed-forward pre-control in virtual real-time, for perfect driving dynamics.

The rear-wheel drive Tecnica incorporates rear-wheel steering with direct steering ratio and torque vectoring, together with a modified Performance Traction Control System (P-TCS) and specific suspension set-up for the Tecnica.

The driver has a choice of three drive modes – STRADA, SPORT or CORSA – which give highly differentiated responses by specific tuning of the engine and transmission, as well as other systems. In the CORSA mode, the Tecnica has optimized track-oriented throttle response and the fastest gearshifts, with maximum precision and agility from all systems via the LDVI, including maximum lateral and longitudinal grip from the torque vectoring and P-TCS respectively.

The interior of the Tecnica is very much a driver-centric environment, with height-adjustable sports seats that immerse the driver pilot in his cockpit. There is a lot of evidence of weight-saving in various areas – like the lightweight door design, and rear arch and wheel bolts in lightweight titanium. Full harness seatbelts are installed for those who may spend time at the track frequently.

The HMI (Human Machine Interface) is new and currently exclusive to the Tecnica. The instrument panel is designed in a new arc ahead of the steering wheel and has reduced colours for better readability. The central console screen, which is accessible by the passenger, shows the LDVI functions in real-time display, and has connectivity with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa. Inspired by the STO, the HMI includes connected telemetry and on-board diaries of destinations and track times, connected to the UNICA app.

Lamborghini Owners Malaysia club sets new record for largest gathering


Nissan Serena 2.0 S-Hybrid “Premium Highway Star” Variant Now Available!

Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn. Bhd. (ETCM) has announced that the All-New NISSAN Serena 2.0L S-Hybrid is now available in a Premium Highway Star variant, with exclusive Two-Tone exterior and additional premium features.

The Premium Highway Star now comes with Two-Tone Exterior Colour design, including premium interior features such as Combination Leather Seats with colour choices of Two-Tone Truffle Brown and Chestnut or Single-tone Black, 10.1-inch Roof-Mounted LCD Panel, Tech-on Tray Mat, Driving Video Recorder (DVR) and LED Room Lamp; whilst 16-inch Diamond Cut Alloy Wheels, Door Visors, V-KOOL 4Mil Security Film Tinting, and ThreeBond Ultra Glass Body Coating, completes the All-New NISSAN Serena with every feature and accessory that MPV owners desire.

ALL-NEW NISSAN SERENA 2.0L S-HYBRID PREMIUM HIGHWAY STAR

Additional Features and Accessories

Exclusive Two-Tone

Exterior Colours

·         Combination Leather Seats

(Two-Tone Truffle Brown/Chestnut or Single-Tone Black)

·         10.1-inch Roof-Mounted LCD Panel

·         Tech-on Tray Mat

·         Driving Video Recorder (DVR)

·         LED Room Lamp

·         16-inch Alloy Wheels

·         Door Visor

·         V-KOOL 4Mil Security Film Tinting

·         ThreeBond Ultra Glass Body Coating

·         Imperial Umber (Roof)

Cashmere Gold (Body)

·         Diamond Black (Roof)

Tungsten Silver (Body)

·         Diamond Black (Roof)

Brilliant White (Body)

Estimated prices are as follows:

ALL-NEW NISSAN SERENA 2.0L S-HYBRID

Highway Star

Below RM140,000 (without insurance)

Premium Highway Star

Below RM155,000 (without insurance)

The All-New NISSAN Serena 2.0L S-Hybrid is now open for booking with official deliveries scheduled in May. It comes with a
5-year Unlimited Mileage Warranty
, with
 3-year or 60,000km Maintenance Service
inclusive (whichever comes first). Additionally, the first 500 registered vehicles will also receive an exclusive gift worth RM500.

Test drives the All-New NISSAN Serena 2.0L S-Hybrid, the No.1 MPV in Japan* at ETCM’s Exclusive Preview event held at selected showrooms over the next two weekends (14 to 15 April and 20 to 22 April), starting from 10am till 8pm.

Dates and venues as follows:

Date

Region

Venue

14 – 15 April

Central

ETCM Glenmarie, Selangor

ETCM Jalan Raja Laut, Kuala Lumpur

Northern

ETCM Butterworth, Penang

ETCM Ipoh, Perak

Southern

ETCM Johor Jaya, Johor Bahru

ETCM Seremban, Negeri Sembilan

East Coast

ETCM Kuantan, Pahang

East Malaysia

ETCM Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

ETCM Kuching, Sarawak

20 – 21 April

Northern

ETCM Alor Setar, Kedah

East Coast

ETCM Kota Bharu, Kelantan

21 – 22 April

Central

ETCM Petaling Jaya, Selangor

ETCM Southgate, Kuala Lumpur

Northern

ETCM Bayan Lepas, Penang

Southern

ETCM Batu Pahat, Johor Bahru

ETCM Melaka, Melaka

East Malaysia

ETCM Sandakan, Sabah

ETCM Miri, Sarawak

Members of the public can also visit www.nissan.com.my or call ETCM’s Nissan Customer Care Centre at 1800-88-3838 for more information and register your interest. Terms apply.

*Japan’s best-selling mid-size MPV (January to March 2018)


Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 & GLC 300 Coupe AMG Line launched! From RM399,888

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) has officially launched two of their brand new next-generation SUVs for the Malaysian market which are the 2019
Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 AMG Line
 and the
Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 Coupe AMG Line
 last weekend.

In their effort to further grow their locally-assembled production portfolio, the Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 Coupe AMG Line has been introduced to further cement their position as the leader in country’s premium SUV segment.

The latest GLC 300 offering now comes with a 2.0-liter engine that generates an astonishing 245hp and 370Nm of torque. A great upgrade in power is complimented with Mercedes-Benz’s latest safety package which includes Lane Tracking Package, Blind Spot Assist, MBA rear spoiler, plus many more.

Dr Claus Weidner, Chief Executive Officer and President, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia said: “We are delighted to now bring the production of the GLC 300 Coupé, locally-assembled in our plant in Pekan. The GLC 300 Coupé reflects our iconic Mercedes-Benz coupé design while symbolising the contrasts that become one.

“With its design idiom of sensual purity, it perfectly embodies the perfect balance of muscle and aesthetics, dynamics and functionality. It is an SUV and a coupé, two outstanding traits of two automotive worlds.”

If you’re interested in something grand that has the perfect level of luxury and performance, the full-sized luxury SUV Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 AMG Line might just float your boat (or super yacht). The true off-roader in the premium SUV segment comes heavily-equipped with specs like active suspension system E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL and the Active Stop-and-Go Assist driving assistance systems.

“We are proud to introduce the all-new Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 AMG Line. It portrays the iconic Mercedes-Benz design while remaining true to its character as an off-roader. The interior derives its fascination from the contrast between the luxurious and elegant design and the digital high-tech of our MBUX system. It a product of ‘all kinds of strength’,” said Dr Claus Weidner, President and Chief Executive Officer Mercedes-Benz Malaysia.

Pursuing the revolutionary journey into the digital era of automobile, the GLE is also equipped with the MBUX – Mercedes-Benz User Experience, an improvement from the A-Class in which this state-of-the-art system debuts include two large 12.3-inch/31.2 cm screens which are arranged side-by-side for an impressive wide-screen look.

This revolutionary system include LINGUATRONIC that obeys practically every word came out from the driver. Not only have that, MBUX multimedia system recognises and understands almost every sentence occurring in the infotainment functions and vehicle operation.

Under the hood lies a powerful 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine that punches out a whopping 367hp and 500Nm of maximum torque from as low as 1,600rpm. Paired with the extended DYNAMIC SELECT transmission modes, air suspension system AIRMATIC with enhanced damping system ADS, and the 9-speed 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission, the GLE 450 AMG Line will take you anywhere in style.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia will be offering their latest premium SUV babies at from RM399,888 for the GLC 300 Coupé AMG Line while the GLE 450 AMG Line will be estimated at a cool RM633,888. For more information, head over to
www.mercedes-benz.com.my
.


Toyota Mobility foundation selects 6 finalists for CATCH program

Toyota, although a leading vehicle manufacturer, also gives attention to mobility and city planning challenges and issues. After all, its products are related in various ways, and helping to create a better environment for all is important.

This is being done through the Toyota Mobility foundation (TMF) which last year launched the CATCH –
C
ity
A
rchitecture for
T
omorrow
CH
allenge – program involving Kuala Lumpur. Despite the continuing impact of COVID-19, the CATCH program progressed through the application stage in May, receiving over 90 entries from 20+ countries.

