Month: March 2023

Honda might be playing catch-up when it comes to producing EVs, but they have a good reason for it.

Honda’s CEO, Toshihiro Mibe, claims that while they are focusing on the inevitable electric vehicles, internal combustion engines or ICE will most likely last up to 2040 and even beyond. We sure hope so (no ‘pops and bangs’ from EVs).

According to Toshihiro, As we move toward carbon neutrality, we are focused on electrification and fuel cells – those are the two core components of future mobility.”

“I’ve been in the engine development business for more than 30 years, so personally it’s a little threatening. But I have to separate my own feelings from what is best for the business,” added the Honda CEO.

With that, Honda is looking to establish a standalone business unit for the development of the brand’s EV offerings, batteries, and even charging stations similar to what Tesla is doing right now. 

At the same time, Honda will also run feasibility studies for the future involving chargers, batteries, and even low-carbon e-fuels to give the ICEs a fighting chance against the EV assault that we’re currently facing right now. But, it’s a long-term thing that might take around two decades.

Until then, there’s indeed a shimmer of hope for all you ICE enthusiasts out there with companies like Honda and Porsche working their butts off just to save internal combustion from extinction.

 

For 5 years, Toyota Gazoo Racing has brought thrill-packed racing to Malaysians while encouraging the public to get as close to the action as possible. And now with TGR Season 6 in full swing, there’s plenty more on-track shock and awe to be savoured.

This year, Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia had kicked off at the Sepang International Circuit on the weekend between 18th and 19th February following the fiery evening of five GR Sport and GR cars launching into the Toyota Malaysia lineup where the new blood of the racing series also took the limelight in front of the cheering crowd and press.

The two-day race weekend of the opening round certainly delivered the thrills and wheel-to-wheel dogfights with race incidents and post-race penalties adding to the drama, watched by over 3.5 million viewers over live streaming.

“At the start of this 6th season of racing, you can already see a very large pool of young drivers beginning to exert their dominance especially in the Super Sporting and Sporting Classes for professionals and amateur racers respectively. This is a very positive development for the sport,” said UMW Toyota Motor President Datuk Ravindran K.

Toyota Malaysia has truly cemented itself as a champion of driving enthusiasts by being the only mass market manufacturer to offer such a comprehensive range of analogue driving machines. Add to the long-running Gazoo Racing series meant to fan the flames of grassroots motorsport and the fostering of local racing talent.

The 2023 season consists of the GR Vios Challenge, GR Vios Sprint Cup as well as the GR Vios Enduro Cup and S1K with a grid of new faces, young drivers hungry for white knuckle racing rivalries, and close to RM1 million in prize monies and incentives.

It builds on Season 5’s unique combination of motor-racing spectacle of grit, twisted metal, and screaming engines with the excitement of a carnival with activities, stage performances and attractions for fans and the public alike, confidently seeking to exceed its 15 million total spectator benchmark this time around.

With more than 40 drivers forming the grid in the GR Vios Challenge including defending Super Sporting Class champion Hayden Haikal representing Axle Sports alongside teammate last year’s Sporting Class champion Naquib Azlan.

Other big names to watch out for include former series champion Tengku Djan Ley and Mitchell Cheah for Prima Pearl TD Racing, the Laser Motor Racing pair of Eddie Lew and Putera Adam, Royal 47 Racing’s Brendan Paul Anthony, Telagamas Toyota’s Freddie Ang, Toyotsu Racing’s William Ho, and S&D Tama Motorsports’ Goh Chok Tong.

Of course, the star-studded Promotional Class returns to the GR Vios Challenge series with half a grid’s worth of new faces including professional ten pin bowler and Ratu Ten Pin drama actress Syaidatul Afifah; actor, television host and Hot FM radio presenter Imran Aqil; actor and host Ezzrin Loy; actor, host and television personality Hefsy Sahad; and actress and model Reen Rahim.

Overall champion and actor Shukri Yahaya also rejoins the driver roster for Season 6, as does actor Zizan Razak and actress and TV personalities Ahirine Ahirudin and Ain Edruce.

Continuing UMW Toyota’s efforts to empower local racers, the 6th season also sees a continuation of the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program that began in 2020, with 6 NEW rookies joining the program in addition to the existing 12 drivers.

