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Kia’s Futuron concept is inspired by UFOs and flying saucers! (w/VIDEO)

Given the pressure to reduce costs all the time, many carmakers now prefer to show off concept cars that are ‘near-production’, rather than futuristic showcars that cost a lot to build. But once in a while, we get some extreme designs intended to show what could come. Like the Futuron concept by Kia which the company says has some of its design elements inspired by UFOs and flying saucers!

The Futuron Concept is an all-wheel drive SUV coupe which proposes new designs for future electric vehicles, specifically a SUV coupe. With a design based around the notion of dynamic purity, the Futuron Concept merges elegant proportions with pure shapes and surfaces.

‘360-degree core’
The Kia Futuron Concept is built around a single, strong ‘360-degree’ design notable for its pure, smooth form devoid of ornament. The delicate diffusion of the body’s surfaces creates a series of taut, flowing shapes which twist, expand and contract around the body. The result is a sleek and streamlined shape, creating an aero-efficient profile.

The novel proportions of the car are immediately striking. Its low-profile SUV coupe body is sporty and modern, yet also elegant. At 4850 mm in length, 1550 mm tall and with a 3000 mm-long wheelbase, the Futuron’s elevated ground clearance is matched with a low, lean body to create a dynamic, confident posture.

The fully-electric powertrain makes such a fluid shape possible. A high-capacity battery is mounted low in the vehicle’s body, beneath the cabin floor, providing electrical energy to 4 powerful in-wheel electric motors. The elevated stance of the car is therefore matched with a low centre of gravity and an e-AWD system which delivers lightning-fast responses to driver inputs.

Sportscar on an SUV platform
Combined with comfortable, lean-back seats, the Futuron offers drivers a new type of interactive driving experience suitable for urban city environments. Various elements of the vehicle’s structure and design foster the important connection and interaction between car and driver.

The front fender flows backwards from the front of the bonnet before plunging into the cabin itself, establishing a connection between the driving seat and the road ahead. The concept’s roof is a diamond-shaped panoramic glasshouse which sits atop the 360-degree core, in the best traditions of UFO and flying saucer design.

While flooding the cabin with natural light, it also extends down the bonnet to give drivers an unparalleled view ahead. The glasshouse also incorporates a network of LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors capable of providing Level 4 autonomous driving features, enabling hands-off and eyes-off driving in most conditions.

Furthermore, the 360-degree theme is evident in the lighting that illuminates a sharp character line encircling the Futuron’s body. A playful and interactive new feature, this lighting responds to physical gestures and movements made outside the car, eliciting a close connection between car and driver before they even set foot in the cabin.

The new Kia ‘tiger face’
The front of the Futuron features a new reinterpretation of Kia’s ‘tiger nose’ grille, a signature for Kia design now for over a decade. While maintaining the basic principle of the design – a clear outline with tabs in the middle – Kia’s designers have expanded the boundaries, widening the shape across the front of the car to create a restrained, yet elegant ‘tiger face’.

With a wider ‘tiger face’ shape, the grille incorporates the Futuron’s headlamps, an innovative ‘Star Cloud’ design which gives the car a dazzling new night-time identity. The concept’s Star Cloud lighting not only highlights a new design form for the front of the car, but also embodies a new lighting concept for Kia, taking inspiration from nebulae in the night sky to create a geometric patchwork of matrix LED lighting. The Star Cloud is also incorporated into the rear of the car, displaying a distinct light signature to anyone following the Futuron.

Revealed for the first time in Shanghai, the Futuron also incorporates Chinese legend in the design and form of its new Star Cloud lighting. The Dragon Skin surface which covers the lighting area emulates the scaled armour that adorns Chinese dragons, both in mythology and modern-day cultural celebrations. The Star Cloud lighting incorporates a kinetic surface, enabling the car to alternate between daytime running lights and full-beam headlamps as the scales open and close.

Seamless interior
The Futuron’s seamless interior also reflects its autonomous driving nature, with surfaces flowing uninterrupted from the dashboard and through the door panels. The doors feature the same Star Cloud lighting and scaled Dragon Skin motif found on the outside of the car, creating a glittering interactive ambient lighting system. The ventilation system is also housed behind Dragon Skin scales, which open and close to allow fresh air to circulate throughout the cabin.