The Semi-Finalist stage concluded in last month, and with support and insights from strategic and data partners, the Semi-Finalists obtained an understanding of Kuala Lumpur’s mobility issues for their Proof of Concept (PoC) development over a 6-week period. An esteemed panel of 8 judges from various fields of expertise such as government, sustainable mobility, venture capital, technology, and industry virtually assessed the 16 Semi-Finalists.

TMF identified 6 teams as Finalists rather than five teams as originally planned. The following six teams are deemed to be best suited to CATCH’s problem statement and the five assessment criteria of creativity, feasibility, sustainability, desirability and technicality. These teams will be asked to further develop their MVPs and, at this stage, each will receive a grant of US$125,000 of financial support to drive testing and implementation of intelligent data-driven, connected solutions, aimed at a more efficient, innovative, secure and sustainable city of Kuala Lumpur.

“CATCH was designed to grasp groundbreaking innovations, and we were impressed by the ideas of 16 strong Semi Finalists who showcased new data driven mobility and city planning focused solutions. Though it was very difficult to narrow down the selection, as Toyota Mobility Foundation, we are very excited about the six Finalists and what they can deliver in the Minimum Viable Product stage to improve the quality of life of the residents of Kuala Lumpur,” said Pras Ganesh, Director of Programs of TMF.

TMF will continue to work together with strategic partners including DBKL (Kuala Lumpur City Hall), the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and its data partners – Prasarana, MapIT, and Grab – to support the finalists until the selection of a final winner in April-May 2021. This support includes the financial grant by TMF and incubation and mentorship provided by experts and judges supporting this CATCH program.

“Kuala Lumpur City Hall is looking forward to a practical and workable solution to be implemented to ease congestion and disperse traffic more effectively,” said Yu Chuan Hock, DBKL’s Director of Urban Transportation.

TMF hopes to utilize the insights gained through this challenge to solve mobility issues in other regions and countries in the future.

The
Toyota Mobility Foundation
was established in August 2014 to support the development of a more  mobile society. The Foundation aims to support strong and equitable mobility systems. It utilizes Toyota’s  expertise in technology, safety, and the environment, working in partnership with universities,  government, non-profit organizations, research institutions and other organizations to address mobility  issues around the world.

Toyota to build a prototype city of the future in Japan! (w/VIDEO)


Nathayos Sirigaya and Team Thailand tops in 2nd TOYOTA GAZOO Racing GT Cup ASIA (w/VIDEO)

This year’s TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) GT Cup ASIA 2021 Regional Finals saw 21 national qualifiers – from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Taiwan, and South Korea – competing against each other in the popular simulator racing event. They were battling it out not only for the attractive prize money but also a chance to represent Asia and compete alongside world players in the TGR GT Global finals to be held in December.

In the second running of the e-sports competition, Chou Yi Teng (Taiwan) and Nathayos Sirigaya (Thailand) opened the regional finals with leading positions in the first race for their respective groups. In the final round where the top 15 racers competed on the circuit used for the 24-Hour Le Mans race, Yi Teng steadily held his leading position through 5 laps to land first place, with other finalists racing closely behind him including defending champion Muhammad Aleef (Singapore). Overall, Nathayos – who placed third last year – clinched the winning spot. Yi Teng came second while Aleef came in third.

“I didn’t think I had a good shot at winning when I started in the fifth position in the final race, so I am very humbled for the win,” Nathayos said after his victory. “It has been an amazing experience racing alongside the best e-Motorsport racers in Asia. I’m taking away with me important learnings and experiences that will be immensely valuable heading into the Grand Finals. I am grateful for the opportunity provided by Toyota to pursue my passion for racing in the virtual world.”

The Regional Finals featured 3 races run on different circuits from around the world. The fight for the championship started with a semi-final race, where the 21 entrants competed in two groups using the GR Yaris. This was along the Tokyo Expressway – obviously not a circuit that would be used in real life!

Nathayos led the race and eventually took victory in the final seconds of the last lap for Group A. Trailing right behind him was fellow teammate Thanaphat Pungphat, as both Thai drivers stuck with each other throughout the race.

“The plan was to stick together in the qualifying round and work together to get to the finals,” Nathayos mentioned. With their plan playing out perfectly, the duo saw a total of 32 points in the team standings after the first round. For Group B, Chou Yi Teng (Taiwan) earned first place.

The top 5 racers from each group in the semi-final round proceeded to the third and final race, while the remaining 11 racers competed in the second race at the Fuji International Speedway. In this consolation race, 5 racers competing in the GR Supra captured the last 5 seats in the final race, with Andika Rama Maulana (Indonesia) finishing in first place.

After the exciting first two races, the third and final races were run at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium with the new GR 86 model, and then on the famous Circuit de la Sarthe which annually hosts the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. The car used was the 1000 ps Toyota TS050 Hybrid which has won the event many times.

“We are overwhelmed by the support for GR racers in our second year of TGR GT Cup Asia. We are excited to see more countries participating, increasing the competition intensity. It was thrilling to see Nathayos and Aleef returning to battle it out for the global final entries,” said the Vice-President of Toyota Marketing Asia, David Nordstrom.

A first for the tournament, prizes were also awarded for the top 3 country teams. Team Thailand took home the winning team honour with 131 points, followed by Team Malaysia in second place with 84 points, and Team Taiwan in third place with 83 points.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing takes first win of the new Hypercar era of the World Endurance Championship


Reimagining the world’s first sportscar for the 21st century and beyond

At motorshows and other exhibitions, carmakers often display concept cars which have advanced designs that suggest what cars will look like in future. They have various bodystyles, suggesting that there will still be variety, and sportscars are popular subjects for futuristic design studies.

The carmakers’ studios have numerous designs for the future but sometimes they also go outside the company to get ideas which may be of value. For instance, Hispano Suiza has worked with students of the ‘Istituto Europeo di Design’ (IED) in Turin, Italy to develop a creative project linked to the 120th anniversary of the brand, which will be celebrated in 2024.

The third-year students of IED Turin Triennial Course in Transportation Design, thanks to their knowledge and imagination, have risen up to the challenge of reinterpreting the Hispano Suiza Alfonso XIII, built about 100 years ago, and adapting it to the near future.

The Spanish King in the Hispano Suiza sportscar which was named after him.

World’s first sportscar

The model, also known as the Type 45, was produced between 1911 and 1920 and is considered the first sportscar in automotive history. It was commissioned by King Alfonso XIII of Spain himself, who was passionate about cars and also the brand. His brief was simple: he wanted a sporty and agile model.

The 2-seater Hispano Suiza met his expectations. With its 3616 cc 4-cylinder engine and 60 ps that powered the rear wheels, it was able to reach a maximum speed of 120 km/h, certainly quite a high speed at that time. 500 units were produced up till 1920 and the King allowed his name to be used for the model. Not surprisingly, some of the cars were also used in races and were victorious.

What would the car look like today?

With the car’s significance, and following the collaboration agreement with the IED in Turin, Hispano Suiza invited the students of the Triennial Course in Transportation Design to reinterpret the Alfonso XIII. The students were asked to explore and design the exterior, interior and describe the user experience of the Alfonso XIII of the future, using the technology currently available, as well as their imagination.

Francesc Arenas, Design Director of Hispano Suiza, has worked closely with the students involved in recent months, advising them, applying his invaluable know-how and experience in collaboration with the IED in Turin.

“I am extremely proud to collaborate with the IED of Turin and to be able to offer the necessary tools to its students so that they let their imagination fly. Innovation and passion for design are key elements in the history, present and future of Hispano Suiza. For me and for everyone in the Hispano Suiza team, being able to advise, work and inspire these new talents has been a stimulating and very rewarding experience,” said Arenas.

“The implementation phases of the project represent, for the students, the moment to be free to express their creativity and the skills acquired during the technical, instrumental and theoretical classes,” explained Michele Albera, Coordinator of the IED Turin Triennial Transport Design Course. “The collaboration with Hispano Suiza has allowed the students to face the demands of a legendary automotive brand, pioneer of excellence in the automotive sector, and the needs of an international market, bringing out their personality and passion.”

Hispano Suiza adds a second, more exclusive, hypercar to its Carmen range


2021 Land Rover Classic Defender Works V8 Trophy (w/VIDEO)

Visit
www.bhpetrol.com.my

to know more about promotions at BHPetromart.