The fresh blood on the grid includes 16-year-old and 2019 Rotax Max Malaysia junior champion Ariff Azmi; 16-year-old racing driver and simulator racer Iman Danish; 17-year-old karter Azriel Azhar; 18-year-old simulator racer Nazmir Azlan (the third sibling to join the GR Vios Challenge); and 19-year-old simulator racers and racing enthusiasts Yazid Razak and Elson Lew.

UMWT invites everyone to join in the fun and action both on and off the track at the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival, happening next from the 2nd to 4th June at the Sepang International Circuit and again from September 29th and October 1st.

Additionally, there will be Round 1 (5-7 May) and Round 2 (23-25 June) of the Vios Sprint Cup and a mammoth 9-hour Vios Enduro Cup happening on the 26th of November. Everything will also be streamed live on Toyota’s webiste at www.toyota.com.my so there’s no excuse to miss out on a moment of the action!

 

Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival / Vios Challenge

Round 1 

17th-19th February

Sepang International Circuit

2x-30 minute race

Round 2

2nd-4th June

Sepang International Circuit

2x-30 minute race

Round 3

29th September – 1st October 

Sepang International Circuit

2x-30 minute race

 

Vios Sprint Cup

Round 1 

5th-7th May

Sepang International Circuit

2x-60 minute race

Round 2

23rd-25th June

Sepang International Circuit

2x-60 minute race

 

Vios Enduro Cup / Sepang 1,000km Endurance Race

–

26th November 2023

Sepang International Circuit

9 hours / 1000km 

 

 

The upcoming 2023 Proton X90 seven-seater SUV has been officially teased and previewed by Proton earlier today.

The first official appearance of the highly-anticipated SUV model from Proton was held in conjunction with the launch of the brand’s new stamping line at its Tanjung Malim plant. This new stamping line is capable of producing 50 different components and reducing the brand’s annual imported parts by 115,000 units.

With an RM140 million investment, the new stamping line will also play a crucial role in the manufacturing of the new 2023 Proton X90 which is scheduled for launch within the second quarter of 2023. What we can also confirm is that there will be several variants and one of them will be a mild-hybrid model.

This will also mark Proton’s first entry in the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) segment and it’ll be locally produced here in Tanjung Malim, Perak. The new stamping line, which is also the largest of its kind here in Malaysia, will greatly assist in carrying Proton’s momentum in retaining its role as the country’s leading brand in the SUV segment.

Going back to the Proton X90, the first ‘public’ debut from the line-off ceremony showcased a few major aspects. The first and more visible appearance is its front grille. It looks like they have forgone the ‘Infinite Weave’ design element used on other Proton models.

Instead, the addition of spaced-out chrome pins in a circular fashion that moves away from the centre front logo can be seen sporting the front end. The other aspect is the possible new ‘hero’ colour option – a dark blue yet almost purple-ish that reminds this particular writer of the Yamaha factory colour or the famous ‘blurple’ from West Coast Customs.

Proton also confirmed that the X90 will indeed have a mild-hybrid variant and we have a strong suspicion that it’s the 1.5-litre TGDi engine with BSG (Belt Start Generator). The total power output for this powertrain is 190PS and 300Nm of torque whereas the electric motor alone offers 13PS and 45Nm of torque. This will assist in longer engine shutdowns while coasting as well as provide an extra boost during acceleration.

According to Roslan Abdullah, Proton’s Deputy CEO, “Today’s line-off ceremony marks the beginning of activities leading up to the official introduction of Proton’s latest model. Following the start of production, we will hold a media preview and customer familiarisation sessions before launching our new SUV, which will also mark our first NEV product. This is an important step in our NEV journey which will gradually build emphasis on hybrid technology before we launch the first Proton EV.”

 

The all-new 2023 Royal Enfield Hunter 350 has officially landed in Malaysia with prices starting from RM22,000.

Designed to be the perfect all-rounder with a dash of the retro-inspired facade, the Royal Enfield Hunter 350 is built on the award-winning 350cc J-series platform – a combination of the agile Harris Performance chassis and the 350cc single-cylinder banger that churns out 20.2hp and 27Nm of torque.

