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Mforce Bike Holdings Sdn Bhd, the official distributor of the Benelli brand here in Malaysia, has released the latest 2019 Benelli RFS 150i. The latest evolution of this 150cc cub carries newly-designed decals as its main change together with a new sporty muffler that is said to further enhance its overall performance. (more…)

That’s right! Northern region HOGs can rejoice, for they now have a place to call home right in the middle of Juru Autocity, Penang, with the official opening of Harley-Davidson Penang!

But not only that, HDMP (Harley-Davidson Malaysia, Penang) also took the opportunity to announce the launch and introduction of 14 CKD models built in Bangkok, Thailand… one of them is the HD Fat Bob below…

Both the red and black bikes are identical models, but the former is made in Bangkok, while the latter is made in Milwaukee, USA. There is no telling them apart, both are identical in terms of specs, but the one made in Bangkok costs RM40,000 less. Yes, FORTY THOUSAND ringgit less than the one “Made in USA”.

 

HDMP is located at Juru Autocity, right next to the Ford showroom.

HDM Penang Official Opening Photo Gallery…

A fleet of BMW 630i GT was handed over earlier today specifically for the Maybank Championship 2019 as BMW Malaysia was announced as the Official Automotive Partner. Entering its fourth edition of the world-level golf tournament, the event saw BMW Malaysia playing a huge role in the event co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour as well as the European Tour. (more…)

Trucks. 4x4s. Pick-up Trucks. Call them what you will, but a couple of decades ago they didn’t exist… well not on the highways anyway. Since Mercedes-Benz likes to call itself “the inventor of the automobile” I guess it’s only apt to call Ford Malaysia “the inventor of the lifestyle pick-up truck”… no, really.

You see, not so very long ago in the early 90s, Ford Malaysia‘s (then known as AMIM Ford) passenger car sales were suffering, with only the outdated Laser and Telstar being sold, and I use that word ‘sold’ very loosely. So what did they do? In a masterstroke of genius, because their cars weren’t selling very well in their given segments, AMIM Ford decided to create a whole new market segment. And ‘lo and behold, the ‘lifestyle’ pick-up truck was born.

I owned the very first of those trucks, it was called the Ford Courier. It was a naturally-aspirated 2.5L diesel, and if memory serves, the model survived one update (Courier Splash – yellow) and was replaced by the turbocharged Ranger, which henceforth became one of the market leaders in the lifestyle pick-up truck segment, despite just about every other carmaker jumping on the truck-bandwagon, or rather cargo-bed, and introducing their own trucks.

The Ford Ranger 4×4 has evolved over the years, and while still staying true to its “Built Ford Tough” credo, it’s also become – for better or worse (see video below) – a lot more ‘liveable’ and domesticated. It’s like capturing a wild animal and eventually taming it enough to become a house pet. Never forget though, that behind that docile exterior, an untamed beast still lurks…

One of those beasts of course is the new Ford Ranger Raptor, which you can read more about and see videos of here, as well as one of the 4 new Rangers that were recently launched, this Ranger XLT Limited+. Boasting a first-in-class 10-speed automatic transmission, yes, TEN speeds, the new Ranger XLT+ is powered  by a new 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo diesel engine that churns out 213Ps and whopping 500Nm of torque.

It also has an array of other FIC attributes including AEB or Autonomous Emergency Braking & Front Collision Alert, Lane-Departure Warning, Semi-Automatic Parallel Parking, Adaptive Cruise Control and an Easy-Lift Tailgate. Anyone who’s ever owned a truck will know just how heavy that rear tailgate (above) is.

The new Rangers, finally with hydraulic bonnet struts (above), have definitely moved the goalposts insofar as the lifestyle pick-up truck market is concerned, not only are they still very much “Built Ford Tough” but they now also offer an incredible level of refinement unheard of in Rangers of yore.

Want to know more about the new Ford Rangers? Click this link.