One of the most prominent features of the cabin is the ‘cockpit’ area surrounding the driver. The graphical user interface (GUI) of the cockpit flows out of the driver-side door and wraps around the steering wheel in a seamless arc. This merges the instrument cluster directly with the audio-visual display at the centre of the dashboard and is linked to the display integrated within the surface of the steering wheel itself.

The GUI is operated by artificial intelligence technologies, displaying useful information about the car various autonomous driving, powertrain and navigation features to create a unique user experience. The apex of the cockpit arc sees the GUI lunge forward towards the road, creating an interactive Star Cloud light display at the very front of the cabin.

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Superiority of Rolls-Royce Cullinan’s off-road capabilities demonstrated in female-only rally in America

On the same historic day that two women made history with the first all-female space-walk, two women also set a record in the deserts of California to become back-to-back champions of America’s premier off-road rally – the 2019 Rebelle Rally. Their rallycar – a Bespoke Rolls-Royce Cullinan. It may be a surprise that anyone would want to put a Rolls-Royce through a rally but then again, the Cullinan is like no Rolls-Royce before and during development, prototypes travelled over some of the roughest terrain on the planet.

Back in the earlier years of the brand, Rolls-Royce cars did take part in rallies, a notable one being the Alpenfahrt (Alpine Rally) in 1913. It reinforced the status of the Silver Ghost as ‘the best car in the world’ when it completed the 23,700-km route over the rough mountain roads of the Alps. Some of those cars are still running today and their owners have re-enacted the challenging drive.

Rolls-Royce Cullinan in 2019 Rebelle Rally — *The winning duo – driver Emme Hall (right) and navigator Rebecca Donaghe*

This year, the Cullinan didn’t travel such a great distance but ‘Team #200’ comprising driver Emme Hall and navigator Rebecca Donaghe were able to take top honours in the Crossover Class. It had been a gruelling 8-day challenge for 2,300 kms, the longest off-road rally in the USA. The Cullinan was driven across mountains, valleys, salt flats and treacherous desert sand dunes.

When Rolls-Royce Motor Cars engineered the Cullinan, they envisioned a ‘Effortless Everywhere’ experience and this test was just one more example of their accomplishment as well as demonstrations of the evolution of the Rolls-Royce brand and its daring clientele.

“By taking this epic experience in the Rebelle Rally and doing it in a way that is even more epic, was a complete honour and privilege,” said Rebecca and Emme. “The idea that we could do something that people may have thought was absolutely wild and come out on the top was a greater challenge and one we were excited to accept. The Cullinan became like a third teammate to us and will forever be in our hearts as a fierce competitor.”

The Rebelle Rally, entering its fourth year, is the first all-female off-road navigational rally in the USA. The event has a unique challenge and scoring system where precise navigation and timing, not speed, is the ultimate goal. Participants exchange cellphones and GPS for ‘old-school navigation’ in a competition against the elements of time, distance, headings, and hidden checkpoints across 2,300 kms of terrain in Nevada and California.

Teams could only utilize the supplies they carried in their vehicles, requiring not only precise navigation and fearless driving but also meticulous planning. The Cullinan provided the Hall-Donaghe duo more than enough room and a luxurious ride through the adventure. The only issues: the rocks and some tracks in the mountains took their toll on their tyres, forcing the team to complete the final 2 days without either of their two original spares.

The Cullinan is available for purchase in Malaysia with a starting price of RM1.8 million (excluding tax).

(more…)

2020 BMW X3 xDrive30e Plug-in Hybrid unveiled

BMW has unveiled its latest electrified model in the form of the 2020 BMW X3 xDrive30e plug-in hybrid. This latest addition to the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) premium segment offers ‘highest standards of driving dynamics and efficiency.’ (more…)

Toyota Raize compact SUV goes on sale in Japan

Displayed at the recent Tokyo Motor Show, the Toyota Raize SUV has now gone on sale in Japan with prices starting from 1,679,000 yen (equivalent to RM64,000). A product jointly developed by Toyota and Daihatsu (which is part of the Toyota Group), the compact Raize measures 3995 mm long and 1695 mm wide which makes it about 100 mm longer than a Perodua Myvi.