According to Mr. Rewi Hamid Bugo, Chairman of Didi Group mentioned, “Hunter is a brand-new model which is one of the most affordable motorcycles in Royal Enfield’s Line-up. Hunter which is very friendly to first-time buyers and youngsters due to the price and ease of riding especially in the urban environment We have no doubt believe this model will do well in Malaysia and be much loved by our local riders.”

There are two different variants to choose from – Metro Rebel and Metro Dapper. If you prefer the Hunter in a more contemporary look, the Metro Rebel offers dual-colour liveries with 17-inch cast alloy wheels and rounded tail lights.

The Metro Dapper, on the other hand, comes with a choice of several tank colours and graphic options that are labelled as more ‘distinctive and disruptive’.

Other highlights include:

Dual disc brakes (300mm front, 270mm rear)
Dual channel ABS
Digital-analogue instrument cluster
800mm seat height + more

Bookings are now open for the new 2023 Royal Enfield Hunter 350 with prices set at RM22,000 for the Dapper Series and RM22,200 for the Rebel Series.

 

A Mazda CX-5 nearly became a submarine when it was close to being washed away on a beach in Johor earlier this week.

The situation came into being after the owner and occupants parked the car on the beach and went for a walk, not realising that the tides were coming in and coming in fast. It was quite a sight to behold on Pantai Temalah in Kota Tinggi.

*Image credit: Polis Balai Kuala Sedili FB page

Luckily for them, the authorities along with some locals who were at the scene managed to drag the poor Mazda CX-5 that was way out of its depth to safety. A 4×4 which was nearby at the time came to the rescue to winch the stuck SUV away from a major mechanical disaster.

The Kuala Sedili Police Chief, SM Saidon Hadzri Bin Hj Abu Hassan, has advised the public to be more vigilant to avoid ‘unwanted events from happening to causing loss of life and property’ in the future. In other words, try your best not to park your car right on the beach, especially when the tide is coming in.

 

The latest 2023 Honda WR-V has been launched in Thailand with two different variants to choose from – SV and RS.

This very same model has been spied here in Malaysia but we’re going to look at the specs and prices for the Thai market for this second-generation WR-V which is constantly compared with the likes of the Toyota Raize and Daihatsu Rocky (or Perodua Ativa in our case).

For 2023, the Honda WR-V is offered in either the base SV variant or the range-topping RS model with prices starting from 799,000 baht to RM869,000 baht (around RM103k-RM112k). There are some differences in terms of exterior finishes and equipment, but all 2023 WR-V units are fitted with the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder i-VTEC engine mated to a CVT gearbox that produces 121PS and 145Nm of torque.

The Honda WR-V SV variant comes with a front chrome grille with horizontal cascading lines, full LED lighting system for the auto headlamps, DRLs, turn signals as well as taillights, 16-inch alloy wheels, shark fin antenna, and more.

As for the range-topping WR-V RS variant, you can tell them apart thanks to its sportier front grille with RS chrome pins, LED front fog lights, and a bigger set of 17-inch alloy wheels. The interior for the SV model is mostly black to maintain that sporty RS look and feel while the SV gets some silver highlights.

Other specs include:

4.2-inch TFT multi-info display
Seven-inch infotainment touchscreen (with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto)
Auto air-conditioning system
Honda Smart Key Card (with keyless entry & engine start)
Four airbags (six for RS variant)
Honda Sensing safety suite (extra Honda LaneWatch for RS)

It’s quite a package for this compact SUV in Thailand and with a few sightings reported here in Malaysia, we’re still waiting on any confirmation from Honda Malaysia pertaining to its arrival here in the local market. Stay tuned for more information, mkay?

 

The Malaysian government is still keen on the idea of reviving the HSR (high-speed rail) project from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore.

With that being said, our Transport Minister, Anthony Loke, mentioned that the suggestion is a possibility but only if they can secure the funds from private firms. In other words, no public funding.

Looking back at the HSR project between KL and Singapore which was inked back in 2016, the idea was for the 350km track to shorten the travel to just 90 minutes should the project gain traction and be completed in 2026. The Pakatan Harapan government then reviewed the project before throwing it into the bin.

