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BMW M8 prototype to debut at Nürburgring 24-hour race

BMW has revealed that alongside the development of the new 8 Series, the automaker’s engineers are also working on the M version of the car. The fully camouflaged prototype will make an appearance as a driving presentation, which is part of the support programme for the Nürburgring 24-hour race.

“The conception and development of the standard BMW 8 Series and the M model run in parallel,” explains Frank van Meel, President BMW M Division. The future BMW M8 will build on the genes of the 8 Series and augment its DNA with added track ability and generous extra portions of dynamic sharpness, precision and agility. It all flows into a driving experience that bears the familiar BMW M hallmarks and satisfies our customers’ most exacting requirements.”

The car is said to feature classic M design features which include large air intakes, modified brakes and a sports exhaust with four tailpipes. The M8 will also be the base on which BMW will build their M8 GTE race car that will spearhead the German automaker’s charge for the Le Mans title.

Development has already begun with the hopes of a debut sometime this year, but the car will only enter competitive racing next year beginning with the Daytona 24 Hours.

Take a look at the picture gallery below for a basic idea of what the M8 might eventually look like. We know its not much to go on, but something is better than nothing.

Perodua wins Most Favourite Brand in automotive category

Perodua has bagged another award but this time its the BrandLaureate Best Brands Award Most Favourite Brand Automotive Sedan/Compact Cars 2016/2017″ by the Asia Pacific Brands Foundation (APBF) last week.

The Malaysian automaker was the only automotive OEM which recieved an award at the event, which is an endorsement of how well received its cars are among Malaysian car buyers. Affordable cars and after-sales service are the main reasons that many flock to Perodua dealerships instead of those belong to competitor car companies.

“We are happy yet humbled of this recognition by the BrandLaureate as well as by the Malaysian public for their endorsement of our brand and their strong support. We will continue to improve ourselves, in all aspects, for our valued customers. This endorsement to all our models is a powerful one, particularly in a highly competitive market and we thank The BrandLaureate for this recognition,” Perodua President and Chief Executive Officer Datuk (Dr) Aminar Rashid Salleh said.

The APBF is a non-profit organisation founded in 2005 that is dedicated at highlighting the power of brands as a visual, auditory and sensory experience which is vital to the success of any business.

Peugeot delivers 298 fleet vehicles for KL 2017

Nasim Sdn Bhd, a member of Naza Corporation Holdings and the authorised distributor of Peugeot vehicles in the country, has officially partnered with the Kuala Lumpur 2017 SEA Games by handing over 298 fleet cars comprising of the 408, 508 and Traveller range during the handover ceremony in Shah Alam.

The partnership was witnessed by Minister of Youth and Sports, YB Brig. Gen. Khairy Jamaluddin accompanied by officials from Ministry of Youth and Sports, Malaysia Organising Committee for KL2017 games (MASOC) and Olympic Council of Malaysia.

“We are proud to have Naza and Peugeot as a Platinum Sponsor of the KL 2017. Peugeot is an established premium automotive brand that has been supporting various sporting events across the world and we are proud to have them as part of this remarkable journey,” said YB Brig. Gen. Khairy Jamaluddin.

Speaking on behalf of Naza, SM Nasarudin Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin, Group Executive Chairman/Group CEO, Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd. said, “It is an honour for Naza to be part of this spectacle, and we hope that these 298 cars would deliver prestige, quality and a spectacular driving and passenger experience for all at the KL2017. Naza’s theme of Driving Champions (#DrivingChampions) signifies our proud efforts to be part of the nation’s history and ambition to be champions of both the 29th SEA Games and the 9th Para Games.”

Apart from this, Naza is also contributing a Peugeot 208 as a pledge car that will tour around the country garnering support for the Malaysian athletes by having the general public sign messages of support for our national heros. The first to sign the car was YB Khairy Jamaluddin followed by SM Nasarudin Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin, Datuk Wira SM Faisal Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin, Group Executive Chairman/Group CEO, Naza World Group of Companies and SM Faliq Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin, Deputy Executive Chairman & Managing Director, Naza TTDI Group.