Ford Ranger Limited XLT+ 4×4 Photo Gallery…

BONUS! Why I love the older Ford Ranger 3.2 Wildtrak…

“No replacement for displacement”… we’ve often heard this adage, but does it apply to trucks? Here’s an older model with 3,200cc of brute force, and here’s what I think of it!

The all-electric Jaguar I-PACE has been voted ‘Car of the Year’ at the European Car of the Year Awards 2019. This is the first time a Jaguar has won the coveted prize. The European Car of the Year jury comprises 60 motoring journalists from 23 countries, and the award recognises technical innovation, design, performance, efficiency and value for money.

Prof. Dr. Ralf Speth, Chief Executive Officer, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “For our first electric vehicle to also be the first Jaguar to win European Car of the Year gives us a huge sense of pride. I-PACE was designed and engineered in the UK from a clean sheet of paper. It is the most technologically advanced battery electric vehicle. It’s a true game-changer. Winning European Car of the Year is an honour and real recognition of what our world-class team has delivered.”

Designed and developed in the UK, the Jaguar I-PACE has had profound sales success globally, with more than 8,000 customer deliveries to date – 75 per cent of them in Europe*. Nothing else on the road looks or drives like the I-PACE. It is engineered to take full advantage of its electric powertrain and bespoke aluminium architecture, offering sports car performance and SUV practicality.

Charging is made easy for customers using the Jaguar public charging service, accessed via a dedicated app or using an RFID key. With tailor-made charging packages and tariffs compiled into a simple monthly bill, it gives I-PACE customers access to more than 85,000 charging points throughout Europe.

The I-PACE has received 55 awards worldwide since it was revealed a year ago, including German, Norwegian and UK Car of the Year, BBC TopGear magazine EV of the Year, China Green Car of the Year, and Autobest’s ECOBEST Award.

For more information on the I-PACE, visit www.jaguar.com

As part of Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia’s continuous efforts to enhance the ownership experience for its customers, the Volkswagen Tiguan will receive an upgrade of a new 2019 Active Info Display (AID) and LED Taillights (below). The upgrades will take effect on all Tiguan units from March 2019 onwards.

The new Active Info Display (below) has a high resolution display colour thin-film transistor (TFT) that is similar to a smartphone. It incorporates functions and features in 2D and 3D graphic display for navigation and media. There is now a three-view customizable screen via the infotainment with over 30 combinations options. The dials can also be pre-set to show a combination of data and a full 3D view map for better navigation.

On the exterior, the LED Taillights have been updated to a new unit with distinctive light graphics. More than a style factor, the new taillight also incorporates brake animation that enhances visibility for safety. The taillights continue to be an all LED system.

For added peace of mind, the upgrades will see no price hike to the Tiguan, and it will remain priced at RM 165,990 for the Highline and RM 175,990 for the JOIN variant. All Volkswagen cars come with 3 years free maintenance, 5 years unlimited mileage warranty and 5 years roadside assistance. The Tiguan combines a 1.4TSI turbocharged direct injection engine with a 6-speed direct shift gearbox (DSG) with sport mode to give an impressive output of 150PS and a torque of 250Nm between 1,500 to 3,500rpm. It boasts an impressive acceleration of 8.9 seconds from 0 to 100kph.

The Tiguan boast safety features such as six airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Multi-collision brakes, Intelligent Crash Response System (ICRS), Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) as well as hill-hold control. For comfort, the Tiguan features Park Assist, Manoeuvre Braking and 3-Zone Climatronic. For complete connectivity, the Tiguan comes with App-Connect for easy access to apps via the 8”-inch infotainment touchscreen via MirrorLink, Android Auto and Apple Carplay.

The production of the first generation Tiguan began in 2007 in Wolfsburg and has become Volkswagen’s most successful SUV to date with the 5 millionth unit leaving the assembly line in January 2019. Aside from its worldwide success, the Volkswagen Tiguan has enjoyed local success in Malaysia and is locally assembled at Volkswagen’s Pekan Plant, Pahang. For more information, please visit www.volkswagen.com.my

 

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