Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) is proud to announce that their latest all-new Volkswagen Arteon is now available for booking and the price is expected to range between RM290,000 and RM310,000.
The fully CBU Volkswagen Arteon R-Line will be making its official debut here in Malaysia in a few months so to those who would like to own the very first few models here in the country should definitely place your bookings at any of the Volkswagen authorised showrooms located nationwide. (more…)
One of the many bright prospects for the future of racing in e-sports and Ferrari has drawn the first blood with the launch of the world’s first team of Sim Racing, the FDA eSports Team. The two drivers that will be racing in the electronic championship are Amos Laurito and David Tonizza. (more…)
Concept vehicles are built by carmakers for various purposes; some are intended to test certain styling ideas while others are a preview of a production model that is just around the corner. Sometimes, especially if targeting owners who are enthusiasts, a concept vehicle may show what more can be done or added to make a model more visually exciting or more capable.
Capable SUV made more capable
With the Lexus GXOR concept, Lexus worked with a company called XOverland to create a one-of-a-kind LX460 SUV that has accessories which enhance its looks and performance off-road. As it is, the LX460 is a very capable SUV since it rides on the same platform as the current Toyota land Cruiser Prado.
The customized vehicle starts off with a matte metallic gray and exclusive GXOR graphics. Incidentally, ‘GXOR’ refers to ‘GX Off Road’, which is the name of a group of owners. Lexus surprised them with this special vehicle during one of their recent events.
Accessories fitted
Some of the accessories installed include Lexus F Sport Wheels fitted with General 275/70×18 X3 tyres, Icon Vehicle Dynamics 2.5 CDC with remote reservoirs and billet control arms featuring Delta Joints, CBI Custom Stealth Winch Bumper, Frame Sliders and skidplates, Warn 9.5XPS Winch, and Maxtrax MKII Recovery Boards. All these items are available in the market for owners to install themselves.
On its part, Lexus will also have its own off-road package although, being a factory offering, it is more focused on comfort and reliability aspects rather than providing more off-road performance.
Visit www.lexus.com.my to know more about the range of SUVs available in Malaysia.
UPDATE: It appears that Volvo has revised the number to 507,000 units worldwide.
It has been learnt that Volvo Cars is issuing a safety recall for over one million of its cars worldwide manufactured between 2014 and 2019. The cars are all equipped with 4-cylinder diesel engines and include the V40, V60, V70, S80, XC60 and XC90.
According to a BVT, a news broadcaster in Sweden, the recall was confirmed by a spokesperson of the company. The problem relates to the possibility of a component or components inside the engine melting and in an extreme case, starting a fire. So far, there are said to be no accidents or injuries due to this being reported.
Volvo diesel engine
Normal procedures by carmakers in such cases where there are dangers to owners will be to notify owners of the recall. They would be given an explanation of why there is a recall (and the urgency to respond) and to bring their vehicle to an authorised service centre for the necessary inspection and rectification work to be done. All costs related to the recall would be borne by the manufacturer.
Volvo Cars Malaysia has not sold diesel models for some time so there would not be an action needed in this market. The last diesel model sold was the XC90 D5 in 2009 but the company found that due to uncertainty of the upgrading of the fuel, it was hard to plan for the introduction of new models which would require even cleaner diesel. Euro-5 diesel is now available, though, but there is also the impending issue of the government pressing for B10 biodiesel to be introduced soon.
Extreme E, the latest and probably most radical racing series where electric SUVs will compete in super tough race conditions, has announced their official ambassador for the sport and it is none other than the legendary French rally driver and six-time World Champion, Sébastien Ogier. (more…)
Having a mid-engine layout was always part of Corvette’s destiny.
The all-new 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray unveiled recently is the culmination of 60 years of mid-engine experimentation. While the eighth generation of the iconic sportscar marks a radical leap forward in terms of capability from the seventh generation, it also incorporates lessons learned from past engineering exercises such as the Chevrolet Experimental Research Vehicles (CERVs) I-III, the Aerovette and others.
Zora Arkus-Duntov, considered the ‘father of the Corvette’, first encountered early mid-engine vehicles in his youth, including the Auto Union Types C and D Grand Prix racing vehicles. Duntov had a wealth of propulsion knowledge and thrived as an auto racer and engineering consultant in automotive and aeronautics. He was attracted to GM by the original Corvette concept, which he saw at the 1953 Motorama in New York City.
CERV I
Pursuit of mid-engine from the start
Duntov started working at GM in May 1953 and helped Chevrolet chief engineer Ed Cole turn his proposed Small Block V8 into a viable technology for Corvette later that decade. He became Corvette’s first true chief engineer and pursued the mid-engine layout through various concepts, including the CERV I, which debuted in 1960.
CERV I was outfitted with seven different engine combinations in its working lifespan, but its original engine, a Chevrolet Small Block V8, and its lightweight aluminium core are both modernized on the latest Corvette Stingray. Duntov described it as ‘a design without limit’ and an ‘admirable tool’ to instruct Chevy on ‘what to put in Corvette’.
In 1964, Duntov’s team debuted CERV II, which was envisioned as a challenger at Sebring, Le Mans and other races. With torque converters in the front and rear, CERV II employed the first-ever mid-engine 4WD system, for which Duntov held the patent.
CERV II
The most recent attempt at a mid-engine vehicle was the 1990 CERV III concept, built in conjunction with Lotus Engineering to explore future levels of performance. CERV III, more of a road car than a track performer, was intended as a development vehicle to evaluate mid-engine structures. CERV III was powered by a 5.7-litre, 32-valve dual overhead cam Small Block V8 with twin turbochargers. It produced 650 bhp and 888 Nm of torque.
CERV III
Drawbacks of a mid-engine layout
Duntov, who retired from GM in 1975, saw the mid-engine layout with the engine located ahead of the rear axle as the optimal configuration for weight distribution, excellent handling and forward visibility. Despite the layout’s innate performance benefits, its implementation in the scheme of mass manufacturing proved problematic.
The previous mid-engine Corvettes were relegated to concept status by issues including engine cooling difficulties, limited passenger and luggage space, loudness and the inability to produce a convertible variant.
The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray finally has a mid-engine layout.
Advances in development, aided by computer-assisted engineering and virtual reality, helped the current Corvette team carefully plot out the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray’s architecture. The engineers worked closely with designers to ensure that the vehicle’s form met all of the necessary performance benchmarks, while preserving the Corvette legacy. Having a mid-engine layout was always part of Corvette’s destiny.