The iconic Defender may have been retired from the Land Rover line but it is not forgotten. Land Rover Classic is now building 25 Defenders for an exclusive competition later this year. The adventure-ready Defender Works V8 Trophy model to be built is a re-engineered vehicle with a 405 ps 5-litre petrol V8 engine and 8-speed ZF automatic transmission.

There will also be a comprehensively uprated suspension, steering and braking packages. Additional all-terrain kit includes a front winch, multi-point expedition cage, roof rack, underbody protection, A-bar, raised air intake, LED spotlights and mud-terrain tyres.

Two body designs with personalisation

Prices start from £195,000 (about RM1.1 million) and there’s a choice of 90 and 110 Station Wagon body designs available, finished in unique Eastnor Yellow paintwork with Narvik Black details and body-colour heavy-duty steel wheels. The purpose-built vehicles also receive LED headlamps, a Heritage front grille, unique Land Rover Trophy badging and event participation graphics personalised to each customer, including their name and country flags.

Additional all-terrain equipment includes front winch, multi-point expedition cage, roof rack, underbody protection, A-bar, raised air intake, spotlights and mud-terrain tyres

The cabin has full black Windsor leather trim with Recaro sports seats featuring contrasting yellow stitch detailing, plus Land Rover Trophy clock face by Elliot Brown. Land Rover Classic’s own Classic Infotainment System with integrated navigation and mobile device connectivity is also fitted.

Competition at spiritual testing ground of Land Rover

All customers of the limited edition model will be invited to compete in an exclusive 3-day adventure at Eastnor Castle in England. This is the spiritual home of Land Rover testing and development where its vehicles have demonstrated their superior off-road capabilities for decades. It will be the first time the customers will get to drive their vehicles.

With this concept, customers can create their own stories, ‘battle scars’ and patina with their Works V8 Trophy vehicles from day one, fuelling campfire chats with like-minded enthusiasts. Expert one-to-one tuition will also be provided as part of the adventure, giving customers a unique opportunity to develop extreme driving techniques and skills in their own vehicle, before putting their training to the test. Everyone will compete for a range of prizes, including a Grand Prize for the overall winner (to be announced later in 2021).

Original launch Land Rover from 1948 restored to running condition


87-year-old man wants to drive 16,000km in a 1955 Land Rover, AGAIN

It’s not everyday you get to know someone who has driven 16,000km in a 1955 Land Rover and it’s certainly almost impossible to find out that the same man wants to do it again after over 60 years; and at the golden age of 87.

It was back in 1955 when a team of six young men embarked on the Oxford & Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition known as The First Overland. The historic journey was completed in a brand new 1955 ‘Oxford’ Land Rover Series where they travelled 16,000km from London all the way to Singapore.

64 years after that very achievement, one of the original members want to attempt that task all over again. 87-year-old Tim Slessor will be driving the same 1955 ‘Oxford’ Land Rover series in from Singapore to London. This time, he’ll be attempting the drive together with 31-year-old award-winning filmmaker, Alex Bescoby.

The pair will be driving through three different continents and if all goes well, they will complete the 16,000km journey in 100 days. This expedition will be called The Last Overland using the same vehicle which has been fully restored and unveiled yesterday at the Jaguar Land Rover showroom in Singapore.

According to Tim Slessor during the unveiling event, “The intention is, come late August, to drive her from Singapore back to the UK – overland once more. As I get older, I have been bothered by a recurring and nagging whisper: ‘Go for it – before it’s too late.’ Which is why I am here today – I am 87, and if I don’t do It now, I may never get another chance. After all, as that whisper reminds me, ‘you’re only here once.’ So, I am hoping to be aboard old SNX891 come August. If you like, it’s a case of ‘this Old Man helps take the Old Lady home.’”

The Last Overland will set off from Singapore’s F1 pit straight in Marina Bay on 25 August 2019 fully escorted to the country’s border with Malaysia by a parade of other Land Rovers driven by local enthusiasts, including members of the group, Land Rover Owners Singapore. Now that is a proper man right there, folks. World-class.

Land Rover Celebrates 70th Anniversary With “Above & Beyond Tour” In Malaysia


Toyota GR Supra 3000GT Concept in the works?

The SEMA Show 2019 (Specialty Equipment Market Association) is just around the corner and loads things are expected to blow things out of the water with some amazing vehicles. One particular ‘concept’ that’s everyone has been raving about for the past couple of days is the Toyota GR Supra 3000GT Concept.

What is this madness of a beauty? No details have been officially released just yet but judging by the video TRD posted up on YouTube, it’s basically the latest A90 Toyota GR Supra being injected with one of the best cars ever (according to this particular editor), the legendary A80 Toyota Supra 3000GT from 1994.

Saying the name alone gave us some excitement and what better way to bring it back to life by presenting it using the super-fun Toyota GR Supra. We had our chance in driving it for a bit during its official launch here in Malaysia and TRD knows that most folks want something a bit more ‘aggressive’ in the looks department.

You can check out the five-minute video for yourself and you’ll understand what we mean. We’re talking vented hood, one hell of a rear wing, extended side gills, and other goodies that we’ll confirm once the car is presented at the 2019 SEMA Show. Let’s hope that it’ll be the stuff of wonders when we finally see it live.

2020 Toyota GR Supra has landed in Malaysia! From RM568,000


Honda Malaysia’s Record-Breaking 2017 – Best In Its History!

Honda Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (HMSB) has announced the results of an outstanding year in 2017. The company recorded an astounding total sales of
109,511 units
, the highest in the history of Honda Malaysia since it was established in 2003. This is also the first time that Honda Malaysia achieved sales of more than 100,000 units. This sales figure is also the highest that a Non-National brand has ever achieved in Malaysia.

The Central region contributed the highest number of sales at
47%
, followed by Southern region and Northern region. The overall sales for 2017 increased by
19%
 compared to the 91,830 units recorded in year 2016.

Commenting on the outstanding year that Honda experienced,
Honda Malaysia Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Toichi Ishiyama
 said,
“The year 2017 truly was remarkable for Honda Malaysia. At the beginning of 2017, we challenged ourselves with a sales target of 100,000 units and in March 2017, we achieved a historical milestone with the 600,000
th
 unit (CKD) production within the span of 14 years since Honda Malaysia started in 2003. At the end of 2017, based on internal data our market share was at 19%, an increase of 3.2 points from 2016. For the first time ever, we surpassed the 100,000 units sales achievement within a calendar year. We continue to maintain our No. 1 position for Non-National segment and No. 2 position in overall TIV of the automotive industry.”

“On behalf of Honda Malaysia, I would like to extend our sincerest appreciation to all Honda Malaysia customers for their faith and belief in our brand and for making Honda their vehicle of choice. This achievement would not have been possible without our valued customers as well as strong support from our business partners and the Malaysian government,”
 added Mr. Ishiyama.

Having reviewed an outstanding 2017, Honda Malaysia is all geared up to make 2018 another successful year with many exciting products and services in the pipeline.

(Like maybe this perhaps? Stay tuned! –
Chris Wee
)


Shell builds new fuel storage facility to cater to rising demand

With more and more vehicles being registered and actively operating here in good ol’ Malaysia, the demand for petrol, diesel, and other fun internal combustions solutions have also risen in trend.

Hence why Shell Malaysia took the liberty to launch a cutting-edge and new fuel storage facility plus additional loading bay at Westports, Port Klang. This new storage facility is said to cater to the company’s overall capability to meet the rising demand for Shell fuels across the country.

How big is this new fuel tank? Well, it can hold a whopping 10 million litres worth of fuel! To put things into perspective, you can fill a Proton X70 up to brim over 166,000 times with that much fuel. So yes, it’ll definitely help to meet the rising demand for Shell fuels here in the country.

In addition to the new 10 million-litre storage tank, the expansion plan also included a new loading bay with six loading arms configured to dispense three key Shell fuel products – Fuelsave 95, V-Power 97 and Fuelsave Euro 5 Diesel – at a rate of 1,800 litres a minute.

In other words, they are able to fill road tankers fasters and deliver them to fuel stations across Peninsular Malaysia faster than ever before. Hopefully, there won’t be anymore ‘minyak habis’ cases in our near future.

According to Datu Iain Lo, Chairman of Shell Malaysia, “I am happy to announce that this new storage facility at Westport will enable Shell to meet the increasing demands for its products in Klang Valley. The efficient new facilities will enhance Shell’s competitiveness and ensure Shell’s ability to meet all customer needs.”