That move resulted in the government fronting an RM320 million compensation to Singapore. Although Anwar Ibrahim was critical of the said project and its negotiations during his time as the opposition leader, he has now given the green light to Loke but if and only if they can secure funds from private firms.

It looks like the rumoured Tesla Model 2 will be a fully autonomous vehicle. Well, almost.

According to CarBuzz, the upcoming ‘baby Tesla’ (also rumoured to be called the Model 2) will not only come with an affordable price tag of $25,000 (around RM112k) but also be used as an autonomous vehicle once it is launched.

An affordable EV that can basically drive itself is indeed an idea that is worth millions, but with the infamous Tesla’s Full-Self Driving currently enrolled in a safety recall program, the new Tesla Model 2 will have its work cut out in order to turn this into a safe reality in the future.

Elon Musk himself has stated in the recent past that Tesla’s Full-Self Driving suite has been evolving over the years, and it should be at the stage where it can be trusted to run a fully autonomous vehicle. But, words can change fast. Musk once said that they’re not interested in producing ‘entry-level EVs’.

The proposed Tesla Model 2 is the exact opposite of that with plans to deploy the brand’s next-generation platform that is said to be cheaper to produce and therefore, cheaper to buy. It also carries the potential of generating income for owners in the future if used as autonomous taxis. Driverless e-hailing, anyone?

 

Motorists travelling from Petaling Jaya towards Bangsar on the Sprint Highway have to endure the traffic congestion a little longer. 

The traffic interruption was expected to last till March 2023. However, the reopening of the route has now been delayed to December this year. Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) announced the closure and traffic diversion along Sprint Highway towards Bangsar from Petaling Jaya back in October last year.

Affected routes are Jalan Maarof towards Bangsar, Petaling Jaya towards Kuala Lumpur via Pusat Bandar Damansara (involving Jalan Johar, Jalan Beringin and Jalan Semantan).

The road closure is to facilitate the construction project of a multi-level flyover which was extended due to bad weather and material shipment delays. Since then, affected motorists have had to take alternative routes into the city centre as suggested by the Sprint Highway Communications Department. 

As reported by The Star, Datuk Sufian Majid, President of Bukit Damansara Residents Association has urged parties involved to expedite the project and that there must be a clear deadline to avoid further delays. Also adding that it is a safety concern when certain parts of the construction zone were not properly lit at night. 

Lovers of great deals on awesome pre-owned cars or just a fun time over the weekend alike are invited to head to CARSOME PJ Automall for 2023’s first CARSOME Autofair happening between 17th to 19th of March from 10am to 6pm! 

During the 3-Day Mega Deal period, the huge indoor showroom is the stage by which the largest selection of CARSOME Certified Cars, meticulously inspected and refurbished to bring you a one-of-a-kind car buying solution with great value and peace of mind. 

During the weekend, CARSOME will be offering discounts of up to RM8,000 on cars and an Autofair Exclusive up to RM1,000 EXTRA discount that’s also inclusive of an EXTRA 1-year warranty and EXTRA 1 year free servicing. 

Touch ‘n Go, Thule, GP Film, Ecotint, Maybank, CIMB, and our other partners will also be offering exciting promotions and offers of their own, so you won’t want to miss out on that either! And if you pre-register with this link to let them know Carlist.my sent you, you’ll be able to claim some Carlist.my branded goodies!

There’s also daily vouchers to be won, FREE gifts in conjunction with International Women’s Day, and of course, FREE CARSOME merchandise up for grabs! 

From 8th to 31st March, also in conjunction with International Women’s Day and therefore exclusively for the ladies, CARSOME is offering an extended 30-day money-back guarantee.

Those looking to trade-in their car are also in for an additional treat with CARSOME offering up to RM1,500 EXTRA for car trade-ins, just be sure to bring a full set of the necessary documents to receive rewards worth RM50. 

There’s also service packages at CARSOME Service Centres at up to 15% discount on selected service packages inclusive of a FREE 20-point vehicle inspection.

Furthermore, there are a wide range is discounts to be enjoyed such as 10% off battery changes (with 15 month warranty), 15% off essential air conditioning services, 15% off brake cleaning services, and 15% off replacement windshield wiper blades.

Again, the CARSOME Autofair will be happening from the 17th to 19th of March at the CARSOME PJ Automall from 10am to 6pm!