The messages on the pledge car will later be shown to our athletes at an undisclosed date, that will know doubt give them the drive needed to be the best they can be during the games.

Naza will also be giving away 100 free tickets to the opening ceremony of Kuala Lumpur 2017, which will be held at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on 19th August 2017 to 50 lucky winners. All you have to do to be eligible for a free ticket is to take a picture with the pledge car with your respective message or caption and include #PeugeotMalaysia, #DrivingChampions and #NazaCorp when they are post on social media.

The Kuala Lumpur 2017 games will be held from August 19-30, followed by the ASEAN Para Games from September 17-23.

Jaguar reveals its M3 rival and it’s an absolute monster

Jaguar’s Special Vehicles Operations (SVO) division has announced that it is working on a special version of the XE. Named the XE SV Project 8, the vehicle is said to be a high performance and agile Jag that should give the Germans something to worry about.

Still considered a prototype, Project 8 has been sent to the Nürburgring Nordschleife to prove what it is capable of. Under the hood is a highly tuned Jaguar Land Rover 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine that produces a colossal 600bhp. According to Jaguar, once launched, Project 8 will be the most powerful road legal car it has ever made.

Sporting a menacing bodykit, Project 8 looks more suited to enter the V8 Supercar Series than a home garage. Masked with a camouflage paint scheme, the car features flared wheel arches, sportier front and side skirts as well as a massive rear wing that should keep it planted to the road at high speeds.

Like Project 7, which was a special edition F-Type, Project 8 is also considered a valuable member of the family that Jaguar hopes will become a collector’s item. Only 300 of these cars will be produced and all of them will be hand-assembled at SVO’s Technical Centre in Coventry, England. Despite the limited production run, the car will be made available to order by customers all over the world.

Speaking of the car, John Edwards, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations said, “The time is right for SVO to produce the most extreme performance road car in the history of Jaguar. The new XE SV Project 8 takes aerodynamics and performance engineering to another level – it is conceived for enthusiasts and the most discerning collectors. The price for such an extreme performance sports car available in strictly limited numbers will reflect that.”

The British automaker hasn’t divulged much regarding other aspects of the car because it only plans to do so on its website, www.jaguar.com on 28th June 2017 ahead of the car’s offical debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed two days later.

Volvo broke Nurburgring lap record in 2016 but didn’t tell anyone!

Bragging rights at the Nurburgring is very important to many manufacturers. A hot lap around the Green Hell is the default standard used to gauge a performance car’s worth. Forget top speeds and 0-100km/h times, their significance pales in comparison to how fast a particular car can get around the insanely tricky and dangerous German track.

When an automaker one-ups the competition, it makes sure the whole world knows about it. It will publish an elaborate press release that is supplemented by a few videos to jack up the hype further. This is considered the norm these days, which is why its rather puzzling why Volvo, decided to do the exact opposite.

After the completion of the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) at the Nurburgring, in typical fashion automakers pack up and head home. Volvo on the other hand, chose to stay on to do more research and development. It decided to put several of its race and road cars on the legendary course and push them to their limits to see how fast they would actually go.

The road going S60 Polestar managed to blitz the previous lap record to become the fastest four door production car to lap the infamous Nurburgring. After doing so, Volvo decided to keep the information to itself. Opting instead to make relevant changes to the racing and road cars from what was learnt on that day. The Swedish automaker hopes that, by deciding to keep mum about last year’s accomplishment, it might have a formidable advantage on track in this year’s WTCC.

Check out the video to understand what really happened behind the scenes in 2016 that led to Volvo’s best achievement on the most important proving ground.

Source: carthottle

2017 Honda NSX is the sensible supercar for the techie in all of us

The 2017 Honda NSX is a technological marvel. It’s the culmination of nearly 12 years of research and development from the Japanese manufacturer. In that time many prototypes and design were brought forth, altered then scrapped because they just weren’t practical or competitive enough to take the fight to the mainstream supercar makers.