For more information on Shell Malaysia and its offerings, visit
www.shell.com.my
.


BIMS 2018: Another Successful Year For Bangkok International Motorshow 2018!

The 39th edition of the Bangkok International Motor Show has come to a close, but not after a colossal
1.62 million
 visitors walked through its doors at the Impact Challenger! As BIMS is also a sales show, the numbers are equally impressive there too; a total of
42,499 vehicles
 (cars, trucks and motorcycles) were swept up during the show from
28th March to 8th April 2018
.

Mr. Jaturont Komolmis
,
Vice Chairman of BIMS and COO of Grand Prix PLC
, mentioned
“The 39th Bangkok International Motor Show is a once again a successful event. A number of car manufacturers, motorcycles and the entrepreneurs of the automotive business attended in this event, which all of these values bring new products and technologies to exhibit. The number of visitors from the collection of statistics is 1.62 million.”

Mr. Jaturont added, “Throughout the past, Bangkok International Motor Show has continued to gain trust from car, motorcycle, and automotive entrepreneurs to attend the exhibition of automotive technologies and new innovations. These companies are willing to spend huge investments for booth design and displays. As an organizer of this event, we would like to thank you for all the great support from every company attending the 39th Bangkok International Motor Show. This year’s event has been very successful, and it proves that The 39th Bangkok International Motor Show is Thailand’s number one car show in Thailand, as well as the Asean region.”


Ford creates another unit for autonomous vehicle development after forming Ford Blue and Ford Model e

Alan Mulally created ‘
One Ford’
 during his 8-year term as President & CEO of Ford Motor Company, a strategy that reorganised the company and drove it to profitable growth. Jim Farley, who sits in Mulally’s office today, has his own plan which is called ‘
Ford Next
’, also a transformative move to restructure the company and leverage on all its experience and resources to be a strong competitor in the new industry environment.

Last month, as part of
Ford Next
, he announced that
Ford would create separate business units
 for products with combustion engines and products with electric powertrains. The former would be known as Ford Blue and the latter called Ford Model e. The two would be distinct but strategically interdependent  businesses. Driving this move is recognition that different approaches, talents and, ultimately, organizations are required to develop different types of vehicles.

A third new development was recently announced to cover autonomous vehicles and new technologies. While the focus is on electrification, autonomous vehicles are nevertheless on the horizon and preparing for them is important. Farley knows that a giant like Ford cannot compete with start-ups that are lean and already focussed on new technologies. So he wants to establish units that can be more agile and responsive and the already existing Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC (established in 2018) will now become part of Ford Next.

Farley believes in having the right people (and type of people) for the job and legacy approaches won’t work today. The engineers who have, for decades, worked on combustion engines may not be right for electric powertrains so having new units allows them to develop their own workforce of the right sort of people. In this way, development work is expected to be faster and ‘traditional’ methods won’t automatically be used.

There will still be cars like this from Ford with internal combustion engines.

Unlike Jim Hackett, his predecessor who came from an office furniture company, and unlike Mulally who was an aircraft engineer at Boeing, Farley is a car-guy and has had a log association with Ford (though he started in the auto industry with Toyota). So while the future is electric, he has promised that it’s not over for combustion engine vehicles from Ford anytime soon – and with reduced cost and complexity.

Nevertheless, the focus and investments will be on electric vehicles, both passenger and commercial. In Europe, for example, Ford will have a range of 9 electric models by 2024, with a target of selling more than 600,000 EVs in the region by 2026. This will contribute to the global goal of 2 million+ annual production of EVs by 2026.

By 2024, Ford will have a wider range of electric passenger vehicles as well as commercial vehicles (below).,

Like other major carmakers, Ford is also taking steps to ensure supplies of batteries – a crucial item in every EV. It will collaborate with other parties to create one of Europe’s largest commercial vehicle battery production sites in Turkey.

“This is why we have created Ford Model e – allowing us to move at the speed of a start-up to build electric vehicles that delight and offer connected services unique to Ford and that are built with Ford-grade engineering and safety,” said Farley.

Another new unit in Ford Next is Ford Pro which is aimed at commercial customers. In a market crowded with fragmented and consumer-grade products, customers are demanding complete solutions designed to meet the needs of commercial fleet operations. This is where Ford Pro comes in: its role is to help customers who want to transition into electrified vehicles by providing a one-stop shop for fleet operations and investing in key areas of the business. Ford Pro will offer a wide range of charging hardware – from home chargers to large-scale depot charging systems – all backed with integrated installation, software, service and financing.

Knowing that the transition to EVs will not be immediate, Ford Pro makes it easier to manage by providing a single solution for both combustion engine and EV fleet management. According to Ford, commercial customers turnover between 10 -15% of their fleet each year so many will manage a mixed fleet of vehicles for a long time. Ford Pro can therefore help as its customers phase out combustion vehicles and progressively replace them with EVs, supporting with the necessary hardware and services.

Ford to create separate business units for EVs and for combustion vehicles


Biofuel-powered Ford Ranger Raptor To Enter Baja 1000 Off-Road Race (w/VIDEO)

Even as the Ford+ Plan has the carmaker putting in bigger investments in electric vehicles, attention has not diminished for vehicles with combustion engines. Particularly with pick-up trucks, which Ford is a leader in, there is continued development with sustainable clean energy solutions being explored.

At the SCORE International Baja 1000 – one of the toughest off-road races in the world – Ford Performance will enter a
new Ranger Raptor
 running on a low-carbon biofuel, demonstrating the potential of these fuels in the most demanding environments.

The vehicle has been developed and built in Australia, and US-based Lovell Racing will also contribute to development as well as race the truck at Baja later this month. The Ranger Raptor will use Shell’s one-third blend of biofuel – with its mix of ethanol and bionaphtha.

“Demonstrating low-carbon fuels in performance settings like the Baja 1000 can help bring biofuels and other clean energy technologies to scale more quickly, and help to make them more available and affordable for everyone,” said Cynthia Williams, Global Director of Sustainability, Compliance and Homologation at Ford.

Ford is working to achieve carbon neutrality globally across its vehicles, operations and supply chain no later than 2050 and to reach science-based interim targets by 2035. As the company launches electrified versions of its most popular nameplates, the company continues to research and develop alternative fuel options across all of its vehicles, including performance racing, to provide customers with efficient, low-carbon alternatives.

Alternative fuel vehicles can reduce GHG emissions compared to conventional fuel equivalents on a well-to-wheels basis, which includes emissions from both producing and consuming the fuels.

 In the past, both the F-150 Raptor and Bronco have successfully raced at Baja. Whether it was a stock 2017 F-150 Raptor finishing on the podium before driving an additional 400 miles home, the Bronco R race prototype’s development and verification of the current production Bronco or even going all the way back to the legendary 1969 overall win, Ford’s trucks have long been in the winners’ circle.

“By entering this event, we’re building on the hundreds of thousands of kilometres of development testing and pushing the Ranger Raptor to new extremes,” said Brian Novak, Off-Road Motorsports Supervisor, Ford Performance. “The Baja 1000 is a demanding event and a well-known proving ground for off-road vehicles,” he added. “We are excited to compete in this extreme event with Ranger Raptor.”

The Ranger Raptor is part of the latest Next-Generation Ranger that has been introduced in most markets, including Malaysia. As the most rugged Ranger with high performance, the Ranger Raptor has used a lot of Ford’s long experience in Baja races. So much that one of the 7 selectable Terrain Management modes is called the ‘Baja’ mode, which is used for high-speed travel over rough ground. When the Baja mode is used, even
the roar through the exhaust system
 rises many decibels (and should only be used in open areas).

The Ranger Raptor you can buy straight from the showroom.

The only factory-built high-performance truck, the new Ranger Raptor has a 3-litre V6 EcoBoost engine and is priced from RM259,888. To know more or to locate a showroom to purchase on, visit
www.sdacford.com.my
.


Toyota revises brand emblem in Europe

It seems to be the season for changing brand emblems with some of the global players introducing new or evolved emblems that reflect the digital age.
Nissan recently debuted its new brand emblem
 and now Toyota is doing likewise but is using the new emblem only for Europe, not globally.

Announced by Toyota Motor Europe (TME), the brand emblem and design language are essentially reworked versions of the existing emblem and typography. The intent is to signal a new era for the carmaker as it transitions from a car company to a mobility company.

In describing the changes, TME says that the development has been ’around an ever-diverse customer base coming to the brand for an expanding range of mobility products and services’.