It would appear that the Raize is largely a Daihatsu product (which is sold as a Rocky under the Daihatsu brand) as it is not only using the new Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) but is also manufactured for Toyota by Daihatsu. It is speculated that this new model will also be the basis for a new compact SUV from Perodua although with its own upperbody design capabilities, Perodua’s version is likely to have a different appearance. The X-Concept which the Malaysian carmaker displayed at the KL International Motor Show last year could offer clues to its looks.

The Raize comes with only one powertrain but either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. It is powered by a 1.0-litre turbocharged engine (1KR-VET VVT-i shown above) which develops 98 ps/140 Nm, figures comparable to a 1.5-litre engine. Power delivery goes through a D-CVT which has innovations to increase performance as well as fuel efficient.

Depending on the testing cycle used, claimed fuel consumption of the Raize can be as high as 23.4 kms/litre, using the Japanese JC-08 test cycle. However, using the internationally recognised WLTC (World Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Cycle), the figure is 18.6 kms/litre.

4WD variants have Dynamic Torque Control 4WD, mainly intended for vehicles operating in conditions where there is frequent ice and snow. When accelerating from a start or when driving on slippery road surfaces, this system distributes torque in an optimal manner to the rear wheels to enhance grip and stability. On certain variants, there is a display which shows the distribution of torque to each wheel in real-time for the driver’s awareness.

The suspension is quite straightforward since it has to also be low-cost for an entry-level model. There are MacPherson struts up front with a torsion beam for the rear. Part shapes have been optimised for reduced weight and the tuning has been focussed on giving a stable ride with minimal roll.

Besides having adaptive cruise control, the Raize also comes with the latest Smart Assist safety features, including the Crash Avoidance Braking Function, which is capable of detecting both vehicles and pedestrians, and the Erroneous Start Prevention Function with braking control (forward and backward). A Smart Panorama Parking Assist system provides voice and image guidance as well as steering assistance when parking.

Generous space for occupants within 6.77 square metres
Within a footprint of 6.77 square metres and a length of 3.995 metres, the interior designers have managed to provide a cabin with generous space for the occupants. Not only that, the compact SUV boasts a class-leading 369-litres of luggage capacity. The rear seats can also be folded to further increase cargo volume while a two-level deck board structure allows for maximum use of all the volume.

The dashboard appears quite crowded but has been carefully planned so that the driver can have a good view of the road ahead. This is helped by the high hip point (665 mm in the Raize) which raises the body. It is typical of SUVs and one reason why women, in particular, like SUVs. The higher hip point is also helpful for getting in and out, especially for older people.

The LED digital speedometer and 7-inch TFT colour LCD display are seamlessly integrated, appearing to create a single screen. The driver can choose between 4 display styles: Advanced, Exciting, Simple, and Analogue. Over at the middle of the dashboard, in keeping with current interior design trends, there’s a 9-inch display panel. This shows the apps on a smartphone using SmartDeviceLink and Apple CarPlay, expanding the range of choices available to the occupants.

Raize for Malaysia?
As sales numbers determine whether a model will be in showrooms in Malaysia, it’s hard to say if UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) will offer the Raize. It could be a good complement to the Vios and Yaris at the lower end, adding a SUV choice for entry-level customers. But the price would also have to be low enough to get the numbers and that will be dependent on the potential volume. It is likely that if UMWT wants the product, it would be made by Perodua, just like the Rush, as that makes sense. However, if Perodua’s model is significantly different from the Daihatsu Rocky, then UMWT may have to import it from Indonesia where it could also be made.

New Daihatsu Rocky which has also gone on sale in Japan today (left) and the Perodua X Concept displayed last year at the KL International Motor Show. Perodua now has its own capability to design the upperbody so it could have a significantly different looking model which shares the Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA).

New & affordable Shell Helix HX8 0W20 launched – RM199

Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd has unveiled their latest Shell Helix HX8 0W20 engine oil specifically formulated to meet the demands of today’s modern passenger vehicle engines. This new low viscosity formulation is not only a fully synthetic blend but also affordable for the masses who want that extra protection and performance when on the roads. (more…)

Legendary Honda Integra Type R racing car Screams Back to the Track at 8400 rpm (w/VIDEO)

The combination of RealTime Racing (RTR) and the Acura Integra Type R forged a race-winning record that remains unbroken after nearly two decades. RTR’s #42 Integra Type R is now returning to the track with Sports Car Club of America Hall-of-Famer Peter Cunningham behind the wheel and the video below documents the story.

