The latest 2020 Volvo S60 T8 R Design was just launched recently for the Malaysian market and for those who are still doubting whether this beauty is worthy of your ownership, the Volvo S60 has just been crowned as the best executive car at the 2019 Scottish Car of the Year Awards. (more…)
Renault’s flagship D-segment SUV – the Koleos – has been refreshed with a more distinctive exterior styling and enhancements to an interior that is already one of the most spacious and comfortable in its class.
Now available for booking at the showrooms of TC Euro Cars, the latest version of the Koleos will continue to be offered in two variants: a base version and a more extensively equipped Signature version.
This being a midcycle update, the overall dimensions are unchanged (2705 mm for the wheelbase within a total length of 4672 mm) but the revised exterior design gives a more aggressive and muscular look, with Renault’s Pure Vision LED headlamps available on both variants. Customers can choose either a Universal White or Black Metallic exterior finish.
Key enhancements include new front and rear bumpers with full-width chrome detailing, and new alloy wheels (19 inches diameter for the Koleos Signature). Both variants are now equipped with the convenient hands-free power tailgate which is height-adjustable according to individual needs.
Equipped Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the occupants can now interface whatever is on their smartphone with the car’s 8.7-inch R-LINK2 multimedia system.
Power adjustment for seats are standard for both front seats while rear passenger seats have a 2-step adjustable seat configuration for enhanced comfort. An electric panoramic sunroof (Koleos Signature only) adds a premium touch while enhancing cabin ambience.
The Koleos imported to Malaysia is powered by a 2.5-litre petrol engine mated to an X-Tronic CVT automatic transmission. This efficient and proven engine can produce up to 171 ps/226 Nm while going up to 12.3 kms/litre, according to factory tests.
The new Koleos prices are from RM179,888 for the standard variant and RM189,888 for the Koleos Signature (on-the-road inclusive of SST, without insurance, for private registration in Peninsular Malaysia). Each new unit comes with a 5-year full manufacturer’s warranty with unlimited mileage. Owners also enjoy a free scheduled maintenance service package for the first 5 years or maximum of 100,000 kms.
During the month of November 2019, TCEC is offering up to RM15,000 for trade-ins on top of the vehicle assessment amount. Alternatively, they can choose the Renault Subscription scheme which offers freedom and flexibility of ownership. There’s no commitment to a long-term loan tenure, rigid lock-ins and vehicle depreciation costs are also non-issues.
To locate a showroom or to know more, visit www.renault.com.my .
To celebrate the return of a Brabham works car to the race track this month, Brabham Automotive is has announced the inclusion of a Competition specification within the Brabham BT62 range. There will be three variants for customers to choose from: Ultimate Track Car; Competition spec; and Road-Compliant Conversion.
Production remains limited to just 70 cars – irrespective of variant – with all cars available in either ‘Celebration’ or ‘Signature’ liveries. All variants including the Competition specification vehicles are available in either left or right-hand drive. Competition specification units are fully upgradeable to either Ultimate Track Car or Road Compliant specifications at any time.
The Competition specification, priced from £750,000 (around RM4 million), is stripped back and ready for racing. It is lighter than the full-specification Ultimate Track version, with a Celebration or bespoke wrap rather than exterior paint and exposed interior carbon with no interior trim. The Competition specification is delivered without a passenger seat or an Initial Spares Pack (although they can be included as optioned extras), both of which are standard with the Ultimate Track version.
Most importantly, the Brabham BT62 Competition spec features all the performance of the Ultimate Track version. It has the same lightweight, FIA-compliant carbon-chromoly safety cell with integrated roll cage.
It retains all the performance of the Brabham 5.4-litre, naturally aspirated V8 engine delivering 700 bhp mated to a 6-speed sequential gearbox. Advanced aerodynamics provide an outstanding 1200 kgs of downforce. Completing the performance package are Brabham’s carbon-on-carbon brakes, which, coupled with motorsport ABS and traction control, are said to provide unrivalled on-track stopping power and control.
The BT62 Competition specification also retains Brabham’s centre-locking wheels, pneumatic jacking system, competition-ready gauge display and lightweight, removable, multi-function steering wheel.
The first BT62 Competition deliveries are in early 2020, in time for the northern hemisphere racing season.
Race starts in Texas at 1:10 pm Sunday/3:10 am Monday in Malaysia
News from Proton has been good all year long, with upbeat press releases arriving at our mailboxes every month. And as the end of the year approaches, the carmaker reports that its cumulative sales volume (including export deliveries) is almost at 80,000 units (79,833 to be exact) after 10 months. This represents a growth rate of 46% in a market where the Total Industry Volume (TIV) has decreased by 1.3% to date.