The new design language is ‘fluent’ across all digital and physical touchpoints. The new visual identity is driven by simplification and has been shaped by four key principles: forward-thinking, mobile-ready, more premium feel and ultra- consistent across all business units and sub-brands.

New Brand Visual Identity

At a glance, most people will wonder what the change is as the three ellipses are still in the same arrangement as they have been all along since 1990. But the emblem has a 3-dimensional appearance and the TOYOTA wordmark is usually under it. The new emblem logo for TME distils this into a simple 2-D design, with the wordmark omitted. TME is confident that the emblem itself is sufficiently well-known across Europe by now.

The current Toyota emblem (left), introduced in 1989, will continue to be used but for Europe, there will be a new emblem (right).

The current brand emblem will continue to be used for Toyota vehicles globally.

The design is said to communicate simplicity, transparency and modernity. It is especially adapted to the digital space but equally effective in the physical world. It will be applied across all communication touchpoints, while the current emblem will still be used for the vehicles. The current signage at outlets will remain in place and will be reviewed in the context of Toyota 2025 Network Strategy.

New typography

The new visual identity also comes with a new bespoke typography called Toyota Type. This has been multi-purposed for both on-line and off-line environments. It marks a step up in digital readiness as the company expands its online retailing in Europe.

In conjunction with these changes, TME’s different business areas will undergo naming changes. For example, Toyota Insurance Management is now renamed Toyota Insurance Services as its business expands with the growth of connected services and new mobility products. In the used cars area, Toyota Plus now becomes Toyota Approved Used.

“We developed the new brand visual design with ‘tomorrow’ in mind. Our focus was on enabling ever better customer connections allowing them to keep pace with Toyota’s rapid expansion of electrified vehicles, mobility services and online retailing. The design was re-purposed to better connect with customers across a diversity of touchpoints, which they can experience for the first time with the launch New Yaris Hybrid, the all-new 4th generation of our innovative city car,” said Didier Gambart, Vice-President, Sales, Marketing & Customer Experience, Toyota Motor Europe.

Toyota’s has had three main brand emblems over 85 years. The one on the left had the original name and was registered in July 1935. However, a year later, the brand emblem was changed to one which had the name ‘TOYOTA’ in Japanese kanji characters (centre). This would be used for many years and while there were some other emblems used, the next major new one was introduced in 1989 (right) which remains in use up till today.

Click here for other news and articles about Toyota
.


Ferrari showroom in Petaling Jaya renovated to incorporate latest Corporate Identity

The Ferrari showroom in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, has undergone renovation which brings its appearance in accordance with the Italian brand’s latest Corporate Identity (CI) design. A total of RM3.5 million was spent for the renovation and refurbishment of the showroom which has been at the location since 2009. It is among the first few in Southeast Asia to incorporate the new CI.

‘Exclusive club’ for customers and owners

The showroom has two floors, covering a total of 11,900 sq ft, and can accommodate up to 7 cars. On the ground floor is the main display area which showcases the latest Ferrari models available for the Malaysian market. A customer lounge, finely furnished and equipped with a coffee bar, provides customers with a luxurious space that has a community feel and a sense of being at an exclusive club.

The Configuration Room

In the Configuration Room is a broad selection of materials and options as well as the exclusive ‘atelier’ panels which rotate and allow for the room to be closed off when discerning customers would prefer to design their Ferrari with peace and privacy. The experience provided is said to be comparable to that offered to Ferrari customers at the factory in Italy.

Also located on the ground floor is a brand experience video wall and a private consultation room. For those taking delivery of their car, a delivery area has been thoughtfully designed for owners to celebrate the occasion.

Ferrari Approved

The first floor is partially dedicated to Ferrari Approved, the brand’s pre-owned certification programme. The pre-owned models go through a meticulous 190-step check and are prepared to ensure that their new owners receive a Ferrari in world-class condition.

A Heritage Wall and library offer a glimpse into Ferrari’s history, legacy and the brand’s evolution into the automotive powerhouse that it is today. Last year, Ferrari claimed the title of the
world’s strongest brand
, according to the
Brand Finance
 Global 500 report. Its strength was determined through a review of marketing investment, stakeholder equity, and business performance.

Ferrari Classiche Academy lets you experience driving supercars before the electronic age


All-new smart #1 EV gives brand a ‘second wind’ after early struggles

Though seemingly a good idea at the start in the 1990s, the original low-cost concept of Nicolas Hayek, creator of the Smart watches, never worked once Mercedes-Benz took over. The engineering costs bumped up the price and it became a niche product that had difficulty meeting ambitious sales targets.

After trying various approaches in the USA, a market it hoped would take to the little car, Mercedes-Benz ended sales there in 2019. It continued to sell the car in Europe and then Geely came into the picture to form a
joint-venture
 and the brand gained a ‘second wind’.

Very quickly, a brand new product was developed with the involvement of Mercedes-Benz design teams who used the Geely’s SEA architecture dedicated to electric vehicles. By 2020, a concept car called the Concept #1 was revealed and this week, the production model has been presented to the world.

smart concept #1

This isn’t smart’s first EV as the brand went fully electric after 2019 but it is an entirely new product, simply called smart #1. While the crossover has blurred the lines between a hatchback and SUV, the smart #1 is presented as a SUV with an overall length of 4270 mm and a width of 1822 mm with a wheelbase that is 2750 mm. That makes it larger than the Proton Iriz and almost the same length as a Saga.

Although there have been smart concept cars that proposed a SUV design, the brand has never sold one so this would be its first SUV. It is, however, considered a city car as well because of its proportions although its weight of 1,820 kgs is certainly much more than city cars of the same size.

The weight largely comes from the NCM (nickel-cobalt-manganese) battery pack which also uses lithium-ion chemistries to store electricity up to a maximum capacity of 66 kWh. The charging system can accept fast-charging up to 150 kW and if that is used, charging time can be 30 minutes (from 10% to 80%), it is claimed. With a more common 22 kW supply, the time needed would be around 3 hours.

The battery pack powers a single rear-mounted electric motor with an output of 200 kW (272 ps) and maximum torque of 343 Nm, available almost from the moment the car moves off. The top speed is claimed to be 180 km/h, pretty fast for a car in this class.

The styling of the #1 is pretty much like that of the concept car with Matrix LEDs under the triangular shapes of each headlight. The headlights form a unique visual signature at the front which stretches right across, and the same feature is also present at the back.

To remove that tiny bit of drag-inducing turbulence that door handles cause, those on the #1 are flush when the car is on the move, extending only when needed to open the doors. It’s a feature usually found in higher-end cars, reflecting the premium positioning of the #1.

Thanks to a high footprint-to-space ratio with the long wheelbase, the interior is more spacious than would be expected with the compact exterior. The floating centre console provides better space efficiency with a reduction of elements creating a more open environment. To enhance this sense of spaciousness is a panoramic halo glass roof, one of the features on the concept car. The rear seats have a variable position over 13 cm and behind them is a variable boot space.

As with many of the latest cars, the displays are digi-graphic with a 9.2-inch panel in front of the driver (supplemented by a head-up display), and a 12.8-inch touchscreen on the dashboard. The ambient lighting can be customized with mix of 64 colours and 20 illumination levels, setting just the right mood for a drive.

The premium audio system has Beats high-end sound technology and consists of an amplifier module and 13 speakers (including a sub-woofer). The driver can  enable digital key sharing through the smart app which also allows for remote engine starting.

There will be a ‘Launch Edition’ of the car with exclusive trim. Production will be at a joint-venture factory in China, starting in the second half of 2022. Exports are expected to start towards the end of the year so Proton Edar, which has been appointed distributor for Malaysia and Thailand, should be launching the car in early 2023. As it is a joint development between Geely and Mercedes-Benz, it is unlikely that it will become a Proton-badged model but by selling it, Proton would gain insights and experience into EVs which it will be producing and selling towards the end of this decade.

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


All-new LX 600 begins new generation of Lexus SUV flagship

Given the price of petrol these days, the biggest SUVs only appeal to customers in places like the Middle East and USA where big engines are still acceptable. So for the all-new Lexus LX 600, the Middle East was chosen as the location from which the new flagship of the brand’s SUV range was revealed to the world.

It’s an all-new model but it is also no secret that the LX 600 is a model Lexus shares with
Toyota’s latest Land Cruiser
. This has been the case since the mid-1990s when the Land Cruiser was first ‘Lexified’ to enable Lexus to quickly have a fully-fledged SUV (before they came out with the game-changing RX in 1997).