The video showcases the Integra Type R’s original run in near-stock form; its dominant performance in the SPEED Touring Car championship, and its return to racing glory. At the WeatherTech International Challenge vintage race weekend at Road America, the #42 car qualified and finished fourth in a field of over 60 vehicles.

“It was our first race back out with the Acura Integra Type R, and it was like we never skipped a beat. We had a great time!” said Cunningham, team owner of RTR. “There were some 60 cars in our group and only a few vehicles in a class above beat us, so it was a great day for RealTime and Acura and great to have the Type R back on track.”

The ‘97 Acura Integra Type R
When it debuted in 1997, the Acura Integra Type R was much more than a faster Integra GS-R, the previous top-line trim. The Type R’s B18C5 engine became a legend in its own right for its factory modifications, the highlights of which included a hand-ported head, thinner valves and unique valve springs, robust connecting rods and numerous other upgrades, to give a screaming 8400-rpm redline.

The Integra Type R body also benefited from extra welds for additional chassis strength and stiffness. There was an under-bonnet chassis-stiffening strut bar straight from the factory, and the suspension and brakes were unique to Type R.

Ready to race ‘out of the box’
The fundamental goodness of the Type R wasn’t lost on RTR, and the factory car was so good out of the box that racing modifications for the track were limited to race-spec springs and shocks, mandatory safety equipment, such as a roll cage, and a stripped-out interior. Even the transmission was unmodified from stock.

When the Integra Type R debuted, RTR had already been competing, and winning, with Acura cars for nearly a decade. The team began with Acura’s first-generation Integra and later raced with the legendary first-generation Acura NSX.

*RealTime Racing has been in motorsports for over 30 years. competing in a variety of different types of races.*

From its racing debut in 1997 through the 2002 season, RTR’s Integra Type R dominated the SPEED Touring Car Championship, capturing 23 race wins on the way to 5 Drivers’ Championships. The record remains unbroken to this day.

“We knew from the start the Acura Integra Type R was a very special car,” said Cunningham. “But now, after all these years, it’s achieved legendary status, and rightly so. I believe it’s still one of the best performing front-wheel drive cars ever built.”

Round 2 of Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival and Toyota Vios Challenge is on this weekend in Kuala Lumpur!

For Round 2 of the third season of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival and Toyota Vios Challenge racing series, the purpose-built circuit is in a unique location – the former Kuala Lumpur airport of the 1950s/1960s which became a RMAF airbase after Subang International Airport was opened. Following the closure of the airbase some years back, the 488-acre site was to be a huge commercial development known as Bandar Malaysia.

While construction works are underway, the 1.99-km long runway offered an opportunity for the organisers of the Toyota GAZOO Racing event to create a racetrack that is 1.7 kms long with exceptionally long straights.

Bandar Malaysia circuit — *Aerial view of the circuit for Round 2 at Bandar Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. Jalan Sg. Besi over the SMART Tunnel is on the left side of the picture.*

“As a street racing series, one of the most challenging tasks is to find a venue that is not only large enough to accommodate both the racing circuit and festival ground but more importantly, accessible and as close as we can to fans and spectators. These challenges however, also present us with the unique opportunity to explore venues never before used or envisioned as a racing circuit,” said UMW Toyota Motor’s Chief Motorsports Officer, Akio Takeyama. “In the case of Round 2, the former airport is as unique as it gets and the location as central as you can be in Kuala Lumpur.”

Circuit must meet international safety requirements
Construction of the circuit at Bandar Malaysia took approximately 3 weeks. This work involved transporting, positioning and interlocking hundreds of 4-tonne concrete blocks and debris fencing to form the inner and outer parameters of the track. The track must meet FIA (the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) safety specifications.

TGR safety — *Hundreds of 4-tonne concrete blocks must be positioned around the circuit to ensure that spectators are protected if the cars crash against the barriers.*

“Street racing brings out the best in Malaysian racers. The absence of run-off areas makes it extremely unforgiving, more intimidating and even more difficult to master. It requires 110% concentration, focus and precision from the drivers. For spectators, a street race is even more exciting visually as they are able to be closer to the action,” said Mr. Takeyama who has been a participant in the Vios Challenge sine the first season.