Pending official industry data from the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA), Proton estimates its market share to be 16%, which is 5.2% higher than the previous year. It has strengthened its hold on second place in the overall sales chart and is confident of maintaining this position to the end of 2019.
While sales of the X70 SUV have contributed to Proton’s upswing – over 24,000 units have been delivered so far – the Saga has also drawn a huge number of customers since being launched in August. Over 28,000 bookings have been received and in October, the new model posted its highest sales figure for over four years. 4,273 units were sold last month and for the first 10 months of the year, the cumulative total is 30,331 units, which is a 26% increase over the previous year.
“We are humbled by the response our products have received from Malaysian car buyers. In the space of just 8 months, we launched our first SUV and updated all our other models, giving Proton the youngest model range for any car brand in Malaysia. The hard work has paid off with increased sales and we are now confident of being able to sell 100,000 units this year, providing us with a solid base to move forward in 2020 and beyond,” said Dr Li Chunrong, Chief Executive Officer of Proton.
Dr. Li said the company is matching the commitment of its dealers by continuing to invest in training programmes for sales and service staff to ensure the level of service delivered matches the premium image the brand aspires to. “As we grow the number of 3S/4S outlets, we can then deliver an improved brand experience to more Malaysian car buyers. Proton will continue to focus on improving customer service levels as we know it is one of the keys to building long-term brand loyalty,” he added.
With the introduction of more plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in Malaysia in coming years, along with a few all-electric models, it’s clear that there will be a market for recharging facilities. For now, such units are being offered by the companies selling the PHEVs or EVs, usually as part of a package with the purchase of the car.
No company will be allowed to have a monopoly of the sale of such recharging facilities otherwise the powerful Competition Commission will take action. This means that there are opportunities for companies specialising in such products to start offering them in Malaysia.
One of them is Circontrol, a 22-year old Spanish company which has a range of chargers for private and commercial application. The company has deployed over 55,000 charging points across 60 countries since they’ve started and also work with brands like Nissan, Audi and Volkswagen on providing Original Equipment for their PHEVs and EVs.
For homes, Circontrol offers their Wallbox eHome and Wallbox eNext. Protected by an ABS plastic housing that’s UV-resistant for longevity. The unit re also IP54-protected, meaning they are partially protected from dust and sprays or splashes of water.
Some of their charging stations like the eVolve Smart and eNext Elite can be connected via ethernet port or 3G/GPRS to make management much easier. They have 7.4kw power supply and are priced at RM5,300 (including installation with additional charges if the location is outside the Klang Valley).
For those who need quick charging solutions, there are DC Chargers like the Raption 50 which can ‘refill’ battery packs within half an hour, it is claimed. These Fast Charging stations feature modular power technology and power scalability to keep them cost-effective and relevant to future advances in EV battery technology.
Designed to be installed in both public access environments (urban spaces, shopping centres, hotels, airports, R&R areas, etc) or company properties where vehicles need to be ready to continue their journey, the Raption 50 is designed to meet the most important market demands. With its state-of-the-art modular power technology allows a bigger uptime, increases availability and flexibility. Another key attribute is its sophisticated, slim and robust design that makes Raption 50 and ideal EV charger for any type of location, from stylish urban areas to industrial sites.
Based on statistics compiled by PLUS Malaysia Berhad, the average daily traffic volume on its highways in the northern region is 253,000 vehicles, while for the southern region, 189,000 vehicles travel daily. Of these vehicles, on average, 8% and 9% respectively either have insufficient balance in their Touch‘NGo cards or choose to reload them at the toll plaza exit lanes (rather than other places).
With such a high volume of traffic, pausing at a booth to reload the tollcard will affect traffic flow as it takes up to 3 minutes for the process of reloading. This is obviously inconsiderate to other highway users even though PLUS allocates one lane for reloading – but if there is no reload booth, that lane can also be used for vehicles to proceed through without being delayed.
At the beginning of August 2019, PLUS closed its reload booths at the exit toll plazas of highways in the Central Region (between Seremban and Ipoh South) in an effort to help highway users enjoy smoother passage when exiting the highway.
The move proved effective in speeding up traffic flow and from November 5, 2019, PLUS will close reload booths at all the exit toll plazas in the northern region (between Hutan Kampung and Ipoh Utara) and the southern region (between Seremban and Skudai). However, Customer Service Centres and Reload Lanes at entry lanes at selected toll plazas will still be provided and will be operating as usual.
Closing the reload booths also helps to ensure the safety of PLUS customer service agents as there have been several cases where heavy vehicles crashed into toll booths at the toll plazas. To date, there have been 81 cases of heavy vehicles crashing into toll booths between 2016 and 2018.
The closure of the reload booths may seem like an inconvenience but the Touch’NGo operators have more than 11,000 reload points around the country. If you think parking is a problem, most if not all petrol stations can process reloads and you can also do so at many ATMS if you don’t have cash in hand.