Latest Toyota Land Cruiser

New GA-F platform shared with Toyota Land Cruiser

Like the Land Cruiser, the LX has been developed on core attributes such as reliability, durability, and rough-road driving performance. The fourth generation continues with a body-on-frame construction and rides on the new GA-F platform which is 20% more rigid. Thanks to the new structure and weight-saving approaches like aluminium doors, the new LX 600 is 200 kgs lighter than its predecessor. This has helped to improve driving dynamics, with predictability and balance during turning, acceleration and deceleration maneuvers, as well as improved stability when driving off-road.

Lexus Driving Signature

Though much will be the same as the Land Cruiser, Lexus engineers have always contended that a Lexus will have a difference in dynamics and other aspects. In this case, the engineers have made sure that the new LX 600 has the
Lexus Driving Signature
.

The suspension is classic SUV with front high-mounted double wishbones that are fitted with dampers having 100 mm of bound and 145 mm of rebound, important factors for off-road driving performance. At the rear is a 4-link axle-type suspension with rear lateral control arms carried over from the previous model.

The rear shock absorbers are placed outside of the lower control arm, and the shock absorber mounting angle has been adjusted to match the angle at which the axle moves. This makes it easier for the shock absorbers to follow the vertical movement of the wheels, increasing their damping effect and, thus, better absorbing shocks and vibrations from the road surface to provide very good vehicle stability.

To have capable off-road performance as well as the sort of comfort Lexus owners expect, a lot of work went into the suspension with the inclusion of variable ride height and adding a spring rate switching device for front and rear wheels. The ride height can be automatically adjusted or manual selected and not only adjusts the vehicle height but also responds to changes in vehicle posture to enhance stability.

The springs are softened to help provide a comfortable ride when overcoming bumps during in-town driving and are stiffened to help ensure a flat and stable ride when going around curves. When at a total standstill, the suspension automatically lowers for easier passenger entry or exit.

The power steering is assisted by an electric motor while the Electronically Controlled Brake system employs a sensor to detect the degree of brake pedal depression and creates braking force with the hydraulic brakes for more linear braking characteristics.

3.5 litre V6 in place of 5.7-litre V8

The new LX 600 will be offered with a 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol engine which replaces the naturally aspirated 5.7-litre V8 used before. Though having smaller displacement, its output is higher with turbocharging, with 415 ps/650 Nm. This goes through a 10-speed direct-shift automatic transmission with a transfer case for high and low ranges, the latter for off-road use. Having 10 ratios means that performance can be optimized when starting as well as when cruising at higher speeds. The wide spread also allows for smoother transitions between gears.

Exclusive to F SPORT, a Torsen LSD is employed to help ensure traction performance of the rear tyres. When accelerating during a turn, it optimally distributes the driving force according to the load on the rear left and right wheels to achieve a high level of control performance. In straight-line driving, it responds to changes in road conditions, contributing to stability.

Ultra Luxury 4-seater version

Like the
LM 350 MPV
, the new LX 600 also has a version with just 2 seats for the rear section of the spacious cabin that normally has 3 rows of seats for 7 persons. Available in the Ultra Luxury grade, it offers rear occupants up to 1.1 metres of maximum leg space. The seats have exclusive curved headrests, seatbacks and cushions that gently wrap around the head, hips and lower body. They should offer the ultimate in seating comfort as they are said to be crafted to help offset any lateral G-forces and shocks from irregular road surfaces – even in off-road driving conditions.

At the front is the North American-developed Lexus Interface multimedia system. This has a 12.3-inch upper touchscreen with a 7-inch lower touchscreen. The screen’s new Human Machine Interface (HMI) enhances user interaction through sight, touch and voice, while balancing accessibility needs.

Lexus Interface incorporates a new Voice Assistant developed with a human-centered approach. The Voice Assistant is intended to be the primary way the occupants interact with the new multimedia system. Designed with dual microphones with speaker location capability and enhanced noise-cancellation, the system enables a voice-first approach allowing front seat occupants an expanded and interactive experience to access navigation, media, phone and other vehicle control settings.

If the 4-seater Ultra Luxury version is not specified, the LX 600 will have 3 rows of seating for up to 7 occupants.

When off-road, the driver has the Multi-Terrain Monitor to see around the vehicle. Four cameras capture images to allow the driver to check road conditions, which are often in the blind spots. By switching to the Back Underfloor View, images of the foreground taken in advance are provided to the driver as transparent-underfloor images. By superimposing the vehicle and wheel position over this image, the driver can check underfloor conditions and front-wheel position. In another view, the vehicle is made transparent, and an image showing the area around the rear wheels is magnified. This can enable the driver to ascertain conditions around the rear wheels and estimate distances to obstacles.

Pricing for the new LX 600 is not available yet and deliveries will only begin in the first quarter of 2022. As it has for the past 26 years, the new LX will continue to be a luxurious long-range cruiser with proven off-road capabilities.

The LX 600 F SPORT version is the first-ever F SPORT in the LX range. It has exclusive sportier styling which includes a F mesh design spindle grille and sports tuning.for the suspension.

Lexus LF-Z Electrified Concept


2,000 ps Ford SuperVan 4 starts a new chapter in the legendary series

Ford’s SuperVan series in Europe began in 1971, and since then, there have been three other SuperVans. This week, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England, Ford showed off the fourth Supervan and not surprisingly, it opens the first electrified chapter in the legendary series. The Ford Pro Electric SuperVan uses no petrol and fully utilises the potential of electric performance and enhanced connectivity to achieve the highest performance of any Ford van ever.

Four electric motors, a 50 kWh liquid-cooled battery pack, and a bespoke control system produce approximately
2,000 ps
 for sub 2-second 0 – 100 km/h acceleration time. Performance from a purpose-built, track-ready chassis including components from the recently unveiled E-Transit Custom 1 – the first fully electric version of Europe’s best-selling van – is complemented by Ford’s SYNC in-cab touchscreen technology 4 from road-going Ford models, as well as additional functionality to control the Electric SuperVan’s unique capabilities.

The enhanced connectivity keeps the driver informed and enables real-time data transmission for remote vehicle management and optimised performance, just like the integrated services that can accelerate the productivity of over 125,000 Ford Pro customers across Europe. Selectable drive modes and regenerative braking technologies similar to those on Ford production electric vehicles also feature.

The striking, all-electric demonstrator vehicle was developed in secret by Ford Performance and electrified rally and racing specialists STARD in Austria, with exterior design work was done by the Ford Design team in Germany.

“We’re bringing SuperVan into the 21st century with 2,000 ps of all-electric power for unmatched excitement and unmistakeable styling inspired by the new E-Transit Custom. But performance isn’t all about horsepower – the Electric SuperVan’s processing power means engineers can use real-time vehicle data to optimise its performance, just like on a top-level racing car,” said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Performance Motorsports.

“Ford Pro is all about accelerating productivity for our customers – so why not create a new Electric SuperVan that proves the power of electrification and connectivity?” said Hans Schep, general manager, Ford Pro, Europe. “This incredible demonstrator vehicle takes E-Transit Custom’s advanced engineering and distinctive look to a whole new level, and is high-speed proof of the power of Ford Pro’s connected services ecosystem.”

The Ford Pro Electric SuperVan is a one-off demonstrator, which gave  the Ford Design team a lot of freedom to create a wild-looking vehicle that reflects extreme performance capability. The outlandish wheel arches, muscular style and one-off livery are the most extreme expression of Transit design. Meanwhile, the fully-electric powertrain offered the development team lots of freedom with fewer of the packaging and cooling restrictions that come with a combustion engine.

“The fourth chapter of the SuperVan story is designed to be the fastest, most extreme yet while keeping the Transit DNA. The proportions are a more dramatic version of what we developed for the E-Transit Custom and the front light bar creates a futuristic expression, making the Electric SuperVan the absolute pinnacle of Transit design language. The chance to be part of the iconic SuperVan story and reimagine what it could be in the 21st century was a dream opportunity,” said Amko Leenarts, Director, Design, Ford of Europe.

The vehicle’s motorsport-spec construction marries the E-Transit Custom floorpan with a steel spaceframe and lightweight composite body panels. A bespoke 50 kWh liquid-cooled battery pack is mounted for optimum weight distribution and a low centre of gravity and can be fully recharged in approximately 45 minutes using a standard electric vehicle fast-charger.