Like the original NSX, Honda wanted to create a supercar that offered the same heart racing performance and handling as a Ferrari or Porsche but at a much lower price and was practical enough to function as a daily driver. And like any Honda, it would be able to take all kinds of abuse but never complain.

But what eventually made it onto showroom floors was something that was much better. Basically, it is a testament to the automaker’s thirst for innovation and its constant need to show European automakers that fast, good looking and reliable automobiles can be made through simpler manufacturing processes and at a considerably lower cost.

The car features a turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 engine that is mated to a dual clutch transmission. It’s considered an all-wheel-drive hybrid because the petrol powered engine is aided by one electric motor at the rear and two in front. As such, total power output for this particular car is rated at close to 600bhp. Thanks to the lightweight body construction (space frame design) and other weight saving features, the NSX can accomplish the 0-100km/h dash in just 2.9 seconds, which is right up there with its European rivals.

In the video shown here, Doug DeMuro, a well-known automotive journalist provides his take on why the Honda/Acura NSX is such an amazing machine that warrants the kind of asking price that’s alien to what we normally expect of Honda badged cars. Visit Doug’s Youtube channel to view other videos of the same nature.

Steve McQueen racer that is almost lifelike

The advent of modern robotic systems have made our daily lives a whole lot easier. There’s the robotic vacuum that’s able to maneuver around your sofa set or dining table while vacuuming. It can even remember where it has or hasn’t been to ensure that every inch of the floor has been cleaned.

But the robotic piece we have today, is a whole different kettle of fish. It’s something only a 9-year-old would have thought about creating, which I suspect is how this product actually came about. Enter the life-like Steve McQueen racecar, based on the original character from Pixar’s ‘Cars’ franchise. Built by a company called Sphero, the car is able to voice and mimick phrases and actions from the various Cars movies. Yes, that’s right, it is able to move about just like Steve McQueen does.

Through the use of the phone App, the car can be driven as a regular RC car. It’s pretty fast and nimble, as expected but it’s something many wont bother trying out. That’s due to the immensely fascinating robotic movements the car is capable of executing. The windshield is made of an LCD screen that displays McQueen’s eyes in a rather life-like manner. The front grille, I mean the teeth, actually move as the car says various phrases from the movies.

Sphero are currently offering the Steve McQueen car on their website for $299.99 or RM1280.30, which is relatively affordable considering its abilities and the hours of fun-filled entertainment it is capable of providing.

It’s the kind of toy car that we dreamed of having as children but never could. check out the video and you will understand what we mean.

Sphero, in case you didn’t know, gained recognition around the world about two years ago, thanks to its miniaturized bluetooth controlled version of the BB-8 droid that was featured in the Star Wars Force Awakens movie. It operates and moves just like the cute spherical movie character we have all come to love. Take a look at the video below to understand its capablities.

The company also has a number of other products in the works which include a Spider Man type thing that has yet to be revealed. Check out their website www.sphero.com for the extensive list of what they currently offer.

Volkswagen launch three new cars and attractive deals in time for the festivities

Volkswagen has a few treats for Malaysians this festive season. Besides launching three new cars, the German automaker is also offering some pretty sweet deals for those interested in purchasing a new VW.

The new Beetle, Vento ALLSTAR and Vento GT have been launched simultaneously and will be on display at Mid Vally Megamall from 24 to 28 May 2017. The Beetle, has been updated with new styling and an array of body colours that include Pure White, Tornado Red, Blue Silk, Dark Bronze, Habanero Orange and White Silver.

Compared to the outgoing car, the new one gets 2-zone climatronic AC system, touchscreen infotainment system with App-Connect, leather trim “Vienna” seats with front seat lumbar support, bi-xenon headlamps and LED daytime running lights. The car is powered by a 103bhp 1.2-litre turbocharged TSI engines that is mated to a 7-speed DSG transmission. The new Beetle is available to order in Design and Sport variants with prices starting from RM136,888.

The Vento ALLSTAR which is priced from RM78,888, receives minor design tweaks that allow out to stand out when compared to the base car. it is available in Reflex Silver and Candy White body colours and comes equipped with leather seats, aluminium sports pedals, rear spoler, black door strips and trunk garnish as well as ALLSTAR scuff plates, emblems and carpet mats.