Other highway concessionaires are likely to follow the PLUS move and in fact, PROLINTAS has already announced a similar action on its highways.
For decades, the traditional way of buying a car has required a down-payment of a certain percentage and then repayment of the loan – with interest included – every month for an agreed number of years. However, many people no longer want to be tied down by such a commitment and for them, TC Euro Cars (TCEC), the sole franchise holder of Renault vehicles in Malaysia, offers the Renault Subscription scheme.
Two plans are available for the Renault Subscription scheme which started with the Captur and Koleos models and is now also available for the latest high-performance Megane R.S. 280 Cup.
The Fixed Plan is a more structured plan, available for short periods of 1,2 or 3 years, with a monthly usage rate that covers annual roadtax, insurance premium and regular servicing costs. This plan starts from RM3,999 a month for the Megane R.S. 280 Cup.
Then there’s also the Switch Plan, offering more freedom and flexibility as buyers are given access to other Renault models with no change to the previously announced rates. The Switch Plan offers the Captur with the option of utilising both the Koleos and Megane R.S. within the subscription period.
Furthermore, the Switch Plan comes with no mileage caps, no cancellation penalties and fees are inclusive of insurance, annual roadtax and regular servicing costs. Replacement of wear and tear items for the Captur are also included under this plan.
“We believe that Subscription is the alternative that consumers are looking for in their vehicle ownership experience. With the updated Switch Plan, Renault Subscription is even more compelling as customers can now swap from the compact Captur to the luxurious new Koleos SUV, and over to the high-performance machine offered with the Megane R.S. The public interest in Renault Subscription has exceeded our expectations, so we believe we are on the right track,” said Wong Hoe Mun, CEO of TC Euro Cars, adding that only limited units of the Megane R.S. 280 Cup are available on Subscription.
For more information, visit www.renault.com.my.
With competition in the market so intense these days. Car companies have a bigger challenge maintaining interest in their older model lines. There are new offerings virtually every month and car-buyers typically get drawn to the latest in the showrooms.
While the Nissan X-Trail line from Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) continues to be popular, the company has added special editions to freshen the SUV offering. These are the X-Tremer and X-Trail Aero Editions, each with a distinctive character,
X-Trail X-Tremer
The X-Trail X-Tremer has an aggressive appearance and comes with new two-tone exterior colour options; new Imperial Red, Brilliant White or Tungsten Silver body colours, with new Black Silhouette Roof, Roof Rails and Rear Spoiler.
It also has Gloss Black componentry which includes a new V-motion Grille Cladding, TOMEI Front and Rear Aero Bumpers, Side Under-Spoilers, Door Mirror Casings as well as Gloss Black 10-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels. Inside, there’s luxurious brown Nappa Leather Seats, a leatherette-covered dashboard, kneepad and armrest.
X-Trail Aero Edition
As for the X-Trail Aero Edition, this comes with silver TOMEI Front and Rear Aero Bumpers and Side Under-Spoilers, Gloss Black 10-spoke 17-inch Alloy Wheels as well as the same brown Nappa Leather interior of the X-Tremer. The Aero Edition is available in 3 exterior colour options – Diamond Black, Imperial Umber and Titanium Olive.
“The new Nissan X-Trail X-Tremer is specially tailored for customers who desire a bold and avant-garde design, while the Aero Edition is for those who prefer a sporty and elegant appearance in their SUV. We believe that these new enhancements in the Nissan X-Trail together with its Nissan Intelligent Mobility advanced safety technologies are able to cater to customers who seek both driving dynamics and distinctive styling appearance,” said Christopher Tan, Sales and Marketing Director of ETCM.
The special editions are available for 4 variants of the current X-Trail range – the 2.0L Hybrid, 2.5L 4WD, 2.0L 2WD MID and 2.0L 2WD. All of the come with a standard 5-year unlimited mileage warranty while the package accessories (which are fitted at the factory) come with a 3-year or 100,000-km warranty (whichever comes first). The lithium-ion battery pack and hybrid powertrain-related components of the X-Trail Hybrid are also covered under the 5-year unlimited mileage warranty.
Try the special editions this weekend
The new X-Trail X-Tremer and Aero Edition can be viewed at Nissan showrooms nationwide from tomorrow (November 2), with test-drives available upon request. Those who are interested in experiencing the future of motoring can also attend the Nissan Electrifying Drive Carnival on November 9/10 at selected ETCM showrooms (click here for the list of showrooms). They can have a test-drive of the second-generation Nissan LEAF, the world best-selling electric vehicle, which is also available for purchase.
For information on Nissan products and services in Malaysia, visit www.nissan.com.my.
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