A suite of onboard cameras can immerse audiences around the world in the action during SuperVan’s impressive high-performance runs. As on the Ford E‑Transit, the driver can pull camera feeds onto the in-cab screen and switch between them to help position the vehicle.

Ford Performance and STARD’s motorsport input is immediately obvious; the dramatically sculpted body’s front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser would be at home on a racing car, while the radical rear design’s cutaways and dorsal fin flow into the rear wing to generate downforce and push the SuperVan into the track for as much grip as possible.

The latest Supervan continues the tradition started by the first one 51 years ago. That van has a mid-mounted engine taken from the Le Mans-winning Ford GT40. The next Supervan continued with the formula was taken further for SuperVan 2 with a lightened Transit Mk. 2 body draped over the monocoque. It had the 590 ps Cosworth V8 of Ford’s C100 racing car. The Supervan 3 was a facelifted Transit Mk. 3 lookalike, powered by the 650 ps Cosworth HB engine used in Formula 1 cars then.

Evolution of Ford SuperVans

Beyond demonstrating Ford’s advanced electric vehicle and connectivity know-how, the Electric SuperVan is also a high-speed science experiment. Its demanding driving scenarios and unrestricted design concept allow Ford to push the boundaries of electric vehicle engineering and connectivity to improve its future race cars and road-going vehicles, software and services.

Ford creates another unit for autonomous vehicle development after forming Ford Blue and Ford Model e


Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia and PichaEats drive kindness this festive season

A festive season usually includes giving to those less fortunate and this year, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) and PichaEats teamed up to deliver a total of 280 meals to the less fortunate, in efforts to drive kindness this festive season.

The ‘
Driving Kindness’
 convoy consisted of employees from VPCM and PichaEats, a catering company that specializes in preparing meals from the homeland of its chefs who come from Syria, Palestine, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Recipients of the
Driving Kindness
 campaign were Hiichiikok Foundation, Trinity Community Children’s Home, Lighthouse Children’s Welfare Home, Sunteck Handicap Welfare Home and Charis Sheep Pen Shelter, all located in Klang Valley.

Additionally, as a show of support to frontliners, a total of 100 meals were delivered to the doctors and nurses at the COVID-19 testing station at Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

In the spirit of giving, five families and individuals were also presented with a PichaEats Christmas Family set. The respective parties were selected through a Facebook contest held last month which invited netizens to nominate those going through tough times and deserved a special meal as a show of love and appreciation.

“Christmas is the season of giving, and it is a privilege to be able to give back to the community and to the less fortunate. The year has been extremely challenging for everyone, and it is so important to stay connected, be kind and to give back whenever possible,” said Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM.

“The Volkswagen group has been committed to aiding refugees via numerous social platforms since 2015, and here we are honoured to partner with the charismatic team at PichaEats, who are doing an amazing job creating opportunities for refugees in Malaysia,” he added.

“At PichaEats, we are all about making an impact. For this Christmas and year-end season, we especially wanted to emphasize the idea of bringing joy and spreading kindness to the community at large. It was a pleasure working with Volkswagen Malaysia to realize this, who were all for putting a smile on the faces of those who needed some good cheer,” said Kim Lim, CEO and co-founder of PichaEats.

The meals were delivered by volunteers who used their own Volkswagen vehicles – two Beetles and two Kombi vans – as well as vehicles provided by VPCM.

Click here for other news and articles about Volkswagen.


2020 Jeep Renegade Plug-In Hybrid previewed in Paris

The first ever PHEV model from Jeep is currently being previewed at the Motorvillage Champs-Elysées in Paris and it’s called the 2020 Jeep Renegade Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV). Displayed in the Trailhawk specification, Paris will be the first location to preview the model after its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year.

Jeep has been known to offer very tough and durable vehicles but with the new 2020 Jeep Renegade PHEV, they will also throw in eco-friendliness and ‘friend to the environment’ labels. In pure electric mode, the Renegade PHEV can travel around 50km without using a single drop of fuel.

If you need a little bit of boost, the 2020 Renegade is also equipped with a 1.3-litre GSE turbo petrol engine with power outputs varying from 190hp to 240hp, depending on the offered variants. The electric motor is placed between the rear wheels which is powered by a set of batteries that can be charged while driving or via external power outlets.

The Jeep Renegade is already popular for its off-roading prowess but with the addition of the new electric power, this aspect is further improved thanks to the electric motor’s capability to deliver instantaneous torque. A sprint to 100km/h for a standstill only takes around seven seconds. Full electric top speed? 130km/h.

Other impressive features include:

New electric all-wheel-drive technology (eAWD)

4-inch HD Uconnect system

New 7-inch TFT colour multi-info display

Selec-Terrain & Hybrid selector driving modes (Hybrid, eSave, Electric)


Bosch launches ‘Drive for Life’ safety campaign

Bosch Automotive Aftermarket Malaysia (Bosch AA) has launched the ‘Drive for Life’ safety campaign focusing on vehicle and road safety awareness. Highlighting the importance of vehicle maintenance and the use of high-quality car parts, the campaign was officiated by Anthony Loke, Minister of Transport and YB Hannah Yeoh, Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development.

The ‘Drive for Life’ safety campaign will be a three-year long effort where three different phases will be initialized; Educate, Engage, and Empower. Several activities and workshops will be conducted solely focusing on educating drivers with basic car maintenance knowledge, providing hands-on practical tips for new drivers, and empowering future mechanics and technicians.

The campaign will collaborate with Petron in kicking things off by providing drivers free vehicle inspection services prior to their
‘balik kampung’
 journeys on 18-19 May and 25-26 May at selected Petron stations across Klang Valley. The inspection will involve a 25-point check on battery condition, engine oil and fluid levels, and tyre thread and brake pad thickness.

According to Marcio Coelho, Director of Sales and Marketing Services of Bosch Automotive Aftermarket for Asia Pacific Southeast, “From our surveys done in 2018, more than 50 percent of Malaysian drivers lack knowledge in basic car maintenance and its impact on passenger, car and road safety.”

“Through the ‘Drive for Life’ campaign, Bosch’s impart automotive expertise to equip drivers with basic vehicle maintenance knowledge when drivers encounter a car problem. At Bosch, we strive towards a vision of accident-free roads and the campaign complements the Ministry of Transport’s aim to reduce road accidents”.

The campaign will also include a
#BoschEmpowersWomen
 segment as an initiative to engender the idea that car maintenance is not just a man’s domain but one that is necessary for everyone to understand.

Several surveys have been conducted in the past regarding car breakdowns and 70% of them were related to minor faults like battery malfunction. Less than 50% of the drivers who participated in the survey and only percent of the women drivers have knowledge in vehicle troubleshooting.

“Car maintenance may seem a little intimidating but by doing simple things such as keeping to schedule for car services and taking note of unusual sounds and smells when driving, car owners can greatly increase reliability, longevity, and performance of the car. More importantly, proactive car care and maintenance using quality car parts lower the risks of accidents on the road,” Coelho added.

For more information and updates on the campaign, visit
Bosch Autoparts Malaysia Facebook page
.


Toyota C-HR prologue Concept Previews Next Generation of Compact Crossover SUV

When Toyota revealed the
bZ Compact SUV Concept
 last month, it was suspected that the design of the battery electric model might also be used for the next generation of the C-HR compact SUV. The first generation of the C-HR has been in production since late 2016 so it should be due for change.

Now Toyota has also revealed the C-HR prologue and mentions that it is a preview of the next generation of the compact SUV. It’s likely that the new model will be launched in 2023 though there’s no indication whether it will be during the early part or as late as the
 Japan Mobility Show
 (the new name for the Tokyo Motor Show) at the end of October.

Current C-HR was also available in Malaysia.

The C-HR prologue is a concept model but gives an idea of how the second generation of the compact SUV will look like. Like the first generation which had styling that was bolder than usual for Toyota, the new one takes that further with a precision organic design language, bigger wheels and shorter overhangs. While having sharper lines, it still appears to be a bit bulbous.

At the front, the C-HR prologue has a smaller grille opening topped by slimmer headlights to accentuate the high-tech identity. Like the current model, it looks like there are only two front doors but the handle for the rear doors is up at the C-pillar, and the designers will probably use this idea again.

The concept model is finished with a tri-colour option of sulphur over a metal silver and recycled carbon black to give it a distinctive appearance.

The new concept was designed by Toyota’s European Design Development team ED2 which was also responsible for the current C-HR. According to Design Director Lance Scott, the challenge was how to build on the attention that the first-generation C-HR received. “Our mission was to dig deep, to go further than we’d gone before,” Mr Scott said.