Its mechanicals are of the tried and tested kind because it is equipped with VW’s workhorse 1.6-litre MPI engine which is paired to a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The engine develops close to 105bhp and 153Nm of torque that will allow the sedan to offer a fuel consumption figure of just 6.5-litres per 100km.

Volkswagen is also throwing in a new MY VW Drive App with the Vento ALLSTAR. It provides drivers with numerous functions including driving style, fuel consumption tracking, enhances driver safety and control as well as provides information on car status and performance. It will also allow drivers to get help from Mondial Roadside Assistance in case of an emergency.

Lastly, the Vento GT is now available to order with a price tag that starts from RM89,888 but comes loaded with a total of RM9,000 worth of exclusive accessories that include a Stain black roof and exterior mirror wraps, black door strips, leather seats, aluminium sports pedals, GT aerokit as well as GT scuff plates, emblems and carpet mats.

The car has been made available in either Reflex Silver or Candy White body colours. But it will only come with the 1.2-litre turbocharged engine and 7-speed DSG gearbox, the same combination as what is offered with the new Beetle. Touted as the sedan with the highest torque in its class, the Vento was awarded the Compact Car of the Year award at last year’s 2016 Malaysia Car of the Year ceremony.

Kia launches Optima GT in Malaysia

Kia Malaysia has added the Optima GT variant to its latest line up of vehicles. Based on the same Optima that debuted last month, the GT, gains minor sporty design tweaks that provide it with a more aggressive stance. Compared to the previous generation car, the new one features a more pronounced tiger nose grille, angular headlights, elantra-like rear-lights and a front bumper that features air-pods on each side.

In typical Kia fashion, the interior is neatly laid out with soft touch plastics adorning necessary trim panels, which adds to the luxurious appearance of the capacious cabin. Nothing cutting edge or revolutionary about the interior or gadgetry, but the well designed cabin and the use of good quality materials make the inside of the Optima GT, a nice place to be.

The car boasts extensive enhancements and options including a range of body colours, driver aids, and a plethora of safety equipment. The Optima has allowed the Korean automaker to push the boundaries of whats possible for the D-segment market. In fact, this third generation car has helped Kia show more established automakers that luxury cars don’t need to be expensive and should be accessible by the common man.

The Optima GT is set for launch on the 24th of May 2017, but is already available for booking at any authorized Kia dealership nationwide. If you are interested, visit the automaker’s website to learn more about the vehicle.

Renault to debut new Megane R.S. at Monaco

Renault will unveil the latest iteration of its ever popular Megane R.S. in Monaco on Friday 26th May. The unveil has been timed to coincide with the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix. And fittingly, the Renault will be sporting a yellow and black livery that complements that used by the namesake’s F1 car. This has been done to commemorate the French automaker’s 40-year involvement in Formula 1.

Nico Hulkenberg, Renault’s Formula 1 team driver will drive the car onto the stage for the big reveal. According to Renault, the Megane R.S. has benefited quite a bit from technology developed for F1 including aerodynamics and suspensions. As such, we can expect good things from the new generation Megane R.S..

If you would like to know more about the the three generation of Megane R.S. cars and a video of them, visit the automaker’s site at press.renault.co.uk.

Piston.my

English

BMW M8 prototype to debut at Nürburgring 24-hour race

Perodua wins Most Favourite Brand in automotive category

Peugeot delivers 298 fleet vehicles for KL 2017

Jaguar reveals its M3 rival and it’s an absolute monster

Volvo broke Nurburgring lap record in 2016 but didn’t tell anyone!

2017 Honda NSX is the sensible supercar for the techie in all of us

Steve McQueen racer that is almost lifelike

Volkswagen launch three new cars and attractive deals in time for the festivities

Kia launches Optima GT in Malaysia

Renault to debut new Megane R.S. at Monaco

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Next-Gen Fiat 500 To Arrive in 2032 Despite Sales Struggles

Chery Malaysia Achieves SIRIM Certification for EV Batteries

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