In three seasons of the Toyota Vios Challenge series, the race has been held at various stadium and exhibition grounds in Terengganu, Johor, Penang and the Klang Valley, as well as at the Sepang International Circuit.

Emulating street races such as the historic annual Macau Grand Prix, the Toyota Vios Challenge is no less exciting. More importantly, Mr. Takeyama added, it provides drivers with a more challenging race, an even greater level playing field, the excitement on driving on a variety of tracks, and contributes to them honing their technical and driving skills.

Meanwhile, UMW Toyota Motor President, Ravindran K., said the prospect of transforming an airstrip into a full-blown racing track is a manifestation of both Toyota and its GAZOO Racing philosophy of breaking tradition and pushing the boundaries.

“Innovation is not only reflected in the vehicles we produce but it underlines the way we think and do things, and in the case of the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival, it means turning the least expected venues into tracks to bring motor-racing closer to the masses,” said Mr. Ravindran.

2 days of close racing
Round 2 of the Toyota Vios Challenge will feature 2 days of racing with three driver categories as usual – Celebrity, Amateur and Professional. 10 local celebrities competing in the Promotional Class include Shawn Lee, Shukri Yahaya, Diana Danielle, Nabil Ahmad, Janna Nick, Khai Bahar, Wany Hasrita, Nabila Razali, Ain Edruce and Syafiq Kyle. Both Shawn and Wany will start with one race win each after winning the opening two races of Season 3 in Kuala Terengganu earlier.

TGR celebrities — *Fans of celebrities get to meet them during breaks between races.*

“Round 2 is going to be a very exciting because we will be competing on a new track. There’s really no way of preparing for it in terms of setting up the car until we get a chance to drive on the track during the official practice session and evaluate the surface condition and overall flow of the circuit. From what I gather so far, it’s going to be quite a fast track,” said Shawn.

Among the big names in Malaysian motorsports driving in both the Sporting and Super Sporting classes for amateur and professional drivers, respectively, include Season 1 and Season 2 Sporting champions Brendan Paul Anthony and Brendon Lim; Season 1 and Season 2 Super Sporting champions Tengku Djan Ley and Boy Wong; and experienced drivers like Kenny Lee, William Ho, Mark Darwin, Kenneth Koh, Sutan Mustafa and Syafiq Ali. The Sporting Class will also feature 15-year-old Hayden Haikal.

A totally new track to learn quickly
For Super Sporting Class driver Kenny Lee, the first practice session is critical to uncover much of the unknown. “I have never had the opportunity to visit Bandar Malaysia in the past and therefore I don’t know what the surface condition is like. The first thing everyone will be looking into is certainly the final track layout and finding the fastest racing line around the track. We’ll also have to carefully look at the surface conditions especially in the braking zones because you never know, some areas can be a bit bumpy, slippery or even dusty,” said Kenny.

Bandar Malaysia — Another aerial view of the circuit which has been laid out on the runway that aircraft used to land on. Note the exceptionally long straights but as every car will have the same performance levels, it will be driver skill and strategy that makes the difference, not power.

Tengku Djan Ley shares the same sentiment, saying drivers will in essence have only about 90 minutes throughout the race weekend to learn the new track. “We have a track walk on Thursday evening and the official practice starts on Friday, so essentially you only have a couple of laps to try and decipher the entire track and obtain enough information that will go into setting up the race car. Those who are able to do this will have an advantage,” he said.

“There’s really not much that can be done to the set-up apart from experimenting with different tyre pressures, suspension settings and alignment combinations, but these small changes do make a big difference on track,” he added.

For race fans and spectators, the Toyota GAZOO Racing Festival will offer a variety of activities for all the family. There will be Toyota’s fleet of vehicles (with test drive sessions available), a drift performance by professional Japanese drivers, a concert, beyblade tournament, racing simulators and the display of the all-new Toyota GR Supra.

Entrance is free of charge and the event is from 9 am to 6 pm on this Saturday and Sunday, November 9/10 2019.

Click here for more information about the Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival and Toyota Vios Challenge (more…)