The new C-HR will certainly be using TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture), like the current model which uses the TNGA-C which is scaled for smaller models. TNGA not only has a weight-optimised structure but also sets the centre of gravity lower.

The current model is available with combustion engine and hybrid powertrains and in China, there is also a variant with only an electric motor. To strengthen Toyota’s multi-technology strategy in electrification, it is likely that hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains will be offered, with a battery electric version for China and Europe.

Toyota Reveals Second bZ Model, Jointly Developed With BYD And FAW-Toyota


A Ghostbusters car could be worth up to half a million US dollars

Ghostbusters,
the 1984 movie, became a cultural phenomenon with its ground-breaking blend of comedy, science fiction, horror and action. The second biggest film of 1984, it grossed US$295 million during its first run and is often considered one of the first movie blockbusters. There was a sequel in 1989, a reboot in 2016 and now, nearly 30 years after the original,
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
 has just been released.

As with so many great films, one of the stars of
Ghostbuster
s was a car – a 1959 Cadillac  which was better known as ‘Ecto-1’. Over time, the car attained cult status, which means that the original prop cars used in the production of the movie have become highly prized, and valuable too. At the same time, a thriving market in replica Ectomobiles has sprung up.

What was the Ecto-1?

One of the tools used to promote
Ghostbusters
 was the car Murray and Aykroyd use to transport their ghostbusting kit around New York, as they saved the city from supernatural beings. It’s based on a 1959 Cadillac Series 75 Commercial Chassis that coachbuilder Miller-Meteor turned into ambulances and hearses – some cars have even been known to be used as both.

The 6.4-metre long Ectomobile ‑ Ecto-1 ‑ is based around a Miller-Meteor Futura model which had ‘resting passengers’ loaded through its tailgate. With its big fins, long creased bonnet and spats covering the rear wheels, it borrows many of the design features from famous Caddies of the time such as the Eldorado. Under the long bonnet, there’s a monster 6.4-litre V8 engine, typically American. performance. And at 21 feet (6.4m) long there’s plenty of room for ghoul-zapping kit inside.

Very rare, with rising values

Only around 25 Miller-Meteor Futuras were ever built and at least 2 of those were owned by Sony and used in the
Ghostbusters
 films. A third was bought for promotional purposes. The value of the 1959 Cadillac Series 75 Commercial Chassis is not available but the average insured value for one now is US$52,000.

According to the valuations department of Hagerty (a specialty insurance provider), one of the cars from the film was offered for US$149,998 in 2007. One year later, another of the cars, apparently made for the Universal Studios theme park in Florida, was offered on
e
Bay for US$45,000. Just 2 years after that, possibly one of those same cars sold at a Barrett-Jackson auction for US$88,000.

Prices were clearly on the uptrend more than a decade ago. In the intervening years, they’ve rocketed. For a genuine movie car, with a certified history, Hagerty now estimates the value to be in excess of US$500,000.

Replicas are very valuable too

In 2020, a fan-created replica Ecto-1 sold at Barrett-Jackson US$220,000. The car was built from a 1959 Cadillac Superior hearse and was fully drivable with its engine rebuilt in 2012.

In the UK in 2014, a replica Ecto-1 was offered on
e
Bay for £175,000. However, the owner of another replica, Peter Dale, tracked his tatty Ecto-1 down for £70,000. “I bought it within 2 hours of hearing it was coming up for sale,” he told Hagerty. Looking distinctly unloved, Dale has since spent around £80,000 restoring the car to its former glory. “It had already been converted to Ecto-1 but had then been left to sit for a few years. The engine wasn’t running, and it needed to be totally recommissioned,” he said.

What’s it like to drive?

Dale said: “Although it’s a very big car, it’s easy to drive. Visibility is great through all the glass, and it’s got power steering and assisted brakes. Surprisingly for something so long, the turning circle is quite good. The biggest problem is that it attracts so much attention. You go to change lanes and there’s someone alongside filming on a smartphone, so you have to have your wits about you.”

“It’s spooky just how well-known Ecto-1 is.
Ghostbusters
 made it one of the most famous movie cars ever to emerge from a props department. Despite its place in pop culture, few film fans will be aware of the values of an Ectomobile; the real-deal could be worth up to half a million dollars, and even replica examples are valuable. Owners should make sure they’re insured for the correct sum, or they could be in for a nasty fright,” advised Hagerty Editor, James Mills.

Lamborghini Countach in ‘The Cannonball Run’ listed in US National Historic Vehicle Register


15 Units of Mitsubishi Outlander 2.4 to Assist PDRM in Enforcing Highway Traffic Laws

From EVO’s to Outlanders,
Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM)
 recently acquired 15 units of
Mitsubishi Outlander 2.4
contributed by
PLUS Highway
 for the traffic laws enforcement on the highway. The handover ceremony of the new
“Peronda Lebuhraya”
 cars was held at Persada PLUS, Subang Jaya. Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM), the official distributor of Mitsubishi vehicles in Malaysia was there to witness the handover ceremony.

These vehicles were contributed to PDRM to be used as Expressway Mobile Patrol Vehicle (EMPV).  The SUVs will be known as ‘Police Highway Eagle’ which will enhance the effectiveness in enforcing traffic laws during festive seasons, said
Inspector-General of Police

Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun
. Each of the 15 Outlanders has been upgraded with Mitsubishi EVO X engines featuring a special twin-turbo AWD system with anti-lag, which pushes output to
470bhp
. That last line is a complete
lie
, I just wanted to see if you’re paying attention. They’re all
stock-standard.

Being there to witness the handover ceremony,
Chief Executive Officer of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia, Tomoyuki Shinnishi
 (above, left) said
“Safety is the Mitsubishi Outlander’s strongest suit, befitting its role as a family vehicle. But now, we are delighted to know that besides being one of the best safety specced vehicles on the road, the Outlander is meeting every requirement of PDRM to assist them with the enforcement of traffic laws on the highway.”

He elaborated,
“With many years of winning experience in the grueling Dakar Rally under its belt, Mitsubishi is also a specialist in rugged 4WD vehicles. So with the Outlander’s safety function, power and stability, we are confident that the Outlander will do its part in assisting our policeman to eradicate traffic offences and eventually lower the risk of road accidents.”

In a separate ceremony, PDRM also acquired eight Mitsubishi cars consisting of Mitsubishi Outlander 2.4-litre (above) and Mitsubishi ASX Compact SUV contributed by ANIH Berhad. The contribution made by these two highway concessions were valued at an estimation of RM3 million.

The Mitsubishi Outlander recently received the Family SUVs of Malaysia award at the Cars of Malaysia awards 2018.


Tesla Model Y Officially Available In Malaysia, Starting At RM199,000!

Always wanted a Tesla but didn’t want to deal with resellers? Well, here’s your chance. Tesla Malaysia has announced that the Model Y, its latest all-electric SUV, is now available to
order
 in Malaysia with prices starting from as low as RM199,000.

The Model Y has a 5-star rating from NHTSA and Euro NCAP and provides flexible seating and storage for up to five passengers and their belongings with more than 2100 litres of cargo capacity. The Model Y comes with an all-glass roof, autopilot, active safety features, and a HEPA air filtration system.

There are three trims available to choose from:

Model Y(Rear-wheel Drive)

Range: 455km
Top Speed: 217km/h
0-100km/h: 6.9 seconds
Seats: 5 seater
Wheel: 19″/20″
Price: RM199,000

Model Y Long range Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive

Range: 533km
Top Speed: 217km/h
0-100km/h: 5 seconds
Seats: 5 seater
Wheel: 19″/20″
Price: RM246,000

Model Y Performance Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive

Range: 514km
Top Speed: 250km/h
0-100km/h: 3.7 seconds
Seats: 5 seater
Wheel: 21″
Price: RM288,000

Customers can take advantage of 100% road tax exemption as well as full import and excise duty exemption for newly registered zero-emission Tesla electric vehicles (Completely Built-up electric vehicles) as part of Malaysia’s commitment to promoting the adoption of low-carbon mobility and supporting the development of the electric vehicle (EV) industry.

For the assessment year of 2023, Tesla owners may also claim individual income tax relief of up to RM2,500 on costs associated with installation, rental and purchase, including hire-buy equipment, or subscription fees for EV charging infrastructure.

Tesla will be officially launched in Malaysia on 20 July 2023.